Anticipation Grows As Cowboys/Giants Playoff Game Nears

Here in Texas, few things are bigger than the Dallas Cowboys and nothing is more exciting than a playoff game between the Dallas Cowboy and New York Giants. The grudge match between these two teams goes back over 30 years as die-hard Giants and Cowboys fans take turns at putting the other team down both on and off the field. On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants at Texas Stadium at 3:15pm CST. Anticipation has grown all week since the New York Giants beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past weekend.

The Cowboys are hoping to put an end to their month long slump that has proven to be a big disappointment for fans that got use to the Cowboys winning most of their games early on in the season. On the other hand, the New York Giants got off to a less than spectacular start this season and they have only recently started hitting their stride going into the playoffs. I know Sunday's Cowboys/Giants game is going to be a tough game because both of these teams equally want to continue on for another week. The both good and bad news of the NFL playoffs is that only one team can win and progress to the next game. Right now, there are many wonderful teams playing in the NFL playoffs, but only a few will still be standing after this weekend.

As a Dallas Cowboys fan, I certainly hope my favorite team comes out on top in Sunday's game. However, I am man enough to admit that the Cowboys are playing a great, New York Giants, football team on Sunday and anything can happen before the end of the game. The only concern I have about Sunday's game from a Cowboys' fan point of view is whether or not the Dallas slump is over or not. I believe it might very well be over and I also have doubts as to the success the Giants will have at getting sky high to play a tough football game three weeks straight. However the end of this game comes out, both the Cowboys and Giants have had a wonderful season and now the only real question is which NFC team will most likely face the Patriots in this years Superbowl?

Read more about the Dallas Cowboys:

New York Giants Play Cowboys In Dallas Playoff Game
Redskins Playoff Defeat – Dallas Cowboys Next?
Dallas Cowboys Fans In Fear Of Playoff Games
Dallas Cowboys Face Hungry Redskins Sunday
Terry Glenn Replaces Terrell Owens In Cowboys Game

January 9, 2008 Archives

Dr. Phil Was Wrong To Talk Publicly About Britney Spears

Reported, Dr. Phil McGraw was trying to get Britney Spears to check into a rehab facility far away from Hollywood when he visited with her in the hospital a few days ago. However, what really needs to happen is for Dr. Phil to go back to Texas and relearn the basic skills he taught Oprah when she was being sued by those cattlemen. Dr. Phil has lived in Hollywood too long now and his basic judgment skills have eroded to the point that he is no different than anyone else who calls that city home. I could not believe my ears when only a few short hours after his, so called, private visit of concern to Britney Spears hospital room he released a statement talking about his visit with her and also promoting a television special on his daily show.

Dr. Phil is correct in his analysis that Britney Spears needs professional help from an outside of Hollywood treatment facility. Spears in a troubled young woman that has lost her way and fallen into a world of drugs and/or alcohol abuse to numb her pain. Nothing anyone tries to tell her seems to work, from a family that wants to see her get better to a court system that has all but locked her up for contempt of court. Dr. Phil would have done a better service to Britney Spears if he would have approached her in a confidential way without the prying eyes of the news media. Instead, Dr. Phil tried to use Britney Spears problems for his own personal benefit and he is paying a big price for that mistake today.

There are news reports out of Hollywood that Britney Spears parents are attempting to have her committed to a rehab facility against her will. If these reports are true, they will face an uphill battle with California courts that too often times don't see the serious nature of problems faced by some young people. Everyone on Earth can see that Britney Spears is one messed up young woman right now, except the one person that counts and that person is Britney herself. While Dr. Phil's attempt to help her might have been successful if done in confidence, the cavalier way in which he tried to promote his own show and help Britney Spears at the same time not only failed miserably – but did further damage to this troubled young woman.

Read more about Britney Spears:

Dr. Phil Talks With Britney Spears About Her Problems
Britney Spears Undergoes Mental Evaluation
Time To Take Britney Spears' Kids Away From Her?
Britney Spears Prosecuted For Hit And Run
Britney Spears Surrounded By Bad People

Alabama Father Throws 4 Children From Bridge

An Alabama man is in custody today after admitting to police that he threw all four (4) of his children off of a bridge after he had an argument with his wife. So far, the bodies of his children have not been recovered. According to police, 37 year old Lam Luong has been arrested on four counts of murder after he confessed to throwing his children off of the Dauphin Island Bridge. The insanity of some people never ceases to amaze me and the sad fact is that Luong might very well walk in a court of law because almost anyone would believe him insane after committing such a horrible crime.

Whether it is Luong's horrible crime or people showing up at shopping malls or schools to kill others - to a terrible case of murder that involved eating the victim in East Texas a few days ago, what is this world coming to and why are so many people completely losing their minds? Someone told me once that people are really no worse today than they were decades ago, it's just that the news media is in more places now to report these horrific crimes. While that might fly with some people, to me I believe there are more certifiable crazy nuts running around today than ever before. Luong, is not a young man like so many of the crazies that show up at school or in a shopping mall to kill strangers.

More than likely, before Luong is ever sent to prison for his crimes, the public will once again be subjected to all the reason why he committed this crime in the first place. I'm sure Luong will be shown as having a bad childhood with parents that did not give them the proper attention or maybe it will be that America somehow let him down financially. No matter how this case plays out in court, it will sicken my stomach to be forced to hear how Lam Luong is somehow the victim and not these four kids that were murdered by their father. People are becoming more cruel as the years go by and that should concern all of us because without a good foundation of morality and decent choices, our whole world could fall into anarchy.

Read more about Criminal Behavior:

Two LSU Students Murdered Last Night
A Hero 'Jeanne Assam' Is Born From Colorado Church Shootings
Omaha Mall Killer Robert Hawkins Was Troubled
Robert Hawkins 'Going Out In Style' Kills 8 Then Himself
Utah Speeder 'Tasered' For Not Signing Ticket

Paula Abdul Craziness, Must Be American Idol Time

It's always easy to know when the top Fox Television show, 'American Idol' is about to start because every time Paula Abdul starts acting strange and out-of-control. This 'one trick pony' act of Abdul's is getting old, but why not do it again because every season of American Idol seems to get more popular than the one before. News was released yesterday that Taylor Hicks had lost his record contract and that news is also playing into the hands of the promoters of American Idol because the only bad news this show could get would be if everyone stopped talking and writing about it.

Years ago, I enjoyed listening to the music of Paula Abdul as she road the top of the pop music charts for several years. Then like all other pop stars, she faded from view until American Idol came along and revived her career. For the past three season, Paul Abdul has created much free publicity for American Idol as she shows up on cue to either talk or act drunk on camera which in turn creates a feeding frenzy in the Hollywood tabloid media. If a person like Paul Abdul really had a problem with drugs and/or alcohol, we would hear about it all year long and not just two weeks or so before American Idol is set to start a new season. Actually, I think this act by Paula Abdul is funny to watch and if she actually is not drunk during these interviews – she might have a career in acting because she does an excellent job.

Whether we get the 'dog and pony' show of Paul Abdul acting strange or not the first part of this season, American Idol will once again be a top rated show for Fox Television because Simon Fuller has the right formula for reality television. Every season the experts say that American Idol is finished, but by the end of each new season the ratings that Fox Television receives from this show are second only to massive events like the Academy Awards and Superbowl. There is something special in the way American Idol starts off funny and cruel with people that have no talent, to an ending where a few contests that are equally talented compete for the title of 'American Idol'. Every season of American Idol is exciting and I expect nothing less this year.

Read more about American Idol:

Long Shot Taylor Hicks Wins American Idol
Paula Abdul Acting Strange In Media Interviews
People Are Falling For 'American Idol' Hype Again
American Idol Time Again On Fox TV
Simon Cowell Says OK To Another American Idol Season

Change/Economy Biggest Issues For Voters

Last week in Iowa, voters claimed that 'change' was the main reason they voted the way they did. Yesterday, in New Hampshire – concerns about the economy were at the top of the list. There are no two states in this country more different than Iowa and New Hampshire and that is one of the reason why these two states are allowed to go first when it comes to selecting the next President of the United States. In Iowa, agriculture is a huge industry while issues of finance seem more important to voters in New Hampshire. It doesn't take much effort to figure out what voters want this election year, but for one candidate to close the sale with all of them might just be a tough sale, indeed. I think what voters are saying is that they want change because they are afraid the U.S. economy is in real danger of collapse.

From the deflated sub-prime mortgage market, to credit card charge off issues, to job fears because of expanding globalization - millions of Americans are afraid of losing everything they have worked years to acquire. For too long, the American economy has prospered for only a small number of people – while regular working families have seen many of their ideas of the American Dream fade slowly away. The overall American economy cannot continue to grow in such an uneven way forever and that is why many people, including myself, believe a recession could be just around the corner. While the ability to earn huge profits continue in U.S. business, many times those gains come at the expense of American jobs and that could do long term damage to our economy.

While the American people might not understand the advanced mathematics of the U.S. economy, they do understand what is right and what is wrong. To millions of Americans, what they see right now in the U.S. economy doesn't look or fell right and that is why they are concerned that recession could be right around the corner. For years, the U.S. economy has been teetering on the edge of recession – but U.S. consumer spending has held that recession in check so far. However, there are new issues which put consumer strength in doubt which include a housing marketing that is deflating. I am no economist, so I cannot say for sure if what Americans are feeling is correct or not. There is something happening under the surface of the U.S. economy that does not feel stable and many of us believe that unstable feeling might be the first shocks of a potential economic earthquake that is destined to happen, soon.

Read more about the Economy:

Credit Card Charge Offs Could Lead To Recession
Will Fed Rate Cut Prevent 2008 Recession?
President Prepares To Freeze Adjustable Rate Mortgages
Mortgage Crisis Raises Recession Fears
Will Retailers Smile This Holiday Season?

John McCain Won New Hampshire, What Next?

John McCain came out of last nights New Hampshire Primary with a big ceremonial win, but will he be able to take that victory and march to the GOP nomination for President? Probably not. To most conservatives in the Republican Party, John McCain is damaged goods because of his stand on illegal immigration and his close personal friendship with Edward Kennedy. GOP voters in New Hampshire are completely different than Republicans in most other states, so while John McCain's victory in New Hampshire last night was sweet for him – it could very well be the last time he wins a primary in this years race for the White House.

I personal like John McCain and I most certainly appreciate the service he gave to this country in the U.S. armed services. For most of John McCain's political life he has served honorably, but he has made mistakes along the way like other lifelong politicians have done before him. When John McCain takes a stand on an issue, I have no doubt that he personally thinks that stand is the right one. However, my problem with McCain is that I disagree with many of the stands he takes on issues from campaign finance reform to immigration. To me, John McCain seems more like an Independent candidate for President rather than a Republican. While everyone talks about a need for a moderate voice to run for President, when it comes to voting in the Republican Party it is very difficult for a moderate to win the day when all the votes are counted.

John McCain will once again prove, over the next few weeks, why it is difficult for a sitting U.S. Senator to run for and win the office of President of the United States. The biggest reason why U.S. Senators like John McCain cannot win is because they have a long track record of votes on controversial issues. If McCain had never served in the U.S. Senate and he was running as a Vietnam War hero, he would have a better chance at earning the Republican nomination for President. However, John McCain does have a voting track record and at the end of the day – that voting record will be the main reason he will not win the GOP nomination.

Read more about John McCain:

John McCain Running Against Barack Obama In New Hampshire
Media Hypes John McCain Before New Hampshire Primary
John McCain Inspires Few With Campaign Message
Media Abandons McCain - 2000 Campaign Long Gone
McCain Loses Touch With Average GOP Voter

Polls In New Hampshire Were Completely Wrong

In the history of polling, I don't think I saw more mistakes made by pollsters than in New Hampshire this past week. Like most other people, I trusted polls that showed Barack Obama with a double digit lead going into last nights primary. However at the end of the day, Hillary Clinton was the actual winner. The excuses are already puring in from these disgraced pollsters which does not surprise me at all. While the blame game continues in earnest today over last nights poll mistakes, what I think really happened is that like most people – the pollsters got too carried away with the momentum of Barack Obama and started letting that excitement cloud what they wrote down as responses from regular New Hampshire residents.

Yesterday, the story that lead the day said something to the effect that Barack Obama would win New Hampshire and Hillary Clinton might pull out of the race. In reality, Hillary Clinton won last night's New Hampshire Primary and everyone that followed these pollsters, including myself, are looking rather silly this morning. I have seen polling mistakes in the past, especially when it involves an African-American candidate like Barack Obama. Pollsters have often blamed the respondents for lying to them about whom they will vote for because of concerns about racial bias. However, the mistakes made in New Hampshire this past week should be blamed on the pollsters and not on the people that were asked the question.

Rather than voters lying to poll takers, the actual people making the telephone calls probably only heard what they wanted to hear when talking to potential New Hampshire voters and at the end of the day that closed mindedness caused this huge mistake. Last nights Barack Obama loss in New Hampshire has caused everyone to step back and let the reality of this race once again sink in. I still think there is better than a 50/50 chance that Barack Obama will end up with the democratic nomination. However, the media hysteria that had Barack Obama winning the 2008 democratic nomination for President in some kind of 'cake walk' from Hillary Clinton is now over and that fact is a good thing for everyone.

Read more about 2008 Elections:

Massive Voter Turn Out In New Hampshire Primary
Ron Paul Supporters Are Angry At Media
Ron Paul/Duncan Hunter Snubbed By Fox/ABC News
Iowa's Thursday Caucus First Test For Candidates
New Poll Shows Clinton/Obama/Edwards Tied In Iowa