Ok, that is now the funniest thing I've seen today. Seriously, scab refs for life. Its probably not the market the NFL wants to pander to, but I'm suddenly finding myself interested in watching on Sundays.
I turned off the game after the Seahawks failed to score from the 9 just after the two-minute warning. Did I miss anything?
I turned off the game after the Seahawks failed to score from the 9 just after the two-minute warning
Same here. I even told the kid the Packers won, without mentioning that I turned it off before the game ended. He's gotta be thinking WTF this morning.
I didn't watch the game. I mowed the lawn last night and then I hung a new window treatment in our family room. I watched my favorite news show and then I went to bed, as I need to get up at 5:00 to work out. On Sunday, I painted the ceilings in my kitchen and dining room. Next Sunday, I will be at work. The Sunday after that, I'll be either painting or picking out new carpet. And so on. #nflfree
Heh, I only watched probably ten minutes in the fourth quarter up until that failed fourth down conversion. I did watch long enough to see Browner(?) commit one of the dirtiest hits I have ever seen against Greg Jennings (launching himself at Jennings's head twenty-five yards away from the play for no reason). If the Commish wasn't so full of crap about player safety, Browner would be suspended for a month.
I didn't watch it either. I went to a junior high game, did a little work, watched a rerun of "The Waltons" with Mrs. A, then switched back and forth between the Twins game and "Baseball Tonight".
Didn't watch it either. Twins and Philosofette and I are working our way through the first season of Modern Family. Oh, and writing a crappy PWP entry.
Ah, the first season of Modern Family is a lot of fun.
Also, I didn't watch it, but I don't really watch that much football when the Vikings aren't playing. Besides, someone had to judge Novak's crappy entry and make a bunch of typos while doing it.
Yeah, but did that someone have to be you?!?
Also, we watched it once before, a few years ago. It's our lite fare, when we need a day off from BSG.
Yeah, but did that someone have to be you?!?
Yes. Yes it did.
Also, on the matter of watching things that aren't BSG, I should really start watching BSG again. It gets better after the midpoint of the third season, right?
When you say midpoint, what exactly do you mean?
We're almost done with the 3rd season, and we've hit a grouping of filler episodes. But they're still worth watching.
After New Caprica, I found myself in about the same place with Starbuck. It doesn't feel like character development, it feels like mopey, angsty, unlikeable rubbish. I'll have to watch the entirety of season three over again at this point to really catch up, and that's really putting me off, since a lot of season three has been... ungood.
I think I finished up the boxing episode shortly before I stopped watching. It's a weird place to quit, because I liked that episode.
Yeah, sounds like we're in the same place regarding Starbuck.
Plot moves fairly quickly for a couple episodes right after the one you watched (well, there's one more before things move forward), but then stuff slows down again. I'm just waiting for Season 3 to be over at this point, so I can enjoy what I assume must be plot in Season 4.
Yeah, that play was awful. The refs missing that hit was pretty bad. He should've been thrown out of the game.
But hey, the refs in the Steelers/Raiders game didn't flag an even more dangerous hit on Darius Heyward-Bey. Ugh. The player saftey issue, to me, is the biggest reason to end the lockout with the real refs.
Apparently, the NFLPA is threatening to sue the NFL if they can make a case that the NFL's use of replacement players causes player safety issues. Methinks that the NFL's exposure in something like that would be more than $3.3 million.
I like watching football. I've watched football since I was a very little kid. I remember fondly going to high school games in SBGville. I felt the pain of losing those Super Bowls. I enjoyed college football many a Saturday afternoon when I was a student (and why not, NDSU was absolutely terrific back then and now, of course, ranked #1 in D1-AA not to mention that SBGville is ranked #1 in ND 9-man).
But, good lord. With the mounting evidence of the toll the game takes on the players and the unmitigated greed of the NFL, I can't sanction that anymore. My response is to note when NFL games are on and expressly do something else that is productive and, preferrably, family oriented. Or, if not family oriented, related to the upkeep of our domicile.
#NFLfree
As I mentioned on Sunday, naps without football on the TV work just as well.
at least the DHB play was (largely) a legit football play. On further review, the Oakland coach said it was "clean". The Browner assault on Jennings was just plain dirty.
Fair enough. I've watched a good percentage of Jennings' games. I've never seen him mad like that. Ever. And justifiably so.
What would it take to end the officials' lockout? My colleague Peter King wrote today that the gap between what officials want and what the NFL is offering is around $3.3 million per season.
Gosh. That is a big number, isn't it? I don't know how the NFL is supposed to come up with $3.3 million every year ... hey, wait, I just stumbled upon this little news item: The NFL recently signed nine-year agreements with Fox, NBC and CBS that are worth $3 billion a year.
I'm no accountant, but I do have a calculator on my computer. It looks to me like the NFL could settle this dispute for the cost of 0.11 percent of its annual TV take. That is an outrageously high number, of course. I don't think the NFL should completely cave -- this is, after all, a negotiation.
The NFL can start by generously offering 0.04 percent of its annual TV revenue, then bump it up to 0.06 percent of its annual TV revenue, and can probably get an agreement for close to 0.085 percent of its annual TV revenue.
I'm guessing there, but I mean, the officials want to work. I don't think they will be stubborn and insist on that entire, enormous 0.11 percent of the NFL's annual TV revenue. I think they could walk away from this with that 0.085 percent of the NFL's annual TV revenue and feel pretty good about themselves.
And then, if the NFL can somehow find a way to sell a few jerseys and tickets and beers and hot dogs and parking spots ... well, the officials wouldn't get a dime of that. Then maybe the NFL could finally turn a profit. What a relief that would be.
The NFL sucks. Roger Goodell is an enormous pile of steaming sh!t.
It should be noted that that $3 million is what the NFL is proposing to take from the referees. It isn't a new amount the referees are asking for. The NFL wants to drop annual retirement plan contributions from $5 mil to $2 mil.
I haven't read up on the latest negotiation news, but is the requirement for the refs to be full-time still in dispute? At one point, I thought I heard that the NFL wanted the refs to come on full time, but many of them wanted to keep their other jobs. Of course, if they are willing to drop that issue for $3M, just pay them the money.
Also Packer fans, you are "owners" remember? So you are 1/32nd to blame for the Replacement refs.
Danny Sheridan says the number is closer to $1 billion but the linked article says about $500 million.
This is absurd.
I think it's just a big misunderstanding. The refs were signaling for a jump ball, not a touchdown.
Apparently sportsbook.com refunded everyone who bet on the Packers. Wow.
NFL's response was hilarious and expected. Only way I'm mad is if the Packers miss the playoffs by one game. Or, worse, if they don't get in due to a tiebreaker with Seattle.
"Let's write a script about a part time teacher with terminal cancer who becomes a replacement referee and rigs a game to win $500,000 in Vegas. I call it Breaking Bad Call."
You'd have to be a real boob to not be abreast of the LFL rules to the point they call you a bust. As for the replacement refs, a rack of bad calls means they should implant some improvements before this whole thing goes tits up.
-Carrie Hunt
I wonder whether some of those replacement refs got knocked up over their performance?
That's just fantastic. I really hope this isn't the icing on the cake, though. There's so much more that can go into this. I want this to end with replacement refs at the Super Bowl. If that happened, I'd watch it for the first time in four years.
Any potential Replacement Ref Survivoring in the mix? I'd watch that.
Today's Notre Dame story: They've opted out of their series with Michigan.
Remember, college football is all about tradition.
No, its about Legends. and Leaders.
And TV Networks. Don't forget the TV networks.
and alumni. don't forget alumni
I'm surprised that they've only played 40 times.
I find it hard to believe that Navy is a better game for ND than Michigan. Unless, of course, they want to pad their record. (Yes, Navy beat them a couple of times recently.) ND/Michigan is one of the great attractions in college football. As a midwesterner that's unattached to any major college team, that's one of the two or three games I want to see each year.
I bet it is all about record padding. Keeping Navy on the schedule gives them a matchup which is historic, but also generally gives them an easy win. The polls don't favor strength of schedule, especially the human polls, so the system is really set against fans like you.
I don't necessarily mind an announcer who's a homer, if we're defining that as rooting for the team whose games he broadcasts. What I mind is a dishonest homer. If the team messes up, don't make excuses for them. If it's a close call goes against the team, don't act like it's the worst call in the history of history. You can root for them, just be honest about them.
What about Dick'n'Bert who have never seen a player who didn't do everything well (Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker, excepted)? They never criticize ANYONE on either side no matter how poor the players' performance.
I guess I don't mind positive-leaning announcers, Dick doesn't bother me at all, actually. Bert's tangents, and the fact that the players that he dislikes happen to be players that I like bothers me.
Also, the drooling over New York can stop. Like yesterday.
Also, the drooling over New York can stop. Like yesterday.
This. This this this this this.
If it were just a bit of respect for their admittedly imposing lineup or whatever, it wouldn't really bother me so much. It sort of amazes me when they've got a guy who has 40 home runs hitting 7th in the lineup.
The way it stands right now just reminds me of a bunch of self-described outcasts looking longingly at the cool kids table wishing Derek and Alex would compliment them on their cool new trapper keeper. It's beyond irritating. Luckily it only happens a series or two a year, but Lord does it piss me off while it's happening.
Yeah I completely agree. I especially hate the absurd Jeter love they display. Gross.
Last night they were talking about what an exemplary human being Derek Jeter is. Look, he's a great ballplayer, a Hall of Famer, but I hear this from all sorts of people without them ever saying what it is, exactly, that makes him such an exemplary human being. That's he's never been found guilty of using PEDs? That he's nice to sportswriters and broadcasters? I really don't mind them bragging him up a little as a ballplayer, because he is a great ballplayer. But don't tell me what a great person he is unless you're willing to back it up with something.
Padre, he gives all of his sexual conquests an autographed baseball as part of their parting gifts! What more evidence do you need?
Zack likes this.
It sort of amazes me when they've got a guy who has 40 home runs hitting 7th in the lineup.
I don't have time to lookup how many homers Inge had one year when he was typically batting 9th.
But if I did I would.
Inge has never hit more than 27 in a season.
In 2006, he hit 278/329/509 with 14 of his 27 HRs batting 9th and 252/323/448 with 6 HRs batting 8th. Those accounted for 460 of his 601 PA for the season.
I missed my bus anyway. I could have looked it up myself.
Still: 27 HRs from the guy who was #9 in the batting order more often than anyone else. From the #9 spot in the order!
Yea, that's something.
Which prompted me to check out some lineups for the Big Red Machine in the 1970s. In 1976, EVERY STARTER for the Reds had an OPS+ greater than 100 (low was Davey Concepcion at 107; Bench at 109, Perez 118, Geronimo 125, Griffey 140, Rose 141, Foster 150, Morgan 186).
I hate the drooling over the Yankees thing.
I wouldn't say Bert never criticizes anyone. After most home runs he'll comment on whether the pitcher made a good pitch, and after most stolen bases he'll say whether it was the pitcher's fault or the catcher's fault. If anything, I'd say he's generally harder on pitchers - probably because it makes him look better.
I actually can't think of much positivity coming from Dick and Bert this season about the pitching staff outside of Scott Diamond and the bullpen.
I think the reason it doesn't sound like criticism from Bert is that after every home run he says the same thing: "He left that pitch up." He says that even if the pitch was at the knees or below.
Last season had my favorite Bert moment in a while. The Twins were facing the LAAAAAAAngels, and Liriano was facing Trumbo. Trumbo kept fouling off pitches, and Bert says "throw this big donkey a slider." Frankie threw a slider, and Trumbo hit a moon shot off of it. At least he didn't say he left it up.
That's part of being honest. They don't have to beat it to death--if Drew Butera's hitting .078, I really don't need to be told he's not a good hitter. Just don't tell me he's having bad luck or is in a slump or something. They can root for Drew Butera to get a hit while still acknowledging it's not a likely occurrence.
I think I'm mostly okay with this. FX is generally pretty good with their shows (Terriers excepted) and the Coens are invovled. I'm definitely interested.
Everyone thinks it's funny until someone gets an eye poked out.
Ok, that is now the funniest thing I've seen today. Seriously, scab refs for life. Its probably not the market the NFL wants to pander to, but I'm suddenly finding myself interested in watching on Sundays.
I turned off the game after the Seahawks failed to score from the 9 just after the two-minute warning. Did I miss anything?
I turned off the game after the Seahawks failed to score from the 9 just after the two-minute warning
Same here. I even told the kid the Packers won, without mentioning that I turned it off before the game ended. He's gotta be thinking WTF this morning.
I didn't watch the game. I mowed the lawn last night and then I hung a new window treatment in our family room. I watched my favorite news show and then I went to bed, as I need to get up at 5:00 to work out. On Sunday, I painted the ceilings in my kitchen and dining room. Next Sunday, I will be at work. The Sunday after that, I'll be either painting or picking out new carpet. And so on. #nflfree
Heh, I only watched probably ten minutes in the fourth quarter up until that failed fourth down conversion. I did watch long enough to see Browner(?) commit one of the dirtiest hits I have ever seen against Greg Jennings (launching himself at Jennings's head twenty-five yards away from the play for no reason). If the Commish wasn't so full of crap about player safety, Browner would be suspended for a month.
I didn't watch it either. I went to a junior high game, did a little work, watched a rerun of "The Waltons" with Mrs. A, then switched back and forth between the Twins game and "Baseball Tonight".
Didn't watch it either. Twins and Philosofette and I are working our way through the first season of Modern Family. Oh, and writing a crappy PWP entry.
Ah, the first season of Modern Family is a lot of fun.
Also, I didn't watch it, but I don't really watch that much football when the Vikings aren't playing. Besides, someone had to judge Novak's crappy entry and make a bunch of typos while doing it.
Yeah, but did that someone have to be you?!?
Also, we watched it once before, a few years ago. It's our lite fare, when we need a day off from BSG.
Yes. Yes it did.
Also, on the matter of watching things that aren't BSG, I should really start watching BSG again. It gets better after the midpoint of the third season, right?
When you say midpoint, what exactly do you mean?
We're almost done with the 3rd season, and we've hit a grouping of filler episodes. But they're still worth watching.
To actually answer the question...
Yeah, sounds like we're in the same place regarding Starbuck.
Plot moves fairly quickly for a couple episodes right after the one you watched (well, there's one more before things move forward), but then stuff slows down again. I'm just waiting for Season 3 to be over at this point, so I can enjoy what I assume must be plot in Season 4.
Yeah, that play was awful. The refs missing that hit was pretty bad. He should've been thrown out of the game.
But hey, the refs in the Steelers/Raiders game didn't flag an even more dangerous hit on Darius Heyward-Bey. Ugh. The player saftey issue, to me, is the biggest reason to end the lockout with the real refs.
Apparently, the NFLPA is threatening to sue the NFL if they can make a case that the NFL's use of replacement players causes player safety issues. Methinks that the NFL's exposure in something like that would be more than $3.3 million.
I like watching football. I've watched football since I was a very little kid. I remember fondly going to high school games in SBGville. I felt the pain of losing those Super Bowls. I enjoyed college football many a Saturday afternoon when I was a student (and why not, NDSU was absolutely terrific back then and now, of course, ranked #1 in D1-AA not to mention that SBGville is ranked #1 in ND 9-man).
But, good lord. With the mounting evidence of the toll the game takes on the players and the unmitigated greed of the NFL, I can't sanction that anymore. My response is to note when NFL games are on and expressly do something else that is productive and, preferrably, family oriented. Or, if not family oriented, related to the upkeep of our domicile.
#NFLfree
As I mentioned on Sunday, naps without football on the TV work just as well.
at least the DHB play was (largely) a legit football play. On further review, the Oakland coach said it was "clean". The Browner assault on Jennings was just plain dirty.
Fair enough. I've watched a good percentage of Jennings' games. I've never seen him mad like that. Ever. And justifiably so.
How about this:
The NFL sucks. Roger Goodell is an enormous pile of steaming sh!t.
It should be noted that that $3 million is what the NFL is proposing to take from the referees. It isn't a new amount the referees are asking for. The NFL wants to drop annual retirement plan contributions from $5 mil to $2 mil.
I haven't read up on the latest negotiation news, but is the requirement for the refs to be full-time still in dispute? At one point, I thought I heard that the NFL wanted the refs to come on full time, but many of them wanted to keep their other jobs. Of course, if they are willing to drop that issue for $3M, just pay them the money.
Also Packer fans, you are "owners" remember? So you are 1/32nd to blame for the Replacement refs.
Danny Sheridan says the number is closer to $1 billion but the linked article says about $500 million.
This is absurd.
I think it's just a big misunderstanding. The refs were signaling for a jump ball, not a touchdown.
Apparently sportsbook.com refunded everyone who bet on the Packers. Wow.
NFL's response was hilarious and expected. Only way I'm mad is if the Packers miss the playoffs by one game. Or, worse, if they don't get in due to a tiebreaker with Seattle.
Almost everyone.
I loved this email from the Sports Guy's inbox:
Nooooo!
this is completely unacceptable. Announced on the eve of Yom Kippur, too. Somebody's got a lot of atoning to do.
Time to dip into the Strategic Bacon Reserve, Mr. President.
Where is the SBR located? Are there any house for sale nearby?
It's on Fangboner Rd.
It is a secure, undisclosed, delicious location.
Man - the SIL needs to thread into this - I swear there is no dish at the pot luck that does not contain bacon. Nada. Nein. Nikto.
nooooooo!
Food and Liquor II is on Spotify for all you Lupe fans.
Ooh, I'll have to give it a listen tonight.
Prime question: is it 'Lupe' good?
So far it's better than Lasers.
Slight praise, to be sure.
I'm done with the first time through - it's not quite The Cool or Food and Liquor*, but it's up there and it's way better than Lasers.
*Is this Food and Liquor I now?
Cool. I eagerly anticipate listening to it, then.
Okay, it's too early to tell if this is over-hyped yet, but count me as excited.
Josh Willingham is getting an MRI on his shoulder *insert tommy john joak*
Over/under on number of games he sits out before he's put on the DL? I'll say 14.
Heh, a week into next season? Sounds about right.
well, he IS going to need rehab at Ft. Myers before rejoining the team.
cheaptoy, this is for you. You're welcome.
Carrie already took care of it for us:
I wonder whether some of those replacement refs got knocked up over their performance?
That's just fantastic. I really hope this isn't the icing on the cake, though. There's so much more that can go into this. I want this to end with replacement refs at the Super Bowl. If that happened, I'd watch it for the first time in four years.
Any potential Replacement Ref Survivoring in the mix? I'd watch that.
Today's Notre Dame story: They've opted out of their series with Michigan.
Remember, college football is all about tradition.
No, its about Legends. and Leaders.
And TV Networks. Don't forget the TV networks.
and alumni. don't forget alumni
I'm surprised that they've only played 40 times.
I find it hard to believe that Navy is a better game for ND than Michigan. Unless, of course, they want to pad their record. (Yes, Navy beat them a couple of times recently.) ND/Michigan is one of the great attractions in college football. As a midwesterner that's unattached to any major college team, that's one of the two or three games I want to see each year.
I bet it is all about record padding. Keeping Navy on the schedule gives them a matchup which is historic, but also generally gives them an easy win. The polls don't favor strength of schedule, especially the human polls, so the system is really set against fans like you.
in news that will surprise no one.
I don't necessarily mind an announcer who's a homer, if we're defining that as rooting for the team whose games he broadcasts. What I mind is a dishonest homer. If the team messes up, don't make excuses for them. If it's a close call goes against the team, don't act like it's the worst call in the history of history. You can root for them, just be honest about them.
What about Dick'n'Bert who have never seen a player who didn't do everything well (Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker, excepted)? They never criticize ANYONE on either side no matter how poor the players' performance.
I guess I don't mind positive-leaning announcers, Dick doesn't bother me at all, actually. Bert's tangents, and the fact that the players that he dislikes happen to be players that I like bothers me.
Also, the drooling over New York can stop. Like yesterday.
Also, the drooling over New York can stop. Like yesterday.
This. This this this this this.
If it were just a bit of respect for their admittedly imposing lineup or whatever, it wouldn't really bother me so much. It sort of amazes me when they've got a guy who has 40 home runs hitting 7th in the lineup.
The way it stands right now just reminds me of a bunch of self-described outcasts looking longingly at the cool kids table wishing Derek and Alex would compliment them on their cool new trapper keeper. It's beyond irritating. Luckily it only happens a series or two a year, but Lord does it piss me off while it's happening.
Yeah I completely agree. I especially hate the absurd Jeter love they display. Gross.
Last night they were talking about what an exemplary human being Derek Jeter is. Look, he's a great ballplayer, a Hall of Famer, but I hear this from all sorts of people without them ever saying what it is, exactly, that makes him such an exemplary human being. That's he's never been found guilty of using PEDs? That he's nice to sportswriters and broadcasters? I really don't mind them bragging him up a little as a ballplayer, because he is a great ballplayer. But don't tell me what a great person he is unless you're willing to back it up with something.
Padre, he gives all of his sexual conquests an autographed baseball as part of their parting gifts! What more evidence do you need?
Zack likes this.
It sort of amazes me when they've got a guy who has 40 home runs hitting 7th in the lineup.
I don't have time to lookup how many homers Inge had one year when he was typically batting 9th.
But if I did I would.
Inge has never hit more than 27 in a season.
In 2006, he hit 278/329/509 with 14 of his 27 HRs batting 9th and 252/323/448 with 6 HRs batting 8th. Those accounted for 460 of his 601 PA for the season.
I missed my bus anyway. I could have looked it up myself.
Still: 27 HRs from the guy who was #9 in the batting order more often than anyone else. From the #9 spot in the order!
Yea, that's something.
Which prompted me to check out some lineups for the Big Red Machine in the 1970s. In 1976, EVERY STARTER for the Reds had an OPS+ greater than 100 (low was Davey Concepcion at 107; Bench at 109, Perez 118, Geronimo 125, Griffey 140, Rose 141, Foster 150, Morgan 186).
I hate the drooling over the Yankees thing.
I wouldn't say Bert never criticizes anyone. After most home runs he'll comment on whether the pitcher made a good pitch, and after most stolen bases he'll say whether it was the pitcher's fault or the catcher's fault. If anything, I'd say he's generally harder on pitchers - probably because it makes him look better.
I actually can't think of much positivity coming from Dick and Bert this season about the pitching staff outside of Scott Diamond and the bullpen.
I think the reason it doesn't sound like criticism from Bert is that after every home run he says the same thing: "He left that pitch up." He says that even if the pitch was at the knees or below.
Last season had my favorite Bert moment in a while. The Twins were facing the LAAAAAAAngels, and Liriano was facing Trumbo. Trumbo kept fouling off pitches, and Bert says "throw this big donkey a slider." Frankie threw a slider, and Trumbo hit a moon shot off of it. At least he didn't say he left it up.
That's part of being honest. They don't have to beat it to death--if Drew Butera's hitting .078, I really don't need to be told he's not a good hitter. Just don't tell me he's having bad luck or is in a slump or something. They can root for Drew Butera to get a hit while still acknowledging it's not a likely occurrence.
i'm not sure what i think about this:
FX Teams With Joel & Ethan Coen And Noah Hawley For Series Adaptation Of Fargo
I think I'm mostly okay with this. FX is generally pretty good with their shows (Terriers excepted) and the Coens are invovled. I'm definitely interested.
If you are like me, you are hopelessly out of touch. That's why I am grateful for handy tipsheets like this one: How To Know You Are At A Hipster Wedding
Chelsea kicking some Wanderers' ass today you guys. 6-0 in the 85th minute.
Oh, you mean Wolves. I thought you meant Bolton. Either way, yikes.
Crap it's Capital One Cup, not EPL action.
Yeah both Wandererses were relegated last year.
ESPN has counted down to the top ten players in their #NBArank. Kevin Love is still on the board.
Kobe
Wade
Lebron
Howard
Durant
Paul
Love
Rose
Deron Williams
Westbrook
I think Love is at least better than Williams, and maybe post-injury Rose. (And old Kobe.)
My arrangement of those guys:
1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. Howard
4. Wade
5. Paul
6. Westbrook
7. Love
8. Kobe Bean
9. Rose
10. Williams
Westbrook can be frustrating, but he's damned good. Maybe he should be lower.
The Beloit Snappers announced today that they will be affiliated with Oakland next year.
I wonder where the Angels are going to go.
Can I get a pinch hitter for tonight, please? Thank you!