Trash Talk – Clash Of The Titans Edition

It’s trash talk time again. And this week we have a great slate of games, so let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. I know, I know, we’ve got to get this guy out of our hair, but once again the world seems to revolve around randiego. You’ve got a dynamic blog owner, and a loyal janitor, and still the world revolves around a surfer dude from San Diego. Go figure. Must be teh Rio Grande Mud that Mr. and Mrs. Randiego are stuck in with their Texas Tech jones.

NCAA: The mondo game of the week is the Texas Tech Red Rayduhs of Lady Randiego versus the Oklahoma Sooners. This game is not just huge to our favorite surfers, this is, indeed, the biggest game of the week for the nation. Let’s take a look at the breakdown for the game courtesy of Fox Sports:

The biggest game in the nation, the Red Raiders are playing to reach the Big 12 championship game and possibly the national championship game, while an Oklahoma victory can throw the Big 12 South division into a tiebreaker scenario that would involve Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma. The Sooners have never been more explosive on offense than they are right now, gaining 674, 528, 508 and 653 yards, respectively, against Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska and Texas A&M. The biggest difference has been a running game that’s taken off behind a line that’s once again living up to its preseason expectations. Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray have combined for 1,623 yards from the tailback position. At Texas Tech, everything seems to be fine-tuned in coach Mike Leach’s "Air Raid" offense. QB Graham Harrell is quickly approaching the 5,000-yard mark, WR Mike Crabtree is playing better than his Biletnikoff Award-winning season a year ago and the running game has never been stronger under Leach. Tech is averaging 132.6 yards per game (No. 73 in the nation). First won to 50 wins? Perhaps.

FAST FACTS: Red Raiders — The offensive line has yielded 15 sacks in a whopping 622 pass attempts. … The Raiders are one of five teams in the league with at least 20 sacks. … The offense is 48 of 58 on trips to the red zone. Of the 48 scores, 43 are touchdowns. Sooners — Lead the nation in scoring, averaging 51.4 points per game. … LB Travis Lewis ranks 10th nationally in tackles, registering 10.5 per game. … OU is 9-9 under Bob Stoops when playing higher ranked teams at home.

Sam Bradford is a very fine quarterback, and Bob Stoops always has a tough defense. But I think Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree and teh Rayduhs de Rojo will rule the day in Norman. Sorry Freep, the Sooners are later.

This is kind of scary, but most of the rest of the good matchups are in the Big 10. Not sure what kind of alternate reality that puts us in, but there you have it. And of those, let’s face it, the biggest is still Michigan at the Ohio State University. Big Blue goes to the Big Horseshoe. Gonna have to vote with my heart instead of my head and root for the Wolvereenies. It has been a tough year on EW’s local gridiron scene. The Lions; well, good grief, they couldn’t be worse if Charlie Brown was their kicker and Lucy Van Pelt their holder. Then Big Blue has a far worse rebuilding year under Rich Rodriquez than anybody envisioned. So EW needs some pigskin cheer up there. Go Big Blue!

The other Big 10 tilt that is prime would be Michigan State at the Penn State JoePas. Should be a good game, hope it is not Paterno’s last game in Happy Valley. Also keep your eye on BYU at Utah; it is actually a very important game. BYU is tough, but if Utah gets by them, and Boise State wins out too, it is going to seriously screw with the BCS fatheads. Here’s hoping.

NFL: The game of the week is the J E T S Jets, Jets, Jets at masaccio’s Titans. Now this is an interesting clash. It is a Clash of the Titans, because, you see, the original name of the Jets in the old AFL was the Titans. So, there you go. Here’s the rundown:

Not so long ago, Brett Favre and Kerry Collins weren’t even expected to be starting this season. Now two of the NFL’s oldest and most experienced quarterbacks will square off in the most highly anticipated game of Week 12.

Collins has thrown for 519 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in road wins over Chicago and Jacksonville. He hadn’t thrown for 200 yards in any of his previous eight games, during which he totaled three TD passes and three interceptions.

Favre’s been able to rely more on the rushing attack, which has averaged 163.8 yards and scored eight touchdowns over the last five games. Thomas Jones tops the AFC with 854 rushing yards and will be seeking his third straight 100-yard game after running for 104 in a 34-31 overtime win over New England last week.

Favre will be challenged by a Titans defense which has given up the fewest points in the league, is tied for second with 15 interceptions and ranks third in the AFC with 28 sacks – 10 in the last three weeks. Star defensive tackleAlbert Haynesworth has seven sacks and keys a defense which has allowed one 100-yard rusher all season.

You know where I’m going. That is exactly right, I am picking the Titans all the way baby.

The second big game of the week, and it is almost surreal to say this, involves the Arizona Cardinals. Crikey, this must be an alternate reality. The Gents are coming to town to hook up with the Cards in teh Big Toaster. The Giants at 9-1 and the Cards at 7-3 are arguably the two best teams in the NFC and this should be a whale of a game. Kurt Warner is literally have another MVP caliber season, and it is no joke that Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are the best receiving pair in the league. If you haven’t seen much of these two, take a gander, they are something special. Then there is Bad Eli. Manning that is. Don’t know if y’all are aware of this or not, but EW ain’t really a fan of the Manning brothers. Any of them. Must have something to do with the Pats, I dunno. It’s not like they have beaten the Pats out of the championship, first one brother, then the other or anything. Oh, wait…. Cards are really tough at home and are starting to really look good. I’m taking them in an upset. Jeebus I know I’ll regret betting on the damn Cards. Oh well.

Next, we have the Pats at the Fish. This is arguably as big a game as the first two. Both teams are 6-4, but the Dolphins are 2-1 in division play while the Patriots are 2-2. In their first meeting of the season, the Dolphins blew out the Patriots at Foxboro by 25 points; this game looks to be much different. If the Dolphins can manage to pull out a win, they will really have the inside track for a playoff berth and the Patriots will be hurting. The Pats won’t be fooled by the Dolphins wildcat formation this time and will win easily.

Okay that brings up the last game on this week’s review list. That would be the Colts visiting the Chargers. Now it’s a good thing that I was able to pick the Patriots over the Dolphins, because much to Marcy’s chagrin this game involves another one of those evil Manning brothers. And, boy is she going to hate this, it looks to me like the Colts are going to turn the Bolts home into Peyton’s Place. There just isn’t much to say here except that the old Norval Turner, that we all know and love, is back in all his glory; and that, combined with a couple of big injuries have left the San Diego SuperChargers in a world of hurt. But other teams manage to pull together past key injuries (read Cassell and the Pats still putting up a show without Brady, Harrison and Thomas), but the Bolts have tanked. That’s Norval folks. colts win this and keep their surge toward the playoffs on track (not Palin).

Epilogue: First off, the video today is from that L’il Old Band From Texas. It is a live version from 2003 of Just Got Paid Today from ZZ Top’s first second (h/t Bell) album, Rio Grande Mud. The bearded boys can still crank. This video, Francine, is what I had in mind when I set out today, but this is a family blog (Great video but very brief, maybe 6-8 seconds of semi-nudity) so I let discretion be the better part of rock and roll valor.

Secondly, a bittersweet farewell to a true all time great in sport. A woman who dominated her sport arguably like no other, the female Tiger Woods, has played her last match. Annika Sorenstam. Annika was maybe, for a four or five year period, the most dominant golfer on the planet; no less than Tiger Woods made that statement. Sorenstam is the only female golfer in history to have shot a sub-60 round in competition and finishes off with ten major titles and 72 LPGA victories for her career. She was the individual NCAA champion as a freshman at the University of Arizona. Her 90 international tournament wins as a professional make her the female golfer with the most in history. Best of all, she was one of the classiest people ever. Cheers Annika, best of luck and thanks for the memories.

image_print
110 replies
  1. LabDancer says:

    Now that’s as full and complete a spor’ repor’ as any reasonable red-blooded white-corpusled blue veined person can expect. No bowling, archery, truck dragging, or 2 early 2 B relevant b-ball — just the straight up good on every match up of possible relevance to any thinking person. Sans exceptions, one is tempted to say. The entire magilla. Holus bolus….

    Not so fast. As one Arizonan in particular has been known to say, of an occasion, my friends: I have some news.

    You left out the Grey Poupon Bowl in the Land of the Frozen, El Norte’s El Norte.

    Now, far be it from me to presume to be an expert on such details as, for one, the identities of the participating municipalities; for two, their relative geographic locations; for three, their team nicknames; and for four even, where they’ve scheduled the zambonis to sweep the snow off the tundra to improve the performance of the competitors.

    [I’m guessing its being conducted somewhere easterly, due to the lower human to grizzly bear ratio – generally considered to offer less risk to the participants and spectators alike. Gander?]

    Given all that, might it be said to literally definition sporting-ness to presume to pick a winner? I, for one, am prepared to rise to the challenge. I hereby predict: There will be one.

    No point spread, of course, but the initial odds are set at 9:1 for.

  2. freepatriot says:

    this is a “family Blog” ???

    we got kids ???

    I thought those were midgets

    guess I should stop givin em smokes then …

    an the Sooners should shoot their schedule maker

    texas is off, florida is playin the Citidel ??? (didn’t know they still had a men’s football team) Alabama ain’t playin anybody, and we got tech and Oklahoma State in successive weeks, wtf ???

    we shoulda kicked tech’s ass last month, or the month before that …

    if we survive this, an texas loses the big 12 championship game, Oklahoma is in line to play the florida-alabama winner

    gotta admit to that

    an gimme the “titans now” over the “used to be titans”, the GNTS to smash the house of cards, the fish over the nadabradys, and the bolts over the dolts (martyball lives)

    what did I win ???

  3. freepatriot says:

    No point spread, of course, but the initial odds are set at 9:1 for.

    for what ??? the humans, or the grizzly bears ???

    • BayStateLibrul says:

      Let’s win this for Barry, Switzer of course.
      I must live in a football bubble.
      On assignment in lovely Norwalk, Connecticut this week, I fumbled my way to
      ESPN, and viewed a Switzer Special.
      What a remarkable dude. I’m goin buy his book…

      On coaching

      “They knew that I wasn’t an actor and I wasn’t phony. I was honest and sincere. I wasn’t a [liar], when I said something I meant it and I told
      them the truth. That’s the way you should be with everybody, no matter what you do, and I’ve always done that. All my life I’ve been honest with my players and you have to be. That’s always been my philosophy — don’t be an actor, don’t be a phony, don’t create crisis, don’t go out there with scrawl on your face. It’s fun. It’s OK to have fun and coach practice. It’s alright to have a smile on your face; it’s alright to joke around. Anyone who says you can’t smile and have fun coaching practice, is full of it. That’s that Neanderthal mentality where you don’t give the guys water during practice.”

      Sorry Randiego

  4. nomolos says:

    The mondo game of the week is

    in Maine where UNH takes on Maine. Go UNH!!

    Seriously though Anika was not only a great player and a seriously classy person she has also left behind a group of women that themselves are classy but are also great players. She has left that tour in the very capable hands of of people like Ochoa and Creamer and Kim and many others that have more personality in one finger than most of the men on their tour do. At the moment, without Tiger, the men are a ruddy bore.

  5. bmaz says:

    I am bringing this comment from John in Sacramento over from the Gas Tax/CAFE thread, because here is where it belongs:

    Since there’s no trash talk thread yet and I could be busy all day tomorrow

    —-

    Jets v Titans

    Titans between -5 and -6

    Sorry Tennessee fans this is a big game for Favre take the points and J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets to win

    —-

    Colts v Bolts

    Chargers are -2.5

    This line is skewed by SoCal fan. The rule of thumb is: all SoCal teams are over valued by between 10 and 30% because of the proximity to Vegas. And besides Manning’s due for a big game and the Chargers pass D is not that great

    Take the Colts to win and the points

    —-

    Pats v Dolphins

    Dolphins are +1

    Revenge game for Bellichick. Pats win and cover

    —-

    Oregon State v Arizona

    Arizona -2.5

    The most dangerous team late in the season. Take the points and Beavers win

    Texas Tech and Oklahoma

    OSU is -7

    That’s huge for a game like this. Not getting a good feeling for a winner – it’s like that old saying about the Immovable Object v the Irresistible Force. That line is too much, take Tech and the points

  6. CTMET says:

    There is still some football left in Michigan after today. The Mid American Conference Chapionship game is going to be at Ford Field on December 5th.

    The MAC-East Champion UB Bulls will be taking on the winner of the MAC West for the chance to go to the Motor City Bowl (also at Ford Field). After winning a 4 OT game against Akron last week the Bulls clinched the East Championship with a 2OT comeback from 27-7 in the 4th quarter last night against Bowling Green.

    Win or lose the Bulls are set for their first bowl appearance in 102 years of playing football. You can catch ESPN’s Outside the lines to learn more about the 1958 team.

  7. randiego says:

    Bmaz, you’ve outdone yourself – great thread! Thanks again for the shout-out!

    The surf is going off for the first time since last weekend, so I’m headed out to the beach, then I’ll be back for some trash talk.

    Michigan v OSU starts in just over an hour… Go Michigan

  8. masaccio says:

    The most underrated part of the Titans is their coach, Jeff Fisher. The team seems organized and focused, and it’s his doing.

  9. radiofreewill says:

    This is just the situation that only the Wolverines get to have – a bad season, redeemed by beating the Buckeyes. Go Corn and Blues!

    It used to be the case that football teams had a divide between the ’starters’ and the bench. The bench were hopeful, semi-second class wannabes waiting their turn – not neccessarily as mentally plugged-into the games as the starters.

    Now, however, in a rugged conference like the SEC, our Coach has all 80 Gators ’in the game’ mentally, following every play and ready to go. Today, against the Citadel, would be a good time to rotate in our promising stars to get some game time running our modern-day Urban Meyer dynamic-option classics – sort-of a Spread-Wishbone, if you will.

    I’d love to see OU beat Tech with Defense today.

    And now, back to chopping wood…humming my favorite Top tunes – thanks bmaz!

  10. CasualObserver says:

    Bmaz, thanks for taking up otherwise valuable blog space for sports trash talk. It’s a great feature here and I truly appreciate it.

    Your call for the Cards over my Giants, in Arizona, is certainly a defensible one. Might even come to pass. But as a Giants fan, I can’t restrain myself from noting that the Giants simply don’t get the respect they deserve. They certainly didn’t last year, and again this year they were picked to finish far behind the disgusting and much-detested Dallas Cowboys. What the hell does a team have to do in this league to get some respect, I ask you.

    While I agree the Cards have a shot, I think the reality of it will be that their passing game hasn’t seen a defense like NYG. Last year, the G’s defense was under-appreciated, and it is arguably better now than it was then. Warner will not have time to go downfield, and if/when he does, some of those balls are going to be caught by guys wearing different jerseys. This is if he makes it through the game.

    • bmaz says:

      Hey, don’t thank me, it is all Marcy. She is a football fiend, and can whip most of us guys at it. Trash Talk is her invention, not mine. She has been really busy on the election, and now the auto mess, so I have just taken some of the load off. Soon as she thinks the Pats are in the playoffs, she will be reclaiming her throne here. Bet on it.

      As to the Gents. Make no mistake, I give the Giants complete respect. The only reason I picked the Cards is 1) I got to give the freaking losers some love one of these years, and other than one year with Jake Plummer, there has never been a opportunity before to do so; and 2) The game is here, and they have been very, very tough at home for a couple of years now.

      There is no doubt but that the Gents are a better team, I just think the Cards may win this game.

      • emptywheel says:

        Biggest problem is that bmaz has now expanded the field–in a laudable way, mind you, but since I only follow football (and usually primarily the National Favre League), bmaz might have to keep it up. Annika Sorenstam? I would never have included it, and I’m glad bmaz did.

    • emptywheel says:

      It’s Tom Coughlin’s fault. To be honest, my problems with Peyton have to do with Peyton. But I actually secretly like Eli (don’t tell bmaz though). But I refuse to root for him and the Gents until Coughlin is gone, hopefully replaced by Spagnuolo.

      • freepatriot says:

        To be honest, my problems with Peyton have to do with Peyton

        how could you not like a guy who booed his own father ???

        I read an interview with peyton and eli’s mom once:

        Mrs Manning reported that once, at a Saints home game, she wondered what effect the constant abuse of Archie by the fans would have on peyton and cooper, and then she heard two very familiar voices behind her screaming “Boo Archie, You Suck”

        there’s all different kinds of families …

      • CasualObserver says:

        But I refuse to root for him and the Gents until Coughlin is gone, hopefully replaced by Spagnuolo.

        I myself said (in writing–what an idiot) just last year that Coughlin would never lead any team to the superbowl. But dammit, since I put it in writing I have had to admit a) I said it and b) I was wrong. And this year, with the injuries, the quality of NYG coaching is even more evident. Yes, I still bicker about play calling once in a while. But I have now shut up and gone on board with Coughlin.

        • emptywheel says:

          Oh, I don’t doubt Coughlin is an effective coach. But I don’t have to like him. He’s bad PR for the team (well, at least he is if you care what emptywheel thinks). BUt otherwise it–and Good Eli–is a superb team.

        • CasualObserver says:

          He’s bad PR for the team (well, at least he is if you care what emptywheel thinks).

          Well yes. Yes, I do care. And so should the NYFG. They should wander, deeply troubled, along dark roads of doubt and worry, with only their diamond-studded SB rings to comfort them…

        • freepatriot says:

          I don’t doubt Coughlin is an effective coach. But I don’t have to like him

          this ain’t about him bein a “Parcells” kinda guy is it ???

          cuz that might create a terrible conflict here

          you’re my muse, but Bill is my coach …

          you could get me all confused here

          I might end up in law school or somtin …

  11. bell says:

    connected to the previous post…geez! this makes me older then you, lol.. who wudda thunk?

    rio grande mud was zztops 2nd album, not their first.. i happened to catch their first live show in vancouver at the commodore way back when…

    being a canuck, i have no idea what i was doing on that fateful day back in 63′..

    • bmaz says:

      Crap, you are right. I am a moron. Will correct that!

      Fun fact: The precursor to ZZ Top was a Billy Gibbons band by the name of “The Moving Sidewalks” and they were the opening act here in Phoenix for Jimi Hendrix at the State Fairgrounds back in the 60s.

      • bell says:

        well, there is very little i do know and that is a fact! when it comes to music or astrology, i know a bit more then is probably in my best interests but i didn’t know that about zztop prior to the incarnation i have only known.. musta been a fun show with billy gibbons and hendrix on the same bill! a casual acquaintance i know played with the 5th dimension for a few years back in the late 60’s and got to see hendrix a few times, sometime i can say i wasn’t old enough to experience first hand…

        • bmaz says:

          Oh, I didn’t go, I just remember that it happened. I was into rock already as a kid. Had talked my mom into letting me go to a concert, which she agreed to if our 18 year old neighbor boy would take me, which he agreed to do. Basically I had my choice between the Hendrix show I described, the Doors (who had some warm up band named Jethro Tull) and The Monkees. I narrowed it down to the Doors and The Monkees.

          I went to see the Monkees. I am a total freaking moron.

        • bell says:

          lol! i would still consider that pretty special to have seen the monkees! i saw alice cooper on the dead babies tour, as well as frank zappa, george harrison with ravi shanker opening for him and a long list of other stuff which i feel fortunate to have seen.. you can’t see everything-

  12. randiego says:

    I’m back and I’m ready for gametime!

    Texas Tech vs Oklahoma!! This is going to be a barn-burner. Oklahoma is favored by 7, and most of the pundits are again picking Tech to go down – including the Head Weenie at ESPN, Lee Corso.

    The reason for the 7-point spread is Bob Stoops home record at Oklahoma: 49-2 (holy crap!)

    Still, I think Tech is up the challenge. Their defense and running game are much improved this year. Add to that – the offense that OK runs is Leach’s offense.

    GO TECH!!

  13. randiego says:

    Meanwhile, the supposedly superior teams of the SEC are busy playing Arkansas State (Alabama) and The Freakin’ Citadel (Florida) – At this time of year? what’s up with that??

    Check out Tech’s last 4 opponents: Oklahoma (today), OK State, Texas and #23 Kansas.

    By next week, Oklahoma will have played those same four teams. Texas had to play all those PLUS #11 Missouri.

    Sometimes a conference is just dominant. If these three teams aren’t in the top ten at the end it will be a travesty.

  14. freepatriot says:

    Now let’s go out an hang half a hundred on them before halftime and go home early

    oh yeah

    I love Barry Switzer

  15. MrsRandiego says:

    I’m not worried about Corso’s picks as he was just pandering to the crowd. He didn’t think we could beat OSU either. Its going to be a tough game playing in Norman in freezing temperatures but my boys from Lubbock have been building to this game all season.

    It’s 12:31 PST and OU still sucks.

    Wreck ‘em Tech!!

  16. randiego says:

    For the Sunday games, I’m taking the Old Titans vs the New Titans – sorry Massacio, they have GOT to lose sometime, don’t they??

    btw, I agree on the Jeff Fisher thing (except for when he had two guys go after Shawn Merriman’s knee in the regular season game last year. Not Cool. That’s why Merriman is out.)

    I think the Giants are pretty dominant, but I really love the upstart Cards.

    The Peytons are going to clean the Frightning Boltz clock. No QB pressure = a long night for the home team. Take Peyton and the points.

  17. randiego says:

    Don’t get me started on the Manning Family. The look on Bad Eli’s face when AJ Smith drafted him #1 was freakin’ priceless. Especially the part where he had to stand on stage and hold up a Bolts jersey!

    The Chargers ended up with Rivers, Merriman and Kaeding from that trade… I’d do it again for sure. I HATE Eli Manning.

  18. MrsRandiego says:

    EW — I lived with several Michigan alumni in Boston and am a fan of the Blue. I learned the fight song at one point and while the words are gone the tune still sticks in my head. Random fact: the merry-go-round in Balboa Park has the Michigan fight song in its song rotation.

    BMAZ – as for my choice in men…um, yeah…I got nuthin.

    • freepatriot says:

      as for my choice in men…um, yeah…I got nuthin.

      you coulda married a lot worse than a surfer in SoCal

      that place is full of wanna-be actors and failed screenwriters, and all kinds of trash that hollywood couldn’t tolerate

      he ain’t one of those

      is he ???

      • MrsRandiego says:

        No, no washed up, Hollywood reject with Randiego. And the only time you’ll see him on the screen is if you’re *lucky* enough to catch one of the slideshows from his surf trips.

    • emptywheel says:

      You know, I lived in SD county for 2-5 years (I lived in Poway (Cowpie) for 2 years in high school and my folks and/or brothers were there all through college).

      And I never knew the merry-go-round was dressed in maize and blue.

  19. freepatriot says:

    Penn State versus Oregon State in the Rose Bowl ???

    Oh Goodie, we get to introduce TWO States to sunshine

    (ducking and running)

  20. bmaz says:

    Oregon State beats Arizona Mildkittens 19-17 on field goal as time expires in the game. Looks like Oregon State and Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

  21. MrsRandiego says:

    There is not much to say. We lost. By a lot. I’ll leave the analysis to the analysts. But I will say that I am proud to be 10-1 for the season. I am proud that Texas Tech was at #2 in the nation for two weeks. I am proud that we’ve been ranked all season long.

    Head up and Guns up!

  22. Neil says:

    WEEK 12
    PHI @ BAL M&T Bank Stadium 1:00 PM
    NYJ @ TEN LP Field 1:00 PM
    TB @ DET Ford Field 1:00 PM
    MIN @ JAC Jacksonville Municipal Stadium 1:00 PM
    BUF @ KC Arrowhead Stadium 1:00 PM
    CHI @ STL Edward Jones Dome 1:00 PM
    NE @ MIA Dolphin Stadium 1:00 PM
    SF @ DAL Texas Stadium 1:00 PM
    HOU @ CLE Cleveland Browns Stadium 1:00 PM

    OAK @ DEN Invesco Field at Mile High 4:05 PM
    CAR @ ATL Georgia Dome 4:15 PM
    NYG @ ARI University of Phoenix Stadium 4:15 PM
    WAS @ SEA Qwest Field 4:15 PM

    IND @ SD Qualcomm Stadium 8:15 PM

    THANKSGIVING DAY
    TEN @ DET Ford Field 12:30 PM
    SEA @ DAL Texas Stadium 4:15 PM
    ARI @ PHI Lincoln Financial Field 8:15 PM

    Not winners, just favorites.

    • emptywheel says:

      I notice you have the Lions, um, “not winning, just favorites.”

      I’ve got a gut feel–this is their week to break the streak!!

      Better be–thus far they haven’t sold out the Turkey day game.

      • Neil says:

        I drove from Beantown to the College on the Hill for Homecoming this year but it wasn’t easy to get my head right about it. To overcome my obstacle, I decided I would not care who won. I deceived myself by pretending the outcome didn’t matter to me. In hindsight, I thought I was trying to manage my potential disappointment, but I realize now I had lost faith.

        Both teams were 5-2. Williams beat Middlebury while Amherst lost to them, and Amherst beat Tufts while Williams lost. Both teams lost to Trinity, Williams by a smaller margin. I watched the Amherst team play Hamilton and Colby at Pratt Field, and Bowdoin, Middlebury and Trinity via Internet web cast.

        The Jeffs jumped out to an early lead. They had all the breaks in Q1 and they capitalized on them. The Ephs jumped back in by making breaks of their own in Q2. The pendulum swung to Williams but the Ephs couldn’t take the lead, they were just able to tie the game back up.

        The second half included a long kick-off return by Amherst, to the Williams 10, that changed the momentum again. But Amherst missed the PAT, well, Williams blocked it. It was a point forgone that later cost the game, notwithstanding many opportunities Amherst had to score after that, including two long drives and a defense that was steady and unyielding.

        In Q4, the Jeffs made mistakes that cost a come from behind victory (one point behind.) One mistake was a mental error – illegal motion offensive line – on third and five on the Williams 25 yardline. The other mistake was a missed field goal, plenty long but off the mark.

        The Amherst seniors never beat Williams. Williams seniors never lost a football game to Amherst. Amherst seniors were pointing to this game all year.

        There are few things more satisfying that beating one’s most honored rival. I feel bad that these young men never beat Williams but I feel worse about this if I’m not mistaken, Williams has won all but 3 of the contests in the last 22 years. I grew up in a time when playing and beating Williams, especially in football, was the most important event on the athletic schedule.

        I’m on hiatus from handicapping football to test my knowledge and analytical skills but I’m not on hiatus from football. I watched Michigan suffer a thorough drubbing at the hands of arch rival Ohio State and watched Ole Miss upset LSU. I like the underdog. I like the teams with history.

        Have you learned how Jeff ruggers fared against the Ephs this fall? Which club is wearing the other club’s jersey?

        A lot has changed in 58 years. In this photo, a college president stands before two items, a portrait of the Lord Jeffrey Amherst and a prized possession, the game ball for an Amherst Williams football contest.

  23. JimWhite says:

    Wow, can I pick ‘em or what? I jumped the gun on trash talk to call Red Raiders by more than three touchdowns and they were down by that much before the game got started. At least I don’t play the lottery or go to Vegas. That’s a good thing.

    Wouldn’t it put the BCS into a tizzy if Okie State upsets a hung-over OU next week? Tech could still make the Big 12 title game right after such an embarrassment. (Didn’t OU do that a few years back?)

  24. bmaz says:

    Hey, I know you two are brainy Patriot League Kreskins and all, but what the hell you been smoking to think Deetroit is going to beat Tampa Bay?

    • emptywheel says:

      Look, the untold story of the Lions this year is that they have been in every single game (with maybe one or two exceptions). They usually like to throw picks in the fourth quarter to make sure they lose the game, but they’ve been remarkably in these games, unlike, say, the Rams and the Chiefs when they lose.

      So at some point, sheer odds are going to mean that they fail to lose the game in the fourth quarter. Maybe they’ll TRY to throw a pick but it’ll be dropped or something like that.

      Now, I agree that the chances that the Bucs secondary will drop that pick are small, I just got a gut feel today might be the day. Plus, Daunte is a worse “throw a pick to lose the game in the Fourth Quarter” than what we’ve had, so he’s likely to fuck up the throw to lose game.

      So, mostly, just a gut feel.

  25. randiego says:

    Wouldn’t it put the BCS into a tizzy if Okie State upsets a hung-over OU next week? Tech could still make the Big 12 title game right after such an embarrassment. (Didn’t OU do that a few years back?)

    This is what all those long faces at the game-watching party last night were hanging their hat on.

    It will be interesting to see how far Tech falls in the polls. If I’m not mistaken, the Holiday Bowl gets the #3 team in the Big 12, so worse things could happen than Tech coming to San Diego for a bowl game.

    Now I’m going to take missus RD to breakfast, to soothe her wounded pride.

  26. bmaz says:

    Good thing Texas Tech was’t playing a real team, like one of the ones from the WAC or Mountain West Conference. If the Red Rayduhs had been playing Boise State for instance, it might have been even uglier.

      • freepatriot says:

        Dude, GET A NEW CABLE SYSTEM

        that won’t do any good

        the primordial ooze don’t like San Diego

        It’s like the dirt just turns bad, somewhere between bakerfield and valencia, I don’t know any other way to splain it …

        I mean, come on, philly v baltimore ???

        San Diego musta done somethin really terrible in a past life …

        we get all the traitors away games here, but we accept that as punishment for living so close to Oakland

        we also get ALL the 49ers games here, but I’m not gonna tell ya what we did to deserve that

        (wink)

        oh yeah, an did I mention

        BOOMER SOONERS !!!

        we call that a BUTT WHIPPIN, texas style …

      • randiego says:

        I’m seriously looking at U-Verse, AT&T’s triple play package. It’s matured locally to the point where it’s getting good reviews, and will save me some $$.

        I’d have Speed Channel and NFL Network plus a LOT more channels, better choice of NFL games, but would likely lose the Padres. I can deal with that.

  27. randiego says:

    oh yeah, an did I mention

    BOOMER SOONERS !!!

    we call that a BUTT WHIPPIN, texas style …

    Understatement of the year…

    AP has Tech at #7, USA Today at #8 – not too bad.

  28. freepatriot says:

    hey randiego

    you got to see mcnabb get benched ???

    you lucky sob, maybe the ooze doesn’t hate you after all

    OTOH, i just got to see Witten get knocked out, so I got that goin for me …

  29. freepatriot says:

    here’s an update:

    Witten got his jaw jacked, but apparently he’s cohereent enough to play football

    no word on if he’s coherent enough to drive, but he can walk, so he’s OK to play …

    (raised eyebrows)

    he’s fookin BATMAN, folks

    ain’t gonna help the fortywhinners though …

  30. Neil says:

    Sunday, November 23, 2008 5:00pm Eastern
    The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America

    Chat with James Bamford about his new book. Hosted by Emptywheel.

    Half an hour before kick-off!

  31. randiego says:

    well, my cable company has come up roses in the afternoon. I’ve got Gints/Cards and Broncos/Raiduhs, both pretty good games.

    Don’t look now, but the Raiduh’s just went up a TD on Denver.

    • MrsRandiego says:

      I can’t take this. Texas Tech. Chargers. No wonder I’ve never followed pro ball. How can you handle two losses in a wknd? I don’t know when I’ve felt so much despair. I can’t give up Tech and I’m marrying into the Chargers. I’m the shell of the person I was on Friday afternoon…the happy-go-lucky, optimistic mrsrd. Now I’m the aged, bitter and disappointed mrsrd…it’s a double dose of disappointment…a pox on both your houses.

  32. freepatriot says:

    Uhm …

    okay, exactly HOW pissed off are you people gonna be if Oklahoma and texas end up in the National Championship Game ???

    just floatin a trial balloon here …

    • bmaz says:

      Oh, ya don’t want to know that. Very ugly. For starters, I’ll take that shiny new Holiday you got. That will just be the start.

      • freepatriot says:

        Hey, we won that holiday fair an square

        ain’t our fault that lepercon couldn’t hold his booze

        an nobody said throwing your opponent out of the bar was illegal anyway …

        The Irish are just gonna have to get used to Saint Sooner’s Day

        (ducking sand running)

    • john in sacramento says:

      It’ll be Florida v. either of those two

      Next up for the Gators are the Seminoles which would have been close ten years ago but now … not so much

      Then is Alabama and they don’t have the athletes to compete

      It’s either Horns or Sooners

      SC with that defense – who could have four 1st day picks in the NFL draft – would be in the mix if not for a down year in the PAC 10 and the loss to the Beavers

Comments are closed.