Have to post this one early since the Bills are playing the Jags at 9:30 AM ET in London. Here are my picks — just straight up winners and losers, no spread involved:
My upset pick is the Jets over the Pats. It could happen!
Feel free to tell me how full of crap I am in comments. Or discuss whatever — open thread!
ETA: We watched “Jurassic World” last night (wasn’t my idea), and good lord, was it awful! Of course, it’s a movie about genetically modified dinosaurs, so suspension of disbelief is required. But sweet babby Jeebus riding a stegosaurus into Bethlehem, this movie requires suspension of all brain functions outside the stem. Stupid plot twists. Misogyny. Don’t waste your $3.
Peale
I am just a civilian looking guy who needs a gun to shoot dinosaurs in a crowd. So I’m just gonna grab the loaded gun I need from the hands of a security guard and start blasting. The guard will not protest. I believe the Jurassic World security forces have recievd the same training that we give the various forces we expect to fight ISIS.
Tenar Darell
Re: Jurassic World: thanks, confirms my suspicions.
Read about the whole “running in heels through the jungle” bit, and kept thinking “Why couldn’t anyone get a machete and chop off the heels, like in Romancing the Stone?” I’d guess that no one cared to even figure out how to get that into the plot. Which means I’m not going out of my way to watch the movie.
Amir Khalid
Are C.G.B. Spender’s least favourite team playing the Jacksonville Jaguars in a stadium built for real football? Is it by any chance Wembley? Do actual wild jaguars live in or near Jacksonville?
The climate change denier Michael Crichton’s been dead for years. Is there anyone left to stop Hollywood from taking a dump on his fictional universe?
PaulW
I’m gonna be rooting for the Bucs today, if they win they get to .500 in a season for the first time since 2012.
As for the college football, ye Gods what a tweest with that FSU collapse… and UMiami is toast this year.
But what bothers me most is that the South Florida Bulls are going to be good this year – just not great, but at least able to win games – and yet the Ray Jay stadium is EMPTY! What the hell happened? I know fans fled during the dark years of Skippy Holtz, and that we’re not playing the likes of West Virginia or Louisville anymore. But CMON, this is your alma mater alumni! This is your school, college students!
I admit I haven’t gone to a game in years: my work schedule doesn’t give me free weekends and it’s just lousy timing (the days I have off are the days USF is on the road except for one game this November). But when I did go with my mom (fellow graduate) for games back in the day, the lower deck of the stadium was packed. The student section in the North end zone was doubly packed and worked up. What the hell happened? where’d it go?
Are the tickets just too damn expensive now?
Tenar Darell
Wow. Really? Some of these descriptions of what happened during certain games and with some coaches are not like the others, but this level of paranoia seems excessive.
the Conster
The Jets beating the Pats can definitely happen. I’m kind of expecting it – they haven’t really faced a really good defense, and Revis is really really good. The Jets just need to put up a lot of points with that QB they’ve got.
@Tenar Darell: Bill Belichick is deeply inside opposing coaches heads. I think he beats some of them before the game is played, by making them overthink everything they do.
different-church-lady
@Tenar Darell: Bill Belichick, Destroyer of Minds.
Ken
Brilliant! Just the plot twist needed for Jurassic World II! There is a career in Hollywood waiting for you.
bystander
Jurassic Park was a big disappointment. First of all, the portrayal of a top executive dressed and made up to look like a porn star in the first reel was laughable. Not helped by the fact I also really don’t like Howard’s acting.
The CGI/3D stuff has the same place in cinema history as the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Ajabu
But: Were John Cazale still alive & starred in the movie it would get an Oscar.
( He appeared in five films during six years that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter.)
Or, more likely, he’d have laughed them out of the room when offered the lead. Cazale knew how to pick roles.
Iowa Old Lady
@Tenar Darell: I actually don’t get it when a movie character breaks or chops the heels off and then can run just dandy. The sole of that shoe is shaped.
Mr IOL hates watching TV or movies with me because I keep pointing out stuff like that, which he claims “ruins” the story.
Tenar Darell
@the Conster: @different-church-lady: I was saying something to the effect yesterday that non-fans don’t really root for the Pats, well, because they don’t really need it.
I think it is a Masshole issue. And I realized today, Belechick is an adopted Masshole. “‘F-you’ before you can ‘f-me’ I dare you to pass me or jump in front of my car.” (Yeah, I haven’t quite got it real pithy yet).
khead
Jets +8.5, Falcons -4.5, Rams -5.5.
Chris
Yes, Jurassic World was less than entirely good (probably didn’t help that I rewatched the previous movies right before seeing it, which made the contrast even worse). Still, I’ve got hopes for the last two sequels of the year (Spectre and The Force Awakens), perhaps in defiance of all rationality.
Also, I still need to catch up on Mad Max from this summer, and X-Men from last summer.
ThresherK
My own picks (for the LGM group at ESPN) really don’t amount to much.
Having given up on trying to figure the whole thing out on a game-by-game basis, I may be left with two strategies to choose from: “I’m picking everything Betty does” or “I’m picking everything the opposite that Betty does”.
ETA: Damn. I missed that there was an early-morning (in the Eastern Time Zone) NFL game in London today, and I did not pick it. Worse, I probably would not have figured Jacksonville to have a 3 1/2 TD lead after 20 minutes of football.
Tenar Darell
@Iowa Old Lady: Heh. True.
Depends on the shoes. If they’ve got continuous steel shank it won’t work, but most women’s shoes aren’t that well made. I think fiberglass is flexible, don’t know about Kevlar though. (What? I watched Kinky Boots.)
Iowa Old Lady
@Tenar Darell: Kevlar boots? The things I learn on BJ! IMHO, high heels are the equivalent of foot binding.
Gator90
@Betty Cracker
Do you feel as bad for the shocked Seminoles as I do? Awwwwwww….
On the downside, my daughters attended the Miami-Clemson game with me and were initially very excited, only to see the home team get slaughtered 58-0. It was their second-ever game; hopefully they aren’t turned off to football forever.
different-church-lady
@ThresherK:
Perhaps an indication that the NFL’s little Yahoo experiment isn’t going to reap the results they hoped.
JimV
Love the picks. Wish I lived in the alternate universe in which all the NY teams win – more likely they’ll all lose.
Where were you when I spent the $5 to see JW at Regal Cinema on a 5-dollar-Tuesday in the early summer? Makes “Fury Road” seem kinda good now, doesn’t it?
Every time they rebuild Jurassic Park it becomes a financial and humanitarian disaster. That is one stupid alternate universe.
rikyrah
Good Morning, Everyone :)
ThresherK
@different-church-lady: I’m asleep when that London game begins, but the Bills fans set their alarms in a decent number, I hope.
I understand that the Jaguars are in two of these London games, which leads me to wonder, Don’t we like the English?
Y’know who they send to tour over here in friendlies? All the big teams. No plucky over-achievers or historical* olde club with a dedicated, yet geographically limited, fan base. I love Burton Albion, but for the good of the game, I know why we get Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Man U and the like.
(* Yes, about all the teams in English soccer qualify as “historical”, many of them having played for four decades when the upstart Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears happened on the scene.)
redshirt
@the Conster:
I’m legit worried about today’s game. The Jets Defense is great in all aspects, and the Pats O-line is real banged up right now. Dion Lewis was just ruled out, which takes away a great weapons. And the Jets offense can be very good if they can establish the run, which they probably will since the Pats run D is middling.
Thankfully it’s in Foxboro, which should help, but I wouldn’t at all be surprised if the Jets win it.
That said: Pats 30, Jets 24
Damned at Random
Do you dis the Stillers every week just to drive Cole crazy?
JPL
I just came in to check the score.. Jacksonville could be the first upset of the day… Wow! Now I have to go finish cleaning out the gutters. We are suppose to have three days of rain and I want to rid the gutters of the nasty leafs.
redshirt
@different-church-lady:
It’s a test run to see if the NFL can charge for exclusive streaming of actually good games. Imagine if they only streamed Pats v Broncos and it cost 5 bucks. Would you pay for it?
The NFL is going to find out, eventually.
redshirt
Rex Ryan is a human dumpster fire.
cokane
Jets over Pats? Chiefs over Steelers? Just no Betty, just no.
different-church-lady
Rex Ryan coached team, 2012, second quarter:
9:43 – opposition touchdown one play after losing fumble
9:00 – opposition touchdown, return of Butt Fumble
8:51 – opposition touchdown, return of muffed kick-off reception
Different Rex Ryan coached team, 2015, second quarter:
12:30 – opposition touchdown, fumble return
12:21 – opposition touchdown, interception return
8:34 – opposition touchdown, 3 plays after interception
different-church-lady
@redshirt:
No. I don’t have the money for trivial crap anymore.
different-church-lady
@JPL: The only upset in that game would be if one of those two teams actually won it.
benw
I’m alternating between watching clips of the miracle Tech win last night and stressing about the Chargers.
GO BOLTS.
geg6
@Iowa Old Lady:
You’re not wrong about heels being the equivalent of foot binding. But I admit to being a sucker for a great pair of heels. Despite my age and the state of my feet, I still have that Carrie Bradshaw shoe fetish that I had in my thirties and forties. Can’t indulge like I used to because my feet won’t let me, but I still wear them a few days a week to work or out on the town. It just doesn’t feel right if I don’t. Stupid, I know but I can’t help it.
J.
I’m a big Jets fan (though I hate Woody Johnson), and I would love for them to be the Cheetahs, but the chances of that happening are almost as long as the baby Jeebus riding a stegosaurus into Bethlehem. But I appreciate your belief in a Jets second coming, Betty.
Iowa Old Lady
@geg6: If you can walk in those Carrie B shoes, my hat’s off to you! You’ve earned the right.
SFAW
Although the Jets are my team, I’d be (pleasantly) surprised if they beat the
CheatriotsDeflateriotsPatriots.@redshirt:
Maybe last year or the year before. This year, Peyton is (unfortunately) doing pretty poorly. I have no love for Peyton, but it’s too bad that his production/productivity has dropped so much. I imagine it has something to do with his neck problems. Not being able to feel his fingertips might be a factor, too.
geg6
@cokane:
I love my Stillers, but they don’t have good luck playing at KC. I’m never confident when they play there, no matter how terrible the Chiefs may be.
SFAW
@J.:
You and about 10 million other Jets fans
ETA: Of course, Pats fans LOVE Woody.
I’m guessing you meant “beat.”
khead
Taking the Steelers today too if DE put a line up. So, that pretty much guarantees a loss. I never get Pitt right.
geg6
@Iowa Old Lady:
To be fair, nowadays I only wear them when I won’t be on my feet much, like a day of meetings or a scholarship dinner or out to eat for dinner and drinks. If I have to be on my feet a lot, it’s a ballerina flats day
cokane
@geg6: Jamaal Charles is out, probably for the whole year, that offense is cooked without him. Landry will be a step up from Vick. Pitt takes it easy (and I’m no fan of theirs!)
different-church-lady
@SFAW: No, I’m thinking Freudian slip here.
redshirt
@different-church-lady:
LOL. They hate us cuz they ain’t us.
SFAW
@different-church-lady:
That had occurred to me, but I thought I’d give J the benefit of the doubt.
Bobby Thomson
I liked Jurassic World and thought Jurassic Park I was crap. Spielberg identified with the Attenborough character and changed him from a villain to a hero. Also, too, no pteranodons.
And Jurassic World is cheekily meta.
SFAW
@redshirt:
Keep telling yourself that.
Kinda like RtR kept telling himself that Jeb! was surging.
That being said: I certainly wish Belichick had gotten over his Parcells-hate, stayed with the Jets back then. The Jets coaches since then haven’t been Kotite-reborn, but they’ve been almost uniformly mediocre.
burnspbesq
@JimV:
There’s likely to be a playoff team in East Rutherford this year–but it’s most likely going to be the mighty Becton Regional Wildcats.
SFAW
@burnspbesq:
Not after getting crushed by Park Ridge, they’re not.
The Jets have a decent chance, unless they tank (which is certainly possible).
different-church-lady
@SFAW: Jets fans have the resignation as a legitimate reason for Belichick/Patriots hatred.
J.
@SFAW: Oops. Yes, I meant “beat.” (Freudian slip?) Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt, SFAW. :-)
different-church-lady
4th and goal from the 1 yard line, and you’re up by 14 — how the hell do you not take the field goal there?
evodevo
@Iowa Old Lady: Yes. Sounds very familiar. I’ve got an MS in Zoology and I keep interjecting comments on various forms of “science” in the movies/TeeVee series involving DNA/CSI/biological concepts/natural world and I can see him out of the corner of my eye making that “husband face”, but keeping his mouth shut. Smart man.
schrodinger's cat
I didn’t much like Jurassic Park either, not scary at all. Someone called movies with songs unrealistic, the other day, in a thread about a movie about superheros! Singing is surely more realistic than becoming an angsty human spider spinning webs to catch criminals.
SFAW
@different-church-lady:
I really don’t hate the Pats the way some Jets fans do, nor the way most Pats fans seem to hate the Jets.
I hate the Cowboys, but that’s mainly because I’m (apparently) un-American. But outside of that< I can't think of too many teams I actually hate. Probably a personality flaw.
schrodinger's cat
@Iowa Old Lady: Flats hurt my arches. I prefer moderate heel height, between 1 and 3 inches.
WaterGirl
@SFAW:
that was harsh!
srv
Does the Federal Gov’t subsidize movies for takers or what?
germy shoemangler
@schrodinger’s cat:
I remember The Onion ran an article saying the most unrealistic thing about Man Of Steel was that Clark Kent could work on a newspaper as a journalist.
“Economically Healthy ‘Daily Planet’ Now Most Unrealistic Part Of Superman Universe”
http://www.theonion.com/article/economically-healthy-daily-planet-now-most-unreali-28718
“The kids will flip through a copy of Superman, roll their eyes, and put it right back on the rack,” Wadlow said. “They’re only 9, 10 years old, but they’re already drawing the line at a flourishing daily newspaper that is considered an essential news source for absolutely everyone, seems to have no morale issues among its staff, and hasn’t lost a dime of ad money to aggregator sites.”
srv
Trump is the only moral choice for those who want to maintain a Union.
redshirt
@SFAW:
I don’t think Pats fans really hate the Jets. Does a boot hate an ant?
srv
Pragmatism, realism. Not magical unicorn fantasies from warmongers like Bush, Obama and Clinton.
redshirt
@different-church-lady:
The Jets stole Parcells from the Pats.
Remember the Tuna Bowls?
Amir Khalid
@srv:
This is the same Donald Trump who makes grand promises to do this or that wonderful thing for America but consistently evades questions about just how he’s going to do it, right? You’re a pretty smart person, srv. I just wonder how you manage not to notice that the Donald is an empty drum.
Betty Cracker
Bills take the lead on a pick six! W00t!
@PaulW: Looks like I’m gonna have to root for da Bulls starting next year; my kiddo is going there.
JPL
@different-church-lady: True. I just came back in and the score is much closer.
schrodinger's cat
Is anyone watching Quantico? How is it? How is Priyanka Chopra?
She is awesome in this song, I think I may have a girl crush, she dances like a dream! Check out the step at around 2.45 mark.
PC in Ram Chahe Leela – Ram wants Leela, whether or not Leela wants Ram — from the 2013 movie Ramleela. The song starts off with baudy lyrics in street Hindi with some English words thrown in and is interspersed with Gujarati devotional lyrics about Ram (from Ramayana). The song switches back and forth between several languages pretty unconsciously, just like most contemporary Indians do.
Note: Fast forward 20s of Salman Khan ads.
Origuy
If there’s a blank post above this, it’s mine. Trying to post on a tablet I’m not used to.
Any other Juicers at Oracle World in SF? I’m up here from SJ for Java World. Yes, I’m one of those assholes for whom the streets are closed or jammed. Sorry about that.
Oracle is sponsoring a concert Wednesday night on Treasure Island with Elton John and Beck. I wasn’t sure my registration would include a ticket, but it does. Now I just have to figure out how to get home, as I was going to take BART.
Betty Cracker
Buffalo is just trying to lose this game. Dumb mofos.
amk
@srv:
teh ‘base’ – fucking rino.
Citizen_X
@srv:
Nothing unifies a nation like a good ethnic cleansing.
Amir Khalid
The Republicans’ biggest candidate for president, just being himself.
Amir Khalid
Another kind of football:
Meanwhile Liverpool, at home to Southampton, are dominating possession 60-40, but with their best strikers still out injured their finishing is not the best. Still 0-0 at Anfield.
different-church-lady
And now that that’s over, we can get on with some football.
cokane
got damn Rex Ryan is a terrible coach
redshirt
Yay Jags!
redshirt
@cokane: I didn’t see the end. How did Rex lose it? Bad clock management?
max
For some reason, I am totally not seeing the Bucs beat the Redskins, even though the Redskins suck.
max
[‘They don’t suck the same way they sucked last year though.’]
schrodinger's cat
@Amir Khalid: I had no idea that he was still in the race.
cokane
@redshirt: Wastes a timeout w/ the clock stopped on a 4th n 1 play, and then out of the time out, they call a terrible roll out left for EJ Manuel, that Jax read all the way. Not entirely Ryan’s fault, it was a terribly thrown pass too, but sure didn’t play to his team’s strengths, and the burned time out made calling a run play much dicier.
Betty Cracker
@max: They both suck. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Bucs lose. But I think the Ethnic Slurs will suck slightly worse today. Just a feeling.
Amir Khalid
@schrodinger’s cat:
He hasn’t announced a suspension of his campaign, so presumably Chris Christie is still waddling briskly for president. Seriously, while Trump is a blowhard, Christie is a lout. I’m told politicians like that have a certain appeal in New Jersey, but I’m darned if I can see what’s so appealing about him.
schrodinger's cat
@germy shoemangler: Funny and true! For me the most unbelievable aspect of Superman was Lois Lane.
Steeplejack
@schrodinger’s cat:
Priyanka Chopra is great, but I’m kind of underwhelmed by Quantico so far. It’s kind of a mish-mash, as if some suit said, “We need something like The Blacklist, but with lots more sexier people, and give me a little How to Get Away with Murder edge in there too.”
Also, the underlying idea that the FBI is hypercompetent and the elite of the elite is
almostlaughable at this point.Just remembered that I haven’t even watched last week’s episode on the DVR yet. So I can’t say it’s must-see TV at this point.
Corner Stone
God damn it. Just flip to Texans in time to see that clusterfuck at Miami. Three F’ng defenders all run into one another. Jeebus fuck.
Bobby Thomson
@Amir Khalid: you do realize srv is just trolling, right?
Corner Stone
@Steeplejack: I’ve tried to watch Q twice now and it’s just not sticking.
On the other hand, I have rewatched all epis of Blindspot at least 3 times a piece.
bemused
@Amir Khalid:
No one ever taught Christie to use his indoor voice if he ever had one.
Corner Stone
@max: I am completely baffled by the Bucs at Skins game. Will either of those teams be able to win this game? I think at some point the players will agree to just mutually walk off the field.
frosty
There’s our Crazification Factor again! Margin of error was 2.7%.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/fox-news-trusted-network-poll-115887
dedc79
@Amir Khalid: on the subject of Christie, apparently he got kicked out of Amtrak ‘s quiet car for, get this, being loud.
Corner Stone
@bemused:
He’s like Dudders in Harry Potter. His parents probably treated Christie the same way. And from Christie’s speech at Romney’s nomination event (still think that was hilariously bad decision by Mitt’s team), we know he hates and despises his dad and his mom was the ballbuster in that family.
Steeplejack
@Betty Cracker:
I have been noticing for a while that the newsbots on WUSA, the CBS affiliate in D.C., go out of their way to avoid using the term “Redskins.” It’s “Washington” this or “the burgundy and gold” that. Dunno how widespread this is; I watch only WUSA and only the late-night newscast, mainly for the weather. They’re fairly subtle; it took me a little while to notice it.
But I haven’t watched the team-specific preview show or the late-night sports recap show on Sunday to see if the sports bots manage to keep it up the entire time.
Amir Khalid
@Bobby Thomson:
Yes, I do. You have to humour them once in a while, so they’ll think they’re fooling somebody.
Oops.
Corner Stone
People always talk about what a great punter Shane Lechler is, but he always outkicks his coverage. Having a big boot is great and all but not when some portion of the time it gives the returner a 15 yard running start.
redshirt
@Steeplejack: I think the major networks are following suit. At least NBC.
Steeplejack
@Corner Stone:
Haven’t started on Blindspot yet. But it’s in the queue.
Corner Stone
Took 5 Texans to tackle that wide screen pass.
patrick II
The Bills have just run about the worst series of plays I have ever seen on their last possession.The bills have a second down and less than a yard to go. On second and less than one the Panthers lined up to stop a running play, the bills receivers were being covered man on man. There just is no better time situation in which to run out play action and throw the ball to a wide receiver. You still have two downs to make the first. Instead they run right into the stacked defense and lose a little yardage. Now it’s third-down but they are in a four down situation so they still have two downs to make the first from one yard away. So they try quarterback sneak from a little too far away and they don’t make it. Once again the receivers for single covered. Finally on fourth down and a yard to go they decide to pass but after having failed to run the ball twice the defense is not looking for another run and cover the pass. Additionally the right-handed quarterback, rolls to his left making the throw more difficult and throws into a double-team in the flats. The play was defended. Fourth down and they lost possession of the ball. Oh, and I forgot to mention the waste of the timeout between plays because they got confused.
Worst sequence of plays I have ever seen.
Corner Stone
@Steeplejack: I think Blindspot is one of those shows that may suffer from a binge watch style. IMO, it’s the kind of show you need to think back over for a bit in between episodes.
Although, *slight spoiler alert*
.
.
.
.
.
.
The interaction between the FBI and the creepy CIA guy is starting to get way over the top too early in the series. It has potential to really ruin this show.
WereBear
@schrodinger’s cat: Yep. Lois had Dana-Scully level of not seeing the obvious going on.
But I think it was part of the suspension of disbelief. Like the Michael Keaton Batman — he’s wearing those same lips all over Gotham and nobody can recognize them?
Like Mike Jagger wearing the cowl and no one recognizes him.
Corner Stone
Texans playing terribiddle and sloppy early on. However, my other viewing choice is NO at Indy.
NFL! Feel the Excitement!
Steeplejack
The Ravens play tomorrow night, so do I get a good game on CBS to go up against the Bucs-Burgundy and Gold game on Fox? No, I do not. I get no game. They’re running goddamn infomercials. I guess this is designed to whet my appetite for Raiders-Chargers at 4:00. At least Fox has Cowboys-Giants later. That could be some good “root for injuries” viewing.
Corner Stone
God damn it Texans. Five missed tackles? Again?
cokane
@patrick II: yep, i also forgot to mention on that 4th and 1, it was a designed roll out and yet there was only 1 bills receiver short on that side of the field… just terrible terrible play design
schrodinger's cat
@Steeplejack: The promos I saw didn’t make me want to tune in. I am eagerly awaiting the return of The Americans, for my spy story fix.
Has anyone seen The Honourable Woman?
Amir Khalid
@WereBear:
Tsk, tsk. Nobody calls him Mike. It’s Mick. Sir Mick, if you want to annoy Keef.
Betty Cracker
@patrick II: Truly wretched play calling.
bemused
@Corner Stone:
I don’t remember Christie’s reference to his parents from the Romney nomination but do remember Christie tried to make it all about himself vs Romney.
I am with Amir. I have no idea why Christie’s loudmouth belligerence is supposedly an asset. Only to other bullies, imo.
Mike in NC
The country needs a uniter, not a divider.
(Worked out so well last time we heard that line.)
redshirt
This Jets Pats game is making me nervous. The D can’t hold on 3rd downs.
Corner Stone
@bemused: Christie emasculated his father over and over. It was horrifying. I’ll see if I can find the thread with my real time comments, or maybe a transcript since this Texans v Fish game is making me want to become a nun.
Steeplejack
@Corner Stone:
Okay, thanks, I’ll pace myself.
redshirt
@Corner Stone: You haven’t accepted the Texans as a terrible team this year?
WereBear
@Amir Khalid: Typo.
PsiFighter37
J-E-T-S!
bemused
@Corner Stone:
I don’t know how I missed that although probably my aversion to watching the guy in action much is the reason. I can only stomach so much.
Corner Stone
@bemused: Here’s the transcript. Read the first few paragraphs. Warning, Politico link
” My Mom, who I lost 8 years ago, was the enforcer. She made sure we all knew who set the rules.
In the automobile of life, Dad was just a passenger. Mom was the driver. “.
Steeplejack
@schrodinger’s cat:
I saw a few episodes of The Honourable Woman—can’t remember where—and thought it was pretty good. Good enough to stop watching in the middle and wait until I could go back and start from the beginning.
the Conster
@redshirt:
Yeah, the Pats O line looks off too – Jets look better on both D and O.
JPL
@schrodinger’s cat: I liked The Honourable Woman a lot. It really could have ended a number of ways, because no one is clean when it comes to the Israeli, Pakistan situation.
Steeplejack
@Corner Stone:
And that’s the last time Christie refers to dear old Dad, at least that I could see. “I was her son when I did such and such. I was her son when I did that other thing. I was her son when I did whatever.” Oof.
germy shoemangler
@WereBear:
The biggest suspension of belief, in any film with big stars, is having to imagine a world where that star doesn’t exist. For example, in the new film “The Intern” I saw a brief clip where someone tells Robert De Niro’s character about other Al Pacino and other actors. They exist, but apparently not De Niro. No one says “The new intern looks just like Robert De Niro…”
Jim, Foolish Literalist
sounds like Mrs Christie’s Bullyboy was outdoing himself today:
Ron Fournier on the Joe And Mike Show tomorrow: Well, Bernie Sanders say billionaires have corrupted the political system, so both sides engage in overheated rhetoric….
WereBear
@Steeplejack: Guess we know where the bullying came from, then.
Amir Khalid
@germy shoemangler:
I remember seeing a moment in one of the Hope-Crosby “Road” movies, when someone remarks that Dorothy Lamour’s character looks like Dorothy Lamour.
Corner Stone
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
ThresherK
Southampton tie it against Liverpool in the 86th minute.
germy shoemangler
@Amir Khalid:
They were brilliant; always pointing out to the audience that it was a movie.
Just like in one of the Marx brothers movies, when a woman hides a wallet from Groucho by putting it down her blouse. He looks at the audience and says “There must be some way for me to get that wallet without getting in trouble with the Hays office.”
Amir Khalid
@ThresherK:
Frustrating.
raven
@Amir Khalid:
Hives: Signor Emanuel Ravelli!
(Fanfare)
Ravelli: How do you do?
Mrs. Rittenhouse: How do you do?
Ravelli: Where’s the dining room?
Spaulding: Say, I used to know a fellow, looked exactly like you, by the name of…ah…Emanuel Ravelli. Are you his brother?
Ravelli: I’m Emanuel Ravelli.
Spaulding: You’re Emanuel Ravelli?
Ravelli: I’m Emanuel Ravelli.
Spaulding: Well, no wonder you look like him…But I still insist, there is a resemblance.
Ravelli: Ha, ha, ha, ha…hey, he thinks I look alike.
Spaulding: Well, if you do it’s a tough break for both of you.
bemused
@Corner Stone:
Mom also may have been a big bully. Christie seems to think bullying people to get your way is the road to being “respected”. I’d say he is just rationalizing bullying.
raven
Hooker or Lana Turner? This may be the best evan!
Gator90
I’m not sure who these dudes are in the Dolphin uniforms, but I sure do like ’em.
Tenar Darell
@Iowa Old Lady:
Just the supports between the soles.
More shoe trivia –
http://dp.la/exhibitions/exhibits/show/shoe-industry-massachusetts/early-shoemaking
DTTM
Not into to football theses days, but for combat of another sort, try Daily Kos. Bernie vs. H with a raucous and pretty rude majority of Bernie people shouting down other opinions with smug know-it-all surety. Tiresome. Getting more like the now defunct FDL/Hamsher scene. Do Juicers just give Kos a skip? I probably should…too many hysterics.
Corner Stone
@Gator90: I honestly don’t think the Fish are a good team. Today the Texans have decided to make them look like a juggernaut.
Corner Stone
jeebus
Baud
@DTTM:
Avoid like the plague.
@Corner Stone:
Texans are now in double digits in total yardage.
Corner Stone
@Baud: Hey! We’re in the Red Zone! What more could you ask for?
There were four Fish defenders surrounding that TE.
geg6
@DTTM:
I always read the morning pundit roundup but rarely anything else unless it’s an election night when they are the best coverage of all races. And the diaries and comments are just a nightmare. Haven’t waded into the slime there in years.
redshirt
@Corner Stone:
They were supposed to be good with all the new talent, and since they fired Philbin it’s hard to argue against their performance.
I think the Phins are for real.
Corner Stone
Offsides Fish. Hoyer you gotta throw that ball into the endzone for a toss up since you knew that was a free play.
Baud
@Corner Stone:
Important fourth down.
ETA: Oh, man, that was quick.
Betty Cracker
Halftime. Off to the store for enchilada makings. Y’all play nice!
Steve from Antioch
Unhappy as I am, how have I deserved that I must look on such a scene as this? Do not, my Lucilius, attend the games, I pray you. Either you will be corrupted by the multitude, or, if you show disgust, be hated by them. So stay away.”
John Revolta
@DTTM: Well, I go over there to read the comics but that’s about it. And even those are about 50% lately.
Betty
Miami – Houston game is just crazy-41-0. Wow!
Ruckus
@Amir Khalid:
The only thing appealing about krispy is that he is in NJ. And you aren’t. What’s that 10,000 miles? Not really enough distance but better than less than 300.
different-church-lady
Who the heck is the head linesman in the Pats-Jets game? Twice I could tell in real time that the play came up short (once for each team), twice they gave the first down anyway, and twice a challenge overturned the spot.
I’ve felt for a long time that the spots in the NFL are chronically generous, but this is just ridiculous now.
shell
The Decades channel (which I didnt even knew was on my cable lineup) is having a Dark Shadows marathon.
Corner Stone
Clowndog for his first NFL sack!
redshirt
@Corner Stone: Keep on hoping! Maybe you can hold Miami to under 70.
Davebo
@Corner Stone:
Only took 10 games! Obviously a good pick by Rick.
Steve in the ATL
@DTTM:
Yes.
redshirt
So many drops by the Pats. WTF?
SFAW
@WaterGirl:
Not even close to harsh. Unless objective truth is now considered harsh.
Goblue72
@redshirt: We’d be running away with this game if it wasn’t for the butterfingers.
SFAW
@redshirt:
Apparently the “boot” hates the Jets.
Of course, given the way the Pats stomped the Jets in the 2011 playoffs – what was it? Something like Pats 63, Jets 0? – they should be more magnanimous.
jeffreyw
@Betty Cracker:
Mmm… enchiladas
WaterGirl
@WereBear: I take it you aren’t watching Arrow or The Flash..
SFAW
@Goblue72:
Right. Especially if the Jets put 11 on the D-line, then the Pats would really have a chance.
Of course, it helps that Gillchrist apparently is a walk-on from Becton Regional or Farmingdale High. Someone might want to explain to him that “coverage” means you try to stay close to your man.
johnnybuck
@DTTM: Start the day out with Abbreviated Pundit Roundup, and some of the front page posts, but never read the diaries or comments anymore.
The Sailor
Jeebus, the Colts are imploding.
WaterGirl
@Amir Khalid: I’m thinking that “Mike” was a victim of autocorrect.
Amir Khalid
@WaterGirl:
Most likely. But I still like to go “tsk, tsk” at people, even though I know I shouldn’t.
SFAW
Wow, looks like the Pats are stomping the evul Jets.
(Of course, now that I’ve jinxed it, the Pats will score another 5 TDs. Dammit.)
Corner Stone
Alligator armed that pass by Hoyer.
Corner Stone
Finally. Thank you Arian.
And a miss on the extra point. Sigh.
WaterGirl
@jeffreyw: You sure know how to put together a pretty plate.
redshirt
@Corner Stone:@Corner Stone: You’re doing play by play on a 41-7 game?
ETA: LOL sorry, 41-6
WaterGirl
@Amir Khalid: Hmm not one of my guilty pleasures, but life is all about finding something that makes you happy. :-)
redshirt
Why is LaFell still playing? To prove he’ll keep dropping the ball?
SFAW
@redshirt:
He just wants to make my life a little happier, that’s all. He’s compassionate that way.
mai naem mobile
@schrodinger’s cat: I’ve watched Quantico. To me it’s a hot mess. I admit I’ve missed a few mins of each episode but its left me confused. They’re doing this back and forth thing with time and I think she’s playing a double undercover role. I’ve watched Scandal, West Wing, NCIS and various Brit crime shows from the middle and not gotten as confused as watching Quantico.
Bart
Since John et al are slacking in the displaying of adorable critters part, I have to find my fix elsewhere. So many mews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z87FPcOOCoA
Pie Happens (opiejeanne)
I got myself roped into Fantasy Football with some family and friends, and Gawd do I suck at it. I read the reports, look at the advice, compare players, etc. but when game day arrives something goes terribly wrong, just enough that we lose; we’ve won 2 so far. Game 5 we had a really high score until the Monday game, when my older daughter came from behind and whopped us. I think we had the two highest scores. Game 6 we were on the road and I only know that we lost not the details.
This is game 7 and I’m watching it all fall apart again, going from a healthy lead to straight down the crapper, and my opposing team is sassing me.
Not that it’s likely to happen, but no one should ask me for advice about this. Going back outside to pull weeds, dammit.
Brother Dingaling
Ahem, Saints
SFAW
@Bart:
Orange kittens as far as the eye can see.
dogwood
@schrodinger’s cat:
I’m late to this thread, but I hear you when it comes to “the Americans”. Best show on TV. I think last season’s episode “Do Mail Robots Dream of Electric Sheep?” was one of the most gut -wrenching I’ve seen on TV in a good long while.
Pie Happens (opiejeanne)
@Brother Dingaling: My FF Defense is Steelers. They lost points a couple of minutes ago. AARGH!
WereBear
@WaterGirl: Deep into Grimm and The Blacklist at the moment.
Corner Stone
Nice drive by the Texans. TD Foster.
redshirt
@Corner Stone:I think Corner Stone has me pied. This is the test.
redshirt
@Pie Happens (opiejeanne): Fantasy Football is a hell of a thing. All of a sudden you care about random running back from the team you know nothing about.
Corner Stone
Doesn’t matter. Free play. Good choice to throw, bad execution.
Corner Stone
Nice TD Texans after several despicably bad throws by Hoyer. Good grab Washington.
redshirt
@Corner Stone: Or maybe Corner Stone has most people pied?
Davebo
@Corner Stone:
It’s amazing what you can do against the third team defense.
Corner Stone
@Davebo: Plenty of football left, baby!
jeffreyw
@WaterGirl: Thank you, Ma’am
redshirt
@Corner Stone:
OK so that theory disproved.
Hey Corner Stone!
Davebo
@Corner Stone:
I grew up luckily with season tickets to the Oilers during the Luv Ya Blue era of 76-79. And we never won it all but at least we came close.
I just don’t know what to say about this organization. I’m beginning to think that Bob McNair had a youthful dalliance with a woman decades ago and Rick Smith was the outcome. There’s really no other explanation.
schrodinger's cat
@dogwood: Matthew Rhys is awesome isn’t he? Why no Emmy nominations, I wonder.
SFAW
@redshirt:
Well, if it makes you feel any better, I do not have you pied, even though you’re a Pats fan, etc.
Of course, I guess that’s a big “if.”
redshirt
@SFAW:
Obviously. Good game today. The Jets are solid.
You probably win this game in NJ.
WaterGirl
@WereBear: Well, if you were watching The Flash and Arrow , especially Arrow, you would definitely be wondering how no one seems to recognize them in real life. :-)
redshirt
GRONK!
redshirt
I was real nervous there for awhile. Brandon LaFell needs to go back to WR school.
Corner Stone
@Davebo: Just discussing some of this with my ex. Solomon said that “we know Bill O’Brien is a good head coach”. Ummm, no we don’t. He’s had two years to put a QB solution in place and then he immediately starts platooning two mediocre or less level QBs out of the gate.
It’s factually true that he can take an otherworld level effort by the best defensive player in the league and essentially neuter it by really bad head level coaching decisions.
He’s a college head coach. When the Texans go 5 – 11 this year I’m not sure he comes back next year.
Corner Stone
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Corner Stone
That looks like an achilles. God damn it, Foster.
Corner Stone
Nice TD by Texans. Check the 5 – 11 to become 3 – 13.
Goblue72
@redshirt: I can hear the tears coming from Joisey. It’s…glorious.
redshirt
@Goblue72: Not over yet, technically.
redshirt
@Corner Stone: Hey Corner Stone!
redshirt
And bettors everywhere cried – tears of joy or sadness.
Point spreads!
redshirt
Holy smokes!
Oh wow, penalty to end the game!
Tenar Darell
@redshirt: Amendola!
dogwood
@schrodinger’s cat:
Rhys is great as is all the cast. But it’s Keri Russell who has really impressed me the most. That character is complicated. Critics love the show, but no Emmy nominations, which is often the case. Emmys are kind of a joke anyway. “The Wire” never received a nod either. It’s a great achievement in writing, acting, and filming when you can create a spy thriller where the audience can root for and be appalled by the actions of the Russian spies and the FBI agents simultaneously. Don’t know how long the series will last, but it will probably end with Elizabeth being forced to confront the conflict between her naive hardheaded idealism and the future of her children.
Davebo
@Corner Stone:
He’ll be back. He can’t go 2 and 14 and that seems to be Bob’s breaking point. We’ll see $100 a barrel oil before we see Bob cleaning house. And why should he? Sellouts every game from day one.
Corner Stone
@Davebo:
Sure he can. Looks like Foster is out for the year. Texans 2 – 14 or 3 -13.
redshirt
Great call on the Chiefs pick, Betty.
Pie Happens (opiejeanne)
I’m out, more than 10 points back of today’s opponent, and all of my games are complete. He’s still got a game tonight, Cam Newton QB.
SFAW
@redshirt:
Not as solid as I would like, but better than last year. I kept hoping Mariota would still be available when the Jets got to pick. Fitzpatrick’s OK, but I guess he reminds me of Pennington, without the arm strength. (Take my comments with a couple of pounds of salt.)
Wasn’t able to watch the last 3 minutes of the game; from the comments here, looks like it was interesting.
Maybe. The Jets are still the Jets, and the Pats are still the Pats. Brady’s always tough to beat. I won’t bet a lobster on the game.
SFAW
@redshirt:
Damn! Good one!
redshirt
@SFAW:
Thanks. Should have been 30-20 though.
You seem like a decent and good person – for a Jets fan. :)
SFAW
@redshirt:
You mean 30-27, of course. But at least Marshall didn’t try to lateral it, so there’s that.
Got you fooled, I guess!
It’s a Maine thing.
mainmata
Skins usually have a good first half and then fold like a cheap suit in the 2nd half. Today the opposite held true against the Bucs. Down 24-7 at the half they roared back with creative offense under “Captain Kirk” to win in the last few seconds 31-30. The greatest come from behind win in the franchise’s very long history.
redshirt
@SFAW:
And you’re a Jets fan?! Does not compute. Please explain.
For the record, I am terribly against locals who adopt far away teams. I don’t get how you could live in Maine, for example, and be born in Maine and generally from Maine, and not root for New England teams (Maine will never have any major teams. But Sea Dogs and Red Claws are cool), and then as insult, root for the Jets. For example.
Painful.
(But not really – sports are fiction and utterly unimportant except for entertainment)
redshirt
@mainmata: Wow. I was ready to bury this corpse of a franchise, but look at them compete! The Washington Football Concern.
SWMBO
I am so disappointed in the Jets.
redshirt
@SWMBO: Really? I feel like they are overachieving, and are ahead of schedule in terms of the rebuild. You could easily make the playoffs this year as a wild card given the weakness of the other divisions.
SFAW
@redshirt:
Born in NY, grew up about 6 miles (as the bat flies) from Shea. Half of my family is/was from Maine, Mrs. SFAW and I hope to retire there. Live in central MA now, but have never been a Sox/Pats/Celts fan (partly due to a frat brother being an asshole about them, “back in the day”). Been a Mets fans for 60 years, but the first game I ever saw was the Yankees vs (I think) Indians. Jets and Giants fan, but Jets more than Giants.
Remember me mentioning Bayley’s Lobster Pound, a few weeks back? Used to go there when I was a kid, still get lobsters from there when we’re up that way. (Which is Pine Point, by the way.)
So, anyway, I didn’t “adopt” any NY team, they were always my home teams, even after I relocated here.
I know you’re in Maine – or, at least, I think I “know” that – and I think you mentioned having a lobsterman friend who drops some off from time to time. Or maybe I’m mixing you up with MomSense? Senility sucks.
redshirt
@SFAW:
Not me, that’s for sure. While I do live in Maine, I don’t eat lobster and never have, except that one Stephen King time.
I have hung around a lobster pound for 2 summers which included work and going out on the lobster boats – which is not as idyllic as you might imagine, mainly because of seagulls.
As for your NY fandom, you’ve got solid reasons and I respect it. I’m talking about a person born and bred in one region who chooses to root for some other region. It’s trolling in real life.
SFAW
@redshirt:
I don’t think they’re overachieving. They have weaknesses in various areas – Gilchrist was unimpressive today, to put it nicely, Fitzpatrick is no Joe Flacco – but their receivers are fairly strong, Ivory’s pretty good when healthy, their D-Line is pretty good (Richardson could be great, if he gets his shit together off the field).
But, as the cliche goes: time will tell.
SFAW
@redshirt:
I have NEVER thought lobstering was “idyllic.” Never been on a lobster boat myself, but know enough about it from friends, relatives, etc., who have.
Steeplejack (phone)
@redshirt:
You mean like Chris Christie’s love for the Cowboys?
SFAW
@redshirt:
Well, it doesn’t make you a bad person.
But I may need to alert DHS about you.
SFAW
@Steeplejack (phone):
Yeah, that’s all kinds of fucked up. If I recall, the Giants fans have always hated the Cowboys. The only time I didn’t hate the Cowboys was when Staubach was their QB, but that’s because he was one of my heroes when he was at Navy. (Not sure why, actually – I was pre-teen, can’t ‘splain it in rational terms.) For the Outlaw Joisey Whale to be a fan should disqualify him from the Rethug nom.
redshirt
@SFAW:
Of course they are. The Jets sucked last year and fired their head coach. Bringing in a new staff is a huge deal and sometimes takes time to solidify. That the Jets have started out so strong is a testament to Bowles and his leadership.
They could be weak to mediocre and everyone would get a pass, since it’s their first year. Instead they seem like a playoff bound team.
redshirt
@SFAW:
Many lobster men and women are missing fingers.
mainmata
@redshirt: Snyder, the owner is widely hated for his crappy interference with running a major franchise so the Skins have been in a very long slump for nearly 25 years. That said, now that Kirk Cousins is the main q-back, he has gotten better as he is more comfortable with his receivers. By the way, as to long distance fans, I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and remain a lifelong Steelers fan but am willing to root for the Skins, too now that I live in the metro DC area. (But not the Ravens for obvious reasons.)
SFAW
@redshirt:
I had a moderately-long response, but FYWP eated it apparently. Be that as it may:
You’re placing too much weight on last season’s performance being a template for this season. They’ve improved their QB, added Revis and Leonard Williams, Brandon Marshall, got rid of Mornhinweg (thank FSM). Can’t comment on Bowles’s abilities yet.
I don’t pick them as AFC Champs or anything like that, but they could easily go 9-7, maybe 11-5 (although that may be me just dreaming). If they picked up a QB with an arm (and brains, of course), they’d do even better.
redshirt
@SFAW: The Jets will get a Wild Card along with Pittsburgh. That’s all you can ask for – a playoff chance.
different-church-lady
@DTTM:
Being entertained by the hysterics is the only reason I go there anymore.
different-church-lady
@redshirt:
For example, Belichick was 5-11 in his first season in New England.
different-church-lady
@SFAW:
End-of-game clock management appears to be a weak spot.
different-church-lady
Just finished watching Jets-Pats on TiVo.
The conventional wisdom ’round these parts going in was, “Yes the Jets are 4-1 and looking impressive, but they haven’t played a real team yet.” Well, now they’ve played a real team and they held their own for 3+ quarters. Here’s hoping someone else knocks them out of the playoffs before the Pats get them.
redshirt
@different-church-lady: Yes. But at the same time you could easily argue the Pats left 10 points on the board with LaFell’s and Edeleman’s drops. But especially LaFell. So many 3’rd down drops.
SFAW
@redshirt:
I admire your persistence with the LaFell thing. You could also say that Marcus Gilchrist added 14 points for the Pats, due to his “sub-optimal” coverage of Gronk (and whoever else was in Gilchrist’s area). And if (I think) Wilkerson had been able to hold onto that pass he almost intercepted.
And the Cubs might not have been swept if Kyle Schwarma knew how to catch a fly ball not hit directly at him.
In other words, it pretty much evens out, including the woulda-coulda-shouldas.
SFAW
@different-church-lady:
Couldn’t stick around for the end, didn’t record it, but I’ll take your word for it. I hope Bowles is at least an improvement on last year’s clock “management,” which could only be called – if I were being charitable – clusterfuckful.
different-church-lady
@redshirt: The way I see it, the dropsies were counterbalanced by the Jets injuries.
@SFAW:
* Has all three time outs but does not call any of them while the Pats have the ball. Pats take their sweet time before TD to go up by 10.
* Jets get ball with 1:18 left.
* Burn two timeouts getting to field goal range, lose the third one to injury delay.
* Attempt 50 yard FG on first down with :23 left on the clock, get flagged for false start, make the 55 yard FG.
* Attempt onside kick with :18 on the clock (successful)
* Complete 12 yard pass in the middle of the field, run to the line to spike the ball with one second left but get called for false start in the haste, 10 second run-off because there’s no timeouts left, end of game.
You tell me whether that’s better or worse than last year.
SFAW
@different-church-lady:
Tough one. Probably worse, let’s hope it gets better.
Re: injuries: What’s the word on RIchardson? I heard he left the game, saw something about hand or arm, no details.
redshirt
@different-church-lady:
There were a lot of them. Looks like the Jets got wrecked.
SFAW
@redshirt:
Was Chase Utley playing for the Pats? That might explain all the Jet injuries.
different-church-lady
@SFAW: I’m pretty sure Utley’s block would have been illegal in football too.
redshirt
@SFAW:
Surely you’re not playing the sore loser card?
SFAW
@redshirt:
What exactly is a “sore loser card” with respect to Utley? Injuries to others seem to follow him, I’m sure it’s all just coincidence, or whiners.
Or were you just kidding re: “Looks like the Jets got wrecked.”?
SFAW
@different-church-lady:
Chuck Bednarik might disagree.
redshirt
@SFAW:
Well, to reference Utley is to state that one is playing dirty, is rough outside the lines. Is a scoundrel.
The Jets did seem to suffer a lot of injuries during the game. I hope all the injured players heal quickly. But they did get wrecked. That’s football. The Patriots had no malicious influence on these injuries.
SFAW
@redshirt:
The Utley thing was a joke. As Shakespeare or someone else said: “Lighten up, Francis.”
“Do you know Pats fans have no sense of humor?”
“No, but if you hum a few bars, I can fake it.”
redshirt
7-5 through Sunday.
Not great, but not terrible either.
The Chiefs pick was inspired.
redshirt
@SFAW: Sorry man I didn’t realize you were still up.
I’ve got a great sense of humor, I think. I don’t take anything seriously, maybe?
That includes the zombie apocalypse, the last wall against which I now build.
And then I’ll have a zombie defensible compound.
Join me, if you’re nearby and have at least 20 pounds of hard tack.
SFAW
@redshirt:
I generally tack to port. Well, actually, to cab – port’s a little sweet for me. But it’s not particularly hard.
redshirt
@SFAW: NY’s got to you.
SWMBO
@redshirt: I’m not a Jets fan. I wanted the the Cheatriots to lose.
SFAW
@SWMBO:
Hater.
They’re America’s Team! Just like the Cowboys!.
And just like the GOP is America’s Political Party!