Olbermann on Indy Final 4

I miss this Keith Olbermann.

AZ Tidbits

• Why are Arizona Republicans so opposed to people voting? 
• Do we really need more abortion restrictions in Arizona? 
• Connor McDavid would look good in an Arizona Coyotes uniform.
• Arizona senator thinks attending church should be mandatory. 
• Something seems a bit amiss with spring training nowadays. 
• They do work hard in Gilbert & Scottsdale Arizona.  
• Arizona set to crack down on panhandling.  
• Do I need to get a new Arizona driver's license or not???
• The Arizona Wildcats eliminated in the Elite Eight once again.
• Arizona Republicans now want to silence dissent.  
• Should the state be able to trump municipalities on plastic bag bans? 
• Arizona doesn't appear to have learned much from Ferguson. 
• New Marijuana legalization ballot campaign launched in Arizona. 
• Arizona Republicans are okay with felons carrying guns. 
• It's still early, it's okay to optimistic about the Arizona Diamondbacks. 
• Arizona Governor Doug Ducey apparently is not a fan of the arts. 
• Adrian Peterson no closer to wearing an Arizona Cardinals uniform. 
• Do religious groups deserve more tax breaks?  
• Shouldn't business minded Republicans support education funding? 
• Is a cap on speeding ticket fines really such a good idea?  

TPSG Top 10 Movies of 1977

Continuing with my look at the best movies of years gone by.

Top 10 Movies of 1977:

1. Star Wars - Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford
2. Slap Shot - Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean
3. Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Richard Dreyfuss, Terri Garr
4. The Spy Who Loved Me - Roger Moore, Barbara Bach
5. Saturday Night Fever - John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney
6. Annie Hall - Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
7. The Gauntlet - Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke
8. Smokey and the Bandit - Burt Reynolds, Sally Field 
9. The Deep - Jacqueline Bisset, Nick Nolte
10. One on One - Robby Benson, Annette O'Toole

There is no way that "Star Wars" doesn't top this list.  "Slap Shot" is one of my all time favorite movies, I loved the Hanson brothers.  "Close Encounter of the Third Kind" is one of the all time great sci-fi flicks.  "The Spy Who Loved Me" was probably Roger Moore's best James Bond film, and Barbara Bach just may be my all time favorite Bond girl.  "Saturday Night Fever" is vintage 1970's and a cult favorite.  "Annie Hall" is one of Woody Allen's best films.  "The Gauntlet" is early Eastwood at his finest.  What kid didn't want a Trans-Am after watching "Smokey and the Bandit"?  "The Deep" is deep ocean mystery and intrigue at it's best.  "One on One" is a highly under-appreciated basketball movie.

Fabulous By Victoria's Secret

I think the term fabulous fits.

POTpourri

• New cholesterol lowering drug shows promising potential. 
• Aaron Shock really took "The Distinguished Gentleman" to heart. 
• There's a lot of hypocrisy going on about Hillary Clinton's emails. 
• U.S. House Republicans would prefer you die quickly if you are sick. 
• I really should be paying more attention to Charlie Riina.  
• A glass of red wine is the equivalent of an hour at the gym!
• Republicans are making President Obama popular again. 
• I predict that Chris Borland will become more of a trend than a mirage.
• Obamacare has been a boon to hospitals.  
• No, the GOP is not the party of the middle class.   
• Doctors perform first successful penis transplant! 
• Vogue ranked the Best Victoria's Secret Bodies of All Time. 
• Do you know what America would look like without gerrymandering? 
• Republican fears of unions is becoming a bit irrational & misplaced. 
• Katya Elise Henry has really got an ass to die for!
• RIP Chuck Bednarik & Lee Kuan Yew. 
• Ted Cruz becomes the first to announce a 2016 Presidential run. 
• The U.S. could learn a thing or two from Costa Rica. 
• Paul Krugman, and most economists, don't think much of the GOP budget plan.
• Republicans continue to support gimmicks to rig elections in their favor. 
• What we can learn from Alaska when it comes to sharing the wealth.  
• Is the Wisconsin model really the one we want to follow?  

Cool Pics

Herb Sendek Fired

Arizona State University has finally fired head basketball coach Herb Sendek.  IMO, it was about 2 years too late.  Don't get me wrong here, by all indications Herb Sendek is a very good man, he's very well liked in the community and he knows his basketball, that doesn't mean he was the right fit for the Arizona State basketball program though.  After 9 years at the helm, the program was mired in mediocrity and extending his run wouldn't have changed that, it was time for a change.  With all of this being said, don't get your expectations too high on Arizona State finding a top tier replacement, the program is just not that attractive, so don't be expecting a Mark Few or Gregg Marshall hire.  That's not to say that they can't find a desirable candidate to take over the helm though.  I suspect that they'll want a young up and coming guy who can recruit.

Here are my Top 15 candidates to take over the ASU basketball program:

1. Jeff Capel - current assistant coach at Duke, former head coach at VCU & Oklahoma, he's young and reportedly a very good recruiter, he's also apparently already the clear front runner.  
2. Josh Pastner - current head coach at Memphis, he's young, he's driven, he's a very good recruiter, he's got a ton of Arizona ties and most importantly he's interested, it sounds like he could be had too.  
3. Steve Lavin - current head coach at St John's, probably the biggest name out there who may have some interest, he's got a big personality and lots of west coast ties.  
4. Randy Bennett - current head coach at St Mary's.  He's got a great track record and a ton of west coast ties.   
5. Eric Musselman - current assistant coach at LSU, former Arizona State assistant, former NBA head coach, the guy knows how to coach and his ASU ties could pay dividends.  
6. Archie Miller - beyond the great storyline this would make, Miller can coach, he's had a nice run at Dayton, he's got ASU ties and the chance to be close to his brother may actually have some sway.  
7. Michael White - current head coach at Louisiana Tech, he's young and has a very impressive track record.  
8. Steve Prohm - current head coach at Murray State, he's another impressive young coach on the rise.  
9. Dan Majerle - current head coach at Grand Canyon University, he is extremely well liked in the community and he wouldn't have to leave the Valley.   
10. Bryce Drew - current head coach at Valparasio, coaching runs in his family.  
11. Jim Hayford - current head coach at Eastern Washington, he's got west coast ties and a nice looking resume.  
12. Ben Jacobson - current head coach at Northern Iowa, another young guy with an impressive track record.  
13. Brad Underwood - current head coach at Stephen F Austin, former Kansas State assistant, he's had an impressive start to his head coaching career.  
14. Bobby Hurley- current head coach at Buffalo, he's got a lot of steam right now along with lots of name recognition, he also comes from a legendary coaching family. 
15. Randy Rahe - current head coach at Weber State where he's had a nice run. 

If I were a betting man, wait I am, I'd put my money on Jeff Capel getting this job fairly quickly.

Obama Fact Checks Critics

Good stuff from President Obama.

TPSG 2015 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

With NFL free agency having shaken out for the most part, I think it's time to update my 2015 NFL Mock Draft.  So, here goes with post free agency version 3.0.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jameis Winston - QB - Florida State
2. Tennessee Titans - Leonard Williams - DT - USC
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Randy Gregory - DE - Nebraska 
4. Oakland Raiders - Kevin White - WR - West Virginia
5. Washington Redskins - Dante Fowler Jr - LB - Florida
6. New York Jets - Marcus Mariotta - QB - Oregon
7. Chicago Bears - Danny Shelton - DT -  Washington 
8. Atlanta Falcons - Vic Beasley - LB - Clemson
9. New York Giants - Shane Ray - DE - Missouri
10. St Louis Rams - Amari Cooper - WR - Alabama
11. Minnesota Vikings - Brandon Scherff - OT - Iowa
12. Cleveland Browns - DeVante Parker - WR - Louisville
13. New Orleans Saints - Trea Waynes - CB - Michigan State
14. Miami Dolphins - Dorial Green-Beckham - WR - Oklahoma
15. San Francisco 49ers - Bud Dupree - OLB - Kentucky
16. Houston Texans - Jalen Strong - WR - Arizona State
17. San Diego Chargers - Todd Gurley - RB - Georgia
18. Kansas City Chiefs - La'el Collins - OT - LSU 
19. Cleveland Browns - Malcom Brown - DT - Texas
20. Philadelphia Eagles - Landon Collins - DB - Alabama
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Andres Peat - OT - Stanford
22. Pittsburgh Steelers - Marcus Peters - CB - Washington
23. Detroit Lions - Ereck Flowers - OT - Miami 
24. Arizona Cardinals - Owamagbe Odighizuwa - DE - UCLA
25. Carolina Panthers - D.J. Humphries - OT - Florida
26. Baltimore Ravens - Melvin Gordon - RB - Wisconsin
27. Dallas Cowboys - Kevin Johnson - CB - Wake Forest
28. Denver Broncos - Maxx Williams - TE - Minnesota
29. Indianapolis Colts - Cameron Erving - OT - Florida State
30. Green Bay Packers - Benardrick McKinney - ILB - Mississippi State
31. New Orleans Saints - Eli Harold - OLB - Virginia 
32. New England Patriots - Jalen Collins - CB - LSU

Jameis Winston looks like a lock at number one overall.

The Vikings trade for Mike Wallace seems to have diminished their need for a number one WR, pairing him with Kevin White or Amari Cooper would be tempting though (especially given the release of Greg Jennings).  Outside of WR, the Vikings OL needs some major upgrading, the versatile Brandon Scherff would be a perfect fit given his ability to play multiple positions.  Trea Waynes would also look nice opposite Xavier Rhodes at CB.  I wouldn't discount the Vikings trading down in round one either.

The Cardinals still have me guessing, they desperately need help with their pass rush so an edge rusher (at either DE or OLB) seems like the logical pick.  A RB like Melvin Gordon would look good in that Cardinals offense too though (unless they can swing a deal for Adrian Peterson).  Another CB to replace Antonio Cromartie is also a possibility.

Previous Versions:  1.0 & 2.0

Stewart Calls out Fox News

Have I mentioned that I will miss Jon Stewart?

The Daily Show

TPSG Top 10 Movies of 1978

Continuing with my look at the best movies of years gone by.

Top 10 Movies of 1978:

1. The Deer Hunter - Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken
2. Animal House - John Belushi, Tom Hulce
3. Midnight Express - Brad Davis, Bo Hopkins
4. Halloween - Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence
5. Heaven Can Wait - Warren Beatty, Julie Christie
6. Superman - Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder
7. Coming Home - Jane Fonda, Jon Voight
8. Grease - John Travolta, Olivia Newton John
9. The Buddy Holly Story - Gary Busey, Don Stroud
10. Invasion of the Body Snatchers - Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams

"The Deer Hunter" is as powerful a movie as you'll ever see, it'll stick with you for awhile.  "Animal House" is my all time favorite comedy.  "Midnight Express" is a real haunting tale of international drug smuggling.  "Halloween" is probably my favorite horror movie of all time.  The original "Heaven Can Wait" was a terrific football movie.  When I think of "Superman", I think of Christopher Reeve.  "Coming Home" is a very powerful look at the consequences of war.  I can still see Olivia Newton John in those leather pants in "Grease" and who doesn't still sing along with that soundtrack?  IMO "The Buddy Holly Story" is easily Gary Busey's best film.  "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is creepy at it's finest.

Lindsay Pelas

I think I'm in love!

AZ Tidbits

• Even Robert Robb disagrees with the current Arizona budget process. 
• Did you catch Will Ferrell's Cactus League tour?  Hilarious!  
• Arizona Cardinals 2015 Free Agency tracker here! 
• Props to Victoria Steele for the courage it took to tell her story. 
• Arizona completely abandons it's community colleges. 
• 10 things people in Arizona need to stop complaining about?
• Lake Havasu continues to be a prime Spring Break spot! 
• Yes, Arizona still does have wild horses.  
• Arizona GOP once again attempts to rig future elections in their favor. 
• Kevin Harvick wins the 2015 CampingWorld.com 500 at PIR. 
• Are you familiar with Sedona's infamous "White Line Trail"?  
• I'm not betting on Adrian Peterson wearing a Cardinals uniform anytime soon.
• Arizona Wildcats win the PAC-12 basketball championship. 
• Am I the only one who thinks that Doug Ducey is beholden to dark money interests? 
• Ethically challenged anti-abortion Arizona lawmakers back at it. 
• Do you know the difference between Arizona and Oregon? 
• Arizona looks to be majority-minority by 2023.  
• Arizona lawmakers think that gun rights were given to them by God.  
• Why do Arizona Republicans hate saguaro's?  
• Keep an eye out for those Arizona Wildcat cheerleaders this March Madness. 
• Arizona's reputation continues to take a beating.  Rightfully so. 

Bill Maher on Middle Class Economics

Good stuff from Bill Maher!

2015 March Madness Predictions

March Madness 2015 is upon us!

ROUND of 64 PREDICTIONS: 

Midwest
Kentucky over Manhattan/Hampton
Purdue over Cincinnati
Buffalo over West Virginia
Maryland over Valparaiso
Butler over Texas
Notre Dame over Northeastern
Wichita State over Indiana
Kansas over New Mexico State

West
Wisconsin over Coastal Carolina
Oklahoma over Oregon
Arkansas over Wofford
North Carolina over Harvard
Xavier over BYU/Mississippi
Baylor over Georgia State
Virginia Commonwealth over Ohio State
Arizona over Texas Southern

East
Villanova over Lafayette
North Carolina State over LSU
Northern Iowa over Wyoming
Louisville over UC-Irvine
Providence over Boise State/Dayton
Oklahoma over Albany
Michigan State over Georgia
Virginia over Belmont

South
Duke over North Florida/Robert Morris
San Diego State over St John's
Stephen F Austin over Utah
Georgetown over E. Washington
SMU over UCLA
Iowa State over UAB
Iowa over Davidson
Gonzaga over North Dakota State
______________________________

ROUND of 32 PREDICTIONS: 

Midwest
Kentucky over Purdue
Maryland over Buffalo
Notre Dame over Butler
Kansas over Wichita State

West
Wisconsin over Oklahoma
North Carolina over Arkansas
Baylor over Xavier
Arizona over Virginia Commonwealth

East
Villanova over North Carolina State
Louisville over Northern Iowa
Oklahoma over Providence
Virginia over Michigan State

South 
Duke over San Diego State
Georgetown over Stephen F Austin
Iowa State over SMU
Gonzaga over Iowa
______________________________

SWEET 16 PREDICTIONS:

Midwest
Kentucky over Maryland
Notre Dame over Kansas

West
Wisconsin over North Carolina
Arizona over Baylor

East 
Louisville over Villanova
Virginia over Oklahoma

South 
Duke over Georgetown
Gonzaga over Iowa State
______________________________

ELITE 8 PREDICTIONS:

Midwest
Kentucky over Notre Dame

West
Arizona over Wisconsin

East
Virginia over Louisville

South 
Gonzaga over Duke
_____________________________

FINAL FOUR PREDICTIONS:

Arizona over Kentucky
Virginia over Gonzaga
______________________________

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Arizona over Virginia

John Oliver on Infrastructure

Good stuff from John Oliver on infrastructure spending.

POTpourri

• Big business is getting into bed with legal weed. 
• When did treason become GOP policy?   Disgraceful! 
• Can red wine really help you burn fat faster? 
• Boxing really needs "Premier Boxing Champions" on NBC to succeed. 
• I think it's safe to say that Republicans have no idea on how to legislate. 
• Scott Walker appears to be destroying Wisconsin to prove his conservative bona fides.
• RIP Sam Simon & Windell Middlebrooks. 
• 2015 NFL Free Agency tracker here!  
• There's nothing quite like a Russian Selfie!! 
• Why the incessant focus on Hillary Clinton's emails?  
• Are you familiar with the Republicans idea of a perfectly functioning economy?  
• The Kentucky basketball team is having a season for the ages. 
• Are you familiar with the myth of voter fraud?  
• Chris Christies' Presidential campaign has been very unforgettable. 
• Wherefore for art thou Vladimir Putin?   Coup d'etat? 
• Pope Francis is not a fan of the Citizens's United ruling.  
• I should probably know more about Alexis Ren.  
• Are you ready for the return of the vast right wing Clinton conspiracies?  
• If I were a Philadelphia Eagles fan, I would be getting nervous about Chip Kelly. 
• I had no idea that there would be a sixth season of "Community". 

Happy Pi Day!

TPSG Top 10 Movies of 1979

Continuing with my look at the best movies of years gone by.

Top 10 Movies of 1979:

1. Apocalypse Now - Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando
2. Escape From Alcatraz - Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan
3. Breaking Away - Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid
4. Alien - Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt
5. The Jerk - Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters
6. Kramer vs Kramer - Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep
7. 10 - Dudley Moore, Bo Derek
8. Manhattan - Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
9. Meatballs - Bill Murray, Chris Makepeace
10. The Warriors - Michael Beck, James Remar

Martin Sheen & Marlon Brando are both brilliant in "Apocalypse Now".  "Escape From Alcatraz" is easily one of the best prison movies you'll ever see.  "Breaking Away" is a fantastic coming of age film.  "Alien" may just be the best sci-fi film of all time, Sigourney Weaver is terrific and Ridley Scott's direction top notch.  "The Jerk" is probably not for everyone but I loved it, I couldn't stop laughing.  "Kramer vs Kramer" is a touching film about divorce and child custody of all things. Who can ever forget Bo Derek in "10"?  "Manhattan" may be Woody Allen's best film, and that's saying something.  "Meatballs" is highly under-appreciated.  "The Warriors" is a cult classic, give it a watch!

AZ Tidbits

• Doug Ducey doesn't care is the poor lack health insurance. 
• Arizona Cardinals sign LaMarr Woodley, Mike Iupati & Will Witherspoon.
• Jeff Flake continues to be the more rational Arizona Senator. 
• Did you see this amazing shot by Arizona State's Shaquille McKissic?  Crazy! 
• Jodi Arias sentencing trial ends in a hung jury once again. 
• Darnell Dockett is now officially a former Arizona Cardinal. 
• When you elect crazy people you should expect crazy results. 
• Arizona drops out of list of top 20 best state economies.  
• Coyotes owner bullish on the Arizona Coyotes future. 
• Watch out for those STD's Arizona State students. 
• I'm not a fan of Doug Ducey's first Arizona budget.  
• It appears that they Doug Ducey administration will favor a lack of transparency. 
• Markieff Morris may not become a fan favorite anytime soon. 
• I would not be opposed to seeing Brett Hundley in a Cardinals uniform. 
• No, Arizona does not observe daylight savings time.  For good reason! 
• There's a reason that I'm not a fan of the Arizona private prison system.  
• Arizonans want education and water to be top issues for lawmakers. 
• The Chile Burger at the St. Francis ranked as Top Burger in Arizona. 
• February 2015 was the 2nd warmest February in Phoenix recorded history. 
• The state of Arizona now ranks 5th in Clean Energy.  
• I cannot wait to try the Arizona Diamondbacks new Churro Dog. 
• How did that welfare drug testing program work for you Arizona?

Sahara Ray

Kinda hot don't you think?

Liberal Quotes

I'm a liberal and damn proud to admit it, here are some of my favorite liberal quotes:

“You know that being an American is more than a matter of where your parents came from. It is a belief that all men are created free and equal and that everyone deserves an even break.” - Harry S. Truman 

“I believe that, as long as there is plenty, poverty is evil.” - Robert Kennedy 

“The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism – ownership of government by an individual, by a group.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt 

“Where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost.” - Ronald Reagan 

“We establish no religion in this country. We command no worship. We mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are and must remain separate.” - Ronald Reagan 

“Taxes, after all, are dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt 

"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have little." - Franklin D. Roosevelt 

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." - John F. Kennedy

“We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we cannot have both.” - Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis

“Compassion is not weakness, and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism.” - Hubert Humphrey

“America was established not to create wealth but to realize a vision, to realize an ideal – to discover and maintain liberty among men.” - Woodrow Wilson

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” - John F. Kennedy

“Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.”  -Abraham Lincoln

“It was once said that the moral test of Government is how that Government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” - Hubert H. Humphrey

“I believe that there should be a very much heavier progressive tax on very large incomes, a tax which should increase in a very marked fashion for the gigantic incomes.” - Theodore Roosevelt

“It is essential that there should be organization of labor. This is an era of organization. Capital organizes and therefore labor must organize.”  - Theodore Roosevelt

 “Today’s so-called ‘conservatives’ don’t even know what the word means. They think I’ve turned liberal because I believe a woman has a right to an abortion. That’s a decision that’s up to the pregnant woman, not up to the pope or some do-gooders or the Religious Right. It’s not a conservative issue at all.” - Barry Goldwater 

“Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Once you leave the womb, conservatives don’t care about you until you reach military age. Then you’re just what they’re looking for." - George Carlin

“No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level – I mean the wages of decent living.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

“The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

 “Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.” -  John F. Kennedy

 “While I am a great believer in the free enterprise system and all that it entails, I am an even stronger believer in the right of our people to live in a clean and pollution-free environment.” - Barry Goldwater

"Have you ever wondered why Republicans are so interested in encouraging people to volunteer in their communities?  It's because volunteers work for no pay. Republicans have been trying to get people to work for no pay for a long time." - George Carlin

Hannah Davis

I'd say that Derek Jeter is doing okay for himself, even in retirement.

POTpourri

• Marijuana may be even safer than previously thought. 
• Corporate America owes Americans big time for their prosperity.
• Is it too early to suggest a Hillary Clinton/Mark Dayton 2016 ticket?   
• Does a fast tracked trade deal scare anyone else?  
• Ronda Rousey is easily the most dominate athlete in all of sports. 
• Are you familiar with the dangerous candidacy of Scott Walker?  
• Are stock buybacks in the best interests of the American workforce?  Hell no! 
• Why are judges elected in America?  
• Dismantling unions is not the cure to income inequality. 
• Remember when politicians thought for themselves and not for their overlords? 
• The more I think about it, tiny houses for the homeless is a brilliant idea. 
• Keep an eye out for Natasha Galkina.  She's gorgeous! 
• Apple's market capitalization is just insane at this point. Are cars next? 
• Jennifer Lopez is aging incredibly well!  
• RIP Leonard Nimoy, Minnie Minoso & Anthony Mason. 
• Have you noticed how dependent upon the federal government that red states are? 
• Yet another Vladimir Putin critic murdered in Moscow.  I'm sensing a trend.
• The best explanation that you'll ever see of Gerrymandering? 
• Why does the right wing so disdain Elizabeth Warren? 
• The DOJ report on the Ferguson Police Department is quite damning.