Sunday Hangover: Florida State

This game started out as positively as an Alabama would have wanted it to. The Tide marched down the field on a long sustained drive that ate up over half the first quarter. 

Ty Simpson looked good, and we were running the ball. 

For the next 2 quarters the Crimson Tide defense looked confused, took bad angles, seemed unprepared, and got distracted with Florida State's eye-candy offense. The offense was equally inept. 

I like to think the defense would have looked at how Gus Malzahn runs his offenses. He's been around a long time, and there's tape out there of how he runs his show. 

By the time the Tide started getting its collective shit together, they had to go for it a number of times on fourth down. 

There were a number of notable blunders. The two unnecessary roughness penalties were just flat-out stupid. And on a crucial fourth down play, instead of throwing a bad pass to Williams, Simpson could have easily run for a fourth down. 

Florida State played well. Or should we just call them Transfer Portal State University? They had a revamped team based on the portal. 

In contrast, Alabama didn't lose anyone in the portal and only brought in a handful of players. 

It didn't help that the Tide didn't have its starting running back, left guard, and nose tackle playing in the game. Those missing in action made a difference. 

If a team is going to lose, it's better to lose early. 

However, the performance yesterday afternoon doesn't not inspire confidence in me that this team will make the playoffs. 

I hope they prove me wrong.   

Music Friday: "Birdhouse in Your Soul"

I heard this song this week when listening to the 1st Wave radio station on SiriusXM. 

I've always enjoyed the goofy brilliance of They Might Be Giants. 

Random Notes from a Crank

The Washington Post reports that the National Guard troops deployed for "crime" are cleaning up parks by getting rid of graffiti and trash and raking leaves: "National Guard Troops in D.C. Add Sanitation, Landscaping Duties." 

This move simply shows how President Adolf's "crime emergency" is just another example of his lies and bullshit and misuse of resources. 

I was surprised that the Vikings traded for Adam Thielan. But I guess he's probably close to retirement and might want to end his career with the team he started with. 

In a special election for an Iowa State Senate seat, a Democrat won in what I assume is usually a red district: "Democrat Caitlin Drey Wins Iowa Senate Special Election, Breaking Republican Supermajority."  I enjoyed what the DNC Chair said: "Iowans are seeing Republicans of who they are: self-serving liars who will throw their constituents under the bus to rubber stamp Donald Trump's disastrous agenda - and they're ready for change."

I am going to have to use the phrase "self-serving liars" more often.  

As is easy to expect, the Daily Kos reports that "Of Course Conservatives Are Being Weird about Taylor Swift's Engagement." 

The current administration is possibly going to depress sales of EV vehicles even though EV vehicles are being bought in other countries in the world: "EV Sales Are Booming in America--For Now." 

The big stupid bill killed the EV tax credit. 

Random Notes from a Crank

The BBC has an interesting article about the world's safest countries: "Five of the World Safest Countries for 2025." The article also provide the top ten but just features the top five in detail. 

There were some surprises for me. Neither Norway nor Sweden are in the top ten. Ireland was a bit surprising to me, but Denmark and New Zealand are usually in the top ten of most lists of countries where people are happy and safe. And I've heard good things about Portugal. 

This week's Existential Comic is a good one. It's a commentary on imperialism and the rationales people have used for conquering countries: "The Philosophy of Julius Caesar." 

The character asks a great question of Caesar: "How do you justify it philosophically?"

James McMurtry is a great songwriter. On his most recent album, The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy, he has a song about Pinocchio as an adult: "Pinocchio in Vegas." 

Today is National Dog Day. Treat your dog/s right. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I've never been an avid watcher of South Park, but the show is doing some outstanding work this season taking on President Adolf and his lackeys. 

This week's episode is wonderful satire of many topics, but my favorite part of the episode is how the characters are so reliant on ChatGPT, how stupid people are about how great it's supposed to be. 

My favorite part is when the wife pitches a business idea of turning fries into a "salad," the the AI says it's a great idea. 

I'm reading about the darker side of AI via the following book. 

After reading about the exploitation and the shit jobs people are doing for the tech companies and billionaires, you better think differently about how great AI is. 

The Micah Parsons situation with the Dallas Cowboys is bizarre. Since I am watching the Netflix documentary about the Cowboys in the 90s, the situation seems reminiscent to the Emmitt Smith holdout decades ago. 

Music Friday: "You Get What You Give"

I've always liked this song. 

It was on the radio this week when I was driving around and doing some errands. 

It's a music video set in a mall. Remember malls? 

Random Notes from a Crank

 

I got this meme from "Eat the Rich" on FB. It's appropriate. We only have so many natural resources and probably way too many unnatural ones.  

In my job I have to work with first-year students, who are usually 18-year-olds. Their inability to use the basic "attach file" function of email is astounding. Yes, I know how that statement makes me sound old as Hell. 

As reported in The New York Times, the enrollment of international students has steeply declined. President Adolf's hurdles have turned us into the United States of Xenophobia. Here's the article: "Trumps Tactics Mean Many International Students Won't Make It to Campus."

I dislike the statement, "It's been a minute." People try to make it sound funny, but it just sounds stupid. 

This political cartoon by Nick Anderson is relevant to how President Adolf is trying to sugar coat the reality of slavery as presented by the Smithsonian. 

Musing of the Moment: My Fantasy Football Draft

I took part in our league's annual fantasy draft at Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday. 

I've been in this 10-team PPR league for a good while. And I'm pondering how I did. 

Since it's an ESPN league, they send you an email afterward with a draft grade. I got a B. 

I wasn't thrilled about the draft spot I got, which was 7th. I would have preferred 9th or 10th. 

Regardless, I usually just draft the best player available, and with the seventh pick, I drafted Lamb and picked Josh Jacobs in the second round. It's a snake draft.  

I'm a homer for Alabama players, and I had Jacobs last year when I won the league. 

In the third round, I went with Kenneth Walker because it sounds like the Seahawks are going to be run-heavy this season, and when he's healthy, he's good. 

I have never taken a quarterback in the early rounds, but there was Jalen Hurts sitting there as my best available. I also wasn't thrilled with the RBs and WRs in that part of the draft. 

I picked DeAndre Swift in the fifth round. We'll see how that pans out.

Even though I don't have to have a tight end in my league (we have three WR/TE spots with one Flex spot), Kittle was there, and he's one of few healthy pass catchers for the 49ers right now. 

In the seventh and eighth rounds, I picked Ridley and Jameson Williams, respectively. I'm hoping Ridley breaks out with Cam Ward, and I like Jameson. 

In ninth round, I went with Olave, who had a down year last season because of concussions. Someone has to catch passes in New Orleans. 

I possibly reached for Jordan Mason in the next round, but Aaron Jones rarely plays a full season, and I'm hoping Mason takes over the starting job. 

I snatched Egbuka in the eleventh, and if he breaks out like some pundits think, he could be a great value. 

I got some good news today that Daniel Jones is going to start Week 1 because I selected Pittman Jr. in the twelfth round. Supposedly Pittman has a good rapport with Jones. 

After that I nabbed Charbonnet to handcuff Walker and Drake Maye in the next round for the hell of it. 

Then in the next-to-last round, I picked the Seahawks D, which I've already dropped for the Cardinals D in Week 1. I usually stream defenses. 

And I finished it out with Alabama alum Will Reichard. I'm also a Vikings fan. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I need someone with a culinary and scientific mind to explain to me why chili seems to taste better as a leftover as compared to when you make it. 

Sometimes that seems to work the same with red sauce. 

Watching the X-Files makes one remember the terrible stylistic blandness of mid-90s American sedans. 

Well, the meeting of Moscow Don and Putin went as expected. 

President Adolf is still trying to get the taste of Putin's cock out of his mouth. This comic by Clay Bennett sums it up. 

This week's Existential Comic about William James is pretty good: "William James and the Train Robbery." 

As is expected, Moscow Don doesn't know what the hell he's talking about: "Trump Said the US Is the 'Only Country' that Uses Mail-In Voting. That's Wrong." 

I'm still waiting on the release of those Epstein files, bruh. 

Music Friday: "Owner of Lonely Heart"

One of the people I follow on TikTok does videos on how a band's song is put together and produced. 

He did an outstanding video on "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears. 

Last night as I walking the dog I watched a video of him breaking down how "Owner of Lonely Heart" was arranged. Really interesting stuff. 

I never bought any CDs from Yes, but I did enjoy this song that was in heavy rotation on MTV back when they actually played music videos. 

And like the fellow said on the video, now I cannot unhear the cow bell in this song. 

Random Notes from a Crank

The other day I watched a commercial that touted "pre-tariff pricing." I suspect we might see more of that kind of advertising in the future. 

Here are some statistics from the July and August Harper's Indexes:

• Percentage of Americans who fear that they or a loved one will be deported: 19
• Portion of Americans who say they have recently delayed a major purchase because of tariffs: 1/3
• Who say they have cancelled such a purchase entirely: 1/4
• Percentage of Americans who said last year that foreign trade represented an opportunity to grow the U.S. economy: 60
• Who say so now: 81
• Average number of instruction hours that it takes to become a lawyer in the United States: 1,250
• To become a licensed hairdresser: 1,500
• Number of excess deaths projected to occur by 2040 if cuts to foreign aid remain in place: 25,300,000
• Portion of people worldwide who say they would contribute 1 percent of their income toward combating climate change: 7/10
• Of Americans who say they would do so: 1/2
• Percentage of Americans who said that the Bible was "true" in 2016: 36
• Who say so now: 48
• Portion of Americans who regard religious leaders as trustworthy sources of medical information: 1/3

I'm surprised the fear of someone being deported is that low. I thought it would be higher. However, maybe the stat reflects the percentage of the Latino population in the U.S. 

Fucking tariffs. 

81% saying that foreign trade is a good thing is reinforced by President Adolf's stupid policies. 

The number of projected deaths because of lack of foreign aid is mind boggling. 

Too few Americans care about climate change. It's embarrassing. 

Regarding the Bible being "true" and trusting religious leaders, way too many people believe in magical thinking. Imbeciles.

Two of the biggest scams in the U.S. is how much ministers get paid and that churches don't get taxed. 

The nonsense Moscow Don is doing with Washington D.C. only strengthens my feelings that both D.C. and Puerto Rico need to become states. 

Puerto Rico has a larger population than these states: Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nebraska, Idaho, West Virginia, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming. That's 18 states. 

D.C. has a larger population than two states: Vermont and Wyoming.  

Music Friday: "Fear Is the Mind Killer"

Jesse Welles is a great fellow to follow on TikTok. Recently he put out a satirical protest song about ICE agents. 

Here's "Fear Is the Mind Killer." 

Random Notes from a Crank

Per the article in The Washington Post, unemployment is up: "U.S. Unemployment Claims Rise to Pandemic High." 

President Adolf is Making America Unemployed Again. 

On the long drive back from Fort Morgan, Alabama, the mind wanders. So I got to thinking about old-school classic rock bands and artists. 

I've sometimes thought about if I had to pick only one band/artist out of these options, which one would I choose?

• Beatles
• The Who
• Rolling Stones
• Jimi Hendrix
• Led Zeppelin
• The Doors

I grew up listening to all of these bands/artists, and they undoubtedly influenced subsequent bands I followed as I ventured headlong into alternative rock in the 80s and 90s. 

Of those six, I think I've probably listened to The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix the most. 

It's a silly mental exercise, but if I had to pick one, I guess it would be Led Zeppelin. 

Speaking of which, there's a good documentary on Netflix titled Becoming Led Zeppelin. 

It's worth a viewing. 

Musing of the Moment: Celebrating Son Hueng-Min

Last night I watched this video of all of Son's goals for Tottenham. 

It's sad to see Son go to LAFC, but after ten years at the club, it sounds like he wanted a new challenge. 

I think he has at least of couple of solid years in him for the Premier League if he were to stick around. 

To my mind, I think he'll tear up the MLS because he got overplayed in this past season because of all of the injuries with Spurs. But he's going to Los Angeles, which has a huge Korean immigrant population. 

He's my favorite Spurs player. 

He stuck around and won a trophy for a club. 

COYS

Random Notes from a Crank

I haven't chimed in yet about the eventual cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but the fact he's getting his show taken away is ridiculous. 

He has the highest-rated late-night show on TV. 

Two days before he found out he was losing his show he criticized Paramount for caving to bribing Trump so they can get its media merger. 

Here's a comic that was in Saturday's Washington Post from Tom the Dancing Bug. 

I'm surprised Bezos is letting this cartoonist do his thing since he attended President Adolf's inauguration and is trying to limit the coverage of opinions in what was an esteemed paper. 

Meanwhile, Congress passed a budget that adds to the deficit/national debt and simply helps rich people and corporations. 

And Adolf's tariff's are unlikely, as the authors of "Trumps Global Tariffs 'Victory' May Well Come at a High Price," to do what he purports them to do: "But history tells us that his overarching aim - to return production and jobs to America - may meet with very limited success. And America's long-time trading partners, like Canada and the EU, could start looking to form economic and political connections that bypass what they no longer view as a reliable economic ally." 

Jobs aren't going to return to the U.S. because of these stupid tariffs. Our trading partners are going to find more stable countries to trade with. And prices for Americans are going to go up because of tariffs. 

I'm glad I bought a half of cow over a year ago because apparently beef prices are high as hell. 

And eggs haven't gone down.  

Music Friday: "South Texas Lawman"

I recently discovered that James McMurtry has a new album out titled The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy. 

I haven't listened to it thoroughly yet, but here's the second tune on the album.