Something tells me that a lot of people at Camp Randall are going to be worrying about the Brewers being pushed to the brink by the Cubs.
While I am a Twins fan, I think I speak for the both of us when I say that the Brewers winning tomorrow night would be much appreciated.
Few things in my lifetime of being a sports fan have been as frustrating as being a Brewers fan. Perennial bridesmaids. I am likely jinxing my beloved Crew by doing this, but this is what I want to see after tomorrow night's affair in Milwaukee:
Harry Caray masks only $19.99!
Meanwhile, the Packers are playing a game that a lot of us are overlooking.
I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.
Purdon't Spoilermakers (+7.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat The Gophers have looked good outside of the Cal game, and this shouldn't be too difficult a game. Purdue is still a dumpster fire, and the Gophers aren't going to get ambushed again like Rutgers a few weeks ago. Drake Lindsey should be a good Big Ten quarterback as he gets experience, and frankly has looked more impressive than Bryce Underwood. That isn't a typo, by the way. I look for the Gophers to jump out in front of Purdue early and PJ will then choke the life out of the game as per his typical gameplan. What I would like to see is PJ to let Lindsey start leading the offense a bit more. I know that he is a freshman, but I think you have to give him a chance to grow. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 45, Spoilermakers 13
I didn't think the Gophers looked very good against Ohio State, but your mileage may vary. Purdue is a mess and the Gophers should be able to handle them without too much difficulty. Gophers 31, Purdue 14.
Iowa Hawkeyes (-3) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers The Badger defense deserves a lot of credit for playing Michigan tough. The problem was that the offense didn't score enough points to win. If Fickell wants to keep his job, he is going to have to beat Iowa and the Gophers. He hasn't beaten Iowa and the facts are clear -- the Badgers don't have the phyiscal edge. Wisconsin-Iowa games are typically going to be low scoring types of games, and the Badgers are going to need to take advantage of their chances. A Wisconsin win is going to give Fickell some relief, because the Badgers need to get back to winning against our rivals. It's been arguably the biggest failure of Fickell's tenure. Badgers 21, Hawkeyes 14.
Iowa takes care of business. That's been the hallmark of this team for nearly 50 years now. The Badgers were like that until very recently. They aren't now. Iowa 28, Wisconsin 16.
Cincinatti Bungals (+14.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers This game is going to be a lot closer than people think. I realize that the Bengals are banged up badly and looked terrible against the Lions. But the Bengals are an NFL team and you never assume that winning in the NFL is a given. The Packers are also going to be banged up, and Matt LaFleur is notorious for not being prepared coming off a bye week. What I would like to see from the Packers is for less mental mistakes. The Packer special teams also has been rightfully called out, and I hope that Love is going to have a really good game after a couple of uneven performances against the Browns and Cowboys. The Packers should win, but the Bengals are going to come into Lambeau with a point to prove. I hope that we see the Packers who looked like world beaters against the Lions and Commanders instead of the paper tigers we saw against the Cowboys and Browns. Packers 38, Bengals 21.
Hope is not a strategy, but the Bengals bringing in Joe Flacco midweek to start tells you everything you need to know about this game. I think the Packers will win this one comfortably. Packers 38, Bengals 14.
Frankly, the Packers tying the Cowboys was a weird ending to a weirdnight. If Michael Irvin wants to question if the clock was properly set on that last throw by Love, he should have no issues admitting that Dak could have been called for intentional grounding late in the 4th quarter. But the Packers tied because of their own mistakes, which we need to acknowledge instead of blaming the officials.
I see some things I don't like about that team. I am hoping they can fix a few things on the bye, but the lack of discipline is especially concerning.
So what I wanted to talk about last week was how the Badgers can get back their identity, but thanks to the Mistake By The Lake by the Packers, the Badgers got a break.
Your wrath may be delayed, but it always arrives.
Got that right, Geritol Fan! But that comes later.
I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.
Michigan Hail To The Sign Stealers Valiant (+17.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers So the Badgers have won two games they should have won, lost a game that surprised nobody, and served up one of the worst performances against a Big Ten team at Camp Randall that I have ever seen against Maryland two weeks ago. The Badgers are facing an October gauntlet, and frankly things are going to be difficult. However, Michigan is a team that I wonder about. The Wolverines have struggled offensively the past two years and while I think Bryce Underwood is going to be a good quarterback in the Big Ten, he is still a freshman QB going on the road in Big Ten play. What killed the Badgers against Maryland was shooting themselves in the foot in the first quarter. So while I am under no illusions that the Badgers should be favorites, the Badgers are going to surprise someone this month. If I am a Michigan fan, this is the type of game that I would be worried about. Badgers 20, Wolverines 17.
Maybe, but frankly the Badgers haven't showed us much. I would like to know what the preferred quarterback could do, but he's still on the shelf and once again the Badgers are going with an undersized gamer who should be holding a clipboard. I think the Badgers don't get embarrassed this week, but I don't see a victory. Michigan 27, Wisconsin 19.
A School In Columbus (-23.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers Of The Boat The Gophers deserve credit for winning against a game Rutgers team last week. The Gophers had a 1st quarter that wasn't great by any means, but made enough plays in the second half. The problem for the Gophers is that Ohio State is an impressive team. I wasn't too sure about Julian Sayin, but he might be better for the Buckeyes than CJ Stroud. Now, you might be thinking that I have an agenda and am going to point out that Ohio State struggled through a game Washington team out in Seattle and got a break thanks to a terrible fake field goal that the Huskies called. But the Buckeyes did what they had to do on the road in conference play. PJ can't coach scared and turtle like he has done in the past against the Buckeyes. He has to give his players a chance and coach to win. Sadly for the Gophers, this is a talent gap game. Buckeyes 67, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 23.
I agree there's a talent gap, but the Gophers aren't Ball State. They'll give a decent accounting of themselves. Ohio State 34, Gophers 20.
Minnesota Vikings (-3.5) vs. Cleveland Browns, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium The Vikes are going to be very shorthanded up front against the Browns. When you have to start a third string center who hasn't played center in a long time against a very aggressive defensive coordinator in Jim Schwartz, this could spell disaster. I would imagine that KOC is going to be smart enough to not do what the Packers did and let the Browns hang around. If Carson Wentz is smart, he is going to need to get the ball out. What I really want to see from the Vikings is something that I feel the Twin Cities media and Vikings fans don't want to admit. Justin Jefferson is a great player, but when he is getting quarterback money he needs to take over a game. The Vikings have failed to advance in the playoffs with him, and when the Vikings need their stars to step up he tends to go missing at times. Something tells me that Jordan Addison might be the key guy for the Vikings to rely on instead of Jefferson. If the Griddy Man wants to prove me wrong, now would be a good time. Vikings 16, Browns 10.
I personally wouldn't rely on Addison until he proves he can stay off the police blotter, but that's me. Cleveland is a pretty good defensive team and at this point in his career Carson Wentz is just a guy, but the Browns have a rookie quarterback going and Brian Flores will confuse the hell out of Dillon Gabriel. Vikings 16, Browns 3.
And now it is time for something that isn't a Very Special Comment.
Well, what is it?
I am going to try a reasoned analysis here.
This could be a first.
No, I'm capable of it. Sometimes a guy has to step away from the shtick. You might consider it some time, Old Dude.
So let's be reasonable. The Badgers need to understand that trying to go too quickly away from their roots hasn't been working. While Fickell deserves a huge part of the blame, Chris McIntosh hired Fickell and made the decision to get rid of Paul Chryst. I realize that NIL is going to make it harder to be a program that develops players, but the Badgers need to take what they do have and build on what works. What are the keys to that?
Offensive Line Success: Wisconsin should be getting in state kids who are very good offensive linemen, and focus on being one of the best places for guys to develop and go to the NFL as best prepared to be successful. The offensive line tradition is the bedrock on which Barry Alvarez built the program.
Running Backs Matter: Wisconsin has always had a rich tradition of running backs. Fickell should be selling players in both the transfer portal and recruits that Wisconsin knows how to develop running backs. Guys like Melvin Gordon, James White, and Jonathan Taylor used Wisconsin to become running backs who played key roles on good NFL teams. Fickell should be making sure that guys know that a running back at Wisconsin is going to get them prepared to play in the NFL and have success in the NFL.
Don't Take Away Things This Fanbase Expects: Fickell's biggest mistake was moving too quickly to the Air Raid. While I agree that getting better QB play was a key priority, the reason that the fanbase was ticked is that the Badgers are losing their strengths and things fans want to see from Wisconsin. What made Wisconsin good was more than just being in the Big Ten West. The defense was tough, the offensive line was the heart of the team, and running backs knew that they were next in line to a tradition of success.
What Fickell did by going away from those traditions was similar to what Rich Rodriguez did at Michigan. The Wolverines never played the spread offense, and it seemed like Rodriguez didn't get what Michigan fans expected. Notice how Michigan has gone with coaches that have had at least some connection to the school since.
So, who should be the next head coach?
So you're firing Fickell?
Yes. And I have a list.
Thought I'd throw in a little culture there.
Ah, more cultural references from the 19th Century! Don't you understand I'm working here?
Okay, I'll let you get back to it, but surely Gilbert and Sullivan are better than random Paul Finebaum sightings, right?
I'll give you that. Now shush. This list is in no particular order, and assumes that Jim Leonhard ain't coming home. Another assumption in this list is that McIntosh is either fired or resolves to make sure that the next coach understands what it takes to be successful in Madison.
Dave Aranda: Bit of a longshot, but he was a very successful defensive coordinator for the Badgers and would get the benefit of the doubt from most fans.
Alex Golesh: Would be the hot name based on his success at USF. Has Big Ten ties and would know how to use NIL to get us back to where we should be.
Todd Monken: A fellow Knox alum, Monken had a lot of success at Georgia and is one of the most respected offensive minds in football. Given that John Harbaugh isn't likely to leave the Ravens, could entice elite QB prospects by leveraging his time working with Lamar Jackson
Will Stein: He is the offensive coordinator at Oregon. He has had a lot of success with different quarterbacks at Oregon, and seems to have a lot of freedom running the offense because Lanning comes from a defensive background. Also seems like a good recruiter.
Glenn Schumann: He is currently the defensive coordinator at Georgia. Schumann has been Kirby Smart's longtime right hand man, and has spent time with both Smart and Saban. Would be someone who is young and can come in and build the program back up knowing what it takes to compete at the top of the college football world.
Enjoy your football this week, and also good luck to the Brewers. While I am not a Brewers fan, the Old Dude would love to see his Brewers win the World Series. Ben out.
So at about 2:30 on Sunday, I was thinking that the Badgers were going to be the subjects of a Very Special Comment. But thankfully for Luke Fickell and the Badgers athletic department, the Packers decided that they wanted to make me very angry.
And, as Bill Bixby used to say on the old 70s television show:
That's right - Benster smash!
You wouldn't like Benster when he's angry
I thought using that vintage cheese was better than another Paul Finebaum picture.
I agree. We've had too many of those lately. Anyway, back to the topic at hand - at least the Badgers have a bye week before the gauntlet starts. Thankfully I am prepared for the worst and since I already had to deal with the Twins deadline fire sale.
Are you done mocking me?
Yes, your Highness.
Well, I'll tell you what I'm selling, then. As always, you can trust this -- I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEEEEE! and am ready to pick some games. Watch me work.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+7) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat So when we last saw the Gophers, they were losing at Cal. This game marks the return of Athan Kaliakmanis back to the Twin Cities. Rutgers hasn't impressed me from what I have seen, and the Gophers look like they are going to be a solid if unspectacular team. I would like to see PJ continue to trust Drake Lindsay to throw the ball a bit more instead of running the ball all of the time. Thankfully for the Gophers, I like them to bounce back at home with a solid if unspectacular win. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 25, Buttgers 10.
Fun fact - the headquarters of Campbell's Soup is in Camden, New Jersey. Where college football is concerned, the largest purveyor of chicken soup is in Piscataway, New Jersey. A game against Rutgers is usually good for what ails ya. Gophers 27, Rutgers 16.
Oregon Ducks (+3.5) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions This game is likely to be the Big Ten game of the year, and thankfully is going to be played as the Whiteout game. Both Penn State and Oregon have good reason to expect to win, and both programs need this game for different reasons. James Franklin has struggled in winning big games, and getting a top 10 win at home will go a long way to proving that this is the year that Penn State finally breaks through. As for Oregon, Dan Lanning hasn't won a big true road game in his time running the Ducks. Remember that his signature victory against the Buckeyes last October was at Autzen. A loss for either team isn't fatal because of the 12 team playoff and of course these two teams could meet again in Indy for the conference title game. Penn State seems like a team on a mission, and will use the fuel from the Whiteout crowd to prove their doubters wrong. Nittany Lions 31, Ducks 30.
Penn State is tough in Happy Valley and those 100,000+ fans are intimidating, especially at night. The Ducks are becoming a Big Ten team and I think they'll continue to compete well, but this one feels like a slugfest and Penn State has the muscle this year. Penn State 28, Oregon 24.
Minnesota Vikings (-2.5) vs. Pittsburgh Days Of Our Steelers, in Dublin So in the interest of full disclosure, I was watching the Packers game and missed the entirety of the Vikings game against the Bengals. Considering the Vikings just mauled the Bengals, it seems like I didn't miss much. In fact, it would be hard for Vikings fans to find any faults with how their team performed. The Steelers are a team that has a lot of defensive talent, but they have struggled to break out of being good enough to make the playoffs but not win in the playoffs. A lot of that comes down to not having a clear plan to replace Big Ben and their brass not wanting to make too many changes. I don't want to talk too much about Aaron going there since I want to save some things for when the Packers play at the Yinzers, but the Steelers seem to be unsure about their long term solution at quarterback. The Vikings should win, but something tells me that Aaron might want to have one last great performance against the Vikings. Vikings 42, Yinzers 34.
This one could be many things, but I don't think high-scoring is one of them. I was traveling on Sunday and didn't see the Vikings, either, but it seemed like the defense was on point. That's going to be a recurring theme this year and is going to be the key to whether the Purple break through. Based on talent, I think you have to pick the Vikings. Vikings 27, Steelers 21.
Glorious Green Bay Packers (-7) vs. Dallas How Bout Them Cowboys? So apparently Micah Parsons is coming back to Dallas. It isn't like that storyline has been played to death over the past couple of days. Once again, thanks so much Jerry for giving him away. You would think that he would remember how Charles Haley was the final piece to their dynasty in the 1990s, but I don't know. The concern I have for the Packers is that the offensive line is going to be shorthanded again. I get the sense that the Packers have something to prove after the meltdown in Cleveland. If the coaches can actually do the right things and Jordan can avoid being dumb with the football, then I like their chances. Packers 48, Cowboys 32.
So far, my conclusion on the Packers is that the defense is legit and the offense is a work in progress. They need the offensive line to get healthy. The Cowboys will likely make it tough on Josh Jacobs, but I think Jordan will be able to get the ball to his receivers. The Cowboys will struggle without CeeDee Lamb. And oh, by the way, the Packers have never lost in Jerry World. I think that trendline continues. Packers 31, Cowboys 14.
And now, it's time for a Very Special Comment.
Benster smash!
What happened on Sunday made me the angriest I have been at the Packers since the playoff meltdown against the Niners in 2021. The defense and defensive coaches are excused from any criticism because they did their job and only allowed 13 points. 10 of those points were sudden change situations in which they had to defend short fields, and the blame lies elsewhere. How much you blame the following culprits is up to you, but all deserve blame.
Matt LaFleur had some atrocious playcalling on Sunday. The Browns do have a very good defense, but running the ball consistently up the middle when it hadn't been working all day was the wrong call when the Packers offensive line struggled all day. But what really annoyed me was the play call when Jordan threw the interception. At that point, the Browns had just one timeout remaining and had shown no evidence that they could score a touchdown in a sustained drive. I realize that calling a run play would have been predictable, but forcing the Browns to use their last timeout to stop the clock on defense and have to get a touchdown with just the 2 minute warning to stop the clock would put your players in the best position to win. I knew that throwing was bad, and the worst happened. Even if the pass had been incomplete and the Browns had scored quickly to tie the game, the Packers could have at least taken it to overtime without the chance for the Browns to win at the gun as they did. You have to coach better and make better game management decisions. Matt LaFleur is not a young head coach anymore. It's been a recurring problem and one that puts this team in trouble.
Jordan Love, that throw was dumb and terrible. Throwing over the middle and into trouble can't happen. I would have preferred that you had taken the sack or at least try and pick up the first down with your legs if the throw wasn't there. Or better yet, audible into a run knowing the situation. You have to make these decisions. You are getting paid superstar money, and have to elevate your team. You didn't on Sunday. I like you, but I can't defend that decision.
Jordan Morgan didn't help the team by coming in. He had a number of penalties, was unable to keep the Browns from being in the backfield a lot, and failed to make a block on the guy that blocked the field goal in the 4th. For whatever reason, he isn't capable of being an NFL caliber lineman and seems like a bad pick. I hoped I was wrong, but the Packers need to realize that he isn't helping the team and that he shouldn't be out there in situations like this.
I can see why you were angry. It's dumb stuff and you have to hope it doesn't bite them down the line.
So this post is going up a day early because the Old Dude is going to be out on assignment this weekend. He and Mrs. D aka Mom are going to have a lot of fun.
Yes. Yes we are.
Last week was a mixed bag for my two favorite football teams. Wisconsin at least didn't get blown out too badly, and the Packers once again made an NFC contender look foolish. Hard to argue with being 2-0 with 2 head to head wins that could be huge for playoff seeding down the line.
I dunno. Wisconsin didn't look too good, but maybe they get better this week.
I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.
Maryland Terps (+10) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers So in the interest of full disclosure, I ended up watching about half of the Alabama game before I ended up going to a very good lunch place down in Ft. Smith. What ended up hurting the Badgers was throwing the pick after Alabama had been stuffed on the 4th down early in the first quarter. Also, Ryan Williams ended up having one of the best games he will have all year. So there is no reason for me to do a Very Special Comment, since that would be unfair. Maryland is going to be the last game for a while that won't require perfection to win. As of this writing, there is no way of knowing if Edwards Jr. will play, but I think that the Badgers are going to win against an equal opponent at home before the hard part of the schedule comes in after the bye next week. Badgers 35, Terps 17.
The Badgers have never lost to the Terps. Could that change this week? Perhaps, but I don't think Maryland is there yet. Badgers have shown some signs of life, although I think Benster was being too kind about their performance in Tuscaloosa last week. I think the good lunch in Fort Smith may have fogged his mind. We'll have to talk about Arkansas one of these days. Badgers 27, Maryland 20.
Knox College Prairie Fire Baby! (NL) vs. Beloit College Buccaneers So it is homecoming weekend, and a lot of alums like the Old Dude and Mrs. D aka Mom are going to be expecting a win. This is where I tell you that I am a proud alum of Knox. Both teams are among the have nots, and while the good news for the Bucs is that something tells me that fellow Knox alum Todd Monken won't be allowed to guest coach by the Ravens. So while I don't wish Beloit ill, I can't root against my school. Prairie Fire 40, Bucs 24.
Looks like football, but really isn't
Knox vs. Beloit is a dismal game most years. My beloved Bucs have been terrible for about a decade and Knox has approached mediocrity, so the smart money is on Knox, but I'll go with my homestanding Bucs. Beloit 27, Knox 24.
Cincinnati Bengals (+3) vs. Minnesota Vikings I think it's fair to say that nobody expected a Carson Wentz vs. Jake Browning battle at US Bank Stadium. Sadly for me, Joe Burrow was my quarterback in fantasy football. I know nobody cares about my team, but thankfully I have Jared Goff ready to go. The Vikings all of a sudden are looking very mortal with having a very banged up offensive line and not many weapons for Wentz to throw. What is going to be interesting to me is that if Wentz plays well until the bye week. I think that should Wentz play really well, then the Vikings have to consider if JJ McCarthy might not be the guy going forward. The Bengals are going to be a tough opponent, but the Vikings should get a win. Then, KFAN will be able to mine hours of content off a QB controversy that is bound to happen. Vikings 31, Bengals 30.
Did you know that Carson Wentz is on his sixth team in six years? He's always available and there's a reason for that. Having said that, the Bengals without Joe Burrow are not particularly formidable. It's a get well week for the locals. Vikings 24, Bengals 20.
Glorious Green Bay Packers (-8) vs. Cleveland Brownies Last week was a very impressive defensive performance, and Micah Parsons for two firsts and Kenny Clark is looking like Gutey pulled a Nigerian email scam of a heist on Jerry Jones. You love to see it. Now I am not going to lie, this game makes me nervous. The Browns have a very good pass rush and the Packers are banged up on the offensive line. The last two times the Packers and Browns have met, the Packers required close escapes. I feel like this could be the Matthew Golden coming out party, and something tells me that Jordan Love is going to make enough plays to pull away late in the 4th quarter. Packers 39, Browns 24.
When I was growing up in the 1970s, you'd often see a banner hanging in the old Cleveland Memorial Stadium that said "Don't Clown With the Browns." I did a quick search for it and can't find an image, but that always cracked me up. The Browns of the 1970s were generally pretty good and Cleveland was a tough place to win. That hasn't been the case much recently. Packers could be overconfident here and I'm concerned that Tucker Kraft went on the injured list this afternoon, but if the Packers can block Myles Garrett, they'll roll. Packers 31, Browns 16.
Hi there, folks! We're going early because D and I are on assignment this weekend.
Yes, very hush hush.
Should we give them a hint?
Sure. Try this:
Tell your mama, tell your pa, I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas
So how are you gonna send me back to someplace I've never been?
After we get there, you'll know.
Okay, old dude. Whatever ya say. What'd you say? Last week went very well for both the Badgers and the Packers. And we got to laugh at the Bears yet again thanks to the Vikings. You really hate to see it.
I'm surprisingly okay with it, actually.
Wisconsin ain't in as bad a position as you might think on Saturday, just saying.
I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.
Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (+20.5) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide The Badgers struggled a bit against the MTSU Blue Raiders, but got their crap together in the second half. Now, I am not going to lie to you and say that going down to Tuscaloosa is going to be easy. We all know that Alabama is very good, and that they destroyed the Badgers up in Madison a year ago. But I sense that there are issues. Remember, Wisconsin is a heavy underdog with nothing to lose. The spoiled Tide fans and boosters are already angry at Kalen Deboer after what happened against the Noles a couple weeks ago, and should the Badgers hang in there and keep it close, the Alabama fans are going to be nervous and direct a lot of anger towards them. I also get the sense that this Wisconsin team is a lot better then what people are thinking. To steal a quote from Florida State, Nick Saban can't save you now. Don't be surprised if Wisconsin pulls off an upset. I am getting the same feeling that I had when Wisconsin played Villanova in the 2017 NCAA tournament. Badgers 31, Tide Rolled 14.
Cool story, bro. I think that was the lingo at some point in this century. The Badgers look better than they did at the end of last season, but that doesn't mean they're ready for Alabama. Tide 34, Bucky 17.
Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (-2.5) vs. Cal Golden Bears The Gophers frankly did what was expected against Northwestern State. PJ didn't run up the score or anything, but he probably was glad to see his backups get a lot of playing time. What is concerning is that Darius Taylor went down, and that is going to be a huge storyline for the Gophers given that the Gophers love to be a physical team. Cal is stuck in the ACC because conference realignment has gone too far, but that is a discussion for another time. I think that Cal is going to be tough, but the Gophers should win a tight one as the Gophers have more support for their football team and Aaron Rodgers isn't there to save you. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 23, Golden Bears 22.
I don't have a good feel for Cal, because they haven't been a factor in football in a real sense in over a half century. They do have some talent, but on balance the Gophers have more. And absent any other obvious differences, talent will win out. Gophers 27, Cal 20.
Washington Commanders (+3) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers It was really great to see the Packers win in such impressive fashion. The new look defense looked amazing, Jordan Love looked in command and let the game come to him, and order seems to be getting closer to be restored with the NFC North. However, the Commanders are going to be a tough test. Jayden Daniels is a very good quarterback, and this Commanders team has been very impressive. Also, Thursday Night Football games that are not Week 1 or on Thanksgiving are a terrible idea, but the NFL can't quit the Amazon bag. This should be fairly high scoring, but Micah Parsons is going to make a key play late. Having him in Green and Gold might be like what getting Reggie White was to the older generation of Packers fans. Packers 45, Commanders 34.
It was an impressive performance, but I wonder if Detroit hasn't taken a step back. Washington is a good team and they have weapons. Daniels is elusive, much more so than statue-like Jared Goff. I do think the Packers will be able to move the ball on whatever the hell they're calling Washington these days. So your high-scoring thought may have merit. Packers 31, Washington 27.
Hotlanta Falcons (+3) vs. Minnesota Vikings So Mrs. D aka Mom was really happy with how things went on Monday. I thought that the Vikings do deserve more credit for making some adjustments and taking advantage the LOL Bears moments. Also, the NFL needs to change the ruling on the last play. DJ Moore didn't fumble. One interesting thing is that this matchup is a QB rematch of the Michigan-Washington matchup in Penix and McCarthy. The Vikings are going to be fired up and are going to continue building up what they are working on. Maybe they want to prove me wrong for wanting to trade McCarthy for draft picks? Vikings 21, Falcons 10.
Vikings got it together. McCarthy could have folded but he didn't. I don't know what to think about Atlanta, either. Game is here, so I think that makes the difference. Vikings 24, Falcons 19.
I'll try and enjoy Arkansas this weekend. Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.
I'm not sure that's helpful, and besides, we'll get to him next week, I'm guessing.
Lotta things are getting to him, to be fair.
Good point, although if you wear that dirty Spurs cap no one will see it. Meanwhile, back to business. I can't believe that the Packers were able to get Micah Parsons. The Super Bowl window is wide open for the Packers. You love to see it, old dude.
It is a game-changer, potentially. It's also the sort of bold move the Packers rarely make. Makes things more interesting to be sure.
Meanwhile, the Vikings are about to enter the JJ McCarthy era. Lots of discussion around here about how they are going to do and about the big quarterback decision.
Presumably, you have an opinion, right?
Well, yeah. I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.
Northwestern State Devils (+43) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat So in the interest of full disclosure, I saw part of the first quarter of the Gopher game last Thursday because the Wisconsin game ended up stating around an hour later. That being said, the Gophers had a pretty comfortable win after Buffalo gave them a battle for the first half. Northwestern State isn't a particulary good FCS team, and I think that the Gophers should be able to win this one pretty comfortably. Drake Lindsey seems like he could be good, but will have the growing pains that a lot of freshmen QBs have. Let's face it, if the Gophers struggle in this game then there should be some concerns. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 45, Devils 17.
I suppose ol' Peej could have scheduled the University of Northwestern, the pride of Roseville. That would have been worse. Al and Alma would be tougher competition, most likely, but a paycheck is a paycheck. Gophers 45, Northwestern Mutual Life 0.
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (+28.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers Last week was a strange one. I thought that Billy Edwards was looking good until he went down, but thankfully the Badgers were able to win because the defense made enough plays and Danny O'Neil settled in nicely in the second half after throwing a bad interception. O'Neil looks a lot better than Locke did, so that is a positive. Middle Tennessee didn't look good last week, and I feel confident that with O'Neil getting a full week to prepare as the starter that this should be a fairly routine game. Badgers 50, Blue Raiders 0.
Middle Tennessee lost to Austin Peay last week. For those keeping score, Austin Peay is located in Clarksville, Tennessee and is the alma mater of ABA legend Fly Williams. I also recall MTSU beat the Gophers in the NCAA basketball tournament back when Pitino Junior was coaching the squad. So that's amusing. More amusing than this game will be. Don't play with your food, Bucky. Wisconsin 31, MTSU 3.
Detroit LOLions (+2) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers The Packers took the leap from a team that was expected to be a possible contender to a team with serious Super Bowl ambitions thanks to Gutey swinging the Parsons deal. Job number 1 is for them to start winning division games, especially at home. Parsons is going to be a lot of fun, but it is going to take the coaches time to get him bedded into the system. The Lions are coming into this season in an interesting spot. Yes, they are healthier, but the problem is that Dan Campbell lost his elite coordinators to head coaching jobs. Also, the way that they melted down against the Commies last January felt like what happened to the Packers in 2021 against the Niners. I expect the Packers are going to need to protect Jordan Love and get Parsons to make a play or two against Jared Goff. This won't be easy, but the Packers have gotten a lot better in the offseason. Packers 27, LOLions Gonna LOLions 24.
Have the Packers gotten a lot better? I hope so, but I don't know if that's true. I do think the Lions take a step back, but there was more than a step separating these teams last year. The Lions come in with something to prove. Can they? Packers 31, Lions 27.
Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck The Vikings and the Bears both have a lot of questions at quarterback. The Bears have surrounded Caleb Williams with a lot of resources to succeed, but it seems to me like he is behind a couple of his peers already, and though I am biased the Bears need to show that they are deserving of all of the hype they are getting from the NFL media. As for the Vikings, I personally would have kept Sam Darnold. The problem I see is that KOC has had success with veteran quarterbacks in the past. Goff, Stafford, Kirko, and Darnold all were veterans. JJ McCarthy is young and frankly has only played a little bit in the preseason.
So what would success look like for him? I decided to ask Mrs. D, aka Mom. She indicated that success for her would be winning both games against the Packers and winning a playoff game. That is a good way to get the Vikings fans firmly on his side.
Always trust content from Mrs. D.
I personally think that McCarthy is in a tough position. He has a lot of offensive talent around him and a QB whisperer as a head coach. It isn't like Jordan Love where he had few veterans around him or Caleb Williams with a badly run organization who has set other hyped QB prospects up to fail. McCarthy is going to have to win against the Bears and Lions as well to continue with Mom's thoughts. Monday night should go well. Vikings 36, Bears Still Suck 35.
Until da Bearz prove it, I also have to pick the Vikings. I suspect it won't be a high-scoring game, though. The strength of the Vikings is on defense, as they kept their hotshot defensive coordinator, Brian Flores. And Da Bearz have been known to play defense. I am guessing they'll have something weird for J.J., but he has the weapons to beat those nasty ursine wretches. Vikings 24, Bears 16.
As things were happening last week, I wrote a post below that is likely wrong. We know more now. Two things have become clear this week:
1) The local apparat really, really wants to this story to follow an evil MAGA narrative. Julie Nelson, the anchor on the 10 p.m. news on KARE, made a point to call Boelter's activities "politically motivated" every night this week in the opening of the broadcast. It's an assertion, a mantra, and you should not question it. Boelter's letter, to the extent we understand its content, alters the narrative that's being constructed.
2) There's a barely concealed battle going on between the acting U.S. Attorney, Joe Thompson, and Mary Moriarty, the Soros-backed HennCo prosecutor. Moriarty is in trouble because she's been letting criminals loose in the usual Soros style, but she really, really wants to prosecute Boelter. The feds are taking the lead, as they have in the past, because she's feckless.
An example of how this dynamic has played out: the previous U.S. Attorney under Biden, Andrew Luger, was the guy who actually did the heavy lifting in prosecuting the massive Feeding Our Future fraud cases, in which politically connected Somalis and their friends stole millions of dollars by claiming to feed millions of meals to kids during COVID. The locals let this go on for years. Luger is a loyal Democrat, but he's of the old-school sort and he wasn't willing to countenance the open corruption of this arrangement. These stories are not openly discussed, because they reflect badly on Walz, Keith Ellison (who took meetings with the criminals) and others within the DFL apparat.
It would be unlikely in the extreme that Walz ever communicated to Boelter except in passing; the boards that Boelter served on were advisory and weren't especially political. Having said that, there were some fairly heavy hitters on the boards, including a longtime DFL power player named Myron Frans, who has been a bigwig at the University of Minnesota and was the guy who ran the state government management office under Walz and his predecessor, Mark Dayton. As far as I know, no one has asked Frans what he thought of Boelter and his role. We'd rather not know, apparently.
I don't believe in conspiracies. Boelter has, from what we know, had an, ahem, interesting career. I'd personally like to know more about his work in Africa and whether the USAID cuts affected what he was doing. He seems to have acquired a lot of weapons and although his financial issues have been discussed, he seemed to have enough money to own a big house in the country and a lot of material possessions. Maybe the answers and statements are incoherent, but at a minimum he's a deeply weird dude. I'd prefer to simply follow the story wherever it leads, but you can see the narrative construction team straining mightily at the moment. From that you can draw your own conclusions.
Two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were shot by someone impersonating a police officer, sources confirmed to FOX 9. Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed.
Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot in the overnight shootings in Champlin and Brooklyn Park. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is "cautiously optimistic" they will survive.
Hortman was Speaker of the House in the previous legislature, but because of a power sharing agreement with the Republicans, she became the minority leader. The party leaders had to hammer out a budget agreement for the next two years. The results were contentious in the extreme. Hortman was as partisan as anyone in St. Paul, but in this instance she had to side with the Republicans to get the budget passed, so she cast the deciding vote in favor of the compromise proposal. I am guessing that vote cost her life. Donks do not like traitors in the main.
Hoffman cast a similar vote in the Senate [UPDATE - APPARENTLY HE DID NOT], which reinforces my supposition about the motive. We'll probably find out soon who the shooter is, because there's a manhunt underway and apparently law enforcement may have him cornered.
I don't write much about politics any more, because I find it depressing. During her career, I probably never said one good thing about Melissa Hortman. She didn't deserve this. No one does.
The money that individuals working abroad send to their families in Mexico fell for a third month this year.
And some fear further, possibly catastrophic declines in this vital source of income for the Mexican economy if the U.S. Senate approves the 3.5 percent tax on remittances the House green-lit in its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Bank of Mexico (Banxico) data released this week shows Mexican families received $4.76 billion in wire transfers, checks, money orders and cash from abroad in April. That’s more than a quarter-of-a-billion-dollar decline from the $5.14 billion received in March, Banxico reports.
It also represents a 12.1 percent year-over-year decline – the biggest dip since September 2012. Mexico last year received $64.7 billion in remittances representing 4 percent of its gross domestic product.
Yeah, you'd fight too if that kinda money was involved. What you really wonder is what the Donks are getting out of the deal. Everyone assumes it's votes and political power because of the way the Census counts people, but I wonder.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Minneapolis has a “very detached, bourgeois liberal mentality,” according to a New York Post story posted Friday as the city this week approaches the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder by police.
O’Hara said he became accustomed to a very Democratic city when he worked in Newark, N.J., but that nothing had prepared him for the “ultra-liberal orthodoxy,” as the Post put it, that he found in Minneapolis. O’Hara was Newark’s public safety director.
“Here it’s very, very ideological and a lot of times it’s like reality and facts can’t get through the filter. It’s a very detached, bourgeois liberal mentality … It’s bizarre," he is quoted as saying to the Post, a tabloid generally considered to be a conservative publication.
Yeah, but you're not supposed to talk about it, Chief O'Hara. I would have thought Commissioner Gordon would have told you that.
Unsurprisingly, our betters were not amused:
O’Hara’s comments irritated some Minneapolis City Council members. Council President Elliott Payne said progressives in Minneapolis are not a monolith, which he said is hard for some “to wrap your head around, especially for people new to our city’s political ecosystem.”
“Some people come into their politics through a more academic process, others through solidarity, others through lived experience,” Payne said. “No matter how people develop their core values, one should have a deeper understanding of the diverse perspectives of our community before engaging in conversations with New York tabloids.”
Translation - you're not supposed to tell them we're a great herd of independent minds, capisce?
The irritated members of the Minneapolis City Council are all grifters. They talk about "lived experience" and "solidarity," but that's all a ruse. They get rich from milking the taxpayers and it's a pretty good gig. Devotion to one's rice bowl is a perfectly understandable incentive - the vanguard guards the avant garde and being called bourgeois is an intolerable insult, especially when the audience is likely simps from Staten Island. Why should Payne have to explain his activities to anyone so utterly lacking in nuance? The sniffing is audible.
What remains a mystery is what Donk voters get out of the deal. I have lived in the Twin Cities for more than 30 years and I lived in Chicago before that, and most people in both places recognize that their rulers are scoundrels, but they continually return them to office anyway. I used a Batman reference early on; speaking of cartoonish individuals, Tim Walz and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker are Rocky and Bullwinkle villains, but they win almost by acclimation. And if you try to ask the question in polite circles, you are cast into the outer darkness.
Do you spot the real issue with O'Hara's remarks? The mentality in question isn't detached. It's unhinged.
