Oops! We regret to inform you…
The NFL announced their AFC & NFC Pro-Bowl rosters yesterday. A league leading eight Indianapolis Colts were selected to the AFC team. Coach Tony Dungy shared that news with his team and as congratulatory ‘Alohas’ were shared, players called family and friends with the news. Then the Colts telephone rang again. It appears that ‘upon further review’ the league made a mistake and OT Tarik Glenn’s name was added erroneously. Make that seven Colts headed to Hawaii. Tarik, who had already called loved ones to alert them to his selection, was left to reconnect with those loved ones and say that it was all in error. Even Coach Dungy, always a league guy, shook his head in disbelief and disgust.
Some playoff scenarios could come to a similar conclusion this weekend. The game between San Diego and Kansas City will end the playoff chances of the loser, while keeping the winner’s chances on life support. Atlanta, Washington, Dallas and Minnesota are all standing on very thin ice, and combinations of their losing and the outcomes of one or more other games could seal their fate.
I dare say some Head Coaches are also on the verge of hearing ‘we regret to inform you’. Say goodbye to Norv Turner in Oakland. The big wager is whether or not he actually finishes the season or if Raiders’ owner Al Davis puts him out of his misery mercifully. Dom Capers in Houston, Mike Mularky in Buffalo and Interim Coach Dick Jauron in Detroit will be casualties within 48 hours of the season’s end. Saints Coach Jim Haslett is up in the air – I’d bet that the Saints might actually hear from Haslett ‘I regret to inform you’ before Haslett hears it from the Saints’ owner Tom Benson. And here’s a little tidbit for you: Don’t be surprised if Jaguars Head Coach Jack Del Rio regretfully informs the Jags that he’s leaving. Remember, you heard it here first.
History shows that a loss, even an ugly loss just a few weeks before season’s end, can be a good thing for a playoff team. It seems to give a reality check and refocus the team’s attention to detail at just the right time. That having been said, keep your eye on those Colts, though not perfect, still the class of the AFC. And, who in the NFC took a timely stumble? None other than the last NFC team to win a Super Bowl. Hmmm. Yes, the Guru took a stumble last weekend, falling to a disappointing 9-7 win/loss total. Look for that renewed attention to detail this week, and my gelling at just the right time to finish on top. So, take note of this week’s picks.
Here are my ‘it’s-not-if-you-get-knocked-down-it’s-whether-you-get-back-up, returning-to-the-top-of-my-game, take-these-locks-er-stick-em-in-the-pipe-and-smoke-it-baby’ picks for week 16: Bucs over Falcons; Bengals over Bills; Panthers over Cowboys; Saints over Lions; Jaguars over Texans; Native Americans over East Rutherford Giants; Steelers over Browns; Chargers over Chiefs; Rams over 49ers; Dolphins over Titans; Eagles over Cardinals; Seahawks over Colts; Broncos over Raiders; Bears over Packers; Vikings over Ravens; Patriots over Jets; and in 2006, the Red Sox over traitor Johnny Damon and the rest of the Yankee$.
Some playoff scenarios could come to a similar conclusion this weekend. The game between San Diego and Kansas City will end the playoff chances of the loser, while keeping the winner’s chances on life support. Atlanta, Washington, Dallas and Minnesota are all standing on very thin ice, and combinations of their losing and the outcomes of one or more other games could seal their fate.
I dare say some Head Coaches are also on the verge of hearing ‘we regret to inform you’. Say goodbye to Norv Turner in Oakland. The big wager is whether or not he actually finishes the season or if Raiders’ owner Al Davis puts him out of his misery mercifully. Dom Capers in Houston, Mike Mularky in Buffalo and Interim Coach Dick Jauron in Detroit will be casualties within 48 hours of the season’s end. Saints Coach Jim Haslett is up in the air – I’d bet that the Saints might actually hear from Haslett ‘I regret to inform you’ before Haslett hears it from the Saints’ owner Tom Benson. And here’s a little tidbit for you: Don’t be surprised if Jaguars Head Coach Jack Del Rio regretfully informs the Jags that he’s leaving. Remember, you heard it here first.
History shows that a loss, even an ugly loss just a few weeks before season’s end, can be a good thing for a playoff team. It seems to give a reality check and refocus the team’s attention to detail at just the right time. That having been said, keep your eye on those Colts, though not perfect, still the class of the AFC. And, who in the NFC took a timely stumble? None other than the last NFC team to win a Super Bowl. Hmmm. Yes, the Guru took a stumble last weekend, falling to a disappointing 9-7 win/loss total. Look for that renewed attention to detail this week, and my gelling at just the right time to finish on top. So, take note of this week’s picks.
Here are my ‘it’s-not-if-you-get-knocked-down-it’s-whether-you-get-back-up, returning-to-the-top-of-my-game, take-these-locks-er-stick-em-in-the-pipe-and-smoke-it-baby’ picks for week 16: Bucs over Falcons; Bengals over Bills; Panthers over Cowboys; Saints over Lions; Jaguars over Texans; Native Americans over East Rutherford Giants; Steelers over Browns; Chargers over Chiefs; Rams over 49ers; Dolphins over Titans; Eagles over Cardinals; Seahawks over Colts; Broncos over Raiders; Bears over Packers; Vikings over Ravens; Patriots over Jets; and in 2006, the Red Sox over traitor Johnny Damon and the rest of the Yankee$.
1 Comments:
Whatever happened to Dick Jauron? The guy was coach of the year in 2003 or was it 2001? Either way, talk about a fall from excellency. Any idea what happened?
By J. Roaf, at 12/22/2005 5:22 PM
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