Day: October 14, 2015

I think I might be part of a dying species.

I say this with the understanding that I may have already written about this previously, but the idea lives in my mind and seems to explain so many differences between the generation I was raised in and the one in which I am raising my children. I will start by staying that I was born in the age of Atari. I played pong when it came out. I remember my many phone conversations being centered around the kitchen wall where the phone lived, my orbit determined by just how far I could stretch the cord. I remember school being about memorization, procedural understanding, and depth of knowledge. I remember when kilobytes were a big deal.

I am no Luddite. I can program in multiple languages (some of which are outdated by now), and strip and build a computer the way military folk breakdown a rifle. Still, I come from an era where I thought about such things very differently. I come from an era where information was internalized and commoditized, where if you did not know something, you simply did not know it and had to locate someone who did or otherwise locate a library or similar location where that knowledge could be slowly absorbed.

Consider that world I am talking about. People knew things and studied them often to the point of at least a degree of specialization. Bob knows how to do X, I know how to do Y and together we can develop Z. We collaborated out of necessity, because carrying multiple forms of knowledge and multiple skillsets was a rare thing.

Today’s world is not at all about what you know. If I ask (or have) a question about anything I can run to the web for the published (and polished) response. I don’t have to be a portable internal library of information, because the portable library is sitting in my pocket, and it makes phone calls too! As a result, the type of knowledge this new species needs is about access and application. We are no longer expecting people to recite Shakespeare verbatim, but to know how to find any line of any given play and interpret that line in a way that is reflective of our needs at that moment.

 

Somehow I have to raise the new species and teach them along the way.

I guess the ‘next man up’ philosophy is still intact in Buffalo. EJ Manuel is next up at QB, and we don’t have a clue what the RB situation is there. I feel for Rex Ryan. The dude cannot catch a break anywhere. Still, he’s been doing fairly well this season under heavy duress. The win his team pulled out last week was on par with what the Giants managed to do that same day. Both teams are moving, inexorably, in the right direction. It is no surprise how I see the NY teams then and no surprise that my Waiver picks target EJ as a QB (if you need one). He’s going to rely on his legs and his short routes, with maybe or shot or two downfield. The key: let the talent around you get open in space. Of course, it would help to know who that talent is…

On to the picks!

NO over ATL
The Falcons are heading into a buzz saw of a home game. I see a lot of scoring here, but in the end the Saints will slow Julio Jones enough to pull out a win.

Jets over Redskins
This is a trap game, but I think the last one served its purpose well. The Jets are now very awake and their #2, Eric Decker, is going to bring down the house.

PIT over AZ
The Cards are very good this year, but this is a home game and the Steelers run game at home will not be denied.

Vikings over Chiefs
Not enough weapons left for the Chiefs to be competitive. The whole offense hinges on one player. I know what that looks like from personal experience. Once that player goes down, the rest of the plan goes to poo. Next man up hasn’t been a thing in KC for a long time.

Bills over Bengals
This is a tough NY pick. The toughest ever. Everything I know says not to pick these guys, especially after the Bengals mopped up Seattle. Still, I think the weaknesses the Bills have are in the areas where the Bengals aren’t strong anyhow.

Bears over Lions
Defense is going to be a problem for both sides. The Bears need this win and I think the momentum from last week carries them through this week.

Broncos over Browns
I don’t think Peyton is comfortable in the offense yet, but I think the D is playing well enough to make this thing work. I also believe the Browns run D isn’t much to look at and the Broncos will exploit that greatly.

Texans over Jaguars
I think the Texans D finally gets on track this week and they do some serious damage against a Jags team that is finally starting to come around as well. I believe this so much that I am streaming their defense.

Titans over Dolphins
Dolphins in too much flux.

Seahawks over Panthers
Packers over Chargers
Ravens over 49rs
Colts over Patriots
Giants over Eagles