Author: thependulumswings staff

Two Down Under in the SEC

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

As we wrote yesterday, the NCAA college football season is here.   How about a big hooray?  HOORAY!

Let’s continue today with our favorite year long bet.  It’s season long win totals.  Today we continue a three part series that examines our selections on over or under the win totals.   A couple of reminders/refreshers on the bet are in order.  First, the team must play it’s entire schedule for a bet to actualize.  And, second, there is a different payout for under than over based on the action to that side of the bet.  Not often, but sometimes the actual win total will slide up or down (usually a half game) if the action is all on one side.

We’ll list the win total, both sides of the bet and it’s cost, make a selection in bold, and give you our thoughts on why we like that side of the bet.  After all our guess is as good better than most.  Let’s continue with the march to our favorite pick as we ascend the ladder today with picks numbered 3 and 2.

3.  Kentucky (6 and 1/2 wins, over is -130, under is +100)

  • There is stability at the HC position with Mark Stoops entering year seven leading the Wildcats.  It hasn’t been that way in the Bluegrass State in a long time. But.
  • The stability lost that came with Benny Snell running and All American LB Josh Allen running down ball carriers isn’t easily replaceable.  This is especially true in Lexington.
  • Also, the Wildcats must replace 12 starters as they return an SEC fewest 10 starters in 2019.  All four starters in the secondary left or graduated.
  • While the out of conference schedule looks tame (Toledo, Eastern Michigan, UT Martin, and Louisville) by name, don’t sleep on the MAC West Toledo squad.  Further, while it’s fun to kick your instate rivals Louisville while they are down, this winner of this late season match up often surprises.  We see 3-1 here.
  • While the Wildcats draw lowly Arkansas (home) and Mississippi St. (away) from the SEC West, they still must go 4-4 in the SEC overall if they win but 3 of 4 nonconference games to cover 6.5 wins.
  • If you split (likely)the two SEC West opponents, and lose to Georgia, Florida, and Missouri (all likely), can you beat South Carolina there, and Vanderbilt there, and Tennessee at home?

2. Mississippi St. (8 wins, over is +125, under is -155)

  • BBR cashed last year on the under bet on Miss St.  It’s rare that we go back to the same well.  But.
  • The most important position battle that will take place will be at the quarterback position. Southeastern Conference rushing record holder Nick Fitzgerald has completed his five years of service in Starkville.
  • Heading into his junior campaign, Keytaon Thompson is 2-0 as a starter and looks to be the favorite to replace Fitzgerald.  “Looks to be” is different than “is hands down.”  The SEC has several qb’s entering year two and beyond starting for their respective teams.  Year one through this gauntlet will have it’s moments.
  • The Bulldogs have talent on D, but lost some elite talent on D as well, particularly up front where it is a must have.  Three of the starting 11 on defense were picked in the 1st round of the 2019 NFL Draft (safety Johnathan Abram, linemen Montez Sweat, and Jeffery Simmons), and there are 7 starters to replace in total, including the entire front 4.  Only Bama reloads a roster that talented on a yearly basis.
  • We’ll spot them four wins OOC as that is likely.  Cupcakes abound.  But, to cover the over they need five SEC wins in eight opportunities for a nine win total.
  • Home games are Kentucky, LSU, Alabama, and Ole Miss.  That has 2-2 written all over it which means they need to go 3-1 on the SEC road.
  • From 9/28 through 11/ 2 they are at Auburn, off, at Tennessee, home for LSU, at Texas A and M, and at Arkansas.  At best those four roadies have 2-2 written all over them as well.  A push is possible then, but a misstep is likely, making under the choice.
  • We don’t love the price at minus 155, but we love under 8 as the outcome.

Tomorrow we’ll feature our chosen one (not the Prez) and give you a few random picks as well.

Our Crystal Ball on Pooka and Cristobal

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The NCAA college football season is here.   How about a big Hooray?  HOORAY!  Of course if you watched last weekend’s very abbreviated scheduled head liner, you might have thought it was a head scratcher at best.  Florida outlasted Miami in a mistake filled, sloppy tackling, turnover prone, penalty laden affair.  It was a forgettable game.  So forget it.

Let’s get to our favorite head scratching year long bet.  It’s season long win totals.  Today we begin a three part series that examines our selections on over or under the win totals.   A couple of reminders/refreshers on the bet are in order.  First, the team must play it’s entire schedule for a bet to actualize.  And, second, there is a different payout for under than over based on the action to that side of the bet.  Not often, but sometimes the actual win total will slide up or down (usually a half game) if the action is all on one side.

We’ll list the win total, both sides of the bet and it’s cost, make a selection in bold, and give you our thoughts on why we like that side of the bet.  After all our guess is as good better than most.  Let’s kick off with picks we like plenty enough to bet, and ascend in the next 72 hours towards our most favorite ones.

5.  Kansas ( 3 wins, over +130, under -160)

  • Pooka (best first name in the FBS) Williams, an All American Freshman last year, was suspended in the off season for domestic abuse.  Shame on him.  Kansas reinstated him after a six month time out just in time for the fall practices and now games.  Shame on them.  But, if you like the over this is why you bet it.  Pooka single handedly kept Kansas in games last year.
  • At LSU Les Miles often took more talent onto the field than his opposition.  And, he lost more often with that talent than he should have.  But, he beat Oklahoma two out of his four years at Oklahoma St.  Back then he often took less talent and won over more talent in the Big 12.  Having less talent isn’t a problem for Les this year as he will likely enter 10 of 12 games as a slight to huge underdog.
  • Bad news.  The defense has as many as eight new starters.  Good news.  The defense has as many as eight new starters.
  • The two games that they will be favored in are the first two of the season as they host Indiana St. and Coastal Carolina.
  • Win those two and you need to find two more to win the bet, or one more to at least push. Along the way they host West Virginia (new head coach), Kansas St.(new head coach and rival), and Baylor (not too too good).   We like them to win two of the three in some form or fashion.
  • The payout of 10 to win 13 is appealing.

4.  Oregon (9 wins, over +105, under -130)

  • Head Coach Mario Cristobal enters year two of his head coaching stint with the Ducks.  We like the upside v. the betting line in year two of coaches that we think are capable of making a leap forward.
  • Cristobal was Saban’s offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for three years at Bama.  The pedigree from his coaching tree is mostly fruitful.  Saban has had way more Jimbo Fisher’s go on to coach other teams than he has had Jim McElwain’s.  If he’s good enough for Ole Nick, he’s good enough for us in a wide open Pac 12.
  • The mighty Ducks don’t play a mighty schedule.  Preseason rankings mean little but that won’t stop us from using them to make a point.  Oregon opens v #16 Auburn at a neutral sight this weekend.  The rest of the schedule has three ranked teams, at #13 Washington,  hosting #23 Washington St. and at #25 Stanford.
  • At currently unranked Arizona St. in week 10 could be a make or break game for the over bet.  But, beat Auburn, and we are talking about a quantum leap forward, not a leap forward.
  • Ten returning starters on offense, led by a potential top draft pick in Justin Herbert makes us lean to the over.   Another seven starters are back on defense.
  • The Ducks made a great hire in bringing Avalos over from Boise State.  Cristobal watched Saban salty defense close up in practice every day.  In the PAC 10 a salty defense can go a long way.

Tomorrow we’ll head south for our pick #’s 3 and 2.  We think the two choices above will put your checking account balance heading north.

 

 

“How” and “Why” Matter.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Journalism 101 teaches to insure that the “who”, “what”, “when”, and “where” is included in every lead of a story.  Optional, but also important, is the “how” and the “why.”  Getting the first four “w’s” in is relatively easy.  Figuring out the how and the why is harder as it sometimes requires some interpretation.

Take late last week as an example.   In a span of 48 hours on Thursday and Friday (when) President Trump (who) castigated (what) Fed Chairman Powell (who)
on Twitter (where) of not being aggressive enough with rate cuts and economic commentary.  He barely took a breath, then he ORDERED American companies importing manufactured goods and the like from China (he pronounces it as CHII Nah) to find a way to bring the manufacturing back to the U.S.  By mid Friday morning he announced further tariffs(import taxes) almost across the board on goods coming from across the Pacific from said China.

The result of his actions and words seems, at the outset, that Powell said nothing, American companies did nothing not already planned, and China said “we’ll see your bet, and raise you one or five.”  The other result is again, at least for a day, the American stock market and those still open abroad, tumbled hard.

We think his political base added the to the story by questioning “how” he did this?

How he swung three times seemed almost petulant, petulant like a child that is.  In the Trump Tower when you hold the decisions as to who gets massive building contracts and what your expectations are and when they get paid is one thing.  When you ORDER (we use all caps because he did in the Tweet) American companies around you cross way too far into government attempted control on free enterprise at a minimum.  At the maximum you sound like a second grader who doesn’t get his way on the playground.  Plus, it’s the exact opposite of the many government regulations that he has pulled back to free businesses up.

In the tariff tiff he seems to think that he can bully China like he bullied Mexico.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  It seems to have not worked so far.

The Powell undressing is tired.  Take the repeated rants indoors already.  You hired him Mr. President.

We think even his political base questioned “why” as well.

Why did he do all of the above?  Well, we admit that every time he seems to have face planted off a newly built tower he actually has packed a parachute and landed just fine, and ready to fight for the American people for another cause on another day.

And, just this AM he is tweeting that China is ready to come to the table.  Maybe Powell will cut again and again and sooner.   And, maybe more American companies will build or rebuild factories here.

But, when how Americans feel about their investments (401k, education, house) turns south, they stay home if they voted for you prior, and turn out if they voted against you prior.  The very recession talk (at this point talk) that you are trying to squash becomes self fulfilling.

The tightrope that is being walked is high, higher than most Trump Towers built.  The fall would be unpleasant for all.  How you walk across, and why you walk across matters greatly in the next 15 months.

On Thursday you anointed yourself as “The Chosen One” to combat the decades long China advantage in import and export tariffs.  China seems to have chosen too.  Their choice looks like they want to see if  “The Chosen One” is chosen again in November of 2020.

A small fracture in the Trump base and someone else will need to “Keep America Great.”  Perhaps there will be another “Chosen One?”  Although that seems as cloudy as the smoke created from last week’s outbursts.  The lead candidate against Trump was in New Hampshire, was asked about New Hampshire, and sung the praises of Delaware.

It’s another week.  Can the American political leaders gaffe meter possibly keep up?

 

Crazy. Crazy. Chomp. Chomp.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Are you ready for some football?  Tomorrow afternoon the Florida Gators kick off the NCAA football season with the Miami Hurricanes.  We can’t wait for 3pm.  And, thankfully we won’t have to wait longer than that.

We won’t have to wait longer to watch the Hurricanes because we won’t need to worry about watching The Weather Channel worrying about a hurricane.  Those pesky storms can get in the way of our fun this time of the year.  But, so far this year so good.  Tropical storm Chantal churns weakly over 500 miles off of the east coast.  It’s only the third named storm this year from the east- a weak start to the season.

Another plus is that, while the game is in Florida, we assume Orlando is far enough inland that Andrew Yang considers it high enough ground in his Democratic debate plea to “move everyone to higher ground now” since it was too late in his opinion to reverse the effects of climate change.

All of which brings us to two events this week that has us puzzled.  Governor Jay Inslee from the great state of Washington ended his campaign for president.  Inslee’s platform started and ended with his six prong, detailed approach to a climate change solution.  His fire burned out on it’s own.   Meanwhile, yesterday Bernie Sanders unveiled his $16.3 trillion plan to combat climate change.

Others have put forth their plans, Elizabeth Warren among them.  But her plan was a meager 2 trillion.  Bernie was considered a bit crazy four years ago running against Hillary Clinton.  But, in the race to crazy it seems Bernie has been left out recently in the torrential rain.  No more.  This plan calls for the most massive government outlay of all.  Crazy indeed.  Bernie chose California of all of our 50 states to chose from to announce his plan.  Hmm.

Aside from all of the announced future benefits of the plan, the greatest part is that Bernie says that the plan will “pay for itself.”  If you ever concern yourself with the small matter of the 22 trillion and counting debt that this country is in, this must be relief welcomed by you much like getting electricity restored after a storm knocks yours out.

Two point three trillion dollars of the cost would come from income taxes from new jobs generated under the plan.  The plan doesn’t estimate the income taxes lost by current jobs in fossil fuel industries that would be leveled like a tornado that would also be eliminated, we assume, with this plan.  Another $1.2 trillion would come from reduced military expenses related to oil shipping routes.  We assume(you know what happens when you assume) the military would not be redeployed in any other way.

The plan is to lower the two largest causes of U.S. harmful emissions by 71% by 2030, and “help” developing countries to lower theirs by 36% in that same time with a $200 billion appropriation. At press time no developing countries had yet commented on whether they would accept the government handout, though we assume (damn it, again) that they graciously would.

Sanders also boldly claims that his new Green New Deal will “end unemployment” based on the sheer number, estimated at 20 million, of jobs it would create. With only 6 million American workers(who want to or are capable to work) currently unemployed we will need 14 million more people here, and soon.  One current problem with the clean energy economy is that a 2019 Brookings Institute study found that the workforce is “older, dominated by male workers, and lacks racial diversity.”  Where could we ever find them?  Our guess is to look south to the border towns that are so global warming dry this time of the year.  Sounds like a win win to us.  Open the borders like floodgates on a climate change caused swollen Mississippi River.

And, in an effort to be even more inclusive, the plan includes $40 billion for a “climate justice resiliency fund” for under-resourced groups like Native Americans, people with disabilities, and the elderly to “prepare for climate change.”  Presto, Elizabeth Warren qualifies in two of the three ways.

Sports are a great escape from all of the day to day craziness.  We’re counting on the Gators.  Hurricanes must be stopped by 2030.  Why wait?  Let’s get started Saturday.

Rickey Being Rickey

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

One of the wonderful things about sports is that the perceived correct strategic formula to winning is ever evolving.  Sometimes the change is subtle, sometimes not so subtle.

No one would dispute that the 3 point line has changed how basketball is coached for better or worse.  But maybe the biggest change has taken place in the last 10 years in baseball.  Analytics, formerly known as sabermetrics, have taken hold.

When these changes go from fad to trend to expectations, records of past year’s accomplishments are increasingly harder to compare to current.  And records may also be easier to be broken (for example three point shots attempted/made in a season), or harder to be broken.

What follows is what we wrote in an article about Joe Dimaggio’s consecutive game hit steak a few weeks back.  It was titled “56” a few weeks back.

The record stands at 56 games, and has now stood that way for 78 years and counting.  We aren’t here to debate if its the greatest baseball record ever for it’s hard to compare pitching feats to hitting feats much less one game to one streak to one season to one career records.  But we are here to say that holding a record for any stat for 78 years is a long, long time and that makes it a great, great accomplishment.

So all of the above makes us wonder about another baseball record.  This one is a career accomplishment.  Analytics has made this one chosen far less as a tool to victory.  The math today says stealing a base is far less statistically appealing today than in years gone by.

The quirky and insanely talented Rickey Henderson was drafted in the 4th round in 1976 by the Oakland Athletics.  He played for them four separate times over an amazing 25 year career when he changed uniforms 13 times in all.  A first ballot Hall of Famer and 10 time All Star.  He leads the majors in career leadoff homeruns with 81.  Second place is not close at 53.  Amazing indeed.

But most amazing of all is how well, and how often he stole a base.  He stole 1406 in all.  Second place alltime is Lou Brock.  His total?  938.  Henderson’s total is exactly 50 % better than second all time.  50%!   Believe it or not, he even stole 66 bases when he was 39 years old.

Statistics can be shaped one way or the other to prove a point.  But, one way to look at this is to compare this feat to Pete Rose’s 44 game hit streak, second to Dimaggio’s 56.  Dimaggio’s record has stood for 78 years and counting.  But Dimaggio would have had to hit in 66 straight games to be 50% better than Rose.  How long would 66 games with at least one hit hold the record if 56 has held it for 78 years and counting?

Never ever say never.  But, given where the game is today, combined with Henderson’s exceptionally long career, put this record on a very short list of the very hardest to even be approached, much less broken.

 

Ten Piece Nuggets-Sports

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

We’re one short week away from NCAA college football.  Our hunger is at it’s peak.  The Ten Nuggets on various sports below will have to tide you over.  And, tide you over they will.  Yum.

  1.  Speaking of the tides, the Alabama crimson one remains the betting favorite for the NCAA Championship. One unnamed analyst that we trust told us that he believes that 9 of the expected 22 starters this year for Bama will eventually be first round NFL draft picks.  Combine that talent with Saban’s high work ethic, coaching staff, knowledge and experience and it’s an uphill climb for others.
  2. Their season win total bet is 11.  So Vegas is not willing to offer you a loss by them and let you collect. Well, at least you would push.  It’s a high bar, but see point one above.  We don’t like high overs, and this one is -160.  But would you really bet the other side?  Will Bama lose twice?  If they do, they won’t be in the playoffs for the first time since, well, ever.  “Ever” is all five years since the current playoff format began, and Bama is five for five in appearances.
  3. Maybe you like Clemson even more?  That bar is even higher.  Their season win total is set at 11 and 1/2.  One loss there and you lose. No pushes occur when lines are on halves.  This over bet is -125.  Steep!  Sheesh.  The smart bet here is under at -105.  But, it’s only smart if Clemson stumbles or someone rises up in the ACC.  Could Texas A and M out of conference and on the road beat them?  Doubtful.  But what a signature win it would be for Jimbo Fisher.
  4. Someone either named Ed Orgeron or Tom Herman will get a signature win of their own in week two.  LSU travels to play Texas in an early season matchup of two AP preseason top ten ranked teams.  LSU is ranked 6th while the resurgent Longhorns are 10th.  The winner gets a strong pelt on the resume wall for down the road playoff consideration.  Both teams have to run through their conference gauntlet as well of course.  Would a one loss to Alabama team named LSU get in?  Would a one loss to Oklahoma team named Texas get in?  It’s WAY too early to wonder?  But, why not wonder?  The NCAA football season is too short to begin with.  Let the party begin.
  5.  The SEC dominates the upper part of the first AP poll.  Alabama is 2, Georgia 3, LSU 6, Florida 8, A&M 12, and Auburn 16.  But the Big 10 actually has seven teams to the six in the SEC.  The Ohio St and Michigan are in the top ten while Penn St., Michigan St., Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nebraska are all in it starting at 15 and below.  Let they party begin we said.
  6. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo went just 1-for-6 for zero yards and an interception on Monday night in his first game since suffering a season-ending knee injury last September.  Garoppolo finished the night, which ended with a 24-15 victory over the Denver Broncos, with a 0.0 passer rating.  You probably can only go up from there.
  7.  Oakland Raiders GM Mike Mayock and Head Coach Jon Gruden beamed on while being interviewed during the NFL Draft last April.  They repeatedly told us that they drafted “football guys who had high character and wanted to play.”  Seems like they didn’t use the same template for their big trade in the offseason.  New Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has filed a new grievance against the NFL over his not having a full calendar year grace period to find a helmet that works for him.  It’s the third time since camp started that Brown has either left a practice or filed a grievance over what all other NFL payers have already moved forward from.  Mayock said Sunday that Brown had left camp over the helmet issue, and it was “time for him to be all-in or all-out.”  We think that it’s time for him to grow up.
  8. Meanwhile Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon, who is nearly five weeks into a holdout over his contract, is training rigorously in California he says and is staying ready to play football while he waits to see if the Chargers will succumb to his new contract demands.  Gordon has told the Chargers through his representation that if he does not receive a new deal, he will sit out.
  9. What do Garrappolo, Brown, and Gordon have in common?  They all play for California based teams.  Garappolo is dreaming of better performances, Brown of better helmets, and Gordon of better money.  California dreaming.
  10. On to the MLB injury front we go.  Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa left after one inning against the Detroit Tigers on Monday because of back discomfort, the team said.  he is day to day.  Let’s hope he doesn’t call a masseuse to work out his issues again.  Meanwhile Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale will miss the remainder of the regular season with a left elbow injury but is expected to avoid Tommy John surgery after a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews confirmed a previous diagnosis of inflammation, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.  Sale’s season ending injury to the wind out of any sails that the 2018 Champion Red Sox had for 2019.  They are now 16 games behind the eventual division winner NY Yankees and 6 games behind the second of two wild card teams.

Yes, now you can be excused from the table.

 

Welcome to Fantasy Island!

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

We have two questions for you.  One, do you believe that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman in the assassination of John F. Kennedy?  Two, do you believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the plot carried in the assassination of John F. Kennedy?  Those are two questions that sound alike but are actually very different.

We have two more questions.  One, do you believe that Jeffery Epstein lived his life as the luckiest pedophile and sex trafficker alone?  Two, or do you believe that Jeffery Epstein had significant help along the way to being one of the biggest scumbags to ever walk on two legs on planet earth?

How do you have a personally owned fantasy island for pedophilia? How do you have a staff and a “girlfriend” complicit in procuring underaged girls?  How do you have many, many “guests,” some high profile, that all are able to whistle past the long arm of the law?

How do you strike a deal with the long arm for non-prosecution that not only shielded Epstein from further prosecution, but protected his alleged co-conspirators back in 2007?  I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine and ten of my closest soon to be indicted friends who I might have video of and might be blackmailing.

But it goes on.  Rearrested on 7/9/19 for more charges of the same, but outside of his plea deal details, Epstein was locked up in the NY Metropolitan Correctional Center.  After what either was or not an attempted suicide on his own life three weeks ago, Epstein was placed on suicide watch.  Then he was taken off of same.  Why would he be judged safe from himself days after he attempted to hurt himself?  So, did someone attempt to hurt him, or did he decide to hurt himself?

But it goes on.  Now off of suicide watch, Epstein was locked down in an area where inmates are supposed to be checked on every 30 minutes.  But, on Saturday morning in a three hour window of no checks made, he allegedly committed suicide by hanging.  You can kill yourself by hanging in between 30 minute checks, but why the three hour window of supposed incompetence by his not one, but two guards?  The NY Times reports that the two guards fell asleep at the same time.  If one was going to sleep on the job, would they want the other to cover for them, and then vice versa?  Why both simultaneously?  Security tapes prove the lack of checks, but the range of the video does not span wide enough to include the actual event.  Why would Epstein have access to materials that could be used to hang himself?  Or did he?

But it goes on.   Epstein was arrested over a month ago.  Why was his St. Thomas area private island just served a warrant and searched on Monday?  Wouldn’t or shouldn’t have his arrest back in July opened the doors to all of his properties for search and seizure?

But it goes on.   The names tossed out by credible sources of who was on his private jet and his private island, or was his friends with possible massage benefits spans Silicon Valley, Wall St., The Capital, and a former White House resident-William Jefferson Clinton.  Would any of them, along the way, have had any influence on any of the above?

Some secrets, believed to be suppressed in 2007, are best if taken to the grave.  Some secrets cannot see the light of day from the grave.  It is believed that Epstein had extensive video recording abilities on the island and in his NY and Florida homes.

Our answers to the above four questions?  Lone gunman?  Yes.  Carry out the plot alone?  No.  Epstein acted alone?  Hell no.   Did said scumbag have help from other powerful scumbags in life?   Hell yes.

And, did he in his death?  Let’s find out.  The Justice Department has been sleeping on this rancid mess for a lot longer than those two guards.  May the truth be told.

 

 

 

 

Boom Boom’s Life Lessons #17

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

One of the many gifts that Boom Boom gave us was the torrent of quips about how one leads one’s life.   He could say so much by saying so little.   A statement at just the right moment resonated in my young, eager eardrums.  How I interpreted or applied it was up to me.  No more words were spoken because no more words were needed.

Today U.S. Government Series EE Savings Bonds as an investment are about as popular as Donald J. Trump is in Portland, Oregon as a president.  But way back in the 1960’s and 1970’s they were backed (and still are) by the full faith and credit of the United States and paid about eight percent interest per year.

And way back in the 1960’s and 1970’s Boom Boom brought one home every other week in his briefcase.   I just didn’t know it.  I didn’t know it, that is, until one evening after supper.

In Lesson #4 we shared that on a couple of weeknights each week he finished dinner and headed to our spare bedroom that housed his desk, his adding machine, my mother’s exercise bike, and most of all an undersized pool table.  Yes, it was crowded.  He needed to do some “book work” he always said.  He struck the adding machine keys so quickly that it was not possible to follow.

His one and only son loved playing pool (competition and geometry combined is a tasty combo) and asked for him to”crack em” almost every night that his own homework didn’t get in the way and after his father’s “book work” was completed.

But this particular evening was different.  Boom Boom asked that I help him with his book work.  At the tender age of eight or nine I had no idea what that meant.  I had no idea until he took the bond out of his briefcase and pulled a short stack of them with a rubber band around them out of his top drawer.

“Son, these bonds are going to pay for your college.”  “College?” I stammered.  You see the dollar amount in the corner of each?”  “Yes.”  That will be how much each is worth when they mature.  And almost all mature seven years after you buy them.”  “Mature?” I asked.  “Yes.  I buy them for half of what their face value is.”  “Face value?”  “It’s the dollar amount in the corner.”

“Where do you get them?”  “Don’t worry about that.”  “Let’s add them up together to see how we are doing.”  “Ok, Dad.”

From then on every two weeks we would add another fifty or sometimes even a hundred dollar one to the growing stack and cross out the total to write down the new total.

“Save your money, Son.”  I heard that refrain every two weeks as the rubber band went “whack” around the stack.  “When you need it for something down the road you will be able to afford it without borrowing.  Save your money, Son.“

Win One for the Old Gaffer!

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

What a presidential race we would have if it were a racist v. a racist.   So far we have one contestant and reigning champion signed up for it.  Will we get another?

Donald Trump is a racist.  Numerous TV news shows, late night shows, radio shows, comics, and civic leaders tell us this every day.  He provided even more fodder for their cannons in the last two weeks.  First he called Baltimore rat infested.  It turns out that “infested” is a racist term.  Who knew?  Now we do.

Congressman Elijah Cummings in 1998 called his Baltimore district drug infested.  Maybe it wasn’t a racist term then.  Or, maybe what happened twenty years ago is too far back to really bring up about a person’s past.  Don’t tell now Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh that though.  You may recall that he all but stood trial in front of the Gentleman from Baltimore who proceeded over his House confirmation hearings.  Kavanaugh’s high school behavior of over 30 years ago was front and center for over a week of hearings.

And yesterday the Trump administration announced that it is implementing a new rule changing green card criteria to more closely examine immigrants’ financial resources. It makes it more difficult for immigrants who came to the country legally to stay as permanent residents if they’ve used or are likely to use public benefits like food stamps, Section 8 housing vouchers, or Medicaid.  “Racist,” said one CNN commentator this AM.  “White nationalist,” said another.  “He only wants people in this country that look like him,” the first commenter added on.  What is strange about those character assassinations though is that Trump didn’t target any race with the new rule proposal.  He targeted any and all that are most likely to “lay on the country’s leg” regardless of skin color.

Which brings us to the need for another racist to join the fray to get to the racist v. racist showdown.   So far Democratic front runner Joe Biden hasn’t been labeled a racist.  He has been the owner of a few, ok several, spoken gaffes.  Gaffes sounds so much nicer than racist doesn’t it?

He said late last week that “we believe in the truth, not facts!”  His audience actually cheered.   Well the truth of the matter is that the next day in another stump speech he also said “that poor kids are just as bright and talented as white kids during a campaign speech to Hispanic and Asian voters in Iowa.”  Is that a fact?  After an awkward pause (dare we call it a senior moment?) he added “we,wa, wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids, but I’m serious.”  His audience actually cheered.  If you watched the link above you can hear the CNN crew agree that it was just another gaffe in a history of gaffes that Biden makes.  Gaffes still sounds so much nicer than racist doesn’t it?

Of course 30 years ago Joe Biden stood with congressmen labeled as segregationists and spoke out opposing federally mandated school bussing.  It was at least another gaffe don’t you think?  Was it racist?  Kamala Harris took him apart on stage about it but said she didn’t think he was a racist.  Whew.  It’s funny how that works.  And, thirty years ago, like with Cummings’ comments, is probably too far back to really bring up a person’s past.  But, she did.  Again, don’t tell that to now Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh though.

So, for now, if Biden holds on to his Democratic nomination lead we’ll only get to see the “Old Gaffer” v. the racist.  Biden says that his gaffes are just “Joe being Joe.”  But, with each gaffe the Democrats are more and more concerned if they can “just win one for the Old Gaffer.”

Ten Piece Nuggets-Sports

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

It’s a new week and the key to it’s success is getting it off to a good start.  The key to getting Monday off to a good start lies below.  A sports Ten Piece Nuggets is served.

  1. The Houston Astros beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 last Friday night and 23-2 on Saturday.  The “23” is no typo.  It is, though, the most runs ever scored by the 52 year old franchise.  Houston shortstop Carlos Correa, hit a 474 foot home run during the obliteration.  It’s the longest ever hit in the 27 year history of Camden Yards.
  2. So, Sunday, Las Vegas made the Astros a huge favorite to win the third and final game of the series and sweep the lowly 39-77 Orioles.  Cy Young former winner and possibly this year’s favorite, Justin Verlander, was on the bump for the 77-40 Astros.  A $100 bet on the lowly Orioles would pay you $420.  And a walk off, two out, two strike homerun by Rio Ruiz gave Baltimore the win.  It was the largest MLB single game upset v. the betting odds in 15 years.
  3. Despite the loss the Astros have a quite comfortable 10 game lead over the Oakland A’s in the AL West with about 44 regular season games left to play for most teams.   The NY Yankees have a quite comfortable 8.5 game lead over the second place Tampa Bay Rays in the East.  But the Central Division is shaping up as a “down to wire” two team horse race.  Cleveland and Minnesota are tied for first there with identical 71-47 records.  The playoffs only have room for three of Minnesota, Cleveland, Oakland, and Tampa Bay.  The Central winner sits home while the runner up falls to a one game wild card playoff situation as it stands today.   That’s huge for both teams.
  4.  Meanwhile in the NL the Los Angeles Dodgers can start printing home field advantage playoff tickets.  Their 79 wins are nine more than East Division leading Atlanta.  And, it’s a ridiculous 19 games over 59-59 Arizona, second in the West Division.  The Braves are clear of Washington by 6.5 games.  Like the AL, the NL horse race is in the Central where only 2.5 games separate the division leading Chicago Cubs over Saint Louis and Milwaukee.  And from the back of the pack comes the hard charging NY Mets.
  5. Do you know what happened on this August 12th date in MLB in 1994, 25 years ago today?  Nothing.   Players, under the threat of a salary cap, went on strike.  A month later Commissioner Bud Selig announced that the owners voted to cancel the season.  The dark ballparks were symbolic of some of the darkest days of “America’s Game” history.
  6. NCAA football stadiums won’t be dark for much longer.  It’s under two weeks and counting until teams the country over kickoff.  Twenty coaches enter year two with their teams.  It’s usually the year that programs under new coaches make the biggest leap if they are going to turn around the direction for which they were hired to begin with.  Turnover, transfers in and out, philosophy, culture, and two recruiting years take hold.  Or, they don’t.  Last year Ed Orgeron went from a too soon hot seat in year two to a ten win, top ten finish in year two.  Tom Herman guided Texas back into the final top ten standings for the first time in nine long(horn) years.
  7. Who might make that leap this year?  Let’s look west.  How about Herm Edwards at Arizona St?  BBR says meh.   Kevin Sumlin at Arizona perhaps?  No.  Chip Kelly is in year two at UCLA.  We doubt it.  But in Eugene, Oregon we like Mario Cristobal to get his Ducks in a top ten row.
  8. The SEC is brutal, but teams that go 8-4 or a tad better can get to the top ten with a an impressive bowl win to conclude 2019.  Five choices are available.  Joe Moorhead leads Miss St into year two.  We think they regress actually.  Chad Morris at Arkansas is rebuilding in his image from the ground up and has zero chance.  Jeremy Pruitt volunteered to engineer a turnaround at Tennessee.  They’ll be better, but Florida, Georgia, and Alabama and  one or two others will visit the orange and white checkerboard end zone too often still.  Dan Mullen is a rather underrated coach.  Florida could make that leap.  They return an improving Felipe Franks at QB as well.   But, we like Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M the most.  They return an improving Kellon Mond at QB, and Jimbo is a QB Whisperer.  The schedule is brutal.  They tangle with Alabama, LSU, and Auburn in the west and Georgia in the east.  Oh, and out of conference they have the Tigers from Clemson.  Brutal.  It says here that they will go 9-3 or better.
  9. Peyton Manning is doing 100 short feature stories for ESPN+ to celebrate the first 100 years of the NFL.  Peyton’s Place.  If you haven’t seen any, you must catch up.  They are a trip down memory lane, some obscure, all interesting, and quite humorous.  We think Peyton had a great past and we think Peyton has a great future wherever that takes him.  Meanwhile he has a great feature story run.
  10. Another great quarterback is on the move as well.  Tom Brady and his family listed their Brookline, Massachusetts home for a cool $39.5 million last week.  Keeping it under $40 million is quite the value pricing move.   Meanwhile, most of New England area went into full meltdown as to what this meant to his future and the future of the Patriots.  Brady’s restructured deal has team opt outs for 2020 and 2021.  Is this the final season of the longest running hit show in NFL history?  Calm down says Tom.  “You shouldn’t ready into anything.  My house is a little bit of an expensive one, so it doesn’t fly off of the shelf in a couple of weeks,” he advised.  Ya think?  “I love playing for the Patriots.  This is where I want to be.”  Sounds like he might become a commuter.

Hang in there, Tuesday is but a day away.