Super Bowl LX

My prediction, Seattle by 3 in overtime. Not because I have any special insight or particularly care about either team, but because it seems to me, more and more games are being decided in the last few seconds by a field goal in the last few seconds. It's beginning to smell a bit like professional wrestling.

UPDATE: I was wrong. Super Bowl 2026 live updates: Seahawks defeat Patriots 29-13.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Snow Bunnies up on time and under budget.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Public Approves of Trump the Peacemaker

NewsMax reports on a Poll: Trump Approval Rating Jumps After Putin Summit. It's probably too early to really claim an effect, but it certainly doesn't appear to have hurt him. At Am Great Liz Shield has Morning Greatness: Trump Approval Surges to 54 Percent After Meeting with Putin and the Great Victor Davis Hanson pens Putin, Trump, and the Elusive “Peace.” Stephan Kruiser at PJM says Trump the Peacemaker Is Truly Magnificent to Behold At Da Wire, With Historic Zelensky Visit, Donald Trump Moves The World One Step Closer To Peace "Monday's meeting featured a historic gathering of world leaders, and a chastened Zelensky grateful for Donald Trump's help." From NYPo, Alaska meeting was a start, but Putin is still up to his old tricks — and Trump knows it. Responsible State explains Why Trump gets it right on Ukraine peace. "In Alaska he found reality: he is now embracing an agreement without demanding a ceasefire first, which would have never worked anyway." Also from NewsMax, Trump Tells Ukraine to Give Up on NATO, Crimea and Trump: 'You Have My Assurance,' No US Troops in Ukraine. Derek. @SuitablePolitic "When you understand this, you can grasp the magnitude of what Trump did today. The European Union, NATO, these institutions were founded to limit the power of the USA and to direct its capital into the will of Europe. The US president rounded up their figureheads like children around his desk, and he made them sing his praises. Only Germany could even muster a struggle—a futile one." Quote Derek.@SuitablePolitic, "The European Union was formed, if not explicitly, then practically as a negotiating bloc against the United States. The idea was that the collective nations of Europe could stand up to the commercial giant that was America. And that's technically true. But in reality, they they can't actually stick together in critical matters. They're a schizophrenic facsimile of the erstwhile Soviet Union. One of Trump's greatest accomplishments is that he's left the European Union utterly defeated." ET has 6 Takeaways From Trump’s Meetings With Zelenskyy, European Leaders "Security guarantees, land swaps, and next meetings were discussed at a gathering of European leaders at the White House." At CTH, sundance chimes in with President Trump Describes Telling Europe, “You Can’t Wait Weeks, Thousands Are Dying”, Secretary of State Marco Rubio Gives Context and Next Steps to Current Ukraine Peace Negotiations and President Trump Organizing a Direct Meeting Between Zelenskyy and Putin. OTP reports Zelensky And Putin To Hold Talks Ahead Of Possible Meeting With Trump. At Fox, Trump moves to broker Putin-Zelenskyy meeting following DC peace talks. Scott Pinsker at PJM would like you to Meet the Three Democrats Who Murdered Ukraine, Clinton, Obama and Biden. At LifeZette, Donald Trump Unleashes Fury on Nicolle Wallace After Putin Summit Coverage. Victory Girls note Trump Snaps Back At Media After They Diss The Alaska Summit. Matt Vespa at TownHall hears a Lefty Trump Supporter Call Out NYT for Their Fake Headline About Trump's Ukraine Talks: Batya Ungar-Sargon @bungarsargon, "Just look at this dishonest headline. Trump goes to Alaska and shocks everyone by getting Putin to agree to Western security guarantees for Ukraine, but the NYT reports it like this is something the Europeans are trying to squeeze out of an unwilling Trump. It's so appalling." Misty Severi at JTN, Trump says Russia-Ukraine war is the last conflict he needs to resolve.

Cathy Salgado at PJM notes As Trump Kills D.C. Crime, Lefty Claims He’s Provoking Violence and 'Fake Crime Numbers': Trump Bashes DC Dems. Hat Hair's John Sexton reports DOJ Launches Investigation of DC Crime Statistics. Lies, damn lies and statistics. NewsMax cites the D.C. Police Union: 8 Percent Crime Drop When Feds Arrived. It's a start. Ace, DC Crime Plummets In Just One Week; White Out-of-Towner AWLFs are Angry. NYPo, Even liberal Maureen Dowd of the Times admits DC is crime-ridden. John Sexton at Hat Hair VIP, Has Trump Started a Slow-Motion Civil War? (Almost but Not in the Way They Mean). DC_Draino @DC_Draino "Things we’ve established in 2025: Democrat cities are crime ridden hellholes, but can be fixed with the National Guard Diversity is NOT our strength DEI is literally killing people Ivy League universities are admitting they were racist and discriminatory Illegal aliens are killing innocent Americans Biden’s open border was intentional Democrat approval ratings are at record lows b/c America is waking up to these truths Anything else?"

The Peacock whines Bessent says interviews for ‘incredible group’ of potential Fed chairs will start after Labor Day. From the Center Square, Trump says court's tariff decision could lead to 'catastrophic' collapse. "In a letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit filed after oral arguments, Solicitor General D. John Sauer and Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate warned that tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act must stay in place to prevent a financial disaster." TNP claims Trump Has Won the Average American $4k in Tax Cuts. From the Climate Depot, In his first 200 days, Trump 2.0 has overturned Biden ‘climate agenda’ at breakneck speed, report shows – 200 actions to unleash American energy.

Dave Strom at Hat Hair laughs at a Political Scientist: Trump Is Like Hitler Because He Wants People to Be Fit.

From NYPo, Tulsi Gabbard strips 37 security clearances over Obama-ordered intel report that launched Russiagate. Sundance, DNI Tulsi Gabbard Removes Security Clearances of 37 Intelligence Analysts. "When former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, DNI James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan said, “give me this outcome,” the targeted names today are the people who constructed the fraud. Some of the names, like Beth Sanner, are currently working as “National Security Analysts” for various media operations, like CNN." Jerry Dunleavy at JTN reports Strzok friend who resigned defends him and Crossfire Hurricane, compares Patel’s FBI to KGB & Nazis. "Peter Strzok's good friend recently resigned from the FBI, and efforts are underway to make him a face of a "Resistance 2.0" effort aimed at Kash Patel and the second Trump administration." "Rather than take a polygraph test about his relationship with Strzok, Feinberg says he quit the FBI instead of risking the possible demotion he says he was facing in place of the big promotion to FBI headquarters which he had been expecting." If Harris won. At TownHall, Matt Vespa thinks James Comey's Substack Video Is Cause for Secondhand Embarrassment and Jeff Charles hears CNN is Furious That Adam Schiff Is Facing Federal Investigations. At Fox Bus, Bank executives blow the whistle on how Obama, Biden admins pressured them to debank conservatives. ""Those pressures were very, very real. When your regulator gives you a suggestion, it’s not a suggestion, it’s an order. The political stuff is very real, those pressures are real," a senior banking executive told Fox News Digital." Roll Call hears Comer say Justice Department will start sharing Epstein files this week. Imagine the Dems disappointment when they find no dirt on Trump. Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN, House Oversight panel probes federal funding of California High-Speed Rail Project. 

Jon Adler at the Volokh Conspiracy explains Fifth Circuit Upholds Injunction Against NLRB Proceedings, Distinguishing Humphrey's Executor. Tech Crunch, Appeals court says NLRB structure unconstitutional, in a win for SpaceX.

Nick Arama thinks you should Watch the Wild Video of Rhode Island Assistant AG Arrest, What Her Boss Says About Consequences "He said that Flanagan has not been placed on leave, but that a "strong sanction" would be coming, including a "suspension without pay" if he decides to retain her with the office. [....] "Look, she's put me in a bad position. She's embarrassed herself, humiliated herself, treated the Newport Police Department horribly," Neronha said during the Aug. 19 interview on WPRO. "She is going to take some steps to try to address that in the next day or so." "It was inexcusable behavior," he said. "She knows better ... I've got 110 lawyers. She embarrassed all of them, in a sense." He said that he had Flanagan watch the body camera footage herself, take a few days and then come back to him with what she thought she needed to do to "make this right.""

From Hat Hair, Beege Welborn says That High Pitched Keening You Hear Is Democrats After Trump Said 'Mail In Ballots'. Ace, Cameras Catch a Michigan City Council Member Stuffing the Drop Boxes at Night, "That thing that never happens just keeps happening." Matt Vespa thinks *This* Was the Best Reaction to Andrew Yang's 'Make Voting Easier' Tweet: Andrew Yang @AndrewYang "We should be making it easier to vote - like voting on your phone - not harder." Tony Moon @RoofKorean7 "Thanks for fucking up the stereotype that Asians are smart." The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Dems Say Mail-In Ballot Ban Will Place Undue Hardship On Dead Voters."

From Fox, Boston’s Wu fires back at Bondi, citing Revolution, as other cities slam feds over ‘sanctuary’ warnings. At TownHall, Dmitri Bolt hears Pritzker: We Can't Afford Medicaid Cuts! But Also, Here's Funding for Illegal Immigrants and Leah Barkoukis sees DHS Sets Newsom's Office Straight on Key Detail About Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver. Will Chamberlain @willchamberlain "It's "McCarthyism" to expect immigrants to actually admire our country if they wish to immigrate here." Quote Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @ReichlinMelnick, "NEW: McCarthyism returns to immigration law, as @USCIS announces that it will begin screening applicants for immigration benefits for "Anti-America ideologies or activities." The term has no prior precedent in immigration law and its definition is entirely up to the Trump admin." Atop Da Hill, Noem: Trump wants border wall painted black so it is too hot to climb. Except at night.

VodkaPundit at PJM aghast, Wait a Minute... 'U.S. Institute of Peace' Does WHAT??? Foments leftist revolutions. At the NYT, Why Did Shari Redstone Do It? "The media mogul spoke at length for the first time about selling her family’s empire, Paramount’s settlement with President Trump — and getting her reputation battered along the way." John Sexton at Hat Hair has New Insight on Why Paramount Settled Trump's Lawsuit. "If the lawsuit had proceeded, discovery may have led Trump's lawyers to look into other, similar interviews including one they did with Joe Biden." Tony Kinnett @TheTonus "By the way, here's footage of the Oct. 2023 interview CBS maliciously (and illegally) edited. (Courtesy of @theMRC)." Stephen L. Miller @redsteeze, "So, to sum this all up - CBS was sitting on footage of a derelict and confused Joe Biden from 2023 and was worried that it might come out in discovery. As opposed to airing footage of Joe Biden and showing people the truth. That seems to be a real genuine scandal, and not reporters "missing a story"" Another day ending in 'y", NewsBusters catches Joy Reid Lunges Into Racist Rant on White People Stealing Music Styles Blacks Invented and Dmitri Bolt hears Joy Reid Declares White People Never Invented Anything—History Says Otherwise.

From Twitchy, BAWITDA-BAHAHAHA! Kid Rock Responds to the CRINGIEST Meme From the Governor Newsom Press Office.

Twitchy reports Park Ranger Who Helped Drape Trans Pride Flag in Yosemite Fired. FAFO. Ben Whedon at JTN reports Trump vows to purge 'WOKE' from federal museums. "Last week, the White House wrote to Smithsonian museums, notifying them that it was conducting a review of content ahead of the 250th anniversary of America."

Mary Chastain at LI reports Five Virginia School Districts Labeled ‘High Risk’ Over Title IX Violations, "An investigation found that all these school districts have policies that allow students to use facilities based on their gender identity." Fox 5, Loudoun County students suspended amid boys' locker room Title IX probe, for the crime on noticing a girl in the boys locker room. Dave Strom, This Is Child Abuse: Nick Minock @NickMinock, "New: Loudoun County Public Schools will punish two boys who expressed discomfort that a female student used the boys locker room. LCPS found the boys guilty of sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination. The boys face ten days of suspension. READ"

From Campus Reform, DC campuses disarm police, refuse to work with ICE, train officers in progressive policing "Washington D.C. universities reject firearms and ICE enforcement while emphasizing progressive policing reforms." Driscoll at Insty cites CHRISTOPHER RUFO: The New Yorker’s Racialism Problem. "Publications like the New Yorker have long worn the halo of “antiracism.” But “antiracism” has always had an exception, which can no longer be denied, for whites and Jews—the “tricknological” oppressors who, in the minds of people like St. Felix, apparently deserve a steady stream of racialist vituperation. After all, the very term “tricknological” was coined by the Nation of Islam, whose leader, Louis Farrakhan, never concealed his hatreds in euphemism or intellectualization. . . "

Ace wakes up to the realization Woke NFL to Introduce Male Cheerleaders In Attempt to Out-Gay Than Soccer, "The NFL is begging for the Bud Light Treatment. They're already getting "backlash."" The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Dallas Cowboys Relieved To No Longer Be Gayest Team In League." The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee, "Man Voting For Whichever Political Party Will Get This Video Of The Male Vikings Cheerleaders Off His Social Feed."

Much, much more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 08.19.25 (Afternoon Edition) and In The Mailbox: 08.19.25 (Evening Edition), but I got to git. The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Preparing For The Draft up at the Other McCain.

Super Bowl Prediction?

 My heart says: 

But my brain says: 

Neither are known to be particularly reliable.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Casual up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Sen. Menendez Indicted for Bribery

I question the timing. . .  Seriously, the feds have been after Menendez for a long time, and failed at least once at trial. It's easy to imagine that new indictment that come on the the heels of Merrick Garland's sad performance at the House Judiciary Committee is an attempt to convince us that DOJ is, in fact nonpartisan. Of course, it could just be a coincidence. CBS, New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez and wife indicted on federal bribery charges.

The 39-page indictment claims that from roughly 2018 to 2022, Menendez and his wife accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for using his power and influence as a U.S. senator to enrich and protect the three businessmen and benefit Egypt's government. Federal prosecutors in New York announced the charges during a press conference Friday morning and said the investigation is ongoing.

"As we allege in the indictment, the senator agreed to do these things and use his power in this way because Hana was paying bribes, because Uribe was paying bribes and because Daibes was paying bribes," said Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The bribes allegedly included cash, gold bars, mortgage payments, compensation for a "low-or-no-show-job," a luxury vehicle and "other things of value," according to the charging document.

Federal agents found more than $480,000 in cash during a search of the couple's home in June 2022, "much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe," as well as over $70,000 in a safe deposit box belonging to Nadine Menendez. They also found gold bars worth more than $100,000, according to the indictment.

So compared to the Biden's 20M and counting, this seems kind of small. The gold detail is interesting, but as you may recall, Hunter is on record accepting diamonds  as 'gifts' from the Chinese. It's too bad the Menedezes didn't have a son to serve as a bag man, and turn this all into 'customary influence peddling'. Or, if they did, they chose not to involve him.  Capt. Ed at Hat Hair asks Is time finally up for the Senate's "golden" boy -- and his wife?  Sundance, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Indicted for Bribery and Corruption Again. According to Spencer Brown at Town Hall This Indictment Against Senator Bob Menendez Is a Real Doozy. 

OK, so where was I before I was interrupted by a power failure. Oh yeah, Hat Hair, House Dem to Menendez: Get out. Manu Raju@mkraju "News — Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips tells me that Sen. Bob Menendez should resign in the face of corruption charges, becoming first Dem lawmaker to do so. “I'm appalled,” he said, adding that Dem leaders should “absolutely” push him out."John Sexton at Hat Hair, New Jersey Democrats call on Menendez to resign. Althouse notes that Menendez invokes racism, "It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat. I am not going anywhere." "Said Senator Robert Menendez, quoted in "Gold Bullion and Halal Meat: Inside the Menendez Investigation/Federal prosecutors have accused Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey and his wife, Nadine, of accepting bribes in exchange for official actions by Mr. Menendez" (NYT)."

And to put the cherry on top, there's a tie to the Hunter Biden story. Cutie Pavlich at Town Hall, Hunter Biden Has Entered the Bob Menendez Indictment. House Republicans@HouseGOP, "When an aide to Senator Robert Menendez requested that then VP-Biden host the U.S.-Spain Council's 2010 annual meeting at his official Naval Observatory residence in Washington DC, he contacted Hunter Biden's business partner rather than Joe's White House office." At Twitchy, 'Well well well'! Look who a Menendez aide emailed to request a meeting at then VP Biden's residence. Ace,  When Bob Menendez' Aide Wanted to Meet With Vice President Biden, Who Do You Think He Emailed to Arrange The Sit-Down? "He contacted Hunter Biden's business partner/fixer Eric Schwerin. Weird how these corrupt bagmen people all have each other on speed-dial. And even stranger: The way to get a meeting with Joe Biden is not to go through his well-staffed office, but through secret back-channels involving his bagman son." Capt. Ed, "That is rather interesting — and it happened in 2010, much earlier than other evidence in the Biden Inc corruption timeline. Menendez served with Biden in the Senate for two years before Biden became VP, don’t forget, and had been in the House since 1993. Why would Menendez have to go through Eric Schwerin?"

At WaEx, Third IRS official says Justice Department blocked Weiss from charging  in the Hunter Biden investigation. Capt. Ed notes "There’s more, too. Apparently Weiss’ team had far more negotiations with Hunter’s team than is usual in tax evasion investigations, according to Michael Batdorf. He won’t attribute that to political influence, but he does say that the DoJ’s handling of this case was significantly unusual."  Ace, Agents Say That the Feds Deliberately Tanked Any Investigation Into Biden's 2020 Campaign "There were possible "criminal violations" committed by Biden's 2020 campaign. Merrick Garland's DOJ made sure there was no investigation." James Lynch at Da Caller, These Were Republicans’ Biggest Missed Opportunities From Merrick Garland’s Testimony. Matt Vespa at Town Hall is amused when Ex-NYT Reporter Flees Podcast After Being Asked About Hunter Biden Reporting, James Risen. 

Bob Spencer at PJM, Dementia or Disrespect? You’ll Never Believe What Biden Did When He Met with Netanyahu. Made the sign of the cross. Ace, Pool Report Embarrasses Biden By Reporting What He Really Said. "I don't mean a report about him swimming naked in his pool in front of his female Secret Service staff. I mean the press pool report, where one reporter dashes off a report about an event and all other reporters are permitted to quote that. From Beege Wellborn, an embarrassing anecdote, reported accurately." Matt Margolis at PJM says If You Think Joe Biden Will Make It Much Longer, Read This. "Have you noticed that the time in between embarrassing moments for Joe Biden seems to be getting shorter and shorter?"   At Da Caller,  Biden Lays A Booby Trap For The Next Republican President. John Sexton noticed Joe Biden will join a UAW picket line, after Trump visits striking autoworkers. Althouse,  "Tuesday, I’ll go to Michigan to join the picket line and stand in solidarity with the men and women of UAW as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create." "a Politico article from last Tuesday, "'Trump scooped us': Dems sound alarm on Biden’s handling of the auto worker strike/Donald Trump’s decision to head to Detroit for a speech next week is setting off alarms among some Joe Biden allies."

At the Conservative Brief, Federal Judge Blocks Biden Admin’s Attempt to Scale Back Oil, Gas Drilling In Gulf of Mexico. Capt. Ed comments "It’s a good step in the right direction, but a temporary one. And Judge Cain is correct — this IS a weaponization of the regulatory state, an approach that Biden has enthusiastically embraced in order to rule as an authoritarian rather than govern under the rule of law." Hat Hair's Beege Wellborn snarks "Bidenomics is bitchin'" update: Federal Reserve has first lay-offs in 13 years. "These cutbacks are mostly tech jobs according to the announced plans, so “learn to code” advice isn’t going to be appropriate." Breitbart, Hispanics Running Away from Democrats, Bidenomics Making Things Even Worse. The Babylon Bee has 8 Meals Every Family Can Afford Under Bidenomics  "5. Lightly used sushi purchased on Facebook Marketplace: It's just as good now as it was when it was made a week ago!"

Never-anybody-but-Trump sundance at CTH gloats The Lame Duck Period Begins – Florida Republicans Move Away from DeSantis, as Failed Campaign Will Return Him to State.

Da Fed's Shawn Fleetwood is pleased when a Federal Court Chides Dem Activists: There’s Nothing Racist About Election Integrity Laws Like Florida’s, also, reports a Lawsuit that Democrats’ No-Excuse Absentee Voting Law Violates New York Constitution.

Althouse, "It’s a really hard argument in normal circumstances to say the government, who is prosecuting someone, can shut them up from defending themselves in public." ""What makes this backward from everything else is that normally, in every criminal prosecution I can think of, the power imbalance is that the state has all the power and the defendant has none. But in this case, you have a defendant who has very significant power." Says lawprof Margaret C. Tarkington, quoted in "Push to Gag Trump Pits Free Speech Against Risk of Violence/By putting threats to the judge and prosecutors at the heart of its argument to limit the former president’s statements about the election case, the Justice Department raised issues with little precedent" (NYT)." As is often the case, the fun is in the comments.

Capt. Ed is horrified that in New FOIA docs DHS claimed authority to regulate public discussions of COVID, "racial justice," Ukraine, and "irregular immigration" "The inclusion of Afghanistan on this list, which has been previously reported, is the clearest indicator that the DGB’s true purpose was to quash dissent and criticism of the Biden administration." Sundance, Russell Brand Issues Statement After British Govt Target Him for Removal from Social Media Platforms. I haven't been on this story too much, but it became much bigger when the Brits targeted him for censorship with no due process. 

At Da Blaze, First trans NFL cheerleader hopes to influence youth: 'I’m setting things up for the younger generation'. From Da Signal, Confirmed: Man Who Raped His 10-Year-Old Daughter Housed With Female Prison Inmates. Reason is not convinced by a Federal Judge who Declines To Stop Drag Show Ban at Texas College. "The judge ruled that drag performances are not inherently expressive and that schools could regulate "vulgar and lewd" conduct." Beege Wellborn thinks SecEd Cardona needs remediation on "parents" definition.  Citizen Free Press@CitizenFreePres, "Secretary of Education Cardona doesn't respect American parents concerned with radical gender ideology being taught in the schools: “I don’t have too much respect for people that are misbehaving in public and acting like they know what’s right for kids.” At Da Fed, Rebeka Zelkjo sees that In Leaked Video, Veterans’ Affairs Tells Providers To Promote Abortion, Avoid Saying ‘Mother’ And ‘Baby’. 

Hat Hair's Dave Strom, Government TV: commit crimes for Gaia, "Britain’s Channel 4, which is a state-owned television/content network owned by the British government, is pushing a program with the message that the time has come for violent action to deal with climate change." Chris Packham@ChrisGPackham "Personally , I've now reached a point where I believe breaking the law for the climate is the ethically responsible thing to do ."

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links.

Fish Pic Friday - Three Cheers for Allison Ren

The accomplished angler and former NFL cheerleader talks chasing reds and reeling in an epic tarpon in her home state.

H&B: You’re a Florida girl. Where did you grow up, and did you grow up fishing?

Allison Renn: I was born and raised in Jacksonville. It is actually the only place I’ve ever lived. I grew up on the St. Johns River, and my father taught me how to bait a hook and throw it in the water – nothing serious. It was fun father-daughter fishing. We caught whatever we could off the dock, and it was just fun.

H&B: How did you progress in your fishing from there?

AR: I didn’t really get back into fishing until three years ago when I started dating my boyfriend, Jordan. He’s a big fisherman. We went on a date on his boat, and when he started casting, it brought back childhood memories of fishing with my father. Since then, Jordan has taught me everything I know about fishing.

H&B: What is your most vivid/happiest fishing memory?

AR: One of my favorite trips and fishing experiences was in Tampa. One of Pelagic’s professional anglers, Tyler Kapela, invited me to go tarpon fishing with him. Within minutes of being on the boat, Tyler got my line out, and a tarpon grabbed it and took off. I fought that tarpon for a solid 30 minutes, and it was the hardest fight I’ve ever had with a fish. It was a 150+-pound tarpon for my very first catch of the trip. It was the most exhilarating experience.

H&B: You recently retired from cheering professionally for the Jacksonville Jaguars. How did you start cheering?

AR: I did competitive gymnastics for eight years and made it to Level 8. One day, I realized that I wasn’t going to go to the Olympics – that wasn’t my plan – so I quit. Cheerleading tryouts were coming up after I quit, so I figured I’d give it a go. I was hooked on it the second I showed up for tryouts. I cheered in middle school and high school. Then when I was a senior in high school, I decided to try out for the Jacksonville Sharks (the city’s AFL arena football squad) dance team. I made the team, and I stayed with the Sharks for three years. My final year, I was selected to perform with the Net10 Wireless Dream Team at the Arena Bowl in Cleveland, Ohio.

 OK, but what about fish?

That was the perfect end to my time with the Sharks, but I still loved cheer and had a lot of energy left to give so I tried out for the Jaguars squad and made it my first year. I stayed on the team for five years until I retired in January. It’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life. The platform you have and the people you meet are amazing. It really broadens your horizons.

H&B: What is your favorite thing to fish?

AR: By far my favorite thing to fish is redfish. It’s almost become a specialty for me. I think they’re so beautiful. I catch and release every redfish I reel in because I have such a love for the fish.

Linked at Proof Positive in the weekly Best of the Web*  and at The Right Way in the weekly  Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat was a little late with Rule 5 Sunday: Kelly Preston, RIP, but he's back with a new 'puter

The Prudes Are Winning

Mavericks Dancers To Cover Up More Next Season

Change is coming to the Dallas Mavericks, including the dancers’ uniforms which will show less skin.

The team told CBS 11 this change is part of the Mavs’ effort to revamp its image after a recent sexual harassment scandal.

The Mavericks are still working on what the new uniform will look like, meaning imagines of the new design aren’t available yet, but the team said it won’t be drastically different to the current uniform.

At least that means burkas are out. For now.

The Mavs said they’re also hoping to include dancers with different body types in the future.

I suppose that means they want to include a few fat girls in the mix? Or maybe a transwoman? These days it's not safe to assume.

Anyway, they already have dancers with a different "body type":



Now you have to admit that was at least fun.

And just who is dying for this change?

Current CEO Cynthia Marshall, hired to clean up the organization, says the team wants the focus to be on the dancers as artists and to highlight their skills, “not be eye candy or sexualized.” Changes will also be made to the dance routines, and a calendar featuring the dancers is gone, too.

“Sometimes it may get out of hand with the provocative dancing and stuff like that,” said Mavs fan Terry Rodgers. “I’ve taken small kids to the games and I go…hmmm.”

One former dancer who didn’t want to be interviewed on camera told CBS 11 the culture of harassment needs to change, not the uniforms.

Yeah, don't touch the talent! I say they should have a vote among the fans. If the dancers don't like it, though, they can quit.

Wombat-socho has "Rule Five Sunday: Summer Event Silliness" published on time and within budget.

Follies in Affirmative Action

USC under federal investigation for anti-male discrimination

The U.S. Department of Education is officially investigating allegations that the University of Southern California excludes male students from certain educational opportunities.

The Title IX investigation was launched in response to complaints submitted by a USC professor whose efforts have already instigated a similar investigation into Yale University.

"There is no longer any valid reason to maintain affirmative action for women."

According a January 28 letter obtained by Campus Reform, the department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has agreed to investigate four USC initiatives, including the school’s Smart Women’s Securities chapter and the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) chapter.

Both of these programs allegedly discriminate “by excluding male students from participation and providing opportunities for female students only,” according to the OCR letter, which notes that many female-only scholarships at USC are also under investigation.

The OCR agreed to launch an investigation after Kursat Christoff Pekgoz, a lecturer and Provost’s Fellow at USC, filed a Title IX complaint against the institution in October 2017. Though the OCR initially dismissed his complaint, Pekgoz filed an appeal, and the dismissal was overturned just two weeks after his January 18 interview with an OCR official.

OCR’s agreement to consider an appeal is nearly unprecedented, Pekgoz told Campus Reform.

Not a man in the lot!

“The attorney who initially dismissed it cited a Dear Colleague Letter from 2016 which apparently allowed sex-selective scholarships ‘for the underrepresented sex,’” Pekgoz explained, saying he won the appeal by pointing out that—unlike during the 1970s when Title was put into law—women are no longer underrepresented in higher education.

Men are now a slight minority at USC, constituting only 48 percent of the student body. Though data on the most recent batch of graduates has not yet been calculated, men were also in the minority of USC graduates in the 2016-2017 academic year, a school spokesman confirmed.

No longer a majority in the schools (most schools in fact), men can no longer be discriminated against at will. If nothing else will get rid of affirmative action plans, this will.

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly "Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup" and links. Wombat-socho has "Rule 5 Sunday: Eponymous Shorts" and "FMJRA 2.0: Before They Make Me Run" up and at 'em at The Other McCain.

#ThemToo: What's the Matter With Kansas?

Tell women to stop sexually assaulting other women! KANSAS University cheerleaders were made to strip naked during a “humiliating” initiation ceremony.

New recruits were blindfolded, stuffed into a washing machine and cardboard boxes, before being ordered to strip in front of male squad members, it has been revealed.

One victim was so traumatised she left the university before finishing her studies, News.com.au reports.

The university launched an investigation into the incident following complaints by the victims that cheerleading coaches allowed the hazing to take place on a yearly basis.

As a result the whole squad have been put on a year-long probation.

Two team members, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were abused during an “initiation” event for six first-year members last July, while the team was on campus for a children’s summer camp.

The cheerleaders arrived at Kansas football’s Memorial Stadium in running shoes, per the team’s orders, and were told to sprint up and down a hill.

The older team members then blindfolded them, placed them in cars one by one and brought them inside an empty house, the two victims said.

One said she was forced inside of a washing machine, while the other said she was put in a cardboard box and jostled around as they banged on the sides. They were then frogmarched into another room and asked a series of questions.

For each question they answered incorrectly, they were required to remove an article of clothing. Eventually standing there naked, the six cheerleaders allegedly were taken into another room, while one of them said she remembered being separated from the group.

“I had taken my blindfold off along with another girl sitting next to me, and two alumni guys walked in and saw us naked,” she told student newspaper, The Kansas State Collegian.

Split into two groups, two of the cheerleaders said to have been taken downstairs and deemed “initiated,” while the others were subjected to public shaming.

Video, or it didn't happen. Wombat-socho has "Rule 5 Sunday: Hockey Girls" up and ready for action.

Some Redskin Cheerleaders Accuse Team of Pimping Them Out

Sort of. A few days old: Washington Redskins Cheerleaders Describe Topless Photo Shoot and Uneasy Night Out

When the Washington Redskins took their cheerleading squad to Costa Rica in 2013 for a calendar photo shoot, the first cause for concern among the cheerleaders came when Redskins officials collected their passports upon arrival at the resort, depriving them of their official identification.

For the photo shoot, at the adults-only Occidental Grand Papagayo resort on Culebra Bay, some of the cheerleaders said they were required to be topless, though the photographs used for the calendar would not show nudity. Others wore nothing but body paint. Given the resort’s secluded setting, such revealing poses would not have been a concern for the women — except that the Redskins had invited spectators.

A contingent of sponsors and FedExField suite holders — all men — were granted up-close access to the photo shoots.

One evening, at the end of a 14-hour day that included posing and dance practices, the squad’s director told nine of the 36 cheerleaders that their work was not done. They had a special assignment for the night. Some of the male sponsors had picked them to be personal escorts at a nightclub.

“So get back to your room and get ready,” the director told them. Several of them began to cry.

“They weren’t putting a gun to our heads, but it was mandatory for us to go,” one of the cheerleaders said. “We weren’t asked, we were told. Other girls were devastated because we knew exactly what she was doing.”

The Redskins’ weeklong trip to Costa Rica in 2013 — for which the cheerleaders were paid nothing beyond transportation costs, meals and lodging, the team said — provides a vivid illustration of how N.F.L. teams have used cheerleaders for far more than sideline dancers during games. Their treatment has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks since two former N.F.L. cheerleaders filed discrimination complaints and described a hostile work environment in which they were often dangled as sex objects for the titillation of male fans away from the games.

Interviews with dozens of current and former N.F.L. cheerleaders revealed a common perspective: They enjoyed performing at games, developing friendships with other cheerleaders and participating in charity work, which included visiting hospitals and going overseas to entertain military troops. But they were disturbed by some of the extracurricular requirements that put them in what they considered unsafe situations.

 I know I'm shocked, shocked to see the cheerleaders in titillating situations.

This account of the Redskins’ calendar shoot at the Occidental Grand Papagayo is based on interviews with five cheerleaders who were involved, and many details were corroborated with others who heard descriptions of the trip at the time. The cheerleaders spoke on condition of anonymity because they were required to sign confidentiality agreements when they joined the team.

“It’s just not right to send cheerleaders out with strange men when some of the girls clearly don’t want to go,” one cheerleader who was there said. “But unfortunately, I feel like it won’t change until something terrible happens, like a girl is assaulted in some way, or raped. I think teams will start paying attention to this only when it’s too late.”

The Redskins ain't been quite right ever since Dan Snyder bought them in 1999.

Wombat-socho has "Rule 5 Sunday: Camille Paglia Approved!" open for business at The Other McCain.

You Might As Well Get Rid of the Whole NFL

No place in the NFL for cheerleaders in 2018

The Houston Texans aren’t even bothering with the pretense.

On their website is a photo gallery of the finalists from last weekend’s cheerleader tryouts, and visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorites. Are these action shots of the women that highlight their athletic ability or dance skills? Do they include a list of their qualifications?

Of course not. They’re headshots. Sorry, head and chest shots. Close-up ones, at that. The better to ogle, you know.

 Damn right!

Cheerleaders from two NFL teams have filed gender discrimination complaints in the past month, detailing the demeaning ways in which they were treated. Restrictions on what they can and can’t post on social media. Rules that prohibit contact with players, and put the onus on the women to avoid it. Dress codes.

Is it any wonder? The underlying premise of NFL cheerleaders is degrading, presenting women as nothing more than objects to be leered at. With skimpy, suggestive outfits as their “uniform,” their only purpose is to titillate.

Well, no, they're there to encourage the fans to cheer, and to give them something to watch while the teams are swapping men, waiting for rulings from the refs, or just generally wasting time. It does help if they're attractive, but in bad weather, their dress is not really all that revealing.

It’s always been an appalling message to send and, in this #MeToo era, there’s no longer any place for it. NFL cheerleaders need to go. NBA dance squads and NHL ice girls while we’re at it, too.

This is not a criticism of cheerleading overall. In some forms, it very much is an athletic endeavor, a hybrid of acrobatics and gymnastics. The International Olympic Committee has even recognized cheerleading as a sport and it could some day make an appearance in the Games.

 Instead, I think they need to institute cheerleading at all the Olympic sports.

Proponents will say that most women who are NFL cheerleaders are professionally trained dancers who just want the opportunity to do what they love. That they play an important role in maintaining the team’s positive image with promotional appearances and community service.

All of which is true.

“I was always out in the community,” said Kristan Ann Ware, a former Miami Dolphins cheerleader who has filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations alleging that she was discriminated against for talking about her faith and bullied after saying she was a virgin.

You mean, like Tim Tebow? I'm afraid religious discrimination isn't restricted to being a woman. If you don't want to be discriminated against, or at least not have it semi-officially tolerated, try becoming a muslima.

“If you take away the cheerleaders, you take away the glue. You take away the puzzle piece that brings football to life.”

But that isn’t the real reason 26 of the 32 NFL teams have cheerleaders, and everybody knows it. They’re there to be eye candy, blow-up dolls come to life.

Why else would the Dallas Cowboys mandate that women wear sports bras and hot pants for try outs – “No tank tops or bike shorts” – and include “personal appearance” and “figure” as criteria on which they are judged?

I was going to guess the writer is a chubby girl but then I checked. She's not but she's not cheerleader material either. She's Clearly jealous of the attention these women get.

The Ben-Gals, who once generously granted a three-pound “leniency weight,” now say that “fitness is very important. You must be in good physical condition and proportioned for your height.” Whatever that means.

And, of course, almost every team with cheerleaders has its own swimsuit calendar, and many news media outlets, including USA TODAY Sports, publish cheerleader photos to generate reader interest.

“When you’re on the NFL team as a cheerleader, it’s like they have a sense of control over you,” Ware said. “It does teach women that your life doesn’t matter.

“We’re told from day one that all they need is a pretty girl in a uniform.”

Nothing wrong with a pretty girl. Everybody loves them. Except other women. But they look too.

The NFL has a long history of disregarding and demeaning women, only acknowledging them when it suits the league’s financial interests. Few teams have female executives, even fewer have female owners. Despite efforts at the league level to address domestic violence, owners mostly ignore it, disciplining or cutting players only when there’s a public outcry.

You want a team? Buy a team. No one is stopping you.

The objectification of cheerleaders is yet one more example.

Some owners understand that. Of the 32 teams, there are six – the Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers – that don’t have cheerleaders. The Los Angeles Rams just added two men to their squad.

But at least New York and Green Bay have volunteer squads who do for free what the official team cheerleaders do for a pittance.

“Philosophically we have always had issues with sending scantily clad women out on the field to entertain our fans,” John Mara, the Giants co-owner, told the New York Times.

Good for Mara for speaking out. Too bad he said that eight years ago, and the rest of the league has not caught on.

Doesn't this woman realize that cheerleading is a voluntary activity, one that these women seek out, and work at with great diligence, despite relatively little reward, for their own purposes? Why are the feminists and the liberals such totalitarians?

Wombat-socho has "Rule 5 Sunday: Bikini Barrel Racing?" up and running at The Other McCain.

DOJ Declares Treaty with Redskins

Justice Department gives up Washington Redskins name fight

The Justice Department is giving up the legal fight over the name of the Washington Redskins.

In a letter to a federal appeals court, the department said last week's Supreme Court decision in Matal v. Tam in favor of an Asian-American band calling itself the Slants means the NFL team will prevail in a legal battle to cancel the team's trademarks because the name is disparaging to Native Americans.

I covered the decision previously in "High Court Rules for the Redskins" It was a unanimous decision, shocking only in the sensibility of the liberal faction.

"Consistent with Tam, the Court should reverse the judgment of the district court and remand the case with instructions to enter judgment in favor of Pro-Football," Mark Freeman, an attorney for the Justice Department's civil division, wrote to the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Redskins case had been on hold in the federal appeals court while the Slants decision was rendered. The Supreme Court found that Simon Tam could trademark the Slants as the name of his Asian-American rock band because it would be unconstitutional for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to discriminate against it, citing the First Amendment's free speech protection. The justices were unanimous in saying the 71-year-old trademark law barring disparaging terms infringes free speech rights.

So, to allow Tam to trademark the name, and deny Snyder would clearly be viewpoint discrimination, which, while widely practiced in the federal government, needs to be at least subtly hidden.

Redskins' owner Dan Snyder said last week he was "thrilled" by the Supreme Court's ruling, and lawyer Lisa Blatt said it resolves the team's dispute and vindicated its position. Snyder has refused to change the name despite intense public pressure, saying in the past that the name "represents honor, respect and pride" for Native Americans.

Now if the team can just win a few more games.

Wombat-socho chimes in with "Late Night With Rule 5 Monday: All-American Catgirl".