Professor Ellis D Trails Wildcard Syllabus

Do values exist anymore?

After reading this morning about the atrocity that has happened in regards to the media fiasco surrounding the devastating story of the miners in West Virginia, I am truly appalled. I can’t believe that I live in a place where breaking a news story is more important to these “journalists” than the lives of human beings. The news is supposed to be informing us, not exciting us first in order to gain our following. I cannot bear to think about the thoughts that are going through these poor families’ minds on this day.

What the fuck is wrong with the country? It used to be, many moons before I was born, that this “great” country was founded on the ideals of “great” men, ideals that we hold in the highest regard, ideals that we today should strive to live by. Were these principles that were taught to us during our most impressionable years actual truths or merely myths only shown to us in order to manipulate our minds into believing that we were once an ambitious and valued society instead of the ego driven, selfish and shallow civilization that we have become? In the next two hundred years, are our children’s children going to be taught how the Americans of the 21st century fought for freedom and the right of the moral value, while the textbooks of the future “inadvertently” leave out the reprehensible behavior that which drives this unapologetic government and pitiful representation by the majority of media today?

I find myself now questioning our country’s history as to what kinds of abominations were omitted from being passed on along with the triumphs that we are only too eager to brag about now.

This country was supposedly built on Freedom and Democracy - well, I no longer buy this facade. I see that we were founded on greed and lust for power much like the empires of eras gone by. The only difference is that those kingdoms were forthright in admitting what their intentions were from the beginning. Our disgrace is that we hide behind the bullshit of Freedom and Justice, the American way. I think I’m going to be sick. Some may say, where did we go wrong? I say we have always been wrong, it just can’t be hidden anymore.

Those forgotten regimes grew by feasting upon the meek and spreading their filth across vast lands as did the Americans in its infant stages. They were depicted as conquerors, while were portrayed as hunters, settlers and farmers. I’m sure the Indians and other natives of this land thought that our freedom from persecution was more important than the lives they had led until that point. Those people were free and we destroyed them, but that’s not how it is taught to our youth.

Every great empire has fallen. It is only a matter of time. Once the fat exceeds the might, the downfall has begun. I am not trying to sound apocalyptic, for it should be a slow decline as we are in an age where time moves quickly, but people move slowly. It may not happen for a long time, but it is inevitably going to happen.



We have become so euphemistic that it has begun to infiltrate our own society. Political correctness has inundated our language on such a large scale that words are rendered useless based on pure perception. Everybody, nay mostly everybody seems compelled to speak in a way that is an attempt to be inoffensive, yet they easily turn around and have their actions be more offensive than their words could ever be.

We have come so far in our advancement in a number of fields. However, we have regressed in just as many and show no signs of relenting. We live in an age where doctors have become the new auto mechanic scammers, so quick to diagnose and prescribe knowing what effects will transpire in order to diagnose further and prescribe more, the sick getting sicker. These same doctors take The Hippocratic Oath - how true that is. For every person that is giving and caring in this modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah, there is five that will lie and steal to gain some trivial sort of power. Who will rein fire on thee, only time will tell. I am not a religious person and if you have read any of my articles you are aware of that already. However, I cannot ignore the Hedonistic way in which our country thrives today. I am not against it, I just accept it.

On the other hand as our “leaders” continue to display this so-called movement toward their phony ideals, the government is blatantly lying to you. They do this because the majority of people believe what they hear and not what they see. One example is with the current Republicans in power at the moment.

The following is from an article speaking to Economist Stephen Moore on the current state of life today. Republicans always trot out the slogan that they oppose big government and want to shrink the federal payroll. Even President Bush tells us that "big government is not the answer."

President Reagan told us, "Our government is too big and it spends too much."
But for more than 75 years, no Republican administration has cut the size of government. Since George W. Bush became president, government spending has risen nearly 25 percent. I love the shit that comes out of Bush's mouth. By the way, isn't the resemblance uncanny?.



The spending increase by this administration isn't just tied to the war on terrorism. The Office of Management and Budget says spending at the Environmental Protection Agency is up 12 percent; it's up 14 percent at the Agriculture Department, 30 percent at the Department of the Interior; 64 percent at the Department of Labor, and 70 percent at the Department of Education.

The pork keeps pouring out. Take for example, the Peanut Festival in Dothan, Ala., they received $200,000. Alabama congressman Terry Everett, a Republican, got them the money. He wouldn't speak about it on the record, but the locals said they like getting your money. "I think it's a waste of money, but if they're going to waste money, I guess it's better to waste it here than anywhere else," one man said.

Moore, a Republican, says, "We fought a war against big government and you know what? Big government won." He noted, "You look at what's happened to the government in the 10 years since the Republicans took control of Congress, the government is twice as big.”

They also fool the American public by instilling fear by flooding us with a deluge of propaganda. Anyone who watches television news regularly will hear stories about child abductions, muggings, murders, deadly new diseases. It's enough to make anyone feel frightened. Anyone you ask will most likely tell you that crime is on the rise. They will tell you that they're worried about such things as their children being kidnapped.

I find it so sad that they're scared when they are actually safer than ever. The crime rate is close to the lowest it's been in 15 years, and a Justice Department study showed no increase in kidnapping. Americans are living longer, better lives than they ever have. "These are the safest times ever to have lived on the Earth," Moore continued to say, "And America is the safest place to have ever lived."

Today, 70,000 Americans are at least 100 years old. The average American today lives 30 years longer than the average American 100 years ago, according to Moore. Today, we worry about SARS, but SARS hasn't killed a single person in America. Fewer than a thousand people have died worldwide. Compare that to the flu epidemic of 1918, which killed 20 million people. Does anyone even remember real epidemics like diphtheria or rheumatic fever.



Also so many are continually engulfed with fear of pollution. But the air in particular is actually getting cleaner. "Fifty years ago," Moore noted, "many American cities had permanent black fogs over them." All emissions have been cut 48 percent since 1970. Every major air pollutant is down dramatically. And lakes and rivers are cleaner too.

People still joke about the rivers that surround many homes in New York City. The East and Hudson Rivers were once disgusting. After all, millions of people live here and when they flushed, all of it went directly, untreated, to the rivers. Now treatment plants clean the sewage, so the rivers around Manhattan are 98 percent cleaner than 30 years ago. It is even clean enough that it's now legal to swim there.

Moore sums it up nicely, "Every generation has always felt like things are getting worse rather than getting better, when in fact every objective standard of life on Earth and safety and health is showing much improvement. We should feel so lucky to be alive today."

People need to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that they are being hosed big time. It may be too late to change the vicious cycle in which we are so engrained, but the more informed we are the less likely we are to succumb.

Do not let the lies and deciept purpotrated upon you by our government influence you to stop using your brain and put together informed opinions.

A selection of newspapers from around the nation that erroneously announced the survival of 12 of the 13 miners trapped in the Sago mine in West Virginia. In a stunning reversal, families of the trapped miners who were told that all but one had survived are later informed that only one had survived.



I am truly sorry for the people that have been hurt by the audacious acts of our completely ignorant news correspondents. The lives of these individuals should be honored as any life should, but to report information such as this before it is confirmed is a revolting abomination and disgrace to the people for which this country is intended to stand for. Have we not evolved at all? Oh yeah, the Bush Administration doesn’t promote intelligent design.



Now for those of you still trying to gain some money by spending more money in a playoff fantasy league. First, I say call a shrink. No, just kidding. Second, get ready for the mad dash to Superbowl XL.

I am a man with a positive outlook as much as my previous statements may contradict. I look to this playoff season as an exciting one at the very least. So, without further adieu, I present the first week on the road to Detroit.

Saturday, January 7

WAS @ TAM 4:30pm
Washington has gotten into the playoffs thanks to rolling to five straight victories including three against division opponents. Tampa has been on a similar roll with only a loss to a streaking New England team. They had 4 wins in their last five which all were facing divisional rivals. In week 10 these two teams played a barnburner, but I don’t see that happening again.

Mark Brunell – He didn’t have as good a game as you would have thought in the last game from just looking at the score. He is on a roll right now, but this week it comes to an end.
Clinton Portis – If Washington wants to have any shot at winning this game, Portis is going to have to equal his performance in the previous meeting. In that game he ran for 144 and a touchdown.
Chris Cooley – He also is going to have to be a big part of the gameplan. I don’t see Betts returning one for a touchdown and receiving another this time, but if Cooley can make some catches to sustain drives, it would help a lot.
Santana Moss – We know who got the better of the Coles–Moss deal. This guy was nothing short of phenomenal this year. Moss needs to be key not only in receiving but with his blocking as well. I don’t think he’ll have a huge game, but he should get a bunch of short receptions.
Chris Simms – How will this young gun handle his first playoff game? I think he will do well. Williams will take the load off by gashing this mediocre run defense up the middle and with Galloway out there catching everything, he could put up some nice numbers.
Cadillac Williams – The offensive rookie of the year will be the difference in this game. If he does what he should against Washington, then Tampa will control the ball and control the game.
Joey Galloway – He resurrected his career big time this year and is happier than a pig in shit to be in the playoffs. You can be sure he is going to do his best to stay there.
Mike Alstott – This TD scorer was the guy that bowled over the defense to give Tampa the win earlier in the year. He’ll be ready to come in at the goaline.

JAX @ NE 8:00pm
New England is looking to be gelling at the right time. Jacksonville would love to welcome Leftwich back with a win at the Patriots. However, with possibly three key defensive players hurt it may be a tough task to tackle.

Byron Leftwich – How will the 6-week layoff affect Byron? I don’t think it will hinder him much past the first few plays. This is the NFL and it’s the playoffs. These guys get paid a lot of money to be ready and if they made it this far then they are. He could put up some nice numbers, although they should come when this one is out of reach.
Fred Taylor – He should be ready to go this week, unfortunately it’s against the Patriots in the playoffs. Sorry, Fred it won’t be your day.
Jimmy Smith – Some think that this could be Jimmy’s last season. I think he’ll be back putting up solid numbers once again next year.

Tom Brady – He had the best passing season of his young career this season. This guy does nothing but produce and now it’s his time. The playoffs is where he has made his name and don’t expect anything less than execution.
Corey Dillon – Jacksonville will be a tough to run on early, but as the game wears on, Corey will only get stronger.
David Givens/ Deion Branch – Which receiver will step up this week? One of these guys is going to have a big day.
Ben Watson – He might get a red zone TD.

Sunday, January 8

CAR @ NYG 1:00pm
If last week’s Carolina team shows up this week, then they will be heading to the next round. That’s been the problem with them this year - which Panther team is going to show up? The same can almost be said for the Giants. They have beaten Kansas City, Washington and Denver, but have played down to some weaker opponents. The key about the three wins is that they all came at home. Barber gives much of the credit of his success in this league to running backs coach Jim Skipper. The problem with this for the G-men is that Skipper is with the Panthers giving them every tidbit of information to attempt to stop him this week. I say this will be their downfall. They will place so much emphasis on Tiki that Eli will beat them in the air.
Jake Delhomme – The Giants have played well against the pass and even better at home. Don’t expect much from this guy.
De’Shaun Foster – He is the wildcard of the wildcard. Can this guy carry the load and get them into the endzone on the ground?
Steve Smith – Comeback player of the year hands down. He will get receptions and yards because there is nobody else that makes plays.

PIT @ CIN
On a side note, why is Lynn Swann running for Governor of Pennsylvania? I remember him on the sidelines on Monday Night. He was about as intelligent as piece of bread. Anyway, this game has a couple of questions: can Pittsburgh’s D stop the Cincinnati offense and can Cincinnati defense stop anyone? To answer them, respectively: yes and no.

Ben Roethlisberger – Even with an awful rating to finish the season, he still had a better overall rating than he did last year. He is in only his second year, but has already played in a championship game. You can’t but that experience.
Willie Parker – He proved that he can play with the big boys and is going to further expose a weakness in the Bengal’s defense
Jerome Bettis – He might not be around next year, but he can still put it passed the stripe.
Hines Ward – He is the best WR that doesn’t get the national credit. He is starting to gain some notoriety and defenses have to be aware of him at all times.
Heath Miller – He has had a pretty good rookie campaign. He would have had more catches in a more pass oriented offense. He is a nice target in the red zone.

Carson Palmer – He played a strong game when these two teams faced each other in week 13 in Pittsburgh, but played poorly in week 7 at home. Which Palmer are we going to get? I say somewhere in between. Good numbers, but in the playoffs, defense wins games.
Rudi Johnson – Not a strong play this weekend.
Chad Johnson – I can’t wait to see what endzone dance he has in store for the playoffs.
TJ Houshmanzadeh – He is a number one WR in a number 2 role. No wonder Carson puts up the numbers he does.

I will dispense, from this point on, with top ten lists as we are at the point in the season when each team has top performers. It comes down to who wants it more and who makes fewer mistakes.

If you could not infer from my statements, I have Tampa Bay, New England, New York, and Pittsburgh advancing. I know the semester ended a week ago, but think of this like a semester at sea or even summer school if you will. I wouldn’t think of letting my pupils down as the NFL enters its most exciting and anticipated period. Good luck to all and enjoy the games. As always Go with your gut and don’t look back.

Professor Ellis D Trails.