NFL Week 10 Picks: Rushed Edition
M.D. Wright
11.6.08
11:19 PM
I promise you, I meant to do this earlier, and forgot there was a Thursday game until DK reminded me as he posted his picks earlier.
And I promise ANYONE who doesn't trust me, regardless of what happens in the CLE/DEN game, I was picking CLE all the way. It is 11:19 PM as I type this.
Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns Stadium
Cleveland, Ohio
I think the Browns are scratching and clawing for a boost. Putting Quinn in reeks of desperation for Romeo Crennel. It could backfire, or Quinn could play well. I honestly thought he'd be in the middle, but what do I know? I figured the game would be loosey-goosey and high scoring. I had Cleveland picked in the beginning.
Call:
Denver 41
Cleveland 43
---
The rest of the picks coming tomorrow.
As politically incorrect as I wanna be.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
What Is Obedience, Anyway?
What Is Obedience, Anyway?
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated into English as obedience means "to hear." The New Testament agrees with this, and gets more detailed. The Greek word means "to hear or listen in a state of submission" or "attentive hearkening." Another use of the same word means "to trust."
Obedience
All believers know that obedience is part of the Christian experience. God expects His people to obey Him. We have several reminders of this. There are those two stone tablets made famous in the Charlton Heston movie. There is the picture of God as Father and us as His children. There is the account of Adam and Eve eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
We all realize that God has every right to expect certain behavior of us, and throughout the Bible, He exercises that right. We all realize that there are commandments He has given us which apply to us as a whole. We should love each other. We should all abstain from immoral behavior. We should give. We should not get drunk. We should pray. We are accountable to Him for the way we raise our children.
These and many other truths are universal, applying to everyone. Since we all have a basic understanding of that concept, I am going to skip over it, and focus on one aspect of obedience, that of obeying Him on an individual basis.
Besides those commandments which we should all obey, there are times when He gives us commands on a more personal basis. He may tell an individual that He wants him or her to handle a situation a certain way.
NOTE: This is a good time to interject that when I say tell or speak, I have never heard an audible voice from God, yet I know there are times when He has impressed upon me that He wants me to do something (or, many times, He wants me NOT to do something). It is a feeling I get inside, and I know it's Him speaking. In the past, He has told me to confess and apologize when I have done something to offend someone. He has told me to pray for a friend. He has told me that He wants me to fast for a particular time period. He has told me to say a certain something to a friend who needed to hear it. I realize this may be new to some readers, and some will be skeptical when they hear someone talk of God speaking to them. I can tell you that it does happen, and when it happens to you, you will know it's Him.
Having said all that, it is important to know that just because we may know it's Him speaking to us on an individual basis, there is no guarantee that we will act in obedience. Jonah is one example. He knew it was God telling him to go to Nineveh to preach; there was no doubt in his mind. He did not say to himself: "Maybe that's not God. Maybe it's just random thoughts popping into my head." Yet he chose to disobey Him.
In that case, God chose to use radical methods to bring Jonah around to His way of thinking, but He doesn't always do that to individuals. However, I can guarantee you that if you know it's Him telling you to do something, you are better off in your own personal circumstances obeying Him. He simply knows better than you and me what lies ahead, and many times He impresses upon us to steer our lives in a particular direction because He knows what's going to happen.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated into English as obedience means "to hear." The New Testament agrees with this, and gets more detailed. The Greek word means "to hear or listen in a state of submission" or "attentive hearkening." Another use of the same word means "to trust."
Obedience
All believers know that obedience is part of the Christian experience. God expects His people to obey Him. We have several reminders of this. There are those two stone tablets made famous in the Charlton Heston movie. There is the picture of God as Father and us as His children. There is the account of Adam and Eve eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
We all realize that God has every right to expect certain behavior of us, and throughout the Bible, He exercises that right. We all realize that there are commandments He has given us which apply to us as a whole. We should love each other. We should all abstain from immoral behavior. We should give. We should not get drunk. We should pray. We are accountable to Him for the way we raise our children.
These and many other truths are universal, applying to everyone. Since we all have a basic understanding of that concept, I am going to skip over it, and focus on one aspect of obedience, that of obeying Him on an individual basis.
Besides those commandments which we should all obey, there are times when He gives us commands on a more personal basis. He may tell an individual that He wants him or her to handle a situation a certain way.
NOTE: This is a good time to interject that when I say tell or speak, I have never heard an audible voice from God, yet I know there are times when He has impressed upon me that He wants me to do something (or, many times, He wants me NOT to do something). It is a feeling I get inside, and I know it's Him speaking. In the past, He has told me to confess and apologize when I have done something to offend someone. He has told me to pray for a friend. He has told me that He wants me to fast for a particular time period. He has told me to say a certain something to a friend who needed to hear it. I realize this may be new to some readers, and some will be skeptical when they hear someone talk of God speaking to them. I can tell you that it does happen, and when it happens to you, you will know it's Him.
Having said all that, it is important to know that just because we may know it's Him speaking to us on an individual basis, there is no guarantee that we will act in obedience. Jonah is one example. He knew it was God telling him to go to Nineveh to preach; there was no doubt in his mind. He did not say to himself: "Maybe that's not God. Maybe it's just random thoughts popping into my head." Yet he chose to disobey Him.
In that case, God chose to use radical methods to bring Jonah around to His way of thinking, but He doesn't always do that to individuals. However, I can guarantee you that if you know it's Him telling you to do something, you are better off in your own personal circumstances obeying Him. He simply knows better than you and me what lies ahead, and many times He impresses upon us to steer our lives in a particular direction because He knows what's going to happen.
He Said-She Said: Letting Go of the Parenting Dream
He Said-She Said: Letting Go of the Parenting Dream
Cliff Young & Laura MacCorkle
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer & Senior Editor
EDITOR’S NOTE: Each He Said-She Said column features a question from a Crosswalk.com reader with responses from a male and female point of view. If you’ve got a question about anything related to singleness, please CLICK HERE to submit (selected questions will be posted anonymously).
QUESTION: How does a single let go of the parenting dream? I am never married and have always wanted to be married. I will soon be 46, so I am letting go of the parenting dream. Those around me won't let me. Is it so wrong to say I can be happy on my own without a child or that my future husband and I (wherever he is) could be happy as just a couple? How do guys feel about this? I know biologically speaking that men have so much longer to make babies. There are no books on this or Web sites with this kind of information. I feel so lost and so alone on this.
HE SAID: The greatest human tragedy is to give up the search. Nothing is of greater importance than the life of our deep heart. To lose heart is to lose everything.
— John Eldredge, The Journey of Desire
I would venture to say most singles have the desire to be married and have a family at some point in their life. My desire started somewhere around the early days of The Brady Bunch. Although I have yet to find my own family drama/comedy, being single hasn’t deterred me from experiencing joy and finding happiness.
It sounds as if you are letting go of more than just your dream of being a parent. You have lost the joy and happiness outside of being a parent.
Is it wrong to say I can be happy on my own without a child?
YES, it is wrong to say, “I can be happy…without a child,” only for the reason you would even ask yourself that question. In case anyone hasn’t discovered the fact that things (including spouses and children) do not make a person happy, they don’t. I have neither had a spouse nor a child, but I have reason to believe that if I am unhappy without them, I would be unhappy with them (and they would not be happy with me).
If having a child made someone happy, why would we have so many children aborted, abused, and abandoned by a parent? If having a child made someone happy, why are there so many marriages (with children) ending in divorce? If having a child made someone happy, why are there so many unhappy and messed up children?
Is it wrong to say that my husband and I could be happy as just a couple?
If the woman I was marrying (or dating) asked, felt, thought or even entertained this notion, I would RUN! If there is any question in your mind that you won’t be happy in your marriage unless you had a child, forget the marriage thing all together. What would marriage be like until you had a child? What if you couldn’t have one? What is marriage for, only to procreate? Nowadays, you don’t even need a man to do that.
If your dream is to be a parent, the only aspect of your parenting dream that may be in jeopardy is the birthing part. Your goal can be reached in a number of different ways.
Adoption is a wonderful option in becoming a parent. There are thousands of children in the United States and around the world who need a loving home and parent. Single parenting presents its own set of challenges, but it is possible to be a great single mom—especially with the support of family and friends.
Foster care may be open to single adults and might be another avenue for reaching your parenting dream.
Organizations that help a young person experience their dream or potential, like Make-a-Wish, Starlight Foundation or Special Olympics are always looking for volunteers. By helping someone reach their dream, you may in fact discover your own.
(Broadly) speaking for men, we do have a longer “shelf life” for fathering a child, yet we have many of the same desires, concerns and fears about getting married and starting a family.
Men have an innate ability to act tough in the face of their own fears, however, there are many (including myself) who wonder if the Lord has called us to be a father someday. Just because we are descendants of Abraham, doesn’t mean we can father children until we are 100 years old.
You may have put yourself out into the world, joined activities at your church, pursued opportunities with people, registered with an online dating service, gone out on blind dates, but haven’t moved any closer to your dream. Don’t lose hope.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).
We can all attest to how hope deferred has made our hearts sick in one way or another. Don’t allow it to dictate how you live your life. Seeking happiness through something on earth is fleeting. Nothing can give you the joy (and peace) that comes through your relationship with Jesus. He promises us more than we could dream or desire and that will be our tree of life.
(God) has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ…. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:3, 18-19).
You are blessed to have friends around you who “won’t let you” give up your parenting dream. Keep giving your dream over to the Lord and let Him take care of the rest.
There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.
— Saint Thomas Aquinas
SHE SAID: “Letting go” of dreams … well, it’s hard to do. We all have different desires in our hearts. Some are of our own making, and some (I believe) have been given to us by the Lord.
The Bible does not prescribe a specific timeline for when you are to “let go” of dreams. We are merely instructed to trust the Lord and to follow the path that he lays out for our lives.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
But before the path is straightened out and while it is still crooked and we can’t see what’s up ahead … that’s when it’s hard to trust. And that’s when we can get frustrated and wonder if we’ll ever reach the realization of a particular dream.
You have had a dream to be a parent, but now you are “letting go.” And meanwhile, your friends don’t want you to do this. That can be a difficult place to be as I’m sure they only want the best for you, and in their minds you shouldn’t abandon a dream (most likely a God-given dream!) that you have long held. But maybe that’s not what’s really going on here. Maybe you aren’t really giving up on the parenting dream, and maybe the Lord is impressing upon you to just reposition it for now.
A couple of years ago, the Lord asked me to set aside a particular dream of mine because I had made it an idol in my life. Not only was I clutching it very protectively, but I was worshipping it—living, breathing and non-stop journaling about it! It was getting in the way of my spiritual growth, and so he was asking me to give it back to him.
You know, when Abraham was asked to lay down his beloved son Isaac (his long-awaited dream!) on the altar as a sacrifice, God did not ask him to stop loving his son. No, God was merely testing him and asking Abraham to be obedient—to have faith and to follow his instructions for his life (Genesis 22). Did Abraham want to obey God more than he wanted to cling to his precious child? Amazingly, yes. And he did it without hesitation. Abraham still loved his son (that didn't change!), but he gave back to God what God had given to him.
Well, it took me about six months before I would finally let go of my dream. I agonized and cried and probably figuratively kicked my feet like a little child. This was MY dream, and I had become obsessed with reaching it because it was what I desired for my life.
But after a time in the depths of despair, I realized that I would never be happy and fulfilled unless I gave this dream to God. When I did, he showed me that I could still have this dream (and that it was from him) but that it had to be repositioned in my life. I could still appreciate it, but it needed to be in the proper place so that the primary desire of my heart would be in line with what God wanted for me.
And that, I think, is the real crux of matter: we must desire to do what God desires us to do.
I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart (Psalm 40.8).
That means obedience. When I obey the Lord, the desire of my heart will naturally fall in line with what his desire is for my life. Sure, it’s easier said than done (how many times have I said that?). But I know that God can change the desires of our hearts to conform to his.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).
It sounds like you may have come to a similar place. Perhaps you have made peace with God regarding not becoming a parent. He has shown you that this is not his plan for your life. And if that is the case, then I believe you will find contentment without having a child (and only God can help you reach this point).
But he also may be asking you to just put your dream to the side for the time being, so that he may open your life to other opportunities or another desire that he wants to place on your heart.
Also, I know plenty of couples who married “later in life,” beyond the childbearing years, and the Lord has blessed their lives—even without children. They are still being used for God’s purposes, as they serve him through the union of marriage.
And then there is always adoption. You could meet the man of your dreams tomorrow, get married and then decide to adopt a child. Or perhaps the Lord will steer your “parenting dream” toward working with children in some capacity (serving in the nursery at church, volunteering in an after-school program, leading a Bible study for young girls, babysitting for your nieces and nephews or friends’ children, etc.).
I know how you feel. Believe me. As you said, you feel “so lost and so alone” right now and are having trouble as you focus on the limited options you see around you. But look up! And keep your focus on what you cannot see as you surrender your heart to the Lord. He has a plan for you (he makes the options possible, so they are limitless!), and he knows the dream you have been carrying.
In his time, I believe he will show you what he wants to do in your life as he works in your heart. Have faith, knowing that trusting and worshipping the Lord comes with a cost as we offer ourselves (and our dreams!) as a sacrifice to him. But know that the Lord WILL provide for you as he sees best.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever (Psalm 145:13b-21).
HE is … Cliff Young, a Crosswalk.com contributing writer and a veteran single of many decades. He has traveled the world in search of fresh experiences, serving opportunities, and the perfect woman (for him) and has found that his investments in God, career and youth ministry have paid off in priceless dividends.
SHE is … Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com’s Senior Entertainment Editor. She loves God, her family and and her friends. Singleness has taught her patience, deepened her walk with the Lord and afforded her countless (who’s counting anyway?) opportunities to whip up an amazing three-course meal for one.
DISCLAIMER: We are not trained psychologists or licensed professionals. We’re just average folk who understand what it’s like to live the solo life in the 21st century. We believe that the Bible is our go-to guide for answers to all of life’s questions, and it’s where we’ll go for guidance when responding to your questions.
GOT A QUESTION? If you’ve got a question about anything related to living the single life, PLEASE SUBMIT HERE (selected questions will be posted anonymously). While we are unable to answer every inquiry, we do hope that He Said-She Said will be an encouragement to you.
**This column first published on November 6, 2008.
Cliff Young & Laura MacCorkle
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer & Senior Editor
EDITOR’S NOTE: Each He Said-She Said column features a question from a Crosswalk.com reader with responses from a male and female point of view. If you’ve got a question about anything related to singleness, please CLICK HERE to submit (selected questions will be posted anonymously).
QUESTION: How does a single let go of the parenting dream? I am never married and have always wanted to be married. I will soon be 46, so I am letting go of the parenting dream. Those around me won't let me. Is it so wrong to say I can be happy on my own without a child or that my future husband and I (wherever he is) could be happy as just a couple? How do guys feel about this? I know biologically speaking that men have so much longer to make babies. There are no books on this or Web sites with this kind of information. I feel so lost and so alone on this.
HE SAID: The greatest human tragedy is to give up the search. Nothing is of greater importance than the life of our deep heart. To lose heart is to lose everything.
— John Eldredge, The Journey of Desire
I would venture to say most singles have the desire to be married and have a family at some point in their life. My desire started somewhere around the early days of The Brady Bunch. Although I have yet to find my own family drama/comedy, being single hasn’t deterred me from experiencing joy and finding happiness.
It sounds as if you are letting go of more than just your dream of being a parent. You have lost the joy and happiness outside of being a parent.
Is it wrong to say I can be happy on my own without a child?
YES, it is wrong to say, “I can be happy…without a child,” only for the reason you would even ask yourself that question. In case anyone hasn’t discovered the fact that things (including spouses and children) do not make a person happy, they don’t. I have neither had a spouse nor a child, but I have reason to believe that if I am unhappy without them, I would be unhappy with them (and they would not be happy with me).
If having a child made someone happy, why would we have so many children aborted, abused, and abandoned by a parent? If having a child made someone happy, why are there so many marriages (with children) ending in divorce? If having a child made someone happy, why are there so many unhappy and messed up children?
Is it wrong to say that my husband and I could be happy as just a couple?
If the woman I was marrying (or dating) asked, felt, thought or even entertained this notion, I would RUN! If there is any question in your mind that you won’t be happy in your marriage unless you had a child, forget the marriage thing all together. What would marriage be like until you had a child? What if you couldn’t have one? What is marriage for, only to procreate? Nowadays, you don’t even need a man to do that.
If your dream is to be a parent, the only aspect of your parenting dream that may be in jeopardy is the birthing part. Your goal can be reached in a number of different ways.
Adoption is a wonderful option in becoming a parent. There are thousands of children in the United States and around the world who need a loving home and parent. Single parenting presents its own set of challenges, but it is possible to be a great single mom—especially with the support of family and friends.
Foster care may be open to single adults and might be another avenue for reaching your parenting dream.
Organizations that help a young person experience their dream or potential, like Make-a-Wish, Starlight Foundation or Special Olympics are always looking for volunteers. By helping someone reach their dream, you may in fact discover your own.
(Broadly) speaking for men, we do have a longer “shelf life” for fathering a child, yet we have many of the same desires, concerns and fears about getting married and starting a family.
Men have an innate ability to act tough in the face of their own fears, however, there are many (including myself) who wonder if the Lord has called us to be a father someday. Just because we are descendants of Abraham, doesn’t mean we can father children until we are 100 years old.
You may have put yourself out into the world, joined activities at your church, pursued opportunities with people, registered with an online dating service, gone out on blind dates, but haven’t moved any closer to your dream. Don’t lose hope.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).
We can all attest to how hope deferred has made our hearts sick in one way or another. Don’t allow it to dictate how you live your life. Seeking happiness through something on earth is fleeting. Nothing can give you the joy (and peace) that comes through your relationship with Jesus. He promises us more than we could dream or desire and that will be our tree of life.
(God) has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ…. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:3, 18-19).
You are blessed to have friends around you who “won’t let you” give up your parenting dream. Keep giving your dream over to the Lord and let Him take care of the rest.
There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.
— Saint Thomas Aquinas
SHE SAID: “Letting go” of dreams … well, it’s hard to do. We all have different desires in our hearts. Some are of our own making, and some (I believe) have been given to us by the Lord.
The Bible does not prescribe a specific timeline for when you are to “let go” of dreams. We are merely instructed to trust the Lord and to follow the path that he lays out for our lives.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
But before the path is straightened out and while it is still crooked and we can’t see what’s up ahead … that’s when it’s hard to trust. And that’s when we can get frustrated and wonder if we’ll ever reach the realization of a particular dream.
You have had a dream to be a parent, but now you are “letting go.” And meanwhile, your friends don’t want you to do this. That can be a difficult place to be as I’m sure they only want the best for you, and in their minds you shouldn’t abandon a dream (most likely a God-given dream!) that you have long held. But maybe that’s not what’s really going on here. Maybe you aren’t really giving up on the parenting dream, and maybe the Lord is impressing upon you to just reposition it for now.
A couple of years ago, the Lord asked me to set aside a particular dream of mine because I had made it an idol in my life. Not only was I clutching it very protectively, but I was worshipping it—living, breathing and non-stop journaling about it! It was getting in the way of my spiritual growth, and so he was asking me to give it back to him.
You know, when Abraham was asked to lay down his beloved son Isaac (his long-awaited dream!) on the altar as a sacrifice, God did not ask him to stop loving his son. No, God was merely testing him and asking Abraham to be obedient—to have faith and to follow his instructions for his life (Genesis 22). Did Abraham want to obey God more than he wanted to cling to his precious child? Amazingly, yes. And he did it without hesitation. Abraham still loved his son (that didn't change!), but he gave back to God what God had given to him.
Well, it took me about six months before I would finally let go of my dream. I agonized and cried and probably figuratively kicked my feet like a little child. This was MY dream, and I had become obsessed with reaching it because it was what I desired for my life.
But after a time in the depths of despair, I realized that I would never be happy and fulfilled unless I gave this dream to God. When I did, he showed me that I could still have this dream (and that it was from him) but that it had to be repositioned in my life. I could still appreciate it, but it needed to be in the proper place so that the primary desire of my heart would be in line with what God wanted for me.
And that, I think, is the real crux of matter: we must desire to do what God desires us to do.
I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart (Psalm 40.8).
That means obedience. When I obey the Lord, the desire of my heart will naturally fall in line with what his desire is for my life. Sure, it’s easier said than done (how many times have I said that?). But I know that God can change the desires of our hearts to conform to his.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).
It sounds like you may have come to a similar place. Perhaps you have made peace with God regarding not becoming a parent. He has shown you that this is not his plan for your life. And if that is the case, then I believe you will find contentment without having a child (and only God can help you reach this point).
But he also may be asking you to just put your dream to the side for the time being, so that he may open your life to other opportunities or another desire that he wants to place on your heart.
Also, I know plenty of couples who married “later in life,” beyond the childbearing years, and the Lord has blessed their lives—even without children. They are still being used for God’s purposes, as they serve him through the union of marriage.
And then there is always adoption. You could meet the man of your dreams tomorrow, get married and then decide to adopt a child. Or perhaps the Lord will steer your “parenting dream” toward working with children in some capacity (serving in the nursery at church, volunteering in an after-school program, leading a Bible study for young girls, babysitting for your nieces and nephews or friends’ children, etc.).
I know how you feel. Believe me. As you said, you feel “so lost and so alone” right now and are having trouble as you focus on the limited options you see around you. But look up! And keep your focus on what you cannot see as you surrender your heart to the Lord. He has a plan for you (he makes the options possible, so they are limitless!), and he knows the dream you have been carrying.
In his time, I believe he will show you what he wants to do in your life as he works in your heart. Have faith, knowing that trusting and worshipping the Lord comes with a cost as we offer ourselves (and our dreams!) as a sacrifice to him. But know that the Lord WILL provide for you as he sees best.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever (Psalm 145:13b-21).
HE is … Cliff Young, a Crosswalk.com contributing writer and a veteran single of many decades. He has traveled the world in search of fresh experiences, serving opportunities, and the perfect woman (for him) and has found that his investments in God, career and youth ministry have paid off in priceless dividends.
SHE is … Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com’s Senior Entertainment Editor. She loves God, her family and and her friends. Singleness has taught her patience, deepened her walk with the Lord and afforded her countless (who’s counting anyway?) opportunities to whip up an amazing three-course meal for one.
DISCLAIMER: We are not trained psychologists or licensed professionals. We’re just average folk who understand what it’s like to live the solo life in the 21st century. We believe that the Bible is our go-to guide for answers to all of life’s questions, and it’s where we’ll go for guidance when responding to your questions.
GOT A QUESTION? If you’ve got a question about anything related to living the single life, PLEASE SUBMIT HERE (selected questions will be posted anonymously). While we are unable to answer every inquiry, we do hope that He Said-She Said will be an encouragement to you.
**This column first published on November 6, 2008.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
How Important Is Obedience To God?
How Important Is Obedience To God?
Exodus 4:24-26:
How important is obedience to the will of God? Here is an illustration from the life of Moses that should answer that question. While Moses and his family were on their way to Egypt, they stopped in an inn for rest. There the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him, because he had refused to obey that which he knew God required of him.
God required Moses to circumcise his son, but he had not done so. Moses knew what God required of him. It should have been done eight days after the boy was born. Moses had not obeyed God’s will. Maybe he was waiting until the boy was older. Maybe he had neglected his responsibility in deference to his wife Zipporah, choosing to please her rather than obey God. Maybe he just looked upon God’s command as a trivial, unimportant matter and neglected it. We are not told why he was disobedient, only that he was.
Because of Moses’ disobedience God sought to kill him. God crossed Moses’ path in the inn and demanded obedience. How he confronted him we are not told. These things are however clear:-
1) God made it known to Moses and his wife that he was determined that either Moses would obey him or he would kill him.
2) The specific matter of disobedience was the circumcision of his son.
3) Moses had to make a choice on the spot between his will and God’s will. In other words, God said to Moses, you are going to make a decision right now. You will either surrender everything to my rule, even your wife and son, or you will die.
Once Zipporah had circumcised their son, the Lord let Moses go. God will never accept partial surrender, or partial obedience. He requires absolute and universal surrender. Moses was willing to face Pharaoh at God’s command; but he was not willing to circumcise his son! The Lord would not tolerate such an attitude. Moses had to be broken at his point of rebellion.
What is your point of rebellion? Whatever you know to be God’s will to which you are yet disobedient is your point of rebellion; and that is the point at which you must surrender to Christ. You will never find peace with God until you surrender to Christ. Whatever the issue is between you and God, settle it quickly. If you refuse to do so, the Lord will slay you!
Exodus 4:24-26:
How important is obedience to the will of God? Here is an illustration from the life of Moses that should answer that question. While Moses and his family were on their way to Egypt, they stopped in an inn for rest. There the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him, because he had refused to obey that which he knew God required of him.
God required Moses to circumcise his son, but he had not done so. Moses knew what God required of him. It should have been done eight days after the boy was born. Moses had not obeyed God’s will. Maybe he was waiting until the boy was older. Maybe he had neglected his responsibility in deference to his wife Zipporah, choosing to please her rather than obey God. Maybe he just looked upon God’s command as a trivial, unimportant matter and neglected it. We are not told why he was disobedient, only that he was.
Because of Moses’ disobedience God sought to kill him. God crossed Moses’ path in the inn and demanded obedience. How he confronted him we are not told. These things are however clear:-
1) God made it known to Moses and his wife that he was determined that either Moses would obey him or he would kill him.
2) The specific matter of disobedience was the circumcision of his son.
3) Moses had to make a choice on the spot between his will and God’s will. In other words, God said to Moses, you are going to make a decision right now. You will either surrender everything to my rule, even your wife and son, or you will die.
Once Zipporah had circumcised their son, the Lord let Moses go. God will never accept partial surrender, or partial obedience. He requires absolute and universal surrender. Moses was willing to face Pharaoh at God’s command; but he was not willing to circumcise his son! The Lord would not tolerate such an attitude. Moses had to be broken at his point of rebellion.
What is your point of rebellion? Whatever you know to be God’s will to which you are yet disobedient is your point of rebellion; and that is the point at which you must surrender to Christ. You will never find peace with God until you surrender to Christ. Whatever the issue is between you and God, settle it quickly. If you refuse to do so, the Lord will slay you!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
A Little Blurb About Election '08
A Little Blurb About Election '08
M.D. Wright
11.4.08
I will keep this short, as I have studying to do and some other blogs to post before the end of this week. However, this historic event warrants a few thoughtful words on my part.
As an Independent who is not beholden to either party, I am not given to the pot shots and labeling that many of the people who grundgingly cling to their party affiliations are wont to resorting to. My wallet was and always is going to be my main concern when it comes to who the President. Everything else is up for grabs and I will adjust accordingly.
Having said that, as a Black man, I am happy to see Sen. Barack Obama become President-Elect of the United States, here on November 4, 2008. I have been truly following politics since I was five years old (my mother took me with her as she went out to hear Jesse Jackson and his supporters speak as he ran for President in 1984) and I have been politically inclined ever since. I followed the 1988 Election, which was much like this one, but everyone knew Jackson would not win.
THIS TIME, however, the anticipation built steadily throughout March and April... throughout the summer and again in the past couple of weeks when reality set in: Barack Obama was going to be elected the next President of the United States.
I think this campaign showed both how far we have come as a nation, but also how divided we still are, how racist MANY people still are (and swept it under the rug, hoping they'd never have to truly address it) and where peoples' minds and hearts really were. Everyone had an opinion. That was not the case in 1984, 1988, 1992 (although that election felt similar to 2008) and there was definitely a general feeling of apathy in 2000 and 2004.
As I watched John McCain's concession speech, I have to give him shouts for taking the high road and being gracious in defeat, not giving himself over to taunts and low blows. He was sincere. HOWEVER, as a lot of his supporters both at his speaking locale and here locally in North Carolina and elsewhere demonstrated, there are a LOT of hateful people out here. And I mean White people who hate Black people for no reason other than the fact they are Black.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. And regardless of what you believe about party lines and what have you, McCain WILL uphold his word to "reach across the aisle" and work with Obama and the Dems to get this nation back on track. As far as the Body of Christ goes, we HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. The two sticking points I have with Barack Obama are two of the main contigents for his being elected: 1) Homosexuals/Gay Rights Activists and Supporters and 2) Pro-Choice Abortionists. Personally, I don't anoint the President as Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord. The Church should be attacking these issues, instead of being scared to even mention them, because sex is STILL SO FRIGGIN' TABOO in the Church. Isn't it obvious that the things we REFUSE to deal with in the Church are the things that come back to bite us in the tail in the end...? Isn't that ALWAYS the case...? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?
As for President Obama, I am happy for him, and I am happy as a Black man to have witnessed this IN MY YOUTH, and not crusty, old and bent over (no homo).
I think we're going to be alright, despite what senseless, no-matter-what-I'm-going-to-support-Republicans-just-because meatheads who think that if you do not fit into their Cookie Cutter image of America then you're wrong and they must change and control you. I think that is what turned me off from the Republican Party (2002-2007) and what has a lot of Democrats and especially Blacks and Latinos who DID NOT GROW UP LIKE WHITE PEOPLE and are naturally different, turned off to them as well. People need to realize that we are all different and have different gifts, talents, skills and perspectives. Just because we do not all agree that there is one way to skin a cat does not mean that the person who DISAGREES with you is WRONG. Democrats seem to have a lesser problem with this than Republicans. Think about it.
I want Republicans and Ultra-Conservatives/Bigots/Racists to take a LONG look at themselves and see the hatred and hypocrisy trail that they have left for everyone to see over the past nine months or so.
M.D. Wright
11.4.08
I will keep this short, as I have studying to do and some other blogs to post before the end of this week. However, this historic event warrants a few thoughtful words on my part.
As an Independent who is not beholden to either party, I am not given to the pot shots and labeling that many of the people who grundgingly cling to their party affiliations are wont to resorting to. My wallet was and always is going to be my main concern when it comes to who the President. Everything else is up for grabs and I will adjust accordingly.
Having said that, as a Black man, I am happy to see Sen. Barack Obama become President-Elect of the United States, here on November 4, 2008. I have been truly following politics since I was five years old (my mother took me with her as she went out to hear Jesse Jackson and his supporters speak as he ran for President in 1984) and I have been politically inclined ever since. I followed the 1988 Election, which was much like this one, but everyone knew Jackson would not win.
THIS TIME, however, the anticipation built steadily throughout March and April... throughout the summer and again in the past couple of weeks when reality set in: Barack Obama was going to be elected the next President of the United States.
I think this campaign showed both how far we have come as a nation, but also how divided we still are, how racist MANY people still are (and swept it under the rug, hoping they'd never have to truly address it) and where peoples' minds and hearts really were. Everyone had an opinion. That was not the case in 1984, 1988, 1992 (although that election felt similar to 2008) and there was definitely a general feeling of apathy in 2000 and 2004.
As I watched John McCain's concession speech, I have to give him shouts for taking the high road and being gracious in defeat, not giving himself over to taunts and low blows. He was sincere. HOWEVER, as a lot of his supporters both at his speaking locale and here locally in North Carolina and elsewhere demonstrated, there are a LOT of hateful people out here. And I mean White people who hate Black people for no reason other than the fact they are Black.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. And regardless of what you believe about party lines and what have you, McCain WILL uphold his word to "reach across the aisle" and work with Obama and the Dems to get this nation back on track. As far as the Body of Christ goes, we HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. The two sticking points I have with Barack Obama are two of the main contigents for his being elected: 1) Homosexuals/Gay Rights Activists and Supporters and 2) Pro-Choice Abortionists. Personally, I don't anoint the President as Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord. The Church should be attacking these issues, instead of being scared to even mention them, because sex is STILL SO FRIGGIN' TABOO in the Church. Isn't it obvious that the things we REFUSE to deal with in the Church are the things that come back to bite us in the tail in the end...? Isn't that ALWAYS the case...? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?
As for President Obama, I am happy for him, and I am happy as a Black man to have witnessed this IN MY YOUTH, and not crusty, old and bent over (no homo).
I think we're going to be alright, despite what senseless, no-matter-what-I'm-going-to-support-Republicans-just-because meatheads who think that if you do not fit into their Cookie Cutter image of America then you're wrong and they must change and control you. I think that is what turned me off from the Republican Party (2002-2007) and what has a lot of Democrats and especially Blacks and Latinos who DID NOT GROW UP LIKE WHITE PEOPLE and are naturally different, turned off to them as well. People need to realize that we are all different and have different gifts, talents, skills and perspectives. Just because we do not all agree that there is one way to skin a cat does not mean that the person who DISAGREES with you is WRONG. Democrats seem to have a lesser problem with this than Republicans. Think about it.
I want Republicans and Ultra-Conservatives/Bigots/Racists to take a LONG look at themselves and see the hatred and hypocrisy trail that they have left for everyone to see over the past nine months or so.
My NFL Week 10 Power Rankings - Election Day Edition
My NFL Week 10 Power Rankings - Election Day Edition
M.D. Wright
11.4.08
1. Tennessee Titans.
I'll give them a break, since we have been looking iffy on offense of late (even though we've still scored 85 points against decent defenses in the past three games).
2. New York Football Giants.
The running game cannot be stopped, which is why the Giants will be there in the end, despite Eli Manning's play of late. And despite a secondary which is battered right now.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers.
Look at their injuries. They still find ways to win. Even their starting QB out for half the game last night, they manhandled Washington.
4. Carolina Panthers.
They have looked very suspect in their losses, but they are still 6-2. Look at their next few games...
5. Arizona Cardinals.
Say what you want, but I have said since late last year that their defense is NASTY and my boy Tim Hightower is about to take off as their RB. You already know about their league-best WR trio. Keep Warner upright and they'll win 11.
6. Chicago Bears.
I'm gambling that they will keep up the good play at QB and solid defense (along with Forte's running ability).
7. Baltimore Ravens.
Remember they lost three straight TOUGH games. Now they won three in a row and they look scary.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
They win ugly and lose even uglier. But hey, they are 6-3.
9. Washington Redskins.
They took a few steps back after last night's debacle. Their losses outside of the Giants' opener have been inexplicable.
10. Philadelphia Eagles.
I hate them, but they are finding ways to win with an iffy offense (don't look at their points scored, they're doing it against awful, beat-up teams).
11. Atlanta Falcons.
I'd put them higher, but their defense is shaky outside of Abraham getting sacks (and 2nd in the league at it, BTW) and Brooking's solid play at MLB.
12. New England Patriots.
I hate them, but they are 5-3 for a reason.
13. New York Jets.
Only because they lost to the Patriots in Week 2.
14. Buffalo Bills.
They look flummoxed of late.
15. Dallas Cowboys.
OK, this is their season. They are 5-4. Romo comes back. They face a shaky (lately) Washington team. Make or break for them. Appropriately right here in the middle.
16. Green Bay Packers.
Whiffed on a chance to prove their worth vs. Tennessee.
17. Indianapolis Colts.
I still think they are more like the team that beat Baltimore and New England than the one that blew a chance to get closer to Tennessee in Week 8 and their other losses.
18. New Orleans Saints.
I do not know what to make of them. Big offense. AWFUL defense. They are 4-4 for a reason.
19. San Diego Super Chargers.
I think they are going to go on one of their patented 6-7 game winning streaks to save their season.
20. Miami Dolphins.
I don't feel comfortable putting them any lower nor higher.
21. Denver Broncos.
That defense is going to continue being the death of them.
22. Minnesota Vikings.
Ugly team to watch. But their defense is saving them quite a bit lately.
23. Houston Texans.
I'm sticking with them all year, even if they end up 8-8 and three years off the pace I had them initially (11-5).
24. Jacksonville Jaguars.
They suck. The end.
25. Cleveland Browns.
They made an unnecessary QB change. It might sink their boat, right when they were beginning to play more consistently.
26. St. Louis Rams.
At least they are semi-competitive.
27. San Francisco 49ers.
YIKES...
28. Cincinnati Bengals.
Too bad they waited until halfway through the season to start playing well on offense.
29. Seattle Seahawks.
I almost feel bad for Mike Holmgren. They were slated to win 10-12 games. They might not win 5 now.
30. Kansas City Chiefs.
They are playing with a spark, as if they are playing to win the game.
31. Oakland Raiders.
That game Sunday was an absolute horror show. I do not put them lower because...
32. Detroit Lions.
The Lions are the worst team in the league. THE END.
M.D. Wright
11.4.08
1. Tennessee Titans.
I'll give them a break, since we have been looking iffy on offense of late (even though we've still scored 85 points against decent defenses in the past three games).
2. New York Football Giants.
The running game cannot be stopped, which is why the Giants will be there in the end, despite Eli Manning's play of late. And despite a secondary which is battered right now.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers.
Look at their injuries. They still find ways to win. Even their starting QB out for half the game last night, they manhandled Washington.
4. Carolina Panthers.
They have looked very suspect in their losses, but they are still 6-2. Look at their next few games...
5. Arizona Cardinals.
Say what you want, but I have said since late last year that their defense is NASTY and my boy Tim Hightower is about to take off as their RB. You already know about their league-best WR trio. Keep Warner upright and they'll win 11.
6. Chicago Bears.
I'm gambling that they will keep up the good play at QB and solid defense (along with Forte's running ability).
7. Baltimore Ravens.
Remember they lost three straight TOUGH games. Now they won three in a row and they look scary.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
They win ugly and lose even uglier. But hey, they are 6-3.
9. Washington Redskins.
They took a few steps back after last night's debacle. Their losses outside of the Giants' opener have been inexplicable.
10. Philadelphia Eagles.
I hate them, but they are finding ways to win with an iffy offense (don't look at their points scored, they're doing it against awful, beat-up teams).
11. Atlanta Falcons.
I'd put them higher, but their defense is shaky outside of Abraham getting sacks (and 2nd in the league at it, BTW) and Brooking's solid play at MLB.
12. New England Patriots.
I hate them, but they are 5-3 for a reason.
13. New York Jets.
Only because they lost to the Patriots in Week 2.
14. Buffalo Bills.
They look flummoxed of late.
15. Dallas Cowboys.
OK, this is their season. They are 5-4. Romo comes back. They face a shaky (lately) Washington team. Make or break for them. Appropriately right here in the middle.
16. Green Bay Packers.
Whiffed on a chance to prove their worth vs. Tennessee.
17. Indianapolis Colts.
I still think they are more like the team that beat Baltimore and New England than the one that blew a chance to get closer to Tennessee in Week 8 and their other losses.
18. New Orleans Saints.
I do not know what to make of them. Big offense. AWFUL defense. They are 4-4 for a reason.
19. San Diego Super Chargers.
I think they are going to go on one of their patented 6-7 game winning streaks to save their season.
20. Miami Dolphins.
I don't feel comfortable putting them any lower nor higher.
21. Denver Broncos.
That defense is going to continue being the death of them.
22. Minnesota Vikings.
Ugly team to watch. But their defense is saving them quite a bit lately.
23. Houston Texans.
I'm sticking with them all year, even if they end up 8-8 and three years off the pace I had them initially (11-5).
24. Jacksonville Jaguars.
They suck. The end.
25. Cleveland Browns.
They made an unnecessary QB change. It might sink their boat, right when they were beginning to play more consistently.
26. St. Louis Rams.
At least they are semi-competitive.
27. San Francisco 49ers.
YIKES...
28. Cincinnati Bengals.
Too bad they waited until halfway through the season to start playing well on offense.
29. Seattle Seahawks.
I almost feel bad for Mike Holmgren. They were slated to win 10-12 games. They might not win 5 now.
30. Kansas City Chiefs.
They are playing with a spark, as if they are playing to win the game.
31. Oakland Raiders.
That game Sunday was an absolute horror show. I do not put them lower because...
32. Detroit Lions.
The Lions are the worst team in the league. THE END.
ESPN NFL Week 10: Power Rankings
ESPN NFL Week 10: Power Rankings
RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT
1 (1) Titans 8-0-0 Outplayed for a good while by Green Bay, the Titans didn't flinch and found a way to win, making it to the halfway point of the season undefeated. (PK)
2 (2) Giants 7-1-0 They didn't play that well on offense -- and still killed the Cowboys. A showdown with the Eagles looms. (MM)
3 (4) Steelers 6-2-0 The Steelers finally proved they can beat an NFC East team this season. (JW)
4 (3) Panthers 6-2-0 Healthy and rested coming off the bye. Oh, the picture gets even brighter. The Panthers start the second half of the season with Oakland and Detroit. (PY)
5 (5) Redskins 6-3-0 Jason Campbell's no-interceptions streak met its demise in the face of a brutal Pittsburgh defense. The Cowboys are coming to town after their bye. (MM)
6 (10) Eagles 5-3-0 The Eagles' defense feasted on Seneca Wallace after a shaky start. Donovan McNabb can't afford to have another awful start. (MM)
7 (9) Buccaneers 6-3-0 Avoided disaster in Kansas City. They get a bye week to try to find their offense. (PY)
8 (13) Cardinals 5-3-0 Despite a big day from Tim Hightower, the Cardinals left lots of yards on the field. (MS)
9 (12) Bears 5-3-0 The Bears face a huge question: Can Rex Grossman keep them in first place until Kyle Orton returns? (KS)
10 (16) Falcons 5-3-0 Coming off a shutout of Oakland, the Falcons will be shooting for their first NFC South win of the season when the Saints visit Sunday. (PY)
11 (19) Jets 5-3-0 The Jets have won four of their past five games and are 2-1 against the AFC East. (TG)
12 (7) Patriots 5-3-0 The injury-riddled Patriots were a play or two from beating the Colts in Indianapolis. Despite criticism from that loss, Bill Belichick might be doing the best coaching of his career. (TG)
13 (14) Ravens 5-3-0 Behind rookies Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, the Ravens have discovered an offense. Uh-oh! (JW)
14 (6) Bills 5-3-0 Everything we thought about the 4-0 and 5-1 Bills is in doubt. They are winless in their division and have dropped three of their past four. (TG)
15 (18) Colts 4-4-0 The Colts deserve credit for their win over New England but played a super-careful style that was hardly captivating. Do they now get to face Byron Leftwich instead of Ben Roethlisberger? (PK)
16 (11) Packers 4-4-0 The Packers have a key two-game stretch against Minnesota and Chicago that could decide their season. (KS)
17 (24) Dolphins 4-4-0 The Dolphins have a couple of ugly losses, but they are 2-1 in the AFC East and are one fluke Brett Favre touchdown pass from being undefeated in the division. (TG)
18 (17) Saints 4-4-0 Survived the London trip and bad luck in the first half of the season. Now, the Saints have to make their move. (PY)
19 (8) Cowboys 5-4-0 Tony Romo will try to breathe life into the fading Cowboys after their bye. A loss to the Redskins on Nov. 16 would be a big blow. (MM)
20 (23) Vikings 4-4-0 Can the Vikings beat the Packers for the first time in the Brad Childress era? (KS)
21 (21) Chargers 3-5-0 The Chargers had a great bye week. They are the only AFC West team not to lose Sunday. (BW)
22 (15) Broncos 4-4-0 The Broncos are trying to figure out what went wrong. But they don't have much time. They have to play Thursday night in Cleveland. (BW)
23 (20) Jaguars 3-5-0 When they were 3-3, those who picked them for the Super Bowl still could map out a big season. It's not nearly as easy now after a terrible two weeks. (PK)
24 (22) Browns 3-5-0 No time to sulk after a tough loss. The Browns take the field again Thursday against Denver. (JW)
25 (25) Texans 3-5-0 No sustainability. The Texans followed a three-game win streak with another road dud. Now they are without Matt Schaub for at least two weeks because of a knee injury. (PK)
26 (26) Rams 2-6-0 Steven Jackson's thigh injury is dragging down Marc Bulger and the Rams' offense. (MS)
27 (27) Seahawks 2-6-0 This is shaping up as the worst season of Mike Holmgren's coaching career. (MS)
28 (29) 49ers 2-6-0 The switch to Shaun Hill at quarterback should reduce turnovers, but protection still is an issue. (MS)
29 (31) Bengals 1-8-0 The Bengals aren't the worst team in the NFL after all. (JW)
30 (28) Raiders 2-6-0 The Raiders have a lot more to worry about than reaching the end zone. They have to move the chains. Oakland had three first downs in its shutout loss to the Falcons. (BW)
31 (30) Chiefs 1-7-0 Next step for the Chiefs: winning. They did everything but win in the past two weeks. They've played hard, but it hasn't been enough. (BW)
32 (32) Lions 0-8-0 The Lions have made some progress under Dan Orlovsky. But it looks like it's Daunte Culpepper time. (KS)
RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT
1 (1) Titans 8-0-0 Outplayed for a good while by Green Bay, the Titans didn't flinch and found a way to win, making it to the halfway point of the season undefeated. (PK)
2 (2) Giants 7-1-0 They didn't play that well on offense -- and still killed the Cowboys. A showdown with the Eagles looms. (MM)
3 (4) Steelers 6-2-0 The Steelers finally proved they can beat an NFC East team this season. (JW)
4 (3) Panthers 6-2-0 Healthy and rested coming off the bye. Oh, the picture gets even brighter. The Panthers start the second half of the season with Oakland and Detroit. (PY)
5 (5) Redskins 6-3-0 Jason Campbell's no-interceptions streak met its demise in the face of a brutal Pittsburgh defense. The Cowboys are coming to town after their bye. (MM)
6 (10) Eagles 5-3-0 The Eagles' defense feasted on Seneca Wallace after a shaky start. Donovan McNabb can't afford to have another awful start. (MM)
7 (9) Buccaneers 6-3-0 Avoided disaster in Kansas City. They get a bye week to try to find their offense. (PY)
8 (13) Cardinals 5-3-0 Despite a big day from Tim Hightower, the Cardinals left lots of yards on the field. (MS)
9 (12) Bears 5-3-0 The Bears face a huge question: Can Rex Grossman keep them in first place until Kyle Orton returns? (KS)
10 (16) Falcons 5-3-0 Coming off a shutout of Oakland, the Falcons will be shooting for their first NFC South win of the season when the Saints visit Sunday. (PY)
11 (19) Jets 5-3-0 The Jets have won four of their past five games and are 2-1 against the AFC East. (TG)
12 (7) Patriots 5-3-0 The injury-riddled Patriots were a play or two from beating the Colts in Indianapolis. Despite criticism from that loss, Bill Belichick might be doing the best coaching of his career. (TG)
13 (14) Ravens 5-3-0 Behind rookies Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, the Ravens have discovered an offense. Uh-oh! (JW)
14 (6) Bills 5-3-0 Everything we thought about the 4-0 and 5-1 Bills is in doubt. They are winless in their division and have dropped three of their past four. (TG)
15 (18) Colts 4-4-0 The Colts deserve credit for their win over New England but played a super-careful style that was hardly captivating. Do they now get to face Byron Leftwich instead of Ben Roethlisberger? (PK)
16 (11) Packers 4-4-0 The Packers have a key two-game stretch against Minnesota and Chicago that could decide their season. (KS)
17 (24) Dolphins 4-4-0 The Dolphins have a couple of ugly losses, but they are 2-1 in the AFC East and are one fluke Brett Favre touchdown pass from being undefeated in the division. (TG)
18 (17) Saints 4-4-0 Survived the London trip and bad luck in the first half of the season. Now, the Saints have to make their move. (PY)
19 (8) Cowboys 5-4-0 Tony Romo will try to breathe life into the fading Cowboys after their bye. A loss to the Redskins on Nov. 16 would be a big blow. (MM)
20 (23) Vikings 4-4-0 Can the Vikings beat the Packers for the first time in the Brad Childress era? (KS)
21 (21) Chargers 3-5-0 The Chargers had a great bye week. They are the only AFC West team not to lose Sunday. (BW)
22 (15) Broncos 4-4-0 The Broncos are trying to figure out what went wrong. But they don't have much time. They have to play Thursday night in Cleveland. (BW)
23 (20) Jaguars 3-5-0 When they were 3-3, those who picked them for the Super Bowl still could map out a big season. It's not nearly as easy now after a terrible two weeks. (PK)
24 (22) Browns 3-5-0 No time to sulk after a tough loss. The Browns take the field again Thursday against Denver. (JW)
25 (25) Texans 3-5-0 No sustainability. The Texans followed a three-game win streak with another road dud. Now they are without Matt Schaub for at least two weeks because of a knee injury. (PK)
26 (26) Rams 2-6-0 Steven Jackson's thigh injury is dragging down Marc Bulger and the Rams' offense. (MS)
27 (27) Seahawks 2-6-0 This is shaping up as the worst season of Mike Holmgren's coaching career. (MS)
28 (29) 49ers 2-6-0 The switch to Shaun Hill at quarterback should reduce turnovers, but protection still is an issue. (MS)
29 (31) Bengals 1-8-0 The Bengals aren't the worst team in the NFL after all. (JW)
30 (28) Raiders 2-6-0 The Raiders have a lot more to worry about than reaching the end zone. They have to move the chains. Oakland had three first downs in its shutout loss to the Falcons. (BW)
31 (30) Chiefs 1-7-0 Next step for the Chiefs: winning. They did everything but win in the past two weeks. They've played hard, but it hasn't been enough. (BW)
32 (32) Lions 0-8-0 The Lions have made some progress under Dan Orlovsky. But it looks like it's Daunte Culpepper time. (KS)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
NBA: Thoughts On First Week Of 2008-09 Season
NBA: Thoughts On First Week Of 2008-09 Season
M.D. Wright
11.2.08
Well, the NBA is finally here. This is the first time in probably 10 years that I have been looking forward to the NBA season immediately after the NBA Finals/Draft. The Finals were palpable, the NBA Draft was interesting in that viable NBA players are being drafted again -- plus some of the offseason moves that were made (and not made) created a buzz for the upcoming season unlike anytime this decade.
Add to that stories such as:
Will Boston repeat?
Will the Lakers win, with Bynum healthy?
Are the Knicks ever going to be relevant for the right reasons again?
Did Isiah really attempt suicide because he lost his job?
What are the Hawks going to do to build off last year?
Is this LeBron's best shot at a title?
Did he just issue a dry ultimatum to the Cavs' brass "win or failure" this year?
Where will LeBron play in 2010-2011?
What is to become of Seattle and Charlotte? One team loses its team, the other may lose its team (again) within the next 2-3 years.
The NBA is full of plots and subplots to the point where it feels like one of those daytime soap operas; you're almost tempted to watch even though you know everything is a train-wreck in motion.
As a Knick and Kobe (hence, Laker) fan, I am going to be glued to the TV a lot. The Knicks are in a position, that if GM Donnie Walsh plays his cards right, they can put themselves in prime position to lure LeBron to New York. We have a good $45 million in cap room to clear in basically 18 months. Is it possible? Sure. But let's look at the players the Knicks must move (or whose contracts must come off the books by June 30, 2010, since they are definitely going to have to take back a bad contract or two themselves in any deal) in order to be in position to get LeBron James.
1. Stephon Marbury.
Look, Steph is my boy. Always has been, when I was reading his newspaper and magazine clippings from 1993-94/1994-95 in Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, etc. But coach Mike D'Antoni is obviously bent on not playing Marbury and ruining any chance of making a halfway decent trade to get younger talent and draft picks. Teams aren't going to trade for Marbury with all the (mostly UNWARRANTED) bad press he receives and the DNPCD's he's going to rack up. Play him or trade him. That is $22 million sitting on the bench. If the Knicks are smart, they can use that soon-to-be cap space to their advantage. I'm not sure how smart Donnie Walsh is after witnessing how he botched the Pacers after going to the NBA Finals in 2000. I still think Starbury has 3-4 good years left, but it is not going to work now that the New York media has done a good hatchet job on his character. It may never work in New York and that's sad as a fan of Marbury.
2. Eddy Curry.
I hate this dude's work ethic. This is one of the many guys in the NBA who should not get paid big money too soon. Unfortunately, the union and collective bargaining agreement in place in the NBA is structured this way. Ironically, the guys who were getting what are now considered "max" contracts in the mid 90s, when spending was out of control and no one cared about the salary cap, played harder and didn't seem to perennially report to training camp out of shape and unadapted to any changes within the team. Last I checked, the Knicks made serious changes from top to bottom this offseason. Why isn't he is in better shape? He's going to be 27 soon. Should be entering his prime years, yet he looks like a calcified 15-year veteran. I like him as a PERSON, but I expected so much from him both in Chicago and ESPECIALLY since Isiah Thomas (over)paid to bring him to New York. I say trade him. He's a big man. Golden State can use him (along with Lee, for Al Harrington and one of the stiffs at the end of the Warriors' bench to make the numbers match?). I just want dude to reach his full potential. I saw so many players I grew up idolizing mmiss prime years of their playing career because of injury (Bernard King and Andrew Toney, just to name two off dome) NOT from being out of shape and lacking the will to get better.
3. Zach Randolph.
He's not a problem per se, but he and Curry cannot co-exist. I believe Randolph is better suited for D'Antoni's system, but in the name of clearing cap space, they might be inclined to seek trade vouchers for him. We will see.
4. David Lee.
Lee is a favorite amongst us Knick fans, and probably the only viable trade piece. But at what cost? He is more or less a side item when it comes to salary considerations in any deal, but he is really the centerpiece when it comes to the player that teams want from the Knicks. No other player on the Knicks' roster is desirable by other teams right now (except Marbury, and that is more or less because of his expiring contract).
5. Patrick Ewing, Jr.
BRING HIM BACK! If, for no other reason, for me to hear Mike Walczewski exclaim "Paaaaaaaaaa-trick EWING!!!" over the PA like when Ewing's dad played at Madison Square Garden LOL
Anyway, aside from that, the Lakers look tough. The Hornets may or may not have lept over the Lakers in acquiring James Posey aka one of the main reasons the Lakers could not upend the Celtics in the Finals. The Celtics were able to get over the emotional ceremony and beat Cleveland (once again) to start their home schedule. The Cavaliers are going to be a tough out, but still appear to be lacking the go-to scorer they are going to need to win any 7-game series.
The Wizards are going to be abysmal at least until February; when, even in the east, they'll be too far out of it to get the 8th seed.
The Bobcats are fighting, but they don't look any better. Michael Jordan isn't earning any fans by being an absentee GM down here in North Carolina -- especially since the team isn't improving at all. I'm still going to attend about 10 Bobcats games this season. One thing you MUST admit is the ambience is nice at the Bobcats' Arena.
Here are my early picks in each conference:
Eastern
1. Boston (until further notice).
2. Orlando.
3. Detroit.
4. Cleveland.
5. Chicago.
6. Toronto.
7. Philadelphia.
8. Miami.
Western
1. LA Lakers.
2. New Orleans.
3. Houston.
4. Portland.
5. Utah.
6. Dallas.
7. San Antonio (they are going to miss Ginobili a great deal and their bench looks like the Walking Wounded)
8. Phoenix.
Of course this can all change with current injuries to significant players and potential injuries, but based off what I have observed thus far, this is how it looks to me.
DEFINITELY more to come next week.
M.D. Wright
11.2.08
Well, the NBA is finally here. This is the first time in probably 10 years that I have been looking forward to the NBA season immediately after the NBA Finals/Draft. The Finals were palpable, the NBA Draft was interesting in that viable NBA players are being drafted again -- plus some of the offseason moves that were made (and not made) created a buzz for the upcoming season unlike anytime this decade.
Add to that stories such as:
Will Boston repeat?
Will the Lakers win, with Bynum healthy?
Are the Knicks ever going to be relevant for the right reasons again?
Did Isiah really attempt suicide because he lost his job?
What are the Hawks going to do to build off last year?
Is this LeBron's best shot at a title?
Did he just issue a dry ultimatum to the Cavs' brass "win or failure" this year?
Where will LeBron play in 2010-2011?
What is to become of Seattle and Charlotte? One team loses its team, the other may lose its team (again) within the next 2-3 years.
The NBA is full of plots and subplots to the point where it feels like one of those daytime soap operas; you're almost tempted to watch even though you know everything is a train-wreck in motion.
As a Knick and Kobe (hence, Laker) fan, I am going to be glued to the TV a lot. The Knicks are in a position, that if GM Donnie Walsh plays his cards right, they can put themselves in prime position to lure LeBron to New York. We have a good $45 million in cap room to clear in basically 18 months. Is it possible? Sure. But let's look at the players the Knicks must move (or whose contracts must come off the books by June 30, 2010, since they are definitely going to have to take back a bad contract or two themselves in any deal) in order to be in position to get LeBron James.
1. Stephon Marbury.
Look, Steph is my boy. Always has been, when I was reading his newspaper and magazine clippings from 1993-94/1994-95 in Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, etc. But coach Mike D'Antoni is obviously bent on not playing Marbury and ruining any chance of making a halfway decent trade to get younger talent and draft picks. Teams aren't going to trade for Marbury with all the (mostly UNWARRANTED) bad press he receives and the DNPCD's he's going to rack up. Play him or trade him. That is $22 million sitting on the bench. If the Knicks are smart, they can use that soon-to-be cap space to their advantage. I'm not sure how smart Donnie Walsh is after witnessing how he botched the Pacers after going to the NBA Finals in 2000. I still think Starbury has 3-4 good years left, but it is not going to work now that the New York media has done a good hatchet job on his character. It may never work in New York and that's sad as a fan of Marbury.
2. Eddy Curry.
I hate this dude's work ethic. This is one of the many guys in the NBA who should not get paid big money too soon. Unfortunately, the union and collective bargaining agreement in place in the NBA is structured this way. Ironically, the guys who were getting what are now considered "max" contracts in the mid 90s, when spending was out of control and no one cared about the salary cap, played harder and didn't seem to perennially report to training camp out of shape and unadapted to any changes within the team. Last I checked, the Knicks made serious changes from top to bottom this offseason. Why isn't he is in better shape? He's going to be 27 soon. Should be entering his prime years, yet he looks like a calcified 15-year veteran. I like him as a PERSON, but I expected so much from him both in Chicago and ESPECIALLY since Isiah Thomas (over)paid to bring him to New York. I say trade him. He's a big man. Golden State can use him (along with Lee, for Al Harrington and one of the stiffs at the end of the Warriors' bench to make the numbers match?). I just want dude to reach his full potential. I saw so many players I grew up idolizing mmiss prime years of their playing career because of injury (Bernard King and Andrew Toney, just to name two off dome) NOT from being out of shape and lacking the will to get better.
3. Zach Randolph.
He's not a problem per se, but he and Curry cannot co-exist. I believe Randolph is better suited for D'Antoni's system, but in the name of clearing cap space, they might be inclined to seek trade vouchers for him. We will see.
4. David Lee.
Lee is a favorite amongst us Knick fans, and probably the only viable trade piece. But at what cost? He is more or less a side item when it comes to salary considerations in any deal, but he is really the centerpiece when it comes to the player that teams want from the Knicks. No other player on the Knicks' roster is desirable by other teams right now (except Marbury, and that is more or less because of his expiring contract).
5. Patrick Ewing, Jr.
BRING HIM BACK! If, for no other reason, for me to hear Mike Walczewski exclaim "Paaaaaaaaaa-trick EWING!!!" over the PA like when Ewing's dad played at Madison Square Garden LOL
Anyway, aside from that, the Lakers look tough. The Hornets may or may not have lept over the Lakers in acquiring James Posey aka one of the main reasons the Lakers could not upend the Celtics in the Finals. The Celtics were able to get over the emotional ceremony and beat Cleveland (once again) to start their home schedule. The Cavaliers are going to be a tough out, but still appear to be lacking the go-to scorer they are going to need to win any 7-game series.
The Wizards are going to be abysmal at least until February; when, even in the east, they'll be too far out of it to get the 8th seed.
The Bobcats are fighting, but they don't look any better. Michael Jordan isn't earning any fans by being an absentee GM down here in North Carolina -- especially since the team isn't improving at all. I'm still going to attend about 10 Bobcats games this season. One thing you MUST admit is the ambience is nice at the Bobcats' Arena.
Here are my early picks in each conference:
Eastern
1. Boston (until further notice).
2. Orlando.
3. Detroit.
4. Cleveland.
5. Chicago.
6. Toronto.
7. Philadelphia.
8. Miami.
Western
1. LA Lakers.
2. New Orleans.
3. Houston.
4. Portland.
5. Utah.
6. Dallas.
7. San Antonio (they are going to miss Ginobili a great deal and their bench looks like the Walking Wounded)
8. Phoenix.
Of course this can all change with current injuries to significant players and potential injuries, but based off what I have observed thus far, this is how it looks to me.
DEFINITELY more to come next week.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
NFL Week 9 Picks
NFL Week 9 Picks
M.D. Wright
11.1.08
It's Week 9, we're at the halfway point of the season. All the teams have, or will have played half their games after this week. By now, we really know what these teams are, right?
As Jim Mora once said, "you may THINK you know, but you don't know... and you never... will... know".
I agree with Mora, as always.
Here are my picks:
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Orchard Park, New York
The Jets are playing with fire if they expect to make the playoffs. Although in today's NFL, you cannot label games as "make or break" in midseason, nor point to any particular game as a definiing one. But if there ever was one, this is it for the Jets. For one, the Bills are right at the top of the AFC East with New England. Secondly, the Jets have been scuffling of late, and beating a good team will definitely help their psyche (as well as their standing in the division).
The Bills are playing without Josh Reed, but otherwise offensively, they look pretty good. Will their defense get back to where it was previously? I'm going to go with the Bills at home, because I just feel like Brett Favre is going to throw up 2-3 INTs to the Bills. I CAN FEEL IT IN THE AIR like Phil Collins.
Call:
NY Jets 24
Buffalo 30
---
Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, Illinois
The Lions are the worst team in the NFL. The end.
Call:
Detroit 10
Chicago 31
---
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Cincinnati, Ohio
I say it week after week, the Bengals aren't as bad as their record suggests. OK, I'm coming off that nonsense. THEY ARE. Especially with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick "leading" them right now. Marvin Lewis is about to lose his job.
Call:
Jacksonville 31
Cincinnati 21
---
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns Stadium
Cleveland, Ohio
The Ravens' defense is as sharp as ever, and the offense is finally looking as if it has a life. The Browns will know what they are made of after this one, that's for sure. My bets are they just don't have the mettle to defeat a team with a defense like this. Oh, they beat my Giants, but I just do not see it happening here.
Call:
Baltimore 20
Cleveland 17
---
Green Bay Packers vs. Tennessee Titans
LP Field
Nashville, Tennessee
The Packers have a chance to take control of the NFC North lead. They released unproductive Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila this week and activated one of their defensive tackles. They understand the importance of stuffing the run vs. Tennessee and forcing QB Kerry Collins to beat them. The Colts did a good job of this for the most part on Monday, but they could not get out of their own way. QB Aaron Rodgers is playing better than Peyton Manning, however.
I really believe the Packers can go into Nashville and do what the Colts couldn't, with better defensive personnel.
Call:
Green Bay 27
Tennessee 21
---
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri
Yawn.
Call:
Tampa Bay 17
Kansas City 3
---
Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Rams
The Edward Jones Dome
St. Louis, Missouri
This is a pivotal game in the NFC West. The Cardinals are coming off a tough loss at Carolina last week and are 4-3. The Rams appear to be resurgent, but the Cards are still superior to them (again, the week in-week out "IF" is can they protect QB Kurt Warner).
And with that fact in place, along with the opportunity to wrest the control of the division away from Seattle's long-time grasp, the Cards will pull it out.
Call:
Arizona 38
St. Louis 17
---
Houston Texans vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Texans are getting back to where most of us who picked them in the preseason. Going to Minnesota used to be a tough road game, but with 38 year-old stiff Gus Frerotte at the helm, and the Texans playing very good offensively themselves (the defenses pretty much cancel each other out) they appear confident enough to pull off this win and get in position to get one of the two playoff spots that will remain once the division winners get their spots.
Call:
Houston 30
Minnesota 20
---
Miami Dolphins vs. Denver Broncos
Invesco Field at Mile High
Denver, Colorado
Hmmmm... more wildcat offense? The Broncos are very suspect at defense right now; and that was before CB Champ Bailey was ruled out for at least the next month with an injury. Denver has not been able to run the ball of late, either. While Cutler is not struggling necessarily, it is going to be tough to keep up with the multiple looks that the Dolphins feature. I really believe they will go to Denver and win.
Call:
Miami 27
Denver 24
---
Atlanta Falcons vs. Oakland Raiders
McAfee Coliseum
Oakland, California
The Falcons got jobbed vs. the Iggles last week -- let's face it. The refs gave the game to Philly. But that aside, there will be no letdown here. They still have a chip on their shoulders, with something to prove, still.
The Raiders have not been able to sustain a running game and JaMarcus Russell continues to look awful. These are rookie mistakes, so he gets a pass. But not a win, unfortunately. Their defense is solid, but stays on the field far too often because of their lack of offensive continuity.
Call:
Atlanta 37
Oakland 20
---
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Football Giants
Giants Stadium at the New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey
***GAME OF THE WEEK***
The Cowboys appear to basically be throwing their towel in and just trying to make it to the bye with head still above water. Starting QB Brad Johnson is asking for a beat-down, and although the Cowboys looked MUCH BETTER defensively against Tampa -- that's just it -- it was Tampa. The Giants still lead the NFL in rushing yards per game.
Same with the defense, the Giants get more pressure on opposing QBs than any other team and lead the NFL with 26 sacks (one ahead of the Steelers, who they passed after Sunday's game last week).
Unless QB Eli Manning has one of his Cleveland Browns games, this will be a good opportunity for the Giants to put some distance between themselves and Dallas and in a position to watch the Steelers potentially beat the Redskins on Monday Night (and thereby further solidify tiebreaker positioning due to common opponents).
Call:
Dallas 14
NY Giants 31
---
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle Seahawks
Qwest Field
Seattle, Washington
In years past, this was a tough road game for NFC East teams. Now, Seattle looks like they did in the early 1990s.
Call:
Philadelphia 41
Seattle 13
---
New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts
Lucas Oil Field
Indianapolis, Indiana
***SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL/GAME OF THE WEEK, PT. II***
Simply put, the Colts MUST win this game if they have playoff aspirations. The only thing I can say is they should be glad Tony Dungy is their coach and not Jim Mora, because they look eerily alot like that 2001 team before Mora went on his "PLAYOFFS?!?!?!?!" rant. They get Bob Sanders and Joseph Addai back, but lose Marlin Jackson. This is a HUGE (or YUGE, as Mike Francesa would say) game for the Colts.
The Patriots are without Laurence Maroney and Rodney Harrison for the rest of the year. The Colts have not fared well against the run, but they are surprisingly good against the pass. That actually bodes well for them. That, along with the fact they MUST win and the Patriots' age and injuries are going to start catching up this week.
Call:
New England 21
Indianapolis 34
---
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Washington Redskins
FedEx Field
Landover, Maryland
The Steelers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Giants, but they are getting healthy (despite losing CB Ryan Clark last week). The Redskins look to put themselves in better position to catch the Giants and solidify their stance as the second-best team in the NFC. We will see. The ULTIMATE pick 'em game.
Call:
Pittsburgh 20
Washington 21
---
More on Tuesday...
M.D. Wright
11.1.08
It's Week 9, we're at the halfway point of the season. All the teams have, or will have played half their games after this week. By now, we really know what these teams are, right?
As Jim Mora once said, "you may THINK you know, but you don't know... and you never... will... know".
I agree with Mora, as always.
Here are my picks:
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Orchard Park, New York
The Jets are playing with fire if they expect to make the playoffs. Although in today's NFL, you cannot label games as "make or break" in midseason, nor point to any particular game as a definiing one. But if there ever was one, this is it for the Jets. For one, the Bills are right at the top of the AFC East with New England. Secondly, the Jets have been scuffling of late, and beating a good team will definitely help their psyche (as well as their standing in the division).
The Bills are playing without Josh Reed, but otherwise offensively, they look pretty good. Will their defense get back to where it was previously? I'm going to go with the Bills at home, because I just feel like Brett Favre is going to throw up 2-3 INTs to the Bills. I CAN FEEL IT IN THE AIR like Phil Collins.
Call:
NY Jets 24
Buffalo 30
---
Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, Illinois
The Lions are the worst team in the NFL. The end.
Call:
Detroit 10
Chicago 31
---
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Cincinnati, Ohio
I say it week after week, the Bengals aren't as bad as their record suggests. OK, I'm coming off that nonsense. THEY ARE. Especially with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick "leading" them right now. Marvin Lewis is about to lose his job.
Call:
Jacksonville 31
Cincinnati 21
---
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns Stadium
Cleveland, Ohio
The Ravens' defense is as sharp as ever, and the offense is finally looking as if it has a life. The Browns will know what they are made of after this one, that's for sure. My bets are they just don't have the mettle to defeat a team with a defense like this. Oh, they beat my Giants, but I just do not see it happening here.
Call:
Baltimore 20
Cleveland 17
---
Green Bay Packers vs. Tennessee Titans
LP Field
Nashville, Tennessee
The Packers have a chance to take control of the NFC North lead. They released unproductive Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila this week and activated one of their defensive tackles. They understand the importance of stuffing the run vs. Tennessee and forcing QB Kerry Collins to beat them. The Colts did a good job of this for the most part on Monday, but they could not get out of their own way. QB Aaron Rodgers is playing better than Peyton Manning, however.
I really believe the Packers can go into Nashville and do what the Colts couldn't, with better defensive personnel.
Call:
Green Bay 27
Tennessee 21
---
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri
Yawn.
Call:
Tampa Bay 17
Kansas City 3
---
Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Rams
The Edward Jones Dome
St. Louis, Missouri
This is a pivotal game in the NFC West. The Cardinals are coming off a tough loss at Carolina last week and are 4-3. The Rams appear to be resurgent, but the Cards are still superior to them (again, the week in-week out "IF" is can they protect QB Kurt Warner).
And with that fact in place, along with the opportunity to wrest the control of the division away from Seattle's long-time grasp, the Cards will pull it out.
Call:
Arizona 38
St. Louis 17
---
Houston Texans vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Texans are getting back to where most of us who picked them in the preseason. Going to Minnesota used to be a tough road game, but with 38 year-old stiff Gus Frerotte at the helm, and the Texans playing very good offensively themselves (the defenses pretty much cancel each other out) they appear confident enough to pull off this win and get in position to get one of the two playoff spots that will remain once the division winners get their spots.
Call:
Houston 30
Minnesota 20
---
Miami Dolphins vs. Denver Broncos
Invesco Field at Mile High
Denver, Colorado
Hmmmm... more wildcat offense? The Broncos are very suspect at defense right now; and that was before CB Champ Bailey was ruled out for at least the next month with an injury. Denver has not been able to run the ball of late, either. While Cutler is not struggling necessarily, it is going to be tough to keep up with the multiple looks that the Dolphins feature. I really believe they will go to Denver and win.
Call:
Miami 27
Denver 24
---
Atlanta Falcons vs. Oakland Raiders
McAfee Coliseum
Oakland, California
The Falcons got jobbed vs. the Iggles last week -- let's face it. The refs gave the game to Philly. But that aside, there will be no letdown here. They still have a chip on their shoulders, with something to prove, still.
The Raiders have not been able to sustain a running game and JaMarcus Russell continues to look awful. These are rookie mistakes, so he gets a pass. But not a win, unfortunately. Their defense is solid, but stays on the field far too often because of their lack of offensive continuity.
Call:
Atlanta 37
Oakland 20
---
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Football Giants
Giants Stadium at the New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey
***GAME OF THE WEEK***
The Cowboys appear to basically be throwing their towel in and just trying to make it to the bye with head still above water. Starting QB Brad Johnson is asking for a beat-down, and although the Cowboys looked MUCH BETTER defensively against Tampa -- that's just it -- it was Tampa. The Giants still lead the NFL in rushing yards per game.
Same with the defense, the Giants get more pressure on opposing QBs than any other team and lead the NFL with 26 sacks (one ahead of the Steelers, who they passed after Sunday's game last week).
Unless QB Eli Manning has one of his Cleveland Browns games, this will be a good opportunity for the Giants to put some distance between themselves and Dallas and in a position to watch the Steelers potentially beat the Redskins on Monday Night (and thereby further solidify tiebreaker positioning due to common opponents).
Call:
Dallas 14
NY Giants 31
---
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle Seahawks
Qwest Field
Seattle, Washington
In years past, this was a tough road game for NFC East teams. Now, Seattle looks like they did in the early 1990s.
Call:
Philadelphia 41
Seattle 13
---
New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts
Lucas Oil Field
Indianapolis, Indiana
***SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL/GAME OF THE WEEK, PT. II***
Simply put, the Colts MUST win this game if they have playoff aspirations. The only thing I can say is they should be glad Tony Dungy is their coach and not Jim Mora, because they look eerily alot like that 2001 team before Mora went on his "PLAYOFFS?!?!?!?!" rant. They get Bob Sanders and Joseph Addai back, but lose Marlin Jackson. This is a HUGE (or YUGE, as Mike Francesa would say) game for the Colts.
The Patriots are without Laurence Maroney and Rodney Harrison for the rest of the year. The Colts have not fared well against the run, but they are surprisingly good against the pass. That actually bodes well for them. That, along with the fact they MUST win and the Patriots' age and injuries are going to start catching up this week.
Call:
New England 21
Indianapolis 34
---
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Washington Redskins
FedEx Field
Landover, Maryland
The Steelers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Giants, but they are getting healthy (despite losing CB Ryan Clark last week). The Redskins look to put themselves in better position to catch the Giants and solidify their stance as the second-best team in the NFC. We will see. The ULTIMATE pick 'em game.
Call:
Pittsburgh 20
Washington 21
---
More on Tuesday...
Friday, October 24, 2008
NFL Week 8 Picks
NFL Week 8 Picks
M.D. Wright
10.24.08
Today's big story: I'm an idiot. The end.
I can't even seem to break .500 on any given week anymore. That's just how quirky this crazy league has become. I'm going to go the more "conventional" route and not take any dogs or road teams (unless they're in the Top 5 in the Power Rankings). Let's see how this works out. I need to finish with a few .800 weeks in order to just finish the season .600-.667!
And so, hence, the picks --
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Texas Stadium
Irving, Texas
The Cowboys are hurting on both sides of the ball -- and consequently, special teams, as Adam Jones has been exiled from the team with his latest "issues". Tony Romo is going to miss another month of the season. The Washington Monument aka Brad Johnson is going to get eaten alive by the Bucs and Giants (and Redskins, should he play in that game) defenses in the coming week. The Cowboys' season is going down the drain VERY quickly right now.
Their defense is awful, also. But if you have been reading me all season, I have said all along they're pedestrian at BEST without DeMarcus Ware. Even with him, they're only average.
The Bucs do all things well. Not great, but well. And they don't make mistakes when Jeff Garcia is starting.
Call:
Tampa Bay 34
Dallas 13
---
Washington Redskins vs. Detroit Lions
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan
The Redskins won't blink like they did against the Rams and nearly did against the Browns. The Lions couldn't even beat the University of Michigan right now, and that's REALLY sad, because the Wolverines haven't looked this bad in my entire lifetime.
Call:
Washington 41
Detroit 9
---
Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Stadium
Miami, Florida
This is going to be a tough game to call. The Bills' defense has been shaky of late, but they haven't collapsed. The Bills' offense is SOLID with Edwards and Lynch, along with Evans, Reed and Parrish. The key will be stopping the Wildcat offense. I think they will. Although real NFL fans remember how badly the Bills were in the 80s and 90s in Miami... these aren't your father's Fins.
Call:
Buffalo 28
Miami 24
---
St. Louis Rams vs. New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
People say they are waiting for the other shoe to drop with the Cheatriots. Not making fun of injuries -- not at all -- but it is about to, starting with SS Rodney Harrison's season-ending injury on Monday night. Truth is, they still aren't that good defensively. They're slow, but when they are able to manhandle weak/undersized offensive lines like the Broncos and Rams possess, they're still able to get pressure on the QB. Add to that the fact that the Rams, despite their two wins lately, aren't that good offensively nor defensively (three's a trend in my mind) it's going to be tough for them to go into Foxboro and win.
Call:
St. Louis 17
New England 21
---
Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Titans-Jets
Giants Stadium at the New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Chiefs are terrible. Without their starting QB and RB, they're worse than that. The Jets aren't good, either, but they should take care of the Chiefs easily... right? They just blew that game vs. OAK (no surprise to me, even though I hate the "Team A historically plays bad in Team B's house corollary -- it's foolish, since none of the players on the current team were there). The Jets SHOULD be better than they are, but when you have B. Favre throwing a couple of passes up for grabs per game and a shaky defense (which SHOULD be better than it has played), you aren't a team that can say "we win the games we're supposed to win". I'm nervous about this pick, honestly. But I will go with logic. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.
Call:
Kansas City 10
NY Jets 26
---
San Diego Chargers vs. New Orleans Saints.
Wembley Stadium
London, England
I am VERY nervous about this game a) because of the pick being the most iffy of them all this week and b) because my Chargers are on the verge of having to resort to one of their patented 7 or 8 game winning streaks in order to just make the playoffs if they lose this game.
Both teams are playing below expectation/potential, but who breaks out is hard to call. This is the "pick 'em" game of the week. I reserve the right to eliminate this game from my record if it goes completely opposite of the way I call it LOL. I STILL think the Chargers' defense is better than the Saints by a smidge; even though they have logged a ton of miles traveling to Buffalo and now London for road games in consecutive weeks.
Call:
San Diego 38
New Orleans 35
---
Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
My natural, knee-jerk sentiment is to pick whoever is playing the Iggles. You know my hatred for all things Philly (except vintage cheesesteaks and some of the women), and I might be vindicated with picking against them, because the Falcons are pretty good. The Iggles aer rolling the dice putting a nicked-up Westbrook out there -- but if they expect to have any chance to win or make the playoffs, he must play and play WELL. Donovan McNabb isn't very good anymore. Period. Whoever says so is a blind fan or thought he had experienced a "resurgence" when he's put up his best numbers against pitiful defenses in St. Louis and San Francisco this year. The Eagles will certain attempt to blitz rookie Matt Ryan alot, as is their custom, but with RBs Jerrious Norwood and Michael "The Burner" Turner (I need huge fantasy stats this week from you and Roddy White, B!!!) that might not be wise...
Call:
Atlanta 34
Philadelphia 31
---
Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, North Carolina
The Panthers have been up and down the past three weeks. The common denominator being when they've had to play tough defenses of late, they've struggled -- when playing the Chiefs, they've shined. I still think they're the third or fourth best team in the NFC, but the Cardinals are right behind them. I'm going to go against the grain and say the Cards pull it off. They get Boldin back, and with him, Fitz and Breaston, the Panthers cannot cover them all, along with TE Leonard Pope and stop Tim Hightower (FROM?!?!?! Richmond).
Add to that, the Cards' defense is very underrated... and you have a tough game for Jake Delhomme in the making, my friends.
Call:
Arizona 42
Carolina 31
---
Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens
M&T Bank Stadium
Baltimore, Maryland
Oakland does not travel well. Russell is playing poorly on offense. The Raiders' running game is stagnant. The Raiders' defense is sketchy at best (but stepped up to shut down the Jets last week). However, the Ravens can't take advantage of it on offense unless they run the ball more. Expect them to do so, and expect the Ravens' defense to confuse Russell all game long. He may throw 4 INT... (BTW, Ravens are birds that devour everything in sight. They're vultures. JaMarcus Russell will be able to lecture about it at length after this one. Poor guy.
Call:
Oakland 6
Baltimore 20
---
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans
Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas
Okay, so I relent. These ARE your father's Bengals. A terrible QB, WRs that are about to start sulking (1997 it was Carl Pickens, 2008 it is Chad Johnson) and play hard even though they could easily quit and sulk as well (1997 it was Darnay Scott, 2008 it is Touraj Houshmandzadeh) and a defense that looks OK in highlights and has great individual talent, but overall plays badly.
The Texans are playing their 26th straight home game. They feel confident again.
Call:
Cincinnati 17
Houston 30
---
Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Jacksonville, Florida
The Browns are turning into a bad joke very quickly. They mess up the Giants' flow (although it wasn't a bad thing, necessarily) and then lay an egg in the final minutes versus Washington and are about to get trounced in Jacksonville as they fine/suspend their starting TE Kellen Winslow for shining light on hazardous working conditions. Go figure. I hate the Browns even more than I already did, for that.
Jacksonville is steady on both sides of the ball. No big plays made, nor surrendered -- that seems to be their M.O. That means Braylon Edwards will drop 4 passes, but he won't beat anyone deep as he did against the Giants.
Call:
Cleveland 14
Jacksonville 23
---
New York Football Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*GAME OF THE WEEK*
The Giants are about to find out what they are really made of in their first "true" test of the season. On the road, no less, in a very tough facility to play in. The Steelers seem to be getting it done with smoke and mirrors with a 3rd string RB, shaky offensive line (which will surrender a few sacks this week) and a nicked up secondary (but very good 3-4 defense with the front seven). They will look to confuse Eli Manning and the Giants' offensive line.
However, the Giants have the best offensive line for a reason -- and lead the NFL in rushing. Look for the Giants to employ the Steelers' old M.O. against them (70% rushing, 30% passing, as Roethlisberger did in their Super Bowl season). No one has yet to, nor will, stop the Giants' rushing game (even in the loss, they gained 181 on the ground on less than 30 carries) with a three-headed attack. As long as offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride doesn't lose his mind and have Eli Manning hoisting up 31 passes (his average, FOR SOME REASON, this season), the Giants should win.
But this will be no runaway, unless Roethlisberger gets lazy and fumbles the ball as he gets sacked a half dozen times -- which he most certainly will -- if not more. If the Eagles can do it, best believe the Giants will.
Call:
NY Giants 33
Pittsburgh 27
---
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Candlestick Park
San Francisco, California
Maybe next year boys... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Call:
Seattle 10
San Francisco 6
---
NO SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL THIS WEEK
Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans
LP Field
Nashville, Tennessee
The Colts are hard to figure out. They have not looked good all season except the Ravens game -- when Joseph Addai suffered an injury. They won't have him for this game, either. Manning's health is questionable, but the Titans are not a lock to win this game. Again, Kerry Collins is their QB. And I say this is the week that 1) The Titans lose and justify my move of the Giants back to #1 in the Power Rankings and 2) In the process, Collins throws two backbreaking INTs, like he used to do right when Giants fans used to gain confidence in him while he was with us.
Oh yeah, that games-without-surrendering-17-points streak is over, too.
Call:
Indianapolis 24
Tennessee 13
---
More on Tuesday...
M.D. Wright
10.24.08
Today's big story: I'm an idiot. The end.
I can't even seem to break .500 on any given week anymore. That's just how quirky this crazy league has become. I'm going to go the more "conventional" route and not take any dogs or road teams (unless they're in the Top 5 in the Power Rankings). Let's see how this works out. I need to finish with a few .800 weeks in order to just finish the season .600-.667!
And so, hence, the picks --
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Texas Stadium
Irving, Texas
The Cowboys are hurting on both sides of the ball -- and consequently, special teams, as Adam Jones has been exiled from the team with his latest "issues". Tony Romo is going to miss another month of the season. The Washington Monument aka Brad Johnson is going to get eaten alive by the Bucs and Giants (and Redskins, should he play in that game) defenses in the coming week. The Cowboys' season is going down the drain VERY quickly right now.
Their defense is awful, also. But if you have been reading me all season, I have said all along they're pedestrian at BEST without DeMarcus Ware. Even with him, they're only average.
The Bucs do all things well. Not great, but well. And they don't make mistakes when Jeff Garcia is starting.
Call:
Tampa Bay 34
Dallas 13
---
Washington Redskins vs. Detroit Lions
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan
The Redskins won't blink like they did against the Rams and nearly did against the Browns. The Lions couldn't even beat the University of Michigan right now, and that's REALLY sad, because the Wolverines haven't looked this bad in my entire lifetime.
Call:
Washington 41
Detroit 9
---
Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Stadium
Miami, Florida
This is going to be a tough game to call. The Bills' defense has been shaky of late, but they haven't collapsed. The Bills' offense is SOLID with Edwards and Lynch, along with Evans, Reed and Parrish. The key will be stopping the Wildcat offense. I think they will. Although real NFL fans remember how badly the Bills were in the 80s and 90s in Miami... these aren't your father's Fins.
Call:
Buffalo 28
Miami 24
---
St. Louis Rams vs. New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
People say they are waiting for the other shoe to drop with the Cheatriots. Not making fun of injuries -- not at all -- but it is about to, starting with SS Rodney Harrison's season-ending injury on Monday night. Truth is, they still aren't that good defensively. They're slow, but when they are able to manhandle weak/undersized offensive lines like the Broncos and Rams possess, they're still able to get pressure on the QB. Add to that the fact that the Rams, despite their two wins lately, aren't that good offensively nor defensively (three's a trend in my mind) it's going to be tough for them to go into Foxboro and win.
Call:
St. Louis 17
New England 21
---
Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Titans-Jets
Giants Stadium at the New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Chiefs are terrible. Without their starting QB and RB, they're worse than that. The Jets aren't good, either, but they should take care of the Chiefs easily... right? They just blew that game vs. OAK (no surprise to me, even though I hate the "Team A historically plays bad in Team B's house corollary -- it's foolish, since none of the players on the current team were there). The Jets SHOULD be better than they are, but when you have B. Favre throwing a couple of passes up for grabs per game and a shaky defense (which SHOULD be better than it has played), you aren't a team that can say "we win the games we're supposed to win". I'm nervous about this pick, honestly. But I will go with logic. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.
Call:
Kansas City 10
NY Jets 26
---
San Diego Chargers vs. New Orleans Saints.
Wembley Stadium
London, England
I am VERY nervous about this game a) because of the pick being the most iffy of them all this week and b) because my Chargers are on the verge of having to resort to one of their patented 7 or 8 game winning streaks in order to just make the playoffs if they lose this game.
Both teams are playing below expectation/potential, but who breaks out is hard to call. This is the "pick 'em" game of the week. I reserve the right to eliminate this game from my record if it goes completely opposite of the way I call it LOL. I STILL think the Chargers' defense is better than the Saints by a smidge; even though they have logged a ton of miles traveling to Buffalo and now London for road games in consecutive weeks.
Call:
San Diego 38
New Orleans 35
---
Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
My natural, knee-jerk sentiment is to pick whoever is playing the Iggles. You know my hatred for all things Philly (except vintage cheesesteaks and some of the women), and I might be vindicated with picking against them, because the Falcons are pretty good. The Iggles aer rolling the dice putting a nicked-up Westbrook out there -- but if they expect to have any chance to win or make the playoffs, he must play and play WELL. Donovan McNabb isn't very good anymore. Period. Whoever says so is a blind fan or thought he had experienced a "resurgence" when he's put up his best numbers against pitiful defenses in St. Louis and San Francisco this year. The Eagles will certain attempt to blitz rookie Matt Ryan alot, as is their custom, but with RBs Jerrious Norwood and Michael "The Burner" Turner (I need huge fantasy stats this week from you and Roddy White, B!!!) that might not be wise...
Call:
Atlanta 34
Philadelphia 31
---
Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, North Carolina
The Panthers have been up and down the past three weeks. The common denominator being when they've had to play tough defenses of late, they've struggled -- when playing the Chiefs, they've shined. I still think they're the third or fourth best team in the NFC, but the Cardinals are right behind them. I'm going to go against the grain and say the Cards pull it off. They get Boldin back, and with him, Fitz and Breaston, the Panthers cannot cover them all, along with TE Leonard Pope and stop Tim Hightower (FROM?!?!?! Richmond).
Add to that, the Cards' defense is very underrated... and you have a tough game for Jake Delhomme in the making, my friends.
Call:
Arizona 42
Carolina 31
---
Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens
M&T Bank Stadium
Baltimore, Maryland
Oakland does not travel well. Russell is playing poorly on offense. The Raiders' running game is stagnant. The Raiders' defense is sketchy at best (but stepped up to shut down the Jets last week). However, the Ravens can't take advantage of it on offense unless they run the ball more. Expect them to do so, and expect the Ravens' defense to confuse Russell all game long. He may throw 4 INT... (BTW, Ravens are birds that devour everything in sight. They're vultures. JaMarcus Russell will be able to lecture about it at length after this one. Poor guy.
Call:
Oakland 6
Baltimore 20
---
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Houston Texans
Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas
Okay, so I relent. These ARE your father's Bengals. A terrible QB, WRs that are about to start sulking (1997 it was Carl Pickens, 2008 it is Chad Johnson) and play hard even though they could easily quit and sulk as well (1997 it was Darnay Scott, 2008 it is Touraj Houshmandzadeh) and a defense that looks OK in highlights and has great individual talent, but overall plays badly.
The Texans are playing their 26th straight home game. They feel confident again.
Call:
Cincinnati 17
Houston 30
---
Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Jacksonville, Florida
The Browns are turning into a bad joke very quickly. They mess up the Giants' flow (although it wasn't a bad thing, necessarily) and then lay an egg in the final minutes versus Washington and are about to get trounced in Jacksonville as they fine/suspend their starting TE Kellen Winslow for shining light on hazardous working conditions. Go figure. I hate the Browns even more than I already did, for that.
Jacksonville is steady on both sides of the ball. No big plays made, nor surrendered -- that seems to be their M.O. That means Braylon Edwards will drop 4 passes, but he won't beat anyone deep as he did against the Giants.
Call:
Cleveland 14
Jacksonville 23
---
New York Football Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*GAME OF THE WEEK*
The Giants are about to find out what they are really made of in their first "true" test of the season. On the road, no less, in a very tough facility to play in. The Steelers seem to be getting it done with smoke and mirrors with a 3rd string RB, shaky offensive line (which will surrender a few sacks this week) and a nicked up secondary (but very good 3-4 defense with the front seven). They will look to confuse Eli Manning and the Giants' offensive line.
However, the Giants have the best offensive line for a reason -- and lead the NFL in rushing. Look for the Giants to employ the Steelers' old M.O. against them (70% rushing, 30% passing, as Roethlisberger did in their Super Bowl season). No one has yet to, nor will, stop the Giants' rushing game (even in the loss, they gained 181 on the ground on less than 30 carries) with a three-headed attack. As long as offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride doesn't lose his mind and have Eli Manning hoisting up 31 passes (his average, FOR SOME REASON, this season), the Giants should win.
But this will be no runaway, unless Roethlisberger gets lazy and fumbles the ball as he gets sacked a half dozen times -- which he most certainly will -- if not more. If the Eagles can do it, best believe the Giants will.
Call:
NY Giants 33
Pittsburgh 27
---
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Candlestick Park
San Francisco, California
Maybe next year boys... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Call:
Seattle 10
San Francisco 6
---
NO SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL THIS WEEK
Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans
LP Field
Nashville, Tennessee
The Colts are hard to figure out. They have not looked good all season except the Ravens game -- when Joseph Addai suffered an injury. They won't have him for this game, either. Manning's health is questionable, but the Titans are not a lock to win this game. Again, Kerry Collins is their QB. And I say this is the week that 1) The Titans lose and justify my move of the Giants back to #1 in the Power Rankings and 2) In the process, Collins throws two backbreaking INTs, like he used to do right when Giants fans used to gain confidence in him while he was with us.
Oh yeah, that games-without-surrendering-17-points streak is over, too.
Call:
Indianapolis 24
Tennessee 13
---
More on Tuesday...
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
NFL Week 8: Power Rankings
NFL Week 8: Power Rankings
M.D. Wright
10.22.08
Not much has changed in the Top 5, but there is some maneuvering taking place after a few "upsets" this past weekend. I WILL be putting the Giants back on top, because after all, Kerry Collins is the Titans' QB. I say he is going to do them in with at least 2 INT this weekend. Mark my words.
BTW, is there a such thing as an upset in the NFL anymore?
1. New York Football Giants. Granted, they have not looked great the past two weeks, but aside from a fluky blocked field goal, the Giants dominated the 49ers. BTW, I just saw an ad on ESPN2 for NFL Blitz II, and Lawrence Taylor (aka the best defensive player ever in the NFL) was in it. He looks like he can still play in the NFL and he's going to be 50 next year!
2. Tennessee Titans. If they cannot score 20 points even at will now, I cannot put them at #1 now -- nor at the end of the season. They had a great defense in 1999 and the team with the better offense won (albeit only by one yard). That's the difference between them and the Giants right now. Oh yeah, KERRY COLLINS IS THEIR QUARTERBACK.
3. Buffalo Bills. Their only loss came against a very good Cardinal team that people still think is the 1990 Phoenix Cardinals (ask Tony Romo).
4. Pittsburgh Steelers. I put them here because I am not convinced they will be able to 1) run the ball against the Giants this week or 2) stop the Giants' running game.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are a complete team. Not great at all, but they get the job done.
6. Washington Redskins. Jason Campbell still has not thrown an INT, but he was not great against Cleveland. Will Portis continue this streak of running the ball for 100 yards and leading the NFL in rushing? LB Marcus Washington has MORE than lost a step -- causing LB London Fletcher to clean up his messes. This was exposed in both their losses and an unnecessarily close game vs. Cleveland on Sunday.
7. Carolina Panthers. I would put them higher, but Jake Delhomme is alot like Eli Manning; prone to lay a rotten egg in any game with no warning as he did against Tampa Bay in Week 6. With their two-headed running game and excellent WR/TE trio, there is no reason the Panthers should have trouble moving the ball. However, every other game or every third game Delhomme blows up inexplicably -- Tampa was not as dominant as the score indicated in their loss.
8. Arizona Cardinals. I have been telling people since LAST YEAR (and I have the emails and blog posts to prove it) to watch out for the Cardinals' defense. SS Adrian Wilson (FROM?!?!?! High Point, NC) is a stalwart, and now that he is 100%, their safety tandem is one of the best, if not THE best in the league. Their linebackers are all active and make plays all over the field. Their defensive line, anchored by nose tackle Darnell Dockett (FROM?!?!?! Florida State) made Tony Romo go crying to Jessica Simpson. Oh, and the offense is the second best in the NFC. They would be higher, but Warner is much like Delhomme and their two losses prove it. Are they due for another this week? They play in Charlotte and these two teams couldn't be more evenly matched.
9. Atlanta Falcons. I have to put them here. They haven't lost to any bad teams and they're suprisingly good.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars. Their record doesn't reflect it, but they are solid. Aside from a sloppy loss to Pittsburgh, they have played reasonably well.
11. Green Bay Packers. More smoke and mirrors, although Rodgers IS playing very well.
12. Chicago Bears. The Bears looked great on Sunday, but they have to put two or three great games together to get back in the top 10.
13. Baltimore Ravens. Throw the record out again. They are very good when they do not ask Flacco to do too much. They are more than capable of winning games strictly with defense and McGahee and Rice in the backfield. It is when McClain gets too many touches and Flacco is imitating Tom Brady that the Ravens get in trouble.
14. Philadelphia Eagles. I hate this team so much. It pains me to even put them this high. However, they are winning; somehow. We will see how they measure up in two weeks.
15. New Orleans Saints. Aside from a very bad loss on Sunday, they aren't as bad as 3-4. I am one of the minority who believes they will play more sound football WITHOUT Reggie Bush. Running the ball is the best way to eliminate some of the eye-popping/game-changing turnovers that have killed the Saints in all their losses.
16. Houston Texans. I believe after their homestand is over, they'll be back in the thick of it.
17. New England Patriots. The old guys are falling by the wayside due to injury. They are about to get exposed in the coming weeks. The fall that many predicted was coming immediately after Brady was injured is on the horizon.
18. Denver Broncos. That already porous defense just got alot worse with their best player on that side of the ball, Champ Bailey and his brother Boss, out for six weeks and the rest of the season, respectively. Offensively, they are going to be in every game, but they cannot stop anyone. They may not be ranked higher than this again this season.
19. Dallas Cowboys. They are falling fast, but they will be alright once Romo comes back. The problem is, they could be 4-5 and no easy games in sight with Tampa, New York Giants and Redskins on deck.
20. San Diego No-So-Super Chargers. Inexplicable loss on Sunday. Tomlinson is injured. He might not be healthy all season, and if that is the case, they are not going to make the playoffs.
21. New York Jets. The Jets are what their record says they are. AVERAGE.
22. Indianapolis Colts. They can't run the ball (Addai) nor stop the run. They'll stay here until they figure it out.
23. Minnesota Vikings. Confusing how Gus Frerotte KILLS their chances to win with FIVE turnovers on Sunday (4 INT) when they only lost 48-41 -- yet the fans boo Tavaris Jackson lustily for the slightest mistake. Frerotte SINGLEHANDEDLY killed their chances to win Sunday. Brad Childress, should he lose his job, better go down with the guy who he chose the man the ship in the first place, if he's going to go down at all -- not with a washed-up has-been!
24. Oakland Raiders. I really believe the Raiders are going to be better... next year. But they are turning the corner offensively. JaMarcus Russell still looks raw (bad).
25. Cleveland Browns. Braylon Edwards should play for the Seattle Seahawks, he'd fit right in with them with all those dropped passes. Along with Derek Anderson's awful play, it's amazing they were able to 1) beat the Giants and 2) even have a chance at beating a Redskins team that DID NOT overlook them. They are insane... in a bad way -- as exemplified by their foolish suspension and fine of TE Kellen Winslow for TELLING THE TRUTH when asked. I don't get it. The Browns will never win anything else again.
26. Miami Dolphins. No more Wildcat! No more Wildcat!
27. Cincinnati Bengals. I keep saying the Bengals aren't that bad (0-7). But that was when Carson Palmer played. Ryan Fitzpatrick looks overwhelmed to even play club football at UNCG.
28. San Francisco 49ers. I said last week that Mike Nolan might lose his job if they lost Sunday. They did. And he lost his job. Singletary gets a pass for the rest of the season. Anything above 5 wins total this year is a bonus for SF.
29. St. Louis Rams. These past two weeks are aberrations: they won basically due to the bounce of the ball against Washington and due to the circus that is known as the Dallas Cowboys -- where their trapeze artist fell off the rope with no net. They were supposed to win that game. I said they would. Let's not get carried away and lift them TOO FAR out of the cellar.
BTW, I finally gave up on Steven Jackson in Fantasy two weeks ago, the trade goes through, effective Week 7 -- what does he do? 160 yds and scores at will? Go figure fantasy football.
30. Seattle Seahawks. They are historically bad. Injuries or not. I couldn't even sit through the first half of their game on Sunday night after witnessing Seneca Wallace miss WIDE OPEN WRs with jump passes that skipped in front of the receivers as if Donovan McNabb threw the passes...
31. Kansas City Chiefs. Herm Edwards and Larry Johnson will be gone by season's end. Their starting QB Brodie Croyle is out for the year. They are going to go 1-15.
32. Detroit Lions. People say there are no winless teams in the NFL. We are witnessing the first team to do it in 32 years. They are NOT going to win a game this year... unless the refs cheat.
M.D. Wright
10.22.08
Not much has changed in the Top 5, but there is some maneuvering taking place after a few "upsets" this past weekend. I WILL be putting the Giants back on top, because after all, Kerry Collins is the Titans' QB. I say he is going to do them in with at least 2 INT this weekend. Mark my words.
BTW, is there a such thing as an upset in the NFL anymore?
1. New York Football Giants. Granted, they have not looked great the past two weeks, but aside from a fluky blocked field goal, the Giants dominated the 49ers. BTW, I just saw an ad on ESPN2 for NFL Blitz II, and Lawrence Taylor (aka the best defensive player ever in the NFL) was in it. He looks like he can still play in the NFL and he's going to be 50 next year!
2. Tennessee Titans. If they cannot score 20 points even at will now, I cannot put them at #1 now -- nor at the end of the season. They had a great defense in 1999 and the team with the better offense won (albeit only by one yard). That's the difference between them and the Giants right now. Oh yeah, KERRY COLLINS IS THEIR QUARTERBACK.
3. Buffalo Bills. Their only loss came against a very good Cardinal team that people still think is the 1990 Phoenix Cardinals (ask Tony Romo).
4. Pittsburgh Steelers. I put them here because I am not convinced they will be able to 1) run the ball against the Giants this week or 2) stop the Giants' running game.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are a complete team. Not great at all, but they get the job done.
6. Washington Redskins. Jason Campbell still has not thrown an INT, but he was not great against Cleveland. Will Portis continue this streak of running the ball for 100 yards and leading the NFL in rushing? LB Marcus Washington has MORE than lost a step -- causing LB London Fletcher to clean up his messes. This was exposed in both their losses and an unnecessarily close game vs. Cleveland on Sunday.
7. Carolina Panthers. I would put them higher, but Jake Delhomme is alot like Eli Manning; prone to lay a rotten egg in any game with no warning as he did against Tampa Bay in Week 6. With their two-headed running game and excellent WR/TE trio, there is no reason the Panthers should have trouble moving the ball. However, every other game or every third game Delhomme blows up inexplicably -- Tampa was not as dominant as the score indicated in their loss.
8. Arizona Cardinals. I have been telling people since LAST YEAR (and I have the emails and blog posts to prove it) to watch out for the Cardinals' defense. SS Adrian Wilson (FROM?!?!?! High Point, NC) is a stalwart, and now that he is 100%, their safety tandem is one of the best, if not THE best in the league. Their linebackers are all active and make plays all over the field. Their defensive line, anchored by nose tackle Darnell Dockett (FROM?!?!?! Florida State) made Tony Romo go crying to Jessica Simpson. Oh, and the offense is the second best in the NFC. They would be higher, but Warner is much like Delhomme and their two losses prove it. Are they due for another this week? They play in Charlotte and these two teams couldn't be more evenly matched.
9. Atlanta Falcons. I have to put them here. They haven't lost to any bad teams and they're suprisingly good.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars. Their record doesn't reflect it, but they are solid. Aside from a sloppy loss to Pittsburgh, they have played reasonably well.
11. Green Bay Packers. More smoke and mirrors, although Rodgers IS playing very well.
12. Chicago Bears. The Bears looked great on Sunday, but they have to put two or three great games together to get back in the top 10.
13. Baltimore Ravens. Throw the record out again. They are very good when they do not ask Flacco to do too much. They are more than capable of winning games strictly with defense and McGahee and Rice in the backfield. It is when McClain gets too many touches and Flacco is imitating Tom Brady that the Ravens get in trouble.
14. Philadelphia Eagles. I hate this team so much. It pains me to even put them this high. However, they are winning; somehow. We will see how they measure up in two weeks.
15. New Orleans Saints. Aside from a very bad loss on Sunday, they aren't as bad as 3-4. I am one of the minority who believes they will play more sound football WITHOUT Reggie Bush. Running the ball is the best way to eliminate some of the eye-popping/game-changing turnovers that have killed the Saints in all their losses.
16. Houston Texans. I believe after their homestand is over, they'll be back in the thick of it.
17. New England Patriots. The old guys are falling by the wayside due to injury. They are about to get exposed in the coming weeks. The fall that many predicted was coming immediately after Brady was injured is on the horizon.
18. Denver Broncos. That already porous defense just got alot worse with their best player on that side of the ball, Champ Bailey and his brother Boss, out for six weeks and the rest of the season, respectively. Offensively, they are going to be in every game, but they cannot stop anyone. They may not be ranked higher than this again this season.
19. Dallas Cowboys. They are falling fast, but they will be alright once Romo comes back. The problem is, they could be 4-5 and no easy games in sight with Tampa, New York Giants and Redskins on deck.
20. San Diego No-So-Super Chargers. Inexplicable loss on Sunday. Tomlinson is injured. He might not be healthy all season, and if that is the case, they are not going to make the playoffs.
21. New York Jets. The Jets are what their record says they are. AVERAGE.
22. Indianapolis Colts. They can't run the ball (Addai) nor stop the run. They'll stay here until they figure it out.
23. Minnesota Vikings. Confusing how Gus Frerotte KILLS their chances to win with FIVE turnovers on Sunday (4 INT) when they only lost 48-41 -- yet the fans boo Tavaris Jackson lustily for the slightest mistake. Frerotte SINGLEHANDEDLY killed their chances to win Sunday. Brad Childress, should he lose his job, better go down with the guy who he chose the man the ship in the first place, if he's going to go down at all -- not with a washed-up has-been!
24. Oakland Raiders. I really believe the Raiders are going to be better... next year. But they are turning the corner offensively. JaMarcus Russell still looks raw (bad).
25. Cleveland Browns. Braylon Edwards should play for the Seattle Seahawks, he'd fit right in with them with all those dropped passes. Along with Derek Anderson's awful play, it's amazing they were able to 1) beat the Giants and 2) even have a chance at beating a Redskins team that DID NOT overlook them. They are insane... in a bad way -- as exemplified by their foolish suspension and fine of TE Kellen Winslow for TELLING THE TRUTH when asked. I don't get it. The Browns will never win anything else again.
26. Miami Dolphins. No more Wildcat! No more Wildcat!
27. Cincinnati Bengals. I keep saying the Bengals aren't that bad (0-7). But that was when Carson Palmer played. Ryan Fitzpatrick looks overwhelmed to even play club football at UNCG.
28. San Francisco 49ers. I said last week that Mike Nolan might lose his job if they lost Sunday. They did. And he lost his job. Singletary gets a pass for the rest of the season. Anything above 5 wins total this year is a bonus for SF.
29. St. Louis Rams. These past two weeks are aberrations: they won basically due to the bounce of the ball against Washington and due to the circus that is known as the Dallas Cowboys -- where their trapeze artist fell off the rope with no net. They were supposed to win that game. I said they would. Let's not get carried away and lift them TOO FAR out of the cellar.
BTW, I finally gave up on Steven Jackson in Fantasy two weeks ago, the trade goes through, effective Week 7 -- what does he do? 160 yds and scores at will? Go figure fantasy football.
30. Seattle Seahawks. They are historically bad. Injuries or not. I couldn't even sit through the first half of their game on Sunday night after witnessing Seneca Wallace miss WIDE OPEN WRs with jump passes that skipped in front of the receivers as if Donovan McNabb threw the passes...
31. Kansas City Chiefs. Herm Edwards and Larry Johnson will be gone by season's end. Their starting QB Brodie Croyle is out for the year. They are going to go 1-15.
32. Detroit Lions. People say there are no winless teams in the NFL. We are witnessing the first team to do it in 32 years. They are NOT going to win a game this year... unless the refs cheat.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
When & How To Terminate A Relationship, Pt. II
When & How To Terminate A Relationship, Pt. II
Neil Clark Warren
Terminating a relationship—a romantic relationship—successfully requires enormous skill. Unfortunately both people usually do not agree on how or when this should be done. This is a big part of the problem-that they don't agree.
There are several considerations that relate to successful termination. One of the most important ones has to do with feeling confident that you have waited long enough—that you have given the relationship every chance to demonstrate its long-term quality—that you won't look back and wish like everything that you had waited just a little longer.
In the first part of this five part series we talked about using six months as a general guide for determining how long to work on a new relationship. I believe that, after six months, if things aren't working they probably never will.
Idea Number Two
If the two of you have had some very stormy times you probably don't even need to wait six months. Long enough is long enough when indeed something very unacceptable has happened between the two of you. And what is this unacceptable thing?
First of all, if physical abuse has taken place between the two of you in a dating relationship, think about how much more likely then physical abuse is going to be a part of any future relationship. About the time there is physical abuse between you and a person you are dating, I say back away from that relationship. That's long enough.
I don't condone any kind of physical abuse. In fact, I do a lot of work on radio and television having to do with anger mismanagement and I say to spouses all the time, "If your spouse abuses you, you call 911 and report your spouse." Report this person you're dating.
I don't care if it's a woman or a man because what we know is that the likelihood of repeating abuse in the future is great if indeed there is no intervention by a legal authority. If there is intervention by a legal authority we have so much better chance of rectifying the situation and making it unlikely it will happen again.
If between you and the other person there is loud yelling, I say, I don't like that. As a matter of fact, if I got into a situation with someone in which yelling got out of control, I would wonder if long enough is already long enough. Belligerent behavior of any kind is unacceptable, like intimidation: "If you don't do that, I promise you I'm going to do this to you." I mean, I don't like intimidation like that. That might make me think, "This marriage is going to have a lot of trouble should we ever get married." I might want to back away from that relationship pretty fast.
While I believe that anger mismanagement can be significantly changed, experiences of this mismanagement usually do tremendous damage to a couple's trust level, and repeated experiences are nearly impossible to overcome.
So, if you're in a relationship right now in which there is any physical abuse, in which there is this kind of loud yelling, or in which you feel fearful for your own safety at times and the other person is intimidating, I say it has been long enough. I just want you to move away from that situation as quickly and as well as you can. There's so much likelihood that not only will it continue, but it will continue on a more frequent basis should you get married.
Neil Clark Warren
Terminating a relationship—a romantic relationship—successfully requires enormous skill. Unfortunately both people usually do not agree on how or when this should be done. This is a big part of the problem-that they don't agree.
There are several considerations that relate to successful termination. One of the most important ones has to do with feeling confident that you have waited long enough—that you have given the relationship every chance to demonstrate its long-term quality—that you won't look back and wish like everything that you had waited just a little longer.
In the first part of this five part series we talked about using six months as a general guide for determining how long to work on a new relationship. I believe that, after six months, if things aren't working they probably never will.
Idea Number Two
If the two of you have had some very stormy times you probably don't even need to wait six months. Long enough is long enough when indeed something very unacceptable has happened between the two of you. And what is this unacceptable thing?
First of all, if physical abuse has taken place between the two of you in a dating relationship, think about how much more likely then physical abuse is going to be a part of any future relationship. About the time there is physical abuse between you and a person you are dating, I say back away from that relationship. That's long enough.
I don't condone any kind of physical abuse. In fact, I do a lot of work on radio and television having to do with anger mismanagement and I say to spouses all the time, "If your spouse abuses you, you call 911 and report your spouse." Report this person you're dating.
I don't care if it's a woman or a man because what we know is that the likelihood of repeating abuse in the future is great if indeed there is no intervention by a legal authority. If there is intervention by a legal authority we have so much better chance of rectifying the situation and making it unlikely it will happen again.
If between you and the other person there is loud yelling, I say, I don't like that. As a matter of fact, if I got into a situation with someone in which yelling got out of control, I would wonder if long enough is already long enough. Belligerent behavior of any kind is unacceptable, like intimidation: "If you don't do that, I promise you I'm going to do this to you." I mean, I don't like intimidation like that. That might make me think, "This marriage is going to have a lot of trouble should we ever get married." I might want to back away from that relationship pretty fast.
While I believe that anger mismanagement can be significantly changed, experiences of this mismanagement usually do tremendous damage to a couple's trust level, and repeated experiences are nearly impossible to overcome.
So, if you're in a relationship right now in which there is any physical abuse, in which there is this kind of loud yelling, or in which you feel fearful for your own safety at times and the other person is intimidating, I say it has been long enough. I just want you to move away from that situation as quickly and as well as you can. There's so much likelihood that not only will it continue, but it will continue on a more frequent basis should you get married.
Friday, October 17, 2008
NFL Week 7 Picks
NFL Week 7 Picks
M.D. Wright
10.17.08
The season is breezing by, which is a good thing, because that means the fall 2008 semester is doing the same. May 15, 2009 can't get here soon enough.
I digress.
We are learning more and more about these teams as we approach the halfway point in the season. That does not save me from a streak of awful calls the past few weeks. Let's hope I get back on track this week with my picks.
Week 7
San Diego (Super) Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Orchard Park, New York
The Chargers are coming off a strong performance where they finally showed signs of what everyone expected from them this season. I am still concerned about Tomlinson's health. If that toe does not heal, they cannot beat the absolute best teams in the AFC nor NFC. I really mean it.
The Bills are solid, with a decent running game from RB Marshawn Lynch and their passing game should not miss a beat with the transition from Edwards to Losman and back to Edwards. Buffalo's defense looks a bit porous of late, and I'm not certain the bye will fix that. The Chargers look very strong offensively, and when they're playing like this, no one can beat them.
Call:
San Diego 31
Buffalo 21
---
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, Illinois
Minnesota fans are turning into Eagles fans. Unappreciative of a guy who was learning (Jackson) and overvaluing a has-been's mediocre play (Frerotte) while deceiving themselves that they are a legitimate contender solely because they have Adrian Peterson and a little above-average defense. Yeah, right.
The Bears let one slip away from them last week, and I really believe they will rebound and manhandle the Vikes with their defense.
Minnesota 13
Chicago 24
---
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Cincinnati, Ohio
The Steelers are coming off a bye and fighting mad due to a bevy of ridiculous fines from the league raning from CLEAN football plays (Hines Ward), criticisms of the referees (James Harrison accusing the refs of "cheating" which I have been known to do a few thousand times myself in 25 years of watching the NFL) and now Troy Polamalu is going to get one for stating the league's policy of fining guys for benign offenses is making the NFL into a "pansy" league. Way to use a word that had been dormant for years. It has been in my vernacular for years, but I'm really going to start back using it now that I heard Polamalu's comments.
The Bengals are not as bad as their 0-6 record indicates, but with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in for injured QB Carson Palmer, they don't stand a chance against the Steeler defense. PERIOD.
Call:
Pittsburgh 30
Cincinnati 17
---
Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri
The Titans are coming off a bye themselves and boast the league's best overall defense. They are stingy. The Chiefs are looking awful, but feeling good because they won a game -- finally. This is going to be ugly. Another shutout?
Call:
Tennessee 20
Kansas City 0
---
Dallas Cowboys vs. St. Louis Rams
Edward Jones Dome
St. Louis, Missouri
The Cowboys catch somewhat of a break by playing the second worst team in the NFL. They better figure out what they are going to do to shore up their shaky defense and their offense situation after QB Tony Romo injured his thumb vs. Arizona last week and WR Roy E. Williams being acquired mid-week. They should win this game, but their next two could, and very well SHOULD BE losses. They should have a sense of urgency in this one.
The Rams aren't any good. They only "beat" the Redskins due to fluky turnovers and field position afforded to them due to those turnovers. But hey, you can't take anything from them. They took advantage. Bad teams usually do not. they still have the worst defense in the NFL.
Call:
Dallas 31
St. Louis 7
---
Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Stadium
Miami, Florida
The Ravens are coming off three straight tough-to-swallow losses. They saw their offense come to life a bit when RB Ray Rice got a few touches and now that QB Troy Smith is healthy, they should place him in the starting lineup, because Joe Flacco, while a good player thus far as a rookie, does not know the system as well as Smith. The defense is as stout as ever and will not be fooled by that "Wildcat" offense (notice how only bad teams resort to using this set-up). The Ravens got backhanded by Peyton Manning last week, but they should rebound well in this one.
The Dolphins should feature more of the aforementioned "Wildcat". How effective will it be? That remains to be seen. Without the gimmicks, they don't stand much of a chance, unless the Ravens continue to be inept at moving the ball in the red zone.
Call:
Baltimore 14
Miami 9
---
San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Football Giants
Giants Stadium at The New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Giants laid an egg on Monday. The whole nation saw it (of course this would be when they do it, so people who hate or are oblivious to the Giants will have more fuel to do so when they argue with Jints fans), but I'm glad they lost now rather than in January or that game in February like another CERTAIN team did. The 49ers don't stand a chance after this week of practice out in Fairfield.
Call:
San Francisco 10
NY Giants 41
---
New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, North Carolina
The Saints are the new Greatest Show on Turf. But unlike those Rams teams of 1999-2002, they don't have the defense to match. The Panthers are bubbling under the radar and playing very well at home thus far. They are just as complete of a team as the Giants and Redskins are. And it will show.
Call:
New Orleans 26
Carolina 37
---
Detroit Lions vs. Houston Texans
Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas
The Lions are the worst team in the NFL and playing on the road.
Call:
Detroit 6
Houston 34
---
New York Titans-Jets vs. Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders
McAfee Coliseum
Oakland, California
The Jets are coming off solid wins and appear to be in good shape to beat the Raiders who look anemic offensively -- with the Raiders having to scale back their offense so that QB JaMarcus Russell can grasp on. That would be enough of a statement, but the Jets aren't guaranteed to win here. They always have a tough time playing Oakland in Oakland. It will be close.
Call:
NY Jets 20
Oakland 17
---
Indianapolis Colts vs. Green Bay Packers
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Lambeau used to be a very intimidating place to play beginning this time of the year. It is not anymore. Brett Favre (and his overrated-ness) are not there anymore. The Colts looked great in dismantling the Ravens last week. I expect more of the same, as Manning is healthy and the Packers aren't 100% in their secondary.
The Pack better get their running game figured out VERY SOON if they expect to make the playoffs.
Call:
Indianapolis 35
Green Bay 24
---
Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Redskins
FedEx Field
Landover, Maryland
Both teams are coming off fluky games which should be looked at as aberrations to the norm and not a trend. The Browns "beat" a team that had overlooked them and come out flat, and the Redskins thoroughly dominated the Rams in every facet, but gave the game away in fluky turnovers. I expect the Redskins to restore order. Besides, the Redskins run the ball just as well as the Giants and one of the things the Browns DID NOT do Monday (nor do well at all) is stop the run.
Call:
Cleveland 14
Washington 24
---
Seattle Seahawks vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Florida
*** SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- But Without John Madden ***
This could be viewed as two ways for the Bucs. 1) A potential "Trap Game" or 2) a should-be beatdown of a very bad(ly injured) team. With QB Jeff Garcia, there is no quit, so I am leaning toward the latter.
Call:
Seattle 9
Tampa Bay 21
---
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
*** MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ***
The Broncos have yet to tie together two games where they dominate defensively. They manhandled the Buccaneers one week, then laid an egg the next. The Patriots are walking wounded. History says never count them out, but reality (which is what I live in) says that Matt Cassel is not very good and the Pats' defense is leaky. Recipe for disaster with Jay Cutler & Co. coming to town. Could be back to back blowouts for the Cheatriots.
Call:
Denver 41
New England 20
---
M.D. Wright
10.17.08
The season is breezing by, which is a good thing, because that means the fall 2008 semester is doing the same. May 15, 2009 can't get here soon enough.
I digress.
We are learning more and more about these teams as we approach the halfway point in the season. That does not save me from a streak of awful calls the past few weeks. Let's hope I get back on track this week with my picks.
Week 7
San Diego (Super) Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Orchard Park, New York
The Chargers are coming off a strong performance where they finally showed signs of what everyone expected from them this season. I am still concerned about Tomlinson's health. If that toe does not heal, they cannot beat the absolute best teams in the AFC nor NFC. I really mean it.
The Bills are solid, with a decent running game from RB Marshawn Lynch and their passing game should not miss a beat with the transition from Edwards to Losman and back to Edwards. Buffalo's defense looks a bit porous of late, and I'm not certain the bye will fix that. The Chargers look very strong offensively, and when they're playing like this, no one can beat them.
Call:
San Diego 31
Buffalo 21
---
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, Illinois
Minnesota fans are turning into Eagles fans. Unappreciative of a guy who was learning (Jackson) and overvaluing a has-been's mediocre play (Frerotte) while deceiving themselves that they are a legitimate contender solely because they have Adrian Peterson and a little above-average defense. Yeah, right.
The Bears let one slip away from them last week, and I really believe they will rebound and manhandle the Vikes with their defense.
Minnesota 13
Chicago 24
---
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Cincinnati, Ohio
The Steelers are coming off a bye and fighting mad due to a bevy of ridiculous fines from the league raning from CLEAN football plays (Hines Ward), criticisms of the referees (James Harrison accusing the refs of "cheating" which I have been known to do a few thousand times myself in 25 years of watching the NFL) and now Troy Polamalu is going to get one for stating the league's policy of fining guys for benign offenses is making the NFL into a "pansy" league. Way to use a word that had been dormant for years. It has been in my vernacular for years, but I'm really going to start back using it now that I heard Polamalu's comments.
The Bengals are not as bad as their 0-6 record indicates, but with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in for injured QB Carson Palmer, they don't stand a chance against the Steeler defense. PERIOD.
Call:
Pittsburgh 30
Cincinnati 17
---
Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri
The Titans are coming off a bye themselves and boast the league's best overall defense. They are stingy. The Chiefs are looking awful, but feeling good because they won a game -- finally. This is going to be ugly. Another shutout?
Call:
Tennessee 20
Kansas City 0
---
Dallas Cowboys vs. St. Louis Rams
Edward Jones Dome
St. Louis, Missouri
The Cowboys catch somewhat of a break by playing the second worst team in the NFL. They better figure out what they are going to do to shore up their shaky defense and their offense situation after QB Tony Romo injured his thumb vs. Arizona last week and WR Roy E. Williams being acquired mid-week. They should win this game, but their next two could, and very well SHOULD BE losses. They should have a sense of urgency in this one.
The Rams aren't any good. They only "beat" the Redskins due to fluky turnovers and field position afforded to them due to those turnovers. But hey, you can't take anything from them. They took advantage. Bad teams usually do not. they still have the worst defense in the NFL.
Call:
Dallas 31
St. Louis 7
---
Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Stadium
Miami, Florida
The Ravens are coming off three straight tough-to-swallow losses. They saw their offense come to life a bit when RB Ray Rice got a few touches and now that QB Troy Smith is healthy, they should place him in the starting lineup, because Joe Flacco, while a good player thus far as a rookie, does not know the system as well as Smith. The defense is as stout as ever and will not be fooled by that "Wildcat" offense (notice how only bad teams resort to using this set-up). The Ravens got backhanded by Peyton Manning last week, but they should rebound well in this one.
The Dolphins should feature more of the aforementioned "Wildcat". How effective will it be? That remains to be seen. Without the gimmicks, they don't stand much of a chance, unless the Ravens continue to be inept at moving the ball in the red zone.
Call:
Baltimore 14
Miami 9
---
San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Football Giants
Giants Stadium at The New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Giants laid an egg on Monday. The whole nation saw it (of course this would be when they do it, so people who hate or are oblivious to the Giants will have more fuel to do so when they argue with Jints fans), but I'm glad they lost now rather than in January or that game in February like another CERTAIN team did. The 49ers don't stand a chance after this week of practice out in Fairfield.
Call:
San Francisco 10
NY Giants 41
---
New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, North Carolina
The Saints are the new Greatest Show on Turf. But unlike those Rams teams of 1999-2002, they don't have the defense to match. The Panthers are bubbling under the radar and playing very well at home thus far. They are just as complete of a team as the Giants and Redskins are. And it will show.
Call:
New Orleans 26
Carolina 37
---
Detroit Lions vs. Houston Texans
Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas
The Lions are the worst team in the NFL and playing on the road.
Call:
Detroit 6
Houston 34
---
New York Titans-Jets vs. Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders
McAfee Coliseum
Oakland, California
The Jets are coming off solid wins and appear to be in good shape to beat the Raiders who look anemic offensively -- with the Raiders having to scale back their offense so that QB JaMarcus Russell can grasp on. That would be enough of a statement, but the Jets aren't guaranteed to win here. They always have a tough time playing Oakland in Oakland. It will be close.
Call:
NY Jets 20
Oakland 17
---
Indianapolis Colts vs. Green Bay Packers
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Lambeau used to be a very intimidating place to play beginning this time of the year. It is not anymore. Brett Favre (and his overrated-ness) are not there anymore. The Colts looked great in dismantling the Ravens last week. I expect more of the same, as Manning is healthy and the Packers aren't 100% in their secondary.
The Pack better get their running game figured out VERY SOON if they expect to make the playoffs.
Call:
Indianapolis 35
Green Bay 24
---
Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Redskins
FedEx Field
Landover, Maryland
Both teams are coming off fluky games which should be looked at as aberrations to the norm and not a trend. The Browns "beat" a team that had overlooked them and come out flat, and the Redskins thoroughly dominated the Rams in every facet, but gave the game away in fluky turnovers. I expect the Redskins to restore order. Besides, the Redskins run the ball just as well as the Giants and one of the things the Browns DID NOT do Monday (nor do well at all) is stop the run.
Call:
Cleveland 14
Washington 24
---
Seattle Seahawks vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Florida
*** SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- But Without John Madden ***
This could be viewed as two ways for the Bucs. 1) A potential "Trap Game" or 2) a should-be beatdown of a very bad(ly injured) team. With QB Jeff Garcia, there is no quit, so I am leaning toward the latter.
Call:
Seattle 9
Tampa Bay 21
---
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
*** MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ***
The Broncos have yet to tie together two games where they dominate defensively. They manhandled the Buccaneers one week, then laid an egg the next. The Patriots are walking wounded. History says never count them out, but reality (which is what I live in) says that Matt Cassel is not very good and the Pats' defense is leaky. Recipe for disaster with Jay Cutler & Co. coming to town. Could be back to back blowouts for the Cheatriots.
Call:
Denver 41
New England 20
---
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
My Retort To The B.S. I've Been Hearing ALOT In My Adult Life...
My Retort To The B.S. I've Been Hearing ALOT In My Adult Life...
M.D. Wright
10.15.08
I ain't gon' have no friends left after I publish this, but I don't care. I love the truth, even if someone speaks it to me and my knees buckle from the jarring hit. The truth is beautiful. I hate political correctness, lies, blame shifting, inferiority complexes (not the people who suffer from them, however) and all the guilt-tripping that I will discuss here. But again, as I said, I may not have any friends once they read it and I'm fine with that. I don't want you around me if you're full of crap and self-hatred (but accusing others of having that same "self-hate" to deflect the focus from their OWN inadequacies and poor self-image). I'm really sick of it and things have gotten worse since I graduated high school.
When I was coming along, there was always this hang-up on skin color. It hasn't gone away now, but it has shifted focus. You hear people say "Dark-skinned/chocolate bruvas is in now..." Back when I was in elementary, middle and the first part of high school (when things shifted) all you heard was "Light skinned dudes are in..." BLAH BLAH BLAH... why does it matter? At the end of the day, all the bull (I'm really trying to not slip back into cursing, because I HAVE been delivered) but all the bull that women talk about favoring a man's inner core, his character, his spirituality/relationship with Jesus Christ takes a back seat to crap like skin color, hair texture and other genetic nonsense that no one truly has 100% control over.
For instance, I have female friends from just about every "race" (I hate the word), ethnicity, many nationalities and just within the Black diaspora itself -- of ALL shades: from see-through/light-bright-but-still-Black to Blue/Black Purple. I have female friends from every end of the spectrum skin color-wise, hair texture-wise (more on that in a moment) and all heights, weights, sizes, what have you... And while I have my own personal preferences, apart from what media and society dictates as "beautiful" (someone's going to be excluded -- so why guilt-trip me because I favor "this" over "that", right? However, one FUNDAMENTAL difference between what my preferences emanate from and the BULLSPIT that I am ranting about is my desires are pure, not birthed from self-hatred or trying to fit into some cookie-cutter image that in and of ITSELF is fleeting!
I digress.
Of those women I speak of from my female friends, I hear them say a LOT of stuff about what they want in a man. This is one of the few times I get completely silent (strategically) and just listen. You cannot learn if you're talking while information is being disseminated. Most of it SOUNDS GOOD, but it doesn't seem to match their actions (in many cases). I won't get personal with it, but I DO listen and observe and it's just not adding up.
And let's be straight here, I don't want to sound like I'm nailing women and leaving men out -- we know men's faults, because we hear about them 1,000 times a day from overhearing conversations on campus, TV shows, magazines and what have you -- plus, I'm talking from my perspective; and since I'm no maricon, I'm focusing on women -- since I have personally had experiences with the things of which I speak.
But my spirit was somewhat grieved when I had read the transcript of an episode of The Tyra Banks Show and this Black woman went on there to tell the WORLD that she married and had children by an Asian man SOLELY to "ensure" that her children would have this elusive (and foolishly-termed) "GOOD HAIR". WHAT?!?!?! What about his character?! What about what kind of father he will be?
This is why I personally get upset, because those qualities and virtues that I possess are always secondary. While I am not complaining, I kind of wonder about certain women who only come at me because they are "curious" about getting with a Black man. I certainly don't mind the attention. What I wonder about is motive; and given my desire to build a healthy relationship -- such motives cannot be the foundation of a healthy relationship -- so I take umbrage with it.
My father is a great man. He has always been there for us. When I was born, things were definitely grimy. Awful conditions, squalor, and I was sickly. Unlike a lot of Black men, HE STAYED and perservered through thick and thin. Things have gotten progressively better over the years, to the point that by high school I was very much privileged (although I loved money too much and became a workaholic/degenerate gambler). There is something to be said for that. I got a lot of my qualities, not genetically, but by emulation.
My mother, who has pushed me like I was training to run for the Kentucky Derby since BEFORE she pushed me out of the womb, has helped shaped me in the ways that a father cannot. I am driven to be excellent in all that I do (not to be better than OTHERS, but to be my best -- I am only in competition with MYSELF; big difference from the hypercompetitive people out there who try to put others down to make themselves look better). All that came from her. I believe that with the combination of the two, I turned out pretty good. How it is it then, that this NEVER gets discussed whenever I am getting to know women? All I hear is stuff about my skin complexion/texture, or my hair texture and all this PHYSICAL stuff; while I LOVE compliments, what about getting to know me for who I am inside, since this is what they CLAIM they want... since this is what they CLAIM they want to see different in a man... not just his money, or his looks or whether or not he is a thug (another hilarious thing is to see cats in Greensboro give me ice grills, walk around acting tough, talking tough and if I took them to three of the 'hoods I've lived in: Harlem, Fort Greene and Newark, they'd turn softer than silly putty in Arizona heat after 10 minutes on the block -- meanwhile, I'm a nice dude, don't start beefs with anyone and try to respect everyone -- including the dudes who run around thinking they got something on me... when I've DONE what they are breaking their necks, selling their souls and stepping all over others to GET TO).
OK, back to what I was saying. Another thing that bugs me is Black womens' infatuation with hair. What's REALLY good, though? Why is this so important? Why are so many still so ignorant to think that everyone's hair texture is the same -- that they hate on each other because of weave, then go perm their own hair... or because a guy's hair isn't as kinky as the next Black man's and rolled up on his neck, that he AUTOMATICALLY has to be "putting something" in his hair? And these are college-educated women who MUST take Biology at some point in life... so SURELY you should know that genetics is not a perfect science. Just like skin complexions, weight, bone density and other things I won't even talk about, EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. Why flock to a guy because of the texture of his hair, and only want to get with him BECAUSE of that (and yes, I have had women say that directly to me)? Or why assume silly things, while not understanding his family tree? Instead of looking for who has "good hair" or who isn't "ughhhhh TOO DARK" why not focus on who would make a great husband, a great supporter, a great provider, a prayer warrior, and MAN WHO LOVES THE LORD and therefore, will respect and value you above rubies (or, in the contemporary sense, above PLATINUM, 28 karat diamonds, Lamborghini whips, mansions, etc.)?
I have heard a lot of those aforementioned female friends make comments about a guy being "too dark". I have heard it said about me, even WHILE some of them made the admission that "otherwise" I am a "nice guy" and "nice looking, to be a dark skinned guy". Well, while I am not bitter or even the least bit upset about that (I just go elsewhere and commisserate with women who appreciate me for me, rather than develop a nasty attitude, blame-shift and guilt-trip those women who try to tear me down, instead of building me up as they SHOULD) I seriously wonder what is behind that sentiment. Again, what does that have to do with my personality and character? Secondly, with MY genetic background, even IF you want to be hung up on skin color, you have no idea how my children will turn out; because I truly thought my mother was white until I was about 7 or 8 years old... but you would not know that I am the product of such parentage just by looking at me. You have to get to know people. Skin color and hair texture hang-ups are stupid -- especially for a group of women who already limit themselves in the dating/marriage pool (by not allowing non-Black men to make themselves available as serious suitors for them, and 10 women clamoring for every 1 good man -- since that is the ratio these days). I just don't understand where the self-hatred comes from. And to top it off, I get guilt-tripped because I decided years ago to not limit myself to just Black or Puerto Rican women. I think it is foolish, that if I am a Christian man, that if God be God and His Word be His Word, that if a woman is a born-again Christian, regardless of where she is from, her skin color, ethnicity, culture, nationality, etc., that it cannot work with God's blessing. I am officially over it now. But I am deeply saddened by women who are like that woman from the Tyra Show, because I KNOW some like that and it goes a long way to answering the ("why aren't you married yet?!?!?!") question that people keep asking me. I never have been and still am not in a rush. I want a real and healthy friendship with a woman who shares the foundational things in common that I value and enough commonalities outside of spiritual things that we can relate. I don't want a twin and I am not idealizing anyone. But ONLY giving Black women a chance, when so many of them refuse to treat you right -- is foolish.
And to those on the "I can't find a man on my level" or "I don't want to take care of a man (aka 'I make more money than him, so even though he's doing his best, I need someone who makes more than me so I'll feel good about myself around my girlfriends') or even "Men are intimidated by my education, income, blah blah blah" -- HOGWASH! BALDERDASH! I have never seen a bigger gaffle ever run in my lifetime than those lines. Enough already. I have seen women like this walk with their noses in the air right past me and some of my friends (who are ALL educated, as I am, and of great reputation, as I do not deal closely with scumbags) and then lay into each other and whine in church or their little groups that "there are no good Black men left..." I just never bought that line and I have seen how such women act around men who they readily discern aren't as educated or making as much money as they are.
But please, please, PLEASE let's stop the self-hate, the poor self-image/blameshifting onto Black men and get back to loving ourselves and who we are. It's not about fitting into an ideal standard of "beauty" or "handsomeness", it's about CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY, and I would LOVE to be complimented (or insulted) on THOSE things for once, rather than physical attributes. I am not perfect and I am not Jesus Christ, but jeez, can I bruva get some love for being a great role model for young men (check) and someone who many older mothers would love to see their daughter with (not going there LOL)? There has to be something said about a guy's personality ALONG WITH -- not ASIDE FROM -- his looks and other physical attributes. We hear women complain about men being hung up on those external things and supposedly not looking inside, but we DO look inward (there just has to be an attraction there FIRST; non-negotiatable. Sorry.)
That Tyra Show transcript pushed me over the edge, because I have been enduring a lot of nonsensical remarks for quite a while and never said anything. THAT woman literally made me throw my hands up and want to throw in the towel!
M.D. Wright
10.15.08
I ain't gon' have no friends left after I publish this, but I don't care. I love the truth, even if someone speaks it to me and my knees buckle from the jarring hit. The truth is beautiful. I hate political correctness, lies, blame shifting, inferiority complexes (not the people who suffer from them, however) and all the guilt-tripping that I will discuss here. But again, as I said, I may not have any friends once they read it and I'm fine with that. I don't want you around me if you're full of crap and self-hatred (but accusing others of having that same "self-hate" to deflect the focus from their OWN inadequacies and poor self-image). I'm really sick of it and things have gotten worse since I graduated high school.
When I was coming along, there was always this hang-up on skin color. It hasn't gone away now, but it has shifted focus. You hear people say "Dark-skinned/chocolate bruvas is in now..." Back when I was in elementary, middle and the first part of high school (when things shifted) all you heard was "Light skinned dudes are in..." BLAH BLAH BLAH... why does it matter? At the end of the day, all the bull (I'm really trying to not slip back into cursing, because I HAVE been delivered) but all the bull that women talk about favoring a man's inner core, his character, his spirituality/relationship with Jesus Christ takes a back seat to crap like skin color, hair texture and other genetic nonsense that no one truly has 100% control over.
For instance, I have female friends from just about every "race" (I hate the word), ethnicity, many nationalities and just within the Black diaspora itself -- of ALL shades: from see-through/light-bright-but-still-Black to Blue/Black Purple. I have female friends from every end of the spectrum skin color-wise, hair texture-wise (more on that in a moment) and all heights, weights, sizes, what have you... And while I have my own personal preferences, apart from what media and society dictates as "beautiful" (someone's going to be excluded -- so why guilt-trip me because I favor "this" over "that", right? However, one FUNDAMENTAL difference between what my preferences emanate from and the BULLSPIT that I am ranting about is my desires are pure, not birthed from self-hatred or trying to fit into some cookie-cutter image that in and of ITSELF is fleeting!
I digress.
Of those women I speak of from my female friends, I hear them say a LOT of stuff about what they want in a man. This is one of the few times I get completely silent (strategically) and just listen. You cannot learn if you're talking while information is being disseminated. Most of it SOUNDS GOOD, but it doesn't seem to match their actions (in many cases). I won't get personal with it, but I DO listen and observe and it's just not adding up.
And let's be straight here, I don't want to sound like I'm nailing women and leaving men out -- we know men's faults, because we hear about them 1,000 times a day from overhearing conversations on campus, TV shows, magazines and what have you -- plus, I'm talking from my perspective; and since I'm no maricon, I'm focusing on women -- since I have personally had experiences with the things of which I speak.
But my spirit was somewhat grieved when I had read the transcript of an episode of The Tyra Banks Show and this Black woman went on there to tell the WORLD that she married and had children by an Asian man SOLELY to "ensure" that her children would have this elusive (and foolishly-termed) "GOOD HAIR". WHAT?!?!?! What about his character?! What about what kind of father he will be?
This is why I personally get upset, because those qualities and virtues that I possess are always secondary. While I am not complaining, I kind of wonder about certain women who only come at me because they are "curious" about getting with a Black man. I certainly don't mind the attention. What I wonder about is motive; and given my desire to build a healthy relationship -- such motives cannot be the foundation of a healthy relationship -- so I take umbrage with it.
My father is a great man. He has always been there for us. When I was born, things were definitely grimy. Awful conditions, squalor, and I was sickly. Unlike a lot of Black men, HE STAYED and perservered through thick and thin. Things have gotten progressively better over the years, to the point that by high school I was very much privileged (although I loved money too much and became a workaholic/degenerate gambler). There is something to be said for that. I got a lot of my qualities, not genetically, but by emulation.
My mother, who has pushed me like I was training to run for the Kentucky Derby since BEFORE she pushed me out of the womb, has helped shaped me in the ways that a father cannot. I am driven to be excellent in all that I do (not to be better than OTHERS, but to be my best -- I am only in competition with MYSELF; big difference from the hypercompetitive people out there who try to put others down to make themselves look better). All that came from her. I believe that with the combination of the two, I turned out pretty good. How it is it then, that this NEVER gets discussed whenever I am getting to know women? All I hear is stuff about my skin complexion/texture, or my hair texture and all this PHYSICAL stuff; while I LOVE compliments, what about getting to know me for who I am inside, since this is what they CLAIM they want... since this is what they CLAIM they want to see different in a man... not just his money, or his looks or whether or not he is a thug (another hilarious thing is to see cats in Greensboro give me ice grills, walk around acting tough, talking tough and if I took them to three of the 'hoods I've lived in: Harlem, Fort Greene and Newark, they'd turn softer than silly putty in Arizona heat after 10 minutes on the block -- meanwhile, I'm a nice dude, don't start beefs with anyone and try to respect everyone -- including the dudes who run around thinking they got something on me... when I've DONE what they are breaking their necks, selling their souls and stepping all over others to GET TO).
OK, back to what I was saying. Another thing that bugs me is Black womens' infatuation with hair. What's REALLY good, though? Why is this so important? Why are so many still so ignorant to think that everyone's hair texture is the same -- that they hate on each other because of weave, then go perm their own hair... or because a guy's hair isn't as kinky as the next Black man's and rolled up on his neck, that he AUTOMATICALLY has to be "putting something" in his hair? And these are college-educated women who MUST take Biology at some point in life... so SURELY you should know that genetics is not a perfect science. Just like skin complexions, weight, bone density and other things I won't even talk about, EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. Why flock to a guy because of the texture of his hair, and only want to get with him BECAUSE of that (and yes, I have had women say that directly to me)? Or why assume silly things, while not understanding his family tree? Instead of looking for who has "good hair" or who isn't "ughhhhh TOO DARK" why not focus on who would make a great husband, a great supporter, a great provider, a prayer warrior, and MAN WHO LOVES THE LORD and therefore, will respect and value you above rubies (or, in the contemporary sense, above PLATINUM, 28 karat diamonds, Lamborghini whips, mansions, etc.)?
I have heard a lot of those aforementioned female friends make comments about a guy being "too dark". I have heard it said about me, even WHILE some of them made the admission that "otherwise" I am a "nice guy" and "nice looking, to be a dark skinned guy". Well, while I am not bitter or even the least bit upset about that (I just go elsewhere and commisserate with women who appreciate me for me, rather than develop a nasty attitude, blame-shift and guilt-trip those women who try to tear me down, instead of building me up as they SHOULD) I seriously wonder what is behind that sentiment. Again, what does that have to do with my personality and character? Secondly, with MY genetic background, even IF you want to be hung up on skin color, you have no idea how my children will turn out; because I truly thought my mother was white until I was about 7 or 8 years old... but you would not know that I am the product of such parentage just by looking at me. You have to get to know people. Skin color and hair texture hang-ups are stupid -- especially for a group of women who already limit themselves in the dating/marriage pool (by not allowing non-Black men to make themselves available as serious suitors for them, and 10 women clamoring for every 1 good man -- since that is the ratio these days). I just don't understand where the self-hatred comes from. And to top it off, I get guilt-tripped because I decided years ago to not limit myself to just Black or Puerto Rican women. I think it is foolish, that if I am a Christian man, that if God be God and His Word be His Word, that if a woman is a born-again Christian, regardless of where she is from, her skin color, ethnicity, culture, nationality, etc., that it cannot work with God's blessing. I am officially over it now. But I am deeply saddened by women who are like that woman from the Tyra Show, because I KNOW some like that and it goes a long way to answering the ("why aren't you married yet?!?!?!") question that people keep asking me. I never have been and still am not in a rush. I want a real and healthy friendship with a woman who shares the foundational things in common that I value and enough commonalities outside of spiritual things that we can relate. I don't want a twin and I am not idealizing anyone. But ONLY giving Black women a chance, when so many of them refuse to treat you right -- is foolish.
And to those on the "I can't find a man on my level" or "I don't want to take care of a man (aka 'I make more money than him, so even though he's doing his best, I need someone who makes more than me so I'll feel good about myself around my girlfriends') or even "Men are intimidated by my education, income, blah blah blah" -- HOGWASH! BALDERDASH! I have never seen a bigger gaffle ever run in my lifetime than those lines. Enough already. I have seen women like this walk with their noses in the air right past me and some of my friends (who are ALL educated, as I am, and of great reputation, as I do not deal closely with scumbags) and then lay into each other and whine in church or their little groups that "there are no good Black men left..." I just never bought that line and I have seen how such women act around men who they readily discern aren't as educated or making as much money as they are.
But please, please, PLEASE let's stop the self-hate, the poor self-image/blameshifting onto Black men and get back to loving ourselves and who we are. It's not about fitting into an ideal standard of "beauty" or "handsomeness", it's about CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY, and I would LOVE to be complimented (or insulted) on THOSE things for once, rather than physical attributes. I am not perfect and I am not Jesus Christ, but jeez, can I bruva get some love for being a great role model for young men (check) and someone who many older mothers would love to see their daughter with (not going there LOL)? There has to be something said about a guy's personality ALONG WITH -- not ASIDE FROM -- his looks and other physical attributes. We hear women complain about men being hung up on those external things and supposedly not looking inside, but we DO look inward (there just has to be an attraction there FIRST; non-negotiatable. Sorry.)
That Tyra Show transcript pushed me over the edge, because I have been enduring a lot of nonsensical remarks for quite a while and never said anything. THAT woman literally made me throw my hands up and want to throw in the towel!
NFL Power Rankings: Week 7
NFL Power Rankings: Week 7
Michael D. Wright
10.15.08
I believe I am going to continue doing these weekly; as ESPN posts their Power Rankings, I'll post mine. Of course there has been a shake up at the top. The Titans go to #1 by default, after the Giants looked uninspired and stiff (no homo) against the Browns.
The Top 5 is pretty much true to form.
1. Tennessee Titans. They are coming off a bye and they'll stay here until Kerry Collins kills them with the INTs he killed the Giants with over five years.
2. New York (Football) Giants. I don't mind the loss. The goal isn't to go undefeated (and have an arrogant locker room/fanbase like the Patriots had last year). The goal is to win the last game. The Giants are still the best team overall in the NFL aside from the egg they laid Monday.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers. I put them here by default, also. Their one loss was against a team that blitzes 80% of the time -- their offensive line was (and still is) in shambles. The fact they've won their last three games is a testament to their tenacity.
4. Buffalo Bills. I was hesitant to put them in the Top 5 last week and did not. This week, they deserve it.
5. Arizona Cardinals. People will point to that 56-pt Jets debacle and think that is more indicative of the Cards than their wins vs. Dallas and Buffalo; which are REALLY more of a barometer of this team. They have the best WR tandem (and trio, with Breaston) in the NFL. The Jet game was an anomaly.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are ugly. They win ugly. But they win. That's all that matters. With Garcia in for Griese, they won't commit turnovers -- making them tough to beat. An easy game coming up vs. Dallas, which is missing half its original starting roster should put them 6-2 following that game.
7. Carolina Panthers. They are only here because they just lost to the Bucs. Otherwise, they'd be breathing down the Steelers' necks for 3rd.
8. Washington Redskins. The Redskins get a pass much like the Jints get. They didn't lay the egg that the Giants laid, but a loss to a winless team knocks you down a few spots. PERIOD.
9. Indianapolis Colts. Count me in the camp who believes that Sunday vs. Baltimore signals that they are back.
10. San Diego Chargers. A convincing win against the overrated Patriots helps, but they are going to have to tie more than one game together to be considered true contenders as they expected.
11. Atlanta Falcons. YES, the Falcons. Tell why I should not have them here.
12. Denver Broncos. I hate Denver, and I still think their record causes people to have loftier expectations of them than they should, but we will see over the next four games.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars. Steady, not spectacular, not bad. If there is a such thing as the best of the mediocre teams, the Jags are it.
14. Philadelphia Eagles. The Iggles SHOULD be done if Westbrook can't play effectively. McNabb can have all the resurgence he wants, but without Westbrook, that offense is pedestrian at best.
15. New York Jets. The Jets are making me look bad by winning games I keep picking them to lose. You have to hand it to them, they aren't that bad on defense, and Brett Favre, or Barve, as John Madden would call him, is keeping them in games instead of losing them with his wild INTs... for now, that is.
16. New England Patriots. The Patriots are closer to the team that lost to the Chargers Sunday than the team that won games vs. KC, SF and NYJ -- all of which are very bad to below average teams (including the Jets and what I just said about them).
17. Dallas Cowboys. They were overrated from the get-go, with their defense that does not make big plays outside of DeMarcus Ware. Now half of their starters are either injured or suspended. Adam Jones might be out of the NFL for another couple of years after his latest infraction. Without Romo, they aren't even going to have a fighter's chance vs. defenses in Tampa and New York. They might not even beat the Rams this week. Brad Johnson is steady and Roy E. Williams does his thing, but Johnson might get sacked a half dozen times in TB and NY.
18. New Orleans Saints. I would put them higher, but they are like a huge lion with no teeth, like I said in my preview for Week 6. The offense is scary good, but they can't stop anyone defensively, either. Their record (3-3) is fitting.
19. Baltimore Ravens. Throw out their record. They are a couple of good Troy Smith starts (Flacco isn't ready to lead yet) and Ray Rice-featured games away from being back in the mix. The Steelers may have a tough couple of games vs. CLE and NYG (both potential losses) so the Ravens need to right the ship after three straight tough losses. They are still beasts defensively, despite the IND game.
20. Houston Texans. Again, throw out the record. What you saw Sunday is what this team is capable of.
21. Cleveland Browns. Their backs were against the wall against a team resting on its laurels Sunday. They have another game like that vs. PIT coming, they could get back into the mix as well. They aren't as bad as their previous 1-3 record. Their play Monday was more along the lines of what Browns fans and handicappers such as myself expected.
22. Green Bay Packers. I don't know how they are winning any games or staying in them. Rodgers is good, but that defense is like an old car that hasn't had an oil change in 2 years.
23. Chicago Bears. The loss against Atlanta makes them hard to figure out, which I have said all season.
24. Minnesota Vikings. Notice a trend? If the Lions weren't so abysmally bad, all four NFC North teams would be right here; appropriately the second worst division in the NFL (ahead of the NFC West).
25. Miami Dolphins. Overrated. That Wildcat offense isn't rocket science.
26. Oakland Raiders. They figure to turn the corner soon... right?
27. Cincinnati Bengals. They aren't 0-6 bad, but as Bill Parcells said many years ago -- "You are what your record says you are." There you have it.
28. Kansas City Chiefs. Part of this is me banking on them beating Tennessee this Sunday, but they are dead in the water. Herm Edwards better thank God for his friendship with Carl Peterson as the reason he still has a job.
29. San Francisco 49ers. Mike Nolan could get fired any week now.
30. Seattle Seahawks. Even if you hate Holmgren, Green Bay or Seattle, you have to feel bad that he's going out like this.
31. St. Louis Rams. They have life now. The "win" (aided by fluke turnovers by the Redskins) Sunday rescued them from the basement. They're still horrible, although a win vs. DAL would make them look good and make ME feel good.
32. Detroit Lions. They don't deserve words.
Michael D. Wright
10.15.08
I believe I am going to continue doing these weekly; as ESPN posts their Power Rankings, I'll post mine. Of course there has been a shake up at the top. The Titans go to #1 by default, after the Giants looked uninspired and stiff (no homo) against the Browns.
The Top 5 is pretty much true to form.
1. Tennessee Titans. They are coming off a bye and they'll stay here until Kerry Collins kills them with the INTs he killed the Giants with over five years.
2. New York (Football) Giants. I don't mind the loss. The goal isn't to go undefeated (and have an arrogant locker room/fanbase like the Patriots had last year). The goal is to win the last game. The Giants are still the best team overall in the NFL aside from the egg they laid Monday.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers. I put them here by default, also. Their one loss was against a team that blitzes 80% of the time -- their offensive line was (and still is) in shambles. The fact they've won their last three games is a testament to their tenacity.
4. Buffalo Bills. I was hesitant to put them in the Top 5 last week and did not. This week, they deserve it.
5. Arizona Cardinals. People will point to that 56-pt Jets debacle and think that is more indicative of the Cards than their wins vs. Dallas and Buffalo; which are REALLY more of a barometer of this team. They have the best WR tandem (and trio, with Breaston) in the NFL. The Jet game was an anomaly.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are ugly. They win ugly. But they win. That's all that matters. With Garcia in for Griese, they won't commit turnovers -- making them tough to beat. An easy game coming up vs. Dallas, which is missing half its original starting roster should put them 6-2 following that game.
7. Carolina Panthers. They are only here because they just lost to the Bucs. Otherwise, they'd be breathing down the Steelers' necks for 3rd.
8. Washington Redskins. The Redskins get a pass much like the Jints get. They didn't lay the egg that the Giants laid, but a loss to a winless team knocks you down a few spots. PERIOD.
9. Indianapolis Colts. Count me in the camp who believes that Sunday vs. Baltimore signals that they are back.
10. San Diego Chargers. A convincing win against the overrated Patriots helps, but they are going to have to tie more than one game together to be considered true contenders as they expected.
11. Atlanta Falcons. YES, the Falcons. Tell why I should not have them here.
12. Denver Broncos. I hate Denver, and I still think their record causes people to have loftier expectations of them than they should, but we will see over the next four games.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars. Steady, not spectacular, not bad. If there is a such thing as the best of the mediocre teams, the Jags are it.
14. Philadelphia Eagles. The Iggles SHOULD be done if Westbrook can't play effectively. McNabb can have all the resurgence he wants, but without Westbrook, that offense is pedestrian at best.
15. New York Jets. The Jets are making me look bad by winning games I keep picking them to lose. You have to hand it to them, they aren't that bad on defense, and Brett Favre, or Barve, as John Madden would call him, is keeping them in games instead of losing them with his wild INTs... for now, that is.
16. New England Patriots. The Patriots are closer to the team that lost to the Chargers Sunday than the team that won games vs. KC, SF and NYJ -- all of which are very bad to below average teams (including the Jets and what I just said about them).
17. Dallas Cowboys. They were overrated from the get-go, with their defense that does not make big plays outside of DeMarcus Ware. Now half of their starters are either injured or suspended. Adam Jones might be out of the NFL for another couple of years after his latest infraction. Without Romo, they aren't even going to have a fighter's chance vs. defenses in Tampa and New York. They might not even beat the Rams this week. Brad Johnson is steady and Roy E. Williams does his thing, but Johnson might get sacked a half dozen times in TB and NY.
18. New Orleans Saints. I would put them higher, but they are like a huge lion with no teeth, like I said in my preview for Week 6. The offense is scary good, but they can't stop anyone defensively, either. Their record (3-3) is fitting.
19. Baltimore Ravens. Throw out their record. They are a couple of good Troy Smith starts (Flacco isn't ready to lead yet) and Ray Rice-featured games away from being back in the mix. The Steelers may have a tough couple of games vs. CLE and NYG (both potential losses) so the Ravens need to right the ship after three straight tough losses. They are still beasts defensively, despite the IND game.
20. Houston Texans. Again, throw out the record. What you saw Sunday is what this team is capable of.
21. Cleveland Browns. Their backs were against the wall against a team resting on its laurels Sunday. They have another game like that vs. PIT coming, they could get back into the mix as well. They aren't as bad as their previous 1-3 record. Their play Monday was more along the lines of what Browns fans and handicappers such as myself expected.
22. Green Bay Packers. I don't know how they are winning any games or staying in them. Rodgers is good, but that defense is like an old car that hasn't had an oil change in 2 years.
23. Chicago Bears. The loss against Atlanta makes them hard to figure out, which I have said all season.
24. Minnesota Vikings. Notice a trend? If the Lions weren't so abysmally bad, all four NFC North teams would be right here; appropriately the second worst division in the NFL (ahead of the NFC West).
25. Miami Dolphins. Overrated. That Wildcat offense isn't rocket science.
26. Oakland Raiders. They figure to turn the corner soon... right?
27. Cincinnati Bengals. They aren't 0-6 bad, but as Bill Parcells said many years ago -- "You are what your record says you are." There you have it.
28. Kansas City Chiefs. Part of this is me banking on them beating Tennessee this Sunday, but they are dead in the water. Herm Edwards better thank God for his friendship with Carl Peterson as the reason he still has a job.
29. San Francisco 49ers. Mike Nolan could get fired any week now.
30. Seattle Seahawks. Even if you hate Holmgren, Green Bay or Seattle, you have to feel bad that he's going out like this.
31. St. Louis Rams. They have life now. The "win" (aided by fluke turnovers by the Redskins) Sunday rescued them from the basement. They're still horrible, although a win vs. DAL would make them look good and make ME feel good.
32. Detroit Lions. They don't deserve words.
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