Casino Talk. Pre-season Football.

The Indiana Jones system relocation was completed with no issues. In fact, it was close to flawless. The sign company had us unbolt and drop all the machines off the bases, and then they moved the sign and all the bases as one unit, all bolted together. We haven’t ever moved a bank that way before, but it worked great and it went fast. Maybe we will have to consider that in the future. Of course, it will only work if the system doesn’t have to move that far and doesn’t have to move to another floor in the casino.

Matt Leinart is showing some poise in the pocket for the Cardinals. The Cards haven’t officially decided to keep him in the starting position, apparently, based on the banter between the color guys on ESPN, but after his performance with USC, you would think that it would be a foregone conclusion. The Vikings had a ghost of a chance of getting him in the 2006 draft, but passed on him. Hey, at least they got Tarvaris Jackson. Oh wait, that isn’t any consolation. After all, Matt Leinart is only a Heisman Trophy Winner and Rose Bowl MVP. Why would the Vikings want that loser when they could have a draft pick like Jackson? Bring back Brad Johnson, please! (Sidebar to my nephew, Marty, the biggest sports fan in the history of the world: I am kidding, I am kidding! Bring back Daunte Culpepper, and to really throw a monkey wrench in the works, bring back Mike Tice, and/or Denny Green to boot!)

Back to the casino talk. We converted four games to a different game theme, the Cross of Coronado. I don’t think that the game is particularly unique, but it does fix an issue that we had with the previous theme. I cannot really say too much about it. It was a problem minimizing the profit potential for both the company and the casinos who are our customers. This conversion should remedy that.

Speaking of minimal profits, when will the media get tired of talking the economy down in the hopes of assuring the wacko coronation of Barack “Oh Bummer” as King of the “Blame America” crowd. I did find it telling that Dick Morris said that if “Oh Bummer” were elected, the U.S. economy would suffer from a massive economic depression. Believing that Barack’s massive tax increases would help create jobs is about as dumb as believing that we can’t drill our way out of our petroleum shortage. Duh. How else are you going to get the oil? I will revisit the petroleum issue and point out some factors and statements made by the Marxist side of the aisle that prove that they are a bunch of disingenuous hypocrites and phonies whose lies ring hollow. That will be a long entry, so I will leave that for another day, or at least until I get home again on Friday night.

Pre-season Football (Not the Vikes)

Okay. I am watching Reggie Bush and the New Orleans Saints playing the Arizona Cardinals in what is apparently the very first pre-season NFL football game. This is great! It isn’t the Vikings, and it is two teams that I do not pay any particularly noteworthy amount of attention to, and yet, I love this. I am so ready for Vikings football to begin. Of course, we apparently had a chance to get our hands on Brett Favre, but he went to the New York Jets. Odd? Definitely. I thought it was funny to hear that if the Jets dare to trade Favre back to the Vikings, they have to give up three first-round draft picks to the Packers. That is somewhat hilarious, especially given that, based on the fact the Jets have only won the conference three times in the last forty years, they cannot afford to give up three first round draft picks. Coincidentally, if Favre ever went to the Vikings (and he won’t be allowed, believe me), the first round picks that the Cheddar Heads would gain may be exactly what the Packers need at this point.

It is hard to imagine the mindset of the Packers, in letting Favre go to another team, and saying that he is too divisive to the Green and Yellow. Even though he is a Packer and always will be, no matter the colors he wears, Favre is one of the greatest football players of all time, with poise and well-earned respect among his peers, something that is rare these day. Favre is a consummate professional. I can say that from a purist point of view, as opposed to a schizophrenic point of view, that of a dedicated NFC North rival.

Newsflash: Vikings fans do not care for the Packers. Rhetorical comment: Duh. Another rhetorical comment: Any true sports fan, an NFL fan in particular, can appreciate the athletic talent of a player of Favre’s caliber, even if he happened to be part of one of the biggest conference rivalries in the past fifteen years.

I think that it would have been interesting to have Favre playing for the Vikings for a couple of years. It would have certainly made for interesting conversation on Monday morning. Even more tantalizing would be the idea of Favre dressed in purple and gold, causing Packer fans to squirm as the Vikings kick moldy Packer cheese around, with the larger-than-life Favre at the helm of the Purple People Eaters. Two things are certain. One, with Tarvaris Jackson at QB, the Vikings don’t have a prayer of emulating the Minnesota Moving Company of old. Two, Favre at the helm of the Vikings team would be sweet, not only because he is an incredible athlete, but also because anything that bugs the crap out of the Packers is good for me.

One other NFL comment… Madden 2009 comes out next week. I can’t wait to check it out! That should look fantastic at 1080P on a PS3. Any way you slice it, NFL football returns. Hot damn! This is awesome.