After beleagured Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel was forced to resign due to disclosure of a series of his lies and cover-ups concerning certain off-field behavior by some of his players, fans of archrival Michigan paid to erect a billboard (in Michigan of course) which stated in large red Ohio State letters "Liar Liar Vest on Fire", which was both a play on the childhood taunt "liar liar pants on fire" and a mocking of the trademark red vest always exhibited by Tressel. [Full disclosure: several members of TNB's family are ardent Michigan fans, and of course that school, along with Southern Cal, Auburn, Connecticut, etc. has had its share of bad behavior--often by sanctimonious, hypocritical head coaches--sort of an occupational hazard].
Big-time college sports, of course, is totally out of control, being "policed" by the incredibly ineffectual NCAA, which among other things, permitted 6 of Tressel's star players to play in this year's Sugar Bowl (after being pressured by the Bowl organizers) despite being suspended for part of next season for the very infractions that eventually led to Tressel's downfall. Just in case you're wondering what these huge revenue producing sports mean to universities (besides providing a "healthy learning environment" for the so-called student-athletes), you may be surprised that a few months ago during the Tressel investigation, Ohio State President Gordon Gee, when asked if he was going to fire the head coach replied "I hope he doesn't dismiss me" (honestly!). Gee's salary is $2 million compared to Tressel's now former compensation of $4 million but hey who brings in more money? (The president doesn't have any endorsements either).
Isn't it comforting to parents who cough up 50 grand or so per year for their child's education (or to students who need to borrow big sums) to realize that the most important "educator" is often the head football coach? Are our priorities screwed up or what?
Anyway, so that we don't all quickly forget whatever lessons might be taken away from this incident, TNB is establishing the Vest on Fire award, to be given annually to the biggest liar among public figures such as politicians, coaches, TV pundits and just about anybody well-known. Early nominees include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rod Blagojevich, Karl Rove, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin and Tiger Woods. Jim Tressel is ineligible.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Ugly Frenchman
The term Ugly American gained notoriety some years ago when it was generally used to refer to overbearing American tourists who didn't know how to properly conduct themselves overseas, especially in the postwar years when visiting the "more sophisticated " European countries, such as France (which of course we Yanks and our British friends saved from having to Sprechen Sie Deutsch forever).
Although France is inarguably a great place to see, the experience there is often spoiled by having to deal with the locals--sort of an entire population of Ugly Frenchmen, many of whom are rude and arrogant, not to mention guilty of the most disgusting habits such as "irregular" bathing, letting dogs poop up the sidewalks, revering Jerry Lewis, etc. But these sociological or cultural differences represented mostly harmless quirks (unless you're in an elevator with a Parisian on a hot day) until this week when mon dieu we Americans, in our simpleminded pursuit of justice, managed to offend the entire French nation.
Our sin? We dared to arrest a powerful French politician and (until yesterday) head of the International Monetary Fund, one Dominique Strauss-Kahn, known in his home country as DSK. Considered a leading (Socialist!) candidate to defeat President Sarkozy in the next election, DSK who was arrested for raping an African immigrant chambermaid in the Sofitel Hotel in Manhattan, recently told a French interviewer that his three main obstacles to becoming President were his wealth, his love of women (twice divorced and quite the alleged serial seducer) and his Jewishness.
At least in New York City , there haven't been any accusations of anti-Semitism in his jailing. But his sleazebag American lawyer (infamous for representing sleazebag celebs like Michael Jackson) has come up with a number of defenses trying to secure bail for DSK, while trying of course to shift blame to the victim,. Let's try consensual sex, a lunch date DSK had with his daughter (at the same time?), a set up by Sarkozy's people (using an uneducated 32 year old from Guinea??), etc. Gotta love his lawyer's imagination.
But putting all that aside, the real revelation has been the attitude of many Frenchmen, including portions of their media. How dare we uncivilized Americans march DSK in a photographed perp walk, lock him up in Rikers Island with "scum", offer him "bad food" and so on? In France, the high and mighty aren't treated this way. A discreet payoff --l'affaire is forgotten. TNB had almost forgotten just how Ugly Frenchmen could be until their media revealed the name of the poor victim--something we generally don't do here. Who's Ugly anyway??
Although France is inarguably a great place to see, the experience there is often spoiled by having to deal with the locals--sort of an entire population of Ugly Frenchmen, many of whom are rude and arrogant, not to mention guilty of the most disgusting habits such as "irregular" bathing, letting dogs poop up the sidewalks, revering Jerry Lewis, etc. But these sociological or cultural differences represented mostly harmless quirks (unless you're in an elevator with a Parisian on a hot day) until this week when mon dieu we Americans, in our simpleminded pursuit of justice, managed to offend the entire French nation.
Our sin? We dared to arrest a powerful French politician and (until yesterday) head of the International Monetary Fund, one Dominique Strauss-Kahn, known in his home country as DSK. Considered a leading (Socialist!) candidate to defeat President Sarkozy in the next election, DSK who was arrested for raping an African immigrant chambermaid in the Sofitel Hotel in Manhattan, recently told a French interviewer that his three main obstacles to becoming President were his wealth, his love of women (twice divorced and quite the alleged serial seducer) and his Jewishness.
At least in New York City , there haven't been any accusations of anti-Semitism in his jailing. But his sleazebag American lawyer (infamous for representing sleazebag celebs like Michael Jackson) has come up with a number of defenses trying to secure bail for DSK, while trying of course to shift blame to the victim,. Let's try consensual sex, a lunch date DSK had with his daughter (at the same time?), a set up by Sarkozy's people (using an uneducated 32 year old from Guinea??), etc. Gotta love his lawyer's imagination.
But putting all that aside, the real revelation has been the attitude of many Frenchmen, including portions of their media. How dare we uncivilized Americans march DSK in a photographed perp walk, lock him up in Rikers Island with "scum", offer him "bad food" and so on? In France, the high and mighty aren't treated this way. A discreet payoff --l'affaire is forgotten. TNB had almost forgotten just how Ugly Frenchmen could be until their media revealed the name of the poor victim--something we generally don't do here. Who's Ugly anyway??
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Well Handled Sir
On Saturday evening April 30th, during what turned out to be the most satisfying week of the Obama presidency, the President appeared as is customary, at the annual White House Correspondents dinner. Despite what he and relatively few others knew was scheduled to occur within 24 hours in Pakistan, Obama appeared extremely relaxed as he positively skewered the "carnival barker" Donald Trump, windbag self-promoter and would be presidential candidate. Obama addressed the Donald, sitting grim faced in the audience, by stating how "impressed " he was with his presidential credentials, citing the tough decision he faced, no doubt keeping him up nights, as to whom to fire from his failed men's cooking team, before settling on hapless Gary Busey. Obama told Trump, with more than a hint of sarcasm , "well handled, sir".
As a fitting irony, the next night just as Trump's idiotic "reality" show Celebrity Apprentice was droning on to its climax it (and all other TV fare) was interrupted for the President's dramatic announcement of the killing of Osama Bin Laden. So in one weekend, Trump was shown to be totally irrelevant, which of course he always was.
Subsequently as more details became known about the operation, it finally put to rest (or should have) this idea put forth by the GOP (Grossly Obnoxious People) that Obama was some sort of indecisive wimp, unlike his cowboy predecessor whose apologists of course rushed to expound that it was really Bush who deserves most of the credit (?). Of course, since Obama is black it's not possible in the minds of an unfortunately sizable minority of Americans that he could possibly be effective (see: the birther nonsense).
In reality Obama is cautious and thorough whereas Bush was prone to rush to judgment (see: Iraq). TNB is very glad that we have this high quality individual as our President.
Well handled, sir!
As a fitting irony, the next night just as Trump's idiotic "reality" show Celebrity Apprentice was droning on to its climax it (and all other TV fare) was interrupted for the President's dramatic announcement of the killing of Osama Bin Laden. So in one weekend, Trump was shown to be totally irrelevant, which of course he always was.
Subsequently as more details became known about the operation, it finally put to rest (or should have) this idea put forth by the GOP (Grossly Obnoxious People) that Obama was some sort of indecisive wimp, unlike his cowboy predecessor whose apologists of course rushed to expound that it was really Bush who deserves most of the credit (?). Of course, since Obama is black it's not possible in the minds of an unfortunately sizable minority of Americans that he could possibly be effective (see: the birther nonsense).
In reality Obama is cautious and thorough whereas Bush was prone to rush to judgment (see: Iraq). TNB is very glad that we have this high quality individual as our President.
Well handled, sir!
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