More Linky Links

More stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Interesting look by Pete Thamel on Pat Fitzgerald who is ready to coach again. My guess is he gets the UCLA job - remember that's a Big 10 school now.

- With Nancy Pelosi retiring - will he be next?

- Well that didn't take long: Fox fires Mark Sanchez.

- Jonathan Turley: Supreme Court delivers a blow to transgender cases.

Some Memes You May Enjoy

Many a truth is said in jest.

- Funny because it's true.

- Heh Heh

- Brutal

- This is a harsh punishment

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Mark Sanchez stabbed in the chest and charged with three crimes. Wasn't expecting this news.

- How to become wiser: 25 questions to ask yourself. Thanks Recommendo.

- How Rockefeller and his partners built Standard Oil. Interesting history.

- Wait - isn't this how we got the Cybermen?

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Russ Roberts on the Gaza peace plan. He's the voice of reason I hope people listen to.

- Six Mindsets to Conquer Fear

- Anthony Fauci successor Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo fired. How could someone who advocated for Covid vaccines and facemasks still be employed? MAHA.

- Wow - Mark Sanchez stabbed in the chest.

The Butt Fumble

Four-years ago today.

Top 5 - Players the Jets Could Have taken Instead of Mark Sanchez

Mark Sanchez went 5th overall in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Here are 5 players they could have taken instead who went after Sanchez in the first round.

1. Josh Freeman - if the Jets really needed a QB then Freeman who went 17th has 10 more TD's and 6 fewer INT's.
2. Clay Matthews - a top pass rushing LB and perhaps the real pretty-boy drafted out of USC in the first round in 2009.
3. Percy Harvin - a threat to run or catch would have given the Jets offense multiple options
4. Michael Oher - OT whose Blind Side story if it ended in New York would have made for an even bigger movie box office (and besides Oher has been pretty damn good)
5. BJ Raji - a DT who could have anchored the Jets defense.

The draft that yielded Tom Brady will always be known for the player after player taken before Brady and the what ifs for each NFL team if only they took the wiry kid from Michigan. The 2009 draft for Jets fans will probably be known for who they could have taken instead of Mark Sanchez.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

According to Darren Rovell - a Las Vegas bettor last night risked $400 on a 40-1 bet that a no-hitter would be thrown last night. Thanks to Homer Bailey - that betting slip is now worth $16,000... A map of the US based upon the beer that best represents the state... I wonder what gets better ratings - WNBA games on ESPN or anything on MSNBC. Either way - I'm guessing re-runs of Sponge Bob beats them both... Ernest Hemingway explains his love of alcohol... I feel lost not knowing what Jose Canseco thinks about the protests in Egypt... Alan Sepinwall called this the best fight scene ever on TV. I've been thinking and I can't come up with a better one... If Brett Favre develops testicular cancer - will he sue his cell phone company because of the radiation from his selfies?... Fantastic long read about Jason Everman who was kicked out of Nirvana and Soundgarden before finding his calling in the Special Forces... It's amazing but if Mark Sanchez were to retire today - the thing he'd most be remembered for is the "butt fumble". Not exactly what you want from your "franchise quarterback"... Serious question - can the Obama Administration point to a single foreign policy success?...

Jets QB Circus

The Jets spent another high draft pick on a QB - taking Geno Smith of West Virginia in the second round. The Jets now have six QB's on their roster - Smith, lame duck starter Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, David Garrard, Greg McElroy and Matt Sims. For a point of comparison - the Patriots roster has three QB's - Tom Brady, back-up Ryan Mallett and Mike Kafka from Northwestern.

Some want the Jets to cut Sanchez and take the $8 million plus cap hit. They argue that Geno Smith may be a raw rookie but at least he protects the football. These are the same people who neglect to mention that Tim Tebow is one of the best QB's in football at turnover ratios. I would also mention that every team in the NFL knew the Jets were going to take Smith in the second round and yet every team above them passed him over and no team behind them moved up to make sure they got him.

I will also add that Tebow was also much higher rated coming out of college. The Jets are a joke. And as a Patriots fan - I think the joke is pretty funny.

Mark Sanchez is the Assman

New York Jets meet Seinfeld. I really hope someone splices the video of Mark Sanchez getting almost knocked out by his own lineman's ass with the video of Kramer being told that "according to the State of New York - you are the Assman."

For good measure you could splice the video of Frank Costanza saying it was a "one-in-a-million shot doc" with the video of Rex Ryan explaining that Mark Sanchez getting knocked silly by an ass in the face was "a one-in-a zillion play."

Come to think of it - Fusilli Sanchez would be a good nickname for the Jets QB.

Mark Sanchez and Matt Leinart

A normal thinking person would probably argue that Mark Sanchez is not the answer for the Jets at QB and that the team has nothing to lose by giving the ball to Tim Tebow. Yet Rex Ryan and those in charge of the NYJ don't seem to be normal thinking people. Too stubborn? Too stupid? Both?

I can't help but keep thinking that Mark Sanchez is no different than fellow USC alumni Matt Leinart except Sanchez was drafted by a team that was determined to sink or swim with their number 1 draft pick while Leinart was drafted by a team run by normal thinking people. Seriously - I bet Matt Leinart wakes up every day thinking "why couldn't I have been drafted by the Jets."

One thing that Tim Tebow doesn't do is turn the ball over. That alone could have meant the difference in a couple of close games for the Jets this season. But instead of going with what will give them the best chance to win - the Jets are sticking with their bonus baby QB. As a Patriots fan - that's just fine with me.

Oh as an aside - I think its funny that that the folks at Pro-Football-Reference.com list Tim Tebow as a tight end (for 2012 season).

Top 5 - Reasons the Jets Traded for Tim Tebow

Here are the Top 5 possible reasons the New York Jets traded for Tim Tebow.

1. Mark Sanchez really isn't that talented but nobody wants to admit it cause he's so damn good looking.
2. PSL sales baby! PSL sales!
3. Tony Sparano and Rex Ryan are both big fans of the Wildcat package
4. Buddy Ryan always told son Rex that not getting Doug Flutie to start over Steve Beuerlein when Buddy was head coach in Arizona was biggest mistake of career. Rex didn't want to make same mistake.
5. The Jets were afraid the Patriots were making a move for Tim Tebow and did not want to get out-smarted by Bill Belichick again.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I understand that it was Woody Johnson's granddaughter who was really behind the Jets extending the contract of Mark Sanchez. She thinks he's really cute. There is also a clause in the extension that he has to take her to the prom... Probably going to hell for this - the Passive Aggression of the Christ... I will never even consider buying Geico insurance until they get rid of that stupid cavemen... Strange - I don't think the local ponds ever really froze over enough for ice skating this winter. Maybe a few of the smaller ones for a week at most. Can't ever remember a winter like that... It should be noted that Keith Olbermann really stopped being taken seriously by anyone right after Ben Affleck did his spot on impression of him on SNL. Olbermann has pretty much been a joke since... I know that Ron Paul supporters wouldn't necessarily vote for Mitt Romney even if Ron Paul told them to do so but that doesn't hold true for Ron Paul's delegates. Going into yesterday's voting Romney had 404 delegates while all other had just 337. If you added Ron Paul's total to Romney's - you'd have a truly commanding lead. This should not be forgotten. Ron Paul is Romney's insurance in case Newt or Santorum does drop out of the race.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I'll say it again - Norv Turner would have had this year's Jets team in the playoffs. Think of it this way - Rex Ryan needs to go 7-9 next season to equal Herm Edwards record in Edwards first 4 years in New York (35-29). I think that would make a great prop bet for a casino... This will be trouble - a UK craft brewer has come out with a Viagra beer. It's bad enough hanging out in a bar full of guys but hanging out in a bar full of guys with wood is just so - I don't even want to think about it... Busy week for New Orleans and the Superdome. The Sugar Bowl on Tuesday, the Saints play the Lions on Saturday and on Monday it's LSU vs Alabama on Monday for all the Tostitos... Tom Brady closing in on history... With all the Page 6 mentions you have to wonder if Mark Sanchez is single handedly bringing back the debate about too much sex hurting athletic performance. I also like the idea Eric MacErlain brought up about Sanchez making Jets fans pine for the days of Richard Todd... Four bettor win the Hilton SuperContest and turn $1,500 into a minimum of $313,533. I would love to give that contest a try... I think the over / under on the number of episodes before CBS cancels their new "comedy" Rob should be 5 shows... Will 2012 be the year that ABC finally agrees to remake the classic Barney Miller?

Mark Sanchez by the Numbers

Is Mark Sanchez a good QB? I have to say no and the numbers agree with me.

In QB rating - Sanchez is 22nd in the NFL with a 79.5 rating - just below Tarvaris Jackson.
In passing yards he's 15th in the NFL but when it comes to yards per game he's a miserable 24th.
Sanchez is a respectable 8th in TD's passes but he's also 7th in interceptions.
In the other bad things category - Sanchez is tied for 5th in sacks, 6th in fumbles and 1st in fumbles lost.

Those numbers just don't add up to equal a winning equation. As a Patriots fan - I hope they stick with Sanchez. Them getting a Kellen Moore in the mid rounds of the draft and him becoming their Tom Brady is what I'd fear. But the way the team is managed my guess the only way something like that happens would be by accident.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I can't help but think about how Pete Carroll tried to talk Mark Sanchez into staying at USC for another year saying that he didn't think Sanchez was ready for the NFL. I like Pete Carroll but that purely selfish machination when it came to his star QB leaves me a bit cold when thinking about him... Have you seen the AARP commercial about healthcare reform that has the ambulance trying to get to the hospital but getting blocked by cars at every opportunity? I can't help but observe that all the cars doing the blocking are GM cars and I wonder at the unintended symbolism of one failing government program (the GM bailout) being subconsciously used in an effort to promote another massive government program... Let me repeat once again - Jay Cutler = Jeff George (although I'm not sure if George ever threw 4 interceptions in a game)... Cool - 11 hidden secrets from the movie Fight Club. Hidden Penis would be a good name for either a fantasy football team or a transvestite band... Imagine the fun Ray Guy could have had with that scoreboard in Dallas? Although I'm guessing that punters will go out of their way to miss hitting the giant TV because all a re-kick will do is wind the cover team making big returns more likely...