Friday, January 25, 2008

Weekend Thoughts

Here are a few thoughts for the weekend:

Governor Deval Patrick tried and tried last night to capture the excitement his 2006 campaign brought to Massachusetts. And while his attempts were not completely wasted, the duty of legislating is never quite as exciting as the art of campaigning is. Patrick’s personal story is a strong one and he is right to use it; however, the next year must bring more legislative accomplishments for him or else we may have to hear it retold in full each January while he remains in office. After struggling to overcome an initial learning curve within Beacon Hill during his first year look for Patrick to have far greater success in 2008 than he did in 2007. Patrick is too charismatic and intelligent to be kept back forever and look for him to form several political partnerships in order to have his agenda met. This may begin with a partnership with Senate President Murray regarding casinos within the commonwealth.

Minnesota Timberwolves games are now becoming a sort of family reunion for Boston sports fans, even more so for those of us with Boston College ties. If you tune in to tonight’s game at 7:30 PM on FSNE you get the multiple pleasures of seeing all those poor ex-celtics who went from the cold of Beantown to the even colder climate of Minnesota in exchange for Kevin Garnett only to see their former team emerge into an Eastern Conference powerhouse. In addition to checking in with old Celtic friends Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomez, Jerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff, fans will be able to witness former fan favorite and oft-traded Antoine Walker return once again in another team’s uniform. The game will finally mark a return visit from former Boston College star Craig Smith who is finding a definite role as a second year forward in Minnesota.

Saturday’s 4:00 PM tip-off between Boston College and Virginia Tech will be a crucial opportunity for the Eagles to put themselves back on the winning track against the Hokies of Virginia Tech. The Hokies who lost 81-62 to Duke Thursday night will have less than 48 hours to prepare for the game while the Eagles have had one full week to focus on Virginia Tech after their embarrassing defeat in Charlottesville last Saturday. Hopefully the young Eagles squad will be able to take the frustrations of last Saturday’s defeat out on the Hokies and improve BC’s ACC record to 4-1.

Saturday’s Democratic Primary in South Carolina still appears to be Barack Obama’s to lose. As the campaign becomes more and more heated, Obama must stay strong and hold on in South Carolina to ensure life moving towards “Super Duper Tuesday” on February 5.

With the Super Bowl off week, I’ll be taking the first football free Sunday I’ve had in a while to go see “Spamalot” at the Boston Opera House this Sunday afternoon. The matinee performance will mark the end of Spamalot’s nearly two week stay in Boston. And while this scribe has a long way to go in his Monty Python education, it is a safe bet that the musical’s comedy will ensure an enjoyable afternoon.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Much At Stake for Obama in South Carolina

With the eyes of the political world firmly focused on it, South Carolina is set to hold its Democratic Primary this Saturday. South Carolina, combining with the January 29 Florida Primary, will likely serve as the one-two punch that will leave the Democratic field ready for what is now being referred to as “Super Duper Tuesday” on February 5 where over 50% of the party’s delegates will be selected. And while February 5 is being thought by most as the deciding day for Democrats, the results from South Carolina will go a long way in shaping the momentum that Democrats carry with them going into February 5.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama is said to be the favorite going into Saturday’s primary. Obama, who holds leads in the majority of polls in South Carolina, is anticipated to capture a great deal of support from the large African American population that makes up South Carolina. A win for Obama would help the Illinois Senator to stop the bleeding that he has suffered from back-to-back defeats at the hands of New York Senator Hillary Clinton in both New Hampshire and Nevada.

Clinton, who faces double-digit-deficits in many South Carolina polls, will need to surmount a last minute comeback the way she was able to in New Hampshire if she is to capture victory Saturday. Although Clinton trails in South Carolina, a Clinton defeat in the Palmetto State has the potential to be quickly overshadowed by a victory three days later in Florida. Clinton enjoys a double-digit lead in the majority of Florida polls and thus it is safe to assume that without a mishap Clinton’s Florida leads would only benefit from a win in South Carolina.

Obama, on the other hand, would seem to suffer greatly from a defeat in South Carolina. A third straight defeat by the New York Senator would leave Obama to have to scrap for a long-shot victory in Florida to stop the bleeding before the all-important February 5 contest.

The bottom line for Obama is that he must win in South Carolina or run the risk of being steam-rolled by Clinton in to and out of February 5.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

An Anniversary Worth Celebrating

Five years ago to this day Theo Epstein made an under the radar signing of then free agent and little regarded former Minnesota Twin David Ortiz. At that time, the Red Sox were looking to fill several positions throughout their lineup and hoped that by stock-piling bats they would be able to fill their needs.

Then Ortiz was a young, unproven, first basemen who had never got a chance to be an every day player in his five seasons in Minnesota. Five years, two World Series Championships, and countless walk-off memories later David Ortiz is now the face of Red Sox Nation and has etched himself into the rarified air of Sox legends such as Teddy Ballgame, Yaz, or Pudge. It is safe to say that Ortiz has met and exceeded not only the needs Epstein desired in the winter of 2003 but anything he could have ever dreamed of from the man we now call Pappy.

On the heels of another Patriots Super Bowl appearance, Boston fans should take a moment or two away from football thoughts to celebrate the five years they have shared with Ortiz and look forward to whatever unforgettable memories he has in store for us in the future.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Allen's Ankle Key to Celtics Success

After dropping two consecutive games to the Washington Wizards, the Celtics bounced back last night with an exciting 100-90 victory over the Pacific Conference leading Portland Trailblazers.

While the victory and the opponent were noteworthy perhaps the most important outcome of last night’s game was the reemergence of Ray Allen’s scoring touch. Allen who led the Celtics with 35 points seemed to regain the offensive form that fans had become accustomed to going back to his days at Uconn.
Allen, who has been struggling with an ankle injury for over a month now, has proven to be vital to his squad’s offensive success. With Allen’s sharp-shooting in place the Celtics perimeter offense opens up allowing teammates Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to flow freely through the offensive unit and rely on the ability to kick out to a waiting Allen to shoot the three. Without Allen at the top of his game, the Celtics ability to spread the ball all around the offensive end and find open men has suffered.

Ankle injuries take on an added importance when they occur with those who rely on their jump shot. Allen is such a player and it will be Allen’s ability to recover from his injury and improve this season’s career low field goal percentage that will go a long way in determining if the Celtics can maintain the break-neck pace that they have started the 2007-2008 season with.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Vote No on Santana

The discussions between the Red Sox and Minnesota Twins concerning Johan Santana are said to continue; however, a resolution does not seem imminent. The Red Sox seem to be staying strong with their two packages—one containing Jacoby Elsberry and the other John Lester.

The new wrinkle in the Santana talks have the chances of the Yankees landing the Twin’s ace diminishing and have the New York Mets joining the Red Sox as front-runners for Santana’s services.
The introduction of the Mets into the Santana talks may be the most beneficial thing for Red Sox fans to come out of the talks since their introduction over a month ago. Red Sox fans should be cheering for Santana to be wearing a Mets uniform for two main reasons.

The first reason seems to be shared by both Red Sox management as well as their fans. This is that they are both head-over-heels in love with their seemingly endless array of young talent. Names like Ellsbury, Pedroia, and Buchholz keep fans at the edge of their seat with their fresh faces and boundless energy while at the same time bringing smiles to the faces of management with their rookie minimum salaries. With Theo Epstein’s high success rate of placing prospects into careers as productive major leaguers, it would seem difficult to export four or more bargain-basement-priced prospects for Santana who is said to command a seven year contract for $20 million annually.

What the Mets introduction into the Santana talks allows the Red Sox to do is maintain a poker face at the trade table while keeping their fingers crossed under it that Santana quickly becomes a Met. The Red Sox’s best interest is for the possibility of Santana wearing a Yankees uniform to be eliminated. What a Twins-Mets trade would do is move Santana to a more permanent home in Queens as a Met and not allow for a high stakes game of poker to play out during the trade deadline in July.

It is the belief here that the Red Sox interest in Santana has always lie more in keeping him out of pin stripes and thus risk swinging the edge in the A.L. East south to the Bronx than it ever was in having him in a Red Sox uniform. The trade doesn’t make sense for a couple of reasons-one that Santana’s perceived demands for a seven year contract makes it harder and harder for them to stand strong during negotiations for free agents after handing out a six year $100 million plus contract to Daisuke Matsuzaka. The company line had always been four year contracts or less for high priced free agents and signing Santana to a potential seven year $140 million contract would likely hurt the Red Sox negotiating position in the future. Additionally, a seven year contract for Santana would leave the Red Sox on the hook for $20 million a year until Santana is 35 years old while on the other hand Matsuzaka’s contract expires upon him reaching the age of 32.

But in terms of the on-going cold war struggle between the Red Sox and Yankees, one team cannot show weakness publicly. The Red Sox have postured long enough in the Santana talks and they now have the perfect out—an interested party not wearing pin stripes. Furthermore, a Red Sox withdrawal from trade talks allows them to claim that they couldn’t stomach the cost of Santana and that they want to keep building their winning tradition from within. Both serve to strengthen the Red Sox image and distance themselves from moving ever closer to the spend thrift Yankees.

Epstein’s genius has always derived from his ability to receive equal if not superior returns on his investments whether they are via trade or through free agency. The risk of forfeiting three or four low cost, high yield, prospects in return for the services of a pitcher who you will have to pay $20 million up until his 35th birthday does not seem like one Epstein should or hopefully will make.

Michigan Predictions: McCain Squeakes by Romney

In what would seem to be a very Romney friendly environment, Arizona Senator John McCain is set to narrowly defeat the former Massachusetts Governor in the state his father, George Romney, once served as a three term governor. Riding the wave of momentum that his New Hampshire victory breathed into his campaign, John McCain should defeat Romney by somewhere in the range of three to five points.

McCain’s likely victory in Michigan will put him at the front of the Republican field as the focus shifts to Saturday’s South Carolina Primary and beyond. In South Carolina both Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson will return to being viable competitors making the Michigan contest that much more important for either McCain or Romney to win.

Romney gained late momentum this week by his capitalizing on a McCain statement that the jobs that once made Michigan the center of the auto industry were gone and “were never coming back.” Romney pounced at this McCain statement and countered that America could overcome any adversity and that Michagan’s jobs could be reclaimed with the right leader.

But even withstanding this late Romney momentum, McCain should emerge victorious much in the same way he did last week in New Hampshire—by harnessing the strength of a 2000 victory in Michigan with his many endorsements by both newspapers and elected officials. This combined with a splash of the Arizona Senator's famous “straight talk” should give McCain a winning recipe in Michigan.

The Democratic contest in Michigan carries little weight due to the decision of the Democratic National Committee to strip Michigan of its convention delegates due to a decision of the Michigan State Legislature to move up their primary ahead of DNC’s regulated primary and caucus schedule. New York Senator Hillary Clinton was the only candidate to keep her name on the Michigan ballot and it is likely that because of this and her New Hampshire victory she will claim victory tonight. Both Illinois Senator Barack Obama and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards are making last minute attempts to put their names on the ballot but it is unclear what if any impact a victory for any Democrat in Michigan will have nationally.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

The Mac is Back

Returning to the exact same spot he occupied eight years ago, Arizona Senator John McCain claimed victory in last night’s “first in the nation” New Hampshire Primary. Relying heavily on his “straight talk” and ability to connect with the last-minute voters in the Granite State, McCain catapulted his campaign towards the top of the Republican field with 37% of the vote verses former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s 32%.

Addressing a crowded ballroom of supporters, McCain congratulated all candidates both Republican and Democrat as well as their supporters. “You stood up for what you believe in” McCain said “and I commend you for that.”

McCain now joins Romney and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as those with victories so far in 2008 and sets up what will be a hotly contested January and February on the Republican side. Michigan will be the next stop for the Republicans and there McCain and Huckabee are battling for first and Romney is third in the state where his father, George Romney, served as a three-time governor.

But as for Tuesday the night was McCain’s and the 71-year-old will now have to take the momentum he was unsuccessful in harnessing from his 2000 victory in New Hampshire and direct it towards future success in 2008.

Heart Tops Change in New Hampshire

In one of the bigger political upsets in recent memory, Hillary Clinton, facing predictions of a defeat that some predicted would reach double-digits and cripple her 2008 chances, soared back to the top of the Democratic standings last night with a hard-fought victory over Illinois Senator Barack Obama. The Clinton victory, 40%-36%, over Obama breathed necessary life into the New York senator’s campaign and allows her to remain in a neck-and-neck battle with Obama for her party’s nomination.

Brandishing herself as the candidate with “heart,” Clinton carved her way to victory beginning with a Saturday night debate performance that saw her alternate between a candidate willing to attack those labeling her as the “status quo” and one willing to admit somewhat jokingly that her feelings were hurt when she was labeled as unlikable. This performance combined with a Monday speech that saw Clinton’s emotions bring her to the brink of tears seemed to be the fuel that energized Clinton to victory in New Hampshire.

Clinton is likely to continue championing herself as the candidate with “heart” while Obama continues to define himself as the candidate most willing to embrace “change.” The emails each candidate sent today reflect these themes with Clinton’s subject of “thank you from the bottom of my heart” and Obama’s attempting to emphasize the difficulty in creating change by stating “we knew this would be hard.”

Finishing in his familiar third place position, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards lagged far behind Clinton and Obama with only 17% of the Granite State electorate. Vowing to stay in the race, Edwards enthusiastically told supporters “we’re in this until the convention.”

Not withstanding next week’s Michigan Primary, The focus of the Democrats seems to have shifted towards the January 19 Nevada Primary and the South Carolina Primary to be held one week later. Michigan is caught in a battle with the Democratic National Committee over deciding to move their primary forward and ahead of traditional front-of-the-line deciders such as South Carolina. Because of this, the DNC is threatening to strip Michigan of some of its convention delegates. This threat is keeping most of the Democrats public attention away from Michigan.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Food for Thought: Part I

I have always marveled at the power of quotes. Quotes have always had the ability to help me to either open my thinking into a new way of looking at the situation or conversely sharpen previously held beliefs with a new perspective.

With this in mind, I launch the first in an occasional series of quotes that will follow with questions that relate to the 2008 election and beyond.

”My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood. The ’80’s were about acquiring — acquiring wealth, power, prestige. I know. I acquired more wealth, power, and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. What power wouldn’t I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn’t I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime. I don’t know who will lead us through the ’90s, but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul.” Lee Atwater, 1991.



Today brings with it the “first in the nation” New Hampshire primary that is likely to have the single greatest impact that any event has had yet so far in the 2008 election cycle. And while it is unlikely that anyone reading this will have the opportunity to vote in New Hampshire nor the time to campaign for a candidate before the polls close tonight, we will each have the opportunity to make our mark in this election before it is all said and done.

Each generation brings with it unique challenges and opportunities that will require genuine leadership in order to face the former and make the most of the latter. While this is neither the time nor place for a specific endorsement, it is always timely for each of us to give thought to what exactly we hope to find in our next president.

I propose to each of you as a frame for such thought the above quote by former Republican and Reagan and Bush era strategist, Lee Atwater. Atwater who nearing death converted to Catholicism gave this quote from his deathbed. Atwater’s main assertion in the quote is that as the 1990’s began there was a “spiritual vacuum” in America.

Whether you agree with Atwater’s assertion or not, two questions can be used by any of us in relation to this quote to magnify who exactly we feel will bring the most to the position of commander and chief. Atwater asserts that the 1980’s were about “acquiring” and the 1990’s were about curing America’s “spiritual vacuum.” Before you decide which candidate you will vote for, I recommend you define exactly what it is that you believe our nation faces as its greatest problem in 2008. Once you have determined that singular problem then decide which candidate you feel is best to address this.

I extend to you the further question of which candidate may have the ability to envision the problem before it happens instead of Atwater’s late realization. And which candidate’s experience makes them best positioned to not only envision this problem but communicate it to the public and execute its solution.

It is my hope and also my opinion that the completion of these exercises will go a long way in making your decision in 2008.

Monday, January 7, 2008

New Hampshire Predictions: Ringing in Both the New and the Old in the Granite State

The wave of momentum Barack Obama road out of Iowa on shows no signs of stopping. Even with a less-than-impressive performance in Saturday’s ABC-Facebook sponsored debate, Obama continues to excite and thrill audiences alike with his call for change and refusal to get mixed up in political wrangling. This rising swell of popularity will push Obama to a double-digit victory over Clinton that could swell to as much as fifteen points in New Hampshire's "first in the nation" primary.

While it is always foolish to count a Clinton out, especially in New Hampshire the place Bill was labeled “the comeback kid,” Obama’s momentum seems too strong for Hillary and will likely leave her like her husband Bill was in 1992, in second place.

With a defeat, Clinton will be forced to seriously reassess her fledgling campaign and begin to scrap together a plan to remain viable. She will likely look past South Carolina where the overwhelming number of black voters combined with Obama’s ever-growing serge of popularity will make him the clear front-runner there. Clinton’s best and perhaps last hope may lie in the one-two-combination of Florida’s January 29 primary followed by the all-important Super Tuesday primaries of February 5.

John Edwards continues to hang around like that one last person refusing to leave your holiday party. Clearly Edwards was invited by his 2004 performance and his early fundraising but his welcome and more so his chances of victory grow less and less by the minute. Edwards’s renewed energy has been apparent in the minutes immediately following Iowa straight on through his weekend appearances in New Hampshire; however, after finishing seven points off the lead in Iowa look for that margin to at least double in New Hampshire.

On the Republican side look for Arizona Senator John McCain to claim his first victory of 2008 by a margin of somewhere in the range of five to ten points. McCain’s likely victory will position himself and Huckabee as the two front-runners in the national race and further serve to push Mitt Romney farther down the political ladder. The margin of McCain’s victory and whether Huckabee can crack the top three in New Hampshire should tell us a lot as the campaign shifts its focus south towards South Carolina.

Mitt Romney, barring a last minute catastrophe, should claim the silver medal in the Granite state. A second place finish for Romney in New Hampshire does not do much to reenergize Romney’s sinking campaign but if he is to let Huckabee slip ahead of him in New Hampshire Romney may never find his name ahead of Huckabee’s for the duration of the race.

Governor Mike Huckabee can’t really put too much faith in a victory in New Hampshire; however, the position he finishes in and the margin of victory between him and those ahead of him may give him some added muscle heading to South Carolina. Second place should be Huckabee’s goal and if he’s left with the silver medal Huckabee should consider himself a winner.

In terms of other GOP hopefuls, Mayor Rudy Giuliani would consider it a success for him to finish in the top four in New Hampshire. Giuliani’s front-runner status has been stripped from him and he’s putting all of his stock in a Nixon-like “secret plan” to pile up victories in late January and early February.

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson much like his southern, ex-senator, Democratic, counter-part, John Edwards remains in the race hoping for something or someone to break allowing him once again to climb a top the polls. A third place finish in Iowa put a pulse back in Thomson’s campaign; however, it still is in need of constant monitoring to see when it might give its last breath. A victory for Thompson would find himself on the medal stand in New Hampshire claiming one of the top three spots. If Thompson was to finish fifth or worse he may need to ready once again his withdrawal speech and endorsement of John McCain.

BCS Prediction: Tigers Won't Be Tamed

Prediction: LSU 20, Ohio State 14

When the LSU Tigers take the field tonight in New Orleans against the Ohio State Buckeyes much will be at stake. Appearing in the BCS National Championship game for the second time in consecutive years, the Buckeyes will be trying to prove that their humiliating defeat to fellow SEC opponent Florida last year was the exception, not the rule. LSU on the other hand, has not tasted the national championship in four years, and will be looking to send its 25 seniors out on top.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has the clear experience advantage over LSU head man Les Miles as the two teams head into play. Tressel, coach of the 2002 national champion Buckeye's squad, has had much success in January and adds to his championship a convincing BCS Bowl resume that includes victories over Miami and Notre Dame. The glaring weakness on his BCS resume is last year’s debacle against Florida. For Miles, tonight’s game will be his first step on to the national championship stage; however, Miles, like Tressel, possesses a BCS victory over the Irish, his coming last year.

The game will likely come down to a match up between the stingy defense of Ohio State which leads the country in points allowed per game, allowing only a paltry 10.7 points per game and the veteran leadership of LSU’s offense. The defense is led by junior linebacker, Jim Laurinaitis, an All-American and recipient of the Butkus award, given to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker. The defense is also anchored by a fellow All-American, cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, who will attempt to keep up with the Tiger’s speed on offense.

It will likely be this same speed of LSU that will continue to frustrate the Buckeyes as the game goes on. Matt Flynn, the veteran play caller for LSU, has at his disposal an assortment of offensive options. Add to this LSU’s talented defensive unit led by All-American Glenn Dorsey and the Tiger’s bite will simply be too much for Ohio State.

Neither team is that much better than the other. The game will be a low scoring affair that should stay competitive right up until the last whistle. Because of this it would be unwarranted to predict a blowout; however, the SEC’s ability to produce superior speed and athleticism will be enough for LSU to win the game and throw the last and biggest party of the college football year close to home on Bourbon St.

Thoughts From a Wild Weekend

Here are some thoughts from the NFL’s Wild Card weekend that saw the number of those with championship dreams cut from twelve to eight after the completion of four opening round games.

Watching Walpole High’s Todd Collins do battle with former Xaverian high school stand-out Matt Hasselbeck, I was immediately brought back to a Saturday night in September of 1994 where I saw Collins lead the Michigan Wolverines to a hardy victory over Hasselbeck and his Boston College Eagles. While then Collins was the proven starter and Hasselbeck was a back-up who reserved his passes for the occasional fake field goal , these roles have reversed with Hasselbeck, the younger but more experienced starter, leading his Seahawks to a 35-14 victory over Collins, the until recently, seldom-used, veteran quarterback.

The Redskins defeat brought to an end a story-book end to the season of both Collins and the Redskins that saw them win four straight games to qualify for the post season on the last weekend of the regular season.
This weekend also brought front and center the fact that the Seahawks are now led by Hasselbeck and no longer former league MVP Sean Alexander. Hasselbeck’s poise in the pocket and ability to throw to all areas of the field will make Hasselbeck a difficult challenge for Packers coaches to defend this coming weekend.

The real question coming out of Saturday night’s match up between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers is which offensive unit is the real Jaguars offense? Is it the effective offensive unit that displayed the ability to throw and run both during the first half and late drives in the forth quarter? Or is it the dismal sputtering unit that looked ineffective for most of the second half? The answer to this question will go a long way to determine whether or how much the Patriots win by on Saturday night.

For all those inclined to debate the merits of Eli Manning against his brother Peyton, Sunday served as a good measuring stick to use while examining this debate. While it will be difficult, some might say impossible, for Eli to top the record-breaking career of brother, Peyton, Eli took a small step towards earning the playoff stripes that have only come recently to older brother. Eli, pressured intensely throughout the first half, managed to keep his head in the game and make short range, precise, passes that ushered the Giants to victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday afternoon. Eli’s victory will help to further the merits of the selected few who predict similar career success for Peyton’s younger brother. Like most things in life, the answer to whether Eli will ever match or surpass his brother probably lies somewhere in the middle. What is unquestionable, however, is that it will take a Peyton-like performance of 2007 on Eli’s part to defeat the Cowboys this weekend in Dallas.

It was also apparent Sunday afternoon how difficult it must be for San Diego fans to foster realistic Super Bowl dreams in 2008. Gone is the home field advantage of 2007 which would have only required the Chargers to leave tropical Southern California to play in the Super Bowl. And in its place stairs directly in the face of the Chargers a date this weekend against the defending champion Colts and a potential trip to play the Patriots in Foxboro in the AFC Championship game. If Norv Turner and the bolts can pull this off than they will be truly worthy of the title champion.

The Republican Rematch in New Hampshire

For the second time in two nights, Republican presidential hopefuls took the stage last night in New Hampshire. The tone of last night’s debate was equally aggressive, however, its focus Sunday shifted away from one that seemed to exclusively focus on diminishing the hopes of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in a tag team effort towards a one-for-all and all-for-one last pitch to woo undecided voters.

Mitt Romney, while not escaping completely the attacks of his competition, seemed more ready Sunday to fight back and handle the swipes of his competitors. Sticking to his belief that the campaign should rest on issues and not personal attacks, Romney is now trying to embrace Iowa’s singular call for change by brandishing himself as the Washington outsider most likely to implement change. With the polls reflecting a gain by Senator John McCain over the weekend, Romney must do all he can between now and the close of polls Tuesday to convince the Granite state electorate he is their candidate.

Whereas Saturday night’s debate left Romney seeming helpless against the bullying attacks of his competition, Sunday allowed him to display his trademark cool and if not gain momentum going into Tuesday hopefully stop the bleeding that his fledgling campaign has displayed ever since the days leading up to Iowa.

Sunday’s Fox News debate is unlikely to have as much impact on New Hampshire voters as the previous night’s ABC and Facebook sponsored debate was for a few reasons. First, the casual voter wanting to invest their time wisely would have likely opted to tune in for Saturday’s Republican and Democratic double-header that saw each set of candidates debate for one and one half hour intervals one after the other. Secondly, the Sunday news cycle is a brisk one this time of year with the networks going head-to-head with their talk shows including NBC’s Meet the Press, ABC’s This Week, and CBS’s Face the Nation. Saturday’s debate was discussed at length in all of these talk shows and as a result of its occurring at night Fox’s debate will be left for the less fertile political grounds of ABC’s Good Morning America or NBC’s Today Show.

Finally, Fox News is unlikely to draw in as many independent voters as ABC was likely to have and it might be just this undecided, independent, portion of the electorate that may swing New Hampshire.

What this means is that Romney’s improved Sunday debate performance may not have the ability to overcome the damage that was done to him Saturday night. Senator John McCain is leading in most New Hampshire polls and Governor Mike Huckabee is even cutting into Romney’s numbers as Huckabee tries to make a long-shot attempt at second or third place in New Hampshire. Even withstanding Romney’s little discussed victory in Saturday’s Wyoming Caucus he must either win or have a strong, close, second place finish in New Hampshire to have the momentum to have any success in later states.

All the signs point against a Romney victory Tuesday; it is now up to him to do what he can between now and Tuesday night to prove the pundits wrong.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Kansas Kos BC

Kansas 85, Boston College 60 F

Boston College’s nationally televised ESPN match up against Kansas this Saturday gave the Eagles a much needed opportunity to sound off on the national stage. But instead of the roar they had hoped to make before entering the ACC portion of their schedule, they were lucky to have registered a whisper in the ears of the pollsters.

Coming in with a number 3 ranking nationally, Kansas’s reputation was cemented; however, its victory stemmed not from its likely source, all-american junior forward Brandon Rush (12 points), but from the strong interior play of forward Darrell Arthur (22 points and 7 rebounds) and center Darnell Jackson (25 points and 9 rebounds). The combination of Arthur and Jackson had BC’s post defenders, mainly senior centers Tyrelle Blair and John Oates, hanging on for dear life as the two Kansas forwards helped the Jayhawks pull away in the second half.

BC’s effort was led by the guard play of junior Tyrese Rice (20 points) and freshman Rakim Sanders (21 points). It was Rice early who with an 18 point first half helped the Eagles stay competitive right until halftime. But with growing foul trouble, which forced Rice to spend over 7 minutes of the second half on the bench, Kansas constant ability to score in the paint couldn’t be overcome even with Sander’s slick shooting. Kansas’s lead which BC had cut to 14 with 8 minutes left quickly ballooned to 25 before the final whistle.

Speed, defense, and Kansas’s deep bench were too much for the Eagles as the game went on. Led defensively by the ball-hawking play of guard Mario Chalmers, Chalmers made BC freshman guard Biko Paris look overmatched in Paris’s first step on to the national stage.

The game, which was sold out, did not have the feel one could expect that brought a national championship contender to the Heights. The void of excitement that students, who are on winter break, left was not filled by those who were in attendance.

For a game that BC was not expected to win, a loss does not set back their season drastically; however, the margin of defeat, 25 points, eliminated any opportunity for their national image to grow.

A Double Date in New Hampshire

For anyone brave enough to sit through nearly four hours of debate coverage on ABC Saturday night, I commend you. For those who didn’t, here are some thoughts concerning both the Republican and Democratic debates.

Republicans:
The candidate clearly in the cross hairs of every Republican this night was former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Mitt’s trademark cool was tested time and time again and by the end of the night Romney was clearly damaged. Relying on a plea to his fellow Republicans to stay on the issues, Romney tried to deflect unsuccessfully other GOP hopeful’s assaults towards his tendency to change his mind on issues. Romney’s lead in New Hampshire has evaporated and now he is tied or losing to Arizona Senator John McCain in most polls. Saturday did nothing to stop the bleeding for Romney.

Governor Mike Huckabee and Senator John McCain were most successful in their swipes at Romney. The tag team of Huckabee and McCain tried to portray Romney as the candidate of change; however, unfortunately for Romney change referred more to flip-flopping than visionary ideas.

While the clearest results of the Republican debate was a weakening of Romney’s floundering campaign, both McCain and Huckabee came out with the most gained from Saturday. McCain’s gains are likely to help him more in the short term as he is locked in a neck-and-neck battle with Romney for the top spot in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary.

Former Senator Fred Thompson was able to score points throughout the debate but more so in terms of the contrasts he drew from Congressman Ron Paul, the radical in the Republican grouping, than from any actual accomplishments himself. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani maintained his focus on continuing to be tough on terror and pro offense against radical Islam; however, his decision to largely skip the early primaries and focus on later states, namely Florida’s January 29 primary, continue to make his presence more that of a spectator than a competitor.

Democrats:
Hillary Clinton, dictating the pace more than any other candidate, seems to have won Saturday’s debate; however, more in the form of a split decision than a knock out. Clinton was successful in answering Senator Obama and Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards claims that they were best to lead because of their focus on change by countering that a resume of change trumps mere calls for change.
Constantly recalling her 35-years of experience in public service, Clinton tried to draw the contrast between herself, Obama, and Edwards as that of those willing to talk and those willing to roll up their sleeves and work. While this tactic was successful and this night made Clinton the victor, her debate performance is unlikely to single-handedly bring her victory on Tuesday.

What has made Obama successful, a strong personal story and refusal to get mixed up in political bickering, is what likely lost Obama Saturday’s debate. And while a refusal to mix it up may loose points on a debate scorecard, it has not damaged in the least bit the wave of momentum that Obama road into and out of Iowa.

John Edwards, returning time and time again to his passionate cry for change, finds his populist message muffled by both Clinton and Obama. On this night, Edwards was clearly the most energetic of the four candidates, however, his message of change has been added late in his political career and never packs as much punch as Obama’s does. Edwards who trails Clinton and Obama by more than ten points in all New Hampshire polls is hoping for an Obama victory in New Hampshire and a position as chief competition for Obama going into the January 15 South Carolina primary.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Emmet's Earns Passing Grade

Emmet’s Pub and Restaurant, 9 Beacon St, Boston – 3/5

Often overshadowed by some of Beacon Hill’s other more famous watering holes, Emmet’s Pub and Restaurant serves as a sturdy option to hoist one’s dinner plans upon.

Emmet’s which lies just steps from the Boston Common and Massachusetts Statehouse offers its customers a limited menu full of tasty options.

Staying true to traditional pub fare, Emmet’s strengths lie in its sandwiches. Paramount amongst the sandwiches options is their herb grilled maple balsamic chicken wrap. The wrap, that is accompanied with tomatoes, pears, and blue cheese crumbles, provides diners a delicious medley of flavors that leaves you wanting more. The blackened chicken Caesar wrap also provides diners a hardy portion of chicken mixed with flavorful dressing. The fries are passable but could seemingly be found in one of countless pubs in Boston.

The wait staff at Emmet’s is polite albeit slow. Emmet’s decor is simple but provides its customers a lively atmosphere that echoes with traditional rock music.

If you are in the mood for yet another option on your Beacon Hill dining map Emmet’s is sure to satisfy, not thrill.

Juno Jolts Viewers to Both Laugh and Think

Juno (In theatres now) 4/5

Fox Searchlight Pictures is pitching its newest theater release, Juno, as being a “comedy about growing up...and the bumps along the way.” And while the “bumps” Juno addresses are becoming more and more familiar to modern America, its focus, teen pregnancy, will seem unfamiliar as a central plot to the average movie-goer.

It is this dilemma, the struggle between staying true to its comedic nature while honestly and credibly addressing the emerging issue of teen pregnancy that Juno is forced to skillfully weave itself between. And its success is unquestionable.

Juno MacGuff, an ironic, quick-tongued, high school junior, is played to perfection by Ellen Page. Juno is impregnated by her best friend and on-again-off-again boyfriend, Paulie Bleeker, played by Michael Cera. The question for Juno quickly becomes whether or not to keep her impending new born. Juno’s subsequent decision to offer the child for adoption is quickly answered by Vanessa and Mark Loring, played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman.

It is the contrast that these two couples as well as Mr. and Mrs. MacGuff played by J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney make amongst the three couples that this movie derives its greatest strength. The contrasts drawn from the spectrum of relationships stretching from the teenage couple, to the newly weds, all the way to the seasoned duo of Mr. and Mrs. MacGuff, carry with them many comedic moments and poignant scenes that are most populated by Janney’s portrayal of Mrs. MacGuff. Janney, most well known for her role as White House Press Secretary, C.J., on the hit NBC drama, The West Wing, brilliantly pulls off the role of step-mom turned pregnancy coach with alternating moments of sincerity and lightness.

Juno is an original, funny, and thoughtful comedy for the New Year. It is at the very least fully deserving of its three Golden Globe nominations—if not more.

Iowa and beyond

Well we are nearly twelve hours removed from what was a very close and exciting Iowa Caucus. After I was able to digest and begin to understand the format of a caucus, I found the night’s activities to be very interesting, however, the impact of Iowa moving forward is still unclear.

Here is my quick list of “winners” and “losers” from Iowa:

Winners:

Gov. Mike Huckabee – The governor had to win Iowa to remain viable and this is exactly what he did. The margin, roughly ten points, was even more impressive than the victory itself. Huckabee’s victory does not make him the national front-runner for his party’s nomination; however, without Iowa Huckaby was done.

Sen. Barack Obama – Barack did not have to win Iowa in order to stay in the race, however, his victory positions him with a slight edge as front-runner for his party’s nomination. Barack’s margin of victory, nearly seven points over Edwards and Clinton, should serve him well as he moves forward and tries to cut into and hopefully overcome Clinton’s approximately six point lead in the Granite State.

Sen. Fred Thompson – Thursday afternoon was full of rumors of Thompson’s impending withdrawal from the race that was supposedly to be followed by an endorsement of Sen. John McCain. With a third place finish, Thompson can put these plans on hold and he should remain viable at least through South Carolina.

Losers:

Sen. John Edwards – Iowa will serve as the effective death blow to Edwards’s chances in 2008. Edwards plan this whole cycle was to win in Iowa and use the momentum from this to win later contests. Edwards has enough money to stay in the contest but his chances of becoming the Democrat’s nominee are over.

Gov. Mitt Romney – Romney did not have to win Iowa but he did have to split in Iowa and New Hampshire. Last night’s defeat forces Romney to now win New Hampshire or run the risk of becoming irrelevant. With John McCain’s growing momentum in New Hampshire this will be no easy task.

Sen. Hillary Clinton – Hillary did not have to win Iowa, however, it was her hope to place second. A third place finish may take momentum away from Clinton and make the defense of her dwindling lead in New Hampshire even more difficult.