Packers 4-0

Don't get me wrong, I will take 4-0 any day. However, a couple of observations.

The running game is in serious trouble. When your punter is the third leading rusher for the day and his average is higher than anyone else that rushed, and his faked punt for the first down was the second longest of the day. Not good.

Rusher ATT/YDS/AVG/LG
D. Wynn 10/20/2.0/3
R. Grant 3/17/5.7/15
J. Ryan 1/7/7.0/7
V. Morency 1/2/2.0/2

I guess I should be glad that Morency actually played today.

The four wins haven't been the prettiest. Today, defense let a few big plays go by, but they also sacked Holcomb four times. Special teams has improved as well as added a trick or two, i.e., Ryan's faked punt.

This is a young team. Each win is a scrapping match. But, somehow they have willed themselves to win. And, it sure is fun to watch!

Favre's Latest Record

Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Congratulations to Brett Favre!

#241 and #242

Here are some neat quotes from around the league.

Dan Marino's videotaped message to Favre after touchdown pass 421
"Hey Brett, it's Dan Marino. I'd like to take a minute to congratulate you on breaking one of the great records in sports. I loved holding the touchdown record for the past 13 years, but if someone was going to break it, I'm glad it was someone like you, who has always competed at the highest level and always played only to win. Over the past 17 years, you've been a credit to the Packers, and to the National Football League and to the sport that we all love so much. Brett, congratulations on touchdown 421!"

Mike Holmgren
"As proud and amazed as I am of what Brett is and has accomplished on the playing field, the thing that impresses me the most is what kind of a man and leader he has become off the field. I have taken great joy in watching him develop as a person and father over his career."

Terry Bradshaw
"Brett Favre is the best I have ever seen. And I've never said that about anybody. He's simply the best. He's got the strongest arm, athleticism, field presence, leadership, poise and tenaciousness. He plays hurt, he's fun, he's infectious. He has everything I want to see, including the game-time decisions, the strengths, and all the intangibles."

Dover's Monster Mile

As promised, here are a few pictures from our past weekend at Dover. These are not to be mistaken with Brian's masterpieces. These are from Ellie's new Sony Cybershot DCS-W200, which was a surprise from Brian.

We had a great time! Like any sporting event, it's very different being there in person. Terribly cliché, but the smell of gasoline and rubber and the incredible roar of the engines, was just incredible. It was a picture perfect day, not a cloud in the sky, which provided for excellent tailgating and a lobster red sunburn.

However, no weekend is complete without staying in the very Days Inn in Easton, MD that boasts, "Don Johnson Slept Here." Seriously, who knew?!

3-0 or 420

Photo by AP Photo

Morry Gash

Hmmmm...where to start, 3-0 or 420.

In a come-from-behind 31-24 win, Favre threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, which tied Dan Marino's record for most TD passes. He also had his 60th career game with at least three TDs, had his 49th career 300-yard passing game and led his 38th game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime. Wide Receiver, Donald Driver also surpassed Antonio Freeman as Lambeau's all-time reception leader. The Pack take the NFC-North lead.

From last week, I think this is classic Favre as he reflects on nearing both the the records for the most touchdown passes and the most interceptions.

From Packers.com:

With both records about to become his, Favre reflected on Wednesday on the best touchdown of his career as well as the worst interception. The former was easy for him to recall. It was his first pass in Super Bowl XXXI against New England, a 54-yard TD strike to Andre Rison when he audibled to a play called "Razor." Read more

[...]

As for the worst interception, there were a few choices in Favre's mind, but the most-discussed was his famous "from the knees" throw in Detroit that was picked off and returned for a touchdown. It happened on Sept. 28, 1997, with the Packers facing third-and-3 near midfield.

"I could not convince him after that I thought it was going to be a great play," Favre said. "So if you ask Mike, he'd probably say that was one of the worst. If you ask me, it was that close (placing his thumb and forefinger a half-inch apart) to being an unbelievable play." Read more

"I Do...?"

Nearly ten years, ago when Brian said, "I Do," never did he imagine that he said:

"I Do...want to root for the Green Bay Packers."

"I Do...want to go to hockey games."

"I Do...like that you obsess over your fantasy football league."

"I Do...like Tony Stewart (uhhhh, I mean Joe Gibbs drivers)."

"I Do...really, really want to go to the NASCAR race in Dover this weekend!"

Yes! We're off to Dover this afternoon. We're going to the race tomorrow with a good friend and her husband. Check back later, as Brian did say, "I Do...love to take pictures!"

Congratulations to Brett Favre

Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images
NFL Photos
Today, future Hall of Fame and Packers' QB Brett Favre became the winningest (is that really a word?) quarterback in NFL history in victory vs. Giants. See Favre's highlights.

As surprising as the Packers 2-0 record is, so is my fantasy football team! For the second week in a row, it looks like a win is highly favorable, minus a major implosion by Tom Brady in the rest of the game.

Here were this week's starters:
QB T. Brady, NE
RB L. Tomlinson, SD (ouch, only 5 FF points; lowest of my starters)
RB A. Peterson, MIN (gulp, only 11 FF points; and he's a Viking, double gulp)

WR S. Smith, CAR
WR C. Chambers, MIA

WR W. Welker, NE (good last minute start in place of L. Coles)
TE B. Watson, NE
PK A. Vinatieri, IND
Def Steelers

On the bench:
QB B. Favre, GB
RB M. Barber, DAL (ouch, scored 20 FF points)
RB D. McAllister, NO

RB B. Jackson, GB
WR L. Coles, NYJ

WR V. Jackson, SD

PK M. Crosby, GB

Def Bengals

GO PACK GO!

According to a story on MSNBC:

Pittsburgh is the runaway leader, with 34 percent of the women living in the Steelers’ market identifying themselves as fans. Green Bay was second with 29.4 percent, but no other market surveyed had even one-quarter of its women identify themselves as fans.
Read more

Personally, I think the Green Bay percentage is low. Plus it does not take in to account for fans that don't live in the "Packers' market."

Vote that the Packers have the best fans!
GO PACK GO! GO PACK GO! GO PACK GO! GO PACK GO!

Eleven Tears

The company I work for lost eleven employees on 9-11. In the lobby of our New York headquarters, there stands a memorial in their honor.

Eleven Tears: Drops of water representing 11 invisible tears fall at random intervals from the ceiling into the 11-sided reflecting pool, creating ripples that expand and intersect in the water. Below, etched into the base of the pool, appear the names of the eleven employees who perished in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, as well as words of remembrance about each of them.

It's a lovely memorial, an ever present reminder of the sadness we feel for all that were lost that day, and to their family and friends who still feel their immense loss.

We remember today.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Once again, I have agreed to humiliate myself and field a fantasy football team in a friend's league. For Week #1, the Cheeseheads are starting:
QB T. Brady, NE
RB L. Tomlinson, SD
RB D. McAllister, NO
WR S. Smith, CAR
WR L. Coles, NYJ
WR C. Chambers, MIA
TE B. Watson, NE
PK A. Vinatieri, IND
Def Steelers

On the bench:
QB B. Favre, GB
RB M. Barber, DAL
RB A. Peterson, MIN
RB B. Jackson, GB
RB F. Taylor, JAC
WR V. Jackson, SD
WR M. Muhammad, CHI
WR M. Jones, JAC

After Thursday's 2007 game opener between the Colts and the Saints, my score was 14 to 31. Check back for Fantasy Football score updates. I'm hoping to beat last year's record of 4-9-1.

PACKERS UPDATE: First I must start with the Packers. It wasn't the prettiest of games, that's for sure. But, I'll take the win (16-13) against the Eagles to start off the season. If nothing else, it will give their young team some confidence. It's a good start even though they're without Vernand Morency and Greg Jennings. Special teams was almost special, as they contributed to two turnovers that set up 10 points. Also Rookie Kicker Mason Crosby had a 53, 37, and the 42 yard game winner with two seconds left.

On to Fantasy Football, all of my players have played, my opponent still has TE Todd Heap and PK Matt Stover to play on Monday night. So far, my score is 140-106.

TUESDAY UPDATE: I won! At least I won one fantasy football game this year. Final score 140-116. I've also made some roster adjustments. We'll see how the season progresses.

Had this been a real emergency ...

I believe I heard a very exciting story this evening at dinner. But I'm not completely sure.

This was because the storytellers, two friends of ours, brought their two daughters, also two friends of ours.

The daughters are a 4 year old ("4 and a 1/2", she's quick to correct), and a soon to be 3 year old. As a side note, when the younger is reminded that her 3rd birthday is next week, she is very excited for as long as 0.7 secs. Then she's on to the next item.

My wife and I had one of the kids on each of our laps, while our taller friends told the story.

Below is a summary of the story, as I heard it:

- - - -

Our neighbor had a burglar ... Brian, Brian, Brian, BRIAN, BRIAN, BRIAN, BRIANBRIANBRIANBRIANBRIAN...(The 4 1/2 yr old was in full Emergency Broadcast Mode. About a foot away from my ear.) ...

We saw the burglars leave their property and we called the neighbors to see if they were ....Your sock's are soooooo BIG that you fall ALL the way to the bottom!! . . . HAHAHAHAHAHHA .....

A couple of days later, the burglars returned and we saw them as they .... BRIAN! BRIAN! BRIAN! ...um....um ....

Then I walked over and moved their getaway veh ..... You are 72 years old. HAHAHAHA !! ...

Two of the burglars escaped on foot when ... Brian, BRIAN, BRIAN! BRIANBRIANBRIANBRIANBRIAN! ... Are you going to the concert? ...

Meanwhile, the third burglar pulled away while I held the burglar's shirt, and ... Brian! Brian! Your neck is SOOO big, ... I mean...... um ... um....

So I had the shirt from the burglar in my hands when the police arrived .... Your neck is SOOOO tall it goes all the way up THERE! HA HA HA! ......

Eventually, the canine unit came out, sniffed the shirt and took off straight toward the... ...Your hair is so big, it goes from here to THERE! HAHAHAHAHAHA ...

They couldn't find anyone, but the next day the police returned and told us ... BRIAN! BRIAN! BRIAN!...{silence}...

And, surprisingly, the burglar wasn't a 15 yr old, the burglar was ... Brian, Brian, Brian! You have a leaf-shoe! HAHAHA ....

It turns out, she was one of the students from my... BRIAN! BRIAN! BRIAN! Your eyes are THIS big !!... HAHAHAHAHAHA ...

- - - -

Anyway, I think it was a very exciting story and may have had a surprising twist at the end.

However, with certainty, I can report, the test of the Emergency Broadcast Child (EBC) worked perfectly well, and, importantly, had this been a real emergency, I would be instructed that my "head is THIS big! HAHAHAHA..."

Brian

PS. Just so you don't get the wrong idea, the two shorter friends at dinner are some of our favorite Emergency Broadcast Children. We always enjoy seeing the entire family, both sides, the taller and the effervescent.

mul·li·gan

Dictionary.com defines a mulligan as "a golf shot not tallied against the score, granted in informal play after a poor shot especially from the tee. "

Well, my score was still 1,357,892, and you didn't think a golf score could be that high! Neither did the other three players in my foursome. They were better than saints and had an abundance of patience!

Blokus...not just for 3 year olds

Our 4 1/2 and almost 3 year old friends taught us a new game. Admittedly, they always have a little assistance in playing. But, I have to admit that this game is slightly addictive. Perhaps it brings out the competitive nature in me. I recently picked up the hexagonal version of Blokus (the original is a square).

The purpose of the game is for each player to place his/her 22 pieces on the board (or at least the maximum number of pieces).

The game ends when a player is blocked and can no longer place any pieces on the board, s/he must miss his/her turn. The other players continue in the normal order of play until no one can place any more pieces on the board.

Medical Mal-pricing

As some of you know, I broke my arm a few weeks ago.

(For those interested in that story, see the post entitled: "In a beautifully choreographed ...")

There are important life lessons to be learned from this experience, namely: Don't anger the Emergency Room staff.

Let me explain. I did not go with a plan to anger the staff, there was no premeditation. Instead, a few hours after the accident, I went to the ER in a relatively calm manner.

At this point the alert reader will note I did not go to the ER right away. Why? (Husbands, world wide, already know the answer.) I had to clean the mess I made before my wife got home.

Anyway, expecting to wait 2 or 3 eons before I would be seen by medically inclined people at the ER, I brought a book to read. Surprisingly, I was admitted immediately. But it was a ploy, the ER people had developed new places to wait, inside the treatment area.

Periodically, medically inclined people would stop by and administer medical things in my general direction, sometimes directly at me. ("A proctology exam??! ... It's my arm! MY ARM!") Mostly, I was waiting with other people in the middle of the ER.

Every once in a while, announced over the loudspeaker, someone who needed more immediate medical attention, (e.g. "Code Yellow", serious but stable), would arrive "by air", i.e. helicopter. Otherwise, after they get those folk stabilized, there was just more waiting.

It was only later did I realize that important decisions I made earlier in life, would affect the the outcome of my current situation. And when I say "important decisions", I mean, picking the appropriate book to read in an ER.

- - - -

I chose to bring a book by the literary giant, Dave "Will Shakespeare" Barry, known to many for his deep, thoughtful, and carefully crafted booger jokes. He writes more than booger jokes; sometimes he ignites strawberry pop tarts and sometimes he explodes toilets. So, he is a true renaissance man.

If you have read any of his material, you may know that you will uncontrollably, and sometimes loudly, snort milk out of your nose. Fortunately, I wasn't drinking milk. But I found myself accidentally laughing loudly, very loudly.

- - - -

While reading the Dave Barry book, I had an outburst of uncontrollable laughing. It was poorly timed. Below is an unre-touched transcript based on the actual event.

Loudspeaker: Code Yellow, by air, 4 minutes
Me: BWAAAAA HA HA HA HA, .... HA HA ....
Families, Patients & ER Staff: (Really loud & stern glaring. Directly at me.)

I did not realize that this faux pas (from the French, faux meaning 'idiot', pas meaning 'says something stupid, out loud.'), would be recorded in my 'Permanent Record'. Yes, the very same 'Permanent Record' that has been in existence since elementary school. In which, every teacher told you, your every misdeed would be recorded. "Brian! That's going on your 'Permanent Record'!"

Apparently, I had a new entry.

Shortly after this, the ER People did some more medical things at me, referred me to a orthopedist, then shoved me out of the ER with a temporary splint. Apparently, they did not want "my kind" hanging around. "Look at his 'Permanent Record', let's discharge him."

- - - -

After a couple of days of waiting, I was able to see an orthopedist for approximately 37.3 seconds.

His entire conversation with me consisted of:
1) An unintelligible mumble, which translated as, "I don't want to be here, I'd rather be golfing".
2) "You have a break, these heal", which translated as, "You have a break, these heal".

Just kidding, he used a few additional words. But not many. Because it was a clean break, apparently a text-book "night stick wound", I did not need a full cast and was prescribed a brace. See image below.

Ultimately, I had to "co"-pay $165 USD for my brace, (which equals: £82 GBP, €121 EUR, ¥19,213,420,370,841 YEN) . I'm not sure, but I believe my 'Permanent Record' affected the rate of my "co"-pay for the brace

Also, I believe my insurance company had to pay only 3 cents. They haven't paid yet; they are still on the floor laughing because I actually paid the $165.

- - - -

Medical administrator: I need pre-authorization for a forearm brace.
Insurance claims person: A forearm brace? Sure. ... Wait! Look at his 'Permanent Record' ! I'm only authorizing 3 cents for him. HA HA HA! Have the stooge, I mean the client, "co" pay the balance. HA HA HA HA ...

- - - -

In my humble opinion, $165 is expensive for a piece of mass produced plastic. But I have no one to blame except for my 'Permanent Record'.

Next time I plan to break my arm, I may go to a witch doctor instead. I think that costs only three chickens. Or, I may go to a new-age crystal healing person, that way, they could bill my aura. I've seen my aura's bank statement, he's flush in aura money, and he has a better 'Permanent Record'.

Brian

PS. This is a joke image, you can't actually buy a forearm brace on a TV shopping channel. Who would want to?

PPS. hmmm.....However, shortly, you be may lucky enough to buy this beauty on ebay. It's a one of a kind, exquisite, 'work of art'. I'm sad to part with it. Minimum bid: $165.


(c) 2007

All in Perspective

Every year, Beloit College in Beloit, WI, publishes its Mindset List of 70 items that "provide a look at the cultural touchstones that have shaped the lives of today’s first-year [college] students."

Here's a few highlights for the class of 2011.

• They never “rolled down” a car window.
• Nelson Mandela has always been free and a force in South Africa.
• Pete Rose has never played baseball.
• Russia has always had a multi-party political system.
• Classmates could include Michelle Wie, Jordin Sparks, and Bart Simpson.
• Al Gore has always been running for president or thinking about it.
• U2 has always been more than a spy plane.
• Fox has always been a major network.
• They drove their parents crazy with the Beavis and Butt-Head laugh.
• The “Blue Man Group” has always been everywhere.
• Thanks to MySpace and Facebook, autobiography can happen in real time.
• Smoking has never been allowed in public spaces in France.
• Tiananmen Square is a 2008 Olympics venue, not the scene of a massacre.
• MTV has never featured music videos.
• The space program has never really caught their attention except in disasters.
• They get much more information from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than from the newspaper.
• They’re always texting 1 n other.
• They never saw Johnny Carson live on television.
• The World Wide Web has been an online tool since they were born.
• Dilbert has always been ridiculing cubicle culture.

Complete Mindset List

Do Not Call the ASPCA or PETA

Statement: Mid-Atlantic Squirrels are not as smart as Squirrels in the Midwest.

Proof: How do I know this? Because, you see a significantly larger number of roadkill squirrels.

Reason: My theory is that winters are not cold enough in the Mid-Atlantic region to sufficiently naturally select the smarter of the bunch.

Now, before, you get upset or send the ASPCA after me or call PETA, please understand that I have no ill-will for the furry, little mammal. Really. I grew up where mosquitoes are the state bird; Bambi could be dinner; Nemo is caught through a hole from one of 10,000 frozen lakes; home to Blatz, Schlitz and Pabst; where real football is played outside on the frozen tundra; and where lutefisk isn't just for breakfast any more.

Truly, I like them. They provide plenty of entertainment for our squirrel-proof bird feeders. And, we even feed them corn from a squngee (very entertaining!).

What the cars fail to select, the red fox in our neighbor's bush completes.

Grace via Hummingbird

(photo by ©Dan True from hummingbirds.net)

Off and on all summer I have put out my hummingbird feeder. However, to no avail. I put out the feeder later than normal in the season or perhaps it was nesting season.

This morning, I thought I'd try it again and put it out before going to church. As I pulled into the driveway, I looked toward the backyard and saw a hummingbird hovering and then head toward the feeder. Since then I've seen as many as two hummingbirds together at the feeder.

It's what I needed to see today.

In a beautifully choreographed ...

In a beautifully choreographed, meticulously executed, oh-so-graceful move, I accidentally broke my left arm.

But all was not lost. Because of my left arm's sacrifice and, from years of practice, subconsciously, I was able to save most of what was in my right hand, a Healthy Choice brand 'Sweet Bourbon Steak', TV dinner, recently microwaved.

I suppose I looked like an American Football player sprawled on the ground, with his hand in the air, grasping the football to show he had caught the winning touchdown pass. Except, he would be holding a microwaveable TV dinner... and ... he would be on my staircase ... and ... he would be thinking that his socks were pretty slippery.

But he would have been proud that the TV dinner was saved. Well, most of it.

The rest of my TV dinner was artfully decorating part of my wall. (Jackson Pollock. Ha! He's called an abstract expressionist? Ha! He has nothing compared to my creation! I bet he had never expressed Garlic Mashed Potatoes!)

- - - - -

Before you think I'm only focused on the food, let me just say, recently I've taken up a sport - the great game of Golf. When people see me golf, they usually say I remind them of Tiger Woods, if he were to have John Daly's physique, and if missing the golf ball on the down stroke was okay. Actually, I'm not as bad as John Daly, but my wife can tell you that I'm trying.

At this point, the alert readers may say:
1) Ah-ha! A wife! Why would she let me, a circumferentially growing boy, eat TV dinners?
2) Why would such a beautiful creature marry a goober like me?
Let me just respond to each:
1) My wife was visiting her sister for the weekend.
I was left home. Alone. Unsupervised.
2) I don't know.

- - - - -

I have learned the difficulty of having full use of only one hand. Although, there are some things that aren't as difficult as I imagined:

• Typing on my Blackberry - not too difficult,
• Driving - not too bad,
• Typing on my Blackberry while I'm driving in heavy traffic - not easy, do-able, but I'm practicing. (Just kidding; I would never, ever do that and publicly admit to it. Instead, I would just tell you I was kidding. Um...I've said too much.)
  
• Socks - not too bad,
• shirts - not too bad, and
  
• I've convinced my firm that I'm just wearing loafers and I'm not wearing a tie again until the cast/splint is off.

Anyway, all of this is relatively easy with only one hand, especially when it's compared to the most difficult task that I've found: buttoning my suit trousers.

Two days ago, I may have spent 10 minutes trying to button my trousers with my one available hand in a men's room stall at my firm. I was banging from side to side, making an awful racket. A couple of times, I heard footsteps of someone entering the mens room. Both times, I heard them stop, then turn, and scamper out.

I don't remember exactly, but I could have been grunting slightly while I was attempting to button my trousers. Really, I am not making this up. Had I heard all of that from a men's room stall, I would have scampered, too. I dare YOU to try to put on your suit pants with one hand in your company's rest room !

- - - - -

So, in closing, after two days of having full use of only my right arm, I have learned important lessons and come to appreciate important aspects of my world around me, namely, my left arm.

Brian

Up-set

A work team outing found us at today's Legg Mason Tennis Classic quarterfinals where we saw the 6’9”, NCAA top-seeded John Isner from the University of Georgia defeat the Number 2 seed, Tommy Haas.

Thoughts and Prayers

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those touched by the Minneapolis bridge collapse. As a Minneapolis-native, my thoughts immediately went to family members and friends that live there.

San Diego

What I enjoyed about San Diego:

• Visiting my aunt and uncle
• Running into a cousin whom I hadn't seen in nine years and his wife, whom I hadn't met before
• Playing golf at Aviara
• Staying at the Four Seasons (what's not to enjoy!)
• Jamba Juice (it's always a treat when I visit New York or California)
• Gaslamp Quarter
• Walking the streets of San Diego while Comic-Con is in town - I've never seen so many light sabers in my life! (who are these people and where do they find the time!)
• Seeing the Mexico border
• There's nothing like coming over a hill and seeing the vast Pacific coast