Random thoughts before Election Night 2008

[SabresRule]

As we prepare to elect a new president, and after a very interesting weekend of football, time for my umpteenth version of 'Random Thoughts!'

1. HD MM, how confident are you in the idea that your Browns will take advantage of Denver's porous defense?

2. Oakland's offensive numbers will be burned in my mind forever. I am sorry if this hurts Salsa's feelings, but they are hard to ignore.

3. I think Bill may be jumping the gun by saying Miami will make the playoffs. IMO, they will make the playoffs next year.

4. I can't help but wonder have the good people of Kansas City donw to deserve the fate that has befallen their Chiefs. Where have you gone, Neil Smith?

5. The Arizona/Philadelphia game on Thanksgiving, IMO, will be a better game than last year's Colts/Falcons turkey

6. If Jacksonville loses to Detroit, will SandraC finally post a picture/pictures of herself?

7. 10 yards passing for Oakland and 14 rushing yards for Denver?

8. If the Vikings had chosen Gus Frerotte as their starting QB before the season, they would be fighting for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs

9. The Wild-Card game I would love to see more than any other is New Orleans vs. Arizona. If Philly/Washington continue to knock each other off, the Saints could get in.

10. What happened to lancemccaffrey? His Redskins are playing phenomenal football, yet I haven't heard from him in about three months.

11. The Nuggets/Pistons blockbuster trade, given the timing and earliness of the season, reminds me of the 1987 Eric Dickerson trade.

12. What are the chances Clinton Portis rushes for over 2,000 yards? Does he have a realistic chance?

13. In light of Denver's 14 passing yards yesterday, you think the Broncos regret having traded the man of many costumes?

14. This is a 'Revenge of the Nerds' style sports year- Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Falcons, Northwestern football (BEWARE of the Cats, tOSU fans. They are hungry!)... in the words of Lombardi, WHAT THE HEL'S GOING ON OUT HERE?!

15. Anyone want to make a bold prediction? I would like to have someone else make a big, risky predicton and have it come true?

16. Bruce Smith should be elected into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2009.

17. Who do you consider the most overrated running back in NFL history?

18. I know HD, Jimbo, Sandra, and Wozniak will disagree, but Michigan/Ohio State may not be the most important Big 10 game that day. IMO, it'll take a back seat to Michigan State/Penn State!

19. Does San Francisco have ANY CHANCE of beating Arizona next Monday Night?

20. Now that Kyle Orton is out for four games, will the Bears have the same difficulties at QB Dallas has had?

21. Who's the early favorite for NFL Defensive Player of the Year? I say Joey Porter, given his ridiculous number of sacks at this point in the season.

22. Percentage-wise, what are the chances C.C. Sabathia is still a Brewer in 2009?

23. I don't care if Albert Pujols had better percentage numbers than Ryan Howard; Howard was better at bashing the baseball and driving runs home. Howard should win another MVP award.

24. I heard that the Bengals have lost only once in the last five years when they wear the alternate 'all-orange' uniform. Maybe they should wear them on a permanent basis.

25. *************

 

[salsadancer7]

2. Oakland's offensive numbers will be burned in my mind forever. I am sorry if this hurts Salsa's feelings, but they are hard to ignore.

Not hurt.....I watched the 2nd half and the defense showed a little pride and held the Falcons in check and showed that as I have stated ALL YEAR....no WR, ONLY offensive threat out because of one injury or another....equals disaster....NOT quitters.

99% percent of the comments here are based on the quick 45 highlights of ESPN.
I assure you that NOBODY but me, Hitachi and a few who's name escapes me, watched the game yesterday.

 

[BillD1984]

As we prepare to elect a new president, and after a very interesting weekend of football, time for my umpteenth version of 'Random Thoughts!'



3. I think Bill may be jumping the gun by saying Miami will make the playoffs. IMO, they will make the playoffs next year.

Have you looked at Miami's schedule? Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, St. Louis and Kansas City! Has any team had an easier schedule in the 2nd half? EVER?!


5. The Arizona/Philadelphia game on Thanksgiving, IMO, will be a better game than last year's Colts/Falcons turkey

Agreed. I just wish it was in Glendale. I just can't see Arizona winning a football game in the Northeast in Nov/Dec/Jan.

6. If Jacksonville loses to Detroit, will SandraC finally post a picture/pictures of herself?

Sorry, you lost me here. What does Sandra have to do with either Jacksonville or Detroit?


8. If the Vikings had chosen Gus Frerotte as their starting QB before the season, they would be fighting for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs

Agreed. The Vikings will win the NFC North.


10. What happened to lancemccaffrey? His Redskins are playing phenomenal football, yet I haven't heard from him in about three months.

I know. I hope everything is ok with Lance. He was a GREAT contributor.

11. The Nuggets/Pistons blockbuster trade, given the timing and earliness of the season, reminds me of the 1987 Eric Dickerson trade.

Great analogy! :up

15. Anyone want to make a bold prediction? I would like to have someone else make a big, risky predicton and have it come true?

I already did. The Miami Dolphins will make the playoffs!

16. Bruce Smith should be elected into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2009.

Agreed.

17. Who do you consider the most overrated running back in NFL history?

I really have to think about this one.



19. Does San Francisco have ANY CHANCE of beating Arizona next Monday Night?

Two chances: slim and none.

20. Now that Kyle Orton is out for four games, will the Bears have the same difficulties at QB Dallas has had?

Yup. Turnoversaurus Rex is backkkkkkkkkk!!!!!

21. Who's the early favorite for NFL Defensive Player of the Year? I say Joey Porter, given his ridiculous number of sacks at this point in the season.

Albert Haynesworth

22. Percentage-wise, what are the chances C.C. Sabathia is still a Brewer in 2009?

25%

:up

 

[SabresRule]

Have you looked at Miami's schedule? Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, St. Louis and Kansas City! Has any team had an easier schedule in the 2nd half? EVER?!

I stand corrected. That IS a winnable schedule. I would be more shocked if they win a playoff game ot two when I think about it.

What does Sandra have to do with either Jacksonville or Detroit?

Myself and a few others talked about whether Sandra would post a picture of herself before the Lions win their first game of the year, and after what the Jags did yesterday, that game is highly winnable.

 

[HD MM]

1. HD MM, how confident are you in the idea that your Browns will take advantage of Denver's porous defense? After watching the Browns first 8 games, the only thing that can be determined so far is that they are wildly inconsistent. Who knows which team will show up on Thursday.

2. Oakland's offensive numbers will be burned in my mind forever. I am sorry if this hurts Salsa's feelings, but they are hard to ignore. Wahhhh! Salsa's a big boy, he'll be ok.

4. I can't help but wonder have the good people of Kansas City donw to deserve the fate that has befallen their Chiefs. Where have you gone, Neil Smith? Larry Johnson commits crimes against women. Maybe that is karma in itself to punish the Chiefs.

5. The Arizona/Philadelphia game on Thanksgiving, IMO, will be a better game than last year's Colts/Falcons turkey. Thank God!

9. The Wild-Card game I would love to see more than any other is New Orleans vs. Arizona. If Philly/Washington continue to knock each other off, the Saints could get in. Being a big fan of Texas Tech and the Big 12, you're certainly a fan of high octane offenses, huh? That seems to carry over to the teams you like in the NFL.

12. What are the chances Clinton Portis rushes for over 2,000 yards? Does he have a realistic chance? Portis has 1,056 more yards to go with 8 games remaining. He would have to average 132 yards a game to accomplish this feat, which may be just out of his reach.

18. I know HD, Jimbo, Sandra, and Wozniak will disagree, but Michigan/Ohio State may not be the most important Big 10 game that day. IMO, it'll take a back seat to Michigan State/Penn State! If the Super Bowl was on November 22nd, the OSU/Michigan game would STILL be the biggest game on TV! (Well, at least to me, anyways)

19. Does San Francisco have ANY CHANCE of beating Arizona next Monday Night? After watching this NFL season so far, I would say anything is a posiblitly.

20. Now that Kyle Orton is out for four games, will the Bears have the same difficulties at QB Dallas has had? Nope. The Bears aren't as one sided as the Cowboys.

21. Who's the early favorite for NFL Defensive Player of the Year? I say Joey Porter, given his ridiculous number of sacks at this point in the season. I said Justin Tuck before the start of the season and I'm going to stick with that prediction.

22. Percentage-wise, what are the chances C.C. Sabathia is still a Brewer in 2009? 7%

23. I don't care if Albert Pujols had better percentage numbers than Ryan Howard; Howard was better at bashing the baseball and driving runs home. Howard should win another MVP award. Big difference between the two. Pujols (54) strikes out a lot less than Howard (199). Personally, I'd take Pujols over Howard any day of the week.

 

[SabresRule]

Being a big fan of Texas Tech and the Big 12, you're certainly a fan of high octane offenses, huh? That seems to carry over to the teams you like in the NFL.

I grew up in Buffalo during a time when the Bills used the high-scoring No-Huddle attack. That helped, along with playing lots of Sega Genesis football games.

 

[yourbeliefs]

19. Does San Francisco have ANY CHANCE of beating Arizona next Monday Night?

They have a decent chance, and I am so tired of people jumping on the Cardinals bandwagon. When did the Arizona Cardinals become the new shining light of the NFC West? They could EASILY fall to under .500 in the next few weeks.

Do we all forget that this team hasn't had a WINNING season since 1998? They have an aging QB who hasn't had any real success since Bill Clinton was president, a bunch of wide receivers who everyone says are so great yet seem to consistently fly like a cardinal into clouds of success mediocrity, a running back who holds the record for the most carries for an average gain of under 2 yards and left the Colts at the PERFECT time, and a management staff and brain trust that could join the Lions and the Clippers in the "Teams that could be driven better by blind people" club.

I think the Niners are going to show the world that they're not as bad as everyone says and that the Cardinals are not as GOOD as everyone says. Just because you have a good record in a crappy division doesn't mean you're a good team. If you're a fat and ugly person in a beauty competition against a group of burn victims, just because you win the contest doesn't mean that you're not still fat and ugly.

Sorry to go off on such a long tangent on a simple question, but this infuriates me more than people who chose Dallas to go all the way this year when they haven't won a playoff game for a similar stretch. Obviously I'm a little bitter about my team's (lack of) success as of late, but let's not forget that it's not a team like the Giants or Titans or Steelers that are playing them.

 

[SabresRule]

I am so tired of people jumping on the Cardinals bandwagon. When did the Arizona Cardinals become the new shining light of the NFC West? They could EASILY fall to under .500 in the next few weeks.

Do we all forget that this team hasn't had a WINNING season since 1998? They have an aging QB who hasn't had any real success since Bill Clinton was president, a bunch of wide receivers who everyone says are so great yet seem to consistently fly like a cardinal into clouds of success mediocrity, a running back who holds the record for the most carries for an average gain of under 2 yards and left the Colts at the PERFECT time, and a management staff and brain trust that could join the Lions and the Clippers in the "Teams that could be driven better by blind people" club.

I think the Niners are going to show the world that they're not as bad as everyone says and that the Cardinals are not as GOOD as everyone says. Just because you have a good record in a crappy division doesn't mean you're a good team. If you're a fat and ugly person in a beauty competition against a group of burn victims, just because you win the contest doesn't mean that you're not still fat and ugly.

Those words may come back to haunt you next week.

 

[BillD1984]

I grew up in Buffalo during a time when the Bills used the high-scoring No-Huddle attack. That helped, along with playing lots of Sega Genesis football games.

No offense Sabres, but didn't THAT teach you once and for all that defense wins championships (at least 90% off the time).

 

[HD MM]

They have a decent chance, and I am so tired of people jumping on the Cardinals bandwagon. When did the Arizona Cardinals become the new shining light of the NFC West? They could EASILY fall to under .500 in the next few weeks.

Do we all forget that this team hasn't had a WINNING season since 1998? They have an aging QB who hasn't had any real success since Bill Clinton was president, a bunch of wide receivers who everyone says are so great yet seem to consistently fly like a cardinal into clouds of success mediocrity, a running back who holds the record for the most carries for an average gain of under 2 yards and left the Colts at the PERFECT time, and a management staff and brain trust that could join the Lions and the Clippers in the "Teams that could be driven better by blind people" club.

I think the Niners are going to show the world that they're not as bad as everyone says and that the Cardinals are not as GOOD as everyone says. Just because you have a good record in a crappy division doesn't mean you're a good team. If you're a fat and ugly person in a beauty competition against a group of burn victims, just because you win the contest doesn't mean that you're not still fat and ugly.

Sorry to go off on such a long tangent on a simple question, but this infuriates me more than people who chose Dallas to go all the way this year when they haven't won a playoff game for a similar stretch. Obviously I'm a little bitter about my team's (lack of) success as of late, but let's not forget that it's not a team like the Giants or Titans or Steelers are playing them.

Up until this year, the Tampa Rays have never had a winning season in their existence and they came within 3 games of winning the World Series. In sports, anything can happen. History doesn't necessarily determine one season or another.

 

[SabresRule]

No offense Sabres, but didn't THAT teach you once and for all that defense wins championships (at least 90% off the time).

Probably the first Super Bowl loss- the 1991 Redskins were no offensive slouch, one of the all-time best single-season teams- no shame in losing to them or the Cowboys of '92 and '93.

The 1990 Giants, OTOH, I thought were a 9-7 team disguised as a 13-3 team, that may have been the most boring Super Bowl winning-team ever. I felt they played not to win, but to avoid losing.

 

[BillD1984]

Probably the first Super Bowl loss- the 1991 Redskins were no offensive slouch, one of the all-time best single-season teams- no shame in losing to them or the Cowboys of '92 and '93.

The 1990 Giants, OTOH, I thought were a 9-7 team disguised as a 13-3 team, that may have been the most boring Super Bowl winning-team ever. I felt they played not to win, but to avoid losing.

They may have had a pedestrian offense led by Jeff Hostetler, but they DID have a very good defense!

 

[SabresRule]

They may have had a pedestrian offense led by Jeff Hostetler, but they DID have a very good defense!

I wouldn't say pedestrian offense. Yes, I don't like the Giants, but they weren't the 2000 Ravens.

 

[BillD1984]

I wouldn't say pedestrian offense. Yes, I don't like the Giants, but they weren't the 2000 Ravens.

Okay, fine.

But my point was that '90 Giants team had a very good defense.


BTW, your Bills team that year was no slouch on the defensive side of the ball: Bruce Smith, Shane Conlon, Cornelius Bennett and Darryl Talley was a very formidable defense. I just think the Giants D led by LT was a shade better.

 

[SabresRule]

I just think the Giants D led by LT was a shade better.

True, but I still think they were not quite as destructive, overpowering, or flat-out frightening as the 1986 team. THAT was the finest Big Blue defense ever.

(Oh, and I think Joe Morris was, and still is, a better RB than Rodney Hampton)

The 1986 team was far more dominant than the 1990 version. In 1986, the G-Men humiliated each of their playoff opponents (49-3 over San Fran, shutout of the Redskins, and Phil Simms' magnificent passing performance against Denver in the Super Bowl), whereas the 1990 team needed a late field goal to beat the 49ers and had to sweat out a missed field goal against Buffalo.

 

[BillD1984]

True, but I still think they were not quite as destructive, overpowering, or flat-out frightening as the 1986 team. THAT was the finest Big Blue defense ever.

(Oh, and I think Joe Morris was, and still is, a better RB than Rodney Hampton)

The 1986 team was far more dominant than the 1990 version. In 1986, the G-Men humiliated each of their playoff opponents (49-3 over San Fran, shutout of the Redskins, and Phil Simms' magnificent passing performance against Denver in the Super Bowl), whereas the 1990 team needed a late field goal to beat the 49ers and had to sweat out a missed field goal.

I agree that the '86 Giants were more dominant than the '90 Giants, BUT the G-Men beat arguably one of the greatest teams ever on the road in the NFCCG.

Then the Giants beat the team everyone (including myself) annointed Super Bowl champions after the total beating they handed the Raiders in the AFCCG.

 

[anders5189]

The 1986 team was far more dominant than the 1990 version. In 1986, the G-Men humiliated each of their playoff opponents (49-3 over San Fran, shutout of the Redskins, and Phil Simms' magnificent passing performance against Denver in the Super Bowl), whereas the 1990 team needed a late field goal to beat the 49ers and had to sweat out a missed field goal against Buffalo.

That 1990 SF team was one of the best teams ever not to win a SB. The 49ers were the 2 time defending champs and EVERYBODY thought they would 3 peat. Who cares how you win the game? Nobody else in the league could beat those guys. And to do it with Jeff Hostetler at QB? That would be like Chad Pennington winning a SB. The Giants earned that SB plain and simple.

You realize that the hit LT had on Montana in the NFC CG knocked Joe out for nearly 2 years and led to him being traded to the Chiefs? Now that's a big time hit!

 

[SabresRule]

You realize that the hit LT had on Montana in the NFC CG knocked Joe out for nearly 2 years and led to him being traded to the Chiefs? Now that's a big time hit!

Leonard Marshall delivered that big hit on Montana, not L.T.

IMO, that 49ers team, even had they survived the Giants, would not have beaten Buffalo in the Super Bowl. San Fran had an awful running game that year (this was before they got Ricky Watters) and Steve Young woud have been in way over his head.

 

[anders5189]

Leonard Marshall delivered that big hit on Montana, not L.T.

IMO, that 49ers team, even had they survived the Giants, would not have beaten Buffalo in the Super Bowl. San Fran had an awful running game that year (this was before they got Ricky Watters) and Steve Young woud have been in way over his head.

What??? The 49ers would have beaten Buffalo so bad it would have made SB XXVII (Dal 56-Buf 17) look competitive. Remember the Niners thrashed the Broncos 55-10 in SB XXIV the year before. The only reason Buffalo had a shot in SB XXV was that they were playing the Giants. Steve Young in over his head? :haha I think Young would have racked up more fantasy points against the Bills than he did against the Chargers in SB XXIX.

 

[db2]

3. I think Bill may be jumping the gun by saying Miami will make the playoffs. IMO, they will make the playoffs next year.
I agree

5. The Arizona/Philadelphia game on Thanksgiving, IMO, will be a better game than last year's Colts/Falcons turkey
I'm not sold on the Cardinals yet. They are this year's New Orleans (a lot of hype that will fold when push comes to shove)

8. If the Vikings had chosen Gus Frerotte as their starting QB before the season, they would be fighting for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs
Agree and disagree. T-Jack was/is horrible but I'm not sure Frerotte is quite good enough either.

12. What are the chances Clinton Portis rushes for over 2,000 yards? Does he have a realistic chance?
No.

14. This is a 'Revenge of the Nerds' style sports year- Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Falcons, Northwestern football (BEWARE of the Cats, tOSU fans. They are hungry!)... in the words of Lombardi, WHAT THE HEL'S GOING ON OUT HERE?!
LOL you're right.

17. Who do you consider the most overrated running back in NFL history?
Emmitt Smith. He was good to be sure but he played for a great team with a great quarterback, great receiver and great offensive line. Many of his runs were untouched into the secondary.

18. I know HD, Jimbo, Sandra, and Wozniak will disagree, but Michigan/Ohio State may not be the most important Big 10 game that day. IMO, it'll take a back seat to Michigan State/Penn State!
I totally agree and I like it! Let Mich/OSU play second fiddle for once.

19. Does San Francisco have ANY CHANCE of beating Arizona next Monday Night?
Yes.

25. Finally, who do you want to see elected president?
George Carlin, but he's dead.