If you tend to be Baseball/Football-centric, this past weekend was probably one of the few over any 52-week cycle where there was some down time. You know, time to do some yard work or go shopping and out to eat with your partner or some friends. Maybe even watch a movie or two you had been trying to squeeze in?
Of course, with the fantasy baseball season looming — pitchers and catchers report in just two weeks! — things never really stop long in the crazy world of fantasy sports. But, still, a weekend day with no predetermined time to watch some form of competition is a respite.
Last Saturday was just gorgeous beyond all belief in Northern California with sunny skies early on that allowed my Saturday foursome to spend four perfect hours on the links. Well, that is as long as all my shots are not scrutinized.
So, that was time well spent, though of course I had to track my phone between tee shots as there are presently three 2018 drafts sending me texts, suggesting I make my picks before my time limit arrives and the dreaded auto-pick determines that I really wanted Vincent Velasquez instead of Zack Godley.
However, with the Patriots once again defending themselves in the Super Bowl this year, it is hard to get too worked up, meaning the off-week sort of added to the Super Bowl break malaise that has sunk in anyway.
It would be different were we anticipating the Eagles and Jags, or the Vikes and Jags, or maybe the Steelers and Rams, or what I was really hoping for, the Chargers and Rams giving the two teams who moved to L.A. this past off-season a chance to duke it out before anyone even realized Los Angeles even had a team any longer.
But there you have it. As it is, on Super Bowl Sunday Diane and I are flying off to Maui to repeat a honeymoon last year that was memorable and fun, but needed a rerun. That is because just as we were packing to leave last year Diane’s mother was put on hospice while Crohns disease was literally kicking my ass and other body parts.
So, again, we had a great time, but a distracted one, so when our family pointed out cheap tickets Di and I jumped on them without my ever looking at the date or what might else be going on at the time.
The beauty, it turned out, was our flight leaves Oakland at 8 a.m., and with a five-hour flight but two-hour time difference, we land around 11:30 in the morning, a good two hours before kickoff. That gives my brother Eric and me enough time to grab our rental cars, a pizza and maybe a couple of Poke bowls, and high-tail it to Kihei and the condo just in time for kickoff, something I could not have planned better even though it just worked out that way.
As for who I think will win, it is so difficult to pick against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, but I am going to root for the Eagles much like I howled for the Giants a decade ago when the Patriots tried to run the season table. And I am hoping for a lot of points: You know, back and forth so the final score is 37-34 or something thereabout?
If I was going to play some DFS and had to pick a couple of players, they would be:
Tom Brady (QB): Simply the best, most dependable QB we have seen. With all due respect to Joe Montana, Ben Rothelesberger, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and even Drew Brees, no one has shut down opposing teams with his back against the wall, as many times as Brady. Pure and simple. Sure, one day he will fall from grace, but there is no indicator that will be February 4.
Alshon Jeffrey (WR): I think the Eagles will have to live with the pass to survive, something the team can certainly do provided the Philly defense can swarm and attack as they have. That should keep Brady et al at least on their toes, and the long pass is a hole that Nick Foles can exploit (or try to).
The main thing is if this is the usual scenario: The Eagles jump out to a nice double-digit lead and hold it till the closing minutes of the first half. They must repeat the process the next half, leading by at least two scores by the time there are four or so minutes left in the game.
If the team can manage that, a win is in sight. If not, well, you know how the story goes.
Tune into the Tout Wars Hour on the FNTSY network, hosted by me, with Justin Mason and featuring Lord Z every Sunday at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT, and you can follow me @lawrmichaels.
