Large and in charge

I always knew that one day wisdom would prevail.

As the card carrying founder of the "glass half full" secret football cognescenti organization, it always seemed like just a matter of time before the tired charlatans running this joint would step aside and let the real talent step to the forefront.

Let those with the goods, deliver. Let the giant brains pour forth their sage advice. And maybe make it free while you're at it, instead of the usual hucksterism.

...in other words, Barrington Henry is now in charge of everything.

An improvement, we can all agree. Actually though it's Barrington and me righting this ship, now I've been promoted from my backup janitor role of the past few seasons. Which seems appropriate given Sir Henry's (he's up for a knighthood don't you know) approval ratings are off the charts, while old Timmy's, well, let's just say they've been climbing since last year's Game of the Eternity triumph (and yes, they had nowhere to go but up).

Now at the end of last season, in the Super Bowl week that was wrap-up, I doled out some predictions for the future of this here TwoMinuteWarning football site and internet taco bar. Let's see what has come to pass since then:

Prediction	Come to Pass?
1) Barrington Henry: back for another year.	Yes, as it should be.
2) Week that was and Game of the Eternities (80 million universe edition) pick from yours truly: back next year.	Indeed. Tim is not one to ride through the rest of Eternity coasting on my perfect 1-0 "Game of the Eternity" pick record. No, I'm a slave to my loyal readers and this 80 million universes idea is gaining traction in some quarters. So expect a truly one-of-a-kind free pick this season.
3) All kinds of new free content to tempt the unsuspecting: here next year	Look around folks! Stuff that was ~oooh~ subscriber only content in the past is now just a click away. Some of the junk is even worth reading.
4) "New and Improved" slogans all over the place: likely.	A distinct lack of slogans. Give the masters of bean administration some time though...
5) Some big newfangled whizbang charter minutiae statistics plan: undoubtedly so	Haven't heard much on this, but I'm probably being kept out of the loop.
6) Do I hear college football? Gasp: cloudy, check back later	You want college football? There's going to be some of that round here is the hot rumor...
7) New ownership, management: if I was a betting man I'd say that's heavy favorite action	Yup. The original dude behind this here sack of potatoes has left for some basketball jaunt...like anyone cares about the NBA until football's over.

So I'd give myself five out of seven right, with two still to be determined. To quote Adam Sandler: not too shabby.

But you're thinking, "all right Tim, what else is new?"

Glad you asked:

Big newfangled idea	Need to know info
1) TMW Past Performances	Could be kind of cool and yours truly is playing a role in this one. Picture all the past 'week that was' game lines stacked up for teams like past performances in your trusty horse racing 'Form. Change handicapping forever? Nah. Add a new wrinkle? Perhaps.
2) Gobs of free stuff	As stated above dang near all the subscriber stuff of the past is one big free for all now. In terms of historic popularity, I've been told it's something like this: #1 - Injury Report #2 - Overlays #3 - Trends #4 - Inside the 20 #5 - UPM / Full Story
3) Apparent obligatory toutism up the ying-yang	I can't entirely transform this place overnight folks, so for now you've got your staff picks, your expert picks, and no shortage of other wild shilling prospects on the horizon. Ignore it all, the Timster will run circles around the clowns with my handout picks.
4) An end to sidetracking diversions	There's plenty of places cover fantasy football so why would TMW dabble in that kind of thing? From here on the site will be sticking to what it's good at (and once we discover something we're good at, we'll let you know).
5) An end to pretension	No more of that obnoxious "come to the altar of superior football data" nonsense. No more "bow down before our gigantic minds" blather.
6) Message Boards	Not exactly new since there was one last year, but that was a dud. This time me and Barrington will make the rounds some which should spice it up.

No doubt there are things I'm forgetting so stick around for the "under new ownership" TwoMinuteWarning NFL 2006 (and maybe NCAA) season.

I'll set us in back in good standing with a little dose of Monty Python to wrap it up: (as always, taken from the brilliant and indispensable Monty Python Archive)

Brave and Bold Sir Robin
(from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail")

So, each of the knights went their separate ways.
Sir Robin rode north, through the dark forest of Ewing, accompanied by his favorite minstrels.

Minstrel: (singing)

Bravely bold Sir Robin
Brought forth from Camelot.
He was not afraid to die,
Oh, brave Sir Robin!
He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways.
Brave, brave, brave Sir Robin.

He was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp.
Or to have his eyes gouged out, and his elbows broken!
To have his kneecaps split, and his body burned away
And his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir Robin.

His head smashed in and his heart cut out,
And his liver removed and his bowls unplugged,
And his nostrils raked and his bottom burnt off,
And his peni--

Robin: That's...That's, uh... That's enough music for now, lads. It looks like there's dirty work afoot.

They pass signs that read:

[CAMELOT        43]
[CERTAIN DEATH 1]

A little further on, he passes on the far side of a tree, on which, on the near side, three knights are impaled on a single lance.

Suddenly, just as Sir Robin is at his most nervous:

Three headed knight:	HALT!!! WHO ART THOU???
Minstrel:	He is brave Sir Robin, brave Sir Robin, Who--
Robin:	Shut up!!! (to the knight) Um, n-n-nobody, really, I-I-I- J-Just, um, j-just passing through.
Three headed knight:	WHAT DO YOU WANT???
Minstrel:	To fight, and--
Robin:	SHUT UP!!! Um, ooh, n-nothing, nothing, really, I-I-I, j-just, just to, um, just to... p-p-pass through, good sir knight?
Three headed knight:	I'M AFRAID NOT!!!
Robin:	Ah. (pause) Well, actually, I...I am a knight of the round table....
Three-headed knight:	You're a knight of the Round Table???
Robin:	I am.
Three-headed knight:	In that case I shall have to kill you.

Voice over:

For second.... after second..., Robin held his own, but the onslaught proved too much for the brave knight. Scarcely was his armor damp, when Robin suddenly, dramatically, changed his tactics!

Three-headed knight:

'E's backed off!

Minstrel:

Robin:

Brave Sir Robin ran away.	No!
Bravely ran away away....	I didn't!
When Danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled	No!!
Yes brave Sir Robin turned about	I didn't!
And gallantly chickened out..

Bravely taking to his feet	I never did!
He beat a very brave retreat	All lies!
Brave as ??-??, brave Sir Robin!	I never!