Circular Theory

'Toine is back! I don't think this is the time for my "AC's feelings on basketball" blog, but I should at least mention that I don't care about basketball. In October of 2003, Danny Ainge traded Antoine Walker to Dallas for some other players and maybe some draft picks or cash. Who knows? Anyway, while listening to WEEI this afternoon one of the substitute hosts for the "Dale Arnold Show" (possibly more on this later) said by far the most interesting thing I've ever heard on sports talk radio. This is a paraphrasation of the quotation, but... "If Danny Ainge hadn't traded Antoine a year and a half ago, he wouldn't have been in the position to make this trade today." The context of the discussion let me know that what he meant was that without the players he got for Walker a year and a half ago, he wouldn't have been in the position to pick up an impact player for the playoff drive. The obvious point, though is that if Ainge hadn't traded Antoine he wouldn't need him as an impact player because he would have already been there. Which wouldn't have made him an impact player, but a current player. Walker wouldn't be a big midseason boost, but maybe if he had been there all season, they'd have won more games?

AC Basketball Talk Episode One over and out.

Mascot 1, Cris Colinsworth 0

This morning, as I was waking up, I had a ridiculous dream and I was wondering if you thought it was a problem. The New England Patriots were playing in a "Big Game" against the San Diego Chargers. I don't know the signifigance of the opposition being the Chargers, but it was the Chargers in the way you know certain facts in your dreams. Anyway, the Patriots were at the goalline when Bill Belichick inserted himself as quarterback. He was wearing his oversized gray sweatshirt and instead of a helmet, he was wearing his headset. He called for a QB sneak and ran the ball in easily, even sticking it out a little in a somewhat taunting manner.

This is where it gets interesting. I didn't see anyone hit him, but all of a sudden a Chargers player is running out of the endzone with the ball before he gets decked around the 50 yard line by, who else but, Rodney Harrison. At this point the dream turned from a linear story into a choppy highlight real. There was a Terrel Owens-esque scene of a Charger's player spiking the ball on the Patriots' midfield logo, there was a scene of Patriots players on top of Chargers players in the end zone punching the crap out of them. This was weird because the Patriots players were raising their fists and punching in unison (imagine the Rockette's in a street brawl).

Right before I woke up and as if my dream was returning from commercial, there was a scene of the Patriots mascot being held down by Cris Colinsworth in the way that players are held down during a kick off return. The mascot gets up and punches at Cris Colinsworth missing most of him and Cris Colinsworth slaps him. I didn't realize this at the time, but slapping the mascot wouldn't really hurt because he had one of those giant heads. I think in the dream, though, the mascot's head was a real giant head and not a fake giant head. This mini battle ended with the mascot decking Cris Colinsworth in the mouth and Cris Colinsworth walking way shaking his head and scowling with bloody teeth. And then I woke up. Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported on the 17th and the position players reported today. Although it is snowing outside, today is the first day of spring.

What part of "Due by noon on Tuesday" don't you understand?

I hadn't planned on being so prolific today, but something about the first post of the year and this head cold gave me seven billion ideas.

This being just one of them:

I'm not sure, and I don't mean to sound like I have a higher than average sense of personal responsibility, but is it possible that one of the reasons that most Americans seem to have a completely unrealistic sense of, well, reality is that since they were younger someone has always bailed them out?

I'm sure I sound like a schill for conglomerates, but this is just ridiculous. Most of my generation, and possibly the one before it has grown up with the solid understanding, that there will always be someone there for them. While this is reassuring, it has made us into a country of irresponsible chumps. When we were chastised in school, there was a parent defending us and now, when we can't return our movies, who comes running, but the beautiful state of NJ.

Blockbuster has made a big deal recently of canceling their late fees. It appears that NJ believes its citizens have been wronged by this seemingly in-good-faith act by Blockbuster. In reality, I believe Blockbuster was acting more in their own interests than the customers, they crunched the numbers and realized they'd retain more customers and even regain lost customers if they changed their late policy. That doesn't change the fact that you should be able to return a video on time, or at least ask what happens if you don't. I've returned movies late, and I always feel like a dolt for having to pay a late fee. I've never understood why Blockbuster charging late fees was a problem, but even before their recent policy change, they were facing lawsuits. Am I supporting tort reform? Not really, but I definitely don't support the government sueing companies for charging fees that can a) be easily avoided b) will be explained by a clerk if asked.

(I'm not a good blogger yet because I'm about to say something that I don't have a link for so just bear with me and take my word for it or google "blockbuster late fees". Would you have noticed? Probably.) I've read that Blockbuster has used the cancelation of late fees to raise their rental prices, at least for video games. This I find abhorrent. Still, there's no reason to not your movies on time.

My first post of the new year.

Uhh... So in my first post I wrote that I hoped that I would continually post. I'm not sure if I can get credit for that, but maybe I will redouble my efforts today. Topics I could talk about in the coming weeks or months or years:
The end of an era?
Commuting to work?
Cats?
Hopefully all of the above and more in the next couple weeks or months or years.
We'll see.