Jimmy Smith Failed To Tell The Real Story Concerning Tom Benson and The Pelicans

Sports writer Jimmy Smith in a Times Picayune article dated 1/26/14 titled " Benson shoots, scores with NBA investment" failed to tell the real story of Benson's $82 million return on his investment in the Pelicans as proposed by Forbes in less than two years.  The real story is that a billionaire franchise owner continues to receive corporate welfare from the state when it is not needed or necessary and that taxpayers are once again screwed.  The Pelicans have a brand new practice facility that cost $15 million and the state(taxpayers) paid $10 million of the cost while Benson paid only $5 million acording to a Times Picayune story dated 5/17/13 by Jimmy Smith. 

Benson is laughing all the way to the bank with the Pelicans and the Saints corporate welfare gifts.  He could have easily paid for the facility.  I can just hear Mr. Benson telling his wealthy friends in private something that goes like this.  "The state will do anything I want them to do to keep my teams in New Orleans.  What a bunch of jerks.  I have them right where I want them".

One day New Orleans might have a sports writer or reporter who is willing to challenge the corporate welfare given to millionaire and billionaire owners who claim they need financial relief and elected officials who so easily are willing to give away taxpayer money to those not in need.

I have no respect for any owner that does not pay back to the state the money given to them.  This writer does not intend to spend one penny on the Saints or Pelicans.  Smith says Benson paid $338 million for the Pelicans and that Forbes reports the franchise is now worth $420 million and as a result an $82 million increase in equity in less than two years.  Forbes has also estimated the Saints franchise is worth $1 billion.  Benson paid $79 million for it.  That is over a $900 million increase in equity and Benson still has his hands out. 

In 2012 when bountygate was reported, sports writers were not willing to report the real story of bountygate so this writer wrote a commentary here in "politidose" that did tell the real story.  It was published 9/14/12 and titled, "The New Orleans Saints Bounty Gate and The B.P. Oil Spill."  If one wonders how B.P. got in there check the commentary out. 

Maybe Lee Zurik can do a special about corporate welfare for sports franchise owners.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The NFL Has To Change Its Playoff System To Increase Competition.

In the NFL playoff system a team with a break even or loosing record can qualify to make the playoffs.  It is possible they can even win their division with such a record.  That system has not increased competition in the regular season and in fact actually decreases it.  Only 13 of the 32 teams had a winning record during the regular season this year and that ratio has been holding steady for a number of years.

It makes no sense to have 4 divisions in each conference and then come playoff time the division champs have to play "wild card" teams who do not deserve to be there after a 16 game season.    There is nothing competitive about "wild card" teams being rewarded with a chance to win a world championship or letting teams with loosing records compete in any post games.

I would suggest the NFL go to two divisions in each conference with 8 teams in each division and let the division winners play each other and the winners of the NFC would play the winners of the AFC in the Super Bowl.  No "wild card" teams accepted, period.  That would be a total of two playoff games and the Super Bowl. 

The existing playoff system was designed to put more money in the owners and leagues pockets and not to create competition.  Sixteen games is enough for any team to win a division.  If they can't cut it, they don't belong in the playoff dance.  That alone would be an incentive to be more competitive.  Bad teams, poor coaching and over paid players are another reason competition has been lacking.  Where is the motivation for better performance when teams with loosing records can go to the big dance and players still draw big salaries and perform poorly?

Many years ago when Buddy Dilaberto was covering the Saints I wrote him a letter at a time he was promoting so called parity in the NFL because of the college draft.  He, at the time was promoting so called parity as competition.  I simply pointed out my disagreement with his assessment because there was no record to back up his statements.  And today there is still no record to confirm that the NFL is competitive during the regular season.  Some things never change when the dollar sign is in control.

Two division champions will be playing in the Super Bowl on Feb. 2.  That is the way it should be.  "Wild card" teams?  Who needs them?  Only the greedy owners and the NFL.  Seattle had to play "wild card" Frisco three times this year to get to the Super Bowl.  What a stupid way to run a professional league.  Frisco played a 16 game schedule and had the opportunity to win the division and they failed.  So hit the road Jack, no second chance for you.  Parity, competition, you won't find it in the regular season in the NFL.

Note:  In this writers opinion playing teams twice and the possibility of having to play them three times including the playoffs is silly at best, especially when you have 32 teams in the league.  Thirty two teams is actually too many teams and just dilutes the competition.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Drew Brees and Peyton Manning: Prolific Passer vs. Steady Quarterback

For the past two seasons Peyton Manning has accomplished more for the Broncos than Drew Brees has accomplished for the Saints.  Manning did that despite missing all of the 2012 season because of surgery.  The Broncos head coach also accomplished more for his team than Sean Payton did for his team.  Payton missed all of last season because he acted irresponsible and let bountygate happen.  Broncos coach Fox missed part of this season because of being ill but still did a better job than Sean Payton.

Now Manning and the Broncos are going to the Super Bowl to play for the World Championship.  I wonder how Brees and Payton feel about some New Orleans sports writers who call Brees prolific and Sean Payton an offensive genius and then went out in the playoffs.  My advise to those two would be to reject those labels, come back down to earth and lead your team as a team and disregard all the hype.

As far as New Orleans sports writers go,  they are a hopeless case when it comes to being objective in reporting on the Saints and why Payton did such a poor coaching job this season, especially down the stretch.  When Tom Benson gave Payton a raise after his suspension was over, he actually rewarded Payton for his irresponsible actions concerning bountygate and sent the wrong message to not only Payton but also to the team.

The Bronco's coach had a legitimate reason for missing part of this season but Payton had no such reason for missing last season and I have my doubt about the Saints future with Sean Payton as the head coach. 


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Note:  Last season Manning led the Broncos to the playoffs, while Brees led the Saints to a loosing season.  This season, Manning led the Broncos to a division title, a conference championship, the best won-loss record in the conference, the #1seed in the playoffs and a trip to the Super Bowl.  Brees led his team to the #6 seed in the playoffs as a wild card and lost to Seattle in the second playoff game.  The second loss to Seattle this season.

James Varney Displays His Little Boy Conservative Ideology Once Again.

In the Times Picayune reflection section of January 19, Varney shows his readers just how much of a conservative ditto head he has become.  Varney seems to be put out in what he believes is the liberal media's attemp to disqualify New Jersey Governor Chris Christie from the republican nomination for President in 2016 because of bridgegate.  Add Varney to the voices that blame so called liberals when conservatives find themselves in trouble of their own making.

So what does little boy Varney do?  Well he goes "tit for tat" and says that if Christe is unfit to be President because of bridgegate, so too is Hillary because of past involvement in a litany of things and events.  He even takes it a step farther and goes after the voting public by saying, "those that pull the voting lever in 2016 for Clinton is a bold face liar, they are but naked, shameless, rabid partisans."  One can easily notice the personal attacks in that statement.  That way they feel like they are elite.

The news media in general and the wealthy PAC's are already trying to brainwash the voters every day with their speculation on who will run for President in 2016, almost 3 years away.  That is the story in the life of the news media.  They have so much time on their hands they try to create news before it happens.  Christe and Clinton have yet to announce their intentions concerning 2016 but Varney already has the voters pulling the lever for Clinton. 

The voters will be reminded every day up to the election, especially by conservatives about the events in Benghizi, it has already started in order to damage Clinton.  They will do their best to make it an issue even though it is not.  But if you follow their line, George W. Bush should have been disqualified to run for a second term because of the terror attacks on 9/11/01 which happened in our own back yard.

Understanding the past is still the key to a better future.  Varney and conservatives have yet to learn that and as a result the future will be like the past under conservative rule.  Varney's tirade of January 19 is just another example of conservatives inability to debate the issues that affect the country and its people.  They even forgot about arithmetic in the 2012 elections.  Former President Clinton and V.P. Joe Biden had to remind them.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Bobby Jindal: Louisiana's Fairy Tale Governor.

Two articles appeared in the Times Picayune of 1/12/14 that high lite what this writer has reported on several times in the past concerning Jindal's phony conservative ideology.  The first article in the TP by staff writer Julia O'Donoghue was the "tax amnesty" that ran from Sept. 23 thru Nov. 23 that allowed delinquent tax payers to pay their back taxes with out penalty.  Jindal and the legislature put the program in place to raise money quickly to plug a $200 million short fall in the current state budget.  (Note:  Jindal and the legislature told the people the budget was in balance last year after the legislature session was over.)

According to the article the amnesty brought in $448 million, 90% of which came from corporations and businesses paying their delinquent taxes to the state.  About $270 million came from just 36 tax payers who owed more than $1million each to the state, so said Greg Albrecht, chief economist for the state.  It is easy to see that it is not the average tax payers who skip out on paying his taxes, it is corporations and businesses who recieve much of the tax breaks and benefits from the state who skip out and do not have to pay a penalty because of amnesty.  As I have written many times here in PolitiDose, republicans get into the pockets of the average person 100 different ways.  Why does the Jindal administration not have a system for going after delinquent corporate and business tax obligations?  Its called campaign contributions and corporate welfare.  The average tax payer in Louisiana has no chance.

The second TP article by staff writer LAuren McGaughy concerned Bobby Jindal in Austin, Texas supporting a group of conservative policy makers who are calling for a national convention to add a balanced budget ammendent to the U.S. Constitution.  Republicans can talk the talk but can not walk the talk.  No republican President has balanced the federal budget since Dwight Eisenhower in 1960.  Not even when their party controlled the White House and both houses of congress.  Bobby Jindal is the biggest hypocrite on the matter as he served in the U.S. House when G.W. Bush was President and both houses of congress were controlled by the republican party. And what did they do with that power?  Well, actually, they turned President Clinton's record balanced budgets and surpluses into deficit spending in Bush's very first fiscal year and never balanced one federal budget in Bush's 8 years in office.

Jindal took office in Louisiana with a $1billion surplus from Democratic Governor Blanco, blew the surplus and followed in Bush's footsteps.  He has not balanced one Louisiana state budget since he has been governor and I have written past commentary pointing out how he and his administration has played the budget con game with the republican controlled legislature.

The real conservative ideology as practiced by today's republican leaders is unAmerican in nature and is devised to bankrupt the state and federal governments revenue system in order to kill all so called social programs including Social Security and Medicare, the two most successful programs for America and its people.    I wrote a four part commentary in Politidose titled Which Party Serves The Country Best on the federal level.  That commentary would be of value today concerning the State level.

There are really no real conservative republicans in leadership roles today for the party.  They are radicals who are not serious about public service.  Their sole interest is to dismantle government.  The past is still the key to the future and under Jindal's governorship the future is like the past when he served in the U.S. congress.  The republican party may be the dominate party in Louisiana today, but it will be a future Democratic administration that will lead Louisiana in advancing the quality of life for all and the economic growth necessary to sustain that progress.


This commentary written by John Lucia 

Seattle's Defense Dominate's Saints One More Time To End Their Playoff Season.

The Seahawks picked up where they left off after they defeated the Saints 34-7 during the regular season and gave the Saints another road loss.  This time ending their season.  Seattle's defense was more than dominate, they made Brees look like an average quarterback and took the Saints receivers out of the game.  The Saints half way rally in the 4th quarter occured with Seattle willing to see the clock wind down.

The Saints lost 4 of their final seven games and failed to finish strong.  All six losses were on the road and they never did make the necessary adjustment when playing the good defensive teams that played their receivers tight.  Sports writers in New Orleans have done the fans a disservice by promoting the individual when calling Brees "prolific" and Payton an "offense genius."  Well neither one lived up to that descripton.  Teams win and or lose as a team.  Stats are for individuals.  And to think Jeff Duncan said Payton did the best coaching job ever this year. 

I wrote a commentary previously how sports journalists failed to report the real story of Bountygate last year and now they failed to report the real story of what took place this year.  Payton's absence last season broke the chain of continuity that is necessary for a successful organization.  Having two acting head coaches split the season was a disaster and a disaster of a season followed.  This year both Payton and Brees played to their own hype, failed to make the necessary adjustments, acted as if nothing happened and Brees proclaimed the Saints were a great team.  Neither earned their salary.

The Saints defense played well and gave the offense multiple chances to do something but it never happened.  The defense gave up a few big critical plays to Seattle but indications are they will continue to make progress next year.  At least Rob Ryan had his head coach on the side lines while last years defensive coordinator did not, even though it was Payton who hired him.

Saints receiver Jimmy Graham was again a non factor in the game, did not score a touch down and as a result was not able to pound his chest, scream for about 15 seconds and dunk the football over the goal post.  I always felt it was better when a player just dropped the football after scoring, went back to the bench and was happy to have helped his team.

New Orleans sports writers were wrong last season when the Saints were the only team to be without their head coach.  Every thing was going to be fine because the Saints were pros, knew their jobs, knew what had to be done and they were winners.  This year they projected the Saints to be the first seed and ended up being the last.  And before the Seattle game injected that in the past that the #6 seed did well against the #1 seed.  That hype ended on the road in Seattle.  I know of no sports writer in New Orleans who is capable of being objective when evaluating the Saints.


Note:  See my previous commentary:  The New Orleans Saints Bountygate and the BP Oil Spill dated 9/14/12  and Sports Journalists New Orleans Style dated 9/12/12.



This commentary written by  John Lucia.

What Should The President's Priority For The United States Be In 2014

That question should be answered in his State of The Union address later this month.  There is already much speculation as to what the President might say.  The negative part of the speculation is that 2014 will not be a year of progress because of the congressional elections in November.  That is one thing the President can't have happen and needs to put pressure on congress to make sure it does not.

This writer believes the priorities are clear.  A continuation of job creation that puts the country at full employment before the end of the year.  An increase in the minimum wage, the reasons are so obvious, they need not be listed.  A steady increase in the average workers pay that will be sustained over a long period of time and should become a standard.  There is no good reason for corporate America and executives enjoying record profits and salaries and have the average workers pay remain stagnant like it has for more than a decade.

Continue the expansion of the economy which took a healthy jump in the third quarter of last year.  An expanding economy for all Americans is the best way to raise the living standards for all.  That would actually reduce federal spending on food stamps and other government programs that suffer in a down economy.  We know a healthy economy that works for all will accomplish those goals because it did so during the Clinton years.  Change the tax code that gives tax exemtions, loopholes and other special favors to corporate America andhave everyone pay a fair share of the tax burden.  The oil and gas industry and others do not need or require the billions of dollars in exemption they receive every year.  Just ask Warren Buffett.

Continue to decrease the deficit spending that has started to take hold now and have the federal government balance its budgets like the Clinton administration did.  The President needs to keep the country from going to any unnecessary wars, especially in the middle east and end the war in Afghanistan this year like he said he would do.  The President should use what ever executive powers he has to do what has to be done for the good of the country if republicans in congress continue to pursue their position of wanting to see the President, the country and the people fail.  Reform the immigration system.

Keep our military prepared and strong.  The U.S. still is the most powerful country in the world and we are able to protect our national interest any time or place where it is being challenged without occupying other countries.  Continue to monitor the ACA and change what is and what is not working because it is a necessary piece of legislation for the country.  Strengthen Social Security and Medicare if necessary.  Those two programs have proved to be worthwhile for many good reasons.  Social Security pays for itself and does not contribute one penny to the deficit.  The cost of Medicare has been coming down for several years and its administrative cost is less than the administrative cost of private insurance companies. 

The above priorities can be accomplished with leadership, courage and character and a willingness to move the country forward for the benefit of the people.


This commentary written by John Lucia

Sports Writers: New Orleans Saints Style

Sports writers Jeff Duncan and Larry Holder are the fairy tale story tellers for the New Orleans Saints.  Don't know what games they watch on Sunday's but it must not be the Saints.  Duncan has a problem understanding the difference between competition and the NFL playoff system.

In a Times Picayune article dated 12/29/13 Duncan names 8 teams that made up 4 games to end the regular schedule.  All 4 games had playoff implications so he makes the silly statement that those match ups confirm the greatness of the NFL.  When teams can earn a playoff berth with a loosing or 500 breakeven record, that confirms only what everyone already knows.  That the playoff system was designed to put more money in the owners and the league's pocket and was not designed to make the NFL more competative.  Then Duncan then tops it off by declaring this season the best ever in the NFL.  NOTE:  there are only 13 teams in the NFL who ended the season with a winning record out of 32 teams.  Best and most competative year in the NFL?  Only if you believe in fairy tales.

On Dec. 15, the day of the game with the Rams which the Saints lost, Duncan wrote that "Payton has engineered the best coaching job of his career this season and thought he had a shot at coach of the year.  He stated in the same article, "with extra attention to detail, Payton having his best season."  Then Duncan jumps the gun to inform his readers that Payton could have his third 13 win season.  It slipped his mind that the Saints had 3 more games to play and that it ain't over till its over.  This was really an apple polishing story.  Does any one remember the predictions that Reggie Bush was going to have a break out year at the start of his third season and that Ingram was going to have his break out year this year.  That was the talk in the Times Picayune at the time but neither of those break out years happened.

Larry Holder in a Times Picayune article dated 1/1/14 tried to explain how the Saints could score 42 points in their final game against the Bucs but could only manage 36 points in their 3 previous losses.  He asked, "on the field, what actually changed?"  Then answers by saying "point to the offensive fire power."  Like the Bucs were some kind of challenge with their 4 win season.  What really happened in the previous 3 losses was the Saints played defenses that played the Saints receivers tight and did not let them run wild.  Carolina played the Saints a loose zone defense that allowed separation with the receivers and ended up in a Saints win.  That was reversed when Carolina played the Saints at home 2 weeks later, played the Saints receivers tight and won the ball game and division title.  In all five of the Saints losses the defense of their opponents played the receivers tight.  There was very little separation and the Saints best receivers were held in check.

The Saints beat only 3 teams with a winning record this regular season,  the 49'er, Arizona and Carolina.  All five losses were on the road.  The two area's the Saints did not adjust too were their road games and the tight defense of their opponents.  Payton and Brees never got a handle on that offensively.  They lost 3 of the last 5 games and the division title after leading or tying for the division most of the season.  As a result the Saints failed their own test of "finishing strong."

Saturday's playoff game on the road against the Eagles gives them a chance to make the necessary adjustments.  The Saints will win the ball game if the Eagles play a loose defense like they did last week against Dallas.  It they play the Saints tight the Saints should have learned something from their 5 losses and have a game plan to deal with the situation.  Payton and Brees has not handled the problem well.  Peter Finney in one of his articles a few weeks ago pointed out that after the loss to Seattle, Brees said the Saints were still a great team.  Finney correctred Brees and said the Saints are a good team, not a great team.  The regular season results support Finney's comment.  Brees believed his own hype and the hype that goes along with many sports writers in New Orleans.  It also seems like Brees and Payton have let the words, "prolific passer" and "offensive genius" go to their heads. 

This writer thinks the game was best when the players and coaches had no ego problems.  They just played and coached the game because they loved it.  Has any fan noticed how Jimmy Graham is always looking for a flag from the ref's when defensive backs play him tight.  I guess he does not like being challenged.


This commentary written by John Lucia.