What 'Cher Point?

It seems that there is bad news for the NFL and it has been happening since this season started. Ratings are going down and smart people are trying to figure out why.

Ratings going down are probably not from just one cause. It is from a lot of things that are meeting this season and altogether are causing people not to watch as much of Roger Goodell and company as before.

First there is Goodell himself who is about as pompous as they come and yet gets right in the fray making sure that people like Tom Brady is punished for something he probably did not even do. Deflategate did not help the NFL.

Secondly, take fantasy football. That has not helped the team aspect of the NFL at all. Instead of liking a certain team, these days many people are interested in single players from many teams and so rooting for a team and watching them play week after week does not happen as much.

Then there is the lack of games to watch. Many people do not get Sunday Ticket on Direct TV which is the only place to show all games. To get just a few games you need to get the NFL Network, CBS, NBC and ESPN. The Thursday night games, which have been horrible, CBS is not even carrying any more. It seems that the Sunday night game on NBC is their showcase game each week.

So, no wonder ratings are down. Broadcast the games to all and maybe people will watch.

I am a week behind on my Patriots but I could not believe when the Patriots won three games in a row and a shutout with a third string quarterback, Jacoby Brissett. I should have known as the pundits were saying all the week before that it is not the team, it is that Bill Belichick is the most brilliant man to be coaching any team in college football or the NFL. I would have to agree. Brilliant is what he is accomplishing this season so far.

If you are a Viking fan, the loss of Adrian Peterson who has to have surgery and probably will not be playing any more this year will just tear that team up. It was bad enough to lose Teddy Bridgewater and take on Sam Bradford but this last zinger is very bad.

Montana, Montana State and Northern did not do well two weeks ago. I am hoping that last week they did better.

In Football Prep stats in Central A it is Havre in first. In 2B is it Harlem in fourth. In Northern C it is Chinook in seventh and the Thunderbirds in ninth place. In 6 man, northern Big Sandy is in fifth place.

In Prep Volleyball Central A it is Havre in fourth place. In 2B Harlem is in fourth place. In 8 C East Chinook is at the top of the heap! Big Sandy is fourth, Box Elder is fifth and the Thunderbirds are sixth!

How about some predictions for next week?

Northern loses to Eastern Oregon. Rocky beats Southern Oregon.

Montana beats Mississippi Valley State and Montana State beats Northern Arizona.

Havre beats Belgrade in what could be called an upset. Harlem beats Glasgow, The Thunderbirds lose to Power, Brady and Dutton and Chinook loses to Great Falls Central.

In the not so mighty NFL on Thursday night it is Arizona over San Francisco.

On Sunday it is Washington over Baltimore in an upset, New England over Cleveland and Philadelphia beating Detroit.

It is Indianapolis over Chicago, Miami over Tennessee and Houston over Minnesota.

How about Pittsburgh over the Jets, Denver over Atlanta and Dallas over Cincinnati.

It is Buffalo beating the Rams, Oakland over San Diego and on Sunday night it is Green Bay over the Giants.

On Monday night football it is Carolina over Tampa Bay.

That’s my story and I am sticking to it. Go Thunderbirds!