Sunday, January 14, 2024

NFL this 'n' that

 As noted over at Tri-City SportsBeat, today's Bills-Steelers playoff game in Orchard Park has been pushed back to Monday at 4:30 pm (ET) due to weather and a travel ban imposed by Governor Kathy Hochul in Erie County, where Buffalo & Orchard Park are situated. Hochul is erring on the side of caution after conferring with Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Goodell could've used Hochul's help, though, to deal with NY Rep. Pat Ryan, who sent letters to Goodell & officials at NBC-Universal-Comcast, parent company of Peacock, which had exclusive streaming rights to last night's Dolphins-Chiefs game. Ryan argued that the league's decision to experiment with such exclusitivity in the postseason isn't fair to fans. He didn't specify exactly how those fans would be affected, as I'd imagine most have computers or can access Peacock on their phones. That said, I suspect it's about the prospective loss of revenue in bars across Ryan's district, who were unable to show the game.

To that end, Ryan was fighting a losing battle, because the deal was made well before the 2023 season began.

And here I was thinking this would've been something for NY GOPers to whine about.
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Add Chiefs-Dolphins. In -30 degree temperatures in Kansas City, Chiefs coach Andy Reid's mustache actually froze over, which, of course, went viral, giving fans something to talk about besides the game and the Chiefs' #1 fan of the moment, that, of course, being singer Taylor Swift.

We asked an expert on cold climate about Reid:


"Py Yiminy! That's really cold!"

If you're of a certain age, you might know Wally Walrus from some old cartoons with Woody Woodpecker, Andy Panda, & Chilly Willy.
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And as for T-Swizzle, the puffer jacket she sported at the game was designed by Kristen Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Can we get them to Fashion Week in NYC this year?

The other noteworthy item was that it was cold enough, such that QB Patrick Mahomes had to use a replacement helmet after he had one shatter on him during the game. That might be a first.
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Saturday's opener saw AFC South champion Houston eliminate Cleveland, 45-14. Rookie QB CJ Stroud threw for a post-season record 236 yards in the 1st half alone, and finished with 275 for the game.

It does make those Las Vegas oddsmakers look like fools for making the Browns a road favorite. The handicapping panel in the Albany Times-Union, including WNYT's Rodger Wyland and Spectrum News 1's Jackson Wang, took the bait, and got burned. The panel was split on the Dolphins & Chiefs.

Cleveland QB Joe Flacco, making a late bid for Comeback Player of The Year, threw pick-6's on back-to-back possessions in the 3rd quarter that iced the game for Houston.

Today's doubleheader should be just as exciting.

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