"Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."
My Boog Pages
Sunday, January 2
Vinny, Vidi, Vinci - Updated
Last week, with the Cowboys trailing the hated Redskins and only thirty seconds to go, quarterback Vinny Testaverde heave-hoed a pass in the direction of rookie Patrick Crayton. Thanks to an out-to-lunch defender, Crayton was the only gentleman within five yards of the ball, and he hauled it in for the winning touchdown.
The worst thing that could have happened! I groaned aloud.
This is the second late-game comeback that Vinny has engineered in the past few weeks, and neither of them mean anything. Last Sunday the Cowboys had a least three of four chances to take control of the game, and choked away each one. But they got the win, and reports are that coach Bill Parcells is not only considering bringing back the over-40 Testaverde, but may make him the starter next year!
By all accounts Vinny is a great guy, but he's not the future at quarterback, and isn't really all that good in the present. Frankly he looked washed up two years ago with the Jets, when their starter Chad Pennington got hurt and Testaverde had to play most of the season. He can still throw the ball, but he can't move around much anymore, and he tends to try to force the ball.
My boss noted that Vinny throws the vast majority of his interceptions in the fourth quarter (in fact, won a bet based on that), and suggests that maybe, at his age, he gets tired. Maybe Parcells should use the strategy of his Thanksgiving Day win every time out: start youngster Drew Henson and bring in Testaverde in relief. He could lead the league in saves!
More 5-year-old Wisdom. A couple of nuggets from my daughter Boogette: When we explained about the disaster in southeast Asia, we told her that if she was at the beach, and there was an earthquake, she should move to higher ground, then we asked her to repeat it. Her reply: "Run AWAY from the SALAMI!"
Then last night, I told her how much she is like I was when I was little. Then I added, "Except that you're a girl, and I was a boy."
She smiled and said, "You still are, Dad!"
News from Minas Tirith. I finally got the extended edition of The Two Towers and The Return Of The King and watched them over Christmas. Meh. In general the new material didn't add much. In one case (the additional scenes with the Army of the Dead) I thought that it actually made the movie weaker. There was one great new scene between brothers Boromir and Faramir after the liberation of Osgiliath. But in general the material left out of the theatrical versions was chosen for a reason.
Coming soon: New Year's Resolutions: Made To Be Broken?
Update: Well, the Cowboys choked this one away, allowing the Giants to drive down the field for a winning touchdown with 11 seconds left. The "defense" made some memorable plays, such as giving quarterback Eli Manning a high-five to the helmet - roughing the passer, 15 yards. I'm not saying they had any money on the game, but if they had, that's how they would have played.
