The Runback: 🎄Presents Under the Tree🎄
What should people be getting for Christmas? Let's find out
Welcome to another week of The Runback. Have you been enjoying The Duckpin? Do you have comments or suggestions? Do you want to write for us? Let me know at theduckpin@gmail.com. And please be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Thanks in advance.
Podcast Episode #14
This week we talk with Julian Boykin about the future of the Maryland Republican Party and the GOP’s Minority outreach.
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News and Politics
December 2020 Maryland Gubernatorial Power Rankings: The latest in a series of rankings between now and the June 2022 Primary.
Foxwell’s Baggage: The disgraced former aide to Comptroller Franchot is hanging out his shingle. But those who hire him better be able to explain themselves.
Romance of the Skies? Pete Buttigieg made silly comments about airports being romantic. But that’s not the real story.
Love Letters from Red Hats: Feedback from Trump fans responding to last weke’s edition of The Runback.
Save the Snow Day! There are a lot of beneficial reasons for letting kids still have snow days in the virtual schooling environment.
Kim Klacik is Who We Thought She Was: After a racist rant on Twitter, Kim Klacik is who we thought she was; somebody who ran for Congress to become famous, not get elected.
Sports
After A Season on the Brink: A College Football Closing Saturday to Remember.
Let's Have a Real Playoff, End of Season Edition: The College Football Playoff process has again shown itself to be nonsense. Here’s a better way.
2021 (finally) NBA Preview: Part 2: How crazy will the Nets be? Who’s tanking for a top pick? Learn more.
Did you see this week’s NFL Preview? Take a look at how the picks went down and be sure to tune in Friday to this week’s picks.
Culture
Die Hard is a Christmas Movie: Die Hard is unequivocally a Christmas movie. Yes, another one of these articles.
The Top 5 Christmas Movies: This list isn’t exactly what you think it might be.
Shameless Plugs
My latest column for The Capital: Steuart Pittman’s latest coronavirus response shows we need to put Pittman out to pasture.
In a column for the Carroll County Times, I write about how the McDaniel College Board of Trustees failed in their recent “search” for a new College President.
The Monday Thought
We’re three days away from Christmas and it’s time to start thinking about Christmas presents! What are some of the things that certain public figures should find under the tree this year?
For President Donald Trump: a calculator and a notebook, so he can try and keep a count of the number of times he has lost this Presidential election.
For Governor Larry Hogan: a New Hampshire road atlas. If Governor Hogan runs for President, and if he is going to be successful, he is going to need to spend a lot of time in New Hampshire over the course of the next three years. Hope the campaign office is near The Red Arrow.
For the wealthy horseman himself, County Executive Steuart Pittman, a copy of Thomas Sowell’s “Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy” so he can finally understand the economic damage his administration is doing to county businesses and taxpayers.
For Kim Klacik, the contract at some low-rent “conservative” broadcast outlet so she can go away and never be heard from again.
For the Ravens defense, a subscription to a meditation service. Maybe that will help stop the rash of silly personal fouls the defense has been committing all season. We’ve heard “personal foul” and “roughing the passer” far too much these days. Though admittedly there was not much to complain about with Sunday’s game against Jacksonville.
For NFL referees, a subscription to a service that provides them with monthly eye exams. I’m not sure if that exists or not, so if it doesn’t maybe a memo that the Steelers are not entitled to all of the close calls going their way.
For Republican members of Congress, two golf balls in a jar, to remind them of what many of them seem to have misplaced during the Trump Administration.
For Democratic members of Congress, a copy of the United States Constitution so maybe they can learn why most of the programs and policies they have been promoting are unconstitutional.
Probably wouldn’t hurt to give a copy to those who think the election was “stolen”, too.
For Orioles manager Brandon Hyde; a contract extension. He’s done a good job keeping a competitive time on the field and doesn’t deserve to be jettisoned just as the team might turn the corner.
For our doctors, our nurses, and everybody in health care, a vacation to someplace where they can take their mind off the last nine months. Since that doesn’t seem possible, let’s hope they get a glass of the beverage of their choice and our everlasting thanks.
For Big E; a major push and the run with the WWE title that he so greatly deserves.
For your, our readers: I wish you nothing but health and peace as we celebrate the birth of our Lord this Christmas season.
Merry Christmas Brian 🎄🎅