NFL Playoff Football Is Back, And We’re Gonna Get In Trouble Trash Talk
It has been a hell of a fun first few months week of 2021. So, with no further adieu, lets get to the ball. A nearly unprecedented SIX games in one weekend (there was that one weird strike season, which doesn’t really count). And, there really are no bad matchups on tap. Away we go!
First up is Indiana at Buffalo. The Colts seem a better team than their 11-5 record, and Phil Rivers can still chuck the ball. They have weapons on both offense and defense. But, dang, the Bills have looked like a serious Super Bowl contender all year. And, while Rodgers may be the MVP of the league, to my eye, Josh Allen was pretty close. The Bills are at home for a rabid and great fan base that has been dying for this since the mid-90’s. And the Wagon Circlers have weapons too, including Stephon Diggs, arguably the leagues best receiver this year, a fair, if not great, running game and a very good defense. Expect the Colts to be good, but the Bills to win. And that would be a very good thing for the City of Buffalo and their long suffering excellent fans.
Second up for Saturday is LA Rams at Seattle Squawks. This is a harder call. Rams first string QB Jared Goff is “questionable”, but expected to play (but for how long with a recently broken thumb on his throwing hand?). Jamal Adams, the Seahawks safety that is one of the best is in the same boat. It is not the same without the 12th Man fans in Seattle, but, despite a rough patch, the Squawks seem to be gelling. And then there is those Russell Wilson and DJ Metcalfe dudes. They are pretty good. Seattle wins.
The Saturday Night Game is Tampa at the Washington Football Team. WFT is on the clear rise under Riverboat Ron Rivera, they are better than you think, and on both sides of the ball. Young Chase Young and the superb DC D-Line are going to try to spook and hurry the old man Brady. The rest of the WFT defense is really good as well. But this is the first time Brady has been defended this way, and Tampa has a very talented defense as well. All pro receiver Mike Evans is nicked up, but will play, as will Ronald Jones. WFT is nicked up, but the most relevant one is QB Alex Smith. His entrance turned their moribund season around after Dwayne Haskins. If Smith can play, and play well, this could be an upset. Not gonna bet that, but that may be the X factor. Still will take the old man and the Bucs.
Okay, and here we go with the Sunday games.
First up Sunday is Baltimore at Tennessee. I have no real idea what to make of this one. Tennessee is good, and made it to the AFC finals last year. They have Derrick Henry, and that is one powerful weapon. But the Ravens have been rushing the heck out of the ball over the last five games. Sure, there is Lamar Jackson, but it is more than that. By a tiny margin, think the Ravens are better on D, but only a tiny amount. Am still inclined to go with the Titans at home.
Second comes Bears at Saints. This, on paper, is the least interesting game of the weekend. It is probably Drew Brees’ last year. The Aints are at home in the Dome. Nawlins will, apparently have both Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara on the field. Sorry, not sure how the Bears and Trubisky have a real shot here.
Lastly, Brownies at Steelers. For a short period, it really looked like Pittsburgh was in the doldrums and Cleveland would do the unthinkable and take the division championship. But the Steelers righted the ship and won out over Cleveland for the title. Nick Chubb and Baker Mayfield (watch out for Mayfield on play action, he is really good) are maturing and growing quite nicely. And the Cleveland defense is pretty good. But this is still the Stillers, and the Browns will be without head coach and chief play caller Kevin Stefanski because of Covid. That seems rough. Have to take Big Ben and Pittsburgh at home, but this could be a great game.
A lot of people are saying they want a revolution. John, Paul, George and Ring have one for you. Rock it up.
That Buffalo sunshine is beautiful, I can feel the day. And it’s only 33, not like 7 or something.
Having had the (dis)pleasure of watching Chase Young’s NFL start: he is HUNGRY. Pretty sure it was the very first snap he had a neutral zone infraction and you should have seen the look on his face. While Buffalo’s game is the one I’m happiest for (well, I guess I am assuming that win there), WFT-Bucs is the one for which I am most excited.
Also sadz about the iconic Tommy Lasorda.
OH and while the – my – your Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team (and were still ranked first after loss to Nets w Curry”s COVID), I am wondering if we cannot have nice things. Beautiful games to watch, Doc Rivers (& Morey) is exactly who they needed, and now the vid. They are playing today after all I saw; lineup unsure.
ETA, note to scribe: Jim Gardner opened the 6pm Friday news thusly: Lehigh University has revoked Trump’s honorary degree.
I was rooting for a Bears-Giants matchup–one for the ages, as we measure them now. (Back in August I was rooting for that. Nothing I root for ever materializes, except for the 2016 World Series, and look how God punished us for that.)
Ooohhh, punished, yes. (I would have preferred the Giants to take out Bucs because Brady kryptonite — or so we would have seen if that held sans Eli — but that would have involved a few of my hopes going differently, and, well, you’ve outlined how that goes.)
As it happens I had something for you, too: the Pennsylvania man who died at the Capitol (stroke) was interviewed by the Inquirer (published maybe the 5th; linked in their article re his death) along with some other travelers. I thought his story might be useful background for your book (tho he was not said to be in a cult before the cult of Trump), the way it struck my memory of your comments about your writing and foci. Sad story.
Oof, got it: yes, really sad — it’s the pitiful Trump-nymed kangaroo and related social network (especially in the ways it reminds me of an ‘inventor’ I knew who probably is a total Trumper today):
Ben Philips, Trump supporter from Pa., dies near Capitol after organizing trip to Washington
https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/washington-protest-trump-capitol-pennsylvania-ben-philips-20210107.html
^ I feel badly for calling the kangaroo ideas pitiful. That is how evocatively sad the whole thing is, that I regret a word.
Eureka, thank you for this link. I have been looking for information about Philips; everything about his story is sad, including that bag of stuffed kangaroos. I found the comments of his compatriot Stauffer about “the ignorance,” and how the violent attacks did not fit with what he had seen of “the protests,” consistent with much of the alt-right online response. Interesting that this article posted January 7. They wasted no time in preparing the argument otherizing bad acts: We don’t do this so it had to be “antifaBLM.” And they mean *had to*, come hell or high treason.
Shit I have jinxed the Bills and it was an offsides on Young that first game. His face was ferocious. [Also, I know nothing of the Bucs Oline, but all things being equal I imagine they’ll show the rook his place for attempting hasty bulletin board material.]
I’ll change over to bball shortly and the Bills can sort this all out #BillsMafia
—
OMG ref call to the rescue (incomplete!) right after I typed that and now WE BACK ARE IN BUSINESS. Dejinxed, Whew.
AND GOAL.
You didn’t jinx them! After a lifetime spent trying to figure out how not to jinx the Cubs, however, I sympathize. At least my parents got to see 2016. And not having reverse-inherited my superstition, they actually allowed themselves to watch.
I’m glad the link was helpful and relieved that I haven’t turned into a jinx (I have enjoyed jinx-free status, but all good things must come to an end and all that, allegedly). My curse is that when I know, I know. (Which can be good and buoyant when facing opponents as a long-shot, but you just know your team will win. And the contrarian lifestyle has its rewards.) On preseason reports I had my Eagles going 4-12 (while sports outlets pre-“saged” post-season this and that). [It was 4-11-1, and we are accelerating into a long, dark phase absent changes which seem unlikely. Back to long-suffering…]
Yay, bmaz! thank you!
It’s a stretch to see the Squawks beating the Goats 3X in one season, but LA is up against Seattle’s history of home playoff wins. Seattle is doing far better this season than any “expert” predicted pre-season.
The playoff “experts” are predicting a low scoring game. I’m not. 35-18 Seahawks
The Rams have a really good defense and they are familiar with the Seahawks’ offense. Seattle won’t get 35 points unless their defense scores a few times.
Looking like my prediction was air pudding
new team, the Seven Sixers:
Wow, the NBA is forcing the Sixers to play vs. Nuggets with only seven players (an 8th merely dressed on the bench; four of the seven are rookies, too). Guess there’s no equivalent of the Ravens treatment here (Silver learned from King Roger’s early “mistakes” of care, apparently.)
Doc Rivers really didn’t want to play, but it wasn’t his choice. Concerns about their health, too, with all that playing (or “playing”) time. The game’s expected to become brutal at a certain point.
Seems draconian and unwise. And so early in the season.
They really should have built more slack into the schedule to deal with this likelihood.
Of course, that would have meant fewer games and less revenue, at least in theory. But doing a little more thorough risk analysis would have led them to see that they’re better off with more schedule flexibility than having the whole thing crash because of infections.
Since before any of the non-bubbled-league seasons started I have militated for the respective commissioners to be harsh with teams that don’t discipline their players on preventing corona. No parties, no strip clubs, no dinners out.
King Roger totally fucked up the schedule around Thanksgiving when the Ravens got hit, and again earlier when the Titans gamed the corona rules … and got hit. There should have been forfeits, but there weren’t.
So, sticking it to the Sixers for … f’g up corona protections is appropriate. Make an example early on and other teams will notice and rectify their players’ behavior accordingly. Countenance sloppiness with the corona rules, and it will only get worse.
Doink. I think the Colts will wind up losing on the strength of 3rd and less than one for a TD, losing 2 on that play then having the 4th down pass fall incomplete, and now with a 14 play drive that ended with the ball bouncing no-good off the upright. They’re playing Buffalo tough, but you don’t win without scoring, especially if the other guy does score.
More later.
Still think Buffalo wins, but, dang, it is not on Phil Rivers. Colts have indeed played tough.
Bills won, but not by much.
Betting Reich gets Wentz next year and watch out. In a good way.
Also, Celtics reported to have 9 on injury list, 7 of them corona-related.
It was actually a really fun game to watch, esp. rookie Maxey (who everyone said 6ers were lucky to get, he should have been a lottery pick); rookie Joe with some nice surprises, too. 39 Points for Maxey in their 103-115 loss (which became inevitable by Q3, but wasn’t a complete disaster, either).
I’m with BobCon on this issue more than the universal too-bad/so-sad camp. I don’t know that Seth Curry did anything wrong or particularly extracurricular; he or a householder could have just gone to the grocery store.
Community spread is much higher than it was earlier on (post-spring), esp. as compared to most of the NFL season: bball season is starting in a sustained rona dumpster fire. The new variant spreads more readily / smaller dose required. (YAY!)
Upon the positive result, the team got trapped in NY following league protocols until the early morning hours today, still uncertain who could play (or that they would play) well into the daylight.
Happy for the Bills after like 25 years, boy it would be nice if the fans could freely attend and celebrate. 2020 for ya.
I need to listen to more Beatles. Thanks bmaz, that was a great reminder.
Never thought the Beattles were all that great. Preferred the Stones. Remember when the Beattles hit the radio in B.C., while in Jr. High. Still never moved me the way country and western did or opera. Some of the C & W songs after 50 years still make me want to listen and dance. Rodney Crowell, Doug Stone, Lori White, Lorrie Morgan, Earle Conley and Jessie Colter are some of them. Then we get into modern ones of the 80/90s. what you can always say about C & W and opera singers is they can do it live, on time, on beat, on key, and one take. Although jazz is considered by some to be a more sophisticated music form, and it is, just never moved me. When you get to singers like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, George Strait, etc. they’re like listening to the great tenors of the last century. Its the ability of them to move you, emotionally. Can’t say much of the Beattles ever moved me. there are arias by Maria Callas from Madame Butterfly which can send your soul to another place along with of course Pavorriti’s None shall sleep. then its Johnny Cash’s last song and Allan Jackson, Remember When. American C & W is right up there with Italian opera in my opinion.
There is good, bad and middling in any genre. Appreciate your reference to Jessie Colter though. She is a friend, and is great as a person, not just a C&W star.
I remember the song, I’m not Lisa. Over the years it has played through my head. Couldn’t remember who sang it, but could play it in my head. Lately I decided to look it up and yes its Jessie Colter. Then went through the other songs she sang and she is truly an amazing talent. My memory then kicked in I recall her singing other songs back over my time. Moves me. the song was written in ;1975 and that maybe why I remember it and it would come back to me over the years.
it is truly a small world. You’re a friend of hers and here I’m on this blog which you contribute to and her music rolled through my head for over 40 years. I’m not surprised you write she is a great person. Any one who could create the type of emotion she does when she sings, must have a special soul.
Cleveland has been a train wreck but still made the playoffs. The Browns have lost all but the 2nd quarter for the season’s total scores. Now they’re down the head coach, several other coaches, several players including a few playmakers. A college intern is working the game strategy. Two players were busted for drag racing and maryjane. The players haven’t practiced and the QB hasn’t thrown a pass all week.
I’d say the Browns have ’em right where they want ’em. Go Baker.
Queue “Wild Thing”
No coach
No practice
No line
No problem
And no Roethlisberger.
Go 9ers, that’s right they went home already.
Go Warriors
Kevin Durant says he is the only reason there was ever a title in The Town. Not that he ever won anything else anywhere else….
Trash talking kevin and the reason he came there was they had already won titles and Curry league MVP something that he hasn’t done yet. The Warriors are new team in away and slowly and painfully finding they’re way back to winning. Clippers up 22 and still lose the game to an attacking Warriors team that never gives up.
I’ll watch FB when Arron Rogers and KC start playing.
Durant is really good. How that supposedly thoughtful guy could not find a home with Kerr, Curry and Thompson is beyond me. But Curry is back to being ridiculous.
Being from OKC, no comment…………
Uh, the Dubs won the championship in 2015. KD didn’t show up until the 2017 season. Did he really say that!?? I never thought he was a douche while he was in the Bay–I’m obviously sadly misinformed.
That was exactly my reaction. He waltzed in to a team with Steph, Klay and Draymond in their prime. And Iggie off the bench.
Now that was a good team. They played with heart, passion, and besides, they were fun to watch.
Truly fun to watch. So much of the NBA these days is not, but the Dubs were that and more.
football, the North American version. thank you. at least there is something to keep us entertained and not depressed. O.K. if your team looses you may become depressed, but being Canadian and not a football fan of either countries’ games, its O.K. for me. Don’t understand the game. About all I’ve ever liked about North American football is when a player catches a football thrown to him, and then funning for what seems for ever into the “score” zone. Now that is fun. the rest, is just a bunch of adult men piling on top of each other and causing injuries. However, the games will thrill millions of North Americans and that is what is important. It will take people’s minds off what has been happening in the past week. It is fun to read the football game comments on this blog. Oh, t here is one more thing I like about North American football. People seem to eat a lot of very fun food. Have fun all of you.
It is one hell of a lot better than that boring jackass “futbol” played elsewhere.
You mean soccer. I’m from a family which came from Europe and “football” there is what some call soccer and it is the only game to play. Don’t get that game either. In that game they bounce balls off of their heads and kick the ball around the field. But again, it thrills millions and right now, the game is for people to be happy for just a while.
did turn on the t.v. though and saw two teams playing, one was TB, the other Washington. then figured out TB stands for Tampa Bay. They did have some very nice passes. Enjoyed watching the ball sail through the air but no long runs, ah, well hope you all are having a fun time, now where is the food which goes with these football games.
Hang in with it; it will grow on you. Especially in the playoffs. I am working on soccer as well.
One for one so far, but boy was it close. Can’t put the loss on Phil Rivers, he was great. Toe to toe with Allen, but the Bills were just a little better on both sides of the line of scrimmage. I do hope Rivers plays another year and the Colts draft a rook to learn behind him. The Colts are good. The Bills were better.
Now one for two. Did not see the Rams rolling in the Emerald city. Congrats to LA though.
Blow to the WFT, Alex Smith is inactive.
Yeah I saw that and I always forget the new kid’s name — but do recall he has projected much confidence!
We shall see (this could be a cringer. Or a complete delight).
Tyler Heinekie.
I knew it was an H-name like the beer but the rest sort of drifted off.
Wiki says he put off his final exams for an engineering degree at Old Dominion to come play for WFT (apparently he’d gone back to finish). To Heinekie, then. *clink*
The WFT are better not horrible. But, the loss of Smith is tough. German beer guy may pull off something good yet.
Earlier I had hopes they’d find their footing — still a chance, of course.
But it may be time for a reminder that the broken Eagles had to strive, strive, and strive again to lose to WFT last week (then helmed by Smith).
—
Adding: welp, here we go — looking good again
—
…… ahhhhhhhnd a near pick. But it was not an *actual* pick!
It is….too close of a game.
Uh oh, who else they got besides Heinicke?
Rudy!
LOL!
But also I was promised a kid making his NFL debut when left to get a beverage, yet returned to find that grizzled veteran Heinicke.
Bummer, bad call on a crucial down. WFT over.
That was a nice jump ball under major pressure on 4th and long tho, seems he has some promise.
Dungy was over the moon with this kid.
Dungy doesn’t go over the moon, ever.
And that kid was good. I think it was the time he was on the Cheaters’ practice squad, came in at 0515 and found Biebs already studying film. Introduced himself to Biebs (who had no clue who or why this kid was there) and proceeded to watch film with the kid.
Heinike really did play well. He is going to have a future of some sort in the league.
OT question I’ve been wanting to ask bmaz: how do you pronounce your name?
In my head I say Bee-mazz. Or is it B.M. Arizona? Slurred all together like bmmmazzz? B.M.A.Z.?Or maybe it should be B-M-AZE (be amazed). Please – I want to get this right.
Marcy calls me Bee-mazz. And has from the start, and now into our second decade at this here enterprise. Never forget Bill Mazeroski and 1960 though!
BMAZ was Mazeroski’s nickname, which, once upon a time I thought was the basis of your user name.
I remember as a kid watching Yogi Berra, out in left field(!), looking up and watching #9’s fly ball go over his head and win a World Series title for the Pirates at old Forbes Field.
If anyone’s in the mood for more Beatles, in this case, George Harrison (+ Ringo) google this video.
Elton John does the intro (+ keyboards); I recognized Eric Clapton. Does anyone know the rest of the musicians?
George Harrison & Ringo Starr – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Prince’s Trust Rock Gala 1987)
THE CLOTHES AND THE HAIR are SOOOO 1987!!!
Link?
“… with every mistake we must surely be learning …”
George Harrison & Ringo Starr – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Prince’s Trust Rock Gala 1987)
Link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XzSrShbqlz8
[The Prince’s Trust must refer to someone in the British monarchy…]
~~~~~~~~
This second video is with Prince (wearing red hat) — there is a young man behind Prince — sure could be George Harrison’s son?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y
Have always assumed B-Maz, like Mazeroski. I’m dating myself.
I hope you enjoy this weekend because you clearly need a break from politics. Alvin Kamala?
Thank you, that spell check error has been corrected.
The year so far:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/137506b971ab542147e2aec6a4a699055c355f11caf42a0aaeec054d83b38b55.jpg?w=800&h=175
image text: I’d like to cancel my subscription to 2021. I have experienced the free 7-day trial and I’m not interested.
LOL. I’m still calling it 2020 until further notice or different conditions emerge to my liking.
2021 sure started with a bang. sorry for the OT.
In an hour and a half, the Province of Québec is entering into a coronavirus curfew.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/07/quebec-to-enter-full-lockdown-as-covid-cases-spiral
The medical system is being overwhelmed, to the point that my cancer is on hold… I can live with that.
One month of almost complete isolation is coming up and I’M grateful that my shitty populist government has taken this decision.
Cheers!
And on other football fronts…wasn’t Ohio State supposed to be exposed as posers by the awesome Clemson Tigers, because you know, the vaunted Coastal Carolina Chanticleers were really the third-best team in college football? Them or Cincy, I forget.
Would be surprising if Bama didn’t handle the national championship game handily. Too much talent at every position.
Yuck. If I were a sociopath I would say that this is a game where I root for a tie with a lot of injuries, including the coaching staff. But I’m not, so I won’t.
As a Bears, well fan isn’t quite the right word anymore, I thought to myself that Matt Nagy will have to be a powerful personality to right that old barnacle encrusted ship. He wasn’t. Let’s just say the hideous visor cap pretty much exposes the problem.
The McKaskey’s should have sold the team years ago and given most of the 2 or 3 billion bucks to building schools and parks in Chicago, and give the Bears ownership to people not imbued with a sense of team that is essentially masochistic.
In Chicago there’s no such thing as a sense of team that’s *not* masochistic! Which is why the 1990’s Bulls gave all of us a permanent adjustment disorder. Did it happen? If so, why? We still can’t figure this out. (I haven’t lived there since I was a teenager but once a Chicagoan, always a Chicagoan.)
O.K. we will give it a try. Want to see those long runs and that football sail through the air.
if you and the family ever get to Canada, particularly during football season, I’ll pay for the tickets to watch the B.C. Lions.
The one great thing about North american football is they can seat the fan anywhere they want. They do not have to seperate the fans of each team as they do in Europe with soccer.
Years ago some one told me when they came to visit Canada they could not get over that the fans of both teams were all seated amongst each other. Decided it wouldn’t be a bad country to move to. The same can be said for American football, every one sits where they want. they may call soccer the “beautiful game”, but North American football is certainly the civilized game.
Da Bearss’ missed TD catch on that flea-flicker was both unimaginable and lethal. How that guy could not catch that ball is beyond me.
And it was a perfect 45 yard spiral – a thing of beauty.
He’s moving to the Bartman Wing of the Chicago Sports Hall of … Memories.
As predicted, Drew Fookin Brees is going to win. Had the Bears’ WR caught that ball which went right through his hands, that would have made the game 10-7 at that point. Since then, Da Bearss have been unable to do much of anything other than get ejected for fighting.
Right now, on the stove in honor of Tommy Lasorda, one of my variations on his favorites: pasta fagioli. Start with olive oil in the pot. We got some sweet Italian sausage, an onion sliced fine, 3 cloves of garlic, a bunch of Swiss chard, a can of cannellini, 3 or 4 cups of chicken broth. On the next burner, some penne. Brown the sausage then cut into smaller pieces and brown the unbrowned parts. Sweat the onion, add the chopped garlic and let work. Chop the chard, and add, mix well. Add the broth and the beans, cover and simmer. By the time the penne is done, the soup will be ready, though it will improve with a day or two in the fridge. Put pasta on the bottom of the deep bowl, soup on top, dust with black pepper, cheese and maybe a little red pepper. Throw a couple of the remaining tiralli (Italian pretzels) on the side and get ready for comfort eating. In time for my Stillers, about whom more anon.
Da-yam that soup is good.
No wonder Tommy loved it.
Welp, I just pulled a pound of sweet sausage out of the freezer.
I’ve got everything but the fresh greens; frozen will do.
Late night or tomorrow, then, but I’d like a bowl now.
—
OMG I just flipped to the game what is going on!?!?
(I did wonder what was up when you’re talking alternate channel content below)
Did they come in lax given the Brownies’ COVID problems?
I dunno, but HOLY SHIT!
Apparently my ?!?!?! parlance was just a bit off, Twitter is calling this:
NFL · Trending
WHAT IS HAPPENING
NFL fans were in awe after the Cleveland Browns came out dominating the Steelers at the start of the Wild Card playoff game
115K Tweets
(By which I incidentally discover that Judge Box O Whine is blaming Trumpers for the insurrection. That’s another ?!?!?, what a night.)
Wait, is there a link for the Judge Box O Wine thing?
There is nothing normal about this week, much less this night.
“What is happening!?!? 😲 ‘You Did It! Don’t Blame Antifa!’ Fox News’ JEANINE PIRRO Blasts Pro-Trump Capitol Rioters.[newsweek]”
https://twitter.com/yeahunoeme/status/1348388843733602304
Ah, thanks. Unexpected by Pirro.
Also, the Steelers are starting to roll.
I wonder if those two failed 2PATs will come back to haunt them (or Tomlin’s job, I should say) — at this rate they’ll be fine but who knows.
It would be an amazing underdog story for the Browns, tho, and perhaps fitting that a COVID-riddled team takes a vehicle tour through the US on the way to 2020 season playoffs. With their coach at home in the basement.
—
Adding: oof. I see Cody Parkey (he of double-doink fame in 2018-19 Eagles-Bearss, formerly an Iggle) is no longer a shaky kicker.
At this point I start praying for defensive TDs, Miracle in the Meadowlands II type stuff
Steelers mini-roll over.
*DREW FOOKEN BREES!!*
That is all🏈
Petro!! Good to see you!
How’re you doing, bmaz?
Def worth putting on 60 minutes for this Pelosi interview
In a brief tour of her private offices she mentions a stolen laptop. We knew of Merkley’s laptop being stolen (from where, unknown). Not sure whose laptop was stolen from her place, ? if she was implying that it was one of her’s / staffer’s.
Little snippets like that; a recording excerpt of the banging on the barricaded doors as her staffers hid under a table for 2.5 hours.
Each of the 60 Minutes interviewers were horrible-to-lacking as is standard for MSM today. So as is generally the case when one can recommend an interview, it’s for the scraps and bits that accidentally fall out, as above (GA’s Raffensperger and Sterling went in on Rudy; Angus King was the third segment).
Almost turned it off when Leslie Stahl tried to blame Pelosi for stalling Covid relief. If only Stahl could muster half that toughness for snowflake Trump.
On another channel at the same time as the Steelers-Browns, the classic Star Trek episode “Bread and Circuses”, a/k/a 20th Century Rome, complete with televised gladiatorial contests where the crowd noises of boos and catcalls can be turned up (and down) to match the progress of the contests.
The NFL could take a lesson from that. I’m sticking with Kirk.
One of the best episodes ever. Along with A Piece of the Action. Both earth like settings.
“A Piece of the Action” is almost comedy. Especially “fizzbin”, which has showed up in at least one Trek novel.
It totally is comedic. Especially when Kirk and Spock try to drive a car with a clutch. But great Trek entertainment.
As a diversion and distraction to this evening…
Okay, I’m hoping to make this my last preachy thing in the next few months,
Births are precious
to the all.
Get it
ALL BIRTHS.
We need to clean up
and course correct.
From your mouthy little Sailor from Alaska.
14 years of beauty, hard work,
culture, and appreciation.
Mr trump your done with your chaos show.
This is our country
not yours.
Lessons in losing gracefully. I’m also an old ballet dancer.
[Moving this add-on down here cause Ima bouta go off]
This is actually funny — come to find out Cody Parkey has his own trending hashtag generated by betrayed Bearss fans grudging him to this day:
https://twitter.com/search?q=%22Cody%20Parkey%22&src=trend_click&vertical=trends
Sample: “Cody Parkey: 12 points Bears offense today: 9 points”
And Double Doink has a wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Doink
DD was the miracle* that sent the Eagles to the NFC Divisional in NOLA, where the Nick Foles – led team lost by one score on a key drop by Alshon Jeffrey (and an earlier one, just as important momentum-wise, by Ertz).
That also makes DD the turning point to the end of my beloved Doug Pederson Eagles: reports came out not long after about Wentz’ problems with the receivers, and his not taking coaching advice since the loss of the Reich and DeFillipo good cop / bad cop duo; Wentz has apparently always been truculent … as those here will recall my mentioning at the time. Fill-in some more
of my three seasons’ worth of complaintsdetails — 2019 becomes The Season of Drops, rescued by some effective hero ball with no-name receivers, quashed in the Wild Card round by one Jadeveon Clowney; more Wentz rumors; … — and we have an interfering owner trying to dethrone Jerruh for that title; an unaccountable GM; a head coach both neutered and tiled with bus treads; and that QB who’ll never cure here with postseason success eluding him.RIP the Doug Pederson era. Last month it looked like he could end up with the Jets, then talk turned to him staying. But recently-placed rumors from the Lurie/Roseman camp imply we’ll lose him after his meeting with the owner tomorrow. If he somehow stays, it sounds like it’ll be even less on his terms than last season, and so next season will be both a worse disaster and another self-fulfilling prophecy that turns the Eagles into the effing Cowboys evermore.
Apparently I will have to become a Jets fan.
—
*facilitated by a genius Pederson move: he called a timeout to ice the shaky Parkey, but it wasn’t realized until *after Parkey made the FG*. When Parkey tried again … well after I pulled my head out of my hands and watched in disbelief, I heard fireworks.
You heard it here first.
I am really fucking cranky about this. Still.
The curse of knowing [the real shitshow behind the scenes will not yield to long term success, even if they can get a blip out of some new faces for a bit].
I WANT PHILLY PHILLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Urrrrrrrrrrrggghhh. A bouquet for the roadside memorial:
Chip Kelly before him had succeeded at two things: a healthy team with all of his smoothies and whatnot, and loosening GM Howie Roseman’s grip on power. It’s been said that the latter will never happen again. I can only hope for the players’ sakes, though, that health returns.
Dysfunction junction.
Tomlin delenda est.
And Pederson is OUT in Philly.
From the highlights it appears that the Steelers did not take the Browns seriously. From the highlights, it appears that was a serious mistake. Lets see in the AFC, Mahones, Jackson, Josh Allen, and Mayfield. There is a trend, at least in that conference.
And in the good news dept: BillBel turned down the Medal of Freedumb* he was offered.
* the pretty one that Trmp hands out to people he wants on his side, not the pretty one that previous presidents handed out
Michael K-B:
“Two straight b.s. losses for the #Sixers.”
https://twitter.com/therealmikekb/status/1348814462392946688
9:10 PM · Jan 11, 2021
“Adam Silver literally needs to make a statement about why the #Sixers were forced to play with 7 players but all these other games are postponed.”
https://twitter.com/therealmikekb/status/1348690196712337408
12:56 PM · Jan 11, 2021
“The #Sixers had to have an injured player dress yesterday and their game wasn’t cancelled. An explanation is needed.”
4:40 PM · Jan 10, 2021