On Re-location

As I mentioned briefly last week, I’ve been in the process of relocating again. Following graduation from Flagler in the spring I remained in St. Augustine for a few months before moving back north and setting up shop in Northeast Pennsylvania. While there I began freelancing for The Pocono Record, covering my current specialty, high school football. But I began applying for jobs and after turning down offers at small newspapers in rural California and rural Ohio, I got an offer I couldn’t refuse.

I’m now working in Sanford, Fla., at the Sanford Herald about 20 miles from Orlando. While my title has nothing to do with sports, every writer has to get their start somewhere and I’m in the process of doing just that. While working as what my boss has called the staff’s “utility infielder,” (hey I guess it does have something to do with sports), I have been promised the opportunity to write some sports articles, My first is a sports/lifestyle piece on new Inside the NFL correspondent and Sanford/Orlando native Jenn Brown. You can check out her site here. And I promise you that, yes she’s very good looking, but after talking with her for a while it’s obvious she also knows her stuff.

Enough about me though, this week’s NFL action included some big wins (Hello, Jaguars) and some even bigger losses (Sorry, Patriots). Here are a few quick hits.

Cowboy UP:
How bout them Cowboys?!?!?! My Boys have looked pretty great over the first few weeks of this season. Beating two of the best teams in the NFC in Green Bay and Philly. Unquestionably the offense has so many weapons they’re unstoppable. The question is, can they hold up a defense that has looked quite weak at times?

Standing Pat….maybe not such a great plan
So you think you can do it with Matt Cassel, huh Bill Belichick? Think again. And what’s up with the holes in the defense? How fast the mighty have fallen. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving group. (Sorry Boston, I’m tired of the monopoly.)

Welcome to the party, Jacksonville
I didn’t think they had it in them. When the Jags ate up the first 11-plus minutes of the fourth quarter and Peyton still managed to score, I stuck a knife in not only the game, but the would have been 0-3 Jags’ season. Well they did comeback, and they did win, and I’ll eat the crow. I expect this to propel the Jags, and we could see them reeling off a bunch of wins in a row.

On to the picks:
Minnesota over Tennessee
Gus Frerotte vs. Kerry Collins…what year is it??????
Denver over Kansas City
I’m starting to believe in Jay Cutler…
New Orleans over San Francisco
Big week for the Saints to rebound from a tough loss in Denver.
Arizona over N.Y. Jets
Favre looked awful against the Chargers.
Green Bay over Tampa Bay
Aaron Rodgers, however, still looked pretty good facing his first adversity of the season.
Carolina over Atlanta
Who would have thought this would be the battle for first place?
Jacksonville over Houston
Like I said earlier, last week was the start of something big for the Jags.
Cleveland over Cincinnati
Derek Anderson gets another week to hold off Brady Quinn.
San Diego over Oakland
THIS should be it for Lane Kiffin…
Buffalo over St. Louis
The AFC East Champion Buffalo Bills?…again I must ask, WHAT YEAR IS IT???
Dallas over Washington
I’m not sure any team has what it takes to stop Dallas. They can only beat themselves.
Philadelphia over Chicago
This one will be tight with the Eagles minus Westbrook, but I see a couple of Eagles defensive touchdowns.
Pittsburgh over Baltimore
Flacco can’t stand up to the Steel Curtain

Oh, and my National League Playoff picks:
EAST: Phillies
Wild Card: Mets (PLEASE!)

Last Week 10-6
Overall 29-18