[Scene: a darkened, colonial-influenced tavern with the look and feel of 1960’s vintage sylings.  A lone spotlight illuminates a single speaker sitting on a stool in space created by moving cocktail tables to the side.]

It’s that time of year again – Festivus – where we air our grievances and display our feats of strength.  It is a time for sharing: sharing our grievances, specifically.  Well, the feats of strength, too, but I’m a big fan of airing grievances. 

2011 has been wonderful fodder for these grievances, personified by my friend Siri.  We can’t get along at all, yet I find I take her with me everywhere.  Welcome to the annual Festivus celebration at Mo’s Tavern, and allow me to introduce my co-host, Siri.  Welcome Siri. 

“I’m not sure what you said.”

Of course not.  In the absence of official fan polling on the airing of grievances, Siri and I will compile some of the worst, in our opinion, 2011 had to offer.  Siri, what do you think was the biggest disappointment of 2011?

“It doesn’t really matter what I think.”  Well, it kind of does – we’re, like, putting a show together here.  You don’t really give me many answers, Siri.

“Ok, one of these places matching “Answers” isn’t far from you:

Morrison Funeral Home – 8.3 miles

Jesus is the Answer Ministry – 33 miles

Christ is the Answer – 30 miles

Answer is Fitness – 35 miles.”

Although I am curious about the logic behind providing a funeral home as an “answer,” in the interest of speeding this along, I think I’ll just talk about some of my grievances.

Now, I’m pretty transparent about my sports, so it’s not hard to imagine what my #1 grievance would be about…unless you’re Siri.  Case in point, Siri, what would be my number one disappointment of the year? “I don’t know what you mean by [that]”  Of course you don’t.  “Sorry, I don’t understand, ‘Of course you don’t’”  My biggest disappointment was the 2011 Red Sox.  “I don’t understand.”  Allow me to explain.

This was a team that was by most accounts destined to return to the World Series.  Remove the first and last months of the season, and they were the best team in baseball going away.  Individual contributors waxed and waned, but as a group, for most of the season, this team was living up to the hype.  BUT, there was this pesky little concept hanging out there called “finishing.”  When you just barely need two hands with which to count wins for the month of September, there’s a big problem.  Losing game 162, put the finishing touches on a season of discontent.  In the intervening time, we’ve seen the manager part ways with the team amid what could only be considered character assassination attempts, the General Manager who with said manager brought 2 World Series to the team bolted to the Cubs for an apparently as of yet undecided compensation back to the Sox, and the closer bolt to the Phillies apparently without so much as talking to the team.  Maybe Jose Canseco is available to close.  “I don’t understand ‘Maybe Jose Canseco is available to close’.” 

That’s probably the first intelligent thing you’ve said to me.  “I don’t understand.”

You know what I don’t understand, Siri?  I don’t understand how a group of adults can consistently fail to do the right thing by children.  I don’t understand how a grown man can say he saw another adult molesting a child in the shower and fail to affirmatively do something about it.  Imagine what Penn State would look like right now if one person – just one – had done the right thing.  From the outside it would look very similar to the way it looked 6 months ago, reputation in tact.  Fact is, one way or another and sooner or later the organization will have to do the right thing – it’s just a shame that the adults in the conversation could not see beyond their own perceived self interest to do the right thing.

“I don’t know what you mean.”  I’m talking about Penn State.  “State College, Pennsylvania is 431 miles from you.  Would you like directions?” 

[Throws phone across the floor]  I’m sure Siri isn’t intentionally obtuse, she’s just programmed that way. 

I wish I could generate enough interest to complain about college sports, like the Sooners disappointing season, but I just can’t.  College sports just don’t interest me, never have, but I do appreciate that for a great many the college game is the only game that really matters.  I’m too much of a homer to complain too bitterly about the Phillies’ season ending as it did or the way the Eagles’ season has unfolded, and too much a hater to do anything but giggle my butt off about the Colts season or about the results of LbJ taking his talents to South Beach.  I wish I could say that I have a grievance with the loss of half the NBA season – but I don’t.  Didn’t even know they weren’t playing to be honest. 

What I do have a grievance with is a guy like Ndamukong Suh channeling Albert Haynesworth and stomping on an opponent, on Thanksgiving no less.  What he doesn’t get is that one moment can define a career – it’s the one thing people outside of Detroit will remember about the guy.   Fans of the Lions finally have a bright spot, a reason to watch football every week, and Suh misbehaves his way onto the naughty list.  Dumb.  And if nothing else, Detroit deserves better.   For good measure, I’ll throw Ryan Braun onto the Festivus grievances because he’s clearly a dummy too. 

Feats of strength are not my forte either, really.  I like to find the negative, finding the positive is always so damn cheesy.  “What kind of cheese would you like?”  When you think about it though, sport by its very nature is a ying/yang thing.  For every 16-0 Patriots, there’s a 0-16 Lions; the undefeated Packers lose the same week the winless Colts win.  For every Tim Thomas, there’s a Roberto Luongo.  Just kind of works out like that.

One of the things I have always said has been that as much as I hate the Yankees laundry, I don’t hate the guys wearing it.  It’s for that reason that I can give up a little love for Derek Jeter for his 3,000^th hit.  This is a man who has played the game at a high level with integrity and class for a long time and I couldn’t be happier that such a man reached his milestone.  As for his teammate, Mr Rodriguez, I wouldn’t give him the time of day, but Jeter has demonstrated time and again he is not only a quality player, but a quality person.

In case I hadn’t already mentioned it, I’m a homer.  The Boston Bruins going to a Game 7 in each of their playoff series to beat one of the best goal tenders in the game on his home ice and make him look like an AHL wash out in the process truly has to be one of the years biggest feats of strength.  With that win, the Bruins became the 4^th Boston franchise to win their league’s championship in 6-years, capping off the most amazing 10-year run for the city of Boston and probably in the history of professional sports in this country.  Yeah, so the Bruins get the nod for one of my feats of strength this year.

And the last feat of strength I can dish out really has to be the Packers’ title defense season.  This is a team that got strong and made the plays when it mattered last year and rode that crest to the Super Bowl.  How did they follow it up?  By coming damn close to undefeated.  I don’t know if I buy into the “its good to lose and get the pressure of an undefeated season off your back” business.  I mean, these are players who just want to play.  The media hypes pressure, the fans feel it.  I’m not so sure athletes feel it.  Look it’s a great story line, but I don’t know that the players are all that into story line.  Fact is, that we may have all seen a team come within 1:30 of being undefeated recently – pressure?  I don’t know.  What I do know is that the Packers are the odds on favorite to win the Lombardi trophy again because of the way they’ve defended it this year.

I hope you all enjoy your Festivus, and all those other holidays that may be happening.  Raise your Festivus pole, celebrate your strengths, get those grievances off your chest so they don’t bog you down going forward and have a wonderful rest of the year.  Happy holidays from Steve Grogan, Drew Bledsoe and Tom Brady.

The end of the Sporting News Magazine, Sports announcers promoting TV shows, College teams going here-there-everywhere and more in this edition of Random Thoughts.

Why is it that during a sporting event, the announcer will always plug an upcoming television show for the network, but, you will never see Dan-O ask McGarrett to come over to his house to watch a college football game that will be on CBS this Saturday. What’s with that??? Why  can’t we just watch a sports event without any mention of a television or special that will be airing.

I received my Sporting News last week, and the editors informed readers that the October 10, 2011 magazine will be the last bi-weekly magazine from the company. On November 7^th issue, The Sporting News Magazine will be a monthly publication, with 14 published issues. These issues will generally focus on one seasonal sports preview. Of course, we can always go on-line for quality content. 

Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the ACC. Missouri to the SEC. Houston, UCF, Navy, Air Force, Boise State to the Big East. What is going on here. Then again what is the purpose of the BCS or the NCAA? 

Okay, the Raiders trade for Curry. Then they trade for Carson Palmer. When did the Raiders decide to wake up?? 

I do want to send my condolences to the family of Dan Wheldon. He was a talented racer, who, for some reason or another, could not find anyone to let him drive on a regular basis. 

I must have been the only one watching ESPN2 on Tuesday night, when Florida International University played Arkansas State. Yawn. There was a choice between the football game on ESPN2 and Poker on ESPN. 

Which leads me to this… When did Poker become a sport??? If ESPN was that hard up, why can’t they show Australian Rules Football. Now that’s a sport. 

If you are brought up since childhood to share things 50-50, why is there any disagreements between any team owners and the players.

Can’t believe that MLB has gotten along with its players union for 16 years. MLB and their union never got along, now they are the model in which other league should copy.

Til next time:

Scott

Welcome to this weeks edition of Special K's NFL PREDICTIONS. This week marks the 1st Bye week of the season for the teams. Last week yours truly went 12-4 running my season record to 43-21. I'm off to a great start so far. Here are this weeks picks.

NO 27 @ Car 21 This game on paper really isn't that close. But so far the season has been unpredictable. The Saints offense is to much for the Panthers.

Phi 24 @ Buf 17 The Eagles and Michael ConVick have proven to be marginal with him at QB just like I have always said. The Bills came back down to earth last week, losing to one of the worst teams in the league the Bengals.

Sea 13 @ NYG 28 The Giants are the best team in the NFC East. Eli Manning is very underrated and the Seahawks are one of the leagues worst teams.

Cin 14 @ Jac 20 The Bengals have 2 upset wins so far this season and no one expected that. They should win this game but I'm going with the Jags at home.

KC 13 @ Ind 17 The Chiefs are horrible and the Colts even without the games best QB Peyton Manning should get the win at home.

Ten 13 @ Pit 20 The Titians only offense remains Chris Johnson who had a big week last week against the Browns. My Steelers lost to the Texans and everyone expects them to lose this week. It ain't gonna happen.

AZ 24 @ Min 14 Once Kevin Kolb gets a good grasp on the Cardinls offense, watch out. The Vikings only offense remains Adrian Peterson. They have one the games most overrated QB's of all-time in Donovan McChoke.

Oak 17 @ Hou 28 The Raiders came back to earth last week against Bill Belicheat and the Pats. Houston dominated the Steelers but lost Andre Johnson. Arian Foster had a huge week and should this week as well.

TB 24 @ SF 20 The Bucs are a very physical football team. The Niners upset Michael ConVick and the Eagles which really wasn't a big surprise.

NYJ 21 @ NE 24 The Jets are a very average football team. They have a solid defense, but without a elite QB or RB they can be beaten easily. Bill Belicheat and the Pats have no running game and a soft defene. This game could go either way. Belicheat really needs Daddy Parcells to come back and rebuild the team for him very soon.

SD 27 @ Den 20 The Chargers just keep rolling along despite head coach Norv Turner. The Broncos hired their 2nd straight horrible head coach, John Fox. Take the Chargers who just the better team.

GB 35 @ Atl 28 The Packers are on a roll. I would love to see the Falcons get the upset but I just don't think it is gonna happen.

Chi 13 @ Det 28 The only thing I can say about the Bears is that Matt Forte is pretty tough. The Lions with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are hard to beat right now.

Have a great wekend everybody..

Special K
 

Wow yours truly has had one very hot and busy 2 months with to much OT. I haven't had time to make any posts much less time for anything else. I'm on a well deserved vacation and will be back with NASCAR and NFL blogs. America's fan's favorite and NO 1 sport is finally back in action this week. The NFL season kicks off with the Saints and Packers.

NO 34 @ GB 28 The Saints with Pro Bowl QB Drew Brees head into Lambeau to take on the Packers and Pro Bowl QB Aaron Rodgers. Argueably these are the best two teams in as usual very weak NFC. Both teams have high powered offense's and the Packers defense is very good. With that said I'm taking the Saints to upset the Packers at home. This game is a toss up and could go either way between playoff caliber teams.

Have a great week everybody and I'll be back with the rest of the predictions later in the week.

Special K

  Okay, so here's the deal...This week's post may not have much to do with the sports...Instead, I'm going to take a swing at the weather, and the media...But first, let me get after you West Coasters first...Yeah, you fuck-nuts that go to a 49ers pre-season game packing heat...Shut your fucking mouths!

Last week some dopes from California were trashing the East Coast, because of their reaction to a 5.9 earthquake...We get it cum-dumpsters, you can take a little shaking...But those East Coast people aren't use to it, so relax...You know what...I hope Mother Nature gives California a nice Christmas present...I hope this year she hits your asses with a Syracuse style Winter...You know, 15 degrees, before you factor in the wind chill...And about 30 inches of snow dumped on you in a day! Fucking arrogant assholes, then you'd be begging for a quake!

Now, East Coasters...Yes, you got blasted by a Hurricane...Boy the hyped the shit out of Irene, and by the time she hit land she was only a category 1, but it was too late...The media monsters invested too much into her, so they had to keep pushing the non-stop coverage...Love the report, showing some shingles blowing off of a waterfront motel...NOT SHOCKING!

Then there was the first death...It's very sad about the loss of life because of Irene...Except the first fatality...Of course it was an idiot, fucking surfer! Listen, you go riding waves in a Hurricane, you better expect to die fuck-tard!

But the big thing was the non-stop hype about Irene heading for New York City...Pick any news outlet, they all act like NYC is the center of the universe...I get that it's theirs, but it ain't mine...The center of my universe is between my wife's legs!

As the forecasts kept coming in, you could see it wasn't going to crush New York City, but that wasn't stopping the machine...A late night/early morning headline read: "New York City Prepares for Irene's Worst" ....Hey you fucking dummies, New York isn't getting Irene's worst...Bitch left her worst south...Ask The Outer Banks and Virginia about Irene's worst you fucking children!

And then Irene blew by NYC...Roughing up Queens and Coney Island a bit...But no epic scene like some shit from "The Day After Tomorrow"...You arrogant Nancie's got some wind and rain, and acted like it was the end of days...Christ, Albany got hit harder with the storm then you did! And then the storm was onto New England, and slowly, one by one, the media outlets started dropping their storm coverage, and went back to their traditional, meaningless and often shitty programming...And all I really wanted to see was Al Roker get washed away!

Moving on to other meaningless bullshit...The MTV Video Music Awards was Sunday night...I didn't watch, so I have no details...But I have to ask...Why do the still have VMA's when they don't even show videos anymore!?!

So now, just a quick bit of sports...High School Football season has started, and now the Football has kicked in...Except for my local high school team, which got throttled 64-14 in their opener Friday night...OUCH!

Then there was the BIG Jim Thome Homecoming weekend...I wrote about Thome coming back, last week...For some reason MY_VIEW isn't popular in this town...In a city where the economy has kicked people in the ass, all the sudden these dopes have plenty of money to buy brand new Thome gear...Unreal...

Oh, and it was so sweet that some PR douche told all the players to wear high socks for Friday's big return of Thome...Great job going 0-4 Jim...Then Saturday, they all went nuts, because he hit a Home run...Completely over-shadowing Asdrubal Cabrera's 3 run, game winning, home run...Who cares that Cabrera won us another game, Thome got a dinger! Fuck you...Fuck you twice, because they gave him Sunday off...Oh, the poor, DH can't play three games in a row...It's so hard riding the pine, waiting to do one of two things...HR or Strikeout!

Fuck Cleveland....Relax...Have some self respect...The guy exactly the same thing that LeBron James did (minus the big tv show) and none of you gave a shit...You just swung from his nuts! C-town, stop rooting for the players, and start rooting for the teams...

That's it for now...Have a week...

Later, The Beeze.