"fhrblig" (fhrblig)
09/08/2019 at 19:20 • Filed to: None
0
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"fhrblig" (fhrblig)
09/08/2019 at 19:20 • Filed to: None | 0
| 39 |
Edit: in case you missed it, Nick Foles got his collarbone smushed and he's out indefinitely; his replacement played like a pro bowl QB and had staggering numbers for a debut. Patrick Mahomes got his ankle rolled up and still looked unstoppable. Tyreek Hill hurt his collarbone too and they didn't miss a beat. Then the CBS feed got Kinja'd and I got to see the Browns be the Browns, and the Bills come back on the Jets. Good times.
Thank God. The season is here! This preseason has felt utterly endless. It did start earlier for my team (Broncos) because they played in the Hall of Fame Game this year, but damn. It felt like it would never end.
If you are a newer Opponaut, I post an open thread on Oppo every Sunday around 12:00 Eastern during the NFL season. I’ll bump it in between the end of the late games and before the SNF game. Threads will usually post on Saturdays during the playoffs. Come on in and boast/complain about your team!
I’ll leave out my more hyperbolic thoughts about the Antonio Brown circus, but I’m irritated that the NFL isn’t stepping in and suspending him. How in the hell can you let a player throw a colossal temper tantrum, derail a franchise before they play their first game, and then he gets to sign with the best fucking team in the league with no repercussions? Bullshit. (For those non-Raider fans who think derail is too strong of a word, tell me the name of another current Raiders receiver. I’ll wait. FYI, none of the Raiders’ top 8 receivers last year including 1 TE and 1 RB are currently on the team.) The Raiders do have some culpability in it because they signed a known asshole in the first place, but come on. I sincerely hope the Patriots get out of Antonio Brown what the Raiders got out of him.
I watched all of the Packers-Bears game because horrible football is better than no football, but only just. Through the first quarter I’m sitting there thinking “wow, these defenses are really good!” Then in the second quarter, it changed to “wow, I think it’s just that the offenses are terrible!” The Bears looked lost. Every other offensive snap looked to me like a busted play and Trubisky was plain bad. I hope he rebounds, but that had sophomore jinx written all over it. A. A. Ron did not look that good either. Still can’t believe that 2nd down throw when they were trying to run out the clock.
So... the Broncos. I don’t have any idea what to expect this year, other than my gut says 8-8. I actually was fine with Joe Flacco coming here. Whatever he might be, he’s definitely better than Case Keenum. He doesn’t need to be the second coming of Peyton Manning; I’d settle for the second coming of Jake Plummer. It looks like the defense is going to be great again, but I have no real confidence yet in the offense. I’m glad Emmanuel Sanders looks healthy, but it’s a bit of a drop after him. Courtland Sutton has dropped a lot of passes. The running game looked uneven all preseason, the offensive line unfortunately still contains Garrett Bolles, and special teams is shaping up to be a nightmare. I feel like there’s going to be a lot of 17-14 and 16-10 scores this year. I think they’re going to handle the Raiders on Monday Night, and probably the Bears in week 2, but after that... no clue.
I don’t have cable and I don’t have NFL Sunday Ticket, so I’m at the mercy of whatever games the NFL decide to air on regular TV. I do have SiriusXM, so if I don’t like my TV choices I can listen to whatever game I want. This week we only get one early CBS game in Denver, and it’s KC at Jacksonville. I expect the Chiefs to win because they’re the better team, but I can’t say I’d be shocked if the Jags pull one out here. They don’t have much to lose, KC had to travel there, and it’s probably hot and humid as hell. I’m definitely watching that. Over on Fox, our early game is Rams at Panthers. I don’t think I’m that interested, but I’ll pick the Rams. Late game is Giants at Cowboys, because Fox thinks the rest of the country loves the Cowboys. I picked the Giants in my pick ‘em league. No reason, just a gut feeling. Sunday Night is Steelers at Patriots and while I’d never pick against the Pats at home, I do want to see the Steelers beat the crap out of them. Monday’s early game is the Texans at the Saints. I think the Texans are a decent team, but I don’t know if they can stop the Saints. I think it’ll be high scoring but the Saints probably come out on top. Late Monday is Broncos at Raiders, and I obviously think the Broncos will win because I’m a homer. I do think the Broncos are the better team though.
For the rest...
Titans at Browns - I kind of wish we got this game instead. I really want to see how the Browns are progressing. Browns fans, that weird tingly feeling you have is called ‘hope’. You don’t have to call a doctor.
Ravens at Dolphins - Can FitzMagic save the Dolphins? No.
Falcons at Vikings - Wow. I don’t know. I guess I’d take the Vikings because they’re at home.
Bills at Jets - I think the Jets might also become a real boy football team this year. Jets fans, please forgive me for dooming your team.
Redskins at Eagles - Eagles. But I don’t care.
Colts at Chargers - I’m pulling for Jacoby Brissett. He’s definitely still green, but he looks like he could grow into the role. I have to pick the Chargers, though.
Bengals at Seahawks - I have a hard time seeing any way the Bengals don’t get crushed here.
Lions at Cardinals - If the Lions can’t beat the Cards, it’d be hard to take them seriously for the rest of the season.
49ers at Buccaneers - Another game I have no idea how to pick. Probably Niners?
So, who’s your team? What’s your prediction for how the season will go?
Azrek
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 12:30 |
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Bayern Munich had a weird offseason and got rid of Legends, but struggled to bring in new blood. They started off ok, but I am not sure if they have the depth to make it far in the Champions League.
Ajax sold 2 of their key players, but that is the Ajax model. Last year they had the best season since I was in High School in the 90s and then broke my heart at the end. They qualified for UEFA, but their team needs to develop more before they can crush Real Madrid, Juventus and others like last year.
DipodomysDeserti
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 12:36 |
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I think it is utterly fantastic what AB did. NFL franchises are run and managed by the shittiest humans on earth, and it was great to see a player own two of them so hard.
Fuck the Patriots, but seeing a player who hasn’t been accused of beating up/raping women and children get exactly what he wants is great.
Lions and Cards should be a shitshow. I’ll be grading papers and drinking beer.
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fhrblig
> Azrek
09/08/2019 at 12:38 |
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This is the image that was in my brain as I read your post.
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fhrblig
> DipodomysDeserti
09/08/2019 at 12:40 |
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That’s the thing. W ith those two teams you’re never sure who will be the shit, and who will be the show.
I hate everyone in the AB saga equally. I hate the Raiders (but it’s purely division-rival hatred), I hate the Steelers, I hate AB and I hate the Pats. I hope they all burn this year.
WilliamsSW
> DipodomysDeserti
09/08/2019 at 12:52 |
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Any time a player puts one over on ownership, I love it. Sports team owners make me want to root against them all. Especially NFL owners.
Tekamul
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 12:59 |
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I missed the AB news yesterday, until a friend asked me about it last night. The shock left me nearly throwing a double whiskey in his face.
As a life long Pat’s fan, DO NOT WANT. This isn’t Moss getting a redemption chance, this is a spoiled YouTube brat getting everything they want for the 50th time. I realize now that I need to clarify I’m referring to AB with that last statement.
Anyw ay, I thought they had a good WR balance going into the season. Now? There's only 1 football, and I was hoping Sony Michel would be seeing more of it. Besides, Brady works by training receivers to make the exact same decision he does, at the same time on option trees. That is not AB.
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DipodomysDeserti
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:04 |
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The fact that his plan was to act like an absolute maniac in order to get out of Oakland is amazing to me. Especially considering that the Raiders have a bunch of actual maniacs on the team.
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Azrek
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:07 |
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...yeah, they used that as a joke last year when they wiped out Real Madrid and Juventus from UEFA. They were talking about how Ajax makes $ 90m a year and Juventus has a player that makes more than the whole team put together plus coaching staff.
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fhrblig
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:35 |
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Good Lord. Nick Foles is already hurt. He didn't even last a quarter.
Spridget
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:37 |
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Holy shit
Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:42 |
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if only Antonio Brown could suit up vs the Steelers
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fhrblig
> Spridget
09/08/2019 at 13:43 |
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My sister is watching that game. She says don't worry, all the Ravens will die of heatstroke by halftime.
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fhrblig
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:44 |
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Also Tyreek Hill just got carted off.
Honeybunchesofgoats
> DipodomysDeserti
09/08/2019 at 13:48 |
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As someone who doesn’t watch football mostly for ethical reasons ( but also hates the Patriots, because I’m not a sociopath), I’m eating this AB shit up. I really hope Belichick slid into his DMs on day one and everything that’s happened with the Raiders was some insane Machiavellian plan. Between this and Luck, I really hope this is going to be a turning point for players just saying fuck you to this systematic bullshit.
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Honeybunchesofgoats
> DipodomysDeserti
09/08/2019 at 13:51 |
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You have to fight crazy with crazy. This was some next-level shit and I loved every moment of it.
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fhrblig
> Honeybunchesofgoats
09/08/2019 at 13:53 |
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I mean, he infiltrated the Broncos with Josh McDaniels and destroyed them for two years, so it could be true...
facw
> Spridget
09/08/2019 at 13:56 |
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Jackson’s looking good, but I suspect the Dolphins are going to look like this all season long.
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Spridget
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:58 |
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Apparently it was 110 on the field in Jacksonville to start that game, so Miami can’t be much better.
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Honeybunchesofgoats
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 13:59 |
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Spridget
> facw
09/08/2019 at 13:59 |
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Dolphins-Pats in Foxborough with AB will be quite something.
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fhrblig
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 14:03 |
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Also, Myles Jack got ejected and Patrick Mahomes got his ankle rolled up on. This game is carnage so far.
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DipodomysDeserti
> Honeybunchesofgoats
09/08/2019 at 15:09 |
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You also had Le’Veon Bell holding out all of last year.
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WilliamsSW
> Spridget
09/08/2019 at 15:30 |
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That was as good as it got for Miami right there.
Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 16:36 |
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How the season will go...
At the age of four, my parents gifted me a toy chest decorated with the helmets of all of the NFL teams. My older brothers asked me which helmet I liked best, and I picked the one with the star. This pleased them; when they’d emigrated from Thailand several years earlier, my dad was stationed at Fort Worth, so Dallas football is what they knew. My dad, being from Bel Air, MD, was a Colts fan. All three of his sons were now proclaimed Cowboys fan. Dad would at least admit that he liked Staubach and Landry.
Two years later, Irsay and the Colts ghosted Baltimore. My father blamed John Elway, who’d been drafted by the Colts, but Elway refused to go. In his mind, the Colts needed a franchise QB to win, and if they couldn’t win in Baltimore, Irsay would win elsewhere...thus, Elway’s refusal led to the Colts leaving. Dad became a Dallas fan, with no Baltimore team to root for, and as a household rule, we cheered for any team that played Denver.
For better or worse, I have been a Dallas fan for 37 years. There is a marked difference between the fanbase that watched the team before the 90s Superbowls, and the fanbase that started during or after. This line is easily seen today; someone will see me in a Cowboys tee or jersey, and say, “Big DEE! Superbowl this year, right?” My brain replies, “no, you poor dumb bastard, probably not,” while my mouth manages a cordial, “Eh, we’ll see!” The fan that jumped on board during the 90s dynasty generally still thinks those glory days are right around the corner...as if we didn’t know what made them vanish. We watched it happen, for crying out loud. Johnson built a team, but Jones decided that he knew better. And now three decades later, we’re still always falling short of that greatness. What still remains? Jones.
Today’s game against the Giants will be a microcosm of our season: full of hope and expectations because the roster is deep with talent...but always never better than 50-50, because even though Manning is still under center, and New York probably STILL hasn’t gotten their act together, Dallas can always find a way to lose a game. No team has more will to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory than the Cowboys, and no one hates the Cowboys more than their own old school fans.
Dallas will probably win today. I won’t be surprised if they don’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve just put on my Moose Johnston jersey, and now I’m going to watch the game at the local wing joint, where I’ll take the abuse if they DO lose.
wafflesnfalafel
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 18:31 |
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The Seahawks are managing to be loosing their home opener to the Bengals late 3rd quarter... (there is still time! we can come back!) This after UW Huskies loose their lightning delayed home opener to Cal by one point... poop...
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fhrblig
> wafflesnfalafel
09/08/2019 at 19:08 |
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How on Earth is that possible? The Bengals? Lawd.
themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 19:30 |
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I b et my c oworker a buck the Lions would be up by halftime, and he bet me a buck the cards would win in the end. Guess I'm up 2$ :)
PowderHound
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 19:39 |
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Go Bills!
Nibby
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 19:41 |
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Giants defense is trash (expected, they lost most of their big names anyways)
Jets... gonna jet. CJ Mosley looked really good and so did the defense until he injured his groin. They need a kicker. New guy missed a FG and XP. The offense looked pretty bad... they scored 8 points (Sammy did have a sick 2PT conversion throw). Bell looked great.
Up 16-0 and had a +4 turnover margin. And somehow lost. Oh and that missed PAT came back to haunt them.
Also the o-line sucked ass but the Bills have a solid D so
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themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
> themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/08/2019 at 19:48 |
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Aaaaaaaand I have spoken way too soon as the Lions somehow managed to pull off a classic "come from ahead" maneuver to bring it to OT.
Eric @ opposite-lock.com
> fhrblig
09/08/2019 at 20:36 |
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The only reason I watch sportsball is for the bean dip and/or guacamole. I made guacamole today...
My in-laws brought hot dogs, which I grilled. Instead of putting the usual mustard and onions on there like I do at their place, I offended all Mexicans by putting queso oaxaca and guacamole on it.
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DipodomysDeserti
> Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/09/2019 at 00:03 |
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Mexicans have been putting guac on hotdogs for a while. It’s called a Sonoran Dog. A lot of times they’re wrapped in bacon with various cheeses, beans...etc. Very popular in Arizona. Competition is pretty intense between the various vendors.
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facw
> Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/09/2019 at 04:45 |
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I would eat that, though I will admit I prefer my guac mild
i86hotdogs
> fhrblig
09/09/2019 at 11:37 |
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Bears and Coach Nagy is treating the team like every player is HOF caliber. He’s over-complicating an offense that can do fine with simplicity. Their first offensive play was a fancy T-formation handoff that....was fumbled. Not necessary. With a timid QB that can run well, they need to be about 65/35 run/pass. They’ve got the elusive Tarik, the hard-to-tackle Montgomery, and a very respectable B rown to give them a breather. They ran the ball 11 times on Thursday. Once Mitch finds his groove, then you can go back to passing 45 times in a game. Defense is still dominant. Just needs an offense that can control the clock and keep the defense fresh.
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Eric @ opposite-lock.com
> DipodomysDeserti
09/09/2019 at 21:01 |
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North of the border, though.
But that does look delicious...
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DipodomysDeserti
> Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/09/2019 at 21:07 |
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It originated in Hermosillo, Sonora, in the ‘80s, hence the name. Didn’t become real p opular in AZ until the late ‘90s early ‘00s.
PatBateman
> fhrblig
09/09/2019 at 23:11 |
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fhrblig
> PatBateman
09/09/2019 at 23:51 |
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Hey, that’s how I feel right now too!
I’m watching my team play like this is their first time playing football. Our defense, which everyone says it’s going to be fantastic, folded like a cheap suit on the first drive. The Raiders look like the fuckin’ Patriots right now.
I’ve seen enough. I worked a 12 hour day today that kicked my ass and I'm not going to stay up to watch this. At least your team showed up to their game.
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PatBateman
> fhrblig
09/10/2019 at 09:26 |
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You know what I hate more than anything in the sports world? The concept of a “quality loss”. “You know, the team lost, but man they played really well against a top team”.
There’s no such thing. There are wins, and there are losses. The fact that a team hung with a “top team” means that they had the ability to beat them, but couldn’t overcome a certain variable that was key to winning. For us, it was the fact that our secondary sucked. I’m surprised that Brees (who I actually went to high school with, so I’m happy for him) didn’t hang 400 yards around our necks, which he ALMOST did, btw.
On to next Sunday against the Glitter Kitties (which, until he broke his clavicle, was quarterbacked by another guy from my high school).