10 Thoughts from the Island

1.  If you think that either Tom Brady or Bill Belichick are overrated, please turn in your brain and try and find a new one.  The Pats are getting better by the week.  They have a young athletic defense and they have Tom Brady on offense.  This is a team built for the long haul.  They mauled the Jets.  I am somewhat surprised that Rex Ryan's sweater didn't look shredded in the post game presser.  He did get attacked by a large animal called the Pats after all.

2.  Jason Garrett is going to be the next Cowboys head coach.  It would be great to get Jeff Fisher or Jon Gruden, but I think that Jerry is going to feel very justified in his hiring of The Red Headed Genius 4 years ago.  He is a fumble short of being 4-0 and against some good teams.  3-1 with wins over both Mannings is nothing to sneeze at.

3.  Auburn vs. Oregon is going to be fun.  TCU vs. Wisconsin should be a dandy.  Stanford vs. Va Tech should be good.  OU vs. UConn....not so much.  But who knows, they could all be terrible.  That's why they play the games. 

4.  The Cam Newton ruling is very scary.  Parents are good at keeping things from their kids.  And duplicitous parents are good at teaching their kids to lie and not leave a paper trail to show that they ever had contact with some of these people.  Cecil Newton, Cam's dad, solicited money from Mississippi St. and never got it.  Did he then let Cam go to Auburn for free?  And if Cam really didn't know, did he wonder why his Dad was pushing Miss St. so hard?  There are so many questions.  And unfortunately for these young players, they are going to have to pay for their parents transgressions if this is going to stop.  Maybe Cam didn't know, but the NCAA can't do anything to Cecil Newton or any parent to make it stop.


5.  I missed my fantasy football playoffs by a point.  1 point.  Uno.  Une.  Eins.  Un.  Ena.  As you can see I am not taking it well.  Finishing 5-8 means that I need to go back to the drawing board.  Awful RBs this year.  They should be ashamed.  And Peyton Manning over the last 3 weeks did very little to help a guy out.  11 INTs!!!!  ARRRRRRGHHHH!!!!!!


6.  If anyone gives Cliff Lee 5 or more years, they are asking for trouble.  He'll be great for anyone, but the odds are that a 38 year old pitcher is not worth that much money.  And after 5 years that's how old he'll be.  The Rangers need to keep emotion aside and do what's best.  Bring Cliff Lee back, sure.  But don't do it to the long term detriment of the team.  That's what cost Tom Hicks.  Nolan Ryan, Chuck Greenberg, and Jon Daniels know this.  Lee is probably getting fitted for those awful pinstripes.  Zach Grienke could be a Ranger soon.  Cliff Lee is great, but he's not the only one.

7.  Adrian Gonzalez is going to dominate in Fenway Park.   Great trade for the Sox.  GREAT.  They will get him signed to a long term deal.  He makes that lineup far better.  Ellsbury-Pedrioa-Youkilis-Gonzalez-Ortiz is pretty solid core.  I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sox add another bat.  Maybe Carl Crawford.  That would really put them over the top.

8.  There are several movies I am looking forward to.  The Fighter with Mark Walberg and Christian Bale is high on the list.  True Grit looks AWESOME.  We never get westerns anymore.  Tron Legacy looks good too.  The Tourist has a very Hitchcock feel to it. Tons.  I also still haven't seen Red, Unstoppable, and the Social Network.  Also after seeing the trailer for Yogi Bear, I am glad I don't have kids.  What a crap fest.  

9.  The finale of Boardwalk Empire was good, not great.  But it set up next season very well.  Great actors on that show.  Really great.

10.  I hate shopping.  I really do.  And I don't like decorating.  But I love the Christmas season.  How weird is that?  By the way, we are having Catalina Christmas here in Waco this Saturday.  50 plus Catalinas in the same house. And many of them children who scream.  If I am here blogging and talking on the radio next week it will be a miracle.  A miracle I say.  But I am looking forward to seeing the family. 

That is all.