In late February of 1991, my reserve infantry battalion invaded Kuwait as part of a 1st Marine Division task force during Operation Desert Storm. Our mission was to liberate that country from the clutches of Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi army.
Michael Moffett
New Hampshire’s Michael Durant and the 30th Anniversary of “Black Hawk Down”
It has been thirty years since that October 1993 week in Somalia when Mike Durant saw what hell looked like. A Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Durant, was shot down during the battle for Mogadishu. All the members of his crew were dead.
Biden, Belichick, and Fastballs
In our sports vernacular, the expression “losing your fastball” is a euphemism for no longer being able to perform to previous standards. After fireball-throwing Yankee pitcher Jim Bouton lost his fastball in the 1960s, he threw knuckleballs to extend his career.
Legislative Golf, George Patton, and Good Weather
Sports can be divisive. Yankees vs. Red Sox. Michigan vs. Ohio State. El Salvador vs. Honduras. What? Yup. These two countries went to war in 1969 after El Salvador beat Honduras 3-2 in a FIFA World Cup (soccer) qualifier.
Baltimore Baseball, Beer, Pot, and Yaz
The Granite State debate on marijuana legalization continues. There are many aspects to it all which we won’t get into here, except that—as with so many issues—there is a sports component.
Concord Communists
On March 24, 1984, my Marine Corps infantry company took off on a night training mission in South Korea. Tragically, the CH-53 helicopter behind mine lost altitude and slammed into a mountaintop. Thirty-three Marines died. Memories endure of helping carry bodies down that mountain.
DEI Dangers
BusinessNH magazine recently ran a cover story on the wonders of DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. While the education establishment has been foisting highly-paid DEI coordinators on us for years, businesses are now foisting. Unfortunately.
“Silent Cal and Tennis Toes – A Presidents Day Story
Just about everyone who gets involved with sports eventually gets hurt, both physically and emotionally. And while athletics are generally healthy endeavors —and while fitness is good—most everyone’s suffered sports injuries. For me, that includes three knee operations, three horrific ankle sprains, several dislocated fingers, an eye injury from a sucker punch, and some rearranged … Read more
The Next Time You Come to New Hampshire from New Jersey I Will Happily Kick Your Apparently Sorry Ass.
Mr. Everett: I read your message below and noted you’d copied NHSBA and NHSAA. I remain convinced that requiring high school grads be exposed to 60 minutes of instruction on the history and nature of Communism to be a good thing (HB102). I have to take issue with your assertion that Republicans feel that Nazis … Read more
One Knee Equals Two Feet—and Football Rule Changes
As a citizen-legislator, I know very well how hard it is to pass a law. It shouldn’t be easy, but gosh, I sometimes wonder why it’s often so difficult. Still, it’s very rewarding to finally get a bill over the “goal line” and into statute.
Tom Brady, Taxes, and Kiké
When it was obvious that Tom Brady was leaving the New England Patriots, I predicted he’d become a Los Angeles Charger. That team needed a quarterback and had just moved to L.A. where it would play in the world’s greatest new football stadium.
Democrats, Primaries, and Identity Politics
In a Concord Monitor Op-Ed published on July 5, 2021, I explained why the Democrats were likely to eschew New Hampshire’s First in the Nation (FITN) Primary due to identity politics.
It was an easy prediction.
Cuba, Communists, Castro, Cambrils … And El Tiante!
During a recent trip to a BoSox baseball game at Fenway Park I was thrilled to see 81-year-old Red Sox pitching legend Luis Tiant visiting the old ballyard. He naturally received a big ovation when his presence was acknowledged.
Diogenes, Democrats, and Dick Swett
According to legend, the Greek philosopher Diogenes strolled about with a lamp, purportedly looking for an honest man. Were he in New Hampshire today looking for an honest Democrat he could find one in Bow in the person of former congressman and ambassador Dick Swett?
Brittney, Biden, and Star-Spangled Banners
WNBA star Brittney Griner is experiencing the hell of Russian incarceration. That’s not a unique experience. Tens of millions of human beings suffered and died in Communist gulags and prisons over the past century. While Griner is presumably not being tortured or starved like so many of her prison predecessors, her confinement is surely brutal, … Read more
Veterans, SB418, And Clean Elections
A marquee message recently displayed in my town of Loudon accused me of being anti-veteran, due to my support of SB418, an election integrity measure recently signed into law by Governor Chris Sununu. Criticism—fair and unfair—goes with the territory for elected officials. While one can’t respond to every slam, replies are occasionally required. This is such an occasion.
SPORTS “EQUITY”
NEWS ITEM: The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced a deal to pay the U.S. Men’s National Team and the U.S. Women’s National Team equally, eliminating a contentious pay gap that saw female players earn significantly less.
President Franklin Pierce and the Worst Franchise Players Ever
U.S. News and World Report famously does an annual ranking of the top 100 colleges in America. It all gets lots of attention and schools that make the list understandably tout the ratings in their marketing plans. Truth be told, the best college in America for a Granite Stater could be a community college or … Read more
Russia, Boycotts, and Sports
So Chinese dictator Xi Jinping asked Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to hold off on invading Ukraine until after Beijing’s Winter Olympics. Putin generously postponed the bloodshed to accommodate his Communist buddy’s request.