Back to my lofty heights last week, with a 10-4 outing. This week, I'm leaning heavily on home cookin', picking only two road teams.
This past week got me to thinkning.....in real life, if you intentionally stepped on someones face while they were on the ground, what would your penalty be? Jail time, at least? A hefty fine and some community service, perhaps? Not in the National. Football. League! Five games, which I guess amounts to a hefty fine, is your penance. I want to work in a place where I can do things which would break the law and my only penalty would be to not get paid for a predetermined period. Punch your co-worker in the jaw? Two Weeks. Throw a stapler at the receptionist? Ten days!
On to the selections....
St. Louis over GREEN BAY
Rams might be the uglist 3-1 team ever, but the Pack is truly wack, despite hanging tough for a half against Philly last week. This could be the week the St' Louis offense punches in a few TD's, instead of setling for yet another Jeff Wilkins FG.
NEW ORLEANS over Tampa Bay
Saints looking good, especially in the dome. Bucs are in a downward spiral, and Gradowski is not the guy to pull them out of it. Don't feel to bad, Johnny Gruden, you could have stayed with the Raiders and been really miserable.
INDIANAPOLIS over Tennessee
Another easy W for the Colts. Can't see them scoring less that 30 here, and Titans are in full blown rebuilding mode now.
MINNESOTA over Detroit
Hmm...Vikes having trouble scoring, while Lions having trouble stopping anyone. I smell a breakout week for Brad Johnson and Co. Could be a wild one, since Martz has the Detroit offense clicking a little bit.
N.Y. GIANTS over Washington
Giants can't be this bad, can they? I have to think they will be ready after having two weeks to stew over the Seattle debacle. 'Skins offense finally found their stride over the past two weeks, so maybe we'll see a 37-34 here.
CAROLINA over Cleveland
Browns looking better, and Panthers have clawed back to 2-2. Still think Carolina is too tough, and should win, even if it is ugly.
NEW ENGLAND over Miami
Pats showed the world they are still tough by smoking Bengals last week. Miami looks completely lost right now, and Culpepper might not play. I can't see Joey Harrington rescuing them here. Big days for the multitude of Tight Ends employed by the Pats, and they'll win easily in front of crowd whihc doesn't have to worry about how the Red Sox are doing.
SAN FRANCISCO over Oakland
Bay Area Stink Bowl. Niners are still a much better team, despite getting pasted in KC last week. Raiders don't even utilize best weapon, Randy Moss, anymore. how much longer can Al Davis endure in a league that has completely passed him by?
Kansas City over ARIZONA
Astute observers will note that I pick the Chiefs every week, no matter what. Despite offensive line issues, I see them taking this one. New and improved defense should harass rookie Matt Leinart and Co., and this one could be shockingly low scoring.
JACKSONVILLE over N.Y. Jets
Jags are banged up, and Jets are still pissed about last second loss to Indy. I can see them staying close here, but Jacksonville gets a tough win at home. Jets wil be a scary team in the second half as they gain more confidence, and start pulling out these tight games.
PHILADELPHIA over Dallas
TO sideshow aside, this could be the game of the week. Eagles are hurting at some key offensive spots, but defense will be charged up at home and ready to give Drew Bledsoe fits. Both teams need this one, but when presses I'll go with Philly in fromnt of their crazy ass fans.
SAN DIEGO over Pittsburgh
Can't figure out the Steelers at all - is this what a post-Super Bowl hangover looks like? Shawn Merriman can make Roethlisberger's life hell, and the Bolts will prevail.
DENVER over Baltimore
Broncos have one of the biggest home field advantages in the league, at least during the regular season. Still not fully sold on the Ravens, despite solid defense. Denver D is just as tough, and I can see McNair taking a pounding. As usual, a key factor will be the play of Jake Plummer - if he doesn't turn it over, Broncs will win.
Last week: 10-4
Season: 39-21 (65.0%)
Friday, October 06, 2006
Monday, October 02, 2006
Daily Show Takes on Carl Monday
You may recall the earlier post, inspired by an item on Deadspin, regarding Cleveland’s Investigative Reporter, Carl Monday, and his diligent efforts to keep the city safe from the likes of Mike Cooper. Deadspin got a ton of mileage out of this story, and by the time Monday did his follow up as Cooper went to court, some were moved to being sympathetic toward him. Monday was that much of an ass.
The Daily Show chipped in, brilliantly, and attempted to give Monday a small taste of his own medicine. Check it out below:
The Daily Show chipped in, brilliantly, and attempted to give Monday a small taste of his own medicine. Check it out below:
Mets – Now What?
As a Met fan, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this season. The boys from Flushing grabbed hold of the Eastern division early, then ran away and hid from everyone else. Clinching the title, earlier than any other team is baseball, was merely a formality, confirming what was inevitable since well before the All-Star break.
Right after the clinching, their play slipped a bit, which was completely understandable. The lethargic play continued as we headed into the season’s final week, right when you would hope they could build a little momentum heading into the first round. A series in Atlanta would be the perfect place to get the ball rolling again, poetically stomping over their biggest rival whom they had finally vanquished.
Game 1, a 12-0 loss. Ugh. No worries, Game 2 was the one all Met fans were pointing toward – the final tuneup for Pedro Martinez. Pedro had been erratic since his return from the disabled list, and this start was looked at as the chance to prove once and for all he was ready to go, thus take the ball in Game 1 of the NLDS.
He never made it out of the 3rd inning, leaving balls up in the zone and not really fooling anyone. It was painfully obvious he was not back in form, despite his apparent clean bill of health. Pedro himself said that manager Willie Randolph’s decision would be an easy one now, and Martinez was looking at starting Game 3. The Mets were again bombed and lost 13-1.
Shortly before the third game on Thursday, the news came down that Martinez’ calf muscle (the “good” one, no less) was torn, and he would miss the entire post-season, regardless of how far the Mets advanced. The pitching staff, already thin as far as reliable starters went, took another hit. Hearing this made me personally doubt the Mets would be able to advance through the playoffs, and forced me to think this brilliant season would be wasted with a quick playoff exit. The news that Pedro will now be sidelined until mid-2007 was a little more sobering, but fully explained his recvent ineffectiveness.
Funny thing, though. The players responded that evening with a 7-4 victory, playing one of their best games since the clinching. As the news spread through the media, intruiging stats were thrown out into the vapor. The most jarring one mentioned how the Mets actually had a losing record in games started by Martinez in 2006. Granted, he suffered through a stretch in May where he pitched brilliantly but received no run support, but since July 1st his numbers looked like this:
2 W 4 L 31 IP 27 ER 26 K 11 BB 7.84 ERA
After the initial reaction of “God we’re totally screwed”, it dawned on me that they had been without a fully functioning Pedro for a large portion of the season, and were in fact 21 games over .500 when Pedro was unavailable. Obviously, the playoffs are a different animal, but it stands to reason that given decent, not outstanding, starting pitching from El Duque, Glavine, Trachsel and Maine, they should be able to slog through the battles regardless of the opponent. The bullpen has been solid all season, and will continue to play a huge role in the playoffs. I see no reason why they will not continue to shut down opposing bats in the late innings.
Facing the Dodgers in the first round should prove to be a challenge, but one this team should be able to overcome. LA's staff is a little dinged up, and have proven to be the most hot-and-cold team in the league. Once they get past the NLDS, I forsee them taking out the winner of the St. Louis/San Diego matchup as well.
So, despite an initial reaction of fear and dread at the news of Pedro’s unavailability, I am, like the players seem to be, confident that there will be at least one New York team in the World Series, and that team will be the Mets. Will the Yankees join them? I don’t really care – I would like nothing better than to see them get smacked in the opening round by Detroit (not likely), or in the ALCS by Minnesota (more than possible) or Oakland (doubtful). Beating the Yankees in the Series would be awesome, but it really makes no difference what path the Mets take to get a championship.
Let’s go, Mets.
Right after the clinching, their play slipped a bit, which was completely understandable. The lethargic play continued as we headed into the season’s final week, right when you would hope they could build a little momentum heading into the first round. A series in Atlanta would be the perfect place to get the ball rolling again, poetically stomping over their biggest rival whom they had finally vanquished.
Game 1, a 12-0 loss. Ugh. No worries, Game 2 was the one all Met fans were pointing toward – the final tuneup for Pedro Martinez. Pedro had been erratic since his return from the disabled list, and this start was looked at as the chance to prove once and for all he was ready to go, thus take the ball in Game 1 of the NLDS.
He never made it out of the 3rd inning, leaving balls up in the zone and not really fooling anyone. It was painfully obvious he was not back in form, despite his apparent clean bill of health. Pedro himself said that manager Willie Randolph’s decision would be an easy one now, and Martinez was looking at starting Game 3. The Mets were again bombed and lost 13-1.
Shortly before the third game on Thursday, the news came down that Martinez’ calf muscle (the “good” one, no less) was torn, and he would miss the entire post-season, regardless of how far the Mets advanced. The pitching staff, already thin as far as reliable starters went, took another hit. Hearing this made me personally doubt the Mets would be able to advance through the playoffs, and forced me to think this brilliant season would be wasted with a quick playoff exit. The news that Pedro will now be sidelined until mid-2007 was a little more sobering, but fully explained his recvent ineffectiveness.
Funny thing, though. The players responded that evening with a 7-4 victory, playing one of their best games since the clinching. As the news spread through the media, intruiging stats were thrown out into the vapor. The most jarring one mentioned how the Mets actually had a losing record in games started by Martinez in 2006. Granted, he suffered through a stretch in May where he pitched brilliantly but received no run support, but since July 1st his numbers looked like this:
2 W 4 L 31 IP 27 ER 26 K 11 BB 7.84 ERA
After the initial reaction of “God we’re totally screwed”, it dawned on me that they had been without a fully functioning Pedro for a large portion of the season, and were in fact 21 games over .500 when Pedro was unavailable. Obviously, the playoffs are a different animal, but it stands to reason that given decent, not outstanding, starting pitching from El Duque, Glavine, Trachsel and Maine, they should be able to slog through the battles regardless of the opponent. The bullpen has been solid all season, and will continue to play a huge role in the playoffs. I see no reason why they will not continue to shut down opposing bats in the late innings.
Facing the Dodgers in the first round should prove to be a challenge, but one this team should be able to overcome. LA's staff is a little dinged up, and have proven to be the most hot-and-cold team in the league. Once they get past the NLDS, I forsee them taking out the winner of the St. Louis/San Diego matchup as well.
So, despite an initial reaction of fear and dread at the news of Pedro’s unavailability, I am, like the players seem to be, confident that there will be at least one New York team in the World Series, and that team will be the Mets. Will the Yankees join them? I don’t really care – I would like nothing better than to see them get smacked in the opening round by Detroit (not likely), or in the ALCS by Minnesota (more than possible) or Oakland (doubtful). Beating the Yankees in the Series would be awesome, but it really makes no difference what path the Mets take to get a championship.
Let’s go, Mets.
Friday, September 29, 2006
NFL Picks - Week 4
First of all, let’s get the weekly dose of Terrell Owens news out of the way. Suffice it to say there is nothing this guy does which surprises me anymore. An attention starved manchild who constantly tears down others while feeling above criticism? Big deal. Honestly, it would not surprise me one iota to hear that he A.) Donated $2 million to charity, or B.) Stabbed Bill Parcells in the heart with a grapefruit knife. Both would be consistent with his famewhoring personality. The less said about this guy, the better.
On to the picks. Remember last week, when I said I had very little confidence in my selections? Turns out I was right, as I stumbled to a 6-8 week, and I ony achievd that with some last minute wins by Miami and Carolina. This week, I’m feeling much better about the matchups, and should surge back to the top with these gems:
KANSAS CITY over San Francisco
Chiefs use bye week to help get backup QB Damon Huard acclimated to the first team offense, while the surprisingly tough defense gets a big week in front of the Arrowhead crowd. KC can forget any thoughts of the post-season with a loss here.
Miami over HOUSTON
Dolphins have inspired zero confidence to pick them on the road, but Texans are beyond awful. Daunte Culpepper needs a big game, and gets it here, though it would not be at all surprising to see a 16-10 game.
Dallas over TENNESSEE
Despite the saga this week over He Who Shall Not Be Named, the ‘Boys are too good to look beyond this one. Titans will stick with Kerry Collins, but I think you’ll be seeing Vince Young doing mop-up duty late in this one.
Indianapolis over N.Y. JETS
Despite lack of a consistent running game, Colts are too tough to falter here. Mangini has the Jets believing they’re about to turn the corner, and they could very well stay close (or make it respectable).
Minnesota over BUFFALO
Bills made a ton of mistakes last week in the red Zone, and it cost them at home vs. Jets. Vikes come off tough home loss to Bears, but have been in tight games every week so far, and should be able to get it done in Buffalo.
San Diego over BALTIMORE
Ravens perhaps exposed last week in last second win over Browns, and haven’t seen any team this good thus far. Bolts are rested coming off bye and should be able to match the Raven D stop for stop. Long as Philip Rivers stays upright, San Diego should have enough to grab this one.
CAROLINA over New Orleans
Panthers picked up critical W last week, stay at home to battle surprisingly unbeaten Saints. New Orleans has to have a letdown after emotional Monday nighter. Throw in the short week and and extra week of practice for Carolina WR Steve Smith, and you’ve got the ingredients for a Panther win.
ATLANTA over Arizona
Falcs looked shocked from the get-go on Monday, and a Swiss cheese Cardinal defense is just what the Doctor ordered. Look for Matt Leinhart to get some garbage time, just like Vince Young, as Atlanta rebounds with an easy win.
ST. LOUIS over Detroit
Rams haven’t shown much yet, but the Lions have been a huge disappointment. St. Loo at home rolls Matt Millen one step closer to the unemployment line.
Cleveland over OAKLAND
Two rotten teams, but at least the Brownies seem to have a direction. Art Shell is completely overmatched as an NFL head coach, and the once vaunted Raider nation has no teeth left. Romeo’s boys will frustrate whomever takes the snaps for the Silver and Black, and Cleveland wins easily.
Jacksonville over WASHINGTON
Tough call taking Jags on the road, but the ‘Skins are still a mess, despite throttling the Texans last week, Jacksonville defense will frustrate Brunell and Portis, and Jaguars win a low scoring affair.
New England over CINCINNATI
Upset special. Despite how ordinary the Pats looked last week against Denver, I just get the feeling that this is when they are at their most dangerous. Nobody is picking them to beat the Bengals in Cincy, but I still think Bellicheck will devise some way to keep it close and squeak out a late win.
CHICAGO over Seattle
Bears at home, on national TV, show America how good they are. ‘Hawks are without Shaun Alexander, and I don’t think they can win here without some kind of rushing attack. Resurgent Chicago offense won’t have an easy time of it either, but they should score enough to take this one.
PHILADELPHIA over Green Bay
This one could get ugly. Eagles offense hasn’t struggled yet, and against porous Pack D, they could approach the high 40’s. Defense will have a field day in front of crazed home crowd. Watch for the commentators to praise Brett Favre all night as he is running for his life and throwing 4 picks. Over/under on Theisman mentioning the courage, heart or passion of Favre is 56. I’m betting the over.
Last week: 6-8
Season: 29-17 (63.04%)
On to the picks. Remember last week, when I said I had very little confidence in my selections? Turns out I was right, as I stumbled to a 6-8 week, and I ony achievd that with some last minute wins by Miami and Carolina. This week, I’m feeling much better about the matchups, and should surge back to the top with these gems:
KANSAS CITY over San Francisco
Chiefs use bye week to help get backup QB Damon Huard acclimated to the first team offense, while the surprisingly tough defense gets a big week in front of the Arrowhead crowd. KC can forget any thoughts of the post-season with a loss here.
Miami over HOUSTON
Dolphins have inspired zero confidence to pick them on the road, but Texans are beyond awful. Daunte Culpepper needs a big game, and gets it here, though it would not be at all surprising to see a 16-10 game.
Dallas over TENNESSEE
Despite the saga this week over He Who Shall Not Be Named, the ‘Boys are too good to look beyond this one. Titans will stick with Kerry Collins, but I think you’ll be seeing Vince Young doing mop-up duty late in this one.
Indianapolis over N.Y. JETS
Despite lack of a consistent running game, Colts are too tough to falter here. Mangini has the Jets believing they’re about to turn the corner, and they could very well stay close (or make it respectable).
Minnesota over BUFFALO
Bills made a ton of mistakes last week in the red Zone, and it cost them at home vs. Jets. Vikes come off tough home loss to Bears, but have been in tight games every week so far, and should be able to get it done in Buffalo.
San Diego over BALTIMORE
Ravens perhaps exposed last week in last second win over Browns, and haven’t seen any team this good thus far. Bolts are rested coming off bye and should be able to match the Raven D stop for stop. Long as Philip Rivers stays upright, San Diego should have enough to grab this one.
CAROLINA over New Orleans
Panthers picked up critical W last week, stay at home to battle surprisingly unbeaten Saints. New Orleans has to have a letdown after emotional Monday nighter. Throw in the short week and and extra week of practice for Carolina WR Steve Smith, and you’ve got the ingredients for a Panther win.
ATLANTA over Arizona
Falcs looked shocked from the get-go on Monday, and a Swiss cheese Cardinal defense is just what the Doctor ordered. Look for Matt Leinhart to get some garbage time, just like Vince Young, as Atlanta rebounds with an easy win.
ST. LOUIS over Detroit
Rams haven’t shown much yet, but the Lions have been a huge disappointment. St. Loo at home rolls Matt Millen one step closer to the unemployment line.
Cleveland over OAKLAND
Two rotten teams, but at least the Brownies seem to have a direction. Art Shell is completely overmatched as an NFL head coach, and the once vaunted Raider nation has no teeth left. Romeo’s boys will frustrate whomever takes the snaps for the Silver and Black, and Cleveland wins easily.
Jacksonville over WASHINGTON
Tough call taking Jags on the road, but the ‘Skins are still a mess, despite throttling the Texans last week, Jacksonville defense will frustrate Brunell and Portis, and Jaguars win a low scoring affair.
New England over CINCINNATI
Upset special. Despite how ordinary the Pats looked last week against Denver, I just get the feeling that this is when they are at their most dangerous. Nobody is picking them to beat the Bengals in Cincy, but I still think Bellicheck will devise some way to keep it close and squeak out a late win.
CHICAGO over Seattle
Bears at home, on national TV, show America how good they are. ‘Hawks are without Shaun Alexander, and I don’t think they can win here without some kind of rushing attack. Resurgent Chicago offense won’t have an easy time of it either, but they should score enough to take this one.
PHILADELPHIA over Green Bay
This one could get ugly. Eagles offense hasn’t struggled yet, and against porous Pack D, they could approach the high 40’s. Defense will have a field day in front of crazed home crowd. Watch for the commentators to praise Brett Favre all night as he is running for his life and throwing 4 picks. Over/under on Theisman mentioning the courage, heart or passion of Favre is 56. I’m betting the over.
Last week: 6-8
Season: 29-17 (63.04%)
Friday, September 22, 2006
NFL Picks - Week 3
Man, I'm on fire so far! 23 wins in 2 weeks!
Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of confidence in this week's selctions, since some of these games are toss-ups. Proceed with caution.
Jacksonville over INDIANAPOLIS
Jags D looks very tough, and I think this is the week they stick it to the Colts.
MINNESOTA over Chicago
Vikes at home can get by as yet untested Bears.
Washington over HOUSTON
'Sinks offense gets back on track vs. woeful Texans.
N.Y. Jets over BUFFALO
Jets showed a little toughness in near comeback last week; Bills coming off big win, primed for a slight letdown.
MIAMI over Tennessee
Fish finally find the win column. Culpepper can't be this bad, can he?
Carolina over TAMPA BAY
Two unexpectedly winless teams clash, with the loser headed for a long uphill battle. The hunch here is that Carolina is better and will find a way to keep Chris Simms' nightmare alive another week.
PITTSBURGH over Cincinnati
Love Cowher coming off an embarassing shutout loss on Monday. Big Ben will shake off the rust against a somehwat banged-up Bengal D.
DETROIT over Green Bay
Lions showed toughness in home opener against Seahwaks, and should prevail. Pack are a mess.
Baltimore over CLEVELAND
Might be closer that most people think, but the Ravens big play defense should give Brownies fits all day long.
N.Y. Giants over SEATTLE
Revenge time for last season's terrible loss. 'Hawks still haven't hit on all cylinders, and they have yet to play a team as tough as the G-Men.
Philadelphia over SAN FRANCISCO
Eagles a little banged-up, but will find a way to grab this one on the road against a surprisingly tough Niner bunch.
ARIZONA over St. Louis
Rams, still reeling from last weeks road loss at SF, face a big play Cardinal offense.
NEW ENGLAND over Denver
Another Revenge Special. Broncos must really miss Gary Kubiak, as the offense looks lost. Pats, at home, will atone for last year's playoff (referee aided) loss.
Atlanta over NEW ORLEANSDespite all of the goodwill regarding the return of football to the Big Easy, I can't see the Saints stopping the potent Falcon ground game.
Last week: 12-4
Overall: 23-9 (72%)
Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of confidence in this week's selctions, since some of these games are toss-ups. Proceed with caution.
Jacksonville over INDIANAPOLIS
Jags D looks very tough, and I think this is the week they stick it to the Colts.
MINNESOTA over Chicago
Vikes at home can get by as yet untested Bears.
Washington over HOUSTON
'Sinks offense gets back on track vs. woeful Texans.
N.Y. Jets over BUFFALO
Jets showed a little toughness in near comeback last week; Bills coming off big win, primed for a slight letdown.
MIAMI over Tennessee
Fish finally find the win column. Culpepper can't be this bad, can he?
Carolina over TAMPA BAY
Two unexpectedly winless teams clash, with the loser headed for a long uphill battle. The hunch here is that Carolina is better and will find a way to keep Chris Simms' nightmare alive another week.
PITTSBURGH over Cincinnati
Love Cowher coming off an embarassing shutout loss on Monday. Big Ben will shake off the rust against a somehwat banged-up Bengal D.
DETROIT over Green Bay
Lions showed toughness in home opener against Seahwaks, and should prevail. Pack are a mess.
Baltimore over CLEVELAND
Might be closer that most people think, but the Ravens big play defense should give Brownies fits all day long.
N.Y. Giants over SEATTLE
Revenge time for last season's terrible loss. 'Hawks still haven't hit on all cylinders, and they have yet to play a team as tough as the G-Men.
Philadelphia over SAN FRANCISCO
Eagles a little banged-up, but will find a way to grab this one on the road against a surprisingly tough Niner bunch.
ARIZONA over St. Louis
Rams, still reeling from last weeks road loss at SF, face a big play Cardinal offense.
NEW ENGLAND over Denver
Another Revenge Special. Broncos must really miss Gary Kubiak, as the offense looks lost. Pats, at home, will atone for last year's playoff (referee aided) loss.
Atlanta over NEW ORLEANSDespite all of the goodwill regarding the return of football to the Big Easy, I can't see the Saints stopping the potent Falcon ground game.
Last week: 12-4
Overall: 23-9 (72%)
Friday, September 15, 2006
NFL Picks - Week 2
Let's get right to the picks for week 2. Last week's were never posted, but are preserved in the ESPN.com weekly pick 'em pool. I'm predicting winners without spreads.
(Home team in CAPS)
MINNESOTA over Carolina
Vikes for real? Maybe, but Panthers really miss Steve Smith, and might just be a tad overrated.
CHICAGO over Detroit
Bears D too tough, plus they're at home. Lions could kepe it close, though.
INDIANOPOLIS over Houston
Biggest no-brainer on the board. Colts could lay 25 and still cover.
GREEN BAY over New Orleans
Stink Bowl, Pack reclaim a wee bit of respectability.
N.Y. Giants over PHILADELPHIA
G-Men are better, and are coming off tough loss.
BALTIMORE over Oakland
Ravens D will embarass Raiders more than they were last week, which doesn't seem possible.
ATLANTA over Tampa Bay
Falcons defense improved, Bucs O-line banged up.
CINCINNATI over Cleveland
Bengals home opener, should be a cakewalk.
MIAMI over Buffalo
Fins bounce back after one bad quarter in Pittsburgh.
SEATTLE over Arizona
'Hawks looked rusty, but Cards defense can cure lots of offensive woes.
St. Louis over SAN FRANCISCO
Rams should not have as much trouble finding the end zone this week.
SAN DIEGO over Tennessee
Bolts are more talented, and at home. Tomlinson will run wild.
Kansas City over DENVER
Upset special. If Plummer is Plummer, KC can steal one.
New England over N.Y. JETS
Jets beat Titans, right? And they almost blew it, right? Pats, with Branch drama behind them, roll.
DALLAS over Washington
Bledsoe holds off the QB controversey for one more week.
JACKSONVILLE over Pittsburgh
Jags will punish Batch and Co.
Last Week: 11-5
Season: 11-5
(Home team in CAPS)
MINNESOTA over Carolina
Vikes for real? Maybe, but Panthers really miss Steve Smith, and might just be a tad overrated.
CHICAGO over Detroit
Bears D too tough, plus they're at home. Lions could kepe it close, though.
INDIANOPOLIS over Houston
Biggest no-brainer on the board. Colts could lay 25 and still cover.
GREEN BAY over New Orleans
Stink Bowl, Pack reclaim a wee bit of respectability.
N.Y. Giants over PHILADELPHIA
G-Men are better, and are coming off tough loss.
BALTIMORE over Oakland
Ravens D will embarass Raiders more than they were last week, which doesn't seem possible.
ATLANTA over Tampa Bay
Falcons defense improved, Bucs O-line banged up.
CINCINNATI over Cleveland
Bengals home opener, should be a cakewalk.
MIAMI over Buffalo
Fins bounce back after one bad quarter in Pittsburgh.
SEATTLE over Arizona
'Hawks looked rusty, but Cards defense can cure lots of offensive woes.
St. Louis over SAN FRANCISCO
Rams should not have as much trouble finding the end zone this week.
SAN DIEGO over Tennessee
Bolts are more talented, and at home. Tomlinson will run wild.
Kansas City over DENVER
Upset special. If Plummer is Plummer, KC can steal one.
New England over N.Y. JETS
Jets beat Titans, right? And they almost blew it, right? Pats, with Branch drama behind them, roll.
DALLAS over Washington
Bledsoe holds off the QB controversey for one more week.
JACKSONVILLE over Pittsburgh
Jags will punish Batch and Co.
Last Week: 11-5
Season: 11-5
Survivor - What Is CBS Thinking?
I’m a big fan or Reality TV in general, and Survivor in particular. I see them as the logical extension of the Springer/Povich/Geraldo daytime yellfests which, ultimately make you feel like 1) your life isn’t too bad compared to the whack job guests they have, and 2) Hey, I’m better than that!
Admittedly, there are lines that even I can’t cross with some of these, most notably the suckfests on MTV, which seem more scripted than ever. Survivor, however, is a different story – the first show that was an actual phenomenon. It was true water cooler TV, something you wouldn’t dare miss lest you be hopelessly out of the loop the next day at school or work. As an example of my addiction to this show: during the first season, we bought a house. As luck would have it, our moving day was the Friday following the finale. Now, we had planned on finalizing (read: doing 90% of) the packing, yet we absolutely could not miss the 2 hour culmination. What did we do? Nothing. We parked our asses on the couch until the show was over, sat in amazement that Richard won, then got to packing into the wee hours.
Subsequent seasons, while highly rated, never really recaptured the buzz that Season One had. I continued to watch anyway, never missing an episode, and watching how producer Mark Burnett continued to come up with new twists each season to mess with the castaways. Good times.
This year, shortly before the season premiere, the “twist” was revealed: 20 castaways would be divided into 4 tribes (the normal is to have 16-18 be divided into 2 tribes). The kicker? The tribes would be segregated based on………ethnicity! Oh my! Typically, some folks were outraged, some advertisers threatened to pull out, and host Jeff Probst had to make the talk show circuit and defend the decision.
Again, a brilliant move by Burnett, in my view. He has, with one decision that will probably be rendered meaningless within a few episodes, recreated a buzz around the show. Typically during each season, the tribes will merge after a certain amount of time. I imagine that when they only consist of 5 people each, the merger will come sooner rather than later, and will involve “shaking up” the tribes to create new alliances and tensions. The ethnicity thing will be long forgotten by mid-season. Unless, of course, there are more twists in store....
So, the first episode aired, and guess what? The world didn’t end. The tribes are still playing Survivor, and the interactions within the tribes are far more crucial than how they relate to the other groups. It’s still, at it’s heart, more a social game than a physical one. Idiots will be idiots, be they Asian, Black, Hispanic or White.
A quick check of the show forums on Television Without Pity show that many people who have been away form the show are coming back, and viewers, for the most part, approve of the twist. I'll keep watching, certainly, but that's because I've become Burnett's beeeyotch.
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