Thursday Night Football!  Somebody say, “Amen!”

Hey, before I get too far into this post, let me wish professional football Happy Birthday.  This date in 1892 the first game considered professional (money was paid to players) was played between Allegheny and Pittsburgh Athletic Clubs.  Household names like Pudge Heffelfinger graced the field that day.  How do you suppose he’d look in Bucco Bruce Creamies? 

No mustard.  Chad Eight-Five was planning to send a case of mustard to members of the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary in advance of their upcoming game.  His point: Despite playing at Heinz Field, they can’t ‘ketch-up’ to Chad on the field.  Coach Marvin Lewis stopped the shipment.  Spoil-sport.  If I were the Steelers, I’d send Chad a Spanish/English dictionary so he could learn that the proper way to say Eighty-Five is not Ocho-Cinco. 

They fined Falcons Coach Mike Smith $15,000 for his part in the fight on the sideline last weekend.  What’s it say when your coach is at the center of the meet and greet?  Raiders Coach Tom Cable sent Smith an email, advising next time he throw the punch in a meeting room where cameras aren’t present and then say he can’t remember what actually took place.

Word out of Cleveland is that Jamaal Lewis through a kidney shot at Coach Eric Mangini today through the press.  Somebody give the dawgs a biscuit already.  They’re the Browns.  They stink.  New year, new coach, same result.  What’s the problem?  Oh, Brady Quinn is coming back this week.  Awesome.  We were all getting a little tired of Derek Anderson’s completing two out of his ochenta-y-cinco pass attempts.

Any news on whether the Bucs will wear orange again this year?  I’m thinking a hybrid would be cool.  How about the orange shirts over white pants, but with the pewter helmets?  Huh?  Am I straight-eye-for-the-football-guy or what?  It’s fashion, baby! 

Finally, what happened to the British chap?  He’s dropped off the face of the blogosphere since he took the mic during the London game.  And it’s a shame, too, because my picks have been sub-misery these last couple of weeks—he could’ve gained ground.  What?  Did Cricket season start or something? 

Well, in case he looks in, let me re-establish my dominating ways.  Here are my gift-wrapped-in-the-union-jack picks for week ten: 49ers over Bears; Vikings over Lions (Any truth to the rumor that the Vikes are resting their starters this week?); Broncos over Redskins (Buh-bye J. Z.); Falcons over Panthers; Bengals over Steelers (It’s in the condiments.); Bucs over Dolphins (Two in a row for the rook.); Titans over Bills; Jets over Jags; Saints over Rams; Chiefs over Raiders; Cowboys over Packers (But I hope I’m wrong about this one because it will be fun to see more about the Romo-Williams love in the press.); Cards over Seahawks; Chargers over Eagles; Patriots over Colts; Ravens over Browns.