Video of the Day... so far

   

Let's caption this video: Officially Compromised.

I didn't make that up. I stole it from someone on Twitter, which is all abuzz right now over the NFL replacement officials' latest gaff, the Debacle in Seattle. I'm sure someone has a better moniker for the Packers' interception that wasn't last night, but that is, with very minimum effort, all I have this morning.

Anyway, our Video of the Day clearly shows Green Bay's M.D. Jennings has the ball, which, if correctly called on the field, would have been and interception and sealed a win for the Packers in Seattle Monday night. However, our good friends, the replacements, incorrectly said Seahawks' receive Golden Tate also had two hands on the ball and thus a tie goes to the offensive player. The only thing offensive here is the NFL dragging its feet – so it appears – toward getting the regular officials back on the field.

But hey, game attendance and TV ratings are still great, so, if not the Debacle in Seattle, what real leverage do the regular officials have in the labor negotiations with the NFL?

On a side note, I can't wait for the day when the regular officials do return. What kind of reception will they get? I can see a stadium sign now: "Hey refs, you suck. Welcome Back."

Oh, and what will be the reaction the first time there's blatant blown call? 

Game Night (Updated)

Tonight is a somewhat big night for my family. After a couple weeks of practice, my 6-year-old son, Ty, is playing in his first football game. As Bart Scott might say: Can't Wait!

People keep asking me if I'm nervous. No way! Maybe I should be, but I'm not.

Ty played in a scrimmage a few days ago – I never imagined my tiny son, who nearly seven years ago was a 4-pound premie – would ever be playing right tackle. But now he's about as big as the other guys on the team and so far is doing a pretty good job anchoring the offensive line and pushing through on defense.

Ty hasn't yet developed a feel for the game. That's my fault. I need to get him out a little more and try to get him to watch football on TV. (We have a tentative date in front of the big screen tomorrow night for the Cowboys-Giants game.)We've done a little football watching together, but he needs to learn, from me, more of the game basics. For example, I'm not sure he knows that, while on defense, he needs to locate the ball carrier and go after him. I think the only thing going through his mind is: "Hit somebody."

And, oh, he loves to hit people. He hits the opposition. He hits his teammates. He hits after the whistle. He hits in the huddle. And the other day at scrimmage, I loved every minute of it. Well, I didn't love it when he hit another boy from behind and knocked the boy to the dirt. The whole crowd let out a collective groan. I wanted to hide behind under the bleachers.

But tonight should be a blast. Ty, who wears number 15 for the Bears, plays against the Chiefs. I'll be there with my camera, my wife, Tina, and daughter, Gracie, laughing, cheering and hoping to the gridiron gods that Ty doesn't dislocate some poor kid's neck… after the whistle. Because you know, before the whistle, anything goes. 

UPDATE: Guess who recorded a quarterback sack in his first ever Pee-Wee football game last night. I think it was a busted play, but Ty took advantage of the moment, bursting through the line and tacking the Chiefs' QB for about a three-yard loss. He was so excited afterward, he wanted to go over to the high school field and watch the junior varsity team. By the way, Ty's Bears lost a thriller, 16-14. Tonight begins the season for Gracie's cheerleading squad. She's yelling (I hope she yells) for the Falcons this season.

Bet the Mortgage Now!!!

Rejoice! The kickoff to the 2012 NFL season is right around the corner – let's say that corner is Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern – so I've done what many nut ball pro football maniac fans do at this time of the year… I've made a bunch of picks that most likely will turn out dead wrong.

I'm not really impressed with my picks. They're so vanilla. So boring. I really wanted to pick the Bears to win Super Bowl XLVII, but I just don't see them beating out the Packers, whom I've picked to… ah, just read the picks below.

One more thing: you know the Patriots, whom for some reason have the easiest schedule in the league this year – for the second year in a row, if I remember correctly – will be in the playoff mixing bowl. (What?) Who's going to compete with New England in the AFC East? The Jets and their wild feline running game? Give me a break.

Oh, and you'll notice I have the Cowboys making the playoffs as a wild card. I'm not I sure I believe that to be true. That may just be 8-year-old me talking. Man this Roger Staubach jersey is really getting tight.

Here's to a cheerful new season!

NFC East

Eagles

*Cowboys

Giants

Redskins

NFC North

Packers

*Bears

Lions

Vikings

NFC South

Falcons

Saints

Panthers

Bucs

NFC West

49ers

Seahawks
Saints
Rams

AFC East

Patriots

Bills

Jets

Dolphins

NFC North

Ravens

*Steelers

Bengals

Browns

AFC South
Texans
Titans                                       
Colts

Jaguars

AFC West

Broncos

*Chiefs

Chargers

Raiders

* Wild Card

NFC Championship

Packers over Cowboys

AFC Championship

Ravens over Broncos

Super Bowl XLVII

Ravens over Packers