Day: January 11, 2004

When I first got involved with the internet nearly twenty years ago, and the presence of pros was a rarity, my showing up was seen by many fans as an unwanted intrusion. My being there, it was stated, would have a chilling effect. Many were only comfortable discussing a creator’s work behind his back, and were truly upset with the idea of a creator responding.

In many ways, that hasn’t changed. The exchange of ideas and concerns is still only to be one way: Fans to creators. If fans insult creators, that’s SOP; if creators insult fans, Oh my God, so-and-so was mean to me, where does he get off? Fans are perfectly entitled to crab about anything and everything that bothers them: Story, characterization, page count, characters who were killed off twenty years ago, a pro looked at them sideways at a convention…anything. On the other hand, if a pro expresses concerns directly pertaining to the business of comics…wotta jerk. Unless, of course, he or she is one of those pros who has an unerring knack of phrasing things just right or saying what people want to hear. Would that I were one of those.

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So Kath was watching a football game this evening. I’ve no interest in football whatsoever. Kath has talked me into watching the Superbowl every year, basically by bribing me with nifty refreshments and pointing out that the commercials are fun. Football itself, though, I don’t care.

And yet when she told me that she was watching the Panthers vs. the Rams, I quickly and accurately predicted that the Panthers would be victorious. How? My reasoning was as follows: The Panthers have the clear advantage because they have the teeth and claws and can move very quickly. The Rams, while they have formidable horns, simply can’t stand up to it.

That’s how I always do it. For instance, if the Titans are in a game, I usually figure they have the best shot because they’re so dámņëd big. They’re Titans, for God’s sake. Yes, Giants might have a chance against them, but Titans are far bigger. The only place where it becomes problematic is if the Titans are going up against a bird team, such as the Eagles or the Falcons. If the Eagle or Falcons can manage to peck or claw the Titans’ eyes out–and pehraps even eat out their livers–then the Titans would be blinded and the Eagles or Falcons have a good chance.

As for the Packers, I just don’t see it. Bunch of guys with suitcases. Doesn’t seem that threatening. Unless they’re playing, say, the Jets. If they overload the cargo hold of the Jets with their suitcases, they could possibly slow them down enough to win.

PAD