Happy Thanksgiving

Turkey Week

So now we've got our ridiculous on.

Week 12 is an ugly memory, but not for everyone. Once again, a mighty wind blows from the direction of Camp Gullo as he runs off with this week's trophy. This makes three times this year. One more win and he has to take this thing over next year.

Meanwhile, some people can't think of a better way to commemorate the pardoning of a Thanksgiving turkey than by conducting a TV interview in front of a turkey grinding machine, and the market drops 500 points every time Hank Paulson takes an Advil. And I guess I don't need to mention to Pack fans that above is what Drew Brees saw every time he read the Packers' defense. Except the Atari 2600 guys are a little faster than our Atari.

It's enough to make you want a drink.

CONVENIENTLY (you knew this was next), I can help you with that. If you are free tomorrow night, take the edge off with a few of your co-conspirators at a little happy hour at Hotel Metro, 411 E. Mason Street, starting around 6:30 or 7-ish. There are two bars at Metro, one on the top floor and one on the bottom. If the top is open, we'll be there. If not, we're on the bottom level. If we're in neither place, it means you're running very late.

So to recap: Ridiculous. Bill Gullo congrats. Atari. Nadine/Joe winning overall. Jerry Z looking at Roo award. Happy hour.

Peace out and have a great Thanksgiving.

Ponch says...

"Ahem. Your picks are due Thursday by about 5 p.m., due to yet another (get used to it) mid-week game. Pittsburgh and somebody. This means you!"

The Good and The Bad

Sunday was great. After the warm fuzzy of a kickin' Packer victory subsided, the attention of this household turned to that make-believe football stuff we do.

Kelly's not happy. After her white-knuckle trip home last night, she reminded me that her once-dominant overall lead has followed a Dow Jones-like trajectory over the last few weeks. She is now on the wrong end of a six point gap to the regular contenders (and perhaps skillful short-sellers) the Sanderseseses.

I'm not happy either. Those of you who play fantasy football know this truth. If your bench nearly outscores your starters, there are two possibilities. One is that yours is the strongest team in the league. If that is not the case, and it most definitely is not with me, then the other possibility is that it is time to take your unparalleled management skills to, say, maybe the Chrysler Corporation.

My god. They have a club for these things.

With this in mind, I swapped football for basketball last evening at the Bradley Center, where not only did Marquette defeat Chicago State, but the NCAA revealed its new pay-by-the-foul referee compensation system. The game concluded just in time for breakfast this morning, which may explain why this update is so late.

Last but not least: one guy who must be happy this week is Paul Seifert, of the Waukesha Seiferts, who held off Kristen Kaz and the aforementioned Team Sanders for the weekly jackpot. Congratulations to Paul. Your economic stimulus check from Smoove will be in the mail shortly.

Have a good week.

Reminder

Just a friendly reminder to get your picks in by 5 p.m. (CST) on THURSDAY. Jets at Patriots Thursday night.

Week 10 goes to 11.

Musings from Weak Week 10 in football:

Whenever a football player flops or otherwise exaggerates a minor shove in hopes of drawing a penalty flag, Tony Kornheiser (and other barely-qualified color commentators) inform us that "that should have gotten an Academy Award!" No it shouldn't. If they clearly see that a flop took place, the acting by definition must have been terrible.

So the Cardinals are a decent team, it seems. However, their long-suffering fans tonight seem a little puzzled about how to handle it. A few have face paint, some are looking for Rod Tidwell, and the rest are getting all up in the camera and mouthing the words "Yeah baby! Number....number.....uh, one? One! Number one baby!"

Hyphenated last names are all the rage in the NFL these days. Therefore I ask that you refer to me as Joe Wiesner-Tufnel for the rest of the season, which I think is fitting, because this football pool goes to 11. As does Kelly's overall lead, which she maintains, but her margin has shrunk considerably.



Dreadlocks are in too, I noticed. Anyone want to give that a shot? Mr Tulloch?

Alright, I'm stalling. Didn't want to deal with Mason Crosby's "plenty of leg but wide right", but there it is. There's only minimal comfort in knowing that in this NFC North, the Detroit Lions might just be in this thing at the end.

Props, congratulations, and kudos to Aaron "10-4 Good Buddy" Lytle on his victory this week. I don't get to see Aaron nearly often enough, but he and lovely wife Erika were here this weekend and it occurred to him that he had not paid his entry fee yet. "Well" he said, "this'll be the weekend that I win." Now, for those of you who haven't yet anted up, that has NEVER worked before so don't get any ideas.

Have a great week, everyone.

Friggin' NFL Network Season Begins

It was just called to my attention that there is a game tomorrow night, Thursday. Denver at Cleveland (tip o' the hat to James Peters for the reminder). That means picks are due by dinnertime tomorrow...don't wait!

Good night and good luck.

Today's Headlines

Today was a day of the long and trying variety. It was not helped at all by Toyota and their gratuitous abuse of what once was an okay song. They should consider switching to this one:



Or maybe the line "I'm used to the lies they're selling me" doesn't move Tundras. Fun to try once, though.

In other news (news you actually do care about):

Joel Van Kylen takes first for the first time since the last week of the season before last. Did you get all that? Congratulations to JVK.

For the politically curious, voting has just concluded in Dixville Notch, NH: Obama 15, McCain 6.

For the politically insatiable, Yahoo Answers wants you to read about the 2012 election.

Please tell me you didn't click on that link. I will turn this car around right now.

Pete Graber has come between my wife and me. Damn you Pete Graber! Kelly's overall lead shrinks a bit, to 25.

Bill Gullo did NOT win this week. An investigation is pending.

Everyone, have a great week.