Happy Halloween!

The Equalizer

The Equalizer - starring Denzel Washington & Marton Csokas.  When I saw that Denzel Washington was teaming with Antoine Fuqua once again, I knew I would have to see it and I did just that about a month ago.  This one is based on the 1980's television show of the same name.  Denzel plays Robert McCall a retired covert ops agent who turns vigilante hero for his rough Boston neighborhood.  McCall is trying to live a quiet life, he works at a large home improvement store, walks to work and generally just keeps to himself, his sleeping problems portents a mysterious past though.  Soon McCall begins to notice injustices all around and decides to take matters into his own hands, the end result is quite entertaining as he takes revenge on neighborhood thugs, crooked cops and what appears to be the entire Russian mob.  It's all great fun, the action sequences are very well done, the acting top notch, the direction superb.  I loved it, I highly recommend.

I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars (*****).

What's The Matter With Kansas?

Bill Maher sums up Kansas rather nicely.

AZ Tidbits

• The Arizona Diamondbacks hire Chip Hale as new Manager.
• Arizona is now a marriage equality state.  Long overdue.  
• Arizona Daily Star endorses Fred DuVal, Raul Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick & Ron Barber.  
• The Arizona Republic endorses Doug Ducey.  I cancelled my subscription long ago.
• Phoenix ranked as America's 15th Snobbiest City. 
• Does Arizona Gubernatorial candidate Doug Ducey have mob ties? 
• How would Tom Brady look in an Arizona Cardinals jersey?  
• Is another housing boom coming to Arizona?  
• Poll shows most in Arizona think the state is headed in the wrong direction. 
• Phoenix Suns named one of the Top 10 NBA franchises. 
• Are you familiar with any of these 7 interesting facts about Scottsdale?
• I loved the Paula Pennypacker "rant".  I wish she was in my district. 
• Why is APS so concerned about the Arizona Attorney General election? 
• Arizona gas in now under $3 per gallon!  
• Could Hispanics voters be on the verge of turning Arizona purple?
• Does ASU have the hottest student body? 
• Arizona football teams are flat out dominating this year.  
• There is no way that Michele Reagan is more qualified than Terry Goddard. 
• Early voting apparently is only okay in Arizona if it's Republicans doing it. 
• I hadn't realized that KDKB had changed formats, I'm not sure I'm okay with that. 

Chris Matthews on Voter Suppression

He makes some good points don't you think?

Cardinals 27, Eagles 24

The Arizona Cardinals win again, 27-24 over the Eagles from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.  The Cardinals improve to 6-1 on the season, that matches the Broncos & Cowboys for the best record in football, it's also the franchises best start since 1974.  What a game this was, the Cardinals score late on a big play from John Brown and then held off the Eagles in the closing seconds for the win.  Games like this are why the NFL is the most popular sport in America!

Observations:

• I love the Cardinals quick hit, big play approach.  
• That late red zone stand by the Cardinals defense was the key to victory.  
• I have a feeling that we'll see both of these teams in the playoffs.  
• The rumors of Larry Fitzgerald's demise are greatly exaggerated. 
• Cat Man continues to roll, he's on a historic run.  He kicks it deep too!
• Andre Ellington is getting a lot of touches, I hope he doesn't wear down.
• What a steal John Brown was in the 2014 NFL Draft.  
• That's five straight game now that Carson Palmer has 2+ touchdown passes. 
• The Cardinals could really use some help with their pass rush.  
• No sacks by either team in this game, that's a rare feat. 
• Turnovers:  Eagles 3, Cardinals 1
• In 35 games as a head coach Bruce Arians is 25-10.  
• That's four straight wins by the Cardinals over the Eagles. 
• Carson Palmer has started this season like he finished last season. 
• Antonio Cromartie has been a great fit in the Cardinals secondary.  
• The Eagles came in with the number one scoring offense in football. 
• Deone Bucannon is coming along nicely at DB for the Cardinals. 
• Dare I dream of a Super Bowl home game for the Cardinals?  
• The Eagles had been unbeaten under Chip Kelly when leading after 3 quarters.
• Up next?  @ Dallas to take on the Cowboys.  

Vikings 19, Buccaneers 13

The Vikings knocked off the Buccaneers 19-13 (in OT) today in Tampa to improve to 3-5 on the season.  It wasn't pretty but you take a road win anyway you can in today's NFL.  I liked the way they kept fighting too, hopefully that we be a staple of a Mike Zimmer coached team.  Nice win Vikings, keep that momentum rolling!

Observations:

• How are we already at the half way point of the season?  
• I was sure that we were headed towards another heartbreaker.  
• It's amazing how much better this Vikings defense is from last season.  
• I saw progress from Teddy Bridgewater!  No interceptions.  
• Anthony Barr continues to impress, that OT touchdown was a thing of beauty. 
• Teddy Bridgewater looked good in the 2 minute offense, that's a good sign.
• Can we call a penalty for that "icing the kicker" strategy at some point?   Hate it.
• Jerick McKinnon is looking like he has a future in the league.  
• Props to Lovie Smith for going for it on that early 4th down attempt. 
• It's about time that Cordarrelle Patterson was worked into the game plan. 
• Everson Griffen is on a 16 sack/season pace.  Jared who?  
• Total Yards:  Vikings 332, Buccaneers 225
• Is it my imagination or do lots of questionable calls go against the Vikings?  
• That Tom Johnson free agent signing is looking real good at this point.  
• This was a big game for the Vikings rookie class.  
• That was quite the hit by Michael Mauti on that punt return. 
• To me the concerns with Bridgewater remain durability and ability to stretch the field.
• That may have been Sharrif Floyd's best game as a Viking.  
• 5 sacks by the Vikings defense, they were bringing the heat.  
• Tamp Bay was only 1 of 12 on 3rd down.  That's impressive Vikings defense.  
• Up next?  Redskins @ TCF Bank Stadium next Sunday.  

Sebastian Tretola TD Pass

You don't see this very often.  Yes, that's an OT throwing that pass.

Arizona State 24, Washington 10

The Sun Devils improved to 6-1 tonight with a 24-10 win over Washington in Seattle.  It wasn't a pretty win but a PAC12 road win is a PAC12 road win, you take them anyway you can get them.  The Sun Devils remain all along in first place in the PAC12 South, they control their destiny at this point. Keep it up Devils!

Observations:

• The Sun Devils are now bowl eligible.  
• Arizona States defense has improved dramatically since that UCLA debacle. 
• Taylor Kelly definitely looked rusty in his return to action. 
• Arizona State is playing very well on the road this season. 
• I thought that looked like an awful lot of TFL's by the Sun Devils. 
• Laiu Moeakiola had a heckuva game for the Sun Devils.  
• Jaelen Strong is still damn good.  Yet another touchdown. 
• Arizona State is now 21-0 when leading at halftime under Todd Graham. 
• Turnovers:  Washington 3, Arizona State 1
• D.J. Foster has really cooled off from earlier this season.  
• Arizona State has really owned Washington over the past 9 years. 
• Neither team did very well on 3rd down.  
• I don't think that Jaelen Strong & Marcus Peters like each other much. 
• Yet another pick 6 for the Sun Devils!  They are getting good at that. 
• I still don't like that Arizona State short yardage offense.  
• The weather in Seattle looked dreadful, that should have helped Washington more. 
• I admit it, I was impressed with Washington DE/LB Hau'oli Kikaha, he's a beast. 
• I didn't realize how fast Washington played on offense. 
• C'mon Washington fans, class yourselves up please. 
• Up next?  Utah next Saturday night @ Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ. 

Illinois 28, Minnesota 24

The Gophers fall on the road today to Illinois, 28-24.  This loss drops the Gophers to 6-2 on the season.  They showed up too late, in the B1G you need to play a full 60 minutes.  This one really hurts too as Illinois hadn't won a B1G game since last year and the Gophers remaining schedule is a brutal (Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska & Wisconsin). Turnovers will kill you. You cannot lose games like this!  So disappointing.

Observations:

• Have the Gophers been exposed these last two weeks?  
• Stacking the box was a smart move by the Illinois defense, for awhile anyways.
• Mitch Leidner looked nervous in the pocket today, struggled with accuracy too.
• Those long Gophers passes really seemed to open up the Gophers rushing offense.
• You can only contain David Cobb for so long!  He wears teams down. 
• Isaac Frechette has been golden these last couple of games. 
• There are times when the Gophers offense looks very slow and plodding. 
• Mitch Leidner really struggles to throw the ball on the run. 
• Why did the referees blow that backwards pass dead so early?
• I wonder about Mitch Leidner's football IQ sometimes. 
• Turnovers:  Minnesota 3, Illinois 1
• Way too many arm tackles by the Gophers today, especially early. 
• Craig James really struggled with the punt return duties today.  
• De'Vondre Campbell had an impressive game, he's so rangy.  
• It was good to see K.J. Maye getting some touches.  
• Joe Bjorkland is developing into a nice looking offensive lineman. 
• Keep an eye on De'Niro Laster, he's going to be a good one.  
• Perhaps a little more flexibility needed by Illinois with their 2 QB system. 
• I wasn't impressed with the Gray Ghost uniforms worn by Illinois.  
• Up next?  Iowa in 2 weeks @ TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

POTpourri

• Does using marijuana as a teen make you dumber? 
• Please do not reward Republicans for their obstruct & blame strategy.  
• Neil Patrick Harris will host the 2015 Academy Awards. 
• Seattle Seahawks dump WR Percy Harvin on the New York Jets. 
• Where have you been all of my life Olya Abramovic? 
• Are you familiar with the great Kansas Tea Party disaster? 
• It seems like a good time to have a Surgeon General doesn't it? 
• Have you noticed that Republicans tend to prefer propaganda over reality? 
• Elizabeth Warren is right, "the game is rigged & the Republicans rigged it".  
• RIP Oscar De La Renta. 
• Do you know why Republicans think many people shouldn't vote? 
• Why has no bigger school snapped up Lance Leipold?  
• The middle class is now poorer than at any time since the 1940's.
• Please do not overlook a President's ability to appoint judges when you vote. 
• The key to stopping Ebola in America is to stop it in west Africa.  
• What is Sarah Palin doing with all of that PAC money? 
• Everyone in America would be better off if we soaked the rich.  
• Do some Seahawks actually think that Russell Wilson isn't black enough? 
• As a guy, how can I not root for Jacklyn Schultz on the new season of "Survivor"? 
• Do you really trust that the Republican economic agenda would help? 

GOP Hypocrisy

This about sums it up.

Mitch McConnell

Please do not reward this clown with another Senate term.  

"...there are still enough of them to block the Democratic agenda, as long as they all marched in lockstep."

"As long as Republicans refused to follow his lead, Americans would see partisan food fights and conclude that Obama had failed to produce change."

Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy - starring Chris Pratt & Zoe Saldana.  I actually saw this movie a couple of months ago.  I really enjoyed it, it's fast moving, there's plenty of action, a bit of humor, some good acting, just an overall good time.  It's based upon a Marvel comic.  Chris Pratt stars as Peter Quill, aka Star Lord, orphaned as a child, he is abducted by aliens and raised by a band of space bandits.  While out scavenging one day Quill comes across a mysterious orb only to find that it is very valuable and in much demand.  He decides to sell the orb to the highest bidder, problem being he's not the only one with that same idea, there are several other bandits trying to steal the orb from him.  Eventually, these misfits realize that their best course of action would be to band together, they don't like each other but they each have a special skillset that meshes well together.  Soon, they realize the power of the orb and come to the conclusion that they need to keep it out of the hands of all powerful "The Collector" in order to save the galaxy.  It turns into a pretty fun ride.  James Gunn does a superb job of directing.  Chris Pratt is as good as I've seen him.  Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel & Bradley Cooper (okay, Bradley Cooper's voice) are all excellent in their roles. I also loved the movie's 1970's music soundtrack.  I highly recommend it.

I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars (*****).

New Foo Fighters

"Something From Nothing".  Not bad, I think like it.

Cardinals 24, Raiders 13

The Cardinals improved to 5-1 today with a 24-13 win over the Raiders from Oakland.  I don't know that it was a thing of beauty but anytime you can win on the road in the NFL you have to be happy.  The Cardinals have now won 12 of their last 15 games, that's damn impressive.  They are also now in sole possession of 1st place in the NFC West.  Nice win!

Observations:

• Andre Ellington is becoming quite a weapon. 
• Carson Palmer looks healthy!  He had another nice game!
• Larry Fitzgerald has done a nice job of coaching up Michael Floyd.  
• It was nice to see Stepfan Taylor get more touches. 
• At this point, I wouldn't rather have any other head coach in football.  
• It had to be a nice return to Oakland for Carson Palmer, Tommy Kelly & Jared Veldheer. 
• Only 1 sack by the Cardinals today, a little more pressure would be nice.  
• First Downs:  Cardinals 25, Raiders 13
• Time of Possession:  Cardinals 36:57, Raiders 23:03
• Total Yards:  Cardinals 365, Raiders 220
• Chandler Catanzaro continues to roll, he's now 15 for 15 on FG attempts.  
• Yes, a Cardinal quarterback finally threw an interception today.  
• Was that a Kevin Minter sighting?  
• I like Derek Carr, I think he's going to be a good quarterback in time. 
• Larry Foote quietly seems to have become the Cardinals best defender.  
• I thought that Ted Ginn Jr, would be a better punt returner.  
• Sebastian Janikowski's leg appears to be as strong as ever. 
• I wish Charles Woodson would just retire already.  
• Oakland fans really don't deserve to keep their team.  
• Up next?  Philadelphia Eagles @ University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. 

Bills 17, Vikings 16

The Vikings fell to the 2-5 on the season today with a 17-16 loss to the Bills from Buffalo.  What a heartbreaker, the Bills scored a touchdown with one second left on the clock for the win.  It's a shame too with the way their defense played.  The offense has been just been completely inept the last couple of weeks, they need to figure things out here and soon.  

Observations:

• You cannot continually settle for field goals from the red zone.  
• How do you give up a first down on 4th down & 20 late in the game? 
• Everson Griffen was playing out of his mind today.  3 sacks, 2 TFL, 8 tackles. 
• The defensive approach against Bridgewater appears to be to bring the house, often. 
• Anthony Barr is making a strong case for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
• The jury has to still be out on Teddy Bridgewater.  
• Jerick McKinnon had a nice day running the ball.  103 yards on 19 carries.  
• The Vikings have been just dreadful on the road lately. 
• Is it too soon to give up on Matt Kalil?  He's been awful this season.  
• Turnovers:  Bills 4, Vikings 2
• That Vikings offensive line has got to find a way to protect Bridgewater.  
• Chad Greenway has still got some life in him.  15 tackles today.  
• Injuries, and off field issues, have really taken their toll on the Vikings offense.  
• The Vikings offense could really use a deep threat to stretch their offense.  
• I can understand why Carolina didn't re-sign Captain Munnerlyn this past offseason. 
• Blair Walsh continues to be money at kicker for the Vikings.  3 for 3 today. 
• The Bills defensive line is quite impressive, they can bring the heat.  
• Give Kyle Orton the mobility of E.J. Manuel and you'd have a pretty good QB.  
• The Bills played most of the game without the top two RB's.  
• Up next?  @ Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers next Sunday.

Steadman Baily Punt Return

You have to love this bit of trickery by the Rams.

Arizona State 26, Stanford 10

The Sun Devils improved to 5-1 on the season last night with an impressive 26-10 win over Stanford from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.  It was probably the Sun Devil's best overall performance of the season.  This win puts the Sun Devils in control of the PAC12 South.  Taylor Kelly will be back next week, hopefully he doesn't screw up the chemistry.  Nice win Devils, keep bringing it!!

Observations:

• Wise decision to start Mike Bercovici tonight.  22 of 33 for 245 yards, 1 TD. 
• This was the weakest Stanford team that I've seen in awhile. 
• D.J. Foster has still caught a pass in every game of his ASU career. 
• Arizona State is now 20-0 under Todd Graham when leading at halftime. 
• Jalen Strong will be playing on Sundays.  
• Time of Possession:   Arizona State 34:57; Stanford 25:03
• First Downs:  Arizona State 23, Stanford 14
• Turnovers:  Stanford 2, Arizona State 0
• Todd Graham coached teams are playing ranked teams much tougher. 
• Arizona State's short yardage offense leaves a bit to be desired. 
• That was the best the young Sun Devils defense had played this year.  
• Do not turn the ball over to Arizona State!
• Only 2 penalties on the Sun Devils, you have to like that!
• Zane Gonzales was 4 for 4 on FG's, it was nice to have him back. 
• That Stanford offense was not at all impressive and their defense looked overrated.
• It's always nice when the Sun Devils win when the Tillman's are in the house. 
• Mike Bercovici is doing okay for himself off the field too. 
• Yes, that was Barry Sanders son carrying the ball for Stanford. 
• You really cannot beat that Sun Devil fanbase.  
• Up next?  @ Washington next Saturday night. 

Minnesota 39, Purdue 38

The Gophers improved to 6-1 on the season today with a 39-38 win over Purdue from TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  Minnesota is now in first place in the Big Ten West division!  What a game, there was no quit in the Gophers today!  I would expect that they crack the rankings this coming week.  It wasn't an easy win, their defense took it's time showing up but they eventually got on track and their offense just seems to be improving by the week.  Great win for Jerry Kill, great win for the program!  Go Gophers!

Observations:

• Minnesota is now bowl eligible! 
• Now that was a fast score by Minnesota.   
• Minnesota is now 1-22 under Jerry Kill when trailing at the half. 
• Ryan Santoso's 52 yard FG into the wind in the 4th quarter was clutch. 
• Lots of over pursuit & missed tackles by the normally stout Gophers defense.
• David Cobb keeps churning.  194 yards on 35 carries, plus 1 TD.  
• That late fourth down stop by the Gophers was huge!
• Minnesota has now won 7 of their last 9 Big Ten games!
• Purdue's bubble screens were killing the Gophers. 
• Tracy Claeys does it again with his 2nd half adjustments!  
• 2nd half score:  Minnesota 19, Purdue 7
• Even it failed, I liked that Gopher fake extra point attempt, Santoso is huge. 
• The officiating in this game was absolutely horrible. 
• It was nice to see Mitch Leidner hit his WR's in the 2nd half. 
• I loved the hustle from Robert Ndondo-Lay. 
• 2 interceptions by Cedric Thompson. 
• Purdue's speedy playmakers were giving Minnesota fits. 
• Austin Appleby was giving me Drew Brees flashbacks.  
• Darrell Hazell seems to have the Purdue program headed in the right direction.
• They set an attendance record at TCF Bank Stadium.  
• Up next?  @ Illinois next Saturday. 

Jon Stewart on Mid Term Elections

Nails it once again!

The Daily Show

POTpourri

• Do you know Mitch McConnell's opinion on Climate Change?  
• If you vote Republican in November expect a war on working families.
• U.S. job openings at highest level since 2001.  
• IMO "Gotham" & "black-ish" are the class of this seasons new TV schedule. 
• It was a nice run Landon Donovan.  
• When it comes to income inequality, how much is too much? 
• What part did Texas play in that tragic ebola case?  
• Can't we all now admit that Citizen's United has been a complete disaster? 
• I tend to side with Paul Krugman on the Obama Presidency. 
• Yes, Emily Ratajkowski looked great in "Gone Girl".  
• Let's not forget that there are real world consequences to austerity measures. 
• The planet just had it's hottest September in recorded history. 
• RIP Jan Hooks & Elizabeth Pena. 
• A great read on former Bears QB Jim McMahon can be found here. 
• I always find it amusing when Republicans accuse Democrats of overreach. 
• Bill Gates agrees with Thomas Piketty about income inequality. 
• What in the world is going on with the Miami Hurricane football program? 
• Do not forget where Republican leadership led us on the economy & foreign policy.
• I don't care what you think, I am still a big fan of the thigh gap!
• Australian Rugby star Jarryd Hayne quits Rugby for the chance at the NFL. 

Ayn Rand

How is she still a thing?

Arizona General Election

It's time for my 2014 Arizona General Election endorsements!

Keep in mind, I'm a democrat, I almost always vote democrat, I suggest others follow suit.  I'm also not listing every race, only those I'm familiar with.

Governor:  
Fred DuVal (D) over Doug Ducey (R)

Secretary of State:
Terry Goddard (D) over Michelle Reagan (R)

Attorney General:
Felicia Rotellini (D) over Mark Brnovich (R)

Superintendent of Public Instruction: 
David Garcia (D) over Diane Douglas (R)

Corporate Commission:
Sandra Kenney (D) & Jim Holway (D) over Doug Little (R) & Tom Forese (R)

U.S. Representative (District 1):
Ann Kirkpatrick (D) over Andy Tobin (R)

U.S. Representative (District 2): 
Ron Barber (D) over Martha McSally (R)

U.S. Representative (District 3):
Raul Grijalva (D) over Gabriela Saucedo Mercer (R)

U.S. Representative (District 4): 
Mikel Weisser (D) over Paul Gosar (R)

U.S. Representative (District 5):
James Woods (D) over Matt Salmon (R)

U.S. Representative (District 6):
W. John Williamson (D) over David Schweikert (R)

U.S. Representative (District 7):
Rueben Gallego (D) over Joe Cobb (L) & Jose Penalosa (I)

U.S. Representative (District 8): 
Stephen Dolgos (I) over Trent Franks (R)

U.S. Representative (District 9):
Kyrsten Sinema (D) over Wendy Rogers (R)

State Senator (District 24):
Katie Hobbs (D) over Bill Follette (R)

State Representative (District 24):
Ken Clark (D) and/or Lela Alston (D) over Lei Lani Cortez (R)

Scottsdale City Council:
Linda Milhaven, Jennifer Petersen & Dennis Robbins over David N Smith, Cindy Hill & Kathy Littlefield

Scottsdale Unified School District Budget Increase:  YES

Proposition 122:  NO, it's a power grab by the state's Republican led wackos.

Proposition 303:  YES, go watch "Dallas Buyer's Club" and you'll understand.

Proposition 304:  NO, they don't deserve a raise.

Proposition 480:  YES, I fully support anything that will improve our healthcare system.

Lewis Black on Voter Suppression

Good stuff from Lewis Black!

Cardinals 30, Redskins 20

The Cardinals came off their bye week today with a 30-20 win over the Washington Redskins at University of Phoenix in Glendale.   The Cardinals improved to 4-1 on the season with this win.  Injuries, and there are lots of them, are sure not slowing them down!  I love watching this team, they are a true reflection of their head coach Bruce Arians, they are always fighting, always playing aggressively.  First place!

Observations:

• Welcome back Carson Palmer, it was nice to see you playing today! 
• Cardinal QB's haven't thrown an interception in 20 quarters.  
• Chandler Catanzaro continues to be quite the revelation.  
• Jerraud Powers had a nice game in the Cardinals secondary. 
• This was easily Larry Fitzgerald's best game of the season. 
• Turnovers:  Redskins 4, Cardinals 0
• Time of Possession:  Cardinals 34:19, Redskins 25:41
• I found it interesting that Antonio Cromartie as back deep fielding kick offs. 
• 14 penalties by the Cardinals, they need to clean that up. 
• I'm still not sure if Andre Ellington is an every down RB. 
• Alex Okafor has really been stepping up his game. 
• I love the way Bruce Arians keeps pushing the ball down the field.  
• I'm still not sold on Drew Butler as a punter. 
• It was nice to see the Honey Badger contributing again. 
• The Cardinals got a break on that horrible fumble call on Andre Roberts. 
• It appears that there was quite the protest over the "Redskins" name before the game.
• I don't think that Ben Shelly made many fans today.  
• The Cardinals 4-1 start has come off the toughest schedule in the league.  Impressive.
• I'm not a fan of Kirk Cousins, as a starter he makes for a nice back up. 
• Up next?  @ Oakland to take on the Raiders. 

Lions 17, Vikings 3

The Vikings fell to 2-4 on the season today with a 17-3 loss to the Lions at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  The Vikings offense just couldn't get anything going once again this week, I do not like the way this is trending.  The losses of Adrian Peterson, Kyle Rudolph, Matt Cassel & Brandon Fusco have not helped either.  This is shaping up as potentially another very long season for Viking fans.

Observations:

• The Vikings defense continues to put the Vikings into early holes.  
• Once again, no rushing game to speak of for the Vikings.  
• I really can't blame Bridgewater for 2 of his 3 interceptions.  
• Recognizing the above, there is still plenty of room for improvement from Bridgewater.
• Let's not forget, the Lions defense this year has been as good as anyones. 
• You cannot give up 8 sacks and expect to win many ball games. 
• Jeff Locke is no Chris Kluwe.  Just saying. 
• Mike Zimmer does not appear to be happy with the performance of his team.
• The Vikings offensive line has been quite a mess this season.  
• Turnovers:  Vikings 3, Lions 0
• On the bright side, Anthony Barr continues to flash tons of promise. 
• No Vikings QB has thrown a TD pass in the past month. 
• Norv Turners reputation as an offensive genius is taking a hit this season.
• I'm still waiting for more Cordarrelle Patterson touches. 
• The Vikings secondary did show some improvement.  Of course, there was no Megatron.
• As much as I want to blame injuries for the Vikings struggles, both teams had injuries.
• Is it too early to talk 2015 NFL Draft?  Todd Gurley would look nice in purple. 
• Yes, that was the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Vikings game. 
• Matt Prater is no Jason Hanson.  Of course, not many are. 
• Up next?  @ Buffalo, to take on the Bills. 

Minnesota 24, Northwestern 17

The Gophers improved to 5-1 on the season today with a 24-17 win over Northwestern from TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  The Gophers are on a roll, they are playing really well right now.  The offense being a bit more balanced has probably contributed to that, their confidence appears to be growing by the day too.  Nice win Gophers!

Observations:

• Why wouldn't Mitch Leidner rush the ball in short yardage situations? 
• Jalen Myrick is fast!.  See for yourself. 
• Northwestern did a relatively nice job of containing David Cobb.  Load the box. 
• You only need to get the ball close to Maxx Williams!
• Peter Mortell is a really under appreciated part of the Gophers success. 
• And true freshman OG Connor Mayes burns his redshirt year. 
• Matt Limegrover has done a nice job of offensive play calling the last few games. 
• Derrick Wells is one tough son of a gun. Can't hold him back. 
• The Gophers bend but do not break defense can be a bit maddening at times.  
• Minnesota has now won 6 of their last 8 Big Ten games!
• Was that LB DeNiro Laster lining up at DE in the 2nd half? 
• The Gophers just don't lose under Jerry Kill when they are leading at halftime. 
• Just kick the ball out of the end zone Ryan Santoso.  No need to over think it. 
• Gophers OT Jonah Pirsig is one huge individual. 
• Gophers needs to do a better job of getting Donovahn Jones & Berkley Edwards involved.
• I really liked the looks of the Gophers gold helmets today!
• That fourth quarter TD drive by Northwestern was impressive. 
• Justin Jackson sure is a slippery little running back for Northwestern. 
• Trevor Siemian did a nice job at QB for Northwestern. 
• Up next?  Purdue @ TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. 

AZ Tidbits

• The US Supreme Court set to hear Arizona Redistricting case. 
• Are you familiar with Doug Ducey's ties to the Koch brothers? 
• The Arizona Coyotes set to sell controlling interest of the hockey team.
• Was that a UFO flying over University of Phoenix Stadium? 
• The Arizona State Fair is now open, it runs from 10/10/14 thru 11/02/14.
• All Phoenix needs is 4 million tree's!  How do you water them though? 
• The Arizona Diamondbacks will have the first pick of the 2015 MLB Draft. 
• You can track your Sprint phone coverage upgrades here. 
• Doug Ducey's economic plans sounds much like the disasters of Kansas & Wisconsin.
• Arizona fares poorly in new poverty and growth rankings.  Thanks GOP!
• Here's a complete preview of the 2015 Arizona Coyotes. 
• Katy Perry appears set to perform at halftime during Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale.
• The Arizona Fall League season has started.   
• Are you aware of the differences between Doug Ducey & Fred DuVal on social issues?
• Early ballots are now being mailed in Arizona!  Please vote!!!
• Larry Fitzgerald to the New England Patriots?  Doubtful. 
• Rickie Fowler is dating former ASU bikini model. 
• Arizona could be facing a $1 billion deficit in 2015.  Is it time for the T word? 
• Here's a good place to track the Arizona Diamondbacks manager search. 
• "The Joe Show" debuts.  Here's a couple of reviews for you.