Week 17 - All good things must come to an end

Well Week 17 of the NFL season sadly here. Always a sad time of the year for me because once bowl season is over and the Superbowl is over I will be in football with drawl for a few months. It's never an easy time for me.

Some random musings and thoughts going into today's games -

Go RGIII!!  - I am rooting for RGIII to make a joke of the Dallas Cowgirls because the Giants need a Cowboys loss among other a few other things to have a chance to make it to the playoffs. If the Giants do not make it, I actually will not be that sad and will have no trouble rooting for RGIII and the Redskins in post-season play. The Giants have played like crap lately and the Redskins were my favorite team growing up

The Jets Circus - I have a feeling the Jets will be providing a very entertaining off season for us this year. Do Rex, Sparano and Tannenbaum get fired. Does Rex stay and the other 2 go? I feel like Tannenbaum is definitely out as the GM, maybe the will keep him in another capacity. Sparano was clearly the wrong choice as OC, the offense has never looked more confused or lifeless. Guess Schotty was not doing that bad of a job after all. Not sure if Rex goes because there are really not that many viable coaching options out there and who would want to take on the task of cleaning up the mess that is the Jets? I am guessing Sanchez will be back because who would want to trade for him and his big contract and the Jets do not really have the luxury of taking the large salary cap hit if they let him go. Thank God Tebow will be getting out of NY, he would be better off anywhere but with the Jets. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Eagles - Reid is 99.9% out of there. Many believe he will end up in San Diego next year. Sad to see how this year panned out for him with all the great things he did while in Philly and the death of his son earlier this year. But, perhaps a fresh start is what he needs. Vick will also most likely be on his way out especially if it's true he does not want to restructure his large contract. I really don't think it's fair to place all the blame on him though, not sure anyone could perform effectively behind that porous O-Line. Hopefully that is the first thing the Eagles address this off season.

Lack of QB options - So many teams are in a dire QB situation, KC, Arizona, Jets, Bills, Eagles and Jacksonville. The problem is there are no really sure thing QB's in the draft this year, Barkley is good but not great and I don't think it helps him that his USC predecessors have not panned out that well in the NFL (Palmer, Leinart and Sanchez). Geno Smith is ok, maybe a decent backup at best. The only other decent QB's to trade for or sign in free agency will be maybe Alex Smith, unproven Matt Flynn, maybe Mike Vick, maybe Mark Sanchez, solid veteran Matt Moore and maybe David Garrard.

Tebow - Karma really is a bitch and I can't wait to see it rear it's ugly head on Rex and his cirlce of idiots at the Jets for completely tanking Tebow's career. I find it really interesting that Tebow, Rex and Sparano all have the same agent. Some sold Tebow a bunch of lies to get him to chose NYC of Jacksonville. I wonder come next season if they all have the same agent.

Chip Kelly - Stories have the amazingly talented offensive genius coach of Oregon landing in either Philly or Cleveland. If that is true my bet is on Philly, who in their right mind would chose Cleveland over Philly if given the choice.

Should be a fun weekend of football. Sorry for the short update but I have to head out to watch the Giants game.

Till next time,

Sassy

Words for Thought - Henry David Thoreau

Some inspiring quotes from a favorite of mine. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” 


“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.” 


“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away.” 


“Be yourself- not your idea of what you think somebody else's idea of yourself should be.” 


“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” 

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.”

 

 

“We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap in the dark to our success.”  

 

 

“There is no remedy for love, but to love some more”

 

 

“Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. what a man thinks of himself, that it is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate.” 

 

 

 

 

Crush of the Week - Jon Kitna

This week my crush is Jon Kitna, former QB for Seattle, Detroit, Cincinnati and Dallas. Perhaps crush is not the right word for this blog post as he is married and 40, but I have much respect and admiration for how he has chosen to live his life post-NFL. 

After the 2011 season in Dallas as the backup QB, Kitna walked away from the NFL to go home and teach math and be the head football coach at his old high school in a very impoverished area of Tacoma, WA. Kitna specifically asked the principal and other math teachers for the worst students, kids who were failing or constantly getting in trouble. Much to everyone at the school's surprise the students started behaving and excelling in their classes. This was all the result of Kitna instilling confidence and self-respect in his students and players. Kitna has also donated a large sum of money to redo the school's weight room, got former teammates and teams to donate money for equipment and uniforms.

Well done Jon Kitna, here’s to you for helping make the future brighter for your students and players.


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--former-nfl-qb-jon-kitna-finds-‘gold-mine’-at-a-school-where-other-teachers-only-saw-problems-194739063.html

Words for Thought

Just a few quotes I have come across this week that put a smile on my face.

I'd rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not done.

 - Lucille Ball

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.

- Michael Jordan

With every rising of the sun, think of your life as just begun.

- Unknown

Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life.

- Golda Meir

Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.

- Lou Holtz

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.

- James Dean

If you're bored with life, if you don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things - you don't have enough goals.

- Lou Holtz

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Sandy Hook Elementary School

It's been a few days and I am still having trouble coming to terms with what happened in Newton, CT on Friday morning. Living in today's society I feel as is I have come to be somewhat desensitized to the horrible things that seemingly happen everyday in our world. Perhaps it's my coping mechanism that allows me to go on with my everyday life. These past few months and years have been filled with all sorts of horrible atrocities but none of these things have affected me in the way the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School have. Perhaps it's because so many of my friends have kids now or that I hope to someday as well. Whatever the reason I am in complete disbelief and can not really comprehend how someone, no matter how sick or twisted, could look in the eyes of a 5 year old and shoot 20 of them without hesitation. These past few days, every time I see a small child laughing and playing with their families I find myself fighting to hold back tears and thinking about how 20 families will be without their children, brothers and sisters these holidays. I also mourn the teachers and adults who also lost their lives on Friday, hearing the stories of their bravery gives me hope for humanity.  Things like this really make me realize just how precious life, family and friends are.

I am not going to sit here and debate gun control laws. I know the 2nd amendment grants the right to bear arms. I just do not think that when the amendment was written they were referring to automatic assault riffles that allow you to possibly kill hundreds in mere minutes. I also have a hard time understanding why anyone outside of the militia or perhaps law enforcement need them. The sad fact is that Friday's incident was not just about gun control, it's also about the sad state of the mental health systems in place in our country. People are often not able to get the help they need because of the cost of treatment or medicine, and often people are not forced to get the help they need because it's almost impossible to commit someone. I think as a country we need to set aside our differences, especially in DC, and work together to somehow find a way to make this country a better, safer place not only for ourselves but for our children and their children someday. How many of these atrocities have to happen before things change.

I have been so out of it I have not even really been able to watch football, go on twitter or really even write much on this blog. It all seems so trivial and petty. I never imagined a day where I would say I was not in the mood to watch football.

I did manage to come across this gem from the opening of SNL last weekend. It really is a perfect and poignant tribute to everyone who lost their life much too soon in Newton. Silent Night sung by the amazing New York City Children's Choir.

                                       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTbhVlHuONo

What was she thinking? - Kristen Stewart

Up until last night Kristen Stewart has been rocking it on the red carpet as of late. However, for some reason she chose to wear this horrible ensemble to the NYC premiere of On The Road last night. She is wearing a satin blue crop top-high waist short with a bright embellished sheer overlay by Erdem. Kristen is a very beautiful and thin young woman but this outfit make her look a bit pregnant and reminds me of something I would have purchased at Contempo Casuals in high school. The icy blue color of the satin short is doing nothing for her pale skin color. I usually am a sucker for Louboutin heels but am not a fan of this neon stiletto's. Perhaps if they were paired with a summer or spring outfit in the correct season I would feel differently. This look is just too sweet and prissy for KStew, I prefer her in the edgy pieces she usually rocks.

I really prefer the way this looked on the runway model. Sometimes looks are better left on the runway.

And the Jets circus continues...

Welcome back to the fun Braylon Edward's, perhaps you and the Jets are a match made in heaven after all.


December 4, 2012

Just last week Braylon was waxing poetic on Twitter about how management and the coaches were to blame for the Jets problems, not Mark Sanchez.

Braylon Edwards‏@OfficialBraylon

Don't blame Sanchez. I played there. Blame the idiots calling shots. Mark is a beast and will probe it when given a proper chance

 

 

Later that day Braylon seemed to realize that perhaps that was a sentiment he should have kept to himself and not shared with the whole Twitterverse (especially since in the NFL one never knows if you may end working for one of those idiots again).

 

Braylon Edwards‏@OfficialBraylon

I would like to apologize to the Jets family and my fans for my emotional outburst. Mark is a friend and former teammate, who I...

Braylon Edwards‏@OfficialBraylon

...wholeheartedly support. Nonetheless, I have disrespected and insulted an administration that I have the utmost respect for.

 

 

As luck would have it for Braylon later that same day the Seattle Seahawks released him. They claim the  release wasn't connected to his twitter rant.  He was waived with an injury distinction (but no specific injury was cited. It's been speculated that it was knee injury). Braylon seemed to take it all in stride.

 

Braylon Edwards‏@OfficialBraylon

Business is business. My knee is great, im in tip top shape, make plays everyday in practice, ready to make them on someones field. Progress

Braylon Edwards‏@OfficialBraylon

I love the seahawks and 12th man, couldve retired here, but life happens...u gotta roll with it. Now time for GOD's next challenge for me..

Braylon Edwards‏@OfficialBraylon

In Life you can only control what you can control. Im working out, staying ready, everything in my control. Yall have a blessed day!

 

 

December 11, 2012

 

Flash forward to today and Braylon has come back full circle to those idiots at the Jets.

 

Braylon Edwards‏@OfficialBraylon

It feels great to be going home. Thanks to all of jet nation that continuously supported me and pushed for me. I'm back and it's go time

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000109824/article/braylon-edwards-claimed-off-waivers-by-new-york-jets                      

 

 

 

Say what you want about the Jets, they may not be as talented as the NY Giants but they certainly know how to put on an entertaining show. Can't wait to see how long this match made in heaven lasts.

 

 

Look of the Day - Houston Texans Letterman Jackets

This is a brilliant idea. I can not believe it took so long for someone in the NFL to come up with this. Houston Texans nose tackle Shaun Cody and teammate LB Connor Barwin are the genius's behind this. Every member of the team will be sporting these tonight en route to their game vs the Patriots and will wear them the rest of the season. Every jacket has their number and position and they will continue to add patches for any future division titles and conference and Super Bowl championships.

I love the look and idea of it all, it's a great team unifier. Brilliant gentlemen! I am sure these will be available for purchase by fans as well shortly.


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/entire-houston-texans-team-sport-custom-made-letterman-165214617--nfl.html


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000107397/article/houston-texans-bust-out-letterman-jackets-before-pats-tilt

Look of the Day - Camilla Belle aka Tim Tebow's GF

I should hate her since she stole my future husband Tim Tebow.....just kidding, I am trying to curb my cougar ways nowadays. Camilla wore this amazing Ferragamo sequined minidress and pale wool coat to the opening of the Ferragamo flagship store in London last night. She is styled immaculately. Great frame clutch, neutral makeup with a bright lip, minimal jewelery and I love that she pulled hair her back to keep the focus on the incredible dress. I am a sucker for sequins so I just adore her look.

Life must be really hard when you are this beautiful and have Tim as you beau (please note the sarcasm here). Well done Camilla you look amazing.

Crush of The Week - Andre Johnson

Andre Johnson is a wide receiver for the Houston Texans and one of the best in the NFL. He has a reputation for being a really nice guy and this just solidifies it. Andre went to Toys R Us and spent over $19,000 on toys for kids in custody of the Texas Child Protective Services. Thanks to him some well deserving kids will be having a very merry Christmas. Well done Andre.


 http://deadspin.com/5965628?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow


UPDATE

Found an even more indept article: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/73936247.html


Here's an NFL story designed to warm your heart and terrify your wallet. Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, one of the league's unquestioned good guys, on Tuesday performed what's becoming an annual ritual for him: a Toys R' Us shopping spree for at-risk youth in Houston.

Johnson's Foundation, the Andre Johnson Charitable Foundation, funded the spree, in which 12 children selected by Child Protective Services had 80 seconds to fill up their carts with as many toys as they could. And oh, could they fill those carts.

"You hear a minute and twenty seconds, and you don't think that's a long time, but you'd be surprised by what these kids can put into their buckets," Johnson said afterward. You can see his gargantuan receipt in the photo at right.

The children, ranging in ages from 8 to 16, have all suffered parental abuse in some form and now live with extended family members. But each child made sure to purchase toys for siblings and other relatives as well.

Johnson's foundation performs several works throughout the year for children in both Houston and Johnson's Miami hometown. But he told the team's website that it's the Toys R' Us event that he enjoys the most.

"I think it's probably the best one because you get to see the kids really enjoy it," he said. "That's what this season is about. It's something I look forward to. The kids are happy, they get what they want for Christmas, and that's all that matters."

After the spree, Johnson also joined the Houston Police Department's Blue Santa program to surprise 800 students at Houston's Bastian Elementary School with Christmas presents.

Johnson stressed that he had traveled the path many of these kids were on, and he hoped they could learn from his example: "I grew up in a single-parent home and I was fortunate to achieve my goals," he said. "So, whatever goals you have, just keep them out in front of you, don't let anybody distract you away from them, because there will be distractions that try to detour you away from your goals. That's the biggest thing."
Read more at ONTD: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/73936247.html#ixzz2E9C0fFCm

Things that make me laugh - Cam Newton Play60 commercial

This commercial has been all over TV lately and every time I see it I have to laugh. The little kid is adorable and the look on his face and delivery of the line at the end when he says "I'm just warming my arm up" is priceless.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aKYZFcmAmU

Words for Thought - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lately a lot of the quotes I have come across and taken inspiration from have been by Ralph Waldo Emerson so I decided to dedicate this blog entry to his words of wisdom.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” (One of my favorite of all time)

“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.”

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”


“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”


“Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.”


“Always do what you are afraid to do.”


“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”

 

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”

“We must be our own before we can be another's.”

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”

“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.”

Chickstrong for Cancer

Kudos to these to cheerleaders for doing what many of us ladies would probably be afraid to do for someone we really didn't know. They shaved their head to raise money for cancer in honor of the Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano.

Personally I think they look stunning without their hair.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000100359/Colts-cheerleaders-shave-heads-in-honor-of-Pagano?campaign=Twitter_videos_chuckstrong

My Crush of the Week - J.J. Watt

 Decided I would start a new weekly posting called My Crush of the Week. As anyone who knows me knows, I have had a crush on Tim Tebow for about 6 years. My girlfriends all though it was funny last year when Tebow-mania went wild because I have been talking about him non-stop for years (what can I say, I am a trend setter). Not only is he handsome, athletic, kind and intelligent, he also seemingly has a heart of gold when it comes to his charitable work. These are the types of guys I will be dedicating this weekly entry to; guy who are more than just their looks and use their celebrity for a greater good.

  This week's inaugural recipient is J.J. Watt, defensive end for the Houston Texans. When J.J. isn't busy sacking QB's or swatting down passes (how many of Mark Sanchez's did he swat down?) he spends time bonding with 3 orphan's he befriend earlier this year when their parents were killed in a head on collision. The accident left the sister Willa severely injured and the 2 boys paralyzed from the waist down.

The article reads as follows J.J. Watt Sack Celebration


A connection with a local family prompted J.J. Watt to alter his signature sack celebration Sunday.
After the Houston Texans star brought down Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne during the fourth quarter of a 43-37 overtime win, Watt mimed the motion of moving a wheelchair. He did it in honor of Willa, Aaron and Peter Berry, three children who were orphaned in July 2011, when a head-on collision killed their parents.
Willa, who was then 6, was severely injured in the accident. Aaron, then 8, and Peter, then 9, were paralyzed from the waist down. Watt has developed a close relationship with the Houston-area children.
"I was eating dinner at their house on Friday night," Watt said, via the Houston Chronicle. "They said they're going to be watching the game. They said give us a signal. I said OK, when I get a sack, I'll do the wheelchair."
Watt and the children came up with the idea for the sack celebration while playing a game of wheelchair basketball last week. When Watt got his opportunity, he didn't disappoint.




Below is the link for the foundation that was set up for the Berry Children, lots of adorable pics of J.J. with the boys.
https://www.facebook.com/BerryChildren


So not only is J.J. attractive and talented, he also has a heart of gold. What more could a girl ask for? Well done J.J., it’s always nice to see someone using their celebrity for a greater good.

That's all for now,

Sassy

P.S. Please send any suggestions for next weeks crush of the week, who and why.

My Current Obsession - Leopard and Lace

I have always had a love of animal print, whether it is clothing or accessories. Lately I love paring leopard and lace together. I like how the sweetness of the lace balances out the toughness of the leopard print.

Below are a few of my favorite looks and pieces.

                        

Notre Dame is #1!!!

Last night while I was out I looked at twitter and saw that both #1 K-State and #2 Oregon had been upset (awesomely enough be RGIII and Andrew Luck's replacements). I at once became giddy with happiness like a little kid. I don't think I was even that happy the day I met Tim Tebow. As a life long fan of ND, I truly never thought this day would come again. These past 16 years have been brutal since Holtz left.

Do I believe ND is better than likely to be #2 'Bama, probably not. But hey no one thought that ND could beat Oklahoma, so all things are possible if they meet in the National Championship.

ND's last stop en route to the National Championship is a game at the Coliseum in LA vs. USC next Saturday. It's always a great game between these 2 with USC winning most of the games as of late. I mean who could forget the 2005 "Bush Push", the same season USC went on to have their butts whipped by Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns in the National Championship. USC came into this season with a lot of hype and high expectations ranked #1. QB Matt Barkley came back this season for his senior year for a chance to play for the National Championship or go to a Bowl (since their bowl suspension is over) AND win the Heisman as he was the clear favorite in the beginning of the season. I feel bad for the kid because he no longer has a shot at the Heisman, USC kind of sucks this year (despite being loaded with talent) and he separated his shoulder when he was sacked last night in a loss to UCLA.  I don't wish an injury on anyone, but ND's road to the National Championship seems a lot easier now that Barkley is likely out next week and frosh Max Wittek starting in his place.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/prishe/2012/11/18/magnitude-of-notre-dames-2012-brand-restoration-hinges-on-usc-game/

As always, the past has taught me to be cautiously optimistic with ND every game; expect the worse, hope for the best.

All I know is I will be out in full ND garb next Saturday at 8pm ready to watch ND beat USC and head to the National Championship. GO IRISH!

Till next time,

Sassy

Games of the Week

Giants are on a bye and ND is playing Wake Forest this week so not too much for me to be excited for this weekend. But here are the games I will be tuning into.

#13 Stanford vs. #2 Oregon - This will be the Ducks first real test this season aside from USC (who has failed to live up to their hype this season despite being loaded with talent). 'Bama's loss to Texas A&M last weekend has opened up the race for the National Championship. If Oregon, K-State and ND can stay undefeated the rest of the season it will be interesting to see how things play out in the BCS computers. Oregon without doubt has the most explosive and speedy offense in college football, question is can their D stop a pretty good Stanford offense. I take the Ducks in this match but really would not be shocked with a Stanford upset.

#3 Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest - This is ND's Senior Night and last home game of the season. I look for the Senior's (T'eo, Eiffert, Wood, Golic Jr. among others) to play their hearts out Saturday night. As it stands now T'eo aka Heismanti is # 2 in the Heisman race behind Klein of K-State. It would be nice to see a deserving defensive player win for a change, but my guess is barring Klein playing horrible the last few games, the Heisman is his. I take ND in this game, but as always I am cautiously optimistic with ND.

Jets vs. Rams - Remember last year when everyone blamed the Jets woes on OC Schottenheimer, yeah will he is gone this year and they still suck. Schotty is the OC of a steadily improving Rams offense lead by former Heisman winner Sam Bradford. He also has a dependable receiver in Amendola and a great RB in Steven Jackson. Given the discord in the Jets locker room and their atrocious play as of late, especially offensively, I am guessing the Rams will win this game. But who knows, maybe the Jets will surprise us all and actually play well enough to win a game.

Colts vs. Patriots - Great game with 2 of the best QBs this year, Brady one of the best of all time vs. Luck one of the future stars. The Colts have been playing inspired football as of late and have been looking surprisingly well. Patriots have been great but also inconsistent. I personally hope the Colts pull off the upset since I hate the Patriots, but no matter what it will be a great game.

Lots of concussed QB's out this week; Vick, Cutler and probably Smith. Nick Foles the rookie for the Eagles will be making his first start, if he plays well I suspect he may win the starting job soon. Bears fair a bit better in that their backup Jason Campbell actually has a few years of starting experience in Washington and Oakland, but the Bears are playing San Fran this week so it will be a tough game for the Bears to win even if Cutler was starting. Smith has not been ruled out yet, but if he is Kaepernick has played pretty well. Would be interesting to see a MNF game with 2 backup QB's.


That's all for now.

Till next time,

Sassy

The Jets are free falling and the backstabbing has commenced

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/tim-tebow-terrible-unnamed-jets-teammate-tells-york-130832876--nfl.html

I see the Jets are back to anonymously talking about each other. I find this article funny because an anonymous Defensive player is saying Tebow is terrible. I'm sorry, I seem to recall Tebow wearing the Jet's D down last season and running all over them and through them (yeah I am talking to you Revis and Jim Leonard) and helping to lead the Broncos to a win over the Jets 1 year ago. Looks like some Defensive players are still a bit bitter over that. http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_19359785

I give Matt Slauson credit; he is man enough to own up to his words unlike all of the other anonymous sources and players. If you are playing a grown man's game you should act like a grown man and own up to your words or keep your mouth shut. No one is playing well enough on this team (except maybe Nick Mangold) to be bad mouthing another teammate.

Sanchez has now had 3 1/2 years to prove he is worthy of being a franchise QB and I really do not think he has proven that. Maybe he could be under a new coach or with a better supporting cast, but I think his days with the Jets are numbered barring a dramatic turn of events. So why not see what you have in Tebow or McElroy.  I am not saying Tebow is a great QB (he is a great athlete I know) or he is the solution to their problems. Truth is the Jets really do not have a talented enough coaching staff, the playbook or the type of receivers or running backs (ok the Jets really have no talent at either position) to really let Tebow work his magic like he did in Denver. As for McElroy, he is not as great of an athlete as Tebow and Sanchez, but what he lacks in athletic skills he makes up for in intelligence (he scored 43 out of 50 on the Wonderlic and applied for but did not win a Rhodes scholarship). In 2009 he also led his Alabama team to a victory over Tebow's Florida Gators in the SEC Championship game and to win the National Championship vs. the Texas Longhorns. So he is no stranger to big stages. As much as I would love to see Tebow start, the Jets are in a free-fall and I don't know that anyone can really save them.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/tim-tebow-terrible-unnamed-jets-teammate-tells-york-130832876--nfl.html

Words for Thought - Hope

In light of recent events in the tri-state area and discord about the presidential election outcome my topic for the week is Hope.

“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.”

-          John Lennon

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.”

-          Bil Keane

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”

-          Emily Dickinson

“The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.”

-          J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

“Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering 'it will be happier'...”

-          Alfred Tennyson

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”

-          Martin Luther King Jr.

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”

-          Barack Obama

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

-          Epicurus

“Hang in there. It is astonishing how short a time it can take for very wonderful things to happen.”

-          Frances Hodgson Burnett

Great Weekend of Football

What a great weekend of college and NFL football. Looking forward to having football take my mind, albeit temporarily, off the devastation of Sandy on Hoboken, NYC and the tri-state area.

College

LSU v 'Bama - rematch of last years National Championship where 'Bama killed LSU. 'Bama is going into this game ranked #1 and undefeated, LSU is ranked # 5 with 1 loss to Florida. I am taking 'Bama in this game, their D is looking incredible and their QB McCarron is playing great and has far more experience playing big time games than LSU rookie QB Mettenberger. 'Bama is looking good this year but I don't know I would go as far as HC Nick Saban to say they could beat and NFL team, well maybe Kansas City.

Oregon v USC - Going into this season USC was supposed to be the team to beat this year with QB Matt Barkley returning and some of the best receivers in college football. I am not a Lane Kiffin fan so color me happy to see USC struggling as of late and Barkley aka Ken Doll falling out of Heisman talk.  Oregon goes into the game ranked #4 and and 8-0, USC goes into the game ranked #17 and 6-2.
Oregon has pulled their starters early in the last 2 games vs Arizona St and Colorado and still won overwhelmingly. They pulled their starters half way through the 2nd qtr last week vs Colorado and still won 70-14. No one has ever questioned how fast and talented their Offense is, outside the SEC they are the fastest (if not the fastest with DAT) most skilled college team. The knock of Oregon has always been on their Defense. This year their D has really stepped it up and I think it will be the difference in the game this year. I am taking Oregon (in their first real challenge of the year) to beat USC in this game.

Notre Dame v Pitt - Usually I am skeptical about any ND game, but this year things have changed. The #4 ranked team is playing great football on both sides consistently. I do not want to jinx myself and ND, but I am taking ND to beat and unranked Pitt this year. God I hope I am right. Looking forward to watching T'eo put up another Heisman worth performance.

NFL

Giants v Steelers - Gmen look to continue their winning streak versus the Steelers this week. It's a battle of 2 of the best QB's from the 2004 draft class,Manning and Roethlisberger. They have only played 2 times since then, once in their rookie seasons with the Steelers winning 33-30 and again in 2008 where the Giants won 21-14. Manning will be up against the NFL's top-rated pass defense in a Steelers unit that is yielding 182.6 passing yards per game, but a meager pass rush that has only 12 sacks all season. The absence of Polamalu has been big for the Steelers. Hopefully the Giants can get a good running game going. The Steelers offense has looked less than stellar this season as QB and OC Haley have continued to bang heads and not see eye to eye on the direction of the offense. Steelers will be traveling game day to NY as their hotel is still without power due to Sandy and no rooms available elsewhere. I have the Giants winning, but it will be a close game.

Eagles v Saints - Both teams have had better seasons. The Saints seem to have the advantage as they have been playing much better with the return of Vilma and Interim head coach Joe Vitt. The Eagles look like a train wreck as of late. The were decimated last week by the Falcons, looking lifeless and clueless on both sides of the ball. Vicks ball management skills have continued to plague him all season. Some suspected that Reid would bench Vick this week for Nick Fowles but I don't think starting a rookie for his first time on MNF at the Superdome would be the best time to do that. If the Eagles lose this one I suspect more changes will be coming to the coaching staff and starters. Not really sure who I take here, I give the Saints a slight edge, but their D is horrible so maybe Vick has a chance.

Colts v Dolphins - Only thing I am looking forward to in this game is seeing how Andrew Luck and Ryan Tannehill fair vs each other. Two very impressive rookies with a lot to prove. Both teams have been playing well as of late, should be a good game.

Misc.

In other heartbreakng news, My Tebow apparently has a new lady friend Camilla Belle, not sure how I will survive this heartbreak.

Jahvid Best who has not played a game in over a year has officially been ruled for the rest of the season and possibly for his career. Sad what severe head injuries can do.

Giants will be activating Travis Beckum, TE who tore his ACL in the Superbowl for the for this Sunday's game. They made room for him by waiving backup guard Mitch Petrus. Should be interesting what roster moves they make next week when Safety Will Hill returns from his 4 game suspension

That's all for now. Till next time,

Sassy

Look of the Day - Emily Blunt

I am not usually a big fan of orange, but Emily Blunt looks absolutely amazing in this orange Alexander McQueen halter gown with a gorgeous rhinestone collar. She keeps her hair, makeup and accessories minimal making the dress the focal point. Her McQueen knucklebox clutch is brilliant, it's jewelry and a purse in one. The end result is chic and stunning.

What Were They Thinking - Pittsburgh Steelers

I know these are 1934 throwback uniforms but how did anyone every think they were a good idea? He looks like an inmate that tangled with a bumble bee. I can not even imagine having to look at these while playing for 4 quarters, they hurt my eyes.

Game of the Week - #5 Notre Dame vs. #8 Oklahoma

I really wish I was in Norman, Oklahoma this week. # 5 Notre Dame is taking on # 8 Oklahoma. It's been almost a decade since Notre Dame has even had a remote shot at the National Championship. It will be a battle of one of the best Defenses in the country versus one of the highest scoring offenses. I am expecting one hell of a game.

The Notre Dame Football program has been rather disappointing since 1996 when Holtz finished his tenure as the head coach. He coached for 11 seasons and left the school with a record of 100 wins and 30 losses. I personally think the program went downhill the moment Lou Holtz was forced out and Bob Davies took over. Till this day I still have trouble watching ND games in which Bob Davies is commentating. Thankfully 2001 was Davies fifth and last season. His won/loss was 35-25 and does not accurately reflect the damage he did to the program in my opinion. ND then hired George O'Leary, but he did not coach a single practice or game and resigned five days after for misrepresenting his academic credentials. Obviously Notre Dame did a very thorough background check. Next up, Ty Willingham. He started to turn around the program, but not fast enough for the rich alumni so they fired him and brought in Charlie Weis. Willingham was forced out after only 3 seasons and left the school with a 21-15 record. In 2005 Weis' immediate success could be greatly attributed to the phenomenal recruiting Willingham did. 2003 was one of ND's 10 best recruiting classes of all time. Big names such as Brady Quinn (Chiefs), Maurice Stovall (Jaguars), Tom Zbikowksi (Colts) , Jeff Samardzija (pitcher for the Chicago Cubs), Trevor Laws (Rams), Ryan Harris (Broncos), John Carlson (Vikings) and Chinendune Ndukwe (free agent but played for the Bengals and Raiders). Before coming to ND Weis had a very successful stint as the Offensive Coordinator of the New England Patriots, during which they won 3 Super Bowls. Weis did an okay job as head coach at ND, but I think his efforts would have been better suited in a different capacity. Head Coach at ND proved to be a bit too much for him. He left in 2009 (basically an early buyout by the alumni) after coaching for 5 seasons with a record of 35-27. That brings us to current Head Coach Brian Kelly. Kelly worked his way up the college football ranks head coaching at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan and Cincinnati. In his 3rd season Kelly seems to have righted the ship and ND seemingly has returned to its old self as one of the winnings schools of all time in college football. As a lifelong ND fan I hope great things are ahead for us for a long time to come.

Interesting facts from the attached article,

- The Irish Defense has allowed only 6 TDs this season

- Notre Dame has won eight Associated Press national championships, one more than Oklahoma

- The Irish rank third in all-time victories with 860. The Sooners are sixth with 826.

- The saying "Play Like a Champion Today" (ND players tap the sign every time they pass it on the way out to the field) originated in Oklahoma with Bud Wilkinson in 1947

- The teams have played 9 times prior. The first time in 1952 and the last in 1999, but this is the fifth time both schools come into the game ranked in the top 10. In the four prior games in which the teams both ranked in the top 10 ND won.

- The most famous matchup was in 1957 when ND came into Norman and won 7-0 ending Oklahoma's 47 game winning streak



http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8550102/college-football-notre-dame-fighting-irish-oklahoma-sooners-glorious-history-promising-future


ESPN will be broadcasting College Game Day from Norman, OK this weekend. This looks to be a great game between 2 teams with a storied history.

GO IRISH!!

Week 7 Recap

Brief summary of the best games of the week in my opinion. But I am just a girl,  so what do I know.

Seahawks/49ers – Not very high scoring as both defenses are outstanding this year. In the end the 49ers managed to put a few more points up than the Seahawks and took the win. Russell Wilson had a poor showing, 9/23 for 122 yds and 0 tds and Alex Smith was slightly better throwing 14/23 for 140 yds and but managed 1 td. Both team’s top rushers and passers put up nearly identical stats, so Smith’s 1 td was pretty much the deciding factor.  Interesting fact (or funny depending on how you look at it), when Harbaugh declined the Safety at the end of the game he apparently swung $75 million of bets in Vegas. I have never watched a coach decline a safety before, but I guess Harbaugh didn’t want to risk the Seahawks getting the ball back and the chance to score. Seahawks 6 – 49ers 13

Saints/Bucs – Jonathan Vilma played in his first game of the season (despite being suspended the whole season in Bountygate). His mere presence seemed to provide somewhat of a spark to the team. Josh Freeman threw for a career-high 420 yards and three touchdowns for the Bucs (2-4), who scored on their first three possessions of the game to build a 21-7 lead but in the end it was not enough to hold off the Saints. Bucs had a few opportunities to score at the end but failed to score. The Saints D gave up 513 yds total offense but somehow the Saints managed to win the game. Brees was 27/37 for 377 yds and 4 tds. Week 8 sees Assistant head coach Joe Vitt returning from his suspension to interim head coach. Saints 35 – Bucs 28

Giants/Redskins – What a game! The last 2 minutes were insane. I cannot tell you how excited I was to go to this game and see RGIII play in person. I am a Giants fan but I also love watching great football. RGIII did not disappoint. He is even faster, more elusive and electrifying to watch in person. He is going to be a pain in the Giants butts for years to come. As of the end of week 7 RGIII lleads the NFL in completion % (72.7), yds per attempt (11.7) and Total QBR (98.8) when facing 5 or more pass rushers. You know a player is great when Osi has nothing but great things to say about you. In the end it was Eli “Comeback King” Manning hooking up with Victor Cruz for another unbelievable pass and reception for a TD to win the game with a 1:13 left. Redskins got the ball back but Chase Blackburn had his 2^nd forced fumble of the game and the Giants recovered the ball to end the game. Manning ended the day 26/40 for 337 yds and 1 td, RGIII was 20/28 for 258 yds and 2 tds and he also ran 9 times for 89 yds. Giants 27 – Redskins 23

Jets/Patriots – Well the Jets managed to play better vs. the Patriots than I expected. From what I saw of the game, the Jets probably could have won it if Sanchez could get his act together in the redzone. It’s like the redzone is his kryptonite. He gets about 20 yds from the end zone and suddenly starts making stupid mistakes, throwing horrible interceptions, taking unnecessary sack and a bevy of other mistakes. Not sure what happened to the Sanchez of 2 years ago but he seems to be regressing instead of progressing. Tebow had little impact in the game. Jets lost this one in OT. Jets 26 – Patriots 29

Notable Transactions

-          Sean Lee ILB on the Cowboys, their best defensive player by far and vastly underrated, has been placed on IR with a foot injury. Should make things a bit easier for the Giants this week.

-          Carolina Panthers placed MLB Jon Beason on the IR for the 2^nd time in 2 years. Bet Carolina is really happy they signed him to the big contract.

-          Scott Fujita, LB on the Cleveland Browns and a star of Bountygate, has been placed on the IR with a season ending and possibly career ending neck injury

-          Skins released RB Ryan Grant after a short stint in DC. Have to wonder if his career has come to an end

-          Panthers also fired general manager Marty Hurney. Suppose someone has to take the blame for their abysmal play this year. Perhaps it was put in Cam’s suggestion box to fire him

-          Skins resigned TE Chris Cooley after cutting him in preseason after Fred Davis was place on IR with an Achilles injury

-          Chargers placed PK Nate Kaeding on injured reserve and will most likely cut him once healthy

 Observations

-          Without Ray Lewis, and even with the Suggs back, the Ravens D looked lifeless and lost. The Ravens Offense is going to have to step it up if they expect to make the playoffs this year

-          Jay Cutler is much, much tougher than people give him credit for. I have no idea how he came back into the game, let alone got up after the brutal yet legal hit from Suh. Much respect.

-          The Lions D is playing great; unfortunately the same cannot be said for their offense and definitely not about their special teams. What has happened to Matt Stafford???? Poor Megatron, only so much he can do if Stafford cannot get the ball to him.

-          Peanut Tillman is amazing

-          Brady Quinn has been named the new starter of the Chiefs. On a positive note for him I am pretty sure expectations are low for him as Cassel has set the bar pretty low this season.

-          Cam Newton is looking for suggestions on how the Panthers can turn things around.

-          Matt Hasselbeck will be starting again this week for the Titans with Locker still out with a dislocated shoulder.

Well I guess that is all for now. Should I think of anything else I will be sure to update.

Till then

Sassy