Like any good sporting event, we should start by getting the pregame festivities out of the way first. Unlike any sporting event, none of the festivities to my knowledge will be sports related, rather it will just be me blathering on and on once again.
It is Sunday, which means it is "Matt goes to the radio station and does production duties day". Today it was taping 4 commercial feeds for the upcoming week, burning two episodes of the radio show to CD for people that filled in during Lynn's last vacation, editing and posting three shows for the podcast page, cutting up a fourth show so I can finish editing it in the morning and post it as well, setting up the studio for my 5am shift and recording the Clark Howard minutes to air tomorrow morning. On top of that, I had to stop by the part time job on the way home to recheck my schedule. Usually the schedule gets posted Saturday afternoon for the upcoming week, but Thea, my boss, said that she may have to alter my schedule because she may need me to close Monday as opposed to the Tuesday or Wednesday night that I am scheduled to close. I assumed that this meant I would be trading one shift for the other, but alas it just meant more hours were thrown on my back, which I will be honest, sucks ass. Not what I was hoping to hear this evening, but I suppose I could use the money, so I will not complain too much. At least my diversion there gave me reason to steal a sub for dinner, and given I will be eating dinner there now 4 days this week, my cooking responsibilities on the homefront have diminished somewhat.
I am off Friday night however, which means it is official, I will be on the radio Friday evening from 3pm-6pm on Doug's show. The kicker is that Friday night is the first night of the high school football season, and for the last few years I have been working those games to help supplement the income. I would make an extra $50 to sit in the studio and run the board for the games, the bad part being it meant I wouldn't get out of the radio station until 11pm, and depending on the bus schedules, it was not uncommon to not get in Friday nights until as late as 1am. That being said, I already broke it to our program director that I didn't want the high school games this year, there just isn't enough money in it for me to spend half the night at the station, especially when I have to get there at 5am. I get stuck with the choice in the middle of the day of leaving and coming back or just staying there all day and a 5am-11pm shift is really not all that enjoyable when it comes right down to it. So I opted to let one of the part timers have that shift this year, who they get really doesn't matter to me, but it is going to feel quite nice knowing that I will be leaving the station when the game coverage starts Friday night rather than just settling in for another long 5 hours of radio.
Since I have a few hours before kickoff of the football game and the glogging commencing, I might as well do another change meter update. We add another $.20 to the total and the new tote board amount is $27.91. Chances are I will be finding money more frequently now that the college students have moved back in once again. There goes my summer. Once again it will be trying to sleep on those few occasions where I get to rest my head while contending with incessant partying that goes on in the neighborhood during the school year. The only plus is that college kids are more clumsy with their cash than regular folks (probably because mom and dad give them everything rather than them actually earning it) so the coinage on the ground will most likely pick up.
I didn't get to do any dumpster diving this past week. much to my chagrin. As is the case when students move in or out, apartment leases invariably come to an end and laziness takes the better part of common sense for those college students moving from one apartment to another and stuff just gets thrown out. Not normal stuff like you or I might throw away, bigger stuff like furniture, computer stuff and all kinds of goodies that college kids will throw away rather than pack. I swear they throw away stuff that is better than the stuff I own. The only problem this week was that it rained a bit, so snagging furniture wasn't a possibility because it would have been all wet and mildewy from being outside, and there is no saying what shape and computer stuff may have been in. Which is a shame, because I saw on my way to work the other day, what looked to be either a 19" or 21" Sony Trinitron monitor that I would have loved to have brought back to the apartment just to see if it would work. Worst case scenario, it doesn't and I just throw it out on the curb like its previous owner, best case it does and I either attach it to my computer or sell it. But by the time I had gotten off of work, it had downpoured and the monitor was still sitting outside in the rubbish pile it had been in, only now it was waterlogged as well.
Well, we are an hour and twenty minutes from tonight's kickoff of the game this evening between the Steelers and Eagles, and I am going to do a catch up on some work related emails. Be back soon.
Okay, we are getting closer to kickoff time here. Not that this game means a whole lot, it is still preseason football but I need the practice doing this whole glogging thing, as much as anyone. It is a skill set, that if you don't practice it, it tends to rust up on you. And I can't remember the last time I did a football game, so I am not expecting any miracles or vastly astute insights into my game coverage this evening. For those that are unfamiliar with the glogging concept, it is the nickname for a game blog, which I do from time to time while a live sporting event is on either the radio or television. I comment on the goings on as they happen and then post the blog at the end of the game. It just offers my own unique perspective into that which has taken place, not necessarily better than that found elsewhere, but if you wanted their content, you wouldn't be reading this, would you?
Unlike others that comment on the game, I will throw in abstract stuff that comes across my mind as well. I am just as likely to comment on the weather or some hot chick I saw today as I am to talk about the game itself. Speaking of hot chicks, that is one of the advantages of the college students moving back in, the number of good looking females around the neighborhood increases. Of course, since I am 38 years old, I remind myself that I am way too old for them and if they are looking for a sugar daddy, then I am way too poor for them, instead I would be like a NutraSweet daddy instead.
And we have kickoff, with a touchback, so the Steelers open the game starting at their own 20 yard line. And on first down a reverse to Cedric Wilson for 9 yards, a nice way to start the drive. That gets followed up with a handoff to Willie Parker and it is a a Steeler first down on a 6 yard pick up.
On first and ten it is Willie Parker again, this time on a screen pass and it is another Steeler first down.
Just as the Steelers look to be starting to mount a drive, Ben Roethlisberger throws up an ill advised pass rather than taking a sack and the pass is intercepted, thus ending the drive and giving the Eagles excellent field position. And in an equally stupid move, Pittsburgh throws a red flag to review the advancement of the interception, arguing that the defender was down by contact. Mind you the difference is about 6 yards, and it is hardly worth wasting a review on this early in the game. Well, at least the challenge was was upheld, so the challenge wasn't a complete failure, but the commentators (Michaels and Madden) just brought up the point I made, that it may not be wise to waste a challenge this early.
One play for Philadelphia and one first down, and here come the Eagles. A Brian Westbrook run and a swing pass to the fullback and it is another first down, and the Eagles are inside the Steeler 30 yard line already.
Donovan McNabb coughs up the ball on second and long, but Philadelphia recovers and has a 3rd and 13 on the drive. Tack on an offsides penalty and now it is 3 and 18, the Eagles moving very much in the wrong direction. . A blitz by Pittsburgh on 3rd down, and the Steelers record a sack on McNabb and the sack may push Philly back out of field goal range. And it does, the Eagles opt to punt instead. Yikes, three flags on this drive, this could be a long quarter if this keeps up. But it was an offsides against the Steelers, and the Eagles opted to decline and take the result of the punt, which is to pin the Steelers on their own 9 yard line.
Drive #2 for Pittsburgh, and it begins with a handoff to Willie Parker, but the recurring theme of the first quarter rears its ugly head, a penalty, holding on Pittsburgh, so it is 1st and 14 instead of second and 6.
Two runs result in one yard and the Steelers face 3rd and 13 from their own 5 yard line. An incomplete pass, and we will see a punt by the Steelers, which should give Philadelphia good field position again. Actually better than good, as the kick goes off of the side of the punters foot, and goes for all of 14 yards. The Eagles will get the ball back in muy excellente field position, starting at the Steeler 20.
I think I will grab a shower at halftime, I am feeling all grimy and stuff from the warm weather and the warmer apartment that I dwell in. I managed to get it down to 80 in here last night, but it heated up again a little this afternoon while I was at work. Not as bad as yesterday where it was over 90 in here, but still warmer than is comfortable.
The Eagles go no huddle and two plays later, they are inside the Steeler 10 at the 9 yard line. Correll Buckhalter gains 5 on first down and it is 2nd and 4 for the Eagles. A rollout pass is well covered however and McNabb just throws it away bringing up 3rd and goal from the 4. An incomplete pass and the Eagles will try a field goal, which is good, and we have our first score, Eagles 3 Steelers 0.
I have new reason to root against the Steelers this year. Not that I will mind you, but I do have a reason to if I need one. Turns out Subway is doing a local promotion where if the Steelers score on the first possession of the second half of any game, everyone gets double meat on their subs for free. That screams of a world of suck for those of us making said sandwiches.
We are back to live action and the Steelers return the kickoff to the 25 yard line where they will begin drive #3. Truth be told, given how the first two have turned out, they should be happy that they are only down three points at this juncture., it could easily be 6 or even 10 points but for Pittsburgh playing very good defense.
The drive starts off well for Pittsburgh, with a rollout pass to Dan Kreider the fullback, which goes for a Pittsburgh first down. Another screen pass to Willie Parker and the Steelers have second and 5 and they seem to be using the short pass to negate the Philadelphia blitz package.
The Steelers covert on 3rd and 5 with a 13 yard pass to Hines Ward, getting the Steelers their second first down of the drive. Of course on 1st and 10, a false start makes it 1st and 15 instead.
Heath Miller makes a great catch while getting hit and keeps moving all the way down to the 1 yard line of Philadelphia, making it first and goal for Pittsburgh on the 38 yard pickup. This is of note, because the Steelers haven't used the tight ends or fullbacks all that much this preseason, yet their two big plays this drive involve passes to each of them. Perhaps a new wrinkle to the Steeler playbook? Well, that remains to be seen, you can only take so much from preseason games.
On second and goal from the one, Willie Parker fumbles and the Eagles recover, snuffing out the Steelers best chance so far in this game to score. The Eagles take over possession at the 2 yard line.
McNabb goes deep on 1st and ten, but the pass is incomplete, leaving the Eagles 2nd and 10. A run for 4 yards and it is 3rd and 6 still deep in the eagles end of the field, but the pass is complete for a 1st down and the Eagles drive will continue outside of the shadows of their own goalposts.
The Eagles take a penalty for unnecessary roughness after the play, so a short gain on first down will leave the Eagles with instead second and about 16 to go when we come back to live action, as that play ends the first quarter, with the eagles still ahead 3-0.
Hopefully you all have followed along to this point, like I said, I am still very rusty at this and it may come out like nothing but gibberish, I haven't really went about proofreading what I have written.
Another penalty on the Eagles and it is 2nd and 18 and they are once again pushed back to their own 3 yard line. Not that that stops the Eagles, as they convert on second and long with a pass to Matt Schobel, the tight end, that results in a first down, the second by the Eagles on this drive.
During a timeout in the action, I took it upon myself to pluck a mutant back hair. I say mutant, because I do not have one of those backs that need shaved by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, every now and again, I will have a solitary hair or two pop up on my shoulder blade which I find quite annoying, so I tend to pluck them out whenever I see them.
Corell Buckhalter again with a nice gain on the ground on second and 10, good for about 6 yards, one of the few things the Eagles have done right on offense. That is quickly negated though by another penalty for offsides and it is again 3rd and 9. The Eagles must have been reading my blog, because they tried to run with Buckhalter on 3rd and 9, but it only gets 6, so the Eagles have to punt. Willie Reid to field the punt for Pittsburgh, and he fumbles it, until he recovers it, the Eagles are all over him and he gets taken down at the 2 yard line. The score remains Eagles 3 Steelers 0, 2nd quarter.
At this rate I could take my shower and about the only thing I would miss would be Steeler turnovers and Eagle penalties.
Al Michaels just said that Pittsburgh is home to many Fortune 500 companies. Apparently he is still reading the 70's press materials as most of them have left here. Sure we have a few left, but not nearly the number we used to have.
A three and out from Pittsburgh and the Eagles once again will start in Pittsburgh territory, this time from the Steeler 44 yard line. I will say it is two plays before the Eagles commit another penalty. Any takers on that bet?
A commercial for Bionic Woman on NBC, because all original ideas have officially been used up. On the bright side, maybe Oscar Madison and the OSI will get more face time now. Bonus to the two people in the room that got that reference.
Two plays and no penalties, I guess this is the make or break point, and no flag, just an incomplete pass, so three plays for the Eagles net one yard and it looks like time for another punt. The punt rolls into the end zone and the Steelers will have for them what is good starting field position, from their own 20.
Okay, my second commercial complaint of the ballgame, a bunch of guys sitting around singing Viva Viagra. Did they ever stop to think that maybe it isn't so much they have erectile dysfunction as it is they are sitting around with a bunch of other guys singing when they could at least be trying to hook up with someone? I'm just saying.......
After a loss of 5 yards on first down, another screen pass to Willie Parker results in about a 20 yard gain results in a first down. This is probably the most work Willie Parker has gotten in the preseason to this point, and while his running has been suspect (See the fumble at the 1), he has been more than adequate catch the ball out of the backfield to this point.
Two more Willie Parker runs result in 5 yards total and on third and 5, the Steelers covert again via the pass, this time to Cedric Wilson.
Najeh Davenport in for Parker and on first down he gets about 5 yards, possibly the best run by the Steelers to this point. On 3rd and 4, it is again a first down for Pittsburgh, this time a pass to Santonio Holmes for 22 yards.
On first down from the Eagles 18 yard line Willie Parker breaks through the line and gets into the endzone almost untouched and the Steelers complete the 9 play drive with a touchdown and with 5:34 left in the 2nd quarter its now Steelers 7 Eagles 3.
Pittsburgh will kickoff for the first time tonight, as they received the opening kickoff and the kick will go into the endzone for a touchback. The Eagles will take over possession on their own 20 yard line.
Donovan McNabb is done for the night as the Eagles have inserted their backup QB into the game, and Buckhalter once again has a couple of good runs, for 11 on first down and 4 more on the ensuing first down. But on 3rd and 5, the Eagles new QB attempts to pass, but it is incomplete and they are once again forced to punt. The Steelers will take over possession on their own 23 yard line.
Thankfully no one took me up on my bet from the last Eagle drive, because I am very much poor and probably could have afforded to pay out to all of the winners.
The Steelers are offsides on first down, so it goes from 1st and 10, to 1st and 15. An incomplete pass results in 2nd and 15 and the Steelers once again call for a screen pass, this time to Najeh Davenport, good for 33 yards, plus an additional 15 yards on a personal foul by Philadelphia for a horse collar tackle. Dare I say, the Steelers must have a decided advantage in first downs to this point. As I type that, they hit Heath Miller for 12 yards and another first down. A quick check of the numbers have the Steelers with 11 first downs and the Eagles with 6.
We have reached the 2 minute warning of the first half, or two minutes until I shower and come back. The Steelers will have 2nd and 7 from the Eagles 19 when we return. An incomplete pass results in 3rd and 7, as Roethlisberger pass was behind Hines Ward. Another incomplete pass on third down, this one deflected at the line of scrimmage and the Steelers have to settle for a 37 yard Jeff Reed field goal, and the score is Steelers 10 Eagles 3 2nd quarter.
The Eagles will take over 1st and 10 from their 27 with 1:43 left in the first half. A quick 6 yard pass makes it second and 4 but the clock is running. An incomplete pass makes for 3rd and 4 with just 1:14 left in the half. Ike Taylor records the sack for the Steelers and that ends the Eagles drive. I think the Steelers have called timeout, maybe they are looking to do something, knowing they should get okay field position and have 1:09 to work with. A penalty on the return or lack of one as it was fair caught leaves the Steelers on their own 25 yard line.
A 25 yard pass on first down and here we go again, the Steelers at midfield now, with under a minute to go. Two incomplete passes, one almost an interception by the Eagles and it is 3rd and 10 with just 26 second left. Roethlisberger's pass is complete to Hines Ward for 18 yards, and the Steelers have another first down, with just 16 seconds left. An out pattern to Ward again is complete and he ducks out of bounds to stop the clock with 12 seconds and another first down. Jeff Reed comes in on second and 10 and just 8 seconds left to try a field goal and see if they can't come up with more points on this drive. Jeff Reed hits again, this time from 40 yards and it is Steelers 13 Eagles 3 2nd quarter.
A squib kickoff and the return runs out the clock, so I will retire to my locker room and shower with the halftime score Steelers 13 Eagles 3.
And we are back in time for the second half, feeling much refreshed. The Eagles take over in the second half starting with the ball at their own 16 yard line. On 2nd and 9, they complete a 12 yard pass for a first down. The halftime stats are in, and if it weren't for Steeler miscues, this could be a blowout. The Steelers lead in total yards 297 to 89, and only a shanked punt got points for the Eagles in the first half, meanwhile a fumble at the one kept the Steelers from scoring, so the Eagles should be happy to only be down 10 at this point.
We will see many scrubs in the second half, guys that in two weeks will not be playing in the NFL, so if I miss some names, it is because I have no idea who some of these guys are. The Eagles picked up a second first down on the drive on a nice run by Tony Hunt and now are faced with a 3rd and 1, which they covert and the drive continues. This is a nice drive for the Eagles to start the second half.
By the way, for those wondering about my progress on Hog Heaven slots (see two blogs back), I am now at level 45, only 5 to go.
The drive has stalled a bit, it is 3rd and 13, and the QB has the ball stripped but the Eagles again recover their own fumble, so it will be 4th down and the Eagles will attempt a field goal, which David Akers hits from 44 yards and it is now Steelers 13 Eagles 6 3rd quarter. That was an impressive drive by the Eagles, taking 6 minutes and 11 seconds off of the third quarter clock, impressive if for no other reason that it cuts into time spent watching the scrubs play.
I can see I will have some spell checking to do once I finish this. I am catching some errors, but for every one I catch, I am sure there are three that I missed.
The Steelers start their first drive of the second half from their own 21 and two play later, they have their first first down of the second half, on a pass from Charlie Batch to Nate Washington.
After two Kevan Barlow runs for 9 yards the Steelers again throw to a back out of the backfield on 3rd and 1 and it is another first down. Charlie Batch again hits Nate Washington, good for 30 yards and the Steelers have first and goal at the 1. One play later and Kevan Barlow punches it over for the touchdown and the score is Steelers 20 Eagles 6.
Just looking and wow do I have some typos on names to fix before I post this blog. The question is, will I run out of blog space, I am not sure of the word limit on posts for yahoo, I may ramble on more than they are willing to accept for one post.
The Eagles will get the ball back on the kickoff, and will start their second drive of the second half from the their own 14 yard line after having a holding penalty assessed on the kickoff return. Well, on the bright side again, after two drives in the third quarter, almost 11 minutes have been run off of the clock. On the bad side of things, after I get done with this, I still have laundry to do, but we all have priorities I guess, and for whatever confounded logic, I made this one over clean clothes.
I used the Axe bodywash while in the shower. While it smells nice and all, I don't like the grainy feel of it, it almost feels like someone put some sand in it before they bottled it.
The Eagles are driving again, having picked up a couple of first downs and are out to their own 47 with a 2nd and 3. Two plays and it is 4th and 1 and the Eagles will go for it. It's a QB sneak and it looks to be short, though it will most likely be measured to make sure. And it is short, the Steelers hold on 4th and 1, and the Steelers will go with their third string quarterback the rest of the way.
A commercial for Halloween The Movie just aired. I stand by what I said earlier, all original ideas have been used.
A running play by the Steelers to kickoff the drive and that is the end of the 3rd quarter with the Steelers ahead 20-6.
By the way, I am highly disappointed that no one ventured a guess on any of the tunes I posted, Rest assured, it will be back, simply because I like to annoy people like that. It is one of my endearing qualities. That and my odd ability to produce way too much eye snot when I sleep. I just thought you needed to know that.
Great, just when the game seems like it will be moving along at a semi brisk pace, an official gets in the way and as a result gets toppled so the game stops while they tend to him.
Dallas Baker looks to be collecting an unemployment check in a couple of weeks, as a pass goes right off of his hands for an interception. That, my friends, is not how you make an NFL team.
Kevin Kolb, the second string QB for the Eagles is still in the game in the 4th quarter, so the Eagles must be looking to get him some work here, by letting him play part of the first half and all of the second half to this point.
On third and 6, Kolb throw a 4 yard pass. I will never understand why anyone throws that pass, short of the first down marker. 4th down and the Eagles try to go for it again and again they fail, this time on a poorly thrown pass that ends up incomplete but was almost picked off. I will use the change of possession to pluck more mutant back hairs.
I managed to snag three hairs during the break, which is the only three hairs I could see. Maybe there is a forest of hairs back there that I don't know about, but I did what I could.
The Steelers, after two running plays face third and 7 and much like their counterparts, they throw a pass short of the first down marker, getting 6 yards when they need 7. Inexcusable!!!! Throw the damn ball downfield!!!! The Steelers will punt and the Eagles will once again take over possession, starting this time from their own 22 yard line.
The Eagles are in a hurryup offense, trailing by 14 points with just a little over 8 minutes to go. And once again, the Eagles are putting together an impressive drive, as they have went from their own 22 down to the Steelers 22 in relative short order.
A third and 2 is converted by the Eagles and the drive continues. Two plays later and the Eagles are now inside the Steelers 10 yard line with another first down and 5:02 remaining in the game. In case you were wondering, and I know you were, it is still Steelers 20 Eagles 6.
Third and goal from the 4, the Eagles have yet to punch the ball in, and the clock continues to run. Finally, Kolb hits Vickers for the touchdown from 4 yards out and the extra point makes it a 7 point game with a little over 4 minutes remaining, its Steelers 20 Eagles 13.
Most of the Steeler fans have left the game at this point, probably opting for the comfort of their tailgates in the parking lot, which is something I would never do given how much tickets cost for football games. They usually run 60 or more dollars per game, which for that price I am staying from beginning to end, regardless of score.
The Steelers take possession after the kickoff on their own 18 yard line. And three plays and two Eagles timeouts later and the Steelers will punt the ball back to the Eagles with 3:34 remaining. Good punt coverage by the Steelers as the punt goes 51 yards and there is a -1 on the return.
The Eagles have the ball on their own 21 with just one timeout remaining and of course the clock will also stop at the 2 minute warning. By the time the 2 minute warning rolls around the Steelers have already given up a large chunk of yards as the Eagles have a first and 10 at the Steelers 28 yard line.
On first and 10, the Eagles complete a pass, but the receiver fumbles and the Steelers return the fumble for a touchdown, pending a review from the replay official. And the touchdown stands, so the score is now Steelers 27 Eagles 13.
The Eagles take possession again after the kickoff, this time from their own 24. Most likely we will not see anymore stoppages of play, given it is a 14 point differential and just a little over a minute left.
Once again the Eagles drive, as they are inside the Steeler 10 with 21 seconds remaining. While a score may be academic some of us folks watching, I am sure some people believe their jobs may rely on performing even this late in a game where the outcome is pretty much determined. The Eagles fail to score on the drive, and the final of tonight's contest will be Pittsburgh 27 Philadelphia 10.
It's spell check and laundry time for me kids, and time for you to be thankful that this blog is officially over.
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