Football

Well the Colt's fans' absolute stupidity and classlessness over the past weekend has allowed their biggest Rival to claim the spotlight (as if the Pats really needed it), and get good publicity for this weekend.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said the team will honor 14-year-old Anna Grant before Sunday's game. Grant, a high school freshman from Stratham, N.H., was the team's representative in a Punt, Pass & Kick competition in her age group, and when she was introduced at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis before the fourth quarter Sunday, she was the only one booed. "Why should a champion be booed?" Kraft said. "She won an intensive competition. She's supposed to be honored. We will recognize her as the winner on the field. Our fans will know." Grant said, "It really didn't bother me at all. People at the game came up to me afterward and said, 'It's not you. It's your jersey.' "

Since it's inception the BCS proponents have always feared 3 worst case scenarios. The least tragic of these was that the BCS Champion was unconvincing enough, and a team left out of the BCS Championship was convincing enough to cause a split national championship, which the BCS claimed it would eliminate since the championship was "decided on the field".

More critical though were the following two scenarios:

1. More than two undefeated teams at the end of the regular season, which meant an undefeated team would not get a chance to play in the BCS Championship game.

and

2. No major (a.k.a. BCS Conference) undefeated team, and a jumbled mess where really isn't a clear cut obvious pick for the National Championship, possibly causing a 2 loss team to get in over a 1 loss team.

Continue reading "Gotta love the mess that is NCAA Football"

Okay I can admit it. Manning proved myself, Bill Simmons and many others wrong. He can actually win the big game. Congrats to the Colts and to AoD, our resident Colts fan.

As for the game itself, meh. Utterly forgettable. Even the commercials were very average (with what seemed like fewer new commercials than I can remember in a long time). About the only thing that was cool was Prince singing Purple Rain, in the Pouring Rain. This game seemed to be a case of which team didn't want it more. That and Rex Grossman proving he truly was one of the worst, if not the worst, QB of a Superbowl team, ever. But in the end it doesn't matter how good the game was. All that matters is who won.

The one problem I have was the BS decision by the Media to award Manning the MVP. Manning's game was merely average, doing just enough to win (Which in and of itself is a miracle), but the true MVP was Dominic Rhodes. Starting in the Second half, when the Bears were still hanging in the game, Rhodes was the work horse pounding the ball up the middle, and keeping the Bears defense on the field and just chewing up time. That first posession of the Colts that took up half the third quarter, yea the majority of that was Dominic Rhodes, Rhodes 21 rushes for 117 yards and 1 Touch made him the MVP. After him the MVP should've been Joseph Addai, who became the first Rookie RB to start a Superbowl since 1990. Addai had 10 Receptions (11 is the record) for 66 yards (All in the first half), and also racked up 77 yards rushing. When Manning struggled early Addai is what helped calmed him down.

But as usual, the Media is blinded by the Manning spotlight.

As for Manning himself I have to say I was impressed by him this postseason. Manning did the things I never thought he could. It's funny AoD one time told me and Giggler, the reason that he liked Manning so much, was because Manning was a perfectionist, who had to have everything be perfect. That was always Manning's downfall. This postseason Manning realized that he has 10 other people on offense, and 11 people on defense to help him out. Manning realized he didn't have to be lights out everytime he stepped on the field. He realized that if he struggled he could rely on his teammates.

Many games this year there was a difference in Manning. The show at the line of scrimmage with Manning gesturing like a wild monkey was pretty much gone. In the wild card round Manning realized he was having a horrible game and he and OC Tom Moore switched the game plan from passing to running. Manning had a terrible performance in the divisional game. But when he had to make the important throw he did. After an ugly first 24 minutes in the Conference Champion Manning didn't meltdown. He calmed his team and drove them for a figgie right before the half. The comeback was on and the Belichick/Brady demons were slayed.

Last Night was an average performance by Manning. Of course it didn't help that last night, much like the entire postseason, his star WR's failed to show up. (In fact the two worst Postseason Colts performances were turned in by Wayne and Harrison this year). He struggled early with an interception. But then something happened. Manning turned into someone else. In all honesty he turned into Tom Brady. He sat in the pocket and took what was given him. If it was the short stuff he took it and drove his team. Manning didn't force anything. Manning knew he didn't have to win this game. Manning knew that all he had to do was get his team in position, and be ready if they needed something big in crunch time. It's how he's played all postseason. It's also why this postseason was the best 4 weeks Manning has ever played in his career.