Note to Rosie: That Goes for You As Well

I’ll have to say that tonight has been a really good night. I won our monthly poker game after not even being invited to the last game, which I mention in that “Oh, look at me, I’m so bitter” sort of way. I just played really good poker and got lucky on more than a few occasions. But mainly, I don’t remember making any bad plays and that gave me a rather nice victory. It also shows what I can accomplish when I play poker sober for a change.

That comes on top of the even better news, which is that Voltron has finally been released on DVD. On top of that, you can also pick up Ultraman and that now becomes the greatest two pack in DVD history. Seriously, I now get to hang around my apartment and watch Voltron episodes all day. I just have this weird feeling going through me right now, like this is what it must feel like when your life is complete. I know that watching cartoon robotic lions shouldn’t justify my existence on this planet but come on, have you ever seen five robotic lions join up to form one massive robot? With a sword? Along with Battle of the Planets, G-Force and Speed Racer I now believe that all of the highlights of my youth are available in DVD format.

(Yeah, it was a rather odd childhood…)

Anyway, as the comment said since Lindsay is admittedly shanky (or possibly skanky though shanky sounds more accurate) I should move on to a more pressing topic with the Reggie Bush situation. (And yes, I know that I should not make a spelling comment given that I never proofread my posts even though I write them in Word beforehand). The question is that given Reggie was probably living rent free and most likely violating NCAA regulations what should be done to him and USC from a historical record point of view. My response…

It really doesn’t matter.

That’s not meant to be flippant, it’s just that changing the record books after something has happened is basically silly. Officially, the Fab Five of Michigan didn’t reach the Final Four though I certainly remember Webber calling a timeout he didn’t have on a play where Jalen Rose should have been taking the ball up the court. So while the books show that they were disqualified, everyone knows that they were there and played and consider them to be a final four team.

If I remember correctly Alabama had a season wiped out because of Antonio Langham (I think it was the year after their title). But no one talks about the year Bama didn’t win a game because they won games that year. So even if the NCAA strips USC of its national title, has the team forfeit the games, and breaks into Reggie Bush’s house and steals the Heisman it still doesn’t change the fact that Reggie pushed Leinert into the end zone in South Bend. That’s what people will remember and not a ruling after the fact.

This doesn’t mean that I encourage breaking NCAA rules. I hate the fact that most programs are on the take. I don’t know if there is a clean one out there (as a Duke fan I wonder what really happened with Corey Magette). And that’s mainly because there is an awful lot of money at stake with the players not officially eligible for any of it. But think of what the normal way to incent people is and you’ll see why the system is just made for corruption. That’s why I am for at least some level of stipend. Sure, it might end the beautiful amateur nature of the game but let’s be honest, that died a long time ago.

And I know the ND faithful will hate me for this, but I have to support Reggie Bush. He willingly signed with the Saints after a very short holdout and my New Orleans friends were celebrating like mad when that happened. As in guys were telling me it was the best news they had heard all week. He’s embraced the community and in a town that needs bright spots wherever they can find them he is doing his best to show that there is a future in the city. So while he played for USC at least he is showing that they aren’t all idiots. Leinert admittedly counters that argument by willingly dating Paris Hilton and hanging out with Nick Lachey. Typically you want to see better decision making out of your quarterback.

Have a good weekend everyone. Go Irish.