Rich Rodriguez: Bye.

Rich Rodriguez has officially gone from being West Virginia's most beloved son to West Virginia's most despised son.

Last year he said he would retire at WVU if he could have it his way. Guess what he's saying now about University of Michigan...

He has not finished the job at WVU. We haven't won a national championship. Actually, we haven't even gone to one with Rodriguez yet (Nehlen took us there in 1989). To me it appears that he's leaving just when things are getting good, for both the team and the conference.

What kind of person just quits their job without even bothering to tell their boss? It's not like he's exactly flipping burgers here. He didn't even give WVU a chance to match Michigan's offer! WVU has made extraordinary efforts to make Rodriguez happy all year long, and this is how he repays us.

If Rich Rodriguez was an honorable man, he would've done all he can to preserve the program. Instead, he's done nothing but burn bridges.

To top it all off, he's taken the nation's number one recruit with him!!

Rich Rodriguez was a good coach, but he wasn't the best we've ever had, or ever will have. WVU has a long tradition of good coaching. Remember Doc Holliday? He's been working with Urban Meyer in Florida for the past couple years, and before that N.C. State. Of course, Terry Bowden needs no introduction, and would certainly be welcome back to his alma mater, as would Jimbo Fisher, another native son. The list goes on, and is actually a pretty exciting list.

I hope Richie Rich learns some class while he's up in Ann Arbor. I don't wish ill on him, but I'm definitely bitter. He's shown a lot of immaturity over the past few days. It's disgraceful, in my opinion. Some people never learn how to handle these kinds of situations gracefully because they're just not capable. Some do, but it takes years. Rich Rodriguez is 44 years old. I expected more from him, but now that I've seen his true colors, I'm looking forward to a new head coach.

Upromise Online Shopping

If you're not familiar with Upromise, and you have kids in your family (immediate or extended), you should be. It's quite simple really... you shop with participating merchants, and they donate a percentage of your purchase price to your designated beneficiaries' college funds. Yes, seriously!

It's easy to set up. First, you sign up at www.upromise.com, and register your credit cards with them so that certain purchases, like when you buy fuel at Exxon or Mobil, automatically produce money in your Upromise account.

Second, always shop online through the Upromise website. Just use them as a gateway. This is where you get the best results. They have forged partnerships with hundreds of online merchants, including most of the big ones. Just look here!

All you have to do is click through the Upromise website to start shopping, and your purchase will produce a donation from that merchant for your little cousins, or nieces and nephews, or sons and daughters!

The best part of all, in my opinion, is that if you're like me, you use your rewards card for all your purchases, so you're really making out like a bandit every time you purchase something online. 5% cash back plus 5% to the kids' college funds... how can you not love that!?

OK, the only drawback is that the whole online shopping thing results in freight, which contributes to global warming... so I need to balance out the sin by making an extra effort at recycling, or not driving somewhere unless it's absolutely necessary for a few days.

F*** Christmas

Eric Idle... instant classic

Go tell the elves to fuck themselves, it's Christmas time again.

Haha!

Southern Evangelical Christians

I just read this in an AP article on stltoday.com:

"I don't think his Mormonism is a deal breaker for most Americans, but only Mitt Romney can close the deal," Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, told ABC's "Good Morning America." Asked directly if he thought Mormons were Christians, Land said, "No, I do not."

What!? Why do evangelical "Christians" not understand the meaning of the word Christian? If someone accepts Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior of all mankind, then that person is a Christian. It's as simple as that.

Seriously, how can a people so exclusive and intolerant consider themselves Christian? I mean, let's take a look at some facts here...

Southern Evangelical Christians

Of course, not all Southern Evangelical Christians are the same, and I'm sure there are many good people in that group who critically analyze their internal belief system. In fact, some of my best friends are Southern Evangelical ... yadda yadda. Let's have a look at some of the social policies broadly supported by that group:

1. They oppose abortion, but they support capital punishment. How can a person justify killing another person and still call themselves a Christian?
   
2. They support WAR. How can a Christian support a WAR, particularly one that is preemptive? Jesus Christ taught forgiveness and tolerance. He was essentially a pacifist. He taught his followers to turn the other cheek. How can a person who calls himself or herself a Christian advocate or participate in a war?
3. They refuse to accept the mountain of scientific evidence supporting the fact that human beings are primarily responsible for global climate change, which is destroying many of the Earth's habitats. How can a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, or anyone who believes God created Earth, believe that it's OK to continue trashing His creation? Aren't we morally obligated to do everything in our power to preserve the beauty and diversity of this planet? I mean let's go ahead and look past the point that it's actually a matter of survival.
   

The contradictions underlying the Southern Evangelical Christian movement are glaring. I don't understand how a person could call himself or herself a Christian and then turn around and advocate a policy that involves murder.

If I were trapped in a world where murder, greed, and destruction ruled the day (not saying those things rule this world, I'm more optimistic than that, but for hypothetical purposes...), and I had the ability to go back in time and actually pick the foundational spiritual leader for a large segment of that world's population, I would want to pick one who advocates peace and forgiveness. Well, lookie here! Christianity is the most popular religion in the world, and Jesus Christ preached tolerance, peace, and forgiveness! So how is it that many many people who call themselves Christians, and go to church every Sunday, are only helping to perpetuate murder, greed, and destruction in the social policies they support?

The only answers I can find to these obvious and frightening contradictions are explained in a book called The Authoritarians, by Bob Altemeyer. It's freely available online. In it, he explains, scientifically, why members of the "religious right" advocate leaders who have selfish, destructive tendencies. It's an extremely worthwhile read. Very enlightening.

Big sucking sound...

I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.
I will never allow myself to become so excited about a football game again.

Never again.
Never again.
Never again.
Never again.
Never again.
Never again.
Never again.

Never again.
Never again.