Author: thependulumswings staff

IT Gives Way to MT

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The information age: the time in which information has become a commodity and is quickly and widely disseminated and easily available through the use of television and computer technology.

Ah, those were the good old days.  The Information Age seems to have quickly and widely devolved into The Misinformation Age.  What’s that?  It’s when anybody says anything to anyone and the text, vine, vibe, blurb, tweet, or take takes off as if it has wings and merit.

In fact absorb Dr. Scott Gottlieb’s thoughts on CNBC this early morning as he was interviewed by Andrew Ross Sorkin (anyone who uses their middle name in full has an outsized ego and issues, but we digress).  Dr. Gottlieb served as the 23rd Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2017 until April 2019 during the Trump Administration.

Gottlieb said:

  1. He believes that the Delta variant has spread by a factor of 10x greater than what the CDC is reporting in positive case results weekly across the US.  In specific terms, that’s a million positive results, not 100k.
  2. He believes that booster shots should have started 3 weeks ago, and acutely so for the elderly.
  3. He expects the variant to spread rapidly to the north as it “likely” has peaked in the south.
  4. He also reasons that the UK is about three weeks ahead of us and has seen their caseloads drop from their top.  He expects a similar curve here in the US in about three weeks as well.

Here is what he didn’t say.

  1.  He is a paid contributor to CNBC.
  2.  He sits on the Pfizer Board of Directors.

While you are digesting that, note that on Thursday’s broadcast of CNN’s “AC360,” Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said that localities like Los Angeles County that are bringing back mask mandates are doing so “to protect the vaccinated as well as the unvaccinated,” and to prevent the “unvaccinated or vaccinated people with breakthrough infections from transmitting to others.”

Got that?  That’s covering all of the bases.

And, lastly, the job of the CDC just got more daunting.  In a leaked internal email it acknowledges the increased transmission percentages by the vaccinated.  Somehow it must continue to emphasize the efficacy of the vaccine, encourage booster shots, and acknowledge that vaccinated breakthrough individuals are carrying viral loads equal to and in some cases greater than the positive tested unvaccinated.

Three weeks ago Pres. Biden emphasized that the vaccinated need no longer wear masks.  This week Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi began fining those in the House that don’t.  Clear enough?

Covid-19 has mutated into the Delta variant.  That is info we can trust.

The Information Age has mutated into the full-blown Misinformation Age.  That is info that we can also trust.

What to believe?  What to believe?

 

 

Yesterday’s Questions, Today’s Thoughts

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Questions we had a few.  Fifteen actually.  That was so yesterday.

Thoughts, we have a few.  Today.  Five only.

But first a request.   BBR management has been actively seeking council both from the medical and legal community with concerns for our loyal reader’s safety.  As a result, beginning 8/1 it is our policy that we respectfully must require you to be masked when visiting this website.  Advances in internet interaction have reached a point where concerns about the ability of our virtual community to spread the dreaded Covid-19 or its variants are real.  Al Gore is both proud and saddened at this development.  Thank you for ensuring your safety and the safety of others.

We have a few observations.

  1. President Barrack Obama and his foundation joined forces to promote NBA Africa.  In a joint statement, the league and Obama look forward to promoting equality, wellness, social reform, and opportunity on the continent.  The NBA took it a step further by awarding the Obama Foundation a minority ownership position in NBA Africa.  That all sounds hunky-dory.  We wonder when Obama will use the enhanced pulpit (as if he needed an enhanced one) to denounce the NBA’s romance with and of Communist China.
  2. Eighteen Republicans signed on for a $1.2 trillion infrastructure Senate bill sight unseen. The needed 60 votes are there.  The bill actually hasn’t even been written yet.   The country’s debt is $30 trillion and counting.  The infrastructure bill will inevitably have as much to do with pork for representative’s pet projects as it will coast-to-coast infrastructure.
  3. One of our staff members is often asked what the difference between conservatives and Republicans is.  The answer in part is that no true conservative would vote for the above measure for a multitude of reasons.  Leading the charge is the biggest spending RINO(Republican In Name Only) of all, Mitch McConnell.  Lapdogging at his heels are Bill Cassidy, Lindsey Graham, and Mitt Romney.  Conservatives should and will vote against these bloviated elephants in their next bid for reelection.  Incumbents rarely lose in primaries.  We are in rare times.
  4. Since when does a vaccine need to be administered to 100% of the population for it to be effective?
vac·cine
vakˈsēn
noun
a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases, prepared from the causative agent of a disease, its products, or a synthetic substitute, treated to act as an antigen without inducing the disease.
      5. President Joe Biden used a visit to a Mack Truck facility in Pennsylvania on Wednesday to roll up his sleeves and assert solidarity with the workers, telling                them “I used to drive an 18-wheeler, man.” He offered no evidence to support the boast.  Should we call this a gaffe?  Or, an outright lie?  Does it matter?
In the movie The Karate Kid, did Mr. Miyagi tell Daniel Son, “wax on, wax off,” or was it “mask on, mask off?”  TGIF is only 15 hours away.

 

Underoos and Boosters

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

To mask or not to mask?  That is but one of the many questions that the CDC must ask, and answer.

Main St. (we have plenty of toilet paper and Clorox Wipes on the shelves) and Wall St. (new highs on major averages nearly weekly) are behaving much differently than last April 2020.  Meanwhile, the CDC, WHO, Fauci, and your ever-loving government seem like they can’t get out of the middle of a busy intersection.

They have a few questions to answer.  Again, we might add.

In no particular order, we pose more than two handfuls below.

  1.  Do masks really help? No, really help?
  2.  If they do why aren’t we all wearing them again right now?  Why only the hot spots CDC?  Why not the other spots before they turn into hot spots as well?
  3. Should we call the vaccines, well, vaccines?  Or should we call them therapeutics?  When you hear about needing a booster (3rd shot) after a scant few months you have to wonder.  When you hear Pfizer’s initial two doses may only have a 40% retention of the antibodies after only four months you have to wonder even more.
  4. How can pro golfer Jon Rahm test positive six weeks ago, go into quarantine, get fully vaccinated, and test positive yet again this past week? If you trust the tests, which is a whole other box of swabs, then Rahm’s results make you wonder why we test and why we get vaccinated.
  5. Where is the “science” or “data” (the two most overused words on the planet in the last 15 months) that compares positive tested adults’ resiliency to reoccurrence v. vaccinated adults?
  6. Why did Biden campaign against the “reckless way” Trump rushed the vaccines to the market and now blame those unvaccinated for the latest wave?  Seems like a mixed message.  Also, how can the border be wide open during a pandemic?
  7. Why do those that scream that it is a women’s right to choose also scream at the unvaccinated as if they have no right to choose? If your answer is that they are two totally different circumstances, you may be right and you may be wrong at the same time.
  8. Is anyone working on a better vaccine?  We assume that private enterprise and capitalism are always doing what the market rewards, but the noise is quite silent around this.   Why aren’t people demanding this and holding the Administration’s feet to the fire?
  9. Is big brother actively encouraging pharma to do so?  Are they incentivizing it? We give away billions every day.  Maybe we could call it infrastructure to speed it along?  Maybe we could call it climate change remediation to speed it along?
  10.  Where did the flu go?  How did we drop from millions of cases in a year to next to none?  Ah, was it because of masks, washing hands, and social distancing that it went away?  If so, why hasn’t that worked on Covid-19?  More contagious you say?  Then why are we doing it in the first place then?
  11.  Does wearing a mask on your chin help?  Does wearing a mask only to cover your mouth help?
  12. Now that we have a Delta variant and a Lambda variant can a third be far off?  Should we publicize the future names now as we do for the hurricane season?  In today’s world of equality, half need to be male and half female names.   And, don’t forget the acceptable pronouns.
  13. Can anyone make Joy (was there ever a worst first name given relative to the person’s disposition?) Behar close that worthless yapper of hers?  Yesterday she said that we should begin to “threaten” those who remain unvaccinated.  It wasn’t that long ago that individual freedoms were the ever-present battle cry from the left.  It still is depending upon the subject.  See question seven above.
  14.  If you have a child ages 2-12 will you get them vaccinated when the CDC and the FDA say that the shot or shots are safe?  Why?
  15.  If you have a 3-5-year-old have you bought the mask that Fauci wants your child to wear to preschool?  Crayons, Underoos, lunch boxes, and masks.

Questions, we had a few.

 

 

Guardians of Education

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

 

In case you missed it(ICYMI), yesterday the Kansas City Chiefs announced that they will retire Warpaint, their longtime Native American/Indian pony mascot that has roused fans at Arrowhead Stadium since 1955.

If you’re quite young or quite woke you very likely did not need the “ICYMI.”  In fact, you might be ROTF that we included it.  But if you’re a bit older, or not so woke, you might be asking WTF.

“We feel like it’s time to retire Warpaint,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan exclaimed. “Lot of reasons for that, but we just feel like it’s the right thing to do. So, Warpaint won’t be running at Arrowhead anymore.”

“We’ll continue the conversations,” Donovan added. “We’ll continue to take the path that we’ve taken. As I said, educating ourselves and educating our fans, creating opportunities to create awareness is important.”  Perhaps Donovan’s middle initials are PC?

“We made some significant changes last year, which we are proud of and we believe were the right things to do,” he emphasized.  Donovan also said that they are still considering eliminating the war drumbeat that opens up home games. Though, opposition to that is high.

Does that matter though if it’s yet another creative opportunity to create awareness?  Create, create, and create.

All of this comes just a few days after the Cleveland Indians renamed and rebranded themselves as the Cleveland Guardians.

How did the city that once was so polluted it caught its own river on fire get from the Indians to the Guardians?  The Guardians of Traffic statues have flanked both sides of the Hope Memorial Bridge since 1932. Each of the four-winged Art Deco figures sports winged helmets and crowns, and each statue holds a different vehicle to signify “the spirit of progress in transportation,” per bridge engineer Wilbur Watson.

That’s right Indian fans, you now get to cheer for progress in transportation.  Go Electric Car, Go!  But, stay out of the river.

Meanwhile, back in KC, what’s left to educate us?  Maybe it’s time for the nickname “Chiefs” to go.

If the Washington Football Team drops Football Team and actually gets to a nickname, maybe KC could be PC for a year and be the KC PC Football Team.  And, a year later they could evolve into the Kansas City Educators as their team president so succinctly told us they were doing above.

Washington, the team formerly known as the Redskins, is down to a scant few choices for nicknames.  Could one be the Washington Politically Correct?

Who knew just how uneducated and close-minded we all were?

The Atlanta Braves know.

For now.

NVM.

 

 

 

The Eyes of Texas Are Wandering

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Deep in the heart of Texas hearts have been broken.  Now more are about to be broken.

Last season the Houston Rockets and James Harden broke off an eight-plus-year relationship.  It had its ups and downs and ended without an NBA Championship. The decision was mutual to part.   Weeks later, J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans ended a ten-year relationship.  Together they had more down seasons, but J.J. could hold his head up high walking out of the door.

Fast forward to the now, and wow!

DeShaun Watson, the face of an otherwise faceless Houston Texans franchise wants out long term, but wants in short term.  Fall camp opens tomorrow and Watson’s headed there.  He won’t be there for long as the Texans will send him home to avoid more and more questions about their plans after the tumultuous offseason that Watson has had.

Failure to report would cost Watson a smooth 50k a day in fines.  Reporting, then being told you are no longer loved here saves him that same 50k a day.  Divorces can be messy and expensive you know.  It’ll get worse too.

Persona non-Grata Watson is untradable until his off-field civil and possibly criminal proceedings gain clarity.  But that hasn’t stopped the Texans from asking for all of the jewelry in the split.  The NFL rumor mill whispers that the Texans have floated that they want 5 high draft picks in exchange for Watson.  Marijuana isn’t legal in Texas yet, but the front office might be a bit high with this ask.

We’ll call Watson and the Texans situation a permanent split, final divorce settlement pending.  In these inflationary times, those massages have gotten more and more costly by the hour.

And these dysfunctional relationships are even happening at a younger age.  Colleges suddenly are breaking up, or at least they are about to.   It’s fully expected that the U of Texas and the U of Oklahoma will announce to the Big 12 league offices today that they plan to leave the Big 12 to join the SEC when their contract runs out after the 2024-5 season.

The schools were flirting with the SEC for six months behind closed doors prior to the affairs becoming public knowledge late last week.

Texas A&M liked joining the SEC ten years back. It had the State of Texas’ SEC dance floor all to itself.   Now UT wants to break in right in the middle of the slow song.  A&M doesn’t like to share the dance floor with Texas.  So the SEC and A&M have some hurt feelings to smooth over as well.

The buyout on the UT and Okla Big 12 deals is about 70mil a piece to exit prior to 2025.  But, the extra SEC money will soothe some of that pain and ESPN already jumped in to say they can help a bit as well.  Friends take sides in divorces.

A story broke this AM that the Big 12 is willing to look past this indiscretion and will offer each of the two schools an additional 1/2 of a tv share.  That would turn 37mil a year into 53mil or so for Texas and Oklahoma.

So, for the scorned(Baylor, Texas Tech, Okie St., etc.) the choices at the moment are 1) give up about 3mil a year a school to keep the two tv moneymakers, or 2) look for other suitors.  Relationships are built on compromise (read as lack of leverage).

Will it move the needle?  Follow the money.

The eyes of America are upon them as the eyes of Texas have been wandering.

Poof!

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Want to see a quick magic act?  Watch closely as three letters (NIL) will make four letters (NCAA) disappear.

Abracadabra alakazam!  And so it is, and so it will be.

Name, Image, and Likeness is a money-making opportunity for NCAA “student-athletes” that is monetizing rather quickly.  The possibilities are endless and the money plentiful.

For the NCAA, it’s too many holes in the dam to keep the water out.  So, early this week NCAA President Mark Emmert stated publicly that he thinks that the individual conferences should self-monitor the do’s and dont’s of the new frontier.

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban responded to an SEC media days question Wednesday by announcing that his 2021 first time starter to be Bryce Young has inked deals that approach a total of seven figures.

And, the rich are about to get richer.  Texas and Oklahoma are chatting with the SEC about joining and expanding the conference to sixteen heavyweights.  More super teams in a super conference mean much more TV money.

In college tennis, all of the above would be called game, set, and match.  In NCAA football, the real moneymaker, all of that is called a game-changer.

Eighteen-year-olds from coast to coast who might be “taking their talents” to this university or that one, are also now increasingly verbalizing that they are “working on their brand.”  The truth is they aren’t a brand.  But the best ones, or the ones who go to the college that can best exploit/promote them, can resemble an ATM.

And last evening ESPN ran a story about high schooler Mickael Williams (the next Michael Jordan?) inking a NIL deal or three as he and his marketing team “work on his brand.”

You might be wondering, where does it stop?  The answer is that it doesn’t really.  It will seek its level much like under the table money does.

If you’re that good, you’ll get paid.  If you’re not, the money will go away eventually.

For every Air Jordan “brand” there are thousands of air balls.

Five-star yesterday, NIL money today, and not drafted tomorrow is always a possibility.

But for the current makeup of the NCAA it’s here today, and gone tomorrow.

 

Let The Games……

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

There’s no time like the present unless you want to wait a year.  And, time heals all wounds unless it doesn’t.  And so it goes for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics as they will officially open in 24 hours.  It’s 2021, but better late than never.

And for many, the Olympics is about to start(maybe), or is over, or started and nearly over before it officially starts.  Got that?

For one the Olympics were over before they started. American Sha’Carri Richardson qualified for the women’s 100-meter dash and was expected to be on the 4×100 meter relay team as well.  She failed a drug test for marijuana and will watch(or not) from the U.S.

Her error seems awfully insignificant compared to what follows.

For one it ended right before it started. Organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto said a day ahead of the opening ceremony that its opening ceremony director, Kentaro Kobayashi, has been dismissed. Kobayashi used a joke about the Holocaust in his 1998 comedy act, including the phrase “Let’s play Holocaust.”  1998 is a long time ago, but some things should never be forgotten or trivialized.

Out goes the music composer for the opening as well.  Earlier this week, composer Keigo Oyamada, whose music was to be used at the ceremony, was forced to resign because of past bullying of his classmates, which he boasted about in magazine interviews. The segment of his music will not be used.

For the fans, it’s must-see TV because it’s must stay away due to the latest pandemic concerns.  The ceremony will be held without spectators as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections, although some officials, guests, and media will attend.  Maybe some officials, guests, and media types don’t spread the disease?

On Thursday(Japan is 12 hours ahead of the US) the positive Covid cases in Japan soared to heights not seen since January 15th with nearly 2000 cases.  The country’s population is 126 million.  if you are wondering what 2000/126,000,000 is, it’s 1.5 people per 100,000.  Extrapolated over a week and it’s 1 in 10,000.  Better safe than sorry “they” say.

For the USWNT (United States Women’s National Soccer Team) the games have started before the opening ceremony.  And, after kneeling before the start of the opener, their 3-0 loss to Sweden in match one has the team with 44 wins in a row prior in a must-win situation.  They’ll most likely need to win out to advance to the medal round.

Politically charged player Megan Rapinoe called it “do or die mode.”  Maybe she should have visited the White House four years ago when she and her teammates won gold and were invited to.

Meanwhile.  “We are going to have the opening ceremony tomorrow, and yes, I am sure there are a lot of people who are not feeling easy about the opening of the Games,” Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto said.

Let the games(Olympic or otherwise) begin, continue, or end.

It’s 2021, but is it better never than late?

 

 

Six(?) Piece Nuggets-Random

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Let’s make a deal.  We’ll feed you as many nuggets as we can cook up by 8:30 CDT.  We’re late against the deadline. So, hopefully, you’re not too ravaged this fine summer Friday morning.

  1.  LA County has reinstituted face masks as mandatory due to a barely discernable blip on their new cases tracking graph.  Too soon?  Time will tell.  Cali was the first to declare a state-wide emergency when the pandemic spread across the US last March.  One wonders why they are waiting five days prior to instituting it if it’s that dire, however.
  2. After ripping his driver and then getting ripped right back by a representative from Cobra Golf, Bryson DeChambeau issued an apology Thursday, saying he was “unprofessional” and that his emotions got the best of him after a bad first round at The Open.  Mr. Physics needs a Mr. Psych.  His brain operates on a plane that is either way ahead or way behind most of ours.  You pick.
  3. The Biden Administration openly admitted that they were working closely with Facebook to eliminate negative or contrary views to the vaccine.  Big government and Big Tech can do wonderful things together.  This isn’t one of them.  Big Tech is a bunch of companies that can control messaging to the degree that their posters tolerate.  When government helps, it’s not helping.  Boil it down to one word-censorship.
  4. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for more transparency from the Chinese Communist dictatorship, admitting getting access to raw data had been a challenge for the W.H.O. team that traveled to China earlier this year to investigate the source of the virus.    It’s weird that a year ago he ripped Donald Trump’s speech asking for an investigation. That’s an Olympic-sized flip.  Comforting.  Rip, then flip.  Bonus points for any reader that pronounces his name correctly the first time.  We’ll wait.
  5. A judge ordered free-agent cornerback Richard Sherman be released from jail without bail Thursday following his arrest on suspicion of trying to break into his in-laws’ home northeast of Seattle.  King County District Court Judge Fa’amomoi Masaniai found probable cause that Sherman committed four offenses: misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass in the second degree, malicious mischief in the third degree — both carrying domestic violence designations — and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and driving under the influence.   Where’s the #metoo outrage?  The race to the bottom is hotly contested between Portland, Seattle, and the Big Apple.
  6. “We stand in solidarity with the Cuban people and condemn the suppression of the media, speech, and protest. We also call for an end to the U.S. embargo and additional Trump-era restrictions that are profoundly contributing to the suffering of Cubans.”  That was AOC’s tweet yesterday.  Is there a lick of doubt that the DNC has polling data that shows that blaming anything on Donald J. Trump plays well with the Democrat’s base?

We asked if someone could call the weatherman in the South last week to get the rain to stop.  Consider this a second request.

 

This….Is…..CNN

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

CNN is at it again.  Haven’t you noticed?  That’s understandable if you haven’t yet returned to the gym or been through an airport post-Covid.

Yesterday, treadmill humming along, one of our staff members noticed the dreaded Covid new cases reported box firmly entrenched on the right side of their broadcast all over again.  In font normally reserved for DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN, the readout showed 17,149 new cases of Covid last week in total and its fast-growing sidekick the Delta variant as the root cause.

The weekly total (17,149) represents a whopping 49% increase week over last week per the second CNN graphic.

“They” say that numbers don’t lie.  And, if you take “they” at their word it breaks down as follows.  Forty-nine percent sounds explosive.  Dog bites man isn’t a story.  Man bites dog is.

However, here is another way of looking at 17,149 new cases.  If you divide the cases into the population in America that we can count (approx 330 mil) your abacas will soon show that it’s about 1 new case for every 20,000 people living on American soil.  Numbers, even small ones, don’t lie.

Then the story took a turn.  Instead of blaming Trump for his poor leadership during the pandemic (he’s no longer in office in case you’ve been away for a bit), the announcers took turns slamming Republicans and Independents for being far less vaccinated than Democrats.   It’s not Biden’s fault now, but it was Trump’s fault then.

But, the funny/sad/confusing/outrageous thing is that the World Health Organization is recommending that all vaccinated adults continue to wear a face mask to minimize the spread.  Hmm.

This all may be news to you as CNN’s ratings, low v. MSNBC and FOX for years, have fallen even further post-election.

For example, 8 pm EST host Chis Cuomo garners only 15% of the three cable news networks’ total viewership.  You remember Cuomo.  He is the self-aggrandizing guy who emerged from his own basement to hug his family on live TV when he had heroically fought off the virus last year.  Fifteen percent viewership is an even deeper basement to climb out of.

But never let facts get in the way of a good narrative.  Enter Dr. Fauci, everyone’s favorite disease specialist.  Yesterday, the good doctor went on national tv and highly recommended that all children unvaccinated, but over the age of two, should wear a mask.  Two.   Good luck.

Fauci is 80 years old.  He may not remember how active two-year-olds were 78 years ago.  Or, today.

With no vaccine approval for ages 2-12 yet, doesn’t this set up well (if you like the narrative) or poorly(if you don’t) for a back-to-school fiasco?

If a teacher’s union or three refused to reenter the classrooms this fall Biden and Co. could fully support them and blame those lousy unvaccinated Republicans.

CNN likely is prepping the story now.

If you’re working out or flying you might even see it.

 

 

The Spirit of St. Louis

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

In 1903 the Wright brothers’ first flight ever went about 300 yards .  Twenty-four years later Charles Lindbergh flew The Spirit of St. Louis 3600 miles nonstop across the Atlantic from New York to Paris.  America applauded and St. Louis roared.

In 1995 the NFL Los Angeles Rams relocated to St. Louis.  Twenty years later the St. Louis Rams completed the round trip relocating to Los Angeles from St. Louis.  America sighed and St. Louis cried.

St. Louis contends that once Stan Groenke fully bought out his previous partners it was all but wheels up for the franchise to head west.  And after a series of legal steps and missteps, a lawsuit hit the NFL yesterday like the Rams’ Fearsome Foursome used to hit Archie Manning.

The massive lawsuit filed by St. Louis against the NFL over the relocation of the Rams will (barring a settlement) culminate with a full-blown trial, which is due to begin just as the Rams prepare to host a Super Bowl in their new stadium.

In short, the Rams felt that they had every right to break their agreements and stadium lease in St Louis in 2015, while St. Louis did and still does not.  The Rams cited serious deficiencies in their then existing stadium, serious revenue shortages in their proposed riverfront new one, population stagnation, and lack of predicted future growth as legal and otherwise reasons to take flight.

The Rams took their case to the NFL heavyweights to ask for permission to log a flight plan.

The NFL publicly granted that permission while knowing that Groenke had purchased a massive amount of land in LA to relocate the team there and surround it with a multi-billion dollar entertainment and housing complex.

This became known in a phone call between the Rams owner, a few other owners, and none other than the Commissioner who presides over wrongdoings and punishment in NFL matters,

Roger Goodell.  During the conversation, Kroenke said, “I’m going to buy two parcels of land and build a stadium in L.A.,” and that he’s trying very hard to stay under the radar screen and keep it hidden. Goodell said, “We will respect your confidentiality.”

The judge, who made the ruling from the bench (which means the evidence pointing to it was clear), concluded that clear and convincing proof exists to support a finding that those individuals operated fraudulently.

At the heart of it, Rams COO Kevin Demoff gave Goodell talking points regarding the land purchase for his pre-Super Bowl press conference in 2014. Here’s part of what he said, “Stan is a very successful developer. He has billions of dollars of projects that are going on around the country in real estate development. So I think instead of overreacting, we should make sure we do what’s necessary to continue to support the team locally as the fans have done in St. Louis.  There are no plans to my knowledge of a stadium development.”

And, soon thereafter St. Louis’ heart was broken.

And, now the plaintiffs in the litigation shall have access to information regarding the financial worth of Commissioner Roger Goodell and five NFL owners: Rams owner Stan Kroenke, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Giants owner John Mara, and former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson.

The financial info is necessary as a barometer to determine the punitive damages if the defendants are ruled guilty and restoration is to be paid.

The old saying is “money talks.”  But, old people with money don’t like others talking about their money.

The city of St. Louis, which feels like their community was harshly and unfairly criticized, won a game yesterday v. the entire NFL.

But, they should remember that the entire USFL once won an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL and got treble the damages caused by the heinous NFL actions.

The damage awarded by a jury was exactly one U.S. dollar.

The lawyers got rich.  The NFL got richer and richer.  And, the USFL got three dollars to fold into their wallet before they folded their league.

So, stay tuned.  If nothing else, one should admire the spirit of St. Louis.