Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Everyone Is Upset With the Vikings Edition

So as it turns out the Vikings are in some dangerous waters heading into a critical game against the LOLions. And the Packers got a pretty good win in Pittsburgh and are now able to fully turn the page on Aaron leaving. 

A tidy synopsis.

And by the time this post goes up either the Blue Jays will be celebrating a deserved world title or the World Series is going to be decided this weekend. 

Unless the game goes 18 innings again.

Also, Luke Fickell can be fired at any time and I am confident that the Wisconsin state government won't pull whatever the heck the Louisiana government is doing with the LSU coaching search down in Baton Rouge. 

They apparently have all their other problems solved, so they have ample time to tend to their football program. Must be nice.

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

 Michigan State Sparty The Spartan (+3.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat The Gophers quite rightly deserved all of the criticism that they got. Losing to Iowa by that much in a rivalry game is unacceptable to the Gopher fans. The Gophers are playing for bowl eligibility again this week, and while Sparty is getting better, I think that the Gophers are going to come out with a point to prove at home. So while Sparty is going to be a much better outfit down the road, this feels like a get right game for the Gophers. Lindsey in particular is going to have a great game in my view, and after the week that Minnesota sports has had, something has to go right. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 34, Sparty 17.

One problem with the supersized Big Ten is it becomes difficult to actually follow all the teams, so I'll be honest and admit I don't know about the Spartans, who haven't been very visible. 

Sparty enjoys a Spartan Swirl, but might be swirling the bowl?

Since the game is here, I'll assume the Gophers will prevail. My one hunch about what happened last week? I think Iowa is a lot better than most people realize, so maybe the Gophers weren't as inept as they appeared. Gophers 27, Spartans 20.

Minnesota Vikings (+8.5) vs. Detroit LOLions So it's never a good thing when the Athletic calls out the Vikings and puts out an article saying that JJ McCarthy needs to be great or else the fallout is going to be bad. The Vikings looked bad against the Chargers, and are facing a game that both they and the Lions need to win in order to keep place with the Packers. To expand on what I said last week, the Vikings should have kept Darnold, because the guy did not deserve to lose his job even if the last two games wound up being tough ones for the Vikings. My concern about McCarthy is that he is being put in position to win with a team that was put around him to win now, and that is putting him a position where if he fails then the Vikings are in a position to be blown up. The Vikings have spent a lot of money and made a lot of moves to get talent around McCarthy, but spending all the money on guys besides the quarterback position and hoping that McCarthy is the guy is dangerous. The Vikings should have paid Darnold, or had an open quarterback competition instead of handing McCarthy a Ferrari at 16 years old before knowing how well he can drive a car. As for the actual game, the Lions are the desperate team at home, and should the Vikings lose this game I wouldn't be surprised if serious questions about the core of this team are going to be asked. Lions 31, Vikings 9. 

You couldn't pay Darnold and everyone else, so the Vikings made a decision. Ordinarily if your quarterback is on a rookie contract, you can reward everyone else, which is the way most NFL teams operate. The key is whether McCarthy has it or not. We still don't have enough of a sample size to know for sure. One thing I do know - you can't help your club in the tub. Lions will be nasty, because this current incarnation is always that way. By the way, is Adam Thielen still on the team? Lions 27, Vikings 13.

Carolina Panthers (+13.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers Last week really was a huge step for the Packers, and I was really pleased. To go on the road against a quality Steelers team and win very comfortably showed us that the Packers are closer to the team that made the Lions and Commanders look really bad than the team who looked bad against the Cowboys and Browns. This game against Carolina makes me nervous. The Panthers are getting better, and two years ago almost pulled off an upset on Christmas Eve against the Packers. For whatever reason, Carolina plays the Packers tough and some Packers fans are assuming that this game is an easy W before the Eagles come to town next weekend on Monday Night Football. The good news is that the Panthers are going to be banged up on the offensive line, and that should allow Micah and Gary to go hunt Bryce Young. So while I think this game is going to be a lot closer than people expect, the Packers are going to pull this one out. Packers 24, Panthers 16. 

I do not know if the Panthers are good or not. They've won four games. They've also been crushed a few times. The point spread seems ridiculous to me, but I think the Packers are better. Packers 34, Panthers 24.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games --The Vikings Get Screwed By The Schedule Edition

The Vikings playing a game on Thursday Night Football in LA is a terrible idea and the NFL needs to do something about what games can and cannot be placed on Thursday Night Football. 

Needs to, but won't. It's definitely a pet peeve of mine as well.

We'll talk about that later. Meanwhile, the Badgers need to get serious about the football program. Chris McIntosh needs to do the right thing and understand that spending over $20 million on Fickell's buyout is a cost that you have to eat. He and the administration realize that the Big Ten has a big media contract and can easily cover the costs of a coaching change. 

Firing Fickell is an admission of failure for McIntosh, so that might have something to do with it.

 I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

 Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (+8.5) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Well, as it turns out all of the predictions that the Gophers would be irrelevant in the 18 team Big Ten are all wrong. Now being a Wisconsin fan, this game is between the two archrivals, and sadly they both can't lose. PJ has proven he can beat Iowa in Iowa City, and getting the Pig back would go a long way to make his seat even cooler than it already is. The problem is that Iowa City is a tough place to win, and the 4th quarter is going to be played under Kinnick At Night conditions. I'll pick Iowa to win a close one because they are at home. Hawkeyes 21, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 19. 

Fleck drives me nuts because I think he's a blowhard, but he's built a solid program. Winning at Kinnick is tough, though. Iowa 27, Minnesota 20.

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (+31.5) vs. Oregon Quack Quack This must be like what watching the Badgers in the dark ages must have been for older fans. 

It is.

Uh, I'm working here, old dude. Ahem. The good news for the Badgers is that Oregon is traveling back cross country from Rutgers last week and the upcoming bye week would be an excellent time for the Badgers to pull the trigger on a coaching change. The report that the Badgers are going to keep Fickell made me very fru strated. Look, I understand that the schedule has been brutal this year and having to rely on  third-string QB Hunter Simmons because of injuries would be hard for any coach. But the problem is that at some point someone needs to realize that not scoring any points in weeks and losing by 37 at home to Iowa isn't acceptable. I just am glad that the Badgers are going to be very good in hoops. Getting to the Sweet 16 is my goal, but that is a problem I can handle compared to football. Oregon is very good and needs this one to keep themselves in playoff contention since the SEC is going to beat themselves up. What is going to help the Badgers is that they are far away from the angry fans like myself and Oregon shoots themselves in the foot. Badgers 35, Quack Quack 21 

I realize you never pick against the Badgers or the Packers, but c'mon, man. Oregon 35, Wisconsin 0.

 Minnesota Vikings (+3) vs. Los Angeles Chargers I'll talk about the scheduling of this game later, but the Vikings have bigger issues then Amazon's greed. The Vikings shot themselves in the foot multiple times in the red zone. Carson Wentz was a disaster, and it is obvious that the Eagles were going to win because despite their offense shutting off in the first half, the Vikings crossing into the red zone wasn't a good thing. I'll say something that people in the Twin Cities don't want to admit. This team is a bigger paper tiger then the Bears are. Remember, the Vikings have gotten themselves a ton of talent for this "competitive rebuild", and it hasn't worked. Dallas Turner is danger of being a bigger bust than Troy Williamson, JJ McCarthy is being put in a position where he might not succeed, Justin Jefferson's contract should have gone to Sam Darnold, and the Vikings have won zero playoff games since 2019 despite the NFL media constantly talking about how much of an elite coach KOC is. The Vikings threw away their draft capital to further lock in a team that is in the worst place a team can be. You know where that is, Vikings fans? This Vikings core might win 1 playoff game, but will lose in the Divisional round to a real contender. The Chargers are a team that looks like they want to go further, and made needed changes with getting in Jim Harbaugh. I highly suggest that the Vikings consider taking a good long look at what they are doing, because Vikings fans deserve better than what they are getting. Go Back To San Diego 35, Vikings 10. 

Sometimes in life you gamble. Sometimes you lose. We don't know if J.J. McCarthy is up to NFL standards and the Vikings live in a tough division. I also saw the Vikings haven't won a Thursday night road game since the 1970s. Don't know if that's true, but if it is the Vikings need to avoid such things. The Chargers are up and down, but after getting their doors blown off last week I have to think they'll be motivated. Chargers 27, Vikings 24.

 Glorious Green Bay Packers (-3) vs. Pittsburgh Yinzers Oh boy, this game is going to cause a lot of overreactions. So obviously this is the first time that Aaron Rodgers is going to start against us. I'm too young to have seen Brett Favre at the height of his powers, so Aaron gave me almost two decades of brilliance and a Super Bowl run that I will always cherish. But now I will have to do something that I never wanted to do, and that is root against Aaron as an opponent. While it is far from fair to judge the decision to hand the keys of the Packers over to Jordan Love on one game, this game is going to give us a data point. The Packers have never won in Pittsburgh in my lifetime, and are going to have to play a lot better after the narrow escape against the Cardinals. Winning in Pittsburgh means blocking the Steelers and their high end pass rush. Thank God that this game isn't in Lambeau, because I lived through that circus once before and I never want to see a former legend come into Lambeau in an opposing uniform again. The Packers are going to play better this week despite Aaron being at his best. Despite my harsh words when he left, I will always have fond memories of Aaron. But he is an opponent of the Packers, and I will root for my team the same way I root for the Packers against Russ. Packers 31, Steelers 25. 

If the Packers can rush the passer, they win. If not, they lose. The last time the Packers won in Pittsburgh, the Packers quarterback was (checking notes) Bart Starr. Think they're due. Packers 27, Steelers 20.

 And now, it is time for a Very Special Comment. The Vikings have gotten hosed with their schedule this year. Two straight international games is bad enough as it is, but now they have to fly to LA on a short week. I understand that the NFL needs to balance games between their network partners, but there is a difference between a Monday night to Sunday gap going coast to coast and going Sunday to Thursday. If the NFL and Amazon want the best product on display, they need to make two simple changes. The first one is that only divisional games or teams that are in the next time zone are allowed on Thursday nights. The reason I would make an exception for divisional games is because the Chiefs playing one of their AFC West rivals is okay with me and it's fair to Amazon to not be cut off from showcasing a handful of AFC West games that doesn't exist. 

The other rule for Thursday Night Football is that the NFL and/or Amazon is responsible for refunding all expenses for any fans that get screwed over by flexing games to Thursday nights. Both companies can easily afford to do that, and that would make it harder for a Thursday flex. The bottom line is that the Vikings have already had to take one for the NFL by having to play on Christmas Day and do two international games back to back. The NFL should be ashamed of themselves for this. The NFL is going to kill the golden goose with all of these standalone games and making even diehards like me have to figure out where to watch. I remember when it was Sunday afternoons, Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football. Sure you had the Kickoff game, Thanksgiving, and a couple of random Saturday games in December, but it was easy to remember. Don't be like college football where you have games all over the map and on 100 different channels and streaming services. 

It is getting difficult and I agree, the Vikings are getting especially hosed this season. I'd like to see the NFL do better as well.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Don't Complain About Beating The Bengals Edition

So a quick note, this is being written during the Minnesota-Nebraska game. By the time this goes up, we shall know if the Gophers are having a good night, and the Old Dude is watching the Brewers game.

Now that the Brewers have meekly submitted to the Evil Empire, I am also planning my strategy for No Kings Day tomorrow. Think I'll do this for breakfast:

That cereal has all the vitamins you need. But does it have all the Geritol you need?

Not likely.

Well, you'd better get over to a Rexall or something. Isn't that the drug store you used to use, or did you use an apothecary?

Aren't you supposed to be writing a predictions post?

Well, if you would stop going on about your various elderly ailments, I might be able to. By your leave. So, as I was saying, I am not doing a Very Special Comment on the Badgers because I've already laid out my concerns. That being said, the only reason Fickell probably still has a job is because the donors haven't ponied up the cash to can both him and the AD. At least men's basketball is ranked inside the top 25 preseason. 

Greg Gard saves the day again!

 I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

A School In Columbus (-25.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers The Buckeyes are probably the best team in the nation, and even a hater like myself has no trouble admitting that. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Julian Sayin might be the best Buckeye quarterback of them all by the time he leaves, and Jeremiah Smith has a very strong argument to be the Heisman winner. The Badgers frankly are going to need a full reset in the offseason. But there is a glimmer of hope. Ohio State has been a little bit of a slow starter and has relied on their talent to bail themselves out in the late second and early third quarters. Given that they don't have a tough game until Michigan thanks to Penn State's implosion, the temptation is there for the Buckeyes to be looking ahead a bit to Thanksgiving weekend in Ann Arbor. Now this won't be an easy game for the Badgers by any stretch of the imagination. Stranger things have happened. Badgers 21, Buckeyes 18. 

21-18, huh? I don't think David Gilreath is walking through that door. The fear is that Cardale Jones is. Ohio State 59, Wisconsin 0.

Philadelphia Tush Push Merchants (-2) vs. Minnesota Vikings The Vikings are going to roll with Carson Wentz, and there is obviously some history between him and the Eagles. The Eagles are coming off a stunning loss to the Giants, and probably need to get the ball to AJ Brown a bit more. If I am the Vikings, it is time for Justin Jefferson to take over this game. He is getting quarterback money to perform in big games and this is the first big game that the Vikings have had this year. Look at what his LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase did last night for the Bengals in a game that the Bengals needed to have. With all due respect to all of the Vikings skill position players, KOC should have the Griddy Man lead what I think is going to be a successful hunt of an Eagles team that is in turmoil Vikings 38, Eagles 7

Well, the Eagles are a mess, but dude, really? I don't have a good read on the Vikings yet - they've been gone so long I'm not sure if they need to worry about ICE when they take the field. Eagles need this one badly and while the Vikings are capable (at least rumor has it), I don't see it going that way. Eagles 24, Vikings 21.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (-7) vs. Arizona Cardinals There was a lot of complaining about how the Packers struggled last week, and some of my fellow Packers fans need to remember that winning an NFL game is hard. A lot of credit to the Bengals for playing hard last week, and they ended up beating the Steelers last night. The Cardinals ended up playing fairly well last year against the Packers, and the Packers have played a bunch of tight games out in Arizona in my lifetime. Now is about the time for Micah Parsons to take over the games. He was brought here for a lot of money and draft capital, and Jeff Hafley should let Parsons loose to hunt. Jordan Love ended up playing well last week outside of an interception that wasn't his fault, and it was great to see Matthew Golden really take a step forward. The Packers should win this one in a game that will be tight early but open up a bit in the 3rd quarter. Packers 35, Cardinals 18. 

I need to see the Packers prove they can win on the road. I think they will this week. Packers 27, Cardinals 19.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games --The Packers Are Worrying Me Edition

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.

 Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- How Can The Badgers Get Their Identity Back? Edition

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.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Packers Really Have Some Explaining To Do Edition

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.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games-----This Must Be Like When The Packers Got Reggie White Edition

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.

 Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Badgers Have No Pressure Edition

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.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- We Got Micah Parsons Edition

Hey, we're back!

We are! So do we need a marketing photo?

Why can't you leave me out of this?

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.

Wait, we agreed on everything?

Don't worry, that won't last.

 Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

One week later

 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.

pour encourager les autres

 Politics are too often a blood sport. Overnight this became evident, as Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated: 

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.

Always remember...

 Follow the money:

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.

Gotham on the Mississippi

 This amused me:

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. 

Recommendation

 Trump has so many "scandals" swirling about him that he really ought to combine a few to make things more efficient. My first recommendation - use the Qatari plane to fly in white refugees from South Africa.

The next pope - a few guesses:

So we're going to have a new Pope. To understand the state of play, it's worth considering a few things about Cardinal Bergoglio, the man who became Pope Francis:

He was a product of his upbringing in Argentina - he came of age under Juan Peron, the longtime dictator of Argentina, who was socialist in many ways but also a traditional caudillo in others. That experience framed Francis's world view - as I've said repeatedly in the past, you can take a Pope out of Argentina, but it's difficult to get the Argentina out of the Pope.

Francis was a Jesuit - if you compare the church to a deck of cards, the Jesuits are the Jokers. They wield a lot of power, but typically they have been independent operators. Where they are welcome, they can do marvelous things. Our country has a number of outstanding Catholic universities that are at least nominally under the control of the order. One place where the Jesuits were not welcome was in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which his why we have a diocesan university (St. Thomas), instead of a Marquette, or Creighton, or Loyola.

Francis was a reaction against currents within the Church. His two immediate predecessors, St. John Paul II and Benedict, were conservative in matters of doctrine and were somewhat ambivalent of modernism, especially as manifested in Vatican II. Francis was the opposite and he was able to  slow the conservative tide, but he didn't necessarily stop it.

Francis changed the composition of the College of Cardinals in two ways that don't necessarily travel together. He made it younger, and he made it far less European. What is interesting about that? Areas outside of Europe and North America are where the energy in the Church resides. But the energy of the youthful sectors of the Church tend to skew more conservative, especially on matters of doctrine. The future of the Church resides with the younger prelates, who mostly came up under JPII and Benedict, but most of those individuals are not yet considered papabile.

I believe the chances of another non-European pope are strong, for a number of reasons:

The primary energy in the Church is now elsewhere, especially in places that were once missionary territory. You could argue that Europe is missionary territory now, given the decline in Catholicism there. This decline is found within the Church but also within the mainline Protestant congregations, where in some ways the issue is even more dire. Our protestant brethren, especially of the more evangelical stripe, totally understand this - if you leave the parking lot of a Protestant church, you are likely see a sign when you leave the parking lot that says "You are now entering the mission field." The evangelicals believe this and are taking action. Catholics face the same issues and the younger prelates are the ones taking action.

I think Energy is important right now - the last two Popes have been elderly and JPII, while young when first elected, was quite elderly when he passed away. Many of the individuals considered papabile are in their 70s, so a younger Pope would very much be a sign that the Church leaders have made a decision about the future and want a leader who will have a papacy similar to JPII.

As for the specific candidates, I'd say the following:

There has not been an African pope since Pope Gelasius, who served from 492-496. Could we have an African pope this time? I think it's a strong possibility. There are fairly strong candidates

Peter Turkson -- currently at the Vatican, he is originally from Ghana. He is fairly liberal but not obviously so. He is also 76 - he was mentioned as a candidate in 2013 and might have been a stronger candidate then.

Fridolin Ambongo -- he is the Archbishop of Kinhasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is considered a powerful leader and thinker, but it is unclear where he stands on a number of issues. He is also among the younger candidates at age 65. Certainly a possibility

Robert Sarah -- emeritus Vatican official. He's from  Guinea and is probably the most conservative possibility. He is dynamic, but he's also likely too old. He will turn 80 this year. 

Other non-European candidates include:

Luis Antonio Tagle  -- currently in the Curia. Started out as a Jesuit but became a diocesan priest. He is a Filipino and clearly both a liberal and an acolyte of Francis, but he does stray a bit from the leftist orthodoxy and as a result fell out of favor a bit. He is younger at age 67. He has to be considered a strong possibility.

Charles Maung Bo --  currently the Archbishop of Yangon in Myanmar (Burma). He has a tough assignment and has managed it well. In terms of doctrine, he's significantly more conservative than Tagle, but he's also significantly older at age 76. He shares much in common with JPII, including being a playwright. He'd be excellent, I think.

Malcolm Ranjith  -- currently the Archbishop of Colombo (Sri Lanka). He is a conservative but pro Vatican II. He's a skilled communicator and speaks 10 languages, which shows both his intelligence and his engagement with the world. I see him as a potential compromise candidate; he is age 77, but if the Conclave is not prepared to chose a direction and is looking for a transition figure, Ranjith would be a good choice.

There are two possible US candidates

Raymond Burke -- in Rome, but not part of the current hierarchy following a split with Francis. He's originally from Richland Center, WI. Was Bishop of Lacrosse, WI, then St. Louis. He built a big shrine in LaCrosse for Our Lady of Guadalupe. He's conservative, brilliant, and humble. I think at age 76 he's unlikely to get the nod, but his career is fascinating. 

Timothy Dolan -- Archbishop of New York. Dolan is an old school Irish priest and he's genuinely popular among the flock and doctrinally conservative, but there are questions about his "gravitas." At age 75, I would consider him a longshot.

European candidates

Matteo Zuppi  -- currently the Archbishop of Bologna. He's pretty far left, and if he were selected would essentially a continuation of Francis. He's actually tied closely to leftist political parties in Italy. Age 69; if he is chosen it signals that the liberal wing has won the argument.

Jean-Marc Aveline -- currently the Archbishop of Marseille. He is a friend of Francis; he was born in Algeria, which would technically make him an African pope, but he's spent most of his life in Europe. He is also pretty far left. Age 66.

Pietro Parolin -- currently the Vatican Secretary of State. His background is quite similar to Pope Paul, serving much of his life as a diplomat. He is also controversial because of his role in brokering a deal with the Chinese communist party, which ceded important control to the government in order for the Church to continue to operate there. He was doing Francis's bidding, but now that Francis is gone he may have trouble with those who disagreed with the initiative. Age 70. 

Willem Eijk  -- currently the Archbishop of Utretcht (Netherlands). Eijk is very well regarded generally and is a fairly consistent conservative. I like him a lot, but he also presides over a very secular archdiocese and he's spent much of his time fighting secularism to limited effect. He's 71.

Peter Erdo  -- currently the Archbishop of Budapest. He is generally considered a  conservative to moderate; he's been successful. Having come of age in communist Hungary, he has some similarities to JPII. I could see him becoming a compromise choice. Age 72.

Pierbattista Pizzaballa   -- currently the Archbishop of Jerusalem. While his amusing surname has brought him attention, he's actually an intriguing candidate. He has served with great distinction in a tough neighborhood and has done well to protect the Church and his flock in the Holy Land. He's considered a moderate but has some conservative leanings. He's also one of the youngest papabile at age 60. Do not be surprised if he emerges.

My guess: who knows? I expect a reaction against some of Francis's excesses, but the question is whether or not a conservative will have the votes in the Conclave. Ranking the possibilities:

If a liberal wins:   Zuppi, Tagle, Aveline, Parolin. I think the number of liberals could split vote, perhaps lessening the chance that any one of them actually wins.

If a conservative wins:  Sarah, Eijk, Bo

If a compromise candidate: Turkson, Ranjith, Erdo

If a wild card is selected:       Ambongo, Pizzaballa

I fully expect to be wrong. If you want more information on the cardinals, The College of Cardinals Report is about as comprehensive as you'd want.

RIP, Pope Francis

 Francis has left us. A few thoughts:

• Popes are teachers, leaders, administrators. They wield enormous power. They are human beings and sinners, despite the majesty of the seat they hold. I never believed Francis was duplicitous, but I believed he was wrong about many things. As such, his passing affords an opportunity for a better future for the Church.
• Speculation always abounds when it's time to select a new pope. This site  provides a pretty good overview of potential successors, suggesting 22 names as papabile. The most familiar of these, by far, is Cardinal Raymond Burke, who grew up in Richland Center, Wisconsin and served as a bishop in LaCrosse and later St. Louis, among other places. He also became enmeshed in a significant feud with Francis and was essentially fired, although he maintained his rank as a cardinal. It would be a significant surprise if he were to be selected, but it would also be a welcome decision in my view.
• I have no idea who, or what, is coming next. I do know that while Francis did his level best to re-establish the Vatican II liberal/secular worldview to the Church, the energy within the Church lies elsewhere and signs are everywhere. Traditional Latin Mass is coming back all over and young people are the ones who are clamoring for it. The places where Vatican II was embraced are now falling to secularism and more energetic competing faiths, especially Islam. The Vatican may be situated on the European continent, but the future of the Church is elsewhere and we're already seeing that the traditional home of Christianity is now mission territory. The new Pope will need to recognize these trends and respond accordingly.

I haven't been writing much lately and I may not write a whole lot, but this moment does have my attention and we'll see if there is a renewal of this feature as a result.

Benster and D Pick Your Games--------The Super Bowl Nobody Wanted Once Again Edition

 So, we get a Super Bowl matchup that once again nobody wanted. The Chiefs and Eagles again isn't exciting. But thanks to the Bills and Commanders not getting the job done, we are here. 

And yet, it's seemed inevitable for a long time. The Chiefs always seem to find a way and the Eagles were looking like a juggernaut by the end of the season.

Also, the Chiefs winning means that the Packers would lose the distinction as the only NFL franchise to get 3 straight NFL titles. That is why Lombardi and Lambeau are our GOAT coaches. Nothing against Andy Reid, but you all know that I am a gigantic Packer fan.

This Chiefs team feels like the 1967 Packers team; flawed but still able to win when it comes down to it. Don't know if it means anything more, but I guess we find out tomorrow.

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYPPEEEEEE! and ready to pick this game. Watch me work.

Kansas City Chiefs (-1.5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles, in New Orleans Two years ago was a great game between these two teams that came down to a questionable PI call that allowed the Chiefs to win. By the way, Tom Brady needs to have a great broadcast. Despite him getting better, if he does worse than Greg Olsen two years ago there will be some grumbling. I feel like as good as the Chiefs have been, they have relied on the Texans and Bills melting down instead of winning on their own merits. The Eagles look a lot more confident, and their power running game with Saquon has been decisive. I also feel like the Eagles defense has been a lot better, as they have made Jordan Love, Matthew Stafford, and Jayden Daniels all look very ordinary. I look for the Eagles to get off to a great start and finish the job they didn't do last time. Eagles 36, Chiefs 29.

When I look at this game, I think the Eagles have a better overall team, but they are lacking in two of the most important facets of football - quarterbacking and coaching. Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback, but Patrick Mahomes is an all-timer. The Eagles have a good overall coaching staff, but Andy Reid is an all-timer. The formula for the Eagles is simple - get an early lead and then ride Saquon Barkley to glory. It's worked all season. In theory, the Chiefs should struggle with that construct. But I don't know that it will ever get there. I think Mahomes will do enough to make Jalen Hurts have to beat him. And I am skeptical Hurts has it in him. Chiefs 28, Eagles 25.

Stone cold munching

Thanks again for reading this feature all year. Enjoy your football this weekend. For the final time this season, Ben out.  

Benster and D Pick Your Games----Please Beat the Chiefs Edition

 I think that I speak for a lot of people when I say that I really hope someone beats the Chiefs. 

That does seem to be the prevailing sentiment. And it's one I share.

I'm also happy for Ryan Day. Look, I am far from a Buckeye fan. But seeing him get to stick it in the faces of those crazy Buckeye fans that sent death threats to him and his family after the Michigan game was pretty awesome. And it really confirms that the Big Ten has changed the narrative surrounding the SEC. You do love to see it. 

While it remains to be seen if it's going to be a long-term trend, I am certainly okay with Big Ten teams winning championships, although maybe it would be cool if it weren't the resident Death Stars once in a while. The most heartening thing was seeing Indiana finally get a moment in the sun.

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYPPEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

Washington Commanders (+6) vs. Philadelphia Eagles I wasn't shocked that the Commanders went into Detroit and ripped the soul out of the Lions. I do appreciate Brad giving me props for being right on the 45 points that Jayden Daniels put up. The Eagles are a very complete team and were able to shut down the Rams last week in bad weather. What I believe the key to this game is that the Commanders are playing with house money. Nobody had this team making the NFC title game, and all of the pressure is on the Eagles. I believe that Jalen Hurts is going to struggle a bit, and the Commanders are going to pull up another impressive road upset. I am getting some 2007 Giants vibes from the Commanders. Hail to the Commanders 26, Cry Eagles Cry 24.

That's an interesting comparison. I have to say that Jayden Daniels has surprised me. He's dynamic in all the right ways but he seems to have an advanced understanding of the game and rarely makes bad decisions. My concern with him will be injuries, because he plays in a style that leaves him susceptible to getting rocked by the ill-intentioned linebackers. Which brings us to the Eagles, who have guys like that on their squad. This game will turn on Washington's ability to slow down Saquon Barkley. Hey, bold observation, right? The Communards (or whatever we're calling them) do have have a stout defensive line, which helps. The Eagles are huge and wear teams down; that's what they did to the Packers and the Rams. It may be a more difficult assignment this time. Eagles 27, Community Notes 21.

Buffalo Bills (+2) vs. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs and Bills both were able to get past a couple of game opponents. I will admit that the Texans complaints about the zebras feel like an attempt to cover up that CJ Stroud and the Texan special teams really didn't rise to the occasion. That being said, Patrick Mahomes really seems to be going looking to draw a flag in the same manner as James Harden does. The Bills gutted out a tight win against the Ravens thanks to Lamar making a throw that needed to be a bit better. You still have to catch that if you were Mark Andrews, and now you know why I was disappointed with the results when I drafted him as my tight end in fantasy football. This Bills team feels different. It seems that Sean McDermott has decided to let Josh Allen really take the lead, and the Bills were able to beat the Chiefs straight up. This seems like the year that the Bills finally are able to have the breakthrough that they want. Something tells me that Tim Russert is going to be smiling in heaven Sunday night. Nobody Circles The Wagons Like The Buffalo Bills 42, Chiefs Fatigue 36.

The difference this year? Buffalo can run the ball when they need to. That makes a big difference. Josh Allen can take charge because he has options he didn't have before. Having said that, the Chiefs are different, too. This is not a high-flying offensive team, although they can score. The Chiefs win with defense and they have been doing it all season long. Buffalo will need to score early and score consistently to win this one. I don't see 42 points as being possible. 28? Maybe. And will that be enough? Buffalo 28, Kansas City 27.

And now, it's time to laugh at the Lions. All of this talk about how the Same Old Lions weren't back, and how you were going to win the Super Bowl. The problem -- this is the NFL, and nothing is promised. As a Packers fan, I know for a fact how hard it is to win a Super Bowl and this is the type of loss you don't recover from. Congrats on winning 15 games and not winning a playoff game. The bottom line is that Dan Campbell didn't learn a thing from the Niners meltdown. Calling a wide receiver pass when you were down was a bad call, and not knowing that there were 12 men on the field on that 4th down was coaching malpractice. You may know how to build a great culture, but the bottom line is that the Lions failed. Jared Goff ended up showing why the Rams got rid of him. He played horribly, and I honestly don't know where he goes from here. After laughing at the Packers and the Vikings, the Lions had the chance to back up all of the talk. They didn't. I got flashbacks to the 2021 disaster that my Packers had against the Niners. Now the Lions need to understand that things might go south without their coordinators. Instead of trying to run all of these cool trick plays from Madden, why don't you take a good look at if Dan Campbell can manage a game? Because at the end of the day, he didn't put his team in a position to win. Putting your team in a position to win is the most important thing about being a head coach. Like LaFleur and KOC, Campbell has to answer to that. 

I will be interested to see what happens. Campbell has delegated a lot of work to his coordinators, which on balance is a good approach, but he'll need individuals of similar quality to keep things humming in Detroit. The division is still going to be tough next year and if da Bears can find a way to overcome their bumbling ways, especially in the front office and ownership boxes, they could be trouble, too.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.