Buccaners 38, Cardinals 35

The Cards drop to 3-4 on the season with today's 38-35 loss to the Bucs.  The Cards hung tough, they had a chance to win, but Max Hall's 2 pick-6's were too much to overcome.  Other observations?  1) Derek Anderson threw a boneheaded INT late in the game when they are already in FG range, but otherwise played ok, he really should be the starter next week, Max Hall is clearly not ready.  2) They really need to cut down on the turnovers if they want to stay in playoff contention.  3) Steve Breaston was really missed when he was out injured, he had a nice game today (8 catches for 147 yeards).  4) Kerry Rhodes had another nice game (10 tackles).  5) Next week, the Vikings in Minneapolis, it's shaping up as a must win for both teams.

Patriots 28, Vikings 18

Another Sunday, another loss for the Vikings, this time 28-18 to the Patriots in Foxboro.  The Vikes drop to 2-5 for the season.  With 9 games left they're are looking at needing at a minimum of a 7-2 finish to make the playoffs.  That's doable but they need to play much better than they have been.  There just seems to be something missing this year, maybe they just got old and lazy, I don't know.  Other observations?   1) Would somebody send out an Amber Alert on Jared Allen already?  Yet again, no sacks for Allen, he's got 1 sack in 7 games.  Perhaps he needs the mullet back.  2) Speaking of sacks, Jared Allen isn't the only one with the lack of them, they've got only 6 all year, that's in 7 games, that is ridiculous, perhaps they need to try more than a 4 man rush on occasion.  3) The lack of a pass rush has also not helped their porous secondary much, you give a QB like Tom Brady to find an open receiver and he probably will.  Back to the secodary, Asher Allen continues to underwhelm with his play at CB, Madieu Williams didn't impress me much either at DB.  4) What happened to the OL?  Favre is getting the hell beat out him week in and week out, I realize that he's not as mobile as he used to be but much of the blame also needs to fall squarely on the play of the OL.  5) I'll give Favre some credit, he didn't play bad considering he has 2 fractures in his foot, still, that being said, I'm really not sure if he put the team first by playing today, he's not as young as he used to be, there's still a long season ahead, he's got a bum ankle and a sore elbow (and now a sore chin), a week off may have helped immensely.  6) Why are they not using Randy Moss more (1 catch for 8 yards today)?  Isn't that why they brought him in?  Find a way to get him the ball already.  7) The offense is just way too predictable, run, run, pass, run, run, pass, they need to do a better job of mixing things up.  8) Does Brad Childress start getting some heat?  This team is under performing big time with a veteran laden roster, the owners need a winning team to sell the public on a new stadium, they've got a coach in waiting in Leslie Frazier, it could get interesting.  9) They've got the struggling Cardinals next week in Minneapolis, it's really a must win (actually, a must win for both teams). 

Hypocrisy on the Stimulus

Good stuff.  Please think before you buy into the anti-stimulus hype.

Ohio St 52, Minnesota 10

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, you get another low, this time in a 52-10 loss to the Buckeyes. That loss drops them to 1-8 on the season.  Can they just forfeit their last 3 games?   It's not like they showed up for this past game anyways.  What a joke of a game it was, what a lack of effort being put forth, what a lack of coaching on display.  Where oh where did things go so wrong?  The only point of interest in the program going forward (it's not the opportunity to see the younger players develop, because the coaches seem reluctant to do that for some reason) is the coaching search (and at what point do you think top available coaches are going to look at this program and want no part of it).   Other observations?   1) Why the hell isn't Adam Weber on the bench when the game is clearly out of hand?  Do these coaches feel no responsibility to develop players for the future because they will not be there for the future?  Does Adam Weber have no shame?  It's just beyond ridiculous.  2) How's it possible to put that poor of a defense on the field?  They've recruited some talent, they shouldn't be this bad.  The poor coaching is increasingly evident every week.  3) Special teams was deplorable once again, how is Eric Ellestad a division 1 kicker?  Dan Oreseke is possibly the worst punter I can remember is Gopher history, he really needs to work on his release time.  And what shit poor effort on kick coverage, how about some effort fellas?  4) I'm still on the Al Golden bandwagon for next coach but I'm hearing no buzz in his direction.  The buzz I'm hearing is Phil Fulmer, Kevin Sumlin & Mike Stoops but you never know when a search firm is involved.  5) Next week at Michigan St, I'm predicting another big loss.  6) Please make it end, please make it end!

I'm voting Republican because.....

Eliana Franco

Hello, Eliana Franco!   

California Governor's Race

This is a very effective ad by Jerry Brown. 

Potpourri

• World Series is set, Rangers vs Giants. 
• Cain Velasquez thumps Brock Lesnar. 
• Russell Brand & Katy Perry get hitched
• Lady Gaga's 10 Most Outrageous outfits.
• Anna Chapman aka "the Russian spy" looking good in Maxim.
• Tariq Azia sentenced to death. 
• From hiccups to murder.
• Vikings vs Packers was the most watched Sunday Night Football game ever.
• RIP Paul the Octopus.
• 10 Best Places for retirement?
  

GOP's number 1 priority

Does this Mitch McConnell quote really make you want to vote Republican next Tuesday? 

"The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president."

He doesn't seem too concerned about the economy does he?  Or about unemployment?  Or the deficit?  Or protecting the country from terrorist attacks?  Or bipartisanship?  Or anything else for that matter?   Yikes!

SNL Favre Wrangler Spoof

More funny stuff from SNL. 

TPSG 2010 AZ Election Endorsements

I know that everybody has been waiting with baited breath for my 2010 Arizona election endorsements, so here goes:

UNITED STATES SENATOR:  Rodney Glassman over John McCain
It's not that I'm a huge Rodney Glassman fan, it's just that I've come to despise John McCain.  Believe it or not, I voted for John McCain the last time he was up for re-election and I almost never vote Republican.  I liked the maverick John McCain, he was someone who stood up for his beliefs, he was pragmatic, he was willing to take on his own party when it was called for (see his former stances on immigration and the Bush tax cuts for example).  John McCain is now nowhere near the same person, ever since he ran for President he has veered to the far right in order to win votes, he in essence has sold out and I cannot support a sell out.  He is now suggesting that we move right back to the far right ideological agenda that got us into the mess we are currently in, I cannot support that.  He will not get my vote. I don't see him losing though, my only hope is that given his age he will not be running for election again and will thus no longer need to kowtow to the far right and will move back to his maverick role (wishful thinking perhaps but it's my hope). 


U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 1:  Ann Kirkpatrick
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 2:  John Thrasher
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 3:  Jon Hulburd
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 4:  Ed Pastor
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 5:  Harry Mitchell
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 6:  Jeff Flake
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 7:  Raul Grijalva
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE in District 8:  Gabrielle Giffords
All democrats except for Jeff Flake. Obama deserves more than 22 months to clean up the mess that GWB left us in, to best do that he need support from the House of Representatives, that means voting for Democrats.  Harry Mitchell is running in my district, I really hope he can hold on, he's in a heavily republican leaning district and is facing a tough challenge from David Schweikert, but he has a long history of public service and seems to always have the best interest of his constituents at heart.  Despite the Schweikert propoganda he has not voted with Nancy Pelosi and company on everything, he's actually been pretty pragmatic in his voting record.  And to that, being that he was voted in as a democrat, shouldn't he be voting along party lines most of the time?   Didn't the GOP just purge a whole lot of moderate republicans who didn't toe the party line?   Why do they hold democrats to a different standard?   I also want no part of Ben Quayle in District 3, the only reason he is even a candidate is his family connections and family money, he's a joke.  Oh, and regarding Jeff Flake, he's one of the few republicans out there that I have any respect for, he seems highly principled, I also have no problem with his fight against pork and wasteful spending . 


GOVERNOR:  Terry Goddard
Did you see the Arizona Governor debate?   Enough said.  Ok, not enough, how about Jan Brewer's beheading claims? How about the fact that she has gone in to hiding since her last debate.  My God, Jan Brewer can barely string a sentence together, she wasn't voted in as Governor in the first place (she took over when Janet Napolitano left), she is way over her head.   Most importantly we need someone who can stand up to Russell Pearce and his far right agenda in the Arizona legislature, they have made us a national joke.  Terry Goddard is a long time elected official in the state of Arizona, I truly believe that he has experience and skill to guide us out of our current abyss. 

More picks on the next page.  AZCentral also has a nice page set up for the Arizona elections.

Packers 28, Vikings 24

The Vikings drop another one, this time 28-24 to the Packers.  They now fall to 2-4, with 10 games left you'd have to assume they need to go at a minimum of 7-3 in those last 10 to even have a chance at the playoffs (even then they'd just be 9-7).  I'm beginning to think that they would have been better off had Favre retired, he hasn't played good at all, he had 3 more INT's tonight, that pick 6 he threw to Desmond Bishop was devastating.   Other observations?   1) Adrian Peterson had a heckuva game (131 yards rushing), he still hasn't fumbled this year either.  2) Percy Harvin also had a nice game, he seems to be doing much better since they solved his migraine issues (sleep apnea), the addition of Randy Moss has also helped (as they could move him back to the slot where he is much more comfortable.  3) Visanthe Shiancoe was robbed when his TD catch was overruled by replay, that was a TD, they then needed to settle for a FG, that's the losing margin right there. 4) Speaking of replays, the Vikings made a mistake in not requesting a replay of the Andrew Quarless TD, that was not a catch.  5) Where's the pass rush?  Not one sack tonight.  Wake up Jared Allen, you're getting paid a lot of money to get to the QB, you need to step up your game.   6) The secondary wasn't much better, there seemed to be somebody open all night long.  7) Things don't get much easier from here, next week they are in New England to take on the Patriots, that will be no easy chore. 

Ms TPSG

I need me some Marisa Miller.

Seahawks 22, Cardinals 10

Not a pretty game for the Cardinals today in Seattle, they lost an ugly game 22-10 to the Seahawks to drop to 3-3 on the season.  They turned the ball over 5 times and Max Hall was just dreadful at QB.  The defense actually played well enough to win, they held the Seahawks to just one touchdown (and that was after a muffed punt return deep in their own territory).  Other observations?  1) Max Hall is just not ready, he only completed 4 of 16 passes for 36 yards, he looked lost out there.  I also wasn't overly impressed with his arm strength, I really don't see him as the long term solution at QB.  2) Speaking of which, Derek Anderson should be starting next week, he gave them a little bit of a spark today (he isn't though).  3) The DL was getting nice pressure on Hasselbeck most of the game, Alan Branch had 2 sacks, that was good to see.  4) DRC needs to stay on side on the FG/XP attempts, I think they caught him going offsides 3 times today.  5) Why didn't they make a run at Donovan McNabb this past offseason again????   6) Steve Breaston, get well soon, you are needed.  7) Next week Tampa Bay at home, that's a winnable game. 

Penn St 33, Minnesota 21

So, the Jeff Horton era begins the same as the Tim Brewster era ended, with yet another loss.  I'm really ready for this season to come to an end.  Unfortunately, they've still got what appears to be 4 sure loses to go (Ohio St, Michigan St, Illinois & Iowa).  This sucks, I bought into Brewster lock, stock and barrel, I thought that he was the guy who would finally turn this program around, turns out he wasn't anything other than a snake oil salesman.  Other observations?   1) What's with the continued refusal to give MarQueis Gray some time at QB???  Their on their way to a 1-11 season, it's ok to play 2 QB's!  Who knows, maybe Gray would give them that spark that they've been missing.  2) DeJon McKnight continues to shine at WR, he had 3 TD's and 103 yards receiving, he's turned into a very nice receiver (props to WR coach Steve Watson BTW).  3) DeLeon Eskridge had a nice game at RB (111 yards on 26 carries), he's still a far cry from a program turning back though (see Lawrence Maroney & MBIII).   4) Nobody on defense stood out yet again, the only positive I can find is that at least they are gaining experience and will be better next year, hopefully in a scheme that fits their abilities better.  5) I keep hearing the name Mike Bellotti in the coaching search and I have to admit that his name is growing on me, he's been a successful Division 1 coach, he's well respected, he ran a clean program, he made some very good assistant coaching hires and he's available right now (he's not coaching anywhere right now, he's broadcasting) so he'd be able to jump right into recruiting.  I'm moving him to the top of my list (along with Al Golden from Temple and Troy Calhoun at Air Force).

***California 50, ASU 17***
A miserable performance by the Sun Devils, they got their asses handed to them in Berkley.  What makes this even worse is that it was coming off a bye week, they had 2 weeks to prepare for Cal and that's the best they could come up with.  Steven Threet got a concussion, he's been really up and down anyways (more ints than TD's).  Dennis Erickson is going to start feeling some heat soon if this keeps up. 

Random Hot Girl Dancing

Potpourri

• 'Jersey Shores' Paulie D get's spin off show. 
•  RIP Tom Bosley. 
• The French aren't happy about a proposed retirement age increase.  
• Brooke Hogan looks pretty good in a bikini.  
• Eugene Robinson opines that if GOP wins, you can expect more obstruction.
• RIP Bob Guccione. 
• Bob Cesca has some good questions for GOP voters. 
• You've got to love hair bra's. 
• The 'The Fifteen Biggest Lies about the Economy' looks like a good read.
• The Pac 10 (or is it Pac 12) announces conference splits.
  

Please Vote!

This is a great ad that's playing in Wisconsin.  Please get out and vote!

TPSG 2010 MLB Award Winners

MVP
American League - Josh Hamilton over Miguel Cabrera, if this was an award for player of the year you'd probably have to give it to Cabrera but it's not, it's the Most Valuable Player, and let's face it, the Tigers were in 3rd Place with Cabrera, how much value does that carry?  Hamilton put up monster numbers while leading the Rangers to a division title, he get's my nod. 

National League - Joey Votto over Albert Pujols & Carlos Gonzales.  Again, speaking of value, Votto was the best player on one of the surprise teams in baseball, IMO this award clearly goes to Votto. 

CY YOUNG
American League - CC Sabbathia over David Price. This is a tough one, it could really go to either, but I'll go with Sabbathia as he had more wins, pitched more innings, had more strikeouts, had a lower WHIP, a  better GDP ratio & more quality starts than Price. 

National League - Roy Halladay over Adam Wainwright.  Just like the AL, this race was pretty close, I just went with Halladay because he seemed to be a better big game pitcher.  He also had more wins, a lower WHIP, pitched more innings, had more strikeouts, had more complete games & more shutouts than Wainwright.  

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
American League - Austin Jackson over Danny Valencia.  Valencia had a good year but he only played in 85 games versus the 151 that Jackson played, to me that gives him the edge.  Throw in Jackson's Gold Glove caliber defense in CF and the decision is even easier.  Jackson gets the nod. 

National League - Buster Posey over Jason Heyward.  Had Posey been called up from the minors sooner he may well be in the MVP race, he completely transformed that team not only with his offense but also with his defense and his ability to handle pitchers. 

MANAGER OF THE YEAR
American League - Ron Gardenhire over Ron Washington.  This is another that could go either way, but I'll give the nod to Gardenhire, he held that team together this year when everybody seemed to think they may take a step backwards.  He also did without his All-Star closer Joe Nathan and with his MVP candidate Justin Morneau missing the second half of the season. 

National League - Dusty Baker over Bobby Cox.  Nobody picked the Reds to win their division this year, they came out of nowhere under the steady leadership of Dusty Baker, he is the clear choice as Manager of the Year in the NL.

Tax Cuts or Deficit Reduction?

Republican's are having a hard time explaining how they would cut the deficit and extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.   Isn't it obvious?  They don't have an answer, it's a pipe dream, they know that, they also know their lemmings aren't critical thinkers, they will believe anything that is feed them by Rush, Sean, Glenn and company.   It's rather disgusting isn't it?  

Jenn Sterger

 Favre meets with the commish.  Speaking of which, here's the object of his attention.

   

Who Said it? Tea Party Quotes

You can't make this stuff up.  Please don't vote for these buffoons.   

''I hope that's not where we're going, but you know if this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies and saying my goodness what can we do to turn this country around? I'll tell you the first thing we need to do is take Harry Reid out.''

 

 "I don’t think anybody’s going to be missing a hill or two here and there" referring to environmental regulation.

"It is not enough to be abstinent with other people, you also have to be be abstinent alone. The Bible says that lust in your heart is committing adultery, so you can't masturbate without lust."

''The Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms for our citizenry...This is for us...This is for us when our government becomes tyrannical...''

 

"I dabbled into witchcraft. I never joined a coven." / "One of my first dates with a witch was on a satanic altar."
   
''The Federal Department of Education should be eliminated. The Department of Education is unconstitutional and should not be involved in education, at any level.''


''Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn't it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate.''

Bill Maher on the 2010 Election

Bill Maher speaks the truth.

Potpourri

• Ms TPSG Marisa Miller named NFL Spokesperson. 
• Jessie Jackson on the GOP's 'Big Lie'.  
• Doutzen Kroes is hot!!!
• You should always respect your elders, especially Margaret & Helen.
• RIP Barbara Billingsley. 
• 'Tea Party Nationalism' is a good read. 
• Tony Dungy not interested in the Gopher opening. 
• Want to date a cougar?  Check out CougarLife.com.
• Cliff Lee is pitching out of his mind.
  
• The GOP's stimulus hypocrisy is rather amusing.  
  

Zoe Saldana in her Calvins!

I like this commercial!

Vikings 24, Cowboys 21

The Vikings knocked off the Cowboys 24-21 today for a much needed win.  They are now 2-3 on the season, that leaves them 2 games behind the Bears in the NFC Central.   A loss would have been devastating, as it will be for the Cowboys (who dropped to 1-4 on the season).  The offense looked better but still wasn't clicking on all cylinders.  Other observations?   1) Favre was 14 for 19 but only for 118 yards, he still seems really beat up. 2) The offensive line continues to struggle, Favre didn't have much time at all most of the game.  3) Lito Sheppard really struggled at CB, I'm starting to wish they hadn't traded away Benny Sapp.  4) It was nice to see the Vikings create a couple turnovers, that had been missing so far this year.  5) The Vikes are in Green Bay to play the Packers next Sunday night for a prime time game on NBC. 

Brewster fired at Minnesota

It's official, the Tim Brewster era has come to an end at the University of Minnesota.  Brewster finishes with a career record of 15-30 at Minnesota.  Co-Offensive Coordinator Jeff Horton takes over on an interim basis, he is the only assistant on the staff with head coaching experience (at UN-LV).   Brewster really was a poor choice to start with at Minnesota.   I remember being shocked when they fired Glen Mason back in 2006, he had turned the program from horrid to respectable, I certainly didn't think that his firing was warranted.  Upon taking a closer look at the Mason firing at that time, I did see the reasoning behind it though, they seemed to have plateaued under Mason, his recruiting was suffering and he still had no clue on defense.  So I ended up being okay with his firing.  I was then shocked that they selected Tim Brewster as his replacement, he had never risen above the level of a position coach in any of his coaching stops (in the NFL or the NCAA).  The more I found out about him though the more he grew on me, he had done a very good job of recruiting for Mac Brown at Texas and North Carolina and that was one area that Glen Mason was really lacking so I was willing to give him a chance.  Recruiting has picked up under Brewster but it just hasn't translated to the field.  Year 1 under Brewster was horrendous, a 1-11 record, he followed that up with respectable (not great, but respectable) records of 7-6 & 6-7.  His 1-6 start this year showed that he was not moving the team in the right direction.  He really did make lots of mistakes in his short tenure at Minnesota, the chief mistake IMO being that he never really found an identity (they started out running the spread, then moved to a more NFL type scheme, then to a 'pound the rock' scheme), teams and players need consistency, they need time to learn and perfect a system, you need to bring in new players who fit yours system (how do you do that when you don't know what they system will be?).   Another problem he had was maintaining a stable staff, they changed coordinators constantly (if I recall correctly they had 3 offensive coordinators and 3 defensive coordinators in his 4 years), again, that goes back to stability and consistency.  The one other major issue I have had with Brewster is his fondness for Adam Weber at QB, Weber has been mediocre at best throughout his career at Minnesota, it is quite obvious to everybody (except Brewster) that we've seen the best that Weber has to offer and that it was not quite good enough to get this program to the next level.  MarQueis Gray on the other hand has all the talent in the world, he is easily the best athlete on the team (and one of the best athletes in the Big Ten), he deserves at least a chance to show what he can do, and Brewster never gave it to him.  At this point, the guy I want them to make a run at as a replacement is Al Golden, give him whatever he wants, he'd be a great pick.

I've compiled a list of other potential candidates on the next page.

Purdue 28, Minnesota 17

Another dismal performance by the Gophers, this time in a 28-17 loss to Purdue.  It was a pretty dreadful display of football by the Gophers.  They again got a couple garbage time TD's to make it look closer than it really was.  Lots of buzz out there now that this may be it for Tim Brewster too, and rightfully so as they now drop to 1-6 on the season.  I knew they wouldn't be great this year, they are too young and inexperienced and play a brutal schedule, but I thought 5-7 wins was very possible.  Al Golden is my number 1 choice as a replacement, he's done an excellent job at Temple and would be a great choice if they could get him (I'm guessing not but you can always hope).  Back to the game.  Other observations:  1) one of the main reasons that I want to see Brewster go is his complete reluctance to give any time at QB to MarQueis Gray, Adam Weber is obviously not the answer at QB, why not give somebody else a chance, especially someone with Gray's upside.  2) Eric Lair continued to show promise at TE, hopefully he'll fit into whatever scheme they deploy next year.  3) Same goes for Dejon McKnight.  4) Nobody on defense stood out, they've really disappointed me this year, I was hoping some of the young guys would stand out but they really haven't, none of them.  4) Dan Orseske was hyped as being a great young punter when he came to Minnesota but he has been absolutely horrid, he needs to get better quickly.  5) Next week, Penn St at home, if they're going to win again this year that is the game they may have a chance at.  

Hoover Damn Bypass Bridge

The Hoover Damn Bypass Bridge is set to open!!!  It's about time, hopefully this will be as big a time saver on my commute to Las Vegas as I expect it to be. 

The Mis-Informant

Good stuff!

Potpourri

• Chilean Miners rescued!!!!!
• Bar Refaeli is looking good!
• Alessandra Ambrosio is also looking good!
• Viking CB Cedric Griffin tears ACL, out for year. 
• Minka Kelly is 'Esquire Magazine's Sexiest Woman Alive'.
• Right wing hate talk does have consequences.
• A record breaking day for Brett Favre.
• Courtney Cox and David Arquette split.
• Paris Hilton topless.
• Judge blocks "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
 

Did the Stimulus Really Fail?

All election season I've been seeing campaign ads about how one candidate or another supported Obama's failed stimulus plan and how that should disqualify them from your vote this November.  So the question I ask is this, has the stimulus really failed as the GOP claim?  The CBO sure doesnt' think so, they say that it has added about 3.3 million jobs and increased the GDP by up to 4.5%.  How can that be considered a failure?  Yes, unemployment is still running at 9.6% and that is higher than than the 8% figure that was used to sell the stimulus plan in the first place, so I guess by that argument it did fail, but the part that is left out of that argument is that without the stimulus having passed it is reported that the unemployment rate would be running at about 16%.  Had Obama done nothing wouldn't those same individuals now be claiming that he didn't do enough?  The economy was losing 750,000 jobs a month when Obama took office, something had to be done and he took action that stemmed the job loses, how is that a failure?  Was it perfect?  No.  Did it increase the budget?  Yes. Was it a failure?  Not at all, I'd actually consider it to have been a huge success.

Zoe Saldana

I just watched the movie "The Losers" on DVD, it was ok, nothing spectacular though. I did enjoy Zoe Saldana though.

NY Jets 29, Vikings 20

The Vikings are digging themselves a big whole as they dropped to 1-3 on the season with a 29-20 loss to the Jets in New York tonight.  It was another winnable game, they seemed to be sleepwalking through the first two thirds of the game though.  The offense is still not clicking, they've got a lot of work ahead of them if they want to pull this together.  Other observations?  1) Favre did seem distracted, he needs to get his head straight.  2) The Vikings need to create more turnovers, they lost that battle 3-0 tonight.  3) Randy Moss did alright on 3 days of  practice, he obviously will help going forward.  4) Percy Harvin seemed to really benefit from the addition of Moss, he had a very nice game.  5) It would really be nice if they had a punt returner who could do more than just call for a fair catch, why did they get rid of Darius Reynaud again?  6) The offensive line needs to get a lot better, they really haven't been living up to their hype.  7) Cedric Griffith's injury worries me, especially given Chris Cook's injury last week, I don't have much confidence at all in Asher Allen or Lito Sheppard at CB.  8) They've got the 1-3 Cowboys next weekend in a match up of 2 now very desperate teams, it should be interesting.

Cardinals 30, Saints 20

The Cardinals improved to 3-2 today with a 30-20 victory over the Saints.  That moves the Cardinals into sole possession of first place in the NFC West.  It also marked the first victory with Max Hall as starting QB.  Hall played ok, not sensational though, I think it was probably a good learning experience for him.  He did play better than Derek Anderson had been playing though so that's a positive.  The defense was the real story though, they scored 2 TD's and created some crucial turnovers, they were much improved over last week, I even noticed Darnell Dockett a couple of times today (he's been virtually invisible the last couple games).  All in all I was pleased, it was a nice victory against a quality opponent.  Next week it their bye week, then they play at Seattle the following week. 

Random Hot Girl Dancing

Twins Swept Out of ALDS

The Twins lost to the Yankee's 6-1 Saturday night and were swept out of the ALDS yet again.  They've now lost 12 straight post season games (and 9 straight post season games to the Yankee's).  So I guess the questions now become, is just getting to the playoffs enough?  Is there a desire to get to the next level?  Is Ron Gardenhire the guy to get them to the next level?   What will it take to get to the next level?  To the first question, is getting to the playoffs enough, not in my mind, while it's nice to be supporting a first place team throughout the season, I'm getting tired of the crushing, swift exits once the playoffs start, I'm guessing most Twins fans will concur.  To the next question, is there a desire to get to the next level, this is in reference to the Twins front office, I'm thinking there is, they increased payroll significantly this year, there is only so much money they can spend though, they just don't have the resources of teams like the Yankee's.  Next question, regarding Gardenhire, I just don't see how they can go let him go (he'd be snapped up quickly too if he were let go), he is a good manager, he's proven that, he just needs a better mix of players.  To the last question, what will it take to get to the next level, I'm of the firm belief that post season baseball is about pitching, the team that pitches best will win (I don't see anyone matching the Phillies pitching this year BTW) and the Twins just do not have a clear cut number 1 starter, they have 5 (or 6) solid major league pitchers that will keep them in most games but are anything but shut down starters (see Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, CC Sabathia, etc), if they are serious about getting to the next level they will do everything possible to obtain a clear cut, top of  the rotation, starter (or 2). 

Wisconsin 41, Minnesota 23

Another loss for Tim Brewster and the Gophers, this time 41-23 to Wisconsin, the Badgers thus hold onto the Paul Bunyan Axe for the seventh straight year.   The Gophers fall to 1-5 on the season.  I'm ready for the season to come to a close at this point so that they can rid themselves of Brewster and move on.  I just don't see any possible way for him to keep his job.  They just seem to play with so little passion every week, they also seem woefully unprepared every game.  It's getting very depressing.  Other observations?   1) Eric Lair is becoming a pretty good TE (4 catches for 78 yards).  2) DaJon McKnight made 2 spectacular TD catches, he's developing into a nice WR.  3) Nobody on the defensive side of the ball stood out to me, if I was forced to pick somebody I guess I'd pick Anthony Jacobs, at least I noticed him on several occasions.   4) Where is the pass rush?  Tolzien had all sorts of time to throw the ball just about every time he dropped back to pass, I'm fairly certain they didn't register a sack today.  5) Minnesota prep OT Tyler Marz spurned the Gophers before the game and gave a verbal commitment to the Badgers, so much for locking up the borders.  6) The most interesting thing about the game was probably Tim Brewsters heated post game handshake and then his post game comments regarding Brett Bielma's decision to go for a 2 point conversion even after the game was well out of reach of the Gophers, he was not pleased at all with that decision. 7) What is it going to take for Brewster to give MarQueis Gray some meaningful (or any) minutes at QB?  Weber had yet another mediocre game, don't be mislead by his 249 passing yards and 3 TD's, most of that came in garbage time when the Badgers had already locked the game up, they are going nowhere with Weber at QB, Gray is their future and he should be in there getting experience.  

Slap Shot

In honor of the opening of the 2010-2011 NHL season.

Potpourri

• Facebook adds new features.
• This take on John McCain is spot on, he's about survival not principal.
• GOP attacking food stamps while fighting for tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.
• Fox News token Democrat planning GOP fundraiser? Can't they find any real Dems?
• Top 10 'Perfect 10' models. 
• Sharron Angle actually thinks Sharia Law has taken hold in the U.S.  Wacko!
• 'Dachix' is an interesting site, very interesting indeed. 
• GOP blocks bill that would promote less outsourcing. Again, they fighting for who?
• Brett Favre was very busy in his brief stay in New York. 
• Lucy Pinder's 2011 Calendar pics are hot.
  

Jessica Alba - Uber MILF

Potpourri

• Dems gaining ground as election approaches.  Is it too little too late?
• The link between lack of sleep and weight gain.  Interesting. 
• Phillies Roy Halladay pitches second post season no-hitter ever. 
• Are foreign countries funding attack ads on Democrats? 
• Is Obamacare really as unpopular as the GOP claims?  Nope.
• Joe Miller wants to abolish the minimum wage.  Who's he looking out for?
• Undrafted rookie free agent Max Hall takes over as Cardinals starting QB.  
• Marisa Miller in 944 Magazine furthers the reasons for her Ms TPSG crown. 
• Spearking of Marisa Miller, this dude is the luckiest SOB ever.
• Olympia Snowe speaks the truth. 
 

 

Randy Moss back in Purple!

The Vikings acquired Randy Moss (and a 7th round draft pick) from the Patriots today for a 3rd round draft pick in next years draft.  I love this move, he never should have been traded away in the first place, he belongs in purple.  I still blame former Vikings owner Red McCombs for trading him away in the first place.  As I see it, he did it for two reasons, 1) to maximize his profit before selling the team, and 2) as a final fuck you to the Vikings fans because they failed to vote him a new stadium.   Anyways, the Vikings were desperate for a WR, with Sidney Rice being out with his hip injury, they had absolutely no deep threat and Greg Lewis and Greg Camarillo were not cutting it as third options (Bernard Berrian was not cutting it as a 1-2 WR either for that matter).  Their lineup now is very impressive, Brett Favre at QB, Adrian Peterson at RB, Visanthe Shianco at TE, Percy Harvin & Randy Moss at WR, that's scary good.   Bernard Berrian is also much more suited for the third WR spot that he will slide into.  Plus, if/when Sidney Rice comes back, they'll be even scarier.   The rest of the season should be really fun to watch.  Go Vikes! 

Kirk Gibson Keeps D-backs Job

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached an agreement with Kirk Gibson to remain as their Manager.  Good move in my opinion, I really like Gibson, he played the game the correct way, he coaches the correct way, sound fundamentals, aggressive, all out all the time, that's bound to rub off on the team in time.  I'm glad they hung onto Jerry DiPoto also in their front office, he made some very good moves as interim GM, he's a sound baseball man, he deserves a spot in the front office.

Potpourri

• Could TARP turn a profit?  The GOP will never admit to it.  
• RIP Stephen J. Cannell. 
• Hate unions?  If so, Arizona's Proposition 113 is for you. 
• Who's buying political clout in America?  It's making me nervous. 
• I really enjoy Maxim's 'Hometown Hotties' section. 
• Top 10 places to run into celebrities in Hollywood.
• Tiger Woods sex tape allegedly sold. 
• Count me as a Sara Jean Underwood fan. 
• Revamped Timberwolves knock off the Lakers in exhibition opener.
• The best bikini backsides in Hollywood.  A few questionable picks IMO. 

More Lupe

Nice!!

Chargers 41, Cardinals 10

The Cardinals dropped to 2-2 today when they were pounded 41-10 by the Chargers in San Diego.  They are just not a good football team, luckily for them they play in the NFC West and are still in first place.  QB Derek Anderson struggled once again and was benched in favor of Max Hall after he threw his second interception.  The offense scored only 3 points, their remaining 7 points came off of a defensive touchdown.  Speaking of the defense, they were horrendous, they've got a lot of work to do to be even a mediocre defense.  I'm not quite sure what the problem is either, they did lose Karlos Dansby and Antrelle Rolle from last year but their replacements Paris Lennon and Kerry Rhodes haven't really seemed to be the problem.  They better figure things out soon or this season could be ugly.  Speaking of ugly, back to the QB situation, they really bungled that one (I'm guessing they wish they had given Matt Leinart a legitimate shot at the job), they may as well stick with Max Hall at this point because I don't see Anderson as the long term solution. 

Carmen plays some pool

MLB Playoffs Set

The MLB regular season is now officially over and the playoffs are set.  Final standings can be found here. 

The playoff match ups are:

American League:
Tampa Bay Rays vs Texas Rangers
Minnesota Twins vs New York Yankees

National League:
Philadelphia Phillies vs Cincinnati Reds
San Francisco Giants vs Atlanta Braves

I've got to go with the Rays and the Yankees in the AL and Phillies and the Giants in the NL in round 1.  My heart says to go with the Twins but they finished the season miserably (2-8 since they clinched) and I think they may have lost their momentum, add in the fact that the Yankees have really had the Twins number for the last several years and I don't see a good finish.  I will keep my fingers crossed though. 

Northwestern 29, Minnesota 28

The Gophers lost a winnable game today to Northwestern 29-28, to drop to a 1-4 record for the season.  By winnable, I mean they had a lead late in the game then gave up a late field goal.  The Gophers are just not a good football team, they were lucky to be as close as they were as Northwestern turned the ball over 3 times as they were marching down the field.  Other observations?  1) The defense played terrible once again, they gave up 486 total yards and had trouble stopping Northwestern on 3rd down all afternoon.  2) Special teams again did not help, Ellestad was very erratic on his kickoffs, Oreske was just plain bad on his punting, the return games did nothing.  3) Clock management was atrocious by the Gophers late in the game, call a timeout, down the ball, don't run the ball, it's all taught in Coaching 101.  4) Play calling late in the game was also atrocious, you do not call a draw play with less than a minute to go when you are nowhere close to field goal range. 5) Adam Weber is just not a clutch QB, despite having more experience than any other QB on any other BCS team, he still struggles in clutch situations, he seems to panic, he moves around too much, doesn't set his feet, locks in on one receiver, it's just plain ugly watching him back there.  6) Where was MarQueis Gray?  Not only did he once again get no snaps at QB, he only had 1 reception, he's the most talented player on either side of the field, this is inexcusable, get the ball in his hands already.  7) I think it's time to make the switch to Gray at QB, actually it's long overdue, what they are doing now isn't working, they need a spark.  8) On the positive, DeLeon Eskridge had a good game running the ball, he gained 119 yards on 22 caries. 9) Eric Lair caught 2 TD passes, nice to see them work him into the game plan.  8) I just don't see how Brewster can return next year, he seems to have lost support of everyone with the possible exception of his players (and that could be slipping away too). 

Obama Takes Aim at GOP Agenda

It's about time, I love it, I just hope they didn't wait too long.  Here's a link.

"It is grounded in the same worn-out philosophy: cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires, cut the rules for Wall Street and the special interests and cut the middle class loose to fend for itself," Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address. "That's not a prescription for a better future. It's an echo of a disastrous decade we can't afford to relive."
 
"It turns out that one of the ideas that's drawn the most interest on their Web site is ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas," Obama said. "Funny thing is, when we recently closed one of the most egregious loopholes for companies creating jobs overseas, Republicans in Congress were almost unanimously opposed."

Here's some more.  

"I know your congressman here I think has strong ideas about what he says he wants to do," Obama said. But, he said, the math behind the Republican proposal -- which includes keeping the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans while balancing the budget -- "doesn't add up."

On Monday, the president dismissed Republicans as "not serious." At a rally before more than 20,000 people in Madison, Wis., on Tuesday, Obama accused the GOP of working to "hoodwink a whole bunch of folks all across the country" about his governmental philosophy.

Potpourri

• Obama calls Fox News as "ultimately destructive". 
• Owner of company that makes Segways, dies on a Segway. 
• I'd buy nuts from Rosie Jones. 
• Prostitution law struck down by Ontario court.  Perhaps we can learn from Canada?
• Beware of the "death ray" in Vegas. 
• RIP Greg Giraldo.  
• The buying of America. 
• LeBron blames race for his declining popularity.  Idiot. 
• Rahm Emanuel stepping down from the White House to run for Mayor of Chicago.
• UFO's eyed nukes.