We Watch it Because It’s on TV
Yesterday I forced myself to watch both NFL playoff games and that was a mistake. Not entertaining. I tricked myself into believing the Raiders had a chance “because Connor Cook beat Stanford in the Rose Bowl” and because “Seattle’s defense isn’t as good as it used to be and Detroit has to win a road playoff game at some point, right?”
Wrong to both.
At least these days, baseball really is the best of the sports when it comes to the post season. Football is just a mess. The rules are stupid and what is up with these guys only getting to practice a limited amount of time? During yesterday’s telecast, Gruden said that Carr likes to take all the snaps in practice so McGloin is left to only be able to run the scout team. What does McGloin get out of that? And what the fuck does that leave for a guy like Conner Cook to do? Seriously, did Cook just sit around and lift weights and read the playbook all year?
No wonder he couldn’t do anything yesterday.
And I love the NBA but outside of fans in Cleveland and Golden State, how interesting will the NBA championship be this year if it’s a re-match of the same teams AGAIN?
At least with baseball any team has a chance to win on a given night. Every team has a star or at least one stud pitcher who can dominate a game. And every team has an *Ishikawa* who can rise up and produce what all the doubters say is impossible.
I’ll watch today’s games too. Hey, I heard some stat that in the last 10 years Eli Manning is 7-0 as a playoff dog. Wow! This could be a really good game!
Uh…….
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Great thread Flav. My feelings exactly (which I touched on yesterday). A good friend of mine is a Packers fan and we’ll probably watch that game versus the Giants. I understand that it will be competitive. Regarding the Steelers and Fish game – I’ve read it will be as boring or more boring than yesterday’s games. Ugh.
Regarding baseball, I will give you one more reason why I (and others) prefer it . . . It is timeless. The game hasn’t really changed too much from the game that was played in the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, etc. Yeah, there are a few things – DH in American League, pitching mound lowered, etc. – that are new, but overall, the game remains the same game they played when our grandfathers played the game.
Equally important, bullshit antics from the players are absent on a ball field for the most part. When was the last time you saw an infielder or out fielder dab, do a somersault, act out calling on his cell phone, or do a six shooter scene after making a routine catch? This bullshit happens not only after a touchdown, but after a routine 1st down catch or ho hum defensive play in football. Ugh. Same crap in basketball. JUST RESPECT AND PLAY THE GAME!
there was a play last night where Wilson almost got sacked and the defender hit him with his right arm near his neck (it really came down more on his shoulder). That was a 15 yard roughing passer penalty. And the announcers were like “Oh yeah, you can’t do that.” I was thinking, ok, I get it, protect the QB/concussion stuff, etc…. but the game of football has just completely changed from when I was a kid.
But as you said, baseball……
Well said Flav…that was bullshit call. He had just released the ball before the hit. That is fucking football and they have ruined the game.
But I had money on the Seahawks so was happy to take the bullshit call.
I am riding that Eli dog bet and taking the 5.5 and also rolling with the Steelers to stomp the shit on the Dolphins.
What do you think of the college title game???? I have to put some money on it or I would give two shots about the game. I am thinking of teasing Clemson to -12.5 and the under to 57…thoughts? I want to root against Alabama and think Clemson can clearly hang in a low scoring game…
Or when a defensive player makes a big hit late in a game and goes all ‘Everyone Look At Me!!!’ and his team is losing 35-10…
Hey you forgot the awesomeness of playoff hockey Flav!!! LULZ…WORD!
I would bet Clemson and the points. If you have the sack, wait till tomorrow afternoon after all the ‘bama money comes in and the line drifts to 7. Fuck teasing it. Take the 7. I really think Clemson has a shot to keep it close and maybe even win it. Reasoning: 1) I don’t care what they say about this, but axing your OC the week before the game is not a good thing. 2) Bama has played mostly shit this year 3) Watson is the real deal, Clemson ain’t no Washington. 4) The Clemson D is good enough to handle a very average ‘Bama offense.
5) Alabama is very good with pro prospects up and down the line up. I just don’t think this is the greatest college football team of all time as some have suggested.
Shit, I wasn’t even going to bet that game but now I might be talking myself into it. 🙂
But seriously, I’d wait on the ‘Bama $$$ to flow it like it always does on game day and then take Clemson and the points.
Yeah, I agree with pretty much everything Flav said here. I would also add that Bama has a true freshman QB, who quite frankly is a shitty passer. If Clemson can figure out a way to force him to throw, that will be their best chance to pull off the upset.
Depending on how today goes, I may take Clemson with the points and also the tease as insurance…
One other reason why I like baseball – MLB players still look like me. I am 5’11” and 170lbs. In other words, average. In football, football players haven’t looked like me since the 1950s. Basketball? Again, you have to go back to the 1950s. Sorry, I have a hard time relating to basketball point guards that are 6’6″ and are considered “average” size. Same deal for slot receivers or safeties that are 6’3″ and weigh over 220lbs. Hilarious.
Blade, there are not a lot of people our age that looks like you:) lol…mostly look like me!!!
The Viet food has kept Blade looking like a 20 year old…
HAHAHA . . . You’re too kind GH. You know what I mean. Football and basketball players look like freaks today. Sheesh, Curry is 6’3″ and that is considered tiny in today’s game. A friend of mine collected basketball memorabilia and had a framed Shaq jersey. OMG! He also had a pair of his shoes. I shit you not, you could connect a pole to the two shoes and voila! You have an outrigger canoe suitable for touring the Hawaiian islands.
I just tell my wife I am built like the average nfl linebacker….
College football. Give me another 63-57 defensive slugfest.
Meh.
Steelers were taking care of business first two drives…then they just gave up a long pass on 3rd and 13. Should still be good…
clicked on football game. 14-0 halfway thru first Q. Clicked off football game.
Can we ban “meh” from here?
Whatever…
For Zum, Chuck and others…found a much better way of watching these nfl playoff games. Turn off the volume and start season two of Man in a High Castle…episode one down on to episode two…
There is a TV show of the PK Dick book, or is it just named the same?
Wow..now that was a hit on Moore…
Yet another indication of why the NFL is retarded. Moore gets levelled by a Steeler on a borderline hit. Yeah, they call a penalty. Because of the play, a Dolphin shoves a Steeler. 15 yard penalty for that? Fucking retarded. Like the Boldin calls yesterday, the refs have to understand that these guys are jacked up (legally or not) and emotions run high. To equate spearing with a shove is ludicrous.
Because of the play, Miami faces 1st and 25. So, Pittsburgh comes out ahead when they head hunt the QB. Brilliant.
Why do they need 7 bridges 10 feet apart in Pittsburgh?
The city engineer was Justin Case?…
It is kind of cool when you go to a baseball game to see all the bridges….
Sonny Dykes – reportedly fired as HC of Cal.
I don’t disagree with the move. I do with the timing. Why now in the mid-latter part of high school recruiting season, and about a week out from the JC transfer signing deadline — which is where Cal gets a lot of players?
Either they have somebody lined up, or something suddenly happened to bring this to a head. It’s crazy to fire the HC about 6 weeks after everybody else fires their HC…
Yeah Chip come on down Snarkk lol!!
alley could be right there snarkk because timing is indeed odd. Kelly could probably recruit from around the state too and give Cal much needed influx of talent.
Agree Snarkk. Unless they quickly were able to negotiate something behind the scenes with a big name that could come in and flip recruits at the last hour. If it’s not Chip Kelly, this move makes zero sense at this particular time.
Yeah, I thought of the Kelly thing, the timing is there. I wouldn’t mind Chip coming to Cal. Don’t know how the contract stuff would work, but whatever, work it out. Chip over Sonny? Hell yes…
The thing that doesn’t make sense there is that Josh McDaniel’s pole is being smoked by just about every NFL team needing an HC, so if he leaves the Brady show, it’s rumored Chip would go to NEngland to be Billecheat’s OC. Would Chip rather stay in the NFL, or bring a downtrodden Pac12 program to the Rose Bowl?…
Argument there would be control, which HC has in toto at college level and where Kelly might be more comfortable.
I don’t see point of McD, but there is precedent for guys like Pete Carroll who got fired from NFL jobs but ultimately found success later in a different environment.
Again my issue is getting the GM et al to get more better players for the Niners HC in the first place.
That hit on Moore was a penalty not because it was late but because he needed a new jaw replacement! Gotta hand it to him and his protocol doctors/Assistant they were drilling him with questions like the usual “Do you know your playing football and in what city?”
But he looked real confident and when he got back in after 1 play, he drilled one to Landry for a 1st down!Tough kid!
I’ve been hearing it from Raider fans all year. Yes they are a good story but—Del Rio couldn’t get either his running game or more importantly his D to show up last 2 weeks as they got burned by lesser lights Semien and Osweiler.
Talent usually wins out. Snarkk, Cal mens b-ball should romp Stanford this year. Cards have a good new hire coach but he doesn’t have much to work with and likely will be at 0-4 and bottom of league after today.
We’ll see how Cuonzo Martin does next year when he’s without Ivan Rabb.
OK, I’ve been jumping around on the Internet, the source of all truth, re: Cal. Seems like the consensus is this timing makes no sense unless Chip IS already basically signed on as the new coach. Upon further review, I’ll have to agree. Chip is a football lifer, the guy has no life outside of football that anyone can find. He’d be lost doing nothing but watch his checks roll in from Paraag for a year. I’m for it, but it’s more than a little like making bedfellows with the devil. If Chip isn’t the new coach, then this makes no sense…
does Cal have the $$$ to score Chip? He’d probably have to give them a serious discount.
Admittedly, I didn’t even get as far as the 1st quarter of this Fish and Steelers game (as Flav did), but I just glanced at the score and it’s already 30-6 Steelers, with one full quarter left? This sounds like a worse snooze fest than Saturday’s games.
Back in the day, Superbowls were likely to be boring, not the playoffs to reach them.
The NFL sucks, period. New England gets a pass to the Super Bowl, playing in the AFC East against perennial crap Bills, Jets, and until recently Dolphins…
Pats are going to lose to either the Chiefs or Steelers…
Well there was a momentary panic that the Dolphins would get a cheap td and 2 pt conversion to cover the -10.5 spread…but the D took care of business…now go Eli…
Shit, games like this so look like the fix is in. Whenever Miami got close to getting into the game, they’d commit an idiotic turnover. The one before the half being a prime example. Moore saw the guy closing in on him yet doesn’t protect the ball for the hit he knows is coming and promptly fumbles.
Miami was moving the ball all day yet turned it over at the worst times.
Kept me happy…
Chiefs need to do more than count on their defense to score for them. I don’t think they get past PItts unfortunately.
Blehhhh. I hate most of these playoff teams, including Seattle, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and NE. Atl? I give them a big hearty MEH!!!!! Houston is dead meat vs NE.
Think GB wins what hopefully is one good game this weekend.
flipped on the Green Bay game and it hasn’t started yet. First thing I see is a super quick 2 second clip of Twin’s dad asking Lombardi a question. Cool.
Shout out to Twinfan! They just showed Ray Scott on the pregame show.
They just showed a clip of Jack Buck and Twin’s dad.
Fitting that they showed a clip of Ray Scott(Twins Pop) he called the “Ice Bowl Game” along with Jack Buck & FrankGifford..Green Bay vs Dallas still considered an epic game in freezing conditions and wind chill factor of -17!! Have your Jack Daniels in hand for d
sure..
I didn’t actually see who Ray Scott was interviewing, it was so quick and I had just turned on the tv. It wasn’t Lombardi?
I think it was brookshier.
Bozo, “The Man in the High Castle” TV show is based on the PK Dick novel. I haven’t seen the TV show yet, but it’s getting good reviews. I want to see it eventually. I’ve read the novel. It’s one of PKD’s great ones.
It’s pretty wild how many PKD novels and short stories have been adapted into movies and TV shows. All too late for him to cash in on. He was in failing health when the movie Blade Runner was being filmed, which is, of course, based on his novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” which really kicked off the Hollywood rush on PKD material. All that money went flowing into his estate, for whoever gets it.
George R.R. Martin finally got his huge paydays when his Game of Thrones series of novels were adapted by HBO, of course.
Still waiting on the next Game of Thrones book installment…but I did not know the High Castle was a Dick book..
Yeah, the High Castle novel is not very long. It leaves a lot of room for the TV show to expand on the concept.
His novels generally weren’t all that long.
Thanks Zumiee, I’ve been a fan and avid PKD reader for years. I was aware of all the movies but I hadn’t heard about the TV show. I looked it up and saw it airs on Netflix, I might have to check it out.
Christ, Aaron Rodgers and the Hail Mary’s!
The Hail Mary king!
It doesn’t hurt when not 1 single Giant even attempted to jump! Stupid football, they should be leading..
Saw the first season. Didn’t know it was going to be an ongoing thing, Zumie.
Yeah, there are a ton of movies out there that no one realizes are PKD books.
Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, Blade Runner, Total Recall, The adjustment bureau Paycheck to name a few.
I had to take a daughter to indoor lacrosse…they have a TV here and had to witness that ridiculous Hail Mary. I made a cover bet on the Pack and then a separate parlay with the Pack, Clemson and the under…but Giants covering will win me a whole lot more:(
“I think it was brookshier.”
Brookshier, when he was a football TV broadcaster, had one of my favorite quotes of all time. I’ve mentioned it before on the Flap, but it’s just so perfect, that it’s worth mentioning again. He was talking about a young player who had great potential to have a remarkable career. Brookshier said: “His future is really ahead of him.” Can’t argue with that!
He took lessons from Berra?
Yeah, Brookshier could mangle the English language at times.
If the NY Giants lose, the players who went to Florida on the day off will catch some flack.
Probably, but it’s ridiculous…
Great stuff by G defense. See what they do with it . . .
Well, there ya go! TD!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . .
First Colorado HS Girls Dunk in history – Fran Belibi 15 yr old soph. Regis Jesuit HS (by the by, this is the high school “hotbed” coaching mill where the Rockies get their future managers, such as Walt Weiss. lulz).
Very cool!
I generally don’t follow women’s hoops. Connecticut wins it every year in the NCAA, and Sacramento lost its WNBA team, even after winning a championship.
In Brooklyn they dunk in 4th grade…
are they 18?
Kids here are distracted by snow ball fights, hiking, hunting, skiing, and snow boarding.
Bubba Paris’s daughters dominated Piedmont CA basketball for a few years. Enormous.
I coached a youth basketball team vs. Bubba Paris’ son’s team. His son lived in the Central Valley for a while, and was a good basketball player. Big and husky, but had talent. His high school team played in the state championship. They had Chuck Hayes on their team, who went on to a middling NBA career.
They lost in the championship at the ARCO Arena to that basketball factory in southern Cal, Mater Dei.
When Bubba’s big twin girls were playing for Piedmont HS Bubba himself used to show up to help coach the Piedmont football team. From time to time we’d enjoy the spectacle when we stopped by the stadium to jog around the track. Bubba loudly and mercilessly berated those white boys. The comedy made the time necessary for two-plus miles go by more quickly. I think Drew Olson was on that Piedmont team, however.
Bubba wasn’t at the game I coached. My impression was that he was a divorced father, and the kids were living with the mother. After living in the Central Valley for a few years, they moved back to the Bay Area.
I know at least one of the daughters became a big star in college, at Oklahoma, I think, and then played in the WNBA for a while, I think.
From Wikipedia:
Courtney Paris was selected by the Sacramento Monarchs at No. 7 pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft and her sister Ashley was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks.
On December 14, 2009 the WNBA held a dispersal draft for the Monarchs’ players. Courtney was taken with the fourth pick by the Chicago Sky. On May 12, 2010, Paris was waived by the Sky.
On February 8, 2011 she signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Sparks and on June 2, she was waived.
Paris signed with the Tulsa Shock in 2012. She led the WNBA in rebounding averaging 10.2 per game in 2014.
I’d forgotten that Drew Olson played for the 49ers for a while. Maybe Bubba’s abuse toughened him up.
Courtney is still playing in the WNBA (who knew?) She plays for the Dallas Wings. There’s a team called the Dallas Wings (who knew?) She’s averaging 7.7 points a game, and 8 rebounds. That’s cool that she’s still playing pro ball.
Apparently, Ashley’s whole pro career was one pre-season game, and then she was cut from her team.
Bubba received the Len Eshmont award in 1987 and he pled guilty to federal criminal charges of tax evasion in 2013. Let’s hope Kaepernick fares better. Also, HS hot shots often don’t pan out, do they? It’s the work that’s important say my ex-jock friends. I have my doubts. And for those who do pan out, who cares where they grew up? I went to HS with Steve Bartkowski. I didn’t know who he was until ten years later. I was at the beach.
Kris Bryant got married this weekend, and broke a million women’s hearts. The guy looks like a movie star. And is the NL MVP, on a World Series winning team.
I’m officially pretty darned tired of the Cubs. I kid you not, I would rather the Dodgers win the World Series this year than the Cubs repeat. I know that’s blasphemous for a Giants fan to say, but this Cubs thing has gotten seriously old already.
I do wish Bryant well in his marriage.
Four complete no doubt dud games with zero drama. As Chuck said, a big meh* regarding this weekend’s games.
* Sorry Loo
I know part of the thing is the Niners being absent from quality football these past few years, but I do think the NFL seems pretty bland these days. Part of it is that recent exciting players from college never really materialized in the pro game. RGIII, Johnny Manziel, and others. The next generation of quarterbacks never seemed to arrive. Even Andrew Luck seems to have hit some speed bumps. It’s still Brady, Rothlesberger, and old guys like that that are the face of the league. The exception is Dallas; but does anyone really expect the rookie Prescott to roll through the playoffs?
Carr could have been an exception except for the injury, obviously.
Stafford looked pretty ordinary yesterday.
Loo got me to stop saying “Dubs” a term of endearment I swore I’d never abandon. So, I bet Chuck stops saying “meh” very, VERY soon. :)!
That’s the thing, Flav. I bet nobody ever SAYS “meh”. They just type it on blogs. There’s no reason for it.
It’s not even a stupid abbreviation like “BTW”…
And BTW, Xoot’s 4:54 is hilarious…
Leaving rainy SF. Afternoon at a dance recital for younger snarkette. Followed by supr Italian meal at place called Vicolleto in north beach. Bad rain, so had place to ourselves. Great pasta, great sauces…
Zumie, that’s what always annoyed me about the Steve Miller song Fly like and eagle.
Time doesn’t slip into the future. It slips into the past.
Then you weren’t stoned enough, Chuck…
Stoned? I was always far beyond merely stoned. Steve Miller? Meh.
Yeah, mentioned that on my blog, Zumie. The QB play this year has been mediocre at best this season. Prescott for Dallas is only doing well because the team around him is very good. Well, not the only reason, but the NFC looks pretty bland this year. He’s been about the only interesting development in a season full of Ryan Fitzpatricks.
Matty Ice? I guess he could go far. I don’t think Seattle is as good as they were but that might still be enough to take Atl. But they won’t get all the hometown calls they get in the Georgia dome.
Hey Zumie, have you read the Transmigration of Timothy Archer? Great book. Written about life in the Bay Area in the early 70s.
I haven’t read that book yet; although I have read some articles about PKD’s life in the ’70s. He was definitely following the beat of his own drummer.
I think it was his last book. Very strange ride. Another one is the Man who’s Teeth were all alike.
Hell, I dunked in kindergarten.
Oreos in milk…
Watched the Packers/Giants highlights.
Cal Bear Aaron Rogers was magnificent. The guy’s footwork in the pocket to escape trouble was balletic. The Packer passing game is so far beyond anything the Niners have, it’s beyond words. Wow, do the Niners have a long way to go to get back to an elite team. IMO the first step is to get a damn quarterback that can actually make passing plays happen…