Category Archives: sports

January 14, 2024 · 9:44 am

The NFL Playoffs, Peacock, And A (Bullshit) Precedent

I love football. I hope I’ve made that abundantly clear by now.

And this is one of the best times of the year to be an NFL fan. It’s the start of the NFL playoffs. The regular season is over. The best teams have set themselves apart. And now, it’s time to see who is ready to make a championship run to the Super Bowl.

As an NFL fan, these next few weeks are often among the best. But this year, we encountered an unexpected complication. One of the biggest matchups of Wild Card Weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins, was not available to watch on standard broadcast or basic cable. Instead, fans had to use the Peacock streaming service to watch it.

Now, let me go on record as saying I fucking hate this.

Seriously, fuck the NFL for making this kind of bullshit deal. This isn’t some random regular season game, nor is this a streaming service that most people have. This is the goddamn playoffs! These are all national games that, for over 50 years, have been available to watch on basic broadcast and cable. It seems so simple, putting a major sports event on TV in a form where most people can watch it.

But this time, the NFL decided to fuck all those loyal fans over by essentially locking a playoff game behind a goddamn paywall. And this is after they recently repackaged NFL Sunday Ticket with YouTube TV for nearly $500! I know the NFL is the biggest sports league in America by a very wide margin. I also know football is the most popular sport by an even wider margin. But this is just bullshit greed taken to a whole new level.

And, given how the NFL seems to not give a damn about fan outrage, I have a feeling this won’t be the last time. Peacock, which is owned by NBC Universal, paid the NFL a lot of money to stream that game exclusively. They don’t care if it pisses off fans. They just care if it gives them a small uptick in subscribers. And because fans have little power in wake of all that money, this is going to set a bullshit precedent that nobody outside executives likes.

Even though the outrage even drew ire from congressmen, I don’t know if that will change anything. I just know that, if this bullshit deal made both sides extra money, then they’re going to do it again and it won’t matter how pissed off fans are. That’s just the world we live in.

So, in wake of this level of hopelessness, I just want to say one more time fuck the NFL! Fuck NBC Universal! And fuck Peacock!

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September 10, 2023 · 8:22 am

New NFL Season, New Couch, And NFL Redzone!

Today is a wonderful, special day.

Today is the first Sunday of Week 1 of a new NFL season.

For fans of football, this is among the holiest of days. This is the equivalent of Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and the 4th of July all rolled into one. There are no elaborate decorations or parades, but that just makes it even easier to celebrate and appreciate.

For me, personally, it’s one of the best days of the year. I’ve always been a football fan, going back to the days when I spent entire Sunday afternoons watching games with my dad, my brother, and my uncle. Then, the NFL gave us the wondrous creation that is NFL Redzone and that really made Sundays during NFL season an experience worth treasuring.

Seriously, I cannot overstate how much NFL Redzone has enhanced and improved the experience of watching NFL football. There’s just something magical about turning on my TV at 1:00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, turning up the volume, and not touching my remote for the next seven hours while commercial-free football plays out before my adoring eyes.

Today, I plan on carrying out my preferred NFL Sunday ritual that I’ve shared before, complete with a fresh pizza and a six-pack of beer. However, this season will come with an additional bonus that I hope further enhances the experience.

Earlier this summer, I decided to shop around for a new couch. The one I’ve been using has definitely showed its age. It’s not even something I bought. Shortly after I moved into my current home, I needed furniture. And the couch I ended up getting was just an old loveseat my uncle had been looking to get rid of. So, he gave it to me for free once he found out I had moved to a new place.

That loveseat served me well, but it was old even when I got it. Now, after years of sitting on it, I’m ready for an upgrade. So, a couple weeks ago, I purchased a brand new couch on which I hope to spend every Sunday afternoon in glorious comfort. This isn’t used. I didn’t get this discount as a garage sale. I actually saved money to get it and I can attest that makes a difference.

It’s been a long, arduous wait for a new NFL season. But later today, that wait will finally end! A new NFL season is here. So, for the rest of the year and most of January, my Sundays will revolve entirely around watching football. Being able to do so on a new, comfortable couch is just a hell of a bonus.

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September 3, 2023 · 8:18 am

My NFL 2023 Season: Predictions And Picks

This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.

In this video, I make my picks and predictions for the 2022 NFL season. Last year, I made a lot of predictions that did NOT pan out. After successfully predicting the Los Angeles Rams would win the Super Bowl two years ago, it felt like everything evened out.

But now that everything is balanced once more, I’m going to try and speculate on how the 2023 season will play out. Like previous years, I’ll go division by division. Then, I’ll offer my pick for who I think will win Super Bowl LVIII. Enjoy!

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February 13, 2023 · 9:59 am

Super Bowl LVII Is Over And…It Was A Game

The Super Bowl has once again come and gone. And once again, the Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions for the second time in four years. It was an eventful, high-scoring game that included two potent offenses and two Pro Bowl caliber quarterbacks. Both teams played one another hard. Both made their share of mistakes, too. But in the end, someone had to come out a winner.

And yet, the conclusion of this game just felt so unsatisfying.

For the first 58 minutes of the game, it played out like a classic in the making. The Philadelphia Eagles came out strong in the first half. They dominated the Chiefs in terms of plays run and time of possession. They even appeared to hit Patrick Mahomes just enough to aggravate the ankle injury that has bothered him throughout the playoffs. Going into halftime, he was limping severely.

But the extra-long halftime show with Rhianna gave him time to get treatment and he came out firing. The Chiefs caught up and made it a game, eventually taking the lead for the first time. But the Eagles tied it up and got a two-point conversion.

That last drive by the Chiefs looked like it was setting the stage for something special. Either the Eagles would make a big defensive stop or the Chiefs would only be up by a field goal with over a minute and a half left. In the Super Bowl, that’s a lot of time to work with. Just ask Eli Manning and David Tyree.

Then, the goddamn refs decided the game. After letting the two teams play for pretty much the entire game, the efts made this bullshit call on defensive holding on a play that would’ve led to a field goal.

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Because of this call, the game was pretty much decided. There was no game winning drive by the Eagles or defensive stop by the Chiefs. It was all decided because of some unceremonious penalty that you had to squint to see.

I’ve been watching football all my life. I’ve seen my share of lousy Super Bowls that ended up being blowouts. I’ve also seen Super Bowls that were a clear mismatch. But I can’t recall watching a Super Bowl in which it’s plainly obvious that a single call by the refs decided the game.

That is not how a champion should be crowned in any sport.

We’ll never know if the Eagles would’ve gone down the field to tie or win the game. We’ll also never know if the Chiefs would’ve stopped them. But thanks to the refs, we’ll never know.

It’s a bittersweet ending to what has otherwise been an amazing NFL season. Now, the wait begins for the next season. I just hope that whoever ends up in the Super Bowl next year, it’s decided by something other than a bullshit call by the refs.

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February 2, 2023 · 5:42 am

Tom Brady Has Retired From The NFL (Again)

Yesterday marked the end of an era for multiple generations of football fans (again).

Tom Brady, the greater quarterback to ever play this game in any era, announced that he was retiring from the NFL (again) after 23 season.

Granted, he made the same announcement around this time last year, only to come out of retirement in less than two months. However, this time is supposedly different. This time, Brady himself made the announcement via social media. There was nothing leaked, teased, or polished for a press release. He just said he was retiring in his own words.

Whether retirement will stick this time remains to be seen. Seeing this announcement, I genuinely believe he’s sincere. Brady had a rough season in 2022. Age, it seems, has finally caught up with him. And unlike last time, he already has a job waiting for him as an analyst that promises to pay him millions for years to come. That would imply that this time, it’s for real. He’s going to stay retired.

However, we’ve seen this sort of thing happen before. Brett Favre famously retired multiple times and came back multiple times. He believed he could still play at a high level and take his team to a Super Bowl. Will Brady pull the same stunt? I don’t know. I just know that once the 2023 season draws near, those competitive juices that every great athlete has are going to fester. Will Brady be able to resist the call? Will he be able to walk away after doing this for 23 seasons?

Only time will tell. We probably won’t know for sure until kickoff of the new season later this years.

In the meantime, I’ll just take a moment to thank Tom Brady for everything he’s done for the NFL and the sport. Unless you follow the NFL closely, it’s impossible to overstate just how dominant Brady has been in this most competitive of sports. Some have compared him to Michael Jordan. I honestly think Brady has exceeded Michael Jordan. He has more championship, greater longevity, and more records that will likely never be broken.

If you just run down every meaningful stat for a quarterback, Tom Brady is number one in pretty much every category. He has seven Super Bowl rings, nearly double that of his idol, Joe Montana. He’s thrown for more yards than Brett Favre. He’s thrown more completions than any quarterback to ever play at this level. And his records in the playoffs are almost too numerous for me to list.

Love him or hate him, Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time. He has set records that will likely never be broken. I was still in grade school when Brady was a rookie. He’s been a starting QB in the NFL for the entirety of my adult life. The NFL will be very different without him.

But his time has come. Even the greatest must eventually retire and Tom Brady has more than earned it. So once again, thank you Tom Brady. Thank you for everything you did for the NFL and the sport.

Now please, go enjoy your retirement.

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January 30, 2023 · 7:00 am

Eagles Vs. Chiefs: Super Bowl LVII Is Set!

It’s official!

Championship Sunday is over and the match-up for Super Bowl LVII is set. This year, it’ll be the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Having followed every week of the NFL since pre-season back in August, I can’t say I’m too surprised. I can also formally apologize for my pre-season predictions. I was off in terms of who I thought would make it to the Super Bowl, but not by much.

Many of the teams I picked did make the playoffs. Some were huge disappointments. See the Denver Broncos. But by record and by ranking, the Chiefs and the Eagles were the best teams in the NFL.

Patrick Mahomes was the best quarterback by most measures.

Jalen Hurts was the most dynamic in terms of running an offense.

The Eagles had a great defense that kept games close and allowed the offense to work.

The Chiefs didn’t need much defense because their offense was such a powerhouse.

Neither of these teams played one another at any point in the season. Both also had their ups and downs throughout the year. The Chiefs lost to the Bills in the regular season early on. And the Eagles suffered a major upset against Washington on a Monday Night game. But in football, it’s not how you start the season. It’s how you finish.

Both teams finished strong.

Both earned a right to compete for a championship.

Now, they’ll get their chance on February 12, 2023.

I think I speak for all NFL fans and football fans in general when I am so ready!

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February 14, 2022 · 8:51 am

Happy Valentine’s Day (And Super Bowl Recovery Day)!

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Today is Valentine’s Day. As a lover of romance, I appreciate the sentiment behind it. As someone who has been single for quite some time now, my enthusiasm is a bit muted. I hope that changes one year. It didn’t happen this year, but I certainly encourage all the lucky couples out there to celebrate.

On top of Valentine’s Day, today is also the day after the Super Bowl. For many sports fans, like myself, it’s very much an unofficial holiday. However, it’s a unique holiday in that it’s mostly about recovering from the previous day. We spend so much time and energy, getting excited for the Super Bowl and making this special event. It’s exhilarating, but exhausting, especially if you’ve had a few too many beers.

As I write this, I can confirm that I had quite a few beers last night. In my defense, it was a damn good game. The Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals, winning 23 to 20 after a final drive in the last two minutes. That’s how you want a championship game to end. That’s how it should end after such an arduous season.

For today, I intend to spend most of the time just digesting all the junk I ate last night and healing from all the alcohol intake. I will try to do something special in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, like re-watch my favorite movies or work on some sexy short stories. It’ll just be more challenging because I’m just still buzzing from that game.

If you’re a football fan, who happens to have a lover, try and rise to the challenge. We were all lucky to have such a great game to cap off the season. It’s going to be a long wait until the next football season. With today being Valentine’s Day, use that as a chance to refocus your energy. Your lover will thank you for it.

One day, I hope to celebrate a day like this with my future wife. For now, I’ll just enjoy the spirit of the day while also taking in the post-Super Bowl afterglow.

To that end, I offer one final message for today.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Also, congratulations to Super Bowl LVI champions Los Angeles Rams!

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February 13, 2022 · 8:48 am

Super Bowl LVI Is Here!

The Super Bowl LVI logo is freaking a lot of people out

It’s finally here, football fans!

The most holy of days for lovers of all things football, NFL, and sports spectacles!

It’s Super Bowl Sunday and later today, Super Bowl LVI will kickoff in Los Angeles between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. The wait is almost over and words cannot describe how great it feels.

Now, I hope I’ve made my love of football clear. I also hope someone acknowledges that my preseason predictions for this season were a lot more accurate than usual. I managed to predict the Rams making it to the Super Bowl this year. Given how off my predictions usually are, that only makes the Super Bowl this year that much more satisfying.

I hope everyone is doing something special to enjoy this day. Even if you’re not, I hope you can still appreciate what an amazing spectacle this is. By nearly every measure, the Super Bowl is one of the biggest events in all of sports. It’s something hundreds of millions of people tune in to watch. Regardless of how you feel about sports, it’s a big deal.

Every year, I build my entire weekend around it. This year is no exception. I’ve stocked up on chicken wings. I plan on making a couple dozen just an hour or so before kickoff. I’ve also stocked up on beer, chips, and premium dip. It will likely be the least healthy meal I’ll have all year, but I’ll make up for it at the gym tomorrow. Today, it’s all about football.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of either team, but this is one year where the stories behind these teams are such that you can root for both. The Rams haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1999 and their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, hadn’t even won a playoff game until this year.

The Bengals are an even more remarkable story. Not only have they never won a Super Bowl, they hadn’t won a playoff game since 1990. They were such a bad team for so long that people used to call them the Bungles. Now, they’re in the Super Bowl, preparing to play for their first championship, having taken down the top ranked Titans and Chiefs along the way.

Only one team can win it, but both teams deserve to be here. I look forward to seeing who earns that iconic Lombardi Trophy.

So, whatever your Super Bowl ritual might be, I hope it goes smoothly. I also hope it involves plenty of friends, food, and cheering. It’s a wonderful day for football and for sports. Let’s all just enjoy it for all its worth.

Let’s go Rams!

Let’s go Bengals!

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January 31, 2022 · 7:38 am

My NFL Preseason Picks Revisited (And Partially Vindicate)!

Back in early September, I made a video for my YouTube channel in which I predicted how the 2021 NFL season would play out. In case you haven’t seen it, here it is.

In this video, I made it a point to highlight how wrong my predictions usually are. It’s extremely rare that I ever make a prediction about football that pans out. It’s extremely rare for anyone to make those predictions, even overpaid experts. Whenever you do get something right, it’s usually just a matter of blind luck.

Well, I can now say I was a lot luckier than usual this year because some of my major predictions did pan out. I was able to predict that Cowboys, Bucs, Packers, Chiefs, Rams, and Titans would win their division. I’m pretty proud of that record, although I still feel foolish for thinking the Browns would take a step forward.

However, I’m far more proud of how I was able to predict at least one representative for Super Bowl LVI. It became official yesterday. The Rams are going to Super Bowl!

It was a hell of a game. Watching it was such a thrill, even if it did make me wish I had bet more on the Rams at the start of the season. That said, it still makes the Super Bowl that much more exciting.

Remember, in that same video, I predicted that the Rams would win it all. I thought it would be against the Titans, but it turned out to be the Bengals. Believe me, I never would’ve predicted that. The Bengals hadn’t been to a Super Bowl, let alone won a playoff game, since I was in grade school. I honestly never believed they could’ve made this far, let alone beat Chiefs and Titans along the way.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Bengals carried that streak into the Super Bowl. If they win, I’ll certainly be happy for them, even if it proves my prediction wrong. Even so, I’m honestly proud, and more than a little surprised, that my preseason predictions have panned out this well. It may very well be a fluke.

Even if it is, I’m going to enjoy the Super Bowl that much more this year.

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September 20, 2021 · 6:15 am

The First Two Weeks Of The NFL Season Has Had Crazy Endings To Primetime NFL Games (And I Love It)!

It’s been two weeks since the 2021 NFL season kicked off. Usually, I try not to talk about it too much after I’ve given my picks for the season. I know this site isn’t a sports talk site and, as much as I love football, I’m not nearly as qualified to talk about it as much as your typical sports radio guy. I just get too overly excited about certain games and I can’t stop myself from wildly speculating.

As such, I try to keep my football love quiet, at least until the Super Bowl. By then, I’ve calmed down just enough to talk about it in a balanced way.

However, I’ve decided to break that practice briefly because these first two weeks of the season have been insane and I mean that in the best possible way. It’s not just that it’s so refreshing to see full stadiums and cheering fans again. Many of the games have been very close and very exciting to watch. It has made watching NFL Redzone even more riveting than usual.

Then, there have been the primetime games on Sunday night, Thursday night, and Monday night. Usually, the NFL reserves these games for major contenders and top rivalries. In most seasons, they tend to be hit or miss. You can usually expect a handful of games to be memorable, but you can also expect plenty of duds.

That has not been the case this season. So far, almost every primetime game has been an absolute thrill. They’ve been so close that you’re reluctant to go to the bathroom for the final 20 minutes of the game, just to be sure you don’t miss anything. Even if you’re not a fan of the teams, you have to admit we’ve had some amazing rides thus far.

First, there was the season opener with the Cowboys and Buccaneers.

Then, there was the insane ending on Monday Night Football with the Ravens and the Raiders.

Then, on a Thursday night no less, we got a crazy finish with Washington and the New York Giants.

Then, just when you think the primetime bar couldn’t go any higher, we get a true gem of a finish between the Chiefs and Ravens on Sunday night football.

As a lifelong football fan, I honestly can’t remember he last time we had so many primetime games end with such excitement. I can safely say I’ve loved every minute of it. Yes, it has been stressful, but it has also been so worth it.

Now, I don’t doubt that we’ll eventually get some duds later on in the season. The law of averages and the chaotic nature of sports basically guarantees that. For these first few weeks, at least, I couldn’t be more pleased with how the season has started. After all the weirdness surrounding last season, this is just what the NFL needed.

To the football gods, I thank you for these amazing games. Hope we get plenty more over the course of this season.

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