SWITZERLAND FORUM

[cklaurence]

You are indeed a pragmatist, Em. When it comes to (most) stuff, you say it like it is and that is that. If it's about a god, so be it. Then there are people like me, label it 'god' and I shy away. That's who the "higher power" label is for--but it doesn't always work. I can't buy into a "higher power" any more than I can buy into a 'god.' Must be a defective gene or something, lol. Along with that goes depression, suppression, long periods of sadness over nothing apparent and crying jags. How sad is that!?! It really would be so much easier to believe in God, and as a fairly intelligent adult I understand and appreciate that... I just can't make it work

[Emeritus]

Belief isn't something that you have to figure out or prove. You just decide. When I get up in the morning I decide that I will have a good day and I do. It is about attitude, not circumstances. It is the same with belief. You decide to believe and you live your day as if you did. After a little time you will see that it is working for you and your belief will grow. Living without consolation is not brave, it is needless self-punishment.

[Baglady]

Good Morning Swiss

God / higher being??? Well, whoever is in charge, I wish would shower the Colts w/ a little 'good' karma.... And no, I sure don't expect a W tonight - just hope the Colts can keep it close for a while....

CK, I had a fabulous time in NY w/ family and friends

Enjoy the games today and good luck to your teams!

[Emeritus]

LOL, I don't expect God to take sides in a football game - I think that he loves us all equally - but I sure hope that our teams have good games. They are all really overdue!

[cklaurence]

It looks like the sun is surely shining down on Houston today! I call it the battle of Houston--the old Houston, which still has to cull some bitterness when the two teams go head to head. The Dolphins are struggling miserably against Denver, where as you have heard me grouse both here and on facebook, they are underdogs against Denver in their own stadium--and that is the honest truth. As Danny Marino described the game, it is "Boring." Not one third down conversion between the teams today, and it's anyone's game. I suppose that the last team that has the ball on the last play of the game could win it (not because the scoring is so high, but it is so low--there's always a chance that whoever has it could score, lol. Our stadium looks like a Denver home game--orange and blue. Maybe all the Dolphin fans were as disgusted as I, and gave their tickets away! I at least gave mine to Dolphin fans.

[cklaurence]

BTW, Baglady--WELCOME HOME!!! So glad your NY trip was great. I'm pulling for your Colts tonight. I'm pulling for your guys to win one soon. I definitely don't want to see either of our teams go 0 and 16--that's just not right!!!!!

[Emeritus]

The Dolphins disappointed me again. ck, the Texans are looking for fans if you would like to pull for somebody else for a while. Lady, I fear for the Colts defense against the Saints offense.

[cklaurence]

The Dolphins didn't have a chance, Em. When your owner turns your own stadium into an 'away' field, where do you find your heart? When your coach goes for 2 points out of nowhere, against all the formulas, that eventually is the game loser, where do you find your soul? From day one this moron Sparano has been horrendous at play calling, and yet for four years he has been kept on to stink up our team. What was Parcells thinking and why is he still here?
Sorry TT, but Cowher will never consider Miami. He's said it again and again--it has nothing to do with money. It has to do with the best chance of winning. Ross' stunt yesterday with turning our stadium into Tebow field killed any chance we might have had of getting Cowher or any other coach worth a shit. We are dead meat until Ross moves on. They are already talking about Luck refusing to come here if we did draft him. Miami is now poison.

[Emeritus]

Naturally I was delighted that the Texans won, but was disappointed that the Titans quit. It was a sorry spectacle. Their running back, Chris Johnson, held out for big money and got a contract for $53.5 million. He ran ten times for 18 yards and didn't fight for one of them.

[cklaurence]

Wait a minute, Em--you have me a little confused here. Are you saying that when a team is losing it isn't supposed to quit??? I don't think I'm understanding you here. You see, I'm a Dolphin fan. The way I understand it, you're supposed to 1) Do everything you can to make the other team comfortable (like f'rinstance, honor the opposing team's QB at half time so you can attract say twenty, thirty thousand of opposing team's fans; 2) Go for two points (which is an almost impossible--scratch that, which is definitely impossible for your team to accomplish after your first touchdown in ten games, and of course, come up with NO points (so should the opposing team have a surge in the last two minutes of the game, they will be guaranteed the win); 3) Gently escort the opposing QB (who has been nothing short of gawd-awful throughout the ENTIRE game) across the goal line for the win, as though the other team is paying your check.
You're not going to tell me it's not supposed to be done that way are you?

[Emeritus]

As I said on my Fox Spots profile years ago, I'm a football fan, not just a homer. I love to see great plays, not matter what uniform the players are wearing. What I do not love are blowouts and quitting. Both degrade the game, in my opinion. My Texans have never made they playoffs, but they have never quit, either. That's why I have never given up on them. If they ever start mailing it in, I'll find another team too root for.

[cklaurence]

I can't blame my team here, Em (save for Brandon Marshall who just has that "I don't give a crap attitude" in his playing and lets the ball slide through his hands 9 out of 10 times. How do the players feel when they walk into their on stadium to a sea of the other team' colors? What must they think when their coach calls for a ridiculous two-point conversion against all reason? It boggles my mind. The coaching is so horrendously bad (with the owner's 100% backing)--it's heartbreaking.

[Emeritus]

I don't know what is the solution for the Dolphins. They are playing hard, but they just aren't very good. Heart is important, but so is talent. Even if they hired a really great personnel man, it would take years to rebuild.

[cklaurence]

I think there's talent there, it's just that in key areas, there are serious problems, such as lack of discipline (Brandon Marshall, Reggie Bush), attitude (Brandon Marshall--and I'm not buying into his "bi-polar" explanation, I just don't think he gives a crap), and just plain lousy, inadequate coaching, in conjunction with ridiculous play calling (going for the two points). Look at what Harbaugh did out west in no time flat. It just takes some good coaching, an infusion of confidence into the players and a gag order on the owner (and perhaps a banishment of him to hell, lol).

[Emeritus]

I don't want to misinterpret your meaning, ck. Are you suggesting that you are less than pleased with the owner of the Dolphins?

[Baglady]

The Dolphins disappointed me again. ck, the Texans are looking for fans if you would like to pull for somebody else for a while. Lady, I fear for the Colts defense against the Saints offense.

Quite prophetic Em If there was ever a more pitiful game played by the Colts, I can't remember it. Brees had more TD's than incompletions Saints didn't have a single 3rd down on their first 4 TD drives Just amazing and Brees was pulled in the 3rd quarter so I honestly don't think they 'ran up' the score - more like the Colts just didn't do anything to stop them Didn't think the Colts were the worst team in the NFL - but Sun night they sure made a case for that dubious distinction...

CK, I sent you a link suggesting Ross is attempting to contact the much desired Cowher about the HC job in Miami - just thought I'd pass it along...

[cklaurence]

Oh, no Em! I'm delighted with Ross. I'd just be more delighted if he owned some other team, far, far away from Miami--like maybe in Russia!!!!
Ms Bags--I think Ross has some helluva nerve going after Cowher. I know it will delight our friend Try; however, (especially after the fiasco this past Sunday where he turned the stadium into a home game for Denver by honoring Tim Tebow at half-time) Cowher has stated over and over that money is not the issue. Control, of course, is #1, but there is no doubt that he would insist that the owner at least show loyalty to his team...

[Emeritus]

Lady, I didn't have to be much of a prophet, because the Texans had already played the Saints twice. In the preseason we had them at our place 27-14, but lost to them in New Orleans 40-33. They play much better at home. If you can't score a lot of points you don't have much chance against them there.

[Emeritus]

ck, Cowher will only go to a team that he believes has the talent it takes to be a Super Bowl contender. We've had Texans fans the last few years that wanted to fire Gary Kubiak and go after Cowher, but I told them that none of the top coaches without jobs would come to a team that couldn't win. Fortunately our owner fixed only what was broken - our defense - and now nobody wants to run Kubiak off anymore. Kubiak didn't get any smarter, but the talent level on the team has risen considerably.

[cklaurence]

Well, Em--everything I've been saying for years has been validated this year. I used to think our owner was just boneheaded, but this last stunt, turning our home field into the enemy, was just plain diabolical. No one needs to sell tickets that badly! I just can't begin to imagine Cowher wanting to come here to a place where the owner would pull a stunt like that...

[cklaurence]

I've been thinking about the irony (although I'm not sure "irony" is quite the right word) of Ms Bags' post over in facebook to try to cheer Try and me up whereby Ross has gone through 'other sources' to reach Cowher rather than with a team, including Jeff Ireland Ireland in his private jet with the knowledge of a cadre of paparazzi. The thing is, he's let the word out so everyone knows anyway. He hasn't quite gotten the picture that the idea is not to go through other sources, but to do it in a way that it is kept PRIVATE so it isn't the news of the day.
I'm reasonably sure that Ross has pretty much put himself on everyone in the NFL's shit list after last Sunday's stunt, save for Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos, though. Yes, and while they might appreciate his benevolent donation of the extra home game, I doubt they hold out any respect at all for him as a team owner or as a person.
We get a survey after every game via email, and I'm sure I don't have to tell you that my responses are never very complimentary; however, this week, I slammed Mr. Ross with both fists and advised that I am fairly certain this is the last year I will be investing in season tickets. It's hard to justify spending nearly four thousand dollars a year--even though I love the game and my team with all my heart--when an owner is so seriously disrespectful as to have pulled a stunt like this one. Oh--and that four thousand is for tickets and parking passes alone. It does not take into account the money for food and 'refreshment' inside the stadium, which is often well over one hundred dollars in addition. That's a lot of money for something that has just become pure aggravation!
In the past it's only been good times. Even the losses were shared with my good friends. My seat mates? Besides the friends and relatives that attend games with me (and that includes the dear Swiss family I have grown to love and look forward to visits from every year--who I would still buy game tickets every year to visit with and go to games with, but I don't need 16 games to that end--I could always get a 5 game package or something like that)--the two rows in front of me and row in back of me for the most part have been together since the stadium opened in 1989. We're all pretty close, as those of you who have been to games with me know.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[Emeritus]

texans fan.gif (232.3 KiB) Viewed 21038 times

I'm just hoping that my team doesn't have its usual late season collapse. I just read that they are the only team in the NFL that is in the top ten in every statistical category.

[cklaurence]

They look pretty solid this year, Em. You and Reecey are sitting pretty, IMHO. They've been working up to this for several years--it's not just a quickie, band-aid patch like a lot of this teams. You should feel really good about yourselves!

[Emeritus]

LOL, I'd be willing to give up a lot of statistics for more wins. Look at the Patriots, for example. Their defense is the worst in the NFL, but they are rolling!

[Baglady]

"Dolphins owner denies report of Cowher overtures
October 29 - SportsDirect Inc.The owner of the Miami Dolphins is denying a report he has extended an invitation to former NFL head coach Bill Cowher to join the club.
Ross said he doesn't plan to seek any other coaching option as long as Tony Sparano is in charge, adding that "I hope he wins and stays the coach."
Sparano is on the hot seat with the Dolphins sitting at 0-7 heading into this weekend's tilt with the host New York Giants.
Cowher, who led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a Super Bowl championship in his 15-year tenure with the club, is said to be interested in a return to coaching."

CK, I only sent you the link about Ross's reaching out to Cowher as a little bit of a sign he has some interest in the "football" part of owning the Dolphins. Just read the above this am so who knows???? But since I also read Sparano put his FL home on the market this week, sounds like a bit of uncertainty in Miami in terms of the HC position.... BTW, believe the "0-7" above is just a little premature I can only say that since that IS the Colts record

I'll be surprised if there aren't coaching changes in Indy as well but unsure if they'll happen before the end of this season

[Emeritus]

If I were the Colts I'd make Peyton Manning the coach. They don't seem to know how to do anything without him.

[cklaurence]

Evenin' Ms Bags and Em. It's pretty clear from all kinds of tweets and toots from different sources that the moron HAS 'reached out' once again to another coach while Sparano is still coach of record. He doesn't seem to be able to do anything on the down/low, without making just enough noise to embarrass Sparano again and again. As much as I don't love Sparano, it's not his fault that he's been kept on for 3 losing years (nearly 4 now--and I'm not counting the one winning year where Parcells was calling the shots). The man is clearly not strong enough to walk away from the huge paychecks, and doesn't have a modicum of pride and continues to stay and take the humiliation and degradation, so I don't know why I should feel so sorry for him, but I do. Putting his house up for sale, and yelling at the referees last game that his job was on the line are small signs that he is starting to 'get it'--"it" being that his job is no longer secure...
If I were Cowher or any other coach worth a damn in the NFL, I wouldn't touch the Dolphins with a ten foot pole. No sir. Not after what he's done to this team. Between the sissy-fying of the stadium; the entertainment-izing, orange carpeting, Jimmy Buffeting and Margarita-villing of our games, and last, but not least--turning our own home field into an away game last week by honoring the visiting QB--driving away Dolphin Fans and adding an extra 30,000 Denver fans, welllll, need I say more????? We are a poisoned island.

[Emeritus]

Yes, and then there's his bad side!

[cklaurence]

Hi my Swiss friends.

I won't bother writing another obituary for my Fins. We all know what happened and why. Please don't try to console me--there is no consolation. I pretty much said everything on my facebook page, as that's pretty much where everyone sees what I write anyway. It's rather foolish of me to continue thinking I'm going to wake up one day and see all my old friends here. Doesn't matter. I've already said, I'm staying, Em and Ms Bags are most always around, along with Try Thinking and dredwak, and I don't think I could ask for a better group to stick with me.

Meanwhile, big congrats are in order for Ms B--your team started a little slow, but picked up when it counted. Fourth quarters are difficult for the Dolphins, so if you just stay close to them in the first three, you're in great shape come the fourth, as The Giants proved today. I'm watching Eli right now smiling big time and talking about their win. Then Sparano comes on, looking every bit the fool he is saying, "I don't care what you say, you look at those guys in that lockerroom and all you can say about them is they are winners, yes WINNERS, I tell you--EVERY ONE OF THEM IS WINNERS!!" I just told my husband (who has been out on the balcony smoking a cigar, yucky) that I hope he was pointing to the Giants' locker room!!! Oh my.

[Emeritus]

I didn't catch the Dolphins game. The Texans game was too close and I had to pull them through. From the reports of the game that I saw, the Dolphins put up one hell of a fight. They lost to a more talented team, but they didn't quit. That's all that I have ever asked of my teams, because that's the way that I played. When my team lost, I had nothing left in the tank, I had exhausted every last bit of energy and I was at the point of collapse. Looking back, I'm more proud of my play in the games that we lost than what I did in the games that we won. I know that we all get tired of moral victories and want wins, but which tells us the most about ourselves?