Macca

Here are the games again along with Bill Simmons' latest column ... 10 Ways to Make the Miserable NFL Season More Fun - Plus: your Week 8 picks

It seems there are big plans ahead DJ ... Cox Plate a Winx farewell to Melbourne? According to Chris Waller ...

Found this link ... Weight For Age Championships: The Best Global WFA Events By Region For the reasons you've outlined, I'm not sure we'll ever see a truly world class field in the Cox Plate. Other incentives could be introduced but that would almost certainly involve some hefty dollars.

I still remember Bill Collins proclaiming that "Kingston Town can't win" ... it duly flew home and won! Won 3 Cox Plates all up so Winx would be joining exalted company if she wins today. I've been to the Cox Plate a few times but have always gone to the trouble of getting decent seats. Saw Northerly & Sunline win

The only worry for Winx might be interference but the field is down to 8 now. It's a race for 2nd & 3rd for the rest. There's 440k up for grabs for 2nd place which easily covers the total acceptance fees of $30,590. Even 8th place receives 100k ... and conveniently, there are only 8 runners. Winx should win easing up - 10 lengths is a stretch but you never know.

It's adjudicated in real time but it looked bad because Flacco's helmet flew off. Alonso did not lower his helmet and lead with it either - that's a whole other issue when that happens. To be honest, I just saw it as a normal football play - it's adjudicated differently though. The message for the QB's is quite simple - you go out of the pocket and you're fair game (within reason of course) Mike & Mike chat about it here in the first hour of their show (the show isn't on ESPN tonight)

Well, Alonso can't know for sure whether Flacco is going to keep running and he definitely doesn't know when Flacco is going to give himself up either. He's committed and can't stop himself in midstream either. I had no problem with the defensive player who tackled Rodgers and one could argue that the tackle on Rodgers was later than the Alonso hit on Flacco. By the letter of the law it's a penalty and he'll probably cop a fine. As for a suspension, not for mine. By the way, do we all think that the Jets are going to win? ha ha Edit: Just noticed that Clintosaurus has picked the Falcons

It's a good point you make faulty ... and it would be just like them (the filth) to do such a thing. At some stage they'll push hard to share the gate at the QB clash though. In the meantime we can set up other clashes with the other big Victorian clubs ... we've scooped the pool first up with the Geelong home game and PJ needs to cement that one (especially if it could always be our home game) The Blues, Hawks & Dons would present opportunities too ... Home or Away (rotating year by year) or Home & Away. We can safely have these types of goals now that we've lifted ourselves out of the mire.

Going right back this time ... it's great viewing these old clips in blu-ray though. I especially like the intro from Lennon in the 2nd clip.

The Dolphins of Miami failed to show up. The hit on Flacco is the talking point.

Winx should win by 6 lengths tomorrow too ... a mate of mine likes the 2 roughies (Kaspersky & Hardham) to feature in the race for the minor placings. I doubt whether I'll have a bet in the race but if Winx somehow manages to not win, the 'first 4' could pay a bundle. How was that Caulfield cup first 4 dividend? The hidden Hayes horse strikes again.

Was wondering why the Vikes are 9.5 favourites and then realised that it's another London game - but we are talking about the Cleveland Browns. Anyway, Minnesota are the 'road' team so you can include them in your tips. Panthers Dallas Oakland

Leaderboard in the comp 5 - Clintosaurus 4 - Dappa Dan 3 - JV7, Go the Biff 1 - Macca 0 - The usual suspects So it's on to week 8 (1 point only) ... Atlanta & the Vikings look likely but it gets tough after that (as is normally the case) All 3 of the evening games are good match-ups and also, the Dallas/Washington game has a lot riding on it. So too the Oakland @ Buffalo encounter. It's a reasonably good round of games this week. Week 8 'Guess the Lines' podcast with Bill Simmons & Cousin Sal

Yeah, that closes the argument alright. Fisher was diabolical and what was it? 5 years? He makes McCarthy look like a veritable genius.

Not sure you're wrong just yet Dappa but we really had to beat the Saints to have any realistic chance of salvaging the season. Detroit at Lambeau are next up and they'll fancy their chances. Could be a fierce encounter, all the same. Anyway, I've moved on (kinda, sorta) but it's difficult to jump into a different mode so quickly. At some stage I'll start having a closer look at Hundley but it's always been about winning games and winning the division at Green Bay. But you've got your 10+ years franchise QB by the looks of it ... he has that look of class about him that separates the gun players from the rest. The Eagles are now equal 2nd favourites (along with the Steelers @ 8-1) to win the SB, after starting the season at 60-1. No prizes for guessing who the favourites are (again)

We have a new leader ... Leaderboard in the comp 5 - Clintosaurus 4 - Dappa Dan 3 - JV7, Go the Biff 1 - Macca 0 - The usual suspects .

Well, I've always said that we all know our own team's very well but for your sake, I hope that you're wrong Your next 4 are ... @ Jets, @ Panthers, vs Dallas then @ Seattle. That's a tough run made all the more tougher if the Jets prevail in that first encounter.

I'd rather have expectations and then get disappointed with a playoff loss haha I'm now in 'MFC coached by Neeld mode' ... anyone want that misery back? The Pats are showing us how good they can be in this game ... Belichick is the best coach/manager in world sport. Just like the Pats, the Falcons will get their mojo back at some stage ... Panthers losing today helps and the jury is out on the Saints.

At least your whole season isn't over ... from what I saw from the Packers today, we'll be lucky to win 2 more games. Atlanta will still win enough games to be thereabouts. Anyway, McCarthy decides that we're now a team that predominately runs the ball - good luck with all that Mike. The bottom line is that we can't win without Rodgers.

Here are the games again along with Bill Simmons' latest column ...

Dodgers through to the WS and we await the result of the Houston/Yankees ALCS for their opponent. The MLB would almost certainly prefer an LA vs NY match-up but Houston is the USA's 4th largest market. Game 6 in the ALCS and it's still scoreless (top of the 5th) ... the Yankees lead the series 3 - 2. Sabathia throws for the Yankees tomorrow if it goes to game 7.

Yeah that was a wild finish ... un-timed downs aplenty. KC brought back to the field a bit and the Raiders win an important divisional game ... last score wins it again.

Carolina Dallas Denver

Not exactly current TV but I happened upon this excellent podcast series about Seinfeld (the TV series) The guys from 'Post Show Recaps' are A1 and well worth a listen. The perfect companion to a great show. Click here ... Seinfeld: A Podcast About Nothing (all 173 episodes are covered)

I would have thought that by now we'd have 15-20 regular contributors on the thread but there's still time. Quite honestly, I really only pushed along the tipping comp as a way of attracting more people here ... it sort of works in a sense but the principle reason I'm here is to discuss all things NFL. I neglected to mention the AFC divisions in that earlier post but it's hard to see the Pats not winning the East even though they haven't hit their straps yet. KC are also favoured to win the West but Denver may push them. With Carr back the Raiders might get on a roll. The South is definitely up for grabs (is Luck back soon?) whilst the North will probably come down to the Steelers or the Ravens. It could be one of those seasons like we've just had with the last 2 years of the AFL ... get hot at the right time and any number of teams can win it.