The Eulogy in Chief

Former President Barack Obama gave the eulogy Cong. John Lewis wanted at his funeral.  For anyone to criticize it as being too political or partisan you don’t know what you are talking about and I don’t care.

The framing and organization of President Obama’s eulogy was near perfect.  He knew who he was talking about.  He knew who he was talking to.  He knew what needed to be said less than 100 days before the election.

Nice job, Mr. President.

COVID-19 took former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain.  I wonder what his eulogy will look like.

Donald Trump’s briefings should be rambles.  That’s all he does.

I wonder if the local, state and national Democratic Parties are keeping their eyes on postal operations these days?  It was pretty disturbing to hear President Obama mention on national TV the undermining of USPS operations.  Today, the Washington Post has a story on postal operations.

Texas should pass New York today for third place on the COVID-19 infections list.  Nice job, Gov. Greg Abbott.

The hard copy of the Chron’s Friday Preview section has a nice story on Hal David’s and Burt Bacharach’s “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and the tune’s singer, B.J. Thomas.  David is no longer with us.

The tune came out 51 years ago and won Best Song Oscar for the “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” flick.  The tune is played when Butch (Paul Newman) and Etta (Katharine Ross) ride bicycles.  The tune is listed at #23 in the American Film Institute’s Top 100 movie tunes.

B.J. Thomas grew up in Fort Bend County.

Now you know.

The WNBA got going a couple of days ago, the NBA started yesterday, and the NHL starts this weekend.  All are in so-called bubbles.

It is difficult to put MLB in a bubble and that’s why they are having problems with infections.  There have been postponements.

A baseball purist is one who doesn’t like the DH.  They don’t like interleague play.  They don’t like the Wild Card teams in the playoffs.  I am sure they are going bonkers on putting a runner on second base to start extra innings.  They are going to go crazier when the postponements are going to force doubleheaders with seven inning games.

Here is my outlook on it.  This is the pandemic season where we can’t attend games.  Only 60 games.  I am going to try not to expend that much emotional energy on the season and team.  I am not going to let these alterations to the game bother Commentary. Nope.

NFL and NCAA football teams have bigger rosters than MLB.  They also won’t play in a bubble.  I will be surprised if they take the field anytime soon.

The Chron Sports Section also has a kind of sad story about eight Astros who have made their MLB debuts this season and their families were not able to attend their debuts – aww.

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Lone Star Joke

I think they can shelve that Cognitive Joe thing.  Former Vice President Joe Biden said a few months ago to don’t put it past Donald Trump to try to delay the election.  The Vice President nailed it.  Trump called for delaying the election this morning.

Texas has 403,307 COVID-19 infections as of yesterday afternoon.  The only countries that have more are the United States, Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa.  Let that sink in.

In the USA, we trail California, Florida and New York.  We should be passing New York any day now.  We are a joke.  Thank you, Gov. Greg Abbott!  That’s why only 38% of Texans approve the way Abbott is handling COVID-19.

They even had a GOP event in West Texas yesterday without social distancing and masks.  Worthless GOP.

Commentary said this yesterday:

 If the MLB Commissioner wants to show decisive action, he’ll fine the player $50 thousand and make him sit out for a couple of weeks.  He won’t, though.  The player is a Dodger and that’s all you need to know.

He got an 8-day suspension that he is appealing.  The Dodger skipper also got a 1-day suspension that he served last night.  Ok, I was wrong.  They did go after the Dodgers.  Our Skipper got fined.

I sure hope Cristian Javier turns out to be the real deal and not just a one game wonder.  He struck out eight last night in a game we should have won that included a bad replay call from New York.

No game today.

Here is my Aunt Elvira’s obituary:

Elvira Campos Delgado, 101, of Baytown, passed away Sunday, July 26, 2020, at home surrounded by her loving family.

Elvira was born July 6, 1919 in Baytown, to parents:  Jose and Maria De Jesus Ramos Campos, and has been a lifelong resident of Baytown.  She was a custodian for GCCISD, and attended St. Joseph and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Churches, and was a member of the Guadalupanas.  She enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s sports activities, going on family vacations, and dancing.

Mrs. Delgado was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 70 years:  Canuto “Joe” Delgado, daughters:  Maria De Jesus Magdaleno and Hermelinda Delgado, brothers and sisters:  Felicita Bravo, Jesus Campos, Servando Campos, Manuel “Mito” Campos, Isabel Lopez, and Jesse Campos, grandchildren:  Kimberly Ann Salinas and Jason Andre Ramirez, and great great-granddaughter:  Miah Salinas.  She is survived by her children:  Rebecca Salinas and husband Rudy, Canuto Mario Delgado, Anna Rosalia Delgado, Servando Joe Delgado and wife Letty, and Timothy Lawrence Delgado, brother:  Antonio “Tony” Campos, 21 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, 16 great great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to this PayPal account beverlyygill2000@yahoo.com

Donations will be sent to an organization that Elvira Delgado dedicated her heart and soul to throughout her life. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elvira Delgado, please visit our floral store.

That’s all I have.

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Last Night

Donald Trump said yesterday that Dr. Anthony Fauci has better ratings than him and they are on the same team.  It was a pathetic display for sure.  It turns out he was also jealous that Dr. Fauci was invited to throw out the first pitch for the home opener of the World Series Champs.  Trump made up the fact that the Yankees invited him to throw out the first pitch.  Did I say pathetic?

I watched the House Judiciary Committee hearing yesterday and it looks like for now that GOP Judiciary Committee members are all in with Trump.  They aren’t jumping ship.  Good.

I also watched former Vice President Joe Biden answer some questions from the press yesterday.  His only slipup was naming Tallahassee rather than Jacksonville as the site of the Republican National Convention.  He was off by 160 miles or so. No big deal.

Commentary has said before that the GOP owns the pandemic.  The Trump Virus as some say.  That’s why U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in the stronger position when it comes to the next COVID-19 assistance bill.  The GOP is all over the place on the next deal and Democrats are pretty much united.  Stay tuned.

The Texas GOP AG put out a ruling on schools opening or something like that.  That’s funny.  Democrats and a lot of parents of school kids have pretty much accepted that COVID-19 is calling the shots.  Gov. Greg Abbott isn’t calling the shots.  Donald Trump isn’t calling the shots.  Somebody let the AG know that, please.

Let’s see.  We are in the middle of a pandemic.  MLB is trying to get through week one of a sixty game season.  The Marlins have been sidelined for a week.  The Phillies and Yankees have been postponed for a couple of games.  And a Dodger pitcher threw behind Alex Bregman’s head last night – clearing both benches. If the MLB Commissioner wants to show decisive action, he’ll fine the player $50 thousand and make him sit out for a couple of weeks.  He won’t, though.  The player is a Dodger and that’s all you need to know.

We lost last night.

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Fourteen Weeks

Election Day is 14 weeks from today.  Early Voting in Person starts 11 weeks from today.  Some of us will get our mail ballots in a little over 8 weeks from now.

As of today, the pandemic will be the dominant issue heading into the election.  Remember last week when folks – not Commentary – were saying Donald Trump finally gets it on the pandemic.  For all those that believed that BS, his tweets last night reminded everyone that he’s still doesn’t get it.

If Donald Trump and a ton of GOP leaders had listened to the doctors, scientists and public health experts instead of Fox News commentators, we would have been having a much safer summer.  The political landscape would have looked a lot different.  Nope.

It is too late for down ballot GOPers to run away from Trump at this point.  Sorry.

Miya Shay did a story yesterday about a Father’s Day dinner that ended up being a COVID-19 fiasco and deadly for a Latino family.  You feel sorry but also wonder what were they thinking?

Commentary watched the service for the late Cong. John Lewis yesterday.  I caught myself figuring out the person behind the mask.

Ken Rosenthal just tweeted that four more Marlins players tested positive. That’s not good.

The Dodgers are in town for a couple of games.  The last time they were in town was for the epic Game 5 of the 2017 World Series. Wear your World Series Championship gear to rub it in.

We are 3-1.

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Elvira Campos Delgado, 101

I lost my aunt last night.  Elvira Campos Delgado left us at age 101.  She was my Dad’s sister.  She suffered a stroke last week.  My sister took my Dad to see her yesterday.  She lived down the street from my Dad’s house.  She always treated me with absolute kindness.  Sad.

This should probably not surprise anyone.  Fourteen Miami Marlins players and coaches have tested positive for COVID-19.  They cancelled their home opener today versus B’More.  This does not bode well.  This is a so-called developing story so stay tuned.

Commentary said this last Wednesday:

Commentary is betting some folks will show up to The Yard Friday evening on the Crawford Street side to see if they can catch a glimpse through the glass wall.  Hopefully, the team will have security there to shoo away folks who show up.

I drove by there yesterday and spotted a few folks.  Maybe a dozen or so folks.  I took some photos and then walked up to a window and took a few shots of the field which was partially obstructed by the cutouts.  Ok, the folks weren’t doing anything to get shooed away for.  They were all maintaining social distancing and I think they all had on masks.  Maybe I was violating what I said on Wednesday.  I am sorry.

Commentary has said before that I don’t watch that much soccer.  I did watch most of the Dash yesterday.  We got us a title.

With 57 games left in the season, we have lost our ace Justin Verlander.  The Chron’s Chandler Rome broke the story yesterday and said he was out for the season.  Verlander tweeted yesterday that wasn’t so, and he was just going to give his arm a rest and then see what happens.

Regardless, sitting out for a few weeks in a 60-game season is terrible news.

MLB teams are either 2-1 or 1-2.

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Opening Day

It looks like the Donald Trump Campaign is going to try to make the case that former Vice President Joe Biden has cognitive issues. Ok.  We are up to 4 million infections and lead the world.  Have at it.

Gov. Greg Abbott said this on COVID-19 to Fox 26 yesterday:

“This is not a hoax.  This is not a joke.”

Pitiful.

This is the GOP’s pandemic pure and simple.  They own every bit if it. If they would have demonstrated leadership and courage, we would be having a way better summer.  Nope. They got scared of folks like Lt. Governor Dan Patrick so here we are.  Literally trying to survive.

A Florida poll came out yesterday and it is worse for the GOP there.  The GOP deserves it for sure.

Dr. Anthony Fauci tossed the first pitch last night and didn’t even come near the vicinity of the plate.  It’s Ok.

MLB and the players agreed to 16 teams in the playoffs.  The first round will be 8 best of 3 Wild Card Series.  Commentary is opposed.  We could have the best record in MLB and face the 16^th rated team and lose 2 out of 3 and it’s over.  Life ain’t fair!

This will the first Opening Day I will miss at The Yard.  It’s sad.  On an Opening Day I could attend I would have taken the Metro Rail from the Quitman Station. The gang would have gathered a couple of hours before the game at one of the restaurants, probably Irma’s Southwest next to The Yard.  The Dean, Big Al, the Senator, Gerard, Fred, Terry, James, Melissa, Commentary and a few others.  All of us would have been wearing gear except for Fred. We would have all been talking sh_t.  We are pretty good at that.  Then we would have headed to the games just in time for the intros.  The game would have been sold out.

At the game, Al and I would have had peanuts, hot dogs and Saint Arnold.  He’s a Summers Pils and Santo guy.  I am an Amber and Art Car fella.  We would spend our time there talking baseball, game strategy, family, movies, the old days and shooting trivia at each other.

Oh, well.

Commentary decided not to plunk down $100 for a cutout at The Yard.

I am wearing gear today and will watch the game from home this evening.

Let’s play ball!

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Out of Control

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott disapproval rating is higher than his approval on handling the coronavirus, 48% to 47%.  65% of Texans say the coronavirus is out of control.  That is nearly 2 out of every 3 Texans.  We were in a lot better shape when local mayors and county judges were in control.

Even Kellyanne Conway says governors like Abbott jumped the gun on the reopen strategy.  Of course, Donald Trump wanted them to reopen quickly.

Just think about it.  Out of control.  How can you not give it back to the locals to run?

It is one big mess and it shows in the polling.

That’s why Trump sent goons to Portland, Oregon and is fixing to send them to Chicago and Albuquerque.

That’s why he wants a major confrontation with China.  It is called a diversion.

Scott Braddock of the Quorum Repot tweeted out last night that with 88 days to go before early voting in Texas begins, there isn’t much time for the GOP to turn around the lousy poll numbers.

I had to retweet him that mail ballots will be in the hands of voters in around 65 days.

The pandemic isn’t the cause of the poll numbers.  It is the handling of the pandemic by the GOP that is causing the poll numbers to head south for them.

From a USA Today story yesterday:

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball players have the option of having a patch with “Black Lives Matter” or “United For Change” on a jersey sleeve on opening day of the pandemic-delayed season, and Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle says his team may is considering whether to take a knee in support Thursday night.

World Series champion Washington hosts the New York Yankees in the big league opener.

“I’ve been considering it, especially here over the last week. But as a team, we’re having conversations in our clubhouse over the last two days. I know the Yankees are doing the same thing,” he said Wednesday. “I think it’s really important for for us as a league to echo what other sports leagues have done so far. We’ve seen the MLS. We’ve seen NASCAR. We’ve seen Formula One make really powerful statements.”

Teams have the option of stenciling an inverted MLB logo with “BLM” or “United for Change” on the back of the pitcher’s mound during opening weekend games. Washington opted for the MLB/MLB stencil.

“It’s freedom of speech. It’s the Bill of Rights. It’s what the country’s founded on, to be able to express yourself freely. So I I think it’s a wonderful thing,” said Gerrit Cole, who makes his Yankees debut against Max Scherzer in the opener at Nationals Park.

The 2020 MLB Season gets underway this evening with the Yankees and Nationals and the Giants and Dodgers.  Both games are on ESPN.

The team sent me the 2019 American League Championship Rings options in case I want to plunk down some dough for the jewelry.  Not interested.  Just like I won’t wear 2019 ALCS Champs gear.  Once you win a World Series, you get spoiled.

Don’t forget to wear your team gear tomorrow or today if you are a Dodger, Giants,  Nats, or Yankees fan.

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Play Ball?

They don’t have very smart people at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  I watched Donald Trump’s briefing and Q&A yesterday and I could not figure out what they were trying to convey.  He may as well have waved the white flag.

There is a story on the front page of today’s Chron about the virus surge in Harris County might be tapering off.  We will see.

The Astros wrapped up a couple of practice games in KC yesterday.  Opening Day is in a couple of days and Commentary won’t be there.  I have been to every Opening Day at The Dome and The Yard since 1994.  The team sent me this yesterday:

If 2021 games are cancelled or played with restricted fan access that prevents you from using your tickets, you will have the following options for games impacted:

• Receive a 100% credit to your account for future ticket purchases
• Receive a refund on tickets, including fees, for the games impacted

Let’s see if we can get through 60 games.

Commentary is betting some folks will show up to The Yard Friday evening on the Crawford Street side to see if they can catch a glimpse through the glass wall.  Hopefully, the team will have security there to shoo away folks who show up.

Canada flattened the curve and MLB won’t be playing in Toronto.  Thanks, USA.

NWSL and MLS are underway in Utah and Florida.

The NBA, WNBA and NHL resume play late next week.

I seriously doubt we will see the NFL or college football return.

Same thing for high school football.

Gov. Greg Abbott will throw out the first pitch up in Arlington.

I wonder who gets the honor at The Yard?

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Briefings

The briefings are returning.  Don’t worry folks.  Nothing is going to change.  Here is why.  Yesterday, Donald Trump tweeted a photo of himself wearing a mask and saying it was the patriotic thing to do.  Then last night he went to a fundraiser and a number of folks including Trump were not wearing masks.  It will be back to the same routine with the briefings.  He will say we are winning when we are not.  He will say we are making progress when we are not.  He will lie and deny the facts.  Just wait and see.

On former Ohio Governor John Kasich supposedly speaking at the Democratic National Convention.  The guy has a terrible voting record.  Here is the deal.  I am not going to waste my energy getting upset.  If he and others like him like the Lincoln Project folks vote for former Vice President Joe Biden have at it.  The goal is to win in November.  Four years ago, some of these same folks held their noses and voted for Trump.  Some wrote in other names.  None of them voted for former Secretary Hillary Clinton.  It is different now and we shouldn’t poopoo their efforts.

Commentary doesn’t have any illusions that they are all in on a successful Biden presidency.  They just want their GOP back.  They think they get that by having Trump out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  I don’t know if that is possible and I am not going to worry about it.

Here is an interesting electoral tidbit.  Commentary has mentioned that he was in the numero two position in the Texas Democratic Party’s Get-Out-The-Vote effort in 1976, the last time a Democrat carried Texas in a presidential election.  Jimmy Carter won 51.14% of the vote, to Gerald Ford’s 47.97%.  Carter won 191 of the 254 counties. Dallas and Harris Counties were not part of the 191.  Carter got 42% of Dallas County and 47% of Harris County.  Now you know.

Dr. Anthony Fauci will be tossing out the first pitch at the Nationals’ Home Opener.  That’s cool, I guess.  Does this violate MLB’s COVID-19 health safety protocols?  I guess not.

The Astros returned last night.  It was a practice game.

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The Tamale Incident

This past Friday, Chron assistant editor Matt Schwartz put out a tweet that said not so nice things about tamales.  I saw it and said what is that all about.  He explained it yesterday and called himself the arsehole of the day.  It turns out it was just a joke that went bad.  Apology is accepted.

I will say this.  Commentary loves tamales but I only seem to eat them during Christmas.  The last one I ate was around Christmastime.  Back when I used to go to restaurants, the breakfast of choice at Teotihuacan is chorizo con huevos that comes with potatoes, refried beans and a tamale.  In all the years that I have eaten that menu item, I never touch the tamale. Weird.

You have to hand it to the Texas GOP.  They elected a nut job as their next Chair.  They also proved they don’t know how to handle technology.  Commentary is feeling a lot better about Texas in November.

2020 will forever be remembered for a lot including the full-blown ineptness of the GOP and its leadership.

Astros baseball starts this Friday.

 

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