Amidst rumors of a potential move by the Minnesota Vikings to Los Angeles, we also have an announcement by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that he intends to put an NFL franchise in London, England. Doesn't it seem like the wheels of a greater plot are slowly beginning to turn here? Collective bargaining agreement negotiations stall. The proposal for an eighteen game schedule, which will effectively add two more regular season, revenue generating games to the NFL schedule, is initiated. The threat of an owner lockout, intended to recoup some of the monies that are being issued to overpaid NFL players, is nearing the breaking point. How can the iniquity of these owners remain unchecked?

The Minnesota Vikings lease is set to expire after the 2011 season and Vikings Owner, Zygi Wilf, has not been shy about his demands for a new stadium in order for the team to remain in Twin Cities. On December 8, 2010, Wilf boarded his private jet bound for Los Angeles to meet with Magic Johnson, who has made no secret of his intentions to return pro football to Los Angeles. During his trip, Wilf and Johnson also met with Tim Leiweke of AEG, one of the architects of the aforementioned stadium proposals, which further fueled speculation that the team might be on the move. Wilf countered, stating that the visit with the LA group was simply for inspiration on a new building planned for Minnesota, but his manipulation of the press on this matter has been masterful. Four days later, the Metrodome roof auspiciously collapses, heightening Wilf's calls for a new facility. I sense something sinister here my friends, do I need to spell it out for you?

The city of Los Angeles has been without an NFL team for a decade and a half and this tin foil hat wearing conspiracy theorist tends to believe that the NFL owners like it that way. Without an NFL team in the the largest remaining television market in the country, the threat of a move to Los Angeles is a key bargaining chip in strong armed negotiations between the team owner and his fans. These colossal NFL coliseums, like "Jerry World" in Dallas, are built to maximize home team revenue and increase profitability exponentially. State funded construction combines with unprecedented luxury level revenue (that's unshared) and mandatory personal seating licenses (for the privilege of purchasing season tickets in the new venue) and as fans we're supposed to feel bad for NFL owners. Give me a break! Angelinos, you guys are the key. You'll never get an NFL franchise because the just the threat of Los Angeles gives an NFL owner license to tighten the screws on his home fan base. They get state subsidized construction of a more favorable venue and tax incentives to stay in the area, so why would the good 'ol boys network give up that golden egg-laying goose. The city of Los Angeles is being played.  The NFL has no intention of granting another franchise to southern California, it's not going to happen.  Not in my lifetime.  Stay strong my friends ... the truth is out there. We are, The Asterisk ...

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The issue here goes directly to the heart of our right to freely assemble and consume game day foodstuffs and alcoholic beverages in a public environment, but therein lies the problem. Due to the fact some of the NFL's proletariat can't seem to hold their liquor, "for the betterment of the game", the NFL has decided to step in. The League is recommending that stadium lots open up a minimum of 3 1/12 hours prior to kickoff, thereby limiting fan consumption of alcoholic beverages before the game. The NFL's other recommendation is to restrict serving sizes in stadium concessions stands to no more than 20-ounces per beer. Both measures are deemed sufficient enough to curb excessive drinking and improve the fan experience inside the stadium. However, if the NFL is so concerned with excessive drinking, why do they continue to accept ten of millions of dollars in sponsorship deals from brewers like Budweiser and Coors? Why are beer company ads so prevalent throughout the NFL broadcasts on game day? Why are NFL players, Cheerleaders, and team logos so prominent in beer company displays, packaging, and promotions? I'll tell you exactly why, it's because the NFL is less concerned about the fan experience and more concerned about continuing to rake in record profits even in the midst of a global recession.

According to USAToday, "The league's overall attendance is off 2% through Nov. 16 compared to the same point last season. The average TV ratings and viewership for game telecasts were up 12% and 14% respectively through Nov. 9 compared to same period last year," so even with consumer spending down the NFL continues to remain healthy even as its fans lose their jobs and struggle to keep food on the table. If NFL fans are staying home and television viewership is up, why place restrictions on tailgating? Because there's more money to be made in the mark up of overpriced concessions and crappy beer to make up the 2% of lost revenue in ticket sales, that's why.

The NFL is fairly adept at recognizing another opportunity to squeeze their devotees for more money even in this economy. Limit serving sizes to 20 ounces? Okay, does that mean that concessioners will also be adjusting the price of this new smaller portion accordingly? Somehow my guess is no.  They'll rationalize maintaining the same price by suggesting that this price point will force fans to be more responsible with their alcohol purchases. Limit Fan tailgating to 3 1/2 hours? Is that so fans will be forced to pay for overpriced stadium concessions, thereby further lining the pockets of our tyrannical franchise overseers. What choice does the average fan have? This is the greatest game on the planet and we are in the midst of tough times. Sometimes a little familiarity, a little recreation is the order of the day and now the NFL wants to take that from us too. Can I offer up a couple pints of blood as well?

If the NFL is truly serious about improving the fan experience in each stadium, my suggestion, instead of cracking down on fan tailgating, would be to strike at the heart of the problem. The issue is not with the fans as a whole, the issue is with the drunk knucklehead who's directly affecting the game day experience of those around him. That guy is going to drink his share of choice alcoholic beverage prior to entering the stadium regardless of when the NFL decides he can begin tailgating. Our esteemed commissioner needs to stay the course and take greater measures to strengthen the Fan Code of conduct Policy. Instead of hiring these rent-a-cop stadium security guards that are more interested in watching a free football game than controlling the crowd, try renting some real cops. Most of the current crop of stadium staffer are more concerned about not getting in the way, that they rarely enforce "stadium policies".  Secondly, spent some money to educate fans on becoming more responsible for policing themselves. The text messaging system is a great start, but fans have to decide that unruly behavior is inappropriate.  When it is reported, stadium staffers need to do actually do something about it. Snatch back season tickets, throw the drunks out. Let's crack some skulls America.  We, are The Asterisk ...

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In July of 1947, an unidentified flying object crash landed at the Foster ranch near Roswell, New Mexico … this we know. The location of some strange debris was reported to the local sheriff by New Mexico rancher William “Mac” Brazel who was out checking on his sheep after as fierce thunderstorm the night before. The sheriff informed Roswell Army Air Field Major Jesse Marcel from the field’s 509th Bomb Group Intelligence Office to investigate the rancher’s claims. Major Marcel accompanied the rancher to the crash site and returned with some samples of the debris.

On July 8, 1947 a press release was issued by Lieutenant Walter G. Haut, the Public Information Officer at Roswell Army Air Base, stating that the wreckage of a flying disk was recovered near Roswell, New Mexico. Based on this press release, the Roswell Daily Record published a front page article about the incident. Hours later, the first press release was rescinded and a second release was issued stating that the 509th Bomb Group had mistakenly identified pieces of a high-altitude weather balloon as the crashed saucer. Pictures of General Roger Ramey, from the Eighth Air Force in Fort Worth, Texas posing with the “weather balloon” debris were circulated with the retraction. At the time, the issue was dropped, but many question the validity of the Army’s explanation …

Over 60 years later, Roswell, New Mexico remains a hotbed of UFO activity. The Roswell Incident, as it is known today, is cited as a prime example of the overarching government conspiracy specifically intended to conceal the truth; that Aliens are among us and have been visiting this planet since the beginning. Furthermore, that there is, and there still remains, a coordinated effort on the part of our government to suppress these visitations from public record. We’re all familiar with the alien autopsy descriptions of Roswell mortician Glenn Dennis, or the eye witness accounts of the craft appearing in the skies over Roswell in early July. We’ve heard about the Majestic 12 documents, intended to brief incoming President Dwight Eisenhower, and the Project MOGUL explanation, involving high altitude balloons that were meant to detect sound waves emitted by Soviet weaponry. I, for one, remain unconvinced that something otherworldly did not occur at Fosters ranch back in 1947, but who am I, just one lone voice of dissent?

Truth or urban legend, I find it interesting that these extraterrestrials had enough sense to visit our planet on a holiday weekend. Now almost 62 years later, it affords for a great opportunity to host an annual UFO Festival in the City of Roswell, New Mexico. As any great tin foil hat wearing conspiracy theorist will tell you, the UFO Festival in Roswell is actually real. This year it’s being held July 2-5, 2009 attracting Uber-Geeks and respected UFologists to this sleepy little community every year to take part in this event. Lectures by world-renowned experts and a multitude of photographic opportunities, including the parade down Main Street, an Alien Costume Contest, and fireworks display, await anxious Alien Hunters. Even the International UFO Museum and Research Center is an existing entity that stands in downtown Roswell as a resource dedicated to uncovering what happened in that field so many years ago. If you’re looking for the spot, government conspiracy guy, look no further, you’ve found it.

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Remember when 50 home runs was a rarity in Major League Baseball? When the thought of multiple guys hitting 50 in the same year was damn near impossible? It was the 1980's, an entire decade during which not one major league ball player hit 50 home runs. In 1990, Cecil Fielder hit 51 and then it's wasn't until 1995, when Albert Belle blasted 50 homers, that we saw another player equal the feat (see the chart at the left). After the 1995 season, all of a sudden 50 home runs was eclipsed with regularity. Since 1995, 14 players hit 50 or more home runs twenty-three times ... remember Brady Anderson? Look at the number of 40+ home run hitters over the same time span and compare those numbers to players hitting 40+ in the early nineties. So what happened around that timeframe to bring about such a dramatic swing in home run production, you ask?

Well ... two strike shortened seasons caused frustrated fans to turn their backs on major league baseball for one. Owners were losing money as ballparks looked like ghost towns and the momentum of the baseball machine slowed to a crawl.  Strike-weary, embittered fans stayed home instead of heading to the ballpark as attention turned away from our national pasttime. Baseball needed something to bring its fans back to the game, to atone for the betrayal of a canceled World Series. Then all of a sudden, as if right on cue, there was surge in home run production. Baseballs were flying out of major league ballparks in unprecedented numbers. There were suspicions of a more tightly wound ball, corked bats, hitters that had finally caught up with pitchers, the purity of the game was at stake and we were making excuses! But the truth is coming to light. It’s becoming more and more evident that Major League Baseball apparently turned a blind eye to the steroid use that was running rampant throughout the league during our so-called "steroid era". Well the chickens are coming home to roost, my friends. A-Rod drops a bomb this week and there remain 103 other athletes on that list that have also tested positive for PED’s.  I'm waiting for allegations to surface that the MLB actually encouraged it's athletes to begin using for the betterment of the game. Whether steroid use was encouraged or not, one thing is clear ... MLB ballplayers got the message.

My issue with the entire situation is the purity of the game. Since the 1870’s professional baseball has been a mainstay in this country. The Pro Baseball Hall of Fame has stood as hallowed ground, honoring the best of our game and preserving the game’s integrity. It stands as a measuring stick to compare the accomplishments of athletes of the past to athletes of our current era. I agree that records are made to be broken. As guys get bigger and stronger, as training and nutrition methods improve, as medical technology prolongs careers, eventually these records will fall. But when chemicals that are designed for athletic performance improvement enter the equation, there is no purity. How can athletes of the steroid era seriously be considered to be on par with baseball’s icons? Ruth, Maris, Mantle, Aaron.

So as the steroid era draws to a close, considering the astonishing confession of Alex Rodriguez, should an asterisk be placed over the entire era? When will the Human Growth Hormone bombshell be dropped? How can you compare an era of cheaters and liars to an era when baseball was pure? How can records that have stood for decades fall at the hands of those that would dishonor the game by cheating? You tell me friends, was there a concerted effort on the part of Major League Baseball to introduce anabolic steroids to their players? Did Major League Baseball make a deal with the devil to bring back their once proud sport, our so-called "national pastime"?  You be the judge ...

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Contact Us at asterisk @tinfoilonmyhead.com

For Liukin, Tie means 'Too Bad'
WashingtonTimes.com
by: Ryan O'Halloran

Chinese Gymnasts 14, Official Document
The Epoch Times
by: Jan Jekielek & Anna Yang
 

Women's Olympic gymnastics ... The Asterisk is not ashamed to acknowledge his appreciation for this slice of Americana on the world stage. Admit it, you're familiar with the names, Alicia "A-Sacks" Sacramone, the illegitimate offspring of a Soprano's mob boss, Nastia "Nasty Nas" Liukin, east coast hip hop embodied in the form of a Russian midget, or little Shawn "Shawn-John" Johnson, the eventual P-Diddy clothing line endorsement deal is imminent. But unlike you perverts, my admiration of women's gymnastics is purely a respect for the fluidity of form, for innovative artistry, for the pursuit of the Perfect 10 ... or seventeen ... or whatever convoluted system they've dreamed up for this year's games. It's a deep-seeded regard for the commitment of these young medal seekers in their quest to maintain America's traditional dominance over the summer games ... nothing more. I admit it's curious that I find myself parked in front of the TV with my girlfriend during the women's competition; while scarcely finding time for the men's gymnastic pursuits, but what can I say? I'm an American damn it, and the Olympics just brings out the tin foil hat wearing patriot in me.

This year's competition in Beijing has been ripe with controversy from the start. From the digitally enhanced fireworks during the opening ceremony and lip-syncing cherubic youngster (who apparently was easier on the eyes than the actual performer), to the inconsistent scoring system that seems hell bent on suppressing American point totals, but at the same time elevating the results of the tinkerbell prepubescents from China. Now I can admit that I have no formal training in the evaluation of women's gymnastics. I tend to rely heavily on Tim Daggett and Elfie Schlegel to let me know when I've just seen something exemplary, but the conspiracy theorist in me just can't let go of the fact that the Chinese Government has somehow convinced the International Olympic Committee not to thoroughly investigate the claims that their athletes are underage. The rule is clear; to compete in Olympic gymnastics an athlete must turn 16 years of age in the year the Olympic games are held. The reason is two-fold. A younger athlete, unaffected by puberty, has a marked genetic advantage. Underdeveloped hips spin quicker, allowing younger athletes to perform more complicated routines. The shorter stature and lower weight also allows for effortless movement across the balance beam and between the uneven bars. Younger athletes are also fearless due to inexperience, failing to grasp the pressures of competition. Clearly at least three of the six gymnasts from China are under the age of 16, as evidenced by numerous articles that appeared in China before the games, listing the ages of Jiang Yuyuan, He Kexin, and Yang Yilin and touting these younglings as China's next great hope for 2012 in London.  If these resources are correct, it would place them now at ages 14 or 15.  All recently uncovered articles and online sources have mysteriously disappeared (censored no doubt by the evil empire), and the People's Republic of China waves their freshly printed Chinese passports as evidence of the girl's claims (that's not suspicious at all). Nor is the fact that the Chinese athletes on average are 3.5 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than their American counterparts. I understand China has invested eight years of preparation into the games to break onto the world stage, and yes there is an inherent home team advantage with the athletes performing in Chinese venues, but rigging the games with falsified documentation and bringing a Girls Gymnastics squad to compete in the Olympic Women's gymnastics category is reprehensible ... and the botched attempt at a cover up leaves me insulted.

One last thought on the Nastia Luikin / He Kexin tie for gold on the uneven bars. Wouldn't we all favor a reasonable tie breaker to once and for all determine an Olympic Champion? Like an uneven bar showdown between the two or a fight to the death with spiked baseball bats in a pit of snakes? Something to make the games more interesting … all we're looking for is a little "closure" here. What do you think?

 FIG complies with IOC, seeks more
proof of Chinese gymnasts' ages
ESPN.com

Rogge says gymnasts' paperwork
appears to support China claims
Associated Press
ESPN.com

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Alright Colin, you asked for it so here it is ...

Alien conspiracy theorists received a little vindication on Thursday, as Dr. Edgar Mitchell, a 77-year old, former NASA astronaut, broke rank during a radio interview to deliver the message that we are not alone in the universe. Aliens have been in contact with and have visited the planet earth on several occasions, and Mitchell lent credence to the fact that for the last 60 years there has been a concerted effort on the part of the government to cover up these visitations and hide them from the general public.

The Apollo 14 veteran, claimed that the Aliens were described as "little people who look strange to us," by NASA personnel who have had direct contact with the beings. He also warned that our technology is "not nearly as sophisticated," as theirs and, "had they been hostile ... we would be been gone by now".

"I happen to have been privileged enough to be in on the fact that we've been visited on this planet and the UFO phenomena is real," Dr Mitchell said.

"It's been well covered up by all our governments for the last 60 years or so, but slowly it's leaked out and some of us have been privileged to have been briefed on some of it."

"I've been in military and intelligence circles, who know that beneath the surface of what has been public knowledge, yes - we have been visited. Reading the papers recently, it's been happening quite a bit."

Dr Mitchell went on to divulge that the Roswell incident was in fact real and similar alien visits continue to be investigated.

"This is really starting to open up. I think we're headed for real disclosure and some serious organizations are moving in that direction," Dr. Mitchell told host Nick Margerrison of the English talkradio program The Night Before on Kerrang! Radio out of Birmingham, England.

In a statement to Kerrang! Radio, a NASA spokesperson had the following comment in response: "NASA does not track UFOs. NASA is not involved in any sort of cover up about alien life on this planet or anywhere in the universe. Dr Mitchell is a great American, but we do not share his opinion on this issue."

Digesting all of this information, as thrilling as it may be for the UFologist within me, I have to take issue with some of the statements made by Dr. Mitchell on the grounds that I still contend that the moon landing was staged on a Hollywood backlot ... I've seen the convincing photographic evidence! I also find it rather timely that Dr. Mitchell has decided to come forward with this new evidence just prior to the premiere of the new X-Files movie this weekend. But the "Truth is out There," our first dissident has made his way over to the dark side and more are sure to follow. So stay tuned America...

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