(ThatKidInTheCorner :: Everything But The Game (And Also The Game))

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February 4, 2007

Everything But The Game (And Also The Game)

It's not like I'm not going to make a Super Bowl pick; also, a lot of stuff actually went down in and around the Birds this week

And here I thought football season was over.

Generally speaking, once the Eagles are done, my interest in the rest of football tends to flag a bit. Sure, I'll watch the other playoff game/ Super Bowl (I might even have multi-paragraph opinions about some of said games), but it's not exactly the same. Consuming all the NFL-related media just doesn't have the same juice when your team isn't in it.

This year, though, was completely different, thanks to the NFL Network.

As if the consistently outstanding America's Game (according to their site: "The most ambitious and all-encompassing project in NFL Films history") series wasn't enough (there was a new one every day this week as they counted down to the best Super Bowl team of all time), NFL Network was also showing old Super Bowls in their entirety. I used to have to go to the Museum of Television and Radio for that! That was pretty much all I watched on television this week. I know I shouldn't gloat about the NFL Network for those who don't have it, but it was great stuff all week.

Since the Birds beat the G-Men in the playoffs this year, I'll throw my Giant-fan friends a bone with this clip (it includes Lawrence Taylor admitting he "had had a couple beers" -- better watch before the NFL pulls it down!):

More football:

I'm The Decider!: Dunuhvin showed up at Super Bowl week, apparently limping pretty badly, and tried to convince us that everything is fine, though he isn't sure if it worked. Dude, I'm a little worried about Dunuhvin. He needs to stop talking about how he's the leader of the team. Dudes who are actually leaders don't talk about how they're the leader. Everyone just knows. That's why they're the leader. Ugh. This does not bode well. Dunuhvin, be less crazy! Just don't listen to the people in Philly! They're crazy and disgusting! But it's nice to hear you hugged it out with TO.

So Ironic It's Creepy: tough week at the Reid household: two kids involved in two separate accidents, drugs in the cars, a police search of the entire Reid house which turned up weapons, and a bunch of charmers like these in the papers:

The suspect, now believed to be Britt Reid, was driving a black SUV, the other motorist said. The argument was over who was in the proper lane, he reported, and at one point the SUV driver got out and walked toward his vehicle before retreating.

"The white male then sat down in the driver's seat and he proceeded to reach behind the front passenger's seat and pull out a platinum-colored handgun," a police affidavit said. "The white male then pointed the handgun directly at the victim and smiled" before heading south on Matsonford Road toward the Blue Route.

...and...

In Reid's vehicle, the affidavit said, police saw "a triple beam scale commonly used in drug trafficking," ammunition and a pellet gun.

Officers patted Reid down and found a knife, two uncapped used hypodermic syringes, cotton balls, adhesive tape, prep swabs, a spoon and scissors.

Yikes. The irony is that the Eagles as a team have been pretty lucky with the law during the Reid administraion -- especially when you consider what the Bengals, Chargers, and Bears have been up to this year. Andy Reid seems to run a pretty tight ship at the office, but, um, well, uh, yeah, I guess he's not around so much at home. But that's the thing with the NFL coaches -- all you hear is how they live at the office and never sleep. Doesn't leave much time for family. And let's not even begin to psychoanalyze the whole thing ("Take that, Mr. Perfect! I guess you're not so perfect now! How you going to explain that on Monday! It's all your fault, Dad! I hope you're happy! Time's yours, Dad! I hate you!"). From an Eagles perspective, at least it'll take the heat off Dunuhvin for a while.

Who I Like In The Big Game: seven points, huh. That seems like a lot. So I'm definitely rooting for the Bears tomorrow, and if I had to wager, I'd go with the Bears. Check. But can they actually win? Can they topple the NFL/ Sprint/ Mastercard/ Gatorade hype machine and humiliate Peyton Manning in his moment of alleged triumph? I don't think it's out of the question. The Bears are better than the Colts in two of the three phases of the game. Urlacher is a beast in the middle of the field against the pass -- Manning won't be able to find Dallas Clark and the crossing routes like he's used to. And you can count on the Bears forcing a couple turnovers. So.

(We might also add that the Bears can win the game in the first quarter if they're willing to trade their class and fifteen yards for a shot at Manning's knee. Don't act like it doesn't happen. I think Lovie Smith is too good for the KillShot, though.)

The problem with the Bears is their frightened quarterback. The Bears need to hypnotize him into thinking he's John Elway. Just keep chucking deep balls. You Da Man, Rex! Don't throw intermediate routes; the Colts will steal those. He just needs to not be terrible tomorrow. Just don't stink, and your team might win.

I don't really know if the Bears will win, but I think it'll be a close game. I like the idea off the Bears offensive line controlling the tempo of this game. I like the idea of both team struggling to pass the ball; I'm putting the over/ under for total INTs from both QBs at 3.5. I've got a vibe on this being like the Pats-Panthers Super Bowl...tentative until halftime, and then all hell breaks loose. And while I think the Bears can smack the Colts in the mouth a little, but I think the Gods owe Tony Dungy: Colts 30, Bears 24.

Posted by thatkid at February 4, 2007 12:54 PM under Philly , Sports , The Papers

February 4, 2007

Everything But The Game (And Also The Game)

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