So I took a little trip to Marcello's after work to see if they carried Sokol Blosser's Evolution, which is a white wine blend that Ally and I have enjoyed in the past. (Finally, I've found someone who carries it, as they never had it in 3 prior visits) I couldn't help but to go into the beer section to see what unique lager I could try. As usual, I was in there for around 30 minutes. So I decided, get a 6 pack with 6 different beers that sound interesting and samp those.
With LSU vs. Vandy and USC vs. Ohio State on the tube, I had good reason to "samp the ale". So I did, and let me tell you, if or when any of you attempt to do this, expect the unexpected.
1) I opened Lowenbrau first, which I've actually had before but sort of forgot if I liked it or not. (Unfortunately for me, this turned out to be my favorite of the 6) It was light enough for the average beer drinker to enjoy but had a lot of flavor, unlike the domestic crap that we're all guilty of consuming on a regular basis. I recommend Lowenbrau anytime any of you would like a change.
2) Then I cracked open the Konig Pilsener. Yuck. Tasted like wet dog. Not that I've ever tasted a wet dog before, but if I did, it would probably taste like this. The first 3 swigs were the worst, but it actually got better the more I got used to it. Too overpowering in my opinion, and I'm no sissy when it comes to strong flavored beer. This one just didn't do it for me, stay away from this one.
3) The first 2 brews I tried were German, so I threw a real curveball and went with a Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Ale. The brewery is based out of Mississippi and since our friends at Abita have been semi-successful at the flavored ales, I thought why not? Now I've never had Abita's Pecan Ale yet, but if it tastes like this one, I don't know if I want to. It wasn't as horrible as the Konig, but it definitely was not for me.
4) So now I'm starting to get a little discouraged. I try what I think will be the safe bet of the remaining 3. The Kirin Ichiban. I'm guessing it's Japanese? It was definitely better than the last 2, but not something I'd want to buy a six pack of. Have you ever had Tsingtao? Somewhat comparible. Not bad but not great.
5) At this point, I'm actually starting to feel a little good. I think it had a lot to do with the lack of sleep I've had the past 4 days because I'm usually good for at least an 18 pack. I grab the LaRossa, which is an Italian beer. I look at the bottom left of the bottle to see it's 7.2% alcohol, so I'm expecting a bit of a punch, heavy flavor. And I wasn't disappointed. I liked this one, could actually be my 2nd favorite of the bunch. Now if you're the type of person who will only drink Miller Lite and next to nothing else (like my lovely girlfriend, love ya babe!), you won't like this one. But if you can pound back an Andygator or any dark lager every once in a while, I suggest at least giving this one a try. I've had pretty good success with Italian beers, they're usually pretty good.
6) I finished off my 6 pack mix with McSorley's, an Irish Black Lager that I figured would be solid. I'm a fan of Killian's so I figured this would be a winner. And I was right. Dark beers are usually hit or miss, but the Irish usually do it right. I enjoyed this one, but then again I was comparing it to some pretty strong flavors that I have had up to that point.
How they ranked (from best to worst)
1) Lowenbrau
2) LaRossa
3) McSorley's
4) Kirin Ichiban
5) Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Ale
6) Konig Pilsener
GEAUX SAINTS!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
2009-10 NFC Predictions
I really have no idea, but I'll give it a shot anyways.....
NFC EAST:
1) New York Giants (11-5): The G men have some question marks at the WR position, but there's no question that their defense is nasty. They can sorta run the ball too.
2) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): McNabb is so underrated. It's really a shame.
3) Dallas Cowboys (7-9): Look for another disappointing season for the Boys. I see this offense having trouble throwing the football, and their schedule presents some mismatches for them.
4) Washington Redskins (5-11): Jason Campbell sucks.
NFC NORTH:
1) Minnesota Vikings (10-6): Tough division to call because I see them beating up on each other a lot. Viking the most complete team here.
2) Green Bay Packers (9-7): I love the Packers to do big things this year. I'm totally undershooting my expectations honestly, but don't know about that fromt 7.
3) Chicago Bears (8-8): No longer an "elite defense". Jay Cutler alone won't make them tremendously better. Otherwise, Denver would've made the playoffs in that sorry division in the AFC last year.
4) Detroit Lions (5-11): Yep, I said 5-11. I think Detroit will be better this season.
NFC WEST:
1) Arizona Cardinals (11-5): Only if Warner stays healthy. If Leinert has to QB this team, this is not a playoff contender.
2) Seattle Seahawks (8-8): Only because I'm not completely sure of Hasselbeck's health. If he plays all 16, they could win 11.
3) San Francisco 49ers (8-8): I was always a Singletary fan and always hated the Niners. Passing game will be an issue.
4) St. Louis Rams (2-14): Will be the worst team in the NFL.
NFC SOUTH:
1) New Orleans Saints (11-5): Thank you Gregg Williams. Thank you!
2) Atlanta Falcons (10-6): A lot of offensive talent. Very dangerous team.
3) Carolina Panthers (7-9): Brutal schedule. Jake Delhomme on the decline.
4) Tampa Bay Bucs (6-10): Quarterback issues and a new head coach.
NFC EAST:
1) New York Giants (11-5): The G men have some question marks at the WR position, but there's no question that their defense is nasty. They can sorta run the ball too.
2) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): McNabb is so underrated. It's really a shame.
3) Dallas Cowboys (7-9): Look for another disappointing season for the Boys. I see this offense having trouble throwing the football, and their schedule presents some mismatches for them.
4) Washington Redskins (5-11): Jason Campbell sucks.
NFC NORTH:
1) Minnesota Vikings (10-6): Tough division to call because I see them beating up on each other a lot. Viking the most complete team here.
2) Green Bay Packers (9-7): I love the Packers to do big things this year. I'm totally undershooting my expectations honestly, but don't know about that fromt 7.
3) Chicago Bears (8-8): No longer an "elite defense". Jay Cutler alone won't make them tremendously better. Otherwise, Denver would've made the playoffs in that sorry division in the AFC last year.
4) Detroit Lions (5-11): Yep, I said 5-11. I think Detroit will be better this season.
NFC WEST:
1) Arizona Cardinals (11-5): Only if Warner stays healthy. If Leinert has to QB this team, this is not a playoff contender.
2) Seattle Seahawks (8-8): Only because I'm not completely sure of Hasselbeck's health. If he plays all 16, they could win 11.
3) San Francisco 49ers (8-8): I was always a Singletary fan and always hated the Niners. Passing game will be an issue.
4) St. Louis Rams (2-14): Will be the worst team in the NFL.
NFC SOUTH:
1) New Orleans Saints (11-5): Thank you Gregg Williams. Thank you!
2) Atlanta Falcons (10-6): A lot of offensive talent. Very dangerous team.
3) Carolina Panthers (7-9): Brutal schedule. Jake Delhomme on the decline.
4) Tampa Bay Bucs (6-10): Quarterback issues and a new head coach.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
2009-10 AFC predictions
Assuming there aren't any major injuries, here's how I see it....
AFC EAST:
1) Patriots (12-4): Tom Brady is back. Considering this team went 11-5 with Cassel, 12-4 seems logical. The defense loses a lot of key veterans, but the offensive fire power is still there.
2) Dolphins (8-8): The Dolphins aren't going to fool as many teams this season. I like the defense but have questions about the pasing game.
3) Jets (6-10): Anytime you start a rookie, it's more than likely there will be some losses that shouldn't have happened. It's hard to ignore that Jericho Cotchery is the go to guy.
4) Bills (6-10): Youth movement begins here. If Edwards can get the passing game going, they could be an 8-8 team at best.
AFC NORTH:
1) Steelers (11-5): Big Ben simply knows how to win. The defense is the best in the NFL, but the offense needs to learn to be more efficient.
2) Ravens (11-5): The running game is outstanding, the defense is top 5 in the league. If Flacco becomes a superstar, they could win 13.
3) Bengals (6-10): If Carson Palmer returns to form and the defense becomes a Marvin Lewis style defense, the Bengals could surprise some teams.
4) Browns (3-13): I see them as being one of the bottom 5. I have no faith in Quinn and Lewis.
AFC SOUTH:
1) Titans (11-5): The running game and defense are very solid. The additions of some pretty solid recievers make them interesting.
2) Colts (11-5): At times, Manning looked human last season. Defense remains a question mark.
3) Texans (10-6): I see great things in the future from them. The offensive weapons are ridiculous and there are some very talented defensive players here.
4) Jaguars (5-11): Could be a rebuilding year for the Jags. This could be the year they decide if Garrard is the QB they want to move forward with. The D has fallen apart over the past couple of years.
AFC WEST:
1) Chargers: (12-4): Easy schedule, easy division. Could be dangerous/Super Bowl bound if defense and LT stay healthy.
2) Broncos: (7-9): I like Kyle Orton, even if he had a horrible preseason. The running backs have talent too.
3) Chiefs (6-10): 6 wins may be too generous. It will depend upon Cassel's performance.
4) Raiders (3-13): Not there yet.
AFC EAST:
1) Patriots (12-4): Tom Brady is back. Considering this team went 11-5 with Cassel, 12-4 seems logical. The defense loses a lot of key veterans, but the offensive fire power is still there.
2) Dolphins (8-8): The Dolphins aren't going to fool as many teams this season. I like the defense but have questions about the pasing game.
3) Jets (6-10): Anytime you start a rookie, it's more than likely there will be some losses that shouldn't have happened. It's hard to ignore that Jericho Cotchery is the go to guy.
4) Bills (6-10): Youth movement begins here. If Edwards can get the passing game going, they could be an 8-8 team at best.
AFC NORTH:
1) Steelers (11-5): Big Ben simply knows how to win. The defense is the best in the NFL, but the offense needs to learn to be more efficient.
2) Ravens (11-5): The running game is outstanding, the defense is top 5 in the league. If Flacco becomes a superstar, they could win 13.
3) Bengals (6-10): If Carson Palmer returns to form and the defense becomes a Marvin Lewis style defense, the Bengals could surprise some teams.
4) Browns (3-13): I see them as being one of the bottom 5. I have no faith in Quinn and Lewis.
AFC SOUTH:
1) Titans (11-5): The running game and defense are very solid. The additions of some pretty solid recievers make them interesting.
2) Colts (11-5): At times, Manning looked human last season. Defense remains a question mark.
3) Texans (10-6): I see great things in the future from them. The offensive weapons are ridiculous and there are some very talented defensive players here.
4) Jaguars (5-11): Could be a rebuilding year for the Jags. This could be the year they decide if Garrard is the QB they want to move forward with. The D has fallen apart over the past couple of years.
AFC WEST:
1) Chargers: (12-4): Easy schedule, easy division. Could be dangerous/Super Bowl bound if defense and LT stay healthy.
2) Broncos: (7-9): I like Kyle Orton, even if he had a horrible preseason. The running backs have talent too.
3) Chiefs (6-10): 6 wins may be too generous. It will depend upon Cassel's performance.
4) Raiders (3-13): Not there yet.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
LSU squeaks by Washington, makes Tiger fans nervous
Last season, the Washington Huskies were one of a handful of teams to go winless. Because of injuries to quarterback Jake Locker and freshman running back Chris Polk, the Huskies were just as bad on offense as they were on defense. It was time for a change in Washington, as former Notre Dame coach Ty Willingham was quickly destroying a program that used to be one of the very best in the Pac-10.
Enter Steve Sarkisian. He was partly responsible for the USC offensive attack since 2001. This is Sarkisian's first head coaching gig, but having Pete Carroll as a mentor is definitely not a bad thing. The Huskies' newest head coach inherits a team that returns 8 offensive and 10 defensive starters, so my pre-mature expectation of stomping the Huskies in Washington was a little unreasonable right? Or was it?
LSU entered Saturday's game with a #11 national ranking (which I thought was kind of high for a team that lost 5 games last season) and as 16 1/2 point favorites. Washington hasn't won a game since November of 2007, while LSU has won a National Championship in that timespan. I couldn't wait to take a seat and watch our offense just run all over this weak Pac-10 team.
So then I sat. And waited. And waited. Until I realized, we're getting outperformed by a much inferior team.
I probably should refer back to Herm Edwards' famous postgame press conference when he says angrily to a reporter that "YOU PLAY. TO WIN. THE GAME!" And yes, a win is a win. But what I saw as a Tiger fan last night was discouraging when you consider the much better talent we'll soon be playing on a weekly basis.
3 EYE OPENING STATS:
1) Washington was 11 for 19 on third down while LSU was just 5 for 10. This showed that the Huskies moved the football better and more efficiently than the Tigers did.
2) The Huskies had more rushing and passing yards than the Tigers did. What is even more disturbing is the fact that the Tigers gave up a total of 478 yards.
3) If you take away the 2 TD completions to Tolliver, Jordan Jefferson threw for 88 yards. When you have Brandon LaFell and a tight end as talented as Richard Dickson, you have to get the ball in their hands. LaFell had 4 catches, Dickson only had 1.
Last night's game tells me this about our beloved Tigers so far. As of now, we no longer win the battle at the line of scrimmage on a regular basis, as Washington proved that they can hang with our line on both sides. Jordan Jefferson can not and will not be the QB under center for every snap this season. (Look forward to seeing Russell Shepard and Jarrett Lee get more snaps in the near future) There's no doubt that Jefferson is a heck of an athlete, but he isn't there as a passer yet.
Let's hope that Les can figure this out because Vanderbilt isn't just gonna lay down to us. (Vandy beat Western Carolina 45-0 while rushing for 433 yards)
GEAUX TIGERS!
Enter Steve Sarkisian. He was partly responsible for the USC offensive attack since 2001. This is Sarkisian's first head coaching gig, but having Pete Carroll as a mentor is definitely not a bad thing. The Huskies' newest head coach inherits a team that returns 8 offensive and 10 defensive starters, so my pre-mature expectation of stomping the Huskies in Washington was a little unreasonable right? Or was it?
LSU entered Saturday's game with a #11 national ranking (which I thought was kind of high for a team that lost 5 games last season) and as 16 1/2 point favorites. Washington hasn't won a game since November of 2007, while LSU has won a National Championship in that timespan. I couldn't wait to take a seat and watch our offense just run all over this weak Pac-10 team.
So then I sat. And waited. And waited. Until I realized, we're getting outperformed by a much inferior team.
I probably should refer back to Herm Edwards' famous postgame press conference when he says angrily to a reporter that "YOU PLAY. TO WIN. THE GAME!" And yes, a win is a win. But what I saw as a Tiger fan last night was discouraging when you consider the much better talent we'll soon be playing on a weekly basis.
3 EYE OPENING STATS:
1) Washington was 11 for 19 on third down while LSU was just 5 for 10. This showed that the Huskies moved the football better and more efficiently than the Tigers did.
2) The Huskies had more rushing and passing yards than the Tigers did. What is even more disturbing is the fact that the Tigers gave up a total of 478 yards.
3) If you take away the 2 TD completions to Tolliver, Jordan Jefferson threw for 88 yards. When you have Brandon LaFell and a tight end as talented as Richard Dickson, you have to get the ball in their hands. LaFell had 4 catches, Dickson only had 1.
Last night's game tells me this about our beloved Tigers so far. As of now, we no longer win the battle at the line of scrimmage on a regular basis, as Washington proved that they can hang with our line on both sides. Jordan Jefferson can not and will not be the QB under center for every snap this season. (Look forward to seeing Russell Shepard and Jarrett Lee get more snaps in the near future) There's no doubt that Jefferson is a heck of an athlete, but he isn't there as a passer yet.
Let's hope that Les can figure this out because Vanderbilt isn't just gonna lay down to us. (Vandy beat Western Carolina 45-0 while rushing for 433 yards)
GEAUX TIGERS!
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