I am a Pacman Ghost. I like to hang around with friends, chatting, dancing, all that sort of thing. We don't appreciate outsiders, and do our best to discourage others approaching us. I enjoy occasionally wandering around randomly, and often find that when I do so, I get to where I wanted to be. What Video Game Character Are You?

(If you were not a Pacman Ghost you would be Pacman.)

I am Pacman. I am an aggressive sort of personality, out to get what I can, when I can. I prefer to avoid confrontation, but sometimes when it's called for, I can be a powerful character. I tend to be afflicted with munchies constantly. What Video Game Character Are You?

Well, my usual Wed night indoor game was tonight, and we played a team that came into the game undefeated, and, well, they kicked our ass.

BUT, I played an absolutely epic, classic, clutch, almost single-handedly keep the team in the game first half. The second half was an entirely different story.

Let me explain. That team was just better than my team� they were just better. On an individual level, we had a couple guys (one of them me) who could play at their level. One guy is our master defensive stopper, and then there�s me. I consider myself an all-around scrappy-playmaker, but I have mad defensive skills. However, on this team, I am more often finding myself in a very offensive role, trying to generate and score goals. Tonight, I found myself suddenly in the position of being �the man� in the first half. I elevated my play, ran like a maniac, got back to help on defense. At halftime we were down 5-3� and I had a hat trick. All three goals were off my foot.

I had also blown my wad. My first shift of the second half I was gassed very quickly. My second shift I was useless � wooden legs. By my third shift I had found my groove, but it was significantly below the caliber I had played in the first half.

I came out in the second half with the notion that I needed to distribute, play make, I had mine, and I needed to get other people their�s. I quickly found my teammates blowing their chances. Okay, I went to playing a little ballhog, launched some decent shots, didn�t score, blew a one timer off a beautiful pass. During one spell we launched at least 8 close-range (but often bad angle) shots in about 20 seconds � nothing went in. In the meantime, the score was 6-3, then 7-3, then 8-3, then 9-3. My legs to get back on D were gone. My offense had left the building. I was gassed. I started hanging back on D. I watched the guys up front embark on a comedy of errors on offense. The game had gotten away from me � and it had long since gotten away from my team. The first-half hat trick didn�t exist any more. Now we, and I, just sucked. It got to 10-3 before we scored with about 10 seconds left, I wasn�t on the field, I had subbed out on their 10th with about a minute left. One of my teammates said �Well, Jake kept us in it the first half� we couldn�t expect him to do it all game.� Yeah, but a loss is a loss, a butt-kicking is still a butt-kicking.

my picks:
$10 on Russia for Gold
$10 on Czech Rep. for Gold
$40 on winner from Europe
$20 on USA any medal
$20 on Canada any medal

And come one on people, even if you don't know a damn thing about hockey, just make picks. It's FUN, people (I'm talking to my non-sports people out there, and female readers (yeah, I'm looking at you Laurie, John, and Angie, whoever else).

I think it�s time for another �imaginary� betting pool.

The Winter Olympics are coming up, and I really couldn�t care less except for the International �Dream Team� tournament in Hockey. Canada, Russia, USA, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Finland will all have elite squads compiled of mostly, if not all, NHL players. Olympic hockey is played on �the big sheet� (the NHL rink is 200� long by 85� wide, the Olympic rink is 200� x 100�) which means there is less emphasis on the physicality, checking, clutching, grabbing, grinding that seems to bog down a lot of NHL games, and more emphasis on speed, skill, passing, movement.

As before, you have $100, email me with your bets (jake_reeder@hotmail.com) , please make no more than 5 bets in $5 increments (i.e. 5, 10, 25,35, 50� whatever).

Odds to win Outright (Gold medal)
Canada: 9/5 (i.e $5 bet wins you $9)
Russia: 3/1 (i.e. $5 bet wins you $15, you get the point now)
USA: 4/1
Czech Rep: 3/1
Sweden: 7/1
Finland: 16/1
Field (any other team): 50/1


Matchup bets (these are money line bets as described in my Super Bowl betting blog)
Team that will be placed higher:

Canada -140
Russia +110

Czech Rep -130
USA +110

Finland +130
Sweden -160

Here are some wagers I made up:

Pick �em (means straight up bet, one vs. the other, bet $5 to win $5)
Winner from Europe
Winner from North. America


To win any medal:
USA: 8/5
Canada: 4/5 ($5 to win $4)

Pavel Bure (Russia) leads tournament in goals
5/2 (Mr. Bure went off in the Nagano '98 games, with 9 goals -- 4 more than anyone else)

The Kournikova bet:
Pavel Bure vs. Sergei Fedorov (both Russia) total points in Tournament (goals and assists)
pick em (bet $5 to win $5)
(Bure briefly dated Anna Kournikova, Fedorov is involved in a "serious relationship" with the Russian tennis bombshell)

Have fun!
I�ll have my picks up shortly.

Tonight was one of those soccer games that just makes me feel good about myself. It was 1-1 at the half, and they jumped on us, scoring two goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half. We made the comeback, and won 4-3, scoring two goals in the last 10 minutes. I played the whole game at my usual sweeper/stopper/center fullback gig, and I played well... not great, but good. The whole comeback-winning thing helped.

I was planning on writing my Official Super Bowl reaction blog entry, but I just didn't feel like doing it. Then I came across Ryu's (Mike's) latest DecE strip, and his blurb sums up my feelings adequately.

The halftime showed rocked. Curses on me for even considering the jackass Fear Factor bullshit. I'm back on the U2 bandwagon. I sort of lost interest in them with a couple Really, Really shitty albums after Achtung Baby. Hopefully, the Super Bowl will learn that the glitzy over-the-top bullshit of old is a waste of time.

Here's the virtual Super Bowl bet results:
Mike:
$50 on Pats (money line)
$25(?) on Pats to cover (+14)
$25(?) on O/U (?)
he ends up with $300 (wins $200)

Rich:
$50 on Under 53
$50 on Pats to cover (+14)
he ends up with $200 (Wins $100)

Tyler:
$50 on Under 53
$50 on Pats cover (+14)
he ends up with $200 (wins $100)

Jake:
$70 on Under 53
$25 on Rams cover(-14)
$5 on Pats (money line)
I end up with $165 (wins $65)

Greg:
$75 on Rams (money line)
$25 on Under 53
he ends up with $50 (loses $50)

Aaron:
$35 on Over 53
$65 on Rams cover (-14)
he ends up with NOTHING (loses $100)

Tad:
$100 on Over 53
he ends up with NOTHING (losses $100)

Sow, how about those Pats? Myself, as I stated on this page, is that I want either Drew Bledsoe to win it for the Pats, or have the Rams win. I get neither.

It was a totally lame game for 3 quarters (although Pats fans had to be just floating) but the 4th quarter was amazing, absolutely epic. 2nd biggest upset in NFL history (behind Joe Namath led Jets win over Colts in S.B. III).

Here's the breakdown: 60% Rams choke, 40% Patriots win. All their scores were set up by, or directly from, turnovers, except that last mind-boggling drive for the game-winning field goal. Warner never looked good, and his accuracy was off from the get go, even before the pressure "got to him." The Rams idiotic playcalling and Criminal under-use of Marshal Faulk in the 4th quarter did them in. Mike Martz was BADLY outcoached by Brian Belicheck. Got to give Props to the Pats. They were lucky, opportunistic, and good enough throughout the Playoffs.

USA WINS CONCACAF GOLD CUP!