Where I talk about the Saints, New Orleans, Katrina, and John Green’s
FA Cup.
To start this I
want to say how much I love New Orleans. Even before I ever visited the city I
always found its history very interesting. I don’t read much non-fiction but
when I was young I probably checked out every book non-fiction and fiction my
local library had on the city.
I remember we were
in Fort Lauderdale to see a Green Day concert. We were sitting in a hotel room
that had just gotten its power back as we pulled into the parking lot. This was
right after hurricane Katrina passed through. We actually drove down to
Lauderdale through Katrina weather. Sitting in the hotel room we watched the
storm head towards New Orleans and gaining strength as it moved.
Last year we
travelled to the city for ALA. I finally got to visit a city I had always
wanted to walk through. Even though we were mainly there for ALA, eight hours
of the day was spent at the convention, but we found time to explore the great
city. Spend time with some of the great people of New Orleans.
I wanted to mention
some of the things I think about when I think of New Orleans before talking
about the Saints latest scandal about wiretapping other teams rooms when they
played in the Superdome.
When Bounty Gate
broke I said the Saints were turning into the new Raiders but shit man, I
forgot some of the political history of that city and they are showing they do
things to a different levels in New Orleans, a level the Raiders never touched.
The new Raiders, us
against the world, yes, maybe, but just as I think the attitude and business
views of my favorite team doesn’t in the modern N.F.L. I’m starting to think
the Saints might not survive in the modern N.F.L. if this wiretapping story is
true.
Pile it on with
Bounty Gate and it might take this team a decade or more to recover. And
remember the punishment for Saints players for Bounty Gate is still coming.
Now first let’s
throw out whether this would have or did give them any sort of advantage on the
field. If you break into a house and find it empty, you still broke into a
house. The crime, because this does go beyond sports in terms of wiretapping
breaking many state and federal laws, still took place.
Now just as with
Spy Gate with the Patriots this isn’t a surprise to me that something like this
has happen. I’ve always wondered why more teams don’t do such things but just
as when the Patriots got caught, the Saints might just have been caught doing
something many teams are probably doing. I bet yesterday when the story dropped
at least a few teams quickly removed some technology from their stadiums that
violated N.F.L. rules.
When the N.F.L.
first started using the helmet communication I said that’s going to run into
problems. It has. Small cameras, stealing signs from the crowd, buying
playbooks, hiring people who left one team to get an advantage. It’s not just
puffing chests that war terms are implied with sports. It’s win and only win.
Or “Just win baby” as my teams late boss said many times.
And finally all of
this comes down to proving they did anything wrong. That seems to be a tough road
ahead proving anything. If in the end the law or the league finds proof
everyone involved with the Saints including coaches and front office people
will probably be banned for life from the league.
Here’s the first
thing I read on the wiretapping story: http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7846290/new-orleans-saints-mickey-loomis-eavesdrop-opposing-coaches-home-games
Today I’ve been
listening to ESPN radio as they discuss it further.
And speaking of
sports. Well, electronic sports. Here’s a good story of a small team reaching
the highest of mountains.
FA Cup Final: The Miracle of Swindon Town
#105: http://youtu.be/3bxrlN7YDxY
And a few other
things that I enjoyed online today:
Jane Espenson is
one of my favorite Television writers.
PMC 76 Jane Espenson: http://www.popmyculturepodcast.com/2012/pmc-76-jane-espenson/
If I don’t catch
the shows on TV I listen to a number of ESPN podcasts. If anyone knows of any
other good sports podcasts let me know and I’ll check them out. My favorite
podcasts that ESPN do are Mike & Mike, The B.S. Report, Dan Le Batard Is
Highly Questionable, and Pardon The Interruption.
ESPN PODCASTS: http://espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/
And as always here are some of the
places you can find me online:
CHAOS READ: Bimonthly Short Story Series.
You Pick The Price!
TIN UNIVERSE: Bimonthly Short Story Series.
$0.99USD
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