Grab Bag #4: Thursday Night Football, NFL Wins, and Weather

Before I get into the meat of this post, I’d like to provide an update on my Teddy Ruxpin tweet from yesterday. Since my post last night, the retweet count on that tweet has increased to 25, and the like count is up to 147! Of course, I have to thank Dule Hill for that because he has WAY more followers than I do. His retweet is what has led to the success of my tweet. Also, I encourage all of you readers who have not seen it yet to check it out, and maybe add to the retweet and like counts! 🙂

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers                Tonight @ 6:25 pm MDT

Tonight’s matchup is a big one for the Arizona Cardinals. They are off to a 1-3 start to the season, despite coming into this year with Super Bowl aspirations. (Sidenote: The San Francisco 49ers are also off to a 1-3 start, but every expected that. Actually, I’m a little surprised they aren’t 0-4.) In fact, my projections that I released at the beginning of this season had the Cardinals sitting at 4-0 through this point in the season (and the 49ers sitting at 0-4). Obviously, I was a little off. Anyway, the Cardinals will be going into Levi’s stadium, desperately desiring a win without their starting QB. Carson Palmer was ruled out for this game earlier in the week, so backup QB Drew Stanton will start in Palmer’s place. No need to fret Cardinals fans, you might remember (and if you don’t then this is a reminder) that Stanton went 5-3 when he needed to fill in for the injured Palmer in 2014. In fact, Stanton might prove to help the Cardinals, as Palmer was struggling before his injury. Regardless, playing the San Francisco 49ers does wonders for a team’s confidence (even the Los Angeles Rams have won 3 straight games since losing to the 49ers, 0-28). I expect this to be a better game than Cardinals fans would like, but I still see the Cardinals winning, 14-10.  The margin of victory could be wider if the Cardinals secondary steps up their game. Other than CB Patrick Peterson, the secondary has been a weak point for the Cardinals this season, and that includes S Tryann Mathieu.

Which team do you think will win in tonight’s matchup?

Projections Progress

Seeing as the NFL season is a quarter of the way finished, I suppose now is a good time to take a look at how accurate my 2016-nfl-win-projections-updated have been, thus far. So, these are the teams that I’ve predicted correctly, so far:

-New Orleans Saints (1-3)

-Cleveland Browns (0-4)

-Detroit Lions (1-3)

-Chicago Bears (1-3)

-Tennessee Titans (1-3)

-Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)

-Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)

-Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

-Green Bay Packers (2-1)

-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3)

Clearly, it’s easier to project the lower-end teams. Why? Well, the good teams end up stumbling in random games, which is hard to predict. The bad teams, however, always end up equalizing at the bottom, even if they are the reason for a good team’s stumble.

Which teams are doing better/worse than you thought they’d be doing?

Denver Weather

The view of today’s gray sky from my dorm room.

Well, today started off quite dreary here in Denver. There was a fairly steady drizzle throughout the morning. Why am I mentioning this? Well, this is the first time it has rained since I’ve been here. I guess my roommate did something wrong, because today is his birthday, too. Unfortunate coincidence. But, It is now sunny again, and glimpses of blue sky are starting to show through the clouds. The weather can rain on the positivity parade if it wants, but in the end, happiness and positivity prevail!

What has the weather been where you are?

That’s all for TheHaysWay today, make sure to leave a comment on tonight’s game and/or on my win projections and/or on the weather (in Denver or elsewhere) and/or on the daily questions and/or on whatever is on your mind, along with a much-appreciated like. If you are not yet a follower, become a follower to join the positvity parade that conquers all, including the weather! Have a pleasant tomorrow.

Grab Bag #3: Political Ads, MLB Playoffs, Teddy Ruxpin, and Creepy Clowns

Yup, I’ve got more, as promised. Though, by the time this is published, it may be the next day for some of you. But, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Save the Day

I just wanted to share these two videos with you:

Save the Day

Save the Day Response

I will not express my opinion on either. Consider these food for thought.

Do you believe that famous actors are helpful in advertising?

MLB Wildcard Games

For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you know that I’ve never really talked about baseball. But, with the completion of the two MLB Wildcard Games over the last two days, I figured: Why not? Yesterday, the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Wildcard game, 5-2; They move on to play the Texas Rangers. Today, the San Francisco Giants defeated the New York Mets in the NL Wildcard Game, 3-0; The 3 points came in the top of the 9th, with a three-run homer from Conor Gillaspie; They move on to play the Chicago Cubs. Also, a friend of mine informed me that the Giants have won the World Series every even year since 2010 (2010, 2012, 2014, and I told you I don’t follow baseball). Another friend of mine is a Cubs fan, and he informed me that he believes the Cubs might lose in the event that they have to face the Giants. Well, that event has come. We’ll see if my friend’s fear is warranted.

Which team do you think will win the World Series this season?

Teddy Ruxpin

Oh my gosh, HE’S BACK! Ok, I admit, I wasn’t alive when he came out for the first time. However, I AM a huge fan of Psych, so I know enough about Teddy Ruxpin to say this: “Is that my Teddy Ruxpin in there? IS THAT MY TEDDY RUXPIN IN THERE?!” -Dule Hill as Gus in Psych. Anyway, the first, highly-successful animatronic toy is back, and better than ever. I’m curious how successful the bear will be in his return; After all, when he first came out in the 80’s, Five Nights at Freddy’s didn’t exist. I’m guessing today’s generation of kids are a little more intimidated by animatronic toys than Gen X was. But, at least it’s a bear, not a clown, right? Update: When I started writing this, I tweeted out the quote from Psych, above. Since then, I have received 15 retweets and 65 likes, making it my most successful tweet, ever. One of those retweets, was from actor Dule Hill. Thanks, Dule!

What is your favorite childhood toy?

Creepy Clowns

Some of you probably think that I’ve been putting off talking about this. Well, it’s time to talk about it because this post is deviating so far from sports, anyway. For those of you who don’t like to read news, clowns (yes, clowns) have been terrorizing America. 36 states (all continental, Hawaii and Alaska appear safe, for now) have reported creepy clown sightings in what is now being referred to as the Creepy Clown Epidemic. These clowns range in level of danger. It started with clowns trying to lure kids into the South Carolina woods. Now, there are some clowns robbing stores (Detroit), touching kids (Colorado), or just standing on the side of the road (Idaho). The good news about these clowns, is that they give us a great excuse to use our 2nd amendment rights to go clown hunting (that actually happened on the campus of Penn State University, except, without the guns). Anyway, there will be no scarier costume on Halloween this year, than a clown suit.

Who do you plan on dressing up as for Halloween this year?

That’s all for TheHaysWay today, make sure to leave a comment on Save the Day and/or on the MLB Playoffs and/or on Teddy Ruxpin and/or on Creepy Clowns and/or on the daily questions and/or on whatever is on your mind, along with a much-appreciated like. If you are not yet a follower, become a follower to join Dule Hill in jump-starting my Journalism career. 🙂 Have a pleasant tomorrow.

Grab Bag #2: Forsett, Lockout, and KW

It’s time for me to deliver some more of my many post-worthy stories, as promised:

Justin Forsett

The Baltimore Ravens broke up with Forsett, yesterday. So, apparently Baltimore feels comfortable starting RB Terrence West…Interesting. Regardless, West did have a great game against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, gaining more than 100 yards from the line of scrimmage, despite the amazing Oakland LB duo of Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin. That means West is probably worth adding in fantasy. But, the subhead is about Forsett, so back to him. He was very gracious, thanking the Ravens organization on Twitter. Today, he hit Twitter again to announce his services. I figured I’d help him out, so if anybody is “looking for a 3 down back w/ great movement skills who’s also freakishly good looking” (Forsett via Twitter), feel free to contact Forsett. Obviously, Twitter would be a great way to do that. Here are a couple of good landing spots for Forsett: Washington Redskins (I’m not sold on Matt Jones being a starter, so he could help Jones out), San Diego Chargers (With Danny Woodhead out for the season and Melvin Gordon lacking true 3-down skills, Forsett could help out on 3rd downs), New York Giants (Shane Vereen is out for the season and Rashad Jennings is as inconsistent as the weather in Idaho, Forsett would be INSANELY helpful), Miami Dolphins (the RB situation in Miami is a mess with Arian Foster’s injuries, Jay Ajayi’s Ajayi-nessticityism, and Kenyan Drake (wait…he’s REALLY part of the RB rotation?! Forsett might bring some stability), Indianapolis Colts (Frank Gore is clearly continuing to slow down, it’s time for some slightly fresher, but just as powerful legs in the form of Forsett), Detroit Lions (without Ameer Abdullah healthy, Forsett could be helpful on first and second down before turning it over to Theo Riddick aka The Third-Down Beast).

Where would you most like to see Justin Forsett go?

Dorm Room Lockout

For those of you who don’t follow me on Twitter, I locked myself out of my dorm room for the first time, on Monday. If I had made it one more day, I would’ve gone a month straight without locking myself out of my dorm room. “We seem to be made to suffer. It’s our lot in life.” (C-3PO, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) Of course, it also happened when I went to shower. Luckily, I take my change of clothes with me to the showers, so I didn’t have to go down to the front desk in just a towel. Also, that seemed like a fitting start to a day, during which, the New York Giants were defeated by the Minnesota Vikings, 10-24.

How many times have you locked yourself out of something?

Breaking: Chicago Bears WR Kevin White Placed on IR with Broken Fibula

Well, the subheading is the story. Here’s some further analysis: Obviously, the Bears were struggling, regardless; They barely squeaked out a win against the lowly Detroit Lions this weekend. However, this definitely won’t help backup QB Brian Hoyer, who has been playing in place of injured starter, Jay Cutler. Expect WR Alshon Jeffery’s production to decline with an increase in double-teams, meaning three offensive weapons will be relied upon to pick up the slack: rookie RB Jordan Howard (who has been filling in for injured RBs Jeremy Langford and Ka’Deem Carey), WR Eddie Royal (who is a quality receiver, and will now get more targets in White’s absence), and TE Zach Miller (who has already gotten off to a very productive start to the season). All three of those guys become very viable fantasy options in White’s absence. While it isn’t great news for the Bears, be happy fantasy owners!

Which of the three guys listed (Howard, Royal, or Miller) do you believe will see the most production benefits in White’s absence?

That’s all for TheHaysWay today, make sure to leave a comment on Forsett and/or on the lockout and/or on White and/or on the daily questions and/or on whatever is on your mind, along with a much-appreciated like. If you are not yet a follower, become a follower to avoid the free agent market that Justin Forsett is now trying to escape. 🙂 Have a pleasant tomorrow.

Spread The Love

(The daily scene consists of fan reactions to the Season 5 finale of Game of Thrones. If you don’t want spoilers, DO NOT click on the link. Also, there is some minor language in some of the reactions.) “It’s always important to stay in contact with the fans, because ultimately, if they weren’t there, I wouldn’t be here. It’s very, very important to spread the love.” -Ross Lynch, Actor

Well, I guess you can call it fan appreciation day! I looked up “spread the love”, and that quote said it all. I want to keep up my posts for you guys, and I want to hear comments from you guys because that’s why I’m here. I post because I want to, and because I like to hear your guys’ take on what I talk about. It’s refreshing to hear other perspectives. I never pretend that I know everything. Depending on how many of my posts you’ve read, you probably know by now that I admit to making LOADS of mistakes, and those have lead to regrets. My posting allows me to admit my mistakes, and you guys frequently comment with either words of inspiration, or polite corrections of my mistakes, and I REALLY appreciate that. Anyway, my question of the day is as follows:

What would you like me to post about?

Tell me what you want to hear about. I want to keep you guys reading, so I would love to do a series of fan-requested topics in my posts. Feel free to make as many requests as you want, and I will make sure that I cater to as many of them as possible. I’m really excited about this idea!

Now, the reason that I looked up “spread the love” was the New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills game, tonight. The Jets won, 37-31. They did so by spreading the love amongst their offensive weapons. WRs Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, and Quincy Enunwa all finished with AT LEAST 90 yards receiving. Naturally, that means QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was north of the 300 yard passing mark. Even more impressive was that, in addition to those outstanding offensive performances, RB Matt Forte finished with EXACTLY 100 yards rushing. They were hard-earned yards, too. I was actually rather impressed with the Bills stifling defensive line throughout the game, especially DE Jerry Hughes. A great, back and forth game throughout, the Jets snapped their streak of terrible performances against the Bills. Congrats, Jets!

That’s all for TheHaysWay today, make sure to leave a comment on the daily quote and/or on the daily news and/or with your response(s) to the daily question and/or on whatever is on your mind, along with a much-appreciated like. If you like what you read and you are not yet a follower, become a follower to spread the love to me! 🙂 Also, TheHaysWay is now on Twitter! You can follow me @TheHaysWay to get my up-to-the-minute game updates, as well as notifications when I post here, on my blog! Have a pleasant tomorrow.

Daily Update: June 7, 2016

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched-they must be felt with the heart.” -Helen Keller, Author

A slight continuation of yesterday’s theme with the mention of the heart over the mind’s senses. This is ranked as the best quote of all time on brainyquote.com. This quote epitomizes my appreciation for music. I have played the French Horn for seven years now, including four years with the Boise Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and three straight years in the Idaho State Solo Competition. I play the French Horn because of the power of music. For all the superpowers of Superman, or Captain America, or any other superhero, music has the greatest superpower of all. Music has the power to move people emotionally. Music connects people to moments in their lives. One song that is very powerful for me is Hallelujah, for many reasons (the version attached is one of the best in my opinion, especially when the fourth singer (Alejandro Fuentes) sings the most powerful verse of the song (in my opinion), however, if you look up the song on Youtube, you will find at least a million different versions). It is a song that I sing with my friends from time to time, and it makes me think of my ex-girlfriend. So it connects me to moments of friendship and love. Plus, it is a tremendously beautiful song. So there is a little more of my soft side, and now for the NFL news:

1. The NFL Twitter account was hacked today, and the hacker tweeted out that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had passed away. Sadly, many people were probably disappointed to hear that was not actually the case, as Goodell later responded by saying that he is alive and well. Goodell is certainly not the best commissioner the NFL has seen, but I was relieved to hear that he is still okay.
2. A quick update on the shooting of Denver Broncos CB Aqib Talib: Investigators are now trying to determine if Talib shot himself due to the angle of the injury in his leg.
3. The St Louis Rams have released WR Stedman Bailey with a non-football injury status. Bailey was shot twice in the head last November and has been attempting to return to the field. His chances certainly don’t look good now, however, word is the Rams intend on bringing him back on to serve in a different role on the team.
4. S Roman Harper is returning to the New Orleans Saints. Harper signed with the Saints today following helping the Carolina Panthers reach the Super Bowl this year. Amazingly, the Panthers feel it’s a good idea to continue to let members of their Super Bowl secondary walk, with Harper leaving after CB Josh Norman went to the Washington Redskins. Harper likely won’t start in New Orleans with S’s Kenny Vaccaro and Jarius Byrd already in town. Harper spent seven seasons with the Saints prior to his departure to Carolina.

That’s all for TheHaysWay today, make sure to leave a comment on the quote of the day and/or the news of the day, and a like would be much appreciated, as always. Have a pleasant tomorrow.