The image of Kimbo Slice vs his reality

In highlighting Kimbo Slice's lumps during his stint on the Ultimate Fighter reality show, and UFC president Dana White's willingness to keep Kimbo around on the show... Dan Wetzel makes an interesting point.

What’s most amazing isn’t that Kimbo will return. It’s that the show – either through the magic of reality television or by brilliantly showing what was legitimately real – has turned Kimbo into a likable, humble and easy-to-root-for guy.

The funny thing is that Wetzel implies that Kimbo himself, once a street-hard thug, was not at all likable or humble as a person in the first place.

I think we've had our judgment colored by the crazed antics of fighters dating back to Muhammad Ali, all the way up to the nuttiness of Mike Tyson and even present day fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Brock Lesnar.

Promoters, with their excessive hype and willingness to manufacture controversy in attempting to increase ticket sales and buyrates, have made it easy to dislike fighters, so much that Wetzel and many others across America grew to dislike Kimbo Slice during his mega-hyped and ill-advised run as Elite XC's leading fighter. Elite XC pushed Kimbo as the Tiger Woods of MMA when in reality he lacked even basic fighting skills, and got badly exposed in a quick loss to a run of the mill fighter, and it was their false promises of Kimbo's ability that led in large part to the organization's quick demise.

The shoving of Kimbo down our throats led viewers to loathe Kimbo's name, rather than anything he did as a person. Even during his XC tenure he came across as a humble guy. To imply that Kimbo himself was unlikable, rather than that the hype around him was dishonest and unlikable, isn't accurate.

But that's not necessarily Wetzel's fault. He only follows a sentiment shared by hordes of MMA fans... a sentiment better placed with the defunct org that falsely hyped him as something he's not, than placed with the man himself. Kimbo was simply offered a big paycheck no one else offered to fight as a main attraction. Who turns that down?

Captain Obvious live on the scene

Terrell Owens feels like he's being provoked.

Gee, T.O., you think?:



The media couldn't be more obvious about trying to provoke a meltdown if they had Jim Gray up there play-slapping him and calling him 'little bitch' inbetween questions.

Swan Fall and Down to Two

Free Press photo of Swan and his supporters and withdrawal from the race

Now that Andrew Swan has stepped aside and supported Greg Selinger, it has turned into a dog fight between the Selinger and Steve Ashton.

The Free Press has tracked delegate support and says Selinger has the most as well as momentum. Still, Ashton continues to close the gap with some of the large ridings selecting his people.

Some seem to think that no matter what happens, the NDP will depart from the direction that Doer took. It seems that the fear in some quarters of the NDP is that Ashton will be the biggest change the party can make.

The leadership will be decided October 17. The results of the Probe Research poll said the NDP remain at 45% in support but this might not last. The poll was speculative as was the musing about a snap election. I don't know that we will get a full grasp of the NDP's selection of leader for a while. If they do go for a snap election, it may backfire on them as it would be a rejection of their fixed election date legislation.

The NDP will have some serious thinking to do about what their strategy should be following the leadership race.



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NFL Photos for Week 3

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


Ninja QB Aaron Rodgers prepares to go medieval on the Rams


The new Ravens coaching staff has done wonders for freaking out opponents on their own


Signs the Redskins need a new coach: The tacklers toss salad during plays


This week in NFL Interpretative Dance: It's The Jared Allen Show!


... featuring The Jared Allen Dancers!


Even Buffalo's mutant safeties (with badly attached prosthetic arms) were no match for the Zero Gravity Saints


"Um, excuse me, please don't do that..."


"Excuse me, I'm not your father and I'm in the middle of running a play. Please let go."


The air in San Diego was humid enough to swim in, which obviously affected play


"Did you drop LSD again, dude? That's not a vulture. It's a football."


Pregame fireworks in St Louis symbolize another Rams' season going up in flames


"Somebody tell Lynell that you don't need to carry the ballcarrier to the end zone to score... just the ball."


Raiders tackling got better... and uglier... after the defense was told LaMont Jordan was hiding gold bricks in his uniform


Much to their dismay, Chargers QB Phillip Rivers followed that deep ball by chucking a grenade


"Good job, Lynell, but actually, I was lying about the ref handing you money after a touchdown."


Siamese levitating linebackers were just too much for the Chiefs to handle


"No really, shut up"

NFL teams don't run the option. Should they?

At this point, I think it's best to just put returner/receiver/former college quarterback Josh Cribbs behind center on every play. The Browns are at their most dynamic offensively with Cribbs in the shotgun, running their "Flash" package (their version of the Wildcat), and it isn't as if there's anyone qualified to throw Cribbs, or Braylon Edwards(notes), or anyone else, the ball. If the Browns hope to be competitive at all, they should scrap the traditional offense altogether and go option-read all the way. Or, they can alternate between two quarterback disasters in perpetuity, until the latest Belichick disciple is fired and they start this nightmare all over again.

Granted, Doug Farrar is half-joking, but it does lead me to wonder. Dozens of college football teams run some variation of the option (Triple Option, Wishbone, etc) with varying degrees of success. The QB throws maybe half a dozen times a game and despite the other team knowing you're going to run the ball, you can frequently rack up 200-300 yards on the ground with the QB and 3-4 different backs.

Many college teams do this because it works, and they don't have the talent at QB and receiver to competently run a passing or pro style offense. Running the ball is easier to do, it runs the clock when you succeed at it and it shortens the game, minimizing your opponent's opportunities to succeed even if you don't capitalize on yours. Sure, if you run into an opponent whose defense is just bigger, faster and stronger than your's, you're probably dead meat, but few fit the criteria well enough to stuff every hole in a system that attacks with diverse looks, cuts and angles. The option is football's version of basketball's Princeton offense.

Why have we never seen an NFL team try to run such an offense? The most common argument is that NFL defenses are talented, fast, strong and well prepared, if not well coached... and that such an offense would die a quick, zero point death after the defense stacks nine guys in the box and just bum rushes whoever carries the ball.

However, 1) NFL teams don't need to run a straight option and 2) The recent success of the option-style Wildcat package shows that an NFL team can move the ball with such a system.

Even the crappiest NFL teams have some QB and receiver talent. Pretty much every QB in the NFL has shown he can capably run a passing offense at some point in his life. Many were option QBs themselves. Many tailbacks and receivers were once QBs themselves. Chiefs QB Tyler Thigpen may suck as an NFL pocket passer, but the reason he's even in the NFL is that at some point in college, he proved himself a capable QB that can read a defense and complete passes against an attacking defense. You don't get to be an NFL QB unless you succeed in college football as a QB. Josh Cribbs himself was a QB once before becoming a receiver and return man. There are so many examples in the league past and present that I'm about to overlook.

If lining up in a pro set and running the usual isn't getting you anywhere, then why not line up shotgun every play and roll the QB to one side with orders to either find an open receiver, reverse to a receiver or back running the other way, or tuck it and go? Or even line up with two TEs or a back in the slot... and shift to a wishbone when the other team has their nickel package on the field? Or when the other team loads the box after a gazillion straight running plays, send your top receiver streaking up-field, slip the tight end 5-10 yards downfield, go play-action and just kill them dead with a bomb or a screen pass? And every now and then, you can screw with the defense by running a straight play from the gun or a single wing and exploiting any basic weaknesses in the adjusted coverage.

It's not like running an option-style offense would leave you totally predictable and one dimensional. A triple shoot style option could scramble a defense's collective brain and leave the defensive coordinator's head in his hands at halftime.

If you were a bad team appearing doomed to a terrible season, why would you not at least try something like this? You have nothing to lose except 12-16 games and your job (which you'd lose anyway under the status quo).

Item in Petr King's column that may interest only me

On Wednesday, in Kansas City for a series with the Royals, a group of eight members of the Red Sox traveling party -- including manager Terry Francona and infielder Kevin Youkilis -- spent a couple of hours at the Kansas City Chiefs' offices and training facility, across the parking lot from Kauffman Stadium. Francona is close to Chiefs GM Scott Pioli from his days in New England, and Pioli visited Francona in the Red Sox clubhouse prior to Tuesday's game. Youkilis and former major-leaguer Sean Casey, now a part-time TV colorman, kept commenting about the pace and fury of the midweek practice. Said coach Todd Haley: "They were very shocked how physical we were and how hard our coaches coached."

Hmm... now, I know Mike Singletary has used a similar approach to make a competitive ballclub out of a crappy 49ers team. But also keep in mind that before he became Kurt Warner's weepy Super Bowl coach, Dick Vermeil ran his St Louis Rams ragged after taking over as their coach, ranting and screaming and nutsing his way through practice... and those teams lost double digit games in each of Vermeil's first couple years.

The saying goes, "Work smarter, not harder," and sometimes, a team that works too hard in practice can find themselves too beaten and gassed to compete on Sunday. This is a clue that maybe the Chiefs are working too hard, but not very smart.

Mike Singletary's team is physical, but a) he doesn't conduct himself like a madman. He is, as he has always been, a fairly reserved man who speaks with impact once he does talk. And b) the Niners follow a fairly simple game plan centered around the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and a fairly good tailback in Frank Gore: Run the ball, control the clock, hit them in the mush and control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball with force.

Says the Kansas City Star:

Right now, Todd Haley and Scott Egoli are in way over their heads. They’ve taken the scraps Herm Edwards and Carl Peterson left, supported them with spare parts from New England, emasculated them with intimidation tactics that allegedly foster a culture of winning and created a team far worse than anything we’ve seen represent our city.

The Chiefs committed 10 penalties in this week's blowout loss to Philly, while trying and failing to run the football.

The Chiefs admittedly don't have a Frank Gore in the backfield (Larry Johnson's seen better days), but the difference here may be the coaches hanging all over guys all through practice with berating and threats. It's hard enough to go through very physical practices, but another to be constantly jerked around by coaches that may or may not know what they're doing. Treat a guy like a screw-up and... well, guess what? He's probably going to play like one. Niners coaching may jump on guys, but the approach is more positive, and so are the results.

Random Week 3 Seahawks thoughts

- 5'10" Seneca Wallace cannot sit in the pocket and be expected to win a game throwing 40 times a game. The average defensive lineman is something like 6'3". You ever tried to look at something past a bunch of people 5-6 inches taller than you? Kind of hard, huh? Now try and throw the ball 7-15 yards to an open receiver as the quarterback on a football field while several of those big linemen are trying to kill you. He had some okay luck early, but as the Bears defense adjusted, it was clear this was no longer going to work consistently enough for him to lead scoring drives while sitting in the pocket.

Doug Flutie (5'9") got around this by using his mobility to keep the defense moving and allow him to throw the ball in open space. Other shorty QBs get and got around the size issue by either managing rushing-heavy offenses that required little throwing, or working behind strong offensive lines and taking 7-8 step drops. Seneca tried the latter and it didn't work often enough because the spotty Seahawks line was missing two top starters.

A short QB needs open field to maximize his vision. Seahawks offensive coordinator Greg Knapp did not get Seneca in open field often enough. With his vision always obscured, it's no surprise Seneca made several bad throws. (The Lance Briggs INT, however, was just a great play by the athletic Briggs)

- Seahawks coach Jim Mora Jr is a stark contrast to the country club-esque reign of Mike Holmgren. Whether or not you think his callout of kicker Olindo Mare of two missed field goals (43 and 34 yards) is classless and uncalled for, and whether you think the context of the game makes it too unpredictable to say that the Bears don't win the game anyway if he makes those kicks... it's clear the coddling mentality of the Holmgren era is long gone. The idea of 'class', like morality, is relative anyway. If class won titles, the Steelers and Raiders, some of the biggest assholes in football history, would have never won those Super Bowls in the 1970s.

- And to be fair, variance be damned (sorry, John Morgan, but the variance you're thinking of usually involves shitty weather and FG blocker penetration), Olindo Mare has to at least nail the 34 yard field goal. It's a balmy day with minimal wind in a stadium whose construction does a fair job of neutralizing the wind, and he's a veteran that's been hitting these kicks for well over a decade. Kickers usually don't miss those kicks without getting cut later one way or another. In a game where the Seahawks needed all the help they could get, Mare hurt his team at least once, if not twice (if you think the 43 yarder was easily makeable, which it may have been).

I don't blame Mora for being pissed, whether or not I would have called Mare out in the postgame press conference (I wouldn't have). Mare's on the payroll for one reason: to make a drive into those last 20-30 yards at least an automatic 3 points. If the Seahawks were okay with 34 yard shanks, they'd play a rookie kicker.

- The one group I don't see Seahawks fans blaming for the loss: the Chicago Bears. They may still have kinks to work out and they may be missing their star linebacker, but this is a good, physical ballclub that, provided their QB plays up to his ability, can at least keep themselves in a game and certainly do what it takes to win them.

It's a testament to the Seahawks' depth that despite missing 8 starters, including their starting QB and left tackle, they stayed with a good Bears team for 60 minutes and were two FG misses and/or a late drive away from taking it.

NFL Photos for Week 2

"Okay, I need you to put me on your right shoulder"
"A'ight"
"Then I need you to carry me several yards downfield"
"A'ight"
"Then turn me around so I'm facing my quarterback"
"A'ight- wait"
"... what"
"..."
"..."
"... you mean the one on the field right now?"
"Yeah"
"A'ight"


Now 0-2, the Titans should consider scrapping their Kama Sutra zone defense.


Having failed at regular defense, Rams tacklers are now resorting to punching opposing ballplayers.


This week in NFL Interpretative Dance: Titan(ic)... Jeff Fisher's ship meets a Texans sized iceberg


Let's just say this play didn't go the way Drew Brees wanted


Nor did this one


The Saints scored 48 points despite this because of their zero gravity goal line package.


Maybe it's just me, but I think Mike Brissel (#65) is guilty of holding here. In fact, that Titans defender is about to take a spinebuster


Spencer Havner gets the Goldilocks Gangbang treatment from the Bengals. "DID YOU TAKE OUR PORRIDGE AND BY PORRIDGE I MEAN FOOTBALL"


Steven Jackson uses the Redskins defense as a Barca lounger during the 1st half


Ochocinco ends up in huge trouble when Packers fans are told he tastes like chicken


Donald Driver uses his hover powers to weave through the Bengals secondary


The Bucs invisible spider net helps them save a touchdown against T.O.


The Seahawks lost in large part due to Jim Mora's questionable 'run our plays upside down' strategy


Jake Delhomme points to the recipient of his next turnover


It's YOU, Chris Houston! Come on down!


Lions receiver Calvin Johnson is about to suffer the bone crushing experience of a teammate twice his size forgetting he is twice his size. This is why the Lions can't have nice things, like touchdowns and wins


The Broncos' midgame waiver wire pickups are getting out of hand


Cory Redding realizes too little too late that agreeing to let the trainer cook off his bunions during the game probably wasn't a good idea


After winning with kung fu in week one, Frank Gore took up Muy Thai and used it to sink the Seahawks in week two

Kapyong Barracks Part 2

Kapyong Barracks



Google Map of the Kapyong Barracks site alone Kenaston

The court case for the Kapyong Barracks continues.

Federal lawyers have argued that First Nations were offered a crack at bidding for the land but didn't and now want the land given to them. The First Nations say they tried to communicate with the Feds and they didn't respond. Perhaps the truth lies in between.

The court has asked the First Nations to argue why they have a claim to this land in particular. Under the Treaty Land Entitlement, First Nations can make a bid or ask to be given federal Surplus Lands. So far, it looks like the First Nations do not wish to bid on the land with money they have already received to do this but would rather be given this land free.

The court is likely to reject that outright as the TLE clearly states that a bid might be part of the process. There is no way that a court is going to unilaterally pick one option over the other without negotiation.

The federal government has said they have the want to designate Kapyong as Strategic Land. This would have automatically transferred the land to agency Canada Lands where companies could bid to develop it. Even at this time, First Nations have the opportunity to bid on the land to turn it into a reserve.

As long as the First Nations believe the land should simply be turned over to them with no offer on it, there will be a dispute. At some point, if the court decides that enough consultation has taken place, Kapyong will transfer to Canada Lands. However, this could very well be a very long time in court figuring it all out.

The land has fallen in value but remains an area many are interested in given that Ikea is going up just down the block.



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Queen of the South FC

Queen of the South 2 Dundee 0 - Scottish Football League, Division One

Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland and is situated close to the Solway Firth, near the mouth of the River Nith. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. People from Dumfries are known colloquially as Doonhamers. Dumfries was the hometown of Robert Burns from 1791 until his death in 1796. The poet is now buried in St. Michael’s Churchyard in the Burns Mausoleum. Burns was born in Ayrshire and spent many years there before moving to Dumfriesshire. Dumfries got its nickname Queen of the South from David Dunbar, a local poet, who in 1857 stood for Parliament in the General Election. In one of his addresses, he called Dumfries "Queen of the South" and this became synonymous with the town.

Early in 1919, a handful of Dumfries football enthusiasts met in their homes to discuss not only the restoration of competitive football fixtures locally (following the end of World War I) but also the formation through amalgamation of a local football club to compete at more than a local level. Queen of the South applied unsuccessfully to join the Scottish League for seasons 1921–22 and 1922–23. The ambition bore fruit in 1923–24, however, when they were invited to join the Scottish Football league at its lowest level, the newly created Third Division.

With the recent upgrade to the West Coast mainline, it is once again possible to visit Dumfries for a Saturday afternoon fixture and get back to London comfortably the same day. The added incentive on this occasion was that I was able to secure rail tickets for £12 each way. A 7:30 am departure from Euston with a change at Carlisle should have facilitated an arrival at Dumfries before midday. However a delay meant missing the connection and being forced to drink real ale in a pub near Carlisle station.

On arrival at Dumfries, further refreshment was required en route to Palmerston Park. Just before crossing the River Nith in the direction of the ground you will come across the conveniently situated the Cavans Arms. The CAMRA recommended establishment is widely recommended and it is easy to see why. They were doing a roaring trade on meals this lunchtime and I understand that this the norm, (evenings too when you are advised to book – Ed). Whilst here this Pieman delighted in a couple of pints of Wildcat, a 5.1% offering from the Cairngorm Brewery. This splendid dark liquid set me up nicely for the brief onward stroll to the stadium.

Palmerston Park is a mixture of old and new. Along one side is the main stand, from where I watched the first half. My central front row seated was immediately above the Dundee FC bench. I am particularly grateful to Queen of the South FC for their generosity in providing Pie and Mushy Peas a complimentary ticket for this match. In front of the main stand either side of the tunnel and technical areas, are terraced enclosures. Only one of which was in use. Opposite the main stand, running the full length of the pitch is a smartish looking covered stand. Although perhaps lacking the character of the rest of the stadium, it provides a good comfortable view of proceedings.

Behind one goal is a section of unused uncovered terracing, offering a glance at a bygone era perhaps. At the other end is a groundhoppers delight. A partly covered large terrace that is clearly a throwback to when each football ground had its own uniqueness. It was not long before this match exploded into life with the award of a penalty to the home side on five minutes. Dundee custodian Tony Bullock was red carded for bringing down David Weatherston. The resultant spot kick was converted by Steve Tosh.

This Pieman switched to the terrace for the second period in order to sample the atmosphere. It was good to enjoy the freedom of that environment (something alien to the Premier League – Ed). It was very noticeable that there were a lot of young children present at the match. Queen of the South is clearly a community club and this was good to see. It certainly bodes well for the future. Admission for under 16s is just £3 and with a season ticket this is reduced to £1.

Darren the Drummer Boy

Despite having a decent proportion of he play, big spending Dundee will have been disappointed not to have converted any of the chances that came their way. A second counter compounded this failing for the home side scored by Derek Holmes. Even at 2-0 Dundee continued to press the home side and created the better chances. On two occasions it seemed certain that they would score but the woodwork and wayward shooting determined otherwise

It takes a little over fifteen minutes to reach Dumfries railway station from Palmerston Park. So the 17:32 departure for Carlisle should never pose a problem for a Saturday afternoon match. Scottish matches also tend to be completed on time without any fuss. The connecting train from Carlisle reached Euston at 22:45 and I was home at Cheshunt before midnight. A long but enjoyable day. If you have not been to this friendly club and fine town before, I can thoroughly recommend it.

Queen of the South: Ludovic Roy, Craig Reid, Robert Harris, Stephen McKenna, David Lilley, Marc McAusland, Paul Burns, Stevie Tosh (Rocco Quinn 82), Barry Wilson ( Jamie McQuilken 73), Derek Holmes, David Weatherston. Subs Not Used: David Hutton, Gerry McLaughlan, Jim Thomson.
Booked: Craig Reid, Rocco Quinn. Goals: Stevie Tosh 6 pen, Derek Holmes 61.

Dundee: Tony Bullock, Eric Paton, Eddie Malone, Gary MacKenzie, David Cowan, Maros Klimpl, Paul McHale (Craig Forsyth 72), Colin Cameron (Rab Douglas 5), Gary Harkins, Leigh Griffiths (Sean Higgins 61), Colin McMenamin. Subs Not Used: Chris Casement, Brian Kerr.
Sent Off: Tony Bullock (5). Booked: Maros Klimpl, Leigh Griffiths, Sean Higgins.
Referee: Thomas Robertson
Assistants: Francis Andrews & Stuart Hodge



Attendance: 2,875
Admission: Seated £12-00, Terrace £15, Concessions, £6 Under 16 £3
Programme: £2-50
Scotch Pie: £1-50

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