Another Blast From The Past

The deep love of music came from my father (and his love for it). I once posted a music post detailing one area where our tastes happened to intersect. This week, I thought another dose of this act would get the year kicked off in style.

I can make no excuses, Supertramp is my favorite rock act of all time. All of these songs come off of the Crisis, What Crisis? LP, which in my opinion was the their best musical performance. The lyrics were not the happiest and it didn't sell as well as Crime Of The Century, Even In The Quietest Moments, and Breakfast In America. But its artistic versatility is the thing which has stood out more than anything (at least from my view).

In this first cut, the lyrical theme is a familiar one of the artists of this era (mid 70s), one of cynical criticism of certain religious institutions of that day. It wasn't so much a questioning of the faith, as it was against the hypocrisy of some who professed a faith (and yet did not do the works of that faith from a sincere heart). Jethro Tull was good with this kind of writing.

The music compliments the message but not in a dark way. It has a certain sound of resignation and acceptance from it. It's almost to say, "whatever you want to do is fine, but I want no part of it". I think most of you will like this one. It's called A Soapbox Opera:



This is another happy sounding tune with somewhat sad lyrics, regretful in tone. This one is called Sister Moonshine:



Some more great music on this next one. This is a mellow song about yearning for some meaning in life. Here is Just A Normal Day:



Here's one about some guy obsessed over some gal. Here is Ain't Nobody But Me:



If you do not listen to another song on this post, this is the one you must hear. If you like piano, you need to hear it. You won't hear a better performance of well-blended musical arrangements to compliment this piano lead. Here is the always breathtaking sound of Another Man's Woman:



Enjoy.

NFL Playoff Predictions: The Wild-Card Round

I am not a sports pundit, by any any stretch of the imagination. But after watching football for 42 years, I'd like to think I have learned a thing or two about the game.

I watched Vince Lombardi coach the Green Bay Packers to victory in Super Bowls I and II, back when the annual event was considered merely a post-season exhibition. Not until a brash, confident Joe Namath guaranteed a victory by his NY Jets over a highly favored Baltimore Colts team did the game acquire any real meaning in the football community.

Since then, each year about this time, NFL fans are focused on one thing which is the primary goal of every team in the league, when training camps break in July. At the beginning of the season, who would have thought Dallas and New England would be out, and Miami, Arizona, and Atlanta would be in? My guess is, not many.

I think this year is one of the few times that there is a certain level of parity within the the system, with a few exceptions of course. What I mean to say is, Arizona and San Diego have as little chance as anyone to go all the way. But as far as the rest of the field is concerned, I think it's anyone's pick as to who will win the" big one". It is not too inconceivable that this year's winner can come from this round.

While the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and NY Giants wait to face teams yet to be determined, these teams that will compete this weekend will be playing football and have one more game to get into a rhythm. And with football being a game of momentum, sometimes this is an advantage.

So without further expostulating on what is now generic material, here is a look at the games this weekend and how I see them playing out:


Atlanta (#5) at Arizona (#4)

I have said many times that the Falcons have flown in under the radar this season. Put this with the fact that the Cardinals have just won a weak NFC West Division and you will see why I am picking Atlanta to win this one.

Atlanta has a good defense with an offense that likes to keep them rested. They pound the ball on the ground and QB Matt Ryan can throw the ball efficiently enough to keep the offense on the field for long drives. Arizona does have Warner playing well, but I do not think it will be enough to beat a team that was close to winning a very competitive NFC South Division.

The Falcons' running game is led by Michael Turner, who gained 1699 yards this season, for an average of 106.2 per game. That total was second only to Adrian Peterson, the rushing leader for the season. Part of this is due to the great blocking by the offensive line, part of it is due the athleticism of Turner. This takes a lot of pressure off of rookie Matt Ryan. Being new in the league puts a lot of pressure on a young QB and this is the one factor many sports pundits are overlooking, right now. They rave about Peterson, but have not yet given Turner his due; this gives some motivation for Turner to go out and have a great game, to establish himself as a force in the league.


Indianapolis (#5) at San Diego (#4)

I have made no secret of my dislike for the Chargers, their QB, or their coach. Sure, they won the AFC West (the weakest division in the NFL). But they have an 8-8 record and only won it because Denver's defense was so horrendous down the stretch.

But as little respect as I have for the Chargers, they are the most dangerous team for the Colts to be playing right now. They match up well against Indy and pose a formidable threat, through their running game. LaDamian Tomlinson is still a potent force in the league, and the Colts have had their share of troubles stopping the run this year. So, I think it will be no big secret that SD will try to pound the ball at Indy, sustaining long drives that keep Manning on the sidelines as long as possible. That's how the teams that beat the Colts this year, have won.

Indy's defense will have to rise to the occasion and get some stops, especially on third down. They cannot allow LT to dominate the game, as well as, they must put pressure on Rivers when he wants to throw. They must create havoc for them, get them off of the field, and get the ball back into Manning's hands. Rivers is much like Manning in that he relies heavily on timing patterns. By forcing Rivers to throw before he wants, they set themselves up for incompletions and possible interceptions.

As for the Colts' lackluster running game, Rhodes is looking stronger and hopefully Addai will be stronger. If the RBs can do well enough to keep the SD defense off balance with the play action, the Colts' offense should have no trouble chewing up the SD defense.

As for the intangibles, revenge for last year's playoff loss at home should be on every Colt's mind. The visual of Rivers taunting the Colts' fans on the sideline should be fresh enough to motivate them. But in the end, I think it will come down to hunger and preparation. The coaches for Indy are far better than SD's, but the players will have to execute the game plan. If they can do it with class and integrity, they will win the game. If not, SD will win this one. But rest assured, they will get eliminated the following week by either Pittsburgh, or Tennessee.

In short, this is SD's best hope to win a playoff game this year.


Baltimore (#6) at Miami (#3)

I have to tip my hat to the Dolphins for this season's turnaround. But I have my doubts about them beating the Ravens, in this one. Baltimore's defense is as good as any in the league right now. Their unit was second only to the Steelers, and not by much.

I hope Miami pulls an upset, because I am no Baltimore fan. For almost a quarter of a century I have heard Baltimore fans whine about how Indy "stole" the Colts from them, only to watch Baltimore "steal" the Browns from Cleveland. It would give me great pleasure to see them lose to a Parcells team, despite the fact that "Big Tuna" is not the coach.

Miami's defense will need to keep it close by shutting down the Ravens' offense. The Dolphins are not going to score many points, so it is imperative they keep their opponent's score low and be in a postion to win the game, in the end. That's where I think the home crowd and the intangibles can have an effect on the outcome of the game. If they do not do this, this could get ugly for Miami, quickly.

If Miami can hold the Baltimore offense to a couple of FGs, they will only need to kick three to win. But in the end, I still think the Ravens will pull this one out and face Tennessee, the following week.


Philadelphia (#6) at Minnesota (#3)

Philly is the hottest team right now. Benching McNaab was just what the doctor ordered for a team that up until three weeks ago, looked like they would be watching the playoffs in their homes. They not only beat Dallas to get into the playoffs, they embarrassed them in the process.

The only reason Minnesota made it was they won a weak division. Even with the league's leading rusher, they barely squeaked in. Tarvaris Jackson is not that good and once he starts throwing the ball into that Eagles secondary, it will become painfully apparent. I say this because the Eagles have capped off this season with a strong performance from their defense. They have been solid down the stretch and have kept the ball in McNaab's hands through quality stops and big plays resulting in turnovers.


In summary, I am picking:

Atlanta over Arizona

Indy over San Diego

Baltimore over Miami

Philadelphia over Minnesota

What's your take?

Happy New Year

I just wanted to wish all of my readers a happy and safe celebration, this evening. Please do not drink and drive, it's just not worth it. Jails, hospitals, morgues, none of them are very much fun.

And if you are on the road, watch for those that have been.

I wish all of you good health and prosperity for the coming year.

The Art Of Foreign Policy Manipulation

From Reuters comes this story, about Russia urging Israel to halt its offensive against the terrorist organization Hamas.

Russia urged Israel on Sunday to end military attacks that had killed nearly 300 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and allow humanitarian supplies into the territory, Russia's Foreign Ministry said.

I can see where the tone of the Russian government is somewhat subdued here. Russia just completed an armed invasion of Georgia for much less than the reason Israel is preparing to re-take control of Gaza. I don't remember Georgia firing missiles across the Russian border, but still they came anyway.

Maybe, the Russians feel the need to make a customary statement. Historically, they have worded their critiques of Israeli military actions harshly, and if they say nothing, they will look like they are weakening. But at the same time, they know too harsh of a reaction will look openly hypocritical. What to do, what to do?

China's response is a bit more direct, but not much.

China is deeply concerned at the current situation in Gaza,and hopes parties involved could immediately halt the armed conflict, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Chinese op-ed press is taking potshots at America again.

The United States has been acting as the world's only superpower in 2008, but the financial turmoil, which broke out in Wall Street in September, showed its vulnerability.

In addition, the country is still deep in trouble with its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has undermined its international image.

Some analysts attributed the waning U.S. strength to its policy of unilateralism and expansionism on international issues, and its practice of a laissez-faire free market economy at home. It remains to be seen what consequences of these policies will have on U.S. national strength.

By contrast, Russia's flexing of strong muscles in the international political arena in the outgoing year indicated a marked recovery of its strength.

It's true that an economic crisis will weaken any country, but America is not the only country affected by the recent financial woes. And Russia is not in too great of a position right now, due to the downturn on the prices of oil and natural gas. So China's propaganda machine is not very convincing to those that have a basic understanding of reality.

What we have here is posturing for the coming Obama Administration. China is using negative statements to cast aspersions on the US.

Why?

To create an image of American weakness in order to manipulate the new President. Their goal is to make Obama think the world doesn't like us, so they can use the old "do what we want and we'll like you again" ploy, as a foreign policy strategy. They want to play on our innate need for acceptance and approval.

The big question is, will Obama fall for it? I think it is likely that he will, because his campaign centered around "restoring America's position in the world". So if the world wants a weaker America so it can be liked again, it is highly likely that is what it will get.

Monday AM QB

Well, the playoffs are set. The last team to get in was SD. They managed to squeak their way into the playoffs with a late season rally. Denver choked, as did the Cowboys against the Eagles.

Here are the teams that made it with their seedings and their first round matchups:

AFC

#1 Tennessee (Bye)

#2 Pittsburgh (Bye)

#3 Miami - #6 Baltimore

#4 San Diego - #5 Indianapolis


NFC

#1 NY Giants (Bye)

#2 Carolina (Bye)

#3 Minnesota - #6 Philadelphia

#4 Arizona - #5 Atlanta


I will have my analysis and predictions of these games later in the week.

The two miracle stories of the season are Miami and Atlanta. Miami from worst in the league to playoff team can be credited to Bill Parcells. Even though he's not coaching, his presence has been felt, with the way he assembles talent. Atlanta was expected to be less than dismal, after the Michael Vick story played out. But to many people's surprise (including me), they did what they had to do. They are my dark horse team to watch this year.

Condolences to Greg for NE not making it in. I really thought they would at the last minute. It's never good to need help this late in the year and not get it. And to Rocket for Washington not finishing strong like they were able to do last year.

Sunday Reflection

I don't often mix politics and theology here at PYY, but this is going to be an exception. The London Telegraph has published a piece that warrants some consideration.

Easily one of the most important stories of 2008 has been all the evidence suggesting that this may be looked back on as the year when there was a turning point in the great worldwide panic over man-made global warming. Just when politicians in Europe and America have been adopting the most costly and damaging measures politicians have ever proposed, to combat this supposed menace, the tide has turned in three significant respects.

For the three significant respects, you'll have to read the entire article, and I do recommend doing so. But it's important to know that the Global Warming crowd has made this more of a faith than a science, which many in the group already spurn because they are not proponents of real theological faith, but rather adhere to science as a form of religion. They openly engage in proselytizing in a manner very similar to those that are in evangelical organizations, of which they thoroughly despise. This they do, despite the fact that science is not cooperating with their deeply ingrained belief systems.

This observation leads us to a scripture that is more than appropriate for this line of thought, it comes from II Thessalonians 2:9-12 and states as follows (emphasis mine):

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

In our musings, maybe we should consider the argument that this global warming cult is one of those strong delusions causing people to believe lies. I can think of others, but they will have to wait for a more appropriate time.

Back To Reality

As it goes every year, Christmas is now over and we're back to the real world. In fact, somehow, the real world found its way into the midst of the celebration. By real world, I mean the usual nonsensical violence that permeates our society.

By now, we have all heard the story of the Santa gunman/arsonist in SoCal and if that isn't enough, we have this story:

A South Philadelphia man enraged because a father and son were talking during a Christmas showing of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took care of the situation when he pulled a .380-caliber gun and shot the father, police said.

The article goes on to say that after the shooting, the gunman sat back down and continued watching the movie.

Then, there's this event that occurred in the days leading up to the Christmas holiday:

A 7-year-old Phoenix boy has died of injuries he suffered when he and his 10-year-old were severely beaten Tuesday afternoon in a city park, The Associated Press says.

But that's not all. Another fine display of Christmas ill-will can be found here:

Daisy Brown and her family gathered for Christmas, but the mood was hardly celebratory.

The 18-year-old, along with her mom, her 1-year-old baby and her boyfriend's father, gathered to offer one another comfort as they mourned the deaths of two family members and the arrest of another within a three-day span.

On Monday, Brown's boyfriend, 18-year-old Broque Lumbreras, died at Methodist Hospital after being shot early Sunday.

As the family confronted that tragedy, Lumbreras' great-grandmother and a family matriarch, Marian Cobb, was fatally stabbed early Wednesday in her Near-Northside home. Cobb's great-grandson Bryan Torrence, a friend and cousin of Lumbreras' who had been staying with Cobb for a few weeks, was arrested in connection with the stabbing.

I suppose I can comb the newspapers across the country and find snippets like these in almost every part of the country. These are particularly tragic stories, because they all happened during a time when "peace on earth and goodwill towards men" were supposed to be the themes of the day.

There are some people in this world that believe there is no good or evil, only misunderstandings. But, I am not one of them.

There is an element that only seeks to do harm to people. They are a selfish, brazen, and purely anti-social element that have seared their consciences and thoroughly deadened their nerve endings. They have allowed themselves to be consumed with getting their way, by any means possible, and they will stop at nothing to get it. Their thinking is twisted and they have no shame about much of anything.

To think that a man would dream up such a diabolical plot to invade a family holiday gathering and shoot any and everyone in the way is all the proof I need. To know that a man would stab his great-grandmother, while the family is grieving over the loss of another family member, is unconscionable. These two examples and the others are more than enough to convince me.

No folks, I didn't need these instances. I have seen far too many other examples in my days on this earth.

Merry Christmas

Despite the madness and uncertainty in the world, the Christian world is pausing for Christmas, the second holiest of days on the calendar. The pagan world may have initially sanctified this day as a celebration of the Winter Solstice, but throughout time it has come to signify the birth of Christ. That is how we mark it, that is how we celebrate it.

I am sure His birth was never as dramatic as we have made it look in our imaginations. There were no choirs, no decorations, and none of the other things we use as tools of celebration. But somewhere, some place, in the City of David, in a stable, was born a child that would redeem the world someday, saving the people from their sins. There was a moment in time, there was a reality.

And despite the absence of these things, on that day somewhere, some place, there must have been a heavenly host of angels, who knew the significance of that moment in time even though the world did not. If we could have heard them at that moment, this is no doubt what they would have sounded like:


THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR

Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Once In Royal David's City
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night





Handel's Messiah




THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The First Noel




THE ST. OLAF VIKING CHORUS

Oh Holy Child




CHARLOTTE CHURCH and PLACIDO DOMINGO

O Holy Night




From the Sunsett Family to your family, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Holiday Break

Like most men, I was out Christmas shopping last night and tonight will probably be no different. So as you may guess, the blog will suffer neglect and rejection for a short time.

Check back for a message on Christmas Eve and a special music post.

Thanks for reading.

Monday AM QB

I won't go into detail about the games individually. But I will point out that six teams this year have played solid defense with efficient offense. They all pass off of the run, unlike Indianapolis which runs off of the pass.

They are:

Baltimore, Pittsburgh. Tennessee, Carolina, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay.

I wonder if this will be the winning formula for the Super Bowl participants this year. If I had to pick right now, I have to say Tennessee vs. Carolina or NYG. There is a chance for the Colts, as always, but I am a realist.

New England had done a pretty decent job of mixing it up and doing what it takes to win, in spite of the loss of Brady. They have had some identity problems without him (and it's understandable), as their scheme is like Indy's (run off of the pass). But yesterday, they showed they can get back to that.

One thing is for sure, this has been a topsy-turvy, unpredictable season. And my guess is the playoffs will hold some surprises. The only team that will not have a legitimate chance (in my estimation) will be the winner of the Denver-SD game next weekend. Both are duds.