A little (long) blurb about sports

*Caution - this will be long*

Sports used to be important to me.

I used to watch all the games. I used to post about them on social media quite frequently. If it involved the Indians, Cavs, Browns, or Buckeyes, I was all over it.

This was a deep-rooted thing within me, something that had been instilled in me at a very young age. I was raised on Cleveland and Ohio State sports and that has never gone away.

But it isn't significant anymore.

I still pay attention and still occasionally watch games, but rarely do I go out of my way to watch. I'm more likely to glance at the score on my phone and see what people are saying on Twitter than to actually watch. I've been transitioning in this regard since 2016.

Prior to that though? I watched all the games. I was invested in them. I hung on every last play, watched until the inevitable heartbreak occurred.

It occurred often.

The tragedy of Cleveland sports has been played over and over again. At least, it used to be. It's kind of died down since June of 2016. At least it seems that way to me. Maybe the sports montages still play, but because I'm not watching much anymore, I don't see them.

It's just funny when I think about how invested I used to be, how angry and upset these games would make me. I see others reacting that way now and I just can't let myself get that way anymore. It consumed me at times, sometimes to the point of breaking me when the inevitable bad thing would happen.

Consider this: I'm not quite old enough to remember Red Right 88 (I wasn't out in this world just yet), but "The Drive," The Fumble," and "The Shot" are all things I remember vividly. I was jumping up and down when it appeared Ernest Byner was running into the end zone when he fumbled. I didn't even know he fumbled until I saw the Denver Broncos players celebrating, at which point it hit me like a bag of bricks: they were going to lose and fall short of the Super Bowl again.

I lost it. I was just a kid, but it stung. It stung bad.

The Drive didn't feel good either, but I don't think I was as emotionally invested at that point because I was maybe 5?

The Shot, when Michael Jordan hit a game winning jumper in game five against the Cavs, was also painful. The Cavs were great that year and Jordan wasn't quite, well, Jordan at that point. This was the moment that catapulted him to the stardom that he eventually achieved, all while dooming the Cavs to being second fiddle in the East while the Bulls took the mantle from the Detroit Pistons.

It was unfortunate really. Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Larry Nance, and company were good. They played beautiful basketball and could've had a run of dominance, but that Jordan fellow instead blew up into one of the greatest players to ever play the game, and the Cavs truly didn't have an actual window again until the first Lebron era.

The Indians during this stretch of the late 80's and early 90's were straight trash, more likely to lose 100 games than make the playoffs. I still remember going to a bunch of games (including Nolan Ryan's last appearance in Cleveland), but there was nothing memorable about them. The season was often over by June and it was time to look forward to the Browns and Cavs.

The Browns were my team though. Bernie Kosar, Byner, Kevin Mack, Webster Slaughter, Reggie Langhorne, Michael Dean Perry, Clay Matthews, Frank Minifield, Hanford Dixon, and so on were the toast of the town for a few years. They were good, they were fun, they were constantly in the mix for the playoffs. They had 3 AFC Championship game appearances, all against the Broncos, all losses. It always felt like they were right there, but couldn't quite get over the hump.

Like the Cavs.

Kosar was my favorite player on the Browns, Price was who I emulated when I played basketball. The Indians? Well, they always had Cory Snyder, right?

Then things shifted. The Browns started to struggle a bit, Kosar was benched, and eventually the team was moved to Baltimore because Art Modell somehow couldn't make money with the most profitable franchise in the city and was also mad because his team didn't get a new stadium first. Bill Belichick, who was the coach at the time of the move, was let go by the newly christened Ravens. We know how that story turned out. We also know how the Ravens became the dominant defensive team of the 2000's and won a Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, the Cavs fell into mediocrity under Mike Fratello and became mostly forgotten until Lebron James came around. The Indians though, well, they took advantage of the situation and became a powerhouse for several years.

This was the next stage of sports depression though. The Indians made the World Series in 1995, but couldn't handle the pitching of the Atlanta Braves and fell short, losing in six games. It felt like they'd be back though as the core of the team was set to return in 1996.

But baseball is funny and sometimes things take weird turns and the Orioles bouncing the Indians in the opening round in 1996 was not fun. It felt like the Indians thought they'd just show up and advance, and the Orioles took advantage and outplayed them.

They took advantage of a weak division in 1997 and made the playoffs again, but no one expected them to do much. Yet they made it to the World Series again and this time, they were in prime position to win it all. There are stories of how the champagne was already getting set up in the locker room when Jose Mesa infamously blew the most important save of his career, giving up the lead in the bottom on the ninth in game 7. The then Florida Marlins went on to win in extra innings.

That one perhaps stung the most. The Indians were right there. They had it won. The celebration was going to happen. Then it was ripped away in an unfortunate moment. I know a lot of the fan base was mad at Mesa, but the guy had been one of the best closers in baseball for a while. It sucked, but the sports gods didn't think it was Cleveland's time again.

The Indians never got back to the World Series with that group and wouldn't see the fall classic again until 2016. They had some good teams and some interesting runs, but the team of the mid-nineties never managed to pull it off.

The Browns leaving in 1995 was one of the most insane things I ever witnessed as a sports fan. It felt like it was impossible that it could happen, but there was Modell, gleefully displaying how happy he was to move the team to Baltimore. A football town had its team ripped away from them in the most unthinkable way imaginable. 

The void left was strange and while the Indians managed to capture the attention of most of the fans, the Cavs weren't great during this time. The announcement of the Browns returning was great news, but the fact that they were being rushed back for 1999 made me nervous. It felt like a real short period of time to try and put things together.

Sure enough, opening night 1999 against the Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed this as the Browns were rolled and the plan to bring Tim Couch along slowly was tossed out the window. He was the first in a long line of quarterbacks ruined by the Browns, and perhaps, the most talented. I still feel like he could've been a good NFL quarterback, but the first few years really ruined him.

The Browns though. How bad have they been since they came back in 1999? One playoff appearance, two winning seasons, and one infamous winless season. Nevermind the incredible list of quarterbacks and head coaches that have come through. Every time there is a glimmer of hope, that hope is then destroyed by all sorts of calamities.

Even last year's season of hope has been followed up with a train wreck, but more on this current season later.

The Browns have been horrific though. While most other teams at least show occasional glimpses of competence, the Browns muddle about, not in mediocrity, but in mostly despair. They have been historically bad at times and most of the season is spent wondering who they'll draft the following spring.

Thankfully, the Ohio State Buckeyes came through on the championship front, winning it all in 2002 against the Miami Hurricanes, a game that most thought the Buckeyes would get destroyed in. Instead, they played solid on both sides of the football, and with a little help, managed to pull off the upset. It was fun, but it didn't feel as significant as it would have if a Cleveland team had won something. It was still fun.

Then, in 2003, the Cavs started to give us hope with the arrival of Lebron James. He was the superstar that we had never really experienced, a player who even at a young age, felt like a generational player. He was easily the most gifted athlete the city had seen in several years, and he was our own. If anyone was going to bring a championship to the city, it was him, right?

Kind of.

They did make it to the NBA Finals in 2007. It was the first appearance for the franchise and it felt like an indication of things to come.

Again, kind of.

The first Lebron era was weird. It had that peak in 2007, then kind of disintegrated. The last two years he was here the first time around, the Cavs were great in the regular season, but bowed out of the playoffs early. Each time, it felt more and more likely that something very Cleveland-like was going to happen.

In 2010, it happened. The Decision, as it was called, which was when LeBron announced he was going to Miami. It was for most, crushing, but for me, it didn't feel like much. I had expected it, and while it sucked the way he delivered the news, it wasn't the jarring experience. I certainly didn't burn any jerseys, but hated that people went to that extreme (seriously, why burn things like that?).

That was a lean time in Cleveland. The Indians weren't very good (I believe these were the Manny Acta years, but I'm not researching it; I just know they were bad), the Cavs were awful (even after Kyrie Irving was drafted), and the Browns were finding new ways to make the fans miserable. Even the Buckeyes hit a rough patch for a bit there before Urban Meyer became the coach and righted the ship.

While the Browns have continued to Browns over the last several years, last year excluded somewhat, the Indians started showing signs of life in 2013. They drafted well and managed to build up some nice, young talent that got them on a run that was pretty good until this last season.

The real turning point though was the Cavs getting LeBron back for his second stint to go along with Irving and the newly acquired Kevin Love. That team was fun, if not a bit melodramatic. It began a string of 4 consecutive trips to the NBA Finals, something that was unheard of in previous years.

The first one was a strange one to me. Love had been lost to injury in the first round, then Irving went down in overtime of game one of the Finals, leaving the team severely depleted. Despite that, they went up 2-1 before the Golden State Warriors realized Matthew Dellavedova shouldn't be causing them fits and won the next three games. Most fans lamented on what could have been if Love and Irving had been healthy. The team had been dominant in the second half of the season and the Warriors weren't quite the juggernaut they were about to become yet.

The following season, David Blatt was fired as coach after a 30 point beating by the Warriors, handing the job to Ty Lue, who did a nice job refocusing the team. They mostly coasted to the Finals, only losing twice to the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals before pretty much demolishing them in the final two games.

The stage was set for an epic rematch with the Warriors in the Finals again.

Then they lost by 30 in game one. Then they got destroyed in game two. Irving and Love were pretty bad and it suddenly seemed like we were caught in the midst of another juggernaut. Remember, this was the year the Warriors were 73-9 and virtually unstoppable. I didn't feel good about it and was resigning myself to the fate that was coming.

Then the Cavs won by 30 at home. It was a complete role reversal. Everyone played well and it seemed like the Cavs had found something that worked against the Warriors.

At least until the second half of game three when the Warriors countered and managed to come from behind to win. However, Draymond Green couldn't keep his feet to himself and attempted a crotch shot on LeBron that ended up getting him suspended. Warriors fans will try to convince you that Green was innocent and didn't deserve a suspension, but the NBA had warned him about his flailing feet after some shenanigans against Steven Adams of the Thunder in the previous round.

The Warriors and their fans had all kinds of jokes and comments about the suspension and LeBron and seemed to think that the series was pretty much over since it was back at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors had been difficult to beat. But the Cavs, more specifically, LeBron and Kyrie, weren't interested in the story ending there.

They both scored 41 points and LeBron followed that up with another 41 in game six as the Cavs won both games to force a game seven. I felt content as a fan at this point. They had battled back, made the series interesting, and had shown they weren't going to give up. It was perhaps the most pride shown by a team that I could remember, which made it easier to deal with game seven.

I didn't really watch much of it. I instead kept watching Twitter and the score on my phone. The ebb and flow of the game was tremendous, but I couldn't watch it. I refused to watch what could've been a celebration by the Warriors. The only way I was going to turn that TV on was if it was certain the Cavs were going to pull it off.

The game went by and the back and forth was incredible. Neither team could really separate and a series that had been defined by blowouts was as close as could be in the deciding game. Then LeBron had the block, Irving made the game-changing three pointer, and Love forced Steph Curry into a bad shot. They were right there, with the ball, and a chance to seal the deal.

It was nearly spectacular. I turned it on right as LeBron attempted to destroy Green with a dunk, only to get fouled. His first free throw was short, and the nervousness started to creep in. This is how things fall apart. Missed free throws leave the door open to the greatest three point shooting teams ever, and they never miss in those situations. Yet LeBron made the second free throw.

The game was essentially over.

Yes, weird stuff could happen, but the Cavs were careful. They defended, but didn't foul until about 6 seconds left, which was okay because it wasn't a shooting foul. The Warriors were down four with 6 seconds to go, something that they couldn't even overcome. Curry's three was off, Mo Speights missed his shot, the horn sounded, the city celebrated.

Why detail all these moments? Because this is when everything changed on how I viewed sports. I had watched the Cavs win it all. The misery was no more for me.

I suddenly didn't care as much.

Sure, I followed as the Indians went on their own surprise run to the World Series, falling just short again, but it didn't sting like it did in 1997. Sports just weren't as important anymore suddenly.

Which leads me to the state of the current Browns. I'm indifferent to it. I go on social media and see people angry, frustrated, sad, and complaining about the team. I just shrug my shoulders and go back to what I was doing.

I can't get worked up by it anymore. Disappointing Indians season? I have Destiny 2 to play. Browns looking like poo with all the talent they have? I have a kid who wants to play Stardew Valley with me. Cavs? They're bad but kind of fun, so eff it.

The point is, sports just aren't the same to me anymore. Sure, they're fun to watch and I still root for my teams, but the emotional impact isn't the same. I just enjoy watching sports in general and appreciate good teams.

I think most get too worked up by sports, but I can't blame you if you're one of them. I was once that person. I'm not anymore.

Sports used to be very important. Now I just relax and enjoy things for what they are.

On the Browns and finally losing patience

I'm not one to portray doom and gloom with the sports franchises that I root for. I simply do not take them so seriously that my life is ruined because of sports.

They're still not, but boy are the Cleveland Browns doing their best to try and drive the loyal fans away.

This past game against the Arizona Cardinals was perhaps the most frustrating game to watch, and that's saying a lot given the games that us fans have suffered through since the team's rebirth in 1999.

Yet it was a symbol of what we've come to expect from the Browns. Play competitively for a while, then fall into an abyss as the opponent makes adjustments and the Browns fail to counter.

You could feel it coming really with about 5 minutes left to go in the first half. The Browns had just taken a 20-7 lead on Josh McCown's third touchdown pass of the first half (missed the extra point) and the stadium was buzzing. The Browns were relatively competent on offense and the defense had done a nice job of forcing some turnovers.

Yet you could feel the change was going to come. The Browns defense has been notorious for giving up points before the half, squashing all momentum that they had built up.

Sure enough, Carson Palmer had the Cardinals in position to at least get a field goal, if not a touchdown, and a completion to Larry Fitzgerald seemed to confirm my own belief that the score was coming. Then K'Waun Williams forced Fitzgerald to fumble, thus seemingly preventing that end of the half score.

With over a minute in the half, the Browns could conceivably try to get down the field and possibly put some points up before the half, but of course, the coaching staff went conservative and the Browns were forced to punt with 36 seconds left in the half.

A false start pushed the Cardinals back, but then Palmer hit Michael Floyd for 28 yards to the Browns' 27, thus putting the Cardinals in field goal range. Palmer then hit Fitzgerald for 19 yards, and after spiking the ball the Cardinals had 2nd and goal from the 8. There were offsetting penalties on the following play, which allowed the Cardinals to kick that field goal at the end of the half to make it 20-10.

Now, with the Browns having the ball at the start of the second half, you wouldn't be too bothered by all this, except the Browns have been putrid to start the second half at times. This game was no different as the Browns lost 2 yards in 3 plays before punting. Joe Haden was beaten again by Floyd for a long touchdown, thus finishing the shift in momentum. Cardinals were down 20-17, but you knew that wouldn't last and the train wreck continued.

The Browns punted on their next 3 possessions and allowed the Cardinals to take the lead at 24-20. The Browns forced two turnovers, but didn't get anything out of those turnovers, punting after intercepting Palmer, then McCown threw an interception in Cardinal territory after the Browns defense had forced a fumble.

Of course the Cardinals responded by adding another touchdown, and finished the scoring with a field goal to win 34-20.

Remember, the Browns led 20-7 at one point. They gave up 27 unanswered points from the end of the first half going through the 4th quarter. McCown could barely stand, yet Mike Pettine refused to remove him from the game. The offensive line, which had done an admirable job in the first half, couldn't block anyone in the second.

The run defense, which had also done an admirable job in the first half, parted wide open in the second half.

Haden and Tramon Williams couldn't cover anyone. Donte Whitner hit a player so hard he knocked himself out the game. 

It was an utter catastrophe in the second half from every angle. There is not one positive you can gleam from that second half.

Nothing.

Listen, this team is now making me angry. Us as fans devote 3+ hours to watch this and no, I don't know why we do this to ourselves. Especially those of you who go down to that stadium every Sunday, paying exorbitant prices on tickets, parking, and concessions, just so you have the privilege of saying you were there when Brian Hartline dropped 4 passes, or watched Dwayne Bowe stand there on the sideline.

Why are you paying Bowe a ton of money if you aren't going to play him? Why has he been inactive so much this year even though he's healthy? Why did anyone think picking up Robert Turbin was a good idea? Why can't this "premiere" offensive line block anyone or open up any running lanes?

Why can't they stop the run? Why can't two of the best cover corners cover anyone? Why can't these guys stop getting concussed? Why is McCown out there when he can barely stand up?

I could go on, and I will because Ray Farmer, the genius himself, took to the podium today to talk about the team. You know, the guy who was trying to trade Joe Thomas anyway he could for some god-forsaken reason. You know, the guy who didn't believe in going out and getting a play-making receiver, who instead threw money at Bowe to stand on the sidelines.

Farmer contended that the team was close, that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He claimed he wasn't on the hot seat (but very visibly needed to wipe his ENTIRE HEAD OFF WITH A TOWEL), that the hot seat was just something outsiders say.

Farmer is now an internet meme and that's not a good thing.

Look, we could spend hours dissecting what's wrong with this team. Jimmy Haslam is the second coming of Jerry Jones, but without the football knowledge. Pettine, well, he's in a rough spot. He knows his job is on the line and needs to win now, but this team really needs to be developing the younger players, which costs you wins (not that the vets are doing a bang-up job).

The defense, which was supposed to be the strength, gets gashed on a regular basis both on the ground and through the air.

Are the players trying? I believe so, but I feel most aren't being used properly or being put in the best position to succeed. Best example? Paul Kruger, brought into to rush the passer, is being dropped into coverage a lot more than he should be.

One final thing before I switch into a more positive tone, this team needs to stop being jerks to the few good players it has. Tashaun Gipson is one of the best young safeties in the league, yet the team will likely refuse to pay him, much like Buster Skrine (who admittedly wasn't great, but was still serviceable) and TJ Ward (who they replaced with past his prime Donte Whitner).

There's so much more I could get into, but I'm not going to do this to myself. Yes, I want the Browns to become a great franchise, but I doubt they'll do it with the current regime in place. I HATE saying that because I hate constantly changing the faces, but this is possibly the worst I've seen outside of the Pat Shurmer debacle.

Hopefully they figure it out, but expect more painful moments before they do.

Some final thoughts:

• Haden has become more about talking about his game then actually playing like a ProBowl corner. He's been beaten multiple times by average receivers, then is magically hurt afterwards. Please don't be that guy Joe. We want to love you.
• Alex Mack is still not right. Before his injury last year, he was one of the best centers in the league. Now he is getting pushed all over the place and part of why the rushing attack just can't get going.
• Why are the linebackers constantly running up the backs of the linemen in front of them? Shouldn't they be shooting the gaps?
• Justin Gilbert, Johnny Manziel, Cam Erving, and Danny Shelton are your high profile draft picks. Let that soak in.
• Brandon Marshall was had for a fifth round draft pick. The Browns CUT their fourth round receiver.
• If nothing else, I'd like to see the Browns become better so we stop getting the worst announcing crews. Seriously, some of these guys clearly didn't pay attention to who they were going to be covering.
• NFL officials continue to be the worst. In last night's Colts/Panthers game, they made a few errors that helped the Colts in their comeback attempt. The worst was on an a pass play where the receiver was ruled out of bounds even though he was clearly tackled in-bounds, thus saving the Colts several valuable seconds.

Cavalier Caveats

I love the Cavs.

One, they're not the Browns. Dan Gilbert has made it clear he wants to win, he wants to win now, and he'll do what he can to make it happen. Of course, it helps having LeBron James, Kevin Love, and eventually Kyrie Irving, but Gilbert has shown he will give the greenlight on just about any roster decision that helps the team win.

Last nights game was a dud early on though. The 76ers came out with energy and took it to the Cavs early on, but the Cavs started to get back into the game late in the first half, closing what had been a 15 point lead down to 5 at 54-49. They continued the assault in the second half, taking the lead at 56-54 just minutes into the half.

They never looked back. Mo Williams was hitting jumpers, Love was posting up on the block, James was catching alley-oops from Matthew Dellavedova, and the defense tightened up considerably. They stretched the lead to 21 at one point before David Blatt turned it over to the bench, who allowed the lead to dwindle, but not completely disappear.

James passed 25,000 points for his career last night and did so as the youngest ever. The only downside was JR Smith having to leave with a knee injury. He'll be out at least two games, but at least it wasn't serious.

I just want to point out that Love appears to be 150% more comfortable with the team this year than last. He has a bounce in his step (he's health), but he's more assertive. He's calling for the ball and the Cavs are getting it to him where he can be successful. He's no longer just drifting outside the three point line, waiting to shoot a jumper. He's active, he's vocal, and he's being aggressive.

Finally, it's really great to see Mo back with the Cavs. He was a favorite of mine his first time with the team and has done exactly what they need him to do until Irving comes back.

Oh wow, that's right, they're playing pretty well without Irving and Iman Shumpert.

This is going to be fun.

Unlike that Browns team.

Life Changes

It's really hard to maintain a lot of different hobbies as you get older.

Sure, when you're young, you have time to write a blog, post videos to YouTube, go out with friends, play sports, play video games, and sleep in until 2pm when you have no school/work.

Then you get older and life starts to feel like it's compressing on you. Responsibilities grow as you do. Your body, which used to be able to function just fine on 4 hours of sleep, now needs twice that to function. Those days of getting hammered and then being productive the next day? The dwindle, as does the amount of alcohol you can consume before it leaves you immobile the next day.

This is without a loved one and/or family. Now throw the additional responsibilities of having a family to maintain into the fray.

It becomes a bit much.

But it's so rewarding. So much more so than the nights of partying and friends who turn on you the moment you aren't "available" to be their taxi service anymore.

Now, I'm not saying I know anyone who's like that, because I don't. My friends have been relatively accepting of the fact that I've moved further away and don't go out really anymore. Life is full of changes and many of them have experienced their own that have completely reshaped who they are.

No, what I'm saying is as you get older, the things that are important to you change. Going out, getting hammered, and living care-free become less and less important. Getting to work on time, making sure your bills are paid, and doing honest work become much more important.

I can honestly sit here and tell you that sitting down with my almost 2 year-old little girl and playing is FAR more entertaining then getting drunk. It's far more fun than just about anything that you could possibly do. It's highly rewarding, and seeing her laugh and smile is one of the greatest gifts this life can give me.

Now, I still enjoy my video games, my sports, and taking time to relax, but quite frankly, life isn't really trying to allow me to relax. The responsibilities I have now are far greater than when I was 24. I have an apartment to pay for, utilities to take care of, people to feed, animals to take care of, and any other number of things that require my attention.

I have maybe a couple hours a day after the kids go to bed to just decompress, and that's if there's nothing else that NEEDS to be done.

But there's always something that needs to be done.

Kids really do change things in life though. You no longer can just get up and go somewhere just because you want to. You have to have someone who can watch your child, or that child is going with you. You can't just go out, get obliterated, and pass out. No, you have a child to take care of now. Life dictates that you be able to function in case something happens.

And something will happen.

Kids are mobile accidents just waiting to happen. They trip over things, they fall over nothing, they run into anything that's in their zig-zagging path. They are the equivalent of an adult who's drunk. Until they get older, you don't know what in the hell they're saying to you, and that's without them crying like crazy over some random thing that you have to figure out.

They need constant attention, and if you don't pay attention to them by choice, eventually at some point they'll give you a reason to pay attention.

They cry, they poop, they eat random things they find, and they find the most random things funny.

I love it.

I've always had kids of some sort around me from the moment my sister began popping them out several years ago, to a couple of different relationships where the woman had kids. Even this one I'm in now, I was introduced to a child just under 2 at the time who's now 5 and has the mouth of a 15 year-old (in other words, not good!).

But when it's your own actual kid?

It's different, even if you don't mean for it to be. This is something you helped create, something that is drawing inspiration from you and has many of your traits. For better and worse, it's going to take after you.

And Kylie sure does.

She's small, she's feisty, she eats everything in sight, and she runs like she was shot out of a cannon. She can drive me crazy, much like her sister, but when she needs me, also like her sister, it's the most rewarding feeling to know that they are turning to you to make them feel better.

Kylie and her sister have consumed many, many hours of my life over the last couple of years. It has drained me at times to the point that I've almost severely neglected my YouTube Channel. I haven't played basketball in months.

But I've had the time of my life.

I'm writing this because I love writing and hate that I don't have the time I'd like. By the time the kids go to bed at around 9pm, I have to decide if I'm going to play a game, work on other computer stuff, clean up some part of the apartment, or veg out and watch tv or a movie.

Often, writing isn't even on my mind.

Quite frankly, I could see my writing transitioning into Vlogs in the future, as I do enjoy doing those, but still have to find my comfort with chatting to myself about things that are on my mind.  I enjoy the aspect of recording myself either playing video games or myself alone talking about random things and putting them up for people to watch.  It's an oddly satisfying experience that I don't think I'd ever completely give up, but it's not something that I feel driven to do everyday.

I simply don't have the energy to. Nor do I have the time to go through the process of editing a ton of footage. It's why I tell people who don't have spouses or kids to make the most of their time however they see fit. That free time slowly disappears until you realize you have very little.

Again, I'm not complaining. I wouldn't trade the way things are for anything. It's more of an explanation as to why I don't write much and what happens to the average person as they get older.

Enjoy the time, but more importantly, enjoy the things that matter most to you, no matter what those things may be.

The Sports Mixer - Week 14 time

Just when you think you have a team figured out, they go out and lay a giant egg at the worst time.

I'm looking squarely at the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers.  For the Giants, it seems Eli Manning is enduring a rough stretch in his career.  Discard his big game a week ago, and you see some unflattering numbers going back the last few weeks.  Defensively, they've been sound, but the points aren't being scored.

The Ravens had a chance to secure a playoff spot against the Steelers and their third string quarterback, but instead watched Joe Flacco play as poorly as he's played at home ever and completely ignored Ray Rice again, who has to be wondering who he angered on the coaching staff.

The Bears decided that playing defense at the end of a game meant letting Russell Wilson drive down the field, then allow the same in overtime.  The 49ers, well, there must be something about the Rams that gives them fits.  The game almost ended in a tie, David Akers missed a second potential game-winning field goal, and the Rams were able to get close enough to earn a win.

This week I think the best game, and the toughest to pick, is the Texans-Patriots matchup on Monday Night Football.  The Texans are looking to lock up home-field advantage, the Patriots want to secure at least the second seed or better.  This could be a fun game.  Other than that, there aren't many "I HAVE to watch that game" matchups.

So let's get to it.

Thursday

Denver (9-3) at Oakland (3-9) - 8:20 NFL Network

There were suspicions that the Broncos would be better this year.  No one knew what to expect from Peyton Manning, but the thought was if he played anywhere near his previous level, the offense would be explosive.  Well, 12 games in, the Broncos have scored 349 points, good for an average of 29 points per game.  Manning seems to have complete control over the offense now, and with the defense gelling, this team has become very dangerous.

The Raiders, sadly, have not prospered since trading the farm for Carson Palmer.  He hasn't been terrible, but he hasn't been great either.  In any case, the real issue has been with the defense.  Up until last week's game against the Browns, the Raiders had been historically bad on that side of the ball, and it could've been worse against the Browns if they hadn't picked off Brandon Weeden twice deep in their own end.  I want, for a friend's sake, to find reason for the Raiders to win, but it's getting hard.  Even if the Broncos rest a bunch of people since the division is already clinched, there's still the possibility of a first round bye on the line for the Broncos.

Pick: Broncos 23, Raiders 21

Sunday

St. Louis (5-6-1) at Buffalo (5-7) - 1pm FOX

The Rams refuse to go away.  Every time I try to write them off, they pull off some kind of stunner like they did last week against the 49ers.  They're playoff chances are slim at best, but they're still there.  They aren't wowing anyone with their performances, but the defense has been gritty when it's needed to be and this week it will need to be so again against the occasionally explosive Bills.  Can Sam Bradford and this overachieving bunch pull off another one?

The Bills finally put together a complete performance last week.  Keep in mind it came against the Jaguars, but it was still the first time the defense and offense had shown up at the same time.  The Bills are fighting injuries on the offensive side though and that could make things more challenging than they should be.  I want to think the Bills are going to run away with this game, but I have a feeling it's not going to be that way.

Pick: Bills 20, Rams 17

Tennessee (4-8) at Indianapolis (8-4) - 1pm CBS

The Titans did not have a good time against the Texans last week.  Jake Locker had a rough outing and the defense put them in a big hole right from the start.  They were down 21-3 at the half and never seriously threatened to come back.  This game shouldn't be as rough, but I don't think the Titans are going to go into Indy and find a win.

Andrew Luck and RGIII are pretty much going to take the Rookie of the Year race down to the very end.  Of late, both have played spectacularly in leading their team to victories in recent weeks.  Luck of course mastered the comeback from 12 down in the final five minutes against the Lions, throwing the winning touchdown pass as time expired and outrunning his receiver into the end zone to celebrate.  The Colts now get to play at home, where Luck has been at his best.  The Colts defense will give up points, but I expect the Colts to outscore the Titans.

Pick: Colts 27, Titans 23

Chicago (8-4) at Minnesota (6-6) - 1pm FOX

Okay Chicago, we're going to try this again.  That game last week? Should've won that game, but you let the Seahawks hang around and now you're in a battle with the Packers for the division, a battle you wouldn't be in if you hadn't laid an egg last week or weeks back against the 49ers.  Instead, you have to go on the road and win against your divisional rival Vikings, who are reeling as well.  Oh, and do it without Brian Urlacher.

The Vikings can run the ball very well.  Unfortunately, Christian Ponder is just not a very good quarterback right now.  Percy Harvin being out hurts, but this team wasn't lighting up the passing game prior to that either.  It does them no good for Adrian Peterson to run for 150+ yards and them not score or win.  Of course, last time I counted them out, they surprised me by beating up the Lions.

Pick: Bears 24, Vikings 20

San Diego (4-8) at Pittsburgh (7-5) - 1pm CBS

Here are some facts for Chargers fans: the last time the Chiefs won, it was week 9 against the Chiefs.  Before that, it was week 4 again against the Chiefs.  After week 4, they were 3-1 and seemed to be in good shape with how the rest of the division was struggling.  Then came the meltdown against the Saints, followed by the historic meltdown against the Broncos (up 24-0 at half, lose 35-24), then the season spiraled from there.  It's almost a given that Norv Turner will be fired at the end of the season and a retool is going to begin.

The Steelers surprised a number of people by going into Baltimore and winning behing 37 year-old Charlie Batch.  Now news has come out that the Steelers will be starting Ben Roethlisberger this week.  This is a must-win for the Steelers.  The wildcard scenarios are a mess with so many teams vying for the final two spots, one of them being their AFC North rival Bengals.  Last week's performance could be a springboard for them and the Chargers are a good team to keep it going against.  Winning this game will complete a perfect 4-0 season for the North against the Chiefs.

Pick: Steelers 20, Chargers 6

Philadelphia (3-9) at Tampa Bay (6-6) - 1pm FOX

There was once a time when people thought the Eagles were destined to become the best team in the NFL.  Michael Vick had resurrected his career and was ready to become the quarterback every team feared.  The defense was going to be top 10 every year, and with DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy, the offense was going to be explosive.  Then a funny thing happened.  They got off to a terrible start last year, before finally turning it around.  This year, they somehow started 3-1, but the turnover machine that is Vick wouldn't let them win again and now Nick Foles is your starting quarterback.  Could it get worse?  Yes.  They fire their defensive coordinator, then their defensive line coach, and release their sack leader from a year ago.

The Bucs were in position to make a run at a wild card spot until they were blown up by the machine that is Peyton Manning and his rebirth tour with the Broncos.  Now they need to get a win just to keep hope alive.  Luckily, the aforementioned Eagles are reeling, making this a good time to get that win.  As long as Josh Freeman plays a good game anyway.

Pick: Buccaneers 31, Eagles 17

Baltimore (9-3) at Washington (6-6) - 1pm CBS

The Ravens literally laid an egg last week against the wounded Steelers, blowing a chance at securing a playoff birth and strengthening their grip on the division.  They'll still win the AFC North, but now it appears there are issues with Ravens that have been uncovered to go along with their road woes, such as their inability to give the ball to Ray Rice at key points in the games they've lost.  Also, just what is Joe Flacco's issue?  One week he's Joe Montana, the next week he can't complete a pass for the life of him.

I was burned by Robert Griffin III and the Redskins last week.  I thought for sure they'd lose to the Giants, given the urgency that the Giants displayed a week prior.  Sure, RGIII had dismantled the Cowboys, but the Redskins defense nearly gave that one away so I was not sold on them.  I'm still not sold, but the Ravens on the road never seems to end well these days and RGIII has a chance to put their playoff plans on hold for another week.

Pick: Redskins 24, Ravens 20

Atlanta (11-1) at Carolina (3-9) - 1pm FOX

Earlier in the season, the Falcons nearly lost to the Panthers.  It took a miraculous fumble by Cam Newton followed by the Panthers secondary apparently ignoring the rule that states you don't let a receiver get behind you with a lead when the opposing team is inside their own five yard line with under a minute to go.  The Falcons now look to secure their playoff seeding and remind the Panthers how far they really have to go.

It almost isn't fair for Newton and the Panthers.  I figured they had a very reasonable chance to go into Kansas City and win on the road, but then the unfortunate murder-suicide happened, the Chiefs players rallied around each other, played inspired football, and came away with their only impressive win of the season thus far.  Now the Panthers have to regroup against the NFC's best.  It just isn't right.  Oh, and they should've won that first meeting.

Pick: Falcons 21, Panthers 20

NY Jets (5-7) at Jacksonville (2-10) - 1pm CBS

The Jets had to turn to their third string quarterback last week and Greg McElroy did what Mark Sanchez couldn't do, and that's complete a throw to one of his teammates, much less for a touchdown.  Simply put, I keep writing about how much of a mess the Jets are and each week they prove it further and further again.  Last week's game became the most unwatchable game of the year due to two inept offenses who couldn't move the ball at all.  Now the Jets get the Jags, a team they should beat.  Should.  Sanchez is the starter, but how long is the leash now?

The Jaguars looked decent for a couple weeks with Chad Henne as their quarterback, but last week he ran into his old AFC East foe in the Bills and did not play so well.  There just must be something about those AFC East teams that cause him trouble.  Still, it was a sobering reminder of how dire the Jags quarterback situation is.

Pick: Jets 15, Jaguars 12

Miami (5-7) at San Francisco (8-3-1) - 4:05pm CBS

Here's what we know about the Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill has some potential, but he needs help, Reggie Bush cannot carry the running back load for more than 5 quarters before he disappears for the next 11, Brian Hartline will give you a monster game once every few weeks, and the defense needs some help.  Give Tannehill some more pieces then watch out.

The 49ers...ugh...I can't even talk about them.  Colin Kaepernick was a nice story until we were reminded that he is indeed a rookie and rookies make bad mistakes at bad times.  also, we now know the 49ers just can't beat the Rams.  Anywhere.  They should win this game, but the quarterback situation will become a distraction if Kaepernick struggles again.

Pick: 49ers 23, Dolphins 17

New Orleans (5-7) at NY Giants (7-5) - 4:25pm FOX

For a while, it looked the Saints were not only going to defy the odds, but Roger Goodell's attempts at banishing them from the face of the NFL.  Drew Brees got hot, the defense was able to get a couple of stops a game (as opposed to none in it's horrific start to the season), and there seemed to be an outside chance that the Saints could make an improbable playoff run.  Then Brees started throwing picks, the defense stopped stopping people, and those faint playoff hopes are pretty much gone.  How much pride do the Saints have?

The Giants are one of the more frustrating teams under Tom Coughlin.  They can look like the best team in football for a few weeks, then suddenly disappear for a couple of weeks losing games they shouldn't lose, before reappearing miraculously again.  They repeat this process several times throughout the season, making sure their final hot streak occurs right before the playoffs start.  They might want to consider starting early with the Cowboys and Redskins right on their heels.

Pick: Giants 34, Saints 31

Arizona (4-8) at Seattle (7-5) - 4:25pm FOX

The Cardinals stink, their line couldn't protect a quarterback from a pack of snails rushing the quarterback, and the defense is gassed.  If they win again this year, I'd be shocked.  Heck, they couldn't beat the Jets with the Jets only scoring 7 points.  How sad is that?

The Seahawks have surprised me.  Russell Wilson has surprised me.  Marshawn Lynch does not surprise me.  However, the toll that will be taken with half their secondary being suspended for PEDs can't be overlooked.  Good thing the Cardinals don't have a passing attack to speak of.

Pick: Seahawks 27, Cardinals 10

Detroit (4-8) at Green Bay (8-4) - 8:20pm NBC

The Lions had a 33-21 lead with less than 5 minutes remaining against the Colts.  Their "vaunted" defensive line stopped getting pressure and the Colts scored a touchdown with less than three minutes to go.  The Lions didn't need to do much to run out the clock, but weren't able to do anything and a poor punt from Nick Harris allowed the Colts to start from the 25.  1:07 later, the Colts were celebrating and the Lions were trying to figure out how they had blown another fourth quarter lead.  They might not have to worry about that though with the Packers.

The Packers have been a strange team.  They're 8-4, but feels like they should be 6-6.  They haven't really clicked all season long, but Aaron Rodgers keeps throwing touchdown passes and they keep finding a way to win.  Now, with the Bears struggling, the Packers have a chance to get the NFC North title.  They'd love to take that first step against the struggling Lions.

Pick: Packers 38, Lions 30

Monday

Houston (11-1) at New England (9-3) - 8:30pm ESPN

The Texans have been the most consistent team in football this year.  Other than a bad game against the Packers and their defense taking the weekend off against the Jaguars, they've been solid on both sides of the ball in just about every game.  Last week's game against the Titans was over before the first quarter was done, and that was with minimal effort.  This game won't be so easy.

The Patriots wrapped up the division, but now have their eyes on securing a high seed for their playoff push.  This game means more to them than the Texans for that reason alone.  That and Bill Belichick will want to make a point that the Patriots aren't that far from the Texans in how good they are.  Oh, and it's at Foxboro, thus giving the slight edge to the Patriots.

Pick: Patriots 27, Texans 24

The Browns Game

Kansas City (2-10) at Cleveland (4-8) - 1pm CBS

The Chiefs rallied around each other after the tragedy that fell upon them when it was learned that Jovan Belcher had killed his girlfriend, then killed himself the day before their game against the Panthers.  The result was inspired play and an unexpected victory from a team that had underachieved all season long.  Now they take their show to Cleveland, who is starting to show signs of growing up.  Of course, it wouldn't be a game without stories of Peyton Hillis' return, as well as former coach Romeo Crennel and quarterback Brady Quinn.  The Chiefs rode the wave of their emotions last week, can they do it again?

It'll be harder just because the Browns defense is better than the Panthers, especially up front and in the secondary (hard to believe, right).  For the first time all season, Dick Jauron is expected to have his entire secondary healthy, which coupled with a healthy front four could make things tough on the Chiefs offense.  The Browns offense, which hasn't scored a ton of points, has still moved the ball relatively well of late and should be able to get good yardage against the Chiefs.  Hillis may be amped up to face his former team, but Hillis doesn't get a ton of carries to begin with.  If the Browns offense can get going early, this game could be over quickly, something we're not accustomed to seeing around here.

Pick: Browns 27, Chiefs 20

Last: 11-5
Overall: 103-37-1

The Sports Mixer - Stop the madness already

Here at the sports mixer, I've wanted to do a week-by-week look at the NFL schedule and do some picks.

Obviously, that hasn't happened as of yet.

There's an explanation for it though, I promise, and it has little to do with being lazy, although I could certainly see where you'd come to that conclusion given that I haven't written a thing overall in 3 weeks.

Okay, so lazy is part of it.

There's another reason though, and last night's Monday Night Football game epitomized that reasoning; the referees can't be trusted.

What does that have to do with picking a football game?

Consider this: if I had picked the game last night, my initial instinct would have been to pick the Green Bay Packers.  Good team, albeit a little dysfunctional to start the season, playing an underdog Seattle Seahawks team in a very loud environment.  Yet if anyone can overcome crowd noise and a feisty team, it's Aaron Rodgers, right?

Well, after watching the final play of the game, I would have been sabotaged by the replacement refs.  Simply put, they blew it.  Two different guys made two different calls, and in the end, they both were wrong in agreeing that it was a touchdown.  Then they decided they couldn't overturn it on replay and I think it's simply because they would've been mauled by the Seattle crowd that wanted that win.

In the end, anyone who picked Green Bay was done in by the refs, something you couldn't say until last night.

Sure, they've botched several calls, couldn't get the clock timed correctly in some instances, marked off penalties incorrectly, called phantom penalties, and have done everything short of forget that it's a football game.  So what that they seem to forget that they're officiating an NFL game, not a lower level game (see CJ Spiller's touchdown against the Cleveland Browns last Sunday when an offensive lineman was illegally downfield).

It's made the decision to start doing that sort of a column much more difficult.  Granted, there have been plenty of people reminding us that the regular refs missed calls, pointed the wrong way on turnovers and penalties, and so on, but we've never seen anything like what we've been seeing since the preseason started.

Who's to blame?  Who cares?  Just get it done already.  I'm sure the NFL can find a little bit of money in it's pool to give out to the refs and no longer lock them out.  Do it before someone gets seriously hurt since players and coaches clearly do not have any respect for the replacement refs.  Just watch the activities going on after the whistle blows.  Players shoving each other around, coaches running on to the field, and both players and coaches lobbying for calls.  It's out of control and Roger Goodell knows it.

He has to.  Does he not watch the replays of the games?

I understand that these refs are in over their heads.  I don't blame them.  One week, you're preparing for a D-III matchup with two schools no one outside of the students has ever heard of, next you know, you're trying to figure out if that was roughing the passer or a clean hit involving Tom Brady.  It's not fair to them, it's not right, and unfortunately, they're receiving the brunt of the criticism.

Except for that ref that was a blatant New Orleans Saints fan.  He deserved what happened to him.  Remember kids, if you're going to officiate a game involving your all-time favorite sports team ever, hide the pictures of you tailgating in the parking lot decked from head to toe in its apparell, and for God's sake, don't go posting on Facebook that you get to officiate that game.

This isn't to take blame away from the refs though.  A lot of things they've messed up, they should know from the game they're used to officiating.  While it's true that the NFL game has several different rules from college and high school, enough of them are the same that they shouldn't be botching those, but they have.  For instance, allowing the clock to run after a player ran out of bounds with the ball.

In the end, the regular refs have to be laughing at all of this.  They have to be loving that fans, players, and coaches are hoping and praying for them to return soon.  They have to think they're going to get a standing ovation in every stadium when they do come back.  When they mark off a penalty correctly, you know they'll love the fact that players from both sides will be applauding them.

Until they screw up a pass interference call, thus giving Kevin Kolb and the Arizona Cardinals a win they didn't deserve.  Then it's back to them being crappy refs again.

But all will be right in the NFL world again.

Joined in progress - The Sports Mixer game blog

I was going to do a live blog during the Sunday night game, but unfortunately the sight of the Steelers made me queasy and I had to let my stomach settle first.

Just kidding.

I was doing laundry and didn't get to sit down with my laptop until 12:00 left in the third quarter.

So far, Peyton Manning has looked good, particularly in the no-huddle.  Unfortunately, Ben Roethlisberger is looking good as well.

It's 10-7 Pittsburgh as we join the game in progress.

Time notations are time left in the current quarter.

3rd Quarter

10:40 - Roethlisberger dumps off to Isaac Redman, who juggles it before finally corraling it.

10:15 - He dives!  And he looks short, at least according to the ugly yellow line that is draped across the field inaccurately most of the time, so now it's 4th and inches.

10:11 - Well that was a fortunate spot by the side judge.  On replay he never makes it to the yellow line, but the refs blow another call.

9:32 - Another false start on the Steelers.  By my count, that's now 27 on the Steelers.

8:26 - Apparently I'm the only person who hears the whistle blowing for another false start, but the play carries on and then the Referee goofs on the call, saying the penalty was declined even though it was a deadball foul.  Yeah, they aren't doing so hot.

8:03 - I really think players who hold out should be suspended for the first game.  Just saying, Mike Wallace.

7:30 - I'm fairly certain Denver missed the memo about the Steelers line being a mess.  They aren't getting near Roethlisberger right now.  Easy first down.

6:55 - Hey, Mike Adams.  We miss you here.  Trust me.  Nice play there.  Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is certain he's never seeing the field again in this game.  This drive is taking forever.

6:40 - Oh look, lost helmet.  They have chin straps, right?

6:09 - Almost had him.  Browns fans are familiar with Ben just barely getting rid of the ball as the pressure gets there.  Field goal try time.

6:05 - Steelers 13, Broncos 7 as the near-nine minute drive finally ends.

That drive was the epitome of a Steelers drive though.  They ran the ball a lot, Roethlisberger completed passes when he needed to, and third and long didn't slow them down one bit, at least until the end when the Broncos rush finally got there.  Now we'll see if Manning can resume his mastery.

5:59 - First pass of the second half for Manning is right on the money, and back to no-huddle we go.

5:32 - That was quick...and very easy.  Second play is a short pass left on a hot read to Demaryius Thomas, and 70 yards later it's 14-13 Broncos.  Wow.  Someone might want to inform the Steelers that Manning is the quarterback and blitzing ends badly.

In short, it took the Steelers almost nine minutes to put up a field and Manning less than a minute, after sitting for 57 minutes total, to put up a touchdown.  Oh, and it's his 400th career touchdown.

5:29 - I'm pretty sure the kickers are competing to see who can get a ball in the stands first.  They are booming these kickoffs right now.

That may have been the creepiest Old Spice commercial ever.  Sometimes I wonder where these ideas come from.  The Nissan commercial afterwards wasn't much better.  Personally, if my gas station attendant knew me like that I'd be using a different company.

5:25 - That was a dangerous throw by Ben.  Triple coverage there buddy.

5:18 - That was almost as dangerous.  Tracy Porter had his hands on that one.  Ben might want to reconsider where he's throwing.

5:12 - Dropped pass on a helmet-to-helmet hit.  I'm not a big proponent of the penalties that get called, but that was a pretty blatant hit there.  Meanwhile, the refs had trouble spotting the ball after the possession started on the 20.  Uh, 15+20 is what now?

5:03 - Little dump-off loses 2 yards.  Chris Rainey should've just dropped that one.

4:28 - Roethlisberger finally goes down.  I think the Steelers lineman were on a coffee break.  The entire middle brokedown.

3:48 - God I hate Steelers fans.  Meanwhile, the Broncos apparently decided not to include Heath Miller in their gameplan.  Fourth time he's been wide open now and 3 and 18 is converted.

3:10 - Denver must really like playing on defense right now.  Short gain just got longer thanks to a facemask penalty.  Tiime of possession is terribly in favor of Pittsburgh right now.  Yikes.  At least Manning won't be tired.  If he sees the field again.

2:41 - Jonathan Dwyer is a tough guy to bring down.  He just bounced off 4 guys, 3 coaches, and several cheerleaders to pick up a first down.

2:05 - Um, Ben?  Your receiver was about 10 yards closer to you.

1:35 - I love when coaches cover their faces with paper while speaking.  Because every team makes sure to hire lip readers.

1:15 - Imagine that, a third and seven converted because Miller is wide open.  Again.  Linebackers?  Where are you?

0:24 - Dwyer is just tough.  He shrugged off Adams like he wasn't there.  However, where's the containment on the outside?  Meanwhile, replay just showed Dwyer's knee was down as he crossed the 2 yard line.  Refs?  Did you see that?  Probably not.  Luckily, scoring plays are reviewed and the right call is made.

That marks the end of the quarter.  In the third quarter, the Broncos had the ball for all of 36 seconds, the Steelers the other 14:24, yet the Broncos lead 14-13 after three quarters.  Just goes to show you.

4th Quarter

14:56 - Nice play by Von Miller to stuff the middle and drop Redman for a loss.  Can Pittsburgh punch it in?

14:11 - Yes they can.  Mike Wallace catches the pass.  Hate Ben, but that was a perfect throw.

God, I just said that.  Punch me.

Oh look, going for two.  Fail.  19-14 your score.

On a side note, how do Fox and NBC both have America's game of the week?

13:41 - Well at least this possession will be longer than two plays.  Two runs and a first down since the safeties are playing deep.

13:04 - Well Thomas just stiff-armed Troy like he was a rag doll.  Wow.

12:15 - Manning makes the position look so easy.  He faked a handoff then threw a dart to Eric Decker.

11:45 - Another laser, this time to Stokely.  He's running no-huddle like he's still in Indy.

11:20 - That was a bit high.  There was also a ton of grabbing going on between the receiver and defensive back.

11:10 - Great effort by Jacob Tamme to get that first down.  The throw was low, but he got up and fought to get past the marker when most would've just rolled out of bounds.

10:35 - He's just picking them apart right now.  Decker almost fumbled though.

9:34 - What a mess.  The Broncos ran a play while Mike Tomlin threw the challenge flag on the field, so the refs are going to review whether there was a fumble or not.  Sadly, there wasn't so the Steelers should lose the challenge and timeout.  God I hate the Steelers sometimes.  This replay isn't even close.  He doesn't lose the ball til well after his knee hits, his elbow hits, and someone throws confetti in the air.

9:23 - Tamme with the catch, although I'm sure this is going to get reviewed.  He crossed the goal line, started to fall, and the ball went flying out of his hands, but it appears he had control.  Now Denver going for two.  They convert so it's 22-19 now in favor of the Broncos.

9:23 - He thought about bringing that one out from nine yards deep, didn't he?  Meanwhile they're pointing out how Manning changed the play while the refs were trying to figure out what was going on.

9:16 - Rainy just turned a near seven yard loss into a six yard gain. Nice cutbacks.

8:35 - Nice job by Porter to break-up a long pass attempt to Wallace.  Roethlisberger got hit again too.  Big third down coming since Denver keeps giving up big plays on third down.

8:29 - Hey! They covered Heath Miller!  Wallace was wide open down the field, but Ben was under so much pressure he never saw it.  Punting time.

7:49 - Too much dancing by McGahee.  He had a hole to the left, but missed it.

6:54 - Lance Ball with a nice run on first down.  Manning is looking like he didn't miss a game, much less a season.

5:45 - What a pretty throw that was to Tamme.  He lofted that ball perfectly.  After several runs, he hits you with that.  Just not fair.

5:20 - Not a big gain, but effective run.  Manning is working quickly.

4:38 - Manning is changing the play, then waiting for the Steelers to set up, then changing it again.  Eight yards later, it's third and two and the game is on again.

3:57 - That's the most annoying thing a quarterback can do.  The safeties kept running up when Manning would go under center, so he'd back off and look at them.  They'd start backing up and he'd go back under center.  The safeties came up again, so he backed off again, this time calling a timeout.

3:51 - Incomplete pass, but a flag is thrown.  Pass Interference on the Steelers.  That one hurts.  The defensive back never turned around to find the ball.

3:44 - McGahee is stood up, but the clock is ticking on the Steelers.  Oh, and the Steelers are down to two timeouts.

3:07 - That one was too high, but he made it so no one could catch that ball.

3:03 - Back shoulder throw to Decker, but he can't haul it in.  That was a catchable ball.  Broncos have to settle for a field goal.  25-19 is the score.  A touchdown can win it with 3 minutes to go.

2:52 - How did Roethlisberger get that one off?  Bad snap, pressure coming, and he puts it right on the money for a big gain?  I just despise the guy sometimes.

2:10 - Throwaway since no one was open.  I'm pretty sure he double-pumped at least twice on that play.  One day, that ball is going to pop out of his hand.  I hope.

2:04 - Porter steps in front of the pass and he's going the other way for a pick-six.  That'll put the game away.  He just jumped the route and 43 yards later, it's a touchdown.  Now Peyton comes running in to try for two.  Well, after the two minute warning.  Okay, so the refs messed that up too.  Sheesh.  In the meantime, the conversion fails.  Yeah, the refs are going to force the NFL to get the regular refs back soon.  Like tomorrow.  Please.

1:58 - Well, that kickoff almost made it in the stands.  Now back to our regularly scheduled football game.

1:54 - Von Miller just blew by the offensive lineman to get the sack.  Sorry Mike Adams.  I love the Buckeyes, but you blew that one.

1:22 - Sanders just got knocked around like a ping-pong ball.  Third and five now.

0:57 - Miller gets him again.  It looks like Ben just gave up on the play from the get go.  He just ducked down and disappeared in a mass of jerseys.  Nice tribute to Tim Tebow by Miller by the way.  Why are the Steelers taking a timeout?

0:47 - Oh, to give the Broncos a second-wind to sack Ben for the third time on this possession.  Kneel down time.

Final thoughts

Well, the Steelers couldn't run the ball, couldn't stop Peyton Manning, gave up some big chunks of yardage on the ground, and have a horrible offensive line.

They'll still win 10 games though.

The Broncos look good tonight, but we'll see how the defense holds up.  They were getting gashed early in the game.  Manning looks like he didn't miss a day though.  That's going to get them several wins alone.

Final: Broncos 31, Steelers 19.

The Sports Mixer - ring for LeBron and overanalyzing the draft

He finally did it.

He finally reached the mountaintop after several years and close calls.

All he needed was two other superstars and a bare-bones supporting cast that actually showed up in the NBA Finals.

Yes, LeBron James is an NBA champion.

Sure, there will be an asterix next to the year to indicate it was a lockout-shortened season, much like 1999-2000, but the championship still counts the same, the ring is still going to be his once awarded next season.

Say what you want to say about him as a person, he stepped up big in the finals and showed why so many believed when he came into the league that he could end up being mentioned among the all-time greats.  He finally thrived in a big game situation rather than wilting and deferring to Dwayne Wade.

Of course, it helped that the Oklahoma City Thunder threw the ball over the place, Russell Westbrook shot the ball miserably, and James Harden had a terrible series.  It helped that Mario Chalmers actually had a good series and that the rest of the role players took turns stepping up (an aspect that was noticeably absent in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks).

The Miami Heat finally did it.  What does it mean for Cleveland fans?

Nothing.

If you still aren't over James leaving, what's the reason?  He left over two years ago now.  As some have pointed out, he gave us 7 remarkable seasons.  He shouldn't have gone on national television to leave, but he did, he moved on, and everyone else needs to as well.

Instead, all that was heard were reasons why his championship isn't legitimate.

It was a shortened-season filled with injuries. Yes, it was.  Derrick Rose's ACL tear in the Chicago Bulls opening game against the Philadelphia 76ers remains the defining moment in the playoffs, the moment that told everyone that the season was compacted too much, the players didn't get enough rest, and that the injuries were excessive.

IF Rose were healthy, the Bulls would've moved on. He was healthy last season when they lost.  The Bulls again were the best team in the NBA record-wise, but it was no guarantee they would've beaten the Heat in the playoffs with a healthy Rose.  It would have been a great season.

He needed help to win while other greats didn't. This is perhaps the worst argument.  Remember, Magic Johnson's Lakers were loaded with talent, the Bulls with Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen, who was better than most other team's best player, and Larry Bird had Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale.  Point being, most championship teams have at least two legitimate All-Stars.  When did LeBron consistently have that with the Cavs?

He's still a douche for leaving. Yes, yes he is.  But he was also within his right to do so.

He's overrated. This one's highly debatable amongst some, but after watching him for 7 years here, he's definitely not overrated.  He's put up numbers that frankly haven't been seen in the NBA.  If he has any fault, it's that he doesn't play off the ball very well, which causes some to consider him a ballhog.  But when you average 7+ assists a season on a regular basis, you're far from a ballhog.  If anything, if his teammates would consistently hit their shots off of passes from him, he could conceivably average over 10 assists a game.  Unfortunately, his teammates miss a lot of shots.

Look, I hated that he left Cleveland, but as much as I dislike him as a person, I can't take away from his abilities on the court.  Being a dick doesn't make you a bad basketball player, it just makes you a dick off the court.  While I wish he would've stayed and won that title here, that's not what happened.  And while I'll always root against the Heat, it's more for how they went about building a championship, not because of one specific player.

Frankly, the city needs to get over it.  The fans need to let go.  The media needs to stop reporting on him like he's still here.  We have our own team, our own budding superstar to follow, and new players drafted last night to follow.

Speaking of the draft...

I know the Cavaliers didn't exactly set the world on fire with their selection of Syracuse guard Dion Waiters last night.  I know the immediate reaction was "how could they screw this draft up so badly?" before the kid has even stepped foot on the court.  Then they traded for Tyler Zeller and the hands went up in the air again.

"We gave up 3 draft picks for him?"

*sigh*

It's like a tradition for Cleveland fans to immediate overreact to things like this.  Neither has stepped on the court yet, but already legions of fans are experts on what kind of careers these two are going to have.

The best comment I read was someone on Facebook who said "We picked a bench scrub.  A bench scrub."

Last I checked, a guy who won 6th man of the year in the Big East on a nation championchip contending team is not a mere bench scrub.  This is a guy who played limited minutes, but put up some decent numbers given the time he was playing.  His skill set is what the Cavs need and I don't care what anyone thinks, I was never sold on Harrison Barnes as an option.  I had mild hope that Michael Gilchrist-Kidd would fall to them, but that didn't happen.

As for Zeller, if he plays like he did in college, the Cavs will be all right.  One of the problems they had was consistently rebounding and Zeller can grab boards with the best of them.

The moral of the story is you can't grade a draft until the season is over, much like you can't grade a trade until a significant amount of time has passed.  Sure, you can look at what they did in college and think you know how it will translate, but you don't.

Kyrie Irving was a question mark, remember?  Many "expert" fans wanted Derrick Williams over Irving, that Williams was the sure thing.  Well, Irving won rookie of the year, Williams was unremarkable, and now the pundits are starting up again with the most recent picks.

Listen, give it a season.  If Waiters and/or Zeller fall flat on their faces and the Cavs stink even worse, then you were right.

Until then, calm down and breath.  Like with the Browns, it's just a game.  No one's life is going to end because of how their sports team performs.