text:
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Io Saturnalia. If I have left out a specific greeting for this season, I apologize.
Whatever you celebrate at this time of the year, please do it safely.
Stay well, everyone.
Author JackPosted on December 24, 2019 Categories Uncategorized2 Comments on Tis The Season
Administrative Note
There will be no rant tomorrow. Thanksgiving is a day for family, feasting and football – – not ranting about sports.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Stay well. See you on Friday.
Author JackPosted on November 27, 2019 Categories Uncategorized
Upcoming Writing and Posting…
The writing schedule for the next couple of weeks will be on an "as time allows" basis. I have some family obligations to discharge over the next several days; then my long-suffering wife and I are heading to Dublin for a visit of about 10 days.
Things should return to some state of normalcy in the week of 4 November – – until some more travel that will lead right up to Thanksgiving time.
Here is what I know:
There will be no Football Friday this week (10/25/19).
If there is a Football Friday next week (11/1/19), it will be an abbreviated version.
Standard daily rants will also likely be abbreviated versions.
Hope to be back to normal on 4 November – for a while…
Author JackPosted on October 21, 2019 Categories Uncategorized
Football Friday 10/18/19
I don't like tacos enough to celebrate Taco Tuesday except by accident. However, I do like football enough to celebrate Football Friday whenever my schedule will permit.
Last week, the Six-Pack broke even at 3-3. Cumulatively for the season:
Six-Pack is 20-10
College games are 9-3
NFL games are 11-7
College Football Comments:
The Linfield College Wildcats treated their Homecoming crowd to a blowout win over Puget Sound last week to the tune of 77-22. Linfield ran out to a 35-0 lead and never looked back. That brings the Wildcats record to 3-1 for the season; since their Division III regular season schedule only has 9 games, that puts Linfield just 2 wins short of yet one more winning season in football. This week the Willamette Bearcats visit McMinnville OR in another Northwest Conference game. Willamette brings a 2-3 record to the game; there is one common opponent for the two teams:
Linfield beat Pacific 52-14
Willamette lost to Pacific 59-14
Go Wildcats!
College football has always been a regional sport. In the beginnings, it was an east coast sport played by Ivy League schools and others in that part of the world. The game migrated south and west; for years now, the "center of gravity" for college football has been from the Carolinas west to Texas and down to the southern border of the US. For a while, West Coast football was sort of relevant; USC was a dominant team for a while; UCLA was relevant more often than not; more recently Washington and Oregon made noise on a national level. Such does not look to be the case in 2019.
When Oklahoma defeated Texas last week, it pretty well rendered college football west of Norman OK interesting – – but unimportant. Maybe the focus of "Western Football" this year is Boise St. who is undefeated as of this morning with a schedule in front of it that makes you think they could remain in that condition. No one thinks that the Mountain West Conference is equivalent to the PAC-12 out west – – but most college football observers think the PAC-12 is nothing more than interesting – – but unimportant.
With the college season about half over, there are 4 teams that have underachieved the hype and expectations for those teams back in August. Please note, three of these four teams have a winning record; those teams are not abject failures; I just think they have fallen short of what was expected from them.
Michigan Wolverines: Yes, they are 5-1 having just beaten Illinois. However, this was supposed to be the year that Michigan won the Big 10 and crashed the CFP party. So far this year, the Wolverines have not made me sit up and take notice that they are a powerhouse; it is not clear that they are favorites to win the Big 10 East – – let alone the Conference Championship. Michigan struggled to beat Army (certainly not a CFP candidate) and later beat Iowa (not a CFP candidate either) by the rousing score of 10-3. Moreover, that loss on their record is not just a blot; it was a total beatdown by Wisconsin.
Tennessee Volunteers: The Vols won last week to raise their record to 2-4. No one outside Knoxville – other than those folks who sings Rocky Top as a lullaby to put their kids to sleep – thought that Tennessee would beat out the real big dogs in the SEC for the SEC Championship in 2019. But no one expected the Vols to be this bad – – especially not coach Jeremy Pruitt who has seen his team lose to Georgia State and then lose to BYU after leading by what should have been a comfortable margin in the 4th quarter. The next two weeks pit the Vols against serious competition; this week at Alabama and next week at home against South Carolina. After that, the schedule softens significantly but by then, the Vols may need to win-out to be bowl eligible.
UCF Golden Knights: UCF is 4-2 on the season having lost two of its last 3 games. We heard so much over the past 2 years about how UCF was the shadow national champion and the idea was they would roll though 2019 undefeated again and maybe – – just MAYBE – – get the big guys in college football to give then a shot at the real national championship. As they would often say to losing contestants on TV game shows:
"What lovely parting gifts do we have for the Golden Knights, Bob?"
Washington Huskies: The Huskies are 5-2; the losses are to Cal and Stanford which are good but not great teams; of the five wins, probably the best opponent was USC whose record stands today at 3-3. There was talk during the summer that this was the year that the PAC-12 would not be shut out of the CFP festivities and that Washington would be the PAC-12 rep in the tournament. That is not going to happen with those two losses already on the books.
Looking at remaining schedules, two teams are interesting now. Auburn is 5-1 with 6 game remaining. Here are 3 of those 6 opponents:
At LSU
Vs. Georgia
Vs. Alabama
Another schedule that caught my eye was Minnesota. The Gophers are 6-0 now and with Rutgers on tap this week and with Maryland up next week, there is good reason to expect that record to inflate to 8-0. Then the road gets bouncier:
Vs. Penn State – undefeated and currently ranked in the Top Ten
At Iowa – always tough at home
At Northwestern – a relative breather
Vs. Wisconsin – undefeated and currently ranked in the Top Ten
I mentioned above that Tennessee won its game last week over Mississippi State by a score of 20-10. Obviously, coach Jeremy Pruitt slept better on Saturday night than he would have had the Vols lost again. In addition, this report from Dwight Perry in the Seattle Times indicates that someone else slept better last Saturday night.
"Tyler Ivens, a Knoxville sports-radio host, is living on the roof of Toyota Knoxville and vowing to stay there until the volunteers (1-4 with the only victory coming against Tennessee-Chattanooga) win another football game.
"So, what does he have a better chance of catching first – a win or shingles?"
The big surprise in SEC-land last week was South Carolina beating previously undefeated Georgia at Georgia by a score of 20-17. The Gamecocks' defense played an outstanding game. The color commentator for the game said several times he thought Georgia's Jake Fromm was the best QB in the country. I respectfully disagree; Fromm missed too many open throws in this game to be "the best". He is a very good QB and he will be drafted in the NFL and can probably play at that level – – but "best in the country"? I ran across this interesting stat for Georgia and Jake Fromm:
When Jake Fromm throws fewer than 30 passes, Georgia is 29-0
When Jake Fromm throws 30 or more passes, Georgia is 0-5.
In an embarrassing outcome for SEC football, UNLV beat Vandy 34-10. Compounding the agony here, the game was in Nashville; I guess the only bright spot here is that it was not Homecoming Weekend. [That happens this weekend.] UNLV is now 2-4 for the season and all four losses have been by more than 2 scores.
Alabama beat Texas A&M 47-28. I said last week that the Aggies could not get themselves into a shoot-out with Alabama; their defense was not able to prevent that from happening. On the bright side, the Aggies defense held Alabama below its scoring average for the season. Bama entered the game scoring at a 51.8 points per game clip.
In the Game of the Week, LSU beat Florida 42-28. LSU remains unbeaten; Florida lost for the first time. Going into this game the Gators' defense had been allowing only 9.5 points per game; LSU rang them up for 6 TDs. LSU QB, Joe Burrow, put up these stats against a very good Florida defense:
21 for 24 for 293 yards and 3 TDs
Not a bad day at the office…
I mentioned above that Oklahoma beat Texas in the Red River Shootout on Saturday by a score of 34-27. The halftime score was a defense-dominated 10-3 in favor of the Sooners. So, what happened at halftime? Did both offensive units pound down a bunch of energy drinks or did both defensive units load up on Quaaludes?
Baylor beat Texas Tech 33-30 last week to remain undefeated for the season.
Boise St. beat Hawaii 59-37 last week to remain undefeated. I had the game OVER 60 in last week's Six-Pack. I must say that I did not expect Boise to come that close to taking the game over all by itself.
Appalachian State beat Louisiana-Lafayette 17-7; Appalachian State is undefeated for the year.
Clemson beat Florida State 45-14. At one point in the second quarter, Clemson had more TDs than Florida State had first downs. This was an unadulterated beatdown.
Louisville beat Wake Forest 62-59 handing the Demon Deacons their first loss of the season. The two teams combined for 1188 yards of offense and 121 points here. There must have been a notation on each team's schedule that defense was "optional" for this game.
Another team to suffer its first loss of the year was Memphis. Temple beat Memphis 30-28; four Memphis turnovers in the game led to this loss. By the way, Temple is a very quiet 5-1 so far this year…
Wisconsin beat Michigan State 38-0. Folks, Wisconsin has given up only 29 points in 6 games; four of the six wins have been shutouts. Meanwhile the Badgers have scored 255 points in those 6 wins; the closest game so far was a 24-15 victory over Northwestern. Wisconsin plays at Ohio State (also undefeated for 2019) next week. Clear your calendars…
Penn State beat Iowa 17-12 in a defensive slugfest. By the way, the Penn State defense is very good too.
Minnesota stayed unbeaten with a dominant win over Nebraska 34-7. The Gophers ran the ball for 322 yards in this game.
Toward the bottom of the Big 10, we find Purdue beating up on Maryland 40-14. For some perspective here, consider that Penn State held Purdue to minus-30 yards rushing and 93 yards total offense 2 weeks ago. Last week, Purdue ran the ball for 138 yards and passed for an additional 420 yards. Put those two sets of stats for the Purdue in juxtaposition if you dare…
Indiana shut out Rutgers 35-0. Let me try to put this result in perspective too:
Indiana's defense has held 3 opponents under 25 points so far this year. Those three opponents were Ball St., UConn and E. Illinois (Division 1-AA).
Rutgers fired its coach 3 weeks ago. Since then they have lost to Maryland by 41 points and then suffered this shutout loss by 5 TDs. Might I suggest – ever so humbly – that the coach was not the problem at Rutgers?
Out west, Arizona State rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat Washington State 38-34. Herm Edwards has the Sun Devils at 5-1 for the season with Utah, USC and Oregon still on the schedule. Meanwhile, this is not the first time this year that Washington State has run out to a lead and then surrendered it in a loss. Remember that UCLA scored 50 points in the second half against the Cougars earlier this year.
Oregon beat Colorado 45-3. Since losing the opening game of the year to Auburn 27-21, Oregon has given up exactly 1 TD in 5 games. In this rout, the Ducks registered 4 INTs.
Notre Dame beat USC 30-27 last week. The Trojans rallied for 2 TDs in the 4th quarter to make the game look closer than it was. That rally also made one of last week's Six-Pack picks into a loser. The Irish ran the ball for 308 yards in this contest.
Rice had the week off; so, it remains winless for the season. Both Akron and New Mexico State lost last week; they too have yet to win a game in 2019.
Louisiana Tech beat UMass 69-21. UMass came to the game with the worst scoring defense in the nation yielding more than 46 points per game. And last week, made that stat even worse…
College Games of Interest:
Going into the games for this weekend, the Big 10 has 4 teams with 6-0 records. According to CBSSports.com, the last time that happened was in 1906 and one of the teams that was undefeated then was the University of Chicago Maroons coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg. One needs to be a football historian – or a trivia geek – to know that Chicago was one of the founding members of the Big 10 and ceded its place to Michigan State about 100 years ago with "rights of recall". Not a lot of danger that Chicago would want to take up football at the Big 10 level of competition any time soon…
(Fri Nite) Ohio State – 28 at Northwestern (49): Only real hope for the Wildcats here is for Ohio State to be looking ahead to next week's showdown with Wisconsin.
Wisconsin – 31 at Illinois (51): Only real hope for the Illini here is for Wisconsin to be looking ahead to next week's show down with Ohio State.
Clemson – 23.5 at Louisville (61): The Cardinals put 62 points on the scoreboard last week against Wake Forest. They will probably not score one-third of that total in this game.
Buffalo – 17 at Akron (48): Akron seeks its first win here…
Rice – 4.5 at Texas-San Antonio (46.5): Rice is winless this year and they are favored on the road in this game. Does that tell you something about the esteem in which the oddsmakers hold UTSA?
Indiana – 5.5 at Maryland (59): Indiana pitched a shutout last week and Maryland got steamrollered last week. Who knows what might happen here? Oh, and who cares?
Florida State at Wake Forest – 2 (69): Wake Forest scored 59 points last week and lost the game. That should be a wake-up call for the Florida State offense.
Purdue at Iowa – 17 (48): Iowa is a tough place for visiting teams; this should be a low-scoring affair.
Boise St. – 7 at BYU (46.5): Boise St. is undefeated, and they take a week off from conference play to face a serious challenge to their undefeated status.
Arizona St. at Utah – 13.5 (45): This is an important game in the race for the PAC-12 South. I agree with the oddsmaker here; this will be a low-scoring game. I think the line is fat given that the Sun Devils have only lost once this year. I'll put Arizona St. plus the points in this week's Six-Pack even on the road.
Oregon – 3 at Washington (49.5): Both of these teams have intra-state rivalries and those games draw plenty of attention and publicity. However, this rivalry is as intense as those intra-state games. Oregon is undefeated in PAC-12 games; Washington is 2-2 in PAC-12 games. The Huskies are all but eliminated from the PAC-12 North title and a loss here would shovel the dirt in on the coffin. I like Oregon to win and cover here based on the strength of the Oregon defense, so I'll put Oregon in this week's Six-Pack.
Florida – 4 at S. Carolina (48): The Gators are coming off their loss to LSU and the Gamecocks are coming off a huge road win over Georgia. This could be a blowout game in either direction. I think S. Carolina suffers a let-down game here. I'll put Florida to win and cover in this week's Six-Pack.
LSU – 18 at Mississippi St. (61): Mississippi St. is always tough at home and often pull a huge upset over a highly ranked rival in that venue. Having said that, I don't think that is going to happen here. LSU has a significant edge in talent here.
Tennessee at Alabama – 34 (61): This is gonna be a spanking…
Baylor at Oklahoma St. – 4 (68.5): Baylor is undefeated this year and is a road underdog; Oklahoma St. is a tough out in Stillwater. Also, it is Homecoming Weekend for OK St…
Minnesota – 28 at Rutgers (47.5): Minnesota maintains its status as an undefeated team on the road this week. Rutgers has been shut out 3 times this year – every other game on the schedule. Rutgers is 0-4 against Big 10 opponents losing by a combined score of 165-7.
Missouri – 21 at Vandy (56.5): It is Homecoming Weekend for the Commodores, but I don't think the alums will be smiling too much after this game.
Temple at SMU – 7 (60): Last week, Temple knocked off undefeated AAC foe, Memphis. This week they face another undefeated AAC opponent.
Michigan at Penn St. – 9 (47): Penn St. is undefeated, and Michigan has lost only once. Both are in the thick of the Big 10 East race at this point, but the loser will be in deep water. Call this one the Game of the Week.
NFL Commentary:
Three of the top teams in the NFL so far this year are the Ravens, Patriots and the Niners. In addition to their gaudy records, it is fair to say that none of the three have gone through the toughest part of their schedule yet. Let's take a look…
The Ravens are 4-2 with wins over the Dolphins, Cardinals, Steelers and Bengals. The losses came at the hands of the Chiefs and the Browns. So, what has the schedule-maker put on the back end of the Ravens calendar?
At Seahawks
At Bengals
Vs. Texans
At Rams
Vs. Niners
At Bills
Vs Jets
Vs Steelers
The Patriots are undefeated at 6-0; their opponents to date have been a motley crew other than one game against the Bills in Buffalo. Now comes the interesting part of the Pats' schedule.
At Jets
Vs Browns
At Ravens
At Eagles
Vs Cowboys
At Texans
Vs Chiefs
The Niners are likewise undefeated in 2019 with a 5-0 record; they have already had their BYE Week. So, what's next?
At Skins
Vs Panthers
At Cardinals
Vs Seahawks
Vs Cardinals
At Saints
Vs Falcons
Vs Rams
The Ravens, Pats and Niners will be tested more severely from here to the end of December than they have been to date…
After the Cowboys lost to the Jets last week – details later – both Dez Bryant and Terrell Owens criticized Jason Garrett and tried to pin the loss on him. Remember when your Mom told you that you were known by the company you keep? Well, the obverse can be true also. Sometimes, the people who are against you speak eloquently to your credit. Personally, I take the criticism(s) from Bryant and Owens as an endorsement for Jason Garrett.
I discussed the Packers' win over the Lions in a Topical Rant earlier this week. That game was not one that will likely be immortalized by NFL Films.
In last week's Bagel Bowl where two winless teams sought to shed that label, the Skins beat the Dolphins 17-16. Earlier in the week, the Dolphins' coaching staff anointed Josh Rosen as the starting QB for the rest of the season. Indeed, he started the game; but the coaches pulled him in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick in medias res. A late two-touchdown rally by the Dolphins turned this into a nail-biter that ended with the Dolphins missing a 2-point conversion with only 6 seconds left on the clock.
Brad Dickson had this comment relative to the Skins' game under their new interim head coach:
"You know unemployment is low when Bill Callahan gets a head coaching job."
The Panthers beat the Bucs 37-26 in London. The Panthers defense dominated this game with 7 sacks and 5 INTs. With those stats, it is surprising that the Bucs scored 26 points.
The Seahawks rallied to beat the Browns 32-28. The Browns had a 2 TD lead in the first half of this game and coughed it up. Four Browns' turnovers – including 3 INTs by Baker Mayfield – enabled the Seahawks' comeback. The Seahawks ran for 170 yards in the game and Russell Wilson threw 2 TDs – and scored a running TD on his own – to fuel the comeback.
The Vikes beat the Eagles 38-20. The Eagles' defense was a no-show last week allowing the Vikes 447 yards on offense. Oh wait, The Vikes just scored another long TD over Rasul Douglas as I was typing that last sentence.
The Ravens beat the Bengals 23-17 last week. The Bengals were competitive here, but they are still looking for their first win in 2019. They played hard and they were in the game to the end. Bengals' WR, Auden Tate, had a breakout game – 5 receptions for 95 yards. In the end, though, this was just the Bengals being the Bengals and playing just poorly enough to lose. The Bengals are a very bad NFL team right now.
The Saints beat the Jags 13-6. The Saints' defense limited the Jags to 226 yards total offense.
The Niners beat the Rams 20-7. This was not the OVER 50 I predicted in last week's Six-Pack but the Niners remain unbeaten. The Niners' defense stopped the Rams 4 times on 4th down in the game. Jared Goff registered 78 yards passing in the game, and the Rams only totaled 157 yards on offense. Holding the Rams to that low an output was thought to be as impossible as breaking the 4-minute mile once was. The Rams tried to get a first down on third down or fourth down 13 times in this game; they converted ZERO of those attempts.
[Aside: Do not think that only the Chargers' fans in LA are not all that enthusiastic about their team. The Niners had at least 40% of the LA Coliseum on their side for this game. Front-running LA fans ought to be climbing all over the Rams in 2019 after a Super Bowl appearance as the climax to last year's schedule; but they are not…]
The Texans beat the Chiefs 31-24 last week. The Chiefs' defense needs help – lots of help. It gave up 192 yards rushing in this game. The Texans and the Colts look like the class of the AFC South and should be battling it out for the rest of the season – – starting with a matchup this week.
The Broncos shut out the Titans 16-0 last week. The Titans are not an offensive juggernaut but getting shut out by a Denver defense that has had problems of its own this year is pathetic. Marcus Mariota was 7-18 for 63 yards and 2 INTs when he got pulled in favor of Ryan Tannehill. The Broncos' defense had 7 sacks in the game.
The Titans need to make a decision about their QB. Marcus Mariota's contract is up at the end of the year; Ryan Tannehill probably isn't the long-term answer under center. So, are the Titans ready to commit to Mariota? Or should they go free-agent QB shopping? Or can they find a QB in the draft? The Titans' defense is solid, but they need increased production on a consistent basis from the offense – – and that has not been forthcoming for a couple of seasons now.
The Jets beat the Cowboys 24-22. The Jets' offense looked competent with Sam Darnold on the field. They were not an offensive juggernaut, but they were not a liability when they were on the field. The Jets had been averaging a pathetic 179 yards on offense with Darnold in street clothes; in this game they had 338 yards on offense. That's not great but it is an 89% increase in productivity. The Jets' defense was harassing all day long; Dak Prescott was hammered more than a few times. The Cowboys have now lost 3 in a row; this is the third straight game where they did not score a TD in the first half of the game.
The Cardinals beat the Falcons 34-33 last week. The reason Dan Quinn was hired by the Falcons in the first place was his stature as a defensive guru. In 2019, the Falcons rank 26th in the NFL in yards allowed per game at 388.8. Last week, Kyler Murray threw for 340 yards and 3 TDs against the Falcons' defense. Matt Ryan had a stat line that should have belonged to a winning QB and not a losing one:
30 for 36 for 356 yards with 4 TDs and 0 INTs
The margin of defeat for the Falcons was a missed PAT by Matt Bryant. Having said that, Bryant is not responsible for the loss here.
The Patriots dominated the Giants 35-14 last week. The Pats gave up their first passing TD of the year in the game. I guess Giants' fans can count that as a bight spot for the Giants. The Pats do need to get better at WR – – through a trade or through the healing of Josh Gordon and his leg injuries. Take your pick…
The Steelers beat the Chargers 24-17. This game was not nearly as close as the score appears; the Steelers dominated from the start. Melvin Gordon only gained 18 yards on the ground here; the Steelers' defense was suffocating. The Steelers won this game on the road playing their 3rd string QB. Now, the Steelers get a welcome scheduling respite. They have their BYE Week followed by a game against the sorry-assed Dolphins
Memo to Steelers' Coaches and Players: You must not squander this scheduling largesse…
Even though this game was in LA, the crowd was clearly pro Steelers. If you told me that 60% of the fans were wearing "black and gold" for the game, I would concur. Visiting teams need not fear playing an away game at the Chargers home field.. The Chargers are 1-3 at "home" this year.
NFL Games:
Teams taking a break this week:
Browns: That hissing sound you hear is all the over-inflated hype that was pumped into balloons for Browns' fans during the last offseason.
Bucs: They get time off to decompress from last week's game in London. The Bucs record today is 2-4 and their record at home is 0-3. Interesting…
Panthers: They too get time off to decompress from last week's game in London. The Panthers are hanging in NFC South race only one game behind the Saints.
Steelers: They won an important game last week with solid defense and a 3rd string QB who did not embarrass himself or the team. For the longer term, they need Mason Rudolph to clear the concussion protocols
There has been a lot of "line movement" this week in NFL games. Please do not ask me to explain why…
Arizona at Giants – 3 (50.5): This spread opened at 1 point and has expanded slowly as the week progressed. Kyler Murray has had two big games in a row; you can devalue that a bit by pointing out that those games came against the Bengals and Falcons – ranked 29th and 26th respectively in total defense this year. However, he goes against a Giants' defense this week that ranks 28th this year. Why not another big game? Meanwhile, the 30th ranked Cards' defense gets to try and stop Daniel Jones… This is not the Dog-Breath Game of the Week, but it came close to earning that stigma.
Houston at Indy – 1 (47): The spread opened here with the Texans as a 1-point road favorite. That flipped over quickly and now the spread has been steady for a couple of days. This is the Game of the Week between two teams with winning records fighting it out for the lead in their division. The Texans' Deshaun Watson has been outstanding for the last couple of weeks – coincidentally the Texans' O-Line has protected him for those two games. The Colts have been solid all season long. The key to the game is the ability of the Texans' defense to contain the Colts' running attack; so far this year, the Texans have been solid there ranking 8th in the NFL
Miami at Buffalo – 17 (41): The Bills come off a BYE Week to host a junior varsity opponent. There is no way I would take the Dolphins on the road nor is there any way I would lay 17 points with the Bills' inconsistent offense. The most interesting aspect of this game to me is this;
Will the Dolphins score more than once in the game?
Minnesota – 2 at Detroit (45): Here is another game where the favorite has flipped; the Lions opened the week as a 1-point favorite. The Vikes offense has had two good outings in a row (against the Giants and the Eagles); maybe they are on a roll? The Lions come to the game off a short week after losing to the Packers and the officials on Monday Night.
Oakland at Green Bay – 6 (47): This spread opened with the Packers as 7.5-point favorites. Like the Lions, the Packers come to the game off a short work week. Meanwhile, the Raiders had a BYE last week. I think there are 2 keys to this game:
Can the Packers run defense stop Josh Jacobs? The Packers rank 23rd in the league in run defense allowing 124.5 yards per game.
Will the Packers have either Davante Adams or Geronimo Allison – or both – active as WRs?
I'll put the Raiders plus the points in this week's Six-Pack.
Jax – 3.5 at Cincy (44): This is the Dog-Breath Game of the Week. The Jags were bad enough before they traded Jalen Ramsey away earlier this week. The Bengals are just plain bad. The Jags should run the ball all day long; the Bengals surrender an embarrassing 184.5 yards per game. That is the worst in the NFL by a margin of 14.9 yards per game.
Rams – 3 at Atlanta (55): Both defenses are suspect here. Both offenses seem to feast on marginal defenses. If forced to make a pick here I would play OVER. Fortunately, I am not forced to do anything, so I'll pass on that opportunity.
SF – 9.5 at Washington (41) The Total Line opened at 43.5 and has dropped to this level. No; I do not know why. Kyle Shanahan may want to rub it in here for the way he and his father were escorted out of town by Danny Boy Snyder and his Enabler-in Chief, Bruce Allen. Just a hunch, I'll put the Niners in this week's Six-Pack and lay the points.
Chargers at Tennessee – 2 (40): You can find this line from 2.5 points all the way down to 1 point this morning. The Chargers are just not nearly as good as I thought they might be back in August; the Titans continue to be the most inconsistent team in the league. Ryan Tannehill starts at QB for the Titans; is that a plus?
Baltimore at Seattle – 3 (49): If you adhere to the rule of thumb that a home team gets a 3-point advantage, this game would be a "pick-'em" at a neutral site. That looks about right to me – but I think the Seahawks enjoy a larger home-field advantage than your garden-variety NFL squad. Russell Wilson would be my pick for MVP if I had a vote and if the vote were held this morning. I'll put the Seahawks to win and cover in this week's Six-Pack.
New Orleans at Chicago – 3 (38): I gave this game serious consideration as the Game of the Week. The Bears just put Kyle Long – their best offensive lineman – and Akiem Hicks – a damned good defensive lineman – on IR. Moreover, I don't know who their starting QB is going to be. Too many unknowns to make a pick here…
(Sun Nite) Philly at Dallas – 3 (49): If these teams had winning records, this would have been the Game of the Week because it is an important division game and because these teams – channeling Keith Jackson here – just plain don't like each other. Amari Cooper may or may not be available; if he does play, he will likely be less than 100%. In that case, I think the Eagles' defense should be able to deal with the Cowboys passing attack. Now, can they also handle Ezekiel Elliott?
(Mon Nite) New England – 9.5 at Jets (42): Sam Darnold makes a positive difference on offense for the Jets. He did not play in the first meeting between these two teams. The Pats had that game so well under control that they played backup Jarret Stidham for the 4th quarter. I don't think the Jets can win here, but it will be a much more interesting game than the one back in Week 3.
Let me summarize this week's Six-Pack:
Arizona St. +13.5 against Utah
Oregon – 3 over Washington
Florida – 4 over South Carolina
Raiders + 6 against Packers
Niners – 9.5 over Skins
Seahawks – 3 over Ravens
Finally, Brad Dickson offered up some courtship advice that is pertinent to NFL football:
"Forty-niners defensive lineman D.J. Jones just proposed to his girlfriend on the sidelines at Monday Night Football. That's crazy. A proposal should be done in absolute privacy when there's not a soul around – say, at Thursday Night Football."
Writing Schedule Disruption
We have house guests who will arrive on Sunday (15 September) and stay through Thursday (19 September). Then on Friday (20 September) we leave for a weekend trip with other friends not to return until the following Monday (23 September).
I doubt I will have time to do much writing next week – – and I am positive that I will not have the time to compile the data let alone to actually write a Football Friday next week.
Then, we have a different set of house guests arriving on the following Thursday (26 September).
The bottom line is that the writing schedule for the next two weeks will be sporadic. There will definitely not be a Football Friday next week (20 September) but I will try to do one early in the week after next week. Oh, and in the middle of all this social stuff, I have dental appointment and a doctor's appointment.
I plan to come up for air around October 1….
Stay well everyone.
Author JackPosted on September 14, 2019 Categories Uncategorized
About a week ago, the Washington Post ran a long story on the status of the NFL/NFLPA negotiations over a new CBA under this headline and sub-head:
A LIFETIME SPOILING FOR A FIGHT
NFLPA'S Smith warns of coming labor battle – and is ready to dig in
I do not doubt that there will be acrimony in these negotiations and I do not doubt that NFLPA leader, DeMaurice Smith, will need to do more than put up a "good fight" given that he has been accused of getting a not-so-good deal for the players in the last round of negotiations. In addition, there has been plenty of reporting over the past year or so that there is some personal animus in the relationship between Smith and NFL Commish, Roger Goodell.
However, before we get sidetracked on secondary issues such as length of practices at training camp or the number of days devoted to OTA's in the off-season or some proposed rule change involving pass interference calls, allow me focus on the big issue first. That big issue should lead the reporters and commentators covering these negotiations to take the advice given to Bob Woodward back in Watergate days:
The NFL is a $15-16B enterprise, and the owners and players share that money. THE biggest issue by far is what percentage of that money goes to the owners and what percentage goes to the players. If the sides find a way to come to an agreement there, NO OTHER ISSUE will hold up a finalized CBA.
The second most important issue is how the NFL and the NFLPA can work TOGETHER to increase the total revenue taken in by the league. That is important because either side can do damage to this enterprise if they go into a prolonged work stoppage and/or they engage in behaviors that turn off the fans. The way for BOTH sides to benefit is to grow the league revenue and that means they need to work together.
The two issues outlined above can be intertwined. As I read the current CBA – and I admit that I do not understand it fully – it seems to me that the players get 47% of one category of revenue and 48.5% of a smaller category of revenue. Let me posit here that the players are getting 47.5% of the football revenue – however that is defined. Obviously, each side wants a larger percentage during the life of the next CBA; moreover, the owners would like to skim some revenue off the top for things like a "stadium building and rehabilitation fund". The fundamental issue is that the sides may haggle over the percentage of the split, but it is in the interest of neither side to do anything that takes the game off television or takes the game off the betting boards in the various states that now allow sports betting. To make that happen is self-immolation.
The media coverage ought not to focus on the "spoiling for a fight" aspect of these negotiations; the real story here is what are the activities going on in the background while each side holds their press conferences to air their side of the story. Not much of substance happens in that arena; the real reporting ought to be what is happening in the talks that are taking place in private.
There is a situation ongoing in college football where – similarly – there is a relatively simple solution to a problem but any movement toward that simple solution has gotten no media traction. The issue is the ability of players to transfer from one school to another and the waiver system that allows some of them to play without sitting out a season while others must miss a year. Michigan coach, Jim Harbaugh, enunciated a solution that would work to resolve this issue. Here it is:
"My opinion is that every student-athlete should have a one-time ability to transfer and will not have to sit out a year. I'd keep the graduate-transfer rule in place that we have right now."
That may or may not be perfect – – but it is far better than the waiver-application process via the transfer portal with subsequent approvals or denials of waiver applications by some faceless NCAA adjudication entity. And now, here is why that simple and direct solution to this problem will never happen:
The language there is clear and unambiguous. It was stated in 34 words and not 34 pages of paragraphs and nested sub-paragraphs with multiple uses of the words, "whereas", "however", "moreover", "in light of", "accompanying" … you get the idea.
More importantly, this process would require no oversight and no approval by any of the poohbahs in the NCAA hierarchy. It would put the student-athletes in charge of their own lives/careers. Anyone who thinks that is a prime objective at NCAA headquarters likely also thinks one needs to be a Medal of Honor recipient to order a Hero Sandwich.
As we approach August, MLB still has 5 teams on track to lose 100 games in 2019.
Tigers project to lose 113 games
Orioles project to lose 107 games
Royals project to lose 102 games
Blue Jays project to lose 101 games
Marlins project to lose 100 games
Finally, here is an item I found in Dwight Perry's column, Sideline Chatter, in the Seattle Times:
"Brewers pitcher Jhoulys Chacin walked in three straight runs with the bases loaded.
"Lovers of the George Foreman Grill are just dying to know: So when is Jhoulys Chacin Wok Night?"
Author JackPosted on July 29, 2019 Categories Uncategorized
On Hiatus …
I shall be off the air for about 3 weeks. Later today, my long-suffering wife and I leave for two weeks of traveling around Switzerland by a series of train rides. After that, we will fly to Ireland for a week to visit The FOG – – The First and Only Grandson – – and his parents too.
If all goes according to plan, we will be home late in the afternoon of June 17th. Depending on the impact of jet-lag and the attending chores of returning home, I hope to be back on June 18th – – but it might not be until June 19th.
Please check back then.
Stay well, all…
Author JackPosted on May 28, 2019 Categories Uncategorized
The Jets Lead The News…
In recent years, the Bengals, Browns, Cardinals, Jags, Lions, Raiders and Skins have dominated NFL news items involving ineptitude and outlandishness. A team that has been on the periphery of that septet has now seemed to demand entry into that "fraternity"; welcome to the NY Jets. Yesterday, they fired their GM and handed that job – on an interim basis to be sure – to their new head coach who arrives with a career record of 23-25 and whose experience as a GM is ZERO. As if that is not bad enough, consider:
The GM they just fired is the guy who just hired this hugely successful coach
The GM they just fired is the guy who signed up all the team's free agents for the 2019 season.
The GM they just fired is the guy who organized and ran the NFL Draft that just passed.
If the GM was found to be embezzling team funds, I can understand this decision at this time. If there are allegations that he has been sexually abusing household pets, I can understand this decision at this time. Absent anything of those natures, this decision is ever so indicative of a franchise in disarray. Welcome to Disarray Island, NY Jets.
Earlier this week, there was a headline at CBSSports.com that read:
Ten Storylines to Watch at the PGA Championship
As you might imagine, the examples here were nonsensically focused on Tiger Woods to the extent that the entire compilation read like an old David Letterman routine on "Ten Things…" This is NOT the CBSSports.com list; it is my impression of what the author there wanted to write – – but the editor demanded a slightly broader coverage:
Will Tiger Woods Eat the Same Breakfasts at the PGA as He Did at the Masters?
Did Tiger Woods Sleep Well Last Week?
How Regular Has Tiger Woods Been – A Septic Tank Check-up.
Does Anyone Dare Challenge Tiger Woods for This Championship?
Notice That Tiger Woods Always Wears Matching Socks in Majors
Will Adverse Weather Affect Tiger Woods at All?
Is Tiger Woods' Caddy the Smartest Caddy on The Course?
Can Tiger Woods Go "Back-to-Back" in Majors? [On the golf course; not with waitresses. Get your mind out of the gutter…]
Can Tiger Woods Fart His Way to Fame This Week – – and the most important story line form this weekend's PGA Championship…
Which is Closer to the Bethpage Clubhouse – a Perkins Pancake House or an IHOP?
Since I was speaking about a headline to an article at CBSSports.com just above, let me note here that all the way back in 2016, those same good folks reported that Caitlyn Jenner would pose nude for a Sports illustrated cover. I wish it were not so because the image evoked is significantly worse than disgusting – – but here is the link:
For anyone seeking a sign that the apocalypse is upon humankind, take that event and put it high up on your list of things to watch for…
Speaking of silly storylines and/or headlines, here is one from The Onion.
Kyrie Irving Promises He Won't Quit on Whatever Team He Signs with This Offseason
When you read the stories going around now that the NCAA is contemplating changing the 3-point line in men's basketball from the current distance to the "international distance", the best advice I can offer is the title of a former cable TV comedy show:
If my calculations are correct, the displacement of the 3-point line will be a grand total of 20 inches. A difference of 20 inches would be important if you were comparing:
A home run that just cleared the left field wall in a baseball game
A horse race involving a purse of $2M
A 4th and 20 play in the Super Bowl that gained 19 yards and 16 inches
Porn Star A versus Porn Star B.
With regard to men's college basketball, this would be a cosmetic change and nothing more than that.
Finally, here is another golf comment from an author and golf champion of the past, Horace G. Hutchinson, since the PGA Championship will commence later today:
"If profanity had any influence on the flight of the ball, the game of golf would be played far better than it is."
Author JackPosted on May 16, 2019 Categories Uncategorized6 Comments on The Jets Lead The News…
Schedule Uncertainty
I have been summoned for jury duty tomorrow. I am only obligated to show up for one day – – unless of course I am seated on a jury and then I am committed for the duration of the trial. The last time I was called to the courthouse, the trial I heard lasted for 4 days.
Of course, it is possible that I will be dismissed early enough tomorrow to get home and write a rant. Somehow, that seems like more than I can rely on – – so I will probably not write tomorrow and I hope to be able to be free on Friday to do a rant then.
Author JackPosted on May 8, 2019 Categories Uncategorized
Great Minds – – – And All That Stuff
Today I ran across a blog item by Brad Dickson formerly with the Omaha World-Herald. In the piece, he decides which activites are "Real Sports" and which ones are "Not Real Sports". You can read it here; it is worth your time and effort.
https://www.braddicksononline.com/sports/2019/3/15/realsport
Back in 2001, I took a shot at something similar writing about what activities were sports and what participants were athletes. You can read – or reread if you have been around here that long – my take on this subject here.
What Is A Sport – Who Is An Athlete?
If this were a high school English class, you would have to "Compare and Contrast". Fortunately for all of us, this is not a high school English class…
Author JackPosted on March 15, 2019 Categories Uncategorized4 Comments on Great Minds – – – And All That Stuff


The teams from the coverage area including Arlington, Bartlett, Cordova, Collierville, Germantown, Millington and South Tipton County are eligible. Each week throughout 2018 district basketball play see how the poll shakes out. JW10 will rank the Top 5 boys' varsity teams and Top 5 girls' varsity teams until Regionals in February. Power 10 Rankings as of February 5.


text:
Last Night's Cafe: The Future for Wales – Well-being
Posted On May 22, 2013 May 22, 2013 By ChrisG
Contemporary politics is often thought to be thin on big ideas, or ideology – and to have become nothing more than a battlefield of claims and counter-claims about managerial competence. However, in recent years, political debates in the UK (and more widely) have witnessed the emergence of a concept that evokes the moral theories of Aristotle as well as recent developments in psychology: well-being. The idea of well-being as an encompassing conception of the social good, something that is objectively worth striving for, and is not intrinsically dependent on wealth or economic growth was championed by advisors to the New Labour administration from 1997-2010, and has continued to be part of the policy language of the Coalition government. In 2010, David Cameron suggested that parental 'warmth' rather than 'wealth' was the most important factor in shaping children's life chances. More recently, the Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has stated that there is no necessary link between income and well-being. What is meant, then, by well-being, and why has it become so attractive to politicians in recent years? Can it be the focus of a vision of society that chimes with concepts of sustainability and democracy, or are there good reasons to be suspicious of it?
Iain Duncan Smith: Champion of Well-being? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
At last night's Cardiff Philosophy Cafe, our speakers led a wide-ranging discussion on these and other issues. Prof. Robin Attfield (Philosophy, Cardiff University) introduced the concept of well-being, distinguishing it from concepts such as happiness and goodness of character. He noted that well-being can be achieved without one being conscious of it, unlike happiness. Further, it does not require that we get what we happen to want, or as economists say, succeed in satisfying our preferences. Instead, it implies an objective standard of flourishing, that there is something universally good for human beings to have, and that someone who enjoys well-being has obtained this.
Robin suggested that this implies that we can speak meaningfully about human nature, and that there are particular capacities which human beings have by virtue of their species that need to be developed and exercised for well-being to exist. The same is true of other species: by virtue of being a gnu or a lion, a gnu or lion has its own objective good: there are better and worse ways of being a gnu or lion, each implying different levels of well-being (a lion in a zoo, unable to hunt, is worse off for it). The ability to communicate in various ways, the capacity for practical reason, for self-determination, for having significant relationships with others, for engaging in meaningful work and so on are all examples. These capacities relate to needs in different and sometimes complex ways. Some needs (food, shelter, health and so forth) are necessary first if we're going to develop particular capacities. Others (education, for example) are an intrinsic part of fulfilling other capacities. Many of these needs are difficult or impossible for individuals to fulfil on their own, meaning that the related capacities are also hard for them to develop without the assistance of others. Consequently, a range of other people can contribute to our well-being, from parents to governments. Indeed, the role of government in promoting well-being should be seen as particularly important.
Professor Gareth Williams and Dr Eva Elliott (Social Sciences, Cardiff University) introduced their research on well-being in Wales and on the government can and should play. They noted that there is a lot of variation in what is perceived as being essential to well-being at different points in the life course (job satisfaction scores more highly among younger people, health among older people) and between different social classes (the poor naturally value income more than the rich), but that in any case the concept goes far beyond simple health to encompass various capacities, as Robin suggested. In public policy, a range of reports in the last decade – from bodies such as the National Institute for Economic Affairs, the New Economics Foundation and UNICEF have all emphasised the importance of well-being, and the contribution such factors as meaningful work can make to it. The Office for National Statistics has developed measures of well-being that introduce such concepts as equality and environmental quality.
Research suggests that inequality, and degraded socio-economic conditions more generally, are major barriers to well-being, particularly in relation to mental health: Eva spoke of an interviewee from North-West England describing how it is the conditions in which one lives that 'make life hell' and constrain what one can do about it. Recent work in Wales has demonstrated the presence of a marked gradient in physical and mental health among different income groups. At the same time, individual self-help has been seen as an important way to promote well-being.
Well-being is not equally distributed...
The New Economics Foundation produced a campaign called '5 Ways to Well-Being' which sought to address the impact inequality has on mental health by encouraging positive action on the part of individuals. But research on the impact of factors like inequality and on the contribution individuals can make to improving their own well-being together highlight problems within the well-being agenda. On the one hand, given an 'objective' definition of wellbeing, it becomes easier to concentrate on deficits than it is to find positive examples of well-being, particularly when research findings are disseminated through the media. This can lead to places becoming stigmatised as unhealthy, deprived, and without hope. On the other, an emphasis on individuals can take the focus away from the socio-economic backdrop and encourage responsibility to be attributed unfairly to those living in difficult conditions.
Eva underlined how important the first point is by describing research her team had done in Merthyr Tydfil, where statistics suggested 58 years of age was the average healthy life expectancy (HLE). This was picked up by the Western Mail, who reported it by stating that this figure was worse than that of men living in Haiti. In fact, they had confused HLE with life expectancy as such. This focus on deficits of well-being contrasted with statements from interviewees living on the Gurnos estate, who talked of the quality of their personal relationships, their friendships, how the place they lived had simply attracted a 'bad name' and how they would not want to live anywhere else.
Mrs Gillespie on the Gurnos, Merthyr Tydfil
This showed how well-being – and what matters to people as constituents of well-being – are closely linked to people's experience of places, and that identifying deficits in well-being 'from a distance' can lead to these elements being missed.
Missing the positives can lead to unhelpful forms of top-down intervention. Similarly, concentrating on the individual or on the contribution that affected communities can make can lead to the promotion of ideals like 'resilience' which are focused on helping people survive amidst bad conditions rather than governments taking responsibility for these conditions themselves.
"The economic system thrives on ill-being."
"If people felt more secure, would they work as hard?"
"A lack of anxiety or worry underpins well-being."
"Making choices requires the opportunity to make them!"
From the audience…
Many audience members responded to the issues raised by Gareth and Eva regarding the distribution of the power to define well-being, and the individualisation of measures to promote it, and also what one person referred to as the investment of society in the production of 'ill-being', namely envy and permanently unfulfilled consumer desire. Some questioned the coherence of the distinction between happiness and well-being, noting that concepts of 'flow' indicate that happiness can be about being 'in the moment' whilst engaged in an engrossing activity, rather than being a product of reflecting (asking 'am I happy'?). Robin defended the distinction, pointing to Huxley's Brave New World and the industrial production of happiness via drugging the populace as the antithesis of well-being. Others pointed to anxiety and insecurity as obstacles to well-being, factors that can only be attested to by the people suffering them – and conditions that may arise from the inability to imagine a future over which one has any influence. If one needs to have some degree of control over one's future to have well-being, however, than another question is how this can be best achieved. Gareth pointed to collective action, such as is made possible by trades unions and other forms of association, as a key to achieving such influence. Eva mentioned the idea of the 'core economy' of care, promoted by Edgar Cahn, as a way of understanding agency and control as key elements of well-being beyond the money economy. The panel suggested that such forms of agency as are embodied by co-operatives and even choirs are resources in which Wales may be rich, even though official narratives threaten to stigmatize the country through images of deprivation.
You can tweet about this topic using the hashtag #cpcwellbeing. You can also register your views below by taking the poll – do you think we should promote well-being rather than simply trying to increase GDP?
Should we do all we can to promote well-being rather than economic growth? Why, or why not? Add a comment below.
Tagged: capabilities/eva elliott/future wales/gareth williams/health/relationships/Robin Attfield/well-being
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


to the universal discontent among self-funded employers and the ever-increasing cost of health insurance.
We're starting over with a physician-owned and physician-controlled health plan that centers on transparent pricing and end-to-end connectivity and that combines a new provider network and purpose-built technology platform.
We're starting over by building a new network anchored by large, independent specialty-care medical practices—and giving all physicians an opportunity to participate in the process as investors and owners.
We're starting over by partnering with physicians and like-minded entrepreneurs who are committed to putting patients before profits. Together, we will define, develop, and deploy a new purpose-built ecosystem that redefines value—value that can't happen if core business processes, clinical insights, and customer satisfaction depend on legacy and mainframe technologies used by health insurers and hospitals.


text:
Sarah Jessica Parker Shares New Teaser For Upcoming Sex And The City Reboot
By Melissa Willets/June 11, 2021 12:22 pm EST
No, you're so excited about the upcoming "Sex and the City" reboot you can barely sleep. Okay, we are all waiting with breath that is bated for "And Just Like That," kind of like how the world felt right before Aleksandr Petrovsky's light installation was unveiled in Paris. And it's like the producers behind the upcoming HBO Max series understand our level of titillation, since casting info has been trickling out in bits and spurts since the revival was announced in January (via Us Weekly).
First, we learned Kim Cattrall would not be reprising her role as Samantha Jones. Then, it was revealed that Sara Ramírez was joining the ensemble of Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon. Soon, Chris Noth confirmed he would come back as Mr. Big, and it was also announced that John Corbett, who plays Aidan Shaw, and David Eigenberg, A.K.A. Steve Brady, would be back for "And Just Like That."
Now, Parker is teasing the start of production for the show with a new Instagram post that practically has fans coming out of their Manolos (via E! Online).
Sarah Jessica Parker takes fans back to where it all began
Fans will immediately recognize the image Parker shared to her Instagram as excitement builds around "And Just Like That."
"Pure coincidence AND JUST LIKE THAT, we find ourselves on this street called Perry the night before it all begins again," the actress shared as a caption to a photo of the front door of Carrie Bradshaw's iconic New York City apartment — yes, the one she sold in the "Sex and the City" movie, then bought again after Big left her at the altar, then kept at the end of the second movie so some of her friends could get a break from their lives once in a while.
Parker then included a note to Michael Patrick King, the executive producer of "Sex and the City," writing, "MPK, here we go. And I'm thrilled and terrified. X, SJ." Adorably, Willie Garson, who plays Stanford Blatch, and who will be returning for the reboot according to Parade, commented, "Let's go!"
Meanwhile, according to Harper's Bazaar, no air date for the series has been announced as of yet. But whenever it is on, we will be tuning in!


There are a hundred ways to quit. There's only one I know of to stay quit and that's the program of Nicotine Anonymous. You are in a battle for your life. Don't take it lightly. Use the tools. If you can't make a commitment to quit, make a commitment to keep coming back. I guarantee it will work.
I was raised in a very sheltered, highly religious atmosphere. It gave me lots to rebel against. And sadly, it provided fertile ground for the roots of my life-long addiction to nicotine.
During my senior year in high school, a friend flew home from California. They not only served a full dinner on air-planes back then, but also gave a sam-ple pack of cigarettes with every meal. The following Saturday night "my crowd" took turns sampling the contents of that pack. As far as I know, I was the only one who enjoyed it. I loved it from the first drag and took the pack home with me. For the next few months I would sneak off with a friend to the shores of Lake Michigan and enjoy an illicit drag or two. Often it was when I was supposed to be at a church function so I was wearing white gloves. I would keep the gloves on while I was smoking because I didn't want the tobacco to stain my fingers, and when I got home I'd carefully wash the gloves to rid them of the smell.
By the time I moved to California in 1985, I wanted to quit and was in des-pair that I ever could. I worked with a friend who wanted me to quit so badly that she gave me packs of matches with the tips cut off so you couldn't light them. The company where I worked announced one Friday that effective Monday, we could no longer smoke at our desks. Their experience with me convinced them to pay for any employee who wanted to participate in commercial smoking cessation programs. The cost at that time was about $500 per person. The smoking ban was implemented over a six week period. Many who went through the programs offered did quit, but eventually went back to smoking. I refused to go to any program or consid-er quitting. Shortly thereafter I quit the job and took another one at half the pay. The roots of my addiction in rebel-lion kept me puffing and stuffing.
I tried hypnosis and quit for 24 hours until I had a fight with my son. I had no tools to use when the urge hit and I needed something to stop the pain. I also went to the American Lung Associa-tion cessation program. I learned a lot there about my nicotine addiction and my insanity and I do recommend that type of program. They told me the chances of staying quit are 70% higher if you join a support program that is ongoing. I quit for nine months, but the first time I hit an emotional problem without any tools, I started again. I had taken the first step though - I had learned that my life was unmanageable.
When my father learned I was smoking he told me I could give it up using will power. On three different occasions he gave me a hundred dollars to quit. I took the money and went right on smoking. The only thing he contributed to was my loss of self-esteem. I had no problem accepting that I needed to be restored to sanity.
I said on more than one occasion, "It will take a program like AA for me to quit because I need a cigarette like an alcoholic needs a drink." In December of 1992 a friend found an ad in the news-paper about a Nicotine Anonymous meeting. I attended my first NicA meet-ing in January of 1993. I thought I walked into the rooms to quit smoking. I didn't know I walked in to change my life. At my first meeting I interrupted the speaker with questions and learned about no cross talk. At the end of the first meeting I almost bolted when they said the Lord's Prayer, but I was desper-ate enough to take what I liked and leave the rest. I could only say, "and lead me not into temptation." I read the questionnaire in the first section of the Nicotine Anonymous book and knew I was just like these people. I heard I had an addiction and will power didn't help; that instead I needed to surrender to the fact that I was powerless over my addiction. I hadn't worked the Steps, I didn't have a sponsor and I didn't be-lieve in God. I had thrown any depend-ence on God out of my life and believed only in my own power. I said if I love myself enough I can quit. I set a quit date.
The Saturday before my quit date, I woke up in a cold sweat. I was terrified. I was certain I could not quit and would surely die from lung cancer. I had no idea how to live one day at a time and was overwhelmed by fear of living with-out my faithful friend that always made me feel better. About midday on my quit date, I felt something I cannot explain put its arms around me. I heard it say, "Yes, you can do it. You are not alone. You do not have to be afraid." I believe it was my spiritual awakening.
It took me 6 months to get a 60 day chip. I'd get 2 weeks and go out for 2 weeks. I'd get almost a month and have one and break down sobbing. I raged at my family, my coworkers and myself, but they put up with it and loved me anyway. I got a 60 day chip that had a hole drilled in it. I put it on my key chain so I could see it every day. I chewed on carrots, I chewed on stir sticks. I went to the meeting every Tuesday night. I was the literature per-son, the chip person and the secretary. After a year I finally got a sponsor and my recovery picked up speed. She had me work the 4th Step by making a list of my fears - things I had never admitted to myself. I had to let go of my fear of gaining weight. I admitted that I was afraid of being alone. And then I had to admit my fears out loud to another hu-man being.
When I had been smober for almost 2 years, I moved to a place where there were no meetings. I thought I was safe without a meeting. It took me two years to forget I couldn't have just one. My addiction was alive and well and I had forgotten that I was an addict. When I was in my first year of smobriety I could not understand how anyone with 2 years could go back to smoking. Now I know it was because they stopped going to meetings. A man named Frank helped me start a NicA meeting in Monterey. I chose another quit date. Frank's belief that without the program we couldn't stay nicotine-free has kept me smober for 20 years.
One day I got a call from the chairper-son of the Northern California Inter-group. I started attending the Intergoup meeting in Oakland every month. I was willing to go to any lengths. I went to the Weekend in the Country in Grass Valley in 1997. I helped organize the World Service Conference in Berkeley in 2001. Doing service has kept me smober too.


text:
title: Codecademy 6
layout: post
author: anish.vaddiraju
permalink: /codecademy-6/
source-id: 17D_URC8fg1kxy5X1kN-6k1WCYrxFNsWbKp0wAT_FsPo
published: true
---

    Title
    Codecademy 6
    Date
    27/02/17

    Starting point:
    42%

    Target for this lesson?
    To finish the section.

    Did I reach my target?
(add details to "Lesson Review")
    Yes, I progressed further.

    Lesson Review

    How did I learn? What strategies were effective?

    I learnt that my tactic is somewhat mediocre as I didn't really make any more progress than normal. I think that another strategy that's also effective is doing work whilst reading, so I work while reading the necessary bits. I learnt by doing the same thing as I have said before, and this is when I realised that this is not a good strategy.

    What limited my learning? Which habits do I need to work on?

    As I have already established, my technique of completing the work was hindering my progress and my learning. I need to work on my concentration as I think that I am getting sidetracked in my work by helping others, which isn't a bad thing, or talking to others, which can be a bad thing.

    What will I change for next time? How will I improve my learning?

    I will change my way of working and the way I do my work. I will improve by making sure that my work is top quality, and that I don't get distracted from my work. I will change my attitude toward the work so that I don't lose time in which I could and should have made progress, even though I am ahead of the class by quite a bit.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The purpose of this case study was to describe and analyze the Mathematics Access for Language Learners (MALL) professional development project. This project's primary goal has been to provide teachers with the knowledge, strategies, tools, and materials to help make mathematics content accessible to their English Language Learner students. This study used case study methodology. Data was collected from archival records, participant observations, and interviews with project participants, facilitators, and the project director. The results and analysis of this study are provided through the framework of Bernice McCarthy's 4MAT instructional model. The project is then analyzed to determine if it is an exemplary model for professional development, and the discussion of this study offers implications for leadership, recommendations for future research, and considers the role of leadership in supporting systemic change.
Whittington, Alison Marie, "Creating the Path Together: A Case Study of a Mathematics Professional Development Program for Teachers of English Language Learners" (2008). Dissertations. 70.


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Searching for hotels in Guimaraes (Portugal) or Guimaraes accommodation? The city of Guimaraes, in Minho, Portugal, is said to be the city where Portugal was born. It is an ancient city, with a rich history, and is a fascinating look into the history of Portugal.
To reach the city, you can fly to one of many airports, such as Oporto, and take a bus or train. Once there, the city centre is easy to walk, although there are buses.
The Guimaraes Castle, built in the tenth century, is probably the biggest historical attraction in the city, but, unlike many castles, this one is in the centre of the city. Then there is the Dukes of Braganza Palace, which was constructed a few centuries later, in the 1400's.
To see the city from above, and if you enjoy the outdoors, then the hike to the top of Penha Mountain, although there is also an elevator that takes visitors to the summit.
Largo de Oliveira, or Olive Square, is a good place to rest, relax, people watch and enjoy a meal and a drink, and if accommodation is required, then the Hotel Ibis Guimaraes or Casa De Sezim are your options, with the latter being the more luxuriously appointed.
- Browse the Guimaraes Map or compare Guimaraes accommodation from Hotels, Motels, B&Bs, Lodging & Hostels to Holiday & Caravan Parks.
Resources, Information and guides on Guimaraes. For things to do, attractions, restaurants, holidays and sites refer below.
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Wait, what? The Apple Watch (AAPL) doesn't work without an iPhone? Isn't that like requiring me to operate my oven in order to use my toaster?
As Apple states simply in promotional materials: "The Apple Watch will require the iPhone to work." Yes, you can tell the time with it, but most of the advanced features, and anything requiring cellular connectivity, will require you to pair it with an iPhone.
I discovered this fact in the pre-dawn morning as I was catching up with the Apple hypfest, from the comfort of my couch. Yesterday I had other projects to finish. This morning I also asked my daughter about what yesterday's "buzz" in high school about the Apple Watch. She said there was none, which is telling, because Apple launches typically have the students agog, even in rural Montana.
"People are more interested in iOS 8," she said.
Hmm. No. My toaster works without my oven.
Yes, the video from Apple design chief Jony Ive is gorgeous and seductive and has me thinking about reaching for my credit card. No doubt, the iPhone has some luscious features: The crown navigation, the gyrocscopes and band designs are incomparable and will not be knocked off by a second-rate manufacturer in China any time soon. But if you are telling me I can't use the music, wireless, or fitness functions without my phone, then that's kind of a deal breaker.
The appeal to me about the concept of the "iWatch" was that if you were running out the door to go walk the dog, you could have a Watch for maybe basic music and fitness functionality. Now Apple is telling me I would need to take two devices, instead of one. So it's actually gotten more complicated, not less so.
When I go camping this weekend, I do not want to take my house with my tent.
That will probably not stop millions of people buying Apple Watches, but it will be a barrier to wider adoption. By tethering the Watch to the iPhone, Apple has trapped folks into the old paradigm, rather than breaking through to a new one.
I was speaking with a tech expert about this on Twitter — @thevirtualguy — and he pointed out that this was definitely a point of contention in his office yesterday. He also pointed out that for people that abandoned the iPhone for larger products, such as those from Samsung, are less inclined to buy an Apple Watch now.
But maybe this is exactly what Apple wants. Maybe Apple decided to tether all of the wireless functionality of the iWatch to the iPhone for "network effects" to force the Samsung-ites into going back to iPhones. In this case, it's a terribly vindictive "feature." Very Microsoft-like.
Clearly there are issues with packing radio, celluar and GPS functionality into the small form of the Apple Watch, but I think what we have here is an early, crippled product that will appeal to a medium-sized crowd of Apple fans and fashionistas who want to make their Apple statement and listen to free U2 albums. But it's not putting Timex out of business any time soon.
That may come in time. But Apple has more work to do.


Congrats, you've opened the third article of my Thanksgiving mini-series. If you missed the first one click here and if you want to catch the second, click here! Now, without further adieu, here are 11 things college students (including myself) are thankful for!
It wakes us up in the morning, it keeps us up at night... when we need to do homework.
Without Google, would any of us be able to write a research paper, really?
S/O to every professor who extends deadlines. Procrastination is real!
So cheap, so easy to make, so full of carby goodness!
Bonus points if you have stickers all over it.
Comfort and coolness - all in one.
Because college schedules are too busy for showers.
That's a real video of my friends and I, by the way.
Going out with friends at 10 pm bc again, who needs sleep?
Because we can act like we don't need rest, but you can catch us taking naps at least every Sunday afternoon.


DeBorah Goletz is a potter, ceramic tile maker and muralist and owner of For Love of Mud Pottery which offers pottery classes in West Milford, NJ. Goletz's pottery is featured in pottery publications and private collections and her ceramic murals grace the NY subway system, the Zanesville Ohio Library and two NJ Transit stations. Her book, Ceramic Art Tile (published by Schiffer Books) features beautiful tile work by 100 contemporary American tile makers.
DeBorah Goletz is available to teach workshops in pottery or tile making techniques. Please click the link below if you are interested in classes or purchasing one-of-a-kind pottery or tile.


It's obvious these days that technology is changing our world. But just how much is it permeating our world?
During the H1N1 (Swine Flu) scare a few years ago, Google Trends was able to predict where the next outbreaks were going to happen based on the different kinds of searches people were performing – it was as accurate as the findings by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) but instead of being published 2 weeks after the data was collected – Google Trends was updated nightly.
Facebook has over 600 million people on it (70% are from outside the US; almost 283.5 million are over 35 yrs old _*_) where people are interacting on a daily basis with people they wouldn't normally see face-to-face on a daily basis & some that they do see in person daily as well.
I continuously have people coming up to me saying they're not "technology people" but then I see the smartphone in the pocket or purse, an iPad under the arm and get a Facebook friend request from them later in the day. They tell me that they don't "text" (i.e. send text/SMS messages via their mobile phone) but then talk about following their stock portfolios using a web service.
Digital technology is now a part of almost every culture on Earth. It is a commonality that weaves the world into a giant quilt – each culture represented by a patch – held together by technology. Now each culture has integrated technology differently but it's there all the same. Banking in Kenya is done through mobile phones but in the US it's done through web applications & ATMs for example. However, both cultures use technology to handle a majority of their banking needs.
The idea behind our ministry, eDOT, is that we see technology as a significant way to reach into these cultures and reach people where they are. We explore how each culture is using technology and help local churches & European-based ministries develop strategies that use technology as a way to engage their culture to fulfill their overall God ordained mission.
Join us in helping followers of Christ throughout Europe, North Africa and into the Middle East use technology to creatively engage their cultures.
Awesome article. I'm going to "re-purpose" this article for my own! Hope that's OK.


text:
Penske's UnitedAuto takes wheel of Rinke chain
North Oakland Medical Center, POH face possible downgrade
Joseph Serwach
UnitedAuto Group Inc. has bought Rinke Automotive Group, with hopes to close on a second local purchase ``within 30 to 60 days,'' UAG Chairman Roger Penske said last week.
Detroit-based UnitedAuto Group (NYSE:	UAG) is the nation's third-largest dealer group. Last year, it posted $4 billion in revenue from 104 dealerships that sold more than 145,000 new and used vehicles. Penske recently moved the headquarters from New York to his home base of Detroit, but this is UAG's first entry into the Detroit market. Penske owns 43.5 percent of UAG.
``We're always looking for opportunities,'' Penske said. ``The first dealerships I owned were in Detroit. As we move forward, we will continue expanding in the Midwest.''
In a deal first reported by Crain's July 24, UAG has purchased Rinke Toyota in Center Line as well as Rinke Pontiac GMC and Rinke Cadillac in Warren. The company is negotiating a possible purchase of Mel Farr Imports Toyota Mazda VW in Bloomfield Hills from the Mel Farr Automotive Group. Penske said he hoped for an agreement with Farr soon.
Charlene Mitchell, advertising and public relations director for Mel Farr Automotive, said in July that the company was talking with Penske about selling the Bloomfield Hills import dealership. Mitchell could not be reached by deadline last week.
Rinke President Kevin Rinke will continue to run the Rinke dealerships and has been named a UAG area vice president.
The Rinke group is one of the nation's oldest GM franchises, and each of its dealerships is among the largest for its brand in the nation. The terms were not disclosed, but UAG said in a statement that the purchase would add $225 million a year in revenue.
UAG announced the Rinke purchase and the purchase of a dealership in suburban Cleveland when it released third-quarter earnings. The company had third-quarter net income of $11.2 million on revenue of $1.3 billion, up from net income of $9.3 million on revenue of $1.1 billion for third-quarter 1999.
Penske said the latest purchases mean UAG has achieved its 2000 goal of acquiring dealerships with combined annual sales of $1 billion.
UAG expects comparable growth in the next two to three years. UAG now has 124 dealerships in 18 states, Puerto Rico and Brazil.
Penske operates and invests in a far-flung transportation empire. He is chairman of Penske Corp., the metro area's largest privately held company, which posted $6.4 billion in 1999 revenue. Penske Corp. took a controlling interest in UAG in April 1999 through Penske Capital Partners, a partnership between Penske Corp., Chase Capital Partners, Aon and GE Partners.
In September, the company reported he had increased his ownership stake from 40 percent to 43.5 percent through the purchase of 352,500 shares for $2.1 million.
The stock climbed 5.17 percent after the earnings were reported Thursday, rising 38 cents to $7.62 a share. The stock fell to a one-year low of $6.75 Wednesday, exactly one year after trading for $12.62 a share.
Joseph Serwach:	(313) 446-0357, [email protected]
Deaths outpaced births in 2020 — first year of COVID — in Michigan
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Disclaimer: The aggregate list is an average of the tier lists from multiple JP gaming sites. It is compiled automatically by a script. I endeavor to have as little influence on the results as possible. Feel free to refer to the FAQ. Don't take these ratings as fact; I encourage you to simply take them as a starting point for discussion to figure out which leads are actually the best for your specific situation.


There are many factors to consider when purchasing a mattress. Some of these factors include its firmness, the warrantee, reputation of the manufacturer and the size of the mattress. A good mattress will allow you to maintain the same natural spinal alignment that you have when standing. Why Mattress Is Important A bed mattress is probably the most important part of the bed, however it often gets overlooked.
Your body needs proper rest to be at its best. Maybe it's time we turned to some of the better mattresses that we have available to us today. A comfortable mattress can help you fall and stay asleep for the entire night, thus waking up the next morning refreshed and ready to face anything the day ahead has to offer. There is nothing like a good night's sleep. If you have difficulties falling or staying asleep it could be because of the fact that your mattress is not comfortable enough and/or is not providing the right support in order to relax your body and mind into sleeping.
The experts at sleep study institutions everywhere fully know the ramifications of getting a full night's sleep and know the importance of having a good one. There are a vast number of mattresses available, which usually makes it extremely hard to choose the right one. Some example of mattresses are latex foam mattress, adjustable bed mattress, futon bed mattress and spring mattress. Latex foam mattresses Latex foam mattresses are great for your body, spreading evenly underneath you causing absolutely no pressure points while you sleep deeply. If you suffer from back problems, sleep disorders, you toss and turn or you just want a fantastic night's sleep every night, a memory foam mattress or a latex foam mattress may be just what you need.
Adjustable Bed Mattress For people who have Degenerative spondylolisthesis, Osteoarthritis and Spinal stenosis, an adjustable bed mattress may be what they need. For them sleeping in a reclining position can make it easier to sleep comfortably all through the night. If you are considering an adjustable bed, the first thing you should do is to find out if you are comfortable enough in an upright or inclined position to sleep in that position for an entire night. Adjustable beds are different than standard flat beds because they allow users to change the incline angle of the head of the bed and, in many cases, at the foot of the bed as well. Adjustable beds, after all, specifically offer the sort of comfort that some of us might particularly be in need of, especially those who are suffering from certain health conditions and who require special sleeping comforts that include an elevation for the head and feet. If you find yourself tossing and turning all night long on a standard flat mattress, and you find the slightly inclined position to be comfortable, an adjustable bed may be a good choice.
Futon Bed Mattress Futon beds are a popular choice for many consumers due to their flexibility of function. It is a unique style of mattress. A futon bed can be used during the day as a sofa and makes a great bed for sleeping on. Futon mattresses need a lot of care than conventional ones. There are some factors that have to be considered when buying futon mattresses.
For example, the heaviness of the mattress will determine the amount of effort required to transform the futon sofa into a bed. Spring Mattress A spring mattress forces your body to adapt to its shape, those springs are extremely stubborn! When buying a new spring mattress it is important to remember that you should buy a complete set. This means that not only should you buy a new mattress but purchase the accompanying box springs as well.
It is important to shop for and investigate the quality of the mattresses available on the market. It is important to remember that, as the consumer, you get what you pay for. Be sure that you like the feel of the mattress in the store.
Also, take into consideration the warranty on the bed. This is very important when buying a new mattress set. Most good brands come with 10 years of warranty. Before buying a top rated bed mattress make sure that the qualities of the mattress are what you require.
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. To learn more about other mattresses such as twin size mattress or rv mattress, visit mattress guru.


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text:
I Used to Write for Sports Illustrated. Now I Deliver Packages for Amazon.
There's a certain novelty, after decades at a legacy media company, in playing for the team that's winning big.
Austin Murphy
Author and longtime Sports Illustrated senior writer
Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
Holiday parties were right around the corner, and I needed a cover story. I didn't feel like admitting to casual acquaintances, or even to some good friends, that I drive a van for Amazon. I decided to tell them, if asked, that I consult for Amazon, which is loosely true: I spend my days consulting a Rabbit, the handheld Android device loaded with the app that tells me where my next stop is, how many packages are coming off the van, and how hopelessly behind I've fallen.
Let's face it, when you're a college-educated 57-year-old slinging parcels for a living, something in your life has not gone according to plan. That said, my moments of chagrin are far outnumbered by the upsides of the job, which include windfall connections with grateful strangers. There's a certain novelty, after decades at a legacy media company—Time Inc.—in playing for the team that's winning big, that's not considered a dinosaur, even if that team is paying me $17 an hour (plus OT!). It's been healthy for me, a fair-haired Anglo-Saxon with a Roman numeral in my name (John Austin Murphy III), to be a minority in my workplace, and in some of the neighborhoods where I deliver. As Amazon reaches maximum ubiquity in our lives ("Alexa, play Led Zeppelin"), as online shopping turns malls into mausoleums, it's been illuminating to see exactly how a package makes the final leg of its journey.
There's also a bracing feeling of independence that attends piloting my own van, a tingle of anticipation before finding out my route for the day. Will I be in the hills above El Cerrito with astounding views of the bay, but narrow roads, difficult parking, and lots of steps? Or will my itinerary take me to gritty Richmond, which, despite its profusion of pit bulls, I'm starting to prefer to the oppressive traffic of Berkeley, where I deliver to the brightest young people in the state, some of whom may wonder, if they give me even a passing thought: What hard luck has befallen this man, who appears to be my father's age but is performing this menial task?
Derek Thompson: Amazon's HQ2 spectacle isn't just shameful. It should be illegal.
The hero's journey, according to Joseph Campbell, features a descent into the belly of the beast: Think of Jonah in the whale, or me locked in the cargo bay of my Ram ProMaster on my second day on the job, until I figured out how to work the latch from the inside. During this phase of the journey, the hero becomes "annihilate to the self"—brought low, his ego shrunk, his horizons expanded. This has definitely been my experience working for Jeff Bezos.
During my 33 years at Sports Illustrated, I wrote six books, interviewed five U.S. presidents, and composed thousands of articles for SI and SI.com. Roughly 140 of those stories were for the cover of the magazine, with which I parted ways in May of 2017. Since then, as Jeff Lebowski explains to Maude between hits on a postcoital roach, "my career has slowed down a little bit."
This proved problematic when my wife and I decided to refinance our home. Although Gina, an attorney, earns plenty, we needed a bit more income to persuade lenders to work with us. It quickly became clear that for us to qualify, I would need more than occasional gigs as a freelance writer; I would need a steady job with a W-2. Thus did I find myself, after replying to an indeed.com posting for Amazon delivery drivers, emerging from an office-park lavatory a few miles from my house, feigning nonchalance as I handed a cup of urine to the attendant and bid him good day.
Little did I know, while delivering that drug-test sample, that this most basic of human needs—relieving oneself—would emerge as one of the more pressing challenges faced by all "delivery associates," especially those of us crowding 60. An honest recounting of this job must include my sometimes frantic searches for a place to answer nature's call.
To cut its ballooning delivery costs—money it was shelling out to UPS and FedEx—Amazon recently began contracting out its deliveries to scores of smaller companies, including the one I work for. Amazon trains us, and provides us with uniform shirts and hats, but not with a ride. Before 7 a.m., we report to a parking lot near the warehouse where we select a vehicle from our company's motley fleet of white and U-Haul vans.
I'm an Aries, so it stands to reason that I'm partial to Dodge Ram ProMasters. I like their profile and tight turning radius: That's key, since we make about 100 U-turns and K-turns a day. Problem is, most of the drivers in our company—there are about 40 of us—share my preference. The best vans go to drivers with seniority, even if they show up after I do. Before it was taken out of service for repairs, I was often stuck with a ProMaster that had issues: Side-view mirrors spiderwebbed; the left mirror held fast to the body of the van by several layers of shrink-wrap. The headlights didn't work unless flicked into "bright" mode, which means that when delivering after dark, I was blinding and infuriating oncoming motorists.
I drove that beast on my worst day so far. After a solid morning and early afternoon, I glanced at the Rabbit and sighed. It was taking me to that fresh hell that is 3400 Richmond Parkway, several hundred apartments set up in a mystifying series of concentric circles. The Rabbit's GPS doesn't work there, the apartment numbers are difficult to find, and the lady in the office informed me that I couldn't leave packages with her. She did, however, hand me a map resembling the labyrinth of ancient Greece. I spent an hour wandering, ascending flights of stairs that took me, usually, to the incorrect apartment. By now deep in the hole, with no shot at completing my appointed rounds for the day, I set a forlorn course for my next stop at the nearby Auto Mall. That's when I heard a thud-thud-thud from the area of my right front tire, which was so old and bald that it had begun to shed four- and five-inch strips of rubber, which were thumping against the wheel well.
Read: Amazon is invading your home with micro-convenience
Although it was only 4 p.m., I called it quits. Some days in the delivery biz, the bear eats you. But I got some perspective back at the lot, where a fellow driver named Shawn told me about the low point of his day. A woman had challenged him as he emerged from her side yard—where he'd been dropping a package, as instructed. "What are you stealing?"
"That sucks," I said. "I'm sorry that happened to you."
"It's cool," he told me. "I called her a bitch."
For both days of my safety training, I sat next to and befriended Will, who now shows up for work wearing every Amazon-themed article of clothing he can get his hands on: shirt, ball cap, Amazon beanie pulled over Amazon ball cap. I found that odd at first, but it makes good sense. If you're a black man and your job is to walk up to a stranger's front door—or, if the customer has provided such instructions, to the side or the back of the property—then yes, rocking Amazon gear is a way to protect yourself, to proclaim, "I'm just a delivery guy!"
That safety training, incidentally, is comprehensive and excellent. After two days in the classroom, all of us had to pass a "final exam." It wasn't a slam dunk. In my experience, however, some of the guidelines Amazon hammers home to us (seat belts must be worn at all times; the reverse gear is to be used as seldom as possible; driveways are not to be blocked while making deliveries) must be thrown overboard if we're going to come close to finishing our routes.
And there's the bathroom issue.
The Google search Amazon driver urinates summons a cavalcade of caught-in-the-act videos depicting poor saps, since fired, who simply couldn't hold it any longer. While their decision to pee in the side yard—or on the front porch!—of a customer is not excusable, it is, to those of us in the Order of the Arrow (my made-up name for Amazon delivery associates), understandable.
Before sending me out alone, the company assigned me two "ride-alongs" with its top driver, the legendary Marco, who went out with 280 packages the second day I rode shotgun with him, took his full lunch break, did not roll through a single stop sign, and was finished by sundown. Marco taught me to keep a lookout not just for porch pirates—lowlifes who swoop in behind us to pilfer packages—but also for portable toilets. In neighborhoods miles from a service station or any public lavatory, a Port-a-John, or a Honey Pot, can be no less welcome than an oasis in the desert. (The afternoon I leapt from the van and beelined to a Honey Pot, only to find it padlocked, was the closest I've come to crying on the job.)
Read: The authors who love Amazon
Delivering in El Sobrante one day, I popped into a convenience store on San Pablo Avenue. I bought an energy bar, but that was a mere pretext. "I wonder if I might use your lavatory," I asked the proprietor, a gentleman of Indian descent, judging by his accent, in a dapper beret.
A cloud passed over his face. "You make number one or two?"
"Just one!" I promised. He inclined his head toward the back of the store, in the direction of the "Employees only" bathroom.
After thanking him on my way out, I mentioned that I was new at Amazon, still figuring out restroom strategies.
"Amazon drivers, FedEx drivers, UPS, Uber, Lyft—everybody has to go."
But where? When no john can be found, when the delivery associate is denied permission to use the gas-station bathroom, he is sometimes left with no other choice than to repair to the dark interior of the cargo bay—the belly of the beast—with an empty Gatorade bottle.
It was late afternoon on a Monday when I may or may not have been forced to such an extreme. I was dispensing packages on Primrose Lane in Pinole, and I remember thinking, afterward: Aside from the fact that my checking account is overdrawn and I'm 30 deliveries behind and the sun will be down in an hour and I'm about to take a furtive whiz in the back of a van, life really is a holiday on Primrose Lane!
Pinole, incidentally, is the hometown of the ex–Miami Hurricanes quarterback Gino Torretta, a great guy who won the Heisman Trophy in 1992. I covered him then, and a few years later when he was playing for the Rhein Fire in the NFL's World League. Gino and I hoisted a stein or two at a beer hall in Düsseldorf. Some of the American players were having trouble enunciating the German farewell, auf Wiedersehen. To solve that problem, they would say these words as rapidly as possible: Our feet are the same!
Performing my new job, I'm frequently reminded of my old one, whether it's driving past Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, where I covered countless Pac-12 games, or listening to NFL contests during Sunday deliveries. I've talked and laughed with many of the players and coaches and general managers and owners whose names I hear.
Sitting in traffic one damp December morning, I turned on the radio to hear George W. Bush eulogizing his father. His speech was funny, rollicking, loving, and poignant. It was pitch-perfect. In the summer of 2005, after returning from the Tour de France—cycling was my beat during the reign of Lance Armstrong—I was invited, along with five other journalists, to ride mountain bikes with W. on his ranch in Crawford, Texas. The Iraq War was going sideways; 43 needed some positive press. I jumped at the chance, even though I loathed many of his policies. In person, Bush was disarming, charming, funny. (These days, compared with the current POTUS, he seems downright Churchillian.) I wrote two accounts, one for the magazine, another for the website. Got a nice note from him a couple weeks later.
Lurching west in stop-and-go traffic on I-80 that morning, bound for Berkeley and a day of delivering in the rain, I had a low moment, dwelling on how far I'd come down in the world. Then I snapped out of it. I haven't come down in the world. What's come down in the world is the business model that sustained Time Inc. for decades. I'm pretty much the same writer, the same guy. I haven't gone anywhere. My feet are the same.
When I'm in a rhythm, and my system's working, and I slide open the side door and the parcel I'm looking for practically jumps into my hand, and the delivery takes 35 seconds and I'm on to the next one, I enjoy this gig. I like that it's challenging, mentally and physically. As with the athletic contests I covered for my old employer, there's a resolution, every day. I get to the end of my route, or I don't. I deliver all the packages, or I don't.
That's what I ended up sharing with people at the first Christmas party of the season. It felt better, when they asked how I was doing, to just tell the truth.
This is also true: Gina and I got approved for that loan last week, meaning that our monthly outlay, while not so minuscule that it can be drowned in Grover Norquist's figurative bathtub, is now far more manageable, thanks in part to these daily journeys which I consider, in their minor way, heroic.
Austin Murphy is an author and longtime Sports Illustrated senior writer who recently delivered 279 parcels in one day