Week 4!!! Predictions, Reality and More!

Hello Hello! It's your FAVORITE SportsGal89 Innnnnnnnnnnn the Buildin'! I am back with hopefully another bright and exciting edition of my weekly predictions where I put my guesses as to what is going to happen in this week's game day match-ups. Then come back after Monday to see how it all panned out! And to get my insight's on some of the week's best and worst games!

So I messed up last week, so if you missed me a little while I was gone (like that!!!) Sorry boos, I will not desert you again!

Here we are week 4!!! 

Game                                                        My Prediction                                     Reality

Giants Vs. Washington                            Washington                                                                                 There is a little something happening under the leadership of Kirk Cousins. Now I am not saying he is the key, but his energy has definitely transformed the way this team plays. Even though they lost their last matchup against the Eagles, they played on heck of a game.

Buccs Vs. Steelers                                   Steelers

Biases aside, did you see how my boys played. And in a weird set of circumstances at a time when we honestly need it with the loss of big man Ike Taylor due to injury, our favorite LB James Harrison has come out of the shortest retirement situation to come back and play for the beloved Steelers #OneMoreYear
                                                                      

Packers Vs. Bears                                    Da Bears                                                                                     The Pack is in a "developing" season- that's what they say about the Steelers. I think with their finding their rhythm, it's going to take some time considering Da Bears are hot off of a win in 49ers territory and also in NY against the Jets. Momentum will do a lot for a team that's for sure. 

Bills Vs. Texans                                       Texans
I'm giving this one to the Texans. I am liking the Bills, but the Texans continue to be interesting to me and I want to see them do well

Titans Vs. Colts                                        Colts            
I'm going with Luck- 370 yards and 4 TDs in his last game, yeah it was the Jags, but come on!                                                                   

Panthers Vs. Ravens                                 Ravens
Ooooooo wee, as much as I would love to give this to Cam and the Panthers, the Ravens have been playing well despite the craziness that has gone on around them. 
                                                                          

Lions Vs. Jets                                            Lions  
Lions- don't sleep on them. They are the unsung hero, each year they get better and better and I am believe they will go far this year. And it's the J-E-T-S a loss at home by Da Bears, they need a little more work to do.
                                                              

Dolphins Vs. Raiders                                Dolphins  
While the Dolphins took a beating this last game against the Chiefs, I can't see the Raiders as a team that is going to go far. They did well holding out on the Patriots, who btws, Brady is having his worst season ever! What is going on? With that I am still going to say the Dolphins are going to do well. 

Jaguars Vs. Chargers                                 Chargers  
Chargers are seriously finding some magic in whatever it is that they are doing so I think it is a fair assessment to choose them.
                                                           

Falcons Vs. Vikings                                   Falcons                    
The HardKnocks! Have a little fire under them. Only one of 3 teams to go 3-0. And they are playing amazing! So I am calling the Falcons to be 4-0 at the end of today's game.
                                                   

Eagles Vs. 49ers                                         Eagles            
I want to see the Niners do better, but they aren't so, Eagles. There is something happening with the team that just puts them ahead of everyone else. Even though I am calling the Falcons, I honestly feel that the true 4-0 team will be the Eagles-- Let's see how well they do.

                                                            

Saints Vs. Cowboys                                   Saints                    

And FINALLY the Sunday night extravaganza, I am calling for the Saints. I know that the Cowboys found their own little flair with resting Romo on Wednesdays etc. And I know the Saints haven't been smooth trying to figure out an offense that relies on Tight Ends, and a slower running game with the absence of Darren Sproles, but I like the Saints and I want them to win! 

We'll see how my predictions pan out!

That's all she wrote folks!                                                     

We are rolling... Week 2 in the NFL My predictions and THEN Reality...

Hello Hello! It's your FAVORITE SportsGal89 Innnnnnnnnnnn the Buildin'! I am back with hopefully another bright and exciting edition of my weekly predictions where I put my guesses as to what is going to happen in this week's game day match-ups. Then come back after Monday to see how it all panned out! And to get my insight's on some of the week's best and worst games!

Here we go:
 Game                                             My Prediction                                            Reality
 Steelers @ Ravens                           Steelers                                                      Ravens (26-6)    
Pre-Game: Of course I am going to pick my beloved Steelers, if they play how they played the first half against Cleveland last week, through the whole game there is no question how well this team will do against the Ravens. And I'm sorry I am NOT picking the Ravens. In one of the greatest rivalries in sports and in the NFL, no son, sorry!

Post- Game: Let's just say things didn't end up the way I had envisioned. Short story and then check out my break-down of this game here, the energy that the Steelers played with last week during the first half was gone. It definitely says a lot when you are coming off of a short week having played decent to play a team that is just ready. The Ravens played with more fire this week, that's for sure. They were (tough to give them compliments) consistent through the whole game. There wasn't too much of a weak side and watching what they are doing with their offense is very interesting and definitely a nod to what to expect or look into in the future for this team.

To that we will be seeing you in November! 

Dolphins VS. Bills                             Bills                                                            Bills (29-10)
Here's my thing the Dolphins and the Bills are both coming off of tremendous wins in week 1. It's amazing, but I think that it will be a great game between these two, but I am definitely calling the Bills with a little bit more of an edge to the Dolphins in the final.
                                                                                           
Jaguars vs Washington*                    Jaguars                                                     Washington (41-10)                                                                                
  * As a side note, I will this season not refer to the Washington National Football Team by that other name. They will only be referred to as Washington.

Now here we go- both teams are coming of losses. But there is something about Washington needing to get their stuff together a little bit, a lota bit more than the Jaguars do. And if Washington falls apart like they did last week, the Jags definitely can take this. I will be surprised if this is a high scoring game though and I think honestly it will be won by a field goal or a touch down, rather than several distances between.

Cowboys Vs. Titans                             Titans                                                       Cowboys (26-10)

Titans are coming off of a really good win and the Cowboys are coming off of a HORRIBLE loss. I think the momentum will drive the Titans more than the loss will motivate the Cowboys
                                                                          
Cardinals Vs. Giants                              Cardinals                                               Cardinals (25-14)

Much like the Cowboys, Titans prediction. The Cardinals are just doing the damn thing. I know that there was a lot of chatter as to whether or not Larry Fitzgerald was going to get a lot of ball carries, but I think it worked out for the team this way. And Bruce Arians, was for me very strategic and great when it came to the Steelers as our Offensive Coordinator so I would like to see the same things happen for him now.
                                                                        
Patriots Vs. Vikings                               Patriots                                                 Patriots (30-7)

 I just don't think the Pats will allow themselves a TWO game loss into the start of the season                                                                  
Saints Vs. Browns                                 Saints                                                   Browns (26-24)

It was a battle for the Saints against the Falcons but they are a powerhouse! 
                                                               
Falcons Vs. Bengals                               Falcons                                               Bengals (24-10)

Falcons have what it takes and these "HardKnocks" proved a lot in the battle royal that was last week's game against the Saints.
                                                                        
Lions Vs. Panthers                                 Lions                                                  Panthers (24-7)

Lions are a force to be reckoned with. They have the right elements and each year they get better and better. I think even if Cam is likely to start, the Lions have a better foundation even though both teams won their games last week.
                                                                             
Rams Vs. Buccs                                     Buccs                                               Rams (19-17)

I have the Rams D for my fantasy, but these boys didn't show up last week. So I'm tipping my hat to the Buccs- yes I might be just a little spiteful.
                                                                           
Seahawks Vs. Chargers                          Seahawks                                       Chargers (30-21)

Seahawks- clearly the dominating team in the NFL. This will be a good matchup, until Rivers chokes. Did I say that?- YUP!
                                                                       
Texans Vs. Raiders                               Texans                                            Texans (30-14)
  Texans for sure. I can't with the silver and black, wasted land that is the Raiders.
                                                                             
 Jets Vs. Packers                                    Packers                                          Packers (31-24)
 Yes the Jets won and yes the Pack lost, but this is the Packers. And they played the Seahawks, not the inconsistent Jets. 
                                                                                
Chiefs Vs. Broncos                                Broncos                                        Broncos (24-17)
Peyton Manning over Alex Smith- Peyton Manning! Nuff Said
                                                                               
 SF Vs. Bears                                        49ers                                              Bears (28-20)
The Bears needed that rude awakening of the opening game against the Bills. But I think that the 49ers are going to take this one. At home, home opener. Have energy from their risky win last week. It's not going to be a blow out, Bears will claw back, but the Niners have the edge.
                                                                                         
Colts Vs. Eagles                                    Colts                                             Eagles (30-27)
What can you do when LUCK is on your side. I like this kid, I like his growth and I like what he can do. It doesn't mean I don't trust the Eagles for an upset, but I have a little more faith in Luck.

That's all she wrote folks! Come back on Tuesday to see how I did!                                                                                

Ray Rice, Domestic Violence and the NFL's REAL Problem

Hello Hello, it's me SportsGal89 Innnnnnnn the Buildin'. Today I come to you with a little bit of a heavy heart. The game I love is being dominated by a really important story that is very hard to ignore, and like any person who loves the game, has feelings about how the game is being handled, but also cares about social issues in general and people, it is important for me to comment on this current story. 

The Backdrop:
 In February, a video surfaced of Ray Rice carrying is unconscious fiancee from an elevator. Many stories surfaced and finally it became clear that Ray Rice and his fiancee had gotten into a physical altercation. An act that Ray himself wasn't denying and something that his team and the NFL were aware of. As a result of the information they had, the NFL suspended Ray Rice 2 games at the start of this 2014-2015 season. 


The Current Situation:
 On Monday, September 8, 2014 a new video surfaced of what happened BEFORE Rice carried his unconscious fiancee from the elevator. This video, mind you was consistent with Rice's story as it related to him striking his now wife. The video was graphic as a visual, watching a man like Rice, punch his significant other twice, the second punch causing her to fall to the side and eventually to the ground before being carried out of the elevator. This was the first time that the public had seen the video and according to the NFL the first time that they had to. 

The Failure of the public, the Ravens & the NFL:

 Let's talk about Domestic Violence first. According to the National Coalition of Domestic Violence:
DID YOU KNOW?
 Approximately 42.4 million women in 
the United States have experienced 
rape, physical violence, and/or stalking 
by an intimate partner in their lifetime

 1 in 3 women have experienced 
physical violence by an intimate 
partner

 1 in 10 men have experienced rape, 
physical violence, and/or stalking by an 
intimate partner in their lifetime

 30.3% of women in the United States 
have been slapped, pushed, or shoved 
by an intimate partner in their lifetime

 3.2 million women have experienced 
severe physical violence by an intimate 
partner

 Intimate partner violence accounts for 
15% of all violent crime

 Intimate partner violence is most 
common among women between the 
ages of 18-24
 19% of intimate partner violence 
involves a weapon

So here's my thing. Domestic Violence is a troubling statistic, it is one that many people champion as their cause to shed more light on and gain more support for. This is not me being catty, but the stats are the stats. When the story first came out in February, where was the outrage and dismay? Did we really need to SEE it happen in order to know it was wrong and disturbing? A man three times the size of his wife, an active athlete told the world, he struck his wife twice and was able to knock her out and carry her unconscious body out of an elevator. That alone, should have been enough for outrage and movement.  

It disturbs me that a decision of misdemeanor assault was placed against Ray Rice with the following  entrance into the Pre-Trial Intervention program, and rehabilitation, that included anger-management classes.I think that there is a standard that should be set for athletes regardless of who they are or what they are faced against. Military men and MMA fighters can have their bodies named as weapons due to all of their training and ability to "walk away" from certain situations. I think regardless of whether or not Janay had hit Ray or was aggressive towards, him it does not at all give him the ability to hit her the way he did. He backed up, she came towards him and then he punched her in the face again... He a 200 + lb man could have wrapped her up and told her to chill if he felt she was out of hand.

Then you have the Ravens, who to this moment, I don't believe issued their own infraction at the time of the February video coverage. Instead the only group that did anything was the NFL. However, here are my concerns the NFL failed in their penalization of domestic violence cases and as a result how they handled the situation to begin with, in February. The NFL is STILL FAILING now because when the Ravens decided to release Ray Rice, that should have been their decision alone, but the NFL could have done better by not suspending Ray Rice indefinitely, but saying he is suspended for a year, with a probationary period that involves him seeking anger management counseling, marriage counseling, community service in a domestic violence shelter, charity work etc. The NFL seems to fail in their over all support in how they address not only this social issue but all social issues. If the NFL doesn't want to be chasing these issues then they need to be involved in setting up programs tools and resources that better their "investment" in the athletes they hire.  In the same way they have taken on financing research regarding connections to head injuries while playing and mental health, they could most definitely do better when it comes to domestic violence and their players. If they and really any other sporting league continue to act as if these incidents that come out in the public are one-offs it does nothing to change the underlying culture that is domestic violence and other issues within the NFL and those other sporting leagues.

I think where people are most frustrated is this tangled ugly web of lies that the NFL keeps finding themselves in. With this Ray Rice situation, the NFL and Goodell tell us one thing and then we find out they did or knew something else and then there is all this back and forth and well, stop saving your image and actually do the right thing! 

A Beautiful Convergence of things I love- Politics and sports:

My background is political science and so watching this story become as big as it is, is unfortunately fascinating for my poli sci brain. Reason being, there is this interesting backdrop of these overlap in responsibility.

In February you had an incident that occurred, that by our societies standards is the law's responsibility to do something about it. But then you have this overlap, because here is Ray Rice a football player which has it's own system of governance outside of the law, right.The Ravens weren't the ones who instituted a punishment or suspension, the NFL did and their standards are very off compared to what the public believes is reasonable for "crimes" so to speak. I think that there is an element that there are too many hands in the punishment jar (for lack of a better phrase). I think the biggest thing we are seeing right now is the disparities between the legal process and the NFL's own standards of punishment. This is why so many people are up in arms with the number of suspensions that are being added for one issue or another. It's not equal or fair, in the eyes of the public because of how loose or aggressive the decision has been. 

I mentioned briefly that I think in regards to the NFL's governance standards a little bit more they need to do a little bit more and go farther in how they are punishing their players. I work in Higher Education. Our conduct system reminds me very much of what is happening with the NFL. So when a student is found in violation of our university policies we not only provide an element that directly impacts the student, but we also provide an element that assists in the education and learning of these entire campus as well. 

Where the NFL for me fails is that there is this lost element of education and support for players when they are punished etc. Example, the NFL is heavy on suspending and fining our players from games. That only impacts the player and in most areas doesn't change the behavior by any means. I think that the NFL needs to look at how they are bettering their players rather than looking at what they look like as an enforcer of standards. Example- when a player is suspended x amount of games for Domestic Violence, aside from the suspension couldn't the NFL issue some anger management course, couple's counseling, spousal support etc. And a restriction that this is consistent throughout the season and up for review post season etc?

And in this case in particular with Ray Rice, I think the punishment was waaaaaay too much. I think the NFL failed not only the public but Ray Rice. Comments on one of my groups likened this case to Chris Brown and here were my comments:

 I think there is a huge difference between the Chris Brown case and this one. I say this one as a former avid fan of Chris Brown and one who recognizes the hardships it takes to distinguish between the law and responsibility as the NFL is involved in. Chris Brown, was charged in the court of law and was given a sentence and punishment as deemed by the court. He for what the public deems right by the justice system served his time. We didn't see what happened in that car, but we saw the results of what happened in that car. The reason why I am no longer an avid fan of Chris Brown is he still makes the same choices to be a giant douchebag and present aggressive behavior that goes against a one time case of domestic violence. He is just a violent aggressor period. In the case of Ray Rice, the reality is a visual does much more than talk. Ray Rice was upfront about what occurred, but the only image was him carrying his unconscious fiance out of an elevator. When it was clear that they had been in a fight, I think no one could have questioned or been surprised about that the video that is making rounds now. What did we expect happened? Where I don't fully agree with the decision by the NFL is the idea to black ball Ray Rice. Essentially, the NFL is taking the law into their own hands with this penalty, one because they fucked up, but it doesn't solve the problem Harbaugh, John, not Jim, had it right when he said in the press conference yesterday that the road ahead is going to be different for both Ray and Janay, but we the Ravens will be here for them however we can. That is exactly where the thought should be. I think that what occurred in that elevator is far from a one time case and what I think the NFL has neglected in this decision is their responsibility to support, educate and guide their players better. 6 game suspension for domestic violence cases, doesn't teach a player to be less violent and it doesn't provide care or support for the victim either. But what occurred yesterday was that NFL needed to recover their image.

I think ultimately telling Ray Rice that is form of livelihood is completely over is too much. I would have been happy moreso with Rice being suspended for a year after being release from the Ravens, with the provision that he seek counseling, that he get involved in community service, that he take anger management courses etc. But this actually doesn't teach anything, it just shows the world that the NFL is seriously trying to save their own asses than support their investment of the players they have. I think the NFL has a bigger responsibility because it is their image and they are responsible for the actions of their players but they can't just release people and think that fixes things. It doesn't.

It's a touchy situation, but the reality right now is that because of all the mistakes that are making, the Rice's themselves are suffering the most having to relive this awful situation and having to be ridiculed daily.

No right or wrong answer, just my reflection.

That's all she wrote folks...

Career Highs, Close Calls and Ninja Kicks.. #SteelersNation Week 1

Hello, Hello! It's your favorite SportsGal89 Innnnnnnnnn the Buildin'!

 What an exciting Sunday Funday our Week 1 of the NFL has been! Hope you all enjoyed some explosive games and a few upsets here and there.

If you thought this was the post I was going to recap Week 1, you were wrong, but you can find it here. Today's post is all about my # 1 Team- The Pittsburgh Steelers and their week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns.

So the basics:
 The game was played on Sunday, September 7th at 1:00pm in good ole Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh won 30- 27 and in good ole, Steelers fashion gave fans heart attacks the whole time!

Why ?- The Highlights:
  The Steelers were up on Cleveland 24-3 before the First Half... The second half starts and Cleveland came back swinging and The Steelers shot themselves in the foot- like they tend to when they have an early lead. They didn't score again until the 4th quarter and by a field goal by Suisham.

But, here's what The Steelers allowed 24 pts from Cleveland in the last two quarters- 24 points! That is outrageous. If it wasn't for that Field Goal, we could have kissed our home opener win goodbye. My hope is that they play consistently like they did the first half EVERY game.

Career Highs:
  Big Ben- let the record show. I do not support him to a T. I think he is a phenomenal athlete with many personal and questionable shortcomings. What I will support however is his talent- PERIOD. His Talent is absolutely amazing and sometimes I think people don't give him as much credit as he deserves, when it comes to his talent- not his personal life and his questionable choices.

But on this day Big Ben shined and it was simply beautiful to watch. 11 seasons and this game ends with Ben going for 365 Yards in the game and 278 yards coming in the first half alone. You wouldn't have thought that Ben was 32 or in his 11th season the way he played and commanded that first half. We'll see if he can keep that momentum through the rest of the season.

(DIS)honorable Mentions:
  "Downtown NINJATonio Brown" So I was at church when the first half of the game was playing. And all of a sudden I get text messages talking about "the Kick." I didn't know what "The Kick," meant and was nervous that we muffed an onside kick, or something like that. I couldn't have imagined what it was until I saw it.

By now, you have probably already seen the many memes, as well, it's EVERYWHERE!

I don't know what happened...  Commentators and the like are saying that Brown attempted to hurdle Lanning and in an unfortunate turn mushed his face with a cleat. Regardless, sometimes-- correction, what ALWAYS irritates me about my team is there is always something they do on the field that takes away from what could be just a win (wouldn't go far to say this was a "solid win"cuz it wasn't). Shall I remind any of you of the Tomlin sideline dance?

Here's the thing, I don't think either one intended to be malicious, or intended the outcome that they had, but it's the impact that matters.

At least for now, we can focus on what matters- the game and hopefully put the rest of this foolery to bed.

From the Words of Antonio himself:

courtesy of Antonio Brown's Facebook Page

That's all she wrote folks.. Bring on Baltimore!!! 

It's baaaaaacccckkk NFL Season 2014- My Week 1 Predictions

Hey Y'all It's your FAVORITE (That's right I am claiming it) SportsGal89 Innnnnn the Buildin'! Welcome back to what I hope is another exciting season of the National Football League!

If you have been a frequent follower of my blogs, then you know that last season I did my best to spend some time highlighting my predictions for each week. Well I figured that worked out well and there was no reason to not do this again this season.

So here we are- Thursday Night Football kicked off with the season opener with the 2013-2014 Super Bowl champions- Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers.

The game could have been an interesting game it the Seahawks didn't just open a can of whoop ass before the half and dominate the entire rest of the game. Green Bay exposed their cowardice in not going towards Legion of Boom frontman- Richard Sherman. Instead Green Bay tried to stay away from Sherman and opened the eyes probably for many football fans, commentators and teams,  in realizing that the Seahawks don't have a weak side! I am still very skeptical regarding commentators saying that the Seahawks are the best team in the league right now- only because we haven't really seen teams at their full depth. But I will say that commentators are not that far off in their predictions.

So here it goes, while I missed Thursday, I did call the game going to Seattle last night but let's get on with the other games:

  Matchups:                                       My Predictions                                Reality
  Cleveland @ Stillas                         Stillas- DUH                                          Steelers (30-27)
  Saints @ Falcons                            Saints                                                     Falcons (37-34)    
  Vikings @ Rams                             Rams                                                      Vikings (34-6)    
   Jags @ Philly                                 Philly                                                       Philly(34-17)            
  Raiders @ JETS                             Jets                                                         Jets (19-14)      
 Cincy @ Baltimore                           Ravens (although it makes me sick)         Cincy (23-16)                                      
 Buff @ Chicago                                DA Bears                                               Bills (23-20)    
 Washington @ Texans                      Texans                                                    Texans (17-6)        
 Titans @ KC                                    KC                                                         Titans (26-10)      
Patriots @ Miami                               Patriots (although it kills me)                     Miami  (33-20)          
Panthers @ Tampa                            Panthers                                                   Panthers (20-14)      
SF @ Dallas                                      San Francisco                                          SF (28-17)      
Indy @Denver                                   Indy                                                         Denver (31-14)                                     (Sorry Broncos, but you had me before the draft and then you lost me )
NY Giants @Detroit                         Giants                                                       Lions (35-14)                      
SD @ Arizona                                   SD                                                            Arizona (18-17)                                    

Come back Tuesday to see if I got it right...
                                                    
The below is the recap of Week 1 in the NFL based on the above scores. This was written on 9.9.2014 following the end of Week 1 with Monday Night Football.

What a week, week 1 was! I am 8-8 in my predictions and I'm okay with that. There were definitely some close calls and some upsets that went the other way. And I don't necessarily mean upsets  in regards to complete butt whoopin up and down both ends of the ball consistently- well except for the Seahawks game because they DOMINATED and were consistent on both sides of the ball.

But there were surprising endings in how games went:
 Patriots dropping to Miami: Like when was that supposed to happen in Game 1?

 Ravens losing to Cincy: and it wasn't just loosing by a close call, they were falling short at various times of the game

 Lions killing the Giants: So here it is. I picked the Giants not because I doubt Detroit's ability to have turned a corner, but because I see so often the clutch moments where the Giants can get away with a win even when it is not solid. But can I just say, Detroit was a straight force to be reckoned with and continue to excite me that they are finally turning a page and making them less and less the laughing stock of the NFL (sorry Raiders, that might only be you now). Matt Stafford is hitting his rhythm, taking over and just being phenomenal in his control, in his precision and his own risk taking. He is trusting his team in a way that is so great and you are really starting to see the pieces that need to align align when it comes to the Detroit Lions I really cannot wait to see them this season.

SF vs. Dal: If anyone watched this game, it could have really gone the other way. Dominating early with Defense hammering the Dallas offense, causing short drives, turnovers and more was amazing. It like many of the other games, left fans thinking that it was going to be SF kicking butt all the way around town. But penalties got the best of them in the 2nd half and it really did hurt their ability to have a blow-out against the Cowboys, regardless of what the win column says.

Arizona Vs. SD: I called SD similar to what I thought about the Lions, Giants game. Both teams are great, but it's going to come down to one play or drive that really changes the game. And last night's late night double header was no exception to the rule. It was a great game, some dry moments for a little bit throughout, but both teams were giving a little more energy throughout the game, until Philip Rivers shot himself in the foot. Philip Rivers set up this golden drive, it was marvelous pushing towards the end zone in a strategic drive that would have most definitely given him the points he and his team needed to secure the lead and possibly win the game. But then there was the snap and he just let that ball fly past him yards away that caused them to fall short and turn the ball over to the Cardinals, who as we know ended up winning that game by 1 point!

If you were waiting for my response on how my boys from the Steel City did, check out my other post!

That's all she wrote folks.. On to week 2!!

Somethings just get a little better with a little spice....

Hey Y'all it's your FAVVVVORITE SportsGal89 Innnnnnnnnnnnnn the Buildin'. Who is as excited as me that Football is back?! Probably not many, but I am so juiced!!!

Have you ever added something different to your food, that totally makes you never want to eat your food the old way ever again? To the point that you become obnoxious about wanting to always have that same flavor or taste always. For example, I can never just eat marinara pasta without having a little bit of Alfredo. Or I refuse to eat my Chipotle (or any mexican really) without the chipotle tobasco.

There are just some things that you end up making a habit and you don't regret how good it made you feel when doing it. Fantasy Football is like my new food addition.

Last year was my first time playing Fantasy Football.. correction, it was my third time playing Fantasy Football, but it was my first time where I actually PLAYED the game. I spent too much time the first two times I was invited not really paying attention to what Fantasy Football was all about. I autodrafted my first two seasons, had no clue what I could do to have an advantage, it was a lot of things.

Last season, I actually gave it some thought. I was prepared, I read all of the pre-draft articles. I was focused on all thing Fantasy. What I learned, through last season is that Fantasy gave me more excitement to not just watch my team play (which wasn't my normal) but to have more of a vested interest in the other games on TV, beyond just general entertainment.

So now this season, I have not one but 2 teams! Who am I? But I am so thrilled, because the reality is with the way my team is projected to be, I need to have a little something else to look forward to.

So here are my teams:
   Fourth & Inches

  Fourth and Inches is going to struggle in the league I am in. First I have too many QBs and I need to up my RB and WR support to assist when other players have their bye. There are some gems on these teams though, QB strengths are one of them and then my Kickers. But I have a long shot before I get this right, and there are definitely trades in my future. 

3rd and Long

I am particularly proud of this team. I made sure to do some research and was a little bit more active than my first run. My first run with Fourth & Inches I spent half of the draft on auto mode because I didn't properly queue up like I needed to. And well then that just meant I messed up.

But this second round with Third and Long, I did my homework, I at least had a system until one of my friends messed up the order and I jumped the gun. But I am pretty happy with my selection now it's just a matter of seeing how it pans out. 

So here is to adding a little spice to what can usually be mildly entertaining Monday, Thursday and Sunday pro football! 

That's all she wrote folks.