The New York Jets announced that Mark Sanchez will likely need surgery to repair his torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. This will probably end Sanchez's season as well as his tenure with the Jets. Sanchez injured the shoulder when Head Coach Rex Ryan put Sanchez into the final, irrelevant, preseason game late in the fourth quarter behind the second team offensive line. Of course, disaster followed.
Today's retweet, by Ryan Daugherty (@Ryster99) extrapolates this comic-tragic string of events in the Big Apple:
"@mortreport@TheNosebleeds "Fantasy owners can count on Rex Ryan to start Sanchez Thursday against the Patriots...because Rex is that dumb.""
ESPN ran a regular segment on SportsCenter with updates of
the New York Jets training camp. It was complete with clever one-liners by Jets
Head Coach Rex Ryan, minor controversy involving remarks by cornerback Antonio
Cromartie, a manufactured quarterback controversy that wasn’t, and hour-by-hour
Tim Tebow updates. A number of hosts and callers on local and syndicated sports
talk shows expressed disapproval with ESPN’s reporting mix.
“Why the Jets? They are just one team. They aren't even a
Super Bowl front runner.” That’s all very true. They are also INTERESTING. In
2012, however, their appeal was less like an NFL team and more like that of a
train wreck. A train wreck is the only way to describe the New York Jets’
season, which will not end in the postseason after their 14-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football last night.
THE SCAPEGOAT
Mark Sanchez did not have a very good season. The debacle
that was the Jets’ season is not all his fault. It isn't even “mostly” his
fault. In fact, I wouldn't put Sanchez if the “Fault Top Five” for finger-pointing and assigning blame for the Jets playoff-less season.
Mark Sanchez is a game manager. He does not have a rocket
arm. He is not a play extender or a play maker. Mark Sanchez is a quarterback
who if given adequate protection, quality wide receivers, and a running threat
that the opposing defense has to account for, he can win most of his games,
including playoff games. When Sanchez has none of that, if the defense doesn’t
set the offense up to win the game, the Jets will probably lose.
This year’s Jets only had one quality wide receiving threat,
albeit a star, Santonio Holmes. To call his other receivers, save for tight end
Dustin Keller, “mediocre” would be offensive to mediocre receivers. The Jets
got off to a 2-1 start. Then Holmes was lost for the season in week 4. The
Jets’ offense went down in a ball of flames.
The Jets have a quality starting running back in Schonn
Greene, but he did not begin to significantly produce until the middle of the
season. By that time, the wheels had already begun to loosen on the Jets’
wagon. There were no noteworthy complimentary backs to Greene in the backfield.
I think this is a bit excessive. 1
BRILLIANT FRONT OFFICE MOVES
Future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson retired
before training camp. While in the twilight of his career, Tomlinson was still
a valuable contributor in the Jets’ passing game last season. The Jets’
solution? Do they draft a suitable replacement or pursue a veteran free agent
running back? No. Do they beef up their receiveing core with future a Hall of
Famer like Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson available before the start of the
regular season (say what you will about Owens or Johnson but both of them are
better than any healthy Jets’ WR)? No. Do they attempt to at least shore up
some depth in a thin offensive line? No.
How does the Jets front office address glaring deficiencies
at running back, receiver and offensive line? They arrange for a trade with the
Denver Broncos for Tim Tebow, the least accurate starting quarterback in the
National Football League in 2011 and also the biggest fan favorite and media
draw. Brilliant! Address the most important position on the field by bringing
in a backup who will prove to be a distraction and undermine the standing of
the starter!
Tim Tebow: Just what the doctor ordered, if the Doctor is named "Kevorkian"!
TEBOW MILD-IA
Tebow Mania was nonstop in the New York and national media.
And while Tebow was little more than an infrequently used decoy on the field, I
cannot imagine how the incredibly high amount of media attention he received
was not a distraction, especially when the Jets’ offense began to sputter. Mark
Sanchez said and did all of the right things in adjusting to Tebow’s presence
on the team. However, the most popular player on ANY team during a slump is the
backup quarterback. The Jets’ backup QB happens to be one of the most popular
players in the league.
The Jets had final scores of ten points or less in eight of
their 14 games played so far this year, almost unbelievable in today’s very
quarterback-friendly NFL. The demand of a QB switch could be expected from any
fan base, but Tebow’s presence left The Sanchize in a position in which he was
looking over his shoulder before the season started. Rex Ryan benched Sanchez
during a lackluster performance in a win over the downward spiraling Arizona
Cardinals earlier this month. Wisely, he replaced Sanchez with Greg McElroy,
not Tebow. That move seems to have doused many of the Tebow Mania flames, but
the damage was already done.
There is nothing cool about being benched in sports, but Sanchez (center) had to take some silent comfort that if he wasn't wearing his helmet that at least Tebow ( right) wasn't either. 3
SNACKING ON A PINK SLIP
Rex Ryan’s future in the Big Apple has begun to be called
into question. Still, I would be stunned if he weren't given another year to
help right the ship. He is too brilliant of a defensive mind and he, as head
coach, makes the Jets a desirable destination for free agents. His players love
him and he is the ultimate motivator. He has demonstrated too much potential as
a Head Coach to simply cut ties after one bitterly disappointing season.
The Jets organization has parts in place that give them the
ability to reach greatness. Their leadership at the top and their personnel
decisions worked as an albatross this season. The Jets need to stick with
Sanchez, as no draft pick or free agent is going to fall into their lap in the
coming offseason. They need to place Tim Tebow DEEP on the bench or make it
clear from the start of training camp that Sanchez is the starter. This means
no repetitions for Tebow with the first unit during training camp or practice…ever.
Finally, they have GOT to get some competent receivers and other offensive
skill players on the roster. Every last draft pick should be used on a
receiver, offensive lineman, or running back. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or
Peyton Manning might not be able to will this supporting cast to more than a 9-7
record.
The Jets are an interesting team to follow. The circus is
fun to follow, too. IF the Jets are serious about making a super Bowl run next
season, it is time to fold up the tent in the big Apple.
Rex Ryan: "Don't forget to write if I'm not here next year."
Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!
To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.
Those of us who were majors or masters in a business related field in undergraduate or graduate studies are familiar with the term “noise” as it relates to statistics. Wisegeek.com defines statistical noise as, “a term that refers to the unexplained variation or randomness that is found within a given data sample or formula.” Wisegeek later goes on to elaborate, “Although generating statistics is a great way to gain a better understanding of how a business should run and the direction it should take, the process can also create some worthless data. This is where statistical noise must be taken into account.”
POPULARITY
The New York Jets are 2-2 right now, with their two losses resulting from dreadfully inefficient productivity from the offense and subpar performances from quarterback Mark Sanchez. During this past offseason, the Jets traded to acquire quarterback Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos. Many in sports media expressed concern over the message that the acquisition of the rock star backup QB would send to Sanchez, the franchise quarterback over the prior four seasons.
Cooler heads in sports media, correctly, observed that there was no realistic possibility of Tebow supplanting a healthy Mark Sanchez for the starting job. The same heads also correctly speculated that if Sanchez struggled, as he has at some point in every season of his NFL career, that Tebow’s very presence could become a distraction.
Casual local football fans of any NFL team begin to call for any backup QB when the starter struggles for an extended period. I personally heard a fan (who did not seem to be intoxicated) leaving the Superdome, following my New Orleans Saints overtime loss to the hapless Kansas City Chiefs, suggest that future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees (who has walked on water in New Orleans since his arrival) should have been benched in the second half for backup Chase Daniel. Indeed, the backup QB is the most popular player on any team with a struggling offense.
Tebow used the word "excited" so many times in his introductory press conference, one would think there was a forthcoming moratorium on the word at Jets camp after that day. 1
WORTHLESS DATA
This effect is probably experienced five-fold in The Big Apple. Tim Tebow is not just any backup. He is a rock star. Tebow’s popularity extends beyond the football field to the most casual of sports fans because of his good guy, wholesome, devout Christian image combined with his historic success at the University of Florida, where Tebow won two national championships, was a two time Heisman Torophy finalist, and won the 2008 Heisman Trophy. The backup quarterback was already the most popular player on the team, regardless of Sanchez’s level of success or lack of it.
Jets fans and Tebow fans, yearning to see Tebow step into the starting lineup will point out every reason under the sun that Sanchez should be benched. They’ll point out Sanchez’s flaccid passing statistics against top tier defenses such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers. They will point out how Tebow led the Broncos to a division title and a playoff victory against those same, heavily favored, Steelers. They will point out Tebow’s contribution to the running game, with which the Jets are struggling this year.
It is easy to get caught up in Tebow Mania. It took Denver by storm in 2011. It pitted Tebow against Hall of Fame, two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback, Denver sports legend and team President John Elway. I can only imagine that the mania could be more infectious in a media market like New York. The problems for those fans are that the Head Coach of the Jets is a very bright football man who will not succumb to the whims of the public (and can be so stubborn that he may intentionally fight them on general principle) and that all of the “facts and figures” in the case for Tebow amount to worthless data – in other words: noise.
Rex Ryan as the Grinch: "The NOISE, the NOISE, the NOISE! If there's anything I can't stand, it's the NOISE, NOISE NOISE!!!" 2
NO COMPETITION
Mark Sanchez’s problem is that he is not a perennial All Pro quarterback. He is not a top vote getter for the Pro Bowl. His career is not on a Hall of Fame path. His game has flaws. His accuracy struggles for a starting NFL quarterback. He has had some well publicized lapses during games. He is not Aaron Rodgers; he is not Tom Brady; he is not Drew Brees; he is not Peyton Manning. He is not among the best in the NFL.
I find that fans, especially casual NFL fans, have a very black and white view of quarterback play. He either wins or loses. He either looks really sharp, or he is no good. He either takes a team to the playoffs, or perhaps he isn’t the right guy. That’s fine. Sports are entertainment and the die hards, such as those who would read an independent sports blog, make up a minority of any entertainment medium. That doesn’t mean that the opinions of the fan base should be listened to or taken into account at any level. Just because we all have a right to an opinion doesn’t mean an opinion cannot be wrong.
Sanchez struggles with his accuracy at times. Tebow has been at the bottom of the NFL for accuracy since he came into the league. Sanchez can struggle with his reads when his first option is not available, particularly in disguised coverage and blitz packages. Tebow looks like a lost puppy when his first option is not open. He either chucks the rock (to his credit, in a place where it won’t be intercepted) or takes off running. The running can yield good results, but it is a “Plan B” for winning in the NFL and will eventually result in an injury to the player at the most important position on the team.
Tebow (left): "Dude, being a New York Jet is GREAT!"
Sanchez: "Yeah! It's even better when you're playing!" 3
WINNING
Mark Sanchez has been winning in the NFL at high levels since being thrown into the deep end of the pool as a rookie. Sanchez’s regular season record as a starter is 30-22 (winning 58% of his regular season games). He is 4-2 in the playoffs, including two trips to the AFC Championship Game. While Tebow is 10-6 as a starter, he has far less experience and looked like a deer in the headlights in the playoffs against the New England Patriots at Foxboro, the same Patriots in the same Foxboro that the Sanchez led Jets upset in the 2010 playoffs.
In short, Sanchez has proven that he is capable of making plays, enough plays to give his team a chance to win at a high level. Tebow’s wins have come with a high dose of happenstance, good fortune, and taking advantages of opportunities when presented to him. A win is a win in the NFL, but Tebow’s recipe has a low ceiling for long term winning potential. Jets coach Rex Ryan is not going to bend to the fickle public sentiment of the Big Apple. Jets Fan’s best play is to be content with a division leading 2-2 record, get behind the starter, and hope for Mark Sanchez to play at his best so that Tim Tebow is never seen as a practical option by any football-savvy person.
Rex Ryan getting his Charlie Sheen (from "Major League") on. All about WINNING! 4
Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!
To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.
Grossman is not the first, nor will he be the last, athlete to be criticized for his management of his weight. What we may not see for a while are some of the hum dingers of quotes like what can be found in Jenkins’ article. The line that stood out most to me was, “If Grossman has an inherent limitation, it’s his lack of mobility. He has no business compounding it with a knife and fork if he expects to lead the Redskins to the playoffs.”
FAT!
While one should not throw stones if living in a glass house, as Ms. Jenkins is on this issue (she is not a hippo, but she’s no stringbean, either), it caught my attention and gave me a little chuckle. One of my favorite sports journalists, talk show host Jim Rome, refuses to allow personal appearances to be fodder for his show. It’s a pillar of The Jim Rome Show.
The Daily Hat Trick may have the luxury of raising the bar when we have 2,000,000 readers per day. As it stands, my daily bogey for readership is three figures, not seven. When I get to seven, I’ll raise my standards. Until then, enjoy some samples of pithy comments of the past about players packing on the pounds.
C'mon Sally. You could stand to put the fork down, yourself. 1
TO THE PRESS!
Recently acquired and controversial New England Patriots defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth:
“And so the biggest question for Redskins fans remains this: will the pros of Albert Haynesworth's expulsion…outweigh the cons…?”
--Michael Katz, S.B. Nation D.C., September 9, 2011
Warrick Dunn (on the ground) looks like he is afraid Albert is going to eat him! 2
Former University of Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody:
“He's a big, fat blob,”
--Unidentified NFC personnel man, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, “Will Alabama’s Cody Be a Mountain of Bust?”, April 18, 2010
"BLOB"? Harsh: yes. Unfair? Hmm.... 3
Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley on Turner Sports office having a betting pool on his weight:
"That is starting to hurt my feelings. I don't mind skinny people making fun of me, we all do that, but I don't want fat people making fun of me."
--Source: barkleyquotes.blogspot.com
Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley on Peter Vescey calling him fat on TV:
"…The truth is, I'm going to have to get bigger clothes or start hanging out with fat people to look skinnier."
--Source: barkleyquotes.blogspot.com
The supply of Barkley fat quotes were limitless. 4
Former Major League Baseball player John Kruk:
“John Kruk Is Dead Weight On ESPN...and Lots of It”
--Headline for an article in Bleacher Report by Andrew Brining, August 13, 2009
A LOT of it! 5
New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan, after losing some weight:
“I think everyone in New York is happy about that, except maybe Macy’s losing one of their floats.”
--Former Cleveland Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini, Associated Press article, November 11, 2010
Rex Ryan was a source of girth references, too. 6
Former Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia
"My arm feels fine. I just can't command either side of the plate."
--Source: Article by Rob Iracane, “What's Eating C.C. Sabathia? What's C.C. Sabathia Eating?” in the Walkoff Walk blog, April 17, 2008.
If he ate a burger, he wouldn't have to keep it on the plate. 7
NBA player Eddie Curry in an article on overpaid players:
“…Eddy Curry, is Exhibit A…Only A? A guy that size is Exhibit A through Z…”
--John Karalis of Bloguin, September 14, 2011
Because I am so sure Curry was trying to put a Big Mac through the hoop. 8
Former Cleveland Cavalier Shaquille O’Neal
“Shaq Misses Entire Second Half With Pulled Pork Sandwich”
--The Onion Sports Network, January 22, 2010
I couldn't make this up. You know what? If I were hungry enough, I may have missed a little time for a delicious pulled pork sandwich, too! 9
Bon appetite, Hat Trick readers!
Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!
To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.
1) Image from c-spanvideo.org 2) Image from maxminimus.blogspot.com 3) Image from warblogle.com 4) Image from basketballmedicine.blogspot.com 5) Image from phantomballplayer.blogspot.com 6) Image with citation from prior Daily Hat Trick article 7) Image from ftrsports.com 8) Image from nysportspace.com 9) Image from theonionsportsnetwork.com
Actor Charlie Sheen, recovering from a recent drug overdose, recently gave a motivational speech to he UCLA baseball team. Video of Sheen advising, "Stay off the crack. Drink chocolate milk. That's all I've got." went viral. However Sheen did draw inspiration for his speech. It turns out that some members of the UCLA team, while hanging out with Sheen, removed some of the actor's precious stash of blow and pills. The Daily Hat Trick has the never before released full transcript of Sheen's inspirational speech to the team, in the locker room before heading to the practice field, inspired heavily by New York Jets coach Rex Ryan.
Sheen may have borrowed some motivational tactics from coach Ryan. 1
"You guys know me, that I'm about as much of a train wreck of a guy as there is. I believe this team is better than every f-ing team in the Pac-10. I believe our players are better than any players in the league, right? Those are true statements. That's how I believe.
But the team's only going so far if I'm not the only guy on speed. The team is only going so far. I know what it's like to party and do blow off a urinal! I fell off of the wagon right before I drove up here. I can out party everyone myself, this whole group of men. We ain't going to win, guys, if we're using speed. I'm sitting back for us, waiting for us to understand the drug-free team that we said we're going to be, except for me. What the hell are we waiting on? Do you understand that my dope isn't cheap and I could detox at any time? There's a PRICE to PAY!!!
Don't be like me. Now GIVE ME BACK MY DRUGS!!! 2
Can we have fun? You're damn right. I demand that we have fun. Now there's a difference between having fun and being a junkie. Our pitchers were junkies when they "borrowed" some of my stash. That's being a junkie!
You can be a NCAA champion, but not like this! We won't win it. We'll sit back and say 'Why didn't we do it?' We didn't do it because 'Where were Charlie Sheen's Quaaludes?'
Just play ball and leave the 'Ludes to Sheen. 3
Let's make sure we play like the f-ing UCLA Bruins and not some f-ing slap d__k team! And I want to see my bag of blow back in my hotel room, pronto! That's what I want to see tomorrow. Do we understand what the f___ I want to see tomorrow? Let's stay off the Goddamn crack!"
Sheen wanted to talk about a little more than chocolate milk. 4
Don't forget to vote in the fan polls and "like" The Daily Hat Trick on Facebook!
To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.
Special thanks to Josh Innes (Rich Lord & Josh Innes) of KILT, CBS Sports Radio 610-AM in Houston, Texas for providing creative inspiration and guidance for this piece. An audio variation of this interview may be heard at a future time, with permission from The Daily Hat Trick, on KILT or its affiliates.
1) Image from warmingglow.uproxx.com 2) Image from recoveryconnection.org 3) Image from funnys.website.org 4) Image from tmz.com
The 2010 NFL Season has concluded and the Green Bay Packers are the Super Bowl Champions. The first champion of the 2010s, the Packers ran a gauntlet in December and January to reach the big game. Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy and his team outplayed, outcoached, and outmanned a Pittsburgh Steelers team than many had begun to crown after Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s return from a four game suspension in October.
I could go over stats and Xs and Os but who cares? It does not change the Packers win. And other than the turnover battle, stats and schemes tell very little of the story of this championship contest. Pittsburgh turned the ball over three times, including a Nick Collins interception returned for a touchdown while Green Bay did not turn the ball over.
However, there were a number of noteworthy and telling points in Super Bowl XLV. There were not many “turning points” in the game in the traditional sense. The Packers never trailed. However, there were a number of “defining moments” that played a major role in determining the outcome of the game.
Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers
One of my all-time favorite NFL head coaches, Jim Mora, Sr. (Saints, Colts) often said, “The only statistic that matters is ‘turnovers’.” That appeared to ring true in Super Bowl XLV. One of the most significant determinants was a turnover that did not happen. Early in the game, Tramon Williams of the Packers muffed a punt when a teammate inadvertently made contact with him. Williams managed to recover the ball when it appeared that a Steelers player was able to touch the ball on the ground first. Green Bay responded soon after by scoring a touchdown. Less than a minute later, Collins scored a touchdown off of a Roethlisberger interception. The Steelers were in a big, early hole. The Steelers, who lost by a touchdown, dug a crater sized hole by losing the turnover battle and did nothing to bridge the gap of the impact of the turnover battle on the game by turning the ball over two more times.
Nick Collins celebrates a pick six. 2
Quarterback Battle
Big Ben usually thrives on defensive pressure and makes opponents pay. Not in the Super Bowl, though.... 3
Super Bowl XLV MVP Aaron Rodgers had plenty to smile about, hi-fiving a fan in celebration. 4
Roethlisberger was efficient and adequate. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sharp and clutch. This, frankly, was the opposite of what I expected to see. Rodgers looked like the signal caller who had been to the Super Bowl and won twice before. Roethlisberger, while not bad overall, never appeared to be able to raise his level of play above that of everyone else on the field. The bottom line is that Aaron Rodgers and his teammates, when they had to make a play, made plays to sustain drives, nearly every time the situation arose. The Steelers only appeared to connect in pivotal situations after halftime, and not when the game was on the line in the final minute. Games between evenly matched teams are almost always decided by a clear winner at the quarterback position and, if football were boxing, Aaron Rodgers won by unanimous decision.
Too Big a Hole; Too Little, Too Late
Pittsburgh fell too far behind too quickly to have any more than a slim chance to win the Super Bowl. The record for the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history is held by two teams, tied for the record of 10 points; the Washington Redskins came back to beat the Denver Broncos in super Bowl XXII and the New Orleans Saints, a year ago, came back from the same deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. The Steelers fell into a 14 point hole in the first quarter, growing to an 18 point gap just before the two minute warning in the first half.
Unlike regular season games, playoff games, especially the Super Bowl, involve the best of the best teams. The gaps in talent between any two playoff teams facing each other are usually very slim. When one team falls into an early hole, even if it outplays its opponent down the stretch, it is extremely difficult to completely bridge the early gap in the score because the opponent is not going to lie dormant.
Off Color Commercials
This has nothing to do with the game itself, but the commercials in the Super Bowl broadcast are often one of the more interesting elements of the event. I saw more slapstick and toilet humor, with cans of Pepsi Max being hurled by jealous girlfriends and into groins and teleflorists using breast jokes to sell flowers. Yes, such low common denominator humor is as old as time and will always garner someone’s attention, but commercials of Super Bowls past have involved far more creativity with far fewer technological tools available to produce them.
It Is Better to Receive than to Give the Ball Away
Rashard Mendenhall's big fumble in the fourth quarter may have been the separator put the Packers out of reach of the Steelers. 5
Packers wide receivers Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson were not perfect. As a team, the Packers had several dropped passes. Football, however, is a game in which there will typically be over 100 plays from scrimmage, yet, often, a small handful of plays can swing the momentum and influence the outcome of a game. The Nelson dropped a couple of passes that could have crippled the Steelers, yet he made up for missed opportunities by redeeming himself with big plays. Greg Jennings made two clutch catches, for touchdowns, that put multiple score space between the Packers and Steelers.
The Steelers, on the other hand, came very close, on numerous occasions, to relieving the pressure of its scoring deficit to the Packers, but could never cut the margin to any less than three points. Too many times, the Steelers could not convert on third down. Too often, a receiver was slightly overthrown downfield. Too often, the Steelers gave the ball to their opponents before it could get its motor revved.
The Difference Between Champions and Runner Ups
When the game was done, the Packers were six points better than the Steelers. Both teams fought hard. Both teams could have had a different outcome had they executed certain plays differently than they had, a better outcome for the Steelers, a worse outcome for the Packers. However, football is a game of inches and there are no do overs in the postseason. When the rubber hit the road, the Packers had enough to stand out above the Steelers and stand out from the rest of the NFL.
Dynasty?
Every time a new Super Bowl Champion is crowned, the sports media quickly speculates on whether or not that team can repeat. The NFL has had three different champions in the past three seasons, the Packers, Saints, and Steelers with young nuclei that will remain intact for several years to come. In addition, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have, minimally (barring serious injury), three high-level seasons remaining in their careers, if not more. There is also a team that plays its game in New Jersey coached by a big colorful character named Rex Ryan with enormous championship potential, dynasty potential. Let us also not forget about quarterbacks Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers and Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. These rising stars are capable of leading teams to a championship. Finally, the Baltimore Ravens, while racing against Father Time in some positions, appear to be at the doorstep of returning to the Super Bowl.
There have only been eight repeat Super Bowl wins by seven franchises in the history of the NFL (’67 Packers, ’73 Dolphins, ’75 Steelers, ’79 Steelers, ’89 49ers, ’93 Cowboys, ’98 Broncos, ’04 Patriots). The prospect of any team repeating in any sport, ever, is a bleak one due to the competitive nature of professional sports, particularly in the NFL, in which there is a salary cap and larger market teams cannot simply spend at will to force smaller market teams out of contention (cough…baseball…cough).
While I think it is very possible that this team of Packers could win another championship in the next 5 years, the Saints, Steelers, and the aforementioned teams are equally viable. The odds of a Packers repeat, no matter what improvements are made in the offseason, are not probable. What I do expect from the Packers, along with the other major players mentioned, is that those teams will be a competitive force with the potential to reach the Super Bowl in each of the next several seasons.
6
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Good Monday morning, Hat Trick readers! Today, I have a comprehensive, Xs and Os break down of some big matchups in the National Hockey League. We are going to cover a little Australian Open this morning (in which Americans have been ridden out on a rail). Also, we will touch on some Euro league soccer.
Anyone for tennis? 1
PSYCHE!
Obviously, football is not the only thing, but it is everything right now. The conference championship games were unusual, but entertaining. When the dust finally settled, as many, myself included, expected, the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers survived and advanced to play in Super Bowl XLV in North Texas in two weeks.
Both victors bent, but did not break after jumping out to comfortable, multi-score, early leads. The Green Bay Packers did not reinvent the wheel. They played their game and did not make mistakes. Eventually, even the best defenses, including that of the Bears, will leave a small window of opportunity and Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were able to squeeze through when the opportunities presented themselves. Offense gets a “C”; defense gets a “B”; coaching gets an “A” for the Packers. Defensive tackle BJ Raji gets a 7.5 for his end zone jiggle.
Teach me how to "Raji"...teach-teach me how to "Raji"! 2
This game was unusual on a number of fronts. The road team, a sixth seed, was favored in this game. In spite of the cold weather, I was surprised to see that there were only 14 points scored between both teams in the first three quarters of play. However, the most unusual outcome of this game is that the biggest story of the 2010 NFC Championship Game had nothing to do with anyone on the winning team.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was ineffective for much of the entire day. In the third quarter, Cutler was removed from the game and replaced by Todd Collins. Cutler suffered an unspecified knee injury at some point prior to his removal. Cutler was seen on the sidelines walking, without crutches, triggering a multitude of critical remarks from current and former players and the media. An image of fans burning Jay Cutler’s jersey, after the game, was broadcast on television. Good thing he did not announce he was taking his talents to South Beach. They may have burned his house down!
LeBron: "Good! Gooood! People aren't talking about me! Goood! They're burning Cutler's house down? Goood! People aren't talking about me. 4
Bears linebacker and defensive captain Brian Urlacher vociferously defended Cutler and Cutler’s toughness. For me, frankly, that is all I need to see. I find it ridiculous that a bunch of talking heads in the media, many of whom never played organized football at any level, have the gall to call into question the heart of one of the NFL’s better quarterbacks, a quarterback who has been sacked nearly 100 times in the past two seasons and only missed one game during his tenure with the Bears. I am disappointed that so many of Cutler’s fellow NFL player comrades called the quarterback’s heart and toughness into question without speaking to the man and having any idea what the type and extent of Cutler’s injury was. I am buying what Cutler is selling until I see lemons.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think Lovie Smith looks a little like James Evans from "Good Times"?
Lovie: "DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!"
In the American Football Conference, the stars of sports media in the 2010 season, the New York Jets, led by their coach, the round mound of soundbites, Rex Ryan, traveled to Heinz Field to face the AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh was favored, but, out of the gates, the game appeared to be a rout, with the Steelers scoring the first 24 points of the game. The Jets battled back and had several opportunities to tie the score or take the lead, with the Jets defense holding the Steelers scoreless after the Steelers’ initial outburst of first half points.
The New York Jets, Coach Ryan, and quarterback Mark Sanchez demonstrated, to me, that they are still not ready for prime time. The Jets are a very talented team with, who I believe is, the best “player’s coach” in the NFL. However, the Jets, early in the game, appeared to lack the type of focus demonstrated in the divisional round game at the New England Patriots.
I think that Pittsburgh, candidly, is a better team than New England, pound for pound, in spite of the regular season records. I understand why the Jets were fueled by intense emotion before and after the Patriots game, given the recent histories surrounding those two franchises. What I do not understand is how a coach as talented as Ryan could allow his team to play in a championship game on the road, against a tougher opponent in the Steelers, with so little focus. The Jets clearly did not suffer from a failure to prepare, as they clearly “snapped out of ‘it’” (whatever “it” was) after halftime. An unprepared team cannot snap out of anything because they would be ill-equipped to face their opponent.
I guess he'll need a snack, and a new headset.
(Video from YouTube)
The Jets are not ready for prime time. On third and goal from inside the Steelers three yard line with a chance to cut the lead to seven points, instead of trusting the strengths of the team (the offensive line and the running game), the Jets elected to pass, nearly resulting in an interception. Sanchez had the options of checking down at the line of scrimmage, tucking the ball and attempting to run into the end zone, looking for another read, or simply throwing the ball away. In spite of playing impressively in the playoffs in his short career, I cannot help but think that a more experienced quarterback, such as his Steelers counterpart, Ben Roethlisberger, would have made a more sound decision and come away with six points after such a drive. The Jets are not ready for prime time.
Two QBs: One on the rise and one at the peek. 5
This leaves us with the two teams that have weathered the storm better than any other teams in their respective conferences. I think the playoff process got this Super Bowl correct and the two best teams to represent the NFC and AFC are playing in the big game. One team has a young coach, 38 year old Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who is achieving well beyond his years, shooting for his second Super Bowl championship in his fourth year as an NFL head coach. One team has an elite quarterback, in Roethlisberger, who, in spite of his well publicized personal shortcomings, knows how to win and will rely on his toughness to get his team over the hurdle, if necessary.
The other team has an emerging young quarterback, possibly playing the position, at the moment, at a higher level than anyone else. It has a group of experienced veteran receivers, particularly Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, who do not, literally nor figuratively, drop the ball. It has a cast of athletic defensive players that appear to have completely gelled as a unit and are as deceptive in presentation and crisp in execution as any defense in the NFL.
This should be a fantastic matchup. The Super Bowl is America’s signature entertainment event, and television ratings overwhelmingly support that claim. Super Bowls with bad, one sided matchups are still bonanzas for television networks and advertisers. This contest contains enough storylines, personal stories of achievement, and sub-plots to fill a series of novels. I will withhold my personal prediction of the winner (which is worth no more than the paper on which one can print it) until next week, after more of the background scouting and analysis has been presented by the media. But, to quote a memorable playoff personality, Jets linebacker Bart Scott, “CAN’T WAIT!!!”
CAN'T WAIT! 6
1,4) Image from huffingtonpost.com 2,3) Image from espn.com 5) Image from Yahoo! Sports 6) Image from frontburner.dmagazine.com
It is that time of the week, again. Time to gather 'round the fire, roast a few marshmallows on a stick, and let your old Uncle Eric guide you through the never ending menu of sports coming up this week. Or you can just read the following.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Dallas Mavericks at Chicago Bulls
This just in: DIRK IS BACK! And not a moment too soon for Mavericks fans.... The Mavs finally, and convincingly, ended an uncharacteristically horrendous skid, having lost 9 of their past 11 (please keep the 9/11 conspiracy theories to yourselves, guys) including six straight heading into last night's game, a win at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. Forward Dirk Nowitzki had 14 points and 8 rebounds and Jason Kidd, apparently after drinking from the fountain of youth, had 21 points, including 5 of 8 from downtown, and 10 assists to take down the Lake Show.
I'm ba-ack! 1
The Bulls, while comfortably in first place in the Central Division, are in a dogfight for seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic. Every game counts for the Bulls as they trail the first place Celtics by 4.5 games and lead the fifth place Magic by a single game.
Coming off of an upset loss at home to the Charlotte Bobcats, the Bulls can ill-afford to help their Eastern Conference competitors gain any ground. Derrick Rose continues to play consistent, high octane offensive basketball and the Bulls will need it against a Mavericks team with renewed confidence. Good teams tend to be more sharply focused after an upset loss. The opposite is often true for teams coming off of a big win. The Bulls are also at home.
Advantage: Bulls
Friday, January 21, 2011
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
I typically try to avoid mentioning a team more than once in this segment, but the Lakers are the Lakers and the "Melo-drama" unfolding in Denver is too interesting to ignore. New Jersey Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov recently announced that the Nets would discontinue its efforts to acquire Nuggets superstar forward Carmelo Anthony in a trade. As Nets minority owner Jay-Z might say, "On to the Next One".
Last night, Melo responded to the speculation that he was "distracted" by dropping 35 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and stealing the ball 3 times from the Northwest Division leading Oklahoma City Thunder, saying it was "personal" (gotta love the Rex Ryan influence on all sports). I do not think Melo will need much outside motivation to prepare for The Black Mamba (Kobe Bryant) , The Candyman (Lamar Odom), and "Boom Boom" Pau Gasol (yes, I made that up).
Both teams have been less consistent in execution than they have been in recent years. However, the Lakers "inconsistency" has them still in first place in the Pacific Division while the Nuggets are in seventh place in the Western Conference playoff race. Still, the Pepsi Center in Denver is a very difficult place to win on the road and, trade rumors, "distractions" or otherwise, Carmelo appears to be sharply focused.
Advantage: Nuggets
Prokhorov sounds like Ernst Stavro Blofeld from the James Bond movies saying, "Goodbye, Mr. Bond!"
Video Source: YouTube
Saturday, January 22, 2011
NCAA Men's College Basketball
Villanova Wildcats (7) at Syracuse Orange (3)
If you are a college basketball fanatic, this Saturday will be like Christmas for you. There are several great matchups on the schedule, however, this Big East battle stands out. Syracuse had its first loss of the season handed to them by the (increasingly) hot and convincing #4 University of Pittsburgh Panthers.
Villanova is coming off of its first Big East loss, a nailbiter, to Connecticut. Led by versatile senior point guard Corey Fisher and coach Jim Wright, Nova is in the Big East mix, as usual, and has a golden opportunity to establish a foothold in the conference race.
This game is a toss up. I would not bet money on this one. Hmm.... Syracuse is at home. Their point guard is named "Scoop".
Advantage: Syracuse
Scoooooo-oop! 2
Kansas State Wildcats (24) at Texas A&M Aggies (10)
The Aggies basketball program is as strong as it has ever been at this point in the season, winning 16 of its first 17 games, including its first three in the Big XII. A&M suffered its first conference loss yesterday, a whipping at the hands of the Texas Longhorns. In contrast, Kansas State appears to have lost some of its (head coach) Frank Martin inspired mojo, with a 1-3 start in Big XII play. Questionable shot selection, shoddy defensive play, and foolish turnovers appear to be plaguing the Wildcats.
ANY game with K-State coach Frank Martin is worth watching! 3
I believe in Martin and I think they have an on court leader in senior guard Jacob Pullen. I also think K-State will snap out of this self-inflicted funk. The Aggies are ripe for the picking, as the loss to Texas may have put a dent in their confidence. However, the Aggies are at home and K-State simply appears off of its game as a team.
Advantage: Texas A&M
Other noteworthy NCAA Men's Basketball games on Saturday:
Ohio State Buckeyes (1) at Illinois Illini (22) Advantage: Ohio State
Texas Longhorns (11) at Kansas Jayhawks (2) Advantage: Kansas
Michigan State Spartans (18) at Purdue Boilermakers (13) Advantage: Michigan State
Sunday, January 23, 2011
I am sure that many of you scrolled down to this date and I cannot blame you. The NFC and AFC Championship games both have the makings of classics that could live in NFL lore for years to come.
2010 NFC Championship Game
Green Bay Packers (12-6) at Chicago Bears (12-5)
Aaron Rodgers and the hopes of Cheeseheads everywhere travel to Soldier Field to take on the Monsters of the Midway. While the Packers and Bears are the NFL's oldest rivalry, with both teams having participated in a combined six Super Bowls and several NFL Championship games (prior to the Super Bowl era), this is the first time the two rivals have met in the postseason since the 1941 Western Division championship playoff, en route to the Bears' league championship that season.
Aaron Rodgers is playing the quarterback position better than any other QB in the NFL at this moment. Better than Tom Brady...better than Peyton Manning...better than Drew Brees...better than Ben Roethlisberger. A-Rodg is executing as crisply as I have seen a signal caller do so in the postseason. The Packers are playing smart, deceptive, but disciplined defense and, the most surprising element to me, they are running the football with authority in the postseason.
The Bears, in my opinion, have faced very few tough tests this season. The Seattle Seahawks were not a tough test, regardless of any media spin. Quarterback Jay Cutler looks razor sharp at times and, at other times (often the most inopportune times), makes decisions that could make a pee wee league coach smack his forehead. I am not suggesting that Cutler cannot win this big game. I am saying that I have yet to see it, nor concrete evidence of the probability of it, on any comparable stage. The Bears' defense will be a problem for Rodgers. Bears defensive end Julius Peppers allows the Bears front four to dictate the direction of the line play and frees up the linebackers to focus on its primary responsibilities.
If Matt Forte can be effective running the football early in the game, this could shape up into low scoring dogfight for every single yard of field position. My confidence in the Bears offensive line and Jay Cutler's decisions, under pressure, are not as great as my confidence in Rodgers, and a focused Packers defense led by rookie cornerback Tramon Williams and linebackers Clay Matthews III and A.J. Hawk. Home field is not everything (clearly, in this postseason), and it could shape up to be nothing if the Packers get out of the gates early.
Advantage: Packers
2010 AFC Championship Game
New York Jets (13-5)at Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4)
Let me be very clear on one point. The natural, unscripted drama, hype, theater, heated personal dialog, and raw emotion demonstrated by the players, coaches, and fans for the divisional playoff game between the Jets and New England Patriots last week cannot possibly be exceeded by any other game in this post season, including the upcoming Super Bowl. That matchup was as titanic a fight for manhood, pride, respect, and survival as there could have possibly been, given the opponents, their histories, and the personalities involved.
I have made no secret that, among teams that are not my Saints, New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan is my favorite coach because of how he motivates his players and speaks his mind, making the Jets the most fun team, not my own, for me to follow. I expect a great game between two teams with very tough, physical defenses.
HOWEVER, when I compare the soundbites in this week's press conferences to those of last week, I am waiting for "Kumbayah" to start playing in the background! I understand that Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Ryan are friends, with a great degree of respect and admiration for one another, but COME ON! You are the "(expletive) New York Jets" and not some "slap(stick)" team and this is FOOTBALL! Give us some red meat, Rex. Give us a "Goddamn snack"! You are starving us here!!!
CAN'T WAIT? Coulda fooled me! 5
I mean...Big Ben Roethlisberger crediting the Jets for having a good, confusing defense and saying, "I don't know how I'm going to do it,"? Jets WR Santonio Holmes calling Steelers safety Troy Polamalu the greatest player he has ever seen in person?? Ryan saying that Tomlin is one of his favorite coaches and Tomlin replying, "I love Rex,"??? I got a little excited when Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor said he would "lay out" Holmes, only to follow it up by saying he loved the man like a brother. These are the Steelers and Jets???? Yes, that is Jim Mora-esqe "playoffs" incredulity you would hear in my voice if I were speaking. COME ON MAN!!!
Who are you and what have you done with Rex Ryan? 4
Alright, I tried my best to hype up the disappointing lack of hype. The Steelers are at home and while Mark Sanchez appears to rise to a new level and be in a zone of superlative focus during the playoffs, I think quarterback play will tip the scales in this matchup between two lockdown defenses and strong running games. Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings and, as if it were possible, appears to be getting BETTER in big games and in high pressure situations. I think think Sanchez needs to grow some more and demonstrate more consistency throughout the entire season before he marches his team into the Big Ketchup Bottle and knocks off the Steelers on his way to the Super Bowl.
