Titans remain undefeated, open up 3 game lead on the entire AFC...

Not the best game the Titans have played this year, but all that counts is that they got the W. The Bears decided to put 8-9 guys in the box the entire game, and completely shut down the run in the 1st half. No biggie - we'll completely change our offensive philosophy in the 2nd half, and let our 37 year old QB and our motley crew of average WR's take over the game. In the end, we rush for like 20 yards total, but Collins passes for almost 300 yards en route to victory.

This is surreal. I still can't believe the Titans are doing this. As I said earlier this year, I always thought the Titans were a great team, completely capable of realistically reaching the Super Bowl, but this season so far is unbelievable. No doubt that getting to 9-0 takes some lucky breaks, but really, the Titans this year just always seem to make the big plays when they need to, have really minimized the mistakes, and have created their own "luck." I really don't give a crap about 16-0, and I don't think that is really even a possibility. In fact, I'd rather have 'em lose before the end of the year, but hopefully after they've already wrapped up the #1 seed :)

Next up, @ Jacksonville. Always a tough game. I don't care if the Jags are having a "down" year, they always play the Titans tough. Similar to my thoughts about playing the Ravens and Colts earlier this year (and hopefully a similar result). After that, home to the Jets, then on Thanksgiving vs. the Lions. I'd take a 2-1 stretch through those three games, but hopefully the loss doesn't come to the Lions. That would suck. Not only b/c the Lions suck, but b/c it would ruin the Lions chance at a perfect 0-16 season. I'm cheering for that harder than I am for 16-0.

The one potential loss I see coming is vs. the Jets at home in 2 weeks. Not so much because I'm all that impressed with or scared of the Jets (I'm not), but mainly because I'll be attending that game. And if past history is any sign of future results, the Titans will lose because I'm in attendance. This will be the 5th consecutive year Ami and I have made the trip up to Nashville for a game, and so far, I'm 0 for 4:

Loss to the Bears in '04 - lost by a freakin safety in OT. Pathetic;
Loss to the Raiders in '05 - Kerry QB'ed the Raiders in that game;
Loss to the Ravens in '06 - exciting game in VY's first year, but still a loss;
Loss to the Jags in '07 - unmemorable game - I think I was hammered by the 3rd quarter. Could explain the lack of memory...

Loss to the Jets in '08? God I hope not. If that happens, I'm never going to a game again. At least not a home game. The Titans seem to have no problem winning games I go to in KC the last 2 years :)

Enough negativity. With Pittsburgh's loss, the Titans are now up 3 games on the entire AFC with 7 games to go. That's awesome. Even if they just win the games vs. the sucky teams left on their schedule (Browns, Lions, Texans), then they'll be in great shape for a playoff run.

But I'm not looking ahead. I'm just enjoying this season every week for what it is - a freaking amazing experience. Being an NFL fan sucks a lot of the time, so when a special season comes along like this, you've gotta savor every moment. The last one I remember like this was back in '99. God I loved that team (screw you, Kurt Warner). Before that it was the Oilers in '94. That was a great team (screw you, Joe Montana). Luckily for this season, it doesn't look like there are any Missouri teams to get in the way and ruin my fun :)

Go Titans!!

Wonderful!!

Enough said...

The Nacho Manifesto

A buddy of mine sent me this link today, and I couldn't agree with it more. It's an article about the slow death of the quality nacho at restaurants, and how to fix it.

While the whole article is quality, "Nacho Commandment #1" really stood out to me, since its been something I've been harping on for years when I go out to eat and someone suggests nachos. Basically, unless someone with me can vouch that I'm not gonna order nachos and get a dish with one single 'cho stuck together with some nasty, hard shredded cheese, I'm not ordering nachos.

For an example, let's take the image above. While at a glance these nachos look mighty tasty, there are two huge problems. First, is the lack of actual quantity of cheese on the nachos. Isn't that the whole point of nachos in the first place - the freakin' cheese!!??! Second, is that these nachos look to have shredded cheese sprinkled on them, and then likely microwaved for about 40 seconds to melt. This technique assures a disappointing nacho experience. And to think, some restaurant actually put that image up on their website as an the best example of their nacho dish.

Well, if working for 5 years at a Mexican restaurant (that followed the exact flawed nacho technique I've outlined above) taught me anything, it was how NOT to make nachos. I am no longer fooled by images such as the one above that often appear on menus and seek to reassure a satisfying nacho experience. I have learned, and am now a better person (and a better nacho-maker) as a result. Thank you, Tres Hombres, thank you...

Unfortunately, most restaurants out there haven't yet learned, and still don't follow the First Nacho Commandment (from the linked article):

"Nacho Commandment #1: Nacho cheese should never, ever be a solid.

This is the most common and basic of errors, but I see it all the time. You should never, ever make nachos with melted shredded cheese. Shredded cheese melts just fine, but it returns to its solid form about halfway between the kitchen and the customer’s table. When you make a man’s nachos with shredded cheese, you doom him to a steaming plate of heartbreak. I mean, come on. That’s something your mom would do when she’s trying to show your teenage friends that she’s The Cool Mom. “Here, honey, I made you and your friends a plate of those nachos you always talk about.” And you eat them because you don’t want to hurt your mom’s feelings, but really, the moment she isn’t looking, you let the dog eat them even though you know it’s going to give him the runs.

Nacho cheese is a sauce, Joe. Yes, I realize that this means it technically isn’t cheese. We don’t care. If the idea of liquid cheese offends you as a chef, then you know, just go back to serving chutney, take nachos off of your menu, and leave us out of it."


Preach on, brother!!!


Lastly, if you want to try a quality nacho dish at a place that definitely follows the First Commandment, and you happen to be in Aurora, MO (I have no idea why you'd be there, but anyway), then stop by Hawgwild BBQ and sample one of their several varieties of 'chos. That place restored my faith in the restaurant nacho....

The Titans Are (still) Undefeated...

Oh man, what a game in KC. I was there to witness the destruction of the Chiefs (and their QB's) at Arrowhead, and it was sweet. All I've got to say about that game is....Chris Johnson


The dude is just plain fast, and a pretty darn good RB too. Speed + RB moves = damn near unstoppable. People in the NFL need to start taking wider angles at that guy once he breaks past the first level, b/c he's just making folks look silly. But, it was the Chiefs. Even Lenfatty White took his 6.2 40 and broke an 80 yard-TD run vs. the Chiefs this week. Still, CJ is the real deal, and I like having LenDale for those short yardage situations.

Next up, a huge game vs. the Colts on Monday Night. If the Titans wanna take that next step, they've gotta take down the team that has dominated our division for the last 5 years. We've beat 'em several times over the past few years, and if we do it again, its gonna be b/c of the running game, again. CJ and (gulp) LenDale White are gonna have to tear up that fairly weak Indy run D for us to stay undefeated. While the Colts seem to be down this year, I've got too many memories of them tearing us to shreds in recent years (much like the Ravens matchup a few weeks back) for me to get too confident. I can't wait. I love that we're showcased on Monday Night, but I hate waiting that long for the game.

Let's go Titans!! Keep this train rollin'!!!

The Titans are Undefated...

With the Giants loss tonight, the Titans are the last undefeated team in the NFL. Even as a Titans fan, this is unbelievable!!!

I'll be at Arrowhead cheering my Titans on to victory this weekend - hopefully I'll be a better influence than I was on the MU Tigers football team last Saturday. I know I said Kerry Collins would be the savior and the Super Bowl MVP this year, but now, I'm starting to kinda believe it. Let's Go Titans!!!

Former Astros GM Takes the Tampa Freakin' Rays to the ALCS...

Tampa was in last place last year (hell, they've been in last place most of their existence), but they skyrocketed to 1st in the AL East this year - over the Yanks and Red Sox, thank god - and are now in the ALCS, a step away from the World Series. Their perfect blend of young talent and veterans really is coming together this year, and it was all put together mainly by Gerry Hunsicker (I think he's a VP for the Rays), the former GM of the Astros, who put together our NLCS squad of 2004 and World Series squad of 2005.

Kudos to Drayton McLane (the Astros owner) for letting him go - your 2 subsequent GM's, Tim Purpura and Ed freakin' Wade have succeeded in making us a below-average-to-mediocre team the last 3 years (at best), with very little in the way of young talent to look forward to in the coming years. Good thing you got rid of the guy who had a hand in the Astros best years in their mostly tortured history (1996-2005). Brilliant.

Bill Rowe leaves as MSU Athletic Director...who's the successor?

In response to Justin's post (which was probably pure speculation, but I'll respond anyway) - Cheryl Burnett's not really an option for the AD, is she? That can't be true. She basically fell out the bottom of the coaching landscape, and is now a "consultant" for a woman's basketball program - a promotion to AD seems a huge jump.

I really don't know anything about picking an Athletic Director, or what good options there are out there. All I know is that I had Bill Rowe's wife was my 10th grade English teacher, and she was mean. Thus, if Bill Rowe was a good AD, then I think our next AD should have a wife who's a mean English teacher too. That's logical, right?

Thank god a hot teaching assistant from Evangel taught our class for like 1/3 of the year. I'll never forget you, hot-blonde-teacher-who's-name-I-can't-remember-now...

Hopefully this is the last time I mention Cheryl Burnett, Nyla Milleson (she was my 9th grade P.E. teacher - she hated me...) or anything related to the Lady Bears in my blog. Its not like I hate the Lady Bears, but women's college basketball? Eh, not my thing.