# Go, Blago, go! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 19, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974 "2008-12-19T20:55:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/1 "2008-12-19T20:55:01Z")
[“I’m here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until I take my last breath…I have done nothing wrong.”](http://cbs2chicago.com/governor/blagojevich.media.address.2.891120.html) I gotta say, I love the sack on this guy. I like a guy who won’t go belly up and resign, or give a contrite apology even when he’s caught on tape committing the cimes. I love the defiance. I love the whole “Fuck you. Prove it” mentality. The entertainment value is phenomenal. This is like going for it on 4th and 50 from your own 1 yard line. Thank you, Governor Blagojevich, for going all out and giving us the best for our entertainment value. You’re going to go down in flames, but you’re going leave it all on the field and take nothing back to the locker room. That’s all we can ask of any scandal plagued politician. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/2 "2008-12-19T21:03:05Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > [“I’m here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until I take my last breath…I have done nothing wrong.”](http://cbs2chicago.com/governor/blagojevich.media.address.2.891120.html) > > I gotta say, I love the sack on this guy. I like a guy who won’t go belly up and resign, or give a contrite apology even when he’s caught on tape committing the cimes. I love the defiance. I love the whole “Fuck you. Prove it” mentality. The entertainment value is phenomenal. This is like going for it on 4th and 50 from your own 1 yard line. Thank you, Governor Blagojevich, for going all out and giving us the best for our entertainment value. You’re going to go down in flames, but you’re going leave it all on the field and take nothing back to the locker room. That’s all we can ask of any scandal plagued politician. He’ll resign slightly ahead of the descent of the headsman’s axe. Then he’ll be all apologetic. We might even get to see a press conference involving him, his wife, and, probably, his preacher. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/3 "2008-12-19T21:05:54Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > [“I’m here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until I take my last breath…I have done nothing wrong.”](http://cbs2chicago.com/governor/blagojevich.media.address.2.891120.html) > > I gotta say, I love the sack on this guy. I like a guy who won’t go belly up and resign, or give a contrite apology even when he’s caught on tape committing the cimes. I love the defiance. I love the whole “Fuck you. Prove it” mentality. The entertainment value is phenomenal. \*\*This is like going for it on 4th and 50 from your own 1 yard line. \*\*Thank you, Governor Blagojevich, for going all out and giving us the best for our entertainment value. You’re going to go down in flames, but you’re going leave it all on the field and take nothing back to the locker room. That’s all we can ask of any scandal plagued politician. Okay, I’m going to have to break down and read _Football for Dummies_ so I can become culturally literate. Can someone please translate the bolded section into English? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/4 "2008-12-19T21:08:14Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Okay, I’m going to have to break down and read _Football for Dummies_ so I can become culturally literate. Can someone please translate the bolded section into English? It’s like having one hit point left and deciding to attack the Turbonium Dragon head-on with a +1 Dagger of Superficial Injury. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/5 "2008-12-19T21:09:54Z")
I’m rather hoping he stays defiant because it’ll make any last minute contrition that much more transparent. Maybe reality is finally settling in for him. He’s arrogant and oblivious enough that, at least to date, he savored any spotlight. Good, bad, pfffft; didn’t matter. He’s goin’ down. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/6 "2008-12-19T21:10:33Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It’s like having one hit point left and deciding to attack the Turbonium Dragon head-on with a +1 Dagger of Superficial Injury. I didn’t say DUNGEONS & DRAGONS terms. I’ll take English, Italian, or Chess. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/7 "2008-12-19T21:13:00Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I didn’t say DUNGEONS & DRAGONS terms. > > I’ll take English, Italian, or Chess. Losing all your pieces but your king and one pawn - but you’re still convinced you can make a checkmate against an opponent who still has his full back row loose on the board. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/8 "2008-12-19T21:14:08Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Losing all your pieces but your king and one pawn - but you’re still convinced you can make a checkmate against an opponent who still has his full back row loose on the board. > > -Joe Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/9 "2008-12-19T21:14:52Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Okay, I’m going to have to break down and read _Football for Dummies_ so I can become culturally literate. Can someone please translate the bolded section into English? A football team has, effectively, 4 tries to move the ball 10 yards down the field towards their opponents’ goal. If they can advance 10 yards or more in 4 or fewer plays, they get another 4 tries to go further, and possibly score a goal. If, say, the quarterback gets “sacked” (knocked down behind the “line of scrimmage” (where the ball starts)), they’ve lost yards, so it’s possible to have more than 10 yards to go in their subsequent tries. This could also happen if they get penalized for a foul of some sort. A team that is 4th and 50 from their own 1 yard line means that they are on their 4th attempt to keep their turn, so if they don’t advance the ball the necessary 50 yards, the ball automatically gets turned over to their opponents from wherever it ends up, which is likely to be very close to their own goal line, making it easier for the other team to score against them. A team almost never tries to advance the ball on their final down, but instead, will usually opt to “punt” it in an effort to kick the ball as far down field and away from their own goal as possible. Basically, 4th and 50 from your own 1 yard line is a pretty shitty position to be in. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/10 "2008-12-19T21:15:09Z")
“'e’s bloody well scuppered, 'e is! 'is wicket can’t get any stickier than this.” ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/11 "2008-12-19T21:15:37Z")
(Never mind.) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/12 "2008-12-19T21:17:33Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I didn’t say DUNGEONS & DRAGONS terms. > > I’ll take English, Italian, or Chess. English: It’s like an Englishman thinking he’ll win a nicest-smile contest. Italian: It’s like picking a fight with the mafia because hey, you’ve got a pocketknife to defend yourself. Chess: It’s like putting on a revival of \*Chess \* because you’ve always wanted to win a Tony. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/13 "2008-12-19T21:19:37Z")
[QUOTE=Ichbin Dubist] In that situation, you would be handing your opponent a golden opportunity to score just by your refusal to admit that you’re in a very bad position, one that is due to your own stupidity. Fourth down means you have one play left – in this case, to go 50 yards forward or you’ll lose the ball. The sensible play is to punt (kick the ball forward) so you’re giving the opponent the ball, but as far as possible from your own goal line (where they can score). Also, since you start your downs with just 10 yards to go, the most likely way you’ve just gone backwards 40 yards is by committing dumb penalities – essentially, shooting yourself in the foot. [/QUOTE] Wait…you can \*\*commit \*\*a penalty? I thought that penalties were assigned to you when you committed a foul or whatnot. And issues of nomenclature aside, why would something Team A commits cause that team to have to lose territory? I would have thought that Team B would have to do something to earn the territory. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/14 "2008-12-19T21:23:54Z")
Yeah, it can have entertainment value. But as a lifelong Illinoisian, I really wouldn’t mind it all that much if our gov and legislature actually spent a little time governing and legislating… ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/15 "2008-12-19T21:25:31Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’ll take English,… This might be a little cliche, but very fitting: > [@](#): > > ARTHUR: > Victory is mine! > [kneeling] > We thank Thee Lord, that in Thy mer– > BLAGO KNIGHT: > Hah! > [kick] > Come on, then. > ARTHUR: > What? > BLAGO KNIGHT: > Have at you! > [kick] > ARTHUR: > Eh. You are indeed brave, Sir Knight, but the fight is mine. > BLAGO KNIGHT: > Oh, had enough, eh? > ARTHUR: > Look, you stupid bastard. You’ve got no arms left. > BLAGO KNIGHT: > Yes, I have. > .. > ARTHUR: > What are you going to do, bleed on me? > BLAGO KNIGHT: > I’m invincible! > ARTHUR: > You’re a looney. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/16 "2008-12-19T21:28:51Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Wait…you can \*\*commit \*\*a penalty? I thought that penalties were assigned to you when you committed a foul or whatnot. “Committing a penalty” in North American sports lexicon means “committing a foul and getting a penalty assigned by the officials”. > [@](#): > > And issues of nomenclature aside, why would something Team A commits cause that team to have to lose territory? I would have thought that Team B would have to do something to earn the territory. It was deemed to be the best way to punish fouls in football. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/17 "2008-12-19T21:32:20Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Wait…you can \*\*commit \*\*a penalty? I thought that penalties were assigned to you when you committed a foul or whatnot. And issues of nomenclature aside, why would something Team A commits cause that team to have to lose territory? If a player on the offense does something against the rules (commits a penalty), the referee punishes the offensive team by penalizing them yards. If it’s a player on the defense who does something against the rules, the referee punishes the defensive team by giving the offense yards. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/18 "2008-12-19T21:35:53Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Wait…you can \*\*commit \*\*a penalty? I thought that penalties were assigned to you when you committed a foul or whatnot. And issues of nomenclature aside, why would something Team A commits cause that team to have to lose territory? I would have thought that Team B would have to do something to earn the territory. If someone from Team A, who has the ball and is trying to advance it, say, grabs hold of one of their opponents’ face masks to pull them down to the ground, that is a foul, for which the whole team will be penalized by moving the ball further back from where it started, forcing them to have to go even further to keep their turn or score a goal. The number of yards a team loses is based on the severity of the foul. [Here’s a list of them](http://www.football.com/penalties/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/19 "2008-12-19T21:36:28Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Blago Knight Well played, sir! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974/20 "2008-12-19T21:39:31Z")
It’s like being down to your last flying monkey and explaining your dastardly plan to the hero whilst his sidekicks finish loading their ammo clips. Man, I’m really glad real life doesn’t have a “no lawnchair” rule, cause I’m SO pulling up a lawnchair to watch the fireworks on this mo-fo. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go-blago-go/477974.md?page=2)