The LeBron strikes back. In his new Nike ad "What Should I Do?" LeBron goes wild with the Ricky Nelson mantra "you can't please everyone so you gotta please yourself."
The ad is full of subtext reminding the viewer that he "did this before" meaning going to SVSM to play with his friends. And he takes nasty shots at Michael Jordan (for his awful Hall of Fame speech) and at Charles Barkley (for being a fat, loudmouth who never won anything).
I love it. As someone who mostly defended his decision (though voiced displeasure with the Decision special) I'm glad LeBron is basically saying to the world "I did what I did, I'm happy with it, I don't care what you think."
That's a great attitude to have but now the Heat need to start winning some games.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The NFL is Poop - Week 7
The Dolphins Got Unlucky, Not Screwed
The Miami Dolphins lost to the Steelers 23-22 on a very unlucky break. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger dove into the end zone but had the ball jarred loose just before he crossed the goal line. Unfortunately the refs called it a touchdown on the field and therefore never presided over an orderly determination of the fumble recovery. So when the replay showed it shouldn't be a touchdown, they needed clear video evidence showing the Dolphins came away with it. The video showed Karlos Dansby recovering it, but I can see why the ref didn't feel comfortable going with that, there was a Steeler with his hand in there. So the ball was placed at the spot of the fumble, the Steelers kicked a field goal and one.
So it was unfortunate circumstances, not a bad call or stupid rules that cost them this one.
But the Dolphins may also want to look in the mirror, their first two drives started on the Steelers 22 and 13, respectively, and they came away with 6 points. And after that disputed play, they got the ball back with plenty of time, and couldn't even make a first down.
Everything Ends Badly, Otherwise It Wouldn't End
Last season Brett Favre led the Vikings to the NFC title game with one of his best seasons ever with 33 TDs and only 7 interceptions. How could he retire coming off a year like that?
So far this season has been a disaster. But for one brief shining momemet, we almost saw what it is that makes Brett Favre special. Taking the frozen (not really) tundra of Lambeau Field for the last time he came within a footstep of leading his Vikings to what would have been an amazing comeback win over the Packers.
Instead we have a guy who threw 3 more interceptions, denied sending pictures of his penis to a hot Jets employee (though it allegedly came from the same phone number as the texts he admitted too) and is injured (elbow and ankle, though he may be faking to take the heat off). I have a strong feeling Favre may finally sit out a game with injury, ending his amazing consecutive games streak, and he may never come back.
What the Fuck Was That?
How did the Oakland Raiders put 59 points up on the Denver Broncos? It wasn't even turnovers, sure the Broncos made three of them, all of which were converted into touchdowns, but how do you explain the other 5 TDs? Just an incredible outlier of a performance, especially coming from the Raiders.
Wade Phillips is the Dumbest Mother Fucker to Ever Coach in the NFL
Wade Phillips is a terrible coach, and when the Dallas Cowboys fire him he will never get another coaching job in the NFL ever again. But there is no excuse for what he did last night. Trailing 38-20, with about 8 minutes left the Cowboys faced at 4th and goal from the six. Probably everyone watching was screaming for Phillips to kick the field goal and extend the game. The reason is: you never know what will happen next. What if the next play is a turnover returned for a touchdown. And that's almost what happened. The Giants turned it over on their next two possessions, one led to a touchdown. I know circumstances change and the events that follow change, but its reasonable to assume that had Phillips kicked there the Cowboys would have gotten at least one possession late in the fourth quarter trailing by only one score.
You Can't Beat the Champs Without a Little Luck
The Cleveland Browns couldn't have pulled off a huge upset over the Saints without a little luck. Drew Brees threw two interceptions for touchdowns, yes, but you also make your own luck. And that's what they did on the coolest play of the season, a 68-yard run on a fake punt by Reggie Hodges. I have never seen a bigger running lane in all my life.
NFL Stands for Not For Long
Last year Drew Brees was king of the world, this year he stinks. He's the 10th rated QB in the NFL and he's already thrown 10 picks, one fewer than in all of last year. Not sure what's wrong with him and the Saints but they are not the same team on offense they were last year.
A Win is a Win, I Guess
The Redskins beat the Bears 17-14 in what was one of the worst games ever played. Of the first 8 possessions in the second half, 7 of them ended in turnovers. The Redskins have played better in at least 2 of their losses this year than they did in this one. But the Bears were intent on giving it away. Billie has now convinced me that Jay Cutler is terrible and he will never be a good NFL quarterback.
The Miami Dolphins lost to the Steelers 23-22 on a very unlucky break. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger dove into the end zone but had the ball jarred loose just before he crossed the goal line. Unfortunately the refs called it a touchdown on the field and therefore never presided over an orderly determination of the fumble recovery. So when the replay showed it shouldn't be a touchdown, they needed clear video evidence showing the Dolphins came away with it. The video showed Karlos Dansby recovering it, but I can see why the ref didn't feel comfortable going with that, there was a Steeler with his hand in there. So the ball was placed at the spot of the fumble, the Steelers kicked a field goal and one.
So it was unfortunate circumstances, not a bad call or stupid rules that cost them this one.
But the Dolphins may also want to look in the mirror, their first two drives started on the Steelers 22 and 13, respectively, and they came away with 6 points. And after that disputed play, they got the ball back with plenty of time, and couldn't even make a first down.
Everything Ends Badly, Otherwise It Wouldn't End
Last season Brett Favre led the Vikings to the NFC title game with one of his best seasons ever with 33 TDs and only 7 interceptions. How could he retire coming off a year like that?
So far this season has been a disaster. But for one brief shining momemet, we almost saw what it is that makes Brett Favre special. Taking the frozen (not really) tundra of Lambeau Field for the last time he came within a footstep of leading his Vikings to what would have been an amazing comeback win over the Packers.
Instead we have a guy who threw 3 more interceptions, denied sending pictures of his penis to a hot Jets employee (though it allegedly came from the same phone number as the texts he admitted too) and is injured (elbow and ankle, though he may be faking to take the heat off). I have a strong feeling Favre may finally sit out a game with injury, ending his amazing consecutive games streak, and he may never come back.
What the Fuck Was That?
How did the Oakland Raiders put 59 points up on the Denver Broncos? It wasn't even turnovers, sure the Broncos made three of them, all of which were converted into touchdowns, but how do you explain the other 5 TDs? Just an incredible outlier of a performance, especially coming from the Raiders.
Wade Phillips is the Dumbest Mother Fucker to Ever Coach in the NFL
Wade Phillips is a terrible coach, and when the Dallas Cowboys fire him he will never get another coaching job in the NFL ever again. But there is no excuse for what he did last night. Trailing 38-20, with about 8 minutes left the Cowboys faced at 4th and goal from the six. Probably everyone watching was screaming for Phillips to kick the field goal and extend the game. The reason is: you never know what will happen next. What if the next play is a turnover returned for a touchdown. And that's almost what happened. The Giants turned it over on their next two possessions, one led to a touchdown. I know circumstances change and the events that follow change, but its reasonable to assume that had Phillips kicked there the Cowboys would have gotten at least one possession late in the fourth quarter trailing by only one score.
You Can't Beat the Champs Without a Little Luck
The Cleveland Browns couldn't have pulled off a huge upset over the Saints without a little luck. Drew Brees threw two interceptions for touchdowns, yes, but you also make your own luck. And that's what they did on the coolest play of the season, a 68-yard run on a fake punt by Reggie Hodges. I have never seen a bigger running lane in all my life.
NFL Stands for Not For Long
Last year Drew Brees was king of the world, this year he stinks. He's the 10th rated QB in the NFL and he's already thrown 10 picks, one fewer than in all of last year. Not sure what's wrong with him and the Saints but they are not the same team on offense they were last year.
A Win is a Win, I Guess
The Redskins beat the Bears 17-14 in what was one of the worst games ever played. Of the first 8 possessions in the second half, 7 of them ended in turnovers. The Redskins have played better in at least 2 of their losses this year than they did in this one. But the Bears were intent on giving it away. Billie has now convinced me that Jay Cutler is terrible and he will never be a good NFL quarterback.
Song of the Week
"I Hope She Cheats on You" - Marsha Ambrosius
"I hope she cheats on you with a basketball player
I hope she Kim Kardashianed her way up."
If you don't recognize the name, Marsha was one half of the awesome neo-soul duo, Floetry.
"I hope she cheats on you with a basketball player
I hope she Kim Kardashianed her way up."
If you don't recognize the name, Marsha was one half of the awesome neo-soul duo, Floetry.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Enjoy It While It Lasts
Since Friday night I have been on an incredible run of good luck.
The Yankees lost.
The Phillies lost.
Syracuse won (best win for the program in at least 5 years).
The Redskins won.
Cain Velazquez won (and I got to see the whole thing for free, and live).
It's a great time for me sportswise.
Not to mention today is the 24th anniversary of the greatest day of my life.
The day my three favorite words in the English language were first uttered together:
GETS BY BUCKNER!!!!!!!!
The Yankees lost.
The Phillies lost.
Syracuse won (best win for the program in at least 5 years).
The Redskins won.
Cain Velazquez won (and I got to see the whole thing for free, and live).
It's a great time for me sportswise.
Not to mention today is the 24th anniversary of the greatest day of my life.
The day my three favorite words in the English language were first uttered together:
GETS BY BUCKNER!!!!!!!!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
I'm Calling Bullshit on This
As cool as this would be I just can't fathom the story of Barbara Soper. She says her 3 kids were born on August 8, 2008, September 9, 2009 and October 10, 2010.
That's right, 8-8-08, 9-9-09 and 10-10-10.
The story is in the Indianapolis Star but I don't know if they actually checked the birth certificates.
Their doctor had to give drugs to start labor for the couple’s first daughter, Chloe Corrin Soper, who was born full term on Aug. 8.
Ok, I buy that.
Their son was a surprise all around. “He wasn’t a planned baby at all, he was a miracle,” says Barbara Soper. He was due on Sept. 20, 2009, but because sister Chloe’s birth had caused some hemorrhaging, their doctor, suggested he come out a little early so he’d be smaller.
Soper was started on drugs to induce labor on Sept. 8, but it took 24 hours before Cameron Dane Soper made his way into the world, arriving on 9-9-09.
That sounds a little fishy, but possible.
Soper says she and her husband had thought it would be “neat” if their third child was born on 10-10-10 but because her due date wasn’t until Nov. 4, it seemed unlikely.
But it ended up being “kind of a mandatory eviction,” says Soper. She developed blood clots in her legs and three weeks before her due date doctors told her the baby needed to be delivered.
The induction was begun on 10-9-10, but it wasn’t until 6:53 on Sunday night, 10-10-10, that Cearra Nicole Soper arrived.
That's the part that seems like bullshit. First of all, why would they want to have kids only 13 months apart. Especially after having gone through it once, they would have been more careful. And why did it take 5 hours for the induction. They paid the doctor to hold off until after midnight.
While the dates might seem “incredibly rare,” they’re really not. Such a lineup can only happen in the first 12 years of the century and at least 10 months apart, says Shannon McWeeney, a professor of biostatistics at the Oregon Health Sciences
University in Portland.
“Given that the first birth occurred in that window, the probability is not as astronomical as you might be compelled to think,” she says.
In fact, it’s not that high a number at all, says Philip Stark, a professor of statistics at the University of California, Berkeley. “The ‘chance’ you get depends on the assumptions you make,” he says. One set of assumptions gives a chance of about 1 in 50 million. More realistic assumptions — including allowing at least 11 months between births — increases it to about 1 in 2,500.
Since thousands of women in the United States had kids in 2008, 2009 and 2010, this suddenly seems a little less extraordinary. But humans “like to look for patterns, to make sense of things” he says.
I don't buy that math. I don't think this can happen unless you actively try for it.
That's right, 8-8-08, 9-9-09 and 10-10-10.
The story is in the Indianapolis Star but I don't know if they actually checked the birth certificates.
Their doctor had to give drugs to start labor for the couple’s first daughter, Chloe Corrin Soper, who was born full term on Aug. 8.
Ok, I buy that.
Their son was a surprise all around. “He wasn’t a planned baby at all, he was a miracle,” says Barbara Soper. He was due on Sept. 20, 2009, but because sister Chloe’s birth had caused some hemorrhaging, their doctor, suggested he come out a little early so he’d be smaller.
Soper was started on drugs to induce labor on Sept. 8, but it took 24 hours before Cameron Dane Soper made his way into the world, arriving on 9-9-09.
That sounds a little fishy, but possible.
Soper says she and her husband had thought it would be “neat” if their third child was born on 10-10-10 but because her due date wasn’t until Nov. 4, it seemed unlikely.
But it ended up being “kind of a mandatory eviction,” says Soper. She developed blood clots in her legs and three weeks before her due date doctors told her the baby needed to be delivered.
The induction was begun on 10-9-10, but it wasn’t until 6:53 on Sunday night, 10-10-10, that Cearra Nicole Soper arrived.
That's the part that seems like bullshit. First of all, why would they want to have kids only 13 months apart. Especially after having gone through it once, they would have been more careful. And why did it take 5 hours for the induction. They paid the doctor to hold off until after midnight.
While the dates might seem “incredibly rare,” they’re really not. Such a lineup can only happen in the first 12 years of the century and at least 10 months apart, says Shannon McWeeney, a professor of biostatistics at the Oregon Health Sciences
University in Portland.
“Given that the first birth occurred in that window, the probability is not as astronomical as you might be compelled to think,” she says.
In fact, it’s not that high a number at all, says Philip Stark, a professor of statistics at the University of California, Berkeley. “The ‘chance’ you get depends on the assumptions you make,” he says. One set of assumptions gives a chance of about 1 in 50 million. More realistic assumptions — including allowing at least 11 months between births — increases it to about 1 in 2,500.
Since thousands of women in the United States had kids in 2008, 2009 and 2010, this suddenly seems a little less extraordinary. But humans “like to look for patterns, to make sense of things” he says.
I don't buy that math. I don't think this can happen unless you actively try for it.
Weekly Picks
I'm pissed at myself because the Saints were my best bet but for some dumb reason I changed my mind and went with the Falcons.
ATLANTA -3 1/2 cincinnati
I think the birds will bounce back.
jacksonville +9 KANSAS CITY
Jacksonville has been a very inconsistent team so I expect them to follow up a Monday night stinker. Plus 9 points is a lot to give up for a team with an offense as questionable as Kansas City's.
TAMPA BAY -3 st. louis
I think the Bucs are actually a decent team they just got smoked by two better teams, the Steelers and the Saints. They can beat weaker teams like the Rams on the road.
new england +2 1/2 SAN DIEGO
I am officially giving up on the Chargers especially with all their injuries.
BEST BET
GREEN BAY -2 1/2 minnesota
Counting on Brett Favre to do something stupid.
Last week: 2-3 (1 point)
Season: 13-17 (15 points)
Best Bets: 0-1 (4-2)
Home Favorites: 1-0 (3-5)
Home Underdogs: 0-0 (1-0)
Road Favorites: 1-2 (5-9)
Road Underdogs: 0-1 (4-3)
ATLANTA -3 1/2 cincinnati
I think the birds will bounce back.
jacksonville +9 KANSAS CITY
Jacksonville has been a very inconsistent team so I expect them to follow up a Monday night stinker. Plus 9 points is a lot to give up for a team with an offense as questionable as Kansas City's.
TAMPA BAY -3 st. louis
I think the Bucs are actually a decent team they just got smoked by two better teams, the Steelers and the Saints. They can beat weaker teams like the Rams on the road.
new england +2 1/2 SAN DIEGO
I am officially giving up on the Chargers especially with all their injuries.
BEST BET
GREEN BAY -2 1/2 minnesota
Counting on Brett Favre to do something stupid.
Last week: 2-3 (1 point)
Season: 13-17 (15 points)
Best Bets: 0-1 (4-2)
Home Favorites: 1-0 (3-5)
Home Underdogs: 0-0 (1-0)
Road Favorites: 1-2 (5-9)
Road Underdogs: 0-1 (4-3)