Sept. 11 Anniversary: 11 Questions

The first Sunday of the football season fell on the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S. and I can't say I liked all of the "tributes."

"We will never forget."

"Forever remember."

These seemed like sweet sentiments, but who were those messages targeting? Who exactly has "forgotten" what happened? It seemed like everyone was trying to outdo each other in Sept. 11 tributes.

I'm not against patriotism, I wore the flag shirts like everyone else after Sept. 11, I just don't feel these tributes were all genuine. Shouldn't an earth shattering event like 9/11 deserve more than to be taken advantage of by advertisers and promoters?

It is a day of reflection, but I don't need the State Farm's children's choir, or the Budweiser Clydesdales kneeling at the New York skyline during every commercial break for me to "forever remember" what happened. It really bugs me that everyone from news stations, to local radio stations would take advantage of the most horrifying day in our lifetime.

Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears announced earlier this week that he was going to wear patriotic gloves during the Bears game and it seemed sweet- that is until he so subtly thanked Reebok for providing him with those spectacular gloves.

I was 13 when the attacks on the World Trade center occcured. I still remember the day clearly, all the footage and how I felt. It was only 10 years ago, there's no way I'm forgetting it.

Does everyone really need to have their own tribute?

Is it really OK that those who were afftected can't watch TV or listen to the radio without being reminded that their loved ones are dead?

Is it OK that every media outlet is trying to contact those affected for a story, while these people probably have had to tell their story a million times already throughout the last nine Septembers?

When is it OK? How much time until these people are at peace with the incident? Is the ten-year anniversary the marker for being able to talk about it strictly in a historical sense, or does it still hit close to home?

There were 50,000 fans waving little American flags at the Chargers game and I can't say that I can be as excited for this day as they were. We're still picking up the pieces. I'm all for honoring those who fell, but how much is too much?

Sports played an emotional part in the aftermath. As much as I hate the Yankees, it was beautiful to see them play again. It showed that we were not going to be put down and we were united.

I know there's a feeling that if we show sadness, we let the terrorists win, but if we're going to be real, people still have to fight through the memories.

It would be easy for people like me, who didn't lose anyone, to sit through the endless commercials and the endless replays of the towers falling and count my blessings, but what about the New Yorkers who were there- the people who lived this but 10 years ago- is it really honoring their losses by advertising your product?

Not all of the tributes were bad. Among others, I thought the Jacksonville Jaguars' Maurice Jones Drew's tears during the National Anthem were more genuine than most of the montages and tribute songs.



Maybe all of this is OK, but I just couldn't get rid of that sick feeling in my stomach during my football-filled day.

Chad Muska couldn't fakie 5-0: Arrested

Photo courtesy of Super Cheats


Professional skater and former "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" video game legend Chad Muska was arrested outside of the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles Wednesday night for vandalism.

The footage below doesn't show Muska actually spray painting, but with the word "Muska" painted on the window of a nearby Coffee Bean, it looks like that was the likely scenario.

In the video, Muska repeatedly uttered the "N" word toward two black security guards and was probably lucky that he was surrounded by cameras during his racial remarks.

I'd like to say he will likely end up having to apologize publicly and do service in the black community within the next year, but skaters' reputations aren't as scrutinized as other athletes, so he might skip the forced apologies.



If it weren't for the graffiti, the cameramen would have probably thought they were shooting two security guards harassing a homeless man, or guitarist Jerry Cantrell from Alice in Chains.

Muska had Tweeted earlier that day, "I have a feeling tonight is going to be another one of those nights. I should just stay in ... But I won't." He probably should have just stayed home and watched Deck Dogz on Netflix, assuming he's not outraged with the new Netflix price hike.

It was reported that Muska's bail was set at $20,000.



Information from ESPN was used in this article.

Jerry Cantrell photo courtesy of MTV.

Video Courtesy of TMZ

Carmageddon hits harder than expected

Photo credit: carmageddon.wikia.com

Pre-Carmageddon problems started early this week when Netflix, the popular movie streaming web site, raised its monthly rates by 60 percent. Subscribers were outraged as many jumped on any social media outlet they could find to express their displeasure with the company. Netflix eclipsed 20 million subscribers this past February. February is the second month of the year, plus 20 million, divided by 60 percent, is equal to Carmageddon.

Friday evening, there were reports that music stars Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony were in the early stages of a divorce. The power couple has been in music for a combined 35 years and had been married for over seven years. Thirty-five, plus seven: Carmageddon.


Now, in a poll conducted by Harris Interactive, Kobe Bryant has fallen and is no longer America's most popular athlete. Bryant has lived in Los Angeles for over 15 years. Add that to his 22.8 points averaged in the playoffs. Combined that with last night's full moon: Carmageddon.



I thought the Lakers early exit from the playoffs was somehow related to the Harold Camping May 21 rapture, but upon further observation it is undoubtedly linked to Carmageddon.

They'll never admit that this is all linked to Carmageddon, but when you do the math, it's obvious.

Carmageddon has already ruined perhaps millions of lives and it is just starting. Get ready for a long weekend, Los Angeles.

Kobe Bryant photo credit: zimbio.com

Kobe drops a couple F Bombs

Kobe has enough people who hate him already, you might add the gay community to that. During last night's game, Kobe uttered what seemed to be an obscenity that rhymes with "ducking maggot."

Now, that was not directed at a gay player or some gay fan in the crowd, it was directed toward the official who gave him a technical foul.

I love Kobe's response this morning. He didn't go up there and have his lawyer prepare an apology. He's a man on a mission and doesn't have time to waste on a TMZ story.

"What I said last night should not be taken literally," he said. "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone."

He might get fined and he might get some hate mail, but everyone knows he wasn't sitting there thinking, "I'm angry and am going to offend the gay community right now!"

It's ridiculous.

If anyone should be offended, it should be the referee, seeing how that's who it was directed toward.

This really is a non issue.

If I'm with my buddy and he utters an offensive slur toward me and put it on Youtube I highly doubt he'd care what some gay kid in Milwaukee comments about it. Why not? Because he wasn't talking to some gay kid in Milwaukee.

We are getting way too sensitive in this country. People are getting wound up over something that wasn't even aimed toward them.

I'm Mexican, if Kobe would have called the referee a "F****** beaner" I wouldn't really get offended becuase he's not talking to me. It really is that simple.

This reminds me of that Wanda Sykes commercial where two kids at a diner keep casually saying the word "gay" and Sykes goes up to them and tells them to "knock it off."

Knock it off? I'm sure the pizza guy statue they were talking about was really offended.



I'm not for putting people down or making them feel bad, but I'm also not for using issues like this for political gain. I really don't think Kobe was making a political statement toward the gay community, or that he doesn't want them to get married and hates all gays.

He made a rude statement. GET OVER IT.

First battle goes to Dodgers

The Dodgers-Giants rivalry has reached the point of aerial attack.

Henry Yu, a long-time Giants fan who lives in L.A., forked up $1,050 to fly a banner over Dodgers Stadium that read, "Dodgers still suck, From SF Champs Fans." A little later another banner reading, "SF Giants 2010 Champs, Beat LA."

Not only did his banner fly in late, but Dodgers fans converted the first strike with their own plane hauling a banner reading, "Dodgers 5, Giants 1, Go Dodgers." The numbers represented the number of championships won by the respective clubs since moving to their current citites.

To quote Uncle Phil from "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," it's only, "Day damn one" in baseball, but Dodgers beat the Giants 2-1 as aces Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers and Tim "The Freak" Lincecum of the Giants, locked up for outstanding pitching performances which are a good indicator of the season to come.

Dodgers won battle No. 1, but there will be 17 more to go within the next six months.

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Dodger Stadium Transformation- Courtesy LA Times

Teach Me How to Jimmer with the Court Intruder

BYU three-point shooting sensation Jimmer Fredette has gottten the most hype out of any college player this season. Although he's not expected to be drafted very high in the NBA draft, mostly because no one trusts a white kid to be any good at the next level, fans have made interesting and fun videos in his honor.



Above, Teach Me How to Jimmer was played throughout the NCAA tournament games featuring BYU. Below, Court Intruder is a somewhat disturbing, yet pretty comical spoof to the Bed Intruder phenomenon that has ripped through Youtube.