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  • in reply to: Rams head coaches since Knox I #155729
    Avatar photojoemad
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    Too bad Bradford got hurt in Carolina and again in Cleveland…, Fisher could’ve been a contender.

    Fisher wasn’t McVay, and there was always something a little (I dunno, for lack of a better word) “greasy” about him, but to be fair and objective, he would have done better than he did from 2012-2015 if he had both a healthy qb and a healthy OL at the same time for more games than he did. 2016 was just a mess though.

    Right now the Rams can draft, they have the qb, McV is wired in both at the Xs and Os level and the culture building level–how far he goes is all a matter of team health. As long as they have a qb.

    Vermeil though did build a team from nuthin. So I don’t know who I put at #1/#2.

    Indeed. this is the Rams’ Golden Era, as long as the Rams have McVay and Snead, the Rams have a chance. These guys understand the meaning of continuous development of creating an ongoing winning organizational culture. They know how to put their teams in position to get some luck to execute in crucial times and to win big games, both on the road and at home….. DV also has/had that ability…Robinson to an extent, but they just didn’t have a highly functional front office back in the 1980’s and 1990’s….

    As fans, all we ask is to have meaningful games to follow late in the season, McVay and Snead provide that.

    in reply to: Rams tweets etc. … 3/20 – 3/24 #155643
    Avatar photojoemad
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    from https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/3/20/24389725/rams-news-jared-verse-eagles-philadelphia

    Rams’ Jared Verse Had Priceless Reaction to Eagles Fan Writing Him a Super Nice Letter (si.com)

    “The letter read: “Hello from a Philadelphia Eagles Fan! And a 66-year-old one at that. I was watching the Eagles-Rams game and saw you help up a knocked over cameraman. Really help him and then made sure he was O.K. I’ve watched way too much football in my day and that’s very atypical!”

    “So I thought ‘who is this guy?’ and watched your play the rest of the game. No news to you buy you are an AMAZING player and I wish we had you in Philly,” the Eagles fan continued. “Later on I saw you flatted 350 lb Jordan Mailata on the Eagles OL. Went on Wikipedia and saw your background. Impressive. So, Merry Christmas and wishing you and the Rams well—hope to see you in the playoffs. Good luck and good health. I’ll be following you from now on.”

    Verse posted the letter to his Instagram story and wrote: “Guess I should have opened this before the game … Hope you still a fan” with a heart emoji.

    The Eagles got the best of the Rams in the playoffs and went on to win the Super Bowl, but Verse might have to change his tune about the fan base after receiving that nice of a letter from the unnamed fan.”

    i rewatched this game this past weekend. Damn, the Rams had their chances to win….

    Everyone remembers the Kyren Williams fumble late in the 3rd qtr shortly after the Rams got to Hurts for the safety and the brain freeze by the offensive line in the redzone to end the game…….., but earlier with roughly 10 min left in the 3rd qtr the Rams had a nice drive aided by a 30 yard catch by Kupp and a 30 yard carry by Kyren Williams resulting in a 1st and goal on the 8 yard line…. Stafford then fumbled a handoff exchange that was recovered by Kyren for a loss, followed by a sack 2 plays later… Rams settled for an FG.

    The Rams missed opportunities in this game. Fucking Rams had this game.

    in reply to: Rams head coaches since Knox I #155701
    Avatar photojoemad
    Participant

    If Robinson had good drafts… it wouldn’t matter…. John Shaw wouldn’t pay. I really liked Robinson… too bad the 19080’s Niners were one of the reasons that the NFL implemented a salary cap.

    do you folks remember when Jim Haslett knocked the candy bar out of Richie Incognito’s hands on the sidelines?

    Too bad Bradford got hurt in Carolina and again in Cleveland…, Fisher could’ve been a contender.

    BTW, i went skiing last month with my kid and stayed at the Econo Logde (free continental breakfast!)

    Anyway, the motel room had a college football channel, and they were broadcasting an old NCAA game titled “Matthew Stafford vs the Kentucky Wildcats” that was the actual title of the show. Thus, we watched.

    Rich Brooks was coaching Kentucky and is facing the Bulldogs in an amazing Matthew Stafford comeback. I turn to my kid and ask.. “Do you remember Jerome Bettis?” “because that jack ass HC for Kentucky traded him from the Rams to Pittsburgh”.

    in reply to: Cooper Kupp afterwards…update: signs w/ Seattle #155545
    Avatar photojoemad
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    My humble submissions…

    There’s elements missing. So I don’t think they qualify.

    1. Must be late in a post-season game.
    2. Must be a close game.
    3. The play in question has a do-or-die, absolute game deciding effect.
    4. Must lead–either immediately or in that post-season–to a super bowl win.
    5. I, zn, must agree with the choice.

    There is another, lower, less demanding tier of plays that have much less strict criteria. In fact they don’t even always have to result in a win. In this next tier down, the play is named after the player. The key here is that when they are named, every Rams fan automatically knows the play–no further explaining needed.

    Examples:

    Ferragamo to Waddy.
    Faulk against the Browns in 99.
    Faulk stands Hakim up.
    Donald beats the Bengals on the final play.
    Donald strip sacks Mahomes.

    Two more in OT.

    Everett to Flipper through the tunnel in the Meadowlands in OT… there is no love for the Anaheim Rams on this board….

    Props to special teams….Greg the leg, at the time.. it was the longest playoff game winning kick to seal an improbable comeback in New Orleans and all the events leading that comeback including Johnny Hekker’s clutch first down pass on a fake punt to swing momentum in that game.

    in reply to: Cooper Kupp afterwards…update: signs w/ Seattle #155506
    Avatar photojoemad
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    Darnold to Kupp…

    i was thinking he’d rejoin Goff in Detroit or hook up with Mahomes in KC.

    Rams will face Kupp twice per year….

    https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44254640/sources-wr-cooper-kupp-join-seahawks-3-year-deal

    Former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp has reached agreement on a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.

    Kupp was released by the Los Angeles Rams at the start of the new league year Wednesday, ending his eight-season run with the team.

    He joined the Rams as a third-round pick in 2017 out of Eastern Washington, as part of Sean McVay’s first draft class, and emerged as one of the game’s best pass-catchers from the slot in the years since.

    He had 62 receptions as a rookie, then topped 90 in both his third and fourth seasons.

    But his best season came in 2021, when he won the receiving triple crown by leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16). He made his only Pro Bowl and was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.

    Kupp capped that season with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals, which earned him the game’s MVP award.

    After the season, Kupp signed a three-year contract extension worth $80.1 million.

    But Kupp has dealt with injuries in the three seasons since, playing in just 33 games. In 12 games during the 2024 season, Kupp had 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns.

    After the season, Kupp announced that the Rams were trying to trade him despite his desire to remain with the team. But with him being owed $20 million this season, no other team was willing to make a trade, leading to his release.

    For his career, Kupp has 634 receptions for 7,776 receiving yards and 58 total touchdowns (57 receiving).

    in reply to: set up for NFC/AFC championship games & game reactions #154973
    Avatar photojoemad
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    Peter Schrager@PSchrags
    All out corner blitz on 4th and 5 with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

    Spags. He did it again.

    Bills TE should’ve caught that… i think Higby would’ve fair catched that desperation pass… I was surprised Josh Allen was able to launch that…

    That was a good game.

    BTW, Eagles first play from scrimmage vs Commanders… everyone in the world was expecting a handoff to Barkley, and he still scored on the game’s opening play… incredible.

    in reply to: Kupp says he will be traded #155305
    Avatar photojoemad
    Participant

    it’s always better to trade someone 1 year early, than 1 year later.

    But Cooper Kupp made some big time catches despite lower that his usual productivity last year.

    Kupp was instrumental down the stretch when the Rams faced must win games, and part of the reason of the Ram’s slow start last year was because of his injury… in the 2 games prior to his injury he had already had 18 catches…..

    Kupp delivered on some big time catches in crucial moments… (both Viking games, 1 clutch catch in that playoff game) the shootout in Buffalo etc…

    I hope that the Rams and Kupp find a way to have him play next season…

    Regardless of what happens, Kupp will always be a great eternal Ram. A very special player in their return to LA.

    in reply to: Stafford’s future … update, he signed & is staying #155217
    Avatar photojoemad
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    Was there any doubt that he would stay in So Cal?

    Fuck the Raiders, Tom Brady and New York, ……California is the place you want to be.

    But, Aaron Rodgers would’ve been kind of cool to see in a Rams uniform….

    BTW, I thought NFL players had clauses not to ski or participate in other hazardous activities??? And is the skiing really that good in Montana?

    Avatar photojoemad
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    Kareem’s news letter

    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

    kareem@substack.com

    What I’m Discussing Today:
    Kareem’s Daily Quote: Kierkegaard expounds on our knack for avoiding the truth.

    President Trump Suggests He’s Above the Law in Social Media Post Invoking Napoleon: If you haven’t started worrying yet about Trump’s plan to destroy democracy and crown himself king, start now.

    Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal: This would be a funny SNL skit if the consequences weren’t so serious.

    Kareem’s Video Break: The joys of arriving home to a loved one.

    Thousands rally against Trump in nationwide “Not My Presidents Day” protests: It’s great to see the kind of American spirit that started this country still on display.

    A quarter of US shoppers have dumped favorite stores over political stances: This is one way Americans can express their displeasure.

    Dismantling of federal efforts to monitor election interference creates opening for foreign meddling: The party that ranted against “fixed” elections just made election interference easier and more likely.

    Kareem’s Kvetching Korner: Today, for the first time, I have two kvetches: The actor from The Night Agent makes a fool of himself—and how the new Bridget Jones movie is detrimental to women.

    What I’m Watching on TV: Since January, Saturday Night Live has returned from the dead actually to be funny again—and relevant.

    Kareem’s Sports Moments: Not sure what I’d call this, but it looked cool to watch.

    Dinah Washington Sings “I Remember You”: This song is guaranteed to calm anyone down and make them sway with her singing.

    Kareem’s Daily Quote
    “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”

    Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Danish theologian, philosopher

    There is one universal truth that most religions, philosophy, and art try to address: People are so influenced by external sources—friends, family, traditions, peers, society, etc.—that it’s difficult for them to see the world as it really is. It’s like walking barefoot through a field of broken glass but having such poor eyesight that the world is blurry and all these outside influences are describing what’s in front of you so you don’t slice up your feet. You have to take a leap of faith that the people describing the path you should take have your best interests at heart and not their own.

    In literature, there is usually a place in the story where the protagonist has “an opportunity for insight,” where the character sees their life for what it really is. It’s as if a pair of glasses was placed on their face and the blur is gone. They can see all the paths ahead with absolute clarity and can choose the right one for themselves. However, in literature, as in life, that window closes rapidly so we must then choose “insight into action,” where we then act upon this new knowledge—or, out of fear, we do nothing and return to the same pattern of life we had before, blindly stumbling after leaders who tell us where to go, ignoring our bloody feet.

    In stories, characters often see their past mistakes and can change their lives for the better. As poet Richard Wilbur wrote, “The past is never past redeeming.”

    However, as today’s quote warns, too often people prefer to be fooled than put the glasses on, see reality, and take responsibility for their decisions. During the 2024 election, many experts from across the political spectrum warned that Trump, based on his previous behavior, would Godzilla his way through the buildings of America’s foundation. They offered evidence, facts, and statistics. America ignored them. Now all those dire predictions are coming true: the economy is wobbly, our allies fear us because we have shown that we care for nothing but ourselves, our democracy is being pecked to death by people with the intelligence of ducks, medical research has been decimated. We stand for nothing except as a shiny trophy to Trump’s ego, like his wives. Unfortunately, he’s treating us the way he has treated them.

    One clear example of this disconnect is Mump’s (Musk/Trump) destruction of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the primary vehicle for U.S. foreign aid. The White House justified these cuts by issuing a statement titled “At USAID, Waste and Abuse Runs Deep.” In it, they accused USAID of being “unaccountable to taxpayers as it funnels massive sums of money to the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats, with next-to-no oversight.” A fact-check of the statement by The Washington Post showed that 11 of the 12 claims against USAID are misleading, wrong, or lack context. Yet, people will believe it with a resounding “Amen!”

    As to popular opinion, a majority of Americans believe that the US spends about 25% of its budget on foreign aid. Most Americans believe that amount should be cut down to 10%. The problem is that in reality, the U.S. spends less than 1% of the budget on foreign aid. Why are so many people so wrong when they have the facts right on their phones? How much easier it is for Trump and the GOP to manipulate public opinion when that same public doesn’t value truth.

    To alter Dorothy Parker’s famous quote: You can lead the hoards to water, but you can’t make them think. But we have to try, because our lives, our futures, and our country depends on it. Enough with this go-with-your-gut crap. Let’s not romanticize lazy thinking. You’re not really “listening to your heart,” you’re listening to the voices that brainwashed you since childhood. Don’t want to be fooled? Gather credible information, listen to voices from all sides, and use reason to form opinions.

    Then go out and save our country.

    President Trump Suggests He’s Above the Law in Social Media Post Invoking Napoleon (Time)

    SUMMARY: Donald Trump set off a firestorm of criticism over the weekend with a tweet.

    It might seem like nothing new, but critics say the President’s recent post is more than controversial—they say it’s dictatorial.

    “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social as well as on Elon Musk’s X platform (formerly Twitter) on Saturday. The White House account on X also shared the message alongside Trump’s official presidential photograph.

    MY TAKE: If you’re surprised by this statement, then you haven’t been paying attention to the news for the last six weeks. Trump has been making the case that he alone is above the laws and the U.S. Constitution. In making this statement, Trump has effectively crowned himself King of the United States.

    In fact, we directly said that! Reported The Guardian: On Wednesday, following a letter issued by his transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, to the New York governor, Kathy Hochul, that ended the transportation department’s agreement with New York over a new congestion pricing program for Manhattan, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”

    Said one NYC council member, “Doesn’t matter what [yo]u think of congestion pricing, federal government doesn’t get to make this decision. NY State passed a law, USDOT approved it. No matter what corrupt deal Donald Trump made with the Mayor, he isn’t king. Only fools concede to false power.” (For more fools, see today’s daily quote.)

    Are you afraid yet, Trump supporters?

    This fits with his behavior: Do things that are against the law and when those actions are challenged in court, complain that the courts are corrupt or don’t have the authority. Sadly, this has been working for him thanks to Republicans who care more about their careers than the country.

    Last year, the Trump-stacked Supreme Court ruled that presidents have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken within their “constitutional authority” and presumptive immunity for other official acts, but that: “The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official. The President is not above the law.” I don’t take much hope in this ruling since it came right after expanding his immunity to avoid criminal prosecution. We can’t count on SCOTUS to defend the Constitution, even though that is literally their only job.

    The prevailing thinking among Republicans in Washington, D.C. is that they can do whatever they want and people will let them because they’re too afraid or too weary to fight back. True, America has shown signs of fatigue in fighting this political virus that drains our resolve. But the Revolutionary War was fought for eight years! Eight years!

    That persistence is our legacy. That commitment is our duty.

    Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal (AP)

    SUMMARY: The Trump administration has halted the firings of hundreds of federal employees who were tasked with working on the nation’s nuclear weapons programs, in an about-face that has left workers confused and experts cautioning that DOGE’s blind cost cutting will put communities at risk.

    Three U.S. officials who spoke to The Associated Press said up to 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were abruptly laid off late Thursday, with some losing access to email before they’d learned they were fired, only to try to enter their offices on Friday morning to find they were locked out. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

    One of the hardest hit offices was the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, which saw about 30% of the cuts. Those employees work on reassembling warheads, one of the most sensitive jobs across the nuclear weapons enterprise, with the highest levels of clearance.

    The hundreds let go at NNSA were part of a DOGE purge across the Department of Energy that targeted about 2,000 employees.

    “The DOGE people are coming in with absolutely no knowledge of what these departments are responsible for,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, referencing Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team. “They don’t seem to realize that it’s actually the department of nuclear weapons more than it is the Department of Energy.”

    By late Friday night, the agency’s acting director, Teresa Robbins, issued a memo rescinding the firings for all but 28 of those hundreds of fired staff members.

    MY TAKE: So, you give the keys to the kingdom to unqualified computer people, aged 19 to early twenties, led by a megalomaniac too rich to care about the consequences, and here’s where we end up. Accidentally firing people responsible for nuclear warheads, managing nuclear waste so it doesn’t contaminate communities, and running the $750 billion nuclear weapons modernization effort. Both our national security and our domestic safety are now at severe risk.

    When Robbins tried to rehire the NNSA staff, she was unable to locate some and others said they were weighing whether or not they wanted to return to such a chaotic agency run by unstable leaders.

    Deputy division director Rob Plonski posted, “This is a pivotal moment. We must decide whether we are truly committed to leading on the world stage or if we are content with undermining the very systems that secure our nation’s future.”

    Kareem’s Video Break
    We should all be so lucky to have someone waiting for us with such eagerness. This kind of unconditional love is what makes coming home so meaningful.

    “Not My Presidents Day” protests in Washington, DC
    “Thousands rally against Trump in nationwide “Not My Presidents Day” protests” (Axios): The political reality of the Trump/Musk rampage is finally showing up. A recent Economist/YouGov poll has shown Trump’s approval rating and personal popularity both falling over the past two weeks: Today Americans are less likely to approve of Trump (46%) than to disapprove (48%), and less likely to view him favorably (46%) than unfavorably (52%). This is a significant change from just a few weeks ago. That public attitude was reflected in the numerous protest marches across the country decrying Trump’s policies. This is only the beginning, I hope.

    “A quarter of US shoppers have dumped favorite stores over political stances” (The Guardian): The people are speaking out—this time through their wallets. A new Harris poll shows Americans changing their spending habits to express their moral views: “A quarter (24%) of respondents have even stopped shopping at their favorite stores because of their politics (Black: 35%, gen Z: 32%, Democratic: 31%).” The poll also found that 36% of Americans are choosing to remove themselves from the economy, cutting back on spending as a passive boycott. Said John Gerzema, CEO of Harris Poll, “Instead of demanding more, they’re simply disengaging with the marketplace and businesses who disappoint them.” I have also stopped shopping at businesses that voluntarily abandoned DEI programs.

    “Dismantling of federal efforts to monitor election interference creates opening for foreign meddling” (AP): Remember how adamant Trump and his followers were about the 2020 election being stolen? How many of the advisors Congress recently confirmed admitted they still believe it was stolen? In response to nothing (since no evidence of election fraud was ever provided), GOP-led states across the country passed “election integrity” laws aimed at making it harder for the poor, students, and minorities to vote. Now, Republicans have removed all pretense that they care about election integrity. In a stunning display of hypocrisy, new Attorney General Pam Bondi (who claims the 2020 election was stolen) disbanded an FBI task force dedicated to investigating foreign influence operations, including those that target U.S. elections. During each election, Iran, Russia, and China have exerted more influence through effective campaigns of disinformation. Bondi just removed our defenses against that. “Our adversaries are upping their game every day,” said former Department of Homeland Security cyber chief Suzanne Spaulding. “I’m worried that we are, at the same time, tearing down our defenses.”

    Kareem’s Kvetching Korner
    For the first time, I’m expanding my Kvetching Korner to include two items of little consequence that irritate me nevertheless.

    Night Agent star who played JD Vance in Hillbilly Elegy condemns actors who get political (The Guardian)
    SUMMARY: The [Night Agent] actor who portrayed JD Vance in the Oscar-nominated film Hillbilly Elegy before the latter man became the vice-president of the US has said his fellow thespians should “shut the fuck up” rather than express their political opinions.

    …[Gabriel] Basso added: “We’re court jesters. We’re entertaining. We’re public servants. We’re there to perform, to entertain, and then all of sudden, the jester, because he’s in the courtroom starts to be like: ‘I might want to go sit on the throne!’”

    MY TAKE: There are so many examples of bad logic here, but I’ll start with the most obvious. By saying actors shouldn’t give opinions about politics, he’s actually giving his opinion about politics. He’s saying that entertainers should not exercise their free speech rights because they are just show people. The more logical opinion would be to caution anyone from taking the political opinions of someone too seriously simply because you like the characters they play. But he attacks the speaker rather than the listener—and expects us to listen to him because he’s an entertainer. As is typical of many irrational people, Basso wants to stop free speech rather than educate the listener.

    I also want to point out his odd metaphor about entertainers being court jesters who want to sit on the throne. In fact, the actors he’s ranting against haven’t tried to claim the throne but merely described who they would prefer to sit on the throne. There is some irony in the fact that Trump rose to fame as a reality TV star—a jester—who then claimed the throne—the presidency.

    Famous people—like myself—may have access to a bigger megaphone, but it’s up to the people to use reason to weigh the merit of what is being said. Not silence them as Basso would prefer. He’s just given us ample reason not to listen to his opinions, though he’s free to offer them.

    Why the New Bridget Jones Movie Is Bad for Women (and Why That’s Important)

    The fourth movie in the popular franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, is now streaming on Peacock. It’s a pretty standard rom-com with some touching and funny moments. But, while it purports to be a movie about empowering women in their fifties, it actually does the exact opposite.

    All genre movies have certain requirements, which is why we love the ones we do. The mystery will have a body and the murderer will be uncovered by the end. The action movie will feature a tough hero/heroine who overcomes a formidable villain. The rom-com will have a cute meet, a pulling apart, and a reconnection. When these expectations aren’t met, we are disappointed, even angry. The challenge for the moviemakers is to find ways to be original within that tight structure.

    The movie’s failure to provide much originality isn’t just a plot issue, it’s a deep failure for women. Jones is still experiencing understandable grief four years after the death of her husband (Colin Firth). One night, she has a convenient epiphany and wakes up the next morning ready to embrace life again. We should be cheering her on (despite the unconvincing suddenness) as she balances being a mother with going back to work and looking for love.

    But here’s the problem: When the movie wants to portray Jones as attractive (and able to have a handsome 28-year-old fall in love with her), it does so by making her dance around like a teenager, complete with a Risky Business-like montage. She walks stiffly like an adorable classroom nerd, always has her mouth open as if she doesn’t understand anything that’s happening to her. She’s meant to be quirky and lovable but just seems childlike. Basically, she’s Zooey Deschanel in New Girl, only 25 years older. Why would acting like a non-threatening, passive dork be what’s attractive in a middle-aged woman? Rather, it should be her wit, intelligence, confidence, and the passions in her life that define her.

    The movie wants us to believe she’s very smart and informed by giving us one scene where she rattles off questions for an interviewer to ask a politician. But we never again see her do anything interesting at work, nor does she ever read a newspaper or discuss current events. Instead, she dresses like a pixie and giggles. She also argues with her son’s science teacher because he criticized the boy’s diagram of the layers of the atmosphere for including Heaven at the top. It’s a science class! All of this diminishes mature women by telling them they must act like guileless children if they want to be attractive to men.

    The story wanted to be a modern Jane Austen-type comedy of social manners, but Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice was fiercely intelligent, never pandered to expectations of what a woman should be, and would not be bullied. Yet, she was also filled with compassion for her family and everyone in her community. There are many admirable women in rom-coms, including Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Martine McCutcheon in Love Actually, Rachel Weisz in About a Boy, and Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday.

    The movie did the exact opposite of what it pretends to do.

    What I’m Watching on TV
    Saturday Night Live

    When SNL first appeared in 1975 I was 28-years-old. Society was in turmoil with the Vietnam War, and the numerous protests about free speech, women’s rights, gay rights, and, of course, civil rights. Ten years earlier, The Smothers Brothers Show had tried to infuse social and political comedy into their variety show and were relentlessly censored until finally being canceled after one season. SNL took up the challenge to satirize politics and pop culture. For me, the show spoke to my age and my politics like no other ever had. Seeing performers like Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor satirizing racism on TV when most shows pretended there was no such thing (pretty much like today) was empowering.

    For the past ten years, SNL has been a bit tepid. Most of the skits seemed poorly written as if they were content on amusing themselves rather than an audience. Sometimes there would be a gem of a sketch, but it was surrounded by too much dullness. Only Weekend Update was consistently funny. I only watched it on occasion, hoping for that same spark it used to have. I was usually disappointed.

    That changed in January 2025. Three shows in a row—hosted by Martin Short, Timothée Chalamet, and Dave Chapelle—were actually funny all the way through. Chapelle’s opening monologue was one of the best in years. Short and Chalamet’s monologues were also funny. Add to that, last week’s 50-year celebration show featuring many stars from previous casts as well as guest hosts, and you have a resurgence of the irreverent wit and rebellious spirit that first made the show a hit.

    If, like me, you’ve abandoned the show for its lack of energy and good writing, I suggest you give it another try, starting with these three episodes. I’m cautiously optimistic that it may be on the path once again of being a voice for generations in search of their country.

    Kareem’s Sports Moments
    Sometimes I wonder how people come up with the idea of trying something like this.

    Kareem’s Jukebox Playlist
    Dinah Washington: “I Remember You” (1959)

    This album was released in 1959 and is one of my favorites. It’s especially effective when listened to on a rainy day while staring at the falling drops. I hope to get around to featuring every song from this album in the coming years.

    Dinah Washington (1924-1963) was a blues and jazz singer known as “Queen of the Blues” as well as “Queen of the Jukeboxes.” (How I miss plunking a quarter into a jukebox and picking five great songs while I ate a hamburger and fries.) Her background was gospel music but her talent couldn’t be contained. For a while, she sang in the upstairs room of the Garrick Stage Bar in Chicago while Billie Holiday sang in the downstairs room. Jazz great Lionel Hampton hired her to sing with his band. After she started her solo career, she had 27 R&B top-10 hits.

    “I Remember You” was written by Johnny Mercer and Victor Schertzinger, but Washington imbues it with such passion and conviction that it will embed itself inside you. I’ve been listening to it for 66 years and it still affects me.

    in reply to: Stafford’s future … update, he signed & is staying #155135
    Avatar photojoemad
    Participant

    Cowherd continues to push his theory on Rodgers to LA.

    Breyer is correct, Rams are young and need Stafford for the next 2 seasons.

    Rams have the window open right now, just need a little more consistency from Rozeboom and Reeder.

    When healthy, the Rams are right there.

    in reply to: Stafford’s future … update, he signed & is staying #155119
    Avatar photojoemad
    Participant

    how about Kupp and Stafford to the Chargers for Justin Herbert and Khalil Mack?

    in reply to: super bowl #155081
    Avatar photojoemad
    Participant

    This was a good Super Bowl to boycott…

    That final 40-22 score is deceiving, that game was never close…

    The Rams were the only team that competed with the Eagles in the playoffs… and were 15 yards from beating them…

    in reply to: Why i hate Colin Cowherd #154996
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    a world series that went 4 games to 1 is not good.

    LAD outscored the Mets in their playoff series 46-26….. and that’s with the Mets scoring 12 runs in one of those games….

    Those series sucked.

    Baseball needs a cap and parity…. folks don’t give a shit about watching the Globetrotters vs the Washington Generals… that’s what baseball will become.

    in reply to: our reactions to the Eagles game #154846
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    Last night i re-watched the Rams/Philly game from November and I searched this msg board for the reactions thread to that game…… we all posted that the Rams didn’t measure up to Philly…

    Barkley had two huge TD runs in that game..today he had three…. but the Rams measured up today…

    I thought they were gonna pull it off, but OL had brain freeze.

    Rams need a faster start to the season next year….

    in reply to: plays and play breakdowns, post-season #154749
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    Manning Bros impressed with Stafford’s TD pass to Kyren…

    in reply to: our reactions to the wildcard game #154645
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    Awesome…

    in reply to: setting up the Wild Card Game #154574
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    Play it in St Louis .

    in reply to: our reactions to the Seattle game #154461
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    Karty had a great game.

    in reply to: setting up the Seattle game #154405
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    Jimmy G is 2-5 all time vs Seahawks.

    McVay has revitalized cast-off back up QBs….. both Wentz and Mayfield shined in their only starts with the Rams to reboot their careers…., and if you’re splitting hairs; you can count Goff for subbing in for Wolford in Seattle at the end of the 2020 season (Jan 2021)

    BTW, McVay must’ve really been pissed at Goff to start Wolford in that game. BTW, last i’ve read…..Wolford on Jax practice squad…..

    GO RAMS!

    in reply to: setting up the Seattle game #154379
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    Seattle favored by 5…

    Seattle only scored 6 points last week in Chicago….

    in reply to: Washington wins, Rams clinch #154341
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    George Allen is smiling somewhere… both the Rams and the over the hill gang won….

    in reply to: our reactions to the ARZ game #154256
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    Yes zn…special teams delivered… Cards didn’t roll over…

    BTW Witherspoon’s TD should’ve been a touchback… the ball hit the pylon..

    Rams offense needs to wake up soon…

    RAMS defense > 10 points for 3 straight games…

    Anyway.., GO Bills, Browns, Commanders and or Vikes…

    GO RAMS!!!

    in reply to: NFC playoff standings #154240
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    Stafford got screwed in Chicago and still put the banged up Rams in position to make it close…

    Bears defense is very good, but their offense was horrible yesterday… I could not believe how stupid that team managed the clock in the final minutes.

    That poor interim coach and QB looked like they didn’t want to be at the game yesterday…

    in reply to: NFC playoff standings #154235
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    Stu Jackson needs to do a better job of simplifying these scenarios..

    WTF does this mean? “”””””The Bengals face the Broncos (1:30 p.m. PT Saturday, NFL Network). A Bengals win prevents a Broncos win from being added to, and therefore improving, the Seahawks’ Strength of Victory.”””

    Please validate if the following below is true and correct:

    The Rams needs the following events to happen to clinch this weekend

    Rams need to beat Cardinals
    Bengals need to beat Broncos
    Commanders need to beat Falcons
    Bills need to beat Jets
    Does the SF / Lions game matter? If so what needs to happen in this game for the Rams to clinch?
    Vikings need to beat Packers
    Browns need to beat Miami.

    I’ve read other scenarios that the SF / Lions game; the Browns / Miami are irrelevant to the Rams clinching a spot this weekend.

    BTW; Did any of you folks watch the Chicago / Seahawks game? Chicago’s offense is ridiculous and their QB stinks… how in the hell did the Rams lose to the Bears back in September by a score of 18-24?

    in reply to: Merry Christmas #154197
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    Merry Christmas!!!

    GO RAMS!!!

    in reply to: our reactions to the Jetz game #154150
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    I wanna know what Rogers and the Rams coach/staff guy were jawing about.

    Aaron Rodgers covered this on the Pat McAfee show today… he was bantering with Aubrey Pleasant

    in reply to: our reactions to the Jetz game #154078
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    Yes zn… gritty win

    Fifth straight road win…

    The Cards are next

    GO RAMS…

    in reply to: setting up the Jetz game #154056
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    this game worries me… last year the Rams were in a similar situation. Travel to East Rutherford to play a lousy Giants team with Tyrod Taylor and should have lost….

    2 picks, a fumble, a 94 yard punt return for a TD… Rams go 3 and out with 2 min to play, Giants get in position for a game winning FG, but Mason Crosby thankfully missed.

    Aaron Rodgers is no Tyrod Taylor…and DaVonte Adams is no Darious Slaton.

    McVay has won huge road games in December in the past against some solid teams (Baltimore, Vikings, etc) he needs to that this week against a lesser team.

    in reply to: our reactions to the 9ers game #153882
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    How sweet was that??? Awesome…

    McVay’s culture can win important games on the road…

    When the rain stopped, Stafford and the offense delivered with 3 or 4 50 yard drives in the 2nd half …. while the Rams D forced Purdy to throw a lot of incompletions… and when the 49er offense finally got close.. they picked him off… they forced Deebo to play like shit….

    A lot of punts and FGs.. Special teams didn’t break, With the exception of Deebo’s last kick off return that was aided with the horse tackle.

    SF top 5 defense…

    next week the Jets…# 4 in defense with a lot of sacks… Gastineau’s recent feud with Farve might inspire them.

    GO RAMS…

    in reply to: setting up the 49ers game #153852
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    Aiyuk and McCaffrey are out, Bosa and Williams are dinged up, and Deebo is having an off-year.

    So the 49ers are favored by only 2.5 points. Go figure.

    the unsung guy for SF is Jauan Jennings… he should’ve been MVP in last year’s Super Bowl had the 49er’s won.

    He’s quietly having a decent season filling for the injuries that SF has had at the skill positions….he’s became a go to with Brock Purdy.

    Rams give up a lot of big plays and that problem resurfaced against last week vs Buffalo… Rams can’t let that happen tonight.

    Folks complain about SoFi being raided by SF fans, these are the games that if the Rams win can curb those fan invasions in the future…. 49ers are gasping and want revenge for the prior game this season that the Rams snatched from them in Week III….. the Rams have a chance to knock them to their knees tonight in their own park…… Rams need to win this game.

    Weather will be a factor tonight on Levi’s natural turf. It rained all night in San Jose, with showers scheduled throughout the day.

    GO RAMS!!!

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