Presidential politics puts college football’s option offense in my mind. Mixing metaphors is risk as we remember Obama/Palin with lipstick on a pig and more recently Herman Cain’s 999 with apples and oranges. Those other candidates at the Western debate knew full well what he was saying. State sales tax will still be there anyway on apples…whatever. I like a flat 14% income tax personally.
While I am no expert on football, I know that the triple-option, the veer or the wishbone is the base formation that allows three running options: the fullback receiving the handoff, the quarterback side pitching to the half back or the quarterback running the ball himself. The quarterback might also pass to a receiver. With the new “spread” option, the quarterback is in the shotgun formation and the defense is spread because several wide receivers are used.
In 2008, Barrack Obama was basically the quarterback of a spread, wildcat offense because we put the best player on the team at quarterback and said run fast and think on your feet.
(Here is where the metaphors get murky and confusing.)
Today, the American voter is the quarterback, Obama is the tailback; Biden is maybe the blocking fullback; and Hillary joins Timothy Geithner as wide receivers going deep. A sound economy is the goal line/endzone and some feel that Hillary should be quarterback.
We can stay with the current starters or put in the red-shirt (red as in Republican) freshmen who really to play. Romney wants to be tailback while Rick Perry is a tight end who needs to block but can also catch the ball. In from the pizza concession stand, Herman Cain could be Hershel Walker or another Marcus Dupree. Coach Newt Gingrich knows the Xs and Os but coaches don’t suit up.
Bottomline: Voters need options. If something isn’t working, we need to pitch, pass or put someone else in the game. Of course, the GOP could be the other team and they are keying on Obama because he might be all the weak Dem team has. Check this out, we are all on the same team and penalty flags are flying everywhere.
Ultimately, the people drive the economy and we have been weak in the weight room, weak in practice and unprepared on game day. The developing world might be the other team and they have become the manufacturers we once were. The game shouldn’t be decide in the press box (the media) by has-beens or never-weres….dog- gone Monday morning quarterbacks.
Oklahoma’s J.C. Watts was the sweetest option quarterback in history while Texas’s Earl Campbell and O.U. Billy Sims were the best running backs. You never knew if Watts was running or pitching to his tailback and sometimes he pitched down field. Former GOP Congressman Watts recently brought liberal former House Armed Services Chairman Ron Dellums into his governmental lobbying firm. J.C. is smart enough to know that you scheme for gameday by knowing the other side or using a scout team of red-shirts.
The presidential primary is like the recruiting process and we want good red-shirts on the team because we might need to change late in the game or season if the starters aren’t producing (double-digit unemployment, four dollar gas.)
Obama is my starter but who do we need on the sidelines in waiting—Romney, Cain, Perry, Gingrich. “Veer right…and pitch down field on two.”
http://www.ktvu.com/news/29525390/detail.html
Longtime Democrat Dellums working for Republicans
Priceless Slyram. And in November we begin our ‘Hear Me Out’ voter education initiative, An Unlikely Allies Project, that will give voters options; give them a voice; help build relationships; build common ground and so much more. Stay tuned to this blog for the announcement of our website which will have a calendar of events. You definitely want to be a part of this.