In the 70’s, the World Football League appeared and fizzled instantly. In the 1980’s, the USFL was born. A league that lasted for 4 years. It was a new league with many new ideas. It was known as the fun league. It was a league with many young superstars. It was a league with many old veterans not quite ready to hang up the spikes.

It had celebrity owners. This league had hot cheer leaders. They played in Spring time. The league had some great years and some down years. It was a good brand of football as the games were mostly well fought to the end. Especially the playoffs. Perhaps this league could have stuck around longer. Then the owner of the New Jersey Generals, Donald Trump, screwed that up. His great idea was to compete against the NFL. Change it up and play fall games instead of the spring games like they had been playing in the previous three years. The league folded. Then the NFL took all the moving parts, all the good ideas, and stripped down the USFL carcass to the bone.

Other leagues like World League of the American Football league appeared in the 90’s. It had teams from Europe. Eventually the NFL bought this league. Then they made it NFL Europe subtracting the American teams. The United Football League had four whopping teams. The Canadian League still existed through all of this. They made changes. They had some American teams at one point.

Before the UFL had their cup of coffee, the XFL was a one year wonder as well with more teams and more money to spend. Vince McMahon, the head of WWE, the guy that brings you all the wrestling was like Vanilla Ice, a one hit wonder in the football world.  In 2001 the league started with a bang. Then in week two it definitely had a whimper. The combination of wrestling and football did not go smoothly and like that another football league was born and died in the same year.

In 2020, the XFL is coming back. Same owner Vince McMahon is giving it another go. A do over. This time he’s not going to combine the wrestling aspect with Football. So the WWE will not advertise for the XFL like they did in the past. That means no wrestlers giving the play by play. Vince McMahon says this go around will have reformed his rule book. His game will be safer. Everyone will have to stand up during the National Anthem. There goes Colin Kaepernick’s comeback attempt.

In the original XFL, Vince McMahon rushed things that resulted in poorly played football early in the season. The games got better but nobody was watching. He had crazy rules in his brand of football in the beginning. No fair catches. He had a mad scramble for the coin toss. Two guys running for the ball at midfield. Whoever got the ball won the toss. Resulting in players diving for the ball. One player separated his shoulder out for the year. Teams empty out the strip clubs for cheerleaders. Which could be bad and good. Mom may not like it. Players got to wear nick names on the back of the jerseys rather than their last name. The famous Rod Smart aka “He Hate Me.” The announcers were exhausting to listen to. Like a Mean Gene type doing the play by play. The names on the helmets were from horror movies gone bad. It was a bad scene. Which included rule changes in the middle of the season. Football on the fly.

Vince McMahon and the XFL the second go around could learn from the past mistakes. They even have time to improve their brand of football before 2020. So far they are talking about a quicker game. They will only play ten games. Plus playoffs. They will only have 8 teams to start. They have 40 man rosters with winning incentive contracts.

Is there enough meat left on the bone to add another league like the XFL? The NFL season and the College Football season followed by all those bowl games. Then to continue to watch football after the Superbowl. February is a very bad sports month. Don’t we need time to decompress from all the football?  Then in the month of March things get better. Are we going to watch football during March Madness? The NBA and the NHL games get interesting with playoffs on the line. Will we care to watch Johnny Football battle it out with Tim Tebow for a week five match up in the XFL?

When I was younger I loved the USFL. That was a different league. It was a different time. They had players. They had top players. Players that are in the Football Hall of Fame. The XFL will have players that failed in the NFL. They will have players that have never been drafted in the NFL. I think its just a bad time to bring in another football league with all these concussions. Will the XFL have looser rules? This becomes dangerous. Hope they have a lot of lawsuit money in the kitty. Would an Insurance company go belly up backing that kind of league? How many great players will play for contracts with only incentives and not a worthwhile base salary? In the state Of Illinois the government is trying to ban football under the age of 12.That tells you football in the future might be like the Gladiator fights. Might be prisoners playing the game to get out of their cell for some better food. More yard time.  Plus to go up against the NFL never works well. This league will be like a train that is going too fast and is about to derail. Yes people will be there to watch the derailment. But after that it will be back to re runs of Gomer Pyle and Barney Miller.

 

One the most talked about conversations that happens on your bar stool is which is the best Rocky movie. In what order do you rank the Rocky movies? I’m sorry if you have not seen any of the Rocky’s. I do know a person that has not seen any. Yes and an adult, not a baby just coming out of the womb. I find it hard to believe. However I took an Uber ride home a few weeks back and the girl had never seen a Star Wars movie. Just bad parenting I call it. Kids growing up not seeing the classics. No wonder so much violence is out in the world these days.

The Rocky conversation might take place in the wee hours of the night. The music is down low. Everyone is up to a twelve pack. Then you know that one person out of your  crowd that starts this conversation. Maybe not even a month ago the same scene might have had the same conversation. Maybe take out a few people and add a few new butts on their stools. People have different opinions on which one is the best. People seem to agree Rocky V is the worst of them all. Let’s see if I can shed a little light on this subject and reveal what I think is the best order. I start with the worst to first. Maybe the Bears can do that next season.

#6. ROCKY V   I agree with the majority that this one was the worst of the Rocky series. The part I did like in this was when Rocky punched the Don King wannabe character in the face at the end.

I did like a few lines in Rocky V: Tommy Gunn Morrison punched Paulie. Rocky says, “You knocked him down, how ’bout tryin’ knocking me down?”

Then Rocky says, “my ring is outside”

#5. ROCKY II  I loved all the Rocky’s. But this one they try to live a life away from the ring. The love story continues. Rocky and Adrian get married. Then they struggle to make ends meet. It takes a long time. Finally the rematch happens. Then Rocky wins the belt. Love the ending. Lot of boring stuff to get there.

#4.ROCKY BALBOA   Before this movie even came out, people were all negative about this one. I kept an open mind about it. This movie was done very well. It really goes back to the roots of the original Rocky. Rocky owns a restaurant. Talks to his patrons about the fights he has. Then how he misses his wife Adrian and visits the cemetery every day. Then he steps back in the ring for one final fight.

I love he has the guy he fought in the original Rocky, the very first fight you see, working at the restaurant. This one is a movie that could be moved up I think, it was that good. Those people who spoke out before they even saw it, shame on you. You know who you are.

#3. ROCKY IV   Some would say this Rocky was the best. I think it could be any of the top three. James Brown is jamming in this one. Apollo Creed fights the Russian and gets killed. This has a lot going on in this one. Then Rocky fights the Russian in Russia in a classic fight on Christmas.

Some lines in this I loved. Drago says in Russia, “It’s like punching steel,” referring to Rocky.

Rocky’s trainer says to Rocky in the corner, “he’s not a machine he’s a man”

Then the famous speech at the end  If you can change. If I can change. Can’t we all change? That movie definitely fixed our relationship with the Russians.

#2. ROCKY III  All’s I have to say is Mr. T. He played Clubber Lang and he was a bad ass motherfucker. Rocky III could easily be number one as well. I thought this one had everything you want in a Rocky Movie. Rocky living the dream. Then he’s thinking retirement. Then Clubber Lang challenges him to a fight. They accept. Mickey dies. He loses the first fight against Clubber Lang.Then Apollo Creed trains him. Then Rocky has to fight the mental issues he’s having inside his head. Then the training. Done in a gym where Apollo Creed did his training when he was not a contender at the time. Paulie has some great remarks. Then the rematch which is awesome.

Mr. T playing Clubber Lang had some of the best lines in this film.

“HEY WOMAN, BET YOU DREAM ABOUT HAVING A REAL MAN.”

“BRING YOUR PRETTY SELF OVER TO MY APARTMENT TONIGHT. I’LL SHOW YOU A REAL MAN.”

Then the reporter asks Clubber, “What’s your prediction for the fight?” Clubber Lang says, “PAIN.”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY, PAPER CHAMPION?” “I’LL BEAT YOU LIKE A DOG, YOU HEAR?”

#1.ROCKY  Rocky is about an underdog with a shot for the title. Stallone wrote this script and wanted to play Rocky in it. Hollywood wanted to buy the script off Rocky and get some other actor to play Rocky. Stallone held out until he was able to star in the movie as well. He took less money but he did a great job acting in it as well. The movie Rocky won many awards. It was an inspirational movie for any underdogs in the world. Rocky is a boxer who has not made it to the big stage. Not even ranked. He fights practically for peanuts and the love of the sport. The Creed fight gives him a shot because the other opponent could not fight due to an injury. It’s all about going the distance. He falls in love. It has everything you want in a classic movie. One of the best sports films of all time.

 

The question still is when is the return of Cory Crawford behind the net for the Chicago Black Hawks. Crawford has been out for awhile now as the Hawks have been struggling without their starting goalie. Goal tending is not the biggest issue right now for the Hawks. The Hawks has been too cute on the power play. Results are not many goals. The dirty work in front of the net is not getting done. The lack of not getting the loose pucks around the net and then putting the biscuit in the basket has been a head scratcher. Where’s the beef? Your talented defense men Seabrook and Keith have not scored the usual tallies that we are used to seeing.

With this list of problems the Hawks have sometimes used a line up change to get the team back on track. This is where Scott Darling comes to mind. I know Anton Forsberg and Scott Darling both have similiar stat lines this season. You could even say Forsberg has been a tad better. He has a better save percentage at .911 compared to Darling’s at .895. Goal allowed average Forsberg is doing better with 2.92 compared to Darling’s 2.94. Both are three games under 500 as a starter. Darling has played more games this season. So why would Darling benefit the Hawks right here right now more than the guy they already have?

If Scott Darling was still with the Hawks he would obviously be the back up. Darling had that back up motivation as all back ups should have and want to be the starter. Sometimes this motivation can be far more successful than being the number one guy and holding that job because you always have tomorrow to improve or the next game. When you’re back up and you want to showcase your talent and you do not know when your next game will be, it can be mind boggling. Many back ups at times start off very slow. Darling is the type who can throw a quick shut out in relief of Crawford. In which a shut out can help get the whole team on track as they see a guy come off the bench and stymie a team is huge. Darling has done that in huge playoff games as well. I think Darling also played well because he was in his home town. He’s from Lemont, Illinois. This would give a guy extra motivation to do well in front of family and friends, night after night. The thing that Darling had that is missed, is his relationship with Cory Crawford. That was a tandem they could bounce off ideas with each other. Both of them were great friends and probably still are. They help each other get better every day.

Darling and other former Hawks that were unsung heroes to the team, are big reasons why the Hawks go through these long periods of struggle. Guys like Darling and others did all the little things that no one else liked to do. These jobs need to get done to win lots of hockey games. With the salary cap it is very hard to keep these guys you want on your team. Now you have to keep reworking the lines until someone steps up. Plus you have growing pains with young guys as well. Plus you have your older guys that lost a few of their steps. That’s why a Darling is missed because he came in and helped pick up the team. He would be able to erase some of the mistakes made by guys that lost a pep in their step or rookie mistakes. Oh Darling, do we miss you.

Yesterday, the Saints had the late lead against the Vikings. Winner goes to the NFC championship. With time ticking away the Vikings pretty much needed a miracle to win the game against the visiting Saints. With only 10 seconds on the clock they needed a quick pass to the sidelines to get into field goal range. The problem was they needed a catch and to have the receiver step out of bounds with time on the clock to kick the field goal. Another problem… they needed to get into field goal range. The Vikings needed another 20 yards or a bit more to really have a shot at a field goal in their kicker’s range.   With no time outs remaining the Saints had to defend the sidelines. All’s the Saints had to do was defend the pass. In these situations you would want the line men to blow up the quarterback. If that line of defenses broke down and the quarterback does get the ball off, you want to keep the guy in bounds if he catches the ball. Sure you want an incomplete pass or even an interception. But the big thing for the Saints was keep the guy in bounds so time runs out.

When you’re younger in grammar school football, you are taught to use your arms and wrap up the person at his waist and legs.  Stop the movement in their legs and drive them to the ground. It’s simple tackling 101. They even recommend this style of tackling in  each level football that is played. Even the NFL. However players launch themselves like missiles to try to get the big hit. Try to dislodge the football out of the player’s hands. Some try to make the highlight reels. Players continue to do this style of tackling knowing they can hurt themselves or even the other player. This style of missile tackling leads to many of the helmet to helmet plays that send players out of the game with concussions. Some players take on so many hits to their heads they regret the side effects later in life.

Yesterday Stefon Diggs caught the ball in bounds in between two defenders. Time was ticking fast. Then Marcus Williams whiffed on the tackle. It was like strike three in baseball when the player is swinging with all his might at the ball to hit a home run. Does not even make any contact. Maybe when they only need a single to win the game. In basketball, a game winning shot could be an easy lay up. But the player decides to slam dunk it and it bounces off into the stands. Marcus Williams is only 21 years old. He is probably a good kid. He has had an awesome season with 4 interceptions and 7 pass break ups. He is only a rookie. He even manned up and talked to reporters after the game and answered the tough question. Marcus Williams launched himself like an Iraq scud missile and misses Stefon Diggs, but wipes out his own teammate, the other defender. Diggs catches the ball in bounds untouched and he has nothing but green in front of him. He turns around and takes it to the house for a Viking walk off win.

A simple tackle.The way you were taught – wrap up his waist and legs and wrestle him down cost your team a chance to go to the NFC championship game. To play a team without their star quarterback. This single mishap cost the Saints probably a trip back to the Superbowl. Plus could it of been Brees last chance to get to the big game? He is getting older. Can he repeat this year’s performance another year in the league? Now look at what you are left with as quarterbacks in the championship games next week. Bortles, Keenum, Foles, and the best in the league, in Brady. Now the script looks like it will be another planet conquered by the Evil Empire. Sloppy tackling like this is ruining the game. People getting hurt. Plus it seems like nothing in the league except turnstyle defenses.

LAST WEEK

WILD CARD CARD ROUND WE WENT 2-2

DIVISIONAL ROUND

SATURDAY GAMES

NFC

MATCH UP                      OUR WINNER

FALCONS AT EAGLES     FALCONS

AFC

MATCH UP                       OUR WINNER

TITANS AT PATRIOTS       PATRIOTS

SUNDAY GAMES

AFC

MATCH UP                        OUR WINNER

JAGUARS AT STEELERS    STEELERS

NFC

MATCH UP                        OUR WINNER

SAINTS AT VIKINGS            SAINTS

RANKING     TEAM      RECORD   COMMENTS

#1.NEW ENGLAND 13-3   This weekend the Patriots are ready to defend their title.They take on the Titans. This match up is like the  Evil Empire against the Island of Misfit Toys. In basketball terms, 16th seed versus number one seed. Washington General versus Harlem Globetrotters. It seems like just a practice to tune up the Death Star for the championship series.

                     

This is the Patriots playbook against the Titans. I feel a great disturbance in the force.

#2.NEW ORLEANS 12-5  Even though ole softy Fig Newton was able to get the Panthers back in this game late in the contest, I was still impressed the way the Saints handled the Panthers. Now they go on the road against the Vikings. Vikings have home field but Saints play in a dome. Not much of an edge except noise levels. This game between the Saints and Vikings my bet is whoever wins will get to the Superbowl representing the NFC. Vikings defense has their work cut out for them. I think the big match up is Vikings offense versus Saints defense. Whoever wins that turf war is the key to the game. This could be Brees’ last shot at winning another Superbowl. Unless he gets Brady’s recipe. Love to see Saints and Patriots in the Superbowl. Brees prevails over Brady. Can you imagine all the Tom Brady voodoo dolls that weekend?

However Pittsburgh might buy them all out next weekend.

#3.PITTSBURGH 13-3    Before they can even think about Tom Brady. Steel town welcomes that  high powered offense from Jacksonville. If you stop the Jaguar running game, it is always good. The passing game no worries because Bortles can’t even throw a crossing pattern or simple screen pass. The Jaguars unveiled their new offensive strategy against the Bills last week Called RUN FOREST RUN FOREST.

It involves Bortles Gump running for his life to get the first down. I like the Jaguar defense. But Bills were moving the ball and came across some bad calls that derailed a few drives. I think they can stop the Steelers at home. I do not see Bortles matching up with Big Ben on scores. The Steelers are going to be making a statement early on and dispatching the Jaguars like a bad habit. Dougie Marrone will wish he did not quit sniffing glue.

#4.MINNESOTA 13-3  Viking fans are ready for their team to take down the Saints at home this weekend.

   

They will have their work cut out for them with the Saints offense. They say a great defense can always beat a great offense. In this contest both will be on hand. I will say again, the winner out of this game could be the NFC representative in the Superbowl. Vikings activated Bradford for this game. Just in case Case Keenum’s deal selling his soul to devil expires this weekend.

#5.ATLANTA 11-6  Falcons played very well against the Rams last weekend. Now they have to travel to Philadelphia this weekend. Play the number one seed in the NFC. This is not the same Eagle team that was running down the road trying to loosen their load that had seven women on their minds. The Eagles have lost their starting quarterback in Wentz. The Eagles are not the same team. The Falcons are one of the hottest teams out there. I think they will be like Clubber Lang, go into Philly and spoil the Eagles ceremony.

                 

#6.JACKSONVILLE 11-6 Jacksonville defense rose up against Buffalo offense. A team that has one of the Bears X receivers they cut during the season as one of their main weapons. Receivers go to die in Chicago. Plus Taylor can’t throw the ball downfield. The Jaguars even got many breaks in calls that derailed Bills’ drives. The Jaguars defense will not be able to stop the Steelers offense. Then you have the Jaguar offense, a quarterback that can not make great throws, last weekend in Florida. What’s Bortles going to do in the cold in Steel Town? Bortles will run for his life Charlie Brown. He will be like the back up quarterback in the movie Unnecessary Roughness and run around back there using the ref as a shield. Telling him to blow the whistle.

 

#7.PHILADELPHIA 13-3 The Song Desperado should be playing in Philadelphia this weekend.

Desperado oh you aint gettin’ no younger,

your pain and hunger they’re drivin’ you home.

Your prison is walking this world all alone.

Don’t  your feet get cold in the winter time?

The sky won’t snow and the sun won’t shine

Desperado, as the Eagles will have to wait until next season for their next Superbowl appearance.

#8.TENNESSEE 9-7 I heard Tennessee head coach is on the hot seat. The lucky comeback win last weekend is not enough. They probably need to beat the Patriots to save Mularkey’s job. Now that’s a tall order. This weekend they will be like the Ewoks going up against the evil empire. They will have to resort to using rocks and sticks to defeat Tom Brady and company.

Love to see the Ewokian Titans prevail and take down the Evil Empire. Love to see them bang on the Patriots helmets like the Ewoks using the Stormtroopers’ helmets for drums. However Mariota is no Han Solo. Plus sticks and stones many break my bones, but names will not hurt them bastards.

 

 

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The Bears quickly pounce on former Offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Nagy and make him their new head coach. It was not a very promising wish list the Bears had in place in their head coaching search. It was not like the search for Spock turning over every rock on every planet in the galaxy. In my pipe dream, if the Raiders were able to lure Jon Gruden out of the booth, maybe the Bears could have done the same thing with X Steeler coach Bill Cowher. That would be a lot of cheddar for that and the Bears are not all about that. So they bypassed the sports models.They bypassed luxury models. They did not buy a snazzy import. They purchased a Cavalier Ford Escort type in Matt Nagy. Let’s hope he’s not like what they say about Ford products. Found on the road dead.

As soon as the Titans finished their comeback against the Chiefs on Saturday night, the Bears brass circled in like Vultures to snag Nagy. Maybe they might have been the only team to grab the former Arena Football quarterback. He comes from Delaware college where he played quarterback for the Mighty Blue hens. He was not a Joe Flacco or even Rich Gannon, former hens themselves who did very well in the NFL.  Is Flacco still doing well? But both have gotten to a Superbowl in their careers. Flacco winning one. He was not even a Kurt Warner who started playing Arena Football then made it big time in the NFL. Back up catchers in baseball and back up quarterbacks who fought to make it on rosters almost their whole entire careers do turn out as great managers or great coaches, history tells you that.

The Bears could have plucked a has been. Guys they interviewed had head coaching experience. They interviewed Pat Shurmur, the Offensive Coordinator from the Vikings. Plus they interviewed Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator from the Patriots. Would these two coaches on their second stint in coaching a NFL team turn out to be like the master mind Bill Belichek? Maybe, nobody is an evil genius like the leader of the Evil Empire. Pete Carol and Marv Levy are two other coaches who in their second stints, did wonderful. First Pat Shurmar, he did not fair tou well with the Browns. Who has though? Do you give him the keys to the new car just because he turned around the Vikings offense? Is that long enough this season and some of last season? Then you have Josh McDaniels. Only thing this guy has done right in his first stint with the Broncos was he got a whiff of the Jay Cutler aroma. He smelled a hack. But after that he got rid of Cutler, he drafted Tebow as a quarterback. Some say he should have been a tight end. He even made a trade to get Brady Quinn. He was up high for sniffing out how much of a goat Cutler was. But now his stock is plummeting with his other choices he has made. Plus New England assistants have not done well in head coaching positions. My evidence: Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel. They are storm troopers. Belichek erases their minds before they leave New England. Case closed.

I will give the Bears some credit.They did pick from a coaching tree that is very well rooted. Maybe like a redwood. The Walrus, Andy Reid’s disciples have been like the Apostles minus Judas. John Harbaugh has won a Superbowl with the Ravens. Ron Rivera has done great things in Carolina including getting to a Superbowl. Just having a soft cookie as your quarterback, I think has been his problem. Then Todd Bowles has done solid in Jet land. Including winning games when experts thought they were going to be the worst team in the league after dumping many veterans before the season even started. Then Sean McDermott exercised some demons in Buffalo by ending the worst playoff drought in the four major sports groups.

The Andy Reid path has the Bears going down the right path. Matt Nagy did help guide his Arena Football team the Columbus Destroyers to the Arena Bowl, but lost to the San Jose Sabercats. Tells me he did not have all the tools to be an NFL QB but he used what he had at the Arena level to be successful. He’s been with Andy Reid ten years. Five of them as a quarterback’s coach.  What position has given the Bears the most trouble? Yes you are correct it is the quarterback.They drafted Mitch Trubisky last year who has flashed some signs of excellence. However Bears fans have seen a lot of crap behind center over the years. Nagy can provide Mitch with some guidance and correct his flaws and perhaps turn him into what Sean McVay did for Goff this season. Andy Reid is the master of the west coast offense. Stuff that Trubisky did in College.  Nagy  has been the offensive coordinator the last few seasons for Reid. In the ten seasons with Reid he has to know that system like the back of his hands. . This will help the Bears to come up with a successful plan for Mitch Trubisky to get better, rather than regress like he did with Fox.  Andy Reid has been the play caller. However Nagy has called the last 5 regular season games where the Chiefs have gone 4-1. One game was won by rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Hopefully the Bears can get the 4-1 guy. Plus the first half of the playoff game last Saturday guy from Nagy. Lets leave that second half Nagy in Kansas City where the Chiefs did not score anything. Even though they had a 21-3 lead at the half and went on to lose.

This is not a very exciting move. I think the Bears had to go down a road to get a guy that can save Trubisky. While Saving the franchise so they do not turn into the Browns. Having a brown out at quarterback position sends your franchise to the dark ages. However I feel like we are going down Trestman boulevard here. Are they going to put all their eggs in the offensive basket?  Then abandon the defense which was very good last year. I think they need to shell out some big bucks and resign their guy from last year, Vic Fangio. If they let him get away, which they probably will, I see him taking the Packers opening. That’s how the eggs break in the Bears baskets. I hope they have a plan to get someone that can keep the defense doing well. I know when they hired John Fox, I think they never had a good plan in place overall . It was old coach young GM butting heads. Old school football against the new wave era of football. I believe Fox and others had no clue that the young GM Pace would draft a quarterback in the first round. I think inheriting Cutler in the Fox and Pace tandem did not help things go smoothly. Maybe now all the pawns in the game are younger. They can all go to the local cybertron cafe for their fancy coffees and collect all the data in the world and form a solid football plan. Maybe they can also impeach the owners of the Bears as well, as they are still around from the Ice Age.

Saturday January 6, 2018

AFC

MATCH UP                 WINNER

TITANS AT CHIEFS     CHIEFS

NFC

MATCH UP                  WINNER

FALCONS AT RAMS     FALCONS

Sunday January 7,2018

AFC

MATCH UP                     WINNER

BILLS AT JAGUARS        BILLS

NFC

PANTHERS AT SAINTS   SAINTS

 

 

RANK   TEAM         RECORD        COMMENTS

1. NEW ENGLAND  13-3        I do not like having the Patriots number one in my playoff power rankings for the NFL. However they are looking just as great as last year. They fizzled a little in the beginning of the season. However, the mastermind Bill Belichek was able to tinker. Able to fix the defense. Then the Patriot death star was like a well oiled machine as they sizzled the rest of the way with only one hiccup against Cutler’s Dolphins. They have caught some major breaks along the way. Brady’s offense is ready to roll like a sports car flying down the highway. Ponch and John are unable to draw their guns as Patriots are mentally scoring touch downs as we speak at the speed of light.

                    PATRIOTS HAVE BEEN PRACTICING ALL WEEK IN THE SNOW

 

#2.NEW ORLEANS 11-5          New Orleans has only gone 11-5. It took them until the final game to win their division. They do not have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. However they play this weekend at home. I think they can play on the road with any NFC team. They are able to win on the road this year. Not like years before where they were not Road Warriors. I think this team is the best in the NFC. They have the quarterback in Brees. They have so many weapons on offense to beat you. That two headed running back monster could put a big hurt into the opposing defense. Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara are the first teammates in NFL history to record 1500 scrimmage yards in the same season. Kamara 1554. Ingram 1500. Plus New Orleans defense is no longer a turn style for the opposing offenses.

#3.PITTSBURGH 13-3           The Steelers are the only team in the AFC that has a chance to beat the Patriots.  Coach Tomlin has his team running precise routes all week.

My biggest question: If Tomlin gets the Patriot Death Star plans, will he be able to pull it off?

The man had problems getting his guys to figure out what they wanted to do for the national anthem. They bumble that and then allowed the Bears to beat them. Then against the Patriots he did not call a time out on that controversy play with Jesse James that should have been a touchdown play . He allowed his team to rush and make a stupid play to cost them the game and home field advantage throughout. Hopefully they send him to coaching school on the bye week.

#4.MINNESOTA 13-3         A very impressive record. However they played a lot of bad teams in their own division. You can only play who is on the schedule. I love their defense. Their offense is full of guys that bring their lunch bucket to work. The Offensive Coordinator, Pat Shurmur, will probably get a head coaching job next year just because of what he did for this offense. Theilen is like a Wes Welker that can kill you with slants up the middle with speed. Diggs is known for big games. Rudolph is quietly one of the better tight ends in the league. Where the double hockey sticks did quarterback Keenum come from?  The Vikings are that team you want to bet on, but something in back of your mind says bet against. Then they bite you. This team is like a bunch of ninjas. They will sneak up on you and slit your throat.

They have a bye the first week. Next weekend whoever they play will be a game that will come down to final seconds. Recently a guy from Minnesota told me, “If a Viking fan tells you he bet on the Vikings, he is lying to you.” In other words the Vikings will probably do the opposite on any bet you make that involves them.

#5. LA RAMS 11-5   One guy on the Rams coaching staff will bring the heat to Matt Ryan this weekend. Wade Phillips has been here and done that. The Rams defense can create some turnovers and turn them into points. They will need to play great defense against the Falcons who are not as elite as they were last year, however they can still bring you trouble. Rams offense has been awesome. Goff might be one of the rising stars in the league. Todd Gurley could light you up as well. The Falcons have their hands full this first game. The Rams have the least amount of playoff experience out of all the teams that are in it.  That can possibly doom them, especially if Matt Ryan plays out of his head like. I see the Rams shooting down the dirty birds.

#6.ATLANTA 10-6    I think Atlanta is better than half the teams in these playoffs. They have gotten to the Superbowl last season. They should have won the Superbowl last year. However they find themselves squared off against a very tough opponent in wild card weekend. If they can win this first game, they do have a shot at getting back to the Super Bowl. Eagles are not like they were with Wentz as their starter. They have played the Saints and Panthers twice this season so they know them.

The Falcons still have an offense that can score points. If their defense can stop Goff a few times or rattle a guy that has never played in the playoffs, they can get by the Rams and beyond.

#7.CAROLINA 11-5  It’s the same story for the Panthers. They have a great defense which will help in any big game. They can run the ball. But I’m going to say the Fig Newton is the one that will crash this boat into the iceberg. Obviously if he has his super powers he can guide the Panthers over many teams in this league. They have NO big names at receiver. Olsen is one of the better tight ends in the league. Cam is a running threat. It is very easy to rattle Superman’s cage. If you get a few licks on Newton, he will crumble up in the fetal position and call it a year.

If you have no crying in baseball, definitely no crying on the gridiron.

#8.KANSAS CITY 10-6  This team has been on a roller coaster all season. Started out of the gates red hot. Then lost a ton of games in the middle of the season. Then beat the right teams at the right time. The Chiefs are like a box of chocolates, you do not know what you will get. I think Alex Smith can get the team past the first round. I love rookie Hunt and his electric style of play. I know Wally the Walrus will have the Chiefs looking good this weekend.

I do not see the Chiefs getting out of the second round. They have talent, but I still think they are missing a few key pieces to be able to go up against teams like Pittsburgh and New England. They made the playoffs playing in a crappy division, and you can say a crappy conference.

#9.PHILADELPHIA 13-3  At one point this season I thought the Eagles had a great shot to make it to the Superbowl. They had everything clicking. The season ending injury to Wentz has made this slide down the stripper pole and not in a good way. Suddenly their defense has been playing poorly. Then back up quarterback Nick Foles looked pretty good. He has some seasoning as he has played in this league for a few years as a starter. However then his play got poor and that’s how he became a back up in this league. Yes they have 13 wins. Yes they have some time to fix a few things. I see them one and done next weekend. However if a bus crash happens and they get to the championship, they will feel the punch that knocked Rocky out by Clubber Lang.

#10.JACKSONVILLE 10-6  It’s great The Jags made the playoffs for the first in a very long time. As they were the doormat of the league for years. They were a team rumored to be moving out of their city of Jacksonville to Death Valley or London, England. Seemed like no one wanted them. However they find themselves with a great defense and Doug Marone has done a nice job. But they play in a bad division. Except they can not beat the Titans. Bortles is their quarterback and he has had some decent games. But overall he has been their problem. They were held to ten points last weekend by a division opponent. They had many chances to score another touchdown. Then San Francisco put 44 points on your defense, not too long ago. A depleted Arizona team beat you with their back up quarterback and used to be your starting quarterback. Too many up’s and down’s on this team and lots of it has happened in the last six weeks.

#11. BUFFALO 9-7   The Bills are thanking Andy Dalton making a nice pass on 4th and 12 to get his bumbles in the end zone for the go ahead touchdown and eventually the game winner. Love that lots of Buffalo fans had paid money to Dalton’s foundation as well. If Bengals did not beat the Ravens, then Buffalo’s drought of not making the playoffs would have continued. Bengals I believe were playing for their coach as well. Which is a win win in Buffalo. Bills have been playing pretty well of late. They have won some games. Only losses coming from the Evil Empire in the last so many weeks. They played tough against New England both times. Buffalo I think could win in Jacksonville. They need Shady running the ball for which he is a game time decision. One thing Buffalo is very good at, is getting turnovers. That will need to be a big key especially against a type like Bortles who makes mistakes. If Taylor can get an early lead on the Jags, they have a chance of going in and upsetting them. Hopefully no wide right field goals. Hopefully no Music City miracles and the Bills can exercise some of the demons from the past.

#12.TENNESSEE 9-7  The Titans finally won a game last week to get into the playoffs. This team was on a long losing streak and manged to pull out a victory over the division rival. They play in a crappy division, minus Luck and Watson. They were 5-1 in their division. They were 4-8 against everyone else. They do say if you can beat the teams in your division you can usually find a way to win the division. But they got in as a wild card. This team looked good in the beginning of the season. But Mariota got hurt. Then he came back and has not really been the same. He has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns. I like their defense. But even though they won last week it seems to be they backed into the playoffs. I think the Chiefs is my lock down winner of the Wild Card weekend over the Titans.

I had found myself at a brewery in Music City talking to a couple who had Minnesota Wild stuff on. Obviously they were from Minnesota. I asked them if the Wild was in town to play the Predators from Nashville. This then lead to “I’m from Chicago.” Then another question he did not want to hear my answer to… “Are you a Black Hawks fan?” Wanted to be like Curly from the Three Stooges and say, “Well, certainly.”

I said yes. This led to finding out what I knew already, the Hawks have eliminated the Wild multiple times from the playoffs. You’d think the conversation might end. However, something that beer does is keep a sports conversation going. Something about sitting bellied up to the bar and discussing sports. We started going through Minnesota versus Chicago in sports history for $500.00 please.

As the Beers continued flowing, I revealed how I hated the Twins for years. Ozzie Guillen called the Twins, “little piranhas.” All those years finishing right behind them in the standings.  How the White sox were tormented in the “twinkie dome”as  the great Hawk Harrelson called the Metro Dome. He liked Ozzie. I even told him all the crazy stuff that went down in the dome. How late leads were blown. How the epic endings happen in that building, leaving the White Sox to slink out of town. I guess now if you’re keeping score at home, it’s 1-1 as both cities hated one of the other city’s teams because of what they had accomplished.

As the beers continued, I felt like a state representative to my city and state. Two guys helping strained relations between two states. Can you imagine what Trump does to other countries’ Presidents? Kicking back enjoying a few belts from an old bottle of scotch, then he opens his mouth and all the toxic spews out. In most cases, a few beers talking about the local sports teams can go a long way. To see and to feel what their side is all about. In most cases, it can mend a lot of fences. It depends though because certain people do not play well with others, like my guess Mr. Chump.

Have you ever wondered what other cities say about the town you’re from? What they think about your sports teams? Are you embarrassed about the way your teams play? In Cleveland, if you are still a Browns fan, you might get asked why. Are you crazy? Some might say, “Does Cleveland even still have a team?” Are you happy the way your sports teams conduct business? Every city across the map would probably agree that the way their teams are run are terrible, and we fans can do a better job. You can not change the history of your town. However, if a fan stops buying tickets, you can change management to a certain degree. These are your typical pipe dreams fans have about their own teams. Bottom line is lots of times you may judge a city by their history regarding what they did to your team. That leads you to hate their traditions. Which leads you to labeling a whole city or state of people because of how their pro team beat your team. Or their college team beats yours.

Usually a hard working player is the player you hate when you face that team. However if he changes uniforms and joins your team, they become your favorite player. This is like AJ Pierzynski when he played for the Twins, I hated his guts. Then he played and won a championship for the White Sox and he is legend on the South Side of Chicago. He never disliked Jimmy Butler, but now the twin cities is happy that he’s on the Timberwolves. Plus the Bulls x coach, Thibs has turned this team around.  But both of us had players from the other city that you respected and wanted on your team. He loved Walter Payton and Neal Anderson, former Bears running backs. I respected Kirby Puckett, Mary Tyler Moore and of course Lou Grant.

We even dove deeper into both cities of Chicago and Minneapolis. How some areas in Minnesota still loved the North Stars who left town decades ago. These fans root now for the Dallas Stars like they never left. I told them I met a few people that were die hard Cardinal fans. Yes, the football team. The same football team that played on the South Side of Chicago at the old Comisky park. The Cardinals have left town it seems like a life time ago. I did explain the bar where these Cardinal fans were from, just closed. It could be the end of that Chicago following of the Cardinals for good.

Then of course my baseball team is the White sox. Many people assume the White Sox are in the bad neighborhood, while the Cubs are in yuppieville. Many think it’s like Al Capone in Chicago. However we still are high up there and considered the murder capital of the states. People are not being mowed down by a tommy gun by gangsters. Instead gang violence has been running wild. But the projects have been torn down by the White Sox stadium. I let him know the neighborhood is getting better. Some things about where you are from, you have to clear up. Like up North of Minnesota. I asked,
“Is it like the FX show Fargo?” Where Canadian sounding people in small towns are wasting each other and turning the towns North of Minnesota and into the Dakotas, blood baths. He explained yes they are the only areas of Minnesota that can not pronounce their R’S. But the deep freeze does not get their knickers into a twist.

I believe when we both finished our sixth beer of the afternoon, we had a better grip on each other’s city. We both would never bet actual money on our football teams. He said if you actually hear someone from Minnesota betting on the Vikings and winning money, it is just a flat out lie. Learned the Bears big rivalry with Packers is just a myth and not a real rivalry. Wisconsin people think Vikings and Packers are the rivals. He confirmed that as well, which Minnesota thinks the same thing. People from Chicago think Green Bay is a our big rival. However it takes two to tango. The Bears are the ugly person that is left without a dance at the end of the night.

As the sun was going down, our conversation was concluded.  The Minnesotans were heading off to Yazoo. While we were headed down the Music City yellow brick road in hopes of another brewery in the area that we had never tried. I was able to keep Patrick Kane on the Hawks, as he tried to pry him away from us. I was trying to pry a few young Twins away from his baseball team to join the young good guys on the south side. The talks have come to an end. But who knows what road we will meet down again when two guys that like beer, can hammer out a few trades of players that play in our home towns.