By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Apr 2, 2012 at 9:46 AM ET
Greetings from my third favorite city in the world (behind Lexington & Jerusalem — sorry Vegas!): Florence, Italy.
The weather is perfect, the food extraordinary, the art sublime. Only trouble is that the RPettes and I are going to try to watch THE GAME at 3 AM while Mrs. RP sleeps.
At least everyone over here is part of the Big Blue Nation. I spotted the T-shirt to the left at Florence’s famous leather marketplace. Didn’t know Audrey Hepburn was a Cats fan, but apparently she anticipated Marquis Teague’s three-point form decades before he was born.
We are sincerely hoping that tonight Sylvester finally catches Tweety bird — What’s a Jayhawk anyway? — as Thomas Robinson discovers that Anthony Davis owns the paint on both sides of the court. He’s not in Kansas anymore!!
(I assume that joke’s being overused back home, but it’s getting big laughs here in Italy! Or maybe they are laughing because they have no idea what I’m saying.)
Anyhoo, our trip got diverted a bit thanks to Delta and a little rain, and we got to spend the afternoon yesterday in Amsterdam. Being a huge proponent of municipal infrastructure improvement, I decided to take a tour of the so-called “Red Light District.”
Well, it seems there was a little misunderstanding. Let me put it this way — I didn’t take any pictures. The T-shirt at right is the best PG-rated presentation of the scenery in the Red Light District.
To recover from the shock and awe, I decided to take a detour into a “coffee shop.” Turns out they didn’t serve coffee, and the place was hazy and smelled like a Jimmy Buffett concert. The good news is that after spending a few minutes in the place, all of my cares disappeared, and I became relaxed and happy; although for some strange reason I was (Terrence) Jones-ing for a bag of Cheetos.
Apparently, I’m very popular in Amsterdam as well. Whenever I introduced myself, people asked if I was the same Jonathan Miller who wrote an article in The Huffington Post advocating for the legalization of marijuana.
OK, back to my vacation…I promise to send another post(card) soon.
By John Y. Brown III, on Sat Mar 31, 2012 at 11:30 AM ET
Are we mostly getting our “game face on” Saturday– or getting our hate face on?
I love the outrageously fun interstate stare down this week between UL and UK.
The smack talk: clever put downs and cleverer retorts and most of what goes with it. Most of it is in good fun, to be expected and a healthy and natural fan activity given the rarefied Final Four positions our state’s two remarkable basketball teams have achieved this year.
But there is a line where we start to sound loopy, goofy, nonsensical and downright mean-spirited if not a little demented.
The key is being cute, clever and competitive. Be like a happy warrior who relishes competition rather than a rambling insulter and hater.
After all, Sunday morning will be here soon enough and the world be back to the way it was last week–pre Final Four with UL facing off against UK.
So, before you rush out and buy this t-shirt or its corollary suggesting you do the same if you hate UK, I have a different suggestion.
Just Breathe.
And, most importantly, have one heckuva fun time. This may not happen again. For another year.
For centuries, Jews have looked at world events and/or world leaders and have wondered: Is it good for the Jews? So much so, it’s become a running joke within the tribe.
JTA, the leading international Jewish news agency, decided to test this question on the issue of the week: The NCAA’s Final Four,and specifically, the semifinal meeting of two longtime intrastate archrivals, the University of Kentucky Wildcats and the University of Louisville Cardinals.
Taking the side of all that is good and right and holy (the Wildcats) is the RP himself. On the dark, red side (the Cardinals) is the RP’s great friend, Marie Abrams, who serves on the board of the University of Louisville, and has been a local and national leader of Jewish organizations for decades, including serving as former national chair of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
Listen to the podcast here for the fireworks and fun:
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Mar 30, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Here’s a NY Times story about how the UL-UK Dream Game became the great annual collegiate rivalry it is today.
In the article the state legislature and my father (former Governor John Y. Brown, Jr.) seem to take the credit for making this once unlikely occurrence a now historic rivalry.
My recollection, however, is very different. I remember one night at the dinner table suggesting to my dad, “Why don’t you work with the legislature to create an annual UK-UL game?”
I seem to recall my dad laughing it off and saying it would never happen.
I stood up, pounded my fist on the table and demanded, “It has to happen! And it has to happen now!!” I was relentless in crafting the legislative strategy and hounding my father to make this is last important act as governor.
I threatened to legally change my name to John Chandler Beshear Nunn if he wasn’t successful. And I succeeded.
Well, he and the legislature succeeded.
OK, OK maybe it didn’t really happen that way.
Maybe…. I was in college out of state at the time and didn’t even know about the effort until several years after it happened.
And, yeah, maybe I never had such conversations about legislation of any kind with my father because I was more interested in more hormonally appropriate topics.
But you gotta admit, it does make a darn good story. Even if it’s entirely an imaginary one.
While The RP remains mired in a tie for 41st place in the main pool of the “No Bracket, No Pay” NCAA hoops contest, fittingly — as a national advocate for second acts in life — he leads the Second Chance pool. (Actually, he is tied for first with contributing RP Jason Grill and Friend of RP John Johnson)
Of course, in the REAL competition, Jack Hrabik leads, with contributing RP Rod Jetton in a close second, No Labels staff Dave Asche tied for 7th, and Friend of RP, Mona Tailor in a solid 10th.
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Mar 19, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET
The No Bracket, No Pay NCAA hoops contest has gotten off to a rollicking start.
Sheila (identify yourself!) is in the lead of the field of 77, while my sister Jennifer’s dog is tied for second. (And not the dog named after a UK/NBA star, but the one referred to in Harry Potter books.) Tied for 5th is contributing RP Rod Jetton, RP writer Jeremy Morris and No Labels staffer David Asche. Of course, I’m stuck in a tie for 60th.
You might have missed the deadline to join us. Or maybe like me, your bracket’s been busted in too many pieces that you’d like to start over again.
Worst of all, your team might have already crashed and burned amd you are looking for something else to occupy your time. (HINT: contributing RPs Lisa Borders (Duke), Jason Grill (Mizzou))
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Mar 15, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
Just two more hours to enter an opportunity of a lifetime. Or at least a good time for all.
Yesterday, “No Budget, No Pay” legislation — sponsored by Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) and Cong. Jim Cooper (D-TN) — received its first hearing by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). The landmark bill, sponsored by No Labels, would deny Congressmen pay if they fail to pass a budget and spending bills on time. (Read all about it here, and Click here for more information on how you can get involved.)
Now today, March Madness erupts — the first full round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament begins play across the country.
To celebrate the convergence of these two monumental events, we at The Recovering Politician and No Labels are sponsoring our first NCAA basketball March Madness bracket challenge.
No Bracket? No Pay!
We are calling it…wait for it… “No Bracket, No Pay“. The RP Nation and No Labels activists across the country are invited to submit a completed NCAA bracket — for free — and the winning brackets (and perhaps some losers as well) will receive BIG CASH PRIZES.
(OK, full disclosure: The “BIG CASH PRIZES” don’t actually involve “cash.” But we will come up with some fun stuff to give away.)
Entering the tournament is simple and easy. Just click here and follow the directions. And you don’t need to be a roundball expert to play — in most office pools, it’s the clueless hoops-a-phobe that usually wins.
The deadline for entry is TODAY (!!!) at 12pm (Noon!!!) EDT.
And remember, you can’t win if you don’t play — No Bracket, No Pay.
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Mar 12, 2012 at 12:30 PM ET
Yesterday, we made an historic announcement.
As oft discussed on these pages, on Wednesday, March 14, “No Budget, No Pay” legislation — sponsored by Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) and Cong. Jim Cooper (D-TN) — receives its first hearing by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). The landmark bill, sponsored by No Labels, would deny Congressmen pay if they fail to pass a budget and spending bills on time. (Read all about it here, and Click here for more information on how you can get involved.)
Then, the very next day, Thursday, March 15, March Madness erupts — the first full round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament begins play across the country.
To celebrate the convergence of these two monumental events, we at The Recovering Politician and No Labels are sponsoring our first NCAA basketball March Madness bracket challenge.
No Bracket? No Pay!
We are calling it…wait for it… “No Bracket, No Pay“. The RP Nation and No Labels activists across the country are invited to submit a completed NCAA bracket — for free — and the winning brackets (and perhaps some losers as well) will receive BIG CASH PRIZES.
(OK, full disclosure: The “BIG CASH PRIZES” don’t actually involve “cash.” But we will come up with some fun stuff to give away.)
Entering the tournament is simple and easy. Just click here and follow the directions. And you don’t need to be a roundball expert to play — in most office pools, it’s the clueless hoops-a-phobe that usually wins.
The deadline for entry is 12pm EDT on Thursday, March 15, 2012.
And remember, you can’t win if you don’t play — No Bracket, No Pay.
By Jonathan Miller, on Sun Mar 11, 2012 at 7:00 PM ET
Today, we kick off an historic week.
On Wednesday, March 14, “No Budget, No Pay” legislation — sponsored by Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) and Cong. Jim Cooper (D-TN) — receives its first hearing by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). The landmark bill, sponsored by No Labels, would deny Congressmen pay if they fail to pass a budget and spending bills on time. Read all about the bill here. I hope to see many of you at the important event in Washington, DC. (Click here for more information.)
Then, the very next day, Thursday, March 15, March Madness erupts — the first full round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament begins play across the country.
This is a big event in the No Labels universe. My Kentucky Wildcats are the early favorite, followed closely by co-founder Nancy Jacobson’s alma mater, the Syracuse Orangemen. Co-founder Mark McKinnon’s Texas Longhorns are always dangerous, and contributing RP/No Labels co-founder Lisa Borders‘ Duke Blue Devils are always evil. (Sorry, folks, click here to relive my nightmare.)
To celebrate the convergence of these two monumental events, we at The Recovering Politician and No Labels are sponsoring our first NCAA basketball March Madness bracket challenge.
We are calling it…wait for it… “No Bracket, No Pay“. The RP Nation and No Labels activists across the country are invited to submit a completed NCAA bracket — for free — and the winning brackets (and perhaps some losers as well) will receive BIG CASH PRIZES.
(OK, full disclosure: The “BIG CASH PRIZES” don’t actually involve “cash.” But we will come up with some fun stuff to give away.)
Entering the tournament is simple and easy. Just click here and follow the directions. And you don’t need to be a roundball expert to play — in most office pools, it’s the clueless hoops-a-phobe that usually wins.
The deadline for entry is 12pm EDT on Thursday, March 15, 2012.
And remember, you can’t win if you don’t play — No Bracket, No Pay.
Greetings from my third favorite city in the world (behind Lexington & Jerusalem — sorry Vegas!): Florence, Italy.
Anyhoo, our trip got diverted a bit thanks to Delta and a little rain, and we got to spend the afternoon yesterday in Amsterdam. Being a huge proponent of municipal infrastructure improvement, I decided to take a tour of the so-called “Red Light District.”
Here’s a NY Times story
