So, referring to my earlier prediction from a few weeks ago:

http://www.musiccitymiracles.com/2011/11/21/2578748/titans-buccaneers-point-spread-odds#83504460

We are now at the happy point along this path, seeing nothing but cheese. The next two weeks are likely to go as predicted as well, leaving us at 8-6 and still in playoff discussions. Then the spikey iron teeth of the trap close. The season ends with us being swept by an irrelevant jacksonville and a rudderless houston. 8-8 and in the lap of misery.

This is the evil fan sitting on my left shoulder. On my right shoulder, we win all the remaining except the NO game to go 10-6, and manage to grasp at least the wildcard slot. But the devil on my left whispered a couple of weeks ago, and in the glow of these past two wins and CJs resurgence, its fading words raise a shiver..... beware..... beware.....

Other than the fact it's really messy.

Continue reading this post »

So for real this time instead of my made up conversation in the other fanpost:

Tennessean article with CJs take

I'm not sure if anyone else posted this link already, and not sure how long the article has been up on their site, but it's the first time I've heard numbers straight from any party involved.  CJ asking for 13.5 per year, with 35 mill guaranteed.  Titans referenced as wanting in the 10 mill range annually, but it doesn't say anything about the guaranteed total they will tolerate.  I would think there has to be a sticking point on guaranteed total, because otherwise it doesn't seem that far apart to me.

I have it on good authority that this is how the conversation went.  Dudes, I am so seriously.

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Wow the NFL!  Lockout is over!  We Win!  etc.

Hall of Fame game canceled (no surprise there).  Still union re-certification grumbling.  I couldn't care less about the player's union, just get this show on the road already.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d820e3984/article/owners-ok-new-labor-agreement-focus-now-on-players-vote?module=HP11_cp

Drinks for everyone.  We don't have to sit on our couches and stare at a blank wall for five months.

This is not a sports-related fanpost, so I'm probably breaking some rules here, but rules were made to be broken.

With all the discussion of VY as Voldemort (started by the "he whose name shall not be mentioned" phrase), I wondered who our favorite villains are.  So I ask you, who is your favorite sports villain, and who is your favorite movie villain.

I'll happily start things off.

Favorite Sports Villain (currently): 

via upload.wikimedia.org

hate that guy.

And favorite movie villain could only be:

via www.the-games-blog.com

Ah, the bye.

A time to rest up, heal, see family, re-energize.  What could possibly go wrong with a bye week?  Put yourselves in the shoes of an NFL player with a week off from the stressful regular season, and let's see what you can get up to.

Well, you could go to a nightclub and feel the need to spit your drink all over a woman's face.  Then flee from the club, only to be tackled by pursuing police officers.  Circa Larry Johnson, October 2008, during a bye week, benched for the following game against guess who?  Us.  So if you're an AFC player not on a team with a flaming thumbtack on your helmet, please feel free.  You didn't really like that drink, anyway.

Another way to meet members of your local law enforcement is to get drunk and stand in the middle of traffic on a busy street so you can talk to a girl on the curb, as Danny Ware of the Giants did in 2008 during his bye week.  I can personally sympathize with this one.  Talking to the girl on the curb is clearly way more important than those people going from point A to point B.  What was wrong with point A anyway?

Or, you could gleefully twitter "Bye week!  bye week bye week bye week!", then rush out to get stinking drunk, end up shirtless after taking a swim in a city canal and announce to responding officers  "I am drunk!", and claim you got wet in a rainstorm.  Circa 2010, Pat McAfee of the Colts.  The stress of NFL punting was undoubtedly to blame.

For simplicity, just get drunk and fall asleep in a Chevy Impala.  Oh, be sure to park it in an intersection first.  Marcus Johnson, Bucs, 2009 bye week.

If simplicity is just not your thing, and you really want to share your buy week, how about flying in a bunch of prostitutes from various cities, stocking up on sex toys, and renting a couple of charter boats for yourself and hip teammates?  Yup, that was a 2005 Vikings buy week.  Fred Smoot was the player who needed so desperately to unwind.  No cocaine, though.  Amateur.

So, Tennessee Titans, know your enemy.  Have a very, very boring bye week gentlemen.

The bleacher report complains that Kenny Britt's remarkable performance Sunday was snubbed by ESPN Monday Night Football's "Fastest 3 Minutes", the segment they run during halftime of highlights for the weeks games.

Article

I didn't catch the half time show last night, but if they didn't give any time at all to the Titans game, then what the what?  Wasn't it the most yards for a single receiver this year?  Gimme a break!

It's interesting to me that Gregg Easterbrook, who writes TMQ for ESPN page 2, has not only been harping for years about the NFL's "mostly hot air" approach to concussions and how helmet spears are rarely flagged, he's also been blasting his own employer for how their announcers and journalists cover such hits.

Here's one of his weekly articles from last month where he devoted most of his space to the subject:

I know this was a pretty regular topic for him all last season as well, although at that time he was mostly focusing on helmet improvements and mouthpieces.

Personally, I think on this particular type of hit I favor much stricter enforcement.  I love the violence of football, but I don't need to see a guy unconscious on the field.  Plenty of exciting collisions occur without the need to spear a guy with a helmet.

So whaddaya you guys think - much stiffer penalties and suspensions for intentionally leading with helmet good, or bad?

This bleacher report article flaming Cecil has some familiar debate in the comments.  I would disagree that the Titans are "spending money" on defense at this point, though.  They are not exactly breaking the bank.  I"m happy for the added depth / camp competition but it's more like a modest trickle of money.

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If Jimmy is rooting for you.

Teams being cheered by Jimmy are all out of the playoffs:  the Packers, the Eagles, the Patriots, and the Bengals.  Who will be cursed next?  It's impossible for me to imagine Jimmy rooting for either the Colts or Baltimore.  But he may be jinxing some of the other remaining teams....

My preferences to win next week:

Colts (I hate Baltimore way more than Indy)

Dallas (Enough of Favre already)

New Orleans (newness factor)

Jets (Chargers are among my most loathed teams in the NFL)

This week's TMQ is a fun read as usual...

Continue reading this post »

Playoffs!!!??? Playoffs?  Are you kidding me?  Playoffs?

Well, if the TItans keep winning the ghost of Mora past will be with us for awhile.  Today the entire AFC North lost, which was good for us (sorry Colts haters) because three of the four teams in that division were in front of us in the playoff line.  All three of those teams are still in front of us, but are now one game closer.

As soon as we lose a game, this is pretty much all moot, but so far the weekend has shaped up pretty well for us.  If only the Bills could have managed to have a peak against the Jaguars, but no such luck...

There have been several posts lately regarding how VY contributes to our running game.  One argument as to why our running backs might have an easier life with VY is that the defense is having to watch out for the scramble.  Easterbrook, who writes the Tuesday Morning Quarterback article weekly for ESPN's page 2 has another angle.  Below is an excerpt, but the whole article is fun.  Always have enjoyed his column, and the cheerleader pics don't hurt.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/091103&sportCat=nfl

Even granted a D-coord change and loss of a key DT, how could the 13-3 Titans of last year turn around this year and set  a 30 year record with an epic 59-0 loss to the Patriots.  With -7 passing yards to boot!

The only answer is that they mailed it in.  I see two ways that happens.  First, the Titans have given up on the season and have no confidence in coaching staff or team management, and just didn't have the heart to play.  Second, they wanted to seal the deal on coaching changes and purposely threw a game in a dramatic way.  If you're going to throw one, what team is going to take advantage of the openings you give them and run up the score more than the Patriots?  And easy to drop passes and fumble with all that snow around.  Oops.  It slipped.

Personally, to lose as historically as they did yesterday, I think the second is more likely.  Although it requires a conspiracy theory to believe it, I'd almost rather believe that they did it on purpose.

In any case, either scenario, doesn't matter, I'm pretty certain that this is Coach Fisher's last year here, for better or worse.

Since this season is pretty much a train wreck for us, I'm curious which other teams Titans fans are rooting for.  In a season where the Titans suck, I usually adopt a team to root for temporarily.  This year I'm rooting for Detroit and Miami.  Detroit because they've been so awful for so long it's funny, and also the Schwartz factor.  Miami because their games are a blast to watch;  it's like they're not even playing the same game the opponent is.  Yeah, yeah, you guys do whatever you want, we're going to field 3 running backs, 2 tight ends, 5 offensive lineman, and a Rastafarian.

Wow, the ads on MCM are getting a bit much.  All that stuff in the sidebars and right hand column, header etc. is starting to make me dizzy.  Can we contribute a yearly membership fee (optional) and make it stop?  Not a huge deal, but it does distract from the content.

Also, don't know if others have noticed, but if you leave a firefox browser on MCM for awhile, it locks up your browser.  Smells like a memory leak, probably javascript.  I'm not sure if it's platform specific;  I'm on a mac.

Well,

At least it's possible on this list anyway:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/alltime/leaders?cat=passyards

I knew KC was an old fart for an NFL QB, but I didn't realize how far up this list he was.  14th in passing yards all time.  A couple of good seasons, heck one outstanding season, and he'll pass up Joe.  Argh!  Look who's at number 1!!  Make him go away!  'course that guy is probably #1 on the all time interceptions list.

I'm surprised that Testaverde is shown as inactive on this list.  I figured he was still playing for somebody ;-).

The off-season seemed to go pretty well for the Titans, barring the McNair tragedy.  I liked most of the moves made.  Losing Albert was a bit of a bummer, but when you take the money into account, it was inevitable.  Coaches stayed stable except for D-coord, and I like Chuckie.  A bit shy with media and in person, more so than the Schwartz, but I'm sure he's just as intense a coach as he was a player.  Draft class seems promising.  Now after the first pre-season game I continue to be impressed.  Nate Washington looks like he could be huge for us, and Titans have epic bad luck in the WR department, whether it's draft of FA signing.  The fact that NW may actually work out for us is a bit mind bending.  Even if Britt slams a car door on his hand this weekend, or ruins his hamstring getting out of a hot tub, it still looks good for the receiving corps.  I'm sure the running game will be there, the passing offense looks to be better, and I think the secondary will be better.  D-line is the only thing that gives me much hesitation, and that's prob gonna be pretty solid too, if not quite as good as last year.  VY is still surrounded with controversy, but this year it's only controversy surrounding a backup.  Unless Kerry slips on a banana peel, it's page two stuff - a side-show.

So therefore, clearly, something really bad is going to happen.  With all these positive signs, there's a snake in the grass somewhere.  Will the players go on strike in the middle of the season?  WIll Fisher shave his 'stache causing a five game losing streak?  WIll Kerry Collins start dating Jessica Simpson?  Will T-Rac, the most deadly mascot in the NFL, run a cart over Chris Johnson's foot?  I dunno, but all this good karma is gonna boomerang and bite us in the ass somewhere.

"To be honest, it really wasn't a lot of major diet change. Really watching what I drink. I was a big Patron consumer and that's what it was," White said. "I was drinking a lot, I drank a lot of alcohol. I cut that out of my diet all the way, I don't drink at all, I stopped drinking for six months and the weight it just started falling off. It's a tremendous difference and I feel it in my body."  -- from Tennessean article today.

He don' wanna get drunk?  Stupidest song lyrics ever, more power to him.

I've had comcast cable and an HD TV for awhile now.  The primary reason I splurged on the HD set in the first place was to see Titans in high def glory, and it was well worth it.

AT&T is now trying to get me to switch to their "U-verse" service.  Are any Titans fans here already on this service, and how do you like it if so?  I'm assuming they have all the local network channels in High Def.  That would be a show stopper for me otherwise.

Comcast for Titans games has been OK.  I've noticed some "picture freezing" during games sometimes, but i've never been sure if that was the broadcast or if it was a cable issue.

Not exactly a Titans post, but i figure local sports fans would be one of the best sources to find out about this services quality....

Or whatever the "both jump up and bump into each other" celebration is called.  After Kerry's third TD throw, VY come over and gives him a little jump and thump, but Kerry didn't move at all and ended up getting an elbow in the face-mask.  Then Kerry puts his arms out as if to say "dude, what are you hitting me for?".  (anybody got a pic?)

VY can learn a lot from Kerry, but clearly Kerry needs some hip celebration edjumacation.

rebroke the same arm injured last year.  Channel 5 reporting out about six weeks, so they could have him back in the post-season.

So do we have a depth problem at CB now?  Hopefully Nick Harper will be back soon.  I'm not sure how much longer he is expected to be out.  Chris Carr certainly started playing better as the game against the jags went on.  I feel bad vibes with Reynaldo Hill.

A few years ago, T-Rac drove a golf cart into Saints backup qb Adrian McPherson (hopefully by accident).  The saints released him, effectively ending his career.  I don't think the subsequent lawsuit has been settled yet.

Today at the packers game,  fireworks from T-racs cart hit the camera of a channel 4 reporter, burning the microphone.  The reporter grabbed at the foam covering the mike and ended up with 2nd degree burns.

Those dastardly racoons!

Gregg Easterbrook's Tuesday Morning Quarterback is one of my favorite weekly reads during the football season, and in this week's edition he includes the following pic with caption:

"We allowed three touchdowns in the final 4:14. We must be the Houston Texans."

via assets.espn.go.com

The Moo Cows are having a frustrating season so far, no doubt.  Things are bound to get better for them.  If Sage Rosemary Thyme doesn't try to go airborne, they are probably looking at a big upset there.  I think they've only beaten the Colts once before?

We resigned him today.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081006/SPORTS01/81006049/1027

Looks like it was just an emergency roster move for the one game only.  I figured (incorrectly obviously) that we were letting him go so some desperate team could grab him as a starter.  So the quarterback controversy that we have in our slow cooker now has three ingredients again instead of just two.  Should taste really interesting by the end of the season.

I haven't seen very much coverage in the past weeks about how Chris is coming along learning the playbook / getting settled in.

by Don Banks.  It's a decent (and complimentary) article, but I don't like the bit on page two about Scwhartz being the hottest head coaching commodity next offseason.  It'd be nice to keep both coordinators at least one more season.

SI Article

He quotes Jim as saying "You know what we are? We are the quintessential whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.'  I'm not sure about that.  Albert is a pretty big part.

via i2.cdn.turner.com

Reasons why your team won't make the playoffs on Fox Sports:

Fox Sports Article

First, it bugs me cause it's by definition an entirely negative article.  Second, the Titans entry is ludicrous:

Tennessee Titans. The Titans' offense depends too much on Vince Young. This will be his third NFL season, and teams are learning how to neutralize him. Once he's out of the equation the Titans will be out of the Playoff picture.

WTF?  Did the author not even bother to research anything at all?  We did make the playoffs last year, and I don't think anyone in their right mind would name the reason as being "Vince Young's remarkable play".  I'm not sure they could've written anything more stupid if they'd tried.  That entry might have made sense if it had been published a year ago.  It would have been wrong, but at least it might have been credible.

I hate sports editorials.  Blogs like this have infinitely better content than commercial sports editorials.  Rant off!