GG

It’s an annual tradition, whether we’re talking about the classic Christmas movie or the Pats* dashing another Bills’ hope in December. But in watching the movie again last night after watching the Bills game made me think of the reality that the NFL has allowed the Pats* to turn the league into Pottersville. The script is one sided and predetermined. It may be the sour grapes musings of another wasted opportunity, but after a while the hits add up and the coincidences are too great to ignore. Does Stephon Gilmore undergo a sudden metamorphosis where the yellow flag used to fly in his direction when he brushed up against a receiver, but is now given leeway to fully wrap his arms around a player as the pass falls innocently on the ground? When a Pats* friend texts you that he was amazed at the overturned calls, it makes you wonder. Again. One lesson in Wonderful Life is that while the powerful will cheat the little guy, in the end it won’t matter because everyone will rally around the underdog, and we’ll sing the happy ending song. The other lessons we grew up with taught us not to be sore losers, but equally important - not to be sore winners. Yet, the NFL has no problem with a sore winner sitting at the top of its schedules and revels in stretching rules to ensure it stays that way. In a league where the difference between a top team and a middling squad could be a couple of critical third down conversions, a carefully timed head turn by an official, or an inexplicable ruling from a TV-filled cavern somewhere in NFL’s New York headquarters puts a smile on Kraft’s pugnacious mug. And speaking of that, anyone else find it odd that a league that penalizes players for trying to get their face on camera, has no problem with the obligatory shot of the Kraft family box? Every singe game. Coincidence? Professional sports dynasties are common, and over time, even opponents give their appropriate due. Not for the Pats* Not this fan. Surely it has to do with how they racked up the victories during their run. There are the obligatory runaways against lessor opponents. But the oddity is the razor thin victories against quality opponents, which places a layer of suspicion on a franchise that revels playing on the edge, knowing and exploiting the rules and situations to their advantage. The supporters claim that it’s Pats* encyclopedic understanding of the entire rule book that gives them that edge. To everyone else it’s knowing the rules AND crossing the line when no one is looking, like swiping a piece of candy off a counter when the clerk is busy. Like Old Man Potter pocketing Uncle Billy’s envelope when the rube forgets it. Or it’s Johnnie sweeping Danny’s other leg, and we never get to see the crane move. Noonan’s putt does not fall. The alternate endings are limitless. Have at it, Greggy & Kelly the Unfair & Unbalanced Dog. Turn the happy Hollywood endings on their head and write a screenplay where the sore cheating winner is victorious in the end – always. All is fair in the battle. Right? So, the rest of us have been treated to the never-ending parade of sore winners’ appearances, and are being told that it’s just the way it is and we should like it. But no thanks. Knowing that we can’t change the seemingly predetermined outcomes, let’s keep reminding that the legacy is forever tainted by * If I can’t get the fair calls for my favorite team, I’m not going to give credit for victories by a team owned by a dirtbag who publicly mourns his dear wife’s passing in the day, and then shoots a soft-porn video with his 20-something girlfriend at night. The same man who shot a public relations video of an Israel trip with NFL greats, is employing a husband of a woman whose family goes through great lengths to hide their Nazi past. And every time that player lies on the ground begging mercy from the officials to throw a flag on a fantom call, I hope he borrowed the cries from Brigitte Moynahan. Or when a sure-fire Hall of Fame tight end has a game where the calls don’t go his way, he decides to decapitate a defenseless player? Maybe there are some Pats* fans out there who know the name Darryl Stingley? Probably not. For them, the franchise began in 2000. So yeah, the Bills lost. But I’m not going to credit the winners * Sour grapes and all, because I hate sore winners. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

He's giving you a history lesson.

You don't say

Suddenly 49ers are good. What happened?

Not really. DD had him as a definite out. If that were the case, Gaines wouldn't have been on the field today for a final test to play.

And sitting Thomas out means they're telegraphing a run heavy scheme. Don't like that

One would think that the last 9 years was enough of a petrie dish to experiment on. Our arguments always ended in the same place. You think that the deficits themselves are expansionary, while my position is the expansions are correlated to the cause of the deficit. If that deficit is caused by blow out spending, then don't hold your breath for an economic expansion. If the deficit is caused by tax cuts, then the private sector is motivated to increase economic activity. I've been consistently saying since 2009 that Obama's "recovery" was a mirage and that's why growth didn't exceed 2%. For all his faults, Trump understands what motivates the private sector to invest and spend. That's why you're seeing faster economic growth now, despite coming on the heels of a 9-year "recovery." Will growth hit 5%-6% that he's talking about? Absolutely not. But anything over 3% is a home run.

Screwed again. If the refs gave Ravens a PI on a critical 3rd down, the 4th down call was worse

How was that not OPI?

I’m ok with it happening on regular plays. It’s inexusable not to spot the bal property after a 5 minute review

Colts just got screwed. TY stepped OB at the 46. The refs placed the ball on the 47. Vinatieri was short by 1/2 yard.

And here I'm thinking the thread is about Lynn benching Rivers and will start Jones. I can dream.

That stinks

Pretty easy question to understand, IMHO

Flip the question on its head and ask how flying three planes into buildings full of people, or running people down with a semi truck is supposed to ensure the freedom to prostrate on a rug 5 times a day?

Not just potato bowl, but Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

BTW, have you stumbled into the Czech interior decorator on one of your hikes?

We're talking materiality of that increased DoD spend relative to the deficit. DoD budget can fluctuate, but entitlements just keep growing.

They paid less to get a younger Smith

I hate The Police and that money grubbing whore, Sting

It’s crazy to trade both 1sts. Washington has no leverage and other teams can’t offer 2 firsts this year. If Cousins has no intention to return to DC, they have zero leverage other than getting teams into a bidding war. But no one will part with high picks and sign an open market qb deal.

They have very little leverage. Only Cleveland has the draft capital to match what Skins are asking, and Cleveland won’t give up those picks when they’re in the driver seat for the top pick. Cousins situation is similar to Brees in SD a decade back. skins don’t have the flexibility to franchise Cousins again, and it’s highly unlikely teams give up that much in a trade AND pay a huge contract.

No distortion on my end. The increased spending in DoD on weapons & systems is immaterial to the $1 trillion deficit. The main reason the deficit hawks are focusing on entitlement is because that's where the biggest budget bloat is. The best thing about eliminating SALT deductions is that maybe it will finally force the polite society in the blue states to recognize that they've been gouged for decades and reforms are needed to slow the runaway train. Again, it's not an accident that the states with the highest marginal income tax rates are also at the bottom of the rating agency scales among states (NY being the exception due to Wall Street).

Why is it an economic benefit when the government redistributes income to less productive members of society, but it's bad when it redistributes income to military personnel?

The above is an emotional rant that's devoid of facts.