Dan Shanoff

Back to Action!

So... I'm back. After 3 weeks in Israel and 1 week in Orlando I'm glad to be back home. (OK, I'm not. But how would you feel if I told you that you guys aren't the most interesting bunch ever? Yeah, that's what I thought.) Did anybody miss me? I know that when I left I was Big D's favorite commenter, and I wonder if that still holds true.

As far as the Pats-Colts debate goes...
I'm rooting for the Pats. As I'm not actually a fan of either team I will root for my favorite player, which is Tom Brady.

I don't understand the hatred towards Pat's fans. The suggestion that they even rival Yankee fans is insane. Pat's fans are just happy their teamhas been winning and that they have a great coach and QB. Can you blame them? If my team won three Super Bowls and had Belichek and Brady I'd be pretty fricking happy about it too.

I love the fact that I have another opportunity to see the Manning Face. I know deep down that Dungy is not a good playoff coach.

Sure, I think it's actually a little unfair that the Patriots line to the Super Bowl included Jets-Marty-Dungy. But that's how the cookie crumbles.
(on a side note: when was the last time you heard someone actually say "That's how the cookie crumbles." 5 years? 10?)

On a comppletely seperate note...
As a Bullets fan, I am blind to all things detrimental to Gilbert "Hibatchi!" Arenas. And if I was a Blazer right now, I'd be shaking in my boots.
(on a side note: when was the last time you heard someone actually say "I'd be shaking in my boots." 15 years? 20?)

Everybody's hating on the Colts this year... but I don't know, there's something about them this year, be it luck, desperation, whatever - that I think will catapult them into the Super Bowl. I don't care about how bad Dungy is in the playoffs or Manning's poor performance so far - this TEAM has something going for it and I don't think they can be stopped. Whether it be Pretty Boy Brady or the collective will of America's rooting interest in the Saints. I just hope these games are as exciting as they appear to be on paper.

I want the Colts and Saints to win so I am picking the Colts and Saints. Fuck hedging. Like that's going to make you feel any better when the team you want to win gets their ass kicked. BS

Yankee fans stopped being the banner carriers of annoying fans about 3 years ago. Boston fans have the stranglehold now.

I have no idea who will win Colts/Pats. I don't think anyone really does. I do want the Colts to win, for Dungy.

Tomlin is not going to the Steelers according to the team...so I'll trust them rather than ESPN.

Steelers didn't say Tomlin wasn't the guy. They said they have come to no contract agreement with anyone. The Pgh Trib stated that a source close to Grimm said he received an offer and accepted it. I think Grimm's people are the liars. The Steelers are negotiating with Tomlin.

ESPN is treating the Bears like they treated the 2005 White Sox when they were going through their record setting post season run- with no respect.

Look at the "experts" picks for the NFC game: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/features/talent.

That is fine with me. Its Chicago Bears versus the entire country.

Bears 31, Saints 24

Oh and

Colts 35, Pats 31 in a thriller

While I'm sure Tomlin is a very qualified candidate, here's a question to ponder if the Steelers do in fact hire Tomlin: did they hire him because he was better than all the other candidates or was he hired because Dan Rooney is associated with the "Rooney Rule" and needed to hire an african-american coach to legitimize the rule.

Because he's the best guy for the job. They wouldn't hire someone to legitimize a rule (which by the way only states that minorities need to be interviewed).

I'm going with the Bears and Patriots only because this year has been an "opposite" year. Whoever everyone thinks is going to win seems to lose every week.

I have no doubts that 1 road team will win.

Bears 34-13
Patriots 21-20 (Vinatieri misses a GW FG attempt) c'mon tell me how funny that would be!!

TD Bears!

Bears are in the Superbowl. The media still won't give them a chance regardless of who they play.

Well considering that the 6 seed for the afc last year beat the 1 seed for the nfc, and that the afc dominated the nfc head to head this year, shouldn't the afc be favored? Yes, I know the NL won the World Series this year, but most of the time the better half of the league ends up winning the championship.

What, Who's Yer Daddy Mellencamp not singing the national anthem??? I can only pray that this is still our country.

"What, Who's Yer Daddy Mellencamp not singing the national anthem??? I can only pray that this is still our country."

Nope, The U.S. was taken over by Mozambique and Gerald Ford is dead.

The truth is, I wouldn't say the Pats were lucky there. They had a fumble that was crazy unpatriotic (npi). So the fact that they were lucky on the same play where they were unlucky cancels out, I think.

I did like the 2 replays though.

1 had Peyton with the obvious Manning face after such a play.

And the other was some moron in a Colt's Jersey running down the field pointing the other way while the ball came out from under and was recovered for a TD.

guyinthecorner, a botched handoff is not unlucky, it's just bad execution. I can't believe you even tried to make that argument. That is something I would have expected to hear Joe Buck say.

A botched handoff is bad execution. A botched handoff for a touchdown is lucky, even by Patriots luck standards.

I swear to god I hope the Bears destroy the Patriots 46-10 again.

We're only 8 months away from all the football experts saying how Peyton will finally win the big one this year. I'm gonna start making calendars with that day already marked.

Colts bring Sorgi in!!! hahahaha

That was a horrible call. First there is no way that he would have come down in bounds had he not been hit, but then they uphold him not starting out before the jump. This is a joke.

what a game!! Nice TD by Gaffney, good call!

Good call? He when he caught the ball, half of his body was out of bounds. He would have been lucky to get one foot in bounds much less 2.

I love watch O-Lineman score!!

That was a good call.

The jump reminds me of the time that Avery Johnson made that 3-pointer in the corner with his toes in bounds and his heels hanging over the line.

Then the catch was just crazy. He actually ept control the whole time.

Then he got 1 foot down and the other was clearly coming down in bounds.

What amazes me is the body control of NFL receivers these days. What the hell was that anyway?

He knew exactly where he was at all times.

The feet on the line before the jump was questionable and I clearly can see that not being overturned, but there is no way he would have come down. His body was moving back, the out of bounds line split his body, and he at best could get one foot in. Though this shows why they don't allow teams to challenge that call.

He could have got 1 foot down?

He did get 1 foot down!

And if he jumped inside the endzone and got 1 foot in the endzone, doesn't that mean he jumped straight up?

Hence the second foot would have come down in bounds.

Actually he go no feet in bounds because of the hit. He landed out after the hit and not part of him was in. And you can start in bounds and jump back to catch the ball and only then land with one in bounds.

doesn't matter it was called a Pats TD!!

I think you need to watch that replay again.

1 foot was CLEARLY in bounds and the other being forced out is only slighty questionable.

You are right. TD is the result and that is what matters.

I think it's annoying that now if Peyton screws up in the 4th Quarter of a big game he actually has a decent exuse.

That looked painful.

But in other news... Tom Brady's arm is having no trouble slinging that rock all over the field.

Has anyone noticed how many drops there have been in this game? I mean it is more than the number at Soldier Field.

Um...

You know what? I think that's where I'll leave it after that crazy non-pass interference call.

Just "Um...".

Their feet got tangled? Sure Phil. I agree. That is about as much as you can do without just grabbing him and tackling him outright.

pretty heavy handchecking allowed, hope they repay Pats on this series for Indy.

The first time when they called incidental contact because their feet got tangled, I think that the refs were trying to throw a call the way of the Pats. Little did they know that it really should have been a non-call because Reggie Wayne tripped himself.

Maybe on that play, the Refs were trying to make sure they repaid the Colts.

Unfortunetly they were making up for a bad call that was actually the right call.

Who knows? The first one on Wayne was correct whether for tangled feet or uncatchable. That last one that was not called on the Colts was mind boggling.

I just realized that these are going to be the announcers for the Superbowl. That blows.

Does Peyton do his best Peyton Manning imitation and screw this up?

Find out next on CBS!

Nah, I think that was an uncatchable ball. It is ticky tack calls like that one that ruin the NFL. Let them play!

And Patriot fans are whining about how refs call pass interference? Wow.

Peyton Manning in Playoff game typical bad throw when it counts: 2 bad throws / 2 plays

We really needed Simms to count the players in the huddle. I was afraid the Refs might have missed counted.

If I'm the Colts right now, I'd be afraid of scoring to early.

Very Afraid.

Every heart of every Indy fan almost just stopped when that WR lost the ball. Good thing for them he held on. Looks like OT may be in the works here.

That was roughing the passer.

If you are a mental patient.

That would be the aforementioned "Scoring too early" I was speaking of.

And everyone outside of Boston cheers!

Peyton can't watch lol

oh thank god!! no pats talk for another year!!

Tom Brady! CHOKE!

Bears 46 Colts 10 in the BigGame

So let me get this straight, does this make Tony Dungy the second black coach to guide a team to the Super Bowl?

Also, would Solomon Wilcots be the 17th or 18th black sideline reporter?

I'm speechless.

I actually cannot believe what I just saw.

Colts fans DO believe in miracles.

Down goes Belichek! Down goes Belichek!

The interception heard 'rounnd the world.

Brady is a choker!

Hope all Pats fans see how dumb that sounds.

Wow.

The realization that all of this year's Super Bowl commercials will be ruined because Peyton Manning will star in all of them just hit me like a ton of bricks.

This sucks.

As someone who lives in Fort Wayne and gets to see every Colts and Bears game very week, in quickie fashion, this is the Best. Super. Bowl. Ever.

Does anyone know what show is on next on CBS?

Pats had plenty of chances to put em away. Their own formula went against them. Don't let teams hang around. Gotta give it to Indy

No...Manning HAS to win for him to fade away. If he loses..then we'll have to hear about how close he's gotten to winning it all for the next 6 years.

But if he wins..then he becomes history. Noone gives a crap about Gruden, Vermeil, Steve Young, etc. once they won the game.

The truth is that McNabb isn't still atremendous loser and he has still failed to win the big one after he didn't get there so many times.

Boston will be pretty silent and depressed tomorrow. I.can't.wait.

Bears vs. Colts


ARE YOU SERIOUS!?


GO BEARS!

I have to admit that I am also at a crossroads.

On one side lies the path where the Colts are still a team that doesn't really spark any rooting interest for me. Peyton Manning is someone who has become exceedingly annoying over the years and Joseph "Live and Let" Addai is pretty much the only positive thing on their team. Dwight Freeney and Marvin Harrison are overrated, and although I enjoy Reggie Wayne, he is not a truly great player either. And then there's Cato June...

On the other side lies a path where the Colts could win and finally go away forever. That sounds very tempting. If Peyton made a deal with a higher power and guarenteed to not do anymore commercials if he could just win this game, I'd say give it to him. But otherwise I have a hard time endorsing Peyton Manning in any way.

This looks to be a Super Bowl where I choose a side to root for, and then bet on the other team. Just so there's some type of win-win situation.

All week the blogs (including Shanoff) shoved down our throats the, "Oh poor us fans, not another Pats/Colts game."

With all do respect, and I MEAN with all due respect, that idea aint worth a velvet painting of a whale and a dolphin gettin it on.

Poor us. Poor us for having to "suffer" through an exceptionally exciting, well played playoff game. Wow, did it ever suck to watch 2 really good teams play really good football, trading scores in a game that came down to the last 30 seconds.

Really good football? Linemen were scoring off of fumbles. That is pretty lousy football. Good ending though.

If you mean insufferable in the same way that you are insufferable about the Gators, then I hope that you suffer quite a bit in your 3 days.

So much for one visiting team and one home team winning in the Championship games. So much for Brady being undefeated in domes.

Has Reche Caldwell received the new Bill Buckner award? You'd think after the first drop, he'd learn to watch the ball in his hands. Or, was it the new Curse of Vinatieri? Did the curse have an in"flu"ence on the Pat's D in the 2nd half?

I don't think there's been a Super Bowl with two teams that are geographically as close to each other. The closest was San Francisco/San Diego.

WUZUPG said...
"I don't think there's been a Super Bowl with two teams that are geographically as close to each other. The closest was San Francisco/San Diego."

While Part 1 of that statement (this is the closest) is correct, Part 2 (the previous closest was San Fran/San Diego) is horribly wrong.

List of closest teams to eachother in miles in a Super Bowl:

1. Super Bowl XLI, Bears (Chicago) - Colts (Indianapolis), 183 miles
2. Super Bowl III, Colts (Baltimore) - Jets (New York), 192 miles
3. Super Bowl XXXV, Ravens (Baltimore) - Giants (East Rutherford), 193 miles
4. Super Bowl XXXIX, Patriots (Foxboro) - Eagles (Philadelphia), 294 miles
5. Super Bowl XXXIV, Rams (St. Louis) - Titans (Nashville), 308 miles
6. Super Bowl XXV, Bills (Buffalo) - Giants (East Rutherford), 391 miles
7. Super Bowl XXVI, Bills (Buffalo) - Redskins (Washington), 456 miles
8. Super Bowl XXIX, 49ers (San Francisco) - Chargers (San Diego), 503 miles

guyinthecorner - Are you kidding? If the Colts win the Super Bowl the Peyton Manning overload we are already suffering is only going to get worse. Instead of every third commercial havin Manning in it, it will be every other commercial or worse every commercial.

Crazy Pats fan!! Craz Pats fan!!


;)


I still maintain the Manning mystique (as far as Peyton) goes, will begin to dissipate. Remember, noone likes a winner. Things might transfer over to Eli Manning...but he doesn't seem capable of anything other than an openmouth look of disbelief. not good for commercials.