schizophrenia ... schiz·o·phre·ni·a [skitsəˈfrēnēə,ˌskitsəˈfrenēə]
noun // origin: from the Greek skhizein (to split) and phrēn (mind)
(1) long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, behavior, characterized by withdrawal from reality into fantasy and delusion, and mental fragmentation.
(2) in general use, a mentality or approach characterized by inconsistent or contradictory elements.
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It is official, my friends: this season of the National Football League is schizophrenic. There is a saying a very old saying about any given Sunday any team can beat any team in the NFL, and for a good chunk of years that has not really been the true mantra. There have been safe haven teams, dominant squads who you know time and again will power you through to a win against specific types of opponents.
This is why we have rules.
But there is not even safety in rules this season, not when we see the Falcons drop a home game to the Bills, the Cowboys drop a home game to the Rams, and the Patriots have already lost two games in Foxboro and we're only at the quarter mark of the season.
I am reminded of Munch and his iconic image of despair. Yes, the Swami himself sits undefeated, but I have my crystal ball to guide me ... the masses must rely on their own intuition and intelligence, and the NFL season thus far had shredded both reason and logic on its merry way to Week Five.
Week Four Statistics
56 participants undefeated at 4-0, including yours truly
74 participants with one loss at 3-1
63 week four losers
29 deceased with two losses
The Reaper does love despair; I should remind all of you that, historically, Week Five has been a bloodbath. Scream if you must, but scrap and claw and fight your way through to Week Six. When the dust settles we shall see how many of us remain, and how many have passed to the other side of night.
That is all.
