And away we go...
Rooting for the Giants, if only because I'm rooting against the Patriots. But, alas, I think the Patriots are going to win, even without a full-strength Rob Gronkowski.
(It's not quite a "Rematch" in the sense that we'd all like it to be -- or that Alabama-LSU was -- but enough of the principals are still there that I still like the "revenge > repeat" mentality.)
Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady.
The ad everyone will be talking about will be... Volkswagen. They had the best ad last year and released a "teaser" for this year's ad that is better than 99% of the ads we'll see.
However! My favorite ad is one you won't even see...unless you live in Canada, where Budweiser has produced a hockey-flavored spot that would win the Ad Bowl if it played in the U.S., even if most American fans couldn't care less about hockey. Check it out. Amazing.
Super Bowl Halftime: Everyone will be totally satisfied with Madonna, who was perfectly adept during her press conference yesterday (it was the media that was the joke, with the exception of the reporter who asked Madonna about A-Rod's portrait of himself as a centaur).
Peyton Manning cleared to play: Or so he says. Jim Irsay tweeted out in the middle of the night that the Colts haven't cleared anything. Let's hope the Colts cut Manning as soon as they can -- like ripping off a Band-Aid -- rather than trying to massage what will be an awkward split.
Josh Hamilton reportedly has a relapse, with reports that he was in a bar drinking on Monday night: Sad story -- this happens. Let's not judge him; alcoholism is a disease that he continues to battle every day. It still has such a strong hold on him that he'd even walk into a local bar -- knowing he'd be spotted -- and proceed to fall off the wagon. Let's hope he continues to seek help.
MLB Hot Stove: Nats sign Edwin Jackson. I trust Joe Sheehan (you absolutely should subscribe to Sheehan's baseball newsletter, which just started its new season earlier this week and will give you 200+ emails over the next 52 weeks that will make you a smarter, better fan -- cannot recommend it more), and Sheehan has been making a great argument all Hot Stove season that Jackson was the best value on the board of any free agent. The Nats picked up a solid innings-eater -- as good of a No. 4 starter as any team in baseball has, including the Phillies -- at very low risk... just a single year at $10 million, with Jackson having every incentive (free agency again next season) to pitch at his best.
CFB: Jim Tressel gets a job at Akron -- "Vice President of Strategic Engagement," which is the best fake-sounding title in the history of college football (and perhaps anywhere). If you think Tressel doesn't end up back on his feet with a program, you don't understand college football.
NBA All-Star Starters: Hard to quibble with the East (Rose, Wade, LeBron, Carmelo, Howard), although I might not argue Carmelo has had an "All-Star starter" first half, given the injuries and his team's lousy performance. In the West, an LA-heavy squad (CP3, Kobe, Durant, Griffin, Bynum), with my only quibble that Kevin Love deserves a start, which I'd give him ahead of Bynum (and just have Griffin start out the game guarding D12).
CBB: Murray State remains unbeaten. I love this story, even if I'm confounded how far they will go in the NCAA Tournament. The Racers are 53rd(!) in KenPom's rankings (which are math-driven and, for my money, the gold standard), which means they are a double-digit seed that will -- if they stay unbeaten -- earn a Top 4 seeding (and a match-up against a fiesty 13-seed, followed by either a 5-seed or, if form holds, a talented 12-seed). They are a great story; I won't be picking them to get out of the first weekend -- and maybe not even the first day.
Reminder: While you are watching the Super Bowl on TV -- and maybe even checking Twitter and/or Facebook -- don't forget to pop by Quickish during the game for "just-enough" updates of the very best of the in-game chatter, mostly weeding out the dumb stuff from Twitter or live-blogs and only giving you the gems. And please tell friends!
Meanwhile, tons of great Super Bowl recommendations all day (and all weekend) long -- please check it out! Enjoy the game.
-- D.S.
Friday, February 03, 2012
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
02/01 (Signing Day) Quickie
Count me among the folks who enjoy National Signing Day, that college football recruiting bonanza when high school stars affirm their commitment to schools -- and a handful of uncommitted players make their announcements on national TV.
It's not that it isn't a little creepy. But the professionalization of college football recruiting -- at least a decade in -- has happened, and there's no going back to whatever it was before superstar 18-year-olds took a podium surrounded by family and picked from a couple of hats. The only question now is which players take the ceremony to a new level -- not unlike the way Isaiah Crowell pulled out an actual bulldog puppy when he announced for Georgia last year. That was, inarguably, the greatest moment in National Signing Day history.
Here's what I'd like to see: National Signing Day ceremonies for top-ranked high school engineering students or pre-med or journalism get the same hat ceremony. Why? Because it's fun, and it's a thrill for the kids.
More:
Super Bowl Media Day: The big story was Rob Gronkowski's ankle, which appears better than it was a week ago but still unknown whether it will be good to go on Sunday. The Patriots sure won't be giving anything away. I think there's no question he plays -- the only question is how effective he is. Without a full-strength Gronk, the Pats' offense isn't nearly as devastating.
(Otherwise, Media Day was kind of a dud.)
Peyton Manning Watch: Manning claims he feels good and thinks he'll play again. My default is to assume he might remain in the league but will never reach his All-Pro status again. Frankly, I think that even if he is cleared to play and is a high-profile signing for some QB-strapped team, he is going to get injured quickly and mercilessly and either be entirely ineffective or KO'ed altogether. That's certainly a shame -- for him, for the team that signs him, for his many fans. It's just the reality: What Peyton said yesterday is, at worst, wishful thinking and, at best, spin.
-- D.S.
It's not that it isn't a little creepy. But the professionalization of college football recruiting -- at least a decade in -- has happened, and there's no going back to whatever it was before superstar 18-year-olds took a podium surrounded by family and picked from a couple of hats. The only question now is which players take the ceremony to a new level -- not unlike the way Isaiah Crowell pulled out an actual bulldog puppy when he announced for Georgia last year. That was, inarguably, the greatest moment in National Signing Day history.
Here's what I'd like to see: National Signing Day ceremonies for top-ranked high school engineering students or pre-med or journalism get the same hat ceremony. Why? Because it's fun, and it's a thrill for the kids.
More:
Super Bowl Media Day: The big story was Rob Gronkowski's ankle, which appears better than it was a week ago but still unknown whether it will be good to go on Sunday. The Patriots sure won't be giving anything away. I think there's no question he plays -- the only question is how effective he is. Without a full-strength Gronk, the Pats' offense isn't nearly as devastating.
(Otherwise, Media Day was kind of a dud.)
Peyton Manning Watch: Manning claims he feels good and thinks he'll play again. My default is to assume he might remain in the league but will never reach his All-Pro status again. Frankly, I think that even if he is cleared to play and is a high-profile signing for some QB-strapped team, he is going to get injured quickly and mercilessly and either be entirely ineffective or KO'ed altogether. That's certainly a shame -- for him, for the team that signs him, for his many fans. It's just the reality: What Peyton said yesterday is, at worst, wishful thinking and, at best, spin.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
01/31 (Media Day) Quickie
A bit about Super Bowl Media Day, but first...
Holy smokes, did you see Blake Griffin's dunk over Kendrick Perkins from last night? Gah!
With that as a wake-up call, we can dig in to Media Day, which has become a tradition all to itself of Super Bowl week (almost as much of a tradition as complaining about Media Day).
Here is the reality: Reporters still get a week's worth of stories out of the group availability (Pats from 10-11, Giants from 12-1).
But in a real-time world, what is said during Media Day is instantly news (and, yes, the dumb stunts also get some attention -- for a company that cares deeply about how its product is produced and promoted, it seems counterproductive for the NFL to encourage the sideshow freaks of Media Day.) This was clear when I covered it for Quickish last January.
In the end, Media Day isn't a necessary evil, because it is neither necessary nor evil. It is, however, the most appropriate testament to the excess of the week.
More:
*Once again: Blake Griffin's dunk.
*CFB: Tomorrow is National Signing Day, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I get into it over the final 48 hours or so.
*NBA: This is a day late, but one quick observation about the Heat-Bulls game from Sunday -- normally, I think that regular-season match-ups are entirely overrated. But that one felt like foreshadowing for late March.
*Pop Culture: How do you feel about Honda's Super Bowl ad featuring Matthew Broderick and a remake/rip-off of "Ferris Bueller?" I appreciate those who find it blasphemous, but note that Honda is going to own this week of Super Bowl ad hype because of it.
*Recommended: No, highly recommended -- Joe Sheehan's baseball newsletter is entering its new season, and I think it was the best $30 I spent last year. If you're a big baseball fan, it's a no-brainer. And if you're a casual baseball fan, it will increase your appreciation and enjoyment of the game exponentially. (And if you know a baseball fan, it's a fantastic gift.) Subscribe here.
*In case you missed it: There were several outstanding pieces written off the epic Djokovic-Nadal Aussie Open men's final. Check them out here.
But, really, Blake Griffin. Yikes.
-- D.S.
Holy smokes, did you see Blake Griffin's dunk over Kendrick Perkins from last night? Gah!
With that as a wake-up call, we can dig in to Media Day, which has become a tradition all to itself of Super Bowl week (almost as much of a tradition as complaining about Media Day).
Here is the reality: Reporters still get a week's worth of stories out of the group availability (Pats from 10-11, Giants from 12-1).
But in a real-time world, what is said during Media Day is instantly news (and, yes, the dumb stunts also get some attention -- for a company that cares deeply about how its product is produced and promoted, it seems counterproductive for the NFL to encourage the sideshow freaks of Media Day.) This was clear when I covered it for Quickish last January.
In the end, Media Day isn't a necessary evil, because it is neither necessary nor evil. It is, however, the most appropriate testament to the excess of the week.
More:
*Once again: Blake Griffin's dunk.
*CFB: Tomorrow is National Signing Day, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I get into it over the final 48 hours or so.
*NBA: This is a day late, but one quick observation about the Heat-Bulls game from Sunday -- normally, I think that regular-season match-ups are entirely overrated. But that one felt like foreshadowing for late March.
*Pop Culture: How do you feel about Honda's Super Bowl ad featuring Matthew Broderick and a remake/rip-off of "Ferris Bueller?" I appreciate those who find it blasphemous, but note that Honda is going to own this week of Super Bowl ad hype because of it.
*Recommended: No, highly recommended -- Joe Sheehan's baseball newsletter is entering its new season, and I think it was the best $30 I spent last year. If you're a big baseball fan, it's a no-brainer. And if you're a casual baseball fan, it will increase your appreciation and enjoyment of the game exponentially. (And if you know a baseball fan, it's a fantastic gift.) Subscribe here.
*In case you missed it: There were several outstanding pieces written off the epic Djokovic-Nadal Aussie Open men's final. Check them out here.
But, really, Blake Griffin. Yikes.
-- D.S.
Friday, January 27, 2012
01/27 (Friday) Quickie
Peyton Manning vs. Jim Irsay: The cynic in me thinks that this is orchestrated to minimize the damage stemming from the inevitability of Peyton leaving/the Colts booting him.
But I suspect I overestimate the machinations of even the canny Manning and the loony Irsay.
What should be obvious to everyone -- and welcome to Colts fans -- is that the Colts should dump Manning, replacing his injured neck* and his massive salary for a spry, ready-to-takeover Andrew Luck and his reasonable rookie deal.
* - I'm baffled that reporters and fans think that a free-agent Manning is something to seek out. There is no evidence that he will be ready to return to NFL form (let alone Manning form!) next season. In fact, until proven otherwise, he is less useful than a backup QB, who at least could take a hit without worrying you'll break his neck. I wouldn't sign Manning, even if I was the most QB-depleted team in the league. And that's not even considering what he'll demand in costs.
I appreciate that Colts fans are attached to Manning. I also hope THEY appreciate that few teams ever get such an obvious, easy and affordable succession plan -- there will be no awkward situation where the expensive vet continues to start while the future sits and waits (and perhaps pouts). If the Colts didn't have Luck lined up, perhaps it would be a different conversation. But they do, and that means they have the ideal replacement -- immediately -- for Manning. I suspect most Colts fans are nostalgic about Manning leaving but absolutely thrilled about Luck.
Let's put it this way: If you asked most Colts fans what they would rather have -- Manning coming off a career-threatening neck injury that has yet to be proven he is healed from (at $26 million) or rookie Luck in full health and as ready to start immediately in the NFL as any college QB in the history of the sport (and at a bargain rate) -- they would take Luck.
Please give Quickish a look today, and thanks for your continued support. Have a great weekend.
-- D.S.
But I suspect I overestimate the machinations of even the canny Manning and the loony Irsay.
What should be obvious to everyone -- and welcome to Colts fans -- is that the Colts should dump Manning, replacing his injured neck* and his massive salary for a spry, ready-to-takeover Andrew Luck and his reasonable rookie deal.
* - I'm baffled that reporters and fans think that a free-agent Manning is something to seek out. There is no evidence that he will be ready to return to NFL form (let alone Manning form!) next season. In fact, until proven otherwise, he is less useful than a backup QB, who at least could take a hit without worrying you'll break his neck. I wouldn't sign Manning, even if I was the most QB-depleted team in the league. And that's not even considering what he'll demand in costs.
I appreciate that Colts fans are attached to Manning. I also hope THEY appreciate that few teams ever get such an obvious, easy and affordable succession plan -- there will be no awkward situation where the expensive vet continues to start while the future sits and waits (and perhaps pouts). If the Colts didn't have Luck lined up, perhaps it would be a different conversation. But they do, and that means they have the ideal replacement -- immediately -- for Manning. I suspect most Colts fans are nostalgic about Manning leaving but absolutely thrilled about Luck.
Let's put it this way: If you asked most Colts fans what they would rather have -- Manning coming off a career-threatening neck injury that has yet to be proven he is healed from (at $26 million) or rookie Luck in full health and as ready to start immediately in the NFL as any college QB in the history of the sport (and at a bargain rate) -- they would take Luck.
Please give Quickish a look today, and thanks for your continued support. Have a great weekend.
-- D.S.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
01/26 (Paterno) Quickie
The public memorial for Joe Paterno is today. Best thing I've read about Paterno in the last 24 hours is Wright Thompson's walk-around with Jay Paterno.
If you are following the Paterno story, I'd also recommend Jonathan Mahler's just-published Kindle Single "Death Comes to Happy Valley." Well worth the $1.99.
More:
*Greg Schiano leaves Rutgers for the Bucs: It's the Northwestern alum and Gary Barnett fan in me that thinks that it is infinitely harder to turn around a historically wretched college football program than it is to steer the ship at an existing or underperforming traditional winner. I appreciate that college coaches going to the NFL is, aside from Harbaugh, an iffy proposition. I think Schiano becomes one of the exceptions and does well.
*Colts hire Ravens DC Chuck Pagano: He gets the cushion of being the Colts' first coach in the post-Peyton era AND the benefit of starting that era with the most NFL-ready college QB of the last 30 years (which includes Peyton). Good hire by the Colts.
*Nadal beats Federer: A great match, one that started live at 3:30 a.m. ET, making it all the more fun to watch (if you were willing to get up and sneak peeks in between hitting the snooze button), particularly that it concluded during breakfast.
*The most interesting result in the NBA last night: The Cavs beating the Knicks by 10. The Knicks are terrible -- even worse given the expectations set up by importing Carmelo and Amare. Is it possible that Knicks fans feel even worse than Wizards fans? (Yes!)
*Hot Stove: Lidge to Nats. The Nationals might have missed out on Prince Fielder, but they shored up an already potent young bullpen by signing Brad Lidge, who will provide a steady veteran presence and put the bullpen in the Top 3 in the NL. With a solid top 3 in the rotation (Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzalez) and a 'pen that is lights out if the starters can take a lead through 6 innings, the Nats look like a darkhorse playoff team in '12.
*College hoops last night: So much for the Mizzou bandwagon. That lasted all of -- what? -- 5 days. Losing at Oklahoma State -- motivated beyond belief -- doesn't mean that Mizzou isn't fiesty enough to make the Final Four. But it IS one of those losses that makes you wonder when you're deciding if Mizzou makes it through the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
-- D.S.
If you are following the Paterno story, I'd also recommend Jonathan Mahler's just-published Kindle Single "Death Comes to Happy Valley." Well worth the $1.99.
More:
*Greg Schiano leaves Rutgers for the Bucs: It's the Northwestern alum and Gary Barnett fan in me that thinks that it is infinitely harder to turn around a historically wretched college football program than it is to steer the ship at an existing or underperforming traditional winner. I appreciate that college coaches going to the NFL is, aside from Harbaugh, an iffy proposition. I think Schiano becomes one of the exceptions and does well.
*Colts hire Ravens DC Chuck Pagano: He gets the cushion of being the Colts' first coach in the post-Peyton era AND the benefit of starting that era with the most NFL-ready college QB of the last 30 years (which includes Peyton). Good hire by the Colts.
*Nadal beats Federer: A great match, one that started live at 3:30 a.m. ET, making it all the more fun to watch (if you were willing to get up and sneak peeks in between hitting the snooze button), particularly that it concluded during breakfast.
*The most interesting result in the NBA last night: The Cavs beating the Knicks by 10. The Knicks are terrible -- even worse given the expectations set up by importing Carmelo and Amare. Is it possible that Knicks fans feel even worse than Wizards fans? (Yes!)
*Hot Stove: Lidge to Nats. The Nationals might have missed out on Prince Fielder, but they shored up an already potent young bullpen by signing Brad Lidge, who will provide a steady veteran presence and put the bullpen in the Top 3 in the NL. With a solid top 3 in the rotation (Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzalez) and a 'pen that is lights out if the starters can take a lead through 6 innings, the Nats look like a darkhorse playoff team in '12.
*College hoops last night: So much for the Mizzou bandwagon. That lasted all of -- what? -- 5 days. Losing at Oklahoma State -- motivated beyond belief -- doesn't mean that Mizzou isn't fiesty enough to make the Final Four. But it IS one of those losses that makes you wonder when you're deciding if Mizzou makes it through the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
01/25 (Garyland) Quickie
Another day in my new life in DC, another big sports event here I won't be attending in person. This time it is tonight's Gary Williams court dedication at Maryland.
Like all my rooting interests, I have a complicated relationship with Maryland. I grew up a huge Maryland basketball fan -- Len Bias was and will always be my favorite player ever. I was 13 when he died. The next few years were spent in the purgatory of Bob Wade, then the NCAA sanctions. Then Gary Williams arrived -- I was 16.
By the time I was mostly through college, Williams had resuscitated the program, mining Baltimore for top prospects willing to bring Maryland back to glory: Booth. Rhodes. Simpkins. The unexpectedly sublime game of Joe Smith. The foundation of what would come a half-dozen years later, when Maryland would push Duke to its limits in 2001, the Terps forging themselves into the team that would, in 2002, win the school's first and only national title. It was Gary Williams' finest achievement -- it was Maryland's finest sports moment.
From there, it was a slow descent over a decade to the sorry state of the program now -- certainly better than when Williams found it in the late-80s. But nowhere near where it was during the peak of his effort -- the mid-90s through that championship season.
Maryland basketball maintains a special place for me -- as does Gary Williams, for delivering that championship I don't think any fans ever thought would come. For a really good retrospective of Williams, check out this from just after he retired, by the Baltimore Sun's supremely talented columnist, Kevin Van Valkenburg.
-- D.S.
Like all my rooting interests, I have a complicated relationship with Maryland. I grew up a huge Maryland basketball fan -- Len Bias was and will always be my favorite player ever. I was 13 when he died. The next few years were spent in the purgatory of Bob Wade, then the NCAA sanctions. Then Gary Williams arrived -- I was 16.
By the time I was mostly through college, Williams had resuscitated the program, mining Baltimore for top prospects willing to bring Maryland back to glory: Booth. Rhodes. Simpkins. The unexpectedly sublime game of Joe Smith. The foundation of what would come a half-dozen years later, when Maryland would push Duke to its limits in 2001, the Terps forging themselves into the team that would, in 2002, win the school's first and only national title. It was Gary Williams' finest achievement -- it was Maryland's finest sports moment.
From there, it was a slow descent over a decade to the sorry state of the program now -- certainly better than when Williams found it in the late-80s. But nowhere near where it was during the peak of his effort -- the mid-90s through that championship season.
Maryland basketball maintains a special place for me -- as does Gary Williams, for delivering that championship I don't think any fans ever thought would come. For a really good retrospective of Williams, check out this from just after he retired, by the Baltimore Sun's supremely talented columnist, Kevin Van Valkenburg.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
1/24 (Quicker) Quickie
*Super Bowl lead-up: Yes, yes, we get it -- Pats-Giants Rematch. Boston-New York. Anyone else already sick of that storyline? Get used to it.
*Pop Culture: Oscar nominations came out this morning and "Moneyball" earning Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor noms make it the most Oscar-acclaimed baseball movie ever (and one of the most Oscar-acclaimed sports movies ever).
*Peyton Manning: Says he has no idea what's next. Says he's going to talk about it with Jim Irsay. Says he would like to stay but realizes he probably won't get to. More indications he's gone.
*Tim Thomas: Thomas has the right to do what he wants (and say what he wants). I think it's less disrespectful to the President (or the office of the President or even the American people who the President represents) than it is disrespectful to his teammates -- first, for putting his own interests ahead of the team's and not joining them, despite his reservations, and second, for creating a situation where everyone is ignoring what should be a great day for his team and teammates to concentrate exclusively on his unnecessarily inflammatory gesture and rhetoric.
*Wozniacki out in Australia: We can finally stop talking about her being the least-qualified No. 1 player in women's tennis history. She'll lose the ranking next week. (If you haven't been watching the Aussie Open, the upcoming Nadal-Federer semifinal will be your must-see.)
*CFB: Navy joining the Big East (three years from now). Good fit all around.
*Best Thing I Read Yesterday: SBNation's Spencer Hall on Joe Paterno, the best of the (largely, very good) Paterno retrospectives of the past 48 hours.
*Also Very Good: Slate's Stefan Fatsis -- who literally wrote the book on kickers in the NFL -- had an excellent (and spontaneous) three-part series about ill-fated Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff that had a surprise ending.
-- D.S.
*Pop Culture: Oscar nominations came out this morning and "Moneyball" earning Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor noms make it the most Oscar-acclaimed baseball movie ever (and one of the most Oscar-acclaimed sports movies ever).
*Peyton Manning: Says he has no idea what's next. Says he's going to talk about it with Jim Irsay. Says he would like to stay but realizes he probably won't get to. More indications he's gone.
*Tim Thomas: Thomas has the right to do what he wants (and say what he wants). I think it's less disrespectful to the President (or the office of the President or even the American people who the President represents) than it is disrespectful to his teammates -- first, for putting his own interests ahead of the team's and not joining them, despite his reservations, and second, for creating a situation where everyone is ignoring what should be a great day for his team and teammates to concentrate exclusively on his unnecessarily inflammatory gesture and rhetoric.
*Wozniacki out in Australia: We can finally stop talking about her being the least-qualified No. 1 player in women's tennis history. She'll lose the ranking next week. (If you haven't been watching the Aussie Open, the upcoming Nadal-Federer semifinal will be your must-see.)
*CFB: Navy joining the Big East (three years from now). Good fit all around.
*Best Thing I Read Yesterday: SBNation's Spencer Hall on Joe Paterno, the best of the (largely, very good) Paterno retrospectives of the past 48 hours.
*Also Very Good: Slate's Stefan Fatsis -- who literally wrote the book on kickers in the NFL -- had an excellent (and spontaneous) three-part series about ill-fated Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff that had a surprise ending.
-- D.S.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
01/23 (Too Much) Quickie
RIP Joe Paterno: In the end, the child sexual-abuse scandal and dismissal made the first paragraph of Paterno's obituary, right alongside sweeping declarations about the scope and success of his legendary (if tarnished) career.
I'm left feeling bad for him that his final months were so painful -- while still reserving the right to begrudge him the way he handled the Sandusky situation. As fans, we can feel both things for him, and his legacy should consider both.
It remains a sad day for his family, for Penn State fans and for college football fans everywhere -- my condolences are with the Paternos and JoePa's vastly larger Penn State family.
*There is an incredible collection of Paterno obituaries, analysis and reflection at Quickish. Click here to check it out.
Super Bowl: Pats vs. Giants. Yes, the rematch. Yes, Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning. Yes, Bill Belichick against Tom Coughlin, who foiled the perfect season. And, yes, Boston versus New York, which should send the rest of the country scurrying for cover.
NFC: Giants escape San Francisco in OT. Others have said it, and it's worth repeating -- so the NFC title came down to the 49ers not having Ted Ginn available? This doesn't take away from Jim Harbaugh's first season as an NFL head coach -- the most brilliant NFL debut by a head coach in recent memory. The Giants put together the least impressive regular season of any team ever to get to the Super Bowl -- far less qualified than a 6-seed Wild Card like the Steelers a few years ago. Then again, the Giants have played brilliantly in the postseason and more than earned their way with wins over the Falcons, Packers and 49ers -- the final two on the road -- in consecutive weeks. They are worthy conference champs.
AFC: Ravens choke against the Pats. Let's stipulate that even if Billy Cundiff had made the field goal, there is no guarantee the Ravens win in OT. But let's say the win the toss, then kick a FG, then hold the Pats to a FG, then kick another FG. The point is that if you hate the Patriots, this was a tough loss. But if you like the idea that the league's best coach and the league's best QB earned their way back into the Super Bowl for the 5th time in the past decade with a win over a very good conference foe, you're happy enough. (But you're probably feeling a bit like you did a few years ago -- hoping they'll lose to the Giants in an upset.)
*Again, there is an incredible collection of NFL analysis this morning at Quickish. Click here to check it out.
CFB: Oregon's Chip Kelly reportedly leaving for NFL's Bucs, then flips around and stays at Oregon. As a Florida fan, this is reminiscent of when Billy Donovan left after the back-to-back championships for the Magic, only to come back to Florida the next day. Kelly didn't go quite that far -- his interest in the NFL is clear (I think he'd be an excellent NFL coach, way more Harbaugh than Spurrier), but he's got a good thing going in Eugene... arguably as good of a thing as any coach in the country, including Saban at Alabama (which feels like the gold standard). Too bad for the Bucs -- great news for college football in '12, where the budding Oregon-USC rivalry should be the marquee showdown of the season.
College hoops this weekend: I watched most of Mizzou's win over Baylor in Waco, and I'm ready to hop on the Tigers' bandwagon as a very legitimate Final Four team, size issues be damned.
-- D.S.
I'm left feeling bad for him that his final months were so painful -- while still reserving the right to begrudge him the way he handled the Sandusky situation. As fans, we can feel both things for him, and his legacy should consider both.
It remains a sad day for his family, for Penn State fans and for college football fans everywhere -- my condolences are with the Paternos and JoePa's vastly larger Penn State family.
*There is an incredible collection of Paterno obituaries, analysis and reflection at Quickish. Click here to check it out.
Super Bowl: Pats vs. Giants. Yes, the rematch. Yes, Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning. Yes, Bill Belichick against Tom Coughlin, who foiled the perfect season. And, yes, Boston versus New York, which should send the rest of the country scurrying for cover.
NFC: Giants escape San Francisco in OT. Others have said it, and it's worth repeating -- so the NFC title came down to the 49ers not having Ted Ginn available? This doesn't take away from Jim Harbaugh's first season as an NFL head coach -- the most brilliant NFL debut by a head coach in recent memory. The Giants put together the least impressive regular season of any team ever to get to the Super Bowl -- far less qualified than a 6-seed Wild Card like the Steelers a few years ago. Then again, the Giants have played brilliantly in the postseason and more than earned their way with wins over the Falcons, Packers and 49ers -- the final two on the road -- in consecutive weeks. They are worthy conference champs.
AFC: Ravens choke against the Pats. Let's stipulate that even if Billy Cundiff had made the field goal, there is no guarantee the Ravens win in OT. But let's say the win the toss, then kick a FG, then hold the Pats to a FG, then kick another FG. The point is that if you hate the Patriots, this was a tough loss. But if you like the idea that the league's best coach and the league's best QB earned their way back into the Super Bowl for the 5th time in the past decade with a win over a very good conference foe, you're happy enough. (But you're probably feeling a bit like you did a few years ago -- hoping they'll lose to the Giants in an upset.)
*Again, there is an incredible collection of NFL analysis this morning at Quickish. Click here to check it out.
CFB: Oregon's Chip Kelly reportedly leaving for NFL's Bucs, then flips around and stays at Oregon. As a Florida fan, this is reminiscent of when Billy Donovan left after the back-to-back championships for the Magic, only to come back to Florida the next day. Kelly didn't go quite that far -- his interest in the NFL is clear (I think he'd be an excellent NFL coach, way more Harbaugh than Spurrier), but he's got a good thing going in Eugene... arguably as good of a thing as any coach in the country, including Saban at Alabama (which feels like the gold standard). Too bad for the Bucs -- great news for college football in '12, where the budding Oregon-USC rivalry should be the marquee showdown of the season.
College hoops this weekend: I watched most of Mizzou's win over Baylor in Waco, and I'm ready to hop on the Tigers' bandwagon as a very legitimate Final Four team, size issues be damned.
-- D.S.
Friday, January 20, 2012
01/20 (NFL Final Four) Quickie
Let's get right to it: The Pats will beat the Ravens and the 49ers will beat the Giants.
Now that the Quickie Jinx is in effect, let's dig in:
*Obviously, I'm not rooting for the Patriots -- admiration for Bill Belichick aside -- and as weak as the Pats' D might be, I can't see the Ravens keeping up with Brady and the triple-threat of Welker-Gronk-Hernandez. Then again, there's always 2009 to look to for inspiration.
*I've come around on these 49ers -- by far the most likeable team left in the field (and perhaps, in hindsight, the most likeable team in the entire league this season), if only for the combination of storylines of Jim Harbaugh's brilliant rookie year and Alex Smith's validation.
Both games should be fun (if impossible to match last week's Saints-49ers game), and it feels like the only one of the four possible outcomes that would have fans grumbling is a Ravens-Giants Super Bowl repeat. (It really shouldn't, because a Super Bowl title for Lewis and Reed to end their careers would be thrilling, and it's fascinating to think that the Giants could have the weakest regular season of any NFL champ in history.)
Enjoy.
-- Dan
Now that the Quickie Jinx is in effect, let's dig in:
*Obviously, I'm not rooting for the Patriots -- admiration for Bill Belichick aside -- and as weak as the Pats' D might be, I can't see the Ravens keeping up with Brady and the triple-threat of Welker-Gronk-Hernandez. Then again, there's always 2009 to look to for inspiration.
*I've come around on these 49ers -- by far the most likeable team left in the field (and perhaps, in hindsight, the most likeable team in the entire league this season), if only for the combination of storylines of Jim Harbaugh's brilliant rookie year and Alex Smith's validation.
Both games should be fun (if impossible to match last week's Saints-49ers game), and it feels like the only one of the four possible outcomes that would have fans grumbling is a Ravens-Giants Super Bowl repeat. (It really shouldn't, because a Super Bowl title for Lewis and Reed to end their careers would be thrilling, and it's fascinating to think that the Giants could have the weakest regular season of any NFL champ in history.)
Enjoy.
-- Dan
Thursday, January 19, 2012
01/19 (Wizards!) Quickie
As a lifelong Wizards fan, there are only a handful of great moments I can point to. Signing Bernard King was a fun one. Trading for Chris Webber was a great one. (Trading him away for Mitch Richmond, not so much.) Signing Gilbert Arenas (before things went... y'know.)
Two summers ago, when the Wizards won the John Wall Lottery, that was the closest thing I had ever experienced to the ecstasy of a championship with this team, which otherwise had given me so much frustration over the years -- no year more than this one, when the "rebuild" seemed like a vacant foreclosure.
This season, the Wizards started with one win in their first baker's dozen of games -- by far the worst record in the NBA, but even worse, the Wiz gave the worst effort in the NBA. Andray Blatche is the worst. JaVale McGee is a knucklehead. Nick Young and Jordan Crawford shoot way too much. John Wall's body language suggested he was serving time.
Last night, the Thunder -- the model of how a winning team is built from the ground up and an odds-on favorite to win the West (if not an NBA championship) -- came to town and I fully expected Oklahoma City to teach the Wizards a brutal lesson. After all, if the Timberwolves can shellack the Wiz by 20, the Thunder should be able to double that up, easy.
I scored a ticket to the game with a buddy; the seats were phenomenal. We settled in to watch the massacre. And yet... the Wiz kind of hung in there. They made the usual bone-headed mistakes and missed the usual litany of forced jumpshots -- but the rebounding was solid and the defense was relatively intense.
They kept it close at the half, then in the third quarter. Along the way, I noted that it's a moral victory even for the team to make it a game with the Thunder, even if they ended up losing. But as the Wiz took a tenuous lead, I shifted from the thrill of moral victory to realizing that when (not if) the Wiz lost this lead and this game, it would be the worst loss of them all.
With 90 seconds to go, the crowd got on its feet to will the Wizards to hang on to that lead, even as the Thunder seemed primed to come back, take the game to OT and claim the victory they clearly figured two hours earlier would be in the bag. It was the closest thing the 2011-2012 Wizards would get to a playoff atmosphere -- this felt like the team's championship, if they could just eke it out.
When Kevin Durant's desperate 3 to tie with a second to play rimmed out -- and I'll bet that 90% of the arena figured it was going to drop right in (I sure did) -- the Wiz claimed the most unlikely victory of the NBA season.
And a fan base that had been beaten down over the past dozen or so games by a team that seemed hapless and helpless got that flicker of joy that every other team's fans seem to get on a more regular basis (and certainly the playoff and Finals contenders get constantly).
Woefully low expectations are typically a huge problem -- they indicate that your team is going to be horrible. But in this case, it allowed for the thrill -- the genuine glee and surprise -- of watching the worst team in the league (your team) beat one of the best.
It was enough to keep me happy as a fan for the long losing season ahead.
More:
*Yu Darvish signs with the Rangers: When he ends up being something in between solid and spectacular, it will be an entirely reasonable signing. (It's unlikely Texas also makes a play for Prince Fielder, but I'd rather spend $150M on Prince than $100+ on Josh Hamilton.)
*"The Streak" ends: Trinity's 252-match squash winning streak -- the greatest streak in the history of college sports -- was snapped last night by rival Yale. Worth going back to read the New York Times Magazine profile of the team from last February.
*Parenting: This is a pretty good recap of solid parenting techniques, via Deadspin's Drew Magary.
Pop by Quickish today to keep up with the best takes on the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
Two summers ago, when the Wizards won the John Wall Lottery, that was the closest thing I had ever experienced to the ecstasy of a championship with this team, which otherwise had given me so much frustration over the years -- no year more than this one, when the "rebuild" seemed like a vacant foreclosure.
This season, the Wizards started with one win in their first baker's dozen of games -- by far the worst record in the NBA, but even worse, the Wiz gave the worst effort in the NBA. Andray Blatche is the worst. JaVale McGee is a knucklehead. Nick Young and Jordan Crawford shoot way too much. John Wall's body language suggested he was serving time.
Last night, the Thunder -- the model of how a winning team is built from the ground up and an odds-on favorite to win the West (if not an NBA championship) -- came to town and I fully expected Oklahoma City to teach the Wizards a brutal lesson. After all, if the Timberwolves can shellack the Wiz by 20, the Thunder should be able to double that up, easy.
I scored a ticket to the game with a buddy; the seats were phenomenal. We settled in to watch the massacre. And yet... the Wiz kind of hung in there. They made the usual bone-headed mistakes and missed the usual litany of forced jumpshots -- but the rebounding was solid and the defense was relatively intense.
They kept it close at the half, then in the third quarter. Along the way, I noted that it's a moral victory even for the team to make it a game with the Thunder, even if they ended up losing. But as the Wiz took a tenuous lead, I shifted from the thrill of moral victory to realizing that when (not if) the Wiz lost this lead and this game, it would be the worst loss of them all.
With 90 seconds to go, the crowd got on its feet to will the Wizards to hang on to that lead, even as the Thunder seemed primed to come back, take the game to OT and claim the victory they clearly figured two hours earlier would be in the bag. It was the closest thing the 2011-2012 Wizards would get to a playoff atmosphere -- this felt like the team's championship, if they could just eke it out.
When Kevin Durant's desperate 3 to tie with a second to play rimmed out -- and I'll bet that 90% of the arena figured it was going to drop right in (I sure did) -- the Wiz claimed the most unlikely victory of the NBA season.
And a fan base that had been beaten down over the past dozen or so games by a team that seemed hapless and helpless got that flicker of joy that every other team's fans seem to get on a more regular basis (and certainly the playoff and Finals contenders get constantly).
Woefully low expectations are typically a huge problem -- they indicate that your team is going to be horrible. But in this case, it allowed for the thrill -- the genuine glee and surprise -- of watching the worst team in the league (your team) beat one of the best.
It was enough to keep me happy as a fan for the long losing season ahead.
More:
*Yu Darvish signs with the Rangers: When he ends up being something in between solid and spectacular, it will be an entirely reasonable signing. (It's unlikely Texas also makes a play for Prince Fielder, but I'd rather spend $150M on Prince than $100+ on Josh Hamilton.)
*"The Streak" ends: Trinity's 252-match squash winning streak -- the greatest streak in the history of college sports -- was snapped last night by rival Yale. Worth going back to read the New York Times Magazine profile of the team from last February.
*Parenting: This is a pretty good recap of solid parenting techniques, via Deadspin's Drew Magary.
Pop by Quickish today to keep up with the best takes on the biggest topics.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
01/17 (Moving On) Quickie
Unless your team was knocked out, I think most fans are entirely satisfied with the NFL's conference-championship match-ups, particularly given the thrilling way we got to an NFC final.
Let's do a quick ranking of the four possible Super Bowls:
(1) Patriots-49ers. Great O, great D, two best coaches in football.
(2) Patriots-Giants. Rematch of the greatest Super Bowl upset ever.
(3) Ravens-49ers. The "Harbaugh Brothers" Bowl.
(4) Ravens-Giants. 50% off your Northeast Corridor Amtrak ticket?
I like the idea that it feels like the outcomes are fairly predictable -- Pats and 49ers, right? -- but if last week reminded us of anything, it's that predictable outcomes are there to be imploded.
More:
*Happy 70th birthday, Muhammad Ali. I think that if I had the chance to meet any athlete in the world, it would be Ali. What: You thought I'd say...
*Tim Tebow: More underminey rhetoric from John Elway, tabbing Tebow as the Broncos' "starting QB heading into training camp," making him the only QB among playoff teams (and more than half the non-playoff teams) to not be the clear-cut Week 1 starter.
Would it have been so bad if Elway had said "Tim is our Week 1 starter." Like anyone is going to hold Elway to it if something goes horribly awry in training camp. The worst part -- for everyone, including Elway -- is that most media took his qualified support as "Tebow is the starter next year!"
Let's all remember: If Tebow had lost his first game as a starter in Week 7, he would have been benched. Same with a loss in Week 9, Week 10 and Week 11 (and probably Weeks 12 or 13).
What continues to mystify me is that Elway and Fox seem scared to do what they want to do -- cut or trade Tebow -- because of what they presume would be a public outcry. They are waiting for him to fail on the field to give them the more air cover, even though they don't really believe in him as their long-term starting QB. Can you imagine Bill Belichick giving a crap what the fans or media have to say about how he runs his team?
*NBA on MLK Day: Good things happen for the Lakers when Kobe passes up the final contested shot to find an open teammate. Do we say the same thing if Derek Fisher misses that game-winning 3? Maybe not. But Fisher was a sub-20 percent 3-point shooter this season, but canned that one when he was wide open, thanks to the attention Kobe drew. One to grow on....
*Dwight Howard Watch: He's willing to play for the Clippers. Too bad the Clippers don't have anything reasonable to offer the Magic, except... would you trade Blake Griffin for Dwight Howard? Blake is a lot younger (and cheaper); Howard is even more elite. The question is: Is Chris Paul + Blake Griffin better than Chris Paul + Dwight Howard? I don't think so. In that case, I'd make the deal. (Obviously, the Magic would be THRILLED for that deal.) Then again, I'm one of the folks who thinks that the Heat would be better with Wade + Bosh + Howard than Wade + Bosh + LeBron. (Sigh: Think the Magic would take my Wizards' JaVale McGee for Howard? I'll take Dwight as a half-season rental at this point.)
*College Hoops: Did Kansas expose Baylor? Or did the Bears simply run into another elite team, playing at home, with a bit of pressure built up from being one of the handful of remaining unbeatens left in the country? I would like to see the rematch in the Big 12 Tournament. Meanwhile: KU's Tyshawn Taylor was the big scorer, but Thomas Robinson is outstanding.
Be sure to check out Quickish to catch up on what you might have missed yesterday and throughout the day today. Thanks for the continued support!
-- D.S.
Let's do a quick ranking of the four possible Super Bowls:
(1) Patriots-49ers. Great O, great D, two best coaches in football.
(2) Patriots-Giants. Rematch of the greatest Super Bowl upset ever.
(3) Ravens-49ers. The "Harbaugh Brothers" Bowl.
(4) Ravens-Giants. 50% off your Northeast Corridor Amtrak ticket?
I like the idea that it feels like the outcomes are fairly predictable -- Pats and 49ers, right? -- but if last week reminded us of anything, it's that predictable outcomes are there to be imploded.
More:
*Happy 70th birthday, Muhammad Ali. I think that if I had the chance to meet any athlete in the world, it would be Ali. What: You thought I'd say...
*Tim Tebow: More underminey rhetoric from John Elway, tabbing Tebow as the Broncos' "starting QB heading into training camp," making him the only QB among playoff teams (and more than half the non-playoff teams) to not be the clear-cut Week 1 starter.
Would it have been so bad if Elway had said "Tim is our Week 1 starter." Like anyone is going to hold Elway to it if something goes horribly awry in training camp. The worst part -- for everyone, including Elway -- is that most media took his qualified support as "Tebow is the starter next year!"
Let's all remember: If Tebow had lost his first game as a starter in Week 7, he would have been benched. Same with a loss in Week 9, Week 10 and Week 11 (and probably Weeks 12 or 13).
What continues to mystify me is that Elway and Fox seem scared to do what they want to do -- cut or trade Tebow -- because of what they presume would be a public outcry. They are waiting for him to fail on the field to give them the more air cover, even though they don't really believe in him as their long-term starting QB. Can you imagine Bill Belichick giving a crap what the fans or media have to say about how he runs his team?
*NBA on MLK Day: Good things happen for the Lakers when Kobe passes up the final contested shot to find an open teammate. Do we say the same thing if Derek Fisher misses that game-winning 3? Maybe not. But Fisher was a sub-20 percent 3-point shooter this season, but canned that one when he was wide open, thanks to the attention Kobe drew. One to grow on....
*Dwight Howard Watch: He's willing to play for the Clippers. Too bad the Clippers don't have anything reasonable to offer the Magic, except... would you trade Blake Griffin for Dwight Howard? Blake is a lot younger (and cheaper); Howard is even more elite. The question is: Is Chris Paul + Blake Griffin better than Chris Paul + Dwight Howard? I don't think so. In that case, I'd make the deal. (Obviously, the Magic would be THRILLED for that deal.) Then again, I'm one of the folks who thinks that the Heat would be better with Wade + Bosh + Howard than Wade + Bosh + LeBron. (Sigh: Think the Magic would take my Wizards' JaVale McGee for Howard? I'll take Dwight as a half-season rental at this point.)
*College Hoops: Did Kansas expose Baylor? Or did the Bears simply run into another elite team, playing at home, with a bit of pressure built up from being one of the handful of remaining unbeatens left in the country? I would like to see the rematch in the Big 12 Tournament. Meanwhile: KU's Tyshawn Taylor was the big scorer, but Thomas Robinson is outstanding.
Be sure to check out Quickish to catch up on what you might have missed yesterday and throughout the day today. Thanks for the continued support!
-- D.S.
Monday, January 16, 2012
01/16 (Giants, Wow) Quickie
Hey, don't miss Quickish's NFL stream this morning, with some smart takes on yesterday's games.
The Packers were a great story this season -- a mini-dynasty (or standard version) in the making. The Giants waltzing into Lambeau and throttling them is an even better story, the kind of you-kind-of-hope-it-will-happen-but-don't-expect-it-to-happen result that makes sports fun. (As compared to, say, Tom Brady's evisceration of Tebow and the Broncos on Saturday night, which was -- lamentably -- entirely predictable and without much of any shade of doubt.)
It instantly lines up right behind the Super Bowl win over the Pats as the greatest game of Eli Manning's career -- one in which he is settling nicely into just enough consistency and signature wins to wonder whether it's unreasonable to think both Mannings are future Hall of Famers.
And it triggers a "hot hand" theory about these Giants that immediately gets the pundits talking about 2007 (but really -- per Grantland's Barnwell -- looks more like Green Bay's run from last year, most notably for the the road shellacking delivered to a seemingly superior No. 1 seed.)
Last big issue from yesterday's game (aside from the notable instances of atrocious officiating): Did the combination of the first-round bye plus taking off Week 17 hurt the Packers? Obviously, it's hard to say, and you'd like to think pros playing at a high level can manage that kind of tapering -- on the other hand, it's impossible to ignore, and I think that, at the very least, any team that far in the lead in Week 17 will at least play its starters for a half. (The far more intriguing idea is that playing in the bye week sharpened the Giants enough to pull the upset -- the Patriots and Ravens and 49ers are a counter to that, obviously, but qualitatively, it sure seems compelling.)
Looking ahead to next week: The Giants may have momentum and mojo, but I feel like Jim Harbaugh eats other teams' mo and mojo for a mid-day snack -- just look at what he did with the Saints' mojo. Now, the Giants' defense is far more dangerous than the Saints' D. Then again, the Giants' offense isn't nearly as tough to stop as Brees & Co. Harbaugh has proven himself to be the NFC's best coach (and perhaps the NFL's best coach... and perhaps the current best head football coach in the world, regardless of level), and the Niners' confidence is off the charts. Then again, that's what we all thought about the Packers.
I don't mean to dismiss or ignore the Ravens' win over the Texans. It was entirely expected (if not as decisive as folks would have liked to see). I think the conventional wisdom will be that the Pats will throttle them in Foxboro next weekend -- that's a mistake, obviously; the Ravens are far more set up to upend the Pats than the Broncos were. (Best thing I read about the Ravens' win was from the Baltimore Sun's Kevin Van Valkenburg.)
As for Houston, they should be thrilled by finally making it to the playoff field, and feel comfortable that if they can keep Matt Schaub healthy, they are a contender to advance one more round to the AFC title game. (Then again, ratcheted expectations -- without a whole lot of breathing room -- are typically a route to being disappointed.)
Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.: SB Nation's Bomani Jones tweeted out a link to Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, and it's always worth it to re-read.
-- D.S.
The Packers were a great story this season -- a mini-dynasty (or standard version) in the making. The Giants waltzing into Lambeau and throttling them is an even better story, the kind of you-kind-of-hope-it-will-happen-but-don't-expect-it-to-happen result that makes sports fun. (As compared to, say, Tom Brady's evisceration of Tebow and the Broncos on Saturday night, which was -- lamentably -- entirely predictable and without much of any shade of doubt.)
It instantly lines up right behind the Super Bowl win over the Pats as the greatest game of Eli Manning's career -- one in which he is settling nicely into just enough consistency and signature wins to wonder whether it's unreasonable to think both Mannings are future Hall of Famers.
And it triggers a "hot hand" theory about these Giants that immediately gets the pundits talking about 2007 (but really -- per Grantland's Barnwell -- looks more like Green Bay's run from last year, most notably for the the road shellacking delivered to a seemingly superior No. 1 seed.)
Last big issue from yesterday's game (aside from the notable instances of atrocious officiating): Did the combination of the first-round bye plus taking off Week 17 hurt the Packers? Obviously, it's hard to say, and you'd like to think pros playing at a high level can manage that kind of tapering -- on the other hand, it's impossible to ignore, and I think that, at the very least, any team that far in the lead in Week 17 will at least play its starters for a half. (The far more intriguing idea is that playing in the bye week sharpened the Giants enough to pull the upset -- the Patriots and Ravens and 49ers are a counter to that, obviously, but qualitatively, it sure seems compelling.)
Looking ahead to next week: The Giants may have momentum and mojo, but I feel like Jim Harbaugh eats other teams' mo and mojo for a mid-day snack -- just look at what he did with the Saints' mojo. Now, the Giants' defense is far more dangerous than the Saints' D. Then again, the Giants' offense isn't nearly as tough to stop as Brees & Co. Harbaugh has proven himself to be the NFC's best coach (and perhaps the NFL's best coach... and perhaps the current best head football coach in the world, regardless of level), and the Niners' confidence is off the charts. Then again, that's what we all thought about the Packers.
I don't mean to dismiss or ignore the Ravens' win over the Texans. It was entirely expected (if not as decisive as folks would have liked to see). I think the conventional wisdom will be that the Pats will throttle them in Foxboro next weekend -- that's a mistake, obviously; the Ravens are far more set up to upend the Pats than the Broncos were. (Best thing I read about the Ravens' win was from the Baltimore Sun's Kevin Van Valkenburg.)
As for Houston, they should be thrilled by finally making it to the playoff field, and feel comfortable that if they can keep Matt Schaub healthy, they are a contender to advance one more round to the AFC title game. (Then again, ratcheted expectations -- without a whole lot of breathing room -- are typically a route to being disappointed.)
Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.: SB Nation's Bomani Jones tweeted out a link to Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, and it's always worth it to re-read.
-- D.S.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Sunday 01/15 (Very) Quickie
Let's lead with Tebow, because it's disingenuous for the media to spend a week making him THE story, then dismiss it because he fell short (even way short) of beating the No. 1 team in the AFC (and perhaps the NFL) rested and playing at home and led by a combination of the best coach and best QB of the generation. (Enough caveats?)
It's pretty simple, actually: There wasn't a result last night -- nail-biter or blowout or anything in between -- that would take away from what has, by all accounts, been a phenomenal season for Tebow and the Broncos: From expectations of a handful of wins (even fewer when Tebow took over the starting QB role) to a division title and Wild Card Weekend win over the defending conference champs. It was a successful year, relative to almost any other team in the league -- and a wildly successful one relative to the Broncos' own expectations for Tebow and the team in '11.
Yes, it was a blowout -- a humiliation. No, it wasn't unexpected. The Patriots are a juggernaut and I'm curious to see the team that can handle them -- of the remaining teams in the field, it seems like the 49ers have the best shot. Anyway...
What next for Tebow? The biggest risk to Tebow's future with the Broncos in '12 and beyond isn't Tebow -- it's John Fox, who was so vastly overrated this season that it masked just how overmatched he was when he veered slightly (let alone wildly) from the orthodoxies of offense that he is most comfortable with. Let's be clear: Tebow may have shown enough to merit a year of starting and the team may be fully behind him, but Fox is not. If it was up to Fox and he had his choice between coaching up Tebow and the team's scheme and inserting a mediocre veteran, he would pick the veteran. We know this because he already did -- in August, with Kyle Orton and with disastrous results. That -- and not the coach of the Tebow campaign -- is the real Fox.
That's more than enough about that (for now). Let's focus on Tom Brady's excellence and the ridiculous schematic advantage Bill Belichick enjoys with his pair of superlative tight ends -- Gronkowski and Hernandez, either one of whom could be a Top 5 TE when featured on a more conventional team, but when teamed (and teamed with Brady), become the most unstoppable force in football. The most surprising thing of last night's game was the way that the Pats defense came to play. That worked against the Broncos and should hold up against the Ravens-Texans winner (OK: the Ravens), but it's hard to know if it'll work against, say, the Packers.
Last note: It's a shame that the Tebow/Brady nightcap will take a bit of the glitter from the 49ers win over the Saints, which was one of the most exciting playoff games in NFL history. What a win for the 49ers, what a win for Jim Harbaugh (not just arguably the best coach in the NFL, but the best coach at any level in football) and what a win for Alex Smith, who has gone from maligned to playoff hero. Smith's ascension is an even more impressive story than Brady's big night (and certainly more than Tebow and the Broncos falling short).
-- D.S.
It's pretty simple, actually: There wasn't a result last night -- nail-biter or blowout or anything in between -- that would take away from what has, by all accounts, been a phenomenal season for Tebow and the Broncos: From expectations of a handful of wins (even fewer when Tebow took over the starting QB role) to a division title and Wild Card Weekend win over the defending conference champs. It was a successful year, relative to almost any other team in the league -- and a wildly successful one relative to the Broncos' own expectations for Tebow and the team in '11.
Yes, it was a blowout -- a humiliation. No, it wasn't unexpected. The Patriots are a juggernaut and I'm curious to see the team that can handle them -- of the remaining teams in the field, it seems like the 49ers have the best shot. Anyway...
What next for Tebow? The biggest risk to Tebow's future with the Broncos in '12 and beyond isn't Tebow -- it's John Fox, who was so vastly overrated this season that it masked just how overmatched he was when he veered slightly (let alone wildly) from the orthodoxies of offense that he is most comfortable with. Let's be clear: Tebow may have shown enough to merit a year of starting and the team may be fully behind him, but Fox is not. If it was up to Fox and he had his choice between coaching up Tebow and the team's scheme and inserting a mediocre veteran, he would pick the veteran. We know this because he already did -- in August, with Kyle Orton and with disastrous results. That -- and not the coach of the Tebow campaign -- is the real Fox.
That's more than enough about that (for now). Let's focus on Tom Brady's excellence and the ridiculous schematic advantage Bill Belichick enjoys with his pair of superlative tight ends -- Gronkowski and Hernandez, either one of whom could be a Top 5 TE when featured on a more conventional team, but when teamed (and teamed with Brady), become the most unstoppable force in football. The most surprising thing of last night's game was the way that the Pats defense came to play. That worked against the Broncos and should hold up against the Ravens-Texans winner (OK: the Ravens), but it's hard to know if it'll work against, say, the Packers.
Last note: It's a shame that the Tebow/Brady nightcap will take a bit of the glitter from the 49ers win over the Saints, which was one of the most exciting playoff games in NFL history. What a win for the 49ers, what a win for Jim Harbaugh (not just arguably the best coach in the NFL, but the best coach at any level in football) and what a win for Alex Smith, who has gone from maligned to playoff hero. Smith's ascension is an even more impressive story than Brady's big night (and certainly more than Tebow and the Broncos falling short).
-- D.S.
Friday, January 13, 2012
1/13 (NFL Divisional) Quickie
I actually try pretty hard to limit my Tebow talk here to just the big national storylines that everyone is talking about (For more on Tebow, try TimTeblog.com.)
But what happens when the Tebow story overwhelms everything else? From that dumb "St. Elmo's Fire" remake ("Tim Tebow's Fire") to the "Most Popular Athlete" poll to the talk about the "3:16" coincidences in the game to same-old stories about the Tebow story -- as if fans (even non-fans) don't already know all about him. And yet... people can't get enough.
I'm entirely ready to focus on tomorrow's game, and I'm left feeling pretty similar to last week: A win, of course, would be great. But Tebow's validation as an NFL player was in leading the Broncos (projected to 3 or 4 wins this season) to the playoffs. Last week's win was obviously a bonus -- it is Tebow's new legacy, from the great stats to the crystallizing final play ("The Pass") to the record-shattering TV audience numbers.
If the Broncos lose tomorrow, it doesn't mean anything about Tim Tebow. It doesn't mean he sucks, it doesn't mean he isn't an NFL QB and it doesn't take away from what happened last week and all season -- it means the Broncos lost on the road to the bye-week-rested No. 1 seed in the AFC. Yeah, losing under those conditions would be humiliating. Come on.
Here's what last week did for me -- and, without projecting too much, probably did for a lot of fans: It made me believe that the Broncos can beat the Patriots. That's not saying they will -- I'm just saying I believe it can happen, even more than I believed the Broncos had a puncher's chance at beating the Steelers.
Belief is a powerful thing. It is a huge part of what has driven the Broncos -- and the Tebow phenomenon -- all season long. The story of Tebow throughout his young NFL career comes down to disbelief ("Tim Tebow can't...") and belief, with the result largely trending toward: "I cannot believe that just happened."
If it ends tomorrow night, it doesn't take away from last week's career-defining win. It doesn't take away from a magic ride this season. It doesn't erode Tebow's position as the incumbent should-be-starting QB of the Broncos next season.
Maybe -- just maybe -- it means a little less Tebow hysteria, which has nothing to do with Tebow himself and everything to do with everyone else. Tebow's biggest fans and his biggest haters can all agree that's a welcome finish.
More:
*NFL Picks: 49ers over Saints... Packers over Giants... Ravens over Texans.
*Dwight Howard: 39 free throw attempts last night, an NBA record. He also had 40+ points and 20+ rebounds in a win over Golden State. He only made half of the FTs, There's some pretty good analysis that the number of free throw attempts correlates to winning much more closely than free throw percentage.
*NFL Draft: A few of Alabama's junior stars are going pro early, including Trent Richardson -- who has impressed me more than any RB in the NFL since Adrian Peterson. Richardson is going to do extremely well in the NFL (although he will end up on a team with a worse offensive line -- relative to competition -- than he had at Alabama).
*The NCAA president can get behind a 4-team playoff: That's fine. It's an improvement on the current system. But let's please not suggest that picking a 4-team group will be any less contentious than picking a 2-team pairing. In fact, I predict it will be a LOT more contentious. (For example, let's say that picking LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma State would have been relatively easy this season for a 4-team field. Who is the fourth? Stanford? Why? They lost to Oregon -- decisively, actually -- and Oregon won the conference title. Why isn't Arkansas in the mix -- is it unreasonable that three teams from one league take four spots, particularly from a league like the SEC? I'm pretty sure that the reason pro-playoff folks like the move to a 4-team playoff is that the resulting controversies will amp pressure to increase it to 8.)
Enjoy your weekend -- it is arguably the best NFL weekend of the season.
-- D.S.
But what happens when the Tebow story overwhelms everything else? From that dumb "St. Elmo's Fire" remake ("Tim Tebow's Fire") to the "Most Popular Athlete" poll to the talk about the "3:16" coincidences in the game to same-old stories about the Tebow story -- as if fans (even non-fans) don't already know all about him. And yet... people can't get enough.
I'm entirely ready to focus on tomorrow's game, and I'm left feeling pretty similar to last week: A win, of course, would be great. But Tebow's validation as an NFL player was in leading the Broncos (projected to 3 or 4 wins this season) to the playoffs. Last week's win was obviously a bonus -- it is Tebow's new legacy, from the great stats to the crystallizing final play ("The Pass") to the record-shattering TV audience numbers.
If the Broncos lose tomorrow, it doesn't mean anything about Tim Tebow. It doesn't mean he sucks, it doesn't mean he isn't an NFL QB and it doesn't take away from what happened last week and all season -- it means the Broncos lost on the road to the bye-week-rested No. 1 seed in the AFC. Yeah, losing under those conditions would be humiliating. Come on.
Here's what last week did for me -- and, without projecting too much, probably did for a lot of fans: It made me believe that the Broncos can beat the Patriots. That's not saying they will -- I'm just saying I believe it can happen, even more than I believed the Broncos had a puncher's chance at beating the Steelers.
Belief is a powerful thing. It is a huge part of what has driven the Broncos -- and the Tebow phenomenon -- all season long. The story of Tebow throughout his young NFL career comes down to disbelief ("Tim Tebow can't...") and belief, with the result largely trending toward: "I cannot believe that just happened."
If it ends tomorrow night, it doesn't take away from last week's career-defining win. It doesn't take away from a magic ride this season. It doesn't erode Tebow's position as the incumbent should-be-starting QB of the Broncos next season.
Maybe -- just maybe -- it means a little less Tebow hysteria, which has nothing to do with Tebow himself and everything to do with everyone else. Tebow's biggest fans and his biggest haters can all agree that's a welcome finish.
More:
*NFL Picks: 49ers over Saints... Packers over Giants... Ravens over Texans.
*Dwight Howard: 39 free throw attempts last night, an NBA record. He also had 40+ points and 20+ rebounds in a win over Golden State. He only made half of the FTs, There's some pretty good analysis that the number of free throw attempts correlates to winning much more closely than free throw percentage.
*NFL Draft: A few of Alabama's junior stars are going pro early, including Trent Richardson -- who has impressed me more than any RB in the NFL since Adrian Peterson. Richardson is going to do extremely well in the NFL (although he will end up on a team with a worse offensive line -- relative to competition -- than he had at Alabama).
*The NCAA president can get behind a 4-team playoff: That's fine. It's an improvement on the current system. But let's please not suggest that picking a 4-team group will be any less contentious than picking a 2-team pairing. In fact, I predict it will be a LOT more contentious. (For example, let's say that picking LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma State would have been relatively easy this season for a 4-team field. Who is the fourth? Stanford? Why? They lost to Oregon -- decisively, actually -- and Oregon won the conference title. Why isn't Arkansas in the mix -- is it unreasonable that three teams from one league take four spots, particularly from a league like the SEC? I'm pretty sure that the reason pro-playoff folks like the move to a 4-team playoff is that the resulting controversies will amp pressure to increase it to 8.)
Enjoy your weekend -- it is arguably the best NFL weekend of the season.
-- D.S.
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