Fleur-de-Victory

The Saints got one turnover on Sunday, but oh did they make it count. I can only imagine the decibel level on Bourbon Street as Tracy Porter jumped Reggie Wayne’s route and took it to the house in a moment sure to live in New Orleans lore. As a Colts fan, yeah I was tempted to take the school day off in favor of quiet contemplation/sleep but I really cannot complain too much about the game. It was an entertaining watch, well played, and lived up to the hype. We will get to specifics, but for now I cannot do anything else but applaud the Saints on being the better team on the day. If I had to choose one team to win a random game, I would still take my Colts, but that is surely a bit of bias along with the argument. After the first quarter, the Saints were nearly flawless and completely fitting of the adjective “Super”.

First Quarter

Feast or Famine. He was both in this game.

Who would have thought the first drive of the game between two teams with such good offense would end with a 3 and out? Not me. But the Colts had a little something for the Saints and it brought Thomas Morstead into action far earlier than he is accustomed. The Colts  came out firing on every cylinder looking as explosive out of the gates as they have been in a long long time. Clark, Addai, Garcon and Collie all contributed as the Colts drew first blood on a 38 yard FG by Matt Stover. A solid start, and it was nice to see the offense get started early after so many games of not quite getting settled until late in the second quarter. So the Saints get the ball back and predictably… punt? Yeah, it would be fair to say the Saints had a bad case of the jitters as the usually sure-handed Marques Colston took one in the facemask instead of the hands. The Colts had the ball back and this time would not settle for less than 7 even though the drive started at their own 4. The running game really started to roll, Manning was clicking, and everyone was doing their part including Reggie Wayne, who had a quiet first half, throwing some outstanding blocks to spring Addai and Brown. Everyone was on the same page and for a few moments it looked like Tony Dungy would be correct in calling the game a blowout (a comment I resent but we will get to that later). Jabari Greer coems out for a play due to injury, Pierre Garcon turns his replacement around like Flo Rida or Dead or Alive and all of a sudden it was 10-0 Colts. A dream start for the Colts to say the least.

Second Quarter

If the Colts would have won, this would have gone down in the record books. However...

For Colts fans, this quarter felt like The Empire Strikes Back with a little deja vu mixed in. The Saints drought was no more and they proved it by driving down the field before settling for a Garrett Hartley kick. A note here: Dwight Freeney is a man. That is all.  The Colts got the ball back and the game turned. Pierre Garcon caught the touchdown, but this time it would be his fatal flaw exposed. The man doesn’t have the hands of Wayne or Collie and it showed as he dropped a pass that would have given the Colts a sure first down. The Colts were no longer on the attack in the game. It was the Saints game to take, and Sean Payton knew it. So when the Saints got the ball back they drove down the field in a clock-devouring drive reminiscent of every divisional game the Colts play. Then came what many of us Colts fans thought was going to be our turning point. The Saints have the ball spitting distance from the goal line with first down. Pass outside, but well defended. False Start. Pierre Thomas runs to the 2. 3rd and Goal from the 2. Mike Bell takes the handoff and goes right, but as he goes into his cut, slips and is stopped at the 1. 4th and Goal. Sean Payton knew the Saints were on the offensive and acted accordingly. Pierre Thomas over the right side. Stopped. Eric Foster, Gary Brackett and seemingly 5 other Colts hit Thomas and killed the play. Colts ball, Colts momentum, and if the Colts were to go on to win, perhaps a moment to live on in Super Bowl lore. The game went from 10-10 back to 10-3 in the blink of an eye. You do not miss opportunities against the Colts and live to tell the tale. However, after three running plays forcing New Orleans to kill their timeouts, the Colts punted and the Saints made sure that their missed opportunity would not show on the score sheet. They drove down with under a minute remaining and Hartley booted it through to make it 10-6. It is not really a missed opportunity when you cash it in like that at the end of the half. It was only 3 points but if they do not get those points back it would have been huge. 10-6 going into the break. Madness to ensue.

Halftime

Cool lights show and good memories. If only they weren't AARP members.

I really really miss Keith Moon, legendary drummer of The Who whom died of a drug overdose at far too young an age. The current drummer of The Who, Zak Starkey (as Wikipedia informs me) just is not the drummer Mr. Moon was. Keith Moon was one of teh greatest drummers of all time not only because of his ability but because he was one of the rare entertainers to play drums. He would kick the set over, throw sticks, just go wild, and this guy cannot do that. That being said, the band did pretty damn well for a bunch of geezers and brought back memories of good music. I enjoyed the performance and can only imagine what would have happened had this taken place in, let’s say, 1970, instead of 2009. Also, zero chance of a nipple slip with these guys, though I wouldn’t generally put anything past Roger Daltry. Back to football.

Third Quarter

They should have seen it coming. It was a good call by Sean Payton, but in no way was it original. As a Colts fan I can assure you that this happens every three weeks or so when a team realizes it really needs momentum and that they are ot stopping Manning as it is. If they recover it is a huge swing, and if not, Manning was going to get it there anyway. Hats off to Payton, but people should stop making him out to be a genius. To my knowledge, Jeff Fisher was the first to do this to the Colts, but still a good call. Saints ball, and Brees picked up right where he left off, driving the Saints down the field before punching it in. For that matter, Manning picked up right where he had been too, on the bench because his defense could not get off the field. He had to be having flashbacks to the rest of his career where this was almost unequivocally true. Saints 13-10.

A lesson in body language. Look at the hung Colts heads and the energy in the Saints.

However, He is not the MVP for no reason, and behind an uncharacteristically strong running game, the Colts responded like the outstanding team they are and retaliated with vengeance. It was methodical, smooth, and gave Colts fans hope after barely seeing their savior for the last hour or so of real time. Jophis Addai (as Shannon Sharpe likes to pronounce it) into the endzone, 17-13 Colts.

The Saints counter-punched but only came away with 3, again not struggling to move the ball. 17-16 Colts. Uncharacterstically, Peyton Manning did not realize just how close the game clock was to expiring on the 3rd quarter. I cannot name the last time Peyton Manning was not fully in control of his situation while on the field (to this point).

Fourth Quarter

Manning is putting a drive together, but because he started with such poor field position they are not even in field goal range yet. The Colts have Adam Vinatieri, but he has been most of the year leaving the workload to the capable Matt Stover. The only problem is that he does not have a very big leg, but at 4th and 11 with a 50 yard field goal an option there is really no winning. Caldwell went with the field goal, which could have made it a 3 point game if New Orleans got a TD, which is probably smart. Of course all that is meaningless if your guy misses it because it gives the other team fantastic field position. The latter happened and any semblance of momentum the Colts had left like Mayflower vans at midnight (sorry Baltimore). Wide left, though it was a good effort. At this point, as a Colts fan, I was resigned to a New Orleans TD. We had not really stopped them in a while and there was just a feel about the moment that it would be 24 or 22-17 Saints and Peyton Manning would have a shot to bring the Colts back. Well, it felt that way at least. The first part happened with Jeremy Shockey grabbing a touchdown and Lance Moore’s 2 point conversion being allowed (probably correctly). 24-17 Saints.

This was it. Peyton Manning with the ball driving to win the game. Haters have enjoyed mocking his playoff record, but the man usually is playing against 2 defenses (his own and the other team’s) and is seemingly always being put in bad positions to make plays. Yet he still does it with astonishing regularity. That is for another day. Manning has the ball and is driving the Colts down the field like the best player in football tends to do and gets down to the New Orleans 31 with 3rd and 5. Let me pause for a second because if you watched the game you kind of know what is going to happen.

Pick 6 Tracy Porter. Game over. I knew it, New Orleans knew it, your dog knew it, everyone on the face of the planet

I am not sure if I could have had a more opposite reaction.

knew the game was over right then. They may not have admitted it, but the Saints were Super Bowl Champs at that point. It had the drama, the pomp, everything. It was a play deserving of clinching a Super Bowl. The Saints needed to win the turnover battle and in one fell swoop they won the turnover battle and the Super Bowl. Forgive me for not reminiscing too heavily about this as it is probably #2 in my most painful sports memories. Number one was Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. If you want to look it up you can, but you could not pay me to relive the experience.

The last drive really did not mean anything, the game was over right there, so to spare me the pain I will stop the game analysis there. Saints win, someone hide all the sharp objects.

After the game

My initial reaction is that the better team won on Sunday and I think I am sticking to that. It does not make it hurt much less, but I think that on February 7th, the Saints were the better team. Play it again in a week and I will take the Colts, but there is a 105% chance that there is bias there. I think the Saints were the best team on Sunday and that the Colts were the best team in football every day but one. I am not shortchanging you, New Orleans. There is no prize for being the best team in football every day but one, and the New Orleans Saints are rightful Super Bowl Champions but please at least let me hang on to a little dignity. Another thing I promised I would get back to is Tony Dungy saying the Colts would blow out the Saints. For a coach who never, ever gave another team bulletin board material he sure did pick a bad time to start. I do not think it really made the Saints win or anything, but come on Dungy, Indy did not need you running your mouth in the history of mankind. Congratulations New Orleans, you definitely paid your dues and now you get to experience Football Nirvana. Enjoy it.

Party on New Orleans

Commercials

Pretty meaningless side note, the commercials kind of sucked. I put a few below, but really they were kind of weak. Doritos did a good job, and Audi did a good job, and everyone else just spent several years average national income for 30 seconds.

Personally I think it would have been funnier if they had tasered people and things like that, but only because I think violence sells. Personally, I am going to start using the line “Take the house”.

Super Bowl XLIV Preview

I do not care how you see it, Colts-Saints, Manning-Brees, David-Goliath (historically speaking), New Orleans-Destiny, ar any other way you want to look at the Super Bowl. All I care about is that you care about it. It will feature the two best teams all year, something increasingly rare in today’s sports, and has more storylines than CNN, FOX, and NBC combined. We will get to that position-by-position breakdown as promised, but we would be remiss in not looking at these teams and all they have accomplished. The Saints are America’s Team (apologies to the Cowboys). They are the little engine that could all grown up and now looking like the enormous locomotive that will run you over. Ask Brett Favre and Kurt Warner if you don’t believe me or ask the Patriots about their trip to the Superdome. The ‘Aints are no more, and the Seven Deadly Virtues are born (I realize it is Deadly Sins and Heavenly Virtues, bear with me). Brees, Bush, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston, Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper, and receiver #2, whomever that may be on that day are these Seven Deadly Virtues and if you don’t know about any of them, congratulations on the end of your coma. We will get to them each in far more depth in a bit, but let’s turn our eyes to the Colts. They have won every game they have put in 4 quarters of effort into. They have beaten the #3 and #1 defenses in the league, Baltimore and the Jets respectively, to get where they are and pretty much everyone else too. This was supposed to be the year Peyton Manning fell off a little with the new coach, no more Marvin Harrison, no running game, and after the first few plays from scrimmage, no more up-and-coming Anthony Gonzalez. No, there was no chance he would be the same after all those changes. They were right, he was better. Top 5 in every meaningful category, no losses (for him at least, I’m looking at you Curtis Painter), he groomed two more outstanding WRs in the blink of an eye, and did it all while still not really having a running game. Oh yeah, and he is the MVP. With all due respect to Vikings fans, there is no doubt in my mind that the two best teams in football will be on the field in Miami this Sunday.

Basic Strategies

Colts- Throw the football while keeping possession to keep Manning on the field. Explosive and steady. Fast defense with solid tackling. Have been vulnerable to run in past. Offense: 26.0 PPG (7th), 9th overall, 2nd passing, 32nd rushing. Defense: 19.2 PPG (8th), 18th overall, 14th passing, 24th rushing.

Saints- Run the ball to set up the pass, then let Brees pick defenses apart. Explosive and steady. Fast, hard-hitting, risk taking, opportunistic defense. Has been prone to big play. Offense: 31.9 PPG (1st), 1st overall, 4th in passing, 6th in rushing. Defense: 21.3 PPG (20th), 25th overall, 26th passing, 21st rushing.

Colts

Peyton Manning vs. New Orleans Secondary

The Best QB Ever?

Advantage Manning. If you replace New Orleans secondary with Chuck Norris, Tim Tebow, or the Incredible Hulk, it would still be advantage Manning. However, he has his work cut out for him with up-and-comer Jabari Greer, developing semi-star Tracy Porter, and the vet Darren Sharper. The defense is ranked 25th in the NFL, and that is not a good sign for New Orleans, but they were first in takeaways. Obviously, Manning has to avoid the costly pick, and as long as he limits it to 1 turnover, he should be more than fine.

Colts Running Game vs. New Orleans Front 7

Advantage… No one. So the Saints defense struggles with the run, and coincidentally, so does the Colts offense. What does this mean? Not a lot. Just do not expect the Colts to come out and run the ball 40 times. All they need are some well-timed, effective runs rather than pounding the ball at New Orleans the entire game. No advantage to either team here. It is worth noting that although the Colts are dead last running the ball, they are 6th inside the Red Zone. Translation: They can run the ball when needed it is just less effective than putting the ball in the hands of the MVP.

Receivers vs. Assignment

Advantage Receivers. This is just about universally true in today’s NFL, but I needed some way to bring up Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, and Dallas Clark. I assume Jonathan Vilma will be assigned to Dallas Clark, but there are few, if any, LBs in football who can cover him. For how un-intimidating he is off the field (in contrast to

You want a sleeper pick for a breakout game? Give me Austin Collie

Antonio Gates or Vernon Davis), he sure is a pain to defenses on it. The Colts have matchups all over the field they can possibly take advantage of.

Colts Offensive Line vs. New Orleans Front 7

Advantage Colts Line. Peyton Manning was sacked twice in the first two series against the Jets. After that? None that were memorable or impactful. The offensive line is among the main reasons this team is where it is today, and I doubt it will change drastically on Sunday. I expect the Saints to get some pressure on Manning, but not nearly as much as they would like. The Colts gave up 10 sacks the entire year. Just to put that into perspective a little, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 8 times in one game. Yeah, the Colts line is good, and happens to feature two undrafted free agents. One being Pro-Bowl center Jeff Saturday, and the other being Kyle DeVan, a man who was playing for the Boise Burn in an arena football league at the beginning of the season. Yeah.

Neutral

Coaching Staff

Slight advantage Colts. The position coaches for the Colts might be some of the unheralded great coaches you don’t hear about. Howard Mudd has been one of the top offensive line coaches for a while now, Tom Moore/Peyton Manning combine to be some of the best offensive minds, and the Colts RB coach Gene Huey is one of the great unknown coaches, dare I say, of his generation. Ask Marshall Faulk, Edgerrin James, or any other Colts RB who has come through him and they will tell you that he is not only a guru, but has been credited by Faulk and James for helping their progression and ascension in the NFL. Granted, I know this because I am from Indianapolis and biased in that way, but I would say the only area the Saints have a real advantage is with Gregg Williams over Larry Coyer. This may not make a huge difference, but it is a factor worth looking into when considering each team’s preparedness.

Caldwell vs. Payton

Advantage Neither. Not in the bad way, but at this point each is completely tuned in to their team and the difference each makes will be somewhat negligible. It isn’t like we are looking at Tom Cable and Bill Belichick here, the two are fairly even.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicking: Colts. Return: Saints. Punting: More or less even. Overall: Saints

When it comes to big games you always have to look at special teams. I know Garrett Hartley hit a game-winner against the Vikings, but in general I just trust veterans more so I give the edge to Matt Stover. However, the Saints have a large advantage in the return game in the form of Reggie Bush. He is a game-changer in the return game and is in stark contrast to Chad Simpson (the Colts returner) who, according to Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star, keeps running into an electric fence at the 20 yard line. Thomas Morstead and Pat McAfee are probably just about even although McAfee has been on quite the run of late, pinning the Jets deeper than they had hoped numerous times. Morstead has not been seen often because of how rarely the Saints have to punt, so if nothing else, he has fresh legs. The overall advantage goes to the Saints here on account of Reggie Bush who could go Shawshank at any moment and just break out.

Turnover Battle

Even, advantage Colts. The Saints are a team that is very reliant on winning the turnover battle. Most teams like to win it, but when the Saints do not get their turnovers they struggle. I mean look at the Vikings game, they needed overtime to beat a team that turned it over 5 times. They would like to be +2 every game in turnover differential. Not happening with Peyton Manning. His only pick this postseason came in the Baltimore game, and Pierre Garcon chased him down to cause the fumble. The turnovers will be 1-1 oe 2-2 and that favors the Colts.

Saints

Drew Brees vs. Colts Secondary

One big game away from being listed rightly above Brady

Advantage Brees. Frankly, this is similar to the Manning argument above in that he is among the best QBs in the game, and in today’s NFL, that is more than enough to give him an advantage. The Colts secondary, however, is a far different animal from the Vikings. They are fast, I mean really fast, and can tackle. The Saints secondary looks better on paper, but the results have suggested otherwise. The Colts do not give up the big play generally, so everything Brees gets he will have to earn. In a relative way, Brees’ advantage over the Colts secondary is less than Manning’s against the Saints secondary.

Saints Running Game vs. Colts Front 7

Advantage Saints. Again, this advantage is not as large as it perhaps should be. The Colts held the best rushing attack in football to under 100 yards total last week and have been much better against the run than advertised this year. However, the advantage still goes to the Saints, who are exceptional at running the ball and have a nice 1-2 in Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. They will be able to run the ball against the Colts, but do not expect anything earth-shattering here. Probably 130 yards or so, which is their average.

Receivers vs. Assignment

Even. Allow me to clarify. It is damn near impossible to really have an advantage over a quality offense in coverage. The rules are set up to favor the offense so naturally the offense has a slight advantage. However, the Colts match up very well with the Saints. Gary Brackett is as good a guy as any to cover Jeremy Shockey and/or Reggie Bush out of the backfield. All the corners can tackle, and Antoine Bethea has quietly made everyone forget that Bob Sanders has been hurt with stellar play all over the field. The only real matchup problem for the Colts is the large Marques Colston. The Colts gave up 21 receptions to a similarly sized Brandon Marshall and have no one to match the size, but otherwise they match up as well as can be expected from a defense in today’s NFL. Consider it a pyrrhic tie for the Saints.

Saints Offensive Line vs. Colts Front 7

Impact Player

This one is in flux, and depends entirely on Dwight Freeney’s availability. If Freeney plays, the Saints will be forced to help out struggling left tackle Jermon Bushrod, making coverage easier and will throw off their rhythm a bit. It also frees up Robert Mathis to work on the other side 1 on 1. Less time for Brees, less rhythm and more threats for the Colts. Sounds like advantage Colts to me. If Freeney does not play, the Saints can help on Mathis, leave the other side (the side Mathis is not on) 1 on 1 without too much concern. You see where this is going. No Freeney means advantage Saints. One player can make a bigger difference than you think, especially when that player is among the elite pass-rushers in the NFL. He has also improved against the run, thought the Saints still maintain a slight advantage there. This advantage relies entirely on Freeney.

Alright, by my count that puts the Colts a bit ahead. They have a little more defense than the Saints that, in my opinion more than outweighs New Orleans’ slight advantage on the offensive side of the ball. However, I am a Colts fan, and any regular reader will remember that I picked the Ravens to beat the Colts, and the Colts won 20-3 with a fairly dominating performance. Then I picked the Jets over the Colts, which was followed up by a 30-17 whooping of the J-E-T-S. Noticing a trend here? Do I look like someone who would mess with a streak like that? Give me the Saints 31-29. Did I hint at something else above? Publicly, no…

And just to cap things off right, how about a little bonus Poll Question. It is halftime show related.

Fantasy Hoop Scoop

Perhaps a little later than anticipated, but OuttaTownClowns Fantasy section is finally up and running. In our first

His absence will kill the Hornets, but your fantasy team stands to gain.

installment, let’s take a look around for some quality pick ups and guys to sell high on.

Buy

Darren Collison (NO- PG)

Ok, so maybe he isn’t a really unexpected pick-up, but with Chris Paul indefinitely sidelined and Devin Brown now a Bull, someone is going to have to score at guard for the Hornets. Some of this load will fall to Marcus Thornton who has averaged 17.8 ppg over his last 4 games, all of which he has started, but apart from points and FT%, he will not do a ton for you in a rotisserie format. This is why we turn to Collison rather than Thornton, because to go along with a boost in scoring average, Collison figures to bump his assists up to the 6-7 range. To the big time basketball fan this is a more obvious pick up, but if you do not count yourself among the fantasy basketball savvy, grab Collison and look smart.

Carlos Delfino (Mil- SG)

Carlos has been red hot in January, scoring more than John Terry off the pitch (if you don’t get the soccer reference, click here) and accompanying that with move than solid rebound, assist, 3-point, and percentage numbers. He has been a stud and with Michael Redd out once again his playing time is not going anywhere. Carlos tends to be a bit streaky so it is very possible this is going to average out, but I would put my money on him averaging 14 ppg the rest of the way in with more than serviceable roto numbers all around. Delfino is thought of as a spot shooter, but he can put the ball on the floor and create a shot, which means his numbers are a bit more recession-proof so to speak. Not to mention it gives you a chance to watch his fairly mediocre, yet somehow funny highlight reel to the song “Ya Trick, Ya!” by Soulja Boy. Even if you don’t pick him up, the video is below.

Arron Afflalo (Den- SG)

He will not give you 20 a night, nor will he really wow you, but he has outstanding PG play around him in Billups and Lawson, and fills up just about every roto stat. Think of him as a less defensively minded Shane Battier for fantasy purposes. He is not Battier, but he will pile up a good number of steals, shoot great percentages, not turn it over, and contribute night-in, night-out. He isn’t the flashiest name, but he is in a position to succeed. If Carmelo misses a game, he picks up the scoring a little, if Chauncey misses time, his playing time will increase a little and might get a few extra dimes, and with JR Smith seemingly always in flux with health and his security with being a sixth man, Afflalo is in a very good spot to keep putting up extremely helpful numbers.

Brandon Rush (Ind- SG)

Is this just another stretch of good games, or a sign of things to come? I have no clue. As a Pacers fan, I really hope so, but you cannot help but be skeptical. I would be willing to take the risk on him given the upside, but he might just flame out like before. Hell, I have no idea what he will do, but I want him to succeed and I feel like he will. Take a chance on him and if you regret it, you can blame me, but I like his chances with Troy Murphy probably heading out of town and the Pacers possibly starting Granger full-time at the 4.

Brendan Haywood (Was- C)

With Butler and/or Jamison likely on the move, opportunity presents itself in the form of Haywood. He is probably undervalued by the guy who has him, and he is among the more consistent non-superstars you can ask for. Boards and blocks will stay up and he might see an uptick in points as well. Outside shot his blocks increase as a result of someone not named Caron Butler letting guys into the paint more easily. I would trade Shawn Marion for him right now simply

This is not the guard you're looking for. The guy named Vince on your team more resembles a geriatric schmo.

because of Haywood’s situation and upside mixed with consistency.

Sell While You Can

Vince Carter (Orl- SG)

Why will you be able to trade a guy who is shooting 38% for 18 ppg and not a lot else? Because the name Vince Carter still carries some clout. The Magic are probably better with Pietrus or Redick on the floor, but Stan Van Jeremy will not bench him. Still, you can get value for the name Vince Carter even if he is not the Vince he once was. You can probably get above real value for him even though he is not playing well. Add on top of this that he absolutely tanked the 2nd half of last year and you want to avoid this guy like the plague. Trade ASAP.

Andrew Bynum (LAL- C)

I am firmly in the Bynum-ite camp. I like him as a player and a player who will continue to grow, but just for this year, sell Bynum. When Pau gets back he will struggle to keep his numbers up and it just feels like the Lakers match up better with most Western teams with Lamar Odom guarding the 4 rather than going twin towers with Pau and Bynum. Bynum is still ranked in the top 30 of my Yahoo league, so I assume you can get pretty good value for him too. Injury to Bynum is a definite possibility as well, so even more incentive to move him.

We have not had a Clown of the Week in a while, but when a Brandon Jennings Flow falls in your lap, it has to get some recognition. Enjoy the stylings of Black Diamond.

The Joe Bowl

When it comes to the Pro Bowl, a few things come to mind. The first is Sean Taylor vs. Brian Moorman (below), the second is Hawaii, and the third is how it is absolutely the worst all-star game in professional sports. This year it will not feature the MVP, runner-up, and a host of top flight guys who are just too worn out from the season. You know the show Pros vs. Joes? The Pro Bowl features the Joes right now. That is not to say that there isn’t talent at the Pro Bowl, but try to imagine the NBA All-Star game without Kobe and LeBron, or the MLB All-Star Game without Ryan Howard, Alex Rodriguez, David Wright etc. Right now the Pro Bowl lacks legitimacy, entertainment, and is barely football. So basically, it has nothing. It is like getting teeth pulled, except nothing is achieved by watching the Pro Bowl. It is the same length as a regular game except literally nothing is on the line. The quarters are still 15 minutes, but they feel longer than Greg Oden’s………. arms. Is there a way to fix it? Yes, but the NFL will not like it. Mr. Fix-It is at it again, so get ready, or this will happen to you…

Problems: Boring, does not really resemble football, too far away for people to attend. There are more but you have to start somewhere.

Imagine you have worked overtime every day this week at work, and your work is somewhere where it is expected that guys will get injured, dinged up, and do other things that may get them to miss work in the future. Every day at work is a potential risk to your career. You make it through the week uninjured, paid and fairly content. Your boss gives you the option to 1) come into work tomorrow, risk injury, and not get paid for it, 2) come into work for a small bonus but that you will be paid simply for being at the office, not for any work done, or 3) you can go home and relax for the weekend. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Pro Bowl. In option one, the players run a risk for going and have no incentive to play hard, in option two, have incentive to go, but none at all to work hard or play hard, and the third option makes far too much sense to turn down. As an NFL player, why WOULD you go to the Pro Bowl? You can take your own trip to Hawaii, or Miami and not go to a practice while there. The system is inherently flawed for the NFL, so

it is no surprise that the game frankly sucks. now to get around to fixing it.

Look at his spotless uniform and try to convince me he played hard.

Ok, in fairness, the NFL has addressed the too far away thing by moving it to Miami this year with the Super Bowl, but they need to keep that up. However, in years like 2012 when the Super Bowl will by in Indy, reward the players with a trip to Hawaii. It has to walk the line between a reward and nearby, which is not easy, but definitely doable. We can consider this problem more or less fixed as long as the NFL can keep it up.

Alright, moving onto the boring part. This is going to be hard to fix completely, but it can happen. The first key is getting all the players there. Maybe include Pro Bowl bonuses in their contracts more often so they are compelled to show up. I do not think you can really fix the whole “players not playing hard” problem entirely so the NFL has to go to a different format. I am not sure if the players will like it, but judging from watching the Pro Bowl, they do not enjoy that either. I am proposing a 8 team tournament of 7v7 football.

The rosters would look like this:

• 1 QB
• 1 RB
• 2 Offensive Linemen
• Combination of 3 WRs and TEs
• 2 CBs
• 1 Safety
• 2 Defensive Linemen
• 2 LBs

This would expand the rosters a little, but in exchange for more Pro Bowlers, you get  an 8-team tournament without fear of injury. Look, I do not like the idea of basically having a flag football tournament either because it does not look anything like football, but it takes away the risk of injury, and could be just an entertaining as guys going half-speed in pads. There is no easy solution to this Pro Bowl problem, this is just a possibility.

The problem with trying to fix the Pro Bowl by compensating players heavily for it is that you can get them to go, but you are paying them to go somewhere, play to not get hurt or do anything potentially dangerous like, oh I don’t know, maybe football. The NHL has the same problem since there is no checking or physical play, and it suffers for it. At least a flag-football-like setup would not even give the illusion of it being a physical game.

The boring problem is not easily fixed, but that is a possibility that could get players to play and add some sort of competition to the Pro Bowl. I realize you are probably saying, “Hey, you said looking like football was a problem earlier and you are making it look less like football.” Well that is what happens when you take a sport that is already grueling and injury-prone and try to get guys who just got done playing to play another week. It is like the work example from earlier, there is really no incentive for anyone. The NBA and MLB have had memorable all-star games and have tradition behind them. It means something to make those games, but the Pro Bowl is an after-thought. Part of it is that the others take part in mid-season, which would not work for football since there would be even less incentive. There is literally no logical time to play the game that make sense for players. Before the season, you are getting ready with the team and working together, mid-season you are focusing on the playoff race and next week’s opponent, not the Pro Bowl, and after the season everyone is tired. Frankly, the NFL might be better off without an all-star game, though I admittedly have no idea what the revenue numbers are for the game. I am addicted to sports and I have no intention of tuning into the game whatsoever.

There is no perfect solution, but they need to try something because the state of the Pro Bowl right now could not be

This much fun

much worse. Flag football tournament sounds fun to me. It would lack hitting, but let’s be honest, so does the Pro Bowl. The game sucks, there is no getting around it. This solution does not make it great, just makes it suck a little bit less. If the NFL is not going to scrap the Pro Bowl, they need to make changes.

Just reading the word flag football should have tipped you off how bad the game is, but if you are unconvinced, tune in this Sunday and throw away three hours of your life. You will see players jogging, Miami (where you wish you probably wish you were), and you will see the best the NFL has to offer minus Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, Jay Cutler (just kidding), Larry Fitzgerald, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Darren Sharper, Dwight Freeney, and so on, you get the picture. You would be better served doing any of the following: Learning how to score a Cricket match, figuring out why Arkansas and Kansas are pronounced differently, trying to figure out what a Hoosier is other than someone from Indiana, finding a reasonably priced beer at a sporting event, watching Arrested Development or It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (seriously, not a joke, you should watch them), or counting to 1,000,000 while leaving out prime numbers.

Get it yet? If not, enjoy the game!

Top 8 Teams Interested in Amare Stoudemire

Considered one of the best if not the best power forward in the game today, current Phoenix Suns All-Star starter Amare Stoudemire is once again on the trading block. This time, a deal looks more likely than ever before. A few of my sources close to the situation have informed me that it appears that there’s a 60% chance that Stoudemire will be traded by the deadline.

After an offseason in which Stoudemire was nearly dealt to Golden State in a packaged deal that would’ve sent Stephen Curry to the Suns on draft night, it appeared Stoudemire would be sticking around for the remainder of this season. But signs, sources and clearly NBA experts are saying otherwise; in fact many teams seem very interested in the possibility of acquiring this year’s Western Conference starting all-star center.

Before immediately jumping into the mix of possible deals I’ve heard and a few deals I feel teams should consider, it’s

Amare on the Move?

important to have a fair understanding of the situation the Suns are currently faced with. Stoudemire is signed through next season but has a player option that allows him to become a free agent come summertime. The Suns realize that in all likely hood, Stoudemire will opt out of his final year in which he’d be paid 17 million to test the NBA market to join the most exciting year of free agency the league may ever see. So while the Suns feel they’d like to get something in return before they possibly receive nothing, they’d like to reach a deal before the deadline comes. On the other hand, teams are very hesistant (as the should be) to give up pieces when they’re not sure if Stoudemire would be willing to sign an extension with them.

One things for sure, it’s clear by now that the Suns must start building towards the future. If they believe Amare Stoudemire isn’t the piece they are willing to risk building around then they should try to move him for a young piece to help solve the big puzzle on working towards the future. Even if they keep Stoudemire, there’s no guarantee they’ll even make the playoffs. Suns currently have the 7^th seed playoff position but have been on a big skid in their last ten games, winning only three games. Even if the Suns do end up making the Playoffs, they’ll likely face one of the top seeds and be eliminated in round one.

This Amare Stoudemire trade talk heating up once again is a clear indication that the Suns miraculously, finally realize the days of the Eyes on the Prize is over. Let me be the first to welcome Suns fans a safe return from Planet Orange to Planet Earth. Now let’s get to the possible Stoudemire destinations.

Unfortunately for the Suns, they may have waited too long to actively pursue Stoudemire deals and won’t nearly get the same value they may have in the past. Though to be fair to the Suns, Stoudemire’s eye injury last season raised plenty of concerns that did hold up possible trade discussions. So let’s review some of the trade talk that I’ve been hearing and have received word of lately.

Minnesota Timberwolves: While ESPN’s NBA Rumor Central continually states that the Timberwolves are very interested in Amare Stoudemire. I haven’t received any positive signs on the situation. In fact it appears not communication has even been made between the two teams. But do I blame ESPN for the rumor coverage? Absolutely not, the Minnesota Timberwolves are by far the most attractive team to the Phoenix Suns and that at the very least is true. Rumored packages I’ve heard include Jonny Flynn and Kevin Love to Phoenix as well as the idea of trading Ricky Rubio’s draft rights to the Phoenix Suns in a swap. Even hearing the idea of Rubio in a Suns uniform excites me, if that were to happen, I could see Rubio coming over here as early as next year despite what he says now. Being able to learn under Steve Nash would be huge for the young talent. Food for thought, how nice would the rookie of the year competition look next year between John Wall, Blake Griffin, and Ricky Rubio as a Phoenix Sun? Rubio would be my favorite….

Most Realistic Offer: Jonny Flynn & Kevin Love

New Jersey Nets: Let’s face the facts, 10 draft picks over the next 3 drafts including potentially 5 first rounder’s according to ESPN.com. I see two trade possibilities either a 3 for 1 or possibly 2 for 1 including a draft pick. While it sounds strange, I don’t see the Nets willing to give up the more significant picks that they’ll receive in the near future. It’s clear which players are on the table and the sources I’ve received some word from told me Phoenix is most interested in Courtney Lee. Other Nets that could potentially could be included in a package include Yi Jianlian, Chris Douglas-Roberts, & Terrence Williams. I also wouldn’t rule out the idea of receiving Tony Battie’s 6.6 million dollar expiring deal. Amare’s risk is who the Nets are able to bring in to surround him this offseason. If the Nets are lucky enough to grab John Wall if they receive the #1 overall selection the Nets immediately become a solid team in the East. Keep in mind that, while the Nets remained one of the top teams interested in Stoudemire, they can also play it safe and try to sign him this offseason if he opts out of his final year with the Suns.

Most Realistic Offer: Yi Jianlian, Courtney Lee & 1^st round draft pick (lottery protected).

Chicago Bulls: Anyone who is a serious NBA fan already knows what Chicago will offer in a Stoudemire deal, that is Kirk Hinrich & Tyrus Thomas. Recently, there’s been some speculation that Luol Deng now joins Hinrich & Thomas as guys willing to deal but I have no confirmation on whether there’s any truth to it. Hinrich would provide the Suns a solid point guard that could play big backup minutes for Nash (sorry Dragic does not count even after dropping 32).  Kirk Hinrich is still young enough and proven enough to worry about other positions if Kirk comes on board (with 4 years remaining on contract). Thomas definitely isn’t the piece you’d ideally want to build around but you’d be crazy not to be excited about the young man’s raw potential. Ty Thomas could become a bigger-sized Shawn Marion type player alongside Steve Nash.

Most Realistic Offer: Tyrus Thomas & Kirk Hinrich

Miami Heat: When it comes to the Miami Heat’s interest if a rumored deal doesn’t somehow involve Michael Beasley than it cannot be true. I guarantee any deal with Amare sent to the Heat would mean Beasley to the Suns. Biggest concern is that the Suns aren’t interested in a guy like Beasley who is a definite locker room (work ethic) concern. But if Miami becomes real serious talkers (they aren’t right now, though they have mentioned it) I’d like to see the Suns inquire about Mario Chalmers being included. Chalmers is struggling to find minutes right now and would be a perfect fit in Phoenix. Any deal with Miami might possibly include Udonis Haslem’s 7.1 million coming off the books this season and/or Dorell Wright.

Most Realistic Offer: Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley, Dorell Wright

Cleveland Cavaliers: Suns have been in contact with Cleveland regarding Amare but nothing is close. Both deals involve both of the Cavaliers centers, Big Z and yes Shaquille O’Neal. By no means would I ever see the Suns bringing back Shaq to save some money so Big Z looks to be the best fit for the trade. With any trade with Cleveland they’d send J.J. Hickson in the deal (a player I wanted included in the Shaq deal last year).

Most Realistic Offer: Zydrunas Ilgauskas & J.J. Hickson

New York Knicks: With Mike D’Antoni as the Knicks head coach, there will always be rumors swarming around the idea of Amare being reunited in NYC. The big hold up on even discussing a deal is that New York desperately wants to include Jared Jeffries in any deal they do with any team, especially when it comes to a guy with a contract like Stoudemire’s. While David Lee would make a great Suns player, he’s an unrestricted free agent next season. Former University of Arizona standout Jordan Hill and Wilson Chandler are the only pieces that interest me and no talks seem imminent with either side in this matter.

Most Realistic Offer: None are even realistic at this point

Golden State Warriors: After what transpired over the course of this year’s draft, I don’t see the Suns willing to make a deal with Golden State. While I’m sure the Suns remain very interested in Stephen Curry and Anthony Randolph, the Golden State Warriors would probably want to move Andris Biedrins as well. Biedrins has been a complete disaster this season and his contract is one I’d avoid at all cost, especially if you’re a NBA owner like Robert Sarver. But if a deal were to happen I’d be very surprised to see Curry included, instead I see Monta Ellis being a more suitable player to deal if the Suns are willing to deal with his contract.

Most Realistic Offer: Andris Biedrins & Monta Ellis

Sacramento Kings: Before you begin reading, I do want to warn you there is no truth or even speculation that the Kings are interested in Stoudemire. But if some fans may remember the Suns and Kings were supposedly interested in considering a deal involving Kevin Martin. Martin has 4 years remaining on his contract and he’s a piece that can be involved in a Stoudemire deal that the Suns are guarantee to have moving forward in the coming years. Yes, he’s always an injury risk and Richardson currently occupies the starting role at shooting guard but it’s an interesting idea. Send Kevin Martin and Kenny Thomas and (here’s the big stretch) Jason Thompson and I’d see the Suns pulling the trigger.

Most Realistic Offer: Kevin Martin & Kenny Thomas

What’s Your Opinion….?

They’re Going to Miami

Miami- Will Smith

Before we get started with this week’s analysis, I would like to explain the idea of the reverse jinx. A jinx, as far as the sports fan is concerned, is when you do or say something with such pomp that you end up negatively affecting your team to the point of failure. I picked the Ravens in the first round of the playoffs to beat the Colts. As a Colts fan, this pained me, but I had my opinions (which were wrong), but when the Colts came out on fire, I knew I could not mess with a good thing and pick them in the next round. They clearly played better when I picked against them, so I had to pick the Jets. In case you are new to the blog, I am a Colts fan, and that should complete the picture.

It worked to perfection. Whether or not you believe in superstition, you never mess with a good thing and whether or not I had any impact (which I honestly probably did not, but who cares) the Colts return to Miami to face the New Orleans Saints. We will obviously get to the big game in detail much later, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We had some extraordinary football yesterday and we would be remiss to just skip over it.

Jets 17, Colts 30

Just looking at the score, you would never think that there was a moment in which the Jets were not only in control, but had the Colts offense completely under wraps and Mark Sanchez was putting up the numbers Peyton Manning usually puts up. It was frankly scary for Colts fans. The offense was stalling in the Red Zone when it made it (see Rule #2: No missed opportunities) and they were not satisfactorily protecting the MVP. The Jets jumped out to a 17-6 lead via a Braylon Edwards 80 yard TD, and a fantastic play call by Brian Schottenheimer. The Brad Smith Option Pass is a great play. Why hadn’t they thought of this earlier? Great play, especially when it is the first time all day the Jets had given the option look. Great play. However, after Sanchez hit Keller, before getting annihilated, for the second TD, The Jets were done scoring. Though few would have predicted it at that moment, the Colts were about to go on a 24-0 run.

When you look back at a game, sometimes one moment in particular sticks out where the tides turned so dramatically that even to the untrained eye it is more obvious than trying to find Rex Ryan at a modeling agency.  Peyton Manning, the greatest QB in the history of football, took the ball, solved the best defense in football, and swung the momentum so violently that it got whiplash. You know the movie Gone in 60 Seconds? Manning needed only 58, and 4 plays to go 80 yards against the vaunted Jets D. It wasn’t just him either, the pass protection was suddenly holding up, Pierre Garcon was no longer the only guy open, and the crowd was back in the game. It could not have been clearer who had momentum going into the locker room, and when interviewed going into the locker room, Rex Ryan had nothing to say

One finger for one more game

about the lead, but only about how his secondary needed to step it up. It was the Colts game for the taking, and take it they did. The Jets got the ball and did a pretty good job, but the Colts defense was clearly stiffening, and forced a 60 yard FG attempt. As the kick sailed, momentum, to use a political analogy, went from John McCain (fairly moderate) to Brit Hume (so far right it is rumored the left side of his body is bionic) or the liberal equivalent if you prefer. 57 yards later, it was 20-17 Colts and not nearly that close after Shonn Greene was sidelined. The Colts had control, and had completely shut down the Jets running game. If you were to tell the Jets before the game that Mark Sanchez would have upwards of 250 yards passing, not get sacked, and throw 2 TDs, how many Jets fans would have bet on them? Every last intelligent one because there was no way the Colts were shutting down the run, right? Well, the Colts stepped up and held the Jets to just 86 yards rushing. That’s right, 86. The terrestrially-challenged (ground challenged) Colts rushed for 101. When you pride yourself on the run, you cannot afford to get shut down like that, no matter how well your rookie QB is playing. You cannot expect him to match Peyton Manning punch for punch, and eventually it caught up to them. Remember our rules?

1. Stay away from the sexy pick. Everyone’s sleeper who was red hot going in is not your ticket to the Super Bowl.
2. No missed opportunities.
3. Win the Special Teams battle.

Well here is a new one. You cannot just do a few things well and win, you need to play well in all phases and play a complete game. You cannot just do one thing well, though you do have to outdo the other team, but the team that plays the more complete game will win. The Colts played better offensively, perhaps even defensively, and did not commit the blunders on Special Teams the Jets did with their 2 missed field goals.  Add on top of that another new rule and the Jets just did not have what it took on this day. Rule #5 is Luck. This includes getting calls, and the Colts ha

After a great game, Pierre Garcon is looking to neutralize the Saints' usual French-Creoloe advantage

ve been getting calls all year. This game was no exception, and add to that Reggie Wayne’s fumble that he fell on immediately and the Colts definitely won that battle.

A few final notes, because I know I am rambling about my team. I have doubted Piette Garcon. I do not have alot ofconfidence, when the ball is thrown to him, that he will come down with it. I appreciate his value as a speedster and playmaker, but I do not have confidence in his WR skills yet. On this day, however, he came up huge. He made just about every catch, and came down with every important catch. He was the man today, and I take my hat off to him for it. Now please keep it going.

Basically, the better team won. Sorry, it’s true. The Jets are not a team you want to face, and had quite a run, but no one can convince me that the better team did not win. That is the way it should be. The AFC team that was the best all year will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl and that is how it should be.

In fairness to Jets fans, they got pretty banged up during that game, but one thing resting your starters in the last few weeks does is help keep guys fresh and healthy. The Jets did not have that luxury and were prey to the nature of the game.

(Wait for it…)

Go Colts.

Vikings 28, Saints 31

I think the biggest question that comes to mind about this game is “Did the Vikings outplay the Saints?” They outgained them 476-257, held a 10 minute possession advantage, New Orleans committed 9 penalties for 88 yards, Minnesota committed 5 for 32, ran 82 plays to the Saints’ 55, and the list goes on. Statistically speaking, the Vikings deserve to be in the Super Bowl, but this is one of the big flaws with statistics. There are trump cards in sports, and in football, that trump card is giving up the ball. We could make that a rule, but it is so cliché to say that you have to hold onto the

Injury Report: Adrian Peterson listed as Definite with a case of Fumblitis

football that I am going to ignore it and call it a given. When you give up the ball 5 times, I repeat Five, 5, V, 2+3, anyway you want to put it, you have not outplayed the other team. If you are -2 in turnover differential, you are asking to lose but when you are -4, you are hoping to be close. If I was a member of that defense, I would secretly mock every offenive player to turn the ball over for being too big a wimp to hold onto the ball. That defense played lights-out for just about the entire game, and how were they rewarded? With a Pro Bowl appearance instead of a Super Bowl appearance. I do not care how many yards you rack up, if you turn it over than much, including twice inside the Saints’ 10, you cannot win. It reminds me of the good old days when the Colts defense would completely hamstring the Colts offense and lost the game by not being able to force a 4th down. I feel bad for Vikings fans, the defense, and the coaching staff, but there is one man I do not feel bad for.

That man is the bane of my sports-viewing existence, Brett Favre. I know he has the numbers to back him up, but he has now played a significant role in losing three big playoff games in the last decade (2003, 2007, 2009) with interceptions so unclutch that it is hard to comprehend. I understand he was doing a lot to get his team to these

I am not even a Packers fan and I dislike him

positions, but how on earth can you trust this man with the game on the line? He had avoided making the bad decision all year, and what does he do on his last snap of the season? He throws a pick with his team just about in field goal range. The 12 men in the huddle thing was bad too, but that is later. I honestly could nto care less if  he retires or not. I know he will not lead a team to the promised land, nor will he stop being a complete pariah in the foreseeable future. I was still a youngster when he was beloved, but frankly since I have watched him, he has been just as likely to fail as succeed.  Maybe it is personal for me at this point, but I would literally trade the Vikings our 3rd and 4th round draft picks to force a Favre retirement so I do not have to hear about him ever again. However, I am not naïve enough to expect a Favre retirement, he is like a zombie, except all he wants is attention rather than brains. Ok, moving on to non-vendettas…

Let’s get back to the question of if the Vikings outplayed the Saints. As I hinted at but did not explicitly spell out earlier, no the Vikings did not because they turned the ball over 5 times and committed a penalty (12 men in the huddle) at literally the worst possible time. That penalty coaxed gunslinger Brett back into the open and he did not disappoint the city of new Orleans by throwing a classic “just having fun out there” interception. Every team makes a few physical mistakes, but mental mistakes always come back to haunt you. The Vikings were on the verge of overcoming their 5 turnovers, but the Football Gods intervened and made sure that the better team on the day won. Well done Football Gods, justice is served. Not turning the ball over is paramount to success in the NFL and it is fitting that just as turnovers are an important part of deciding who is a better team, the team that did not really turn it over all day emerged as the NFC representative.

As far as news is concerned, the Saints in the Super Bowl is outstanding. It has been a troubled franchise, to put it lightly, and the city still loves their team. This is not like the Cardinals whose fans had bailed on them until their playoff run last year. The Saints fans have always loved their team, even when they were horrible (most of their history). They will do their city proud regardless of result, and a Colts-Saints Super Bowl promises to be not only exciting, but hard-hitting and close. Not to mention it features the two best teams all year, just like it should. OTC will have position-by-position breakdowns and deep analysis upcoming but we have a few weeks so sit back and enjoy the success of your team, the high draft picks to come or the Pro Bowl and get ready for Super Bowl XLIV.

The Milwaukee Bucks Secret to Success at Home

As the NBA season nears its midway point symbolized by All-Star Weekend, I felt it was about time to make a significant point towards the Milwaukee Bucks success at home this season. While many NBA experts feel they hold the secrets to Bucks success or lack thereof, I believe I may have discovered and hold the ingredient that gives them true home court advantage at the Bradley Center, me.

Before you begin laughing, hear me out; the team currently holds a 12-7 overall record at home this year. For the game’s I’ve been in town for they’re 10-4, not that big of a difference right?…WRONG! Let’s take a more in-depth look on the results to prove my point.

So far this season there’s been 19 home games; I’ve been in town to attend 14 of them. When I’m there the Bucks have won 10 games and has lost just 4 games. Of the 4 losses I’ve attended, 3 of the 4 are losses of 2 points or less (5 total points), 2 (or half) of the losses have been overtime game winning buzzer beaters courtesy of Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant. In reality, I’ve only been a part of one bad loss which came December 6^th against the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Bucks went onto lose by 15 in a game that was never close.

Also take note of the four losses I’ve seen starting with a 4 game home winning streak snapped by the Mavericks in overtime, then a loss to the Orlando Magic by 2, followed by a poor outing against the Cavaliers, then a loss to the Lakers in overtime.

Look at the teams just mentioned, the Magic and Cavaliers squared off in the Eastern Conference Finals last year with the Magic representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. The Mavericks are currently the second best team in the Western Conference and of course the Los Angeles Lakers are the defending NBA Champions, as well as the best team in basketball as we speak.

While those team names speak for themselves, let’s overview the other 10 teams the Bucks have faced when I’m there.  The Bucks hold wins against the Pistons, Knicks, Nuggets, Warriors, Nets (of course), Bobcats, Bulls, Raptors (twice), and the Trailblazers. 9 of the 13 teams faced are currently in line to make the playoffs yet to be fair it’s worth also stating that the 4 non-playoff teams faced are horrendous (Knicks, Nets, Warriors, & (I never thought I’d say this…) Pistons. In all if we currently added together these 13 team records (played Raptors twice) up they’re sitting at an overall record of 281-260 which well beyond .500 and that’s including New Jersey’s 3 wins & 38 losses!

Now moving onto the 5 Bucks home games I’ve missed, the Bucks went 2-3, losing 2 of the 3 by at least 12 points. They only won 2 games and one of them came in double overtime against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Teams faced include the Kings, Wizards, Spurs, Thunder, and Bulls. Currently 3 of those 5 teams would make the playoffs but overall strength of those teams aren’t nearly as close to the 13 teams I’ve seen them face. Compared to the combined 281-260 combined record of the teams I’ve seen, the teams I missed have a combined record of 96-109, which is well below the .500 mark.

Overall team efficiency on both ends of the floor is drastically different as well. When I’m there the Bucks average 104.9 ppg and limit their opponents to just under the 100 ppg with 99.6 which makes for a +5.3 differential favoring the Bucks. Games when I’m gone the Bucks only manage to put up an average of 97.6 ppg and allow their opponents to average 101.4 ppg, which is a bad -3.8 differential favoring the opponent. This means the Bucks score on average +7.3 ppg when I’m there while also limiting opponents to -1.8 ppg. Tell me that’s not a huge difference!

On a final note, it’s not just the Bucks as a team that plays better; I also am the lucky charm to Yung Buck himself.  Bucks rookie guard Brandon Jennings currently is averaging 18 ppg on the year, but when I’m there he averages 23.2 ppg. Now get this, when I’m NOT there Jennings averages a ugly 10 ppg and I’ve never seen Jennings score less than double-digits, something he’s done a few times this season. I stress an ugly 10 ppg for Jennings because of the amount of shots he attempts each game.

Could this just be shear coincidence, yes, it very well could be but it’s definitely drastic change in events each game I show up. Going into tonight’s home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves the Bucks are 10-4 with me there, not to mention they’re 4-0 when I’ve been fortunate enough to be at the games on a media pass. If you’re wondering about tonight’s game, well let’s just say I’ve already seen the Timberwolves this year during preseason and yes the Bucks won that game too and of course I’ll show up tonight

My Second Home When In Milwaukee

. Until the season reaches spring break the Milwaukee Bucks shouldn’t have a difficult time winning at home. The Bradley Center may contain Andrew Bogut’s rowdy fan club “Squad 6” that plays an effect on the final outcome but I argue I very well could be the Bucks’ best kept secret.

Championship Preview

If you are 87% of NFL teams, you will be in the same position as me this weekend. You will be on the couch, watching those fortunate few remaining teams chase what every professional athlete chases, and its not a Kardashian. Championship Week might not have the glitz and glamor of the Super Bowl, and may not crown a champ, but an argument could easily be made that it is one of the best weeks of the entire season. Personally, I would rank it 4th behind the Divisional Round, Opening Week, and the Super Bowl. It shows us who we will be focused on for the next two weeks as story lines unfold and someone inevitably runs their mouth. Not to mention, if your team happens to be involved in one of the games, it is the gateway to every fan’s own little not-so-dirty (we hope) fantasy: the Super Bowl. I am fortunate to count myself among these fans who can remain hopeful, for a few more days at least, that my team could be lifting the Lombardi Trophy skyward. I have been spoiled as a football fan having already experienced one Super Bowl victory, the winningest team in any decade, and perhaps the greatest quarterback ever to grave the earth. yet I am not especially confident going in. I have been here before, I know the Colts are supposed to win, and I always feel like they are on the brink of letting me down. Any fan whose team has been on the verge and come up short knows the feeling. I can not speak from personal experience, but I think losing in heartbreaking fashion (Mike Vanderjagt vs. the Steelers comes to mind) is eons worse than going 5-11 for a fan. You were so close and now you are in the same boat as everyone else. But that is just the nature of the playoffs. Heartbreak, elevated stress levels, anger, and jubilation all rolled into a few weeks in January, and that is for the lucky ones. That is why playoff football is so different from regular season football and why the playoffs even have their own set of rules. Earlier in the week, I started laying out the all-new playoff rules, apart from the obvious like score more points than the opposition and play well. These are not in order by the way.

1. Stay away from the sexy pick. Everyone’s sleeper who was red hot going in is not your ticket to the Super Bowl.
2. No missed opportunities.

#2 was specifically in reference to Kaeding’s kicking, but brings us nicely to another point. In a close game, like playoff games tend to be (though you wouldn’t know it by this year’s games), Special Teams get even more important. You cannot consistently start with bad field position, give them good field position and expect to win the game. You might be able to get away with it against a creampuff in the regular season, but this is the playoffs. Rule #3: Win the Special Teams Battle.

Don’t worry, there are more to come, but let’s let it happen naturally by breaking down the weekend’s festivities and letting each rule breathe a little.

Jets vs. Colts

This one is going to be close, I guarantee it. Frankly, it is impossible to look at this game without thinking Super Bowl III. I actually see a lot of comparisons between Namath and Sanchez, which is not at all settling. The first is that neither is particularly good. You heard me, Broadway Joe was a schmo for most of his career, even though he was beloved.

I guarantee he isn't as good as you think, and that that is zero consolation to the Baltimore Colts.

Anyone care to guess what his career TD:INT ratio was? Anyone? Ok, how about his career passer rating? Anyone want to guess? Well the TD:INT was 173:220. Career passer rating? 65.5. Those are not bad numbers, those are the kinds of numbers that get you benched, not enshrined. I understand his importance tot he game of the football and his influence, but he was not really a good QB. This brings me to my point about Mark Sanchez. It actually scares me more that he is not very good at this point in his career because even though none of the players involved are the same, it has that feeling about it. Jets are big underdogs who believe in themselves, charismatic yet crappy QB, powerful running game, and all the momentum in the world. The defense is pretty good too. Revis on Wayne, and maybe even Clark, the kind of D the Colts usually struggle with, and not even having to respect the ground game, things look ripe for an upset.

One note on the earlier Jets-Colts game. In the first half, the Colts actually were able to run the ball exceptionally well,e specially for a team that generally does not run the ball. I would not be completely astonished to see the Colts come out and run the ball well, but I definitely wouldn’t bet on it. Just keep it in mind. One other thing to keep in mind is that the Colts faced a Ryan-esque defense last week with Baltimore and did pretty well in nickel and diming them down the field and generally dominating the game and the possession. Not a bad team to play the week before when preparing for the Jets.

So I don’t want to do this. I really have self-loathing issues for what im about to do. Remember how I picked the Ravens over the Colts last week. I am picking the Jets this week and feel awful about it. Jets 22, Colts 17.

And for the record, I do believe in the reverse jinx. If you didn’t follow this, either wait til next week for the explanation, or just think harder.

Vikings vs. Saints

You could not have asked for more dominating performances coming in, and now you get a matchup of two seemingly similar but very different teams. The Vikings used to be a run first team, but have since let Favre sling it to great effect. Their defense was outstanding last week and held the ground game in check while harassing Tony Romo into being Old

Hard to take him seriously, huh? And sorry for the enormous pictures, don't know what's up with that.

Tony Romo who would get flustered. They just destroyed the Cowboys. The Saints did the same thing to the Cardinals as far as score but did it far differently. They ran all over the Redbirds, were flying around on defense forcing turnovers and making big time plays, Reggie Bush looked like the USC Reggie (which is scary, highlight reel below) and Drew Brees killed the rest of the birds with one stone/football. The stereotype about the New Orleans offense is that it is Brees slinging it, but if you have watched Saints football lately, you will notice that their running game sets it all up. It reminds me of the Edgerrin James Colts where everyone thought it was just Manning beating people. but any Colts fan could tell you that it was the running game that set up 80% of the offense (runs, play-action, and keeping the safeties from dropping back), and the rest was Manning being Manning. The Saints are very similar. I wouldn’t call it 80%, but their ground game makes it possible for Brees to carve up poultry defenses like it’s Thanksgiving Day (bad pun, but I’m not sorry for it). It is their balance that makes them such a scary offense, not their explosiveness.

Minnesota is the one-sided offense here, and their former strength, the running game, is what they will need if they want to pull the upset. It has been said way too many times, but New Orleans loves their Saints, and going into the Superdome and just cruising to victory doesn’t happen. I really do not know who to pick. The Vikings are great in domes, and are just as hot, if not hotter, than the Saints, but this is no regular dome. This is the Superdome, home of the scariest team in the playoffs. They may not always execute at 100% this weekend, but when they turn it on they are like Kobe or LeBron. You cannot stop them, you just hope to contain them. I don’t know who to take, but I really REALLY do not want to hear about Brett Favre for the next two weeks. I mean regardless we will have to go through the will-he-won’t-he drama that happens every offseason, but better to limit it to just that than get that on top of the Favre in the Super Bowl talk. I am going Saints out of pure spite for Brett Favre wasting my time on TV. Saints 33, Vikings 28.

Before closing things up, I have a little poll question for people. The question came up who the best player I have ever seen in college was in my lifetime. I thought maybe Tebow, maybe Vince Young, but I have to say Reggie Bush. No one lit up a field faster, or in a more exciting fashion than Reggie Bush. There was some disagreement on this, with a few votes Young, a few votes Tebow, and a few votes for Colt Brennan (fools), so I figured I would ask your opinion. Who is the best player you have ever seen at the college level (during your lifetime)?

For the record, if those picks were my Prime Minister, and I was the Parliament, I would give them a vote of zero confidence. I am shaken by my horrible performance this playoffs and have no idea who will win. I guess that just means you will have to watch. Enjoy. Oh, and as promised, the Reggie Bush highlight reel to influence your vote.

Note, there is a Part 2 to this video linked here. He was sick, maybe he will recapture it.

The Playoffs Round 1

My bad. If you bet the mortgage on my playoff picks, and were as disappointed in them as I was, then I sincerely apologize. I have always been good with the regular season, but the playoffs are a whole different animal. Just as some teams cannot win in the postseason, i cannot figure out the winning formula for a playoff team. Is is a strong ground game and a defense? Is it the ability to protect your terrific quarterback? Is it just great offensive balance and a clutch defense? Is it just a matter of experience? If I have learned anything from my utter whipping on the picks, then it is that I still do not know the answer.

Cardinals 14, Saints 45

Looks like their three consecutive performances under 17 points are a thing of the past after thrashing my sleeper team. The Saints were just by far an away the better team, but I feel the Cardinals made a tactical mistake. After Tim Hightower’s quick strike, Arizona came out on defense and sat back and made Brees beat them, which he did. When you seize momentum like that on the road, you absolutely cannot let the other QB, who happens to have been an MVP candidate, get into a rhythm. Not only did it even the score, but it swung momentum in the Saints favor because now Arizona had to prove they could put a drive together, which they couldn’t. I understand being cautious against a team like the Saints, but they needed to mix things up, be aggressive and risk maybe giving up the big play to not allow Brees to get into a rhythm. Would that have changed the result? Probably not, but it completely neutralized the brief advantage the Cardinals had.

This hurt too.

… Literally.

The Saints have to be considered favorites in that building after completely erasing the doubts after their three straight losses. Good luck Vikings. 9-0 at home doesn’t mean anything anymore. Adrian Peterson is a nice weapon, but if they fall behind then he id effectively out of the game.

Ravens 3, Colts 20

If I was to list things I could expect, a Colts defense that shut down a scary running game and frustrated Joe Flacco would not have been in the top 50. As a colts fan, I worried about Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Derrick Mason, and the offensive line that brutalized the Patriots for over 200 yards on the ground. It turns out all these worries were for naught as Gary Brackett, Antoine Bethea, and Dwight Freeney more than did their art in frustrating and flustering the Ravens attack. I said it early on that the Colts defense was for real, but I had my doubts. I don’t anymore. They are fast, aggressive, two things that the Ravens were once upon a time, and making plays all over the field. Kelvin Hayden is back, Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers are playing well beyond their years, and a Red Zone defense stiffer than Ray Jay on Viagra.

Even the offense was playing defense. I have been critical of Pierre Garcon for not inspiring confidence with his hands and dropping a few too many passes, but I cannot criticize anything about this play. Remember Troy Brown with the Patriots against the Chargers when he did virtually the same thing? As a Colts fan, I have always wondered what it would feel like to be a Patriots fan, getting every break, every call, and every clutch play. Now I know. Easily the play of the playoffs so far. Just in case you wanted to watch, here you are.

As an open Colts fan, I was unabashedly rooting for the Jets because I have never seen the Colts play worse year-in year-out against any team. There is just something about them that befuddles us. Philip Rivers out? No problem, Billy Volek beats us. LaDanian Tomlinson held in check or injured? No problem, Michael Turner and Darren Sproles burn us. Keep Antonio Gates in check? No problem, someone, anyone will beat us. They are the yin to our yang, except where the yin leaves the yang fuming and throwing things around rooms. However, all this is irrelevant because the Jets strolled into San Diego and put a beating on many people’s Super Bowl favorites. More on them in a bit, but things are looking up for the Colts. Granted one piece of history is against them: The last few Super Bowls have featured a team from Wild Card Week.

Cowboys 3, Vikings 34

I thought for the shortest of moments, “You know the Vikings are undefeated at home, and really really good in domes in general. Maybe they have a shot. Nahhhhhhhh,” Oops. The Cowboys looked like the slouches they usuallyare in December, Favre looked like it was ‘96, the Vikings defense looked like the vaunted one we had gotten used to in the past few years, and even the offensive line looked more brick wall than sieve. Both the Saints and Vikings left doubters and their recent history in the wake of their destruction. The lesson to be learned here is that momentum’s expiration date is far sooner than we originally thought. I thought it was around 3 weeks, but those these teams made me think maybe it is shorter. Maybe, like baseball, momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s starting pitcher, or in football terms, next week’s matchup. Regardless, The Vikes moved on, and everyone’s sexy pick, the Cowboys are headed home. Perhaps the biggest rule to picking the playoffs is that sexy doesn’t win. When you try to pick all the games at once, it is hard to tell who is the sexy team, but everyone’s sexy sleeper team is NEVER really a sleeper, sexy, or a winner. Lesson learned. On to the shocker, and sole upset, of the weekend.

Jets 17, Chargers 14

Whaaaaaaaaa? The Jets won? Well I guess that is what you can expect when I pick the Chargers. It wasn’t pretty, but after giving up 212 yards in the first half, the Jets bludgeoned and frustrated the Chargers in the second half and made the usually formidable Chargers offense look really bad. They turned them over twice at crucial times and turned the unflappable Chargers we had seen most of the year into the immature, penalty-magnet Chargers of the early 2000s. The Vincent Jackson Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty sticks out because he kicked the challenge flag off the field. Who does that and thinks that they will get away with it? It is both a scumbag thing to do, and didn’t work, partially negating what was otherwise an outstanding play. The bottom line is that the Chargers had their opportunities in the first half but only got 7 points from 212 yards. You cannot miss chances, and what’s more, you cannot miss field goals, especially chip shots. Let’s make that Rule #2. When you have opportunities you can have to cash them as completely as you can. The Chargers did not, the Jets did, so they get to return to Indianapolis where we can only assume the Colts will play their starters. Should be compelling stuff. The NFL always is.

A quick note: Very ballsy of Shonn Greene to go with LT’s TD celebration after scoring. Ouch, San Diego, ouch. Remember when the Pats made fun of Shawne Merriman’s dance in the Tryo Brown game? Here we go again.

On a more serious note, if you want to help out Haiti, the link is below.

http://www.haitirelieffund.org/

Wild Card Weekend

Can we start by saying that up until the Packers-Cardinals game, wild card weekend was anything but wild. In fact it was almost downright boring. Either you were ecstatic if your team won, depressed because your team got blown out, or bored because you didn’t have a dog in the fight and didn’t get to see a quality football game. Obviously that description did not apply to the shootout in the desert. Let’s go through the games one by one and look at each team’s chances to go to Miami like Will Smith.

AFC

Jets 24, Bengals 14

Not a blowout by score, but drops a plenty and a lack of excitement really kept this game from being entertaining. I am not among those who are only entertained by the passing game and I appreciated a defensive bloodbath, however,

He sure didn't look like a rookie on Saturday

there were so many drops Braylon Edwards would be proud. Oh yeah, he played in the game and helped add to the tally by letting a perfect throw by the unflappable Mr. San-CHEZ (as Ron Jaworski would say). However, the Jets came out on top and sent the Bengals back to lick their wounds. Among those Bengals is Chad OchoCinco who might have to change is name back after promising it to Bob Costas and then getting lost on Revis Island. I would not call the Jets an intimidating team, but they will not be fodder for anyone with that defense and their physical play. Credit goes to Rex Ryan for instilling both belief and that swarming defense. Not to mention he leads the league in quotes, closely followed by his LB Bart Scott.

The Jets Chances: Well they have to face the Chargers now, which is hardly a reward for having won a playoff game. However, the Jets will head to Ssan Diego and try to slow down the high voltage Bolt offense. I will not write off any team that plays defense that good, but the Chargers are rightfully favored in this matchup. Chances @ San Diego: 20%. Super Bowl Odds (mine, not vegas): 20-1.

Ravens 33, Patriots 14

This game was as big of a beatdown as we have seen in a long time. Not only that, but it should be the beginning of the end of Patriots superiority. I would love to rant for hours about how this shows that Tom Brady is not an elite QB without a defense behind him, but I will hold that for another time. The Ravens only threw the ball 10 times, something miraculous in today’s NFL, and still bludgeoned the Patriots. Ray Rice has budding superstar written all over him, and the Ravens proved they still have that voracious running game that got them to the AFC Championship Game last year. The Patriots get blown out at home to a team that only throws for 34 yards? Strange days.

The Ravens Chances: The Ravens reward? A date with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis. I know people are still talking about the Colts loss of momentum and all that, but Peyton Manning still has not really lost a game this year, leaving the Jets game while ahead 5 and the Bills game early after being tied. I don’t buy the Colts fading argument, but I do buy the Ravens as a legitimate contender. We will talk more about the Colts in their own section, but I don’t think anyone in Indy is looking forward to facing the team that just bullied the Pats in Foxborough. Ravens Chances in Indianapolis: 50%. Super Bowl Odds: 10-1.

Chargers

As a Colts fan, I am scared of them. As a football fan, I admire them. Overall, I just hate the Chargers. Unfortunately, even a hater cannot deny that they are hotter than the New Jersey Nets in the John Wall Sweepstakes (they are hot for losing, yeah it’s confusing). The Chargers remain my Super Bowl favorite even tho I absolutely hate myself for it. Rivers-Jackson-Tomlinson-Gates-Sproles and a host of other guys you don’t know, but will by the time the game is over. I hate the Chargers and I hate that they are making me pick them by being the best team in football right now. If we were playing this in September, give me anyone else, but in December, January and February, give me the Bolts. Chances vs. Jets: 80%. Super Bowl Odds: 5-2.

Colts

Holding up 4 total fingers. 1 for every MVP

They are still the #1 seed and do not buy the whole “Colts are struggling” thing. Antoine Bethea was quoted in a recent edition of teh Indianapolis Star as saying that his body feels better now than it ever has at this point in the season and that is because of the rest the Colts have been getting. I understand how being in rhythm is nice, but you cannot argue with your players being so fresh they feel better than they ever have during their career at this point. I still think the Colts are the second best team in football at this point, but they do not match up especially well with Baltimore and theebst team in football is the #2 seed in their conference. I hate myself for doing it almost as much as I hate the Chargers, but I have to put the Colts on Upset Alert. I hope they win, but it is far less assured than I would like. Go Colts, and congratulations to Peyton Manning on MVP #4. Sorry, the homer in me had to come out at some point. Chances vs. Ravens: 50%. Super Bowl Odds: 3-1.

NFC

Philadelphia 14, Dallas 34

Donovan McNabb’s peaked too soon. His best moment came pregame playing air guitar and messing with fans in the tunnel, and it was all downhill from there. The Eagles played like Dallas used to in December and Dallas could not have played much better. Their defense is scary, their offense is efficient and built to win in all weather and their special teams, kicker aside, are solid. There isn’t much to criticize the Cowboys on unless you want to talk about Terrence Newman’s health. In the blink of an eye they have gone from crunch-time chumps to prime time pimps. Nothing to talk about in the game because the game stunk, but by through no fault of the Cowboys.

The Cowboys Chances: There is nothing to dislike about this team’s playoff chances and they have a shot to shred Minnesota’s shaky offensive line next week. I actually really liked Minnesota’s chances against Arizona or Green Bay, but they got a tough one on their hands here. Jay Ratliff is one of the most underrated defensive lineman around, and Anthony Spencer is a budding star opposite DeMarcus Ware. He is the Robert Mathis to Ware’s Dwight Freeney. This team is peaking at the right time, or so it seems. Chances @ Minnesota: 60%. Super Bowl Odds 4-1.

Packers 45, Cardinals 51

Thank God for this game. It singlehandedly saved wild card weekend for me and helped me make a point at the same time. When you look at the playoff teams, the first thing you need to do, and by first I mean somewhere around 5th or 6th, is write off the sexy pick. Some teams are just too sexy a pick to do well and that description fits Green Bay perfectly. They obviously put up a fight and are a good team, but they were never going to go too deep into the

I know this is not the Arizona Cardinals logo, but consider it a shout out to a very underrated logo

playoffs. The Cardinals, however, showed me a lot. Granted, they let Green Bay claw back from a 17-0 hole, but they gave me a new sexy under-the-radar pick. They have an opportunistic defense, a manageable matchup with the Saints, and playoff experience all over the field. Not to mention it sure did not look like they missed Anquan Boldin too much. A great game, and dare I say, a springboard game that ill send this team on a tear. I do worry about their matchup with Dallas because Warner is the epitome of a rhythm QB, but I will take a flyer on them to make the Super Bowl, especially for their odds.

Just a few quick notes:

• This is Kurt Warner’s last playoffs, expect fireworks
• Aaron Rodgers is a top 5 NFL QB
• I will take the Packers to win the NFC North next year and will stick to it barring some very significant developments
• Wisconsin hates Jarrett Bush and after watching that game I now understand why
• Offensive Pass Interference is among the least acknowledged penalty in the NFL. Ask Charles Woodson.
• Greg Jennings is a better all around receiver than I had previously thought

The Cardinals Chances: I like them a lot. I do not think they are the best team remaining, but they may be the team peaking the most at the right team. They will be propelled by this game and if I was a betting man I would put a lot of money on them to not only beat the Saints, but to make the Super Bowl. Much of the analysis of their chances came earlier so I will leave it at that. Chances @ Saints: 65%. Super Bowl Odds: 7-1

Vikings

Everything points toward the Vikings doing well in the playoffs. They don’t have to go otudoors with old man Favre, they got back on track vs the Giants in Week 17, and they have a balanced offense and defense. However, they just don’t have that feeling of a team that is about to make a run. I like Favre indoors, I like Peterson, I like Allen, but I do not like the Vikings to make a run. By the way, classic matchup here between two of the original NFL teams. Chanc

Oops, wrong kind.

es vs. Dallas: 40%. Super Bowl Odds: 6-1.

Saints

They have scored 17 or less in their last 3 games, including a home loss to lowly TB, haven’t been able to stop the run,and just have no rhythm going into the playoffs. Unlike the Colts, who laid down, the Saints just couldn’t win in the last few weeks of the season. The offense is potent, but we will see if they can put it together. I wouldn’t bet on it. Who dat gonna win the Super Bowl? Not the Saints. Chances vs. Arizona: 35%. Super Bowl Odds: 8-1.

The Picks

Ravens over Colts (gulp, sorry I have to, Indy. Also a good deal of self-loathing for doing this). Chargers over Jets. Chargers over Ravens (closer than you think).

Cardinals over Saints. Cowboys over Vikings. Cardinals over Cowboys.

Chargers over Cardinals 34-24 in Super Bowl XLIV