Welcome To Kodiak

It’s been 12 years and some months since I moved out of the last “Squad Bay” I ever lived in. I guess it’s not terribly fair to call this a squad bay. It’s more like a very privacy-be-damned barracks room for three with minimal furnishings and amenities. I have a rack, a locker, and a desk. There is one couch by the door, but it looks old and dank so I haven’t risked it yet. Attached to the space is a head with two of everything.

I’m sharing the space with a just-graduated non-rate on his way to the Munro, Kodiak’s 378’, and an SNET(?) en route to his PCS duty station in Attu. I should know him rather well after two days here and two weeks there.

There are two doors leading into the squad bay. The one to the left of my rack (which is in the middle of the room) leads to a hallway and stairs that get me to the main hallway. I have no idea where the door on the right goes. However, this morning someone waltzed in through said door to talk to the new guy to my right. When they left together, they went out through the right door (door on right?) and magically appeared in the dining facility while I was eating breakfast. My guess is you can get out that way.

I am so glad that I spent three months in St. Paul and not in this room. Attu should be a cake walk.

You've Been Warned

The Indianapolis Colts, for years one of the premier passing offenses in the NFL, is set to take on the New Orleans Saints, this year’s #1 offense in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Without throwing out a prediction…. (actually I can’t help it, Colts 18 – Saints 15) I want to remind all gamblers that in the last ten years, only Super Bowls XXXVII and XXXVIII went over this year’s 56-1/2 point over/under. One of those games had Dexter Jackson named Super Bowl MVP, as a Free Safety!!!! Never expect a high scoring Super Bowl. Unless Trent Dilfer is your Quarterback, you’re almost guaranteed to score less than 34. ;-)

I'm Perfect in Week 10... So Far

How great was it to see Cutleritis strike in San Francisco on Thursday? I love how sports brings out such passion in me that I root for a team's demise just because they have a specific player on their team! I picked the 9ers, so Thursday's result was like winning twice!

I've got three upsets on the board for tomorrow. I picked Carolina to win at home versus Atlanta, a two point favorite. I also picked KC to go into Kevlar-land and take out the Raiders. Oakland is also a two point favorite. I snagged the Packers to rebound well against the Cowboys in Green Bay. The Cowboys are, not surprisingly, favored by two points. I'm starting to think that a two point favorite signifies the two shoulders of the line-maker shrugging in indifference and indecision.

I came oh-so close to picking Washington at home over Denver (-4.5). I still think that might happen given the tough Monday Night game and the short week of prep. But there's just no way I can pick the Redskins to win. Ever.

Um, let's see. What else? Saints will win. Chargers will win.

Football?

I've been mildly distracted this week. I rushed my picks, not even glancing at the spreads offered in each game. The Saints will win. The Chargers will too. What's got my attention? I started back at work and had a blast relearning my job after a three month hiatus. Also, 6,494 players in the WSOP Main Event have been shaved down to the November Nine. The Final Table is starting as I type this. There are 7 "professional" poker players out of the nine left. Sure, it's all luck and no skill. (lol).

If you have the ESPN coverage DVR'd, don't read this: Phil Ivey, the greatest player in the world, is at this year's final table. I can't wait to see how he does with a mildly short stack. (He's got about 15 trips around the table left at the current blind level). For hand-by-hand coverage, check out this site. I haven't been this excited about anything poker in a very long time; that is saying a lot!