Philadelphia – From The Middle Blog

The Complete History of the MLB Athletics: From Philadelphia to Sacramento and Las Vegas

The Athletics are one of the oldest and most traveled franchises in Major League Baseball. Founded in 1901 as a charter member of the American League, the franchise has called Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oakland and West Sacramento home. Along the way, the A’s have won nine World Series championships, produced legendary players and managers, and become one of baseball’s most recognizable franchises. The franchise was known as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-1954, the Kansas City Athletics from 1955-1967, and the Oakland Athletics from 1968-2024. Beginning in 2025, the club began its temporary stay at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, with a planned move to a new Las Vegas ballpark in 2028. The Beginning: The Philadelphia Athletics The Athletics began play in Philadelphia in 1901. Connie Mack was brought in to run the baseball operation, while sporting-goods businessman Benjamin F. Shibe became the club’s principal early owner. The original ownership group included Benjamin Shibe, Connie Mack, Tom Shibe, John Shibe, Sam Jones and Frank Hough. Mack gradually acquired additional ownership and eventually became the dominant figure in the organization. The Philadelphia Athletics quickly became one of the American League’s premier clubs. They won American League pennants in 1902, 1905, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1929, 1930 and 1931. Five of those pennant-winning teams captured the World Series. Athletics Home Parks Columbia Park — Philadelphia 1901-1908 The first home of the Athletics was Columbia Park in North Philadelphia. The park opened in 1901 and originally held about 9,500 fans. Capacity was later increased to approximately 13,600. Shibe Park — Philadelphia 1909-1954 The Athletics moved into Shibe Park in 1909. It was one of baseball’s first major concrete-and-steel stadiums. The park was named for owner Benjamin Shibe. In 1953 it was officially renamed Connie Mack Stadium in honor of the legendary manager. The Athletics played there until leaving Philadelphia after the 1954 season. Municipal Stadium — Kansas City 1955-1967 After the franchise was sold and moved to Kansas City, the Athletics played at Municipal Stadium. The stadium had previously been associated with the Kansas City Blues and Kansas City Monarchs. The facility was extensively rebuilt before the Athletics began play there in 1955. Oakland Coliseum — Oakland 1968-2024 The Athletics moved to Oakland in 1968 and played their first game at the Coliseum on April 17, 1968. The Coliseum became the longest-running home in Athletics history and witnessed four World Series championships, the 20-game winning streak of 2002, The Bash Brothers era, the Moneyball era and many other memorable moments. The final Athletics game in Oakland was played in September 2024. Sutter Health Park — West Sacramento 2025-2027 The Athletics moved temporarily to Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento beginning with the 2025 season. The agreement calls for the Athletics to play there through 2027, with an option for 2028 if the planned Las Vegas stadium is not ready. Las Vegas — Planned Future Home The Athletics are planning to move to a new ballpark in Las Vegas for the 2028 season. The Las Vegas facility is intended to become the franchise’s permanent home after the temporary Sacramento period. Athletics Ownership Through the Years The ownership history of the Athletics is almost as interesting as the playing history. Philadelphia Athletics 1901-1921 — Benjamin F. Shibe and Connie Mack, with other original minority owners including Tom Shibe, John Shibe, Sam Jones and Frank Hough. 1922-1936 — Tom Shibe, John Shibe and Connie Mack 1936-1937 — John Shibe and Connie Mack 1937-1950 — Connie Mack and the Mack/Shibe ownership interests 1950-1954 — Connie Mack, Roy Mack and Earle Mack The Mack family ultimately controlled the club before selling it after the 1954 season. Kansas City Athletics 1954-1960 — Arnold Johnson Arnold Johnson purchased the Philadelphia Athletics and moved the franchise to Kansas City. 1960-1980 — Charles O. “Charlie” Finley Finley became one of the most colorful owners in baseball history. He purchased controlling interest in 1960 and eventually acquired the remaining ownership interests. Finley moved the team to Oakland in 1968 and was the owner when the Athletics won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 through 1974. Oakland Athletics 1980-1995 — Walter A. Haas Jr. Haas purchased the Athletics from Finley following the 1980 season. During his ownership, Oakland won three consecutive American League pennants from 1988-1990 and the 1989 World Series. 1995-2005 — Stephen Schott and Ken Hofmann Schott and Hofmann purchased the Athletics in 1995. The team reached the postseason four consecutive years from 2000-2003. 2005-2016 — Lewis Wolff and John Fisher Wolff, Fisher and a limited partnership group purchased the Athletics in 2005. 2016-present — John Fisher Fisher became managing partner in 2016 after Wolff stepped down from the position. Fisher remains the Athletics’ owner and managing partner. The Athletics’ Nine World Series Championships The Athletics have won nine World Series championships, with titles spread across three different cities. Year Opponent Result Athletics Series Record 1910 Chicago Cubs Won 4-1 1911 New York Giants Won 4-2 1913 New York Giants Won 4-1 1929 Chicago Cubs Won 4-1 1930 St. Louis Cardinals Won 4-2 1972 Cincinnati Reds Won 4-3 1973 New York Mets Won 4-3 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers Won 4-1 1989 San Francisco Giants Won 4-0 That gives the Athletics an all-time World Series record of 36 wins and 18 losses in their nine championship series. The nine championships occurred in 1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989. The Philadelphia Dynasties The first Athletics dynasty was built around stars such as Eddie Collins, Home Run Baker, Chief Bender and Eddie Plank. The 1910, 1911 and 1913 Athletics won three World Series championships in four years. The second Philadelphia dynasty came in the late 1920s and early 1930s. That team featured: Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Cochrane. Lefty Grove, Al Simmons, Eddie Collins Connie Mack Philadelphia won the World Series in 1929 and 1930 and reached the World Series again in 1931. The Oakland Dynasty The greatest modern Athletics dynasty came during the early 1970s. Oakland won… Continue reading The Complete History of the MLB Athletics: From Philadelphia to Sacramento and Las Vegas

NFL SUPER BOWL LIX CONFIDENCE PICK 02/09/2025

Super Bowl Fantasy: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs

This is how I image SUPER BOWL LIX playing out. (A rematch for the ages, featuring Jalen Hurts vs. Patrick Mahomes in a high-stakes showdown!) Pregame Hype & Build-Up The entire football world has been waiting for this rematch. The Eagles, after falling short in Super Bowl LVII MVP-caliber season, is ready to outduel Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs, the reigning dynasty, aim for their third straight Super Bowl win under Andy Reid. The stage is set in a packed Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. First Quarter: A Defensive Statement Kickoff: The Eagles win the toss and defer, giving Mahomes the first possession. The Chiefs’ opening drive starts at their own 25-yard line. Chiefs’ First Drive Play 1: Mahomes fires a quick slant to Rashee Rice for 8 yards. Play 2: Isiah Pacheco takes a handoff but gets stuffed by Fletcher Cox for no gain. Play 3: On 3rd-and-2, Mahomes rolls out under pressure and fires to Travis Kelce for a 12-yard gain. Play 4: A jet sweep to Kadarius Toney gains 7 yards. Play 5: On 2nd-and-3, Chris Jones gets flagged for holding, setting the Chiefs back. Play 6: 3rd-and-8, Mahomes scrambles, dodges Haason Reddick, and launches deep to Marquez Valdes-Scantling—DROPPED! Play 7: The Chiefs punt. Eagles take over at their 30-yard line. Eagles’ First Drive: Hurts starts hot, connecting with DeVonta Smith for 18 yards. A screen to A.J. Brown picks up 9, followed by a 10-yard run from D’Andre Swift. Inside Chiefs territory, the Eagles go no-huddle. Hurts fakes a handoff and takes off for 17 yards. On 2nd-and-4, Hurts hits Dallas Goedert for a 14-yard touchdown! Eagles lead 7-0. Chiefs’ Response: Mahomes finds Kelce on a crossing route for 15 yards. Pacheco bursts up the middle for 11 yards. After a false start, Mahomes throws a screen to Jerick McKinnon, who breaks a tackle for 13 yards. 3rd-and-2, QB sneak—Mahomes converts at the Eagles’ 38. Eagles pressure forces an incompletion, setting up Harrison Butker for a 48-yard FG. Eagles 7, Chiefs 3. Second Quarter: Momentum Swings Eagles Drive Hurts takes a deep shot to Brown—BROKEN UP by L’Jarius Sneed! 3rd-and-6, Hurts finds Swift on a check-down, but Nick Bolton stops him short. PUNT. Chiefs take over at their 22. Chiefs Strike Back: Mahomes threads the needle to Kelce for 22 yards. Pacheco breaks a tackle and rumbles for 18 yards! Mahomes scrambles for 12 yards to the Eagles’ 25. 2nd-and-5, Mahomes play-action fake, hits Rice in the corner—TOUCHDOWN! Chiefs take the lead, 10-7. Eagles Respond: Hurts connects with Smith on a 21-yard deep out. Swift picks up 5, then another 6-yard push on a QB sneak. A rollout pass to Goedert gains 15 more. Inside the 15, Hurts keeps it himself, stiff-arms a defender, and dives in! Eagles reclaim the lead, 14-10. Final Chiefs Drive Before Half: Mahomes under pressure, but he escapes and fires a sidearm throw to Kelce for 16 yards. Pacheco churns for another first down. 3rd-and-4, Mahomes lobs a fade to Toney—TOUCHDOWN! Chiefs lead 17-14 at halftime. Third Quarter: A Gritty Battle Eagles Start Strong: Hurts dials up a bomb to A.J. Brown for 52 yards! Three plays later, Swift plows in from the 2-yard line. Eagles back on top, 21-17. Chiefs Counter: Mahomes scrambles for 11. A perfectly timed screen to McKinnon gains 20 yards. Red zone—Pacheco fights into the end zone for a 5-yard TD. Chiefs lead 24-21. Defensive Battle Ensues: Both teams trade punts after sacks by Reddick and Chris Jones. End of third quarter: Chiefs 24, Eagles 21. Fourth Quarter: High Drama Eagles Take the Lead Again: Hurts orchestrates a 12-play drive. QB sneak on 4th-and-goal—TOUCHDOWN! Eagles lead 28-24. Chiefs Answer Immediately: Mahomes leads a textbook two-minute drive. With 1:55 left, he rolls out and fires to Kelce—TOUCHDOWN! Chiefs lead 31-28. Eagles Final Drive: 55 seconds left, Hurts goes no-huddle. A dart to Smith moves them to the KC 40. 8 seconds left, Jake Elliott drills a 47-yard FG to force OT! Tied 31-31. Overtime: A Super Bowl Classic Eagles Win the Toss, Drive Downfield: Hurts makes magic, scrambling and throwing on the run. Inside the 10, QB sneak—his third rushing TD! Eagles lead 38-31. Chiefs’ Do-or-Die Drive: Mahomes faces 4th-and-5—he runs for it! First down! A short pass to Kelce, then a 12-yard dart to Rice. 4th-and-goal from the 3—Mahomes rolls out, fires to Rice…TOUCHDOWN! Tied 38-38. Final Play: The Decider New NFL OT rules allow the Eagles another drive. On 3rd-and-8, Chris Jones strips Hurts—Chiefs recover! Butker lines up…42-yard FG is GOOD! FINAL: Chiefs 41, Eagles 38 (OT). Mahomes wins Super Bowl MVP. Mahomes MVP Views: 29

NFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP CONFIDENCE PICK SHEET 01/26/2025

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 four teams were added to the NFL after 1976? Answer: Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans All Times EST GAME TV VISITOR SCORE HOME SCORE CONFIDENCE SUNDAY 01/26/25 15:00 1 FOX Commanders (14–5) 23 @ EAGLES (15–3) 55 1 3 /3 100%/100% SUNDAY 01/26/25 18:30 2 CBS Bills (15–4) 29 @ CHIEFS (16–2) 32 1 3/3 GAMES 2–0 100%/0% Points Possible 3 Tie Break (Total score last game) 40 Total points scored 61 Points off -21 TRIVIA ANSWER 1951 Views: 33

NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF CONFIDENCE PICKS

Kansas scraped by for the win last night. It wasn’t bad enough, Chiefs returner Nikko Remigio had broken through their coverage, hitting the open field and racing toward the end zone covering 63 yards on the opening kick. BUT Teans CB. Kris Boyd tracked him down, caught him and stripped the ball loose, however the ball was surrounded by red shirts, and maybe a couple of Texans. Out manned the Chiefs swiftly recovered the ball. (A BAD OMEN for the Texans). Adding to the drama Boyd threw his helmet leading to a penalty then starting to push his coach. Not a good thing. Coach was not on the field to recover the FUMBLE. Still the Texans stayed in the game. Had Houston ZH had a FG kicker with them they might have had a chance to win. Had Houston have a kicker. jake Bates missed two FIELD GOALS. And one Extra point. ( As I recall, all off to the right. That is 7 missed ;what should have been 7 sure.point. Too many momentum changes missed. The score should have been tied and go into OT…..OF COURSE YOU STII MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE OBLIGATORY BAD CALLS FAVORING MAHOMES AND COMPANY. Mahomes has made these obligatory calls the basis of his “CAREER” 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 “least” valuable NFL team to date? Answer: The Cincinnati Bengals—worth approximately $3 billion. All Times EST GAME TV VISITOR SCORE HOME SCORE CONFIDENCE SATURDAY 01/18//25 16:30 1 ESPN Texans (11–8) 14 @ CHIEFS (15–2) 23 3 3 /3 SATURDAY 01/18/25 20:00 2 FOX Commanders (13–5) 45 @ LIONS (15–2) 31 4 3/1 SUNDAY 01/19/25 15:00 3 NBC Rams (11–7) 22 @ EAGLES(15–3) 28 2 5/3 SUNDAY 01/19/25 18:30 4 CBS RAVENS (13–5) 25 @ Bills (14–4) 27 1 5/2 GAMES Points Possible 10 Tie Break (Total score last game) 39 Total points scored 52 Points off -13 TRIVIA ANSWER 1951 Views: 37

2023 MARCH MADNESS PICK SHEETS , UPDATES AND OCCASIONAL OPINION

IT’S OVER San Diego St. 59 UCONN. 76 Look here for the score for the Championship game. I will add them to the brackets tomorrow. The reason for this I live in a state that is located in the CENTRAL Time Zone. But a several years ago we had a DiCTATOR for Govenor. Who came from. Most of his life being spent in Washington DC. We were already using Eastern Standard Time all year round Which put us ahead of the sun by 1 hour. We made the most if it. THEN he decided he wanted us to go 2h hours ahead of the sun. For those of you who don’t already know, DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME is an antiquated system. Although his change did not pass in legislature. He put a pause on the voting before it was final. He and his thugs pretty much of the opposition to change their votes. (Even the ones who won their seat by telling the voters they would never vote for EDT. Which in reality is ATLANTIC TIME). We only have one state that has a very, very small part in the Atlantic time Zone This means when the sun says 7:30 pm we are observing 9:30 pm. I have a 9am appointment which is a 1 hour drive away. This means I have to be up and about by no later than 7am am. With the game ending around midnight here, finishing my blog puts it 1 am before I get to bed. Then another hour to settle down to sleep. So yeah I may get 4-5 hours sleep. But it is usually 4 hours at most. WHY this late start. To coddle those in California. Let California move 2 hours ahead of the sun. Let all states in the good old USA move their clocks 2 hours ahead of the sun. Health organizations have pointed out many many health hazards to the change of 1 hour. Think what it is if you are 2 hours ahead. So enjoy your game California. We all know how screwed up your legislature is. ( Maybe they will let you move 3 hours ahead of the sun. This is where you can print your “OFFICE POOL” Bracket, Check the scores, etc. Yes I will have “MY PICKS” so you can compare your picks to mine. (And Laugh or Cry).I will have A “MASTER BRACKET”, “WHAT IF YOU CHOSE THE HIGH PICKS” for each game. .An “UPSET” will be RED on “ALL HIGH PICKS” Bracket. GREEN indicate HIGH SEED Win What is a seed? Merely a starting place. Although unlikely, IT is possible for two 16 seeds to meet in the final game. Would lets say Michigan St were to be seeded as a number 16. They would still have to win all games to be CHAMPION ! SEEDING attempts to give a more favored team an easier path to the CHAMPIONSHIP. Seeding should lead to the best 2 teams playing in the final game. However there is always that upset minded team; or the chance that the favored team has a bad game, a stand out player is sick or injured. To print BRACKET: HOVER OVER SHEET. You will see a window at bottom with an arrow pointing down (second from right). Click this button. It will open a new window with the bracket then click the printer icon or go to file, and PRINT. Purdue number one seed upset by play in team Fairleigh-Dickinson 58-63. BUT, they deserved the loss. I saw them give up with about a minute to go. Down by, (I think 3), They just stood there and let FDU run the clock down. Purdue made no move to gamble a foul. Just stood there while the clock worked against them. I put the blame for this squarely on Coach Painter. Any coach would be yelling at them to foul. I think it is time for Purdue to start looking for a new coach. TONIGHT !! The year 1979 was the inaugural year for SEEDING the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. THIS is the first year NO number 1,2,or 3 team made it to the FINAL FOUR. To make things more interesting. this is the first time Florida Atlantic has won an NCAA Tournament game. San Diego State finally got to the ELITE EIGHT. Last year was the first time Miami got to the Elite Eight. UConn hasn’t been fairing well the past few years Remember when before the MADNESS began? I told you seeding is just a place to start. This year proves my point. The seeds add up to a total of 23. UConn is the highest seeded team, being seeded number 4. Followed by TWO number 5 teams. Miami, and San Diego St. Rounding out the FINAL FOUR is number 9 Florida Atlantic. NO NUMBER 1 SEEDS TO ELITE 8. FIRST TIME EVER !!!! Kansas St wins 1st overtime of the tournament 96-93 over Michigan ST. KANSAS ST. Marcus Novell sets NCAA March Madness Record for ASSISTS, with 19 in one game. Against Michigan St. 03/28/2023 15 seed Princeton UPSETS number 2 seed Arizona 59-55. 15 seeded Furman Paladins make most of 1st appearance since 1980. UPSETS number 4 seed Virginia. With help by a Virginia player, trapped in a corner with 5 seconds to go; tried to throw the ball high into the other half court. Furman player intercepted the throw fed another who sank a 3 pointer winning by one. I have no idea why the throw was made. Up by 2 and 5 seconds, trapped a foul was likely to happen. Which would give Virginia a chance to make it a 3 point lead with a single free throw. Or a game icing 4 point lead with the second free throw. Sorry I don’t remember the players names. I was just too awe struck and taken by surprise. FURMAN PALADINS gain 1st NCAA Tournament since 1980. With Southern Conf Championship. TRIVIA: The 1st NCAA basketball tournament… Continue reading 2023 MARCH MADNESS PICK SHEETS , UPDATES AND OCCASIONAL OPINION

NFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP 01/21-23/2023

This is a scary week for me. I made my picks based on my usual formula. But my gut is saying 49’ers, who have been on a roll. To a lesser degree the Bengals may be peaking at just the right time. Therefore I would not be surprised if 49’ers and or Bengals advance to the Super Bowl. Good Luck to all 4 teams. It would appear that Jim Harbaugh was not up to taking on the Colts Challenge. 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 All Times EST GAME # TV VISITOR SCORE HOME SCORE CONFIDENCE RUNNING SCORE SUNDAY 01/29/23 15:00 1 FOX 49’ers (13–4) 7 @ EAGLES14–3) 31 2 2/2 SUNDAY 01/29/23 18:30 2 CBS Bengals (12–4) 20 @ CHIEFS (14–3) 23 1 3/3 100%/100% GAMES 3–0 100% Points Possible 3 3 Tie Break (Total score last game) 47 Total 43 Points Off ÷4 Views: 88

NFL CONFIDENCE PICKS WEEK 17 12/29 /2022 1-1-2/2023

NFL OFFICIAL: Art McNally, 97 died Sunday of natural causes. McNally an on field official for 9 years, including 1960-1967. Following which he was hired by the NFL to become Supervisor of Officials. During his term in this position he ushered in the INSTANT REPLAY. He over saw the training and technology used in the faster more technology complicated game. Bills / BENGALS GAME POSTPONED: Latest update Damar Hamlins is listed in Critical NFLCondition. Officially Hamlin suffered Cardiac Arrest. (Cardiac arrest usually results from an electrical disturbance in the heart. It’s not the same as a heart attack). UPDATE: Hsmlin vital signs back to normal. They have put him to sleep with a breathing tube down his throat. The Monday Night Football game between Buffalo and Cincinnati has been POSTPONED after Bills Safety Damar Hamlin. Hamlin 24 went down after tackling Bengals WR Tee Higgins, with 5:58 left in the 1st quarter. He He took a few steps then collapsed. It appeared medical personnel were giving him CPR. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital. No word on when or if the game will be resumed. Our prayers are with Damar Hamlin. So far the only scheduled game for week 18 are for Saturday. Chiefs @ Chargers 16:30 on ESPN/ABC. At 20:15 we will have Titans @ Jaguars also on ESPN/ABC. No other games scheduled time wise. Although we know the pairings time, date, and network remain unscheduled at this time. NO BYES . . OFF THE SUBJECT OF NFL: WNBA. CONVICTED of drug TRAFFICKING, and sentenced to NINE years of prison. PHOENIX MERCURYS, PRIVILEGED player will RECEIVE Full Pay for a season not played .and league credit just as if played. Making eligible for free agency for the 2023 season. If another player was found to merely using drugs, they would have been at suspended for some amount of time, along with a fine. BUT, some people are just PRIVILEGED, and the rules that apply to others is ABOVE the rules. COLTS: Regardless of the terrible mess GM Chris Ballard has done. Colts owner Jim Irsay says, he’s my man. He will be back for next season. The one decision I have no opinion on so far is maintaning Jeff Saturday as next years HC. (Saturday is still up in the air.) I would like to see how he does without someone like Ballard making all the player calls, and I am sure other things he has his thumb on. I’m sure if Saturday had his say Ehlinger would have been playing instead of Ryan and Foles.. However with Ballard in the BIG seat. Not doing what needs to be done to form a team. Saturday will look like the scapegoat. Thus protecting Irsay’s BUDDY; BALLARD. The thing is how long does Jim Irsay want to continue fielding losing teams. NFL TRIVIA: Which undefeated team did the Miami Dolphins beat to keep their “UNDEFEATED SEASON” , in tact in 1985? (For the answer unscramble the letters just above the pick sheet). Answer: Chicago Bears 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 All Times EST GOCHICA ERSBA* GAME # TV VISITOR SCORE HOME SCORE CONFIDENCE RUNNING SCORE THUR 12/29/22 20:15 1 PRIME VIDEO COWBOYS(11–4) 27 @ Titans(7–8) 13 16 16/16 SUNDAY 01/01/23 13:00 2 FOX Cardinals(4–11 19 @ FALCONS(5–10) 7 23/23 3 CBS Browns (4–11) 24 @ COMMANDERS (7–7–1) 10 3 23 /20 4 FOX Bears (3–12) 10 @ LIONS (7–8) 41 12 35/32 5 CBS JAGUARS (7–8) 31 @ Texans (2–2-1) 3 9 44 /41 6 CBS Broncos (4–11) 24 @ CHIEFS(12–3) 27 15 59/56 7 CBS Dolphins (8–7) 21 @ PATRIOTS (7–8) 23 6 65 /62 8 CBS Colts (4–10-1) 10 @ GIANTS (8–6-1) 38 10 75/72 9 FOX Saints (6–9) 20 @ EAGLES(13–2) 10 11 75/61 10 FOX Panthers (6–9) 24 @ BUCCANEERS (7–8) 30 5 80/66 SUNDAY 01/01/23 16:05 11 FOX JETS (7–8) 6 @ Seahawks (7–8) 23 2 80/64 12 FOX 49’ERS(11–4) 37 @ Raiders (6–9) 34 (OT) 14 94/78 SUNDAY 01/01/23 16:25 13 CBS Vikings (12–3) 17 @ PACKERS (7–8) 41 8 102/86 14 CBS Rams (5–10) 10 @ CHARGERS(9–6) 31 13 115/94 SUNDAY 01/01/23 20:20 … Continue reading NFL CONFIDENCE PICKS WEEK 17 12/29 /2022 1-1-2/2023

NFL CONFIDENCE PICKS WEEK 16 12/22-24-25-26/2022

COLTS: Benched Matt Ryan in favor of an aging Nick Foles. Benching Ryan makes sense; should have been done way earlier. In fact I can see no reason for the Colts to have signed him to begin with. But, putting that aside, would it not make more sense to give the young Sam Ehlinger playing time. Doing so would give him a better chance to prove himself. Even if the Colts keep him as a backup QB. He would have game experience if called upon during the next season. Or give other teams a chance to appraise him for a trade. Sometimes I think COMMON SENSE, is an unknown commodity among the Colts organization. I am not terribly impressed with any of the college QBs this year. For all practical purposes the Colts season is over. Give Ehlinger a chance! Views: 127

NFL CONFIDENCE PICKS WEEK 3 09/22-25-26/2022

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 All Times AST (Erroneously referred to as EDT) GAME # TV VISITOR SCORE HOME SCORE CONFIDENCE RUNNING SCORE THUR 09/22//22 20:20 1 Prime Video Steelers (1–1) 17 @ BROWNS (1–1) 29 10 10/10 SUNDAY 09/25/22 13:00 2 FOX SAINTS (1–1) 14 @ Panthers (0–2) 22 8 10/2 3 CBS Texans (0–1–1) 20 @ BEARS(1–1) 23 6 16/8 4 CBS CHIEFS (2-0) 17 @ Colts (0–1–1) 20 11 27/19 5 CBS BILLS (2–0) 19 @ Dolphins (2–0) 21 13 27/6 6 FOX Lions (1–1) 24 @ VIKINGS (0–2) 28 12 39/18 7 FOX RAVENS (1–1) 37 @ Patriots (1–1) 26 7 46/25 8 CBS BENGALS (0–2) 27 @ Jets (1–1) 12 15 61/40 9 FOX RAIDERS (1–1) 22 @ Titans (0–2) 24 5 61/35 10 FOX EAGLES (2–0) 24 @ Commanders (1-1) 8 14 75/49 SUNDAY 09/25/22 16:05 11 CBS Jaguars (1–1) 38 @ CHARGERS (1–1) 10 16 75/33 SUNDAY 09/25//0 16:25 12 FOX RAMS(1–1) 20 @ Cardinals (1–1) 12 9 84/42 13 FOX Falcons (0–2) 27 @ SEAHAWKS (1–1) 23 1 84/41 14 FOX Packers (1–1) 14 @ BUCCANEERS (2–0) 12 3 84/38 SUNDAY 09/25/22 20:20 15 NBC 49’ERS (1–1) 1o @ Broncos (1–1) 11 4 84/34 MONDAY 09/26/22 19:10 16 ESPN Cowboys (1–1) 23 @ GIANTS (2–0) 16 2 84/32 62%–24% 8–8 50%–50% GAMES Points Possible 136 Tie Break (Total score Last Game) 41 Total 39 Points Off +3 Views: 129