AKC

It's the essence of the two party system to have the choices in most instances come out close- it's what protects us from either of those parties going too far with ideas that are unpopular. It's another of our checks and balances that don't happen in a parliamentary system where radicals can get into the govenment and make deals to forward their radical agendas through power sharing coalitions. It's effect keeps our government more mainstream. The divide in the country is only the declining significance of the Democrat message, and if the Dems would like to get back in the race they'll have to make adjustments. Pondering why the public is rejecting them while they "own the issues" isn't going to do it IMO.

I don't buy that "divided country" theory. It seems to me if you truly believe it you would also have to accept that the election results prove it's "less divided" than it was 4 years ago. More and more citizens are choosing the message of the right, and the right has been rewarded with control of EVERYTHING in return for the populations adoption of their message. Another huge factor in this "divide" is the last gasps of the liberal media. War is difficult and controversial yes, but imagine this election with a truly unbiased media- imagine the Los Angeles and New York Times NOT for all intents and purposes running their own free, full time campaigns for Kerry for the months leading up to the election. Imagine Networks like CBS NOT brainwashing citizens with their biased tripe, fabricated evidence and reckless reporting. Imagine a level playing field from the media standpoint and I believe you'd see even more historic numbers in retrospect. I'm with Brandon as I said before on the "issues"- I believe it's exactly the thing that is killing the left. Here's my test- do you have a new idea of improving America or is does your answer to every challenge include the need to spend more money? Because it seems every hot issue today: Education, Health Care, Social Security, etc. is answered in the same way by the Democrats- we'll spend more money. And the next question is "where do we get that money" with the answer "We'll tax the rich". That isn't an answer that is resonating with our populace anymore. Tired message, stale answer: I think the left needs a whole new attitude. Check out the opening of this column: One Perspective

If the issues were in any way on their side I can't find a logical explantion for the current state of our politics. Yesterday the electorate in the United States followed the trend over the past 25 years of growing the power of the right. To me the only chance the left has of a swift recovery is to immediately abandon exactly what you are suggesting- that they have the issues on their side. Gay Marriage. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate. Health Care is a red herring- for some reason the left keeps thumping on an issue they don't actually own because a large number of voters realize all their proposals are astronomically unaffordable. So they spend time and money on pursuing it while by the time voters enter the ballot booth it doesn't end up cutting their way- even in our granola-eating 5-second attention span home State the "government" health care plan on our ballot yesterday was voted down. By the same people who voted Gray Davis into power ;-) Education. This is my biggest gripe with the left. Only a monster would stand in the way of children getting the best education possible. And the Teacher's Union and their political beneficiaries in the Democratic Party are exactly that- monsters- for obstructing competitive experiments like vouchers. The argument that "they might choose a religious school" is insane- the choice is between an awful public school education or the kids get 45 minutes of Cain and Abel every day makes that choice incredibly clear. Dems only THINK they own the education issue- if education was the #1 topic of the '08 election the public is plenty smart enough to see that Dems and the Teacher's Unions are far more interested in self-preservation than the quality of eduction our children get, and I don't see the issue playing out as "favorable" to them if the spotlight were put on the type of monsters they are for denying it just to pad Democratic coffers and keep a system that is beyond repair fully greased with money. It's proven that private schools can offer children BETTER education with LESS money per student, and standing in the way of that is hardly being on the right side of the education issue. If the left is to halt their continuing slide into insignificance they must either admit who they are (like conservatives did starting with Reagan), stand up and say "I'm liberal and proud of it", or they must move to the middle. The little smoke and mirror job Schrum and McCullum tried to pull with the very liberal Kerry fooled very few centrist Americans in the end.

I haven't gone to the Westminster Bill's Bar but I've heard good things- maybe you can clarify MVP Sports Grill 14160 Beach Boulevard, Westminster, CA 92683

You might find the Lion's Den to your liking. It's close to John Wayne Airport.

Tell me, honestly- does your babysitter know you're still awake?

Still waiting- I'm sure if you sit there long enough you can coax one out! If not there's plenty of products that will assist you in your venture, let me recommend starting simply with some added fiber?

Actually I believe we're waiting upon your very first "fact". Let me know when to expect it!

Registering allows you to establish a track record, and in the overall of a community like this it is a benefit to all- none less than yourself.

Bledsoe has been blamed for every dropped pass this season, every defensive gaffe leading to a late score and the shooting of Bobby Kennedy. By all means, excuse my cynicism when an unregistered poster trys to downplay the very best performance in the red zone of any quarterback in the NFL this past weekend.

Since you appear fully consumed by our week 2 game why don't you go out and compile the stats, then share them with us along with the reason why those stats from week 2 are so much more compelling to you than the week 8 stats of a team with a new coach, a new starting running back and a brand new scheme? Before proceeding, and in the interest of your answer to why week 2 consumes so much of your thought, you might look at the current board and try and figure out why the topic of our most current game is prevalent over the other games we've played. Let me give you a hint- rearange the letters to find your answer: mercentost

Then dispute the facts in my post. That's a dare- see you later! Or under some other unregistered title of foolishness.

I'll leave "loving" our players to others with more random chromosomal orders. For my money I like seeing the players on our roster who can do the most immediate good for us playing. All Bledsoe has done this season is play 6 of 7 games well within the system designed by our coaches who have asked to have it implemented by him on the field. 6 of 7, I like those kinds of numbers. As for love you'll need to look elsewhere.

It might brighten your outlook to know that Martin's numbers through the year have declined in all but one week (against SanFran) 196 119 110 77 111 70

Shouldn't you be preparing to soften up the Jets for us? ;-)

Of course he does, and never let any facts that challenge that premise get in the way of allowing your opinion to be overtly influenced by those who spend every Sunday watching the football on every snap. There's probably lots of us who could throw for more yards than all but 10 QBs in the history of the NFL!

It's hard to imagine being a fan of the Bills and not viewing a very good effort against a team who has played pretty well against some of the teams considered the best in the league ( Seattle/Falcons/Pats) and kept all their O numbers down. I'm no Denny Green fan but he is a superior regular season coach and the Cards HAVE played well on D this season. Sunday was the type of game we hoped we'd see early in the season and it's disappointing we had to wait, but now that there's signs the team WILL run the ball the way a deliberate back like Willis obviously can it seems a little more prudent to put away the bags of Sour Balls and get back behind the roster and team we'll be watching for the balance of the season. It won't change that we should have snuffed the Traiders in their house, but a couple of good games in the next 2 weeks would go a long way in predicting what we might expect under the Mularkey flag over the long haul.

With 5 scores in 5 trips to the Red Zone Sunday Drew Bledsoe had the league's highest points per Red Zone penetration among all QBs with multiple Red Zone opportunities in week 8. Arizona's #1 ranking in Red Zone Defense entering the game comes in a year of diminishing Red Zone scoring from teams league wide, a statistic attributed by some to increased pressure up the middle by defensive lines/ improved physicality of corners/ more spread formations being used in the RZ and inviting pressure packages from defenses. Arizona's fast start on defense in '04 was helped mightily by the addition of Darnell Docket to play alongside Russell Davis in the middle of their DLine, and until Sunday the duo had created plenty of RZ pressure against teams like New England ( held to just 3 FGs in 4 Red Zone opportunities in the second half of their 23-12 week 2 game ), their 6-3 loss to Michael Vick and the Falcons ( 2 FGs in 4 RZ opps) or their 25-17 win over Seattle in Week 7.

The emergence of Ron Edwards as a 2 gap penetrating tackle is incredibly promising considering his lack of sustained performance in his career prior to this season. I had little faith in him becoming a possible strength of our line coming into '04 but Krumrie is getting seriously strong play from him on single teams this season- Edwards can flat blow up interior OLineman when left with a single team and has the ability to penetrate a double at times. IMO the staff has really figured out how to mix Edwards in and it is not good for opponents facing us- it's also especially good for Schobel who keeps insisiting on relying on his outside rush. 5 trips to the red zone, 4 TDs and a FG. Hmmmmm........... It's too funny to imagine us using Bannon as an HBack/blocker for our running back in the red zone- while it worked yesterday it does not speak highly of our blocking skills at two other positions ;-) First drive was a pass-happy, second one looked like we'd drive the ball down their throats the rest of the day- the offense continues to search for identity but the good news is that we won't see as many excellent interior DLines as the season wears on. The likelihood is that our running game will end up being the buzz about our team that follows us into the pre-season pubs before 2005. Watching Josh Reed and our trainers on the field after returning a punt and apparently taking a helmet in the knee was a continued reminder of what I hate about having NateC return punts. I can never get the risk/reward ratio to favor the reward side of the equation.

Only if the diners have carnal knowledge of or prior lust for said equine ;-)

Lizard can be great, Chuckwalla is a superior one with VERY tasty meat. Snake is OK to good in small quantities, the problem with cat is it's foul even in a single bite.

The truth is it's one of the worst meats of all, a real last option. Keep in mind that I watched Sunday's game in a bar in Mexico eating lengua tacos, just this past June I ate (on purpose) a pigs brain in Costa Rica (the little lady joined me for the very nice but incredibly rich organ) and I've tried way too many Asian "delicacies" to list here, but having tried cat I have to say it is downright nasty- oily and tough with a seriously foul flavor. If I was in charge of preparing it I'd choose braising or wet roasting in a very hot pepper base, then throwing the base away and serving the cat with some sauce that had none of its rendering. Enjoy!

With the change at RB I won't be surprised at all to see our team move up before the end of the season to become a top rushing team. I believe that will happen with the OLinemen we have on the roster. The reason I think that will happen is that in watching the two different styles between Henry and McGahee I see our "former" starter who wants to hit a hole and run, take it off the exchange and dash into a hole. We both know that's not been an "ideally" fruitful style, in fact I'm leaning towards the opinion that it might just be making our line look less competent than they may really be. I base that on when McGahee gets the ball behind the same guys running the same scheme- I keep noticing his patience in letting the blocking mature before he makes his move. It's an interesting trait for a guy McGahee's size- a 240 pounder with some of the blocking instincts of Thurman Thomas? It's intriguing and too long in coming this season. From this I believe with Willis in the starting role the line will look better than they do with Travis as starter (in my opinion it's already evident). I also think if Travis can keep his juvenile sensitivities in check he'll excel as the change-up back who hits holes quickly in spot duty. He can therefore increase his off-season value becasue his fuble number will be reduced by his more limited opportunities to fumble and that will hopefully allow some team manager to covet him going into 2005. And before we COMPLETELY give up Big Mike remember one stat from this season that we might be paying a lot more attention to with this starting RB change- Willis is averaging a full 4.9 yards per carry over the right side at this time. When he gets a chance to pound on a team like Arizona all day long and go into the 4th with the lead I wonder if he might not just extend that average a bit higher?

Strike while the iron is hot :-) Seeing that Sunday we'll face Arizona and Willis is slated to go end to end here's one voice who says you will not be able to say the same thing next week.

You can't possibly be serious. A fabricated formula that has been exposed since the introduction of the West Coast offense to be fatally flawed? Do you honestly believe that Steve Young was the best QB of all time as the "Passer Ratings" suggest? You honestly would rest your reputation on TBD stating that Dante Culpepper and Jeff Garcia are among the top 10 Quarterbacks of ALL TIME? Please stop with your obvious attempt at humor- you can't in any lifetime be suggesting that Brad Johnson and Brian Griese are the 15th and 16th best QB in the History of The NFL?!!! Here, let's explore your theorum- Are Brad Johnson and Brian Griese even the 15th and 16th best QBs in the NFL TODAY? You've got them at 15 and 16 ALL-TIME, where do they rate among the league's best in their own era? I'm ANXIOUS to hear your answer!!!!