I've made my choice on who I want to win Super Bowl XLII.  Strangely, it's a team that wears red, white, and blue.  (Both the New York Football Giants and the New England Patriots wear those colors).

 

In all seriousness, I have several reasons for rooting for each team:

 

Giants:

 

1). Blood is thicker than the last Manning commercial.  It's funny, but last year, we saw alot of Peyton Manning during the Super Bowl.  That's not including the commercials in between the game.  This year, we'll see his little brother Eli on the main stage, and Peyton will have to take a back seat (or if Eli is having a bad day, the roles might be switched).

 

2). Michael Strahan and Jeff Feagles' last hurrahs.  Michael Strahan (who I consider to be a really funny guy with some of the commercials I've seen him in) is one of the best defensive players to play the game.  Jeff Feagles has been punting footballs for twenty seasons, and is in his first Super Bowl.  I couls see both retire on top (more on that with my New England spiel).

 

3). I grew up as a Miami Dolphins fan as a kid, and still root for them as my AFC team.  The 1-15 season was painful for me.  I was an infant when they went 17-0.  I want to see the members of that team continue to send out champange to the team that beats the last remaining undefeated team.  Now granted, the Pats ran the table on the season, and 'broke' 17-0 against San Diego.  This is uncharted territory for the NFL. More on that in a moment. 

 

However, there is one game left to play.

 

Patriots:

 

1). Blood is thicker than the last Manning commercial.  My mother is from the New England region, and I have relatives living there.  With the Boston Red Sox breaking the curse, and winning the last two out of three World Series, why not?  Now the NBA Celtics and NHL Bruins might as well start kicking ass.

 

2). Junior Seau's last hurrah.  Like Michael Strahan, he has waited to win the Big One.  Like Strahan, he lost in a blowout in a Super Bowl.  Heck, he retired in 2006, but Bill Belichick called him.  And he's reaping the benefits of that call to go play again. He, like Strahan, is a first ballot Hall of Famer, in my book.  Of all the (football reasons), if New England runs the table, this is the one guy I will be happy for.

 

3). Immortality.  All year, I've been rooting against this team (see #3 above), but as a sports fan in general, this is not a bad thing, either.  Records are meant to be broken.  Granted, I was angered with the Spygate thing earlier in the season, and the running up the score in much of the season.  However, even though I was rooting against them throughout, this team continued to find a way to win, even in squeakers.

 

Personally, I'm leaning towards the Giants, but I think I've given good argument for accepting the Pats, if they run the table.

All I can say is, wow.  I was originally going to place this under my movies file, but I decided not to.  This is truly personal.

 

Several weeks ago, Harry Knowles from AintItCoolNews announced that Sylvester Stallone would answer questions from fans.  This weekend is the release of Rambo.  I haven't seen it yet, but I plan on going this weekend.

 

Last year, up to the weeks leading to the release of Rocky Balboa, Sly answered questions from fans.  Some became very personal, same with this round of questions.

 

Marge has seen the email I sent to Harry for this round of questions.  To give you an idea of what I wrote:

 

I started the email with how I still own my copy of David Morrell's First Blood.  Trust me folks.  This novel was written in 1972, and the themes run true today.  If I were a history teacher, this one would be on my reading list.  It is that relevant. If you can find a copy (I still have my 1982 copy that is totally beat up), read it.  It's very different from the film, but it touches on so many themes that are important in our times.  It's brutal, but one of the best books written.

 

So now you are probably asking:

 

WHAT DID YOU ASK SLYLVESTER STALLONE??

 

I'm only going to give you the one that was posted:

 

1. Between the two immortal characters you have portrayed, which is your favorite and why? I am a huge fan of both of them.

1.) That’s a tough question. One really taps into the philosophical side, which is Rocky, and that character can speak freely and it’s a very rare situation when your alter ego can be exposed like that. I’ll never have that experience again. Imagine being able to inhabit a character for thirty years. It’s a freak occurrence. So he would be my favorite, but Rambo taps into something I believe all men harbor inside, which is a sense of indignation and isolation that usually has to be resolved through physical endeavors but in the end there is no satisfaction because the price that is paid is too intense and destructive. So Rambo is destined to live his life in solitude.

This is rather funny (not a ha-ha funny) thing to me, because when I wrote that particular question, this was exactly the answer I expected.

 

Ying/Yang.

 

Good vs. Evil.

 

Scott P

 

Brookings, South Dakota

I simply do not know what to say.

 

We've lost a talent.  I don't have much time to comment on this loss of a breakout star.  I need to process this one.

Well now.  This is perhaps the most surprising Super Bowl since the ugliness of Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh two years ago.

 

However, unlike that game, I don't expect it to be ugly.  The championship games last night were ugly.

 

The difference maker in the San Diego-New England game was the fact that San Diego's best player, RB LaDanian Tomilison was gone after a couple of plays.  He simply could NOT play.  Injuries kept him out after the first few times he tried to play.  QB Philip Rivers was also injured, but played his heart out.

 

New England QB Tom Brady didn't play the best game in the world, but still got the job done.

 

Then, there was the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field.  At kickoff, it was -1F with a windchill of -24.    This means that, well it's damned cold.  It was said in pre-game that the passing game would not be a factor, and that both the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers would run the ball.  That's conventional wisdom.

 

That was completely thrown out the window.  The first half was a slingfest, except that Eli Manning (little brother to Peyton) faired much better throughout the game.  Brett Fqavre's only real shining moment in the game was a pass to WR Donald Driver that went 90 yards.

 

On defense, cornerback Al Harris (considered one of the best in the business) got manhandled, which is uncharacteristic of him.

 

Even the kicking game had its comedy and redemption.  Lawrence Tynes, the kicker missed two crucial field goal attempts before overtime occurred.  In overtime, he kicks a 47 yard field goal to send the Giants to the Super Bowl.

 

So now we have David vs. Goliath Round 4.  The dragon slayers vs. the Perfectionists.  The "Wrong Manning" vs. The Usual Suspects.

 

I'm rooting for the Giants to win.  Give me two weeks of media blitz and analysis for me to sift through.  But I want a spoiler.

 

 

 

The Blue Man Group (formally known as the New York (Football) Giants)) face the Green Bay Packers at the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field.

 

Can little brother Eli Manning slay the Immortal Brett Favre?

 

Will The Eye of Saurun lose focus and be defeated the injured Hobbits at the Black Door of Mordor?  Or will will the quest for The One Ring (*cough* Gollum, Gollum *cough*) rule them all be one step closer to being complete? (*cough* GOLLUM GOLLUM *cough*)

 

 

I'd love an upset here.  There IS a Luke Skywalker quality to this game.  QB Phillip Rivers is hurt, and wants to play.  The best RB in the league LT (LaDanian Tomilison) is injured. Fullback Antonio Gates is injured.  The problem is New England QB Tom Brady has way too many options with Wes Welker and Randy Moss, among MANY others.

 

Then again, Neo beat The Matrix last weekend in a suprise win.  I would not (repeat NOT) be surprised if San Diego wins.

 

 

Unless New England loses, this game is the major story in my book.  The Giants and Packers were not expected to go anywhere this year.  It was supposed to be the end of Brett Favre's career.  This year is the first year that he has outright said that hey MAY play again.  That would rock.  This, IMHO (no bias) is the game to really watch.

 

Eli Manning has lived under the shadow of his brother, Peyton.  All week, it has been said the wrong Manning is going to the Super Bowl.  If New York wins, as a little brother, I will root for my kindred spirit.  I would laugh if he is considered a Giant slayer if he goes all the way.

 

 

 

Alternatively, if San Diego beat the Pats, history will be made.  Same if New England wins, because they would be 18-0.  This is new territory for the NFL in a single season.

 

Weather is going to be hell for both games.  Snowglobe/Frozen Tundra for Green Bay.  Just plain damn cold in New England.

 

To quote Chris Berman from ESPN:

 

That's why they play the game.

 

I have extremely mixed emotions on this, considering that The Mitchell Report named Chuck Knoblauch in it.  That's what truly broke my heart, because he used to be a Twin.

 

Thursday, I became a child in awe again.  Dammit, I wish I had my Kirby ball with me.

 

See, I didn't know they were coming.  Had I read our in-house paper, I would have prepared myself.  I would have brought my Kirby ball to get signed.

 

They held a press conference at a place where I walk daily.

 

I missed the first few minutes of the conference, but I was very surprised that we could mingle briefly with them.

 

Manager Ron Gardenhire:

 

He reminds me of my boss.  Same height and build.  Commanding presence.  Very genuine.  Open and humble. As much as I would have like to have spoken to him more, he had the media to deal with.  I respected that.  Firm handshake.  He is a true man, IMHO.

 

Pat Neshek:  Intimidating.  Nice guy, IMHO.  I wouldn't want to have him throw a ball at me.  He was the last of the three I spoke to, as the conference time was winding down.  Of the three, I think he sensed my doubt and frustrations, since he is an active player.  I looked him the eye.  It's wierd, because I think he knew I had doubts.  But he could tell I wanted to believe again in the sport.

 

I spoke to batting coach Joe Vavra the most.  Mostly, because I felt comfortable with him, and that I dropped a name of a MLB pitcher I met once, because I roomed with his brother in college.  He said that Jon Lieber is underrated.

 

Am I a baseball fan again?  I'm in the minors as far as loving.

 

If Barry and Roger admit, will I truly love baseball again.

 

Meeting the Twins gives me faith.

 

Damn, I love my job.

This is my first post of 2008 since wishing y'all Happy New Year.

 

Today had a very surprising twist for me at work, because I received public praise for basically just doing my job.

 

A few days ago, I had set up a computer for a customer in a prompt and timely manner.  He also had another computer in his area that was not running very well (his group uses some high end software), and he wished to replace that system with his old desktop.  I told him, I'd like to take it to clean it up, but he said his group has been short on working systems.  I compromised, and said that I will do some cleanup to the system on-site in the morning (it was getting close to quitting time).

 

I arrive early to work, because of how my schedule works, so I checked my email, and then made my way to the customer's area.  Surprisingly, he had the sick computer unhooked, and his old computer hooked up in that space.  So I logged into the computer to run defrag and scandisk, and other tools I normally run and use to help clean up a computer without reloading it.  He arrives, and says that there was a piece of software that I not updated properly.  I told him that I would take care of it, if he gave me a few minutes to work on it.

 

While the software was doing its thing, I asked him to tell me which user profiles were no longer needed on his old computer.  Occasionally, people have logged onto it, when needed.  We spent five minutes determining who no longer needed to be on it (including a couple of help desk tech profiles).  I also noticed a piece of software that our security team has determined to be inappropriate, and informed him that it was a security risk.  He said that several people in his group have loaded it, but he will inform them to remove it promptly.

 

I informed him once I was finished doing what I was supposed to do, that if he had any questions, to contact me, or the help desk with any issues.

 

This morning, after making my usual rounds of dropping off hardware, I check my email.  In my inbox, I had an email from my overall group head.  Usually, she forwards them to our group to show appreciation for people doing superb jobs.  When I opened it, I was surprised to see it was me being singled out for doing a fine job.

 

The secret is:  I was just doing my job.  Considering how fast my job description has changed since I started work, the immense pressure for me the last few months because of it, I feel damned good.

 

My boss' supervisor asked me if I saw the email when I was asking him something about another matter that I was semi-coordinating with him.  I told him that I just saw it a few minutes before, and he asked me exactly what I did.  I explained to him the above, and he thanked me for basically just being me.