I Bet You Won't Finish Your Popcorn

This first weekend in May 2015 wields a double edged sword. The weekend that essentially started on Thursday could be either sports fan nirvana or the final debacle for a degenerate gambler.

The yearly talent crapshoot known as the NFL draft kicked off the weekend on Thursday. Teams have probed, poked and tested about 2,000 of the young men they see as the top college talent. All that evaluation is done in the hope they will find the next Peyton Manning and not the next Ryan Leaf. After a season that offered as much if not more coverage given to off the field issues than to the play on the field, the word “character” became the hacky sack of every broadcast.  I guess watching Jameis Winston throw the football makes everyone forget about the other stuff.  For every Tyrann Mathieu there are 5 Justin Blackmon’s it seems. Only time will tell if all the character questions had merit, though I will be surprised if more than 3 of the top picks in this draft play out their rookie contract.  The most popular bets available on the draft define insanity; you can bet on where any player will be drafted, who the first running back drafted is and which conference will have the most players drafted. I will bet that any players unfortunate enough to be drafted by those whoopee cushions known as the Redskins and Browns will come to camp stocked up on Prozac to cope with the insanity.

Saturday presents us with the most exciting two minutes in sports followed later by the richest fight in boxing history. The Kentucky Derby is the only “pre-game” that rivals the Super Bowl. At least with the Derby there are other races to watch instead of seventeen human interest stories about a player’s gardener’s dog’s barber. Well, all the pre derby stuff is worth watching just for the big crazy hats isn't it? The races yes, for the hats no, no it’s not.  It was unfortunate that California Chrome missed the Triple Crown last year since it was a neat story of a great little horse, though it only furthered the notion there will never be another Secretariat.  My pick, Carpe Diem, didn’t carpe enough, which is why I don’t bet on horse racing unless I happen to be at the track in Saratoga Springs. I hit the trifecta the last time I went though it sure wasn't enough to retire to St. Thomas.

I hope the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight lives up to the hype after waiting so long for it to happen. Apparently it is already the richest fight in boxing history and at $ 90.00 for pay-per-view in standard def I think I’ll stick with plain old Netflix.  I went to a pay-per-view event for Tyson- Spinks (I didn't buy the tickets) and that was over before I finished my popcorn.  I hope anyone that made the investment on this fight gets to finish theirs. These guys are both long in the tooth for boxers though I expect the fight to go the distance. I don’t see either being able to knock the other out, unless it’s happens to be of the Hollywood double knockout variety.

Behind these big three, the NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing and into the second round. I’m going on a short limb and wagering these early rounds will have more drama than the finals in either league.  We can’t forget baseball still has over 135 games to go before their playoffs begin. That season seems so long because of the number of games, though time wise it’s really only longer than the NFL.  If you’re a fan of any or all of the sports action this weekend I wish you luck in having the time to finish your popcorn. For all you gamblers out there I hope you managed to hang on to enough gas money to get to you to work Monday. If not, I hope you have a good pair of shoes and a friendly looking thumb or maybe even some leftover popcorn.

An NFL Experience

     The Super Bowl has come to town for the third time since I’ve lived in Arizona; this time with my wife’s favorite team in tow. We donned our Patriots gear and hopped the Metro to downtown Phoenix for the NFL Experience; a first time experience for us both. We were definitely in the minority in our Pats gear as the train filled up with fans festooned in Seahawks colored garb along the way. A couple times chants of “Sea!” Hawks!” rang out during the trip; we got really tired of hearing it break out inside the venue too.

    We arrived to a sea of people overrunning downtown Phoenix.  This was a huge crowd; a churning mass of humanity milling about seeking football fan nirvana.  Every inch of real estate that wasn’t covered by tents or signs was being tread upon by thousands of feet. We decided to hit Super Bowl Central; they handed us a map and asked if we ended help finding anything. Thus began our typical event staff interactions for the day, which was essentially the same no matter where they were or what they were doing.  When asked a question they’d lift their right arm, point and say, “Go that way.” Not a lefty in the bunch, what are the chances of that?

    While we tried to find the entrance, we wandered by a few exhibits outside like the Street Art Throw-down, which explained why my nose was assaulted with the odor of spray paint; sanctioned graffiti featuring brilliant colors with an Arizona Super Bowl theme. There were also a few strategically placed street corner preachers with headset mics proselytizing through a PA, while others passed out leaflets; only in America, side by side spectacles of such extremes in the same venue.

     We discovered the line to get inside snaked along one entire side of the Phoenix Convention Center and almost to the end of the next; you couldn’t see your destination until you got close to the entrance. The line squeezed us down into lanes created by barriers that allowed only 2 at a time to walk comfortably side by side.  Once inside the staff did the arm thing again and directed us toward the entrance for those who had tickets like ourselves. 

                                               "Go that way"

Finally inside the building

    

     For an NFL junkie this is the place to be, though if you want to experience everything it can’t all be done in one day, because this is just like a huge theme park. The most popular events like the autograph stage and the field activities had ridiculously long lines which will eat up a lot of time.  The event spanned 3 floors in the convention center, with the main activities and the pro shop on the first floor. The elbow to elbow crush of humanity created by the setup made for a lot of bumps and twists to make your way through the crowd; stopping anywhere was asking to be run into by a little kid or someone not looking where they were going. Can you say epic madhouse?  We poked around in the pro shop for a bit then decided to head on inside.

                                         Sensory overload

     The walk into the main venue was pure sensory overload; the panorama shot doesn’t even scratch the surface on the noise, lights, and stuff that sprawled in front of us. We picked the path of least resistance crowd-wise and set off to see what we could find. What we found was akin to a NFL Disney; we found lines, lots of them, and very long too. We also finally found more Patriot fans inside enjoying the festivities in their typical low key New England way; an exchange of “Go Pats” and a smile as we passed were about as rowdy is it got.

One of the Field Event Areas

Funky old team jackets

Program from first ever AFL game

Hall of Fame ring, Strahan's 

     There were NFL films on massive TVs all over the place and they were all playing different highlights. There was a nice display of old pictures, programs and uniforms from the Hall of Fame. The busts and rings from the 2014 class were on display; those rings are HUGE. We wandered through a display where they were making and selling Wilson footballs, got our picture taken next to the NFL draft podium, and met a group of Pats fans that came out for the game.  We were all waiting to put our face on a fully equipped Pats player statue. There was one of those for every team placed throughout the place; some had lines for pictures while others were used by folks to sit and rest tired feet.  The big display on the upper level showed the history of pro football from 1870’s to the present day and had some cool old time pics. There was so much to see, we walked and walked and walked some more.  This was definitely a total immersion NFL experience any fan, whether die-hard or casual, should have an opportunity to be a part of.

Drafted #1

                                              

     We made the Pro Shop our last stop of the day. The checkout line snaked around and through the shop till you reached a mini maze of those airport ribbon barriers. When you arrived at the end of the line the cashiers waved a flag to signal who was next. We took a lot of pictures to document our day, which was a hell of a lot of fun.

                                     " Honey take the picture I"m on my tiptoes!"

                    Time for a brief respite and a selfie before the trip home.

      We hopped the Metro for the ride home, which was standing room only; stand we did all the way home. We had a couple of swings and misses trying to find a place for a decent sit down dinner, though we did witness another fabulous Arizona sunset. 

     

     We were both so tired and hungry by the time we sat down to eat we agreed we would have eaten a tire covered with butter. Everything hurt except my hair by the time we got home, though I wouldn’t have missed it for the world knowing how happy it made my lovely wife. Her smile at the end of the day made it all worthwhile. When Malcolm Butler made a game-saving interception the next day, it tied a nice bow on a great weekend.

Meh FL

     We are down to the final four of the ugliest NFL season I think I‘ve ever been witness too; in a word meh. The taint from off the field stuff that dominated headlines right up to opening kickoff threw an egg on the league’s face that dripped from its’ chin all season.  The decision to call more pass interference penalties gave the zebras too much influence in deciding games; as if that wasn’t the case already. Parity achieved appears to be the keyword to describe the season; a team with a losing record making the playoffs falls right in line with push to have every team end at 8-8 to make the playoff run more interesting. Not.

     There were some nice highlights in a season of lowlights and low life’s, with the commish at the top of the second list. The biggest surprise out of the gate had to be the Cardinals starting off at 9-1. Because they are essentially the Chicago Cubs of the NFL they didn’t really get any respect, though they did make the cover of SI. The possibility of a team playing a home game in the Super Bowl for the first time had some legs until Carson Palmer’s knee betrayed him.  Cardinal’s fans are left to ponder what may have been.

    The other surprise team would have to be Dallas, who most experts predicted would be lucky to win half their games with the defense they brought back. I doubt anyone suspected the reclamation project that defense was would end up actually playing as well as it did. DeMarco Murray’s assault on the season rushing record fizzled down the stretch, though it did add some excitement to an otherwise drab season.

     This was the epitome of a season with no best team. There wasn’t one team that dominated from the outset and the statistic that the best team only wins the championship about 25% of the time in any of the major league sports won’t matter for this season. There was no best team this year and the Super Bowl winner again will be the team that peaks during the playoffs.

     The awards handed out at the end of the season will probably bring more drama than the majority of the laundry fests that masqueraded as games this year.  Does anyone think Houston would have won 9 games without JJ Watt? I don’t think so. I think he has a good chance to be the first player since Lawrence Taylor to win both Player of the Year honors, though being on a non –playoff team will hurt his chances. The others in the mix like Murray, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady all had great years and they also had a better group of players around them too. JJ gets my vote if I had one.

   Odell Beckham is a human highlight real and has to be the Rookie of the Year. No could ever confuse me for a Giants fan; their games, just like NASCAR just won’t come in on my TV, which is odd since I have satellite TV. This season though I had to gag myself with a spoon, then sit and watch the Giants just to see this kid play; he is special and has a ton of talent. Thanks Odell for helping me win a championship in one of my fantasy leagues.

   Bruce Arians gets my vote for Coach of the Year for keeping the Cardinals in the mix all season long despite losing some big time players even before the season started. It was unfortunate to see the wheels come off as the season wound down; the defense finally collapsed under the strain of having to be the offense too.

     The season did have its laugh out loud moments though with either the Jets, Redskins or Raiders seeming to be perpetually in  3^rd down and LOL type situations each  week; unless of course you’re a fan of one of those teams then you have my condolences for the mismanaged disasters those teams are.  Fans of the Bears, Saints and Falcons should ask for refunds on their season tickets for the half-hearted efforts those teams put on the field.

     I often found myself this season with an internal debate each Sunday deciding if I was going to watch the games; I don’t know any of these guys so why should it matter who wins? Some habits are hard to break, and this has been one I’ve been considering dumping for a few years, though I still allow myself to be sucked in by each fall.  I have no doubt I can find something to replace it, though my sock drawer doesn’t need to be reorganized on a weekly basis. My days of spending fall afternoons playing touch football on a street strewn with leaves are long in the rear view mirror and maybe it’s time to leave another fall tradition behind too..  

I Can't Believe it's Coach Speak...Spray

     Did anyone else see the Richard Sherman and Doug Baldwin press conference on Tuesday making fun of NFL policies? If the video above doesn't play, here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLbv4_TpsL8

     I’m sure it will get taken down pretty quickly and not because it isn't high comedy, which it’s not, or because it’s not safe for work, which it is: it will get the hook  because of the content.

    Living in Arizona Cardinals country I am definitely not a Seahawks fan, never have been and never will be. It is not necessary to be a Seahawks fan to appreciate some of the points these guys made in the video, though I think it will pretty much fall on deaf ears and probably cost each of them more than a few dollars.  Marshawn Lynch getting fined for not talking to the media started it and I don’t think this little drama is over yet. No doubt in a few days they both will be having a press conference to regale us with fake contrition and bow to King Roger the Double Face.

     As I've seen players and coaches get fined for not talking to the media more and more I’m reminded of Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton, he refused to talk to the media for years and I don’t ever remember him getting fined for it.  And yes I know that was more than a few years ago, though pro sports is still pro sports and the media is still the same media since the first newspaper hit the stands. I don’t blame athletes’ for their reticence to talk to the media; half a sentence turned in to a sound bite can start an avalanche that would level a ski-resort in nothing flat. Some players just give lousy interviews; others can talk circles around the person handling the microphone and love to give interviews. Interview those guys and leave the players that can’t put two intelligent sounding sentences together back to back alone. 

     Say what you will about the masters of coach speak, Bob Knight and the two Bills, Belichik and Parcells, none of those guys really ever gave up anything and have no problem shutting down silly questions.  Granted, the answers any athlete or coach has to give during a press conference or an on the field interview pretty much sound like they came from a can. I think the NFL should give every player and coach a spray can of “Coach Speak”, each clearly labeled with instructions on the side to “Use when near media members”.  

     My thinking is the players’ associations in the major pro sports had to include availability to the media as part of any bargaining package they signed with the various leagues; no doubt it is a much bigger part than one would think and most likely a possible deal breaker if not included.

   Here’s a thought to those that think these guys get paid a lot of money to play a game, which they do, so they should always make themselves available to the media.  I have a game for you and you don’t have to make an NFL team to play. This is how it works. You agree to sign up to have anywhere from 70-80 car accidents ranging in speeds from 15 to 30 mph once a week for 3 to 3.5 hours, with a couple short breaks thrown in and then tell me how much you’ll really feel like talking to anyone after that. Just sayin’.

     These two guys, well one and a cardboard cut-out bring up some other salient points in their little skit, which when posed to league officials are usually answered in corporate rhetoric, even when someone points out the obvious. The rules have been changed; they are constantly being tinkered with, tightened in some areas, only to be loosened in others all under the pretense of player safety. “Yes, we are concerned about player safety, but the fans really enjoy the Thursday night games.” Translation: Everything before but is bullshit, and we care about more about the brand and the piles of money rolling in, player safety is nice but it's a secondary consideration.   

   The games in London are another example of the lie that is player safety.  Flying in a tin can of compressed air is tough enough going from coast-to-coast; the idea of essentially doing it twice back to back to get to a game in London is beyond ridiculous. Seriously, isn't the definition of insanity failing at the same thing over and over while expecting different results? I mean NFL Europe was such a rousing success, why not try something similar it will be huge success. False. Now they punish teams for winning the bid for the Super Bowl by having them give up a home game to play it in London once a year. I’m sure the stands will be filled to capacity to see the Jags play there 4 years in a row;better get your tickets now before they are all gone.

   I’m not surprised the response from the league office has been a no comment. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, though in the mean time I’ll go back to sipping a coffee and screaming at the TV on Sunday, and Monday, and Thursday.

Four Weeks in

 
                                                                           

     I must admit I feel a bit jaded four games into the NFL season with some of the changes on the field and the stuff happening off it. We have reached the quarter pole and there certainly have been some surprises from both teams and players at both ends of the spectrum since the kickoff.  The fumbled punts from the league office surrounding all the off the field shenanigans from Ray Rice, to Adrian Peterson, in addition to the Greg Hardy and Ray McDonald situations has been more in the news then the game on the field.  The first two situations are now about damage control and attempting to appease the masses and keep the bozos in Congress from sticking their noses in. Goodell has been as bad for the NFL as Stern was for the NBA by creating a product that becomes more difficult to sit and watch. The number of penalty flags decorating the field has gone beyond ridiculous, with the number of ticky tack fouls being called slowing the game and affecting the flow, though adding more review-able plays would allow for more beer and pizza commercials.  Per the usual corporate mindset, mahogany row always does what mahogany row wants to and the hell with everyone else who has bought at ticket: in other words like it or leave, this is what you get.

     The game on the field has definitely had some surprises, except for the Jets and the Raiders who have been and will remain clown cars with brief, very brief flashes of organization. The Cardinals and Bengals are the only teams undefeated at this point in the season which is rather unusual to have only 2 by this juncture.  The Cardinals appear to have developed a much tougher mindset the past couple of seasons and it will be interesting to see how well they can hold on to that. The Bengals have been here before and felt flat in the playoffs, only time will tell if this will be their year.

     The biggest surprise would have to be Dallas winning 3 of 4 and mowing down teams with their running game. DeMarco Murray has to be in the mix for MVP based on his early play. I didn’t expect Dallas to win more than 6 or 7 games given all the defensive issues that carried over from last year, plus losing a couple of defensive starters and their guys have stepped up and played well.  Another 3 up 1 down surprise would have to be the Texans, after only winning 2 games last year, though they may not be there if not for J.J. Watt and their defense.  Detroit winning 3 of 4 is a small surprise too, though they kind of should be since they have plenty of talent and it seems a new coach has helped get them moving together in the right direction.  Given the Lions history the past 60 years, great starts have often lead to epic implosions, however with the talent here these guys could definitely go a long way.

    From the other end of the spectrum the surprise team would have to be the Saints losing 3 of 4 and with that defense they are lucky to have won one game. A high school freshman football team could drop 30 points on these guys, they don’t tackle and there are way too many guys out of position.  Their supercharged offense has been nothing worth noting either, I see 8-8, 9-7 at best with this group. There are two of the ugliest teams at 2-2 based on preseason expectations; one has to be the Patriots with an offensive line that can’t keep the quarterback upright even when they are blocking 5 or 6 on 4 and a defense that can’t seem to stop anyone on third down. You can never count out a Belichek coached team; however it doesn't look like he has the horse this year to pull it off.  He is one of the best at making adjustments on the fly, so a candle of hope will remain burning impatiently in Foxboro, that Bill can right the ship.  The 49ers are the other team that seems to be fighting to get itself together after two 4^th quarter meltdowns. Rumblings have appeared on line that players are unhappy with the coach, though I don’t see him going anywhere anytime soon.

    The rest of the teams are about where expected, in a state of meh, with the expected bottom dwellers at the bottom and the middle kids being right where there supposed to be. The Falcons and the Colts should be fun to watch from what they have shown so far and both will probably have a few games that end with scores around 38 – 35.

    From a fantasy football perspective a lot of the expected studs have been duds, especially the running backs.  Adrian Peterson we know Is home watching day time TV, Jamaal Charles missed time, Eddie Lacy and LeSean McCoy can’t seem to get going and as mentioned before DeMarco Murray is running roughshod over people so far. So many teams are going with running back by committee that finding consistency from running backs has been so much a test of skill and more like a bit of luck. The top receivers have had their issues too; Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall and Demeryius Thomas have all been dealing with injuries and not in top form.  Steve Smith even at 100 years old makes Joe Flacco look like he can throw the ball and doesn’t look to be slowing down a bit.  Allen Hurns from the Jags pretty much has the “That Didn’t Help Anyone” award sewed up for the season after week one, I think that surprise performance will be tough to beat. I think Peyton Manning misses Knowshon Moreno more than he can admit; he’s still Peyton though not as Peytony. Brees and Brady have spent the first few weeks running for their lives and not shown us what we are accustomed to seeing from these two. I don’t want a witness from the congregation I want you to block someone dammit! Nick Foles obviously spent the off season learning how to throw interceptions, though with that offense he will be all right.  Aaron Rodgers finally looked like himself dismantling the Bears, though the Packers look a little unsteady. Meanwhile, Andrew Luck is steadily working his way to being poster child for the NFL. I almost forgot to mention to the top rookies QB's from the draft, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles, the early returns look like these guys can play and I hope their offensive lines can keep them from getting killed. Two of the defenses expected to be dominating, the Panthers and 49ers have not been, and the one expected to be tissue, the Cowboys, have exceeded expectations.  The Cardinals have played real well despite losing some starters from last year and are a mild surprise though Bruce Arians has got these guys playing together and playing tough.

     This season so far is shaping up to have a couple of 9-7 or 8-8 wildcard teams, as there is no team really dominating week in and week out and it wouldn't be a surprise to see a 9-7 in the Super Bowl.  The halfway point may be a better gauge as the inevitable injuries mount up and the teams that can adjust and have fill-ins step up will rise to the top.

     My jaded self has come to realize that football has been a fall tradition for me for so long it is hard to break away from it. I have the games on some Sundays as background noise while I futz around the house, waiting for the crowd roar to run to the TV. I sure I see more replays than real time plays some weeks. I started playing fantasy football 3 seasons ago after some prodding by my other half, and that has become more interesting than the games on the screen. Something wrong there I think. I’ll still watch with one eye at least, though I’ll be sure to keep a book to read handy and a pillow nearby for naps between play reviews.

    

                                                                            

     

The Week in Review cost me 5 cents

     We’ll it’s been quite a week. Professional athletes have been making the highlight reel after their game and the lowlight reel for some things they did off the field.  A rich old white guy in an expensive suit tried to convince those who were watching that the dog ate his homework, when in reality the dog didn’t exist and there really wasn’t any homework.  As the NFL’s crisis of conscience continues getting more and more convoluted while the jumbo sized boxes of Band-Aids are rolled out to face the problem head on, I’m left with a thought. 

     I hope that someone in a situation like some of these families are in finally decides for themselves that enough is enough and takes some steps to change their Life, no matter how scared they are. Walking through the internal fire of a major Life change isn’t easy, never has been never will be. There is support out there, though finding it isn’t always easy either. I was talking to a couple of my buddies out by the smokers tree at work today and came to the conclusion that it sucks that one has to be a part of the system long enough to know what angles to play to even get some of the most basic kinds of help; not get rich or just take for the sake of taking type of stuff, just enough to make it a little easier to live day to day.

     Major social issues are never fixed by throwing more rules and regulations at them. That just fuels those making the new rules with the audacity to puff out their chest and say see what I did, it becomes just another magician’s misdirection ploy, though it does give the mob mentality someone to hang in the meantime.  We all live Life individually, no one can think for me nor can I for them. Good thing isn’t it? Any major change occurs on an individual basis; you can’t throw a net over something so large and for a moment expect to be able to pick it up all at once.  It’s the individuals involved that make it happen one person at a time, not the big shiny stuff rolled out to collect accolades and applause, those are just there to polish egos and garner brownie points.  Change comes from the people working side by side with those that are trying to change their lives.  There are examples all around, you may have walked by someone in the grocery store today never knowing what positive changes had occurred recently for that person perusing the frozen vegetables.  The way I see it everyone is recovering from something, either their own addiction or the side effects of someone else’s.  It doesn’t matter if it’s booze, drugs, food, gambling, anger, sex, guilt-tripping, power-tripping, or cow-tipping, when they are essentially all about abuse in some way, over-indulgence to where they reach a point of getting in the way of living Life on a day to day basis.  Can we fix ourselves? Maybe. Will we fix ourselves? Maybe. Do we want to fix ourselves? Maybe.   That is just my two cents and with it currently costing 2.4 cents to make a penny I will now go to the back door and throw a nickel in the street. Keep the change.

Out of Paper Clips

     It is now two weeks into the NFL season and it’s shaping up to be the weirdest ever, topped only by the strike-shortened 87’ season with replacement players and the 2012 replacement refs debacle. There has been more ink flowing the last few weeks about off the field antics then the penalty filled yawn fests gracing our TV screens the past two weeks.


     For me this question arises. How many of the types of incidents we’ve seen splashed all over all forms of media the past few weeks were buried and never say the light of day in the past?  The stuff going on here is not new, not new in the NFL or the rest of society unfortunately. It is an uncomfortable feeling finding out our heroes are not so heroic isn't it? OJ’s four hour Ford commercial should have surely cemented that idea home.  Charles Barkley said it best, “I am not a role model.”  Pro athletes are just people like the rest of us and sometimes the rest of us, as people, we screw up. That’s’ why they put erasers on pencils, mistakes are pretty much a given. Should we hold these guys to a higher standard because they have chosen to do what they do for a living and have chosen to live in that fishbowl? No. Should they be held to the standards that the vast majority the rest of society makes an effort to adhere too? Yes. The perception is they are not and the NFL’s lack of foresight to head this kind of stuff off before it reached the credibility crisis they seem to be having now is its own fault. The recent moves they made to address the issues like domestic violence and child abuse have produced a collective, “Well duh, why didn’t you address this before, were you out of paper clips or something”?  The game has changed a lot for me and I‘m sure for many longtime fans like myself, and not in a good way.  

     There were a couple of occurrences of note that are part of the current seasons happenings that in no way diminish what we‘ve seen of late, though are a couple of examples of organizations that make the effort to do good things. Not everyone is clueless in the NFL though it feels like it sometimes. The Seattle Seahawks signed a player to their roster to make sure he got paid and could take advantage of the health benefits NFL players receive: Story here:  http://agoodsportshang.com/2014/05/24/seahawks-do-the-right-thing-for-scott/

Another surprise was the Cincinnati Bengals selling one players jersey to help fund cancer research: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/09/bengals-selling-devon-still-jerseys-for-cancer-research/

 

     NFL players have never been nor will they ever be choir boys, the nature of the game make it so. Signing up to have 60-70 car accidents in the span of 3 to 4 hours one day a week for 5 months of the year would make any one a little addled in the brain pan.  Will the social issues that keep coming to the surface be addressed in such a manner that it doesn’t appear as just pandering to sponsors? Time will tell, though my inner cynic says no. Some of us will keep watching, others will only watch with one eye, some will walk away. Me? I ‘m going to go brush my teeth and get this bad taste out of mouth.

Lingering thoughts on Roger's Neighborhood

     While I don’t often read full stories as I peruse the headlines of the pages I frequently visit, I notice there is still a lot being written and said all on forms of media about the Ray and Janay Rice domestic violence incident while the NFL and the commissioner fumble the ball. Call me not surprised about the conflicting accounts released by the NFL about who had or didn’t have a video or DVD, that they did or didn’t get, that the NFL did or didn’t ask for and when they did or didn’t receive it or were or were not denied access to it.  It’s akin to watching a really bad remake of Abbot and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” and no one is laughing. These guys are taking a page from the bozos in D.C.; if they blow enough smoke up everyone’s ass and sling enough BS in every compass direction they can hopefully make enough of it stick to someone so they make that person the sacrificial lamb.  Meanwhile, somewhere in the bowels of the NFL offices “Old Scruffy” the equipment manager diligently polishes swords for those deemed expendable enough to fall on one. I guess we will find out if a tree does make a sound when it falls in the forest, even if that forest is made up of 40 story buildings.

The worst aspect of this mess has to be the impact for the families involved and the friends, acquaintances in their social circles. I cannot fathom it. The Ravens coach said it best, “This video changes things.” Knowing that we have created our own Big Brother under the guise of being safe makes this sad tale even sadder because it created a firestorm due to the celebrity status of one of the participants.  It is another example of the any idiot with a cell phone cam can be become a YouTube celebrity in under an hour mindset we just accept on a   daily basis. The creepy factor of that makes me look around for cameras whenever I use a public restroom. So call me paranoid I don’t care. If this couple had just been Ray and Janay, a couple of the regulars from Pinkie’s Tavern over on Walnut St. it would be probably part of some wacky compilation of epic knockouts on YouTube; that is a sobering thought. This poor woman not only had to endure the indignity of getting clocked by her husband she has to relive that feeling over and over as it loops behind the commentators adding their take on this story. Being on the receiving end of domestic violence is bad enough without having your life poked and prodded by every knucklehead with a microphone, or a blog like yours truly.

 Those of us on the outside don’t really know what the relationship between Ray and Janay Rice was like before this incident was made public. Trying to judge their entire life together based on one video is a bit of a stretch. Chances are pretty good that this stuff has been going on in private previously and that this incident just happened to occur in a public place was their misfortune because the whole world got to see it. Liquored up or not this stuff most often happens behind closed doors and bringing it out in public smacks of a business as usual kind of occurrence. That idea though leads to another question, is the argument that appears to have been brewing before they appeared on video something that just got way out of hand and hadn’t happened before? Only the Rice’s can answer that. Then again, these folks aren’t my neighbors and I haven’t seen or heard any stories related to this being a pattern and if there was a pattern in evidence no doubt there would be someone trying to grab their 15 minutes of fame on the Today Show or CNN to tell us all the sordid details. 

Anyone I’ve known that has been in an abusive relationship, and I’ve known a few, and has managed to get out and move on, told me that you wonder a lot if it isn’t your fault.  And that becomes part of the answer to why you don’t just leave. Another insidious aspect of being in that environment is that you really don’t want anyone to know that you somehow have put yourself in this position, first by starting in the relationship and then by staying. Finally you come to that bottom line where you’re afraid to leave because you’re afraid you may just wind up dead. It is a demoralizing position to be in and stance that takes a while to dig your way out of emotionally. Having the courage to walk away is not an easy road to walk and the hills you have to climb sometimes seem to throw another bag of dead cats onto the burden you carry.  Reaching the top of that hill makes the trip through the valley on the other side feel a little lighter and a little less foreboding because you know you managed to get through it, though any day can still feel like a mountain to climb no matter how hard you work to make it otherwise.

Whether or not Ray Rice ever gets a second chance and goes back to the NFL at this point doesn’t really matter.  Michael Vick got a second chance, who knows if he would today. What really matters is if the Rice’s can manage to work through what they need to so they can get right with themselves and Life.  I wish them the best and hope they can manage to pick up the pieces and move forward.

 

Bye Ray, Take Roger with You

     The Baltimore Ravens released Ray Rice on Monday after the security cam video of him decking his then fiancé in an elevator was posted online by that paragon of journalistic integrity known as TMZ.Apparently the word from the Ravens and the NFL is they had never seen that video until today. Right, and I'm the friggin' Easter Bunny.


     The notion that NFL security and the Ravens team security was never allowed access to it smacks of absolute bullshit. If these security guys can't get their hands on stuff like this, which makes no sense to me, then they need to be replaced. Seriously, you want those of us with more than half a brain cell to believe that TMZ can get this video and league security couldn't? False. The entire situation was handled poorly from the start by the league and the Ravens and both are now backpedaling and standing behind the " We didn't know" defense. No na na na no, false. I have to give Goodell credit he is the consummate politician and marketing huckster, not since P.T. Barnum has anyone been able to stack bullshit that high. This guy needs to go. This was a whiff of epic proportions, way beyond any swing and a miss from the Bambino or Reggie. He hasn't been good for the league since he came aboard and the sour notes just keep playing a tune that rivals fingernails on a chalkboard.


     Anyone who has ever watched sports, especially the NFL knows that these guys generally are not choir boys. They basically are paid a lot of money to kick the crap out of the guy in front of them for 3 hours every Sunday. Granted these guys all live in a fishbowl, but the other 6 days of the week they have lives outside of work and like the rest of should adhere to the rules of society. Goodell is like the marketing guy that puts " New and Improved" on the packaging without changing a thing on the inside. Most of the fines and suspensions dished out the last few years have been about protecting the brand, and promoting the image of the league as caring about important issues like player health and personal responsibility, which ofttimes comes across as a misdirection ploy. The NFL has been and always will be run by a bunch of rich old white dudes, though one would think there must be one or two with a social conscience in there somewhere. Then again, I may be just a dreamer after all. By the initial consequences dished out by the league after this incident it essentially went on record saying that domestic violence is acceptable, now they are going to get tough after the public outrage. Hey Roger maybe you should suspend yourself for moral indifference. Anyone out there think this was handled well? Didn't think so.

Draft of Fantasy on tap

I somehow managed to score first pick in our Fantasy Football League draft today. It is odd picking first then waiting for 18 picks, then picking 2 back to back , then wait for 18 more picks again, then picking two and so on over and over.  My wife and I play in the same Standard NFL.com league  and only play each other once this year. One league is definitely enough because that takes enough time since I can't seem to stop hunting the waiver wire. Do I promise to not tinker with my lineup so much this year?  That will be an emphatic yes, though you can't see me crossing my fingers behind my back. I am hoping I have a pretty much set it and forget group this year if people stay healthy. We’ll see I guess, here are the culprits:

RB – Jamal Charles, KC

RB- Reggie Bush, Det.

WR- Brandon Marshall , Chi.

QB- Matthew Stafford, Det.

WR – Larry Fitzgerald, Ari.

TE – Greg Olsen, Car.

WR – Marques Colston, N.O.

RB – DeAngelo Williams, Car.

WR – TY Hilton, Ind.

RB- Danny Woodhead, S.D.

RB – Ahmad Bradshaw, Ind.

K – Matt Bryant – Atl.

WR – Golden Tate, Det.

Def. – New Orleans Saints

Def. – Arizona Cardinals

 

 

Finally Football

The long wait is over. It’s August and that means the start of preseason games for the NFL and fantasy football angst will soon engulf the premises. Time to crank up NFL Sunday Ticket and bring on the games!

I watched some of the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies over the weekend and per usual it didn’t disappoint. It was good to see Claude Humphrey and Ray Guy get in through the Veteran’s Committee, which I think was a good idea when it was added to the selection process.  I remember how good a player Humphrey was and I ‘m glad to see him get recognized finally. He suffered the fate of some other really good players that were on lousy teams like the Falcons were in the 60’s and 70’s.  One of those guys played behind him at middle linebacker, Tommy Nobis. It is hard to believe he still hasn’t made it in.  Players on winning teams have always had more air time and ink which definitely helped their chances, especially if they had game. The get Ray Guy to the Hall of Fame campaign paid dividends and that is a good thing. He changed the perception of punters into being more of a weapon and it was about time he got in. 

I’d love to visit the Hall again since the last time I went it was less than 10 years old, the summer after Super Bowl IV and there were only 75-80 players inducted at that time.  I’m willing to bet the gift shop is a lot bigger.

 

 

Just Say No to That Guy

Training camps for all the NFL teams will be starting soon and with it the analysis and predictions for the coming season will take on new meaning for us armchair jocks. In other words, Fantasy Football is upon us again. When I first heard about fantasy leagues for the major sports I always looked sideways at them they just didn’t make much sense to me. I figured I watch the games or not so what would I get out of it? Well, I was wrong big time. A good friend who now happens to be my wife had been playing for a few years and convinced me to try. Needless to say I was hooked, hooked like a degenerate gambler at the roulette wheel. The fun isn't in winning week in and week out, though it is nice to make the playoffs at the end of the season. The fun, the rush of adrenaline comes from the buildup to the games each week. Making decisions on who to start, looking at your team’s matchups, your opponent’s matchups, who is on a bye, what teams might be looking ahead, and the big one - hoping that one player you're not sure of doesn't have a dud game. Insert the name of your "that guy" right here, one would think we’d know better after previous seasons. Nope, at some point when you need to pick someone up up to cover a bye week that happens to be available again and you pick them up and they tank like a gut shot duck. Then you spend your Sunday screaming at the Player Tracker again. This season we both swear that will not be anywhere near the roster. Maybe

                I stopped being a die-hard fan of any team a long time ago. After the strike seasons and all the free agent moves from team to team I realized I didn’t know any of these guys. I only knew what I saw or read that was spoon fed to me by the media. We all were witnesses to OJ’s 4 hour Ford commercial so we know perception can surely lie like hell. I started to keep track of favorite players and would watch their games if I could to see them play. That to me is the whole point of signing up to play. It adds something different to watching the games, because they sure do need it now. Sure scoring is up and also the number of TV timeouts, really to the point of ridiculous. I don't often sit and watch a whole game anymore, it's too big of a time sink for me to justify. If you've ever been to an NFL game you experienced those TV timeouts and they seem really odd in the flow of the game. All of a sudden the players just stop and mill around for a few minutes before they get back to playing. I’ve been to a half dozen games over the years and it is definitely not an experience to pass up if you have the chance to go. Just bring your wallet or leave it home if you want to eat, drive your car and have lights for the next month.

My wife and I have played in the same leagues and after 3 seasons of head to head games we are tied 2-2. Those games always make for an interesting Sunday of football because we are both rather competitive.  It would be great to play each other in the championship game at the end of the season. What would be worse finishing second or sleeping on a lumpy couch? Someday I’ll sure I’ll find out, hopefully after we get a better couch.