[BobK]

Certainly need the brobdingnagian big down rating here

[BobK]

Certainly need the brobdingnagian big down rating here

[BostonCard]

---

Were the halftime shows to blame for these too?

https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/here-are-...t-7289493/

BC

[BostonCard]

---

Were the halftime shows to blame for these too?

https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/here-are-...t-7289493/

BC

[martyup]

It's surprising that avacados are so profitable that their producers can afford a Super Bowl ad.

Expect the price of avocados will skyrocket in the next couple of weeks.  Yesterday the USDA suspended the importation of Mexican avacados.

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStor...l-82863532

[martyup]

It's surprising that avacados are so profitable that their producers can afford a Super Bowl ad.

Expect the price of avocados will skyrocket in the next couple of weeks.  Yesterday the USDA suspended the importation of Mexican avacados.

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStor...l-82863532

[cardcrimson]

---

Were the halftime shows to blame for these too?

https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/here-are-...t-7289493/

BC

I am so confused trying to follow this. 

FWIW, my teenage daughter who loves hip hop, thought the halftime was awful.

[cardcrimson]

---

Were the halftime shows to blame for these too?

https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/here-are-...t-7289493/

BC

I am so confused trying to follow this. 

FWIW, my teenage daughter who loves hip hop, thought the halftime was awful.

[dabigv13]

Let's see what happens when Inglewood and the greater Los Angeles area celebrates a Super Bowl win.  Hopefully, the half time show didn't inspire post game free shopping.

Honestly, I’m not sure where you are going with this and I don’t really want to find out.

BC

I'm pretty sure I know where he's going with it. A few posts ago complaining about the thug rappers performing in the halftime show, timing especially wrong because of all the recent "race riots".

I like your gifs dude but you should evaluate why you're posting all this not so thinly veiled racism. Really dissapointing to see this shit here.

[dabigv13]

Let's see what happens when Inglewood and the greater Los Angeles area celebrates a Super Bowl win.  Hopefully, the half time show didn't inspire post game free shopping.

Honestly, I’m not sure where you are going with this and I don’t really want to find out.

BC

I'm pretty sure I know where he's going with it. A few posts ago complaining about the thug rappers performing in the halftime show, timing especially wrong because of all the recent "race riots".

I like your gifs dude but you should evaluate why you're posting all this not so thinly veiled racism. Really dissapointing to see this shit here.

[cardcrimson]

Bengals.  Two Stanford alums on the team, and they didn’t screw over a city by leaving.

BC

Catching up on older threads. So, the Los Angeles Rams screwed over a city by leaving Los Angeles? I'm perplexed.

---

Halftime show was awesome. Best part of game for sure.

I don't think there were any n-words and the songs they picked weren't particularly misogynistic, though certainly hip hop does have some of that. What hip hop acts would you have chosen martyup?

You can not be serious. The half time show was awful, but I'm an old white guy, so my opinion is irrelevant. That said, my teenage daughter, who took many years of hip hop lessons and has danced professionally, thought it awful as well. With high expectations, she ended up incredibly disappointed in both the quality of the dance and the rap.

[cardcrimson]

Bengals.  Two Stanford alums on the team, and they didn’t screw over a city by leaving.

BC

Catching up on older threads. So, the Los Angeles Rams screwed over a city by leaving Los Angeles? I'm perplexed.

---

Halftime show was awesome. Best part of game for sure.

I don't think there were any n-words and the songs they picked weren't particularly misogynistic, though certainly hip hop does have some of that. What hip hop acts would you have chosen martyup?

You can not be serious. The half time show was awful, but I'm an old white guy, so my opinion is irrelevant. That said, my teenage daughter, who took many years of hip hop lessons and has danced professionally, thought it awful as well. With high expectations, she ended up incredibly disappointed in both the quality of the dance and the rap.

[martyup]

LA Rams celebrations are getting a little out of hand:

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2022/02/13/__trashed-3/

Video on social media also showed several members of the crowd looting various stores on the intersections of both Sixth Street and Olive Street, and 5th Street and Broadway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOmEP9LTd94

[martyup]

LA Rams celebrations are getting a little out of hand:

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2022/02/13/__trashed-3/

Video on social media also showed several members of the crowd looting various stores on the intersections of both Sixth Street and Olive Street, and 5th Street and Broadway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOmEP9LTd94

[needle]

Game: Pretty dull, and marred by bad officiating. Enjoyed the end around by Kupp on 4th-and-1. Aaron Donald, a dominant player, deserved a ring as much as anyone, imo.

Halftime: Had no interest in watching people 15+ years past their musical prime and didn’t watch.

This thread: Criticizing the misogyny in rap is within bounds, but comments suggesting a predisposition to riot based on neighborhood are in poor taste, to say the least.

[needle]

Game: Pretty dull, and marred by bad officiating. Enjoyed the end around by Kupp on 4th-and-1. Aaron Donald, a dominant player, deserved a ring as much as anyone, imo.

Halftime: Had no interest in watching people 15+ years past their musical prime and didn’t watch.

This thread: Criticizing the misogyny in rap is within bounds, but comments suggesting a predisposition to riot based on neighborhood are in poor taste, to say the least.

[martyup]

I don't think there were any n-words and the songs they picked weren't particularly misogynistic, though certainly hip hop does have some of that. What hip hop acts would you have chosen martyup?

Yes, the "N" word was used repeatedly in the songs performed during halftime.  I just don't think showcasing songs like this is consistent with the words on the field "End Racism."

There are many top Hip Hop artists that don't use explicit language and/or racist words. Mary J Blige's and Eminem's songs were great without all of that.

If you don't believe me please read the lyrics to:

"In Da Club."  It contains 10 instances of the "N" word and puts women in a vulgar light.
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/50cent/indaclub.html

"Alright" by Kendrick Lamar uses it 8 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kendrick...right.html

"Still D.R.E." uses it 7 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drdre/stilldre.html

"Forget About DRE" 3 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drdre/fo...utdre.html

"The Next Episode" 8 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drdre/th...isode.html

The other issue I have with the lyrics of many rap songs is the glorification of crime and violence and the objectification of women.  I do think that such songs can influence young people, of any race, to act in bad ways.

I am a big believer in the First Amendment and would not call for the censorship of artists.  However, I question the NFL's decision to allow some of these songs to be featured at the Super Bowl half time show.

[martyup]

I don't think there were any n-words and the songs they picked weren't particularly misogynistic, though certainly hip hop does have some of that. What hip hop acts would you have chosen martyup?

Yes, the "N" word was used repeatedly in the songs performed during halftime.  I just don't think showcasing songs like this is consistent with the words on the field "End Racism."

There are many top Hip Hop artists that don't use explicit language and/or racist words. Mary J Blige's and Eminem's songs were great without all of that.

If you don't believe me please read the lyrics to:

"In Da Club."  It contains 10 instances of the "N" word and puts women in a vulgar light.
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/50cent/indaclub.html

"Alright" by Kendrick Lamar uses it 8 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kendrick...right.html

"Still D.R.E." uses it 7 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drdre/stilldre.html

"Forget About DRE" 3 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drdre/fo...utdre.html

"The Next Episode" 8 times:
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drdre/th...isode.html

The other issue I have with the lyrics of many rap songs is the glorification of crime and violence and the objectification of women.  I do think that such songs can influence young people, of any race, to act in bad ways.

I am a big believer in the First Amendment and would not call for the censorship of artists.  However, I question the NFL's decision to allow some of these songs to be featured at the Super Bowl half time show.

[BostonCard]

Halftime: Had no interest in watching people 15+ years past their musical prime and didn’t watch.

This thread: Criticizing the misogyny in rap is within bounds, but comments suggesting a predisposition to riot based on neighborhood are in poor taste, to say the least.

The setlist:
The Next Episode — Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg: 2000
California Love — Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg: 1995
In Da Club — 50 Cent: 2003
Family Affair — Mary J. Blige: 2001
No More Drama — Mary J. Blige: 2001
m.A.A.d City — Kendrick Lamar: 2012
Alright — Kendrick Lamar: 2015
Forgot about Dre — Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Dr. Dre: 2000
Lose Yourself — Eminem: 2002
Still Dre — Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem: 1999

Most of the songs (except for Kendrick Lamar’s) are over 20 years old. As stated earlier in the thread, it is a nostalgia play for millennials and Gen Xers who grew up listening to the music and are the targets for all the Super Bowl ads.

But going for the nostalgia play with over the hill bands is par for a super bowl. Who can forget The Rolling Stones playing in 2006 songs that were almost 30 years old. Or even U2 in the early 2000’s playing songs from the 80’s.

BC

[BostonCard]

Halftime: Had no interest in watching people 15+ years past their musical prime and didn’t watch.

This thread: Criticizing the misogyny in rap is within bounds, but comments suggesting a predisposition to riot based on neighborhood are in poor taste, to say the least.

The setlist:
The Next Episode — Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg: 2000
California Love — Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg: 1995
In Da Club — 50 Cent: 2003
Family Affair — Mary J. Blige: 2001
No More Drama — Mary J. Blige: 2001
m.A.A.d City — Kendrick Lamar: 2012
Alright — Kendrick Lamar: 2015
Forgot about Dre — Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Dr. Dre: 2000
Lose Yourself — Eminem: 2002
Still Dre — Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem: 1999

Most of the songs (except for Kendrick Lamar’s) are over 20 years old. As stated earlier in the thread, it is a nostalgia play for millennials and Gen Xers who grew up listening to the music and are the targets for all the Super Bowl ads.

But going for the nostalgia play with over the hill bands is par for a super bowl. Who can forget The Rolling Stones playing in 2006 songs that were almost 30 years old. Or even U2 in the early 2000’s playing songs from the 80’s.

BC

[OutsiderFan]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

Fast Forward to 4th Quarter under two minutes left with Rams inside the Bengals 10 up  4...  Great coverage with no discernible grabbing by LB on Cooper Kupp is flagged for holding on 3rd down and Goal from Bengals 8 yard line.  This holding call on Bengals #55 was absolutely awful. There was no grabbing by him at all. In fact, based on what I saw, it was TEXTBOOK coverage of a LB on a WR. Just a brilliant play by him. Not only are they throwing a flag on the second most crucial play of the game (4th down would have been most critical at that point), and deciding not to let some contact go, they are throwing a flag when there was no violation of the rules committed.  I guarantee you if the Bengals could challenge that flag like NBA coaches can challenge foul calls once per game, it would have been overturned as no penalty.

OK fine, one bad call. Bengals still up 4 and now Rams are 1st and Goal from the 4. Bengals can still hold them out of EZ. On first down, Rams RT is holding and Cooper Kupp gets blasted by a LEGAL hit in the EZ as he caught TD pass were it not for the hold. Yet, the official calls unnecessary roughness for basically hitting Kupp too hard.  This is the f*cking Super Bowl!!! The defender's job is to hit Kupp as hard as possible to knock the ball out! It wasn't a helmet to helmet hit.  The defender crossed his arms and hit Kupp in the chest. In the NFC Championship game, Deebo Samuel was hit by a Rams player that looked worse, and the flag came out. But the officials talked it over and ruled it was a legal hit.  It was the proper decision because it was a legal hit. They didn't do this on the biggest play of the season. Just terrible.

So instead of it being 1st and Goal from the 14 after the RT holding, it's now replay 1st and Goal from the 4. Bengals get flagged for legit holding on that down. So it's now 1st and Goal from 2.  Stafford sneaks on first down, and they score TD on 2nd to take lead.

That's two calls that DETERMINED the outcome of the game, both called against the Bengals, and neither was an actual violation of the rules. 

The Bengals were absolutely robbed.

[OutsiderFan]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

Fast Forward to 4th Quarter under two minutes left with Rams inside the Bengals 10 up  4...  Great coverage with no discernible grabbing by LB on Cooper Kupp is flagged for holding on 3rd down and Goal from Bengals 8 yard line.  This holding call on Bengals #55 was absolutely awful. There was no grabbing by him at all. In fact, based on what I saw, it was TEXTBOOK coverage of a LB on a WR. Just a brilliant play by him. Not only are they throwing a flag on the second most crucial play of the game (4th down would have been most critical at that point), and deciding not to let some contact go, they are throwing a flag when there was no violation of the rules committed.  I guarantee you if the Bengals could challenge that flag like NBA coaches can challenge foul calls once per game, it would have been overturned as no penalty.

OK fine, one bad call. Bengals still up 4 and now Rams are 1st and Goal from the 4. Bengals can still hold them out of EZ. On first down, Rams RT is holding and Cooper Kupp gets blasted by a LEGAL hit in the EZ as he caught TD pass were it not for the hold. Yet, the official calls unnecessary roughness for basically hitting Kupp too hard.  This is the f*cking Super Bowl!!! The defender's job is to hit Kupp as hard as possible to knock the ball out! It wasn't a helmet to helmet hit.  The defender crossed his arms and hit Kupp in the chest. In the NFC Championship game, Deebo Samuel was hit by a Rams player that looked worse, and the flag came out. But the officials talked it over and ruled it was a legal hit.  It was the proper decision because it was a legal hit. They didn't do this on the biggest play of the season. Just terrible.

So instead of it being 1st and Goal from the 14 after the RT holding, it's now replay 1st and Goal from the 4. Bengals get flagged for legit holding on that down. So it's now 1st and Goal from 2.  Stafford sneaks on first down, and they score TD on 2nd to take lead.

That's two calls that DETERMINED the outcome of the game, both called against the Bengals, and neither was an actual violation of the rules. 

The Bengals were absolutely robbed.

[Phogge]

From inside the spaceport (stadium):

Immense, counted nine decks of varying size.
With all that money the roof looks like a tinker toy put together by a seven year old.
Horribly noisy and the PA distorted.
We lost McVay’s wire because of the Gatorade shower.
All the slogans, videos, rap show, tributes to Marion Motley, the LA video starring Ice Cube and 50 Cent etc are the NFL’s lame attempt to portray itself as caring about race. Even the Commish’s plea for more black coaches. The thing that would make the most change is granting an expansion franchise to a group of black investors. Should be in Oakland.

[Phogge]

From inside the spaceport (stadium):

Immense, counted nine decks of varying size.
With all that money the roof looks like a tinker toy put together by a seven year old.
Horribly noisy and the PA distorted.
We lost McVay’s wire because of the Gatorade shower.
All the slogans, videos, rap show, tributes to Marion Motley, the LA video starring Ice Cube and 50 Cent etc are the NFL’s lame attempt to portray itself as caring about race. Even the Commish’s plea for more black coaches. The thing that would make the most change is granting an expansion franchise to a group of black investors. Should be in Oakland.

[jonnyss]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

"disorients him?" well there's the understatement of the week. i, too, thought the db threw ramsay to the ground by the face mask. as did the announcers.

[jonnyss]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

"disorients him?" well there's the understatement of the week. i, too, thought the db threw ramsay to the ground by the face mask. as did the announcers.

[OutsiderFan]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

"disorients him?" well there's the understatement of the week. i, too, thought the db threw ramsay to the ground by the face mask. as did the announcers.

Ramsey didn't fall because his facemark was grabbed. He fell because he was trying to draw a penalty. No way a little tug on the mask is sending him flying to ground. The word I used was the most charitable one available.

[OutsiderFan]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

"disorients him?" well there's the understatement of the week. i, too, thought the db threw ramsay to the ground by the face mask. as did the announcers.

Ramsey didn't fall because his facemark was grabbed. He fell because he was trying to draw a penalty. No way a little tug on the mask is sending him flying to ground. The word I used was the most charitable one available.

[lex24]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

"disorients him?" well there's the understatement of the week. i, too, thought the db threw ramsay to the ground by the face mask. as did the announcers.

Ramsey didn't fall because his facemark was grabbed. He fell because he was trying to draw a penalty. No way a little tug on the mask is sending him flying to ground. The word I used was the most charitable one available.

 I rooted for the Rams. That was both a face mask and Offense PI.  Easy call to make. They didn’t.

Agree on the third down holding call.  Weak.  Also agree that refs shouldn’t call game loose for 58 minutes then tighten up.

But Bengals lost cause they couldn’t protect Burrow.  Simple as that.

[lex24]

What do you think the Rams had to pay more for, the free agents or the BS defensive holding call?

By far, the worst officiating of the game was the non-call when the Bengals' WR caught a 75 yard TD pass after grabbing the defender's face mask and flinging him to the ground. The Bengals have no business complaining about the refs.

Not possible for me to disagree more.  Here's the thing.  Ramsey held a WR on the Bengals first scoring drive. He clearly grabbed the undershirt on 3rd down at the goal line and was not called for PI.  OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine. Higgins pulls Ramsey's facemask and disorients him to allow TD pass. OK, we aren't calling it tight in the Super Bowl, fine.

"disorients him?" well there's the understatement of the week. i, too, thought the db threw ramsay to the ground by the face mask. as did the announcers.

Ramsey didn't fall because his facemark was grabbed. He fell because he was trying to draw a penalty. No way a little tug on the mask is sending him flying to ground. The word I used was the most charitable one available.

 I rooted for the Rams. That was both a face mask and Offense PI.  Easy call to make. They didn’t.

Agree on the third down holding call.  Weak.  Also agree that refs shouldn’t call game loose for 58 minutes then tighten up.

But Bengals lost cause they couldn’t protect Burrow.  Simple as that.

[Phogge]

OK, football is over. How about we all guess on a date for Opening Day. I guess April 15.

[Phogge]

OK, football is over. How about we all guess on a date for Opening Day. I guess April 15.

[82 Card]

 

FWIW, my teenage daughter who loves hip hop, thought the halftime was awful.

It's tradition, going back to the very beginning. At least when I was a teenager the halftime show did not even pretend to be cool. All these years later, I still remember the pain of Up with People.

[82 Card]

 

FWIW, my teenage daughter who loves hip hop, thought the halftime was awful.

It's tradition, going back to the very beginning. At least when I was a teenager the halftime show did not even pretend to be cool. All these years later, I still remember the pain of Up with People.

[teejers1]

All the slogans, videos, rap show, tributes to Marion Motley, the LA video starring Ice Cube and 50 Cent etc are the NFL’s lame attempt to portray itself as caring about race. Even the Commish’s plea for more black coaches. The thing that would make the most change is granting an expansion franchise to a group of black investors. Should be in Oakland.

When watching halftime real time, my reactions were, in order:

1.  They are going to the WAY BACK machine with these performers, some almost my age; and 

2.  Do you think the NFL is saying:  "We suck at having black head coaches; but hey, almost the entire halftime show was AA performers . . . does that count for anything?"

P.S.  Was hoping Em would go with Slim Shady.

P.P.S.  Normally I'm down with the "Hey, he can't abuse our pledge like that; only we can abuse our pledge like that" mentality when it comes to many cross-over critiques.  But it is completely duplicitous for Hip Hop world to drop the N-word like candy on Halloween in industry lyrics and then have AA community outraged when those outside AA community use the word.  That is especially true for an industry targeting all stripes and colors and raking in all kinds of $$ from those stripes and colors.  It really isn't a close call.  But hey, I'm fine with the use of the word in the lyrics, if that is what is important to those artists.  Just don't come after anyone with "outrage" over the use in other settings.  That is complete bull-bleep and the ultimate in hypocrisy.

[teejers1]

All the slogans, videos, rap show, tributes to Marion Motley, the LA video starring Ice Cube and 50 Cent etc are the NFL’s lame attempt to portray itself as caring about race. Even the Commish’s plea for more black coaches. The thing that would make the most change is granting an expansion franchise to a group of black investors. Should be in Oakland.

When watching halftime real time, my reactions were, in order:

1.  They are going to the WAY BACK machine with these performers, some almost my age; and 

2.  Do you think the NFL is saying:  "We suck at having black head coaches; but hey, almost the entire halftime show was AA performers . . . does that count for anything?"

P.S.  Was hoping Em would go with Slim Shady.

P.P.S.  Normally I'm down with the "Hey, he can't abuse our pledge like that; only we can abuse our pledge like that" mentality when it comes to many cross-over critiques.  But it is completely duplicitous for Hip Hop world to drop the N-word like candy on Halloween in industry lyrics and then have AA community outraged when those outside AA community use the word.  That is especially true for an industry targeting all stripes and colors and raking in all kinds of $$ from those stripes and colors.  It really isn't a close call.  But hey, I'm fine with the use of the word in the lyrics, if that is what is important to those artists.  Just don't come after anyone with "outrage" over the use in other settings.  That is complete bull-bleep and the ultimate in hypocrisy.

[newguy]

OK, football is over. How about we all guess on a date for Opening Day. I guess April 15.

I too look forward to the day when pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.
and if Opening Day is April 15th, then drinks are on me.

[newguy]

OK, football is over. How about we all guess on a date for Opening Day. I guess April 15.

I too look forward to the day when pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.
and if Opening Day is April 15th, then drinks are on me.

[cardcrimson]

Anybody find the last Bengals play oddly reminiscent of the Niners last play two weeks earlier? Jimmy was crushed by his critics. Burrow, not so much.

Stats? 

Burrow: 22-33 for 263 (75 on the face mask PI), 1 TD, 0 Ints, 39.7 QBR, 101 rating, 7 sacks
Garappolo: 23-32 for 316, 1 TD, 2 Ints (one on the last gasp play), 49.0 QBP, 87 rating, 3 sacks

[cardcrimson]

Anybody find the last Bengals play oddly reminiscent of the Niners last play two weeks earlier? Jimmy was crushed by his critics. Burrow, not so much.

Stats? 

Burrow: 22-33 for 263 (75 on the face mask PI), 1 TD, 0 Ints, 39.7 QBR, 101 rating, 7 sacks
Garappolo: 23-32 for 316, 1 TD, 2 Ints (one on the last gasp play), 49.0 QBP, 87 rating, 3 sacks