AFC Championship Game Today

The AFC and NFC Championship games will be played today.  Most people here in Colorado are focused entirely on the Denver Broncos game against the New England Patriots.  I like and support the Broncos - there is not a single team member that I do not like.  I greatly dislike "pretty boy" Tom Brady, the quarterback of the Patriots team. And, I'm also quietly happy that Brandon Spikes will not be playing for the Patriots defense today.  I'm sorry that Brandon is injured, but - he's a Gator, so I have to favor him when he's playing.  KUSA, our NBC affiliate, has yet to hand out "United in Orange" clingy-thingys here in Boulder, even though they did hand them out in Fort Collins and Dillon yesterday...  Maybe if we win today, and the Broncos head for the Super Bowl, then they'll hand out "United in Orange" stickers here...  Everyone I know wants one.

There were not any clouds in view this morning, so we didn't have an orange and blue sunrise.  The skies are a bight blue, and it's already 50 degrees outside.  We currently have 28 percent humidity, and a light breeze is blowing at 6 mph.  Kick off time is 1:05 (MDT) today, and there is a possibility that it might be 60 degrees, or so, on the field.  High winds are not in the forecast.  And, one thing to keep in mind, is that our normal high temperature for this time of year is 42, not 60.  

  There are hopes that Champ Bailey will be on the field for every defensive play today, but the defense will be missing Chris Harris, Jr, who was the unheralded King of the Backfield for us.  But it seems that all of the usual receivers will be there and in fine fettle - so, here's hoping for a fantastic win at 5,280 feet above sea level!

   GO BRONCOS!

NFL Referees

I miss having decent referees for professional football games.  I have to admit that I haven't read up on the NFL's and the referees' disagreement;  I am not sure what the problem is between the two parties.  I do know that I (a) feel sorry for the replacements - they are performing a task they are not truly trained for, in front of an audience of millions, and are making gross mistakes; (b) I would like for the replacements to quit - but, then, with no referees, there would be no games; (c) I would like for the real referees to be able to return, but I understand the NFL won't even talk to them.  Hey!  Here's a thought - get all the ex-players who are in the booth calling the games put on the zebra-stripes and let them run the game....   The season will go down in the record books as the season to ignore because of the incompetency of the referees...  Titles will not matter because the officiating is so horribly grotesque and erratic.  Four weeks of pre-season, and three weeks of the "real" season, and we still have replacement referees....   What's going on NFL big-wigs?  How much of a kick-back do you want from the official referees?
    It's been gray all day - and it's just begun to rain.  Supposedly, we'll get about 3/4 inch of rain through midnight tomorrow.  Here's hoping for a wet Wednesday!