Discourse on impact of pre-season

Dear Sports Fans,

The fun begins Sept. 5. When the Dallas Cowboys come to the Administrator’s home state of New Jersey to play the Giants in Met Life Stadium.

Ladies and gentlemen, don’t forget to submit picks for Week I before Sept. 5. Also, don’t forget to send your checks to the Administrator.

# # # Discourse on impact of preseason # # #

Conventional wisdom holds that preseason success is next to worthless as an indicator of regular season success. But a careful examination by the Administrator reveals these shocking findings:

* Three teams went winless in preseason last year: OAK, KC and ATL. Oakland finished 8-8, Chiefs were 7-9 and Atlanta went 10-6 into the playoffs!

• Super Bowl champion Giants of New Jersey finished 2-2 in preseason last year!

• The two teams with the most wins last year -- the Packers and the Patriots -- were 3-1 and 2-2, respectively, in the pre-season!

It’s clear from the above that maybe success in the pre-season matters, maybe it don’t.

# # # BONUS PRE-SEASON ANALYSIS # # # 

Also, during a recent pre-season game, the Administrator watched an Eagles Tight End catch a ball with two hands, turn 180 degrees and then take a hit that forced the ball out of his hands. It happened very quickly. But still, that’s a fumble in my book, and the Patriots scooped up the loose ball and ran it in for a touchdown.

Loud-mouth, seldom-wrong-never-in-doubt TV announcer John Gruden screamed: “That’s an incompletion!” 

Sadly, the scab/replacement refs on the field, after further review, agreed with Gruden.  

I just thought I’d mention it, because something tells me that that won’t be the last time this season the refs will get it wrong.  

# # # CELERBRITY SIGHTING! # # # 

At a trade show in Chicago’s McCormick Place last week, the Administrator saw eliminator pool standout and 2009 Pro Dealer of the Year Augustus “Augie” Venezia of Fairfax, Calif.! 

Here’s an actual quote from Augie: “The check is in the mail.”

Augie is the father of easy-on-the-eyes Southern California Fantasy Football Commissioner Christina Venezia. Let the record show: a family that plays the Catskill Golf & Poker Club NFL Eliminator Pool together, stays together. 

At the same convention, the Administrator ran into former Sports Fan Andrew Pantiledes, who made a deep run in this pool in 2009, despite his Canadian heritage that limits his understanding of the Made-in-the-USA pastime.  

If Pantiledes pays 20 Loonies, he will be welcomed back with open arms. 

# # # NEW SPORTS FAN ALERT # # # 

The Catskill Golf & Poker Club NFL Eliminator Pool welcomes rookie Amanda Moore.

“I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Amanda.”

-- Nick Bottom the Weaver

Little is known about Amanda’s background, other than she has some connection with the College of DuPage. It is believed she is a friend of Catherine Stephany and Catherine Stephany’s brother, a brother-sister combination that very much resembles Dee and Dennis from the Administrator’s new favorite, non-Shakespeare, non-football TV show: “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

Good luck to all Sports Fans!

Sincerely, 

The Administrator

p.s. Do you have a favorite non-football, non-Shakespeare TV show? Tell us.