Monday NFL recap - week 4

Steelers - Here comes the whining for firing the coaches. The Steelers organization isn't known for doing so and I hope they stay true to that. I'm not a fan of Haley. This is his third year in Pittsburgh and this is the Steelers third year of not-good-play. Something isn't working there. Don't think this is on Mike Tomlin. According to Tony Dungy, this isn't the coach's fault, "They just don't have good players." Right there, as a player, I'd work my ass off to prove him wrong.

Defense - I don't know what is wrong here, but we have to have our defense. No takeaways this season. All the other 15 defenses have that, even the other 0-4 teams. 

Missed tackles - I lost count on those. 

Adrian Peterson - I love watching him do his thing. Not so much when he does it against my team. 

Big Ben - It was cool to hear the real Big Ben dong when the quarterback took the field, but despite throwing for over 300 yards and moving the chains painstakingly slow he made too many errors in holding on to the ball, not running when he had clearance, and fumbling.  Oh, that fumble...

Le'Veon Bell -  My first look at this drafted running back who has been out since he hurt his foot in a preseason game. Not bad, not bad. But anyone who can run further then 10 yards looks good. The Steelers rushing yardage is worse it has been since 1935. 1935!

London - The stadium was packed with over 80,000 fans, but I've never understood it. Turns out the NFL is thinking the British need a team. Huh? Howie Long wanted to know how that was even possible with teams flying in and out. Terry Bradshaw was even more blunt, "Why are we over there again? Anybody? Anybody?"

Tomlin mad - I'm glad to see the coach pissed. He ought to be. I'd like to see Ben show some of that fire. Five sacks? He should be pissed. 

L.C. Greenwood - I found out via Twitter during the game that the great defensive end from the Steel Curtain had died at 67 years old of natural causes.  I have a lot of good memories of those guys. Terry Bradshaw did a nice tribute to Greenwood with the small amount of time he had to do so. That had to be hard to find out he had lost a friend while doing a broadcast. Those guys from that 70's era team were something special. Greenwood and his gold shoes will be missed. 

Other - 

The Book of Manning - If you like football, you have to like the Manning family. They are what is good in the game and what the game needs more of. ESPN did a great job with this documentary. The home movies of Cooper and Peyton are priceless. Supposedly, Archie Manning pulled the plug in the middle of the filming, but his wife made him continue, telling him his grandchildren needed to know who he was. Excellent. 

Peyton Manning - In the documentary we see how Cooper and Manning played together, planning to continue that quarterback and receiver hook up in college. Then Cooper's spinal stenosis is diagnosed and his football career ends. Peyton says in the film that he then began playing football for his brother. Well, his brother has to be really proud of his play this season. Another record yesterday. He is beautiful to watch pointing out the defense, calling plays, coaching his teammates. That is a leader.  I hope he is as good of a father as Archie was to him. 

Seahawks - I'm getting excited with this team as well. Great come from behind to win it all in overtime.  An example of a coach who fires up his players. An example of a quarterback who is as good on the field as he is off it. A leader. 

Tampa - Oh, the drama! Josh Freeman is out. Moved to third string and then inactive after he spouted off to ESPN without team authorization. The rookie quarterback might be good or maybe not. Throws an interception with a minute left in the game. Sound familiar? Just another day in Tampa when it comes to QB's. 

New Teams - By that I mean those who haven't done much for years. Nice to see some new teams, Chiefs, Seahawks, Broncos, doing well. Must be why the NFL works the system the way it does. Only this year we might have more teams vying for next years's draft pick then the Super Bowl. 

Lane Kiffin - Until he gets an attitude adjustment, I don't see him successful. 

Pat Haden - USC's athletic director might want to not make rash decisions in the heat of the moment. Not that I don't think Kiffin shouldn't have been axed, but deciding to do so in the third quarter of a losing game? Sleep on it. 

NFL picks week 4

Last Week - 4 - 12

Overall - 26 - 22

I knew when I bragged about how well I had done in my picks the past few years that it would come back to bite me in the butt.  Did it ever.  Last week was probably the worst week I've ever had and I knew it from the moment I saw the games at the beginning of the week.  I didn't feel it.  I didn't have mojo.  I was sort of blah about the entire week.  Perhaps it is because my Steelers are hurting, who knows.  Either way I hope I go up this week.

• San Francisco over St. Louis - Yeah, I don't believe that Harbaugh will lose again.
• Baltimore over Buffalo -  This week I'm letting go of my obsession with picking the Bills.
• Cincinnati over Cleveland - The Browns aren't bad, but I think the Bengals are better.
• Detroit over Chicago - This was one of my iffy game this week.  The Bears and the Lions are both playing well, but I decided I'd go with the home field advantage.
• Kansas City over New York Giants - Sigh.  I just can't believe Eli will be 0-4, but the Chiefs are playing so well, their at home, and the Giants front line is just plain awful.
• Pittsburgh over Minnesota - Big Ben had a talk with his front line and let's face it he is big stuff in London.  Oh, that isn't the quarterback they refer to?
• Arizona over Tampa Bay - Trouble here in the bay this week with the quarterback.  Freeman has been benched so he got mad and spoke to ESPN against the team's wishes and now the big question is whether or not he will even suit up.  Too much drama here for a win against a team searching for their own answers.
• Indianapolis over Jacksonville - Uh, the Colts really will be embarrassed it they lose this game.
• Seattle over Houston - I think the Seahawks are better then the Texans, but the Texans aren't happy with their play last week.  Should be a good game.
• Tennessee over New York Jets - This could be a good one or it could be a snoozer.  Neither team has impressed me yet, but the Titans are at home.
• Denver over Philadelphia - The Eagles could be worked up enough to go crazy and kick the Broncos butt, but Manning is on fire this season and I just love Peyton Manning, more so since watching The Book of Manning this week.
• Washington over Oakland - RGIII runs and the Redskins get their first win.
• San Diego over Dallas - Second iffy for the week.  Phillip Rivers seem like his head is in the game, but the Chargers always over think things.
• Atlanta over New England - Matt Ryan will need some redemption this week.
• New Orleans over Miami - When the Saints are at home they are so good.

Thankful Thursday

• Coffee - I never drank it until after Darcy was born. Kelly got me on the stuff. She moved here and while Maddy was in preschool we use to take Darcy to this little hole in the wall breakfast place in a strip mall. Kelly slowly had me try coffee with different ways of creaming it. Now I drink it almost daily. I prefer flavored coffee with lots of flavored creamer, and I right now I'm in love with Target's Archer brand coffee. It's a nice way to begin a morning that is still wrapped in darkness. 
• My watch - I still wear one. I'm lost without it on my wrist. I'm getting close to being lost without my cell phone in my pocket, but I have yet to turn to that for the time. My watch is so handy and one of the few pieces of jewelry I wear. Is up pose now days that makes me old. 
• Rain - Living in Florida we either get rain or we don't. Since putting in my new lawn we have been getting it in buckets which for us has saved our yard and our wallet. We are usually under a mandatory water restriction in our county so we are limited to one day on watering anything. This week we had untypical hours of steady rain. It was kind of nice to just sit and watch it come down. 
• Flushable wipes - This week a new study hit the media on these wipes. Turns out they aren't as flushable as they claim and more and more people are using them clogging up the world's pipes. I've known this for over a year now since getting on a first name basis with our local plumber. While we've readjusted to one ply tissue we still use our wipes, throwing them in the wastebasket now instead of into the sewer system. Why it has taken so long for someone to think up this invention is beyond me. How long have we been cleaning newborn's backsides? And we haven't been using toilet paper to do that. I'm just saying... 
• Clorox wipes - Or Lysol wipes. I'm not picky. Well, maybe I am as I didn't care for the Sam's club brand. I use these wipes daily to clean anything from my kitchen counters to my leather couches. I've seen the study on sponges and dish rags. Ugh. I probably use these more then I should, but it is one of my modern day conveniences I can't do without. 
• Menopause - Ok, I can't really be thankful for this quite yet, and maybe when I'm there I won't be so thankful, but I can tell you this my body has occasionally started skipping my monthly visits from Aunt Flo (my kids think this reference hilarious). It doesn't happen often enough, but when it does it is a glorious month indeed because heading into menopause? It ain't so grand. 
• Daily crossword puzzle - Not only does it give me something to do while enjoying my coffee, but it makes me feel as if I'm warding off dementia. I like to attempt the Suduko puzzle too, but there is something more gratifying about finishing the crossword. 

He never does what I expect

Me:  "Let's go people!  This thing starts at 1:00 pm."
Tom:  "I'm ready.  Don't blame me.  Come on, Madison, we are waiting on you."
Me:  "Want to take my car?  The new car?  It's so comfy and I'll drive."
Tom:  "Why?  We'll take my car."
Me:  "Why?  You never want to take my car."
Tom:  "There's nothing wrong with my car."
Me:  "Yeah, well there's nothing wrong with my car either."
Tom:  "We'll take my car since it's right there."

We wait for Madison.

Me:  "Great.  Now it's raining.  If we were taking my car we would stay dry since it's in the garage."
Tom:  "Are you afraid of getting a little wet?'
Me:  "I'm sweet like sugar, babe.  Sugar melts when it gets wet."
Tom:  "So does the wicked witch, but I'm not implying anything."

He didn't say that last part.  I thought it and expected him to say it, but he didn't.  Instead it went down like this:

Me:  "I'm sweet like sugar, babe.  Sugar melts when it gets wet."
Tom: "Yes, it does."
Me:  "What?  Nothing about the wicked witch melting?  I thought for sure that was coming out of your mouth next."
Tom:  "I was still thinking about the sugar comment."
Me:  "That would have been funny though if you had said it.  Then I could have put it on my blog."
Tom:  "Well, say your line again and then I'll turn around here (turns his back to me) and you can pull my string for me to say my correct line."
Me:  "Just go get the car Mr. Smartypants."

First part of school? Check.

My girls are in the swing of school here in week five.  Madison has entered the IB diploma program and is busy pulling all night-ers that cause me great concern for her health.  She has yet to manage her time on a schedule that I think is better for all concerned, but she and I have talked about it and both of us have made concessions that we can live with.  Darcy has begun her first year of high school with a gusto managing her time wisely and going to bed when she is tired, causing me to worry about her health.  I am a great worrier.

The that Madison is in requires several parts, one of which is called CAS, which stands for creativity, action, and service.  It is designed to get the students out of their comfort zone and out of the classroom.  The IB website states, "Creativity, action, service enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development as well as their social and civic development, through experiential learning, lending an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the rest of the IB Diploma Programme. It should be both challenging and enjoyable - a personal journey of self-discovery that recognizes each student's individual starting point."

She has to be doing two of these activities at all times and she has to develop and complete a project that falls within one of these, or all of these, categories.  In addition to this IB requirement she is a member of the National Honor Society which requires more involvements that don't seem to follow the same guidelines so that she could file these activities under both.  She loves Math Club, but it doesn't do outside competitions required by the NHS so she had to also join the Academic Team which travels around the county competing against other schools.  She had to join the Debate Club because it was something new, a requirement under CAS, because she had done the Academic Team last year.  Pretty much what this means is that Madison is busy all of the time. And all of this doesn't include the stuff she wants to do for herself such as being president of her house (think Harry Potter).

Darcy, on the other hand, is embracing everything social about being in high school.  She is in the pre-IB program so she doesn't have to start the CAS stuff yet.  She joined the swim team which began immediately and she made the varsity team.  She swims in the fast lane with all the juniors and seniors and listens to all of their stories which she is filing away for future use I'm sure.  She has practice for two hours each day, with a swim meet each week.  She goes to the football games and the dances.  She has organized a facebook page for all of the IB freshman because she thought they were all too quiet and too involved in their middle school cliques.  She can't decide if she should try out for basketball or soccer next.  Her drama teacher wants her to try out for district theater competitions.  She eats lunch in one of her teacher's room where she has assembled a group of new kids that suck this poor teacher into their conversations.  She holds court every morning in first period with her drama teacher who she has sucked in with her promise of scoring her musical theater grandmother as a volunteer for upcoming productions.  Everyone tells her she is so different from her sister.  She responds that she knows.

What I find interesting is how they feed off of each other now that they are attending the same school once again.  Darcy is my early riser who sets an alarm and gets up without help.  She is a morning person and despite the darkness of the hour she is cheerful.  She makes her breakfast, packs a lunch if she wants, or makes sure that she has lunch money if she doesn't, and her backpack is always ready to go the night before school.  Madison is the opposite.  She is the one that I use to drag out of bed in the morning, who takes forever to get ready, who rarely has her bag packed and who is running around in the morning packing it and grabbing her homework off the printer.  For two years I have had to scream at her to get her up, ready, and out the door to the bus stop, leaving us both frustrated and feeling blue.  Not anymore.  While I still come in and wake her it is Darcy who will remind her of the time.  Mostly, it isn't necessary because Darcy wondering around the house, flipping on lights, singing and talking gets her up and moving. If she needs prodding, Darcy is the one doing the poking.

Madison in turn helps Darcy with her homework or when Darcy becomes frustrated and stressed.  Madison has been through this program and is happy to share her experiences and her insights with her sister.  She will take time to sit down with Darcy and tutor her in whatever subject or offer up suggestions in how to complete an assignment.  She gives her insight into the teachers and the way they test and grade.  She can add to things that Darcy might not have been told on an assignment that she knows the teacher will require in the end.

Darcy being involved in activities after school has made Madison more involved.  Darcy went to homecoming so Madison went to homecoming, her first time ever.  Madison being serious about her studies has made Darcy more inclined to study.  Both are maintaining their grades and their sanity.

My hours from the moment they are out of school are hectic.  Madison doesn't drive so I have to ferry her to her various places of volunteering, interviewing, and meeting up with friends in addition to doing the same for Darcy.  Both girls have been great at communicating with one another to coincide their schedules and so far we have managed to get every one on time for every event without too much hassle.  I wouldn't trade this job for anything.  I'm glad that they are finally together again in the same school, working together, and getting along.  I'm thrilled to be a part of this experience with them and thrilled that they have taken on this role with maturity, grace, and humor.  I just wish we had more sleep.

Monday NFL recap - week 3

My weekend consisted of school and sports. Friday Tom went to the 18 inning Rays game, stumbling in the next morning. Saturday was spent poolside at a county swim meet meet that began with us leaving the house at 5:45 am and returning at 8 pm. Sunday, where I'm usually planted on the couch from sun up to sun down, was spent at a college fair in a room that didn't begin to fit the 80 colleges or the hundreds of teens and parents. By the time I got home to watch football I got the Colts and 49ers game, not the Dolphins and Atlanta. Huh? But watching football was interrupted by homework stress meltdowns that resulted with me at the computer typing up study guides while listening to Chris Collinsworth reporting another Ben Roethlisberger fumble.

I didn't feel this week when filling out my picks, and boy, should I have just skipped it all together. This is the oddest NFL start to a season that I can remember. Boy, I bet the British can't wait to see the 0-3 Steelers play the 0-3 Vikings next week as the NFL continues its ridiculous campaign of bringing football overseas. Only saving grace for me? I picked the Seahawks in my survival pool where you pick one team a week to win; get it right, you continue, get it wrong, you're done. 

Steelers:

• I'll start out with the positives which include the offensive line giving Ben some time, the defense looking pumped, and the return of Heath Miller.
• The one handed grab in the end zone by Antonio Brown in which he maintained control and got one foot and one knee in bounds was old Steelers ball. Gave me some hope. Rumor is Brown made a stink, ala Mike Wallace, about his lack of ball handling, and like his old teammate he put his money where his mouth was catching for over 100 yards and two amazing touchdowns.
• How crazy is it that Big Ben threw for over 400 yards?  Too bad he couldn't hold on the ball for that many seconds.
• The defense hasn't caused a turnover yet. It is so great to see Troy Polamalu back in top form and healthy, but he can't do it all. If this team is going to step up the defense has got to get some picks and cause some trouble.
• Jake Cutler took off running on a third down and lowered his head as the Steelers safety Robert Golden approached him, knocking Golden to the ground with a hard hit that I felt was helmet to helmet, but that everyone else deemed a hell of a hit by Cutler. Wonder what would have been the the talk if Cutler had injured himself? Funny how excited these announcers get when it is the QB making those types of plays on defenders.
• Todd Hayley? I'm a firm believer in second chances, but this guy did nothing great in Kansas City and he has clashed supposedly with Ben since he flew into Pittsburgh. The Steelers ownership doesn't typically get rid of the head coach when things aren't good. It's time for Hayley to hit the road.
• At least we didn't lose 38-0. 

Other:

• Did I mention that the Dolphins are the team to watch this season?
• RGIII hasn't been the same since he missed the end of last season with his injury. I think he has been told to not run and RGIII not playing the game his way, which includes running under pressure, is the problem. Funny how the coaches loved that way too up until the injury.
• Sixteams starting out with zip, three in the AFC and three in the NFC. Who would have thought it?
• Eli Manning sacked seven times, four times in the first ten plays?  That is an offensive line that needs to be held accountable. Suicide laps, maybe?
• I'm already tired of the beer and State Farm commercials. Stop. On the other hand, Jim Harbaugh is my favorite commercial man this season and I think Larry Bird is the culprit in the new McDonalds ad.
• The Cleveland Browns faked a  field goal and let kicker Spenser Lanning spiral the ball to Jordan Cameron in the end zone. Remember when the Steelers use to have trick,plays like that?  You know, back in their Super Bowl years.
• I have loved John Gruden's last two conversations with players on ESPN. Last week he talked with Bengals (still hard for me to write that) James Harrison who got weepy when talking about Steelers defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau. This week he spoke with Broncos Wes Welker who gave great insight into the intensity and brains of Peyton Manning

Other sports:

• Don't tell me social media ain't the bomb. Don't tell that to the Tampa Bay Rays either. One of their minor league pitchers, Enny Romero, tweeted from the Dominican Republican after the Rays 18 inning win that he "could come and pitch tomorrow #Rays". The Rays responded via Twitter, not wanting him Saturday, "Enny, is your offer still good for Sunday?" Romero hopped a plane and pitched a game the Rays won.
• What's with the refs in the preseason Maples/Sabers hockey game standing by while multiple fights broke out? Only when one guy lost consciousness did they jump in and signal for some help. Really?
• Congrats to King James LeBron who married his high school sweetheart this past week. 

NFL Football picks - Week 3

Last Week - 10 - 6

Overall - 22-10

• Philadelphia over Kansas City - I figured after last week's loss that the Eagles would come out on their own field and kick some butt.  Turns out Andy Reid was more ready then I thought.  Good for him. 
• Green Bay over Cincinnati - I wasn't so impressed with the Bengals in last weeks game and they were playing my Steelers, who seriously are in need of desperate help.  So I think Aaron Rogers and company won't be so scared either. 
• Dallas over St. Louis - A game I'm not so sure about, but the Cowboys are playing in the big stadium at home so I went with them.
  
• San Diego over Tennessee - Phillip Rivers was smoking last week.  The Titans?  They are playing fairly decent, but again, not so impressed with them after watching them play the Steelers.  I think the Chargers win. 
• Minnesota over Cleveland - The Browns are more worried about getting spit on then they are at playing decent football.  The Vikings, who haven't won yet either, will take home a win this week.
• Tampa Bay over New England - Tom Brady, like Ben Roethlisberger, is having trouble finding receivers that can catch.  I may be nuts on this one, but last week I didn't go with my gut in two of the games so I decided this week I'd go for it.  Tampa Bay, no matter how lousy they play, always have a couple of great games in a season.  I think this is one of them.  
• New Orleans over Arizona - I think the Cardinals will be a team that comes up in the rankings this season, along with the Dolphins, but I think they will have some trouble in Louisiana today as Drew Brees won't be happy with his play last week.
• Washington over Detroit - The game that I go back and forth on.  Going with RG III.  He has to win.  If he doesn't pull out a winner today at home, he just might be one of those guys we look back on and scratch our heads.
• New York Giants over Carolina - Eli Manning, like RGIII, has to have a win.  He'll get it today.
• Houston over Baltimore - Another one I went back and forth on.  Neither team is playing spectacular.  The Ravens are without their little, mighty, may or may not be a spitter, running back Ray Rice and are playing at home, but the Texans have been doing what needs to be done in the final seconds so I'm going with them.  Plus, I don't like the Ravens.
• Atlanta over Miami - I'm telling you that the Dolphins are the team to watch out for this season.  I've even dreamed that several times.  But the Falcons are a good team too, they lost last week to a so-so team, and I think Matt Ryan's experience, not to mention his new paycheck, will be what pulls them over the Dolphins.
• Buffalo over New York Jets - I'm not really sure what is up with my picks on the Bills, but what I've seen of their play isn't as bad as what everyone else sees.  The Jets are wishy washy so far this season.  I don't know, gut I guess on this pick.
• San Francisco over Indianapolis - Whew.  How bad was Colin Kaepernick last week?  That was the worse I've ever seen the 49ers play.  This week they are at home.  I think Jim Harbaugh doesn't allow them to lose this week at home.
• Seattle over Jacksonville - My boy Russell Wilson is another one that is smoking hot right now.  He will be even hotter this week against the Jags.
• Pittsburgh over Chicago - Okay, my gut was involved on this one in the beginning.  Like the Bucs, they always pull out a great game that makes us all think we are finally on track so why not tonight?  But then again maybe I'm going with my heart.  Sigh.
• Denver over Oakland - Like the Seattle/Jacksonville game.  Manning at home?  Can't go against that.

Monday NFL recap - week 2

The Steelers play tonight so I was at the mercy of the NFL local network policies on Sunday. We received only two games, well two and a half, since the Tampa Bay game was postponed for lightning and Fox streamed us a quarter and some of the Arizona game. I got to see the Colts miss in their come from behind and the aforementioned Bucs.  Ah, the Bucs. 

1.  Josh Freeman - Tampa has always had problems with loving their quarterbacks.  Since I've lived here every quarterback they have hired has been thrown under the bus by the owners, the general manager, the coaches, the fans, and the media when things get dicey.  Vinny Testaverde, Trent Dilfer, Shaun King, Brad Johnson, Chris Simms, Brian Griese, Jeff Garcia, and now Josh Freeman, once the beloved, young savior of the franchise.  Freeman took a lot of hits before the season started and now in week two he is getting battered. Rumor: Coach Schiano isn't on board with him as the quarterback. Rumor: Freeman isn't on board with Schiano as the coach. So to solve these "rumors" these two men acted like, well, children. Freeman missed the team photo. Freeman wasn't selected as one of the captains in the vote by players.  A secret players meeting had everyone wondering if Schiano messed with the results.  What to believe.  What to believe.  

Frankly, I've been here, done that with this team one too many times.  Something is amiss, but I'm tired of it always being the quarterbacks' fault.  Did you read that list above?  How is it that eight different quarterbacks are the reason for twenty two miserable years?  That Super Bowl win?  You hear about Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Mike Alstott, and Rhonde Barber, but you don't hear about the quarterback.  Poor Brad Johnson.  He has a ring, but who talks about his part in getting it?  I'm not saying Freeman is a great quarterback, but just like many of his predecessors he isn't getting a chance to just play. 

2.  Bucs Penalties - Over 100 yards in freshman penalties; communication issues, not enough players on the field, lining up off sides. Had them last week. Had them this week. That isn't on the quarterback.  That's on the coach. 

3. John Lynch - Lynch has turned into one hell of a game caller. He knows the game, doesn't add in extras, and offers incite to what is happening on the field. Best line when asked what was needed to solve the Tampa Trouble: "A win. Best deodorant when it gets sticky."

4. Lightning - So far it's Lightning 3 NFL 0. I can't remember another season when three games have been suspended or delayed for bolts. Last week it was the Denver/Baltimore game. This week it was the Tampa/New Orleans game and the Seattle/San Francisco game. Made me want to bring this up with the MBA bigwigs who think the Rays need a new outdoor stadium...you know, here in the lightning capital of the United States. 

5. Close Games - How exciting were the games that came down to the wire once again? None more then the Texans/Titans game. Tied up and kicking a 51 yard field goal to win the game, Randy Bulock made it. But wait. The Titans had called time out. Bullock kicked again. This kick was blocked. But wait  the Tirans were offsides. Bullock kicks again. But wait. The Titans called time out. On the fourth and final attempt Bullock was over it all and he missed. It took a touchdown in overtime for the Texans to,pull out the win. 

6. Baby on Board - An hour before the Ravens took the field at home quarterback Joe Flacco's wife Dana gave birth to their second son. Flacco wasn't by his wife's side because the Ravens were 0-1 for heaven's sake. Instead he met his son several hours later. Today everyone is outraged over his lack of fatherly love. Pfft. These are the same people who were outraged when Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger announced he WOULD be at his son's birth come hell or the Ravens. First of all, Dana knew what she was doing and she most likely called a girlfriend or a family member. Second of all, Dana is the wife of a professional football player. And third of all?  This is the second child. My daughter Darcy will tell you that's how it is. 

7. Fox Graphics - The coolest. I love those swirling, spinning, color coordinated circles that accompany runners on replays. 

8. Helmet to Helmet - Again. As always, sometimes hard to avoid, sometimes hard to call, and mostly plain stupid in this year of the NFL. Crackdowns on injuries are top priority, more so now that the league is coughing up a few million to take care of veterans. Football is different now and players need to be practicing and studying that. 

9. Manning Bowl - Denver looking hot and put together. The Giants looking like they did a couple years back when they started out 0-2. Since they later went on to win the Super Bowl I'm not sniffling for Eli and company. Besides Peyton will go over it with him and give him some pointers. 

10. Sunday Night Crew - Is it just me or does Rodney Harrison just argue and take the opposite of every thing Tony Dungy says? It's starting to get on my nerves. Disrespectful Rodney and makes you look like a spoiled kid. 

11. Ray Rice - I shamefully admit that when I saw an update on him limping off the field I clapped for a small moment of joy. Let other teams feel what the Steelers are dealing with, I thought. Then I felt guilty   Turned out not to be such a big deal; a hip flexor strain. Then I heard the rumor that he might have spit on one of the Browns players. Really?

12. Odd Tidbits - One - I loved Chicago Bears Charles Tillman coming to the rescue of Fox's sideline reporter Laura Okmin pulling her into his arms so that a camera cart didn't run over her. Made me think of that viral commercial of the Rays Evan Longoria catching the stray pitch before it hit the interviewer questioning him. 

Two- Why is that medical personnel wear a button down shirt and a tie? Why does any personnel in the NFL on the field do that? Sundays should be casual days, don't you think? 

Three - It was nice that the Bills E.J. Manuel was able to hug his dad in the stands after catching the winning touchdown, but did you see the guy seated next to the senior Manuel?  He was trying to get close to the duo so that the guy next to him could take his picture. Seriously?

A new job

Madison and I were on our last leg of mall shopping, hiking back to the store that she started in to buy the second dress she tried on, when we were stopped by a tired looking woman with a clipboard.

Woman:  "Would you like to participate in some product surveys?"
Me:  "Depends.  What do I have to do?"
Woman:  "It depends on your age.  May I ask how old you are?"
Me:  "Young."

Snicker.  Snicker.  She wasn't amused.  I told her my age and she told me there were only three items on her list for my age group; bread, diet pepsi, and a movie.  I didn't have time for a movie and I drink diet coke instead of diet pepsi so I opted for the bread.  Then I asked if Madison could participate in something, but her age group wasn't scheduled for anything until Saturday.

Woman:  "You could come back tomorrow."

She led us back the way we had just come to the back of the building and into a small room labeled Marketing just off to the side of the escalators.  It was an ordinary room, the size and shape of a hallway, with white walls, navy blue carpeting, and matching chairs.  A woman sat in a small cubicle with open windows much like a ticket booth.  Our woman instructed us to sit down in the chairs while she conferred with the woman in the booth.  Another woman with a clipboard and a short, fancy hair style was seated to the right of us asking questions of a heavy set woman whose daughter sat next to her playing on her phone.  She and Madison exchanged mother/teenager nonsense looks and she went back to her phone.

I was instructed to wait for Phyllis, the woman with the short hairstyle and my woman disappeared back out the door to search for more workers.  Phyllis finished with the heavy set woman, motioned for Madison and me to follow her, and she led us down a real hallway and into a small, crowded room with two tables that held computers, people seated around them as if conducting interviews, and a banquet table covered in a plastic, yellow tablecloth.  She had me sit in the chair next to the banquet table and she sat across from me facing me.  She turned a page on her clipboard and asked for my name which she wrote down.  Then she handed me a loaf of Nature's Own 100% whole wheat bread.

Phyllis:  "Take this bread.  Hold it, look at it, exam it just like you would in the grocery store."
Me:  "Ok, but I don't really need to do that since this is the bread that I buy.  I wouldn't do anything to the bread in the store except pick it up and put it into my cart."

Phyllis began writing on the paper attached to the clipboard.

Me:  "But I will exam the bread since I've never had the whole wheat before."  I began squeezing the bread, turning the loaf over in my hands, peering intently at it while Madison giggled from her chair to the right of Phyllis.  "Very soft.  Looks delicious.  Great bread.  I buy it all the time.  Well, not the whole wheat."
Phyllis:  "Ok, so soft and delicious and what?"
Me:  "Oh, you're writing down what I said?"
Phyllis:  "Yes, yes.  Soft and delicious and ?"
Me:  "Well, Phyllis, I personally buy Nature's Own bread.  In fact this is the only bread that I buy from the grocery that isn't made directly from Publix's bakery."
Phyllis:  "Okay, good.  Only bread that you buy that isn't from the bakery.  What else?"
Me:  "I buy this bread every week.  Once a week.  Only I buy the Honey Wheat bread.  We eat a loaf once a week.  I have never tried the 100% whole wheat type, but I should.  I'm suppose to be eating whole wheat bread to help lower my cholesterol.  Do you have a toaster?  Maybe some butter?  Then I could try it."
Phyllis:  "A toaster.  That's funny.  You said Honey Wheat?"
Me:  "I did.  I like this bread and this brand.  I don't buy anything else.  Isn't that amazing that you picked the one company that I purchase from?  I find this bread to be soft and as fresh as can be considering it sits on the shelves in the store.  It's delicious and has plenty of preservatives that keep it fresh for the whole week."
Phyllis:  "Wonderful!  Look!"  She held up the clipboard to show me that she had covered more then half the page on the paper.  "A half a sheet."
Me:  "Is that good?"
Phyllis:  "Amazing.  Excellent.  Now...." 

She snatched the bread from me, laid it down on the floor in the corner, stood up and yanked the yellow tablecloth off of the banquet table.  Under the cloth were five other loaves of wrapped bread in various packages and of various types.  They were for the most part the nastiest looking breads I had ever seen.  Nasty.  That was the first word that came to mind, but Phyllis wasn't interested in that.


Phyllis:  "Now, looking at those breads on the table would you think that any of them were made from the same company as the first bread you examined."
Me:  "No.  I mean, look at these things."  I began examining them, squeezing them.  "Jeez.  Have you felt this one there?  This is so hard I could kill someone with one swing of this loaf.  And this loaf here?  Obviously, trying to copy the Nature's Own brand.  Please."
Phyllis:  "Funny."  She threw the yellow tablecloth over the breads.  "Thank you."
Me:  "Thank you?  That's it?  Did I fail?"
Phyllis:  "I don't have any idea.  That's what the company wanted me to ask you.  I did.  Come this way."

She led us back through the maze of desks and people, back into the hallway, and back to where we had started to the woman in the booth.  Phyllis informed the girl seated in there that I had participated in the bread.

Phyllis:  "Look!"  She held up the clipboard with the half filled paper to show the booth girl.
Girl:  "Wow!"  She passed me another clipboard.  "Fill this out.  Here's your $5.00.  Thanks for participating."
Me:  "Wait.  You're giving me $5 for doing that?"
Girl:  "Yep.  Thanks for helping."
Me:  "Well, do you have any more things you want me to try since I'm already here then?  Diet Pepsi?"
Phyllis:  "Funny.  Thanks for helping out.  You can exit this way."

So I did.  Happy in the thought that I had contributed to the family's earnings this week.  Happy that just maybe I had found a new career, trolling the malls for people with clipboards, and getting paid to sample different products to help out America's businesses. 

Week 2 NFL Picks

Last week - 12 -4

Overall - 12-4

1. New England over New York Jets - Rex got one last week, but I knew he wasn't getting this one this week.  Turns out he almost did.
2. Atlanta over St. Louis - Falcons don't want to be 2-0.  Bottom line.
3. Buffalo over Carolina - I'm going against the line on this one because I think Buffalo has it them.  Gut reaction.
4. Chicago over Minnesota - This is that game where you go back and forth, but in the end I'm going with the Bears since I just don't feel I know enough about either team and the Bears are at home.  But then again the Vikings have Peterson and it is a rivalry. 
5. Green Bay over Washington - I had the Redskins first for a couple of days, but then I changed it.  The Packers lost last week.  The Packers play at Lambeau this week.  The Packers will eek out the win.
6. Indianapolis over Miami - I wonder if I pick the Colts because of some strange loyalty to Indiana?  There were no Colts when I lived there, and I didn't care for them when they were there back in the Harbaugh days, but Peyton Manning (have I mentioned my love for him?) changed that for me.  I think Miami is going to be the little team to watch this year, but I'm going with the Colts for that same gut feeling I have for the Bills, despite the loss of their running back.
7. Dallas over Kansas City - The Cowboys are feeling big after beating the Giants at home last week.  Kansas City is hoping to break out and be winners this year, but their offensive line still needs tweeking and Fitzgerald is battling a hamstring issue.  I think Romo will take the win back to Dallas.
8. Philadelphia over San Diego - Chip Kelly is proving that he can bring the college game to the NFL and his team is eating it up.  He has that team in his hands and they are hungry.  Another win for them today in front of the bloodthirsty home crowd.
9. Baltimore over Cleveland - For the AFC North division this is week one all over again and the Super Bowl champs won't go 2-0.  They smell the Steelers injured and the Browns are just a little team to knock out on the way to playing the Bengals.
10. Houston over Tennessee - The Titans took advantage of misfortune last week.  Unless they knock out three players from the Texans they won't be getting a W in the column this week.
11. Detroit over Arizona - I think Arizona will get it together midway and become a contender this year, but it ain't going to happen today.
12. New Orleans over Tampa Bay - Oh, my.  Trouble, trouble, trouble down here in the sunshine state.  We have a battle between the coach and the quarterback and tons of speculation of he said this and he did that.  Haven't teams learned anything about maintaining a cheerful locker room from the Jets?  Schiano is one of those college coaches that thinks he is great, thinks he can coach in the big leagues, and forgets that he isn't dealing with kids that want to learn.  I predict he won't last long in Tampa Bay unless the Glazer boys just don't want to admit defeat.  Then again Tampa always has one great game that excites the fans and lures them into a false security for a few hours until the sports reporters' columns come out in the morning paper.  I don't think today will be one of those days.
13. Oakland over Jacksonville - Supposedly these are the two worst teams in the league.  I've had the Jags winning up to the last minute before submission, but I fell to the line pressure at the last minute. 
14. Denver over New York Giants - Ah, the last Manning bowl.  All I'm hearing is that Eli has to have a win after his loss and mass of interceptions from last week.  Pfft.  These boys are the most competitive family I've ever read about and that is including my own.  Peyton doesn't want his little brother to beat him in anything and since Eli has two Super Bowl rings he isn't going to get this game.  Or is he?
15. San Francisco over Seattle - I'm going with the 49ers despite my love for Russell Wilson.  Think how happy Jim Harbaugh will be after beating the Seahawks at home?  I bet he jumps up and down and waves his arms just to irritate the crap out of Pete Carroll.
16. Pittsburgh over Cincinnati - Sigh.  I was going to pick the Bengals, but I couldn't.  I can't.  I have to have faith despite loosing three key players for the year, having no Heath Miller, and playing against our old teammate James Harrison.

Thankful Thursday

After I made my list of things that I am thankful for, I began to add something daily to my list.  Now this list, while serious, is more for fun.  So if you want to play along on Thursday's tell me what seven things you are thankful for that doesn't include humans.

• My dishwasher - I like my washing machine and dryer too, but the dishwasher is tops.  I'm tall and leaning over kitchen sinks, which are never built for tall people, washing dishes and glasses is not something I would want to do three times a day.  Plus, that dish dryer contraption in the opposite side of the sink would drive my husband insane.
• Tervis Tumblers - If you don't have a Tervis, you have got to get out and get one.  Hot beverage?  Pour it in a Tervis and that bad boy will be hot or warm for a couple of hours.  Cold beverage?  Tervis keeps it cold for even longer.  Plus, you can get a Tervis Tumbler that reflects your favorite team, school, or even your personality.  A tad pricey, but worth it in the end.
• My sneakers - Not long after Madison turned one I began having issues with my feet.  My podiatrist injected me with cortisone, gave me some shoe inserts, and told me to never wear anything but sneakers again.  In fact, he wanted me to wear sneakers every waking moment, even when I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and when swimming.  While that didn't last long, I have found that when I wear other shoes I'm miserable and have a multitude of aches and pains that last a week or longer.  Of course, it is awkward to go to a wedding in a dress and sneakers....
• Left hand traffic signals - Before these things came into being making a left turn was a huge danger.  Someone got smart with this one and I, who used to drive a vehicle that died whenever it felt like it, am grateful.
• Netflix - I have written about this service before, but I have got to tell you that since discovering The Office I am so thankful for Netflix I could just cry.  Well, I do cry.  I laugh so hard at these episodes and enjoy this series so much that when I have gone a day or two without watching it when I hear the theme song I cry.  
• Online shopping - For some reason I can not get my act together when it comes to sending out birthday presents and/or cards.  Ask my nephew Teddy.  But as soon as someone tells me something that I can order online I'm all over that baby.  Sit down at my computer, pull it up, click it into the shopping cart, pay, and all done.  Not that I get it done in time for the birthday, but hey, I get it out sooner then I do to the person who only wants money.  Right Ted?  (Check is in the mail, buddy...soon)
• Advil - I haven't tried Alieve so I can't compare, but thank goodness for Advil, the gel types as  those little orange Advil coated tablets are nasty tasting.  Tooth ache?  Advil eases the pain.  Menstruating cramps?  Advil kills it.  Back pain?  Advil nips it in the bud.  Breakfast of champions.

No, thanks Tom, but I like to type, type, type on a computer

This Sunday there was an article in our paper by Tom Hanks titled, "I am TOM.  I like to TYPE.  Hear that?" that was originally published in the New York Times.  It wasn't until I turned the page to follow the second half of the article that I realized that the article was by the actor Tom Hanks, which then had me changing the images I had in my head of this poor smuck who wrote about his love for typewriters, all of them, from the sounds they made to the look of the words on the paper.  As I read the article, a slow warmth of horror began seeping through my body.  I, for one, do not agree with Tom Hanks.  I do not miss typewriters.

I suppose my dislike of typewriters began in high school in typing class with Norma Jean Rogers, she of the red hair and blue, tortoise shell glasses that she wore on a chain wrapped around her neck.  She was the stereotypical typing teacher clad in vintage dresses with ruffled collars, stockings, and what my mother referred to as "sensible" heels, and she marched up and down the rows of typewriters moving her hands like a conductor directing a symphony.  She knew the sounds of the class typewriters so well that she could hear a mistake from three rows away with her back turned to the culprit, and her tsking was an art form, her brows arched into her perfectly coiffed bun.  I made sure I was seated in the very back of the room, my back against the wall, a mistake I realized too late.  She distrusted those of us in the back, rightly so since this was the dawn of the electric typewriters and slip in/slip out correction paper, and her laser eyes were always upon us.  I would sweat profusely during the timed tests as she always began her march in the back row.  Up and down she marched in her clickety, sensible shoes.  Up and down, conducting us as we clacked out the rhythm of "the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" over and over. 

I also didn't like the whole idea of typing because I loved pens, and pencils, and handwriting.  I liked the swirls and the way the ink rolled off the ballpoints.  I liked that I could change my script, and I spent hours imitating other's styles of handwriting, scribbling the same phrase or name over and over.  I loved Kelly's handwriting, the smallness of it, the way she held the pen.  I still can remember my friend Lisa's signature with the big looping L's that began both her first and last name, and sometimes when I doodle now I still practice her name.  My father's handwriting was the prettiest.  I have yet to find anyone, man or woman, with as nice handwriting as he had.  It was an art to him as it was to me. 

 

Typing took away from that.  And it was slower.  I felt I could write faster then I could type, and when I mentioned this to Norma Jean (we called her that of course behind her back) she stopped in front of me, raised one perfectly plucked eyebrow high into her hairline, and stared me down silently.  The sweat rolled down my back, I lowered my eyes, and got back to typing.  I learned to be a great typist thanks to Norma Jean Rogers, something I didn't realize until later in life when it was too late to thank her of course, but her expertise did nothing for my love of typewriters.

I hated the old typewrite, the one we had at home with the arm that had to be pushed to swing the carriage so that I could type a second line.  I hated having to use carbon paper to erase my mistakes as it was messy to the fingers as well as the nice white paper.  The invention of the electric typewriter and the small correction paper was better, but the hum of the typewriter eventually would drive me crazy.  I hated having to try to line up the paper to make corrections after having zipped the paper from the machine thinking I was finished only to discover the error.  On those rare occasions when I did line it up correctly the satisfaction never lasted long because there was always another one further up or further down that refused to line up and the page would have to be retyped because no teacher would accept a paper with letters over the top of letters or HORROR xx across the word.

For my birthday I received an electric typewriter to call my own.  By then I was a writer in my own mind and writers needed typewriters to turn in manuscripts.  I was horrified to find that the pretty blue one my father had purchased me was not the correct type; pica instead of the elite of our school typewriters and those of professionals.  I didn't want to hurt my parents feelings, but seriously?  Pica was huge compared to elite.  How could they not have known this?  I blame this on my not being published back then as agents, magazines and publishing companies required manuscripts with twelve characters per inch.

I learned to love that typewriter as I entered college because it meant I did not have to spend hours in a library on a borrowed machine.  Progress meant teachers did not accept handwritten essays or papers and having a typewriter of my own made life easier in some ways despite the irritation of the machine itself.  I have many papers from that era (yes, Tom I know that is one of your reasoning for typewriters, and I'll give you paper last-ability), and I can attest to the fact that I sucked at typing on a typewriter.  The invention of the computer, however, saved me.

My first computer in 1986

Work computer

Finally, a machine that allowed me to be as quick as I wanted (thanks Norma Jean!) with the ability to move a cursor up and over to a mistake that then could be erased with the punch, punch of a backspace button.  I liked the whirling noises the computer made when first turned on because, unlike the humming of my Smith Corona, that noise disappeared after the initial start.  I liked that I could choose my font size and style.  "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" take that typewriter!  The addition of a mouse made life even more simpler and no longer did I have to poke, poke, poke the up or over arrows to get to my places of errors.  I could type, type, type ten pages of material before going back to my errors.  Why?  BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDERLINED FOR ME.  How great is that?  And don't even get me going on spell check, or the addition of the Apple products.

So, Tom Hanks, you can keep your collection of FITT FITT and CHALK CHALK, CHALK typewriters that are music to your ears.  This girl?  This girl is quite happy with modern technology, and when it really comes down to it, still prefers using pen and paper. 

Remembrance

I took my girls to school this morning because one had to discuss some issues with different teachers and needed time to do so.  As I drove through the dark, both girls were catching up on studying so I turned on the radio and discovered that today was September 11th.  There was a time in my life when I would have known what day it was, but that time has ended and so it came as a shock to me that I didn't realize that today was the 12th anniversary of that horrific time in our nation.  The DJ wanted us to take time to reflect about where we were on that day when we got the news of the planes flying into the towers at the World Trade Center.  That is something I will never forget.

I was at the gym working out.  Darcy was in the daycare center at the gym.  Madison was at preschool.  I was on the elliptical working up a sweat and listening to and watching ESPN, one of the four channels the gym has on its televisions.  To the left of the television with ESPN was the TV with the Today Show.  During a commercial I switched to it and in the midst of whatever they were talking about came the first report of the first hit.  I listened as I churned my feet round and round the elliptical and then the second plane hit.  I watched it live.  I moved as if in a dream from the elliptical to the bike to the weights.  It was sitting on the bench working my arms that I saw the first tower crumble to the ground.  I stood up.  Everyone and everything in the gym moved as if in slow motion.  I locked eyes with strangers and saw the shock and disbelief that I knew had to be in my own.  The room was silent.  Everyone was staring at the TV.  I didn't hesitate.  I stood up and went to get Darcy.  I remember walking like a zombie into the daycare center, falling to my knees to hug my daughter, and asking the two ladies if they knew what had happened.  From there I drove away and immediately went to get Madison.  I didn't care that school wasn't done yet for the day.  I needed my kids with me.

The rest of the day was spent with my friend Krista.  My husband was out of town on business, locked down in a government facility in the Midwest.  Her husband was on a flight to Italy, completely unaware of what he had just left behind.  We sat together that day glued to the television, our girls playing in the room behind us.  It is a day that bonds us and one we will never forget.  I remember.

The site http://www.911day.org asks us to remember.  I do.  It also asks us to perform a good deed in remembrance of that day and lists some of the pledges that others have made; I will call my grandmother, I will find a fireman and thank him for his service, I will make food for my neighbors.  I like to think I do good deeds most of the time, but today I will try to do several.  But on this site today I will steal from another's pledge and list (just a small one) the things that I am thankful for.

• I am thankful for my children, my husband, and our families.  I don't let them know that enough, but the love I have for all of them is overwhelming to me at times.  I have a large family on my father's side, and I am thankful for our yearly reunions that allows us time to visit.  I have a smaller family on my mother's side, but I love each and everyone of them and am thankful we stay in touch.  I am thankful for my husband's family, and I'm glad for the time we have to spend with them.
• I am thankful for the relationship that I have with my sister-in-law, my brother's wife.  It wasn't always there, and I am embarrassed about my part in that and so thankful that we have found common ground and formed a friendship that I couldn't do without.
• I am thankful for the close friends that I can count on one hand; Kelly, who we consider family, Sharon, who finishes my sentences and knows me inside and out, Robin who allows us to crash her home every summer, and SueG who gives and expects nothing in return.  I am thankful for the friends I have made through the years who love me unconditionally (too many to name).
• I am thankful for social media that allows me to keep in contact with family and friends, that has reconnected me with old friends and neighbors, and that gives me entertainment throughout the day.
• I am thankful for my neighbors.  I have the best.
• I am thankful for my health and the health of my family and friends.
• I am thankful that the world is becoming more acceptable of different lifestyles.  There is much work still left to be done, but I am thankful for those who put aside their beliefs and recognize that love should be shared.
• I am thankful for the joy that the dog has brought into our family, despite all the work that comes with him.
• I am thankful for my parents teaching me the importance of being part of a team and giving me the love of sports which brings me immense pleasure whether playing or watching.
• I am thankful for music.  It not only motivates me at times, but it brings me comfort.
• I am thankful that I've finally wised up and listened to my father about labeling pictures and thankful for the memories my pictures bring me.

I am thankful for so much more, and this list could go on and on.  I think that what this day, twelve years ago, showed me was that we are in this together.  The nation and the people came together and shared in this tragedy and the aftermath and the rebuilding.  I remember the kindness, the goodness, the humanity that came in the days and weeks after 9/11.  I am so thankful for this country and the men and women who serve for all of us, and I remember.

2013 Monday NFL recap - week 1

Steelers - You've got to win your home games and you've got to win despite the obstacles. You've got to have backup plans because this is the NFL and people are going to go down. The Steelers are in trouble and the only good thing about the first week of football is that all the other teams in the AFC North lost as well. Not much of a consolation.

• Injuries - It started in warm-ups with kicker Shaun Suisham and then one by one they went down; Maurkice Pouncey, Stephens-Howling, Cortez Allen, Ryan Clark, Larry Foote. Word on the web is that Pouncey has an ACL/MCL and Foote a torn bicep, two injuries that wil be season ending. The loss of Pouncey, something that has happened for the third straight year, is not how this team wanted to start the year. Personally, I think he should have been spending his summer getting into top physical shape like Polamalu did instead of cheering on incarcerated Aaron Hernandaz. 
• Sacks - Big Ben went down 5 times.  Can you say, "The offensive line needs work?"
• Running Game - There wasn't one.  32 yards rushing total.  Hell, I could run farther then that with my dog and yes, I could run that with 300 pound men chasing me.  In the draft the Steelers took running back Le'Veon Bell from Michigan State.  Where was he?  Injured of course in a preseason game.
• Big Ben - He threw for 191 yards that helped put him over the 30,000 yards total in his career.  Whoop-de-do.  "It comes in a loss, so it doesn't do anything for me," Ben said after the game.  Ben is lost without Heath Miller (injured, OMG) and Wallace (in Miami with $60 million dollars and only one catch this week) and he is going to have to step up and take charge of this team injuries and all if the Steelers hope to have any wins this season.
• Former Players - I said in my picks blog that former players love to stick it to their old teams and former Steelers player Nate Washington did just that, making 4 receptions that were needed at crucial downs.
• Mike Tomlin - Yes, the Steelers organization backs their coaches, but Tomlin has got to pull these guys together like Ben injuries and all.  He has got to make better decisions and give these guys a talking to.  He has got to pull them up off the ground, shake them, dust them off, and kick their asses back out on to the field to make better plays.  Or he just might find himself the first coach the organization kicks to the curb.

Other - Week one was certainly all the NFL hoped it would be with Peyton Manning leading it off with a bang on Thursday and new coaches and old players taking off on Sunday.

• Bruno Mars - This seemed to be a bigger story then Peyton Manning on Sunday's pregame shows, and I for one was annoyed by it all.  Bruno Mars?  I was thinking Bon Jovi in New York for the Super Bowl.  This is week one for heaven's sake.  Why are we talking about the Super Bowl now when we have months to go before February 2014, and if we are talking Super Bowl now the halftime entertainment isn't the subject I would be starting with. 
• Kickers - It was the week for them; Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein winning the game with 40 seconds on the clock, Jets kicker Nick Folk winning the game with two seconds on the clock, and Patroits kicker Steven Gostkowski with seven seconds left. 
• New Coaches - Several teams had new coaches whether they were fresh from the college field or tired old NFL rejects.  Some won, some lost.  Still too early to tell who, if any, will be the break out sensations.
• Ryan Twins - Rex looked svelte despite his job being on the line, and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers penalty got him a win and a possible reprieve.  Brother Rob, fired at the end of last season with the Dallas Cowboys, is now the defensive coordinator with the Saints.  His hair looked great as did his coaching as the Saints defense executed well stopping the Falcons multiple times from scoring.
• Fumbles - Quite a few yesterday from Arizona to the Rams to Pittsburgh to the Giants.  Problem is some of them were in or near the end zone and hey, that ain't going to fly in this game guys.  
• No-Nos - Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh, voted the dirtiest player in the NFL by the players, showed why he owns this title scooping up a personal foul and nullifying a Lions' touchdown by tackling Vikings John Sullivan, himself fresh off some surgery, low to the knees.  The Panthers Frank Alexander was ejected from the game after throwing punches.  Hey, guys, haven't you heard?  The NFL is cracking down on tackling and poor behavior.  Better meet with Roger Goodell before next week's game just to catch up on that. 
• Ronde Barber - Didn't see him calling the Bucs preseason games, but I did catch his interview with Bucs Cornerback Darrelle Revis.  I thought he did well with his questions, asking some good ones player to player.  But how tired did he look on camera?  Whoa.  He had bigger bags then I do after a week of getting up at 5:30 AM.
• Darrelle Revis - The former Jets player who thought he would die a Jets player made his debut with the Bucs, coming off of an injury.  I forgot about that when making my picks, but guess in the end it didn't matter since Revis didn't do much to write home about.  His quote with Barber, "Believe a player can come back from an injury" wasn't exactly newsworthy since some little guy named Adrian Peterson showed the world that last year.

Week 1 NFL Picks

The first picks of the season are the hardest, especially for someone who ignores preseason.  Yahoo keeps my history of picks since I started playing this pool (and the one with my friend Kelly) and in checking back over my stats I'm not bad; 97%, 99%.  Why then aren't I rich?  Maybe it got me a tad cocky.  Either way here they are:

1. Denver over Baltimore - I have to turn in my picks by noon on Wednesdays so don't think I just added this one after the fact.  I usually don't mention my Thursday night picks, but since I started off with a win in my new pick game (pick one team to win; get it right, move on, get it wrong, you're out) by choosing Denver, what the hell?
2. New England over Buffalo - Don't think Tom Brady will lose the opener...especially now that Peyton one upped him.
3. Cincinnati over Chicago - I just feel that the Bengals are going to be the team the Steelers have to watch out for this season.
4. Miami over Cleveland - The Browns have talk circulating on their team, but I'm a firm believer in individuals wanting to prove things.  The Dolphins took former Steelers receiver Mike Wallace and he is just itching to show people he is great.
5. Detroit over Minnesota - This was my one game that I hadn't a clue on.  My buddy says that when in doubt go with the home team, but that didn't even feel right to me, despite my pick.  Adrian Peterson is already talking about being greater then last year, but when you start that thing right off the bat...I don't know.  Karma I guess.
6. Indianapolis over Oakland - Andrew Luck is itching to get back to proving he was worth the loss of Peyton Manning.  The Raiders?  Are they still playing football?
7. New Orleans over Atlanta - I like the Falcons, but the Saints missed too much last year and they will come out with their coach back at the helm on their own turf ready to play some kick ass football.  This might just be the game to watch.
8. New York Jets over Tampa Bay - Whew, the Bucs are taking a beating in the press here locally.  The Jets are taking a beating in the press back in New York.  I think the Bucs players not picking quarterback Josh Freeman as one of their captains doesn't bode well.  If the team isn't behind their leader there will be problems.  I think this overshadows the nonsense in the Jets locker room.
9. Pittsburgh over Tennessee - The Steelers didn't win a preseason game.  Who cares.  They will win when it counts.
10. Seattle over Carolina - I like my Twitter buddy Russ Wilson to come out firing.  Cam Newton?  He's old now, isn't he?
11. Kansas City over Jacksonville - I had the Jags first and then I went back and changed it to the Chiefs.  Just had a feeling and a change of heart.
12. St. Louis over Arizona - Another one of those could be either team games.  I went with the line on this one, but now I'm rethinking it.  Bruce Arians is now at Arizona and he can coach.  Hmmm...guess we shall see just how well.
13. San Franscico over Green Bay - Jim Harbaugh will be one mean SOB if they lose another one and the players know this.
14. Giants over Cowboys - I'm a Manning fan.  Plus, I'm not a Cowboy fan.  
15. Washington over Philadelphia - Trouble during practice for the Eagles.  R.G III wanting to come out and show everyone he is healthy.  
16. Houston over San Diego - Another one that I had to really think about.  Went with the Chargers, but changed it at the last minute.  The Texans still have that team that wins the season but messes up in the series.  The Chargers are starting over.  Going with the veterans.

Are you ready for more football? 2013 season began last night.

Football season is here, despite my not being ready, and boy, did it start with a bang.  The reigning Super Bowl champions jetted into Denver, Colorado on a plane and on a jumbo screen that stirred up quite some controversial feelings, mostly in the hearts of Broncos fans.  The NFL likes to start off the season with as much pom and circumstance as possible, and with the concussion settlement still leaving a bad taste in fans' mouths, they worked hard at making it an over the top celebration.  Early in the week two huge billboard like photos were placed in Sports Authority Field; one of the Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, the other the Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.  Broncos fans were unhappy, what with the fourth quarter beating the Ravens gave them on their way to a Super Bowl ring last season, and they protested the picture being anywhere near their stadium.  Ravens fans didn't care about the whining because they were irritated that the game, which should have been a home one for the Super Bowl champs, but wasn't due to a scheduling conflict with the Baltimore Orioles who share the same stadium, wasn't even in Baltimore.  In the end, it was apparent they should have been paying more attention to what was being erected outside the stadium instead.  A day before the game a billboard promoting marijuana went up telling the NFL to "stop driving players to drink, a safer choice is legal (here)" in an effort to get Roger Goddell to change league policy.  No word yet on whether or not it worked.

The game, however, did kickoff, but not before a delay due to lightning; an annoyance to the players and to those of us not on the west coast that had to get up early the next morning.  The Broncos got their revenge with a 49-27 beating that eliminated several Ravens' streaks and the game itself was a great way to open the season, especially for those of us that aren't fans of the Ravens.

1. Peyton Manning - Love him, love him, love him.  He was 27-42 for 462 yards with 7 touchdowns that tied a record and hadn't been done since 1969.  His hair is thinning, but his wit is still sharp and obviously, so is his arm.  
2. Manning's Interview pregame - Bob Costas interviewed him before the game and asked him if he thought the days of the drop back quarterback were over with the breakout sensations of R.G. III, Russ Wilson, and Colin Kaepernick.  Peyton grinned and said he thought he and his brother, that "guy in New England" would be in trouble if it was over. "I think it's great for the game of football.  It's here to stay, but I do believe there's always a place for the drop-back quarterback."  Then he messed around telling Costas that teams wouldn't be expecting him to just take off and run and maybe that was something the Broncos had up their sleeves. 
3. Manning's Press Conference - It was "just one win.  Last year was last year."
4. Manning's Interview post-game - Sal Paolantonia interviewed Peyton after the game, bringing up his tying of the record set by Joe Capp and Y.A. Tittle, two guys Paolantonia was sure Peyton wouldn't know because it was before his time.  Peyton then surprised Paolantonia by reciting statistics on both quarterbacks.  "Joe Capp, a Canadian out of Cal, number 11.  Y.A. Tittle, a Giant I believe, number 14, LSU grad.  I'm a fan of quarterbacks."  A professor of the game more like it.  The man knows his football, his quarterbacks, and he knows them inside and out.  Just more of the reasons why I have the utmost respect, regard, and love for this man.
5. Wes Welker - He made the drop on the punt, but made up for it with receiving yardage and touchdowns.  "We saw Wes Welker is as good as we thought he was," Manning said after the game.  Yep.  Nothing more motivating then proving the naysayers wrong about trading you eh, boys?

Out of the mouths of my babe

When Madison first began high school Tom wasn't so keen on her "getting involved" right at the start.  

Tom: "She'll have plenty of time to do things. She's just a freshman."

The school is odd in that homecoming is in the first month of school. Our friends' daughter was planning on going and they kept asking if Madison was going.  Tom kept poo pooing any mention of her doing just that, and luckily, it wasn't an issue as she had no interest. 

Fast forward to daughter #2. She began making comments about going to homecoming the second week of school and asked me if she could. I told her I really didn't have a problem with her going, but reminded her of her father's previous reluctance with Madison.  I told her she would have to ask him.  

Which she did last night. 

Darcy: "Hey, Dad? Would you let me go to homecoming by any chance?"

Tom (buying time): "That depends. When is it?"

Darcy: "I don't know. In a couple of weeks. I know you didn't let Maddy go so I'm assuming you're going to say no to me too."

Tom: "Not necessarily."

Darcy: "Is that a yes then? Can I go?"

Tom (smiling like a fox): "As long as you can pay for it I'm good." 

Darcy: "Great! I'll have my boyfriend buy the ticket!"

She is no match for him. 

Getting a jump on Christmas shopping

This summer while at Robin's house visiting I found a catalog I had never heard of before, and during a down time of lazying on her couch, I went through it and marked all of the things she could buy me.  All of the millions of Pittsburgh Steelers stuff they had in that thing!

In the beginning of my perusing I found it to be a lot like Lillian Vernon with odds and ends of cool stuff that was inexpensive and probably cheaply made.  But then I found that the catalog was full of NFL goodies that I didn't own, like a Steelers piggy bank, nightgown, and slipper socks.  Things I could use, you know?  Then as I marked those pages I found other great things that I needed like solar garden lights and a snowman bird feeder.  Cool items that you don't find every day.  Suddenly that catalog began springing up in my conversations with people.  Someone was telling us a story about having to adjust to her newlywed's cat hair all over her couch.

"You need to get his catalog.  It has a quilted furniture cover for pets in it that doesn't cover the complete couch and is easy to remove."
I wondered if my SIS had this catalog in her collection by the toilet in her downstairs bathroom.  I rarely have catalogs at my house and never have time to go through them, but when on vacation I enjoy going through the basket of the ones in her bathroom.  Turns out she didn't have it and had never heard of it before. Then one day we met up with a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in twenty years.  We went to her house and she showed us around and my SIS commented on a wall ornament that she liked and was looking for for her home.  My friend whipped out this catalog, a different season then the one at Robin's house, and gave it to her since that is where she had ordered the wall ornament. 

I went through the catalog when we got home, marking pages for my SIS for things to buy me, and low and behold they had different Pittsburgh Steelers items!  I immediately got online and ordered us up a catalog to be sent to our homes.  It arrived a couple of weeks ago and while my SIS wasn't so thrilled with this catalog, I have had no trouble picking out the must have items I need.

Can you imagine how decorative my kitchen will be with this dishwasher magnet art?  No more wrapping my refrigerator in Christmas wrapping paper!

When I redid my living rooms walls I was desperate to find something like this.  Instead I had to buy regular frames and had to pick out only certain artwork to frame.  Yes, I know my girls don't have artwork any more to display, but I've kept all that crap work and it could be displayed now.

Darcy has something like this that she bought at Claries, but it doesn't have a strap and isn't big enough to stuff all of my money into.  This one, however, I think would work just fine for those trips to and from school activities when a big purse is just too much.

That doesn't even include all the Steelers stuff I found in the catalog that I need like the IDock System and the casserole cover and carry case.  I think I'll do what Kelly did one year when she purchased everyone a gift from things she saw on television.  This year I'll order everyone something from the Lakeside Catalog!

Reflection time

So, August has come and gone as quickly as the rest of the summer months and now September is here, and omg in four months we will have Christmas and another year will start all over and summer will be back before I know it.  The past two weeks have flown by with the start of school and all it brings with i,t and so I thought I would take some time to reflect on things that I might have contemplated on these past two weeks.

• 5:30 AM wake up times suck.  It is dark that early in the morning and my eyes are still glued tight from the sandman's visit because obviously I am one of his last stops for the morning.  The girls have done well with it, however, something I should be and am grateful for.  They have managed to get out to the breakfast table to consume a mama-made meal and still have time to brush their teeth before heading to the bus....in the dark.
• The world is not organized.  We hit a snag the day of freshman orientation where we discovered that the swim team, something Darcy wanted to join, had started practices two weeks prior.  The coach had no problem with Darcy jumping in, but I did.  Why weren't we sent anything?  I questioned the coach, but her answer that she had turned in something to the office, only annoyed me more.  Two days later I'm annoyed because Madison's schedule is screwed up and the front office had known this prior to the last school year ending.  Did anyone contact us this summer so that we could take a few days to make an informed decision?  Nope.  Instead we had less then eight hours to decide something that will affect her next two years.  Am I the only one that communicates? 
• My pet peeve is screwy.  I hate when I come to a four way stop and someone ushers me through with a wave of his hand.  YEAH, BUDDY, WELL IT WAS MY TURN ANYHOW.  Even if it isn't my turn I'm annoyed.  SERIOUSLY?  IT'S YOUR TURN, NOT MINE.  GO YOURSELF!  I came to a four way stop this past week on the way to my mother's.  Traffic heading north and south must stop in front of our bike trails.  Traffic on the trail must stop too.  I stopped and then waited for a stopped walker to make her way through.  Instead she gave me the wave to go.  She gave it to me in sort of an annoyance wave like how dare a car make her wait and shave off minutes from her walking time.  Which annoyed me.  I WAS LETTING YOU GO.  WHAT?  YOU THINK I'M WAITING FOR YOU TO GO SO I CAN HIT YOU?  That's when I figured out my pet peeve might have more to do with the "waving" portion then the taking turns part of a four way stop.  And then if that is the case, what is with that?  Problems of authority?
• I miss swimming.  I've had some issues with numbness in my right leg the last two weeks which, after ruling out all of the horrible conditions I read about on the Internet, is most certainly a result of my DDD back problem.  I thought about exercises and which ones might work for me and then I thought I should swim laps.  I had to quite swimming some time ago due to neck problems, but perhaps I should try again. Then I went to watch Darcy at her first high school swim meet and realized I just plain miss it.  Also, her team could use my expertise, not to mention my organizational skills.
•  Stores are outdated.  My day starts at 5:30 as I've mentioned before and will mention quite often, and my girls are out of the house by 6:20.  That means that I'm ready to get my day started, yet I can't run errands or grocery shop because nothing is open.  And nothing is open until two hours after that!  Two hours.  Two whole hours that I could be taking care of business.  This is the new age, people.  Life is happening earlier and earlier now and stores have got to get with it.  So that I can get things done and take a nap.
• Resolutions aren't for summer.  I was gone.  I couldn't get them done while I was away from home.   Totally impossible. 
• My girls make me proud.  Okay, that is not something new for me, but so far in these two weeks they have surpassed my expectations.  Having Darcy with her now has made Madison more willing to climb out of bed in the morning.  Having Madison with her now has made Darcy more willing to jump into her school work.  Madison is filling out forms and making calls to volunteer for her CAS hours.  Darcy is juggling daily swim practices, meets, and school work.  They are just growing up so fast.