History was made yesterday in the war torn country of Iraq. For the first time in more than 50 years, the Iraqi people were allowed to vote in free elections in what will eventually determine the Prime Minister of Iraq as well as that country's future.
The election can not be considered anything less than an overwhelming success as an estimated 72% of the eligible voters in Iraq turned out to let their voices be heard. Of the nearly 300,000 people who registered to vote in other abstentia, a whopping 93% actually voted. I don't know what the totals were for the Presidential election here in the US last November, but I would guess it was substantially less the Iraqi figures.
So now we wait for the results of who won the races. But in reality we already know who won. The Iraqi people are the winners today. These people were threatened and bullied by insurgent thugs who despise freedom and the human rights we take for granted all too often.
The Iraqi people rose up yesterday and said YES. Yes to freedom, yes to an end to tyranny, yes to a future where peace and happiness can be legitimate goals. Yes to religious freedom and yes to George W. Bush who 18 months ago said this was the goal.
Today we can look at Iraq as a country whose people have taken the first step, and it was a doozy, towards freedom.
44 people were reported killed after voting yesterday, yet the threats didn't keep the people away like the opposition wanted. It didn't keep people away despite what the democrats and the liberal said would happen. It is right to mourn those who died for their convictions, but it is more important to celebrate what their sacrifice means to the future of Iraq.
May God bless Iraq and watch over her people. May the insurgence see this as what it is; a mandate that their way is not the will of the people. May God also bless our troops who have worked so long and hard over there in helping their people have this opportunity.
It is still going to be a long, arduous battle to finish the job, but the people of Iraq made a solid statement yesterday. Freedom will prevail and the people will be heard.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Monday, January 17, 2005
Colts Season Ends
For the second consecutive year the Colts season ended with a whimper on the field at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. The Colts, who I really thought were destined to be this years world champions were simply outmanned and outcoached by the Patriots again yesterday.
The post mortem on the 2004 version of the Colts will not be pretty, but what led them to this point was as fun and as exhilarating as any season the Colts have had since their arrival in 1984. The team won its second consecutive AFC South title. They finished with a 12-4 record. Peyton Manning won his second consecutive MVP award. Manning, Marvin Harrison, Dwight Freeney and Edge are all going to the Pro Bowl. Marvin was signed to a long contract extension. Brandon Stokley was resigned. Freeney led the league in sacks. PM broke Dan Marino’s record for most TD passes in a season and finally, and possibly most important, the city and the team have come to an agreement for a new stadium and revenue plan that should keep the team in Indy for at least 30 years.
Unfortunately, what most will remember is how the season ended. How this prolific offense managed just 3 points in the biggest game of the season. How the much maligned defense stayed strong and stout for 2 and a half quarters and the O couldn’t take advantage of it. How a team who was on loud all season, played like they got there using the run.
The longest pass was 18 yards. There were turnovers. For some reason we ran the screen to Edge all day long with minimal results. Coach Dungy sure came up with a doozy of a game plan. Not! It was a manageable 6-3 at the half. A three and out and we had the ball again. Yet we continued to try and run against what is the best linebacking crew in the league.
So we go into the long off-season. Obviously defense is our most glaring need in the draft, especially linebacker. We also have some serious free agent issues to resolve. Edge and Ryan Diem are probably the most notable. And this team has to get tougher. Mentally and physically. If we are going to play poorly at Foxboro in January, then we have to make sure we don’t have to go there. Had we won the game in September, this one would have been at home. We have to figure out a way to play strong all season and have no let down after the bye.
Jacksonville and Houston are improving. Pittsburgh looks poised to stay strong for a while. The Jets and Chargers were both surprisingly good this season. Winning will be difficult, but the ground work is there. We are not a team in disarray; rather we are a team that is close to the top. We just need a little more toughness and a little more talent on D.
I look back on this season with many fond memories. It was so much fun. But today really hurts. I just have no inclination to talk to anyone or even be around anyone. I want to go home and curl up on the couch with a bowl of spaghetti and feel sorry for myself. I don’t want to laugh, I don’t want to “feel better” about the loss. That’ll come. Today I just feel empty and frankly, let down. Next week I’ll watch the Championship games because I love NFL football. Later this week I’ll be okay and I will be the Colts biggest fan again. Right now I just want them to go away.
Last year I thought if we got over on NE it would have been a huge upset. This year I feel we were the better team going in and I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. Peyton Manning is already talking about next year. I guess that is all he really can do. Me, I am going to wallow in my own self pity for a day or two before I start focusing on the draft and next year.
The post mortem on the 2004 version of the Colts will not be pretty, but what led them to this point was as fun and as exhilarating as any season the Colts have had since their arrival in 1984. The team won its second consecutive AFC South title. They finished with a 12-4 record. Peyton Manning won his second consecutive MVP award. Manning, Marvin Harrison, Dwight Freeney and Edge are all going to the Pro Bowl. Marvin was signed to a long contract extension. Brandon Stokley was resigned. Freeney led the league in sacks. PM broke Dan Marino’s record for most TD passes in a season and finally, and possibly most important, the city and the team have come to an agreement for a new stadium and revenue plan that should keep the team in Indy for at least 30 years.
Unfortunately, what most will remember is how the season ended. How this prolific offense managed just 3 points in the biggest game of the season. How the much maligned defense stayed strong and stout for 2 and a half quarters and the O couldn’t take advantage of it. How a team who was on loud all season, played like they got there using the run.
The longest pass was 18 yards. There were turnovers. For some reason we ran the screen to Edge all day long with minimal results. Coach Dungy sure came up with a doozy of a game plan. Not! It was a manageable 6-3 at the half. A three and out and we had the ball again. Yet we continued to try and run against what is the best linebacking crew in the league.
So we go into the long off-season. Obviously defense is our most glaring need in the draft, especially linebacker. We also have some serious free agent issues to resolve. Edge and Ryan Diem are probably the most notable. And this team has to get tougher. Mentally and physically. If we are going to play poorly at Foxboro in January, then we have to make sure we don’t have to go there. Had we won the game in September, this one would have been at home. We have to figure out a way to play strong all season and have no let down after the bye.
Jacksonville and Houston are improving. Pittsburgh looks poised to stay strong for a while. The Jets and Chargers were both surprisingly good this season. Winning will be difficult, but the ground work is there. We are not a team in disarray; rather we are a team that is close to the top. We just need a little more toughness and a little more talent on D.
I look back on this season with many fond memories. It was so much fun. But today really hurts. I just have no inclination to talk to anyone or even be around anyone. I want to go home and curl up on the couch with a bowl of spaghetti and feel sorry for myself. I don’t want to laugh, I don’t want to “feel better” about the loss. That’ll come. Today I just feel empty and frankly, let down. Next week I’ll watch the Championship games because I love NFL football. Later this week I’ll be okay and I will be the Colts biggest fan again. Right now I just want them to go away.
Last year I thought if we got over on NE it would have been a huge upset. This year I feel we were the better team going in and I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. Peyton Manning is already talking about next year. I guess that is all he really can do. Me, I am going to wallow in my own self pity for a day or two before I start focusing on the draft and next year.
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