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Friday, October 26, 2012

Week 8 NFL Picks Against a 5-Year-Old

Welcome to the game, JDaddy.  After 6 dreadful weeks, even by our standards, JDaddy arrived to win Week 7.  But just his luck, it wasn't the best week to finally break through.  For one, Uncle J got back in the groove to tie JDaddy for the best week.  Second, there were just 13 games last week and 2 of them ended up as pushes, so there were only 11 games to accurately pick.  It's hard to do much catch up when there aren't many games.

The kid finished last, but it wasn't a terrible week.  He's still lurking back there.

Lastly, I know that this is a football column, but I want everyone to meditate on the fact that Pablo Sandoval is now on the same sacred list as Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols.  The Mayans might be right after all.

Week 7
JDaddy: 7-4-2
Uncle J: 7-4-2
CDog: 6-5-2
5-Year-Old: 5-6-2

Overall
Uncle J: 54-47-3
CDog: 52-49-3
5-Year-Old: 49-52-3
JDaddy:44-57-3

Friday, October 19, 2012

Week 7 NFL Picks Against a 5-Year-Old

Week 6 came and went.  I was out of town so I didn't get to watch much football.  I did see the last two minutes of the Cowboys game.  Those last two throws to Dez Bryant are a sort of a microcosm of his entire career, aren't they?

As for our picks, there weren't many highs or lows.  The 5-year-old won his second week in a row, and now, after a slow start he's within striking distance of getting back even.  Uncle J had his second week below .500 so he is now dropping back to the pack.  By Week 10 we could easily see the kid back in the lead.  Stay tuned!

Week 7
5-Year-Old: 8-6
CDog: 7-7
JDaddy: 6-8
Uncle J: 6-8

Overall
Uncle J: 47-43-1
CDog: 46-44-1
5-Year-Old: 44-46-1
JDaddy: 37-53-1


Thursday, October 18, 2012

"Punchers" Stampede to Number One!

The top ranked Frost Polar Bears dropped all the way down to #4 as they suffered a two touchdown loss (44-27) at the hands of Hubbard High School. Moving up to #1  are the Punchers from Mason after another dominant win. (44-0 over Harper High.

The Ricebirds from El Campo stayed unbeaten and moved back up to #2 in our polls. Bottom ranked New Braunfels got a big Unicorn win over local rival Canyon, 30-27.

This weeks Top 10 shakes out like this.

                                                    Last Week               This Week

1. Mason Punchers -------     6-0 (W - 44-0) --------- Ozona

2. El Campo Ricebirds ---      6-0 (W - 63-21)--------- Wharton

3. Trent Gorrilas ---------      6-1 (W - 56-6) ----------  BYE

4. Frost Polar Bears -----      6-1 (L - 27-44) ---------- Wortham

5.Grandview Zebras -----      4-2 (W - 56-21) --------   Red Oak Life

6. Texas City Stingarees -      4-2 (W - 64-34) --------   Galveston Ball

7. Hutto Hippos ---------      3-3 (L- 24-58) ----------   Bastrop

8. Brazosport Exporters -      3-4 (L - 7-27) ----------    Angleton

9. New Braunfels Unicorns - 2-4 (W - 32-27) -----        Castleberry

10. Springtown Porcupines - 2-4 (L - 17-48) ------        San Marcos

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Week 6 NFL Picks Against a 5-Year-Old

Before we get started, a moment of silence for Amanda Whurlitzer. No, not that one.  This one.

Thank you.

Week 5 brought us back to football knowledge respectability--if we had any to start with.  For the first time all season, nobody in the crew let us down.  And guess what?  All of you fans of the kid can now rest easy.  After giving us a 5 week head start, he is now coming on strong.  A nice 9-5 week will do that to you.  He's not back to .500, but it is definitely in his sights.

Uncle J finally gave us a break.  But a bad week for him is just missing .500 by a game.  He still has a hold on first place.

Week 5
5-Year-Old: 9-5
JDaddy: 7-7
CDog: 7-7
Uncle J: 6-8

Overall
Uncle J: 41-35-1
CDog: 39-37-1
5-Year-Old: 36-40-1
JDaddy: 31-45-1


Thursday, October 11, 2012

The Jungle Has a Big Week! Gorillas and Zebras Win..... Tarzan Would Be Proud!

With two wins and a "bye" week our top three teams in the JDaddy Mascot league stayed the same. But below the three powerhouses there was a lot of movement.

Also this week, The Stingarees face a another tough week with the 5-0 Mustangs from Friendswood and the Unicorns might have their best chance and a second win as they meet up with Canyon (1-4)


Team                                   Record      Last Week       This Week's Opp

1. Frost Polar Bears             6-0          W (27-21)         Hubbard (4-2)

2. Mason Punchers               5-0          Bye                   Harper (2-4)

3. El Campo Ricebirds          5-0          W (28-27)        Royal (0-6)

4. Trent Gorillas                    5-1          W (56-24)        Patton Spr. (0-3)

5. Grandview Zebras           3-2            W (69-0)          Whitney (0-6)

6. Hutto Hippos                   3-2            Bye                   Connaly Phlu. (4-1)

7. Texas City Stingarees       3-2           L (29-32)           Friendswood (5-0)

8. Brazosport Exporters       3-3           L (13-50)           Terry (5-1)

9. Springtown Porcupines    2-3            Bye                    Kennedale (3-2)

10. N. Braunfels Unicorns   1-4            Bye                     Canyon (1-4)        

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Texas Rangers 2012 - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Somehow, some way, the sun came up Saturday morning after Friday night's Rangers loss to the Orioles. To be honest, I was more surprised with that fact after Game 7 in 2011 than I was this time around. It is a good thing that we can now complain about a 93 win season. The bar has been raised by the Rangers organization, the players, and the fans. Over 3 million were in the Ball Park this year and many more like me kept up on TV or through the Internet. We talked about it on Facebook and some of us learned to Tweet. The third time would be a charm and in April we seemed locked an loaded.

But it all came crashing down. While the last two weeks were bad, there were signs along the way that this team had many leaks in the dam.

It never won an Academy Award, but if ever there was a movie title which exemplifies the 2012 Texas Rangers season, it is Clint Eastwood's spaghetti western classic "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". We have gathered a few and would like to hear some of yours.

Check it out after the break.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Your 2012 Texas Rangers - Unbelievable

What started out as an unbelievable season had a really unbelievable ending.  4 up with 6 to go turns into an uninspiring Wild Card game.  But that was the status quo for the last half of the season for the Rangers.  Yes, they won 93 games, but when you look beyond that you see a team that never could put up a long winning streak.  A team that always had at least a third of their lineup struggling.  A team that insisted on letting Michael Young go to the plate 651 times.

Their star dipped back into bad habits (at least on the field) and wouldn't take a walk despite teams doing everything short of rolling the ball to keep the ball out of the strike zone.  Then he disappears for a 5 game stretch.  Two of those games were losses to the Mariners.  Want to know how the season could have ended different?  When the Angels and A's got their three game set against Seattle in the week leading up to the end, they swept the M's.  The Rangers lost 2 of 3.  There's your division folks.

And can I ask why put Robbie Ross on the one game playoff roster if you decide to use Derek Holland out of the pen?  I've been an ardent defender of Ron Washington, despite his obvious lack of in-game managerial skills, but it's moves like that when you see how much of a disadvantage the Rangers are during the actual game.

I taught my son (the football picking one) the tortoise and the hare story the other day.  The Rangers were easily the hare in 2012.  The quick start.  The resting of key players at odd times (see the two losses with Spring Training lineups here and here).  The Rangers have always been credited for being loose.  Well it certainly showed the last half of the season.  It would have been nice if some urgency had been shown.

I know I'm rambling.  I didn't really have a thesis when I started this entry.  It doesn't hurt like Game 6 (although the first game of the DH against LA a few days ago did).  Last year I thought the Rangers were the better team.  This year, they showed that they had no fight left in them.  Seriously, Josh Hamilton saw 8 pitches tonight and made 5 outs.  What an terrible end to a fantastic story.  Until, as a friend of mine said, we find out what really caused his eye problems.

OK, I'm rambling again.  Maybe I'll get some coherent thoughts and return.  When do I get my ALDS and ALCS refund?

Week 5 NFL Picks Against a 5-Year-Old

It hasn't been a good sports week here in the Metroplex.  Between Tony Romo's interceptions and the collapse of the Rangers, it's been a while since we've seen a win.  And with the Cowboys' bye week and the Rangers playing a one game Wildcard Series on Friday, it could be a weekend without professional sports.  Not at all what we expected around here.

But at the Cheap Seats, we're still going strong.  Well, at least two of us are.  A 10-5 Week 4 has me back on the plus side of things.  Uncle J continued his stellar 2012 campaign with a 9-6 week.  JDaddy and the kid both turned in 7-8 performances, which for them is pretty good.

There are just 14 NFL games on tap this weekend, so we need to come out swinging.

Week 4
CDog: 10-5
Uncle J: 9-6
5-Year-Old: 7-8
JDaddy: 7-8

Overall
Uncle J: 35-27-1
CDog: 32-30-1
5-Year-Old: 27-35-1
JDaddy: 24-38-1

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Polar Bears Take the Top Spot

How do you have a bye week during an undefeated season and drop two spots in the polls? Well, it takes two blow outs and an unabashed "homer" doing the ranking. That is exactly what has happened to the El Campo Ricebirds in the JDaddy Mascot League this week as the Polar Bears (66-6) and Punchers (40-14)steamrolled to 5-0 records last week.

The Hippos dropped 3 spots after losing by 21 to Elgin. The Gorillas from Trent could not handle the pressure of being ranked as they fell 35-25 to Roscoe Highland. The Stingarees and Exporters also won last week.

This weeks Rankings;


Team                                   Record          Last Week           This Week's Opp

1. Frost Polar Bears             5-0               W (66-6)              Perrin-Whitt (3-1)

2. Mason Punchers              5-0                W (40-14)            Bye

3. El Campo Ricebirds         4-0                 Bye                      Bellville (3-2)

4. Texas City Stingarees       3-1                W (49-32)            Perl.-Daw.(4-0)

5. Trent Gorillas                   4-1                 L (25-35)             Hermleigh (1-4)

6. Brazosport Exporters       3-2                W (52-34)             Foster

7. Hutto Hippos                   3-2                 L (14-35)              Bye

8. Grandview Zebras           2-2                 Bye                        Maypearl (1-4)

9. Springtown Porcupines    2-3                 L (28-38)               Bye

10. N. Braunfels Unicorns   1-4                 L (21-24)                Bye