• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Joe Lieberman disappointingly reemerged to remind us that he’s still alive.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

Let’s finish the job.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Consistently wrong since 2002

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

“I never thought they’d lock HIM up,” sobbed a distraught member of the Lock Her Up Party.

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

How can republicans represent us when they don’t trust women?

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

Mobile Menu

  • Winnable House Races
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • Balloon Juice 2023 Pet Calendar (coming soon)
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • War in Ukraine
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • 2021-22 Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Open Threads / Open Thread: Tangled Web Edition

Open Thread: Tangled Web Edition

by Betty Cracker|  December 28, 201512:36 pm| 122 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Sports, Assholes, General Stupidity

FacebookTweetEmail

I had no opinion about the truth of reports that Peyton Manning took human growth hormone supplements until I read this:

Manning retains Ari Fleischer amid HGH allegations

Peyton Manning has enlisted the services of former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer amid allegations that the Denver Broncos quarterback was sent human growth hormone (HGH) while recovering from a neck injury in 2011.

The accusation stems from an investigation into the sports doping industry by Al Jazeera.

That settles it; he’s guilty.

Open thread!

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « The morality of waiting for a pony
Next Post: Open Thread: When Fan Streams Cross… »

Reader Interactions

122Comments

  1. 1.

    Hal

    December 28, 2015 at 12:38 pm

    Based just on his massively annoying Nationwide and Papa John’s commercials I say he is guilty.

  2. 2.

    Felonius Monk

    December 28, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    Whadja expect from a guy who’s buddies with Papa John?

  3. 3.

    David Koch

    December 28, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    “The quarterback doth protest too much, methinks”

  4. 4.

    Cacti

    December 28, 2015 at 12:43 pm

    I like Wonkette’s take on it:

    “Peyton Manning Hires Ari Fleischer to Ensure No One Believes a Word He Says.”

  5. 5.

    Paul in KY

    December 28, 2015 at 12:44 pm

    He does have a massive ‘fivehead’.

  6. 6.

    Corner Stone

    December 28, 2015 at 12:44 pm

    The accusation stems from an investigation into the sports doping industry by Al Jazeera.

    I still have a moment of disconnect every time I see “Al Jazeera” associated with this story. When I first saw a headline blurb about “Al Jazeera Doping Scandal” for some reason I thought it was about terrorist groups drugging new recruits into their association.

  7. 7.

    Mathguy

    December 28, 2015 at 12:45 pm

    I am a huge cycling fan, and have watched so many of these guys deny such allegations out the yazoo it’s sickening. Given that pro football has a not-very-openly-acknowledged doping problem at least as great as cycling, I get very cynical listening to such denials. Bringing Ari on board? Yeah, he did it.

  8. 8.

    dmsilev

    December 28, 2015 at 12:47 pm

    What, Baghdad Bob wasn’t available?

  9. 9.

    Corner Stone

    December 28, 2015 at 12:47 pm

    Don’t worry, guys. Ari’s got this handled. He plans to hold a presser, tell everyone that Peyton is not guilty and warn Americans to “watch what they say, watch what they do.”

  10. 10.

    Botsplainer

    December 28, 2015 at 12:48 pm

    My kids still haven’t left, and Macy’s is still relentlessly silent on fucking over my kid on a gift that she bought for him on Black Friday.

  11. 11.

    Corner Stone

    December 28, 2015 at 12:49 pm

    “Ari Fleischer’s ability to repeat a lie even after it’s been shown, repeatedly, to be false is what separates him from the amateurs.”

    That was how the website Slate.com described White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer last year.

    Democracy Now from 2003.

  12. 12.

    Zinsky

    December 28, 2015 at 12:50 pm

    I wouldn’t believe Ari Fleischer if he claimed to be a carbon-based life form. Guilty!!

  13. 13.

    David Koch

    December 28, 2015 at 12:50 pm

    Ryan Braun was caught using PEDs and successfully overturned the test results by smearing the lowly urine collector as anti-Semitic Cubs fan

  14. 14.

    Mathguy

    December 28, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    @Paul in KY: Someone needs to do a before and after comparison of his head size ala Barry Bonds.

  15. 15.

    dedc79

    December 28, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    I will admit that my intro to Big Star was the Cheap Trick cover they used on That 70’s Show, but wow what a great band.

  16. 16.

    Gindy51

    December 28, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    @Corner Stone: You mean this? http://www.rawstory.com/2015/12/heres-how-isis-uses-amphetamines-to-create-brainwashed-psychotic-killing-machines/

  17. 17.

    Big Ol Hound

    December 28, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    Except that the accuser has already fessed up to lying and records show he did not work for the clinic until 2013, two years after his claims. I’m not a Manning fan but this whole thing seems really trumped up.

  18. 18.

    Cacti

    December 28, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    He’s not named in any report that I know of, but the guy who I’m most suspicious of this season is Carson Palmer.

    Bounces back from the second devastating knee injury of his career and puts up career numbers across the board at age 36.

    Yeah, not buying it.

  19. 19.

    dedc79

    December 28, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    @David Koch: No, he got off (that time) because they screwed up the chain of custody. He was later suspended anyway.

  20. 20.

    sukabi

    December 28, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    @Mathguy: well if Ari doesn’t work, he can fall back on brain damage caused by repeated concussive injury.

  21. 21.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 1:00 pm

    News flash, white pro qb’s are wingnuts. Shock.

  22. 22.

    Gimlet

    December 28, 2015 at 1:05 pm

    And for additional open thread shocking news:

    Americans named President Barack Obama as their most admired man in the world in 2015, with Donald Trump earning the same share of admiration as Pope Francis, according to the results of the latest Gallup survey released Monday.

  23. 23.

    Ruckus

    December 28, 2015 at 1:05 pm

    @Big Ol Hound:

    this whole thing seems really trumped up.

    I see what you did there.

  24. 24.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    @dedc79: I don’t get it. Mike Mills and and bunch of all-stars did a show here and people we all agog

    Big Star Tribute in Athens to Include Mike Mills and Others

    Far as I ever know Chilton fronted a bubble gum band.

  25. 25.

    Linnaeus

    December 28, 2015 at 1:07 pm

    I watched the Al Jazeera report and I think the connection it made to Manning was probably the weakest part of the program. All they have is this guy’s word as opposed to, say, having Taylor Teagarden admitting on (hidden) camera that he takes PEDs.

    I do have to wonder, though, why Manning would go to an anti-aging clinic to treat a neck injury.

  26. 26.

    jurassicpork

    December 28, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    Not that I expect anyone to give a fuck but this is why I just deleted my blog & resurrected another because of my stalker.

  27. 27.

    gene108

    December 28, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    Any ageless wonder that I see, playing sports, part of me assumes they might be doping and so I am not surprised to see guys getting caught.

    The sad thing is, if Ryan Howard was doping because after blowing out his Achilles and other injuries he still stinks.

  28. 28.

    dedc79

    December 28, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    @raven:Chilton was 90% of the talent in that band, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t judge them from any recent incarnation.

  29. 29.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 1:12 pm

    @dedc79: Yea, I guess people liked it. Rick Derringer played some ass kicking guitar with Johnny Winter after being with the McCoys.

  30. 30.

    JPL

    December 28, 2015 at 1:13 pm

    @Linnaeus: I didn’t watch it, but Mannings comment about his wife’s privacy seemed odd to me. Why would she go there? He also admitted to going after five but not going after hours. After five is after hours.

  31. 31.

    Turgidson

    December 28, 2015 at 1:13 pm

    We’ll know for sure Manning is guilty and headed for a fall when Bloody Bill WRONG Kristol declares his innocence and that the scandal is behind him.

  32. 32.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 1:15 pm

    @dedc79: See, that’s what I like abut these conversations. I never knew Derringer played slide on Show Biz Kids!

  33. 33.

    Amir Khalid

    December 28, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    @Gimlet:
    I’m shocked that as many Americans admire The Donald as admire the Pope.

  34. 34.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 1:17 pm

    @Linnaeus: Maybe it’s a Chinese Nookie Factory! I van to be Jung again!

  35. 35.

    catclub

    December 28, 2015 at 1:17 pm

    Lance Armstrong vociferously denied it for about 10 years, right? The NFL drug testing regime is not considered state of the art. (kind of on purpose?)

    Who knows. But the smart money is betting…

  36. 36.

    Linnaeus

    December 28, 2015 at 1:18 pm

    @JPL:

    Yeah, that non-denial denial raises more questions than it answers. Manning’s stature is such that all he has to do is maintain doubt if he did in fact do what Al Jazeera claims he did.

  37. 37.

    RaflW

    December 28, 2015 at 1:18 pm

    Ari Fleischer, the remarkable speaking carbuncle on the ass of the Dubya admin. Nothing says you are a right wing moron quite like retaining him for disaster recovery comms.

  38. 38.

    David Koch

    December 28, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    @raven: most probably are, because they’re at the head of an authoritative culture. Also they make the most money, making them more sensitive to taxes and they were cuddled in college, not forced to think and to discover for themselves (Brady’s degree is “General Studies” – 26,000 students at Michigan and only 176 picked a “General Studies” degree).

    But there are some interesting exceptions. Joe Namath was a Democrat and made it to Nixon’s Enemies List. And Aaron Rodgers is so thoughtful (gays, mooslims, flying spaghetti monster), the former Berkeley player has to be progressive.

  39. 39.

    dr. bloor

    December 28, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    Fleischer is pretty wired into the NFL corporate behemoth. I suspect his hiring is at least partly driven by his ability to play nice with the tinpot dictators in the league office on Park Ave. It’s unlikely Manning much cares what Joe Sixpack thinks.

  40. 40.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 1:24 pm

    @David Koch: I knew someone would know, thanks!

  41. 41.

    Mike J

    December 28, 2015 at 1:26 pm

    @dedc79:

    Chilton was 90% of the talent in that band, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t judge them from any recent incarnation.

    The guys from the Posies are very talented, but Big Star Mk II was still just the Alex Chilton backing band.

    Chris Bell’s solo album is very good too. I am the Cosmos is a great song.

  42. 42.

    JPL

    December 28, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Has Roger called for an independent investigation yet? Most players have bulked up so quickly that you have to wonder why. If Peyton took HGH which was not banned in 2011, to aid in healing in surgery, I’d give him a pass.

    @Big Ol Hound: He could have had access to records. Peyton could have said his wife was not receiving deliveries from the clinic.

  43. 43.

    JPL

    December 28, 2015 at 1:39 pm

    If Peyton sues, then I’ll assume that’s he is innocent until proven guilty. Threatening to sue, means nothing.

  44. 44.

    Paul in KY

    December 28, 2015 at 1:43 pm

    @Mathguy: Good idea! Maybe a photo from 10 or so years ago.

  45. 45.

    Paul in KY

    December 28, 2015 at 1:44 pm

    @Cacti: I thought he was washed up when Bengals traded him.

  46. 46.

    Paul in KY

    December 28, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    @raven: Big Star was his 2nd band, after Boxtops.

  47. 47.

    Joel

    December 28, 2015 at 1:47 pm

    Speaking of tangled webs, my comments keep getting eaten.

  48. 48.

    Temporarily Max McGee (Soon Enough to Be Andy K Again)

    December 28, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    @JPL:

    If Peyton took HGH which was not banned in 2011, to aid in healing in surgery, I’d give him a pass.

    There’s that and the fact that the source for the story has recanted, and has pointed out that he didn’t begin his internship at the clinic in question until 2013.

  49. 49.

    bystander

    December 28, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    I’m shocked that as many Americans admire The Donald as admire the Pope.

    I bet the Venn diagram of that looks like a schematic for Gina Lollabrigida’s brassiere. Two big circles about three inches apart.

  50. 50.

    Paul in KY

    December 28, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    @jurassicpork: Jeezus, what a drag. What a POS too! Hope you get to him in meatspace sometime.

  51. 51.

    Joel

    December 28, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    @Big Ol Hound: Charlie Sly isn’t an accuser, he’s a perpetrator. Furthermore, Al-Jazeera claims to have employment records putting him at the Guyer Institute in 2011. Lastly, Manning is kind of a peripheral player in this case. I’d be interested to see what, if anything, happens to former Purdue players Dustin Keller and Mike Neal.

  52. 52.

    The Golux

    December 28, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    @dedc79:

    I like Big Star’s songs, but the production is quite unlovely. It’s a little better on the later stuff, but not as good as, say, Little Feat.

  53. 53.

    marduk

    December 28, 2015 at 1:59 pm

    @Big Ol Hound:

    when pressed to explain how his wife Ashley Manning was involved, the quarterback distanced himself from anything she received from the clinic and did not deny her being a patient there, saying only that the report “violated” her medical history and privacy.
    “Any medical treatments that my wife received, that’s her business,” he said. “That has nothing to do with me. Nothing that’s been sent to her or [that] my wife has used have I ever taken. Absolutely not. I have my treatments that I do, she may have hers and that is her business. There’s no connection between the two.”
    A spokesman for Manning confirmed to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport that Manning’s wife was a patient at the clinic and did have a prescription but wouldn’t confirm what it was, Rapoport said on Twitter.

    I wouldn’t hang your hat on Sly’s attmept to save his ass after the fact unless you believe there’s a legitimate reason Manning’s wife is getting HGH treatments from a sports drug clinic mailed to their house.

  54. 54.

    gbear

    December 28, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    @dedc79: I got turned on to Big Star when they were still around due to some reviews and columns written in an equipment geek magazine called Stereo Review that my grandma signed me up for when I was in high school. Their first two records were hard to find but eventually turned up in some used bins ( I still have the original vinyl). They were a great alternative to the hard rock stuff that I was listening to back then. They certainly weren’t of their time when they were around.

  55. 55.

    dedc79

    December 28, 2015 at 2:02 pm

    @The Golux: I think you’re right regarding the production – particularly on the first album. Not an easy thing to describe, but to my ears there’s not a lot of depth to the recording. It has a kind of flat sound. Not in the “out of tune sense.” More like the individual instruments don’t stand out at all.

  56. 56.

    Lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    Breaking: Grand jury declines to indict Cleveland police in killing of #TamirRice

  57. 57.

    JPL

    December 28, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    @Lamh36: That sucks! Now over reactionary police men will be back on the streets, killing those, they are suppose to protect.

  58. 58.

    Gravenstone

    December 28, 2015 at 2:25 pm

    That settles it; he’s guilty.

    Or a Republican. Which is guilt of another sort.

  59. 59.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 28, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    @Lamh36: I am shocked, shocked I tell you.

  60. 60.

    Mike J

    December 28, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    @gbear: I started listening to Big Star after they had already broken up. When I was in high school I hung out at the Antenna Club in Memphis. Alex was playing with Panther Burns, but it wasn’t his band, more just hanging out and playing guitar for his friends. After that, he went back to playing solo shows. The era right before Feudalist Tarts is when I really started paying attention. After that I saw him play dozens of times, solo or with Big Star.

  61. 61.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 28, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    @JPL: Somehow or other I foresee a different result of black people being denied justice time and again no matter how egregiously wrong the actions of certain members of law enforcement.

  62. 62.

    Germy

    December 28, 2015 at 2:32 pm

    I’ve seen TV infomercials for HGH, apparently targeted to women (the lady doc from the TV show “The Doctors” endorses it in the commercials)… typical infomercial: “Do you know that your body starts losing, etc., after the age of forty?”

    Sounds like a risky thing to take, but apparently it is unregulated?

  63. 63.

    Geoduck

    December 28, 2015 at 2:34 pm

    While Ari is well known to political junkies, I have to assume that most people don’t know him from Adam. So in strict PR terms it’s not like hiring him is automatically horrible. Morally is quite a different story.

  64. 64.

    MomSense

    December 28, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    @Lamh36

    No justice.

  65. 65.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 28, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    I smell a lawsuit coming: Texas Christian claims she diverted tornado to another neighborhood: ‘God had given us authority over the winds’

  66. 66.

    JPL

    December 28, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly: Yup. Crawford who was talking on a phone, while holding a pellet gun while shopping at Walmart, proves your theory.
    Most exceptional nation evah

  67. 67.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    @KateAronoff 29m29 minutes ago Millville, NJ
    Prosecutor McGinty says Rice should have known better before playing in the park, because he “looked older”

    @AriMelber 19m19 minutes ago
    Prosecutor in Rice case now saying:

    “He appeared to be much older than he really was…5″7, 170 lbs, size 12 shoes, XL men’s jacket.”

    Wow.

  68. 68.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 28, 2015 at 2:47 pm

    @JPL: We shall reap what we sow.

  69. 69.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 28, 2015 at 2:48 pm

    @lamh36: Adulting while black. That’s a new one.

  70. 70.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    ‏@LiberalPhenom 23m23 minutes ago
    Ari Melber pointing out prosecutor admitted he recommended no charges. So prosecutor thought it was ok for police to MURDER a child.

    @JuanMThompson 34m34 minutes ago
    Prosecutor says straight up: “We don’t second guess police officers.” “It’s clear the officers were not criminal.”

    @PragObots 28m28 minutes ago
    McGinty even said that maybe #TamirRice was told earlier in the day not to play with that toy gun. WTF???

  71. 71.

    Carolus

    December 28, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    What’s troubling about the Al Jazeera report is it links Ryan Zimmerman and Ryan Howard–both MLB players who have faced repeated long stints on the IR–to a rather obscure clinic in Indiana.

    It’s also unclear what Manning’s wife would need HGH for-unless she’s a body builder or suffering from some sort of wasting disease.

    Also, Ari Fleischer. Seems to me if you’re innocent in this matter, you turn it over to the team of high-priced lawyers Manning has.

  72. 72.

    rikyrah

    December 28, 2015 at 2:51 pm

    In an OPEN CARRY STATE,

    a child was EXECUTED in less than 2 seconds.

    The pivotal question for me, since the beginning of this travesty is:

    HOW, did this obviously unqualified man, get a position on the Cleveland Police Department? For me, it was the key to why they have been so odious with this case. Blaming a CHILD for being MURDERED in less than 2 seconds. Nobody wanted to answer this obvious question, so they have been peddling hard at the coverup on this case, because the answer to that question would mean the loss of numerous jobs.

  73. 73.

    Hal

    December 28, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    @lamh36:

    “He appeared to be much older than he really was…5″7, 170 lbs, size 12 shoes, XL men’s jacket.”

    I forgot that legal loophole where deadly force is justified on the basis of how old someone looks. But I’m not surprised by any of this.

  74. 74.

    Keith G

    December 28, 2015 at 2:55 pm

    @Lamh36: In a better world, there would have been a criminal indictment, but a civil law suit is no small thing and it may be better at uncovering institutional rot.

  75. 75.

    goblue72

    December 28, 2015 at 2:57 pm

    @Lamh36: No justice. No peace.

  76. 76.

    A Ghost To Most

    December 28, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    @Mike J:

    So were you at the Antenna Club in 1991 when G.G. Allin performed, per “The Night G.G. Allin Came To Town”?

  77. 77.

    gbear

    December 28, 2015 at 3:00 pm

    @Mike J: I kind of quit following Chilton after the ‘Like Flies on Sherbert’ lp. That album was really difficult to love. I got to see him once in Minneapolis. His pick-up band included a drummer I knew who was playing in a speed-metal band and I can’t remember who the bassist was. He was mostly winging it on stage, obviously wanting to put his past behind him. I spent the show wishing I was up there drumming his Big Star hits, so I was obviously part of the problem Chilton was having with his audience. It must have been a bear trying to live down his own legacy.

  78. 78.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 28, 2015 at 3:00 pm

    @Keith G: Have civil lawsuits stopped any of this? Forgive my cynicism, but this was a child and they’ll just bury his memory under a pile of money too.

  79. 79.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 3:02 pm

    @Keith G:

    @MonieTalks_1 1m1 minute ago
    They’re very interesting people.. let me just leave it at that.and they have their own economic motives.”-Prosecutor McGinty on Samaria Rice

  80. 80.

    OzarkHillbilly

    December 28, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    @lamh36: This is too depressing. I’m going to back to book 3 of Game of Thrones.

  81. 81.

    Keith G

    December 28, 2015 at 3:06 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    but this was a child and they’ll just bury his memory under a pile of money too.

    Maybe so, but at this juncture the best of a bunch of bad realities would be to keep digging for more information.

    In the grand jury process, the cops had things their way. In a civil deposition, the family’s lawyers get a chance to go to work.

  82. 82.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 28, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    I’m with Betty. Hiring vile shitstain Ari Fleischer means you’re a vile shitstain, too.

  83. 83.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 28, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    @rikyrah: Exqueeze me, but if you’re blah, even if you’re in an open carry state, you’re obviously dangerous and need to be gunned down without warning.

  84. 84.

    Keith G

    December 28, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    @lamh36: On course the shit head is poisoning the well.

    He might be of the opinion that the family has a good civil case, so he is firing a warning shot.

    Big deal.

  85. 85.

    kimp

    December 28, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    But he agrees a shipment was sent to his wife at their shared address?

  86. 86.

    The Golux

    December 28, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    @dedc79: I’d call it harsh; generally too much high end.

  87. 87.

    dedc79

    December 28, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    One take on the Manning story:

    I can think of no mystery less interesting than whether an aging athlete with a broken neck used a substance that might not even work to return to a playing field where cortisone injections are given out like chewable Vitamin C tabs.

  88. 88.

    FlipYrWhig

    December 28, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    @raven: Hey, children by the millions sing for Alex Chilton.

  89. 89.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    @Paul in KY: I rest my case. The BoxTops was bubble gum if ever there was. . .

    eta Apparently they were Uber Bubblegum

    “The one thing that lifts the Box Tops out of the pack of bubblegum groups that flooded AM radio in the mid- to late ’60s was the blue-eyed Memphis soul voice of the then-teenaged Alex Chilton, and coupled with Dan Penn’s deep South production, the group managed two memorable singles, 1967’s “The Letter” and 1968’s “Cry Like a Baby,” along with a couple of decent near-misses, “Neon Rainbow” and “Choo Choo Train.””

  90. 90.

    Paul in KY

    December 28, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    @lamh36: That is the lamest ‘blame the victim’ that I’ve ever read. Fuckin cops & DAs…

  91. 91.

    dedc79

    December 28, 2015 at 3:16 pm

    @FlipYrWhig: Yeah, I was actually going to post that my favorite Alex Chilton song is a song that’s about him, not by him.

  92. 92.

    Paul in KY

    December 28, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    @raven: Agree. Thought at time I wrote that that you’d only ever heard of The Boxtops.

    The Letter is a great song, though.

  93. 93.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 3:18 pm

    @Paul in KY: One of them Vietnam songs if I remember.

  94. 94.

    Davebo

    December 28, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    ♫ HGH You Taste So Good ♫

  95. 95.

    raven

    December 28, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    @The Golux: I see the bright lights of Memphis. . .

  96. 96.

    Keith G

    December 28, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    I’m with Betty. Hiring vile shitstain Ari Fleischer means you’re a vile shitstain, too.

    Never been a fan of that type of reasoning.

    If you really need a lawyer to do something big and important, you go to the law firm you feel is best able to get to the desired outcome (and that is affordable).

    If Manning has a few synapses left, I bet ideology or the ability to repeatedly lie while smiling were not at the top of his legal firm checklist – but still possibly in the top 5.

  97. 97.

    Poopyman

    December 28, 2015 at 3:27 pm

    And in other news from our awesome legal system:

    A judge has reduced ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship’s bond and dropped his travel restrictions after his conviction.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Clarke VanDervort in Beckley reduced Blankenship’s $5 million bond to $1 million Monday.

    VanDervort also dropped restrictions limiting Blankenship’s travel to southern West Virginia, Pike County, Kentucky and Washington, D.C.

    VanDervort says Blankenship can live at home in Las Vegas and travel throughout the continental United States.

    VanDervort ruled Blankenship isn’t prohibited anymore from talking to certain people related to the case.

    Blankenship was convicted Dec. 3 of a misdemeanor conspiracy to willfully violate mine safety standards at Upper Big Branch, where an explosion killed 29 men in 2010. He faces a year in prison at most.

    He was acquitted of felonies that could’ve stretched his sentence to 30 years.

    Powers That Be cramming as much shit into the dead week between holidays, I tells ya.

  98. 98.

    max

    December 28, 2015 at 3:28 pm

    @dmsilev: What, Baghdad Bob wasn’t available?

    WIN

    max
    [‘This is his way of announcing retirement, isn’t it?’]

  99. 99.

    Gravenstone

    December 28, 2015 at 3:28 pm

    @Davebo: /golf clap

    Well played, sir.

  100. 100.

    Bill

    December 28, 2015 at 3:30 pm

    @JPL: Roger Clemens sued his accuser. All a lawsuit proves is an ability to pay for a lawyer.

  101. 101.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    @chrislhayes
    Something so garishly disingenuous about a prosecutor using a grand jury to launder their own decision not to indict.

    @chrislhayes 4m4 minutes ago Manhattan, NY
    If you didn’t think there was sufficient evidence to indict, then don’t indict and own the decision.

  102. 102.

    Ridnik Chrome

    December 28, 2015 at 3:40 pm

    @lamh36: That is appalling. So Cleveland police apparently can do no wrong.

  103. 103.

    Adam L Silverman

    December 28, 2015 at 3:41 pm

    @Geoduck: do you think we all look alike or something?

  104. 104.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 3:41 pm

    @AriMelber
    Prosecutor Matt Meyer cites unnamed associate of Tamir Rice saying he would sometimes pull the toy gun out “like a robber.”

    So we not call a child’s friend “associate”…ok…and “like a robber”…really…fuckin’ really

  105. 105.

    Elie

    December 28, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    @Keith G:

    I agree with you… though a criminal indictment would have been best, a well run civil suit can hopefully get some of this out…

    It is just so sickening….

  106. 106.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 3:46 pm


    Shorter Cuyahonga County..blah, blah, blah MLK said…blah blah blah..

  107. 107.

    MomSense

    December 28, 2015 at 3:47 pm

    @lamh36:

    They are trying to turn him into a “thug” to justify his murder. This is some of the nastiest, most despicable character assassination I’ve ever seen.

  108. 108.

    trollhattan

    December 28, 2015 at 3:47 pm

    @Paul in KY:
    Yup. Couple years back we were discussing Big Star and I mentioned owning the Radio City LP with the Eggleston cover, only to discover a commenter is Eggleston’s nephew. Yet another crazy BJ convergence.

  109. 109.

    Heliopause

    December 28, 2015 at 3:50 pm

    @Keith G:

    Might be worth pointing out that Obama’s first big hire after being elected was Rahm Emmanuel.

  110. 110.

    trollhattan

    December 28, 2015 at 3:50 pm

    @Poopyman:
    Fvck me. Always figured Blankenship had enough juice to stay out of prison. Am waiting for some judge to order the families to apologize for saying unkind things about him.

  111. 111.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 3:52 pm

    White Woman Points BB Gun at Cops, Shouts ‘Shoot Me,’ Is Fine

  112. 112.

    lamh36

    December 28, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    Shorter Gov Kasich…”hey, I know ya’ll mad, but expressions of anger are reserved for football/hockey or others white sports fans”

  113. 113.

    Villago Delenda Est

    December 28, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    @Keith G: Fleischer is a PR guru, not an attorney. This is pure ass covering on Manning’s part.

  114. 114.

    trollhattan

    December 28, 2015 at 3:57 pm

    @OzarkHillbilly:
    Heh. Fundies do have a way with wind, so who am I to judge her claim?

  115. 115.

    The Gray Adder

    December 28, 2015 at 4:00 pm

    @David Koch: They call it “general studies” because the NCAA would find it unseemly that they would give somebody a BA in football.

  116. 116.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    December 28, 2015 at 4:16 pm

    @lamh36:

    Shorter Gov Kasich…”hey, I know ya’ll mad, but expressions of anger are reserved for football/hockey or others white sports fans”

    QFT. He’s an asshole; I don’t care if he did help get Medicaid expansion done in OH. He’s as bad as any of them, now whitesplaining how to be cool with yet another police murder of a child in your group. Which group just happens to have some distinguishing features, like a specific hair texture and a darkness of skin that shouts “DANGEROUS” so long as they breathe.

    Fuck Kasich. I wish I had stayed in the boat at the twitter stream. His “defenders” there are worse. Perhaps the Texas wind talker can send them to Russia or someplace else (unpleasant) where everybody’s really pale.

  117. 117.

    Keith G

    December 28, 2015 at 4:28 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: Yeah, my bad.I thought Ari ran a crises management shop, messaging and legal, but I had him mixed with someone else. I see that he has been in sports PR.

  118. 118.

    redshirt

    December 28, 2015 at 5:00 pm

    I know it’s really “about the children”, but I don’t care if Manning does HGH or any athlete. These are our gladiators – they need to be in the ring.

  119. 119.

    different-church-lady

    December 28, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    @JPL:

    Has Roger called for an independent investigation yet?

    Why bother? The only result would be Brady getting suspended for another 4 games.

  120. 120.

    different-church-lady

    December 28, 2015 at 6:28 pm

    Even as a Patriots fan, I am skeptical of this story. I enjoyed seeing Peyton being beaten by my team, but outside of that I have no desire to see him torn down, not to tarnish his considerable legacy as the second greatest quarterback of the Brady-Manning era.

  121. 121.

    JimV

    December 28, 2015 at 9:21 pm

    It seems ridiculous to me to talk about this when the original source has retracted his off-the-record statement. The logic seems to be, well other sports celebrities who have denied using PEDs have lied about it, so that is evidence that PM is probably guilty – in other words, classic it-does-not-follow illogic. A lot of guilty people deny their guilt, but so would every innocent person. Until and unless there is hard evidence, I’m going to presume he’s innocent. (I’m sure he would do the same for me.)

    Also, I don’t care if he did use HGH. He was out of football for a year. HGH is legally prescribed by doctors for improved healing of serious injuries. He was trying to regenerate nerves so he could use his right arm. I’d do anything that anyone told me might help in that situation. All the analysts I heard at ESPN said he never did regain his pre-injury arm strength or tight spiral.

    P.S. LeBron James also uses hyperbaric-chamber treatments, which is what PM got at the lab in question. Anti-aging treatments are healing treatments. Don’t take my word for it, Google it – but preferably do so before you throw out accusations based on ignorance. Or not, if that’s just how you roll.

  122. 122.

    marduk

    December 29, 2015 at 1:03 pm

    @JimV:

    It seems ridiculous to me to talk about this when the original source has retracted his off-the-record statement.

    The original source was secretly filmed admitting to federal crimes. Of course he’s going to claim it was all a bunch of lies.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Comments

  • m.j. on Friday Night Open Thread: Guilty, Guilty, TACKY! (Jun 10, 2023 @ 3:56am)
  • NotMax on Friday Night Open Thread: Guilty, Guilty, TACKY! (Jun 10, 2023 @ 3:31am)
  • tokyokie on Friday Night Open Thread: Guilty, Guilty, TACKY! (Jun 10, 2023 @ 3:23am)
  • Steeplejack on Friday Night Open Thread: Guilty, Guilty, TACKY! (Jun 10, 2023 @ 3:20am)
  • Andrya on Friday Night Open Thread: Guilty, Guilty, TACKY! (Jun 10, 2023 @ 3:10am)

Balloon Juice Meetups!

All Meetups
Seattle Meetup on Sat 5/13 at 5pm!

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Fundraising 2023-24

Wis*Dems Supreme Court + SD-8

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
We All Need A Little Kindness
Classified Documents: A Primer
State & Local Elections Discussion

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Mailing List Signup
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)

Twitter / Spoutible

Balloon Juice (Spoutible)
WaterGirl (Spoutible)
TaMara (Spoutible)
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
TaMara
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
ActualCitizensUnited

Join the Fight!

Join the Fight Signup Form
All Join the Fight Posts

Balloon Juice Events

5/14  The Apocalypse
5/20  Home Away from Home
5/29  We’re Back, Baby
7/21  Merging!

Balloon Juice for Ukraine

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!