Terrelle Pryor has been the talk of the recruiting season, but real quietly, the University of Minnesota may have gotten a Pryor Jr in Marqueis Gray a 6'5" quarterback from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis...here is what was written about Gray:
MarQueis Gray - Ben Davis H.S.
6-5 225 Class of 2008
Gray is the enigma of the class of 2008. He has tremendous athletic ability and talent. MarQueis plays in the premiere conference in Indiana. He has shown shades of ability cut in the mold of Vince Young. When he runs he is a load to bring down, when he throws he does so with strength and has a fluid type motion. But can he win and play with heart and desire? Those high school coaches who have seen him play know that he has all the tools to be a great one. But, not sure he wants it bad enough. He has the physical capability of taking over a game. His signature game this year was against Lawrence North where he ran for 199 yards and threw for 130 yards. He is capable of dominating and he is capable of flopping. 2007 could be his breakout year if he discovers consistency.
An Indiana College Coach says: “Gray could be the most physically dominating quarterback in Indiana. He had D1 size, speed, strength, but he is also a Jekyl and Hyde. You never know who is going to show up each week. From a physical point of view, he has everything.”
Today's Five Good Questions is with Sean Keeler of the Des Moines Register about Drake Basketball....Sean took a few minutes to respond about a nationally ranked Drake team that is 20-1 going into its game tonight against Illinois State.....the Bulldogs have an RPI rating of #8....
Q1. Many people in the country do not know about Drake basketball and their impressive record. Is this team for real? Why?
A. Real enough to win the Missouri Valley Conference, that’s for sure. This team shoots the 3-ball, defends, rebounds and closes games — tight games — as well as any I’ve seen in six years of covering this league. They’re doing it with seniors. They’re doing it with two former walk-ons in the starting lineup. They’re doing it with a first-year head coach. They’re doing it at a school where sports come a distant second to academic responsibilities. And they’re doing it in the best mid-major conference in the country. If there’s a better basketball story going than Drake right now, brother, I’d like to see it.
Q2. Who are some of the players that we should get familiar with?
A. + Adam Emmenecker, senior point guard, former walk-on. Only just put on scholarship before this season. He’s a 3.9 GPA student with four majors/concentrations, already has a job with a major Des Moines company (Principal) wrapped up for next year, and in his first year as a starter, he’s become the best point guard in the MVC not named Daniel Ruffin. I think even some of Adam’s coaches are surprised a little at how well he’s played. And more than a few MVC coaches think, if Drake hangs on to win this league, he’ll be the conference’s player of the year. This from a kid who had baseball scholarship offers from Boston College and Michigan out of high school in Saginaw, Mich., and elected to walk on at a little private school in Des Moines so he could play basketball, his first love, at a Division I level.
+ ‘Bucky’ Cox, junior power forward. If Adam isn’t the most valuable player on this team, then Bucky is. Another former walk-on, the 6-foot-8 Cox has built himself into the prototype MVC big man: Strong enough to clean up down low, versatile enough to pop out and knock down clutch 3-pointers. They use him everywhere on the floor — and he’s comfortable shooting from just about anywhere on the floor.
+ Josh Young, sophomore guard. The budding star, the team’s best long-range rhreat. Drake went 3-0 without the 6-1 Oklahoma native in the rotation, but they’re a much better team when he’s healthy. No fear. He’d shoot from mid-court if his coaches would let him.
+ Klayton Korver, senior forward. Two bad knees, one sweet shot, one incredible senior season. The little brother of NBA standout Kyle is the 6-6 heart of this team. He’s quicker than he looks defensively and has his older brother’s range. Always has a green light. And when he’s on, it’s a lot of fun to watch.
+ Leonard Houston, senior guard. The 6-3 Michigan native is Drake’s captain on the court, especially defensively. Good on-the-ball defender, quick hands. Clutch, too. His putback at Creighton last month forced overtime and his trey from the corner in the rematch iced the Bulldogs’ first sweep of their MVC rivals in more than a decade.
Q3. What area(s) must the team improve upon?
A. Getting to the paint. Like a lot of mid-majors, this is a perimeter-oriented team. When the shots are falling, they can blow you out of the gym. When they’re not, things tend to get bogged down a bit. Teams are going to start challenging Drake to beat their guys off the dribble and drive inside. Will the Bulldogs be able to take advantage? There’s a some good quickness here, but not a heck of a lot of size. They tend to live or die by the trey.
Q4. What kind of coach is Keno Davis? What can you tell us about him?
A. Reserved, smart, driven, and self-depreciating. Basically, he’s is father’s son. He learned a lot from watching his dad, Dr. Tom Davis, growing up. But you can also see some of the things he picked up as an assistant to Bruce Pearl, although I don’t expect him to come to a Drake women’s basketball game with his shirt off and his body painted blue.
Q5. Last question, how well do you think Drake can match-up with the "Dukes and Memphises" of the college basketball world?
A. Physically, not all that well – the size and depth differential would probably do them in against bigger, stronger teams from power conferences (Memphis, Kansas, UCLA, etc.). But if you try to get into a game of ‘H-O-R-S-E’ with this team, you’re going to lose. They’ve got four starters who are comfortable from the beyond the arc and a point guard who loves to drive and kick to any one of them. I don’t know how many of those battles the Bulldogs would win, but it would be an awful lot of fun watching them try.
Once again I would like to thank Sean for taking the time to get us up-to-date with the Drake Bulldogs....
Hillary Clinton cries in Connecticut
by Jason George
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sen. Hillary Clinton teared up this morning at an event at the Yale Child Study Center, where she worked while in law school in the early 1970s.
A doctor, who was introducing Clinton, began to choke up, leading Clinton's eyes to fill with tears, which she wiped out of her left eye. At the time, the doctor was saying how proud he was that sheepskin-coat, bell-bottom-wearing young woman he met in 1972 was now running for president.
"Well, I said I would not tear up; already we're not exactly on the path," Clinton said with emotion after the introduction.
Clinton is holding a roundtable discussion with Connecticut women to talk about childcare and healthcare.
When Clinton got misty-eyed at an event in New Hampshire on Jan. 7, politicos and pundits filled hours discussing if it helped her, and Clinton eventually pointed to the moment as when she "found her voice" and turned the corner in the Granite State.
At the time, there was much debate if the candidate's emotional response to a question -- "How do you do it?"" -- was genuine or calculated.
Let the conversation begin again...
Stiles Points Comment - SHE IS MORE FAKE THAN A $3 BILL....HOW ARE PEOPLE BUYING HER SHIT????
The New York Giants win is considered an upset, but when you think about it, it was not that big of an upset...1) the Giants were a road tested team; 2) just a month ago, the Giants lost a close game to New England, so they knew the Patriots and knew they could hang with them; 3) the Giants had one of the best defenses in the NFL....so yes, it was an upset in the sense that New England was 18-0....
This is probably one of the few instances when a New York sports team was cheered by many in the nation....usually most sports fans hate New York City sports teams, but because Americans love to hate winners and success, the Giants were the darlings of the Super Bowl...if a rematch was played next week, the Giants would be hated by everyone....
Take that Tiki Barber!!!....it was sweet that the Giants won the Super Bowl the year after Barber retired....Barber was a jerk earlier in the season when he ripped former teammate Eli Manning of not being a leader....he also layed into head coach Tom Coughlin for being a tyrant...it looks like it was YOU Tiki who was the problem....
Bill Belichick made a mistake by not wearing his traditional gray hoodie...he looked out of sync with the red hoodie...
The game had good pace....there was not a lot of delays and penalties...
There is no doubt the Patriot players who made the Pro Bowl do not want to play in that meaningless game....
Whether you love or hate the Patriots, think about it, they were 35 stinking seconds from having a perfect season....all that work since September, week after week after stinking week, and it all came down to 35 seconds....a place in history was lost in 35 seconds....a perfect regular season is now meaningless....the Patriots have to be sick...
The talk around the water cooler will be "what was the best commercial?"....who cares?!?!?!....plus, we don't have a water cooler in our office...
I was rooting for the Patriots because I wanted to see history be made, but it was nice to see Eli Manning win the Super Bowl and be the MVP....earlier this season I had doubts if Eli would ever get it done in New York....but he proved me and all his critics wrong...
The NFL should move the Super Bowl to Saturday night instead of Sunday....with the game set to kick-off at 6:17 p.m., that means the game will not be over until around 10:30 or so....who feels like staying out and partying when you have to be at work in the morning?....by having it on a Saturday night, the NFL would be helping the economy because more people would be partying.....plus, the NFL could move the game right into primetime at 8:00.....
The NFL is always looking to market its product and make money...then why the heck are they hoarding away all the classic NFL games at NFL Films?...Major League Baseball and the NHL are way ahead of the NFL in releasing its classic games from the past on Itunes...for $1.99 I am able to download historic games from the World Series or Stanley Cup playoffs...when is the NFL going to jump in and start releasing past games?...I know many football junkies would be downloading great games such as The Ice Bowl, the Drive, the Catch, the Immaculate Reception, among many others....
Because I don't have a favorite NFL team, the Super Bowl is not that big of a deal to me...
The last Super Bowl to be played entirely in daylight was Super Bowl XI between Oakland and Minnesota...
I won't be watching all that pre-game crap...I'll turn on my television at 6:00...
The New York Times has some interesting feature stories about both teams this week...
Boston Globe reporter Kevin Paul Dupont tries to find out who Bill Belichick really is..... "Who is Bill Belichick, the one so few of us see? In some ways, according to those who have spent time around the highly successful Patriots coach, he is precisely the guy in those oft-painful press conferences, when he says little, smiles less, and reveals next to nothing about his team, his thought process, or himself." ..... Kevin Paul DupontBoston Globe reporter John Powers writes how Giants first year defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been a man on the move..... "His pigskin odyssey began in Central Massachusetts three decades ago, when Steve Spagnuolo was calling signals for the Grafton High Indians." .... John PowersOh, by the way - Patriots 38-23
It was reported last night that high school stud Terrelle Pryor may be delaying his announcement of where he will be attending college.....he is supposed to announce it on Wednesday.....if there is a delay, this is not good for Michigan.....if he does delay his announcement then eventually declares to Ohio State, it would not surprise me if the Snake Oil Salesman Jim Tressel had something to do with it.....
Michigan is in desperate need for a quarterback.....so, if Pryor does not choose Michigan, that means the Wolverines have to scramble in their search for a quarterback recruit.....by delaying his decision by even one week, Pryor and Tressel could set back Michigan in this search.....
Prior to the LSU game, a newspaper did a featue on Tressel and what he is like off the field....it went on to say that in his spare time he often just sits around the house and thinks......scoff if you want about my theory, but it would not surprise me if Gentleman Jim came up with this plot....
Kirk Herbstreit can go to hell
Earlier this week, Tressel's bitch - aka Kirk Herbstreit - was on the Colin Cowherd show in which he stated that Michigan will go 6-6 next season....
First off, who the hell is Kirk Herbstreit?....this is the same moron who announced back in November that Les Miles would be the Michigan head coach at the end of the day only to have his "scoop" blow up in his face....Herbstreit is supposed to be the top college football media man in the country, so how did he screw up that "scoop"...
You know what Pretty Boy Kirk, you may be right, Michigan may go 6-6 next season....but as long as one of those 6 wins is against your alma mater...
ESPN's Dana Jacobson has been in hot water of late after her drunken tirade at a Mike and Mike Roast in Atlantic City.....who cares!!!.....we all have been drunk a time or two or three and have done stupid stuff....
I am officially declaring that I want to go on a date with Dana....she is single, loves sports, likes to drink, and most of all, she is a Michigan Woman....everyone knows I am a Michigan fan through and through....plus, we are both single and in our late 30s....this is perfect!!!....
So yes, forget about stickwoman Erin Andrews - you can have her.....forget about Bonnie Bernstein.....give me Dana Jacobson!!!!....so if any blogger out there knows the lovely Ms. Dana, please forward this to her....
GO BLUE DANA!!!!
The following are the 17 finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame....the NFL writers will vote on this year's class on Saturday....
- Cris Carter - wide receiver - Eagles, Vikings, Dolphins
- Fred Dean - defensive end - Chargers, 49ers
- Richard Dent - defensive end - Bears, 49ers, Colts, Eagles
- Marshall Goldberg - back - Cardinals
- Randy Gradishar - linebacker - Broncos
- Darrell Green - cornerback - Redskins
- Russ Grimm - guard - Redskins
- Ray Guy - punter - Raiders
- Bob Kuechenberg - guard - Dolphins
- Randall McDaniel - guard - Vikings, Buccaneers
- Art Monk - wide receiver - Redskins, Jets, Eagles
- Andre Reed - wide receiver - Bills, Redskins
- Paul Tagliabue - commissioner
- Derrick Thomas - linebacker - Chiefs
- Emmitt Thomas - cornerback - Chiefs
- Andre Tippett - linebacker - Patriots
- Gary Zimmerman - tackle - Vikings, Broncos
There is no doubt that all 17 people are deserving to make the Hall of Fame....in fact, it is an honor to be a finalist...all these athletes made Pro Bowls and All-NFL Teams, therefore I made my own criteria in determining who I would vote for...I asked myself two questions, "Did this person make an impact?" and "Were they a difference maker?"....here is who I would vote into this year's class...
Paul Tagliabue - it is not if he will make the Hall, but when...he missed out last year...Tags was a good commissioner in which there was no work stoppage during his tenure and the NFL became global....
Ray Guy (photo) - he is overlooked and not respected because he was a punter....but Guy was the best punter ever...he was instrumental in the Raiders winning three Super Bowls over a stretch in the late 70s and early 80s....
Richard Dent - Dent was the best defensive end pass rusher that I have ever seen...Bruce Smith has more sacks than Dent...but just like Smith, Dent was a difference maker....as an extra boost, he was also a Super Bowl MVP...that surely can't hurt his case...
Russ Grimm - Grimm has been at this spot a few times and has never made it in...he was the anchor of the great Redskins offensive line known as the Hogs...
Darrell Green - this should be a no-brainer...Green was a shutdown corner who had the speed to rundown anyone who broke loose...Green also served as a punt returner...in his first NFL game, Green made an impact when he chased down Dallas running back Tony Dorsett, on Monday Night, to prevent a sure touchdown....
Randy Gradishar (photo) - the young bucks may have forgotten about this warrior...Gradishar was not flashy, but he was a rock solid linebacker who often did not get the recognition he deserved...
This Saturday, the football writers will be selecting the latest class to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame....The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi is one of the 44 voting members....he was kind enough to take a few minutes to respond to our Five Good Questions....
Q1. On average, how long of a process is it in deciding who will be the new enshrinees? Should there be any changes in the process?
A. It's a gruelling process. The selection meeting lasts more than 4 hours and increases every year because there is so much discussion on every one of the 17 finalists. After all the discussion, there are two votes to whittle down the finalists to seven. And then there are separate votes on each of final seven. There are about a half-dozen accountants in the room collecting ballots and then counting them. It's like electing seven popes a year. Just draining. Painstakingly thorough.
Q2. In your opinion, who are three players, coaches, and/or administrators who should be in the Hall of Fame but aren't?
A. Randy Gradishar, Derrick Thomas and Blanton Collier.
Q3. In the past, you have been an opponent of Art Modell making the Hall of Fame. Do you see any chance of Modell ever making the Hall of Fame, say even 15-20 years from now?
A. Oh, there's always a chance. But in my opinion, nothing will change to rewrite his legacy. I suppose he will get some sympathetic votes when he passes. But his passing will not change what he did -- nor should it. His supporters say we in Cleveland should forgive him. I think we have forgiven him, but we should not forget.
Q4. In the recent Pro Football Weekly, it ran a story about current and past hea
d coaches and their chances of getting into the Hall of Fame. Two of the head coaches who were borderline possibilities were Don Coryell (photo) and Marty Schottenheimer. What is your take on these two former coaches? Would you vote in favor of them being in the Hall of Fame?
A. Right now, no. I would need to hear a really good argument for Coryell. As for Schottenheimer, his postseason record -- using his own words -- is what it is.
Q5. The same article mentioned that Bill Belichick is a lock for the Hall of Fame despite the Spygate scandal. What is your take on Belichick making the Hall of Fame? Your thoughts on Spygate.
A. It's incomprehensible to think a coach can win three Super Bowls -- it may be four soon and there may be even more up ahead -- and not be a slamdunk for the Hall of Fame. As for Spygate, I would love to hear all the facts, but the NFL has seen fit to destroy all the evidence. I've said this for a while now -- Belichick is the closest thing in this era to Paul Brown.
Once again I would like to thank Tony for taking the time to respond....
Today's Five Good Questions is with Jack Daly of the Durham Herald Sun....Jack took the time to respond about this year's North Carolina Tar Heels.....
Q1. What are the Tar Heels strengths?
A. UNC has perhaps the best college player in the country in Tyler Hansbrough, who goes all out on every play. The Tar Heels have the fastest point guard in the country in Ty Lawson. They have one of the better scorers in Wayne Ellington. And they have sixth-man extraordinaire Danny Green coming off the bench. So UNC doesn't lack in talent, which means they have little trouble scoring. UNC has the second best offense in the country.
Q2. What area(s) must North Carolina improve upon?
A. Defense. Focus to a certain degree (Losing to Maryland at home? Really?), but defense is the obvious one. This has been a recurring problem and has flared up especially in recent weeks. UNC's opponents have shot at least 50 percent in one half in six of the Tar Heels' last seven games. The only team not to do that was Maryland, which, of course, beat the Tar Heels. With Bobby Frasor's injury (he tore his ACL on Dec. 27 and will miss the rest of the season), UNC's depth isn't as overwhelming as it's made out to be.
Q3. Most of the country knows Tyler Hansbrough (photo) and Wayne Ellington, but who are some other players on this team that people should not overlook?
A. Ty Lawson and Danny Green. Most of the country probably knows Lawson as well. But Green's a key player for the Tar Heels, giving the team an offensive threat off the bench. And he's a really good dancer.
Q4. What has Hansbrough done over the last year to improve his game? Is he an all-around player now?
A. I think you could call Tyler an all-around player. His defense is the only thing may cause hesitation. Hansbrough generally doesn't shut down an opponent's big man if that player is talented and as tall as Hansbrough (6-foot-9).
Q5. How good is this North Carolina team compared to the team that won the title a few years ago?
A. We'll see. I'm not trying to be flip, but UNC still hasn't played enough top-25 teams to have a great idea. Once the Tar Heels play Duke on Feb. 6, we'll have a much better handle. Considering the way this team plays defense at the6 moment, I think the logical conclusion is this team isn't as good as the 2005 team. That doesn't mean the Tar Heels won't improve and reach the Final Four. When you have a nucleus of Hansbrough, Lawson and Ellington, you have the necessary pieces to be considered an NCAA title contender.
Once again, I would like to thank Jack for his time....
Today's "Five Good Questions" is with Diane Pucin of The Los Angeles Times....Diane covers UCLA basketball and was kind enough to take a few minutes to respond to these five questions....
Q1. What is your assessment of UCLA so far this season?
A. The season has gone a bit better than I expected because of the injury problems UCLA has suffered. Of its top nine guys six have missed significant numbers of games or practices. Point guard Darren Collison still hasn't reached the physical condition of last year that drew NBA scout attention his way. But he's getting there.
Q2. What area(s) must the team improve upon?
A. UCLA needs to get better operating its offense against zone defenses. The Bruins could stru
ggle against a really good zone defensive team in the NCAA tournament.
Q3. How much of an impact has Kevin Love (photo) been this season?
A. Kevin Love has made a huge impact. He was criticized, rightly, for being a bit out of shape and Ben Howland was criticized for not figuring out how to get Love the ball more in the paint. But when Pac-10 season started, Love has just turned his talent up. People who don't see the Pac-10 much don't know how impressive his 26 points and 18 rebounds were at Oregon Thursday or how he dominated Brook and Robin Lopez at Stanford and DeVon Hardin and Ryan Anderson at California.
Q4. Overall, how would you rate the PAC-10 this season?
A. It may sound homerish but I grew up in Big 10 Country and worked in Philadelphia for 11 years and from what I've seen this year, the Pac-10 is the toughest conference in the country. It has more good players. Oregon State, which hasn't won a conference game yet, has talent. Teams that win at McArthur Court at Oregon or at Maples Pavilion at Stanford or go to Pullman and beat Washington State must play very good basketball.
Q5. Last question, why does the team have a different color in the letter "C" on their uniform?
A. The different-colored "C" is to honor UCLA's having won 100 NCAA sports championships. The "C" stands for 100 in roman numerals.
I want to thank Diane for her time....
New York Times sports columnist Dave Anderson writes that the ‘72 Dolphins were not the only perfect pro football team..... "But buried in a forgotten pro football graveyard is a forgotten unbeaten and untied team, the 1948 Cleveland Browns." .... Dave AndersonLegenday Newark Star Ledger sports columnist Jerry Izenberg writes about New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.... "He had come to a football team whose upper management knew the inmates had been about as disciplined as the Happy Hour Nursery School at recess on a rainy afternoon. They had finished the previous season about six inches this side of anarchy." ....
Jerry IzenbergNew York Daily News sports columnist Mike Lupica writes how Peyton will be part of the conversation all week even though his team lost..... "Peyton Manning is the third quarterback in this Super Bowl. It means one more star quarterback than usual, one more than we really need since we already have his kid brother against Tom Brady." .... Mike LupicaNew York Daily News sports reporter Hank Gola compared Bill Belichick's best offense (‘07 Pats) vs. his best defense (‘86 Giants)..... "Take the best defense he ever coached, the '86 Giants under Bill Parcells, and pit them against the best offense he ever coached, this year's record-setting Patriot bunch. Lawrence Taylor running down Tom Brady. Randy Moss working his way deep. Harry Carson against the Patriots' running game. It would make one heck of a video game or electric football game for you old-timers." .... Hank GolaBoston Globe sports columnist Jackie MacMullen writes about New England's fourth receiver..... "Gaffney represents a unique distinction that would have sent Dickens scrambling for his inkwell: He was a card-carrying member of the dubious Patriots receiving corps last year that endured the worst of times, as well as the current elite group, which has enjoyed the very best of times." ..... Jackie MacMullenArizona Republic sports columnist Dan Bickley writes how Las Vegas is predicting a big day come Super Bowl Sunday.... "I've already talked with the directors of most major books in town, and this will be the largest wagered Super Bowl in the history of legal sports gambling," said renowned handicapper Brandon Lang . . . " ..... Dan Bickley
I haven't written anything in a few days....plus I need a break here at work....so here it goes:
- What is such the big fuss about Heath Ledger dying?.....he made one big movie in which he portrayed a gay cowboy.....the media is making a bigger deal about Ledger's death than they did about Johnny Podres.....and let me tell you, Podres will always have more status in Brooklyn than this Ledger kid....
- Straight-up Hillary Clinton cannot beat Barak Obama.....that is why she brought her husband into the fray....so basically Obama has to beat both Hillary and Mr. Ego.....
- I love how the Clintons act like this is not about them - they are for the people.....yeh right, it has always been about the Clintons and will always be about the Clintons.....- Bill Clinton is making himself out as some egomaniac jerk who is power hungry.....
- Remember when the talk shows used to rip on Chelsea Clinton when she was a little girl.....she's not bad looking now.... - I hate it when black people say that Bill Clinton is more black than Obama.....Bill Clinton is WHITE.....deny it all you want, the fact remains that Bill Clinton is WHITE....Hillary Clinton is WHITE.....they will always be WHITE.....- Is Ed Rendell positioning himself to be Hillary's vice-president?....- If she does become president, is Hillary going to shed a tear whenever things get tough for her?......ohhh booo hooo....poor Hillary.....- If you are leading in the polls, expect to get ripped by your opponents and the media.....that's the way it goes.....- Is the Democratic Party in such poor shape that they have to have another Clinton represent their party?......you mean there is not one other viable, qualified Democrat in this nation?......- I just used the men's room here at work....I hate it when there is still a lingering smell of a dump with a hint of aftershave mixed in....
- Remember, eat fish on Friday.....
- Remember when Fred Thompson was going to be our next president?..... - Whatever happened to Donna Rice?.....- Why doesn't Dennis Kucinich just go away already?.....- I love it when Tim Russert stuck it to Hillary.....- Poor Hillary.....we can't blame her though.....we all know that she was born with a silver broomstick stuck up her ass.....
Thoughts on yesterday's Conference Championship Games
- Fox's Joe Buck is an idiot as a play-by-play football announcer...during the fourth quarter he made an idiotic comment that Eli Manning was doing a good job "managing the game"....WHAT?!?!?....Eli was not "managing the game"....he was kicking ass out there and leading his team to victory with his precision passing...Buck better learn what the term "managing the game" really means...someone like Trent Dilfer "managed the game" when he was with the Ravens when he didn't screw up and allowed his great defense to win the game...
- After a great season, Brett Favre turned back into the Favre of old - a gunslinger who tried to win the game on his own...to me it looked like the cold weather affected Favre more than it did Eli...
- Tom Brady did not play well but the entire Patriots team helped win that game...
- Kevin Faulk was my MVP of the Patriots-Chargers game with his key receptions of poorly thrown balls during the fourth quarter...
Boston Globe's Bob Ryan writes that New England is just not some aerial circus team.... "The fact is they've been playing trench warfare football for the past eight weeks. An additional fact is that in the last two weeks they have been a classic playoff team; i.e. one that wins with defense and smashmouth offense." .... Bob RyanNew York Daily News' Mike Lupica writes how the Giants win over Green Bay is one for the ages..... "When it was over, finally, as they were filing out in a Green Bay night that now made this seem like the coldest place on Earth, here outside the Giants locker room was Eli Manning, the best quarterback in the game last night, by a lot, standing with his mother and his fiancée and his father, Archie Manning, who never came close to a day like this in pro football. Archie hugged Eli, then pulled away and said, "I'm awful proud of you." ..... Mike Lupica.New York Daily News' Filip Bondy writes that the Patriots had a "dirty" win.... "If you want to hate the Patriots - and who doesn't? - then here was yet another reason to gnash your teeth and curse the scoreboard. The Pats won ugly Sunday, and maybe a little dirty." .... Filip BondySports Illustrated's Peter King gives his thoughts on the two games and the cold.... "I decide to do my own test. I place an unopened can of LaCroix sparkling water on the window sill of my room. The Weather Channel had predicted minus-34 wind-chill temperatures for daybreak Sunday. I figure: Modern, new hotel. Thick glass. New insulation. And the room's heating unit is directly below the sill. There's no way the LaCroix is going to freeze overnight. Way. Sunday, at 7:25 a.m. Central Time, I pop the top of the LaCroix, take a swig, and semi-coagulated chunks of ice come through the hole. Then nothing. Frozen." .... Peter KingChicago Sun Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti writes how the Patriots celebrated, but did not party after their win.... "But if you were waiting for an outbreak of raw, unruly exhilaration, you were sorely disappointed. The Patriots are so methodical, so meticulous and so focused, they've reduced even the traditional title party to a formality." .... Jay Mariotti
Championship Game predictions and a few thoughts:
New England 27 San Diego 10
- New England came this far, there is no way they lose this game - NO WAY!...
- I want the Patriots to win for 2 reasons 1) stick it to those miserable cranky '72 Dolphins; and 2) it would suck if the Chargers made the Super Bowl the year after Marty Schottenheimer got fired...
- Philip Rivers has been running his mouth, but at least he won two playoff games...that is something the great Tony Romo can say...
- On the flip side, Romo is banging Jessica Simpson and did bang Carrie Underwood...
Green Bay 21 N.Y. Giants 16
- I wish Pat Summerall was doing the play-by-play instead of Joe Buck....Summerall's voice would fit great with this match-up of Packers/Giants...
- Is it me or is Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy not getting enough credit for Green Bay's success this season?...
- The Giants have not missed a beat without Jeremy Shockey at tight end...that rookie, Kevin Boss, is one bad ass himself...
- What makes this Giants team a little more effective in the passing game this year is that Amani Toomer is healthy...Toomer missed most of last season with a knee injury...
- Tiki Barber?....who needs stinking Tiki Barber?...
San Diego @ New England
San Diego Union Tribune sports reporter Bill Center writes about Bill Volek's sudden thrust into the spotlight..... "Over the NFL's past 39 seasons, no quarterback has thrown for more yards in his first 10 starts than Billy Volek. Problem is, Volek has made only 10 starts in his eight professional seasons – and only one since 2004." ... Bill CenterBoston Globe sports columnist Jackie MacMullen writes how Randy Moss has been spectacular on the field and an enigma off it..... "His performance has made him millions of dollars, but also made him a public figure, whose mistakes have been highlighted nearly as much as his accomplishments." ... Jackie MacMullenN.Y. Giants @ Green Bay
New York Daily News sports columnist Mike Lupica writes that a Giants-Packers match-up just feels right.... "This one at Lambeau Field feels as if it comes out of the days when big championship games seemed to come along all the time for Giants fans. This one feels like all the old rivalries, Giants-Colts in the '50s and Giants-Packers again in the early '60s, the Giants against the Bears in any NFL decade." .... Mike LupicaGreen Bay Press-Gazette reporter Brett Christopherson writes how the 1961 NFL Title Game between the Packers and Giants set the Lombardi Dynasty in motion..... "While the 1967 title game between Green Bay and Dallas — known to the world as the Ice Bowl — often is thought of as the signature game of the Lombardi dynasty, it's the Dec. 31, 1961 matchup that launched one of the most dominant eras of modern football." .... Brett Christopherson
The Conference Championship Games will be played on Sunday....interestingly, The Gold Sheet published an article this week about how these title games are often times not competitive....
The Gold SheetSince 2000, the home team is 5-2 Straight Up (SU) in the NFC while the home team does not fare so well in the AFC with a mark of 3-4 SU....
Over that same time span, the NFC Underdogs are 4-3...however, the favorite has covered the last three years in the NFC: Chicago -2.5 over New Orleans; Seattle -3.5 over Carolina; and Philadelphia -5.5 over Atlanta....
On the AFC side, the Dogs are 4-3 over the last seven years...
Here is the most interesting trend...since starting the season 8-0 Against the Spread (ATS), the Patriots have struggled ATS with a mark of 2-7 including four straight losses....on the flip side, San Diego is read hot ATS...the Chargers have won their last eight games ATS....
In the NFC, the Giants are 6-1 in their last seven games ATS including winning their last four games...the Packers are just as good as they have posted a 9-2 mark ATS...The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has a special section devoted to the NFC Championship Game.... Green Bay Packers Special SectionOhm Youngmisuk of the New York Daily News writes how both teams are preparing for the cold weather.... "While Sunday's game won't approach that or the coldest NFL game ever played - the legendary 1967 "Ice Bowl" NFL Championship Game at Lambeau between the Packers and Cowboys played in minus-13 degree weather with a wind chill of minus-48 - it will still be freezing." .... Ohm YoungmisukThe Boston Globe's Mike Reiss breaks down each position and see who has the advantage between the Patriots and Chargers.... Mike ReissThe San Diego Union-Tribune's Nick Canepa tells the national media to deal with the fact that the Chargers, not the Colts, are in the conference title game..... "I'm sick of it all. Why play the games? Why bother? Just get those "American Idol" idiots to pick the Super Bowl finalists. Don't have a regular season. Don't have playoffs. Go straight to the Roman numerals." .... Nick Canepa
On Sunday, former Brooklyn Dodgers hero Johnny Podres died....everyday I look through various newspapers on the internet, including the New York City papers.....but I did not find out until a few minutes ago when a small note was in today's USA Today on page 5.....Podres' death deserved more attention than being in the notes section....steroids and Congressional hearings were on the front of the sports sections....I also did not see it on ESPN.com.....
For those who are not familiar with Podres, he brought Brooklyn Dodger fans their only World Series title while in Brooklyn when he beat the hated cross town Yankees in game 7 of the 1955 World Series....he is not in the Hall of Fame, but Podres did not need that honor....by beating the great New York Yankees, he was a hero to all in the borough of Brooklyn.....it is just ashame that today's media relegated his death to the inside of the sports page...New York Times Obit
San Diego Union-Tribune Tim Sullivan writes that somehow, the Chargers keep surviving.... “In Greek myth, these tag-team monsters are known as the Scylla and the Charybdis. In the NFL, they are the defending champion Indianapolis Colts and the so-far unbeaten New England Patriots.” .... Tim SullivanBoston Globe’s Mike Reiss gets a variety of opinions about the Chargers.... “Former NFL head coach Dennis Green, whose background was on the offensive side of the ball, has spent considerable time inspecting the defenses of both clubs in his role as an analyst for Westwood One radio.” .... Mike ReissNew York Daily News’ Mike Lupica talked with former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi about Eli Manning’s growth..... “So Accorsi, who was taping the game, hoping to watch all of it later secure in the knowledge that the Giants had won, was in church when he found out that somehow the Giants had gone down the field in the last minute of the first half and scored.” .... Mike LupicaMilwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Greg Bedard writes how Green Bay’s defensive front has been playing big.... “The Packers ended up giving up just 28 yards rushing in 18 carries, by the far the lowest mark of the season. They sacked Matt Hasselbeck twice and officially registered five additional pressures. But it felt like more. The Packers' front dominated the Seahawks' offensive line and set the tone for a defense that essentially yielded just three points and gave up a season-low 200 yards of total offense.” ..... Greg Bedard
Here are a few thoughts from each of this weekend's NFL Playoff games....
Seattle @ Green Bay
- I am not a big Brett Favre fan, but it was nice to see the "old man" win....
- Greg Jennings is fast becoming a star in this league
- Just two years ago Shaun Alexander was the league MVP....his star has fallen fast....
Jacksonville @ New England
- New England's fake Statue of Liberty play was a thing of beauty....
- Jacksonville needs to get the ball in Maurice Jones-Drew's hands a few more times during a game....
San Diego @ Indianapolis
- It has been a lost season for Marvin Harrison
- The Colts need to re-work their defense...sure Dwight Freeney was lost for the season, but there is no way they should have let Billy Volek beat them...
- I hope New England kicks the shit out of San Diego for Marty Schottenheimer's sake...Norv Turner does not deserve to go to the Super Bowl...
New York @ Dallas
- I wish the media and fans would stop making Tony Romo to be some super stud quarterback....don't get me wrong, he's a nice quarterback, but damn it, stop praising this guy already....he has never won a playoff game yet....he is 0-2 in the playoffs....Tony Romo is NOT Brett Favre....he is NOT Tom Brady...and he is NOT even Matt Hasselbeck....
- The New York Giants are a better football team without Tiki Barber....it looks like last year's implosion was centered around Barber and his ego....
Sam Mellinger of The Kansas City Star writes that life has changed for Michael Vick now that he is in the famous Leavenworth pen... "Over that fence and wall, past the guards and gates, it will probably be impossible for Vick to truly be treated like the other inmates. He will be asked for autographs and singled out for fights. He will be given first dibs on the weight bench and randomly told to get to the back of the line at supper time." .... Sam MellingerGeorge Vecsey of The New York Times writes how two southern announcers were music to northern baseball fans ears..... "They were two of the distinctive American voices, born 97 miles apart as the catbird flies. Red Barber and Mel Allen spoke the language of baseball in Southern cadences to Northern ears." .... George VecseyBill Reiter of The Kansas City Star writes how new Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin met his father after years of not seeing him..... "He was barely 20, with little money in his pocket and less of an idea of what was going to happen next in life. His father — the man he was named after — had left the family when young Frank was 9, and things had been tough ever since. He had seen him only once in nearly 15 years." .... Bill ReiterKaren Crouse of The New York Times writes how tennis star Maria Sharapova was awed by meeting Michael Jordan..... "The story revolved around an airport, which figures, because Maria Sharapova lives out of a suitcase, crisscrossing the globe to play tennis. As she told it, the man walking to the car on the tarmac in Miami looked really familiar." .... Karen CrouseMichelle Kaufman of The Miami Herald writes how motherhood has not slowed down Lindsay Davenport..... "Davenport was known to get down on herself during matches, sometimes for something as trivial as one bad shot. Her body language would change. Her textbook ball-striking would disappear. Now, she is playing looser, having fun, and her results have been the talk of tennis for months." .... Michelle KaufmanBill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times writes that people should watch the Patriots make history, even if they believe the team cheated.... "I hate the New England Patriots because they are convicted cheaters. But I can't stop watching them because, in a brilliant 31-20 divisional playoff victory over Jacksonville on Saturday night, they never cheated themselves or their fans or the game." ..... Bill PlaschkeAnne Blythe of the Raleigh News and Observer writes that even though Marion Jones is heading to prison, her records will still be upheld at North Carolina..... "Her No. 20 basketball jersey hangs from the Carmichael Auditorium rafters in recognition of the contributions she made to the 1994 NCAA championship team. There will be no erasing of records still standing from her days as a lightning-quick basketball point guard or as a college long-jumper or sprinter." .... Anne BlytheBryan Burwell of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes the St. Louis coach Rick Majerus may not be pleased after his team scored only 20 points the other night, but he is happy back at coaching..... "He loves the gym. He loves the smells, the sounds of basketballs and sneakers squeaking and screeching across the hardwood. He loves practice. He loves the games. He loves the game films. He not only loves it, he probably needs it." .... Bryan Burwell
