Random thoughts while wondering what ever happened to Rick Reichardt:

Here's a quick take on the NFL playoff games this weekend:

Indy vs. Baltimore: The good news for Peyton Manning is that very few people expect the Colts to pull this one off, so if they do, it will be a feather in his helmet.

In the final analysis, Baltimore is the best team in the AFC right now with a tough defense and an formidable offense led by Steve McNair, a pretty good (and unheralded) quarterback in his own right.  Last week, the Colts played the Chiefs who backed into the playoffs by flexing an unknown defensive muscle.  The Ravens have too many weapons for the Colts to continue to slow them down, thus the Colts will they meet a buzz saw and go home.  Ravens 24  Colts 10.

Philly vs. New Orleans: Yes, the Saints are the feel good story of the season in the NFL, but the Eagles have overcome too much to go home right now.  Jeff Garcia is playing out of his mind and Andy Reid has his team playing on all eight cylinders.  As we know from experience, it's not always the best team that wins, but the team that has Big Mo on it's sideline.  Mo and Eagles take the Saints 31-17.

Chicago vs. Seattle: The Bears are the softest 13-3 team in NFL history.  Add to that the problems they have at quarterback, defensive tackle and in the defensive secondary and the thought of another early playoff exit is not outrageous.  The Seahawks are hurting too, especially at wide receiver and perhaps at quarterback where you really don't know how much discomfort Matt Hasselback is playing in right now.

It's two banged up teams in what could be a war of attrition.  The key match up is the Bears patchwork defensive line (who knows where Tank Johnson's head is at) versus an improved Seahawks offensive line.

The tipping point in this game may be the weather.  If it is 35 and freezing rain, it comes down to a battle of running backs.  I'll take Shawn Alexander any day over Thomas Jones.  The only thing that could save the Bears is their ability to force turnovers.  If the ball isn't being aired out, that reduces that chance.  Besides, Rex Grossman can't even take a snap without dropping it lately, so whose to say the Seahawks won't neutralize that factor too.

Iin the coaching department, Lovie Smith has not proven he can get his team fired up for a big game (heck, Lovie himself can't get fired up for a big game.)  Mike Holmgren can and will, especially in light of the pasting the Seahawks took earlier this year at the hands of the Bears.  Seattle 20 Bears 7.

New England vs. San Diego: It doesn't matter how good your regular season is in the playoffs as much as are you ready to play and how much experience you have.

In this game, the Patriots are led by Tom Brady, one of the best big game QBs in NFL history.  Phillip Rivers has never even whiffed a playoff game.  Brady doesn't make a whole lot of mistakes and there is nothing about San Diego's defense that would lead me to believe that he will on Sunday.

LT is a big factor for the Chargers, but if New England can keep San Diego out of short yardage situations on third down and can win the field position battle, they should leave San Diego with an advance ticket to Baltimore.

There is one other huge factor in this game.  Bill Belichick is a huge big game coach.  He never frets, he never worries, he never panics.  His counterpart, Marty Shottenheimer gets tighter than a snare drum during playoff games and will push the panic button early if the Chargers fall behind.  Marty's playoff teams have also been know to collapse down the stretch (ask John Elway about that.)  With the pressure on Marty to just keep his job, the Chargers will come out tight and Marty will keep them that way.  Patriots 38 Chargers 24.

Couple of other things dept.: I went to a planning session for high school juniors the other day at my step-daughter's high school.  One of the guidance counselors made a point of talking about how the kids are going through a terrible time hormonally and how they have growing pains and they are going to make bad decisions and we, as parents, well we just need to give them all a hug, pat them on the head and dismiss any wrong doing as "Oh, those wacky teenagers."

You, Mr. Liberal, are part of the problem not part of the cure.

Yes, teens make mistakes, we all do, but they, like we adults, need to be held accountable for them.  In most cases, even if the kid is grounded, the phone, the TV and the computer still work.  Most parents don't even ground their kids anymore because they think it doesn't do any good or they don't want to be like their parents.

The one over riding trait I have found around teens and in being around young people is that they do not perceive any consequences for their actions.  Some call this "no fear."  I call it "undisciplined." 

Just the other day, one of my step-daughters friends was pulled over for speeding and mouthed off to the cop.  Legend has it, he spent at least one night in jail.  He may be a hero to his teenage friends for "sticking it to the man", but to me he is an idiot who better get it together before that one night in jail becomes a more lengthy stay.  As undisciplined as my friends and I were when we were younger, none of us would have ever mouthed off to a cop.  At least not to the point of incarceration. 

If you monitor where your kids go on the Internet and what they watch on TV, they tend to go to some pretty harsh places.  Some teens even use course language around their parents, something which have would have caused my father to insert his boot up my backside to about my tonsils.

As a parent, it is okay to ask your child where they are going and when they will return and with whom they are spending their evening.  It is okay to not allow certain kids in your home because YOU don't like them, even if your child protests.  It is acceptable for your family pet to have the run of the house and not be banned from common family areas because "some of my friends don't like dogs."

I'm as old school as it gets.  My house, my rules.  Mess with my house or my rules and you are messing with me.  I will not enable you and I certainly am not going to just scratch my head and say "oh well, I know you didn't mean to set the house on fire, and it's okay."

I'm all for hugging and loving the kids.  But I'm also all for kicking their backside when they need it.  That's reality. And, as a parent, your most important job is to prepare your kid for life after they leave the nest. 

There are some who are far too concerned with enabling teens then they are with making teens accountable.  But when these kids leave the security of home and high school, they will find out very quickly that the enablers are gone and all that is left are people who will measure your success and kick you to the curb if you aren't achieving it.  That, is reality.

This is hilarious.  So is this.

Did Madonna really call Rosie a horse?  Technically, yes.

Once again, our ability to enable people astounds me.  Video complete with ethnic reporter using ethnic pronunciations.

I'll take irrelevant sports phenomenon for $500, Alex.  The Jeopardy answer is "When Hell freezes over"

California is a health conscious state run by a former body builder.  Apparently the Dodgers have not received that memo yet.

Like a good neighbor my left buttock.

And, while I admire what this guy is doing, it's safe to say he's not going anywhere.