Better late than never. The Pack needs to get it in gear and defeat the evil Dallas Cowboys. The late game is an all-equine affair, Broncos vs. Colts. I’m just hoping for a good game — no real rooting interest.
Who are you rooting for? Any interesting game day food on tap? I’m making beef on weck later, a Buffalo specialty for my Buffalonian spouse. I don’t make the weck from scratch — I just coat kaiser rolls in kosher salt and caraway seeds. It’s good!
West of the Cascades
Go Buffalo! Go Bills!! Not sure whether Rex Ryan is a good hire (I hate all things Jets), but it makes a splash and distracts from having the Cowboys on the teevee.
ETA – for the fifteenth year in a row, my interest in the NFL pretty much stopped the day the Bills were eliminated from the playoffs, so not really rooting for anyone today (don’t like the Cowboys on principle).
opiejeanne
Aw, Romo chipped a nail.
raven
If you can’t enjoy the game without a specific team playing you got issues.
jeffreyw
Thread needs moar pizza!
Steeplejack (phone)
@jeffreyw:
Nice, but I had pizza with the games yesterday.
jeffreyw
How ’bout them dawgs!
JPL
@Steeplejack (phone): Since I’m a pats fan, I had tums yesterday.
Tommy
@raven: Yeah you got a game with maybe the best RB and QB in the game today playing (not to mention DeMarco & Matthews). Also it is the freaking playoffs. Now I will admit I don’t have much desire to watch a game where it is a 3-10 team playing against a 4-9 team, but two “quality” teams like this, I don’t have to like either team to enjoy watching.
jeffreyw
@Steeplejack (phone): You just need a nice sammich, eh?
JPL
The problem that I have with the Cowboys, is Jerry Jones. I’m for the socialists.
Steeplejack (phone)
@JPL:
Yeah, they hit the snooze button a few too many times before they finally woke up.
JPL
According to the announcers, we might have just seen the play of the game. Of course, that will be until the next play of the game.
raven
@jeffreyw: Yip
Tommy
@JPL: Yeah I am a fan of and former season ticket holder for the NFL team where it isn’t even PC to use their name. Brother a huge, huge Cowboys fan. I think a 2-year-old could figure out who I am pulling for in this game!
MomSense
We are watching the best game ever. Kids are rolling the ball across the living room floor, puppy bounce runs and slides to grab the ball, and bounces back with ball to the giggles of the adoring crowd.
Everybody wins!
Gin & Tonic
@JPL: The NFL is all socialism.
Amir Khalid
@jeffreyw:
Them dawgs is adorable!
max
@Gin & Tonic: The NFL is all socialism.
For billionaires.
max
[‘Like a lot of other things, actually.’]
Gin & Tonic
@Amir Khalid: Need insulin after that picture.
Villago Delenda Est
FOUR solid reasons to hate the Cowboys:
1. Jerry Jones.
2. “America’s Team”
3. Beat the Rams and prevented them from getting into the playoffs somewhere back in the 70’s.
4. The Outlaw Joisey Whale.
jeffreyw
@Amir Khalid: Mrs J tells me they are a terrier – dachshund cross. They are cute as buttons!
Tree With Water
The Cowboys continue to get they calls- which is not to say that Packer lineman who killed the drive didn’t act the bonehead.
Betty Cracker
Lord what a sloppy game!
JordanRules
Seattle is going to play against a hurt QB either way I guess.
I wish I could put a Christie blocker on my tele during the game.
Tree With Water
@JordanRules: I bet Rupert Murdoch is way ahead of you- no more live shots of republican politicians humping the leg of any NFL owners.
Violet
Yes. This.
raven
@Violet: Fuck the Packers.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Gophers and Badgers still scoreless after the first period. Hoping to make it fifteen in a row over Bucky.
Tommy
What a pass. My gosh Rodgers is really, really good. A pleasure to watch play, even though I am nothing close to a Green Bay fan.
JordanRules
Damn Rodgers!
Mnemosyne (iPad Mini)
Reading a book (“Crucial Conversations”) to help me prepare for an upcoming unpleasant conversation with one of my co-workers. It’s actually really interesting — much better than the last book my boss recommended.
PaulW
@Villago Delenda Est:
joisey whale. I honestly hadn’t seen that one yet. good call. :)
Betty Cracker
Are you fucking kidding me?
Betty Cracker
No way will they overturn that call. Nor should they.
Morbo
@Betty Cracker: If Calvin Johnson’s catch that coined “completing the process” was incomplete then that’s incomplete. But no, I’m not bitter.
Betty Cracker
GTFO!
JordanRules
@Betty Cracker: Wow. I’m surprised.
raven
Now everyone can quit their fucking whining about the refs and Dallas.
Tommy
@Betty Cracker: Well Fox’s expert says it wasn’t a catch. If that isn’t a catch then I don’t know what is. And by football move isn’t it a “football move” to pull the ball down, move it to one hand, and extend towards to the end zone. I HATE the Cowboys, but I HATE even more terrible calls (or maybe rules) like this.
Tree With Water
I don’t like the Cowboys, and have always thought Tony Romo to be a strictly decent QB throughout his career. But I’ll give him this- he is one tough SOB.
Well, Dallas didn’t get the call on that 4th down play. So much for my conspiracy innuendo.
raven
@Tommy: Rule not call, people have referenced the Calvin Johnson call against the Bears and it was the same.
JPL
Was there a magic camera angle that I missed? I picked an unfortunate time to take a p..break.
Tommy
@raven: I know, why I mentioned it. But isn’t it a “football” move to bring the ball down from a jump catch, to one hand, take a step, and dive towards the end zone?
raven
@Tommy: Here’s the CJ call.
raven
@Tommy: Not when the ball hits the ground.
Violet
@raven: Can’t be for the Cowboys. No way.
raven
@JPL: Not really.
Violet
@Tree With Water: Have they shown Christie yet?
raven
@Violet: Bear fans hate all things Green Bay.
dedc79
This is still my favorite completion reversal.
Tree With Water
What a splendid afternoon it will be if the Cowboys get beat.
Violet
@raven: I get it. My dislike of the Cowboys comes from the same sort of thing.
raven
Unfuckingreal stupidity by Cobb.
JPL
Ah.. Celebrating to early.. As long as they win, really who cares.
raven
@Violet: Yea I don’t really care, it’s a fun game.
Tree With Water
Thank you, Green Bay Packers.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Mnemosyne (iPad Mini):
That is a very good book.
Violet
@raven: I don’t care either. Was eating lunch and doing a crossword and totally missed a Green Bay touchdown. Looked up, and “Hey, when did they get that touchdown?”
At least the game wasn’t boring.
jharp
What a beautiful way for Dallas to lose the game.
I’m only sorry they didn’t put the camera on that fucking asshole Jerry Jones. Would love to have seen him and Christie pouting and whining about the officiating.
Violet
So no video of His Large Bridgeness jumping up and down with the rich NFL owner?
Heliopause
So the key to next week will be the Seattle pass rush. Dallas put precious little pressure on a nearly crippled quarterback and it cost them in the end.
Betty Cracker
God, I hate DirectTV’s stupid Rob Lowe ad campaign.
Gravenstone
And once again Dez Bryant gets to rant all over the field, sans helmet and not draw the penalty. Hope he has a miserable off season.
Mnemosyne (iPad Mini)
@Steeplejack (phone):
I bought it on my Kindle last night because I was getting so stressed out about this upcoming conversation. (Short version: we have a project we work on together every year and I have the same problems with her every year, but she refuses to change.) I’m about halfway through it and it’s already given me some really good ideas for how to refine what I want to say so we can work better together. The project is non-optional (I asked) so it’s either have this conversation or have the two of us sniping at each other for two months straight.
Mustang Bobby
Glad the Packers won, and now have a tough choice next weekend since my brother lives and breathes the Seahawks and I want to keep peace in the family.
My other brother lives in Baltimore so I don’t have to worry about annoying him.
Tree With Water
No laws were broken, but can anyone explain why the CBS NFL pre-game show just plugged the new Clint Eastwood film? It stars Bradley Cooper, apparently. I mean, they’re minutes away from kicking off a broadcast in a divisional playoff game, and suddenly- very suddenly- it’s like it’s intermission in a movie theatre. It was almost as weird as listening to Al Michaels and Chris Collingsworth performing fellatio on Roger Goodell during yesterday’s Pats-Ravens broadcast.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Mnemosyne (iPad Mini):
Good luck. I found it invaluable for talking with low-social-skills programmers who didn’t want to talk at all (or who wouldn’t admit there was any problem to start with, much less with them).
Baud
@Tree With Water:
Usually, it’s because they’re getting paid to.
Len
I believe I am through with the NFL for this year. What’s the point when games are decided by the officials and not the players?
Mnemosyne (iPad Mini)
@Tree With Water:
It was an ad. Why they decided to stop things to show an ad (other than because they were paid to do it), I don’t know.
catclub
@raven: Did the ball hit the ground? I saw him cupping his hand under the ball as his hand hit the ground.
Mnemosyne (iPad Mini)
@Steeplejack (phone):
It’s especially tricky because she’s a manager (though I don’t report to her) and I’m not. Luckily, our mutual boss is pretty big on flattening the hierarchy, so any protestations that she’s a manager so I should do what she says without questioning her decisions will fall on deaf ears.
All right. I should probably get back to reading the book and finishing my laundry rather than goofing around on here.
hitchhiker
Oh, lord. My entire family in northern Michigan are gonna hate me when the Pack gets beat by the Hawks next week.
This is the matchup I’ve been hoping all season didn’t happen! For my 90 year old mom, a Super Bowl for the team she’s been crazy about all her life would be insanely great . . . but I don’t think Green Bay can beat Seattle.
raven
Lotta shit I don’t like about Dallas but Jason Garrett has class.
jharp
@Len:
The officials called it right. It was an incomplete pass.
There is little doubt what happened and the rule is quite clear.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Gophers down 1-0 after two periods. Time for the big comeback.
raven
@catclub: Lot of people did but that’s not what the officials saw.
Betty Cracker
I’d forgotten Aqib Talib plays for the Broncos, the rat-bastard. Now I’m rooting for the Colts.
Goblue72
I wanted DAL over GB, then DAL over SEA.
IND over DEN, then NE over IND.
Then NE over DAL in the SB.
Brendan in Charlotte
@Betty Cracker: I hate ALL DirecTV’s ad campaigns…
Heliopause
@jharp:
Agreed, the call reversal was correct, but I’m wondering if they will revisit the rule interpretation in the offseason. Seems a little punitive in cases like this. It even has a name, the “Megatron Rule.”
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@Brendan in Charlotte: And then there was the Fox News “Call Dish and tell them you want us back!” ad in the middle of the DAL/GB game.
JPL
@Goblue72: So you were hoping for a scenario that had to do with a fat governor singing or something.
Goblue72
@JPL: more like a SB not featuring the Seachickens. But whatevs. To be the best you gotta beat the best.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@raven:
I didn’t like the rule when it was used against Johnson, and I don’t like it now. That should have been a catch. And you know where my loyalties lie.
raven
@Heliopause: The Calvin call was 5 years ago and it’s the same rule now.
opiejeanne
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: We saw that ad yesterday. during the Seahawks game. Really annoying.
Violet
I always have queso and guac at the Super Bowl. Other than that, no special food. Might do some guac tonight for the Golden Globes, which is my favorite awards show to watch.
raven
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): yup
Goblue72
Korean style fried chicken wings.
Villago Delenda Est
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: Fuck the fascist filth of Faux Noise.
Villago Delenda Est
@PaulW: I think TBOGG came up with that first, but at any rate I picked it up from him. The spelling change to simulate the accent was something that one of us on BJ came up with, best I can tell.
BruceFromOhio
Omaha! Omaha!
Craft brew, MrsFromOhio’s baked chicken strips, and a nice salad.
And the pagan tree is getting un-decorated, with a trip to the garden panned for later, after football.
SWMBO
@PaulW: This was originally from Tbogg, I think.
http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2012/08/28/the-outlaw-jersey-whale/
Villago Delenda Est
As to the late game, well, it’s all about what flavor of horse flesh the Seahawks will dine on in the Superbowl, should one of them get past the Belichicks.
BruceFromOhio
@Goblue72: Too much DAL. Adios, muchachos, so not sad to see you go. My sole regret is not seeing Jerry Jones spontaneously combust.
Brendan in Charlotte
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: @Villago Delenda Est: @opiejeanne: My response to the ad while sitting in the bar watching the Panthers loss: “Why? Without Fox everyone with Dish Network just got smarter.” Got quite a few laughs.
WereBear
@Mnemosyne (iPad Mini): thanks for recc! Checking it out.
S. cerevisiae
@Villago Delenda Est: Drew Pearson pushed off!
Brendan in Charlotte
@efgoldman: Amen! As a Bills fan, the first person I’d hire to coach my team is the former coach of the only team in the division we crush on a regular basis…NOT.
Brendan in Charlotte
FTFY
FourTen
Today was a win-win for me since it was guaranteed that one of my two least favorite teams lost.
raven
Freakout coming on the lack of US bigwig in Paris today.
Mr Stagger Lee
Any time the Cowboys lose, it is good for America, I want Jerry Jones cry like a punk. Oh BTW is those odious NewsMaxx ads replaced by Wonkette? Praise the FSM.
Betty Cracker
@raven: I’m surprised anyone thought PBO would go. Lots of logistics involved in that.
JPL
@raven:
Freakout coming ……
fixed it
bk
@raven: Eric Holder was there. The freakout exacta.
BruceFromOhio
Oh, Adam. You had ONE job, Adam, just ONE job today.
raven
@Betty Cracker: Jake Tapper did and now it’s the headline on CNN’c site.
JPL
This game surprises me. I assumed that Denver would run all over the Colts but apparently not.
JPL
@BruceFromOhio: He doesn’t miss often.
Elizabelle
May we have a fresh thread? Preferably not focusing on Jeb! Bush?
And it might be fun to watch the Golden Globes together later.
Who won the football games today?
ETA: Why yes. I have become a bossy bitch.
BruceFromOhio
@raven: Argh. Hey, CNN! Where the fuck were all the suits when they were burying the kids at Sandy Hook? Or Columbine? Or Oklahoma City? STFU whydoncha.
p.a.
@efgoldman: Rexie goes from 1 quarterback-less team to another. If he had waited he could’ve got a D C job somewhere with good weather.
raven
@Elizabelle: Since it is’t even halftime of the second game and this thread was very late, you got nothin.
BruceFromOhio
@JPL: He is one of the best, so this is very rare, and may come back to haunt them later.
raven
@efgoldman: Yea yea and the refs were out to get the Packers. . . oh wait.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@JPL: They had trouble with the Colts in the regular season.
Elizabelle
@raven:
A pic of MomSense’s new doggy? Text optional? Anything?
raven
@Elizabelle: Bring it! jeffw has some great pup pics upstream.
raven
@efgoldman: Life is a stone motherfucker.
Elizabelle
Anne Laurie to the rescue. Fresh open thread.
Play on.
@raven: I’ll look for that. JeffW’s puppies are always enchanting.
raven
@Elizabelle: This is one.
Elizabelle
@raven: I want.
opiejeanne
OMAHA?!
Heard that a lot last year.
Mike E
@opiejeanne: Aaron Rodgers audible, today: New York bozo
Len
@jharp:
You are correct. The officials did call it right. Then the challenge flag was thrown and the review officials reversed the ruling by the officials.
The winner of this game was determined before it even started.
Oh, wanna know about the so-called Super Bowl? It’ll be Seattle and New England. The Pats will win. They already had a meeting and it has already been decided.
Excuse me, but I gotta go put my aluminum foil hat on now.
opiejeanne
@Mike E: Yes! He says he’s got 120 minutes left. some of us think he’ll only need 60.
Omnes Omnibus
@Len:
That would be a good idea.
opiejeanne
@Len: The reversal was based on the Megatron rule. Maybe they need to change it, but it’s A Rule.
opiejeanne
@Omnes Omnibus: This site really needs a “like” button.
BruceFromOhio
Your entire season comes down to three inches. That has to sting.
p.a.
What rules will the MFL (Manning Football League) change after this (probable) loss to help him next year?
Scott Alloway
I watched the Denver-Indy game, as as 40+ year Patsies fan, hoping to see Peyton Manning do his thing. I’ve always admired the man as a QB, and today I saw YA Tittle, bloodied, on the turf, at the end of his career. No, Peyton wasn’t physically beaten, but the QB I saw today was not the one I enjoyed watching in the past. Is it over for him? Hope not. I want Peyton to go out with dignity, not with missed throws, unmade opportunities and without a chance to win at the last second. His deserves a positive ending, even if it’s a tight loss. Best to you, Peyton.
The Sailor
Pretty convincing win for the Colts.
Betty Cracker
@Scott Alloway: He had a helluva run, and that’s probably his last game. Hall of Famer without question.
p.a.
One and DONE
David Koch
HA – Nationwide wasn’t on Peyton’s side
Betty Cracker
@p.a.: Brady is more handsome too.
Scott Alloway
@Betty Cracker: I agree on the HOF.. But at my age, I’ve seen too many end-of-an era people – in sports, theater, politics, et alia. Makes me saddened for some reason when the time comes. Guess it’s coming to grips with my own mortality.
Tree With Water
@S. cerevisiae: Most NFL fans are familiar with ‘the catch’- Montana to Dwight Clark- but very few are aware that Drew Pearson nearly burned the Niners on the Cowboys final possession, on the same crossing pattern that won their divisional game the week before.
Corner Stone
@efgoldman: He’ll either take a couple year break in the booth, then coach, or go straight to QB or OC coach somewhere.
He can’t be seriously thinking of taking a live snap next year.
Corner Stone
@efgoldman: I kind of agree. He’s shown a complete lack of giving any other QB one snap that he didn’t have to absolutely begrudge them. So how the F is he going to help make any offense better?
But. He does know every wrinkle of every team’s D he goes up against.
Whatever he does, he won’t go away. He likes the sponsorship money deals way too much to just walk away, no matter how much coin he has.
He’ll be with us for a while.
Mike E
@efgoldman: Simms commits teevee malpractice on a weekly basis. IMO Aikman is quite good, balanced and keeps his gaffs to a minimum. I see Manning as a quasi Jimmy Stewart, but more right wing…he has a bright future in the GOP.
Gravenstone
Christie’s reaction to the Dez Bryant overturn. (click through to embiggen)
p.a.
@Mike E: Maybe doing the studio thing a la Boomer, Harrison… From all I’ve heard he really is a family man who would rather do a weekend commute to NY or LA rather than chase games across the NFL. And he sure as hell should not need the $$$.
Len
@Omnes Omnibus:
I was kidding. I actually don’t own a hat made of aluminum foil.
I’m not naive enough, though, to believe that the NFL is not big business and, like every other big business, they manage their business in ways that are most beneficial to themselves.
yodecat
@Tommy: The call was more or less correct. Read the rules. Stupid rule as its. It’s is self contradictory the way I see it.
I am very disappointed, but so it goes. I’m looking forward to next year!
But: we was robbed.
Villago Delenda Est
@BruceFromOhio: Football is a game of inches.
Mack
That was a catch. Period. And I really like the Pack.
Glad to see the Broncos eliminated, never was a big Peyton fan. That said, the right four teams are still in it.