Today James and I sat outside most the day reading. Late this afternoon some passersby walked along and as we struck a conversation the topic of football came up. (That line of conversation was not started from us.) Green Bay was plowed under as we took in the sun. Yawn.
But then a troubling story was told about the roughing from Clay Matthews. Apparently last week Mathews, more or less, lifted a player and drove him harshly into the ground. He was presented with a flag for that offensive behavior, and the same was given to Matthews today for a similar type of bad sportsmanship.
But the part that made me cringe was that instead of some strategic maneuver to make a play Matthews today used all of his weight to land squarely on a member of the other team. I know nothing about football but think Matthews plays dirty.
As this conversation was playing out a man who lives down our street came by, and hearing this mess with over-weight guys, said the real action was taking place with lean and mean Tiger Woods and his winning ways on a golf course.
This weekend was the start of fall, and today as breezes came off the lake leaves let go of trees and floated about. The sun was warm and there was every reason to be outside. That people hunkered indoors to see over-weight guys plow into each other says a great deal about the national pablum that is provided to keep certain people docile on the couch.
And so it goes.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
Deke best stick with politics your football comments are hysterical. The best comment of several in your post was, “He was presented with a flag for that offensive behavior” this is classic I am going to ne sharing most of your post with others. Your political commentary is often on the mark, your sports commentary, well in your owns words ” made me cringe”. Thanks for the smile tonight always appreciated.
I sincerely like your comment. It was nicely phrased. Yeah, I see your point about the flag wording–it reminds me of when in radio I was the color man for a home game. I can read ad copy and make it sound fun. But to banter about the game was painful. I seriously asked on-air why there were so many people all wearing (and I forget the color)—and that mercifully was the last time anyone asked me do any more games. I was, however, great at the appearances for store openings and such and talking to folks—but sports—-Lord!!
Don’t know if I’d describe him as overweight, but I’ll set up a meeting where you can tell him in person! http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FF_H5_hI4N8/TxIZ4ajVdnI/AAAAAAAANHs/zinIZmaXfaU/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/clay-mathews-muscle-fitness-cover.jpg
You make my point, Solly, about the other concern when it comes to football. Concussions.
Pro football players are a lot bigger than they used to be. From 1979 to 2011, the typical top-five offensive tackle enlarged from an average of 6-foot-4, 264 pounds to 6-foot-6, 314 pounds. From 1979 to 2011, NFL-bound centers grew from an average 6-foot-3, 242 pounds to 6-foot-4, 304 pounds. In the same period, guards enlarged from an average 6-foot-3, 250 pounds to 6-4, 317 pounds.
We now have these over-weight guys with more force and power and as we know from data they now have collected more health problems.
I might add with all the muscle mass the players seemingly are not any smarter. Matthews proved that most clearly with his bad behavior in the past two games.
It’s too bad the name “Snooty Elites” is taken by another blogger. There is a new rule this year to protect the quarterbacks. It’s being subjectively applied by the refs as they try to figure out what it means. Aaron Rogers, who missed most of last season due to a nasty hit doesn’t think it’s being applied correctly in Clay Matthew’s case. He’s not a dirty player. Reed thin high school soccer players and girls basketball players are getting concussions. We need to minimize that. But, sometimes it’s better to be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth about football and remove all doubt. 🙂
The data speaks about the ever-growing weight of the players and the brain injury rates. Are you saying that Matthews did not act in a way, in two successive games, that did not garner national attention and blow-back? Are all the people elites or just believing what their eyes tell them?