GeekPol's evil twin

If you read the Alberto Gonzales entry below, this is actually a bit like that, even though it's about football.

Walt Harris, who coaches the Pittsburgh (don't call them Pitt) Panthers, uses the Swinging Gate formation on extra points sometimes. It's when the snapper, kicker and holder line up in the middle while the rest of the team lines up off to the side. There;s a possibility that the snapper will send the ball to someone on the side if the defense doesn't react to it. Usually, the line will shift into a normal formation.

Pittsburgh got flagged twice for doing it, and it may have cost them a game against Texas A&M. Why? Because their snapper's number is 91, which is for eligible receivers and not for linemen. There was also someone else on the line wearing number 45. Under the rules, there can only be one exception on kick formations to linemen having numbers between 50 and 79. They had two, therefore the flags. The penalties resulted in a kick attempt being 30 yards and pushed wide right.

A&M coach R.C. Slocum probably noticed this in films and asked officials to watch for it. They did and made the call accordingly. Harris' excuse for it? "I heard they did that, but the hard part is that we've done it before with other referees in different conferences."

That explanation is not unlike Gonzales' excuse for Ashcroft's raping of the Constitution, which was essentially, "Congress won't call us on it, so we'll do it."

Someone from the GOP is pulling dirty tricks in South Dakota. Wouldn't be surprised if it were someone from out-of-state.

And now, some gridiron news from the, "Yes that really happened" department.

Ahman Green is a running back of rather considerable ability who plays for the Green Bay Packers. He also has a bit of a problem with fumbleitis, which he had back in Nebraska. And his and the Packers' explanation?

Arm sweat. (I am not making this up.) Anyway, he's trying different long-sleeve tops to see if he can keep the sweat off the ball. Result in game 1: 197 total yards, 2 fumbles.

You mean it came as a surprise that football players sweat on their arms during games?

The Daily Howler incomparably trains its sights on New Republic writer Michael Crowley, who singles out John Kerry for character flaws that are revealed by his mere act of running for President. Funny how Kerry as a Presidential candidate should be singled out as being flawed because he does what any Presidential candidate does in running for President. It should be needless to say, but the analysis of Crowley's piece is up to the Howler's incomparable standards.

I do take issue with Somerby's characterization of TNR as "perhaps our brightest political periodical." Sorry, Bob, but that hasn't been the case since favorite TDH whipping boy and engineer of the Conservative Crack-up Andy Sullivan was editor. It's still a haven for political nitwittery that was so egregiously displayed by Crowley in his John Kerry piece. Underread periodicals such as The American Prospect are much better.

Encouraging sign that the apocalypse may not be upon us: aspiring military brass believe that defense of one's country includes defense of the Constitution. It's pretty clear that young Naval officers take the Constitution a bit more seriously than does George Bush or his lackeys. When asked how war with Iraq without a legislative approval could be justified, White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales' answer was, in a nutshell, "Because Congress is too lazy to stop us."

The young officers were not impressed.

Did you do a hit-and-run on a black kid? If you're an off-duty and drunk Minneapolis police officer, no problem.

I'd say it reminds me of Philadelphia, but a similar cover-up there got exposed and people went to jail.

Thanks to the new film SwimFan, Mr. Filthy has found a purpose in life.

David Lublin, professor at American U., on how black politicians in Georgia get enough white support to win seats. It also underlines that majority-black districts are unnecessary and counterproductive. Now if someone could get that through Lacy Clay's (D-MO 1st) head, what with his pouting that his district wasn't drawn to be majority-black.

The Strib has something on how the Shrubbery is pouting about Jesse Ventura's (I-strength coach) impending trip to Cuba. Well, turns out the criticism is really ripe and stinky coming from the gob of pardoned terrorist sympathizer and Cuban exile Otto Reich. A quote:

"It is not in our interests to have a hostile terrorist state continue in power 90 miles from our shores," Reich said during a State Department news briefing. "And it would be one of the greatest ironies in history if the wealth of the American private sector is what keeps that failed government from finally collapsing."

I'm sure no one from the neutered press bothered asking Reich about his support for Cuban exile terrorist Orlando Bosch.

Because everyone else is, here's JEB!

via Hesiod at Counterspin Central, who did something to boost my hit count by linking to me. Anything worth reading about Bill McBride comes from there.

The bad news: Way Too Much Sense is going away.

The good news: The guy who does Way Too much Sense will replace it with something called Republicans Are Idiots. Right to the point.