Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

He really is that stupid.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

Come on, man.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

The real work of an opposition party is to oppose.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

Trump should be leading, not lying.

T R E 4 5 O N

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

Someone should tell Republicans that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, or possibly the first.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

If rights aren’t universal, they are privilege, not rights.

These are not very smart people, and things got out of hand.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

When we show up, we win.

The lights are all blinking red.

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Reader Interactions

296Comments

  4. 4.

    Jeanne ringland

    We only moved here in August, and we haven’t cared about pro football for years, but last weekend’s game was fun. I honestly have no idea what will happen but we’re going to watch.

  6. 6.

    burnspbesq

    NFL games will have to go some to be as good as ManU – Spurs, which just ended 0-0.

    J-E-T-S!

  26. 26.

    Jeanne Ringland

    @stuckinred: Not recently. A couple of years ago we went to Victoria on a round-about route, the ferry stopped in Friday Harbor and a couple of other places. Just gorgeous that day. Today, not so much. It’s raining (so what else should I expect) but I am going to get out of the house today if it kills me, and it might. Lots of flooding in surrounding areas today.

  31. 31.

    IndyLib

    I gotta go for the Bears, so I can watch everyone in the vicinity of where I live (just inside the Wisconsin border 8 miles from IL) go fucking bonkers next week when the Bears play the Pack, at which time I will have to quietly root for the local team. I say quietly because I already used my loud cheering for the only worthwhile thing my Broncos did all year – getting rid of that dipshit McDaniels.

  33. 33.

    JamesKPolkEsq

    How can you not root for the Seachickens to make it all the way? Unless you are a Bears fan, natch.

  34. 34.

    billgerat

    With Carlson out, Seattle only has one TE left. The rest of the receivers better start catching rather than dropping if Seattle is to stay in the game. Matt has been throwing it on target.

  35. 35.

    asiangrrlMN

    @morzer: I’m rooting for my division, actually. But, I will admit I have a soft spot in my heart for the ‘Hawks (and not only because they are Yutsy’s team). I might SECRETLY be rooting for an upset, but don’t tell stuckinred.

  38. 38.

    Tom M

    As far as the NFC goes, they’re all playing for second place.
    Watching the Bears and Seahawks I hope they both lose

  46. 46.

    BD of MN

    the snow looks good in HD, although they need to wipe off the camera lens on the remote overhead…

    I host karaoke Saturday nights, walked in last night to the place completely packed with green shirts. karaoke was late…

  48. 48.

    Jeanne Ringland

    @stuckinred: Thanks for the tip. I may have to go outside and just breathe for a while. The house has been shut up because of the weather and I’m having some issues with asthma.

  49. 49.

    Mark Centz

    Rematch of XL in Dallas. This time with neutral zebras and the crowd a little less yintzer. You’re not afraid yet, Stealers, but you should be.

  50. 50.

    Emily L. Hauser/ellaesther

    At about 11:30, the husband did an entirely pleasant, small task that took him about 10 minutes to complete. He then said “Well, that killed a few minutes while I’m waiting for the game to start!”

    At which point I realized that I really won’t ever understand y’all.

    But you guys have fun!

  51. 51.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @morzer:

    Olsen? The Bears tried like hell to deal him and couldn’t get anything better than a 5th round pick.

    @stuckinred: Sid Luckman, dog. Bear Down!

  54. 54.

    jcricket

    Oy, cringing already. At least don’t let it be a massive blowout Hawks (I did not expect them to win – same as I didn’t expect them to win last week, or the week before that).

    At least I’ll still have the Patriots.

  59. 59.

    MsSkwEsq

    packer fans should be rooting for Seattle, cause they know the Bears will wipe them off the map!!!

  61. 61.

    Ed in NJ

    Looking forward to Bears-Packers, and will root for either to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

  63. 63.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @stuckinred: No, but I’ve a had a few friends live who lived there. I live in Bloomington now but grew up in the suburbs. If you draw a 30 mile circle around Woodfield shopping mall, I lived in all those towns.

  66. 66.

    billgerat

    Seattle has been good for self-inflicted BS all year. I’ll be amazed if we score before the half. And it would be nice if we had backs that could actually cover a receiver.

  67. 67.

    demkat620

    Hey this new stuff is pretty cool!

    I will root for the Seachicens. I always like the underdog.

  68. 68.

    stuckinred

    @Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel): I’m from Villa Park and my ex was from Barrington. When I started at U of I I lived in a dorm where half the kids were from RP, Cal-Touhy area. Got a great old pal that’s in the English Dept at ISU.

  74. 74.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @stuckinred: My family has lived in Barrington since the 20s. My gradmother’s house, since knocked down, was the first in the area built in 1837. My family started the fox hunt there.

    TOUCHDOWN!

  76. 76.

    morzer

    I am not a pessimist by nature, but the Seahawks do seem to be on the cusp of an ass-kicking.. if Bears kick asses. It seems a bit counter-intuitive for them to do so, anatomically speaking.

  77. 77.

    fucen tarmal

    well, chicago appears to be leaving no doubt.

    this really makes you wonder what the hell was wrong with the saints, other than their secondary being old, tired and slow i mean, and needing a sell-out pass rush to not be exposed.

  78. 78.

    stuckinred

    @Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel): Wow, one of the few teachers that was good to me in my short high school career ended up the B-Ball coach there before he went to Iowa State under Johnny Orr, Gary Cook was his name. I’ve tried to find him for years to say thanks but can’t. X was a Nyman, her dad was the minister at the Barrington Community Church for many years.

  81. 81.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @morzer: It’s looking cold and snowy up there. I think the Seahawks should probably slice open a Taun-Taun, crawl inside and wait to see if Han Solo will rescue them.

  82. 82.

    Andy K

    Seahawks fans, take heart: When you die, you alone- well, the odds are you, alone- will be able to say that you cheered for the only team to ever go 8-10…Well, until the schedule is expanded to 18 regular-season games.

  83. 83.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @stuckinred: Him I do not know, but I’m sure I know someone who does. Small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it, as Steven Wright says.

  89. 89.

    BruceFromOhio

    Looks like the action is in the AFC this weekend, NFC is all lopsided blowouts. Time for Southland on the DVR and a nap before the Jets sacrifice.

    (… though Packers/Bears stands to be a mini-SB like the Ravens/Steelers contest …)

  91. 91.

    sherifffruitfly

    Well I must say this game isn’t unfolding as one might have hoped.

    lols

    Ah well. At least we can take solace in the fact that the saints are at home saying to themselves “wtf we coulda done that!”

  94. 94.

    WaterGirl

    @asiangrrlMN: I was trying to figure out what someone on another thread meant when they said that if you get an avatar then everyone can see who the person really is. (yikes!) So I was clicking on things that were clickable, trying to figure out what they meant. When I click on your name it tries to go to some site that doesn’t exist. Is that intentional?

    Edit: I would have thought you would choose an avatar with more attitude!

  98. 98.

    asiangrrlMN

    @WaterGirl: Oh for heaven–never listen to m_c. She means that you can tell who a person “really is” by their choice of an avatar. Blah blah blah. Mine is of Margaret Cho simply because I admire her. I probably will change it, though. And, I really am a delicate flower in real life. (Hee hee).

  99. 99.

    Andy K

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Tsk, tsk.

    Maybe Mr. Nameless ref is a volunteer fireman who saved an entire kindergarten class from certain death at the hands of a serial kindergarten arsonist, while your object of desire, Eddie H., in his spare time, strangles bag ladies for the rush. Maybe.

  103. 103.

    S. cerevisiae

    Interesting new comment look. I wonder what random thing is going to post by my name?

    Seahawks had better score this time if they are going to stay in this game.

  106. 106.

    Omnes Omnibus

    At this point, it is looking like a Packer-Bears NFC Championship Game.

    ETA: Why do I have a picture of an angry X-mas tree by my name?

  110. 110.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Andy K: Gene Steratore.

    Steratore resides in Washington, Pennsylvania, where he and his brother are the co-owners of Steratore Sanitary Supplies, outside of his NFL officiating duties.

    Free tampons for everybody!

    And, I’m more a Jerome Boger gal, myself.

    @stuckinred: Is that your avatar? I really dig your little red guy.

    @Omnes Omnibus: I think if you don’t have an actual avatar, the site provides you with one in that theme.

  117. 117.

    Yutsano

    Oh cwap. This means I gotta pick an avatar now amirite?

    @asiangrrlMN: Carlson is out and that takes out one of Matty’s big weapons. This ain’t gonna come together if they don’t get the hell in Jay Cutler’s face. It’s really the only way to disrupt him.

  118. 118.

    WaterGirl

    @asiangrrlMN: Thanks for translating. See, that’s just more proof that the name of the poster needs to be bigger! I never read her posts when I could tell at a glance they were written by her.

    But someone else said that your real email address is transmitted to the avatar site every time you post with an avatar, and I don’t like the sound of that. Of course, I don’t use FB for privacy reasons, either. (Does it sound like I’m shouting “get off my lawn”?)

  122. 122.

    S. cerevisiae

    And now the formatting for the thread looks better. Easier to read anyway. I suppose our bloggy overlords will be messing with it all day.

  123. 123.

    frosty

    Back to yesterday: So now I read that the Ravens 55-yard return drew a penalty because of a Steelers player flopping. Arggh again.

    Also, too, avatar check.

  126. 126.

    BruceFromOhio

    @frosty: Ruh? Replay clearly showed the Ravens player holding. It was a good call, unfortunate for the Ravens, but entirely accurate imho.

    ETA: avatar is a … winking blue potato? Where are these coming from? My Cedar Point ferris wheel looks too tame …

  128. 128.

    Mark S.

    Plenty of time to drive down the field and get back into this game throw a pick that gets run back for a TD.

  130. 130.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Yutsano: Yes. Though the green goofy-faced blob is kinda cute, too. This game is over. (I’m trying to reverse-curse it).

    @WaterGirl: I think that was her as well, and I really pay her no mind. You can set up a fake account at yahoo or gmail and link your gravatar.com avatar to that.

  131. 131.

    Cacti

    Seahawks shot their wad last week.

    Congrats on getting one round further than you should have, but it ends today.

  135. 135.

    morzer

    @WaterGirl:

    Matoko-chan might improve post-adolescence, but that’s going to be a long five years. Until then, she’s just a tale told by an idiot.

  136. 136.

    James E Powell

    Seahawks are sad, but the playoff system provides that at least one team from each division goes to the party.

    The real dorks were the Saints for not beating them. I am thinking Saints/Bears would have been a much better game.

    This is a worse mismatch than Ravens/Chiefs.

  138. 138.

    Andy K

    @stuckinred:

    Well, good for you. Unless this game heats up early in the 3rd quarter, it will be the stuff ancillary to the game that keeps me from napping until the Pats-Jets game.

  140. 140.

    jeff

    I guess I should see if I have an avatar that is embarrassing or something. (OK I see it…no idea what that is.) Also, I just got notice that my rent is increasing 67% and I have a week to sign the agreement. (I’m in a rent-stabilized NYC apt.!!!) So, it’s back to the City and the NY Bar Association and threats from assholes I pay most of my income to. It may just have become enough for me to finally gtfo of NYC for good. I wish to hell there were job postings anywhere else in America. (There are literally hundreds of jobs posted for NYC; and there are, in total, perhaps 50 jobs posted in America for my area of expertise.)

  142. 142.

    frosty

    @BruceFromOhio: Replay? I don’t need no stinking replay. I just need the true and honest words of some blogger who got quoted in the Yahoo News headline complaining of too much Acting in the NFL.

    Winking Blue Potato. I like it. If I ever get a band, that’s going to be the name. I suppose I have to come up with a real avatar now. Or just change my nom de blog to Winking Blue Potato. Decisions, decisions.

  144. 144.

    BGinCHI

    Seachickens are toast.

    Go Norris Division!

    I think avatars are going to get old after a week. It’s like a bumper sticker: fun when you get it but then your car looks stupid for a long time.

  146. 146.

    MikeJ

    @frosty: Not only was there too much flopping, but who on earth can understand that moronic “offside” rule? They should just get rid of it because I’m too thick to understand it!

    Ahhh, *now* I feel like the World Cup is back on.

  148. 148.

    Andy K

    @stuckinred:
    @Mark S.:

    This is the way stuckinred, otherwise a good guy, imo, deals with his knowledge that the Bears will fall at least a game short of the Super Bowl. He’s damned lucky that my sister doesn’t comment here: While she loves most playing The Dozens with Vikes fans, she’s not averse to ripping a new hole in Bears fans.

  150. 150.

    Yutsano

    And now we see if this avatar thing decides to stick…

    EDIT: Hmm…not yet. But it said it could take up to ten minutes.

  154. 154.

    Yutsano

    @Svensker: Last news I heard was he was carted off the field but he was capable of moving his legs, which is a good sign. It could just be a really bad concussion. Which sucks because A) he’s good and B) he’s adorable too. Biggest wedding ring I’ve ever seen on a guy too.

  158. 158.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: Yup. That picture was e-mailed to me years ago.

    EDIT: I may rotate out with various pictures of the mountains here. Still have to play with that.

  161. 161.

    stuckinred

    @asiangrrlMN: Give it a listen!

    SECOND INDIAN: He’ll be here soon.
    INDIAN: The True White Brother is coming home. Remember what the Great Spirit said? If we did what we were supposed to do and lived according to the Plan, White Brother would finish his work in the East and come back to us.
    SECOND INDIAN: It’ll be nice to have the family together again.

    (A Conquistador, a Padre and several Spanish soldiers enter to a trumpet fanfare and flamenco music. The buffalo scatter.)

    CONQUISTADOR: Buenos dias, amigos!
    INDIAN: Hello! You must be The True White Brother!
    CONQUISTADOR: Sure! You must be The Indians!
    INDIAN: Yes!
    SECOND INDIAN: Welcome Home!

  164. 164.

    WaterGirl

    @morzer: I NEVER read her. Knowingly, that is! I hope they change the font size or color of the commenter name soon, but in the meantime, I will have to be more careful! Thanks.

  169. 169.

    S. cerevisiae

    Testing avatar. let’s see if this works.

    Trufant is down, more bad news for the Seahawks. Hope he is ok.

  176. 176.

    Mark S.

    Geez, two scary looking injuries in this game.

    Michael Reagan calls Ron Reagan an embarrassment. Actually, this is what is called an embarrassment:

    Wednesday night I watched the Republican National Convention on television and there, before my very eyes, I saw my Dad reborn; only this time he’s a she. And what a she! . . . Welcome back, Dad, even if you’re wearing a dress and bearing children this time around.

    I’m not the biggest fan of Ronald Reagan, but even he doesn’t deserve to be compared to the Snowbilly Princess.

  178. 178.

    J. Michael Neal

    @S. cerevisiae: Dude, you guys quit playing after our second goal yesterday. It turned a quality game into a rout. Have fun looking at our tails the rest of the year.

    And the officiating up in Grand Forks this weekend was a disgrace. It didn’t cost the men anything in the standings, because we didn’t play well enough to win last night, but they let the Sioux get away with attempted murder. The WCHA really needs to sit down and figure out something to do about the NoDaks, because they’re getting out of control.

  179. 179.

    BGinCHI

    Anyone know if Cole went to WVU?

    Purdue playing them right now in Mo’town and I want to taunt him but don’t want to waste my time.

    Go Boilers!

  193. 193.

    Yutsano

    SEATTLE SCORED!! NO SHUT-OUT!! WOOT!!

    (hey, I have to get enthusiastic about something)

    EDIT And WP still doesn’t like three exclamation points in a row. FYWP.

  196. 196.

    asiangrrlMN

    @stuckinred: I do have the edit again, but then I was not allowed to edit, and I am not young in the least.

    @jeffreyw: Want want want!

    I gave up on the game. I’m watching America’s Test Kitchen instead. Let me know when the second game starts.

  200. 200.

    BGinCHI

    WVU also has a guy named Kilicila, which when pronounced sounds exactly like “Caligula.”

  201. 201.

    J. Michael Neal

    @S. cerevisiae: Though, since our senior class consists of two checking forwards and a backup goalie, I had a feeling that we’d be a lot better in February than we were in November.

  210. 210.

    Maude

    @Stooleo:
    Go to gravatar.com
    Sign up and they send an instant email.
    I had to put an 8 at the end of my name otherwise they said MY name way taken. My name appears here okay.
    You can upload a picture from your computer. You can crop it.
    Before you comment, clear the cache and then after 10 years or so, your picture will appear.

  212. 212.

    Evolved Deep Southerner

    @stuckinred: YO! Check out my snazzy new icon! It’ll do till I get one that’s better, I reckon.

    GO DAWGS! FIRE MARK RICHT! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

  217. 217.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @BGinCHI: No. My father lived in Tukwilla in the 80s and I lived in Ballard in the mid oughts.

    I usually spend Thanksgiving in Ballard. I would’ve stayed, but I wanted to own a house. That was never going to happen in Seattle.

  220. 220.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Yutsano: And, of course m_c is having the vapors over freelancer’s avatar.

    @stuckinred: You’re not exactly disproving my point.

    Mmmmm, bread pudding. I love that stuff. Anyone know how I can make a dairy-free, wheat-free version?

  221. 221.

    Andy K

    @stuckinred:

    The Credibility Gap? No, theuy were a troupe, made a few records. They started off as the satirical news team on the radio in L.A..

    If you can find it, listen to Floats & A Great Gift Idea, a collection of their improvisational presentations of a few different Tournament of Roses parades. That shit kills !

  222. 222.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @freelancer: My gf did a little crafts project over xmas that could be called, “Suffer the little velociraptors come unto me.”

  230. 230.

    Evolved Deep Southerner

    @stuckinred: Yeah, we’re wheezing down the track just like UGA VIII (ETA – this is the right UGA iteration right now, isn’t it?): On life support.

    I’m thinking Richt wins the SEC next year – not just PLAYS for it, but wins it – or his ass is gone. And I was one of the last people on that damn bandwagon, but damn if I’m not on it now yelling “Faster! Faster!”

    What a low and sorry pass we have come to in the Bulldog Nation.

  231. 231.

    Parallel 5ths (Jewish Steel)

    @BGinCHI: I teach in the dept of independent guitar teacher. I teach your kids to play Crazy Train the right way.

  237. 237.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Eric Shaw: Crap. Now I feel compelled to watch the game again.

    @freelancer: I really really need MikeJ to adapt the Chrome pie-filter so I don’t get sucked into the vortex of stupidity.

    ETA: Wouldn’t it be funny if the ‘Hawks came back to win this game?

    @Eric Shaw: If you keep up the commentary, I won’t actually have to watch. Hm…

  246. 246.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: Well they won’t quite get there, but it was nice that they bothered to show up in the fourth quarter finally. And I’m stuck at the old house until someone shows up (not sure who) so bleah.

  248. 248.

    PanAmerican

    Jesus was an architect previous to his career as a prophet. This game is boring shit. I’m off to ding a ding dang my dang a long ling long.

  250. 250.

    tim serbo

    not really surprised that seattle went all pear-shaped. in the playoffs one team will play the best game of their season one week and just can’t summon the magic twice in a row. teams that get blown out in the super bowl are often coming off inspired conference championship games.

  251. 251.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: Stuck at my parents’ old house waiting for unknown individual to arrive since they’re coming here instead of going to my parents’ ranch for no known rational reason. Plus I’m hungry and too polite to eat their food without them here.

  256. 256.

    MCA

    Partly just posting to see what strange avatar I’m given. But also to lament the Bears getting to host the freaking NFC Championship Game (!?!?). They’ve improved as the season has gone on, but mostly at the expense of third-string quarterbacks. I still want desperately to see this team get exposed, but a rivalry game at home isn’t likely to be the place for it. Oh, well, maybe they’ll make the Super Bowl and Brady and co. can hang 45 on ’em again. That would be a nice humiliating end to the magic karma ride they’ve been on.

  274. 274.

    stuckinred

    Bear down, Chicago Bears, make every play clear the way to victory;
    Bear down, Chicago Bears, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly.
    We’ll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T-formation.
    Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you’re wearing the crown.
    You’re the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears, bear down.

  285. 285.

    Elie

    GO Bears!

    I do not look past the Packers, however. They are and always have been a tough rival. Whether either team having a good or bad season, they are always “up” for this matchup.

    This is football royalty going back to the founding NFL teams. I think the Bears were the “Staleys” and the “Cardinals” at different points. Papa George Halas is smiling in heaven at this match up…

    GO Leather Helmets!

    And GO Balloon Juice for new format! At last, right margains appear for me again!

  289. 289.

    stuckinred

    @Elie: The Staleys were the team in Decatur, Staley Corp became ADM. Mr Staley basically gave the team to George Halas who took them to Chicago to be the Bears. George was an Illini which is why the Bears’ colors are Orange and Blue. The Cardinals played in Comiskey Park and, :acine Cardinals 1920-1921
    Chicago Cardinals 1922-1943
    Card-Pitt 1944*
    Chicago Cardinals 1945-1959

    St. Louis Cardinals
    1960-1987

    Phoenix Cardinals 1988-1993
    Arizona Cardinals 1994-Present

  290. 290.

    Elie

    @stuckinred:

    Thanks for the history!

    No two teams have a longer history in the NFL than the Pack and the Bears..

    It will be a tough game and as I said, I never never disrespect the Packers.

    (The Pack are still in the Toilet paper capital of the world – old Chicago insult …just had to get that snark in)

  292. 292.

    jackmac

    Packers at Bears — EPIC!!!
    And for us in Chicago, there’s going to be a Super Bowl atmosphere all week.

  294. 294.

    DFS

    On the one hand, the Hawks got stomped.

    On the other hand, happy birthday Kenny Easley! 52 years old yesterday. One of the greatest safeties of all time.

  296. 296.

    Gemina13

    I’ve been out car shopping. What the hell happened?

    . . . Holy shit, Da Bears beat the Seahawks??! GOIN’ TO DA PLAYOFFS BABY!! YES!

    HOLY FUCK WE’RE PLAYING THE PACKERS! ALL RIGHT!

    ::clears throat::

    Sorry. Um, it looks like my team won, and we’re playing our historic rivals next week. Wow. Go, Bears.

    :)

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