Feed: Why Football is Cool - AggScore: 75.3
Summary: Why Football Is Cool
The game's ideas, icons and points of interest
Lin and Tebow churn the media machine
A recent poll on ESPN.com has revealed that 84% of fans (as of Tuesday evening) consider the rise of the New York Knicks Jeremy Lin to be greater than that of Tim Tebow.
So out of control is the media's focus on Lin - the namesake of the so-called Linsanity phenomenon - that Sportscenter anchors are even likening him to The Beatles. He surely has little in common with the Fab Four, but like Tebow, Lin is a talented athlete with the ability to inspire his teammates. He's also simply a guy looking for a long-term career in pro sports, who didn't ask for any of this extra attention or analysis. And yet, the hype continues: GQ worked out some Lin lessons for the GOP; Yahoo claimed Kobe bowed to Lin's star power; and, The Huffington Post reported Harvard's rekindled love of basketball.
Why do we feel so compelled to seek out and elevate the next star of the hour? Are we just at the internet's mercy, fueled by micro-reporting and debate, constantly craving the latest search buzzwords?
Tebow - the web phenomenon - busted search algorithms when he painted John 3:16 on his face in early January. The top search terms that week were "John 3:16", "Tebow", and "Tim Tebow" according to Business Insider. Remember how crazy that period of time was? Was it really less "insane" than what's happening with Lin?
Date Published: Feb 15, 2012 - 2:35 am
The Peyton Problem
Come on now. This is becoming more excruciating than the Favre Fiasco. More intriguing than Maria Menounos' bikini bet. More persistent than the questionable sanity around the Lin phenomenon.
Where on earth is Peyton Manning playing next season?!
We all expect the Colts to sacrifice their franchise quarterback rather than pay him $28 million, which means there hasn't been this much speculation about a worn out 36-year old since Angelina Jolie's rakish appearance on the red carpet last week.
So what next?
Well...
The Stampede Blue blog has an interesting breakdown of Peyton's contract in Indy.
Revenge of the Birds take a look at the top contenders in the Manning sweepstakes, outlining the pros and cons of signing No.18. Interestingly, the reader poll below this post significantly favored the Arizona Cardinals.
The National Football Post's Andrew Brandt blogs for The Huffington Post this week, covering some of the trickier financial angles of the Colts dumping Peyton.
But if you're just over the whole thing and would rather some Manning-infused comedy relief, look no further than Dave's Art Locker friends. Dave works Peyton's infamous frown into all 32 NFL logos. Nice job Dave.
Date Published: Feb 13, 2012 - 2:30 am
Titans of the throwing industry
Among the many strange criticisms of Eli Manning is that he looks
like a 12-year old. Even David Letterman was taken aback by the
Super Bowl champ's fresh faced appearance last week.
"It seems to me you've gotten younger since the last time I saw
you," Letterman said.
"I have," Eli quipped.
That Eli appeared stiffly in a blue blazer and maroon tie, his
hair parted to one side like a Lego man, should not be an
indictment of his personality - and yet, for many people it
continues to be. An inordinate number of media and fans just
don't to like the younger Manning, or at least, see him as an
easy target. He's not accurate enough: that comes up, doesn't it?
And sure, he's about a 58 per cent career passer. (But then
again, he's thrown for 27, 579 yards and 185 touchdowns). Other
people like to call Eli lucky, as if to say, his industrious and
determined nature have nothing to do with his success. Aren't
lucky athletes, simply quick-thinking, inventive and
opportunistic?
The bottom line is that Eli isn't really cool. He's nice. He's
the guy you'd like your sister to bring home. He's the opposite
of Tom Brady, whose sharp looks and contemplated hair, perfect
passes and cool nature, and broad shoulders and leggy wife, are
all so fantastical that most people can't stomach hearing about
his success. As fans, we can certainly be pedantic can't we? We
don't like the goofy, and we tear down the fashionable.
What's the middle ground, Aaron Rodgers? Maybe. He's not perfect
either, you know.
Part of the problem is that the quarterback-jock icon is embedded
in our minds, mostly due to Seventies and Eighties coming-of-age
movies. He’s the guy with the delicate mane of hair, the
Cruise-esque smile that looks hinged by screws, and obviously,
the busty blonde cheerleader girlfriend on his arm. Life is
charmed for the high school QB: consider that nobody else can
wear painfully tight stone-washed jeans and still claim the
respect of his friends.
It’s not until a QB hits the pro ranks, however, that he's
personality is truly tested, that he earns his strips. He’s no
longer dating the head cheerleader but rather, a supermodel; he’s
paid in millions of dollars instead of cafeteria hamburgers
on-the-house; and most importantly, he competes in a world that
offers immortal status to those who excel - the Hall of Fame.
It's high pressure, relentless scrutiny and a position that
requires constant off-field maintenance along with on-field
results. Just imagine having to cope with that in your own
career.
When thinking about the coolest quarterback cats ever, the men
whom somehow dodged the critical rush and thrived in all facets
of modern athletic superstardom, Jim McMahon springs to mind.
McMahon, a wise-cracking, showboating prankster, who had a
penchant for headbands and big sunglasses, was also a skilled
signal-caller who didn't care about what you thought. Boasting a
strong arm and an uncanny knack for reading the game, McMahon was
of that rare breed who could impact a contest with larger than
life presence. He took things into his own hands, seemingly
in retaliation to the regimented and stern regime of Head Bear,
Mike Ditka, and because he seemed unfazed by consequence. This
deliberate bravado, and perhaps angst, helped him conquer the
NFL, even when he appeared wildly out of control. At Super Bowl
XX, for instance, when asked by reporters about a buttock injury,
McMahon dropped his pants and mooned them. And on his own
Letterman appearance in 1986, McMahon slouched and grinned behind
oversized sunglasses like he was trying to impress the other kids
in class. It was frigging awesome.
While McMahon was loose and aloof, Brett Favre was everyman tough
- and that made him likable, or at least "relatable". Off the
field, their were some misgivings, to be sure. But before all
that, Favre defined "gunslinger" and in turn, built a persona
based on heroics and hi-jinks. After all, he ripped a locker room
towel whip with as much fervor as a 40-yard Hail Mary. That's the
sort of teammate everybody wants. He performed the immaculate,
and still always felt so mortal.
There are of course so many popular quarterbacks, from Unitas to
Montana, Staubach to Elway, and perhaps the NFL's smoothest
all-time operator, Joe Namath (GQ magazine included Namath
in its 25 Coolest Athletes of All Time in 2011). But in this
pantheon of football poster men, a guy whose name surprisingly
logs less Google or YouTube searches than others, is Warren Moon.
Some pundits say Moon went undrafted in the NFL because he was
black. Others simply question his suitability as a quarterback.
Without trivializing the situation, it was perhaps a blessing
that Moon ended up in the Canadian Football League anyway,
firstly to improve his game, and secondly, to stick it to the
doubters. Resilience and defiance, too, have been known to
motivate people in the bleachers.
During six seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, Moon commandeered an unprecedented five consecutive Grey Cup championship runs and threw for 21,288 yards and 144 touchdown passes. After proving his wares, it was of little surprise that the NFL finally came calling. Moon moved to Houston and instantly restored pride to the pastel blue. Among his many achievements in the American game, he joined the Dans - Marino and Fouts - as the only quarterbacks to post back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons. And if you're still unconvinced that Moon deserves to be in this conversation, just remember that he is the only player ever to be inducted into both the CFL and NFL Halls of Fame. That's at least astounding, if not cool.
During six seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, Moon commandeered an unprecedented five consecutive Grey Cup championship runs and threw for 21,288 yards and 144 touchdown passes. After proving his wares, it was of little surprise that the NFL finally came calling. Moon moved to Houston and instantly restored pride to the pastel blue. Among his many achievements in the American game, he joined the Dans - Marino and Fouts - as the only quarterbacks to post back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons. And if you're still unconvinced that Moon deserves to be in this conversation, just remember that he is the only player ever to be inducted into both the CFL and NFL Halls of Fame. That's at least astounding, if not cool.
While so many football writers and commentators fawn over the
feats of Rodgers and Brees, Moon cooly, calmly and without event,
threw 70,613 yards in the CFL and NFL combined. He was one of the
purest, most elegant passers ever, who spiraled the ball as if it
was on a spindle. And he did it repeatedly. If that doesn't steal
the head cheerleader's attention, I don't know what will.
Date Published: Feb 11, 2012 - 5:02 pm
Tim Tebow praying for the Eighties
Date Published: Feb 10, 2012 - 11:37 pm
Best Super Bowl ad - for football fans
The ads from this year's Super Bowl have charged a range of emotions and in some cases appear to have clouded all judgement. Of course, deciding which ad is best is like ranking the NFL's greatest ever teams: it's a completely arbitrary exercise with inherent biases. What makes a commercial good anyway? Its originality? Its artistry? Whether it makes you laugh or cry? Whether you recall the product thirty minutes later? Because it features dogs? Maybe its all of the above.
It's been reported that 111 million people watched the big game
Sunday, so we can safely assume that at least a few of these
people saw the ads. And apparently, as reported by Clickz, the dancing M&Ms effort was the
most Tweeted. It was also rated as the most effective by other
industry measures. But can we really ever know the
effectiveness of an ad? While numbers reveal instant reaction,
surely each commercial has a different impact on the subconscious
down the road, long after the final whistle of Super Sunday.
For what it's worth, I think the NFL's Evolution ad was among the
most memorable, uptempo, nostalgic, colorful, creative and
certainly appealing for traditional football fans. This was a
full blown scrimmage, after all, and deserved ads with equitable
ingenuity; sexualized chocolate and high-IQ dogs won't stick in
my mind, I'm afraid.
Date Published: Feb 09, 2012 - 3:51 am
Roger and me...and you...and football
Did you receive an email from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this
week? I did. Maybe he just sent it to me? Maybe he wants to be
more than just friends. He'll have to do more than a rather
pedestrian and detached written correspondence though. I need
dinner, chocolates, flowers - a little romancing Rog! It's almost
Valentine's Day!
Anyway, a letter of this nature truly requires reading between
the lines. So here's an interpretation of Roger Goodell's recent
message to fans.
To NFL Fans:
Now that another remarkable NFL season has concluded, let me
express my gratitude on behalf of all 32 NFL teams for your
incredible support. [Keep
in mind, you may lose your team in the near future because LA
needs a club and I like the movies.] Record numbers of you
watched at home, made your way to the stadium, and connected with
the NFL in numerous other ways during the 2011 season. Your love
of football is what makes the NFL special [But don't rule out another lockout
where I'll make you agonizingly wait for the season to kick-off.
You're important, but so is extra pocket change].
We are proud of the quality of the game today. From the
individuals and team skills on display in every game to the
record-breaking achievements of future Hall of Famers, the 2011
season was extraordinary on many levels. [I was invited on even more TV shows
than last year. My thanks to our PR team]
It finished up with some of the most exciting playoff games of
recent years leading to a tense, drama-filled Super Bowl between
the Giants and Patriots that was the most-watched show in the
history of television. What a tribute to our players, coaches,
and fans! [...advertisers, media partners and
Madonna.]
As good as it’s been, I believe the NFL’s best days are ahead.
Our responsibility in leading the league is to protect and
enhance the bond between our game and the passionate fans who
sustain it. We know we have to earn your trust every day and
prove we are worthy of your amazing support. [But I likely won't be protecting the
bond between players' heads and their bodies, nor the tradition
of 16 fixtures - bring on 18 games!]
Our commitment to improve everything we do is ongoing. We are not
done yet. [I just can't
leave a good thing alone. It's like coffee: why have it plain
when you can add caramel syrup?] From the game on the
field to the fan experience at home -- and everything in between
-- there are ways we can do even better. We owe it to you, the
fans, to believe in better and strive for more. [In other words, I will be making
changes for changes sake because I need to leave a stamp on the
league. It's about legacy folks.] Our game has always
evolved and that will continue. I encourage you to visit our new
web site – NFL.com/evolution – to explore how the game has
improved over the past century. There are more good changes to
come. [See my earlier
comment about more games.]
Our mission is captured very simply in these four words:
Forever forward. Forever football. [I wonder if I can get a gig with
Hallmark - that's gold!] Thank you once again for your
passion and commitment to the game we all love.
Roger Goodell [I wanted
to sign off as "Commish", but had second thoughts. Let's keep
this platonic.]
Date Published: Feb 07, 2012 - 10:06 pm
Giant Super Bowl project: Beat Brady
The key
to dethroning the Patriots – who are indeed royalty in the modern
NFL era – is to unseat King Brady. The Golden Boy of American pro
football is one of the few quarterbacks whose body of work
apparently excludes him from being pulverized by opponents. If,
instead, Patriot enemies were permitted to work within the regular
parameters of the sport, then Brady's torso, and not his resume,
would occupy tacklers’ thoughts.
Nonetheless, there
are other roads aspiring champions can travel. So to assist the New
York Giants, because they're the team requiring greater help in the
upcoming Super Bowl I believe, here are three ways to unnerve Tom
Brady (none of which, I'm proud to say, involve commenting on his
hair before the ball is hiked).
1. Rush
him: it’s a straightforward
plan employed with monumental success since the days of Ghengis
Kahn. If you pester people enough, at least Ghengis found, they’ll
surrender entire land masses. Similarly, when Brady wins, it's
because he's been awarded too much time. Nobody holds firm in the
pocket like Brady, nor steps up as effectively when the rush comes.
So blitzing him is certainly easier said than done. With a
concentrated approach up the middle, however, that limits Brady’s
ability to step forward and load, the Giants can disrupt the
Patriots passing rhythm. But they also need to be wary of the
short, escape-hatch pass Wes Welker. Charge! Fluster! Hit! This is
the best form of defense against New England.
2. Limit the
short passing game: Rob Gronkowsi seems
larger than his six-feet-six, which adds a psychological layer
nobody needs. His hands, to make matters worse, are in more places
than Jamie Oliver. But stunting the short game is vital to New
York's success because it's central to Brady's act: it's where
he'll hope to eclipse Madonna's medley. If Brady hits Gronk quickly
though, the Giants will need to pounce. You don't want the big lug
in stride, chugging for home. The goal is to take away the middle
and force Brady to push it outside and long. The Pats move the
chains and churn the clock better than anyone in the NFL, so the
G-Men will want Brady to beat them via extraordinary plays only.
That, at least, they can live with.
3. Be ready for the no-huddle, and play
action: The
Pats have a mediocre running game, led by a man so inspiring that
they refer to him as The Law Firm. So if you're the Giants, how
much sense does it make to fear the run? About as much sense as
Bill Belichick's hoody. Brady and Co. will speed-up the battle by
forgoing huddles, so the Giants need to finish tackles and hit
their marks with the aplomb of Broadway performers. Then, if New
York's secondary can hold in the slot for a moment and allow
Brady his fake hand-offs and fancy pirouettes, they'll be better
able to track the Pats' diligent but slow receivers, who let's
face it, would've been late for the midnight ride had Paul Revere
called in sick.
This article first appeared on Technorati as Three ways to beat Brady and win a Super Bowl
This article first appeared on Technorati as Three ways to beat Brady and win a Super Bowl
Date Published: Feb 04, 2012 - 3:58 pm
Super Bowl Sunday's three biggest upsets
By Kent McGroarty (guest blogger)
The Super Bowl has become a sort of holiday over the years, and
is arguably more fun than February’s “official” breathers,
Groundhog and Valentine’s Days. Yes, there’s also Mardi Gras,
but people get just as hammered on Super Bowl Sunday as they do
when piling on the beads. At any rate, Super Bowl usually
comprises one team crushing the other, making the big day less
exciting than it ought to be. Then there are times when the
team everyone thought would get their cleats handed to them
actually wound up winning the whole shebang. Such games are
also among the best entertainment in the game’s history.
Super Bowl upsets make for some awesome football, so here are
three of the biggest ever:
Super Bowl IV: Kansas City Chiefs 23 - Minnesota Vikings
7
Not only were the Kansas City Chiefs widely regarded as not
having a snowball’s chance in hell in this one, they were also
dealing with a gambling scandal around quarterback Len Dawson.
Despite Minnesota being the overwhelming favorites, the Chiefs
took a 16-point lead at halftime, and their defense repeatedly
kept the Vikings from invading the Chiefs end zone. Amazingly,
KC held the Vikings to one touchdown on 67 offensive yards, and
scored the game-winner on a 46-yard run. Dawson threw for 142
total yards and was named MVP.
Super Bowl XXXVI: New England Patriots 20 - Saint Louis Rams
17
It could be said that Super Bowl XXXVI was during a time when
nobody really feared the Patriots or Tom Brady. Though the Pats
took a 17-3 start, league MVP Kurt Warner and the Rams scored
two fourth-quarter touchdowns to tie it with a minute and a
half on the clock. Many figured the game would go into
overtime, yet Brady drove his team to the Ram’s 30-yard line to
put Adam Vinatieri in perfect position to kick the game-winning
field goal. The astonishing victory thrust Brady into the
spotlight, and there he has remained as one of the game’s
greatest quarterbacks.
Super Bowl XXXII: Denver Broncos 31 - Green Bay Packers
24
Though it may be hard for some to remember when Brett Favre was
just a pretty-young-thing, it was assumed Favre and the Packers
would crush the aging John Elway and his Broncos. Though the
Packers had won the Big Dance the previous year, they couldn’t
stop Terrell Davis from rushing for 157 yards and scoring three
touchdowns, including the winner with a mere two minutes on the
clock. Elway finally won his ring.
Kent McGroarty is a Philadelphia based blogger for Gold Star Games, a tailgate gear supplier.
Kent McGroarty is a Philadelphia based blogger for Gold Star Games, a tailgate gear supplier.
Date Published: Feb 03, 2012 - 4:23 pm
Audibles: Brady talks, people balk
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, a man known for his perfect smile, wife, and hair, has unfortunately made an imperfect comment: he doesn't like hotels in Buffalo.
Gasp!
Clearly there are fans who don't like Brady. There are media who don't like him. But this is an opinion, and the last time I checked, having an opinion isn't a crime. Somebody in the Brady entourage obviously thinks it is, however, because Brady apologized for his comment soon after.
I thought the Cloud Pusher blog gave this non-issue some much needed perspective.
Date Published: Feb 03, 2012 - 3:56 pm
Audibles: Manning and his future
So I'm introducing a new segment this week called "Audibles", where I post some worthwhile commentary from other blogs.
First up, Yahoo's Shutdown Corner ran a good piece today summarizing the agitated relationship between Colts owner Jim Irsay and quarterback Peyton Manning, with Irsay choosing the path of most resistance. Simply, Irsay places the "horseshoe" ahead of the player.
Enough quips have been made about Irsay's fashion sense so I won't try and articulate how he clearly places the pinstripe ahead of common sense. However, I will say that this kind of statement, whether you deem it to be fair or not, is so typical of a person preoccupied with business, and less vested in football and the people who make the game what it is. Maybe Manning does retire, and as fans we'll all be worse for it. But at some point the players responsible for making your club relevant again - after years of sheer wretchedness - deserve a morsel of respect. And perhaps Mr.Irsay, in this instance, Manning - the person - should come before your proverbial horseshoe.
Date Published: Jan 27, 2012 - 1:36 am
NFL chirpy about tweeting
As the 24-hour news cycle churns through empty injury reports, mundane coaching signings and Tim Tebow's golfing schedule, one story stood out to me: the announcement that the NFL is allowing players to tweet during the Pro Bowl. Stop the press! Whoever thought such a commitment - one that has little to do with the clanging of helmets on the field - would stir so much web ink? Further still, who might have anything constructive to say after said clanging?
Some valid points have already been raised about the insincerity and oddity of players tweeting during a pro football game, especially on Mashable and Shutdown Corner, while some folks consider it just harmless fun. As potentially entertaining or intriguing or awkward as it may be for Tweeters and yes, the Twitterati, to chat with the sport's elite, I wonder whether this really adds anything to the event for genuine fans? I'm certainly more excited to see Cam Newton perform his duck and weave, then spin and hoist, than I am to get his view on the best sandwich at Honolulu's Cheeseburger in Paradise? (Side note to Cam: I like the Beach Burger, any thoughts?)
By adopting this strategy, a move that flies in the face of everything Commissioner Roger Goodell has ever enforced, it feels like the NFL is wanting show its pearly whites and spread a little cheer, more like the rather sociable NBA and Major League Baseball whose employees are much easier to personalize - largely because you can see their faces.
In this regard it's not a crazy idea, just a little forced, like a Rex Ryan grin at a post-game presser.
Date Published: Jan 25, 2012 - 11:06 pm
Rex: Not sexy option, but...
A recent post on Larry Brown Sports sets Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman straight, which is something the blogging world and media generally needs more of. The trouble is that Rex, being Rex, has a false sense of confidence due to his arm strength, which remains true. He can indeed zip it, and has done so in big games, particularly to opponents who revel in receiving his wayward deliveries.
Can the Skins really continue with Rex? It seems they will, at least in a secondary role. Though judging from some of the comments on Hog Haven this month, fans aren't thrilled with Grossman's 20 interceptions to 16 touchdowns. Despite bold predictions by Rex, nobody's winning a weakened NFC East with that output.
Ricky Allen at Rant Sports offers a sharp perspective about some of Rex's comments this month and his deliberate word choice in angling for yet another chance as the Hogs' starter.
Date Published: Jan 25, 2012 - 9:10 pm
NY Giants: bigger and bluer, in the end
It began in sections, like the disjointed parts of a Picasso
painting: angled, rounded and unusually colored. We were
ushered into the NFC Championship with a rousing anthem and
then drawn closer through a clouded lens. The darkened sky,
sullen with gray water, rapidly descended upon Candlestick and
the event became challenging, beyond its fundamental conflict,
that is. The ball, soaked and looking more like a stone,
suddenly slipped on the pass and bobbled on the carry. And with
the game tied at seven early in the second stanza, who might
have predicted the outcome of this title bout with any
certainty?
The 49ers jersey seemed darker when we were kids, didn't it? It
was a deep, royal red, with perfect white lettering. On Sunday,
that jersey reappeared, caused by the wintry rain blanketing
the Bay. On replays, in particular, the Niners' movement was
striking: Frank Gore was a crimson blur chugging through the
trenches. It reminded me of Roger Craig.
By contrast, the Giants white was spoiling fast, bright at a
distance but muddied and paint-stained on every close up. Some
might say, much like New York City itself. They defended well,
the New Yorkers, superbly rushing the passer in the pocket, but
equally closing the space behind the line whenever Alex Smith
traversed beyond it. By second-quarter's end, the fans were
drenched and the Giants, somehow, seemed to have the upper hand
by virtue of their defensive presence.
Eli Manning also threw first downs - short and sharp routes on
consecutive plays. These advanced the Giants momentum, as their
running game was stifled by those darkened red shirts. The
Niners' Alex Smith, though not strictly employed for his
running ability, carried the ball more effectively than the
Giants back field, mostly because his nimble jabs are conducive
to wet conditions. So Eli kept throwing, sending wobbly spirals
to Victor Cruz who has better hands than Spiderman. Cruz's
eight first-half receptions for 125 yards seemed to be wholly
accumulated in the final minute of second. Either way, his
significant contribution aided New York's ten first-half
points.
And then the Niners opened the third like bulls let loose in
Pamplona. They stunted the Giants first drive and won back
possession. A dash by Smith and a crafty run by Kendall Hunter
and suddenly San Francisco looked the better team. Soon after,
Alex Smith, who had tossed just a few accurate balls this game,
heaved a brilliant spinning loop to Vernon Davis in the end
zone. It appears as though any time these two connect it
results in a big play. He must be the fastest tight end in the
game today.
The game trudged towards the end of the third. Foggy camera
lenses gave the illusion that we were watching a dream - one
where you can smell the surrounds so distinctly, but can't
influence the action. Maybe it was indeed a dream, because the
49ers - a club we'd all but forgotten this last decade - were
beating down the mighty Giants of New York. One more quarter of
Jason Pierre-Paul to withstand; just a few of Eli's chance long
balls yet to zip by; and only several more charges from New
York's tough rushers to endure. But the Niners are masters of
lingering, not so much finishing. And at some point, one of
those Eli passes was going to travel the necessary distance
without interruption. As some point Blue dots would dominate
the landscape.
Sure enough, Manning to Manningham! - long overdue in this game
– and the Giants took the lead again. But San Francisco,
equal to the task, then marched down field, once more behind
Alex Smith's running. His 17-yard sprint around the edge surely
prompted recollections of Playoff Steve Young across the
country. Why did we all doubt this guy so much? Wasn't it
evident that he had talent, just the wrong coaching? David
Akers - the man with the happiest profile photo in the NFL -
evened the score and there we were, facing a mouth-watering
finale.
The defenses dictated the dwindling minutes of regulation,
sending their best rushers through holes and over human
barriers with the desperation of cavalries making one last
commitment. Both quarterbacks took their licks: Eli, by game's
end, looked like distraught grade schooler, disheveled and
depleted after a frenzied day in the school yard. At times, his
pads jutting from his collar, and a mouth full of grass - or
even his own chin strap - Manning played the part of Phil Simms
in this one: tough, resilient, and able to sling the game into
impossible moments. It was the sort of performance that
defenders appreciate, where broken plays are extended into new
sets of downs, and battered warriors can heal until their next
clash.
Finally, in overtime, the whole thing had run its course, like
a boxing match on its last legs, winded and woozy. It was just
a matter of who could survive the last gasp blows. The Niners
had done so much right, especially on the defensive end, where
they affected the New York ground game by holding it under 90
yards. But in the end, the G-Men showed a durability that will
serve them well in the Super Bowl. They kept coming on defense
with that line that doesn't relent. It held the Niners to less
than 30 minutes of possession, but perhaps more significantly,
forced them into errors on more third downs than any team
should endure. San Francisco converted just one of thirteen
third downs, clearly an indictment of their offensive execution
amid the elements.
Now the Giants return to the big one to face a Patriot team
hell bent on Super Bowl revenge. But don't be so sure Brady and
Co. will have all the answers for New York, who have proven
time and time again, the dealing doesn't need to be pretty, it
just needs to yield an opportunity for victory.
Date Published: Jan 24, 2012 - 11:19 pm
Heat: the restaurant scene, with Tom Brady and Ray Lewis
Brady: How ya doin? Whatya say I buy you a cup of
coffee?
Lewis: Yeh sure.
Brady: So...thirteen Pro Bowls, two NFL Defensive
Player of the Years, one Super Bowl MVP. Is the AFC North as
tough as they say?
Lewis: What are you looking for a gig at NFL
Films?
Brady: You looking to be forgotten? You know I’ve
ripped up so many defenses...set guys back five years in their
careers...kept them out of the Hall...
Lewis: You must have worked some dipstick units?
Brady: I’ve worked all kinds. Cover two, three, man,
Tampa two...fire zone, you name it.
Lewis: You see me doing thrill seeker runs around
the edge, trying to decapitate the quarterback for the hell of
it?
Brady: No I do not.
Lewis: Right. I’m about results. I ain’t ever
getting beat by a QB. That’s it.
Brady: Don’t play mind games with me.
Lewis: I do what I do best. I get in your head. You
do what you best, trying to embarrass guys like me.
(Brady nods
knowingly).
Brady: So you never wanted a regular type career
huh?
Lewis: What’s that? Barbecues and Sam Adams?
Brady: Yeh.
Lewis: Just a regular type superstar, like
you?
Brady: My life? No, my life isn’t always a pleasure
zone. I got paparazzi following me, people calling out obscene
things to my wife...and if you lose in New England, let me tell
you, it’s no cake walk. Man, I spend all my time trying to
conquer guys like you. That’s my life.
Lewis: Coach told me one time, don’t get emotionally
attached to anyone cause on your next play, you might have to
drive that son of bitch into the ground...let them feel the heat
coming around the corner. Now if you’re thinking about me,
watching me creep up, and you gotta step when I move...how do you
expect to cope with anything else?
Brady: That’s an interesting point. What are you a
monk? (pauses) So then if you see me dropping it over your
corners, you just gonna keep charging?
Lewis: That’s the discipline.
Brady: That’s pretty vacant.
Lewis: It is what it is. It’s that, or we both
better go do something else pal.
Brady: I don’t know how to do anything else.
Lewis: Neither do I.
Brady: I don’t much want to either.
Lewis: Neither do
I.
(They each reveal a reluctant
grin.)
Brady: You know I have this recurring dream...all
the captains of the defenses I ever worked are sitting in our
locker room and they're staring at me....rage in their eyes cause
I showed them up...just sitting their...
Lewis: What do they say?
Brady: Nothing. We just look at each other. That’s
it, that’s the dream.
Lewis: I have one where I’m drowning in a quicksand
football field.
Brady: You know what that’s about?
Lewis: Yeh, having enough time.
Brady: Enough time? To do what you wanna do?
Lewis: That’s right.
Brady: You know, we’re sitting here, you and I like
a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I
gotta do. And now that we’ve been face to face, if I’m there and
I gotta put you away, I won’t like it. But I’ll tell ya, if it’s
between you and losing this game, brother, you are going
down.
(Lewis stares for a
second).
Lewis: There’s a flip side to that coin. What if
your guys have me boxed out and I gotta put you down? Cause no
matter what, you will not get in my way. We’ve been face to face
yeh, but I will not hesitate, not for a second.
Brady: Maybe that’s the way it’ll be. Or...who
knows...
Lewis: Or maybe we’ll never meet in a game like this
again.
End scene.
Date Published: Jan 21, 2012 - 9:02 pm
The 49ers are coming
You have to appreciate the way the Giants linemen clog the middle. Whether it’s three or four with their hands in the soil, they leave the opponent no room for error. Every time Aaron Rodgers handed to a rusher Sunday, for example, behind a Packer line ploughing with all their might, the G-Men were equal to the task. They hit each man with ferocity, stunning them in the process and unnerving the quarterback - sometimes merely by their proximity. It's a heck of task withstanding New York’s bravado, and certainly most hardened locals wouldn't have it any other way. As native Billy Joel once sang, "There's a storm front coming." In other words, get outta the way!
This Sunday, the 49ers defense will also be called into duty, to a battle more savage than the last. The NFL's No.1 rushing defense will attempt to slow the newly awoken Giants offense, which is now armed – again - with a formidable running game. But this encounter is as much about matching the Giant defensive output as it is shutting down Eli and Co. And if any unit can rival the G-Men tack for tackle, it's the Niners. One of the game's most prolific passers in Drew Brees quickly discovered that last weekend, as he was hurried like a bassist trying to stay in step with Satchmo's trumpet. The Saints went marching in, but the Niners came marching out.
With Justin Smith ripping through linemen like they’re papier-maché, his perpetual motion impossible to escape, Eli will be on his toes all game. And how about Dashon Goldson and Patrick Willis, lurking about the second level with the type of snarl that makes the timid go to ground? The Niners defense is not only stout, as many writers like to label it, it's relentless, pestering and anxiety-inducing. Why would anyone want to play these guys in a sodden Candlestick with a slippery ball, and before a salivating crowd emotionally charged by the return of meaningful football?
For weeks now we’ve been told how good the Saints and Packers offenses are, and yet we know find ourselves closer to the Super Bowl and not a Saint or a Packer in sight. Instead of offense, we await the meeting of two potent defenses in this NFC Championship, a colossal duel between the Big Blue and Big Red. It'll be a tight contest, I suspect, with each offense nullifying the other in testing conditions. In the end, this will be resolved by the 49ers defense, which is not only physically energized but mentally clear. Jim Harbaugh seems to have mastered this aspect of coaching, and so I fully expect the Niners to be steely and decisive. They'll create panic around Manning who's best chance is to hop away from the rush, sometimes awkwardly so, and look long, in the hope that his talented receivers can outrun the coverage. It'll be easier said than done though, in a setting made for a San Francisco ambush, and yet another turn at the big dance.
This article is also featured on Roto Experts Xtra Point Football.
Date Published: Jan 20, 2012 - 2:47 am
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