Lately, I’ve been playing around with database mirroring at work. It’s a new feature of SQL Server 2005 that was implemented with SP1.
So far, I have to say that I’m greatly impressed. Once you get beyond the initial hurdles and caveats, it turns out to be a really slick way to perform database redundancy. I’m still learning though, but I love it so far and it’s a hell of a lot easier than worrying about replication.
I was really hyped up for this NFL season, especially with the acquisition of Jeremy Shockey in the off-season. Now however, the Saints’ season is essentially over. With their loss to Chicago last Thursday, they were eliminated from playoff contention. One thing I can say for New Orleans Saints fans, we’re familiar with the looking to next year thing.
Whoah is me…
I normally do fairly well with my Fantasy Football Leagues. I participate in two. In one league, I drafted Tom Brady with my first pick and well, after he went down in the first quarter in week 1, I knew I was in for a world of hurt in that league. I started off going 0-3 for the first three weeks, and then followed that up with winning 5 straight. However, I fell off after that and ended up 6-7 and missed the playoffs. Game over.
The other league though I drafted according to how I typically draft, and on paper my team looked absolutely great. I had 3 stud running backs, 2 stud receivers, a stud tight end, and two kickers that traditionally do well. So how in the hell did I end up going 6-8 in that league too? Injuries. Joseph Addai missed too many games, Willie Parker missed too many games, Steve Smith was suspended for two games and Philip Rivers just didn’t throw to Antonio Gates as much as he did in the past. Santana Moss did great for me for the first few weeks, but then fell off. Jamal Lewis started off strong, but fell off. Warrick Dunn is just too damn old to use as a starter and I struggled at quarterback the entire season.
Next year…mark my words, I will not and I repeat, I will not draft a running back from any team in the AFC North. That division is so defense oriented, it’s impossible to have good results with a back(s) that play those tough defenses twice per year. That was the proverbial nail.
Growing up in Louisiana and living in the Baton Rouge area pretty much makes me an avid LSU tiger fan. I’ve been an LSU fan all of my life and will continue to support the Tigers until the day I die.
So when Saturday rolls around my favorite teams to root for are the LSU Tigers and whoever is playing Alabama. I don’t personally care for the Florida Gators, but I had to pull for them in the SEC Championship because well, us folk around here in Baton Rouge don’t care for that there coach in Alabama.
Anyway, Florida pulled it out with a 31-20 victory and handed the Crimson Tide their first loss of the season. You know something, there’s just something poetic about that outcome that I just relish in. This means that Florida is headed to the National Championship game while Alabama has to settle for the Sugar Bowl consolation prize.
SEC Bowls:
Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl - Boston College vs. Vanderbilt
Chick-Fil-A Bowl - LSU vs. Georgia Tech
Outback Bowl - South Carolina vs. Iowa
Capital One Bowl - Georgia vs. Michigan State
AT&T Cotton Bowl - Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech
Autozone Liberty Bowl - Kentucky vs. East Carolina
Allstate Sugar Bowl - Alabama vs. Utah
FedEx BCS National Championship - Florida vs. Oklahoma
I got to see my New Orleans Saints win for the 7th time this year. Despite the fact that they’re 7-6 there is still a good chance that they won’t make the playoffs (even if they win out). To me, that’s just stunning. To think that a team that is 10-6 won’t make the playoffs is just unbelievable. What’s even more unbelievable is that the Saints can finish at 10-6 and end up last in the NFC South.
Well, at least Tampa Bay or Carolina will lost tonight, so that will help.