I received money and a Zippo for my birthday. Sister Stein on the right:)
NFL Previews AND Taylor Swift reviews? Are both allowed on the same page? Of course they are.
During the 2023 NFL season I am currently 37-19 when my NFL picks are documented. Last week I picked 10 games for a parlay that my good friend was able to put 10 bucks on - I went 7-3. If the Lions, Rams, and Dolphins were good at football, I would probably be writing this from Vegas. It worked out for the best though - I absolutely would have given Vegas every dollar I found. 66% ain't bad though.
I am 2-0 when predicting Taylor Swift's NFL attendance. I am very proud of this.
Let's take a look at Week 8!
Sunday Morning
Los Angeles Rams (3-4) at Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
How much do MLB executives hate this World Series? Arizona is a tiny market, the Rangers are not even the most popular team in their state, and a Phillies matchup could have fed off of the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry.
The only thing baseball fans have to be happy about is those darn cheater Astros are watching from the couch.
Dallas wins 42 - 24
Minnesota Vikings (3-4) at Green Bay Pakers (2-4)
Kirk Cousin's obsession with Creed is hilarious.
Vikings win 23 - 17
Atlanta Falcons (4-3) at Tennessee Titans (2-4)
Bijan - if he was sick why was he in the game at all? If Matty Ice was still here they'd be 5-2.
Also, I wish Henry would get traded to a contender. He's a good dude and deserves a shot at a ring. I don't wish the Cowboys on him - he's a good dude.
Falcons win 31 - 8
New Orleans Saints (3-4) at Indianapolis Colts (3-4)
I misspelled "New Orleans" by leaving off the's' in the last post - I apologize.
Why is it plural though? The only time that would make sense is "New Yorks." For instance, if you went to New York City in New York state you could say you went to "New Yorks." Both of them.
Colts win 28 - 21
New England Patriots (2-5) at Miami Dolphins (5-2)
I called that Bills-Pats game last week. That is all.
Dolphins win 49 - 27
New York Jets (3-3) at New York Giants (2-5)
Aaron Rodgers made some silly comments this week and ESPN didn't headline any of them. Good job ESPN. Make that McAfee money and keep it on the down-low.
I'm hoping Rodgers makes it back for the playoffs, it will be so much fun to watch him lose to the Bengals.
Jets win 27 - 18
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
I had to double check the Steeler's record. How?
Oh yea cause the refs don't know how to spot a ball.
Jags win 28 - 14
Philadelphia Eagles (6-1) at Washington Commanders (3-4)
I saw a video of Jason Kelcee singing Total Eclipse of the Heart (Turn Around) and it was amazing.
Commanders win 17 - 14
Houston Texans (3-3) at Carolina Panthers (0-6)
Absolutely nobody will care about this game - and it will have the most combined points of the week.
Panthers win 49 - 45
Sunday Afternoon
Cleveland Browns (4-2) at Seattle Seahawks (4-2)
Deshaun Watson has decided he doesn't have to work anymore. The problem is this: he's right. He doesn't have to work anymore. I wasn't sure he could get less popular, but here we are.
This is worse than if he just continued to suck at football.
Seattle wins 24 - 21
Kansas City Chiefs (6-1) at Denver Broncos (2-5)
I previously predicted Taylor Swift would not be at this game - I'm sticking to that.
This cultural phenomenon has been interesting to watch from Stein Ranch (ie: my phone, satelite radio and teevee). When the Taylor-Travis thing first started, fantasy football radio hosts had to condemn the hate being thrown around on twitter by middle-aged white men who were upset about it.
The fact is this: women who are intelligent, gifted, and powerful make most men uncomfortable. Even men with good intentions, who may not have a (conscious) misogynistic thought in their head. Hell, I'm terrified of most women, always have been.
It is hard to understand new things, which creates fear, and fear is always easier for (most) men to express through anger. Once the grumpy middle aged men who angrily tweet "STICK TO FOOTBALL" understand this, they will be able to accept that most fear-based opinions are irrational.
I express my fear through laughter. That's probably the safer way to go for those around me, until the day I get attacked by a mountain lion. I can't imagine giggling is a good mountain lion deterrent.
Chiefs win 31 - 28
Baltimore Ravens (5-2) at Arizona Cardinals (1-6)
Every time I look at a map, the entire New England area is always a surprise to me. Massachusetts is ABOVE Rhode Island? That is to say, I'm not entirely sure where Baltimore is.
Ravens win 17 - 3
Cincinnati Bengals (3-3) at San Francisco 49er's (5-2)
You know what pisses me off? When people back their vehicle into a parking space that is slanted to require a one-way flow of traffic. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're a part of the problem - quit it.
The only reason to back your vehicle into a parking space is if the odds of it starting again is below 50%. I have a lot of experience with these vehicles.
Bengals win 38 - 35
Sunday Night
Chicago Bears (2-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (2-4)
How did this game not get flexed?
Chargers win 48 - 17
Monday Night
Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) at Detroit Lions (5-2)
Remember the United Auto Workers strike? It is still going on. Probably good for the environment - we got plenty of cars.
Lions win 32 - 16
1989 (Taylor's Version) Review
*Note: this is a story, not a review of the music on the album. I thought the music was good, I enjoyed listening to it - there's your review.
I'll be honest - 1989 was the first Taylor Swift album I listened to. The only reason I listened to it all was because a few weeks after the original release singer/songwriter Ryan Adams covered it in its entirety.
I only knew about Ryan Adams because he collaborated a lot with David Rawlings, specifically the song "To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)" which I love. Strangely enough, I only knew this song because of Dave Rawlings re-release from his band The David Rawlings Machine.
Ryan Adams himself has a respectable music career - he has worked with Willie, Norah Jones, Fall Out Boy (for some reason?), has led several bands and has a ton of solo work. After he covered 1989 song-for-song, Taylor mentioned how excited she was because she looked up to him. Since then he's also been accused of sexual assault by several women, so I don't listen to his music on purpose anymore.
Anyhow, the point is I knew of this guy and I thought it was odd for someone from the world of Americana to cover the biggest pop album of the year, song-for-song, right after that album came out. I mean - how did he get permission to do this? Wouldn't that take away from her album sales (clicks)? Why is Taylor so cool with it, even excited? I like things that are odd, so I checked it out.
So the first time I listened to 1989 it was Ryan Adam's Version, and I thought it was pretty good. Then I went back and listened to Taylor Swift sing it, and I thought it was fucking awesome.
I've listened to every album she has released since, I even have them on my playlists.
The point is this - I listen to Taylor's music now because it was introduced to me through the Americana scene, a niche I already enjoyed and understood. That's what's happening with Swifties right now as they are introduced to the NFL.
Eventually they will understand that the NFL, at its core, is unscripted reality TV at its finest. Show me a real housewife or jersey shore resident who freaks out more than Stephen A. Smith for a living.
Rock and roll,
-Stein
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