The King's View: May 2008

This blogsite is probably one of the best I've seen on soccer news.

This article struck me since it talks in detail to the amount of money being paid in TV revenue to each Premier League team. Top flight football in the Premier League is worth its weight in gold - even for the upstarts and mid-tier teams.

This article emphasizes the importance of the practice of relegation which makes each game count up and through the end. This is a huge contrast to American sports, where mediocre and poor teams are rewarded for one pathetic season after another, and where non-play-off teams go into cruise control mode for months when its clear they don't have shot at the post season. Just imagine what baseball or American football would be like if teams were bounced from MLB or the NFL for coming in last place or second to last place? The true NFL season would have a significant number of games that matter past week 10. Just think of it! How many people would pay to see New England, New York or Dallas relegated?

Fear of relegation makes every game count. Relegation means doom for many teams - loss of finances, loss of star power and/or premium players, loss of gate revenue, and demoralization of the team overall. And climbing back to contention for top flight is a whole nother matter. Do you really think Derby will bounce back after having the worst Premier League record in history?

Look at poor Leeds United. Once a proud top flight team, and now that are the talk of what once was. The only top flight games involving Leeds are found on the show Premier League Archives.

Some folks have criticized Joe Visconti for making the jump to run for Connecticut's first district House seat after only being in his West Hartford Town Council position for only a few months. Yet, you also have to admire Joe for having to the guts to not permit John Larson to run uncontested, unchecked where it matters most.

Everyone realizes that Joe has a tough job as it is. He painfully sits and listens to the debate between Democrats and alleged Republicans (RINOs) about - not whether or not taxes in West Hartford should be raised, but how high they should be raised all the while spending increases are soring through the roof. Sadly (but expectantly) Alder and Davidoff are hardly the opposition that Republicans clamoured for during campaign season. The record shows that these two have done nothing but sit on the sidelines and endorse the Democratic parties decision to give town employees a free pass instead of renegotiating budgets and even asking the question - as any responsible person should do. Occasionally, Adler might make a point or two in an effort to appear high-minded, but its merely lip service, because when it comes down to voting - he's not willing to make the tough choice and take a stand against backroom pals. Right out of the Joe Lieberman play book.

God bless Joe V for sitting week after week around the table with liberals from both parties, with only the ability to voice opposition and cast a "no" vote. The fix appears to be in. Everyone is on board the tax and spend express except Joe. And to think, five months ago, Davidoff talked openly about taking the Republican Party in a new direction. Well he's certainly done that - someone please buy him a shirt that reads "I sold out" so that he can show everyone that he's been honest to his word. As for Adler, well Adler is as Adler does. A walking, taking contridiction. It's pitiful. Poor Joe. He's a the lone wolf, the lone Republican. Can anyone really poo-poo him for seeking public office where he may actually be able to make a difference if he won?

Connecticut is full of districts where state senate or state house of representative seats are owned by Democrats (and I mean owned!) simply because the Republican Party can't seem to muster anyone to bother running. And those that tend to run sound a lot like Democrats anyway which gives voters little choice but to vote for the real thing anyway. It must be nice for the Democrats to live in a world where they can do anything and say anything without fear of losing their precious seats. Want a full fledged crusade against businesses by calling for new taxes? Or how about creating bills to bail out those who took opted to jump into risky variable mortgage schemes? And if that's not enough, why not spend time and money drafting bills to apologize to families related to witches of the 1600s?

Well, I wish Joe Visconti luck. It's been awhile since Republicans have had a solid candidate like this run for public office. Yeah, and buy the way, you guys at State Central may not be able to pull this candidates strings; and Joe has proven that he doesn't need party endorsements, or big money organized support to get his message out, or get elected. Nope. It's Joe Visconti, an average Joe. No millionaire connections, no movie stars, no law degree, no big corporation bucks, no royal ties, and no rears to kiss through favors owed. Self-made and a breath of fresh air.

If you haven't heard Joe speak, I strongly recommend taking the time to listen to a man who willing to put the little guy ahead of city hall, and speak his mind on issues that matter to all of us. No one is perfect, but he gets it right where it counts, and that's what matters.

So there's the difference. You have the Adlers and the Davidoffs, who are a ball of fun at Democratic cocktail parties slapping each other on the back over their lasted defection of principle, and then you have the real dea, Joe Visconti - a guy that is ten times the Republican that either of those characters will ever be. Someone that understands family, fiscal restraint, national interest, national security, economics, and what its like to get his hands dirty to earn a living without having a silver spoon handed to him. It's going to be nice to have a candidate that listens to you for a change.

Good luck Joe! I hope you make it all the way to Congress!