My Super Bowl Prediction

Arizona Cardinals +7 Pittsburgh Steelers
Defense wins championships. That old axiom has governed the NFL for years, and it is true to an extent. A good defense can usually stop a good offense. And a mediocre offense can score on a mediocre or weak defense.
And I usually dismiss the theory of the "hot" team even though we have seen it play out several times over the past few years.
And lastly, when underdogs cover, they win 75% of the time. So picking an underdog with the points, but to lose the game is a very unlikely proposition.

But I'm pretty much ignoring all that and predicting a final score of Super Bowl XLIII of Pittsburgh Steelers 27 Arizona Cardinals 21.

I don't automatically think the Steelers are going to shut down the Cardinals, because I think the Cardinals have the right kind of offense to attack the Steelers aggressive defense. I don't think the Steelers (or anyone for that matter) can stop Larry Fitzgerald, so they either commit to guys, or give up a couple of big plays. I think the Cardinals can spread the field with 3 wide receivers then attack the 3-4 with their new, improved running game.

I dismiss the hot team thing because to get to the Super Bowl both teams need to be hot. But in this case the Cardinals haven't just shown improved play, they've shown and improved "style" of play, which makes them more stout on defense then they had been, at least over the last 6 regular season games.

And I'm throwing out my last line of thinking (which says underdogs cover and lose about 12% of the time -- using rudimentary math) because I think the Steelers are just the better team and I think Ben Roethlisberger is going to be able to play the type of mistake-free ball that's needed to win a big game.

After a long string of blowout Super Bowls through the 80s and 90s, we've recently been blessed with some great games, and I think this will be another entertaining, close game, with the Steelers winning by 6, to take their 6th Super Bowl title.

What I'll Be Wearing Tomorrow

I was on the Larry Fitzgerald bandwagon early. Fewer than three months in the NFL career and I already was rocking his jersey. Back in 2005, I declared my love for Fitzgerald and am pleased he's now the undisputed king of NFL receivers. I will be wearing this jersey during Super Bowl XLIII and rooting for the Cardinals.

Super Pick Em

I'm a little late getting to this but I hope all of you will still join me in playing ESPN's Super Pick Em.
Join the group "The Poop" and answer the questions, an idiot could do it, so most of you should have no problem.

Slipping on Ice in Slo-Mo

These pictures come from the Boston Globe. The story they gave is one of their photographers slipped in this exact spot and decided to take pictures of the scene of his accident. And as he was snapping, a random guy walked by, slipped and spilled his coffee. I don't believe that. They sent this guy out there to catch people falling. They should just admit it, the results are hilarious.
The coffee is the best part.

I Hope TY Offices are Equipped With Fire Extinguishers, Cuz Everyone's Pants Are on Fire

TY, the company behind the Beanie Baby has come out with Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia dolls.



Michelle Obama is not too pleased about her daughters being used in this fashion.

But TY says it chose the names because “they are beautiful names,” not because of any resemblance to Malia and Sasha Obama, said spokeswoman Tania Lundeen.
“There’s nothing on the dolls that refers to the Obama girls,” Lundeen said. “It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these girls. They are not.”

I guess legally they can't admit to making Malia and Sasha Obama dolls but no one will believe their lies.

Funny or Douchey?

I was doing a story about Valentine's Day spending and I asked my PA for video of Valentine's Day products and he wrote back "I have V-Day candy."
I replied "that's sweet, but I just need the video."
I don't think he even got the joke.

Sasha Obama Thinks You're All Pussies

Recently, every teacher I know (at least 3, none smart enough to read this blog) has been praying for snow days. Well, they all got their wish Wednesday as schools across the Northeast were closed because of a couple inches of ice.
Well, Sasha Obama is a 7-year-old girl and she thinks you guys are a bunch of pussies.

Maybe This is How Coach Died

I'm not quite sure of all the details but I wasn't there but I remember a story about Beers slipping on ice, and getting furious at Coach for laughing.
Maybe this story will help explain what happened to Coach:

"A group of Evanston, Illinois friends thought it was funny when a man fell on the ice, but the situation quickly turned ugly when the fallen man drew a gun and shot one of them.
When the group saw a man fall on the ice, they started to laugh at him, but he wasn't amused. The man pulled a gun and fired a shot, striking the victim in the ankle, the report said."

Should I Twitter?

The last thing I need in my life is another way to annoy my friends, and another diversion to eat up all my time, so I've been avoiding the wonderful world of Twitter.
But then again, I don't want to be like jusTON who despite claiming to be a technological genius was the last kid on the block to get a cell phone, sign up for E-Z Pass, get a DVR and sign up for Facebook.
I don't even understand what Twitter is.
Do any Poopheads use Twitter?

Me and the Pope, We're Like This (Fingers Held Close Together)

Pope Benedict is reaffirmed his "full and unquestionable solidarity with Jews" in an attempt to relieve tensions with Jews after a Catholic bishop denied the Holocaust.
The Pope said the attempt to exterminate the Jews in the Holocaust should remain a warning for all people.
Bishop Richard Williamson has said: "I belive there were no gas chambers."

Where's Ruth Bader Ginsberg?

Below is more than just a beautiful overhead shot of the crowd during President Obama's Inauguration Day speech. It's a preview of an incredibly high resolution shot. You have to click here to view it but you can zoom all the way in until you can see Aretha Franklin's hat.

Trust me, it's cool, check it out. But be warned, you'll spend a few minuets panning around. And I'm serious, try to find Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Song of the Week

"Life on Mars" - David Bowie
The inspiration for the title of one of my favorite new shows. "Life on Mars," the show, returns to ABC tonight, and "Life on Mars," the song, is often deftly woven into the storyline.

All the Cousins

Despite the trouble trying to photograph the kids at Tali's party, we tried again this week to much better results.

This Must Be Heaven

Tee and Cakes bakery in Boulder, Colorado has come up with the perfect combination of breakfast and dessert, the bacon cupcake.
One customer described the allure of this treat perfectly, "I like bacon, I like chocolate, I like cupcakes, so why not?"
I couldn't agree more.



The Tee and Cakes bakery is about 30 minutes from where the Freedos live so I expect them to go next Saturday (they only make these delightful confections on Saturdays) and come back with a full report.
Hell, if they send me pictures of Juice eating balls, it shouldn't be too much to ask for a picture of Amber stuffing a bacon cupcake down her gullet.

I Don't Know What To Believe

Houston's Aubrey Coleman was ejected for stomping the face of Arizona's Chase Budinger. Coleman was suspended for one more game, but says it was an accident. He apologized saying "I never meant to step on him."
It sort of looks intentional but you can also see that he never looks down, and he doesn't step down with force. Could go either way.

Tip of the Iceberg

Check out this list of job cuts announced by major companies so far this year.
It's absolutely staggering, and it's only been 4 weeks.
Monday alone companies cut 71,000 jobs.
Note: Unless you have 20/10 vision you will have to click on the image to read it.

Michelle Obama is a Spicy Little Number

I think we all know what a loving relationship Barack and Michelle Obama have, but this is a little ridiculous.



Or maybe this crazy woman has a different definition of fisting than the rest of us.

Whatever Happened To Kevin Pittsnogle?

The New York Times tracks down one of my favorite players, Kevin Pittsnogle.
Over the course of two years, Pittsnogle he played for nine teams, in the Continental Basketball Association, the NBA’s development league, the NBA’s summer leagues, in France and in Puerto Rico.
But none of it worked out so now he's a middle school special education teacher in West Virginia earning $25,000 a year and wearing Bugs Bunny ties to work.



He is also an unpaid assistant coach for a high school basketball team. He bowls in leagues three nights a week and occasionally plays bingo at Big Bucks Bingo. His wife, Heather, is a bank teller. They have two children and live in a double-wide trailer, and together they wonder how much appetite they have for uprooting their lives again so Pittsnogle can have one more chance at a basketball career.
He was recently diagnosed with a thyroid condition that may be responsible for his weight, which may be responsible for why his basketball career never took off.
But his more immediate concern is to graduate special education students into regular classes.