With the 5th anniversary of 9/11/01 occuring yesterday I will give some thoughts germaine to that event and it's resultant effects shortly.
First, I want to recap some of what I saw in the NFL's opening weekend. I'm certainly not one to jump off a building after one week, but I think we can look at a few things. My Super Bowl pick (along with many others'), Carolina, looked absolutely pedestrian against Atlanta, in their own crib. True, Steve Smith was out but where, oh where, was that vaunted Panther D? And who knows, maybe Mike Vick can become a quality QB. Another playoff contender, the Chiefs, also at home, got beat up by Cincy and lost Trent Green in the process. The Patriots just got by lowly Buffalo. Brett Favre's days as a top flight NFL signal caller are long gone, and his Packers look to be among the class of the league's worst. Another team who should start scouting for a top-3 Draft pick is the Raiders, who had their heads handed to them in Oakland. I'm surprised (and, as a Raider fan, disappointed to say this), but Oakland may become the worst team in the league by season's end. They have all kinds of issues. The "Manning Bowl" did not disappoint and both the Colts and Giants should contend all year. And speaking of football, so much for all the hype surrounding the "showdown" of Ohio State and Texas. I got so sick of hearing "until the champs (UT) are knocked off, they should be #1." Yeah, not so much. (I think OSU is a little overrated, too, though...) Huge game this week: LSU at Auburn. I think the winner plays for the title Jan. 8. And look for USC to win more converts going up against a top-20 Nebraska team.
Now to 9/11. Everyone remembers exactly what they were doing when they heard the news. For those of us in the younger generation, we heard our parents talk about the JFK assasination, etc. I pay homage to the 2,700-plus who lost their lives. But 5 years, and some $300 billion later, are we any safer as a country? Are we any closer to catching Osama Bin Laden and shutting down the Taliban? Will the U.S. ever leave Iraq? And why invade Iraq when not one of the suicide bombers was from there? Actually check the last question...that one's obvious....
In related news, do yourselves a favor and read the article on Pat Tillman in last week's Sports Illustrated. That dude is a hero of mine, to say the least. What a sick dude, to give up fame and fortune in the NFL to go to war and fight for his country. "What have I ever done that really mattered?" was his attitude. Especially eye opening in the article was how Tillman quickly grew disillusioned once he saw the inhumanity and disregard for life brought on by a war created against the wrong foe and victims who had absolutely nothing remotely to do with the 9/11 attacks. He had an out when Seattle contacted his agent about signing with the Seahawks. He could've left the Army with hails and salutations, to a new opportunity in the NFL, and in the process bowed out of a war he didn't believe in. But his loyalty to his brothers in arms, the Black Sheep, kept him out there. His reward for his valiant service? To be killed by his own men in a gross display of negligence and then have his death covered up by the highest levels of the military for months. And the Armed Forces wonder why they have trouble recruiting. I love this country. But how often does our country love us back?
Quote of the Week:
"I know I can, be what I want to be. If I work hard at it, I'll where I want to be."-Nasir Jones
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