Michael Irvin said it best: The same intensity

[Reginald Rutledge]

I remember Michael Irvin coming out of the Federal Court building back in the '90s after being exonerated for crimes that he was falsely accused of. I paraphrase but as he exited the courtroom to a throng of media cameras, he said "To cover his innocence with the same intensity as when they thought he was guilty". History shows that the media did not do that. As a matter fact, after he was proven innocent, there was not much mention of that.

So I speak to solitaire coaches about playing alone and the one question I am always interested in gaining perspective on is whether you play extra hard for your team (you know the one that you really love) or do you play with the same intensity for each team?

This is something I have discussed with guys who love the Lions, Cowboys, Rams and Chiefs. They tend to giggle about this one because they know that although they try to not show bias, they will give their favorite QB to attempts at a pass ot say that a player was not touched while running the football.

So at the end of the season, their team usually ranks among the finest and play in the Super Bowl. Is that something you watch out for or can we just count your favorite team in the Super Bowl mix every year?

Reg

[46defense]

i play the same for both teams now when i play,case in point ohio st. is my favorite college team and you guys saw the pictures and the description of the the opening game of my college solitaire season here in this solitaire section a month ago where my ohio st. took it on the chin against michigan in there 1st game,there were several times in the game where there were close plays that i wanted to look the other way and rule in favor of my buckeyes,but the fair competitor in me would not allow me to do so.in my younger years man i would have given ohio st. every big break they had a chance to get,because as a young kid i think fairness plays second banana to your love and loyalty for your favorite team.but as you become older and understand about fair play and being honest in things you compete and play in, your values lean in the direction of doing what is right and fair than doing what would benefit you in your personal gains. just my 2 cents on the subject!!

[mark robin]

sometime when im just scrimmaging instead of a solitaire league game, i may throw an xtra pass if i missed the first one, but i do that for both teams. reg, you are right in one way, my team usually makes it to my superbowl game every time, but the reason is, is also the reason i play solitaire, to find the best untweaked bases i have and then make them join my team. now that ive been using tweaked bases for 9 years, that still holds somewhat true, but not as often, as i enjoy just playing. BUT it sure is hard to sit down for 4 hours and finish a game, so i have learned it doesnt really matter how long the game lasts, ive actually got two games in progress right now, one is only a few days old, the other is from back in September.

[jimmie]

Its hard but I like to think I can play a game without cheating though I hate for my lions to lose but they do!! I think of my games as fair because its just a game for fun nothing more nothing less!!

[Reginald Rutledge]

think that if those little miniatures had hearts and eyes and they saw you coming to play them against your favorite team, they got to think, "We've got our hands full. Not only do we've got to beat that other little miniature team opposite us but we've got to beat the refs and the fans who is coaching us as well as the team he wants to win".

46Defense, you hit upon some great points about fairplay and honesty. We do tend to do what is right as we grow up. I am fortunate because I like most every team equally. That's my job. I will say I've got a little bias towards the Vikings, Raiders, and Cowboys but I am probably hardest on those teams and would tend to be tougher on those teams.

But because I love every team and doing this is just for the pure and shear enjoyment of playing the game and having solitude, it is important that everything stays on the up-and-up.

I guess that's why we tend to implement rule systems based on 50-50 probability. It will at least make the games seem fairer. I just know the joy of teams that were not suppose to win but beat all odds, including fans and refs who may have been pulling for the home team awfully hard.

Hopefully, when I kick it off, all teams will get a fair shot. I guess that's why I am doing the Greatest Teams in history for each franchise because all of these teams I loved for one reason or another.

Reg