The Neverending Story

For the second time in as many weeks, the Bengals and their fans were informed, and in a sense a chance to be given the second best Christmas present they could have ever wanted, Carson Palmer not in Bengals stripes.  (Behind of course the retirement of their President)

"Football Man"

You may remember my thoughts on what Bengals fans should be wishing for during the holiday season in my Cincinnati Profile column a few months back.  And by the hand of God it was delivered, only to have Mike Brown deny the request by Carson to be traded, and continue to throw footballs to non-Bengals...and return them for touchdowns.

I believed there was an afternoon several weeks back where one day could have been the most pivotal day in the franchise's history.  Marvin went into a meeting with a list of demands, allegedly claiming he'd walk without them being met.  And they weren't, and he stayed.  It's shocking that the team's leader now wants out after that
Wyatt Earp-esque stand-off.

I'm Mike Brown bitch!

Put THAT into perspective.  Who's the guy lobbying for free agents every year?  Who's the guy working out wideouts, teammates or non-teammates every off-season?  Who's the guy to make the first call to draft picks or new teammates?

It's #9, and now he would rather blog for Delta than play football in Cincinnati, and who can blame him?  His coach just got pimp-slapped by his owner in front of the entire NFL.

Here's the point.  Carson wants nothing to do with arguably the sports world's worst franchises.  And now that he wants out, the Donald Sterling of the NFL denies because he believes Palmer "will play a big role" in the team's future.  A future that is a continuation of the past.  A future of losing we assume.  The same team that has two winning seasons in the last twenty.

As I said a few months ago Carson is not the same quarterback he was five years ago.  Not even close.  Experts still insist Carson is one of the leagues best signal callers.  Yet if you ask those same experts what his "market value" is, they retreat like the South at Gettysburg.  That's how you get the truth out of anybody about anything in life, just ask the value of something.  Carson's isn't high.  Not only has he continued another year of throwing the ball to the wrong team, now these teams are taking them back for points.  It.  Is.  Getting.  Worse.

So his value isn't high, but it's still worth something.  Remember a few years back when Chad then Johnson demanded a trade and the Redskins offered two, yes two #1 draft picks.  Dr. Evil said no, then asked for one million dollars!  Or at least that's how I remembered it.

They have to find something because it's not getting any better, even though I'm not at all impressed with this years draft class at quarterback.

I have no doubt myself and three of my buddies could run this franchise better than the clowns there now, and we're not even fans.  Brown responded during the Lewis presser why he won't concede to "beefing up" the scouting department with the fact his team is among the top in the NFL in drafted players seeing the field over the last ten years.  But yet no answer from Brown (or even a question from reporters to him) of his record in those years.  At least we can credit Paul Daugherty for writing it, after the fact.

So I'll just call them what one of my favorite radio hosts would, a dumpster fire.

Championship Funday

Is there a more dream championship game match-up than Bears/Packers?  Michigan/Ohio State for a chance to play for a national championship?  Kentucky/Louisville or Duke/UNC in the Final Four?

This is the NFL's version of the Yankees and Red Sox in the ALCS.  THE most frequent rivalry in the NFL for a chance at the Super Bowl.  If I was anymore excited my brain would explode.

My predicament is my pre-season Super Bowl pick was the Packers over the Jets.  But I'm an idiot.

Oh and it's not the oldest NFL rivalry.  It's actually Bears/Cardinals.  Goes back to when it was the Chicago Cardinals vs the Chicago Staleys at Wrigley.  How bout that knowledge I just dropped on ya?

Some thoughts on the game:

• The Packers looked unbeatable in ATL.  That was also in a temperature controlled dome against a dressed up Falcons team that played in a weak division this year.  Rodgers isn't Roethlisberger or Brady...yet.  But he could be in a few weeks.  We'll see.  And please bring back this gorgeous piece of face salad.
• The Packers will have to run the ball Sunday.  They are great through the air, but it will be cold.  The Bears have a D that gives up a truckload of yards, but points come at a premium.  To score on them in the Red Zone, you gotta run it.
• The Bears need to do the same, but the Pack loves bringing pressure against the pass AND the run.  If the Bears can get protection with play action GB is susceptible down the field away from Charles Woodson.  And Devin Hester gets nowhere near the credit he deserves for his receiving play.  Most analysts says he's no #1.  Well he is on this team and he's done an adequate job as it.
• Do not kick the ball to this man.  He is a bad, bad man.

All in all I'll go completely against everything I stand for and pick my boys 19-14.

GO BEARS!!!

As for the other game...I don't give a shit.

One final note.  I also posted this earlier on Facebook but what's all this "new year, new you" crap this year?  From catalogs to commercials to conversations about resolutions it makes me wanna vomit.  

I like the old me.  The old me is fine and good.  I want the old me to do some new shit that's all.  I'd rather "new year, new job" or "new year, new city" or just "new year, new shit."

I have never made a new years resolution and never plan to.  If you're not living to constantly improve your life, not just in January, I feel sorry for you.  

Unless your new you is gonna drive faster or bring our economy back I'd save your time and energy.

Welcome Back!

It's been a while.  New look, new address, new name...same attitude.  Thanks for takin it to The Rack.

Not feeling very regal today so this will be quick.

First be sure to vote in today's poll, a new addition to the blog.  Pretty simple, who ya got?

I'm taking Oregon.  I like their D better than Auburn's, especially in the backfield.  Auburn did have a tougher road, right?  It's the SEC, right?  I'm not subscribing to that caveat this year, sorry.  My Kentucky Wildcats had Auburn beat.  Kentucky, the dumpster fire that just laid an egg to Pittsburgh, a team that divorced their coach and had their interim coach get caught booze-cruisin all within a couple weeks of each other.  And all within weeks of facing "Operation When?"

Oregon did get pushed by Cal, but boat-raced Stanford.  You know...Stanford.  The team that had their coach hand-picked by Jesus, and quarterbacked by the messiah himself.


Oregon 35
Auburn 24


The Cubs just sent the minor league pitcher AND player of the year to Tampa Bay for Matt Garza.  Glad they're looking towards the future.  Congrats Jim Hendry, you're tireless efforts towards building a wild card team are winning the hearts of Cubs fans everywhere.






Ron Franklin.  You're an asshole.