The Pats got here with a 10-7 game. It's 9-0 (Seattle) at halftime. Hopefully, Seattle will do one of their patented second-half scoring streaks. The Bad Bunny halftime looked good. It was largely in Spanish (Lady Gaga sang in English). Why not use subtitles?
ETA: To emphasize the ethnic feel. They scored a bunch in the 4Q.
Easy Living is an amusing and overall well-paced screwball comedy starring Jean Arthur with a young Ray Milland (love doesn't mean saying you are "sorry") as her love interest.
I enjoy her in various films, though If You Can Only Cook was too mannered. Her career spanned from the silent era to limited roles on television.
She had to step aside after a few performances when she co-starred in the Supreme Court-themed play First Monday in October. I still don't know how she was not too old for the role. She was in her 70s. The role was for a much younger person (a young Jane Alexander stepped in to play the role).
[The Wikipedia entry says she stepped out because of a viral infection. I read in the past that stage fright was also a major concern; she suffered it over the years and overall was a very private person.]
Easy Living is also a dramatic film regarding an aging football star learning that he has a heart condition. Victor Mature (his real name) stars. Lucille Ball has a supporting role. She was quite good in a variety of dramatic roles.
A familiar face portrays a doctor who confirms the condition. "Jeff Donnell" (a woman; "Jeff" is a childhood nickname), who plays the pregnant wife of a friend on the team, looks familiar, but I don't see anything in her resume that looks familiar.
Overall, I liked this film too.
ETA: T11 Incomplete (title concerning the injury of her client) is not quite as good as that review says.
Still, I liked it. Karen Sillas, as the older home health aide who is struggling with personal demons and other problems, is excellent. The other actors are a mixed bag, but overall give good performances as a bunch of flawed people. It weighs a bunch of themes well.
The DVD box suggests a lesbian angle, which does exist, but there are multiple interlocking stories here. For instance, her son becomes more important as the film goes along. And, as with all good films, the supporting cast provides good touches. I wouldn't mind learning more about the daughter-in-law.
There is not much "easy living" here.
The Ravens missing a FG led to a fired head coach, who eventually was hired by the NY Giants. There is hope! OTOH, overall, bummer weekend. The usual suspects won, the usual suspects (including the Bills) screwed up. Plus, the Denver QB got hurt, tainting next week, which will also include (yawn) Rams/Seattle: Part III.
First off, I enjoyed Emily on Fire, a book co-written by James Patterson, which is a young adult novel whose title is a tad literal. I'm not usually a reader of Patterson (or Danielle Steel), but the cover drew me in at the library.
Her mother died of cancer, and her sister committed suicide. Now, Emily plans to kill herself (you know how) to get the world to realize that we are fucked up and have to do something! The book mostly uses her point of view.
The book is raw (and honest, which is important) while retaining an empathy that provides some optimism that is much needed these days.
The only other news on the merits docket came Thursday—when the Clerk of the Court, in a letter to the parties, announced that Justice Alito is recusing from a case in which the Court is set to hear argument later today.
Steve Vladeck explains an exception to the usual recusal without comment approach done by most of the justices, minus Kagan and Jackson. Sotomayor sometimes comments.
The norm (including applied to Alito vs. Kagan) was found on today's Order List. The Court granted some cases for review on Friday. Today, more so than normal perhaps, it was mainly about clearing brush -- a list of non-grants.
Sean Marotta, a lawyer, noted on Bluesky:
The #SCOTUS orders list today is a reminder of the shrinking commercial docket. Cases that would have been shoe-ins in the 90-case docket are getting denied regularly.
The drawn-out Pete Alonso negotiations ended with what amounts to be a continuing resolution that is as unsatisfactory. It's a two-deal worth 54M with thirty million in 2025 with the ability to opt out. This sets up this whole thing popping up again in a year or two.
Charming.
And Scott Boras is happy because even though he failed mightily on his promise to get Alonso substantially more than the seven years, $158 million offer from the Mets he turned down in June 2023, he was able to save face by getting him an AAV of $30 million for 2025 that is the highest of any first baseman in the game.
Bill Madden provides commentary explaining how Alonso, though beloved by Mets fans and a useful piece short term, would not get a highly paid long-term deal. How much money, long term, will he get above and beyond that seven-year offer?
Is all this stress worth it? He is due to decline in the next few years. The tail end of those seven years won't be as productive or lucrative. Why can't he take that money?
It's not my money but Alonso is supposedly a positive person who doesn't focus on the negatives. There is the usual drive and belief in yourself.
Nonetheless, the stress and hard feelings the drawn-out contract negotiations have brought in theory should affect someone like Alonso more than some others. At some point, a few more million is a matter of diminishing returns. It is depressing.
Anyway, the 2025 Mets might be mostly set though Mr. OMG isn't back yet. The bullpen looks pretty good. The starting rotation is filled with reclamation projects, including Senga off an injury.
Well, things worked out last year. Still, it would be nice if they had one steadier top-line starter. Also, the expectations will be much higher this year.
(People generally give the Mets good marks, other than the rotation, for their off-season moves. One move that has received some pushback is Siri to replace Bader. One analyst ranked it a "C" move.
It seems silly to think too much about this especially with Soto coming in. Siri is a good defensive outfielder. His bat might be weaker than Bader, but Bader was not exactly top notch in that sense.
The tradeoff is not much less than a wash, especially since you save a bit of money in the deal.)
The top two teams basically made it to the Super Bowl. The Lions might have been the #1 seed but they deep down had issues. The Eagles had a special weapon with special thanks owed to the Giants.
I acknowledge that without being too pleased with the ultimate result. Kansas City also seems to get all the breaks. Great teams make their own breaks including pressuring other teams to screw up. Mahomes also has the magic of making those game-clinching plays.
We are told that surely the refs aren't in on it. People just keep on finding cases where things seem to go their way. I can't find it now, but one analysis showed how a bunch of close calls, some the person acknowledged were probably wrong, went their way.
I know. That's loser/conspiracy talk. Toss in some luck and Kansas City seems a bit too blessed this season. Not that I am a big fan of the Eagles, being a NY guy and rooting for the Commandeers (hard not to) this season. And, their season ended with a clunker.
Oh well. Hopefully, it is a good game. I'm not watching it. I would have Bills/Eagles.
ETA: Eagles win in a rout.
Busy posting day, huh?
I was not interested in watching these games. After the Rams failed an upset late, it was to be expected that the Commanders could not manage to beat the Eagles a second time. It turned out to be even more depressing. The first two match-ups were close. This turned out to be a blowout.
Sure sure. Commanders with their new rookie who didn't play like one most of the time QB had a great season. No lie. Still not a great ending.
These two teams are due for further playoff match-ups. Kansas City and the Bills already are a familiar pair. And, again, I didn't want to see this because the ending was oh-so predictable.
KC goes up by three. Bills are stopped. They need to stop KC one more f-ing time to have a final shot. KC gets that necessary third down.
Kansas City had more than their usual share of close finishes where they easily could have lost. Yes, great teams manage to do that. But, this year, it was even more annoying. I'm so tired of them.
Not that I am an Eagles fan. But, them winning the Super Bowl would be a tad less annoying. I have no desire to watch the thing though. Blah.
The 8-9 Falcons decided to hire the interim head coach of the Jets. Good luck with that.
The Commanders/Bucs game was the only fully competitive Wild Card Round game. The Bucs made a key mistake and the Commanders won by three.
The Commanders had the one upset in the Divisional Round, outscoring a mistake-prone Lions team. I'm sorry I missed it. Kansas City did the usual -- got calls going their way, the other team had a messy game, etc. Net result: won game but other team had shot.
Washington has to play the Eagles again [the two split the season series] because the Rams (in the snow) fumbled twice in back-to-back series, providing the two field goal difference. They drove to the Eagles 13 in the final minute but with two yards to gain, that is as far as they got. The former Giants guy was key to the victory with two long runs scoring two TDs.
That left the Ravens and Bills to decide who would (hopefully) successfully beat Kansas City—who I'm so tired of. My first concern is beating Kansas City. Either team probably could do it. I like the Bills, but if the Ravens can beat KC, I'll be okay with that, too. Hopefully, though the Eagles will be favored, the winner will face the Commanders in the Super Bowl.
[ETA: The Bills won. The Ravens had too many turnovers. Still, they could have tied the game late if they had kicked the XP twice instead of trying for two earlier to tie. They didn't make it. They missed it again. So, they lost by two points.]
The college championship game is on Monday night, which seems a bit late. For those who care, and I don't, enjoy the game.
Long football day with another London game that was played in the morning.
New York fans had games in the three football windows afterward. The Giants were overmatched (the backup QB came in for much of the fourth quarter), not scoring a TD. A star player that went to the Eagles shined in a 28-3 domination.
It was a close game in the first half of the Titans/Bills game. Then, the Bills scored 27 unanswered in the second half. Talk about one-sided adjustments.
Jets had the Sunday Night game with Russell Wilson coming back from injury for the Steelers. Somber moment mid-third quarter with a serious Jets injury that delayed things. Wilson eventually got going. The Jets kicker again missed an easy field goal (blocked).
The Jets stopped scoring -- I think it was karma for a dubious earlier call that gave them two points. Well, fans could switch to watching the Mets. Maybe not.
Aaron Rodgers had a couple good drives and also parts of drives (ending on turnovers or stops). They scored 15 points; none in the second half. They gave up 37.
Not good, Bob.
Maybe, Jets/Mets fans should have checked on the Mets. There was no magical ending. But, a four-game losing streak is pretty sad, and this one wasn't close.
(The Guardians fell to the Yanks in 5.)
It still was a respectable 7-4 (with many people left on base) in the seventh inning. Dodgers had a bullpen game but they have a tough bullpen. The Mets went with Senga over Buttó. That worked for an inning.
Mets turned into a pumpkin. Oh well.
Bonus: New York Liberty wins first WNBA championship. Don't watch, but congrats.
It was a mixed New York sports weekend.
Helped by some dubious calls, the Yanks won a close one. Detroit had a horrid first inning and lost its opener. Dodgers up 1-0 so far. (Now, it's 1-1.)
The Mets fought through some bad calls to win late with their ace Senga (who pitched one game during the season) serving as an "opener." He went two innings. Blew a lead and a two-run homer that tied it in the 9th in Game Two. Big sigh. Citifield next.
The optimistic take -- which is sort of fake -- is that you would have taken a 1-1 split when you came to Philly. But, that changes when you are ahead mid-game and your closer lays an egg. And, then you come back to tie, and you lose it a strike away from the 10th. Just my take. I don't find this "fun."
Jets played mediocre but still had a chance late against one of their old QBs. Aaron Rodgers is here to win games like this. He didn't. I didn't want him here and haven't changed my mind. If the supporting staff around him is raw, well, you should be playing for the future. He's a win-now sort of player.
Bills lost at the buzzer via a 59-yard field goal. The Giants, after being bitten by a 101/2 fumble return earlier, decided not to be the "same old Giants," down to blocking a FG and taking it in for basically the clincher. It was the second time a blocked FG was returned in the NFL today.
So on Sunday, to summarize: Bills and Jets lost. Giants won. Mets lost. Giants beat one of their old QBs (who also played for the Jets/Geno Smith). Seattle is a team "good enough" to make the playoffs.
The Giants played well enough today.
The "wisdom of the stairs" (sounds better in the original French) means stuff we think about after the fact.
When write stuff on this blog, there is sometimes stuff I think about after the fact. I sometimes add it. This is more so when the subject is complicated, such as the recent Supreme Court oral argument. On that front, here is some more on the bogus concern about one state deciding a national issue.
I have seen more complaints about Merrick Garland regarding the special counsel in the Biden records case. I continue to think belaboring the point as compared to emphasizing his innocence and overall abilities helps promote the narrative the other side wants to promote.
Robert Hur's report has dubious aspects that have been covered by some outlets. We need to learn from the problems with special prosecutors, including the asshole in charge of the Hunter Biden matter. But, belaboring the issue does not help. Too much "Democrats in Disarray."
The bottom line remains Biden is innocent, worked with the prosecutor, and so on. Garland also has done a lot of good. Plus, I don't see him going anywhere though maybe (he is over 70) a new attorney general (who people will complain about) will come in Biden's second term (knock on wood).
As to the memory business, "there is nothing new about Mr. Biden’s memory lapses, malapropisms and rambling, sometimes embroidered anecdotes." We know that about him. As a whole, it does not matter. He is a good president and (unlike past years) is president at the right time.
The usual suspects will latch on to this (people are still sending memes of him sniffing hair) while Trump is out there acting unhinged and showing much greater signs of mental deficiency in various cases. It is what it is. We shouldn't help the matter by dwelling so much on it.
People sometimes think they are being realistic cynics but might be putting on a pose that is not actually accurate.
ETA: I noted that I would not provide a summary of the Super Bowl. Just to update that. The Harlem Globetrotters won again. After all these years, I shouldn't care, but yeah, I'm annoyed. Objectively, in my view, the predictable is not entertaining.
And, that is what happened. I'm annoyed.
Let's do a catch-all post.
Mets Update
The Mets signed two more helpful bullpen arms. Jerry Blevins, the former Mets pitcher, and current commentator, on a podcast, said he felt there was a possible 75-95 (ten-game levels of worse case/probable/best case) range for the 2024 season.
The high end seems a tad generous but overall it seems reasonable. The starting rotation has some question marks but is credible. It is overall not as bad of a team as some make it out to be. This season is clearly a stepping stone to the future, which is probably for the best.
Bill Belichick
I thought that he was a good possibility for the Atlanta Falcons, a team that knew how to blow games. In a weak division, the Falcons are a team that could easily have a turnaround season. But, it looks like the Hoodie won't even have a job. One report noted:
Sources close to Belichick also cited a frosty relationship with Falcons president Rich McKay as a primary reason the parties might have decided they could or should not work together.
In general:
Three primary reasons were echoed by numerous league sources: Belichick’s mishandling of the Patriots’ quarterback situation in recent years, his desire to maintain total control of football operations and a growing concern over the coach’s ability to relate to this generation of players.
Sounds reasonable. It is silly to badmouth the guy or say he only won because of Tom Brady. This is shown by a year when Tom Brady was hurt and they managed to almost get to the playoffs with a rookie back-up. Nonetheless, the team has struggled after Tom Brady left. There clearly have been problems. And, someone over 70 set in his ways and a bad fit for the current era is not that surprising. I still thought he would find a team.
New York Trump Trial
The Trump judge who should be recused is delaying things in Florida. Georgia has lots of defendants even with some plea deals. The patently full-of-shit immunity case for some reason is still not done in D.C., which is driving me and others nuts. So, it looks like the "runt of the litter" might actually go first. That is the NYC corruption case.
I have consistently argued this case deserves to be tried. People worry about the novelty of the argument and reliance on an asshole for a chief witness. But, Trump chose the asshole. Having a conspirator turn state's evidence is standard. Plus, as someone argued, there is value to the basic simplicity of this case.
Two civil cases have basically run their course (E.J. Carroll and the civil fraud trial). It's time for a criminal trial to get things rolling. And, damn it, can the D.C. Court of Appeals rule? The March trial date has now officially been suspended.
Middle East
After three servicemen were killed by a drone attack, the U.S. counterattacked. This continues to show the possible expansion of the conflict arising from the Hamas attack and Israel's response.
Left-leaning scholar Juan Cole suggests other options. I admit my ignorance of this overall situation (more so than some things I opine on). I am wary even to comment on these things on blogs. But, I do overall lean toward non-military options when possible.
I do want to push back somewhat on the idea President Biden is somehow all-in with Israel. It is not true. He has worked to obtain ceasefires. I have seen pushback about Israeli excesses. He has spoken about two-state solutions. There are also reports of them investigating recognizing Palestine. If Hamas earned blame for starting all of this, Israel has earned blame for the counterattack.
I put aside the fact Congress is pro-Israel so it is dubious that he realistically has much wiggle room anyhow. There is a fear that the issue will suppress needed support, including Arab-Americans in necessary states like Michigan. What is their alternative? Robert Kennedy Jr.? And, the election is over six months away. Who knows what will happen.
I welcome more pushback on Israel, including not supplying them with as much support, and whatever the Administration can do to show support for both sides. He has put forth an executive order that in a small way (it appears) penalizes settlers in the West Bank for excesses there.
I accept the idea that more can be done to stop our at times too one-sided pro-Israeli policy. My own representative has shown his excesses, including joining a petty resolution against a member of his own party. Nonetheless, we should not use that to not give credit where it is due or provide a one-sided attack on President Biden. It's unfair and unproductive.
Harry and Meghan
I recently finished watching S4 of The Crown. The next two seasons, including the just completed last one, do not appear to be in the NYPL system. I also read two helpful historical companion volumes by Robert Lacey that overlap with the first three seasons. I do not see additional ones.
In that spirit, I rewatched the Harry and Meghan Wedding DVD. I also reserved another DVD providing background and a fictional film. In the past, I read a biography and skimmed Harry's overlong autobiography. The whole thing is sweet and to the degree they have a rebellious side, it is easy to root for them. An interracial marriage, with a commoner from America, also has a Hallmark Channel flavor. Better than her two blah films!
One thing that caught my eye when re-watching the video involved the vows. There was the usual exchange of vows (they personally didn't have personal vows like in some weddings). But, then the minister asked the audience to voice their support. This is a good touch. It is what a wedding is all about. It is a public support of the wedding.
But, having the audience chime in that they support the wedding is a nice official touch. Other rituals also appeal to me. For instance, some weddings have a form of handfasting ceremony, where the hands of the couple are symbolically bound. I think that is a good touch as well.
Anyway, it will be six years this May. Tempus Fugit.
Chiefs v. Ravens
The Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) struggled this season. They had to work (including being helped by at least one dubious penalty in making two third and really longs) to beat the Jets. They had to play the Bills on the road.
Still. They are KC.
After the Ravens had an opening punt, the teams traded touchdowns. The Ravens went for it on their own side on 4th and 1 during that drive. Lamar Jackson had one of his patented long scrambles. The Ravens survived a fumble on their own side when KC didn't make a 4th and short.
Still. The Chiefs still scored all ten of the second-quarter points. The Ravens were burned by two more turnovers deep in KC territory. No KC points though.
The game stayed 17-7 until a good punt return with five minutes left gave the Ravens good field position. They made it a one-score game. It was 3rd and 9 for KC with more than two minutes left at about midfield. Decent chance for an exciting finish!
The State Farm spokesman clinched it with a pass. KC, unlike Detroit, timed the kneeldowns correctly to run out the clock. KC knows how to win in the end. 17-10.
(Talk about clockwork. That third-down pass was completed at the two-minute warning.
The Ravens were out of timeouts. This translated to basically exactly the time three kneel-downs took. The last kneel-down was at 39 seconds. A few more seconds, they would have had to run a play to run off the clock.)
Lions v. 49ers
The Ravens were favored. KC had a history of winning. This game is a bit different. The 49ers are favored. But, they barely beat the Packers. The Lions had a good season but a history of losing. They had it in them to win or lose.
Okay, the 1 (SF) and 2 (Detroit) seeds face off. Similar 12-5 records (SF with that blip mid-season). Long-suffering Lions fans looked on. They watched the Lions score an opening touchdown. A forty-two yard play mixed in.
SF responded with a drive that ended with a missed 48-yard field goal attempt. KC made a fifty-plus attempt at the end of the first half. The Packers burned themselves with kicking too. The elite kickers who own those long field goals are precious. SF's kicker had issues of late.
Detroit ended the first half 24-7 though SF did stop them from getting more. Detroit then had a horrible third quarter. Opening FG for SF. Detroit was stopped at 4th down. SF scored. And, then Detroit fumbled, and SF scored. 24-24.
I'm sorry. You can't allow that to happen. Detroit followed up with a pathetic three-and-out (one-yard).
Then, SF went ahead after a long drive. Detroit did do the minimum. It was a FG.
For the second time, this time with a chance to tie the game, Detroit went for it. They again didn't make it. Again, SF scored. Lions fans, never Super Bowl-bound, said "Yeah, okay." Detroit did score again. 34-31. Would have been nice to have one of those two FG tries back, huh?
I'm not seeing the Super Bowl. I'm not even writing about it. The Packers and Lions blew their chances. They should have won. KC and SF are to be congratulated. They didn't choke. I'm still tired of them.
(ETA: Detroit managed to make it a one-score game but only had two time outs left. They got to first and goal with some time left but took too long. SF managed to just run out the clock after the failed onside kick. Hey, last season the Jets made one that helped them win a game!)
==
Bonus: Since it's Sunday, I will toss in Zeke Piestrup's documentary about Satan teaching Sunday school. Freethought Matters (FFRF TV show) had him on for this week's episode.
The film is available free online.
First off, some general football news. I appreciate that the smart move was taken regarding the Las Vegas Raiders. Antonio Pierce is the permanent head coach. Meanwhile, the hoodie appears to be the next Falcons HC.
Texans v. Ravens
Saturday was for the #1 seeds.
The Texans struggled in the first half versus the Ravens with multiple false start penalties. Their defense did hold and a special team (punt return) score made it 10-10.
They did not make a long field goal near the end of the half. This was a bad sign. They didn't score again. The Ravens scored once in the third. The Texans defense finally lost it in the 4th Quarter, with 17 unanswered points.
The celebrated Ravens defense held Houston to three points (seven on that special team play). Not a way to win. The end result is not too surprising though it's unfortunate that the Texans could not make more of a game of it.
(Setting up a big championship game no matter who won the next night. Kansas City or the Bills vs. the Ravens.)
Packers v. 49ers
The Packers looked great against Dallas (going back to their playoff-losing ways; their head coach will get another year, but no extension yet). But, the 49ers were another affair. They were great except for a mid-season losing streak.
They hung on because of Packers f-ing blew it. The Packers dominated possession early but it took a missed FG late in the first half to make it only 7-6 SF. This included multiple red zone Packers drives, including one stopped (maybe) on 4th and short. The announcers were all "got to go for it" (in the rain) but maybe an FG would have been the move.
Later, it was the Packers who missed a key field goal. It turned out to be the difference with a 24-21 losing score. We have another one-sided fourth quarter, with SF having all the ten points. Anyway, the Packers should have won this game but great teams have some "escapes" like this.
(If the Packers did win, they had a real shot to win one more game, but well, they didn't. Annoying.)
Bucs v. Lions
This is basically the second game where the upsets had a harder task. The Bucs did not quite upset the Eagles but in some other year, the Eagles should have been the better team. The result is another mismatch, at least on paper. The Bucs were 9-8. Still, they had their moments, and the Lions are not the Ravens. There was a chance.
Tampa didn't score much early but it was still only 10-3 (Lions) late in the First Half. This allowed Tampa to tie things up with a quick late drive. The teams traded scores in the third. Lions went ahead in the fourth. We are getting a theme here: Fourth Quarter dominance.
Down two scores with under six minutes left, Tampa was 4th and long deep in their own end. They get the first down to have a bit of life. They score but (down by eight) fail the two-point pass. Just kick the damn XP.
(ETA: There are supposed to be analytics that says this was the best move. Fine.
I still question it. The result was that they made it harder on themselves. Plus, you have to factor in that it is not like you lack any shot in OT, especially if you win the toss.
But, what do I know? I saw someone online note Tampa had low scoring in goal-to-go situations. They aren't average in the two-point conversions anyway.
Worry about tying before winning, I say. Also, Detroit flubbed the timing of the kneeldowns, but Tampa decided to give up a final shot anyhow. Maybe take back that "less aggravating." Also, this sort of bad clock management versus an elite team in dangerous. Watch out against SF.)
Oh well. Interception in the last drive made the whole thing a "moo point" as Joey from Friends would say. Another expected ending, more respectable than the Texans, and somewhat less aggravating than the Packers. Sigh.
Chiefs v. Bills
This was the game that promised to be an evenly-matched affair. We saw this game already. It's one of those annual type match-ups. It followed the expected theme.
I am unsure how much the Bills being at home mattered. In fact, the Bills missed a potential game-tying 44-yard field goal with under two minutes to play. A different way to blow it late. 27-24, Kansas City.
I don't really care about the Ravens or the Chiefs. I am supportive of the Lions finally getting in. SF winning would be okay. But, I don't care about a Super Bowl with the other two teams. I'm tired of them.
This weekend's theme was "Blowing it on a big stage."
We now have three days of football (Saturday to Monday) with two games each day. There was originally only one Monday game but snow called a postponement of the Steelers/Bills game. Both teams can handle things.
Bengals vs. Texans
The opener was the promising Bengals/Texans match-up. The Bengals persevered through multiple QBs with "off his couch" Joe Flacco (an anti-vaxxer who didn't thrive as a Jets backup) leading them to the playoffs.
They had one more win than the Texans, partially because of a December match-up without rookie phenom C.J. Stroud. But Houston thanks to their win in Week 18 and a Jaguars loss was the divisional winner.
The game started well for the Bengals. They held the Texans to a chip-shot field goal. The Bengals responded with a TD. Then, there was a back-and-forth, leading to a 17-14 Texans lead. The Bengals did not score again. The lead was 24-14 at halftime. Then, back-to-back pick sixes sealed the deal.
Dolphins vs. Chiefs
This game was scripted as a lost cause for the Dolphins. There were no surprises here.
The Dolphins looked like division winners early. Then, the Bills re-gained their mojo. The Dolphins went into a slide. They had a shot at the division if they won the last game of the regular season. A stop late (inches) gave them one more shot. They did not succeed. The Bills got the division.
The warm-water Dolphins got an extremely cold game. The weather in New York City has not allowed snow to form. Kansas City (not in Kansas) had wind chills below zero. The Dolphins scored once (basically on one play). Not a path to victory. They did get a turnover at the very end down 26-7.
(only on Peacock except for local viewers apparently; good game for the platform version of UHF, I guess)
Packers vs. Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have done very well at home, even if it took some bad officiating to help them win against Detroit. The Packers are somewhat lucky they even made it to the playoffs. They played well early and then slacked off.
The Packers started off strong with an opening touchdown drive. A turnover late in the first half made it 27-0. Dallas scored at the buzzer (helped by a good runback and a bad call) and added an FG. 27-10. A bit of a game?
The Packers didn't stop scoring. Up 32-16. Sweated a bit when they relaxed late. Only 48-32 before the two-minute warning. No shot at a third (two failed) onside kick attempt. First #7 seed (fourth year) to advance. You have to "love" it (QB Love was perfect before a dubious attempt to ice the game, giving Dallas a little more time).
Rams vs. Lions
The Lions finally found themselves division winners. The other teams struggled, even though it looked like the Vikings (like the Bengals having many QBs) might swoop back from their losing ways. They hit a wall. The Packers won enough to get to the playoffs. The Lions appear to have arrived.
The Rams struggled some, including while Matthew Stafford (QB) was hurt. This match-up looked promising, especially since the QBs once played on each other's teams. Plus, now the head coach of the Rams is no longer the league's youngest coach with the new hire in New England.*
The Giants barely lost to the Rams. I thought the Lions probably had the edge. The first half of this one was the most competitive game so far. I really don't care about these teams though the Lions have been waiting for a while to get here. Plus, the young guy head coach of the Rams annoys me.
We saw the winner's next opponent on Monday. The Lions won by a point. The game turned out to turn on a defensive effort. The Rams held up early to an FG turned out to be the difference. The second half had nine total points.
The Lions' margin of victory was a third-quarter field goal of the length the Giants failed to make to clinch the victory in their own game. Mid-50s (sometimes even more) field goals are possible with elite kickers these days. They sometimes are the difference.
Steelers vs. Bills
The Bills came into this game on a high note, trending well, even if the last game showed some of the QB's reckless ways. The Steelers' hope was another one of those games along with the weather and their own defense.
The Steelers, under veteran leadership with their long-time (and bad reputation on a personal level) QB having retired, managed to eke out a playoff spot. And that came with help.
Steelers turned a 21-0 game into a 24-17 game but then the Bills scored on the next possession. Good try.
Eagles v. Buccaneers
The Eagles had a fall akin to the Dolphins, if under somewhat different circumstances. Road woes prevented Dallas from securing the division. Then, the Eagles went on a slide. They barely managed to win one game versus the lowly Cardinals and Giants (1-1). This meant a road game.
Tampa won a poor division partially on the back of a flawed journeyman-type QB, who used to do those cute commercials about living in the stadium. Not this one. Baker Mayfield has been around. You would think that they would have an uphill battle versus the Eagles.
They would have if the Eagles were not such a messed-up team right now. Eagles lost 32-9.
An end of a bunch of mismatches (except for one), though not always in the expected ways. The first game was competitive for a while. The Steelers teased their fans a bit.
Lions, Packers, and Texans excited their fans. Bills and Chiefs took care of business. Tampa did too, more or less, against an Eagles team that fell off a cliff weeks ago.
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* Yes, Mr. Hoodie was not just good because of Pretty Boy. Still. Since Tom Brady left, the team could have been better. They did manage to get to the postseason one year. This year they were pretty bad (the defense was okay).
It looked like things might be okay. He also managed in the middle of the Brady years to almost get to the playoffs when Brady was out. He lost a tiebreaker. It was one of his best years of coaching to do this with a young (now mostly forgotten) backup. Yes. The Jets were good back in the day.
It hasn't gone well for multiple seasons now all the same. Time to move on.
Jets/Giants Follies
I did not expect much from the NY Jets last season. Joe Flacco stole one from the Browns (an onside kick was involved). If they simply beat the Pats (they surely had a shot; the Pats were not good) once, I probably would have been satisfied. Didn't happen.
The NY Giants had a misleading record. They got to the playoffs and even had an upset (they were due) versus the Vikings. Nonetheless, they didn't win much after a promising start. They then ended with an embarrassing (was not going to win, but it was embarrassing) playoff loss to the Eagles.
Both teams seemed to have a shot this season, especially with Aaron Rodgers. You saw how things went though there were some nice moments, including "not Danny DeVito's son" Tommy Cutlets doing his things.
The Giants also managed to win multiple games (including against the Jets) they should have won. A possible upset last week was excruciating for those who actually cared. They made so many mistakes down to stupid decisions late that basically assumed an old replacement kicker (who already missed an XP) would make a 50+ yard field goal.
Aaron Rodgers famously got hurt after a few plays. Let me note that the fact "everybody cheered" when they got him is bullshit. The fact Mike Lupica tosses in how "everybody" was "hopeful" a 39-year-old going on 40, whose team was eliminated (after a mediocre season) by an already eliminated team would still have magic is telling.
I didn't want the guy. I worried he was too old. I worried he would get injured. I saw that when years back the Jets signed Brett Favre, another dubious off-the-field guy.
I thought the Jets had a great defense. The thing to do would be to sign a younger journeyman. Meanwhile, sooner than later, try to draft a QB of the future. Plus, with the anti-vax bullshit, the guy poisoned the well.
I was not the only one who felt that way. Plus, if you DO sign the guy, make sure you have a decent backup. Not the guy you sat with last season since he didn't have what it took (even if he teased you at times).
They did not. I did not blame them for avoiding Joe "off the couch, into the playoffs" Flacco. He surely didn't thrive when he was on the Jets. But, get someone like that. A career player who you can trust. Something like the guy playing backup for the Giants. Though he has been a mixed bag.
Aaron Rodgers (who some spun as having some remarkable recovery but in the end seemed not somehow a Superman on that front and was given the "most inspirational" award by his teammates ... okay) continued to shoot off his mouth. A line was crossed when he "playfully" accused Jimmy Kimmel of being on the latest Jeff Epstein (the sex offender) list.
"Dear (expletive): for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein," Kimmel responded, "nor will you find my name on any 'list' other than the clearly phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court."
The USA Today analysis (including linking an article reporting he was paid millions for being on the ESPN talk show involved) provides helpful details. This includes Rodgers' tendency to hold grudges and how Kimmel has been on him for a while, particularly because of the anti-vax bit. Kimmel has a personal reason to care about good health care.
I don't want this asshole to QB the Jets in 2024. They signed a lousy offense coordinator because he was "Aaron's guy" and it showed in 2024. I saw Brett Favre have a good half-plus season and then freefall at the end. What if Rodgers even has a good season? He's over 40 years old.
The Jets need to look long-term. Not aim for the short-term shiny glass "everybody" supposedly wanted. At the very least, the Jets need to find a decent backup. The NFL is filled with starting back-ups, sometimes teams are on second or third back-ups now. Or even fourth. The Jets played three.
The Giants don't even have the "well we have Rodgers for a season" line to take in 2024. Their supposed post-Eli Manning QB repeatedly scuffled, had injuries, or teased with just enough good play to build hope. They need to find a new QB. Tommy DeVito? Tad too early to tell. It would not be out of the range of possibility that he will start in 2024.
Week 18
Anyway. I'm not sure what the extra week does other than maybe give more fodder for games on Thursday to Saturday or on NFL Network / whatever platform that I don't have playing them. The Pro Game (dubiously placed after the season) was never great. Now it is a bit of a joke.
There was a lot of parity this season, for good or ill, including elite teams playing dubious football. The Bills shuffled along. San Francisco decided to lose a few games straight. Dallas and the Eagles didn't show up for various games. The Eagles managed to lose to the Jets and the Cardinals.
I wonder if there ever was more backup play, including on playoff or playoff wannabes. After twenty years and multiple mediocre non-Tom Brady years, there also was truly a bloom off the hoodie. And, even with a dubious bit of officiating hurting Detroit, the last set of games counted for many teams. That is basically the aim.
This excitement level was shown in the Saturday Night game with playoff implications. The evening game was one of multiple games with "winner gets in" or "winner gets the division" implications.
The Houston Texans, with an exciting rookie, beat the Colts (with a backup that is on lists for a backup QB for the Jets in 2024) with a fourth down stop with about a minute left. The Colts opted with the encroachment maneuver to get the first down. It failed. The time-out robbed them of forty seconds of the clock -- the Texans literally left a second on the clock.
Houston then hoped for an upset of the Jags (flawed) by a lowly team with some ability to do that. The Steelers won a close one on a wet field against the Ravens, who were just trying to get ready for the playoffs (they have a first-round bye). Now, they had to hope for one of various scenarios (two fairly possible) to sneak into the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Steelers' win means the Jaguars have to win or be eliminated.
You can check all the end results here.
For now, my playoff cheers will go to the (thanks to a Jags loss) division-winning Houston Texans. Winning the final game last season (it took a lot, by the way; it was basically given to them), didn't hurt in the end! Steelers got in too. They are nice underdogs to root for too.
The Bills? Figure they will find a way to be eliminated. But, even if they don't beat the Dolphins tonight to get the division, that Jags loss meant they too are in as a wildcard. So, I'll end here.
Oh, yes. Jets and Giants.
It looked iffy with an "oh no, not again" flub late, but the Jets did finally end that long losing streak versus the Pats. They grinded out a game in the snow (at home) and went ahead 17-3 late, even getting that two-point conversion play to really seal the deal. You can move on now, hoodie.
Football
The expansion of football to a Friday game after Thanksgiving (Jets) shows how networks and the sport want to stretch things. After all, last season, an additional game was added to the schedule. We also have the Thursday game not on regular television. This is also the case for many baseball games these days.
The usual schedule (at least for some time now) was that in December there were more Saturday games. I'm unsure if it came this early, but this weekend had three Saturday games on NFL Network. One (between the back-ups of the Vikings and Bengals) was even competitive!
There are some good back-ups in the NFL. Many teams now are playing back-ups. There is a mixture of talent. The Jets have a backup (who had a dubious game, somewhat mercifully shortened by injury) who teases you with occasional good games.
The Giants' backup is a replacement-level sort that seemed safe but was mediocre in the limited time he played. The third string guy is a nice story. Came back to earth versus the Saints. The Giants are about to begin a killer final run with two games against the Eagles.
The Jets are eliminated (no more fraction of a percent chance). They were not going to beat the Dolphins, but the hope was that it would have been a tad more competitive than THAT. They have two more very realistic shots at a win versus the lowly Commanders (who show enough fight that it's no gimme) and the Pats (who the Jets have yet to beat for a long long time).
San Franciso (after a mid-season three-game losing streak) has the division sewed up already. And, many races will likely go to the final week.
Christmas Films
Last Sunday, I referenced a collection of holiday novellas, including one by Debbie Macomber.
Macomber's book Trading Christmas was made into a Hallmark Channel film. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much that I watched it for at least the third time this weekend.
One thing I enjoy about it is the multiple storylines including one with Faith Ford (then in her late 40s) which feels more mature than many Hallmark Channel films. The multiple kissing also is rather risque for that channel.
The cast is also made up of various people who are known for other more serious or quirky works than Hallmark Channel films. Tom Cavanagh and Gabrielle Miller played the second couple in this house swap film (2011). They add to making the film not feel much like a Hallmark Channel film as such. I didn't see it on television so borrowed it from the library. Check it out if you can.
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Friends & Family Christmas has a Sunday night premiere. It has a somewhat generic title. "Family" does play an important role, including the POC retired parents of one love interest who was a college roommate and the father of another love interest.
The parents do play an important role. One couple has significant air time. The bits about a long-married couple engaging with each other are handled nicely. I did not catch what happened to the mother of one of the love interests unless I missed it. The ending wrap-up was rather forced.
The special hook here is that the film is a full-fledged lesbian love story. That is, the lesbians are not just one subplot, but the main story. The familiar face is Ali Liebert (who played a lesbian in the Canadian television series Bomb Girls; she is openly gay), who has also done some directing.
(I have noted in the past that Hallmark has actively tried to be more diverse in recent years. Multiple films have had gay and lesbian content, including in the primary storylines.)
The film as a whole was pleasant. Ali Liebert's performance just seemed off to me. I suppose her emotionally restrained performance fits the character's story arc of someone who has yet to get over a failed relationship. Nonetheless, she seems rather stiff and made up in an unattractive way.
The couple does have some chemistry. I don't think the film gives them enough interaction to underline that they are falling in love. Maybe, it is a question of too many things happening, including a somewhat overbearing supporting character getting more air time than you might expect.
Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with the whole thing though it was watchable and overall flowed fairly well. Plus, again, the parents (less so Ali's father) were interesting characters in their own light. The additional touches there made the film interesting. There are so many of these films out there. If a film has interesting touches, they stand out.
Also, the film actually took place in New York City (though we didn't see much of it). Most of these films take place in small towns or something.
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Catchy TV instead of the usual "binge" had a bunch of Christmas-related content, including Fonzie getting a present from his long-lost dad.
Coming soon: a re-watch of the charming The Muppet Christmas Carol.
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To keep things up, the Blondie film was Blondie In The Dough, which is a fitting title (often they are bland and not very plot specific) since she started a cookie business.
I saw parts of it, after seeing a bit of it when it ran once before. It has the usual aspects, including a collection of storylines that come together. Decent entry.
A brief sports update. The Jaguars like playing in London (or as Joey on Friends might say IN LONDON!), including beating the Bills today. The Bills seemed jet lagged. The Jags was refreshed and already played in London last week.
One entertaining game today was the continuing rivalry game between the Ravens and Steelers (with a young QB). Somehow, the Steelers managed to have enough offense, the theme constantly being defensive stops with no offense. Five points basically arose from a safety and free kick. Scored late and enough.
Giants had Miami and a loss. Who knew that even with Rodgers out after four plays, the Giants would be the worse team? The Jets won against the Broncos, who are a mess themselves. The Orioles are 0-2 in a five-game series. A few baseball analysts are pushing the Twins. Well, that's better than the Rangers/Astros!
NY Jets need a new QB ("back-up" if you wish). They got Rodgers since they didn't trust the guy they have now. One good series doesn't change it. They again lost to the Patriots, the final (aside from the desperation toss at the end) drive underlining the simple inability for this guy to do anything. It was embarassing. As is Dallas' loss to Arizona.
The Astros being swept by the Royals is too, less so the Mets being swept by the Phillies. But, Seattle is struggling too, now 1/2 game out of wild card contention. The last slot now is held by the Astros, who would lose a tiebreaker with Seattle.
Chris Geidner's latest on the Supreme Court has an updated paragraph that is especially useful link-wise. Decent YA book on chocolate.
Not having a lot of luck with some books that I reserved but found The Once and Future Sex which discusses women during the Middle Ages pretty good. The last (small) chapter basically tosses in some facts to suggest things aren't great now either. Fine, but hey, you are a medieval expert, and a few selected studies on recent times are somewhat lacking.
I probably will have a longer review in the separate book review website I contribute to (Good Arguments review has been added). She also co-hosts a popular podcast (over 100 episodes), one of the myriads of podcasts out there. I listened to their podcast on The Knight's Tale, which they very much enjoyed (realizing it is a bit of a goof). I like when people can enjoy, especially when they have some skills to "deep dive," such films.
I also enjoyed some films and stuff on television. Unexpected is one of a slew of films out there that often are likely only to be found on demand, which is how I found this one. Anna Camp, who is in Pitch Perfect among other things, is very good. But, others are as well. It's a quirky film about a couple with a lot of issues.
Inez & Doug & Kira was the independent option (joined with a classic and a short film) on PBS on Saturday. A couple has to deal with the suicide of someone both have a complicated relationship with (sister, sponsor, former lover). I did not see the whole thing but it is well-acted, written, and directed (good use of flashbacks and quiet scenes).
A film that deserves caps -- KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE -- was the Svengoolie option. Svengoolie has been stretched to two and a half hours, which seems a bit too long, but then many of these horror host shows have a lot of commercials and filler. This is a silly movie that is amusingly cheesy. I fast-forwarded some since I was not in the mood to see it in all its glory. Either way, it was a fun entry.
The Way Home is a new-ish Hallmark series about three generations (Andie MacDowell again pops up on Hallmark as the grandmother and looks quite fine in scenes that take place twenty years earlier) that involves time travel. A family member wanted to see it and they reaired the first four episodes last night. I caught the first and parts of the second and fourth episodes.
Overall, it is well-acted and written, with something for teens and adults. Not sure if I would want to see the whole thing and not sure how the mother finding out about the time traveling will work. But, I liked what I saw as a whole (was starting to find the teen family drama a bit boring in the fourth). Always nice to hear Andie MacDowell's accent.
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And, of course, the big event on television was the Super Bowl. I did not watch it though I caught the very end. I was traveling during the middle of the game and one prediction ticker had the Eagles' win chances around halftime being close to 70%.
I think it is a bit silly to do that when they were only ahead by a TD though the ten points at halftime were a bit more notable. Still, KC scores after halftime and it's a three-point game. Come on. Anyway, after the Jags blew a chance (including against a backup QB), the stud boy on a bad ankle did his thing again helped by the oatmeal guy.
Another close win, finished off by an over five-minute job to basically run out the clock. For the second game in a row, a late penalty helped ice the game, this time a hold denying the Eagles a chance with plenty of time to respond. We will see both teams again in the postseason and probably (surely Kansas City) in the Super Bowl again. One of these games playing for that deciding FG will blow up on them with a miss. Time for baseball.