Month: February 2011

Categories
Football

Boondoggle

The NFL’s handling of the 400 or so fans at the Super Bowl is officially awful. It’s just been a slow motion train wreck ever since word first leaked that there was a problem. It’s very unfortunate as well because it was really a fantastic game that capped off a great season of football. People will unfortunately remember this aspect of the game as much as the play on the field.

With $9 billion in revenue, the owners could pay each of these people their annual salary as compensation and it would barely dent the bottom line. But the fantastic wealth that owners enjoy didn’t come to them because they gave stuff away and I suspect that’s what we’re seeing in action here. It’s “penny-wise, pound foolish” personified. The thing is that the fans will get what they want in the end. There’s no other way for it to end, and the owner’s will only cement into the public conscience the massive PR hit every day they delay. Throw in the methodical nature that owners conduct NFL business so as to wring every last penny from their fan base and there’s just no excuse I can imagine.

On a slightly sadder note and zooming out a little, I wonder if we haven’t witnessed a peak in the game. The NFL enjoyed the most successful ratings season ever this year. The Super Bowl was the highest rated TV event in history (it eclipsed MASH and two previous Super Bowls). The playoffs were full of compelling games that were watchable to the end.

But now they’ve botched a fan-relationship; they’ve got a labor dispute on their hands; they’ve got lingering safety issues related to the game that most people believe they are unserious about. In short, they’ve got some major hurdles to deal with right now that will require difficult solutions. Including the very real threat of a shortened season. And make no mistake, a shortened season due to disagreements between millionaires and almost-billionaires will not set well with fans. See the last baseball strike. It will set the game back.

Uncertain times for America’s game. No doubt about it.

Categories
Football

Holy Crap

Via deadspin, here’s a trick shot video featuring UConn’s backup QB.

I’d like to know how many times some of those shots took. Particularly the ones in Gampel Pavillion. Even so, WOW.

The next question is: can he do that sort of thing with 280 pound defensive lineman breathing down his neck?

Categories
Misc

Returning to Normal?

The past couple of days have been a bit above average temperature wise. Topping the 40 degree mark 2 days in a row in fact! For some perspective, the beginning of January was the last time we saw weather this warm. And, at this point in the Winter, I’m not being one bit ironic when referring to highs around 40 as “warm.”

Aside from the temperatures, it’s been a physically demanding Winter as well. I’ve probably used the snowblower as often as a lawn mower. Even then, I still use the shovel to clean off our deck and a path to the wood pile. The wood also requires a fair amount of effort to keep a ready supply and at-hand. Yesterday I chopped up the ice on our driveway with an adz. All the snow that had been on the roof was pulled off with a roof-rake and then moved again with a shovel because once it landed, the snow was too hard to push a snow blower through it. The sum total of all this is I’ve lost about 10 lbs from all the extra work. Who needs a gym membership?

Finally, though, it appears our recent pattern is about to be broken. We have some more cold coming later this week, but there is another warm up coming afterwards. We’re forecasted to get some light snow tonight, but there are no further storms in the immediate future. At this rate, the kids may actually have a full week of school!

Of course, it’s New England. Give it five minutes, the weather will change.

Categories
Football

The Super Bowl

Alright, it’s official. The “Excessive Celebration” penalty has jumped the shark with the call just made against Green Bay. Totally, completely pathetic. I can’t believe the NFL didn’t take the zebra’s aside and order them not to call that penalty during the game. Simply amazing.

We need a full-fledged fan revolt against the most ridiculous penalty every devised for football. Really. If Florio wants to try and exert some clout, he should get on that bandwagon now.

UPDATE: YES!!! Packers 31 Steelers 25

I don’t know if it’s one of the greatest, but it was a great game to watch. Two evenly matched teams that brought their best games for 60 minutes against one another. Hard to ask for more than that. Fantastic. Plus the Steelers lost- the best I could hope for from this one.

Nothing better than knowing there’s a bunch of depressed Steeler fans stomping around tonight. Now I don’t have to listen to Harrison talk about how he beat the league; or how Roethlisberger overcame all his adversity and all the other silly BS storylines the sports media was working up.

As far as the commercials go, easily the Volkswagen commercial with Mini-Vader was the best one. The first couple of Pepsi Max commercials with the can off the noggin routine were good, but Mini-Vader takes it. The force was strong in that one.

UPDATE II: Here’s a link to that Volkswagen commercial:

Categories
Family

Well That Worked

The boy wanted a friend over this weekend. So we arranged for a buddy to come over today after their hockey practice. His friend’s parents are going to pick him up later.

But what to do with the lass? She’s always the third wheel when her brother has one of his friends over. She refuses to just let them have their fun together. She has to be involved.

So we figured we’d invite one of her friends over. With each one occupied, the Wife and I figured we’d have a reasonable afternoon.

Yeah- we’ll have to go back to the drawing board on that one. We’d have had a more relaxing afternoon if the roof had fallen in from the snow.

First, they couldn’t figure out what to do. Then they couldn’t leave each other alone. If the boys were doing something fun, then the girls had to come over and get in on the act. If they all tried to play together then they all started narcing on one another. “She said my drawing looks stupid.” (It did, but you can’t say that…) “He’s being mean.”

So finally we throw them outside. Naturally, the lass’ friend gets hit with a snowball. You know, because a snowball fight with ice chips between 1st grade boys and pre-k girls always turns out well! So I take the girls on a small hill to sled a little. Then the boy decides he has to sled on that same hill. What the hell is going on? His friend is here to visit him, and he has to be all over his sister? Really?

Finally, 30 minutes before their parents are to come pick them up they separate and start playing. Without adult help. Time for me to go chip ice off the driveway with my forehead.

Next time, we send them somewhere else at the same time.

Categories
Football

Have You Heard?

It’s Super Bowl Sunday.

May the best team win, as long as it isn’t the Steelers.

Categories
Football

The Right Attitude Anyway

Generally speaking, I like Tony Romo. Although my overall opinion of him as a pro QB is more mid-range. He’s racked up some impressive stats as a QB and he has won some big games along the way. Unfortunately, he just doesn’t seem to have the “magic” that elite QB’s seem to have when it’s crunch time. Perhaps the better way to say it is if the team is playing well then Romo tends to follow suit. But if the team isn’t playing well, he doesn’t seem to have the capability to right the ship and get the team a win. Contrast that with the Brady, Manning, Brees or even Roethlisberger and it’s understandable why Romo is a bit frustrating for fans.

That said, stuff like this make it hard for me to not root for him. He’s got the right attitude and consistently says the right things related to his performance in the NFL. He’s not delusional about what he has or hasn’t done and it sure seems like he wants to get there. Perhaps there’s a case to be made that he wants it too badly and that results in some of his poor performances.

I’ve arrived at a theory that great players don’t actually “force” things. It only appears that way in retrospect. I think great players remain calm at keys junctures of a game and execute the plays consistently. When combined with other players who don’t remain calm, the results are big plays that look like an extension of will power by the QB. A great example of this is the Troy Aikman’s pass to Alvin Harper at the end of the game that iced the win for the Cowboys in their first NFC Championship game against the 49ers. I’ve listened to Aikman describe the circumstances surrounding the play and it’s a clear example of the 49er’s pressing and the Cowboys just executing the play like it was the first play of the game. Romo seems like he hasn’t quite figured out how to remain calm and just execute plays regardless of the situation. Instead, he’s thinking “Crunch time- time to make something happen.” It just doesn’t work that way.

Next year’s another chance for him to figure it out.

Categories
Family

Hockey Mom

When the boy got home yesterday, the Wife was already gone. When he asked where she was, I said she had something to do and we’d be meeting up with her a little later. That response didn’t entirely mollify him so I further explained we’d be meeting up with her at the hockey rink for his practice.

Continue reading “Hockey Mom”
Categories
Family

Delayed Opening

If the school administration here isn’t seriously considering jettisoning the Winter school break, I’ll have to consider them completely unserious about educating kids. As it is, they now wait until the very last possible moment before announcing cancellations. Clearly the school day count is getting desperate and they’re reluctant to use anymore. But with all of February and March to go, the likelihood of more cancellations is almost 100%. Especially this Winter.

The bigger hit is to the lass’ schooling. Since she only has half-days, a delayed opening means no school. If it weren’t for the fact that we’re paying the school $200 a month for her not to go, I probably wouldn’t be so annoyed.

Time to go get the boy ready for school…

Categories
Misc

More Winter Storm Blogging

Frankly, I’d rather have another 18″ of snow than the crap we’re getting today. It was snow up until about 6AM, then it turned to sleet and then freezing rain. Now it’s just rain. No guess as to how much heavier the snow is now, but it’s definitely heavier.

I did take advantage of the situation. I was able to walk on the snow piles without sinking in, so I used them as stepstools to reach further onto the roof and drag more snow off it. Unfortunately, by the time I was done with that and plowing I was so exhausted that I couldn’t do any raking on the other side of the house.

Also on the plus side is the workout. I lost a couple more pounds today. Shoveling this stuff is easily as difficult as any workout I could create. So I’ve got that going for me.

Now, time to go give the kids some math and handwriting lessons.

Categories
Misc

This Just In- It’s Snowing!

School was cancelled at 5AM this morning, so the kids are sitting watching cartoons at the moment. On the plus side, they helped empty the dishwasher, so I guess that earns them a little down time.

The predictions are for anywhere from 5″ to 10″ for us. Tomorrow the ice and sleet and freezing rain move in so I’d say tomorrow will be the worse of the two. The kids are guaranteed not to have school tomorrow as well.

Along those lines, I’m hearing more talk about forgoing the Winter vacation so that the school year isn’t extended until the end of June. One district has already played that card here in Connecticut. I may have to conduct some lessons for the kids myself today.

I wouldn’t want them to think staying home from school is just automatically fun, now would I?

Categories
Misc

And Now Some Levity

A friend sent me this email. I’ve seen versions of it before and it’s obvious where it’s going. None the less, I had tears in my eyes from laughing.

Enjoy.

August 15 – Moved to our new home in Connecticut . It’s so beautiful here. The lake to the north looks so majestic. I can hardly wait to see it snow covered. I’m going to love it here!

October 14 – Connecticut is definitely the most beautiful place on earth. The leaves have turned all the colors and shades of red and orange. Went for a ride through the park and saw some deer. They are so graceful. Certainly they are the most wonderful animals on earth. This must be paradise, I

LOVE IT HERE!!

October 25 – Deer season will start soon. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to kill such a gorgeous animal. Hope it will snow soon. I love it here. Those red and orange leaves have covered my yard. Looks like a magnificent multi-colored carpet. HOW BEAUTIFUL. Raking and cleaning up the yard will be an opportunity for invigorating exercise in the cool crisp air.

November 1 – Ah, more leaves and more exercise.

November 8 – Wow, still more leaves. Guess it’s best to wait until they’ve all fallen before I rake again.

November 15 – Finally, all of the trees lost their leaves and with today’s final raking it’s over for this season. Chiropractor suggested I use a lawn maintenance service next year. Only four blisters became infected. Should probably remember to use gloves.

November 30 – What the freak? Where did all of those leaves come from? Had a little wind last night and the lawn is covered again. Oh well, they’ll just have to wait until spring.

December 12 – It snowed last night, FINALLY. Woke up to find everything blanketed in white. It looks like a postcard.

We went outside and cleaned the snow off the steps and shoveled the driveway. Had a snowball fight (I won) and when the snowplow came by we had to shovel the end of the driveway again. What a beautiful place. I Love Connecticut !

December 14 – More snow last night, I love it. The snow plow did his trick to the driveway again. I Love it here.

December 19 – More snow again last night. Can’t get out of the driveway. Can’t get to work. I’m exhausted from shoveling. Freaking snowplow snow!

December 22 – More of that white s–t fell again last night. As if dealing with the leaves weren’t bad enough, now I’ve got blisters all over my hands from shoveling, must remember to wear gloves. I think the snowplow hides around the corner and waits until I’m finished shoveling the driveway. The a–hole.

December 25 – Merry Freaking Christmas. More frigging snow. If I ever get my hands on that son-of-a-b—h who drives the snowplow, I swear I’ll kill the b—ard. Don’t know why they don’t use more salt on the roads to melt the freaking ice.

December 27 – More white s–t last night. Have been inside for three days except for shoveling out the driveway after that plow goes through every time. Freaking gloves got wet and then froze on my hands. Doctor said it was just a mild case of frost bite, disfiguration is probably only temporary. Can’t go anywhere, car is stuck in a mountain of white s–t. The weatherman says to expect another 10 inches of the s–it tonight. Do you know how many shovels full of snow 10 inches is?

December 28 – The freaking weatherman was wrong. We got 34 inches of that white s–it. At this rate it won’t melt ’till summer. The plow got stuck up the road and the b—tard came to the door and asked to borrow a shovel. After I told him I’d already broken six of them shoveling all the s–it he pushed into the driveway, I broke my last one on his f–king head.

January 4 – Finally got out of the house today. Went to the store to get food and on the way back I hit a damned deer that ran in front of my car. Did about $3000 damage. Freaking beasts should be killed. Wish the hunters had killed them all last November.

January 21 – Took the car to the garage in town. The thing is rusting out from all the freaking salt they put all over the roads.

January 24, 2011 Plane Ticket purchased for move to Melbourne, Florida . I can’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would ever live in that God forsaken state of Connecticut .

February 1, 2011….Biggest storm in the history of New England hits…. ? What’s next?