Well, as I was afraid, my new assignment does not allow me the opportunity to blog in the day and I will have to get used to a little night blogging. My energy is low because I run, in fact, this Saturday is my first ever race, a 5K for the benefit of Goodwill in New Jersey.

It has been a whirlwind week and the new gig is going to be much more demanding as far as concentration and time so I can't even listen to Mo or Lance...so that is taking some getting used to...working, ugh!

Bright Idea:

I figure with the government playing with our tax dollars like Monopoly money, in addition to financial institutions, the auto industry, credit card companies, student loan defaults, foreclosures, insurance companies...ad infinitum, maybe us Cincy Bengals fans can apply with the Treasury to get a bailout for the government to buy a controlling interest in the Cincy Bengals...then transfer the power to the fans so we can make the necessary changes to build a winner...it was just a thought.

Horn and Crow Mixed with NFL Picks:

Last week I went 2-2 picking correctly Jax over Detroit, and the Pats over the Bills (good thing I came in now cause I would have picked the Pats over the Jets, and as we speak the Pats are not dead yet, but that is neither here nor there).  I blew it with Pitt (who could forsee Indy upending Pitt as good as Pitt has looked lately), and the Eagles let me down, by the way, I will not pick against the Giants the rest of the season...I even thanked the football gods for them last week then went against my own thanks and got what I deserved with the Giants getting a not easy road victory at the Linc.

This week I have to go 3-1, but again the more I think I've got a grasp on this league the less I know:

Denver @ Atlanta - I have been down on Denver for most of the season, but I am not certain about the Falcons either...so I am going home team, again the Broncos defensively are not up to it and their running game has been down (the 2 things you need to win on the road in the league) I'll take the surprising Falcons

Baltimore @ NY Football Giants - The Ravens are another surprise team this season, but as I've already noted I am not picking against the Giants again this season esp. when they are playing at home. The Ravens have won 2 roadies straight but that streak stops in Jersey...G-Men

San Diego @ Pitt - I hat to do it again because it seems when I pick them they always lose, but I have to go with Pitt, at home, against a "disappointing" (not so) SuperCharger team. I just don't think Tomlin lets those dudes lose 2 straight in their house and even though SD is capable of an upset, I don't think it happens...Pitt

Dallas @ Washington - I am picking one lone roadie for a victory this week, and that is the Boys...just one "analysis" with this one...welcom back Romo. The Boys

I've got a few good flicks to recommend, a comedy, couple of zombie flicks and a couple of "gangsta" flicks, but I will wrap up tonight...I will be back next week with a report on my first road race and at least a couple movies and some Horn and Crow oh wait, I almost forgot my favortie thing:

   Rankings (Abridged Version):

1. Motown
2. Cin City
3. KC (Honestly better than their record, I think, but record is heavy in these rankings)
4. Da Raiders 
5. St. Louie

OK, that's all folks, I'll be back before I blog to catch up with some of you guys...Be Easy!

Bye (Bye 0-16) Reflections:  

I have to eat a bit of crow and admit that all of you who said the Bengals would stumble into at least one win were correct.  That said, even if the Bengals win out (which they won't), what would the point of that be? I came to the point in the 90's where I stopped emotionally investing in this team, but I was sucked back in under the banner "In Marvin We Trust." Well, now that that train has run it's course I am once again back to the point of emotionally divesting. I wasn't happy they won, after 8 losses to begin the season, a celebration of a lone victory seemed to me to be a waste.

That also said, they still have a shot at the #1 draft pick, although I will leave that up to Chris in Cambridge to dissect weekly.  Detroit has been playing hard under Marinelli(sp?) most of the season, so I don't expect them to go "Defeated" so who knows, maybe Mike Brown can still screw up the #1 pick (which is more dramatic than his screwing up a #5 or # 9 pick or something like that).  I will no longer do the "Bengals Keys to Defeat" and certainly will not do a "Bengals Keys to Victory" like how I started the first few weeks of the season. I will leave discussion of the Bengals to the rest of you and those who have to because it is their job. (Of course I will continue to comment on your various pages).  I will only discuss them as it relates to my "Power(less) Rankings." So with that, I bid the Bengals adieu until the offseason.

   Picks:

Last week I went 2-3 but now that I don't have to pick Detroit any more, I can get down to business!

Jacksonville @ Detroit - I know, I know, but c'mon...Jacksonville is on the ropes, I commented early in the season that perhaps their off-field drama is starting to catch up with them...well, why not pick Detroit against a slumping Jags team who seems to be welcoming under-achievement and mediocrity with open arms? But, as much as I want to pick Detroit (more out of habit now than any other reason), the odds of Jax losing to an 0-8 Cincy then an 0-8 Detroit are just to great for me to pick against...Jax

Buffalo @ New England - In my "Horns and Crow" last week, I asked rhetorically if "Is it me, or is Buffalo beginning to fade?" to which I answer yes.  The Pats lost at home to Indy last week, so expect them to bounce back and beat the Bills...Pats

Indy @ Pitt - Every time I pick against Pitt, I end up regretting it...Indy has to face their 2nd tough road test in a row agains't one of the AFC's best.  Pitt on Monday night seem invincible at times...Who knows who will start at QB for Pitt, but Leftwich is nice insurance, and with the Steeler's Defense, does it really matter anyway? Steelers

NY Football Giants @ Philly - Everybody knows the Giants are one of the most balanced teams in the league. But they are getting set to play a division game in Philly, McNabb is on fire, and Philly's Defense ain't bad either, I'll take the home team, I'll take the Eagles

The New Adventures of Old Rashied in Brooklyn:

On Monday, I start my new assignment so I will feel it out on to see how things roll. Ideally, I 'll have an office with a good boss (for me one who doesn't micromanage and only cares about getting the job done). It is under bosses like this, that I strive and exceed expectations.  I make them look good, and they let me do my thing. If this is the case, Happy Blogs are here again! I will be able to get some pics back going, recommend some movies and do a host of other things that are hard to do in a "non Flash" environment. 

However, if I have a bad boss (for me one who is on me every second of the day and harassing me and giving me the business), then you will hear about that via the blogs...I will be stressed out, and won't have as much freedom and time, so it will be a little harder to get 'er done, but she will get done! (I'm a tough SOB, have I ever told you guys about the time I was hit by a bus? well more so bumped on the shoulder but still sending me flying 4-5 feet). Either way, look for a little more than what I've been giving the past 3 weeks and some new pics to enhance the blog as well. 

Political Note:  "My, Friends," now that the I am pretty much done with the Bengals and don't know much about the Hot Stove, I will break my longtime ban on expressing some of my political views on the Lot D (but some of you probably have keyed in from my ramblings which way I tend to go) via Danny Gleason's blog.  For the record, as I've gotten older, I've become more conservative but am liberal in social ways...so let's have some debate, but let's do it civiliy or else I won't respond to you! And also let's try to keep our arguing on Danny's page and not clutter mine up with the politics...

Much Ado About Nothing Note:  I will be in Cincy the week of Thanksgiving where I will blog from and take on the screen name of Rashied in Cincinnati! Good times all around!

Be good and have a great weekend and enjoy not having to watch the Bengals!

"D" 5 Steps:

1. Denial - First thing I did was simply deny they won...I was in church at the time of this alleged victory, (forget ESPN, FOX, CBS, 1010WINS, and the whole LOT D) no way could they have won, they'd worked so hard on putting together half of the "(im)Perfect" season. They seemed to be a lock until at least game 15 vs. Cleveland. The Bengals did not win, that is heresy!

   my arse!

2. Distraught - After several news updates, reports, and highlights showing the Bengals win I still had a sliver of hope...I was so scared I came up with scenarios on Jax really won like maybe they did not show the penalty against the Bengals on the Jax 2 point attempt that would have moved the ball half the distance to the goal and caused Jax to run it in like they should have done in the first place, "Yeah that's the ticket."

3. Depressed - After I came to the conclusion that there was no missing reel of the highlights and finally accepted the Bengals victory, I got extremely sad and nostalgic but then thought about my own foreshadowance (yes, I made that up), angst and worry last week when I said:

"This is a game that worries me as a fan, because theoretically Jacksonville should be better than they are. They are not a bad team, but they certainly aren't up to the level they've been at in recent years. Their defense is not up to Jax (and Jack's) standards...so hopefully the Bengals don't overestimate them..."

4. Disappointment - With a good night sleep and a fresh perspective on the world, I left behind the doldrums of depression, improving dramatically by Monday morning, upgrading to mere "disappointment." Disappointed most of all with the Jags, because I thought for sure they would play better after Del Rio's (I think profanity laced) tirade after last week losing to the Browns. The Jags suck, the Bengals had to break their 4 game losing streak this season when everything was on the line...I am disappointed in the Bengals for continuing to give effort and for Criminey's sakes, trying to win. I thought this team mailed it in to go through the motions and I will always view in retrospect their lack of an implosion as a key factor in this disappointing result.

5. Dealing with it - Finally I am back to living my life, I was able to come into work today (after yesterday taking off continuing to mourn what could have been). I was promptly greeted by a colleague also in between assignments who had a little laugh with the question, "How bout them Bengals!?"  He knew I was hoping for the improbable unlikely dream. Now we'll have to settle in for just another ho-hum 1-15, 2-14, or 3-13 season, and the quite possibly the loss of the #1 overall pick...but I guess it is just business as usual for our beloved Bengals.
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   Rankings:

The Bengals may not make history, but they are still one of the more inept teams in the league and have quite a ways to go to make it out of the Top 5 of the powerless rankings...

1. Detroit (Detroit regained supremacy over Cincy as the League's last standing "Defeated")
2. Cincinnati (Disappointing performance nudges them from the top spot)
3. Kansas City (The Chiefs have been biding their time in the 3 hole for quite some time now, kinda like Jr. when he was in Cincy)
4. St. Louis
5. Oakland

Honorable mention: We have our first tie in "Power(less)" Rankings history, at #6 is a close battle in the worst division in the League between Seattle and the nosedivnig San Fran team. Last week, San Fran was 6 and Seattle was 7, but in my system this week they are tied.
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Horns and Crow:

You know, just when I thought I had this NFL thing figured out for the season, I come in with a bad week (after I thought I had a good chance at being 4-1) and am prepared to eat some crow...let us count the ways:

(Last week) I picked the Lions over the Bears, and it looked like at halftime the Lions would pull it out, but alas..."they are who we thought they were" and they remain the NFL's only "beaten" team. I will no longer pick the Lions because the spotlight is now theirs alone...but they are playing hard and thus will  win a couple games in Novmember (so the Bengals are still in it for the #1 draft pick!) Follow that "Race to the #1" here.

Pulled Crow with crow slaw...that's good eatin.

(LW) I didn't think the Jets had a road victory in em esp. after struggling against KC the week before. Not only that, but playing at Buffalo? Well, I was proved wrong again by the "Brettes." Is it me, or is Buffalo beginning to fade?

Crow souffle...

(LW) Thank God for the NY Football Giants.

Tooooooooooooooot!!!

(LW) I picked Indy in a tall order of marching into Foxborough or Gilette or Brady Stadium to beat a well coached, inspired Pats squadron, and by golly if they didn't follow my orders to a T! Good game, Indy is not dead yet...

Toot toot, aaand, Beep beep!

(LW) In picking the Skins over the Pitts I said, "The only reason Pitt is having any success this year is because of their D, which ironically is also needed to win on the road in this league. This contest has 'defensive struggle' written all over it, so I think that it will come down to running the ball and time of posession." Well Pitt held the Skins to 60, count em, 60 yards rushing...and Byron Leftwhich played better than Ben (but in fairness to Ben, if Lefty had to take the abuse Ben has, he would have been done for the season a month ago). Byron came in and led the Steelers not just against an averagen NFL D, but a top of the line D!!! Impressive to say the least...

I happily eat some deep fried crow on this one.
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Well, that's it for now, I still have to prepare for my new assignment this Monday.  I must also try to figure out what to write about now that I have retired the "Bengals Keys to Defeat." I refuse to do the "Bengals Keys to Victory," so who knows what will happen. I still have NFL Picks, and I am loving the Power(less) Rankings! I have a lot of movies to recommend, and am racing a 5K next Sat. I will blog...so even though the Bengals blew a big hole in my heart and blog, the work still waits...so until next time, vote hard or don't vote at all! (and Mike Brown, this win means nothing you still suck!)

This is a game that worries me as a fan, because theoretically Jacksonville should be better than they are. They are not a bad team, but they certainly aren't up to the level they've been at in recent years. Their defense is not up to Jax (and Jack's) standards...so hopefully the Bengals don't overestimate them and come prepared to perform to the standards they've set all season, (but especially the past 2 weeks).  Grab this loss, and they go into the bye with heads held low.  But before the "Keys to Defeat", a couple of open letters...  

Dear Marvin,  

Jack Del Rio (who, by the way, has seemingly been on the hot seat for 2 years even though his team is consistently good and usually has a top rated defense) ripped his team a new one after their defeat to Cleveland last Sunday, this is what a couple players had to say about that:  

"Jack should be upset...we don't expect him to be cheery or upbeat about this..." -DE Paul Spicer-   
"You can't expect him to come in smiling after a performance like that.." -CB Rashean Mathis-  

Funny thing is, a Bengal player can not say that (even if he wanted to) because you love to have a laugh at your pressers and on the sidelines in defeat and what not.  Your apologists say 'it's just not in his personality' (although I beg to differ based on 03-05)...I can think of many different NFL coaches with different "personality types" (Dungy, Lovie, Tomlin, Cowher, Del Rio, Coughlin) that wouldn't be hamming it up on the sidelines when losing and headed to "Defeated" in a handbasket...enough of that psycho babble (keep shovelin or whaterver) anyhow, this is football not tiddly winks damnit!  

Dear Mr. Brown  

With all due respect, sir, you blow!  You could never fill your "Old Man's" shoes or wear his hat (partly because your head is too big, both literally and figuratively).  How the hell can you think your way of doing things is right or good in any sense with only one playoff appearance (0 playoff wins) in the last 18 years?  It boggles my mind. You have to be at even higher levels of insecurity than a porn star or stripper...but I digress, on to the:  

S   S   to     

Halfway home, so focus on one week at a time, this week should be a rather easy chore for the Bengals...but take nothing for granted...  

On Offense  

1) Establish the run. But in passing situations if they must let Fitz throw...let him chuck it deeeep!  

2) The O line must continue to shed their blocks.  

3) Do not let Kenny Watson see the light of day because he is averageing 4.5 yards per his 12 carries this season, so he obviously doesn't fit with what the Bengals are trying to do.  

4) Play conservative. You've got a lot to lose if you start taking risks so settle with field goals or better yet punt whenever you have the chance...no going for it on 4th and 3...that's toooo risky!  

On Defense  

1) Stop the passing attack.  They can not let Garrard beat them with his arm, so play almost exclusively with an extra defensive back  

2) The D line has to continue to stay on their blockers.  

3) Only rush 4 straight up...stay consistent, no (new) blitzing or stunts that wouldn't be on film.
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   Picks:  

I have been kicking some gluteus to the maximus with my picks lately (after a few weeks ago going 0-4), so I expect that trend to continue! But it won't be easy because the more you know, the less you know...  

Bonus: Detroit @ Chicago - I'll get this one out of the way because I just hate to see Detroit steal the Bengals spotlight and glory they should have all to themselves week after week...Lions  

NYJ @ Buffalo - This will be a close game in the division...whenever these teams meet the records seriously mean nothing...that said it is a battle for first place, the Bills are a little more solid than the Jets, they are at home, and they have to go to NE next week...Bills  

Dallas @ NYFG - Poor Dallas, the Bucs who they got by last week have a top D and now they face another top 5 D in the G-men...Witten (TE who is leading receiver) is probably out...The G-men are a juggernaut on both sides of the ball so its hard to pick against them, and the Boys are banged up. Giants  

New England @ Indy - Indy looked good for about 3 qtrs. on Mon. night, too bad there are 4 qtrs in this game. Peyton and the O have been improving and Mr. Sanders is back...NE is one of my teams I said would make the playoffs (because of the joy fans had around the league after Brady's injury), but they don't win this week...Indy  

Pitt @ D.C. - The only reason Pitt is having any success this year is because of their D, which ironically is also needed to win on the road in this league. This contest has "defensive struggle" written all over it, so I think that it will come down to running the ball and time of posession. This is a tough pick, but I have to go home team Skins  

OK, all home teams, which in this league is usually good, but check back because as usual I will brag about the picks I get, and eat crow on the ones I sucked at... **********************************************************  

The NYC Marathon is being run this Sunday...a big chunk of which is run right down the block from me on 4th Ave. in Brooklyn...where I run almost every day. I plan on running the Marathon in 2 years, 2010, but in the meantime I'll have to settle for my first ever race, which will be a 5K in Montclair, NJ on Sat. Nov. 15. I want to work up to 10Ks by next summer than in early 2010 run a half-marathon leading me into running a marathon by the end of 2010 (if not the NYC, than some other one).  

As a few of you know, I took stock and made some hard decisions in my life around Memorial Day of this year...i.e. I cut waaaaaaaay back on my drinking, started back in on church and "getting right" with God, started taking better care of my body, mind, and even finances...One of the things I started with though to build that initial discipline was pushups and situps (which I still do) and running, which has turned into a love for me.  

I just want to give a special thanks to Ian. When I started running, I never intended to race and/or go great distances...so initially I was running hills 2-3 times a day (which killed my legs)...but after discussions with Ian on the topic of running, he suggested a workout, which became the foundation of what I do.  I have since tweeked it and increased it based on discussions with other runners, tips from Runner's World magazine and more recently from the "Competitve Runners Handbook" but I owe a lot to Ian for giving me that initial structure and a vision of what I could do, so thanks man! 

(BTW, Ian, I'm up to 18 miles a week on average...but still running based on time).
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I still have movies to recommend and other non-Bengal/NFL things of substance, which I may do this weekend or maybe Monday night. As many of you know I have been sticking to the basics because in my agency's office because I can't work with any new pics and things...I am not sure of the setup where I'll be working beginning on the 10th, but this may force me into some nightime/weekend blogging (which I obviously have a problem with), so we'll see. Enjoy the weekend, and maybe we'll "chat" before Tuesday...

S   Thoughts:

The Bengals exceeded expectations on Sunday in a big way. I thought the game was going to "be an epic struggle for the Bengals," but it wasn't. They handled the Texans with ease and efficiency. I wasn't expecting to see that level of effort until at least week 12 or 13. And just like that, our Bengals are sitting at 0-8 and have gone to the halfway point of the "(im)Perfect" season!!

So, anybody not on this train of going "Defeated" better get your ticket and get on board because we are pulling out...simple fact of the matter is the rest of the season the Bengals will be a huge "dog" (sniffing out losses like a bloodhound), and can realistically win only one game, the finale against KC, December 28...circle that day on your Blackberries! Any win outside of that would be a monumental upset, and I think with the effort they showed Sunday, this team has no monumental upsets in them.

The only part I'm sad about is we won't get to see the:

   Supernova-like implosion (leading to the brilliant explosion seen in the pic) because it seems they have skipped this phase and have gone straight into "wanting to end the season as quickly as possible" mode. Ocho Cinco is so withdrawn that he is only a shell of his former self, like Marvin Lewis...with that, let's breakdown the rest of the season:

Jax - L (Fred Taylor is having wet dreams about this game)
Philly - L (Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook...need I say more)
@ Pitt - L (seriosly scratch the possibility of any road victories for this team)
B-More - L (these guys are better than we all thought plus they still have that D)
@ Indy - L (Peyton & Co. still have playoffs in their mind and Bob Sanders will be back)
D.C. - L (The worst team in the NFC East is 4-3, and Washington is not that team)
@ Cle - L (Tough, but again I reiterate this team has no road wins in 'em)
KC - L (Clash of the Lilliputans, but right now gotta give the edge to KC who have tasted a W...[of course the irony of all ironies would be if the Bengals win to KC not only would they have infamy snatched from them, they would also lose the #1 pick for Mike Brown to screw up {assuming KC has not won another game}]).

Some of you think this team will stumble into a win...really? with Fitz at the helm? with the D starting to match the O's effort? with everybody mailing it in? Uuuuhhh, good luck with that...

Funny Thought: Antwan Odom is apparently the difference maker we all thought he was, because with him the Bengals are sitting at 0-8 and without him the Titans are sitting at 7-0...(speaking of which I am a believer now in the Collins led Titans, my goodness they are good!)
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Tootin the Horn and Eatin Some Crow:

OK, I am going to have to stop picking "bonus" games because I feel good about these games but apparently don't know what the hell I am doing, so I'll eat my crow for said bonus picks first:

Garcon! Pate de Crow...

(Last Week) I picked Indy over Tenn in a Monday night bonus, and I am simply not picking against Tennessee ever again...(if I was at a computer that allowed me to upload graphics I would insert pic of the Denzell Washington classic "Remember the Titans" because you may seem them in late January!)

(LW) In a 'bonus' bonus, I picked Detroit over Washington and failed there, but Detroit gave a nice effort...that Rod Marinelli should foil their plans for going "Defeated." (I will pick Detroit every week henceforth until they win).

Toot-toot! (Like Popeye's pipe)

(LW) I picked Carolina over Arizona, while Arizon played admirably overall the D lapsed in the 3rd quarter to give Carolina the victory...Arizona is tough to go into Carolina and almost defeat them.

(LW) I picked the Boys over Tampa because of their desparation, having to go play the G-Men next week. Tampa is good, but I knew the Cowboys would find a way to get a much needed victory at home to keep pace in the superior NFC East.

(LW) I picked Philly over Atlanta because Philly also needed a win to keep pace in the NFC East and also because Atlanta, although an exciting young team had to fall back to earth.  Philly handled their business...(pretty soon I'll just pick every NFC East team when they aren't playing each other as a safe bet).

(LW) I picked the "Football Giants" over Pitt mainly due to the advantage the G-Men held in the trenches on both sides of the ball (and I hate the Steelers)...The Giants had 5 sacks, and gave up 0 sakcs to the NFL's leading defense.
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   Rankings (I may start putting this feature at the top as the Bengals get closer to infamy):

1. Cincinnati (with a superb showing on Sunday, finally booted Detroit from the top spot)
2. Detroit (lackluster against the Skins, what are they trying to do, win?)
3. Chiefs
4. St. Louis (catapults into the top 5 after last week not even being in the discussion)
5. Oakland

Honorable Metion:  coming in at #6 is San Fran moving up one spot from 7 last week; and at #7 Seattle, who with a win dropped 3 spots from #4 last week. Houston has dropped out of the discussion with a 3-game winning streak (for now).
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I landed the assignment I interviewed for on Friday thanks to Babylonian's well wishes , but it doesn't start until November 10...so I may have to do some night-time blogging to get a couple things in I've been thinking about. I blog my best though during my most productive hours during the day (when I should be working), I guess it's the thrill...but we'll see how my nightime posting goes (I think it will lack energy and maybe even be Bengal-esque, but I hope not!)

Until next time, jump on the 0-16 train bound for Glory, and as usual Mike Brown sucks!