I know this article is completely off topic in a sports blog, but I write here enough to deserve one pass:

What is up with all of the politicians and cabinet appointees getting grilled on their taxes?  Is every one of these people tax cheats who are trying to skirt around the tax systems they build for us little people?  Are the rich so g!@dam& greedy that they can't pay taxes on their maids, nannies, and multitudes of investments and incomes?  If Obama wants to really make a change in the system, try automatic audits of all millionaires and corporations.  Doesn't it make more sense to suck a million dollars in taxes out of each of a million multi-millionaires, rather than a hundred dollars from a hundred million working class citizens who can't afford it?  Audits would keep a lot more rich people honest in how they make their money, and possibly capture a few not-so-honest ones who get rich on bribes and special connections.

If little guys like me can automatically pay my taxes from each paycheck, why can't the rich get their crap taxed out of them too?  I'm not asking for the rich to take the full tax burden load, but at least share it and be honest about what you do and don't report each year.

Some people argue that the rich get richer because they know these tax tricks, loopholes, and way to avoid detection.  However, if I did the same tricks, saving a few extra hundred bucks isn't going to make me super rich.  So, my point is that the extra millions the rich make by cheating, isn't making them megarich.  Their legitimate profits do that for them.  So, why skirt the taxes?

I'm sure there are tons of tax laws and reasons why the rich pay more than we do by percentage, and I admit to not being a tax lawyer or scholar.  However, getting back to my original point, how is it that the people at the echelon of our government think they can skate on their taxes?  Also, how can they even accept an initial invite by the president to the cabinet, and not think their tax records won't come under intense scrutiny by Congress on the people?  Don't these people ever learn?  You can't have a skeleton in your closet and not expect it to come out some time further down the line in your growing career.  It's no wonder our country is so screwed up, when the people we elect to make good decisions for us, are screwing the citizens in the rear.  Sure the rich citizens will campaign, lobby, and support these crooks, because they're all on the payrolls.  It makes financial sense for them to put someone in office who is going to throw business their way and sweep their tax mishaps under the carpet.

Oh well, I'm just venting.  I think we'll continue to see the years of corporate and political corruption sowed over the past 30 years since Reagan be revealed in the coming years during this recession.  Corruption has always existed, but there is so much more money at play now in Washington and with corporate giants.  These dudes need to be reigned in and made to account.  I hope this recession lasts long enough to make some real legislation come about that makes some fundamental changes to taxes, elections, corporate, trading and congressional ethics laws.  Our laws have been warped and twisted for decades allowing large businesses and rich people to gain an inch here and there until it's revealed that they have a mile.

Further more, our government approved a $700B bailout plan for banks, and another much larger plan is in the works.  So, let's just say this next bailout is worth $800B.  That brings the total bailout dollars to $1.5 trillion dollars.  YES, TRILLION.  That's more money than the entire cost of WWII.  Do we really think these banks are going to operate in anyone's best interest other than their own and their stockholders?  That money was suppose to increase lending, but we haven't seen an increase in lending yet.  I guess those dollars are needed to clean up the messes those same banks created for themselves.  Screw bailing them out.  How about bailing out American workers??  What if we distributed $1.5 trillion to American citizens, all 300 millions of us.  That would be a $5000 payout per person.  That's roughly $15k-20k or more per household.  Of course Americans can't stand holding on to so much money, so a lot of that would be immediately pumped back into banks, paying down loans and debt, and more going into new purchases of large/expensive items.  The problem is that the large expensive items we buy are all foreign.  Give us our money, and we send it to another country.  How about some stricter tariffs and embargos?  The rest of the world like OPEC and China love playing hardball with us in trade negotiations, so lets play back hard now.  Let India starve to death by taking back our outsourced jobs.  Better them than us.  Have to look after our own.  Let's also cut off those illegals who keep sending their meager dollars back home to Mexico or investing in hispanic created products.

OK I'm through.  What do you think?

For the first time in its history, Super Bowl ticket prices are dropping.  Many still unsold.

Media credentials have been reduced.

Advertisers have cut back dramatically.

Hotel rooms and restaurants in Tampa sit empty within blocks of the Super Bowl complex.

Are these a sign of the economic times, or the beginning of the end of an overblown, exaggerated, Christmas-wannabe, consumer-advertiser wet dream?

Please see this AP article here regarding how the recession has hit the Super Bowl.

I have no doubt that the current economic crisis is keeping much business away from the Super Bowl this year, but could this also be the perfect storm forming that makes the average American wake up and realize that this event is never all it's hyped up to be?

Every year the Nielson ratings show that Super Bowl viewership, while starting high at the beginning of the game, dramatically drops with each subsequent minute that passes.  Are those 100 million viewers really interested in the football game?  By the end of the game, you've got no more viewers left than any other playoff game leading up to it.  Is this really America's game?  Would MLB or NBA fare better if they had single game playoff matches culminating in a single game finale for all of the marbles, and we could then pump up that single event?

It's been my perception that the majority of the games themselves usually end up being lopsided victories, or contests that look far from the best two teams duking it out.  They are usually sloppy, and the players look rusty from being off for 2 weeks and feeling the final grind of a long drawn out season.  Also, we never get the matchup of AFC-NFC titans that we all want to see.  It's usually some upstart catching fire in a bottle.  Cardinals?? boooooring.  Pittsburg?  been there, done that too many times already.   Also, who are the stars of this game?  Being an average NFL watcher, I can only say Steelers QB Ben Roethlesberger is a name.  Cardinals QB Kurt Warner is obviously known for his past MVP and Super Bowl heroics, but does anyone really consider him a star?  He's certainly another feel-good story for this year, but can you name any other marquee names in this game?  When you look at a World Series or NBA Finals, you've always got marquee names.  Not 2 rosters of 80 unrecognizable no-names. Snooze.  My point is that its rare that we ever get to see the two best teams with the most stars playing in the big game, thus justifying all of the hype.

Also, what's up with the super media hype?  Why is it so important to know that Boldin's favorite color is pink?  Why is it so important to get a unique angle on any player, coach, or situation with the team or its home town?  I think there's come a turning point where the media is more of a story than the story they are covering.  It's ridiculous.

Advertising:  yes, this is a singular opportunity for a business, cause, etc. to get themselves noticed before 100 million people in one whack.  The numbers pan it out that the money spent for 30 seconds here is worth more than 30 seconds aired for months during other TV faire.  However, does Budweiser truly need to spend millions to advertise their brand?  Doesn't everyone already know they are the King of Beers, and likely 90% of the viewship already has a 12-pack in hand for the big game?  Why over-expose?  And what about the movie business...? When a new trailor for a tent-pole movie comes out during the Super Bowl, sure it's going to get noticed.  However, you just spent a $million or more in advertising, and you run the risk of your movie being a bomb at the box office.  "Come see LOVE AMONGST THE DAISIES by Jane Austen this spring."  BOMB! Just threw a mill out the window.  Better hope DVD sales come through.  Finally, there are those ads that look to break new ground in the media, a la Apple in the 80's.  Michael Jackson's Thriller, plus lizards, plus Naomi Campbell advertising a drink does not equate to ground breaking.  Haven't all 4 been done before?  One more finally...there's typically only 1 ad each year that is somewhat amusing, while the rest of them bore us to sleep or leave us scratching our head because some genius making 7 figures thought it was clever.

This whole soire seems like a giant feedback loop where the NFL, media, businesses, and fans circle jerk each other so much that you just see a giant black cloud of entertainment.  Whether it's the ads, the news stories, human interest stories, the buzz, or the actual game, this event has tried to create something for everyone, and it's all so superficial and pointless.  Even more and worse, it's just grown boring and overdone now. 

I wasn't wrong in calling this a Christmas wannabe.  It's two weeks of ultra hype that's everywhere you look, trying to sell sell sell.  When the actual day gets here, we're giddy and happy for the first hour, then it's all down hill.  You just feel gluttoned and bombed from the fat food and overstimulation of the senses from flash advertisements and greatest halftime show ever for this year.

Finally, the greatest act I ever saw surrounding Super Bowl mania was years ago when The Simpsons ran a contra-halftime show episode.... Bart and Homer were watching the big half time show, and there were clowns and giant goofy balloon float animals dancing to queer Small World music.  Our favorite son, Bart, simply says, "Come on! Where are the snipers when you need them??"  My feelings exactly.  Except snipe me to put me out of my misery of being surrounded by a country full of Super Bowl idiots.

Give the Super Bowl a rest this year and the following years.  Go for a walk.  Go to Sunday evening church.  Call your mother (if you can get her to answer the phone because she's watching for Super Bowl ads).  Read a book.  Go plant some vegetables in your early spring garden rather than stuffing those brats, Tostitos, and beer down your gullet.

For all of the back-handing the BCS, Harris Poll, Coaches' Poll, and computers have taken this season, it's funny to see the AP poll (the outcast red-headed step-child of the BCS) rise to the occasion and end the season with an even more controversial poll than the BCS.  It's no wonder this pole was booted from the BCS system, as it seems writers and media, who study, analyze and report on this stuff, all season long, are worse at filling out a polling list than coaches and sports dignitaries.  This complaint is completely moot considering that the rightful #1 in Florida IS #1 by all polls, and that's all that should matter,,right?  WRONG!! There is plenty of bragging rights and chest thumping left to do for the rest of the college football elite, in order to gain that slight advantage in recruiting.

Here's the final AP poll for the 2008 season, with their #1 votes, record, total votes, and previous ranking:

1)  Florida (48)   13-1   1606   1
2)  Utah (16)   13-0   1519   7
3)  USC (1)   12-1   1481   5
4)  Texas       12-1   1478   3
5)  Oklahoma   12-2   1391   2
6)  Alabama     12-2   1264   4
7)  TCU             11-2   1193   11
8)  Penn St       11-2   1153   6
9)  Ohio St        10-3   1013  10
10)  Oregon     10-3    997   15

Now I understand that polling is a cumulative effect of many different voters casting their votes with biases, opinions, and regional interests, and that final outcomes can seem skewed or odd compared to what general perception thinks the results should look like.  Though the whole Top 25 are filled with anomolies, I'm going to concentrate on the Top 10, as the bottom 15 are just a crap-shoot.

Utah had a great season, and topped it off with an impressive win against an SEC team in their own backyard.  However, do they truly warrant 16 first place votes?  Are there honestly 16 paid writers out there that believe Utah is a better team than Florida?  Florida is undisputably the #1 team.  Florida held the best offense in the land to 14 points, and doubled them on the scoreboard.  No doubt about it.  So, how do supposedly educated journalist think they can cast a #1 vote for Utah and justify it?  Thank the BCS, the AP doesn't really matter anymore.

TCU from 11 to 7?  Sure TCU had a fine season, but they failed to get over the hump against tougher competition (Oklahoma and Utah).  Their 17-6 bowl win over an undefeated Boise St. was nice, but hardly a 4 spot jump in the polls.  Boise St. played a soft schedule this year, and everyone knew they weren't as good on the field as they showed on paper.  How does one non-BCS school jump 4 spots by beating another non-BCS school?  Not impressive in my book.

Oregon climbed from #15 to #10.  This is the same 3-loss Oregon squad that lost at home to Boise St., which wasn't that great despite their regular season undefeated record.  This is a team from the Pac-1 plus 9.  They beat Oklahoma St. by 11 in the Holiday Bowl.  Far from a blow out, and definitely not OSU's finest performance of the year.  The Holiday Bowl is always a good win for your team if you can't swing a BCS bowl, but does anyone really think this 2-loss team is a top 10 squad this season?

Alabama gets thumped (embarassed) by a non-BCS school, and only falls 2 spots, while Texas beats Ohio St. and slips 1 spot.  Apparently the Big 10 is getting less credibility by the second, while the Mountain West Conference is the new SEC.

Despite losing to 3 Top 10 teams, including the Fiesta Bowl versus Texas, Ohio St. managed to climb up 1 spot in the final poll to #9.   This line of logic seems to indicate that if Ohio St. went 0-12 versus the Top 12 teams, that they'd end the season with a 0-12 record and ranked #13.  Apparently, the Big 10 is getting more credibility than I thought before.

The only things that made sense about this poll were that Florida was #1, and Texas was ranked over O(verrated)U.

My Top 5

1)  Florida - by virture of having won the NC game against tough OU, and played a tough schedule.  They deserve it.
2)  Texas - by having beat Oklahoma, and should have played in Big 12 and NC games.  They beat Ohio St., and played one of the toughest schedules around, including 4 straight top 11 teams in 4 weeks.  Their whole season came down to a single play on the road against a Top 10 opponent.
3)  Utah - Close behind Texas.  Their perfect season weighs a lot, and their whipping of #4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, even more.  They have some solid wins on their schedule (BYU, TCU),  but it's hard to guage by not playing any other big games all year.
4)  USC - Their 12-1 record is impressive, and they dispatched Penn St. in the Rose Bowl with ease.  They had one of the best defenses ever, but they are handicapped with a so-so loss to Oregon St. and playing in the Pac 1 plus 9.
5)  Oklahoma - They had a great season with one of the all-time performances by Heisman QB Sam Bradford.  They would have had to have beaten Florida by a bunch to earn #1 on my board, as they didn't beat UT.  However, they lost in a well fought game that got decided late.  Despite 2 losses, they stay in the Top 5, as I can't really say that any other teams are better than them.  Like their game against Texas, they simply ran into an equal opponent, and allowed themselves to have a bad half.

Yes, it's that time of the year again when any and every corporation and website tries to sponsor a bevy of lame college football bowl games to complete the CFB season.  Let's take a look at some of the slogans and rallying cries in advertisement for some of these worthless bowl games:

FedEx Orange Bowl:  "Pleeeeease use our services to order your $1 tickets, so we break even on this fiasco."

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl:  "Pleeease buy a crate of tickets for $1, and we'll ship them to you."

EagleBank Bowl: "Pleeeeease buy a ticket.  We have $2B in debt to pay off."

New Mexico Bowl: "Pleeeeease come here because no one ever visits New Mexico."

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl:  "Pleeeeease buy a ticket.  We paid for too much lettering for our bowl name banners."

St.Petersburg Bowl: "Maybe they'll think it's a trip to Russia."

Champs Sports Bowl: "Because nothing spells 'Champs' like FSU and Wisconsin"

Valero Alamo Bowl: "Mexico is 2-0 at the Alamo now."

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl:  "There are at least 5 people in Boise that liked Meatloaf's Roady movie, so that's 5 tickets we can sell."

Texas Bowl:  "Maybe they'll confuse us with the other 4 bowl games played in our state."

Bell Hellicopter Armed Forces Bowl:  See The Sports Comedian

Brut Sun Bowl:  "Because El Paso has always been called the armpit of Texas."

Chick-fil-A Bowl: "Greasy fried chicken sells better than peaches.  Lets consider changing our name again to the Jarvic-7 Artificial Heart Bowl in a few years."

Capital One Bowl:  "What's in your wallet? Nothing, because Disney and Sea World already took it all."

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl:  "Because Florida, gators, Jacksonville, and copiers are perfect fits for each other."

Rose Bowl presented by Citi Bank: "We can use the roses for our funeral when we go bankrupt like the other banks."

Allstate Sugar Bowl: "This is how we pay back all of those unpaid Katrina insurance claims to New Orleans."

GMAC Bowl: "Hey we're handing out that $5 billion the government bailed us out with!!!"

January 6, 2009 - Glendale, AZ - Tostitos BCS Fiesta Bowl - #3 Texas vs #10 Ohio St.

In 2005 we saw Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns overcome Ohio State at the Horseshoe on national TV.

In 2006 we saw Troy Smith, Antonio Holmes, and Teddy Ginn Jr. return the favor in Austin as the Longhorns tried defending their 2005 National Championship.

Both were classic matchups of power conference behemoths that really ought to occur more in college football outside of BCS bowl games.

In this 2008 season, we get to see these two giants face off once more for a rubber game on neutral ground in the Fiesta Bowl.

Once again, can we expect to see similar big names, big plays, and another springboard to future success for one of these programs?

This year's Fiesta Bowl should be similar to the previous two games, in that we have the same big schools, the same coaches, the same gameplan styles, and the same pressures that programs at this level expect in striving to get better and bigger.

Let's compare the games and names:

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2005 - #2 Texas 25   #4 Ohio St. 22

Texas

QB Vince Young, RB Selvin Young, RB Jamaal Charles, WR Limas Sweed, NT Frank Okam, DT Rodrique Wright, CB Cedric Griffin, FS Michael Griffin, SS Michael Huff

Ohio St.

QB Troy Smith, RB Antonio Pittman, WR Ted Ginn Jr, WR Santonio Holmes, WR Tony Gonzalez, LB AJ Hawk

Highlights:  Future Heisman winner, frosh QB Troy Smith, comes in halfway through the game to get OSU on track.  2005 Heisman runner-up, QB Vince Young, throws a late game fade pass TD to WR Limas Sweed, who catches the football falling backwards, for the go-ahead score.  Texas went on to an undefeated season and the national championship.  Ohio St. lines up a ton of future greats who play in back to back national championships in 2006 and 2007 seasons, including LB J. Laurinaitis.

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2006 - #1 Ohio St. 24   #2 Texas 7

Ohio St.

QB Troy Smith, RB Antonio Pittman, WR Ted Ginn Jr, WR Tony Gonzalez, LB J Laurinaitis

Texas

QB Colt McCoy, RB Jamaal Charles, RB Selvin Young, WR Limas Sweed, DE Brian Orakpo, CB Cedric Griffin, FS Michael Griffin, SS Aaron Ross.

Highlights:  The Buckeyes played a mistake-free game, controlling the tempo and outcome most of the game.  Future star QB Colt McCoy gets his first taste of a big time college game.  Ohio St. uses this strong performance to bolster their #1 status for the whole season.  OSU LB J Laurinaitis shows his future Butkus Award stardom in gaining an interception, 10 tackles, and 3 stops for losses.

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2008 - #3 Texas (11-1)  vs   #10 Ohio St (10-2)

Texas

QB Colt McCoy, WR/KR Quan Cosby, WR/PR Jordan Shipley, DE Brian Orakpo, DE Henry Melton, LB Roddrick Muckelroy

Ohio St.

QB Terrelle Pryor, RB Chris Wells, WR/PR Ray Small, CB Kurt Coleman, LB J Laureinaitis

Highlights:  How far has QB Colt McCoy come in 3 years?  He's a Heisman finalist, and he had his team 1 play from being #1 and playing in the national championship game.  Though UT is sore for just missing the NC game this year, they look to use this year's Fiesta Bowl as an encouraging sign of things to come next season with McCoy returning to helm the Longhorns.  Though 10-2 with 2 losses to BCS bowl teams would normally seem like a great season for most teams, it's a step backwards for a program that's played in the last 2 NC games.  Ohio St. looks to prove their young talent in Terrelle Pryor and Beanie Wells are ready for another title run in 2009.  This will be J Laurinaitis' last game as a collegiate, and what a career it has been.  He is easily an NFL top 10 pick in the next draft, and he looks to lead the Buckeyes one final time to victory.  This will be a battle of Texas' high-power offense versus Ohio St's stingy D, which gives up only 13.1pts/gm(#9).  This year's game may not have the national title implications that 2005 and 2006 had, but the talent level is there on both sides.  The same great coaches are there.  And, these are two programs looking to finish out great seasons, proving that they belong amongst the nation's elite.  There is a high possibility that these two teams come into the 2009 season ranked #1 and #2 if Beanie Wells returns next season.

This should be a great game, and should end up being a fine rubber game to break the split between these two programs over the past 4 years.