Curtis Dahlgren
Speaking of "climate change," Green Bay is hot (a classic)
By Curtis Dahlgren
"My father, Walter, who now resides in heaven, always imparted to me, 'Greatness lies in your ability to overcome.'" — Michael Irvin
THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS. Like interceptions, fumbles, and snowflakes. Speaking of overcoming stereotypes and conventional "wisdom," let me say first that I never believed that the earth is flat, or that there are no two identical snowflakes (how would one prove that?), but I do believe in God (most people up here do).
Praise the Lord; the Lord provides. While most of the country wonders how to pay for imported heating oil, the only thing we import up here is our air (from Canada), and our fuel, from the Back Forty. But speaking of flakes, I was out in my yard yesterday morning, thanking God that I don't have to mow my grass more than 4 or 5 times a year (some years only three), and while looking at the ground I was surprised to see flecks of blue flashing from the snow. So I always "go like" what's wrong with this picture?
As I sought to retrace the path of the light and looked UP, guess what? The sky was such a deep dark blue that it was the sky that was reflecting off tiny ice crystals — thus the blue! I'm in my 69th year and this was the first time I've ever noticed that in my whole life. Another reason it was the smartest thing I ever did when I moved north!
By the way — you want to know why some Yoopers like me have big noses? It's because the air is free — and cold (so we're always blowing our noses). Speaking of weather though, if even Jerry Jones can't control the weather for one week, how in the world does Al Gore think he's going to control the climate for the next 40 years, eh?
BTW, I got to see the local telecast of the 50,000 fans in Lambeau Field welcoming the Packers back to God's Country, sitting there in a below zero wind chill factor ("just the way we like it"). These are the same people who refuse to go to any church that isn't air conditioned. Lots of tears of joy were freezing on the cheeks of the 50,000 (as James Jones tried to cheat and stay close to the heaters).
Anyway, it was an inspiring afternoon. Green Bay is naming a street "McCarthy's Way" and Tailgunner Joe can finally rest in peace. The family name is finally getting some respect.
IN OTHER NEWS THIS WEEK:
Here are some observations you'll never get from the LBM (Liberal Broken Media).
- The first thing I notice about the Egyptian protesters is that they seem to wear much better clothes than I wear! [and now I hear that some billionaire is financing their extended vacation from work; too bad we didn't want to "meddle" in the Iranian Freedom movement.]
- The U.S. Department of "Education" has unveiled a pilot project in several school districts mandating the teaching of ARABIC! [so much for the old joke that the pessimists are studying Chinese.]
- The educrats continue to "meddle" in local schools such as in Montana, where almost all the parents say it's unnecessary to teach sex education to pre-schoolers! [They're already getting that from Super Bowl halftime shows on TV.]
- WEAC, the Wisconsin Education union, has "pivoted to the center" and suggests merit-based pay and testing of teachers, and breaking up the Milwaukee Public Schools. [personally I suggest abolishing the Dept. of Education, make Wisconsin a right-to-work state, and spend the money saved on Hooked On Phonics tapes.]
- Health and Human Services says that there is no money for long-term care in ObomaCare [we seniors saw that coming a long, long time ago; and although a court has ruled it null-and-void, the Administration continues to "deem it valid" as if nothing happened (except of course for almost a thousand "waivers" for unions and Friends of the Democrat Party)!]
- Former Illinois governor Blago claims that evidence has been stolen regarding a phone call from Rahm Emmanuel's office the day before he was arrested. [Ironically, this is the same week that Fox launched the new show, "Chicago Code."]
That reminds me — I watched the Super Bowl in Al Capone's old hideout, Miscauno Island. His picture still hangs in the min-museum they have there. I also talked to a guy who used to caddy for the mob when he was just a teenager in the area. I also had a personal acquaintance in the 1960s who got sucked into the mob, and I assume he's still there, too.
Seriously though, how is it that Chicago politicians can get away with the most outrageous crimes, while Tom Delay faces jail time for doing something his legal advisors told him was perfectly legal? There's a lot more money laundering going on between Planned Parenthood and the Feds (sorry about that, but it's true, Bart Stupak; they most definitely plan to fund abortions with your money). [That's part of the "income redistribution" plans.]
Which reminds me of another sorry Chicago story. The church I attended from 1963 until the early 90s was taken over by a guy from Chicago when the founder died. For a couple of years everything seemed okay, but soon there were rumors that all of our founding doctrines were going to be pitched out. The guy from Chicago, of course, kept saying that "That's ridiculous; we're not changing anything" [just like B.O. says that Death Panels are "ludicrous"].
In a mirror-image of what's happening to the entire country, our church had been the victim of a hostile takeover, and like some businesses, its assets were sold off to finance the "retirements" of the Chicago boys who told us "nothing has changed." Nothing except everything was changed (or in Chicago-ese, "transformed").
CONCLUSIONS
I like saying my piece, but I'd like to end it on a positive note. So let's go back to the more pleasant subject of the NFL (pleasant as long as you don't mention the "labor" problems). Nice "work" if you can get it, eh? My dream occupation would have been as a sports writer traveling with teams like the Packers and Brewers. Actually though, we have a surplus plethora of "experts" who have never actually played baseball or professional football. One of the most refreshing articles I read in the last week was by Michael Irvin (#88, Cowboys) — USA TODAY, Feb. 4th. A couple of borrowed excerpts regarding the Steelers and Green Bay:
"The beginning of the AFC Championship Game was about Rashard Mendenhall and that offensive line tearing the hearts out of the New York Jets. They were physical. They were dominating. I saw Mendenhall looking for defenders to run over. Defenders weren't looking for him . . .
"[The Super Bowl] is also going to be about making game-changing plays on defense in the fourth quarter for the win. This is not going to be a blowout. These teams are too evenly matched for that. . .
"Pittsburh intimidates you. Green Bay's defenders, they are thieves. They commit burglaries. I'm talking about a team that made 24 interceptions in the regular season, six more in the playoffs.
"Greatness lies in your ability to overcome. Defending a pass is one thing. Intercepting it and taking it back the other way is another. That kind of play can allow Green Bay to overcome a lot. I predict Green Bay will beat Pittsburgh 24-21 in a battle between two of the Cowboys' great rivals for the moniker of 'America's Team.'"
Amen (I just love seeing a literate, articulate college "educated" athlete)!
More later about "overcoming," but my final thought about The Game is that it was so sweet to see a farm boy from Leonardsville, Kansas — Jordan Nelson — to pick up the slack for an injured city boy from the streets of Houston, Donald Driver.
P.S. And at Lambeau Field at 4 PM, February 8, 2011, there were neither lefts nor rights, neither black nor white. They were just All-Americans — including the fans in the stands.
© Curtis Dahlgren
February 9, 2011
"My father, Walter, who now resides in heaven, always imparted to me, 'Greatness lies in your ability to overcome.'" — Michael Irvin
THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS. Like interceptions, fumbles, and snowflakes. Speaking of overcoming stereotypes and conventional "wisdom," let me say first that I never believed that the earth is flat, or that there are no two identical snowflakes (how would one prove that?), but I do believe in God (most people up here do).
Praise the Lord; the Lord provides. While most of the country wonders how to pay for imported heating oil, the only thing we import up here is our air (from Canada), and our fuel, from the Back Forty. But speaking of flakes, I was out in my yard yesterday morning, thanking God that I don't have to mow my grass more than 4 or 5 times a year (some years only three), and while looking at the ground I was surprised to see flecks of blue flashing from the snow. So I always "go like" what's wrong with this picture?
As I sought to retrace the path of the light and looked UP, guess what? The sky was such a deep dark blue that it was the sky that was reflecting off tiny ice crystals — thus the blue! I'm in my 69th year and this was the first time I've ever noticed that in my whole life. Another reason it was the smartest thing I ever did when I moved north!
By the way — you want to know why some Yoopers like me have big noses? It's because the air is free — and cold (so we're always blowing our noses). Speaking of weather though, if even Jerry Jones can't control the weather for one week, how in the world does Al Gore think he's going to control the climate for the next 40 years, eh?
BTW, I got to see the local telecast of the 50,000 fans in Lambeau Field welcoming the Packers back to God's Country, sitting there in a below zero wind chill factor ("just the way we like it"). These are the same people who refuse to go to any church that isn't air conditioned. Lots of tears of joy were freezing on the cheeks of the 50,000 (as James Jones tried to cheat and stay close to the heaters).
Anyway, it was an inspiring afternoon. Green Bay is naming a street "McCarthy's Way" and Tailgunner Joe can finally rest in peace. The family name is finally getting some respect.
IN OTHER NEWS THIS WEEK:
Here are some observations you'll never get from the LBM (Liberal Broken Media).
- The first thing I notice about the Egyptian protesters is that they seem to wear much better clothes than I wear! [and now I hear that some billionaire is financing their extended vacation from work; too bad we didn't want to "meddle" in the Iranian Freedom movement.]
- The U.S. Department of "Education" has unveiled a pilot project in several school districts mandating the teaching of ARABIC! [so much for the old joke that the pessimists are studying Chinese.]
- The educrats continue to "meddle" in local schools such as in Montana, where almost all the parents say it's unnecessary to teach sex education to pre-schoolers! [They're already getting that from Super Bowl halftime shows on TV.]
- WEAC, the Wisconsin Education union, has "pivoted to the center" and suggests merit-based pay and testing of teachers, and breaking up the Milwaukee Public Schools. [personally I suggest abolishing the Dept. of Education, make Wisconsin a right-to-work state, and spend the money saved on Hooked On Phonics tapes.]
- Health and Human Services says that there is no money for long-term care in ObomaCare [we seniors saw that coming a long, long time ago; and although a court has ruled it null-and-void, the Administration continues to "deem it valid" as if nothing happened (except of course for almost a thousand "waivers" for unions and Friends of the Democrat Party)!]
- Former Illinois governor Blago claims that evidence has been stolen regarding a phone call from Rahm Emmanuel's office the day before he was arrested. [Ironically, this is the same week that Fox launched the new show, "Chicago Code."]
That reminds me — I watched the Super Bowl in Al Capone's old hideout, Miscauno Island. His picture still hangs in the min-museum they have there. I also talked to a guy who used to caddy for the mob when he was just a teenager in the area. I also had a personal acquaintance in the 1960s who got sucked into the mob, and I assume he's still there, too.
Seriously though, how is it that Chicago politicians can get away with the most outrageous crimes, while Tom Delay faces jail time for doing something his legal advisors told him was perfectly legal? There's a lot more money laundering going on between Planned Parenthood and the Feds (sorry about that, but it's true, Bart Stupak; they most definitely plan to fund abortions with your money). [That's part of the "income redistribution" plans.]
Which reminds me of another sorry Chicago story. The church I attended from 1963 until the early 90s was taken over by a guy from Chicago when the founder died. For a couple of years everything seemed okay, but soon there were rumors that all of our founding doctrines were going to be pitched out. The guy from Chicago, of course, kept saying that "That's ridiculous; we're not changing anything" [just like B.O. says that Death Panels are "ludicrous"].
In a mirror-image of what's happening to the entire country, our church had been the victim of a hostile takeover, and like some businesses, its assets were sold off to finance the "retirements" of the Chicago boys who told us "nothing has changed." Nothing except everything was changed (or in Chicago-ese, "transformed").
CONCLUSIONS
I like saying my piece, but I'd like to end it on a positive note. So let's go back to the more pleasant subject of the NFL (pleasant as long as you don't mention the "labor" problems). Nice "work" if you can get it, eh? My dream occupation would have been as a sports writer traveling with teams like the Packers and Brewers. Actually though, we have a surplus plethora of "experts" who have never actually played baseball or professional football. One of the most refreshing articles I read in the last week was by Michael Irvin (#88, Cowboys) — USA TODAY, Feb. 4th. A couple of borrowed excerpts regarding the Steelers and Green Bay:
"The beginning of the AFC Championship Game was about Rashard Mendenhall and that offensive line tearing the hearts out of the New York Jets. They were physical. They were dominating. I saw Mendenhall looking for defenders to run over. Defenders weren't looking for him . . .
"[The Super Bowl] is also going to be about making game-changing plays on defense in the fourth quarter for the win. This is not going to be a blowout. These teams are too evenly matched for that. . .
"Pittsburh intimidates you. Green Bay's defenders, they are thieves. They commit burglaries. I'm talking about a team that made 24 interceptions in the regular season, six more in the playoffs.
"Greatness lies in your ability to overcome. Defending a pass is one thing. Intercepting it and taking it back the other way is another. That kind of play can allow Green Bay to overcome a lot. I predict Green Bay will beat Pittsburgh 24-21 in a battle between two of the Cowboys' great rivals for the moniker of 'America's Team.'"
Amen (I just love seeing a literate, articulate college "educated" athlete)!
More later about "overcoming," but my final thought about The Game is that it was so sweet to see a farm boy from Leonardsville, Kansas — Jordan Nelson — to pick up the slack for an injured city boy from the streets of Houston, Donald Driver.
P.S. And at Lambeau Field at 4 PM, February 8, 2011, there were neither lefts nor rights, neither black nor white. They were just All-Americans — including the fans in the stands.
© Curtis Dahlgren
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