Bracket This!

The Schloss-Blog doesn't usually talk brackets until the NCAA Basketball Tournament, but the College Football Playoff bracket has generated some discussion. So have the Bears. So has Chicago sports in general, where five - count 'em 5 pro teams will have new, full-time head coaches/managers for their 2025 seasons. 

Chicago sports suck.

***

The Chicago Blackhawks only recently fired their head coach and are now being "interim" coached. In other words, thanks for stopping in, Anders Sorenson.

The Chicago White Sox, who set a record for most losses in a season in 2024, will have new manager Will Venable for 2025, promising, as all new mangers and head coaches do, to put a competitive team that will hustle on the field.

Sure you will, Will, sure you will. But can they run the bases, hit the cutoff and get the clutch hit?

Finally, the Bulls - no, wait - have Billy Donovan, who, at five years, is the longest-tenured head coach in Chicago pro sports right now. But with the Bulls perhaps looking to trade their best player (Zach LaVine), will that last?

Those three teams are the ones on the new Chicago Sports Network, which, while available on the satellite networks and Fubo, is not available on Comcast's Xfinity cable network, effectively cutting them off from the vast majority of the Chicago-area market.

So, not only are Chicago-area teams sucking, so is the ability to watch a lot of their action.

The Chicago Fire MLS franchise will have a new coach next season as well, Gregg Berhalter, the former USMNT head coach.

Tyler Marsh takes over as head coach of the Chicago Sky, who are not all that far removed from their WNBA championship year (2021).

They are not what you would call a winner either these days.

***

The United Healthcare CEO shooter (OK, alleged), is a hero online.

People who have beefs with their insurance companies over claim denials are praising him as a hero and companies in the industry have had to "beef up," if you will, security around their executives.

T-shirts are praising the shooter as a hero, the industry as the villains. According to NBC News, there were more than 100 items available for sale online, holding the shooter up to be a hero. "Hoodies, stickers, mugs, and even fake bullets" that include the three words that were on the shell casings found on the scene are popular ("Deny, Defend, Depose").

In the United States of America, who do we love? Luigi Mangione, apparently. 

***

Donald Trump, the president-elect, attended the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. In attendance with him, VP-elect J.D. Vance, Secretary of Defense-designate and alleged drunk and womanizer Pete Hegseth and Daniel Penny, recently acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in the NY Subway strangling case. The ex-Marine restrained a rider in a chokehold who was an apparent nuisance on an NYC train until authorities arrived.

Luigi Mangione couldn't be released yet or Trump might've had him on board as well. Wonder if he'll pardon him upon an almost-certain conviction down the road, along with the hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters Trump has pledged to pardon.

***

Speaking of pardons, does ABC and George Stephanopoulos deserve one?

They will pay Trump $15 million for Stephanopoulos referring to him as "a rapist" in an interview with South Carolina Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, questioning her support for him in the wake of the E. Jean Carroll civil verdicts against him. Because he was found liable of sexual assault, the jury’s verdict did not mean that Ms. Carroll had “failed to prove that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her as many people commonly understand the word 'rape.'"

Trump's administration is expected to carry on its campaign against mainstream media once he's sworn in, except now, the Department of Justice is likely to bring the fight against, prospectively, the NY Times, MSNBC, et. al.

Of note, Harvard's Laurence Tribe, the esteemed law professor, said in a Blue Sky post that ABC likely wouldn't have paid Trump $15 if he wasn't president-elect.

***

The Onion was denied the opportunity to purchase Alex Jones' "Infowars" website, ostensibly to convert it into a parody of itself.

The bankruptcy court judge who made the ruling said it failed to maximize the amount of money it could've yielded to the families who have long suffered in the wake of Jones' defamation of them since the Sandy Hook school shooting.

Onion owers say they will continue to seek ways to to provide said relief, or, in other words, make even more of a buffoon out of Jones and Infowars.

Hopefully, Onion ownership will win on - aheam - a-peal.

***

There's been so much talk about the College football Playoff bracket, most of it in Alabama.

Or on ESPN.

And it can stay there.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Cheryl Sweet.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Speaking of RFP (https://radiofreephoenix.com), welcome back to the airwaves, Cheryl Sweet, now in the 4-8 p.m. slot weekday afternoons (Arizona time, that is). And be with RFP on Christmas Eve, when station-founder and face Andy Olson starts his 36th annual "Rock 'N' Roll Christmas" at 6 p.m. and goes 30 hours straight, live, through all of Christmas Day.  

  

 

The Devils You Say...

 The Schloss-Blog is mad that...

...if the New Jersey hockey team kept "Devils" in its name and got rid of "Red," how come the Tampa Bay baseball team took "Devil" out of its name and kept "Rays?"

Huh?

***

Baseball's prospective "Golden At-Bat Rule" would allow teams to send up the hitter of its choice in a critical situation.

Any situation. At any point in the game of the team's choosing. Just one time per game though.

But why stop at just "Golden At-Bat?"

Why not "Golden Pitch?" Yeah, give teams a chance to use the pitcher of its choice to any batter in any situation?

Why not?

Well, Commissioner Rob Manfred is now saying that perhaps the "Golden At-Bat Rule" is an idea that needs, well, some reconsideration.

Ya' think?

***

Trying to decide what's more difficult: 

Which team should've been left out of the College Football Playoff: 

**Alabama ... or ...

**SMU.

Or what loser should've been left out of Trump's prospective Cabinet:

**Tulsi Gabbard ...  or ... 

**Pete Hegseth?

Although Matt Gaetz did us all a favor.

***

Roman Mendez, 6.

Elisa Wolford, 5.

They were the critically injured victims in a shooting earlier this week at Feather River Adventist School, which is near Oroville, California.

They are 6 and 5, respectively.

They were shot by Glenn Litton, 56, who targeted them and their school before shooting himself. He had a criminal history and could not legally purchase a gun.

But he had a "ghost" gun, you know, one that's made principally from parts assembled from different guns.

Litton supposedly had a problem with Seventh Day Adventists.

America has a problem with "ghost" guns. 

Tell Congress. Yeah, right.

***

Do you watch Sports Center on ESPN?

I do.

It has competent, intelligent and often wickedly, wonderfully sardastic anchors.

So how come the hot female ones try to be hotter by dressing for a news and information program as if they are going out clubbing immediately thereafter.

Or as if they just came in from clubbing all night?

OK, I'm not saying they should dress like "school m'arms." But do they have a disco in the basement of ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut?

I mean, I've heard about the wild parties that are (were?) legendary there... as mentioned in "Those Guys Have All The Fun; Inside The World of ESPN," by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales (2011).

But ladies, really? I think you're good looking but if I want to see you in clubbing attire, I'll take you out dancing.

***

Hey, heard about Sydney Gifford and Alyssa Sheil?

Well, it finally happened. In the world of "Influencers," Gifford sued Sheil, one influencer suing another, claiming she totally copied her ... style.

Yeah, her style.

Specifically, the suit claims Sheil copied "her fonts and camera angles, decorated her apartment to match, got a similar haircut, and featured comparable Amazon products on her social media," according to a report in Fast Company.

These two, 24 and 21, respectively, had reportedly discussed a mutual project when Gifford alleges Sheil copied ... well, everything, and Gifford is asking for as much as $150,000 in damages.

Will be watching their respective TikTok video feeds closely.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you (again), Jordan Grinnell.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show. 

Deadlines and Commitments

The Schloss-Blog is mad about a newspaper's budget, an HOA's religious sanctimony, Merrick Garland's screw-up and just who is an American enemy anyway, not necessarily in that order.

***

Unmentioned above but seriously concerning was Joe Scarborough and Mike Brzezinski of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" bolting to Florida last weekend to meet up with Donald Trump, who they'd been tearing into visciously the last nine years for his hypocrisy, dishonesty and lack of integrity.

So where was theirs?

***

Radio Free Phoenix, the online station where I do the Sunday night vintage, free-form, underground rock 'n' roll online show and have for more than six years, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a kickass party at Rooster's Country bar and grill in Mesa, Arizona, last Sunday.

Kickass hardly describes it. Founder Andy Olson hosted a star-studded lineup of Phoenix-area rockers who performed, including a rousing set by Summer of Love, which does 1967 hit-music only. They had the whole place dancing to the Monkees and Turtles hits, among other bands.

The 'whole place' included current and former RFP deejays Janie Snyder Pecorella, Joe Catanzaro, Miss Holley (Keri) King, Paul Riopelle, Sharon Kelley, John Hesterman, Cheryl Sweet, John Kirk DeRitis, station voice and face Liz Boyle and yours truly). Plus a roster of Phoenix-area radio all-stars.

RFP merchandise and memorabilia was auctioned off and/or sold and many, many dollars were raised for the commercial-free operation, which otherwise only takes in money on sales of T-shirts and coffee mugs, or on outright donations.

I am honored to be one of the deejays.

***

On a bitter note, if Merrick Garland had started the investigations and prosecutions of Donald Trump immediately upon taking office as Attorney General instead of waiting a year, Trump would've likely been tried and convicted by now and all of this mess would've been avoided.

Thanks for nothing, Merrick. Now Trump is going to likely investigate and prosecute you for no other reason that being Biden's Attorney General.

***

The HOA where I live hangs holiday garnish on its gates every year at this time. Except this year, the HOA apparently took exception to having Jewish-related decorations up and had them taken down with a notation to the people who worked diligently to put them up to the effect of no Hanukkah decorations allowed, period.

I sense antisemitism on the board of directors. No, I don't sense it, I see it. Outright.

***

If China is our enemy for influence in the Pan-Pacific region, among other places, how come we trade so much with them?

And how come Trump wants to screw that up by placing outlandish tariffs on Chinese imports? Go figure, but inflation will soar.

***

The newspaper for which I have been a sports correspondent the last 10 years cut out using all part-timers at the tail end of this high school football season due to budgetary constraints.

It left huge gaps in its coverage of the heart of the football playoff games this weekend, with many games going unstaffed.

For me personally, it meant a one week-premature ending to my sportswriting career, 50 years now. Saw many great games, teams and performers out here the last 10 years, including Brock Purdy, Spencer Rattler and N'Keal Harry and classic games between Centennial and Chaparral, Chaparral and Saguaro, Saguaro and ALA Queen Creek (coached by Ty Detmer) and Horizon and Millenium.

Thank you everyone at Pioneer Press, the Daily Herald and now the Arizona Republic for allowing me to share my words with your readers. It's been a privilege.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Erin Schlossberg.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Women in the White House? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Wiomen in the White House

The Schloss-Blog is still mad, but not that Trump won.

Actually, we survived the first Trump Administration, although not everyone did.

Like the 1 million Americans who died from COVID because Trump dismissed it.

And this year, the Democrats who stupidly refused to remind America of that.

And got blown out of the water in the election.

Trump and the Republicans have the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

What could go wrong? What could possibly go wrong? 

***

Is there a conspiracy among TV neetworks?

Every time I change the channel during a commercial break, the channel I switch to is on a commercial break.

Every time.

Does that happen to you too? Isn't if effing frustrating?

Even during football games. I can switch from one game on a timeout to another, and it's on a commercial timeout as well.

No, really.

In different time zones. In a game between teams three different time zones apart.

I'm done channel jumping. 

Until tomorrow night, that is.

***

Since the election, I have not watched a minute of MSNBC or CNN or any network newscast, for that matter.

The NY Times is about all I can handle.

Have been watching Bill Maher, John Oliver, SNL and ... and ... OK, that's about it.

Bill Maher has been spot on, lambasting Democrats for handing the election to the Republicans, scolding them for poor messaging and for forgetting to say that the economy is pretty good right now, that inflation is under control right now and that immigration - well, when was the last time there was a news flash about a caravan making its way through Central America and Mexico?

Like, never.

Four years of Trump, maybe more - yikes!

Two years at least of Republicans controlling Congress.

What could go wrong? What could possibly go wrong?

Besides everything.

***

Good night, Mrs, Calabash. Here's to you, Charli, XCX.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

And look for pictures on my Facebook and Instagram from the Radio Free Phoenix 20th anniversary party.

Ouch

Schloss-Blog says:

The economy already is good. Trump will take credit.

The economy will be slammed by Trump's tariffs and tax cuts. Trump will not take credit. He'll blame Democrats.

A national abortion bill is on the way. Trump will take credit.

Cuts are coming to entitlements in the name of Elon Musk. Trump will take credit.

The border is already at prepandemic levels for immigration. Trump will take credit.

The border will be closed. Trump will take credit.

Muslims will again be banned from coming to the United Stares. Trump will take credit.

   How are you feeling about that, all you Arab-Americans who voted for Trump?

Israel, in continuing to attempt to exterminate Hamas, will instead exterminate Gaza.

With Trump's full support.

   How are you feeling about that, all you Arab-Americans who voted for Trump?

J.D. Vance is one heart attack away from being president.

***

My social media feed reads like a funeral.

***

Trump will deport both illegal and legal migrants. He's coming for you.

Because of Trump's outright support for Netanyahu's war effort, antisemitism will spike in America.

Ukraine is Putin's.

And when we withdraw from NATO, so is much of Europe, likely.

I'm not gonna' move to Canada. Or any foreign country. However, "moving to Canada" has spiked in search engines. Really.

And if California secedes, I will move there.

***

The answer: Gavin Newsom, J.B. Pritzker, Josh Shapiro and Gretchen Whitmer.

The question: who is already running for president in 2028.

But will Trump step down in 2028? And have the criminal charges against him be brought back up?

Meanwhile, Trump will ask his Attorney General to investigate and prosecute everyone from the Bidens to the Clintons to Jack Smith to Kamala Harris and anyone with a 'D' next to their names. Maybe even true patriots like John Kelly and Mark Milley.

And he'll pardon as many of those those Jan. 6 insuurectionists as he can.

***

Kamala Harris got punished for the inflation that spiked in the wake of Trump's refusal to recognize COVID.

As 1 million Americans died. That dismissal killed them and the economy.

And gave birth to the product shortages that became inflation.

Democrats got punished. In the Senate as well.

***

Meanwhile, get ready to be in line at the grocery store, at the restaurant, at the movie theater with someone with an AR-15 strapped on their back.

Guns will proliferate in our schools. In the name of "protection."

The government will be back in so many of our bedrooms.

Women just became second-class citizens.

Trump was the juggernaut who launched inflation.

Now it got him reelected.

***

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Jordan. Long may you reign in soccer and in fantasy football.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

And see you, perhaps, at the Radio Free Phoenix 20th anniversary party at Roosters Country in Mesa, Arizona, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2-7 p.m.

Trump killed...

 The Schloss-Blog is mad about...

...Kamala not telling America that Donald Trump killed 1 million of their fellow countrymen with his dismissal of COVID

...and set off inflation with same by causing product shortages as cargo shipments backed up at American ports.

...Trump is running for only one reason:

TO STAY OUT OF JAIL

***

Are you watching the advertising? If you live in a battleground state, you can't help but see it everywhere (Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin).

It's sickening sometimes, what Kari Lake says about Democrat Ruben Gallego, a decorated Marine and true Arizonan.

It's sickening what Bernie Moreno in Ohio says about women.

It's sickening what J.D. Vance says about immigrants.

And women.

And with Donald Trump, it's just plain sickening. About women. About immigrants. About Haitians in Ohio and Venezuelans in Colorado.

His followers believe everything he says.

***

Yet, about one-third to one-half the electorate believe Trump won the 2020 election. They don't care that he's a convicted felon, that he's been proven liable for defamation and SEXUAl ABUSE. That he's been proven liable for fraud.

And that he's had six - count 'em six - bankruptcies, yet he's more trusted to handle the economy.

D'oh.

Hillary Clinton was right - basket of deplorables. If you're a Trump supporter, you're a supporter of racism.

Congratulations.

***

Good night, Mrs.  Calabash. Here's to you, Tyrique Stevenson.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Mad About...

First things first:

Happy birthday, John Kirk DeRitis. And party alert: Radio Free Phoenix 20th anniversary celebration at Rooster Country in Mesa, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2-7 p.m. BE THERE.

***

Now then, the Schloss-Blog is mad about ...

...Kamala Harris not scaring me yet. Scare me, or Trump just might win.

Convince me that Trump is going to send the military to arrest me for a speeding ticket.

And let me rot in jail awaiting my hearing.

Scare me.

Scare me that Trump is going to let his police stop and search any assembly of people on a city street.

Anywhere.

Scare me so that I know what Trump will do as president will scare me, if you want to win.

***

Kamala, your ads try to scare people that Trump's going to raise taxes, do away with Social Security and Medicare and ban abortions.

His ads try to scare you into thinking murderers are running around all over the country, illegally having migrated in (even though they didn't).

Which one scares you more, if you're susceptible to that?

Remember, you're running for president, he's running to stay out of jail.

***

Or, alternately...

...remember "weird?" It worked. Get back to it. Be a little lighthearted. It gets under Trump's skin. Shows your sense of humor. Make me laugh, alternately. 

It just might be the knockout punch you're looking for. Bill Maher thinks so.

***

The Schloss-Blog is also mad about ...

...The NY Giants, my NY Giants. They are pathetic. Never repaired the offensive line sufficiently to the point that Saquon Barkely walked. 

To Philadelphia. He walked.

Didn't pay him. Gotta' pay him - best running back in the game. Didn't pay him. You let him walk. Damn

***

...mad about Donald Trump's ability to attract attention by not campaigning

Showing up at a closed-to-the-public McDonald's and doing brainless work. 

Or standing around and brainlessly swaying to music for 39 minutes at a campaign event. 

He is a pathological liar and is cognitively challenged, severely so.

But he's likely going to be the 47th president because Kamala is way too nice in campaigning. Gotta' hit him below the belt. 

You have no knockout punch, Kamala. Better find one.

***

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is paying $880 million to settle sex abuse charges. 

Scary!

***

Some 18 or so million people have already voted.

18 million!!!

The race is already over. People already decided for whom they're going to vote.

A McDonald's fry station trainee might very well be our next president, even though he's a disgusting human being.

*** 

Kamala, your messaging sucks. 

You keep running around the country telling the same old stories about working at McDonald's, caring for your mother and coming from a poor household.

Nobody cares.

Remind people that your administration solved COVID while Trump killed 1 million Americans by dismissing COVID. Remind them you created more jobs than any other administration while Trump lost more than any.

But you won't. You're using Biden's advisors and he was 7 points behind with them. You have not sustained your post-convention boost. 

Why?

Because your messaging sucks. I stand behind you with unwavering support. Now start scaring undecided voters and Nikki Haley voters into voting for you. 

I can't do it for you. Or else that music-swaying, cognitively challenged idiot just might win.

*** 

Good night, Mra. Calabash. Here's to you, Kamala.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.