Minnesota 21 Baltimore 14- One of the harder tests so far in the season for the Vikings, but they will have no problem building an early lead. Baltimore will make a late run to make the game interesting, but will fall short in their comeback.
Detroit 14 Green Bay 35- This one smells disaster for the Lions. A division opponent coming off a bye week. Aaron Rogers will have a field day toasting the Lions secondary, while Matthew Stafford sits out and does not start......not that it would make much difference.
Chicago 28 Atlanta 24- Atlanta surprised everyone last week by knocking the snot out of the 49ers, and not it is Chicago's turn to demonstrate they are a real contender. Coming off a bye week they will play their best game of the season thus far.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Tweets of the Week
Jay Cutler- Gaines Adams. Welcome to Chicago
comments: Gaines Adams, the fourth overall pick two years ago, was traded to Chicago from Tampa Bay for a second-round draft pick.
Jermichael Finley- That story is insane abt the little guy in the Balloon. Thats crazy!
comments: that really is crazy
Ryan Grant- Guys came back to practice fresh and fast..excited about division game against Detroit at home..couldnt ask for anything better
comments: Even greater for Grant then most who hasn't eclipsed 100 yards this season and is averaging 3.8 yards per carry.
Greg Olsen- Watchin MNF..love chicago but def miss that miami weather
Comments: Appears he won't be signing any long term contract extensions in the North. Just kidding but seriously who wouldn't rather play in Miami if your from New Jersey.
Bryant Mckinnie- i wanna give a shot out 2 all the LIBRA's! We The BEST!
Comments:...........he later talks about going to a bible meeting which is impressive that he can balance his love of astrology and his faith on his twitter page.
Hines Ward- It was great to win. Ford Field definitely brought back memories. It was good to score my 1st TD this year, I wasn't going to be denied. On the bus heading back to Pittsburgh. Steeler nation definitely represented in Detroit. It was good seeing the black and gold.
Comments: Just wanted to add this because he has a sweet profile picture
Keary Colbert- Matt Cassel (Cass-Dogg) joins the comeback party. It must be a "1013" thing.
Comment: Love the old USC nicknames
comments: Gaines Adams, the fourth overall pick two years ago, was traded to Chicago from Tampa Bay for a second-round draft pick.
Jermichael Finley- That story is insane abt the little guy in the Balloon. Thats crazy!
comments: that really is crazy
Ryan Grant- Guys came back to practice fresh and fast..excited about division game against Detroit at home..couldnt ask for anything better
comments: Even greater for Grant then most who hasn't eclipsed 100 yards this season and is averaging 3.8 yards per carry.
Greg Olsen- Watchin MNF..love chicago but def miss that miami weather
Comments: Appears he won't be signing any long term contract extensions in the North. Just kidding but seriously who wouldn't rather play in Miami if your from New Jersey.
Bryant Mckinnie- i wanna give a shot out 2 all the LIBRA's! We The BEST!
Comments:...........he later talks about going to a bible meeting which is impressive that he can balance his love of astrology and his faith on his twitter page.
Hines Ward- It was great to win. Ford Field definitely brought back memories. It was good to score my 1st TD this year, I wasn't going to be denied. On the bus heading back to Pittsburgh. Steeler nation definitely represented in Detroit. It was good seeing the black and gold.
Comments: Just wanted to add this because he has a sweet profile picture
Keary Colbert- Matt Cassel (Cass-Dogg) joins the comeback party. It must be a "1013" thing.
Comment: Love the old USC nicknames
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Week 5 Reaction
Despite being dominated for almost the entire game the Lions still found a way to make the game interesting by mounting a comeback late in the fourth quarter. Although the fight and motivation has seemed high all season in this team, allowing 7 sacks and having your starting running back average less than 3 yards a carry are not good signs, even if it is against a top notch defense.
On a side note, the Steelers have looked remarkably sloppy in the late stages of every game this season. Through 5 games they have outscored opponents 38-6 in the first quarter and have subsequently been outscored themselves 55-13 in the fourth quarter. Hasn't there team motto been for the last 100 years to outlast and outhit opponents. The strange thing appears to be there difficulty in preventing sub one minute drives against there prevent defenses. Also, to be noted are their three wins are against the one win Lions, the no win Titans, and the injury plagued Chargers.
Poor Kyle Boller. It is hard to see this Rams offense score more than one touchdown in a close game, and even that will have to be a result of someone falling down covering a receiver or Stephen Jackson breaking 12 tackles and rumbling 78 yards. Not only are they not effective in any way, but they suck the energy out of the defense who has shown moments, although brief, of promise. It looked too easy for the Vikings to penetrate the line and blow up every play before it had time to even develop.....long season for quarterbacks in St. Louis.
Vikings on the other hand where in control early and looked very business like. Brett Favre has now completed passes to at least 7 different receivers in every game this season except the opener and continues to develop the wide outs into more and more of the game plan. These are all good signs for the Viking faithful, but face the toughest part of their schedule in the next three weeks, Baltimore, @ Pittsburgh, @ Green Bay.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Week 5 Pick'em
Minnesota 21 St. Louis 10- I think the Vikings offense will look sluggish, especially early. After back to back weeks of San Francisco and Green Bay the Rams provide a much needed break in the schedule for the Vikes. Expect them to act accordingly and have a letdown on offense.
Luckily the Rams offense is quickly becoming a mockery of the NFL, producing anemic numbers all season. Minnesota's defense is too stingy to allow any kind of offense explosion out of this group and expect the intensity to be less than last week, but the result to be the same...sacks and turnovers.
Detroit 21 Pittsburgh 31- The Steelers have outplayed and even dominated every team on their schedule this year for three quarters. The fourth quarter has become an exercise in self destruction for the defending champs and do not expect that to change. Pittsburgh will go ahead early and appear to be in control for the majority of the game. Lions fans should tune in around the beginning of the fourth quarter where they will pick apart the Steelers prevent d.
Do not expect a Bengals/Bears letdown however. The lead will be to substantial and Ben Roethlisberger will be able to make enough plays against a weak secondary to keep the lead at a safe distance.
Luckily the Rams offense is quickly becoming a mockery of the NFL, producing anemic numbers all season. Minnesota's defense is too stingy to allow any kind of offense explosion out of this group and expect the intensity to be less than last week, but the result to be the same...sacks and turnovers.
Detroit 21 Pittsburgh 31- The Steelers have outplayed and even dominated every team on their schedule this year for three quarters. The fourth quarter has become an exercise in self destruction for the defending champs and do not expect that to change. Pittsburgh will go ahead early and appear to be in control for the majority of the game. Lions fans should tune in around the beginning of the fourth quarter where they will pick apart the Steelers prevent d.
Do not expect a Bengals/Bears letdown however. The lead will be to substantial and Ben Roethlisberger will be able to make enough plays against a weak secondary to keep the lead at a safe distance.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Rabbit Hunter reply
The fact that Frank Deford is my favorite sports journalist should not be overlooked when reading my response, I listen to him on NPR habitually. My opinion is anything but unbiased, Deford is unlike any other sports reporter besides Dave Zirin, who works for The Nation. The reason for my admiration for these writers is how they consistently present stories, often which are mainstream, in a completely different light challenging readers to speculate about a story on a level beyond what is obvious or comfortable.
The writing in "The Rabbit Hunter," and other articles by Deford, is fresh and uncommitted to making a definition of Bob Knight. Although, his opinion seems to be somewhat present in sections of the writing, he counters even the points he appears to be on the side of with ideas and quotes that prove the opposite. For every factor about Bob Knight that makes you cringe, there is an opposing positive side to his attitude or action. He seems to be guiding us through the story like a good writer should, but proving that nothing is as clear cut and obvious on the surface. In this way he forces a reader to adjust perception within the article over and over again and actually question their own feelings on more than just Bob Knight and his coaching.
Organization within the essay for me was fine, because it began and ended with the main point of the story, the hunting of rabbits getting in the way of the elephants that can kill you and whether Bob Knight suffered from this syndrome he coached against. The organization did not bother me, but I can see the problem people had differentiating between the old people and coaches sections. For me however it was vital that the old people section followed coaches because much of it was explaining his overwhelming connection to coaches of all sports. The section on women had to come before the ending so there was some kind of introduction to Nancy Knight and not only their relationship, but the way he feels about girlfriends of players and women in a general sense.
The article was successful for me because of the continued reflection on the early instances referred to at the beginning of the story. In each of the sections a bit more of either the Puerto Rico incident or another instance was explained, but the article continued, for me, to create almost more questions to ponder, putting the responsibility on the reader, instead of giving a more straightforward definition of Bobby Knight.
The writing in "The Rabbit Hunter," and other articles by Deford, is fresh and uncommitted to making a definition of Bob Knight. Although, his opinion seems to be somewhat present in sections of the writing, he counters even the points he appears to be on the side of with ideas and quotes that prove the opposite. For every factor about Bob Knight that makes you cringe, there is an opposing positive side to his attitude or action. He seems to be guiding us through the story like a good writer should, but proving that nothing is as clear cut and obvious on the surface. In this way he forces a reader to adjust perception within the article over and over again and actually question their own feelings on more than just Bob Knight and his coaching.
Organization within the essay for me was fine, because it began and ended with the main point of the story, the hunting of rabbits getting in the way of the elephants that can kill you and whether Bob Knight suffered from this syndrome he coached against. The organization did not bother me, but I can see the problem people had differentiating between the old people and coaches sections. For me however it was vital that the old people section followed coaches because much of it was explaining his overwhelming connection to coaches of all sports. The section on women had to come before the ending so there was some kind of introduction to Nancy Knight and not only their relationship, but the way he feels about girlfriends of players and women in a general sense.
The article was successful for me because of the continued reflection on the early instances referred to at the beginning of the story. In each of the sections a bit more of either the Puerto Rico incident or another instance was explained, but the article continued, for me, to create almost more questions to ponder, putting the responsibility on the reader, instead of giving a more straightforward definition of Bobby Knight.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Favre Factor
Apparently Brett Favre still has a little fire left from his ungraceful exit in Green Bay. He came out firing and took apart a Green Bay defense that was geared up to stop the run and make their ex beat them. For Favre it could not have gone any better, unless all his former teammates would have thrown off their helmets and surrendered to their past leader. The Vikings kept a comfortable lead for much of the second half and the offense relied heavily upon Favre's distribution skills.
The real story line for the game, besides the grudge match between Favre and the Green Bay franchise, was the dominance of the Viking's defensive line. Seven sacks, including a safety and a fumble recovery, making the problem plagued Packer offensive line look in shambles.
Aaron Rogers, despite all the pressure, did not look half bad and put up monster yardage through the air, but the turnovers and drive killing sacks where to much to overcome. The Packers need to take control of their season here soon. The signs of abandoning the run completely looks extremely familiar to the team that lost so many games last season. Although they will put up big numbers their defense and team is not built to succeed in that manner, not yet at least.
All in all, even with Favre triumphant domination of the Packers, both teams have the quarterback they want. Green Bay is better off with Rogers, Favre would have thrown 12 interceptions by now on that team, and Minnesota has a willy veteran with a knack for making big plays late in the game and in big games. Both teams benefited from Favre leaving the Packers but it would be hard to get any agreement out of their fans.
The real story line for the game, besides the grudge match between Favre and the Green Bay franchise, was the dominance of the Viking's defensive line. Seven sacks, including a safety and a fumble recovery, making the problem plagued Packer offensive line look in shambles.
Aaron Rogers, despite all the pressure, did not look half bad and put up monster yardage through the air, but the turnovers and drive killing sacks where to much to overcome. The Packers need to take control of their season here soon. The signs of abandoning the run completely looks extremely familiar to the team that lost so many games last season. Although they will put up big numbers their defense and team is not built to succeed in that manner, not yet at least.
All in all, even with Favre triumphant domination of the Packers, both teams have the quarterback they want. Green Bay is better off with Rogers, Favre would have thrown 12 interceptions by now on that team, and Minnesota has a willy veteran with a knack for making big plays late in the game and in big games. Both teams benefited from Favre leaving the Packers but it would be hard to get any agreement out of their fans.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Week 4 Pick'em
After going perfect last week, there is likely no chance I get more than maybe one of these right.
Chicago 31 Detroit 14- After a huge win getting the proverbial monkey of their shoulders, Detroit will falter this week. Chicago will decide to take the Lions a little more seriously and after a close scare in Seattle the previous week and the chance to gain on either the Vikings or Packers, they won't be messing around with the Lions. Look for this one to be over by the time the fourth quarter starts.
Green Bay 24 Minnesota 13- After struggling all season against the run, this match-up looks like trouble for the Packers. But the cheese heads will buckle down for one week and focus all of their energies on stopping Adrian Peterson. Putting the game in Brett Favre hands seems like a mistake after last week, but expect a couple of interceptions from Favre against a talented Green Bay secondary.
Chicago 31 Detroit 14- After a huge win getting the proverbial monkey of their shoulders, Detroit will falter this week. Chicago will decide to take the Lions a little more seriously and after a close scare in Seattle the previous week and the chance to gain on either the Vikings or Packers, they won't be messing around with the Lions. Look for this one to be over by the time the fourth quarter starts.
Green Bay 24 Minnesota 13- After struggling all season against the run, this match-up looks like trouble for the Packers. But the cheese heads will buckle down for one week and focus all of their energies on stopping Adrian Peterson. Putting the game in Brett Favre hands seems like a mistake after last week, but expect a couple of interceptions from Favre against a talented Green Bay secondary.
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