Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Today is the 18th anniversary of the death of Reggie Lewis. I can't believe it's been 18 years... If I was the Cincinnati Bengals I'd be very happy with the retirement of Carson Palmer. He's just not that good of a QB anymore. If they get Bruce Gradkowski and he's healthy - he's a big upgrade over Palmer... I've had nightmares about dying in this manner. Has to be one of the worst ways to die... The things you learn on the Internet (via Mental Floss): "New Mexico State’s first graduating class in 1893 had only one student — and he was shot and killed before graduation"... Today is kind of Bugs Bunny's 71st birthday as on this day in 1940 the animated short A Wild Hare is released which introduced Bugs to the world... John Kerry's 'Swift Boat' ally jailed for child pornography and stripped of Silver Star. I'm ashamed Kerry is my Senator...

NFL Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous NFL thoughts and observations.

Kudos to Adam Schefter of ESPN who said that Oakland was a team to watch for an upset this weekend during an appearance on WEEI radio last week... If the Patriots finish with the second best record in the AFC - then I think they and not Indianapolis will be the team to beat in the AFC and the team to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl... If Arizona found a way to score just one more point (actually all I needed was just 1/2 a point) - I would have had a much better weekend... Pittsburgh out-gained the Chiefs 515 yards to 282 but lost. This game was the poster child for the point coaches always make about the importance of turnovers (the 2 INT's by Pitt negated the huge lead in yardage they were accumulating) and special teams (completely different game without KC's game opening kickoff return for a TD)... Indianapolis' last 4 games have been won by a combined total of just 10 points. To accomplish that a lot of luck has to be in place. Sure luck favors the prepared mind and nobody seems more prepared than Peyton Manning but you have to wonder how long Indy's luck will hold up... File this under it's not over till it's over - Green Bay looked in complete control yesterday. They had a 23-3 halftime lead and everyone who bet on them was breathing pretty easy. The final score, however, was 30-24 but the line was Green Bay -6.5. Bonus for 49er fans... Do you think anyone playing fantasy football started either Brady Quinn or Matthew Stafford yesterday? Who knew?... The Cowboys have the weakest 7-3 record in football. This team won't make the playoffs. They still have to play San Diego and Philly plus games at New York and New Orleans. Not gonna make the playoffs... Justin Forsett led the Seahawks in rushing yesterday with 9 yards on 9 carries. You read that right - 9 measly yards... Carson Palmer has a career QB rating of just 88.7 to go along with 121 TD's and 75 INT's. He's not a great QB. He just isn't. In general I'm not sure what's more over-rated - USC QB's or Big 10 running backs?... Speaking of "not a great QB" - Jay Cutler is now aspiring to be as good as Jeff George...

Football Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous football thoughts and observations.

East Carolina has had a funny season so far. They have not lost a game where they were the underdog and they have not won a game when they were the favorite. Yesterday they were once again the favorite (by 6.5 over Virginia) and they lost outright. Maybe Skip took in those Dr. Holtz underdog pep-talks but missed the Dr. Spurrier how to win when favored talks... Harvard's Ryan Fitzpatric is supposed to start today for the Bengals against the Jets. He can't be any worse than what Carson Palmer has done this season. I'm pulling for him. Am I the only one who finds it amusing that the most effective former USC quarterback in the NFL never started for USC? Palmer has been a wreck, Leinart isn't even starting but Cassel has been very good so far... The linesmakers in Vegas continue to amaze. USC was favored over Arizona State by either 28 or 28.5 points. The Trojans won 28-0... Kellen Winslow is upper upper class high society. God's gift to ballroom notoriety. Winslow always fills his ballroom. The event is never small. The social pages say Kellen Winslow's got the biggest balls of all...

Carson Palmer

When did Carson Palmer become Duante Culpepper - the destroyer of fantasy football worlds? Palmer has been a dessicated husk of a quarterback. People who have played him on their fantasy teams would have been better off playing a tackling dummy. I have him in one of my leagues and I thinking of changing that team name to Carson Palmer and the Negative Mojos.

Am I a bad person because I'm secretly hoping for Palmer to get hurt so that the Bengals would have to play Harvard's Ryan Fitzpatrick?

Speaking of Harvard - Holy Cross plays the Crimson this Friday. I wish they had 1-AA lines because Harvard's going down and I would have made a bundle with the money-line.

Cincinnati Bengals

Bodog has the over / under for wins by the Cincinnati Bengals at 9.5 games. Looking at the Bengals' schedule I can see them going 10-6 if Carson Palmer stays healthy. Perhaps no team is tied to the health of a single player more than the Bengals. If he does stay healthy - I'd look for Carson Palmer to have a huge year with over 4,000 passing yards and 30+ TD passes. The Bengals will be forced to pass this year because their running game just isn't what it used to be.