Because I leave the less important shit to other people, Bokolis spends as much time as practical trying to get people to stop mindlessly spouting the baseball adage good pitching stops good hitting.** Because I don't have time to be individually explaining shit to every idiot that says it, I usually just replay with no, great pitching stops good hitting...and nothing stops great hitting.
With the playoffs just passing its most frenetic period, every pitchers duel elicits utterances. Bokolis is going to set y'all straight.
Generally speaking, the teams hit at a lower average than during the regular season. Someone might try explaining that away by saying that the hitters are facing better pitchers than they did during the regular season. But, by that logic, the pitchers would also be facing better hitters (on average). If that logic held, the pitchers would suffer like the hitters and wouldn't have better ERA and WHIP than the regular season. Of course, the pitching and hitting stats can't both be worse.
Therefore, the conclusion is that it's not good hitting that's being stopped; at least, the hitting is not in as good a state as it was during the regular season.
There are quite a few things at play here. The most important tangible thing is that the strike zone is bigger. It's not bigger in the Eric Gregg-ring-'em-up if-it's-in-the-batting-circle-sense, but bigger in that the umpires give both the high and low strike- as opposed to either/or- and will call the inside pitch, which they don't do in the regular season so as not to encourage the pitchers to throw inside. They are giving every nook of the strike zone, calling it almost as it's written; that zone they're showing on TBS is wider and lower than the written zone. As the broads, once they've caught it, will finally attest, size- an extra inch here and there- does matter. In this case, a bigger zone is making for almost 1960's-style anemic batting.
All of that confers an expectation of higher level of pitching than the regular season. It further and confers that erstwhile good hitting isn't good hitting when it can be consistently shut down. Now, Bokolis will make it messy, by telling y'all it's the jitters as much as it is the pitching.
Of course, the battle isn't as pitched as it was back then, mainly because hitters have so many more resources at their disposal, and, on the whole, the hitters look more clueless than helpless. But, why? These pitchers are throwing the same crap they threw during the season. Guys are still productive, but it is often not the top-class hitters leading the charge. Derek Jeter- considered "clutch"- plays to his career average in the playoffs, but A-Rod sure as hell doesn't. Reggie Jackson slightly bettered his career average (including strikeouts) but, on the strength of his world series performances, has the legendary status and nickname.
Consider the game that cemented Reggie's legend. His first HR was off the same Burt Hooton who, in the middle of a quite productive seven-year stretch, shut down the Yankees four games earlier (Jackson went 0-4,with 2K and a GDP). His second was off Elias Sosa, who was lights thefuck out in '77. The black-seater was off Charlie Hough...hmmm - an average pitcher with a crap record in '77 who went on to win 216 games (and lose as many) with his knuckler.
Hooten was again bombed in '78 in the Bronx after a credible start in LA (where Reggie drove in all three runs, but famously struck out against Bob Welsh with two on to end it; even Reggie's failures were spectacular). Hough again mopped up and, unlike the previous year, when Reggie was the only mark on an otherwise unremarkable outing, he also was roughed up. Reggie had a relatively unremarkable night and had little involvement in this beating.
If that all looks like noise, it is meant to be. Was Hooten a good pitcher when he handled Reggie and the rest of the Yankees, but not four days later when they handled him? Was Reggie a good hitter when he put it in the black seats against a Hough who handled the rest of the batters he faced, but not a good batter when he didn't partake while his teammates ran train on Hough?
Sometimes you tame the lion and sometimes you get eaten by the lion, usually while you're scared.
So. what makes for good hitting? Do the guys that perform rise to the occasion, like Reggie did? Do they live for the big moment? Do otherwise decent hitters simply have the disposition to remain calm in high-pressure match-ups where players considered to be much higher-caliber do not?
How about the not-so-decent hitters, like Bucky Dent, he of the .603 OPS in '78, only slightly lower than his career average? Bucky Dent won the World Series MVP in '78 with a 10 for 24 showing. Was he just playing harder? Maybe that'll work for Robinson Cano, who, it seems, can't be bothered to exert himself at more than 75%. After all, if the same effort that gets you 24 for your last 39 in the regular season only gets you 2-28 during the playoffs, you better step up your game, muthafucka. If you do that, they'll tell you you're pressing, a surefire recipe for failure.
How about Nick Swisher, who seems like the poster boy for the argument? If an average hitter with above average power qualifies as good hitting, hey, you've found one.
Maybe they need to better focus...because it's only the playoffs and they got better shit to do. After all, the NFL season has started and setting up their fantasy teams may weighing on their preparation. Wait, preparation? As in, getting in the cage and taking so many swings that it ain't no thing to be at the plate. As in, reading the boat loads of stats and scouting reports on opposition that you will be exclusively playing for the next 5 or 7 games? Yes, so you know what they got and when they're going to bring it.
Preparation is so that you're not lost at the plate, so you don't give away at bats, you know the play to make. That leads to being self-assured. If you don't have that, you have nothing. Was it the same Kenny Rogers that was standing on the mound in Atlanta in 1999, looking- before he'd thrown a pitch- like he wanted his mommy, as the one that pitched 23 innings of shutout ball in the 2006 postseason? Granted, he was self-assured because he was cheating. But, if he wasn't self-assured, the cheating wouldn't have helped.
If you are self-assured, you will make positive things happen. That's all the fuck I've got.
** - Bokolis will concede that the a situation will occasionally present itself during the regular season that is consistent with the adage, but not nearly consistently enough to make the adage hold water.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Igotit, Igotit, I...
Major League Baseball has once again found itself with cum on its face due to the WWF-style officiating it typically offers up for playoff games.
First here's a little reference material, shamelessly lifted from BuzzFeed
Here's what the Official Rules of MLB (2.00) considers an infield fly:
An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.
When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall immediately declare “Infield Fly” for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the umpire shall declare “Infield Fly, if Fair.”
The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul.
If a declared Infield Fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched to the ground outside the baseline, and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an Infield Fly.
Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder—not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder. The infield fly is in no sense to be considered an appeal play. The umpire’s judgment must govern, and the decision should be made immediately.
When an infield fly rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. If on an infield fly rule, the infielder intentionally drops a fair ball, the ball in play despite the provisions of Rule 6.05 (L). The infield fly rule takes precedence.
This was the type of play where you'd be screaming, there's shit in your eye or, watch out for the truck! That's what Bokolis does; I don't know what y'all do at baseball games.
None of this should give you the impression, as you've been misled to believe, that the umpire is obliged to call Infield Fly at the ball's apex. He can call it wheneverthefuck he wants to call it. The overriding, if unofficial, criteria, however, is that the infielder has to be camped under the ball. If it hasn't become apparent by the time the ball is at its apex, there is very likely no need to protect the baserunners against a double play.
That's the part that Sam Holbrook, the left field umpire, didn't consider. The infield fly rule is does not exist to give the defense free outs; it is there to protect the offense.
To illustrate, ESPN, strangely doing something to live up to its self-annointed appelation- don't get too excited jagoffs, you had an ex-umpire offering insights who didn't fully understand the rule- offered that there were 6 instances where infield fly was called and the ball was not caught. For the longest of these, the ball traveled 171 feet; on the play in question, the ball traveled 225 feet.
225 feet is ordinarily a can of corn to left, not an infield fly. This one was hit high enough that it couldn't even be considered a can of corn, much less to an infielder that had to backpedal about 100 feet. There was no way, even if he had the savvy, that shortstop Kozma was going to gull the Braves into a double play from 225 feet out in left field. Even when left fielder Holliday picked it up, all he knew to do was to flip the ball to Kozma. Bokolis thinks they were no better than even money- stoned as they were- to throw the guy out at home.
Let's review the fuck-ups:
Think about how shit a call has to be to get notoriously disinterested and misinformed Braves fans, who'd rather be at a football game or a NASCAR race, amped up to throw crap on the field. Aside - good for them for throwing crap on the field, lest the people be deluded by the corporatist propaganda, which tells you, more or less, to pay up, sit down, shut the fuck up and take whatever product we give you. Nah, muthafuckas, you'll take what we give you.
Bokolis has been conditioned to expect some kind of half-measure from Bud, who has been stealing money and office space. Get ready for 2 out of 3 wild card, so that it doesn't come down to one blown call...yeah, if you can keep it to only one.
MLB might want to call up this guy for the next series.
First here's a little reference material, shamelessly lifted from BuzzFeed
Here's what the Official Rules of MLB (2.00) considers an infield fly:
An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.
When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall immediately declare “Infield Fly” for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the umpire shall declare “Infield Fly, if Fair.”
The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul.
If a declared Infield Fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched to the ground outside the baseline, and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an Infield Fly.
Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder—not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder. The infield fly is in no sense to be considered an appeal play. The umpire’s judgment must govern, and the decision should be made immediately.
When an infield fly rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. If on an infield fly rule, the infielder intentionally drops a fair ball, the ball in play despite the provisions of Rule 6.05 (L). The infield fly rule takes precedence.
This was the type of play where you'd be screaming, there's shit in your eye or, watch out for the truck! That's what Bokolis does; I don't know what y'all do at baseball games.
None of this should give you the impression, as you've been misled to believe, that the umpire is obliged to call Infield Fly at the ball's apex. He can call it wheneverthefuck he wants to call it. The overriding, if unofficial, criteria, however, is that the infielder has to be camped under the ball. If it hasn't become apparent by the time the ball is at its apex, there is very likely no need to protect the baserunners against a double play.
That's the part that Sam Holbrook, the left field umpire, didn't consider. The infield fly rule is does not exist to give the defense free outs; it is there to protect the offense.
To illustrate, ESPN, strangely doing something to live up to its self-annointed appelation- don't get too excited jagoffs, you had an ex-umpire offering insights who didn't fully understand the rule- offered that there were 6 instances where infield fly was called and the ball was not caught. For the longest of these, the ball traveled 171 feet; on the play in question, the ball traveled 225 feet.
225 feet is ordinarily a can of corn to left, not an infield fly. This one was hit high enough that it couldn't even be considered a can of corn, much less to an infielder that had to backpedal about 100 feet. There was no way, even if he had the savvy, that shortstop Kozma was going to gull the Braves into a double play from 225 feet out in left field. Even when left fielder Holliday picked it up, all he knew to do was to flip the ball to Kozma. Bokolis thinks they were no better than even money- stoned as they were- to throw the guy out at home.
Let's review the fuck-ups:
- Holbrook decided about 5 seconds into 6.0 seconds of hang time that it took ordinary effort for the shortstop to go out to left field to catch a fly ball. He called Infield Fly about 5.4 seconds into the 6.0 seconds of hang time.
- The league, through its impromptu spokesperson- Joe Torre - at its impromptu press conference to poorly explain itself, refuses to admit that it was probably a shit call. This, on the heels of the NFL refusing to admit to a shit call that was so shit as to impel labor peace with its officials.
Think about how shit a call has to be to get notoriously disinterested and misinformed Braves fans, who'd rather be at a football game or a NASCAR race, amped up to throw crap on the field. Aside - good for them for throwing crap on the field, lest the people be deluded by the corporatist propaganda, which tells you, more or less, to pay up, sit down, shut the fuck up and take whatever product we give you. Nah, muthafuckas, you'll take what we give you.
Bokolis has been conditioned to expect some kind of half-measure from Bud, who has been stealing money and office space. Get ready for 2 out of 3 wild card, so that it doesn't come down to one blown call...yeah, if you can keep it to only one.
MLB might want to call up this guy for the next series.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Greek Style?
The three stooges involved are members/representatives of fringe political parties. The two birds are from different left-wing parties- the dark-haired is from the communist party and the blonde is from a similar, but different group- and the man is from the suddenly quasi-relevant right-wing extremists. Bokolis can't be bothered with specifics.
He is always the aggressor in the argument, at one point calling one of them the equivalent of a pinko commie. The flashpoint was when the blonde said that the people that his party want to bring in will set the nation back 500 years (forgetting, of course, that modern Greece has been independent less than 200 years and something other than a banana republic for about 30).
That’s when he slung the water at her.
His strikes showed awful form; he ignores Rocky Marciano’s point that you should be aiming for the back of their heads so you can punch through your target. As it shows, his blows had minimal impact. Also, in throwing wide and wild as he did, he left himself open to the straight right hand.
On the other hand, the brio with which he said go to hell, more in the context of aw, fuck off, was mildly impressive.
As some may know, in nations not in the western world, which includes Spain, Italy and the Redneck Rectangle, there are only two defined roles for women; that of the mother or that of the whore. Because most men, like this character, have trouble processing departures from that, women who do so run the risk of encountering the Albanian Bouquet.
Too bad for him that he doesn’t know how to lay it down.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Do you ever feel...
Why not share?
Y'know how people- when they are not too intimidated- just love to come up to a lone wolf, as if to see just WTF is going on with this muthafucka that he's in the bar by himself. This happens to Bokolis all the fucking time.
I'm in the bar recently, after the fun job. The place is crawling, so just getting to the bar is an issue. The bartender knows me, so the drink is getting made before I get there. I sense some drunk bird- tall, above average looks, carrying about 15 pounds of winter weight; Bokolis wouldn't throw her out of bed, but wouldn't go out of my way to bag her, either- is eyeing me. But, I'm feigning being oblivious and not letting on. Besides, I've already noticed that she's got radar lock on another dude. Despite her advances, this dude is hanging back, waiting for it to fall into his lap rather than do anything that would fuck it up. After all, birds are just as lonely, horny and desperate as guys, but they are usually more coy. Not this one; might she be looking to trade up?
BACKGROUND: I pick the place I do because it provides an easy escape. I'm not there to bag broads. For me, it is happy hour; I've probably been working for the better part of 15 hours, so I'm looking to shovel down about 3 drinks and a shot to relax before heading home. However, it is the weekend, so the amateur revelers are out and the place is usually a little more bustling than what I'd consider optimal for my therapy.
After a bit, some space- not enough for comfort- opens up right next to her. I need my drink. I can just tell something is going to come out of her mouth when I pull up alongside. Fuck it, I'm swooping in.
I say hello to the bartender and take my drink. The bird is looking at me- first, like, howthefuck did you get there?, then, like, this guy is good-looking; I'm going to say something clever.
The song playing in the bar is Christina Aguilera's Genie in a Bottle. The video is on, too, which had me thinking, she looked good as jailbait...WTF happened?! Why does that matter, you ask. We're looking at each other, dead in the eyes, and she says, "Do you ever feel like a genie in a bottle?"
I guess I was supposed to reply with some variation of, I gotcha three wishes right here, shweetaht, oh! Or, something a bit more suave. It went through my mind, too. But, fuck that; I let out a Hah!, intentionally too loud to be cool, and walked away. I was indignant, and it got the best of me, but I felt I had the right. I mean, if the roles were reversed there, and I said that to her, she would have rolled her eyes and given a puhleez! Fuck that shit!
I'd've fucked her anyway. The real problem was that she was too drunk to perform. Given that the last bird I'd bagged up in a bar wanted the dick so bad that she tried to choke herself on me, Idon't want to deal with some ain't fuckin' wit no catatonic drunk. If you remember the beer goggles post, Bokolis told you that, "if we put the average hottie on 5 drinks, with the time-release effect of alcohol, there's a good chance she will be non-functional before you get in position." I'm certain that Bokolis would've wound up walking out of her apartment because she was KTFO.
All that, just to relay that a drunk bird used a horrible pick-up line on me...and that we all need to find more birds that are willing to choke on the dick. I'll bet somebody is out there thinking, jerkoff, hit the roommate... different night, different story and I can't tell you how much shit that caused.
Y'know how people- when they are not too intimidated- just love to come up to a lone wolf, as if to see just WTF is going on with this muthafucka that he's in the bar by himself. This happens to Bokolis all the fucking time.
I'm in the bar recently, after the fun job. The place is crawling, so just getting to the bar is an issue. The bartender knows me, so the drink is getting made before I get there. I sense some drunk bird- tall, above average looks, carrying about 15 pounds of winter weight; Bokolis wouldn't throw her out of bed, but wouldn't go out of my way to bag her, either- is eyeing me. But, I'm feigning being oblivious and not letting on. Besides, I've already noticed that she's got radar lock on another dude. Despite her advances, this dude is hanging back, waiting for it to fall into his lap rather than do anything that would fuck it up. After all, birds are just as lonely, horny and desperate as guys, but they are usually more coy. Not this one; might she be looking to trade up?
BACKGROUND: I pick the place I do because it provides an easy escape. I'm not there to bag broads. For me, it is happy hour; I've probably been working for the better part of 15 hours, so I'm looking to shovel down about 3 drinks and a shot to relax before heading home. However, it is the weekend, so the amateur revelers are out and the place is usually a little more bustling than what I'd consider optimal for my therapy.
After a bit, some space- not enough for comfort- opens up right next to her. I need my drink. I can just tell something is going to come out of her mouth when I pull up alongside. Fuck it, I'm swooping in.
I say hello to the bartender and take my drink. The bird is looking at me- first, like, howthefuck did you get there?, then, like, this guy is good-looking; I'm going to say something clever.
The song playing in the bar is Christina Aguilera's Genie in a Bottle. The video is on, too, which had me thinking, she looked good as jailbait...WTF happened?! Why does that matter, you ask. We're looking at each other, dead in the eyes, and she says, "Do you ever feel like a genie in a bottle?"
I guess I was supposed to reply with some variation of, I gotcha three wishes right here, shweetaht, oh! Or, something a bit more suave. It went through my mind, too. But, fuck that; I let out a Hah!, intentionally too loud to be cool, and walked away. I was indignant, and it got the best of me, but I felt I had the right. I mean, if the roles were reversed there, and I said that to her, she would have rolled her eyes and given a puhleez! Fuck that shit!
I'd've fucked her anyway. The real problem was that she was too drunk to perform. Given that the last bird I'd bagged up in a bar wanted the dick so bad that she tried to choke herself on me, I
All that, just to relay that a drunk bird used a horrible pick-up line on me...and that we all need to find more birds that are willing to choke on the dick. I'll bet somebody is out there thinking, jerkoff, hit the roommate... different night, different story and I can't tell you how much shit that caused.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Nothing lasts forever
From Entertainment infographics via Ritholtz
Enjoy.
The decline came far before these graphics indicate. Because the perspective is on hits/sales, rather than street cred, it ignores that, Wu-Tang was primarily intended as a vehicle to launch the respective members' solo projects/careers.
Having expected the group to be disbanded by the time of Wu-Tang Forever and, drunk off their solo careers, tired of taking shit from RZA and no longer compelled to do so, they approached the follow-up as if it were home repairs to be done- with MTV and the label playing the nagging wife- the morning after a bender.
Wu-Tang Forever's sales are indicative of the breadth of anticipation and not of the quality of the work. I mean, fuck, you heard the output.
The shit wasn't meant to be a brand, but Wu-Tang saturated us with all manner of cross-branded products. By the time Chappelle got around to goofing on the extent of its branding endeavors, a couple of them felt compelled- they were THAT irrelevant- to take part in their own lampooning.
At the same time, hip-hop was slipping further into its Puffy-infused malaise. The Stretch Armstrong show had seen its best days. Biggie got clipped and Nas was bored, so we were resigned to idolize Jay-Z, all the while waiting for Premier to drop mixes.
So, by the time these graphics indicate that people were, like, Aw, man, WTF?!, as if the ceiling were leaking on their $100 t-shirts, Bokolis had long-sinced signed the divorce papers. Once in a while, I bring the alimony by and coax a cookie out of the ex-ol' lady, but never when Kanye is at the house.
Enjoy.
The decline came far before these graphics indicate. Because the perspective is on hits/sales, rather than street cred, it ignores that, Wu-Tang was primarily intended as a vehicle to launch the respective members' solo projects/careers.
Having expected the group to be disbanded by the time of Wu-Tang Forever and, drunk off their solo careers, tired of taking shit from RZA and no longer compelled to do so, they approached the follow-up as if it were home repairs to be done- with MTV and the label playing the nagging wife- the morning after a bender.
Wu-Tang Forever's sales are indicative of the breadth of anticipation and not of the quality of the work. I mean, fuck, you heard the output.
The shit wasn't meant to be a brand, but Wu-Tang saturated us with all manner of cross-branded products. By the time Chappelle got around to goofing on the extent of its branding endeavors, a couple of them felt compelled- they were THAT irrelevant- to take part in their own lampooning.
At the same time, hip-hop was slipping further into its Puffy-infused malaise. The Stretch Armstrong show had seen its best days. Biggie got clipped and Nas was bored, so we were resigned to idolize Jay-Z, all the while waiting for Premier to drop mixes.
So, by the time these graphics indicate that people were, like, Aw, man, WTF?!, as if the ceiling were leaking on their $100 t-shirts, Bokolis had long-sinced signed the divorce papers. Once in a while, I bring the alimony by and coax a cookie out of the ex-ol' lady, but never when Kanye is at the house.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Shake on it
In case you didn't know, to invoke Simon Phoenix, the world has become a pussy-whipped Brady Bunch version of itself. that is to say, it's well-stocked with squirting cunts- and not the good kind, either.
Over the weekend, we saw said cunts in full spew over the Luis "Handball" Suarez- Patrice Evra non-shake. We've got all manner of pundits cum etiquette experts villifying Handball. We've got Rednose saying that Handball is a disgrace and doesn't deserve to play for Liverpool FC. Leaving aside that I happen to agree with him, albeit for different reasons, Ferguson should keep his fucking mouth shut about Liverpool FC.
In all this, hardly anyone came out to say, WTF are we doing shaking hands before the match, anyway? Since when did this become a schoolgirl operation? Can the player not have the autonomy of choosing whether to acknowledge his opponent? Say what you want, for many, sports serve as a proxy for war. If I want to search out a respected player and give him a pound, that should be up to me.
Mind you, this isn't to stick up for Handball. I held my nose when he transfered in, and they couldn't get rid of this muthafucka fast enough to suit me. When he knocked in Liverpool's goal on Saturday, Bokolis' response wasn't to cheer or to get excited at the prospect of salvaging a point from 80 minutes of crappy football and 5 minutes of god-awful football. I simply pointed out that Ferdinand- apparently busy thinking about what John Terry said about his brother- was showing his class there.
That's another fucking story.
From Handball's point of view, Evra is the rat who went and squealed on him, costing him some coin- for some bullshit that was between the two of them. So, even Handball has the right to take the stance of, fuck all y'all; don't tell me what to do. If I don't want to shake this muthafucka's hand, I ain't shaking it.
Evra chose to make it public. With Evra crying wolf, even in a she said-she said situation, they had to do something about it. At that point, the FA gets to decide- when the decision could've been Evra's alone- what's racist and what isn't. While the rational person would say that, it isn't what you say, it's how you say it, the FA doesn't have to play by that book. Not that it mattered much, as the how you say it part- go look up what was said, I'm not furthering such talk- was even worse than what was said.
Regardless, any racism shouts from anyone else are hollow shouts, coming from lazy muthafuckas that have no business shouting in the first place. These are two millionaires standing on level footing and the shit that was said was between the two of them. Evra could've handled his business. He could've called Handball out in the tunnel or wherever and stomped him the fuck out. Bokolis would've been the first one there telling Evra to fuck his ass up.
Leaving all that aside, Bokolis' position is that the players shouldn't be out there in a receiving line to shake hands. But, if they are going to line up, and Evra was willing to let it go, Suarez should've taken Evra's hand.
Over the weekend, we saw said cunts in full spew over the Luis "Handball" Suarez- Patrice Evra non-shake. We've got all manner of pundits cum etiquette experts villifying Handball. We've got Rednose saying that Handball is a disgrace and doesn't deserve to play for Liverpool FC. Leaving aside that I happen to agree with him, albeit for different reasons, Ferguson should keep his fucking mouth shut about Liverpool FC.
In all this, hardly anyone came out to say, WTF are we doing shaking hands before the match, anyway? Since when did this become a schoolgirl operation? Can the player not have the autonomy of choosing whether to acknowledge his opponent? Say what you want, for many, sports serve as a proxy for war. If I want to search out a respected player and give him a pound, that should be up to me.
Mind you, this isn't to stick up for Handball. I held my nose when he transfered in, and they couldn't get rid of this muthafucka fast enough to suit me. When he knocked in Liverpool's goal on Saturday, Bokolis' response wasn't to cheer or to get excited at the prospect of salvaging a point from 80 minutes of crappy football and 5 minutes of god-awful football. I simply pointed out that Ferdinand- apparently busy thinking about what John Terry said about his brother- was showing his class there.
That's another fucking story.
From Handball's point of view, Evra is the rat who went and squealed on him, costing him some coin- for some bullshit that was between the two of them. So, even Handball has the right to take the stance of, fuck all y'all; don't tell me what to do. If I don't want to shake this muthafucka's hand, I ain't shaking it.
Evra chose to make it public. With Evra crying wolf, even in a she said-she said situation, they had to do something about it. At that point, the FA gets to decide- when the decision could've been Evra's alone- what's racist and what isn't. While the rational person would say that, it isn't what you say, it's how you say it, the FA doesn't have to play by that book. Not that it mattered much, as the how you say it part- go look up what was said, I'm not furthering such talk- was even worse than what was said.
Regardless, any racism shouts from anyone else are hollow shouts, coming from lazy muthafuckas that have no business shouting in the first place. These are two millionaires standing on level footing and the shit that was said was between the two of them. Evra could've handled his business. He could've called Handball out in the tunnel or wherever and stomped him the fuck out. Bokolis would've been the first one there telling Evra to fuck his ass up.
Leaving all that aside, Bokolis' position is that the players shouldn't be out there in a receiving line to shake hands. But, if they are going to line up, and Evra was willing to let it go, Suarez should've taken Evra's hand.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
It's OK Little Brother, the Patsies won't be Fucking with you any Longer
...texted to Rex Ryan.
Well, Bokolis wound up going 7-4 during these playoffs, backing up last year's number.
Why did I go against my team? Too many mongoloids in suits picking the Giant's made me thing that the Pats were sold short. Under If ifs and buts...Welker had two hands on the game and it slipped through them like one of his bird's wet titties.
At least it was something approaching a real football game.
Well, Bokolis wound up going 7-4 during these playoffs, backing up last year's number.
Why did I go against my team? Too many mongoloids in suits picking the Giant's made me thing that the Pats were sold short. Under If ifs and buts...Welker had two hands on the game and it slipped through them like one of his bird's wet titties.
At least it was something approaching a real football game.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Bowl
Patriots (-3) over Giants - Posting during first change of possession. No analysis offered. Oh, shit...a safety.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Here's what the mongoloids paid to pitch you sports in suits didn't tell you...
Both games were lost, as often happens, by someone bitching out.
Cundiff had to rush out there to take the field goal atempt. It's why Belichick, if he had any TOs (I don't remember, but I think he did) didn't bother to ice him. Harbaugh-A didn't pick up on this and didn't call time out to settle his kicker. After his special teams unit wasn't ready to try a 52-yarder a few minutes earlier- and I don't know why you wouldn't have tried it, down by three with a few minutes left- that coach is sure to get canned.
Hakeem Nicks' shoulder was jacked up to the point where he was only out there as a decoy. The 49ers surely picked up on this by the 2nd quarter, when Eli was throwing every ball to Victor Cruz, and bottled up Cruz. Eli was left to throw to the practice squad. The one time he threw to Nicks in the second half, Nicks bailed on the pass and the two DBs nearly wound up killing each other.
Harbaugh-B's play selection was markedly different depending on his starting field position. Any time the 49ers started inside their own 35, he clammed up. This indicated that he didn't trust Alex Smith. Further indication of this is the 49ers dismal 3rd down conversion rate. They twice completed 3rd down passes for less than enough yardage.
In fact, two-thirds of the 49ers offensive yardage came on about 7 plays. The other 50 produced little more than 100 yards. This is what happens when you take away your QB's balls.
As bad as Flacco played- he left two touchdowns on the field; one on that early bomb to Torrie(?) Smith and another on the rollout left where he threw to the tight end(?) when the fullback in the flat, a much easier pass, had a walk-in touchdown- he put the ball in Lee Evans' hands. I'd like to tell you that the Ravens broke the golden rule of football (Never leave the game up to your kicker), but they had it.
That was a shit 4th down spot on Jacobs' run. But, as horrid as he is (the hole was there for him to blow through), he deserved no better. He was largely ignored in the later portion of the game because the coaches had lost all remaining faith in him.
There was plenty of crap called on the Giants whereas next to nothing was called on the 49ers. Calling an illegal contact penalty on 3rd & 19 is about as cunty as it gets. Calling a personal foul after letting three linemen gang up on one guy is horseshit. Taking 37 seconds to spot the ball (after a kneel-down) before Tynes' winner, then calling a delay of game penalty.
Of course, the Giants did get the benefit of the forward progress call that, while technically correct, was a quick enough whistle that spared the Giants from having to sweat a replay appeal. But, that is pretty much why the forward progress rule exists; so the defense can't hold you up and strip you right before you hit the ground. So, I don't feel bad.
In any event, Bokolis takes both games and heads to the Bowl 7-3 for the playoffs. I think I got some gators coming.
Cundiff had to rush out there to take the field goal atempt. It's why Belichick, if he had any TOs (I don't remember, but I think he did) didn't bother to ice him. Harbaugh-A didn't pick up on this and didn't call time out to settle his kicker. After his special teams unit wasn't ready to try a 52-yarder a few minutes earlier- and I don't know why you wouldn't have tried it, down by three with a few minutes left- that coach is sure to get canned.
Hakeem Nicks' shoulder was jacked up to the point where he was only out there as a decoy. The 49ers surely picked up on this by the 2nd quarter, when Eli was throwing every ball to Victor Cruz, and bottled up Cruz. Eli was left to throw to the practice squad. The one time he threw to Nicks in the second half, Nicks bailed on the pass and the two DBs nearly wound up killing each other.
Harbaugh-B's play selection was markedly different depending on his starting field position. Any time the 49ers started inside their own 35, he clammed up. This indicated that he didn't trust Alex Smith. Further indication of this is the 49ers dismal 3rd down conversion rate. They twice completed 3rd down passes for less than enough yardage.
In fact, two-thirds of the 49ers offensive yardage came on about 7 plays. The other 50 produced little more than 100 yards. This is what happens when you take away your QB's balls.
As bad as Flacco played- he left two touchdowns on the field; one on that early bomb to Torrie(?) Smith and another on the rollout left where he threw to the tight end(?) when the fullback in the flat, a much easier pass, had a walk-in touchdown- he put the ball in Lee Evans' hands. I'd like to tell you that the Ravens broke the golden rule of football (Never leave the game up to your kicker), but they had it.
That was a shit 4th down spot on Jacobs' run. But, as horrid as he is (the hole was there for him to blow through), he deserved no better. He was largely ignored in the later portion of the game because the coaches had lost all remaining faith in him.
There was plenty of crap called on the Giants whereas next to nothing was called on the 49ers. Calling an illegal contact penalty on 3rd & 19 is about as cunty as it gets. Calling a personal foul after letting three linemen gang up on one guy is horseshit. Taking 37 seconds to spot the ball (after a kneel-down) before Tynes' winner, then calling a delay of game penalty.
Of course, the Giants did get the benefit of the forward progress call that, while technically correct, was a quick enough whistle that spared the Giants from having to sweat a replay appeal. But, that is pretty much why the forward progress rule exists; so the defense can't hold you up and strip you right before you hit the ground. So, I don't feel bad.
In any event, Bokolis takes both games and heads to the Bowl 7-3 for the playoffs. I think I got some gators coming.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Rugby for fairies, 2012 Conference championships
This is where we git down with the git down.
Ravens (+7.0) over PATRIOTS - I have a hard time believing the Ravens are going to beat the Patriots and, given their sniping of Flacco, for whom I have no respect, they are candidates to bitch out. This is my attempt as a value bet, as I think the last week's respective performances are being overvalued. The Ravens are going to need turnovers and a fast start.
Giants (+2.0) over 49ers - I think the range of results are from Giants +17 to Niners +7. I have a hard time believing the 49ers are going to move the ball on the Giants. Things ar going to have to go wrong for the GIants to lose.
In both cases, I'm going to get fancy with some supplementals. I'm taking the 11-1 that the Pats game lands on the number. I'm also buying the point to get the Giants at +3. It means laying 6-5, which isn't much.
I need a nap for this.
Ravens (+7.0) over PATRIOTS - I have a hard time believing the Ravens are going to beat the Patriots and, given their sniping of Flacco, for whom I have no respect, they are candidates to bitch out. This is my attempt as a value bet, as I think the last week's respective performances are being overvalued. The Ravens are going to need turnovers and a fast start.
Giants (+2.0) over 49ers - I think the range of results are from Giants +17 to Niners +7. I have a hard time believing the 49ers are going to move the ball on the Giants. Things ar going to have to go wrong for the GIants to lose.
In both cases, I'm going to get fancy with some supplementals. I'm taking the 11-1 that the Pats game lands on the number. I'm also buying the point to get the Giants at +3. It means laying 6-5, which isn't much.
I need a nap for this.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Hey Franchesco! take the Gzziantsh and the points bihch
That's what I imagine what Jeff the drunk would sound like if he called in to Francesa's sh...usual talking to himself, for himself that passes for programming. It’s amazing how he authoritatively tries to pass off his mistaken rehashing of the game (somewhere, Russo is saying, getting’ old, Mikey, haheheha). He yelled at some guy who had the audacity to tell him that the fumble play was originally called a fumble, then changed by another official, then challenged by the Giants, upon which the call stood. After dressing down the caller in the face of being corrected, instead of accepting the caller’s view, he retrenched, re-tracked and revised until he eventually decided that there was no call on the field and that the referee made the call from inside the peep show.
This is nothing new as, when his ignorance is shown to him, he will resort to all manner of bullshit to bluff his alleged authority.
As more and more callers called in wanting to spew about the fumble call, he scolded the callers for making so much of the call when the Giants won the game and, realizing that the callers had the jump on him, to not call up to talk about it. Let's leave aside the sad state that he could never have his finger anywhere close enough to the pulse of his “audience” to realize that the venting is for all the crappy officiating that we’ve seen in the two games and that people are so focused on the officiating because they know the Giants have the best team.
Whothefuck does he think he is- Rush Limbaugh- telling his audience what to think? Lie to yourself all you want that the world isn't passing you by, jagoff. Don't lie to us and don't ever think that you know more than the people. You're only there because you can sell advertising, which keeps Chernoff on the dick.
I'd like to tell you that he lost his mind with all the fat. But, he's always been that way. As I said, he is talking sports to himself, for himself. The rest of us are there to be pitched commercials.
This is nothing new as, when his ignorance is shown to him, he will resort to all manner of bullshit to bluff his alleged authority.
As more and more callers called in wanting to spew about the fumble call, he scolded the callers for making so much of the call when the Giants won the game and, realizing that the callers had the jump on him, to not call up to talk about it. Let's leave aside the sad state that he could never have his finger anywhere close enough to the pulse of his “audience” to realize that the venting is for all the crappy officiating that we’ve seen in the two games and that people are so focused on the officiating because they know the Giants have the best team.
Whothefuck does he think he is- Rush Limbaugh- telling his audience what to think? Lie to yourself all you want that the world isn't passing you by, jagoff. Don't lie to us and don't ever think that you know more than the people. You're only there because you can sell advertising, which keeps Chernoff on the dick.
I'd like to tell you that he lost his mind with all the fat. But, he's always been that way. As I said, he is talking sports to himself, for himself. The rest of us are there to be pitched commercials.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Ehhh, wot I say?
Now, after telling that Packers fan that the Giants would win by two touchdowns, I've got to deal with my crushed boss. Upon hearing me talk it up, he was willing to take the Packers at (+13.5). I wonder what that would've gotten me.
The Giants do Bokolis two better, going +3 in the turnover battle, and crush the 15-1 and done Packers. Well, it would've been +4 if not for those bungling officials and borderline-criminally bad referee. Looking back, the Packers scored their two touchdowns on drives prolonged by questionable referee's decisions. As far as I'm concerned, the Giants defense pitched another shutout.
Always planning for the worst, I was looking for inflection points. That horrid reversal and replay non-reversal was one possible point. I'd like to tell you that my tirade was expletive-laced, but there weren't enough regular English words.
The other possible one was when, after Umenyiora poked the ball out of Rodgers' hand, just as he was about to throw a TD to a wide-open receiver, the horrid spot on Ware's 3rd down carry forced a 4th down and a punt.
The third was when, with about 9 minutes left on a 2nd down in the red zone, Jacobs was outside on an island with just the corner and, instead of 'dozing him, he tried to get the corner and was leg-tackled. Can you tell I can't stand this muthafucka? The conservative 3rd down formation indicated that the Giants were going to take the field goal and a 10-point lead.
Instead, I get to dwell on Nicks' touchdown catches- neither was the turning point...the first one was indicative of what a winning team does and the second helped out.
It could have been one of the Packers' many dropped passes. Bokolis' attitude is that, in many games like this, one team will bitch out. Those dropped passes were the manifestation of the Packers bitching out and are- like Rodgers mising a few relatively easy passes- what losing teams do.
The turning point was likely Osi's strip of Rodgers. While, the outcome was that it only served to further slow the Packers, they probably would've gotten their shit together, while introducing doubt into the Giants.
Off of four consecutive wins of at least two touchdowns, up next are the despised 49ers. The hate of post-season battles past will build up. Contrary to what the dried-out-juicehead mongoloids pushing sports in suits will tell you, there is plenty of room for improvement. They didn't play all that well...they played a team that bitched out. Bokolis is very impressed by the 49ers, as they are one of the few teams I've seen that really know how to cover.
So, after getting hooked in the Ravens game (which I'd've never touched), Bokolis goes 3-1 in the divisional round and stands at 5-3 for the playoffs. I already know which way I'm going for the conference championships. That's all the fuck I got for now. I just hope the lines behave.
The Giants do Bokolis two better, going +3 in the turnover battle, and crush the 15-1 and done Packers. Well, it would've been +4 if not for those bungling officials and borderline-criminally bad referee. Looking back, the Packers scored their two touchdowns on drives prolonged by questionable referee's decisions. As far as I'm concerned, the Giants defense pitched another shutout.
Always planning for the worst, I was looking for inflection points. That horrid reversal and replay non-reversal was one possible point. I'd like to tell you that my tirade was expletive-laced, but there weren't enough regular English words.
The other possible one was when, after Umenyiora poked the ball out of Rodgers' hand, just as he was about to throw a TD to a wide-open receiver, the horrid spot on Ware's 3rd down carry forced a 4th down and a punt.
The third was when, with about 9 minutes left on a 2nd down in the red zone, Jacobs was outside on an island with just the corner and, instead of 'dozing him, he tried to get the corner and was leg-tackled. Can you tell I can't stand this muthafucka? The conservative 3rd down formation indicated that the Giants were going to take the field goal and a 10-point lead.
Instead, I get to dwell on Nicks' touchdown catches- neither was the turning point...the first one was indicative of what a winning team does and the second helped out.
It could have been one of the Packers' many dropped passes. Bokolis' attitude is that, in many games like this, one team will bitch out. Those dropped passes were the manifestation of the Packers bitching out and are- like Rodgers mising a few relatively easy passes- what losing teams do.
The turning point was likely Osi's strip of Rodgers. While, the outcome was that it only served to further slow the Packers, they probably would've gotten their shit together, while introducing doubt into the Giants.
Off of four consecutive wins of at least two touchdowns, up next are the despised 49ers. The hate of post-season battles past will build up. Contrary to what the dried-out-juicehead mongoloids pushing sports in suits will tell you, there is plenty of room for improvement. They didn't play all that well...they played a team that bitched out. Bokolis is very impressed by the 49ers, as they are one of the few teams I've seen that really know how to cover.
So, after getting hooked in the Ravens game (which I'd've never touched), Bokolis goes 3-1 in the divisional round and stands at 5-3 for the playoffs. I already know which way I'm going for the conference championships. That's all the fuck I got for now. I just hope the lines behave.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Are you ready for some...rugby for fairies, 2012 Divisional round
Conversation between Bokolis and God, shortly after 4PM, last Sunday:
God: Waas happenin', nucka?
Bokolis: Yo, man, why you drunk calling me again?
God: Watch waas gonna' happen on this Broncos game.
Bokolis: Aw, C'maughan. You know I already took the Steelers.
God: You better change that shit.
Bokolis: Why you gotta keep fuckin' with this dumbshit? Polamalu crosses himself before every play. And he came to you...he wasn't brainwashed into it like this mongoloid. Wassup with hooking him up?
God: Mayn, I already done plenty for Polamalu. But, muthafuckas down there don't realize that shit. They just think he's crazy and they already know he can do it. Well, I've got everybody buggin' now.
Bokolis: Why ain't you just let him win all his games instead of letting him lose those last three?
God: Man, you gotta learn how to carry a crowd. I got the Jesus freaks singing and the atheists buggin' tryna explain this shit some other way.
Bokolis: Bokolis doesn't have much use for keeping the crowd's attention.
God: I gotta tell you everything?! Of course the crowds don't know shit. It's about dropping them when you feel like dropping them.
Bokolis: Point taken. You gonna' chill here to watch the game.
God: Naah, man, this shit gotta happen from the control room. Check you later. Remember Broncos, plus nine. You got the over, right.
Bokolis: Yes, I have the over. Suave, homes.
Once I saw three favorites cover, I knew some shit was going to happen. I was heaviest on the Giants, so I sent it in with the booty. I didn't change it here, so I'll live with this 2-2 (it actually went much better). The rest of the world went 3-1, so I'm already chasing.
49ERS (+3.5) over Saints - I was hoping for a muddy track out in Frisco but, I'm told it hasn't rained in a hot minute. Banking on the sprinkler system to mysteriously malfunction...hope is not a strategy, they tell me. Nonetheless, the Saints are a different team on the road. And, don't put too much stock in what happened in last week's game after the officials fucked up that call. All right, maybe it's just that I don't want to have to go to the Superdome.
PATRIOTS (-13.5) over Broncos - Big nutmber, I know. They did it once, they will do it again. I know the Pats have a crappy defense and that Brady and Belichick are bored with it. But, making an example out of Tebow should motivate them. Besides, this is the week when inferior (8-8) teams get crushed.
Update Sunday 1000 (UTC +500). Dear me! I done misread the spread! Ravens are giving 7.5. Fuck it, I'll take the Ravens.
Texans (+13.5) over RAVENS - This looks like an even bigger number than the other 13.5. Normally, Bokolis wouldn't even look at this game. Surely, the Ravens will win against this QB. I think that the Texans have a solid enough team to keep this reasonably close.
Giants (+7.5) over PACKERS - Eyeing this up, it looks like another one-possession game. Even with a limited defense, the Giants did enough to the Packers in the first game- and there is plenty of upside to that first game- to convince me that the Packers are vulnerable. With a stronger defensive line, I have to think that the Giants will do a little more to them. If this game went right- by "right," I mean the Giants are +1 in the turnover battle- the Giants win by 10-14 points. Of course, the opposite can happen. But, I don't see the Giants rolling over.
God: Waas happenin', nucka?
Bokolis: Yo, man, why you drunk calling me again?
God: Watch waas gonna' happen on this Broncos game.
Bokolis: Aw, C'maughan. You know I already took the Steelers.
God: You better change that shit.
Bokolis: Why you gotta keep fuckin' with this dumbshit? Polamalu crosses himself before every play. And he came to you...he wasn't brainwashed into it like this mongoloid. Wassup with hooking him up?
God: Mayn, I already done plenty for Polamalu. But, muthafuckas down there don't realize that shit. They just think he's crazy and they already know he can do it. Well, I've got everybody buggin' now.
Bokolis: Why ain't you just let him win all his games instead of letting him lose those last three?
God: Man, you gotta learn how to carry a crowd. I got the Jesus freaks singing and the atheists buggin' tryna explain this shit some other way.
Bokolis: Bokolis doesn't have much use for keeping the crowd's attention.
God: I gotta tell you everything?! Of course the crowds don't know shit. It's about dropping them when you feel like dropping them.
Bokolis: Point taken. You gonna' chill here to watch the game.
God: Naah, man, this shit gotta happen from the control room. Check you later. Remember Broncos, plus nine. You got the over, right.
Bokolis: Yes, I have the over. Suave, homes.
Once I saw three favorites cover, I knew some shit was going to happen. I was heaviest on the Giants, so I sent it in with the booty. I didn't change it here, so I'll live with this 2-2 (it actually went much better). The rest of the world went 3-1, so I'm already chasing.
49ERS (+3.5) over Saints - I was hoping for a muddy track out in Frisco but, I'm told it hasn't rained in a hot minute. Banking on the sprinkler system to mysteriously malfunction...hope is not a strategy, they tell me. Nonetheless, the Saints are a different team on the road. And, don't put too much stock in what happened in last week's game after the officials fucked up that call. All right, maybe it's just that I don't want to have to go to the Superdome.
PATRIOTS (-13.5) over Broncos - Big nutmber, I know. They did it once, they will do it again. I know the Pats have a crappy defense and that Brady and Belichick are bored with it. But, making an example out of Tebow should motivate them. Besides, this is the week when inferior (8-8) teams get crushed.
Update Sunday 1000 (UTC +500). Dear me! I done misread the spread! Ravens are giving 7.5. Fuck it, I'll take the Ravens.
Texans (+13.5) over RAVENS - This looks like an even bigger number than the other 13.5. Normally, Bokolis wouldn't even look at this game. Surely, the Ravens will win against this QB. I think that the Texans have a solid enough team to keep this reasonably close.
Giants (+7.5) over PACKERS - Eyeing this up, it looks like another one-possession game. Even with a limited defense, the Giants did enough to the Packers in the first game- and there is plenty of upside to that first game- to convince me that the Packers are vulnerable. With a stronger defensive line, I have to think that the Giants will do a little more to them. If this game went right- by "right," I mean the Giants are +1 in the turnover battle- the Giants win by 10-14 points. Of course, the opposite can happen. But, I don't see the Giants rolling over.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Are you ready for some Rugby for fairies 2012 Wild Card weekend
These numbers render the card lukewarm at best. I feel best about the Giants, which, being a Giants supporter, is cause for concern. I'd throw in some point totals for hedging, but that would be throwing good money after bad. Since we have to...
Bengals (+4) over TEXANS - If you must, we're left to figure out whether Cincinnati's 0-7 record vs playoff teams will predominate, or a banged up Houston team will find a way to win its first playoff game. Give me the points and let both happen.
SAINTS (-10.5) over Lions - With everyone being down on the Lions because they were torched by the Packers' back-up QB, they have nowhere to go but up and I think the Lions are sleepers here. Compared to all the other defenses that were torched in the dome, they didn't do so badly last time around, even without Suh. Still, while the back-door cover is in play, after crashing out last year, the Saints figure to want to leave no doubt.
Update 1625 (UTC -5): Barkley just picked the Lions to win outright. Knowing his history with gambling, the Lions are fucked.
GIANTS (-3) over Falcons - The Giants seem to be on an uptrend that's got everyone thinking of another magic carpet ride. There are similarities because, as bad as this secondary may seem, they aren't any worse than 2007's team. The pass rush masked that crew and, off the last few games, we can dream that this line do the same. The road map is there; if they can beat Atlanta, I'll take my chances in Green Bay against their generous defense and a subsequent date in Frisco (assuming the Saints die out in a muddy track at the 'stick. So, they've got a puncher's chance.
It's a pretty day- 60 degrees as I type- out here in the Apple. It'll probably be 45 at game time. That may sound good for the domers, but I think it's even better for Eli. The Giants have been pretty good about getting teams to 3rd down this year where, without a pass rush, they've been horrid. They are on the uptrend, both on defense and with their run-blocking. Bokolis is banking that this will continue and they will handle the Falcons.
Steelers (-9) over BRONCOS - I didn't see odds on whether Tebow will be pulled. This is an issue to me because I fully expect Tebow to be yanked. Bokolis does not expect that the Tebow-led Broncos will be able to sustain more than one drive of more than 50 yards. In my mind, Pittsburgh gets to 10 and they win If we get the back-up, stupid things, like a back-door cover, can happen.
Bengals (+4) over TEXANS - If you must, we're left to figure out whether Cincinnati's 0-7 record vs playoff teams will predominate, or a banged up Houston team will find a way to win its first playoff game. Give me the points and let both happen.
SAINTS (-10.5) over Lions - With everyone being down on the Lions because they were torched by the Packers' back-up QB, they have nowhere to go but up and I think the Lions are sleepers here. Compared to all the other defenses that were torched in the dome, they didn't do so badly last time around, even without Suh. Still, while the back-door cover is in play, after crashing out last year, the Saints figure to want to leave no doubt.
Update 1625 (UTC -5): Barkley just picked the Lions to win outright. Knowing his history with gambling, the Lions are fucked.
GIANTS (-3) over Falcons - The Giants seem to be on an uptrend that's got everyone thinking of another magic carpet ride. There are similarities because, as bad as this secondary may seem, they aren't any worse than 2007's team. The pass rush masked that crew and, off the last few games, we can dream that this line do the same. The road map is there; if they can beat Atlanta, I'll take my chances in Green Bay against their generous defense and a subsequent date in Frisco (assuming the Saints die out in a muddy track at the 'stick. So, they've got a puncher's chance.
It's a pretty day- 60 degrees as I type- out here in the Apple. It'll probably be 45 at game time. That may sound good for the domers, but I think it's even better for Eli. The Giants have been pretty good about getting teams to 3rd down this year where, without a pass rush, they've been horrid. They are on the uptrend, both on defense and with their run-blocking. Bokolis is banking that this will continue and they will handle the Falcons.
Steelers (-9) over BRONCOS - I didn't see odds on whether Tebow will be pulled. This is an issue to me because I fully expect Tebow to be yanked. Bokolis does not expect that the Tebow-led Broncos will be able to sustain more than one drive of more than 50 yards. In my mind, Pittsburgh gets to 10 and they win If we get the back-up, stupid things, like a back-door cover, can happen.
What do we know about 2011 NFL
Similar to MLB after its job actions that scuttled the 1994 season, the NFL had some mending to do after the lockout, widely perceived as a smash and grab op by owners, nearly fucked with fat people's Sundays.
And, just like MLB, the NFL opted to ratchet up the offense. Offensive holding, done on every play, was called only after a copy of the police report was produced, while sneezing on a receiver brought a flag. Hitting a receiver brought a fine.
We ended up with arena football, quite literally in the case of the Saints and the Lions. Both of their QBs passed for over 5000 yards, with Drew Brees eclipsing Dan Marino's record with a game to spare. Three QBs passed for 5000 yards- E. Manning was just below and Aaron Rodgers surely would've reached it had he taken part in last week's orgy against the Lions (not to mention that a healthy P. Manning would've been a good bet to do it). In total, 11 QBs passed for over 4000 yards, including Ruthlessbuggerer. It used to be that passing for 4000 yards was a sign that your team was forever badly trailing. Nowdays, only shlubs don't pass for that much.
I mean, ferfook's sake, the leading receiver had more yards than the leading rusher. When's the last time that happened? 2007, you say? Well, how about before that? 2001? crickets Ummmm, going back to 1990, I'm surprised it's happened as often as it has.
Yeah, I was trying to get at that it is, now more than ever, a QB's game. So, why not point out two teams that don't have it at QB?
Bokolis has it on good authority that Tim Tebow going 7-1 was God's way of fucking with people, just to see what everyone would do. I knew from the get-go- and, by from the get-go, I mean the first time I saw Tebow play for Florida- that he was a dumb fuck and was incapable of processing variables as necessary to be an effective NFL quarterback. What is bothersome is that no pundits pick up on this, choosing to focus on his mechanics and talent. People apparently don't recognize outlying results until mean reversion kicks them in the mouth.
In pointing out the Jets, I must first note that the reason for their mediocre season was that their ordinary defense wasn't good enough to bail them out. Blaming it on Sanchez' supposed regression or locker room cancers is a copout offered by those who need you to pay attention to that sort of nonsense. Sanchez has been the same shyte he's always been. In his prior two seasons, the defense put him in better positions to win games. Sometimes he got it done, sometimes he didn't.
In any event, Sanchez did not dictate the game. Rex Ryan wouldn't and won't have it. Rex sees the QB as target practice for his defense. Where have we seen this before? Oh, yeah, from Rex' old man. Buddy, who had the best defense ever in the 1991 Eagles, yet, likely because his offense was neglected and punch-drunk from having to go against the defense in practice, couldn't even make the playoffs. The ballsac doesn't drop far from the prick. Because Rex will not accept that this is a QB's game, he will never win anything while in charge.
And, just like MLB, the NFL opted to ratchet up the offense. Offensive holding, done on every play, was called only after a copy of the police report was produced, while sneezing on a receiver brought a flag. Hitting a receiver brought a fine.
We ended up with arena football, quite literally in the case of the Saints and the Lions. Both of their QBs passed for over 5000 yards, with Drew Brees eclipsing Dan Marino's record with a game to spare. Three QBs passed for 5000 yards- E. Manning was just below and Aaron Rodgers surely would've reached it had he taken part in last week's orgy against the Lions (not to mention that a healthy P. Manning would've been a good bet to do it). In total, 11 QBs passed for over 4000 yards, including Ruthlessbuggerer. It used to be that passing for 4000 yards was a sign that your team was forever badly trailing. Nowdays, only shlubs don't pass for that much.
I mean, ferfook's sake, the leading receiver had more yards than the leading rusher. When's the last time that happened? 2007, you say? Well, how about before that? 2001? crickets Ummmm, going back to 1990, I'm surprised it's happened as often as it has.
Yeah, I was trying to get at that it is, now more than ever, a QB's game. So, why not point out two teams that don't have it at QB?
Bokolis has it on good authority that Tim Tebow going 7-1 was God's way of fucking with people, just to see what everyone would do. I knew from the get-go- and, by from the get-go, I mean the first time I saw Tebow play for Florida- that he was a dumb fuck and was incapable of processing variables as necessary to be an effective NFL quarterback. What is bothersome is that no pundits pick up on this, choosing to focus on his mechanics and talent. People apparently don't recognize outlying results until mean reversion kicks them in the mouth.
In pointing out the Jets, I must first note that the reason for their mediocre season was that their ordinary defense wasn't good enough to bail them out. Blaming it on Sanchez' supposed regression or locker room cancers is a copout offered by those who need you to pay attention to that sort of nonsense. Sanchez has been the same shyte he's always been. In his prior two seasons, the defense put him in better positions to win games. Sometimes he got it done, sometimes he didn't.
In any event, Sanchez did not dictate the game. Rex Ryan wouldn't and won't have it. Rex sees the QB as target practice for his defense. Where have we seen this before? Oh, yeah, from Rex' old man. Buddy, who had the best defense ever in the 1991 Eagles, yet, likely because his offense was neglected and punch-drunk from having to go against the defense in practice, couldn't even make the playoffs. The ballsac doesn't drop far from the prick. Because Rex will not accept that this is a QB's game, he will never win anything while in charge.
What do we know...
Nah, man, Bokolis wasn't out fuckin' with these Occupy cats. I didn't catch a pepper spray to the grill. As I stated earlier, I'm not trying to do the dissident's 5-year bid. I'm not even trying to spend the night in Central. Besides, any protest that does not involve rock throwing is destined to ring hollow.
Say what you want about these muthafuckas. What you should've picked up from their adventures is that you start fucking with the PTB around here, Constitution be damned, they will come down on you. It should've also showed, once and for all, that corporations- and money- have more rights than people and our methods of handling disturbances are strikingly similar to the methods of the backwards countries we seek to "enlighten."
What makes the state of our nation all the more dire is that the police are all too willing to be the errand boys (the word is stronger, but using it would probably unneccesarily distract from the message) for the muthafuckas that are fleecing us. That, to Bokolis, is the biggest disappointment to come out of the first installment of the Occupy movement.
I don't really need to point out that the make-up of the police forces around this country is increasingly ex-military. Stereotypical NYPD used to be the drunk Irish hooples that let me walk right through them outside Joe's. In other cow towns, I was a bunch of Deputy Perkins-looking muthafuckas.
At some point, they decided to try and make the NYPD force look more representative of the demographics of the city. So, they let in more Blacks and 5-foot Latina birds. Nationally, after some well-publicized firefights with some cats armed for Armageddon and with the coming of the two wars, the faces on the force, as well as their battle gear, increasingly resembled military units. Municipalities all over the country are taking federal funding and buying up military surplus weaponry. At this point, Perkins is long-retired and living off his pension.
That brings me to the only good thing about the job- its pension. If Bokolis had become a cop (yeah, right) or a fireman (possibly) back when I'd become eligible, right about now, I'd be able to retire at half-pay. I'm still young.
Aside - Truth be told, if I avoided having the Towers fall on me, I'd've retired sometime shortly after 9/11 at quarter-pay of my highest of the last three years- which would've been 2001, as the overtime those cops were making in the aftermath would've probably gotten me close to the same pension as 20 years. I was still a kid at that point.
The reason I point out what a self-centered prick I'd've been is that the pension is the carrot dangled out in front of them to plow the field ahead of building all chain stores. After all, you can't build a bigger corporate monolith if enough ground is not level. So, while there has never been much police to protect us from the transgressions of business, there sure as shit is plenty of police to ensure that, if business does transgress upon us, we can't do shit about it.
Many cops, as we saw, were all too keen to do the job. They took relish in hammering hipsters that hardly put up resistance, much less a fight. They burned books and detained people for longer until arraignment that they would for violent offenders. But, we shouldn't expect anything more than cowardice from cops. With the pension dangling, their greatest incentive is not to fight crime. Their greatest incentive is to protect themselves and, like the rest of us, to keep their job; fighting crime is ancillary, protecting us is coincidental.
This isn't to say that all cops are this way. I'm sure there are quite a few that live the job. Collectively, however, that's what they are and what they do.
It's a shame, too. We don't expect any better from our leaders. After all, they are beholden to corporate soft money to keep their job. In the case of the Apple, the stooge in charge is one of them, a remorseless shill.
The public at large is largely misguided. Why else would anyone mock by telling protesters to get a job? I'll get to that. The point is that the public will believe whatever bullshit is fed to them my the corporate MSM. Protests will be covered insofar is the MSM call sell them.
It's left then, to change the attitudes of the police. The cops don't owe these muthafuckas any loyalty. They must think they do. Again, the carrot is the pension.
What the cops don't realize is that these muthafuckas are fucking them over, too, in a way that pensions and sweetheart loan deals don't make up for. They fuck us all by debasing our currency, which cheapens the value of our blood, sweat and tears- the only thing most of us have to offer. For the cops' efforts, they are taxed at a greater marginal rate than the muthafuckas they protect. knowing what side your bread is buttered on is of not much use when you are eating burnt toast.
So, when someone tells a protester to get a job, they should realize that the protesters are doing the working man's work, as the working man is getting fleeced even more so than the unemployed slob that is out protesting. When the cop gets out his pepper spray, or his billy club, or digs his knee just a little deeper into a non-violent protester, he should remember that the protester was not out to fuck with him.
But, maybe they should be. Failing this epiphany, the protests may be better served to take on a tone that will test police commitment to the ruling elite. That may include armed conflict...in a manner that is consistent with the idea that, if the police overstep their bounds and use disproportionate force, rather than wait for the courts to sort it out, the people will defend themselves.
Bokolis isn't saying that cops need to die or even get hurt- though it would inevitably happen. I'm saying that shit needs to happen that makes policemen reassess what they are protecting. They need to be tested. Since they can't see for themselves, they need to be made to see. How that gets done is not my call...just sayin'
That's all the fuck I got. I think I'm ready...
Say what you want about these muthafuckas. What you should've picked up from their adventures is that you start fucking with the PTB around here, Constitution be damned, they will come down on you. It should've also showed, once and for all, that corporations- and money- have more rights than people and our methods of handling disturbances are strikingly similar to the methods of the backwards countries we seek to "enlighten."
What makes the state of our nation all the more dire is that the police are all too willing to be the errand boys (the word is stronger, but using it would probably unneccesarily distract from the message) for the muthafuckas that are fleecing us. That, to Bokolis, is the biggest disappointment to come out of the first installment of the Occupy movement.
I don't really need to point out that the make-up of the police forces around this country is increasingly ex-military. Stereotypical NYPD used to be the drunk Irish hooples that let me walk right through them outside Joe's. In other cow towns, I was a bunch of Deputy Perkins-looking muthafuckas.
At some point, they decided to try and make the NYPD force look more representative of the demographics of the city. So, they let in more Blacks and 5-foot Latina birds. Nationally, after some well-publicized firefights with some cats armed for Armageddon and with the coming of the two wars, the faces on the force, as well as their battle gear, increasingly resembled military units. Municipalities all over the country are taking federal funding and buying up military surplus weaponry. At this point, Perkins is long-retired and living off his pension.
That brings me to the only good thing about the job- its pension. If Bokolis had become a cop (yeah, right) or a fireman (possibly) back when I'd become eligible, right about now, I'd be able to retire at half-pay. I'm still young.
Aside - Truth be told, if I avoided having the Towers fall on me, I'd've retired sometime shortly after 9/11 at quarter-pay of my highest of the last three years- which would've been 2001, as the overtime those cops were making in the aftermath would've probably gotten me close to the same pension as 20 years. I was still a kid at that point.
The reason I point out what a self-centered prick I'd've been is that the pension is the carrot dangled out in front of them to plow the field ahead of building all chain stores. After all, you can't build a bigger corporate monolith if enough ground is not level. So, while there has never been much police to protect us from the transgressions of business, there sure as shit is plenty of police to ensure that, if business does transgress upon us, we can't do shit about it.
Many cops, as we saw, were all too keen to do the job. They took relish in hammering hipsters that hardly put up resistance, much less a fight. They burned books and detained people for longer until arraignment that they would for violent offenders. But, we shouldn't expect anything more than cowardice from cops. With the pension dangling, their greatest incentive is not to fight crime. Their greatest incentive is to protect themselves and, like the rest of us, to keep their job; fighting crime is ancillary, protecting us is coincidental.
This isn't to say that all cops are this way. I'm sure there are quite a few that live the job. Collectively, however, that's what they are and what they do.
It's a shame, too. We don't expect any better from our leaders. After all, they are beholden to corporate soft money to keep their job. In the case of the Apple, the stooge in charge is one of them, a remorseless shill.
The public at large is largely misguided. Why else would anyone mock by telling protesters to get a job? I'll get to that. The point is that the public will believe whatever bullshit is fed to them my the corporate MSM. Protests will be covered insofar is the MSM call sell them.
It's left then, to change the attitudes of the police. The cops don't owe these muthafuckas any loyalty. They must think they do. Again, the carrot is the pension.
What the cops don't realize is that these muthafuckas are fucking them over, too, in a way that pensions and sweetheart loan deals don't make up for. They fuck us all by debasing our currency, which cheapens the value of our blood, sweat and tears- the only thing most of us have to offer. For the cops' efforts, they are taxed at a greater marginal rate than the muthafuckas they protect. knowing what side your bread is buttered on is of not much use when you are eating burnt toast.
So, when someone tells a protester to get a job, they should realize that the protesters are doing the working man's work, as the working man is getting fleeced even more so than the unemployed slob that is out protesting. When the cop gets out his pepper spray, or his billy club, or digs his knee just a little deeper into a non-violent protester, he should remember that the protester was not out to fuck with him.
But, maybe they should be. Failing this epiphany, the protests may be better served to take on a tone that will test police commitment to the ruling elite. That may include armed conflict...in a manner that is consistent with the idea that, if the police overstep their bounds and use disproportionate force, rather than wait for the courts to sort it out, the people will defend themselves.
Bokolis isn't saying that cops need to die or even get hurt- though it would inevitably happen. I'm saying that shit needs to happen that makes policemen reassess what they are protecting. They need to be tested. Since they can't see for themselves, they need to be made to see. How that gets done is not my call...just sayin'
That's all the fuck I got. I think I'm ready...
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