While the Iowa Caucuses went down to the wire, the New Hampshire Primary was a takeaway for Mitt Romney, who may very well be on his way to winning the Republican nomination. New Hampshire looked like a contest of just Romney, Paul, and Huntsman, as Gingrich, Santorum, and Perry decided to put more concentration on South Carolina. After the week of debates and old fashioned campaigning, what was expected is what happened.
Mitt Romney ended up with 39% of the vote, much of it had to do with the fact that voters believe that he is the candidate that is most electable and is most likely to defeat Barack Obama come the general election. Ron Paul took second and garnered 23% of the vote. Jon Huntsman followed in third and got 17% of the vote. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum both picked up 9% each, though Gingrich received more votes, but not too many more votes, and Rick Perry took last by capturing by 1% of the vote. While we knew that Romney would win by a good margin, we believed that Paul and Huntsman would have a more competitive battle for second place. The fact that six points spread the two shows that it wasn't such a competitive contest after all. Paul was able to capture a good number of young, independent voters. This shows that the older the voter, the less likely they'd be voting for Paul. Also, Paul has picked up 21% and 23% in Iowa and New Hampshire respectively this primary, while only picking up 10% and 8% respectively last time.
Jon Huntsman laid it all on the line for New Hampshire and the fact he picked up 17% of the vote, a third place finished, and a handful of delegates (but not enough to make him a force to be reckoned with) showed that he did a decent job. Despite most of us believing that this was crunch time for Huntsman, he will be staying in the race. I was almost certain, as were many other analysts, that Huntsman would be mediocre in New Hampshire and then end his bid for president. It turned out that the numbers he picked up were satisfying enough to head forth to South Carolina and eventually Florida. It will take a lot, as he polls in the single digits in both states.
The current polls of South Carolina show that Mitt Romney holds the lead for the majority of the time, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich constantly battle for second, Ron Paul follows the three of them, then Rick Perry, and finally Jon Huntsman. Paul and Perry were closer on many occasions, but Paul is garnering a bit more support and Perry's numbers are simply shrinking. I expect for Perry's numbers to be so low that he will finally end his campaign after South Carolina. Gingrich will also need a good showing or at least something decent in order to stick around. If not, I could see him ending his campaign and endorsing Santorum. I have no idea how long it will take Huntsman to end his campaign, but it may be soon when he says that enough is enough. Romney, Santorum, and Paul will likely be in the campaign for the long run, staying until Romney picks up the delegates he needs in order to clinch the nomination.
No non-incumbent Republican candidate has ever won Iowa AND New Hampshire. Mitt Romney changed the notion and may very well be on his way to running a flawless campaign. We do have many more states to go and a Super Tuesday that may be the decider for this campaign to the presidency. I'll submit a post having to cover how things are looking after all is said and done in South Carolina.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Richard Hunt: The Lost Muppeteer
Today's random question of the day: Name a Muppeteer, any Muppeteer, past or present. Don't look past this sentence until you have an answer. If you said Jim Henson, you are likely with the majority, as Henson was the creator of such a famous empire. He was the life behind Kermit the Frog and several other Muppets. If you didn't say Jim Henson, for what ever reason, chances are your next choice would have been Frank Oz, who was Henson's most memorable colleague. Aside from teaming up with Henson to perform Miss Piggy, Bert (to Henson's Ernie), among many others, he was also known as being the voice of Yoda in the Star Wars films. Kevin Clash, who has been given recognition in the new documentary Being Elmo, as he is in fact Elmo, or Carroll Spinney, who performs Big Bird and Oscar, are other possibilities.
Then you have Muppeteers that don't receive as much recognition. One of which is the late Richard Hunt. Most of you who aren't Muppet fanatics (For the record, I'm not a Muppet fanatic, but will occasionally watch Muppet related things and do research) would ask: Who's he? The best way to respond is with a follow-up question. Do you remember Scooter, Beaker, or Sweetums? They are Muppets that were performed by Richard Hunt, and performed really well. Scooter, The Muppet Show gofer, was his signature character, but some of his other memorable Muppets include Janice, the female of the Electric Mayhem, and Statler, the clean-shaved grumpy old man on the balcony who sat alongside Waldorf (who was performed by Henson).
Richard Hunt probably had far more interesting characters on Sesame Street. This is not the politically correct edition that shoves the values of eating healthy down our throats or features preschool style characters or large doses of Elmo and other cloying Muppets. Instead, this was the 70s, 80s, and early 90s version that featured humor that kids, adults, and young adults could enjoy. The actual aim was for those in kindergarten or first grade back in the day. Hunt had several characters that could appeal to the adult viewer. This include Forgetful Jones, the cowboy who could forget anything from his name to doing a specific action in one of Kermit's films (for instance in Oklahoma, he went through other vowels besides "O"), to the language he spoke. You also had Placido Flamingo, the opera singing bird with a huge ego, Don Music, a composer who would hit his head on the piano when he got frustrated, and Sonny Friendly, the game show host that served as an alternate to Henson's Guy Smiley. He was teamed up with fellow Muppeteer Jerry Nelson (who performed Kermit's nephew Robin, Floyd from The Electric Mayhem, The Count, among several others) in such roles as being Sulley to Nelson's Biff, as well as the right half to the Two-Headed Monster.
When doing research on Richard Hunt, I found out that he was openly gay. This is actually new information on my part. I knew that he died twenty years ago today (January 7, 1992) from AIDS, but did not know that he had a romantic preference for men. It seems to make more sense as to why he died from AIDS, despite the fact that this is not always the reason for such a death. Nonetheless, he was said to be the personality on the set. Incoming Muppeteers would meet with him when getting acquainted with the set and he would often perform with his Muppets off the stage for guests, such as the weekly guest on The Muppet Show. He was only forty at the time of his death, thus I can strongly believe that he would still be performing to this day had he still been around. It was indeed a big loss, as Hunt not only provided a stronghold for The Muppet Show, but also a strong dose of the comic relief on Sesame Street that just about anyone could relate to.
Richard Hunt made a strong contribution to the world of Muppetry. While his characters were never as mainstream, like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Big Bird, Elmo, or Cookie Monster, his characters provided enough entertainment for the viewer. Throughout his life, he is most famous for the life he provided through his Muppets. If your job is to be a Muppeteer, that is exactly what you should be doing. An award was named in his honor for specific Muppeteers who showed as much dedication to their role as he did.
Then you have Muppeteers that don't receive as much recognition. One of which is the late Richard Hunt. Most of you who aren't Muppet fanatics (For the record, I'm not a Muppet fanatic, but will occasionally watch Muppet related things and do research) would ask: Who's he? The best way to respond is with a follow-up question. Do you remember Scooter, Beaker, or Sweetums? They are Muppets that were performed by Richard Hunt, and performed really well. Scooter, The Muppet Show gofer, was his signature character, but some of his other memorable Muppets include Janice, the female of the Electric Mayhem, and Statler, the clean-shaved grumpy old man on the balcony who sat alongside Waldorf (who was performed by Henson).
Richard Hunt probably had far more interesting characters on Sesame Street. This is not the politically correct edition that shoves the values of eating healthy down our throats or features preschool style characters or large doses of Elmo and other cloying Muppets. Instead, this was the 70s, 80s, and early 90s version that featured humor that kids, adults, and young adults could enjoy. The actual aim was for those in kindergarten or first grade back in the day. Hunt had several characters that could appeal to the adult viewer. This include Forgetful Jones, the cowboy who could forget anything from his name to doing a specific action in one of Kermit's films (for instance in Oklahoma, he went through other vowels besides "O"), to the language he spoke. You also had Placido Flamingo, the opera singing bird with a huge ego, Don Music, a composer who would hit his head on the piano when he got frustrated, and Sonny Friendly, the game show host that served as an alternate to Henson's Guy Smiley. He was teamed up with fellow Muppeteer Jerry Nelson (who performed Kermit's nephew Robin, Floyd from The Electric Mayhem, The Count, among several others) in such roles as being Sulley to Nelson's Biff, as well as the right half to the Two-Headed Monster.
When doing research on Richard Hunt, I found out that he was openly gay. This is actually new information on my part. I knew that he died twenty years ago today (January 7, 1992) from AIDS, but did not know that he had a romantic preference for men. It seems to make more sense as to why he died from AIDS, despite the fact that this is not always the reason for such a death. Nonetheless, he was said to be the personality on the set. Incoming Muppeteers would meet with him when getting acquainted with the set and he would often perform with his Muppets off the stage for guests, such as the weekly guest on The Muppet Show. He was only forty at the time of his death, thus I can strongly believe that he would still be performing to this day had he still been around. It was indeed a big loss, as Hunt not only provided a stronghold for The Muppet Show, but also a strong dose of the comic relief on Sesame Street that just about anyone could relate to.
Richard Hunt made a strong contribution to the world of Muppetry. While his characters were never as mainstream, like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Big Bird, Elmo, or Cookie Monster, his characters provided enough entertainment for the viewer. Throughout his life, he is most famous for the life he provided through his Muppets. If your job is to be a Muppeteer, that is exactly what you should be doing. An award was named in his honor for specific Muppeteers who showed as much dedication to their role as he did.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Movie Review: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
I am an avid fan of the Millennium Trilogy. I have been a fan since I thoroughly enjoyed the book in which the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson wrote back in 2004. I read the book over the summer and it was the second best book I read last year. The film came out two weeks ago, but I got in while it was in theaters, so that's all that really matters. The film was an enjoyable experience that cut down some of what was in the book, but still remained faithful to the basic concepts of the film. That is all that should really matter.
Mikael Blomkvist is played by Daniel Craig. I have enjoyed Craig's acting, especially when he portrayed James Bond in Casino Royale. He does not disappoint in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and provides just the right personality in which Blomkvist should have. Blomkvist is a journalist who runs the Millennium magazine, but is targeted by Hans-Erik Wennerstrom, a businessman who is targeting Blomkvist in a libel case. One of the key differences between the novel and film is that Blomkvist does NOT go to jail in the film, as he does in the novel. Though in the novel, him going to jail doesn't really play such an effect to the plot. Blomkvist meets Henrik Vanger (played by Christopher Plummer), who wants him to solve the case of his missing great-niece, Harriet. Vanger is the owner of a giant corporation and lives on a Swedish island with members of his family, all of which are separated and do not speak to one another. In exchange for solving the case, Vanger will provide Blomkvist with the information he needs to order to defeat Wennerstrom in a case.
Meanwhile, computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, played brilliantly by up and rising actress Rooney Mara, is overlooking these events and is ultimately tagged by Blomkvist to help with this ongoing case. Salander is a social misfit (who may have Asperger's Syndrome, but may not) who bares tattoos and piercings, and has a new guardian, Nils Bjurman (played by Yorick van Wageningen), who controls her financial assets after her old guardian suffers a stroke. Bjurman exchanges finances for acts of sexual activity, which become more extreme during each deal. To add to this, Bjurman is a middle-aged creep. Salander does get her revenge on him. Salander forms a chemistry with Blomkvist that sets the stage for a good team that's solving a good case.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo demonstrates that the Millennium Trilogy is a series that viewers should be taking seriously. In two hours and thirty-eight minutes, the film shows an exciting crime thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You never know who is going to do what next. The acting was completely on key and those participating in the film should be considered for Academy Award nominations. At the very least, Rooney Mara should be considered for a nomination as Best Actress.
Is it worth seeing in theaters? Absolutely! Go and enjoy, because that's what you're going to do. The film is R-rated for violence and language, but more so for the sex and nudity that's featured in the film. That's the story, however, and this is supposed to be an extreme novel. The original novel translates to Men Who Hate Women, which plays the theme of disgusting men who are engaging in disgusting acts against women. With that being said, the Millennium Trilogy is worth your time and attention and you will most definitely enjoy the novel and film. I will really look into reading the remainder of the series and attend the movies when they're released in the years to come.
Verdict: 10/10
Mikael Blomkvist is played by Daniel Craig. I have enjoyed Craig's acting, especially when he portrayed James Bond in Casino Royale. He does not disappoint in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and provides just the right personality in which Blomkvist should have. Blomkvist is a journalist who runs the Millennium magazine, but is targeted by Hans-Erik Wennerstrom, a businessman who is targeting Blomkvist in a libel case. One of the key differences between the novel and film is that Blomkvist does NOT go to jail in the film, as he does in the novel. Though in the novel, him going to jail doesn't really play such an effect to the plot. Blomkvist meets Henrik Vanger (played by Christopher Plummer), who wants him to solve the case of his missing great-niece, Harriet. Vanger is the owner of a giant corporation and lives on a Swedish island with members of his family, all of which are separated and do not speak to one another. In exchange for solving the case, Vanger will provide Blomkvist with the information he needs to order to defeat Wennerstrom in a case.
Meanwhile, computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, played brilliantly by up and rising actress Rooney Mara, is overlooking these events and is ultimately tagged by Blomkvist to help with this ongoing case. Salander is a social misfit (who may have Asperger's Syndrome, but may not) who bares tattoos and piercings, and has a new guardian, Nils Bjurman (played by Yorick van Wageningen), who controls her financial assets after her old guardian suffers a stroke. Bjurman exchanges finances for acts of sexual activity, which become more extreme during each deal. To add to this, Bjurman is a middle-aged creep. Salander does get her revenge on him. Salander forms a chemistry with Blomkvist that sets the stage for a good team that's solving a good case.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo demonstrates that the Millennium Trilogy is a series that viewers should be taking seriously. In two hours and thirty-eight minutes, the film shows an exciting crime thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You never know who is going to do what next. The acting was completely on key and those participating in the film should be considered for Academy Award nominations. At the very least, Rooney Mara should be considered for a nomination as Best Actress.
Is it worth seeing in theaters? Absolutely! Go and enjoy, because that's what you're going to do. The film is R-rated for violence and language, but more so for the sex and nudity that's featured in the film. That's the story, however, and this is supposed to be an extreme novel. The original novel translates to Men Who Hate Women, which plays the theme of disgusting men who are engaging in disgusting acts against women. With that being said, the Millennium Trilogy is worth your time and attention and you will most definitely enjoy the novel and film. I will really look into reading the remainder of the series and attend the movies when they're released in the years to come.
Verdict: 10/10
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Romney Wins The Iowa Caucus By Eight Votes
The results as to how the Iowa Caucuses were going to pan out shifted throughout the primary season. The front-runners happened to be Mitt Romney and somebody else. It began with Michele Bachmann up until the straw poll, which she won, Rick Perry upon his entry into the race, Herman Cain from the time Perry began flubbing in the debates until his many extramarital affairs put a bad taste into the voters mouths, Newt Gingrich followed as sharing the front running status from Cain's demise until too much information flubbed out about Gingrich. By December, Ron Paul garnered some strength and Rick Santorum and his hard work ultimately paid off with some form of recognition.
The Iowa Caucuses came down to Romney, Santorum, and Paul, who finished in this respective order when the night was through. Unlike the 2008 caucus, where Mike Huckabee was projected the winner at 8:35 PM, this race went down to the wire. All three of these candidates stuck around in the 20% range and anyone of them could have had a chance to win. Ultimately, Mitt Romney won by eight votes and 25% of the vote. Rick Santorum also happened to garner 25% of the vote. Ron Paul finished in a strong third with 21%. Santorum happened to capture the similar evangelical, born-again vote that Mike Huckabee carried back in 2008. He surprisingly happened to also garner the Tea Party vote that many would believe would go to Ron Paul. On the contrast, Ron Paul held a strong amount of evangelical, born-again votes. Romney holds the vote on those who are not evangelical, born-again, as well as those who are looking for someone to defeat Barack Obama in the general election. These three candidates indeed come out of the night as the big winners, as the race for them was neck and neck and neck.
As for the others, Newt Gingrich got 13%, Rick Perry got 10%, Michele Bachmann got 5%, Jon Huntsman got 1%, and Herman Cain (who suspended his campaign) and Buddy Roemer picked up under 1% (which were simply double digits in votes). It was no surprise that Huntsman would have low numbers, because he didn't put any time into Iowa, but instead concentrated on New Hampshire. If there's anyone that comes out as a huge loser in the caucus, it's Michele Bachmann. Gingrich did worse than expected, but at least got into double digits. Perry was slipping in support as well, but at least won a few counties and maintained 10%. He could still have some form of comeback in South Carolina and has the tools to do so. Bachmann, on the other hand, had Iowa in a strong threshold in the Ames Straw Poll. Maybe making the double digits would have been somewhat decent for her campaign, but 5% just doesn't make a strong statement. She will be suspending her campaign and rightfully so, as South Carolina would have been her final chance for redemption. Chances are that redemption won't be.
New Hampshire is the next state. It looks like Mitt Romney has this state wrapped up, but we'll have to see what the margin will be. Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman, and Newt Gingrich will be the only other candidates that really contend in this state. Perhaps, Rick Santorum could come in with some form of strong showing, but it is very unlikely that he will make this a race to the end with Romney. He may garner stronger numbers than he intended to, but not enough to win the state. He'll likely just start concentrating on making South Carolina a competitive fight with Romney, Gingrich, and Rick Perry, who will likely concentrate on that state. If Rick Perry is unable to come up with strong numbers in South Carolina, then his race is over. It is unlikely that Huntsman comes up with big numbers in New Hampshire and will likely end his campaign following at best a 10% finish.
Ron Paul is somebody that should be taken more seriously than he has. He has been ignored by the media and dismissed as being a candidate without a chance. Well he came close to winning the caucuses and clearly has strong support from young voters. It is the young voters who will be living throughout the majority of the future, so what they have to say is pretty meaningful. Paul will likely stick around throughout each of the primaries, regardless as to whether or not Romney has been named the nominee (that's to say IF he is the nominee). Paul could contend in New Hampshire and in a few other vague states of which he holds strong support. It's about time that he is taken just as serious as every other candidate that's in the race and he has just as much a chance of winning the nomination.
There will be two debates before the New Hampshire primary, which will likely feature the six top candidates that remain. Plus the second-tier candidates such as Buddy Roemer and Fred Karger will likely drop out after coming in with little support. Roemer may pass 1%, but that's about it. Gary Johnson has already left the Republican party to join the Libertarian party. As for the six that remain, New Hampshire will be something to seriously look at. I will surely have some say about that primary after it occurs on January 10th. The piece may be written the next day, though.
The Iowa Caucuses came down to Romney, Santorum, and Paul, who finished in this respective order when the night was through. Unlike the 2008 caucus, where Mike Huckabee was projected the winner at 8:35 PM, this race went down to the wire. All three of these candidates stuck around in the 20% range and anyone of them could have had a chance to win. Ultimately, Mitt Romney won by eight votes and 25% of the vote. Rick Santorum also happened to garner 25% of the vote. Ron Paul finished in a strong third with 21%. Santorum happened to capture the similar evangelical, born-again vote that Mike Huckabee carried back in 2008. He surprisingly happened to also garner the Tea Party vote that many would believe would go to Ron Paul. On the contrast, Ron Paul held a strong amount of evangelical, born-again votes. Romney holds the vote on those who are not evangelical, born-again, as well as those who are looking for someone to defeat Barack Obama in the general election. These three candidates indeed come out of the night as the big winners, as the race for them was neck and neck and neck.
As for the others, Newt Gingrich got 13%, Rick Perry got 10%, Michele Bachmann got 5%, Jon Huntsman got 1%, and Herman Cain (who suspended his campaign) and Buddy Roemer picked up under 1% (which were simply double digits in votes). It was no surprise that Huntsman would have low numbers, because he didn't put any time into Iowa, but instead concentrated on New Hampshire. If there's anyone that comes out as a huge loser in the caucus, it's Michele Bachmann. Gingrich did worse than expected, but at least got into double digits. Perry was slipping in support as well, but at least won a few counties and maintained 10%. He could still have some form of comeback in South Carolina and has the tools to do so. Bachmann, on the other hand, had Iowa in a strong threshold in the Ames Straw Poll. Maybe making the double digits would have been somewhat decent for her campaign, but 5% just doesn't make a strong statement. She will be suspending her campaign and rightfully so, as South Carolina would have been her final chance for redemption. Chances are that redemption won't be.
New Hampshire is the next state. It looks like Mitt Romney has this state wrapped up, but we'll have to see what the margin will be. Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman, and Newt Gingrich will be the only other candidates that really contend in this state. Perhaps, Rick Santorum could come in with some form of strong showing, but it is very unlikely that he will make this a race to the end with Romney. He may garner stronger numbers than he intended to, but not enough to win the state. He'll likely just start concentrating on making South Carolina a competitive fight with Romney, Gingrich, and Rick Perry, who will likely concentrate on that state. If Rick Perry is unable to come up with strong numbers in South Carolina, then his race is over. It is unlikely that Huntsman comes up with big numbers in New Hampshire and will likely end his campaign following at best a 10% finish.
Ron Paul is somebody that should be taken more seriously than he has. He has been ignored by the media and dismissed as being a candidate without a chance. Well he came close to winning the caucuses and clearly has strong support from young voters. It is the young voters who will be living throughout the majority of the future, so what they have to say is pretty meaningful. Paul will likely stick around throughout each of the primaries, regardless as to whether or not Romney has been named the nominee (that's to say IF he is the nominee). Paul could contend in New Hampshire and in a few other vague states of which he holds strong support. It's about time that he is taken just as serious as every other candidate that's in the race and he has just as much a chance of winning the nomination.
There will be two debates before the New Hampshire primary, which will likely feature the six top candidates that remain. Plus the second-tier candidates such as Buddy Roemer and Fred Karger will likely drop out after coming in with little support. Roemer may pass 1%, but that's about it. Gary Johnson has already left the Republican party to join the Libertarian party. As for the six that remain, New Hampshire will be something to seriously look at. I will surely have some say about that primary after it occurs on January 10th. The piece may be written the next day, though.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Check This Blog: Largehearted Boy
I am one to keep up with my page views and the specific stats behind each of them. I have had over 5,000 of them. Then, I look at the breaking down as to which pages were read and every little detail in between. I noticed that Largehearted Boy became one of the lead ways to my blog and then noticed that I was given the honor to have my list of ten best books from 2011 mentioned as one of the lists. There were other bloggers who made lists, along with lists from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. With all thoughts about being featured aside, I looked deeper into this blog and really enjoyed it. If you hold an interest in music and/or literature, this blog will surely be the blog for you.
David Gutowski is the "Largehearted Boy." He holds an interest in just about anything having to do with music and literature. He also holds interests in comics, graphic novels, food, and pop culture in general. This is demonstrated strongly on this blog. This blog has demonstrated to be more so one that leads the way to discovering more talent, as it mentions specific music. There are also lists of music blogs that listed the best tunes of the year. There is also mention of literature and book blogs that made up lists of the best books that were read during the year. Most recently, Largehearted Boy, as he does each and every year, has made a list of the blogs he recommends for those who are currently following his.
It's great to see someone spreading the word and increasing opportunities for those who share his passions. Largehearted Boy has allowed me to discover many others who share a common passion of reading in my very own personal case. Many of these blogs have themes, such as Christian and Romance, that don't necessarily suit my interests, but they do know how to run a blog. This may very well be the best gateway blog that I have seen in awhile.
Definitely check out Largehearted Boy, most especially if you like to read or listen to music. It is very likely that you'll hit a gold rush of some kind.
David Gutowski is the "Largehearted Boy." He holds an interest in just about anything having to do with music and literature. He also holds interests in comics, graphic novels, food, and pop culture in general. This is demonstrated strongly on this blog. This blog has demonstrated to be more so one that leads the way to discovering more talent, as it mentions specific music. There are also lists of music blogs that listed the best tunes of the year. There is also mention of literature and book blogs that made up lists of the best books that were read during the year. Most recently, Largehearted Boy, as he does each and every year, has made a list of the blogs he recommends for those who are currently following his.
It's great to see someone spreading the word and increasing opportunities for those who share his passions. Largehearted Boy has allowed me to discover many others who share a common passion of reading in my very own personal case. Many of these blogs have themes, such as Christian and Romance, that don't necessarily suit my interests, but they do know how to run a blog. This may very well be the best gateway blog that I have seen in awhile.
Definitely check out Largehearted Boy, most especially if you like to read or listen to music. It is very likely that you'll hit a gold rush of some kind.
Monday, January 2, 2012
How My NFL Regular Season Predictions Turned Out
At the moment we speak, my regular season predictions turned out being fairly strong. There were some bold predictions that didn't seem to come true, but I don't proclaim to be a Nostradamus. I'm just a blogger and aspiring author, not a psychic. I like football and that's that. My Super Bowl prediction could very well be a reality, but we'll just have to wait and see. For 2009, I thought it would be the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl (both teams missed out). For 2010, I thought the Baltimore Ravens would defeat the Green Bay Packers (the Ravens lost in the divisional round and the Packers actually won the big game). This season, I have a bold prediction that could hold true, but there is still a lot of room for upset specials.
I will sort out my thoughts by division to give some organization...
AFC East
My prediction was pretty much accurate. The Patriots not only won the division, but also the #1 seed, the Jets took second, and the Dolphins and Bills dwelled at the bottom. I had figured that the talent that the Patriots demonstrated meant that the AFC would be in their hands. The Jets, while they took second, performed to lower expectations than I believed they would. I thought they would contend for the playoffs once again and cause the havoc in which they did for the last so many seasons. It turns out that they were rocky and ended up 8-8. It was unfortunate how the Bills started out so strong, but then faltered as the season went on. They have a team that's actually performing to good standards, but they just can't translate it into wins, thus their longest playoff drought in the league still remains. I figured the Dolphins would not do a good job, but they did improve during the stretch, and felt that Tony Sparano should have at least kept his job until the end of the season. The only team that matters so much now is the Patriots and their longevity into the playoffs. At the moment we speak, it seems as if it'll come down to them and the Ravens, the Steelers will have to be fortunate enough.
AFC South
This division was a mixed bag, but my important predictions stand. I predicted the Texans would win the division and do so at 10-6 and they did. I predicted the Colts would miss the playoffs for the first time since 2001, and they did. They lost six more games than I thought, but it goes to show you that the team is nothing without Peyton Manning, their talent is weakening, and Jim Caldwell is NOT fit to be their leader. It goes to show you that now is the time to set up for the next generation of the Colts. The Jaguars did worse than I thought, but Jack Del Rio was fired after all of this time. As for the Titans, they did better than I thought. I was thinking they would bomb, but they nearly made the playoffs at 9-7. The Texans look like a weakening team, as Wade Phillips absence showed for a lack of defense and T.J. Yates may now be feeling the heat. Their match against the Bengals may provide them with one win, but in that case, they will NOT get past the Ravens. The AFC South was not a strong division, not the weakest, but not at all strong.
AFC North
It's no surprise that the AFC North was a strong division, since the Ravens and Steelers both finished at 12-4. I did believe the Ravens would go 12-4, but the Steelers would go 13-3 and clinch. However, I can see both teams making it to the divisional round of the playoffs, a prediction that will stand. The Ravens may have a better chance at advancing to the AFC Championship than the Steelers, but that will be something we just have to wait and see happen. The Bengals prediction I made may very well be my boldest prediction that goes up in flames on the negative to positive end. I thought the team was a mess and that they would go 1-15. However, their new talent with rookie QB Andy Dalton and some young, helpful receivers have really provided them with a contending team. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is also a future nominee for a head coaching job, as defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer should be looked at as a coaching nominee right now, with the defense they have. I expected the Browns to not explode, but not falter in the way they did. I was thinking Mike Holmgren was injecting some life into the team, but they have problems that seriously need to be addressed. The Ravens and Steelers are going to be strong going into the playoffs, the former may be stronger than the latter, but any prediction may be included.
AFC West
I just needed to switch the names around and make the numbers a bit more mediocre. I correctly predicted the Raiders being in second and going 8-8, due to the fact Al Davis should have not let Tom Cable go. Also to note, the Chiefs dwelled at the bottom of the division. However, the Chargers did not perform to expectations. They just performed poorly, as they let Darren Sproles go, and Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, and the rest of the offense performed poorly. Rivers and Gates, for the record, need to no longer be considered as Pro Bowl candidates. They were considered this time, but if they keep performing like they did this season, they shouldn't get the votes. The Broncos were the surprise team. Tim Tebow turned out being a quarterback that led the team to several comeback, overtime wins. However, much of the credit for the team's success should be given to the defense and Matt Prater, the kicker. John Fox was also a good fit for the team as head coach. If the Steelers remain healthy, they should easily be able to defeat the Broncos. Winning games in the last moment will not come easy for the Broncos in the playoffs.
NFC East
One thing we know for sure is: The Eagles are NOT the dream team. It seemed like the Eagles had a lot of talent on their roster, but I also mentioned that they could easily crumble, especially if Michael Vick got hurt. He got hurt and the team didn't perform well. However, there was more. Juan Castillo should have not been moved to defensive coordinator, just to make room for Howard Mudd as offensive line coach. The defense performed poorly, especially with the talent on the team. The Cowboys rightfully fell to third, only I said 9-7, instead of the actual 8-8. The Redskins were at the dead bottom, but at 5-11 instead of 3-13. However, the team does not have many issues addressed. If Mike Shanahan wants to remain with the team after 2012, he is going to have to draft a quarterback of the future. Rex Grossman and John Beck are not quarterbacks of the future. Roy Helu and Evan Royster may be a strong pair of running backs, but they need a passing game that will work. The Giants won the division, finally making the playoffs after falling short the last two seasons. The Giants have been inconsistent and their run in the playoffs will all come down to consistency. They could either be the dark horse team that no one saw coming or they could be knocked out quickly.
NFC South
So it turns out that the Saints were a force to be reckoned with. Plus the Falcons made the playoffs in back to back seasons for the first time ever. I believed the Saints would make it, but the Falcons would not. While the Panthers didn't make the playoffs, they did go 6-10 and showed that Cam Newton is an incredibly talented quarterback. It turns out that my boldest positive to negative prediction that went up in flames was that the Buccaneers would win the division and reach the NFC Championship. I felt the team was young and hot, Josh Freeman would progress, and Raheem Morris would make a name for himself as coach. It turns out that the team fell into a huge slump, Josh Freeman regressed, and Raheem Morris demonstrated that he was too ineffective and immature to be a head coach in the NFL, thus he's gone. The Saints could very easily reach the NFC Championship if they defeat the Lions at home and 49ers on the road, which is very likely. They will have a better shot against the Giants or Falcons (likely the Giants in this case) at home than on the road against the Packers. They are far better at home, no dome team has ever won outdoors in the championship, and going to Green Bay, Wisconsin in what will likely be freezing weather will likely not change this. The Falcons haven't won a postseason game since 2004. If the Giants are not put together, they may have a chance. If they are, they may be in for a handful.
NFC North
The order was correctly projected and the one seed for the Packers in the NFC was as well. I knew that the Lions were going to improve, but was surprised that they went to 10-6 and qualified for a spot in the playoffs. That is a good thing, as they haven't reached the playoffs since 1999, leaving the Bills as the only team to not reach the playoffs in the 21st century. The Bears faltered and the Vikings just reeked, not much else to say on that end. As for the Packers and Lions, the playoffs will be interesting. The Packers will likely play the Giants or Falcons. The Giants could shock them if they "show up," as their regular season matchup went down to the wire. The Falcons would have a tougher time in the cold weather, but may have a chance. The Lions will have a difficult time getting past the Saints at home. It's possible, but the chances are slim. The Lions haven't won a postseason game since 1991, the second longest drought, only behind the Bengals, who last won in the postseason in 1990. I predicted the Packers would win in the Super Bowl, and I feel that prediction could hold if they remain strong.
NFC West
Pretty much botched up on the NFC West. I thought the Niners were in store for improvement, but they would need to part ways with Alex Smith. It turns out that Alex Smith is doing excellent and ever since Jim Harbaugh came in, the team has just kept going upward. The Seahawks and Cardinals did fair, but not playoff worthy. As for the Rams, they just bombed. I felt that with Sam Bradford and with the team's close contention in the playoffs last season, they would have a good chance this time around. However, they just crumbled due to injuries and lack of targers for Bradford and all around talent. The 49ers could have a run, but they may very well be stopped by the Saints if the team remains hot and performs well in this road game. Anything could happen, though.
My Super Bowl predictions still stands, the Green Bay Packers defeat the New England Patriots. Just for kicks, here are my updated predictions as to how things will turn out, but will not at all be rejecting anything from the first prediction sheet.
Wilcard
Texans beat Bengals- 23-13
Steelers beat Broncos- 17-3
Saints beat Lions- 49-27
Giants beat Falcons- 31-28
Divisional
Patriots beat Steelers- 27-24
Ravens beat Texans- 20-7
Packers beat Giants- 31-28
Saints beat 49ers- 28-24
Championship
Patriots beat Ravens- 20-17
Packers beat Saints- 56-42
Super Bowl
Packers beat Patriots- 45-31
Let the playoffs begin!
I will sort out my thoughts by division to give some organization...
AFC East
My prediction was pretty much accurate. The Patriots not only won the division, but also the #1 seed, the Jets took second, and the Dolphins and Bills dwelled at the bottom. I had figured that the talent that the Patriots demonstrated meant that the AFC would be in their hands. The Jets, while they took second, performed to lower expectations than I believed they would. I thought they would contend for the playoffs once again and cause the havoc in which they did for the last so many seasons. It turns out that they were rocky and ended up 8-8. It was unfortunate how the Bills started out so strong, but then faltered as the season went on. They have a team that's actually performing to good standards, but they just can't translate it into wins, thus their longest playoff drought in the league still remains. I figured the Dolphins would not do a good job, but they did improve during the stretch, and felt that Tony Sparano should have at least kept his job until the end of the season. The only team that matters so much now is the Patriots and their longevity into the playoffs. At the moment we speak, it seems as if it'll come down to them and the Ravens, the Steelers will have to be fortunate enough.
AFC South
This division was a mixed bag, but my important predictions stand. I predicted the Texans would win the division and do so at 10-6 and they did. I predicted the Colts would miss the playoffs for the first time since 2001, and they did. They lost six more games than I thought, but it goes to show you that the team is nothing without Peyton Manning, their talent is weakening, and Jim Caldwell is NOT fit to be their leader. It goes to show you that now is the time to set up for the next generation of the Colts. The Jaguars did worse than I thought, but Jack Del Rio was fired after all of this time. As for the Titans, they did better than I thought. I was thinking they would bomb, but they nearly made the playoffs at 9-7. The Texans look like a weakening team, as Wade Phillips absence showed for a lack of defense and T.J. Yates may now be feeling the heat. Their match against the Bengals may provide them with one win, but in that case, they will NOT get past the Ravens. The AFC South was not a strong division, not the weakest, but not at all strong.
AFC North
It's no surprise that the AFC North was a strong division, since the Ravens and Steelers both finished at 12-4. I did believe the Ravens would go 12-4, but the Steelers would go 13-3 and clinch. However, I can see both teams making it to the divisional round of the playoffs, a prediction that will stand. The Ravens may have a better chance at advancing to the AFC Championship than the Steelers, but that will be something we just have to wait and see happen. The Bengals prediction I made may very well be my boldest prediction that goes up in flames on the negative to positive end. I thought the team was a mess and that they would go 1-15. However, their new talent with rookie QB Andy Dalton and some young, helpful receivers have really provided them with a contending team. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is also a future nominee for a head coaching job, as defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer should be looked at as a coaching nominee right now, with the defense they have. I expected the Browns to not explode, but not falter in the way they did. I was thinking Mike Holmgren was injecting some life into the team, but they have problems that seriously need to be addressed. The Ravens and Steelers are going to be strong going into the playoffs, the former may be stronger than the latter, but any prediction may be included.
AFC West
I just needed to switch the names around and make the numbers a bit more mediocre. I correctly predicted the Raiders being in second and going 8-8, due to the fact Al Davis should have not let Tom Cable go. Also to note, the Chiefs dwelled at the bottom of the division. However, the Chargers did not perform to expectations. They just performed poorly, as they let Darren Sproles go, and Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, and the rest of the offense performed poorly. Rivers and Gates, for the record, need to no longer be considered as Pro Bowl candidates. They were considered this time, but if they keep performing like they did this season, they shouldn't get the votes. The Broncos were the surprise team. Tim Tebow turned out being a quarterback that led the team to several comeback, overtime wins. However, much of the credit for the team's success should be given to the defense and Matt Prater, the kicker. John Fox was also a good fit for the team as head coach. If the Steelers remain healthy, they should easily be able to defeat the Broncos. Winning games in the last moment will not come easy for the Broncos in the playoffs.
NFC East
One thing we know for sure is: The Eagles are NOT the dream team. It seemed like the Eagles had a lot of talent on their roster, but I also mentioned that they could easily crumble, especially if Michael Vick got hurt. He got hurt and the team didn't perform well. However, there was more. Juan Castillo should have not been moved to defensive coordinator, just to make room for Howard Mudd as offensive line coach. The defense performed poorly, especially with the talent on the team. The Cowboys rightfully fell to third, only I said 9-7, instead of the actual 8-8. The Redskins were at the dead bottom, but at 5-11 instead of 3-13. However, the team does not have many issues addressed. If Mike Shanahan wants to remain with the team after 2012, he is going to have to draft a quarterback of the future. Rex Grossman and John Beck are not quarterbacks of the future. Roy Helu and Evan Royster may be a strong pair of running backs, but they need a passing game that will work. The Giants won the division, finally making the playoffs after falling short the last two seasons. The Giants have been inconsistent and their run in the playoffs will all come down to consistency. They could either be the dark horse team that no one saw coming or they could be knocked out quickly.
NFC South
So it turns out that the Saints were a force to be reckoned with. Plus the Falcons made the playoffs in back to back seasons for the first time ever. I believed the Saints would make it, but the Falcons would not. While the Panthers didn't make the playoffs, they did go 6-10 and showed that Cam Newton is an incredibly talented quarterback. It turns out that my boldest positive to negative prediction that went up in flames was that the Buccaneers would win the division and reach the NFC Championship. I felt the team was young and hot, Josh Freeman would progress, and Raheem Morris would make a name for himself as coach. It turns out that the team fell into a huge slump, Josh Freeman regressed, and Raheem Morris demonstrated that he was too ineffective and immature to be a head coach in the NFL, thus he's gone. The Saints could very easily reach the NFC Championship if they defeat the Lions at home and 49ers on the road, which is very likely. They will have a better shot against the Giants or Falcons (likely the Giants in this case) at home than on the road against the Packers. They are far better at home, no dome team has ever won outdoors in the championship, and going to Green Bay, Wisconsin in what will likely be freezing weather will likely not change this. The Falcons haven't won a postseason game since 2004. If the Giants are not put together, they may have a chance. If they are, they may be in for a handful.
NFC North
The order was correctly projected and the one seed for the Packers in the NFC was as well. I knew that the Lions were going to improve, but was surprised that they went to 10-6 and qualified for a spot in the playoffs. That is a good thing, as they haven't reached the playoffs since 1999, leaving the Bills as the only team to not reach the playoffs in the 21st century. The Bears faltered and the Vikings just reeked, not much else to say on that end. As for the Packers and Lions, the playoffs will be interesting. The Packers will likely play the Giants or Falcons. The Giants could shock them if they "show up," as their regular season matchup went down to the wire. The Falcons would have a tougher time in the cold weather, but may have a chance. The Lions will have a difficult time getting past the Saints at home. It's possible, but the chances are slim. The Lions haven't won a postseason game since 1991, the second longest drought, only behind the Bengals, who last won in the postseason in 1990. I predicted the Packers would win in the Super Bowl, and I feel that prediction could hold if they remain strong.
NFC West
Pretty much botched up on the NFC West. I thought the Niners were in store for improvement, but they would need to part ways with Alex Smith. It turns out that Alex Smith is doing excellent and ever since Jim Harbaugh came in, the team has just kept going upward. The Seahawks and Cardinals did fair, but not playoff worthy. As for the Rams, they just bombed. I felt that with Sam Bradford and with the team's close contention in the playoffs last season, they would have a good chance this time around. However, they just crumbled due to injuries and lack of targers for Bradford and all around talent. The 49ers could have a run, but they may very well be stopped by the Saints if the team remains hot and performs well in this road game. Anything could happen, though.
My Super Bowl predictions still stands, the Green Bay Packers defeat the New England Patriots. Just for kicks, here are my updated predictions as to how things will turn out, but will not at all be rejecting anything from the first prediction sheet.
Wilcard
Texans beat Bengals- 23-13
Steelers beat Broncos- 17-3
Saints beat Lions- 49-27
Giants beat Falcons- 31-28
Divisional
Patriots beat Steelers- 27-24
Ravens beat Texans- 20-7
Packers beat Giants- 31-28
Saints beat 49ers- 28-24
Championship
Patriots beat Ravens- 20-17
Packers beat Saints- 56-42
Super Bowl
Packers beat Patriots- 45-31
Let the playoffs begin!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Ringing In 2012
I would like to start out by wishing my readers a Happy New Year! We have made it to 2012 and this looks like a huge year up ahead. 2011 was the year in which I found a new home for Caponomics on Blogger. Before last year, the column was simply featured in newsletters and on Facebook. 2011 kind of reminding me of skiing on some slops, as there were several up and down moments throughout the year. Let's hope 2012 is a mountain climbing experience that doesn't have any downward direction. Well, I do expect a rocky ride, but that's a part of life. Just something that will allow more upward direction.
I accomplished a lot with Caponomics during the first nine months on Blogger. I wrote 115 posts, ranging in a variety of topics. I have had over 5,000 page views from readers across the globe. I have 10 followers and some honorable mentions from those who have read my posts. It was such an honor to have my list of ten best books from 2011 featured on a list of lists on the music and literature blog Largehearted Boy. Besides my mention, it really looks like an interesting blog that I will really look into blogging about soon.
Speaking of what's on tap, I shall discuss things that I will be blogging about within the upcoming year. I am not confirming that I will be writing about these topics, but these are strong ideas. Those that will be written really soon will be more likely to be written. Within the upcoming week, I will be evaluating my own NFL predictions and seeing how accurate my picks actually were compared to the real picks. I will also be making my playoff predictions and how I think each team will do, scores included. On January 3rd, the Iowa Caucuses will kick off the Republican primaries. I will be giving my few cents as to the outcome of the event. I will really look into doing the same with New Hampshire, South Carolina, and the many other contests. Also to be included in my upcoming posts will be the segments that I created last year. There should be a good amount coming early in the year.
On March 9th, I will be celebrating my first year anniversary of bringing Caponomics to Blogger. I will definitely have to think of something special. Maybe include some highlights from the first year of blogging, which is continuing to be an excellent experience. I also hope to match, break, or at least come close to the number of books I read this past year. For the record, I will NOT be reading Twilight.
Along with my blogging, I'm also hoping to increase my fiction writing, which I do during my own time. I found a contest that I'm interested in entering and am currently working on that specific entry. Becoming successful in the writing field is a challenge in itself, but it's able to be accomplished, and that's all that matters.
I really look forward to the adventures that 2012 will be bringing. I could see a year with a ton of adventure on the way. I hope everyone has a wonderful year and comes closer to being able to accomplish their dreams!
I accomplished a lot with Caponomics during the first nine months on Blogger. I wrote 115 posts, ranging in a variety of topics. I have had over 5,000 page views from readers across the globe. I have 10 followers and some honorable mentions from those who have read my posts. It was such an honor to have my list of ten best books from 2011 featured on a list of lists on the music and literature blog Largehearted Boy. Besides my mention, it really looks like an interesting blog that I will really look into blogging about soon.
Speaking of what's on tap, I shall discuss things that I will be blogging about within the upcoming year. I am not confirming that I will be writing about these topics, but these are strong ideas. Those that will be written really soon will be more likely to be written. Within the upcoming week, I will be evaluating my own NFL predictions and seeing how accurate my picks actually were compared to the real picks. I will also be making my playoff predictions and how I think each team will do, scores included. On January 3rd, the Iowa Caucuses will kick off the Republican primaries. I will be giving my few cents as to the outcome of the event. I will really look into doing the same with New Hampshire, South Carolina, and the many other contests. Also to be included in my upcoming posts will be the segments that I created last year. There should be a good amount coming early in the year.
On March 9th, I will be celebrating my first year anniversary of bringing Caponomics to Blogger. I will definitely have to think of something special. Maybe include some highlights from the first year of blogging, which is continuing to be an excellent experience. I also hope to match, break, or at least come close to the number of books I read this past year. For the record, I will NOT be reading Twilight.
Along with my blogging, I'm also hoping to increase my fiction writing, which I do during my own time. I found a contest that I'm interested in entering and am currently working on that specific entry. Becoming successful in the writing field is a challenge in itself, but it's able to be accomplished, and that's all that matters.
I really look forward to the adventures that 2012 will be bringing. I could see a year with a ton of adventure on the way. I hope everyone has a wonderful year and comes closer to being able to accomplish their dreams!
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