Falcons stadium proposal begs a look at football’s future
Before spending a few hundred million taxpayer dollars — for example, on a new stadium for the Falcons — it is worth mulling worst-case scenarios. The worst of the worst cases for the stadium is that, within a few decades, football as we know it is extinct.
Get this straight: I’m not predicting football’s death. The NFL and college football have never been bigger. Projecting the sport’s demise would seem to put one in the company of Harold Camping, the nonagenarian preacher who (twice!) last year forecast Doomsday, not among UGA football’s season-ticket holders.
That said, there are some dark clouds on the sport’s horizon. What better time to pause and consider those clouds than before a deal is signed and the bonds — for which Atlanta’s hotel tax revenues would be committed until 2050 — are sold.
The place to start is with the dominant story this NFL offseason, which concerns player safety. The NFL faces 70 lawsuits covering more than 1,800 ex-players who claim the league knew the dangers of concussions but didn’t fully inform players about them. A few cases were filed here in Georgia.
These legal filings provide context for the NFL’s biggest headache: the bounty program run by the New Orleans Saints. Coaches and players alike chipped in thousands of dollars to reward hits that knocked opposing players out of games, or worse. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hammered the team in response, suspending coaches and players, and taking away precious draft picks.
Only the willfully blind could believe the severity of the penalties was unrelated to the pending lawsuits. Or that the same motivation didn’t lead the NFL this week to release a study suggesting former players have longer life expectancies than average. The league clearly is taking the suits seriously.
In a way, though, the suits and potential damages are the least of the NFL’s concerns. If each of the 1,800 players was awarded $1 million in damages, that wouldn’t exceed the league’s reported profits for even two seasons.
But as the NFL changes rules to enhance player safety, including reducing the speed and frequency of collisions on kickoffs and penalizing hits against “defenseless” players, fans grumble. NASCAR, which has seen its popularity drop sharply since emphasizing protections for drivers, is an ominous comparison.
Even the players are leery of the changes. “This is football. It’s not powder puff,” Bernard Pollard, a safety for the Baltimore Ravens, recently told CBSSports.com. “When Nike unveiled their new uniforms, I’m surprised they didn’t have flags on the side. … You’re taking away the game of football.”
Players like Pollard know football is popular chiefly because it is so violent. Imagine a game in which every player is protected the way quarterbacks are now. Be honest: Would you watch?
There are other threats. Only a fraction of those who play football are pros. What if colleges or high schools are sued by concussed ex-players? How hard would schools — which, unlike the NFL, have a purpose beyond football — fight? Or might they be more inclined to fold their programs, costing the NFL its de facto minor leagues?
The supply of players could also drop if fewer parents let their children play the game.
A watershed moment may have occurred last week with the suicide of Junior Seau. He was one of the NFL’s best, most popular players from 1990 to 2009 — when many parents of young children, like me, were young fans.
Those of us who grew up watching the big-hitting Seau — fittingly pronounced “Say Ow” — will want to know if brain injuries played a role in his death. Many will think twice, at least, before letting our kids play his sport.
Still think football is invincible? As economists Tyler Cowen and Kevin Grier noted in a recent article at Grantland.com (“What would the end of football look like?”), the nation’s most popular sports in the early 20th century were baseball, boxing and horse racing. The latter two have lost much of their following.
They added, “If you look at the stocks in the Fortune 500 from 1983, for example, 40 percent of those companies no longer exist.” They’re not smaller, mind you; they are gone, 29 years later.
These concerns may not rise to the level of killing a proposed stadium (though there are other arguments against it). But given the pace at which they’re rising, it’s worth asking if football’s future might not be as rosy — that is, not $300 million in public funds rosy — by the time that new ballpark would open.
– By Kyle Wingfield
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
128 comments Add your comment
Karl Marx
May 10th, 2012
6:26 am
The NFL has become just like the NBA. I quit watching basketball because of Dennis Rodman and others. If the Falcon’s and Arthur Blank succeed in getting this new stadium with any taxpayer funding I’ll never spend a penny on anything NFL again. I would rather see the Falcon leave town. We could do better by hosting other events in the dome to bring in revenue.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 10th, 2012
7:09 am
My prediction, The NFL will outlive the dummycrat party.
Joel Edge
May 10th, 2012
7:15 am
I don’t think football is going anywhere or will significantly change. As you pointed out, it is violent in nature. Claims will be paid, new helmets will be trotted out, etc.
The drop in Nascar popularity is a coincidence, I think. It ain’t “stock car racing” anymore. Read an article a few weeks back, they’re going to try and emphasize the machines a little more and not so much the drivers. Try and bring back the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge days. Don’t know if that will work.
Baker
May 10th, 2012
7:15 am
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Falcons-Habitat-Keep-the-Dome/147025202029129
Save Falcons’ Habitat – Keep the Dome
Barman
May 10th, 2012
7:17 am
6-day bicycle racing was ten times more popular than baseball at the turn of the century! Major Taylor was making over a million dollars a year! Babe Ruth never came close to that!
dcb
May 10th, 2012
7:25 am
The only ones who benefit from all the lawsuits in this ridiculous litigious era of society are the lawyers. To say that the league knew of the dangers of the game in past decades and did little to protect the players very willing to put their heads on the line for the mega-bucks out there waiting, is like saying race car drivers and jockeys have similar arguments because conditions on a wet track or angles on the turns have suddenly been declared (by attorneys) more dangerous than prudent. Wonder when Obama will come out with his position on the matter. Oh I know – after consideration of which way the wind is blowing as dictated by the polls and discussion over the dinner table with his wife and daughters?????
Techfan
May 10th, 2012
7:48 am
The Georgia Dome opened in 1992. How do you dedicate 40 years of taxes to stadiums that evidentlly have a 20 year shelf life?
MarkV
May 10th, 2012
8:05 am
My prediction, People like I Report (-: You Whine ) will drown in their bile.
carlosgvv
May 10th, 2012
8:09 am
The human body is not designed to stand up to years of brutal football playing. While we 21st century folks like to think we’re light years away from those who enjoyed the carnage of the ancient Roman arenas, we may not be as far from that as we think. A totally safe football game would probably draw many less viewers than today’s knock down drag out offering.
As for the stadium, it is a waste of good money no matter how dangerous or safe football is.
sheepdawg
May 10th, 2012
8:26 am
Good article and subject , Kyle. But you failed to touch on the college level corruption brought on by big time athletics. The schools have lost control via athletic associations and demented alumni, thus outrageous $4-5 million contract have become the norm for coaches who bend the rules and manipulate teenagers all for the sake of fans and alumni (and money). Kids, sometime street thugs, with no inclination for secondary education take the coveted slots in our flagship state university, only to often bring disgrace to our schools through their lack of academic skills and/or criminal actions. College football is even more corrupt than the NFL. At least the NFL doesn’t hide its primary goals behind the secondary education of our young adults.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 10th, 2012
8:40 am
What a whackjob-
MarkV
May 10th, 2012
8:05 am
My prediction, People like I Report (-: You Whine ) will drown in their bile.
You mean “your hope is,” right?
Ward
May 10th, 2012
8:45 am
Lawyers are at the root of all skullduggery. And we’re making (and electing) more lawyers every day.
Jason
May 10th, 2012
8:54 am
Kyle’s comments about the NFL’s defacto minor league probably are the most important. NFL players, with a few exceptions, started playing when they were young children. With more and more data coming out about the dangers of playing football, expect fewer parents to allow their kids to play. How long will Pop Warner football exist when kids already more interested in video games than contact sports are prohibited by their parents from playing? While there will always be some who will encourage their kids to play, a reduction of half or more could cause the whole system to collapse. Many smaller high schools would have to drop football and the same would happen to smaller college programs. We’re not going to see UGA suddenly drop football but without kids starting to play at a young age, eventually the pipeline of talent will go dry.
The flip sid of this is that it probably will take decades to happen and as we’ve seen with the Georgia Dome, the expected life of an NFL stadium is about that long. The new Falcons stadium is likely to happen no matter what but it could indeed be the last one built.
wrestler
May 10th, 2012
8:58 am
Wrestling will always take the players anyway, right Mr. Dwayne Johnson. Football is losing its popularity anyway..too many premadonna’s messing it up nowadays.
Jason
May 10th, 2012
8:59 am
Another thing to ponder… apparently lacrosse has been gaining in popularity over the past few years. Could this be in response to the increasing amount of knowledge about the dangers of playing football? Lacrosse is also a collison sport and it certainly is possible to get hurt playing it but injuries are much less common, especially the type that give you a concussion. Though I must admit, I have a hard time ever seeing lacrosse becoming a major league type of sport but who knows. As Kyle pointed out, history has shown that these things can change rapidly. Remember how big the NBA was in the late 80s/early 90s?
Kyle Wingfield
May 10th, 2012
9:17 am
Techfan: The Dome’s bonds won’t be paid off until ~2017, so it would be then or afterward before taxes shifted toward a new stadium’s bonds — closer to 30 years than 40.
Your point still stands, just thought I’d put those facts out there.
Kyle Wingfield
May 10th, 2012
9:21 am
Jason @ 8:54: You might very well be right about the consequences being more relevant to any stadium built after the next one. If there is to be a trend away from football, we are (at most) at the very beginning of it; it’s impossible to know how quickly any changes would take place. But it’ll be five years or more before a new stadium opens, and I wonder how the picture might change even between now and then.
Edward
May 10th, 2012
9:24 am
Oh look! Kyle dodging Romney’s BLATANT LIE about the auto industry. Now, why would Kyle do such a thing, isn’t he “fair and balanced”? Kyle: just another pathetic sycophant.
BW
May 10th, 2012
9:34 am
Kyle
It’s interesting that you bring up the issue of taxpayer financed stadiums. This issue will never come up for a referendum. The Republican legislators already extended the hotel-motel tax for 30 years in 2010, providing up to $300 million in funding. If necessary, they would slap on a car rental tax to handle any additional funding tranche. As for football, there is simply too much money in the game right now. I don’t see that ending unless they decide to play touch football. The best thing for the league to do is to provide funding for a Medicare style program funded from the player’s checks to handle the aftermath of injuries especially traumatic ones. There are too many fresh bodies that are available each year for this to be a long term problem.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 10th, 2012
9:37 am
40 years of taxes for 20 years of dubious benefits.
This must have been schemed up by a Democrat.
real john
May 10th, 2012
9:37 am
Edward.
Get a life. Just another hateful, lib. This article HAS NOTHING TO DO with politics. Your probably one of the paid DNC bloggers who just can’t wait for one of Kyle’s articles to come out so you can spill your hate and lib talking points
Aquagirl
May 10th, 2012
9:37 am
Kyle dodging Romney’s BLATANT LIE about the auto industry.
Blogspot is ready when you are….wad your panties all you want for absolutely free.
Kyle Wingfield
May 10th, 2012
9:43 am
Aquagirl @ 9:37 +1,000
Intown
May 10th, 2012
9:49 am
Kyle raises valid points on the new stadium issue. Perhaps the hotel/motel tax revenue could be put to better use building other attractions — Peachtree Streetcar; accelerating the BeltLine; recruiting other big attractions such as museums of nation-wide interest or building a comprehensive civil rights attraction like Alabama did or like Boston did with its historic walks. Our leaders need to think bigger and more permanent than a billion dollar football stadium to replace one that is still fully functional and hasn’t been paid off yet.
Former Reagan Republican
May 10th, 2012
9:54 am
Kyle, This is rare, but I completely agree with you.Good read.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 10th, 2012
10:03 am
Look at the libs trying to bait us-
Orangutans Using iPads To Communicate At Zoos Across Country…
Obama’s Evolution Is Complete – Howard Kurtz, The Daily Beast
Too bad, we ain’t going there, just sayin…
JohnnyReb
May 10th, 2012
10:04 am
Let’s see….the Atlanta sewer and storm water drains need millions of dollars of repairs. Almost 100% of children in the Atlanta school system are on the free meal program. The roadways are so clogged it’s necessary to come up a scheme (TSPLOST) to transfer money from the South of town to the North to even begin to address the problems. Yet, the government fathers want to use tax money for a Falcons stadium. But not to worry, all those peskie issues listed above can be funded by federal grants. You know, more wealth transfer from the producers to the dummies.
When I watch NASCAR and they interview a driver, I actually understand every word they speak. Why is it when most NFL players are interviewed you need an interpreter? That just a side observation as the NFL did themselves in when they let Vick back in. As far as I’m concerned, they can play in a sand lot.
hryder
May 10th, 2012
10:07 am
Boxing should be illegal. The purpose is to render on opponent unable to stand erect for ten seconds or longer. When done outside of sanctioned events this is assault. Many techniques in football skills will, if accomplished, cause physical injuries that also would be assault away from the football fields. Have we evolved from events once held in Rome’s Colosseum?
JohnnyReb
May 10th, 2012
10:18 am
Amdendment to my 10:14 – I omitted the most pressing issue for Atlanta – water. But don’t worry, you can sit in the new Falcons stadium while you thirst to death.
pj
May 10th, 2012
10:24 am
News Flash:The middle class has been eradicated.The decent paying jobs have all been farmed out to places where the workers are cheap and plentiful and dont get benefits.No jobs,no money,no pastimes,no vacations,no paying customers.Duh.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 10th, 2012
10:28 am
pj, why can’t I get into a Longhorn steakhouse on Friday night if what you say is true?
ragnar danneskjold
May 10th, 2012
10:29 am
I am a baseball fan. Have not watched a complete football game in 25 years, although I did watch most of the Rams-Titan superbowl 10 years ago. This is a big issue for Rush and for football fans. I will pledge to not support any who would outlaw football, or boxing, or any other traditional male-only sport, but that libertarian view is about all the care I can muster.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
10:31 am
Not sure about your “death of football” posture, Kyle, but if the NFL isn’t careful, they could be impacted long-term by these injuries to the head. The problem, as has been pointed out, is that these injuries occur much earlier than even college or pro football, and based on recent studies, seem to be cumulative in their effect.
Imagine what happens to colleges and universities across the South, Midwest and West if they have to rely on a much smaller take from athletics if this progressive injury theory bears fruit. Look at all the big, dumb kids who will have no place to go but work in their local McDonalds for the rest of their lives. The liberal professor’s salaries that will have to be cut.
Armageddon as we know it.
Atlanta Thrashers Hockey Fan
May 10th, 2012
10:35 am
Turner Field > Any Falcons Stadium
Any Pile of Feces > Atlanta Spirit Group
Kyle Wingfield
May 10th, 2012
10:42 am
ragnar: I, too, would oppose the outlawing of football. The scenario I am describing — again, not predicting — is one in which the market would decide football was no longer an attractive career or product.
Tiberius: The key words in my first paragraph were “as we know it.” I doubt football, per se, will disappear; it just risks becoming a less appealing sport.
Atlanta Thrashers Hockey Fan
May 10th, 2012
10:43 am
Instead of wasting taxpayer dollars to build a new football stadium when we already have a perfectly-good Georgia Dome, why doesn’t the City of Atlanta build a giant toilet bowl (with real flushing action) to host all the visiting cars for Freak-Nik?
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
10:52 am
I know, Kyle. But for many people, the dramatic hits are secondary to the execution of a good play, either offensively or defensively.
But I don’t see the NFL as a whole becoming the Pro Bowl, either.
Even with minor adjustments beginning early in a kid’s football life, the game can be made safer and still keep the excitement that brings fans into stadiums today well into the future.
iggy
May 10th, 2012
10:54 am
The Falcons are a group of losers and dont deserve a new stadium. Begin winning some Superbowls then we may discuss a new stadium. Otherwise, get out of Atlanta.
Curious George
May 10th, 2012
10:59 am
Will Arthur Blank save Georgia taxpayers some money by getting us his “founder discount” on building materials from HOME DEPOT stores to use in building his new football palace at our expense?
Curious George
May 10th, 2012
11:00 am
Oh, you mean Arthur Blank doesn’t want to use the same, cheap, low-quality, poorly-made-in-China-with-toxic-residue tools and equipment on his new stadium that he became billionaire in peddling to us for decades?
getalife
May 10th, 2012
11:02 am
Our President called willard’s lie about saving our auto industry one of willard’s etch and sketch moments.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
11:03 am
To say that you have some serious issues, Curious George, would be an understatement.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
May 10th, 2012
11:08 am
Mittens was a bully? Well, we kind of expected that, didn’t we?
We need to bang this drum for a week or two, minimum.
iggy
May 10th, 2012
11:14 am
Finn, the liberal, UnCool needs to visit woodruff park, pickup some homeless patients and move them into his house.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
May 10th, 2012
11:15 am
That took guts for Obama to tell the truth yesterday.
Really looks like Mitt doesn’t have any stones, doesn’t it? He can’t/won’t stand up for ANYTHING he believes in that doesn’t conform to the right wing agenda. And when he does state a belief in something it’s likely to change in a week or so.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
11:17 am
Is it possible, getaclue and Finn McCool, to have a thread go through two pages before you losers try to hijack it?
I realize that DNC talking points don’t cover local issues, but Kyle actually does.
td
May 10th, 2012
11:28 am
Finn McCool,
Yes, Obama came out and said he personally believes should be able to marry. Then he hedged his bets by saying it is up to the states to decide marriage law. In other words, I want the gays (who are 1 and 6 of my major money bundelers) to continue to bring in money to my campaign but I am telling African Americans (who the majority oppose gay marriage) that you can still block the gays by voting with the social conservatives in your states.
Real guts alright.
Don't Tread
May 10th, 2012
11:30 am
I think the decline in NASCAR attendance is due to the economy, not increases in driver safety. Nobody wants to see drivers get killed. NFL may be the same way.
However, if the blue-collar jobs keep getting exported at the rate they’re going, they’ll need to replace all the seats with skyboxes because no one else will be able to afford to attend.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
11:33 am
Can’t we all just admit that maybe NASCAR is suffering a reduction in attendance because people are finally wising up to the fact that watching cars go around a track in one direction for hours on end might possibly be the most boring “sport” of all time?
@@
May 10th, 2012
11:48 am
Don’t watch football. There’s so many bodies flying around, I can’t keep up with the object of their obsession. They’re paid by “the pound”, are they not?
Put ‘em on a diet to reduce impact.
Change? I confess…there’s something about watching a bull rider in a helmet with face guard that just doesn’t do it for me.
Real men wear felt.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
May 10th, 2012
11:59 am
If football doesn’t work out we can use the stadium for professional Ultimate Frisbee!
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/ultimate-frisbee-pro/story?id=16135771
yuzeyurbrane
May 10th, 2012
12:05 pm
Touch football anyone? I suppose Kyle’s story could play its way out—after all we no longer have real gladiators or Christians fight wild animals or each other to the death and even bullfighting is on a trend of being outlawed in many places that it has traditionally been. One could (and many have) argue that American football is a descendent of these 2 violent and quite popular sporting activities. My own view is willing to assume that football will remain immensely popular but that Artie Blank should build his own stadium with his own money if he wants to make even bigger revenues and if he does not like that but takes his marbles and goes to another city then just fine. After all, the full bells and whistles mega-stadium is just a stage prop for a massive tv event. I can continue to live just fine watching it on tv wherever the stage is set.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
May 10th, 2012
12:09 pm
Just remove the roof from the Georgia Dome. Stupid to play football in doors in Georgia, anyway.
Call it the Georgia UnDomed.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
May 10th, 2012
12:17 pm
House Armed Services Committee Passes $642 Billion Defense Bill, Ignores Pentagon’s Cost-Saving Request
Fiscal conservatives my arse. You have ALL been conned and you don’t even know it.
Hillbilly D
May 10th, 2012
12:22 pm
Can’t we all just admit that maybe NASCAR is suffering a reduction in attendance because people are finally wising up to the fact that watching cars go around a track in one direction for hours on end might possibly be the most boring “sport” of all time?
I’d disagree with that. I’m sure that the way some folks see racing but a lot of others don’t To each their own. In my opinion, the reason racing is losing popularity is because those running the sport made some very poor decisions. Back in the golden era, late 60’s to late 70’s the emphasis was on winning races, rather than championships. That made each event, a stand-alone event, of sorts. You had teams who had no interest in the championship and showed up just to win that race. That made for more competitive racing because the “Big Picture” that they like to talk about was to win the race. The sport started to get more popular in the early 80’s but it was a double edged sword. NASCAR, in it’s quest to expand, catered to the new folks, who largely were just looking at the latest trendy thing. That continued on and what has happened is that they alienated the people who were actually race fans. So, in their infinite wisdom, the France family created today’s problems. The trendy people have moved on to the next trendy thing and the old time race fans no longer have any interest. Bad decisions, is what caused their problems.
On concussions, I’ve had some and they’re no fun and the effects never completely go away. Football in the last couple decades, has marketed “the Big Hit”. How many times do you see a player miss a tackle because rather than wrap a guy up, he’s going for “the Big Hit”. Of course, the NFL uses this in all their marketing, so the chickens are coming home to roost there. I think, both the competition and the safety of the players would benefit from getting back to playing sound, fundamental football and dropping the assassin mentality, which the NFL has promoted in the chase for the almight $$.
As for us being no different from the Romans and their gladiators, of course we aren’t. Basic human nature never changes. Every generation thinks it’s the most modern and enlightened, from now back to the beginning of time. We have a lot more accumulated knowledge now but people are no smarter or refined now than they’ve ever been or ever will be. True we don’t burn people at the stake anymore; we’ve just grown more slick in how we abuse each other.
Shamese
May 10th, 2012
12:29 pm
Story over on the WSB website this morning about the sport of Drifting, which apparently has a big following here in Atlanta. Seems the idea is to accelerate your car to high speed then cut the wheels so that it skids around. To each their own.
Anyway, in case the NFL fades as Kyle suggests we have a fallback plan for our new stadium – a Drifting venue, plus there’s always the tractor pull and monster truck events. A retractable roof would be ideal for the exhaust fumes.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
May 10th, 2012
12:39 pm
Each sport has nuances that fascinate different folks – racing has its nuances, soccer has its, etc.
Some people love baseball for the small things that happen but aren’t supposed to. Others just see a sport involving throwing a ball, hitting a ball, and catching a ball.
@@
May 10th, 2012
12:39 pm
after all we no longer have real gladiators or Christians fight wild animals or each other to the death
Maybe no gladiators…we do have fishermen who go after big game fish…some weighing over 1,000 pounds…the fish, not the men.
jconservative
May 10th, 2012
1:20 pm
Changing the subject to Congress and today’s scheduled vote on spending:
“The bill up for a vote Thursday would save about $310 billion over 10 years and is designed to help offset a scheduled $550 billion cut to the Defense Department that was set in motion by last year’s failure of the bipartisan deficit-reduction “supercommittee.”
Help me on this guys. Cuts of $550. billion are going to go into effect if no one does anything. If this bill passes the House and Senate the cuts would be reduced to $310. billion. So passing the bill is increasing the already out of sight deficit by $240. billion. Right?
Now I am real sure if the defense of the country is at stake, as some claim, then every real American would be happy to see a special defense tax taken out of his paycheck starting next month. Right?
Right!
@@
May 10th, 2012
1:40 pm
I have no problem with cutting Defense, however, both Panetta and Hillary have expressed concern with the “the trigger”.
Panetta said the Pentagon is prepared to make $350 billion in cuts over the next 10 years, as agreed by Congress. But he warned of dangers to the national defense if bigger reductions are required.
The recent deficit compromise reached between the White House and Congress set up a special bipartisan committee to draft legislation to find more government cuts. If the committee cannot agree on a deficit-reduction plan by year’s end or if Congress rejects its proposal, it would trigger some $500 billion in additional reductions in projected national security spending.
“This kind of massive cut across the board, which would literally double the number of cuts that we’re confronting, that would have devastating effects on our national defense; it would have devastating effects on certainly the State Department,” Panetta said.
Clinton said Americans should understand that in addition to preserving military strength, it is in the nation’s security interests to maintain the State Department’s role in diplomacy and development. She suggested that the political stalemate over spending cuts has put that in jeopardy.
Maybe it’s a compromise.
A vent:
Zoo chimp makes elaborate plots to attack humans
At first Santino was famous for throwing rocks and other projectiles at visitors who annoyed him. Now he has improved his technique, which requires spontaneous innovation for future deception. Researcher Mathias Osvath, lead author of a paper about Santino in PLoS ONE, explained what the clever chimp did:
“After a visitor group had left the compound area, Santino went inside the enclosure and brought a good-sized heap of hay that he placed near the visitor’s section, and immediately after that he put stones under it,” Osvath said.
“He also appeared to have placed projectiles behind, just before he went in after the hay. After this, he sat down beside the hay and waited. When the visitors came back, he waited until they were close by and, without any preceding display, he threw stones at the crowd.”
Why I have an aversion to monkeys/primates/apes….what-EVAH!!!
@@
May 10th, 2012
1:53 pm
Could it/he be any more obvious!!??!!
WASHINGTON — President Obama’s campaign sought on Thursday to capitalize on his new declaration of support for same-sex marriage to raise money while characterizing Mitt Romney as intolerant on the issue, even as top Republicans tried to shift the political conversation back to the economy.
Mr. Obama sent out an e-mail appeal to his supporters labeled “Marriage” that asked for campaign donations following an interview on Wednesday in which he revealed his personal beliefs about the divisive social issue.
“I believe that in the eyes of the law, all Americans should be treated equally. And where states enact same-sex marriage, no federal act should invalidate them,” Mr. Obama wrote. “If you agree, you can stand up with me here.”–NYTimes
Now I’m just embarrassed for him.
iggy
May 10th, 2012
1:58 pm
Dept of Education needs to be abolished as an offset for more $$$ for the military.
iggy
May 10th, 2012
2:02 pm
Obama endorses gay marriage, however, its a States Rights issue. Could one be more shallow?
Then there is “Hoof in mouth” disease, Biden.
getalife
May 10th, 2012
2:05 pm
“House Armed Services Committee Passes $642 Billion Defense Bill, Ignores Pentagon’s Cost-Saving Request” aol.
You cons got punked on spending.
willard wants to increase it.
getalife
May 10th, 2012
2:08 pm
Now it is your turn cons.
We will discriminate against you.
Karma.
Edward
May 10th, 2012
2:14 pm
So when I point out Kyle’s (and the rest of you) convenient silence on Mitten’s BLATANT LIE, I’m accused of hijacking the thread. But, then you “conservatives” change the subject and it is just dandy and fair game. Man, you people are pathetically transparent. BTW, I don’t subscribe to anyone else’s “talking points”, I will point out hypocrisy and LIES wherever they may originate. But, the ones from you people are just so glaring and obvious. And yes, Kyle is a pathetic sycophant.
Ayn Rant
May 10th, 2012
2:17 pm
Professional football has become just another Big Business with the overpaid, underperforming executives and customer rip-offs.
I’d like to see professional football and baseball totally revised so that the players are trained, recruited, and hired in the metro area attached to the team name. For example, the Atlanta team would be managed in Atlanta, by Atlanta area residents, and the players would have been recruited from Atlanta area schools and colleges. Then, when Atlanta plays Los Angeles, we could be rooting for true Atlantans and not a hodge-podge of overpaid prima donnas from God know where.
It would also be great if the players performed shirtless, in skimpy shorts only, with no silly costumes and heavy gear.
md
May 10th, 2012
2:18 pm
As long as there are big bucks involved, people will play.
Boxing went from pure boxing to no holds barred kick the crap out of them “boxing” because the money is there.
They can’t all play the same sport and expect to make the team……and the money.
getalife
May 10th, 2012
2:21 pm
“ROBIN ROBERTS: Mitt Romney just said that he deserves credit for the revival of the U.S. auto industry.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: (laughs)
ROBERTS: How do you respond to that?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you know I think this is one of those Etch-A-Sketch moments. I don’t think anybody takes that seriously. People remember his position which was “let’s let Detroit go bankrupt.” So, had we followed his advice, at that time, GM and Chrysler would have gone under, and we would have lost probably a million jobs throughout the midwest.”
Owned.
claytondawg
May 10th, 2012
2:37 pm
@JohnnyReb. Great post concerning Atlanta’s infrastructure and education. I’m a huge football fan and a former teacher of 35 years. Somehow, a new stadium will be built; however, the state of education in GA will stagnate for many more years.
Dusty
May 10th, 2012
3:15 pm
Well, for a country that is uptight over smoking and over eating, it does seem that using your head for a battering ram might have been noticed. But it wasn’t. Not in football.
It was noticed at our house. No sons were allowed to play football. No concussions at our house. Parental oversight is a wonderful thing.
Kyle is rightfully worried about outdated football in a new expensive stadium. Stupendous cost for a shaky future. He is quite correct in reminding us of the cost and human damage..
Use your heads for thinking, not beating them into a clogged conundrum for a blown up pigskin party.. .
Dusty
May 10th, 2012
3:18 pm
Getalife,
Did you play a lot of football when you were younger?
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 10th, 2012
3:31 pm
Proctor & Gamble Moves Headquarters from U.S. to Singapore
——–
Singapore isn’t hostile to business, job creation, and profit.
Dusty
May 10th, 2012
3:32 pm
Hillbilly D @ 12:22
You say you have had some concussions. Must not have been many ’cause you obviously have no bad effects.
Maybe it’s all those home grown ‘maters you eat. All of them grown in good mountain soil and full of vitamins & minerals! Now that’s a cure for many things.
fitzgerald
May 10th, 2012
3:39 pm
Nobody makes the guys play the game of football. Perhaps it is money that glazes over eyes and blocks the brain from thinking that it will, one day, be turned into mush.
GT
May 10th, 2012
4:08 pm
No joy in Mudville…
Awesome....
May 10th, 2012
4:09 pm
Ah…. politics, sports and money. These are all great topics to write about.
Wouldn’t mind seeing you delve into that section of the newspaper and talk about the business of sports, too.
Bradley and Schultz better watch out!
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 10th, 2012
4:27 pm
Now you see it, now you don’t-
“Well, party platform issues are for the party to decide,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said when asked if Obama would call for the repeal of DOMA and endorsement of pro-gay marriage language in the party platform. “That process is underway, and I refer you to the DNC on the question about the platform.”
Looks like he might be devolving, hahahaha, suckas.
carlosgvv
May 10th, 2012
4:32 pm
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!
and take the braves with you
the red herring
May 10th, 2012
4:42 pm
kyle–while i am not sure of all the ins and outs of financing something like the proposed stadium, i am
against so much taxpayer funding of all these type investments. I would agree that some incentives and some selling of bonds would probably be o.k. but to be financing arenas, etc. 5 to 15 yrs longer than their life expectancy is foolishness. i am not sure about how the proceeds of tickets are used but it would seem to me to be prudent to put a $5/ticket surcharge on each ticket on every event held in that arena in order to lessen the amount of time necessary to pay for it. after it is paid for if it is still being used then they could drop the surcharge. just a thought.
Jefferson
May 10th, 2012
5:03 pm
This makes a 2nd mortgage interest deduction look tame as far as wellfare for the well heeled.
Don Abernethy
May 10th, 2012
5:35 pm
Over the years I have lost interest in professional sports. They are very much overpaid. It would not bother me at all if professional sports were discontinued. I will not pay the price they want for tickets. I can find better ways to use my time.
@@
May 10th, 2012
5:43 pm
The House approved the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act in a party-line vote of 218-199. The bill reduces the deficit by 243 billion dollars in 10 years, and would serve as a Republican marker for post-election budget talks with the White House. It overrides the sequester that’s going into effect next year, a 600- billion-dollar cut on defense programs after a bipartisan panel failed to find ways to slash 1.2 trillion dollars of spending over the next decade.
“We believe the purpose of the sequester was to replace the fact that Congress isn’t governing,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan during the opening debate on the bill. “That’s why we’re doing this.”
It’s getting difficult to figure out who’s on offense and who’s on defense. Always butting heads.
Maybe we oughta put ‘em all on a football field. Gridiron instead of gridlock.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
6:07 pm
Edward, let me point out something to you. If you want a column written about what you perceive to be a lie on Mitt Romney’s part, I suggest you find someone who would be willing to pay you for the rather juvenile tripe you might write. Otherwise, I suggest you deal with the fact that Kyle has both obligations of his own, and particular interests that probably disagree with yours.
In short, sod off, son.
carlosgvv
May 10th, 2012
6:24 pm
Tiberius – 6:07
Are you the umpire here now?
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
6:28 pm
No, carlos, just setting reasonable expectations for Edward.
@@
May 10th, 2012
6:33 pm
I now know why I was banned. Another aJcBlog columnist saw me as a bully when actually, I was intervening to stop a blog bully.
A sacrifice I don’t regret.
Weird things going on over <——— there.
@@
May 10th, 2012
6:34 pm
…to the left.
(ISH)
Dusty
May 10th, 2012
6:51 pm
@@ 6:34
Sounds like Bookman and josef are running a mild feud over there. I think both of them are enjoying it. Just to fuss. .
The subject is Bachmann who faded from the spotlight long ago but she is a Republican. Maybe Bookman keeps a hit list and forgot to upgrade it.
@@
May 10th, 2012
6:57 pm
Dusty:
I’m not allowed to mention “his” name. Based on what I’ve read, it’s more than that. It went from Bachmann’s dual citizenship to Romney’s bullying episode in high school. Even many of his loyal followers have told him it’s a non-issue.
Now shhhhhhh.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans continue to express near-record-low confidence in newspapers and television news — with no more than 25% of Americans saying they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in either. These views have hardly budged since falling more than 10 percentage points from 2003-2007.–Gallup
(IW&SH)
Aquagirl
May 10th, 2012
7:09 pm
No, carlos, just setting reasonable expectations for Edward.
Tiberius was much nicer than I was.
Blog drift is one thing, that happens in real conversations. You start talking about the weather and somehow end up somewhere else, like the Geologist’s Riots of 1837. Kyle, on the other hand, writes about a current topic of his choice. DEMANDING Kyle write about your pet peeve of the day is incredible @$$hattery. You think it’s so important, honey, nobody’s stopping you. What, you don’t have the audience he does? Well golly gee, maybe he knows something you don’t.
I think the Edwards of the world rush through their Cheerios every morning, composing all sorts of brilliant, witty observations they just can’t WAIT to share about the Geologist Riots of 1837, or whatever bug is up their bum. When they rush to Kyle’s blog and—-gasp!—that’s not the topic! something snaps.
These are the same folks that barge into a real-world conversation at a party and 10 minutes later the entire group has evaporated. And they never understand why.
@@
May 10th, 2012
7:21 pm
I can’t stay on topic…it’s FOOTBALL…about which I know little.
There’s a ball, referees and players. The field is divided into five yard stretches totalling 100? There’s a scrimmage thingy. The offensive team’s goal is to push the ball over the scrimmage thingy. The defensive team’s goal is to prevent them from gaining a specified amount of yardage within a certain number of plays. If they can’t, the punter team comes in and kicks the ball away.
A field goal gets ‘em three points, and a touchdown gets ‘em…..
Oh crap!
Somethin’ gets ‘em two points…but I’m pretty sure it’s not a touchdown.
Hillbilly D
May 10th, 2012
7:51 pm
@@
This might help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I42JIgfnMYE
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
8:06 pm
Well, I look at it this way, folks.
The more drivel Bookman writes the less chance his malcontent adolescents have of coming over here to bother the grown ups.
Wingnut
May 10th, 2012
8:27 pm
It’s Bush’s fault.
@@
May 10th, 2012
8:35 pm
“What it was Was FOOTBALL”
Too funny, Hillbilly.
I’m determined not to google. 7 pts for a touchdown? 2 pts for a touchback…a safety sump’n other?
Hillbilly D
May 10th, 2012
8:49 pm
@@
You’re close. Touchdown is 6 points. Kick the extra point makes it 7 or 2 point conversion (run or pass ball in) makes it 8 points. A safety, getting tackled in your own end zone, is 2 points. A touchback is no points, you just bring the ball out to the 20 yard line. I prefer baseball, myself, a run is a run is a run.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 10th, 2012
9:06 pm
Kick the ball in between the uprights, it’s 3 points.
Not trying to confuse things, @@.
Hillbilly D
May 10th, 2012
9:15 pm
IRYW
Yeah I forgot that.
Dusty
May 10th, 2012
9:41 pm
Looks like footfall might be interesting after all. Is that possible?
That’s all I’m gonna say before Aquagirl tells me I busted up the party.
@@
May 10th, 2012
10:09 pm
A safety, getting tackled in your own end zone, is 2 points.
Thank goodness I got one right…sorta.
a run is a run is a run.
And eight seconds is eight seconds. OUCH!
G’nite.
Mitt Romney The Bully Begs Another Look at His Future
May 10th, 2012
10:24 pm
Mitt Romney Bullying: Classmate Says High-School Behavior Was Like ‘Lord Of The Flies’
A window into Romney’s soul.
The reality of the current way in which we pick presidents is that virtually everything you have done in your life is fair game.
Mitt Romney The Bully Begs Another Look at His Future
May 10th, 2012
10:27 pm
@@@
May 10th, 2012
1:53 pm
Could it/he be any more obvious!!??!!
WASHINGTON — President Obama’s campaign sought on Thursday to capitalize on his new declaration of support for same-sex marriage to raise money while characterizing Mitt Romney as intolerant on the issue, even as top Republicans tried to shift the political conversation back to the economy.
Mr. Obama sent out an e-mail appeal to his supporters labeled “Marriage” that asked for campaign donations following an interview on Wednesday in which he revealed his personal beliefs about the divisive social issue.
“I believe that in the eyes of the law, all Americans should be treated equally. And where states enact same-sex marriage, no federal act should invalidate them,” Mr. Obama wrote. “If you agree, you can stand up with me here.”–NYTimes
Now I’m just embarrassed for him.
**************************************************************************
ARE YOU EMBARRASSED FOR MITT ROMNEY BEING A BULLY????????????
Mitt Romney The Bully Begs Another Look at His Future
May 10th, 2012
10:30 pm
@iggy
May 10th, 2012
2:02 pm
Obama endorses gay marriage, however, its a States Rights issue. Could one be more shallow?
Then there is “Hoof in mouth” disease, Biden.
*********************************************************************
Then there is “Mitt Witt the BULLY.
Lord of the CON Flies.
heeheeheeheeheeheeheehee
getalife
May 10th, 2012
10:35 pm
You cons carry their water and not hold them accountable and they do it again:
“J.P. Morgan Flags a
$2 Billion Trading Loss
J.P. Morgan has taken $2 billion in trading losses in the past six weeks and could face an additional $1 billion in second-quarter losses due to market volatility” WSJ
Mitt Romney The Bully Begs Another Look at His Future
May 10th, 2012
10:36 pm
@I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin…
May 10th, 2012
4:27 pm
Now you see it, now you don’t-
“Well, party platform issues are for the party to decide,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said when asked if Obama would call for the repeal of DOMA and endorsement of pro-gay marriage language in the party platform. “That process is underway, and I refer you to the DNC on the question about the platform.”
Looks like he might be devolving, hahahaha, suckas.
***************************************************************************************
Looks like MITT WITT the BULLY MIGHT BE devolving, hahahaha, SUCKAS.
KARMA IS A ???????????????????
heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheheehhe
Mitt Romney The Bully Begs Another Look at His Future
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
@Tiberius – Banned from Bookman’s and proud of it!
May 10th, 2012
8:06 pm
Well, I look at it this way, folks.
The more drivel Bookman writes the less chance his malcontent adolescents have of coming over here to bother the grown ups.
*****************************************************************
For the record…….
On any given day BOOKMAN has more bloggers than WINGFIELD.
hmmmmmmmm
I WONDER WHY?
Could it be??????
Or maybe its????
Bookman is a fair Political commentator.
Wingfield is an obvious biased conservative Political commentator who
has a following of EXTREMIST RACIST BLOGGERS.
Tiberius - Banned from Bookman's and proud of it!
May 11th, 2012
5:46 am
While there are many things JB can be accused of, being fair isn’t one of them.
And number of bloggers don’t mean a thing, if all they post is the same crap over and over again.
Kinda like when you call Kyle’s bloggers racist or extreme. Repeating accusations, without providing proof, is similar to listening to some whiner in kindergarten.
@@
May 11th, 2012
6:30 am
On any given day BOOKMAN has more bloggers than WINGFIELD.
That one always amuses me. It’s as if they, in some way, benefit…live vicariously thru. Does he share his paycheck with ‘em? Are they carried on his health care plan? Invited to attend local galas as his guest? When he’s invited to speak as a panel guest, does he take them along? Introduce them as his inspiration?
Too funny!
@@
May 11th, 2012
6:42 am
It’s kinda like “My daddy can beat up your daddy.” Difference being…Kyle’s participants don’t view Him as THEIR daddy.
Thanks for the early morning chuckle, Beggar.
Payton34
May 11th, 2012
7:38 am
It is often cited how many companies in the Fortune 500 at time x are no longer around today. I would like to know if those companies have been made part of another company – they would know longer show up as an independent company, but to say they no longer exist is not really accurate.
iggy
May 11th, 2012
7:40 am
“Then there is “Mitt Witt the BULLY.
Lord of the CON Flies.”
That the best ya got? Oh my, pitiful.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 11th, 2012
7:43 am
Welcome back to Kindergarten, America-
Romney is a bully! Romney is a bully! He’s mean! He’s mean! Blah, blah, blah, blah. Where’s my mommy? No teacher, that isn’t my diaper you smell. I didn’t do it, Tommy did. The dog ate my homework. Vote for obozo! allah akbar!
iggy
May 11th, 2012
8:12 am
Funny thing, the RomneyBully story has no legs and seems its BS. LMAO, once again the libTards make a stupid blunder.
Mitt Romney The Bully Begs Another Look at His Future
May 11th, 2012
8:23 am
@Tiberius – Banned from Bookman’s and proud of it!
May 11th, 2012
5:46 am
@@@
May 11th, 2012
6:30 am
6:42 am
@iggy
May 11th, 2012
7:40 am
@I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin…
May 11th, 2012
7:43 am
******************************************************************
GOOD MORNING TO:
The BULLY HE-MAN LIBERALS HATERS CLUB
HATE WAKES UP EARLY IN THE MORNING.
heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 11th, 2012
8:52 am
“Barack Obama,” Bill Clinton said, according to book excerpts, “is an amateur.”
No offense meant towards any amateurs who might read this, sorry!
sirwinston
May 11th, 2012
8:58 am
We have all got it! Football has seen its last real purpose. Money, crimes and mostly fanfair is all what it has become. Real grass, mud, rain, wind has been the glory days and fans sit and watch every second until the clock ran down. Some fans are happy and some are not…but you could not keep them away from their favorite teams! To much about making money from the cities, counties and its people torn the whole thing about football completely the other way. Parking, tickets, food, drinks, etc., made this came call sporting crash before our very eyes. Now we are into building a new stadium with retractable roof where it can accomodate thousands upon thousand of people with all of the bells and so many other things with the tax payers holding the bills to pay for water, electrical and anything that the stadium has to pay for including all of the ceo’s and player’s salaries. Now, it is just like having a credit card, using it but not paying off the final bill and when that happen; they try to up the prices for everything that goes with the stadium to make up for their lost. Football has no place now in our lives; it is all about how much money that can be made from having teams playing it. The game itself has lost all of its potential and what we should be seeing we are not and what we should be getting we are not. Let the owners and its CEOs, Board Members and all of the Players pay for the stadium and everything goes with it; we will just stay home and perhaps watch it on the TV if we are interested; we are not crazy about it because we get nothing in return. Atlanta is the wrose place for all sporting events; it is located in all of the same distance with poor parking and high prices and yet, they want to draw you down town, and what crazy people fall for it just to say they went to those events and don’t have money for gas or food the next day! Who actually benefit from your hard earn dollars are the CEOs Owner, City, Players because you are actually paying for your rental seat you sit in because the next game, have you notice you are sitting where else while the CEOs and Owner continue to sit and live it up in their football condos at the very high level looking down on you while they eat, drink their free stuff that your money is paying for…………did you all know that? Don’t forget about parking if you can find a place to do it. Traps are easy to set; but once you are traped, it is not easy getting out of it and you might find youself paying $200.00 for one football game and don’t even get your worth of it because of all of the small things put into this so called sporting event!
clyde
May 11th, 2012
9:08 am
Football has no future with me.It doesn’t have a past either.
Morning Reads: Friday 5/11/12 Edition — Peach Pundit
May 11th, 2012
9:32 am
[...] Wingfield wonders if taxpayers are about to buy a new stadium at the peak of the NFL’s earning power. Anyone else here buy a state of the art mcmansion in 2007? How’s that working out for [...]
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
May 11th, 2012
9:39 am
“The family of John Lauber is releasing a statement saying the portrayal of John is factually incorrect and we are aggrieved that he would be used to further a political agenda. There will be no more comments from the family,” she said.
Yep, the people running our great country.
Any wonder we have no hope?
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
May 11th, 2012
9:52 am
For a story not having any legs, let’s count how many posts defending Romnay since it broke…..
mwuahahahahahahaah
Double D
May 11th, 2012
10:17 am
Maybe this is the opening soccer has been praying for……..
King Hardware
May 11th, 2012
10:18 am
What the heck is “mwuaha??”
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
May 11th, 2012
10:34 am
No offense to you personally, but soccer blows.
Morning Reads: Friday 5/11/12 Edition
May 11th, 2012
10:43 am
[...] Wingfield wonders if taxpayers are about to buy a new stadium at the peak of the NFL’s earning power. Anyone else here buy a state of the art mcmansion in 2007? How’s that working out for [...]
Hillbilly D
May 11th, 2012
11:18 am
Peyton34 @ 7:38
Good point. Commercial Travelers Savings Bank, formed in Atlanta in 1891, is still around as part of Sun Trust. Also notice that they became tied in with Coca-Cola, early on.
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1746
The Georgia Railroad and Banking Company of the 1830’s has also carried on, although it isn’t in the RR business anymore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Railroad_and_Banking_Company
DebbieDoRight - A Do Right Woman
May 11th, 2012
12:24 pm
Good article Kyle! Very insightful and it makes you think. I do believe though that whether the citizens of Atlanta & the state of Georgia wants one or not, a stadium is on the way. Sad, but true.
========================
why doesn’t the City of Atlanta build a giant toilet bowl (with real flushing action) to host all the visiting cars for Freak-Nik?
Freak-Nik? The last one was in 1997. Maybe what you’ve been watching all these years was just a bunch of local horny college kids, and not some out of town horny colleg kids, fooling around.
Edward
May 11th, 2012
1:18 pm
It is obvious Kyle’s orders from above were to write about ANYTHING other than Mitten’s blatant lie about the auto industry bailouts. Kyle received his talking point orders and his minions rally around to make sure they hold. Pathetic, all of you.