Williams reaches 300
Gary Williams garnered his 300th victory as head basketball coach at Maryland, Williams alma mater, as the unranked Terps knocked off top-ranked Florida in Gainsville. Led by strong performances by Nik Caner-Medley and D.J. Strawberry, the Terps squandered an early lead and was forced into their third overtime this year, including a victory over ranked Wisconsin and a loss over the weekend to unranked West Virginia.

On the other end of the coaching spectrum, Dan Reeves, the sixth winningest NFL Coach of all time, and winner of 201 games, resigned as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons after being informed that he would be let go at the end of the season. Wade Phillips will take over until the Falcons get a new general manager who hires a coach during the off-season.

Tony

The 1st Amendment takes a back seat
The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision yesterday, upheld most of the provisions of the hotly contested McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation. Ignoring First Amendment critics that have argued that the legislation's controls on spending amount to limits on free speech, the Supreme Court deferred to Congress in determining when and how First Amendment rights should be weighed against the need for reform.

Groups from both ends of the political spectrum, including the NRA and the ACLU, joined together to denounce the decision as an unconstitutional infrigment on their First Amendment right to participate, and voice opinions, in the political process. NRA chairman Wayne LaPierre called the decision "the most significant change in the First Amendment since the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which tried to make it a crime to criticize a member of Congress."

To read it straight from the horse's mouth, click here. For some analysis, click here.

The overall goal of campaign fianance reformers is a system of publicly-funded campaigns, with the idea being that without money as a corrupting factor, politics will be cleaner and somehow better. Public financing would instead yield two disturbing side-effects. First, Congressional incumbants would be virtually unbeatable as a result of challengers not being able to raise and spend the money neccessary to overcome the considerable advantage of incumbancy. Second, the government would be forced to subsidize Congressional candidates who, because their message does not resonate with voters, are unable to raise the neccessary funds to launch a bid on their own.

One need only look at the success of the Howard Dean campaign to see that candidates can raise money, and be competative, through numerous small individual contributions. Dean is sitting on a goodly size amount of money, and yet has no odor of corruption about him. He was able to raise the money by having a clear message that a lot of people have responded to and a solid political organization able to harness simpatico feelings and turn them into campaign contributions.

In addition to winning the money primary, Dean has been able to win the endorsement primary, snagging, among others, Al Gore, Bruce Babbitt and several strong-armed unions with large ground operations in Iowa. Both Dean and Gore took some heat for Gore's endorsement from the Washington Post's David Broder and Richard Cohen. Broder didn't think it was proper for Gore to jump in when the race was still, at least in Broder's mind, tight. Take notice of the national polls Broder cites, which he knows are useless at this point of the game beause they ignore the role of momentum. Cohen took Gore to task for the class-less way he handled the situation, including not telling Joe Liebermann, Gore's former running mate and a man who stayed out of the race to his detriment until Gore made a decision about running, until well after the story had broke in the media. I don't usually like Cohen, but you're not going to get an argument from me about Gore being a jerk.

Tony

Ted Koppel: Badass
ABC News Nightline host Ted Koppel shook things up at last night's Democratic debate in New Hampshire. Refusing to ask the candidates the tried and true questions about health care and Iraq, Koppel asked candidates about the process of the campaign, including Gore's endorsement of Dean, fundraising in each campaign, and when periphery candidates Sharpton, Kucinich and Mosley-Braun are going to exit the race. The questions rankled not a few people, including almost all of the candidates and their staff. At one point Koppel, who injected himself into the debate with sly zingers and quick refutations of candidates rote responses, was zinged himself by Kucinich who implored the audience to see where the media drives American politics, away from issues and toward the horse race. The comment met with much applause. The debate turned out to be a lot rougher than others, reminding everybody that politics is a contact sport.

In other contact sport news, Steve Spurrier, who looks ridiculous in cold weather, will be back as the Redskins head coach next year. Both he and Snyder were very clear that speculation about Spurrier leaving, perhaps to Nebraska or UNC, were just that and he has no intention of leaving the Skins. If he stays, it will mark the first time since Snyder has owned the team that a head coach will enter his third season.

Finally, the Weekly Standard sticks up for Donovan McNabb this week, saying the allegations that he is overrated are not supported by stastical analysis. Quota-back no more? You make the call.

Tony

Bow ties, wearer, dead at 75
Two-term Illinois Senator and noted wearer of bow ties and horned rimmed glasses, former Senator Paul Simon died yesterday at 75. Probably best known for his non-outlandish wardrobe, his cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live in singer Paul Simon's stead and his conservative economic philosophy, Simon was also responsible for the provisions that allowed students to borrow directly from the government and failed in a 1988 bid to win the Democratic nomination. He is survived by two children and two step-children.

Tony

The Kristol ball
About a year ago, while visiting my family, I caught some of the Tim Russert show on CNBC. For the uninitiated, this is a different Russert gig than Meet the Press, and usually features one or two guests, a table and a darkened studio. Well, on this particular episode Russert had Bill Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, and E.J. Dionne, Washington Post columnist, discussing the looming war in Iraq. On the program, Kristol said that when we finally did go to war in Iraq there would be a lot of money, in the way of government contracts, that would not be available to those countries who didn't support the action. In fact, he cracked that Australia and Britain will be more than welcome to scoop up those contracts. Well slap my ass and call me Sally. Bill Kristol has access to the pipeline of straight dope. (What?)

Yesterday, in a message posted on their website, the Pentagon annonced that the government contracts up for bid in the ongoing Iraqi rebuilding efforts will not be available to countries like Canada, France, Germany and Russia, and will instead go to countries that supported the action, including the U.S. (obvioulsy), Australia, Britain and Rawanda, among others.

Most Democrats are outraged by this turn of events, seeing the decision as punitive and counter-intuintive to the overall objective of rebuilding Iraq. But I like it. I like America sticking up for herself in the global community. We were very plain when we got involved in the Iraqi conflict. Either you're with us, or you're against us. France, Germany and Russia are against us, at least in terms of this war, and so they don't get to participate in the spoils of victory. Wasn't it the Democrat Andrew Jackson who said: "To the victors go the spoils."

Now to see if the Bush administration withstands the attacks and sticks to its guns.

Tony

BCS? More like BS
The wrath of the football gods has reigned down hard on College Football this weekend. The Bowl Championship Series, created in order to allow for numbers 1 & 2 to play each other every year for a decisive National Champion, has failed. Consenses No. 1 (in both AP and Coach's poll) USC has been shut-out of the BCS championship Sugar Bowl and will instead play number 4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl. There's been a whole lot of stuff said on this issue, and my feelings aren't much different from everybody else who's been bitching about the system. (Check out Wilbon's take) I, however, do take a certain level of satisfaction from this failure that maybe no one else can. The BCS is a quintesential example of the Orndoff Principle, and to see it go down in flames is quite satisfying. I will root for USC in the Rose Bowl, and they will be my National Champions if they win.

The stench of this thing goes deeper. According to the Washington Post, voters in the coach's poll agreed, at the onset of the BCS, to rate the BCS winner as number one, regardless of their own feelings. So, if USC wins on January 1, they will only be able to capture one title, the AP poll. That will still be enough for them to claim a share of the National Championship. More importantly, it will be enough for the BCS to be overhauled, and hopefully destroyed.

In other football news, Patrick Ramsey will no not play for the remainder of the season, and will undergo foot surgery in a matter of days. Elisabeth Hasselbeck's husband will start in Ramsey's stead, although Ramsey is expected to be the number one quarterback heading into mini-camps during the off-season. (What we'll probably have here is a QB controversy, which is exactly what the Skins do not need right now.)

Finally, the Washington Post has an article today detailing free agent moves in baseball. I'd love to talk about the Pirates here, but they don't seem to be making any moves, and may have, in fact, ceased to exist. Among the more interesting moves is the Expos not offering arbitration to Vladimir Guerrero, meaning Vlad can look for another team. There are rumors he may be heading to the Orioles, who have a lot of money to spend this off-season, but nothing's for sure at this point. Guerrero would be a good acquisition for the Birds, who could use his bat and his defensive prowess. That probably means they won't sign him. In fact, I think Jose Canseco might still be available, so you never know. There's actually some good news from the O's. They've released Catcher Brooke Fordyce, which hopefully means that Geronimania is here to stay. Who's in for T-shirts?

Tony

Bradley endorses Edwards
No, not really. But former Vice-President Al Gore has endorsed former Vermont Governor and Democratic front-runner Howard Dean. Gore said it was time for Dems to get behind the front-runner and present a united front next November in order to defeat Bush. Now, I don't like Al Gore. I've never made a secret of this. But, this endorsement is good news for Dean and bad news for almost everybody else. Gore, an establishment-type who has always been a creature of the party, has endorsed an insurgent candidate whose support is primarily grass-roots. This gives Dean's canidacy the only thing it lacked. Establishment credentials. One would have expected Gore to go with Kerry or Lieberman, but I guess he was waiting to see who the front-runner was and throw his weight behind him. There's nothing like winning, after all.

Is there a sinister ulterior motive at work here? Is Gore backing someone he knows will be destroyed in the general in order to position himself as a candidate in 2008? Maybe. Gore's not that old, and one can only assume still covets the presidency. Gore may be waiting to go all Nixon circa 1964 on us. If that's the case, then it is probably by far the most Machiavellian thing Gore has ever done. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Bill Kristol and E.J. Dionne Jr. squared off in today's post about the chances of Dean actually winning the presidency and who might be able to stop him from winning the nomination. Dionne actually makes a really good point about there being an "anybody-but-Dean" candidate:

And even if Rep. Richard Gephardt slows down the Dean machine by beating Dean in Iowa, Gephardt's continued viability could further slow the emergence of a single anti-Dean alternative.

Tony

Brahma Bull
Jamal Lewis needs to average 126 yards a game the rest of the season to break 2,000. And he gets to play the Browns again. Here's a good quote from a Len Pasquarelli story on ESPN.com:

"He's the kind of guy where, if you let him get rolling and get his pads down, he can just rip your arms out of the sockets," said Bengals middle linebacker Kevin Hardy.

Marc

Howard Dean Joins The Tinfoil Hat Brigade
Here's what Dean said on the Diane Rehm Show last week (transcript from Charles Krauthammer):

Diane Rehm: "Why do you think he [Bush] is suppressing that [Sept. 11] report?"

Howard Dean: "I don't know. There are many theories about it. The most interesting theory that I've heard so far -- which is nothing more than a theory, it can't be proved -- is that he was warned ahead of time by the Saudis. Now who knows what the real situation is?"

Boy, those Bush campaign ads are going to be some good watchin'.

Marc

End It, Don't Mend It
Tony Kornheiser sez abolish the Bowl Clusterfuck Series:

Let me make this as plain as possible: Any football team that can't win its own conference championship can't be allowed to play for the national championship.

Marc

Didya ever notice how soccer sucks?
As if I needed to provide you people with more proof of why soccer is a non-entity in this country, and always will be. A team in South America has gone on a hunger strike in order to protest wages they are owed from the team's owner. The owner has, graciously I thought, agreed to give them about $11,000 of the some $40,000 they are owed, after the sale of a car.

Tony

The Anti-Leon
This Sunday's Washington Post features a lengthy Sally Jenkins article about Patrick Ramsey. The pic on the left is possibly a picture of what Ramsey calls his most severe hit of all time. It occured last year against the Saints. After this three hundred pund plus behemoth thrust the entire weight of his body on to Ramsey, the article describes the aftermath:

Finally, Grady Jackson removed his bulk, and got to his feet, but as he walked away, he stepped on Ramsey's shin and dug his cleat into his leg for good measure. Ramsey lay there for a long moment, and then he raised himself to his hands and knees, slowly, and he opened his mouth, and he emitted a primal scream, a long guttural ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

It's worth the read, if only to see how severely he's been beaten up on this year. The Redskins have had 14 different quarterbacks in the past decade, and I desperately want Ramsey to be the future. But, if he isn't protected and the Skins can't manage to have consistency in the Coach's office, that's not going to happen. Unfortunately, what I see for Ramsey is pain in Washington, followed by a trade to a team where he can succeed, which I think he could. I like him, primarily because of his toughness and un-Leonitis. In fact, he hunts deer with a bow and arrow outside of Redskins Park on off days, and has killed three already this year. The article also describes what Ramsey looks like after a game:

"He's got so many bruises that the first thing we have to do is stop the bleeding, and get the swelling to go down," [Redskins trainer] Kleinschmidt says.

In other NFL news, Willis McGhee may see some PT this weekend. Too early? Who cares, it's the fucking Bills, and he's from Miami. I hope he gets hurt permanent

Tony

Grover Norquist is pissed (Hold me)
As Marc alluding to in his post yesterday, conservatives are having a hard time swallowing the Bush administration's spending frenzy. While Bush hasn't seen a loss of support amoung grassroots conservatives, he is beginning to take some heat from conservative eggheads, including Grover Norquist and places like Cato and Heritage foundation. I don't think this is going to carry any water, politically, at least not in the short term. However, if Bush continues to spend money on things outside of homeland security and the war on terror, conservatives may revolt. If it happened, you probably wouldn't see any effects until the mid-term elections in 2006 and possibly a conservative challenger to whoever Bush's hand-picked successor is in 2008. Here's a taste of the article:

But when a White House official presented this analysis to a meeting he attended recently, "I nearly laughed out loud," said Heritage's Riedl. He calculates that 55 percent of all new spending in the past two years, or $164 billion of $296 billion, is from areas unrelated to defense and homeland security. Unemployment benefits are up 85 percent, education spending up 65 percent. "It's really an across-the-board thing," he said. This has led federal spending to top $20,000 per household in today's dollars for the first time since World War II -- a jump of $4,000 in the past four years.

Two quick links form the world of politics: Al Sharpton's appearence on SNL tonight will not be seen in Iowa, due to equal time laws. What's most striking here is that there are 4 (four!) NBC affiliates in Iowa. My question is, outside of Des Moines, where are the other three? (I could do some research and find out, but they don't really pay me for that.)

Second, because we all wish it was 1995 again, Hillary Clinton and Newt Gingrich will be guests on Meet the Press this Sunday. Why? Probably the same reason Gingrich was elected speaker. Newt's a fun name to say.

Tony

Zing!
Freshman House Republican Tom Feeney told the Prez where to stick it when asked for his support on the geriatric welfare bill:

Feeney, a former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives whom many see as a rising star in the party, reportedly told Bush: "I came here to cut entitlements, not grow them."

Sources said Bush shot back, "Me too, pal," and hung up the phone.

Marc

The New York Times Is Reading My Thoughts
Well, not really. But look at this recent NYT story about Electoral College shifts, which discusses something I pointed out in an email from August of last year:

Check this out:

-If the states go the same way as in 2000, Bush picks up 7 EC votes due to Census reapportionment, making it 278-260 Bush.

-Bush lost Iowa (7), New Mexico (5), Oregon (7), and Wisconsin (10) by less than 10,000 votes. Flipping those 4 states makes it 307-231 Bush in 2004.

My email was inspired by the Electoral College Calculator. Take a look!

Marc