Legit chess master?

I've never subscribed to the Trump-kin theory that Donald Trump's outlandish rhetoric (whether via Twitter or spoken word) is the equivalent of his playing ultra-level chess to that of his detractors' checkers.

But if President Trump's bashing of Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and the awful conditions within the city of Baltimore result in multiple Democrat candidates for President showering praise upon noted race-hustler & virulent anti-Semite Al Sharpton?

Well....I'm still skeptical of the "chess master" moniker. However, this is the first incident which has actually given me pause.

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Box Score of the Week

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds - April 28, 1991.

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I thought of this game when Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer angrily chucked a baseball over the center field wall in Kansas City this past Sunday. 

Upon closing out that Reds' victory over the Cubs, Cincinnati reliever Rob Dibble launched a baseball towards the Riverfront Stadium outfield after being dissatisfied with his performance. The ball went towards the center field seats, striking a fan in the elbow. The incident resulted in Dibble receiving a four-game suspension. 

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You're running out of luck, I won't get kicked around.....

Hard to believe we're almost through the month of July. Nevertheless, I'll be in the Patriot bunker for today's edition of my radio program The Closer. The 2-hour bonanza begins at 1:00 PM Central Time.

At 1:15, I will be joined by political wonk Matt Mackowiak to discuss the fallout of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's testimony before House committees last week (hint: impeachment of Trump is dead). Also, Matt is on the front lines of the effort to reverse the homeless camping ordinance put in place by his home city of Austin, TX, so I'll get an update on that.

In the non-guest segments, I'll weigh on an interview Al Franken gave The New Yorker, specifically how he regrets resigning his U.S. Senate seat. Also, progressives look to impugn the character of newly inducted Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera over his support of (GASP!!!) Israel.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Yer busted

Since the Minnesota Vikings released running back Adrian Peterson after the 2016 season, I always assumed he was running (no pun intended) on fumes. However, he popped up in 2018 as a member of the Washington Redskins and came through with a 1,000-yard rushing season. Despite the success he had last year, I was still a bit surprised that he chose to come back in 2019 given he's 34 years old with even more tread on the proverbial tires.

A story about Peterson's financial situation may have provided us a rationale as to why he's continuing his football career.

Washington running back Adrian Peterson has made about $100 million in salary, and millions more in endorsements, during his NFL career. But he’s deep in debt after his lawyer says he trusted people who ripped him off.

“The truth behind Adrian Peterson’s current financial situation is more than is being reported at this time,” attorney Chase Carlson said in a statement. “Because of ongoing legal matters, I am unable to go into detail, but I will say this is yet another situation of an athlete trusting the wrong people and being taken advantage of by those he trusted. Adrian and his family look forward to sharing further details when appropriate.”

The statement came hours after TheAthletic.com reported that Peterson is being sued in Pennsylvania for failing to pay back a $5.2 million loan. In two separate matters, judges have ordered Peterson to pay $2.4 million to one creditor and $600,000 to another creditor.

Despite the fortune Peterson has made, he appears to be nearly broke, with debts that he is struggling to pay, and debts that he’ll continue to struggle to pay even after getting a $1.5 million signing bonus to remain in Washington this year, with another $1 million in salary on the way for the season.

Sadly, Peterson is just another statistic among well compensated professional athletes. The ESPN 30 for 30 film Broke cited some very sobering (if not shocking) statistics.

According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 60 percent of former NBA players are broke within five years of retirement. By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress. Sucked into bad investments, stalked by freeloaders, saddled with medical problems, and naturally prone to showing off, many pro athletes get shocked by harsh economic realities after years of living the high life.

It's been no secret that Peterson has fathered multiple children with several women, so child support costs alone are exorbitant. And just four years ago he threw himself a 30th birthday bash where one of the indulgences included dressing up as Aladdin and riding in on an actual camel!

One aspect of the film Broke talked about the NFL rookie symposium hosting a breakout session dealing specifically with financial matters. However, the young men attending largely tuned out of what was being said by former players and other assorted advisers. I get a sense that the air of invincibility is at its highest upon signing a pro contract.

With his highest earning potential behind him, Peterson faces a frighteningly uncertain future. Unfortunately, he appears to have been his own worst enemy.

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Quick Hits: Volume CXCIV

- Mariano Rivera became the first player in Major League Baseball in history to be a first ballot unanimous selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame. This past weekend he was officially inducted.

As has been a disturbing trend over the past few years, an athlete's shining moment is attempted to be drown out by past indiscretions or by what "progressives" deem a questionable worldview.

You're up, Daily Beast.

(O)ver the past three years, (Rivera)’s also served at the pleasure of a racist president, taken part in thinly veiled propaganda on behalf of a far-right government in Israel, and gotten chummy with outright bigots and apocalyptic loons. None of this will be inscribed on his Hall of Fame plaque. It should, even if much of the sports world would very much like to pretend none of it exists.

By the way, Rivera's "service" to President Trump includes his support of the Opioid Drug Abuse Commission as well as the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Why do leftists hate healthy, drug-free kids???

And "far-right" government in Israel? They're the most forward thinking state in that whole region. And current PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been democratically elected and re-elected. Now leftists hate thriving democracies too??


- If you predicted the inevitable moral collapse of the western world included a woman being labeled a bigot for refusing to wax a trans woman's scrotum, collect your winnings!



- Last year during the confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, allegations surfaced of his being involved in a sexual assault 35 years earlier when he was age 17. Despite no corroborating evidence and no history of such behavior by Kavanaugh, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's accusation, we were told, was beyond reproach. All women are to be believed, due process be damned.

So now that we're more than 18 months removed from Al Franken being forced to resign his U.S. Senate seat due to multiple allegations of inappropriate touching, is the "WOKE!" crowd now reconsidering its stance on due process?

A remarkable number of Franken’s Senate colleagues have regrets about their own roles in his fall. Seven current and former U.S. senators who demanded Franken’s resignation in 2017 told me that they’d been wrong to do so. Such admissions are unusual in an institution whose members rarely concede mistakes.

What they're essentially saying is they should have rode out the storm, which would have eventually blew over (even though more accusations were likely to surface). One shining example of that is Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D-VA), who has denied allegations of sexual assault against him. There were initial demands for his resignation, which he resisted. How often are we hearing about Fairfax's saga these days?

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Box Score of the Week

Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves - September 29, 1973.

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In this game Hank Aaron hit his 40th home run of the season for the Braves. That gave Atlanta three hitters (Aaron, Davey Johnson and Darrell Evans) who clubbed at least 40 homers that year, the first time such a feat occurred in MLB history.  

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Spending every dime for a wonderful time.....

After a one week hiatus I will be back in the Patriot bunker for this afternoon's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

I'll cover some local stories in the first hour, particularly the St Louis Park City Council reversing its decision to ban the Pledge of Allegiance. I will also weigh in on the sh*t show that is the MN Dept. of Human Services. 

In the second hour I will obviously weigh in on President Trump's war of words with the "Squad" and how neither side came out with a shred of dignity. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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I pray I possess this kind of grace

I oppose the death penalty on religious grounds. But even if I didn't subscribe to the Christian worldview, I would still be against capital punishment due to even the slightest possibility of a wrongful conviction.

Q.E.D.

FREE MAN: Corey Atchison, who served 28 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, walked out of an Oklahoma prison after a district judge dropped the charges.

"I can't hold no grudge," he said. "Life's too short." https://t.co/RWy2qPEHmQ pic.twitter.com/MzbgXXrwxn

— ABC News (@ABC) July 17, 2019

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He really said that?

Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden has been accused of plagiarism multiple times over the nearly five decades of his political career. Apparently he's back at it.

Speaking at the AARP presidential forum in Iowa, Biden drew a contrast between his (health care) plan, which would give people a Medicare-like public option, and the “Medicare for All” plan championed by more progressive Democratic presidential candidates including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

“If you like your health care plan, your employer-based plan, you can keep it. If in fact you have private insurance, you can keep it,” Biden said.

Biden’s speech echoed the now-infamous “if you like your doctor, you’re going to be able to keep your doctor” catchphrase former President Obama repeatedly said in 2009 and 2010 when he was trying to sell the public on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

I'm no expert, but if one is going to plagiarize anything it would behoove one to repeat something uplifting or inspirational. Repeating a quote which Politifact (hardly a conservative bastion, by the way) determined as the "Lie of the Year" in 2013 doesn't exactly fit that criteria.

If Biden is ever pressed on why Americans should believe that rhetoric now after years of the Obama administration (in which he served as VP) falsely uttering it, perhaps he can steal a quote from another infamous figure. It was boxing promoter Bob Arum who infamously proclaimed "Yesterday I was lying, today I'm telling the truth." If nothing else, the leftist media (PTR) will provide some cover with their focus being on conservatives "seizing" upon it.

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Quick Hits: Volume CXCIII

- The occurrence of a circular firing squad pitting U.S. House Democrat leadership vs. proggie darlings Tide Pod Evita Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, et al, it was an undeserved gift to Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump.

Ah, but if we know anything about the White House's current occupant, he just can't stand prosperity.

From a tweet thread put forth by Trump:

So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!

One of the appeals of Trump's 2016 candidacy was that he wasn't the typical politician and, for better or worse, wasn't interested in political correctness. But lack of political savvy is to his detriment here given that you should never interrupt your opponents savaging each other.

As the Dem civil war was raging, I made the comment that all they had to do was portray themselves as just moderately sane and they would likely hand Trump a re-election defeat similar to that of George H. W. Bush in 1992. But the President's latest tweet storm gives the Dems (for now anyways) the moral high ground.

It looks as though 2020 will once again be a scenario where whomever is dumbest last loses.


- On Monday evening, the St. Louis Park City Council reversed a controversial decision where they banned the Pledge of Allegiance prior to meetings.

After recently voting to reduce the recital of the Pledge, the council received significant pushback from community members.

On Monday night, council member Thom Miller started the meeting by moving to reinstate the pledge. Then, each council member took turns speaking on the issue and voted unanimously to reinstate it.

This saga ended up being way more of an ordeal than it needed to be. As I've said before, anyone attending these city council meetings shouldn't be required to recite the Pledge. But to outright ban it almost smacks of a First Amendment issue.

Let's hope the victors here don't get too haughty by shaming those who choose to not recite it or stand during it.


- So what the heck's going on with the Minnesota DHS???

The commissioner of the state's sprawling social service agency abruptly resigned Monday after just six months on the job, producing the first major shake-up of the new administration of Gov. Tim Walz.

Tony Lourey, who left the state Senate to become the commissioner of Human Services in January, wrote a letter to Walz saying his resignation would take effect at the end of the day, stunning some members of the Minnesota Legislature. No reason was given.

Lourey's sudden departure comes after the resignations of his two top deputies last week, raising anew questions about chaos at the top ranks of the $17.5 billion state agency.

When Lourey resigned from the state Senate to accept this post, his former seat went to a special election. It wound being won by Republican Jason Rarick, which increased the razor-thin GOP majority from 34-33 to 35-32. This is an especially big blow to the Walz administration given that Lourey moved on from DHS commish less than six months after proclaiming the job was one which "I’ve dedicated my life to."

Given the rampant fraud which has occurred in multiple state public assistance programs, this chaos couldn't have come at a worse time. Stay tuned I guess.

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Box Score of the Week

Baltimore Orioles at Oakland A's - July 13, 1991.

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Last Friday evening, two Los Angeles Angels pitchers combined to no-hit the Seattle Mariners in the Angels' first home game since the sudden death of teammate Tyler Skaggs eleven days earlier. In that game, the Angels players all donned Skaggs name and jersey number. Afterwards they all laid their game-worn jerseys on the pitcher's mound as a tribute to their fallen teammate.

That means last Friday's game was the first combined no-hitter in the state of California since that Orioles-A's matchup on July 13, 1991 ----  the very day Skaggs was born.

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On assignment

I will be on assignment for today's edition of my radio show The Closer. However, my friend and valued Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague Mitch Berg will be filling in for me 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. central time.

Tune in!

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Consistently inconsistent

When House Speaker Paul Ryan chose not to seek re-election in 2018, President Trump tweeted the following:

Speaker Paul Ryan is a truly good man, and while he will not be seeking re-election, he will leave a legacy of achievement that nobody can question. We are with you Paul!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2018

But as is the moral code Trump subscribes to, his praise can be easily yanked if he perceives someone as "disloyal." So when it was revealed that excerpts of Ryan's upcoming book was less than complimentary towards the White House's current occupant, Trump responded with this tweet storm:

Paul Ryan, the failed V.P. candidate & former Speaker of the House, whose record of achievement was atrocious (except during my first two years as President), ultimately became a long running lame duck failure, leaving his Party in the lurch both as a fundraiser & leader......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2019

....He had the Majority & blew it away with his poor leadership and bad timing. Never knew how to go after the Dems like they go after us. Couldn’t get him out of Congress fast enough!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2019

You can bet your last dollar that over the next year on the campaign trail, Trump will continue to tout the success of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, of which Ryan was heavily involved in orchestrating. And he will do so without a scintilla of shame.

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What's the problem?

How big a national story has the Pledge of Allegiance kerfuffle in St. Louis Park become? So much so that the President of the United States weighed in.

Outrage is growing in the Great State of Minnesota where our Patriots are now having to fight for the right to say the Pledge of Allegiance. I will be fighting with you! @foxandfriends

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2019

As I see it, the SLP City Council vote to eliminate the Pledge prior to meetings seemed to be a mass over-correction to a vague problem. The council's rationale for eliminating it was "due to concern that some residents in their 'increasingly diverse community' might find it unwelcoming." My question is how exactly is it unwelcoming? Are there a slew of atheists populating the city who might object to the phrase "One Nation under God...?" Is it due to new immigrants residing there who would prefer to pledge loyalty to their country of origin?

I, for one, don't believe in "forced patriotism." If there are folks who object to the Pledge, then I have zero issue with them remaining silent, staying seated or, dare I say, kneeling. But this idea that a municipal government forbids reciting it altogether smacks of a First Amendment violation.

This isn't over by a long shot.

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Box Score of the Week

It's the All-Star break, so let's check out the 2008 All-Star game.

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This game took place at the old Yankee Stadium in its final season. It also marked the longest ASG game in terms of time (4 hours, 50 minutes) and tied for longest at 15 innings. 

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Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues....

First Sunday in July! The summer is moving on quick, but we at the Northern Alliance Radio Network are HERE FOR IT! Today's 2-hour edition of my radio show The Closer gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

I will throw in my two cents regarding Colin Kaepernick discouraging Nike from manufacturing a shoe with a logo of the Betsy Ross designed flag. Also, are "Never Trump" Republicans obligated to vote for the Democrat presidential candidate in 2020?

Locally, I will weigh in on the St Louis Park city council barring the Pledge of Allegiance prior to their meetings.

At 2:15, Super Bowl champ/singer/brain injury advocate Ben Utecht will stop by to promote a big time musical event taking place in the Twin Cities later this month. The subject of football is also likely to come up.


So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Sixty Nine

I don't have a "bucket list." However, if I did, meeting my all time favorite pop singer Huey Lewis would easily be in my top 10. 

Today Hugh Anthony Cregg III turned 69 years of age. Sadly he's unable to perform music these days due to a mysterious hearing loss. But if a minor miracle occurs and he is somehow able to return to the stage, I will definitely be in the audience as I have been for numerous shows in my 37 years as a Huey Lewis and the News fan!

Anyhow, if you're so inclined, take a gander at my commemoration of Huey's 60th birthday nine years ago (click here). 

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Quick Hits: Volume CXCII

- Election Day 2020 is merely 16 months away (a veritable whiff of time in today's political realm). As such, announcements like this are starting to trickle in.

Some news: pic.twitter.com/Kg2vxDQeMI

— Karin Housley (@KarinHousley) July 2, 2019

This is the right decision, especially in light of Minnesota Republicans being able to win statewide has become so elusive. And now that Sen. Tina Smith is an elected incumbent, the task of defeating her would be that much more formidable.

As of right now, the GOP holds a slim 35-32 majority in the MN Senate. With suburban Republicans becoming an endangered species in this state, there are some ripe opportunities for the DFL to flip some of those seats (i.e. Housley in SD39, Paul Anderson in SD44, Scott Jensen in SD47 and Dan Hall in SD56) and thus attain a majority. It's going to be difficult enough for incumbent Republican senators to win re-election in 2020 to say nothing of first time candidates.

I know where a fair amount of my campaign contributions are going next year.


- I really don't care that Nike has chosen to forgo a sneaker featuring an American flag logo in the motif of the one designed by Betsy Ross. And I'm certainly not going to unload invective on former NFL QB (and now Nike spokesperson) Colin Kaepernick for allegedly encouraging the shoe company to nix the idea.

In the end Nike is a business and, to be honest, a savvy one at that. How many national news stories have they been a part of over the past several days? Oh, and have you checked their stock price lately?

Well played, Nike.


- I was crestfallen to hear the news of former St Paul mayor and U.S. senator Norm Coleman having been diagnosed with cancer for a third time.

However, I soon thereafter became inspired when I read the frank but inspiring words written by.....Norm Coleman.

I can’t avoid my cancer.

But, I will not let it decide how I will live my life.

I am blessed with family and friends and caregivers who have given me countless reasons to know better than to let the demons of despair partner with the beast of cancer to bring me to my knees.

When I go to my knees it is in prayer. I’ve gone back to putting on Tefillin as part of my morning prayers.

Prayer for the blessings of modern medicine – thankful for the host of Prayer Warriors – thankful for a family that loves me – friends that sustain me – and countless other gifts of plenty that have given me an abundant life.

I firmly believe that in spite of this affliction I am immeasurably blessed.

There will be another battle against the beast and I am ready for it.

To the beast I say this to you: My war against cancer isn’t won.

Yet.

That's the sign of a quality human being when he can make others feel uplifted and inspired about the horrific adversity that he himself is battling.

I've been praying almost daily over the past several months for Norm and his family. I certainly ain't stopping now.

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Box Score of the Week

The 4th of July is this Thursday, so let's check out the Astros-Reds matchup from Independence Day 1980.

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Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan is the all-time strikeouts leader with 5,714. In this game, as a member of the Houston Astros, Ryan recorded his 3,000 career K. 

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