Tag Archives: football

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.

2 Comments

Filed under NFL, sports

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

Leave a comment

Filed under Jack's World, NFL, sports, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

//www.clippituser.tv/c/static/widget.js?cid=rqnlbw

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.

Leave a comment

Filed under NFL, sports, television

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

Leave a comment

Filed under NFL, sports

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 6, 2022 · 12:19 pm

NFL 2022 Season: Predictions And Picks

The following is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video covers my picks and predictions for the 2022 NFL season. Last year, something remarkable happened in that I actually picked the winner of Super Bowl LVI, the Los Angeles Rams.

Now, I consider that to be a lucky fluke.

But I still hope that gives extra weight to my picks this year. Like previous years, I’ll go division by division. Then, I’ll offer my pick for who I think will win Super Bowl LVII. Enjoy!

2 Comments

Filed under Jack's World, NFL, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

Leave a comment

Filed under NFL, sports

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Leave a comment

Filed under Jack Fisher's Insights, NFL, sports

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 11, 2021 · 8:52 am

On The Eve Of The Week One In The NFL Season: My Ode To NFL Redzone

nfl redzone online - Cheap Online Shopping -

Tomorrow is going to be an awesome day.

I know this because I love football and tomorrow is the first Sunday of the NFL season. I make a bit deal of it every year. I tend to speak in excessive hyperbole every time football season rolls around and I make no apologies for that. I don’t care if I sound like some crazed sports fan. I just love football that much.

For the next several months, I plan on building my entire Sunday afternoons around watching NFL football. That’s only going to make every weekend more awesome by default. The only thing that could make it better is if I found a beautiful woman who loves watching football on Sundays as much as I do.

However, on the eve of the first Sunday of the first week of the NFL season, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge something that has played a huge part in my love of football. That something is a wonderful little innovation the NFL created in 2009 called NFL RedZone.

To the uninitiated or uninformed, NFL RedZone is a cable TV channel that plays from 1:00 p.m. EST to 8:00 p.m. EST every Sunday during every week of the NFL regular season. It basically cycles through every game, covering every touchdown and focusing on games in which a team is close to scoring. It skips all commercials and makes it a point to capture every big moment from every game that Sunday.

I cannot overstate how much this channel has enhanced my football watching experience. Basically, I just tune into the channel at 1:00 p.m. as soon as I have my pizza and beer ready. Then, I don’t need to change the channel or touch anything on my TV for the next seven hours. That seven hours is basically the fan equivalent of football Heaven.

Yes, it does cost extra to get and it’s not cheap, either.

I still pay it gladly every year because it’s worth every penny.

Before NFL RedZone, I still loved watching football. It was just difficult to keep up with all the action. I could only ever watch two games on a Sunday afternoon, plus the Sunday night game. I still enjoyed it, but it was somewhat limited. If even just one of those games was a blowout or not a very intriguing match-up, I might just turn my TV off and do something else.

It was often hit-or-miss, but with more hits than misses. Then, once I discovered NFL RedZone, every Sunday became a hit. I got to see everything the NFL had to offer every Sunday. I could follow teams and players I couldn’t usually follow. It was like going from a tricycle to a Lamborghini. After that fateful first experience, I’ve built my NFL Sundays around it and I haven’t looked back.

I plan to do the same tomorrow. I plan to teach my future children how to experience it, as well. I hope to share the joys of NFL RedZone on Sunday afternoons with whoever enters my life. It’s a hell of a feeling and one I look forward to every year.

Now, the wait is almost over.

Tomorrow, the season begins and NFL RedZone will be my guide.

I can’t wait.

I am so ready for some football.

To all my fellow football fans out there, I hope you experience the same joy tomorrow afternoon that I hope to experience.

6 Comments

Filed under football, Jack Fisher's Insights, NFL, sports, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 3, 2021 · 5:38 am

Why I Love Sports, But Don’t Watch The Olympics

Abolish the Olympics

I love sports. I think I’ve made that abundantly clear on this site. During certain times of the year I build a good chunk of my weekend around a six pack of beer and whatever sports happen to be on. Since I was a kid watching ball games with my dad, it’s one of my favorite things to do.

However, as much as I love sports, I don’t watch the Olympics.

Even when the Olympics were held in America cities and during primetime TV, I didn’t care to watch. I usually stuck to baseball games and preseason football.

That’s not to say I don’t respect the Olympics or the athletes who dedicate years of their lives to training for them. Those athletes are remarkable individuals. I don’t doubt that for a second. Their stories are certainly worth telling. I’ll gladly cheer for those stories.

I just don’t care to watch. That’s just my personal preference.

As for why I feel this way, I promise it has nothing to do with the politics that often get caught up in the Olympics. I understand that has always been an issue. This year has been no exception, especially with the pandemic.

Politics in sports has never bothered me. I honestly think people make way too big a deal out of it, so much so that it basically becomes a virtue signaling contest for both sides. However, I won’t get into that.

The underlying reason why I just don’t care for the Olympics is that it’s just so hard to follow. That’s somewhat unavoidable. Unlike football, baseball, or basketball season, the Olympics only happen every four years. Each time, the athletes change and unless they do something incredible, you never know their names.

It’s hard to have a favorite athlete.

It’s also hard to have a favorite team.

Since the Olympics are divided by country, you’re pretty much set into who you’re rooting for, unless you want to make things awkward to your fellow countrymen. There’s no regional drama like there is in other sports. With the end of the Cold War, there aren’t many rivalries either.

It’s just the best athletes from one country competing for another. The only competitive force driving them has to do with their nationality. It’s rarely something they chose. It’s just a matter of circumstance. Honestly, where’s the drama in that?

The reason why other professional sports are so compelling is because there’s a story behind a franchise. There’s a legacy and a history behind a team or an identity. Whether it’s a football team, a soccer team, or a baseball team, there’s a underlying narrative behind the game.

With the Olympics, that story is restricted to each individual athlete. While those stories can be compelling, those athletes usually only compete once and never again. That means their story is over quickly and there’s nothing worth following after that.

For me, sports without a larger story is like cake without frosting. You can still eat it, but it’s going to be bland. Again, this isn’t me knocking the Olympics or what they stand for. This is just my reason for not watching or following it, despite my love of sports. Then, there are many scandals and controversy, but that’s another story altogether.

Leave a comment

Filed under Current Events, sports

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 30, 2021 · 5:45 am

Why The Chances Of The XFL Returning Aren’t Great (For Now)

About The XFL

I love sports.

I love football.

For a good four months out of the year, I build my entire Sundays around watching football. Those are often some of the happiest days of the year for me. I’m also not alone. Here in America, football is the most popular sport by a stunningly wide margin. Despite recent political whining, the public’s appetite for football is as strong as ever.

However, in the time between the Super Bowl and the NFL draft, there’s a gaping hole in the sports world that neither hocky nor basketball can adequately fill. For decades, some have tried to fill that hole with spring football, but with limited success. As a lifelong football fan, I really wanted at least one to succeed, if only to make the wait for the next NFL season more bearable.

That was why I was so heartbroken in 2020 when the second iteration of the XFL went under, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This league had everything going for it. I even cheered it on. It had all the makings of a successful league that could finally succeed long term.

Then, COVID-19 happened it all went to hell. I cannot overstate how disappointing that was to me and fellow football fans.

For once, this wasn’t a matter of a league not doing things the right way. It was just a matter of the worst possible timing. Seriously, who could’ve predicted that a once-in-a-century pandemic would come in and upend the world, as we knew it?

Even though the XFL was eventually brought back from the brink of oblivion by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, my hopes are still very fragile. Earlier this year, the XFL tried to make waves by reaching out to the Canadian Football League for a potential collaboration. That went nowhere and understandably so. Neither league is in a position to take bold risks like that.

As disappointing as that was, the XFL did make an official announcement of sorts, courtesy of the Rock. In a YouTube video from the XFL’s main channel, the league announced its return in 2023. It’s keeping the same logo and the same motto. It wasn’t flashy, but this is probably the most we’ll get for now.

While I like that something official came out, a part of me remains skeptical. Don’t get me wrong. I really want the XFL to get another shot. If ever a league deserved a mulligan for circumstances beyond its control, it’s this one. No other failed football league had to deal with a global pandemic. This it not like the AAF or the USFL. This was bad timing and worst circumstances.

That said, this video leaves me unconvinced and worried. I know that 2023 is a long way off. As of now, this league has no coaches and no players. It has nothing both the Rock’s backing. While I’m never one to doubt the Rock, I just don’t know if the third time will be the charm for this league. It has had too much bad luck to this point.

If I had to put odds as to whether we’ll see another XFL game at some point, I would put it at 15 percent. Those are not good odds. I sincerely hope I’m wrong about that, but after the heartbreak of last year, I just can’t bring myself to get excited.

Maybe something will change. I really hope it does. I had fun watching those XFL games. They felt like real football with real players who were following their dream. The XFL felt like the best possible chance for spring football to succeed, more so than the upcoming reboot of the USFL. I want it to get that chance. However, the odds of that chance becoming something more aren’t great at the moment.

1 Comment

Filed under football, sports, XFL

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,