Ingredients: The week's firing of Mike Shula was as clear as signal as any that inmates are running the asylum that is called University of Alabama. Shula took over the job that had seen more turnovers than a Big 12 basketball game. It a program that was hamstrung with severe NCAA restrictions on recruiting and the specter of probation hanging over it. Despite this Shula somehow led Alabama back to the Promised Land with a 10-2 record. As Alabama had a rebuilding year given a new quarterback and a new defense the 6-6 record in the deepest conference in the land was expected (nearby Georgia didn't do much better at 7-5 given similar circumstances). However in the land that Bear Bryant created with his two hands, it wasn't enough. The boosters pay and expect championships every year except in years when the rapture happens and then a 10-2 record is ok. The result Alabama will pay a golden parachute of about 4 million dollars to fire Shula. Selena Roberts quoted a figure that including hiring a new coach and other factors it might cost Alabama over 8 million dollars to get a new one. There is a concept in political economy known as Race to the Bottom. It begins with simple market transactions but over-competition, the need to immediately gratify producers no matter the cost, begins to erode public goods like schools or roads or free Crispy Crème Donut Day. That 8 million dollars being doled out for a football coach will be indirectly taken out of scholastic needs and directly out of other athletic programs. Boosters are the steering wheel at Alabama (and frankly many other schools) and they will drive universities off a cliff to satiate their needs for instant gratification.
Anyway time for a little Cheers and Jeers.....
Cheers: To Greg Oden. I don't remember the last time there was this much hype about a
college basketball that hasn't played yet. Oden is only one of 4 people to ever be named two-timed High School Basketball Player of the Year (the others Lebron, Alcinder, and Lucas) so the hype could well be deserved. That said is it just me or does Oden basically look like Old Lebron from the Nike commercials? (update: screw PTI for stealing my material. I thought of that this morning in Italian Class)
Jeers: To the Cleveland Browns. As Kiss Me Suzy Kolber aptly put it, Cleveland is still looking for a professional football team. It is now looking more and more likely that Romeo Crennel will be fired and another search will begin for a coach that can lead this team to at least mediocrity. Crennel has not only failed to field a competitive team but its obvious that locker room has already checked out. I'm still unsure which is easier: have the Browns win a playoff game or have peace in the Middle East.
Cheers: To the unlikely emerging star in Michael Redd. The second round selection of Ohio State is now third in the NBA in scoring at 30.4 points a game. Not too shabby I say.
Jeers: To France and its soccer. As many problems as the US has with sports, race, intolerance, and at times hygiene, its nothing compared to France. Just check out the story and then remember why you probably shouldn't be a tourist there for awhile.
Cheers: To paranoia. Apparently Art Shell thinks that some parts of the internal organization of the Raiders is undermining him. I'm not sure if he means spies or saboteurs or a bad case of termites. I mean who would think that when you’re the laughing stock of the league that were would be some grumbling. I mean just because your paranoid doesn't mean people (or clowns) aren't out to you.
Cheers: To Rapture index. Finally a way of tracking when the rapture is nigh. I'd like to know ahead of time so I can spend my time finally doing all those things I wanted to do like eat an entire bag of gummi worms or buy a PS3 or make the perfect grilled cheese (apparently the key is not setting fire to the bread).
Cheers: To the holiday season. Here's a picture of Santa on a British stamp. Not entirely sure what Santa is doing to that chimney but I can say there's probably going to be some unhappy clean up at the bottom.
Finally a little Scarlett to end your week on a bouncy note….
college basketball that hasn't played yet. Oden is only one of 4 people to ever be named two-timed High School Basketball Player of the Year (the others Lebron, Alcinder, and Lucas) so the hype could well be deserved. That said is it just me or does Oden basically look like Old Lebron from the Nike commercials? (update: screw PTI for stealing my material. I thought of that this morning in Italian Class)
Jeers: To the 
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