SamSaid!

SUPER BOWL 

     The season ending Super Bowl of the National Football League has become the premier sports event in the US  –  surpassing the World Series, Major Golf events, the Rose Bowl, NBA basketball, US Open Tennis , and probably the summer/winter Olympics as well. Now the SB has become even more than a sporting event considering all of the TV extravaganza time that saturates the airwaves for 2 long weeks every January/February. Super Bowl # 40 (XL) is now history as the Pittsburgh Steelers  defeated Seattle, 21-10.

     The Steeler story is a good one. For the last 1/2 of the season they defied all of the odds by winning 7 consecutive key games playing away from home when one loss  would have ended their season. The Steelers did not have an abundance of great players but they had any number of good ones who rose to the occasion and sparked victories. Their payroll was far from the highest in the league and as a “smaller” city franchise they faced distinct disadvantages against the heavily bankrolled major cities. Theirs is the classic story of how the underdog “good guys” beat the odds and won  — led by a tenacious emotional coach. The Steelers have now won 5 Super Bowls and each time the players are awarded very fancy rings. With the 4 SBs won in prior years, soon  the fifth ring will be forthcoming. As the saying goes, “One for the thumb”!!

VOTING

     Hamas has won the election in Palestine and the collective efforts of many to secure peace in the eastern Mediterranean has taken a big setback. To many Palestinians, Hamas has been a source of good deeds. At the same time, however, they have been murderous butchers and the sponsors of terrorism. In the past, the US has provided aid (i.e., money) to Palestinian quasi government  leaders — believing that such a gesture  might bring stability to the Arab/Israeli standoff. But the Arafats of the world happily took the money, paid lip service to peace efforts, and continued on their killing ways.

    Now we are confronted with a major policy decision, i.e., whether to offer aid to Hamas (theoretically the Palestinian people)?  Do we want to subsidize known killers? George B says “no” but don't bet on the left wing Democrats in Washington. And of course, as the result of rigged elections, we now have a major problem in Iran, and even the EURO 3 (France, Germany, Russia ) are a bit nervous about a Nuclear Iran. Thus far, the recalcitrance and belligerence of the Iranian leaders rule out virtually everthing except the military option. It may be the last option, but it may not be all that far away.

     Any way you look at it, George Bush has a very tough job  — and it isn't made any easier by the attack dogs snipping at his heels.