Reality Mail Bag - 12/01/08

Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers. I personally read every single email I receive. I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I won't be able to answer all of them. I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well. Now it’s time to open the mail!


Johnny A., Norristown, PA: I am a diehard Eagles fan. The Eagles looked great on Thursday but do you think they can squeak into the playoffs?

Utopia1dc: Johnny…that’s going to be a tough task. D-Mac was on fire and Westbrook looked a lot better than he has in several weeks. If the Eagles continue to play like that, anything is possible. They could be dangerous if they can make it into the tournament. It doesn’t look too promising, as the Birds have dug a huge hole for themselves.


Andrew P., Atlanta, Georgia: Michael Vick just plead guilty to state dog fighting charges. Do you think he will get a shot to play again soon?

Utopia1dc: The reason Vick plead guilty was to have some of the charges dropped. He was also able to avoid more jail time. When Vick gets out of jail, he will be facing several years of probation. On top of that Sheriff Goodell isn’t just going to let him back in right away. I have a feeling Goodell will be very stern with Vick. With all that being said, some team will give him a chance, but he will be on very thin ice!


Big Tex, Paris, Texas: The cowboys are cooked if they lose Ware and the Barbarian to injuries.

Utopia1dc: Big Tex…calm down there, big fella! Ware is the heart and soul of the defense and he should be fine. MRI results were negative. Ware should be good to go, especially with the additional three days rest. Pretty much the same goes for Barber. His pinkie toe is dislocated, but not fractured. He will wear a protective steel toe shoe and a good tape job should keep him in the line-up!


Willy S., Ponca City, Oklahoma: I'm a big Patriots fan and you always bust on them especially matt casel. What gives man?

Utopia1dc: Slick Willy, you’re right…I do bust on the Patriots all the time. I lost respect for the entire organization because of Spy-gate, especially Bill Belichick. I have given Matt Cassel a lot of grief, but I also gave him some props and apologized to him in a previous post…maybe you missed that one! Read this post...Exploding!


Michelle, Gilbertsville, PA: So, now that Donovan had such a good week, do you think Reid may have been right in pulling him at half-time last week? Do you think that was what McNabb needed to get back on track?

Utopia1dc: Michelle, I see you reside in my neck of the woods! McNabb had a good week because he’s a good QB…it had nothing to do with his benching! Reid was wrong in benching his franchise QB…dead wrong! He disrespected the man who has defended the Eagles organization from day one. D-Mac has had Andy’s back on many occasions, too bad Big Red couldn’t return the favor! McNabb will be out of Philly after the season is over…it will do him a world of good. The Bears could use D-Mac’s services!



Short Shots:


Plaxico Burress…what the heck were you thinking? You shot yourself, in the leg, with a gun, in a bar…come on dude! Stupid…stupid…stupid! He will surely be suspended for the remainder of the season and the play-offs. Idiot!

The Cowboys are inching their way closer to a play-off spot each week. It seems as though they have been spared another catastrophe, as both DeMarcus Ware and Marion Barber will not miss any time due to the injuries they sustained on Turkey Day.



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Predictions Week 11

Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games. I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you). Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling. That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

The crystal ball was a little off his game last week, as he finished at 2-2. That’s not bad, but we can do better than that. We are 16-16 (.500) for the season, but we are 9-3 in the past three weeks…not bad? Let’s see what’s in store for us this week.

Last Week: 2-2

Overall: 16-16

Dallas @ Washington: The NFC East division title is a pipe dream for either of these teams, as the G-Men appear to be running away with it. The wild-card race though, that’s on...in full force. A win for either team would go a long way in achieving their respective goals. The Cowboys will have the services of Tony Romo and T-New for this contest, while Portis looks like a no-go for the ‘Skins. This game is a must win for the ‘Boys, and I don’t see it as a close game at all. Dallas 34, Washington 17.

Philadelphia @ Cincinnati: The Eagles are licking their wounds trying to recover from their loss against the Giants; a game they could have won…if they could only gain a yard! The Birds need to be careful, because the Bengals are on a 1-game winning streak (hehe)…I think not! The Eagles will rebound easily here. It will be close for a little while, but then the Birds will pull away. Philadelphia 26, Cincinnati 13.

Baltimore @ New York Giants: The G-Men are standing tall after their big win against the Birds, while the Ravens are flapping their wings with authority after their whipping of the Texans last week. Baltimore is tied for 1st place in their division (along with the Steelers) at 6-3. Joe Flacco has been a pleasant surprise for the Ravens, and their defense (even though they have been banged up) has been keeping them in games, while Flacco learns on fly. Upset of the year…the Ravens will down the Giants in OT! Baltimore 23, New York Giants 20.

Tennessee @ Jacksonville: The Titans are the surprise team of the 2008 NFL season. They sit at 9-0 with a 4-game lead over the Colts (and a 5-game lead over Jacksonville). The Jags have been struggling this year at 4-5. Jack Del Rio was expecting more out of his club this year, but he finds himself on the hot seat, as his job is in serious jeopardy. His team will play hard for him and they will hand the Titans their first loss of the season. If you listen closely, you will be able to hear the popping of champagne corks (pop…pop…pop) in Miami, as the ’72 Dolphins celebrate! Jacksonville 17, Tennessee 16.


Short Shots:


Put up or shut up? It’s time for the Cowboys to show why they were the pre-season favorites. No more excuses, as Romo and others return from injury. The time to win is…now!

Jerry Jones said he would welcome back Adam Jones, if Sheriff Goodell reinstates him. That decision could come early next week, but I wouldn’t count on it. I think Goodell will make both Jones’ sweat it out for another week or three! For some reason, Goodell likes making an example out of Pacman!

On the other hand, Matt Jones is still playing football, even after Goodell gave him a 3-game suspension. Whatever Matt Jones has on Goodell…could you please pass it along to Pacman?

All week, the Redskins have been playing up that Portis is 50-50 to play against the Cowboys. Are the ‘Skins trying to hoodwink the ‘Boys, or are they being truthful about his injury situation? Either way, I don’t have time for this gamesmanship, as Portis is on my fantasy team…and I need to know the truth!

Last night, the Jets beat the Patriots to take sole possession of 1st place in the AFC East. Mangini had a smile, from ear to ear, on his face…Belichick looked like he had a bad wedgie. Down with the CHEATERS!

Bottom Of The Barrel

Yesterday, the Cowboys got their collective butts kicked at the Meadowlands by the G-Men. There is plenty of blame to go around for sure. But, did we not expect this? Wasn’t it obvious (it was to me…read more here) that the ‘Boys had no shot at winning this game? Everyone knew it…the coaches…even the players!

For the past few weeks, everyone has been toting the company line, saying the right things, rallying behind Brad Johnson. Yeah, yeah, yeah…we all know that the Cowboys were just hoping to stumble into the bye week with their heads above water. You know what? They did, as they limp in at 5-4, with a chance to right the ship.

Hopefully, after the bye, the Cowboys can turn the switch “on”…though, that is easier said than done. I do like their chances though! With Romo coming back, that will bolster the offense. The addition of Roy Williams hasn’t really panned out so far…but it will, once the Cowboys are healthy. And, don’t forget about Felix Jones either…he will add a little “juice” to the offense as well.

Defensively, the Cowboys should get T-New back, and possibly Adam Jones…that should help as well. So, there is a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. We just need to patient as the Cowboys start crawling out of this hole that they have dug for themselves! Again, that’s easier said than done as the Cowboys find themselves in the cellar of the NFC East…at the bottom of the barrel!


Short Shots:


Brad “noodle arm” Johnson got the hook in favor of Brooks Bollinger in the 2nd half of yesterdays debacle. Brooks played fairly decent after his pick…which he threw on his very first pass!

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is half way there (on his 2 win prediction) as the Bengals got their first win of the season. Yeah for T.J.!

Indy got a big win against the Patriots last night…I like it when the cheaters lose! Boo for Belichick!

For the Cowboys and their fans (myself included)…thank God it’s the bye week!

Week 7 Review

The crystal ball was one up and three down for the week. That puts me 6 games under .500 for the season…not good…more like awful! The crystal ball was told it was going to be on a short leash…now it’s getting the hook. Hey…if head coaches can be fired in mid-season…well…so can the crystal ball! I will have a new crystal ball for next week…we’ll see if it can do a better job prognosticating than its predecessor? Let’s take a look back and see what happened this past week:

Last Week: 1-3

Overall: 7-13

Dallas @ St. Louis: The Cowboys came up lame in a game they needed badly. With Romo sidelined, the “Geriatric Kid” (Brad Johnson) was awful in his first start in two years. Johnson is a great back-up…as long as he doesn’t have to play! The Rams took it to the 'Boys…a good ole fashion Texas whooping! Jackson ran wild and Bulger picked apart the depleted Cowboys secondary. Rumor has it that Jerry is getting the life preservers ready!

Cleveland @ Washington: The ‘Skins let the Browns hang around way to long in this contest. With Portis gaining 175 yards rushing, this should have been a blowout for Washington. Cleveland made a game of it late, but they were not able to seal the deal. At-least Romeo Crennel hasn’t lost his team…they are fighting to the bitter end for him!

Indianapolis @ Green Bay: Okay…this is getting out of hand. Peyton Manning seems to have lost his "mojo" and is a mere mortal these days. How can the best QB of all-time throw 2 INTs that are returned for TDs? The Indy offense is out of sync…and the Colts may be running out of time? Give Green Bay credit, they did their part and Aaron Rogers is starting to get the Packer Backers to forget about Favre…Brett who?

San Diego @ Buffalo: The Bolts fell flat on their faces against the Bills. I am not sure that Buffalo is for real…but they are 5-1 now! They are atop of their division and should stay there…I must give them their due! Let’s go, Buff-a-lo…let’s go, Buff-a-lo!


Short Shots:


The Cowboys have already declared Romo out for the upcoming game this week. Brad Johnson gets another start…oh boy, this could get ugly!

The Browns have suspended Kellen Winslow II for one week without pay for comments detrimental to the team. I guess if you get sick (staph infection) and tell people why…somehow that reflects negatively on your team? This has appeal written all over it!

Matt Jones, of the Jacksonville Jaguars, was suspended by the NFL for three games. His suspension was for violating the “NFL conduct policy”. He was arrested this summer for cocaine possession. Some how, in the eyes of the NFL, this merits one less game than Pacman Jones’ suspension for his scuffle with his own bodyguard?

The San Francisco 49ers fired Mike Nolan this week and have replaced him with Mike Singletary (Assistant Head Coach). Mike Nolan is one of a few coaches who wears a suit on the sideline…he does this as a tribute to his father, Dick Nolan. The elder Nolan was an NFL player for 9 seasons, an assistant coach under Tom Landry for 6 seasons, head coach of the 49ers from 1968-1975, and head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1978-1980. He passed away on November 11, 2007 in Texas. It was nice to see someone honor the tradition of the game and his father at the same time. I’m not a fan of seeing coaches in cut-off sweatshirts on the sideline (and yes, that was a shot at Beli-cheat)!

The Philadelphia Phillies play in Game 1 of the World Series tonight in Tampa tonight. Let’s go Phils!

Week 6 Review

The crystal ball was two up and two down for the 2nd week in a row. That puts me 4 games under .500 for the season…not good! The crystal ball will be on a short leash this week…it better start looking over its shoulder! Let’s take a look back and see what happened:

Last Week: 2-2

Overall: 6-10

Dallas @ Arizona: This was a bizarre game from the start with the Cards taking the opening kick-off all the way for a TD! The Cowboys had a late game rally to put the game in OT, but then disaster struck…the game ended on a blocked punt returned for a TD! In the end…the special teams for the Cowboys were not so special!

Philadelphia @ San Francisco: The Eagles got off to an early lead and it looked like it was going to be a cakewalk…guess again! Andy Reid tried for a long FG by the struggling David Ackers…that sure backfired, didn’t it! The 49ers blocked the FG and ran it back for a TD…now we got a ball game! The Birds were able to rally and win the game. It wasn’t pretty…but there are no “style points” in the NFL! A win is a win…especially on the road!

Miami @ Houston: Wow! This was an exciting game wire to wire. The ‘Fins are an exciting team to watch. The wildcat offense is fun to see in action…each week they have a new wrinkle. Pennington came from the WR position to throw a flea-flicker pass for a long TD…good stuff, I tell ya! On 4th and goal, on QB keeper in shotgun formation, Schaub took it in for the game clinching TD…with only seconds remaining on the clock…what a finish!

New England @ San Diego: The Patriots (CHEATERS) proved to be no match against Norv and his Bolts. Rivers shredded the Pat’s defense all night long! Cassel…well…he’s just not an NFL quality QB! How could he be? Prior to this season, he hasn’t started a game since High School! He was the back-up QB on his college team…Belichick is a fool to think that he could turn Cassel into a legitimate QB in the NFL! Maybe arrogant too!


Short Shots:


The Cowboys lost to the Cards in the desert…but add insult to injury…the ‘Boys lost Tony Romo, Felix Jones, Sam Hurd, and their punter to serious injuries…I guess it should be injury to insult!

The Eagles, Cowboys, and Redskins need to send fruit baskets to Romeo Crennel, in Cleveland, to thank him for beating the G-Men last night! And from the looks of Romeo’s waistline…the fruit should do him some good!

Eli Manning was horrible in last nights game against the Browns…Eli threw 3 INT’s. His older bro, Peyton, threw for 3 TD passes on Sunday afternoon…now that’s more like it…all is well in the Manning Universe!

Today is the NFL trade deadline and Tony Gonzales of the Chiefs wants to be traded! Do you blame him? If you were a 1st ballot Hall-Of-Famer to be…would you want Brodie Croyle throwing you the ball?

The Phillies came back in dramatic fashion to beat the Dodgers last night! The Phillies take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Go Phil’s…that parade on Broad street looks like a real possibility now!

Predictions Week 6

Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games. I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you). Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling. That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

Last week’s performance was a little better, but not good enough. As long as I see the willingness to improve, I will stick with my crystal ball. I don’t take the ownership of a crystal ball lightly, so I gave it a pep talk this week (with the aid of a colleague), and all seems well. Now, let’s see what this “pumped up” crystal ball has to say (or see)?

Last Week: 2-2

Overall: 4-8

Dallas @ Arizona: The Cards are in first place atop the NFC West at 3-2. Warner has had his ups and downs, but he (at a geriatric age) is still better than Matt Lienart. Boldin’s return for this week is doubtful, so that should bode well for the Cowboys. The Dallas secondary is in disarray with T-New out and Pac-man making headlines for the wrong reason. Even though this is an away game for the ‘Boys, they should feel at home since there will be more silver and blue in the stands than Cardinal Red. The Cowboys will need to play better than last week to get by the Cards. Dallas 34, Arizona 19.

Philadelphia @ San Francisco: This week is a do or die game for the Birds. They are in last place in the NFC East (not a great place to be)! Mike Martz in his "madness" will throw everything (including the kitchen sink) at Andy (please don’t fire me) Reid’s Eagles. That’s okay because Big Red (Andy) is a “mad bomber” in his own right! This will be an aerial attack for the ages (especially if Westbrook is nursing his fractured ribs)! The Eagles season and Reid’s future is on the line. Philadelphia 31, San Francisco 24.

Miami @ Houston: Houston is hurting after Sage and his “fumble-itous” cost them a victory against the Colts last week. Sparano and his “goons” will bring the wildcat formation to new levels this week…look for Pennington to catch a TD pass! Miami’s new look offense with mastermind Ronnie Brown in wingback formation will prove too much for the Texans…Kubiak…get the old resume ready! Miami 22, Houston 9.

New England @ San Diego: This has become a heated rivalry over the past few years. There is no love lost between LT and Bill (if I’m not cheating, I’m not trying) Belichick. LT says Big Bill has no class…I tend to agree! LT is waiting for a break out game this year…what a better time for it than primetime SNF! Cassel is no Tom Brady and will struggle against the Bolts defense. San Diego 27, New England 16.

Short Shots:

This week in Philly, they were calling for Andy Reid’s head (read more here). I guess the Eagles fans don’t know a good coach when they have one! For example: Ritchie Kotite, Marion Campbell, Ray Rhoades…should I go on? Come on Philly…he’s the best you’ve ever had and you want to throw him under the bus? For who? For What?

Adam (don’t call me Pac-man) Jones made the headlines again (read more here). Though I think the media has overblown the situation, he has to stay clear of these kinds of situations. The irony of it all is that he got into it with his bodyguard (security) while having dinner with his girlfriend…go figure? The poor guy can’t even romance his woman without trouble finding him? Next time…order in!

The NFL trade deadline is approaching…you think Cincy isn’t second guessing themselves for not taking a 1st round pick for Chad Ocho Cinco Johnson? The same could be said for Roy Williams and the Lions? Trades in midseason are rare in the NFL…we shall see!

How about that Wildcat offense Ronnie Brown and the Dolphins are sporting? Glad to see some creative minds at work! It’s fun to watch and you know what…it’s actually working! Who said Bill Parcells was a “fuddy duddy”?

Predictions Week 5

Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games. I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you). Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling. That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

Last week was another shameful performance by yours truly. Though I truly believe my crystal ball is trying to make me look bad in front of my mass readership. Okay now, the crystal ball is all shined up. It has promised me good results for this week. No excuses, it’s put up or shut up time for this crystal ball! Now, let’s see what this newly energized crystal ball has in store for us.

Last Week: 1-3

Overall: 2-6

Cincinnati @ Dallas: This should be a cakewalk for the Cowboys, right? One would think so, but I see a much closer contest. The Cowboys will let Cincy stick around for a while. The Cowboys will struggle early, as they are still stunned by the loss to the ‘Skins. Chad Ocho Cinco will have a good day (about time!), but in the end the ‘Boys will prevail. Look for Patrick Crayton and Felix Jones to be key contributors. Dallas will pull away late in the ball game. Dallas 37, Cincinnati 20.

Washington @ Philadelphia: This is a huge contest for both teams. The ‘skins are riding high (hip-hip-hooray!) after their big win at Dallas. The Eagles are licking their wounds after a big loss against Da Bears. The Eagles should have won last week, but a yard (and 11 defenders) stood between them and a win…too bad! I believe the Birds need this game more, so in a toss up contest, I’m going with the Eagles in a defensive struggle. Philadelphia 16, Washington 13.

Seattle @ New York Giants: Both teams should be well rested as they come off their bye week. Burress is out for a 1 game suspension (team enforced). Seattle is hurting at WR, as they’ve had man after man go down…it’s an epidemic out there (maybe it’s something in the water?)! This will be a come from behind victory for the ‘Hawks. After trailing for most of the game, Hasselbeck will lead his team with two 4th quarter TD’s to steal a victory from the G-Men! Seattle 34, N.Y. Giants 33.

Indianapolis @ Houston: Indy is really hurting this year. Peyton Manning is struggling. Tony Dungy is a “lame duck” coach (retiring). Maybe it’s the end of their run…the door is shutting…the window of opportunity is closing…I think not! Houston is awful. This will be Manning’s coming out party for this year. In a laugher, Indy will win big! Indianapolis 35, Houston 12.

Short Shots:

This week, Al Davis fired Lane Kiffin. Al Davis is the “Village Idiot”!

Al Davis accused Bill Belichick and the Patriots of “tampering” with Randy Moss prior to their trade for a 4th round pick last year. Davis is still the “Village Idiot” and the Patriots and Belichick are still CHEATERS!

Travis Henry was arrested on a cocaine bust…what a waste of talent! He was a multiple 1000-yard rusher and was currently on a 1-year suspension from the NFL. He has allegedly fathered 9 children, by 9 different mothers (busy dude!). Now…his playing days are surely over…but that’s the least of his problems now!

ESPN has become the King Of Sensational Sports News Reporting…solely for ratings. Every Sports Center and Pre-game show this week had at least one story about Terrell Owens. ESPN…why do you stoop so low? ESPN…what a shame…you don’t need to do it…we will still tune in!

Keyshawn Johnson (whom I’ve always liked as a player)…shut up already! He was blasting Terrell Owens about his comments on not getting the ball enough. Key…did you not write a book about the same subject (as a Rookie no less)…Just Give Me The Damn Ball!

...Then It's Probably A Duck!

Bill Belichick, Head Coach of the New England Patriots, was accused by Al Davis of “tampering” with Randy Moss prior to their trade a year ago. The Raiders received a 4th round pick as compensation in the deal. Davis alleges that the Patriots had a secret workout with Moss prior to the negotiations, which would violate NFL rules. Bill (here’s a surprise) denies the accusation.

Now this is a tuff call. On one hand, you have a notorious cheater (yeah, that would be Belichick), and on the other, you have a notorious idiot (you guessed correctly…big Al Davis). It becomes very difficult to figure out…who's not telling the truth here? If I go with my gut…it’s Bill Belichick…all the way. He has repeatedly cheated…Spy Gate…anyone? If any other team, besides the Raiders, had made the accusation…done deal…Pat’s guilty as charged. But, Al Davis has gone “loco” on us lately, so I am at a loss. So, it boils down to credibility.

I need to solve this case…what should I do? I could flip a coin? Or do rock, paper, scissors? How about, one potato, two potatoes? But in the end I choose (drum roll, please)…Bill Belichick as the culprit! How did I finally reach my conclusion? Simple…I used a fail-safe system…if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck…then it’s probably a duck!