The Longest Thread Ever!

[Jetée]

Ah, here is an article in featuring of the Doc: "Unmatched" | 30 For 30 | TV Club | TV | The A.V. Club

And I'm not sure if you can watch the entire viewing online yet (or ever) but I did happen to find, and will provide, the official-unoffical site preface to the Doc: ESPN's '30 for 30' documentary 'Unmatched' focuses on the rivalry and friendship between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert - ESPN


It's great, yet also grating, then great all over again (it's in the way the story is told).

- - -
+ bonus

YouTube - 30 for 30: Unmatched - Martina Seen As A Villain

YouTube - 30 for 30: Unmatched - Martina Seen As A Villain

I found this video on youtube as well, but it is like a trailer of sorts, not the entire full-length feature to which I am alluding.

[BadNick]

ok, now I feel better. Plus I watched the watch thing so I know what time it is and how, which then lead to how an AK47 works and then some cute chicks.

[Ourcrazymodern?]

TV does it to us well,
with an information overload
& no effort on our parts.

(2x3x3)/6=3

[Jetée]

(with this still irregular TFP-timing glitch, I'm now always a minute behind, whereas whence: I used to be 45 seconds ahead. Frustrating, it is, to a guy like me who adroes his co-incidences.)

[ring]

I've lived in Arizona with its rattlers & other desert biters.
Didn't cross paths with many on a daily basis. After I discovered
there was a rattler nest close to our mailbox, I gave it a wide berth while waiting for the school bus.

I remember mom being in charge of retrieving/sending the mail for awhile.
It was an awkward reach from inside the old Volvo.

I've never lived in Florida. I wonder how often seeing gators happens?

[Jetée]

After rummaging it around in my head for a while, I came up with my formula(s), and decided to share it (finally); tell me what you think (BadNick).


AFC
Division winners (3 pts each correctly assumed)
nwe
bal
sdg
ind

Wildcards (2 pts)
ten
hou

NFC
Division winners (3 pts)
was
gnb
sfo
atl

Wildcards (2 pts)
nyg
nor

- - -

two toss-up wildcards (both conferences; "surprise" contenders; no pts... yet)
mia
min

-- this category is more like a "if one of my wildcard/division winners above didn't pan out, I would have chosen this team instead".
It's a 'safety what-if', but the wrinkle in it is, as of right now, it's not worth anything to include it. Would you assign this category a point(s) if the presumer, assumed correctly?

- - -

Super Bowl Outcome (4 pts for each team correctly assumed; 10 pts for the winning prediction)
nwe vs. gnb (winner emboldened)

-- 50 total points (this is if I get every single one of my above predictions right, minus the "toss-ups".)

- - -
+ bonus

if I were to include the AFC/NFC Championships into the matter as you suggested, I would slightly tweak the scoring points after the initial playoff teams predicted, but before the SB Picks.
It would go as follows: (4 pts each team that makes it; 5 points to victor)

AFC: nwe vs. bal
NFC: nor vs. gnb

...and then follows the SB Picks (- to this point, all correct choices yields a total of 58, before your pick to the year-end NFL Championship Team)

Super Bowl (II)
nwe vs. gnb (additional 10 points if you predicted it)

with this revised scoring, again, assuming this is 100%-probability prediction, there is 68 total points to be had.

- - - - -

so, offering this up to a pool of participants, based on the end results yielding some sort of incentive ($$$) how do you like my system?
It doesn't need points, I'll admit, but with this, it does add value to the various stages of the playoffs, and therefore, adds an element of skill/foresight/mastery , in addition to the ever-present "lucky factor" that follows the NFL game.

what do you think? do you like the 50-point or 68-based system?
what would be your picks?
should I spread the word on this forthwith?
(I worked a long time elucidating it to you; did I mention this?)

[BadNick]

Jet,
I finally figured out how to join the/your group and make my picks. So I did that a little while ago before reading your post. So my picks for this week and Monday night are saved. What are the "confidence points" about?

On your point formulas above, I like the 68 setup but not because I fully comprehend your system...just reading and trying to think of all those possibilities and odds made me dizzy...but mostly because I like the number "68" more than "50". It seems you really put a lot of thought and time into it so go with your instincts. I would say you have better than even odds at getting it just right.

[Jetée]

simplified (playoff picks)

you try to correctly predict all 12 NFL postseason teams, while also providing insight into which teams you think will win their divisions, advance to the conference championships, and ultimately, which team you think (you "know") will win it all in the end.

to help you along your journey I installed points to help make it easier to break ties in a pool where maybe some people got the same number of "guesses" right, but there wasn't a discernable way on how to figure out who predicted "better"; now there is. With a series of point elevators for each stage of the playoff picture the deeper you predict, and correctly, the more handsomely you are rewarded for your insight.

Understanding the points at this initial stage doesn't matter as much, but they are there and set for reference, and once the playoffs begins, that's when they'll start accumulating, and thus, making more sense. At this stage (or when I transfer my whole entire post above into the NFL Thread) is when you only need to provide your 6 AFC + 6 NFC playoff teams, and then I'll help you progress from there.

- - -
simplified (confidence points)

I didn't know how these worked either, but I quickly caught on. You assign weighted points to each game based on how well you are "confident" that one team will win over the other. Say you have the utmost confidence that the Eagles will win, no matter what, this Sunday against the Lions. If this is your "stone-cold lock" of the week (as Tony Bruno would you) then you would assign this pick'em a 16 (the highest available choice.)

On the other hand, if you are so unsure aabout the Monday Night contest between NO @ SF, and you have no (___) idea as to which team will win or lose, based on a number factors you don't understand, and would rather you lose the least amount of your "wager" percentage, then you would vote this as your pick "most likely to get wrong"; and therefore, you would assign it a value of "1", or a basic vote that you have little to no "confidence" that you picked this matchup correctly.

It's not a perfect system, and I much prefer the percentages, but I can't change it now (I'm pretty sure) and I think it adds a level of thinking just a notch above a quarter toss for or against. I'm not sure if you play the spreads, but I will be adding this element to the game next season (assuming this little trial run was even a mild success). As always, I'm the helpful enabler, so please, if you have any further questions, it shall be a hestitant wait not for either of us to exchange formalities, I hope.

[Jetée]

Follow-up BadNick: Shutdown Corner predicts the 2010 NFL season - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

(or you can just follow the example outlined in the article above, before it gets to player-specific "MVP awards"... really coincidental that I even found the article, especially today, and given that I wasn't looking for it in the first place. I am one with whatever it is that allows me to find these sorts of things.)

[BadNick]

I had to input my confidence points which I now did, so it says I'm complete for this round. Now I have a reason to follow the scores this week.

[Ourcrazymodern?]

Humanity, too,
at distracting its damn self,
is really quite good.

[Jetée]

I need to remind myself: Le Roi et l'oiseau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Ourcrazymodern?]

[Jetée]

[Jetée]

I care too much because I don't know how else to do so; not try, but live.

[Ourcrazymodern?]

Figuring that out
is a trial for us all:
I feel caring's good.

[Ourcrazymodern?]

Our lead's still slipping,
so if anybody cares to
we should post a bit.

[BadNick]

I think that's the blind guys feeling the elephant, right?

[Ourcrazymodern?]

Yes, & as each one
perceived it something diff'rent,
I thought it like us.

[BadNick]

Ocm?,
Even with my eyes closed I can tell you're clever and witty.

[Ourcrazymodern?]

Though often described
as misunderstandable,
I like your words more.

[BadNick]

scene from "The Blind Side"

[Jetée]

Did you just watch it, BadNick?

[BadNick]

Jet, football on your mind?

No, I saw it last year with my older boy. He's on the school football team and asked me to go see it with him and his team friend.

So in the football fantasy game after one week I'm a distant 3rd place, out of four. I suspect the 4th guy never picked since he has zero points. You are quite the selection expert, Jet.

[Jetée]

No, I think The Nihhilists picked, but he didn't adjust for the "confidence", so he received no points at all. I think The Raveners forgot to pick any games for this week. It's the pecentages, though. And both you and the other person who picked went 7-8, while I went 9-6, and we're all just waiting upon the result of the MNF game (go home team!).

And actually, I have hockey more on the mind, which is a rare opprtunity. Any insight you might be able to impart?

[BadNick]

As I said, I'm not much of a sports guy. About hockey, I know ice is slippery. And in the ABC Word Association game, I have several times used the word Zamboni because it sounds neat.

[Jetée]

I've been jingling this around in my head for a while, though I was wondering all this time, if you partake in motorsports, do you also enjoy watching it televised, (selectively) and if so, to what genre do you more gravitate towards, if any?

[Ourcrazymodern?]

2+3+3=8=8

Like watching paint dry
as another makes the scene
has more sensation.

You see the mountain?
Does it make you want to climb
or enjoy the view?

[Jetée]

Evening entropytes (if this is a real word).

It's a crying shame that this thread is so far down the listing, I thought I'd pop back up again and make it shine.

Topics, to-pictures, to-dos: what would you like to talk about, dearies?
(Is this an exclusively British term of endearment: dearies?)

[Ourcrazymodern?]

Gravitationals
seem to be elsewhere perturbed
& there occupied.

[Amaras]

Hey skipper!

[Ourcrazymodern?]

Ahoy in return!
On the first day of autumn,
I need a time warp.

[BadNick]

Originally Posted by Jetée

I've been jingling this around in my head for a while, though I was wondering all this time, if you partake in motorsports, do you also enjoy watching it televised, (selectively) and if so, to what genre do you more gravitate towards, if any?

yes sir, Mr. Jet. I highly enjoy watching sports car racing on TV. For example the Grand-Am Rolex series; I prefer watching the sports car classes over the prototype classes even though TV converage seems to spend most of their time on the prototypes...as if "fastest" was likely to be most popular. Most car guys I know prefer the "lower" sports car classes since we can more easily relate what we're watching to cars we drive.

This is probably why I also find Formula 1 racing to be just "OK" for me. While it is technologically the most advanced, with a very high level of driver talent, the stupid high budgets and money involved detract from it as far as I'm concerned.

I also wish SCCA sports car racing was more widely covered. The "World Challenge" gets some coverage but NASCAR coverage is still dominant and nudges out the available time for other competition...I have almost no interest in NASCAR though I even watch that occasionally.

Of course when there are world class events, such as LeMans or Sebring or Daytona, I try to watch as much of that as possible.

I also love vintage car racing but not much of that makes TV.

[Ourcrazymodern?]

(I got nothin': This is re: Something else)

Obvious getting
on my nerves is bothersome
& spinning my wheels.

[ring]

Originally Posted by Jetée

It's a crying shame that this thread is so far down the listing, I thought I'd pop back up again and make it shine.

No worries. I recall a first shall be last...last first first last.

I'd like to have a round front door.

[Jetée]

doorknob placed in the radial center?

[ring]

Round doors swing from bolts inside the upper & lower frame 'bout a third way past
the edge of circle, if I remember correctly.

Doorknob in the center would be aesthetically pleasing.

The full moon is cloaked tonight where I reside.
Perhaps it will find a chink to shine through, later. I'll be watching.

[Jetée]

I just saved a full moon pic somewhere, but I forgot exactly where, and to what (theme).

I'll have to look for it. (both outside, and in my messy cyber-archives.)

[BadNick]

I saw the cool full moon (at least it looked full to me) earlier
this evening quite low in the eastern sky. A thin haze of cloud
cover muted it but it was still all visible.



Wednesday, Sept. 22
•This evening Jupiter (and Uranus) are below the full Harvest
Moon, as shown above.
The Moon is exactly full at 5:17 a.m. Thursday morning EDT.

•Autumn begins in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring in
the Southern Hemisphere, at 11:09 p.m. EDT. This equinox
marks when the Sun crosses the equator heading south for
the year. Day and night (if you include twilight as night) are
about equally long.

[Jetée]

I define 'twilight' as the marked waning hours in-between the transitions of the sun and the moon's respective rising/falling cycles; or in other words, I don't solely it apply it to waking dawn, but also to the engulfing dusk hours as well.