Opening Sunday of the NFL Season, Some Thoughts

While I realize we have already had our first National Football League (NFL)
game this past Thursday, it's today, the first Sunday of the NFL season that
feels more like opening day to me. With that in mind, here are some of my
thoughts about the upcoming season.

I think the American Football Conference (AFC) title is there for the taking
by the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts still feature a potent, balanced
offense with Peyton Manning at the controls. They've brought in players in
the off-season to bolster the running game, to go along with a steller
passing attack. On defense, they are healthy and while they are still a bit
small up front, they have enough quality players to hold down most teams.
Even with that strong offense, they aren't going to have to out score most
teams to win, although they have the weapons to do it.

Two teams that could pose a challenge to the Colts are the New York Jets and
Baltimore Ravens. The Jets surprised a lot of people last January by
getting into the playoffs on the final day of the season, then making it all
the way to the AFC Title Game before losing to the Colts. Baltimore, a team
with a reputation for strong defense, now has the weapons, particularly in
the passing game to make things interesting on offense. It used to be that
if the Ravens' defense wasn't playing wel, they had no chance to win. Well,
I think if they have too, they can put points on the board in bunches, and I
expect a few come from behind victories for them this year.

Switching to the National Football Conference (NfC) there are a lot of the
so-called experts out there saying the team I root for, the Green Bay
Packers, will make it to the Super Bowl. I love rooting for the Pack, but
I'm not so sure I would go as far as to pick them for the Super Bowl,
although I'll be happy as heck if it happens. The Dallas Cowboys are loaded
and ready to make a Super Bowl run in my opinion. They are strong on both
sides of the ball, offensively and defensively. Heck, they traded away a
quality receiver in Patrick Craton who would probably be playing in a number
2 receiver spot on most teams. Shows you the depth they have. How far
Dallas goes will I think depend a lot on how well Tony Romo performs late in
the season and in the playoffs. Historically, in his relatively short
career, he has not done wel late in the year.

There are other strong contenders in the NFC. I think New Orleans is poised
to have another good season, and in fact, I think they'll win the NFC South.
Close behind them will be the Atlanta Falcons, with their QB Matt Ryan
poised to have a breakout season. The Packers are very strong offensively
and, barring injury, they will score a lot of points. I have some questions
as I look at the Pack on defense, particularly in the secondary. However,
they will have Charles Woodson back there as a leader, and if they can
generate a strong pass rush, it will negate some of the secondary concerns.

Two other teams that I feel will be strong in the NFC are the New York
Giants and San Francisco 49ers. I can't pick the Giants to go all the way
to the Super Bowl because they are too inconsistent, especially at
quarterback. Eli Manning can look very good or vary bad. AS for San
Francisco, they will win a very weak NFC West, and don't count out a team
coached by such a strong leader as Mike Singletary.

You'll notice I haven't mentioned the Minesota Vikings, with Brett Favre at
QB . This is not because of any ill feelings I have about Favre. Minesota
to me simply has too many question marks. At 41, I see no way Favre can
have the kind of year he had last year. There are huge questions at wide
receiver for Minnesota, and that vaunted defense they have had for several
years is one year older. No one has a bigger heart or stronger will to win
than Brett Favre. However, those things will not be enough for Minnesota to
overcome their other issues. I don't think they will even make the
playoffs.

Finally, being in Chicago, I have to mention the Bears. I believe 2010 will
be the final year of the Lovie Smith experiment. Yes, the Bears are trying
out the Mike Marks offense and it will fail miserably. For one thing, they
don't have the talent to run it. For another, they are going to have enough
trouble keeping Jay Kutler healthy and upright. And thirdly, the only time
that offense was successful was when a team that plays indoors was running
it. When you hit late November and December in Chicago, you have to be able
to run the ball and that's not what this offense is predicated on. I'm
picking the Bears to go 5-11 this year, then hopefully, Bears' ownership
will back up the moving vans and clean house.

So to summarize, my Super Bowl picks are the Dallas Cowboys from the NFC,
and the Indianapolis Colts from the AFC. I'll pick Indianapolis to win in a
close game. But before that, we've got several months of NFL football to
watch. So, let's kick it off today on opening Sunday. As the song asks,
are you ready for some football? I say, yes I am!

Mosque/Islamic Cultural Center Near Ground Zero, No!!!

I've been listening, as many of us have, to the controversy surrounding the
decision to build a Mosque/Islamic Cultural Center near the former World
Trade Center site, A.K.A., Ground Zero. I'd like to weigh in.

I recognize that everyone who owns property has a right to do whatever they
want to do with property they own. However, the question in this situation
is, Just because you have the right to do something, should you?

I'll answer that in this situation, with a resounding NO!!! How could
anyone think that proposing this development so close to Ground Zero
wouldn't cause a huge amount of controversy? There are plenty of places in
New York City to build a Mosque/Islamic Cultural Center. Why, oh why does
it need to be close to Ground Zero? It doesn't.

Like most Americans, I believe in religious freedom and believe that those
who practice Islam have the right to worship where they wish. However, out
of respect to America, and the pain we all went through on September 11,
2001, nine years ago today, it would be in everyone's best interest if those
who want to build the Mosque move somewhere else.

BTW: I do not believe acts like burning the Koran are remotely appropriate
to protest this development. Things like this won't promote peace.

Nine Years Later, I Have Not Forgotten and I Will Never Forget

It seems like only yesterday, but it was nine years ago today when America
was tragically and brutally attacked on September 11 of 2001. Some 3,000
people, many of whom had done nothing more than gotten up, kissed their
spouses goodbye, hugged their children and gone off to work never came home
again, all because 19 so-called human beings decided they needed to fly
planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Thankfully, the
passengers on the fourth plane, United Flight 93, were determined not to see
another landmark devastated and were some of the first fighters in the war
on terror, going down with that plane in an open field in Pennsylvania.

Earlier this year, I read "Let's Roll" by Lisa Beamer, wife of Todd Beamer
who was a passenger on Flight 93. I've not seen the Flight 93 movie, but
reading the book and Lisa's account of the events on and after 9-11 sends
chills down my spine.

Today, all of us are working, attending classes, spending time with family
or friends, attending sporting events or whatever. Whatever you are doing,
pause for a few moments to remember those who died on 9-11. Today, I went
out canoeing with some friends. It's my freedom to do those kinds of things
that the terrorists who attacked our country despise.

May we all remember 9-11 and the people who died that day, especially the
first responders who gave their lives to try saving others. May there
never, ever be another tragic attack like 9-11 on our nation or anywhere
else in the world again. And may God continue to bless the greatest country
in the world, the United States of America.

Labor Day and Politics

Today is Labor Day, a day we honor the American worker, and thank them for
what they do.

First and foremost, I want to thank those who cannot take today off to be
with their families, or go out and have fun like I can. From the military
men and women fighting for our freedom in various parts of the world, to the
police, fire and other emergency personnel working today, to the employees
of stores and restaurants, again, thank you.

Today, as part of our enjoyment of the holiday, my wife and I will be going
to a baseball game. We thank the paratransit and taxi drivers, train
conductors, ball park personnel and the players and coaches themselves who
will be working on this day so we can enjoy this activity.

Labor Day is also the day when I think of those who are out of work. My
best to them, and I encourage you to continue to look for work, as
frustrating as that can be. We need to find ways to bring more jobs back to
this country. We also need to do more to help workers improve their skills
so they can take advantage of the jobs of the future.

This leads to my last point, what our current administration is not doing to
help put America back to work. With the out of control spending, potential
for higher taxes, and increased regulations, private sector businesses which
create jobs in this country feel a huge sense of uncertainty. When you have
uncertainty, businesses aren't going to hire people. Government doesn't
create jobs, private sector businesses do. The best things that Government
can do, and which the socialists in Washington won't do is to cut taxes,
reduce regulation, then get out of the way and let the jobs get created.

So on this Labor Day, I salute all American workers, especially those who
are away from their families working today. I also hope that our Government
will realize that the private sector creates jobs, businesses hate
uncertainty and they need to reduce taxes and regulation, which will lead to
job creation.