Living in Contra Costa County

Gene's NFL Thoughts

Well the last several weeks I have been making NFL picks. Started out well and went down hill. I should have quit while I was hot. This week there is only one game to call. However, first I will outline what I would like to see in the NFL:

1. An 18 Game Season with only 2 pre-season games. Throw in an extra bye week for a 20 week season. There are lots of advantages to this as you will see below.

2. I like Thursday Night Football, but the players have a point that it is too hard on the teams that have that really short week, especially the traveling team. Well with two bye weeks, both Thursday teams should have the week before as a bye week. That takes care of that problem. Not only that but teams that play on Monday night should be at home the next week.

3. Teams complain too much about the long travel to the opposite coast and how it is hard to win on the road. Well the long road trips should be 2 to 3 games and the teams could just stay on the far coast. It worked for the Forty-niners.

4. The economy is not right for it now, but the NFL needs to expand to 40 teams. Five Divisions of 4 teams in each conference. With an 18 game season the teams should play each team in the Division twice, then two teams in each other division in the conference. Based on the prior season record the two top teams of each division play each other and the two bottom teams play each other. That is 14 games so far. Then 4 games against one of the Divisions in the other conference rotated every 5 years. That is an 18 game season. There are plenty of places for 8 New Teams, two in Los Angeles Basin, 1 in Sacramento, (With both bay area teams sharing a south bay sight Sacramento could handle one.) Portland, San Antonio, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Hawaii. Those last three might be short on population, but they are big tourist destinations. Having an NFL might draw tourist out. I could see entire junkets flying over from Japan to watch NFL Games. They do it for golf.

5. Once we are up to 40 teams it is time for 16 teams in the playoffs. Now with the longer season the playoffs could start the weekend after the BCS Game. Eight big games, 1 Friday night, 3 Saturday, 3 Sunday, and one on Monday night. I don't want more playoff games without expansion. I don't want to be like Hockey.

6. I liked having the Pro-Bowl in the Super Bowl Stadium the week before. Go back to this. Hawaii will have it's own team.

7. No more domed stadiums. Nothing like football outdoors. The Black and Blue Division has two domes. That is not right. Nothing like football in the freezing cold.

8. Congress has no business regulating how local government spends it's money. That being said, Congress should pass a law that says if the NFL has anymore publicly financed stadium deals they loose their Anti-Trust exemption.

   Well that is the NFL that Gene would like to see. The Patriots are the Evil Empire of the NFL – Go Giants 31-28.

You Get Paid What? For Doing What?

A big part of my morning ritual is to watch the Video Blog: Think Big Work Small with Frank and Brian. Now this Blog is mainly designed for the lender community, but they have a lot of cool stuff for real estate agents and even the general public.

Yesterday there is a great bit of information on the new Citizens Financial Protection Bureau CFPB. These outfit is supposed to protect consumers. But they are now hiring and they cover some of the positions and salaries. Unbelievable what these people will be paid.

It is enough to make me wonder what the requirements are to work here. Except all my life I have tried to do honest work. I also suspect I may not be politically connected enough to get one of these jobs. This smacks of cronyism and government empire building rather than something we need.

Here is the Link to the TBWS Daily. Listen to it.

What do you think?

In week one of the playoffs I was a perfect 4 for 4.  But last week was a mess.  As I said in last weeks post I was going with my heart over my head and picking the Broncos.  Well my heart has gotten me into trouble before and last week was no exception.

Now who could have seen the Giants beating Green Bay?  But I should have.  Green Bay is weak on defense and that is what wins NFL playoff Games.  The Giants have been hot too.  I thought SF would beat Green Bay this week with defense, but the Giants beat them to it.

So this week.  Great defense battle in SF.  It is raining and cold (cold by California standards - note it is only raining not snowing.)  Again - Defense.  The # 1 Defense?  Forty Niners.  Niners win it.

In the AFC.  Patriots have had a weak schedule and are on the down side of their dynasty.  The Ravens are brutal and Defense is the name of the game.  Ravens Defense will carry the day.

I called it several weeks ago and am sticking by it.  A Harbaugh Bowl - Rematch of the Forty Niners and the Ravens.  Forty Niners will take it all.

Got Hope

I have been covering some of the new TV Shows. While bored and sick last weekend I got desperate and watched some new shows on TV. Generally I avoid watching new TV shows because if I get hooked I am into another time waster.

However, on demand beckoned and I checked at a few shows. This is the second show I will recommend – Raising Hope.

Raising Hope is a little over the top at times, but a riot. It is by the same people that brought us My Name is Earl – so it is Red Neck type humor. However, I would say this is just more low brow stupid humor.

The basic premise. You have a slacker in his young 20's living with his parents. His mom got knocked up with him in high school. Mom's grandmother played by Cloris Leachman also lives with them. They are not smart people and barely getting by. Slacker kid has a one night stand with a girl and latter finds out she is a serial killer who knocks off her boy friends. He also finds out when the girl is getting the chair that he is the father of her baby and takes custody. He loves the Baby and is trying hard to raise her right and help her turn out better than they are. The family is coalescing and growing because of the child.

Slacker kid also works at the local super market with some more wacky people including the girl he has a crush on (but she is with someone else) and then there is the wacky day care crowd.

It is actually a show with a good message about family and growing together.

If you you need something to do or a good laugh get it a try. 

Stuck in The Middle

While bored and sick last weekend I got desperate and watched some new shows on TV. Generally I avoid watching new TV shows because if I get hooked I am into another time waster.

However, on demand beckoned and I checked at a few shows. Here is one that had me laughing my big rear end off. I think it may be one of the funniest shows I have seen in a long time – The Middle.

The Middle has been on the air for a couple of years (and now I have to try and catch the reruns). It is a Middle Class American Family in the Middle of America trying to get by. They have kids with problems, they have problems, but I don't want to give it all away. They are funny, but not so over the top that they are not believable people we can relate to.

I will say it is not really making fun of Middle America so much as giving it a gentle poke and helping us to laugh at ourselves. We all struggle with issues and fall short of perfect. Hopefully at the end of the day we learn something about ourselves, love our family and keep on going.

If you you need something to do or a good laugh get it a try. 

More NFL Predictions and Insights

Last week I wrote a well received post called: I am Calling My Shots in the NFL Playoffs and Sounding off on Tim Tebow!

Now I don't want to brag – actually I do, but I called all 4 games last week. And I did it before the games started! I also made predictions in advance on this weeks games and I am sticking by them. You will just have to go read them to see what they are.

Here are a few thoughts and comments:

Saints are an excellent team with more playoff experience than the Niners. But Niners have the # 1 Defense and are playing at home. What wins in the Playoffs? Defense. Of course anything can happen.

More on Tim Tebow (and you should read last weeks post first). America loves and underdog and they love people with a work ethic. They love people who lift others up and are positive. Read Fran Tarkenton's take on Tim Tebow! I suspect if Tim Tebow got hurt or something and could never play football again he would find something else to do and take the same passion and faith to what ever he does. Many of us now just want him to do well so we do not have to listen to the sickos that can hardly wait for him to fall so they can make fun. The thing is if Tebow does poorly he will still be the same man and have the same character and we will all think highly of him still.

Another Player  I really admire - Alex Smith (and mind you I am not a big Niner fan they from the wrong side of this bay). Alex Smith struggled for years with the Niners and many Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, and Quarterbacks Coach changes. He was booed, called a huge mistake, criticized by coaches and many people, the press hated him. He was totally written off. A few years ago the Niners were prepared to cut him and it is unlikely anyone would have picked him up. He could have walked away with about $10,000,000.00 in guaranteed money, but he did not. He agreed to rewrite his contract and take a huge cut in pay – just to have a chance to play. He believed in himself – when no one else did. He is still criticized for his play style and skills – maybe rightly or wrongly, but I am glad to see him succeed and will be pulling for him.

On a final note, in last weeks post I picked The Patriots to Beat the Broncos this week. My head still says that is the right pick. My heart is somewhere else. Broncos 8-8, but with Tebow at QB 7-4, and 7-1 on the road. I repent – Go Broncos. 

Another Perspective – American History

I do not do as much reading as I used to. Part of it is just being busy with kids. When I was a young man someone commented on the large number of books I owned, my roommate piped in with a compliment and said the amazing thing was I had read most of them. That was true and I was flattered that the fact was noticed.

But I would also admit to being somewhat impulsive and sometimes buying books just for reference or never getting to some.

Many years ago a paid well for a four volume leather bound boxed edition of Winston Churchill's A History of the English Speaking Peoples. I never read it, but it looked really nice on the Book Shelf.

Well a few months ago I was doing some research on the ancient kings of Britain and wanted to know how far they could be traced back with any authority. Well I picked up Volume and started reading A History of the English Speaking Peoples and have not put it down.

Churchill was a remarkable man and a prolific writer with many strong opinions that certainly float through his work. But he is always a good read. He was known for his wit. Like Lincoln he knew how to use language and humor to make a point.

His mother was an American, which he was proud of, but he was British.

It really helped me to understand British History Better, the lineage and Monarchical issues, and the development of British Government.

When I began to understand these issues as well as Churchill's British opinions on our Revolutionary War it really helped me to appreciate our Declaration of Independence and Constitution more, and our history.

In life it reminds me that we all come from different perspectives and it is important to see the other perspective. It is also important to understand our own history.

I for one am looking forward to Monday!

Christmas was tough this year. Part of the reason is it fell on a Sunday and I was working through Friday and back to work on Monday. Same with New Years. I am looking forward to the Holiday on a Tuesday Next Year and I might actually get some rest.

I love Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but with young kids in the house it is not a day of rest. It is a day of doing, cleaning and preparing on the 24^th and up early on the 25^th.

Our kids last day of school was the 23^rd and they have been off through this week. I look forward to school starting on Monday.

Many of their sports activities have also been on break. I have spent some time doing somethings with them, but work has really kept me from slowing down and spending as much time with them as I want.

They need the structure and I need some quite.

I am Calling My Shots in the NFL Playoffs and Sounding off on Tim Tebow!

I have to get this posted before Kick Offs today. Here are my calls, not just for this weekend but all the way to the Superbowl.

Bengals and Texans: I don't have a dog in this race, but I think the Texans at home will take it.

Lions at the Saints: This ain't Rome – these Lions are Lunch Meat for the Saints.

Falcons at Giants: Home field and Manning gives it to the Giants.

Steelers at Broncos: Biggest and only upset of the Weekend. Defense wins in the playoffs. Steelers have been end zone shy. And of course Tebow Magic.

Now for an aside on Tim Tebow. I worship the same God Tim Tebow Worships. We could have a huge theological debate on predestination and if God makes Football picks; but I won't. Generally speaking there are lots of fine Christian Men on loosing teams. Is God leading the Bronco's to victory – I will not venture a guess.

However, I do know at times God raises men up in particular situations for his own purposes. He often brings low those that mock him (Can anyone say Detroit Lions?). I also concur that on paper Tebow does not look that good and real credit should go to defense and field goal kickers.

But there is an intangible: Tim Tebow believes in himself. Tim Tebow has spent his entire life achieving what people told him was impossible for him. This goes back to his mother being told to abort him because he did not have a chance.

When you put a man who believes he can do it and believes in his teammates in a seemingly impossible situation he will pull those men around him up and they will do great things. With Faith you can Move Mountains.

Back to Predictions. Week two is boring. I suspect that the top seed home teams will win them all. This rarely happens, but we will see. The two best teams with a chance to win on the road week 2 – Saints and Broncos (or Steelers if I am wrong about that upset).

Conference Title Games. I am calling two upsets. Ravens over Patriots. Ravens are a great team and giving them a bye for the first time ever in the playoffs and a home game will carry them past the Patriots. The Patriots are not the team they used to be.

Niners over Green Bay. Two very good teams in Green Bay in the Winter. Cold weather means defense. Defense wins playoff games. Best Defense is the Niners.

The Superbowl is a Harbaugh rematch – this time the Niners win it!

I am not calling the Niners because I am a Home Town Hack. In fact I am a Raider Fan. And here is the Raider Battle Cry “Wait Till Next Year!”

Soldiers at Christmas – You need to see this!

I was looking for one more Classic Christmas Carol to post when I came across what is below. It is very moving and I have a tear in my eye as I post it.

At this time of year I really reflect on the Freedom we have to love God. I know that even in the most oppressive places in the world as we focus on his birth this time of year that the name of Christ lifts many hearts.

Our Freedom comes from God; but I believe one of his instruments in many cases is the United States of America and our Soldiers.

God Bless and Merry Christmas!