I Believe that I Have made Friends

I dont know how it happened. I honestly considered myself incapable of it. But apparently, some people appreciate me for who I am. I am and will continue to be amazed. See-snide comments, good looks, acerbic wit, and a dose of charm will get you places in life. That and the ability to be right about everything.

Blessings:
The "ah-ha!" moment. It happens in the middle of any good math problem, and that brief split second where you see your way to the answer is overlooked by many people because it is so brief. But really, if you expand that joy over a whole day, its probably just as good as Christmas Day.

My Dream Come True

While I cant be certain in saying this, I would venture to guess that most people on this planet dont get a chance to see their dreams realized. But mine have, today. I have always dreamed of serving a mission for my church, and today I got my call. I am to serve for 24 months in the Ogden, Utah Spanish speaking mission. I am so excited. So excited, I cant even begin to explain.

Blessings:
The opportunity to serve is one of the greatest blessings that can be given. I look forward to serving The Lord with all my heart mind might and strength.

Job Well Done

It is infinitely better to do a job once well than to have to do it a million times poorly. I fear that the world doesnt understand this. I dont know how to fix the problem other than to tell them that doing a job once is so rewarding, especially compared to having to redo a job several times because it was done so poorly.

Blessings:
A calling. A purpose in life is always good.

Luck

I do not believe in luck, even before my experiences today. People often tell me: "The Correct One, you are so perfect, and yet your life isnt in proportion to your lifestyle choices and overall grandeur. You must have bad luck." Foolishness, I say! Luck does not exist. Humans simply invented it to blame their problems on. Its qutie cowardly, honestly. But anyway, today, I walked under a ladder and past a black cat on a doorstep, and not one terrible thing has happened to me today. Now, there is at least 10 hours left before I plan on retiring for the day, but honestly, if you calculate the things that I have done today in proportion to how much bad luck they were supposed to bring, then there is almost no way to make up for it, unless I die in the worst way imageanable, or a natural disaster strikes the world. I just dont see it happening.

Blessings:
I feel very blessed to have the ability to quickly recover from a short nights sleep. Few people can do that, and Im not trying to brag or anything by saying that I can. It is just one of my natural blessings.

I Have No Time

I have allowed myself to get way behind schedule, and I really hate that feeling. Have I ever told y'all the story about my great great grandmother? Well, she missed the Titanic by 14 minutes, and I feel that because of this a) I shouldnt be here, and b) that I thus owe it to society to be constantly on time, if not 14 minutes early. So, I feel very out of place that I am so behind schedule. So, that is all for today.

Blessings:
Familiar faces. Its nice to see a recognizeable face amongst a group of people that you think are strangers.

Human Beuatification

Perhaps that is too broad a title, perhaps too narrow. See, what I want to discuss is the very concept that humans have of trying to make themselves look more appealing focusing specifically on the American view of zits and makeup. So, you be the judge on the title, but I have more important things to discuss. Firstly, zits. All humans get them. Its just natural. Really, thats where the discussion should end. But unfortunately, we, specifically as Americans, find it necessary to hide these blemishes. Now, just to clarify, I do not deny that they are naturally unsightly, but I have two good arguments against that. First of all, part of this perception may come from how the media portrays people. Everyone looks beautiful. There is no spot or blemish on anyone in Hollywood (yes, Ive been thinking a lot about that place this week). Perhaps it has subconciously slipped into our minds that those who have zits are less human or of less worth than those who have no zits (I will come back to this false concept shortly). My second argument against the idea of zits being naturally unsightly is that we all have them. If we were to completely return to our animal states (which is not what Im suggesting we do), we would have them and think nothing of them. So, returning to the discussion of why trying to hide our zits is unethical and in fact a waste of time, money, and effort, let me just reiterate what I have said before by saying that because we all have them, if we were to leave them alone, we would all be equal in the matter. But this is where human pride steps in. Because of the image laid out by Hollywood and others, we think that we can make ourselves better by hiding our zits from all the other common people who have them. But if you think about it, what is that really doing? It hides the very thing that makes us human, that makes us all the same, and thus easier to accept, wouldnt you think? And what is the goal of these people who hide their zits? To be more accepted by people. It is false logic. But unfortunately, it seems that everyone around me has bought into this. Products that cover up or "remove" zits are now a huge business. People pay thousands of dollars a year to make their skin look better. Does anyone else find that sick? This brings me to my next topic-makeup. Now, this is specifically aimed at the females because they are obviously the half of the population that tends to use makeup over the other. How much money do you females think that you spend on makeup a year? And what exactly has it brought you? Sure, maybe one time the maskera made a guy think that you had really pretty eyes, but here, from the guys perspective, let me tell you what I think about that. Pretend, hypothetically, that I date one woman every night for one year. The only time that I see her during that year is during our two hour dates every night of the week. During these dates, she is wearing makeup. We laugh, we cry, we have a good time and get to know each other on these dates. Later on, we are married or whatever, and I wake up next to her, look into her eyes and expect to see my beautiful wife that I married, right? But what do I see? This unmakeuped thing that I dont really know. See? Makeup fools the man into believing that you are something that you are not. Do you really want your relationship to be based on a lie right off the bat. That is why makeup has become a major turn off for me. Its like: "Oh. Youve obviously got something that you dont want me to see under that. I dont want any part of that." Guys, have you ever been down the makeup aisle at the grocery store? There are hundreds of products that basically do the same thing, that are freakishly expensive, that abuse packaging, and when thought about, are really ridiculous products that do next to nothing except help your wife/girlfriend lie to you about who they are. Moreover, makeup is designed for the same purpose as those zit products-to make one woman look/feel/be more important/better than another. First of all, it does not accomplish this. In my opinion, it makes your ethics more questionable, and thus a worse human being, and second, the very motive behind makeup is sick and wrong. It is, although on a small scale, eerily reminiscant of what the Nazis did to the Jews: make them wear a Star of David on their clothes. So, the next time you go to apply your daily facial towellete moisturizer and then the first of ten coats of chemicals to put over your eyes, think about the other women who are smart enough to not wear makeup and how you are consciously making them walk around with a Star of David on their chest. You all are sick.

Blessings:
Im blessed with the ability to listen. I honestly believe that this is one of my best talents and skills.

True Love

The Hollywood depiction of true love, and thus the depiction that most people believe in, centers around a guy spotting a girl (or vice versa) and immediately falling in love. They push through all the troubles and eventually end up together. If one of them dies, the other can never truly love again. They are fated for each other. And therein lies the problem. True love, the Hollywood depiction, at least, is a horrible, horrible, awful thing that first of all, is not true at all, and secondly, gives people the wrong idea. Firstly, I must discuss true love in general. It is a false lie, that unfortunately too much of the world believes in. Real love (which is what I will call it so as to not confuse it with the so-called "true love") is when two people of the opposite sex (yeah, that is a firm stance, and I can perhaps elaborate on that later) work hard together and grow to appreciate each other completely. Now, many of you are reading that I think: "that is such a small thing..." but really, you can barely comprehend the meaning of the phrase: "appreciate each other completely." That means to love them for every little thing that they do, and acknowledge them for it, and, on the same side of the coin, recognize all of their faults, and appreciate them for trying to work through them, and the willingness to be able to work through your own faults and in general do whatever it takes to make the relationship work. Now, this formula can work for any relationship: husband/wife, father/son, friend/friend. That is love. Real love is a marital love. Thats not to say that the other relationships are not "real," but its just a definitional thing to clarify. Anyways, under this definition, no two people are fated for each other before the world began. No two people were ever "made" for each other. A marriage can work between any two people of relatively comparably aged people (Id say plus or minus five years, but theres a little elasticity on that). So, on to the Hollywood definition. We've already addressed how false the fated issue is, but now I will explain why that is in fact an evil lie. Think about it: if you were truly fated to be with one person before time began, do you really have any choice in who you give your love to? The answer is no. This conclusion leads us to what the so called "true" love really is: a fake love. A forced love. In fact, it makes no sense whatsoever. How can you really love somebody when you have no choice in the matter? Secondly, and probably less importantly, I would like to clear the air of the "seeing each other across a crowded room" theory. Hollywood likes to call this "love at first sight," and they might even jump right into "true love." As an aside, I say Hollywood, but I use that to represent the ideals that seem to flow from that wretched land of two-faces and lies (see Greatest Song Ever List #4 Californication by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers). I could be calling it Babylon, or Rome, if that makes any more historical sense to anyone. My point is that it is an evil institution that preaches false doctrines. Which brings us back to love. "Love at first sight?" No, the correct term is "attraction," or perhaps "infatuation." Now I bring all of this up because I see far too often in this world believing that these things exist. People honestly put their lives on hold for one person because they believe that they are "fated" to be together, or because there was some kind of "magical" spark the first time they saw them. These are false preachings given to us from Hollywood. A good portion of our fairy tails involve this notion of true love. WE TEACH THIS TO OUR CHILDREN? This fake, lying, misery-bringing promise? I cannot let this continue. So I have done my part today. I officially declare to the world in the only way that I know, that I know, that the so-called true love does not exist. In fact, we can find love with anyone, and we can find real love with any comparable partner of the opposite sex who is of a relatively comparable age. All it takes is a lot of work and dedication, and I promise to you that when devoted to it, the benefits dwarf the expenses.

Blessings:
TV. Sorry, this sounds really lame after what I just wrote, but I have been at college for a while without television, and I just got to watch a little of it for the first time in a long time, and it made me feel like I was at home. It really is a nice little invention.

An Island

I dont know how I have done it, but I have done it. I have somehow created a literal island of myself in this sea of people we call society. Its like I am emanating some sort of radiation that keeps people five feet away from me at all times. This isnt particularly a bad thing, but I am confused as to its origin. Is it due to my intellectual superiority? Or perhaps my charm and acerbic wit have gone so far off the charts that it has actually completed a continual round and come back on the negative end? Being an island is not particularly a terrible feeling, it just makes it difficult to communicate messages to humans who refuse to acknowledge my existence. Oh well.

Blessings:
The spirit. I know that many of you who read are not mormon, or maybe not even Christian. Maybe for some reason you just dont believe in the uplifting power of feeling the spirit as it bears witness to your soul of the truthfulness of something. But I am here to testify to you that it is a real feeling, and it is the best feeling in the world. I normally try to keep personal things like this out of Thoughts, but I felt the spirit so strong today, and I just felt so blessed for the joy that it brought into my life that I feel like I would be rather ungrateful if I didnt mention it.

Boredom

It is an invention of the human mind. Really, it bothers me immensely that so many people complain of boredom, but really, to alleviate yourself of its symptoms, all you must do is tell yourself that you are not bored. Then it will be gone. Boredom truly does not exist. People are just so obsessed with newness it permeates all of our activities. In fact I have heard people argue that the music that I listen to is no good simply because it is not new. They are wrong, of course. But it saddens me that people cannot accept what is clearly good for them for the sole reason that they think that it bores them. If they were to ignore this invented feeling, then they could understand true greatness. And its not just music; people do incredibly stupid things, like jump off of cliffs, because they believe that they are bored. It truly is saddening.

Blessings:
A schedule. I find it very comforting to be able to look into the future and have things to look forward to. Not that I would get "bored" if there wasnt, but it makes me more excited for life.

The Speed of Light

It is incredibly fast. I just thought that youd all like to know that. Do you realize that when you look at the sun, what you are seeing is what it looked like eight minutes ago? Sometimes nature just amazes me.

Blessings:
Telephones. The allow us to converse with people over great distances instantaneously. It truly is a remarkable product.

Breaking Rules

Normally, I am a huge fan of following rules. I think that they bring order and efficiency to our society. Naturally, as with just about everyone else, there are always some rules that I dont agree with, but I adhere to them just to be a part of the system. But tonight, on a bet, I decided to go against the rules of my school and jump in the pool after it was closed. And it was exhilarating. Who knew? I was so shocked that it was so much fun. I honestly had no idea. Wow.

Blessings:
Pre-made salad. You know, if writing down these blessings thing has taught me anything, its that I take so much for granted in life. You know, sometimes, when you just want a salad, sometimes its just nice to open up a bag and have it there for you. It is one of lifes greatest simple luxuries, in my opinion. For the record, Im not trying to be funny here. I challenge you to seriously reflect on the joys that prebagged salad has brought to your life.

A General Problem

Nothing really exciting has happened recently to report on, so instead, I have decided to discuss a general problem that has been upsetting my mind for some time. There is a book called The 100, by Michael H. Hart. In it, Hart ranks the top 100 people of all time by their influence on world history. The top three go something like this: 1. Muhammad 2. Sir Isaac Newton 3. Jesus Christ. I wanted to dispute Jesus Christs low ranking. I can understand Muhammad's ranking. Not only is he the founder and prophet of one of the biggest religions in the world, and the fastest growing might I add, he was also a military leader who took over the middle eastern world and started a campaign that was finished by later caliphs into Europe. On the other hand, while Christ was clearly very influential (and just to clear the air here, I am a devout Christian), it can be historically argued that the spread of the christian church to the gentiles was accomplished mostly by Paul. Also, Christ was never a military leader. Historically speaking, he was a prophet, the founder of the largest religion in the world, and that is it. But, what I disagree with is his ranking below Sit Isaac Newton. Newtons influence has been far, wide, and great. The invention of calculus has opened up science never imagianable before his time, which has lead to discoveries and inventions that ease the lives of almost everyone on this planet. Also, his work with gravity and light revolutionized the way that we think about our world, and once again opened the door to many later discoveries. But I do not think that any of this outweighs Christs influence. The moral code that he laid down is now implemented into the lives of a large population of the world. Wars have been and are being fought over the truthfulness of his gospel. Consider the Inquisition! The discovery of the New World! A large portion of the people ranked below him on the list (basically anybody who was of European descent) was raised in a world that worshipped him, and thus at least a part of their accomplishments must be attributed to his influence. The Holocaust! The list goes on! Surely these outweigh Newtons influence.

Blessings:
The cool part of the pillow. Its always hard to find, and once you find it, it fades so quickly. But those two to three seconds are my favorite part of sleeping.

Napping at Night is Stupid

Last night, I took a nap at 11:30 at night. Not smart. I couldnt fall asleep until quarter to five in the morning, and then I had to get up at 11, and now I am tired again. It is no good.

Blessings:
Agency. This probably above all things is what we take for granted in life-our complete ability to choose to do whatever we want to, albeit with consequences. Still, our ability to choose grants us the ability to grow and progress, and the ability to be rewarded for wise decisions. It is a flawless system.

Hook

For those of you foolish enough to not know, the greatest movie ever made is Hook, directed by Steven Spielberg. It stars Robin Williams as Peter Banning/Peter Pan, Dustin Hoffman as Captain James Hook, and Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell. So its got the star power. More importantly, everyone plays their part to perfection, even the child actors who play The Lost Boys. It is well directed, the camera angles are well done, the set and costuming is some of the best that I have ever seen, and the score is one of the best I have ever heard. Most importantly, it is true to the genius work of Sir James Barrie. Almost every individual line is from his book. All the history is accurate. It is perfect. The basic premise is-what would happen if Peter Pan ever grew up? That is where the true greatness of it lies-even in this break from Barries classic, the film is still true to Barries ideals. I dont think that too many people catch it, but it is very important. I bring this up because today, I was watching the film, and I caught something that I had never caught before. The film is so great that this happens frequently. There are layers to it, and its almost like a religious experience for me to watch it. Its that great. Anyways, there is a pivital scene in the middle of the film where Captain Hook has captured Peter Bannings son, Jack, and is trying to make Jack love him as the ultimate revenge to Peter Pan (trust me, it all makes more sense if you just watch the movie). Hook is afraid of clocks, and the reasoning explicitly expressed in the movie is because he fears the crocodile that bit off his hand. This makes sense, and I will not deny that I believe that that is part of Hooks fear of clocks. But, we learn later in the film that Hook is "afraid of time, ticking away." This is a very adult theme, that as a child I did not grasp, and also did not grasp it while reading Mr. Barries book. But it is a very good metaphor, and it is what Mr. Barrie wanted. It is as if Spielberg adopted his mind. Also, it is a theme that unfortunately, is intended for children. It is unfortunate because children rarely can grasp that theme. Anyway, back to the scene, it opens with Hook being awakened by the feared sound of the clock. Previously in the film, Mr. Banning had given Jack his watch. It is this watch that awakens Hook. He escorts Jack to a museum filled with smashed clocks. Previously in the film we are alerted to the fact that Mr. Banning has broken several promises to Jack, and has overall been a disappointment as a father. Remember that Hooks intent is to make Jack love him. So, Hook instructs Jack to smash his fathers clock. Jack defiantly declares: "For making promises; and breaking them!" and then smashes the watch. Then, we see Jacks reflection in another clock as he says "For never letting me blow bubbles in my chocolate milk!" and Hook says: "Make time stand still." And finally, we see Jacks reflection again, and he says: "For never doing anything with me," this time significantly sadder. There are so many implications of this powerful scene that I dont even know where to begin. Firstly, it is the scene where Jack officially lets go of his dad and succumbs to the temptations of Captain Hook. We can just watch it in his face. The boy who plays Jack does a marvelous job, in this scene especially. Secondly, it is the scene where we see Jack become a man. This is represented in his initial giddines over being allowed to smash something, to becoming saddened over an emotional issue, a true sign of adulthood. This is Berrie-esque. Berrie was obsessed with the pure ecstacy of childhood, and the very real sharp turn it takes into being a man. This is portrayed beautifully through what I am sure is Spielbergs coaching in the face of Jack as he smashes each successive clock. It is a wonderfully depressing thing to watch in a manner of seconds. Jack goes from being a boy, to being a man, and Hook deprives him of his soul. It is so powerful. Thirdly, it is a visual metaphor for "making time stand still." Perhaps you have heard that the Lost Boys never grow up. This is not true. Berrie clearly explains in his book that only Peter never grows old. The other boys are just killed off by pirates and replaced rather quickly so it seems like they never grow old. One major theme of Berries book is that while childhood is a great and glorious time and should be dealt with carefully so as not to let it go to waste, and that, in fact, we should keep our inner child with us throughout our lives, but also, that it is of utmost importance that at some point, we do allow ourselves to grow up. This is where true happiness lies. Peter Pans happiness is false, and only comes from his ignorance. Hook has also deprived Jack of this. He has "made time stand still." So, he has put Jack in a very strange, uncomfortable, and altogether depressing situationl-he has grown up all too quickly, and yet, has been instructed to not let his mind wander into the adult world. See, Hook fears time ticking away, and he truly wants Jack to make time stand still so that he can be miserable like unto Hook. And that last bit, is what I discovered while watching today. In sum, it is a marvelous scene in a marvelous movie, and try as I might, I cannot accurately describe it to you.

Blessings:
My mom. She loves me and misses me and is the best mother anybody could ever ask for. Truly she is on this planet to help me survive daily life because I could not do it without her.

I dont like using peoples names

Once again, I have recently discovered something about myself, and that is that I dont like using peoples names. Other people will say something like: "Hey, John! How are you doing, John? Would you like to go to a movie, John?" I do not do such things. I know, I know, Carnegie told us that that is how we make friends and influence people, and dont get me wrong, I find that to be a useful and righteous venture, but his reasoning behind why we must do that disgusts me. It does not disgust me because it is inherently disgusting. It does not disgust me because I disagree with his views. It disgusts me because I do agree with him, and it is in fact the human race that truly disgusts me. His claim is that people are so wrapped up in themselves that they need to hear their own frequently in order to feel validated. I believe this to be true, and it disgsusts me. Sometimes I question: "Are people really this self-centered and weak?" Honestly, I probably have lost friends and followers over this. Even with those whom I would consider my close associates, I rarely find myself vocalizing their names. When I speak to them, it is fairly obvious that I am speaking to them, and thus I find no utility in clarifying their name for them. They should be fully aware that I am speaking to them. Its not that I dont know their names. In my head, I can name many faces, but I would hope, at least, that the people that I can name are not so weak that they need to hear their own names just to feel accepted. That is honestly disgusting.

Blessings:
Happy people. I like it when people around me are happy. It lifts me up.

NFC West

Our last stop on the divisional tour of the NFL, and its a good thing too, because all of these teams bore me. Even when they were The Greatest Show on Turf, the Rams bored me because all of their stars seemed old. Even when they went to the Super Bowl and had an MVP, the Seahawks bored me because he wasnt an explosive back, just one who did his job, and what more boring name could there be than Shaun Alexander? I think the last time that one of these teams was interesting was when the 49ers had Steve Young. So, without further ado, on to the boringness!
St. Louis Rams-This team wins the division by default because all the other teams are so bad. Yeah, they will be significantly better than last year because they shouldnt be decimated by injuries, but lets face it, this team is still pretty bad. Bulger will be a good QB, but he has now lost Isaac Bruce, who I think will be a bigger loss than most people think. He has been a staple in St. Louis for forever, and people thus dont really value his talent. Also, I hate the Donnie Avery pick. Especially with all of the WRs left on the board. He will never replace Isaac Bruce. Steven Jackson will probably be the bright spot on this team. If this team is to go anywhere in the playoffs, it will be due to him. He just needs to stay healthy, and then he should be fine. I love the Chris Long pick. It makes that D-line very strong, at least for one year. Most of the guys on that line, even the rotation guys, are pretty old. But Carriker and Long will be there for a while, and will be productive there for a while. The rest of the defense is pretty offensive. But the offense should be good enough to win this division. Woohoo.
Seattle Seahawks-I dont even know where to begin. History-thats where Ill begin. Lets look at the history of this team. Back when they were in the Super Bowl and had an MVP, who was their quarterback? Matt Hasselbeck. Now, all of the pieces that made them good (Shaun Alexander, Steve Hutchinson...) are gone, except for Hasselbeck, and thus he is the only reason that this team seems to constantly be competing for a division title. He should once again have a productive season, and yet Im not quite sure how. He has 0 recievers. 0. As for the running game, while there is no denying that Alexander had lost a step, the fundamental problem with their running game came with the loss of Steve Hutchinson. The entire o-line has looked weak since that point, and thus the running game cannot survive. The same will be true this year, no matter how many average RBs you have (Maurice Morris, Julius Jones, TJ Duckett...). The defense now belongs to Lofa Tatupu, with a helpful assist from Patrick Kerney, but the rest of the defense is not overwhelming. I love the Lawrence Jackson pick, but he wont be a big factor this year. Besides Kerney, this team cant get to the quarterback. Their backfield is good enough to be ok against the pass. The run defense should be ok, too, but my overall point is that this team just does not have the pieces to make it to the playoffs.
Arizona Cardinals-They are the most interesting team in the division just because it would be fun to see them back in the playoffs, and they always seem so close, but yet so far. A productive draft brought them Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who wont start, but will see plenty of time and will try to help their horrendous pass defense, Early Doucett, who will eventually be able to replace Anquan Boldin (if he leaves), and Calais Campbell, who once again wont start, but should see time and he will try to help the awful d-line improve. But a good draft is not enough. Also, the QB situation is interesting. Kurt Warner is the starter. Honestly, I think that this might signal the end of Matt Leinarts career in Arizona. Maybe not, but just possibly. Anyway, Fitzgerald and Boldin are both monsters as long as they stay healthy, but thats questionable. Edgerrin James is way past his prime, and this running game thus has no life. But Kurt Warner, Fitzgerald, and Boldin should keep things interesting enough. Not necessarily win a lot of games, but they will be entertaining. The defense is awful. Just awful. Thats all I have to say about that. They arent going to the playoffs this year.
San Fransisco 49ers-JT O'Sullivan? Yep, and that pretty much does it for Alex Smith. Welcome to the life of Joey Harrington. You will sign on as a backup for the rest of your career, or perhaps as the starter if their first choice goes down for the season. No one will ever expect anything from you again for the rest of your life. Leinart has more of a chance in Arizona because Warner could be done after this season, but Smith is done for sure. O'Sullivan will be ok at best. Still, I do like how they pried Isaac Bruce away from division rivals the Rams. He will be very valuable, especially if they are planning on making the playoffs this year. Frank Gore should be more than good if he stays healthy, but thats very questionable. Vernon Davis is a nice option. I like the Kentwan Balmer pick. Nate Clements is one of the best CBs in this league, but the rest of the defensive backfield is subpar at best. Patrick willis is an elite linebacker and should continue to lead this team in tackles for the next decade or so. But, once again, most of the people in the box with him leave something to be desired. They have the studs, but overall, this defense dont shine. And this team should once again have a pretty high draft pick.
So, lets review what I have set up for the season:
AFC-1. Cleveland Browns NFC-1. New Orleans Saints
2. New England Patriots 2. Dallas Cowboys
3. San Diego Chargers 3. Philadelphia Eagles
6. Tenessee Titans 6. St. Louis Rams
4. Indianapolis Colts 4. Minnesota Vikings
5. Jacksonville Jaguars 5. Green Bay Packers

1. Cleveland Browns 1. New Orleans Saints
4. Indianapolis Colts 4. Minnesota Vikings
2. New England Patriots 2. Dallas Cowboys
3. San Diego Chargers 3. Philadelphia Eagles

1. Cleveland Browns 1. New Orleans Saints
2. New England Patriots 2. Dallas Cowboys

1. Cleveland Browns 1. New Orleans Saints

Cleveland Browns

Also, the MVP will be Derek Anderson. The Offensive rookie of the year will be Matt Ryan. The Deffensive rookie of the year will be Vernon Gholston. The Defensive Player of the Year will be Albert Haynesworth. Just you watch.

Blessings:
Time. Sometimes, its nice just to have time to get stuff done.

NFC South

This division seems to always underachieve. A few years back, each of these teams could have been considered playoff contenders. Now, were not sure if any of them deserve playoff spots. Well, at least thats what most people think. The Saints and the Bucs both have playoff hopes this season, I think, and the Saints are going to return to New Orleans with the consolation prize of the NFC Champions title after losing in the Super Bowl to the Browns. But, lets see why, and also look at the other teams:
New Orleans Saints-This team was only bad last year because of devastating injuries. This year, they should be back and ready to go in a big way. Two notable additions-Jonothan Vilma. He immediately makes a slightly below average linebacking unit into a very good unit, and he should be among the team leaders in tackles. The overall defense improves because of him. Im not saying that it will be an elite unit, maybe not even a good unit, but it will be an improved unit, improved enough to help what should be a dominant offense. Part of that offense is the other newcomer-Jeremy Shockey. Yes, hes a mouth, but hes a very talented mouth, and he can be the second option that Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and Marques Colston has been looking for. Pressure goes off of all of them because defenses have to account for Shockey. Oh, and dont forget Deuce McAllister. He is always injury prone, but when hes in the game, he is still a better rusher than Reggie Bush, and defenses know that. Drew Brees has the tools in place to put up MVP numbers this season. This season is going to come down to a square off with the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. Just you watch.
Tampa Bay Buccanneers-This team is still all about defense. I like the Aqib Talib pick. He wont start, but hell contribute. Gaines Adams continued development should be fun to watch. The rest of the defense just works together as a strong unit, and it will be enough to give them a chance at a playoff spot in the weak NFC. The offense leaves much to be desired. There are about a trillion quarterbacks on this team, but not one of them is Pro Bowl level. I know thats a lot to ask, but thats almost whats necessary to win in this league. There isnt anybody to pass to, anyway, I suppose. Earnest Graham was another one of those weird backs who game out of nowhere last year to do freaksihly well (a la Ryan Grant, Ahmad Bradshaw). He should continue to do well this year, as well. But, if this teams really wants to be in the playoffs and not just a contender, the passing game will need to improve rapidly.
Carolina Panthers-Other than a strong draft, which brought in Jonothan Davis and Jeff Otah, who both will see significant playing time with Otah starting, this team doesnt have much going for them. I never know what to expect from Delhomme. He can look like an MVP at times, and worse than Rex Grossman and Kyle Boller put together at others. The O-line is good, but Im not sure what to expect from the running game at this point. DeAngelo Williams has never really gotten starters minutes, and while I like Jonothan Stewart, hes not going to be Adrian Peterson. Steve Smith is great, but he seems injury prone to me, and also kind of streaky. If he has an "on" season-lookout. But if not, he can look quite average. D.J. Hacket can be a nice speed guy, and Muhsin Muhammad is a nice possesion guy, so I suppose as a group they are nice, but Im not buying it with Delhomme at QB. I dont know what to expect from the defense, either. On paper, they should be pretty good, but this is basically the same roster as last season, defensively, and they werent too great. So I dont know. What I do know is that when this many things are uncertain, you certainly are not going to the playoffs.
Atlanta Falcons-A clear rebuilding year as this team tries to recover from the Mike Vick incident and the coaching debacle all at once. The future looks ok, though, with Matt Ryan at the helm, but even he knows that its not meant for this year. Weve been waiting around a long time for Roddy White and Mike Jenkins to develop, so Im not sure that that is going to happen. Maybe they could look into that next year. Another new face is Michael Turner, who could be the feature RB in Atlanta for a long time, and do a good job at it, might I add. Defensively, a lot is left to be desired. The unit shouldnt be the worst in the league with Jonothan Abraham and Keith Brooking on it, but its not a playoff caliber defense.
Tomorrow we will look at the last division in the league, the NFC West. Can you feel the excitement? We get to look at the up-tempo Cardinals, and then the always boring Seahawks. We also get to talk about some Quarterbacks who might end up living the life of Joey Harrington (Alex Smith, Matt Leinart).

Blessings:
Extra credit opportunities. Even in the real world, sometimes you just get some opportunities to get yourself ahead, and thats always nice.

NFC East

Many think that the NFC Champion will come from this conference. I am not one of those people, but that does not mean that I dont think that this conference is tough. All of these teams have a realistic chance of making the playoffs, but it is the small flaws that kill them.
Dallas Cowboys-So many people are excited about this team, but all I see is that theyve gotten worse since last year. They lost Julius Jones, the lightning to Marion Barbers thunder. They lost Terry Glenn, and no matter what you think about him, he was at least somewhat a threat, and at the very least a presence. With that said, Tony Romo is the definition of the border between elite and very good. If he can guide his team to the Super Bowl, then elite will be the natural consensus. Barber is very good and can handle the role as the full time back, and even if he cant they drafted Felix Jones in round one. Owens and Crayton are both very good recievers, and Jason Witten is practically a WR himself. The defense should be pretty good, too. They have the deepest class of CBs in the league, with Terrence Newman, Adam Jones, Anthony Henry, and the recently drafted Mike Jenkins. Marcus Spears, Greg Ellis, and DeMarcus Ware all have the ability to get at the QB. So, while this division will not be easy to win, the Cowboys are the clear favorites for good reason. But Romo has the curse and this team got worse, so its not going to happen this year.
Philadelphia Eagles-They will be good this year. Playoffs. Thats what I see, at least. Donovan McNabb has a lot left in him. Brian Westbrook has a lot left in him. DeSean Jackson will be the Messiah for Philadelphia fans. The O-line is very strong. Defensively, they have improved. Asante Samuel immediately will make a huge impact in the defensive backfield. Teams will be much less likely to try to air it out against these guys. I like the Trevor Laws pick. Im a little confused as to why Lito Sheppard is still on this team, but thats a trifle at this point. My point is, is that this team is a lot better than a lot of people think. The entire city of Philadelphia just seems to be waiting for Kevin Kolb, and Im not sure why. You have a contender on your hands, and you arent paying attention.
New York Giants-Ive never seen a defending champion ranked so low. And yet it makes the most sense. Even the Giants players will tell you that they overachieved last year. Still, they are a solid team, and I cannot officially count them out after seeing what they did last year. With that said, I still dont see playoffs in this teams future. They have a fourheaded monster at running back with Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Reuben Droughns, with Jacobs figuring to get the most carries. That unit, as a whole, should be solid, but dont expect any fantasy monster, Tiki Barber like numbers. Still, the key to this team is how Eli Manning plays. Can he continue what he started late last season? My guess is no. He will return to regular old Eli form and not continue to turn into Peyton. He has options, though. Although Shockey is no longer there, Plaxico has turned into one of the finer recievers in the game, and Toomer is very underrated. Even after Toomer, there are three young guys waiting to get their chance who all could have very productive careers in the NFL in Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss, and Mario Manningham. The strenght is still the defense, though. The loss of Strahan will be huge, though. I think it will be fun to watch Aaron Ross continue to develop. I also like the pick of Kenny Phillips. He wont start, but hell see time. Overall, Eli is not the quarterback we saw last season, and the Giants arent the team we saw last season, and the end result will not be the same as the Giants got last season.
Washington Redskins-This might be the most improved team in the division, and yet they still finish in the cellar. I like the Devin Thomas pick. I like the Jason Taylor trade. But Clinton Portis is too fragile and Jason Campbell is too inexperienced to get this team anywhere in this tough division. If this team is to go anywhere, he will need to have a huge, monstrous year, and I just dont see that happening.
Tomorrow we examine the division that will produce our NFC Champion: the NFC South. Yes, the NFC South, the division where Mike Vick used to play. The division where David Carr started a few games last season. The division where Reggie Bush has no where lived up to expectations. The division where Tampa has done nothing but frustrate us by routinely underachieving and overachieving since they won the Super Bowl. So, come back tomorrow to see who will be facing the Cleveland Browns in the Super Bowl.

Blessings:
Soup. It is one of my favorite kinds of foods. It is one of the more comforting foods that I know. I feel really blessed that we have so many different varities that are so comforting in so many different ways.

NFC North

This division has the potential to be one of the most exciting divisions to watch, and not for reasons that youd think. Firstly, consider the quarterbacks leading these teams: Minnesota-Tarvaris Jackson. Not much experience yet, and yet still expected to get his team to the Super Bowl this season. Also, the team drafted John David Booty. Talk about pressure. Green Bay-Aaron Rogers. Try following the act that Brett Favre put up since 1992. Thats pressure. Oh, and they also drafted Brian Brohm. This guys got to be feeling it. Detroit-John Kitna. By far, the most experienced starter in the division. But his problem is that he knows that he is a stopgap for someone else. Or at least so he thought. But the Lions front office has been scared to draft a QB since the whole Joey Harrington debacle. So, how long will he be a Lion, and what is his purpose here? Chicago-This is Kyle Ortons team, I guess, which cant be much worse than what Rex Grossman has been doing to the team for the past few years. The Bears are similar to Detroit in that they have been scared to draft a QB since the whole Rex Grossman debacle. So anyway, my point is that this division shapes up to be fun to watch. Now in depth-
Minnesota Vikings-These guys are your division winners, but it will be a close one. All of these teams I believe have the potential of winning 12 games, or winning five. So, realistically, I see an 11 win schedule for these guys. The team went through great lengths to improve during the offseason. First came Bernard Berrian to help with the passing game so teams couldnt just clamp down on Adrian Peterson like they did last season. Maybe its just me, but Im not sure how much help one guy is, not to mention just one guy from the Bears. I mean, they arent exactly the most talented pool to pull from as far as the passing game goes. Anyway, yeah, his presence helps, at least a little bit, but it doesnt make their entire offensive scheme "scary" as Ive heard many people describe it. Then they brought in Madieu Williams who will pair with Darren Sharper to form one of the scarier pairs of safeties in the league. Problem is that he is currently injured. Good news is that they brought in Tyrell Johnson in the second round (they traded away their first rounder to get Jared Allen, who well get to in a second). Johnson might have been a first round talent as he proved Monday night by getting a tackle and two sacks in just his first game. Hell be valuable in the rotation behind Sharper and Williams, and that will help stop the pass which probably was their biggest problem last season. Also helping stop the pass will be the presence of Jared Allen who the Vikings gave away a first round pick for. To me, it was very well worth it. Allen is only 26 and already polished. You now have a premier pass rusher to put alongside the Williams Wall and make yourself a nice D-line. Allen will put pressure on opposing QBs, forcing them into errors that Sharper, Williams, Johnson, Antoine Winfield, Chad Greenway, and EJ Henderson will all capitalize on. Speaking of, though, the linebacking core isnt terrifying, and might be their biggest liability right now. So thats pretty much the team...Oh, wait. There is this little guy named Adrian Peterson who lit up the league in his rookie season by breaking the single game rushing record, guiding a team that nobody thought had a chance almost to the playoffs, and winning Pro Bowl MVP honors. And hes only getting better. At this point, the only concern is his health. Good news is that they have the more than serviceable Chester Taylor as backup. He went for over 100 in one game that Peterson missed last season. So, this team is pretty good, as long as they are healthy. The pass game and the linebackers are a liability, though.
Green Bay Packers-This is the true "Post Favre Era." History tells us that its going to take a while for this team to recover (Denver is still reeling from the loss of John Elway). But the team around Aaron Rogers is good enough to get them back to the playoffs. Ryan Grant came out of nowhere last year. He should only be better this year. Rogers has looked good in the limited minutes that we have seen him. And he has good weapons in Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and James Jones. The o-line needs improvement, but its a good enough unit. The D-line is one of the most underrated, especially Aaron Kampman who is truly an elite pass rusher. Hawk and Barnett are the studs of a solid linebacking core. Poppinga could be better, but what are you going to do? On paper, the defensive backfield looks soft, but they always seem to overperform. So, I say playoffs, but early exit. In a few years though, Rogers could prove history wrong.
Detroit Lions-Where did it go last year? Kitna predicted ten wins, and then, before we knew it, they had eight. But they died. Really died at the end of the season. Where did it all go? And unfortunately, Im not sure that they can get back whatever it is that they lost. Kitnas not getting any younger. Roy Williams will still be a stud (man, if he had a quarterback, we're talking Randy Moss+Terrell Owens numbers) and Calvin Johnson should continue to improve, maybe even have a breakout year. Heck, even Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald should have fairly productive seasons. But what is this thing they are trying to call a running game? Kevin Smith and Rudi Johnson? Talk about inexperienced and washed up. They have it all here in Detroit folks! I love the pick of Gosder Cherilus. Honestly, I look at their defensive roster and I dont recognize a single name. The loss of Shaun Rogers is going to be huge. No wonder they let Matt Ryan score 34 points on them on Sunday. Ouch.
Chicago Bears-This team is an enigma. On paper, this is going to a very rough year offensively for Chicago, but hey, what else is new? Really though, they dont even have Bernard Berrian or Cedric Benson anymore. Defensively, things look much better, except like a billion times older. Its a problem. The defense wants to win now, but has to wait for the offense to catch up. I dont know, if I was a star like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, or Tommie Harris, I would start getting agitated when the team is 1-4 and start demanding a trade. But thats just me. As a side note, I love the pick of Chris Williams. (Yeah, Im a big fan of o-linemen in the first round. Theyre safe picks, what do you want from me? You never hear of a great lineman blossoming out of nowhere, but you hear about stories like Tom Brady, Ryan Grant and their ilk all the time.)
Tomorrow, we take a look at what some incorrectly argue to be the toughest division in football: The NFC East. Can Tony Romo break his playoff curse and make it to the Super Bowl? What does Donovan McNabb have left? Can the Giants reel off another improbable run to the championship? Will the Redskins huge payroll finally pay off?

Blessings:
Shelter. Sometimes we dont realize how fortunate we are to have a roof over our heads. But look at how some people live: on the streets, in the wilderness, etc. Im glad that I live in a well air conditioned building complete with indoor plumbing.

AFC West

This division, above all others, always seems to be the craziest. Really, if you look at it, just a few seasons ago, the Chargers were 1-15. A few seasons later, the Chiefs started out 11-0. Then the Raiders made it to the Superbowl. And the Broncos are still trying to recover from the loss of John Elway. So, this division predictions, above all else, are likely to be wrong, but probably not, because I am The Correct One.
San Diego Chargers-A lot of people are predicting Super Bowl for these guys. To me, it just seems like they lost Michael Turner, which I think will be a bigger loss than even the Chargers know. Yes, they have studs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shawn Merriman, thats why they are winning this division, but its not enough to get them to the Super Bowl. LT will actually suffer tremoundously from the loss of Turner. He will likely look slightly more human. Maybe even less than 25 touchdowns this season. My point is this: yeah-they good. But no-they aint that good. Rivers will be a big factor in how far they go.
Denver Broncos-We will learn a lot about the Broncos of the future this season. I dont think that its a playoff year for them, but all of their young guys will have a full year show us what theyve got. Jay Cutlers progress has been slow but steady. Im pleased with the Denver fans who havent exiled him for not immediately being John Elway. If you give him time, maybe he can get up there. The running game is almost constantly a carousel in Denver, but its never a bad thing. This year, its Selvin Young, and big things are expected from him, and I see no reason for that not to happen. A big factor in his success is the success of rookie Ryan Clady. I am a BIG fan of that pick for them. I think that he will be great for a long time, is perfect for their zone blocking scheme, and will thus open a lot of holes for whoever runs for Denver. The overall passing game isnt the best, but Denver planned it that way. Look for this team to be up their amongst the league leaders in rush yards per game. The defense boasts the best CB tandem in the league, which makes up for their lack of a big time pass rusher. The linebacking core should be improved. Im not sure about the safeties on this team, but maybe Baily, Bly, and Foxworth can make up for that. Basically, Im excited for the future, but I dont envision a Cutler lead Broncos team being in the playoffs.
Kansas City Chiefs-I love everything that this team did in the draft. Even trading away Jared Allen seems worth it when you were able to put Glenn Dorsey next to Tama Hali for the next long time. Then you also managed to pick up Brandon Albert which really helps your severely depleted o-line. You also got Brandon Flowers, who is arguably a first round talent who fell to them at the top of the second round. But there are two HUGE problems with this team: 1. Passing Game 2. Running Game. Oh wait, thats their entire offense, isnt it? Yes it is, and thats not even mentioning the minor problem of their defense, which isnt exactly a world beater either. First of all, Brodie Croyle? Are you kidding me? You could have reached a little at the top of the second for at least someone to groom in. And I know big things are expected fro Dwayne Bowe, but its not like your giving Croyle much to work with, are you? Secondly, yes, Larry Johnson can be great when he and his offensive line are healthy. But both of those are very in question. So, I loved the draft, but no one draft can fix all the problems that this team has. Brodie Croyle? Seriously?
Oakland Raiders-In what is clearly a rebuilding year for the Raiders, we can look forward to seeing some of their young talent develop, and also see how some vets are still doing. Exhibit A: The Running Backs-Fargas apparently had a breakout season last year, but, too bad, because Al Davis loves the excitement, so he drafted the almost unnecessary Darren McFadden. Oh, and you drafted a highly touted Michael Bush last year in round two. Hope you were planning on giving them all a good number of carries. Oh, but that cuts out Jamarcus Russel. How do you plan on fitting him into your game plan, Mr. Davis? Oh, thats right, I just looked at your roster list, and it seems to me like your not planning on playing defense this year. OK. Exhibit B: The Wide Recievers-How much does Javon Walker have left? I dont even think he knows. Curry could become good? Maybe? I dont know, mostly Im excited to see the RBs battle over carries. Oh, and that Jamarcus guy, too.
Tomorrow we take our first look at the NFC, specifically the "Black and Blue" division: the NFC North. Yeah, Adrian Petersons good, and Jared Allen helps, but can a Tarvaris Jackson led team really win a division? For that matter, can an Aaron Rodgers led team win a division? Can the Lions finish what they started last year? Were the Bears recent Conference titles flukes?

Blessings:
Independence. I am living at the colleging type now, on my own, and it has been of significant importance for me to learn to be independent, and it is truly a blessings in disguise.

AFC South

The Colts are the perennial favorites (as they are this year), but still every team in this division has good reason to believe that they can make it into the playoffs. So, let the fun begin:
Indianapolis Colts-Not much has changed for this team, which is both good and bad. On the plus side, they are a great team, and as long as you have P. Manning as your QB, you will be a playoff contender. The bad news is that this group is getting old. Weve already seen it happen to Marvin Harrison, and we may be beginning to see it with Petyon himself. My point is is that this group doesnt have much time left together, so if they want to put this together for one more season, now might be the time. The defense is surprisingly good, as a side note, but really, all I need to say about this team is that Peyton Manning is their QB, and you know that playoffs are likely, division win is possible, Super Bowl dreams are a hope. The pieces around him tell you that it is going to be an unfulfilled hope.
Jacksonville Jaguars-Not much has changed for this team either. But for the Jags, that is especially good news considering how young they are. The time and practice itself should be enough to get this team back into the playoffs, with the only real significant addition of Quentin Groves to add depth to their D-line. Garrard as a starting QB scares me a little bit, but this team is all about the running game, anyway. And with the savvy vet Fred Taylor, and the lightning quick Maurice Jones-Drew, that aspect of their game should be just fine. It is a tough, tough, AFC South division, though...
Tennessee Titans-All right, so these guys are my favorite team, but you can tell that Im not biased because I have them logically placed as only the third best team in their division. So thats that. Anyway, I have to say that my favorite new piece to this team is Jevon Kearse. I know his days in Philadelphia werent exactly mind blowing, but maybe being back in Tennessee is exactly what he needs to get all Freaky again. At least I hope. I also believe that Vince Young will continue to improve as an NFL QB, but this team is about the ground game. LenDale White is not an ideal feature back, but somehow the titans have always made their style work with guys like him. The defense should also be improved. I look forward to this team having another playoff berth, although probably an early exit. Next season, though...
Houston Texans-Speaking of next season...I mean, if they were in the NFC North, they would dominate, or the NFC West, maybe even the AFC West. But they are in the AFC South. Its just not going to happen this year. Probably. The running game is a disaster for this team. But Andre Johnson gives offensive hope, if he can stay healthy. Really, what this teams strength is is that they drafted Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans in the first and second rounds a few years back. They will be scary good together for years to come. But its not enough in this division.
Tomorrow, we will analyze the wild AFC West. Can LT and Phillip Rivers guide the Bolts over the hump? Jay Cutler will eventually take the next step, but how big of a step is it going to be? Brodie Croyle? And then there is the always entertaining Al Davis-run franchise. So stay tuned!

Blessings:
I feel especially blessed for my educational opportunites thus far in my life today. I have gone to schools with fairly good teachers and I have obtained a lot of secular education. Its one of those things that you dont realize until you are almost at the end of it, but I have been very fortunate in my geographical locations so that I could learn many things.

AFC East

This might be the division with the most questions in it. It is fairly certain that the Patriots are still the best team, but after that, the teams could finish anywhere, so lets take a closer look:
New England Patriots:The case is still arguable that the team that they had last year was the best in history. But that was then and this is now. They lost Asante Samuel, and actually a good deal of their defensive backfield. They also lost Donte Stallworth. And most importantly they lost the element of surprise. Last year, nobody knew if Randy Moss's days in Oakland were a fluke or not, and so he and Tom Brady almost got a free pass to start of their season of record breaking pace. But you could see towards the end of last season and into the playoffs how they slowed down. Teams had started to clamp down more on that duo, and I expect more of the same this season. Couple that with the fact that the defense isnt getting any younger, and you start to see that this is not the same team as last year. But thats not saying that Brady, Moss, and gang dont have anything up their sleeves. They will both do quite well, but dont expect any more record breaking numbers, and Wes Welker will still probably do well, too. Laurence Maroney will have his moments, but lets face it, this team is all about the passing game. And while, yes, the D is old, that doesnt mean that they are not serviceable. As a side note, I am excited to see Jerod Mayo play with this talented veteran bunch surrounding him. Anyway, this team should win the division with little difficulty. The real question is: Will this team push for another perfect season? And if they do, will they break down by the end of the playoffs the way that they did last season? I say, AFC Championship game is the ceiling for this team. There are younger and better squads who are going to get their chance this season.
New York Jets: Ah, the Brett Favre "Era" has begun. I dont see him lasting much longer than two seasons in this environment, but well get there soon enough. First of all, after the dismalness of last season, New Yorks front office was very busy trying to turn this team into a contender immediately. New names and faces include: Brett Favre, Alan Faneca, Dustin Keller, Kris Jenkins, Vernon Gholston, and the excting thing is that all of those guys could have an immediate impact. So, lets start with the offense. Yes, Brett Favre makes it immediately better, but I think that the biggest addition to this team was Alan Faneca, who, when paired with Nick Mangold and D'Brickshaw Ferguson, could help make this a fantastic left side of the line, opening holes for the underachieving Thomas Jones. This is particularly important because Favre, even though he is great, doesnt have much help in the passing game. Coles and he will be a great combo, and Cotchery could become something, but Im not seeing this team as one that is built around the pass. Even last year, the Packers didnt get to where they were without Ryan Grant. Favre needs a running game, and I think that he might get it. One surprising position of depth for the Jets is the tight end position. They have four guys who could conceivably start for other teams. And we all know how much Favre likes his tight ends...Defensively, things arent looking so good. Jenkins does immensely improve the middle of the line, but still, this team could be invovled in some shootouts. I think that the playoffs are a possibility, and really, for the front office, the head coach, and for Brett Favre, a must. If the Jets arent in the playoffs, then all of those guys could be gone next year. But its going to be tough in the AFC...
Buffalo Bills-I dont even know where to begin with this team. Are they underachievers or overachievers? Lets look at some examples: QB Troy Edwards? Overachiever. Seriously, how is he starting in the NFL for a team that at least somewhat expects to be in the playoff picture. RB Marshawn Lynch? Overachiever. From a borderline first rounder to the ROY, if Adrian Peterson had never been born. WR Lee Evans? Im not sure. The guy seems like he came out of nowhere to be one of the top WRs in the game, but yet he clearly cannot be the one go t0 option for this team. Anyway, as a whole, this team, at times, seems like they are better than they should be, while at other times seems like they arent getting all that they should be out of their relatively high draft picks. (By the way, its not even really a question of whether JP Losman is an underachiever or overachiever, is it?) The good news for the Bills is that now they have had a full offseason having this group of young guys together, which should help them improve. Pair that with newcomers James Hardy (WR) and Leodis McKelvin (CB) and the future is looking bright in Buffalo (or Toronto, or whatever). Playoffs might be a reach for this season, but Im not going to completely count them out yet. Two seasons down the road, and they might be in the position that the Browns were in last season.
Miami Dolphins: First of all, yes, I am claiming as of right now that they have a VERY outside shot of getting into the playoffs THIS SEASON. After that, I am very confused about most of the things that this team is doing. QBs: Draft Beck in the second last year, draft Henne this year, and then trade for Pennington? Yeah, he absolutely gives you a better chance to win this year, but are you really going to go for that? If I ran this team, Beck would be given till week nine to win four or five games, and if that didnt work, I would give Henne a shot. I wouldnt even have traded for Pennington. RB: Why are bringing back Ricky Williams, much less starting him in front of a young and talented Ronnie Brown? Im not even sure that this guy gives you a better chance to win this year. Im honestly just baffled. Overall, the two headed attack at RB will work better, but I would give Ronnie the bulk of the carries, and spend most of my time with Ricky trying to keep his mouth shut and away from rolled up pieces of paper. Im still confused about the Tedd Ginn decision last year, but I suppose I should have moved past that by now. Jake Long? Yes the decision to draft him made sense on one level: the financial level. It was cheaper to draft him #1 over either Chris Long or Matt Ryan, but other than that, I think that they needed to improve either their QB situation with Matt Ryan, or made what I think would have been the best pick with Chris Long #1 overall. He could be your next Jason Taylor, whos presence they are going to miss immensely, no matter how many Phillip Merlings and Quentin Moses's you draft. Speaking of, on the whole, I was very proud of their draft, producing Long, Merfling, Moses, and Henne. Significantly better than last year. So, on the whole, this should be a rebuilding year for them, unless all of thier apparent bonehead decisions turn out to work perfectly for them. Im not sold, though.
Tomorrow we take a look at arguably the best division in all of sports: the AFC South. It is legitimate to believe that all four squads have playoff hopes. So, until then, ponder these questions: Do the Colts have enough left in the tank? Can Garrard take the next step to stardom? Does Vince Young have enough weapons at his disposal yet? Can a Texan QB go one game without being sacked?

Blessings:
I am, in fact, thankful for football. It maketh me happy.

AFC North

Ok, so now that we already have one game down in the 09 campaign of the NFL season, I find now a good time to start my yearly NFL preview. I have decided to start with the AFC North this year because that is where our NFL Champion is going to come from: The Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland: First of all, to preface this, I am not a Browns have. I havent even met a Browns fan. I am a Titans fan, and I would love to say that they are going to be the NFL Champions, but lets face it, thats not going to happen. What will happen is that the Browns are going to surprise a lot of people by winning their division. Whats more, is that they are going to do it handily, and then they are going to march through the playoffs and win a Superbowl. We saw last year what their offense could do, and it has only gotten better. Derek Anderson, with a full offseason as the unquestioned starter, will come out and challenge the fellow quarterbacks of his division-Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer-as some of the elite quarterbacks in this league. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow will once again be some of his favorite targets but dont count out Steve Heiden or even Josh Cribbs. Newcomer Donte Stallworth will also be a great assest, able to draw defenders away from Winslow and Edwards, similar to what he did last year for Randy Moss and Wes Welker. The running game will be more than adequate anchored by Jamal Lewis and Joe Thomas. In fact, the Browns 0-line overall is becoming one of the stronger units in the league, also servicing Kevin Shaffer, Rex Hadnot, Steve McKinney, Rex Tucker, Hank Fraley, and Eric Steinbach. But the biggest change comes on defense in the form of Shaun Rogers. His bulk will be enough to make the entire defensive unit much more of a run stopper. His presence, combines with the overall improvement of this still young squad, and it will push them over the top. Very quickly.
Pittsburgh Steelers: They almost seem to be lurking near the top, dont they? Not much has changed with this squad, though. The biggest upgrade is their renewed system of two backs with the selection of Rashard Mendenhall in the first round of the most recent NFL Draft. Roethlisberger will get the job done, even though he doesnt have much to work with reciever-wise. Hines Ward will be eternally consistant, but theres not much behind him. Pittsburgh is hoping for an explosion from Santonio Holmes. The running game is much more bright, with Willie Parker continuing his rather unexpected blossoming into one of the games elite backs, while Mendenhall will help take the pressure off of him. The defensive unit is very consistent, anchored by star Troy Polamalu. Aaron Smith has been known to put pressure on opposing QBs, which is always good, and Casey Hampton is more than serviceable as a run stuffer. Overall, this team is a definite playoff contender. But for this team to get back to the Super Bowl, Ben Roethlisberger will have to play out of his mind, which is something that I just dont see.
Cincinnati Bengals: These guys are the X-factor of the division. A couple years ago they looked like a young squad with lots of talent waiting to explode. Now, they are questionable veterans. But they could explode again. Who knows? Lets examine further: Carson Palmer is still the leader of this team, and he is still the best player, despite what Ocho Cinco (yes that is his real name) says. Just hope that he doesnt go down hurt, though, because behind him you have Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yikes. Anyway, Palmer does have nice targets to go to in Houshmandzadeh and (if he can keep his mouth shut) Ocho Cinco. The biggest question concerning this team, which is the biggest question in the division, is how will the running game do? They recently cut veteran Rudi Johnson in exchange for the younger combo of Chris Perry and Kenny Watson. But how will they perform? Its hard to tell. The good news is that they have the air attack to fall back on. Defensively, this team is still very suspect. Keith Rivers will probably make an immediate impact, but not to the point of turning this defense around. It is an average unit, at best. Overall, this team could be playoff bound, or they could be overtaken by the Ravens. I really dont know.
Baltimore Ravens: By default, they are the worst team in this division. Joe Flacco will be fun to watch. Thats all I have to say about their quarterback situation. Willis McGahee will be serviceable when healthy, but they dont have much behind him. The 0-line is a unit in transition, and thats never good. Their top two recievers are Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton. Throw in Todd Heap, and you start to get the picture that this team is caught between the young and the old. The defensive side is in much better condition, but the problem is that most of the stars are past their prime. Their are some bright young spots (H. Ngata, T. Suggs....) but its still clear that this team as a whole is still at least a few years away.
So, there you go. Thats the AFC North at a glance. Tomorrow, we will check in on the AFC East: Will the Patriots retry for a 17-0 season? Can the Bills ever make it over the hump? How will Brett Favre impact the Jets? How improved is Miami? All your questions and more can be answered, tomorrow.

Blessings:
I am very thankful for music. Life would be very boring without it.

Helping People

Besides scaring people and gloating about the vast amount of information that I have in my brain to people, I also enjoy helping people. It is just a nice thing to do. You should try it.

Blessings:
Sometimes, out here at The Colleging Type, I feel like one face amongst a million. I know, I know...I should know better, shouldnt I? I am, in fact, The Correct One, and what would the world be like without The Correct One? But still, it is always nice just to have someone recognize your face and name. I feel blessed because of these people and experiences.

I am not Funny

Once again, a startling revelation about myself today: I am not funny. I say things that I believe are humorous, at least in my own head, and, unfortunately and apparently, when verbalized, either they lose all of their humour, or no one understands what I am saying. Naturally, I have concluded the latter all of my life up until this point because few people understand what I am talking about all of the time, so, naturally, my humour must be similar to my normal conversations, no? But that cant be it, can it? I have lived nearly 19 years without someone laughing at any one of my jokes. Thus, I have concluded that I am, indeed, completely devoid of humour. I know, it is unfortunate, but I am merely The Correct One, not The Humourous One, or The I Am Amazing At Everything One. I apologize for my faults, but I still claim that I have a good sense of humour. I am just particularly bad at portraying it.

Blessings:
I am witty. Perhaps not humourous, but witty. And that is good enough for me.

I like to Scare People

I had a revelation today: I enjoy terrifying people. Especially when it is not by particularly terrifying means. I like to see people cower in terror away from me, when I am simply walking around being different. I abhor sameness. Difference defines me, you might say. And what is more, it appears that my supposed fellow humans (peers, you might even call them) cannot comprehend the difference. They base their entire universe on surrounding themselves with things that are freakishly similar to themselves and their loved things. Does anyone else find thaat ethically disgusting? Our entire society preaches acceptance of difference, and yet, when confronted with it, the vast majority of our population cowers in fear: points and stares and whispers quietly. There is something wrong with this world. I bring the answer. I bring the difference. I am the difference. Accept it. Accept it and deny your fearful peers who abhor difference. The world will be blessed for it.

Blessings:
Thank goodness for professors who promise you at least a C just for showing up to class every day.

Olympics 2008

So I know I wasnt blogging much during the Olympics or anything, so I figure its about time to do my recap. First of all, what did I learn the most? Volleyball is a cool sport. Honestly, I think that Dalhousser and Rodgers were way cooler than Kobe and LeBron during the Olympics. Kerry Walsh and Misty May-Treanor are also pretty tight. And then the indoor teams rocked too. I feel bad now that I am not an amazing volleyball player. I wish that I could somehow get better. But thats pretty much what I learned from the Olympics.

Blessings:
I am charismatic. I dont know where it comes from, but I would be dead without it.

Risk

This is my unpaid for push for the greatest board game ever invented. It involves strategy, skill, and just a touch of luck. There are multiple versions, and everyone should own at least one. It is amazing. Play it. Love it. Become addicted. It is ok.

Blessings:
Today I am blessed to have a sister who cares about me.