Like a shot in the mouth

  This is a gun.  A what? A gun.  This is a whistle. A what? A whistle.  This is a horrendously, catastrophically, stupendously, ridiculously stupid idea.  A what? A horrendously, catastrophically, stupendously, ridiculously stupid idea. 

At some point this undisclosed toy manufacturer, inevitably in search of the next big thing, decided that they needed an all around toy.  Something to keep junior busy for hours.  Toy guns have worked forever.  Little boys love toy guns and I have no problem with toy guns when they don't resemble in any form or fashion a real gun.  However, the line must be drawn at a toy gun designed with a whistle on the barrel.  Yep, that's right, junior is now play pretending suicide (or like my pops likes to say 'pretending sideways').  Note not only is it a toy gun with a whistle barrel, but it has a Basketball sticker on the side as well. For what it's worth, there is a basketball on top of the whistle gun.  Yeah, don't understand that either....

Positive first step

The Redskins came up big in overtime for a 16 - 13 win over the Miami Dolphins on the first full day of the 07-08 NFL season.  Though the 'Skins were up against a rebuilding Dolphins squad, the defense looked great with the exception of some cornerback play, mainly Fred Smoot's issues with the Dolphins bigger receivers.  The run game was walled as the Dolphins could get nothing started on the ground.  It's definitely a step in the right direction as the 'Skins were hard hitting and stout.

Jason Campbell's numbers weren't overly impressive, especially given the bloat of an almost game winning hail mary reception by Antwaan Randle-El.  Speaking of Antwaan, I think we may have our bonified number two receiver as he made big catch after big catch.  Portis looked like preseason play is overrated as he and Betts both had pretty good days on the ground.  It was nice to see Jason Campbell throwing some passes longer than the Brunell-limited eight yard out patterns.  And later in the game, Campbell came up with some mobility on key scrambles. 

With the next test being division rival Philly on Monday night, the optimism that is the beginning of the NFL season is in full flourish!

Light at the end of the tunnel

The Kroger Roth Report provided a welcome optimism on the Hokies Saturday night disaster.  In a nutshell, the Hokies seemingly rebound well after crushing defeats with considerable win streaks.  Let's hope this is an instance of history repeating itself.

Completely Overmatched

No two ways around it.   LSU's overall game plan, team speed, and execution was too much for the Hokies. 

The defense was porous on all fronts; suspect to the run, suspect to the pass.  The blitzes were largely ineffective as the LB's and DB's were very hesitant to finish their blitz (if LSU picked up the blitz, we stopped pushing when we could at least try to push the blocker into the qb).  The offense under Glennon was stagnant.  Branden Ore has yet to have anything to work with as the offensive line couldn't stop penetration or pass protect due to well designed blitzes. 

The silver lining:  Tyrod Taylor got significant time last night.  With some luck, Beamer will name him the starting qb against Ohio so he can get some first team work in at practice this week.  I know I said I was going to support Glennon, but when you're skipping screen passes, my support can't help but wane.

Couldn't have said it better....

From CFN's 1-119 ranking....

13. Virginia Tech (1-0)

W, East Carolina 17-7
Next game: at LSU

The ranking should be higher because... the defense was once against the Virginia Tech defense. It swarmed all over East Carolina and appears ready to be among the best in the nation again. Let's just assume the pressure of the situation made the Hokies a little tight.

The ranking should be lower because... Sean Glennon was once again Sean Glennon. The Hokie running game alone can't beat LSU.

Prove 'em wrong Sean.  If Glennon doesn't come out like he needs to, I don't know if putting in Ike Whitaker (now at WR) or Tyrod Taylor (top 10 recruit but a true freshman) are options against the LSU defense.

CFN's Way Too Early Bowl Predictions

Somebody has to do it, and I hope they make it a weekly feature.  In any case, Virginia Tech vs West Virginia in the Fedex Orange Bowl is the Hokies destination according to foxsports.com.  The funny thing about this prediction is that I've run into a number of WVU fans lately (many more than past years) and I shake their hands and tell them that I hope to see them in New Orleans.

East Carolina Postgame

17-7 victory.  We get the 'W' but much like the season opener last year, there are tons of improvement areas.  Play calling: 33 pass attempts, ridiculous number of play action calls when the running game is stalled, stalled running game due to so many delayed handoffs (not quite draws), and third down plays designed for the receivers to gain the first down instead of the qb throwing to a receiver in first down territory.

Headed to Death Valley next week and this is not the kind of performance I was hoping for.  Like I said a few posts ago, I am going to try to remain faithful in Sean Glennon but I do need more from him and that offensive line. 

Hokies Stats

Two quick facts to get the season started right...

The Hokies are one of three teams with 10+ wins in each of the last three years!  The other two are Texas and USC.  Not bad company...

The Hokies are one of four teams that have been to 14 straight bowl games.  Florida, Florida State, and another team that I can't remember right now.

The Hokies have scored in 148 straight games beginning in 1995 with a 13-7 win over Miami, a game I happened to be at with my parents.

Disturbing Redskins Fact

Jason Campbell is the 17th starting quarterback in 14 seasons. 

Gotta Build Faith

The Hokies have moved Ike Whitaker, last year's second string qb, to wide receiver on a full-time basis.  Tyrod Taylor, the exciting incoming freshman, is the second string quarterback.  This means Sean Glennon, UGA's favorite Hokie, is again the starter.

We all know how I feel about Sean Glennon but word has been that he's had a great offseason.  So as of now, I will put Glennon's bowl game performance, and BC game, and GT game, and general overall performance behind me.  I will act as if he has not played a single game as a Hokie.

I hope he makes a believer out of me.

 

Technorati tags: Virginia Tech, Hokies, Sean Glennon, Tyrod Taylor, Ike Whitaker

Grandmas

Only a grandma can get excited about a poopoo.

Some of the best times

A lot of fathers talk of not feeling a connection to their sons until they are able to play with them, get reactions, and have some two way interaction with their child.  Maybe I was lucky, or maybe it was all that went into getting lil man into the world, but I think it took maybe 15 seconds before I had a connection with my son. 

I was the first to feed him, the first to change him, and I'm proud of that.  But of all the things I love about lil man, some of the best times were, and this is going to sound horrible, when he was sick with a cold.  For around two weeks, he just couldn't sleep on his back due to his congestion.  And due the fear of SIDS, we didn't feel comfortable letting him sleep on his stomach in his bassinet.  So I would let him sleep on my chest on his stomach that way he was constantly monitored.  Ever since those two weeks, I enjoy when we 'camp out' downstairs.  Just me, lil man, horrible late night programming and the good ol' leather couch and Lakers blanket.

Vacation Time Watering My Mouth

4:30, 5 o'clock can't get here soon enough.  Ya see, I haven't taken more than 2 business days off since Dec 2004 for my honeymoon.  But next week, well, tomorrow actually, begins my 6 business day vacation! 

Plans?  Yep I got 'em.  I plan to spend the entire week in my robe, sitting in my game chair playing Madden, NCAA 08 and Forza.  The entire week is shower optional.  Beer consumption can and very likely may start as early as noon.  Maury Povich, Jerry Springer, and Judge Alex/Mathis will be invited guests. 

Oh the joy....

From FoxSports.com's Rumor Page

Who Knew?

Joe Gibbs's goal every Sunday is for the offense to produce at least 21 points. But the Redskins rarely accomplish that. Washington has surpassed 21 points just 15 times in 48 games (four of those came during the five-game winning streak to end the 2005 season), with the Redskins 10-5 in those games (11-22 otherwise). .... Over the past three seasons only five teams have topped 21 points less often than the Redskins -- Cleveland (10 times), Oakland (11), Detroit (11), Houston (12) and Tampa Bay (14). Of that group, all but Tampa Bay have been last-place doormats since Gibbs has returned. The average NFL team topped 21 points 21 times in that span.-- Washington Post

My First and Only Comment on Michael Vick

I wrote this as a bulletin on MySpace after receiving a bulletin condemning Vick.

-------

Innocent until proven guilty....an American tenet. It's one of those rights those soldiers in Iraq are fighting for. Or does that only apply to certain folks?

I'm sorry to respond to what I know is your heartfelt message in a way that sounds like I don't care. But quite frankly, I'm fed up. I'm fed up with the world acting like Michael Vick invented dog fighting. I'm fed up with the country caring more about dogs than humans. A little girl in Atlanta died from a stray bullet last week. There were no activists protesting for gun control.

Did Michael Vick mess up by having any association with this? Yes. Does he still deserve to be treated like an innocent man until proven guilty? Indeed!

I'm sorry to vent here but this pushed me over the limit....you think you hear a lot about it...imagine living in Atlanta and being a Virginia Tech alum?!?

And here's one last question, what happened to that politician that was involved with the missing intern Chandra Levy? Oh that's right, the media stopped covering so justice stopped pursuing...and this is a human being we're talking about!

eCult

Randomly checked my gmail spam and noticed the following subject

You've received a greeting card from a Worshipper!

Uh, worshipper huh?  What kind of worshipper would that be?  A Catholic, or a Satanist?  Perhaps it's a gold digger from the Monetary faith.  I didn't open the email because . . . well because it was spam!  Geez, you didn't think I was scared to open it did you?

Pet P'eeve 34

Unnecessary punctuation in proper names.  34a Multiple capital letters in a proper name (last name is ok...I guess). 

Both of these attempts at differentiation or uniqueness are annoying.  There is never a need for a dash or apostrophe in a name.  Is your name a contraction?  Perhaps a compound word?  No....then how about you drop the unnecessaries...plus those names are more difficult to type as they are not intuitive in any way.  La'Shawnda?  Really? I am a decent typist and despise having to slow down because a name has extras.....ok this post is running out of st'Eam.

Tis Official

I am a surburbanite.  I know, I know.  This isn't really news.  But it all came to me full force yesterday evening. 

I was picking my Pops up from the bus station which, as are most bus stations, is not in a revitalized area of downtown.  People just kind of milling around my car (and you know how I feel about my car), all of them kind of waiting to make eye contact.  It's like once the eye contact is made, that is an opening to start a conversation that will 98% of the time lead to a monetary request. 

So I call Pops from inside the car as a couple of dudes wander on either side of Magdeline.  Pops is inside the station and is coming out, though we have to wait for his bags which are on a separate bus.  Pops is completely comfortable in this environment and for a short time in my early days in Atlanta, so was I.  Yeah, notsomuchnow.

I get out of the car so Pops can find me and we decide that I should put some money in the meter.  Stupid me drops a dollar that I quickly pick up and put back in my pocket.  But now, I'm exposed as having an extra dollar which means I cannot lie to one of the fellows who has noticeably migrated with us from a distance.  As soon as we are out of earshot of the ambassadors (Atlanta has city ambassadors waiting to help tourists and discourage panhandlers), one guy comes up and asks for a dollar.  I've learned the best way is a quick dismissal; otherwise you're in for a long drawn out story which will make you give up the funds just so you can be left alone.  But in my head, I'm thinking I can't say my usual 'I don't have any cash on my' cuz I dropped that dollar 30 seconds ago.  I had to use my less reliable 'I can't help ya' which sometimes doesn't discourage enough.

In any case, it worked.  But now I'm thinking as we walk to the other side of the station to wait for the other bus, 'Dude's gonna do something to Magdeline...he knows I have a buck, probably figures I can spare the dollar, but that I just don't want to.'  Add to that, the very defensive tension that begets large groups of strangers in bad parts of town, and I was internally a bag of nerves.  What did I do?  I did what I always do when I get nervous....I went quiet.

LPG Update

The 60-61 Lakers have defeated the 54-55 squad 2 games to 1.   Elgin Baylor and Rudy Larusso combined for 51 points to help the 60 -61 Lakers steal the third and deciding game 129-126.

Match 1 54/55 Lakers 120, 60/61 Lakers 129

Match 2 54/55 Lakers 106, 60/61 Lakers 100

Match 3 60/61 Lakers 129, 54/55 Lakers 126

The 69-70 Lakers easily defeated the 91-92 Lakers in a sweep, 2-0.  Jerry West led the way in an easy 27 point win in game 2.

Match 1 91/92 Lakers 115, 69-70 Lakers 118

Match 2 91/92 Lakers 104, 69-70 Lakers 131

In the first upset of the LPG tournament, the 46th seeded 95-96 Lakers upended the 68-69 Lakers 2 -1.  Cedric Ceballos was the story as the 95-96 Lakers built a 22 point lead before holding on in game three 128-119.

Match 1 95/96 Lakers 103, 68/69 Lakers 128

Match 2 95/96 Lakers 110, 68/69 Lakers 109

Match 3 68/69 Lakers 119, 95/96 Lakers 128

Point Guard Available

Derek Fisher has asked to be released from the Jazz in order to be closer to specialized medical facilities for his daughter.  I'm not sure which condition affects his daughter, but I think it's highly likely that such facilities exist in Los Angeles. 

Now not to downplay or minimalize Fisher's family situation, but the Lakers need a point guard in the worse way.  Fisher has played for Phil, is a pass first player, and a veteran with rings, and gobs of pressure time experience.  I don't know the contract that Fish would be looking for but I'm sure the city of Angels would welcome Fish back. 

I miss Fish.  I think he's a huge improvement over Smush.  And I personally wouldn't mind giving him the mid-level exception.

Unfortunately, it's not up to me....it's up to Kupchak and I can't say my faith in him runs long.  Hell, it is barely a brisk walk.....