Trash Talk: The Return of the Hubcap!
bmaz hasn’t given out a hubcap yet this year, so I’ve wrested control of the trash reins from him to offer up this shiny hupcap for the person(s) who correctly predicts this weekend’s winners.
Before I get into my choices, though, I gotta congratulate JimWhite’s Gators on a superb game on Thursday. Actually, I’d like to congratulate freep’s Sooners, too, even if they’re in Norm Coleman recount land. It was a great game, but–as should happen–some kickass defense won the game.
Also, WTF are the Brownies thinking, hiring Mangy Mangini? I kind of like liked the Brownies in recent years. Yet they had to go replace a consummately likeable BillBel protege–Romeo Crennel–with the snitch who tried to turn Brett Favre into a hand-off machine? Really? Well, I guess that’ll make it easier for me to decide which of the several excellent teams in the AFC North to cheer for next year.
BAL-TEN: (Tennesee won in Baltimore in week 5, 13-10) Speaking of which, I’m predicting the hot Ravens will beat masaccio’s Titans today. This is the game that pits experience (Collins) against youth (Flacco), and two great defenses against each other. In the end, I think the game will be close, but after you add in the touchdown that Ed Reed seems to believe he’s entitled to each week, the Ravens will pull out ahead.
ARI-CAR: (Panthers beat the Cardinals in Arizona 27-23 in week 8 ) My bet against bmaz’s home team was the only thing that sunk me last week, but I feel much safer this week in rooting against the Cards. Yeah, the Cards have discovered they have a Hall of Fame caliber runner they’ve been ignoring. Yeah, the Cards showed some superb D last week–and I do think that D will be able to somewhat contain Carolina’s running game. But I just got a feeling that the Panthers–and not either of the NFC East teams–will be heading to the Super Bowl this year. Steve Smith will make a couple of big plays against the Cards, which will lead them to obsess over him and leave Mushin Mohammed open to keep a lot of drives alive. Plus, Carolina is at home and Arizona is away–two more strikes against the Cardinals.
PHI-NYG: (The home team lost each of the regular season match-ups, with Giants winning 36-31 in week 10, and the Eagles winning 20-14 in week 14) I’m tempted to say the Eagles will win this. I say that not just because the away team has won each of the games played this year. And not just because the Giants have sucked since their star wide receiver got picked to be IL’s next Senator. And not just because the Manning boys do better without a week off. But the Eagles have the momentum here. That said, Brandon Jacobs is much healthier than he was in week 14. And to win, the Eagles would have to look like the screen-throwing team they used to be. Given the potentially crappy weather for the game, I reluctantly go with the Giants (even if I expect Bad Eli to show up for the game–god I hate predicting Manning wins).
SD-PIT: (Steelers won at home 11-10 in week 11) When’s the last time you saw a game in which the punter was the MVP? Because that’s certainly what happened last week, with SD’s Mike Scifres single-handedly compensating for Peyton’s ability to gain ground on the Bolts. And for that reason I’m calling this game for randiego’s Bolts. They got rid of their East Coast curse in week 16. Rivers was playing truly inspired football at the end of the season. And Rotty tends to play even more inconsistently every first game back after he bangs up his noggin. Yes, kicking anything at Heinz Field is a dicey proposition on the best of days (though Scifres did well in similar weather in week 11). But Pittsburgh’s O has just been struggling too much of late–even before Rotty’s latest blow to the head–to win what will be a field position game. Add in the fact that the weather will probably have cleared up enough by game time to allow Rivers to be effective, and I think the Bolts win a close one.
(Hubcap picture by jillciardy)
Titans
Panthers
Giants
Steelers
Could someone please explain to me why Wade Phillips still has a job?
BAL, CAR, NYG, PIT all win. I had Chevy mooncaps on my first car, a ‘73 Nova. What a great car. With the straight-6 it drove like a BMW.
You know, for the record, the shitty thing about doing trash talk, is you go from gut to details which clouds your judgment.
Take this post.
I start by saying “defense wins championships.” Yet then I tip two games–the Stillers-Bolts and the Iggles-Gents–according to offense.
I’ll stick with my choices, but boy am I stupid.
Ravens, Giants, Panthers, Steelers
Wow, those Gators really were great! It was fun to have a championship game that wasn’t a blowout. And as Marcy points out, it definitely was the defense that won this championship. I sure hope they make a poster out of the look of utter disbelief on Bradford’s face when Ahmad Black got that fourth quarter interception on a theft on the way to the ground.
Yesterday, Urban Meyer used the defense’s great performance to spread a little more shame on big-time NCAA programs because Charlie Strong is still the Gators defensive coordinator and not a head coach. Strong now even admits that he has a doubly tough time, especially here in the south, because he is African American and has a white wife. You can read more here.
The Sooners also put on their very best defensive performance of the season, because Stoops also understands defense wins championships. Even though he’s lost five BCS games in a row, Oklahoma would be insane to run him off.
For those folks who are going to try to bring up Utah or USC trash, give it up. Alabama was playing without its two best offensive linemen, who did play in the SEC championship, so comparing the two games doesn’t work. Also, Penn State made much more of a game against SC than they should have.
For this weekend, I’ll go with Baltimore, Carolina, Philadelphia and San Diego.
Would be close, but USC would beat Florida. Trojans are rightful national champions! Utah also has a superior claim to both because they are truly undefeated!
One little thing that some folks have missed is the OCs and DCs of color on SEC teams.
Like the ‘Cats who have both OC and DC of color with the OC designated as the Coach-in-Waiting for when Brooks decides to retire.
I’m thinking all the home teams win – Titans, Panthers, Giants and Steelers.
The locals call it “playoff weather” or “Steeler weather”, not unlike the way some of their ancestors called the bright French summer of 1870 “Kaiserwetter”. Fully suitable for and facilitating a victorious campaign. Some forecasts are predicting up to ten inches by midnight on Saturday. When that kind of forecast comes to Pittsburgh, it begins…
Cue a low, almost subaudible rumble reminiscent of distant drums. Quiet, and almost too low-pitched to be heard, rather than felt, people suddenly stop what they are doing and cock their heads to better perceive and confirm that, indeed, they are hearing what they thought they heard. Older locals, having been through this before and knowing what follows, share knowing looks. The younger folk and newer transplants look around for a reassuring glance.
It is as though a countdown clock has suddenly announced both its presence and the limited hours left before the sands run out. The experienced call up mental checklists of tasks which need be done and things which need be bought. The young and inexperienced dither.
Tire chains come out of their summer slumber in old number 10 cans full of rust-blocking diesel and are laid out on newspaper-padded garage floors. Their owners check them for completeness, then burrow through cabinets to find where they stored the rubber tension straps last March. The can of snowblower gas – in summer, used for pansy-ass mower gas – is opened, checked, and taken to the gas station for a refill. Along the way, a stop at the pizza delivery place for a copy of the latest menu. Another stop at the ATM, for cash to have on hand.
The wind begins shifting, bringing the promise that the deep, dry cold of Canada is crossing the still unfrozen Great Lakes, sucking countless acre-feet of water into the clouds, to be deposited it on the rolling mountains of Pennsylvania. Smiles crease expectant faces.
The inexperienced are frantically clearing the shelves of bread, milk and water. The experienced head for the beer – strong, dark beer – fatty meats and cheese. And toilet paper. All the local places having long since sold out of them, the extravagant and unprepared discover to their horror it is already too late to order #15 (the football-shaped salami) here and have it arrive in time.
In a few hours following that first rumble, the shelves come to look like the main department store in Moscow of Communist days – empty, save for crates and crates of mop heads or empty styro coolers and nothing to go in them.
Warned, people have settled in. The Saturday night movie gets record viewership. Kids, tethered to the back door so they don’t blow away, play in snow-swamped yards. Pizza delivery guys, their shops bombarded with orders – consecutive 80 pie hours, even hundred pie hours – speed down hills and wrestle their hulks down clogged streets and curse in their cars then paste on a smile when they come to the front door, in hopes of mercy forming itself into abundant tips. Someone goes to the chest freezer in the basement and pulls out a container of frozen plum dumplings, made to Grandma’s recipe and put aside last August in anticipation of this day, to be microwaved for breakfast.
The worst passes through overnight, and in the morning the road crews’ work shows. The way to the stadium is open. Hundreds of casual laborers crowd the stadium gates in the hope of being taken on to help clear the stands and maybe get an SRO ticket for pay. Following their ancient tradition, the Rooneys have checked the downtown bars and brought the players they found in to the early Sunday Mass, still in their going-out clothes. And, in their hotel, the boys from San Diego shudder when, on their way to breakfast, they look outside into the blinding white snow that is Pennsylvania in January.
Somewhere, Myron Cope smiles, lights up, notes that black and gold look good in snow and calls his bookie.
Carolina,
Baltimore,
New York,
Pittsburgh.
Agree this qualifies (we’re at about 6 inches already, and it’s not stopping anytime soon).
But I think it’d help the Stillers a lot more if it would continue much further into the day tomorrow.
Which is why I say weather affects the Iggles-Gents game (which, after all, is further east) but not the Bolts-Stillers.
You might be right, given the game times and all, but the cold of Pennsylvania – along with bare-armed Stiller linemen and hatless, coat-open Tomlin mashing his ‘fro with the headset – will work (evil)wonders on the psyche of the Bolts.
In all the accounts I’ve ever seen Pgh was, after all, the place where shirtless fans in snow originalated back in the 70s. I remember watching it on TV – it was shocking enough that the cameras panned and stayed on them and the commentators commented.
When the sun goes down along the Alleghany – and it goes down early there this time of year, sometime in 2d quarter – it gets very cold very quickly.
OTOH, crappy and cold weather in the Meadowlands is likely to be a wash b/c both Philly and NYG play in it and revel in it. If anything, it would likely favor the team with the better ground game. That looks to be NYG – I’ve heard reports that Westbrook is hurt enough to make a real difference (maybe even a doubt as to whether he’ll play).
Well, yeah, that’s why I picked teh Gents against all my better instincts: I’ll take Brandon Jacobs on a handoff over Westbrook on a screen in that weather.
We’ll see about the Stillers. Using my earlier logic, one should root for the Stillers. But in recent weeks, the Bolts have looked ready to collect on all their last minute loss karma earned earlier in the season.
OT, but still football, the So. Cal Trojans showed why (along with Utah) we need a playoff.
They were three touchdowns better than either Texas or Ohio State.
Florida would have been another story, but that would have been THE game.
No hubcap for this (maybe, one lug nut…:o) )but I was telling people all season long that the Pac-10 was a lot better than everyone thought.
Heh, heh. I just caught Yahoo News trashing on Bush. They briefly put up a photo of a boot to illustrate their story on W. dedicating the aircraft carrier to his father. I put a screengrab in an Oxdown. The photo already has been changed, but the boot was up there for at least a half hour. Was this done by someone at Yahoo or were they hacked? Inquiring minds want to know…
went to BC, dorm ugh, basketball players 6′11′, 200 lb barbell weights crunch cement floor, how to get out of here,
change coach, bonfire rally, block intersection, benign gendarmes understand only college enthusiasm, speech in front of dorm, what is a quarterback going to say, uh, catch. Fresh air begins 200 miles southwest, fewer comments about interviewers and Pat missles,
drift back over to the Garden, Byrd rolls more points than Denny Ainge or anyone, decades Doppler shift, era of jumpin Michael Jordan, 50 points, game, set, tossing in the dream again,
there is a rock album cover, blasted music somehow made by drumsticks on wheelrims, hubs, young musicians growing up timely, popular in Germany now. time to grain the horses.
If the identity of the winning entry in the 2009 BCS caucuses holds any meaning whatsoever – a very shaky foundation on which to erect a theory – it is that the momentary conceits of our species do not correlate to the outcome of a contest of oblongball. Exhibit A: the consenus among its cogniscenti that when it comes to f’ball, the Tebowner held the One True Path the Path to Hegemony.
It turns out picking a winner in advance is on par with forecasting the weather by string theory – as rational as quarks: up v. down, top v. bottom, & charm v. … strange. So on no proof but to the contrary, this weekend ‘m going with strange: what their choice of senators says about the resident chutzpah.
Dirty Birds @ Tights: This is easy – Alexander’s a nice, pleasant reassuring rockhead establishment white south’n type, and Corker’s a mean, shifty lizard of a New South cheat. No contest.
Jazz @ Cougars: Senator-choice chutzpah isn’t terribly useful to pick this one – Kyl & McCain carry most inanity contests, but Carolina has 4, DeMint & Graham alone match them & the two from North C pretty much cancel each other out. So we’re going with maximum manifestation of the inanity of sports franchises: nicknamery, Utah keeping the name specifically chosen to recognize the City of Jazz is unsurpassed – but “Cards” is definitely within the tradition. Why “Cougars”? Why the hell not? Why the hell “Panthers”? Again, too close. So, despite my trepidations, I’m going with a little reality: the Carolina D-Line is going to eviscerate Warner. [I expect to regret this; it’s too un-strange]
Phleagles @ well, sort of home v Gi’nts @ not home: Seriously, can anyone explain who has the fabled Home Advantage here? That alone is inanity sufficient to pick the Gi’nts.
Thumpers @ TARP’d Town: EW’s right – the Bolts punter went all Ray Guy last week; but then again, he does that. Meanwhile, Sprout or Snoopy had the advantage of hiding from some particularly tall trees from Indiana – but LT got a nap, so … football wise, a risky strategy, this is a lock. On the other hand, picking Pitt is irrational, so there. What sews it up for the ‘burghers is Arlen Specter. What a tool!
In scrum:
Tennessee
Carolina
NY
Pittsburgh
All a very fancy way of saying, “I pick the home teams.”
I can’t wait until randiego shows so he can root against the Bolts and I can see what a chump I am for even picking them. I can’t believe I just voted against Polamalu, for example.
Ah well. You can all remind me that I made that pick in the same breath as I said defense wins championships.
That head cold has still got a hold of you I think.
“All a very fancy way of saying, “I pick the home teams”
Oh yeah? Oh YEAH!
Like … like Norm Coleman’s election challenge is a fancy 204 pages way of saying, “I’m gonna hold my breath until the bad Franken monster goes away & this nightmare ends”;
or like relying on Outlook to store 10 million e-mails when it starts to shrivel & die at 5,000 is a fancy way of saying, “I hereby veto the Presidential Records Act”;
Or like saying “Nobel prize-winning economists I believe in tell us we’re at significant risk of this financial crisis holding back economic recovery for at least years & maybe indefinitely unless we inject at least $1.2T into the economy, so I’m asking Congress for $800B” is a fancy way of saying “I’m going to get Congress to force me to sign a bill for $1.5T by a veto-proof majority so I can say: Well, if you insist”
Well, Miss Smarty Pants always-sees-patterns-thru-smoke-&-obfuscation-utter b.s. person – – allow me to introduce you to a little secret:
the REASON relying on quantum mechanics and string theory & strange quarks is so mystifyingly accurate is that it predicts a winner from a week off the other team doesn’t enjoy plus one less of the kind of unholy pounding that over a career reduces linesmen’s life expectancies by something like 25 years plus they got that week through earning a better record
So YEAH I went all homer – because that’s what strange quarks whose only teams they really cared about in the first place who embarrassed themselves out of the race last week DO.
And besides: I think the hubcap should go to the most deserving trash talker, not the person with the flukiest dart board.
So there.
Tho, in all candor, it would please me to see that munchkin in San Diego hoisting the Lombardi trophy high above his head in victory, just below LT’s ribcage.
I don’t think that’s really fair this week. After all, freep is kind of out of sorts with the Sooners loss. Had we given warning…
I’m not sure we lost
faux sports fuked mi upp
we gotta have a recount, I just learned that faux sports confused ME on a second down play
everybody else got the call right but the announcer, who TWICE errounously announced it was 4th down, thereby depriving me of the right to understand what the fuck was going on
obviously, the only way to resolve my confusion is to replay the game from the point of the fuckup
all I need is a lawyer that works pro bono, and some suckers to donate to my legal fund …
Early leader, Soap Bar category.
Home Titans up 7.
Just sayin’.
It’s not ONE home team winning that’s at issue. It’s all four home teams that is at issue. The trick is picking which home team won’t win.
I can haz choice?
Apparently the trick to keeping close to the home team is to put yourself in 3rd & a ka-jillion.
Baltimore and Philly get road wins
Carolina and Pittsboro successfully defend the home terra
The home teams are the better teams. That’s why they are the home teams. No upsets today. I think Ravens-Titans will be close, but anyone picking the Bolts against the Steelers in PA in January … just, NO.
Damn. This economy really sux. You sleep in for just one morning and people are stealing even your trash.
I am rolling with the Fighting Masaccios. I think Chris Johnson and Lendale White will be able to run on the Ravens in the second half. Unless Baltimore can get a big enough lead in the first half, and I don’t think they have enough to do that, Collins and the running game wins a close one in the second half.
Too cold, too east for the Cards. And by the way, anybody that thinks the Cards are going to get to 2-0 in the playoffs has been sampling Blago’s stash. Marcy test drove that thought with me earlier, and that thought got mr doubled over with laughter. Playoffs? You’re talking about the playoffs? (my best Jim Mora voice here). 2 and oh? Two playoff wins is like half a century’s worth for the Cards. Na gonna happen.
Westbrook healthy, Donovan on a roll. I am going with the trendy pick Iggles!
Bolts versus Big Ben is hard. I can feel the Frightning Bolt momentum. But, Norval Turner is a momentum killer, and he is still on the Dan Diego sideline. Can I also say, I love Mike Timlin. Dude has a serious sense of humor and infectious enthusiasm. Big Ben isn’t flashy, he is a mudder. But never underestimate his will to win. And I won’t. Stillers!
What does a guy who pitches for the Red Sox have to do with this?
Dude, that wasn’t me; Big Ben is saving all the “O” for tomorrow! Had to substitute and “i” for today only.
You know, that Norv almost flipped me on that one. And like you, I love Tomlin.
Of course, you were the guy who insisted the Bolts were dead a few weeks ago. So maybe I’m onto something…
Oh, and sorry about the trash. It was in my way.
so it’s THE ECONOMY that caused you to get fired ???
and what did you do with all those hubcaps you was supposed to be passing out ???
Oooo, these things are so much more fun when you haven’t seen any of the teams lately and don’t know what the hell you’re talking about (cf. March Madness):
Bal
Car
NYG
Pit
Could someone please explain to me why Wade Phillips still has a job?
I wanted to know that when Dallas hired him.
You don’t mean “Wade Phillips”.
You meant to say: “Coach Cupcake”. That’s what the Ft. Worth paper calls him. Seriously.
You’d like this: when you Google “Coach Cupcake”, the sponsored link that pops up is some place called “The Sweet Tooth Fairy” in L.A. A bakery, I guess. Seems appropriate.
As to Coach Tomlin, he encapsulates the game into very simple, pithy sentences that even his football players get. Like, the one at halftime of the first (in Pgh) game this year with Baltimore. Asked by the inane sideline reporter about the second half and how it will turn out, he said: “The more violent team will win this football game.”
And they did.
“Coach Cupcake”!8-)
EW, stick with your gut. You made a great pick. Just because nobody is picking the Lightning Bolts doesn’t mean you’re wrong.
Defense wins championships, true. The Chargers defense played pretty well against the NFL MVP last week. Don’t discount that.
A Ravens win in the early game would be sweet, but I’m taking the Titans. Never go with a rookie QB in the playoffs.
An ARIZONA CARDINALS win would be extra sweet, just so I could give Bmaz some jazz for not supporting his freakin’ home team, but Carolina has been my pick for the Super Bowl for a while. Carolina at home, Cardinals winning TWO playoff games is unthinkable.
I’ll be back for more later for more fun. We have ANOTHER kids’ birthday party to go to.
fyi, it’s 75 in SD today, going to be 85 tomorrow
This snowstorm is beautiful, and I’ve got nowhere to go–the only thing I’m leaving the house for today is to combine McC’s evening walk with a trip to the pizza joint to pick up some ‘za to soak up the beer.
Hey, ponder this if you will. If the Cards and Eagles both win, I think the Championship game would be here in Phoenix. Okay, I know that is major league delusional, but man would that be hilarious.
That’s what you were saying about randiego’s defense of the Bolts a few weeks ago.
Well, it’s almost beer-thirty, and my 12-year-old son wants his turn on the computer …
I stopped watching CFB this year when Utah beat Alabama and won the National Championship. Everything that follows that is just meaningless exhibition.
As to the NFL, I am taking Sand Diego over Stinksburgh (Big Ben is really Little Ben), Spew York over Spewadelphia (McFlabb gets sacked more than lunch), Crapazona over Crapolina (Delhommey or Warner? Give me Warner) and TennASSsee (Flacco will be flatulent).
Incidentally, Lovey Smith has officially hired Marinelli.
Any legal eagles care to weigh in on the Utah AG investigating whether the BCS violates antitrust laws? I know some Congress critters were investigating the NCAA’s tax exemption and Biden once held hearings on the BCS and basically called bull$hit on all of the justifications for avoiding a playofff, saying the BCS “looks like a rigged deal”. I wonder if anything will ever come of all this talk?
retroactive antitrust immunity
It depends whether one determines to characterize Big Time College fu’ball as a carc’ter buildin’ opertuna-tee fer yutes, or as a commercial enterprise in the guise of same.
The sight of a Republican, leave aside a Utah Republican, calling a spade a shovel is strange indeed; but though these are strange times [I keep trying to explain this to Fearless Leader], the fact that this particular UR has already announced his intentions of hanging up his spurs after an pretty much unprecedented run of state-wide success, plus in his circumstances it appears to be less the interests of the yutes than of the Utes, well … apparently all that’s just enough to blow off the mist.
if Baltimore wins in Tennessee, San Diego could win the right to host the AFC championship game tomorrow
like Yogi said, it ain’t over till it’s over
Yeah, gee wouldn’t it be great to have the Bolts, who finished the season 8-8, and the Cards, who damn near finished 8-8, play in the SuperBowl?
Oh what giddy times those would be!
Didn’t we already see that one, this week?
You talking about Oklahoma v. Florida? Yes that game, without the Trojans and Utes, was almost as much of a joke as the Cards v. Bolts SuperBowl would be.
The same.
Back to Lichtblau on Holder. Lots of rich veins.
FiRst: SnaRlin’ ARlen leading the heRd on a Raid into HoldeR pRivate pRactise Record – which for the most paRt appeaRs to have been comprised, and his Rather impRessive fees justified by, using his paRticular Relationships to aRRange deals for his Republican clientele with a Republican DoJ.
In otheR woRds: iRony.
[Sorry about the capped Rs; nothing seems wrong with my keyboard; could be the subject matter.]
Second: my favorite quote, courtesy Snarlin’ Arlen –
“He said Republican investigators had not yet found anything untoward in Mr. Holder’s private practice, but added, “We’re looking through all his records.”
Can you hear the theme music:
Tip-toe
Thru the minefield
Third:
Okay, bmaz, you got me: I’m crying “Uncle” on Holder. I’m not complaining a bit about celebrity fee structures, nor [you’ll have to trust me on this] am I guilty of fee envy. The plain and simple fact is that the only ways a lawyer not named Jerry in a buckskin jacket working contingency fees can rationalize billing as much as Holder is by [a] padding – & I’m not accusing him of that at all, & [b] peddling his influence.
Holder = influence peddler … the single most reliable symptom of InsidetheBeltwayestablishmentarianism.
Eric Holder as AG is Obama’s equivalent of Richard Perle’s being given the keys to the DoD.
Lichtblau attacking Holder, at the Times, “with a banana”.
I wonder if Eric the H knows the protocol: “First …”
Balto over TN
Carolina over AZ
Phila over Gants
Pitt over Bolts
off to dinner – sister’s birthday… dvr is my friend.
And just for the sh*ts and Grins:
Tennessee
Carolina
Iggles
Stillers
Baltimore seems to be kind of a sexy pick…. but the Titans are tough. You better pack a lunch when you’re playing them.
Balto played great D last week.
Coulter and O’Reilly in serious debate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WefgvNdF9cQ
Over which one is a bigger wingnut?
The best trash talker gets the potty-mouth award, a bar of soap.
Book Salon up at the Mothership Matt Yglesias hosting Andrew Gellman’s Red State, Blue State, Rich State, Poor State
my best friends in seattle used to host legendary super bowl parties featuring food and drink picked with exquisite care by the host, who built his menu around the best regional fare the champion teams offered.
during playoffs, if our home teams were out of contention, our conversations sounded something like “damn, bbq beef brisket with margaritas just lost, but gumbo and ramos gin fizz is still in the hunt!”.
a phone call this morning brings the unbelievable, unbearable news of my friend’s death. gone way too fucking soon.
for Cowboy, here are my weekend picks:
Baltimore Crab Cakes
Carolina Ribs
Philly Cheese Steaks
Pittsburg Scrapple
Who needs first downs? They just get in the way.
Now why didn’t Reed pick up that loose ball?
He’s obviously off his game.
This sort of thing wouldn’t keep happening if they fixed the shape of the ball.
Quoth mr. ew: “He Brett Favre’d it.”
Unfortunately for Collins, he’s not Favre.
In fairness, during the last five games of the season, Favre wasn’t Favre either.
“and you have to demonstrate a football move”
What, pray tell, does that mean?
I can’t tell you what it is, but I know it when I see it
I’m off to a quarky National Championship Party – it just materialized – bbl to check on everyone’s state variables…
You can’t hardly get scrapple in Pittsburgh. Scrapple is something found east of the Alleghanies/Blue Mountain, and that means it’s in Philly, Reading, Lancaster, York, Allentown, and places like that. Interestingly, about 20 years ago I got some very good scrapple (properly cooked, too! an art in itself) with breakfast I had at a rather obscure locals-only-type lunch counter on Capitol Hill in D.C. Surprised the heck out of me to find it there – turned out the cook was from Pa.
Distinctive Pittsburgh foods would either be something which tends toward the Slavic, or Primanti’s sandwiches, where you get everything – fries, cole slaw, cheese, meat, the works – in the roll and it’s served on waxed paper.
Too late for the hubcap, but anywho …
First thing, SC beats all comers. No question. The only reason they (and Utah) aren’t getting even more consideration is simply stated in three words: east coast bias. The only reason the JoePa’s scored at all, is because the Surfer Dudes felt sorry for them. Give Pete Carroll and his staff time to game plan and it is so over. The Trojans not get many of the most talented players because they have a bigtime program, but honestly, take a look at the average daily temp in Jan for LA and the average in Ann Arbor or State College, and see who wants to play where. Not only the players, the coaches too.
The Beavers beat them you say? I say the Beavers were and are much better than you think. The Beavers beat a decent Big East team, in Pitt, without their best offensive threat (Jaquizze Rodgers). Oregon State lost to Utah, which isn’t too shabby considering that Utah beat Alabama which was #1 for 5 weeks, and Utah is now ranked #2. And this is the second time in four years that the Utes have gone undefeated.
The Trojans have been playing a home and home series with Notre Dame for decades – it’s not the same now, but they’ve played the Irish when they were the class of college football, and not just when they’ve been less than stellar. They played Ohio State this year and next year they are going to Columbus. Last year they went to Virginia.
SC and the PAC-10 plays all comers. How often does the SEC go out of conference for road games?
Look at the conferences overall. The PAC-10 is better in Nov. and Dec. than they are Sep and Oct (probably the good weather). Somebody on ESPN radio pointed out something very cogent; which was that the 4th best team in the SEC was Vanderbilt and the 4th best team in the PAC-10 was Cal. Nothing against Vanderbilt but you put them in a bowl or even a playoff and I guarantee Vegas puts the spread somewhere in the vicinity of -8.5 Cal. Last year Cal went to Tennessee and beat the Volunteers.
Seriously, overall and top to bottom I like the chances of western teams (PAC-10 and MWC). Throw out the two worst teams in the conferences (which means UW and WSU get voted off the island for the PAC-10) have a tournament and we’ll see what shakes out.
And it’s not a temporary thing
Watch out for Stanford in two years, Jim Harbaugh is building a very good program.
Oregon is going to be scary good next year
Oregon State continues building an excellent program as does Cal
But SC loses something next year with half the defense going straight to the NFL and if Sanchez declares; but remember this name: Matt Barkley. He will be the next big name QB.
All that said: Florida is the unquestioned favorite to win next year if Tebow comes back. Alabama might go undefeated until the SEC Champ game (look at the cupcake schedule), but lose to the Gators again. The Gators lose maybe one person on defense and they’ll always have playmakers on offense.
—–
NFL Playoffs. Too late for the hubcap
Not picking against the spread, only a fool bets during the playoffs
Ravens
Panthers
Giants
Steelers
What? No love for the ASU Sun Devils?? They had a crappy off year this year, but Dennis Erickson can coach and he has been recruiting well. They will be back.
Whoever wins this game is going to be too beat up to play next week.
Suggs, Rolle, Johnson…
Now Kearse?
Why are y’all playing Foosball in the middle of Hockey Season ?
So much for the conservative offense. Not to mention there should have been an interfence call.
Ouch. Not Haynesworth.
Now McClain.
Where’s edit? Sigh
This
Should say
Gotta run. Too nice to stay inside any more. 59 degrees
Why dontcha just take a look at the cheerleaders at SC (and, for that matter, the average woman student there) – that will tell you why the players want to go there.
Or, like that “old” joke about the future Mrs. Brady:
“Q. What do they call Giselle back in Brazil?
A. Average.”
Got news for you. The female talent at USC is third, maybe fourth, best in the PAC 10.
I’m about to display the depths of my ignorance about Joe Average: after a while, what in hell could they possibly expect to talk about?
If I were in his shoes, I’d find out what she wanted to talk about and make myself expert in it.
Like Coach Tomlin says: “The more violent team will win this football game.”
He didn’t say anything about the next one.
Is it just me, or these days are we just not seeing any opinions on SoCal & the Pac 10?
4:23 game.
Do the Ravens have even one offensive drive in them?
Have you met Todd Heap?
Yep, another ASU boy!
He could make the most incredible catches. His nickname was the “Golden Retriever”.
Can he run it for a first down? Because that’s what they need about now.
No. Seriously–that was a hot catch.
That was amazing, even for an ardent fan of the Canadian Flutie League.
Flacco should have run that down.
This is good for Randiego’s smurfs.
He has been texting me. I think he already has SuperBowl illusions because he can feel the AFC title game coming to the beach. He will be insufferable if the Bolts get by the Stillers.
Egads. It’s enough to make me want to root for the Stillers, in spite of my pick.
Now that I’m finally out of the Hubcap Stakes, just in case you & Randiego go spellcheckie a spellcheckie in the Stupor Bowl, could I have the popcorn distribution rights?
Man.
That’s kind of a bummer.
Not just that the Titans lost.
But I got nothing out of Reed.
I was rooting for Collins to get to the Big Game …
So. The Ravens can win without Ed Reed ball hawking and being half the “offense”.
Who knew?
Flacco doesn’t make mistakes. Amazing win. Incredible call on the delay of game. Oh wait. Refs missed it completely. Even TV guy caught it.
Hey, flutie league, I heard NotreDame and Bernie Kosar thought that was part of WFL’s championship team in Tokyo. Someone borrowed the television about three decades ago, something about Steve Young needed balast, or was that Thor Hearne needed Greg Palast, wait a minute, there is a green section of the Sunday paper just printed, got to look for it. Yes, see it now, Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson, Larry By, wait a minute, same paper been in the laundry room all these years, will check back when I find the WFL channel and catch up to some of the commenters.
Okay. Gotta say this. I don’t get that Frank Caliendo guy. Seriously unfunny.
And it’s a major newspaper – not just some easily-dismissed blog – that’s calling him that.
Now that is Cardinal football, right from the kickoff!
You can always tell a true fan – from the second-to-second leaps into the abyss of despair. I understand the rules require this game be played to completion.
You’ve never seen or heard a true fan, until you’ve watched/listened to a NY Mets fan over the course of a big weekend series.
There’s all the big anticipation.
The death-of-a-loved-one reaction to the bullpen blowing a lead.
Overnight and all the next day, a combination of mourning and hopeful anticipation that, tonight, we’ll get ‘em back.
Then, when they win the middle game – exultation all Saturday night and Sunday morning. Snoopy dancing…. Extreme confidence that they will get Two In A Row and Win The Series.
And then, when the starter fails to get out of the third, the sound of beers popping open to drown their mournful sorrows.
I love it: their pain nourishes me.
bmaz, I’ll just root for Carolina, giving you some hope.
By the way, Giselle, I can sing Corcovado, does that qualify me for an introduction to someone not quite average?
brmaz – your guys signed Spideyman?
Fitzgerald? He is very, very good. May be the best receiver in the league. But he plays for the Cards…..
But I’m stuck on the Vikes, and they decided they really didn’t need Randy frickin’ Moss cuz Randy frickin’ Moss types grow on trees – so you can imagine how deeply I feel your pain. Oh, and by the way, your guys are up 7.
The game is young. Trust me, they are very experienced at blowing it. This they are true professionals at.
False equivalencies much? you’d think y’all would have had enough of those…
Okay one and all. This article is not short, but you have to read it. Absolutely superb. We all love sports here, and we have been on the Deetroit auto watch for a while now. This has it all. Will bring tears to your eye and cheer to your heart.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c…..index.html
bmaz needs to investigate which member of the Cardinals sold his soul to the devil. Of course it is still early.
(My mom asserts that this actually happened with Ron Swoboda)
I keep picking against Baltimore and they keep winning…
Ravens over Titans. Heh!
Red Birdies over Black kitties.
Gents over Green Birdies.
Bolts over the Pits.
Did someone mention pizza?
Oh, I AM slow. We get to re-jig our picks after every game result? Okay: I re-jig to all AWAY teams – which I “reality world” includes the Giants.
Tho – I do think this system could do with a tie-breaker.
How to cheat is the only thing I’ve ever learned from the Repugs.
Did I do it right? *g*
Like a charm.
If things continue as they are, I think we can forever dismiss the logic of a week off. Lately it has been hurting more than it has helped.
Bingo. I don’t think it has ever helped.
Prolly best if the Black Kitties don’t come out for the 2nd half.
Getting beat is one thing; getting yer ass kicked is another.
I think MadDog has been tippling at randiego’s flask.
Tippling? I never tipple!…glug…glug.
And when it is the Cardinals….whoo boy, that is really bad.
Ah MadDog, another who picked the Cards — warms my heart, I hate to see a team so unloved ; )
Look – I already did my bit by jinxing all the home teams out of the chute, debasing myself in being caught by Fearless Leader using an utterly fictitious ’system’ to do so. If you think it might help, I can start dumping on your guys, but they’re not giving much room in that department. I’m even prepared to actively cheer against them, but altho Bidwell is worse than pondscum, Warner’s a decent human being and it appears that, quite apart from that Spideyguy, there’s a few others who seem to know how to play. Plus, what’s with you guys having the Colts running back? Does this have something to do with Indiana being in the tank for McCain?
BTW – your guys are up 10.
Yeah, we took Dan Quayle too. Edge is okay, the Hosiers can have Quayle back.
Doesn’t matter how I dump on ‘em [in my MIND]; no matter how I much I’m “cheer against” ‘em; nothing’s enough. Cards up 13, now with a pick. Where’s the gratitude?
Too late for the hubcap I know, but fwiw, in my football pool I picked
Ravens
Cards
Iggles
Stillers
So far I have matched my success rate from last week ; )
bmaz — what’s up with your much abused homers, I just turned on the game and they are way up on the kitties.
Has anybody noticed that Randiego is, um, a bit tilted with his prose.
What were they serving at that party??
I am known for bringing sipping tequila to kids bday parties… for the adults of course. I’m very popular in that way.
Psst… don’t look now but your team is ahead.
Was that Spideyguy again?
Look, bmaz: I’m at the end of my hypocrisy rope here; next thing, you’ll be asking me to turn Republican.
Oh, and … carry the two … your guys are up 20.
Whaaa happn? I stepped away for a few minutes to say hi to a friend my wife has over, and I return to an additional touchdown.
Did Kurt hook up with Spidey again?
Spidey man Spidey man Does the things That a Spidey can.
Thish ish … VERY good newsh … fer Ran…Ran…Randiego.
EW, I’m trying to catch up on the thread — did anyone around here pick bmaz’ local team tonight? I’m seeing a lot of pre-game love for the kitties, not much for the birds. Didn’t anyone ever watch Tweety make a fool of Sylvester when they were a kid??? No??? Just me, then I guess ; )
Just you and MadDog. Of course, that’s why you gotta get the votes in before the games start–to get credit.
(FWIW, I’m well aware that if your picks were from your pool they were in on Friday, so maybe if you fax me proof we can still get you the hubcap–if this continues as it has been.)
I’m fax-ually challenged, but I popped you an email ; )
To be fair, the main reason I picked the Cards is so I can harass bmaz — we all need hobbies ; )
Man, isn’t that kind of a crutch? You mean you need to pick the birdies to harrass bmaz??
No, it just makes pickin’ ‘em more fun ; ) Nothing like cheering for a team bmaz loves to hate ; )
And I should say bmAZ pointedly predicted his local team would lose big.
Well, jeez. I live here. I know of the Cardinals. On the road, in the east, in a playoff game. Come on, and I love Phred, but what the fuck kind of moron would bet on the Cardinals given those circumstances and their, um, history? I mean come on…
MadDog doesn’t count. He was cheating.
New leader in the hunt for the Soap Bar – for a stylishly executed 2.5 reverse trash talk, whilst sporting shit-eating grin.
Only too happy to provide bmaz a target for his Soap Bar aspirations ; )
In fairness to bmaz, I have to confess to having been personally present in witnessing more Card crashes than any other team in the NFL – – some so awesome in their capacity to discourage as to seriously conceive that Bill B would have die, be embalmed, have a stake driven thru the place where his heart might have been, his embalmed carcass then cremated, the ashes of it compressed into a marble, the marble shot as deep as possible into the Earth’s magma, and still a generation would to pass before one could ever truly hope for improvement. His skepticism is a product of some pretty hard experiences.
But apparently “this too shall pass” – as long as you realize you have a FRICKIN’ WORLD CLASS RECEIVER TO CATCH IT, that is
[not that I’m bearing my own burden or anything].
Unless one is a certain New England franchise.
How ’bout that??? Phred actually sent those picks on Friday at 8:52 AM.
Unlike MadDog, apparently, she’s not cheating!
Ah well, I was just getting warmed up — no real shot at the Soap Bar, and now the Mr. is telling me to call it a night. I’ll see what I can do tomorrow, if I’m not shoveling all day ; ) Nite all…
You didn’t tell him I picked against his Stillers, did you? That’d make him cross, I guess.
cheer up bmaz
yer boys have blown bigger leads than this
Swoboda, that is germane: it means luck in Polish.
Like Blago means blessing in Slavonic.
No entertainment here this evening at the work. Best I could imagine once I set aside the flash camera shot of Danny Ainge sinking repeated 3 pointers, remembering these are Modern Times here, was the tale of Bear Bryant in my parents living room, kind of swaying after a win over the feral pigs, wondering how he let himself be in a mere house, when stadia are more gracious and capacious.
Just then a soulful image of Ron Delany’s graceful leather stride at Madison Square Garden flickered, another gent who graced the home halls once, 4 minute mile then a barrier.
Wait, this is pro playoffs. Who has the most byes. Only the hubcap knows. You like ‘em, they got the resta the parts to make a whole cah. then you got an Aston Mahtin, like Cerberus’ own Dan Quayle. Gotta ask for the entire $700. BBN before the 20th. Let the next administration worry about their own bailout.
Now, this is broadening. Exactly how many blogs are out there? And how many of ‘em are currently riffing on … Ron Swoboda!
Ron’s legendary status as the quintessential over-achieving Amazin’ Met has a lot to do with his career taking place entirely before the mutations of Bill James & Nate Silver & the sabergeek hordes emerged. With Bill Beane’s success in following their POV, increasingly major league teams are able to look at a hunk of Polish kielbasa like Ron & see him for the things he can do well, not the comic outline & his limitations. The success of the Bosox’ Greek God of Walks suggests that, today, Ron’s image would never have come about, leave aside endure.
The Bear, cut and paste makes haste.
Caught the train back to work, forget the bail.
It’s too funny, in a black-humor sort of way. I’m in Myrtle Beach, and I’m a Panther fan, and I hoped they’d win, but I wasn’t at all sure about it; not nearly as much as the rest of the people on here. They can play a great game, and they can also stink out the joint. Which they are doing, as we speak.
The Cardinals look…hongrier and quicker. And they have a better game plan. I think when Del Homme gets a little panicky (and he was) that he gets tunnel vision. Which is why he got picked twice.
The Panthers are not good at playing from behind. In fact, I think the only way they can get back into this has more to do with Arizona than themselves. If the Cardinal’s coaching staff is stupid enough and chickenshit enough to try to sit on that lead, instead of continuing to attack the bamfoozled Panther secondary, then Carolina MIGHT be able to sneak back into it.
But I wouldn’t put any money on that.
Lastly, I think John Fox is a good coach and I hope that Richardson doesn’t decide to jump into the musical chairs coaching game if the Panthers continue to get trounced in what at this point looks like a miserable ending to some high playoff hopes.
I like Fox too, and he has coached them up through some tough injuries and situations during his tenure. Unless they go after Cower, I can’t see dumping Fox. Quite frankly, I am not sure I would dump him even for Cower to be honest. Trust me, this is, ahem, unexpected from the Cards.
Redbirds! Give ‘em some love!
I got it: ’round 2 or so hours after the final whistle, you’re going to turn to someone you trust will never inform & say: “Not bad; looks like we could even hang on to this one.”
Oh, with the Cards, it is still not over.
bmaz it’s over the cards win. Fitz is one hell of a receiver and to be honest I have not seen Warner look this good in a long time.
The AZ Cardinals played great in the first half. Average on offense in the second half. It’s a good thing their opponent was “5 Pick” Delhomme because they couldn’t put the ball in the endzone in the second half. AZ defense won the game. AZ offense played a good first half, moved the ball in the second but couldn’t convert except by FG. He too played well until the end…. missed his last attempt.
This is indeed something: can’t remember ever hearing a fat LADYBIRD … singing … just singing … & dancing … in the rain.
Hey, bmaz, what happened? The Cardinals did not fold, and they’re kicking Carolina’s butt all around the stadium! Are they finally getting their act together?
Bob in HI
Formerly of AZ (1987-2004)
Bob, there are still 50 seconds left and it is down to a three possession game. These are the Cardinals, don’t get ahead of yourself.
I know… last time I bragged like that was about the U of Hawaii Football team, which promptly proceeded to fall apart before my eyes. But this time, the
CrudinalsCardinals actually kept it together, and spanked the Panthers pretty soundly. It was their defense that did it– Delhomme threw what– 5 interceptions??? You can’t give the ball away like that and win.In addition, Warner looked good, and Edgerin James ran well. Is this team really from Phoenix?
Bob in HI
No doubt about the cards performance being unexpected. :o)
Charlotte’s suicide rate may take a little spike. The city has a longstanding inferiority complex and desperately wants to be considered big-time; and like most…venues, thinks that the best way to get that is by spending astronomical sums of taxpayers’ money on building places of business for corporate athletics.
Which is why I can live with this outcome.
“5 Pick” Jake. Is it too late to change my picks for today?
You are free to submit your application. It will be considered and resolved on the merits. Heh heh
Good morning all! I’m not nearly as eloquent as the Mistress of this blog or her partner in crime, but here’s some game notes for you, which I have attempted to organize.
Back in November, we made a bunch of January plans because I figured the Chargers were done. They weren’t, and it’s been easier for me to watch them without high expectations.
The Chargers are a very different, far more confident team than earlier in the year. There was a two month stretch where they couldn’t buy a win or catch a break. They still have weaknesses, but big plays and a will to win can overcome that.
The Steelers are a sexy pick because of their winning tradition, cold snowy weather, and very tough defense. That doesn’t make them unbeatable.
EW riffed on a major strength of the Bolts, Special Teams – and not just Scifres. They also have Sproles returning kicks and perennial special teams pro-bowler Kassim Osgood (#81) downing Scifres punts. Heinz Field plays like a bowl of ketchup, very sloppy, so field position will be important.
Bye week:
It easy to say now, but I’ve thought that the week off didn’t really give teams an advantage ever since the Chargers lost to the Pats in ‘06 after a week off. Clearly, seeding isn’t helping these teams.
Today we have another top seed #2(AFC) with some question marks on offense having had a week off.
Pitt Offense:
Pittsburgh is favored by 6 points, but managed just eight TDs (101 points total) in seven games against teams that made the playoffs, going 3-4 against those teams – those three games were won by margin-of-victory of 1, 4, and 3 points.
TAKE THE POINTS!
The Steelers are vulnerable at the QB position, but have an excellent backup in Leftwich, who has beaten the Chargers a couple of times while in Jax.
Roethlisberger suffered his third football-related concussion two weeks ago, had ongoing headaches last week and didn’t pass a post-concussion test until Monday. It was his fourth concussion overall. He was sacked FORTY-SIX times during the regular season.(Rivers 25). Ben has done a great impression of a tackling dummy this year.
Defense:
As we like to say, “Defense Wins Championships”. The top-5 AFC defenses: Pitt, Tenn, Balt, NE, Indy. Notice who’s missing? Chargers at #12.
However, after jettisoning the Defensive Coordinator in Week 9, the Bolts defense has gotten much better. They really miss Shawne Merriman, but Ron Rivera has them playing sharp defense. The first half of the season they went 3-5, weren’t pressuring the QB and couldn’t get the defense off the field. Overall, they lost 8 games by a total of 34 points, lowest margin of defeat in the NFL.
Weather
People say the west coast teams can’t play in cold weather. It’s a myth, NFL players are used to playing in the cold, and it’s not like they all played college in SoCal. On the contrary, I think being able to practice in warm weather is an advantage. Pittsburgh had to go into a gym this week to practice. The big issue with weather is the wind and precipitation, not cold. If there is wind, all bets are off.
Playoff intangibles:
The Bolts are hot, and are a second-half team. The last 3 years they are 17-2 in December and January. Philip Rivers leads all NFL QBs in 4th Qtr QB Rating the last two years.
Other stuff:
The Chargers are 0-12 in the reg season and 2-0 in the playoffs in Pittsburgh, including the 1994 AFC Championship in Pittsburgh enroute to their only Super Bowl.
Hey Bmaz, don’t look now, but Norv Turner is 4-2 in the postseason.
Finally
Styx will be performing the National Anthem at the game. Seriously, STYX? I suppose the Doobie Brothers were already booked?
Styx? Perhaps the Stillers are trying to tell the Bolts that their hopes of a shot at some jewelry this winter is a Grand Illusion ; )
lol… good one.
Babe I’m leavin… I’ll say it once again…
The last thing I need is drippy ’70s pop reverberating around my skull… Please randiego for the love of God, come back and sing a few bars of something else, anything else!, really… anything at all… well, maybe not Paul Anka or Debbie Boone, but pretty much anything else ; )
Aw Phred, “You Light Up My Life”!
Ahhhhhh….. Noooooo….. Make it stoppppp!!! ; )
Are we human, or are we dancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold.
Dancer; not human – – sometimes sub-, sometimes super-, mostly former.
Thank you : )
Finally!!! I’ve been waiting for you to come in and make me a little less lonely with my Bolts pick!!
I’d say one more thing.
The most insightful thing I heard last night was a comment from Warner, about their 0-fer record in the eastern time zone.
He said last night’s game, because it was an evening game, didn’t disrupt his normal routine.
We’ve had some laughs about how two basically 8-8 teams might be hosting bowl games next week. But they’re also the only two teams in teh playoffs who had that same east coast curse. Their records this year may well be affected by inter-conference matchups that forced them to the east coast–and to crappy body rhythm–more than anyone else.
But heck, if they’re playing at home next week, they won’t have that problem.
And it’s worth noting, the SD-Pitt game is the later game, not a 1PM start.
my concentration last night wasn’t, shall we say, optimal – so I got up and worked on it this morning.
The 10am body-clock thing has killed west coast teams this year. I think they were something like 3-14 in the east coast 1pm games this season, with Bolts and Raiders beating the Bucs in the last two weeks…
Gotta run down and get wet, be back later…. Go Chargers!
I take it randiego is off to the beach. Here, it’s 22F and I just came in from a morning of shoveling. CURSE YOU RANDIEGO.
I’m sticking with my Phila over Gants, and Pitt over Bolts. As per usual, my winner picks are opposite the teams I’d like to see win.
Who else picked winners yesterday?
Sorry Neil – I paid my dues living in DC for 6 years…
Given how little snow DC gets compared to New England, I trust by dues you are referring to shoveling something other than snow ; )
You back on that juice you take to kiddie parties or something? The Stillers are a lot of things, but sexy???
I dunno bout that.
Ok, back to football… Being firmly in the defense-wins-championships camp, in the early going it appears Philly didn’t bring any D. We’ll have to see how well they adjust…
huh? they stopped them in the red zone and gave up 3 not 7. Now Asanti Samuel with the pick and return to the 3. (Why don;t we get players like that?)
You’re right, I was being hasty. The Gents were moving well against the Iggles, but you’re right 3 is a stop compared to 7. Of course, my mood has brightened with the pick and the Iggles TD ; )
heeheehee
1st and goal at the 2
Eli, wake the fuck up, please. There’s a wind blowing Eli, please wake up.
but you’re right about the bruising NYG running back tandem plus Eli is throwing INTO the wind with some success… wait till he has the wind at his back.
Can Eli match Jake’s Delhommee’s completion record in a championship game… completions to the other team?
Dunno why the Giants aren’t running more against the wind. Jacobs was moving the ball. Defense and Ball Control, two sides of a coin, wins games.
Gants advanced the ball sufficiently on their last drive to re-gain field advantage. Left the iggles with 80 to go and soon into the wind.
Ruh roh, a safety does not bode well for my hubcap prospects…
Safety!
Dear Evils, thanks for the contribution. Ball please.
Far too late for actual hubcap contention, here are the picks I would have made going into the weekend had I not been internet-deprived at Disneyworld until today. My favorite convenient measure is Net DSR from footballoutsiders, which I use to guide the picks…
BAL-TEN: Baltimore. Baltimore has led this measure all year; even on the road it’s enough better than TEN to be worth taking them.
ARI-CAR: Carolina. Arizona is actually better in Net DSR, but not enough to overcome home field advantage.
PHI-NYG: Philadelphia. They are better at Net DSR, but NYG are at home. Those roughly cancel. Take PHI since you need to take some chances to win a pool.
SD-PIT: Pittsburgh in a rout.
The Evils have a good game plan. Stuff the run, and make Eli beat ‘em. Giants are vulnerable to corner speed from D-Line.
It could work, it’s a good plan.
That interception was not “wind”. It was all Giants D-Line.
This is what happens when you let a Cowboys QB into the announcing booth.
Does this qualify as Bad Eli yet?
Still waiting for Good Eli to show up…
Yep, Bad Eli.
On the other hand, he has been instrumental in the Evils’ touchdown. So he’s contributed…
Hopefully the game will still be in reach when Good Eli shows up in the 4th quarter…
Crikey. How many Elis we got around here?
Eli’s Coming
How much time you got?
George Vecsey:
“My outrage did not last long as I watched United States senators bumble around for a week about what to do with the appointment of Roland W. Burris of Illinois, until somebody finally dug out the rulebook and realized they did not have much legal recourse to seat the man.
A week it took them. No wonder this country is in all this trouble. We are being run by people who can’t look things up, like reports on Iraq and natioanl mortgage trends and security warnings in August 2001.”
Ouch! This is evidence that the real difference in trenchant commentary is between sports reporters and professional political reporters.
Was that a glimmer of Good Eli or a fluke?
Wow, that was a fine throw by Eli to Hixon. I love how Philly is hanging in…
Have I ever told you how much I dislike Eli Manning? His brother is a better actor/comedian and QB to boot…
Whaddya bet the Gents will find themselves a new FG kicker next year?
Lots of poor plays, but still a good game. Welcome to NFC East…
Throwing a flag or not throwing a flag is one thing… but picking it up?
Can someone explain to me what constitutes pass interference these days — ’cause clearly, I have no idea…
I think it’s something that the NFL needs to address for sure… the Chargers have had TONS of ticky tack flags tossed their way this year…
Yep. I think the rules committee keeps tinkering with the definition. I never seem to know from one year to the next and I think that kind of confusion results in inconsistent penalty calls.
wow, Coughlin was kinda desperate on that one…
Coughlin used a challenge on a spot, then went for it on 4th down at the 50 with 12 minutes left, down by 9. Um, he’s caught up in the moment and making bad decisions.
Bad Eli.
Good, can we get rid of Coughlin and put Spagnuolo in charge, so I can root for the Gents next year?
Horrible Eli.
maybe. ownership likes Coughlin because he demands discipline and gets it. They don’t like their players in the gossip colums, for example, shooting themselves in the thigh oh! maybe Coughlin didn’t succeed on that count either.
I can’t put this on Coughlin. It’s rare when you can point to one player causing a loss, but Eli clearly did this time. I thought the defense played well enough to win, but Eli just stunk the joint up, this time around.
I was right about one thing.
Manning boys really should never take a week off. It really doesn’t help them.
The management does attempt to maintain some kind of quality control when handing out hubcaps, you know!
Exactly, Coughlin is not responsible for how poorly Eli played. Coughlin can’t make a block, drop a pass, and get a first down. But he can make bad decisions. He pressed and made an emotional decision at midfield on 4th down with 12 mins left. Either call your team over and ask them if they can make it or punt. Asking for a review causes a delay and affect your momentum plus it sets you back if you don’t get the call. They lost the game on 4th and 6″ at the 50 with 12 mins. left.
Gosh. It’s looking increasingly likely that Arizona will be hosting a playoff game. I thought I was being really smart anticipating a big Giants run game–but I didn’t think we’d be looking at it 9 points down in the 4th Quarter.
This is really, really pathetic. Iggles’ make-Eli-beat-us strategy is looking pretty damn good.
Amazing. Go road teams!
A little wishful thinking randiego??? ; )
Game over.
Great stop by Giant D. Really admirable.
OK, two touchdowns needed.
Perhaps I should have specified two Giants touchdowns.
This week the NFL assessed a penalty, of twenty large – objectively, & notwithstanding the era of currency injections in the trillions & the newly discovered concept of Madoff Money – against one Mr. Dwight Feeney, currently associated with a professional sports franchise located in the state of Indiana, for the offense of having made what is described as: “inappropriate comments on officiating”.
The phrase judged to merit such penalization was uttered in response to a question from a media reporter directed to Feeney – – who, as a participant in the contest immediately preceding the asking of it & as a member of the team against which one of the team of referees the NFL assembles, compensates, directs & disciplines had, during the course of said contest had rendered a series of rulings – “calls”, to employ parlance familiar to cogniscenti of the game – at least one of which was almost certainly incorrect, & their proximity at least superficially inconsistent with competence if not good faith – culminating in the team opposing Feeney’s being put into position to make a play which resulted in the assessment of several “points” – the currency of the game being played – which in the end proved determinative of the contest’s outcome;
and who was in point of fact on the field of play for the entire said series, including said culminating event, & so, all circumstances considered, including Mr. Feeney’s impressive history of direct experience in such contests, would appear very likely to hold a relevant opinion – – indeed one which, but for fact of his being a participant, & notwithstanding his peculiarly advantageous viewpoint, would qualify as that of an expert [quite easily, I hasten to add].
The phrase in question has been reported as this:
“Those were the worst [expletive]* calls I’ve seen in a long time.”
Now, I realize there is ongoing at this time another such contest – I am viewing it on one of my television machines, as I type [Currently a flock of Eagles is up 12 “points’” on its opponent, with the clock, so we are informed by an on-the-sidelines reporter, “ticking”, one whom is a “Mr. Fleagle” – I can’t keep them straight.], a fact which might occasion some distraction. However, I am mindful that today’s second contest holds a somewhat higher, & for some a deeply personal, significance; so I choose this moment to pose what, to me at least, seems an obvious injustice [albeit a minor one, as to someone in Mr. Feeney’s income bracket, something on par with a fine for jay-walking – but if not justice what is the ultimate goal of such blogs as this?].
IMO it is not possible to judge Mr. Feeney to have cast aspersion or doubt on either the competence or bona fides of the NFL referree team. The assertion in question was clearly phrased in a way that raises comparison to some impliedly significant, though strictly speaking unspecified, period of time, the sufficiency of which I for one am prepared to, and I feel quite strongly we as a society must, grant as with Mr. Feeney’s competence to judge sufficient. [Parenthetically however, I feel it may be relevant to note that Mr. Feeney may have been invoking his entire experience, all the way back to Pop Warner League.].
Thus are we led to consider what else in that response might have attracted the league’s disapproval, and to such an extent that it would, after all, cover the full retail cost of 4,000 double lattes, with muffin, tip & all taxes, with or without proper representation.
I return to the asterisk term [*]. I infer that the word “expletive” may in fact not have been the precise word uttered by Mr. Feeney, but instead may express the league’s judgment on it, or more precisely its use in context [though also possibly that of the wire service; but I suggest that as being less likely].
Thus I wonder: what word would merit that extent of penalty?
I also wonder: Did I jinx every single home team this weekend?
NY Post Headline:
“Burris Shoots Self in Leg, Manning Chooses Foot Instead”
We Are All Arizona Cardinals Now!
Here Here go Cards
Congratulations, bmaz!!! You might yet have to learn to love hte new-look Cards!!!
Might i also say that we here in Phoenix are extremely accustomed to hosting championship football games. Got a lot of experience in that.
This playing in said games is totally newfangled. Gonna take some getting used to. Doesn’t seem right….
This bmaz birds v randiego thumpers Super Bowl thing is coming together nicely.
1 more to go – Bolts @ Stillers. I picked the stillers. I like the Bolts. I hate the Stillers. If Stillers win, I’m 4-0 this weekend.
Next week, the NFC game is for the birds. he he. Actually, I think it’s a great match up with two wide-open passing offenses with strong backfields but the Iggles defense will be the deciding factor.
Wait, you had Carolina, not the Cards.
If the Stillers win then Phred is 4-0, provided you all trust me when I say she did make those picks on Friday morning and not–as it appeared–halfway through the Carolina game.
shit. you’re right.
Of course, I should note that the only game I actually care about is the Steelers (on behalf of the Mr.), so now I am fretting mightily that after all of my unwarranted success this weekend, the only pick I’m gonna blow is this one…
Good luck randiego.
I should say something like, may the best team win — but I’m not gonna. Instead I’ll leave it at, please oh please oh please let the STEELERS win! Besides I would fancy a shiny new hubcap ; )
hummmm
trust you
or as for a recount ???
the schooner really could use a hub cab …
(thinking)
How can you possibly need a hubcap, in light of the wheels having come completely off that rickety old wagon?
we got a plan. It involves hub caps an duct tape (and Sam Bradford stickin around for another year)
I will add. I’ve never seen as hard-hitting a defensive secondary as the Phila. Iggles.
After next weekend is in the can, given the times & [!] teams, I wonder if the NFL will consider moving the site of the Super Bowl.
PS Eli did even try to find a whole. He put his head down and rested it on someone’s else’s ass.
Does that count as Philip Rivers being effective?
Even with light snow.
But, fellows? No need to pull the fouls.
Right on the money in foul weather. That DB had a good view of the catch,eh?
Book Salon up at the Mothership Saving Energy Growing Jobs
Oops. So much for that vaunted special teams advantage.
: )
Yo Holmes.
That Sherlock dude is an excellent return man.
: ) : )
Huh, I tried to leave just one smile, but your fancy software detected a “duplicate comment” and wouldn’t let me repeat myself. How clever : )
This isn’t entirely bad news for randiego.
That is true. It can always be viewed as preparation for the coming letdown of the Padres.
The Clippers don’t count anymore do they?
The Chargers really needed to score on that one play they have run so far in the second half. Really, if you are only going to run one play each quarter, you must make it count.
Ruh roh, unsportsmanlike penalty not helpful either. A bit of Bolt adversity here.
Yep, one play per quarter better be pretty spectacular. If you plan to win the game ; )
Careful EW, this might go to my head ; )
t’s alright. A little elf told me your picks last week sucked pretty badly.
Give my premature congrats to mr. Phred…
Boy did they ever — I couldn’t pick a winner to save myself. Except for Philly, and only cuz they played the Vikings ; )
I’ll be sure to tell the Mr. — perhaps now he won’t be cross with you ; )
Ut oh. Was he cross with me?
Don’t want to piss off Mr. Phred.
Nope, you just thought that was why he was insisting I leave at half-time of the Cards, ’cause you picked the Bolts. He likes you best. He would never be cross with you. He says to say hello, too : )
Oh. I see. So he likes her better than me eh?
Go figure. She may be prettier, but, you know, I am nice.
Okay, maybe EW is nicer too…..
The Mr. is laughing out loud bmaz. What can I say he has a soft spot for former rugby players : )
Mr. Phred and I have drunk Beamish together.
You ever drunk Beamish with Mr. Phred?
I’m sure you’d charm him, mind you, but if you haven’t yet, then you got your work cut out for you.
I have drunk an-I-forget-what with said Mr. Phred and Phred and EW and a handful of other worthiness, but it was in the unforgettable shadow of the unequal-able Fenway. Since them Mr. Phred travels with me in the form of big bold stickers on my laptop that would embarrass anyone wanting to laptop jack it at airport security. Because beside making wise choices in football winners and spouse selection, he is wise in the ways of preventing laptops from straying from their owners.
BSRH — not sure if you will check back or not, but you had me laughing out loud : ) So you have followed in his footsteps in the sticker trick, have you? I’ll tell him. He’ll be pleased as punch : )
It appears randiego’s game plan of confusing the ben & the stillers by limiting the sprout to a yard a carry may, in retrospect, have been misguided. Given your recent stewardship through similar straits, in your opinion which tack holds the most promise for his team’s prospects at this point?
[a] We all of us suddenly turn sharply into the wind & commence fervent cheering for his nemeses?
[b] We all of us scuffle up to our attics, down to our basements or out to garages & carports in a desperate search through the family antiquities to retrieve Anne Gertrude’s rosary beads?
[c] Sue for peace?
[d] Go presidential [Stay the course]?
Regardless the choice, I do think it would be prudent to consider assigning someone to tackle that Mr. Parker.
Gosh. That Phred looks awfully smart right now, doesn’t she?
freep
You don’t need Phred’s hubcap. You’re a DIY trash machine, all by yourself.
I was wondering if anybody was gonna make a statement about CDS (Cardinals Derangement Syndrome)
the Cards got poor bmaz so screwed up that it looks like he’s actually rooting for them
somebody better warn him that the cards are just being set up as a footnote in Donovan McNabb’s autobiography, before bmaz does something desperate, like buying a Cards jersey …
and we shoulda warned randiego, the primordial ooze in pittsboro ain’t yer friend
I do note that had the sandiegans only the foresight to have chosen to block all those stiller PAT attempts, the outcome would now turn on the simple expedient of two converted touchdowns.
EW, the Mr. says thanks for the congrats — he figures it is safe to except them now. ‘Course, from what bmaz said yesterday, it’s a 3 possession game and 3 minutes left, who knows what will happen ; )
1 down…
Woot! I just LOVE hubcaps!!!
Finally: a home team win – albeit the least foreseeable, not to mention saddest for at least one of us here. While noting that, except for the period between the sole Ravens touchdown & the final whistle in this wrap-up game, the home teams lead at all times, under the circumstances my braintrust has deemed it too unclassy to pull a full Debbie Reynolds* at this juncture.
On the strange side, this weekend’s results preserves the possibility of an all-Pennsyltucky Super Bowl – yet another scenario the NFL failed to preconsider.
* Told you so! Told you so!
RE the All-Pennsyltucky Super Bowl – I’m sure that the good folks who work with and for JoePa could surely arrange to have Happy Valley all spruced up in time to move the game from Umbrella-drink Tampa to the shot-and-beer land of Beaver Stadium.
After all, the Nittany country could use the economic stimulus. I’d suspect the hardest part might be getting water back into the stadium plumbing and keeping it from freezing. TV would be happy, too, considering one could be sure that there’d be no wardrobe malfunction issues if the game were held there.
A very pleasing result from the Steel City.
As I noted up the thread @7:
Yoi! and Double Yoi!!
Myron’s pouring himself another celebratory drink right about now.
Talk about a dominating performance … ask Mr. Rivers about his meeting with Mr. Woodley down near the goal line. Thrown about like the proverbial rag doll, Rivers now knows the truth of the statement:
And they did.
Feh. The Steelers defense didn’t win that game. Two critical mistakes on special teams and the Steelers offense controlling the clock won that game.
Hand it to the Steelers. They answered the questions no one seemed to want to talk about by looking sharp on offense. The TD before the half and the 8-minute drive to start the 3rd told the tale.
Fast Willie AND Big Ben came to play.
Good for them.
Yeah, no doubt. Did Ron Rivera think that allowing Ben to stand in the pocket was going to work?
Honestly, it’s sad to see such a young guy with so many concussions.
Dude. The Bolts ran one play in the third quarter and gained a net of 0 yards on it.
Ahem.
Well, thanks to the Stillers I got 1 pick right this weekend. I have to think they will prevail again next week against the Ravens, but it is hard to beat the same team 3 times in one season …
Cardinals-Iggles? I have no idea. Not, evidently, that I had much of a clue this week …
Why don’t you talk to Rivers when he gets back to S.D., assuming he’s not incapacitated by whiplash from that thrashing he got.
I will agree that the Steeler D was not as dominating today as it has been against other teams, but it surely did put Rivers on his backside a few times, hurry him often, and generally make life for the S.D. offense, um, miserable. But, IIRC, the S.D. total offense today was – like every other team that played against the Stillers – under 300 total yards. Which is surely some kind of record and might even be better than the Steel Curtain.
I also note that, if you’re going to make one offensive play in a quarter, you really should score with it. Time of possession, 3d quarter: Pgh – 14:43, S.D. – 0:17.
Also, did anyone else notice how cool it is for the stadium to be mostly black when full, from the coats, jerseys and assorted overclothing of the fans, and the yellow of the seats only shows up when they start to clear out? There has to be some level of intimidation from that, too…. Kinda like during the Stanley Cup finals last year, when the Pens had ”everyone wear white” for at least one of the games.
Are you high? Empty seats are intimidating? When I talk to Philip Rivers I’ll make sure to ask him how intimidated he was by the empty yellow seats.
Life for the Charger offense was not miserable. The defense played well for sure, but did you even watch the game? Your team had the ball 13 more minutes than the Chargers. You understand that’s on the offense, right? And that’s how they won, by controlling the clock and keeping the Charger offense off the field?
I saw the game, but thanks for reminding me, trash-talkin’ Steeler fan.
Gotta say, I was pretty excited with the thought of an AriDiego of San Dizona SuperBowl. That would have been way cool.
No trash – just truth.
And for those of you who might have wondered why Carolina was so lethargic, go read this. Coach used to tell you to lay off the girls, booze and cigarettes until after the game – they’ll kill your legs and your wind. Panthers didn’t listen….
289 is in response to randiego @285. For some reason, my reply button is balky.