Zooey wrote:

Ozoneranger wrote:

Okay, Mack- I’m just not going there with the dictatorship talk. I’ve heard it all before on FB and completely dismiss such talk. About as likely as the Calexit movement.

Why? Because Trump really stands alone. He’s not the leader of any kind of movement that would overwhelm our democracy, like Hitler had in Wiemar Germany. On the contrary, the GOP- most of whom despise him- is just watching and waiting. To get what they want, then pounce when he really does something really egregious. So they ditch him, get Pence (not my favorite but has the experience to lead a government) and they look like the Good Guys.

I think that scenario is far more plausible. And I’m not the only one that’s arrived at this.

That’s pretty much the way I see it, too. That is…I don’t see the same kind of absolute dictatorship that we saw in Germany and Italy, and various 3rd world countries.

Hitler benefited from a highly destabilized and apprehensive society. While few people are happy, there aren’t that many that would throw themselves behind a dictator at the moment, either. There are warning signs, but the conditions aren’t quite right for all out totalitarianism. I do think, though, that he intends to expand voter suppression, and stack the deck even more in favor of the entrenched power elites, further weakening democracy. We could end up with a de facto one-party state with a new figurehead elected every four years. Some people would argue that that is what we already have, though I would still say that the majority of people are on board with the current system.

Congrats on your daughter’s marriage. Best wishes.

Thanks. I look forward to the 2nd walk down the aisle.

Zooey, I just don’t see a one party state, like, say, Mexico’s old PRI. Our system has truly become a pendulum. I think both major parties recognize this. One party gets all the power (GOP in 2000, Dems in 08 and back again to the GOP in 2016) and muck things up so badly they get trounced in the mid-terms (06, 10). If Trump and the GOP screws the pooch on Obamacare, 18 will be a bloodbath and Trump will be truly alone. Back to governing by executive orders, which can be overturned by the next POTUS.

Wouldn’t that be a hoot…Obamacare, the mother of the Tea Party, becomes the chopping block on which the Elephant lays his head. That’s why just 60 days into the new Congress, the GOP is treading very lightly. The mids are less than two years away. Meanwhile, the Dems are doing everything they can to throw rocks into the Trump wheel.

It’s chaos, but I like it.

I have to admit, this is all surreal to me, too. And I lean right.

On the bright side, the market is going bonkers (which means I won’t be living in my kids basement anytime soon) and my daughter is getting married next month.

Yay!

In the past two years I pretty much lost interest in politics. My sole worry is the debt. I worry for my kids and grandkids.

Anyway, watching the ascendance of Donald Trump was both fascinating and horrifying at the same time. Got me back into the game, at least temporarily.Really, he knew how to apply the false premise of “every thing is collapsing” (it’s not, at least yet) to the simmering anger of the right being the targeted relentlessly with the left’s race cudgel to the denialism of many that the country is becoming less white. It was a brilliant performance by a master snake-oil salesman.

The kid in the coveralls bought it hook, line and sinker.

Zooey wrote:

I just want to point out that Phillips is 40 years older than McVay. I dunno. I’m over 50, and I would have to “get over” being the boss of someone who is old enough to be my father.

I’ve had bosses that were way younger than me. I have to admit, I watched them closely. Their every move. The “experience” thing weighed heavily on my mind, primarily in how they dealt with their reports. But being the team player that I am, I supported them and never tried to undermine or manipulate them. That said, I didn’t step in when the inevitable mistakes happened. Mostly, it was a flappy mouth.

This is easy…not bringing in a name OC. One with a solid track record in the passing game. I’m absolutely convinced this was by design. He wanted a power running scheme to control the clock and then win the game with defense. In the end, his stubbornness sealed his fate.

And this is why I was against his hiring.

Yep. Confirmed.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000755854/article/los-angels-rams-fire-head-coach-jeff-fisher

Just happened a couple of minutes ago.

zn wrote:

JackPMiller wrote:

Jeff Fisher is not a winner. The last time he had a team in the playoffs was 2008

Yeah that’s what some people always say.

For the record I regard it as bs.

His actually history includes teams that valley then peak. If you look at the valleys there are always reasons. For example only one team in the history of the NFL won while moving, and what tilts Fisher’s record is moving twice.

I say bullshit. Six winning seasons in 22 years. That number speaks volumes.

For another, he has several years there with no qb and to compound it, with multiply injured OLs. No one can name any coach that won under those specific conditions.

And so you do not know what the owner thinks. He might think like you—he might be a Recordite and not a Contextista.

But he might also be a Contextista who believes Fisher CAN win.

So typing up mere opinions as solemn sounding heavy truths aside, I don’t think you have any more clue what SK thinks than I do.

….

I’ll chime in here…

If it’s indeed true the Rams extended Fisher…then the honeymoon in LA is over. You will see empty seats next week and when the Rams lose to the 49ers- which they will- the exodus will go full on. Season ticket sales will dry up for next year and the year after that. I know the fans down that way, having attended games during the 80’s and early 90’s at the Big A.

See, what most of you guys don’t get is this…Kreonke doesn’t give a flying fuck about winning. He’s building a monument to himself. He wants to be the richest guy in the cemetery. That stadium is a large part of it, but it’s the events 360 is what he wants. So what if the Rams don’t draw…it’s going to be Disney\ESPN Center for events year round. And it’s going to work, with or without a winning Rams team. Hell, the Chargers will fill that hole and his coffers.

It’s a win win for him, but lose lose for Rams fans. Like us. It really is back to the way Georgia ran the team. Reupping Fisher just reinforced my assertions.

It really sucks getting older…backing a team that doesn’t care about us.

For five years the Rams have not had anything resembling an NFL offense. And that is deliberate strategy on Fisher’s part. That’s the problem. It’s all on him, it’s in his DNA.

Sadly, for Rams fans, he’s ridden that ship into the iceberg.

This team got shut out by the 49ers. The 1-6 49ers.

Let that one sink in, folks.

That alone is a big reason Fisher hasn’t signed the extension.

As for yesterday, what a frustrating game. Same old shit. Penalties, AWOL running game. Shaky game management.

Once again, defeat at the hands of an inferior opponent.

Here we go.

Well, it’s at home. 80000 screaming Rams fans. And drinking. And fightin. And leaving early.

Advantage= Rams

Keenum Vs Bills Defense. A scary defense. They could put the hurt on Keenum, so I expect a lot of checkdowns. Unfortunate, as Boras has the receivers getting open. We may have a Goff sighting.

Advantage= Bills

Tyrod Taylor Vs. Rams D. Mismatch.

Advantage= Rams

I’ll take the Rams and the under (40).

Just backwards. Instead of 1-3, they’re 3-1.

That said, I think they’re playing a high-wire act with Keenum.

I grudgingly admit Keenum has smarts and moxie. But he has a high school arm. It’s the sole reason opponents are playing run first. He had a couple of throws yesterday that, had they been in stride (the one to Tavon was maddening) could have gone for long scores. The surprising ability of the receivers to get open- wide open- has saved his skin, and the Rams.

My crystal ball says Fisher stays with Keenum until he has a meltdown half. Insert Goff and see how he does under duress.