DAVIE, Fla. -- Cam Cameron was fired as the Miami Dolphins' coach Thursday by new boss Bill Parcells after plunging to an 0-13 start in his first year on the job and finishing with just one victory.
The dismissal comes three days after Parcells ousted general manager Randy Mueller and means the reeling franchise will have its fifth coach in five seasons.
Parcells began work Dec. 27 as executive vice president of football operations and quickly concluded the Dolphins need another fresh start.
It has been 37 years since the Dolphins fired a coach. But they never finished 1-15 before.
All but two members of Cameron's coaching staff were also fired, although some might be rehired by the new head coach, the Dolphins said. Retained were assistant special teams coach Steve Hoffman and linebackers coach George Edwards.
Parcells made the decision to fire Cameron in consultation with new general manager Jeff Ireland, hired Wednesday after seven years in player personnel with the Dallas Cowboys.
"We just felt in order to move forward and not look back, we needed someone in place who shared the same philosophical compatibilities we shared," Ireland said. "We didn't really know the guy that well. We were going to try to get someone that does share those things, and we weren't completely sold that he did."
Buh-bye, Cam. Thanks for playing and we have some lovely luggage and body-care products as a parting gift for you.
So did Parcells throw away a potentially valuable resource who, given a few years, could have brough the 'Fins back just to placate the howling mob who wanted Cameron's head, thus giving himself (Parcells) some breathing room? Or did Cam really just suck that much as a coach?
I dunno. But now that Cam's gone, what do I do with this torch and this extra-sharpened pitchfork?
The Random Penseur passes on the sad news that George MacDonald Fraser, author of the Flashman Papers (among other works), has passed at 82.
Alas, now we'll never know whether or how Flashy gets himself mixed up with the Battle of Gettysburg or the Mexican Revolution, both of which stories Fraser had hinted around he might commit to paper in the near future.
Ah, well. Most other fans will no doubt pay homage to the rollicking badness of ol' Flashy and the delicious way he gets himself in and out of scrapes. But I'd also like to note the wonderful historickal accuracy of Fraser's tales: the endnotes to each of his stories are a joy in and of themselves and a positive goldmine of primary sources. Indeed, it has always been something of a struggle for me, when reading a Flashman novel, to restrain myself from nipping over to the devil's website and ordering the entire collection of such references on the spot. And I must confess, it's a struggle I haven't always managed to win.
UPDATE: Our dear pal Kathy gave Flashy a whirl not too long ago and didn't think much of him. Well, all I can say is that I had some reservations after my first encounter as well, reservations that I quite overcame as I got farther into the series. The books definitely improve as Fraser finds his stride.
Speaking of which, the RP and I have been emailing on the side about writers of historickal fiction, specifically Fraser and Patrick O'Brian. One difference between the two, IMHO, is that the Flashy cycle stays fairly strong throughout (with obvious highs and lows, of course), while there is a definite arc to the Aubrey/Maturin novels, with a notable downturn in both energy and quality after The Wine Dark Sea, as O'Brian seemed to get sick and tired of the whole damn' business.
So here's a question for you: Who are the good writers these days? I'm sure many of you would say Bernard Cornwell (author of the Richard Sharpe novels, among others). In reply, I would say that Cornwell's books certainly are entertaining, but surely not in the same league as those of Fraser and PO'B. I also happen to be a fan of Derek Robinson, who wrote a number of books about the air war in WWI and WWII.
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I gotta tell ya, Robbo, I gave Flashman a whirl almost a year ago, and I barely enjoyed it. Whilst it's been helpful in filling out crosswords ("Name of bully in 'Tom Brown's Schooldays'"), and whilst I enjoyed Harry's sense of self-preservation, there was just something about the character that turned me off. I can't put my finger precisely on it, but I haven't bothered reading the rest of the books. The sense of fun that I expected to be there simply wasn't.
Now, granted, I did read this whilst I was recovering from my surgery, so maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to read it in the first place, but, well, bleh. I've thought of giving it a reread, but I'm not quite sure if it's worth my time to do so.
Posted by: Kathy at January 03, 2008 10:21 AM (9mlOu)
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If you're looking for more historical fiction, I would highly recommend giving Dame Dorothy Dunnett and her Lymond Chronicles a go. It's a series of six books following the 16th Century adventures of Scot Sir Francis Crawford of Lymond over a ten year period of time. The series starts with Game of Kings, and is followed up by Queen's Play, The Disorderly Knights, Pawn in Frankincense, The Ringed Castle, and, finally, Checkmate. Lymond is a wonderful character. He's clever, devious, calculating and willing to go the extra mile when his honor is on the line.
I will admit it's challenging reading, simply because Dunnett forced me to have the unabridged dictionary at hand every time I picked them up, but the payoff is totally worth it.
Posted by: Kathy at January 03, 2008 11:04 AM (9mlOu)
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Never read Fraser, though I understand he wrote the screenplay for the 1970s version of The Three Musketeers, which is one of my top ten favorite films of all time. I'll get to Flashman at some point.
I haven't read much historical fiction recently, though for alt-history, I've enjoyed S.M. Stirling's somewhat silly changeverse series, and William Gibson/Bruce Sterling's The Difference Engine (which posits a computer revolution in Victorian England based on Charles Babbage's machines) was a pretty compelling read. I've always enjoyed William Gibson's books, inclusing his San Francisco alt-history series (Virtual Light, Idoru, All Tomorrow's Parties), but he's an acquired taste.
Posted by: The Abbot at January 03, 2008 11:33 AM (b1/bF)
Much to the chagrin (and bemusement) of the other 49 States. But, it is what it is, so let's go to the purrrr-dictions:
Huckabee's solid support has a ceiling (IMO). Based on the strong fluctuations of these wacky polls I'd say that there's a decent portion that jumped on the "flavor of the month" appeal of the nice-guy Arkansas Governor. Unlike the secret ballots of a primary, you have to stand up and be counted. And I think this is why the candidate with the more committed support wins. That points to Romney. I think he edges Huck tonight by about 4%. [note: apparently the GOP caucus are by secret ballot, but I still think the persuasion factor by the participants comes into play here.]
The real contest is for number three, between McCain and Thompson. Neither have strong resources or organizations in Iowa so this is anyone's guess. But my gut tells me that Ol' Fred will edge his buddy McCain. Conventional Wisdom says his support peels away from Romney but I'm not so sure. In any case, Romney's turnout operation probably gives him the edge.
Ron Paul has been overlooked in this contest, I think he passes Giuliani who's been largely absent here.
Final numbers:
Romney: 31%
Huckabee: 27%
Thompson: 14%
McCain: 12%
Paul: 9%
Giuliani: 6%
Hunter: 1%
The big story: Ol' Fred ain't dead (yet) and he'll hang around until at least SC.
UPDATE:
I s'pose I should make Dem predictions as well:
Obama wins, "You-know-who" squeaks past Edwards for 2nd place. Mike Gravel soils himself. Richardson will continue to badger HRCR Obama about being herhis running mate. Dennis Kucinich wears his tinfoil hat, yelling "Mars needs women!" Chris Dodd tries to entice Joe Biden into a "waitress sandwich" at a diner in Dubuque.
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I think you're about right here, but I think McCain may surprise everyone and finish third (flip-flop his numbers and Fred's), but I'll keep my wallet in my pcket -- that's just a hunch. I'm also thinking Romney and Huckabee will be very close -- within 1%, and I'm not positive Romney finishes first -- I think Huck could still edge him. I think it's a shame that Ron Paul will beat Rudy, but I'm afraid you're right, and about right in the numbers.
I'll believe Obama beats Hillary when I see it. I'd love to see her finish third. I think the Dems go something like Hillary 28%, Obama 26%, Edwards 24% if I had to guess.
If Hillary loses to Obama, you're going to see her go so negative on him it will make James Carville blush.
Posted by: The Abbot at January 03, 2008 11:23 AM (b1/bF)
And allow me to take this blatant blegging opportunity to refer readers to my "Tolkien Geek" site. Enjoy.
Yips! from Robbo: How timely. I just polished off the LOTR cycle again for the umpteenth time. And after all these years it suddenly dawned on me: I think I read Tolkien much more figuratively and much less literally than many other people.
Perhaps it is because I grew up under the influence of Mom, who dismisses all fantasy and scifi lit as "little green men" books, but whenever I do read such stuff (which, aside from Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, is virtually never), I try to horn as much of it into a "real world" frame of reference as I can. So, for example, when Tolkien writes of one character's s eyes flashing or of another's suddenly seeming to grow larger or smaller, or (to give a specific example) of Theoden suddenly seeming to grow younger under the counseling of Gandalf, I read it in the same sense as I would read such a passage as written by a non-fantasy novelist such as (say) Dickens, Trollope or Conrad. I don't look for an actual flash of light or change in size or reverse aging process. This is not to say that I don't accept the larger fantasy elements - the power of the various Rings, for example, or the parallel spirit world inhabited to one extent or another by the different folk of Middle Earth - just that where there is what one might call a Real World explanation, I go for it first.
Perhaps I'm blinkered in my approach. Perhaps Tolkien meant all of these things to be taken quite literally. I dunno. But there it is. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy the books.
Happy Birthday anyway!
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Well, I think Tolkien presents it as a "feigned history", in many respects, but I think it is in keeping with the medieval spirit and worldview. If you read something like the Golden Legend, which was widely read in the Middle Ages, and its world is in many respects closer to Tolkien's than ours -- nevertheless, people in the Middle Ages took it quite seriously. When St. George slays a dragon, he slays a dragon -- and the dragon is understood to be both real and spiritual -- a physical dragon, and a demonic being. The medieval reader assumed the reality of both; where we assume the reality of neither.
We might go so far as to say it was something like a Komodo Dragon, and therefore buy half the story, but are in no way inclined to accept the demon.
I think we have been conditioned to look always for the physical explanation first because science seems so triumphant. But I think when we become purely reductionist, and look only to physical explanations, we lose a lot of other things along the way. I worry about the spiritual baby we might be throwing out with the physical bathwater.
Not that I think you're doing that, Robbo -- I think you're right to read Tolkien with an eye to the material realities first, and I think he does a good job of keeping the physical world in front of us first, without resorting to Deus Ex Machina, or too much tortured reasoning. Unlike some other (cough) J.K. Rowling (cough) authors I could name.
Posted by: The Abbot at January 03, 2008 10:49 AM (b1/bF)
Yours truly arrived home Sunday evening, ending a long adventure where it began, at the doorstep of the post headquarters (located, of course, amidst the vast real estate holdings which comprise Fort LMC). Mrs. LMC relinquished her duties as Civil Administrator and Director of Martial Law to return to her former position as post chief of staff, stay-at-home mom, and Final Authority on All Matters Concerning Popular Culture.
Robbo, The Butchers Wife, and the LLama-ettes drove down from Our Nation's Capitol to join us for New Years Eve frivolity, keeping a tradition we have maintained for fifteen years. I managed to tell Robbo how to park the LLama war machine on a short side trip to Home Depot (I was in the vehicle commander's seat, after all), proving I will need every one of the next thirty days to unwind before I return to practicing law.
This experience has been more than can be put in a single post and I have not decided how to organize my thoughts, much less put it on the blog. I will say I have been blessed by many kindnesses, large and small, of family, friends, co-workers, colleagues, fellow soldiers, and complete strangers far beyond my ability to ever adequately express. My reaction to returning is best described by recalling Rear Admiral Jeremiah A. Denton's words spoken upon his return from Vietnam thirty-five years ago:
It is an honor to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances. We are profoundly grateful to our commander-in-chief and to the Nation for this day. God bless America.
I mean, I barely get the Gary and the nearly n*de women he posts alongside of politicians thingummy. I know he's from Connecticut and has a season pass to an amusement park I was never allowed to attend so that somehow, oddly, makes sense.
But you...never got the connection. Sorry.
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium at January 03, 2008 11:01 AM (KrHbf)
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Tried to post this a couple of times last night but the mu.nu spam filter was running high.
Welcome home and thank you from me and mine who know that none of us will fully understand what impact your service for us and the US bears on you. Small words, but full of appreciation for you and your family.
As for the Home Depot parking incident, my brother (Army LTC) who retired almost 7 years ago still barks out orders. It's just easier to hand him the keys and let 'im drive (or whatever)... just so you (or better yet your family) know! ;-D
Posted by: JB in Florida at January 03, 2008 11:19 AM (S0z6q)
New computer simulations show that chatty drivers — using regular cell phones or even hands-free devices — take longer to complete their trips because they drive more slowly on highways and pass sluggish drivers less frequently.
"At the end of the day, the average person's commute is longer because of that person who is on the cell phone right in front of them," said Dave Strayer, a University of Utah psychologist and leader of the research team.
It's been getting worse and worse in certain stretches for my own commute. And the kind of back-ups I see that used to be caused by accidents or stranded motorists now seem to have to apparent external cause.
And then I see these dimwits still talking as they walk from their cars - looking like they're chatting to themselves before I notice that stupid bluetooth thingy hanging off their ears. Grrrr.
An cold front came into the Dee Cee area last evening and, as is the case every time the wind cracks Level 2 on the Beaufort Scale, the electricity at Orgle Manor cut out.
Ya know, I'm solidly pro-Commonwealth in most things, but I just have to point out to Virginia Power that the electricity goes out a whooooole lot more often here in the heart of NoVA than it does in our place way the hell out on an island in mid-coast Maine. None of the lines are buried here and we live in a heavily wooded area. Of course branches are going to fall across them. Has this not yet occured to Virginia Power? Or does it get distracted every time it comes out to rectify the situation? (Oh, look! A squirrel!)
The power was out about three or four hours altogether last night. However, about every forty-five minutes or so, it would flicker on and off for about a minute. This caused a wonderful cacaphony of beeps and chirps among all the electronic gadgets spread about within hearing distance as they switched on and off. (And in case you're wondering why I didn't get up and unplug them, it was freakin' cold. No way was I coming out from under the pile of blankets.)
And to add insult to injury, I am virtually certain that it was a Va Power maintenance truck, several of which slowly and noisily crawled up our street at about three ack emma, that knocked the mailbox off its post for the umpteenth time.
Grrrr.......
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We live out in the sticks and the power used to go out every time a twig fell in the forest. Once when we called them to come repair it I got an actual human on the phone who told me they couldn't come out until morning because where we live there are snakes.
Swear to God this is true!
Posted by: Chai-rista at January 02, 2008 03:30 PM (ORBC7)
Yesterday at approximately 9:30pm, my new nephew was born. Happy birthday Colin James! 9lbs, 6oz, 22.5". Baby and mommy (after almost sixteen hours of hard labor) are doing fine, I'm told.
****Stickied to the top until 2008***
The household of Orgle Manor are off in a minute or two for the spacious, yet highly-secured grounds of Fort LMC, there to welcome in the new year. Our particular tradition is to sit around gossiping and getting slowly sozzled until somebody realizes it's about 11:58 and we'd better turn on the tee vee to see whether Dick Clark is still alive.
Happy New Year from all of us to all of you, and we'll see you on the other side.
Yip! Yip! Yip!
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so odd how Fred hasn't found his way. He speaks plainly and in an entertaining fashion. Maybe he didn't work hard enough, as some say. Maybe he blew the timing. Who knows, maybe he's going to come on strong now. Sure doesn't look like it, though.
This video is one long rambling Hail Mary to me. Don't dump truck the electorate. Sales 101: sell me why you've got the solution I need; don't list every feature and function of your product. A twenty page resume is never the way to get a job.
Posted by: tdp at December 31, 2007 10:23 AM (7CsBg)
That is all.
Fuming Yips! from Gary:
As Don Adams used to say, "Missed by that much". One thing I'm sure of, though, after watching (most of) that game. He can be beaten. And a team better than the Giants can do it. I don't expect New York to make it as far as the NFC Championship game. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Brett Favre take 'em on in the Superbowl.
Of course, I'd laugh my butt off if the Patsies went through all of this and somehow didn't make it to the big game.
(although to be totally candid I actually fell asleep during this apparently very exciting game. nothing to do with the quality of the bout; i'm just an old man)
I like these whipsaw games in theory, but after having to come from behind against the stinkin' Ravens I am getting more and more nervous when we find ourselves behind.
Nothin' a nap can't cure, though.
Posted by: tdp at December 30, 2007 03:20 PM (7CsBg)
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Mu nu apparently doesn't want me commenting on this post -- it's eaten my comments a couple of different times. Probably just was well.
:-)
If I were you guys, and an alum of my school were having this success, I'd definitely be basking in the reflected glory. Granted, you have to hope Mangenious turns things around in NY, but that may still happen . . .
Posted by: The Abbot at December 31, 2007 11:21 AM (b1/bF)
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*Shrug* I'm not an AFC fan, so I don't care much how the Pats fare in the playoofs. I'm just glad that because of them, I never again have to hear about the '72 Dolphins' party each year when the last undefeated team is beaten. There was something smug and unsportsmanlike about celebrating somebody losing, especially when they're not a traditional rival and you're not the ones who beat them. Did Ted Williams party each year when noone broke .400? Yeah, so what you accomplished way back when was something great. You tarnish your image by acting as if every season ever since is still all about you. Sorry, boys (and that's what they acted like, not men), but the game is bigger than you. You want the right to celebrate when somebody loses? Pad up and beat them yourselves, or shut up already.
Posted by: Boy Named Sous at January 01, 2008 02:15 PM (xRL5x)
I got word this afternoon that our Llama Military Correspondent is back in the States. There is even a possibility that he'll make it back to the highly secure grounds of Fort LMC for New Year's Eve. The Missus and I have been celebrating this day with the LMC and Mrs. LMC for something like 15 or 16 years now, and it would be outstanding if he gets there in time.
Between that Travel IQ thingy and this video (over and over)...
I ain't gettin' nothing done today.
Language heads-up on the video - use earphones (the word "inappropriate" was invented for exactly this sort of thing).
h/t: Y2K: Promote the Curse
I was in the Army with a guy who used to yell "F'ing Protein!" just like that as he made himself protein shakes before/after lifting. I didn't realize he was actually a specific "type".
Posted by: The Abbot at December 28, 2007 04:34 PM (b1/bF)
Confess! Even if you are at your computer, you're not doing anything productive this afternoon.
Therefore, I present for your consideration the Traveler IQ Challenge. You simply use your mouse to click the (unlabeled) map of the world at the spots indicated. Points are awarded based on accuracy and speed.
I got as far as Level 10 and would have made it further except for some embarrassing bad guesses about African countries and obscure islands. My grand total score was 367,434 and my Travel IQ was 111.
Yips! to Dave Barry.
UPDATE: It seems you can take the test more than once with different questions. Got to Level 10 again, but an IQ of 114 and a score of 392, 598. I might have done better if I hadn't been talking to a Llama-ette on the phone, or if I could finally convince myself that Suriname is indeed a country in South America.
So what are you waiting for? Taken the test already? Do it again!
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I love this, except I'm at work & work keeps interrupting me. How annoying.
Posted by: nuthin2seehere at December 29, 2007 03:19 AM (blNMI)
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448,501 at level 11; 54,100 out of 55,000 on level 12; iq at 120; Must. Try. Again
Posted by: Son of a Pig and a Monkey at December 29, 2007 08:15 AM (nAQFJ)
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Hey! Glad you like our game. You can chat about strategy and compare scores with other Traveler IQ addicts in our discussion group at www.travelpod.com
Posted by: Louise at December 31, 2007 11:12 AM (/2ntq)
