• Reflections

King Hippo - February 9, 2026February 9, 2026

77

Don't let the Very Silly Q4 fool you - this was a defensive battle, with great strategy and even better execution (especially by SEA).  The truest of slobberknockers.  It was not a thing of beauty, perhaps.  But as a neutral, I really enjoyed it.  Defensing was the name of the

• Reflections

King Hippo - December 29, 2025December 29, 2025

43

Huzzah, last time my old arse has to think until 2026! Congratulations to #ThePauls, who were 7 yards away of Pauling away their game-long lead - but they prevail 13-6 and the Ratbirds will have to affirmatively lose the division in Week 18 (which they no doubt will).  Sanders and Q-aron

• Reflections

King Hippo - December 22, 2025December 22, 2025

55

This week, a personal first - ah don't recall a full slate of 1p window games EVAR all final before 4:05 kickoffs.  Shit, it's rare even Week 18, when all the late ones are 4:25. Not that anyone really was hoping for those cabbage farts to linger.  But STILL. Looking back at the

• Reflections

King Hippo - December 15, 2025December 15, 2025

77

Oh, so much chaos.  So many ded.  THE RETURN OF KING LASERFACE!!  This, this was our Week 15.  Let's peruse. That return?  Old Man Rivers DID manage to throw a TD pass!  As a literal grandpa!!  But it was not in triumph, sadly.  The Humps nailed a 60-yard FG inside the last

• Reflections

King Hippo - December 8, 2025December 7, 2025

69

On this last weekemd of byes, you have to truly appreciate the depth and breadth of Bring out yer DED!! across The Shield's domain.  God bless our violent, national obsession. That said, the Ratbirds suck and have no idea how time works (they also kinda got screwed, but they get no excuses),

• Reflections

King Hippo - December 1, 2025November 30, 2025

35

Welcome to The Shield's food coma weekend, where we all groan in sweatpants-clad regret.  A good portion of the competent (and even cromulent) squadrons played on Thursday or Friday.  Here's the poo-poo platter of what is left over. Black Panthers show promise, Black Panthers shit themselves, we all give up on them

• Reflections

King Hippo - November 17, 2025November 16, 2025

75

Wasn't a great slate in JV ball, but The Shield made up for it, with a heavy hitting Sunday. OK, didn't start out aces, as the exactly-matched mediocre 3-7 Commies and 3-7 LOLfins squared off in the Bernebau (Madrid).  They matched each other pretty much tit for tat, including late 4th

• Reflections

King Hippo - November 3, 2025November 2, 2025

82

With this week, we cross the halfway threshold.  One feels the existential dread, knowing it will too soon be not-FITBAW season.  To the fixtures! We did get a 1p octobox this week, but it was mostly turds (including Dimebag's wretched showing in a 27-20 loss in Yinzburgh) out there. With one, very

• Reflections

King Hippo - October 27, 2025October 26, 2025

51

A remarkably condensed FITBAW day, what with no Euro-fixture, plus a non-mandatory puppy abortion SNF that I will not even mention in passing (I turned the TV off after the 4p window). It was "backs against the wall" for the 1-5, still-Lamar!-less Ratbirds.  This week, they stood firm and pushed away