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By BOB ETTINGER
For the Star Beacon
Jefferson senior Blake Perry had a pretty good idea of what he wanted to do when he grew up at a relatively early age.
"I looked into some other things, but since I was younger, in the back of my mind, I would sit in the back of the classroom, watch the teachers and think I could do that. I could make it fun and relate well with the kids.
"I want kids in the future to say, 'Mr. Perry was one of my favorites.' I would love that."
Perry, the son of Daniel and Denica Perry, will take his next step toward becoming the teacher all the kids love next fall when he attends Baldwin-Wallace University in Berea.
Perry will major in integrated social studies with the idea of becoming a history teacher.
"For me, (history) was the most interesting," Perry said. "It's real life. It's something that's actually happened as opposed to numbers or facts. It's stories about people and the things they actually went through.
"That's always interested me."
It didn't hurt that two of Perry's favorite teachers instruct in his favorite subject.
"Two of my favorites were Mr. (Jason) Root and Dr. (John) Patterson (who retired before the start of the school year and won a seat in the Ohio House last November)," Perry said. "Both of them are history teachers. They've been a big influence.
"Both of them are really different teachers they have really different teaching styles," he said. "Since Mr. Root teaches several grades, I had him for a few years. He's always been as much of a friend as he has been a teacher. Dr. Patterson, I only had for one year. Because of him, I actually learned how to take college notes as opposed to what I thought. I was only taking about half of what I should have been taking."
The path to being an educator may also include becoming a coach.
"I'd love to be a wrestling coach," Perry said. "My dream job would be to come back to Jefferson one day. I can think of four coaches who have inspired me from Jefferson — Coach (Tom) Avsec, Coach (Troy) Smock, Coach (Abe) Bartunik and Coach (Doug) Cleveland — all for different reasons.
"They're great guys and I'd genuinely love to be that for high school kids in the future, both on the wrestling mat and in the classroom."
Sitting in a suit at the edge of a mat will have to wait a bit longer, however, as Perry's wrestling career has not yet come to its conclusion. He will take to the mats for the Yellow Jackets.
"I really started to take (the thought of wrestling in college) seriously my sophomore year," he said. "That's when I started to think that's what I wanted to do.
"But if you had asked me as a junior high student, I never would've thought I would be a college wrestler. To be honest, I was awful. I was really bad when I first started."
At a point many kids would have moved on to other pursuits, Perry went the opposite direction. He developed a habit that benefited him through the remainder of his high school career.
"I just got my butt kicked every single day," he said. "I wanted to prove people wrong. I put the work in and I just kept outworking people."
That mentality led Perry to a stellar career in which there were many times he beat many wrestlers who were ahead of him in skills.
"There were kids I wrestled this year who were honestly better wrestlers (than me)," Perry said. "I outworked them. I've found that kids break when they're tired."
It helped Perry to have a good group of guys to wrestler with at practice.
"I had a great set of drill partners," he said. "I worked with Rocky (Tripodi), Troy (Stitt), Ricker (Maple) and Jeremy Brady."
Those guys ranged from 138 to 220 pounds in weight classes. Perry wrestler at 182 pounds.
"Ricker's about half my size, but he's one of those guys with a skill level at which he can hang with everybody in the room," Perry said. "Wrestling Ricker, I definitely learned to keep my feet moving. If I slowed up at all, he'd run circles around me. Ricker is as quick as lightning.
"Then, I learned how to wrestle like the bigger guys with Rocky, Troy and Jeremy. It was good to get such diverse styles."
Looking ahead, Perry knows he has his work cut out for him. He also chose B-W partly for that reason.
"I'll go in with confidence, but I know they have several good wrestlers between 174 and 184," he said. "I'm not guaranteeing that I'll go in as a starter, but I can guarantee no one will outwork me. I know there'll be a lot of crazy competition, but I will not be outworked.
"B-W has a very good education program, which was big. I liked the campus and the coaches. Their wrestling program seemed to be built around hard work. To be successful there, you have be a worker. I feel like I'll fit right in. That's what did it for me."
It didn't hurt that Perry would be close to home and his younger sister Mya, an eighth grader at Jefferson Middle School.
"It's important to be close to my family because they're always there for me," Perry said. "One of the biggest things for me was Mya. I could go far away and my parents would be bummed, but they'd be OK.
"I really wanted to be involved with my sister's career. I want to be the brother who's there to watch her track meets and basketball games. I'm really proud of her. I think you'll be seeing big things from her. I hope you'll be writing one of these stories about her some day."
Ettinger is a freelance writer from Ashtabula.


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But a second, more optimistic, interpretation is that Obama is planning big change, and has decided these individuals will be the most politically effective advocates of reform. Let's call this the "Nixon to China" interpretation.Let's assume, for instance, that Obama is in fact "throwing long." That is, he wants big change – e.g., new multilateral diplomacy; negotiations with Syria and Iran; and even cuts to the grotesquely-large and corrupting military budget. If these are truly his goals, then voices like Clinton and Gates and Jones will be powerful advocates indeed. It's not merely that they'll provide political cover across the national political spectrum. They'll also provide political cover to nervous Democrats who remain afraid of their own shadow on these issues. Winning over the latter is a precondition of winning over the former. (For instance, you can't have talks with Iran if half the Senate Dems are on TV saying it's a bad idea).Same deal with the economic team. Who better to provide political cover (both nationally and within the party) for a massive public works program than a bunch of old Rubinites?
Of course, there is a risk to the Nixon to China strategy – namely, you might get a Nixon without a China. There's a very real possibility that these individuals (given their prior history and ideological leanings) will thwart this type of reform – or at least hesitate to really push for it. But if – just if – Obama can keep them on board, then these selections will prove to be an enormously savvy and effective strategy.
It's pathetic that we still have so little idea what he will do.
I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.—Barack Obama
I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.
Obama could head sharply left, go to the center-right, or just wobble about between the two, and no one would be all that surprised.
No other candidate has run on such a vague platform. "Hope and change" really sums up Obama's program.
If Obama tried to fix social security,
You have an idea what Obama is going to do, he is going to try to get left of center policies approved by right of center pols. You know what left of center policies are, and you know who the right of center pols are. Just sit back and watch.
Unfortunately, solving long term problems is not going to be on the agenda for a while. But, if the idea of a payroll tax moratorium were approved, it might get on the agenda as the taxes were reinstated and people started to realize what this intergenerational ponzi scheme really costs.
If your average Joe is used to 'taking home' $750 a week, takes home $1,000 a week for 2 months, and then drops back to $750, he's going to FREAK.
$1300 a month (employee and employer contribution) is not a tiny amount, it's a flippin' mint condition pre-owned Viper in my garage, and four car garage to wrap around it. Just the employee contribution is a Viper.
I feel sorry for whoever runs in 2012: it would take a tsunami of momentum to win over a 2012 Obama, barring some extremely unlikely, unforeseen circumstances.
I think it is a wait and see kinda thing. If he really pushes a hard left agenda, he may hand 2012 to the Republicans.
A viper in every pot !
It's awesome how Mac can take any thread into looney-tunes land just by posting!
ante up some brain power and substance
Obama, if he is the nominee, will lose the popular vote by ten points. He'll finish between Dukakis and McGovern. He will not only lose battleground states; he'll lose states that would be noncompetitive if Hillary was the candidate.
If Obama is the candidate he will definitely have problems in New York and New Jersey, meaning that they will come into play.
Obama is inherently unelectable as long as Americans believe in America. No matter what they think about "Bush," right now, Americans will not elect someone as President of the United States who is a 20 year and counting member of a racist, black supremacist church. It is not going to happen.
I'm willing to make what only appears to be the increasingly bold prediction that Obama will not get the nomination.
You don't honestly think that the Clintons and their outfit will be unable to handle Obama, do you?
I continue to believe that Obama will not be the nominee. But more about that in a moment.If he is the nominee the general election fight will break the hold on his image as it is currently being maintained in the mainstream media. His "very unfavorables" will hit 40%, his overall unfavorables will go over 50%. He will lose to McCain by ten points.
By then the classic American response to Obama should have settled into "f**k that guy," and he'll be dispatched to Dukakisville, which is right down the road from Palookaville.
A classic fallacy
"Soon enough everyone from America will forget what America was."
Here's some of the predictions that the guy painting this rosy picture has made in the past...
I believe Obama has been deeply chastened, and he is desperately trying to find some wiser, middle ground. Of course, he is stuck with having to rely upon Clinton people, having no one around him suitable.
I'll be heading up to the library to retrieve again some of those "black theology" texts recommended by Jeremiah Wright. I think it's going to be important for me to show both what I based those predictions on as well as the negligence of the media in reporting on what Obama was required to study as a member of that church.
"Soon enough everyone from America will forget what America was."Half of them right now have no earthly idea, Martin.
Take your time in the library. About four years would be good. On second thought, better make it 8.
Now, since my predictions based on that seem to be a continuing theme among the trolls here, Obama's background in his racist church will continue to be the theme of my responses.
Oh God no, the nuclear option, whatever shall I do?
Did I mention how completely and consistently wrong McPhillips has been for the last 18 months or so?
When McPhillips says something, the opposite is almost sure to happen (he once said Tony Blair would emerge from the Iraq war as the most powerful and important leader in Europe). His fetish with Rev. Wright is silly to the point of amusement.But seriously, the post does have a point. There is a real threat that whether from the left or right, the current crisis is going to enter us into a very different political era — I called this in a recent post "Fascism, American style."
[I]f [white people] are going to be in a relationship with God, they must enter by means of their black brothers, who are a manifestation of God's presence on earth. The assumption that one can know God without knowing blackness is the basic heresy of the white churches. They want God without blackness, Christ without obedience, love without death. What they fail to realize is that in America, God's revelation on earth has always been black, red, or some other shocking shade, but never white. Whiteness, as revealed in the history of America, is the expression of what is wrong with man. It is a symbol of man's depravity. God cannot be white, even though white churches have portrayed him as white. When we look at what whiteness has done to the minds of men in this country, we can see clearly what the New Testament meant when it spoke of the principalities and powers. To speak of Satan and his powers becomes not just a way of speaking but a fact of reality. When we can see a people who are being controlled by an ideology of whiteness, then we know what reconciliation must mean. The coming of Christ means a denial of what we thought we were. It means destroying the white devil in us. Reconciliation to God means that white people are prepared to deny themselves (whiteness), take up the cross (blackness) and follow Christ (black ghetto).
and that standard is that you cannot be associated with a belief system
and that standard is that you cannot be associated with a racist belief system
I'm sure that once the glistening dew has evaporated from his public image that Americans who finally get the full story on him will find it an important element that explains their growing irritation with him.
December 2, 2008Sixty-nine percent of Americans favor Barack Obama's choice of Hillary Clinton for secretary of state and 80% approve of his decision to keep Robert Gates on as secretary of defense. More generally, 78% approve of the way Obama is handling his transition, a better rating than Bill Clinton or George W. Bush received.
Your "all the depth of a Roosevelt dime" comments at this blog long ago led me to the conclusion that your problem is that you can't even get as far as being wrong.
But what would anyone expect from someone calling himself "Captain Sarcastic" who can't even spell that correctly.
I have been the one telling you that for all the blather about Wright and Cone, that the American people were just not going to consider it meaningful.
And as a live political fact it has a thousand times the value of the Bush-was-AWOL story, with the added value of actually being true.
Obama hasn't actually become president yet, so "growing irritation" is obviously a reference to what happens to any president once "the glistening dew has evaporated from his public image."
Buy Dale's Book!

subset: commoncrawl


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If bubbly Japanese bolthole Cocoro looks quiet from the street, be warned that the basement may be significantly more gregarious. Many regulars… more »
A maelstrom of dude food cloaks London, and the speed with which new joints arrive means 'the queues are finally dying down' at this early… more »
Untroubled by fashion but still in vogue among a phalanx of loyal Wigmore Street customers, Simon Piovesan's restaurant serves the food… more »
Like its sibling on Fetter Lane, 28°-50° is a haven for oenophiles who can sample over 30 wines by the glass or carafe as well as choosing from… more »
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The (uninspiring) name says it all. This Fitzrovia joint churns out trendy, messy, American-style grub in an upmarket setting, with towering burgers… more »
It's rare that a basement restaurant fits its brief perfectly, but Levant's array of dark, subterranean spaces chimes well with its Arabian… more »
Good wine at extremely keen prices is key to the appeal of any restaurant in the Brinkley's group, but readers single out this Marylebone outpost… more »
As bright, breezy & funky as its food is delicious, it's easy to see why the Comptoir Libanais chain has such a growing legion of fans in the… more »
Taking the place of DeVille, Reform Social & Grill has brought some added Britishness to the Mandeville Hotel. Out go the pinks, purples and… more »
Popular because of its late opening hours & its pared-back looks, The Coach Makers occupies a handy corner spot on Marylebone Lane. There are extra… more »
Red-blooded men with a taste for Lady Grey can hold their heads (and their pinkies) up high at the Reform Social & Grill, where tea is definitely… more »
CLOSED PENDING RELOCATION TO LARGER PREMISES Teeny Canvas is the first London outing for Swiss chef Michael Riemenschneider, who made… more »
Fantastically fun and buzzy high-quality North African restaurant / bar with casbah-style decor and differently themed North African 'caves'… more » This review is not by Square Meal
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The Packers have denied the Buccaneers' request to interview TE coach Ben McAdoo for their offensive coordinator vacancy, NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reported Tuesday.
McAdoo, according to the NFL Network, is expected to become Green Bay's QB coach, replacing Tom Clements, the club's new offensive coordinator. Clements replaced Joe Philbin, who became the Dolphins' head coach.
The Buccaneers previously tried to interview Cardinals assistant John McNulty for their offensive coordinator vacancy, but the request was denied. McNulty, who has coached Arizona's wideouts the last three seasons, will reportedly become the Cardinals' QB coach.
McNulty was previously an assistant under Greg Schiano at Rutgers. The Buccaneers hired Schiano as head coach on Jan. 27. According to La Canfora, who cited "league sources," Schiano is "struggling to put a staff together" in Tampa Bay.


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Story by Cpl. Jennifer Brofer
MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Representatives from the Marine Corps Systems Command Clothing team fitted three Depot Marines with new uniform prototypes Oct. 21, as part of the Marine Corps Uniform Board's attempt to improve male and female Evening Dress uniforms.
The clothing team took on the task of creating new Dress Blue blouses for female enlisted Marines and officers and a new male staff NCO Evening Dress blouse, after an online survey conducted in June spurred enough interest to warrant support of the change. The prototypes will be tailored and worn by some Marines during the Marine Corps Birthday Ball season.
The proposed Dress Blue blouse for enlisted females and officers features a "mandarin-style" collar - one that resembles the male collar, but tapers toward the clasp in the front to give it a more "feminine appearance," said Maj. Renee Holmes, clothing team leader.
"The recommendation was made by many females to have a high-standing collar to more closely resemble the males'," said Holmes.
"I don't want people to think we're trying to look like men, but our current blouse isn't traditional like the men's. We want something that is more in keeping with the leatherneck tradition," she added.
Aside from the different collar, which would eliminate the need for the white shirt and black neck tab, the enlisted blouse prototype adds red piping to the bottom and around the neckline.
The team is also considering adding the men's white belt to the uniform - a suggestion that is popular with some, but not others.
"I think it would look nicer with a white belt," said Gunnery Sgt. Carol Simmons, staff NCOIC for Depot Female Clothing, who will be the test subject for the experimental enlisted Dress Blue blouse.
Others disagreed, however, saying the white belt would only draw attention to certain places that do not necessarily need attention.
Although Simmons said the proposed blouse looks "nice," she explained that she feels there really is no need for a new one.
"I like the traditional female uniform," she said. "There's no need to look like the males. I think the separation was good. It looks nicer with a white shirt. The white shirt added to the appearance - it stood out."
Though there are mixed feelings among females regarding their proposed uniform, Master Gunnery Sgt. Donald Garland, who is testing the new staff NCO Evening Dress blouse, said he likes the changes. The blouse he is testing more closely resembles that which is worn by officers and eliminates the need for a collared shirt and black bow tie.
"So far, I think they look sharp," said Garland. "I think they look as good as the previous Mess Dress jacket and will be closer in appearance to that of the officers', as they are designed using the same pattern."
The experimental blouses that are worn to the Marine Corps Ball are going to be tested for "acceptance," with the floor still open for more suggestions, said Holmes.
"They are not the final design - they are definitely test coats," she said. "We want people to tell us their likes and dislikes, and the only way to know is to put them out there and collect data."
The team will continue to test the Dress Blue prototypes aboard bases around the world, from Okinawa to MCB Camp Pendleton, Calif., gathering information to improve the blouses' design.


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Wilhelm is internationally known as America's most respected
horse trainer. His unique approach to horse training enables
horse owners to train their own horses.
is the creator of Ultimate Foundation Training; equine training
techniques that combine the best of traditional, classical
and natural horsemanship into a methodology that is applicable
to every riding discipline.
His extensive background of over thirty
five years of training includes Dressage, Working Cow Horse,
Reining, Western Pleasure and Trail class. He is one of
the few clinicians of our time who is known for his superb
skills in communicating and motivating people as well as
his astounding natural abilities with the horse. He believes
that "It's Never, Ever the Horse's Fault" and his training
methods reflect that belief. Charles is one of the few trainers
specializing in re-schooling horses with often-severe issues.
His relaxed, warm and amusing character
has made him a great favorite at clinics and demonstrations.
We receive hundreds of letters and e-mail each year commenting
on how approachable Charles is for his audience, and how
much practical information participants took home and were
able to use with their own horses successfully – seeing
results right away. His motto "Success Through Knowledge"
reflects this training philosophy that the owner should
learn alongside the horse.
writes monthly columns for Riding Magazine, Ride! magazine,
Northwest Rider, Honest Horses and many others. He has also
had articles published in Horse & Rider and Horse
Illustrated. His book "Building Your Dream Horse" was
published in 2005 and his new book "Starting Baby Jaz" was
released in August 2006. He also offers an ongoing series of
educational DVDs.
He performs clinics and demonstrations at
national and regional venues such as Equine Affaire, Horse
World Expo, Ride the West, Equine Experience, The Mane Event,
Midwest Horse Fair and Western States Horse Expo. He has
also been on radio programs with Jim Campbell and Rick Lamb.
He has been a featured speaker at U.C. Davis Horse Days
Symposium for four years and has been a winner of the
Trainer's Challenge at the Mane Event.
His training facility in Castro Valley,
California is among the top equine educational institutions
in Northern California. With thirty to thirty five horses
in training on a regular basis the facility offers extensive
hands-on learning programs for every level of horsemanship,
from novice through trainer. He specializes in working with
beginning and returning women riders between the ages of
35 and 55, his "Women's Horse Camp is a favorite of
clients. Apprenticeships and Horsemanship programs occur
on a year-round basis as well as one to three day clinics
scheduled several times a year. After over 15 years of working
with problem horses, Charles Wilhelm Training will shift
focus to performance training, including Western Pleasure,
English Pleasure, and Ranch Versatility.
Charles will still offer colt starting, and work with problem
horses on a limited basis.
Charles Wilhelm Training Center
is located at 6496 Crow Canyon Road, Castro Valley, California
Telephone: (510) 886-9000
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Media coverage


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Did you know that clean hands can have a big impact on your health? During a day or even an hour, your hands touch many things. They pick up germs that can cause disease if you touch your eyes, nose or mouth, or any break in your skin. Good hand cleaning, also called hand hygiene, is the first protection against illness in yourself and your family. Even when your hands look clean, they may carry germs. Germs on your hands can cause illnesses such as common colds, influenza (flu), skin infections such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), or more serious illnesses such as diarrhea, bronchitis, hepatitis A, and meningitis.
What is the best way to clean your hands? Germs multiply quickly on your skin and hands, so it's important to clean them often. Use one of these methods to clean your hands:
• Wash hands with soap and water when hands are visibly soiled. First, wet your hands with warm water, then use liquid or clean bar soap to work up a lather. Rub your hands together vigorously for at least 15 to 20 seconds to remove the "dirt". Remember to scrub your nail areas, thumbs, wrists and back of hands because these areas are often forgotten. Finish by rinsing your hands well, then drying with a clean towel. In public areas, protect your clean hands by using the paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open the door.
• When your hands look clean, germs can still be present. This is when you can disinfect your hands using an alcohol-based hand product such as a gel or foam. Check the label to be sure the product contains between 60 and 95 percent alcohol. Alcohol-based hand products only work on hands that look clean because they cannot physically remove "dirt." Use enough of the product to thoroughly moisten your hands, and then rub it in until your hands are dry.


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An Introduction to Geology - with Hopi terminology
By Claudia Alexander, Terry Sloan
This is a prototype book intended as a sample with which the author(s) can make further edits.
About the Author
Publish Date June 22, 2011
Dimensions Large Format Landscape 120 pgs
Standard Paper
Category Medicine & Science
Tags native american, Hopi, geology, astronomy, botany
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If you're looking for a job, Patch is here to help. We've gathered a sampling of the most recent local job ads to aid you in your search. Job ads below are provided by Indeed.
Kids In Danger, a non-profit organization in Chicago, is looking for a program associate to coordinate outreach to healthcare professionals, childcare programs and other groups working with young children.
The State of Illinois, at the Stateville Reception and Classification Center in Will County, is looking for a corrections identification technician.
The Oakbrook Terrace Police Department is looking for police officers
State Farm in Downers Grove is looking for a claim service assistant to provide assistance to claim handlers.
OHL in Romeoville is looking for an inventory specialist.
MIQ Logistics in Romeoville is looking for a team member to assist in the duties required to move inventory, load, unload, sort and verifying inventory as well as preparing product for repackaging and rework.
The State of Illinois in Cook County is looking for a public aid eligibility assistant.
Kinder Morgan in Argo is looking for a customer service representative.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Chicago is looking for a part-time ticketing sales and service associate.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There are plenty of ways to keep up on news:


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Valdosta resident and physical therapist Gayla Prince, DPT, has been appointed the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia (PTAG) District 1 Director.
In her new leadership role, Prince will assist with PTAG outreach and communications efforts for more than 31 counties in the southwest Georgia region. As one of only nine district directors in Georgia, Prince will work to improve PTAG communications throughout the southwest area and serve as a liaison and a resource for the 7,419 licensed physical therapists and physical therapy assistants in the state.
"We are excited to welcome Gayla as our newest district director," says PTAG president Dr. Barney Poole. "Gayla is a strong leader for the physical therapy profession, and her commitment and dedication will be great contributions to the success of our industry."
Prince received her undergraduate degree in biology from North Georgia College and State University and completed her graduate degree from the Medical College of Georgia in consortium with North Georgia College and State University.
She is currently employed as the director of physical therapy for the Hughston Clinic in Valdosta, where she treats sports and orthopedic injuries.
About the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia
The Physical Therapy Association of Georgia (PTAG) is the membership organization for the profession of physical therapy in Georgia, and a component of the American Physical Therapy Association. PTAG has approximately 1800 members comprised of PT's, PTA's and Students. The mission of PTAG is to represent, promote and serve the profession of physical therapy.
Copyright 2013 WALB. All rights reserved.
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(229) 446-1010
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I understand that I run the risk of being called a "homer" for bringing this up. This blog is based in Atlanta, Ga. The issue I am about to raise is one that negatively impacted the University of Georgia. I attended the University of Georgia. My daughter has two degrees from the University of Georgia.
I get all that. But you have to realize that I'm talking about the big picture here and not the winner and loser of one football game. I am raising an issue that I believe strikes at the credibility of a game that we all love.
I have been covering college football as a professional journalist for 32 years and, without being too dramatic here, there is a good chance that the excessive celebration call on Georgia's A.J. Green last Saturday against LSU is the single worst officiating mistake I have seen in my three decades of covering the sport.
First of all, the penalty did not have to be called. I was in New York working for CBS on Saturday and because I had access to the technology, I was able to watch the play about a dozen times. Based on what I saw, there is simply nothing there that even sniffs at the word "excessive." I've read the rule. I know what it says. A.J. Green couldn't raise his arms in the air towards the crowd because too many teammates were hugging him. He looked in the direction of the crowd. He had just made one of the biggest plays of his young career. I think we can understand that a sophomore in college might just be a little excited at that particular moment.
After the fact the officials released a statement saying that Green had made a gesture to the crowd that brought attention to himself. If that happened then a press box full of trained observers and a crowd of over 90,000 all missed it. I asked Georgia coach Mark Richt on Sunday if he was aware of anything Green did, perhaps off-camera, that would have warranted the penalty. He said no but he also said that he had not asked Green directly about it. But if nobody saw it but the official on the play, how in the world can it be excessive?
And, for the purposes of this discussion, I'm not going to get into the other two excessive celebration calls other than to say this. The one on LSU's Charles Scott, which came after he briefly raised his arms to the sky (exactly two seconds because I counted) after the winning touchdown, probably had to be called given the bad call on A.J. Green. And I'll give the officials the benefit of the doubt on the Orson Charles call, although I thought Charles was trying to get the crowd fired up and not bringing attention to himself.
Here is the problem. It is clear that the officials are given very little, if no, discretion on this call. If a player does any gesture other than celebrating directly with his teammates, the officials feel compelled to call it. And if they don't, they risk reprimand or even suspension.
I just feel the rule, which was created with the best of intentions, has morphed into something that is now hurting the game. It is called so inconsistently. Earlier this year a Florida player was flagged after a quarterback sack for simply rolling his hands like a traveling call in basketball. A little while later a Tennessee player sacked the quarterback and did several chest bumps. Nothing was called. In my opinion neither should have been called. The official on the play just tells the young man to cool it and get back to his teammates. No harm, no foul.
One of two things has to happen for the good of the game: My suggestion is to eliminate the rule entirely because it has become clear to me that it can't be enforced on a consistent basis. Excessive celebration is too much in the eye of the beholder. Replace it with a taunting rule. Taunting is more clearly defined than excessive celebration.
Until then every supervisor of officials in the country needs to tell his guys: Let's back off. We need to adjust the sensitivity meter on this thing. Let's save this penalty for the most egregious violations. That isn't hard. We know what they are.
When Georgia stormed the field en masse in Jacksonville in 2007, now THAT's excessive celebration. When a player running to the end zone takes off from the five-yard line and dives in with no defenders around, that's excessive. When a player throat slashes with his thumb, that's excessive.
When, after a great game like Georgia-LSU, Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson have to admit that the biggest play of the game was a penalty that (in my opinion) didn't have to be called, then the rules, which are supposed to work to the good of the game, have instead worked to the detriment of the game.
Somebody made the argument to me yesterday and we have to put up with a bad excessive celebration call from time to time because the greater good of the game is well served by the rule. I don't accept that. I think there is a way to keep sportsmanship in the game without totally eliminating the passion of the players, which is something that we all enjoy and, quite frankly, makes the college game much better than the pro game.
You don't think the Georgia players aren't going to be negatively impacted by this call for the rest of the season? You don't think they will curb their enthusiasm because they fear the next flag might be on them? Of course they will. And that's not right.
It's time to put some common sense back into the excessive celebration rule. It if we can't do that, then it needs to be eliminated.
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October 5th, 2009
3:51 pm
I couldnt have said it any better. That penalty on AJ Green didnt put them under, the coaching/play calling and the defensive players and play calling(every game they seem to be out of place) at the end of the game did.
They didnt score until the 4th quarter and couldnt cover a kick return, stop a slow quarterback from gaining a chunk of yards in the final minute, or make 1 or 2 tackles that last drive!
And Joe Cox is either pretty good or totally awful…its "either or" with him. So as he goes, the "Bullthugs" go. So its looking like an 8 win season and thats as realistic as your utility bills coming on time each month!
And the only reason they are in most of their games is because of talented athletes but these guys continue to do Boneheaded things game in and game out. Prime example, last year when BAMA came to Athens and played they way they were coached to play. BOOM…they hit the dogs in the mouth from the start, they never knew what hit them. GAME OVER in the first half.
Eventhough im a big UGA fan, ANY fan with common sense can see that CMR has NO control of those "Bullthugs!"
And as long as this team is coached the way it currently is, they will continue to be 10-2 and 9-3 and coming up short, just behind UF, LSU and BAMA!!!
October 5th, 2009
3:52 pm
One first down in the first half OR one bad call from a ref? Which one do you think really caused UGA to lose this game? LSU got the same call. As far as I could see, there should have been an intentional grounding call on Cox – he got lucky because where he happened to throw the ball, a receiver was close by. If you look at the play closely though, he was on his way to the ground when the ball left his hand. You got away with one, not the other. I understand your mad, you lost. But to throw a rule out because you don't like it? How about throw out the rule that states the clock continues to run when you just made a 1st down to reset the chains? Let the clock keep ticking – they did at the Tech game. Let's just throw out all the rules we don't like and then play ball. Come on fans. Man up, accept you lost and move on to next week. If you don't, the Vols will have a hey day with you guys!
October 5th, 2009
3:53 pm
One thing I don't understand with a lot of you UGA bashers is the fact that a win over UGA means so much to you guys. Or if we get beat it is just so important for you to be on here informing us why we lost and why we will never win another game this year or next year or ever. If we are so middle of the road, 5th best team blah blah blah in the conference, going nowhere program, why is it so important for you guys to be on here berating such a lowly program? You should probably be somewhere berating or smack talking the opponents that truly concern you. Or are you done with Kentucky, Ole Miss and Vandy and now looking to waste more time with UGA. If we are such a bad team why are you spending so much time on us?????? Why do you jump so high in the rankings when you manage to beat us? Your overwhelming concerns about our program are unexplainable.
October 5th, 2009
3:55 pm
D_MAN, Go ahead & tell the seniors that there last year isn't important.I'm sure the recruits
that might want to come & play here can find somewhere else to play.It's not over for this team.
Fla. is the only team on the scheldule that may seem out of reach but I still want count these guys
out of that game either.
October 5th, 2009
3:56 pm
The LSU player scored on a break away run. He would have scored from 60 yards away. The penalty didn't make a difference.
October 5th, 2009
3:57 pm
Am I the only fan that saw the reverse angle of scott's td run, that showed a LSU player first grab Rennie Curran's jersey and then tackle him from behind. (resulted in the best running play of the game), Boy that Scott really can break a tackle.
I point this out not to cry that Ga would have won if it had been called but to point out that it was VERY Obvious. Not only did the ref make up a celebration penalty they missed a flagerant face mask penalty and the tackling of the SEC's best LB all with in the last five minutes, (What had LSU accomplished before the last five minutes, not enough.
The SEC officals need to be held accountable, say what you say about ga whining but it is obvious that Ga is playing up hill with these officals.
It has been reported that the head of SEC officals is a tech grad, not saying he is bias but if you were a Ala fan would you want a Aub grad as head official?
October 5th, 2009
3:57 pm
Enough with the BAMA CRAP!!!!
BAMA hasn't won ANYTHING IN YEARS!!!!!!!
Please let them win something before speaking
October 5th, 2009
3:59 pm
Zoo, coach smith and all Bulldawg fans…
You guys played a hard fought game and could have easily won. UGA has a fine program and a team that is rebuilding. Cox is more inconsistent than most would have expected. Ealey looks like the next big thing, and I suspect the rest of the season will play out better than expected.
There is no reason UGA should not finish 9-3 beating Auburn and Tech.
October 5th, 2009
4:02 pm
Good post. I agree w/ almost all of it. One of the more reasonable, even-handed posts from a Dawg fan today.
coach smith,
You're humorous. Please continue to change the subject whenever you get called out for your nonsense. You make Lou Holtz look like a Rhodes scholar. You know, the guys that get free rides to the college of their choice if they know a lot about furniture.
October 5th, 2009
4:04 pm
Hi Tony, I totally agree with you. This is a great column you wrote and I hope the powers that be take a serious look at what they've done. It's so egregiously bad that the players now have to walk on egg shells when they score a touchdown, and you're right I'm afraid this will impact Georgia's intensity and passion now for the rest of the season.
October 5th, 2009
4:05 pm
these useless calls are just a symptom of how pansy-fied our country has become when players (college kids!) are not allowed to celebrate after a HUGE play. Celebrate, not taunt. I think most can draw a pretty solid line between the two… god forbid that someones feelings get hurt though because someones hand goes in the air
October 5th, 2009
4:05 pm
Gatorzone, thanks. What happened to 10-2 possibility? Personally I thought it was a great SEC game. No matter who you are a fan of. Exciting until the last seconds.
October 5th, 2009
4:06 pm
Wow. Lot's of activity today. Here's to hoping we can talk about something else tomorrow.
One of the more exciting weekends of matchups is coming up with some really interesting games. I for one will be glued to the set for Bama-Ole Miss, UGA-UT, and UF-LSU. A lot will be determined this weekend and a couple teams have a great opportunity to catch a hot streak going into the meat of the SEC schedule. Couldn't ask for a better Saturday. Here's to 11 straight hours of football.
October 5th, 2009
4:10 pm
Mutt Nonsense
what in the world did i change the subject on
Say what you want, I have a feeling you are wearing your Tech colors safely behind your computer
And my how TECH fans have came out of the woodwork
Don't worry, after they lose the next 2 to FlaSt and VaTech, we won't hear from them for a while
October 5th, 2009
4:12 pm
I agree that the excessive celebration rule is too strict and sever, however, that game Saturday could've easily been won by UGA if they were better coached and didn't commit so many penalties. Excessive penalties, sloppy play, poor special teams and struggling to get players on and off the field are all signs of a poorly coached team. Mark Richt looks to be on the downhill side of his coaching career unless he gets serious and makes the serious decisions that his 4 million per year salary requires and fires the incompetent assistants such as his very close friend Willie Martinez.
October 5th, 2009
4:14 pm
Just remember BOTH of UGA's losses came to teams who were Ranked inthe top 5
If UGA had been like every other SEC team (except TENN & BAMA although they played one) Saturday would have been UGA's first loss because they would've played 2 cupcakes and been 4-1 and nobody would be running their mouth
October 5th, 2009
4:15 pm
Yep, lots of ifs in my post…because that ref altered the course of the game by throwing that flag. And anyone who is saying that Richt is not controlling his players and they "thugs" just haven't been watching. I believe the defense especially has done an outstanding job of curtailing the dumb late hit penalties. I remember at least two plays in the LSU game where the UGA safety could've laid out the receiver, but didn't because it would've been a borderline play. In my mind, that aspect of the game has been cleaned up quite well. Now, the kick coverage issue is just something that should not be a problem game after game, year after year. I watch a lot of football and can't think of another team, SEC or not, that has as big a problem covering kicks as Georgia. It's gotten so bad that I actually thought about trying an onside kick when we were kicking off from the 15. Of course, that would've been pretty stupid, but hindsight being 20/20….
October 5th, 2009
4:16 pm
"It is clear that the officials are given very little, if no, discretion on this call."
Mr Barnhart, you better get with Tim Brando because he's on tv saying the refs have WIDE latitude and discretion on those kinds of calls. Also, talk to Timmy about his subtle allusions to racism being involved in his post game rant with Tillman and Horowitz.
October 5th, 2009
4:17 pm
Tebow does that mess every Saturday for over 3 years now…..really?
October 5th, 2009
4:18 pm
coach smith,
Let's try this again. These are from some of your posts earlier where you called me an idiot.
"All LSU needed was field goal. By kick from the 15 yard line they only had to go a few yards to get that field goal
Holliday caught the ball on the LSU 31 yard line, returned it 27 yards (not bad for kickoff coverage) to the UGA 42 and then they added a 5 yard penalty to put it at the 38″
Without the penalty LSU (even with the same 27 yard return) LSU would have had to go 43 yards to get a field goal attempt under 50 yards. They also would have had to pass on about every play and be desperate and UGA could've been able to pin their ears back and continue the sack parade"
- Everyone knows none of this is true, and still no response from you after being called out.
October 5th, 2009
4:19 pm
hey coach smith…win something, you say.
well, last time we "discussed it" on the field,
we shoved OUR hobnail boot right up your azz.
Hell, the dogs from the West look a hell of a lot better than the show-boatin punks from georgia.
whats with all the BS dancing on teh bench after the azst game.
what a bunch of punks.
richt HAS lost control of the players. It started last summaer and so obvious.
October 5th, 2009
4:20 pm
Tony, why don't you tell everyone on this blog who was the prime initiator of this rule. It is not something new. It was pushed by Vince Dooley when he was AD. He was a highly respected AD and his opinion was taken seriously. He coached his players to not show boat and thought that was something that should not be part of college football. Just let the player do as they please between plays, dance point, taunt, it does not have any bearing on the sport. What a joke.
October 5th, 2009
4:20 pm
Here's some more from you while calling me a moron.
"From 15 to 15 really? LOL that would be a 70+ yard kick. If our kicker could do that the normal kickoffs would be out of the endzone"
And here's my response.
"Also, check your facts before you call me a moron. 70 yds on a kick is totally reasonable. Try this math:
- Kickoff from the 30 yd. line to midfield = 20 yards
- Distance from midfield to the end zone = 50 yards
What's 50+20? Come to think of it, don't you guys gripe about Walsh not putting it into the endzone? How can you possibly expect him to kick it 70+ yds when that's so unreasonable to propose?"
Do you want to keep playing?
October 5th, 2009
4:22 pm
say it with me….Alabama is 1-3 vs UGA in the last 4….ONE AND THREE
Georgia has 2 SEC titles and played for a 3rd in the last 7 years as well as 2 Sugar Bowl Wins in 3 trips
October 5th, 2009
4:23 pm
Take your Techie rearend back to your blog and talk Tech football with ALL of YOUR FANS……BOTH OF THEM!
October 5th, 2009
4:25 pm
Have to agree CharlotteGator, next Saturday is a huge day for SEC football. Georgia needs to put this one behind them and get ready for the Vols.
BTW: Just heard that the SEC has officially apologized for the call on AJ Greene. For what it's worth…
October 5th, 2009
4:26 pm
Coach smith, is this a UGA blog or a college football blog. I guess you are right, Tony is a homer and anything he writes is biased to the bulldogs. That is okay but read my last post as to who pushed this rule through the NCAA.
October 5th, 2009
4:27 pm
All the proof you need is that Mark May and Lou Holtz both said it was a terrible call and that UGA got screwed. They both hate UGA and never say anything postive about UGA. Recent example Rashad Jones hit in OK State game. Both said it was a great call by the official. They were the only 2 people in the country that thought so.
October 5th, 2009
4:28 pm
Did they apologize to LSU for that call? What a wimp running the SEC? His officials should walk with that kind of support.
October 5th, 2009
4:28 pm
It all goes back to the rule made by Vince "The Prince" Dooley. Poetic justice if you think about it.
October 5th, 2009
4:28 pm
coach smith,
"Just remember BOTH of UGA's losses came to teams who were Ranked inthe top 5″
Congratulations. Where is Oklahoma St. now? Oh that's right, they suck. They lost to Houston at home. Guess it's not that hard to go to Stillwater and impose your will.
What about teams in the SEC W and UF? They play LSU EVERY YEAR. Do they get this built in excuse if they lose to the Bayou Bengals?
You're fun.
October 5th, 2009
4:29 pm
Why dont you Dawg fans focus on Tenn? Face it, you are 3-2, you lost on Saturday… you lost.. get ready for Tenn or you just might be 3-3 this time next week.
October 5th, 2009
4:29 pm
Jawga is full of crybabies!!!
Geaux Tigers!
October 5th, 2009
4:32 pm
If they are saying the call on Scott was correct… then it's time to change the rule.
IF individual players do something truely callous, crude or unsportsmanlike…. KICK THEM OUT OF THE GAME! Celebrating a touchdown in a normal manner whether it draws attention to an individual or group of individuals is not worthy of a 15 yard major penalty.
October 5th, 2009
4:32 pm
Mutt Nonsense, you have to lay off us dawg fans when it comes to kicking off and touchbacks. It has been awhile since our program has witnessed one of our kickers kicking it into the endzone for a touchback. For awhile there I actually thought that they might have changed that rule but I see the LSU kicker punch one into the endzone to start the game. Kick it short and out of bounds is what we are used to.
October 5th, 2009
4:33 pm
"Take your Techie rearend back to your blog and talk Tech football with ALL of YOUR FANS……BOTH OF THEM!"
Ahh, the infamous "if you can't beat them (or even have an intelligible conversation), then call them a Tech fan and tell them to go to their own blog" defense.
It would be funny if it wasn't so predictable. Couldn't care less about Tech. I enjoyed Miami beating them down. Paul Johnson look like a cross between Gollum and that chick from Wilson Phillips.
You, my friend, have still not responded to being called out for your "loose" facts.
October 5th, 2009
4:33 pm
Just put an " * " by the loss. Everyone will understand.
October 5th, 2009
4:34 pm
Enter your comments here Georgia lost the game. LSU made plays at the end that would not have been effected by the call against Green. You should have starte off with this statement instead of saying you are a Homer. I agee the game was poorly officiated and your remarks are poor as well. I believe the call against Green was incorrct and you lack of giving LSU any credit for the win is poor jouranlism. Do not use your position to imply things that are not true Brando does not do this and he is a LSU grad. I will also pray that you return to your high standards.
October 5th, 2009
4:35 pm
CBS is reporting that ROGERS REDDING is ADMITTING that they BLEW THE CALL and the REF is "beating himself up about it"
October 5th, 2009
4:35 pm
Porr coach smith….
cant seem to handle the fact that theres has been a REGIME CHANGE in Tuscaloosa.
uga is losing on the field to bama, and has now begun losing on the recruiting trail to bama.
As long as coach saban is here, uga wont sniff an SEC title for the next SEVERAL YEARS. Just keep playing like your playing and you'll be the new sec-east bottom-feeder.
Its tougher…in the West.
October 5th, 2009
4:37 pm
If the coaches get off their lazy butts & coach their players how to not celebrate in the end zone there would never be a call on the well coached teams.
It is not the rule, it is the lack of coaching.
October 5th, 2009
4:37 pm
Alabama is 1-1 since the "great Saban" got to Alabama
Richt and UGA have beaten Saban at LSU and BAMA my friend
And actually Georgia has the #2 incoming recruiting class in the SEC behind LSU according to Rivals and Scout
October 5th, 2009
4:39 pm
here is the link to the SEC admitting they screwed the Dawgs
October 5th, 2009
4:40 pm
Does anyone remember that CVD(Thats Dooley with 2 O's and few brains)was one of the biggest supporters of the rule(Poor choice of words).I think he initiated it when he was on the NCAA Rules Committee !!! It s___ s and Dooley knows it as millions more do!!!
Great job Vincent !!
October 5th, 2009
4:41 pm
The only blown call is that everyone thinks for certain the outcome would have been different. UGA fouled up on the kickoff formation (5 yards), and if the play had been executed the exact same way, Holliday still made it to the 47. That is either poor kick team coverage, or just another awesome return by Holliday. Either way- it is irrelevant. Charles Scott scored on an inside run from 33-yards out. He could have gone 50, 60, 70 or 100 yards on that play if there were enough yard markers- the fact of the matter is that UGA's defense got absolutely burned by a team that called a running play in a hurry-up offense. Yall should be embarassed and should focus your energy and criticism on your defense rather than finding a scape goat.
October 5th, 2009
4:43 pm
coach smith,
That was a good game that Georgia played in Tuscaloosa. This Georgia team doesn't look very much like that one did. I've always respected Georgia's football tradition and I like Coach Richt, but there are more problems in Athens right now than all of the officials in the SEC can cure. You can't fix the problem until you admit that you have one.
October 5th, 2009
4:45 pm
Re: Tim Rupert
Yes I saw the tackle of Curran too, didn't wan't to seem to bitter. I said saturday if the refs were held accountable like the coaches and players this would all change. Make them have a press conference after every game, face the media and explain their calls. I also agree with other posts that UGA penalty problems started with the Fla game 2 years ago. If this is some kind of personal vendetta against UGA by SEC refs that needs to be taken care of. It has gone on 2 years and is getting a little obvious, and is getting to the point where it can effect coaches livleyhood. The only way to handle it is hold them responsible.
Anyone remember the ref that made the Jasper Sanks call years ago was suspended, maybe if they faced any repurcusions like this they may understand 96,000 people are not packed in the stadium to see them.
October 5th, 2009
4:48 pm
georgia should be GRATEFUL that we dont play again this year.
It would be another convincing "funeral" for sure.
See my previous stats. miss state played lsu better than georgia did.
As for recruiting, yeh, we see how well THATS been working out for ya.
over-rated, undisciplined, undeveloped players for sure.
October 5th, 2009
4:50 pm
[...] for excessive celebration after go-ahead touchdowns in the final two minutes, which have been so universally deplored in the subsequent 48 hours. It's not just that they were bad calls (they obviously were), or [...]
October 5th, 2009
4:51 pm
That UGA team actually looks ALOT like this one
Both have young talent (Moreno & Stafford were freshmen)
This team actually has MORE young talent (AJ, Orsen Charles, B.Smith, Ealey, Samuel, King, M.Brown, D. Tyson, B.Boykin)
That UGA team finished 8-4 then won th ebowl game to go 9-4
I can see 8-4 or 9-3 for this team too
So actually the 2 teams are quite similar with this one actually being in a BETTER position for the future


text:
RALEIGH — After putting on a great show to convince the world of the Triangles hockey credentials, financial reality set back in for the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. This may be a good hockey market, but its still a small one, and the budget is as tight as ever.
Tuesdays opponent to resume the regular season served to prove that point. The Boston Bruins are third in the NHL in payroll, spending more than $9 million more than the Hurricanes, who rank 25th.
Thats two or three extra players, but those are the odds the Hurricanes are up against, trying to even the playing field with young players like Brandon Sutter and Jeff Skinner, whose ability outpaces their salaries.
It was an even game into the third period, when the game turned on back-to-back-to-back plays: All-Star Tim Thomas stopped All-Star Eric Staal just before the Bruins scored two goals 72 seconds apart on their way to a 3-2 win.
Given that thin margin, its impossible not to wonder if one more player -- one more veteran, goal-scoring winger? -- could have made a difference Tuesday. Its impossible not to wonder if one more player might be the difference between making the playoffs and not.
So the question remains, and will remain for the rest of the month: Could the Hurricanes add a player for the playoff push? Would they?
The closer the Feb. 28 deadline gets, the more the finances play into Carolinas favor. The deadline falls with 41 days left in the season, leaving the Hurricanes responsible for only 22 percent of any annual salary they acquire.
As always with this team, the real dollars matter, not the salary cap, so if owner Peter Karmanos was willing to throw another $1 million into the pot, that would mean general manager Jim Rutherford could go out and pick up a player making $4.5 million.
Its not just about the money. The Hurricanes would probably have to give up one of their good young forwards to make a deal, and Rutherford has good reason to keep that foundation for the future together. (On that note: The Hurricanes have nine potential unrestricted free agents of their own who would bring a nifty return should they fall off the pace and become a seller.) As for the finances, thats going to be up to Karmanos.
At the moment, the Hurricanes are on pace to spend about $47 million, which is already about $3 million more than Karmanos originally wanted. But he was willing to open his wallet in 2006 to add Doug Weight and Mark Recchi (who celebrated his 43rd birthday Tuesday by picking up an assist for the Bruins), and while this team hasnt had the same kind of regular-season success that team had, it does offer the decent potential of bringing in some playoff revenue to offset any additional salary.
Consider this: Almost lost in the post-All-Star hangover was Brandon Sutters little joke at Jeff Skinners expense, putting a picture of Justin Bieber above his locker Tuesday morning. In terms of raw humor, its probably the last gasp of the Bieber jokes, but it may bode extremely well for Carolinas chances going forward.
That kind of playful jibe among teammates is typically only seen among winning teams, and if thats really the atmosphere within the dressing room, the Hurricanes have the potential to go far, maybe enough to make a little boost at the end of the month worthwhile.
firstname.lastname@example.com, twitter.com/LukeDeCock or (919) 829-8947


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text:
By RONNIE ELLIS
When I was a kid, a show briefly aired on American television called "That Was the Week That Was," an American imitation of a satirical British program.
On Friday, the conclusion of the first week of the 2014 General Assembly, it didn't seem like much was accomplished – but things did happen.
How can you top lawmaker Leslie Combs' accidental discharge of her pistol in her Capitol Annex office while fellow Rep. Jeff Greer, D-Brandenburg, was seated across from her desk? Naturally, the incident prompted jokes about the session "beginning with a bang."
House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover, R-Jamestown, reportedly fired off some pretty good one-liners about the incident at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday evening, suggesting House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, who also is a spokesperson for Morgan and Morgan, a large personal injury legal firm, could represent Greer in a personal injury lawsuit.
Meanwhile, Greer, a former college football lineman, was explaining why he faced no danger by reminding listeners of the movie "The Matrix," in which a character is able to instantly contort his body to avoid bullets in flight.
Of course, in Kentucky we have a different concept of gun control than many other parts of the country. Our lawmakers, led by Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, are always prepared to shoot down any imagined threat to gun owners' rights. Only last year, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" came to Kentucky to lampoon a measure sponsored by Sen. Jared Carpenter, R-Berea, claiming the state could nullify federal legislation governing the sales and use of firearms. Our constitution guarantees the right to hunt and fish.
We also learned from the Chamber dinner that Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, believes the state "Senate will be bold" in 2014. Stivers is the person who, commenting on a state budget which has been cut $1.6 billion in six years, likes to make bold statements like: "We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem."
Speaking of bold, Gov. Steve Beshear told lawmakers during his State of the Commonwealth speech Tuesday that after 12 studies over two decades saying Kentucky must reform its tax code, he's prepared to offer specific proposals to do it. But he hasn't boldly made much of a public case for it.
But Beshear, who for the first six years of his administration was viewed by some as a "caretaker" governor, seems suddenly to be thinking about Kentucky's future and his legacy. He defiantly embraced the Affordable Care Act in spite of the law's unpopularity in Kentucky and now says he will do what is necessary to reinvest in education. If he delivers on health care, tax reform and increased funding for education, we may indeed one day look back on his second term as a bold one.
While they aren't likely to agree on the specifics, Hoover welcomed Beshear's call for tax reform. Hoover wants "to begin the discussion" on tax reform. Working with a Democratic governor to enact actual reform would certainly be bold for the House Republican leader in an election year in which he hopes his party wins control of the House.
A year ago I was skeptical about the prospects lawmakers would go along with Republican Agriculture Commissioner James Comer's proposal to legalize cultivation of hemp. I was wrong. This week, a House committee heard testimony on the medical uses of marijuana. Again I'm skeptical – but who knows? This is Kentucky after all.
So it didn't feel like much really happened this week. But maybe it'll turn out to be the week that was after all.
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at
email@example.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.
Read more in the print or digital Glasgow Daily Times. http://glasgowdailytimes.cnhi.newsmemory.com/