A new season means a new chance to erase some recent failures and recapture my past form. I haven't really read much going into Week 1 because I don't do fantasy but I think I have a pretty good idea of who will be good and who will be bad. But remember, when we look back on these results in 10 weeks, what we think are upsets now may not turn out to be.
indianapolis +9 HOUSTON
I think this line is a total overreaction. Yes Peyton Manning matters, but not this much.
detroit +1 1/2 TAMPA BAY
This year's upstart team will beat last year's upstart team.
ARIZONA -7 carolina
This line is a little bigger than I would like but I do not like Cam Newton and I do think Kevin Kolb will be good. No way Newton wins his first NFL start, on the road. Whether he can lose by less than a touchdown, I'm not sure, but I'll take my chances.
philadephia -3 1/2 ST. LOUIS
I'm not convinced the Eagles are as good as everyone says and the Rams may show some big improvement this year. But I think Philly will get off to a good start with a win in Week 1.
BEST BET
atlanta -2 CHICAGO
My Super Bowl team against the Bears who still haven't upgraded their line enough to protect Jay Cutler.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Hey McFly Your Shoe's Untied
Nike is releasing the Nike Mag, a replica of the futuristic shoe Marty McFly wore in 2015 in "Back to the Future II."
The Nike on the strap even glows. The replica is pretty faithful to the original, except it doesn't lace itself.
Nike will release 1,500 pairs of the 2011 Nike Mag sneaker for auction on eBay and donate all proceeds to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's disease research.
Nike decided more than four years ago to create the shoe, but was unsure when a pair would be ready. Unlike the shoes in the movie, the real-life versions had to be designed for day-to-day use. For instance, the design used in the movie required Fox to wear a battery pack with wires running down his pants to light the shoe, which was the best technology available at the time.
Nike also has created a faux "lost scene" from the movie starring Christopher Lloyd and Kevin Durant with a cameo from Mayor Goldie Wilson.
The Nike on the strap even glows. The replica is pretty faithful to the original, except it doesn't lace itself.
Nike will release 1,500 pairs of the 2011 Nike Mag sneaker for auction on eBay and donate all proceeds to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's disease research.
Nike decided more than four years ago to create the shoe, but was unsure when a pair would be ready. Unlike the shoes in the movie, the real-life versions had to be designed for day-to-day use. For instance, the design used in the movie required Fox to wear a battery pack with wires running down his pants to light the shoe, which was the best technology available at the time.
Nike also has created a faux "lost scene" from the movie starring Christopher Lloyd and Kevin Durant with a cameo from Mayor Goldie Wilson.
Friday, September 09, 2011
Baseball is Poop
Closest Race in Years
I don't think I have ever come across a more difficult decision for a Rookie of the Year award than the one confronting voters this season. The top two candidates are Phillies pitcher Vance Worley (11-1, 2.85 ERA) and Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel (43 saves, 1.55 ERA). I know Worley's stats, especially his record, are inflated by being on such a good team, but it is a lot harder to be really good as a starter than as a closer. But Kimbrel hasn't just been lucky (though his setup men are so good he gets plenty of leads to work with), he's been really good and has the ability to continue this performance for many years. So who should be NL Rookie of the Year? I am going to go with Worley, but he stil has about 5 more starts left (which would bring him to 23) and if he falters I would be willing to go with Kimbrel.
Nyjer Morgan Must Have Lost His Mind
I think there is something wrong with Nyjer Morgan. He has developed a bad reputation around baseball for dirty play (knocking over a catcher when he didn't have the ball, 8 games suspension for his role in a brawl plus 7 games for throwing a ball into the stands) and his unusual personality (he has several alter egos and aliases). Under the name Tony Plush, Morgan has picked a twitter fight with the Stupendous Pooh Holes, referring to him as "Alberta" and "she." After mouthing off to Chris Carpenter after a strikeout, Pooh Holes ran towards Morgan to make go back to the dugout.
I don't find his antics amusing at all and he isn't a good enough player to have a mouth this big. I hope Prince Fielder accidentally sits on him and crushes the life out of him.
What's in a Name? I
My favorite rookie this year is St. Louis Cardinals closer Fernando Salas. But proving my old adage "you can't trust a palindrome" Salas has blown 5 saves this season.
What's in a Name? II
On June 24th in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Houston Astros used 3 pitchers. Wandy Rodriguez, Fernando Rodriguez and Aneury Rodriguez. They lost 5-1.
What's in a Name? III
In an interleague contest between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox on July 1, there were two home runs hit. Both by A. Ramirez, Aramis and Alexi.
Best First Pitch of the Year
A performer in a Cirque De Soleil show does an intricate windup but still manages to throw a perfect strike.
I don't think I have ever come across a more difficult decision for a Rookie of the Year award than the one confronting voters this season. The top two candidates are Phillies pitcher Vance Worley (11-1, 2.85 ERA) and Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel (43 saves, 1.55 ERA). I know Worley's stats, especially his record, are inflated by being on such a good team, but it is a lot harder to be really good as a starter than as a closer. But Kimbrel hasn't just been lucky (though his setup men are so good he gets plenty of leads to work with), he's been really good and has the ability to continue this performance for many years. So who should be NL Rookie of the Year? I am going to go with Worley, but he stil has about 5 more starts left (which would bring him to 23) and if he falters I would be willing to go with Kimbrel.
Nyjer Morgan Must Have Lost His Mind
I think there is something wrong with Nyjer Morgan. He has developed a bad reputation around baseball for dirty play (knocking over a catcher when he didn't have the ball, 8 games suspension for his role in a brawl plus 7 games for throwing a ball into the stands) and his unusual personality (he has several alter egos and aliases). Under the name Tony Plush, Morgan has picked a twitter fight with the Stupendous Pooh Holes, referring to him as "Alberta" and "she." After mouthing off to Chris Carpenter after a strikeout, Pooh Holes ran towards Morgan to make go back to the dugout.
I don't find his antics amusing at all and he isn't a good enough player to have a mouth this big. I hope Prince Fielder accidentally sits on him and crushes the life out of him.
What's in a Name? I
My favorite rookie this year is St. Louis Cardinals closer Fernando Salas. But proving my old adage "you can't trust a palindrome" Salas has blown 5 saves this season.
What's in a Name? II
On June 24th in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Houston Astros used 3 pitchers. Wandy Rodriguez, Fernando Rodriguez and Aneury Rodriguez. They lost 5-1.
What's in a Name? III
In an interleague contest between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox on July 1, there were two home runs hit. Both by A. Ramirez, Aramis and Alexi.
Best First Pitch of the Year
A performer in a Cirque De Soleil show does an intricate windup but still manages to throw a perfect strike.
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Who Wants to Taste My Schweddy Balls?
Ben & Jerry's will be offering for a limited time a new flavor, "Schweddy Balls," based on the brilliant Saturday Night Live sketch starring Alec Baldwin.
The flavor is made up of "vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum and is loaded with fudge covered rum balls and milk chocolate malt balls."
The flavor is made up of "vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum and is loaded with fudge covered rum balls and milk chocolate malt balls."
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
NFL Season Predictions
AFC East: New England Patriots
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Texans
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
AFC Wild Cards: Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets
AFC Conference Championship: Patriots over Chargers
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons
NFC West: St. Louis Rams
NFC Wild Cards: Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints
NFC Conference Championship: Falcons over Eagles
Super Bowl: Atlanta 34 New England 29
Offensive Player of the Year: Roddy White
Defensive Player of the Year: Ndamukong Suh
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Cam Newton
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Nick Fairley
Comeback Player of the Year: Matthew Stafford
Coach of the Year: Jim Schwartz
Last year only 3 of us participated (I'll be lucky to get that many this year) and all 3 of us correctly predicted the Packers would make the Super Bowl.
Also, please enter all the espn.com games. The group name is The Poop. Definitely do the eliminator one. That would be fun if a lot of us got in and a few of us built long streaks.
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Texans
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
AFC Wild Cards: Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets
AFC Conference Championship: Patriots over Chargers
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons
NFC West: St. Louis Rams
NFC Wild Cards: Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints
NFC Conference Championship: Falcons over Eagles
Super Bowl: Atlanta 34 New England 29
Offensive Player of the Year: Roddy White
Defensive Player of the Year: Ndamukong Suh
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Cam Newton
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Nick Fairley
Comeback Player of the Year: Matthew Stafford
Coach of the Year: Jim Schwartz
Last year only 3 of us participated (I'll be lucky to get that many this year) and all 3 of us correctly predicted the Packers would make the Super Bowl.
Also, please enter all the espn.com games. The group name is The Poop. Definitely do the eliminator one. That would be fun if a lot of us got in and a few of us built long streaks.
Song of the Week
"Solid" - Ashford & Simpson
I regret being two weeks late with this tribute to one of the great songwriters of our time, Nick Ashford.
The day he died was the day of the East Coast earthquake and I was too busy to change the scheduled Song of the Week.
The following week I wanted to get "You're the Inspiration" in before our anniversary.
So that brings us to "Solid" one of the of their hits that Ashford and Simpson actually performed themselves.
I regret being two weeks late with this tribute to one of the great songwriters of our time, Nick Ashford.
The day he died was the day of the East Coast earthquake and I was too busy to change the scheduled Song of the Week.
The following week I wanted to get "You're the Inspiration" in before our anniversary.
So that brings us to "Solid" one of the of their hits that Ashford and Simpson actually performed themselves.