Welcome to the official Chiseled Comics Website. Wanderlust is an ongoing thriller full of epic space battles, interplanetary espionage, and flesh-and-blood characters who struggle to stave off attacks on colonial worlds. Included here is an exclusive preview of this anime-inspired series. Lieutenant Jacob Sumner and Sergeant Helen Wentzel head the cast of combatants thrust into a war of cataclysmic proportions. By 2153 AD, descendants of Earth have colonized numerous planets beyond the confines of Sol. Overcoming every treacherous environment encountered, the Interplanetary League continues expansion into unlimited space...that is, until the limits are shown in the form of an unidentified attack force sweeping through the League like a galactic hurricane. Fighters to the end, Lieutenant Sumner and Sergeant Wentzel fire up their AMPs. Written by Bryant Shiu, with art by Brett Weldele and Michael Halbleib, Wanderlust will debut in November 2000. In the meantime, you can check out the first several pages of Issue One in the Gallery and reserve your orders now. HOME -- NEWS -- CONTACT -- GALLERY -- ORDER -- LINKS All characters, designs, text, logos and illustrations TM and Copyright 2000 Bryant Shiu. Unauthorized use of any portion of material on this website is prohibited. Website developed & maintained by TML Web Design.

The Seer Goes Blind

Ouch.  That burning sensation in the Seer's rectum is the direct result of a horrific 6-9 Sunday that brings the overall record to 79-61, good for a 56.4% success rate against the spread.  It was bound to happen sooner or later; we hadn't even had a week under .500 yet.  Our biggest regret is picking the Vikings to cover a 4.5 point spread against the Raiders.  Sure, the Raiders were 2-7, and sure, they were starting Rick Mirer, and sure, they were missing their top halfback, and yes, they were also missing two starters on the defensive line. 

The Vikings never had a chance.  The Seer, having seen the three previous Viking outings, should have known better.  And that Cardinal pick really worked out, too. 

What a disaster.  This isn't going to help the "Real Money" cause with Mrs. Seer, and frankly, the Seer questions that cause himself.

The Seer Sees: Week 11 of the NFL

Sorry for the late posting.  We were so sated with our 73-52 mark, good for a 58.4% success rate against the spread, that we nearly forgot to do the picks this week. 

Rush job?  Nah.  The Seer Sees enough to prophesize the following:

Texans @ Bills, Bills by 7

Come on.  Houston's better than that, and Buffalo isn't.  Seven is too much.  Is the Seer not seeing something? 

The Seer Sees: Texans beat the spread

Redskins @ Panthers, Panthers by 6

Big statement game from the Panthers last week, and this could be a letdown, but you know Stephen Davis is going to try to get back at his old team for non-tendering him.  Plus, you go that Panther pass rush against the no-check down offense of the Fun & Gun (Hereby renamed the Smack & Sack).  This line should be bigger.

The Seer Sees: Panthers cover

Rams @ Bears, Rams by 6

Favored by 6 on the road, the Rams are.  Why is the Seer talking like Yoda?  The Rams haven't covered for two weeks now.  We just don't think the Bears have the talent to stay with the Rams.

The Seer Sees: Rams cover

Chiefs @ Bengals, Chiefs by 6

The Seer has a friend, a Chiefs fan, who claimed that he didn't care if the Chiefs went undefeated.  The Seer immediately called Bullshit on that.  The Bengals aren't pushovers, and don't you just get the feeling KC is due for a scare?  Maybe not a loss, but a scare?  The Seer does.  

And let the record reflect that as a childhood Chiefs fan, the Seer is very much rooting for the Chiefs to go as far as they can.  We're not a Chiefs hater.  We just think undefeated seasons have some real rough patches along the way.

The Seer Sees: Bengals beat the spread

Cardinals @ Browns, Browns by 6

The Cardinals on the road.  You know what that means, right?  But Williams Green is out for four weeks, meaning the Browns have virtually no running game, meaning this is a tougher call than we would like it to be.  But Bill Simmons always says, "Never take the Cards on the road."  Sure, but have you seen Simmons' record in NFL picks this year?  Sorry, SportsGuy.  The Seer knows a better way.

The Seer Sees: Cardinals beat the spread

Ravens @ Dolphins, Dolphins by 5.5

Another screwy line.  Why are people all over the Dolphins right now?  Oh, it's because the Ravens can only run the ball, and the Dolphins have great LBs. 

The Seer Sees: Dolphins cover

Falcons @ Saints, Saints by 8.5

Don't mess with the Falcons!  Coming off a big win in New York, this is the respect they get?  They get the emotional boost from last week's win, plus the light at the end of the tunnel that is Michael Vick's recovery.  Simmon's thoughts on the Saints sticks with us here, unlike the Cardinal Rule.

The Seer Sees: Falcons cover

Giants @ Eagles, Eagles by 3.5

Tough, tough game to call.  The Eagles just didn't look all that great to me against the Pack last Monday, plus they are on a short week.  The Giants are missing Jeremy Shockey, but it's not like he was scoring any TDs anyway, right?  After last week's game, they'll come to play.

The Seer Sees: Giants beat the spread

Jaguars @ Titans, Titans by 10

Big spreads scare me.  Jags just beat the Colts last week by minimizing mistakes.  10 is a big spread.  We'll regret this, but...

The Seer Sees: Jaguars beat the spread

Chargers @ Broncos, Broncos by 8

Doug Flutie ain't no 8 point dog.  We're going heavy on the road teams this week.  Maybe too heavy.

The Seer Sees: Chargers beat the spread

Jets @ Colts, Colts by 6

I hear the Colts will be without Marcus Pollard and Marvin Harrison this week.  The Jets should continue to jell. 

The Seer Sees: Jets beat the spread

Vikings @ Raiders, Vikings by 4.5

Didn't anybody see the Vikings' last three games?  The Raiders will counter with Rick Mirer, who could have the game of his life.  But this madness has to stop sometime, no?  No?

The Seer Sees: Vikings cover

Lions @ Seahawks, Seahawks by 10.5

Big spread.  But the Lions chew, and they are on the road after a win.  They are complacent, and thinking ahead to Turkey Day. 

The Seer Sees: Seahawks cover

Packers @ Buccaneers, Buccaneers by 4

Tough call.  The Bucs haven't shown us they are an elite team at this point in the year.  But we keep believing, like suckers.

The Seer Sees: Buccaneers cover

Cowboys @ Patriots, Patriots by 4

Coaching matchup of the year, in this one.  Two great, resourceful teams.  Sort of like Master and Commander, only with more gay overtones.

The Seer Sees: Patriots cover

Monday Night

Steelers @ 49ers, 49ers by 4

Steelers start the climb back, only to be thwarted by TO in OT.  How's that for a call?

The Seer Sees: 49ers cover

Randy Moss Roasts Another Defender

The Seer Sees: Week 10

We move down backside of the NFL schedule with the Seer sporting a tidy 65-46 record, good for a 58.6% success rate against the spread.  But what does that mean in money terms?  Well, let's say the Seer was betting $30 per game.  Since we're currently 19 games over .500, the math on the winnings works like this: 19 x 30 ='s $570.  But of course, we have to take the vig out of that (the vig being the house's take on all bets, win or lose, and the real way they make their cash).  I don't know what the exact vig would be, but we'll call it 7%.  Once we take that away from our overall wagered amount, we end up ahead by about $530.  Now, we must stress, we have never, and probably will never bet on an NFL game, or any other type of game.  It's all just for fun, though if the Seer can end the year above 60%, well, all bets are off, as they say.  (Personally, I don't think being up $530 would be worth the stress of having to actually care how these games come out, though if I were betting $30,000 per game, I would be up $53,000...)

Before we go on, a housekeeping item--The Seer has changed line sources.  We now use the USAToday, and we'll just go with the first book listed, which is World Wide TeleSports, located in Antigua and Barbuda.  The Seer visited their operation this week, and they not only know the NFL, but they make a mean pina colada.  So props to my peeps in the islands, and here we go.

Buccaneers @ Panthers, Bucs by 3

Ooh, the Panthers can't like that.  No respect!  They beat the Bucs in Tampa, and now they are home dogs to a team that's staring up at them from the standings?  But there is trouble in Carolina.  Stephen Davis is wearing down, and it could be that the offense is just too vanilla to stay ahead of the schemes of the defensive coordinators they face in the second half of the season.  But Tampa's O-line is banged up, and the Panthers got that nasty pass rush.  And Tampa's defense is banged up, still.  And they still can't run the ball very well.  It's Tampa's season on the line, more or less.  The Seer still thinks they are a great team beset with injuries.  Greatness needs to step up.

The Seer Sees: Bucs cover

Texans @ Bengals, Bengals by 5.5

Hmm.  The Bengals lost a tough one to the Cardinals last week.  The Texans, meanwhile, beat the Panthers.  This line seems a bit on the large side to the Seer.  The Bengals are better, but they aren't blowing people out.

The Seer Sees: Texans beat the spread

Bears @ Lions, Lions by 2

Say what?  The Lions are favored?  We know they are at home, and we know it's the Bears and all, but the Bears at least have shown something since Chris Chandler took over at QB.  All the Lions have done is beat the Raiders.  Big deal.  Maybe Mariucci's starting to work his magic?  You know it will happen sooner or later, but where's the talent?

The Seer Sees: The Bears beat the spread

Colts @ Jaguars, Colts by 6

The Jags sure do suck.  Suck bad.  The Colts are good, but they'll lay an egg every once in awhile.  It's a big line, and Jacksonville has been getting worked pretty regularly.  We originally had this the other way, but the Seer sees a letdown possibility for the Colts here.  If Leftwich can cut his turnovers down, this can be a close game.  We'll probably regret this one, but...

The Seer Sees: The Jags beat the spread

Browns @ Chiefs, Chiefs by 9.5

That's a big spread against a decent team like the Browns.  But the Chiefs are coming off the bye, and well, they're just really damn good.  Arrowhead is tough on any team, and Browns' RB William Green is suspended for a DUI this game.  Chiefs keep rollin'...

The Seer Sees: The Chiefs cover

Falcons @ Giants, Giants by 10.5

Yikes.  How bad do you have to be to be a 10.5 dog to the Giants?  Answer: As bad as the Falcons.

The Seer Sees: The Giants cover

Cardinals @ Steelers, Steelers by 7

Big line for a mediocre Steelers team, against a Cardinals team that has beaten the Niners, Packers and Bengals.  But all of those wins were at home, not a tough, cold place like Heinz Field.  And the Steelers aren't out of their race yet, meaning that this could be where their season jump-starts.

The Seer Sees: Steelers cover

Dolphins @ Titans, Titans by 5

The Dolphins' O-line is banged up, and that's a bad thing with Brian Griese at QB and the Titans on the other side of the ball.  That's enough for the Seer.

The Seer Sees: Titans cover

Seahawks @ Redskins, Seahawks by 3

Who knows what to make of the Redskins these days?  There is major turmoil surrounding Steve Spurrier and his offensive scheme, and those aren't things that can be fixed from week-to-week.  But for whatever reason, we just have a feeling about this game...

The Seer Sees: Redskins beat the spread

Vikings @ Chargers, Vikings by 5.5

This game scares the Seer to death.  The Vikings can't stop the run.  The Chargers have LaDainian Tomlinson.  An unstoppable force meets a very moveable object.

The Seer Sees: Chargers beat the spread

Bills @ Dallas, Dallas by 4

Hey, it's a rematch of those two lousy Superbowls!  Someday, perhaps I will tell you the story of how I saw that first Dallas/Buffalo Superbowl, in the midst of a wild party of drunk and scary strangers in Columbia, MO.  But today is not that day.  Dallas's coach is better than Buffalo's coach.  A lot better.

The Seer Sees: Dallas covers

Jets @ Raiders, Jets by 3

The ultimate indignity.  Super Bowl last year, now a home dog to a Jets team with a losing record.  And the Raiders have more than earned it.  They really are this bad, and the Jets are a team on the rise now that Curtis Martin is playing well and Chad Pennington is back.  But this is still the Raiders, and there is still talent on this team, and it is still the Black Hole.  The Raiders are playing for pride at this point.  Do they have pride?

The Seer Sees: Raiders beat the spread

Ravens @ Rams, Rams by 7

The Rams just got ambushed in Frisco last week, plain and simple.  They'll bounce back, and Marshall Faulk's in the fold, to boot.  The Rams are smart enough to not run at Ray Lewis all game long, aren't they?

The Seer Sees: Rams cover

Eagles @ Packers, Packers by 4.5

Yawn.  Favre on Monday night in Lambeau.  McNabb is hurt again.  Packers are back in the race, big time.

The Seer Sees: Packers cover

The Seer Sees Mediocrity

Well, the Seer wasn't going to go 10-4 every week, was he?  Is that what you expected?  Still, we have yet to finish beneath .500 in any week (a major, major feat), and this week was no exception: The Seer currently stands at 7-6 for Week 9, bringing the overall record to a still-outstanding 64-46, good for a 58.2% success rate against the spread.

We like the Patriots to beat a 2 point spread in Denver tonight.

You can’t argue with Kevin McHale, Hall of Famer and GM of the Timberwolves. You just can’t. To argue with four of him would just be madness.

You can’t argue with Kevin McHale, Hall of Famer and GM of the Timberwolves. You just can’t. To argue with four of him would just be madness.

The Seer Sees: Week 9 of the NFL

The Seer is rolling with a 57-40 record, good for a 58.8% winning percentage against the spread.  What will Week 9 bring?

Giants @ Jets, Giants by 1.5

The Jets are getting better each week, while the Giants may have saved their season last week against the Vikings.  The Giants were an offensive dynamo outside the Red Zone last week, but Kerry Collins played like a stiff down by the endzones.  This will be a very close game between two teams fighting to stay in the race.  The loser's in bad shape in the playoff race.

The Seer Sees: Giants cover

Jaguars @ Ravens, Ravens by 6.5

Byron Leftwich has struggled with throwing too many interceptions this season, and the Jags are currently looking like a team that will have a top three pick in the draft next year.  Baltimore hasn't been great this year, but as rookie QB Kyle Boller continues to grow, they could be a dangerous team come playoff time.  Still, this is a large spread for a team that features primarily a running offense, and if the Ravens were ever going to look past a game, it would be this one.

The Seer Sees: Jaguars beat the spread

Raiders @ Lions, Raiders by 2.5

What a scintillating matchup this is!  The Raiders start to learn whether Marques Tuiasosopop is the QB of the future, while both teams continue to understand that whatever the future holds, it's probably not going to be all that pleasant in the short-term.

The Seer Sees: Raiders cover

Chargers @ Bears, Bears by 2.5

We didn't think we would see the Bears favored against any opponent not from Detroit this season, but here we are.  It's a shame that LaDainian Tomlinson's talent is being wasted on the Chargers of 2003, but still, is this team really this bad?  Is doesn't seem like they should be, but given the record, and given that they are coming off a short practice week while they still worry about the homefires...

The Seer Sees: Bears cover (!)

Colts @ Dolphins, Dolphins by 3

Griese's in at QB.  We don't think it matters.  The Dolphins are a fine team, but this spread is too big.

The Seer Sees: Colts beat the spread

Saints @ Buccaneers, Bucs by 8

Can someone, anyone, explain why this spread is so outrageously large?  The Saints have been a bad, underachieving unit all year long, but the Bucs aren't exactly at full strength.  The lines have been undervaluing the Bucs all year long, but this line's too far the other direction.

The Seer Sees: Saints beat the spread

Redskins @ Cowboys, Cowboys by 4

Ooh, another big spread.  The Redskins are in freefall, and the Cowboys are licking their wounds after coming up short in Tampa last week.  We like Parcells to outcoach Spurrier.

The Seer Sees: Cowboys cover

Panthers @ Texans, Panthers by 5.5

This is a tough one.  The Texans are playing with Tony Banks at QB, and haven't been too bad at home as they ride Domanick Davis's recent hot streak.  Still, the Panthers should be able to physically beat up on the outmanned Texans, big spread and all...

The Seer Sees: Panthers cover

Bengals @ Cardinals, Bengals by 3

Bengals favored on the road?  Must be in Arizona.  But hey, the Cardinals have home wins over the 49ers and Packers this year, so it's not like this is a bye.  Jeff Blake gets to play against his old team, while the Bengals try to keep their forward momentum.  The Seer thinks the Bengals are a decent team, and that the Cardinals are not a decent team.  But the Bengals are still young and on the road, and this could be a bit of a letdown for them.

The Seer Sees: Cardinals beat the spread

Steelers @ Seahawks, Seahawks by 4.5

The Seer is not used to seeing such a mediocre Steelers squad.  Not much feeling about this game, other than that the Steelers' secondary has been awful this year, and that's probably not going to change on this day.  Still, the Steelers seem better than this, and the season is slipping away fast.  They are desperate...

The Seer Sees: Steelers beat the spread

Eagles @ Falcons, Eagles by 4

Two teams the Seer has little regard for in their current states.  Call us when Michael Vick returns.

The Seer Sees: The Eagles cover

Rams @ 49ers, Rams by 2.5

Tough call.  The Rams are hot, and Marshall Faulk returns at least in limited duty.  The 49ers are coming off of a tough and demoralizing loss in Arizona.  This Rams team is for real.

The Seer Sees: Rams cover

Packers @ Vikings, Vikings by 4

Favre in a dome with a broken thumb.  The Vikings, with their attention focused after a lackluster effort, will work hard to reestablish the run with Michael Bennett's return.  The Packers just don't have the players...

The Seer Sees: Vikings cover

Monday Night

Patriots @ Broncos, Broncos by 2

Really?  With Danny Kanell and without 2 of their top linebackers?  Sorry, that's not what it says here...

The Seer Sees: Patriots beat the spread

Renovated Lambeau Field On A Gorgeous October Sunday

Not Just Any Given Sunday

I had been looking forward to this Green Bay trip for weeks, both for the opportunity to see an NFL game in a place like Lambeau Field, and for the chance to spend some time with several friends.  The weekend was a success in all respects.  I didn't see an NFL record, but I sure saw one hell of a game.

For starters, Friends of Pipeline Brent S. and Brad T. piled into my Golf and hit the road on an overcast but warm October day.  The leaves were in high color all across central Wisconsin, and it was a beautiful drive.  Along the way we saw deer, turkeys, hawks and dairy farms.  We rolled into Green Bay to meet up with Friend of Pipeline Grant K., who was to be our host for the weekend.  Grant grew up in Green Bay, and so he's the Real McCoy when it comes to Packer Love.  He's proud of the city, the team and the tradition, and was eager to have a few Chiefs and Vikings fans come and see what that world is all about.  He showed it off well.

We spend Saturday seeing a few of the nightspots around town.  In general, I expected more of a crazed, college-like atmosphere, but I found Green Bay to be pretty laid-back.  No question, the game was the event of the weekend, but people were just reveling in the great fall weather as much as anything.  After steaks, drinks, pool, foosball and wistful discussions about whether the brunette or redhead bartender was cuter, we retired for the evening and rested up for the big day to come.

By gametime, we were six: Me, Brent, Brad, Grant, and Friends of Pipeline Ian P., and Craig A.  The only real drawback to the weekend was that our six seats were split up in three pairs around the stadium, and so we weren't all able to watch the game together, which would have been a blast considering that Brad and Brent had Chiefs jersies on, and Craig and Grant are True Believers in the Packers.  But such is life...

Lambeau Field is a national treasure.  There's no other way to say it.  I never saw it before the renovation, and I know that there are many Packer faithful who, despite recognizing the need for the upgrade, still pine for the old-style charm of the corrugated metal outside of the old version.  New Lambeau, however, is done just the right way.  There are the modern amenities, wide concourses, an atrium to allow the many older Packer fans a respite from harsh temperatures and winds, restaurants, pro shops, all that.  But once inside the bowl of the stadium, very few changes were made.  There isn't a bad seat in the house.  It just doesn't exist.  There are no obstructed-view seats.  It has an intimate feel to it; you couldn't have convinced me that there were 70,000 people there, but there were.

The Green Bay fans are, as a rule, very informed football fans.  Hell, a lot of them have seen more games in person than I've probably seen on TV in my life.  And I found them to be, on balance, fairly objective about their team.  And the Packers merchandise!  I've never seen so much gear in my life.  I seriously wondered if every single person didn't receive a gift of Packers gear for all birthdays and seasonal holidays.  It was just unreal.  If I saw 100 people all day long without some Packers gear on, I'd be shocked.

After soaking up as much atmosphere (and a foot-long brat) as I could, I settled in to watch the game.  I watched the game from two different vantage points-one behind an end zone which gave great views of the play formations, and the other in the first row right behind the Chiefs bench.  The latter seats didn't afford much chance to see the action on the field, but the opportunity to see the players and coaches work at such close range was a real and rare treat.

There were two stories leading into the game: The Chiefs were 5-0, and Dante Hall had returned kicks for TD's in four straight games.  The Hall story dominated the attention of the crowd before and during the game, and for good reason.  Hall is a visceral player, much like Randy Moss, and that's what every crowd pays to see.  There are so many good, fast players all over the field in any given NFL game.  The player who can make all those other players miss, who can rise above the schemes and formations and actually do something special is rare.  Dante Hall is such a player, and you could sense that every time the ball went his direction.  He very nearly broke a punt return for a TD in the second quarter, with only a fine play by Packers punter Josh Bidwell keeping Hall from another amazing return.  Hall had a decent game, but on this day the Chiefs were going to have to look elsewhere for a win.  Oh, and don't buy for a second that Hall is 5'9".  He's 5'7", tops.  I know, because this is how close I was to him...

Dante Hall on the bike-Hey, even the hottest kick returner in the league has to stay warm...

The game started poorly for the Chiefs, as they punted after two very short possessions, while the Packers marched down the field twice for a 14-0 lead.  Did you know that the Packers had won 56 straight home games when they had a double-digit lead?  Think about that.  Turns out they had two different double-digit leads yesterday; ordinarily that would be lights-out for a visiting team.  But yesterday's game was anything but ordinary.

The Chiefs finally broke through on a touchdown pass from Trent Green to Tony Gonzalez, one of the great tight ends in football.  Gonzalez was able to get behind his man, (and as you can see below, there was no safety help) and Green lofted the ball perfectly over his shoulder, a play that would be reprised in a huge KC drive later in the game.

Tony Gonzalez hauls one in to put the Chiefs on the board...

The Chiefs went on to tie the game at 14, but then the Pack steadily pulled away, until it was finally 31-14 going into the fourth quarter.  It looked bleak for the team in red and the 5,000 or so of their vocal partisans in the crowd.  The Packer faithful were in full throat, and their favorite son Brett Favre (and HB Ahman Green) were having great days.

With 7 minutes to go in the game, the Packers were driving and the Chiefs were down 31-21.  The Chiefs needed something to happen. 

And then, something happened.

Brett Favre threw a laser to Donald Driver on an out pattern.  Maybe the ball was thrown too hard; maybe it was off target; maybe Driver just didn't make the catch.  I couldn't tell from my vantage point what, exactly, happened, until I saw Chiefs DB Jerome Woods streaking down the sideline with the ball, all the way to the end zone. 

Voila!  It was 31-28, and this was a game.  It became a contest of field goals and sustained drives for the rest of regulation, and the Chiefs rode Trent Green's short passing game (and the lack of a pass rush by the Packers) to set up a 31 yard FG by Morten Andersen to tie the game virtually as the clock expired.

The Packer faithful were a bit stunned, but at no loss for words or exhortations for their team.  The OT started with KC winning the coin flip, and I dared to voice my desire: That seeing Dante Hall run back the OT kickoff to win the game would be the Greatest Thing I Ever Saw.  Well, it didn't happen.  But what did happen was really bizarre, anyway.

The Chiefs had neglected stud running back Priest Holmes nearly all game, because they were so far down for so much of the game.  At one point in the fourth quarter, Holmes had 33 yards on 11 carries, and was no factor.  The Chiefs, however, had started to work Holmes in at the end of the fourth quarter, but with the run and with short passes. 

Then the Chiefs came out for their first drive of OT, starting on their own 29.  What they did was remarkable, and was the beginning of an amazing end to a great game.  They ran Priest Holmes nine consecutive times, moving from their own 29 to Green Bay's 31.  You could see the Packer defense wearing down under the punishing KC line and the dedication to just keep hammering away with a relatively fresh Holmes in OT.  Plus (and this is important later on), the Packers were missing DE Joe Johnson and CB Mike McKenzie due to injuries.  T

he Packer fans got real quiet as KC pounded their way to a 3rd and 3, already within range of a 48 yard field goal for Morten Andersen.  Andersen is perhaps the best kicker in NFL history, and in his younger days had as much kicking range as anyone around.  You could almost call 50 yards routine for him.  But these days, a 48 yard kick, while makeable, would be far from a sure thing, and a miss would leave the Packers great field position to go the other way, with only a FG necessary to win the game. 

The Chiefs wanted, first and foremost, to get a first down.  Would they choose to run Holmes for a 10th consecutive time?  He was surely getting tired, but the Green Bay defense hadn't yet shown they could stop him.  The Chiefs opted instead for a pass out in the flat, to Dante Hall.  Trent Green took the snap, dropped back under pressure, and floated a ball to the receiver he was locked in on the whole play, only to see Packers safety Darren Sharper swoop in with nothing but green field in front of him to seal the win with an interception...But the ball hit Sharper in both hands, then hit the ground.  That was the moment the Packers needed, and by all rights should have been the end of the game.  But what Jerome Woods could do with his hands, Darren Sharper could not, and the Chiefs lived to attempt Morten Andersen's 48 yarder.

The crowd hushed.  They knew Andersen's history.  They knew they were in trouble.  How could they lose this game?  How could they lose not just one, but two double-digit leads after winning 56 straight at home when they had that big lead?  The snap came, and then the crowd erupted in jubilation: the Packers' Cletidus Hunt blocked Andersen's kick, and though it looked good off of Morten's foot, Hunt's game-saving play made sure it never had a chance.

OK.  Think about that sequence for a moment.  Chiefs kick FG to tie game at end of regulation.  Next play: Packers have chance for one more kick return to end it, but it goes nowhere and the clock turns to OT.  Next Play: Kickoff to Dante Hall.  Breaths are held, but Dante can't break it.  Next nine plays: Priest Holmes punishes the Packers to quiet the crowd and get the Chiefs to FG range.  Next play: Trent Green nearly throws the ball to Darren Sharper, who just can't grab the gift interception to end the game.  Next play: Andersen's FG is blocked.  65,000 people exhale and are ecstatic; 5,000 people are dumbfounded and are terrified that Brett Favre is going to get the football in OT.

But it never happened.  Next play: Favre hands off to Ahman Green, who adds to his 120 yards with a quick burst up the sideline, with room to run and perhaps 35 yards needed to get into FG range to win the game.  But Jerome Woods appears again, and his hit from behind forces Green to cough up the ball, and the Chiefs recover the ball.  Favre never got his chance.  The crowd went from silent to ecstatic to Dead Silent after Green's fumble. 

Next play: Trent Green sees wideout Eddie Kennison (who had done nothing so far in the game) is covered by Packers backup Bhawoh Jue, who's playing only because of Mike McKenzie's back spasms.  Green hits Kennison in stride, and he takes it to the house.  The Chiefs storm the field.  The crowd is stunned.  The game is over, a 40-34 Chiefs win.  The Packers hadn't given up 40 points at home in over 20 years, but on this day, the day I sat in the sun and basked in all that is Lambeau Field, they did.

Brad, Brent and I said our goodbyes to Ian, Craig and Grant after the game, and we headed back to the Twin Cities.  It was one hell of a game, and one hell of an experience.  We all agreed that the Packers and their fans have something special.  It's hard to accept that sometimes, living in the Cities, because you meet a lot of Packers fans (and Vikings fans, too) who get so caught up in the "border war" aspect of the whole Minnesota/Wisonsin rivalry.  But there's no way any fan of any team could sit in a place like Lambeau, bask in their history and the small-town connection with the big team, and not seriously be impressed and even a bit envious of what they have there. 

It will be tough when Favre retires, and the team will have some down years, but the shrine and the Passion will always be there for that town, and that's a great thing.

Many thanks to Grant for making the weekend possible.  It was a great way to catch up with friends, and it was a reminder to me why the NFL is such a great league to follow.

Epilogue: As we rode home in the car, we listened to the Packers post-game shows.  They were generally upbeat, so much so in fact that you wouldn't ever know that they had lost.  But things turned quite negative on the broadcast after Packers backup CB Bhawoh Jue was interviewed.  Jue had been burned on the winning TD by Eddie Kennison, and also had the coverage on a critical 67 yard Tony Gonzalez gain in the fourth quarter.  I thought Jue was pretty up front about the fact that he simply got beat by Kennison.  Hey, it happens to the best, right.  Unfortunately, Jue also went the ill-advised route of choosing to say that the Packers had plenty of chances at other points in the game, and so it wasn't really all his fault.  (And hey, Ahman Green did fumble it away...)

Well, when the radio hosts heard Jue's claim about the other parts of the game not being his fault, they opened up on him after the interview was over.  They referenced the Budweiser commercial running now, where the star player who fumbled three times claims a loss is not his fault.  (It goes kind of like this: "Hey, somebody on my team could have fallen on those balls, couldn't they?  I can't do everything.")  One of the hosts then said: "No, Bhawoh, those six touchdowns you gave up didn't lose the game at all," and then called what Jue said "a steaming pantload."

Sheesh.  Guess it's easier to hang a loss on that guy than it is your stud halfback.  So, Brent and I drop Brad off at home, and we finish up the evening with a game of Madden on the PS2.  We're playing a game where we are both on the same team that I have created, and at one point we complete a fantastic pass that just roasts the cornerback on the other team.  We zoom in on the instant replay to see the catch up close, and to see which corner we just burned.

And there he was again: Bhawoh Jue.  It just wasn' his day...

Parting Shot-The Bradley Center isn't the only place in Wisonsin to see the lifeless Bucks...

No Sentimental Pick

People stop me on the street and ask: "What do you think about what happened in that Yankees/Red Sox game on Saturday?"  Actually, people are starting to call it the Zimmer Game, though the "Karim Garcia" game might be more appropriate, given how many bizarre events he was involved in.

I'll tell you what I think: It's pretty damn hard to make the Yankees appear to be sympathetic choices, but Boston (well, two Boston players, really) have almost managed that.

First, Pedro.  Even back when Pedro was a Montreal Expo, it was well-known that he would put a fastball in your teeth just for the hell of it.  Look, I don't have a problem with pitching inside; it doesn't happen nearly enough these days.  If I was a pitcher, I'd bust guys inside all damn day long.  Anybody who plays whiffleball with me knows I bring the high hard one.  But there's establishing the inside of the plate, and there's headhunting.  There's rearing back and hitting a guy in his thigh or ribs, and there's throwing as hard as you can at his head, which is what Pedro did Saturday to Karim Garcia, and to a great many batters before him.

What's more, Pedro's beanings follow a distinct pattern, usually when he doesn't have his best stuff and he's been getting knocked around.  So he gets pissed and throws at some guy's head.  Hey, Pedro's not the only one, and the other guy on the mound Saturday, Roger Clemens, is certainly guilty of many of the same things.  But what Pedro did is wrong.  It's just wrong.  Guys get hurt or killed that way, end of story.  You can establish inside using pain in the ribs; no need for head trauma.

But then Pedro went a step further, and that's why I place total culpability on him (and Manny, but more on him in a moment).  It's one thing to hit a guy up high.  After all, maybe it was an accident.  Nobody's going to buy that, but pitches slip sometimes.  But you don't ever then point to the dugout and start telling guys that you are going to hit them in the head.  You don't do that, and Pedro wouldn't dare do that if he ever had to put a bat in his hands.  What kind of person threatens, actually taunts and brags, about hitting someone in the head with a 95 mph fastball?  I think Pedro's one of the greatest pitchers of my lifetime, and I love to watch him pitch.  But I can no longer consider myself a fan of his after his taunting of the Yankees.  And it tells you everything you need to know about Pedro when his own teammates won't come to his defense in this matter. 

Then, Roger Clemens threw a high pitch to Manny Ramirez, who acted as if it was a mere inches from his head.  It wasn't.  It wasn't even close.  Listen, Manny, when your manager won't even back you in the postgame press conference, saying he didn't think the pitch was that close, you know you're in the wrong.  I've seen Ramirez do this a few times against the Twins.  He'll lean out over the plate and act like it's batting practice, and then a pitch will come in belt high and about an inch off the plate, and all of a sudden he's gesticulating to the mound, pointing with his bat, going nuts because a pitcher had the audacity to try to throw something over the inside corner.  And this, after he stood and watched his HR in game 5 against Oakland for a full 15 seconds before moving on to first base.  I have no time for Manny Ramirez.  He may be a hitting savant, but he's a churlish prima donna who is going to find out for real one of these days what an actual message pitch looks and feels like.

Finally, Don Zimmer.  Watching Pedro throw him to the ground, in the manner he did, was hard to watch.  Is that all because of Zimmer's age?  I'm not sure, really.  I have heard that Pedro saw Zimmer yelling at him, then pointed to Zim and asked if "he wanted a piece of him", but I haven't seen that for myself.  If that's true, and Zimmer's charge was even a bit provoked by a lowlife like Pedro, then I have even more sympathy for Zimmer than I do now.  Yeah, I have sympathy for him.  The guy's got a metal plate in his head as a result of one of the worst beanings in baseball history.  You don't think he gets a little charged up after seeing Pedro go after Karim Garcia's head?  Hell, why not go after him, Zim?  The Yankees were too afraid of getting someone thrown out, and thus didn't take the proper action to dispense of Pedro, but Zim wasn't gonna hold back.  I applaud him for that.  I'm hearing a lot of people say Zim's too old and should retire, and I agree with all of that, but not because he got manhandled by Pedro.  Lots of guys get their ass kicked in a fight on a baseball field.  Did we demand Robin Ventura retire after Nolan Ryan's beatdown on him?  No.  Zimmer's just a guy who got worked in a fight, but at least he knew that this was something worth fighting for.  Yeah, it was ulgy watching him start something he couldn't finish, and yeah, something really bad could have happened to him, but frankly I think he's catching a lot more flak and ridicule than he deserves.

He appeared stunned when he hit the ground.  I wonder if he was stunned that he was the only one taking a stand against a guy who just tried to take a guy's head off, and was taunting the entire dugout that he was going to throw at their heads, too.  Maybe you are too old, Zim.  The era you played in would have known how to deal with that nonsense.  These days all they want to do is stand on the field and talk tough like Manny and Pedro, and not have to get ejected and disciplined by Bob Watson.

I have to think that the ridicule Zim's receiving is because he's an old man who picked a fight he couldn't win.  I'll bet if it was an Able-bodied Yankee, the talk would have rightly been about Pedro's no-class taunting about hitting guys in the head with a fastball.  I didn't realize it until I thought about it today, but I have more respect for Don Zimmer as a result of his actions Saturday.