RANDOM THOUGHTS:
The following were on my mind between Thursday, January 27th- Monday, January 31st:
-New feature! Starting today and running during every Monday edition of "Random Thoughts" until mid-May, I will be ranking all of the top Thursday nights comedies on the NBC network ("Community," "The Office," "Parks and Recreations," and "30 Rock") episode by episode, tallying points from a scale of 10-40 (40 for 1st place, 35 for a tie in first place, 30 for second place, 25 for a tie in second place, 20 for third place, and 15 for fourth place, unless it was really awful like the Christening episode of "The Office," which in that case it would receive a 10). The reason? Because there is no better comedy block on television right now and because these are four of the best comedies on American television. Now, since I'm in my second week, let's begin with my quick tally for day #1 (Jan. 20) along with a quick one sentence explanation:
1. "Parks and Recreations"- "Go Big or Go Home": 40 points
A great start to the third season of arguably the best comedy on TV right now, with Ron Swanson's Pyramid of Greatness as the episode's highlight.
2. "The Office"- "Ultimatum": 30 points
Joel Keller of TV Squad put it best during his recap of the episode: at this point, since the show has finished its creative peak and we know a lot more about its character compared to a more fresh show like "Parks and Rec.," fans of the show like myself are now happy with "The Office" if an episode doesn't stink, like this one.
3. "Community"- "Asian Population Studies": 20 points
It was okay, but not as good or funny compared to the other two shows mentioned above.
4. "30 Rock"- "Mrs. Donaghy": 15 points
The first story of Jack accidentally marrying Liz worked and the Tracy trying to get his family some financial stability after finding out that he is physically unhealthy had its moments, but the Jenna-Danny C-plot was one of the show's lowest moments all season.
And now, here is my rankings for the episodes that aired this past Thursday (Jan. 27th):
1. "Parks and Recreations"- "The Flu": 40 points
On his Twitter account last week, co-creator Michael Shur stated that this episode might have been the funniest that they have ever done. And while that may be a bit of an overstatement, I still found this episode to be brilliant. For starters, it was an episode that featured plenty of great standout moments from almost every character from Leslie Knope's Kirk Gibson-esque speech at the end of the episode to Ron's one day interaction with Andy to Tom sharing jokes with the old business men at the sauna and even Rob Lowe's character Chris panicing about the microchip that is his perfect health getting damaged by the grain of sand that was the flu. Second, it was just hilarious from start to finish. Two episodes in, and the top comedy from 2010 (with "Community" as a close #2) has started their new season off strong.
2 (tie). "The Office"- "The Seminar": 25 points
2 (tie). "30 Rock"- "Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning": 25 points
2 (tie). "Community"- "Celebrity Pharmacology 212": 25 points
That's right, I'm putting all of the other three comedies in a tie for second. All three were so well done that it was hard to pick and choose which of them was better than another for this particular week. "The Office" continued its pleasant streak of good episodes by featuring one that was a good showcase to all of the major supporting players from Andy to Kevin and even Kelly with her Business Bitch character. Plus, the cold open with Ricky Gervais that I mentioned earlier this week was out of this world awesome. With "30 Rock," it was a really nice bounce back from last week's sub-par episode with two great moments. The first one was when Tracy and Liz sharing insults to the tune of Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" and harmonizing as Liz was leaving Tracy's dressing room with the "Oooh, oooh, oooh" and the other came at the end when Jack was rushing to get the benefit in honor of the tragic destruction of Mel Gibson's private island that both Gibson and Jon Gosslein were partying in as it happened off the air. As for "Community," I found the episode for be an interesting episode that delved into the life of Annie, someone whose background isn't usually talked about on the show, plus the musical where the poor children ended up chanting "We want drugs!" and "I love you drugs!" was one of the highlights of the entire night.
(Ed. note: Don't worry, though, I promise that this occurrence won't take place often.)
Official points tally for the power ranking thus far:
1. "Parks and Recreations": 80 points
2. "The Office": 55 points
3. "Community": 45 points
4. "30 Rock": 40 points
In other words, its basically "Parks and Recreations" with a wonderful head start so far, with everyone else in a battle for second place. Moving on...
-Is there a better name for an athlete right now than Novak "Is Wayne Brady Going To Have To" Djokovic? I think not!
- You know that the gap between the NFL conference championships and the Super Bowl is a joke when the biggest story coming into tomorrow's Super Bowl XLV media day is the meaningless Packers team photo conflict. I don't care how much ESPN and NFL Network try to hype this story up, its about as interesting and important as the location announcement for the newest season of "Survivor."
- I don't understand why TCM, a.k.a. one of the five best cable channels on TV right now, has a channel in high definition. Most of their movies are in black and white anyway, and the movies that they can possibly show in HD are in standard def. regardless.
-If the the NFL wants to improve the Pro Bowl from the travesty that it already it to an even less travesty, I would suggest that they follow what the new NHL All-Star Game model that debuted this weekend and have the fans to decide all of the players in the Pro Bowl, but have two selected "captains" choose their teammates for the game. Granted, the "draft" will be a lot longer than the one that the NHL had this past Saturday, but it can work somehow. That, or the players play the game without using helmets. After all, its not like they try during the game, as shown by the Alex Mack touchdown at the end of the game yesterday.
- Charlie Sheen, to me, has officially become the Kim Jong Il of Hollywood. Anything that he does from this point on just will not surprise me. What's that, buddy? He killed himself after going on a drug filled rampage that murdered three hookers and a pizza delivery boy?!?! That's out Charlie!
More random thoughts to come on Thursday. Now, if you will excuse, I'm going to prepare myself for the start of tomorrow's epic snowstorm that is supposed to strike my beloved city down in historic proportions. Enjoy the start of your workweek!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
End of the Week: 01/23/11- 01/29/11
END OF THE WEEK:
We are now officially over with our final full week of January 2011. Man, that was fast! Just seemed like yesterday that the NFL playoff picture was about to be finalized, Ricky Gervais remained relatively quiet in the pop culture world and homeless people with wonderful radio voices were a relatively unknown minority. Oh, well. Time is pretty short like that, I suppose. Anyways, here are is the new installment of my weekly column where I decide which thing to happen during a certain week was better than others, this time featuring the annual US State of the Union address, Charlie Sheen and the question of whether or not a certain NFL quarterback is a big, sloppy west pussy. OK, here we go...
Salmon Joke of the Week: The 2011 State of the Union address given by President Obama had it many share of important and/or memorable moments of note. You had the President reference education and technological development as "this generation's Sputnik moment." You had him gloat in the passing of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the last fighting troops leaving Iraq while addressing the constant bickering of the two parties that, despite all the arguments and yelling, that there isn't a single person in the room who would want to live in a different country right now. You had both Republicans and Democrats sitting together instead of being separated into two different sides of the room like they've usually done. And then you had the usual slate of John Boehner tears, introduction of some notable regular Americans like Plan B creator Brandon Fisher and Mrs. "That's me!" herself, Kathy Proctor. Republicans reading something completely miscellaneous in protest as well as the constant applauses and standing ovations. But the most delightful moment of the night came in the middle of the speech, where the President paused to discuss the incompetency and inefficiency of the government, complete with a light salmon joke that will rank up there in history as one of the greatest (and cleanest) of all-time, hyperbole aside:
"Let me take this one step further. We shouldn’t just give our people a government that’s more affordable. We should give them a government that’s more competent and more efficient. We can’t win the future with a government of the past. (Applause.)
We live and do business in the Information Age, but the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black and white TV. There are 12 different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different agencies that deal with housing policy. Then there's my favorite example: The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they're saltwater. (Laughter). I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked. (Laughter and applause)."
I'm surprised that Obama didn't use that joke as a reason to suddenly debut his post Presidency stand-up routine. I heard that his jokes on John Boehner's orange skin is a riot!
Video of the Week: "Michael Scott Meets David Brent on 'The Office'"
This week (and, really, the last two weeks) featured a plethora of great viral videos from the greatest miniature golf shot of all-time to the most epic action movie ever courtesy of our good friends in India to Tracy Morgan's naughty thoughts on Sarah Palin and much, much more. But as a big fan of "The Office" (both U.K. and U.S.) and Ricky Gervais in general, neither of these videos mentioned produced the same amount of pure awesomeness and enjoyment that I had then when I saw Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) meeting his U.K. counterpart from the British version of the show, David Brent (played by Gervais) and eventually sharing a "That's what she said" joke that quickly led them to becoming good pals. It was a moment nearly six years in the making, and when it finally did occur it was a minute of pure perfection, one that completely made up for some of the flaws that the later portion of the episodes had. I was a bit surprised that Brent didn't end up addressing the cameras or why he was there in the first place, but that's just being too nit-picky.
Stories of the Week:
-The Actual Story of the Week: The Uprising in Egypt
First Tunisia, and now this. I can't help but feel that either Iran or Libya will be next.
- The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: Man Defecates in Store, Steals Candy Before Leaving and Lashes Out at Schoolchildren
Please! Matthew Clemens does that on an average Tuesday!
Question of the Week: Jay Cutler's Toughness
Despite the fact that many did not know of Cutler's MCL tear until after the game, many fans and former NFL players still proceeded to question whether Cutler quit during the NFC Championship game by not coming back onto the field during the third quarter and that they SO would not have done that even if their team's entire offensive line proceeded to carry them off the field. Then again, I wonder if all of this has to do with Cutler's reputation of being a douche and not because of his actual play.
Person of the Week: Charlie Sheen
He did it again, folks! This past week, Sheen, star of the wildly and questionably popular "Two and a Half Men" and just three months removed from his last infamous night with a pornstar, was in the news again thanks to another crazy night of drugs and partying. According to TMZ, it came when Sheen was rushed to the hospital around 7 a.m. after suffering through severe abdominal pains. The visit to Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles came after Sheen ran a wild 36 hour bender with not one pornstar, but two this time. Were drugs involved? Yup, a briefcase full of cocaine, in fact, with Sheen continuously smoking it through a green pipe for many hours. Just when you think the man couldn't outdo himself, he goes ahead and proves us wrong.
Sheen's recent debauchery has drove him into rehab for the second consecutive year, forcing the production of "Two and a Half Men" to temporarily shut down in the process. You know, as sad as this situation may be for his friends and family, I can't help but feel strangely in awe of the man's self destruction. He's the highest paid actor in all of television with a life that has made him a tabloid hit, and yet he still doesn't care. In fact, I'm pretty sure that once this new rehab stint is over he will once again go back to his recent drug binges and wild night with adult film stars while continuing to not care what anyone else thinks, all while being a true professional on the THM set since he always seems to do that.
And, that's the way it is! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everybody!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
We are now officially over with our final full week of January 2011. Man, that was fast! Just seemed like yesterday that the NFL playoff picture was about to be finalized, Ricky Gervais remained relatively quiet in the pop culture world and homeless people with wonderful radio voices were a relatively unknown minority. Oh, well. Time is pretty short like that, I suppose. Anyways, here are is the new installment of my weekly column where I decide which thing to happen during a certain week was better than others, this time featuring the annual US State of the Union address, Charlie Sheen and the question of whether or not a certain NFL quarterback is a big, sloppy west pussy. OK, here we go...
Salmon Joke of the Week: The 2011 State of the Union address given by President Obama had it many share of important and/or memorable moments of note. You had the President reference education and technological development as "this generation's Sputnik moment." You had him gloat in the passing of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the last fighting troops leaving Iraq while addressing the constant bickering of the two parties that, despite all the arguments and yelling, that there isn't a single person in the room who would want to live in a different country right now. You had both Republicans and Democrats sitting together instead of being separated into two different sides of the room like they've usually done. And then you had the usual slate of John Boehner tears, introduction of some notable regular Americans like Plan B creator Brandon Fisher and Mrs. "That's me!" herself, Kathy Proctor. Republicans reading something completely miscellaneous in protest as well as the constant applauses and standing ovations. But the most delightful moment of the night came in the middle of the speech, where the President paused to discuss the incompetency and inefficiency of the government, complete with a light salmon joke that will rank up there in history as one of the greatest (and cleanest) of all-time, hyperbole aside:
"Let me take this one step further. We shouldn’t just give our people a government that’s more affordable. We should give them a government that’s more competent and more efficient. We can’t win the future with a government of the past. (Applause.)
We live and do business in the Information Age, but the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black and white TV. There are 12 different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different agencies that deal with housing policy. Then there's my favorite example: The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they're saltwater. (Laughter). I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked. (Laughter and applause)."
I'm surprised that Obama didn't use that joke as a reason to suddenly debut his post Presidency stand-up routine. I heard that his jokes on John Boehner's orange skin is a riot!
Video of the Week: "Michael Scott Meets David Brent on 'The Office'"
This week (and, really, the last two weeks) featured a plethora of great viral videos from the greatest miniature golf shot of all-time to the most epic action movie ever courtesy of our good friends in India to Tracy Morgan's naughty thoughts on Sarah Palin and much, much more. But as a big fan of "The Office" (both U.K. and U.S.) and Ricky Gervais in general, neither of these videos mentioned produced the same amount of pure awesomeness and enjoyment that I had then when I saw Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) meeting his U.K. counterpart from the British version of the show, David Brent (played by Gervais) and eventually sharing a "That's what she said" joke that quickly led them to becoming good pals. It was a moment nearly six years in the making, and when it finally did occur it was a minute of pure perfection, one that completely made up for some of the flaws that the later portion of the episodes had. I was a bit surprised that Brent didn't end up addressing the cameras or why he was there in the first place, but that's just being too nit-picky.
Stories of the Week:
-The Actual Story of the Week: The Uprising in Egypt
First Tunisia, and now this. I can't help but feel that either Iran or Libya will be next.
- The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: Man Defecates in Store, Steals Candy Before Leaving and Lashes Out at Schoolchildren
Please! Matthew Clemens does that on an average Tuesday!
Question of the Week: Jay Cutler's Toughness
Despite the fact that many did not know of Cutler's MCL tear until after the game, many fans and former NFL players still proceeded to question whether Cutler quit during the NFC Championship game by not coming back onto the field during the third quarter and that they SO would not have done that even if their team's entire offensive line proceeded to carry them off the field. Then again, I wonder if all of this has to do with Cutler's reputation of being a douche and not because of his actual play.
Person of the Week: Charlie Sheen
He did it again, folks! This past week, Sheen, star of the wildly and questionably popular "Two and a Half Men" and just three months removed from his last infamous night with a pornstar, was in the news again thanks to another crazy night of drugs and partying. According to TMZ, it came when Sheen was rushed to the hospital around 7 a.m. after suffering through severe abdominal pains. The visit to Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles came after Sheen ran a wild 36 hour bender with not one pornstar, but two this time. Were drugs involved? Yup, a briefcase full of cocaine, in fact, with Sheen continuously smoking it through a green pipe for many hours. Just when you think the man couldn't outdo himself, he goes ahead and proves us wrong.
Sheen's recent debauchery has drove him into rehab for the second consecutive year, forcing the production of "Two and a Half Men" to temporarily shut down in the process. You know, as sad as this situation may be for his friends and family, I can't help but feel strangely in awe of the man's self destruction. He's the highest paid actor in all of television with a life that has made him a tabloid hit, and yet he still doesn't care. In fact, I'm pretty sure that once this new rehab stint is over he will once again go back to his recent drug binges and wild night with adult film stars while continuing to not care what anyone else thinks, all while being a true professional on the THM set since he always seems to do that.
And, that's the way it is! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everybody!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
Friday, January 28, 2011
2010 NFL (Postseason) Predictions: The Dreaded Super Bowl Bye Week Edition ft. the Potential 2011 Lockout, Player on Player Humping and More
(Only one more week!)
In a few days, the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers will face the NFC Champion Green Bay Packers in Jerry's Place (a.k.a. the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas) in the biggest game of the entire football calendar: Super Bowl XLV. It promises to be a wonderful showing between two great teams with two completely different styles of play along with a interesting week leading up to the game with Media Day, the Hall of Fame 2011 class announcement, Goodell's state of the league address and more. Unfortunately, before all that takes place, we have no choice as football fans but to deal with this dreaded Super Bowl bye week.
The Super Bowl bye week, for those of you new to the sport, is the one week of the NFL season where, after 21 weeks of continuous weekly football action, everything just suddenly stops without any purpose other than to give players and coaches a nice week off while also building up even more suspense to the big game. Its like a car driving at 80 miles per hour having to suddenly stop to let an old lady cross the street, only to go back to driving 80 miles again beginning the night of the Pro Bowl all the way until the Lombardi Trophy is officially given out on Super Bowl Sunday. It also is the week where we finally get to see a small preview of the horrible Sunday afternoons to come in the world of sport starting three weeks from now, with nothing to look forward to during this time period but golf tournaments that are only important 10% of the time and regular season games from neither the NBA or MLB as the NFL's bastard substitute. Its the worst week of the entire season, and its even worse by the fact that there is absolutely no other NFL game to pick other than Satan's afterbirth, the Pro Bowl (though, if you think about it, maybe we should all enjoy it since this game and next week's Super Bowl might be the last football game that we'll see until August 2012).
So, because there is absolutely no game to pick and/or analyze, I would totally understand if you decide on skipping the rest of this post and move on with the rest of your life. However, if you do feel like reading, then here are some NFL related random thoughts to wrap this post up nicely with a nice little bow:
-The lockout. It's a topic that I have been avoiding over these past few months on this site, but since there is no major game going on I figure that's it about time that I finally give my two cents on it.
It's hard to believe that in an era of football where fans are watching the games at record rates (all-time regular season viewership, 50,000,000+viewers for the NFC and AFC championship game this past week, an expected American TV viewing record for Super Bowl XLV), billions of dollars in TV deals (including some $2 billion per season by ESPN for their new Monday Night Football deal) and unprecedented gross by the league in general, that the NFLPA and team owners would decide now to have a millionaires vs. billionaires dispute, but this is unfortunately the case. This possible lockout is due to several issues ranging from the share of the league's revenue to retired players. . For one thing, the team owners believe that they got screwed during the last CBA agreement in 2006 when then commissioner Paul Tagliabue agreed to giving the players 59.6 percent of the total revenue (or around 50 percent according to NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith) while making the owners of the league's top 15 franchises subsidize with the league's 17 least grossing franchises, and would like for players to take a certain pay cut for the next CBA.
The second issue has to deal with the possibility of an eighteen game seasons. Owners would like to add the additional regular season home game to their schedule while reducing the preseason schedule from two homegames to one in order to earn a much bigger profit in ticket revenue, while players would like to keep the sixteen game situation in tact so their risk of getting injured during the season doesn't increase. Others issues include a potential rookie wage scale and the league's policy towards retired football players, which at this point are treated about as well as Wall Mart employees.
Personally, I don't really give a crap how both sides end up finishing the deal. It could end with both sides agreeing to give all of their money to MLB for all I care. Anything to end this possible devastating labor lockout is fine by me. However, I suppose that the one thing I would root for is to limit the rookie wage salary while also improving the conditions of retired NFL players. The fact of the matter is that the amount of money top draft picks earn these days is outrageous, with players like Jamarcus Russell and Matt Leinart earning more money before they even played then certain Hall of Fame players earned during their entire career. The NFL owners have the chance of saving about $200 million from the previous CBA agreement that they could save if they do receive a rookie salary cap similar to the one in the NBA right now. If it were up to me, I would try to use that $200 million in finding a way to improve the conditions of NFL players following retirement. But even that I will be okay with whatever both sides agree too just as long as I end up seeing actual NFL football come this September.
This, and no 18 game regular season. I love the NFL, but I hate to see the product get ruined in favor of more cash.
-At first I kind of admired commissioner Roger Goodell for his tough enforcement on suspensions to players violating the league's personal conduct policy, but now I think that he's just a putz. For starters, he wants to improve players safety and enforcing it with these ground breaking new fines and suspension implementing after the bloodbath that was week six (how is that going, by the way?), yet he wants the league to move to an eighteen game regular season which makes about as much sense as trying to stop a wildfire by having firefighters using zero water. If anything, wouldn't you try to do it by reducing the amount of games instead? Second, he keeps trying to make himself into this no nonsense law figure, yet when he had the chance to suspend Brett Favre for the numerous reports circulating on Deadspin, he did absolutely nothing. Let's just hope that he can redeem himself over the next few months by having the league avoid a potential lockout. during the 2011 season, which could very well harm the sport much like it did to MLB in 1994 and the NHL in 2004-05.
-Are we sure that Tennessee Titans owner/double bird enthusiast Bud Adams isn't just Al Davis in disguise? The reason is because I can't think of another explanation for the Titans releasing prized QB Vince Young and their greatest head coach in franchise history, Jeff Fisher, when the team only needed to decide between one of them when the season is over.
-If 48 year old Herschel Walker really is serious about wanting to play football again, he should start playing for a UFL team first. After all, it makes perfect sense. After all, he could automatically become of the league's most easily recognizable and most popular figures like he was in the USFL, the last professional football league to challenge the NFL. Besides, it would be a great way to prove to the thirty two teams in the NFL, if he does play well in the UFL a.k.a. the minor league of American professional football that is, that he should at least deserve a tryout. However, I still think that is just a simple case of an ex-football player craving to relive the good times while forgetting that the game is much more tougher than before.
-Mendenhump!
-Looks like interceptions aren't the only "picks" that Mark Sanchez does on gameday.
-Here is my vote for the three greatest NFL championship games of all-time, only because I'm doing my Super Bowl countdown next week and I want to somehow continue this temporarily weekly feature of picking the best games during a certain round of the playoffs going:
3. 1950: Los Angeles Rams vs. Cleveland Browns (28-30)
In 1950, the NFL added three teams from the AAFC (the All American Football Conference). One of those three teams was the Cleveland Browns led by QB Otto Graham and winners of the only four titles in AAFC history. In their first season as members of the league, the Browns picked up right where they left off, surprising every NFL fan by finishing the season 11-2 and winners of the American conference after defeating the New York Giants in a playoff. Their opponent would be Cleveland's former football team, the Rams (now in Los Angeles), winners of the National Conference and led by the dynamic passing duo of Hall of Famers Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin.
The game would be a close, back and forth contest, with neither team leading by more than eight points. In the fourth quarter, with the Rams up 28-20 thanks to 312 yards passing by Bob Waterfield (although it was outweighed by his four interceptions) and 2 TD rushes by RB dick Hoerner, Cleveland struck back with a Graham 14 yard TD pass to Rex Bumgardner to cut LA's lead to 28-27. Then, with less than twenty seconds, Browns kicker Lou Groza would kick a 16 yard field goal to give Cleveland the 30-28 lead along with their first lead all game long. The Rams weren't able to respond, and the Browns would win their first of four total NFL titles in franchise history. Los Angeles would get the opportunity at revenge, however, defeating the Browns 24-17 in the NFL championship game a year later.
2. 1958: Baltimore Colts vs. New York Giants (23-17 OT)
The Greatest Game Ever Played, or at least the most influential. The Giants were leading the game 17-14 with about two minutes to go and its offense facing a third down situation with a chance to put the dagger on this championship game. However, Giants RB Frank Gifford was not able to get the first down as he was stopped short in a controversial ruling by the referees, leaving the Colts offense led by legendary QB Johnny Unitas a chance to either tie the game up. The Colts possession started at their own 14 yard line and ended at the Giants 13 yard line after a masterful drive engineered by Unitas which, in turn, set up a game tying field goal by kicker Steve Myhra. The two teams were then forced to play into sudden death overtime, the first in the history of the NFL and in all of professional football (at one point during the end of regulation, many players on both sides thought that they were going to end the game co-champion since they've never heard of overtime). New York was first to receive the football, but were forced to punt which gave Unitas and crew a chance to win the game.
What followed next would be one of the greatest drives in NFL history, as Baltimore drove down the field on 13 plays for 80 yards, ending with John Amache's famous 1 yard TD run to the Giants endzone. Seventeen individuals involved in both teams were eventyually inducted into the Hall of Fame including Unitas, who went 26 of 40 for 349 yards and a TD, Vince Lombardi (then Giants offensive coordinator), Tom Landry (then Giants defensive coordinator) and Colts WR Raymond Berry, who had 12 catches in the game for 187 and a TD which still stands as the NFL record for a championship game. The game also ended up having some long term affects that would affect the NFL and pro football for the better. For one thing, the game was broadcast on NBC (the first NFL game to be shown to a national audience) and watched by a then record 45 million people whose views of professional football improved greatly after the game. One of the 45 million watching was Texas billionaire Lamar Hunt, who would use this game as motivation for co-founding the American Football League which, along with expansion and the use of television, would further improve the standing of proffesional football in American sports.
1. 1967: Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers (20-17)
I already gave a sypnosis of the game last week. The reason that I chose this over the so-called Greatest Game Ever Played was because of the fact that the #2 choice wasn't really that exciting up until the final five minutes, much like Super Bowl XLII a few years back. For the most part, it was a pretty ugly game with both teams combining for seven turnovers on the game. The Ice Bowl, on the other hand, was pretty competitive throughout and much more exciting to watch as a viewer. Besides, I don't think you can name a weather game much more memorable in NFL lore than this game.
And now, my vote for the greatest AFL Championship Game of all time:
1962: Dallas Texans vs. Houston Oilers (20-17 2OT)
In the longest game in the AFL's short ten year history (as well as the only AFL Championship game to ever go into overtime) the Dallas Texans (now the Kansas City Chiefs) led by legendary head coach Hank Straham and the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) met in a matchup of two 11-3 teams. The Texans commanded the game in the first half with a 17-0 lead at the half thanks to two rushing touchdown by Abner Haynes. But in the second half, Houston came right back with 17 points of their own to tie things up at the end of regulation. Both teams failed to score in the first overtime period, but Texans DE Bill Hull ended those final fifteen minutes by intercepting a pass from future Hall of Fame QB George Blanda, setting up Dallas football at Houston's 48 yard line. In the first two plays of the second overtime, Texans RB Jack Spikes picked up 19 yards from scrimmage setting up good field position for Dallas to win the game on a field goal. Two plays later, kicker Tommy Brooker did just that, scoring a 25 yarder to give Dallas their first AFL title in franchise history and ending Houston's chance at a three peat (they had previously won the last two AFL titles).
-My Pro Bowl prediction for you future members of Gamblers Anonymous:
AFC (30), NFC (38). MVP: Drew Brees.
So...that's that, I guess. Be sure to come back next week for the epic, super spectacular season finale of the 2010 picks column where I will break down all of the key aspects of Super Bowl XLV while also revealing mj50's pick and my pick for the winner of this game. Hopefully the post will be a dramatic improvement over last year's Super Bowl preview post, where I infamously had CBS broadcasting the game as one of the reasons why the Colts were going to win the game. If not, I would like to apologize beforehand. Until then, enjoy this week of glorious nothingness!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Random Thoughts: 01/24/11-01/27/11
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
This has been a strange two weeks for me sleeping wise. Almost every day except on the weekends I have woken up tired and I have stayed tired for most of the day. And yet when I'm actually in my bed during nighttime trying to finally sleep, its at that point when I'm the most awake that I've been all day, with my mind spending at least an hour thinking up of fake worries and mindless thoughts that make me unable to stay fully asleep. I hate it when my mind is a dick like that.
But enough of my whining. Here are nine brand new random thoughts for your viewing pleasure! The following were on my mind between Monday, January 24th and Thursday, January 27th:
-You know, I'm not sure if you realized this, but this Obama fella is pretty good at making speeches.
-Come on, AMC! Why haven't you structured a deal with Lionsgate to officially renew "Mad Men" for season five yet? After all, the sooner you finish the deal, the sooner Matthew Weiner gets backs to work and the better the chance that the show gets to run new episodes side-by-side with "Breaking Bad" in what will be one of the greatest programming nights in television history.
- If you think Kathy Proctor was obnoxious and self-relishing during the State of the Union address, I bet you that she must be even worse in front of her friends and family.
-Dear Michele Bachmann,
If you're going to try to persuade Americans with your Tea Party Express HD-approved Powerpoint on the Republican response to the State of the Union address, at least try to look at the camera while doing so. You would be surprised how such a little thing like that can drastically improve your speech.
-I can't wait until mid-February when I finally get the chance to live blog the Daytona 500 for the first time ever! I hope it goes something like this:
3:15 p.m.- Left turn!
3:16 p.m.- Left turn!
3:18 p.m.- Crash!
3:22 p.m.- Holy crap, you guys! It's another left turn! This is the most unpredictable Dayton 500 ever!
-On Tuesday, I watched "Avatar" for the first time since seeing it in theaters early last year. You know, if you take out its orgasmically great 3-D special effects and its James Cameron stamp, the movie is nothing more than a poor man's "Transformers" with some blatantly obvious/annoying liberal messages added to it.
-I'm surprised that John Boehner has yet to turn his constant crying into a Prozac endorsement deal yet.
- You know what the worst part about Keith Olbermann's departure from MSNBC is. More Ed Schultz. Say what you want on four eyes, but at least he was pretty tolerable to the Glenn Beck of the left.
- I don't understand why people are complaining about the Academy Awards getting ten nominees for Best Picture. It basically eliminates any type of "snubs" discussion in the category than if there was, say, five or six nominees. After all, if you aren't considered to be one of the ten best films of the year by the Academy, then you have no right to complain.
And there you have it! Now, enjoy the end of the workweek, you crazy bastard!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
This has been a strange two weeks for me sleeping wise. Almost every day except on the weekends I have woken up tired and I have stayed tired for most of the day. And yet when I'm actually in my bed during nighttime trying to finally sleep, its at that point when I'm the most awake that I've been all day, with my mind spending at least an hour thinking up of fake worries and mindless thoughts that make me unable to stay fully asleep. I hate it when my mind is a dick like that.
But enough of my whining. Here are nine brand new random thoughts for your viewing pleasure! The following were on my mind between Monday, January 24th and Thursday, January 27th:
-You know, I'm not sure if you realized this, but this Obama fella is pretty good at making speeches.
-Come on, AMC! Why haven't you structured a deal with Lionsgate to officially renew "Mad Men" for season five yet? After all, the sooner you finish the deal, the sooner Matthew Weiner gets backs to work and the better the chance that the show gets to run new episodes side-by-side with "Breaking Bad" in what will be one of the greatest programming nights in television history.
- If you think Kathy Proctor was obnoxious and self-relishing during the State of the Union address, I bet you that she must be even worse in front of her friends and family.
-Dear Michele Bachmann,
If you're going to try to persuade Americans with your Tea Party Express HD-approved Powerpoint on the Republican response to the State of the Union address, at least try to look at the camera while doing so. You would be surprised how such a little thing like that can drastically improve your speech.
-I can't wait until mid-February when I finally get the chance to live blog the Daytona 500 for the first time ever! I hope it goes something like this:
3:15 p.m.- Left turn!
3:16 p.m.- Left turn!
3:18 p.m.- Crash!
3:22 p.m.- Holy crap, you guys! It's another left turn! This is the most unpredictable Dayton 500 ever!
-On Tuesday, I watched "Avatar" for the first time since seeing it in theaters early last year. You know, if you take out its orgasmically great 3-D special effects and its James Cameron stamp, the movie is nothing more than a poor man's "Transformers" with some blatantly obvious/annoying liberal messages added to it.
-I'm surprised that John Boehner has yet to turn his constant crying into a Prozac endorsement deal yet.
- You know what the worst part about Keith Olbermann's departure from MSNBC is. More Ed Schultz. Say what you want on four eyes, but at least he was pretty tolerable to the Glenn Beck of the left.
- I don't understand why people are complaining about the Academy Awards getting ten nominees for Best Picture. It basically eliminates any type of "snubs" discussion in the category than if there was, say, five or six nominees. After all, if you aren't considered to be one of the ten best films of the year by the Academy, then you have no right to complain.
And there you have it! Now, enjoy the end of the workweek, you crazy bastard!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Random Thoughts: 01/20/11-01/24/11
RANDOM THOUGHTS:
The following were on my mind between Thursday, January 20th and Monday, January 24th:
- A few more thoughts on the Bears loss to the Packers last night that I didn't already give last night:
a. Outside of the Packers cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams (cue the unoriginal "Tramon man!" here), the MVP of the game has to be Packers punter Tim Masthay. That man was brilliant during the game, punting it eight times inside the Bears own 20 yard line and helped the rest of the below average Packers special teams stop Devin Hester with his great ball placement and hangtime.
b. If Hanie actually tied things up late in the 4th quarter, this game would easily rank as one of the most impressive wins in Bears history and one of the most improbable ever along with the Monday Night Miracle in Arizona four seasons ago and those crazy wins in 2006. The Packers were up 21-7 with six minutes to go, with Green Bay fans already planning their Super Bowl dreams. But then Hanie leads another unexpected TD drive to cut this game to 21-14, the defense stopped Aaron Rodgers like they did throughout the second half, and the Bears were once again able to get the ball back with about four minutes left on the clock. Now, imagine if the Bears offense ends up tying things and eventually win in OT. It would have easily ranked among my three favorite moments as a Chicago sports fan. Its too bad that Lovie Smith played Todd Collins first, especially if you consider how horrible he played in the Panthers game earlier in this season.
c. If it wasn't for the great first quarter from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense in that game, the Bears probably would have won it. Unfortunately, Rodgers just ended up treating them like a cancer patient in that quarter.
d. The Jay Cutler leaving the game in the second half thing: the guy had an MCL fracture (a injury that could make a player miss about 4-5 games). He is also coming off a season in which he was sacked 50 or so times (including nine in one half against New York in week 4!) while only missing one game and never complaining in the process. It was also the team coaches that made him leave the game, not him. Besides, what was he supposed to do? Go the Deion Sanders route and make four offensive linemen drag him off the field to prove his toughness? Is that what was needed to be done? I think we shold stop with the questioning of his toughness, and put the goat tag on to the real people who deserve it: Todd Collins and , especially, everyone who thought that replacing Cutler with Collins first instead of just Hanie, even though they knew how horrible he played this season against the Panthers and that Hanie was younger and more noble.
- Can we all just agree that Stanley Kubrick is the greatest film director of all-time? He made eleven movies from 1956-1999, all of them classics and/or widely praised. These movies include "Dr. Strangelove," the greatest dark comedy of all-time and "The Shining," one of the greatest horror movies of all-time along with "A Clockwork Orange" and "2001: A Space Odyssey," one of the greatest movies of all-time period. All eleven of these movies from this time period have all either won or have been nominated for awards (including a Best Director Oscar nomination four years in a row) and, unlike other great directors like Hitchcock and Scorsese, never sticks to the same genre. One moment he did a comedy film, then a suspense thriller, than a war movie, than a space epic, than a horror movie than...well, you know the drill, and all of them he did it wonderfully. It's just a shame that he actually never won an Oscar for his work, just an Oscar for best special effects in "2001" and a Razzie for Worst Director (what were those voters thinking!).
- When is Visa going to finish with that "Super Bowl for Life" campaign so I don't have to see those dummies from the "Never Missed a Super Bowl Club" ever again?
- I take it that Laurence Maroney has not recovered from being released by the Patriots.
(http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/18/laurence-maroney-nfl-denver-broncos-arrested-mugshot-weapon-st-louis-permit-jail/)
- I hope that Rahm Emanuel gets back on the Chicago mayoral ballot. After all, its not like the other candidates are much better. Carol Mosley Braun? Please! Gery Chico? Eh, maybe. Anyways, first the Bears losing and now this? I sure hope that "The Chicago Code" is as good as the commercials are, because this is going to be a pretty disappointing winter in the city.
- Friday and Saturday have brought some of my happiest news in the TV ratings department in a long time. First, there was the news that "Parks and Recreations" debuted season three with their highest ratings ever (a 3.2 demo in the 18-49 range and over 6 million viewers) and that "Community" had their highest ratings all season despite facing "The Big Bang Theory" and "American Idol" in that timeslot. Then came the news that "Fringe," which has struggled in the ratings for the past season and a half, debuted in their new Friday night timeslot with a 1.9 in the 18-49 demo! Granted, a 1.9 isn't that great Sundays-Thursdays on network TV. But on Friday nights these days, where show like "Kitchen Nightmare" is consider a ratings threat, its the equivalent of something like a 3.4 demo (it also led the 9 p.m./ET hour, too)! Its good to know that the prospect of three of my favorite shows on TV coming back for next season has improved dramatically.
More random thoughts to come on Thursday! Until then, enjoy the start of your week.
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
The following were on my mind between Thursday, January 20th and Monday, January 24th:
- A few more thoughts on the Bears loss to the Packers last night that I didn't already give last night:
a. Outside of the Packers cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams (cue the unoriginal "Tramon man!" here), the MVP of the game has to be Packers punter Tim Masthay. That man was brilliant during the game, punting it eight times inside the Bears own 20 yard line and helped the rest of the below average Packers special teams stop Devin Hester with his great ball placement and hangtime.
b. If Hanie actually tied things up late in the 4th quarter, this game would easily rank as one of the most impressive wins in Bears history and one of the most improbable ever along with the Monday Night Miracle in Arizona four seasons ago and those crazy wins in 2006. The Packers were up 21-7 with six minutes to go, with Green Bay fans already planning their Super Bowl dreams. But then Hanie leads another unexpected TD drive to cut this game to 21-14, the defense stopped Aaron Rodgers like they did throughout the second half, and the Bears were once again able to get the ball back with about four minutes left on the clock. Now, imagine if the Bears offense ends up tying things and eventually win in OT. It would have easily ranked among my three favorite moments as a Chicago sports fan. Its too bad that Lovie Smith played Todd Collins first, especially if you consider how horrible he played in the Panthers game earlier in this season.
c. If it wasn't for the great first quarter from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense in that game, the Bears probably would have won it. Unfortunately, Rodgers just ended up treating them like a cancer patient in that quarter.
d. The Jay Cutler leaving the game in the second half thing: the guy had an MCL fracture (a injury that could make a player miss about 4-5 games). He is also coming off a season in which he was sacked 50 or so times (including nine in one half against New York in week 4!) while only missing one game and never complaining in the process. It was also the team coaches that made him leave the game, not him. Besides, what was he supposed to do? Go the Deion Sanders route and make four offensive linemen drag him off the field to prove his toughness? Is that what was needed to be done? I think we shold stop with the questioning of his toughness, and put the goat tag on to the real people who deserve it: Todd Collins and , especially, everyone who thought that replacing Cutler with Collins first instead of just Hanie, even though they knew how horrible he played this season against the Panthers and that Hanie was younger and more noble.
- Can we all just agree that Stanley Kubrick is the greatest film director of all-time? He made eleven movies from 1956-1999, all of them classics and/or widely praised. These movies include "Dr. Strangelove," the greatest dark comedy of all-time and "The Shining," one of the greatest horror movies of all-time along with "A Clockwork Orange" and "2001: A Space Odyssey," one of the greatest movies of all-time period. All eleven of these movies from this time period have all either won or have been nominated for awards (including a Best Director Oscar nomination four years in a row) and, unlike other great directors like Hitchcock and Scorsese, never sticks to the same genre. One moment he did a comedy film, then a suspense thriller, than a war movie, than a space epic, than a horror movie than...well, you know the drill, and all of them he did it wonderfully. It's just a shame that he actually never won an Oscar for his work, just an Oscar for best special effects in "2001" and a Razzie for Worst Director (what were those voters thinking!).
- When is Visa going to finish with that "Super Bowl for Life" campaign so I don't have to see those dummies from the "Never Missed a Super Bowl Club" ever again?
- I take it that Laurence Maroney has not recovered from being released by the Patriots.
(http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/18/laurence-maroney-nfl-denver-broncos-arrested-mugshot-weapon-st-louis-permit-jail/)
- I hope that Rahm Emanuel gets back on the Chicago mayoral ballot. After all, its not like the other candidates are much better. Carol Mosley Braun? Please! Gery Chico? Eh, maybe. Anyways, first the Bears losing and now this? I sure hope that "The Chicago Code" is as good as the commercials are, because this is going to be a pretty disappointing winter in the city.
- Friday and Saturday have brought some of my happiest news in the TV ratings department in a long time. First, there was the news that "Parks and Recreations" debuted season three with their highest ratings ever (a 3.2 demo in the 18-49 range and over 6 million viewers) and that "Community" had their highest ratings all season despite facing "The Big Bang Theory" and "American Idol" in that timeslot. Then came the news that "Fringe," which has struggled in the ratings for the past season and a half, debuted in their new Friday night timeslot with a 1.9 in the 18-49 demo! Granted, a 1.9 isn't that great Sundays-Thursdays on network TV. But on Friday nights these days, where show like "Kitchen Nightmare" is consider a ratings threat, its the equivalent of something like a 3.4 demo (it also led the 9 p.m./ET hour, too)! Its good to know that the prospect of three of my favorite shows on TV coming back for next season has improved dramatically.
More random thoughts to come on Thursday! Until then, enjoy the start of your week.
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
LOVIE SMITH, YOU BALD ASSHOLE!
F@&* YOU, LOVIE SMITH! "Derr, its 3rd and 3 yards left with 1:20 to go and my team has the momentum. Hey I know, I should call a timeout, even though there is enough time on the play clock for my offense to run a play! And I'll have Mike call a WR reserve! When has that ever failed in the NFL?" GO TO HELL! THAT TIMEOUT WAS A DISGRACE AND YOU KNOW IT! I hope this team chokes next season, just so you can get fired midseason and I don't have to see your hopeless stares in the sidelines EVER AGAIN! FIRE HIM! FIRE HIM! FIRE HIM!
Now that I have my angry yet unnecessary rant out of the way, I would like to congratulate the Green Bay Packers and their fans on winning the NFC Championship game fair and square. Better defense, better wide receivers, better coach and, most importantly, better quarterback. Outside of their poor special teams, inferior running game and the defense allowing to keep this game close by letting a third string quarterback score touchdowns, it was all Packers in this one. Whoever wins this AFC Championship will be a great opponent for the Packers in what should be an exciting Super Bowl XLV.
Also, I have to give a slight tip of the hat to Caleb Hanie and the Bears defense. Coming into this game as Chicago's third string quarterback, Hanie entered the game late in the 4th quarter after a Jay Cutler injury and Todd Collins's terrible play early in the second half, and played pretty decently for someone who hasn't played for more than three or so minutes in a regular season game since college. Besides, he kept it close throughout the fourth quarter with his lofty effort. As for Chicago's defense, the fact that the offense played terribly all game and you were able to limit Green Bay's offense to only 14 points should not be understated.
Finally, I would like to take this time to thank this entire Bears team for an unexpectedly fun season. At the start of the year, I predicted them to finish slightly below .500, so I didn't have much hope for this team. In fact, if you had asked me what a great year would have been for this team with a rocky QB, a poor wide receiving corp and Lovie Smith as a head coach, I would have said if they had just won ten games! So the fact that they finished the season 11-5, NFC North champions and hosts of the season's NFC Championship game is a pretty nice act of over-achievement on their part.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend these next few hours walking out in this cold Chicago evening to find myself a B.J. Raji voodoo doll. Hopefully that will be the cure to my frustration.
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
End of the Week: 01/16/11- 01/22/11
END OF THE WEEK:
It's 1 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon here in Chicago, and the Bears are set to play in the NFC Championship game any moment. Therefore, I sincerely apologize if this post feels like its been rushed because it is. Now, let's get straight to it! As always, here are my votes for some of week's best and most memorable people, stories and moments:
Break-up of the Week: MSNBC and Keith Olbermann
The two sides mutually agreed to have Olbermann opt out of his contract with two years left effective immediately this week, with his last show taking place on Friday night. It might have something to do with his suspension late last year and when he started to stop doing Worst Persons, or it could've been because the folks at Comcast didn't really care for him. Whatever the reason was behind the separation of the two sides, it will be sad to hear more quietness at the 7 p.m. hour in the cable news world.
Video of the Week: "Girl Falls Into Fountain While Texting at the Berkshire Mall"
Well, at least she wasn't driving...
Stories of the Week:
- The Actual Story of the Week: Obama's State Dinner With Chinese President Hu Jintao
Rush Limbaugh enjoyed it most of all.
-The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: More Than 100 US Members Arrested in Largest Crime Raid in FBI History
Really amazing story. However, if this raid means that my beloved New York Del Posto linguini with clams will decrease in production, then I'm going to be so pissed.
Casting of the Week: Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises
Nothing to complain about this one, except for the fact that she doesn't seem to be as dangerous of a character that Catwoman is portrayed to be. But that's just being too nitpicky. If he unleashes the same anxiety that she did during her Academy Award nominated performance in Rachel Gettin Married, then she will be just fine.
Person of the Week: Ricky Gervais
for just being plain awesome, as he was during his hosting gig at last Sunday's Golden Globe Awards. During the promos for the awards telecast, Gervais promised to make fun of the spoiled celebrities at the telecast, and on Sunday night, he didn't disappoint. From Charlie Sheen to Tim Allen to even Robert Downey Jr., Gervais wasn't afraid to gout out and make fun of as many people as possible, taking making the show a very entertaining television event in the process. I said it Monday and I will say it again today: this man should host every major awards show on the planet, period.
And that's the way it was! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and go Bears!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
It's 1 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon here in Chicago, and the Bears are set to play in the NFC Championship game any moment. Therefore, I sincerely apologize if this post feels like its been rushed because it is. Now, let's get straight to it! As always, here are my votes for some of week's best and most memorable people, stories and moments:
Break-up of the Week: MSNBC and Keith Olbermann
The two sides mutually agreed to have Olbermann opt out of his contract with two years left effective immediately this week, with his last show taking place on Friday night. It might have something to do with his suspension late last year and when he started to stop doing Worst Persons, or it could've been because the folks at Comcast didn't really care for him. Whatever the reason was behind the separation of the two sides, it will be sad to hear more quietness at the 7 p.m. hour in the cable news world.
Video of the Week: "Girl Falls Into Fountain While Texting at the Berkshire Mall"
Well, at least she wasn't driving...
Stories of the Week:
- The Actual Story of the Week: Obama's State Dinner With Chinese President Hu Jintao
Rush Limbaugh enjoyed it most of all.
-The Tiger Woods Saga of '09 Memorial Story of the Week: More Than 100 US Members Arrested in Largest Crime Raid in FBI History
Really amazing story. However, if this raid means that my beloved New York Del Posto linguini with clams will decrease in production, then I'm going to be so pissed.
Casting of the Week: Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises
Nothing to complain about this one, except for the fact that she doesn't seem to be as dangerous of a character that Catwoman is portrayed to be. But that's just being too nitpicky. If he unleashes the same anxiety that she did during her Academy Award nominated performance in Rachel Gettin Married, then she will be just fine.
Person of the Week: Ricky Gervais
for just being plain awesome, as he was during his hosting gig at last Sunday's Golden Globe Awards. During the promos for the awards telecast, Gervais promised to make fun of the spoiled celebrities at the telecast, and on Sunday night, he didn't disappoint. From Charlie Sheen to Tim Allen to even Robert Downey Jr., Gervais wasn't afraid to gout out and make fun of as many people as possible, taking making the show a very entertaining television event in the process. I said it Monday and I will say it again today: this man should host every major awards show on the planet, period.
And that's the way it was! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and go Bears!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
Friday, January 21, 2011
The "Cold War" (Bears-Packers), Rex Ryan's Quietness and Deion Sanders's Foot (a.k.a. My NFL Conference Championship Week Picks Column)
(Ed. Note: The following post contains a whopping 6,600 words. I would suggest that you put on a pair of reading glasses before you start reading.)
We have a long list to get to in this busy 2010 (or 2011, depending on how you'd like to look at it) conference championships edition of the NFL picks column. We've got game picks, my thoughts on Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco, Al Davis leaving you with nightmares and much more. But first, before we start, behold the shocking revelation that is DEION SANDERS'S MUTATED FOOT!
Closer look...
GAHHH! Not even Rex Ryan can appreciate that! OK, maybe a little, but that's not important. (Photos courtesy of Deadspin and Boxden)
Now, let's get to the real reason why I'm writing this and why I assume you are reading this as well: this Sunday's conference championship games. After nineteen weeks of NFL action, we are finally down to our final four teams standing. In the NFC Championship game, we have the longest rivalry in NFL history (the Bears and the Packers) facing each other for only the second time ever in the postseason in what promises to be a classic NFC North matchup between two teams that are both alike in ideology and advantages. In the AFC Championship game, we have the Steelers and the Jets, two teams that are both known for their stellar defenses and their smart head coaches. The matchup for Super Bowl XLV in Jerry Jones's Palace will finally be determined, and I have a feeling that there will be two interesting hard fought matchups to decide those two slots. So, let's get to the nitty gritty, shall we? Here are my predictions and more lengthy than usual pregame analysis and reasoning along with it.
Let's begin (as usual, the games are based on the Central time zone):
Green Bay Packers (-3.5) vs. Chicago Bears: Sunday- 2:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Chicago
The date was December 14th, 1941. The United States have just declared war on Japan after the attacks on Pearl Harbor which took place seven days later, They Died With Their Boots On was the #1 hit in the box office (and would soon become the second highest grossing movie of the year) and future famous people like Stephen Hawking and Muhammad Ali were less than a month away from finally being taken out of their mother's womb. It was also the exact same date that, after 43 games played between each other since 1921, that the Bears in the Packers first played against each other in the playoffs. A sold out crowd of about 43,000 with $1.65 tickets in hand turned out to Wrigley Field (the original home of the Chicago Bears) for the NFL's Western Division Championship tiebreaker after both teams finished the season 10-1. The Bears would end up winning that game in dominating fashion (33-14, including a 24-0 2nd quarter for Chicago) with the team gaining 267 yards of offense thanks to their potent running attack of George McAfee, Norm Standlee and Hugh Gallarneau. They would then advance to play the New York Giants a week later in the year's NFL Championship game which they would eventually win 37-9 (becoming the first team ever to win back-to-back NFL titles).
(Ed. note: if you ever get the chance read the original report of the game from the Chicago Daily News, featuring some good 1940s relevant jokes such as the moment where the writer of the report stated that the Bears offensive line in the game was so good that "the Packers line was as full of holes as Japanese alibi for attacking Pearl Harbor." Does anyone by any chance know the early 1940s version of "Oh snap!" because that reporter was going full throttle on that one!)
Fast forward nearly seventy years later. After nearly 140 more meetings between these two teams, they finally are able to square off in the playoffs once again thanks to a season where each team finishes with the right record, the right playoff seedings and the right circumstances to occur in this past postseason. This time its the NFC Championship game where the winner gets a spot in the biggest single game in all of American sports while the fanbases of the loser team will never let this game slip away from the trash talking of the winning fanbase for at least another 5 years. Fans are going crazy about it, trash talking all over the area and throughout the Internet and selling out tickets to the game in less than a minute. The media on both sides of the spectrum are treating it like a Presidential election. Many are going as far as calling it the most important game in both franchise's history (a bit of a hyperbole, although it is understandable). The only thing left now is to play this damn game and have everything over with.
Both teams enter this game with two of the hottest quarterbacks in the playoffs. Jay Cutler is coming off a game versus the Seahawks in which he went 15-28, 318 yards combined and 4 total TDs (two passing, two rushing) while Aaron Rodgers is coming off arguably the best postseason performance by a QB since Tom Brady's 26 for 28, 3 TD performance against the Jaguars back in the 2007 playoffs (if not better) with 366 yards and 3 TDs on 31 for 36 passing against Atlanta. However, the Bears have limited Aaron Rodgers to two TDs combined in the two games that they played versus each other while Green Bay's defense have been one of the top passing defenses in the country. Add the fact that temperatures are supposed to be in the twenties and snowy and that they're playing in the 1950s nostalgia Soldier Field grass, and I think that both quarterbacks will be limited to under 25 points. So, if not because of the quarterbacks, then why am I picking the Bears then?
Well, for starters, Matt Forte is on a roll this season. After battling injuries and suffering through the traditional "sophmore slump" among running backs, Forte has improved greatly this season under the Mike Martz offense, with over 1600 yards from scrimmage. I would much rather take him over Brandon Jackson, John Kune or any other Ryan Grant placeholder that the Packers have. Second, despite the fact that both teams split one game a piece earlier this season it was clear from both those games that, head to head, the one Packers victory came in a close 10-3 week 17 matchup when the Packers were fighting for that final NFC playoff spot while the Bears had already clinched the #2 seed win or lose and didn't need to win. The Bears probably realized thanks to them that, despite the fact that they're facing a QB playing out of his mind, that they do have the team and they do have players to beat Green Bay anytime, anywhere.
The third reason is homefield advantage. The last four conference championship games since the 2008 season has been won by the home team, and expect that Soldier Field to be louder and more pumped up than any game to ever play in that stadium before (also, there's just something about a home underdog in the playoffs that has gotten nervous as a game predictor over the years). Fourth, its all about pride. The Bears and the Packers are playing in Soldier Field in front of millions of passionate fans in the game and around town waiting to get back to the Super Bowl. There is no way that they're going to want to see a Packers team hold the Halas Trophy in their turf on their way to receiving the Lombardi Trophy. Besides, every week in this postseason there has been at least one game in which the team you would expect the least to make it to the next round win and move on. It happened with the Seahawks in the wild card round, it happened with the Jets last week and, in this man's opinion, it will happen in Chicago Sunday.
Fifth, the Bears lead the special teams battle in this game. Better kick returner, better clutch kicker (though, you will probably hear that hundreds of times whenever Gould attempts a kick this Sunday), better punter (one of the greatest of all time, in fact), etc. Also, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter (one of the network's few NFL talking heads/writers that I enjoy), special teams has been one of Green Bay's biggest weaknesses with 15 players on injured reserve (causing the team to struggle to find consistent, capable players in this unit) and they have already given up a kick return for a TD to Devin Hester (who is having his best year since 2007) back in September. Now, I understand the reasons why people would keep Green Bay to win (Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, wonderful secondary, etc.). However, most of the key factors in the game point toward a third Super Bowl appearance in the history of one of the NFL's longest franchises.
But then again, Jay Cutler (who is undefeated as Bears quarterback when having a passer rating over 100 in a game, by the way) could have another one of his classic three Cutlerception game, so what do I know.
mj50's pick: Chicago
New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5): Sunday- 5:30 p.m.
mj15's pick: Pittsburgh
I think we've seen this scenario before, last season in fact. The New York Jets enter the playoffs as a wild card/underdog, complete two upsets in a row (including a big upset in the divisional playoffs) and now face a season-long favorite on the road to decide the AFC spot in the Super Bowl. It happened last year when the 2009 Jets, entering the playoffs as the AFC's fifth seed, defeated the Bengals and the Chargers only to lose to the Colts and it will happen this Sunday with the 2010 Jets entering the playoffs, defeating the Colts and the Patriots, only to lose to the Colts. This I am most confident in. Not as much confident as I was when I said that the Jets would lose to the Patriots, but I'm still pretty sure of this one.
One reason for my decision goes back to last week's Jets/Patriots matchup. The Jets are kind of like the Seahawks last week in that they are coming off a game which they treated like it was a Super Bowl with the excessive celebrations, the trash talk, Bart Scott's fantastic postgame interview (more on this later) and excessive celebration. Now, a week later and the Jets backing off on the trash talk, expect to see this New York experience a bit of a hangover as they take on Pittsburgh. The second reason is Ben Roethlisberger, arguably one of the clutchest playoff quarterbacks of all time. He's a winner of two Super Bowls, two AFC championships (both by nine points or more) and only two losses total (2004 AFC Championship, 2007 Wild Card) in eleven postseason games. Plus, he just seems to step up the most in moments that matter the most, as evidenced by his game winning drive in Super Bowl XLIII and on 3rd and 19 late in the 4th quarter last week against Baltimore. I know that Mark Sanchez is coming off two straight weeks of beating Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, but I still don't trust him over Roethlisberger at this point.
The next reason is also the most overlooked this week, and that is that Pittsburgh's defense are much more better and more effective at stopping offenses than New England and Indianapolis this season. They're first in points allowed, first in rushing yards per game (so expect Shonn Green to have less of an impact) and second in total yards per game. Maybe ever Rex Ryan realized this and that's why he and his team decided on not trash talking this week, so as they don't try to piss off James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. Defenses win championship, and the Steelers have the slight edge over the Jets in this category.
And..that's all I have to say about this game. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take the Tom Jackson route and write up a draft for a future post sometime this week stating that I purposely picked Pittsburgh so as to give New York motivation for this game.
mj50's pick: New York
Playoff Records:
mj15: 4-4 (3-1 last week)
mj50: 3-5 (1-3 last week)
Overall Records:
mj15: 173-107
mj50:153-127
And now, because there are only two games this week, here are some random thoughts to fill this remaining space left by the lack of games:
-When football scholars look back at these past three years in the NFL, one of the main discussions have to be about the question of just how the hell was Joe Flacco able to play in seven playoff games during this time period. Seriously, the Ravens QB just might be the worst quarterback in postseason history and one that makes Jake Plummer look like the better option. When he entered this postseason, he went in with a 46.5 QB rating in the postseason with a 47 percent completion (including one game versus New England in the 2010 wild card round in which he went 4 for 10 for 34 yards, 1 INT and a QB rating of 10 while the Ravens still won the game). Then, after his first stellar playoff game ever against Kansas City when he threw for 265 yards and 2 TDs, Flacco followed that up with a below mediocre game against the Steelers, going 16 for 30 with 125 yards and 1 INT (to be fair, he did score one touchdown). He was so bad in that game that, once Pittsburgh scored the go-ahead touchdown to lead the game 31-24 late in the 4th quarter, you just knew that the game was over because there was no way that Unibrown at QB for Baltimore was going to lead them to a game tying drive. Either Baltimore's opponents in the playoffs were not as good as advertised over the past three years (except for Indy and Pittsburgh) or every other part of the Ravens game was spot on.
- Move over Ron Artest, because you may have just received company on top of the list of the greatest post-game interviews of all-time with Jets LB Bart Scott. Either he's making his best Ollie Williams impression, or he really wants Vince McMahon to hire him as the next special guest general manager on Raw. Either way, it is fantastic.
-As a Bears fan, the one player that I fear the most heading into Sunday's game (besides Aaron Rodgers) has to be cornerback Tramond Williams. Three interceptions in two playoff games, including one last week against Atlanta that ended up as a touchdown during the same play. With a defensive player that hot, I'm worried about Jay Cutler trying to beat him on throws.
-Speaking of Aaron Rodgers, if he does end up winning Sunday's game and advancing the Packers into the Super Bowl, then I have no choice but to catapult him as the top quarterback in the entire NFL. As of now, I have him in my top three along with Brady and Manning. However, he's already been one of the three or four best regular season quarterbacks in the last three years, but he's also one of the two remaining great quarterbacks standing, has been incredible in the three playoff games of which he has played in and may have replaced Brett Favre as "the guy" in Green Bay, something unthinkable two or three years ago.
- There are many reasons why high definition and his resolution in general is a good thing. Using it to take high quality photos of 81 year old Raiders owner Al Davis is not one of them. PREPARE TO RECEIVE NIGHT TERRORS!
I only showed the picture because I care. And 'cause I'm secretly a jerk who hates all of you.
-I'm a bit disappointed that Rex Ryan and the rest of the Jets haven't gone ahead and continued the string of postseason trash talking that we saw leading up to the game against the Colts when Ryan called his matchup against Peyton Manning "personal," and especially last week against the Patriots. After all, why stop just before the most important game of your season? Because you have respect for the other team? Come on!
Speaking of the Jets, I suppose I'm in the minority of people who thought that their excessive celebration penalty during a late TD last week against the Patriots in which Coach Ryan actually went to the endzone to celebrate with them was just okay. After all, this was a team that had just won their second biggest game in franchise history behind Super Bowl III after a week of being told that they are heavy underdogs and that their trash talking would pay them dearly in the game. This may the been the first time this decade in a sport outside of boxing that the team that talked the talk walked the walk, and why not finish the week with one more cocky moment? Personally, I thought that there was too little celebrating in this game if you'd believe it.
-Tom Brady: New Peyton Manning?
-Bill Simmons is an ass. Here was Simmons in response to a question by Mike in Indianapolis during his mega-Friday chat asking whether or not the Packers and the Bears rivalry is actually a rivalry:
Glad someone brought this up. I feel like I'm in the top 1% of diehard football fans and can't remember a single meaningful Bears-Packers game. I'm sure there have been a couple, I just can't remember any. Am I wrong on this?
Opening brag aside, the fact that Simmons, the self-proclaimed "top 1% of diehard sports fans" not calling it a rivalry because he can't remember at least three good games from this rivalry out of 180 or so is ludicrous. I could name three meaningful games to happen in the last three years alone: in December of '08 when the Bears defeated the Packers on Monday Night Football in a thrilling overtime game to keep their playoff hopes alive, this September when the two teams fought again during Monday Night Football for the NFC's only 3-0 and first place in the NFC North and the game three weeks ago (three weeks ago!) when the Packers won against Chicago to gain the NFC's final playoff spot.
Later on in the chat, Simmons continued to try to defend his remark to someone named Nick:
That's a separate issue - that makes it more of a feud. A rivalry means that it's a feud crossed with some sort of significant ongoing battle for the upper hand. If the fan bases are carrying this thing, then it's a feud.
Because of the definition of the term "rivalry" of which I made up, I cannot classify the Chicago-Green Bay rivalry as anything but a simple feud. Never mind the fact that these are the two most winningest franchises of all-time or that they're constantly fighting for first place in the NFC North or that they're only seperated by one highway. Anything short of, say, Patriots/Colts or Lakers/Celtics is not a rivalry. I repeat, not a rivalry. NO ONE DENIES THIS!
But wait, there's more! Later on, after giving a much more clearer definition of "rivalry" (the gist of it I just described) Simmons ends up posting three more cases for his argument, all of which are either nonsense or awful. The first one is him once again asking him to name three great Bears/Packers game. The second one comes from an Adam in Cleveland:
Calling the Bears-Packers a rivalry right now is like me (23 years old) still considering the Steelers the Browns' rivals- I've only seen 1 meaningful Cle-Pit game in my lifetime, meaning they haven't played a meaninful game in over 20 years. Fans hating each other is everlasting- Pittsburgh is a God awful city in a God awful state.. but the Steelers don't concern themselves with the Browns, they're too busy winning the division every year.....one day, the Browns will scare the Steelers.... one day.
The Steelers-Browns rivalry is NOTHING like the Bears-Packers rivalry. There has never been one team over the last fifty or so years that have had the upper hand in this rivalry. In the 1960s, the Vince Lombardi Packers controlled the rivalry (15-5). Then, in the 70s and 80s, the Bears had the upper hand (22-16). Then, from 1992-2003 the Brett Favre led Packers were the top dogs in this rivalry. However, since Lovie Smith became a head coach, the Bears have won the majority of the games including a 7-3 record from 2004-2008. In the Steelers-Browns rivalry, it has been all Pittsburgh in the last forty years with the exception of the 1980s. Also, last time I checked Art Rooney never helped keep the original Browns in Cleveland by going to Cleveland's city council and asking the city to build a new stadium for the Browns like George Halas did with the Packers in the 1950s. Just sayin'
The last case for his argument came from a Colts fan:
Couldn't agree more on the Bear/Packers feud. I'm originally from Indy and some of my friends up here were trying to convince me that the Bears/Packers rivalry was bigger than the Colts/Patriots. I had two responses ... 1) It's all about timing. Even though the Bears and Packers have been playing each other forever, when was the last time both teams had a long stretch of great teams where they were considered to be the NFL's elite? The Colts and Pats on the other hand were basically a mirror image of the Red Sox and Yankees. The Pats owned us so badly that we couldn't even really call it a rivalry up until the Colts finally broke through in 2006. Since then, every game they have played has been close no matter who's healthy or which team is better at that given time. Both teams want to win that game as much as the fans do which makes it a legite rivalry .... and 2) Up until they asked me the question, I didn't even know the Bears and Packers were rivals .... and I've lived here 5 years.
Well, there you go! Someone didn't know that it was a rivalry, so he has to be correct! You know, sometimes there are instances where I just end up wondering why I'm even bothering to continue reading his stuff. Today was one of those instances.
-My vote for the ten greatest NFL conference championship games of all-time:
10. 2008: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Arizona Cardinals (25-32)
One of the most unlikeliest teams to ever play in the Super Bowl was the 2008 Arizona Cardinals. Entering the postseason after winning the NFC West with a 9-7 record, the Cardinals went on a surprising run that included outstanding performances from future Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner and WR Larry Fitzgerald who had a postseason record tally of 546 receiving yards, 30 receptions and 7 TDs. The Cardinals finally stop into Tampa (the location of the Super Bowl in which they played) was at home in University of Phoenix Stadium against NFC's #6 seed Philadelphia Eagles, another team to have a surprising run during the '08 playoffs. The game started off as all-Cardinals, leading 24-6 at halftime with Warner throwing three TD passes, all of them to Fitzgerald. But then the game quickly shifted into the second half, with the Eagles putting up 19 unanswered points (capped off by a Donovan McNabb 62 yard TD pass to DeSean Jackson in the 4th quarter) to take a 25-24 lead with 10:45 remaining in regulation (it would have been 27-24 but the 2 point conversion in the ply after the Jackson TD failed). But despite the late second half comeback, the Cardinals did not give up all hope, responding on the very next possession following the Eagles game leading score with a 14 play, 74 yard drive that concluded with a Kurt Warner TD pass to running back time Hightower (who earlier in the drive rand for a Cardinals first down on a critical 4th and inches play) with 2:53 to go, and a two point coversion to take the 32-25 lead. The Eagles would not respond with another scoring drive, and the Cardinals would go on to with the game, and advance to Super Bowl XLIII (a game in which they would eventually lose in dramatic fashion to Pittsburgh).
9. 1967: Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers (17-21)
Technically, this game wasn't called the "NFC Championship Game" as the league was only three years away from merging with the AFL. But it was a game to decide a spot in the Super Bowl, so it technically counts. In a game forever encrypted in NFL lore as "the Ice Bowl, the Cowboys and the Packers played a game to decide who will forever be known as the '67 NFL champion at the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field (literally) in a game that, to date, is still the coldest game in NFL history in terms of actual air temperature (-15 degrees Fahrenheit, with windchill at -36 degrees Fahrenheit). The Packers jumped out into a 14-0 lead, but Dallas would come back to take a 17-14 game early in the 4th quarter thanks to two Green Bay turnovers in the second quarter (leading to two scores by the Cowboys) and a TD pass by running back Dan Reeves to wide receiver Lance Rentzel. Then, with 4:50 remaining in the game, the Packers would start a possession in Dallas's 32 yard line. The offense, led by QB Bart Starr, drove down the field to a point in the game in which the Packers had a 3rd and goal at the 1 yard line with :16 to go. Then, in a play which is still remembered as one of the most famous play in NFL history as well as the most gutsiest (depending on your thoughts on Sean Payton's third quarter onside kick in last year's Super Bowl), the Packers would score the go-ahead touchdown on a Bart Starr QB sneak led by a sensational block by right guard Jerry Kramer to go up 21-17 and, ten second later, go on to win the game. Green Bay would become winners of Super Bowl II two weeks later.
8. 2007: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers (23-20 OT)
Before January of 2008, only one wild card team (the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers) had ever won three consecutive road games in the postseason to advance in the Super Bowl. During the playoffs of the 2007 season, the New York Giants would end up joining that Steelers team on the list, and in dramatic fashion. With temperature at Lambeau Field during the game around zero, the heavily favored Packers led by QB Brett Favre (his last season in a Green Bay uniform) faced the underdog Giants, who were coming off a surprising victory over the NFC's #1 seeded Dallas Cowboys. Entering the fourth quarter, the Giants were up 20-17, with Green Bay eventually tying the game at 20 apiece. Later in the game, with the two teams still tied, Giants QB Eli Manning would lead New York's offense to Green Bay's 24 yard line, setting up a potential game winning field goal for kicker Lawrence Tynes (who had already missed a potential go-ahead field goal earlier in the 4th quarter).
Tynes would miss the 36 yard attempt wide left (the same way that he missed the earlier field goal) and the game would move into overtime. Green Bay won the opening coin toss, but Favre would have one of his passes intercepted by Corey Webster on the second play of the period (his last pass in the green and gold), leaving New York with good field position to try to win this game. Later on, after the Giants offense were once again unable to score a game winning TD, coach Tom Coughlin once again sent in Tynes to try to win the game for New York, this time a 47 yarder. Only this time, Tynes was finally able to kick the go-ahead field goal, which won the game for the Giants. Despite the fact that it was a pretty big upset, the Giants weren't yet dog with their stunning victories as their next game, Super Bowl XLII against the 18-0 New England Patriots, would end up being their biggest upset of the lot.
7. 1990: New York Giants vs. San Fransisco 49ers (15-13)
In one of the most brutal and most hard-fought defensive battles in NFL conference championship history, one that injured Giants QB Jeff Hostetler and forever ruined the career of legendary 49ers QB Joe Montana thanks to a powerful hit on him by Leonard Marshall that gave him crushed ribs, a bruised stomach, a bruised sternum and a broken hand, the 49ers led the game 13-12 late in the 4th quarter and looked poised to make it to a third straight Super Bowl. That was until 49ers Hall of Famer running back Roger Craig made one of the biggest mistakes of his playing career, fumbling the football with 2:36 remaining in the game. The Giants would take advantage of it, with the offense leading a drive that ended with a game winning field goal by kicker Matt Bahr (his fifth of the game) as time expired. It would be only the second time that the Giants ever won the NFC Championship, and one that advanced them into Super Bowl XXV.
6. 1986: Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns (23-20 OT)
John Elway is a name that is spoken in vain in the city of Cleveland and from all Browns fans, and it was in this game that made the Elway hatred by Clevelandites happen. By now, many of you know what happened in this game. The Browns were leading 20-13 with 5:32 to go in the 4th quarter after a Bernie Kosar 48 yard TD pass to Brian Brennan. If that wasn't worse for Broncos fans, their offense would end up starting their new possession at their own two yard line following a good job by Cleveland's special teams. For most teams this would be an awful sight. However, most teams didn't have John Elway, Captain Comeback himself. Elway would lead Denver on a 15 play, 98 yard long drive that ended with him throwing a 5 yard TD pass to Mark Jackson with :37 seconds left, tying the game at 20 apiece in a moment that will forever be known as "The Drive." The Broncos would then go on to win the game in overtime (the first OT game ever in conference championship history) thanks to a Rich Karlis field goal.
5. 1987: Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos (33-38)
While the '86 AFC Championship game was a classic, it still wasn't the best Browns-Broncos matchup in NFL history (at least in my opinion). The best one took place a year later, again in the AFC championship game, only this time it was at Mile High in Denver instead of the Municipal Stadium in Cleveland and one that ended with a totally different heartbreaking moment in Cleveland sports history. The game started with Denver taking a comanding 21-3 at the half thanks to a great performance by Elway. But then in the 3rd quarter, Browns QB Bernie Kosar would throw three TD passes to cut the Browns' deficit to 31-24 heading into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, Cleveland was finally able to tie with Denver after a Kosar TD pass to Webster Slaughter, only to lose it with four minutes to go in the quarter thanks to an Elway 20 yard TD pass to Sammy Winder.
Cleveland was then down 38-31 with their offense giving the football with less than four minutes to go in regulation. However, thanks to a sixteen yard run by RB Ernest Byner (who had a very productive game with 187 yards from scrimmage), two Kosar passes to Brian Brennan for 33 yards and an offsides penalty by Denver LB Karl Mecklenburg, the Browns had the football at the Denver 8 yard line with 1:12 remaining. But then, in a play that has forever been known as simply "The Fumble" (one of several awful moments in Cleveland sports lore with "the" in it, including "The Catch," "The Decision" and, recently mentioned, "The Drive"), Byner lost the football at the 2 yard line during a running play, and it was soon recovered by the Broncos. It was the closest that Cleveland would ever be to tying or taking the lead over Denver, and the Browns blew it, along with a second straight shot at the Super Bowl (although they did end up scoring a safety after the fumble).
4. 1998: Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings (30-27 OT)
The '98 Minnesota Vikings were one of the most exciting teams and had one of the best offenses in NFL history (led by QB Randall Cunningham and the WR duo Cris Carter and then rookie Randy Moss), entering the NFC Championship game with a 16-1 and poised to defeat Atlanta and advance to Super Bowl XXXIII. And with 2:07 to play, it looked more likely that this was going to be the case with the team up 27-20 and kicker Gary Anderson (who had yet to miss a field goal during the season) prepared to kick a 38 yard field goal that would have been the dagger in Atlanta's postseason hopes. But then, in a twist of fate, Anderson ends up missing the field goal, thus giving the Falcons new life. Atlanta would end up taking advantage of that miss, with QB Chris Chandler leading the team to a game tying drive that wrapped up with a TD pass to Terance Mathis, sending this game to overtime (the first in NFC Championship history). In overtime, Chandler once again performed some unlikely heroics at the Metrodome, leading a 70 yard drive that ended with Falcons kicker Morten Anderson (Gary's brother) ironically kicking a game winning 38 yard field goal that would give a Falcons a ticket to the Super Bowl that should have probably been Minnesotas'.
3. 2009: Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints (28-31 OT)
Nearly a full decade after Anderson's miss, another close yet heartbreaking loss in the Minnesota Vikings would take place at the New Orleans Superdome. The Saints, led by QB Drew Brees, and the Vikings, led by Brett Favre, entered the game as the NFC's #1 and #2 seed respectively and with two of the best offenses in the NFL at the time. And in this game, both teams competed in a game that would play into the pregame hype. Overall, it was an epic back and forth affair, with both teams' offenses scoring four touchdowns in regulation and each defense hitting with all their might (especially the Saints defensive line, which abused and injured Favre countless times) while also featuring some mistakes or two (especially in the Vikings camp, with the team's offense fumbling the ball four times). Both teams played so evenly amongst each other that the score was tied 28-28 with five minutes to go in the 4th quarter after an Adrian Peterson game tying TD run. After the Saints offense weren't able to convert a 3rd and 18 in their own territory, the team was forced to punt to Minnesota, whose offense received the ball at their twenty with less than three minutes to go. However, after two great passes by Favre to both Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice respectively and a first down run by Adrian Peterson, it was Vikings football at the Saints 33 yard line with Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell just waiting to kick a potential go-ahead field goal.
Unfortunately for Longwell, he was unable to kick the field goal. That was because, with 19 ticks left on the clock, the referees in this game called a 12 men on the field penalty, causing the clock to stop and the Vikings to move back five yards. Then, on the very next play, Brett Favre forever becomes the goat of this football game, throwing a critical interception to New Orleans's Tracy Porter (his third consecutive season ending interception), which would send this game into overtime. The rest I'm sure you all remember. New Orleans wins the coin toss in overtime (the last playoff game to be played under the old sudden death system before the new ones were set up this past offseason), Drew Brees leads the Saints to a productive offensive drive, and kicker Garett Hartley kicks a game winning field goal to give the Saints the victory a trip to Super Bowl XLIV of which they would win 31-17 over the Colts two weeks later. The unexpected "miracle" season of Favre and the Vikings finally came to an end.
2. 2006: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts (34-38)
In the aughts, there was no better or more exciting rivalry as Colts-Patriots. On January 21st, 2007, the rivalry started to hit its peak in one of the most exciting NFL games of all-time. Heading into the game, QB Peyton Manning had yet to beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick of the Colts in his entire career and was still in that "never wins the big game" portion of his career. Early on in the game, it looked as if it was going to be "same old, same old" in this rivalry with the Patriots leading 21-7 at halftime. But this was a much different game than previous Patriots-Colts matchup would have you believe. In the third quarter, Manning led New England to two TD drives, tying the game at 21. The Patriots would take back the lead later on in the 3rd with a Tom Brady TD pass to Jabar Gaffney but the Colts would respond right back, with Manning leading another TD drive that ended with a crazy touchdown recovered by center Jeff Saturday.
The end up would end up being tied at 31 apiece early in the 4th quarter until, later on, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 43 yard field goal to give New England the 34-31 lead with 3:49 left in the game. Manning ended up having one last chance late in the game to lead the Colts offense in a drive that would either tie the game or give Indy the lead. Six plays and a defensive penalty by New England later, Manning handed the ball off to running back Joseph Addai, who ran it in for the score to give Indianapolis a 38-34 late in the game. The Patriots offense had one last opportunity to score, but Tom Brady's pass was intercepted by Marlin Jackson with :17 left on the clock, and the Colts would finally win their first AFC Championship in nearly thirty five years. They would go onto win Super Bowl XLI four years later, and Manning's sceptics were finally hushed (at least for another year three years or so when he failed to win Super Bowl XLIV).
1. 1981: Dallas Cowboys vs. San Fransisco 49ers (27-28)
The Catch, a.k.a. Joe Montana to Dwight Clark in the game's final seconds to win the game for San Fransisco that began an '80s dynasty. Need I say more?
The Super Bowl bye week starts right after this week's games, which means that I have no idea what to write about in next week's column. But rest assured, whatever it is it will consist of random football related opinions and nothing else. OK, maybe a Pro Bowl pick, but that's about it. Either way, make sure to come back next week and read it when I have that posted. Until then, have a fabulous weekend, and for God sakes enjoy the f%#^@* games!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
We have a long list to get to in this busy 2010 (or 2011, depending on how you'd like to look at it) conference championships edition of the NFL picks column. We've got game picks, my thoughts on Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco, Al Davis leaving you with nightmares and much more. But first, before we start, behold the shocking revelation that is DEION SANDERS'S MUTATED FOOT!
Closer look...
GAHHH! Not even Rex Ryan can appreciate that! OK, maybe a little, but that's not important. (Photos courtesy of Deadspin and Boxden)
Now, let's get to the real reason why I'm writing this and why I assume you are reading this as well: this Sunday's conference championship games. After nineteen weeks of NFL action, we are finally down to our final four teams standing. In the NFC Championship game, we have the longest rivalry in NFL history (the Bears and the Packers) facing each other for only the second time ever in the postseason in what promises to be a classic NFC North matchup between two teams that are both alike in ideology and advantages. In the AFC Championship game, we have the Steelers and the Jets, two teams that are both known for their stellar defenses and their smart head coaches. The matchup for Super Bowl XLV in Jerry Jones's Palace will finally be determined, and I have a feeling that there will be two interesting hard fought matchups to decide those two slots. So, let's get to the nitty gritty, shall we? Here are my predictions and more lengthy than usual pregame analysis and reasoning along with it.
Let's begin (as usual, the games are based on the Central time zone):
Green Bay Packers (-3.5) vs. Chicago Bears: Sunday- 2:00 p.m.
mj15's pick: Chicago
The date was December 14th, 1941. The United States have just declared war on Japan after the attacks on Pearl Harbor which took place seven days later, They Died With Their Boots On was the #1 hit in the box office (and would soon become the second highest grossing movie of the year) and future famous people like Stephen Hawking and Muhammad Ali were less than a month away from finally being taken out of their mother's womb. It was also the exact same date that, after 43 games played between each other since 1921, that the Bears in the Packers first played against each other in the playoffs. A sold out crowd of about 43,000 with $1.65 tickets in hand turned out to Wrigley Field (the original home of the Chicago Bears) for the NFL's Western Division Championship tiebreaker after both teams finished the season 10-1. The Bears would end up winning that game in dominating fashion (33-14, including a 24-0 2nd quarter for Chicago) with the team gaining 267 yards of offense thanks to their potent running attack of George McAfee, Norm Standlee and Hugh Gallarneau. They would then advance to play the New York Giants a week later in the year's NFL Championship game which they would eventually win 37-9 (becoming the first team ever to win back-to-back NFL titles).
(Ed. note: if you ever get the chance read the original report of the game from the Chicago Daily News, featuring some good 1940s relevant jokes such as the moment where the writer of the report stated that the Bears offensive line in the game was so good that "the Packers line was as full of holes as Japanese alibi for attacking Pearl Harbor." Does anyone by any chance know the early 1940s version of "Oh snap!" because that reporter was going full throttle on that one!)
Fast forward nearly seventy years later. After nearly 140 more meetings between these two teams, they finally are able to square off in the playoffs once again thanks to a season where each team finishes with the right record, the right playoff seedings and the right circumstances to occur in this past postseason. This time its the NFC Championship game where the winner gets a spot in the biggest single game in all of American sports while the fanbases of the loser team will never let this game slip away from the trash talking of the winning fanbase for at least another 5 years. Fans are going crazy about it, trash talking all over the area and throughout the Internet and selling out tickets to the game in less than a minute. The media on both sides of the spectrum are treating it like a Presidential election. Many are going as far as calling it the most important game in both franchise's history (a bit of a hyperbole, although it is understandable). The only thing left now is to play this damn game and have everything over with.
Both teams enter this game with two of the hottest quarterbacks in the playoffs. Jay Cutler is coming off a game versus the Seahawks in which he went 15-28, 318 yards combined and 4 total TDs (two passing, two rushing) while Aaron Rodgers is coming off arguably the best postseason performance by a QB since Tom Brady's 26 for 28, 3 TD performance against the Jaguars back in the 2007 playoffs (if not better) with 366 yards and 3 TDs on 31 for 36 passing against Atlanta. However, the Bears have limited Aaron Rodgers to two TDs combined in the two games that they played versus each other while Green Bay's defense have been one of the top passing defenses in the country. Add the fact that temperatures are supposed to be in the twenties and snowy and that they're playing in the 1950s nostalgia Soldier Field grass, and I think that both quarterbacks will be limited to under 25 points. So, if not because of the quarterbacks, then why am I picking the Bears then?
Well, for starters, Matt Forte is on a roll this season. After battling injuries and suffering through the traditional "sophmore slump" among running backs, Forte has improved greatly this season under the Mike Martz offense, with over 1600 yards from scrimmage. I would much rather take him over Brandon Jackson, John Kune or any other Ryan Grant placeholder that the Packers have. Second, despite the fact that both teams split one game a piece earlier this season it was clear from both those games that, head to head, the one Packers victory came in a close 10-3 week 17 matchup when the Packers were fighting for that final NFC playoff spot while the Bears had already clinched the #2 seed win or lose and didn't need to win. The Bears probably realized thanks to them that, despite the fact that they're facing a QB playing out of his mind, that they do have the team and they do have players to beat Green Bay anytime, anywhere.
The third reason is homefield advantage. The last four conference championship games since the 2008 season has been won by the home team, and expect that Soldier Field to be louder and more pumped up than any game to ever play in that stadium before (also, there's just something about a home underdog in the playoffs that has gotten nervous as a game predictor over the years). Fourth, its all about pride. The Bears and the Packers are playing in Soldier Field in front of millions of passionate fans in the game and around town waiting to get back to the Super Bowl. There is no way that they're going to want to see a Packers team hold the Halas Trophy in their turf on their way to receiving the Lombardi Trophy. Besides, every week in this postseason there has been at least one game in which the team you would expect the least to make it to the next round win and move on. It happened with the Seahawks in the wild card round, it happened with the Jets last week and, in this man's opinion, it will happen in Chicago Sunday.
Fifth, the Bears lead the special teams battle in this game. Better kick returner, better clutch kicker (though, you will probably hear that hundreds of times whenever Gould attempts a kick this Sunday), better punter (one of the greatest of all time, in fact), etc. Also, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter (one of the network's few NFL talking heads/writers that I enjoy), special teams has been one of Green Bay's biggest weaknesses with 15 players on injured reserve (causing the team to struggle to find consistent, capable players in this unit) and they have already given up a kick return for a TD to Devin Hester (who is having his best year since 2007) back in September. Now, I understand the reasons why people would keep Green Bay to win (Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, wonderful secondary, etc.). However, most of the key factors in the game point toward a third Super Bowl appearance in the history of one of the NFL's longest franchises.
But then again, Jay Cutler (who is undefeated as Bears quarterback when having a passer rating over 100 in a game, by the way) could have another one of his classic three Cutlerception game, so what do I know.
mj50's pick: Chicago
New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5): Sunday- 5:30 p.m.
mj15's pick: Pittsburgh
I think we've seen this scenario before, last season in fact. The New York Jets enter the playoffs as a wild card/underdog, complete two upsets in a row (including a big upset in the divisional playoffs) and now face a season-long favorite on the road to decide the AFC spot in the Super Bowl. It happened last year when the 2009 Jets, entering the playoffs as the AFC's fifth seed, defeated the Bengals and the Chargers only to lose to the Colts and it will happen this Sunday with the 2010 Jets entering the playoffs, defeating the Colts and the Patriots, only to lose to the Colts. This I am most confident in. Not as much confident as I was when I said that the Jets would lose to the Patriots, but I'm still pretty sure of this one.
One reason for my decision goes back to last week's Jets/Patriots matchup. The Jets are kind of like the Seahawks last week in that they are coming off a game which they treated like it was a Super Bowl with the excessive celebrations, the trash talk, Bart Scott's fantastic postgame interview (more on this later) and excessive celebration. Now, a week later and the Jets backing off on the trash talk, expect to see this New York experience a bit of a hangover as they take on Pittsburgh. The second reason is Ben Roethlisberger, arguably one of the clutchest playoff quarterbacks of all time. He's a winner of two Super Bowls, two AFC championships (both by nine points or more) and only two losses total (2004 AFC Championship, 2007 Wild Card) in eleven postseason games. Plus, he just seems to step up the most in moments that matter the most, as evidenced by his game winning drive in Super Bowl XLIII and on 3rd and 19 late in the 4th quarter last week against Baltimore. I know that Mark Sanchez is coming off two straight weeks of beating Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, but I still don't trust him over Roethlisberger at this point.
The next reason is also the most overlooked this week, and that is that Pittsburgh's defense are much more better and more effective at stopping offenses than New England and Indianapolis this season. They're first in points allowed, first in rushing yards per game (so expect Shonn Green to have less of an impact) and second in total yards per game. Maybe ever Rex Ryan realized this and that's why he and his team decided on not trash talking this week, so as they don't try to piss off James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. Defenses win championship, and the Steelers have the slight edge over the Jets in this category.
And..that's all I have to say about this game. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take the Tom Jackson route and write up a draft for a future post sometime this week stating that I purposely picked Pittsburgh so as to give New York motivation for this game.
mj50's pick: New York
Playoff Records:
mj15: 4-4 (3-1 last week)
mj50: 3-5 (1-3 last week)
Overall Records:
mj15: 173-107
mj50:153-127
And now, because there are only two games this week, here are some random thoughts to fill this remaining space left by the lack of games:
-When football scholars look back at these past three years in the NFL, one of the main discussions have to be about the question of just how the hell was Joe Flacco able to play in seven playoff games during this time period. Seriously, the Ravens QB just might be the worst quarterback in postseason history and one that makes Jake Plummer look like the better option. When he entered this postseason, he went in with a 46.5 QB rating in the postseason with a 47 percent completion (including one game versus New England in the 2010 wild card round in which he went 4 for 10 for 34 yards, 1 INT and a QB rating of 10 while the Ravens still won the game). Then, after his first stellar playoff game ever against Kansas City when he threw for 265 yards and 2 TDs, Flacco followed that up with a below mediocre game against the Steelers, going 16 for 30 with 125 yards and 1 INT (to be fair, he did score one touchdown). He was so bad in that game that, once Pittsburgh scored the go-ahead touchdown to lead the game 31-24 late in the 4th quarter, you just knew that the game was over because there was no way that Unibrown at QB for Baltimore was going to lead them to a game tying drive. Either Baltimore's opponents in the playoffs were not as good as advertised over the past three years (except for Indy and Pittsburgh) or every other part of the Ravens game was spot on.
- Move over Ron Artest, because you may have just received company on top of the list of the greatest post-game interviews of all-time with Jets LB Bart Scott. Either he's making his best Ollie Williams impression, or he really wants Vince McMahon to hire him as the next special guest general manager on Raw. Either way, it is fantastic.
-As a Bears fan, the one player that I fear the most heading into Sunday's game (besides Aaron Rodgers) has to be cornerback Tramond Williams. Three interceptions in two playoff games, including one last week against Atlanta that ended up as a touchdown during the same play. With a defensive player that hot, I'm worried about Jay Cutler trying to beat him on throws.
-Speaking of Aaron Rodgers, if he does end up winning Sunday's game and advancing the Packers into the Super Bowl, then I have no choice but to catapult him as the top quarterback in the entire NFL. As of now, I have him in my top three along with Brady and Manning. However, he's already been one of the three or four best regular season quarterbacks in the last three years, but he's also one of the two remaining great quarterbacks standing, has been incredible in the three playoff games of which he has played in and may have replaced Brett Favre as "the guy" in Green Bay, something unthinkable two or three years ago.
- There are many reasons why high definition and his resolution in general is a good thing. Using it to take high quality photos of 81 year old Raiders owner Al Davis is not one of them. PREPARE TO RECEIVE NIGHT TERRORS!
I only showed the picture because I care. And 'cause I'm secretly a jerk who hates all of you.
-I'm a bit disappointed that Rex Ryan and the rest of the Jets haven't gone ahead and continued the string of postseason trash talking that we saw leading up to the game against the Colts when Ryan called his matchup against Peyton Manning "personal," and especially last week against the Patriots. After all, why stop just before the most important game of your season? Because you have respect for the other team? Come on!
Speaking of the Jets, I suppose I'm in the minority of people who thought that their excessive celebration penalty during a late TD last week against the Patriots in which Coach Ryan actually went to the endzone to celebrate with them was just okay. After all, this was a team that had just won their second biggest game in franchise history behind Super Bowl III after a week of being told that they are heavy underdogs and that their trash talking would pay them dearly in the game. This may the been the first time this decade in a sport outside of boxing that the team that talked the talk walked the walk, and why not finish the week with one more cocky moment? Personally, I thought that there was too little celebrating in this game if you'd believe it.
-Tom Brady: New Peyton Manning?
-Bill Simmons is an ass. Here was Simmons in response to a question by Mike in Indianapolis during his mega-Friday chat asking whether or not the Packers and the Bears rivalry is actually a rivalry:
Glad someone brought this up. I feel like I'm in the top 1% of diehard football fans and can't remember a single meaningful Bears-Packers game. I'm sure there have been a couple, I just can't remember any. Am I wrong on this?
Opening brag aside, the fact that Simmons, the self-proclaimed "top 1% of diehard sports fans" not calling it a rivalry because he can't remember at least three good games from this rivalry out of 180 or so is ludicrous. I could name three meaningful games to happen in the last three years alone: in December of '08 when the Bears defeated the Packers on Monday Night Football in a thrilling overtime game to keep their playoff hopes alive, this September when the two teams fought again during Monday Night Football for the NFC's only 3-0 and first place in the NFC North and the game three weeks ago (three weeks ago!) when the Packers won against Chicago to gain the NFC's final playoff spot.
Later on in the chat, Simmons continued to try to defend his remark to someone named Nick:
That's a separate issue - that makes it more of a feud. A rivalry means that it's a feud crossed with some sort of significant ongoing battle for the upper hand. If the fan bases are carrying this thing, then it's a feud.
Because of the definition of the term "rivalry" of which I made up, I cannot classify the Chicago-Green Bay rivalry as anything but a simple feud. Never mind the fact that these are the two most winningest franchises of all-time or that they're constantly fighting for first place in the NFC North or that they're only seperated by one highway. Anything short of, say, Patriots/Colts or Lakers/Celtics is not a rivalry. I repeat, not a rivalry. NO ONE DENIES THIS!
But wait, there's more! Later on, after giving a much more clearer definition of "rivalry" (the gist of it I just described) Simmons ends up posting three more cases for his argument, all of which are either nonsense or awful. The first one is him once again asking him to name three great Bears/Packers game. The second one comes from an Adam in Cleveland:
Calling the Bears-Packers a rivalry right now is like me (23 years old) still considering the Steelers the Browns' rivals- I've only seen 1 meaningful Cle-Pit game in my lifetime, meaning they haven't played a meaninful game in over 20 years. Fans hating each other is everlasting- Pittsburgh is a God awful city in a God awful state.. but the Steelers don't concern themselves with the Browns, they're too busy winning the division every year.....one day, the Browns will scare the Steelers.... one day.
The Steelers-Browns rivalry is NOTHING like the Bears-Packers rivalry. There has never been one team over the last fifty or so years that have had the upper hand in this rivalry. In the 1960s, the Vince Lombardi Packers controlled the rivalry (15-5). Then, in the 70s and 80s, the Bears had the upper hand (22-16). Then, from 1992-2003 the Brett Favre led Packers were the top dogs in this rivalry. However, since Lovie Smith became a head coach, the Bears have won the majority of the games including a 7-3 record from 2004-2008. In the Steelers-Browns rivalry, it has been all Pittsburgh in the last forty years with the exception of the 1980s. Also, last time I checked Art Rooney never helped keep the original Browns in Cleveland by going to Cleveland's city council and asking the city to build a new stadium for the Browns like George Halas did with the Packers in the 1950s. Just sayin'
The last case for his argument came from a Colts fan:
Couldn't agree more on the Bear/Packers feud. I'm originally from Indy and some of my friends up here were trying to convince me that the Bears/Packers rivalry was bigger than the Colts/Patriots. I had two responses ... 1) It's all about timing. Even though the Bears and Packers have been playing each other forever, when was the last time both teams had a long stretch of great teams where they were considered to be the NFL's elite? The Colts and Pats on the other hand were basically a mirror image of the Red Sox and Yankees. The Pats owned us so badly that we couldn't even really call it a rivalry up until the Colts finally broke through in 2006. Since then, every game they have played has been close no matter who's healthy or which team is better at that given time. Both teams want to win that game as much as the fans do which makes it a legite rivalry .... and 2) Up until they asked me the question, I didn't even know the Bears and Packers were rivals .... and I've lived here 5 years.
Well, there you go! Someone didn't know that it was a rivalry, so he has to be correct! You know, sometimes there are instances where I just end up wondering why I'm even bothering to continue reading his stuff. Today was one of those instances.
-My vote for the ten greatest NFL conference championship games of all-time:
10. 2008: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Arizona Cardinals (25-32)
One of the most unlikeliest teams to ever play in the Super Bowl was the 2008 Arizona Cardinals. Entering the postseason after winning the NFC West with a 9-7 record, the Cardinals went on a surprising run that included outstanding performances from future Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner and WR Larry Fitzgerald who had a postseason record tally of 546 receiving yards, 30 receptions and 7 TDs. The Cardinals finally stop into Tampa (the location of the Super Bowl in which they played) was at home in University of Phoenix Stadium against NFC's #6 seed Philadelphia Eagles, another team to have a surprising run during the '08 playoffs. The game started off as all-Cardinals, leading 24-6 at halftime with Warner throwing three TD passes, all of them to Fitzgerald. But then the game quickly shifted into the second half, with the Eagles putting up 19 unanswered points (capped off by a Donovan McNabb 62 yard TD pass to DeSean Jackson in the 4th quarter) to take a 25-24 lead with 10:45 remaining in regulation (it would have been 27-24 but the 2 point conversion in the ply after the Jackson TD failed). But despite the late second half comeback, the Cardinals did not give up all hope, responding on the very next possession following the Eagles game leading score with a 14 play, 74 yard drive that concluded with a Kurt Warner TD pass to running back time Hightower (who earlier in the drive rand for a Cardinals first down on a critical 4th and inches play) with 2:53 to go, and a two point coversion to take the 32-25 lead. The Eagles would not respond with another scoring drive, and the Cardinals would go on to with the game, and advance to Super Bowl XLIII (a game in which they would eventually lose in dramatic fashion to Pittsburgh).
9. 1967: Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers (17-21)
Technically, this game wasn't called the "NFC Championship Game" as the league was only three years away from merging with the AFL. But it was a game to decide a spot in the Super Bowl, so it technically counts. In a game forever encrypted in NFL lore as "the Ice Bowl, the Cowboys and the Packers played a game to decide who will forever be known as the '67 NFL champion at the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field (literally) in a game that, to date, is still the coldest game in NFL history in terms of actual air temperature (-15 degrees Fahrenheit, with windchill at -36 degrees Fahrenheit). The Packers jumped out into a 14-0 lead, but Dallas would come back to take a 17-14 game early in the 4th quarter thanks to two Green Bay turnovers in the second quarter (leading to two scores by the Cowboys) and a TD pass by running back Dan Reeves to wide receiver Lance Rentzel. Then, with 4:50 remaining in the game, the Packers would start a possession in Dallas's 32 yard line. The offense, led by QB Bart Starr, drove down the field to a point in the game in which the Packers had a 3rd and goal at the 1 yard line with :16 to go. Then, in a play which is still remembered as one of the most famous play in NFL history as well as the most gutsiest (depending on your thoughts on Sean Payton's third quarter onside kick in last year's Super Bowl), the Packers would score the go-ahead touchdown on a Bart Starr QB sneak led by a sensational block by right guard Jerry Kramer to go up 21-17 and, ten second later, go on to win the game. Green Bay would become winners of Super Bowl II two weeks later.
8. 2007: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers (23-20 OT)
Before January of 2008, only one wild card team (the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers) had ever won three consecutive road games in the postseason to advance in the Super Bowl. During the playoffs of the 2007 season, the New York Giants would end up joining that Steelers team on the list, and in dramatic fashion. With temperature at Lambeau Field during the game around zero, the heavily favored Packers led by QB Brett Favre (his last season in a Green Bay uniform) faced the underdog Giants, who were coming off a surprising victory over the NFC's #1 seeded Dallas Cowboys. Entering the fourth quarter, the Giants were up 20-17, with Green Bay eventually tying the game at 20 apiece. Later in the game, with the two teams still tied, Giants QB Eli Manning would lead New York's offense to Green Bay's 24 yard line, setting up a potential game winning field goal for kicker Lawrence Tynes (who had already missed a potential go-ahead field goal earlier in the 4th quarter).
Tynes would miss the 36 yard attempt wide left (the same way that he missed the earlier field goal) and the game would move into overtime. Green Bay won the opening coin toss, but Favre would have one of his passes intercepted by Corey Webster on the second play of the period (his last pass in the green and gold), leaving New York with good field position to try to win this game. Later on, after the Giants offense were once again unable to score a game winning TD, coach Tom Coughlin once again sent in Tynes to try to win the game for New York, this time a 47 yarder. Only this time, Tynes was finally able to kick the go-ahead field goal, which won the game for the Giants. Despite the fact that it was a pretty big upset, the Giants weren't yet dog with their stunning victories as their next game, Super Bowl XLII against the 18-0 New England Patriots, would end up being their biggest upset of the lot.
7. 1990: New York Giants vs. San Fransisco 49ers (15-13)
In one of the most brutal and most hard-fought defensive battles in NFL conference championship history, one that injured Giants QB Jeff Hostetler and forever ruined the career of legendary 49ers QB Joe Montana thanks to a powerful hit on him by Leonard Marshall that gave him crushed ribs, a bruised stomach, a bruised sternum and a broken hand, the 49ers led the game 13-12 late in the 4th quarter and looked poised to make it to a third straight Super Bowl. That was until 49ers Hall of Famer running back Roger Craig made one of the biggest mistakes of his playing career, fumbling the football with 2:36 remaining in the game. The Giants would take advantage of it, with the offense leading a drive that ended with a game winning field goal by kicker Matt Bahr (his fifth of the game) as time expired. It would be only the second time that the Giants ever won the NFC Championship, and one that advanced them into Super Bowl XXV.
6. 1986: Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns (23-20 OT)
John Elway is a name that is spoken in vain in the city of Cleveland and from all Browns fans, and it was in this game that made the Elway hatred by Clevelandites happen. By now, many of you know what happened in this game. The Browns were leading 20-13 with 5:32 to go in the 4th quarter after a Bernie Kosar 48 yard TD pass to Brian Brennan. If that wasn't worse for Broncos fans, their offense would end up starting their new possession at their own two yard line following a good job by Cleveland's special teams. For most teams this would be an awful sight. However, most teams didn't have John Elway, Captain Comeback himself. Elway would lead Denver on a 15 play, 98 yard long drive that ended with him throwing a 5 yard TD pass to Mark Jackson with :37 seconds left, tying the game at 20 apiece in a moment that will forever be known as "The Drive." The Broncos would then go on to win the game in overtime (the first OT game ever in conference championship history) thanks to a Rich Karlis field goal.
5. 1987: Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos (33-38)
While the '86 AFC Championship game was a classic, it still wasn't the best Browns-Broncos matchup in NFL history (at least in my opinion). The best one took place a year later, again in the AFC championship game, only this time it was at Mile High in Denver instead of the Municipal Stadium in Cleveland and one that ended with a totally different heartbreaking moment in Cleveland sports history. The game started with Denver taking a comanding 21-3 at the half thanks to a great performance by Elway. But then in the 3rd quarter, Browns QB Bernie Kosar would throw three TD passes to cut the Browns' deficit to 31-24 heading into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, Cleveland was finally able to tie with Denver after a Kosar TD pass to Webster Slaughter, only to lose it with four minutes to go in the quarter thanks to an Elway 20 yard TD pass to Sammy Winder.
Cleveland was then down 38-31 with their offense giving the football with less than four minutes to go in regulation. However, thanks to a sixteen yard run by RB Ernest Byner (who had a very productive game with 187 yards from scrimmage), two Kosar passes to Brian Brennan for 33 yards and an offsides penalty by Denver LB Karl Mecklenburg, the Browns had the football at the Denver 8 yard line with 1:12 remaining. But then, in a play that has forever been known as simply "The Fumble" (one of several awful moments in Cleveland sports lore with "the" in it, including "The Catch," "The Decision" and, recently mentioned, "The Drive"), Byner lost the football at the 2 yard line during a running play, and it was soon recovered by the Broncos. It was the closest that Cleveland would ever be to tying or taking the lead over Denver, and the Browns blew it, along with a second straight shot at the Super Bowl (although they did end up scoring a safety after the fumble).
4. 1998: Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings (30-27 OT)
The '98 Minnesota Vikings were one of the most exciting teams and had one of the best offenses in NFL history (led by QB Randall Cunningham and the WR duo Cris Carter and then rookie Randy Moss), entering the NFC Championship game with a 16-1 and poised to defeat Atlanta and advance to Super Bowl XXXIII. And with 2:07 to play, it looked more likely that this was going to be the case with the team up 27-20 and kicker Gary Anderson (who had yet to miss a field goal during the season) prepared to kick a 38 yard field goal that would have been the dagger in Atlanta's postseason hopes. But then, in a twist of fate, Anderson ends up missing the field goal, thus giving the Falcons new life. Atlanta would end up taking advantage of that miss, with QB Chris Chandler leading the team to a game tying drive that wrapped up with a TD pass to Terance Mathis, sending this game to overtime (the first in NFC Championship history). In overtime, Chandler once again performed some unlikely heroics at the Metrodome, leading a 70 yard drive that ended with Falcons kicker Morten Anderson (Gary's brother) ironically kicking a game winning 38 yard field goal that would give a Falcons a ticket to the Super Bowl that should have probably been Minnesotas'.
3. 2009: Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints (28-31 OT)
Nearly a full decade after Anderson's miss, another close yet heartbreaking loss in the Minnesota Vikings would take place at the New Orleans Superdome. The Saints, led by QB Drew Brees, and the Vikings, led by Brett Favre, entered the game as the NFC's #1 and #2 seed respectively and with two of the best offenses in the NFL at the time. And in this game, both teams competed in a game that would play into the pregame hype. Overall, it was an epic back and forth affair, with both teams' offenses scoring four touchdowns in regulation and each defense hitting with all their might (especially the Saints defensive line, which abused and injured Favre countless times) while also featuring some mistakes or two (especially in the Vikings camp, with the team's offense fumbling the ball four times). Both teams played so evenly amongst each other that the score was tied 28-28 with five minutes to go in the 4th quarter after an Adrian Peterson game tying TD run. After the Saints offense weren't able to convert a 3rd and 18 in their own territory, the team was forced to punt to Minnesota, whose offense received the ball at their twenty with less than three minutes to go. However, after two great passes by Favre to both Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice respectively and a first down run by Adrian Peterson, it was Vikings football at the Saints 33 yard line with Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell just waiting to kick a potential go-ahead field goal.
Unfortunately for Longwell, he was unable to kick the field goal. That was because, with 19 ticks left on the clock, the referees in this game called a 12 men on the field penalty, causing the clock to stop and the Vikings to move back five yards. Then, on the very next play, Brett Favre forever becomes the goat of this football game, throwing a critical interception to New Orleans's Tracy Porter (his third consecutive season ending interception), which would send this game into overtime. The rest I'm sure you all remember. New Orleans wins the coin toss in overtime (the last playoff game to be played under the old sudden death system before the new ones were set up this past offseason), Drew Brees leads the Saints to a productive offensive drive, and kicker Garett Hartley kicks a game winning field goal to give the Saints the victory a trip to Super Bowl XLIV of which they would win 31-17 over the Colts two weeks later. The unexpected "miracle" season of Favre and the Vikings finally came to an end.
2. 2006: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts (34-38)
In the aughts, there was no better or more exciting rivalry as Colts-Patriots. On January 21st, 2007, the rivalry started to hit its peak in one of the most exciting NFL games of all-time. Heading into the game, QB Peyton Manning had yet to beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick of the Colts in his entire career and was still in that "never wins the big game" portion of his career. Early on in the game, it looked as if it was going to be "same old, same old" in this rivalry with the Patriots leading 21-7 at halftime. But this was a much different game than previous Patriots-Colts matchup would have you believe. In the third quarter, Manning led New England to two TD drives, tying the game at 21. The Patriots would take back the lead later on in the 3rd with a Tom Brady TD pass to Jabar Gaffney but the Colts would respond right back, with Manning leading another TD drive that ended with a crazy touchdown recovered by center Jeff Saturday.
The end up would end up being tied at 31 apiece early in the 4th quarter until, later on, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 43 yard field goal to give New England the 34-31 lead with 3:49 left in the game. Manning ended up having one last chance late in the game to lead the Colts offense in a drive that would either tie the game or give Indy the lead. Six plays and a defensive penalty by New England later, Manning handed the ball off to running back Joseph Addai, who ran it in for the score to give Indianapolis a 38-34 late in the game. The Patriots offense had one last opportunity to score, but Tom Brady's pass was intercepted by Marlin Jackson with :17 left on the clock, and the Colts would finally win their first AFC Championship in nearly thirty five years. They would go onto win Super Bowl XLI four years later, and Manning's sceptics were finally hushed (at least for another year three years or so when he failed to win Super Bowl XLIV).
1. 1981: Dallas Cowboys vs. San Fransisco 49ers (27-28)
The Catch, a.k.a. Joe Montana to Dwight Clark in the game's final seconds to win the game for San Fransisco that began an '80s dynasty. Need I say more?
The Super Bowl bye week starts right after this week's games, which means that I have no idea what to write about in next week's column. But rest assured, whatever it is it will consist of random football related opinions and nothing else. OK, maybe a Pro Bowl pick, but that's about it. Either way, make sure to come back next week and read it when I have that posted. Until then, have a fabulous weekend, and for God sakes enjoy the f%#^@* games!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or
tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
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