SWITZERLAND FORUM

[cklaurence]

I'm happy for you, Em. Clearly, that is his forte, as he wasn't a great head coach (and I can't imagine that they are swarming him with offers of head coaching jobs, except ***shudder**** Messrs. Ross and Ireland of the Dolphins). So I especially hope he is good for his word! It's been really quiet here since Fisher stuck it to Ross and Ireland, making Ross look like an idiot again (maybe even worse than last year's debacle when he jaunted over to Cally with an entourage while poor Sparano was still under contract to try and hire Harbaugh). I shudder to think of what he's going to come up with now. Ireland has proven he's a moron and Ross swears by him. Does not bode well for future of my Fins. It's such a helpless feeling being a fan of a team that can't get it right for what is it, fourteen, fifteen years now?

[Emeritus]

The Buccaneers invited Wade Phillips to interview. Actually he's had a winning record everywhere that he's been a head coach, but his teams have done nothing in the playoffs - about like Norm Turner's. I agree that his expertise is as defensive coordinator and all of the Houston fans are hoping that he stays there.

[cklaurence]

Well for your sake, I hope Phillips chooses to stay with your Texans, Em. Things are so temporary in the NFL these days. You just have to hope (or pray, I suppose if you're a believer and care to waste God's time with football stuff) you can keep your personnel together when you have a group that clicks as long as you can!
I'm watching your game right now. Your RB Foster is really someone to watch. Oh, and big credit to your blocking crew. They are something else again.The teamwork I'm seeing is simply beautiful. There was a bad snap, a hurried/pretty crappy throw, Foster picked it up and turned it into a nice amount of yardage. Not only can he run, hold onto the ball (poo poo poo--so as not to jinx him or the team, Jewish-voodoo) but BAM! He's in the end zone for the score and it's Houston 13/Baltimore 17. Now that's what I'm talkin' about--FOOTBALL!

[Emeritus]

Our defense played a terrific game, but was unable to overcome those three interceptions by our third-string, rookie quarterback. It was a good game, though. I just hope that next season the Texans can avoid such catastrophic injuries.

[Baglady]

What great playoff games so (imo). Think the Saints @ SF might have been the best game of the season. Also shows how important home field advantage can be since NO was unbeaten at home and just didn't play as well away from their dome. I've thought for a while we'd see the Ravens and NYG in the SB, the 2 most balanced teams heading into the playoffs - just my take. But wow, NE (esp on D) and SF (on O - A Smith played better than I anticipated) were impressive. Should be great AFC and NFC championship games. Just hope Bill Leavy and his crew are nowhere near any of the games and I sure don't want to see that crew in Indy Feb 5.

CK, good luck w/ your Dolphins, not sure what more to say except they ended up w/ a better record than ahem, several other teams - lol!

EM, congrats on a great TX's season, be proud. And AFC South champs for what could be quite a while based upon your D (love your rookie JJ Watt), terrific running game, a stud WR and a healthy Schaub. I know all about "catastrophic injuries" - ugh....

Hope you both and anyone else around enjoy the rest of the season and

GO GIANTS !!!

[cklaurence]

Happy New Year and great to see you here again Ms Bags!

Agreed 100% on this past weekend. Great fun, great football, but these officials are beyond awful! Something must be done about it--SOON. I can see where it moves so fast on the field something can get by you, and that's why we instituted the replay system. Yet it is so damn clear in the replay
that the whole stadium and everyone in televisionland can see it and they STILL stand with the wrong call--now THAT is corruption, pure and simple. Now way to get around it...

I would LOVE to see a San Francisco/Ravens SB. It would be so refreshing! New blood and what a come back for San Fran. Turn-around time, for sure. You've got to love it.

You know your Colts will be back next year--either with Peyton or another fine young stud of a QB. You guys will be just fine. Oh, and your boy Eli has earned his way out of having to listen to the crap about him not being amongst the "elite" (finally). It seems every year he's going up against that stuff, but this year should be the one that stops it once and for all. Even if they don't make it all the way, he has put in some fabulous performances this season, and can hold his head up proudly.

As for the Texans--I've been saying it all year. They too have made their way into the big time. Em and Reecey have themselves quite an organization there now, and it looks like it will continue getting better and better.

Again, good to see you, Ms B--hope you'll make it more of a habit to visit here in 2012--love ya' Lady!

[Emeritus]

ck, I didn't e-mail you. My Inbox was full of "delivery failed" notifications, so apparently something was generating a lot of mail in my nave. If I want to send you a message, I'll do it by Smail.

[cklaurence]

As I thought, Em. I got a message from Skip last week via email with a link as well. He emails me, but never just sends me a link without a message, so I checked with him before I opened it as well, and sure enough, he hadn't sent me an email either. Someone must have hacked you too. Better change your password or something, I'm pretty sure that's what Skip did. I'm telling you, some people have nothing better to do with their time...

[Emeritus]

I ran a scan and found that I'd picked up a Trojan called FakeAV. Hopefully no more e-mails will be sent in my name.

[cklaurence]

[bWell, if we can be or were of any help, I thank you. b]

[Emeritus]

I caught a bad cold and don't feel up to anything but whining. Sparing you that, I'll be back when I feel better.

[cklaurence]

Sorry to hear that, Em. I noticed that you weren't reacting much to anyone here, so at first I thought you were upset with me about that crazy email thingy. I should have known better. Please feel better quickly. It gets mighty lonely around here without you!

[Emeritus]

Hey, I was finally able to sleep in my bed without strangling. Trying to sleep sitting up in a recliner was wearing me out, but I feel much better now. I'll be able to watch the games tomorrow! ck, I think that if the Texans can just hang onto what they have in coaches and players that we have a great chance to be back in the playoffs again next season. What do you want for the Dolphins?

[Baglady]

CK, I like the J Philbin HC hire for your Dolphins , he might even bring QB M Flynn w/ him

Irsay says the Colts will have the next HC decision by the end of next week

There's been so many 'rumors' (esp among Jets fans) about Peyton being traded, thought I'd share the link below.... If I understand it correctly, Peyton CAN'T be traded, only options are pay him the $28 mil Mar 8, release him or he retires. I'm just not sure about 'when' he might be able to restructure his contract if needed. Irsay has said if Peyton is healthy, he'll play in Indy next season. Neck fusion was successful but nerve regeneration could take 2 months OR 2 years....

http://www.nyjetscap.com/2011_Post/manningtrade.php

[Emeritus]

I'm deeply conflicted on the Peyton Manning issue. On the one hand, I want him to do what is necessary for his health and well-being. On the other hand, playing the Colts without Peyton in the game just isn't the same. He does things that no other quarterback does. In this day of disguised defenses and changing coverages, there is just nobody who can outsmart everybody like Peyton.

[cklaurence]

WOW! It's like a traffic jam over here today. I love it, . Glad you're feeling better Em. I missed having you to talk to, especially knowing you were really under the weather.

Interesting link on Peyton, Ms B. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. At the very beginning of this season, the Colts were about the very LAST team we'd have thought would be in contention for Andrew Luck. Amazing how things change, hmmm?

As for Philbin--this goes to your question about what I see for the Dolphins, Em, as well as Ms B's comment--with the group of coaches on Ross's short list, Philbin was the only one I had any interest in at all, and I believe I mentioned it a couple of times early on. Certainly better than Fisher--good riddance to Coacho Ocho as he was known when he coached the Titans. Six playoff seasons in seventeen years. They can have him. Our only remaining problem is that Jeff Ireland still has the final say on everything, including assistant coaches, draftees and trades, which tells me that unless Philbin is strong enough to push his own agenda through, we're back at square one, and won't be going anywhere any time soon. I am going to try to be an optimist, though, again. I'm keeping my tickets yet another year, even though I've eaten more of them in the past two or three years than I've used and had to face half-empty stadium more often than not, when we're not over-run by the fans of opposing teams (not to mention when our owner isn't honoring QBs of opposing teams and flat-out selling out the stadium to opposing fans. Hopefully, someone is helping to set him straight because this year I noticed there was a lot less of having to see his little star buddies giving us the thumbs up on the big screen, and the music was definitely more football then margaritaville. Baby steps, but better than none at all.

My website will be changing, probably by the end of this month. Please keep your eyes out for the new one in honor of THE MYSTERY OF
JESSICA BENSON. I'm so excited about it, and I'm hoping I can generate some new bloggers or maybe even get some of our old friends to come back and visit every now and again. Hope springs eternal . Looking forward to the games tomorrow--can't believe the season is over. As always, it speeds by so quickly and the time between seasons just absolutely drags on forever...

[Emeritus]

I usually go out to dine and dance on Saturday nights, but I think that tonight I will make some cocoa and watch movies at home. There are some things that you don't want to share with friends and colds are high on that list.

[cklaurence]

When you've had a cold bad enough to lay you up like this last one of yours, Em, your best bet is to lay low for as long as you can and let yourself heal completely. Relapses are horrendous and usually twice as bad as the original.

I'm watching Betty White's 90th Birthday. She is fabulous, but I'm seeing some of the most frightening faces (Mary Tyler Moore...) in the audience... Doesn't anyone own a mirror, or have anyone to tell them that they shouldn't allow themselves to be pulled any further? My Goodness--they are so distorted, it's just awful. I guess MTM has given orders not to have a camera get anywhere near her, because all the shots of her are long distance, and even then she's scary! What a group of stars have gathered to honor her, though. I adore her. Always have. I've followed her from way back when she was married to Alan Ludden. Oh my, how the years do fly by!

Take care, Em.

[Emeritus]

I don't even feel up to watching the games. I'm going back to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, I hope.

[cklaurence]

[color=#008080]Sorry Em. Try to take it real easy. These games get me so riled up, even when my own team was out of the race in the first half of the season--couldn't be good for someone trying to heal from one of those nasty winter bugs! Stay warm and lots of fluids...[/color]

[Emeritus]

LOL. ck, I have notice that you make a much greater emotional commitment to teams than I do. I want the Texans to win and I am pleased when they do, but it doesn't make my day. On the other hand, I'm not depressed when they lose. I refuse to make that sort of commitment to something over which I have absolutely no control. To me, it is like those people who allow the weather to influence their mood. What can they do about it? Personally, I get up every morning and decide that I'm going to have a good day. For me, it's all about attitude, not circumstances that I can't control.

[cklaurence]

There is no doubt that you have much more strength over your mind than I do, Em. The only thing I have ever mastered 'mind over matter' is with seasickness, lol. On a boat or a ship, I'm like iron woman--with everyone around me nauseous and vomiting, I am absolutely calm (so long as there are lemons to suck--a trick my daddy taught me). Sad movies? Football? Holidays? Weather? I don't understand the phenomenon and I have never been able to control it, save for prescription medication--and over the past few years even that doesn't always stop the awful depressions. I think the depressions that come with the aging process--knowing that you can't stop the clock and the end is getting closer, no turning back now (at least for me) is terribly difficult. I have to learn to deal with it or it's going to get rougher and rougher, which is just plain stupid. So I try to keep busy with the writing and everything else I enjoy and hope the depression can't find a space to slide its way in...

[Emeritus]

I suppose that I inherited optimism from my dad. He got up every morning expecting something good to happen to him. Because he was expecting it, he always recognized it for what it was. I believe that too many people fail to properly appreciate all of the good things in their lives. I think that we should savor them and feel grateful for them. As for the bad circumstances, I just let go of them. Why carry around hurts all of your life?

[cklaurence]

I like that, Em. I'm going to try it for awhile--see if I can make it work. I have a lot of pessimism around me, which I have to work through, but I'm really going to try to filter it out...

[Emeritus]

With the Texans out of the playoffs, I'm ready for the 2012 season to begin. I checked the 2012 NFL schedule and found that the AFC South will play the NFC North and the AFC East. Perhaps the seventh game will be lucky for the Dolphins.

[cklaurence]

I feel the same way, Em. Ho Hum for another Patriot SB, save for happiness for Ms Bags. I sure am glad I made my peace with so many of the Patriot fans over the years--Maine, Scott Palmeri, Absolute Truth; even though they rarely post here anymore, they do post occasionally on my facebook page and I am able to kid with them without losing my mind as I used to in the early days at Faux. There are still the most annoying Patriot fans out there, but I keep my distance, as it's so much easier to banter with friends.

I am cautiously optimistic (how can I not be?) about next year. New coach, hopefully new opportunities. It's about time. I just want Ireland to lay low and let Philbin do his thing without interference from the guy who has been calling all the (wrong) shots for so long. It would be a refreshing change...

[Emeritus]

Each season every team plays the other members of their division twice, plus all members of a NFC division and an AFC division. That leaves two games to fill according to the team record. As a reward for winning our division, the Texans will play the Broncos and the Ravens for our out of division games.

[cklaurence]

Lucky you, Em! You get the Tebow challenge! Hopefully, if he's coming to your stadium, your owner won't decide to honor him at half time like ours did. That made for a really crappy day and in the end of the game, our team practically escorted him over the goal line giving them the win. It made me so sick because they called it being "Tebowed," when in fact, it was just luck that our defense had not found itself yet nad was just plain inadequate. We'll see what Tebow shows up that week, hmmm? He's so iffy anyway.

I should go check out the Dolphin schedule for next year. See how tough it's going to be for our new coach...

[Emeritus]

LOL. Actually, the Texans will play the Broncos in Denver, but we don't turn our home field over to anybody. What Tebow can expect is relentless pressure. JJ Watt and Cushing are attack dogs!

[cklaurence]

Makes me happy! Tebow the Tebow. Way to go, Houston...