When I saw the headline for This story I was very excited to have found another sports and politics story. It describes "hockey stick moments" in campaigns.
But as I read on, I came to realize that it had nothing to do with sports. Rather, a hockey stick moment is a graphical image -- when a candidate's popularity goes from a flatline to a sharp rise (as in the shape of a hockey stick).
Still, it's an interesting read.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
The Givers: NFL -- AFC North
It's time for another installment of The Givers -- an examination of how high-ranking sports executives donate their money to political candidates and organizations. All these figures are for the 2006 election cycle, courtesy of OpenSecrets.org.
Today we look at the NFL's AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Steve Bisciotti (Owner) -- $10,000 to the Maryland Republican State Central Committee
Cincinnati Bengals
Mike Brown (Owner) -- $4,200 to Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), $2,100 to Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), $2,000 to Hamilton County, Ohio Commissioner Pat Dewine (R)
Cleveland Browns
Randy Lerner (Owner) -- $2,100 to Chillicothe, Ohio mayor Joe Sulzer (D)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Dan Rooney (Owner) -- $3,000 to North Side Good Government Committee (a PAC run by the Rooney family that gives money to local, state and federal candidates)
Kevin Colbert (GM) -- $3,000 to North Side Good Government Committee
The lesson: If you work for Dan Rooney, you must give to his PAC
Today we look at the NFL's AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Steve Bisciotti (Owner) -- $10,000 to the Maryland Republican State Central Committee
Cincinnati Bengals
Mike Brown (Owner) -- $4,200 to Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), $2,100 to Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio), $2,000 to Hamilton County, Ohio Commissioner Pat Dewine (R)
Cleveland Browns
Randy Lerner (Owner) -- $2,100 to Chillicothe, Ohio mayor Joe Sulzer (D)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Dan Rooney (Owner) -- $3,000 to North Side Good Government Committee (a PAC run by the Rooney family that gives money to local, state and federal candidates)
Kevin Colbert (GM) -- $3,000 to North Side Good Government Committee
The lesson: If you work for Dan Rooney, you must give to his PAC
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
The Givers: NFL -- AFC East
Today begin's a new series at The Sports Politician -- The Givers. It's an examination of how high-ranking sports executives donate their money to political candidates and organizations. All these figures are for the 2006 election cycle, courtesy of OpenSecrets.org.
We start with the NFL's AFC East:
Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson (Owner) -- $2,100 to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), $800 to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Miami Dolphins
Wayne Huizenga (Owner) -- $2,100 to defeated Rep. Clay Shaw (R-FL), $4,200 to defeated Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO), $2,000 to Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ), $2,000 to Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
New England Patriots
Robert Kraft (Owner) -- $10,000 to Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
New York Jets
Robert Wood Johnson (Owner) -- $10,000 to Solutions America (Rudy Giuliani's PAC), $5,000 to Straight Talk America (John McCain's PAC)
The lesson: Wayne Huizenga can't even spend his money to find a winner in politics
We start with the NFL's AFC East:
Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson (Owner) -- $2,100 to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), $800 to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Miami Dolphins
Wayne Huizenga (Owner) -- $2,100 to defeated Rep. Clay Shaw (R-FL), $4,200 to defeated Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO), $2,000 to Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ), $2,000 to Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
New England Patriots
Robert Kraft (Owner) -- $10,000 to Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
New York Jets
Robert Wood Johnson (Owner) -- $10,000 to Solutions America (Rudy Giuliani's PAC), $5,000 to Straight Talk America (John McCain's PAC)
The lesson: Wayne Huizenga can't even spend his money to find a winner in politics
Monday, February 5, 2007
Roger Goodell Faces the Nation
In case you missed it on Sunday, CBS took a break from covering the Iraq war and the 2008 presidential election to shamelessly plug the Super Bowl on "Face the Nation."
NFL commissioner/boy wonder Roger Goodell faced off with Bob Schieffer (with sidekick Jim Nance, commentator for CBS Sports) to talk about the state of the league -- from steroids to concussions to African-American coaches. It was actually a pretty good interview, though I think Nance wasn't needed. You could tell that Schieffer knew his stuff.
But the show really took a turn for the worse when Schieffer did a segment with former NFL quarterbacks (and current CBS football analysts) Dan Marino and Phil Simms. Unlike in the Goodell segment, Schieffer simply talked with the two former players about Colts-Bears matchup.
The show would have been a nice take on overarching issues surrounding the Super Bowl had this last segment been omitted, but instead it turned into just another NFL blabfest -- like the one appearing on every other network that morning.
NFL commissioner/boy wonder Roger Goodell faced off with Bob Schieffer (with sidekick Jim Nance, commentator for CBS Sports) to talk about the state of the league -- from steroids to concussions to African-American coaches. It was actually a pretty good interview, though I think Nance wasn't needed. You could tell that Schieffer knew his stuff.
But the show really took a turn for the worse when Schieffer did a segment with former NFL quarterbacks (and current CBS football analysts) Dan Marino and Phil Simms. Unlike in the Goodell segment, Schieffer simply talked with the two former players about Colts-Bears matchup.
The show would have been a nice take on overarching issues surrounding the Super Bowl had this last segment been omitted, but instead it turned into just another NFL blabfest -- like the one appearing on every other network that morning.
Obama again
It seems like we've been flooded with Barack Obama sports news lately. Well, here's yet another tidbit:
Obama's wife, Michelle, is the sister of new Brown men's basketball coach Craig Robinson. So Obama's brother-in-law is a Division I basketball coach (as well as a former standout player at Princeton).
So Obama is both a Chicago and Brown Bears fan.
Obama's wife, Michelle, is the sister of new Brown men's basketball coach Craig Robinson. So Obama's brother-in-law is a Division I basketball coach (as well as a former standout player at Princeton).
So Obama is both a Chicago and Brown Bears fan.
McCain 1, Obama 0
In what might be a predictor for the 2008 presidential election, John McCain has trumped Barack Obama in the Super Bowl prediction contest.
Just hours before kickoff, McCain correctly chose the Indianapolis Colts to win the game when asked by George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week.
Obama, who has been very outspoken in his support for the Chicago Bears all season long, might have been correct in his prediction that going to war in Iraq was unwise, but he was not on the spot with his Super Bowl pick.
Just hours before kickoff, McCain correctly chose the Indianapolis Colts to win the game when asked by George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week.
Obama, who has been very outspoken in his support for the Chicago Bears all season long, might have been correct in his prediction that going to war in Iraq was unwise, but he was not on the spot with his Super Bowl pick.
Mmmmm ... Kosher nuts!
It's official, with the Indianapolis Colts defeating the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl last night, Indiana governor Mitch Daniels will be receiving a delicious meal from Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.
The native Illinois foods include the following:
-A deep-dish pizza
-Cheesecake
-Kosher nuts
-Candy
A deep-dish pizza is very Chicago, but cheesecake, nuts and candy? Come on Illinois, you can do better than that.
The native Illinois foods include the following:
-A deep-dish pizza
-Cheesecake
-Kosher nuts
-Candy
A deep-dish pizza is very Chicago, but cheesecake, nuts and candy? Come on Illinois, you can do better than that.
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