NFL Playoffs - Sat. 1/10

[Scoobie]

Scoob is gonna try to dress Ian in a Raven's outfit.  I've got the answer to that... I'm gonna paint his face green and white. 

Oh who are you kidding...by the end of the game after the Raven's spank the Eagles into total submission, you'll be wearing your Ravens sweatshirt, be all decked out with purple/black facepaint, and you'll be praising the holy name of Flacco with me, Hannah, and Ian.

You know it. Might as well admit it now. 

You're goin' down. 


 





 

(love you)

[Red October]

Oh who are you kidding...by the end of the game after the Raven's spank the Eagles into total submission, you'll be wearing your Ravens sweatshirt, be all decked out with purple/black facepaint, and you'll be praising the holy name of Flacco with me, Hannah, and Ian.

You know it. Might as well admit it now. 

You're goin' down. 


 





 

(love you)

Say it with me:   City of Brotherly Love... City of Champions!  You like how that sounds, dontcha?  It's destiny, and you can't stop destiny.


But Ray Lewis is certainly welcome to take a stab at it... 


  Love you too 

[formerlurker]

They're involving the children now....... oooh-wee, this is going to be good.   




 

[NHSparky]

Those kids are going to have SERIOUS issues.

[USA4ME]

Best match-up for TV?

Steelers vs. Cards

Yes, after further consideration I've switched.  Steelers are the only team left that has real broad nationwide appeal, so they have to be in it.  But why the Cards?  Let's look at the 4 possible match-ups.  My viewpoint is to capture the attention of those who otherwise wouldn't watch, not those who are going to watch regardless.

Ravens/Eagles - Appeals to population in the Northeast and eastern part of the mid-West, but not to the South, Plains States, or the West.

Ravens/Cards - Appeals to portion of the Northeast and small portion of the West, but not to the South, the Plains States, majority of the mid-West, and majority of the West.

Steelers/Eagles - Appeals to population in the Northeast and eastern part of the mid-West, but not to the South, Plains States, or the West, with the exception being that the Steelers have developed a better product recognition than the Ravens which would mean a larger viewship.

Which brings me to...

Steelers/Cards - Appeals to Northeast, eastern portion of the mid-West, and small portion of the West, but not to the South, the Plains States, majority of the mid-West, and majority of the West, with the exception being that the Steelers have developed a better product recognition than the Ravens which would mean a larger viewship.

So briefly, the Northeast is covered either way, the South, Plains States, and mid-West will watch more with the Steelers in the game because of their product recognition, and the West does get additional interest with a team from their region in the game.

.

[Chris_]

Best match-up for TV?

Steelers vs. Cards

Yes, after further consideration I've switched.  Steelers are the only team left that has real broad nationwide appeal, so they have to be in it.  But why the Cards?  Let's look at the 4 possible match-ups.  My viewpoint is to capture the attention of those who otherwise wouldn't watch, not those who are going to watch regardless.

Ravens/Eagles - Appeals to population in the Northeast and eastern part of the mid-West, but not to the South, Plains States, or the West.

Ravens/Cards - Appeals to portion of the Northeast and small portion of the West, but not to the South, the Plains States, majority of the mid-West, and majority of the West.

Steelers/Eagles - Appeals to population in the Northeast and eastern part of the mid-West, but not to the South, Plains States, or the West, with the exception being that the Steelers have developed a better product recognition than the Ravens which would mean a larger viewship.

Which brings me to...

Steelers/Cards - Appeals to Northeast, eastern portion of the mid-West, and small portion of the West, but not to the South, the Plains States, majority of the mid-West, and majority of the West, with the exception being that the Steelers have developed a better product recognition than the Ravens which would mean a larger viewship.

So briefly, the Northeast is covered either way, the South, Plains States, and mid-West will watch more with the Steelers in the game because of their product recognition, and the West does get additional interest with a team from their region in the game.

.

Steeler Nation is international.  In Monterrey, Mx, there are several Steelers bars and no Cowboys bars at all (the Cowboys claim to have the Mexico market).

Go Steelers!


If it is Ravens/Eagles -- for the first time I might not watch the SB.

[Red October]

Extra Cheese: New York columnist takes shot at Philly
By Al Campbell

Inquirer Staff Writer

Legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach used to signal a game was over when he lit up his cigar in Boston Garden.

In Giants Stadium, the fans get up and leave. When they started streaming for the exits Sunday with just under five minutes to go, with their team trailing the Eagles by only nine points, the New York faithless confirmed what we have known all along: The Philadelphia Eagles have fans. The New York Giants have spectators.

So what do New Yorkers do when they have lots of free time on their hands, time formerly spent following their Mets, Yankees and Giants in the playoffs?

If you're columnist Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News, you start swinging hatchets at Philadelphia.

On Wednesday, Bondy wrote:

"No matter where a New York fan turns these days, a vulgar scent of cheesesteak taints the atmosphere and distorts the schedule of sports events on our flat-screen televisions. Philadelphia is the new Boston, suddenly. Maybe not as prim and haughty, but every bit as dangerous and much, much sneakier."

The column bears the headline: "Forget Boston, we have new city to hate."

" 'Trashy people from either Philadelphia or the Southern region of New Jersey' is how Urbandictionary.com defines Eagles fans," Bondy adds.

Can you feel the love here?

You can return the love by reaching out to him at fjbondy@netscape.net.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20090117_Extra_Cheese___New_York_columnist_takes_shot_at_Philly.html

  The Eagles are clearly not the only ones in green... Mr. Bondy's eyes are green as shit.    It's an honor to be compared to Boston and be the bane of New York.   

[Red October]

If it is Ravens/Eagles -- for the first time I might not watch the SB.

I felt the same way about Colts/Bears.

[franksolich]

I read evrything over about the play-offs, even though professional football is about as interesting to me as watching paint dry.

As much as it grieves me, I guess I'm in favor of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl.

Phoenix has no business having a professional football team, and the current Baltimore team is nothing like the Baltimore Colts had been.

Indianapolis, for God's sake.

No history, no tradition, no intensity of feeling, about these other two teams.

Geezuz.

So I'm for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, although ultimately in the Super Bowl, I'll have to be for the Pittsburgh Steelers, out of sentiment.

The only professional football game I ever watched from start to finish was a game in which the Pittsburgh Steelers played, and Terry Bradshaw was their quarterback.  I disremember why, as this was a long time ago, but on that basis, I'm for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[jendf]

I read evrything over about the play-offs, even though professional football is about as interesting to me as watching paint dry.

As much as it grieves me, I guess I'm in favor of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl.

Phoenix has no business having a professional football team, and the current Baltimore team is nothing like the Baltimore Colts had been.

Indianapolis, for God's sake.

No history, no tradition, no intensity of feeling, about these other two teams.

Geezuz.

So I'm for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, although ultimately in the Super Bowl, I'll have to be for the Pittsburgh Steelers, out of sentiment.

The only professional football game I ever watched from start to finish was a game in which the Pittsburgh Steelers played, and Terry Bradshaw was their quarterback.  I disremember why, as this was a long time ago, but on that basis, I'm for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Why?

[franksolich]

Why?

Because authentic professional football, one associates with steel mills, coal mines, working class people, industry and commerce, smokestacks, railways, blue collar stuff--you know, those things that made America great.

Phoenix has a team just because, as with Tampa Bay, Phoenix is hip, Phoenix is cool, Phoenix is trendy, Phoenix is with it.  In the popular perception, Phoenix beats places such as Buffalo, because of the sun and all that, but Buffalo contributes more to our national well-being.

It's about as silly as Denver having a professional baseball team.

[jendf]

Why?

Because authentic professional football, one associates with steel mills, coal mines, working class people, industry and commerce, smokestacks, railways, blue collar stuff--you know, those things that made America great.

Phoenix has a team just because, as with Tampa Bay, Phoenix is hip, Phoenix is cool, Phoenix is trendy, Phoenix is with it.  In the popular perception, Phoenix beats places such as Buffalo, because of the sun and all that, but Buffalo contributes more to our national well-being.

It's about as silly as Denver having a professional baseball team.

Alrighty then. Glad I asked.

[Chris]

Alrighty then. Glad I asked.

You asked a question, you got an answer.

[franksolich]

You asked a question, you got an answer.

I dunno; it's a national tragedy, and a symbol of our inner decline, the way old places have been deserted for new places, lightweight places stealing teams from solid sturdy All-American cities.

I mean, couldn't places like Phoenix or Denver or Oklahoma City or Tampa Bay or North Carolina or Tennessee, started professional soccer teams instead?

[jendf]

I dunno; it's a national tragedy, and a symbol of our inner decline, the way old places have been deserted for new places, lightweight places stealing teams from solid sturdy All-American cities.

I mean, couldn't places like Phoenix or Denver or Oklahoma City or Tampa Bay or North Carolina or Tennessee, started professional soccer teams instead?

How much snow are you buried under today, Frank?

[Chris]

I dunno; it's a national tragedy, and a symbol of our inner decline, the way old places have been deserted for new places, lightweight places stealing teams from solid sturdy All-American cities.

I mean, couldn't places like Phoenix or Denver or Oklahoma City or Tampa Bay or North Carolina or Tennessee, started professional soccer teams instead?

I'm with you there.  They put it up to a vote in 1997 whether a professional football team should be brought here, and a new stadium built for them.  I voted no but it passed anyway.  And here we are.  I don't know how much money the Titans have "brought" to the city, but the games seem to sell tickets and it's gotten to the point where they close a section of downtown during game night for the benefit of the pedestrian traffic. 

Don't get me started on the hockey team or the convention center.

[Chris]

How much snow are you buried under today, Frank?

 

[franksolich]

How much snow are you buried under today, Frank?

I can give you two business examples, madam, after which I have to hit the sack again for the fourth time today (bad cold).

For years, for decades, for generations, two of the most solid corporations in the commercial history of America, were in Omaha--Northern Natural Gas (later Internorth) and Northwestern Bell (telephones).  

They made money heads-over-heels, and paid enormous dividends to old people and somesuch, assuring them a comfortable retirements.

Then the Texans came up here, and bought Internorth.

They moved the natural gas company from Omaha down to Houston, because Omaha was old hat, stale, boring, and Houson was hip, trendy, cool, with it.

You of course know that Internorth became Enron.

Then the Coloradoans came here, and bought Northwestern Bell.

They moved the telephone company from Omaha over to Denver, because Omaha was old hat, stale, boring, and Denver was hip, trendy, cool, with it.

You know of course Northwestern Bell became QWest.

This almost happened with the Union Pacific railway, the jewel in Nebraska's crown, when investors from the blue states and blue cities of the northeast purchased majority stakes in that company.

They moved this, the jewel in Nebraska's crown, from Omaha to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, because Omaha was old hat, stale, boring, and the northeast was hip, trendy, cool, with it.

Fortunately, that lasted only about three years, after which Nebraska reclaimed its crown jewel, which had deteriorated significantly while back east, and brought the Union Pacific back to its former robust health.

I've always been against moving things just because one place is old and stale and boring, and another place is hip, cool, trendy, with it.

[formerlurker]

So I'm for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, although ultimately in the Super Bowl, I'll have to be for the Pittsburgh Steelers, out of sentiment.

Steelers/Eagles SB would mean the only people watching would live in PA.   The rest of the country can just revert to their regular programming.

I don't much care who wins this thing as this really has been a horrible year for the NFL.   Every team has just played piss poor football, and most teams have dealt with staggering injuries to their starting lines.   

I would like to see the Eagles as it's Red's year -- Phils and the Eagles baby.   He can die a very happy man.

I would like to see the Ravens as Scoobie is a die-hard passionate Ravens fan who also deserves to have her team win.    The in-your-face taunting she can exact on her husband Red forever and ever makes it all worth the price of admission. 

Actually we should all be rooting for Eagles/Ravens as the Red October residence will be the place to be, and blog live from that night.   Who needs superbowl commercials when you have a couple who normally adore each other become bitter rivals over the span of 4 hours.    They have children too.    Ooh the possibilies..........   

[jendf]

I can give you two business examples, madam, after which I have to hit the sack again for the fourth time today (bad cold).

For years, for decades, for generations, two of the most solid corporations in the commercial history of America, were in Omaha--Northern Natural Gas (later Internorth) and Northwestern Bell (telephones).  

They made money heads-over-heels, and paid enormous dividends to old people and somesuch, assuring them a comfortable retirements.

Then the Texans came up here, and bought Internorth.

They moved the natural gas company from Omaha down to Houston, because Omaha was old hat, stale, boring, and Houson was hip, trendy, cool, with it.

You of course know that Internorth became Enron.

Then the Coloradoans came here, and bought Northwestern Bell.

They moved the telephone company from Omaha over to Denver, because Omaha was old hat, stale, boring, and Denver was hip, trendy, cool, with it.

You know of course Northwestern Bell became QWest.

This almost happened with the Union Pacific railway, the jewel in Nebraska's crown, when investors from the blue states and blue cities of the northeast purchased majority stakes in that company.

They moved this, the jewel in Nebraska's crown, from Omaha to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, because Omaha was old hat, stale, boring, and the northeast was hip, trendy, cool, with it.

Fortunately, that lasted only about three years, after which Nebraska reclaimed its crown jewel, which had deteriorated significantly while back east, and brought the Union Pacific back to its former robust health.

I've always been against moving things just because one place is old and stale and boring, and another place is hip, cool, trendy, with it.

Oh, goody. More elitism.   I wasn't getting enough of it from our elected officials, co-workers, and yes, even my former church.

So am I to understand that anything south of the Omaha city boundary is deemed an epic failure and "American tragedy" in your eyes?

Geez, Frank. You go ahead and keep on clinging bitterly to your Union Pacific railway and freezing temps.

I'll try and "make do" in this lightweight city called Phoenix, with our January temps in the high 70's and sub-par undeserved sports organizations.

I did not realize I should be so ashamed of this city, the 5th largest one in the country. What a waste of perfectly good desert!

 

[franksolich]

Well now, jendf, you know I like, even love, every bit of you.

But alas on this one must disagree.

This was before my time, but surely most rememeber that the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants were uprooted (1957, I think), and moved from stale old New York City to hip, cool, trendy, with-it, California.

This caused major convulsions in New York City, as the people there quite justifiably and reasonably thought they had built these teams to their then-glory.

The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants had decades, generations, of being awesome baseball teams.....but once they became the Lost Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, well, while they've had a few good years, on the whole they've barely been mediocre out there.

New York City still had the crown jewels of American professional baseball, the Yankees, but that has been small consolation, less than what New York City also had with the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.....and New York City deserved to have all three glorious teams, not just one of them.

Ditto for the Cardinals, which were one of the top teams in professional football while they were in St. Louis.....and then declined into mediocracy in their new home.  Or for the Colts, which were one of the top teams in professional football while they were in Baltimore.....and then declined into mediocracy in, for God's sake, of all places, Indianapolis.  Indianapolis!  My God.

It also needs noted that while the Dodgers were in Brooklyn, the Giants in New York City, the Cardinals in St. Louis, and the Colts in Baltimore, they NEVER imposed upon the local taxpayers as they have in their new homes.  They went from self-supporting teams to taxpayer-subsidized teams, and that isn't good.

To me, it seems more fitting to build things, rather than taking from someone else.

Indianapolis could have made Monopoly into a professional sport, but no, it was easier and quicker to steal from Baltimore.  Phoenix could have made snake-dancing into a professional sport, but no, it was easier and quicker to steal from St. Louis.

To me, it seems more fitting to build things, rather than taking from someone else.

Now you know, jendf, despite our difference here, I still like, even love, and respect you.

[franksolich]

Oh, goody. More elitism.   I wasn't getting enough of it from our elected officials, co-workers, and yes, even my former church.

So am I to understand that anything south of the Omaha city boundary is deemed an epic failure and "American tragedy" in your eyes?

Geez, Frank. You go ahead and keep on clinging bitterly to your Union Pacific railway and freezing temps.

I'll try and "make do" in this lightweight city called Phoenix, with our January temps in the high 70's and sub-par undeserved sports organizations.

I did not realize I should be so ashamed of this city, the 5th largest one in the country. What a waste of perfectly good desert!

Oh, but madam, you missed my point; perhaps I didn't make it clear enough.

I never slammed Phoenix or its weather, other than simply stating the straightforward fact that it has no historic or sentimental attachment to professional football, and would probably be better off developing something more relevant to its culture.

Few things, once transplanted, do as well has they had done on their original soil.

I can't think of any professional sports team that has.

I can think of a few things better off where they're at now, as compared with where they had been--I'm sure there's more than only three, but I'm very happy the Stone of Scone, the Elgin Marbles, and the ancient Egyptian artifacts are among a people who care very much for them, as compared with the former owners.

But I can't think of any professional sports team that has.

[formerlurker]

New York City still had the crown jewels of American professional baseball, the Yankees, but that has been small consolation, less than what New York City also had with the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.....and New York City deserved to have all three glorious teams, not just one of them.

 



Carry on.

[formerlurker]

Well now, jendf, you know I like, even love, every bit of you.

But alas on this one must disagree.

This was before my time, but surely most rememeber that the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants were uprooted (1957, I think), and moved from stale old New York City to hip, cool, trendy, with-it, California.

This caused major convulsions in New York City, as the people there quite justifiably and reasonably thought they had built these teams to their then-glory.

The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants had decades, generations, of being awesome baseball teams.....but once they became the Lost Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, well, while they've had a few good years, on the whole they've barely been mediocre out there.

New York City still had the crown jewels of American professional baseball, the Yankees, but that has been small consolation, less than what New York City also had with the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.....and New York City deserved to have all three glorious teams, not just one of them.

Ditto for the Cardinals, which were one of the top teams in professional football while they were in St. Louis.....and then declined into mediocracy in their new home.  Or for the Colts, which were one of the top teams in professional football while they were in Baltimore.....and then declined into mediocracy in, for God's sake, of all places, Indianapolis.  Indianapolis!  My God.

It also needs noted that while the Dodgers were in Brooklyn, the Giants in New York City, the Cardinals in St. Louis, and the Colts in Baltimore, they NEVER imposed upon the local taxpayers as they have in their new homes.  They went from self-supporting teams to taxpayer-subsidized teams, and that isn't good.

To me, it seems more fitting to build things, rather than taking from someone else.

Indianapolis could have made Monopoly into a professional sport, but no, it was easier and quicker to steal from Baltimore.  Phoenix could have made snake-dancing into a professional sport, but no, it was easier and quicker to steal from St. Louis.

To me, it seems more fitting to build things, rather than taking from someone else.

Now you know, jendf, despite our difference here, I still like, even love, and respect you.

I have to disagree with most of this.   Check out the stats for Dodgers attendance, they are anything but mediocre and enjoy a very large fan base.   Ditto for the Colts (and I hate the Colts).     

Teams move to make money.    Expansion teams (as you suggest Cities practice) is something that you can't just raise your hand and say -- hey, we are going to have a professional sports team here.    It has to be approved by the powers-that-be.    The NFL is not looking to expand, so buying established teams is the only option.

[franksolich]

Carry on.

Well now, madam, you know I don't pay much attention to specific professional athletic teams; I'm more curious about them as a cultural, sociological, and socio-economic phenomenon.

I call the New York Yankees the crown jewels of professional baseball simply because they're the best known team, and everybody has an opinion about them, good or bad.  It's very difficult to find someone who doesn't care, good or bad, about the Yankees.

The New York Yankees are truly America's team; one can't say that about the Boston Red Sox or the Milwaukee Brewers or the Houston Astros or the Denver Diamondbacks or the Phoenix Rockies.  All these other teams have their fans and non-fans, of course, but they aren't nearly as numerous, nor have these teams had the cultural (and historical) impact, as the New York Yankees.

I'm essentially neutral about the New York Yankees, but when up against one of those nouveau riche teams in places considered hip, cool, with it, trendy, I tend to prefer Old Money from stale old places, and so hope the best for the Yankees.

I'm not familiar with personalities of the Yankees, although one time several years ago when I was paying snippets of attention to them, I was left with the indelible impression that George Steinbrenner had the patience, the indulgence, the compassion, the charity, of a saint, while the now-late Billy Martin was fit only to clean the gold-plated washroom in the executive offices of Skins's island.....as the long-handled scrubber for the Wedgewood and Limoges commodes.

The only other person of prominence in professional baseball I've ever paid attention to was Tommy LaSorda, who always struck me as a gross obscenity.

If one were to put a gun to my head and demand that I name ten--just ten--current professional baseball players, I would be dead meat.  I probably can't even name two or three.