NFL Week 8: Law And Order

For those of you who have been following my twitter account, I re-tweeted another apology from the NFL on a key call that went against the Browns. Last week (against the Bucs) was the head to head hit against Baker; a flag was thrown but then ultimately picked up after a lengthy discussion. Head referee Shaun Hochuli (yes, Ed's son) said that since Bake was a runner, he was not protected and head to head hits on him were legal.

Um, what?

The NFL had to issue an apology this week on this incorrect call and explanation. This is getting old. We had the false start non-call vs. the Chargers (a call that led to the Line Judge getting fired, mid-season, a first for the NFL in 50 years) and the Derek Carr strip that was ruled down in the Oakland game.

How do all these obvious calls go against us all the time?  There's a big issue with the Law in the NFL. I think we need Sam Waterson and Benjamin Bratt to be a lead ref for the NFL now....

Show: Law and Order

Network: Too Many to count

When: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on various channels

Main Characters: So many....Benjamin Stone, Adam Schiff, Jack McCoy, Abbie Carmichael, Lennie Brisco, Anita Van Buren, …

With my whining about the NFL Refs complete, there's no better week to review the Law and Order franchise! I won't go into the details of the show here - everyone should know it by now. In February, when I was in bed for 21 hours of the day, I could always count on some Law and Order show to be on at any point in time. It seems there are at least 8 cable networks that show re-runs of L&O:

- TNT
- Lifetime
- ID
- Paramount
- Sundance
- FYI

and maybe some others.

Try this for a gambling game when you are at home with your friends: at any moment, wager if there is a L&O show on cable at the moment. You'd win 80% of the time, I believe. It's 7:25 am on a Sunday morning right now - and yep! There it is! L&O on Sundance!

Here are some fun facts about L&O that I'll share with you, since we all know the plot and structure of the show:

- The original debuted in September, 1990. That's 28 years ago! That's crazy. I'm so old.
- L&O-SVU almost has as many episodes as the original! The original L&O has 456 episodes; SVU has 436. One more season for Ice-T and his franchise will take the lead!

- My personal favorite police character: Jerry Orbach. Did you know he was a broadway star in the 60s and 70s? I happened to hear him sing "Promises, Promises" on Sirius - what a voice! He was also the first person to sing the famous song "Try to Remember" on stage in the musical "The Fantastiks".
- Jerry was also on Super Password! I will have to find that episode on You Tube.

(and here it is! What a pairing for the guest stars...….whatever happened to her?)

- A close second for best Police character is S. Epatha Merkerson. She was on the show for 17 seasons - 395 episodes - longer than any other character. However, what was her first TV role? S. Epatha was first on TV as …….Reba the Mail Lady on Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Incredible.

- And I have a soft spot for the prosecutor Michael Moriarty. He was the first DA under Adam Schiff to start the series. Michael is an interesting character. He left the show after 4 years in 1994...he was suing Atty. General Janet Reno for comments she made about shows being violent. Moriarty said that Reno wanted to take not only L&O off the air, but also......Murder, She Wrote. Anyone who thinks someone is out to get Angela Lansbury has got to get an honorable mention here in the blog...

...oh yes, he announced in 2005 that he was running for president in 2008! I wonder what happened to that campaign.

OK, enough reminiscing. On to the games....

Phi 20, Jax 16.  We all talk about how Bortles can't run the Jags' offense, but the Eagles are struggling too. They are incapable of putting up a 30 spot. This may be closer than we think.

Bal 27, Car 17.  I continue to believer Carolina is a fraud, and it will show up here. Bal's defense will travel and they are pissed after losing last week.

Chi 27, NYJ 16. The Bears are a much better home team than on the road, and should be able to stop the Jets' running attack.

Cin 31, TB 24. Tampa is one-dimensional, and the Bengals should contain the Bucs' passing attack; Dalton should move the ball with ease to score 30+ points.

Sea 27, Det 24. Seattle's D is starting to get better and the bye helps; Detroit is giving up lots of points, 21 to Brock and Miami and should have lost to Green Bay (a very similar team to Seattle).

KC 31, Den 20. What to say about this? KC is unstoppable, and will score in the 30s; we saw this game before, and Denver threw everything at them and couldn't win.

NYG 24, Was 16. Washington has just won 2 games in a row at home; I don't see them winning 3. Barkley should get 100+ yards and the Giants will get their second win.

Ind 23, Oak 16. Got to see how the bye week helped/hurt the Raiders. I'm not convinced their offense is dead now that Cooper is gone- Cook will more than make up for it.

Az 20, SF 17. Maybe the Niners did leave everything on the field at Lambeau. 10 days for the Cardinals to prepare?

LAR 34, GB 23. The back door will be in play here - but the Rams D will contain the Packers' 1 dimensional offense. The Packers D is in dire straits.

NO 27, Min 24. What a great SNF game. I just think Minny's D is not quite good enough to stop the Saints, and the Saints have revenge on their mind.

NE 24, Buf 17. Let's be clear - Buffalo is not a bad home team, and their D is actually fairly decent. I think they contain the Pats somewhat and Derek Anderson will somehow get 17 points.

Best bets: 12 of them. Last week: 6-6; overall: 46-47-3
Phi/Jax under 44
Bal -2.5
Chi -9.5
Cin -3.5
Sea +3
Sea/Det over 48.5
NYG +1
Ind -3
Ind/Oak under 51
Az +1.5
LAR -8
Buf +14

Supercontest picks: Last week: 2-3; overall: 18-15-2
Bal -2
Chi -7
Sea +3
NYG pk
Buf +13.5

NFL Week 7: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

Predictability. That's what I would like the most out of my NFL team. I want to know what I am getting each week. If a team, such as - oh, the 2018 Cleveland Browns - is rated #2 in total defense, then let's get that effort week in and week out! But no. We get the 45 point affair at Oakland (which, to be fair, was inflated due to turnovers) and then the 38 point giveaway last week vs. the Chargers. I know, the Chargers may be good, but so are the Saints - and look what we did to them!

The same applies when I was (and am) trying to veg out in front of the TV. Sometimes I want to watch something predictable, formulaic, and warm...… And the perfect person and show that defines all 3 is....Triple D!

Show: Diners, Drive Ins and Dives

Network: Food Network

Star: Guy Fieri

Times: Various, but usually they have Friday evening/night marathons from 3 pm - midnight

Yes, I know it's fashionable to make fun of Guy Fieri as not a "real" chef. That's fine. But he is entertaining (for a while) and this show is the perfect filler for those nights when you are waiting for your sons to come home from work or a movie night that should have ended at 10:30 but now it's 11:30 and the parents of the host haven't kicked the kids out yet....

OK, enough editorializing. Guy was born in Columbus, OH - I did not know that! - but ended up on the West Coast as a kid. He went to UNLV to major in restaurant management, and quickly rose in the SoCal dining scene. He won a contest on the Food Network for "The Next Food Network Star" in 2006 and Triple D was born in April, 2007.

There's been 26 (!) seasons of the show and 260 episodes. You all know how this goes. In 30 minutes, Guy visits 2-3 out-of-the-way, local restaurants featuring good food. The pattern of the segment goes like this:

- Guy drives up to the restaurant in his trademark red convertible
- Montages of diners eating there are interviewed - "Oh, this place is soooo good!"
- We meet the head chef
- The head chef prepares 1 or 2 of his signature dishes
- Guy watches and provides humor and puns while the chef cooks
- Guy sticks his finger in the bowl and licks it while still cooking
- Dish is finished, Guy samples it in the kitchen. "Off the hook!" "Wow!" "Speechless!"

I haven't seen an episode yet where Guy is indifferent to the food. There had to be a SNL skit of DDD where Guy tries the food and says "Meh. There's better food down the street".

Guy and Triple D has done an episode with Blue Ash Chili here in Cincinnati; it's a Cincinnati chili place that serves alcohol. For those of you not in SW Ohio, you have to try Cincinnati chili just once. Should have fed it to Leland when he visited in February.

Triple D has also gone to a Pho place downtown; that's now on my list of places to try. Pho Lang Tang is supposedly the best in town. I have loved Pho ever since I went to Saigon in 2012.

No writeup of Guy Fieri would be complete without a comment about his restaurant he opened up in 2012 in Times Square; the New York Times reviewed it, and the review was called "the most scathing review in the history of the NYT". Something tells me Guy was not going for the Upper West Side audience.

OK, let's get an off the hook review this week and have our defense show up against the Bucs. If they do, we will win and get back to .500 after 7 games.

On to these games:

Arz 23, Den 16. I think Denver's defense is overrated and I don't trust Keenum on the road. I see the Cards rallying at home in prime time....what?

LAC 23, Ten 20. I really like Vrabel. He is doing a lot with nothing. This is the kind of team that the Chargers always slip up against. I don't see Lynn matching wits with Vrable. Look for lots of fakes.

NE 26, Chi 20.  Really disappointed in the Bears D last week vs the Dolphins. If the Pats can protect Brady a bit, they should be able to move the ball and pull out a win.

Ind 27, Buf 20. Our good friend Derek Anderson is back! I have no faith in the Colts D to stop him, and I like the Colts O too much here.

Jax 27, Hou 13. This is it. The Jags have too much talent to be messing around. They need to stop the Texans D, and being at home, Bortles will play well and move the ball through the air.

Mia 27, Det 24. Not sure if Detroit's D can shut down Brock. It is possible, however, that Brock will shoot himself in the foot. Look for a shooutout here.

Min 23, NYJ 20. Boy, the Jets play well at home, and could take advantage of the Vikes' poor pass D. Do I trust Cousins on the road? Not really....

Phi 30, Car 27. I have stated here numerous times that the Panthers D is awful. Philly should move the ball with ease. However, I don't think the Eagles are back to full effectiveness yet on D.

Bal 24, NO 23. I'll pass on wagering on this game and just watch. Is the Ravens D really that good? Can the Ravens score enough to win against a good offensive team?

Was 23, Dal 20. Let's not get carried away with the Cowboys just yet. Got a nice spot last week. The Cowboys are a weaker version of the Panthers on O, and the Skins stopped them last week.

LAR 27, SF 23. I think the MNF loss will strengthen the NIners, and this is the Rams' 3rd road game in a row. I see a close game here.

KC 31, Cin 20. KC was clearly nervous under the lights at NE last week in the first half; those jitters will be gone this week and I see a blow out.

Atl 30, NYG 20. I don't know. I feel the Giants have one more good game in them here, but Atlanta is just as desperate and can score pretty much at will.

Best bets: 12 of them. Last week: 7-5-1; overall: 40-41-3
Arz +1.5 (L)
Ten +6.5
NE -2
Jax -3.5
Mia +3
Det/Mia over 46.5
Car/Phi over 45
Was +1
SF +9
KC -6
Cin/KC under 57.5
Atl -4

Supercontest: Last week: 3-2; overall: 16-12-2
Arz +1.5 (L)
Ten +6.5
Jax -5
Was -2
SF +9.5

NFL Week 6: Dog the Bounty Hunter

We did it! A division win! I can't believe we went two full years without a division win. That's just pathetic. There were years where I would realistically hope for a 3-3 or 2-4 record in the division - and get it. Now? A win against the Ravens is a reason to have a big celebration. (And I think the Ravens are pretty damn good!). We must have gotten serious and hired someone to go search out and capture our first win …. someone like....a Bounty Hunter!

Show: Dog the Bounty Hunter

Network: A&E

Times: Weekdays, 8-10 am 

Main Characters: Dog, Beth, Leland, Tim, Duane, Baby Lyssa

This is a show that has filled a lot of my mornings in the spring and summer. A&E had this on as a staple starting at 8 am every weekday. I'd get Martin on the bus at 8:05 and relax in the recliner with my coffee and watch Dog until I had enough energy to get back out of my chair and take a shower. (When I had the IV attached, I didn't need a shower, so I could watch uninterrupted episodes!)

Dog started on A&E in 2004 and lasted 8 seasons. Most of you probably know the story of Dog; Dog was convicted of murder in the 70s and went to jail in Texas; he was a model prisoner (turned his life around) and actually assisted in capturing a possible escapee in an escape attempt at the prison. He was paroled in 1979 and started his own Bounty Hunting company - trying to capture those people who have skipped bail/court appearances.

Not sure how he ended up in Hawaii -but he did - and had a successful company when the reality series "Take this Job" came a-calling. That show profiled those in odd/interesting jobs, and one episode profiled Dog. He was so popular that the network decided to spin it off and start another show starring Dog - and the show was born.

Dog runs the place with his wife Beth, brother, two eldest sons and his eldest daughter. He's had 3 marriages (I think) so not sure who is the mother for all the kids. There are other small kids running around that Dog had with Beth - some episodes center on those kids - I usually turn on Match Game for those episodes.

The 30 minute show is formulaic; we are introduced to the fugitive; he usually is a "bad guy" or "dangerous dude". About 15 minutes in, there's a close call at the Honolulu 7-11 or K Mart where they just miss him; then they finally capture him (with some assistance from the fugitive's snitching friends) and Dog drives him to the sheriff's station. The fugitive is always offered a cigarette in the car and Beth tries to get him/her to turn around their life and find God.

The show ended in 2012 and unfortunately now Beth has throat cancer so Dog and the family are supporting her in her struggle.

Let's continue the hunt for wins and for ugly game-winning field goals this week against the Chargers! This game should show off two of the all-time worst special team units. Over/under for missed field goals in the game? 3.5?

On to the games:

Atl 34, TB 27.  I can't help myself here in falling for the Falcons. I don't trust Jameis in his first start back, even after the bye.

Pit 26, Cin 23. I except an el-foldo from the Bengals again in the 4th quarter when playing the Steelers.

Hou 24, Buf 10. I do not see how Buffalo scores any points here, absent turnovers. Hou will shut down McCoy and I am supposed to believe that Allen will get 14-17 points? no.

Mia 23, Chi 13. Quiet - Mia has a pretty good defense. I don't trust Trubisky on the road - yet. Should be a low scoring game.

Min 24, Az 13. Another low scoring game here. Arizona has a good defense and Minny is turning into a one-dimensional team, which is dangerous.

Ind 23, NYJ 20. Just a hunch here. I'm impressed that the Colts can move the ball even with zero receivers; the Colts D is good enough to limit the Jets' run game.

Sea 28, Oak 26. Both of these defenses are trash. I expect a shootout here, and both teams have he weapons to do that. this game is in London, so of course it will probably be a 9-6 game.

Was 27, Car 20. Another defense I don't respect - Carolina. Alex Smith is a perfect opponent for this defense and will dink and dunk his way to scores. I'm worried about McCaffrey vs. the Wash run D.

Den 24, LAR 23. Should be snow in Denver today. Love the matchup of the #1 Den run offense vs. the weak Rams run D. Can Den slow down Goff at all???

Jax 20, Dal 17. Dal will be able to stop the Jags run game - so the Jags will have to win with Bortles passing on the road? Yikes. But the Cowboys can't move the ball.

Bal 23, Ten 17. Tennessee has yet to score over 20 in any game, and that will continue here. I think Baltimore can get to 23.

NE 27, KC 20. Belichick special. He will take the air out of the ball(ha ha! I'm so funny) and eat clock. He'll figure out something to slow down Mahomes just enough.

GB 31, SF 20. Ugh. So disappointed in the Niners last week - they can move the ball, and the Pack D is weak. But Rodgers at home Monday night?

Best bets: 13 of them. Last week: 5-7-1; overall: 33-36-2.
Atl -3
Pit +1.5
Hou -10
Buf/Hou under 40
Mia +4
Az/Min under 44
Ind +2.5
Sea/Oak over 48.5
Was +1
Den +7
Bal -2.5
NE -3.5
KC/NE under 60 (60!!!!! 60!!!!! anyone ever seen that???)

Supercontest picks: Last week: 2-2-1; overall: 13-10-2
Hou -9.5
Mia +3
Ind +2.5
Was -1
Den +6.5

NFL Week 5: Judge Judy

Well, last week's Browns game was heartbreaking - what else is new? - due to some questionable officiating calls. I don't need to hash them out here - you all know the big 2 calls that were missed. When the ex-dean of officiating is called on the game broadcast and says "I don't see any way this call can be overturned", and then it's overturned, it's annoying.

Now I understand why Raiders fans still hate Walt Anderson. He was the ref in the tuck game, I think. So 17 years later, Walt pays them back. So I expect Walt's son to be the ref of our game in 2035 and give us a favorable call against the London Jaguars in a playoff game.

Oh, and Miles Garrett was held throughout the second half.

Anyway, let's focus on our favorite daytime TV official - Judge Judy!

Show: Judge Judy

Network: Syndicated. I'm sure you all know what channel it's on in your area. For us, it's WXIX Channel 19.

When: 3:00, 3:30, 5:00, 5:30. They changed the schedule about a month ago and it messed up my routine!

Main characters: Judy, Petri Hawkins-Byrd

So Judge Judy is part of my daily routine - so much so that I think it annoys the boys now. If I have to do some computer work or emails, Judge Judy is the perfect background noise to have on to do that mindless task. And the 5:00, 5:30 Judge Judy is nice to have on when I run out of energy during the day, and the boys are all set doing homework (or not around due to activities).

And since I didn't see any Judge Judy's from 2010-2014 when I was in China, every rerun is like a new episode to me! It's comforting.

Judge Judy started airing in September, 1996 - so she has been on for 23 seasons now. Wow! She first aired before I got married.  The first idea for the name for the show was "Hot Bench with Judge Judy" - glad someone came around and nixed that idea.

I don't know what I can say about the show that everyone doesn't know - usually, there are two cases per episode; one side in each cases is usually typecast as the "dumbass" - and Judy goes after them hard. It's rare that both sides are well prepared, intelligent, and has compelling cases to make.

That's my one critique about Judge Judy now - it seems that in the more recent episode, she isn't even giving one side a chance any more. It's almost as if she knows how she will rule just be reading the statements - and her mind is made up before even entering the courtroom. Just seems more so now than before.

It's almost like she is Walt Anderson and the unfortunate party that she doesn't like is the Browns!

(Am I really criticizing the editing of a reality show? You betcha!)

There are a couple of principles that we can take away from the show that provide great lessons for the kids.

First: when your opponent is flailing around and losing his/her case, don't interrupt them! There are so many times when Judy is ripping the plaintiff's case, showing obvious holes- and the defendant then interrupts Judy. No! You're winning! Shut up! It's the old adage from politics that is brought to life vividly. From Napoleon: "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.

Second: Never pay anything in cash! Geesh. "I loaned somebody $2000. I want to be paid back. No - I have no receipt. I make minimum wage - of course I can save $2000 in cash". Get a receipt for anything, boys.

I should have gotten a receipt for last week's picks. Not good at all. Here's Judge Judy's opinion of those picks. 

On to this week:

Buf 23, Ten 20. Ten has not scored more than 20 in any game so far this year. What a perfect letdown spot here for the Titans. I think McCoy will get going today.

Car 31, NYG 24. Starting to become a little more impressed with the Panthers; not sure their D is all that great, so Eli and the Giants will be able to move the ball.

Cin 23, Mia 21. Miami has enough team speed to keep Cinci on their toes (see the Panthers game); Mia's defense is good enough to slow down the Bengals' passing attack.

Det 27, GB 24. No clue here. I think the Packers are a totally different road team than home team; I expect a very close game here.

KC 24, Jax 20. The big question - can the Jags offense take advantage of a weak Chiefs' D? How good is the KC offense - finally playing an elite D unit?  (hint: Denver does not count).

NYJ 27, Den 17. Speaking of Denver - what a letdown spot here. I don't think their D is that good. Their coaching is subpar. I think the Jets will surprise here with an offensive mix.

Atl 31, Pit 30. Two completely desperate teams. Ben looked awful last week. I'd love to see another Steelers loss - but this is in Pittsburgh against a swiss cheese Falcons D.

LAC 31, Oak 27. I think we know both these teams by now- the Chargers can move the ball up and down the field, but will shoot themselves in the foot at the wrong time. A shootout seems destined.

Phi 23, Min 17. Min will shore up their pass D - no question. However, they are one-dimenisional on offense now and Philly will exploit that.

SF 27, Az 14. Call me a believer in CJ Beatherd. Shanahan will design plays for him to excel; I don't trust Rosen on the road for his first road start, and the head coaching matchup here favors SF.

LAR 27, Sea 16. How does Seattle score points here? Their offense is awful. They will do just enough on D to slow the Rams, but can't get to 20.

Hou 26, Dal 16. Hou has the #2 rushing defense - so they don't need extra effort to stop Zeke, forcing Dal to rely on their passing game. How's that going to work?

NO 30, Was 24. I like Washington and Alex Smith, and this should be a close game. The ball control offense will keep the Skins in the game.

Best bets: 13 this week. Last week: 4-9; overall: 28-29-1

Buf +5.5
NYG/Car over 43.5
Mia +6
Mia/Cin under 48
NYJ +1
Atl +3
Oak/LAC over 52.5
Phi -3
Min/Phi under 47
SF -3.5
LAR -7.5
LAR/Sea under 50
Hou -3

Supercontest picks: last week: 2-3; overall: 11-8-1
Buf +3.5
NYJ -1
Mia +6.5
SF -4
Hou -3

NFL Week 4: Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares

Happy Ryder Cup Sunday! Excited to see the 12 singles matches to day to see if we Americans can create any drama at all by staging a comeback. I've got a lot of opinions on this year's Ryder Cup - mostly expressed on Twitter - I'm pissed at the American captains for allowing this home field advantage (set up by the Euros) to affect us so much. What stupidity.

Anyway, Captain Furyk has front loaded his lineup to try to get off to a great start - and that makes sense. I played in the Iowa City- Cedar Rapids Ryder Cup in 2004 and 2005; in '05, we were down a bit and our captain front-loaded our lineup. Our team completed the comeback and won - the last time Iowa City has won the cup. (It's true! I just checked!)

Oh -by the way? In that front loaded lineup? I was the anchor man, going off 12th. What an experience. In that Cup, there was the biggest pressure putt that I ever saw someone make live - and that's a story for another day.

Anyway, for week 4 of the NFL, we will outline Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares!

Show: Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares

Network: Currently on the FYI Network

When: All Day Monday! Monday is Nightmare Marathon on FYI.

Main Characters: Gordon, of course!

Yes, I've started to become a sucker for Gordon's shows. Throughout the spring when I was pretty much confined to my chair, I looked forward to Mondays - that meant the Kitchen Nightmare marathon was going to be on! It started around noon and went into the night - looking back on it, probably should have changed the channel around 4 when Martin got home so he wasn't subjected to the plethora of f-bombs.

Anyway, you all probably know the outline of each show:

- Struggling restaurant needs help, asks Gordon to come in to make it over

- Owners insist food is good, at least a 9 rating out of 10

- Gordon comes, tries the food - and 99% of the time calls it "slop", "dog food", "something the cat could have thrown up", or other such insults

- Gordon talks to the staff to get the real inside story

- A visit to the kitchen fridge to see all the problems in there (uncovered food, blood on the floor, etc.)

- The owners breaking down, admitting to the problems that are at the root cause

- Gordon's team re-doing the décor of the restaurant

- Gordon creating a new limited menu with 5 dishes (always seeming to include fish and chips - to replace the previous menu that had 129 choices

-  A happy ending, with a filled restaurant and rave reviews!

- A note at the end saying that "after 6 weeks of the changes, the sales are up and everybody is still happy".

Well, what else is there to say about the show? Two parts of the show I really love:


1. I do respect Gordon for always trying to corner the wait staff to really get at the problems of the restaurant. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" - that's always the start of some confessions. "Yes, all of our shrimp are frozen". "Yes, the soup of the day was made 10 days ago", etc.
That's a good organizational leadership model - talk to the first-level staff to get at the root causes quickly.

2. Why the limited menu? Sometimes, I want to go to a restaurant with 100+ choices! I don't know if I am in the mood for nachos, lasagna or tilapia. Why not go to a place that serves them all?? Maybe that's why I loved the Ground Round back in the day.



(side note- there was (and still is, I think) a Ground Round in Iowa City! I tried to take Janice there many times but she refused. Had to go on my own and eat the free popcorn).

There are websites out there devoted to what happens after Gordon leaves. Does the restaurant survive? Did they go back to making chicken with onions? I wonder what the survival rate of those restaurants are. For instance - does any of our Baltimore readers actually go to the new Café Hon in Baltimore to see the changes?

Why am I bringing this show up this week? Well, it looks like we may have made a critical change in the Browns' menu. Instead of offering up 29 starting quarterbacks - some days I'm in the mood for a Bruce Gradkowski - we may have found our one menu item that works. Baker Mayfield. Chef Dorsey has cleaned out our menu and settled on Mayfield.

The early returns - the first week - has been great. But what will the restaurant look 6 weeks from now? A year from now? Will we go back to the microwaved Tyrod Taylor dish and continue to struggle? Or will we keep the Mayfield dish for years to come? Only time will tell.

And injuries.

On to the games:

Cin 27, Atl 20. I don't get this. Atlanta is all banged up in the secondary - and AJ Green is back. I know it's Marvin Lewis, but won't Dalton throw all day over the Falcons D?

Chi 24, TB 13. Love the idea of the Bear pass rush - at home - vs. Fitzpatrick, or a rusty Winston. Pit's D forced Fitz into multiple turnovers - what are the Bears going to do?

Dal 23, Det 16. Love this spot here for the Cowboys. A team coming off their Super Bowl (Lions) and winning, going on the road to face a desperate team? Garrett better be prepared for this.

GB 24, Buf 20. If we throw out the disaster first week for the Bills, they haven't been too bad. The Packers barely beat the Bears at home, tied the Vikes, and lost to the Skins. They're overrated.

Ind 20, Hou 17. Scared of this game. Indy has played 3 straight games fairly well, and are facing a completely desperate Houston team with Watson getting better each week.

Jax 30, NYJ 16. The Jets have almost no weapons, and the Jags will focus this week to ensure a win. They can't look past another opponent.

NE 26, Mia 23. If you remove the names off the jersey, Miami should actually be favored in this one. What do the Pats do well? I know, they are desperate, but they look horrible.

Phi 23, Ten 16.  I have to give the Titans credit here for being 2-1 even though being 25th or worst in Off and Def. Vrabel will be a great coach. But I trust Wentz here.

Sea 20, Arz 17. Won't watch much of this - interested to see how Rosen fares in his first start (and if Bradford was the cause of the awful start) and how Sea O really is on the road.

LAC 31, SF 17. The Chargers can't be stopped on O - but their D can't stop anyone. I think they will stop Beatherd enough here to have a comfortable win.

NO 27, NYG 24. What a trap game here for the Saints, off the big Atl victory. I just can't trust Eli at all with my money. Should be a close game.

Pit 31, Bal 20. Classic game of matching up strengths/weaknesses. Pit has no pass D - and Baltimore can't take advantage. Pit's O is passing - and this is where missing Jimmy Smith will kill the Ravens.

KC 27, Den 24. Many are calling for the upset here, saying Den's D will stop KC. Den's D let up 24 to Seattle- Seattle!!!- and almost lost to Oakland. Let's not get carried away here.

Best bets: 13 of them. Last week: 10-3; overall: 24-20-1
Cin +3.5
Cin/Atl under 53
Chi -3
TB/Chi under 46.5
Dal -2.5
Buf +9.5
Hou/Ind under 47.5
Jax -7.5
NYJ/Jax over 39.5
Mia +6.5
Phi -3
LAC -10
Pit -3

Supercontest picks: Last week: 4-1; overall: 9-5-1
Cin +5
Chi -3
Dal -3
Buf +9.5
Pit -3

NFL Week 3: Maury

For this week's reality show that we are profiling, we look at staple of Daytime TV - Maury!

    Show: Maury

    Network: Local Stations (WSTR-Channel 64 in Cincinnati,         WJZ-Channel 13 in Baltimore, WUAB-Channel 43 in Cleveland, KFMB-Channel 8 in San Diego. Other cities on request! Who needs to know where this is on in Washington, DC?)

When: Check your local listings. 3 pm here in Cincinnati

Main Characters: Maury, of course!

Well, who doesn't know the basis of the Maury show? It's like your mother's meatloaf - you may not always be in the mood for it- but if you are feeling depressed and need a pick me up - it's always there for you to lift your spirits.


We will get into the show in a moment - but first, the background on Maury Povich! The son of a broadcaster, he was in broadcasting himself in the 60s and 70s, and broke through nationally on a show called "A Current Affair" in 1986. Remember that? This was semi- tabloid journalism, and Wikipedia said critics praised it as a show that delivered information "like a good afternoon newspaper". Boy, how outdated a reference is that? Afternoon newspapers?

(Note: actually, I am old enough to remember that the Baltimore Sun used to publish a morning and evening edition. Your paper box at the end of the driveway was marked with a big Sharpie - "M" for the morning edition, "E" for evening, and "S" for Sunday. Do they even have those "SUNPAPERS" boxes any more in Maryland???)

In 1991, as the talk show boom was just starting, Maury got his own show -The Maury Povich Show. So Maury has been with us nationally now for over 25 years. The first several years focused on family topics - abuse, bullying, family drama, makeovers, etc. Then, around 2005, the show found its niche and hasn't budged since - focusing almost 100% on paternity questions.

You know how this goes - so let me outline a typical episode from memory:

Title: "Shocking DNA Results!"

Plot: Our guest comes in, usually a 20-ish woman, trying to establish who the father is for her child. The child is usually about 6-24 months. She thinks she knows who the daddy is; actually, she is usually about 500% certain. A picture of the baby with the suspected baby daddy is shown; the resemblance is "obvious" to the guest.

The suspected baby daddy comes in to boos from the audience (why?); he is 3,000% certain he is NOT the father for whatever reason. Maury asks him if the test determines he is father, will he support the baby? The answer is always yes.

Then the teaser - we have the DNA testing results! THE RESULTS ARE IN!

Commercial, usually for a divorce lawyer

We're back; Maury has a big legal-size envelope with the results; the ending for this segment can go one of two ways:

1. Maury rips open the envelope and says: "In the matter of this later, the paternity test determines that....(dramatic pause)...you ARE the father!" The lady jumps up and down and gets in the guy's face (not sure how that helps); huge cheers from the audience and the guy usually is subdued and agrees to start paying child support. 

2. Maury rips open the envelope and says: "In the matter of this later, the paternity test determines that....(dramatic pause)...you ARE NOT the father!" The guy immediately jumps up and down and runs off screen in celebration; the lady starts crying and runs backstage in a complete breakdown. We see Maury go back, comfort her and say "we can help you find the real father. Let us know if you have other guys you want us to test"

And....scene! Another guest comes in after the break!

(How did I do?)

(another side note: a rapper published an album named "You are the Father" with Maury on his cover. May need to buy this CD just for giggles....)

Maury is on at 3 pm here in Cincinnati - that has been prime nap time for me, so this is not appointment TV; however, it's great for background noise if I'm around the house, or if I'm feeling depressed and want to feel better about myself. It's always there for me when I need it. That's the comfort food of the Maury show. 

Why am I bringing up Maury this week? Well, as a Browns fan, I feel like I have been a recurring guest on this program for 19 years. Ever since 1999, I imagine Maury has a annual episode every fall with Browns fans....

September episode: Eric is our special guest today on Maury! Eric has been here a few times...15, to be exact....looking for his franchise quarterback...

Eric: I'm sure we have a franchise quarterback! I'm sure that this guy- Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, Luke McCown, Charlie Frye, Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Brandon Weeden, Colt McCoy, Robert Griffin, DeShone Kizer ----- I'm sure that he is our franchise quarterback.

(two months go by)

November: Maury says to me "THE RESULTS ARE IN !"

"In the matter of being the Browns franchise quarterback, (insert QB name here) - you ARE NOT the franchise QB for the Browns!"

I then go running off stage into the arms of Layup asking "How did this happen? Why can't I find a franchise quarterback???" Layup just rolls his eyes for the 15th time and thinks: "Oh boy. Here we go again...."

Now - for the 2018 version of the Maury Browns show - will Maury tell me good results? Do we finally have a franchise quarterback in Baker Mayfield? I hope so. I don't want to be sobbing backstage again in November....

On to the games:

Atl 30, NO 27. Can't trust either team in this game. Not sure that the Falcons O is completely back, and I see a lot of issues in the Saints. 3 point home team win.

Bal 27, Den 17. Case Keenum beat the Raiders and Seahawks at home. Really? I'm supposed to be impressed by that? I don't think he can take advantage of a weak Ravens secondary.

Cin 23, Car 16. I still don't believe in the Panthers. I think the Bengals front 7 will shut down McCaffrey and the Panthers don't have the passing game to overcome that.

Hou 23, NYG 13. Hou has a good run D- and that's all you really need against the Giants O right now. Watson will play better in his first home game for 2018.

Jax 20, Ten 17. Classic let down game. Jax was all amped up for the Patriots last week - it was clear watching each play - they wanted to beat NE so bad. And they did! A letdown is inevitable.

KC 34, SF 30. Have to pencil in the Chiefs for 30+ points until further notice. And the Niners pass D is not great - they almost let the Lions come back and win last week.

Mia 27, Oak 24. Still not sure about either of these teams. I don't think the defenses for either team is all that good; Oakland is starting to move the ball and this should be high scoring.

Min 27, Buf 13. No real motivation for the Vikings here. This seems like a lazy pick - and it is!

Phi 20, Ind 16. Boy, I'm worried about the Eagles. Does Wentz have any rust on him for this week? Who's he throwing to? Who's running? Reich knows the playbook, too...

GB 23, Was 21. This will be a close game, and I think Rodgers will find a way at the end to pull it out. Interesting to watch the Was run game vs. the weak GB defense.

LAR 30, LAC 24. I think the Chargers will score enough points to stay in this game. Too many weapons on the Chargers' side.

Chi 19, Az 16. This will be a close game; the letdown factor is big here, too, for the Bears. And I know how 0-2 teams come back with a good performance in week 3. Seen it 10x times with the Browns.

Sea 27, Dal 17. First home game for Seattle is big. Dallas will force Wilson out of the pocket - but, unlike Eli, he likes that! Wilson will move the ball.

NE 28, Det 27. Spent a lot of time this week asking myself: "how good are the Patriots, really?" They beat Houston by 7 - at home - and we now know Houston has issues. I see a back door cover here.

Pit 27, TB 24. I hope I am so, so wrong on this pick. I want nothing more that to see another Pittsburgh loss. Maybe Bud Light should start putting beer coolers in Pittsburgh....

Best bets: 13 of them. Last week: 7-7; overall: 14-17-1
Bal -5.5
Cin +3
Hou -6
NYG/Hou under 43.5
Ten +TBA
SF/KC over 54.5
Oak/Mia over 44.5
Ind +7
Ind/Phi under 46
LAC/LAR over 48.5
Az +6
Sea -1.5
Det +7

Supercontest picks: Last week: 2-3; overall: 5-4-1
Bal -5.5
Cin +3
Ten +9.5
Az +5.5
Sea -2

NFL Week 2: Chopped

It's round 2 of reality TV shows that I have been addicted to during my treatment! Everyone knows this show...

Show: Chopped

Network: Food Network

When: Weekday afternoons, and more importantly from 2am-3am most days

Main Character: Ted Allen

I will have to warn you - there will be several Food Network shows coming up in the next few weeks! If you can't eat for weeks on end, the next best thing you can do is watch people make food and eat!

I assume many of you have seen Chopped - the "Game Show"/"Survivor" of the Food Network. Four aspiring cooks go through 3 elimination rounds in order to crown a champion. Each round gives the cooks a basket of 4 mystery ingredients - the cooks must create a dish with those four ingredients in it. One cook is eliminated every round until we get to the winner, who receives $10,000.

Our host of the show is Ted Allen. He's a great host for the show; has a good camera presence, comfortable with the contestants and keeps the show moving. (And from past years, there are several hosts that can't do that).

Where did Ted Allen come from? He first appeared on our TV screens in 2003 on the Bravo show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". Remember that show? 5 homosexuals would help some poor straight guy on clothes, food, culture, style, etc. Ted was the food expert and - I have to say - was the least flamboyant. Yes, I watched several of these episodes. Why do you ask?

Anyway, back to Chopped - the show premiered in 2009 and now has 40 "seasons" and is still going strong with new episodes. Martha Stewart is now a judge! Some personal observations of the show as it exists now:

- the ingredients in the box are starting to become more and more obscure. I haven't heard of many of these ingredients, and I'm no slouch in the kitchen. I know these are professional chefs, but do the viewers really know what violet mustard is? Galangal? Epazote?

- Why do they only have one ice cream machine in the kitchen when almost every episode I watch consists of the contestants fighting over the ice cream machine?

- I'd love to see Don's brother-in-law on this show sometime.

- The injuries! This show is like a NASCAR race. Yeah, the technical skills are cool and all, but I want to see BLOOD! Or at least crashes when two cooks run into each other running around in the kitchen.

- I'd love to be a judge sometime on this. "Your plate looks great - the ingredients are all meshed together, but you used blue cheese. I can't eat this. You are chopped!"

Back in February and March, when I was taking steroids when starting chemo - the steroids caused a lot of sleeplessness. I'd go to sleep around 10, wake up at 12, get back to sleep at 1 am, wake up at 2:30 am- and Chopped was ALWAYS on from 2-3! I would catch the end of this episode, see what's on at 3 in the morning (and we will talk about those programs), and go back to bed at 4. No wonder I was tired almost every day.

I always got a sense of evil satisfaction when one of these arrogant chefs forgot to put one of the mystery ingredients on their plate. "Oh no! He forgot to put the root beer potatoes on! They're still in the frying pan!" Tough luck for you, buddy....

….except I have seen a couple of episodes where another chef made such a mess of the plate that round and that chef got eliminated, not the one that forgot an ingredient. What an embarrassment! You lost to a chef that didn't even use all the ingredients!

And that brings us to the Browns. I would hazard a guess to say that the record of contestants that forgot an ingredient is probably about 3-50. Very rare, but it happens. How does that relate to America's team?

Since 1999, a team that is plus-5 or better in turnover margin is 143-4-1 in the NFL . (Don't quote me on that - I'm going by memory). Two of the four losses, and the tie (of course) are accounted by the Cleveland Browns.

Pittsburgh gave us that game last week. 6 turnovers. And we didn't win. It's like they were the chef that forgot the lamb shank on their appetizer plate- but we had grease and blood all over our plate, so Alex Guarnaschelli gave us the heave ho.

(I do remember one of those 2 losses - one was in 2000 when we had Spergon Wynn as QB; we played at home vs. the Titans in the snow; McNair fumbled at least 4 times and threw 3 picks; the score was 0-0 at half as we moved backward after every turnover. I think we lost 13-3 or something. )

Late breaking news: Just before writing this, I found out that Josh Gordon has been released. There's got to be a lot going on behind the scenes with this; an example is this week. He was in practice all week and then all of a sudden he has a "hamstring" injury on Friday and is listed OUT. WTF?

There is no doubt he will show up in Patriots camp by week 5.

On to the games:

Pit 27, KC 20. Ooooooh, you dissected a horrible Chargers defense on a neutral field - and still almost lost to them. Try playing a real defense first, Chiefs.

Was 30, Ind 28. Given the results from Thursday night, maybe the Colts aren't all that bad. And I don't think Washington showed an elite performance last week, given the competition.

Phi 27, TB 17. The Eagles have extra rest and extra days to prepare for the Bucs, who are so clearly one-dimensional on offense. And the Bucs are missing some D starters. I know this is a trap, but....

Mia 23, NYJ 16. Miami is a much more balanced offensive team than the Jets. I think they will be able to score, which then provides a first test for Darnold. Now we will see how good he is.

LAC 27, Buf 17. Can't predict a Chargers blowout here because of that God-awful defense and horrible Chargers coaching. Should see some points here.

Hou 23, Ten 17. Boy, I'm willing to give the Titans a pass after that weird Week 1 game, but losing Walker really hurts. And a dual QB system? Watson now has a week under his belt to shake off the rust.

Atl 24, Car 20. This will be fun to watch to learn about these two teams going forward. Can Atlanta score in the red zone? What does Carolina do without Greg Olsen?

Min 23, GB 17. Ah! Welcome to the world of DeShone Kizer, Pack fans! Turnovers in the red zone. Dumb decisions with the ball. Welcome to Cleveland, 2017....

LAR 31, Arz 16. It's true the Cardinals can't play worse than they did last week - but the Rams didn't have a good performance either, until the 4th quarter. I expect better offenses from both sides.

SF 27, Det 24. The 49ers let up a lot of yards/plays through the air against the Vikes - and the Lions have just as good passing attack. I think they will rally the troops here in a 4 pm shootout.

NE 23, Jax 20. Do I really need to preview this game? Will be interesting to see if the Pats can shut down Bortles and if Jax secondary can live up to the hype.

Den 27, Oak 17. Yes, I love me some Case Keenum - but I also love that Den D line / pass rush that can put pressure on Carr AND be able to shut down the run.

NYG 20, Dal 17. How can Dallas move the ball here? They will stuff the box to stop Elliott and force Dak to beat them - can he? With what weapons? And will Eli have his meltdown?

Chi 26, Sea 13. I don't believe in the "how will the Bears come back from that loss?" narrative. Sea has a broken O line and key players out in D. Giving the hook? I ain't skeered……

Best bets: 13 of them. Last week: 7-10-1. (6-4-1 straight bets, 1-6 over/unders. Ooof!)
Pit -5.5
KC/Pit under 53.5
Ind +6
Ind/Was over 48
Phi -3
Mia +2.5
LAC/Buf over 42.5
Hou -3
LAR -13
Det +6
Det/SF over 48.5
Den -6.5
NYG +3
Chi -3.5

Supercontest picks: Last week: 3-1-1
(please note; there was an error in last week's blog; the pick was Den -3, but I typed Sea -3 on the blog. The game ended as a push. )

Ind +6
Pit -4
Phi -3.5
NYG +3
Chi -3.5

NFL Week 1: Flipping Vegas

Here we go! Another NFL season begins, which means it's another year of Eric's NFL themed picks! As all of you know, I was diagnosed with cancer in January of this year, and have been fighting the battle since. Things are going well - there is a CaringBridge site set up for regular updates on my condition and adventures.

Many people ask how I spend my time at home during the cancer fight! Some of you have recommended books to read, thinking I would be happy to increase my intellectual knowledge during this time. Well, I really do appreciate those thoughts, but my reading frequency hasn't increased. Instead, I have spent wayyyy too much time this year watching reality TV!

So - this year, we will summarize the top 17 reality TV shows that has helped me get through the cancer fight. Yes, I think my brain has now officially turned to mush over the past 6 months....
For week 1, we will highlight:

Show: Flipping Vegas

Network: A&E

When Broadcast: Mostly Weekend Mornings

Main Character(s): Scott and Amie Yancey

So I discovered this show in February, when I was mostly bed-ridden and sick. This show was on every weekend morning on A&E, showing montages of Vegas before and after commercial breaks. This cheered me up; we just cancelled our March Vegas trip and I needed those images of Vegas to help keep my spirits up.

Then I watched the show. By the end of episode 2, I feel like I could be the writer for the show.

Scott is a professional house flipper in the Vegas market - which was red hot in the late 2000s. However, the market now has fallen on hard times and there are many homes abandoned and up for sale. Scott and his "team" of contractors and workers go in, do the modifications, and flip for a much higher price. Everyone wins, right?

Of course, not so fast. There's his wife Amie, a decorator whose taste costs a little more than the budget allows. Amie usually goes and buys counter tops/tile/fixtures around the 22 minute mark of each show; Scott sees the bill at about the 43 minute mark; conflict ensues.

Scott also hires different project managers to oversee the day to day renovations; inevitably something falls behind schedule in the process. Scott comes pulling up in his Porsche ( I saw a lime green Porsche one episode), berates the project manager, yells in Spanish to the workers - and voila! After commercial break, Voila! Everything is on schedule!

Scott and Amie have 3 real estate agents they use to sell the house - every open house happens on time, multiple offers come in, and the house sells at its asking price.  A happy ending every show!

Many articles I am looking at now call Flipping Vegas as "A&E's hit show..". Really? This was a hit from 2011-15? How do you define a hit on A&E? Over 20,000 viewers watched it?

This is good weekend fluff, but I have to admit the scenes of Vegas on this show got me through the cold weather in February and March, and the depression of cancelling our annual trip. We need to start planning our March 2019 trip now! Maybe I'll try to contact Scott and we can invite him to one of our dinners….

We've had 7 months without the NFL; I missed it so......this NFL-Less depression is now over! Here we go with the Week 1 picks. For any new readers: I do not pick the Browns game as my prediction would be a 51-0 win or a 41-3 loss depending on my mood. And with Hue Jackson as our coach, the latter is so much more likely.

Bal 24, Buf 10. This seems too easy. Nathan Peterman QB'ing against a Ravens defense that is still good against the pass? Yes, McCoy may get some yards, but how will Buffalo score?

Cin 23, Ind 17. I don't believe Cinci is some sleeper 10-6 team; there's just too many questions about the Colts. Luck's health? O Line? Who will catch the ball? Did they fix their front 7 problems?

Ten 20, Mia 17. Not touching a side here; will be interested to watch this to see how these teams execute. Is Tanehill back? Are the Titans still a solid team?

Min 27, SF 13. Don't see how SF moves the ball consistently against this defense and without McKinnon. SF still has issues on run defense - Cook all day, I think.

NE 26, Hou 23. If Watson is 75% of what he was at the beginning of last year, then the Texans should win. However, never pick against Belichick.....I learned this lesson numerous times.

NO 31, TB 17. Again, looks too easy on paper; NO's weapons on O and their young defense should dominate the Bucs. However, NFC South games are weird, and Koetter is desperate for a good start.

Jax 19, NYG 13. There's a lot of love out there for the Giants, and I just don't see it yet. Too many questions on the line for the Giants (on both sides), and Ramsey will neutralize Beckham.

LAC 23, KC 20. Going against the grain here; I see a lot of running on both sides here, which means time taken off the clock. The whole world is on the over on this game.....

Was 26, Az 24. I like Alex Smith, and he can do a lot with some crappy receivers. Arizona will move the ball with Johnson back and the weak Redskins run D.

Dal 23, Car 20. Not a fan of Carolina this year. O line problems; and you're telling me McCaffrey is your back to get the hard yards up the middle? Dallas's new OC will help the Cowboys move the ball.

Den 23, Sea 13. How is Seattle going to score? I don't believe in their running game, and Denver's pass rush should be the dominant force. I don't like Vance Joseph however - prove me wrong!

GB 26, Chi 23. Still a lot of questions on the Packers D that the Bears can now exploit. I feel like the Packers have lost a bit on O with less weapons....it is hard, however, to go against Aaron in Lambeau.

Det 30, NYJ 20. Dome special! Detroit's D is exactly what Darnold needs for a nice intro to the NFL, but the Lions just have too many ways to move the ball, especially at home.

LAR 30, Oak 27.  The obvious play is the Rams, but weird things happen on Monday night. Everyone is focused on the Mack trade, but Oakland still has weapons on O.

Best bets: 18 of them. Yikes!
Bal -7.5
Cin +2
Cin/Ind under 48
Ten/Mia under 45
Min -6.5
Hou +6
NO -10
Jax -3
Jax/NYG under 42
KC/LAC under 48.5
Was +1.5
Was/Az over 43.5
Dal +
Den -3
Sea/Den under 42
Chi +7
Det -6.5
LAR/Oak over 48.5

Supercontest picks for week 1:
Cin +3
Min -6.5
Dal +3
Sea -3
Chi +7.5

There was a lot of hard swallowing when I sent in those picks....