They was Robbed
2006-02-06, 4:38 p.m.

Day 533 They was Robbed I Tell Ya

My favorite for the Super Bowl (ooh � can I say that? It�s been Trade Marked � may have to settle for �The Big Game�. I�ve heard rumors . . .) was the Seahawks. Yes, I live 2800+ miles from Seattle, way over there on the other end of I-90, and Pittsburgh is a mere 5 hour drive away. But considering the Steelers already had 4 Super Bowl (oops � �Big Game�) wins, plus the fact I actually lived out in Washington state for 2.5 years while in the Army � I was pulling for Seattle all the way.

Now, the refs can�t be directly responsible for the score on the board � but they sure weren�t helping Seattle any.

Case in point:

Exhibit A - Roethlisberger did NOT get the ball in the end zone on that bootleg run in the 2nd quarter. Can�t see how the refs (Bill Leavy � we�re looking at YOU) couldn�t see that in the replays)

Exhibit B � that bogus pass interference call on Jackson in the end zone. Like one of the local sports writers here said � �I�ve been hit harder going after the first plate of wings at Happy Hour�. What a crap call that was � wiping a touchdown right off the scoreboard.

Exhibit C � The holding call on what�s his lips from Seattle on the pass play that ended up on the 2 (or so) yard line. Another tick-tack call that should have been NOT called at all. That could have ended up in at least a Seattle field goal.

So, from A � subtract 4 points from Pittsburgh (let �em have a field goal). From B � Add 7 to Seattle, and from C, add another 3 to Seattle (even though Alexander prolly would have punched it in with 1st & goal from the 2). You end up with a score more like Seattle 20, Pittsburgh 17

Also � that �blocking below the waist� call on Hasselbeck was completely wrong. The only guy he hit below the waist was the ball carrier. I�m pretty sure you�re allowed to bring down the ball carrier any way you can � with the exceptions of going in helmet first or using his facemask. That completely bogus 15 yard penalty led to the end around option pass that Ward caught for another score. Far as I�m concerned, 2/3 of Pittsburgh�s points were tainted.

Ah well. Maybe next season. There�s 31 teams thinking that right now.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch � got in a very nice workout Saturday. Managed 2 reps on all the weight benches, then did an hour of step aerobics, than went back out and did another 2 reps on the weight benches. Real nice workout.

Then went home and did some needed maintenance on the vehicles. Got oil, oil filter & air filters changed on Cindy�s car & my van, along with some desperately needed wipers on Cindy�s car. Only bad thing was that while removing the oil plug on my van, I must have got at the wrench at a bad angle. Seemed to have tweaked my right bicep, down near the elbow. Doesn�t hurt real bad to flex it, but to do any rotation, especially counterclockwise, kinda hurts. Laid off it Sunday & today. It�s feeling better, but I�m not sure how hard I can work it tomorrow, if at all. Sucks, because tomorrow is upper body & arms on the weights. Seated row, lat pull downs and bicep curls could be real interesting. Then there�s bowling Thursday to worry about. Just have to wait and see I guess.

Oh yeah � last two times on the elliptical trainers, I got some incredibly high burn rates. Happened to be on machine #10 both times. I use cardio mode, and set a target heart rate. In order to get my heart rate where it thinks I should be, the machine has to really increase the resistance. Usually, I spend about 15 minutes with 2 light bars lit (levels 9 � 12 I think). With machine #10, I spend 15 minutes with 3 bars lit (levels 13 � 16), another 10 minutes at 2 bars, and the remainder at 1 bar (usually the first 5 minutes). Now, I generally keep pumping along at the same speed, so the increased resistance results in a much higher calorie burn rate. There are two possible explanations for this.

First, my cardio conditioning made a huge leap in just a 2 day period, going from a sustained burn rate of 950 cal/hr to 1050 cal/hr. Not bloody likely.

Second: machine #10 is calibrated a little off so that the measured heart rate is a little lower than it really is, causing the machine to goose the resistance more than it should.

Either way I�ll be trying to get on machine #10 as much as I can. Regardless of what my heart rate really is, I can definitely feel the difference in the work out.

Rumor has it that our preferred aerobics instructor, Lisa, will be back with us Tuesday night. We�ve had a substitute the last two sessions and quite frankly, a lot of us feel cheated. The workout is no where near as rigorous as what Lisa puts us through. I hardly break a sweat. With Lisa doing the class, I�m running the risk of drenching my shirt all the way down to the bottom hem. The sub is also apparently hard of hearing. She cranks the music up really loud, then has to turn her own mike up even farther. I can�t take the noise level. She says she likes the noise. What ever. I just won�t do any of her other classes. I�m just looking forward to Lisa trying to drive us into the floor Tuesday night.

Also did a second trip to the Saturday morning class. I�m liking that one. The workout is pretty good, the choreography is interesting and not run of the mill and the instructor (Amy) plays her music at a reasonable level. She is also soft spoken and very encouraging during the class.

Updated stats:

Weight start: 206.5 on 1/1/06 (265.0 on 1/15/05)
Current weight 202.75 on 2/4/06 (Told you it was going to be a good one)
Target: 180 by 7/1/06
Next weigh in: 2/11/06

The Keep on Truckin goal: (idea stolen shamelessly from Marn�s Big Adventure)
Miles at speed 2/3/06: 97.80
Miles with cooldown: 107.77
Target for 2006: 1000 miles

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