If one harkens back to the first (wild card) round of the NFL playoffs, they would remember something very unusual transpired.
Kansas City won @ Houston.
Seattle won @ Minnesota.
Green Bay won @ Washington.
Pittsburgh won @ Cincinnati.
In other words, four games and all four "road" teams came out of top. Bet you could have got long odds on that happening.
Fast forward a week.
New England won at home against KC.
Denver won at home against Pittsburgh.
Carolina won at home against Seattle.
Arizona won at home against Green Bay.
All the "home" teams" came out on top. The polar opposite of the week before.
Look at what's about to happen.
New England, a "road" team, goes to Denver and are 3 point favorites.
Arizona, another "road" team, goes to Carolina and are 3 point underdogs.
Add it all up and things have perfectly balanced out in the playoffs so far.
Who will win these conference championship games is anybody's guess. Good arguments for, and against, could be made regarding all of them. Many potential strengths, but a few possible weaknesses across the board as well.
But one thing is fairly certain. After 19 weeks of NFL action, the cream rose to the top in the end.
Denver and New England were the #1 and 2 seeds in the AFC. They earned a "bye" in the opening round which gave the players an extra week to recover from various "dings" that happen over the course of a grueling season.
Same with Carolina and Arizona in the NFC.
Four REALLY good teams getting after it for a trip to the Super Bowl.
Peyton vs Tom again. Both trying to win another Super Bowl.
Young Cam taking on old pro Carson. Both trying to win their first Super Bowl.
Perhaps that's the way it should be.
Nevertheless, once again, it all seems to balance out.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Monday, January 18, 2016
Glenn Frey. Another icon gone
Yeah, I know. This is supposed to be a sports blog, and 99% of the time it is devoted to just that.
But once in a great while yours truly makes an exception and devotes a column to something or somebody else.
This is one of those times.
Like so many others around the USA and the world, I mourn the passing of Glenn Frey. No doubt, age 67 is considered "old" in some circles, but not so much in others. It all depends on how one looks at it, and most times how old the "looker" is.
It appears Frey had a few different medical problems going on, and they finally came together to spell his demise.
No, I never met Glenn Frey, nor even ever saw Eagles live in concert. But dating back to the 70s, yours truly was fascinated by the musical genius he was capable of.
Frey was not only the "Founding Father" of Eagles, but immensely talented in so many other ways. He wrote a slew of hit songs that we all still remember to this day. He could play the guitar superbly and his singing voice was extraordinary.
His Eagles were known for a lot of things, but probably their four and five part perfect harmony during songs was the most noteworthy. And no other band, to my recollection, has ever combined easy listening music, lyrics that told a story, and prompted more people to sing along than what Eagles did at the height of their fame. To this day, decades later, put an Eagles song on the "jukebox" in a bar, turn it up, and even the younger folks that weren't born at the time the song originally came out -- somehow know the words and get into it. I suppose transcending generations is the very definition of "classic" music.
Unlike so many others in the entertainment industry since, Glenn Frey never saw or felt the need to hype himself to the media. He was content to let his (and the band's) work product speak for itself. And yes, back in the 70s, there were certainly a lot of musicians and bands that had become wildly popular in America and beyond.
But Glenn Frey and Eagles always had, and still do, their own little niche. Nobody did it quite like those guys.
And now he is gone at a rather young age, like so many musical geniuses before him. The list is long.
I shall miss you, Glenn Frey, but never forget what you accomplished during your life. So many memorable songs that made me think then, and still do to this day. And the music itself was glorious.
Not sure if there's a Tequila Sunrise in your future, but Take It Easy, wherever you are. Ain't no Lyin Eyes about it.
But once in a great while yours truly makes an exception and devotes a column to something or somebody else.
This is one of those times.
Like so many others around the USA and the world, I mourn the passing of Glenn Frey. No doubt, age 67 is considered "old" in some circles, but not so much in others. It all depends on how one looks at it, and most times how old the "looker" is.
It appears Frey had a few different medical problems going on, and they finally came together to spell his demise.
No, I never met Glenn Frey, nor even ever saw Eagles live in concert. But dating back to the 70s, yours truly was fascinated by the musical genius he was capable of.
Frey was not only the "Founding Father" of Eagles, but immensely talented in so many other ways. He wrote a slew of hit songs that we all still remember to this day. He could play the guitar superbly and his singing voice was extraordinary.
His Eagles were known for a lot of things, but probably their four and five part perfect harmony during songs was the most noteworthy. And no other band, to my recollection, has ever combined easy listening music, lyrics that told a story, and prompted more people to sing along than what Eagles did at the height of their fame. To this day, decades later, put an Eagles song on the "jukebox" in a bar, turn it up, and even the younger folks that weren't born at the time the song originally came out -- somehow know the words and get into it. I suppose transcending generations is the very definition of "classic" music.
Unlike so many others in the entertainment industry since, Glenn Frey never saw or felt the need to hype himself to the media. He was content to let his (and the band's) work product speak for itself. And yes, back in the 70s, there were certainly a lot of musicians and bands that had become wildly popular in America and beyond.
But Glenn Frey and Eagles always had, and still do, their own little niche. Nobody did it quite like those guys.
And now he is gone at a rather young age, like so many musical geniuses before him. The list is long.
I shall miss you, Glenn Frey, but never forget what you accomplished during your life. So many memorable songs that made me think then, and still do to this day. And the music itself was glorious.
Not sure if there's a Tequila Sunrise in your future, but Take It Easy, wherever you are. Ain't no Lyin Eyes about it.
Golden State Warriors. Mysterious
The Golden State Warriors started off this season 24-0. Needless to say, very impressive stuff. Their first loss came at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, but was understandable. That particular game was the 7th in a brutal seven game road trip that had the Warriors travelling all over the country.
[It should be noted no NBA team -- ever -- has swept a 7 game road trip.]
They would recover from that loss to reel off another 5 game winning streak. Then they got torched in Dallas. OK, those things happen, and the Mavs aren't too shabby in their own right. They had a terrific game and the Warriors a bad one. Still, Golden State was an eye-popping 29-2.
They would then go on another 7-game winning streak. Mysteriously, the Warriors would then get narrowly beaten at the not-so-good Denver Nuggets. No matter. A 36-3 record was pretty difficult to criticize. Predictably, they would pound the woeful LA Lakers in the next game.
Then something very strange happened. Golden State would visit the Detroit Pistons, just another of several mediocre teams in the NBA Eastern Conference. The Motowners -- who don't even play in Motown -- were decided underdogs. But they rared up and put an 18 point thumping on Golden State. Nobody saw that coming. The Pistons beat THOSE guys by 18 points? Really?
But on second thought, perhaps it was understandable. The Warriors didn't take them seriously and got caught looking ahead to ---
A rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers two days later.
How soon we forget, but the 2015 NBA Finals between these two teams had a lot of story lines. The first two games -- both @ Golden State -- went into overtime, and the teams split. Cleveland would take Game 3 at home to go up 2-1 in the series.
Let's also not forget Cleveland was playing without the services of all-starrish Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, and big man Anderson Varejo. Lebron James, like his earlier days in Cleveland, was trying to pull off a stupendous feat almost single-handedly. Plus, the Cavs had a highly questionable rookie coach they had imported from abroad who had ZERO NBA experience.
As we know, James couldn't pull it off back in his early Lake Erie days, and it turned out he wouldn't pull it off in the Finals last year either. The Warriors would convincingly win games 4-5-6 to become champions.
But this was a different deal. Kevin, Kyrie, Anderson, and everybody else on the Cleveland roster was healthy and raring to go. At home, with millions watching on TV, this was Cleveland's chance to send a message to Golden State.
"You got us in the Finals last year when we were short-handed. Let's try this one more time, especially on our court".
And hadn't the Warriors been trashed by the lowly Detroit Pistons only a couple days before? Surely they were vulnerable. Should have been a helluva game.
It was, if you like blow-outs. Golden State waltzed into Cleveland and did a lot of things. They played terrific team defense. When their shooters weren't raining 3s on the Cavs, they were fast breaking up the floor for dunks and layups.
When it was finally mercifully over, the defending champs had put a 34 point blistering on the Cavs in their own back yard. Had they not sent their starters to the bench for the entire fourth quarter, it might have been 50.
So that poses a question? Who ARE these guys?
They can get trounced by a second tier team like the Pistons on one night, then two days later make mincemeat out of a fully healthy Cavalier team that had every motivation in the world to come out and show the world what they are capable of?
My answer to the above "who are these guys" question would be this.....
Beats the heck out of me. They're beatable, sometimes when one would least expect it to happen. But when they get it going, even and especially against good teams, look out.
Know what's really going to be interesting? Coming up soon, the Warriors will play home and away games against the San Antonio Spurs. Don't look now, but while Golden State has noisily racked up their gaudy 38-4 record, coach Pop's team has quietly cruised along to the tune of 36-6.
Those battles of the titans will be must-see games. More than likely a preview of the NBA Western Conference final. Who's going to beat either one of them in a seven game series during the playoff preliminaries?
Meanwhile, Lebron and Co. might be the beast of the East, but suffering a 34 point beat down at home isn't mysterious at all. The best of the West is clearly superior.
[It should be noted no NBA team -- ever -- has swept a 7 game road trip.]
They would recover from that loss to reel off another 5 game winning streak. Then they got torched in Dallas. OK, those things happen, and the Mavs aren't too shabby in their own right. They had a terrific game and the Warriors a bad one. Still, Golden State was an eye-popping 29-2.
They would then go on another 7-game winning streak. Mysteriously, the Warriors would then get narrowly beaten at the not-so-good Denver Nuggets. No matter. A 36-3 record was pretty difficult to criticize. Predictably, they would pound the woeful LA Lakers in the next game.
Then something very strange happened. Golden State would visit the Detroit Pistons, just another of several mediocre teams in the NBA Eastern Conference. The Motowners -- who don't even play in Motown -- were decided underdogs. But they rared up and put an 18 point thumping on Golden State. Nobody saw that coming. The Pistons beat THOSE guys by 18 points? Really?
But on second thought, perhaps it was understandable. The Warriors didn't take them seriously and got caught looking ahead to ---
A rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers two days later.
How soon we forget, but the 2015 NBA Finals between these two teams had a lot of story lines. The first two games -- both @ Golden State -- went into overtime, and the teams split. Cleveland would take Game 3 at home to go up 2-1 in the series.
Let's also not forget Cleveland was playing without the services of all-starrish Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, and big man Anderson Varejo. Lebron James, like his earlier days in Cleveland, was trying to pull off a stupendous feat almost single-handedly. Plus, the Cavs had a highly questionable rookie coach they had imported from abroad who had ZERO NBA experience.
As we know, James couldn't pull it off back in his early Lake Erie days, and it turned out he wouldn't pull it off in the Finals last year either. The Warriors would convincingly win games 4-5-6 to become champions.
But this was a different deal. Kevin, Kyrie, Anderson, and everybody else on the Cleveland roster was healthy and raring to go. At home, with millions watching on TV, this was Cleveland's chance to send a message to Golden State.
"You got us in the Finals last year when we were short-handed. Let's try this one more time, especially on our court".
And hadn't the Warriors been trashed by the lowly Detroit Pistons only a couple days before? Surely they were vulnerable. Should have been a helluva game.
It was, if you like blow-outs. Golden State waltzed into Cleveland and did a lot of things. They played terrific team defense. When their shooters weren't raining 3s on the Cavs, they were fast breaking up the floor for dunks and layups.
When it was finally mercifully over, the defending champs had put a 34 point blistering on the Cavs in their own back yard. Had they not sent their starters to the bench for the entire fourth quarter, it might have been 50.
So that poses a question? Who ARE these guys?
They can get trounced by a second tier team like the Pistons on one night, then two days later make mincemeat out of a fully healthy Cavalier team that had every motivation in the world to come out and show the world what they are capable of?
My answer to the above "who are these guys" question would be this.....
Beats the heck out of me. They're beatable, sometimes when one would least expect it to happen. But when they get it going, even and especially against good teams, look out.
Know what's really going to be interesting? Coming up soon, the Warriors will play home and away games against the San Antonio Spurs. Don't look now, but while Golden State has noisily racked up their gaudy 38-4 record, coach Pop's team has quietly cruised along to the tune of 36-6.
Those battles of the titans will be must-see games. More than likely a preview of the NBA Western Conference final. Who's going to beat either one of them in a seven game series during the playoff preliminaries?
Meanwhile, Lebron and Co. might be the beast of the East, but suffering a 34 point beat down at home isn't mysterious at all. The best of the West is clearly superior.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Iowa's MSU revenge
Not long ago, the Michigan State and Iowa football teams squared off for the Big 10 championship game. (It should be noted that the "Big 10" actually consists of 14 teams -- go figure). At any rate, the Spartans pulled out a narrow victory which propelled them into the -- drum roll please -- Final Four of college football.
As we know, they would later get absolutely obliterated at the hands of Alabama in a semi-final game. 38-0 is a lot of things. A beatdown, ass-whuppin, men against boys, whales devouring plankton, Barney Fife taking on Rambo in a cage match -- and like that. Let's just say it was a rather one-sided contest.
But fast forward and Michigan State was -- presto -- ranked the #1 team in the nation in college basketball. Those pesky Spartans were at it again. Per usual, they front loaded their schedule with mostly home games against patsies.
[It wasn't until their 12th game that they had to play a true "road" contest in a hostile arena. In all, of the Spartans thirty one game schedule, they only have to play nine in an opponent's arena. Does that smack of the proverbial unlevel playing field?]
And then something strange happened. Against in-state "rival" Oakland University, they of the third tier Horizon League, the Spartans needed overtime to finally barely dispatch the lowly Grizzlies. A few eyebrows went up among the national pollsters. Yes, it was a win, but.....
Then MSU headed off to Iowa. The Hawkeyes would thump them. No more #1 for Michigan State. Down they fell in the polls. Iowa had exacted a bit of revenge, though in a different sport.
Fast forward another couple weeks. Iowa headed to MSU for a rematch. This was the Spartans' chance to set things right again. Instead, they were drilled by 17 points at home. The Iowa revenge was complete. And let's face it -- when a highly ranked team gets taken to the woodshed at home to the tune of 17 points -- no matter who did they flogging -- they're going to rightfully tumble even further in the polls.
In their very next game, Michigan State got beat yet again by Wisconsin. After all the hoopla and early patsy games, the Spartans now find themselves a very mediocre 3-3 in conference play. How far will they fall even more in the polls? Unknown, but it should be at least several more positions.
Yep, Iowa might have got hammered in the Rose Bowl by Stanford a few weeks ago, but their hoops squad has taken out some revenge on Michigan teams. Not only did they trash MSU twice, but also knocked off UM just recently as well. A clean sweep of the "mitten state".
Of course all of this will have long been forgotten when the -- another drum roll please -- Holy Grail of the NCAA hoops tournament rolls around in a couple months. Anything can happen, and sometimes does. There's no "super team" out there this year. Heck, even the supposedly unbeatable Kentucky Wildcat steam-rolling machine got knocked off last year in the semis.
So Michigan State might well recover and eventually go on a run when the tournament starts. Barring a total collapse over the next few weeks, they should at least qualify. Where they will be seeded is anybody's guess.
But there's two things we know.
The Spartans were overrated to start the season, and are definitely vulnerable to a good team in any given contest -- at home or on the road.
And second, the Iowa Hawkeyes have exacted their revenge indeed for their loss at the hands of the Spartans in that football game.
True, Iowa was taken to their own woodshed by Stanford to the tune of 45-16 in the Rose Bowl. That's a serious whuppin.
But it pales in comparison to the annihilation the Michigan State Spartans were handed at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide. 38-0?
Did I mention Barney climbing into the Octagon to square off with Rambo?
As we know, they would later get absolutely obliterated at the hands of Alabama in a semi-final game. 38-0 is a lot of things. A beatdown, ass-whuppin, men against boys, whales devouring plankton, Barney Fife taking on Rambo in a cage match -- and like that. Let's just say it was a rather one-sided contest.
But fast forward and Michigan State was -- presto -- ranked the #1 team in the nation in college basketball. Those pesky Spartans were at it again. Per usual, they front loaded their schedule with mostly home games against patsies.
[It wasn't until their 12th game that they had to play a true "road" contest in a hostile arena. In all, of the Spartans thirty one game schedule, they only have to play nine in an opponent's arena. Does that smack of the proverbial unlevel playing field?]
And then something strange happened. Against in-state "rival" Oakland University, they of the third tier Horizon League, the Spartans needed overtime to finally barely dispatch the lowly Grizzlies. A few eyebrows went up among the national pollsters. Yes, it was a win, but.....
Then MSU headed off to Iowa. The Hawkeyes would thump them. No more #1 for Michigan State. Down they fell in the polls. Iowa had exacted a bit of revenge, though in a different sport.
Fast forward another couple weeks. Iowa headed to MSU for a rematch. This was the Spartans' chance to set things right again. Instead, they were drilled by 17 points at home. The Iowa revenge was complete. And let's face it -- when a highly ranked team gets taken to the woodshed at home to the tune of 17 points -- no matter who did they flogging -- they're going to rightfully tumble even further in the polls.
In their very next game, Michigan State got beat yet again by Wisconsin. After all the hoopla and early patsy games, the Spartans now find themselves a very mediocre 3-3 in conference play. How far will they fall even more in the polls? Unknown, but it should be at least several more positions.
Yep, Iowa might have got hammered in the Rose Bowl by Stanford a few weeks ago, but their hoops squad has taken out some revenge on Michigan teams. Not only did they trash MSU twice, but also knocked off UM just recently as well. A clean sweep of the "mitten state".
Of course all of this will have long been forgotten when the -- another drum roll please -- Holy Grail of the NCAA hoops tournament rolls around in a couple months. Anything can happen, and sometimes does. There's no "super team" out there this year. Heck, even the supposedly unbeatable Kentucky Wildcat steam-rolling machine got knocked off last year in the semis.
So Michigan State might well recover and eventually go on a run when the tournament starts. Barring a total collapse over the next few weeks, they should at least qualify. Where they will be seeded is anybody's guess.
But there's two things we know.
The Spartans were overrated to start the season, and are definitely vulnerable to a good team in any given contest -- at home or on the road.
And second, the Iowa Hawkeyes have exacted their revenge indeed for their loss at the hands of the Spartans in that football game.
True, Iowa was taken to their own woodshed by Stanford to the tune of 45-16 in the Rose Bowl. That's a serious whuppin.
But it pales in comparison to the annihilation the Michigan State Spartans were handed at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide. 38-0?
Did I mention Barney climbing into the Octagon to square off with Rambo?
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Picks, Biker George, and $20
In a way, I'm almost surprised the Arizona Cardinals held off the Green Bay Packers. With Aaron Rodgers throwing yet another successful Hail Mary at the end of regulation time to tie the score, yours truly was resigned to seeing another of his "picks" crash and burn.
I thought KC would upset New England. We know how that worked out.
But that's the way it goes -- and always has. The easiest way to get rich is notice who I pick to win games -- and bet the other way. I suspect getting it wrong was a trait I inherited from my late father. If he picked them -- they were going down. Even in death, Murphy's Law haunted him. After he had taken his last breath at home, the "body snatchers" originally took him to the wrong funeral parlor. A few days later, after the ceremony had been concluded, the hearse started off going to the wrong cemetery. Don't get me wrong. My dad was a very smart man in a lot of ways and was highly respected as such -- but when it came to sports -- he was jinxed. Like father, like son, I suppose.
Thing is, yours truly really didn't care who won those games. Nor do I give a rat's behind who prevails when the Steelers tangle with the Broncos on Sunday. Predicting the winners of those contests was done all in fun.
But the remaining game is personal. That's because of a certain gentleman I'll refer to as Biker George. He rides a Harley Sportster through rain, sleet, freezing temps, and even a moderate amount of snow. BG could hardly be referred to as a "fair weather rider". The man's serious about riding that damn motorcycle, and kudos to him.
Another thing is -- George is a good ole boy from North Carolina, with serious family roots not far from Charlotte where the Carolina Panthers play.
One day not long ago in a local watering hole, BG was ranting and raving about how his beloved Carolina Panthers were going to open up a good old fashioned can of whup-ass when the Seattle Seahawks come to his former town for a playoff game. They're 15-1, have the best record in the entire NFL, and Cam Newton's a freak of nature, he said. All certainly true.
I knew I probably shouldn't do it -- most times it's best to keep quiet in such situations -- but eventually I gave into temptation. In other words, I couldn't stand to hear any more ranting coming from BG about Carolina this, and Carolina that.
So I looked at him and said, "I've got 20 bucks that says Seattle is going to beat Carolina". At the time, the S-Hawks were a 3 point underdog. (It has since come down to 1.5).
In his drawl, BG shouted, "You're crazy, John. Any idiot knows the Panthers are going to win the Super Bowl".
"Maybe so", I countered, "and perhaps a couple more wagers will come about at a later date. But for now, I've got a Jackson's worth of confidence that your boys are playing their last game this year. And forget the 3 points. Seattle's going to beat them straight up. Bet or no bet?".
Needless to say, Biker George was all over it. The bet was on, and everybody in the room knew it.
Personally, I'd rather see Carolina win the game. Not because I root for them, but because I root against Seattle. For the most part this is because of their head coach Pete Carroll. When he was running the football program at Southern Cal, all kinds of NCAA violations were beginning to come to light. The university would eventually be hammered with various sanctions. But Pete had merrily bailed to go to Seattle for millions of dollars. In his mind, what happened at USC under his watch was now somebody's else's problem to clean up.
On top of that, just watching him turns my stomach. He's got those small little teeth like a rodent, chews gum rapid-fire like a used-car salesman shyster, and loves to run up the score when his team is facing a clearly inferior opponent. To boot, every time his team catches a break -- and last week's failed chip shot field goal attempt by the Minnesota Vikings' kicker was a huge one -- he acts like that was his plan all along. The man has a sense of self-entitlement second to none. The words "shame" and "humility" don't exist in his world.
Nevertheless, Biker George's ranting had become unbearable as well. I've been all over North Carolina in years past and it truly is God's country, as they say. And I like George, always have, but enough is enough.
I'll be rooting for the Panthers to win, and even told George so. He thought that rooting against my own bet made me even crazier. Point noted. But I look at it this way:
If the Panthers win, it costs me 20 bucks and I'll have to listen to Biker George crowing for a while. But at least the rodent and his team will have been dispatched. A Jackson is a small price to pay for some inner satisfaction on the professional level.
But if the Seahawks win, I'd consider the 20 bucks from George as a consolation prize. Plus, being able to call him the same "crazy" in the near future for making such a bet on his wannabe homies could have its upside on the personal level.
Nah, I wouldn't do that. Just take the Jackson, shake hands, and order up a burger, fries, and another beer. But I reserve the right to look him in the eyes and smile.
Besides, any biker that's been around as long as George should have upgraded from a Sportster a long time ago.
I thought KC would upset New England. We know how that worked out.
But that's the way it goes -- and always has. The easiest way to get rich is notice who I pick to win games -- and bet the other way. I suspect getting it wrong was a trait I inherited from my late father. If he picked them -- they were going down. Even in death, Murphy's Law haunted him. After he had taken his last breath at home, the "body snatchers" originally took him to the wrong funeral parlor. A few days later, after the ceremony had been concluded, the hearse started off going to the wrong cemetery. Don't get me wrong. My dad was a very smart man in a lot of ways and was highly respected as such -- but when it came to sports -- he was jinxed. Like father, like son, I suppose.
Thing is, yours truly really didn't care who won those games. Nor do I give a rat's behind who prevails when the Steelers tangle with the Broncos on Sunday. Predicting the winners of those contests was done all in fun.
But the remaining game is personal. That's because of a certain gentleman I'll refer to as Biker George. He rides a Harley Sportster through rain, sleet, freezing temps, and even a moderate amount of snow. BG could hardly be referred to as a "fair weather rider". The man's serious about riding that damn motorcycle, and kudos to him.
Another thing is -- George is a good ole boy from North Carolina, with serious family roots not far from Charlotte where the Carolina Panthers play.
One day not long ago in a local watering hole, BG was ranting and raving about how his beloved Carolina Panthers were going to open up a good old fashioned can of whup-ass when the Seattle Seahawks come to his former town for a playoff game. They're 15-1, have the best record in the entire NFL, and Cam Newton's a freak of nature, he said. All certainly true.
I knew I probably shouldn't do it -- most times it's best to keep quiet in such situations -- but eventually I gave into temptation. In other words, I couldn't stand to hear any more ranting coming from BG about Carolina this, and Carolina that.
So I looked at him and said, "I've got 20 bucks that says Seattle is going to beat Carolina". At the time, the S-Hawks were a 3 point underdog. (It has since come down to 1.5).
In his drawl, BG shouted, "You're crazy, John. Any idiot knows the Panthers are going to win the Super Bowl".
"Maybe so", I countered, "and perhaps a couple more wagers will come about at a later date. But for now, I've got a Jackson's worth of confidence that your boys are playing their last game this year. And forget the 3 points. Seattle's going to beat them straight up. Bet or no bet?".
Needless to say, Biker George was all over it. The bet was on, and everybody in the room knew it.
Personally, I'd rather see Carolina win the game. Not because I root for them, but because I root against Seattle. For the most part this is because of their head coach Pete Carroll. When he was running the football program at Southern Cal, all kinds of NCAA violations were beginning to come to light. The university would eventually be hammered with various sanctions. But Pete had merrily bailed to go to Seattle for millions of dollars. In his mind, what happened at USC under his watch was now somebody's else's problem to clean up.
On top of that, just watching him turns my stomach. He's got those small little teeth like a rodent, chews gum rapid-fire like a used-car salesman shyster, and loves to run up the score when his team is facing a clearly inferior opponent. To boot, every time his team catches a break -- and last week's failed chip shot field goal attempt by the Minnesota Vikings' kicker was a huge one -- he acts like that was his plan all along. The man has a sense of self-entitlement second to none. The words "shame" and "humility" don't exist in his world.
Nevertheless, Biker George's ranting had become unbearable as well. I've been all over North Carolina in years past and it truly is God's country, as they say. And I like George, always have, but enough is enough.
I'll be rooting for the Panthers to win, and even told George so. He thought that rooting against my own bet made me even crazier. Point noted. But I look at it this way:
If the Panthers win, it costs me 20 bucks and I'll have to listen to Biker George crowing for a while. But at least the rodent and his team will have been dispatched. A Jackson is a small price to pay for some inner satisfaction on the professional level.
But if the Seahawks win, I'd consider the 20 bucks from George as a consolation prize. Plus, being able to call him the same "crazy" in the near future for making such a bet on his wannabe homies could have its upside on the personal level.
Nah, I wouldn't do that. Just take the Jackson, shake hands, and order up a burger, fries, and another beer. But I reserve the right to look him in the eyes and smile.
Besides, any biker that's been around as long as George should have upgraded from a Sportster a long time ago.
Friday, January 15, 2016
NFL playoff predictions
Though, as they say, anything can happen on any given Sunday (or Saturday) in the NFL, the four playoff games on tap wouldn't seem to be that hard to predict. Let's take a look at them without even getting into the point spreads.
Green Bay @ Arizona.
The Packers have been a mystery all year. They started off hot, got shaky due to injuries, but held on to make the playoffs. The Cheesers then thumped the Redskins in Washington. But those were the Skins -- not the Cardinals. Just three weeks ago Aaron Rodgers and Co. got blasted by 30 points in Arizona. There is absolutely no logical reason to think a similar result won't happen again.
Prediction: Arizona by a bunch. Those guys are good.
Pittsburgh @ Denver.
The Steelers are the only team in NFL history to enter the post season without the services of their top receiver (Antonio Brown -- concussion) and running back (DeAngelo Williams -- leg injury). On top of that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a sprained shoulder and likely won't be able to throw long passes. To win a game, a team has to score points. The Steelers will be hard-pressed to do so against the likes of the Broncos' defense. Despite the hype, the return of Peyton Manning is a non-story. He's on his last legs and everybody knows it. But even old chicken neck should be able to exploit the not-so-talented Pittsburgh secondary.
Prediction: Broncos roll.
Seattle @ Carolina.
True, the Seahawks stumbled earlier in the season, and the Panthers themselves went into Seattle and pulled out a late victory. And the 15-1 record of Carolina was no small feat. Granted, the Seahawks caught a miracle in Minnesota to stave off elimination in a wild-card game, but I've been saying for weeks to look out for these guys. They were within one last second bad break themselves last year from winning another Super Bowl. Been there, done that in crunch time. Plus, their star running back Marshawn Lynch has finally healed up and will be good to go for this game. Carolina's QB Cam Newton may well be a "freak" and an MVP candidate, but is he really ready for what Seattle will bring in a playoff game? I think not. Throw in the revenge factor for the earlier home loss and.....
Prediction: Seattle makes it to a third straight NFC championship game.
Kansas City @ New England.
The most interesting match up of all. The two teams were almost polar opposites during the regular season. The Patriots started off on a long winning streak, but stumbled badly down the stretch losing 4 of their last 6 games. That included wrapping up the regular season with losses to the NY Giants and Miami Dolphins, both of whom have since parted ways with their head coaches. Conversely, the Chiefs started out miserably, but then got hot and won their last 11 in a row, including going into Houston and blistering the Texans 30-0 in another wild card game. Very impressive stuff. Bill Bellichick and Tom Brady have gained a reputation as miracle workers over the years -- always finding a way to make more out of less. But the Pats are seriously dinged up. Rob Gronkowski is a maybe, their O-line remains in flux, their top two running backs are still out, and their collective defense has been exposed as vulnerable in recent weeks. Brains are good, but sometimes relying on smoke and mirrors to outsmart a pack of hungry rabid dogs doesn't work out so well. Especially when they're already in the house and smell meat. That can have a way of getting ugly.
Prediction:
Make that 12 in a row for KC.
Green Bay @ Arizona.
The Packers have been a mystery all year. They started off hot, got shaky due to injuries, but held on to make the playoffs. The Cheesers then thumped the Redskins in Washington. But those were the Skins -- not the Cardinals. Just three weeks ago Aaron Rodgers and Co. got blasted by 30 points in Arizona. There is absolutely no logical reason to think a similar result won't happen again.
Prediction: Arizona by a bunch. Those guys are good.
Pittsburgh @ Denver.
The Steelers are the only team in NFL history to enter the post season without the services of their top receiver (Antonio Brown -- concussion) and running back (DeAngelo Williams -- leg injury). On top of that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a sprained shoulder and likely won't be able to throw long passes. To win a game, a team has to score points. The Steelers will be hard-pressed to do so against the likes of the Broncos' defense. Despite the hype, the return of Peyton Manning is a non-story. He's on his last legs and everybody knows it. But even old chicken neck should be able to exploit the not-so-talented Pittsburgh secondary.
Prediction: Broncos roll.
Seattle @ Carolina.
True, the Seahawks stumbled earlier in the season, and the Panthers themselves went into Seattle and pulled out a late victory. And the 15-1 record of Carolina was no small feat. Granted, the Seahawks caught a miracle in Minnesota to stave off elimination in a wild-card game, but I've been saying for weeks to look out for these guys. They were within one last second bad break themselves last year from winning another Super Bowl. Been there, done that in crunch time. Plus, their star running back Marshawn Lynch has finally healed up and will be good to go for this game. Carolina's QB Cam Newton may well be a "freak" and an MVP candidate, but is he really ready for what Seattle will bring in a playoff game? I think not. Throw in the revenge factor for the earlier home loss and.....
Prediction: Seattle makes it to a third straight NFC championship game.
Kansas City @ New England.
The most interesting match up of all. The two teams were almost polar opposites during the regular season. The Patriots started off on a long winning streak, but stumbled badly down the stretch losing 4 of their last 6 games. That included wrapping up the regular season with losses to the NY Giants and Miami Dolphins, both of whom have since parted ways with their head coaches. Conversely, the Chiefs started out miserably, but then got hot and won their last 11 in a row, including going into Houston and blistering the Texans 30-0 in another wild card game. Very impressive stuff. Bill Bellichick and Tom Brady have gained a reputation as miracle workers over the years -- always finding a way to make more out of less. But the Pats are seriously dinged up. Rob Gronkowski is a maybe, their O-line remains in flux, their top two running backs are still out, and their collective defense has been exposed as vulnerable in recent weeks. Brains are good, but sometimes relying on smoke and mirrors to outsmart a pack of hungry rabid dogs doesn't work out so well. Especially when they're already in the house and smell meat. That can have a way of getting ugly.
Prediction:
Make that 12 in a row for KC.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Gregg Popovich and talking idiots
Regardless of which team an NBA fan roots for, it's likely safe to say most all of them would grudgingly admit Gregg Popovic of the San Antonio Spurs is far and away the best head coach. Not only does he know the intricacies of the game, Coach Pop has a magical way of connecting with his players. At the same time he treats them with great respect, they also know they have to play "Spurs basketball" within Pop's system or -- look out. Not only will Popovich get on an errant player, but so will his teammates.
There can be little logical argument that over the years this method has not yielded terrific results. No, the Spurs don't win the NBA championship every year -- nobody does anymore -- but they're always right there in the hunt.
Quick question. When's the last time you can remember the Spurs being a bad team? It's like they never go into rebuild mode -- they just add a piece here and there and keep on rolling.
Yet few would also doubt Gregg Popovich considers much of the media to be no more than a nuisance. A necessary evil, if you will. He understands they have a job to do, but doesn't like it much when they get up in his face asking their typical stupid questions.
True, Popovich is no doubt under an NBA mandate to give such mini-interviews, else be fined by Peanut Head, AKA commissioner Adam Silver and his minions.
Yet yours truly gets a huge kick out of how Pop can fulfill his obligations while still pretty much blowing off a moronic talking head.
At half time in the recently concluded game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a garden variety sideline reporter rushed up to Popovich for a quick interview. After listening to a couple of sentences with evidently no question in sight -- Pop came up with a beauty.
"Are you here to tell me things I already know?" The reporter had to quickly reload and try a different tack.
So he asked why the Spurs were having a bit of difficulty scoring points. I could hardly wait for what was going to come back.
Basically, Popovich said, "A couple guys aren't shooting very well". Then the coup de grace.
Referencing Jack Nicholson's famous line in the movie A Few Good Men, Pop said, "I'll ask them nicely to shoot better. Anything else?" The yappy head with the microphone and cameraman had been put in his place. He could think of nothing further to say.
And that's the way it should be. PhD's that don't want to give interviews, particularly to others that are obviously still at the third grade level should not be forced to do so. Pop's team was in a tight game against the Cavs at the time and likely had some serious second half strategy to go over with his team in the locker room. A couple minutes wasted answering stupid questions was time taken away from the short half time break to get things sorted out.
The Spurs would go on to win that game rather convincingly. Now at 35-6, there can also be no doubt Coach Pop's system is still working in a big way. It's about "team", not mouthing off to the press.
Consider some of the Spurs players.
Tim Duncan
Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
Kawhi Leonard
Lamarcus Aldredge
All have been, or still are among the best in the league. When's the last time you saw or heard any of them volunteering to goon it up in front of a camera? It doesn't happen.
Guys like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and currently Kobe Bryant couldn't seem to get ENOUGH of the cameras and personal attention. The "look at me" syndrome. It was, and is classless. They were already making obscene salaries and had whored themselves out to endorse various products for even MORE money. But some people just can never seem to get enough of the limelight. William Shatner is a case in point. The former Captain Kirk will hawk anything to keep his mug on TV. Tiger Woods is in a class by himself when it comes to this. These people had/have absolutely no shame.
Another quick question. Does anybody really run out and buy a certain brand of foot/body powder because some big ugly goof like Shaq says he uses it? Hey, if their pitchman is a doofus, do you want to rub that stuff all over yourself?
So here's to Gregg Popovich, He just does his job, is the best at it, and could care less about personal attention. In fact, he does everything in his power, short of running afoul of Peanut Head, to avoid it.
And I, for one, truly appreciate the delicious irony when some idiot TV reporter gets embarrassed by the person they are interviewing -- rather than the other way around.
Let's get real. The TV folks have spent hours in make-up and wardrobe before we ever see them on camera. Everything is just as perfect in the "lipstick on a pig world" as their behind the scenes miracle workers can make it. Plus, they've rehearsed their lines prior to going "live". Then they'll run up to a coach that has spent the last hour pacing up and down the sidelines, arguing with officials, and making a thousand different decisions regarding game strategy. He's sweaty, still in mental overdrive thinking ahead, and now he has to deal with some pretty boy/girl sticking a microphone in his face while breathlessly either pointing out the already obvious, or asking duh-worthy questions.
Yep, add it all up and definitely count me a Gregg Popovich fan. He's just doing what so many others in a similar position would like to -- but don't have the brains and/or balls necessary to pull it off.
Truly a one-of-a-kind and a class act indeed...........
There can be little logical argument that over the years this method has not yielded terrific results. No, the Spurs don't win the NBA championship every year -- nobody does anymore -- but they're always right there in the hunt.
Quick question. When's the last time you can remember the Spurs being a bad team? It's like they never go into rebuild mode -- they just add a piece here and there and keep on rolling.
Yet few would also doubt Gregg Popovich considers much of the media to be no more than a nuisance. A necessary evil, if you will. He understands they have a job to do, but doesn't like it much when they get up in his face asking their typical stupid questions.
True, Popovich is no doubt under an NBA mandate to give such mini-interviews, else be fined by Peanut Head, AKA commissioner Adam Silver and his minions.
Yet yours truly gets a huge kick out of how Pop can fulfill his obligations while still pretty much blowing off a moronic talking head.
At half time in the recently concluded game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a garden variety sideline reporter rushed up to Popovich for a quick interview. After listening to a couple of sentences with evidently no question in sight -- Pop came up with a beauty.
"Are you here to tell me things I already know?" The reporter had to quickly reload and try a different tack.
So he asked why the Spurs were having a bit of difficulty scoring points. I could hardly wait for what was going to come back.
Basically, Popovich said, "A couple guys aren't shooting very well". Then the coup de grace.
Referencing Jack Nicholson's famous line in the movie A Few Good Men, Pop said, "I'll ask them nicely to shoot better. Anything else?" The yappy head with the microphone and cameraman had been put in his place. He could think of nothing further to say.
And that's the way it should be. PhD's that don't want to give interviews, particularly to others that are obviously still at the third grade level should not be forced to do so. Pop's team was in a tight game against the Cavs at the time and likely had some serious second half strategy to go over with his team in the locker room. A couple minutes wasted answering stupid questions was time taken away from the short half time break to get things sorted out.
The Spurs would go on to win that game rather convincingly. Now at 35-6, there can also be no doubt Coach Pop's system is still working in a big way. It's about "team", not mouthing off to the press.
Consider some of the Spurs players.
Tim Duncan
Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
Kawhi Leonard
Lamarcus Aldredge
All have been, or still are among the best in the league. When's the last time you saw or heard any of them volunteering to goon it up in front of a camera? It doesn't happen.
Guys like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and currently Kobe Bryant couldn't seem to get ENOUGH of the cameras and personal attention. The "look at me" syndrome. It was, and is classless. They were already making obscene salaries and had whored themselves out to endorse various products for even MORE money. But some people just can never seem to get enough of the limelight. William Shatner is a case in point. The former Captain Kirk will hawk anything to keep his mug on TV. Tiger Woods is in a class by himself when it comes to this. These people had/have absolutely no shame.
Another quick question. Does anybody really run out and buy a certain brand of foot/body powder because some big ugly goof like Shaq says he uses it? Hey, if their pitchman is a doofus, do you want to rub that stuff all over yourself?
So here's to Gregg Popovich, He just does his job, is the best at it, and could care less about personal attention. In fact, he does everything in his power, short of running afoul of Peanut Head, to avoid it.
And I, for one, truly appreciate the delicious irony when some idiot TV reporter gets embarrassed by the person they are interviewing -- rather than the other way around.
Let's get real. The TV folks have spent hours in make-up and wardrobe before we ever see them on camera. Everything is just as perfect in the "lipstick on a pig world" as their behind the scenes miracle workers can make it. Plus, they've rehearsed their lines prior to going "live". Then they'll run up to a coach that has spent the last hour pacing up and down the sidelines, arguing with officials, and making a thousand different decisions regarding game strategy. He's sweaty, still in mental overdrive thinking ahead, and now he has to deal with some pretty boy/girl sticking a microphone in his face while breathlessly either pointing out the already obvious, or asking duh-worthy questions.
Yep, add it all up and definitely count me a Gregg Popovich fan. He's just doing what so many others in a similar position would like to -- but don't have the brains and/or balls necessary to pull it off.
Truly a one-of-a-kind and a class act indeed...........
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