Macca

2 points on offer this week in the comp ... there's a couple of standout picks but snagging all 3 this week might prove elusive (again) Leaderboard 3 - Gorgoroth, cowboy_from_hell 2 - Clintosaurus 1 - JV7, DeeSpencer, Macca Tips ... New England Pittsburgh Green Bay

Some more Film Noir fare if you're up late on a Friday night. This time an unusual movie with an unusual theme & plot. But a very enjoyable movie, all the same (if you like this style/genre) The star of the movie Ralph Meeker, plays Mike Hammer from Mickey Spillane fame (Spillane wrote the novel from which the film is based) I won't spoil it in any way but if you'd like to know a bit more about the movie, go here ... Kiss Me Deadly (IMDb) Click on settings for HD ... also, the movie can be seen using the full screen function ...

Leaderboard in the comp 3 - Gorgoroth, cowboy_from_hell 2 - Clintosaurus 1 - JV7, DeeSpencer 0 - Take a wild guess

I threw the Panthers in because we know that they are a good team when they're firing ... they are a fair way back though. They'd probably have to win 3 of their next 4 to have a chance ... vs KC, vs Saints, @ Oakland, @ Seattle. It's a big ask but there's always a team or 2 who can get on a roll. Like you, I'm hoping the Raiders can keep winning ... their fans have had a terrible time of it with so many losing seasons. They haven't had a winning season in their last 13 years. 8 & 8 has been their best effort in amongst those mostly abysmal returns. Just did a quick google search and realised that Gorgo's Rams haven't had a winning season in their last 11 years as well. That's just too much pain.

Do you want Mike McCarthy? He's run out of ideas at GB ... all I keep hearing is that our receivers can't get separation. Rodgers' numbers are down but he gets very little help. Not sure we want your bloke though.

Getting each team to 11 home games would be an issue as well. There are some obvious benefits but Gil's idea probably creates more problems than it solves. So we can fully expect the AFL to implement the idea.

It's probably not a good idea for me to argue on behalf of Gil yeah? The more I look at it the more I see it as fairly unworkable. Fixturing the top 6, middle 6 and bottom 6 from the previous year to all play each other twice makes more sense but then the derbies and double-up blockbusters are then at jeopardy. We're probably going to have to put up with the way it is now . . which is not ideal either.

A few observations ... Dallas & Prescott keep marching on ... what to do with Romo? Detroit are right back in it but they need to keep it up Packers & Vikes are struggling - especially the Packers The Panthers might get on a roll Oakland (7 & 2) look like the real deal - after their bye next week they are then vs Houston, vs Carolina, vs Buffalo The Giants are hanging around and have the 3rd best record in the NFC (5 & 3) KC are 6 & 2 and flying under the radar The Colts might be back Atlanta can skip away - next up @ the Eagles 3 participants picked up points in the comp - miracles do occur

So what is your fix Dr G? ... taking into account that we won't be having anything less than a 22 game season.

I think it was 'dc' who put forward the idea of 3 conferences (3 groups of 6) where teams would play 10 games within their conference and play the other 12 teams once. The top 2 teams in each conference qualify for the finals plus 2 wild-cards. W/L would determine seedings. It's another idea that I like but again, the chances of such radical change is not likely. I can see the league bringing in another bye as part of the new CBA but that might be it. More pertinent to this thread is our double-up games next season ... Carlton, Collingwood, North, St Kilda and the Crows is a decent result (all things considered)

The interstate teams have to travel every 2nd week anyway and if the Victorian teams have to travel a bit more, so be it. All things would even out over time anyway and we'd soon get used to it. The positives outweigh the negatives. We'd benefit too (from a financial viewpoint) ... if the games were rotated on a year by year basis (home and away) we'd end up with 9 home games against the Victorian sides over a 2 year period (Essendon & Geelong included) Just as important is that the big Victorian clubs wouldn't have a monopoly on the big home game fixtures against other big clubs. That's apart from the last 5 rounds having far more renewed interest because of what the teams would be playing for. Also, I'm not sure that any demon supporter would mind a bit of extra travel in the last 5 rounds if say, after 17 rounds, we were assured of a top 6 spot and with it, 1 guaranteed home final. What the league could do before possibly taking this major step is to fixture the games in the last 5 rounds (in advance) as a sort of a trial (based on the previous year's ladder) They haven't done it for next year's fixture but they could have. Even though I'm arguing for this change I'm not sure it's going to happen.

Tips ... Panthers Eagles Dallas

They could just change the H & A status from one year to the next (to even things out) A reverse fixture from year-to-year with regards to who plays at home and vice-versa. It would mean that the QB status would change from year to year but so would every other game. We as a club shouldn't be dependent on one game anyway. No system is perfect but the one we currently have is far from perfect - and that is reflected in the criticisms that the current system now gets. The League is putting forward a proposal that lays transparency on the 5 'said' games. From year to year, we'd know where we'd stand with regards to how things would play out.

That is not how it would work ... with the proposed new 17/5 system, no team from the middle 6 teams can finish any higher than 7th regardless of how many wins a team from the middle 6 teams finishes on. Same goes for the bottom 6 teams. 13th is as high as a team could finish from the bottom 6 group. We'd go from an arbitrary and contrived system to one where we'd know exactly where we would stand. The first 17 rounds becomes a season in itself (and a largely fair one where every team plays every other team once) ... so, if a team then misses out on a preferred ladder position because they're in a lower group, stiff cheddar. I like the new concept and have disliked the current system for a long time ... however, the bottom line with ideas like the one proposed is that people don't like change of any description. For people like myself, a new concept such as the one proposed is welcomed. I reckon it's a fantastic idea.

Here's another movie for 'Noir' fans ... 'Pickup on South Street' Stars Richard Widmark whilst 6 time Oscar nominated Thelma Ritter has a memorable supporting role. The opening sequence is very well done and sets the movie up brilliantly. The film is still very highly regarded and has a more than decent plot ... it was made during the the midst of the 'McCarthy era' Here's the IMDb link if you want to know a bit more about the movie. For HD click on settings

That was one hell of a series ... Cleveland fought hard but fell just short. It's often a fine line between ultimate victory & despair. Hopefully they'll get back to the big stage again sooner rather than later. The story was always going to be centred around the Cubs though and they finally broke their curse. To come back from a 3-1 deficit was a grand effort. Kudos. Game 7 highlights ...

Game 6 highlights ...

2 points up for grabs this week ... good luck. Points tally in the comp 1 - JV7, Gorgoroth, cowboy_from_hell, DeeSpencer 0 - The usual suspects

The Cubs have come good! All to play for tomorrow ... one curse will be over whilst the other will live on. Game 7's don't get any better than this one.

With a likely Vikings win tomorrow both Minnesota & Dallas are creating real separation from the other teams in their respective divisions ... Atlanta are 2 games clear in the NFC South whilst the NFC West is up for grabs. 9 wins might get a wild-card in the NFC so there's hope for any number of teams - outside of the clear-cut division leaders, there are no fewer than 10 teams sitting on 3 or 4 wins in the NFC. Over in the AFC the Pats keep marching on whilst 3 teams from the AFC West are in a position to reach the playoffs (Broncos, KC, Raiders) Pittsburgh needs Roethlisberger back asap whilst Houston could be good enough to win the AFC South. But who knows? There's been a lot of close games - and that will almost certainly continue. Edit: And true to form my predicted win for the Vikes falls flat. The NFC North is now up for grabs as well. The Bears & Cutler were very good today. .

Going to be tough for the Cubs now ... coming back from a 3-1 deficit has been done before but it's a rare occurrence. Kluber supreme again and he can pitch in game 7.

Here's a more than decent western ... a 1946 version of the events surrounding the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. All the main characters are involved ... Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda), Doc Holliday (Victor Mature) and a particularly detestable Walter Brennan (Old Man Clanton) star. The film is of course set in Tombstone. The film is oddly named considering how dark & nasty the movie is for the majority of it's length ... 'My Darling Clementine' is certainly no musical comedy. The movie can be viewed in full HD (click on settings)

As is the way, games 3 & 4 are on live here from 11am on Saturday & Sunday. Cup 'eve' has become a default holiday for many Melbournians so a lot of the 9 to 5 baseball fans here will get to watch game 5 live as well. Putting aside your well made points I'm barracking for the Cubs anyway - I'm just not sure they will secure the series at home. Kluber will be ready to go in game 4 by all accounts and if Cleveland can somehow win game 3, they'll be well set up for the rest of the series. Anyway, looking forward to some live baseball on the weekend.

Patriots Raiders Vikings

Points tally in the comp 1 - JV7, Gorgoroth, cowboy_from_hell, DeeSpencer 0 - The usual suspects I believe Washington are the 'road' team for their game against Cincinnati in London ... 1 point only on offer this week.