NFL 2025: Week 9 Power Rankings & The Rest

32.) Tennessee Titans  =  1-7  (110-230)

31.) New Orleans Saints  =  1-7  (128-209)

30.) Cleveland Browns  =  2-6  (126-184)

29.) Las Vegas Raiders  =  2-5  (103-180)

28.) New York Jets  =  1-7  (168-221)

27.) New York Giants  =  2-6  (173-215)
26.) Cincinnati Bengals  =  3-5  (174-253)
25.) Atlanta Falcons  =  3-4  (120-154)

24.) Miami Dolphins  =  2-6  (174-215)

23.) Arizona Cardinals  =  2-5  (153-154)

22.) Dallas Cowboys  =  3-4-1  (246-250)
21.) Washington Commanders  =  X-X  (XXX-XXX)

20.) Carolina Panthers  =  4-4  (154-192)
19.) Minnesota Vikings  =  3-4  (155-162)
18.) Pittsburgh Steelers  =  4-3  (175-175)

17.) Baltimore Ravens  =  2-5  (174-210)

16.) Chicago Bears  =  4-3  (168-185)

15.) Houston Texans  =  3-4  (153-103)
14.) Jacksonville Jaguars  =  4-3  (146-155)

13.) San Francisco 49ers  =  5-3  (160-164)
12.) Los Angeles Chargers  =  5-3  (188-173)

11.) Denver Broncos  =  6-2  (207-151)
10.) New England Patriots  =  6-2  (213-146)
9.) Los Angeles Rams  =  5-2  (175-117)

8.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers  =  6-2  (197-178)
7.) Seattle Seahawks  =  5-2  (193-136)
6.) Kansas City Chiefs  = X-X  (XXX-XXX)
5.) Green Bay Packers  =  5-1-1  (193-150)

4.) Philadelphia Eagles  =  6-2  (208-185)
3.) Buffalo Bills  =  5-2  (207-146)

2.) Detroit Lions  =  5-2  (215-151)
1.) Indianapolis Colts  =  7-1  (270-154)

Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games

Byes: Cleveland Browns (2-6), New York Jets (1-7), Philadelphia Eagles (6-2), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)

14.) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3)  @  Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)  (4:05 - FOX)

13.) New Orleans Saints (1-7)  @  Los Angeles Rams (5-2)  (4:05 - FOX)
12.) Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)  @  Tennessee Titans (1-7)  (1:00 - CBS)
11.) Arizona Cardinals (2-5)  @  Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1)  (MNF - ESPN)
10.) Chicago Bears (4-3)  @  Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)  (1:00 - CBS)
9.) San Francisco 49ers (5-3)  @  New York Giants (2-6)  (1:00 - CBS)
8.) Atlanta Falcons (3-4)  @  New England Patriots (6-2)  (1:00 - CBS)
7.) Carolina Panthers (4-4)  @  Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)  (1:00 - FOX)
6.) Baltimore Ravens (2-5)  @  Miami Dolphins (2-6)  (TNF - Prime)
5.) Minnesota Vikings (3-4)  @  Detroit Lions (5-2)  (1:00 - CBS)
4.) Denver Broncos (6-2)  @  Houston Texans (3-4)  (3-4)  (1:00 - FOX)
3.) Indianapolis Colts (7-1)  @  Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)  (1:00 - CBS)
2.) Seattle Seahawks (5-2)  @  Washington Commanders (X-X)  (SNF - NBC)
1.) Kansas City Chiefs (X-X)  @  Buffalo Bills (5-2)  (4:25 - CBS)

The Springer Dinger

I wrote a few weeks back that I was actually happy that the Astros did not make the 2025 playoffs. I wrote that, and more than anything I meant that, after they went through what can only be described as a collapse in September - choking away what at one point topped out as a 6-game lead. Now, they also fell victim to two of the great September runs happening concurrently, with the Mariners swiping the division, and the Guardians rallying out of nowhere to swipe the AL Central (with the Tigers hanging on for the last wild card). It was an awful September, but it set up for a great October.

To be honest though, with a combination of both work and personal travel and the annoying as shit presence of the Dodgers, I've actually watched way less playoff baseball than I have in years. Of course, that changed a bit with that epic ALCS - from watching in dismay as Seattle raced out to a 2-0 lead, and the spectre of two sweeps loomed, to seeing Toronto rally back with those gorgeous light blue uniforms in Seattle, to the epic Mariners moment that was Game 5, to the Blue Jays winning a calm Game 6.

And then I sat down at my TV on Monday Night to watch Game 7, and was treated to one of the better spectacles in sports in a while, capped off with a long forgetten love in George Springer doing what he did so many times for my team. Yes, the 2025 playoffs didn't feature the Astros - but of course an ex-Astro, one of the symbols (for good or bad, as I'll get to) played a major role, not only in the actual results in the month, but in my emotional attachment to it.

Let's rewind a bit, shall we, to 2014. A now famous Sports Illustrated cover comes out (at the tail end of that actually being a thing - RIP SI). It states on the cover "The Houston Astros, your 2017 World Champions". This was the year the Astros exited arguably the worst three year run ever (admittedly, blatantly tanking in 2012 and 2013) to improve to 70 wins. Of course, SI would be write (as they were similarly in 2011 when they wrote a story predicting the 2015 Royals), but more than that, the guy on teh cover, in that beautiful throwback Astros uniform was George Springer.

At that point, he was a 24-year old rookie, the #11 pick in 2011 (the last pre-Jeff Luhnow draft) picked out of Connecticut - the first real "super prospect" of the Astros rebuild. As much as Correa's call-up a year later cemented the complete end of the rebuild, Springer's callup was the beginning of the end. There was a reason he was on the cover. He was a signature player.

Springer was a remarkably consistent, great player in Houston, and for now most of his Toronto career. His OPS+ in Houston was the following: 126-129-125-141-114-150-141. He was a three time all star. He was also, funnily, the leadoff guy. I think this often gets forgotten, as it just makes sense that diminuative Jose Altuve should've been the leadoff guy - but he wasn't. Springer was. He was the lead, and it never showed more than in the 2017 World Series.

It's easy to remember Springer was the 2017 World Series MVP, but I think it gets lost just how good he was that series. Ironically, he was dreadful for 1.5 games - with a golden sombrero in Game 1 and an equally bad start to Game 2, but then something clicked. He finished the last six games of that series slashing .440 / .533 / 1.160, with five HRs and 11 hits overall. He hit homers in Games 4-7 of the series. Three of his overall five are so memorable to me. The first being the Home Run that finally basically settled the first of two epic games in Game 2. The last being his HR to make it 5-0 in Game 7, and for all intents and purposes end the series. The middle one was one of the msot pure, sweet swings and no-doubt-about-it-ever home runs in that epic Game 5. Springer was just insane.

Springer stayed great for the rest of his Houston career, but then walked in Free Agency to Toronto - another sign of things to come for Astros fans (and me). It wasn't a surprsie that Springer went away - as good as he was, he wasn't Altuve, Correa or Bregman. And the logic was they would let Springer walk after 2020 to save money for Carlos Correa. But of course they let Correa walk, in theory to save money for Bregman, who of course they let walk to in theory save money for Kyle Tucker, who of course they traded away to save money for god knows who. In that sense, the loss of Springer became a harbinger as well.

Truthfully, the Astros aren't cheap. They've consistently run one of the higher payrolls in baseball for near a decade now. Owner Jim Crane said as the team came out of their rebuild that when they got good and it became time to spend, he would spend. He has, but he has an edict, annoyingly one incepted in him by disgraced GM Jeff Luhnow, that he won't go long term. The Astros have still not given out more than a 5-year term. Of course the Springers, Correas, Bregmans, Tuckers want more (even if Bregman didn't get it last winter). Crane wouldn't budge - and instead re-invested those savings on mostly terrible contracts to the Jose Abreu's and Brian Abreu's and (seemingly) Christan Walker's of the world.

Anyway, I digress - but when Springer left for Toronto, it was easy for me to move on and forget about him. It helps when you go to the World Series each of the next two years. But I truthfully never lost my soft spot for George - further helps when I have a soft spot for Toronto the city. And as I circle back to his home run, man did it feel so good to see that fanbase react to Springer's HR this year, the way I did to so many eight years ago.

It was a classic Springer home run - so well hit, so well struck, that you wonder how he doesn't have 40 a year (to be fair, he's at 293 for his career!). It was such an incredible moment watching that crowd go crazy, watching them stay crazy for the remaining six outs. Watching Springer get his due. It's been weird as the various ex-Astros have ventured out to such mixed success. Correa's was super up and down in Minnesota before weirdly now coming back (though I still love that!). Tucker was graet for half a season but was mired in such a slump to end it. I had the most mixed feelings ever for Bregman being a clubhouse leader for the Red Sox of all teams (and hope to God he goes somewhere that allows me to actually root for him again). But seeing Springer become this veteran clubhouse leader, this beloved figure in another market, has given me so much joy.

It will bring me even bigger joy to watch him in the World Series, to watch his home fans go crazy for him again, to watch him loudly booed at Dodger Stadium, and to know he doesn't fear the Dodgers - if anything their fans have nightmares of Springer.

This of course brings me to a brief aside on the never-ending hate of the 2017 Astros players. Maybe it is because it's easy to forget about the Blue Jays, and he never played a real game in front of fans in an Astros uniform after the scandal broke, but until now I never realize that Springer engendered so much hatred. The guys taht stayed on the Astros for years - let alone were part of their two pennant winning clubs (Correa, Altuve, Bregman) - of course get copious amounts of boos forever. But I never realized that Springer would still draw the ire - even moreso because after the scandal broke, while Correa and Bregman were a bit defiant, my memory is Springer stayed pretty silent. But man-o-man was I met with so many tweets and stories about him being a cheater and how no one should celebrate his moment.

Of course, I am biased, but screw all that. We are eight years and two presidential administrations away from the scandal year (let alone the fact it is still heavily debated how much it actually helped Houston, and even more debated if they were doing it in the palyoffs). Springer though is a sharp enough, great enough guy to not worry about it. I don't think he'll let the boos get to him. If anything he'll relish it.

Anyway, back to the moment. I think people will lose sight of just how incredible that home run was. It was the first ever home run in the 7th or later in a Game 7 to give a team the lead when trailing by more than one run. Granted, there's a lot of qualifiers in taht condition, but still. that is about as clutch as it gets. We can quibble with teh Mariners bullpen choice, but it is a lasting moment that will live on in highlight reels, and one of my ex-Astros, one of my quietly favorite players got to do it. I don't care if I can't celebrate it as an Astros fan, I celebrate it none the less. It's been a fairly staid October (other than the Red Sox losing fairly embarrassingly), but Springer's home run got me back in. A perfect moment to me, and for him, and truthfully, for baseball.

Ranking my Cape Town Trips

I'm nearing the completion of my 8th trip to Cape Town. It was the most visited International City (excluding family spots like Mumbai & Bangalore, and London which is influenced by going for work a bunch) when I came here for the 5th time, but now it has a pretty wide lead. Unlike basically all my prior trips, I didn't/have not done a day-by-day diary of the trip. Not sure why, but thinking about it, writing about quite a few same restaurants, sites, bars, etc., would be a bit boring for all involved. Granted, there were some new things. Instead, I decided to take this trip to think a bit more holistically - so I have two pieces planned. First is this one that ranks all eight of my trips. The second will give some thoughts of how the city has changed over these 12 years - mostly for the better, but some ways for the worse (or at least changed in a sad way). 

There's no formulaic approach to this ranking. It's mostly just looking back at how fun, notable and meaningful each trip was. All eight were good, by the way, but there are definitely differences here.

8.) 2016 (January, 3 days)

Lodging: Hostel (The Sunflower Spot)

Notable Firsts: Kirstenbosch, Signal Hill

The main issue with this one was it was too short. It was squeezed onto the end of a trip to India for Christmas, and I spent 1.5 days in Johannesburg first. I really wanted to visit again after my first trip, bt really didn't plan all that much. I stayed in a hostel (admittedly, a better one than the one I stayed at in 2013), and really didn't venture out too much. I honestly have no specific memory of this trip in terms of doing things for the first time other than (1) first time visiting Kirstenbosch, probably the biggest "gap" from my first trip, (2) visiting Camps Bay for dinner one night (which was excellent) and (3) going to Signal Hill for the first time. Other than these two things, a pretty forgettable trip, which makes it more ironic I wanted to so quickly return.

7.) 2024 (February, 5 days)

Lodging: AirBNB on Vesperdene

Notable Firsts: Salon, La Colombe

This is the only trip where I ever thought to myself "maybe I come here too much". Now, it was still a great trip, but there were a few things that drag it down. First, one day had a decent amount of rain, which is probably the only day in all my trips to Cape Town where this was the case. I was able to escape it indoors for a good amount, but still that was a damper. Secondly, this was a time where I was still trying to hold onto some old things - like a last trip to The Waiting Room, which it along with a lot of Long Street, went way down in the six years (I say this because get ready to hear a lot about it in the 2018 version). The only "new" things I can point to are probably meals at Salon, which was amazing, and La Colombe, which was excellent but also way too far away for it to really be worth it. Maybe the only other notable positive was rediscovering Mitchell's - a bit by mistake as it was the only place open when I reached the Waterfront around 10:30 on Sunday - that being such a quiet day I've now just decided to switch days in my trip and avoid being here for Sunday nights. Also, more so than prior trips, I was impacted by load shedding - mostly when I had to walk up to the 5th floor when returning to my AirBNB at 3am. Look, I've done a lot of complaining, but it was still a great trip (and the end of a great overall trip that included Turkey), and more than anything I think I learned a lot from this trip in terms of changing it going forward, which led to a better one in 2025.

6.) 2025 (October, 4.5 days)

Lodging: AirBNB on Vesperdene Road
Notable Firsts: Fyn, Talking to Strangers, Fable

It's funny that in theory my 2nd least favorite and 3rd least favorite are teh last two trips. I will say, there is a big gap between my #7 and this trip here, and also there are all specific reasons why each one ahead of it ranked above. But in terms of just playing the hits, I don't think I've had a better trip. That extra 6 months in between visits (after spending basically three straight President's Day Weekends here from 2022-2024) made me miss it so much. The weather was incredible (save for ironically the day I went up Table Mountain, which had its normal rolling clouds stuff going on). The hikes were brilliant. I forgot how good the foliage is in Spring, with a stunning visit to Kirstenbosch. Also, leaving Sunday Night instead of Monday night was probably a good trade. I tried some new places - from Fyn as a brilliant tasting menu spot, to more importantly expanding more into the getting more built-up Waterkant/Downtown area, with cocktail bars like Talking to Strangers and Fable. We've seen that transformation - of things moving away from Long Street and the Waterfront (Cause Effect plays into this - still great but no longer the only option for great cocktails) and to this new area that if anything makes Cape Town more full. What I learned on this trip is October is arguably the best time to visit (even if four of the five trips above it are in February), and Cape Town may always hold onto its charms despite growing in stature every time.

5.) 2013  (February, 4.5 days)

Lodging: Hostel (Altona Lodge)

Notable Firsts: Everything I did (main ones being Cape of Good Hope, Stellenbosch, Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront)

The first trip ranks lower than I would've predicted. Two aspects are important in that fact - firstly, I've just had a lot of amazing trips to Cape Town. Secondly, so little of this trip resembles anything of trips thereafter. I stayed in a hostel. I stayed mostly in The Waterfront area, aside one night venturing to Long Street. There were no clubs, no cocktails - granted, a lot of Milk & Honey beers at Mitchell's. It was by far the most "touristy" trip of any I've done, but this is not a negative. I can still remember that day doing the Cape of Good Hope tour, and even what is still my only trip to Stellenbosch (which is stupid on my part). It was my first trip up Table Mountain. Of course, this trip to Cape Town came as the first stop on my Round the World trip, which changed me as a person, and I think the fact that Cape Town was an incredible first dish on that trip is a big reason for it.

This was by far the most limited trip food-wise, but weirdly still memorable. At the top of those memories is City Grill, an African BBQ/Steak place taht still holds its busy place in the Waterfront - where I went back to back nights, to where they gave me a free bottle of wine the second night. That sauce for the Crocodile dish is still seared in my brain. As were Fork and breakfasts at Vevo Telo and what not. It was also the most docile trip - I think I got drunk, in the technical sense, maybe once (of course, overdid it to where I drank tap water in my hostel room to sober up... which got me sick...). I look back at photos of this trump and just smile - it was a simpler time, simpler for me and the city. I've seen the city grow up in a way, and in a way that aligned with how I did. As a first trip, it set a good standard that I'm happy to say has been topped half the time.

4.) 2020  (February, 4.5 days)

Lodging: AirBNB on Dock Road

Notable Firsts: Belly of the Beast, Reset, Cause Effect

There's a great irony in this trip in that it was a great reset into how I operate in Cape Town. There might not be a more "important" trip in that sense, but it is also the one that I left my phone in an uber going to Kirstenbosch, so I have very few photographic memories of the trip. But, a quick list of things I did for the first time that would become recurring trends thereafter: first time I visited where Cause Effect was open, cementing its place from Mitchell's as my go-to Waterfront haunt. This was also Cause Effect at its most popular, inventive, and acclaimed. It was the first time I did a tasting menu (excluding Janse & Co), going to Belly of the Beast. It was the start of the move away from Long Street - The Waiting Room still decent at this point, but Fiction closed and the rest becoming too R&B. But in it I discovered Reset, which was an amazing EDM club that was before its time (in location, as has been reborn as a way worse velvet-rope place and there are now bars all around it). Reset was truly amazing. I'm also not really considering the flight to and fro as part of this, but it was the first time I ever took Polaris, and the first time after United starter their direct EWR-CPT flight.

There's also an important "last" in this trip - as it was the last time I went to The Dubliner, such a key part of early trips. It was Sunday Night, looking for a place to go out late (a common challenge on Sundays) but around midnight, at The Dub, there was a guy with a guitar taking requests and playing great Rock music. There was a group of German tourists already there that I got started talking to, and we ended up having an amazing night. It was the capper to the trip, and of course it was a month before the World would go quiet for a while. Already at this point in Feb there were signs around people should not go if they were sick and what-not. It definitely felt like taking a trip while the Titanic was sinking. Honestly, had I not lost my phone and had more physical memories of the trip, it may rank higher. I should say, the losing my phone detriment is just the fact of losing pictures. The actual losing of the phone is my fault alone and not any fault of Cape Town.

3.) 2023 (February, 5.5 days)

Lodging: AirBNB on Vesperdene Road

Notable Firsts: The towns on the Cape of Good Hope tour, Gold

I will say, this is the trip I took with my parents, and getting them to visit Cape Town, and seemingly love it as much as I do, matters a good deal. If this trip was alone, it probably ranks below 2020, and maybe below 2013. I still have a giant smile on my face when I see pictures of this trip of my Mom and Dad experiencing the Waterfront for the first time (on their Anniversary, no less), Table Mountain, Penguins and so much more. It was the longest trip arguably, and probably the most packed. It was, in ways, a perfect blend of 2013 (tourism focused) and 2020 (food, nightlife, vibes focused) - as I did a Cape of Good Hope tour, which was better this time as it was private and included stops at some adorable towns. It was also just the third time I did Table Mountain, which I promised myself that day I would never miss on a trip again. I also blended in hikes when my parents were off doing touristy stuff I didn't want to redo (e.g. Stellenbosch), but also included the most extensive visit to Kirstenbosch yet. The 2020 elements were the nights at Cause Effect, House of Machines, Modular and more - and some incredible meals.

I don';t know if there was a trip I ate better on (other than arguably 2025). We went to Pier that first night (parent's anniversary), but also took them to Belly of the Beast, Pot Luck Club, and more. The only sad part was this was after the V&A Food Market closed (and before it reopened as a fairly soulless TimeOut Market). Another notable part of this trip was staying on Vesperdene Road for the first time, which is a perfect location and is basically my go-to for any future trip to Cape Town. It is 15 minutes to teh Waterfront, two minutes to Woolworths (for sundries), and has some great AirBNBs/apartments. As noted above, other than some new parts of a tour that repeated 80% of the first Cape Horn tour, and a restaurant which is more about culture than teh food necessarily (Gold), I didn't really do anything new on this trip. But, at the end of the day, though, sharing a place you love like Cape Town, with people you love, it gets some extra points. In that vein, I can virtually guarantee that if I am lucky enough to get married one day, the first time i visit Cape Town with my wife, it will likely rank this high if not higher. 

2.) 2018  (October, 5.5 days)

Lodging: Protea Hotel in Green Point

Notable Firsts: Long Street (The Waiting Room, Fiction), Modular, The Pot Luck Club, Miller's Thumb, Janse & Co, The Pipe Track, The Contour Path

As that lengthy list of firsts makes it clear, this was a damn eventful trip. And it doesn't even include the first of it being the first I would be with someone, as my friend joined me for the trip. This was a seminal trip to Cape Town in many ways. The first is it was where I first did hikes on the larger rock formation that is Table Mountain - from The Pipe Track (which might be my favorite trail in the world), to the Contour Path (with me learning it is a free way to see Kirstenbosch), to even Maclear's Beacon on top of Table Mountain, this trip was a hiker's paradise. It was also the first time that I didn't stay in a hostel, and while I haven't stayed in a hotel since (all AirBNBs), that itself was a huge upgrade. But most importantly, and why this ranks so highly, is this is the first time I really "lived" in Cape Town.

Other than the trip to come, no trip had better vibes than this one. Cape Town nightlife is great, and while it has changed a bit over the years in location, this was peak Long Street. You had the R&B bars you still ahve today, but you also had the center of the city's EDM/Techno/Rap scene. I can still remember those nights ping-pong-ing back and forth between The Waiting Room and Fiction - the former being "hipper", the latter being at the time the city's main EDM house. Best were both were 2nd floors on Long Street with outdoor balcony areas. Sipping on a drink, with the music thumping on the other side of the doors, looking down at Long Street below - that was an amazing moment. The food also changed on this one - probably from my first trip to Janse & Co (RIP) which had a great "pick 7 of 15 dishes" version of a tasting menu, that I still miss to this day. Cape Town was starting to grow as a city, just as I was as a person, but this caught both things at their inflection point - I wanted the lowbrow fun of The Dubliner and Mitchell's and Miller's Thumb, with the highbrow aspects of The Pot Luck Club, Janse & Co, and in 2018, all of it was readily available. If not for one Covid-related aspect of the #1 trip, this is about as good as it would get.

1.) 2022  (February, 4.5 days)

Lodging: AirBNB at the Docklands

Notable Firsts: Modular (in reality), Pier, Between Us, World of Bids

I'm not going to lie, a large part of this ranking is the fact that it came right as Covid ended. In fact, I was concerned the trip wouldn't happen, as the infamous Omicron variant started in South Africa the prior October. But by February it had washed through both South Africa and the US, and this trip was meaningful in a "the world is open again" way as much as it being an amazing trip. I returned to a changed Cape Town - Long Street less important, Reset dead, Modular alive, but the same foundational elements were still super strong, if anything, it was the start of its rebirth, with it becoming more and more modernized (read: Western) - my other piece details the mostly positive results of that shift, but it is unmistakable - from the buildout of the CBD, to more clean, corporate elements of The Waterfront - seemingly Cape Town became more "mature" post Covid.

As I mentioned earlier, my flights aren't really a part of this consideration, but one moment is - my view as the plane's landing took us across the Bay, with a perfect, truly "birds eye" view of Cape Town in all its glory - it was the brilliant end to a great flight in Polaris, and the start of a new era of travel really. The trip itself also had some notable elements - with my first time trying a super fancy (for Cape Town) tasting menu in Pier, which was awesome. It also included my first (and so far only) trip to the Bird Park that sits halfway from Cape Town to Camps Bay. It is a lovely place that I ought to return to. Mixing in with all of this was some great nights at Cause Effect (still super busy, before the cocktail spots in center city started expanding), great music at Modular, and more than anything just some sensational vibes. The world was coming out of a two-year malaise (admittedly, I did do a Europe trip with friends in fall of 2021, but that was still a time of mask mandates, and curfews). There was no better place to get out of such a malaise than Cape Town. The trip was so good it basically made me think that I need to go every year.

The Changing of the Cape

I first arrived in Cape Town on February 25th, 2013, the first full day of my 108-day Round the World trip odyssey. Twelve years later, I've made it back for an eighth visit, and it really hit me this time that I've seen this city grow and change a lot in twelve years. Luckily for me, mostly in ways that appeal to me (I similarly have grown and changed in twelve years), but really there is a lot about Cape Town that would be foreign to even the person I was on my third trip in 2018. Some of these thoughts started to crystallize really on my visit last year (2024), but fully came into focus today. Let's call it a combination of gentrification, globalization, corporatization and modernization, that I ultimately believe has made this city even better.

Now, Cape Town was a top international tourist destination even in 2013 - I remember at the time my Uncle was telling me I would love it as he so enjoyed it on his trip out here which was probably even a decade prior to that. Cape Town in 2013 had Table Mountain, and the Wineries and the Waterfront. But this was a long time ago in terms of how we see a place - before Eater, Reddit, oodles of online travel blogs, etc. I still used DK and googling. Uber was not really there, and Cape Town's miserable cab system made it tough to see the city. The Cape Town of 2013 was basically a place to visit some amazing sights, and either mill around The Waterfront or Long Street, with nothing in between.

Twelve years later, The Waterfront is still idyllic (though changing a lot as well), but Long Street has lost its place of prominence, and the stretch of the city between the two (more or less) now usurping it. The net result has been something of making Cape Town equally a great city for, let's call it, "vibes" from food, drink, music, partying, and just hanging around. And really, this transformation has happened in two phases.

The first was let's call it the expansion. I'm not lying when I say that on my first trip, and probably even the second one in 2016, I basically confined myself to The Waterfront or Long Street and nothing in between. Especially in 2016, when Uber was available, it really was just these areas after say 6pm. Now, I don't know how much of the danger was perceived vs. real, but it was basically the advice of even locals to just follow those simple rules. 

By 2018, you saw things starting to change, as the roads around Long Street started to open new restaurants, bars, etc., particularly uptown (e.g. towards Table Mountain) where you had a second hotspot area develop near Kloof Nek Road. By 2022, it started spreading downwards into the Central area. If anything, by now these areas both up and down from the main Long Street area are safer, more well developed, and as busy at night. Long Street is still packed, but much more R&B / hip-hop focus (which I'll get to later), but these other areas have grown up. Case in point - in 2020, I walked from The Waiting Room in Long Street down to Reset, a club on Loop - this was say a 10-minute walk, abuot 15 blocks, the last half of it with downwards from the main Long Street area. It was a nervous walk. I never felt in danger, but for sure felt an eerily silence and air of unease. By 2022, this was nearly gone, by 2023 - I kind of stopped needing to go to Long Street anyway.

This in all is a net positive - these are areas of the city that now house trendy bars, restaurants, clubs. These are blocks that are in the heart of the city, that should have been full of life. The biggest thing that Cape Town has done to make this happen is station a bunch of security personnel in bright green vests that patrol those streets at night. This isn't necessarily to kick homeless away or something, but put a stop to muggings and burglary - just their presence has made whole blocks of Cape Town become waht they should be.

This has had some knock-on impacts that are a bit sad. I already covered Long Street losing its position as the nightlife hotspot for vacationers, but there's been more oblique ones. For instance, for years I'd hailed Cause Effect as a leading cocktail bar, and it is. But it is also placed so strangely in the casual tourist haven that is the V&A Waterfront. It never made sense a true gourmet style cocktail bar would be there. Well, now they have cocktail bars in those blocks below Long Street (Talking to Strangers - a new personal favorite) and the people that want craft cocktails go to those areas because they are closer to everything else late night. This has definitely resulted in an emptier Cause Effect, to the point I worry for its future (or maybe it should just relocate...). But at least it's not losing out because cocktail bars don't work in Cape Town, it's losing out because it isn't the only option anymore.

The same can be said of fine dining, most pointedly at the "just below tasting menu" level, where these beautiful, artful, trendy dining spots are all over those blocks. Before, they used to mainly be lunch only or you had to get door to door uber service. Those days are long gone. All of these changes to Cape Town are for the better. And before people may say it is due to overtourism (and certainly that is a part of it), what has been fascinating to watch over the 12 years is when I go out to these places, mainly the bars and clubs, every time it is more and more locals, and more and more diverse.

On the diversity point, it is inescapable that South Africa is a predominantly black country, as is Cape Town similarly as a city, and the black population on average is poorer. That is still true and due to decades of racism, will be true for many years to come, but absolutely I have seen an increase in black locals at these bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. And more than that, taking over certain areas with more African, rap, hip-hop, etc. No where is this more true than in Long Street, which is as busy as before, but just in a way that caters to locals - which is great for them, even if my days traipsing down Long Street will probably never come back.

But with all this change, expansion and growth has come the second phase of change, which is a bit more sad - and this I'll call the over corporatization of Cape Town. The best example is around The Waterfront, which always was the most tourist-friendly, built up, "Western" part of Cape Town. But that's gone into hyperdrive, mostly through corporate/commercial interests. The best example is probably that in 2013 through I think my 2020 trip (if maybe 2022?), right at the start of the Waterfront area, near Mitchell's, sat a giant ferris wheel. It then got moved to a less trafficked part of The Waterfront, in its place is now a fairly souless looking building that houses Nike, Wedgewood, and a fancy restaurant. 

The best example is probably also in The Waterfront, where an old abandoned warehouse first became the V&A Food Market, which was a place of frequent visits, quick lunches, etc., on my 2018, 2020 and 2022 trips. It was a lovely space with local vendors selling all types of food both as quick meals, but also grocery (a lovely biltong stand was my favorite) and even a store selling local gins, cheeses, etc. It was awesome. Well, imagine my dismay on my 2023 trip with my parents when I took them to it to get a lunch to realize it was closed and in process of being turned into a Timeout Market (which was open by my 2024 trip). It's largely the same, but a bit souless, less unique, and is nowhere near as busy as what the prior V&A Food Market was. Now, this isn't a broad criticism on the concept of Timeout Markets, the OG one is Lisbon is excellent, but here was a large tourism brand taking over a beloved local thing and making it a bit less interesting.

In smaller ways this has happened in other parts of the city. Reset, which was a fantastic EDM club, closed during Covid - the area lay dormat for a few years, but was reopened as a club called Halo, which is right out of Western club velvet rope & table service style, rather than the brilliant underground place it used to be. None of these are all that problematic, because it was a bit natural that as more money was put into the city, that it woudl start getting a bit corporate, but I do hope that there is a maximum point.

In the end, Cape Town remains a gem of a city, remains my favorite city to visit in the world, and the changes in that time period cater more towards making it firm its place there. Even if I can belie the loss of the V&A Food Market, or more upmarket brands and stores, if that is the smaller price while gaining more restaurants, more bars, more blocks to roam around in and more areas where you can walk at night and not be fearful, is an amazing development.

NFL 2025: Week 6 Power Rankings & The Rest

32.) New York Jets  =  0-5  (112-157)

If the season continues the way it seems, and say the next one does, and the Jets are in need of another reset with a new head coach - please don't go with the great motivational defensive tactician again. I hate seeing Robert Saleh go there and fail, and so far Aaron Glenn doing so as well. That said, this season has been the opposite to those Saleh ones - the offense has been generally good (when Fields has played) but the defense has been awful.

31.) Las Vegas Raiders  =  1-4  (83-139)

Hey - maybe combining a coach whose best asset (his defense) went out of style nearly a decade ago, an offensive coordinator who showed limited ability to adapt to the NFL, and a QB who apart from two seasons has been generally erratic, wasn't going to equal success? I will say, as much as that was snark, Geno being this bad has definitely been surprising. Something has to change. Also, their general shittiness is a great defense for Brady to use on how his analyst role is not helping the team.

30.) Tennessee Titans  =  1-4  (73-141)

The Titans did win a game, sure, but also needed a combination of a the old fumble at the one yard line on a walk-in touchdown and an even more insane play with the interception turned fumble touchdown, and a few other Cardinals mistakes to win that game. For a good 50 minutes, they were having another fairly embarrassing performance. Nice they got a win, but at this level I don't think they'll have many more.

29.) Cleveland Browns  =  1-4  (73-123)

Weird inversion of most of their other games this year. The Dillon Gabriel offense was markedly better than the Flacco one was. They have way more actual flow than Flacco just heaving up prayers in between Judkins runs. Then the defense has arguably its worst game of the season, letting a Carson Wentz offense seem comfortable, and blowing a late lead. In the end, I don't know which things are sustainable, or just a weird "Europe" induced fog.

28.) Cincinnati Bengals  =  2-3  (85-156)

Will be interesting if the second half offense that looked somewhat competent was jsut a factor of it basically being garbage time, or a real sign that Browning found some rhythm. The worst part though is the interceptions - Browning just throws way too many poor passes, which wasn't an issue he had in his stretch of games in 2023. Defense had a decent game for a bit before the Lions OL/Run game just took over.

27.) New York Giants  =  1-4  (87-127)

Jackson Dart if anything is more fun than Russell Wilson. He still hasn't figured out the speed of the NFL, and reverts to running way too much, but these are problems you expect him to improve on - though I do worry if the reverts to running will always be there given that's how he played often in college as well. The DL has to live up to its billing more consistently than it has.

26.) New Orleans Saints  =  1-4  (92-135)

Saints got their first win - yes it was against a similarly bad team, but they won and controlled a game. That part is even more important to me. Rattler and the offense looked composed, in rhythm, and on schedule. The defense when healthy was already a decent unit. Aside from the massacre against Seattle, the Saints really have been just a plain below average team.

24.) Miami Dolphins  =  1-4  (107-145)

I think losing Tyreek makes the Dolphins better, or at least more variable. It's made Mike McDaniel actually have to try - we saw the best Waller game and best Waddle game. We did not, however, see the best Tua game which is a problem. Don't know really what more we have to see there. He's not the long term answer. He's paid too much for them to cut bait though, I have to think.

25.) Carolina Panthers  =  2-3  (102-119)

So the Panthers basically are either one of the worst teams in years for stretches, or they look magically competent, if not dominant. They've alternated that twice so far, this time long enough to get a win (against an admittedly poor Miami team). Not sure where that running game came from today, with Rico Dawdle having 200 yards, but Bryce Young still looks lost too much for me to see any real long term potential here.

23.) Baltimore Ravens  =  1-4  (141-177)

The nightmare of a season continues. I really hope Lamar is not out for any more than 1-2 additional weeks. If Lamar was out and the defense was healthy, a Cooper Rush led offense would still be competitive. But it's crazy how many important defensive players are out as well. The Ravens basically just quit in that game, and the Rams next week could be more of the same unless Lamar is back. 1-4 isn't impossible to come back from. To be honest, in the 2025 AFC, 1-5 may not be either but I do worry if this becomes a multi-week thing.

22.) Chicago Bears  =  2-2  (101-117)

Interested to see where the Bears season goes after their bye. Two straight good Caleb performances. Two straight games with decent OL play. Two games where Rome Odunze had showed the promise we all saw in college. We have to hope they keep up that momentum off of the bye. A MNF game against a good Commanders team (the top two picks from last year dueling) should give them the right motivation. I still just want to see Caleb be a bit more patient.

21.) Dallas Cowboys  =  2-2-1  (151-154)

Dak is having an insane year. The offense is playing about as well as any in the NFL. The defense is not good. Their biggest issue will probably be how competitive the NFC is. I don't think a 9-7-1 is going to get you the #7 seed this season. The Cowboys offense is a special unit though. Really they are the 2024 Bengals of the 2025 season.

20.) Atlanta Falcons  =  2-2  (76-86)

One of the bigger questions about the NFL season at this moment is if the Falcons 30-0 loss to Carolina is a meaningless super outlier, or a sign that this is a weak team that can dress up nicely every now and then. Their generally competent play the rest of the season makes me very nervously think it is the former - that the 30-0 will just be the single biggest outlier game of the season.

19.) Los Angeles Chargers  =  3-2  (98-98)

Man, they need Joe Alt back quickly. The Commanders just ate the OL alive in that game. Herbert was not his best self anyway, but he was chased off his spot or forced to throw super quick way too often. Also I think they need to diversify the offense a bit too much - a late-career Keenan Allen shouldn't be this important to a 2025 offense, especially when they have a bunch of other options.

18.) Pittsburgh Steelers  =  3-1  (96-98)

The AFC is becoming a waste-land (particularly the AFC North) and here we have Pittsburgh doing what they've basically done since 2021, which is keep treading above .500 even if they do it ugly. 3-1 with a negative point differential and one of the wins being an absolute robbery (of the Pats) is perfect Tomlin nonsense. But their best game was their last, and they saw their entire division lose on their bye week.

17.) Arizona Cardinals  =  2-3  (103-96)

I don't know what to say. The Cardinals play with their food - they escaped twice in Week1 and Week 2 winning close in games they led comfortably, but it finally bit them in one of the most absurd losses you will ever see. The down-to-down performance of this team is still strong, but man they can't close games. That's not good enough in the NFC. Underlying numbers will still grade this team out reasonably well, but they're slipping behind in what will be a really competitive division/conference.

16.) Minnesota Vikings  =  3-2  (123-97)

That Wentz performance probably takes away any hastiness the Vikings may have been feeling to rush McCarthy back. I watched none of that game except for highlights, but it shows what we know: the Vikings have enough front-line talent to win 10-11 games with Wentz / rookie-McCarthy level play. The question we all need to be asking is should they have kept Darnold, who has been the player he was from Weeks 1-16 so far.

15.) Washington Commanders  =  3-2  (134-101)

The fact that the Commanders won a road game convincingly on a day that Jayden was maybe a B- at best is a really great sign. Now, as I mentioned in the Chargers section, I wouldn't say this performance by the Commanders defense is going to happen every week, but they went out in teh offseason and got in reinforcements on the DL and so far they're paying off (especially washed Von Miller). Get McLaurin back and healthy and baby we got a stew going.

14.) Houston Texans  =  2-3  (108-61)

Look - I know the Titans and the Lamer-less Ravens are not good competition, but winning two games by a combined 70-10 should still mean something. Also meaningful was the defense being good before that as well. The OL is still rough, and Stroud is still gun-shy at times, but his accuracy has been way better these past few weeks. This could be the beginning of turning things around here. They're still two games behind the Colts, but the wild card race in the AFC is shaping up to be fairly fallow. 

13.) New England Patriots  =  3-2  (125-101)

Impressive win for New England, and especially Drake Maye who is really coming together. This is two great weeks for them - blasting a team they should beat easily (Carolina) and now stealing a game where their opponent made a bunch of mistakes, but many of them of the "forced" variety. Will be interesting to see how long this level of Stefon Diggs last (vs. that being just a revenge game), and what happens if someone finally realizes to not let Maye escape right as often. I've never seen someone more consistently better at throwing on the run to the right but seemingly incapable of doing so to his left.

12.) Los Angeles Rams  =  3-2  (123-107)

Rough loss, primarily a rough, rough 4th down call in OT. That game should never have been all that close given who the 49ers were without, and the Rams offense generally playing well. The Rams much ballyhooed DL didn't really show up in that one. They've been too high variance this season, and need more down to down, drive to drive consistency, especially since the Rams CBs are a bit rough. This is still a very good team, but one that needs a few more high impact plays on defense to reach their max potential

11.) Denver Broncos  =  3-2  (117-84)

Gutsy win, gutsy offensive performance after what was a rough first 40 minutes. It's weird that you leave that game without feeling that any of the units played all that well, given how slow Nix and the offense was for three quarters, and how even Surtain got beat a few times. But they never felt overwhelmed even when down 17-3 and that win was well earned throughout. This is a team with a really high ceiling. Don't know how consistently they will get there though.

10.) Kansas City Chiefs = 2-3 (125-107)

Really tough loss to a good team on the road. But that's twice we've written that about the Chiefs, The offense looked very good fort a third straight week, but the defense is back to getting too little pressure. The schedule doesn't get any easier also with the Lions next. The Chiefs may just end up sneaking into the playoffs, but they still to me will be scary, assuming a healthy, motivated Rashee Rice comes back.

9.) San Francisco 49ers  =  4-1  (106-98)

I don't know how they do it. This team should be way worse. Even put aside all the injuries on offense, but coming into the year, the defense was a huge question mark. But honestly, as impressive a job Shanahan has done working with scraps, I'm equally impressed by what Saleh has done with teh same. And if anything, that is more important - as we expect Purdy to come back, adn Kittle, and eventually even Aiyuk, but the defense is the guys they have and they're playing super competently, which is all you need them to be.

8.) Green Bay Packers  =  2-1-1  (104-84)

Let's hope the Packers took their bye to take a deep breath, forget all the plaudits that clearly went a bit to their heads after the first two games, and hopefully the defense is healthier and remembers how to play pass defense. The Packers probably should have lost that Cowboys game, so they really need to have taken that two week break to figure out how to end drives and not have so many coverage mistakes when they can't get home.

7.) Jacksonville Jaguars  =  4-1  (127-100)

Even in a win, even being 4-1, you still think they should be more. Lawrence still makes too many weird decisions and mistakes (the fumble, the sack on the final drive when he should've thrown it away). The receivers still will randomly fall down. But the defense is very, very good - even in a game where Tavon Walker didn't play. The run game is consistent. They're 4-1, with decent underlying numbers, and a collapse away from being 5-0, and still could get better. But I can't just assume that consistency does come for them.

6.) Philadelphia Eagles  =  4-1  (125-109)

Tough loss, and more than that a bit of a trend with this being the second straight week they let a big lead turn into a close game. First time they were able to make the key plays (the end zone pick), but here they couldn't. On the positive, Hurts and the passing offense once again looked good. I do worry about how quiet Barkley has been. You have to think he'll break out soon, but with RBs you just never know. In the end, a loss to an AFC team isn't that big of a deal, but for a team that wasn't playing as good as its record anyway, this could be a wake-up call.

5.) Seattle Seahawks  =  3-2  (146-101)

Great game that was, and a tough loss. To be fair, Darnold escaped a pick on the 99-yard TD drive (the one where the Bucs read the quick screen) and had a miracle TD of his own, but that was an unfortunate way for the game to end. The offense though just has so many options right now, especially with Horton having progressed so well. 

4.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers  =  4-1  (135-132)

It's so hard to talk about the Bucs. A +3 point differential for a 4-1 record is pretty poor and could be a sign of worse things to come. But wins over the Seahawks in Seattle, the Texans in Houston, are good wins - even if close. The Jets game they were far better down to down than the final score would indicate. But looking forward, Evans could be back soon, Godwin is still ramping up, the defense may get healthier. This team is a bit lucky to be 4-1, but that record is closer to their true talent than the point differential may seem. Oh, and Ekbuga looks like a rookie OBJ-type of special.

3.) Buffalo Bills  =  4-1  (153-113)

Well, that was those "it all went wrong" games, aside from getting the fumble on Stevenson. The rest was pretty disastrous - awful penalties, three turnovers. The Bills can't do that - at least until the defense gets better down to down, as their margin against decent teams is not that big. Hopefully this gets them to wake up. At their best - the drives to make it 13-10 or 17-20 were dominant, but in between the penalties have to stop. Also might be worth getting Allen into rhythm earlier. The talent is still there that we may look back and see this like some of their more puzzling losses in even their great seasons, but that needs to be a wake up call of a game.

2.) Indianapolis Colts  =  4-1  (163-89)

After the Bills loss there was a lot of "Oh, this is one of those seasons without a great team" tweets going on. But to be honest, I think these top two qualify, at least in terms of performance through five games. The Colts have played five games - going 1-1 in their coin flip games (probably should've lost the one they won, and won the one they lost). But more importantly, they've gone 3-0 against the bad teams and blew each one of those out. Combine both together, and the high floor talent level on this team, and you have the makings of something special. Yes, there is a potential glass slipper that could crack under Daniel Jones's feet, but for now, this is a dominant team.

1.) Detroit Lions  =  4-1  (174-112)

As are the Lions. The loss here is more questionable - a game they were completely outplayed by the Packers, but weird stuff happens in Week 1, and a poor loss in Green Bay if it were in Week 7 probably gets ignored more. Right now, this is a machine. The DL is fully back. Sheppard has stepped in perfectly as the DC. The offense played with its food a bit, but at its core is a dominant unit with teh new OL guys getting better each week. They're close to feeling like a machine again. Next week against the Chiefs in Arrowhead will be a treat.

Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games

Byes: Minnesota Vikings (3-2), Houston Texans (2-3)

15.) Tennessee Titans (1-4)  @  Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)  (4:05 - FOX)

14.) Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)  @  Miami Dolphins (1-4)  (1:00 - CBS)
13.) Denver Broncos (3-2)  @  New York Jets (0-5)  (9:30 - NFLN)
12.) Cleveland Browns (1-4)  @  Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)  (1:00 - CBS)

11.) Philadelphia Eagles (4-1)  @  New York Giants (1-4)  (TNF - Prime)
10.) Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)  @  Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)  (4:25 - CBS)
9.) New England Patriots (3-2)  @  New Orleans Saints (2-3)  (1:00 - CBS)

8.) Los Angeles Rams (3-2)  @  Baltimore Ravens (1-4)  (1:00 - FOX)
7.) Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1)  @  Carolina Panthers (2-3)  (1:00 - FOX)

6.) Buffalo Bills (4-1)  @  Atlanta Falcons (2-2)  (MNF - ESPN)
5.) Arizona Cardinals (2-3)  @  Indianapolis Colts (4-1)  (1:00 - FOX)
4.) Chicago Bears (2-2)  @  Washington Commanders (3-2)  (MNF - ABC)

3.) Seattle Seahawks (3-2)  @  Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1)  (1:00 - FOX)
2.) San Francisco 49ers (4-1)  @  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1)  (4:25 - FOX)
1.) Detroit Lions (4-1)  @  Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)  (SNF - NBC)

An Astro-less October

It's been nine years since we had an Astros-less October. 2016 came after their big breakout in 2015, surprising everyone by winning a Wild Card, beating the Yankees in the Wild Card game, and then coming seven outs away from beating eventual World Series Champs Kansas City in the ALDS. They slid back in 2016, but then ran off one of the better eight year stretches. That ended. I don't really care about the Astros part of this - yes it was a collapse the last two months, but the team was super injured, and hanging on fumes, and it took legendary runs from both the Mariners and Guardians to take away their once sure thing playoff spot. That all is fine. I want to talk more about the prospect, or as I write this the already begun to be lived existence, of watching an MLB Playoffs without the Astros in it.

And weirdly enough, the prospect excites the hell out of me. Obviously, I would love to have my team in it - those nights chewing through sets of fingernails, goosebumps coming and going = all of it is one of the most beautiful feelings in the World. But you know what? I love this sport, and love a lot of those things about October baseball whether my team is in it or not.

I relish the chance of watching this October with only hate (for Boston and the Dodgers) in my heart. Truly, any of the other 10 teams winning (or 7 teams, as I write this) winning is perfectly fine with me. What I want more than any particular team, is to love the drama, live the drama, imbibe the drama, without the wretching baggage of being a fan. 

There are few things better than a close, tense, baseball playoff game. Truly, in terms of sports playoffs, I would only put Overtime Hockey above it. Those 25 seconds between pitches, when it seems you can hear everyone in the crowd individually, when you can hear your heart beat, along with the pitcher's and batter's, when the calm, crisp air (assuming this is an outdoors game in the North) is basically filtering right through your TV screen. God damn, nothing is better. 

I realize this is a weird position to take, that October baseball is as good (if not better...) when your team isn't in it, but the thing is, I've had a decade of practice. For nine years, my team wasn't involved - 2006 to 2014. Generally they were definitely not going to be involved come June (if not April, in 2011-2013). If anything, my love of the sport grew in those nine years - certainly my understanding of it. I got to sit through, mouth agape, some of the most dramatic moments in the sports' history in that timeframe. From the various Royals walk-offs in 2014, to Travis Ishikawa, to everything that was the 2011 Cardinals-Rangers series, to big walkoff wins, to Halladay's no-hitter, to so much more. That was a great time to be a baseball fan, and a really great time to be one of a team that was never involved in any of them.

Baseball playoff games are tight, taut operatic plays taking place in front of you, all with their own styles, features and nuances - no two alike. When you have a favorite team actually involved in it, the drama pendulum swings too far to the other side - every game a realization of that GIF around "game starts... I'm dying inside... great, we won" - a feature of baseball not a bug, with its technically unlimited run time. Take your personal favorite team out of it, and the drama dial is turned just right. 

I write this watching the Yankees and Red Sox battle it out in Game 3 of the Wild Card run. The Yankees are leading 4-0 in the 7th inning, with a rookie starter somehow pitching into the 7th inning in the year of our Lord 2025. This is baseball (this all said, I can pretend to be detached, but to be honest, if the Red Sox were up 4-0 I wouldn't be writing any of this). The DS's start on Friday. We're getting to see October baseball in Wrigley, in Milwaukee, in Seattle, in Philadelphia. We're about to witness something great, as we do every Octber, but I'll get the witness it wihtout any risk of heartburn, hatred and the right degree of nervousness.