WEEK EIGHT

FOOTBALL THOUGHTS

• It is funny how quickly UF has become the most hated team in America. They can't do anything right. Ever win was given to them by the referees. People love taking shots at Tebow for everything he does. They say he's overrated. They rip on his morality. People imply he and Urban Meyer are involved in a Bert n Ernie kind of relationship. Now the latest is this Brandon Spikes deal. He apparently tried to gouge a UGA player's eyes out and urinate in his dead skull. Maybe he watched A Few Good Men to get ready for the game. Maybe he is just a horrible man. But people think he should be run out of football. The funniest thing is how UF fans defend everything that happens. At this point, David Nelson could get arrested running naked with a dead cat on his head through town carrying a bow and arrow, whizzing arrows into oncoming traffic, and UF fans would ridicule you for thinking Nelson should miss a game (or a half). Don't defend bad behavior, Gator fan. Homeboy tried to gouge a dude's eyes. That is lousy sportsmanship. True, the rest of the country needs to chill out. But UF fans at least need to admit that it was wrong.
• I hated - HATED - the black helmets and pants for UGA. It looked like Grambling. It was horrible. Never do that again. Leave those kind of stupid color stunts to Tennessee.
• To anyone who is concerned Texas is going to crash the BCS championship party, have no fear. UCF will take care of everything this weekend in Austin. It is all going to be okay.
• Still don't give a crap about Iowa. You had trouble beating INDIANA. Go Away! Go play the useless Pac 10 in the Rose Bowl and leave the real games to the real conferences.
• Speaking of USC... WAAAAAAAA HAAAAAA HAAAAAA HAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
• Cincinnati is number 5? Really? We're going to do this, aren't we? Just to get a Big East team into the BCS equation, we're going to send Cincinnati? Is there really anyone . . . ANYONE . . . that thinks Cincy can keep up with Oregon, LSU, Georgia Tech, USC, or Penn State (teams ranked behind the Bearcats)?
• The Saints have that feel, I'm telling you. Of course, now everyone is starting to say how they could run the table. The bandwagon to New Orleans is filling up. And that is never a good thing. Just remember that Brees and Co. still get to play the Bucs and Panthers twice each, and the Rams. Man, I would love to see the hype that would come with the Saints going to Super Bowl.
• There could be some high flying games in the playoffs of the NFL. I would love that. Just a 45-42 shootout on the frigid gridiron - or in the dome. Viking, Saints, Patriots, Bengals, Colts, Cowboys. Those teams can put up some serious points. That would be fun.
• Basketball Interjection - I have enjoyed watching the Magic thus far. They have a really deep team. Their second team could probably make the playoffs in the East (not saying much, I know). Also, I got The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons the other day. It is very good, thus far. He's a great writer. It is much deeper in content than I expected. I'm starting to get into this basketball thing.
• Baseball - I have not watched even part of one game this year. And I intentionally am not watching the playoffs. It is my own personal protest for the game and the Yankees in particular. Not like anyone cares.
• Who would take the Redskins' job? I know they keep talking about Shanahan or Cowher or Gruden or Holmgren. The only moron I can see doing it is Gruden. He is an egomaniac enough to believe he can do something different than every other coach. Sure, Jim Zorn is beyond thunderdome stupid. But remember that Dan Snyder already ruined both Marty Schottenheimer and Joe Gibbs with his ham-handed handling of the Redskins, not to mention lesser coaches like Spurrier, Robieske, Gregg Williams. The problem is that the owner is the worst part of the team. This is a similar situation in Cleveland and Oakland and Dallas. The owners are stupid and think they are brilliant.

SFL RECAP

• Stickboy certainly decided to re-establish himself as a power player. Last week I mentioned that this was one of those weeks where he could have a huge output. 184 points? Yeah that would qualify. Thanks to the pathetic Tennessee/Jacksonville game, where Stickboy had both running backs, he completely decimated Tally Noles. It wasn't Noles' best performance. But, honestly, that's probably for the best. Losses like this suck even worse when you had a great week.
• The other suspected juggernaut, Ugly Consequences, inexplicably fell flat in their battle with Gator Greats. Only one player cracked 20 points, which is a big change from the last few weeks were Ugly seemed like he was going to bust the 200 point ceiling. Gators benefitted from a monster week from Percy Harvin. (Ironically, Ugly traded Harvin to the Greats in the first place.) That's why they play the virtual games.
• The Human Bye Week Steelas put up more of a fight than they seemed they would. League leader Ferrets was insanely lucky that he pulled Steelas this week because they basically sucked. They would have lost to just about everyone else. The luck of the draw.
• In another head scratcher, Monkey cannot string anything together. He was banking on concussion boy Westbrook to return. He did not. So Da Bus ran him over. Both teams are part of the 4-4 logjam, fighting for the final playoff spot. [Side Note. Have you ever noticed how McNabb never seems to put up huge fantasy numbers? Even on huge weeks for the Iggles, McNabb is just kind of pedestrian. They killed the Giants and he only had 24.5 points. Kind of odd.]
• Tampa Bay Rams solidified their cellar dweller spot. He finally started Drew Brees, and that turned out to be the only player who did anything. Bad Counsel benefitted from the Brett Favre "F You Tour 09" as he continued his rise up the standings.

SFL WEEK NINE PREVIEW

• The biggest matchup of the week is Ugly Consequences vs. Monkey. A victory by Ugly would give them a two game lead on Monkey for the playoffs. It also would drop Monkey further down into the scrum for Spot Four. A victory for Monkey will leave both teams tied at 5-4. It also would keep those two from getting too much distance from the pack. Right now, even the 3-5 teams are still in the playoff hunt.
• Two of those 3-5 teams, Gator Greats and Tally Noles, play each other in a must win battle. Both teams have the potential to generate big points. But they seem to have a consistency issue. A loss would put them at least 2 games out of the playoff spot with four weeks to go.
• It has been part of the legend of the SFL how Stickboy (Benji's Bulldogs) won his first title. He never changed his lineup, even starting a quarterback with a broken thumb. He stumbled into the playoffs and ended up winning. Why do I mention this? Steelas is becoming a frisky non-player. He is favored this week by Yahoo!, what with Bad Counsel's multiple Bye players. Is it possible for Steelas to go on a tear and end up in the playoffs? It would be hard, but not impossible.
• Stickboy is back. It is like the Patriots when they remembered how to score. The Tampa Bay Rams just need to hold on and hope they don't get beat by 100.
• Da Bus is dangerous. He is just sitting there, lurking, in the 4-4 peloton. But he's won two in a row. And he has some very dangerous players. All I'm saying is that Ferrets had better not let his guard down. Stickboy would love to reclaim that top spot.