Could the Florida state senate drive 55?

Sometimes, celebrities from other fields get into politics. It's not unheard of and, often, it's a logical step from name recognition in another pursuit to being elected to office. Occasionally, those celebrities come from sports, as when former FSU and NFL football star Peter Boulware ran unsuccessfully for the state House as a Republican in 2008.

But now another even more prominent name has surfaced in a Tampa-area state Senate district...and this time, he's a Democrat.

Derrick Brooks [(right)] earned a reputation as a dominant linebacker and fearsome tackler for the Buccaneers.

But could he bring down a Republican opponent in a state Senate race?

Some Florida Democrats think so, and they're courting him to run for the District 12 state Senate seat.

When asked about it, Brooks said this: "I'm not at liberty to talk about that right now."

When pressed, he said that ever since then-Gov. Jeb Bush appointed him to the FSU Board of Trustees, people have questioned him about his political aspirations. If he does run, he said, it won't be a secret. "I'll let everyone know," he said.

"It's an interesting proposition, isn't it?" said Susan Smith, who chairs the campaign committee for the Hillsborough County Democratic Party.

(Yes, that's the Florida Progressive Coalition's own Susan Smith quoted there!)

So far, no Democrat has declared for the District 12 seat, currently held by Republican Victor Crist, who is term-limited out. As an FSU trustee and a well-known figure in the Tampa area -- not only for his gridiron exploits but also for having started a successful charter school and being an outspoken advocate on education issues -- Brooks certainly is an attractive option for the Democrats. Will he run? Only time will tell ... but I'm wagering that he will.

Crist and "the Savior"

Gov. Charlie Crist is trying to be many things to many people as he rounds out his gubernatorial term and continues his campaign for the U.S. Senate. Apparently the latest of those things is football expert.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist thinks Tim Tebow could be the answer to the Jacksonville Jaguars attendance problems.

Crist said Monday that he's talked with the Jaguars ownership about taking the celebrated Florida quarterback in the NFL draft next April as a means to sell more season tickets and keep the team from moving out of Jacksonville.

About 17,000 fans chose not to renew their season tickets this year, many citing the economic climate. About 30,000 seats were empty Sunday for Jacksonville's 23-18 victory over Houston.

Tebow, who grew up in Jacksonville, won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and led the Gators to a national championship last year.

Floridians like me who have lived in the state for many years probably remember Bob Graham's famous "workdays," when he would take on a different job for a day to learn what the state's citizens were dealing with on a daily basis. Well, it looks to me like Crist has taken a page from Graham's book, anointing himself de facto general manager of the Jaguars. Of course, Graham conducted his workdays to understand Florida and Floridians better, while Crist's new "job" smacks more of political pandering, but that's pretty much been Charlie's M.O. for his whole career -- why should he change now?

Seriously, though, I hope Crist thrives in his apparent new role evaluating talent for the Jags. After all, it's a hell of a lot better for our state than his current job ... not to mention the job he wants next.

Pace: the final frontier, chapter 9 — They never learn

Based on my observations of the Florida panhandle town of Pace over the last several months (scroll down at the link to read earlier coverage), I've learned that the town values three things above all else: God, country, and high school football. And not necessarily in that order.

Last night, the Pace Patriots opened their 2009 varsity football season by hosting Daphne (Ala.) High, and it was a successful start for the home team as they avenged last year's loss in Alabama by topping the Trojans, 27-7.

But of course the assembled multitude couldn't manage to resist sticking their collective finger in the eye of the Constitution yet again. Blast Off! received an exclusive eyewitness account afterwards from one who attended the game, and our correspondent reported that immediately after the National Anthem, some students with a bullhorn led the crowd in a recitation of the Lord's Prayer. In addition, before the game students circulated throughout the crowd, distributing prayer cards with the Lord's Prayer on one side and the sponsors of the cards (some of whom, says the correspondent, are the very people spearheading the fundraising drive for the PHS principal's legal defense fund) listed on the reverse.

Remember, Santa Rosa County's public schools -- including Pace High -- are under a court order (via a consent decree) that forbids any and all organized religious activity at school events, which presumably would include a football game. The school's principal and athletic director already face criminal contempt charges for their own failure to comply with the court's ruling. And the populace, including students, apparently just LOVE to defy federal law.

What is wrong with these people? Why do they hate America? They characterize the court's actions as some sort of assault on their freedom to pray when, in actuality, as anyone with an ounce of sense knows, they are the ones trampling on freedoms, ignoring the Constitution, and spitting in the face of the very country they profess to love so much.

But they prayed at a football game, so I guess they sure showed us. Whatever. Hopefully soon enough these people will learn that there are real consequences to their deliberate violations of constitutional law.

Truer words were never spoken

Just heard in David Letterman's monologue on tonight's Late Show:

"Sunday's game is Super Bowl 43. I don't know what kind of game it's going to be, but it can't be any worse than President 43."

Heh, indeed.

This can only be good news for Obama

No, really -- I mean it this time.

From 1936 through 2000, the Washington Redskins invariably predicted the outcome of each presidential election. How?

In each of those years, when the Redskins won their last home game before the election, the incumbent party held onto the White House. When they lost that final pre-election home game, the presidency switched parties.

The odd pattern was broken in 2004, when the 'Skins lost at home to Green Bay on October 31 but Drunky McStagger (allegedly) won the subsequent election over John Kerry.

So last night the Redskins, playing at home, were trounced by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-6. Hence, good news for Obama ... if the pattern is effective again. It's food for thought, anyway ...

Day off

Hey, if Drunky McStagger can spend two weeks clearing brush in the middle of crises overseas, economic woes at home, and after just returning home from his Olympic drunkfest, then I can take a single day off from this sucky blog.

Besides, next week (beginning August 25) is the Blogweek to End All Blogweeks, as I'll be bringing you ungrateful wretches copious amounts of live coverage from the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

And speaking of the DNC, in all seriousness, you can be a part of the Florida Progressive Coalition's coverage -- a critical part indeed -- by helping us out with expenses. We're still a little short of our goal, and we want to make sure all of our team members can attend. Please consider what you can do to help -- a $25 donation would be ideal, but if you can give more, wonderful! -- and go here for all the details, including the methods by which you can give. If you've been thinking about it and, like me, you're one of those people who say, "Oh, yeah, I meant to do that," then here's another chance. Please don't force a team member to stay home because we lack the funds for their travel. Thanks very much in advance.

I'm on my way to Tampa today for the Buccaneers-Patriots game (no, not for FetishCon, although it's tempting). Look for me on NFL Network tonight at 8pm. Or not. Go Bucs!

Catch you on the radio tomorrow (4:00 pm EDT).

When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way

Please forgive me a brief diversion from politics, but football season starts tomorrow! For me, anyway, as I'll be in Miami watching my beloved Buccaneers take on the Dolphins in a traditional preseason clash.

Of course, everything on Earth and in outer space must take a back seat to the Brett Favre saga, as he is preparing to take his first snaps as quarterback of the New York Jets.

Nothing bad can come from this, right? I mean, all the other NFL players who switched teams late in their careers for a "last hurrah" were enormously successful, right?

Who can forget, for example, Joe Namath of the Los Angeles Rams ...

... or Johnny Unitas of the San Diego Chargers ...

... or Seattle Seahawks running back Franco Harris ...

... not to mention fellow Seahawk Jerry Rice ...

... and Rice's pal Joe Montana of the Kansas City Chiefs ...

... or, of more recent vintage, Emmitt Smith of the Arizona Cardinals ...

Okay, granted, Montana took the Chiefs to the playoffs a couple of times and even made a Pro Bowl as a Chief. Still ... the history of late-career team changes isn't exactly stellar. Hell, there have been moves like this over the years in all the sports ... so I'm sure nothing will go wrong here.

But you go, Brett. "Brett the Jet." Yep, that's a match made in football heaven.

Yeah, right.

The new tickets are here! The new tickets are here!

Things are going to start happening to me now.

It's been an exciting day in Blast Off!-land. Not only did my beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers open training camp today, but my 2008 season tickets arrived in the mail! Eleven years and counting now ... when do I get my stock certificates? ;)

Funny, though -- I wonder if my ever-increasing expenditure for the tickets helped to cover the cost of the ostentatious packaging this year:

A box? Seriously? They used to come in a large envelope, or maybe in a spiral-bound booklet. But a box? Inside, it's designed to look like an aerial view of Raymond James Stadium, I guess, and the tickets are beneath the field. (Insert Jimmy Hoffa joke here.)

I kept looking for the T-shirt or license plate frame or even a sticker ... nothing. Oh, well, I guess my kids will enjoy playing with the ... box.

Like a kid at Christmas

I always look forward to that special day in April ... no, not tax day, believe me. But a few minutes ago, the new 2008 NFL schedule was released. And my Buccaneers have at least two, and maybe three (or more?) nationally televised Sunday or Monday night games. Sweet!

What can I say? I'm easily amused.

UPDATE (2:35 pm 4/15/08): Hunh. Yeah, that's a new NFL logo up there. I didn't even know it was being changed. The alterations are subtle but noticeable. Fair enough ...

Makes me wonder

Can someone explain to me why Congress is paying more attention to steroids in baseball and surreptitious video-taping of NFL practices than they ever have to the heinous acts of the Bush crime syndicate?

Pro Bowl thread

Because every blog should recognize the NFL's annual all-star showcase. Heh.

Also because I can't think of much to discuss today. Maybe tonight.

Well, there's this: I see Broncos SS John Lynch is playing in Honolulu today. He was my favorite Buccaneer. Good thing the Bucs gave up on him, huh? Pfft.

Numerology

Hmmm ...

Super Bowl XXI (1987): Giants win.

Super Bowl XLII (2008): Giants win.

This might be a good time to put some money down on the Giants to win Super Bowl LXIII. After all, 2029 is right around the corner ...

End of the line

Final score: Giants 24 Bucs 14.

Fine. I was wrong. I picked the wrong quarterback to suck and the wrong offensive line to fall apart.

And now Jr.'s in tears. Breaks my heart, it does.

I'll try to comfort him. In the meantime: only about six weeks till pitchers and catchers report ...

Halftime

Giants 14 Bucs 7.

So much for my prediction. The Bucs just aren't winning the line of scrimmage like they need to, and and like I expected them to.

If they don't pressure Eli Manning in the second half, their chances are as good as Giuliani winning the GOP presidential nomination.

Which is to say, none.

Playoffs? PLAYOFFS?!?

Yep, it's the NFL playoffs, and I'm heading to Tampa today to see "my" Buccaneers take on the New York Giants.

So, light posting today, if any, from the ol' PDA. And I have a prediction that, to many, might be outlandish:

Bucs 31, Giants 10.

I just think the Bucs' defense will pressure Giants QB Eli Manning into a lot of mistakes. I'm calling four sacks and three interceptions. And with Giants-killer Jeff Garcia at quarterback, the Bucs can score some points. Garcia-to-Galloway for two TDs.

Probably outrageous, I know, but I just have a feeling ... and things have been going so well for me lately, I'm gonna ride the wave while it lasts.

So, comment and flame away to your heart's content. And laugh at me if I'm wrong ... but give me some props if I'm right, too. And don't rape any goats while I'm gone, okay? Thanks in advance.

First time ever!

In their 32nd season in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just did something unprecedented in their entire history: they ran a kickoff back for a touchdown!

Michael Spurlock ran back an Atlanta kickoff all the way to put the Bucs ahead of the Falcons, 14-3. And I was there!!!

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited! We've waited a LONG TIME for that!

Go Bucs!

UPDATE (10:28 pm 12/16/07): I didn't realize that I'd created double posts until after the game, and I couldn't fix it from my PDA. So, I had to get "home" and fix it, which I've now done. Because there was one comment on each of the posts in question, I moved the later comment to this thread. Just wanted to clarify for the record ...

Also, the Buccaneers won, 37-3, thereby clinching the NFC South title and guaranteeing at least one home playoff game. This pleases me greatly.

When fundies attack

I'm turning once again to the world of football for this morning's opener, because it's just So Bizarre.

Former Florida State quarterback and local sports hero Casey Weldon was fired yesterday as head football coach at North Florida Christian School, despite having led his team to the state title game in each of the last two seasons. So why is this blogworthy? Check out the reason school president and Baptist minister Randy Ray gave for the dismissal:

The school's president, pastor Randy Ray, would not return phone calls on Tuesday but did reply to an e-mail requesting an interview.

"We are a ministry, a church with a school," Ray wrote. "As it is with all of our decisions we try to be led by the Lord we serve. Sometimes that leadership is popular and embraced by everyone and at other times it is not. In any case we must be true to our mission and follow God's leadership.

"It is the consensus of our school administration that this is God's will for what North Florida Baptist Church is trying to do through the program of North Florida Christian School."

God's will, folks. Yes, there are wars and genocide, death and destruction, climate change and poverty, and God decided he needed to fire a high school football coach. Jesus H. Christ on a flea flicker, what a ridiculous statement.

This is a HUGE deal in largely rural north Florida, where high school football is a way of life. Commenters are flooding the article's board, and one local columnist even took on the school today:

But Randy Ray, the pastor who runs North Florida Baptist Church and the school, apparently decided that God needed someone new calling the plays.

Lord, have mercy.

The pure hypocrisy of this situation numbs the soul.

Firing a football coach because it's "God's will"?

What kind of lesson does that teach the students at NFC, and more importantly, the players who were part of Weldon's team? Loyalty and commitment get trumped because of God's will?

Heaven help us.

No one begrudges Ray or anyone else the right to fire a football coach — for any reason. If you don't like the way he calls plays or you don't like the way he treats his players or you simply don't like the way he manages his team meetings, then fire him.

But have the decency to tell the truth.

Don't pass this decision off as "God's will." Be a man, be a leader — for Heaven's sake, be a man of God — and speak the truth.

Casey Weldon was fired Wednesday not because God decided to put on the headsets and call an audible.

Casey Weldon fell victim to the oldest play in the book — politics.

And God's will had nothing to do with it.

The crime here is not that Weldon was fired.

The sin is the way that dismissal was portrayed and, for that, Randy Ray should be ashamed of himself.

God's will?

Thine hypocrisy hath no limit.

Hypocrisy and fundamentalist Christianity go together like peanut butter and jelly. Whether it's Ted Haggard or Randy Ray, a sex scandal in a mega-church or some egotistical backwoods preacher firing a coach in Florida, a Baptist preacher running a school or a Baptist preacher running for president, it's all the same. And, for that matter, it's all a shame.

HE15MAN

Since this is, after all, a blog emanating from and largely dedicated to America's Wang™, I suppose I'm obligated to comment on Florida QB Tim Tebow winning the Heisman Trophy as America's best college football player in 2007.

In the interest of full and fair disclosure, let me first paraphrase a certain hypocritical Republican senator from Idaho: I am not a Gator fan. I never have been a Gator fan. If anything, my Gator-hater status has gotten worse since Steve Spurrier left, because they keep winning championships! Still, part of it is legitimate because my lifelong (well, since high school) best friend is a graduate of Florida State. Part of this is because two universities for which I have worked -- this year alone -- lost to the Gators in football this season. And, well, if you live in Florida, you pretty much have to choose among UF, FSU, and Miami ... for now.

Having said all that, though, there is no doubt in my mind (and, obviously, the minds of a vast majority of Heisman voters) that Tebow (right) richly deserved to be the first sophomore to win the Heisman. Not only was he the most valuable player on a 9-3 bowl-bound team, but he dominated the opposition. Whether running or throwing, no one could stop him (although Georgia did a decent job of limiting him in Jacksonville).

So, grudgingly, I acknowledge and congratulate UF for yet another victory. Here's one Gator Chomp for you.

Well, you couldn't see it. But trust me. And you only get one.

This wood's for you

Watching Monday Night Football. ESPN's Mike Tirico just said, "9:11 left in the fourth quarter."

And somewhere, Rudy Giuliani got a hard-on.

Kidz and football

Heading out with Jr. & Jrette. to watch the Local University Team take on University Team from Another State.

Talk amongst yourselves. If you're at the FDP convention in O-town, updates would be appreciated.