As you read this, please remember I predicted a win and “cover” by the Green Bay Packers, so this is not the lament of one who lost money or pride on last night’s “miracle pass” GB win/cover/over at Detroit vs the Lions.
The plethora of late touchdowns and unbelievable spread and in this case, total affected games, are to the point of being ridiculous, if not “shady.”
Add to that not so pleasant aroma, the fact, Jim Nantz, who with the ultimate financial protection of hedge funds, need not bet, calling the miracle Rodgers (Aaron, a Biblical name) to Rodgers (Richard, not beautiful music for Lions nor under bettors) a “bleeping” “walk off” touchdown.
First, it was not as G.B. next knelt, not in prayer–we have enough of that phoniness, being phony when it is for winning and losing, but to not add further insult and kick the extra point. In other words it was NOT the last play of the game.
Also do we need that ridiculous term in football now?!! Sadly “It,” is a part of the lexicon in other sports (most cruelly baseball), where “walking” has nothing to do with it.
Forgive possible perception of vulgarity, if so it is not intended and apologies– but try this: Rhyme “it” with a bad word and start calling it a “walk off crap,” which the NFL, its crazy games and the utter insanity/masochism for those who bet, seriously inflicts.
Packers’ fine receiver Richard Rodgers pictured above.
A “caveat emptor”/advice for gamblers. While Richard Rodgers of the Packers deserves credit for a great play (still such great plays and it was a great play, are more the function of defensive ineptitude and this was a prime example) and it is a “high” to win like that– it is way more of a “low” to lose period, especially in that fashion.
Moreover 100 years from now the composer, Richard Rodgers (not the fine G.B. receiver with the same name) and more to the point, music and not sports, especially football, will be remembered.
Additionally, music is “painless” pleasure, gambling and for that matter drugs and drink will give doses of pain with its “pleasure.”
The NFC North will remain the same at the top this weekend.
Tonight the Packers a 3 point favorite, will win in Detroit vs the Lions.
Packers 29 Lions 17
On Sunday the Vikings in a game considered even, will win at home vs the two time defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks .
Seattle exceeded the point spread with a late touchdown last week vs the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Not a good omen for Seattle.
Vikings 26 Seahawks 21.
My criticism of Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin’s cowardly decision to kick a field goal has nothing to do with the spread.
Actually Steelers’ bettors applauded Tomlin’s decision. It just happened a “would be” (cue the great broadcast Marty Glickman, but the lines were not clear and there is horrible static, make that all powerful Jim Nantz) Seattle receiver broke a play for a touchdown that “covered” the spread (better to deal in other spreads such as those that cover bagels or bread.)
That receiver is more than a “would be.” He is Doug Baldwin.
Oh the human brain especially regarding sex, gambling and eating! Anyway the above pictured pumpkin spread on a bagel is as good as a late cover the spread touchdown. In the long run, it is much better. Heed the great Arnold Wexler’s words–“without gambling football is soccer.” Alas, that was not meant as praise though futbol/soccer is a great sport, not without its problems, but one without Bronxville (the town with nary a Chanukah light) resident Roger Goodell at its helm.
In the 2008 ALCS, David Price’s stellar relief pitching in the decisive 7th game helped the Tampa Bay Rays oust the defending World Series champion, Boston Red Sox.
Now at a great cost, even by today’s ridiculous money standards, the Red Sox have annexed Price. They paid a big price for a pitcher, with a woeful post season record.
On Monday, the defending NBA champion, Golden State Warriors raised their record to (19-0) with a close win at Utah vs the Jazz.
Tuesday’s New York Post reported the Jazz as the team winning the close game and raising the team’s record to (19-0).
Pittsburgh Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin’s decision to go for a field goal and not the touchdown with three plus minutes left in last week’s loss at Seattle vs the Seahawks was the wrong one (not one hundred percent but at least say eighty), but of course CBS analyst Phil Simms agreed with the conservative decision.
I seem to remember the highly over rated, but still excellent coach Bill “Willie Boy” Parcells often going for first downs on fourth down situations with Simms as the Giants quarterback, especially in the 1986 title season.
Surely Simms applauded those decisions, but why oh why do all these analysts, even former quarterbacks, often applaud the conservative, wrong and in most cases losing decisions by coaches on fourth down situations?!!
Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin pictured above, also elected to kick a field rather than go for the touchdown early in his team’s Super Bowl win vs the Arizona Cardinals after the 2008 season. That was a bad decision as well. I do not “result” nor second guess, I said it as it happened both last Sunday and in that Super Bowl.
In this week’s Thursday night game, the Detroit Lions are hosting the Green Bay Packers.
It will be the second straight Thursday night game for the “Pack” and second straight Thursday game as each played on the holiday last week, for the Lions.
Detroit won in its traditional holiday game and Green Bay, perhaps due to bad karma associated with the over publicized Brett Favre, who once enabled Michael Strahan, another who has far more than he deserves or needs, to break the NFL “sack” record, lost outright to the Chicago Bears. (Apparently President Barack Obama predicted that outcome.)
With the teams clashing on a Thursday a week after the traditional November holiday, I recall a game between the two teams on Thanksgiving, when it really was a day of giving thanks, in 1962.
The Lions upset the Packers that day, with Roger Brown of Detroit, a near great player having an all time great game.
It was the Packers’ only loss in a (13-1) regular season, in a title winning year.
Their great offensive guard Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston played that day though mourning the recent loss of his mother. He did not play well against the unstoppable Roger Brown that day.
A rare updated movie reference; in the 1986 movie “Maximum Overdrive” trucks ran wild and the name on those trucks was “Thurston.”
I recall Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston as a great moving or pulling guard on great Green Bay Packers’ teams. Perhaps the best version, the 1962 team, lost that Thursday game in Detroit but no other game that championship season.
The great offensive guard Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston pictured above.
In yet another Sunday night thriller which I elected to miss, the (9-2) Denver Broncos took a major step toward a 4th straight AFC West crown by turning back the now (10-1) New England Patriots in overtime.
Elsewhere the Cincinnati Bengals now enjoy a 3 game lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North Division.
(9-2) Cincy ripped the (4-7) St. Louis Rams while the two time NFC champion, Seattle Seahawks are now (6-5) after a (39-30) home win over the (6-5) Pittsburgh Steelers.
Again both the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts won and with (6-5) records remain tied for the AFC South lead.
Houston eased by the (3-8) New Orleans Saints while the Colts won vs the (5-6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Carolina Panthers have a magic number of one to clinch a second straight NFC South crown and this is with 5 games left to play.
Both the (9-2) Arizona Cardinals, who won by 6 as 8 point favorites at San Francisco vs the (3-8) 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks who got a late break away touchdown to exceed the 3 point spread vs the also (6-5) Pittsburgh Steelers won today.
Thus it is Arizona, owning a road win vs Seattle, still in control in the NFC West.
The (8-3) Minnesota Vikings are back in first place after beating the (6-5) Falcons in Atlanta. They lead the (7-4) Green Bay Packers, who did win in Minnesota last week.
Two sub .500 teams, the Washington Redskins and New York Giants lead the woeful NFC East with (5-6) records after “Wash” prevailed at home vs the Giants. The (4-7) Philadelphia Eagles are next in the standings.
Want to hear a good story about a great guy, who happened to be a tremendous major league pitcher.
His name is Bob Shantz and I had met him some years back and his number was in my phone. Why I did not call him as he was so kind during our brief interview and so rich in baseball lore and accomplishment, blame on the all powerful inertia. Also call it my “fault.”
So something intervened and of all the numbers to dial by mistake, it was Bobby Shantz’ number.
Now I do not just hang up on anybody and certainly not Bob Shantz. Of course as Bob’s courteous wife was calling Bob to the phone, I am thinking where is a tape recorder or something to record this.
In this case with this ever so gracious individual (you are all waiting for me to remark on his incredible 1952 season, well there will be a part 2) I can remember the words and put the baseball on the back burner for now.
He still plays golf, I hope his knee is better and I told him to enjoy their new kitchen.
I did recall to Bob something else he had told me regarding that remarkable 1952 season.
I promise to add to my time with this gracious and modest affable man, who trust me knew how to pitch!
What follows are predictions on three NFL games this weekend. Some perhaps incendiary comments as well? Remember the golden rule and giving my opinion does not violate it.
Maybe God,/ G-d,/ the force does not like and certainly does not need the players to always praise him/her/it, in and around sporting events. This is also the case with the military as it is “rammed down our throats” really at most times but especially during sports events in the last 14 years.( I wonder why)?
In a rare good piece by anybody involved with ESPN, Howard Bryant does a good job of explaining the military publicity’s great financial cost to the fans (who else!).
(3-7) San Diego Chargers’ quarterback Phillip Rivers, he and his team an unbelievable disappointment this year and other years, is a religious zealot, often inflicting his beliefs (he is entitled to the beliefs, not necessarily a big public stage on which to espouse them)) on us. This week he and “S.D.” will play well as 5 point underdogs at Jacksonville, vs the Jaguars.
“God/G-d, /It” gets a list from one of “his/her/its” assistants on unusual things happening, on perhaps insignificant earth.
Maybe the “force” noticing that Jacksonville is a 5 point favorite vs Rivers and S.D. says he will “pass,” but I say Jacksonville by only a field goal.
Elsewhere, leave it to the woeful, not the “real” Browns to beat the team that once was the Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, twice in a season when neither team is going anywhere near “north” in the AFC North standings. Browns 17 Ravens 13.
Finally though I think the Kansas City Chiefs will not only win this week, but also make the playoffs, it will be tough vs the Buffalo Bills.
In a redux of the 1966 AFL Title game, in this the 50th football season inclusive, Chiefs 19 Bills 15.
Bryant: Paid patriotism costs fans in more ways than one
Click above for Howard Bryant’s piece in ESPN The Magazine.
Me, promoting ESPN, certainly evidence, say, “exhibit j,” for those arguing God exists.
You know what they say regarding opinions. Here is one on which many will agree.
The Chiefs’ huddle shown above with quarterback Len Dawson facing his offensive unit is pretty darn good.
In one sense “following” the NFL is similar to school in that you better keep up or fall behind.
a difference is that there is no extra help unless one can endure WFAN radio’s Mike Francesa’s chalk rants. He “knows” what is going to happen. If you do not think so just ask him. Endure listening to him and go against his “certainties” that being akin to an hour of extra help from a great teacher in school.
The Packers were to win consecutive Thursday night games and take control of the NFC North.
Next Francesa had them threatening to be the NFC two seed and even hinted at the one seed before allowing they were three and a half games behind the Carolina Panthers and that would be difficult.
Of course after yesterday’s results which included the Chicago Bears outright victory at Green Bay and the (11-0) Carolina Panthers rout of the Francesa picked Dallas Cowboys, the Panthers are now four and a half games ahead of Green Bay and two and a half games ahead of anyone in the race for the NFC one seed.
The Carolina Panthers, a logo pictured above, are likely on their way to a first ever NFC one seed.
Tonight in Green Bay, the greatest of the Packers’ and perhaps any team’s quarterback ever, will be in attendance.
No, I am not referring to Aaron Rodgers and certainly not Brett Favre, though each will be there.
The greatest Packers quarterback and all time great, whom I reference is Bart Starr.
Sadly, even tragically Mr. Starr apparently has no memory of his days as a football player. His devoted wife Cherry hopes that tonight being at Lambeau Field will rekindle some of those memories.
Thankfully I have them and the facts. It all attests to Bart Starr’s greatness.
Another great quarterback, Tom Brady, perhaps this year, or at some point, will win a fifth Super Bowl. If that happens he will pass Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana for the most Super Bowls won, but he would only tie Bart Starr, who has a record 5 NFL titles as a starting quarterback.
Starr was so great in the clutch and often gambled on 3rd and short and threw deep to the likes of Carroll Dale and Boyd Dowler.
Starr threw four touchdown passes in the great and in some ways, forgotten 1966 NFL Title game win over the Dallas Cowboys.
The next year in the famed 1967 NFL title game/”The Ice Bowl, ” it was win or lose vs a near great Cowboys’ team, when Starr ‘quarterback sneaked” into the end zone for the winning score. Starr so great, even greater with the game and the crown on the line. He engineered the great 68 yard final scoring drive with great help from a reserve player, Chuck Mercein, who made some big plays.
One more memory: The Packers were a great team, with the great Starr and the great broadcaster Ray Scott, often broadcasting their games.
So concise, without the long pauses and stretched out calls that eminate from those with diminished play by play skills (as an example of the decline,see and hear Al Michaels and he is far better than any other network football broadcaster today) Scott’s “on the money, for the money” calls went something like this.
Starr- Dowler- Touchdown with great inflexion in his superb voice.
Somehow Cherry if we could find Ray Scott’s call(s) of a Bart touchdown pass and play them for Bart, I bet he would at least smile, if not remember.
