The Frogurt Is Also Cursed

Light rail is dead

DEAD.

Thank you, Mark.

2:10 PM

The Wisconsin Coin

I think they made the right decision.

**UPDATE**
The idiot governor overruled the recommendation of the panel and picked the stupidest one, ...the "cow quarter".

The "Indian" quarter was the best design. This one sucks.

SUCKS!

2:02 PM

The view from here

The Pack wins on Monday night.

1 minute into the game and the outcome was decided.

Biggest thing to take from this game ...the Bears REALLY SUCK. They couldn't suck more, in fact.

So we beat up on the worst team in football, ...should we really be that excited? Well, it's a start.

Here's what I liked:

Better playcalling
I saw a little chess being played in the secondary. I lot of GREAT blocking, great running. Still, the recievers aren't getting open often enough.

A little fire
I saw a little of the old Favre last night. Running, scrambling, not too much gambling, and good decision making. This is the first time I've seen him play this well since the middle of last year. Nice game for him, I hope the offence can build on this.

They played Defence
Amazing. They actually tried to play aggressive defence, ...and it worked. It only took them 5 pre-season games and 3 regular season games to figure it out. Almost constant blitzing was ok last night, but lets not go too far. Other teams will eat that up. I'd like to see frequent situational blitzes to keep the other teams on their toes.

They didn't play like a wet sock
They hit, blocked, ran, threw, and tackled with aggression last night. Please keep it up.

Sherman's got to build on this and get even more out of this team if they are going to make it to 8-8. If he fails, I say he should be fired or relieved of some of his duties.

2:01 PM

All mistakes, all the time

Bad coaching can kill you. If a team puts up a lousy effort, then you blame the coaches because it is there job to get the players ready to play.

The Packers can be beaten by any team that is willing to try hard. Any team that comes in motivated can beat the Packers.

First of all, the Packer syched themselves out about the heat in Arizona. Only an idiot would psych out his own team like Sherman did by bringing in those cooling tubes.

Of course, the Packers probably win if Ahman Green doesn't fumble a few times to start off the game.

But the real culprit is the defense. I think the Packers should be forced to stop using the word "defense" to identify their defensive squad. They should call it the yield squad because they had about as much effectiveness stopping the lowly Cardinals as a yield sign has a stopping me when I'm drunk, speeding, listening to Motley Crue, and really really really gotta piss.

Let me state this with as much clarity as possible: If your defensive (defen-seive is more like it) scheme centers on giving each receiver 5-10 yards of cushion, then not only will you lose the game, but you are also a stark, raving, f--cking dumbass. The trick to playing defense against the pass is to "DEFEND THE PASS". Maybe you might wanna, you know, try to actually stop the receiver from catching the ball. If it's not too much trouble.

I'm too happy to be pissed, but I hope there are asses kicked in GB today. Starting at the top.

8:54 AM

How to fight lonliness

If you don't know, that's the title to a great Wilco song.

So, there has not been much activity here lately due to some sweeping changes in my daily life. For one, I've met someone who has not been previously mentioned on this site.

When it comes to matters of the heart, I am not a careful or cautious man. As we all know, negotiating relationships is kind of like playing on train tracks, ...well sometimes I can even see the train coming, but I refuse to move, refuse to give up or tread with caution.

So, maybe this is another example of that, ...but the clarity with which I see the world right now, the certainty that anchors each sentence, the indisputable knowledge that I am in fact the luckiest man on the planet ...this all means something. The feelings are different than ever before, and I know what it is.

certainty

There seems to be no doubt in my mind about this. This would work. This is what I have been looking for, though I did not know what it would look like, I am certain that I have found it.

I'm sure many of my friends would be doubtful about this, and I don't blame them. But here's an indicator that may even convince them.

Not even the Packers playing like uncoached, sissyfied, charmin-soft, cretins bothers me. I watched that game in total bliss with The Girl resting in my arms. 8-8? No problem. 6-10? phhhht. Put that Girl in my arms, and might even be able to handle 5-11. And sadly, that might be put to the test very soon.

8:37 AM

Not Worthy

How can I dream to write when I know I will never be this good?

9:13 AM

And hats off to Carolina

Thanks to Carolina for personally delivering a long needed serving of Humble Pie to the mouthy Bucs. So sweeeeet!

12:16 PM

Grades for the Packers vs the Lions

The Packers corrected everything (almost) that I complained about last week. I guess it was as obvious to them as it was to me.

Gameplan: They had one! Huzzah! Still having trouble creating opportunities for their receivers to get open, but it was much much much much better.

First 3 plays: Favre roll out. Nice. Favre's comfortable doing it, the line is athletic enough to do it, and it was tried only once (that I can remember) last week. Nice call to start things off, ...move the pocket. Run Green up the middle, ...65 yard TD. How about that, ...mixing the run and pass gets results! Whoda thunk it? 1st play of the next drive, pass to the tight-end. Another thing missing from last weeks game.

Maybe ran the ball a little too much in the latter 1st half. Good mix in the 2nd.
B+

Passing: Not too many drops. Some bad tosses by Brett. A few nice tosses. Fergie was brave and tough, Freeman can still catch, and Walker was about the same. The still need to work the tight ends more, they need to loosen up the defence with more screens and stretch the field more.
B-

Running: Ahman Green Rocks. The backups contributed. Not much to say here. Great game for them.
A

Defence: Good tackling, tight coverage, defended passes, ...who knew they could play like that? I hope they learned a nice lesson here, ...actually sticking to the receiver gives you a much much much better chance for interceptions, of which they got 2 but could have had more. One of them was returned for 6.
A

Special Teams: Decent. Nothing great, ...but a few mistakes. The turnover was unforgivable. Jett prevented the Pack from having many returns on punts.
C

Coaching: I'm guessing Sherman stepped up a little and challanged the team. Having Freeman was a great psychological boost because it allowed everyone to relax. Great insurance.
B+

12:14 PM

Dope

The only thing strange about this story is that it means that Gephart is actually serious about trying to win the nomination.

wtf???

Has he no sense? Who would vote for skeletor? He's never had a chance to win, I'm shocked that anyone in the country would think otherwise. I've always questioned his intelligence.

I will question it no more.

UPDATE: Gephart looks more like Captain America's old nemesis, the Red Skull.

12:35 PM

From the Top Step

A look at my favorite blogs from the top step of the stairs gives me a good overview of what's really on our minds today. Everyone, of course, remembers 9/11.

Who did it best?

I guess that doesn't really matter. But over the past few days websites like Electric Venom and LGF have not just talked directly about 9/11, but they talk about the REAL "root causes" of the conflict: Islamic barbarism.

In all the talk about too few troops, WMDs, sexed up dossiers, let's not forget what we're fighting here, and here, and most of all here.

4:11 PM

Welcome Back Freeman

Finally, some good news.

Antonio Freeman returns to the Packers days after they lost THREE receivers, including two starters in a weird loss to the Vikings.

According to ESPN:

"With more than enough cash in the bank, Freeman acknowledged that he had opted for deliberation over desperation. But the plight of the Packers, and his friendship with many of the veterans on the roster, helped bring him back to Green Bay for a second stint."

Also, those dirty Lions (who coincidentally play the Packers this week) made an "11th hour" attempt to sign Freeman and gaurantee playing time and a salary. A little desperate for win #2?

I'll say.

I know it's business, and it's a kill-or-be-killed environment, but this irritates me a little. Try to beat us on the field, not in the negotiating room. Jerks.

11:23 AM

Dean

While it was obvious to me many months ago, Howard Dean has stolen the scene from this democratic party moving picture. It is now clearly obvious to me that Dean cannot be trusted with the security of the United States. After saying that the US should not take sides in the Palestinian/Israel conflict, he has now tried to backtrack and hem and haw.

As Andrew Sullivan points out, Dean is not credible.

He was against the war, but does not want to seem soft on terror and despots, which is not really a position at all as it is contradictory and non-sense, which is why he isn't making any sense now.

9:43 AM

Before I Forget

Andy Roddick gives US tennis fans new hope with his stunning US Open victory Sunday.

Stunning? Yes.

He was down 2 sets to nothing in the semi-finals on Saturday, then came back to win 3 straight sets. Sunday, he beat the number one player in the world who (by all accounts) had been playing the best tennis of his life. He won in straight sets with a ton of aces, hitting serves 130-140 mph.

Men's tennis is fun again.

2:19 PM

Fire Sherman

Let me start the bandwagon now.

3 games.

3 important games.

Not 1 game. 3.

Keep that in mind.

For the past 3 games the Packers have not been ready to play football in the NFL. These were 3 very important games. 2 of the three games were at Lambaeu field! In all three games the Packers were out worked, out hustled, and out coached. Put your head in the sand all you want, but Sherman can't handle the GM and coaching duties anymore. He must be fired.

Details. Too many details are slipping by. Missed catches, routes run incorrectly, defensive backs getting to the play too late.

When was the last time a Packers defensive back physically broke up a pass or was even in position to do so? Probably last year sometime. ANYONE in the NFL can beat you if your defensive scheme centers around half-assed attempts to tackle the receiver AFTER the pass has been completed. Their philosophy seems to be, "let them catch it, give them 5 yards to run, THEN we'll have them right where we want them!" Genious stuff, really.

Truely offensive.
Tom Rossley should not only be fired, he should be tied to that back of a train car platform on a chair and ceremoniously ridden out of town on a rail (see Simpsons, the real Seamore Skinner). The Packers did not even attempt to run the ball until the end of the first quarter. They didn't hit their celebrated tight ends until the second half!

The play calling has been an embarrasment since Rossley got here. But don't take my word for it, listen to Brett Favre. Fare hates the play calling as well. Is it no wonder that they moved the ball more effectively in the 2-minute offense when Favre himself is calling the plays at the line?

Despite this, they almost won!!!

A competently coached team wins that game. Period.

And lets not talk about Sherman's GM abilities. Have they brought in any receivers for Favre? Nope. Then what are we supposed to do now that 2 of our receivers are gone?

Tell us Mike, I'd really love to know.

By the way, you hear that sound? It's the train. It might not get here until December, but I'm calling for it now. It's the train that will take you back where you came from. If Rossley is still here when it arrives, be assured that I'll be leading the torchlight and pitchfork mob to run you both out of here.

11:48 AM

Another Rocker Gone

Warren Zevon, 56. Lung cancer.

11:30 AM

Amen brother!

When Lileks speaks, I listen. Not because I always agree (my PC crushes a G4 for most of the applications I use), but because there is scarcely anyone who can say it better.

For my money, he is one the best living writers you will find.

As a writer myself, he's sooo good it often hurts to know I will never approach his level. But I can't stop reading, I'm hooked ...and today's bleat is just too good.

12:39 PM