JIM THORPE & MICHAEL JORDAN ?? GET A CLUE !!

I actually heard a sports writer, on ESPN's Sunday morning telecast of the 'SPORTS REPORTERS', refer to Michael Vick as not only the NFL's answer to Michael Jordan, but also the equivalent of the remarkable JIM THORPE.

He made this comparison while predicting that Vick would run all over the Eagle defense en route to taking his Falcons to the Super Bowl.

Now, predicting an Atlanta win is one thing, and comparing Vick to Jordan --- I can even live with that. After all, Vick does bring excitement to the game. However, comparing Vick to Thorpe? I mailed the 'reporter' two bucks, so he can buy himself a freaking clue.

Vick isn't even in the top 10 of NFL QB's, let alone worthy of THORPE comparison.

MORE SCHOOL GO --- MORE DUMB COME

You would think that the loss suffered by the Indianapolis Colts, at the hands of the New England Patriots, would have triggered the call for the wrecking ball.

The giant, metal sphere (along with 10,000 lbs of TNT) should not just be swinging in Indy, but in Minnesota, Atlanta, St Louis, Detroit and New Orleans, as well. All the NFL cities that house these 'domed dopes'.

All these supposed, intelligent business people, buy an NFL team and tell their fans that the main goal of the organization is to win the Super Bowl. They sit you in climate controlled buildings and sell you beer and hot dogs for $5.00 each and garner all of your loyal support, because they have once again suckered everyone into thinking they will not only get to and win the Super Bowl, but they will kick all asses along the way.

What a joke. The fans of those above mentioned cities should demand that these organizations tear the roofs off those domes, before one more game is played in those confined sanctuaries.

The facts are facts, and the facts concerning 'domed' teams are available for public consumption and they are alarming, to say the least.

No NFL team that plays their home games indoors has ever won a Super Bowl if they had to play outdoors during the playoffs, in order to get to the Big Dance.

Do these 'domed dopes' need any more evidence than the fiasco they were forced to bear witness to in Foxboro, on Sunday, January 23?

A team, labeled by many as the best offensive team in the NFL in decades, produced exactly three points ... as in NO touchdowns. This, from the QB who set an all time record for TD passes, at 49 for the season.

Has anyone ever mentioned to the collective brain trusts of these 'domed' teams, that such teams have only won nine of the 37 outdoor playoff games in which they have performed? Do any of them ever scratch their heads and wonder ------- Why?

Has anyone ever brought it the attention of the Minnesota Viking front office, that their beloved football team, despite winning at Green Bay in the Wild Card round this year, has only won two of their last 22 outdoor games?

Somebody wake the hell up !! If your team plays their home games under a roof, and they do not secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs, your chances of seeing that team EVER reach their supposed ultimate goal are literally impossible.

For eight games of every year you will be guaranteed the perfect environment for eating your dogs and drinking your beer. However, that perfect environment is obviously the absolute worst environment to get your team ready to even make a respectable appearance in an outdoor playoff game in January, let alone win the damn game.

Maybe these people just need a calendar and an NFL schedule, so they can actually see that the playoffs are played in January, EVERY freaking year.

Fans in those 'domed' cities should be marching in protest, carrying signs that read, 'TEAR OFF THE DAMN ROOF'.

Ps. There have been eight NFC 'dome' teams that have played outdoors in the NFC Championship game. Atlanta, playing at Philly this coming Sunday, will be the ninth such team. What else Atlanta will be is the NINTH STRAIGHT 'DOMED' LOSER, since the previous eight all lost.

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT

Dear President Bush:

I want this letter to be as non partisan as possible. My political persuasion should be of no consequence, as it is not germane to the subject matter of my mail.

I have two points I would like to discuss and I appreciate you taking the time.

A year ago, this past Thanksgiving, you took a trip to Iraq and surprised the troops. I remember hearing so many of the political pundits stating that it was a 'grandstanding' act on your part and done strictly for political purposes, since an election was on the horizon.

I debated many of those people regarding your motives. I pointed out that you seemed to be a very caring individual, with regard to your personal life and I further supported my point of contention by assuring those pundits that you would return to Iraq, AFTER you were reelected.

Certainly, not for my sake, but for all those men and women who are in your command, please make a return trip to Iraq, now that there can be no question of political motivation. Please.

My second point of discussion is your Presidential Inauguration.
I realize that the bulk of the money required to put on such a gala event is coming from the private sector, but something is terribly wrong with your participation at this point in time.

If and when this email reaches you, the event will have passed, but just stop and think of the respect and honor you would have received if you had given all that money to the surviving family members of those brave men and women that gave their lives, so we could have the opportunity to even have a Presidential Inauguration.

The legacy you would have written for yourself would have been the high point that every President hereafter would strive to attain.

Imagine the complete respect you would have received from both parties, had you gone through the inauguration process, hopped on a jet and sped off to Iraq, to be with the troops that you command, rather than attending a gala affair, while those troops are engaged in war.

Imagine yourself being the father of a son or daughter that had just been killed in Iraq, and then turning on the TV and watching the Commander in Chief, dancing and partying while you lament the death of your loved one.

If I were you and I was just now reading this letter, I would tell my advisors they are being reassigned to new positions, because they caused you to miss an opportunity of a lifetime.

Sir, please do not think my intent is to spread guilt or demean any of your decisions and/or your actions. I just don't understand why you didn't take advantage of such an opportunity. I am especially disappointed since you already had the experience and the proud moment of an Inaugural Ball.

I have no doubt that if you would have turned up on the TV stations, standing in Iraq, with the men you command, instead of at some gala affair where laughter and rejoicing filled the room, you would have brought tears to not only the families who have lost loved ones, but to most of us Americans who have no personal contacts with any of those brave soldiers.

Some things are just right and others are just wrong. If I was a soldier in Iraq and I was unfortunate enough to have to witness the great celebration on the local TV hookup, I would be completely demoralized to see my Commander in Chief celebrating anything before he celebrates the end of this war.

Such a gesture would have left no doubts in the minds of people from either side of the aisle that divides this country, as to what your priorities are and just how much those brave men and women mean to you.

I wish you and your family the very best with all your future decisions.

Sincerely,
AB
(South Jersey / South Florida)

SHAUN's RUSHING TITLE

Shaun Alexander, of the Seattle Seahawks, fell one yard short of tying Curtis Martin (Jets) for the NFL rushing title.

With Seattle at the one yard line and beating Atlanta by one point, Coach Holmgeren opted to let the ball remain in his QB's hand and plunge into the line for the one yard TD.

Alexander's reaction after the game --- "Holmgren stabbed me in the back."

Where do I begin -- First of all, there was 4:32 remaining in the game and the instructions were given (documented) to hand the ball off to Shaun for every play, when the Hawks got the ball back, even if they got it back with three seconds on the clock.

The people Alexander should be upset with are: 1. Himself 2. The defense.

The play before the one yard QB plunge, Alexander carried the ball and was tackled at the 1-yard-line. HE fell short of the record, NOT Mike Holmgren.

Two weeks earlier, in NY, playing the Jets, Alexander fumbled at the Jet 1-yard-line, as HE was about to pick up that ONE yard and score a TD. The ONE yard that would have tied him for the record was in HIS hands, not the hands of Mike Holmgren.

Maybe Shaun should be screaming at his defense that allowed Atlanta to use up the remainder of the clock to get their final TD.

Maybe Shaun should be screaming at his defense which stopped the Atlanta 2-point conversion, as the Falcons attempted to tie the game and send it into over-time.
After all, Shaun's only shot at the title, at that point , was an OT game.

Of course, an OT game would mean that his T-E-A-M would possibly go from NFC West Division Champs to --- NOT Champs --- with a loss in OT.

That would have been OK though, because then Shaun wouldn't feel as though he was being stabbed in the back.

By the way, there were no monetary incentives in his contract, so don't think it was a directive from management to keep Shaun from HIS goal. He did not get screwed out of $2 or $3 million dollars.

I know one thing and I am 99.9% positive of this fact -- If Alexander picked up TWO more yards and won the rushing title, Curtis Martin (the winner) wouldn't have bitched about Herm Edwards not running him more in their game against the Rams, earlier in the day, he would have said one thing ..... "Congratulations, Shaun."