College Football vs NFL

In the US, football rules.  Ratings wise nothing comes close.  Football is not just a sport, it's a way of life.  Non-blood related fans come together as one big family to celebrate the fall season.  

More and more football games in local communities whether it be local high school games or colleges have become family events and activities for all to enjoy.  I am raising two daughters of which are 10 and 7 years of age.  Our favorite time together is to go our local High School, Mountain View HS in Virginia and watch our beloved Wildcats play underneath the Friday night lights. 

There's a purity in HS and college football and passion that goes far beyond pro sports.  We witnessed one of the greatest scenes in Mississippi when Ole Miss defeated Alabama.  Oxford, MS was on the main stage.  The tailgating scene was absolutely impressive underneath the oak trees known as "The Grove" 

This was not just a college football game.  It was pride, pride for their school, pride for the State of Mississippi. 

Years later you'll most likely not remember who made the game winning catch, or remember QB Bo Wallace led Ole Miss to victory, but people will remember the school Ole Miss.. They.. They meaning everyone there beat Alabama. 

So what does this mean for NFL?  The NFL is a jugernaut.  A corporation that is rules driven, image conscience, and players all driven to "protect the shield".

In my opinion, I would not want to spend my hard earned money to go an overpriced ball game to where drinks are $30 for the family, food is another $30 and tickets run in the hundreds. 

There's a price point of entertainment that does get excessive.  NFL I believe has reached that, at a premium level.  The in-home experience far exceeds the at the stadium experience. 

In the college ranks it's not only about the "game" it's the whole weekend.  Until the NFL gathers the purity of the game, the community togetherness like local HS and college football and the lack of corporate "protecting the shield" mentality, my guess would be families will flock to HS level and college level games and NFL will start to regress. 

Bears mirror image of last year

Technology today certainly makes the NFL game experience a lot more fun and interactive. If you are a Bears fan and on Twitter, a must do is watch your Twitter feed while watching the game..Bears fans comments are hilarious yet are passionate expressions of what you are thinking but won't say out loud because your kids are in the house.

Ever heard of a broken record?  That is what the Chicago Bears have been so far.  A mirror image of last year. Poor defense, turnovers and poor special teams. The definintion of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. 

Bears Phil Emery brings in very impressive talent to anchor our D-Line. Additions of Lamarr Houston, Willie Young, Jason Ratliff, and Jared Allen would help bring pressure on QB's. 

Overall def ranking is 22nd and total offense is 17th. Mediocre at best. 

What stats will not tell you is momentum killing plays.  It may seem like just a missed FG on the stat sheet, but Sure-Footed Robbie Gould missed a 35 yd FG, right before the half which Carolina quickly turned into a last min end of half TD. 

Seems like this year has been plagued by momentum and rhythm killer plays.  There is no good time for turnovers, but it's turning the ball over in the opponents territory and having it returned deep into Chicago's zone has put huge pressure on the already shaky Mel Tucker schemed defense. 

Injuries as well has bitten the Chicago Bears once again.  Matt Slauson, Roberto Garza, Jermod Bushrod, Jason Ratliff, Shea McClellin, Peanut Tillman, Chris Conte, and Ryan Mundy are some of the anchors of the team have suffered injuries. 

Zip up the seam.  Big plays on 3rd down have killed the Bears.  Green Bay and Carolina have exposed the sub par LB core of the Bears.  Pass catching TE's have shredded the middle of the defense. I can't count how many times the defense has given up more than 15 ydd via TE right down the seam.  Aging Lance Briggs and DJ Williams cannot cover one on one these quick basketball like power forwards. Once you move up a safety to help then you risk over the top receptions by quick WR like Cobb and Nelson.

What to do?  It all starts in the trench.  Mel Tucker needs to quit playing a bend and don't break defense and start to release Hell and Fury on these QB's.  Jennings and Fuller are All-Star CB's. Use them.. Trust them.  4-3 scheme not working.. 3-4 with A gap blitzes need to be the norm not the exception. The NFC North is not the black and blue division it once was. It's turned into a West Coast offensive division.. How do you tackle a finesse style offense?  You punch them in the mouth. Bring the heat and rattle the QB's cage. Time for the Bears to get back to the black and blue.  Run the ball, bring some heat and maintain and not kill momentum.

P90X2 1 month Review

Dec 12, a big package arrives on my doorstep, it is heavy filled with medicine balls, a stability ball, a "rumble roller" and push up stands. I open the DVD's and see the same face as before, Tony Horton. There are two nice books that tell you about the program and nutrition, all I've seen before in years past from doing P90X in 2008. I want to know how is this going to be different, why did I spend close to $300 on a program I already have? I was skeptical to say the least. I could not wait until I popped in the Day 1 DVD which is X2 Core. I see the same warning as before, I see the same list of items needed, I thought to myself "here we go, what a waist" boy was I wrong! From the warm ups and the pure core workout and core stabilization with the stability ball, when I was done with the first workout I knew this IS different. I felt like I was in a training room with professional athletes. I then could not wait and see what Day 2 was like.
Day 2 Plyocide, I know about Plyometrics from the first P90X, this again was very impressive. I noticed that this workout I was sweating more and felt I was getting a lot more out of the workouts than the first series. My body was being shredded but not to the point of hurting like I did the first go around.
Day 3 was a rest day which was welcomed fore sure, but was abnormal because P90X only had one rest day and that was on day 7...
Day 4 I was ready once again, after a well rested day 3 I put in the Full Body Workout with the Ab Ripper X2 workout. Again, I knew this is more advanced, new moves, better ways to modify and complete engagement of the core. After the Ab Ripper X2 workout I was a pile of water lying on the floor looking like Frosty the Snow man with my hat off and a corn pipe lying next to me. The video was well over with and I wanted to just lay there and regain all form of normalcy.
Day 5 Yoga X2...I have to say I was not a real big fan of the Yoga in P90X it was long, it was boring and I felt I did not have that much time to spend on something I could just replace with a stretching DVD. Yoga 2 is 67 minutes, but even though it encompasses familiar moves it does seem to again focus on core and balance. The 67 min does go by quick, plus your body does need to stretch especially after the first 4 DVD's
Day 6 Balance and Power, let me say I have no balance and all my power is from my butt and legs. This will challenge you and you will fall, you will struggle in the first couple weeks with this. On week 3 I started to have enough stability in my core to finish some of these moves.
Day 7 Rest ...
All in all, this is the "Foundation" phase for what is to come. I have to say P90X2 is indeed a great program and I am recommending this to anyone who reads this and friends. Well done so far!

NFL Team's Christmas Shopping List

Solution to Problems

Problem: Housing numbers still not showing a recovery


Problem: Employment numbers still not showing growth

Problem: Companies are still not meeting downgrading Street expectations

Problem: GDP is erratic

Problem: Credit still depleting



All problems that are now in the second year since Oct 2007’s financial crisis. We all know the problems, but very few viable solutions have been presented. You’ll hear President Obama today talk about the crisis, greedy bankers, political splits, a call for joint reform, healthcare is still a problem, deficit still out of control, people are still out of jobs, and the list will go on. All finger pointing with no active plans to SOLVE the problem. I am offering a solution instead of hearing about solutions that do not work.



CUT THE CAPITAL GAINS TAX!



Yes that is right, if you cut the capital gains tax, it would induce a massive capital injection into US companies, which would give them capital to hire the unemployed, innovate, which will increase earnings, which then will offset the tax cut, due to corporations will pay higher tax dollars on higher revenue. Spending will increase because people will have more discretionary income due to more job creation. GDP will increase, there will be more of a balance in trade and will allow the government to BUY back debt which will decrease the deficit. This will increase confidence in the market place, and will allow people who are waiting for catalyst to buy homes get off the sideline and allow builders to build and inventory to be reduced, all because of a cut in investment tax rates.



This should have been done from the get go. Instead of all this hybrid stiff you see today. This would have put more money in peoples pockets directly and indirectly and none of this finger pointing and demonizing banks would occur. This is a viable solution to our great Nation’s economy. Pass it on!

Ronald Reagan just rolled over

What just was announced today, sounds were heard of Ronald Reagan rolling over in the grave. Today President Obama announced a Financial Distress Fee to the largest banks that have over $50B in assets to cover a $110B shortfall from the TARP bailout. All the blame has been cast on these firms , and they are getting penalized again for the use of taxpayer money. These banks have already paid back the funds plus interest and had to buy back warrants. All this resulted in the Fed making over $45B in profits. Let's all remember the banks were forced to take these funds, and what happened with AIG, GMAC, GM, and Chrysler? Banks have already been hit with a FDIC fee increase of 15 basis points on insured deposits. Once again this administration has taken this country into socialism and the heavy hand of the government is playing with people's minds. They are going to ride this bailout train till it crashes, but come November the polls will tell who will be pushed around and who does the pushing. Virginia and NJ have already made their statements heard, MA may be next with the running of Scott Brown. It is ironic as well, these large financial institutions were largely responsible for putting Obama in office with their large contributions. I wonder if Jamie Dimon (CEO of JP Morgan) and Lloyd Blankfein (CEO of Goldman Sachs) want their money back?

Complacency in the market

The theme this year has been so far the lack of volatility in the market place. The VIX has traded down to 19 mo lows and is breaking inter-day lows consistently. Does this mean the coast is clear and we have nothing else to worry about? With a new global economy, I don’t think so! There are Dubai like crisis potentials all over the place. Who is currently holding back that they are on the brink of severe loss or overnight shut down, whether it be a company or country. This newly phrased term so commonly used in markets today such as cautiously optimistic are being utilized by major players suggests to me that the artificially inflated markets have room to move downward. What will happen once Big Government bailouts start retreating out? The crutch we have now are not permanent implants. This administration is also set on overseeing innovation and free markets, which limit profits. The steep yield curve right now will have to start coming back which means lesser profits for lenders, and higher rates in the future. If we think demand for lending is limited now, wait till rates start heading upward, then again profits are affected. My opinion is VIX is not pricing in these factors, and we have become way too complacent.