Where retired NFL players go to play?...

From the healthy, Norton virus protected notebook of your commish.  Tuesday October 31st, 2006 7:42 PM

Rambling after Week 8...

Well it's time once again for the Ramblings.  I really don't feel like writing them today, but hey, this is the high point of Suomala's week, so I'll stumble through them like the trooper I am.

Halloween again....and crazy weather again.  (for those of you not in the Duluth area, it was ridiculously windy today).  It seems like the most memorable weather days of my life have occurred on Halloween.  91 and 97 being the top 2.  Ahh yes....memories of snow and rain and also today's wind.

Well, the Vikings are back to their old tricks....showing again how 4 yard passes do not win games in the NFL.  In fact, the Vikings offense is not going to win any games by themselves this year.  Add in the way the passing defense played yesterday and it'll be a long second half of the season for the Purple and Gold.

How about the Sailors this year?  Quite safe to say with all Mike's games over 90 so far this year that he will not become the first three-peater for the gold throne.  Add to that the 175er he put up this week and I think he's on his way to his first division championship and also a look at the Egerdahl Memorial Trophy.

On the other side of the spectrum.....Jonny's team has put up a total of 80 points in the last two weeks....yea, that's an average of 40.  I don't have to look that one up in the archives to tell you that is by far a record.  With only 1 game over 100 and 5 at 70 or less, Jonny is well on his way to taking over Mike's reign as the Golden King.

So Juice wins again.  The 72 Dolphins are now getting nervous.  As for Juice's remaining schedule.....it's not too tough.  Could we see our first undefeated season?  (all I can say is don't get too comfortable with that idea if McSuck is leading your team.)

Any of you been reading the Star Trib's series on Kirby Puckett?  It began on Sunday and will run each day through Wednesday.  They are not extremely long pieces, but give a very interesting perspective on a man whom all of us idolized as we were growing up in northern Minnesota.

I'm glad the elections are coming up in less than a week.  I'm getting tired of the negative ads, television debates that say the same nothing over and over and yard signs everywhere.  I'm tempted for fun to get three yard signs.....one each for Klobuchar, Fitzgerald and Grams.  I'd put them up and then wait for the cars to pile up near my property as people lose their concentration trying to understand how it would be possible for someone to support candidates from more than one party.  Yes, that would be fun for me.

Our Halloween party last Saturday went pretty well.....no (real) cops, no arrests, no damages (other than the deck, but that was inevitable).  Keg was gone in 5 hours....pizza in much less than that.  Costumes included.....Sumo Wrestler, Rodeo Rider, Catholic Priest, Hockey Ref, Prisoner, Misc. slutty cops/pirates/girls, etc.  Was a good time.  Biggest plus....it was daylight savings switcharoo night, so I was sleeping by 3 instead of 4.

Just watched Emmitt on Dancing with the Stars.  Last year it was Jerry Rice.  Who will it be next year?  My guess......Mike Tice.  (come on....how funny would that be?)

Looks like Smitty is first to pull a trade with the new guy.  He got Pennington and a 3rd for Grossman and a 16th.  Hell of a deal?  Yep.  Scottie, for future reference....negotiation goes both ways, although maybe we should talk about my car/house bills.

Anywho.....I think this was a valiant enough effort for this week's Ramblings.  So I'm calling it quits.  Good luck to all who are hitting the woods this weekend.....I really don't yet know if I want a deer or not, but I'll be out there at least looking at them. (or possibly sleeping in the woods)

Need I say more?

BIGFFBL senior writer Jeremy Carlson sounds off whenever he feels like it on www.bigffbl.com