This is a sports post, so all my non-sports friends, feel free to click out now.
Has anybody watched this NFL season so far? We are three weeks in, and I am pretty sure if there is one thing we can say for certain, it is that nobody had the slightest clue of anything coming into the season.
Let me start with the Bills, who I CALLED at the end of last season as a breakout team. Ryan Fitzpatrick looked incredible last year and I can say that I am thrilled that his success is continuing into 2011. A Harvard guy. Kicking the pants off of Tom Brady. Freakin awesome. Since my Dolphins are sucking like usual, I am tentatively jumping on the increasingly-crowded Bills bandwagon. Basically, I am for any team that makes sure the Patriots and Jets don't win.
Speaking of my Dolphins, ugh. That's really all I can say. Another year, another disappointment. This team, I honestly had high hopes for them coming into the season. What the hell has happened to this defense? Ranked 6th in the league last year, now they look like a bunch of second-teamers. I wrote on Phin Phanatic today that they are in desperate need of a coaching change, and I believe it should happen now. This season is basically a lost cause (less than 5% of teams that have started 0-3 have made the playoffs), so why not make the change now and let the new coach come in and access his personnel before the offseason starts. Please, Jeff Ireland, do something right.
Quick notes:
- Love what the Lions have done so far. If Stafford can stay healthy, this is a Super Bowl team, no doubt about it.
- What the hell Ravens? You kick the pants off the Steelers, somehow get beaten by the TITANS, and then destroy the Rams? Make a decision on the team you want to be, please.
- Speaking of the Rams, they were my Super Bowl sleeper pick this year. That's going well. Sam Bradford has regressed big time. They are injured. And the defense sucks. Oh well.
- Rex Grossman looks like a new man. I really hope the Redskins beat the Cowboys tonight and start the season 3-0. How's that for a big f you to Chicago?
- And on the topic of Chicago, did anybody that AWESOME trick play punt return at the end of the Packers game? I don't even care it was called back because of a non-existent penalty, that is the play of the year right there folks.
- Try not to cringe while watching this. Ouch. He was okay.
- Michael Vick. Have him in two fantasy leagues and so far, bleh. I knew this was a possibility when I drafted him, but it kind of sucks when it actually happens. His offensive line is worse than the one the Dolphins are putting out there on a weekly basis. He needs to get his act together, fast.
- How bout them Raiders? Pouncing all over the Jets, and I loved loved loved watching Darren McFadden run all over the critically-acclaimed Rex Ryan defense. I'll watch that any day.
- I will admit I was against Cam Newton coming into this season, and I definitely did not believe he was worthy of the number one pick. I know we are only three games in, but yes he definitely looks like the real deal. The Panthers are only 1-2, but I'm not sure you can blame Newton and his over 800 yards of passing for the two loses.
- Tom Brady is on pace for over 6,000 yards passing this season. The NFL record is 5,084 yards.
- Chris Johnson is on pace for a little over 500 yards rushing. Darren McFadden already has 400 yards rushing.
- I have no idea who is going to play in the Super Bowl, but how cool would it be to see a Bills-Lions Super Bowl?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
September 11th, 2001
I have yet to post any status or tweet today referring to 9/11. I didn't feel it was appropriate. What can I say about something like that? I could say "never forget", but if you somehow forget about 9/11, then you are a scumbag and shouldn't live in this country in the first place.
10 years ago. Tough for me to imagine it has actually been that long. Even tougher for me to realize that 10 years later, we are still fighting for our freedom.
Everyone I know always says they remember that day and where they were and what it meant and their reactions when they heard the towers had been hit. I had a different reaction.
I do remember where I was when I found out. I was in middle school, in Mr. Gordon's class. I'm pretty sure we got called to the auditorium and they announced it, but I do not remember if they let us watch the coverage or not. I remember being at home and seeing my mother's reaction, and then I knew it was serious. Until that moment, I had no idea how serious.
Honestly, the first thought that went through my mind was "what is the World Trade Center?" I had no idea. I knew it was in New York, and that was about as much as I knew at the time. I didn't realize the gravity of the situation, and it didn't sink in for some time that actual human lives were lost.
I look back and wonder if that makes me a bad American. No, it doesn't. I was a 12-year-kid and a pretty ignorant 12-year-old at that. As with today, I was much more familiar with sports than I was with news and politics, so why would I know what the World Trade Center was?
However, the point of this post is not to look back at that day. I want to focus on today.
I can't remember the last time I cried. I can't even remember the last time a tear welled up in my eye. For some reason, I seem to be void of the ability to cry.
But while watching the Ground Zero dedication today, it happened. You don't realize how many people were affected by this horrible tragedy until you hear the names. Until you see the loved ones that lost a husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter.
Then later, while watching opening day of the NFL season. Every field, a full-sized American flag was unveiled. On every NFL team, every player, every athlete walked up and put one or both hands on the flag, standing side-by-side with firefighters, police officers, and other heroes.
We sometimes put athletes on such a high pedestal, like they are of a different species than us. Watching those athletes stand next to those true heroes, it was so very clear that regardless of our position, our standing in this country, we all have one thing in common and that is that we are all Americans. And on a day like today, that is really the only thing that matters.
There is so much more I could say, like banishing Bud Selig from baseball for life for not allowing the Mets to wear FDNY and NYPD hats tonight because of some stupid regulation, but I'll keep my mouth shut on that.
I would like to address one more thing that caught my eye today. I normally don't really acknowledge facebook statuses, because it is somebody's own personal opinion and that's fine. But one caught my eye this morning that really pissed me off. I won't name names, but if you are reading this, you know who you are.
It said, "i think i'm going to unfriend everyone who i see post "never forget" or its variations today." My initial response was, are you kidding me? Some of these people that we are not forgetting are the ones who GAVE THEIR LIVES so you could continue to say whatever the hell you want online.
Now I have never had a problem with you before, but for a day like today you really need to think before you post. That may have just been some little thing, you trying to be funny or whatever, but I don't really think this is an occasion worth joking about.
So I will say it loud and proud...
9-11-01, NEVER FORGET.
10 years ago. Tough for me to imagine it has actually been that long. Even tougher for me to realize that 10 years later, we are still fighting for our freedom.
Everyone I know always says they remember that day and where they were and what it meant and their reactions when they heard the towers had been hit. I had a different reaction.
I do remember where I was when I found out. I was in middle school, in Mr. Gordon's class. I'm pretty sure we got called to the auditorium and they announced it, but I do not remember if they let us watch the coverage or not. I remember being at home and seeing my mother's reaction, and then I knew it was serious. Until that moment, I had no idea how serious.
Honestly, the first thought that went through my mind was "what is the World Trade Center?" I had no idea. I knew it was in New York, and that was about as much as I knew at the time. I didn't realize the gravity of the situation, and it didn't sink in for some time that actual human lives were lost.
I look back and wonder if that makes me a bad American. No, it doesn't. I was a 12-year-kid and a pretty ignorant 12-year-old at that. As with today, I was much more familiar with sports than I was with news and politics, so why would I know what the World Trade Center was?
However, the point of this post is not to look back at that day. I want to focus on today.
I can't remember the last time I cried. I can't even remember the last time a tear welled up in my eye. For some reason, I seem to be void of the ability to cry.
But while watching the Ground Zero dedication today, it happened. You don't realize how many people were affected by this horrible tragedy until you hear the names. Until you see the loved ones that lost a husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter.
Then later, while watching opening day of the NFL season. Every field, a full-sized American flag was unveiled. On every NFL team, every player, every athlete walked up and put one or both hands on the flag, standing side-by-side with firefighters, police officers, and other heroes.
We sometimes put athletes on such a high pedestal, like they are of a different species than us. Watching those athletes stand next to those true heroes, it was so very clear that regardless of our position, our standing in this country, we all have one thing in common and that is that we are all Americans. And on a day like today, that is really the only thing that matters.
There is so much more I could say, like banishing Bud Selig from baseball for life for not allowing the Mets to wear FDNY and NYPD hats tonight because of some stupid regulation, but I'll keep my mouth shut on that.
I would like to address one more thing that caught my eye today. I normally don't really acknowledge facebook statuses, because it is somebody's own personal opinion and that's fine. But one caught my eye this morning that really pissed me off. I won't name names, but if you are reading this, you know who you are.
It said, "i think i'm going to unfriend everyone who i see post "never forget" or its variations today." My initial response was, are you kidding me? Some of these people that we are not forgetting are the ones who GAVE THEIR LIVES so you could continue to say whatever the hell you want online.
Now I have never had a problem with you before, but for a day like today you really need to think before you post. That may have just been some little thing, you trying to be funny or whatever, but I don't really think this is an occasion worth joking about.
So I will say it loud and proud...
9-11-01, NEVER FORGET.
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