NFL Week 12: Macau

It's time for the tried and true escape destination for us while we live in China - and that, of course, is Macau! Like that's a surprise to anyone who remotely knows me. We just got back from another long weekend in Macau - landed Friday from India to meet the family, and then left today. As always, it's a great escape from the drudgery of mainland China life.

The kids usually have some random Thu/Fri or Monday off in the fall - and for those 3 day weekends, we head on down to Macau. I still have specific memories of watching Browns games in the hotel room at the Venetian:
2010: a painful OT loss to the Jets
2011: a barnburner 6-3 win over the Seahawks
2012: a classic come from ahead OT loss to the Cowboys.

I think I have been to Macau at least 12-15 times; we go at least twice a year with the family; I'll meet Wiz down there when we visits (3 times so far) or if my friend Ken comes in (twice), and then I've been down a few other times (40th birthday, Xmas shopping...). We've taken both sets of parents down there.

The first 2-3 times we visited, we never left the Venetian. A typical day was McDonald's for breakfast, Fatburger for lunch and then either room service or the Hard Rock café for dinner. The day would be either mini golf and swimming at the pool (on the fabulous 36 hole mini golf course at the Venetian), or shopping and the Qube play area (complete with 8 foot slides).

As soon as Martin got older, we decided to leave him in the room with F&W, and Janice and I went to Morton's....and that's now a staple of our trip. (and, of course, the Gin Martini for Janice...)

After a few visits, we got brave enough to actually leave the Venetian and Cotai strip to see the rest of the island.... like:
- the St Mary's cathedral downtown (on black-and-white cobblestone streets)
- The "old" Portuguese consulate, a pastel estate in the middle of the crowded Macau streets;
(but we still haven't made it to the premier historical landmark, St Paul's cathedral front, from the 1600s)
- the "House of Dancing Water" show (where the management says 10 times before the show that cameras are not allowed....and the first picture was taken by a spectator at 0:02 into the show)
- the Macau Grand Prix
- and, of course, my CBS This Morning appearance!
- a "CSI" exhibition in the Sheraton across the street where we could feel like a real CSI detective....which caused us to watch CSI marathons for 4 weeks after that
- and, for this trip's adventure, the Science Center.

On the first several visits, we had to pass through the main gate from the Mainland to Macau - a border you can walk over. This immigration gate was the terminus for 37,294 bus tours from China daily.....it can take you 30 minutes or 3 1/2 hours to get across the border. A new gate has opened up that is much closer to the Venetian; the first trip down there took us 3 1/2 hours....from leaving our house to get into the hotel room at the Venetian.

I've talked about the gambling many times here....and it still is impressive. This trip I saw someone win a HK$600,000 tie bet in Baccarat- that paid $6.4MM!!! There were only three staffers around the table when that payout was made.....which tells you how "in stride" they take those sort of bets. I have never been in the VIP rooms, but I can assure you that the bets made in there are 10x that size.

(Oh- the three staffers around the table? That was the same amount of people that watched Janice and another P&G friend (Carin) play baccarat at the $800 tables, the lowest available minimum....I don't think they get too many native Ohio women to play at the Venetian. Of course, I taught her husband Baccarat the day before....)


This was also the weekend of the big fight between Pacquiao and Rios; unfortunately, we were trying to head to the buses today at 1:30 pm, just as the fight was letting out. Here's what we had to take 3 kids, 2 suitcases and 4 bags through.

So many experiences of Macau so far - like memories of our oldest rivals, the Steelers. God I hate them and their fans. Please, Rob, let's beat at home. I have several memories of 41-0 blowouts where the Cleveland Stadium was full of fans waving those piss colored towels. Let's beat them up good.

And to get you hyped, I urge all readers to watch this...20 years ago.....if this doesn't give you chills, then get the hell off the blog......I still vividly remember this (especially the second return).
(And Collinsworth was doing the game? Wow....)

On to the games:

Det 34, TB 17. Tampa won their 2 at home, now going on the road against an angry Detroit team. I don't think Tampa can stop them.

Hou 23, Jax 20. These picks were sent in before my friend Mike (who we met in Macau) was able to stop me from taking the Jags.

GB 27, Min 17. I think the Pack defense will stop the Vikes and Ponder just enough.

KC 23, SD 13. Yes, I will bite on this sucker pick.

Mia 16, Car 13. "Sell high" - that's what I am doing with Carolina. They will have a letdown here.

StL 24, Chi 20. I can't figure any of these teams out.

Bal 27, NYJ 20.  The Jets are one-dimensional and I have to believe the Ravens will take advantage of that at home.

Ten 26, Oak 24. One of these teams will still be in the wild card race after this??

Az 31, Ind 20. I think the Cards are for real, especially at home.

Dal 30, NYG 17. The Giants, on their win streak, have beaten Josh Freeman, Matt Barkley, Terrelle Pryor and Scott Tolzien. Enough said.

NE 27, Den 24. I can't turn down points with the Pats at home.

SF 27, Was 16. After watching the Browns for 15 years since 99, I know when bad teams start to quit. And the Skins are resemebling that.

Best bets: 14 of them. Last week: 6-7-2; overall: 80-76-5
Det -8
Jax +10
GB -5 1/2
KC -3 1/2
SD/KC under 43
Mia +4 1/2
Car/Mia under 41
NYJ/Bal over 39
Ten/Oak over 41 1/2
Az -3
Ind/Az over 45
Dal +2 1/2
NE +2 1/2
SF -5 1/2

Supercontest: Last week: 3-1-1; overall: 27-25-3
Jax +10
GB -5
Mia +4
Dal +2 1/2
SF -5 1/2