NFL 2009

Well, the thoughts probably aren’t all that super, but the game was called Super, even if it wasn’t all that super. Or something. Random thoughts on the Super Bowl: :: I was rooting for the Colts, but not really rooting against the Saints — it was one of those games where I wanted one team to win but wasn’t bothered much that they didn’t. It is always nice to see teams that have historically sucked finally manage to put their shit together and win the Super Bowl. :: Note to Buffalo Bills: see? See?! Teams that have historically sucked —Down the rabbit hole….

UPDATE 2-7-10: You know, I was thinking about doing some research and creating a nice long Super Bowl trivia quiz this year, but I just never got around to doing the research, so I filed the notion away for next year. And now I’m getting a lot of hits from people looking for “Super Bowl Questions”, so I’m definitely doing it next year. These questions probably aren’t what you all are looking for, but thanks for dropping by, folks! Go Colts! (But I won’t be bothered if the Saints win.) Roger asks some questions regarding the Super Bowl: Do youDown the rabbit hole….

I was right! And my final score picks were in the neighborhood, surprisingly enough. Huzzah! I’m probably going to be rooting for the Colts, although a Saints win won’t bother me all that much if it happens. My general inclination is to pick the Colts on the basis of experience and the fact that the Saints combine awesome offense with a bend-but-don’t-break style of defense, which isn’t a combination that tends to serve teams well in the Super Bowl. (Just ask the Buffalo Bills.) I didn’t watch the AFC Championship Game, figuring it would be the lesser of the twoDown the rabbit hole….

My predictions are: Colts 31, Jets 13 and Saints 38, Vikings 24. I’ve been wrong a lot during this year’s playoffs, so I see no reason that should end. I’m conflicted on the Vikings, actually; I’ve always liked the team and a lot of my best friends, dating from my college years, are Vikings fans, so seeing them get a Super Bowl win would be nice. But Brett Favre’s annual offseason antics about whether or not he’s retiring and whether or not he wants to play and blah blah blah have soured me on Favre to the point that IDown the rabbit hole….

The other day, the Buffalo Bills held a hastily-called news conference to announce the hiring of their new General Manager: a guy named Buddy Nix, who was promoted from national scout to GM for the team. After everyone in Buffalo — and I mean everyone — agreed that what the team needs first and foremost is a good football person to take over the reins of the never-ending rebuilding project, the selection of Nix was billed as just that. But the reaction in Bills-land has been a pretty resounding “Meh”. Jerry Sullivan’s column from the other day is pretty representativeDown the rabbit hole….

The Buffalo Bills have, a short while ago, lost 17-10 to the New England Patriots. That’s their second loss to the Patriots this year and something like their 18th since 2000. Wow. Although they did break their usual pattern of playing the Pats tough the first time and then get blown out the second; they played tough in both games. Same result, though. Whee!!! The loss today is notable in that it’s also the ninth of the season, which means that the Bills are officially playing a losing season. That will be their fifth consecutive losing season. It’s also theDown the rabbit hole….

Adam Schein of FOX Sports spends part of a regular column opining on the Buffalo Bills — specifically, just who is to blame for the fact that the team is a giant mess right now. Here’s the entirety of his take: 1. The Bills’ mess is Dick Jauron’s fault. This is a bust. Don’t get me wrong. The record proves that Jauron, a strong football mind, did a bad job. There were major issues with in-game strategy through the years, from the disasters against Cleveland, Dallas and New England on national television to this past Sunday in Tennessee. And JauronDown the rabbit hole….

The football world is abuzz — abuzz! — with talk about a big gamble Patriots coach (and all around Incarnation of All Things Evil) Bill Belichick made in the game yesterday against the Indianapolis Colts. With the Pats leading 34-28 with a bit more than two minutes left, the Pats faced 4th-and-2 from their own 28 yard line. Just about everybody on the planet would almost certainly punt in that situation, the idea being that you at least want the other team to have a lot more field to cover if they have to drive for a touchdown to haveDown the rabbit hole….