Football Follies

I am not entirely sure if any of those who stumble across this minor blog are fans of the American National Football League known as the NFL.  If you are, and you follow it in the least bit amount, you are probably aware of the leagues worst team right now...  The Carolina Panthers. Or as i like to refer to them when they are playing this poorly, the Carolina Kittens.  Even when the Panthers went 1-15 in the 2001 season, i had hope for their improvement.  This year... not so much.  Perhaps it's the depression i have been fighting lately, but i am beginning to think that they are destined to sink into the depths of the other perpetually bad teams of the other "Big Cat" teams.  You know them as the Detroit Lions and the Cincinnati Bengals.  That's not all fair though... the other "Jaguar" family team, the Jacksonville Jaguars and brother 1995 expansion team (Panthers are a form of Jaguar, if you look closely you can see blacker spots on them), have been routinely decent.  I believe their overall historical record is > 50% win/loss.  As of this post, the Panthers have the inside track on locking in the #1 overall draft pick in the 2011 draft.  The only other team that is a serious challenger for this is of course, the Cincinnati Bengals.  Let's take a look at both teams up coming games shall we:

Carolina:
Dec 19 Arizona(4-9)
Dec 23 @ Pittsburgh (10-3)
Jan 02 @ Atlanta (11-2)

Cincinnati:
Dec 19 Cleveland (5-8)
Dec 26 San Diego (7-6)
Jan 02 Baltimore (8-4)<

If Carolina loses out, they have the lock.  In the event of a tie, the #1 pick will go to the Cincinnati Bengals as they had the "easier" (based on the overall win/loss record of their opponents) schedule.  Now, some of this may come down to teams like Atlanta and Pittsburgh resting some of their starters in order to prepare for the play-offs, but... then again... Pittsburgh has the Ravens breathing down their neck, and Atlanta has the Saints...  Ah, such is life.  8)  I am still a fan of the Carolina Panthers though.  Maybe it will make it a little bit easier to get a pair of tickets for a home game in Charlotte next season.

For fun, i have been playing Games Workshops computer version of American Football (Blood Bowl).  This was created and distributed by a company called Cyanide Studios.  It is essentially a Fantasy, turn based, version of the game.  It was originally made by GW as a table top game.  I have four teams currently that i rotate between depending upon my mood.  I have the Redleg Boomers, a human team that i have loosely based the theme around my days as an Artilleryman (aka Redleg); the Floundering Chefs, my Halfling team; the Boneyard Boyz, and undead team (skeleton warriors have always fascinated me for some reason); and last but not least, the Sylvan Strykers, a Wood Elf team.  Each team has their strengths and weaknesses, so i play each team depending on my mood.  The Humans are an "all around" team.  They don't excel in anyone area, but then they are not really deficient in any one area either.  The Halflings are not really great in any area... they are a team that rules where put together for on a whim.  They are in the game for fun and humor, not really to win.  The undead team is a highly durable team, but they struggle with doing anything really fancifully. The Wood Elves are my first go to team... they are Elves after all.   In the game there are 4 Elven teams.  The Woode Elves, the High Elves, the Dark Elves, and the plain old Elves.  I had originally started with the regular elves, but the cheerleaders are drawn up in really skimpy outfits... so i deleted that file and started over.  The High Elves are too snooty, and the Dark Elves are en evil team and... the undead are close enough that i didn't want to play a second one.  Ironically, the team with the best record is my Halfling team!

Ok... this will be meaningless drivel for most... but... when writing... i was told sometimes it is best to just sit down and start writing whatever comes to mind... LOL

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Rambling Wednesday

You know things are bad when the title of the articles in the paper after a game are, "Titanic's captain says he didn't build boat", and "It's like watching mascots fight".  Wow.  Now, i have not had a chance to watch my Panthers live yet, and since none of their games (except the 1st meeting against the Saints) have been close, they've not even been on NFL Replay (that i am aware of), so i a cannot speak to how they look.  Is their heart in it?  Are they even trying?  I have no idea, but when the Head Coach, and even some of the players, are beginning to vocalize their disappointment with the front office... not a good scenario.  I am hoping to make a trip down to Charlotte to catch a game next season.  I am pretty sure this boat will not get turned around next season either, but maybe i can at least get tickets at a good price from somewhere.

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Related to football, sort...   recently Cynide games recently released an updated computer version of a fantasy version of American football.  It is based on the table top game by Games Workshop.  The first iteration of the game came out about a year and half ago with only 8 of the plethora of teams originally available in the tabletop form.  This updated version has 20 of the teams.  From Humans to Elves (three different kinds), to Halflings, and Orcs.  I purchased the game on-line as it is only available via download at this time.  2.88GB worth of compressed files!  And when i went to install it, nearly 40% of the files were corrupted!  *sigh*  Such is life.  I will look to find another 3 or 4 hours where i can make a second download attempt another day.

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Not too long ago my Beloved encouraged me to get a "smart phone" to help me keep track of our now even more diverse schedule now that she is back to work.  It has been an immense help.  Since it is a phone running the "Android" platform it is tied into Google quite a bit, which is fine by me.  I know Windows is releasing their own version of the Smart Phone here soon, but they are now the 3rd... behind iPhone (Apple) and Android (Google).  Judging by how well my PC works both at work and home... i am NOT going to be jumping on the Microsoft bandwagon anytime soon when it comes to Smart-phones.  These little devices are essentially little computers that can make phone calls, stream movies, text, surf the web, e-mail, in some cases video call... if it were not for Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas... 8)  But... it can be played on a PS3...  Back to the phones though, the "smart-phone" can be an amazing tool.  Able to download directions to find where the nearest Steakhouse or bookstore is, need to kill some time at the airport - download and watch a movie.  What about researching a paper for a class... no problem, bring up the web browser and Google it.  Oh wait, i need to keep track of how many calories i am eating... no problem, download an 'App'.  Way too cool if you ask me.  The way of the standalone Personal computer is going by the way side.  My new phone not only can do all those things above, but i can also get an adapter cable and connect it to a TV and play the movie on a much bigger screen - or do all of those other things.  Oh, and i almost forgot... MUSIC!  You can download and stream your favorite music, or audio books, or conferences, or sermons!  Simply amazing... i am pretty sure the thing that is hanging on my hip is more powerful (in raw computing power, not running programs perhaps) than what NASA had, and filled up ROOMS, to get the men on the moon.  Some day... look up the history of computers... it will amaze you.

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Recently, even before my recent 'adventures', i knew i needed to pursue my prayer life more passionately.  More sincerely.  But i was not really sure how to do it honestly, and not as some means of religious observance as i am prone to do.  "Ambition gets you started, but habit keeps you moving."  Too often i lead in with my heart, and i jump to pursue some "worthwhile" goal, only to not have the head to maintain the tempo and pursuit.  And this is true in most areas of my life.  'Coincidentally' Gunny recently posted a blog entry regarding prayer, and then Desiring God also had a very timely blog.  I love to pray, but over time my personal fears have hampered my own prayers.  At first it was just my public prayers, but over time it crept into my personal private ones as well.  For me, i began to worry if i was praying more for what others might think, or because this is what i really hoped for.  What a fine line the balance between effort and grace.  Effort to affect grace is vain and worthless, grace affect effort is holy and a glory to God.  It is so hard to maintain the right perspective and source of effort.

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Weather vane spinning

Thunder and Lightning in sync

By His hand, balance

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Wacky, Wild, incoherant rambling Wednesday

It has been over a week since my last blog and there are way too many things i want to blog about and not enough time on my hands to coherently type them all out... so crazy ramblings will ensue... My beloved is recovering "well" since her surgery last week. Anytime someone cuts another open and removes and moves so much "material" you are bound to have some pain. She is up and moving around pretty much on her own, but still has some pain when certain things occur. After her follow up visit at the doctor's office yesterday we have been told that things are good. The pain will subside over time. As of this update there are only 5 days, 6 hours, until the Carolina Panthers season officially opens! Summer camp has been a little bit of heartburn for me. The loss of Kemoeatu on the opening day of camp was a pretty big hit IMO to the defense. I think the Panthers can adjust, but only time will tell. Then the panic of the possibility of Steve Smith getting injured the other day was a little disconcerting. I am still very excited for the season to begin though. Looking over the schedule and i see that i will be able to see four games this year! @ Dallas on 9/20, hosting Washington on 10/11, hosting Miami on 11/19, and then hosting the Vikings on 12/20. That is the most i have been able to look forward to in many a year. Geaux Panthers! DS1 has pointed out to me that the next expansion for Fallout 3 is scheduled for store release next Tuesday. I checked my play time on the game... a whopping total of sixteen (16) hours! Granted, i've been able to play Blood Bowl a lot more often, but that's only because i am able to play a complete game in BB in less than an hour (usually). I've been having a lot of fun playing Fallout 3 though. My character has been generating some attention though. Some Talon Company Mercenaries have apparently been hired to wipe me out. I had several worship, and a couple of 'contemporary Christian' songs that really helped me over this past week. There is just something about music that moves a person that cannot adequately be explained in my opinion. Music has the ability to sway emotion. It can influence your mood and even your thought patterns. Maybe not every one would agree with me on this one... but it is a powerful force! I will listen to a rock-n-roll type of music when i am working something hi-tempo, when i am feeling meditative i find classical is good for me. While there was never any choice to not be home to be there for my beloved, i am still a little sad that missed the 2-110th deactivation ceremony this past Saturday. What a solemn time. I trained with men that i will never forget. I grew a lot through the Army National Guard and i miss the time i used to serve. But i am also grateful that i have served, and that i am now home one more weekend a month now. My place was at home with my beloved as she recovered, but that doesn't mean i missed being there with those guys either.