IrishBeat.com

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what I can get out of the country and get away with it! In today’s Democratic race what are the options? A known liar, cheater and manipulator or a pompous ass that does not have enough common sense to know that he his preacher is a racist. How does one decide between the two?

My personal choice is that I will not. This will be the one election I choose to vote Republican. Although there are aspects of the Republican Party I do not like, I cannot stand to think of Clinton or Obama in the White House.

The one major issue I think the democrats have misjudged again is the War in Iraq. Once again, they will loose the White House because of this issue. It is a tragedy that we have lost one life during a mis-shapen war over oil (and potentially terrorism). However just to piss away those lives and stop what we are doing; those dead soldiers are turning over in their graves just hearing it being considered. The fight needs to remain in the terrorists’ back yard, not America’s. It is ridiculous to assume that we were going to fix this in 5 years, 10 years even 20 years. However, it is not ridiculous to think that we can continue to influence the direction Iraq and other countries are going as long as we have a presence. We got into the war for all the wrong reasons but now that we are there, we need to make the commitment to stay. What do we do if we stay? Get the politicians the hell out of the decision-making and turn it back over to the Soldiers. They are the best. They will get the job done IF we give them the chance and do not tie their hands.

Maybe in 2012 the democrats will get it together and gives us options for a real world candidate; one that is a strong leader and believes in defending this country! God Bless America!

Depending how much traveling you want to do, you have the opportunity to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day the 14, 15, 16 or God forbid (or at least Catholic Bishop forbid) the actual holiday March 17th. Because of the way the dates have aligned St. Patrick’s Day has fallen during the Holiest of Holies (Easter Week). The Catholic Church has made the decision that if you attend Mass during this week you are celebrating Easter and not St. Patrick’s Day. All in all, not the end of the world; in my opinion the respectful thing to do. As with all controversial decisions this change is coming with much criticism and debate. Again my opinion, what’s the big deal? I just want the opportunity to let my Irish freak flag fly!!! Give me any day of the year, give me a green river and let the women beware.

Irish Nut Job

Let me start this blog by giving you some history about me; this will hopefully show that my opinion is well rounded and I have truly considered this opinion. I am one of nine children; of which all the males played football and all the girls were cheerleaders. There were a few of us that also played soccer. I love Notre dame and grew up routing for the Cowboys in Redskin country. I like my football!!

With that considered, I can truly say there is no fan more fanatical than those routing for teams of the MLS. I recently attended my first MLS game which took place in a stadium (RFK) very far from both teams home turf (New England and Texas); yet the stadium was packed. Let’s consider the three aspects of the game: Pregame, Game and Postgame activities.

Pregame: I arrived one hour before the game (1000) and was politely informed that I was 3 hours late! The fans of all ages were involved in the normal rituals I had seen at football pregames (trash talking, eating, drinking, etc – the typical tailgating). But in a addition to the norm I saw pick up games of soccer between opposing teams’ fans, I saw multiple groups of fans with instruments ranging from a very large bass drum to a tuba (who brings a tuba to a NFL game?). These groups were instigating the crowd into a roaring, chanting mass of humanity.

Game: This mass of humanity moved itself and ALL of the instruments into RFK and continued the entire game. They did not stop between plays or TV timeouts. They did not stop at halftime or intermissions (sorry for the NHL reference – I needed something there!). THEY DID NOT STOP! Through it all, the chanting and the cheers continued at a deafening level. Even after a smoke bomb was set off in the middle of the crowd, it all continued. They choked, their noses ran and their eyes stung as if in a CS chamber; but they chanted on.

Post Game: Here was the best part! While the chanting continued to keep the beat for well over an hour after the game, it was very much overshadowed by the fact that not just one or two of the players were pressing flesh with the crowd, but the entire team. As well the general manager, the head coach and what seemed to be the entire management group was out mingling and enjoying the victory with the fans. They truly understood this was as much about them (the fans) as it was the organization.

Needless to say, I will be going back for more!

Soon to be MLS fanatic!