Click images for desktop size: "Rainy Day" by George Peters The NFL starts today. I love football but the NFL has always seemed somewhat oblique to me. I get it but I don't love it.
I love seeing the finest athletes in the world hurling themselves around. The worst NFL team executes superbly. The lowest athlete on the practice squad has speed, size, power and technique that you seldom get to see in your, or at least my, playing career.
But it lacks passion. Its a game played for money. You can get passionate about money but that passion doesn't compare to a few dozen young men standing in front of a crowd of 100,000 with everyone they know in the world cheering for them. Traditions hang much heavier in College and even high school ball.
You can make a valid argument that about 10% of the players in college and 1% in high school are playing for money down the line. That doesn't really work out during practice and on game day.
The game at College and high school is like pure unrivaled, uncomplicated love. There's no taint, no perversion here; only sweetness and lingering memories of the pressure of the first time, the first face flushing rush of the clear experience.
In the NFL its a lot like how I imagine sex with a hooker. They do it better perhaps but there's no involvement there. No you. No "only for you".

Click images for desktop size: "Poison Ivy" by Evegeny Its a different experience, devoid of emotion, devoid of hope and the promises that love is supposed to bring gushing into your heart.
College and high school ball are the dream. The NFl is the harsh world, the reality where dreams are stripped away and there is only the speed and the crushing weight of a world that can't be ignored.
I feel that and I'm still excited.
Here are the picks I'm making in the little on-line contest for the opening week of season number what ever in the NFL.

My picks are in bold.

Washington at New York Giants - I didn't think much of the Giants last year and now with their two stellar D-Ends missing I think even less of them. Winning the Super Bowl makes you the champion. It doesn't make you the best team. The only interests in this game is too see if the Redskins play as ineptly under Jim Zorn as they looked in pre-season; Whether Steve Smith can keep developing as an over looked steady receiver and just how poor the Giant's D will be with out Strahan.

Cincinnati at Baltimore - This will be a fascinating game. I like Carson Palmer and Chad Ocho Cinco. I like that Palmer went out of his way to pump up his alma mater in an interview while knocking the program at Ohio State. Still, the Bengals are a team on the ropes. Lots of talent but no production. The Raven's D is old, maybe too old. Now the Raven's have no QB. Joe Flacco might be good one day but not yet. He still might make some interesting plays. This should be one of those games that will start to define each teams season.

Seattle at Buffalo - Seattle are heavy favorites here. I don't know why. Buffalo played well last year, a young team on the rise. They developed well and made a lot of good fine tuning adjustments in the off season. The Sea Hawks' Mike Holgrem is a great Hall of Fame coach but he's playing in such a poor division that the team is under no real pressure to win. They have a few walking woundeds who'll be in the game. It all adds up to a win for the Bills. Buffalo deserves some victories, the city I mean.


Click images for desktop size: "New Warrior-Anime" by Unknown New York Jets at Miami - If either team had a touch more talent this would be my game of the week. Miami is the most improved team in the NFL. They'd have to be after a miserable last season. The Jets with Brett Favre and some prudent improvements on the D-Line will be better. Then there is the joker, the Jets releasing Chad Pennington and then watching him land in the Dolphins' camp. Pennington is a decent QB and will have a whole lot to prove to his unsupportive ex-teammates as well as to his new team. It ought to be some fun and the air will be filled with flying footballs and enough gooney mistakes to keep it amusing if the excitement wanes.

Kansas City at New England - The Chiefs were a team in disarray last year. I can't see where they've done much or anything to improve on that . . . The Patriots had the greatest and most disappointing season in the history of the sport. Brady is limping. This is almost just a scrimmage to get him back into shape. The pre-season showed that Tom Brady is the Patriots.

Detroit at Atlanta - Michael Vick's evil legacy should not be forgotten. It sent the Falcons into a deep spin last year. Now they've got a nice stud at QB and a decent D. Their running game has eroded to nothing. The Lions keep looking like they're going to turn the corner. They're learning to win. They made some cautious but solid improvements over last years squad. They should win against a rookie QB in his first game.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans - I'm still nonplussed at how the Buc's won this weak division last year. They've not improved.
Click images for desktop size: "Green Skull" by Unnown The D got them by last year but not when it counted. New Orleans had some pretty nasty injuries but their stars established themselves. Then they spent the off season shoring up every major weakness. Reggie Bush should explode this year, probably not in this game but they won't need him to. This is my must win game. The contest has a Survivor series. You have to pick a different team each week that you're certain will win. One mistake and your out.

Jacksonville at Tennessee - This is the Jaguars year. They have it all and made some great improvements and added depth. The Titans' Steve Young has been exciting and won them a couple of games they'd lost but only a couple. He has not shown he's an NFL QB. A ground game can't beat the Jaguars defense.

Houston at Pittsburgh - Here's a game in which I have nil interest. It will probably be the only game on TV this weekend . . . Pittsburgh is not improving. The Texans appear to have made their biggest strides last year. Greg Landry still hasn't shown any chops as a head coach and neither has Mike Tomlin. Eh.

St Louis at Philadelphia - The big buzz for the Rams is that they re-signed Steve Jackson. He's a good player. That means they have him and Mark Bolger and a bunch of guys who used to be the best but aren't the best anymore . . . The Eagles seem to be resurgent. I'm not sure why.

Arizona at San Francisco - The Cardinal curse continues. They help that curse an awful lot. Going with
Click images for desktop size: "Nosferatu" - Max Schreck Kurt Warner is going to accomplish what? The WR's are super talented and miserable. The defense is solid without being spectacular. But they're playing the 49ers who are still woeful. A cruddy game of the week contender.

Carolina at San Diego - The Panthers' John Pepper is a mediocre coach at best. He's destroying a superb talent in Steve Smith. Smith doesn't help by being a total jerk to his teammates. The Chargers still have the electrifying Ladanian. Shawn Merriman may be playing for the season but I think its foolish to risk his career. A solid, legal crack back and he's out for who knows how long. But that's the kind of stuff that inspires teammates. The Chargers just have too much talent to not blow these mokes off the field.

Dallas at Cleveland - I like the Browns. They are going the way a team needs to go to move into the elite status. I hate the Cowboys. I hate that they are trying to do an "Al Davis" by picking up some nasty pieces of humanity just to win games. The Cowboys do have the horses though and this will be a little too much for the young Browns. I figure it will be a closer game than the spread but I have to pick the teams straight up.

Chicago at Indianapolis - What is wrong with the Bears? George Halas used to brag about his $300 backfield but this is the 21st Century: you can't win games with nothing at QB and average RB's. The defense looks strong but older. Even a crippled Peyton Manning will have some success especially since the Bears will probably give the Colts decent field position all night.

Minnesota at Green Bay - This is a rather dufus game for a Monday Night opener. The Vikings made some strong moves and will be a better team. The Packers have to show they can win without Brett Favre. I'm not sure they can.

Denver at Oakland - ESPN should be ticked. They got a Monday night double header that starts with a dufus game and then flows straight into the cruddy game of the week. Denver might be a .500 team this year but Oakland might not win 5.

As usual this is just for fun and because I like people to think I'm an idiot. (It keeps it more fair in the in-fighting). I'm still more excited about next Saturday. Of course Ohio State is still tuning up. At least they're playing a Div 1A opponent this week, even if its not a BCS school.