Thursday, March 16th, 2006...7:35 am
No, I’m a Wildcat Fan All the Way, I Love that Tubby Smith…I Mean Merlin Olson
A correspondent sent me a little bit from former Avondale Mayor Ron Drake’s web page. I never visit there. Since I don’t go there, I miss stirring pieces of rhetoric and innovative public policy such as this one:
I understand that for many, a better quality of life comes from working in a good job. I want to help Arizona retain quality jobs and I’ll work to attract new businesses to our cities, towns and counties at a rate that is compatible with our environment and fair to the construction indsutry.
-Yawn-
Sorry, dozed off there. Did I miss something?
Anyway, the thing that our corresponent found funny on the site was this picture, entitled “Ron Drake - Casual.” Notice the logo on the polo shirt? Yeah, it’s a U of A logo. So, when is he a U of A fan? Was it when he attended and graduated from Northern Illinois University?
Far be it from me to think that hs is all of a sudden “going native” for a mostly Southern Arizona district. Next he’ll be telling us how much he loves Eegee’s and bragging about his collection of Al Perry singles.
Maybe it’s not all political. Round about this time of year, thousands of our brothers and sisters from the Valley of the Yakes who can’t stand us and can’t imagine driving anywhere south of Baseline road suddenly become Wildcat fans. Que sera sera.
NB - Somebody will write and tell me, “See, you Dummycrats can’t even come up with anything to criticize him on except his shirt…” Well, if the guy would actually say something interesting, I’ll find a more interesting criticism.
15 Comments
March 16th, 2006 at 8:50 am
So, according to Tedski, the University of Arizona may only have fans from the Tucson area or alumni. Pray tell, where are these requirements written?
If that’s the case, then the University of Arizona needs to change its name since it’s unwilling to represent the entire state it claims in its name.
March 16th, 2006 at 9:00 am
No…I’m just saying that eleven months out of the year, folks in the greater Phoenix area seem to have no use for Tucson or the U of A, then all of a sudden call them “Our Wildcats” when tournament time comes around. That’s all.
I also think it’s convienient that a congressional candidate is all of a sudden a U of A fan when he needs votes in Tucson.
Man, Bored, you really never like what I have to say, do you?
March 16th, 2006 at 10:24 am
A Canidate Speach by a person from Phoenix to the citizens of Southern Arizona.
On another note…
All,I am saying is friends that’s a gannga for Picnic’s parties, Dinners @ home good things are going with Lucky Wishbone.
When my Grandson then said “that’s right Umpa, I got the hungries, where is that blasted Capn’ Egee?” And, I replied “If you like Mexican food, I mean if you really like Mexican food come to Gordo’s, Which sadly to say are not the buck strechers.”
In conclusion please enjoy the food that has been provided by the tTt, and please tip your entertiners Chuckwagon and the Wheels.
March 16th, 2006 at 10:24 am
Yeah Ted … sort of a stretch here man. Can’t we make fun of him for labeling his photos by fashion?
And btw, you are right. This time of year EVERYONE (unless you are from Tempe) is a UA fan.
March 16th, 2006 at 10:51 am
I thought Gabby Giffords was the buck stretchers.
March 16th, 2006 at 10:53 am
Mr. T…I figured the picture titles are self parody.
March 16th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Tedski,
What’s wrong with that? Most people, even in Tucson I imagine, don’t pay attention to college basketball until tournament time. Big deal. Why not just welcome them and try to make them year round fans? Wildcat fandom need not be an exclusive club.
Actually, this whole inferiority complex that you seem to have about poor little put-upon Tucson is silly. I’ve never seen or heard anyone in the Valley say a negative thing about Tucson or U of A. [Except that the road system sucks - but that's just the pot calling the kettle black.]
But if you keep this up, you’re going to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Why would I want to come down to Tucson or send my kid to U of A, if Phoenicians are looked down at by this snobbery (or reverse snobbery. whatever.)
Second, how do you know this guy came by this UA support recently and didn’t become a Wildcat fan when he moved here from Illinois? Are you just assuming this out of political cynicism (which is understandable but may not be defensable)?
Third, it’s not that I dislike everything you say. It’s just that I don’t do circle jerks or amen choruses. If I agree with you (or just don’t care), I probably won’t take the time to say anything unless I believe I have a salient point to add to the discussion. But when I disagree or when I think you haven’t thought something through, I will speak up. Take it as constructive criticism intended to make your arguments stronger.
C’mon Tedski. If you don’t want to defend your point of view and would prefer to have sheeple blindly agree with you all the time, you’d be more comfortable in the Republican party.
March 16th, 2006 at 6:01 pm
-sigh-
Mr or Mrs Bored…I was just joking a bit about the complaint, really…keep posting. But please, don’t accuse me of being in a “circle jerk” when you often seem to be parroting the whole “all elected Democrats are spineless whimps” line so common on the blogosphere.
For example, in response to my post about Grijalva signing on to Feingold’s censure resolution, you complained about a “meaningless gesture.” Pray tell, what else should he be doing? Raising a militia to stage a coup?
Frankly, this sort of thing stops being constructive criticism, and edges dangerously close to the sort of whiny handwringing that has kept me away from Daily Kos.
As far as us Tucsonans complaining about Phoenix’s attitude towards us, yes, it happens. Let me give you an anectdote, I could give you plenty more, but just one will do. I got stuck at the Phoenix airport, and I decided I had time to get my shoes shined. I go over there and the guy starts shining my shoes and sees that I had a copy of the Arizona Daily Star. He said “Why are you reading that, nothing hapens there…” I told him that I picked it up before I left Tucson. The guy started giving me all sorts of grief about how we were all stupid to live there, in the desert (like Phoenix is some forest paradise), and that Tucson “smells funny”. I reminded the guy to stop trashing my town if he wanted a tip. He said “You don’t need to be so stuck up about it.”
Anyway, keep posting…but I need positive feedbadk…I’m sensitive.
March 16th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
Hey, forget the whole ‘local’ thing. I can think of several other reasons for Drake to go for U of A.
1. It’s easier to get tickets, and he can actually go to a game without having to pass through airport security. Especially helpful if he shows up on the ‘no-fly’ list.
2. Be honest– do you even know what town Northern Illinois University is located in?
3. The Wildcats win. Ever notice how politicians aren’t just associated with local teams, but they are associated with WINNING local teams. Now, if he gets a picture taken with an Arizona Cardinals shirt on, now THAT would be news.
4. When U of A is winning, you can find lots of wildcat gear in all the stores. When they are losing, you can still find lots of wildcat gear, and it’s on sale!.
5. The U of A games are on television, and you don’t have to pay for them.
Well, yeah…. you’re right. He wants to get votes. If polling data suddenly showed that there were a large number of U.C. Irvine grads in his district, I bet he’d even put on Anteater gear.
March 17th, 2006 at 6:45 am
I’m wondering if a preponderance of Scotsdale Community College grads would lead to him wearing one of those odd Fighting Artichokes shirts.
March 17th, 2006 at 8:54 am
Tedski,
My point about Grijalva and the censure vote is that it is a perfect example of how the Democratic party is messing up a golden opportunity to offer people a real alternative to the GOP by engaging in symbolic gestures.
I don’t read Daily Kos so I’m not sure what they’re saying about all this, but the Dems aren’t going to win hearts and minds by just being against the GOP. There has to be an organized effort to promote a specific agenda and have those Dems currently in state and federal offices promote legislation and other efforts to enact that agenda. Yes, I know they are outnumbered in Congress, but so what? That just gives the Dems the ability to say, “we tried to do this and make America better but the GOP blocked it b/c they aren’t looking out for you.”
Unfortunately, there is no consensus in the party and no strong leaders on the federal level. And all Howard Dean does is put his foot in his mouth whining about the GOP and giving them blackboard material.
Similarly, all this censure thing did was rally the GOP base and fire up their fundraising machine. Is that what you want? Cuz that’s all we getting now.
March 17th, 2006 at 11:37 am
Hey Bored,
Exactly when should the Dems put forth their message? Now when no one is paying attention and the media is enjoying publishing all of the crap we have been yellling about for the past decade pretty much…or when voters start paying attention which is in August.
March 18th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
TEDSKI–Those who view themselves (or their town) as a victim ARE a victim. Why not just be happy in the knowledge that we [in Tucson] live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and let it go at that? Phoenix has yellow-green grass, abundant hardscape, ugly architecture, puny mountains, more smog, worse traffic/air pollution, hotter/more humid weather, and little to remind one of the unique Sonoran Desert.
BOREDINAZ is so right re the “specific agenda”. Perhaps the DEMs are proposing realistic policies that are not getting media play. Most of what I hear from the national party is anti-Republican, anti-Bush, way-too-partisan-sounding stuff–VERY little in the way of positive policy proposals. We have far too many people willing to spend their time ranting instead of doing the hard-core research needed to come up with reality-based policies that the majority of Americans can get behind.
I also agree with boredinaz re the censure deal. Why concentrate scarce resources on this now? Why give the Republicans another thing they can use to fire up their troops? Why not concentrate all the resources on coming up with a Democratic Contract with America and winning back Congress?
Democratic House/Senate ‘06!
March 20th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Elizabeth,
Thank you for illuminating the problem. With an attitude like that, voters will see this proposal to play dead until August for what it is … empty theatrics. But if Dems have been working on enacting a specific agenda, they can have something to point to instead of just saying “hey, we know we haven’t done sh– for the past six years but complain but look at what we thought up three months before an election (coincidentally).”
Did you wait “the voters were paying attention in August” to campaign? How did that work out for you?
If the Dems start working now on enacting a specific agenda (like cc burro said, a Dem Contract w/ America) and emphasizing those agenda items ad nauseum from now until November, it will raise voter consciousness long before August and put the GOP on the defensive for once. Now, all they have to do is point out the lack of conviction in the Dems and point to what little agenda they have.
You simply cannot undo six years of ineptitude with three months of slick TV ads. The voters aren’t that stupid. But I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
May 8th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
It’s easier to get tickets, and he can actually go to a game without having to pass through airport security. Especially helpful if he shows up on the ‘no-fly’ list.
Obviously you’ve never tried to get tickets for a UA basketball game.