Bears-Colts in Super Bowl XLI, but I'm still dwelling on the "How They Got There" angle, off of last night's epic Colts win over the Pats.
Here's the intrigue: Sure, Peyton and Indy exorcised evil BeliBrady ghosts of the past decade, but does it REALLY mean anything?
Beating the Pats in the penultimate game of the season was important. Like "Red-Sox-finally-beating-the-Yankees-in-2004" important.
But if, after winning the 2004 ALCS, the Red Sox went on to lose the World Series to the Cardinals, the actual value of beating the Yankees would have lost most of its significance, even if the symbolic meaning did not.
Tom Brady isn't deified for winning AFC championships; he's deified for winning three Super Bowl rings. That's the harsh reality of the NFL: You are judged on your Super Bowl titles.
(Want a great example? Donovan McNabb. The Eagles FINALLY breaking through in the NFC two seasons ago -- despite what it seemed to mean the morning after the NFC title game -- means nothing today. Because he lost -- choked, literally and metaphorically -- in the Super Bowl.)
And so here is the upshot for Peyton Manning and the Colts: It don't mean a thing if they don't win that ring.
Colts win: That said, it sure must feel nice to not just beat the Pats for the AFC title, but to do it in such an unprecedented way.
Pats lose: Whoa. The Pats... chokers? Not just chokers, but record-setting chokers? Not just record-setting chokers, but Tom Brady doing the choking? When he got the ball with a minute to go, who DIDN'T think he'd come down the field and score a game-winning TD? EVERYONE knew it was coming. That's what made his game-ending INT so startling. It was so... un-Brady.
Bears win: The rumbling this a.m. is that Reggie Bush's somersault into the end-zone on his ridiculous TD to put the Saints back into the game motivated the Bears to destroy the Saints. I'm not sure how true that is, but after that play,
Saints lose: Does losing before reaching the Super Bowl diminish the Saints' storybook season? Truthfully, yes. Fans barely remember the Super Bowl runner-up, let alone the conference title-game loser. But this Saints team WAS the story of the year in the NFL -- when the city needed it most -- and, even more important, the team's history of suckitude might actually be behind them. The true breakthrough was that they have shed the rep as a punchline.
Looking ahead to SB XLI: Here are the top 3 storylines you won't be able to escape from: (1) Peyton's redemption; (2) Two black head coaches, ensuring that for the first time, a black head coach will win the Super Bowl; (3) Memories of the Bears' 85 team.
More of today's biggest storylines:
Vick/Airport/Pot (Non-)Scandal: Uh, about that hidden water-bottle compartment? It didn't contain any pot. As you survey the over-the-top reaction from sports media last week, one word comes to mind: Oops. (ProFootballTalk correctly calls out the turnaround as suspiciously sketchy.)
Steelers hire Mike Tomlin: It's nice to see the force behind the NFL's "Rooney Rule" -- attempting to give minorities a better chance to become head coaches -- put money to mouth.Instant-history cynics might note that the Steelers are simply jumping on the NFL's hottest bandwagon of Monday morning: African-American head coaches as the new key component to getting a team to the Super Bowl.
(NFL owners and GMs are nothing if not quick to try to copy the blueprint of winning teams: I'll be curious to see whether this will spark more minority hiring at the head-coach level.)
NFL Coaching Carousel: Jim Mora DID get back to
College Hoops Parity Watch: So much for Pitt as a contender. No. 24 Marquette waltzed into Pitt's house and KO'ed the No. 6 Panthers in OT.
MLB Hot Stove: Chase Utley signs 7Y/$85M extension. Worthy of his rise to become the best fantasy 2B in the league.
NBA: Carmelo returns tonight. And NOW the grand experiment of chemistry between Melo and AI begins. This will be fascinating to watch.
-- D.S.
Posts
119 comments:
So much for Pitt as a contender.
GO.TO.HELL.
As a pats fan I am disappointed that was a game they should not of lost. But when you have a receiver dropping a ball on what would of been 2 easy TD's, that is what happens. The Defense got tired and some there age especially in the LB core started to show. Unfortunetaly as a Pats fan this might single the begginning to the end of the Dynasty. The Patriots are going to need a couple of years to reform the LB core into the group they had in 03/04.
All I have to say is GO BEARS!!!! becuase if you think the Peyton Manning ballwashing is bad now what to see what happens if he actually wins a Super Bowl.
And Shanoff you are correct about the Red Sox of 04/Colts analogy. If the Red Sox lost the world series beating the Yankees would of been meaningless even though there are fraud writers and Red Sox fans that would tell you differently.
Florida loses 2 games and you still call them the number 1 team in basketball, even before UCLA lost, but Pitt loses one close overtime game, albeit at home, and you write them off as a contender?
Ugh. Somebody go tell the Pats defense that a football is 2 halves. There's really no excuse to this one. There were one maybe two questionable calls, Troy Brown's offensive PI to negate a first down with the Pats up 21-3 and driving, and the hit to Mannings head on the last drive. But that's still no excuse for giving up 32 points in the second half. Credit has to go to Manning (shoot me now please) and the Colts.
I can't really even question the playcalling for the Pats like in the first game. They just didn't have the ball. The only thing that bothered me was not running on 3rd and 4 right before the two minute warning. Run it and get it the game's over. Run it and come up short you force the Colts to call timeout or let the two minute warning come. Colts got off 2-3 plays and gained 20-30 yards in those 17 seconds. That was a dumb call.
Congrats to the Colts though, and especially Tony Dungy, seems like a really nice and classy guy.
Pardon the lame Bermanesque pun, but that was Bush league.
Taunting like that is ridiculous, especially from a rook and especially when the game is early and your team is STILL LOSING.
This is coming a week after he got LEVELED.
No excuse from me, There was a couple of questionable calls but nothing I think that really changed the tenor of the game. I more blame are defense for not being able to get off the field and Caldwell for dropping a sure TD that would of made the Colts final TD a game tying TD not a game winning. Meaning Brady would only have to get the Pats in FG range with a minute left. And that could of made a big difference.
more stating the Facts to why the Patriots lost. They did not play well in the second half and lost a game they probably should not of. And there where a couple of key mistakes that cost them the game.
Whinning would be:
Something like questionning some of the calls the refs made. IE: That Roughing the Passer Call near the end of the game.
Brady did not choke. He made a mistake and made a bad throw but that was not choking. There was only one choker on the Patriots offense: Reche "My eyes where bugging out of my head so I dropped a pass" Caldwell.
Can we call Gisele and Brady "Gisom" yet?
pats' defense was a train wreck in the 2nd half.....
unnoticed, though....the 2 point conversion the colts got. Not only did it require the pats to go down and get a TD at the end (and I didn't think they had much of a shot with only a minute), but if the colts HADN'T have gotten it, then a FG woulda won, not tied.
I think the Colts have the Pats' number. ugh. And if the Colts win the SB (which I kinda don't mind if they do, unless it sets the 2007 precedent for A-Rod maybe getting HIS title), then that means opening night will be Pats-Colts in the dome.
Now, how does Belichick plan to "use" LT in the Pro Bowl?
No excuses, we lost, The Colts had more points than we did at the end of the game!
In sad news: Bam Bam Bigelow Dead at 45.
Pro-Wrestling great Scott “Bam Bam” Bigelow was found dead in his Florida home yesterday of undisclosed or unknown causes.
Bigelow, originally from the Asbury Park area of the Jersey Shore, was known for his fiery tattoo across his head and being very agile for a large wrestler.
Bigelow gained national exposure when he wrestled football legend Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants in Wrestlemania XI.
In July of 2001, he was hospitalized for two weeks after receiving third degree burns over 40% of his body from rescuing children from a forest fire.
While I had never wrestled with or against Bigelow, I did book him for shows when I was booking matches for a promotion in Jersey. He had a huge fan following and an even bigger heart.
Scott “Bam Bam” Bigelow, September 1, 1961 – January 19, 2007
I'm glad the Classy Pats defenders don't do any celebrations..oh..wait..was that Colvin with his 'Strike!' celebration?
oops.
Dan, everytime a ranked team loses to a lower ranked team, it isn't parity. It's an upset. It has to happen more often, to the same team, to be considered parity.
Dan, I'm glad you pointed that out. Manning's Colts squeaked by what most forecasted to be a blowout.
but record-setting chokers? Not just record-setting chokers, but Tom Brady doing the choking?
This is the biggest load of crap I've ever seen. That is a fabricated record (Championship lead surmounted).
The biggest choke in the NFL still belongs to the Oilers vs Bills. (38-10, then lose?)
Everyone in the country was crapping themselves while brady was stomping downfield. He didn't choke, rather, his expectation level is so high that everyone EXPECTED him to score that game winning TD.
Who's the best 2 minute drill QB? Favre (in his prime), Marino... Brady?
Even the greats fell short a few times. Go ahead and crucify him though, you've been waiting all year.
Wonder if Edgerrin James will be at the game, he is from Miami right?
cmfost..not to rag on you, but it's not 'would of' and 'should of'. It's "would have" and "Should have".
I'm an uppity former literature major..can't help myself sometimes.
Also, congrats to Manning and the Indy Colts. Hell of a game, gutsy win. Well deserved.
I hope that everyone complainging about "Another Pats-Colts Game" missed the game of the year.
Mark my words, last night will be more exciting than the Superbowl.
So Raf, is it 'would of' with one quote or "would have" with two quotes? Glass house man...
daddy rosee = troll
Have you even posted here before? Are you even a Colts fan?
Didn't think so. Give it a rest.
Alrighty! Lets get ready for two weeks of the same 6 stories from every different angle. I love the Super Bowl.
Congrats to the Colts and their fans. I hate to admit it but I have to agree with Daddy rosse, it was the largest comeback and the pats D was just on the field too long. Brady and the O needed a drive or two to give them a breather.
I do think this Pats team over achieved though, and even you Pats-haters have to agree with that.
Now, how about those Bears! Where are all the flapping gums who predicted a Saints blow out? I can't wait to lay big money on them in the Bowl. Seven points is a lot to give.
RIP Bam Bam!
Great game last night.
I love the Super Bowl too, but these are the WORST 2 weeks of sports in the history of man.
I hope the Super Bowl lives up to the hype...much less the AFC Championship game, which was fantastic.
Joe (Dayton)
Daddy Rosee what the Pat fans are being to Classy for you this morning. I get it now you must be a Chargers fan still bitter over your team really choking.
As for the Patriots that really was not a choke. A 15 point lead at half time against a good offensive team is not a insurmountable lead. Especially when you consider the Colts where getting the Ball to start the second half. Meaning a TD made it a one possesion game.
The Patriots lost but it hard to be a Patriots fan and complain. Sure I am s disappointed they lost but at least they made it to the AFC Championship game I bet there are 14 other AFC Teams that would of love to have been there and had chance to go to another Super Bowl and lost. Oh well, there is always next year.
All I know is 27 Days untiul ptichers and Catcher report.
Re: Vick situation. I would hate to be facing a jury with Shanoff on it. His overreaction style would mean you're guilty before the trial even started.
Questionable officiating for both games...but a great Pats/Colts game!
Question for everyone...would Gaffney come down with 2 feet? I say no.
I am glad I live in Canada, up here your innocent until proven guilty!
Thats the second response about the officiating in the bears/saints game. What was bad about it in that game?
Well I have to say looking at recent Sports Championships, I am going with the underdog in this game.
Cardinals underdog wins World Series
Florida underdog win National Championship
I am taking the Bears for the outright win but for betting purposes I will take the 7 points.
Daddy
Lost in todays day and age it that football is a team game. It takes all members of that team working together to succeed. The Pats personify that. The reason they are successful is because the excel at doing the little things. Anyone who has played the sport and understands it has to enjoy seeing that and respect it.
Little things are why they lost yesterday. Offsides penalties, dropped passes, dumb personal fouls. They don't do those things and they win.
Eric, which bogus fumble?
Now I have figured Daddy Rosee out he is a Yankees/ New York Sports Fan and can not stand to see Boston teams successful. And of course when a boston teams loses they get overly antagonistic to get some jollys from all the years of Recent Losing in all sports.
http://www.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=433916&sid=9acc63252656f4f49acf8b8b286e9a8b
Stay classy Patriot fans.
tbender-
Name me a sports town that wouldn't react that way? The second post even is from a St Louis fan saying that he's seen that on their boards several times.
As for Bush, his little wave and flip was ridiculuous. THAT is the definition of classless.
Sadly...I'm already resigned to my Reds being out of contention for the Series.
Carmelo better do well with AI...he's on my fantasy team. lol
The Bears handled the Saints so easily...and we know what the Colts are capable of...that I have no idea who will win that one. I do think it will be high scoring though, similar score to the Pats/Colts.
As far as the refs in the Pats/Colts game, there isn't a face guarding rule in the NFL, so I'm not sure about that call on Hobbs since there wasn't any contact.
Anyone else besides me love the fact that it was snowing during the Bears-Saints game. I don't know what it is, but I just love games played in the snow.
Hey guys...wanted to throw this out there really quick.
I was at the Dayton/Richmond bball game on Saturday. With about 2:40 left in the first half, Richmond only had 2 points. They ended up with 8 at halftime. It got to the point where I was felt bad for them!
There isn't a face-guarding rule? You may want to check that...I think that always gets called. If a DB makes no attempt to find the ball and tries to make physical contact or block the face..flags fly.
I think crying about the officiating is totally off on this game. The officials did a good job and ALL of their flags were justified. I thought a few more should have been thrown (both ways).
All I have to say is GO BEARS!!!! becuase if you think the Peyton Manning ballwashing is bad now
Coming from a fan of Tom Brady's team this is hilarious. No one gets fellated more by the media than Tom Brady.
Two words for Patriots fans complaining about the refs and conspiracies: Tuck Rule.
Edgerrin James=Ewing Theory
I have to rail against BS' pro-Pats column. The Pats were ALWAYS colossally BORING. They played some exciting games, no doubt. But consider this:
1. Pat keep Branch and Vinateiri.
2. Pats try to win every regular season game.
3. Brady breaks records, Vinateiri breaks records, the team goes undefeated.
Wouldn't you rather watch that team? But NE was penny-pinching, salary cap hoarding and didn't want to try for glory. They over-thought this season and now they've paid for it.
Manning is good at the 2 minute, he just hasn't had a kicker or defense he can trust until now.
I'd like to take a moment to rub it into the faces of all the ...let me think....okay, Jaguars fans. Where were you guys when the playoff started, huh? Nowhere! On your asses on the couch!
HA HA HA! That's even worse than any team that's lost in the last 3 weeks. Your fan base must be so upset! How can you live with yourselves? Don't bother trying to blame the refs for your lousy mediocre record, or the fact that 2 or 3 plays could have gotten you into the playoffs! Where were the Jaguars players? They weren't in the stands yesterday wishing the Colts and Patriots good luck! That's what classy teams do! I'm appalled by the whole thing. It's all just so....insufferable. I hope all the ESPN writers who suck Jaguar balls fall down stairs and break their necks this morninng.
Has the sarcasm come across well?
Pitt not a contender? After losing to a ranked team? All 3 losses to ranked teams?
The Tuck Rule was karmic payback to the Raiders for the '76 playoffs. If it weren't for THAT game, John Madden might still be coaching looking for a super bowl win, by the way.
Can't find face guarding in the rule book. Here's what is pass interference though:
. It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such player’s opportunity to catch the ball. Offensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is snapped until the ball is touched. Defensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is thrown until the ball is touched.
Actions that constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to:
(a) Contact by a defender who is not playing the ball and such contact restricts the receiver’s opportunity to make the catch.
(b) Playing through the back of a receiver in an attempt to make a play on the ball.
(c) Grabbing a receiver’s arm(s) in such a manner that restricts his opportunity to catch a pass.
(d) Extending an arm across the body of a receiver thus restricting his ability to catch a pass, regardless of whether the defender is playing the ball.
(e) Cutting off the path of a receiver by making contact with him without playing the ball.
(f) Hooking a receiver in an attempt to get to the ball in such a manner that it causes the receiver’s body to turn prior to the ball arriving.
Maybe someone will ask them how long they've been black coaches?
Dennis, how do you feel about the Tomlin hire?
I'll be interested to see what he does with the defense now that LaBeau will probably retire.
The only way to make a troll go away is to ignore their petty comments.
Daddy Rosee is a moron, with nothing of value to add. Let him be.
I have not real complaints about the reffing in the Pats/Colts game there where a couple of questionable none calls as well as a couple of calls but you also have to give them credit for not calling PI on Hobbs when Wayne tripprd over his own feet and for getting the Gaffney TD catch call right.
Eric, no I was only referencing the Pats/Colts game. I was unable to see the NO/Chi game..just listen on radio.
reffing in the Pat/Colts game was better than the reffing in the Pat/Denver game last year.
>>Congratulations to Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy on being the first black coaches to lead their teams to a Super Bowl. And isn't it fitting that they'll face each other in "Black History Month?">>
Good God, how true! Due to media over-indulgence I sometimes forget that two excellent coaches will be headed to the Super Bowl. I know it may be too much, but can the race card please be left at the door?
That said, I suppose it's also fitting that Prince is the halftime entertainment?!?! I can only hope that he serves pancakes after his set.
"significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such player’s opportunity to catch the ball"
Hobbs significantly impeded the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. He was not making a play at the ball..simply trying to impede on the offensive player. That's why it's a PI call. Had he turned his head and played the ball...he would have been fine.
The first time it happens...its news. So yes, it is a big deal for Smith and Dungy to be the first black coaches in the SB. It won't be a big deal the 2nd time it happens...but this time around, its a story.
rafael. Got it.
Smaller news...are Steeler fans freaking out over Tomlin? Steelers have had the 3-4 longer than some fans have been alive... there seems to be a panic over the fact that a lot of names and faces synonymous with Steelers will be jettisoned.
It's something to follow..the Steeler D has been very solid for a long time...will there be huge changes?
(obviously I'm a Steeler fan..so I find this far more important than Colts/Bears)
If you want to know why fans get fed up with certain teams, just check out the headline to King's MMQB. He says you "Have to root for Peyton Manning." It's like Dan saying you "have to root for the Saints" or Simmons saying you "have to root for the Patriots."
It isnt the teams I hate, it is the massive media hype that accompanies every story. After reading Simmons' article on Friday, I agreed with his points about the players on the Pats. I would love to have guys like Troy Brown on my team. But we hear over and over again how great and underrated that are, it makes you want to puke. Same thing with Yankee players. Guys like Jeter and Rivera are great players, but we hear from the media and fans over and over about them, that is what causes the backlash.
I was rooting for UF in the BCS game, but I didnt turn on the WWL for 2 days afterward, because I knew every story would be about how great UF was. After the SB, I wont be able to watch ESPN for a week no matter who wins. It's just the age we live in. Over-hype things to the point of nausea and then watch the backlash.
List of overhyped/overplayed things:
- Yankees
- Peyton Manning
- Tom Brady
- That John Mellancamp song
- Any pop star
- Any movie coming out in the next 2 weeks (how many Alpha Dog commercials were on during the playoffs)
- Any pro or college championship team
- McCain, Hillary, Obama
I could go on forever!
I disagree that noone saw the Brady INT coming. When the Pats got the ball, I looked at my buddy watching the game with me and said "Brady throws an INT on this drive..."
I may be stupid, but I was also right in this case.
It will be interesting to see what Simmons writes on Wed. or Fri. about the loss. I did not like his column on Friday making his argument why we should root for the Pats and will see if he whines and complains about the Colts getting all the calls last night.
I'm a big Simmons' fan (and I know he has his critics throughout the web), but even I thought Friday's column was an over-the-top whine about how insecure and sad he is that not everyone loves his wonderful team. Is he serious? After he says he grew up hating the dominant, non-Boston teams in baseball, hockey and footbal as he grew up? What's different now? Oh right, it's the Pats, they're perfect and wonderful and scrappy and if you don't love them and love them winning and love seeing them on TV all the time, you must be a contributor to the downfall of civilization through your hater-ish ways. What a joke.
Anyway, yes I'm looking forward to his next column. I'm a little surprised he didn't have a special one ready to go for today.
Rafael
I'm a little nervous about LeBeau leaving. But I think Tomlin will take care of it on the defensive side.
I'm more concerned with who is going to be the offensive coordinator. Grimm will probably leave, so I'm not sure who Tomlin has in mind, but he needs to figure it out. It could be a long year for the Steelers next year.
But Simmons said that in his column. He acknowledged the fact that he's that way. And like he said, if it were are teams, we'd be the same way. Anybody who says any different is full of it.
That's the beauty of sports fandom, it's full of hippocrates.
Congrats to all the Colts fans, from a Bears fan. I hope for a good game, and a Bears Superbowl win.
We are so conditioned to think every minor contact on a pass is PI. I personally don't think that was a catchable pass, therefore not pass interference. They could have called illegal contact (another penalty I despise) but I am glad they let it go.
Seeing Pats fans groan about that no-call after winning how many games against the Colts by manhandling their receivers is good for a chuckle though.
I don't think the offense will lose anything (and after this year..plenty to improve) as Tomlin is a run-first guy.
I guess its hard to see things on the defensive side. Since the D has been good...any change is more likely to cause negative effects than positive as there is more room to go down than to improve. That's what's scary.
I think the Steelers have: LBs, DTs for 4-3 but don't have the CBs, DEs for it. Well..we'll see.
So much for Pitt as a contender.
I'll put this in terms you'll appreciate: UF lost last year to unranked, NIT-bound South Carolina. TWICE. Neither in OT. Isn't OT kind of a tie? So to play 40 minutes of basketball against the #24 team and come out even shouldn't, I think, be a sin punishable by death.
I'm a Pats fan (albeit not as much as I root for the Red Sox), and I have to say, I'll be rooting for the Colts in the Super Bowl.
I thought the officiating in last night's game was pretty good, but not perfect by any means (for either side), but that ultimately what cost the Pats the win was just that they were too slow on defense (particularly the linebackers). The Colts did a great job of exposing that by balancing the run and passing games, and ultimately just made one or two more big plays than the Pats did.
If the Pats choked, it was their defense, not Brady. I think they didn't choke as much as they just got outplayed by a better team.
The Pats have had such a great run in games like these during the past few years, so they were due to lose one of them, weren't they? (For the record, every Pats fan knows the Tuck Rule game was crap, right?)
And really, Tony Dungy and Marvin Harrison seem like pretty good guys. Can't say I'm looking forward to the 59 Peyton Manning ads that are out there, but the Mastercard ones actually are kind of funny (until they get viciously overplayed).
Look, my basic point is that I don't think Pats fans are really being that whiny about all this. It was a great game, and one that the Colts won, and that's pretty much it as far as I think...
-Todd (Boston)
rafeal
The secondary is something that needed to be addresses regardless. I'm just glad they hired a young hungry guy. it'll be just what the team needs.
Bears Linebacker vs colts tightends is a good matchup. I think they bears backers are fast enough to keep up with Clark and Utecht. Big passes will have to come on the outside for the Colts.
last I checked, it's colts 3 for the last 3. Ya know why? Because the Colts are better than the patriots now.
And you know why the Pats used to beat the Colts? Because they were better then. That's why they were HOME playoff games in '04 and '05, and a ROAD game this year.
By the way, how many playoff games did Joe Montana lose? I remember a 49-3 game...although he might not :)
Point is, nobody wins every game, but it's fun to try.
Todd summed it right up.
drakeep, I don't know that everyone worries about the fact that not everyone loves their team the way Simmons seemed to on Friday. It's one thing to hate all dominant teams until that team is yours -- I agree that everyone does that. But I don't know that everyone gets all in a tizzy about the fact that it's now your turn to be hated. Since you're winning, I'd think most people enjoy it, at least a little. Simmons, I think, feels a particular need to defend himself because he can't take the poor put-upon fan position for the Sox or Pats any more, and he hates to be compared to the Yankees or their fans. I just think Friday's column was too much.
I love living in Chicago right now. Snow on the ground, every FREAKING person wearing Bears gear, no one working since all we can do is talk about the game....and all the "experts" predicting an Indianapolis win by a touchdown or so.
Keep bringing the disrespect. The Bears feed off of it.
I'll go out early and call the Super Bowl: Bears 34 - Colts 24. TJ and Cedric the Benson each score a TD, Hester runs a punt or kickoff back for another, and the D contributes courtesy of a Vasher INT TD return. And Rex looks awesome, throwing for 250 with no INTs (he's no Trent Dilfer...just replay that 4-for-4 TD drive capped by the Berrian catch to prove it).
You know, I was going to post a bunch of Trent Dilfer stats from the 2000 post-season (like I did to defend Cal Ripken), but i couldnt do it. His stats are horrible.
Oh well, my memory has him playing well back then. He was just what the Ravens needed, a QB who didnt make mistakes. The good thing about Trent was that you knew what you would get from him that post-season. With Rex, you have no clue and that is the scary part for Bears' fans.
Mattie
I agree. But I don't know why people are so surprised that the guy would defend his point of view. It's not he's calling people who don't like the Pats "soulless" like some people. But he makes a good point about them playing the game at a high level.
He writes from a fan's perspective, right. So that's what it was a fan's perspective. And because of that he's a joke?
I don't get it.
More news today...Parcells is retiring. I wonder if Jerry Jones will give Mr. Cowher a call.
"So Much for Pitt as a contender"
Yea i lose respect for your college bball opinion everytime you say stupid stuff like that. Losing 3 times to ranked teams (once in OT and once in double OT on the road) is a sign you cant "contend" ha ha wow... even funnier to know Pitt beat an FSU team that Florida couldn't...
As a MN fan, the Tomlin hire was a surprise and tough to hear. He was enjoyable to have coaching the defense. He's always fired up.
I was hoping we could hold him for a couple more years and eventually replace Childress, who might have the least amount of fire I have ever seen. Tomlin will be a great coach. I believe hiring the young guys (payton, mangini) is the best way to go. Pitt should be happy.
OK, time for my $0.02
FIRST OF ALL LET'S GET THE TUCK RULE STRAIGHT
NFL Rule 3, Section 21, Article 2, Note 2: "When a Team A player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble."
So basically, the ref made THE RIGHT CALL in the tuck rule game. If the rule is dumb that's another story. You can't blame the Pats because the Ref was bound by a dumb rule. (let's not mention the fact that the NFL still hasn't changed that rule...)
As far as last night's game goes, I think that Brady was very good. He put all sorts of points on the board and would've had more if Reche "Ricochet" (Berman's nickname) Caldwell had, A. not dropped a wide open TD, B. not dropped a wide open first and goal, and C. gotten the call on what was obviously pass interference.
The bottom line is that Brady has no receivers and he still had them in the game. The defense gave the game away. And even with all the defense did to lose the game, Brady still almost won it.
Props To: The refs for making a great call on the Gaffney play and on the Reggie Wayne tripping himself play, Gaffney for a crazy play, Brady for having a good game, Peyton for having a great 2nd half.
No Props To: The refs for not making the PI call in the endzone, Pats 2nd half defense, 1st half Peyton, Reche Caldwell (obviously).
Now for an angle that you might not have heard...
What happens if Tom Brady does the very Tom Brady thing? If the Pats win, what do people say about Peyton?
He did all he could?
-OR-
He threw the Pick 6 and can't beat the Pats?
And if you even think about the latter, how is it fair to say how well Peyton played if it comes down to what Brady does? Clearly Peyton realized that's what would happen, hence the head-between-the-legs-position.
Note: Anybody who says that the latter wouldn't cross their mind is lying to themselves.
For the record, when I said that all Pats fans know the Tuck Rule game was crap, it's because I think most Pats fans know the rule is crap, not that the refs made the wrong call. I mean, seriously, the rule is crap, right?
-Todd (Boston)
Guess T.O. won and stays in the BigD!!
You know what the over looked thing in that Tuck Rule play is the Ref's actually missed a call. If you go back and look at the tape Woodson actually hits Brady in the head which I believe is "Roughing the Passer" but the Raiders Fans and Patriot Haters will always say the refs got the Tuck Rule Wrong.
Go Back and Look at the Tape either way that was the Patriots ball and it actually should of been 15 yards closer to the End Zone.
SPORTS GUY ARTICLE!!!
actually Lenny they had a perfect view of the from the Back of the End Zone and Gaffney Never stepped out of bounds before catching the ball.
As far as the playoffs... I think the SB will be the best, great offense v. great defense/special teams. Once again, I am backing Dungy, what an awesome man.
Grossman is so hot and cold (understated) that I can't believe he would have another descent game. Maybe two weeks off will give him enough time to plan and study how to hand off 70 times in a game.
Simmons is an idiot!!! he was born in 1969 but here is a quote from the article.
"And you know what? It worked! Indy went three-and-out and Manning banged his thumb on somebody's helmet; CBS even showed a replay of Manning telling backup quarterback Jim Sorgi, "Be ready." Instantly, I remembered Wilt Chamberlain's famous knee injury in Game 7 of the '69 Finals, when Wilt took himself out in the fourth quarter and the Celtics ended up winning their 11th (and last) title of the Russell Era. This was like Wilt, The Sequel. Manning had an out, the Pats would win, and we'd spend the next two weeks making jokes about his thumb. Seemed like a perfect ending to me."
drakeep, he didn't say soulless (and as someone who was rooting for the Saints, I agree that Dan's use of that term was ridiculous), but he did say something along of the lines of the fact that not everyone loves this Pats team is a bad sign for the future of sports. And the detailing of everything this Pats team has been through -- as if they aren't overexposed and lauded by the media enough anyway, or as if he was showing us all the light so we could all say, "Yes! I love the scappy Pats!" like he wants us too -- was just too much for me, even from a fan giving a fan's perspective. I certainly don't expect him to be objective or detached, but I expect him (and frankly, most fans) not to expect everyone to fall in line with loving their team as much as they do, and not get overly bent out of shape when people don't. That's all.
Lenny I guess you do not have an HDTV because they had a perfect shot right down the back line of the end zone and they actually showed a couple shots that showed he never stepped out. Even the annoucers said that Gaffney did a great Job of being aware of the end line and stay in bounds. None of them definetly said he stepped out of bounds.
He knew where he was the whole time and the final replay showed he never stepped out.
Just how he pulled it off is still the mystery.
I only saw the one replay where at best you could say it was hard to tell whether or not he stayed in... if there was another replay from the opposite sideline, I never saw that... was that during the game telecast?
But really, it doesn't matter, does it?
Lenny, Hi-Def is where it's at man. Trust me, makes a huge difference in sports.
Ok, Anyone want to set the over/under for when Parcells unretires?
My Guess is Under 2 Years.
patriots64, Simmons watches those games on ESPN Classic.
I think the Vick thing is a cover-up. Why have a bottle with a secret compartment? Why else would he be such a slacker? This has Ricky Williams 2.0 written all over it.
Anyone notice Team USA got a meaningless win over the Dutch? In a non-olympic year, I'll take that.
I'm still shocked the Colts won. I can hardly even type that sentence.
For everyone complaining about over-hype on this and a million other blogs: Stop watching ESPN. They have a business to run, and if people didn't watch, they wouldn't be able to sell ad time.
So your team didn't win, big deal. This is one of the most interesting matchups we could have. Mr. unpredictable vs. Mr. Choke. Urlacher crushing addai and Freeney stripping the ball from Rexy.
No one is talking about this, but I was shocked that Harrison has lost a step. He couldn't get separation, and in the first half it was glaring. I think one of the second half fixes is that Manning gave up on Harrison and the deep routes.
He played well in the second half, but I still don't like Manning's play calling.
I have read Sports guy since Day 1 and he still an idiot Bostonian. He makes it sound like he was at the game. not that he was watching a 30 y/o tape of the game.
"But replay showed something else: Gaffney was out of bounds before making the catch, which should have made him ineligible to catch the pass. So it was a tainted touchdown that shouldn't have counted."
I think it's funny that people are pissed off NOW at Patriots fans for not being whiny enough after the loss. To the point of trying to antagonize them over details. So if someone fights back over one of the details, it's like "See, I told you you're a bunch of spoiled winners who don't deserve the team you had"
LeBeau is staying in Pittsburgh! Long live the 3-4!!!
Pitt is STILL a contender...stop making stupid comments...you're turning in to a real idiot!
Congrats to the Colts and Bears fans!!
Do you honestly think that Tomlin was hired because he is black and that is what is "hot" right now? Let's ignore the fact that on Saturday reports surfaced that Tomlin was the choice BEFORE the Championship games. The Steelers have had only 2 coaches in the last 38 years and they obviously picked someone that they hope will last another 15 years - so I don't think they'd follow any fad and I'm sure the Rooneys would be insulted to hear that.
Thanks Daddy Rosee. Finally someone realizes that we all haven't dubbed him our new spokesperson. ala Ben Afflek.
I enjoy his articles, but despise being lumped into the collective "New England Asshole" group with him.
Gallo-Patriots choke
Sean
From the Pitt post-gazzette
"Dick LeBeau, in his second tenure as the Steelers' defensive coordinator, is unlikely to remain in that capacity under a head coach who believes in the 4-3 defense."
Bill Belichick coaching LT and other Bolts in Pro_Bowl should be interesting!
News: "According to the Boone County Sheriff's Department, Bengals defensive back Johnathan Joseph was a passenger in a vehicle that was weaving around 2:15 Monday morning. When deputies stopped the vehicle, they said they detected an odor of drugs. Police said a search turned up a bag of marijuana, and Joseph was charged with possession."
solomonrex,
The US beat Denmark, not the Dutch.
Not as impressive by a longshot.
After Simmons, Gallo is the one guy that I never miss an article from. This paragraph was simply priceless.
Quotations always need their proper context. But sometimes they're better without context. This is one of those cases. Following the game Sunday, Peyton Manning said: "I don't get into monkeys." Now, you can Google that phrase and find the AP article with the full quote and what prompted it. Or you can just imagine we live in a world in which a reporter asked Manning after reaching his first Super Bowl: "Dude, I hear you're into monkeys." I suggest the latter.
b1b in mn - you're an idiot. It's okay, you're in great company with all the other morons who keep harping on the "Good Rex/Bad Rex" storyline.
I'll remind all of you, our "hot and cold," "unpredictable", "worst QB in a Super Bowl ever" (thanks, Don Banks, for that last one), is at last check 18-6 as a starter in the NFL. He was second in the NFL (behind Bulger, I believe) in games with a QB Rating over 100. Yesterday, his 2nd half passing rating was 105.4 (yes, he had a rough first half - part nerves, part the fact that the Bears whole game plan was pounding away with the running game). 8 games this season the Bears scored more than 30 points, all with Sexy Rexy leading them.
Oh yeah, and all that in his first full season as a starter.
Good/Bad Rex discussions are all a farce. Please, keep it up. It'll make the post-Bears blowout in the Super Bowl Manning face (while Rex is clutching the MVP award) all the more sweet....
(Oh, and EVERYONE in Chicago is THRILLED that the Bears are a touchdown underdog....just where we like to be - playing with a chip on our shoulder).
Yep, Tomlin is keeping LeBeau. Reported in Post-Gazette.
Good choice. and practical. Why retool a good defense all at once? LeBeau won't coach that many more years (and only has 1 on contract I think) so stay in 3-4 as you retool personnel for the 4-3 if needed.
Brady didn't choke. He played a really good game, and so did Peyton. At the end he had to drive 80 yards for a TD in 1 minute with 2 timeouts. It's doable, but not expected (which is how I would define chokiing). Time was running out and Brady needed to try and force a ball ... interception ... ball game. But I don't see how that's choking.
I called the Brady INT. Granted it was for the previous series when they took the lead but close enough in my book.
Da Bears, Da Bears, Da Bears, Da Bears, Da Bears!
What happens if Tom Brady does the very Tom Brady thing? If the Pats win, what do people say about Peyton?
I hope they would say what my buddies and I were saying as Brady started that last drive: well, Brady's gonna throw the TD, but this thing wasn't Peyton's fault. Great second half, and a clutch performance after the thumb thing.
He was second in the NFL (behind Bulger, I believe) in games with a QB Rating over 100.
But he was also tops in the leaguye in games with QB rating under 40. This season, there was really only one way to describe his performances: Good Rex/Bad Rex. Yesterday, though, Bad Rex just happened to not show up. We got Meh Rex for the first half and Pretty Good/Clutch Rex for the second. Hoinestly, it was kinda weird.
Yes, Grossman led the league in games with a QB rating under 40 - I just don't get all the Good/Bad Rex discussions.
Looking at his season, the following games were bad: Arizona (inexcusable, but he might have been lax in his preparation), Miami (against a great defense, though), New England (on the road, against a great defense, and the Bears were still in the game until the end), the 2nd Minnesota game (on a really brutally bad weather day, against a good defense), and the last game against Green Bay (Bears had nothing to play for, Rex admittedly didn't prepare too much). With the exception of Arizona and Green Bay, his bad games came against teams with good defenses - teams, in other words, that made a LOT of QBs look bad.
I just don't buy Rex as being such an enigma or wildcard - in big games (with the exception of New England), he's played really well. He's NOT Trent Dilfer (who NEVER could have put up that 2nd half drive that Grossman delivered Sunday) - he's much better.
I think the national media will make a huge mistake if they think Rex is automatically SOOOO much worse than Peyton. Hey, Peyton's a Hall of Famer - no arguments there. But I don't think the drop off from Peyton to Rex is insurmountably steep.
(P.S. Rex should have been the NFC's 3rd QB in the Pro Bowl - not Romo. Just compare the stats....)
Chaddogg~ Can you make that a 32-23 Bears victory...I'll win $12k then!
What drugs is Caldwell on? Those eyeballs were scaring me.
That was a great AFC championhip game. I thought Belichick's answers after the game to the CBS sideline guy were HILARIOUS (very monotone and 3-5 words)! Then they went back to studio and Sims and Marino have their hands in the air as if they were saying "WTF was THAT!?"
I didn't think the officiating was that bad. The back of the endzone catch was so close...if the Colts' defender hadn't touched him, I don't think he would have gotten that second foot down, but who knows. So, because of that rule, you should tell your DBs to lay off??
I hate the colts mostly because i hate peyton manning form his UT days., but you have to respect coach dungy. The man turned around the tampa franchise and has done a pretty good job in indy. Combined with his son's suicide last year you have to really feel good for the man. Regardless I have to root for the bears because if I don't I wont get vah-j-j- privileges from the woman. It makes sense why dan has to root for the gators even though he has no connection to the city other than his wife. I think it should be perfectly acceptable to root for any team that has some connection to your family unless they are playing your team. Luckily for dan N'western will probably never play UF so he wont have to make the hard choice of who to support.
Damn. Denmark? I got to get FSN.
I disagree Heroin Sheik, my brother went to Duke, and there's no way I'd ever root for them, considering my school (BC) has a competitive D1 team.
I think exceptions can be made if your school doesn't have a D1 team, you grew up with a state school, or if your school is non-competitive (read: Northwestern), otherwise, you can't be a sports bigamist.
todd ching - Northwestern is non-competitive? Ouch.
Maybe in basketball (alright, definitely in basketball), but since 1995, we've won a share of 3 Big Ten football titles (and made bowl games a couple other times). And with Pat Fitzgerald in place as our eventual version of JoePa, we're poised for future greatness (the recruiting experts have all lauded Fitzgerald's recruiting class as one of the tops in the Big Ten this year, behind OSU, Michigan, and Illinois).
As for rooting for a family member's team, I think for spouse's it's okay, or other people if you have no stake in the game. But you can never support your spouse's (or family members') team if they play in the same conference under any circumstances (I don't care how gorgeous she is, if I marry a girl who went to Michigan, I still will never root for them...unless it's bowl season and they're playing an SEC team....)
re: Chaddogg said...
b1b in mn - you're an idiot. It's okay, you're in great company with all the other morons who keep harping on the "Good Rex/Bad Rex" storyline.
I have no problem with being called an idiot or a moron. If I was a Bears fan, I would have your same argument (maybe), but since I have company, I won't be lonely.
Even YOUR argument seems to paint a good picture of hot/cold, if you live outside of Chi.
If you are looking for some positivity, I would trade Rex's year for most of the other QB's in the league, especially the Johnson/Jackson crap here.
BTW, I never made the "worst SB QB" statement, because I agree, it is untrue. Don't know where that came from.
b1b in mn - sorry. Didn't mean to insinuate you made the worst QB in a Super Bowl comment. That was all Don Banks.
I guess I'm just sick of the Good/Bad Rex comments is all. Yeah, he had some bad games - largely against great defenses (with 2 exceptions - Arizona where Rex just played horribly, and Green Bay at the end of the season when his only concern was avoiding injury and he wasn't focused at all).
The larger point is, as jo fer points out, that when Rex is on he's REALLY good - and the fact of the matter is he has been "on" this season far more often than he's been off. If Ron Turner keeps the running game going like he did this past week (which softens up coverage and allows Rex to stretch the field deep), Rex will have another good game in Miami, I think.
I think this game (like most games for the Bears this year), comes down to 2 things, neither of which are Rex Grossman: 1) which defense shows up? (the one that forces turnovers like mad, or the one that gives up tons of yards), and 2) does Ron Turner stick with the running game, and does the O-line get Benson and Jones going?
If those questions are answered the right way for us Bears fans, we'll be Shuffling in Grant Park for a party....
I have largely laid off Dan for supporting Florida over Northwestern, but it is pretty ridiculous. I am a lifelong Buckeyes fan and they will always be my favorite team. As such, I also always hope for the Big 10 to go undefeated in bowl season (even cheering for Michigan on occasion) to validate the strength of the conference and thereby the Buckeyes. I didn't go to OSU, so I also have very strong ties to my alma mater (Army) and will root for Army in their 2 games against OSU (2009-2010) coming up.
The Dan corollary is that my wife went to an ACC school. While none of my schools play her school, I would be a total poser if I liked her team just because I like her. But, as it is, I have season tickets to her school and have a great time there, so by default I have become a huge backer of her school (unless they ever play Army or OSU).
So I think it is only acceptable to grab onto a spouse's favorite team if there is a second compelling reason to do so -- such as having season tickets. But that only counts if the two teams rarely play and you keep loyalty to your favorite team when they do!
>>seriously, i became uncomfortable with these sportscasters constantly reminding me of the two coaches race; as if it was some sort of extra-special accomplishment and they weren't ordinarily capable of coaching a champion.>>
Great comments, jizzymc..seriously. The only semi-legit reason I can think of to mention Smith and Dungy's color is to pound it into the thick skulls of intelligentsia poseurs who make excuses that blacks (and other minorities) can't make it without quota crutches that, well, anybody can accomplish anything, skin color be damned. Same theory applies to bassackwards people who still have the mentality that blacks can't float. Ig'nance is ig'nance.
He's NOT Trent Dilfer (who NEVER could have put up that 2nd half drive that Grossman delivered Sunday) - he's much better.
He is much better than Trent Dilfer. But what scares me is that he can also be much worse than Trent Dilfer. In that Rexy can really hurt you with disasterous plays. I'll give you that he played some bad defenses. That could bring a 100 QB rating guy down to, I don't know, a 40-ish, but when you're pulling off 1.3? That's something else entirely. I don't care if it's you're lining up against the 2000 Ravens and you forgot to bring your offensive line with you--a 1.3 should not happen.
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