Quick Hits: Volume XLIV

-You knew it was only a matter of time before the Occupy Wall Street movement would either peter out or lose what little accolades it received from the voting public.

On Tuesday afternoon, they were told they could no longer camp out in New York City's Zuccotti Park.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Stallman said the city can enforce “reasonable” rules to maintain safety and hygiene at the encampment that has become the epicenter of a nationwide movement.

The protesters have a right to free speech but they “have not demonstrated that they have a First Amendment right to remain in Zuccotti Park, along with their tents, structures, generators and other installations,” he wrote.

Without all those amenities, I highly doubt that the OWS crowd will hang around too much longer now that winter weather is beginning to rear its ugly head.

Not that they care much about popularity amongst the general public, but OWS is going to find out Wednesday that their movement is no longer all that popular with voters. The sample group Public Policy Polling, which has been previously lauded by the ultra lefty site Daily Kos, reported via Twitter that there are going to be some "pretty bad numbers" for OWS. Yeah, it's amazing what can happen to a group's alleged popularity when there are multiple reports of sexual assault and public defecation.


-For the record, I did not watch the Monday evening interview NBC's Bob Costas conducted with former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky regarding the allegations that Sandusky sexually abused at least five underage boys. However, while listening to the ESPN radio show Mike and Mike in the Morning on Tuesday, I heard a 3-4 minute audio excerpt of the interview.

The one aspect of the discussion which made me want to reach for some creep repellant also caught the attention of NESN's Ben Watanabe.

Costas: "Are you sexually attracted to young boys, to underage boys?"

Sandusky: "Am I sexually attracted to underage boys?"

Costas: "Yes."

Sandusky (after a two-second pause): "Sexually attracted? You know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. I... but no, I'm not sexually attracted to them, to young boys."

For those of you keeping score at home, it took Sandusky 17 words to get to the "no" part. He managed to mention that he enjoys "young people" and loves "to be around them," which are things not even his harshest critics contest.

Until Sandusky is convicted, the claims against him are only allegations. But it's difficult to understand how anyone could struggle with such a straightforward question.

Keep in mind that Sandusky's attorney was present. Granted I'm the furthest thing from a legal scholar, but I find it unfathomable that any competent lawyer would allow his client to open himself up to that line of questioning, especially when anything Sandusky says can be used against him in a trial.

Oh, and for the record, I will never, ever, ever, EEEEVVVVVERRRR again use the phrase "horsing around" thanks to Sandusky using that as a euphemism for what he did with those young kids.

Let's move on......quickly.


-Do I really have to talk about the Vikings??? OK, I'll get it out of the way. Their 45-7 loss on Monday night to the Green Bay Packers marked the second most lopsided regular season defeat in franchise history. The all-time rout came in 1984 at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers, 51-7. By all accounts, I'm sure the Packers could have usurped that margin of victory had they desired to do so.

The '84 season also marked the worst regular season finish for the Vikings (3-13) since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978. In looking ahead at the remaining seven matchups for this season, I have a feeling the best the 2-7 Vikings can hope for is to tie that record of futility.

No better time than the present to ask for a new stadium, eh?

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