Funnier than expected. Donning their white boxers and rose colored Oxfords, Coach K, Rick Pitino, Roy Williams, and Bobby Knight participate in the “Risky Business” of a Guitar Hero commercial with Metallica. Take a look.

Here’s behind the scenes footage with the coaches.

At Shearer Academy, memorization is a vital aspect of spiritual formation and sharpening our minds. Scripture has much to say about hiding God’s word in your heart and knowing his Word for yourself and for others. Second Timothy 3:14-17 says:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

This year we have committed to memory Psalm 103, Lamentations 3:22-23, Romans 8:38-39, Psalm 19, John 15:1-8, and Psalm 121.

As we study American History this year, we are now turning our attention to noteworthy speeches of this period. My oldest is memorizing a portion of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream,” my second daughter is memorizing “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln, and I am working on “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth. While committing these to memory, we study the historical background and context of the speech, which is always fascinating. Additionally, these speeches provide wisdom and context to our many political and cultural discussions.

Here’s the transcript of Sojourner’s speech, “Aint’ I a Woman?” given at the Women’s Convention in December 1851 in Akron, Ohio.

Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that ‘twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here talking about?

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or negroes’ rights? If my cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, ’cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain’t got nothing more to say.

iTunes has a good recording of the speech at “Every Tone a Testimony” by Various Artists.

Jim Calhoun defended himself against the interrogation of a political activist “journalist” in a post-game press conference last week. This presser was typical: it takes place following a basketball game in which sport’s journalists ask the Coach and certain players questions regarding the game.

So this jerk sneaks into the press-conference and then hijacks it with a non-basketball related question about Calhoun’s high salary in economic hard times, and he does so in an offensive and combative manner. Calhoun attempts to redirect the “journalist” by asking him, “What was your take tonight?” Psuedo-journalist: “I don’t know.” Then he continues with his scheme.

This guy clearly had an agenda. The other journalists reprimanded him on the spot, yet this “journalist” continued with his interrogation, until Calhoun gathered himself and basically told him off in G-rated language. 

Now, Connecticut lawmakers want to reprimand Calhoun!

Un. freaking. believable.

Here’s the confrontation. 

Are you serious? They want to reprimand Calhoun?!?

First, did the lawmakers request privately to Calhoun their concern over his behavior? There was no mention of it in the article, so I’m assuming “no.” Perhaps, they’re looking for “15 minutes” of face time and decided to reprimand Calhoun publicly? There are better ways to handle this situation than for these two lawmakers to air publicly their grievances over Calhoun’s response to the “reporter.”

Secondly, are there no pressing problems in Connecticut for these lawmakers other than to quip about Calhoun’s personal defense from this “reporter’s” sinister agenda? 

As a Duke fan, I do not like UConn nor will Calhoun ever be in my Top 5. I can put aside my allegiances and will defend Calhoun in this situation. This is just government gone mad.

Get out of our lives and stop telling us how to act, think, speak, spend, and live!

He’s been in office for less than a month and it’s been a complete disaster. Yet, they’re already throwing out the idea of adding Obama to Mt. Rushmore. The Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine ran a feature article with this photo on the cover today:

Unbelievable. The deification and obsession of Obama never ceases to amaze me.

Duke lost to Wake Forest last night. Duke played awful until the last few minutes of the game, minus the last 2.6 seconds. But nothing is more annoying than an ungracious winner. Case in point: Wake Forest guard Jeff Teague.

Watching Teague during the game and his demeanor and actions toward the Duke players reminds me of another egocentric, ungracious player from Wake Forest: Chris Paul. If you know about the time Paul punched NC State’s Julius Hodge in the groin in 2005, then you know what I’m talking about. Paul was suspended, rightly so, for one game. Incidentally, he attempts the same shenanigans in the NBA. I watched him in a game last week where he threw a light punch to another player in the chest, the guy fell down, and the ref didn’t call it. Paul acted like he didn’t do anything. Hey, who cares, he’s passionate and an NBA all-star??? I digress.

I am not saying Teague is a dirty player like Paul, but that he has a similar arrogance.

I’m wondering how the Duke coaching staff is feeling after Teague’s swipe at them when he said this in the post game press conference, “You give our coaching staff a whole week to prepare for you, we’re going to have everything down pat.” And then another dig at the entire Duke team: “I knew we were going to win this game,” Teague said. Bulletin board material me thinks.

Wonder if Teague will be singing a different tune after Wake’s visit to Cameron in a few weeks on Feb. 22. I would venture to guess yes.

Love or hate Duke, everyone can admit that they are a classy, gracious organization, which is set by the attitude of Coach K. They are always quick to say good things about the opposing team–win or lose–and deflect personal praise to a team effort.

I didn’t watch the press conference, so if you did and (objectively) think I’m judging Teague harshly, set me straight. 

On a side note, I used to love Dickie V., but now I find him so annoying. I had the most of the game muted. Vital doesn’t call the game, he cheerleads as the wind blows. It gets old. Even when he’s singing the praises of Duke. Thankfully, he isn’t calling many of Duke’s games this year. But then sometimes we’re stuck with Jay Bilas, a former DUKE player (!), who is almost as bad. I’ll take Mike Patrick and Len Elmore any day. Better yet, Coach Knight! I digress again.

Anyway, Wake Forest is a tough place to play and Wake is exceptional this year. I think the two teams will split their games. That said, I am not surprised at the outcome of this game, but I am surprised at how poorly Duke played. It wasn’t Duke basketball or defense. They were clearly rattled. I was amazed that they nearly squeaked out a W given their horrendous play. Hey, it’s a long season and this is the ACC. Carolina beat Florida State at the buzzer yesterday. They will all beat each other up and lose to one another.  

Duke will watch tape, learn from it, and adjust appropriately. The rematch on Feb. 22 will be a good one. 

Next game: Virginia on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1 @ 2 pm (et) (FSN)

Do you ever wonder what you’d do if you won the lottery? Well, I think the Democrats are manifesting their fantasies with the “Stimulus” Bill, which is really a facade for PORK geared to stimulate bigger government and left-wing interest groups.

In order to stop the madness of our representative, elected officials, please participate in the political process and voice your concerns with OPERATION MELT THE PHONES.

Call the offices of your elected representatives TODAY and share your thoughts.

and so Dee Dee Myer gushes. 

Lest you miss her premise, her lap dog rhapsody begins with her thesis statement: 

Barack Obama is the most famous living person in the history of the world.

Knowing that cultural savants will immediately think of John Lennon’s infamous statement in 1966, “The Beatles are more popular than Jesus,” Myers dispels any grandiose comparisons between Obama and Jesus.

I’m not trying to induce an acid flashback to John Lennon’s infamous 1966 comment, “The Beatles are more popular than Jesus.” But whether you measure fame in terms of saturation or sheer numbers, it seems indisputable to me that more people know at least something about the new American president than anyone alive, at this point—or any—in the planet’s existence. 

My daughter asked me today to define “idolatry.” I responded, “Worshipping something or someone in the place of God, i.e., it is your god. It is the thing/person/idea that you think about most and shape your life around. If it isn’t God, then that thing/person/idea becomes your idol and, consequently, you commit idolatry.” 

I think Myers’s adulation of Barack Obama provides a fitting, albeit long-winded, example of such misguided reverence.

Give me all 100!

Obama enjoys an adoring media (networks, cable news, nationally public funded radio, newspapers and editorial pages, supposedly unbiased news agencies such as AP) whose “reporting” borders on propaganda. Yet, there are a few outlets and voices that dare to elicit not-so-glowing assessments of The One. One such outlet is Fox News. Given the mammoth number of venues providing positive coverage for Obama, it appears that negative reporting does not sit well with him. To say that Obama has thin skin is, well, an understatement. 

According to someone in the Congressional meetings today: 

He [Obama] also acknowledged that there will be plenty of time for them to beat him up politically, according to the notes of one participant in the meeting. “I understand that,” Obama said, then joked, “and I will watch you on Fox News and feel bad about myself.”

This reminds me of the parable the prophet Nathan told King David regarding Bathsheba. David had everything, but one. Rather than focusing on what he had, he focused on what he lacked.  In the same manner, Obama has nearly all of the media carrying his water but a few and he choses to focus on them. Telling.

His insecurity is going to trip him up.

In my last post, I highlighted Barack Obama’s philosophy of governance, learned and implemented during his community organizing days in Chicago. “Rules for Radicals” (RR) by Saul Alinsky is Obama’s playbook. In order for his “plan” to succeed, he nudged the proverbial #13 ball down the hill last Friday by singling out Rush Limbaugh, a prominent voice of Conservatism. 

By attacking Rush, Obama utilized Alinsky’s RR Tactic 13:

Pick the target (Conservatism specifically and Republicans generally)

Freeze it (Why me? We are not the problem, it’s x, y, and z!)

Personalize it (Avoid abstracts, make it personal: Rush Limbaugh)

Polarize it (Get the Conservatives and Republicans to fight one another)

Polarize it.

Yesterday, it was Bill Bennett chastising Rush for his rhetoric against our new CinC. Today, it is the House GOP leadership telling Rush to zip it. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., said:

“I think that our leadership, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, are taking the right approach,” Gingrey said. “I mean, it’s easy if you’re Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or even sometimes Newt Gingrich to stand back and throw bricks. You don’t have to try to do what’s best for your people and your party. You know you’re just on these talk shows and you’re living well and plus you stir up a bit of controversy and gin the base and that sort of that thing. But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn’t be or wouldn’t be good leaders, they’re not in that position of John Boehner or Mitch McConnell.”

Limbaugh responded in an email to Politico:

“I’m sure he is doing his best but it does not appear to be good enough. He may not have noticed that the number of Republican colleagues he has in the House has dwindled. And they will dwindle more if he and his friends don’t show more leadership and effectiveness in battling the most left-wing agenda in modern history. And they won’t continue to lose because of me, but because of their relationship with the grassroots, which is hurting. Conservatives want leadership from those who claim to represent them. And we’ll know it when we see it.” 

Obama has achieved his objective. These cowardly Republicans have earned their bottom feeder approval ratings. Our elected officials are more concerned about getting a picture with The One and neglect their principles due to Obama’s intimidating approval ratings. And they wonder why Democrats are in power and the GOP base is revolting?

Obama’s attempts to divide Republicans have not gone unnoticed from those across the pond .

I’ll take “Get A Clue for the GOP Leadership for 100″ Alex.

UPDATE

Smart move and humbling. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga, just called into Rush Limbaugh’s show in the first hour to apologize for his comments yesterday, say he was wrong, and pledge his solidarity with Rush and Conservatives.

Barack Obama attacked Rush Limbaugh in a private meeting on Friday morning with House leadership. Many are scratching their heads and asking, “Why would Obama, the most powerful person in the world, attack Rush Limbaugh, a talk show host and clown*?”  

In order to understand the motives behind Obama’s actions, we must turn to “Rules for Radicals” (RR) by Saul Alinsky.** As a disciple of Alinsky, RR is Obama’s playbook and he’s using the Tactics (126-164) to a tee. I finally got my own copy (I was using my local library’s copy; hey, I live in Chicago so of course they’d have a copy!) and tore through it over the weekend.

When Obama attacked Rush on Friday, he combined a number of the Rules. Rush responded citing Rule 13:

Pick the target (Conservatism)

Freeze it (Why me? We are not the problem, it’s x, y, and z!)

Personalize it (Avoid abstracts, make it personal: Rush Limbaugh)

Polarize it (Everyone comes out in support of Rush or against him, e.g., Bill Bennett goes against Rush and others will speak out in like manner)

Obama’s attack on Rush, a private citizen, unelected official, and entrepreneur, actually combines a few of Alinsky’s “Tactics”: Rule 5 (Rush is Conservatism’s most potent weapon given his audience and the talk-show medium), Rule 6 (The Dems and Liberals LOVE it when Rush is ridiculed), Rule 8 (They are keeping the pressure on Conservatives, and Republicans to a lesser degree, with the assistance of the media (think Pitts and other “Conservative” editorials and Astroturfing via Axelrod).

Obama’s attempting to restructure power with the Cabinet and the Czars and it all comes from Alinsky–fascinating at his arrogant audacity and frightening in the scope of the potential damage he can render to our country. However, I think Obama has met his match.

Rule 13 says to “ridicule” the enemy, yet that plays right into Rush’s hand. Rush is the master at poking fun at others and getting his message across and Obama’s skin is too thin. For example, Rush opened his show today calling himself “Senator Limbaugh,” jabbed Obama and the spineless Republicans who won’t stand up to the tyrannical, bullying tactics of the Great Unifier. 

* This is projection by Leonard Pitts, Jr., who is the real clown.  

** In order to not contribute income to the Alinsky estate and the Vintage publishing company, consider buying a copy from a reseller.