Paul in San Diego

If I were going on a plane flight lasting several hours and wanted to listen to my iPod shuffle the whole time, is there a backup battery pack on the market that I could use with AAs or whatever to do that? If so, please give me a URL where I can buy one. If not, could one of you electronic engineering geeks develop one? Because I would pay good money to have it.

I'm trying to make my picks for the weekly pool (straight up, no points). And, I know they're playing a mediocre (3-and-4) Jaguars team at best. But, the Cowboys are 1-and-5 with Romo, and now he's out with Jon Kitna as his replacement. And, oddsmakers still have Dallas as around 10 point favorites. I don't get it.

Is there anyone out there who can make a case that Dallas is going to win this game? And, I don't want to hear from Dallas honks or haters. I want to hear from someone who can give me a thoughtful answer one way or the other. I'm currently picking the Jags. But, I could be swayed by a compelling argument in favor of the Cowboys.

I'm in a pool where we have to pick the winner against the spread (if you take the spread away from the favorite's point total, who would win the game?) and the over/under for each game (will the total points scored be more or less than the over/under amount?). Who would you take for each of the games (these odds are what the pool is using):

Favorite (spread) Underdog - Over/under

New Orleans (7 points) over Arizona - 56-1/2 total points

Indy (6-1/2) over Baltimore - 44-1/2

Minnesota (2-1/2) over Dallas - 46-1/2

San Diego (8) over NY Jets - 42-1/2

I think Arizona wins or New Orleans does, but by less than a touchdown. So, I'm leaning toward Arizona. I'm also leaning toward the over (for example, 31-27 is over).

I think Indy wins, but not by a touchdown or more. So, I'm leaning toward Baltimore. I'm also leaning toward the under (for example, 24-20 would be under).

I think Minnesota wins by more than a field goal. So, I'm taking Minnesota. I also anticipate a high-scoring game, especially by the Vikings. So, I'm leaning toward the over.

I think the Chargers will win, but I don't know if it will be by 8 points or more. So, I'm leaning toward New York. I also think it's going to be something like 21-17, which is the under.

The 'why' is important. I have my own ideas, but want to know what others think before making my picks. This is straight-up, not against the spread.

Match-up (current odds)

Arizona at Chicago (Bears by 3.5)

Baltimore at Cincinnati (Ravens by 3.5)

San Diego at NY Giants (Giants by 4.5)

Dallas at Philadelphia (Eagles by 3.5)

Pittsburgh at Denver (Steelers by 3.5)

I'm thinking Chicago, Cincinnati, San Diego, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. What say you?

On Monday, the San Diego Union-Tribune posted an article by some writer (Ken Cox?) for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on Monday saying that the Steelers shouldn't worry about the Chargers, and spent most of the article writing about how the Steelers should be preparing for the Ravens. Do you think the Steelers are overconfident and could overlook the Chargers?

I don't care that people hate him. I actually think it's kind of funny. I just wonder why.

I have 3 WRs to choose from and can only play 2:

- Santonio Holmes (PIT @ CIN) - He's coming off a bye, going against the Bungles, and his ribs are better.

- Muhsin Muhammad (CAR v NO) - He was limited in practice this week with a sprained knee an is listed as questionable, but Carolina is hurting at WR (DJ Hackett is a game-time decision) and they play a weak Saints pass defense.

- Marques Colston (NO @ CAR) - He's playing in his first game since his thumb injury and may be used more as a decoy, and he's at a fairly tough Carolina defense. Plus, Brees has been getting his passes and yards without Colston this last month.

I think Holmes definitely. But, I'm undecided between Muhammad and Colston. I like Muhammad's match-up, but the knee concerns me. I like Colston as a stud WR, but I'm concerned about this being his first game back and the Carolina defense.

So, which 2 do I play?

I'm in a salary cap league and can afford to pick up various combinations of 2 QBs, and I can't make up my mind. Who would you choose and why?

1. Tony Romo and Kurt Warner

2. Tony Romo and Brett Favre

3. Jay Cultler and Aaron Rodgers

4. Jay Cutler and Kurt Warner

5. Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner

I think I like #1 and #4 the best. What do you think?

The commish of our league has LT and really wants AP, because he's disappointed with LT and he's now 0-and-2. His logic for the AP owner to make the trade is that LT will eventually go off for massive points, which would offset the consistent production of at least 15 to 20 points by AP each week, with the potential for more like 30+.

I told the commish that nothing about a trade like that makes sense for the owner of AP. The owner of AP also said that he was nuts for even proposing such a trade.

But, he replied that the AP owner was crazy not to jump at that trade and he would check out the message boards to see what other people have to say.

So, is there anyone out there who would even consider that trade?

Salary cap league. The only QBs I can't afford are P. Manning and Romo.

The Steelers usually do well against Cleveland. But, Big Ben is a bit banged up (sore shoulder and hyperextended knee last week).

Brees had a great game and is now facing a poor Redskins team, but without Colston (I did pick up Bush and Shockey).

I'm not sold on McNabb just yet, especially in Dallas. But, I'll listen to a compelling argument.

Any other ideas?

I'm in a salary cap league and can afford any D/ST in the NFL. Who should I take for Week 2 and why?

Hasselbeck stunk up the joint last week in Buffalo. And, now Burleson is gone. But, he faces the Niners at home.

Delhomme looked good against the Chargers. But, he now goes up against a Bears' defense that neutralized Peyton Manning.

Who should I play?

I have Marques Colston and he just went down with a torn thumb ligament (out 4 to 6 weeks). Both David Patten and Devery Henderson are on the waiver wire. Which one should I pick up to replace Colston while he's out?

Someone has to pick up Colston's touches for the New Orleans WRs. I was also thinking of Terrence Copper. But, I think he does mostly kick returns these days.

I'm leaning toward Henderson. What do you think?

How did it make you feel when your husband, in announcing his choice for VP, said of Sarah Palin, "I have found my soul mate"?

In my front yard, I have a stairway up to the house, a landing in front of the house, and a walkway around the house (about 500 sq. ft. total). The previous owner put down a layer of paint over an existing layer of paint. How do I get it up down to bare concrete, so that I can put a new layer of color down?

If I have to buy some kind of tool (like a grinder of some sort), I'm cool with that. I've tried an 1800-pound pressure washer (barely made a dent) and wire brush attachments for a drill ( takes about 5 minutes a square foot - forget it). And, chemicals are out of the question, because it would ruin my plants.

So, how do I do it?

If you haven't done it and you're just throwing out suggestions, please don't. I want to know from someone who has actually done it how I would get this concrete cleaned off. I need to get it down to bare concrete because there are some cracks that need to be patched prior to the new color coat going down.

When Brian Westrbrook took a knee at the goal line instead of running up the score on Dallas at the end of the game, did anyone lose their Fantasy game because they didn't get the 6 points? On Monday Night Football they showed the replay and one of the announcers mentioned that, while that was very unselfish of Westbrook, he probably has a lot of fantasy geeks mad at him now. I just wondered how many people it really affected.

I'm in a salary cap league and I currently have Brady and Moss. But, after checking the salaries, I found that I could afford Peyton Manning and Antonio Gates in those positions instead.

This impending snowstorm in New England has got me worried that Brady and Moss will perform like they did in Baltimore. Sure, the Jets' defense sucks. But, it's going to be 34 degrees, 80% chance of rain and snow, and a 41-MPH wind.

Meanwhile, San Diego is looking to clinch a playoff spot in what will be a cool (by San Diego standards) day at about 65 degrees and no chance of precipitation. Also, Manning is going up against a pathetic Raiders team in similar conditions, and looking to swoop in if, for some reason, the Patriots don't go undefeated.

So, what should I do? Go with Brady and Moss in a snowstorm, or go with Manning and Gates in very favorable conditions against very weak opponents.

BTW - this is a points-per-reception league.

I'm in a salary cap league and have enough cap space for either Moss or TO. Last week I went with TO and got burned. I was thinking Moss might be the better play against the Jets than TO against the Eagles at Dallas.

Who would you go with and why? One or the other - I can't afford both. My other two receivers (TEs count as WRs) are Welker and Witten, and their salaries are too low to drop one to pick up both Moss and TO.

BTW - this is a points-per-reception league

I'm in a salary cap league where I've got Brady as my starting QB. But, I have enough salary cap room to pick up a second QB in my flex position. I know the QBs have lit up the fantasy scoreboard. And, I can afford Tony Romo against the Eagles or Derek Anderson against the Seahawks. Who should I go with and why? Serious, thoughtful answers only please.

I'm in a salary cap league and there is a flex position that can be any category (QB, RB, WR, TE, K, or D). I currently have Brady as my QB and have Romo as my flex starter. I want to stay with a QB in the flex position, because they are the hot, reliable fantasy players this year.

But, I'm concerned about Romo's matchup against New England next week and wonder if there is a better option out there at QB.

To stay under the salary cap, the only QBs I CAN'T afford are P. Manning and Brees. Otherwise, I can pick up any other QB in the league for this position. Here's who I'm looking at:

- McNabb (PHI @ NYJ) - NYJ is 25th in pass yards allowed

- Rivers (SD v OAK) - Rivers shredded DEN and has #22 OAK passing D at home

- Culpepper (OAK @ SD) - #27 SD passing D gave up 232 passing yards, but 0 TDs, to DEN last week

Should I stay with Romo, or pick up someone else this week? Maybe in another position other than QB (I already have LT)?