Central Florida and the raw deal

Through no fault of their own, the football Knights of Central Florida look like they're going to get jobbed again this year. The powers that be won't let them within sniffing distance of a shot at greatness -- in other words -- the four team playoff for the national championship.

Currently UCF sits at #12 in the rankings, far out of contention. Yet they're one of few teams that remain undefeated this year. A perfect 7-0 so far.

They want us to believe that the Gators from Florida deserve a higher ranking, even though they already been beaten twice this year? How does that work?

Ditto for Ohio State. They got absolutely slaughtered at unranked Purdue, as in four touchdowns worth, but the Buckeyes are supposedly better than the Knights?  Get outta here.

Yeah, I get the argument. UCF plays in a "lesser" conference, so they shouldn't be taken as seriously as those schools in"power" conferences.

But how do we know how good they are unless they're given a chance?

Last season they went a perfect 13-0, including beating a top ten Auburn team in the Peach Bowl. Isn't Auburn in the "mighty" SEC? That game in itself showed the Knights can hang with the "big boys".

Though they would finish ranked #6 last year, which is also a statement validating they're football worthiness, they're going to get a raw deal this year too. Even if they go undefeated -- again.

There's a reason UCF won't be allowed anywhere near the top five. Because if they were, and a team ranked ahead of them lost in the last game of the regular season, or a conference championship game, it would be nigh impossible to keep the Knights out of the Big Dance.

Let's get real. The folks behind the scenes (see TV executives) would much rather see high profile teams like Notre Dame, Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, and the like. They would claim their beloved "ratings" would be higher, hence enabling them to charge more for advertising -- see cha-ching.

But is that really true?

If UCF were to get a shot at the four team playoff, might not millions of fans tune in to see how a Cinderella team would fare against traditional behemoths? And wouldn't they be an overwhelming sentimental favorite as well?

True, the Knights might get blown out of the stadium 100-0, and the I-told-you-soers would be screaming from the rooftops. But what if -----  the Knights just happened to pull off a victory?

Only one way to find out. BTW, wasn't it "conventional wisdom" that the mighty Baltimore Colts with Johnny Unitas and Co. were going to annihilate the upstart NY Jets of Joe Willy Namath -- to the tune of 270-0? How did that work out in Super Bowl III?

If they run the table this year, I will never understand why a team that's been undefeated two years running can't seem to get any respect.

Give them a shot, especially if a couple of the teams making the Final Four have a loss on their record.

It's only righteous.

The post-2000 Boston dominance

Everybody knows the Boston Red Sox just got done winning the World Series by knocking off the LA Dodgers. But the bigger picture shows just how dominating the sports teams from Beantown have been in recent times.

This is the 4th World Series triumph for the Bosox since they finally broke the "curse" of the Bambino in 2004.

The New England Patriots have won 5 Super Bowls in the Brady/Belichick era.

The Boston Celtics won the NBA crown in 2008.

And the Boston Bruins chipped in with a Stanley cup in 2011.

Now if my extraordinary Jethro Bodine ciphering talents haven't escaped me -- that adds up to eleven world titles since the millennial.

No other city is even close to matching that. Some don't even have a single title. Others can claim maybe one, and a few less than a handful.

The city of champions indeed. And the Celtics are definitely trending upwards. GM Danny Ainge has done a masterful job of building their roster for the long term. If Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors opts out after this year, as many think he will, the Celtics may well become the beasts of the NBA -- again.

Can that be right? Tom Brady has won more games AGAINST the Buffalo Bills than all but three quarterbacks have won while playing FOR them? Dang, talk about owning somebody.

#12 had 28 Ws against the BBs since he entered the league about the same time the 9/11 disaster struck. Oops, he and the Pats just knocked them off again on Monday Night Football. Make that 29.

True, they may talk a bit funny in Beantown, at least to a mid-westerner such as myself, but there can be no doubt about their winning ways.

No matter how one slices or dices it, eleven titles in eighteen years, spread across all four major sports, is mighty impressive stuff.

Boston Red Sox. World Champions

Well, sort of. At least they beat the best the United States and Toronto had to offer. Could they defeat the best Cuba, the Dominican Republic, or Japan could come up with? We'll never know.

Nevertheless, all hail the baseball team from Beantown. They were obviously the class of the Major Leagues this season, and it wasn't even a close call.

And good-bye, dare I say good riddance to those pain in the butt LA Dodgers. See ya Manny Machado, dirty player that you are. Adios Yasiel Puig, the Cuban hot dog. Hey Clayton (Kershaw). How did it feel getting smacked around by that line-up? Turns out, you ain't all that after all.

And go away, Magic Johnson. You've milked your small ownership stake in the Dodgers for all it was worth. Take a hike Irvin. And don't forget your HIV meds. Or maybe do. Your schtick got old a long time ago.

It is good to see a gritty team knock off a bunch of mega-hyped prima donnas from la-la land. It only adds to the satisfaction a working stiff felt when they took down the NY Yankees a while back.

Well done indeed.

Yours truly is going book a flight to Logan. Love that town.

Let the parade in Boston begin.

Michigan in the playoffs?

Maybe. Depends. Do they "control their own destiny"? Not necessarily.

The season opening loss @ Notre Dame wasn't an absolute deal-breaker, because one-loss teams are no strangers to the college football playoffs. See Alabama just last year. They even lost "late" (to Auburn), but only fell from #1 ro #4, hence they still got in. And we know how that turned out. One could hardly begrudge them the championship after wading through formidable competition like Clemson and Georgia in the post-season.

Right now, Michigan sits at #5. Still on the outside looking in. In other words, even if they stay clean in their remaining regular season games, they need help elsewhere. And their game on Nov. 24 @ Ohio State is even huger than normal. Sure, the former #2 ranked Buckeyes took a serious tumble in the polls, and rightly so after getting pummeled by an unranked Purdue team. No matter what they do from here out, no way can they overcome such a colossal misstep to make the playoffs.

Yet you can bet they'll give Michigan all they can handle. Head coach Urban Meyer is yet to lose to the hated Wolverines and him and his boys won't go down easy this year either.

But what if Michigan were to win that game (and stay clean against the likes of Penn State, Rutgers and Indiana in the interim)? Would that get them into the coveted #4 spot, or even higher? Not necessarily.

As mentioned above, even a one-loss Alabama (currently undefeated) will get in. Nobody would question they're one of the top four teams in the nation.

The same is pretty much true with Clemson. Their only remaining game against any sort of serious competition is coming up @ Florida State. And the 'Noles aren't even ranked.

Enter Notre Dame. The Irish are currently #3 and won't face any serious challenges the rest of the season either. (Their last game @USC could be tricky, but the Trojans haven't been any good since Pete Carroll ran a dirty program, got caught, which left the school facing the proverbial woodshed, then bailed north to the Seattle Seahawks).

The thing about Notre Dame is it's a very polarizing school. People either love them or hate them. But one thing's for sure. They have a lot of friends in high places. If there's a way to get Notre Dame in the playoffs, you can bet they'll find it. Plus, being an independent football school, they don't have to worry about playing any sort of conference championship game. They get to rest while other power teams are beating each others' brains out.

So far, Bama, Clemson and ND look good for the playoffs. That only leaves one spot.

Enter Louisiana State, currently #4. True, they got beat by Florida for their only loss, but that hasn't been enough to knock them out of the Big Four.

However, their next game is against mighty Alabama. And that single contest may well determine whether Michigan gets in or not.

Michigan might well find themselves in the situation of rooting for Alabama, Because if they were to defeat the LSU Tigers, the latter would then have two losses. Good-bye playoffs. If LSU were to prevail, it wouldn't knock Bama out (unless it was a blow-out -- and THAT'S not going to happen)

Yet it might very well be the difference-maker no matter WHAT Michigan does in their remaining games, including a conference championship game. If LSU gets by Bama, nobody's going to dispute they deserve a spot in the playoffs.

But first things first. After such a heady win @ arch-rival Michigan State, the Wolverines can't let their guard down at home against the Nittany Lions of PSU. Saquon Barkley or not, those guys aren't exactly patsies.

Yep, the first couple weeks in December are going to get really interesting in college football. There's a whole lot of different possibilities regarding how the four team playoffs shake out.

And Georgia still lurks, to boot. The Dawgs ain't out of it yet either.

{Which just screams for the NCAA to expand the field to eight].

Michigan making it in is possible. But not likely. Even if they were to knock off OSU (and I'll believe that if and when I see it), there's still a lot of ways they won't get invited to the Big Dance.

I'd give them one chance in three.

But even if they get there, does anybody really think they'd have a prayer of knocking off the likes of might Alabama, or even Clemson?

No way.

Bosox, Dodgers, and dumb umps

My boss, sometimes known as an editor, used to often tell me remaining impartial is always a good idea. Then I think he finally gave up. I was hopeless. So I'm not. Never have been. Ain't gonna be anytime soon either.

I like most everything about Boston, including the Red Sox.

I dislike most everything about Los Angeles, including the Dodgers.

So there.

Obviously, I have a favorite in this year's World Series. Big time.

Hence, it is with no small amount of joy to find the Red Sox leading the dastardly Dodgers two games to none in this year's Fall Classic.

Better yet, the Bosox have knocked off LA's two best starting pitchers. Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu. True, they still have Walker Buehler, no slouch, waiting in the wings. But the Sox got by with aging pitcher David Price, long a post-season liability, in Game Two. They have recent Cy Young winner Rick Porcello on deck.

Though it's a tad premature, I, for one, don't think the Dodgers can beat Boston the necessary four of the remaining five to come out on top. The Bosox were far and away the best team in the Major Leagues this year for a reason. They're flat-out good. Loaded. Also confident right about now, as the series heads west to LA LA Land.

I'm also sick and tired of a few things LA related. Magic Johnson, for one. He's a part owner of the Dodgers, so that only adds to my distaste for them.

I've had it with Manny Machado's dirty play on the field, while continuing to feign innocence. And every time I see Yasiel Puig, the Cuban hot dog lucky to even BE in the country, wag his tongue like some sort of retarded basset hound, I want to see a small bird fly into his gaping arrogant mouth. And take a dump while there.

Here's something yours truly has never quite understood. What's the deal with two extra umpires being added for post-season games? You've seen them. They're stationed down the left and right field foul lines. Given Major League Baseball is a multi-billion dollar industry, if these guys were necessary why doesn't the league deploy them in regular season games? It's not like they can't afford them. Aren't they equally important? After all, one blown call (which costs a team a single game) can make the difference between whether they make it into the playoffs in the first place. (See the tie-breakers that had to be played this year).

But that's not the point. All the "line" umps have to do is turn around when a ball is hit over their head down the line and determine whether it was fair or foul. A simple enough job. Even an idiot like me could do it.

Thing is, this is nothing the first and third base umpires couldn't do, like they have to throughout the season. The "line" umps are typically only 20-30 feet behind them.

But wait a second, you say? It's absolutely imperative to get such calls right in the playoffs, much less the World Series?

Indeed it is. But when one considers how many cameras are trained on every play from different angles and the availability of super slo-mo hi-def replays to sort it out correctly by supposedly neutral folks in a booth somewhere, it's dang near impossible to get it wrong. It's either fair or foul. Not that tough of a call in the first place.

These guys are unnecessary baggage. For show only.

In the end, here's to the Bosox. Luv ya. And boo-hiss to anything Los Angeles.

As for the above-mentioned Porcello, the likely starter in Game 3 on Friday?

Give em the heater, Rickey.

Sorry. Couldn't help it. Loved that movie.

Ohio State #2? Not any more

There's upsets, and there's big upsets. And then there's you gotta be kidding me upsets. No way.

The latter would seem to be the case in the recently concluded Ohio State/Purdue football game.

So there were the mighty Buckeyes, undefeated, ranked #2 in the nation, and no doubt thinking about getting back into the four team playoffs at the end of the season for the national championship.

It should have been a cakewalk for them to go into Purdue and face the so-so 3-3 Boilermakers. The oddsmakers had the Buckeyes a 12 1/2 point favorite, and yours truly thought the spread should have been even larger. Shows you what I know.

In the end, not only did Ohio State get beat, they got trashed. Taken to the proverbial woodshed.

A final score of 49-22 doesn't lie. It was a beatdown. So if I have this right, the wise guys missed the mark by a whopping 41 1/2 points. Wow. Does that mean somebody might be sleeping with the fishes before the night is over?

Purdue clobbered OSU by four -- count em -- FOUR touchdowns? Get outta here.

They are joyous in West Lafayette, Indiana and well they should be. Let the party rage on.

Back in Columbus, Ohio, the Buckeye faithful are no doubt in a state of shock. How the HELL could this happen?

So Urban Meyer and company can say good-bye to any hopes of reaching the above mentioned playoffs.

And that #2 ranking?

Gone. Long gone.

After being drubbed so badly by an unranked team, they'll be lucky if they stay in the Top Ten.

Oh my. Who could have seen this coming?

Michigan football. Overrated again?

Even though they were favored, it almost seemed like an upset when Michigan beat cross state rival Michigan State. The Spartans have had the Wolverines' number in recent years. But bop them they did, in East Lansing, no less. For this feat, UM gets to claim the Paul Bunyan trophy/award/cabbage patch doll/whatever it is.

To no one's great surprise, Michigan is highly ranked. Again. #6 going into the game. For whatever reason, the voters that decide such things always seem to look kindly on the Wolverines. And they're typically not worthy of it. On the rare occasion UM has to play a really good team, they're usually exposed, and not in a good way.

But credit where credit is due -- so far. Other than a close loss at Notre Dame, the Maize and Bluers have done well for themselves this year, the 21-7 thumping of Mich State included.

Yet they're far from a really good team themselves. The penalties they took during the MSU game were glaring. Personal fouls here, unsportsmanlike conduct there. Roughing the passer, etc., etc., etc.

Though it wasn't enough to torpedo them against the not-so-good Spartans, this will not work when they run into stiff competition.

Next up (after a bye week) the Wolverines get Penn State back in Ann Arbor. But the Nittany Lions don't look anywhere near as good as they were last year. Even Mich State handled them, on the road, just last week.

Defeating PSU is a must if UM wants to maintain even an outside shot at making the four teams playoffs this year. True, a long shot, but if they get help elsewhere -- ya never know -- it's still theoretically possible.

After that, two patsies in Rutgers and Indiana.

And then the big one.

@ Ohio State.

True to recent form, the Buckeyes have been rolling right along this year. So this will be a mighty tall order for Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines on Nov. 24.

UM is going to have to be a whole lot better than they showed against MSU when that game comes about, or they'll get blown out. They might anyway.

Besides cleaning up the stupid penalties, UM seems stuck in a rut running truly boring offensive plays. That three yards and a cloud of dust/mouthful of turf stuff isn't going to get it when they visit the Horseshoe in Columbus.

OSU has pretty much had their way with UM in recent times. They've won the last six in a row, and 15 out of the last 17. That's dominance, owning somebody.

And given the Buckeyes are a top 3 in the country team this year doesn't bode well for UM either.

Yeah, they could conceivably pull an upset, and it would be a big one.

But not unless they get a whole lot better in the next month or so.

Because if they play like they did against Mich. State, with the penalties and ho-hum game plan, that game could get seriously ugly -- for UM.

An aside. Though UM quarterback Shea Patterson is supposed to be all that, one is left to wonder sometimes. On one play he rolled out to his right, saw nobody open (throw the ball away), rolled out further, still nobody open (THROW THE DAMN BALL!!!) and finally ran out of bounds -- for a 6 yard loss. What the hell was he thinking?

Urban Meyer would dearly love to see Patterson make bone-headed plays like that.

All hail the Boston Red Sox

Though I've never lived there, Boston has always been one of my favorites towns. (Along with San Fran and Vegas). Great places to visit with lots of stuff to see and do.

Maybe for that reason, I've long been a closet Bosox fan as well.

Hence, consider yours truly tickled pink the Bosox will be heading to the World Series.

And they mowed down a couple really good teams to get there. The Sox rolled over their hated nemesis Yankees, with the Bronx Bombers able to only win a single game.

And now the Houston Astros, defending world champs, and quite the formidable team. After splitting two games in Boston, the Beaners went into Houston and swept three straight. Down go the Astros. Former Detroit Tiger Justin Verlander, who bailed to Houston a year back (just in time to win a World Series, and good for him) got two shots at beating the Sox and couldn't pull it off. Alas, JV got tagged with the loss in the 5th and deciding game. Of course, he has Kate Upton to go home to, and that's quite the consolation prize.

So now Boston awaits the winner of the LA Dodgers/Milwaukee Brewers series, with LA currently up 3-2. Even thought the series will be heading back to Milwaukee for games 6, and 7 if necessary, the Dodgers have two games to win one, hence they have to be favored. But ya never know. The Brew Crew bopping them two straight is hardly out of the question.

Personally, I'm rooting for Milwaukee. I've been to both towns. Milwaukee makes a ton of beer and Harley Davidson motorcycles. How can you root against that? LA has -- well -- way WAY too many cars. Only in LA-LA land can you get on an interstate, 5-6 lanes of traffic both ways, and find it backed up bumper to bumper for as far as the eye can see. Who wants to cope with that nonsense every day?

Thing is, Boston will have a distinct advantage going into the World Series.

First, the National League series is being played a day later than the America League series was. It's a TV thing. Ratings rule.

And given the Bosox polished off Houston in 5 games, while the LA/Mil winner will have to go at least 6 and maybe 7, the Sox get a few days extra rest. Everybody will be fresh.

Plus, having, by far, the better regular season record, Boston gets home field advantage in the World Series. True, that might not mean a lot, but any team would rather play at home than away.

If LA should happen to prevail in the NLCS, it would set up some mighty long flights as well. Actually, about the longest possible. LA's as far west as you can get in the continental United States, not counting Alaska. And Boston's as far east.

It's roughly 3000 miles from LA to Boston. And given most airliners fly at about 500 MPH, that computes to 6 hour flights, give or take a little head or tail wind.

But for now, all hail the Boston Red Sox, champions of the American League. It's really no great surprise, seeing as how they had the best regular season record (by a significant margin) in the entire Major Leagues.

Bring on the Fall Classic.

(Come on Milwaukee, you can still pull this out. And BTW, when's the last time Milwaukee got to celebrate any sort of championship? I'm so sick of New York this and LA that. I love it when "new blood" wins a title.)

The problem with Kansas City.....

Make no mistake. The KC Chiefs are a really good football team. You don't get to be 5-0 in the NFL unless you're doing a lot of things right.

Second year quarterback Patrick Mahomes has surpassed all expectations since he took over the starting job this season. He's mobile, fleet of foot, can make all the throws, and has terrific "vision" regarding when his receivers will come open.

And he just threw for over 350 yards and another two touchdowns against the New England Patriots.

But the Chiefs still lost the game.

Forty points is a lot in any typical NFL game for a team to score. Normally, that's more than enough to win. And the Chiefs put up 40 against the Pats.

Problem is, they wound up surrendering 43.

If you're giving up that many points a game, something is horribly wrong with your defense.

It appears the Chiefs can't generate much of a pass rush, and their secondary somewhat resembles a screen door on a submarine trying to cover receivers. Given few would doubt the NFL, and most colleges as well, have morphed into pass-happy offenses, the "running game" is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Or perhaps exists only to keep defenses "honest".

It's not like Tom Brady and the Pats are some sort of offensive juggernaut. They don't do anything spectacularly well. But give #12 "all day" to throw, and chances are he's going to find a receiver eventually. The Chiefs couldn't seem to pressure him much at all.

Couple that with tight end Rob Gronkowski torching a defensive back on the crucial play of the game towards the end -- on a simple fly pattern, at that -- and it spells trouble. Granted, Gronk is a very talented guy, but there's no way he's supposed to out-run a defensive back.

So now the Chiefs have fallen from being undefeated.

Score 40 points -- on the road, no less - and still lose?

Oh my. Head coach Andy Reid and his staff have some serious work to do with the KC defense.

Because that just won't get it, especially come play-off time.



 

Khabib, Conor, and silliness

As the fight world knows, a few days ago Khabib Nurmagamedov and Conor McGregor squared off for the lightweight mixed martial arts title. Sane people know that anybody that anybody that gets into the octagon for a "no-holds barred" gladiatorial fight to the finish likely isn't wrapped too tight to begin with. In other words, these guys, and gals, are nuts.

So bizarre behavior should come as no great surprise. Yet there are still "rules" that aren't supposed to be crossed. One is for a contestant to initiate a fight anywhere but inside the octagon. And that's exactly what Khabib did after forcing McGregor to tap out in the fourth round of their fight. It appeared he went even further off the deep end. Meanwhile, McGregor threw a punch at a non-combatant, and he in turn was ambushed from behind by an apparent spectator who had jumped over the cage and into the ring.

The Nevada commission in charge of overseeing these spectacles was on the spot. What do they do about it?

And that's where it got downright silly. OK, we get it that they withheld Khabib's $2,000,000 purse -- for a short while -- before releasing it. So what was the point? McGregor was paid.

And then.....

Boom, they suspended Khabib for....

Ten days?

What, pray tell, manner of nonsense was this?

After a fight, the combatants aren't doing anything for ten days, or likely even a few months, anyway except healing up from the pounding they took, win or lose.

Suspending a MMA fighter in such a manner would be akin to suspending a Major League baseball player for the same amount of time -- in December. They're not doing anything either.

So again, what's the point?

Oh sure, they'll make noise about holding a hearing somewhere down the road in a month or two. Thing is, any such hearing could and should be held immediately. They have all the video they need to analyze whatever happened. And a month or two from now, nobody will care anyway.

Does anybody seriously think the powers that be will take either or both of these guys out of the arena of combat for any amount of time that would prevent them from fighting? Hah.

Not likely. Why? Because of the same reason these spectacles have always been held. Money. Lots of it.

Millions and millions of dollars pour in from the pay-per-view outlets. This one was $65 a pop. Multiply that by ten, twenty, or however many million people chose to tune in, and you're talking serious dough.

And you just know a re-match between these two guys is in the works. The folks that rake in the dough aren't about to shoot themselves in the foot by "grounding" Khabib and/or McGregor that might prevent another windfall in the future, deserved or not.

Who's kidding who?

DOWN GO THE YANKEES!!!

I like the Boston Red Sox. I don't much care for the NY Yankees. And I don't live anywhere close to either. So how did it come to be?

Near as I can tell, it's because I've visited both cities, and was treated better in Beantown, though they sure seemed to talk funny.

After dispatching the Oakland Athletics in the wild-card game, Bronx Bombing fans screamed "We want the Red Sox!!!"

Well, they got them, and..........

DOWN GO THE YANKEES.

With the defending World Series champion Houston Astros, it seems only fitting the Bosox should move on. Sure, the Yanks have a bunch of sluggers and won 100 games this year. But the 'Stros won 103 and the Bosox 108. They were the two best teams in the American League.

It should be a really good series to determine whether Houston or Boston moves on to this year's Fall Classic. Both are loaded with hitters, pitching, speed, and play outstanding defense. No prediction here, but I hope it goes seven games, just for more to watch.

Oh yeah. Bring it on.

Mason Crosby and the Detroit Lions

A rookie place kicker, or even a second or third year man, would have been cut before the day was over. Don't let the door hit you on your way out. Yer outta here.

But Mason Crosby of the Green Bay Packers is in his 12th year. And he's been Mr. Reliable all along. An overall 80% success rate on field goal attempts -- and almost 98% on extra point attempts -- is a mighty impressive career record for any place kicker.

Until his proverbial wheels fell off against the Detroit Lions. His atrocious performance against the Motowners is truly difficult to comprehend.

Oh sure. The Lions and their ever-faithful lap dogs -- sometimes known as the local media -- will always put a positive spin on things, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. The Honolulu blue and silver kool-aid they serve up in Detroit by the box car load is not only powerful stuff, but very addictive as well. Once hooked on it, it's nigh impossible to kick the nasty habit.

[Full disclosure. Yours truly was one of the few fortunate ones that was once hooked on that kool-aid -- for decades -- but when Barry Sanders walked with several good years still in him, and likely gave up the all-time rushing record as well -- along with mucho millions of dollars -- I went cold turkey the same day and haven't looked back. No regrets.]

Reading a by-line on the Lions defeating the Packers made me laugh out loud.

The secondary's pretty good, it said. Quarterback Matthew Stafford went even further. He was quoted as saying the defense is outstanding. If you say so, Matt.

Even new head coach Matt Patricia chimed in. "The biggest thing has been the continuity", quoth Mattie P.

At least he got that right, sort of. The Lions have most definitely had continuity. You can't go over fifty -- count-em -- FIFTY years -- without ever making it to a Super Bowl, let alone winning it, and not call it continuity.

For that matter, they've won a grand total of one playoff game since Super Bowls started back around the time Richard Nixon was becoming President. ONE!!

But let's cut through the crap. The sole reason the Lions improbably won the game over the Packers is the above-mentioned Mason Crosby. He knows it. His teammates and coaches know it. Everybody in Green Bay knows it.

Only in Detroit do they choose to ignore the obvious, while giving themselves yet another pat on the back for a job well done.

It was no such thing. The Lions didn't do anything to win that game. They should have lost.

But Crosby missed 4 four field goal attempts, three of them quite makeable that he normally nails, along with an extra point attempt, which is typically almost automatic. A missed fourth field goal attempt was from 56 yards. That's within Crosby's range, to be sure, but he's about 50-50 from there.

Even discounting the long one, that's ten points the Packers should have had, but didn't get due to Crosby's freakish wildness.

They would lose the game by only eight points -- 31-23.

Whether or not Mason Crosby some day winds up in the Hall of Fame -- it's rare for place kickers -- remains to be seen.

There's no doubt he's had a long and terrific career in the NFL over the years. He might even have a few years left in him.

But even given that, if he has another game like the debacle he had against the Lions, don't think for a minute he's immune to the bum's rush out of town as well. It can and might well happen.

So for now, let the Lions and their faithful bask in a win. And hey, Ws and Ls are the only thing that counts in the NFL.

But this one was a gift from Crosby.

And no amount of kool-aid can change it.

Period.

Around the NFL

It happens every year. Just when your truly thinks he has a bit of a handle on who's who in the NFL -- I don't. Not a clue.

Of course I'm not alone in that regard. Sports Illustrated's pre-season pick to win this year's Super Bowl was Atlanta. The Falcons are currently 1-4 and can't seem to get out of their own way.

The usually pretty good Pittsburgh Steelers haven't impressed anybody. Nor have the always good New England Patriots. They lost to the Detroit Lions for crying out loud.

The almost dynasty that never was called the Seattle Seahawks seems to have imploded. They're average, at best.

The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, typically contenders for the NFC North division title, have been floundering. What's that? The Chicago Bears -- DUH BEARS!! --  are leading the division? Get outta here.

The reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles appear to be suffering from a hangover. They're OK, but nothing great -- at least so far. But nobody saw them coming last year either.

Yet there are a couple pleasant semi-surprises as well. The KC Chiefs are rolling along rather nicely -- at 5-0 -- with young phenom Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Dude's been highly impressive.

As have the LA Rams. It's gotta hurt the football fans in St. Louis to see their former team get so good, so fast, after they left town.

The Cleveland Browns have even won a game, and tied yet another. Will miracles never cease? Don't be surprised if their front office -- in its infinite wisdom -- tacks a few more years and a bazillion dollars onto head coach Hue Jackson's contract. Hey, if they didn't see reason to fire him after his team won one measly game in two entire seasons, the fact he's got a win and a tie this year might make him the toast of the town. Alas, poor Cleveland. They knoweth not. Even more clueless than me.

As a former Detroit Lions fan, I peek in on them once in a while. True to form, they've defeated a couple teams they probably shouldn't have (see the above NE Pats, and the Cheesers from Green Bay), but went down in flames to the gawd-awful NY Jets and San Fran 49ers. They must drive the bookies crazy.

So I couldn't help but notice the three letters on the sleeves on their uniforms. WCF. Huh. What could those stand for?

We Can't Finish?

Wacky Clown Festival?

Then it dawned on my feeble brain. It was a salute to their former owner and recently deceased William Clay Ford.

Good thing old Willie's middle name wasn't Thomas, though WTF would fit them to a tee. I'd spell it out, but I suspect you know what it typically stands for in today's jargon. There's that and. if I did, my boss wouldn't be amused. Great guy, but he's made it quite clear there are some words totally off-limits. I haven't been hauled down to headquarters and had my pee-pee whacked (can I say pee-pee? -- guess I'll find out) in quite some time. And I'd just as soon keep it that way, thank you very much.

How will it all turn out and who will wind up in the Super Bowl?

Are you kidding?

If I knew that, I'd be a mighty rich schmuck come February instead of just an average one.

Besides, it would take all the fun out of watching the spectacle for the next few months.

And no doubt a few more dumb ideas for blog posts along the way as well.

We Cater (to) Fools?

The Chicago Cubs and one lousy game

They lie. They've always lied. And they always will. Do I speak of politicians? Not a bad guess, but no.

I refer to those that say early season losses in Major League Baseball don't matter much. How many times have we heard some talking head or scribe -- after their home team found a way to lose a game they should have won -- say -- it's only April, or May. Not to worry. It's early.

They lied.

Consider the Chicago Cubs. They were just ousted from the playoffs. Somewhere the ghost of Harry Karay moans. Michael Wilbon of Pardon The Interruption, a die-hard Cubs fan, sighs, again.

As we know, first the Cubs lost, at home, a one-game playoff with the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League Central Division championship. That made the north-siders a wild card team. The very next day, again at Wrigley Field, they would host the Colorado Rockies in said wild card game. A one game knockout. Which the Cubs lost again.

This is what happens when a team plays 22 innings (the latter went 13) and can only manage to score two measly runs.

But if they'd have won just one more game anywhere throughout the season, they wouldn't have found themselves in such a predicament. The Cubs would have been Division Champs, assured of at least a 5 game "quarter-final" series.

That game back in April or May, or perhaps June or July, that they let get away -- pick one -- ultimately sealed their fate.

It WAS important. Just as much so as the last game of the regular season in a tight pennant race.

So the next time you hear or read a pundit saying "it's early, the loss doesn't matter much", know that they're lying to you.

Because as the Cubs showed this year, every game counts just as much as every other one.

Pity. I've long been a closet Cubs fan myself. I feel your pain, Harry and Mike.