The View From Wisconsin
Just a random set of rants from a Sports Fan from Wisconsin.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Favre On The Ground
You have to wonder if Aaron Rodgers is secretly smiling to himself right now.
Anyways, some commentary on today's games:
Anyways, some commentary on today's games:
- I don't think there's ever been any other post-season game that has had so many replay reviews in a row at the end of the game like that. And don't get me started about the whole "OT needs to be fixed" complaints, Vikings fans.
- I've said it already: Archie Manning's support is going to be for his son's team, not for his former employers. Yes, Archie still lives in the Big Easy (from all I know), and Peyton and Eli grew up there and have helped out the recovery of the city from Katrina. But he's going to be rooting for his son, and his son plays for the Colts.
- I think I just saw someone intercept Brett Favre's bag in the luggage carousel at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International.
- Consider this: four out of the last six NFC champions (Saints, Cardinals, Seahawks) went to their first Super Bowl as a franchise, and five out of the last eight.
- Colts are already a four-point favorite to win the Super Bowl. I'm thinking it's going to be a great game - and another case of "last team to score wins".
- EDIT: One last thing - the NFL made a big deal this year about the 50th Anniversary of the AFL. Well, in case you didn't notice, neither team playing in the Super Bowl this year originated in the old AFL. In fact, the Colts won an NFL championship before the AFL even existed. The Saints, meanwhile, are about a month and a half older than I am.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Mac, Pete, Aaron and Ryan
Wow, what a busy sports news day. Let's get to them in some semblance of order:
"But seriously folks... stay tuned for Late-Middle-Tonight with Conan..."
- Mark McGwire admits he did steroids. I know, everyone in the sports world is saying, "This just in: the sky is blue." But there's something interesting in all of this, something he mentioned in his statement that perhaps he doesn't believe now - but is obvious he did back then: " I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too."
Guess what, Mark? At the time, you were probably right.
I've mentioned before on this blog that I've always wanted to sit down with Henry Aaron, ask him that hypothetical question about his last few years in Milwaukee - if someone would have said that, by taking some medications and doing some exercises, you could extend your career for another three to five years - and not only have a chance at hitting 800 homers, but maybe end up making some really big money - would you have done it? I know now what Mark's answer was.
Could you go up to almost anyone who'll be there in Cooperstown when Andre Dawson is inducted - including Andre himself! - and said, if it would have meant you could have played more and longer, would you have done it?
None of this BS about, "Oh, but it would have been illegal." People were popping greenies and doing lines of coke (yes, Mr. Molitor and Mr. Raines, I'm looking at you), and last I looked those were illegal too.
Mark, thanks for being honest. I know your real reason for doing this was because you didn't want to get constantly badgered about it or hassled over it when spring training started. Still, I'm going to fall on the side of appreciation that the truth came out. - Pete Carroll goes from USC to Seattle. Well, of course you know, this means one and only one thing: the Seahawks are moving to LA. (pause to allow the laughter to subside) Seriously, though - this is a basically bad career move on the part of coach Carroll. He can't schedule games against San Jose State and Syracuse in the NFL.
- Aaron Rodgers was apparently facemasked as he was going down before fumbling the ball Sunday night - which would mean that the touchdown should have been called back. My opinion? You don't put yourself into that position where one play means the ballgame, because bad things and bad breaks and officiating mistakes and such happen. A wise hockey coach who I greatly respect once said that good teams overcome bad officiating. And that is exactly why the Green Bay Packers aren't playing next weekend - not because of bad officiating, but because they weren't a very good team on Sunday. End of discussion.
- Ryan Suter was named an assistant captain on the US Men's Olympic Hockey team. Ah, a wonderful piece of positive news on this day of sports talk. I'd say something about how dad and uncle Gary would be proud, but thing is that they'd only be impressed if Ryan brings home a medal. Preferably one of RGB Color #ffd700.
"But seriously folks... stay tuned for Late-Middle-Tonight with Conan..."
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Well...
...at least Aaron Rodgers didn't say, "We're gonna take the ball and we're gonna score!"
I hope Matt Hasselbeck calls up Aaron tonight and tells him, "It's okay, I know how you feel - in more ways than one."
I hope Matt Hasselbeck calls up Aaron tonight and tells him, "It's okay, I know how you feel - in more ways than one."
So Where's Roy Scheider?
Some thoughts as we head into the second full week of 2010:
- There is something just incredibly wrong about getting a cold when you're supposed to be on vacation. I'm not scheduled to be back to work until Tuesday, and that's probably the same day that I'm going to be feeling better.
- Speaking of sick, let's talk about the Nashville Predators special teams units. 25th on the power play, 27th on the penalty kill. No wonder people take liberties with our forwards - they know it won't make a difference. And, if by some strange reason we end up retaliating, they also know it won't make a difference.
- I know, as a Packer fan, that I should be all excited and hopped up for today's game against the Cardinals. For some reason, though, I can't be excited about Aaron Rodgers' first playoff game as a pro. I think it has something to do with the locale - 71°F and cloudy. Compare that to 18°F and clear in Wisconsin - but with wind chills down to -5°F. Boy, if money weren't an issue...
- This cold, by the way, is just not very good for the psyche. The grayish-white patina has covered the landscape, and not in the sing-songy way that everyone praised in Christmas songs last month. After a couple of months of deep freeze, snow just turns ugly. Industrial-strength ugly.
- FarmVille on Facebook is turning into a time-sink for me. My farm's so big right now that I'm having trouble finding places for everything - so much so that I'm saving up coins so I can expand to the next bigger size of farm. I've already added two barns and four storage sheds, and can't rearrange them easily. And all those "gifts" we got from the Holiday trees are starting to take up space.
- On a separate issue about another Facebook game: I've had a conversation with another friend from HS about playing Mafia Wars. I refuse to even consider playing it, as it reminds me too much of the youth that I deal with on a nightly basis at work. And how enjoyable can it really be when you're playing a Tony Soprano-lookalike?
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