2016 Pro Bowl Answers All of the Questions

What a waste of time the NFL Pro Bowl is.  Understanding that the players don't want to risk a career threatening injury, the game is an emasculated version of tackle football.  On defense, you have to have four down linemen and 3 Linebackers.  You can't blitz or play nickel or dime coverages in a cover 2 or 3.  It is basically youth football. On offense, you have to have a running back and 2 wide receivers.  What better way to celebrate than a half hearted live blog? It is childs' play.  As it goes in 2016.

The Pro Bowl is making it more of a spectacle though by requiring that the players are drafted by Jerry Rice or Michael Irving.  A cheater and a drug addict are showcased as honorary captains.  And so it goes in 2016.

I asked G why he likes watching it and his offer was elusive.  "Why don't you like it Dad?  Its the best players playing against the best players!"  I get it.  Russell Wilson throwing it to DeAndre Hopkins is exciting yes.  But any pro Bowl with Eli Manning is not a pro bowl of the best players playing against the best players.  I see Eli get sacked with a quick whistle and I can't help but think that this is a sham.  Eli's career that is.  And so it goes in 2016.

And why are they punting in this game?  And why are they spending time talking about how the punter can punt it several different ways.

Wait, why are they treating the end of the First Quarter like the end of the half?  Even G thinks this is weird. Meanwhile, Jon Gruden and Mike Tirico are trying to talk to Michael Irving and we hear that his ear piece was taken off.  This is presumably because he is too fired up after they take a 14-7 lead, then a 21-7 lead.  He's going nuts.  And so it goes in 2016.

David Carr with a great throw to TY Hilton for the 50 yard touchdown catch.  That was then negated by instant replay.  Dean Blandino makes the call.  No Patriots involved.  This is surprising since I also hear the plays coming in on offense.  The Patriots must be involved with that.  And AJ Green with a great catch on a throw that was up for grabs.  Things are happening so fast.

And with that, G calls it quits.  I am not going to keep writing if he's gone.

Hickory Hoosiers Pacers Via Text

Who knew that the one night that the Indiana Pacers would celebrate the 30th anniversary of the team that inspired the movie "Hoosiers" would be the night that I couldn't go to the Celtics game?  Who knew that the tickets would be really good, right under the basket?  Who knew that I probably could have gone because the conference call never really materialized and I was home by 6:30?  So many "what ifs" with no real answers.  Luckily, LC went to the game with C, one of C's friends, G and DLG. 

This all came about because LC's school was giving away tickets to see a singing group from the school sing the National Anthem.  One innocuous question to a friend of ours led to much better seats. 

And she was able to text pictures and tidbits about the game. Not to rub it in, I presume...

7:38 pm.  "Third Row Court side"

Hmm, Chris Mannix looks like a poor man's Bill Simmons.  But I know Bill Simmons and Chris Mannix is no Bill Simmons.

I then texted LC to tell the kids to stop using Snapchat as I get a text from our cell phone carrier about our data.  Wonderful.

8:02 pm  "I will give them a few snap chats tonight.  This is pretty cool."

8:15pm  "You've got to get powerball tickets"  My luck ran out when I was 14 years old.  Forget about it, although the sentiment is there.

I then asked her what side she was sitting on.  I then asked her if she noticed Indiana's uniforms.  Hoosiers is my favorite movie after all.

8:19pm.  "Where Pacers are shooting" then "to the left of the basket"  I start craning my neck every time the Pacers have the ball to see if I can see them, thinking that if i moved my neck in a certain way that the camera will turn to them from a different angle.

8:19pm.  "Oh yeah"  I guess she didn't notice the odd maroon and gold lame uniforms with the Hickory on it.  I guess she was just making me feel better or courting me when she said she liked Hoosiers too. 

8:30pm.  "Just on Jumbo from"  I presume that this was meant to read Jumbotron.  But Jumbo from is funnier and inserted here unedited.  This was one of the highlights of the game as I heard all about the embarrassment that the boys were caused by their dancing Mama.

I ask her then to get a picture of their uniforms.  this is what I got back from her.  A picture of the Celtics cheerleaders/dancers.

9:33pm  "These uniforms?"  She asks me.  Come on for crying aloud.  Just send me a cool picture of the Hickory High uniforms, please.  I have to admit, I'm unsure if they are posing for a picture here.  2 seem to be. Two seem not to be and one seems to be looking at the camera in a "Don't take my picture" sort of way.

She then obliged with a Hickory High picture.

10:13pm  "Got a good one."  That is a good one.  I have to admit that I am unsure who that is.  But it is still a pretty cool picture.  One correction.  It's the 30th anniversary of the movie, not of the team.  I guess that makes sense.  Those uniforms do not scream 1980's to me.  They really don't.

LC then sends me a picture of an oblivious C as two cheerleaders lean on his seat.  So oblivious that I won't post it.

Ultimately, I did not see the kids on TV, but everyone came home really excited about the game. I think DLG was still awake she was so excited about the food, the jumbo from and the game. Even LC had a good time and she didn't even know about the Hoosiers.  All because LC wanted to see some singing group members.  I'm bummed I couldn't go.