Ram Jam - VCU in the Final Four

Take that, Jay Bilas.



I was not surprised last night when the ESPN panel of experts all predicted No. 1 seeded Kansas to knock of No. 11 Cinderella Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).  VCU - which in some quarters was criticized for even making the tournament - had knocked off several teams to get to this point but the highest seeded team was a not so great No. 3 Purdue.  This was Kansas - a Jayhawk team that many were picking to win the whole thing.  Surely the VCU parade, while impressive, could not possibly continue against their inside strength, pedigree and notorious well travelled fans in San Antonio.

But I was suprised when not one of the ESPN analysts (Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas, Dickie V) couldn't even say that VCU might have a chance if they got hot and/or Kansas had foul trouble, or something like that. This was the same bunch who are on record for saying that VCU shouldn't have even got in the tournament.  To be fair, much of their criticism was directed at the NCAA selection committee and UAB, a team that got in and flamed out in their first game.  Jay Bilas actually said VCU could play and that their point guard Rodriguez was good (and VCU didn't even think they were going - they didn't even watch the selection show that Sunday). But nevertheless, for this game  the ESPN guys just said it was an open and shut case.  You think after a bit of this VCU rush they would give them a prop or two.

Meanwhile over at CBS, after Greg Anthony, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley all picked Kansas to win, Anthony admitted, after some prodding from Greg Gumbell, that VCU could win if everything went their way - which Barkley supported.  But I tell you what - they must have all had Kansas in their brackets because when they cut to them after VCU's monstrous upset of Kansas, that panel looked like a library club.  They even cut away from VCU trophy celebration to show some superfluous, and nonsensical for the time, Butler footage. 

Great job Rams and great job head coach Shaka Smart.  And as Whitney Houston used to sing - Shaka-can!

The Obama Doctrine

Do As I Say, No - As I Do, No - Aaagh.  Time to hit the links.

During the last Presidential election, Sarah Palin got blistered by ABC's Charlie Gibson for not knowing the Bush Doctrine.  Well I wonder what Charlie would think about Obama not even knowing what his own Doctrine is!?  Below I labeled Obama the Vacuous President - but now I want to call him the Ambivalent President.  I don't share all of the recent assorted conservative dogma that clamors for Obama to immediately explain his position on Libya while abroad (mainly because I'm relatively happy he's done something) - and, yes its vague and you can tell he was coaxed into it and he's trying to put his toes in the water before he totally alienates his base.  But if he doesn't come clean by this weekend (and fully addresses the nation) after he gets back from his romp in Rio - then it is a sad case indeed.

George W. Bush took over a year and a half to lobby for the war on Iraq, going before the UN, talking to the American people and getting Congressional approval - and was still roundly criticized for it - and by Obama himself!  Granted the Libya situation was something for the US and the international community to immediately take advantage of and move quickly - but he even did not do that.  He dithered and "Hope" withered.  Eventually Hillary made him do it a month later.  She definitely has more balls then him.

Barry - you got till the weekend to explain what the mission in Libya really is.  And maybe, for the very first time, you can "be clear".

The Vacuous President - Part II

Obama Announces His NCAA Bracket

Like we said in our previous post below - he's probably spent more time on his NCAA basketball bracket than on the federal budget.

UPDATE: Today, March 18, 31 days after Obama said Khadafi "must go" he announced the establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya....probably 30 days too late (and only after the UK, France, the Libyan rebels and the Arab League - and Hillary - begged his involvement). Then he met with Congress and said we were really only going to be in for a couple of days and then promptly got on a plane and jetted off for Rio.  That's pretty much how my week went as well.

This snail's pace in leadership is not impressing anybody, least of all these guys.

The Vacuous President

He's on the case, uh, I mean, course.

So, this is leadership?



The Middle East is undergoing a grand transformation. We may have let Gadaffi off the hook in Libya because we have sat on our hands. Oil is going through the roof. Wisconsin in making history with long awaited rollbacks to public unions - aliong with Indiana and Ohio. The US budget (that didn't even pass last year) is still not approved - and it didn't even address what we need it to. The deficit is still growing at unprecedented levels. And what is the President talking about.

Bullying.

And not the rampant and potentially violent "bullying" that you see by the deranged union protesters outside and inside the capital in Madison - but by high school kids on the internet (and that's before he shuts it down anyway). Yes, he had a event in DC this last Thursday where he actually had represented by over 20 branches of government. Bullying. And this from a guy who told Republicans during the health care debate "elections have consequences" and during the mid-term elections he exorted followers to "get in the face" of people you disagree with, and "if they bring a knife we will bring a gun"- amongst a host of rather "bullying" type language from this non-commander in chief.

And besides this oddly timed event, Obama just seems not to want to really get involved in anything. It seems his M.O. is to just stay above the fray and not be caught on the wrong side of any issue. This is why everyone thinks he's a socialist - because, in reality, he just wants the rest of the government to solve the issues so he doesn't have to. Actually the President really isn't socialist - he's just European. That may even be worse.

What is also puzzling is his total lack of knowledge about energy policy (which goes to his bad cabinet choices in this area). The reality is he would love gasoline to go to $5/gallon so somehow we can all automatically somehow drive solar-wind-powered electric hybrid cars or something. Or just work from home. His response to energy related questions at his snorefest press conference on Friday belied an overwhelming lack of knowledge, urgency and frankly thought. And what's more so he's lying about oil production under his helm. He doesn't even have his facts straight. He's counting oil rigs (that are not producing) not actually barrels pumped.

Maybe he's just the whiniest President we've ever had.

Next: What really is happening in Badger Country.