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SUPER BOWL LX: HOW SEATTLE TOOK THE NIGHT, MOMENT, AND THE LOMBARDI

  A complete wrap-up of the game that defined the 2025 NFL season Super Bowl LX will not be remembered for last-second heroics, miracle catches, or officiating controversy. It will be remembered for something rarer in the modern NFL: control. On February 8, 2026, under the bright lights of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the Seattle Seahawks delivered a methodical, physical, and unapologetically old-school 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots, claiming the second Super Bowl championship in franchise history.  This was not a fluke.  It was not a shootout that broke one way or another.  It was a game that unfolded exactly as Seattle intended—snap by snap, quarter by quarter, possession by possession. Super Bowl LX was a reminder that championships are still won the same way they always have been: franchise history., and the ability to impose your will when the moment gets heavy. The Weight of the Matchup The league sold this game as a rematch.  And it was—at least emotionally. Seattle and New England last met on the Super Bowl stage a decade earlier, a game forever frozen in NFL history by one decision at the goal line. That memory lingered, especially for the Seahawks fan base.  But this Super Bowl was not about revenge in the cinematic sense.  It was about closure through dominance. Both teams arrived in Santa Clara with 14–3 regular-season records. Both were conference champions.  Both had survived playoff runs defined by toughness rather than fireworks.  Yet beneath the symmetry, the teams were at very different points in their football lives. Seattle was built to win now. New England was built to arrive early. The Patriots, behind rookie quarterback Drake Maye, had already exceeded expectations by reaching Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks, meanwhile, had been quietly assembling one of the most balanced rosters in the league—elite on defense, efficient on offense, and lethal on special teams. The question entering the game wasn’t whether New England belonged. It was whether they were ready. By the end of the first quarter, that question had an answer. First Quarter: Setting the Tone The opening fifteen minutes of Super Bowl LX told the story that would define the night. Seattle won the toss and deferred, a subtle but confident decision.  When New England took the field, the Seahawks defense immediately announced itself—not with a sack or turnover, but with pressure. Drake Maye was forced off his first read repeatedly.  Receivers were contested at the line.  The Patriots punted without ever crossing midfield. Seattle’s first offensive possession was deliberate.  No hurry.  No trickery. Kenneth Walker III carried the ball early and often, testing gaps, leaning into contact, forcing New England to commit extra defenders to the box. The drive stalled inside the red zone, but kicker Jason Myers converted the first of what would become a historic night: three points, Seattle. That sequence—defensive stop, clock-chewing drive, points—became the rhythm of the game. By the end of the quarter, Seattle led 3–0, but the scoreboard understated the reality.  The Seahawks had already dictated terms. Second Quarter: Pressure Turns Into Damage If the first quarter established control, the second quarter turned that control into separation. New England attempted to open things up offensively, trusting Maye’s arm and mobility.  That decision played directly into Seattle’s hands. The Seahawks’ front seven began collapsing the pocket with increasing speed, while the secondary challenged every throwing window. Midway through the quarter came the game’s first truly defining play. Facing third down near midfield, Maye tried to force a throw across the middle.  Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu read it perfectly, stepping into the passing lane and intercepting the ball cleanly.  What followed was a reminder of why defense still travels: Nwosu returned the interception for a touchdown, weaving through traffic as the Seahawks sideline erupted. In one play, the score jumped from a manageable 6–0 to a commanding 13–0. New England never fully recovered.  Seattle added two more field goals before halftime—both the result of drives that mixed Walker’s power running with short, efficient passes from Sam Darnold. The Seahawks didn’t need explosive plays. They needed precision. At halftime, the score stood 19–0, and the Patriots had yet to cross the goal line. Halftime Reality Check Down 19 points in the Super Bowl is more than a deficit—it’s a psychological barrier.  For New England, the locker room conversation wasn’t about panic. It was about survival.  The Patriots had to score quickly in the second half to have any chance.  But urgency is a dangerous thing against a disciplined defense. Seattle, meanwhile, made no speeches about finishing strong.  They didn’t need to.  Their approach was simple: keep doing exactly what had already worked. Third Quarter: The Grind The third quarter of Super Bowl LX will never make a highlight reel, and Seattle would not have it any other way.  This was championship football stripped to its core.  Seattle opened the half with a drive that lasted more than seven minutes.  Walker carried the ball.  Darnold converted third downs.  Tight ends blocked.  Receivers ran routes designed not for glamour, but for leverage. The drive ended—again—in a field goal. Myers made it 22–0, extending a Super Bowl record pace for kicking accuracy. New England finally managed sustained offense late in the quarter, but even then, nothing came easily.  Every completion was contested.  Every yard earned.  When the Patriots crossed midfield, it felt like a small victory rather than momentum. By the end of the third quarter, the score remained unchanged.  Time, the most unforgiving opponent in football, was now working entirely against New England. Fourth Quarter: Sealing It The Patriots entered the fourth quarter knowing they needed miracles. What they got instead was more Seattle control. Early in the quarter, Darnold delivered the only offensive touchdown Seattle would need—a composed, play-action strike that caught New England overcommitting to the run.  The score moved to 29–0, and any remaining suspense vanished. To their credit, the Patriots continued to fight.  Maye led two scoring drives late, finally finding rhythm… Continue reading SUPER BOWL LX: HOW SEATTLE TOOK THE NIGHT, MOMENT, AND THE LOMBARDI

SUPER BOWL LX WRAP-UP

 29                13    The Seattle Seahawks claimed Super Bowl LX with a comprehensive 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026. This win secured the second, (Should have been 3rd ! But Coach Pete Carrol elected to not let Marshawn Lynch, run in the winning TD.  He will always be remembered for that BONEHEAD CALL).  Lombardi Trophy in franchise history for Seattle and capped a dominant 2025 season.  Seattle Seahawks Both the Seahawks and the Patriots entered the Super Bowl with identical 14–3 regular season records, each earning top seeds in their respective conferences. Seattle seized the NFC West and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while New England captured a playoff berth that marked one of the most dramatic turnarounds in franchise history. The Patriots’ journey under new leadership and with rookie quarterback Drake Maye captivated fans nationwide.  The matchup was a rematch of their 2015 Super Bowl encounter, where New England secured a narrow victory. This time, Seattle sought redemption—and they delivered. Game Overview: A Defensive Masterclass From kickoff to final whistle, Super Bowl LX evolved into a defensive chess match dominated by the Seahawks’ front seven and secondary. Seattle’s unit—nicknamed the “Dark Side” defense—consistently disrupted New England’s offensive rhythm, generating pressure, turnovers, and field-position advantages throughout the game.  Key Themes Defensive Dominance: Seattle’s defense held New England scoreless through the first three quarters, applying relentless pressure on Maye and forcing critical mistakes.  Special Teams Impact: Seahawks kicker Jason Myers set a Super Bowl record with five field goals, a testament to Seattle’s ability to convert opportunities even when red-zone touchdowns proved elusive.  Turnovers and Momentum: The defense generated multiple turnovers, including an interception returned for a touchdown by Uchenna Nwosu, swinging momentum decisively in Seattle’s favor.  Seattle Seahawks Despite a modest performance from quarterback Sam Darnold, who engineered scoring drives at pivotal moments, it was Seattle’s all-around execution that defined the victory.  Seattle Seahawks Standout Performances Kenneth Walker III — MVP Running Back Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III delivered a historic performance, rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries and contributing key receptions out of the backfield.  His effort earned him Super Bowl MVP honors, making him the first running back in the 21st century to win the award since Terrell Davis in 1998.  Reuters Walker’s versatility and physicality helped Seattle control the clock and sustain drives, giving the defense more rest and the opportunity to make game-changing plays. Sam Darnold —  Steady Leadership While not the statistical star of the game, Darnold managed the Seahawks’ offense efficiently. He finished with 202 passing yards and a touchdown, avoiding turnovers and delivering when necessary—especially in the fourth quarter to expand the lead.  Seattle Seahawks Seahawks Defense — Collective Excellence The Seattle defense operated as a cohesive unit. They combined quarterback pressures, sacks, and turnovers to stifle New England’s attack. Veterans and young playmakers alike contributed, with key plays from cornerback Devon Witherspoon and linebacker Uchenna Nwosu shifting the tide at critical junctures.  Patriots: A Tough Night in Santa Clara For the New England Patriots, the Super Bowl journey ended in disappointment. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye showed flashes of brilliance—including multiple touchdowns and nearly 300 passing yards—but ultimately struggled against the Seahawks’ physical defensive front and opportunistic secondary.  Seattle Seahawks The Patriots’ offense never fully found a consistent rhythm until late in the game, and when they did, it was too little too late. New England’s lone offensive touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, long after the Seahawks had seized control. Still, the Patriots’ season marked a remarkable turnaround, laying groundwork for future contention and establishing Maye as a rising star with invaluable postseason experience.  Strategic Breakdown: How Seattle Won 1. Turnovers and Field Position Seattle’s defense forced multiple turnovers—both interceptions and fumbles—that directly led to points or shifted momentum. These plays not only halted New England drives but also flipped field position in crucial moments.   Special Teams Superiority Jason Myers’ field goals weren’t just scoreboard padding; they kept momentum squarely in Seattle’s hands when red-zone touchdowns proved elusive early.  Punter Michael Dickson also helped with impeccable placement, consistently pinning the Patriots deep.   Run Game Control Kenneth Walker III’s steady ground attack helped control the clock and kept the Patriots’ defense honest.  By balancing the attack with both run and pass, Seattle avoided predictability and kept New England off balance.  Fan and Cultural Impact Super Bowl LX extended beyond sports, with performances that highlighted the intersection of pop culture and athletic spectacle. Artists such as Bad Bunny headlined the halftime show, bringing energy and global attention to the event.   (I had to put  in Bad Bunny, even though I thought it was so bad I tuned it out.  In fact I tuned the entire half time show out). The game also sparked discussions across social media, from tactical debates to fan celebrations and reactions—highlighting how the Super Bowl remains a centerpiece of American culture every February.  Legacy and Looking Forward The Seahawks’ victory in Super Bowl LX not only delivered redemption for their 2015 loss but also solidified the 2025 Seahawks as one of the franchise’s most balanced and resilient teams.  Seattle’s blend of defensive excellence, strategic special teams, and opportunistic offense will be remembered as a blueprint for championship football. For the Patriots, the loss is a pivotal chapter in a rebuild centered around youth and innovation.  With Maye and a promising core, New England’s future in the AFC looks bright, even as they reflect on lessons from this Super Bowl experience.  Final Thoughts Super Bowl LX was a testament to discipline, defense, and execution—a game where Seattle’s formula of pressure, opportunism, and fundamentals triumphed on the biggest stage.  For fans of the Seahawks, it’s a moment of celebration; for Patriots supporters, it’s motivation to return stronger.  Either way, the 2026 Super Bowl will be remembered as a defining clash between two historic franchises.  Artie Fischal Views: 5

Super Bowl LX: A Quarter-by-Quarter Forecast of How It All Unfolds

Below is a speculative, narrative-style  post—the kind fans love to argue with afterward.  It does not assume official matchups or outcomes; instead, it builds a realistic Super Bowl LX game script based on how modern Super Bowls tend to unfold: scripted openings, halftime adjustments, fourth-quarter tension, and legacy-defining moments. Super Bowl LX won’t just be another championship game.  It will be the 60thSuper Bowl—six decades of NFL excess, strategy, controversy, dynasties, heartbreak, and heroics distilled into one night.  By the time the ball is kicked, the league will have spent two full weeks telling us everything except what actually matters: how the game itself will play out between the lines. So let’s talk football. What follows is a quarter-by-quarter projection of how Super Bowl LX is likely to unfold—not based on wishful thinking or hot takes, but on how modern Super Bowls are actually played: conservative starts, explosive counters, halftime recalibration, and a fourth quarter that swings on a handful of snaps. This is not prophecy.  It’s probability. First Quarter:  Feeling Each Other Out  The opening quarter of Super Bowl LX looks exactly like most Super Bowls do—tight, cautious, and deliberate. Both coaching staffs spend the first 10 minutes testing the edges.  Short passes.  Safe runs.  A heavy dose of motion and misdirection designed less to score and more to gather information.  The opening scripts—those first 15–20 plays rehearsed all week—are run almost to perfection, but neither side shows its full hand. SEATTLE strike first, capitalizing on early field position after a special teams miscue.  A 12-play drive chews up nearly seven minutes of clock, leaning on quick outs, shallow crossers, and one carefully timed play-action shot that sets up first-and-goal. Inside the five, they don’t get cute. Power run. Touchdown. The PATRIOTS  respond, but stall in the red zone.  A promising drive bogs down after a sack on second down, forcing a conservative field goal attempt. It’s good.   The quarter ends with both teams confident but guarded. End of 1st Quarter: SEATTLE 7, PATRIOTS 3 The game feels big. Nobody wants to be the one who makes the first real mistake. Second Quarter:  The Game Opens Up  Early in the second quarter, the PATRIOTS  begin doing what Super Bowl teams eventually have to do: attack downfield.  A no-huddle look catches the SEATTLE defense in a substitution mismatch.  A deep seam route splits the safeties.  Suddenly, the PATRIOTS are in business inside the red zone again—and this time they finish.  TOUCHDOWN ! Now the game shifts. The SEAHAWKS respond with its own aggression, dialing up a flea-flicker that doesn’t result in a touchdown but flips field position dramatically.  Three plays later, a perfectly layered throw over the linebacker but under the safety extends the lead again. With under four minutes left in the half, both quarterbacks are fully in rhythm. The game speeds up.  The crowd noise intensifies.  Defensive coordinators start reaching deeper into the call sheet. The PATRIOTS execute a textbook two-minute drill—sidelines, clock management, and one gutsy fourth-down conversion near midfield. They punch it in with under a minute remaining. The SEAHAWKS don’t panic.  They take what the defense gives them, move just far enough, and kick a long but manageable field goal as time expires. Halftime Score: SEAHAWKS 17, PATRIOTS 13 No blowout.  No chaos.  Just a perfectly balanced Super Bowl heading into halftime—exactly what the league hopes for and exactly what history suggests. Halftime: Adjustments, Not Speeches The halftime show will dominate headlines, but the game is decided in the locker rooms. The SEAHAWKS adjust coverage to eliminate explosive plays, forcing  NEW ENGLAND to sustain long drives.  The PATRIOTS counters \by committing to the run—not to dominate, but to keep the pass rush honest. This is where Super Bowl LX is truly decided: not in motivation, but in math, leverage, and matchup exploitation. Third Quarter: The Swing Quarter (Score: 24–20) The third quarter begins with NEW ENGLAND asserting physicality.  They open with a run-heavy drive—inside zone, counter, draw plays—that grinds down the SEATTLE front.  It’s not flashy, but it works. A play-action bootleg on third-and-goal results in a touchdown and the PATRIOTS first lead of the night. Momentum shifts. But Super Bowls rarely allow momentum to last. On the ensuing kickoff, the PATRIOTS break a return past midfield.  Two plays later, a deep shot off max protection results in a defensive pass interference call that flips the field again.  The PATRIOTS defense stiffens, but a red-zone fade—perfectly thrown and better hit—puts the SEAHAWKS back on top. As the quarter winds down, both teams trade punts for the first time all night. Defensive adjustments finally catch up to offensive creativity. End of 3rd Quarter: SEAHAWKS 24, PATRIOTS 20 Everything is set up for a classic finish. The fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX is exactly what the NFL markets—and rarely delivers—but this time, it does. NEW ENGLAND opens with an urgency, driving deep into SEATTLE territory.  A third-down scramble extends the drive.  A fourth-down gamble pays off.  But inside the ten, the SEAHAWKS defense forces a field goal instead of a touchdown.      That decision matters. Now trailing by seven instead of four, the PATRIOTS defense becomes aggressive.  Blitz packages. Press coverage.  Risk.  It almost backfires immediately. The SEAHAWKS breaks free on a screen pass that turns into a 40-yard gain.  The PATRIOTS hold, but the damage is done.  A methodical clock-draining drive ends with another SEATTLE  touchdown, pushing the lead to 31–20 with under six minutes remaining. The PATRIOTS answer fast—too fast to ignore.  Two explosive passes.  One missed tackle.  Touchdown. Suddenly it’s 31–27 with just over three minutes left.  Onside kick?  No.  They trust their defense.  The SEAHAWKS bleed the clock but can’t finish.  Punt.  One final drive.  The season on the line. The PATRIOTS move the ball, but the field shrinks.  A sack on second down. An incompletion under pressure.  Fourth-and-long at midfield.  The final play is there—but the throw is half a second late.  Incomplete. Kneel-downs follow. Confetti falls. Final: Why Super… Continue reading Super Bowl LX: A Quarter-by-Quarter Forecast of How It All Unfolds

THE SUPER BOWL AIN’T JUST A GAME

Alright now, pull up a chair, ease your boots off by the door, and let’s talk about the 2026 NFL Super Bowl the way it oughta be talked about—slow, thoughtful, a little opinionated, and seasoned with the kind of common sense you don’t learn from a spreadsheet or a studio desk in New York City. This ain’t just another football game. This is church without the pews. This is Thanksgiving without the awkward relatives.  This is America’s last agreed-upon holiday where folks from every walk of life can sit down, holler at the television, and pretend—just for one night—that none of the rest of the world’s mess matters one lick.  So here’s what we need to know about the 2026 Super Bowl, and maybe a few things we need to remember, too. THE SUPER BOWL AIN’T JUST A GAME, IT’S A GATHERING By the time the Super Bowl rolls around in 2026, we wlll have watched seventeen, (each team gets a week off, you know), regular-season games, a whole pile of playoff heartbreaks, blown calls, last-second field goals, and coaches explaining in press conferences why “the tape tells a different story.” But the Super Bowl don’t care about excuses. The Super Bowl is where legacies get written in permanent ink—or erased with one bad read across the middle. It’s where quarterbacks either become legends or become trivia questions. It’s where kickers suddenly matter, and everybody realizes just how lonely it is to be a man standing thirty-five yards from glory with the whole country holding its breath. And in 2026, it’ll be bigger, louder, more commercialized, and more dissected than ever before. That’s just the world we live in now.  But underneath all that noise, it’s still football.  Eleven men versus eleven men. Grass—or turf—between them.  A ball shaped funny on purpose. And the truth has a way of showing itself by the fourth quarter. WHERE IT’S GONNA BE, AND WHY THAT MATTERS The NFL don’t just pick Super Bowl locations by throwing darts at a map. These things are chosen years in advance, with more committees than a church bake sale and more planning than a moon landing. Wherever the 2026 Super Bowl lands, you can bet on three things: It’ll be warm or indoors, because the NFL has learned folks don’t love freezing their tails off for a “neutral-site” celebration. It’ll be shiny, because the league prefers stadiums that look like spaceship hangars instead of places where real football once got played.  It’ll be expensive, because the Super Bowl ain’t for regular folks anymore unless they’ve been saving up since preseason. The host city will talk about “economic impact” and “global exposure,” which is fancy talk for hotel rooms costing triple and chicken wings suddenly becoming a luxury item. But for the players? Location don’t mean a thing once the ball’s kicked. You could play the Super Bowl in a soybean field, and it’d still come down to blocking, tackling, and who keeps their nerve when everything’s on the line. THE TEAMS: HOW YOU GET THERE MATTERS By the time two teams make it to the 2026 Super Bowl, they’ll have earned every bruise, every scar, and every skeptical comment from folks who said they “didn’t play anybody.”  One team will probably be built the modern way: Franchise quarterback,  Fast receivers.  Analytics department the size of a small town.  Head coach who wears sneakers with his suit.  The other team? Might be old-school stubborn.  Defense that hits like a mule kick.  Offensive line full of lunch-pail types.  A running game folks said was “outdated”. Coach who looks like he’d rather be fishing.  And America will argue for two solid weeks about which one “deserves it more,” as if deserving has ever meant anything in football.  What matters is who’s healthy, who’s hot, and who’s learned how to win ugly when pretty football ain’t working. THE QUARTERBACK: HERO OR GOAT (AND NOT THE GOOD KIND) Every Super Bowl, no matter how much we talk about defense, or coaching, or special teams, ends up resting squarely on the quarterback’s shoulders.  In 2026, the quarterback storyline will be unavoidable.  Is he:  A young gun trying to announce himself?  A veteran looking for that one ring to shut everybody up?  A former backup who caught lightning in a bottle?  Or a superstar with too much pressure and not enough patience?  One good Super Bowl turns a man into a spokesman, a Hall of Fame lock, and a commercial pitchman for products he’s never used.  One bad Super Bowl? That follows him forever. Ask around. Folks still remember interceptions thrown decades ago like they happened last Sunday.  Quarterbacks don’t just play the game in the Super Bowl. They play history. THE UNSUNG FOLKS: LINEMEN, KICKERS, AND THE POOR PUNTER Now let me tell you something the television folks don’t like to dwell on. Super Bowls are won in the trenches.  That big, quiet offensive lineman who never gets his name called?  He’s the reason your quarterback has time to throw.  That defensive tackle who eats up two blockers?  He’s the reason the running back suddenly looks like a genius.  And then there’s the kicker. Bless his heart.  All game long, nobody says a word about him.  He’s just over there stretching, swinging his leg, trying not to think about the fact that he might get exactly one chance to define his entire career.  In the 2026 Super Bowl, don’t be surprised if it comes down to a kick, (It usually does). And when it does, half the country will act like they always believed in the kicker, and the other half will ask why he even has a job.  That’s football  ‘rithmatic THE HALFTIME SHOW: WHEN FOOTBALL TAKES A BACK SEAT Now we gotta talk about the part of the Super Bowl that ain’t really about football at all.  The halftime show.  By 2026, the halftime show will be: Louder than sense. Flashier than necessary.  Talked about more than the first half.  Some… Continue reading THE SUPER BOWL AIN’T JUST A GAME

2025 SEASON NFL DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP CONFIDENCE PICK SHEET

WHO WILL PLAY IN SUPER BOWL LX ??????????? For those of you who are new here. This is how confidence ranking goes, let me explain. If we were playing an office pool,(which we ARE NOT).  The object is to score the most points. To obtain the score YOU rank the teams by how confident you are a team will win its game.  EXAMPLE:  Say this week we have 16 games.  The team you are most confident will win you would assign the number 16 and follow down to the team you are least confident in and assign that number 1.   You add up the TOTAL CORRECT PICKS.. That would be your score.  We use the Monday night (Last game played) as a TIE BREAKER.  The tie is broken by the closest to the total (that is the COMBINED score of the two participating teams) final score, without going over. YOU can adopt the scoring  described above.  Or, the optional method.  A  negative score for missed games.  We will continue to get a positive score for correct predictions.  EXAMPLE:   if you scored     1 pt on the first game and you had 15 pts on the second game and lost you would still have  1 pt. 1.  HOWEVER. with the same scenario new scoring system would result with a –14 score If we were playing this is how my sheet would look;  My pick will be in bold Capital letters.  you can use circling, underlining, or highlighting.  I will show my correct points in Bold I will fill in my picks Thursday.  Until then feel free to: Just copy and paste for your own Fun Pool Use.  Or to see if you can beat me. IF YOU SEE I MADE A MIS-COPY OF THE GAMES AND TIMES FEEL  FREE TO EMAIL ME AND TELL ME I GOOFED. BYES: NONE  TRIVIA TIME:   Who was the first head coach of the Seattle Seahawks?                                            Answer below pick sheet  All Times EST GAME TV VISITOR SCORE HOME SCORE CONFIDENCE       SUNDAY 01/12/25 15:00 1 CBS PATRIOTS (16–3) 10 @ Broncos (15–3) 7 2      2 /2 SUNDAY 01/12/25 18:30 2 FOX Rams (14–5) 27 @ SEAHAWKS (15–3) 32 1       3/3 100%/100% GAMES  2/0 100%/0%   Points Possible 3 Tie Break  (Total score last game) 46 Total points scored 58 Points off -12 TRIVIA ANSWER Jack Patera Views: 4

2025 NFL PLAY OFF CONFIDENCE PICK SHEET

For those of you who are new here. This is how confidence ranking goes, let me explain. If we were playing an office pool,(which we ARE NOT).  The object is to score the most points. To obtain the score YOU rank the teams by how confident you are a team will win its game.  EXAMPLE:  Say this week we have 16 games.  The team you are most confident will win you would assign the number 16 and follow down to the team you are least confident in and assign that number 1.   You add up the TOTAL CORRECT PICKS.. That would be your score.  We use the Monday night (Last game played) as a TIE BREAKER.  The tie is broken by the closest to the total (that is the COMBINED score of the two participating teams) final score, without going over. YOU can adopt the scoring  described above.  Or, the optional method.  A  negative score for missed games.  We will continue to get a positive score for correct predictions.  EXAMPLE:   if you scored     1 pt on the first game and you had 15 pts on the second game and lost you would still have  1 pt. 1.  HOWEVER. with the same scenario new scoring system would result with a –14 score If we were playing this is how my sheet would look;  My pick will be in bold Capital letters.  you can use circling, underlining, or highlighting.  I will show my correct points in Bold I will fill in my picks Thursday.  Until then feel free to: Just copy and paste for your own Fun Pool Use.  Or to see if you can beat me. IF YOU SEE I MADE A MIS-COPY OF THE GAMES AND TIMES FEEL  FREE TO EMAIL ME AND TELL ME I GOOFED. BYES: NONE  TRIVIA TIME:   What is the name of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ mascot?                                            Answer below pick sheet  All Times EST GAME TV VISITOR SCORE HOME SCORE CONFIDENCE SATURDAY 01/10//26 16:30 1 FOX  RAMS(12–5) 34 @ Panthers (8–9) 32 6        6 /6 SATURDAY 01/10/26 20:00 2 PRIME VIDEO  PACKERS (9–7–1) 27 @ Bears (11–6) 31 2      6/4 SUNDAY 01/11/26 13:00 3 CBS BILLS (12–5) 27 @ Jaguars (13–4) 24 1       7/5 SUNDAY 01/11/26 16:30 4 FOX 49’ers (12–5) 23 @ EAGLES (11–6) 19 5        7/0 SUNDAY 01/11/26 20:00 5 NBC Chargers (11–6) 3 @ PATRIOTS (14–3) 16 4       11/4 MONDAY 01/12/26 20:00 6 ESPN TEXANS(12–5) 30 @ Steelers (10–7) 6 3      14/7 66%/33% GAMES  4/2 66%/33%  Points Possible 21 Tie Break  (Total score last game) 42 Total points scored 36 Points off +6 TRIVIA ANSWER Jaxson de Ville Views: 4

I AM BOSTON: CHAPTER 2; Night is when you worry the most.

                              Night is when you worry the most. I can feel it even when you are asleep. The way your concern stretches outward, trying to follow me through darkness like a thin blanket that never quite reaches far enough. You imagine danger. You imagine cold. You imagine things with teeth and intentions. You imagine silence as absence. But the night is not empty. The night is full of information. The First Rule of Night The first rule of night is this: Nothing is ever truly alone. When the sun leaves, the land exhales. The small creatures come out first—fast ones, quiet ones, the ones that believe speed is the same as safety. Then come the watchers. Then the things that pretend they are neither prey nor predator. I know all of them. I know which sounds mean movement and which mean warning. I know the difference between wind moving leaves and feet testing ground. I know when the air tightens just before something crosses into space it does not own. You hear noise. I hear grammar. Cold Is Not an Enemy You think cold is cruel. Cold is honest. Cold strips away weakness. Cold teaches you to position yourself correctly, to choose shelter instead of assuming it will be given. My fur is thick. My body is compact. When I tuck my paws beneath myself and curve my spine just right, I become a small, efficient furnace. I know where the heat hides. Behind structures. Against engines that remember motion. Near walls that block wind without trapping scent. Sometimes I sleep lightly. Sometimes I do not sleep at all. Rest does not always require unconsciousness.                                       Heat Is Worse Than Cold Heat is impatient. Heat makes creatures sloppy. It dulls the senses. It convinces you that lying still is enough, even when it isn’t. On hot days, I disappear into shade you didn’t know existed. I move only when the sun demands it. I drink when my body tells me—not when the clock suggests I should. You look for me and cannot find me. This alarms you. It should not. If you cannot see me, it means I am doing my job correctly. The Long Pauses on Camera Sometimes, on the security camera, you see me sitting. Not moving. Not blinking. Just sitting. You think, Is he okay? I am better than okay. I am listening. There are moments when the land speaks softly, and if you move too soon, you miss the sentence. I wait through entire paragraphs of silence to hear one word that matters. Patience is not laziness. Patience is a weapon.                                               The Boundaries Every territory has edges. Not fences—those are human ideas. I mean real boundaries. Where scent fades. Where confidence changes. Where footsteps hesitate. I walk these lines regularly, refreshing what needs refreshing, adjusting where the world has shifted. Sometimes something challenges a boundary. Most of the time, it decides not to. You never know this happens. That is the point. The Sounds That Wake Me There are sounds that mean nothing. There are sounds that mean food. There are sounds that mean weather. And then there are sounds that wake every part of me at once. A scrape where there should be none. A rhythm that doesn’t belong. A pause in the background noise that is too sudden to be natural. When that happens, my body moves before thought arrives. You never see this part on camera. I make sure of that. Why I Speak to You. You think it’s charming that I talk. You think it’s unusual. It is neither. Speech is a tool.  You respond to it faster than posture or gaze or silence. I learned the sounds that open doors, produce food, and summon attention. “Out” is efficient. “Mama” is strategic. When I speak, I am not asking. I am informing. Why I Only Sleep Inside Sometimes. Sleep is vulnerability. Inside sleep is shared vulnerability. I do it rarely because it means trusting that the perimeter will hold without me. When I sleep by the fireplace, I am allowing myself to believe—just for a while—that everything is exactly where it should be. This is not weakness. This is confidence. You and the Watching You think watching me exhausts you. Imagine being me. Every step is awareness. Every pause is calculation. Every choice matters. And yet— I choose this. I choose the night. I choose the cold. I choose the watch. And I choose to come back. Every time. End of Chapter Two Views: 4

I AM BOSTON: CHAPTER 1; Keeper of the Perimeter, Guardian of the Machines, Black Cat of the Firelight

Keeper of the Perimeter, Guardian of the Machines, Black Cat of the Firelight I am Boston. Before we go any further, you should understand something important: I am not your cat. I am a cat who has chosen you as staff. This is not arrogance. It is accuracy. I am black as midnight asphalt after rain, with green eyes sharp enough to cut through darkness, heat shimmer, snow glare, and the foolish assumptions of humans who think comfort is measured in temperature rather than purpose. My name is Boston, and I live outside. Yes, outside. All the time. Day. Night. Heat. Cold. Wind. Silence. Noise. Inside is for eating, reporting in, warming briefly by fire, and occasionally sleeping when I decide the universe has earned the privilege of my presence. You worry about this. I know you do. I hear it in your voice, in the way you say my name with concern stretched thin around the edges. I see it in the way you watch the security cameras, following my black shape as it moves from shadow to shadow like a thought that refuses to settle. Watching me wears you out. Good. That means you are paying attention. Why I Stay Outside You think it’s about temperature. You think, It’s too hot, or It’s too cold, or Surely he must want to be inside. You are wrong. Outside is not a place. Outside is responsibility. Outside is where things happen. Inside is predictable. Inside smells like human routines and furniture that never moves. Inside has rules about where to sit, where not to scratch, and how long a creature may stare into fire before it becomes “concerning.” Outside has variables. Outside has information. Outside is mine. When the sun burns the ground hot enough to cook foolish bare paws, I find shade. When the cold comes creeping under my fur like a question with teeth, I answer it by moving, by choosing position, by understanding wind and structure the way only something that belongs to the land can. You see discomfort. I see conditions. The Doors (A Necessary Clarification) Let us discuss doors. There are two kinds of doors in this world: Correct doors Incorrect doors The front door is incorrect. It smells wrong. It opens to the wrong angles. It is exposed. It feels watched. Things come in through it that do not belong. Things leave through it that should have stayed. The back door is honest. The back door understands me. I will sit at the back door and announce myself clearly, in words you understand, because I am not some mute woodland cryptid incapable of communication. “Out.” “I want out.” “Mom.” “Mama.” Yes, I say them clearly. No, it is not an accident. I have vocabulary because I choose efficiency. If humans insist on being verbal creatures, then I will meet them halfway. I could meow. But why be vague when clarity gets doors opened faster? On Fireplaces and Temporary Truces Despite everything I have said, there is one place inside that matters. The fireplace. When I come in to sleep, it is not surrender. It is a truce. Fire is an old thing. Older than houses. Older than furniture. Fire understands territory. Fire respects silence. I lie in front of it, black fur absorbing warmth, green eyes half-lidded, listening to the quiet crackle and thinking thoughts that would concern you if you could hear them. Not violent thoughts. Strategic ones. The fireplace is where I remember that I am not just a guardian, but also a creature who enjoys comfort when it is earned. I do not sleep long. I never do. Sleep is shallow. One ear always tuned for the sound of something out of place. The Cars and the Truck (My Machines) You believe the cars belong to you. This is understandable but incorrect. They are mine. I guard them by lying on them. This is not laziness. This is dominance layered with protection. When I stretch across a hood or curl atop the truck, I am leaving my signature. My warmth sinks into the metal. My scent tells every passing thing—animal, human, spirit, or idea—that these machines are claimed. Also, from this vantage point, I can see. Movement across the property changes when you elevate yourself. Lines become clear. Paths reveal themselves. I can tell when something has crossed where it should not have crossed, even if nothing visible remains. You worry about scratches. I worry about intrusions. We all have priorities. Wandering (Which Is Not Wandering) You call it wandering. I call it inspection. Every circuit of the property is deliberate. I know the land the way you know your own hands. I know where the ground dips slightly after rain, where scents linger longer in the shade, where night creatures pretend they aren’t watching. I stop. I listen. I sit perfectly still—not because I am tired, but because motion is information and stillness is power. On the security camera, this must look exhausting. To me, it is peace. The Cameras (Yes, I Know) Do you think I don’t know about the cameras? Please. I have stared directly into them. I have watched the faint glow. I have adjusted my route when I felt observed too closely. I am aware that you watch me. I feel it like a thread pulling softly at the back of my awareness. Sometimes I pause longer than necessary, just to see if you are still there. You always are. That is… acceptable. What I Think About When I’m Alone I think about patterns. I think about how long it takes the sun to shift shadows across the fence line. I think about which birds are foolish and which are clever. I think about how the wind changes its voice before weather arrives. Sometimes I think about you. Not sentimentally. Practically. You are part of the territory. A constant. A reliable source of food, warmth, and conversation when I feel like testing new words. I… Continue reading I AM BOSTON: CHAPTER 1; Keeper of the Perimeter, Guardian of the Machines, Black Cat of the Firelight