1. Michigan v. THEO
I'd tell you about how totally demoralizing this game was to watch as a Michigan fan... if I had gotten to watch the fuckin game.
I can't tell you the last time I didn't get to see this game. But Saturday I had some other things to attend to so I wasn't going to be home for kick-off. No big deal, I could just Tivo the game and watch once I got home. So I go to the channel guide, head to CBS and they are showing the Pittsburgh game. Are you kidding me, the Pittsburgh players don't even want to see their game, let alone anyone else in the country. But hey look at that, ESPNa(lternate) has the game listed. I can Tivo and get on with my life.
So I get home, pull up my list of Tivo'ed items and push play on the Michigan THEO game. And all I get is a black screen with "Blacked out in your area". Touché Stuart Scott, you win this round. I didn't get to watch Lloyd Carr shit the bed for the last time against THEO, I'm heart broken.
2. New England continues to temp Karma
After watching a long day of football, I gave the wife the remote since I was sure I'd just fall asleep during the Pats dismantling of the Bills thanks to a slight hangover. So she watched some god-awful movie and I took a well-deserved nap. I was awakened at the end of the movie by my dog who was sure he was going to explode if he wasn't taken out to pee. So after freezing my ass off outside while he decided which bush to piss on, I came in, regained the remote and turned on the Pats game.
42-10, in the 3rd quarter. No big surprise. Lets see 4th down, in field goal range, and... the offense stays on the field. Belichick you are a genius, or a complete asshole.
I've brought up Karma here a number of times, and now I'm just waiting for it to bite the Patriots in the ass. It's only a matter of time now; neither Karma nor the football gods look kindly on Billy and his BS. IMO, they are just setting the Pats up for the most inglorious fall possible.
3. The Brady Knee watch
So the Buffalo wingman was unable to get the job done. So Karma's henchman is not an American Icon (Rocky), Gods left hand (Dungy) or a fat kid. So who do we turn our gaze to this weekend? In honor of Buddy Ryan, the entire Eagles D gets the nod this weekend.
The originator of the QB bounty, Buddy's influence needs to be brought back to Philly for the week. Not only on the field, but I want to see Jim Johnson smack Andy Reid and his sons around on the sidelines. After that he will have complete control of the team and free reign to injure anyone he wants. I expect the eagles to line up in kick block formation and send all 11 players at Brady's knee on the 1st play. Who cares if you let them score on the 1st play? They are going to score at will, unless you knock Brady out early, so what’s the harm in giving up 7 on the 1st play?
Buddy, call up your old team and make it happen. And while you at it let your son Rob know its OK to injure any Chief with the ball.
4. Is the QB making a comeback?
Since the retirement of Elway, Young, Kelly and Marino in short succession the league has seemed to be at a loss for competent signal callers. Your list of top flight QB's always seems only 3 deep. Of late its been Manning, Brady and Palmer (when healthy) and after that who would you start your franchise with? Farve has been on his last legs for 5 years, McNabb has been hot at times, McNair has a good healthy year and then just teased, Bledsoe was a statue, and Gannon had 4 great years. At any given time you had 28 teams who were looking for an upgrade at the position.
But lost among the Pats hype this year is that there seems to be a young crop of ball slingers (hehe ball slingers) that is poised to take their game to the next level.
Watching the Dallas v. Washington game I was impressed not only with Romo, but with how far Jason Campbell has come in 1 year. All over the league there seems to be young guns just an inch away from taking their game to the next level.
Roethlisberger
Anderson
Brees (don't blame him for NO downslide)
E. Manning (anywhere other than NY and he would be a star)
Rivers (as soon as the Norvel albatross takes another job)
Garrard
Schaub
Add in Peyton, Brady and Palmer all have at least 5 peak years left, and Romo and Campbell and that 11 teams who have damn good or emerging QB's. When was the last time you could say that?
And I'm not even adding in the top 4 QB's in the last 2 drafts, Young needs some weapons before getting any run from me, Leinart needs to beat out Warner but has shown promise, Cutler may just be in the wrong place at the wrong time (Denver's line is on the downside and the receivers hurt) Russell hasn't gotten a real snap yet.
Its been a rough 10 years for QB talent, with mercurial guys like McNabb and McNair getting put in the spotlight as the best, when they weren't quite up to Canton levels. (Don't get me wrong, they were both damn good QB's, but one was a system guy and one too injury prone). But the ten-year stretch of mediocre QB talent seems to be at an end with all the young talent breaking down the doors to compete with the leagues Big 3.
5. Chester the Molester
Why would you name you child Chester? I mean you are just setting the kid up for the nickname Molester. But sometimes its just fitting. Like when you let Chester Taylor loose against the Oakland Raiders behind the Vikings excellent Oline.
So Molest Chester did, fondling (have I taken this too far yet?) the Raiders D for over 200 total yards and 3 TD's. Now I can proudly say I saw this coming and in the 1 fantasy league that I'm in where Taylor was not on a roster, I picked him up as soon as I saw Purple Jesus go down, with this week in mind.
Did I need Chester on my team, no I also have Brady in this league, so it just resulted in a Belichickian romp against the guy who cut Taylor 3 weeks ago. But I did get to delight in pointing out to the 2 Vikings fans in the league that I was able to ride the Raider's misfortune in the game to another win, while they both put up L's. Small victories are all Raider fans can look for this year.
6. I see Yellow Flags in my dreams
No, I'm not talking NASCAR, I'm talking Raider football (or the football like product they put on the field). False starts on WR's, like we don't get enough of that from the Oline. Yet another week with an illegal downfield block on an Olineman when the screen pass timing is shot. (BS by the way, the pass had bounced off Fargas by the time Gallery whiffed).
When the Raiders were a team to be reckoned with, they had more than their fair share of penalties, but they could overcome them due to Gannon's leadership and an Oline who gave him minutes in the pocket. They no longer have that advantage.
Kiffen's #2 priority this off-season (finding a playmaker is #1) is instilling some discipline in the offense. Every Raider coach that I can remember has promised to address the penalty situation, but nothing has changed. I can accept aggressive penalties, give me an occasional hands to the face or late hit, I'm fine with it. But procedure and false start penalties, it's just sad to watch.
But while I'm expounding on the Raiders, lets put in a bright spot (yes I found one). Jano has been nails since trying for the 64 yarder. He is still getting touchbacks and now he is hitting long field goals like we expected when he was drafted. Maybe having a coach show some faith in him is paying off. Maybe all the fat drunk kicker needed was a little love after all. (Of course now I've jinxed him and he will miss a game tying/winning FG next weekend.)
7. Well I admitted that I'd be stretching to reach 7 things this week. I blame alcohol consumption. So here are some random things that I will put up in no particular order.
- Don't kick to Josh Cribbs, the AFC's Devin Hester, what would the Browns record be without him?
- Merriman needs to get back on the Juice. MJD put his lights out in what to date is my favorite play of the season. Now this before and after the juice picture from PFT:
Merriman claims that he is having his best season. And while the pundits laugh this off, due to his decreased sack #'s. I have to point out that sack #'s don't tell the whole story for LB's. But hey the media has to find an easy story, since anything deeper would be work. But since its Merriman, that’s as close to defending him I'll come, instead I'll just laugh at the incredible shrinking Shawn.
- Eagles fans got what they wanted, McNabb is hurt...again. Will they ever learn?
- You can't review a FG, but somehow the Ref's got the call right after the Ravens left the field. Why am I surprised this didn't happen to the Raiders?
- NE fans, enjoy becoming the NFL's bad boy team, the last true NFL bad boys are still getting every call against them 20+ years later. I look forward to the incessant whining, wait they are already whining when the team is winning. Great, we all get to look forward to NE fans becoming more unbearable.
- Magic Hat sampler packs are filled with good beer. I've know this for years, but now their holiday 12 pack has TO: and From: slots on them. My gift giving just got a whole lot easier.
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