Even Joe Biden disses RR

Submitted by cltjr on

In his memorial speech today for the WV miners, VP Biden says "they hated the way Coach Rodriguez left West Virginia for Michigan." of course, the crowd erupts with applause....

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April 26th, 2010 at 8:38 PM ^

"When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the princes of greed. He said, 'look, here's what happened'."
Joe Biden in interview with CBS News, September 2008. However, Roosevelt wasn't president in 1929 and televisions were still experimental.

Rico616

April 26th, 2010 at 8:39 PM ^

The whole state of WV hates Rich Rodriguez, but that was uncalled for. I like Biden but some of the things he says makes me wonder WTF.

Either way...Go Blue!

Tha Stunna

April 26th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^

What the hell is the big deal? He said that the miners didn't like RR leaving. He did not say:

-That he disliked the way RR left
-That he endorses how they felt

He just made a statement that would be appealing to his audience. I don't see where this is anything beyond pandering - and even that is questionable because he didn't state that he shared that view.

Could people find something legitimate to be outraged about?

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April 26th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^

"His mom lived in Long Island for ten years or so. God rest her soul. And- although, she's- wait- your mom's still- your mom's still alive. Your dad passed. God bless her soul."
Joe Biden, on the mother of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who is very much alive, Washington, D.C., March 17, 2010

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April 26th, 2010 at 8:52 PM ^

"You know, I'm embarrassed. Do you know the Web site number? I should have it in front of me and I don't. I'm actually embarrassed."
Joe Biden, speaking to an aide standing out of view during an interview on CBS' "Early Show," in the midst of encouraging viewers to visit a government-run Web site that tracks stimulus spending, Feb. 25, 2009

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April 26th, 2010 at 9:02 PM ^

"This election year the choice is clear. One man stands ready to deliver change we desperately need. A man I'm proud to call my friend. A man who will be the next President of the United States...BARACK AMERICA!"
Joe Biden introducing Obama on August 23, 2008

You almost have to see it to believe it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKTjlAd-GXM

BiSB

April 26th, 2010 at 9:08 PM ^

He didn't say he agreed with them. He just pointed out that the people of West Virginia are still pissed about RichRod leaving. Which they are.

marc_from_novi

April 26th, 2010 at 9:12 PM ^

"You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.... I'm not joking." --Joe Biden

"Look, John's last-minute economic plan does nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs." --Joe Biden

oldcityblue

April 26th, 2010 at 9:16 PM ^

that this comment was the one that garnered his first "applause-pause".
(Later he kicked himself for not anticipating the appeal and having more Mountaneer ammo.)

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April 26th, 2010 at 9:18 PM ^

http://www.slate.com/id/2198597/

Well worth reading to the end, for the surprise Al Kaline trivia question.

I think the correct answer to "Who replaced Al Kaline in right field?" is not Mickey Stanley, but rather is "Joe Biden." Ditto, "Who was the commander of Apollo XIV?" "Whose idea was the 'I Have a Dream' speech?" "Who wrote the Clean Water Act?" and "Who was the quarterback of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl 5?" All Joe Biden. You didn't know that?

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April 27th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^

with, uh, sports.

Look, I'm willing to give your complaint some consideration. Okay, I'm done considering it. No, I am not backing off Joe Biden. I'd have thought the proper first reaction would have been: "Dude, you need to chill out with the anti-Rodriguez rants. This is a memorial service!"

amphibious1

April 26th, 2010 at 9:21 PM ^

He made a room full of grieving people smile and cheer. Who gives a shit if it was at our expense? They need all the cheer they can get right now. I'd rather have a dissed coach than a dead relative...

jmblue

April 26th, 2010 at 10:13 PM ^

Well, some may question whether it's in good taste to be cracking jokes at a memorial in the first place. If it were my loved ones being eulogized, I don't think I'd want someone to remind me right then that my school's coach left us.

A2toGVSU

April 27th, 2010 at 9:01 PM ^

It is perfectly acceptable to crack a joke at a funeral, provided that it is something that it is funny, applies to the deceased, and something they would have found funny.
What is the biggest cliche of funerals?
"(the deceased) wouldn't want us to mourn their loss, but celebrate their life."
This is something most, if not all, of these miners felt strongly about, and it brought everyone in that room together. He didn't even attack RR at all. He made a statement about something each of these miners had in common. Grow up, people. This is much bigger than our football team. Nothing is in poorer tastes than the illiteracy/hillbilly remarks on this thread.

A2toGVSU

April 27th, 2010 at 9:09 PM ^

Just speculation, but judging by the way the crowd (of the friends and families of the miners) reacted to that statement, I would guess that they (the dead miners) felt very strongly about it.

You see what I did there?
I call it inductive reasoning.

Remove your personal biases toward Biden, the people of WV, and Rodriguez and you will see it for what it is.

A2toGVSU

April 27th, 2010 at 9:21 PM ^

It has everything to do with personal bias.
Not just you, but everyone on this board who is taking this the wrong way.

Find me one comparable discussion of this topic ANYWHERE on the internet that does not have an RR bias

TIMMMAAY

April 27th, 2010 at 9:30 PM ^

Now you're twisting your argument to suit the circumstance. You originally said to forget my personal bias toward him, meaning Biden. Now you're applying it the other way, which would be fair only that's not what I was responding to. You're right that I have that bias, but that's not what you said initially.

A2toGVSU

April 27th, 2010 at 9:34 PM ^

I'm not twisting the argument at all. My girlfriend does that all the time. I HATE arguments that get twisted away from their original purpose

Copy and paste version:
"Remove your personal biases toward Biden, the people of WV, and Rodriguez and you will see it for what it is."

Tater

April 26th, 2010 at 11:42 PM ^

It is a very bad breach of etiquitte to say bad things about anyone at a eulogy. It's one thing to give people something to feel good about; it's another thing to feed on hatred in a situation where emotions are already raw.

A2toGVSU

April 27th, 2010 at 9:04 PM ^

I almost always agree with you, but here I can't.

Biden was not feeding on hatred. He just found something they all had in common. He brought that room together. I'm sure a lot more people were thinking "yeah my (dead relative) sure was pissed about RR" than people were thinking "forget this funeral we gotta pick back up the RR anger"

MaizeNBlue

April 26th, 2010 at 9:47 PM ^

Wow, I thought this thread was a joke until I watched the video.

That's pathetic, I hope you're happy with yourself, Joe..

... moron.

Hopefully Obama's the only one speaking at commencement.

Ernis

April 26th, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^

Their eruption of approval was absolute joy to my ears. I don't know why I delight in having a whole state obsessed with our coach, but I think it's the bees' knees.

Bromigo

April 27th, 2010 at 1:19 AM ^

If Obama is smart he’ll disassemble the BCS before the 2012 season and force a playoff system.

That would guaransheed his re-election

Wendyk5

April 27th, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^

Is it possible that there's an OSU grad writing speeches in the White House? I know - hard to fathom that someone from THE Ohio State University might get a job of that caliber - but it does happen once in a blue moon.

Blue in Yarmouth

April 27th, 2010 at 8:37 AM ^

I am not from the USA but politicians doing shit like this just annoys me.

Some (though not many) have come to this clowns defense by saying things like "he is just pandering to the crowd". Does that really make a difference?

Politicians are always talking out of both sides of their mouths and I hate it. I think any UM fan (that resides in the USA) has every right to be pissed that some ignorant ass who makes statements like this (whether he agrees with them or not) is in public office.

As an outsider that has no vested interest in who holds office in the USA I can give you this insight: that guy is a fucking dud.

Tim Waymen

April 27th, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^

Joe Biden was Delaware's Senator for many years. Delaware is the home of University of Delaware (well, obviously), whose successful FCS football team is coached by KC Keeler. Keeler is a Delaware alumnus who played under the legendary Tubby Raymond, who coached at UD for 35 years and played at and graduated from...wait for it...Michigan! In fact, KC Keeler supposedly was on Bill Martin's list of candidates. I think we'll be fine though.

The situations could be different and I know that Joe Biden might not even care about CFB. I mean no disrespect to the departed miners and their friends and families, and I hate to be saying the following in this context.

WV totally needs to get over RR. Sure, RR said the year before that he wouldn't be leaving WVU and left before the bowl game (which they won), but it's no different from any other case of a coach leaving. That WVians still curse RR's name to this day, that the mention of hatred for RR elicits cheers at a funeral for people killed in a tragic accident is ridiculous (see Tater's excellent comment about etiquette at funerals). If Biden's eulogy made the grieving families feel better for an hour, then it's worth it even if it's just for good PR. But still, with regards to RR, move on WV. You weren't the first and you won't be the last.

MGoShoe

April 27th, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^

...totally sane take on this issue posted over at MVictors.com.

I read some of the comments ripping on Biden on mgoblog but I think they either missed the full quote or the point here. The fact is that he was describing the passion of these men and Mountaineer football was a big part of that. Do any of you doubt that they did hate the way Rodriguez left?

If Biden talked to the wives and family of these fallen men I’m guessing more than one brought it up & note the WV sticker on the helmet in the photo above. Certainly in the audience were (primarily) friends and family and you heard how they reacted to the Rodriguez comment.

Perspective people, perspective.

Blue in Yarmouth

April 27th, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^

This was a funeral. He wasn't at a bar with a bunch of drunk WV fans where one would expect a politican to "pander" to the crowd.

The debate here has been as to the appropriateness of his comments, and anyone who argues that this was the time or place for comments like that needs their heads examined.

My father just passed away a few months ago. What do you think I would rather have had someone talk about at his funeral, something he loved or something he hated? Would I want to be pondering his life and accomplishments, or things that angered and outraged him?

One can argue (depending on their fandom) whether his comments were valid or baseless, but I can't see anyone arguing whether they were appropriate for the situation ime.