Upset Weekend....Sunday Preview

I would consider myself a weekend gambler....only on football, and not for anything other than entertainment. This Saturday was the first time ever where I didn't win a single bet on college football. And, the amazing thing is, I don't mind at all.

Yesterdays games were unreal. 5 of the top 10 teams in the nation dropped games to 'lesser' opponents. Florida, looking for revenge at home against Auburn lost it late, WVU now has a team they cannot beat in SFU, Texas stunned, OK shocked, and even USC getting scared in WA. It was great....and if you are going to lose money, it's great to be able to smile afterwards.

It just goes to show you that true fans love football so much that they would 'pay' to see great games.

Moving on to Sunday....I am hoping to see my beloved Packers stay unbeaten, the Bears lose again, and hopefully the Benglas cover the spread on MNF. Another big game here at home in CA is the Niners and the Hawks...where my wife hopes the Niners can take that next step and beat the 'best' team in their division. Look out for that Niner "D" this year....adding a true shutdown corner has made all the difference. Nate Clements is worth every penny he receives.

Brett Favre....should break the TD record today, but people in GB don't really care. We want a W, and a chance for one more trophy in Titletown. Sharing in my picks today (careful, as read earlier, I lost everything yesterday):

Bengals to cover (7) MNF
Eagles to W
Colts to W
Steelers to cover
49ers to W
Bucs to W
Bills to W
Texans to W
Raiders to W

Good luck to all this Sunday (except you Bear fans, Viking fans, and Packer haters).

Donovan McNabb; Mr. Race Card

Not to media this story to death, but it is about time someone other than Rush Limbaugh shed a bit more reality on the topic of race, specifically black quarterbacks, in the NFL. Our inconsistent an fickle media (ESPN has gotten so bad that it's hard to watch any more) picks a winner like no one in history. When the Eagles went back to the NFC Championship two years in a row, and McNabb was in the Pro-Bowl annually, he was black QB God....now that he (still working the kinks out of a VERY serious knee surgery) has had TWO bad games (running for his life, with not ONE quality WR) and the doubts enter from every crevice possible.

Part of this is Philadelphia's fault....they have (next to Oakland) some of the worst sports fans in history. BUT, the rest of it is McNabb's fault.

Ok, there are 6 black, starting QB's in the NFL today (Garrard, Jackson, McNair, Young, Campbell, and McNabb). That accounts for 20% of the leagues QB's. If you ask me, there should only be 5, Jackson isn't getting it done in Minn., and back-up McMahon gives them the best shot to win games now. McNabb's comments this week raise two issues for me....

1. DON'T PLAY A RACE CARD ANY MORE, EVER! This shit has to stop.....Are you going to try to explain to me why every starting RB in the NFL is black? Why nearly every DL-man is black, why EVERY CB in the NFL is black? Please also explain to me how often your every day NFL fan (me included) even thinks about what color the guys are on his favorite team? Guess what folks, outside of the few remaining assholes out there that use race in sports as a distinguishing characteristic, it happens very little. Donovan's use of the race card here is because he doesn't want to admit his team is just not playing good football, and as the QB (white, black, purple or grey) he is at the center of the criticism. As he should be too. He hasn't played well at all....and his MNF appearance this week was proof. He couldn't hit guys when he needed too, guys that were open, and guys that could have scored to give Philly a solid chance of winning the game. (For the record, I don't like Rush Limbaugh....but what he said on ESPN wasn't wrong, he just shouldn't have said it in that forum, leave it for the radio show dumbass).

2. McNabb has balls....and saying that guys like Carson Palmer, and Peyton Manning, "..don't get criticized as much as we do. They just don't." Is McNabb right?? You BET!!! Why? Because those guys are MUCH BETTER than ALL of the black QB's in the NFL. Criticizm when you are a QB is inevitable when you don't win, lead your team, and put up numbers.....hence why those mentioned above, and the following: JP Losman, Drew Brees, Chad Pennington, Trent Green, Damon Huard, Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning, Rex Grossman, etc are all experiencing strong criticism for their recent play.

Wake up Donovan, play like we all know you are capable, lead your team, and shut your mouth. If you want to make excuses about your play...ask your GM for a WR or two, or some better protection....but DON'T use the race card to attempt to cover up your poor play. One of your peers (Vince Young), has made mistakes, owns up to them, and does his damn job on the field...and guess what I don't hear his name being brought up in the criticism section of the paper every Monday??? Coincidence? Nope....he's playing great ball.

At the end of the day I don't give a hoot what color, size, or shape the guys are that play for the Packers...I want the team to WIN. Score 10 points a week, look like hell, play boring ball, but if you are 10-6 and playing for a shot at a ring...I'll be thrilled! Bring Donovan McNabb in to take over for Favre....just make sure he leaves his race card in Philly....Packer fans don't care what color you are, you just need to do your damn job.

I'm outta here...I need to go criticize my GREEN rake for not making the grade....I think I will bench it...and bring out the blue one!

Legendary Sunday

Traditionally, I would right all about football on a Sunday evening....and I will later, but one has to recognize what Eldred did this weekend first. There was a 60 scored this week in the final FedEx Cup Event....yet it wasn't even a headline. Why?? (because US media whores suck)

Why?? Because Tiger Woods' accomplishments, career to date, and most assuredly moving forward is so far beyond the human understanding of greatness it is not near comprehensible (not sure that is even a word, but we're going with it today). Tiger Woods is the best athlete the world has ever seen, and in my lifetime, will ever see. What he does with a set of golf clubs is not fair to the rest of the field week in and week out.....if it isn't his overpowering 325+ yard drives, stinging 265 yard 3 irons safely in the middle of the fairway on tight courses, or his uncanny putting as witnessed this weekend.

Rarely do I EVER, EVER leave the comfort and excitement of the Sunday Ticket Channels, but today it had to be done. I completely enjoy knowing that I am able to witness the greatest athlete of ALL TIME...and better yet, that I have seen him in person twice (and plan to again in the near future, next February at Pebble Beach for the AT&T Pro-Am). Props to Mr. Woods....his place in history is set, I just hope to have the privilege to see how it continues to grow for years to come (and that my kids are able to see it in person as well).

Although I am biased, I won't spend too much time on it....but another legend, closer to my home town and my heart is Bret Favre. Although a big deal wasn't made of it....Bret became the winning-est QB in NFL history today. And, he did it well with a nice 3 TD game and better yet with a win. Us Packer fans know that the day will come when Bret leaves us....but when he does choose to walk away, he will do so the biggest winner in history (at least until Manning passes him up). Soon he will have the TD record too (again, it will only stand until Manning is done), and solidify his place with the greatest ever....and arguably atop the list (I never go that far).

PS: If you didn't see the FG that Sebastien Janikowski missed today from 53 yards away....find it on you tube. The guy hit the TOP of the pole from 52 yards away in Denver. Granted, mile high and all that crap....BUT JESUS....it would have been a legit 75 yarder.....amazing even for a Polish field goal kicker....kinda ironic huh?

Until next time...enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

-Papa Skogie

Notre Dame's Next Head Coach!

As mentioned last time, my apologies for the long delay in posts....things are finally settling down. The house was completed on August 20th, and we closed the 22nd. We moved in nearly immediately, and are finally settled (outside of backyard landscaping) today.

Andrew loves his new house, tons of space to run, stairs to scale, and the P-A-R-K is only a short walk away. He visits the park nearly every single day. This picture was from Thursday morning's trip to the park....and will be used as the cover page for his coaching resume to be presented to the Notre Dame hiring committee. At this point Drew could coach this team just as well as the $6M man they have now!

It's so amazing to me that there has been no talk about Charlie Weis' lack of coaching ability. This guy is a few years into his ND tenure, has never won a bowl game, hasn't appeared to recruit a soph/frosh that has made an impact in any fashion what so ever....and has received a contract extension and more money???

Let's get one thing straight....ND football is a JOKE now....and I LOVE it. They hired a guy that never proved anything....simply rode the coat-tails of one Billy Belicheat (more on that in a second) to Super Bowls, and never had to do much at all.

It really seems to me that all sports (pro/collegiate) are paying people based on potential. It used to truly MEAN something to be a #1 draft pick, or a newly hired coach....at any level. Now all you hear is how much $$$ someone will get in a signing bonus, or how much over however many years one is set to make. I think all of sports has lost touch with winning. We don't praise a Super Bowl Team, a National Champion, World Series Champ, etc much after the clock hits 00.00, the last out is made. The Colts won it all last year in the NFL, and what was all the talk about post draft?? How much money was being turned down by the #1 pick ($32M)....mainly because less than half was guaranteed. Guess what kids....none of it should be guaranteed. Before the first preseason, the so called experts were already claiming the New England Patriots the Super Bowl Champs.....HA!

I enjoy the chats, emails, and ESPN discussions show after show as much as the next guru, however, I am sick and tired of the all BS. It's about time the commissioner of one of our famed pro-sport organizations take a step in the right direction through the compensation these players receive. I would LOVE to see a PLAN put in place to pay each position a set salary based upon tenure. Ensuring that the OL, DL, start higher than your RB, QB, etc....as they work harder than anyone during the course of a game. Then, provide incentives for statistics (it has to be done somehow based on averages)....but more importantly, place the biggest bonuses on WINNING. Win, 8 games, set bonus, make the playoffs, set bonus, so on and so on. Win the Bowl, make a million dollars??? I just don't see how this cannot work. The bonuses for stats would be small (no fighting over the ball, etc)....and the big bucks are shelled out where they count, for the TEAM that WINS games.

I can see how this could change some of the competitive balance with trades, draft, etc....but you KNOW it can work. It's getting hard to see a young college kid making $30M before he ever takes a snap, and you know for a fact that he may never amount to much at all. It has to change...or things like what happened in the NBA (point shaving by refs), NFL (Belicheat and the video tape), and MLB (rampant drug use) will continue to flare up.

As stated by one of my good pals in Colorado...."you didn't see all this cheating shit back when guys had to have second jobs to make a living..." And it is so true....money has crippled sports, and it can only get worse with the more money that ends up in players hands, well before they have ever come close to earning it.

Moving on, I am not going to comment on the Brewers and their potential playoff run. Every time I get excited and speak up, they lose with their ACE on the mound (see last night's box score). If they lose to the Cubs in this race I will puke....the CUBS SUCK!

NFL Sunday tomorrow, I JUST LOVE IT! Packers "D" has me excited again....and having Ty in the house with the Bears 0-1 is making it even better. Now I am interested in watching the Pats lose too....I cannot stand a cheater! I hope they make the playoffs (so they lose the 1st round pick) and then I hope they get creamed by the Titans (who sneak in with the Wild Card).

If you read this, thanks for sticking around and weathering the wait....I should be able to make a better effort now that I have no job. Unemployment has been good to me and I am enjoying the time at home, the park, and with Andrew full time. Once Sofia comes (ohh yeah, Daddy's Little Girl is on the way!!), things will be nuts....and I can't wait!

Best to all...

Papa Skogie!