Run, B-Mac, run

I can't argue too much with this list, but I think Derek Fine belongs on it somewhere. He caught a touchdown pass and had a superb block that extended Reesing's long run.

October 21, 2007 at 8:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Boycott of KU-MU game urged

The Neverves have a lot of nerve. This year's football program is setting attendance records that directly benefit their business, and they're organizing a boycott! KU plays seven games in Lawrence both this year and next. If KU loses to MU this year because more MU fans are at the game and it becomes an MU home game, that won't help attendance at next year's games, now will it? This is extremely stupid, and I would urge everyone to avoid their bar and any other merchant who takes part in this boycot.

September 22, 2007 at 10:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Uniforms tweaked again

We should get rid of the red stripe on the helmet now. I really like the single helmet stripe, but it's a classic football look. It won't fit with the oh-so-cute trajan design.

July 19, 2007 at 12:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Workin' double time

Well, jross, we just have different ideas about commitment, and that isn't going to change. I stand by my statement that an unwillingness to marry shows a lack of commitment, in any meaningful, binding sense of the word. A man who hasn't married hasn't opened himself up to legal liability should he walk out. ("Half!" as Eddie Murphy used to say.) Perhaps he'll stick around, but to equate that in any way to marriage is just utterly wrong.

Since we aren't changing each other's minds, I'm going to call it quits here. I'm sure you have many fine qualities, but stay away from my sister. Cheers.

June 6, 2007 at 10:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Workin' double time

jross: Your statistic about cohabitors is meaningless without further data. From what I can tell, it looks like the 55 percent of cohabitors who eventually get married start out with a lack of commitment and then decide to make a commitment. It would be interesting to know how many of those got married because they had a child and the male partner decided to step up and be a man. Also, it's interesting to note that 75 percent of cohabitors "plan" to marry but only 55 percent do so. It looks like 20 percent realized that they didn't have any real commitment and decided to bail.

Your anecdotes about cohabitors who stay together for many years are just that-anecdotes. You jump from two to "millions of others." That's quite a leap. What do you have to say about the mountain of research that shows illegitimacy to be a major contributor to crime and other social problems?

It seems to me that you're the one who is just wrong. Sorry.

June 6, 2007 at 2:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Workin' double time

jross: Some gay relationships last a lifetime, others don't. Lesbians are much more likely to have lasting relationships than gay men, and the reason is simple: there's no male sex drive in a lesbian relationship.

Marriage developed as an institution (across vastly different cultures) with the purpose of binding men to their children and their children's mothers. This institution was necessary because, frankly, we men like to wander. Many things have eroded the institution in recent years, such as no-fault divorce and the removal of the stigma against men who impregnate women and then don't marry them. The consequences for society have been devastating: Children from broken or unformed families are much more likely to commit crimes and much less likely to finish high school or college. This holds true across socio-economic lines.

I admitted that I don't know the details of Jeff's situation. But if-IF-he's refusing to marry his son's mother, then his actions will have negative consequences for his "girlfriend," his son, and society. Mav may be heroic and overcome those consequences, but his father is putting him at a disadvantage (again, IF Jeff's not planning to marry Mav's mother).

My Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines "commitment" as "an agreement or pledge to do something in the future." Taking jobs to support one's offspring is a very good thing, but it's not an agreement or pledge to do anything in the future. Getting married is. You obviously don't have a problem with what Jeff seems to be doing, and we'll just have to disagree on that, but please don't abuse the word "commitment" by applying to this situation.

June 5, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Workin' double time

The 50 percent divorce rate is an urban legend (truthorfiction.com/rumors/d/divorce.htm). But even if you're going to argue that marriage is not a sign of commitment, an unwillingness to marry is certainly a sign of LACK of commitment on any long-term basis. It speaks volumes when a person says he's "committed" but isn't willng to make that "commitment" a legal issue, to stand before witnesses and promise himself to the mother of his child for life. She has to know that he can leave anytime he wants and legally owe her nothing more than child support. Believe me, Mav will grow up knowing that, too.

I appreciate that Jeff is working two jobs, and for all I know he wants to marry this girl and she's the one holding things up. But if that's not the case, then he should be ashamed of himself for not doing right by this woman and Mav.

June 5, 2007 at 2:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Workin' double time

jross: You say he's made a deep level of commitment, but where's the evidence for that? He may be committed to being there now, but without a wedding he's made no commitment for the future. This is important because in any family the romance, the kids' cuteness, and the fun will ebb and flow. Without a long-term, binding commitment, it's too easy to walk away during the difficult times-and broken families are a root cause of almost every social pathology facing America. Honestly, as much as I liked Jeff as a KU player, I'm not sure I would as an employer hire him. His unwillingness to commit for life to the mother of his child shows a level of selfishness that I'm not sure I'd want in an employee.

June 4, 2007 at 10:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Workin' double time

231: If he's not marrying her, then he's not "stepping up and taking responsibility." What he's doing is leaving open the option of abandoning her and Mav in the future-and that's true regardless of what year the calendar says it is. I liked Jeff as a KU player and I'm rooting for him to make the most of his life; part of that is being a man and doing right by this girl.

June 4, 2007 at 2:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Workin' double time

sss4ever: You have a very loose definition of "committed." If he doesn't put a ring on her finger, then he's not committed to her in any meaningful, long-term way. Be a man, Jeff, and marry the mother of your child.

June 4, 2007 at 7:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )