Saturday, January 18, 2014

NFL: Conference championship predictions

Well, after going 1-3 last week, I fearlessly make some more predictions to see who goes into the Super Bowl:

Sunday's games:
New England at Denver:  I said last week that I thought New England had done it with smoke and mirrors- and I'll stand by that statement.  Both teams have great quarterbacks, but Denver is healthier, they are playing at home, and I think that Denver is a slightly better team

San Francisco at Seattle:  It's close, and these teams have faced each other twice already.  The deciding factor, for me, is that the game is in Seattle.  Seattle fans are known for being vocal, and Seattle is one of the few teams (KC and New Orleans are the others) that have a reputation of being that much tougher in their own home stadium.


Friday, January 10, 2014

NFL Playoffs: Round 2

After going 3 out of 4 last week (including the upset with the Chargers), it's now time for predictions for this week's action.  Winners are in bold font:

Saturday's games:

New Orleans at Seattle:  Seattle is a monster at home.  Seattle is the team I'm rooting for.  New Orleans did great last week- but Seattle is a better team than Philadelphia. 

Indianapolis at New England:  New England has been winning with smoke and mirrors all year.  They've been CLOBBERED by injuries, and Indianapolis seems to be getting better each week.  Going for the upset here.


Sunday's games:

San Francisco at Carolina:  I'm confident about my Saturday predictions, but both of Sunday's games are coin flips.  San Francisco looked good last week, but Cam Newton has been on a run, and Carolina seems to have the "Eye of the Tiger (er, Panther)".  Going with the home team here.

San Diego at Denver:  I know, I know... don't bet against Peyton Manning.  But the games have been close, and Manning in cold weather is a bad combination.  I might be completely wrong here- this is the third time they've played each other, so it might come down to coaching and who makes the better adjustments.  I'll go with the upset, but I keep flip-flopping here.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

NFL Who To Root For & Wild Card Predictions

Note #1:  I have a rule that I can root for a bad team, but not a stupid one.  Given the recent decisions of the Cleveland Browns, I have put them in the latter category, and am looking for a new NFL team to root for.



So let's figure out which NFL team left in the playoffs I should root for.  The remaining teams are:

NFC:
1- Seattle
2- Carolina
3- Philadelphia
4- Green Bay
5- San Francisco
6- New Orleans

AFC:
1- Denver
2- New England
3- Cincinnati
4- Indianapolis
5- Kansas City
6- San Diego

OK- start by removing the teams that have already won the Super Bowl sometime in my lifetime.  This includes the Packers, and while I have a blood relation to Dom Capers, I also grew up in Chicago- so I figure that cancels each other out

That leaves:

NFC:
1- Seattle
2- Carolina
3- Philadelphia
4- Green Bay
5- San Francisco
6- New Orleans

AFC:
1- Denver
2- New England
3- Cincinnati
4- Indianapolis
5- Kansas City (won the Super Bowl, but before I was born)
6- San Diego
So now it becomes, "Find reasons not to root for the teams".  Let's elimiante Cincinnati and San Diego- I find both teams boring.  Kansas City is interesting, but I don't think they have a real chance.  That eliminates the AFC teams.

I like the way all three of the other teams play.  So who's fan base do I want to win it more?  Carolina is still more of a basketball center than a football town.  And Philadelphia- well, I'm still mad about them winning the World Series with Cliff Lee.

Congrats, Seattle Seahawks.  Here's hoping you win it all.



Note #2:  We still haven't found evidence that I am not a sports curse, so whatever team I do root for may be in jeopardy.  If so, I apologize to the fans and the team of the Seahawks.


Wild Card Predictions (winners in bold):

Saturday Games:
Kansas City at Indianapolis:- KC played an easy schedule this year, and probably aren't as good as their record.  If this were at KC I'd give it to them, but in Indianapolis, I'll go with the home team.

New Orleans at Philadelphia:   Three teams have great home-field advantages; Kansas City, New Orleans, and Seattle.  Unfortunately for the Saints and Chiefs, all of their games will be on the road.  Really liking Chip Kelly's offense.  Going with the home team again.

Sunday Games:
San Diego at Cincinnati:  Biggest coin flip.  Not a huge fan of either team.  But Cincinnati has a hard time getting out of the first round.  Going with the upset here.

San Francisco at Green Bay:  In Green Bay, with Rodgers returning and wanting revenge?  Tempting.  Really tempting.  The weather forecast shows it as cold (10 degrees) but no snow.  Going with San Francisco- their defense is good, and the defense is helped in bad weather. 

2014 Resolutions

I know people like to point out that one can start a resolution at any time, and that there is no need to wait until New Year's Day.  But sometimes you need an excuse to hit the reset button.  I wasn't happy with 2013, and am looking forward (hoping?) to a better 2014.  With that in mind, I have three resolutions.

1)  Project 190.

I weighed myself this morning- 229.2 pounds.  That's not my heaviest- I've been as high as 248.  But I keep wanting to drop the weight.  My goal is 190 pounds (I'm an engineer; I measure things with numbers).  

Now, I exercise.  I have an elliptical, and I use it 4-5 times a week.  My problem is food- I like it, I love breads and carbs, and I eat so fast I'm on my third helping before realizing I should have stopped.  

Mentally, I know this.  But it's hard to stop.  In a way, my Meniere's will help.  I'm supposed to cut out salt from my diet.  No salt, there's no need to get chips at the store or Chipotle.  And the vertigo is so miserable that it's suprisingly easy to say no to salt.

Now it's just a job of eating healthier and slower.


2)  Freelance Destruction

One of the best parts of 2013 was being part of Cleveland Improv Jams.  There's some fantastic people there at Mahall's Bowling alley on Tuesdays.  And it seems like everyone has a side project or three.

So a bunch of us are starting our own.  We're going to write some sketch comedies and put them up on youtube.  We've got about a half dozen sketches written- now it's just a case of filming them and setting up the channel.

Work is going to be a giant pain for me the next couple of months, so it may not happen right away.  But it is something we hope to have set up in 2014.  *Knock on wood*


3)  Blog more

I enjoy this blog- a place to put down my thoughts for the world to see.  But I tend to run bipolar- post a lot for a few weeks, then drop it.  I need to be more consistent.

Fortunately, this one will be easy to measure- every post is accounted for. 

I know what I want to do- now it's just a case of doing it.