Sherman Back, "Dumb-as-a-chimp" Rossley out?
Profootballtalk.com is saying that Sherman will be back but Rossley will be cut for 2006.
The Packers, we hear, genuinely want quarterback Brett Favre to return. But if he does it will be without offensive coordinator Tom Rossley, who will be fired (we're told) not long after the 2005 season ends.
G.M. Ted Thompson is nevertheless expected to keep head coach Mike Sherman, due in large part to the fact that keeping Sherman likely will prompt Favre to stick around.That sounds about right to me.
Rossley's sucked since he was brought in. He's a Shermy lackey and evidence of one of Sherman's weakest attributes, ...that he hires weak cronies to work under him so that none outshine him or challenge him.
Also, Favre hates him.
Thompson is most likely to look east (as in Seattle) for inspiration this off-season. He sees that Holmgren got his GM duties stripped, they fired some coaches, and bingo-bango - homefield throughout the playoffs, and the best record in NFC.
It's time to challenge Shermy, to push him. Same for Favre.
The instant scuttlebutt is Mooch coming in to help in BOTH of these areas.
Things I Learned During My One Week Christmas Vacation
1. I hate work.
A long two-month stretch of "crunch time" at work finally passed last week. When it comes to habitual behavior, I'm clay. Consequently, on the eve of my one week vacation, I actually felt stressed out while wondering what I would do with myself for seven whole empty days. I like to keep my mind on a short leash for fear that I will sink into some sort of long, emotional trench if left idle. Now I fear the same thing will happen when I re-enter my sensory deprivation cube at work next week.
2. One week is not long enough.
3. I actually spent about 4 minutes trying to figure out
what the hell is behind this? My guess is that rich, blind, and tone-deaf parents are involved.
4. In order for the Brewers to do as badly as the Packers did this year, they would have to win only
20 games all year. That means they would have to lose
61 more games next year than they did this year.
5. Alba-freaks don't have to suffor through her most recent horrible movie (I know that doesn't really narrow it down), just
click here to see all you need to see.
Quitters
About 4 minutes into the game it was clear that the Packers had already quit. So let's not hear any more about Sherbutt's magical ability to keep the players playing hard.
Al Harris is not coming up to support the defense, the players are making cheap, lazy mistakes that you only make when you don't really care, and the Ravens receivers are open all day in all areas of the field.
They can't even get the Ravens on the ground after the catch. How many missed tackles have there been? I'm not talking about just sloppy tackling, I'm talking about having the guy in your arms and then watching him gallop 20 yards downfield. Boller hasn't had any pressure and Favre has thrown numerous passes where the only possible receivers were 2-4 Ravens and no Packers.
These things only happen when you aren't playing hard at all.
Can we please play Rodgers now?
Play Rodgers
I think it's about time they started to play Aaron Rodgers. I wouldn't start him, but I'd give him some second half snaps over the next two games.
No, I don't think we need to see if he's capable of being Favre's replacement, we know already that he isn't, ...at least not for a long time.
But why not give him some experience?
Here's a list of five reasons why it should be done:
1. We ain't got nothing to lose. It's not like Rodger's bad performance will hurt the team in any way.
2. In the event that Favre get's hurt next year, the experience of these last two games will benefit Rodgers.
3. Since these games are meaningless, why expose Favre to injury? As the end of the season ticks closer and closer, the players will play with less and less urgency, ...and that's a recipe for getting Favre hurt. If you think things can't get any worse, what if he tears an ACL? Then he's out all next year too, and probably retires. We're looking at two or more additional seasons like this last one -
minimum. So, please put Rodgers out there and don't risk it. We've suffered enough.
4. What if we end up in position to draft Leinart? Do we do it? The more information we get about Rodgers, the easier it will be to make that decision.
5. There is no reason to win the final two games of the year. If we do, our draft position could drop into the teens, ...just a few picks from where the Vikes will probably land. Our miserable season would truly have no silver lining. We'd receive no benefit for enduring this great indignity. So, just lose.
Just lose.
Miami Vice Trailer is Out
Not to be overly dramatic, but Miami Vice changed my life.
In 1984 I was pretty much a normal nerd-like boy without any particular aspirations. If 14 year old me had to answer the "what do you want to be when you grow up" question, I would have said Marine Biologist.
Seriously.
Then I saw the Miami Vice pilot.
Ever since then I have wanted to be a writer.
The show changed me in other ways, it introduced me to a style and demeanor that I could relate to. Growing up in West Allis in the early 80's, the hipest thing you would ever run into on the radio, tv, or on the street is John Fogerty.
Miami Vice brought a whole new world into my living room.
Well, Michael Mann and Anthony Yerkovich have resurected their time-sensitive work of art as a movie set in modern times. Unlike other 70's and 80's retreads, this effort appears to be an actual "remake", taking place in modern day Miami, not Miami of the 80's.
You might wonder, ...if you take the pastels and Jan Hammer music away, aren't you taking away everything that made Miami Vice unique?
Sorta. The other thing that made Miami Vice special was the suprisingly gritty and violent storylines, the arthouse camerawork, the melding of music into the scene, and the crazy cowboy atmosphere where often the cops were the bad guys, and certain criminal informants, the good guys.
Anyway, check out the trailer. It's on the Bacardi site right now, so you gotta tell them you are over 18 to see it.
Good things about it:
Possibly the best female actress on the planet (and an author),
Gong Li is the villain. She also might be Tubb's love interest (see for yourself in the trailer).
The new
Gina (Elizabeth Rodriguez) is cute, as is the new
Trudy.
Bad things:
THIS is Castillo? Looks like a big step down from Edward James Olmos, not to mention the guy isn't even latin!
Switek and
Zito maintain their general body types, I guess. But they are no longer the ugly, normal guy, screw-ups they once were.
The Only Things You Need to Know About the Packers
There are four of them.
1. From various sources:
"Draft positions are determined by record, the team with the worst record during the regular season picks first and so on. If two teams have the same record, the strength of schedule tie-breaker is used which is the combined winning percentage of all teams on each team's schedule for the current season. If teams are still tied after strength of schedule has been applied, the division or conference tie breakers are used. If teams are still tied after applying all tiebreakers or if two teams are tied that are in different conferences, a coin toss after the season will determine which team gets priority."Follow this link to
CBS.com: for what appears to be a "if the draft was today" ranking.
So, root for the NFC Norris and the AFC East. The Pack are certainly doing their part.
2. The Bears are chumps. Their vaunted defense mostly blew, allowing the Packers to rack up decent running yards and big passing yards. Actually, the Packers should get a mark in the victory column for this one. They are the only players on the field who beat anybody (themselves).
3.
Draft Bush. Ok, I'm standing down, backing away, tossing in the towel. I'm now officially on the already overcrowded Reggie Bush stationwagon, and I'm driving it all the way to Green Bay. Yesterday I saw him break tackles and show some actual strength. I just wonder if he can follow his blockers. He really doesn't have to follow them now, as soon as he gets the ball he's in open space and has room to dance. He won't have that kind of room at Lambeau (unless someone else drafts him).
4. Blame Favre. The game was lost on two of his bad passes. It would be one thing if those were his only bad passes of the day, but he seemed to be trying to cut the grass with the ball today. Also, he had a chance to run for a first down on their first drive and instead flopped a chicken/duck upfield. It's like the Packers have decided that they HAVE to lose these games, ...and Favre being the team player he is, is willing to "step up" and make sure it happens.
Oh Sweet Jeebus ...
Sharon Tay
