POLITICS and FOOTBALL — What a presidential electoral season we are having! Passions are high.
We have a powerhouse facing an underdog. The powerhouse candidate has big time money, skilled operatives and the blessing of the mainstream pundits. It is almost like Grand Valley State meeting Ohio State for the BCS Championship. And folks, it just wasn’t supposed to happen like this.
College football has some interesting parallels to our current political game. College coaches are chosen not so much for their coaching skills as they are for recruiting skills. After all, how good of a coach do you need to be, if you have the countries best talent hauling the pigskin around? Of course, you have to have some coaching ability, but not necessarily the most ability.
That is why we see upsets in college football games. Sometimes the best team gets out coached. And when that happens, the hackles of alumni get raised. And it is just more than pride that is threatened by an upset loss. You may have just blown the grand prize of playing in the BCS Championship Game and becoming #1.
That translates into, you guessed it — MONEY! So, to simplify, coaches are chosen for recruiting, winning and putting money in the school coffers. The last reason being the purest simplification of why big name coaches are hired. To put MONEY in school coffers.
Now here is the parallel to presidential races: Let us imagine the president as the head coach of his political party. The alumni have their favorites for the job. The head coach to be chosen for each political party is not chosen for skill necessary to be president (head coach). Nor what kind of game he will play. It comes down again to winning (the presidential championship bowl) and filling the party’s coffers. The presidential candidate is chosen for his ability to recruit donors, much like a college football coach recruits football talent.
For the 2016 season, the Super Alumni of the Democratic Party had much more sway than the normal alumni of the party. Given the propensity for Bill and Hillary Clintons’ ability to raise money for the party, she was a shoe in 
from the start. Oh, there was some clamor and even a substantial challenge by the lesser alumni to choose their own coach. But, it was later revealed that the administrators helped in thwarting the desires and wisdom of the lesser alumni.
from the start. Oh, there was some clamor and even a substantial challenge by the lesser alumni to choose their own coach. But, it was later revealed that the administrators helped in thwarting the desires and wisdom of the lesser alumni.But something really strange happened at the other party. The Republican hierarchy had chosen their nominee for coach to be Jeb Bush. Again, he may have lacked the best skills for running the country, but that boy sure had some recruiting (money raising) skills. The lesser alumni, after listening to the more influential alumni, in choosing Mitt Romney the last season, rebelled. The hierarchy of the Republican team, not having the advantage of the Democratic Party Super Alumni, were ganged up on by the lesser alumni, and a coach, many thought had the necessary skill, rather than recruiting ability (money raising), was chosen.
This infuriated the Republican hierarchy so much, they threatened to take the team’s equipment, that they payed for, away from the team. “Not fair” they cried. “You don’t know enough about how the game is played to choose the coach!” they screamed. “You’ve allowed the other coach to recruit the best talent (money)” they hollered.
“No matter” the lesser alumni yelled back, “He had the skill to win the semi-championship bowl, proving our point. Sometimes it is not always about the recruiting (money). Sometimes, it is more about how we want to play the game and the coaching skill.” they said, and “we will try it our way with our coach.”
“We want a coach who will put a team on the field for the fans, not fill the coffers of the party!”
Seventy-two days until the championship game friends. Who are you rooting for? The choice is evident. You either root for the Super Alumni that is playing the recruiting (money) game (Hillary) or the choice of the fans (Trump) the underdog, who is trying to play a different kind of game.
No matter how it turns out, two things have happened. The fans are showing uncommon interest and passion this season. And many fans, including the Hierarchy and Super Alumni, are learning much about how the game is played now and will be in the future.
Robert Moras, Alpena
Mr. Moras,,
Very well done, you sir are a skilled writer. The analogy of the election and football is spot on and you laid it out with skill and humor. I enjoyed reading your letter please keep them coming.
About 13 million fans, a GOP record number, chose Coach Trump.
About 15 million fans, also a GOP record, chose anybody but Trump for their coach.
And so even though he was not the fan favorite, Coach Trump is now prowling the sidelines hoping to be the General Manager.
By the way, only about 3 in 10 GOP fans in Michigan chose Trump as their pick for Coach.
But in state after state other candidates for head coach became disenchanted and dropped out of the running leaving Trump to become coach in essence by default.
This Coach Trump fellow, even though he is a favorite of a plurality of fans, is not as it turns out a favorite of a majority of fans.
http://www.politifact.com/north-carolina/statements/2016/jul/08/donald-trump/donald-trump-set-record-most-gop-primary-votes-eve/
Mr. Salisbury,
Mr.. Trump received more votes for coach in the primary than any Republican, ever. Must be the new definition of default.
Mr. Moras,
You know when you arrived at the Townbroadcast when Mr. Salisbury gets after you, all it means is you are effective please up the great work.
Read my comments more slowly Mr Traxler.
I duly noted Mr Trump’s record vote totals, both for him and against him as a candidate.
No GOP candidate was a bigger winner.
Nor loser.