Macca

No worries mate .. as I said, happy to discuss in the off-season. I reckon most here would rather leave the tipping part as it is though ... the design is very simple and it's low maintenance. Obviously a bit frustrating but that's the fun of it. By the way, I reckon the Lions are a big chance but I just couldn't pick against the Packers - not against a divisional rival anyway. My Detroit supporting mate knows he's going to cop some grief if they don't defeat a Rodgers-less Packers though. Is your game against the Broncos a trap game or do the Eagles just keep on their winning ways?

Well, in the first year we had joint winners so I'd rather leave it as it is (for continuity) Think of it like the Brownlow ... you get all those hard-earned votes (points) and whilst they used to have a countback, they changed it to joint winners because it was deemed unfair to lose that way. It's a good suggestion though Dappa. Happy to revisit the discussion in the NFL off-season if you like. From memory, in year 1 both cowboy_from_hell & Strafford were equal leaders going into the last week but both picked up 3 points with different tips. Extending the season proper tipping comp would effect the post-season comp as well ... that sort of just evolved because people kept tipping into the post-season (with scorelines)

Rams KC Atlanta

The games again ...

Ha ha ha ... good luck trying to find 3 road winners this week Gorgo. It's possibly the toughest week we've had.

Leaderboard in the comp 6 - Clintosaurus 5 - Dappa Dan 4 - Go the Biff 3 - JV7 1 - Gorgoroth, Macca 0 - The usual suspects This weeks games ... 2 points up for grabs in the comp. Another tough week though - good luck! Guess the Lines Week 9 with Bill Simmons & Cousin Sal (Podcast)

Jeff Saturday made mention of the vulnerability of Wentz in terms of protection and what the Eagles are asking him to do. I haven't watched the Eagles like you do but is there any substance to what Saturday is saying? I bang on about the Rodgers situation with McCarthy but is it a similar situation with Wentz & Pederson?

Patriots deal QB Jimmy Garoppolo to 49ers for 2018 draft pick For a 2nd round pick too by the looks of it ... Garoppolo was to become a restricted free agent by seasons end so the Pats get a deal done now. Re-signing him might have been a prohibitive move by the Pats in the sense that the 49ers are looking like tagging Garoppolo as their franchise player.

Yeah, I'm heavily into podcasts nb ... Movies & TV shows mainly. But for something different, 'Inside Psycho' & 'Inside The Exorcist' are both extremely good (both rank high on the various podcast charts) 'This American Life' is also quite good. For any movie that I've really liked or for a particular favourite movie, I can listen to as many as 10 podcasts to re-live that film. Once done, listening to that many podcasts about a movie often makes one want to watch that particular movie again! The intriguing part about podcasts is that anyone can do them ... and because of that, they are not exactly big money-spinners. In effect, podcasts are like a community service out in the public domain. They're here to stay for the same types of reasons. Here's Podbay's top ranking Film & TV podcasts (click on 'browse' for other categories)

I reckon the thinking when playing a top team away from home is that you have to score twice in order to have a realistic chance at getting points from the game. That's a generalisation though. Mourinho is the master at achieving a 1-0 victory with a late winner. He's happy for his teams to sit back even at home. I see United only had 45% of possession. Man City are the team to beat all the same - 28 points from 10 games with a +29 goal difference already. They don't really look like faltering but you never know

In the 97th minute too ... but I'm well used to it after all these years. The ambition is often just to stay up and the incremental achievements are to take points off the big clubs (which we did to great effect in the 2015/16 season) Bilic hasn't got a lot to work with but he's close to being sacked anyway ... that's just the way soccer works. It's nothing personal in many ways, it's just win or you're out. And in soccer it's always about winning now. I know of plenty here that follow teams that are no longer in the top division (Leeds, Forest, Derby et al) so I'm hoping that we can survive (again) The games on the telly have been terrific ... Spurs really missed Harry Kane last night. He's not easily replaced and he's so good that he is irreplaceable for a team like Tottenham.

Not sure we're going to get the audio coverage back in a hurry GV ... I've got a tunein subscription and they don't do the games either. The thinking is archaic - the EPL is one of the most in-demand leagues in world sport and we can't even get radio coverage. On Tunein radio I can listen to any NHL, NBA, MLB or NFL game anywhere, anytime ... but no EPL.

There are a number of podcasts surrounding 'Stranger Things' but I found the following one to be amongst the better ones ... Dungeons & Demogorgons - A 'Stranger Things' Podcast by the "Bald Move Crew."

Humidor might have won if it didn't hang in late ... but when you're chasing a champion horse that can happen. Edit: Bowman just said Winx kicked again when threatened so maybe a bit of both. Was a good race and an exciting finish all the same. 2000 is her distance down to 1600 so the 2 English races targeted makes sense.

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.