Week 2 Football RoundUp

Another Sunday of mixed results...my fantasy outfit The Clippers lost a close game this week to the Asskickers...even in defeat it was a bounce back to respectability for my fantasy squad after last week's MIA performance...The Clippers hung 99 points...I'm not much for moral victories...but 0-2 hasn't stopped me from reaching the playoffs before...despite Ronnie Brown coming up big for me on Monday night...the A-Kickers' Dallas Clark was even bigger...figures a TE would do me in like that...

I was 10-6 against the spread again this week...1-2 in picks for "entertainment purposes only"...

I am still alive in my two Survivor pools...my picks were Washington and Minnesota...

Speaking of the 'Skins, a forgettable win over the Rams brings them to 1-1 on the season...there's talk on sports radio and in the newspaper of Coach Zzzzz's job being in jeopardy...The Rolling Stones' equally forgettable 1986 album Dirty Work contains a tune called "Winning Ugly"...I hope the lyrics aren't a hint of the 'Skins 2009 season to come!

And we're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues
We're heading for the heartbreak
Heading for the blues
And we're winning, winning ugly
And we're winning, winning ugly

And of course I take no small measure of joy with Dallas losing their "Homecoming" game...three intercepts for chubby-chasing Tony R...that's Romo being Romo...

So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)

dang...recent flooding in Georgia has created a new water ride At Six Flags...

Trailin' The Tigers

Hard times for Hull City as visiting Birmingham City took a 1-0 win thanks to a 75th minute header from Garry O'Connor...Hull keeper Boaz Myhill frustrated Birmingham with some excellent saves...but The Tigers could not sustain some inspired early play to put one in the net...Hull's fourth league defeat of the season and their second home loss at KC Stadium leaves Phil Brown's side marooned in the bottom three...Relegation Talk?

Take Another Hike

After a mid-week visit to the chiropractor my back is still on the slow track to recovery...the good news is it does not appear to be a permanent injury...the bad news is I am still having to settle for a low impact hike as my exercise these days...Saturday was the date for my first half-marathon...

it was another bright sunny start to the day...cool 53 degrees...hiked the bus depot trail up to the river trail loop and came back by way of the stairway trail...took a couple of brief 20-30 yard jogs...leg felt a bit sore and numb...but nothing that was capable of stopping me from hiking...onward!

Trailin' The Tigers

Hull City traveled to Sunderland over the weekend to face The Black Cats and fell to 4-1 defeat. The Tigers played a spirited first half with Zayatte equaling the score in the 44th minute at 1-1. The second half was all Sunderland as they found the net three more times. Yank Jozy Altidore came on as a sub in the 64th minute, but was not able to proveide any Instant Karma...coming up for the Tigers is a match against Birmingham City on their home grounds...the Tigers have only four points earned through the first five games of the sesaon...

Week 1 Football RoundUp

A mixed bag of results for me this weekend...

The Redskins lost to the Giants in the swampland of New Jesrsey...not only did the 'Skins loss to the G-Men closely resemble last year's seson-opening loss, but the entire team's performance looked not to have changed much at all since last season ended...the defense was on the field too long...the 'Skins offense had less than fifty total plays...and when they were on the field looked blah at best...the Rams come to town for the home opener on Sunday

My fantasy team, The Clippers, pulled up lame against the Camel Jockeys...there were no bright spots to speak of really...Steven Jackson, Ronnie Brown and all my receivers were junk...hopefully we'll "Shake It Off" in week two...

on the bright side...I was 10-6 with my picks against the spread...usually it's hard to read the games the first week of the season...

and my three picks that were not for "entertainment purposes only" all came up winner$!!!

Back On The Trails...Sort Of

the recovery progress is still going for my aching back...however, I was feeling frisky enough to head over to Jug Bay this morning for a hike on the trails...the cool, quiet conditions were just what I am used to for September...my favorite time of year for running happens to be September and October...I hiked 3.4 miles in 1:08:39...included some hills...didn't have to stop to rest my back and was able to maintain a comfortable pace...the trails were a little damp and I saw a snake of some kind slithering across a section of trail...I did have the urge to break out into a trot, but resisted...there was some soreness in my leg/knee afterward, but not too bad...all in all a small step in the right direction!

NFL 2009

The NFL kicks off the 2009 season tonight with the Titans of Tennessee taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Steeltown...I hate Thursday games, by the way (except for Thanksgiving)...pro ball should be played only on Sundays and Monday night...I'll add my own contribution to the glut of predicitons out there...maybe the brilliant Gregg Easterbrook will evaluate my predicitons at the end of the season...

NFC East

NY Giants 11-5

Philadelphia 11-5 (Wild Card)

Washington 10-6 (Wild Card)

Dallas (7-9)

NFC North

Green Bay 11-5

Minnesota 10-6

Chicago 7-9

Detroit 4-12

NFC South

New Orleans 11-5

Carolina 8-8

Atlanta 7-9

Tampa Bay 2-14

NFC West

San Francisco 10-6

Seattle 9-7

Arizona 8-8

St. Louis 4-12

AFC East

New England 12-4

Miami 10-6 (Wild Card)

NY Jets 8-8

Buffalo 6-10

AFC North

Cincinnati 10-6

Pittsburgh 10-6

Baltimore 7-9

Cleveland 5-11

AFC South

Houston 10-6

Tennessee 10-6 (Wild Card)

Indianapolis 9-7

Jacksonville 7-9

AFC West

San Diego 11-5

Oakland 7-9

Kansas City 5-11

Denver 4-12

NFC Playoffs

Philadelphia over San Francisco

Green Bay over Washington

New Orleans over Philadelphia

Green Bay over NY Giants

New Orleans over NY Giants

AFC Playoffs

Tennessee over Cincinnati

Houston over Miami

New England over Tennessee

Houston over San Diego

New Englnad over Houston

Super Bowl

New England over New Orleans

Fantasy Football Legend

apparently it's the height of "who cares" to announce your fantasy football team roster to the world, but who cares...here's my championship team for the 2009 Spectators league season...





Team Name: Clippers





QB - Aaron Rodgers (I'm thinking he can have the type of seson Drew Brees had for me last year)





RB - Steven Jackson (my first overall selection with pick #5...I was loathe to draft any Rams this year...but something tells me this guy will bring it)





RB - Ronnie Brown (hopefully lots of Wildcat-related TDs...plus it's his second year back after ACL repair can only mean good things)





WR - Calvin Johnson (Motown's best hope...I hope the rookie QB will look his way often)





WR - Braylon Edwards (I'm hoping he'll get a jar of stickum and get back to his 2007 form)





WR - Bernard Berrian (Farve's gunslinging should put the ball in Bernard's hands quite a bit...looking for him to rack up some Yards After Catch points)





K - Mason Crosby (it's good!)





Def - Tennessee (that fake punt in the Hall of Fame Game was brilliant...lots of TDs for this unit in 09)





Reserves:


Cedric Benson (RB)


Reggie Bush (RB)


Antonio Gates (TE/WR)


Lendale White (RB)


Laveranues Coles (WR)


Shaun Hill (QB)


Fred Jackson (RB)


Nate Washington (WR)





Here we go Clippers...HERE WE GO!

Recovery In Progress

Boy do I miss running...I've completed my third week on injured reserve...soreness in back and right leg persist, but I am getting better (slowly)...a colleague mentioned sciatica healing can be an eight week ordeal...great...oh well, maybe by next Sunday I can take a hike!