The only thing this Saints fan can say about this week's trip to Oakland to play the Raiders is that I hope none of that gets on them. A meddling owner coupled with a squabbling, back stabbing, and fist fighting coaching staff, and a roster with a generous sprinkling of misfits sounds to me like they've returned to "Raider 'Just win, baby" football" and that somehow worked for them in the 60s and 70s. That formula doesn't work so much in today's NFL but there is talent out there. They'll win games this year.
Below is a picture I took during last night's bike ride. It's rare when I get on the bike in August so I've never seen those blooms. I have no idea what they are but they're quite lovely. There were quite a few of them along the road. Looks like bicycle weather will continue for at least one more night.
Wild bloom - Bush, LA off of Bob Baxter Road - August 24, 2009
16 days until football season ...
Quote of the Day
Last year, a Rasmussen poll found that only twenty-nine percent of likely voters rated the U.S. health-care system good or excellent. Yet when Americans were asked the very same question last month, forty-eight per cent rated it that highly. The American health-care system didn't suddenly improve over the past eleven months. People just feel it's working better because they're being asked to contemplate changing it.
James Surowiecki, The New Yorker
Blog of the day here.
Quote from said blog: "Allthewhile, Raiders number one pick Heyward-Bey continues to struggle in practice. Heyward-Bey dropped 3 more passes in practice on Tuesday. The young rookie who only made 42 receptions in his final year at Maryland has yet to establish himself in the Raiders passing game."
Good thing I'm not counting on him this season. He's on my team as a wildcard that might help me later this season. -Rob
Interesting being so close to the epicenter of the Raider Nation. I think their unofficial slogan among most people here is "What Now?" Oh my goodness--the head coach punched out one of his assistants.
I was here for the tail end of the Madden years. Yeah, the Raiders had a rep as a hard-hitting (i.e. dirty) defensive team, but there was a lot more to their winning than that. And I think Madden himself and Tom Flores after him were great coaches who would never have stooped to brawling with their underlings.
Anyway, given the rampant dysfunction everywhere in Raiderland, I don't think the Saints or anyone else has much to worry about this year.
Ironically (again,) I just took a photo of the same flower the other day. I haven't found out what it is, either (if you do, let me know.) All I know is that it ISN'T purple loosestrife & that sometimes bees get so entangled in it they can't escape & they die.
Pretty though...
Not just any assistant, Dan. Supposedly, he was Al Davis's inside man on staff of previous head coach, Lane Kiffin, if you believe some reports. Yeah, "what now?" seems appropriate. Madden, Flores, and Jon Gruden were cut from different cloth than most of the yes men Davis likes to employ.
I'm usually not out on the backroads much in August, Lana. The blooms are very similar in nature to my bottle brush but I know they're not in the same family. I'll investigate further tonight.