Here we go again. For those of you who don’t feel like sacrificing the big screen, Ustream’s carrying the St. Paul stuff…
The repository of one hard-boiled egg from the south suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (and the occassional guest-blogger). The ramblings within may or may not offend, shock and awe you, but they are what I (or my guest-bloggers) think.
Here we go again. For those of you who don’t feel like sacrificing the big screen, Ustream’s carrying the St. Paul stuff…
Friends, Degenerates, Countrymen – get out those wallets! The hardest week of the easiest money (or at least broken bones) you’ll ever earn is upon us. Since I managed to off Knock-Knees Tony after a disastrous post-season, I’m back for another season of fun and mayhem to defend my 123-120-13 regular-season record ATS and 20-13-1 performance on the over/unders. As always, the lines are provided by our friends at Bodog, the team I’m taking will have the line next to it, and I will disavow any knowledge of you should you use these picks (especially my 2-a-week over/unders).
Washington @ NY Giants (-4.5) – Jim Zorn has a better chance against the G-Men than Jason Campbell.
Cincinnati (-2) @ Baltimore – Rookie QBs are not recommended.
NY Jets (-3) @ Miami – Dare I say it? DARE I SAY IT? Not yet.
Kansas City @ New England (-17; currently off Bodog’s board) – Welcome to Mismatch Central. Don’t worry about the “injured” right foot on Brady.
Houston (+6.5) @ Pittsburgh – Let there be HITS! Take the under-43 to give The Man a feel for this game.
Jacksonville (-3) @ Tennesse – This won’t hurt a bit; it’s going to hurt a lot.
Detroit (-3) @ Atlanta – If you’re looking for defense, this isn’t the game for you. I know we have another rookie QB, but take the over-41 in the Mistake of the Week™.
Seattle (+1) @ Buffalo – It’s too early in the season for Holmgren to start losing.
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans (-3.5) – This early in the season, it’s all about the emotion.
St. Louis (+7.5) @ Philadelphia – The Rams are too healthy to be giving up this many points.
Dallas (-6) @ Cleveland – I’m trying so hard to avoid “Matrix” references.
Carolina (+9) @ San Diego – If I were convinced the Chargers’ Big 3 were 100%, I’d gladly give the points.
Arizona @ San Francisco (+2.5) – It’s a Dog Day Afternoon and Kurt Warner’s wearing Milk Bone underwear.
Chicago @ Indianapolis (-10) – It doesn’t matter whether it’s Orton or Grossman at QB; this one will be over by halftime.
Minnesota (+2) @ Green Bay – I know it’s real tempting to take the prop bet that Aaron Rodgers won’t finish this game. DON’T DO IT!
Denver (-3) @ Oakland – Over/under on the number of Bronco picks of Russell – 2.5. Take the over.
Asok opened up the season prediction pool over at The Wisconsin Sports Bar. Since I still have a key there, I’ll repost my no-study predictions for the season here:
NFC North
Minnesota (Good – Adrian Peterson is enough in this division. Bad – If an opposing team can figure out how to tackle AP, the Vikes are done. Record – 9-7)
Chicago (Good – They still have a special special team, and the aging defense should have a few stops left in them. Bad – That defense is aged, and the disappearance of Brett Favre from the division won’t mean they’ll go through fewer QBs than Green Bay. Record – 7-9)
Green Bay (Good – As long as injuries and tall physical receivers don’t hit the defense, they’ll be able to stop people. Bad – There will be 8 people crowding the offensive line almost every down, and the departure of Favre means they’ll be going through as many QBs as the Bears. Record – 5-11)
Detroit – (Good – I honestly can’t think of any. Bad – They’re still run by Matt Millen. Record – 3-13)
NFC East
Dallas
Philadelphia (wild card)
NY Giants (wild card)
Washington
NFC South
Carolina (by a tiebreaker)
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
Atlanta
NFC West
Seattle
Arizona
San Francisco
St. Louis
AFC North
Pittsburgh
Baltimore (wild card)
Cleveland
Cincinnati
AFC East
NY Jets
New England (wild card; do not overlook the Super Loser Curse)
Buffalo
Miami
AFC South
Jacksonville
Indianapolis
Tennessee
Houston
AFC West
San Diego
Denver
Oakland
Kansas City
Bonus nose pick – Jacksonville over Dallas in The Championship Game That Cannot Be Named.
Now that Sarah Palin has given her acceptance speech, it’s clear why the Left had reason to attack her….She’s Really Good! But that’s really hindsight. As I watched the attacks become more and more personal and vicious over the past 3 days, I kept wondering why?
It’s obvious that the Left doesn’t like Republican or Conservative women. However, I’ve never seen the level of attacks that Sarah Palin has experienced in just 72 hours. While women like Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Elizabeth Dole and even Condoleezza Rice have been degraded, none of them have seen the full fledged, scorched earth approach that Sarah Palin has experienced.
As I’ve previously discussed, the Left is all about emotional responses, even to situations that require significant thought. So, I know the response is emotional. But, what was the stimulus for the level of emotion that is being vented?
I suppose part of it could be that the MSM, the Left and frankly just about everyone else, was surprised by Palin. While Obama’s campaign had talking points on all of the other folks that were alleged to be on the short list, they completely overlooked Palin. I could imagine that some of the ferocity was an attempt to catch up after having been caught flat footed.
I suppose part of it also could be that the announcement of Palin took Obama out of the news flow. With an ego as big as Obama’s, I don’t imagine it was easy being upstaged…especially by a woman!
I also suppose it could be that the pick of Palin made Obama’s first public choice, his choice of Biden for VP, look silly. Obama had first pick in VP. Rather than picking the person who could shore up his party, extend his meme of “hope and change” and solidify his party, he, with his first pick, picked the equivalent of the kid who has been playing right field and batting ninth his entire career. As an aside, I agree with Rudy Gulliani that Biden may want to ensure that he has the VP offer in writing. As the days go on Obama is going to second, third, fourth and many more times reguess that choice.
All of those issues could be the reason why the Left has come unhinged but it doesn’t feel as if any one, or the combination of the three really explain what’s happening.
Yesterday, it finally hit me.
Who on the left, defines what a woman should be and how she should act? Yup, the National Organization for Women (NOW).
Who did NOW support for President? Yup, Hillary Clinton
There’s a woman running in this election, what is her name? Nope, not Hillary Clinton, it’s Sarah Palin!
And there’s the problem. The left is all about identity politics; identity politics and making sure that the various groups maintain the identity of victimization that the Left has scripted for them. African Americans are supposed to suffer from the ills of slavery and racism and unable to advance in the economic strata. Teenage girls who become pregnant are supposed to be reliant on Planned Parenthood for their “pregnancy options” to ensure that they aren’t “punished by a baby.” Women are scripted to be continually “rising” but never “attaining.”
Sarah Palin represents not just a cracking of the glass ceiling ala Hillary Clinton, but a complete shattering of it if she and John McCain win. A shattering brought to you not by the party of victimization but the party that believes an individual’s value is not defined by their identity, but by their abilities and their hard work. This leaves the Left and especially NOW, nearly apoplectic. Sarah Palin is exposing the false claims of victimization that NOW and the Left have spewed about women for over 40 years.
NOW was organized in 1966. It’s core mentality comes from women who came of age during the 60’s and early 70’s. Those women are now in their 50’s and 60’s.
The reason the Left has become so vicious towards Palin is a combination of the items I previously listed. Those and Sarah Palin exposing and negating the victimization of women that has been perpetuated by groups like NOW. NOW’s reason to exist, the thing that gets them up in the morning and gives them a reason to breath is about to be cut out from underneath them and that makes them mad. But what really gets the cranky old women, the NAGs going, is that they are about to lose the love of their life not to a peer, another cranky old woman but to a smart YOUNGER WOMAN with a positive outlook on life. Losing your love to a younger woman, no matter that it’s your own fault, really pisses them off!
It may be Thursday, but the NFL season starts tonight. There is but one song for this…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atx1DPFMdSU[/youtube]
Actually, it’s a two-song, no blues allowed Scramble (thanks for the reminder, Shoebox, and it fits so well with today’s Day by Day cartoon)…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ARi8osP7ok[/youtube]
Before we begin, Alexander has a PSA for you – donate blood.
I’ll have the ever-popular (or at least ever-goofy) NFL picks up later, and I’ll be live-blogging the McCain acceptance speech (or the first game of the NFL season, whichever is more interesting). Until then, the thread is yours.
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