Technology in the New Year!
Before we get into talking about technology, let me take a moment to remind you to make your New Year’s resolutions. Here’s an idea for all of you who have a hard time following through on your promises. Make a resolution to keep up on the latest technology trends and use that information to make your lives more efficient. And, if you need any help along the way, remember that Video Professor is always there to help you with all your computer learning needs. I hope you all have a great New Year and a truly blessed 2007.
Vista’s first vulnerability
Here’s the fist chink in the armor. According to published reports, the new Microsoft operating system, Vista, which has been touted as the most secure OS on the market, comes with a “minor” flaw. Programmers in recent days stated that they’ve contacted Microsoft about these flaws. Let’s hope that Microsoft can get them firmed up before the launch of the home editions on Jan. 30.
Read More >
Online holiday sales predicted to soar past retailers
I guess this comes as no real surprise to me. It was just so much easier to sit down in front of my computer to do all my holiday shopping than to fight the crowds in the mall. As long as you gave yourself plenty of time for shipping, you shouldn’t have encountered too many problems. According to comScore Networks, holiday sales online were expected to see a bump of 25 percent to $24.6 billion.
Read More >
iTunes vs. Zune: It’s no contest, yet
I talked about this battle for MP3 supremacy in a previous blog post. Back then I agreed with reports that said despite Microsoft having a decent competitor in the field now, Zune, they still had their work cut out for them. Apple had such a head start on Zune that the iPod completely dominates the market now. This report confirms that. This article will give you some good insight into the post-holiday traffic numbers posted on Apple’s iTunes compared to Zune.
Read More >
Off topic:
Checkmate
Seriously? I didn’t realize that the world of chess was so cutthroat. A player was banned from international competition for 10 years because he was using a cell phone earpiece to gain an advantage. Apparently the guy sewed the device into a hat that he’d pull over his ears. In a remote location, his buddies would feed him his next move based on a computer’s recommendation. People will go to any means necessary to gain an advantage, won’t they?
Read More >
Picks o’ the week!
Wow, it’s hard to believe that the final week of the NFL regular season is here. It seems like only yesterday we were chomping at the bit for training camp to be over. My picks have been very average this year. I’ve had some up weeks and some down. Last week I finished 2-1, which brought my overall record to 26-22 for the season. New England surprised me. I really thought the Jags would take care of the Pats. But what goes around comes around. I could have easily won the Jags pick, but I could have easily lost the Broncos pick. I haven’t seen a bizarre finish like that in quite some time. The “Bungles” botched an extra point attempt with 41 seconds left in the game that would have caused a tie. Instead, Cincinnati, after scoring what appeared to be the tying touchdown, had to line up for a desperate onside kick attempt. The Bengals recovered the kick, but wouldn’t you know it, an offside penalty wiped out the play. Cincy re-kicked. Denver recovered, and escaped with a 24-23 win. The Bengals now need a virtual miracle to make the playoffs. That’s what keeps us watching each week. Well, here are my final regular season picks of the year. Once the playoffs start, I’ll attempt to pick every game, but who knows how successful (or lack thereof) I’ll be.
Kansas City over Jacksonville: This game has playoff implications, though slight. Both teams still have a shot to get into the playoffs, but they need some help with Denver and the New York Jets in control. The Chiefs have been the most dominating home team in December in the past decade, so I see the trend continuing this week.
New Orleans over Carolina: My hat goes off to the job Saints head coach Sean Payton has done this season. He turned a train wreck into arguably one of the top sports stories of the year. Last week the Saints clinched a bye in the first round of the playoffs, but I don’t see a letup happening this week. The Saints want to win to keep the momentum rolling into the postseason.
Tennessee over New England: The Tennessee Titans were another great story the second half of the season. After starting the year 0-5, the Titans have won eight of their last 10 and find themselves in the playoff chase. Granted, they need a lot of help to get in, but what they’ve done has been great. I think they close out the regular season at home with a win, and though they probably still won’t make the playoffs, the win will give them something to build on for next season.
Happy New Year! Be safe out there.
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
John W. Scherer Video Professor Blog Dec. 22, 2006
Happy Holidays from the Video Professor!
I want to take a moment to wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog every week. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed it and have been able to stay up to speed on some of the prominent issues in this technology-driven world. Video Professor has been helping people with all of their computer learning needs for almost 20 years now, and I hope you get some value from reading these posts each week. Have a great holiday. We’ll chat again after the New Year!
Are you a “re-gifter?”
Like most of us, you probably expect to receive one or two gifts this holiday season that you have no use for. What will you do with them? According to a recent survey released by eBay®, sixty-nine percent of respondents think there is nothing wrong with re-gifting an item. Well, so much for finding that perfect gift. What I don’t understand is why people would re-gift a present. Heck, why don’t they put the unwanted gifts up for auction on eBay? If they don’t know how to do that, Video Professor offers a tutorial teaching people everything they need to know about buying and selling on eBay. I think we stumbled onto the hottest business idea of 2007: Open an entire eBay store where people can buy discounted “re-gifts.”
Read More >
Off topic:
Digging out!
I want to send my very best wishes to all of the Coloradans who spent the majority of Wednesday and Thursday digging out from that huge blizzard. Talk about unfortunate timing. A major storm crippled the city a few days before one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. I especially feel bad for all of the travelers who got stranded at Denver International Airport because it was closed from Wednesday night until Friday afternoon. Good luck to everyone gearing up for some holiday travel. Please get there safely!
Picks o’ the week!
That’s the last time I pick the New York Giants. Just when you think you have that team figured out, they get knocked down a peg. I’m taking nothing away from what the Eagles were able to accomplish, but New York could have won that game. Do credit Philadelphia, however. A couple weeks ago when Donovan McNabb went down, everyone thought their season was over. Now, heading into this week’s game against Dallas, they can control the outcome of their season. If Philadelphia wins, they seize control of the NFC East with only one regular season week to go. Now that I have that off my chest, I can focus on this week’s picks. I still finished 2-1 last week, improving my overall record to 24-21 with two weeks remaining. Here are my picks for Week 16.
Jacksonville over New England: The Patriots have control of the AFC East, so this game is not as vital to them as it is to Jacksonville. Sitting at 8-6, the Jaguars are right in the hunt for one of the two AFC wild cards. Because they are at home and because they’ve been running the ball very well of late, I see Jacksonville pulling out a close one.
San Diego over Seattle: Here is the “no brainer” statement of the week: There is no better team in the NFL than San Diego. Philip Rivers is playing great, the defense is outstanding and oh yeah, did I mention LaDainian Tomlinson’s play? Last week he set an NFL record for most points scored in a single season, and he still has two more games to go. The Bolts travel to Seattle this week, and shouldn’t have a problem getting one step closer to securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Denver over Cincinnati: This is one of the best games on the NFL docket this week. The Bengals and the Broncos both sit at 8-6 in a logjam for a wild card spot. The winner of this game will have a leg up on the rest of the crowded pack heading into the final week of the season. Last week Denver bounced back from a four-game losing streak and looked impressive against Arizona. Rookie quarterback Jay Cutler enjoyed his finest day as a pro so far, and I look for Denver to carry over that momentum and squeak out a victory at home.
Once again, let me wish you a wonderful holiday season, and I hope you remain healthy and happy! We’ll see you again after New Year’s! Take care.
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
I want to take a moment to wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog every week. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed it and have been able to stay up to speed on some of the prominent issues in this technology-driven world. Video Professor has been helping people with all of their computer learning needs for almost 20 years now, and I hope you get some value from reading these posts each week. Have a great holiday. We’ll chat again after the New Year!
Are you a “re-gifter?”
Like most of us, you probably expect to receive one or two gifts this holiday season that you have no use for. What will you do with them? According to a recent survey released by eBay®, sixty-nine percent of respondents think there is nothing wrong with re-gifting an item. Well, so much for finding that perfect gift. What I don’t understand is why people would re-gift a present. Heck, why don’t they put the unwanted gifts up for auction on eBay? If they don’t know how to do that, Video Professor offers a tutorial teaching people everything they need to know about buying and selling on eBay. I think we stumbled onto the hottest business idea of 2007: Open an entire eBay store where people can buy discounted “re-gifts.”
Read More >
Off topic:
Digging out!
I want to send my very best wishes to all of the Coloradans who spent the majority of Wednesday and Thursday digging out from that huge blizzard. Talk about unfortunate timing. A major storm crippled the city a few days before one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. I especially feel bad for all of the travelers who got stranded at Denver International Airport because it was closed from Wednesday night until Friday afternoon. Good luck to everyone gearing up for some holiday travel. Please get there safely!
Picks o’ the week!
That’s the last time I pick the New York Giants. Just when you think you have that team figured out, they get knocked down a peg. I’m taking nothing away from what the Eagles were able to accomplish, but New York could have won that game. Do credit Philadelphia, however. A couple weeks ago when Donovan McNabb went down, everyone thought their season was over. Now, heading into this week’s game against Dallas, they can control the outcome of their season. If Philadelphia wins, they seize control of the NFC East with only one regular season week to go. Now that I have that off my chest, I can focus on this week’s picks. I still finished 2-1 last week, improving my overall record to 24-21 with two weeks remaining. Here are my picks for Week 16.
Jacksonville over New England: The Patriots have control of the AFC East, so this game is not as vital to them as it is to Jacksonville. Sitting at 8-6, the Jaguars are right in the hunt for one of the two AFC wild cards. Because they are at home and because they’ve been running the ball very well of late, I see Jacksonville pulling out a close one.
San Diego over Seattle: Here is the “no brainer” statement of the week: There is no better team in the NFL than San Diego. Philip Rivers is playing great, the defense is outstanding and oh yeah, did I mention LaDainian Tomlinson’s play? Last week he set an NFL record for most points scored in a single season, and he still has two more games to go. The Bolts travel to Seattle this week, and shouldn’t have a problem getting one step closer to securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Denver over Cincinnati: This is one of the best games on the NFL docket this week. The Bengals and the Broncos both sit at 8-6 in a logjam for a wild card spot. The winner of this game will have a leg up on the rest of the crowded pack heading into the final week of the season. Last week Denver bounced back from a four-game losing streak and looked impressive against Arizona. Rookie quarterback Jay Cutler enjoyed his finest day as a pro so far, and I look for Denver to carry over that momentum and squeak out a victory at home.
Once again, let me wish you a wonderful holiday season, and I hope you remain healthy and happy! We’ll see you again after New Year’s! Take care.
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
Friday, December 15, 2006
John W. Scherer Video Professor Blog Dec. 15, 2006
Tech talk rings, are you listening?
Revolutionary inventions
As we all shuffle around the malls and electronics web sites this time of year trying to find that perfect gift for all the gadget lovers we know, take a step back and remember a few gadgets that completely changed the world. Compared to the advances we’ve made in technology in just the past five years, these gadgets look so basic now. But at the time they were invented, they revolutionized the landscape of technology. Where would we be today if the telephone, television or personal computer would not have been invented? I know Video Professor wouldn’t be around without the latter.
Read More >
Is the laptop a dinosaur?
We all know it’s inevitable. Just look at the way technology has downsized in the past 20 years. When Video Professor first started teaching people how to use their computers back in 1987, the PC took up every inch of their desks. Over the years, computers have gotten smaller and more portable, and laptops currently outsell desktop computers. What’s next, though? This is an interesting article that sheds a little light on the future of the laptop.
Read More >
MySpace takes the lead
For the first time in its relatively short existence, the extremely popular social networking web site MySpace® topped Yahoo!® as the most visited site. According to recent research, MySpace generated 38.7 billion page views in the United States in November, compared to 38.1 billion on Yahoo!.
Read More >
A better backup
Are you tired of burning and re-burning countless numbers of CDs backing up your data? Check out Mozy, a system that allows people to back up all their data on remote servers. The company offers 2 GB of storage capacity for free, or customers can get unlimited space for only five dollars a month.
Read More >
Off Topic:
Rudolph the red-nosed hot dog
I guess for some getting into the Holiday spirit means digesting a little piece of its lore. A Chicago hot dog vendor is serving up reindeer hot dogs. According to the manufacturer, the hot dogs are made from a combination of Blitzen, beef and pork. Because reindeer is such a lean meat, the use of beef and pork fat is needed. If you’re interested in dining on Donder, it will not be cheap. The reindeer dog is going for a hefty eight bucks a link.
Read More >
Picks o’ the week!
I want a do over. Last week didn’t happen. I guess that is what happens when I try to predict the upsets. Two of them just didn’t happen last week. Rethinking my picks, I should never have put any stock in Tampa. I really thought St. Louis would play Chicago better, especially at home, but the Bears proved they are a good team. Finally, I have to give a ton of credit to New Orleans. The Saints completely owned the Cowboys and continue to prove each week that they are legitimate contenders. Let’s hope for my records’ sake that I get back into the win column this week. Heading into Week 15, I’m only two games over .500 at 22-20. Let’s hope for the best.
Dallas over Atlanta: I think Dallas recovers from that loss last week to beat the Falcons. Mike Vick is a darn fine athlete, but his feet cannot possibly win every game. He’s going to have to learn how to pass more consistently. It’s just not going to happen this week. Cowboys win.
New York over Philadelphia: With Dallas losing last week, the NFC East really tightened up. Since the Cowboys have another tough game this week at Atlanta, the winner of this game can pull even for the division lead. I predict the Giants get by the Eagles, despite Eagles QB Jeff Garcia playing well of late.
Indianapolis over Cincinnati: For the first time in weeks, the Monday night game should be a really good one. The Colts host the Bengals, and Indianapolis is coming off of a pummeling at the hands of Jacksonville last week. Peyton and company will rebound after that loss and cool off the streaking Bengals.
Have a great week!
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
Revolutionary inventions
As we all shuffle around the malls and electronics web sites this time of year trying to find that perfect gift for all the gadget lovers we know, take a step back and remember a few gadgets that completely changed the world. Compared to the advances we’ve made in technology in just the past five years, these gadgets look so basic now. But at the time they were invented, they revolutionized the landscape of technology. Where would we be today if the telephone, television or personal computer would not have been invented? I know Video Professor wouldn’t be around without the latter.
Read More >
Is the laptop a dinosaur?
We all know it’s inevitable. Just look at the way technology has downsized in the past 20 years. When Video Professor first started teaching people how to use their computers back in 1987, the PC took up every inch of their desks. Over the years, computers have gotten smaller and more portable, and laptops currently outsell desktop computers. What’s next, though? This is an interesting article that sheds a little light on the future of the laptop.
Read More >
MySpace takes the lead
For the first time in its relatively short existence, the extremely popular social networking web site MySpace® topped Yahoo!® as the most visited site. According to recent research, MySpace generated 38.7 billion page views in the United States in November, compared to 38.1 billion on Yahoo!.
Read More >
A better backup
Are you tired of burning and re-burning countless numbers of CDs backing up your data? Check out Mozy, a system that allows people to back up all their data on remote servers. The company offers 2 GB of storage capacity for free, or customers can get unlimited space for only five dollars a month.
Read More >
Off Topic:
Rudolph the red-nosed hot dog
I guess for some getting into the Holiday spirit means digesting a little piece of its lore. A Chicago hot dog vendor is serving up reindeer hot dogs. According to the manufacturer, the hot dogs are made from a combination of Blitzen, beef and pork. Because reindeer is such a lean meat, the use of beef and pork fat is needed. If you’re interested in dining on Donder, it will not be cheap. The reindeer dog is going for a hefty eight bucks a link.
Read More >
Picks o’ the week!
I want a do over. Last week didn’t happen. I guess that is what happens when I try to predict the upsets. Two of them just didn’t happen last week. Rethinking my picks, I should never have put any stock in Tampa. I really thought St. Louis would play Chicago better, especially at home, but the Bears proved they are a good team. Finally, I have to give a ton of credit to New Orleans. The Saints completely owned the Cowboys and continue to prove each week that they are legitimate contenders. Let’s hope for my records’ sake that I get back into the win column this week. Heading into Week 15, I’m only two games over .500 at 22-20. Let’s hope for the best.
Dallas over Atlanta: I think Dallas recovers from that loss last week to beat the Falcons. Mike Vick is a darn fine athlete, but his feet cannot possibly win every game. He’s going to have to learn how to pass more consistently. It’s just not going to happen this week. Cowboys win.
New York over Philadelphia: With Dallas losing last week, the NFC East really tightened up. Since the Cowboys have another tough game this week at Atlanta, the winner of this game can pull even for the division lead. I predict the Giants get by the Eagles, despite Eagles QB Jeff Garcia playing well of late.
Indianapolis over Cincinnati: For the first time in weeks, the Monday night game should be a really good one. The Colts host the Bengals, and Indianapolis is coming off of a pummeling at the hands of Jacksonville last week. Peyton and company will rebound after that loss and cool off the streaking Bengals.
Have a great week!
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
Friday, December 08, 2006
John W. Scherer Video Professor Blog Dec. 8, 2006
It’s beginning to look a lot like tech talk!
The Holiday travel season is here
The Holidays are right around the corner and millions of people will be making their travel plans online. Video Professor launched a new tutorial this week that can turn anyone into an online travel expert. The “Learn Online Travel” tutorial teaches users everything they need to know about booking a trip online, including:
• Comparing and getting the best prices on airfare and rentals
• Finding the best deals for accommodations and restaurants
• Learning about domestic and international travel bargains
We researched thousands of travel-related web sites and put together a comprehensive tutorial that will help save you a ton of money in travel costs.
For more information about this tutorial or any Video Professor product, visit http://www.videoprofessor.com/.
Read More >
Finding the perfect gift
Are you like me in that you struggle every year trying to find the perfect gift for that special someone? I stumbled onto a web site this week that can help. Offering dozens of gift ideas tailored to a person’s likes, http://www.gifts.com/ comes up with the perfect gift based on the criteria you feed the search engine. It’s definitely worth checking out if you haven’t finished your shopping yet.
Read More >
Great gadgets
Can you tell that I’m thinking about my Holiday shopping this week? Here is a story I found detailing some of the hottest gadgets on the market this year. Are you sick of vacuuming? Try the iRobot Dirt Dog. Do you need a new gaming system and don’t want to drop a grand on a PS3? Why don’t you check out Nintendo Wii?
Read More>
Off Topic:
A true hero
It saddened me to read about James Kim’s unfortunate passing. For those of you who didn’t see the story, Kim’s family was stranded in a car in the Oregon wilderness. Kim left his family to search for help. Rescuers said that he covered nearly eight miles of terrain on his quest, but unfortunately he could not find help before he passed away. His family was eventually rescued. My thoughts and prayers go out to James Kim and his entire family. He is a true hero in my book.
Read More >
Picks o’ the week!
Well last week didn’t treat me very well. Only Dallas came through for me. Denver lost at home to Seattle in Jay Cutler’s NLF debut and Miami couldn’t get it done against the Jaguars. Right now my record stands at 22-17 going into Week 14. Let’s see if I can rebound.
Dallas over New Orleans: This is the game of the week. The Cowboys and the Saints look like the cream of the NFC crop this season. I know there are a lot of people waiting for the wheels to fall off the Saints’ bandwagon, but I think they are a legitimate team. On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys and Tony Romo are playing very, very well. Dallas wins a tight one.
Tampa Bay over Atlanta: I don’t like how inconsistent Michael Vick is. One week he will look like the MVP and the next, he can’t complete a pass. Tampa still has a very strong defense, and I think they will be able to pull off the upset at home.
St. Louis over Chicago: Rex Grossman is not a very good quarterback. That could be the biggest “no brainer” comment in the history of the world. His 1.3 quarterback rating last week should have tipped you off. The Bears are very lucky that their defense and special teams are scoring machines lately. The luck, however, will run out this week. St. Louis wins at home on Monday night.
Talk to you next week!
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
The Holiday travel season is here
The Holidays are right around the corner and millions of people will be making their travel plans online. Video Professor launched a new tutorial this week that can turn anyone into an online travel expert. The “Learn Online Travel” tutorial teaches users everything they need to know about booking a trip online, including:
• Comparing and getting the best prices on airfare and rentals
• Finding the best deals for accommodations and restaurants
• Learning about domestic and international travel bargains
We researched thousands of travel-related web sites and put together a comprehensive tutorial that will help save you a ton of money in travel costs.
For more information about this tutorial or any Video Professor product, visit http://www.videoprofessor.com/.
Read More >
Finding the perfect gift
Are you like me in that you struggle every year trying to find the perfect gift for that special someone? I stumbled onto a web site this week that can help. Offering dozens of gift ideas tailored to a person’s likes, http://www.gifts.com/ comes up with the perfect gift based on the criteria you feed the search engine. It’s definitely worth checking out if you haven’t finished your shopping yet.
Read More >
Great gadgets
Can you tell that I’m thinking about my Holiday shopping this week? Here is a story I found detailing some of the hottest gadgets on the market this year. Are you sick of vacuuming? Try the iRobot Dirt Dog. Do you need a new gaming system and don’t want to drop a grand on a PS3? Why don’t you check out Nintendo Wii?
Read More>
Off Topic:
A true hero
It saddened me to read about James Kim’s unfortunate passing. For those of you who didn’t see the story, Kim’s family was stranded in a car in the Oregon wilderness. Kim left his family to search for help. Rescuers said that he covered nearly eight miles of terrain on his quest, but unfortunately he could not find help before he passed away. His family was eventually rescued. My thoughts and prayers go out to James Kim and his entire family. He is a true hero in my book.
Read More >
Picks o’ the week!
Well last week didn’t treat me very well. Only Dallas came through for me. Denver lost at home to Seattle in Jay Cutler’s NLF debut and Miami couldn’t get it done against the Jaguars. Right now my record stands at 22-17 going into Week 14. Let’s see if I can rebound.
Dallas over New Orleans: This is the game of the week. The Cowboys and the Saints look like the cream of the NFC crop this season. I know there are a lot of people waiting for the wheels to fall off the Saints’ bandwagon, but I think they are a legitimate team. On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys and Tony Romo are playing very, very well. Dallas wins a tight one.
Tampa Bay over Atlanta: I don’t like how inconsistent Michael Vick is. One week he will look like the MVP and the next, he can’t complete a pass. Tampa still has a very strong defense, and I think they will be able to pull off the upset at home.
St. Louis over Chicago: Rex Grossman is not a very good quarterback. That could be the biggest “no brainer” comment in the history of the world. His 1.3 quarterback rating last week should have tipped you off. The Bears are very lucky that their defense and special teams are scoring machines lately. The luck, however, will run out this week. St. Louis wins at home on Monday night.
Talk to you next week!
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
Friday, December 01, 2006
John W. Scherer Video Professor Blog Dec. 1, 2006
Tech talk!
It’s heeeerrrrreeee!
Well it’s about time. The much ballyhooed release of Microsoft Vista is finally here. The software giant launched the business version of the new operating system this week; the consumer version is not due out until late January 2007. There are quite a few things in this new operating system that people will need to learn. Video Professor will launch its tutorials for the operating system following the consumer release. The new operating system has some tremendous upgrades, including enhanced security. According to Microsoft, the operating system is the most secure product on the market. Check back on our web site, www.videoprofessor.com, for more information about Vista closer to the launch of our tutorials.
Read More >
The grass is greener, and real
Kids: Get outside and play. According to a recent study, parents think their kids are spending too much time online. I agree. There are so many great things people can discover on the Internet. Video Professor knows this, and that’s why one of our most popular software tutorials is “Learn the Internet.” But, kids need to discover the world around them. It’s so much better to play in real, green grass rather than run through a virtual garden.
Read More >
First down!
It’s amazing how sometimes things that seem fairly simple are actually very complex. I came across this article regarding how TV broadcasts show the first down marker at a football game. You know the yellow line that goes across your screen that shows where the offense needs to go? I had no idea it was this complicated.
Read More >
Off topic:
Roy-nderful!
I wanted to extend belated congratulations to Patrick Roy for his recent induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. I’ve been in Denver for quite some time, and I have to admit that Roy’s impact on the sports scene around these parts was almost as great as John Elway’s. Okay, before all you die-hard Broncos fans start e-mailing me, I fully know what Elway means to this city. What I’m saying is that the impact Roy made on Denver and the NHL is just as great. The Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver prior to the 1995-96 season, and, before their arrival, they were a good team that hadn’t reached the next level. Midway through the team’s first season in Denver the Avs traded for Roy, and he became the catalyst that propelled them to their first Stanley Cup—and Denver’s first major sports championship. Without Roy between the pipes, there is no way the Avs would have won the Stanley Cup that season, not to mention the second cup they won in 2000-01. Roy is one of those rare, transcendent athletes who shape the landscape of the sport in which they play. Similar to the impact Michael Jordan made on the NBA, Babe Ruth made on Major League Baseball and Joe Montana made on the NFL, Patrick Roy changed the way professional hockey is played. Congratulations, Patrick!
Picks o’ the week!
I’m starting to become a broken record. I finished 2-1 again last week. I just can’t seem to get over the hump and pick that perfect week. Overall this season I’m 21-15 heading into Week 13.
I will kick myself if I don’t make a few comments on the quarterback situation in Denver. Since April, when the Broncos selected Jay Cutler with the 11th overall pick, the media has been clamoring for him to become the starting quarterback. They wrote Jake Plummer off the minute the Commissioner announced the pick. Well, I have to agree. I jumped off “The Snake’s” bandwagon a long time ago, especially after his performance in last year’s AFC Championship game. The move to Cutler needed to be made. Granted, it needed to be made before the season started, but it’s better late than never. The Broncos offense has been stagnant in all but two games this season. A contingency of Jake backers have been saying that the defense hasn’t been playing up to par lately and that they were the cause of the back-to-back losses. The defense has only allowed more than 20 points on two occasions this season (Indianapolis and San Diego) and, in both cases, had the offense made a play or two, they could have won the game. Don’t blame the defense. The offense needs to be more consistent and more dynamic. I strongly believe that Cutler can easily be the spark the team needs as they fight for a playoff spot.
Denver over Seattle: Well, I guess it’s only fitting that after defending the move to swap Cutler for Plummer that I pick Denver. I really think that the Broncos can win at home. Cutler will struggle early on as he fights rookie jitters, but I fully expect him to regain his composure and lead the team to victory.
Dallas over New York: This should be a whale of a game. Despite the fact that the Giants have struggled of late, I think they play well on Sunday. This game is HUGE, and should pretty much decide who wins the NFC East. Dallas has been playing great and Tony Romo looks very, very good. I think Dallas will escape with a win. Oh, by the way, did you see the comments some of the Giants players have been making this week? That never bodes well the week leading up to the biggest game of the year.
Miami over Jacksonville: Look out for the Dolphins. Over the past four weeks, they’ve been one of the NFL’s toughest teams. Take away that horrendous start and the Dolphins would be in the postseason hunt right now. With a win Sunday, they could get to six with four games remaining. If they stay hot and win three of the last four, they’ll be right in the thick of it. An AFC team will realistically need 10 wins to get into the playoffs this year, but Miami could make it interesting.
Have a good week!
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
It’s heeeerrrrreeee!
Well it’s about time. The much ballyhooed release of Microsoft Vista is finally here. The software giant launched the business version of the new operating system this week; the consumer version is not due out until late January 2007. There are quite a few things in this new operating system that people will need to learn. Video Professor will launch its tutorials for the operating system following the consumer release. The new operating system has some tremendous upgrades, including enhanced security. According to Microsoft, the operating system is the most secure product on the market. Check back on our web site, www.videoprofessor.com, for more information about Vista closer to the launch of our tutorials.
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The grass is greener, and real
Kids: Get outside and play. According to a recent study, parents think their kids are spending too much time online. I agree. There are so many great things people can discover on the Internet. Video Professor knows this, and that’s why one of our most popular software tutorials is “Learn the Internet.” But, kids need to discover the world around them. It’s so much better to play in real, green grass rather than run through a virtual garden.
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First down!
It’s amazing how sometimes things that seem fairly simple are actually very complex. I came across this article regarding how TV broadcasts show the first down marker at a football game. You know the yellow line that goes across your screen that shows where the offense needs to go? I had no idea it was this complicated.
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Off topic:
Roy-nderful!
I wanted to extend belated congratulations to Patrick Roy for his recent induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. I’ve been in Denver for quite some time, and I have to admit that Roy’s impact on the sports scene around these parts was almost as great as John Elway’s. Okay, before all you die-hard Broncos fans start e-mailing me, I fully know what Elway means to this city. What I’m saying is that the impact Roy made on Denver and the NHL is just as great. The Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver prior to the 1995-96 season, and, before their arrival, they were a good team that hadn’t reached the next level. Midway through the team’s first season in Denver the Avs traded for Roy, and he became the catalyst that propelled them to their first Stanley Cup—and Denver’s first major sports championship. Without Roy between the pipes, there is no way the Avs would have won the Stanley Cup that season, not to mention the second cup they won in 2000-01. Roy is one of those rare, transcendent athletes who shape the landscape of the sport in which they play. Similar to the impact Michael Jordan made on the NBA, Babe Ruth made on Major League Baseball and Joe Montana made on the NFL, Patrick Roy changed the way professional hockey is played. Congratulations, Patrick!
Picks o’ the week!
I’m starting to become a broken record. I finished 2-1 again last week. I just can’t seem to get over the hump and pick that perfect week. Overall this season I’m 21-15 heading into Week 13.
I will kick myself if I don’t make a few comments on the quarterback situation in Denver. Since April, when the Broncos selected Jay Cutler with the 11th overall pick, the media has been clamoring for him to become the starting quarterback. They wrote Jake Plummer off the minute the Commissioner announced the pick. Well, I have to agree. I jumped off “The Snake’s” bandwagon a long time ago, especially after his performance in last year’s AFC Championship game. The move to Cutler needed to be made. Granted, it needed to be made before the season started, but it’s better late than never. The Broncos offense has been stagnant in all but two games this season. A contingency of Jake backers have been saying that the defense hasn’t been playing up to par lately and that they were the cause of the back-to-back losses. The defense has only allowed more than 20 points on two occasions this season (Indianapolis and San Diego) and, in both cases, had the offense made a play or two, they could have won the game. Don’t blame the defense. The offense needs to be more consistent and more dynamic. I strongly believe that Cutler can easily be the spark the team needs as they fight for a playoff spot.
Denver over Seattle: Well, I guess it’s only fitting that after defending the move to swap Cutler for Plummer that I pick Denver. I really think that the Broncos can win at home. Cutler will struggle early on as he fights rookie jitters, but I fully expect him to regain his composure and lead the team to victory.
Dallas over New York: This should be a whale of a game. Despite the fact that the Giants have struggled of late, I think they play well on Sunday. This game is HUGE, and should pretty much decide who wins the NFC East. Dallas has been playing great and Tony Romo looks very, very good. I think Dallas will escape with a win. Oh, by the way, did you see the comments some of the Giants players have been making this week? That never bodes well the week leading up to the biggest game of the year.
Miami over Jacksonville: Look out for the Dolphins. Over the past four weeks, they’ve been one of the NFL’s toughest teams. Take away that horrendous start and the Dolphins would be in the postseason hunt right now. With a win Sunday, they could get to six with four games remaining. If they stay hot and win three of the last four, they’ll be right in the thick of it. An AFC team will realistically need 10 wins to get into the playoffs this year, but Miami could make it interesting.
Have a good week!
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
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