CaliLivChick

What are your feelings, your predictions, your plans?

Are you excited for the season, or afraid your team is gonna bomb out? Who do you think is going to win their division, the Super Bowl, etc.? What players are going to stand out?

When game-day comes, are you sitting around the big screen with your buddies, your family, all glued to your seats, eating snacks? Or are you at the local sports bar, a cold beer in your hand, and all your fellow fan-mates cheering?

Or are you a sports widow, doing something, ANYTHING else, to avoid watching football?

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Don't trust anything that can bleed for a week and not die. Oh wait, that's me... nevermind... you can trust me.

FuglyStick

The Giants will likely be doing some re-building this season

As long as the Cowboys don't go to the Super Bowl, I will be mollified.

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AZIZ! LIGHT!

Pearl Trade

Die hard football fan here.

My team, the Houston Texans, is playoff bound this year. 9 or 10 wins. I've been tortured too long about playoff hopes, this is the year!

My fearless Super Bowl prediction: Green Bay Packers vs San Diego Chargers. For the NFC it could possibly be the Cowboys, but the pressure will get to them and they'll self destruct in the playoffs (like always). Sam with the Vikings, watch out for the Favre picks and Peterson fumbles. For the AFC, it's a little harder to predict, but I think it will come down to the Chargers or Colts. As long as Manning is QB for the Colts, they'll make some noise. The Chargers have too much talent on both sides of the ball to not go deep, but I say that every year.

It's gonna be a good year of football. Nothing is certain!

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Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Give me convenience or give me death!

snowy

I love football, but I prefer college ball. The only season I was glued to the television watching NFL games was the season the Seahawks made it to the Super Bowl. This isn't to say I don't spend Sunday flipping through whatever games I do get over my antenna, because I do Following the Seachickens has meant a near-lifetime of disappointment.

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Redlemon

My wife and I both love football. However, it's a mixed marriage. She's a Giants fan, I'm a Patriots fan. This didn't used to be a problem, as the two teams had a good working relationship and rarely played each other, except for preseason. We still root for each other's teams, except when they play each other. The less said of that Superbowl, the better.

My wife's Super Bowl prediction: the halftime entertainment will be Bon Jovi.

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.

Tully Mars

I've said it before and I'll say it again... fuck the Cowboys. I don't want them to lose... I want their team plane to crash into their annual fan club meeting. Or at least Jerry Jones' house.

I'd like to see the seachicken win, but we all know that's not happening. I've always liked the 49'ers... don't see that anytime soon either. My good friends down here are Packer fans so I'm ok with them winning.

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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo

Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club

Wes Mantooth

Awesome! Its amazing how quickly preseason ball creeps up on you though, it seems like the Superbowl just finished doesn't it.

I'm pretty excited this year, the Titans seems to always get something going but its hard to tell from one year to the next how they are going to do. In 2008 they finished 13-3 and got blown out in the playoffs yet in 2009 they started 0-6 (including losing something like 59-0 to New England, my old team), make a dramatic season comeback under former basket case Vince Young and nearly make the post season. So yeah I have no idea what to expect. I just enjoy watching me some football and the electricity round these parts during football season is unbelievable (don't even get me started on college ball).

My watching habits vary from week to week. Sometimes I get as many people to come over as possible, we cook on the grill all morning and sometimes buy a keg and crowd around the tv. Other times its great heading out to the bar. NOTHING however beats tailgating and a great seat on the 50 yard line, my brother works for the company that owns the naming rights for LP Field in Nashville and he can often get free/discounted tickets for games so you just have to take advantage of that.

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Punk.of.Ages

Hardcore Bucs fan, here...

It's a torturous existence, and I only like to talk about that one year.

Last year we didn't do as awful as we've been known to do in the past, though. Perhaps we'll keep the momentum going.

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"The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion..." - Henry Steel Commager

"Punk rock music is great music played by really bad, drunk musicians." -Fat Mike

Jetée

Two predictions that maybe no one else has made yet (formally stated):

I expect the Redskins' defense to return to top-ten form again this season.
(tidbit of trivia: just learned that in the past decade, there were only two or three instances in which, by year's end, the 'Skins defense was not ranked overall in the top ten of all teams in the NFL; last year was the aberration from the norm, I believe.)

I also expect that the Detriot Lions' offense is poised to fly this year.
Defense, on the other hand, will be of no help to their ascending "shoot-out" mentality, but that, too, might also force for more points to be gained via the offense.


(Last one: I'm glad I didn't have to invest an hour into re-starting this thread from last year.)

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As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi

Punk.of.Ages

Y'know, I would really love to see the 'Skins have a good season. They've always been up there with the teams I root for and I think they're due.

__________________
"The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion..." - Henry Steel Commager

"Punk rock music is great music played by really bad, drunk musicians." -Fat Mike

Pearl Trade

Redskins have a great offense, with McNabb and those young recievers. Too bad you have to play the Cowboys twice a year. Eagles will give you guys some hell too. I'd be pumped for this year if I was a 'Skins fan.

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Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Give me convenience or give me death!

Jetée

The interesting thing I've noticed about Redskins games in the past half-decade-to-decade or so, is that when they play within the division, even sometimes outside of it, their defense always keeps them in games. It's a "bend but don't break" mentality for the most part, I think, that keeps a perpetual 'Skins' fan fuming, yet hopeful; allowing the dink-and-dunk plays, occasional field goals, but they somehow, still save the big plays from happening against them. With the exception of the second matchup against the Giants (total blowout) they were in every game against their division rivals up until the 4th quarter, where they can never quite finish.

Really quite annoying to have an offense so inept, you are neck-and-neck for most of the game, with some of the more potent offenses in the league (NO, Phi, SD, Dal) yet it's still a struggle to get even a field goal for them, let alone a touchdown. I've noticed the same thing with the Bucs (my team) as well as with SF (though I think they'll get over their anemic offensive woes this season).

Another interesting tidbit of trivia: Last season, the 'Skins lost a total of five of their games by a margin of 3 points or less, plus another handful of other games they lost by less than a touchdown (less impressive, but still..).

The best term I can come up with is: that the Redskins, like their home stadium in Fedex Field in Landover, MD (I think) are just one big "bog" of a team; they play up or down to their opponent, and so, too, does it seem their competition for the week "sinks" into it with them. It's just a fight for positioning most of the time, and whomever has the lucky break to catch some points here and there, wins.

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As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi

Redlemon

http://espn.go.com/espn/thelife/vide...more=fullstory

I'm hoping that the EA Sports simulations are 3 for 3. They predicted the Blackhawks for NHL, and Spain for the World Cup. For the NFL... it will be the Patriots defeating the Packers. Please?

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.

Wes Mantooth

It does seem like the Pats are finally in a position to make some noise again after a couple of disastrous seasons. Getting Wes Welker back so soon and Brady back to firing on all cylinders should help them go pretty far...but then again I don't know, that defense had a lot of issues last year....I haven't paid much attention to their off season acquisitions but if they haven't addressed it getting to a Superbowl is going to tough but a rematch from Superbowl XXXI would be a lot of fun.

I really do miss watching the Pats though, a crisp fall Sunday afternoon in New England with the Patriots on tv is pretty hard to beat.

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djtestudo

Ravens...enough said

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"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun

Xazy

ditto.

Amaras

I think the Dolphins have a fair shot at a 9 or 10 win season. They won't go too
far into the postseason, though.
I watch parts of almost every game I can, and I switch back and forth. I've been
watching football for 25 years, ever since I started playing as a 14 year old.
Go Fins!

__________________
Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.
-Noam Chomsky
Love is a verb, not a noun.
-My Mom
The function of genius is to furnish cretins with ideas twenty years later.
-Louis Aragon, "La Porte-plume," Traite du style, 1928

Jetée

Does anyone care for the news and notes of the week? (Revis finally ending holdout; Seattle cleaning out / imploding their entire roster, having Housh released, then subsequently signing with Baltimore; there's about 1/3 of the league's teams starting new and/or unproven / backup quarterbacks for the tentative week 1, and perhaps beyond.)

I've really been sleeping on my duties from last season (best games of the season) and I'm already behind on my Playoff Predictions, Super Bowl Contenders, and Possible Breakout Candidates for this season.

- - -

So, in an effort to at least cross off one of the three things I'm itching to accomplish before this week's games kick off, I've gone ahead and started this: A Forum-specific Pick 'em endeavor.

Time for Prognosticating (click to join)
League #ID: 54851
Password: tfproject

For whoever would like to join, and perhaps tout their predictions, gut instincts or their prowess at predicting how the NFL will shape up from week to week, the option is now available. It takes less than 20 seconds to join, and it also takes than less than a minute of investment per week to choose the winners and losers of every single NFL match you decide to vote on. So, if you'd like to join me, I welcome the competition and comraderie. I don't believe there is a limit to members joining / teams, so for whoever likes football, and making absrud / intelligient predictions from week-to-week about possible game outcomes, then this is your venue.
(If anyone would like an expansion on the details of why I installed 'confidence points', I'll explain it in one sentence for those wanting to know the very lax rules of how I figure this will work out.)

Lastly, I finally figured out the way I'll be structuring out my 'Playoff Pool Predictions' on a point-per-prediction-correct system. It's really neat, it costs nothing to just rattle off meaningless intuitive thoughts on which clubs you think rise to the occasion, and which teams falter, on the road to the 2011 Playoff Season.
(semi-relevant trivia: I believe I heard yesterday, somewhere, that every year since 2004, there has been at least 5 new playoff teams in the whole of the NFL participating in the post-season.)

- - -

It's good thing I am not the gambling type (perhaps because I don't value money?) because I truly think if I really put my mind to it, I think I could become the next Brandon Lang (but without the personality, extroversion, popularity, or airtime, and in the sense that I just want / pick winners.
(Or perhaps Coach Singletary said this?)

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As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi

Pearl Trade

I would if I didn't already know all of it.

What do you think of Revis ending the holdout? I thought all along that the Jets needed to lock him up and give him whatever he wanted. He's the best shutdown corner in the league and whenever he's on the field, that entire side is locked up. Best players should get the best money, simple as that.

In other news, former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart was released by the Cards and signed by my Texans. Saw him play in the preseason versus Houston, and we killed him. He looked terrible. I don't know what happened to him, whether it was coaching or not working hard enough or what, but he could not make it work in Arizona. Coach Kubiak is great at developing QB's and I think he can make Leinart at least a little better than he was. We signed him for a year and we needed a backup, the risk/reward works in the Texans favor.

__________________

Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Give me convenience or give me death!

Jetée

My opinion on the matter: Revis was being too greedy throughout this process and too-self-aggrandising to compare himself to Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha and demand a salary contract equal to or higher than his. First off, owner Al Davis may be losing his grip on evaluating great talent and maybe relies too much on certain stats (speed) to realize whether or not ertain prospects will benefit his team or not; but, I do believe he made a worthwhile contract signing with CB Asomugha. The contract may have been ground-breaking and extraordinarily-high for such a position, yet he deserved it. For the last several seasons, Asomugha has been one of the only true "shutdown corners" in the game, even when there were no examples of such a player (Champ Bailey is the only other cornerback I remember seeing this past decade that could once claim being to able effectively "shut down" one side of the field and / or elite receiver).

For Revis to not honor his current contract (which he held out for as a rookie as well) because his head coach told him he was the best corner in the game now, and only because he's played at an All-Pro level for a year or two now, it just grates me. If you do well, I do think you will be rewarded. But do it consistently, (not just for one great season) and without your hand out, waiting to see more money, and then I'll be on your side.

The same goes with Vincent Jackson; he has been a real success in the game for, what, a year-and-a-half is all. Yet, he, too, is holding out, seeking a new contract which will make him one of the top-5 receivers in the game, when in all honesty, I don't think he deserves it. Yes, I do like what he did last season, and in the latter-half of 2008 into the post-season, but it's not just about his talent or skills, as much as it may be about his current All-Pro quarterback (P. Rivers) throwing him the deep / jump ball, and he also benefits from having a head coach in Norv Turner who loves to chuck it down the field and make big plays more than just about any other coach, and he does so consistently, as evidenced by his last few years in San Diego.

- - -
About the Texans signing Leinart: I don't think the organization will strike gold in a coal mine again by signing another teams' backup QB (M. Schaub was Brees' backup in New Orleans for a season or two, before he made his way to the Texans, and competing for the starting job, alongside Sage Rosenfels). Still, it can't hurt to see what Leinart is capable of, and what he may be able to do in case of an injury to Schaub. The backup QB market in the NFL is extremely thin, being filled with journeyman, old veterans, unproven rookies who've never taken a "live"-NFL snap yet, and just failed franchise projects. Leinart may never have fully-developed his pro-awareness and good QB sense yet, though I do think he was the best available QB on the market, and a debatable upgrade over once-current Texans QB backup, Dan Orlovsky.

(Geesh. That's a lot of words.)

__________________
As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi

dksuddeth

Denver is going to be the unexpected upstart to displace the chargers.

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"no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything. You cannot conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him."

Pearl Trade

Correction, Schaub was Michael Vick's backup in Atlanta before Vick was jailed. Leinart isn't coming in looking for a starting job, he has no pressure like he did in Arizona. If Schaub can stay healthy for a consecutive full season, we should be in good shape to make a playoff run, as Schaub is a top-5 QB in the NFL. We're in big trouble if Leinart ever comes in, but I do think he will have a good chance to develop as a backup with Kubiak teaching him the art of throwing and leadership.

__________________

Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Give me convenience or give me death!

Bear Cub

Jets are going to rape your livestock and eat your babies.

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Living in the United Socialist States of America.

Jetée

Oh, yeah. Thanks for the correction. I also agree about him needing to stay healthy throughout the entire season for their team to even have a chance to make the playoffs, but that's true for most other NFL teams as well.

__________________
As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi

Jetée

It seems I don't know how confidence points work, I just select which team I think wins outright. I've seen the errors of my way, and it's just one game (though I did "pick" it right: NO over Minn.)

For anyone else that might enjoy seeing how many of your picks are right (or horribly wrong) over the course of a full season, I think (just, maybe) anyone can join here at any time they wish to:

__________________
As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves.

—Mohandas K. Gandhi

Pearl Trade

Texans took down the dirty Colts!

Haha! Over 200 yards from undrafted sophomore running back Arian Foster.

Colts fans should be ashamed at the extraordinary low level of competition they showed today.

__________________

Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Give me convenience or give me death!

FuglyStick

Giants 1-0!

(After 4 turnovers and 9 penalties for 95 yards. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. A good team would have crushed them.)

It pains me to say it, but--Go Redskins?

And Jesus, what must a person have done in their life to be cursed by being a Lions fan?

And why do I have to live in a black hole where my double header for football Sunday consists of the Bears followed by the Rams? It's inhumane, I tell you.

---------- Post added at 06:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:48 PM ----------

Does watching cheerleaders getting eaten by mascots ever get old?
NFL Videos: Mascot eats cheerleader
Not if you're me, it doesn't.

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AZIZ! LIGHT!

FuglyStick

Bwahahaha! You SUCK, Dallas!

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AZIZ! LIGHT!

Tully Mars

I knew there was a reason a woke up with "morning wood."

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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo

Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club

Pearl Trade

Aside from a couple games, like Texans vs Colts, yesterday was a pretty bad day for football watching. Low scoring games and blowouts were the norm.

Calvin Johnson and the Lions got screwed, they need to change that rule.

Dallas is overrated!

__________________

Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Give me convenience or give me death!

hunnychile

Every year I say I won't watch the Cleveland Browns and once more they let me down!

The nerve of them to loose to the Worst Team from last year!!! The Brownies are consistantly sucky.

Thank Gawd I like the Steelers waaaay more.....Way to Go Black & Gold!

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"I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

Amaras

'Phins pulled it out, watch out, NFL.
Against the bills!!!!

__________________
Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.
-Noam Chomsky
Love is a verb, not a noun.
-My Mom
The function of genius is to furnish cretins with ideas twenty years later.
-Louis Aragon, "La Porte-plume," Traite du style, 1928

Redlemon

So glad to see the Jets believing their own hype.

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I can't read your signature. Sorry.

Pearl Trade

I was surprised at the shit game the Jets brought last night. I bought into their hype, lucky for them it's only game one of the season. They have some work to do, but I think once the offense gets going they'll be playoff bound once again.

__________________

Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.
Give me convenience or give me death!

FuglyStick

The first week is nearly as useless as pre-season when it comes to evaluating teams. Personnel are still trying to find a "groove," offenses and defenses are both still being tweaked. Something like seven of last year's playoff teams ended up losing their opening day game though. Could be an interesting season.

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AZIZ! LIGHT!

CinnamonGirl

Replace "Bucs" with "Bengals," and that's pretty much exactly what I'd say


Yep, Cincinnati girl here. Terrible showing last week, but it has to get better after that, right? I normally work on Sundays, so I'll try to catch bits & pieces of the game at work. Like snowy, I'm really more into college football, so I get much more excited over the Buckeyes & the Bearcats

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"...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world."


"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

wraithhibn

Who Dey Cinna!

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If you won't dress like the Victoria Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

Eddie38

Chicago will beat Dallas. Watch.

FuglyStick

That would make my week.

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AZIZ! LIGHT!

CinnamonGirl

Who dey, indeed, wraith

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"...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world."


"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"