NFL Starts

Last week I prattled on for an entire column explaining why I thought hockey and soccer was better than the NFL.

Now that the NFL is here… I say Stan, you ignorant slut.

That and the many hate mails and death threats I received from people. (Thanks Mom)
Before I go into me weekly tirade, I like to point out and say congratulations to my friend who got married over the weekend. I have never seen a bride with a better rake. My buddy Paul was parading her off like a show pony. Good luck with those fun bags.
The NFL is a masterpiece.

Tune in opening night Thursday and we get to see the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Miami Dolphins. Who is the underdog? According to betED.com – nobody. The first game is a pick-em and will be presented before our adoring eyes in a tight three-hour super-produced package. At the end of it all, the loser won’t have to start dreaming about next season. They have a chance to pick themselves up over the rest of this season and go for the Super Bowl.

NFL teams have to actually fight through a defined playoff system, which in itself is hard to get into Last season the Pittsburgh Steelers’ victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl was watched in an average of 45.85 million homes, the second-highest total in television history.
45.85 million homes can’t be wrong.

Now – the obligatory predictions. I figure the best way to discern who will win it all come next February 4th is to first decide who won’t...

You can dump Tennessee, St. Louis, Houston, Minnesota, New Orleans, New York Jets, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Green Bay, Oakland and San Francisco. If you are a fan, no offense… (Or defense for that matter).

Both Kansas and Arizona have plenty of the former, but little of the latter, so they’re both done. Except for Tom Brady, New England no-star moniker has finally come true. Out. Baltimore has Steve McNair now, so he should be injured by week two. Buh-bye. Maybe Miami? A weird stat is no home team has ever won a Super Bowl, and stats don’t lie. Both Jacksonville and Cincinnati’s owners must have said or done something wrong at the annual meetings, ‘cause their schedules are brutal. Tampa Bay has a great defense, but they are almost older than I am. Atlanta can run with their QB, but can’t stop anyone running at them. San Diego has the great LaDainian Tomlinson, but their QB is someone named Phillip Rivers.

Next goes the kiss of death teams. Carolina got the nod from Sports Illustrated - so they are goners. Seattle’s Shaun Alexander is on the cover of Madden 2007 – so he’ll be out before thanksgiving. Ben Roethlisberger is spending more time in the hospital than the practice field so the defending champs are toast. Terrell Owens is being Terrell Owens so the Cowboys aren’t going anywhere. Payton Manning is missing his running back and his brother hasn’t been to the post-season so the Colts and Giants are both finished.

So that leaves the Bears as the NFC Champions and Denver in the AFC.
The Bears have both the best and youngest defense in the NFL, but that won’t be enough for Jake Plummer and the balanced Broncos.

Denver 28 – Chicago 10

Sports once again became fun (wait till the Champions league or NHL starts)
Take THAT