Category: Sports

Mostly stuff about football…

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DOWNLOAD: Steelers 2014-15 Schedule for Outlook!

The NFL released the official 2014-15 schedule today, and for the 12th straight year, I’ve got your Pittsburgh Steelers schedule for Outlook ready to go!

Once again I have made a few changes to the schedule:

As with last year, I marked the end times of 13:00 games at 16:25 instead of 16:15.

Last year I dropped the asterisks for flex games, because I figured that if you like football enough to want to add it to your Outlook calendar, then you probably already knew how flex scheduling worked. The NFL made several significant changes to the way flex scheduling works for the upcoming season (summary here), so I added the asterisks for flex games back to the schedule,

Just like last year, I have put all versions of the calendar into one download package:

steelers_2014.csv is the Steelers schedule only, for Outlook\Yahoo!
steelers_2014.ics is the Steelers schedule only, for Gmail\iDevices
steelers_nfl_2014.csv is the Steelers schedule and NFL playoffs, for Outlook\Yahoo!
steelers_nfl_2014.ics is the Steelers schedule and NFL playoffs, for Gmail\iDevices

Please choose wisely when it’s time to import your calendar!

Pittsburgh Steelers 2014-2015 Schedule

For more information (including complete instructions), click the “Continue Reading” link below!

Continue reading “DOWNLOAD: Steelers 2014-15 Schedule for Outlook!”

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Subtle Humor?

I have been a Georgia Tech fan my whole life. As I explained in this post, one of the school’s oldest and most cherished traditions is that of a fictitious student named George P. Burdell.

Created as a prank in 1927 when a student accidentally received two enrollment forms, “Burdell” went on to get a bachelor’s degree from Tech, as well as a master’s. Burdell went on to serve on many USAAF bombers and USN submarines in WWII, was listed as a member of Mad Magazine’s board of directors from 1969-1981, was a production assistant at South Park Studios, and, for a brief period in 1991, was the name and signature Kraft Foods used on rebate-refund checks sent to consumers.

That’s what made this week’s episode of The Blacklist so amusing. The episode had an aerial shot of a university:

vlcsnap-2014-04-23-12h55m14s65

which is actually Georgia Tech. But what name did the writers give the school?

vlcsnap-2014-04-23-12h55m23s7

tee-hee!!

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SIMON’S PICKS – SUPER BOWL XLVIII

SimonHey, y’all! Simon here! So… this is it, huh? The hour is almost upon us: SUPER BOWL XLVIII! Hard to believe the season is over so quickly… Time flies when you’re almost 8 years old! I finished the season (and playoffs) at 166-99… let’s see if I can keep the losses in double-digits this weekend! I love y’all and hope you have a GREAT off-season!

 

SUPER BOWL XLVIII – Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos: Well, this should be a heck of a battle, huh? This is the first time that a #1 offense has net a #1 defense in the Super Bowl. Ever! Denver is averaging an amazing 37.9 points per game (PPG), almost 15 points higher than the league average. On the other hand, Seattle is allowing only 14.4 points per game, which is 9 points lower than the league average. The difference – 23.4 PPG – is the largest for any Super Bowl… by far. But enough with all the numbers higgeldy-giggledy… who’s going to actually win this thing?

Simon’s money is on the Broncos. Yes, the Seahawks have a great defense that’ll keep the game fairly close. If it were a shootout, the Broncos would have the definite edge, and I think Denver’s defense is “just good enough” to keep Seattle in check. Don’t get me wrong – Seattle’s offense is pretty good – and that Russell Wilson is ABOUT HANDSOME, am I right ladies? – but when it comes to Super Bowls, age and experience matter, and Pey Pey has that in spades. Like, a LOT (in case you missed it, Peyton is almost 13 years older than Russell Wilson). And now that Simon’s close to the 8 year mark, he’ll go with experience over raw beauty (although WHAT BEAUTY it is!). Also, daddy sez I have to pull for Denver because Demaryius Thomas went to Georgia Tech. Hey, he’s also handsome! WHY DON’T YOU COME SAY HEY TO SIMON, DEMARYIUS?

I hope y’all had fun reading the picks this year! The Simon is going to bone up – wink! wink! – on some football during the offseason, and promises to do EVEN BETTER next year!

Love y’all!

XOXOXOXOXO

– The Simon!

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Georgia Tech 2014 Football Schedule for Outlook!

The ACC released the 2014 football schedule today, and I’ve created downloadable versions of Georgia Tech’s schedule that work with either Microsoft Outlook or Gmail and Apple devices.

As you probably know, game times and TV coverage aren’t sometimes known in college football until a few days before the game. So, unlike my Steelers schedules (which include the kickoff time and TV network), this schedule has the games starting at 8AM the day of and lists the game location instead of the network, as in “Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA”, instead of “ESPN2″. A reminder is scheduled for 13:00 (1:00PM ET) the day before each game.

The schedule is available in two formats: the traditional CSV format (Microsoft Outlook and Yahoo! Calendar) and the iCalendar format (used by Google Calendar and Apple devices). The CSV version of the schedule is compatible with Microsoft Outlook 98 or later. It might also work other calendar apps that can import events from CSV files; it has only been tested with Outlook 2010, however. The iCal version of the schedule has not been tested at all. I used this handy online tool to convert the CSV to iCal format. If you experience any problems with it, please take it up with the converter’s author and not me!

Like last year, I put the CSV and iCal files into the same download package. Be sure to import the right one after downloading!

Georgia Tech 2014 Football Schedule

*     *     *

Outlook users may follow these simple instructions to import the schedule. Make sure to read the all the directions below before you begin, as there are some options you may wish to change before importing the calendar:

  1. Download the file to your desktop and unzip.
  2. For OUTLOOK 2007 and earlier: select “File” > “Import and Export” > “Import from another program or file”, then click “Next”. For OUTLOOK 2010: Select “File” > “Open” > “Import” > “Import from another program or file”, then click “Next”.
  3. Choose “Comma Separated Values (Windows)”, then click “Next”.
  4. Use the “Browse” button to select the CSV file you unzipped in step 1.
  5. On the next screen make sure to select “Calendar” as the destination then click “Next” and “Finish”.

DISABLING REMINDERS: If you wish to disable the reminders, open the CSV file and change the value of “reminder on/off” (column G) to FALSE for each game before you import the Calendar into Outlook.

CHANGING “SHOW TIME AS”: By default, the entries will display their time as “Free” on your calendar. If you wish to change this to something else, change the value of each entry in Column V (“Show Time As”) from FREE to “1? (Tentative), “2? (Busy), “3? (Free) or “4? (Out of the Office) – without the quotes.

TROUBLESHOOTING: If you try to import the schedule but don’t see any of the games listed in your calendar, shut Outlook down (open Task Manager to make sure that OUTLOOK.EXE is not running) and re-open Outlook and try the import again. If you’re still having problems, leave a comment below and I’ll try to help!

VERSION INFORMATION: These files were tested on January 22, 2014 on a computer running Windows 7 Ultimate x64 and 32-bit Microsoft Office 2010. It was scanned with Avira Free Antivirus and found to be virus-free. It’s the exact same file I’ve used for a decade now, so it should work for just about everyone.
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SIMON’S PICKS – Championship Weekend

SimonHey, y’all! Simon here! Wow… after going 0-4 on Wild Card weekend, I went 3-1 last week! And that one loss makes me SO SAD! Poor Cam! Poor Panthers! My hometown kitties put in a great fight, but it just wasn’t enough to beat the 49ers! Come to my house Cam… I’ll comfort you! Anyway, here are the picks for CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND! 

 

New England at Denver: Well, well… here’s another round of Brady vs, Manning! This game should be AWESOME! Now, conventional wisdom says that the Broncos should win this game. And they may very well do that. But you can’t ever underestimate the Patriots! Here’s something to think about: as of now, the Patriots are 4½ point underdogs in this game. Not including this game, the Pats have been 4+ points underdogs only 7 times since 2002… and they’re 5-2 in those games (and one of those losses happened in 2009 against Houston, when the Pats had already secured a spot in the playoffs and Belichick rested most of the starters). So, really, the Pats are 5-1 in games in which they are 4+ point dogs, and the one loss was against the Raiders all the way back in 2002. Sure, the Broncos might seem unbeatable at times. But the Chargers took them to the brink. This will be a close game, but I think the Patriots will win. And Tom Terrific will look fabulous doing so! Right, ladies?  

San Francisco at Seattle: Simon just doesn’t know what to think about this game. You’d think he’d pull for the 49ers (Goooooooo boyyyyssss!). But he just doesn’t like that big ol’ doofus Colin Kaepernick (learn how to wear a hat properly, dummy!) And, of course, The Simon is not a big fan of Seattle, whose fans are STILL wining about the officiating in Super Bowl XL. So what to do? The line is anywhere from 2½ to 3½ in favor of Seattle, mostly because they’re the home team, and damn if that’s a hard place to play. I expect the home crowd to be JACKED UP for the game, and I think that will be Seattle’s (tiny) edge. It will be close. It’ll be very close. But I think the Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl!

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Quote of the Day

“He had no teeth, and he was slobbering all over himself. I’m thinking, ‘You can have your money back, just get me out of here. Let me go be an accountant.’ I can’t tell you how badly I wanted out of there.”

– John Elway, on Jack Lambert, after Lambert
knocked Elway out of his first game in 1983.

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SIMON’S PICKS – DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

SimonHey, y’all! Simon here! Wellllll… do I have egg on my face or what? The Simon went 0-4 on Wild Card weekend… I haven’t been shut out like that since one time I went to a biker bar!

Let’s see if ol’ Simon can do better this weekend! 

 

New Orleans at Seattle: Simon was sure that New Orleans would stink it up on the road… and – of course – they played like champs! Not sure about this weekend, though. The Saints still aren’t a good road team, and they’re headed into one of the toughest venues in all of football. And they’re gonna have to go against that handsome Russell Wilson, too! Eeeek! The Simon thinks the Seahawks will win, but it’ll be close.

Indianapolis at New England: I keep thinking about how weak this Patriots team looks, but they just keep winning and winning! And no one in football knows how to win big games better than Tom Terrific and Emperor Palpatine Bill Belichick. The Colts might make it a game, but I think the Patriots win in the end.

San Francisco at Carolina: OMG, girl! Are you excited? I KNOW I am! My HOMETOWN Carolina Kitties are gonna take on the 49ers and that big doofus Colin Kaepernick… and win! At least I hope so. The Cardiac Cats beat them once already this season, and knowing them it’ll come down to the last minute. But I hope, hope, hope my main man Cam is able to pull out a win for the Panthers! Y’all know I’ll be drinking a cup of steamin’ hot chocolate in his honor this Sunday!

San Diego at Denver: Y’all wanna know something amazing? These two teams have played each other over a hundred times… but have never faced each other in the playoffs! That’s wild! We all know the Broncos can be vulnerable, but I think Mr Forehead Pey Pey will lead the team to victory this week, setting up another Manning-Brady rematch for the ages! So take the Broncos to win this one, baby!

Fingers crossed I do better this week! Love y’all!

XOXOXOXOXO

– The Simon

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SIMON’S PICKS – WILD CARD WEEKEND

SimonHey, y’all! Sorry these picks are so late! I’ve been busy, busy the past few days napping and well… you know how it is! Simon knocked it out of the park last week, going 14-2. That’s 162-93 for the season, which isn’t too shabby! But Wildcard Weekend is upon us, and with how WILD the NFL has been this season, who knows? I’ll do my best to pick those winners, however! Enjoy the picks!

 

Kansas City at Indianapolis: Well, this one is confusing! Both teams ended the regular season at 11-5, and in The Simon’s opinion, Kansas City has looked better overall than the Colts. And the Chiefs even almost beat the Chargers last week with mostly second and third stringers. But while I’m wanting to pick Kansas City, I can’t help but remember that the Chiefs also went 1-5 against teams with winning records this year. WHAT DO I DO? I think I’ll pick a team based on how fabulous their uniforms are. BUT DANGIT… they’re both so boring! Kansas City… red and boring. Indianapolis… blue and boring. So let’s decide the game based on who has the cutest quarterback! Andrew Luck sure can be cute at times… but can also look like a dumb jock, too. Alex Smith is also a dumb jock, but is slightly more handsome. So I’m picking the Chiefs!

New Orleans at Philadelphia: OK, this one’s a little bit easier. If the Saints were playing at home, it would be a no-brainer to pick them to win. But while the Saints were a perfect 8-0 at home this year, they were also a middling 3-5 on the road. And the Saints are a dome team… playing in 20F weather! There will be an estimated two to three million pounds of snow at the Linc before the game. Sure, Drew Brees is handsome, and has plenty of experience in winning the big games… but I just think Mother Nature (and Nick Foles) will lead the Eagles to victory. But it could be close.

San Diego at Cincinnati: This will be the least interesting game of the playoffs. Sure, Philip Rivers knows how to win, and the Chargers have won four in a row. But the Bengals just have too much talent overall, especially on defense. I think this is the closest thing to a “lock” in the playoffs!

San Francisco at Green Bay: Now THIS should be a game, girls! Sunday’s high temperature is expected to be 3F in Green Bay, and by kickoff, the mercury should be at a bitterly cold -2F… and that’s not including wind chill! The Packers will be handing out free handwarmers and will be giving away free coffee and hot chocolate during the game… but boy will it be HOT on the field! That handsome Aaron Rodgers is back, baby, and he’s playing on his own turf. Most money is on San Francisco in this game, but I think the Packers will win by virtue of surviving in Green Bay.

Enjoy the picks, y’all! See ya next week!

XOXOXOX

– The Simon

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SIMON’S PICKS – WEEK 17

SimonHey hey hey, y’all! Simon here! Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas! Simon rocked a 10-6 last week, for a season total of 148-91. But I’m feelin’ GOOD about this week’s picks! Lets’ see if I can hit ’em out of the park, y’all! 

 

 

Carolina at Atlanta: Cam Newton is gonna make it rain dollah dollah bills at the Georgia Dome, y’all! And the Panthers’ defense will keep the pedal to the metal, squashing the Durty Burds all over the pavement, yo! Ain’t gotta be a football genius like me to see that the Panthers will win this one!

Baltimore at Cincinnati: It’s a bad week to be a bird, and a good week to be a kitty, you guys! Those poor ratbirds (hehehe!) ain’t that good on the road, and those big, bad Tigers are gonna FEAST on bird this week! Take the Bengals, kids!

Houston at Tennessee: A challenging game between two Southern teams no one cares about, and who have no hope of going to the playoffs! Woo-wee! FUN! Take the Titans. Better yet, take a whiskey and a Valium and enjoy your nap!

Jacksonville at Indianapolis: Speaking of snoozers… Take the Colts to win this one. If you’re one of the markets that has this game, consider taking a walk instead, or take your friends out to brunch!

New York Jets at Miami: Could this be Rexie’s last game as head coach of the Jets? Let’s hope not: that gross toe-sucker is just too inadvertently amusing. Rex leaving would leave sports writers feeling like late night talk show hosts after GWB left office…. a big, gaping void. The game?  Oh yeah… Take the Dolphins.

Detroit at Minnesota: It’s MOTOR CITY versus… Cheese City? The City With a Lot of Nice People But Not a Much Else? Swedish City? Who knows. Hopefully the Lions will keep the Week of the Cat™ going and pull out a win against the sexy (but hapless) Vikings!

Continue reading “SIMON’S PICKS – WEEK 17”

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SIMON’S PICKS – WEEK 16

SimonWell hey, y’all! Simon here! Oh my! Jingle-Jingle Time is almost here, and I’m SO BUSY! I didn’t have time to write out my full commentary for this week’s games! So I’ll just give you the picks! I went 8-8 last week, and am 138-85 this season. Is The Simon losing his touch? Enjoy the picks, and have a HO-HO-HO-Holiday! Love y’all!

 

Miami at Buffalo: Dolphins

Minnesota at Cincinnati: Bengals

Indianapolis at Kansas City: Chiefs

Tampa Bay at St. Louis: Rams

New York Jets at Cleveland: Browns

Dallas at Washington: Cowboys

New Orleans at Carolina: PANTHERS!

Tennessee at Jacksonville: Titans

Denver at Houston: Broncos

New York Giants at Detroit: Lions

Arizona at Seattle: Seahawks

Pittsburgh at Green Bay: Packers

Oakland at San Diego: Chargers

New England at Baltimore: Patriots

Chicago at Philadelphia: Eagles

Atlanta at San Francisco: 49ers

 

Merry Christmas, y’all!

XOXOXO

– Simon