NFL 2022

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Season starts in less than a month.

For the Ravens, it's all about if all the starting players that we lost last year due to injuries can rebound. 

The offensive line and wide receivers are this year's question marks. (Our new "star" center is already hurt.) If they stay healthy and play well, Lamar could be one of this year's most exciting quarterbacks to watch.

Our defense looks pretty solid, especially the secondary.

Go Ravens.

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My Team = Nope

NYG

Go whoever beats new england or takes down lady.

>>>If they stay healthy<<<

About as much chance of that happening in the NFL as there is Trump apologizing and telling everyone he was wrong.

As for my team, they're loaded at virtually every position... except Oline, and they're going with a talented but totally inexperienced 22-year-old QB, which is a terrible combination. I fear those two things will keep them from the Big Game, but if either or both are just functional their overall talent & depth could make them very interesting.

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish the Giants realized they didn't have to suck as bad as the Jets.

Everyone knows it's the Raiders year.

I loved playing football and was pretty good at it.  Made it to the Virginia AAA State Semi-Final game my last year of high school.  Used to follow the NFL closely, but it just doesn't hold my interest anymore.  Surprised that with all of the research done on CTE, anyone would encourage their kids to play the game anymore.

I thought my browns should of kept Baker Mayfield and decide next year on moving on. Now I think they should trade Hunt another women abuser. The Watson deal is a head scratcher, the amount of money, the guarantee amount, bringing someone in during a sexual investigation, but that's the clowns 

Is it possible Tom Brady is wrapped up in that MarALago raid? Thoughts?

Brady + Gronk in silver + black ? That would have been a hell of a thing.

After a life long and full of joyous brady hate, I would have been forced to root for the fuck ,,, whew dodged a bullet there.

uh-oh. not auspicious:

"Baltimore Ravens mascot, Poe, carted off field after being injured during halftime"

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the ravens did have their 23rd consecutive pre-season win, which means little, but it's something 

How bout dem giants ? On a lighter note, more fines were handed out in those preseason two team practice scrums, than during the regular season. Oh yeah, that was a great fuckin idea. Some serious bad blood hits

Ravens storyline this week against Jets -

We are playing against our old quarterback (Joe Flacco) who we ditched for our new quarterback (Lamar Demeatrice Jackson) in 2018. Flacco is the Jet's backup quarterback.

Our All-Pro offensive lineman who is tasked with protecting Lamar's blind side is out. Still injured from last year. Which sucks. We don't really have a replacement. And everyone was hoping Lamar would have time to stay in the pocket and throw this year instead of scramble so much (to avoid injury).

Jackson and the Ravens did not sign a contract extension that would make him one of the league's highest paid players. So there is talk of disgruntlement in a year where the Ravens built a team around Lamar's style of play.

Our mascot is out with a season ending injury.

Guess summer is officially over  at 1:00 pm tomorrow. 

The Bills sure looked good the other night.

Given their history, unless you're a Patriots, Jets or Dolphins fan I don't know how one can not be rooting for those guys.

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bills look tough and they are loaded from top to bottom. The addition of von Miller might be the what puts them over the top. 

They have a tough schedule early and the offense might have to carry them until Tre white comes back. Not that is a problem!

Go Bills!

Go Commanders! (or Go Commando!--whatever your preference).

>>>The Bills sure looked good the other night. Given their history, unless you're a Patriots, Jets or Dolphins fan I don't know how one can not be rooting for those guys.

Even as a Patriots fan I'm fine with them winning it. It will be nice to watch their fan base go through the transition from lovable losers to being hated by everyone. 

As for the 49ers I want to see how they do playing on a field instead of a swimming pool before I make any judgments about this season. 

Ravens-24 Jets-9 (and the last-minute Jets touchdown was a give-away). Ravens' defense looked good; the offense stuttered until the 2nd half.

Only two major injuries -- but one was a season ending injury to a backup to our already-injured OL All-Pro starter. Protecting the Q-back might be a challenge this year.

Next week: Miami.

Highlights: Steamed shrimp (Old Bay seasoning) / potato salad / homemade chicken soup

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Bills are pretty much hated by the local jets and giant fans. If they keep winning they will be hated, that's how our nation rolls.

Nothing breeds contempt like success

go bears 

fun game to watch....even better followed by a packers loss. good day in NW il 

 

Wow.

Seattle fans lustily BOOING Russell Wilson???

The greatest Seahawks player of all time???

The greatest Seattle athlete of all time???

The player who lead his team to their only Super Bowl championship???

Fucking losers.

(Saying this knowing that all football fans are pretty much the same. Still... Seahag fans, booing Russell Wilson... FUCKING LOSERS!!!!)

First of all, Lance, let me make it clear I have no dog in this fight.  I live in Seattle, but have never embraced the Seahawks.  I remain a fan of the Washington, um, Commaders, who are more or less the team I grew up with.

Not surprised at all that the Hawks fans booed Russ.  They take the 12th man thing seriously and pride themselves on creating a hostile environment for visiting teams.  Like most football fans everywhere, they are pumped up on alcohol and testosterone, and don't try to play nice.  Like it or not, NFL Football is a vestige of the gladiator battles from the coliseums of yore.  It is blood sport, not a polite game of badminton.

As for your claims about best Seattle athlete and best Seahawk player, the first is off the mark, and the second is a stretch.

If I had to pick one, I'd say Elgin Baylor, who starred at Seattle University, is the greatest athlete to come from Seattle.  Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, and even Sue Bird all have left a high mark in Seattle hoops.  Ken Griffey, Jr, Ichiro Suzuki, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, and Felix Hernandez all had dominant stretches of their careers in Seattle.

Some would make the case for high altitude mountaineer Ed Viesturs, who moved here in 1977, and since then has become the only American to have climbed all 14 of the world's eight-thousander mountain peaks, and only the fifth person to do so without using supplemental oxygen.

As far as greatest Seahawk, most here would name Marshawn Lynch, who carried the Seahawks to their title, and made "Beastmode" part of the local lexicon.  Warren Moon would also get serious consideration for performing admirably, as would his predecessor Jim Zorn, who had a lot less talent around him than Wilson.  On the defensive side, Richard Sherman and Bobby Wilson were also huge parts of their title run.  

 

Well, that's all fine Dave and all on the mark, but still, for those folks to have booed him the way they did had nothing to do with "the 12th man" and IMO just wasn't right. Was there some bad blood after he left?

That guy did a hell of a lot for their team.

It's a shame football fans are the way we are.

Russell Wilson had many great moments in Seattle, and is generally regarded as a stand up guy who did many charitable things for the community, such as his weekly visits to Seattle Children's Hospital that were sincere and not some shameless publicity attention grab.

His only sin was leaving town.  He doesn't play for the home team anymore, so to the Seahawks fans, he is the enemy, and is to be despised.  It's not rocket science.  A homer such as yourself should get that.  Do you cheer for Kevin Durant when he comes back to The Oracle?

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justin herbert is the shit.

Todays's storyline: We play Miami. Last year they beat the crap out of us, mainly by using the Cover O formation, where they cover every receiver and everyone else rushes the quarterback. Lamar didn't have time to throw or get away. Today, due to injuries, out offensive line still has holes AND we have a rookie center. So good luck to us there. Plus, Miami's main weapon is their receivers and our secondary is also missing a few key starters due to injuries. On the other side of the coin, it's the first home game, the Ravens are out for revenge, and Lamar needs to prove he deserves to be paid like a superstar. Should be a defensive battle with unanticipated turnovers determining the win.

In other news: After 14 years in retirement, Edgar and Allan are coming back as the Ravens' mascots for the 2022 season.The Ravens unveiled their plan to bring back the team's former mascots to step in for Poe, who suffered a season-ending injury to his drumstick in the Ravens' preseason finale on Aug. 27.

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LET'S GO, BUFFALO!! FUCK YEAH!! WE ARE GONNA GO. ALL. THE. WAYYYYYYYYY!!!

Go Bills big game tomorrow. Then next week the resurgent phins who lead by the who buffalo has owned. This is before that had miller

“Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa passed for 469 yards and six touchdowns and led a 21-point comeback and last-minute rally Sunday that stunned the Ravens, 42-38, at M&T Bank Stadium.”

It was an awesome first three quarters punctuated by lamb burgers and baby back ribs on the grill. Hell, the game started with a Raven’s 103-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff! And Miami was only ahead for 14 seconds of the game – but the most important 14 seconds – the last ones.

Our defense pretty much sucked, then super sucked. Our running game was non-existent. Thank god for Lamar, including one 79 yard touchdown run.

I knew I should have saved the shrimp for the Dolphins and done the meat for last week’s Jets. What was I thinking? This loss was my fault.

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Lots of wild comebacks this week.

As always, depending on one's point of view they were either epic "chokes" or amazing clutch performances.

The 49ers lose their man/child QB for the year, turns out it's a good thing they kept "the other guy" (who they tend to win with) who they were trying to get rid of and certainly would have if he didn't have shoulder surgery that made him an off-season question mark.

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

The 49ers defense is for real and they have lots of talent overall, but if they didn't still have Garappolo their season would have been over after five quarters. Now they still have a chance.

The NFL is truly the Not For Long league. IMO it's always wise for organizations to remember that.

GN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Browns out did your Ravens, Alan. Browns doing what only the Browns can do 

49ers better hope Lance is 100% for next year, already in year 3, eligible for an extension. Cost the Niners its 2021, 2022, and 2023 first-round picks along with a 2022 third-round pick.  

Since high school, thrown about 375 passes, 320 in the Missouri Valley Conference at N Dakota St, who plays in a domed stadium with a capacity under 20,000.  

Only team to lose a 2 touchdown lead as late as the Brown Elfs did yesterday was over 20 years ago.  The Bears came back very late against those same Brownies.

Giants got lucky, again. Looks like they may have some D,, the O still inept 

I like that you blame the ravens loss on your choice of what you grilled. I did that last year until the bills lost a heartbreaker to the Titans.

Doing pork roast on the grill, was going to do whole wings. Hope I'm not screwing shit up!

Go Bills, we will see the ravens in two weeks

Meanwhile, in Green Bay,  end zone Ayahuasca ceremony recreations are an occurance.  I though maybe Aaron would lose his edge., but he can still throw the bullets. 

 Cowhide, really? Can we find a vegan option, please? And the tackling. So Aggressive. Can we tone it down a bit ?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1571678498363785218

 

 

Hmmm looks like I'm going to have to get some soft shelled crabs to grill for next week. Go Pats. 

When the SF Giants moved into their new stadium in 2000 a friend of mine bought season tickets and didn't miss a game for three years. He's as superstitious as they come and would never talk or allow talk about what might happen before it did.

Then, the night before Game 6 of the 2002 World Series, which the Giants were leading 3 games to 2, he said to me, "It's in the bag".

After they lost that game and then Game 7 the night after that, he truly blamed himself and didn't go to another game for ten years. 

Fans are funny.

>>>Cost the Niners its 2021, 2022, and 2023 first-round picks<<<

People often say that, but just to be clear, they didn't lose their 2021 1st-round pick, they moved up in the 1st round and used that pick on Lance, so it really only cost them two 1st-rounders & the 3rd.

Still a lot to pay, but he's got skills. This season was supposed to be the one where the talent around him would take some pressure off and he could get his reps & experience. Now he's going to just sit around for a full season rehabbing a broken ankle, no games, no reps, no experience. It's a bummer for him, and as a fan for all of us who were excited to see how he would grow. Oh well, wait 'till next year.

And it's funny, but the general theme today in Niner land is that Shanahan is to blame for using Lance as a runner. It's funny because after they made the trade to move up in the draft all the speculation was that the 49ers were going to take Mac Jones, and all the fans were going crazy, saying they needed to get a "modern" QB who had mobility and could run RPO's. 

Fans are funny.

>>>And it's funny, but the general theme today in Niner land is that Shanahan is to blame for using Lance as a runner. It's funny because after they made the trade to move up in the draft all the speculation was that the 49ers were going to take Mac Jones, and all the fans were going crazy, saying they needed to get a "modern" QB who had mobility and could run RPO's.

People are upset that they ran him up the middle, and I can see the argument. In the era of stats I would like to see how running QBs really pan out. Seems like a ton of resources to invest in players that end up lasting as long as running backs. We will see how much longer Wilson can go at 33 years old, but he hasn't been the same for the last few years. For every Mahomes there are several RG3's. It's exciting to watch but goes to show how the league is all about win now. No one is trying to build a future. I guess that is why you see people calling for Belichik to retire. Will the running QB go the way of the wildcat offense which sort of brought it into existence or is Belichick the genius. 

I can see the argument too, and overall I agree with it. I don't like my QB ever running with the ball, especially on designed plays.

I don't care how skilled a QB is at running the ball, it's dangerous enough just being on an NFL field; deliberately using a QB consistently in that way is just asking for it, and whether running inside or outside the tackles, if he has the ball in his hands he's going to get smashed and sooner or later he WILL get hurt. Hell, I wanted them to draft Jones because he was a proven pocket quarterback, while the other two options were athletes playing quarterback.

What I think is funny is that now that Lance got hurt on a called running play the fan-speak is all about how that was a mistake and Shanahan should have protected him by keeping him in the pocket, when two years ago those same fans were ready to jump off bridges if the team didn't draft a mobile, running QB, and were SO excited to see the "added dimension" of a QB who could run.

Personally, I was excited to see what added dimension his much stronger arm could bring to their downfield passing game, something that JimmyG just isn't very good at. But then again, QBs sitting in the pocket waiting for receivers to get open downfield get smashed often too.

Ask Joe Burrow about how that's going for him. 

Still, I don't think this finishes Lance's career, and I don't think he needs to be running all the time to be successful. He's got skills, he's got smarts and he still has time to learn. Considering how little experience he's had he has not played badly, it's just a bummer that he's losing this whole year to make his mistakes and learn.

Because they have JG I don't think this hurts the team much at all short-term, long-term we will see.

Either way one thing is certain, the fans will continue to bleat and look for someone to blame.

Because we fans are a funny bunch.

ha ha, raiders.

>>ha ha, raiders.

That franchise now has zero reasons to win. They are guaranteed a sell out against any west coast team and any cold weather team. Their after market ticket price now tops the league. They could put the cheerleaders out there and the visiting team will fill the place. License to print money. 

Pork tenderloin came out real nice as well as the ass kicking the Bills put on the Nashville Vrable's.

Next up the dolphins and Tua has had loads of trouble with the bills defense before they added Von Miller

Ravens vs Patriots

Storyline: No one can tell how good the Ravens are this year. Are they the team we looked like in the first game? or second? Wil any of the veteran players returning from last year's season-ending injuries come back in game shape and help? Is Lamar a freak or a force of nature? 

Verdict - a WIN, but jury still out. Ravens beat Patriots 37 - 26 but almost gave the game away many, many times. It could have easily gone the other way. Without Lamar we wouldn't have had a chance. Ya gotta watch some footage of his runs this year already -- as good as the star running backs we grew up with. I wish our regular running backs were as good.

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Oh - game food was sauteed bluecrabmeat and crispy lettuce on toasted bun and Utz potato chips. Kept it simple today. 

So looks like I might have to stick to seafood treats this year, as seafood has 2 wins, whereas meat has a loss. Bummer.

Or I guess I could just grill the crabs... seems weird, but

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Ravens vs Bills in Baltimore.

Storyline this week: "Arguably the top two quarterbacks through the first three weeks going at it."

"The showdown between division favorites features two of the NFL's most explosive offenses, which are led by MVP front-runners Lamar Jackson of the Ravens (2-1) and Josh Allen of Buffalo (2-1). Jackson leads the league in touchdown passes (10), total touchdowns (12) and quarterback rating (119.0), while Allen leads in passing yards (1,014) and is second in touchdowns passes (nine)."

Wildcard factor: rain

Due to the predicted foul weather, the anticipated (long) passing game may not be happening for either team. I'm praying for no major injuries with the treacherous footing. (Lamar better be extra careful -- no stupid somersaults after a running in a touchdown, please.) If the Ravens offense can run successfully (i.e., hold on to the ball), and the Ravens defense can force some turnovers, they can win. 

Because it looks like a toss up. I'm going with crab dip and buffalo wings with a mango chutney glaze.

so, you can only stream TH football via amazon prime?

how does the nfl keep finding new ways to alienate people?

>>>so, you can only stream TH football via amazon prime<<<

Yeah, it's a pain, and a sign of the way everything will be soon enough.

The funny thing is I heard that the first game was the highest rated Thursday Night game ever.

Maybe more people have Amazon Prime than NFL Network.

Bills/Ravens going to be a tough one. Bills are incredibly beat up. They signed a veteran CB to shore up the defense and he hurt himself.

Last year bills go thru the season with few injuries except Tre white. Last year the ravens were all beat up. Bills have the top rated defense, Ravens not so much. 

Should be a good game, Lamar and Josh are playing at different level than most of the rest of the league. Last weekend I broke grilled chicken wings to beat the phins, bummer for me.

This weekend pork roast on the grill, Giterdun Buffalo!

Oh man, how disappointing. Ravens were on fire from the start and were up 20-10 at the half. It was raining so hard I'm sure some fans at the game left, thinking it was a certain win.

Then the Bills took over, tied it, and won at the 3-seconds-left mark. Josh Allen is pretty good.

Ravens had far too many penalties. Final score: Buffalo 23 -  Baltimore 20.

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The only good thing is that I ate well. It was too rainy to go anywhere or grill so I cooked some wings in the oven and painted em with some mango chutney and finished them off in the broiler.

Also sauteed some crab meat and used it as a chip dip. Chips and pretzels, of course. Mead and purple bud rounded things out.

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I'm ready for a nap.

Wow Alan, that's a kind fan review.

We got that game out here and I was left scratching my head, wondering what they were doing going for it on 4th down in a tie game with four minutes to go, when an almost automatic field goal would give them the lead.

Yeah, Josh Allen & the Bills are great, but, four minutes to go.....

TAKE THE LEAD!!!

That's what I would have been screaming at my TV. 

I imagine there will be other Ravens fans who won't be so kind in their game summaries.

Aww, man. Whatta game! Sorry, Alan. I thought you guys had us beat a few times. Yeah, that fourth down call at the end was mind boggling. The Bills controlled the clock after that. So glorious. That Dolphins game last week... I guess this made up for it. 

I've been watching the games on NFLgamepass with my daughter, who's totally into it. We had to catch up, so we watched last week and this week back to back. 

The Bills lost that game last week. The Dolphins didn't beat us. Josh Allen lost that one. 

Lance, if I had posted what you would have heard in my house (and the surrounding 50 miles), Judit would have washed my mouth out with soap.

Apparently some of the players were just as upset with that call as the fans: per Baltimore Sun - "Who is going to disagree with his decision, except for someone like cornerback Marcus Peters? He was irate on the sideline, slamming his helmet down before being restrained from going after Harbaugh." The camera caught Harbaugh responding with a big "Fuck You." Not a good sign.

It was like two different teams out there (Ravens first half vs second half). We have a good team, but they think they are a great team, except that for half the game they play like a really bad team.

Next week Cincinnati.  

Barbaric sport that only appeals to the sub human neanderthal and should be banned.

That being said, go Giants + how bout dem Raiders !

Usually you can count on the Raven's defense, and that was always Harbaugh's forte. Seems like he may be slipping or are they missing Ozzie Newsome's superior player recognition of talent.

Baltimore vs Cincinnati 

Well, this was no way to watch football. I was at a three-day music festival in the boonies and had to bring an old  AM/FM transistor radio to listen to the Sunday night game.

I heard a lot of the first half in the car between Pink Talking Fish and Traveling McCoureys. It was really cold down by the stage, so the wife was happy to hang while I battled the poor radio reception. We were winning by 10 points when we left to hear the final set of the fest at 930 pm. We like the McCoureys and they were closing the fest and Ravens were up, so I had to go.

Then I relied on texts from friends and holy shit -- the Bengals were up by 1 point when the music set ended promptly at 11.00. But there was still a little time left on the game clock.

I rushed back to the car and caught the last 2 minutes of the game. Which we won thanks to a 43 yard field goal by the amazing Justin Tucker.

Ravens 19 Bengals 17.

Food: a gluten free teriyaki chicken bowl from the Cosmic Charlie food truck vendor.  Beverage: They were out of cider, so I opted for red wine with my one remaining drink ticket.

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Wow, those Raiders.

I could buy the Raiders if I had a dollar for every time in my life I've thought to myself, "I'm so glad I'm not a Raiders fan!"

Of course today their fans are whining about The Conspiracy because of the holding call on the missed KC field goal, but I would be spending my wrath on the coach going for two instead of the tie with four minutes to go.

But then I'm not a Raiders fan, so rational thought is allowed.

It's hard to blame them, much, though. That team finds more agonizing ways to lose games than any in the history of sports.

That's why it's always fun to watch a Raiders game.

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Raiders have been so bad for so long that I have a hard time hating them anymore. 

Just like to take a quick look at where things stand after 5 games (cause I won't remember in a couple months):

Philly 5 and 0? I know nothing about the Eagles. Are they really any good?

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Eagles are good. Look like a top 5 team at this point. They will be tested by Dallas this coming weekend. Might lose... and still be a top 5 team. 

If the Eagles beat the Cowboys I think they are a top 3 team no question. Some already think they are top 3. 

The Raiders have been so bad for so long>>>

Starting with getting destroyed by Gruden's Bucs in the Sup 20 or so years ago after their starting center went AWOL & missed the big game. 

They made the playoffs last year, so how do you not rehire the coach that saved your season after the Gruden resignation?  Then they pick Mc Daniels, who in addition to washing out of his only HC job in Denver, stabs the Colts in the back by accepting their offer, then going back to the Patriots.  He looks like another coordinator who can't run a whole show, and every team talks about character, & he proved he has none by walking out on Indianapolis.  BTW, the owner's 21st Century Moe Howard haircut is quite the fashion statement.

 

Ravens 3-2 vs Giants 4-1

Storyline: Giants hired the Ravens' former Defensive Coordinator, who loves to blitz, which is a Ravens weakness (defending against the blitz). And how will our new coach defend against the Giants' star running back? - who can also catch. How that plays out will be interesting. Ravens are finally getting some of their injured players back -- but still have a shaky secondary. 

More importantly, I went back to the steamed shrimp and potato salad. Chicken wings in reserve.  And have you checked the price of chips and pretzels, lately? I went with shelled peanuts instead. Hopefully guests will supply more junk food. Booze-wise. I'm sticking with mead. Perhaps a shot of tequila if things get too bad or go extremely well.

Got D ? Big Blue Do. This season just got a lot more interesting.

Damn it.

The Ravens coaching staff should make all the players dress up in butler outfits because they give away games on a silver platter. Winning again most of the game, then penalties and turnovers cause a last minute loss. Sad. 

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and I ate too many peanuts.

Couldn't have worked out better for me. I put the game on and proceeded to hump a cord of split wood into the basement. Got done when it was 20-10 Ravens. Rolled a Pineapple Express, cracked a Blood Orange and proceeded to get amazed at the Giant D. I am Not used to what I witnessed, quite a surprise. Great win.

Ever root for a team for the sole reason you saw the grateful dead at their home turf  ? 

I do, the Bills,, Rich Stadium.

Of course that shit don't work up at Foxboro, F the patriots.

How about Buffalo? They are seriously working on home field for the play offs. Josh only hurdles the chefs. They don't win the the close games.

Von Miller is washed up. The chefs had the ball for 13 seconds on that last drive. The bills defense is for real. They go their bye week and should have Tre white ready to suit up when they come back. What a game, yeah baby,........Go Bills

Ravens vs Browns

Storyline: Ravens are a 3 & 3  "almost" team with big potential on paper. Plagued by penalties, injuries, and a consistent fourth-quarter fold. The three games they lost they were winning until the final minutes or seconds. If they don't stomp the Browns (not just win) at home today, frustrated fans will call for heads to roll. 

Lamar is negotiating a long-term contract and wants to be paid more than any other QB in the league and he's played like crap lately. He can run like the best running back, but still can't throw a successful bomb like a superstar. Now he's got a mysterious hip injury. Is he the real deal or the Fake Jerry of the NFL? Stay tuned.

Food: Something drastic is called for, so I'm going with leftover Chinese food. There's also tequila, mead and beer in the fridge which doesn't really go with the Chinese food, but I may have to pick one anyway.

Go Ravens!!!

go browns!

Almost blew it in the last minutes but a bad call against the Browns let the Ravens squeak by 23-20.

I was kinda impressed with the Browns - they're like the new Steelers. They've got a good running back.

The Ravens finally got their running game in gear (except for a fumble that almost cost them the game). But they always seemed to struggle. 

I'll take the win.

Maybe the Chinese food was the key. However, I supplemented during second half wth a corned beef sandwich (since I had some crisp lettuce leftover from my Chicken Lettuce Wrap appetizer), so I''ll need to experiment more to see what was the lucky snack.

Short week ahead - Thursday Night football against Tom Brady and Tampa Bay. I hope Gisele gives him hell until then.

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Tom Brady playing like trash and has the audacity to tell his teammates on the sideline they should all be playing better. It's all been downhill for the Bucs since Robert Kraft's wedding party....

 

Bucs did the same thing when they won the super bowl, ripped off 8 in a row on the way to the ship 

 

Bucs center going out before game one is what is killing the offense 

F TB + TB

How bout dem Giants

from yahoo

 

>Darrin

18 hours ago

I've followed the Browns since I was a kid in the late 1970s. I regret it. This franchise has given me nothing but heartache. When I was a kid, we use to have a house full of people watching the game every Sunday. I can't start to count the number of uncles, aunts, great uncles, cousins, and friends who are no longer around who never got to see a winning Browns team. When I think about it, I get mad. I've gone from loving the Browns to hating them. I have zero hope that they will ever turn it around.

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>>>How bout dem Giants

They seem to have figured something out

https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1579280191985451008

Not that it would have made a difference in that disaster of a game, but Mac Jones' pick was caused by the camera wire. They should have replayed the down.

https://twitter.com/dougkyed/status/1585055173327867904?s=46&t=X304VTqg4...

Thursday night football tonight - Ravens vs Buccaneers

Plain ol dumb to have football games on Thursday night. Luckily the local tv station broadcasts the game, so I don't have to do any of that Amazon Prime nonsense. The hard part is staying up late. But ya have to because all the action, win or lose, takes place in the last few minutes of a typical Ravens game.

And no one wants to drink and drive at night, so I'm staying home watching the game solo, which is weird because football is a social event for me. I'll have to text the guys throughout the night.

Storyline - Can the Ravens look like a better-than-average team while they pummel Tom Brady? 

Food /drink - Going with the pork chop & beer combo. (Since the veggie wife doesn't watch the games, I can sit there alone and gnaw on the bone.)

Ravens win 27 - 22. Unfortunately, we incurred some injuries. Fortunately we have 11 days until the next game.

Hate to say the Ravens didn't impress most of the game. It could have gone the other way with a couple more Brady completions. Thank god for our field goal kicker. But a win is a win...

Pleased to say the mango chutney goes really well with any slightly charred meat -- especially a broiled pork chop from local farm.

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Anyone watch Monday Night Football? Ravens vs Saints.

I was camping so I had to download the free trial of NFL + and watch the game on my phone in our little teardrop trailer. Refreshments were potato salad and occasional shots of tequila. 

We had some of our star players (receiver, running backs, tight end) out with injuries, but the Ravens still managed to dominate the action last night. Some of our substitutes are pretty good (at least last night). And we just picked up the League's best tackler in a last minute trade, so that helps. Speaking of tacklers, Lamar must spray some Teflon on him before he runs, because he just slips by so many guys. Amazing -- and nerve-wracking -- to watch him run.

Ravens win 27 - 13 and Saints last TD was a bit of a fluke.

Best news -- we have a bye week (13 days) to rest up.

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I'm looking forward to being at the Sunday night game this week, a big one between the 49ers & the San Diego (Los Angeles?) Chargers.

My Niners are looking to shake off early season ups & downs and get it all rolling, with the great Christian McCaffrey fully in the mix now, and overall getting a lot of good players off IR and back on the field.

But the Chargers are good, and it will be fun seeing Herbert & Ekeler in person. 

It should be a fun, big-time NFL football game under the bright Sunday night lights.

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(View from my seat............)

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Ravens vs Panthers. It's a zoo out there.

Ok, our bye week is over and hopefully our guys are rested up and ready to steamroll through the remaining games. Ravens are 6 and 3 with three consecutive wins and I can see a 12 and 5 record if Lamar doesn't get injured. He missed a practice due to sickness this week, and he's had a history of weird illnesses the past few years. They didn't say it is Covid but it is concerning.

it's a home game and very cold and windy today which might affect the passing game. So if Ravens can keep the running game on track and pepper in some completions to their tight ends, we should win. And our defense is gaining momentum at the moment. 

Panthers don't seem too threatening on paper. That being said, Ravens have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot.

More importantly, we're going to try cooking up some faux Carolina pulled pork and hush puppies. I don't have any nice rolls in the house which is a bummer. Drinking some Spanish gluten-free beer today -- which is just so-so but will have to do.

Onward to the Playoffs!!!

 

Public Service Announcement:

These chips suck. Stick to the Utz. I cheaped out (have you seen the price for a bag of pretzels or chips lately?) and regret it. Hope i don't regret it more later.

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TV  (Fox) just played Foolish Heart going into first quarter break. Weird. I'm waiting for Phil's Raven jam

boooring game. Score was 3-0 most of game. then 3-3. They sure didn't play like a playoff caliber team until the 4th quarter when the Defense bailed them out with some turnovers.

Playing in thirty-some degree windy weather didn't help, but that's what they get paid the big bucks for. Ravens finally won 13-3. They probably would have lost to a better team.

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Well, OK.

The 49ers seem to be settling into their talent and their groove.

Another NICE win tonight in Mexico, now in 1st place in their division and looking good.

It seems to me that so much of NFL success is based on health, and for the first time in a very long while the 49ers are very healthy, with stars & quality players all over the field on both sides of the ball.

And their "2nd string" QB JimmyG is playing really, really well. Which is pissing off a lot of haters.

derp.

GO JIMMYG!!!!!!!

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Judge was in town to watch it on TV, fuck the Yankees!

Fuck the Denver Donkeys!

2nd string" QB Jimmy G is playing really, really well>>>

What a mess for next year, I'm happy as hell for JG, but all that capital for Lance?  Do they pay big $$ to keep JG if he gets a couple playoff wins?

3rd year of the rookie deal for someone who hasn't really played?  Lynch/Shanahan may have backed themselves into a financial corner.

Eagles defense needs to be double masked tonight when they sack the unvaccinated Aaron Rogers 10 times......E-A-G-L-E-S......Eagles!!!!

Ravens vs Jaguars. Two mediocre teams slugging it out. Very entertaining. That's all I'll say today.

Didn't have time to cook as I was winterizing the porch in the rain during the game. Food was leftover lox, no bagel. Finished up those awful crab chips.  And.more of that Spanish gluten free beer that the local liquor store carries.

Oh and the start of the game was delayed because of lightning. Bad omen.

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Ravens 10- Broncos 9

Played most of game from behind with our backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. It was like a boring high school ballgame with passive mediocre play until the very end of the 4th quarter.

Then, thanks to a couple of Denver penalties and the first decent offensive drive, the Ravens squeaked it out with Huntley running in a last minute touchdown. 

Nothing to brag about. Some bad injuries, too, including Lamar. Ravens somehow hang on to a 8 and 4 record. 

Food today was really good - pulled pork, rice and green beans from the local upscale yuppie carry out. Pricey, but they have  homecooked-style meals including GF selections. Mead to drink.

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Well, the Garoppolo haters got what they wanted today.

Now we'll see how the 49ers do with a green kid, who's small and doesn't have a strong arm.

He seems savvy, doesn't seem intimidated by the moment and is pretty accurate with his throws, but in the end I fear defenses will manipulate him into mistakes, as they usually do with rookie QBs.

Still, the 49ers have a very strong defense (Nick Bosa is a BEAST!) and lots of quality offensive players, so as long as their other stars don't go down they should get into the playoffs.

But I fear now that's as far as they'll get.

But then again, maybe this lil' Brock Purdy is the next Drew Brees.

We will see.

Either way, NICE win today!

GO NINERS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Niners are cursed. I'm starting to think that stadium was built on some sort of burial ground. 

Today the Ravens (8-4) take on their longtime division rival - the Pittsburg Steelers (5-7) in Pittsburg. This is usually a big deal in both towns.

The only trouble is that our "star" quarterback is out for three weeks with a knee injury. According to a stat I read Lamar has been hit a league-leading 818 times since 2018.

(Maybe depending on a running quarterback is not the best idea, no matter how exciting it is. It sells tickets, but might have an early expiration date. So just like last year, Ravens go into December's final push without their number one player -- and last year ended in disaster.)

Luckily we have a decent "mini-Lamar" backup QB, but he can't throw the long ball consistently either, which is deemed necessary for playoff success. So this game could be determined by defense and turnovers.

Along with backup players, I'm doing backup food and drink ('cause I'm watching game solo today so not cooking, as we are preparing for house guests in from CA) -- Chinese leftovers from last night and what remains in the bottle of mead leftover from last week. And just in case, last night's leftover saki is waiting on the bench to be called in, if needed.

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^ Oh shit now we are playing our 3rd string backup QB against their 2nd string backup QB. Not good. I think our 3rd string was working at a restaurant last week or something.

wow. won it by 2 points with an undrafted rookie third string QB playing his first game. final score 16-14.

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Wow. The 49ers, with their rookie 3rd string QB, crushed the GOAT and his team. And the kid played really well.

But now they lose Deebo Samuel, maybe the most unique & impactful offensive player in the league and one of the 49ers major stars, likely for the rest of the regular season (at best). And they go into the Seattle buzzsaw next week.

THAT will be one hell of a test for the team, and for lil' Brockie in particular.

But on another note, holy cow, that Christian McCaffery is ONE HELL of a player. Not getting many Carolina games televised in the Bay Area over the years I never got to see him play much. I knew he was really good, but damn... that guy is REALLY good!

And their defense, as long as they can stay healthy, is just nasty.

Most teams that lose their starting QB, let alone their 2nd string QB are toast. It's fun to see my team still playing well.

Thursday in Seattle, for the division, will be one hell of a test.

I'm looking forward to it.

(My neighbors will DEFINITELY know how the game is going)

GO NINERS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lance, good seein' ya at the game yesterday even if it was from across the stadium. 

I had only been there for those Dead 50th shows, so it was nice to finally get to see a game in the 'new' place.  Very different experience from the good old 'Stick, starting with the Hip Hop DJ being blasted during warmups... it was so loud I couldn't even converse with the person sitting next to me.  Also interesting to see how the fan demographic has shifted to a lot of tech types (in the club section where I was anyway) but that's what insane ticket prices will do.  I was kind of disheartened to see so many empty seats in the most expensive sections and boxes.  Sucks for the players to not have a full stadium.  I wish they would figure out some policy to get those seats filled... maybe they could allow the standing room only people to pay like an extra $50 to be able to go to those seats after halftime.

There were a ton of Brady fans in attendance and it was great that the only thing they had to cheer about was the long TD that got called back (which drew a much louder cheer).

Seeing Debo get his leg twisted around was brutal, but not the worst I've seen live... that distinction will probably forever go to Jeff Fuller who suffered that career ending, life altering spinal injury in the 1989 post earthquake game against the Pats at Stanford Stadium.  I remember the stadium being deathly quiet as the put him on the board.  I was happy to read that he eventually regained his ability to walk.

I was impressed by Purdy, and even though I don't think they can get past Philly, I like that he's getting this experience... it gives the team at least a decent option if Trey Lance doesn't pan out (and I don't think he will, but now I would assume he'll have to actually earn the starting job).

FUCK THE SEAHAWKS!

GO NINERS!

 

 

Can't believe the Patriots are in the playoffs at this point and they could go 3-1 over the next four games but things have to align

Next week Raiders should be a win but who knows. Belichick vs. McDaniels is going to be interesting at least. There will definitely be tons of Pats fans in the stands for this one.

Then Bengals at home will most likely be a loss

Then the Fish on NYE at home. Hopefully it will be blizzard and they can bring out the snow plow for a field goal to win the game. 

Finally the Bills at Buffalo to end the season. Hopefully this will be a meaningless game for the Bills and they won't play any starters that is the only way the Pats win.

As I said things need to align in a big way. If not we can move on from the defensive coordinator calling offense experiment 

Titans all the way.

49ers win the NFC West!!! NICE!!!!!!!

But still, they're playing with an undersized 3rd string rookie QB. Can they beat the Cowboys or Eagles in January on the road?

I guess we'll see!!!

FUCK the "12th Man"!!!!!

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

And my neighbors, and their neighbors, DEFINITELY knew what was happening in the game tonight.

NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHOOOOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations. It's good knowing a third string quarterback can get a into the playoffs, although the Raven's second string QB might be released from concussion protocol in time to play this week. It's weird though, we have two Saturday games in a row. Saturday? One at 4:30. One at 1:00. I don't think I like it. What am I gonna do on Sundays?

Great game -------   go go go baby GO

 

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But still, they're playing with an undersized 3rd string rookie QB. Can they beat the Cowboys or Eagles in January on the road?

iI's the dawn of of the Brock Purdy era.

Nice win against the hated Seahawks!  That Purdy kid looked alright even in the most hostile of environments for this team, but he has thrown 1 bonehead interception in each of his first 2 starts.  Luckily for the Niners both were negated (one by penalty, the other dropped) because both were at points in the game when it could have changed the outcome.  This is to be expected from a rookie, but somehow it hasn't tempered all the crazy talk about him being the next Tom Brady.

And while the defense is playing lights out, they are only as successful as their ability to get to the QB. As we saw against KC, teams with mobile, improvising QBs are a serious problem that may only be solved by the Niners putting up a ton of points and somehow winning a shootout.

So right now I'm applying the old adage: don't get too high with highs and too low with the lows because it's been a season filled with both and there are surely more to come.

GO NINERS!

>>>iI's the dawn of of the Brock Purdy era<<<

That seems to be the mania in the Niner nation right now, and in this era of instant & absolute conclusions (and given how well the kid has played) it's not a surprising reaction, but with just a little thought there is reason to be a bit more cautious on Brock 'n Roll's future coranation into the HOF.

Just with the 49ers alone, I easily recall watching Colin Kaepernick being crowned as the next great hero after winning many games early in his career, including multiple playoff games on the road, before he fell to earth as a false profit, and I also remember Garoppolomania in 2017 after he blazed through the five games he started that season, before the bulk of the fan base turned against him after the defense fell asleep late in the 2020 Super Bowl and gave up three TDs in the last six minutes of the game, blowing a 10 point lead that JG had played well to build.

Somehow he took all the blame for that defensive collapse because he wasn't Montana or Brady and didn't rally them back against a raging KC defense. In fairness & truth, JG is not a superstar QB, but when healthy he has continued to play well to very well, including REALLY well this season and has proven himself to be a winning NFL QB, but modern sports fan hate, and love, comes quick & complete and is set deep against him now, no matter the reality.

As for Purdy, considering the circumstances, he has played amazingly well, but I'm still skeptical about his long-term level of success. Maybe there are more, but off the top of my head only two QBs come to mind who were similar to Purdy in height who have had sustained NFL success, Drew Brees & Doug Flutie. The difference with both of those guys is they had significantly stronger arms, which makes such a difference over time, and really only Brees was a true star.

That being said, Purdy's arm isn't a complete noodle, he shows good, natural field sense & rhythm and a calm demeanor amid all the chaos, he's got quick feet and maybe most important, he has a quick release, which can make up for a lack of a rocket arm. It's not as lightning quick as Garappolo's, which is elite and is the main thing that makes JG a successful QB, but it's still very good and IMO that is maybe the most important physical attribute an NFL QB can have, since defenses are so fast and quick to react now.

At this point I still think that a healthy 49ers squad with Garappolo playing the way he was this season had a much better chance of running the full playoff gauntlet that will almost certainly involve at least one very difficult road game, and then winning the BIG game than they do with a short, very inexperienced rookie with average arm strength.

A rookie QB has NEVER started in a Super Bowl, let alone win one, and only a few rookies have ever made it to a conference championship game.

But still and hot damn, there's a first time for everything, and for a short, very inexperienced rookie with average arm strength Purdy IS looking good. As long as Trent Williams, Christian McCafferey, Debo Samuel (who should be back by the playoffs) Kittle & Juszczyk are healthy on offense, and Bosa, Armstead, Greenlaw, Warner, the two Wards & Hufanga are healthy on defense the 49ers are nasty and will be a tough beat, even with lil' Brocky running the show.

No matter what happens, this years' 49ers have been a damn fun team to follow and it should be a fun run to the end, however it ends up.

There are a number of damn good teams in both conferences this year, but as my friends & I like to say.......... FUCK 'EM ALL!!!!!!!!!

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cleveland 13 Ravens 3. So fuckin embarrassing. I apologize to anyone watching that game who expected the Ravens to play better than a high school -- make that jr high -- team.

Aside from multiple turnovers -- we suffered some injuries, too. So depressing.

The food was ok but since I am in covid lockdown waiting to see if I inhaled enough virus from a nearby positive person the other night at dinner, I couldn't really work in the kitchen and passed on the alcohol, too. (I'm at 48 hr point and feel fine now.)

All in all - Saturday football sucks.

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And I know I sound naive, but this football-games-every-day-of-the week only benefits the gambling crowd -- or more precisely, the folks that make money from the gambling crowd.

Now that they have legalized instant-anytime-during-the-game-betting using mobile phones -- it's just a way to let the addicted gamblers watch all the time so they can constantly push the dopamine button and spend more. Like rats pushing the lever in hopes of cheese.

Tough loss for the birds. That's more what one expects a backup QB to look like, and Tucker missing TWO field goals? None of those addicted gamblers would have bet on that.

Still, don't feel too bad Alan. You could be a Colts fan.

BTW, is anyone in Baltimore still a closet Colts fan? It must be hard even after all these years for people of a certain age to see those classic uniforms playing in Indianapolis. 

And I have no problem with late-season Saturday NFL football. In fact I've always loved it. I don't see any significant competitive or safety issues from it, it allows me to see more teams play since the league ekes out games on TV like drug dealers and one of those games is always my local one (and also still usually the Raiders) and as someone who regularly goes to the 49ers home games it's even a bigger deal, as game days take up the entire day.

I wouldn't mind the Thursday games either if they would make it so that only teams coming off a bye played in those. It's insane to ask these gladiators to play games on only three days rest, especially late in the season.

But Saturday games late in the season are usually interesting, they allow me to see more of the other NFL teams play, and since I'm retired now this isn't as big a deal, but it's still a blast to go to Saturday games. The crowd is always more fired up/festive and the next day can be a day of rest instead of it being Monday. And I used to love doing some post-game tailgating at Candlestick, then heading over to the Warfield, Fillmore or Great American for a little Saturday night rock 'n roll. Ah those were the days.

Anyway, NFL games on Saturdays sure as hell beats watching minor league football on Saturdays, which is the only football available that day during most of the season.

when's jerry bobble head night?

>BTW, is anyone in Baltimore still a closet Colts fan? It must be hard even after all these years for people of a certain age to see those classic uniforms playing in Indianapolis. <

"On March 28, 1984, Bob Irsay (1923-1997), owner of the once-mighty Baltimore Colts, moves the team to Indianapolis. Without any sort of public announcement, Irsay hired movers to pack up the team's offices in Owings Mills, Maryland, in the middle of the night, while the city of Baltimore slept."

Lance - 99% of Baltimore colts fans who were alive then are still boycotting the Mayflower moving company, whose trucks were hired to make the move. 100% will curse the name Irsay until their dying day. I will never be a Colts fan as long as that family owns them.

I have a hard time sitting still in front of a tv on a Saturday. Saturday is the day for chores, errands, kayaking, hiking, brewpubbing, wife-time and/or getting ready for late night entertainment. Now it's Sunday and all I have to do is read about yesterdays's debacle. Which is a Monday morning ritual. Screws up my whole routine. 

Yeah Alan, I fully understand & respect the hatred of the Irsay's, evil slime that they will always be, but that's not exactly what I asked, and my question does dig deep and may be a bit difficult to answer honestly even for the old-timers.

I'm standing by my assumption that there are some if not many who still feel a tug at their heart when they see those white helmets with the blue horseshoe.

True love is irrational. And it doesn't fade away.

And I get your points about Saturdays, but if it's the Ravens specifically playing on Saturdays that's your issue, are chores & kayaking not good on Sundays?

Things are getting interesting in the NFL folks. Lots of teams involved, lots of fans with hope.

It should be a good run to the Big Game.

It's time to Brock 'n Roll!!!

(sorry)

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>are chores & kayaking not good on Sundays?<

Like the seasons, weekend days are more distinct back East. Hell, I can't even buy to-go beer, wine, or booze on Sunday around here, except for at a handful of small, loy-key restaurants. You can buy weed on Sundays, though. (We can't even buy alcohol in supermarkets, but that's another topic.) Sundays in Maryland definitely have a more closed down, day-of-rest feel.

And it's sorta like reading the Sunday Chronicle on a Saturday (when newspapers were around) --- you can do it, to sneak a peek at the Pink section to check upcoming shows, but it's not the same as leisurely browsing the entire paper on a Sunday morning with breakfast while recovering from a Saturday night show at the Fillmore. Yes, some activities, like football, are best associated with a certain day of the week. There's also the wife factor to consider. She's not too happy when they pop in a Saturday game at the last minute. And it's easier to gather friends together on a Sunday.

Regarding Baltimore Colts - how would you feel if you can home one day to find out that your spouse had unexpectedly cleaned out the entire house and moved out without warning? Oh, you might still have some fond memories when you see someone that looks just like him/her, but that warm fuzzy feeling quickly dissipates when you remember the trauma of the split. Especially if you eventually hook up with a hottie. Personally, I still associate the horseshoe with Johnny Unitas, Jimmy Orr, Art Donovan, and Memorial Stadium -- Baltimore's version of Candlestick -- because of the memories burned into my psyche as a kid. They really should have changed the logo. Luckily for me I moved to San Francisco (84/85) shortly after the breakup to catch Joe Montana and then Steve Young. And lucky again when I returned to the hometown 25 years later and the local action was happening.

According to the pundits, the Ravens still have a shot at the playoffs, but sadly they are nowhere near playoff caliber. But we have plenty of drama swirling around which coaches to fire and when and a big quarterback controversy. I hope they do squeak into the playoffs, as it certainly makes winter more bearable. 

Quick thought on Purdy - until they have to play against a defense with 10 games of film on any quarterback you just don't know. 

Now on to the dumbest game I've ever seen. The Pats are back to their pre Belichick form helped along by what I would say was the worst call in the last ten years but there have been so many bad calls that you can't even call it the worst. Billion dollar industry with part time hobbyist refs, but in the end the Pats did not in any way deserve to win that game. They are barely as good as their record. 

Ravens 17 - Falcons 9 (That was the temperature high and low during the game, as well as the final score.) Coldest game in stadium history.

Another Saturday afternoon battle. It was kinda like the Ravens were playing a slightly worse version of themselves. But they managed to pull out a win with our second string quarterback and fairly mediocre playing. Thankfully, the Ravens stuck with the run and had no turnovers. Kicked a bunch of fieldgoals. And thankfully, no major injuries. They are now W10 & L5.

And best of all, due to the math and a Patriots loss, I just heard that they clinched a wildcard playoff spot with two division games left to upgrade. Go Ravens!

Due to the winter weather I made some hearty Southwest vegetable chicken soup. Stale popcorn complimented the beers.

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Atta' boy Alan. There's nothing like the playoffs, it's getting real now.

>>>until they have to play against a defense with 10 games of film on any quarterback you just don't know<<<

Fortunately, no team this year will have 10 games of film on Purdy, but then I don't really think a good defensive staff needs 10 games to find tendencies/weaknesses.

Heading into today's game Washington had three games of film on Purdy. They controlled the running game, but they couldn't quite control Purdy. The kid played really well again, and most importantly, again he was poised and calm, making good, quick decisions all while looking like he was mowing his lawn. Calm in chaos is also something that shows up on film.

Obviously, in the playoffs if they're down 17 at halftime on the road we'll see if the lil' fella can rise to that occasion, but today he went against what will likely be the best defense the 49ers will see the rest of the season, maybe unless they face the Bills in the Super Bowl (which would be just fine). Other than the 49ers, is there another team in the NFC with a better defense than Washington? Chase Young was back today as well, and he played great, and the kid & the team still just took care of business.

I was thinking this would be the game we'd really see what's what with the red & gold. They really celebrated their division title win in Seattle last week and everyone around here is getting pretty cocky, so I figured the Redsk..... ooops, whatever they're called now, coming in desperate might just bring things down a notch, but while the 'Manders played well, the 49ers simply executed them, and the kid was right in the middle of it all.

It's getting fun in the BA.

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pittsburgh wins 16-13. Ravens were winning and gave it away with a minute left in the game. Gave it way.

Someone is gonnna get fired soon. Our one dimensional run-centric offense just doesn't work with a backup quarterback and no passing game. Our defense and special teams are mostly ok, but there is no way short of a miracle that we can beat a championship caliber team. Lamar hasn't played in the last 4 games and even if he recovers enough to play with a bum knee he's got no one who can get free and catch a long bomb. He's not too accurate passing anyway. And he wants really big money, which will starve the roster for the next few years if they pay him. There's talk of getting rid of hm (in the comments section) and rebuilding with some low draft picks, even though the current team was built around him. 

Even a really good lamb burger and beer didn't save us.

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Austin Eckler is the shit as well.

Holy Shit

 Football may be done. Hope that dudes ok.

I thought football was done after all the evidence of concussion brain damage was documented. Nope. All we get is more thoughts and prayers. 'Merica! 

Season ended 10 -7 with a loss in Cinci using our third string QB and resting many starters -- but we are in the playoffs next week! -- back in Cincinnati. Rematch!

We suck and our "star" quarterback hasn't played in 5 games but there is still a sliver of hope...

The good news is that the season ended with a feast of lamb meatballs, lump meat crab dip, and steamed shrimp -- plus some 20 year old tequila. 

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>>>evidence of concussion brain damage was documented. Nope. All we get is more thoughts and prayers. 'Merica!

 

Yes it's just fake news that gymnasts are at high risk for head and neck injuries.  In reality, no one has ever broken their neck, been paralyzed or died in the entire history of gymnastics.  And certainly no gymnast, and especially not any children, were ever sexually assaulted by trainers/coaches either.

Oh, I'm not going defend the abuses in gymnastics. Yes, women's gymnastics has had a terrible history of abuse - which is being  addressed, many former gymnasts who were victimized are now involved with USA gymnastics to improve the culture and prevent abuses. Coaches, Doctors, Trainers and staff are all responsible for the safety of the athletes and new safeguards are in place. New training protocols and oversight. Of course there are injuries in the sport, but the sport has evolved. And unfortunately, there will still be abuses. And injuries, but less of them and not as easily ignored.
 

Now, Back to the documented  and very real concussion risks and long term mental health problems with Football players. There's really not much being done or that can be done with such a violent sport. I rarely watch it because I can't help but think that these gladiators are paying such a high price for our entertainment. Do we really need more Herschel Walkers?!  And Don't get me started on boxing..

And whataboutism to defend Football injuries, huh? 

I'm in for the game Saturday!  Ticket prices have been dropping every day probably due to the weather forecast, but I got a seat out of the rain (covered club area) for less than the regular season ticket I bought a couple months ago.  First time seeing a playoff game in person so I'm pretty fuckin' stoked!

GO NINERS!

There is no defending or minimizing the brutal nature of football, facts are facts and serious injuries happen. I do think there is some predictable over-reacting to the issue, it's not automatic that if you play football you will have brain damage and most players who have played in the NFL since it began around 100 years ago have not suffered from that problem. Again, I'm not trying to minimize the fact that MANY players do have long-term issues, but many, many do not.

(And Herschel Walker was brain damaged before he ever played football. His condition is commonly referred to as "stupid")

So, is football dangerous? Certainly. Does it shorten lives? I believe in general it can and does. Should it be banned? Without getting too far into "cancel culture", there is no way that will happen. There is too much money involved, too many people love the game and too many players love to play it.

I truly believe that even if the money was next to nothing, many if not most professional players would continue to play because they love it. If you listen to players talk about the game they say that there is nothing like it, and their love for it over-rides the risks.

Anyway, in this particular case, what likely caused Damar Hamlin's heart to stop is something that has happened before in various sports, including hockey, lacrosse, even baseball. Should those sports be banned as well? Concussions? They happen all the time in soccer, it's a serious issue in that sport at all ages. I doubt anyone will be calling to ban soccer anytime soon.

No question that football is seriously dangerous. But life is dangerous, and not everything can be cleansed away. The danger of football is a big part of what makes it great. It creates an intensity that is unlike anything else in sports, and in my years I have never found anything that in so many ways is a more direct metaphor for life than football. Not always good, but then there is much in life that is not good.

It's understandable that many people don't like to watch football, and the NFL is fucked in MANY ways, but once the whistle blows and the ball is snapped, there is nothing like watching those dedicated, amazingly skilled gladiators play that game.

Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to Saturday's battle with Seattle.

DOWN with the Seahags!!!

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!

Someone say football? Someone say gymnastics? Put these two death-defying sports together and ya got:

the RAVENS Cheerleaders Pre-Playoff Calender Photoshoot Tropical Trip!

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Now this is dangerous. Notice it's balancing on one foot.

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My back feels like that when I wake up:

485663_10150662688306229_941233306_n.jpg

Careful. You could twist something:

.581523_10150662688571229_1528448181_n_0.jpg

Sunday at 8:15 pm.

We go in without the star quarterback who the offense is built around. Will we use the injured backup or the rookie third string with one start l(ast week)?

Playoffs! Playball!


vike's gonna eat that shit from behind

 

that's what we do

 

#motorboat

 

^ Jezus - the Vikings went 13 and 4. I had no idea. Are they any good? Who cares -- it's the playoffs, everyone starts at 0 - 0.

They sound vicious and slightly uncouth. Well, they are Vikings, after all.

Too bad almost doesn't count. One stupid play at the very end of the game turned everything around.

Oh well. We had fun. And ate pretty good. And only nine more months to next season!

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I guess I can be a 49ers fan for a few more weeks (but it's not the same.) Go Niners!

we are worse than the detroit lions. what a shit franchise, shit owner, and the stupidest pencil neck cracka coach. 

how do you loose a game where you have 5! takeaways?? absolute dog shit.

i fucking hate that smug shit weasel.

Yeah, ouch. A couple of rough losses for you zoners.

That Chargers game, whoooo. That type of thing leaves a mark that can haunt a team for a long time. That coach really should get the heave-ho, but I hear folks saying that the owner won't want to eat another coaches contract. Bad/cheap owners suck.

And that Ravens game, whoooo. So close. Reaching the ball over the goal is always a huge risk, but doing it from that distance is asking for disaster, that was a bad call and worse execution. And then to come SO close on the hail mary; I may have puked my dinner on either or both of those plays.

So Alan, who will be QB1 for the Ravens next year? It sounds like things are chippy there with Lamar and he may be on his way out.

As for those still in the hunt, no surprise, it's Dallas coming to the Bay Area on Sunday. They can be real good and now it gets real, but the 49ers are deeper and if they can't beat the Cowboys at home they don't deserve to go on.

The Cowboys vs. the 49ers in the playoffs. That matchup goes back a long, long way and this should be another good one.

Can the kid keep it rolling? I can't wait to find out.

GOOOOOO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!

With all the profits from being an owner in the NFL, playing in a major city like Los Angeles, how do you get a reputation for being cheap??  You're printing $$$.  The Panthers still owe Matt Rhule $40 million dollars, and as long as he stays at Nebraska, he gets all of it.  Forgetting about pinching pennies, the Chargers history of blowing leads, kicking issues, etc. goes back years.  Cliche: It's in their DNA.

Staley should have been fired the minute he tried & failed on a 4th & 1 from his own 18 in that play in game last Jan. 9th that cost the Chargers at playoff birth.

One of my favorite games in the last few years.

The Chargers pulled within 29-22 on Herbert’s 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Josh Palmer—on a fourth-and-21 play—and a successful two-point conversion with just less than 4 1/2 minutes to play in regulation.  They forced a punt and got the ball back at their 17-yard line with 2:06 remaining. They converted on fourth and 10. They were given a first down on a defensive holding penalty on the Raiders on a fourth-and-10 incompletion. Herbert threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Williams with no time left on the clock, and the Chargers added the extra point to send the game to overtime. Herbert had a 47-yard completion on a fourth-and-nine play in overtime. The Chargers had six fourth-down conversions in the game.  

The Chargers may have sealed their own fate by calling a timeout with 38 seconds remaining in overtime and the Raiders facing a third-and-four play from the L.A. 39-yard line.  The Chargers helped out at times. They lost a fumble on a punt return. Herbert threw an interception. 

Chargers gonna Charger. Air Coryell, Fouts, Winslow, Joyner, Natrone Means, Rivers, Gates, Tomlinson.  Fun team to watch the last 50 years,  Just one Super Bowl, routed by the Niners 49-26.

 

Duval!

Jags_3.jpg

>So Alan, who will be QB1 for the Ravens next year? It sounds like things are chippy there with Lamar and he may be on his way out.<

The situation is a mess. Lamar wants guaranteed superstar money but a good argument could be made that 1) he's not worth it skill-wise, 2) he's prone to injury and sickness, especially by the end ot the season when the Ravens really need him, and 3) if they do pay him, they have no money left to fill their other needs. He's also become a PR nightmare, mainly because he doesn't have an agent to smooth things over. The Ravens hate drama and that's all they get with this guy.

On the other hand, they built the offense around him and when he does play he usually wins or at least keeps it exciting for the fanbase. He's also a favorite with the younger crowd.

The latest thinking is, "franchise tag him and trade him while you can still get a bunch of draft picks." But are the fans patient enough to start over with someone new? And is there even an up and coming QB that could be the face of the franchise? No one really knows.

Plus, the Offensive Coach will probably be replaced, but who's going to take the job until the QB situation is resolved? There's even talk of replacing Harbough, but I doubt that will happen.

Like I said, it's a mess. At least there will be a lot to read about during the off-season.

Glad I'm not in charge of making the Lamar decision. Running QB's tend to have the shelf life of running backs, but he has only played five seasons so should have at least 3 more good years in him. 

In other news where does Brady play next year. 49rs were always the obvious choice, but that would be the mother of all quarterback controversies. Maybe Seattle or Las Vegas. 

Well, I was the third person to post in this thread almost exactly five months ago and my team is still alive, so I guess I'll keep posting.

(Raz's Giants are still alive, but he seems to have slithered under a rock)

The questions I raised about my team in my first post five months ago have been answered; the completely inexperienced QB and the questionable Oline have BOTH proven to be functional and more (although the inexperienced QB tuned out to be a completely different inexperienced QB) and they are talented and ready (I hope) for a BIG game.

The 49ers/Cowboys game is a matchup of two top-tier NFL teams with a long history between them. It should be a great football game with great players all over the field, where either team could win, or lose.

I love the pageantry & intensity of these type of do-or-die events, there is nothing quite like it, and I'm going to try hard to enjoy it whether my team wins or loses.

(I sure hope my team wins)

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!

E36AAA49-47AC-4560-812F-9010F59E846D.jpeg
Fly, Eagles Fly

On the road to victory (fight, fight, fight!)

Fight, Eagles Fight

Score a touchdown, one, two, three (one, two, three!)

Hit 'em low

Hit 'em high

And watch our Eagles fly

Fly, Eagles Fly On the road to victory E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!

https://youtu.be/3K68mKnriTo

Fun weekend football-wise.

Go Niners!

Fun game - go Niners!

Sux not having faith in your kicker during the playoffs...

Go Niners!

i am happy for my philly peeps

and i hate dallas by proxy of being a yankee fan

so that worked out

now go GO SIXERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://youtu.be/B_k6FQXZfBY

Bills season ended with a thud, maybe all the stuff that the team went through this year finally caught up to them.

That was the first ass kicking they had in two years. My theory is that if the Monday night match up where Damar got hurt had finished, they would have got beat.

They could have got it out of there system and planned for the next encounter.

49ers beating the Cowboys to go to the NFC Championship after starting 3-4 sounds too good to be true, ESPECIALLY with a 3rd string rookie QB with only half a season under his belt.

Not sure if any team can beat Philly right now, but the 49ers are a tough, gritty, skilled, confident and they seem to find ways to make good fortune at opportune times, so here's hoping this crazy run continues.

GO NINERS GO!!

Atta' boy Hall!

It's not that surprising that the 49ers have made it this far, as they were built for a deep run. Early in the season the most surprising thing with them was how well the inexperienced Oline came together, but that became pretty clear after the first few games (I guess the coaches do know what they're doing) and after Lance got hurt and JimmyG shook off the rust and began playing well it was clear they were ready to take a good run, especially after they acquired McCaffery.

But when Garoppolo went down I figured it was all over, which is when the BIG surprise came along. Who could have predicted that an undersized rookie QB with a not very strong arm could step in and not miss a beat? I guess Shanahan could have predicted it, but how Purdy has played just doesn't happen. It's been amazing to watch him handle everything. Of course it helps to be surrounded by all the playmakers the team has, a coach who knows how to use them and a defense to rely on, but he's still played so much better than almost anyone could have imagined.

Now, can they go into Philly and beat that great team? I fear the ride may end there, as the Eagles have great playmakers on offense and a QB who can create & run when the defense blows up a play, but mainly because they RUSH the passer, and that's the best way to win playoff games, especially against an inexperienced QB and a good but not great pass-blocking Oline.

The 49ers best/only chance to win is if they can run the ball consistently well to stay away from third & long situations, along with their defense playing out of their minds. Both of those things can happen, but if they fall behind and have to throw it on most plays it could get ugly.

But these are clearly the two best teams in the NFC, which is how it should be, so all I hope for is that the refs don't fuck it up and the best team wins.

As for the AFC, Buffalo sure looked like the team early in the season, but after they lost Von Miller they became vulnerable, and from what I saw in yesterday's game that was the difference. Allen was constantly under siege, while Burrow wasn't pressured. IMO constant pressure on the QB is the best way to win playoff games, and that played out yesterday.

The Bengals look great and especially with Mahomes hobbled I see them smacking the Chiefs. I'm hoping the 49ers can figure a way to steal a win in Philly and face them for the third time in a Super Bowl, but if I were betting I'd say it will be cats against birds in the BIG game. If that's how it works out it should be a good game (but the 49ers would make it a good game too!).

May the best teams win, and.........

 

 

 

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!

 

 

Go Joe!!!!

Bengals Stealie_0.jpg

Well, OK. Due to a couple of good scenarios I've been up most of the night, so I'll be staggering to the TV at noon with coffee and a hopeful attitude, and I won't be posting until after the game.

So if it ends today for the 49ers then it's been a damn fun ride, and hooray for the Eagles (phhhit!).

If it goes on, then far fucking out, and more fun (and fun stress) will be had.

Either way, as always, on it goes. I consider myself to be lucky to have been "involved" in quite a few of these big games. For those that understand, they really are quite a thing.

May the best team win, and boy oh boy............

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^ Yeah, what he said.

Fun game to watch. Especially the final minutes. Glad Cincinnati lost. 

I'm a temporary KC fan now. I just can't bring myself to root for Philly. Ever.

On the one hand I want KC to destroy Philly because well Philly, and they have had the easiest playoff road to the Super Bowl of pretty much any team ever. On the other hand if Philly wins it will piss off Cowboy fans so there is that. 

Also SF really needs to find a way to appease whatever god they have pissed off. 

Didn't teams used to keep three quarterbacks active?  
Niners had no chance when they went back to damaged goods.

As much as I admire Shanahan's coaching skills he made 2 fatal errors early on.

 

1. Not challenging the 4th down pass or at least calling a time out

 

2. Calling a play that leaves a defender unblocked to the rookie quarterback in his first playoff game.. Debo was standing around nearby doing nothing. Have him block.....

 

later it seemed like the same play was called when Johnson got knocked out of the game.

Well, that was a serious bummer of a way to end a great season. Losing is one thing, but not even getting the chance to compete just sucks.

And that game just sucked.

As for not challenging that pivotal early catch, the question isn't why Shanahan didn't challenge, it's what level of immediate access do teams have in the booth for seeing all angles of a play.

Shanahan is getting criticized for that today, but challenges almost always come from a team employee assigned to watch replays, who calls down to the coach to challenge or not. For obvious reasons the replay wasn't shown in the stadium so Shanahan didn't see it and the broadcast didn't show it until after the next play, so my question is if the person in the booth is limited to watching the broadcast feed, which I believe is the case, or if they have their own ability to look at all available angles, just like the broadcast director does, which is what it should be. I just don't think anyone on the 49ers saw a replay before the next play was run.

You can't challenge what you don't see.

And Riddick wasn't left unblocked. A tight end was responsible for blocking him, which is common on run-fake passing plays and is something the 49ers do often & well, but Riddick is a great player who blasted right through the TE and made the play. It's fair enough to nitpick that they shouldn't have called that play, or had Kittle, who's the best blocking TE in the league, assigned to block Riddick, but the guy who was assigned is also a very good blocker who has handled many great players on similar plays all season, including Micah Parsons last week.

I was initially upset with that play call (the most common of Monday morning fan criticisms) but after more calmly watching it a couple of times later I have come to think that it was just what happens when facing great players..... they're going to make great plays.

To win that game the 49ers we're going to have to throw the ball, and play action passes are what their entire passing game is built on, which means the tight ends have to block edge rushers. The Eagles biggest strength is their multiple excellent pass rushers, so if Riddick was blocked better on that play it could well have been a different player that got loose and smashed Purdy, or it could have happened on a different play, as it did to Johnson later.

Bottom line is, with the multiple excellent Eagles passrushers it was inevitable that Purdy was going to be harassed & hit multiple times. It was incredibly bad luck that Purdy got hurt, but it wasn't anything that anyone can be blamed for.

Mostly the thing I'm left thinking about today is something that I've often thought about the past few years - that the league did away with the emergency third QB, who was suited up for games but didn't take an official roster spot, could only play if the other two QBs were hurt and once he went in he had to play the remainder of the game.

I've always thought it's ridiculous for teams to realistically only be able to suit up two QBs, and in general and in this case in particular I'm certain it wouldn't have made any difference in the outcome, but at least the 49ers could have continued to compete. This game was a classic & bigtime example of why they need to go back to that system. I would imagine millions of TVs around the country clicked away from that game early, which is the only thing that gets the league's attention, so maybe we'll see it return.

Anyway, around here today many are yowling about the refs, they're yowling about not challenging the early catch, they're yowling about anything they can think of to yowl about, which is always what happens after a playoff loss, but the bottom line is the better team won.

A great & varied pass rush is the best way to win NFL games, especially playoff games, the Eagles have the best pass rush in the league, and that won them the game. I think if Purdy had not gotten hurt it would have been a closer game and the 49ers would have had a chance to win, but ultimately I think the outcome would have been the same.

As for the Super Bowl, KC has the kryptonite for a great pass rush - a superstar QB and a great offensive coordinator. But they better hope Mahomes ankle gets better and the pain killing shots continue to work, because Riddick and the rest of those great Eagles pass rushers are going to be coming for him.

So, a bitter end to a great 49ers season, but that's football, and ultimately only one team wins their last game while everyone else goes home yowling. This years 49ers were a really fun team to follow, it was an exciting season and I feel I got my money's worth. I am now left pondering what always seems to be the question around here - who will be the starting QB next year???

Sigh.

GO NINERS IN 2023!!!!!!!!

Lance, we have something in common:

"it was an exciting season and I feel I got my money's worth. I am now left pondering what always seems to be the question around here - who will be the starting QB next year???"

The Lamar drama around here is off the charts. Will the owner cave and give him his guaranteed mega-millions? In spite of his shortcomings? Or will he be traded for first round draft picks to a team in the other conference? Who needs an electric QB and is willing to gamble?

Nothing to do but speculate for a while. 

That's a tough one Alan. Huge guaranteed money for a run-first QB is a tough call, since they're so susceptible to injury. But Lamar is REAL good, so unless they are offered a boatload of picks they'll probably have to sign him and take their chances.

What do YOU think they should do?

As for the 49ers, it really comes down to whether Purdy will need Tommy John surgery, which would have him lose all next season and we're back to the Trey Lance experiment (which isn't the worst situation) or if Purdy just needs a "repair" surgery, which takes him out for 6 months and he can possibly compete next year with Lance for QB1, and at least has him as a solid backup.

Despite the miracles of modern medicine, given his marginal arm strength Purdy could be screwed either way, but if it's Tommy John he's TOTALLY screwed and it could ruin what was looking to be a promising career, which is a bummer on multiple levels, and the 49ers will need to find a solid veteran backup to Lance. JimmyG fell into their lap this year but that won't happen again, as he's certain to get a starting job after his excellent play this season, and good for him.

Quarterbacks and passrushers, ultimately that's what it all comes down to. The best ones are real hard to find, and a team can never have too many of either.

Oh, and I guess I should add..... now all the Tom Brady to the 49ers speculation will begin again, along with some Aaron Rogers jabber thrown in.

It hasn't even started yet and I'm tired of it already.

When's Opening Day?

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!

>What do YOU think they should do?<

Call me old school but I prefer to have a quarterback who can accurately heave a pass downfield consistently. If he is fast enough and resilient enough to run downfield when the situation demands it, all the better.

And I like the quarterbacks who at least pay lip service to the illusion that they are leaders of the team with a team-first mentality from the first practice camp to the last day of the season. And live that example in their public lives on and off the field. I don't like my quarterbacks to be social media influencers, big partiers, or loud personalities always surrounded by drama. Leave that to the wide receivers.

With financial concerns a reality, I also prefer not spending all the team money on one star player -- I'd rather they spread the money around a bit and keep the depth in this injury plagued sport.

So I say trade him to the NFC. I'll still enjoy watching him run circles around defenders -- until he gets hurt or falls ill again. And with his track record, the Ravens probably won't have to worry about meeting him in the SuperBowl.

With Tom Brady's retirement, the last player from the 2000 draft class and longest-active player in the league has retired. The new longest-active player is Cardinals Punter Andy Lee, drafted in 2004.

Lee is 40, and contemplated retirement last offseason. If he also calls it quits, the title moves to Aaron Rodgers, drafted in 2005.

Niners injury problems are beyond anything I can remember from any team.  WTF is going on? 

I could see this team taking a step backwards next year right when it looked like they might get it all going.

^ Pretty much every culture has a simulated combat "sport." 

Even Eskimos have gladiators. I mean, have you ever sat in a high school gym and watched an Eskimo's ear whiz past you and into your buddy's beer? Not a pretty sight.

Ear_pull.jpg

Arctic sports

For ear pull, the athletes sit on the floor facing each other. A looped string of sinew is looped around each athlete's ear. The athletes pull straight back, attempting to pull the string of sinew off their opponent's ear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_sports

No one likes us. We don’t care!

The Eagles absorb more Philly hate at Super Bowl LVII

https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/eagles-chiefs-hate-philly-super-bowl-lvi...

Birds win 33-24 

Voodoo - if ya fix all the highway interchanges that lead to Philly, I might like it more. It sucks driving into that town. God is it dismal looking. And more potholes than Baltimore, which is hard to believe.

Go Chiefagles

I hope the halftime food is great...

Happy "Football Day" in America. NY Times has an article about the rise of football in American culture:

"The Super Bowl is reliably the year’s most-watched broadcast, a status that reflects football’s dominant role in contemporary culture. Years ago, before cable television and the internet, other forms of mass entertainment — sitcoms, dramas and the nightly news — also drew enormous audiences. Few do today, and it’s only a modest exaggeration to say that football is mainstream American culture."

This is followed by a 10x10 graphic of the 100 most-viewed TV shows in the US in 2022:  82(!) were football games.

Harumph.

Alan, you should to take a different approach wink

 

Sad story last night

https://youtu.be/_6kmNkSrNnU

Creativity is dead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

except in sculpting 

Oh sorry the creativity is dead was in reference to the commercials during the super bowl, pathetic cameos, not funny 

Anyone bet a field goal hitting the uprights you are doing good today.

+450-500 payday is coming to many online wallets bold enough to root for a kicker's confidence to be crushed.

except it didn't

He kicked the one that counted.

Gronk on the otherhand...

How do betting odds work?  Are you saying if you bet a dollar that a FG kick hits an upright you would win $500?  And does that mean other people bet (and lost) a total of $500 that no FG kick would hit an upright?  Allowing a cut for "the house".

Yes you can bet on pretty much anything for the superbowl. How long the national anthem is etc etc. When you are betting that kind of thing you are usually hedging. You have a few small bets that pay out big odds. If you are going to bet $1k on the superbowl then a $10 bet on a field goal hitting the upright isn't going to kill you. They have been raking in the money on that bet for years and this year they had to pay out. Not sure if you can bet on no  field goal hitting the upright. It would probably be a negative return on your bet even if you win. 

BTW I did the Dave's Not Here skit for show and tell when I was in elementary school. 

Game grade: (A) - I enjoyed watching it right up to the last minute even thought I didn't have any skin in the game. Mobile betting folks were probably going crazy. It's an overused term, but both teams executed. Few penalties / turnovers show that these two teams deserved to be there. Also that you need a successful long passing game to be in the NFL playoffs.

Commercials: (C-) - less than average entertainment value, I didn't learn anything new, and I'm not running out to buy anything I saw advertised.

Halftime: (C) - It seemed well produced if ya like Rhiana, but the 500 hoodie robot ghosts were boring after 3 minutes and probably nightmare inducing (i was praying for one to fall of a floating platform) and their porn dance moves were less than creative and embarrassing if kids were in the room. I mean really, a world wide audience and faux cunnilingus is the best you could come up with? American civilization is doomed.  Also, I couldn't understand any of the words (old man shakes cane) and probably wouldn't want to if I knew the lyrics. 

 

>>>and I'm not running out to buy anything I saw advertised.

I might try meth or Doritos.  It appears Tuco has aged well and still seems like a real go-getter.

A

D

F

 

>>>Halftime: (C) 

Umpa Lumpa's all grown up

It was a real good game, but I can't give it an A because as usual the refs couldn't stay out of it and the very tricky-tack last minute penalty ruined an otherwise perfect ending scenario.

Was the play a penalty? Based on how they call regular season games it was, but as is always the case the refs generally backed off in the post-season and were letting most of the marginal plays go, which they most definitely were doing yesterday.

For me, despite the basic fact that the infraction was tiny and had no effect on the play, it's not so much the penalty itself that ruined the game, but that there were multiple minor jersey tugs throughout the game that (rightfully) weren't called, which made the fateful call seriously inconsistent with how the overall game was called. Without that needless and inconsistent call the ending was set up to be classic, and could/should have been the perfect way to finish an otherwise excellent football game.

Game - B+

Refs - F-

Fuckin' refs.

As for the commercials, I thought they sucked, at least the ones I saw. Considering the massive money involved in making them and buying the time to show them you'd think they could come up with better story lines. Instead they put all the money into hiring big stars to do or say a few stupid things, throw in some special effects and have the janitor write the script. Meh.

And who watches the halftime "show"???

So at the end of another exciting season I'm left feeling disappointed at how my team's season ended, disgusted but not surprised at the continuing state of (over)officiating in the NFL and impressed and awed by the incredible level of talent, effort and dedication these gladiators demonstrate.

But the main question I'm left with today is... Is it too soon to start referring to Mahomes as "The GOAT"?

That dude is just lethal, and he's still a young guy.

HE gets the A.

Oh, and I just paid for my 49ers tickets for next season today, which will be my 42nd year as a season ticket holder. It's getting harder & harder to cough up that dough and go through the effort/hassles of going to the games, so I've been thinking that this may be my last year. If that's the case, then I say this with even more force than usual...........

GO NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>>>>the continuing state of (over)officiating in the NFL 

Hmmm right around the time of a massive increase in legal betting

>>>Is it too soon to start referring to Mahomes as "The GOAT"?

Way to soon - maybe after he wins a super bowl for the 9rs at the end of his career, but he sure is fun to watch and seems like a good guy. He is entering the hate and hyper scrutiny phase of his time in the game - we will see how he handles it.