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The hour of the draft grows near and there is much debate about who is the sure fire #1 pick for your fantasy league. At first glance my thoughts went to Shady McCoy. After careful consideration I decided that this is not the way to go. Even the voters for the top 100 agree. Shady is great, but you gotta stay with All Day.

The Vikings are struggling to be relevant in a division that has a couple of dynamic offenses. In order to stay in games they realize they need control the ball for long stretches of time and that means plenty of touches for Ole number 28.

My partner in one league offered a counter-argument when I considered Manning as a number one. Because of the move to a passing league and the fact that there are at least a dozen offenses capable of putting up solid qb numbers, the manning pick can be shelved to get somebody in the second round whereas the running back spot is a dying breed. Backs aren’t being used at the rate they were and this not being drafted as high, which means to get one that really produces you need to pick them early.

I won’t give away all my secrets, but rb’s and wideouts are big point positions this year.

I spent some time at Lowe’s today purchasing the base pieces for the upcoming treehouse. This is meant to be a project that the boys and I will put together as part of the backyard redo. I’m not prepared to post before/after pictures or diagrams yet. Today I’ll have a conversation with the boys and wifey about what we want out of the backyard. We have a partial-completion date set, based around the time her mother arrives. I want to have a garden area prepared for her, so she can do some planting like she enjoys. I’ve picked out a trio of possible locations for gardening–one is better suited for wildflowers/desert flowers or something to serve as an attractive focal point to the yard. Today we’ll be taking measurements and thinking about how much space we actually have to work with.

I think I’m going to give in and deliver a warped wall. I have some concerns about how high everything gets. I looked into wiring possibilities and realized I could deliver power to the platform, which leads to needing a roof that protects whatever is powered inside. I’m a TV guy, but I don’t know that mounting a TV out there is going to float with everyone in the family. Still, putting an Xbox out there (even as a temporary/while we play) would amp up the cool factor. We also are planning to install a giant-size beyblade arena and who knows what else. All of this leads to roofing needs, which leads to height concerns. This might be a complicated project, but it will be  fun ride.

Some Thoughts:

1. Mistresses is still one of those fun guilty pleasures. Alyssa Milano’s obvious pregnancy was written out of the show. I think they did it to maintain the overly sexual nature of the show. I wish they would write out the April character, because her storyline is crap. It brings down the show (if such a thing is even possible with something that low already). Presently there is some man following her around. wit any luck that man will kill her and end this side jaunt into daytime soap madness.

Football is in the air. After a so-so output in last night’s game the Giants faced the loss of another player, David Wilson. The equally electrifying and befuddling RB suffered a serious injury in a game last year. It required surgery to fuse his neck. He tried to come back this year and after suffering a burner in practice he was advised to end football and waived (Injured) by the Giants. His career is over, but his life isn’t.

The incident calls for reflection on football in general. My first born is excited to take his first snaps in the spring, despite the very vocal protests of his mother. Stuff like this gives her more fuel to say no. Stuff like this should put her at ease but reports show that she is just one of many parents who look at football as the quickest path to their kids lives being shortened. As a mother my wife’s concerns are both valid and understood. On the other hand, I don’t feel comfortable holding him out at this age only to have him jump in–like I did–once he can do so on his own and suffer an injury simply because he didn’t know what to expect.

Football–be it watching, coaching, playing (expect a comeback in 4 weeks!), or life in the Fantasy leagues–is a part of my life. I’d be proud to have it be a part of my kids life the way it was/is in mine. I do my research and recognize the risks, but life is risk. I’d rather have them colliding in pads and helmets then out there slamming their bodies into the pavement from some American Ninja or extreme sports mishap.

I don’t see anyone trying to stop them from doing that stuff either.

Twas the night before elementary, when all through the house

All the boys were stirring like a cheez-it filled mouse.

The book bags were hung by the garage with care,

In hopes they would sleep and tomorrow’d be here;

These children weren’t nestled all snug in their beds;

I wanted to put palm upside of their heads;

And mama sat with them while I paced nearby,

flashing anger when I heard each one in turn cry.

A balance, you see, must be struck by a Dad,

to remove yourself, sir, when you start to get mad.

The spanking and screaming could be sure to follow,

When boys in their own self pity wallow.

“Oh Daddy, dessert please! Can we stay up till 10?!”

Amazing they think if they cry then they win.

It brings to mind my mom’s answer for pouts.

“Stop or I’ll give you something to cry about!”

But a balance is struck by the dad in this case.

Let the wife do her thing, and you can just pace.

All life is balance between good and bad,

Between tough and easy, happy and sad.

These lessons I learned carry through all my days,

As a father, a husband, and many more ways;

As a writer, a thinker, a gentleman too,

I pass lessons like memes to all of you.

Now the house grows still; the kids fall to slumber.

The clock clicks to 9, close to the key number.

Ten minutes erased and shared on the page,

I say better this than a moment of rage.

 

Some Thoughts:

1. I recorded the Giants game. I’ve only seen snippets, but it is clearly too soon to tell if they are going to be a winning team this year. One thing I noticed right away is how much younger the team is. Strahan was walking through the huddle chest bumping children and strangers.
2. School. I didn’t think I’d be so pumped to see them going back, but I am all for it. I could use some time to handle my own ‘ish.

“Begin with the end in mind and Die Empty.” On first glance these sound like the words of motivational writer and speaker Todd Henry, but they aren’t. This glancingly morbid view arrived from the lips of Aeneas Williams during an incredibly uplifting and poignant HOF enshrinement speech. Today 7 more football greats took their place in the Hall of Fame. Amongst those are Andre Reed, Michael Strahan, the aforementioned Williams, and a Punter named Ray Guy.

I’m part of a family that really doesn’t understand my attachment to football. Nearly everyone on my wife’s side is more concerned about the specter of concussion than the beauty of the game and what it does for you as an individual–as a fighter. When you hear the best of the best make their speeches to explain how they got to the Hall, you learn so much about work ethic and what it takes to fulfill your dreams.

Football is about understanding the work it takes and the pain and suffering required to get what you want out of life. Strahan talked about it. He waxed about how most people who know him have no idea he played football. He went on to talk about how football taught him to be the man he is today. Football teaches you fight and teamwork and compassion. These are lessons readily available for those willing to accept them.

I learn and gain so much every year from these speeches. I hope to one day be able to see one of my kids up there giving a speech maybe as a player going into the hall or simply just a kid being valedictorian. I want my kids to fight for what they want and to achieve everything that is possible for them.

As Williams says, I want them to die empty.

For the first time this summer, I laughed out loud during a blockbuster–and it was in a good way.

Marvel’s latest offering, Guardians of the Galaxy, is a refreshing new look at the marvel universe that does almost everything right. For slightly over two hours and enjoyed the simple, forward moving plot and never once asked myself, “How does this all lead to the new Avengers movie?” Instead I laughed, whispered inside jokes to my kids and enjoyed the audience around me enjoying the same thing I was seeing on screen: the film Transformers 4 wished it could’ve been.

The plot of the Guardians movie follows a human name Peter Quill who is thrust into a life of space privateering long before he is ready. As a result Quill is a character who desperately hangs on to the past. That struggle is symbolized by an object which brought to mind the Indiana Jones movies of old. Everything else about the film is old school, from the relationships between the protagonists and antagonists to the special cameo in the requisite after-the-credits scene. Quill and allies become embroiled in a conflict much larger than themselves and must learn to work together and with those around them in order to save the world. Sound vaguely Avenger-esque? It should, because the Guardians are built on the same template, though without the ‘Power brings responsibility’ angle so common to traditional heroes. Lets get this straight up front. These aren’t the well known heroes of everyday comics. The Guardians come from deep in the C list. However, Guardians of the Galaxy benefits from its obscurity. It is a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously and allows the director to explore a previously unregarded aspect of the Marvel Universe without the increasingly heavy burden of fan expectation.

I think Marvel is primed to score big at the box office and can find simple ways to continue tying this part of the world to the world we all know, love, and have grand expectations from. Still, the nature of the Guardians will allow viewers to put aside those lofty expectations and enjoy what is a great film and certain to have a great sequel.

Lets get right to it.

 

Some Thoughts:

1. My fascination with Lindsey Stirling grows and apparently I’m not alone. Others in the industry are pumped up to work with her. I went so far as to pick up an album. That’s a big deal for me. I don’t buy a lot of music anymore–especially new music for myself and not stuff for the kids.
2. I asked my son if he wanted to try out for the middle school flag football squad and he replied, “I only want to play for you, Dad.” Thats a touching thing to hear from your son as a dad and a coach. I don’t want to jump to conclusions and say he’s not interested in playing, but I do wonder if this is something all kids with dad/coach situations go through. I want him to try out more than ever now–just for an opportunity to stand on his own. I don’t have this issue with the mid-kid. He is itching to join a club soccer team and fully aware that I don’t coach it.
3. I’m terribly gleeful when it rains in the desert. I’m half-driven to start clearing out the ground for the new treehouse since it will be so damp and easy to move.
4. Mona and Beth from the Amazing Race are doing a series of commercials for Walmart. I generally do not condone selling out but I’ll make an exception in this case. Its smart business to capitalize on that moment. In the very least it cements your popularity and all but guarantees a spot on an Amazing Race All Stars season, since they’ll bring in viewers (and sponsors).
5. Finished my second ever organized basketball season with an undefeated season (we got a tee shirt!) and a loss in the finals on a last second shot. I truly believe I understand how the Patriots felt back in the day. Not the level of the emotion but the flavor of it.
6. The first bursts of communication from my working life are arriving from my deep psyche. The other night I dreamed about assignment sheets. The dream was very useful and may provide a new way of delivering information to the students. Still, it is too early in the month to return to what is to be a very busy 9 months of work…

Biology reminds us that males of the species are naturally competitive. Having kids reminds me that anything–no matter how seemingly pointless or banal–can be a competition. For someone in competition, the fabric of the game is as tangible and meaningful as Chinchilla. Swiftly now approaches the season of Fantasy Football.

Fantasy Football isn’t a sport. It is quite a stupid pursuit, actually. The act of engaging in Fantasy Football play is utterly pointless and steals valuable time, energy, and money from those who engage in it. Unless you win. Then Fantasy Football is pretty darn awesome. This season presents a new set of challenges to me as I’ve come to rely on Tight Ends to provide a point advantage week to week. The trouble is there aren’t more than two sure fire TE options, a 3rd who could be legit depending on who winds up under center and, well, Gronk.

1st Look: Julius Thomas
The absence of redzone target Eric Decker means two things for Denver. 1) There is more pressure on JT 2) Wes Welker has value again. I’m thinking the JT targets go up, and if last year’s skill level wasn’t a fluke, the fantasy ppg go up as well.

2nd Best and Climbing: Jimmy Graham
This is more about Brees vs. Manning then about the TEs themselves. Graham is the top TE in the league, but I believe the number of weapons Brees has is a disadvantage. Unlike Manning, Brees can get myopic week to week, focusing on one type of player and excluding others. That usually benefits Graham, but he is the guy everyone will be keying on, so I wonder if it will benefit other pass catchers more.

3rd is a poor man’s first: Jordan Cameron
900 yards and 7 TDs later, the world knew J. Cam was legit. Unfortunately, between Hoyer and Johnny Football, the QB situation is far less certain. We know that Josh Gordon won’t be there to catch passes, so Cam is going to be the target of some serious D

And Gronk
If healthy, Gronk will be prolific. The opportune word being if. I expect him to be a mid round selection and to produce late in the season.

You aren’t supposed to share personal feelings on sensitive or political matters on the web. That stuff will follow you forever. Fortunately, I stopped caring about that ‘gentleman’s rule’ a long time ago. That allows me to talk about issues such as Stephen A. Smith’s recent comments on domestic violence. I’m not really here to defend or refute his opinion. I’m more interested in discussing how his words have taken on a larger meaning than what he intended purely because he tweaked the nerve of a deeper issue: In all of our conversations about equality we are forgetting that between the lines we are often asking for one gender to take on more responsibility than the other gender depending on the circumstances.

One show I’ve enjoyed this summer is Murder in the First. The show does an excellent job portraying an exciting murder investigation of a wealthy suspect. There was a particular scene when a woman decided to tee off on her husband. She kept hitting and hitting him. Finally he had enough and connected with a shot to the face. She went down. My first thought was, If she was an undersized man throwing punches, would his response have been wrong? What if it were a kid hitting him? When does a person no longer have the right to defend themselves from attack?

If you are a man, you likely never have the right to defend yourself against a woman’s attack. Well, if she’s armed you might get a pass–at least until you disarm her and then gentleman’s rules apply. The same rules apply to kids and anyone else who is considered so vastly underpowered as to not be a threat. I think back to that elevator incident with Jay-Z and Solange Knowles where she tried to beat the crap out of him and he, calmly, stepped back and avoided being caught on film hitting a woman. That would’ve been the headline: Jay-Z Beats Sister-in-Law, and the woman would expectedly be absolved of all responsibility in the matter.

I’d like to believe that this is the point Stephen A. Smith was trying to make. If so, he is correct. We do not generally hold female attackers responsible for their actions if they are injured by the man they are attacking. It is enough that the man chose to defend himself  to make him the guilty party and fully responsible for the actions. This is partly because it is so hard to get people to come forward and admit that they are victims of DV. In that sense, I get the criminalization of the act.

Still, it would be nice to know that if I’m sitting in the parking lot one day and a woman decides she wants to pull me out through the driver’s side window, I wouldn’t have to pause and think about the social consequences of hitting her vs. taking a beating from her. Both results end with me in a worse position than where I started from. Of course, in the words of ‘Lets be Cops’ if I wind up in such an awkward position, “That’s what you get.”

Some Thoughts:

1. Giants play the Bills this Sunday. Oh yeah.
2. This clip is the greatest comic book adaptation pitch EVER. 

Dear Nintendo,

I might hate you. I definitely want to break up with you. For the better part of three decades I’ve put up with a lot of subpar service from you–so long so that I can understand why you expect me to shut and take it now. I’m done being the victim. I was an original. I scratched and blew on your cruddy games hoping they would magically start to work. I bought all the consoles you put out. Yes, even the Gamecube and the Wii U. Now you’ve gone too far. When my eldest son’s ads stopped working I scoured the web for solutions. Finally I bent over and allowed the repair costs to roll in. $146 dollars for a device I bought for $125. Come on, man. Still, he loves his 3ds life. I forked over the fee and started packing up his old 3ds. I even decided to be super dad for a day and bought another one so his baby brother could finally have one. Yay for me, right?

Not so fast.

As I was packing up the first overpriced DS, my middle kid came running over to show me the problems he was having with his 3ds–a 3ds he bought with his own money. Guess what? It was broken in the same unresolved manner that the other one was. That web search I ran for days about the first error revealed thousands of these cases and you, Nintendo, haven’t taken the time to even throw up a useful troubleshooting page about the situation. All you are willing to say is, ‘We’ll fix it if you have your receipt’. Luck be thanked that the kid does have his receipt. So now I’m preparing a second package to be shipped out via UPS. I shouldn’t have been asked to send anything. I should have never encountered these problems, because this is the type of stuff you fix in beta.

So now i’m done. This is the last level of Nintendo platforms we will ever own. Pokemon be damned. Sooner or later the publishers are going to catch on to the fact that your products are pretty garbage rushed out to the public in an effort to keep your shrinking market share afloat. Japan is known for its hundred year plan, and you are clearly not included in the next hundred years.

So, thanks for the oft disappointing memories and stuttering gameplay. Thanks for designing systems that fail as regularly as inner city high school students. Thanks for making my days long and very angry.

Sincerely,

One torked off Talislegger