define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true); No Runny Eggs » steveegg

No Runny Eggs

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.

Archive for posts by steveegg.

December 17, 2005

While you’re calling your state senators to oppose AB15…

by @ 18:01. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Fred asks you to call them to support AB69, the bill that will limit the issuance of Wisconsin drivers’ licenses to those that are in Wisconsin legally and ensure that you won’t need a passport to fly out of an airport, even if it’s only from, say, Madison to Milwaukee.

When and if Sen. Jeff Plale gets back to me on the bad-gas bill, I’ll ask him about this one as well.

I was remiss before in saying that by supporting this, you’ll help to stick thumbs in the eyes of the likes of the Marquette University-sponsored Voces de la Frontera, who stormed the private property of Senator Cathy Stepp last night. Now why do I get the feeling that the Journtinels (Milwaukee and Racine) will continue to ignore this?

An early start to Week 15

by @ 9:44. Filed under Miscellaneous.

That’s right; with college ball now in Bowl Season (F’em Bucky!), we have Saturday NFL games through the end of the season and into the first 2 weeks of the playoffs. So, without further adieu, let’s get you started off right at the pay window.

New England (-4.5) @ Tampa Bay – I may not know which way the Pats are going, but I do know that the Bucs are falling, falling, falling.
Kansas City (+3) @ NY Giants – You can’t be considered a contender without a kicker.
Denver @ Buffalo (+8.5) – Just too much lumber to lay down.
San Francisco @ Jacksonville (-15.5) – Throw some salt in the splinter wounds on your Man; offer him San Francisco and 37.5 (the over/under).
San Diego @ Indianapolis (-7.5) – Stats of the week (courtesy Yahoo) – The Colts have scored in 31 consecutive quarters and haven’t trailed in the last 438 minutes, 16 seconds, dating to the third quarter of a 45-28 win over St. Louis on Oct. 17.
NY Jets @ Miami (-9) – Surely the bookies can’t be serious about only forcing me to lay the short 9 in this one.
Carolina (-9) vs New Orleans @ Baton Rouge – Have the Aints even covered in Tiger Stadium?
Seattle (-7) @ Tennessee – The Walrus wants home field in the worst way; fortunately, Tennessee qualifies as one of the worst. Take the under 45 because Tennessee will continue to not score.
Pittsburgh (-3) @ Minnesota – Duh Viqueens caught their break of the week when only 4 players (2 on injured reserve) netted a total of 12 misdemeanor charges from the Love Boat.
Arizona (-2) @ Houston – Why encourage the Texans to make money from their quest for Reggie Bush? Oh well, profit from it.
Philadelphia @ St Louis (-3.5) – This may set the record for most starters on injured reserve in the modern era (since “injured reserve” meant “out for the season”).
Cleveland (+3) @ Oakland – The coin said Raiders, but I invoked executive priviledge on this one.
Cincinnati @ Detroit (+8) – Again, too many points to give.
Dallas (+3) @ Washington – If the Tuna chokes this one, put James on suicide watch.
Atlanta @ Chicago (-3) – If the Pack can beat up the Falcons in Atlanta, surely the Bears can maul them in the cold of December. Expect the chants for Grossman to start early.
Green Bay (+3.5) @ Baltimore – Over/under on the teary-eyed Al Michaels/John Madden goodbyes to Favre – 6.5 (go over), over/under on the game – 33 (go under).

December 15, 2005

Kettle calls pot black

by @ 20:37. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Here I thought Charlie was on vacation until 2006, and he goes and picks up on an interesting part of E. Michael McCann’s (D-Corruption) comments at Chuck Chvala’s (D-Convict) sentencing. Guess the Potawatomi part of my ID for Jim “Craps” Doyle (WEAC/ADM-Potawatomi) struck the outgoing McCan’t the same way it struck me.

Any bets on what kind of sentence Brian Blanchard (D-Madistan) will push for if he’s able to convict his ham sandwiches? Brian Burke plea-bargained down to 6 months of Huber Law, and Chvala talked the judge into giving him 9 months of Huber Law instead of the 6 months of Huber Law recommended by the prosecution.

A bit of housekeeping to Charlie; how about having the techies set up a RSS feed? It would make it so much easier to keep up with Sykes Writes.

What the Assembly giveth, the Assembly taketh away

by @ 20:03. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Yesterday, the state Assembly was good enough to vote to stop the automatic increase in the gas tax (expect Craps to veto it at 4:53 pm 12/23 because it would cut into his personal slush fund and the Senate to uphold the veto Craps said he would sign it, but as of the AM 12/21, he hasn’t). Today, they passed a bill, AB15 (amended) mandating a 10%-ethanol blend in regular gas (they were “kind” enough to take out the mid-grade) starting in October 2006 (the vast majority of the gas sold in Wisconsin) 54-38 (H/T for the vote total – Kevin). Jim “Craps” Doyle (WEAC/ADM-Potawatomi) will sign it if it passes the Senate, so give your State Senators hell again. Their staffers should know who you are by now.

Now, for the meaning behind the title (warning, fancy math ahead). That tainted E10 gasoline gets about 5% worse mileage than straight E0 gasoline (specifically in my side-by-side case, 6.25%). That means you’re burning about 5.3% more gasoline, and paying taxes on that additional 5.3%. IF Craps does sign the end to the automatic gas-tax increase, that would cap the gas tax at roughly 30.5 cents per gallon after its final automatic increase (estimated at about 1 cent/gallon) in 2006.

Let’s assume you drive 12,000 miles a year with your average car that burns regular gas and get 20 miles per gallon on straight E0 gas (to use round numbers). You’d be burning 600 gallons and kicking in $183 in gas taxes. A penny increase in the gas tax, slightly more than what it has averaged (again, I’ll run with it to use round numbers) would mean a $6 increase in your contribution, bumping it up to $189.

Now, drive that same 12,000 miles on E10 gas. You’d only get 19 miles per gallon, and burn about 632 gallons of ethanol-laced gas. At that 30.5 cents/gallon gas tax, you’d kick in $192.76. That’s $9.76 more than you would otherwise, and $3.76 more than if the Assembly had done nothing, allowed the gas tax to go up automatically, and didn’t require you to burn ethanol-laced gas.

Even taken out to the second year, the cumulative effect is a net tax increase. With a gas-tax freeze and an E10 requirement, you’d still pay $192.76 that year in gas taxes and $385.52 over the two years; with an automatically-increasing gas tax and no E10 requirement, in that second year, you’d pay $195 that year and $384 over the two years, and with a gas-tax freeze and no E10 requirement, you’d still pay $183 that second year and $366 over the two years. Let me restate; the sum total is a tax increase.

It just gets worse if Craps does what I expect and decides he likes his slush fund too much. You’d kick in $199 in gas taxes in the first year, $205 in the second, and $404 over the two years. If you think that extra $38 will go toward roads, I have a bridge or two to sell you.

Once again, the call to phones is in effect. Ask your state senators to kill AB15.

Revisions/extensions – I forgot about the $0.03 (soon to be $0.02) per gallon “tank inspection” fee. With E10, that takes another $0.64 out of your pocket per year. Also did some minor corrections.

Revisions/extensions part 2 – For those who missed the roll-call, Patrick has the Hall of Shame up

Revisions/extensions part 3 – since this has been submitted into this week’s Carnival of the Badger, I redacted my prediction of a Craps veto. Of course, I trust his word about half as far as I can throw him, so that prediction is not yet entirely invalid.

December 14, 2005

Will Craps sign or veto the end of the automatic gas-tax increase?

by @ 16:10. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Now that it has passed the Assembly 74-23 (by a veto-proof margin) after squeaking through the Senate 20-13 (NOT a veto-proof margin), it’s time to guess when/if Jim “Craps” Doyle will veto it. Patrick and Brian Fraley (filling in for Owen over at Boots and Sabers) seem to think he’ll actually sign it, while Fred and Kevin think he’ll veto it (Fred goes so far as to call for a Friday veto, just in time for Christmas) and Peter has no idea.

As for me, I’ll even come up with the specific time that he’ll veto this; 4:53 pm Friday, December 23. The official reason will be the one pointed to by Fred and Kevin, that it would make the highways “less-safe” (as if the $1 billion that Craps looted from the fund didn’t have that kind of impact). In reality, it will be because it shuts off the automatic growth of Craps’ favorite slush fund. The end to the indexing will cost a LOT less than Craps’ raids.

Homer nods – fixed a typo (D’OH!!!!) – or two (D’OH!!!!!!) – and them typos keep on piling up (D’OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The hot cocoa to go cold at the Milwaukee DA’s office

by @ 15:08. Filed under Miscellaneous.

E. Michael McCan’t (D-Corruption) has decided to take his enhanced pension benefits home next year (he never signed away one red cent of them). The Journal Sentinel story has some interesting tidbits about McCann’s career:

  • Back when he was first elected in 1968, both The Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel listed his home address and marvelled that a bachelor would be elected to public office.
  • By 1970, he had earned his nickname of McCan’t so well that the Milwaukee Policeman’s Union (the forerunner of the Milwaukee Police Association) illegally campaigned against him for not prosecuting violent crimes vigorously.
  • McCann is, strangely enough, pro-life.

Those who don’t remember history…

by @ 11:20. Filed under Miscellaneous.

(H/T Charlie’s show)

How appropriate it is that the penultimate reaction to the first episode happened 232 years ago Friday. A politically-connected industry finds itself with a massive amount of product that it can’t sell. It goes to the government to get a monopoly in a new market to get rid of it and goes on to claim that it will actually cost less to do it that way. Charlie, his Insight Check callers, and I aren’t talking about the East India Tea Company back in the 1770s (which led to the Boston Tea Party and ultimately the creation of the United States of America), but ethanol in 2005. That’s right, the Assembly forgot its history and is planning on cramming the more-expensive, less-efficient, more-polluting, small-engine-killing statewide ethanol mandate through tomorrow.

Those staffers you called regarding the repeal of the automatic gas-tax increase (which went through the Assembly by a veto-proof margin; all indications are that Craps will veto it and let the Senate uphold the veto as it didn’t pass by 2/3rds there) are still there in Madison. Call them NOW!

December 11, 2005

OT – Aren’t you glad this isn’t a Milwaukee game?

by @ 22:53. Filed under Miscellaneous.

10:40 – After a hunt for a quarter, we get the OT rules (sudden-death, 1 15-minute period, 2 time-outs, all challenges from the booth), and the Pack wins the toss to get the ball.

10:43 – Chatman does a good return after the best kickoff of the night (which went down to the Packer 2). Pack starts at their 35. Driver couldn’t quite find the handle as he reacts to Favre’s rollout and Favre threw it like he wouldn’t cut off the route. Henderson picks up another first down on a screen.

10:46 – Thank you Shawn Rogers. After he drove Gado out of bounds at midfield, he threw him into the Lions bench. Packers have the ball at the Lions 35.

10:49 – I’ll take the hangover if Sander doesn’t botch the snap. Fergie made a catch inside the 20. Just don’t fumble, Gado.

10:51 – 28-yard attempt by Longwell from the right hashmark, and the Lions are going to try to ice him. Right down the pike. Good guys win 19-16. Sure they screwed up their chances at Reggie Bush, but with Sammy the Bull, who needs him? :-)

Is it the alcohol or do the Pack actually have a chance (quarter 4)?

by @ 22:40. Filed under Miscellaneous.

9:49 – If McQuarters could run more than 60 yards, that would have been a pick-six instead of a knockdown, then Favre eats a sack. This time, the field goal is not blocked. We’re tied at 13.

9:54 – The listing of sponsors reminded me of when NFL Films had a kick-ass site. I used to waste hours of bandwidth playing the NFL score. KGB leveled by a running back on a scramble, but you can’t block Jackson 1-on-1. Roy Williams is a better receiver than Al Harris – someone get him Gado’s spikes. Roman finally exposed as the Packers do another jailbreak blitz against the empty-backfield look. How is it that throw-short-of-the-sticks plays only work against the Pack, not for them? Shoop Jauron still believes he can run up the gut of Jackson; I hope he never learns (well, he didn’t learn on 3rd and goal either). Lions waste a lot of time and ultimately a timeout in trying to decide whether the third time’s a charm. BWAHAHAHA!!!!!

10:04 – Thank you Jauron! The reason the Starr sneak worked in the Ice Bowl is because there weren’t 350-pounders like Jackson playing right over the center.

10:07 – Sherman’s idea of an own-goal-line offense; line up in a deep I formation, have Whiffaker false-start to start things off, then hand the ball off 5 yards deep in the end zone with your backup fullback (who whiffs), a hold on Mark Tauscher (not ruled in the end zone even though he was 3 yards deep), an initial ruling that Gado’s intentional fumble was intentional grounding in the end zone and thus a safety, a non-challenge “challenge” and a reversal, ruling that Gado was outside the tackle box, and the pass got to the line and was thus a legal pass. Given second life, they get out of the shadows and get a first, Gado puts it on the ground again but is erroneously ruled down by contact, and breaks the team rookie single-game record for yards rushing.

10:19 – Whiffaker has another false-start, and Fergie ALMOST made a shoestring catch to keep the drive alive. Where was this 50-yard punt earlier; it drove McQuarters back to his 24.

10:22 – Roy Williams forgot the first rule of catching the ball; don’t run before you catch it. He had Roman and Hawkins split and beat, and the ball was there. That turns into a 3-and-out, and all the Packers need is 3 in 2:10 from their 37.

10:24 – Favre overthrew an open Chatman deep, then gets dumped as the interior of the line collapsed. 2-minute warning, 3rd and 16.

10:28 – Nobody got open, so Favre got what he could. Piss-poor kick, and the Lions have the ball on their 29 pending the flag (make that their 19 after a block in the back). Piss-poor clock management on Jauron’s part.

10:31 – It’s beginning to look a lot like overtime. I’m out of liquor, but live-blog I must.

10:33 – Now that 2 running plays ran more time off the clock and got them a first down, they’re trying to get in field-goal range. First down was a pressure-cooker incomplete, 2nd was a how did they didn’t call Carroll for interference incomplete, 3rd down is out of bounds short of the first. and the Pack will have 3 time-outs and the ball at their 26 with some time left.

10:35 – Illegal shift takes time off and another 5 yards. Now it’s 9 seconds left and the ball back at the 23. I don’t think Favre can throw it 77 yards.

10:39 – Ball picked at the Lions 23 (probably would have made the 15 if he threw it straight instead of back toward the left sideline), and street ball doesn’t get the ball into the end zone for the Lions. We’re going to OT, baby!

Homer nods – I shouldn’t do math and drunken blogging at the same time. Upon further review, that pass would’ve made at least the 8. Still don’t think he can get it 77 yards.

It’s all downhill from here, does the defense have any brakes?

by @ 21:46. Filed under Miscellaneous.

9:04 – Hey Berman, Disney doesn’t have hockey anymore, and the NHL got rid of the old division names long, long ago. In other sports – Rocket back to the Red Sox? (must be the money); and Ron “Boom-Boom” Artest wants out of Indiana, no word on the rumors that Don King is now his manager (okay, I made that last part up, but give me a break – them drinks are getting stronger as the night keeps on getting longer). Attention, your attention please. Saturday NFL games start next weekend. For you gambling degenerates and pool-playing palookas (this includes me), you now have one less day to figure out the week.

9:18 – Down goes Hanson, down goes Hanson. Packers get the ball at their 40 as Hanson shakes off slipping as he planted his left leg to drive the ball. Favre, Fergie is not Walker; you can’t underthrow him like that. Add Theisman to the Favre’s back crowd, as McQuarters almost pick-sixed a forced pass toward the absent Donald Driver. 3-and-out #2.

9:22 – Good Ahmad shows up again, then Nick Collins does his Leroy Butler impersonation. The Lions aren’t sending enough guys out on routes; Roman hasn’t been exposed lately, but they’re dolng just enough to keep the chains moving. Williams the latest victim of the Lambeau turf as throw-short-of-the-marker doesn’t work. Can we pick up Nick Harris; not only can he hold, but he can make those punts stick inside the 5.

9:31 – For not being a “legitimate football player” in Sherman’s eyes, Sammy the Bull sure looks like one. The boy’s got vision, and he picks up the instincts fast enough. Once again, throw-short-of-the-sticks doesn’t work as Driver can’t get there. BJ Sander with yet another piss-poor punt, half the team was under it.

9:38 – Student body left, meet defense body right. A reverse would have worked there; thankfully, it wasn’t on. Somebody woke up the crowd as the Jauron-Shoop branch of the throw-short-of-the-sticks offense sputters to a 3-and-out. Field-position advantage, Lions as Chatman fair-catches at the 20.

9:42 – Someone set us up the bomb. Driver get signal. Henderson does a low hurdle on a screen, and even a major face-mask can’t bring him down. Student body right so successful that Vonte Leach doesn’t have anybody to block until he’s 20 yards downfield. Student body left, on the other hand, is unsuccessful as we end the 3rd quarter Good Guys down 3 and driving.

Round 2 – need me a triple shot of that stuff

by @ 21:05. Filed under Miscellaneous.

8:25 – Uncle Paulie has just made his Favre prediction; he’s back next year. ESPN shows Favre in warm-ups shooting his own ducks. Henderson still can bull over people on screens. Jay Weber is right; reverses don’t work anymore, but Antonio Chatman somehow splits the two guys waiting for him to make some positive yardage. Piss-poor spot leaves them inches short at the fringes of Longwell’s range, and unlike the last 4th down in Lions’ territory, they go for it. The Bull makes a great adjustment to get the first and more. Fergie wastes it a bit later with a block in the back, and Favre tries to make him pay by leading him into in-the-middle double-coverage. The ensuing field-goal try is blocked (missed it live and in the replays getting some pumpkin pie, so I don’t know who’s to blame).

8:38 – 3-and-out for the Lions brings the first punt of the game, and Chatman loses 2 on the return.

8:42 – Despite the call from ESPN Radio Milwaukee/Waukesha’s talking heads for Rodgers to play (and in Homer’s case, start), Suzy Kobler said Rodgers is okay with staying on the bench for this and next year if Favre’s back. The Bull with nifty running for a 59- 64-yard Lambeau Leap. Score now 13-10 Bad Guys (thank you very much, Turd Fergie).

8:50 – Another short kickoff gives the Lions good field position despite a modest return. Another 3-and-out aided by Playcalling 100 (2 runs and a pass doesn’t even qualify as Playcalling 101) and poor passing from Garcia. The Lions catch a break on the punt as it rolled down to the 3.

8:51 – A run that goes nowhere and a pass that goes nearly nowhere gets us to the 2-minute warning.

8:56 – Somehow the “throw-short-of-the-down-marker” play gets the first down. That screen play is Exhibit ZAA, that poor excuse of a draw is Exhibit ZAB, and that Whiffaker whiff on that run is Exhibit ZAC in why guards and offensive linemen are important (you listening, Teddy Thompson). Mikie doesn’t drop his blanket as they go to the boys in the booth. RW McQuarters ruins a chance at a free kick as BJ Sander has a piss-poor punt.

9:01 – A couple of jailbreak blitzes plus some bad receiving (Williams doesn’t read the blitz on 1st down, doesn’t get the handle on a perfect ball on 2nd down) leaves a poorly-thought-out 3rd-down play where the receiver doesn’t get out of bounds. The half mercifully ends, 13-10 Bad Guys.

Glutton for punishment – Lions/Packers live blog

by @ 20:24. Filed under Miscellaneous.

7:30 – TV – check (no HD; don’t have the HD set where I have the computer, I don’t have a laptop/wireless router, and even if I did, ESPNHD is an extra expense and at least last time, they didn’t send the HD feed down the line to WISN). Beer – check. Full belly from a delayed Thanksgiving dinner – check. More beer – check. ESPN really playing up the possibility of Favre retiring, had William Henderson on the pregame montage.

7:38 – Mikey, Mikey, Mikey, they don’t wear blaze orange in a duck blind. The Lions start off with good field position (their 32), but they have a false start penalty to start things off. A good stuff on 1st down and good coverage by Ahmad Carroll (the apocalypse is nigh) is wasted on piss-poor 3rd-and-14, then Kevin Jones does his not-so-great Barry Sanders impersionation to get them inside the Packers 10. Two more Jones runs puts them within a quarterback sneak of the end zone as Jones gets his arm bent back.

7:46 – Somewhere down there was Grady Jackson as the Lions are forced to send in Jason Hanson to kick an off-camber 3-point extra point. Dead-nuts-center (no BJ Sander trying to hold here). 3-0 Bad Guys.

7:50 – Carroll is no better at returning kicks than Andrae Thurman was. They start 3 yards further out than Detroit despite getting a kick 7 yards shorter than Longwell’s effort. 2-and-out as Favre fumbles (Theisman, everybody and their brother knows that the plastic on Favre’s right hand didn’t help any). Meanwhile, Detroit methotically grinds out another 1st and goal and the Packers burn a timeout. Uncle Paulie makes the first smart observation of the day – don’t run inside on Grady Jackson as he takes up all the room. Now the Lions get ESPN more time to run commercials. Shoop must be running the Lions offense as on 3rd and goal, they try to run up the middle. Now 6-0 bad guys.

8:01 – Another short kick, another short return. Fergie must have either Stick-Um on his jersey or a permanent impression in his chest as Favre goes over 3000 yards for the 14th straight season (a new NFL record). Audrae actually caught a pass, and they’re marching with a heavy dose of Sammy the Bull (who now has twice as many starts in the NFL than he did at Liberty). Piss-poor pass into triple-coverage toward Fergie in the end zone, fortunately it’s not picked. After a typical Sherman/Rossley throw well short of the first on 3rd down, it’s a Longwell field goal to put the Pack on the board. 6-3 Lions.

8:10 – Decent distance on the ensuing kickoff, but the only thing that saved the touchdown was McQuarters’ mumblin’ bumblin’ stumblin’ to give the Lions their second red-zone start in 3 possessions. There’s the Ahmad Carroll I know; defensive holding moves the Lions 5 yards closer (and a respectable QB would have completed that for a 1st-and-goal). Juggling catch by Williams as he pushed off Al Harris for an apparent TD (instead of a yellow flag for offensive pass interference, you have a red challenge flag). Time to implement Operation No Opposing Fans; Williams does a Lambeau Leap. I remember a Oilers/Steelers game in the late ’70s where the Oilers’ receiver juggled the ball all the way through the end zone. Touchdown stands. 13-3 bad guys. Hope I have enough liquor, I may be hitting the heavy stuff early.

8:22 – Yet another sub-20-yard kickoff return. It’s a good thing that Jason Hanson can’t boot the ball more than 55 yards. A 4-yard gain by Gado ends quarter 1 and this portion of the live blog. Will I be wasted by halftime? Stay tuned.

A tired, not-so-healthy Week 13

by @ 10:27. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Just been too wiped to blog, but if it’s Sunday, it’s the NFL (and for a couple weeks, Saturday too). I’ll see if I can figure out if I’m still making money for the year later.

New England (-3.5) @ Buffalo – Take the over 36 as well
Pittsburgh @ Chicago (+6.5) – Two great defenses (I know, the Steelers got shredded lately), meet two pitiful excuses of offenses. Offenses, meet the Soldier Field turf. Go under the 30.
Cleveland @ Cincinnati (-12.5) – First the White Sox, now the BenGALS. Hope you have your end-of-the-world kit ready.
Tampa Bay @ Carolina (-5.5) – The Panthers are the 2nd-best team in the NFC. That’s only by default.
Indianapolis (-9) @ Jacksonville – Indy’s got everything clicking. They could play this game in Jupiter with Manning going uphill all game and they’d still blow them out.
Houston @ Tennessee (-7) – Just hope that the Texans take Leinart.
St. Louis @ Minnesota (-7) – See what I said about the Panthers.
Oakland @ NY Jets (+3) – You heard me right; the J-E-T-S SUCK SUCK SUCK! are due.
San Francisco @ Seattle (-16.5) – The only reason it isn’t Seattle -26.5 is because they’re looking past Duh Whiners.
NY Giants (-9) @ Philadelphia – More bad news for the only MASH unit more banged up than the Pack.
Washington (-4) @ Arizona – Red feathers look good on the Redskins.
San Diego (-13.5) @ Miami – The National Hurricane Center has extended the tropical season until January.
Kansas City (+3) @ Dallas – So much for the Tuna.
Baltimore @ Denver (-14.5) – I’m tempted to give the over/under of 40 to any suckers that want the OldBrowns.
Detroit (+6) @ Green Bay – I have to agree with Paul; when there’s only a 50-50 chance of the Packers winning outright, 6 points is way too much to give.
New Orleans (+10.5) @ Atlanta – The Dirty Birds have a nasty habit of playing down to their competition (see the Packer game).

December 4, 2005

NFL Week 12

by @ 10:21. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Been under the weather and busy spending the money; that explains why I’ve been silent all week. I’ll recap later, but for those that actually gamble with these picks (you best be doing this legally), these are the winning plays at the pay window this week.

Tampa Bay (-3.5) vs New Orleans @ Baton Rouge
Dallas @ NY Giants (-3)
Green Bay @ Chicago (-7)
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (-3)
Jacksonville (-3) @ Cleveland
Minnesota @ Detroit (+2.5)
Tennessee @ Indianapolis (-16) – Go under the 50.5 as well
Atlanta @ Carolina (-3)
Houston (+8.5) @ Baltimore – Take the over 38 for more money
Buffalo (+3) @ Miami
Arizona (-3) @ San Francisco
Washington @ St Louis (+3)
NY Jets @ New England (-10)
Denver (-1) @ Kansas City
Oakland @ San Diego (-11.5)
Seattle (-4) @ Philadelphia

November 30, 2005

And the winner, by knockout in the first round, is…

by @ 17:36. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Revisions/extensions – Patrick once again fills an important function by archiving the Belling knockout of Gard

Mark Belling. Selected exchanges (paraphrased because my fingers aren’t THAT fast) –

Belling – Will you vote for or against the end of the automatic gas tax increase?
Gard – I want to stablize the transportation fund, whines about the Marquette interchange and how outstate has been shortchanged (me – Shortchanged? 2 freeways between Milwaukee and Green Bay, a freeway between Portage and Wausau, 4-lane expressway between Chippewa Falls and Superior, roundabouts all over the place, shall I go on?)

Belling – Again, how will you vote?
Gard – I’m against.

Belling – Join the ‘Rats.

Belling – There’s so much money in the fund that you raided it.
Gard – I didn’t raid the fund.
Belling – The budget you voted for raided the fund.
Gard – Threatening the Marquette Interchange and Milwaukee-area freeway rebuilding.
Belling – Most of the money goes to outstate road construction.

Belling – I want to clarify this.
Gard – I don’t think we’re going to vote on Reynolds’ proposal (me – guess he’s counting on Dale “No talk shows here” Schultz and his fellow ‘Rats on both sides of the aisle killing it in the Senate). Continues to whine about US 41 in his district (me – golly, I don’t recall Michigan having US 41 at more than 2 lanes).
Belling – Minnesota’s gas tax is a dime less.
Gard – Whines about registration fees, says his sister pays $250/year in Minnesota.

Gard – You’ll be happy with the end result.
Belling – You told me that a few months ago about ethanol. What have you guys done this year?
Gard – Starts mentioning a bunch of things they passed (but aren’t law).
Belling – Points out that those things are not law.

Gard – Whines about NE Wisconsin being “shoved to the back of the line again.”
Belling – Lists some of the pork that went up to NE Wisconsin.

Gard – Trots out the vetoed stuff again.
Belling – Points out that it was vetoed, points out that the budget Gard voted for allowed Craps to raid the transportation fund. Challenges Gard to send a straight elimination of the auto gas tax increase to put Craps on the hot seat.
Gard – Trots out TABOR
Belling – I haven’t seen it out of the Assembly yet.
Gard – They will.
Belling – I just want it before I’m dead. Why will it happen in March 2006 when it didn’t happen January/February/March/April/…/2005?
Gard – It will. Glenn Grothman’s working on it. TABOR’s the holy grail.
Belling – There’s a heap of other stuff I haven’t seen out of the Republican Legislature.
Gard – But, but, but we passed a hard property tax freeze 3 times.
Belling – That was vetoed and not overridden 3 times. The base wants results NOW!

Belling cuts Gard short (mainly because Gard’s been spewing a bunch of pap for about 25 minutes). Patrick, hopefully you caught this on the computer :-)

Fight between Belling and Gard (RINO-Peshtigo) coming right up

by @ 17:06. Filed under Miscellaneous.

After days of ducking Mark Belling on the automatic gas-tax increase issue, and doing a piss-poor performance against Charlie Sykes (who gave him every chance to redeem himself – audio courtesy Patrick), State Assembly Speaker and candidate for the 8th Congressional District seat John Gard (RINO-Peshtigo) will be on Belling’s show shortly to be filleted alive. With the power turned down on WISN at sunset, those of you not in the nighttime pattern for WISN-AM can listen here.

More tax freeze sublimation

by @ 10:14. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Item #1 (H/T – Dad29) – The Sheboygan School District, faced with an unexpected $1 million after exhausting everything they were authorized to build via a referrendum, chose to waste this $1 million on empty space in the high school instead of returning the money due the taxpayers…because some of that money would have to go back to the federal government because it wasn’t spent.

Item #2 – (H/T Kevin) – By a final vote of 15-1, the Sheboygan Common Council turned a meeting called to reduce the budget $300,000 into a $33,600+ INCREASE and a 1.6% levy increase over last year. Alderwoman Robin Renee Suscha touched on why her fellow aldermen decided to buy 20 previously-unbudgeted tasers, previously-unbudgeted cameras to be mounted on said tasers, and a previously-unbudgeted crime mapping/analysis program – it seems she believes that the school board (talked about above) and the county are “fiscally responsible”.

Oh well; they’re just taking the lead from Gov. Jim “Craps” Doyle (WEAC-Potawatomi). On this morning’s Early Spin (H/T –Fred), he made the ridiculous claim that if the state dropped the automatically-increasing gas tax a nickel, “Big Oil” would just jack the price up that nickel.

Homer nods – I really need that caffeine; had to fix a typo or so.

November 29, 2005

Green ends silence, supports the end of the automatic gas tax increase – update

by @ 3:00. Filed under Miscellaneous.

I’m sure Patrick will have the audio soon, but for those that missed the Green interview on Mark Belling’s show and Owen’s take on this (for shame if you got here without seeing that), Mark Green now officially supports the end of the automatic gas tax increase. Mark did have to pull teeth somewhat, trying to get Green to comment on the specific bill introduced by Tom Reynolds, but he finally did.

Revisions/extensions – will the Journal Sentinel report this, or will they ignore it like they ignored Walker’s call for this repeal as part of his larger transportation funding plan? I’ll take the latter and offer 5-2 odds to those that want to take the other side.

Revisions/extensions #2 – Just like Walker’s call to end the automatic tax increase, Green’s call is met with silence on 4th and State. I’m shocked, SHOCKED, that the biggest newspaper in the state would continue to ignore this hot-button issue </sarcasm>

Curious writing from the Journal Sentinel

by @ 0:04. Filed under Miscellaneous.

In the headline on a story about Citizens for Responsible Government, the Journal Sentinel claims that CRG is planning on taking on Jim “Craps” Doyle. Funny, that’s not exactly supported by the article. Let’s review the two mentions of Craps in the article –

In the 4th paragraph – “Now it has its sights set on the biggest political target in the state: Gov. Jim Doyle.”

In the 22nd paragraph – “That broader appeal, Kliesmet and Seymer hope, will come on a conservative fiscal agenda they see coming from Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and Green Bay Congressman Mark Green, the Republican candidates to challenge Doyle next fall.”

Get the feeling that the Journtinel doesn’t much like CRG?

While I’m on “curious writing”, Jessica McBride seems to find something curious about the article, pointing to her September 6 WisPolitics column.

November 28, 2005

Competition for “Laugh of the day”

by @ 23:20. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Aaron at Subject to Change has the “Doyle dog” ad. Go, read and laugh.

Laugh of the day

by @ 20:07. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Belle has a cure for Packeritis over at Leaning Blue, at the expense of the UW system. Even better, she finally has the comments working again.

November 27, 2005

Post-mortem; isn’t formaldehyde alcohol-based?

by @ 18:46. Filed under Miscellaneous.

Once again, Favre costs the Packers. He had plenty of company (Thurman, Gado, R. Lee, KGB, Carroll, Roman, Bates for continuing to trust KGB on running plays, the special teams as a whole, the GM team nightmare of Thompson and Sherman for dredging up the horrid players on the roster, and the MASH unit they’re running). Now that we’re both officially eliminated from the NFC North and guaranteed a losing record, it’s time to clean house. Heck, with Houston winning, we might be in the running for the Reggie Bush sweepstakes again.

Meanwhile, the Deadfins shock the world by dismantling the Raiders 33-21, and I go to 8-4-1 on the week (and 8-3-1 on my Vegas picks), pending the results of the Giants/Seahawks game.

Revisions/extensions – Make that 9-4-1 on the week, 9-3-1 on the Vegas picks and 10-4 straight-up as the G-men can’t nail 3 field-goal attempts to win (2 in OT), and the ‘Hags pull it out in OT 24-21 (sadly, I had the Giants straight-up).

Last call – Quarter 4 (where’s the beer?)

by @ 18:35. Filed under Miscellaneous.

5:55 – Is Favre playing for both teams? Accuracy out of both QBs has, in a word, sucked (Favre – 11/24-133-1-1, McMahon – 9/24-67-0-0). 3-and-out once again, but Chatman goes backwards on the punt.

6:04 – Franks will be staying in a Philly hospital for observation overnight. Meanwhile, Jax is up on the Cards 24-17 late in the 4th, Miami still leads Oakland by 2, and Seattle’s deep in Giants’ territory. Favre got run over on a coverage sack (unusual because Driver wasn’t double-covered). I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Eagles also took some – Ware, Gordon and Rayburn were knocked out for at least a while. Time for the Pack to punt; piss-poor punt – 28 yards puts the Eagles at their 20. The Seahags tack on another touchdown, they’re up 21-13 on the G-men late in the 4th.

6:16 – Barnett run over again, Roman almost run over on the same play. Diggs can’t cover again. At least they can sniff out the halfback option. Al Harris, please pick up your jock strap – you can’t miss it, it has the #4 tattooed on it. The Raiders are falling apart; the Deadskins score another touchdown to make it 30-21, and the G-men . Break out the hard stuff, the Eaglets are up 16-13, and the G-men waste a timeout to decide whether to go for 2 with under 2 minutes left and tie it up.

6:18 – Audrae fumbles the kickoff, the Eaglets get it at their 25. Meanwhile, the G-men tie it up 21 all, and the Jax/Arizona game is a final; 24-17 Jags. One more win and I’m guaranteed a winning week, both overall and in Vegas (since my sister didn’t get there until Friday, I missed the Turkey Day stinkers, and my first of 2 over/unders missed).

6:27 – Someone want to tell me again just how “great” Bates is? 5.5 yards per rushing play given up by the defense. 8 chances to make a stop, 6 blown (though at least this time, they only gave up a field goal with time left instead of giving up the field goal to end the game, a touchdown to make it a 2-score game, or simply the end of the game). 1:49 left (less the time for the kickoff), no timeouts, and a touchdown required to score. Meanwhile, the G-men get the ball in great field position and a timeout left.

6:30 – 1:44 left with 71 yards to paydirt after an Audrae muff. 2 incompletes, a bad snap resulting in pick #2…BUT a bogus roughing the passer gives the Packers second life at the 44 and 1:26 left.

6:34 – The ref must’ve seen a clothesline. Fergie manages to get both a first down and out of bounds. Meanwhile, the G-men choke the field goal, so we have the 4th OT game of the weekend. Toni Fisher has a false-start to put the ball back to midfield. There’s pick #2 and the game as Fergie not only doesn’t get open on a triple-team in the end zone, but gets an offensive pass interfierence play by wasting his fight while the ball is in the air. At least I win for the week.

Packers Quarter 3 – nothing like a happy drunk

by @ 17:52. Filed under Miscellaneous.

5:15 – Good news; Franks will head home with the team. Bad news, William Henderson got a knock on the head. Great news; the Packers now lead in forcing 3-and-outs 3-2.

5:21 – Make that tied in 3-and-outs (though the Packers had penalties in all 3 of theirs).

5:33 – Na’il Diggs can’t cover; 2 completions and an illegal contact on the 2nd one. KGB’s starting to tire. Meanwhile, Jax is laying the lumber to Arizona, the Seahags grabbed a 1-point lead, and the Deadfins still hold a 2-point lead on the Raiders. Golly, who did the Eagles run over on 4th and 1? Nick Barnett and Ahmad Carroll, along with Westbrook blowing by Mark Roman At least they pulled KGB on that. Add Paris Lenon to the injured list with a hand. This time, Roman got run over. Un-freaking-believable; Carroll did a decent play on 3rd down (even though he was the only one with a shot at the ball). Add the ump to the injured list as Westbrook ran over him (guess the white confused him :-) . Akers continues to nail them; Packers now up 14-13. Make that 23-14 Deadfins (unnnggghhhh), and Henderson is back.

5:39 – Ump’s also back, and Al Harris is out temporarily with cramps. Nifty running by the other Lee to pick up the first. Didn’t help him that next time because the Eagles swarmed while the first guy was busy whiffing. Gado fumbled for the 4th time after nearly nailing the ump again, and the Eagles have the ball in Packer territory pending the (futile) challenge.

5:46 – Do I have enough alcohol? The Raiders get a touchdown to pull within 2, and the Packers lose a timeout. Carroll got just enough contact to impede the progress but surprisingly didn’t draw the flag. Holy cow; Roman had a good recovery, but because McMahon didn’t just air it out, the Packers force their 4th 3-and-out of the Eaglets.

5:50 – Favre needs to learn how to slide, as the head linesman takes a shot from him. Why pass 10 yards when you need 17 on 3rd down and there’s 3 guys who are in position to make the play before the marker? Oh well, time to reload, 15 minutes left in regulation and the Pack is clinging to a 1-point lead.

Packers @ Eagles – Quarter 2 (still sober)

by @ 16:57. Filed under Miscellaneous.

4:06 – Poor pass plus great defensive hit equals a loopy Franks. Favre now 1-7 for 23 yards. Bad news/good news/good sportsmanship – bad, the cart’s coming out; good – Franks has movement and Dawkins (the guy who cleanly laid him out) kneeling at a respectful distance praying.

4:13 – Correction on the last kickoff; that was Al Harris returning kicks (someone tell Turd Fergie). V-for-victory from Franks, and the Philly fans salute him with applause. On the injury front, add Jeremy Thornburg to the injured Packers (taken to the locker room for a shoulder X-ray). Meanwhile, Driver is now facing double-and-triple-teaming, and Antonia Chapman can’t get open.

Muffed punt, and the Eagles get it back in a scrum.

4:20 – 3-and-outs are now equal at 2 (mainly with a non-call with Ahmad Carroll draped all over a receiver on 3rd down), but the other Lee (Donald) gets nailed for a block in the back to wipe out decent field position.

4:33 – Tingling in both shoulders of Franks, but he won’t go to the hospital. Favre still struggling with accuracy, and Gado made Whittaker look good. Where’s the flag for the out-of-bounds shove? My Least-Favorite Martian now hobbling, and Gado’s the beneficiary of a shortened chain on 4th-and-1 at the Eagles’ 31. They should’ve kicked it; pick #18 on the year as Donald Lee can’t get open and Favre underthrows into the end zone.

Time to break out the Wild Turkey 101.

4:40 – Westbrook (not a big guy) just levelled Carroll; (un)fortunately, Carroll got up. Why is KGB in on running downs? He also got run over on 3rd-and-short and couldn’t do anything more than slow down the back. Good news/bad news/ugly news from the other 2 late games. Miami’s up on Oakland 14-7 at the half, and the G-Men just went up on Seattle in the game of the day 10-7 (while I do have the Giants and the points, I have the Seahags straight-up). McMahon has the same problems with the deep ball, so Chatman finally gets a no-flag good return.

4:52 – These refs are ridiculous with hands to the face penalties today. That’s at least the second phantom one today (though this one does benefit the Pack). Unfortunately, they’re not as willing to throw the flag for pass interference; unlike what the horse’s pitoot claims, that was a catchable ball without the grabbing. Favre completed his second pass in the end zone (after further review, the ruling on the field stands), and this time My Least-Favorite Martin pulls it out of his facemask to give the Packers (pending a booth review) a 14-10 lead.

4:57 – Possibly the worst commercial to ever air is brought to you by Peyton Manning and MasterCard. Whatever you do, don’t let your kids watch it lest they emulate that behavior. The Philly fans return to form; after a holding call on one running play and a 2nd running play without a penalty, they boo the Eagles into the locker room. Score at the half in the shocker of the day, the Green Bay Packers 14, the Philadelphia Eagles 10.

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