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Monday, November 1, 2010

Pigskin and Politics at Legion Field 2nd Edition

Per tradition I spent last weekend tailgating at historic Legion Field in Birmingham, AL attending the Magic City Classic Football game, aka The Coal Bowl. The Magic City Classic is one of those vestiges of segregation that continues today, continues tomorrow, and hopefully will continue forever.
The Magic City Classic is an annual football game between Alabama's two largest, historically black universities: Alabama A&M University (Normal) and Alabama State University (Montgomery). The first game between the two schools was played in 1924. It has been an uninterrupted, annual tradition since 1945 and played at Legion Field in Birmingham since 1946. After winning the 2009 match up, Alabama A&M enjoys a 35-30-3 all-time advantage.

In addition to the actual game, the event is known for a glamorous parade and a raucous "Battle of the Bands" between the respective schools' marching bands. Other events include a kickoff luncheon, pre-game entertainment, and abundant weekend tailgating outside the stadium.


This is the second edition of Pigskin and Politics which I believe was the beginning of the end of my front page privileges at right leaning Left in Alabama but I digress.:) You can't have a football game/tailgate in Birmingham, Alabama without the talk turning to politics. It's what we do in Sweet Home Alabama. Last year we were hopefully optimistic Barack Obama would be elected President. This year we are fired up and ready to VOTE like our lives depend on it so the Tea Baggers won't put that uppity Barack Obama in his place. I don't know who the polling pollsters are polling but to para quote Rev. Jesse Jackson,Sr. there is more coffee in the pot that tea in the kettle. Meaning there are more black voters in Louisiana, Florida, California and South Carolina alone than there are tea baggers. For some reason the polling pollsters don't believe black folks will get out and vote in the mid terms because President Obama is not on the ballot.

Has anyone but me noticed the TeeVee Talking Pundit Heads are calling the election before a single vote has been cast not to mention counted? What's up with that? What do they know that we don't know? We might as well stop having elections and let the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads select the winners, you know like the Supreme Court did in 2000. As a matter of fact, what have the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads been right (no pun) about lately if ever? These are the same people who let Bush and Dick send our troops to war based on DEAD WRONG Intelligence.

Few cannot rule the many, which is exactly what's happening in America because the majority of the American people won't get off their Donkeys and VOTE. One thing I'll say about the minority they play to win and they always bring their A game. The majority of the American people need to WTFU and smell the coffee before it's too late. For example Karl Rove's American Crossroads groups is running ads against Sanford Bishop of Georgia saying he voted to give millions of stimulus dollars to prisoners blah blah blab blab. The democrats come back with an ad that says Bishop is for the second amendment and against gay marriage, instead of saying Karl Rove is a big fat liar. Trust democrats to carry a butter knife to a gunfight. Sigh.

If I hear another republiklan say they want to "cut government spending" after borrowing and spending us into a multi trillion dollar deficit I'm going to scream. If I hear another republican ask where are the jobs after sending jobs over seas and voting against the jobs bill I'm going to scream. If I hear another republican say they want to keep the Bush tax cuts for the rich which is really a tax shift from the rich to the middle class I'm going to scream. If the American people give these Jokers the keys to the car again we will deserve the ditch we will be driven into.

The United states claims to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. My daddys says after November 2, the world will see us for who we really are instead of who we claim to be.

The economy affected the Magic City Classic this year. The crowds were down, the Tailgate lot was not as full, the parade was smaller, and there were less vendors. I didn't hear one person blame President Obama for the economy, but I heard plenty of people blaming the republicans for not letting him fix it.

Speaking of the parade, democratic gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks did it up right (pun intended). He had a Ron Sparks billboard RV and several cars in the parade. Campaign workers passed out Ron Sparks Golden Flake Chips along with Ron Sparks bottled H20. he was also introduced during half time and made an appearance in the AAMU and ASU Sky box.

The economy must not be affecting Alabama Power because they presented each school with checks for $10,000 for their scholarship funds. I wonder how much they give The University of Alabama and Auburn University?

Even republican candidates see the Coal Bowl as the opportunity to pander, I mean woo African American voters. Dr. Death, I mean Robert Bentley showed up. I heard fans were upset they had to clear the way for his entourage to the sky box elevator. Overheard: Well at least he came at the right time of year.
Huh?
It's Halloween and he looks like a scarecrow.
Also overheard regarding Bentley: He's a really nice guy he just got hooked up with the wrong party.

Big Luther Strange and republican AG nominee was also in the sky box. Luther is big but not strange at all. He will proudly tell you he is 6'9 and appeared to also be a really nice guy but member of the wrong party. I wonder when the really nice guys/gals are going to take their party back from the really mean guys/gals?

Democrats in Birmingham sure know how to fight fire with the fire. The radio ad war in Birmingham is brutal. *Snicker* I heard one that said para quoting Robert Bentley and Bob Riley are liars. Riley pushed for and Bentley voted for one of the largest tax increases in Alabama history, and Robert Bentley lied in your face about taking money from AEA. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Last year I said:
Most of my friends and family are getting impatient with President Obama. They are still waiting for things to change. My daddy says if things don't start picking up, people are going to start picking up things. The banks still aren't loaning money. Credit card companies are still raising interest rates, mortgage foreclosures are still on the rise. Jobs are still being outsourced over seas. The public option is in jeopardy. Our troops are still dying and being maimed and wounded for life in Iraq and Afghanistan. The unemployment rate for African Americans is 15% and getting higher. The justice department is still the Injustice department. Might as well still have Bush and Dick


This year I say;
Most of my friends and family realize the republicans blocked President Obama's agenda because they want him to fail. We realize things won't change until we send the republicans packing so  we are going to vote for CHANGE we can believe in again. We are going going to vote like our lives depend on it.

Redeye

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