Hurricane Sandy Blows!

As Thunder writes this little missive, Hurricane Sandy is making it’s way toward us, and I must say that Thunder is impressed with the so-called “Frankenstorm.”

Any storm that can manage flooding, electrical outages, tidal surges and a freakin’ blizzard is not to be messed with, a veritable beat down with a 1,000 mile circumference. Thunder hasn’t been this worried about a woman since his first divorce.

But don’t worry, gentle readers, Thunder is hunkered down with his best three women, two bottles of tequila and high quality pharmaceuticals. Disaster preparedness is key!

As hurricanes wipe landscapes clean, Week 8 of the NFL season also had the feel of big changes to come. Several teams suffered brutal defeats, which Thunder believes are harbingers of serious changes in team structure. Let’s see which way the wind blows for these teams:

1. Philadelphia: The Eagles were totally dominated by the visiting Falcons in a 30-17 drubbing and the Eagles’ fans are calling for Coach Andy Reid’s head on a pike. For once, they might be right. Reid has had a wonderful run, propelling the franchise to five NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl appearance. However, the bloom is off the rose. Last year’s 8-8 record, after the front office loaded up on talent, put Reid’s job in jeopardy. The owner is on record that it’s the playoffs or bust this year. Last week, Reid fired his defensive coordinator in a desperation move, and his team responded by giving up 30 points at home after a bye week. Michael Vick is in serious decline and doesn’t seem to have the “it” factor anymore. An underachieving defense, a malfunctioning, aging quarterback, an impatient owner and a lunatic fan base is its own “Frankenstorm” for any head coach. Teams often tune out a coach who has been there a while. That’s what has happened here. Look for Reid to resign immediately after the season barring a miracle.
2. San Diego: The Chargers lost to the Browns 7-6 in a game uglier than the score indicates. Quarterback Philip Rivers is a talent but is hamstrung by a poor line and a mediocre receiving corps. Talented young running back Ryan Matthews has shown flashes but is not LaDainian Tomlinson. The defense and special teams have been spotty. Coach Norv Turner has always been better as a coordinator than inspiring as a head coach and has suffered through a reputation as underachieving for over a decade. I don’t think he will survive the year.
3. New Orleans: The bounty scandal has taken its toll on the Saints. With all the storm and drama surrounding this organization, the team has lost all sense of cohesion. The defense is historically awful; no team has begun any NFL season with seven straight games of allowing over 400 yards in offense. Drew Brees is still near the top of his game but the offense is too pass-happy with an awful defense. I don’t see changes at head coach next year, but the time of the Saints as an elite club are over. They will be entertaining to watch but I don’t see them seriously challenging for a Super Bowl over the next three years.
4. Dallas: Ah, the Cowboys! Where does one begin? Interestingly, it’s easy to look at the Cowboys and say that they have a solid club. The offense and defense both rank in the top ten. There is talent at the skill positions although not a lot of quality depth. But how does one account for the 3-4 record?  Well, it has a tremendously dysfunctional culture that seems to lend itself to mistakes in both execution and time management. Is it Romo’s penchant for bad throws? Dez Bryant’s bad routes? Is it Coach Garrett’s spotty play calling? Yes, yes, and yes. But moreover, Thunder believes, the Cowboys exist as too much of a carnival sideshow—all flash with no substance. And that is all on the general manager, Jerry Jones. So will Jerry the owner fire Jerry the general manager? I think at the end of the year, Jerry will cede that job, possibly to his son Stephen Jones, who has shown a desire to stay in the background and do the grunt work.

So there you have it, let’s hope that Sandy isn’t quite as impactful on our area as Week 8 was on the long term prospects of the teams mentioned above. Stay in, stay safe, and as always, stay classy!

Hail Thunder!