gblowfish
10-25-2004, 08:47 AM
Here's the advance copy of this week's Doggity Report, which will be posted later tonight on my website at www.georgeblowfish.com. Go to my Chiefs page, and there'tis.
You can read Mr. Doggity's reviews of all the previous games there too. My, he's kooky! Enjoy.
The Doggity Chiefs Report
Week 6 - 2004
Chiefs vs Dirty Birds, The Head, Kansas City, MO
From the Front Row! On a beeee-uteeful day for football (overcome with the spirit of Bill Grigsby – let me set down my vodka gimlet and type). As always, you can find the Doggity Reports from this and previous years at www.georgeblowfish.com! And visit “Radio Blowfish”- to keep that “Michael Vick Experience” all week long!* If you know others who might want to get this report in the ‘junk’ folder of their e-mail inbox – send me their addresses so we can add them to the list of people who have nothing better to do than read the Doggity Report each week. Remember our privacy policy - “If you don’t want tort reform you can just sue me.”
Overview –The Michael Vick experience has me a little woozy this morning. I’m sure Mike feels even worse. In these days of league parity, salary caps, 46-man rosters and all, it is really rare to see a good old-fashioned body-slam blow-out. I have been a football fan since I could first stretch my arms skyward and yell “touchdown” (OK, I’m still working on being able to do them simultaneously). I have rarely ever witnessed such a lop-sided destruction in a pro football game. In fact, the Chiefs have only scored more points once in their existence – and I was four years old when KC hung 59 on the Donkeys. Kennedy was still the President. As a Chiefs’ fan, it doesn’t get any better than this. A sunny, 74-degree day at Arrowhead. The sweet smell of burning animal flesh and hardwood hanging in the crystal clear sky. Followed by laying a butt-whoopin’ on a good opponent. The game started inauspiciously. The Falcons took the opening kick-off and drove to the KC one-yard-line on the legs of the human amusement park. But the D did something not seen here since #58 patrolled – they put up a goal line stand and forced the Falcons to kick a field goal. Then, on the first KC play from scrimmage came the unthinkable – Priest fumbled. Atlanta recovered on the KC 31. Four plays later, Atlanta failed to convert a fourth and 11 and KC got the ball back on the 32. Nothing lost but 45 seconds of game clock. The Chiefs would never look back. To Falcon head coach Jim Mora Jr. this should look familiar. He was on the staff of the 9’ers back in 97 when they came into the Head with a winning record and a big head. KC beat them 44-9 – I was there on that day when rookie Tony Gonzalez handed me his sweaty wristband for my daughter. It’s still on her bulletin board.***
*
Offense –One second please… Yes, it seems KC just scored again. Everyone is rightly talking about the KC running game hanging 271 rushing yards and an NFL all-time record of eight rushing TD on the previously #1-ranked rushing defense in the league. I want to talk about balance. The afore-mentioned 271 yards rushing complemented 269 yards passing. The eight rushing touchdowns were evenly split by Priest Holmes and Derrick Blaylock. The Birds had not surrendered a 100-yard performance to a runner this season. Holmes got a 139, and Blaylock had 90.* Priest suffered a minor ankle sprain in the second quarter and came out early in the third. His half-game performance would be the envy of most backs for four quarters. Holmes went to the locker room at halftime with 108 yards and four scores. But lets get back to the passing game. Trent Green looked as sharp as I’ve seen him. He had two really bad throws, either of which could have been picked, except for head’s-up play by Eddie Kennison and Chris Horn. Other than that, he was close to flawless. As Priest mentioned after the game, the rushing TD were cause by two factors. The passing game consistently had big plays that set up first and goal situations with short yardage. The other factor was the play of T-Rich, Jason Dunn and the O-line. The line took some well-deserved lumps last week. Not so yesterday. Willie Roaf may be the most dominant lineman in the league. On one of Priest’s TDs, Willie pulled, but Richardson and Gonzo had sealed the outside leaving Roaf only one guy to block – 187-pound cornerback, Jason Webster. Webster ran from big Willie’s 320-pound frame like the cops were after him. Priest walked in untouched. All day long the fast, but undersized Falcon D was just simply mowed down by the fat boys on KC’s line. They shoved them, pancaked them and put them wherever they felt like putting them. And they gave Trent all day to throw. On one play, everyone was covered, but Green just hung in the pocket. I counted … 7, 8, 9 seconds until Dante Hall got loose in the middle for an 18 yard reception that set up a first and goal at the 4. That pass play was all about the fat boys.* That was the kind of day it was.
Defense –Oooo, Michael Vick. We’re scared! NOT. For a defense victimized nearly every week by the bootleg, the league’s best bootlegger was held in check. Vick broke a couple of good ones. He had 3 positive rushes for 43 yards, but you have to deduct the 3 sacks for –14. One thing is clear, if you get in this kid’s face, he rattles. His passing was nothing short of dreadful. KC made two picks off caroms when badly thrown balls bounced off receivers. On one play the D fell asleep as TE Algee Crumpler ran up the right sideline all alone. Vick was hurried and wildly over threw him on what should have been an easy touchdown. Crumpler and his mates didn’t help Vick much, either. They dropped several balls. Algee was the leading receiver with two catches for 25 yards, and three drops. Let this be a lesson kids… never trust your offense to a guy named for pond scum (thanks GB!). The D pitched a shutout after the first drive field goal. Atlanta’s only TD came on a punt return.* Special kudos to rookie Jared Allen who wasn’t even supposed to make this squad. He now leads the team in sacks, bagging Vick twice yesterday. Also props to the oft-dissed William Bartee, who looked anything but Crispy. Starting for the picked-on Oh! Dexter! who was sidelined with a bruised ego, Bartee played the best game of his five-year career, registering a sack and nearly coming up with his first pick when a pass bounced off his shoulder pad in the arms of Safety Greg Wesley. This is Gunther-ball, and if it had been here last year, KC would have squashed Indy. Remember, the Chiefs were one score away in January. If the D had held Manning even one time, KC would have gone to Foxboro the following weekend. Next week should be fun.
Special Teams –The only real buzz-kill yesterday was the play of the kick coverage units. They once again allowed way too many yards – in particular one punt return for 75 yards and Atlanta’s sole TD.* The punting was solid. Young Larry Tynes redeemed himself for last week’s meltdown by whacking – count ‘em – EIGHT PATs and launching a couple of kickoffs into the box seats. Still there is no blocking for Dante and no tackling on returns. Since promoting Monte Beisel to starting linebacker and off special teams, the unit has struggled.
The AFC West –
KC Chiefs – Just when you think they’re dead, they hang half a hundred on a good opponent.**
Denver Donkeys – How do they rate the Ben-Gals on MNF?**
East Bay Convicts – These guys may well be the worst team in the league right now – they have a lock on sole possession of last place in the division.
San Diego Bolts – This young team is playing way over their head. Typical Marty. Now watch them implode in the playoffs.
Throw Him A Bone Award –
This week’s bone goes to offensive tackle Willie Roaf. The hogs don’t get much pub, but you can start casting this big boys bronze bust for Canton. Nobody in the league can take over a game like Willie and his running mate, Brian Waters.
*
The Doggity Dog –
The choke chain in the back yard goes around the neck of the only dark smudge on an otherwise nearly perfect day – the performance of the Special Team coverage units. That rests on the shoulders of the coordinator, Frank Ganz, Jr. “Baby Crash” spends this week in the doghouse.****
Tailgate Recipe of the Week –
Old fashioned B’s & G’s – a fave of everyone here and apropos for the Atlanta game is the best thing to come out of the south since the Southern Belle. Biscuits and Gravy. This recipe comes to us from our good buddy, Lizzy in Birmingham, AL.
BISCUITS:
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
? teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
3 oz. cold butter, diced
8 oz buttermilk
Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Gently knead in the butter. Add the buttermilk and knead on a floured board just enough to bring the dough together. It is vital that you knead gently and no more than is necessary or you will develop the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough. Good biscuits are as much a function of technique as ingredients. Form a flat mass with the dough and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter.* Don’t make them too high or the outside could become over browned by the time the inside is cooked.* Place them on parchment paper on a sheet tray and then into a preheated 400-degree oven.* Start the gravy immediately. It should be done close to the same time as the biscuits, which is when they are golden in color.
GRAVY:
? pound ground breakfast sausage.
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups cold milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the sausage until it is cooked and has released as much of its fat as possible.* Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and do NOT drain the grease. You’ll need it to make the roux. (I said this was delicious, not health food). You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat. Add the butter and melt it.* Then add the flour a little at a time over medium heat, constantly whisking.* Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Now start adding the cold milk a little at a time, whisking incessantly.* Toward the end of the milk add the sausage back in. When you reach the desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste.* Cut the biscuits in half, pour the gravy over them, and enjoy one of the most embracing and comforting taste sensations known to man.*
The perfect roux has equal amounts of fat and flour.* If for some reason your sausage renders noticeably less or more than two tablespoons of fat, adjust the amount of flour accordingly. Four things are necessary to assure a smooth, lump-free gravy. You must constantly whisk the roux and the gravy throughout the process.* You must add cold milk to the hot roux.* You must incorporate the milk a little at a time. And finally, keep the heat at no more than medium.
Send your recipes to the Dog, by e-mail or fax them to 913-831-1307.
Next week –
The game every Chiefs fan marked the day the schedule came out. The return of Peyton Manning and the Colts to Arrowhead. Something tells me they may punt this time.
Your faithful scribe,
Mr. Doggity
You can read Mr. Doggity's reviews of all the previous games there too. My, he's kooky! Enjoy.
The Doggity Chiefs Report
Week 6 - 2004
Chiefs vs Dirty Birds, The Head, Kansas City, MO
From the Front Row! On a beeee-uteeful day for football (overcome with the spirit of Bill Grigsby – let me set down my vodka gimlet and type). As always, you can find the Doggity Reports from this and previous years at www.georgeblowfish.com! And visit “Radio Blowfish”- to keep that “Michael Vick Experience” all week long!* If you know others who might want to get this report in the ‘junk’ folder of their e-mail inbox – send me their addresses so we can add them to the list of people who have nothing better to do than read the Doggity Report each week. Remember our privacy policy - “If you don’t want tort reform you can just sue me.”
Overview –The Michael Vick experience has me a little woozy this morning. I’m sure Mike feels even worse. In these days of league parity, salary caps, 46-man rosters and all, it is really rare to see a good old-fashioned body-slam blow-out. I have been a football fan since I could first stretch my arms skyward and yell “touchdown” (OK, I’m still working on being able to do them simultaneously). I have rarely ever witnessed such a lop-sided destruction in a pro football game. In fact, the Chiefs have only scored more points once in their existence – and I was four years old when KC hung 59 on the Donkeys. Kennedy was still the President. As a Chiefs’ fan, it doesn’t get any better than this. A sunny, 74-degree day at Arrowhead. The sweet smell of burning animal flesh and hardwood hanging in the crystal clear sky. Followed by laying a butt-whoopin’ on a good opponent. The game started inauspiciously. The Falcons took the opening kick-off and drove to the KC one-yard-line on the legs of the human amusement park. But the D did something not seen here since #58 patrolled – they put up a goal line stand and forced the Falcons to kick a field goal. Then, on the first KC play from scrimmage came the unthinkable – Priest fumbled. Atlanta recovered on the KC 31. Four plays later, Atlanta failed to convert a fourth and 11 and KC got the ball back on the 32. Nothing lost but 45 seconds of game clock. The Chiefs would never look back. To Falcon head coach Jim Mora Jr. this should look familiar. He was on the staff of the 9’ers back in 97 when they came into the Head with a winning record and a big head. KC beat them 44-9 – I was there on that day when rookie Tony Gonzalez handed me his sweaty wristband for my daughter. It’s still on her bulletin board.***
*
Offense –One second please… Yes, it seems KC just scored again. Everyone is rightly talking about the KC running game hanging 271 rushing yards and an NFL all-time record of eight rushing TD on the previously #1-ranked rushing defense in the league. I want to talk about balance. The afore-mentioned 271 yards rushing complemented 269 yards passing. The eight rushing touchdowns were evenly split by Priest Holmes and Derrick Blaylock. The Birds had not surrendered a 100-yard performance to a runner this season. Holmes got a 139, and Blaylock had 90.* Priest suffered a minor ankle sprain in the second quarter and came out early in the third. His half-game performance would be the envy of most backs for four quarters. Holmes went to the locker room at halftime with 108 yards and four scores. But lets get back to the passing game. Trent Green looked as sharp as I’ve seen him. He had two really bad throws, either of which could have been picked, except for head’s-up play by Eddie Kennison and Chris Horn. Other than that, he was close to flawless. As Priest mentioned after the game, the rushing TD were cause by two factors. The passing game consistently had big plays that set up first and goal situations with short yardage. The other factor was the play of T-Rich, Jason Dunn and the O-line. The line took some well-deserved lumps last week. Not so yesterday. Willie Roaf may be the most dominant lineman in the league. On one of Priest’s TDs, Willie pulled, but Richardson and Gonzo had sealed the outside leaving Roaf only one guy to block – 187-pound cornerback, Jason Webster. Webster ran from big Willie’s 320-pound frame like the cops were after him. Priest walked in untouched. All day long the fast, but undersized Falcon D was just simply mowed down by the fat boys on KC’s line. They shoved them, pancaked them and put them wherever they felt like putting them. And they gave Trent all day to throw. On one play, everyone was covered, but Green just hung in the pocket. I counted … 7, 8, 9 seconds until Dante Hall got loose in the middle for an 18 yard reception that set up a first and goal at the 4. That pass play was all about the fat boys.* That was the kind of day it was.
Defense –Oooo, Michael Vick. We’re scared! NOT. For a defense victimized nearly every week by the bootleg, the league’s best bootlegger was held in check. Vick broke a couple of good ones. He had 3 positive rushes for 43 yards, but you have to deduct the 3 sacks for –14. One thing is clear, if you get in this kid’s face, he rattles. His passing was nothing short of dreadful. KC made two picks off caroms when badly thrown balls bounced off receivers. On one play the D fell asleep as TE Algee Crumpler ran up the right sideline all alone. Vick was hurried and wildly over threw him on what should have been an easy touchdown. Crumpler and his mates didn’t help Vick much, either. They dropped several balls. Algee was the leading receiver with two catches for 25 yards, and three drops. Let this be a lesson kids… never trust your offense to a guy named for pond scum (thanks GB!). The D pitched a shutout after the first drive field goal. Atlanta’s only TD came on a punt return.* Special kudos to rookie Jared Allen who wasn’t even supposed to make this squad. He now leads the team in sacks, bagging Vick twice yesterday. Also props to the oft-dissed William Bartee, who looked anything but Crispy. Starting for the picked-on Oh! Dexter! who was sidelined with a bruised ego, Bartee played the best game of his five-year career, registering a sack and nearly coming up with his first pick when a pass bounced off his shoulder pad in the arms of Safety Greg Wesley. This is Gunther-ball, and if it had been here last year, KC would have squashed Indy. Remember, the Chiefs were one score away in January. If the D had held Manning even one time, KC would have gone to Foxboro the following weekend. Next week should be fun.
Special Teams –The only real buzz-kill yesterday was the play of the kick coverage units. They once again allowed way too many yards – in particular one punt return for 75 yards and Atlanta’s sole TD.* The punting was solid. Young Larry Tynes redeemed himself for last week’s meltdown by whacking – count ‘em – EIGHT PATs and launching a couple of kickoffs into the box seats. Still there is no blocking for Dante and no tackling on returns. Since promoting Monte Beisel to starting linebacker and off special teams, the unit has struggled.
The AFC West –
KC Chiefs – Just when you think they’re dead, they hang half a hundred on a good opponent.**
Denver Donkeys – How do they rate the Ben-Gals on MNF?**
East Bay Convicts – These guys may well be the worst team in the league right now – they have a lock on sole possession of last place in the division.
San Diego Bolts – This young team is playing way over their head. Typical Marty. Now watch them implode in the playoffs.
Throw Him A Bone Award –
This week’s bone goes to offensive tackle Willie Roaf. The hogs don’t get much pub, but you can start casting this big boys bronze bust for Canton. Nobody in the league can take over a game like Willie and his running mate, Brian Waters.
*
The Doggity Dog –
The choke chain in the back yard goes around the neck of the only dark smudge on an otherwise nearly perfect day – the performance of the Special Team coverage units. That rests on the shoulders of the coordinator, Frank Ganz, Jr. “Baby Crash” spends this week in the doghouse.****
Tailgate Recipe of the Week –
Old fashioned B’s & G’s – a fave of everyone here and apropos for the Atlanta game is the best thing to come out of the south since the Southern Belle. Biscuits and Gravy. This recipe comes to us from our good buddy, Lizzy in Birmingham, AL.
BISCUITS:
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
? teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
3 oz. cold butter, diced
8 oz buttermilk
Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Gently knead in the butter. Add the buttermilk and knead on a floured board just enough to bring the dough together. It is vital that you knead gently and no more than is necessary or you will develop the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough. Good biscuits are as much a function of technique as ingredients. Form a flat mass with the dough and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter.* Don’t make them too high or the outside could become over browned by the time the inside is cooked.* Place them on parchment paper on a sheet tray and then into a preheated 400-degree oven.* Start the gravy immediately. It should be done close to the same time as the biscuits, which is when they are golden in color.
GRAVY:
? pound ground breakfast sausage.
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups cold milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the sausage until it is cooked and has released as much of its fat as possible.* Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and do NOT drain the grease. You’ll need it to make the roux. (I said this was delicious, not health food). You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat. Add the butter and melt it.* Then add the flour a little at a time over medium heat, constantly whisking.* Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Now start adding the cold milk a little at a time, whisking incessantly.* Toward the end of the milk add the sausage back in. When you reach the desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste.* Cut the biscuits in half, pour the gravy over them, and enjoy one of the most embracing and comforting taste sensations known to man.*
The perfect roux has equal amounts of fat and flour.* If for some reason your sausage renders noticeably less or more than two tablespoons of fat, adjust the amount of flour accordingly. Four things are necessary to assure a smooth, lump-free gravy. You must constantly whisk the roux and the gravy throughout the process.* You must add cold milk to the hot roux.* You must incorporate the milk a little at a time. And finally, keep the heat at no more than medium.
Send your recipes to the Dog, by e-mail or fax them to 913-831-1307.
Next week –
The game every Chiefs fan marked the day the schedule came out. The return of Peyton Manning and the Colts to Arrowhead. Something tells me they may punt this time.
Your faithful scribe,
Mr. Doggity