[clear - refresh] ---NOT QUITE A MOP, NOT QUITE A PUPPET--- [created by may, modified by johnny b]
ABOUT ME:
Home to a half Mexican who now lives in Silverdale, WA and who supports the Hawks, Sonics and Mariners along with the alma mater (WSU). I also post wacky links, pictures of insanely hot women and what have you (if you don't want to read my ramblings), so enjoy.


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* m a y s t a r *
designs


Monday, October 20, 2003
-Allegra, while filling out her class schedule



Memo to Jay: Glad you like the story and I feel you on moving back in. It sucks, but it'll end sometime. (hopefully? maybe?)

Welcome to another wacky weekend in football land. After today:

-The Vikings are for real (and Moss comes up with the Play Of The Year.)
-The Broncos are FUCKING SCREWED. (Danny Kanell?!?! Where has this fucker been, SIBERIA?!?!? Holy shit.)
-Tampa Bay won't repeat as champs.
-The Eagles are going to kill Spaulding DEAD with these close games.
-It wouldn't hurt the (Redskins/Bills/Pats/insert your team here if they apply) to STOP BEING SO SCHIZOID.
-And DO NOT SLEEP on Dallas OR the Bengals, yo. Just don't do it.
-Oh, lest I forget: MCNAIR FOR MVP (another stellar performance today.)

As for my team, despite their best start ever, they're not even close to great. They're merely good. Yes, they're 5-1, but they haven't shown they're ready to take that proverbial "big step" to the proverbial "next level." They beat the teams they're supposed to beat i.e. Arizona and Chicago, but they didn't do it in style today like the Chiefs, Vikings, Colts and Panthers have been doing this year.

The D is still suspect against the run, Alexander isn't that aggressive (he waits for his spots,) Hasselbeck still makes mistakes (but he did do better today in avoiding the sack,) and they're STILL having to comeback in the fourth when they slip up and let their opponent come back to tie or take the lead.

But to accentuate the positive, they don't lose their heads or get down when they're down and they have improved over the past several years. They just need that game where it clicks, they say "Oh!" and whip the shit out of any team who gets in their way.

So yay for the 5-1 start, but we've been here before. I remember Holmgren's first year when we started out 8-2, but went on a losing skid and needed help from the Chiefs to win the division. I'm praying that we don't repeat that, but I don't know. I just don't know.

WSU: Thankfully we avoided the letdown (or "trap" game which will become the new buzz word everyone beats into the ground, including me.) It was still a struggle, but some good defensive play and Kegel kicking some ass pushed us to victory. Unfortunately it's going to be OU and Miami in the national championship game this year, as they are just dominating teams left and right. Still, if we can beat Oregon State, USC and the Huskies at Husky Stadium it'll be another trip to the Rose Bowl. Hell, I don't have a problem with that. Maybe we can win there! Oh, if it were reality and not some sweet dream...

Hey, I'm tired, so I'm gonna end it with football rumors. Enjoy RAW (or not) and Go Fins!

-One school of thought in Cleveland is that the Browns are thrilled with Tim Couch's play not only because of the good it has done for a once-struggling offense, but for what it could do for his trade value after this season.

-A source close to the Bengals says there's a better-than-50-percent chance of RB Corey Dillon returning next season. However, we're told the team wants to see how Dillon bounces back from the groin injury that kept him out of the Bengals' Week 5 loss at Buffalo.

-Although Eagles FS Brian Dawkins has ditched his crutches for a cane, don't look for the All-Pro to return to the lineup any time soon. The original prognosis was for him to be out 2-6 weeks, but after the fifth week of rehab, Dawkins appears far from returning, even though head coach Andy Reid denied a rumor that Dawkins would miss the rest of the season.

-Struggling Cardinals OLG Leonard Davis admitted last week that he's more than a little bothered by the perception among some that he's just not hungry enough. Davis said persistent injury problems and constant switching from guard to tackle have set him back significantly and not his lack of effort. We hear Davis' ankle could bother him in varying degrees the rest of the season, and that the team expects him to just deal with it and work through the pain.

-Our sources tell us the Panthers are concerned that teams are starting to figure out that Carolina's linebackers aren't as good as initially thought and opponents will start to pound the ball to try to force them to prove they can stop the run.

-We're told the recent groin injury to Saints WR-RS Michael Lewis made everyone involved understand how important he is to the team and allowed the two sides to come to an agreement on a contract extension that had been pending since last summer.

-The way we hear it, Saints head coach Jim Haslett won't consider replacing QB Aaron Brooks in the lineup with backup Todd Bouman because Haslett doesn't want to create the distraction of a QB controversy, no matter how much Brooks struggles.

-We hear the Buccaneers will wait to see if there is any significant healing in CB Brian Kelly's torn left pectoral muscle in the next few weeks before determining whether to schedule surgery, which would end his season.

-Bucs head coach Jon Gruden isn't allowing his team to use injuries as an excuse for their mediocre start because he believes it is each player's duty to step up and play his part when teammates go down, and as champs, everyone should have faith in the guy next to him to get the job done.

-Insiders have been critical of the Falcons' conservative play-calling in the second half of games this season and believe head coach Dan Reeves and his coaching staff have been playing not to lose instead of playing to win.

-Reports out of Washington, D.C., indicate that new TE Byron Chamberlain is nowhere near the 245 pounds he weighed when he went to the Pro Bowl with the Vikings in 2001. Although head coach Steve Spurrier thinks the addition of Chamberlain will add a new dimension to his offense, there is no way Chamberlain will be able to make a significant contribution in the passing game any time soon.

-Much of the credit for Cowboys QB Quincy Carter's development has gone to head coach Bill Parcells or QB coach Sean Payton, but observers say the work of offensive assistant David Lee should not go overlooked. Lee, who coached at Arkansas last season, helped raw run-pass QB Matt Jones develop into one of the SEC's most dangerous players.

-Although Cowboys C Matt Lehr continues to start games, backup Gennaro DiNapoli is playing more and more each game. Expect a change at some point this season.

-Giants head coach Jim Fassel has not guaranteed PK Matt Bryant, who injured his right hamstring on a 43-yard field goal against the Dolphins and will miss 3-4 weeks, his job back. If Bryant's replacement, Brett Conway, does well in the meantime, Conway could keep the job, or the two could split place-kicking and kickoff duties.

-The Browns are playing more press coverage as defensive coordinator Dave Campo gets comfortable with CBs Daylon McCutcheon and Anthony Henry. The Browns also are running more cover-2 than in years past.

-We hear that the signing of former Redskins RB Kenny Watson and the impending return of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh from injury are factors that may not bode well for RB Brandon Bennett's future in Cincinnati.

-While the Ravens' wide receivers have been hurt by rookie QB Kyle Boller's inconsistency, our sources say Travis Taylor hasn't helped matters by not making some plays he should have made.

-We hear the Seahawks recently considered placing OL Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack, who is currently sidelined with a toe injury, on injured reserve and still might do so. In a best-case scenario, the versatile Womack would be starting at right guard, but he's expected to be sidelined at least another couple of weeks, and the Hawks have been satisfied for the most part with the job being turned in at right guard by Chris Gray.

-We hear there were some teammates of 49ers OLG Eric Heitmann who thought he could have returned a lot sooner from the high ankle sprain that forced him to miss four games.

-Sources say 49ers TE Eric Johnson's broken collarbone is healing more slowly than expected, and that if there isn't marked progress in the next few weeks, the team will probably put him on injured reserve to open up a roster spot.

-The Dolphins already had made a change at punter, parting ways with Mark Royals, and now we hear long snapper Sean McDermott is on the hot seat and needs to step it up to keep his job.

-Dolphins C Seth McKinney was not ready to be the full-time starter because he wasn't reading the defensive fronts as well as veteran Tim Ruddy. Thus, Ruddy was given the starting job back, but our sources say it's only a matter of experience, and McKinney certainly will be the starter in the future.

-When New England has switched to a 4-3 scheme on defense, with Richard Seymour and Ty Warren at tackle, Warren has given the group a nice lift and played well in that role.

-The Patriots liked what they saw out of RB Mike Cloud in Week 5, but the team is taking a guardedly optimistic view, waiting for him to prove it week in and week out.

-Jets QB Chad Pennington could return to the starting lineup as early as Oct. 26, but we hear Nov. 2 is a more realistic target date.

-Despite their thrilling come-from-behind 38-35 victory over the defending champs in Week 5, we hear that Colts PK Mike Vanderjagt was beside himself as a result of the missed field goal, which was negated by Buccaneers DE Simeon Rice's leaping penalty, and his game-winning kick that deflected off the upright. He thought he let the team down.

-While he has flashed potential, rookie TE Dallas Clark is struggling to master the Colts' complicated offense. WR Reggie Wayne had the same problem during his rookie year.

-Texans head coach Dom Capers has no problems with players losing their starting jobs to injury. As a result, OLG Todd Washington earned the starting job while Milford Brown sat out with a sprained knee.

-Sources closes to the team have told us that Jaguars WR J.J. Stokes has lost a step and can no longer separate from defenders. Unless another Jaguars wide receiver gets hurt, expect Stokes to remain inactive for the rest of the season.

-Although P Craig Hentrich has gone 4-of-4 on field goals, hitting from 49, 34, 33 and 48 yards, the Titans have no plans to hand over PK Gary Anderson's kicking duties. Hentrich would have to spend part of practice kicking field goals instead of punting, and the Titans place a major emphasis on field position. Team officials also worry that kicking field goals in addition to kicking off would tire out his leg.

-Contract squabbles have not affected Titans DE Jevon Kearse's play. Although a source told PFW that he is not yet 100 percent, Kearse is nearly back to his dominant self and much healthier than he was in Week 1. But Kevin Carter is the team's best defensive lineman right now.

-We hear that rookie RB Domanick Davis has really impressed the Texans' coaching staff with how quickly he hits the hole. Originally drafted as a third-down back, they now think he has the durability to play every down.

-Team sources say the media have overblown the credit given to the meeting between Packers offensive coordinator Tom Rossley and QB Brett Favre for Green Bay's offensive success its last three games. Rossley and Favre, like the coordinator and quarterback on every NFL team, speak regularly about personnel and play-calling.

-Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper was ready to play in Week 5 at Atlanta, but he would not have been able to use his scrambling ability. Throwing the ball has not been a problem for Culpepper since he suffered the back injury Sept. 21 at Detroit. But Culpepper lacked the lateral mobility to escape pressure and pick up yardage by foot until last Thursday, when he practiced pain-free for the first time.

-According to some close to the team, the progress of Raiders second-year OT Langston Walker could make veteran ORT Lincoln Kennedy expendable next offseason.

-Raiders WR Jerry Porter practiced last week, albeit on a limited basis, for the first time since he underwent hernia surgery on Sept. 12. He projected he would return before the six-week estimate for his recovery, which means he would have to play this week against the Chiefs to make good on his goal.

-Chiefs president Carl Peterson believes one of the biggest differences for a much-improved defense is the ability of Kansas City to get consistent pressure from the front four, something that didn't happen much at all last year.

-Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer said he doesn't feel any pressure from outside sources to turn the ship around in San Diego. "I know what we need to do, and we are in the process of trying to get it done," Schottenheimer said. "And it is frustrating when you know how to do it, and you know it can be done, and you're not getting it finished off. That is the frustrating thing for me. But all the pressure that is put on me is self-imposed."

etch-a-sketched by john at 1:11 AM