NFL Thread

[Bastet]

And then there was the flip side, with all the coded language about how "articulate" and "clean-cut" Wilson and RGIII were compared to the tatted up Kaepernick. 

[BabyVegas]

Kaepernick was flashy and respected for keeping it real while Russell Wilson's teammates allegedly questioned his blackness, though other Seahawks immediately came forward to deny it. It was the sort of story a host/columnist/blogger could put out there almost entirely based on their public personas. Russell was all Earnest Jesus-y Boy Scout with a white wife (at the time) so of course he couldn't possibly relate to Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch: so stupid. RG3 got the same sort of flack for being a "cornball brother".

Probably a function of location, but I remember a lot of unnecessary bullshit about Kaepernick's tattoos and general demeanor making people think he was more "thuggish" than Wilson's far more family-friendly image. I mean, I'm a fan of the Seahawks and I still remember thinking that was really ignorant and at least a little racist.

You'll never catch me saying that the NFL isn't racist. The way the media has talked about Richard Sherman, Dez Bryant (mostly in discussion of his angry behavior), and Colin Kaepernick convinces me of that. I'm saying that in this case I don't believe the way the story was framed has to do with Cam's race so much as the fact that he's flashy and showboat-y and the NFL media seems to love it when guys do that because it's a personality that they can sell and then they love it on the flip side when people start to tear it down because that makes another good story. The NFL-focused media is the epitome of "if it bleeds, it leads."

[DrSpaceman73]

Ohhhhh, I had forgotten about that, I now remember reading about their story in the past, I'm pretty sure her sentence was just commuted last year.  I saw something on twitter today with a picture of him with his mom talking about a jersey someone had made for her with his number and was trying to figure out why that was a story (I don't regularly follow the Broncos).  I'll noodle around a bit to see if I can find a link, but I do remember that story resonating a bit when I read it back then.

 

ETA:  I think this is the article you were talking about DrSpaceman.  It's from Nov. 2014 (prior to when they knew she'd get the commutation).  Googling further, she was released to halfway house in July of last year and just met travel requirements.

Yes that's the article.

[DrSpaceman73]

I have no problems with Cam Newton throwing around an opposing teams flag. IF that is the worst you can say he does, seem to be stretching to criticize him.

I never thought Cam would be this good of a QB. I wasn't even convinced the panthers should have drafted him when they did. He had major questions coming out of college about whether he could run a pro style offense, plus character issues because of the alleged payments he was given in college.

I would have to look it up, but I don't think any QB has ever won a college national title, Heisman, pro MVP and a SB. In fact I am not sure any player at all has done it. It's rare, nonetheless, even if it has been done. It's actually rare even for a Heisman winning QB to win a SB. Cam has a chance for all those things.

[stealinghome]

Brady is kind of an exception though because he's universally hated outside of Pats fans. If Manning would get a total pass because everyone would think he's being "Manning" from tv. I think it would be more like Flacco or Palmer, or Dalton. People would be like, uh ok, whatever. Newton's been ripped on all year for the dancing, etc., which is really really banal imo. There very well could be a component of "who does he think he is, he hasn't won a superbowl or even gotten to one." But I don't think that's all there is to it.

The media gives Manning a pass on quite a bit. One of the years he lost the Super Bowl--I think to the Saints--he ran off the field without shaking any hands. If any other QB did that, the media would have pounced on the guy like he killed ten people for bad sportsmanship. Because it was Manning, there was nary a peep, plus a boatload of excuses.

Also there's the whole "stuck his junk in a woman's face" thing that no one EVER brings up. EVER.

[Fukui San]

I looked at the list of Heisman winning QB's, and I could only spot 6 QBs among the 33 QB winners that I know of who led pro teams to the playoffs.  Roger Staubach, Jim Plunkette, Doug Flutie, Vinnie Testaverde, Carson Palmer, RGIII, and Cam Newton. Oh, wait!  Tebow makes 7.  Almost forgot him!  Paul Hornung was a QB in college but played halfback for Green Bay.  So he wouldn't count even if he stuck around to face Staubach's Cowboys.

 

I may have missed some early ones (Steve Spurrier won the Heisman in 1966?  News to me), but the other winners had little to no pro impact. The Andre Wares, Charlie Wards, Danny Wuerffels,, and Troy Smiths of the world never had a chance in the NFL. Apparently a guy named Jason White won in 2003 and I have no earthly idea who he is. Did he even ever try to make it in the NFL?  

 

Before now the only two winners who were longtime starters whose career overlapped was Flutie and Testeverde, who won two years apart and hung around forever.  However Flutie did most of his damage in the CFL, and neither were perennial NFL playoff presences.

[stealinghome]

Apparently a guy named Jason White won in 2003 and I have no earthly idea who he is. Did he even ever try to make it in the NFL?

Didn't he blow out his knees like three times in college? I thought he got drafted in, like, the seventh round, simply because no one thought he could stay healthy.

[ganesh]

The media gives Manning a pass on quite a bit.

 

Yes. I was alluding to that in my initial post. If Manning threw down the opposing team's flag, he'd get a pass. That's the point. Cam Newton has been ripped all year for dancing when he scores a TD and giving the ball to kids. Manning stomped off the field and there was (next to) nothing. 

 

I may have missed some early ones (Steve Spurrier won the Heisman in 1966?  News to me), but the other winners had little to no pro impact.

 

I do believe Spurrier was on the cover of SI ad the new QB for the 49ers. Way way long ago. 

[merylinkid]

I have a theory on Heisman Trophy winners and the NFL.   I think it has to do with peaking in college.   You have to do a lot to stand out among all the college players.   So you are pretty outstanding.   But then you might have hit your peak.   So everything after that is downhill.

[benteen]

Yep, 50 years ago Spurrier was a Heisman Trophy winner.

[ketchuplover]

This reminded me of when Randy Moss scored a TD and then pretended to pull his pants down and moon the crowd in Green Bay. Joe Buck called it disgusting. It was as if Moss had actually pulled his pants down and showed his bare butt. I couldn't believe the outrage.

I thought he rubbed his butt on the goal post too

[topanga]

I have a theory on Heisman Trophy winners and the NFL.   I think it has to do with peaking in college.   You have to do a lot to stand out among all the college players.   So you are pretty outstanding.   But then you might have hit your peak.   So everything after that is downhill.

That's one of the reasons I (begrudgingly) have so much respect for Tom Brady's game. He wasn't a superstar in college, wasn't a high draft pick, and he was a backup QB during his first years in the NFL. He didn't peak until he became a starter, and now he's in the discussion for the top 10 NFL quarterbacks of all time. 

I have a theory on Heisman Trophy winners and the NFL.   I think it has to do with peaking in college.   You have to do a lot to stand out among all the college players.   So you are pretty outstanding.   But then you might have hit your peak.   So everything after that is downhill.

That's one of the reasons I (begrudgingly) have so much respect for Tom Brady's game. He wasn't a superstar in college, wasn't a high draft pick, and he was a backup QB during his first years in the NFL. He didn't peak until he became a starter, and now he's in the discussion for the top 10 NFL quarterbacks of all time. 

[Danny Franks]

I have a theory on Heisman Trophy winners and the NFL.   I think it has to do with peaking in college.   You have to do a lot to stand out among all the college players.   So you are pretty outstanding.   But then you might have hit your peak.   So everything after that is downhill.

 

I just don't think a lot of Heisman winners have the skillsets that translate successfully to the NFL. College QBs are a very different animal to NFL QBs, and try as they might, no NFL coach has managed to successfully run a college style offense, with a college style QB, in the NFL.

 

The likes of Manziel, Tebow, Newton and Mariota are asked to change the way they play to be suitable for NFL offenses, and they can either do it or they can't. Newton has done it incredibly well, and Mariota might be able to follow his footsteps. But for every guy like that, there's a Troy Smith or Matt Leinert who fails in the league.

 

Take someone like Kellen Moore, for example. Okay, he never won the Heisman, but he was a major college star, and when it came to the NFL, no one was interested. Because he was too small and didn't have a good enough arm. He went undrafted, spent a couple of years in Detroit before being cut and finally starting a game for the Cowboys last month. But he probably won't be on their roster next year.

 

You get the odd RB winning the Heisman, and they seem to have more success in the NFL. Mark Ingram has done okay, despite playing in an offense that often forgets the QB is allowed to hand the ball off. Melvin Gordon didn't have a good rookie year, and questions are being asked about whether he was a product of the offensive line at Wisconsin, but he may well turn it around in year two.

 

But I don't doubt that the sense of personal achievement and fulfillment at being so praised and lauded in college can have a detrimental effect on a lot of these players. Brady knew he had to work, to refine his game and learn as much as he could, to succeed in the NFL. He was ready to give it everything he had, and it worked. Other players won't have been as committed to doing that.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Danny Franks

[FuriousStyles]

I thought he rubbed his butt on the goal post too

I watched the clip on youtube. Not sure if he was rubbing his butt on the goal post or doing some kind of shimmy shake dance. Either way, so what? Of all the really offensive things that happen on the field and on the sidelines, that pales in comparison, IMO.

[Fukui San]

World Cup teams have elaborate choreographed team celebrations when they score a goal. ("OK, you five guys pretend to be a boat. I'm the fisherman, and you pretend to be a fish that I caught on the line. Go!")

 

NFL teams get flagged if a guy dances while somewhat near the guy who scored the touchdown or uses the ball as a prop.

 

We get the worse end of the bargain, clearly.

[mojoween]

The flag for pointing at the opposition before you cross the goal line is the most ludicrous penalty I have ever heard of.

[ganesh]

It's not just World Cup teams. Watch any regular season of pro soccer. They run over to the corner flag. They point to fans in the stand and generally go nuts. My favorite is the hands with the heart gesture. Typically, they'll run over to the fans and do it. I think it's a cool thing to do, like giving a football to kids because it's more calling attention to the fans than the player. 

 

Last week, Chelsea tied the game on a goal literally on the last play. The guy who scored just hopped on up in the stands and hugged like 50 people. 

 

The only thing you can't do is take off your shirt. You get a yellow card for that. 

[Constantinople]

I have no problems with Cam Newton throwing around an opposing teams flag. IF that is the worst you can say he does, seem to be stretching to criticize him.

I never thought Cam would be this good of a QB. I wasn't even convinced the panthers should have drafted him when they did. He had major questions coming out of college about whether he could run a pro style offense, plus character issues because of the alleged payments he was given in college.

I would have to look it up, but I don't think any QB has ever won a college national title, Heisman, pro MVP and a SB. In fact I am not sure any player at all has done it. It's rare, nonetheless, even if it has been done. It's actually rare even for a Heisman winning QB to win a SB. Cam has a chance for all those things.

 

 

As far as I know, Roger Staubach and Jim Plunkett are the only players to win a Heisman and a Super Bowl as a quarterback.

[Calvada]

Charles Woodson won the Heisman, a collegiate national championship, and a Super Bowl.  He was never a NFL MVP, but he was an NFL Defensive Player of the Year. 

[Minneapple]

Moss' moon was a response to Green Bay fans, who moon the opposing team bus when it leaves Lambeau.

Joe Buck way way overreacted to the moon. But that all of course led to Moss' famous "Straight cash, homey" when he was fined. And after that, the Minnesota media was blocked from the players' parking lot.

[ganesh]

Joe Montana never won the Heisman?

[Rick Kitchen]

Joe Montana never won the Heisman?

 

No, Billy Sims won in Montana's senior year.

 

I guess Carson Palmer and Cam Newton both have a chance to win a Super Bowl this year.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Rick Kitchen

[pennben]

Joe Montana never won the Heisman?

 

Nope, but as this commercial shows, he seems okay with that!:)

[DrSpaceman73]

Roger Staubach won 3 of the 4. SB, MVP in 1971, Heisman, but lost in the 1963 College title game with Navy (essentially, not official title game but was #1-#2 match up in CottonBowl)

Tony Dorsett also 3 of 4. In fact he won 3 of the 4 in a little over a year. Heisman and college title at Pitt in 1976, Super Bowl as a rookie the next year with Cowboys. Never close to an MVP though

And I am just assuming Cam gets the MVP this year, don't know it for sure.

Joe Montana, won college title in 1977, MVP and Super Bowl well known, never won the Heisman.

Marcus Allen actually could make a claim to this. USC had a split title in 1978, his freshman year, #1 in coaches poll. He wasn't a huge part of that team, although he was on it. Won a SB with Raiders, MVP in 85, Heisman in 1981. Then in 1979 as well, USC was 11-0-1, but finished 2nd in the voting, I think Alabama was undefeated. He played a bigger role that year but it was 1980 and 1981 that were his big years at USC

Manning famously finished second to Woodson for the Heisman, didn't win a college title at Tenn either, though after he left they win with Tee Martin.

Then there is Reggie Bush and that whole mess........college title, Heisman, but revoked both I think technically, or at least the Heisman, I don't know, SB with Saints, but no MVP.

So many have done 3 of 4, only Marcus Allen has really won all 4 with a split title at USC as a freshman, though not a huge contributor on that team. No QB has done it

This is SB era only, I don't know my pre-Super Bowl era college/NFL well enough to go through the list that quickly.

Edited January 20, 2016 by DrSpaceman73

[DrSpaceman73]

As far as I know, Roger Staubach and Jim Plunkett are the only players to win a Heisman and a Super Bowl as a quarterback.

Yes I believe that is correct.

SB titles and college national titles as a QB are rare as well. Technically Brady did it, he was on a Michigan team that won a college title in 1997, but he was not the starter, Brian Griese was.

Which I think is funny, because it means Michigan won a college title the year before Brady took over as starter and one year later Tennessee won a title with the successor to Peyton Manning.

Which is why I think it's a joke talking about a college national champion QB meaning anything about what they will do in the pros. Outside Joe Montana I don't think any player has won both in the SB era, though I have not researched that extensively. Nevertheless, it's rare, hardly ever happens

Oh and with Plunkett winning the Heisman and a Super Bowl, he didn't do it with the team that drafted him. Patriots drafted him and he won with the Raiders. And with Staubach the Cowboys had to wait until his Navy comittment was over the even have them on his team.

[merylinkid]

 

Manning famously finished second to Woodson for the Heisman, didn't win a college title at Tenn either, though after he left they win with Tee Martin.

So Manning had trouble getting the big one even in college?

 

Montana was a lot like Brady.   Third round pick.   Not even the first pick of the 49ers that year (they didn't have a first).   The guy they picked before him lasted about a year in the League.  At least with the later round QBs, you are not risking as much.   You are not putting as much pressure on them either to be the "franchise" QB.  Montana was the back up to Walsh favorite Steve DeBerg.   He was the 4th QB picked in the draft, behind Jack Thompson (who?), Phil Simms (ick) and Steve Fuller (who?).   Just proving that the draft and all the evaluations are a crap shoot.   Sometimes, you hit with the #1 - Cam.   Sometime you flame out, JaMarcus Russell, and sometimes you do really well with the sleeper pick - Brady and Montana.

[Popples]

It's not just World Cup teams. Watch any regular season of pro soccer. They run over to the corner flag. They point to fans in the stand and generally go nuts. My favorite is the hands with the heart gesture. Typically, they'll run over to the fans and do it. I think it's a cool thing to do, like giving a football to kids because it's more calling attention to the fans than the player. 

 

Last week, Chelsea tied the game on a goal literally on the last play. The guy who scored just hopped on up in the stands and hugged like 50 people. 

 

The only thing you can't do is take off your shirt. You get a yellow card for that. 

 

A few months back a Premiere League player put a ball under his shirt after scoring a goal to acknowledge the pregnancy of his wife/girlfriend/partner (can't remember which). A few years ago an NFL player did the same thing and got fined. That's so fucking dumb.

 

Shame about the yellow card for taking off their shirts, soccer players are fit!

[ganesh]

Well, I figure they have to draw the line somewhere. CR7 scored in the CL title game in his home country and he ripped the shirt off and took the card.

 

So Manning had trouble getting the big one even in college?

 

Manning could never beat Florida iirc. 

 

Montana was a lot like Brady.

 

Well, Montana was a national name and actually played a lot in college though.

[DrSpaceman73]

So Manning had trouble getting the big one even in college?

 

I suppose if that is the conclusion you want to draw from everything I wrote.......sure. He also won 3 major Bowl games though and his team finished in the top 10 3 straight years with him as the starter

Joe Namath also won a title in college and the pros, plus MVP. No Heisman.

[DrSpaceman73]

 

Montana was a lot like Brady.   Third round pick.   Not even the first pick of the 49ers that year (they didn't have a first).   The guy they picked before him lasted about a year in the League.  At least with the later round QBs, you are not risking as much.   You are not putting as much pressure on them either to be the "franchise" QB.  Montana was the back up to Walsh favorite Steve DeBerg.   He was the 4th QB picked in the draft, behind Jack Thompson (who?), Phil Simms (ick) and Steve Fuller (who?).   Just proving that the draft and all the evaluations are a crap shoot.   Sometimes, you hit with the #1 - Cam.   Sometime you flame out, JaMarcus Russell, and sometimes you do really well with the sleeper pick - Brady and Montana.

I think Montana was more like Russell Wilson than Brady. A known commodity from a top college team his senior year, one of the top college players in the country, but just had questions about his transfer to the pro level. For Wilson his size held him back.

Brady was not highly regarded as a college player, despite going to Michigan. That's why he was drafted so low. He was slow. He was not in great shape at the combine. (Go look up his combine picture for evidence of this, not impressive). Brady was only honorable mention all Big Ten is senior year, not even first or second team in the conference, let alone in the country. Montana and Wilson were both among the best college players at QB, just were not to be guarranteed pros. If you read Brady's scouting report, it really was not a huge miss on him. Basically said he had a whole lot of intangibles, has great poise, can read coverages, has good accuracy and touch, it literally says "produces in big spots in big games", improved as a senior, but his build, arm strength were not great, he lacks mobility and he is not a QB that can improvise great. Then it said he could thrive in the right system.

In fact it's pretty much a spot on scouting report. His arm strength has improved and his build is better, but otherwise, everything in that scouting report could pretty much apply to him now. I guess you can argue about the "thrive in the right system" part, that's the debate of his whole career and his success. Otherwise if you didn't know who was being described and read that scouting report and were asked who it was, you could guess its Brady.

[twoods]

Brady won a lot of Super Bowls also because he had a great kicker. If Vinatieri didn't make those kicks, no SB for him. Yes he made the throws to get them to that point, but those field goals weren't gimmees. Also, that ridiculous tuck rule bullshit helped. Try bringing that up to any Raider fan...

Edited January 20, 2016 by twoods

[mojoween]

I'm still flabbergasted that not only did Peyton lose the Heisman, but it was to a defensive specialist which just never happens any more. Was Woodson that dynamic in college, to stand out that much?

I was watching a special about Super Bowl XLII (aka best SB ever) and while the end wouldn't have happened without Eli, I still think the defense made a damned good case for MVP.

[benteen]

Woodson was great in college.  He helped lead his team to a national title.  What threw him over the top as for as the Heisman Trophy goes is that he used to return kicks and scored a couple of touchdowns that way.

 

Peyton couldn't win the big game in college and I think he couldn't win the big game in high school either.  It's just so strange how he almost always seems to freeze up in the big game throughout his entire playing career.

[ganesh]

Woodson also had a huge run back on a punt for a TD or I think he scored one on offense to beat Ohio State, their big rival. That was the last thing voters remembered. He did have a great season defensively and won the national title. Best player on the best team. 

 

Manning had a great college career, but in any given year, he didn't beat Florida so he never won the SEC title, let alone get into the national championship game. Not that you have to do that to win the Heisman. Over 4 years, Manning accounted for more wins than Woodson, sure, but in that given year, Woodson had more of an impact. 

[basiltherat]

FYI, Steve Fuller was the back-up QB for Punky QB Jim McMahon on the Chicago Bears SB team When Jim kept getting the snot kicked out of him, so he does have a SB ring.

[benteen]

Woodson also had a huge run back on a punt for a TD or I think he scored one on offense to beat Ohio State, their big rival. That was the last thing voters remembered. He did have a great season defensively and won the national title. Best player on the best team. 

 

Manning had a great college career, but in any given year, he didn't beat Florida so he never won the SEC title, let alone get into the national championship game. Not that you have to do that to win the Heisman. Over 4 years, Manning accounted for more wins than Woodson, sure, but in that given year, Woodson had more of an impact. 

 

He did win an SEC Championship in his senior year but that was because Florida lost two division games.  You're absolutely right that Woodson made a bigger impact that year.

 

It would be ironic if both Woodson and Manning end their careers in the same exact year.  They both went from the Heisman Trophy ballot to having Hall-of-Fame careers.

[Danny Franks]

I think Manning will have to retire at the end of this season, no matter what happens. He is almost literally on his last legs, his body is clearly telling him it's time to call it a day, and while his mind is still one of the sharpest in football, it just won't be enough to overcome the physical disadvantage.

 

I would love to see what he does as a coach or offensive coordinator in the future, though. I mean, there's a guy who was born to coach and mentor young players. Of course, he's got interests outside football, so he may not choose to pursue that option.

 

Both he and Woodson will be first ballot Hall of Famers, I'm sure of that.

[benteen]

I agree that even if he wants to keep playing, I think his body is too broken down to continue.

 

While I think Manning could be a great coach, I just don't see that happening.  I think he's much more likely to become a president of football operations like John Elway.  I think that's where his mindset is in the near future.

[Moose135]

While I think Manning could be a great coach, I just don't see that happening.  I think he's much more likely to become a president of football operations like John Elway.  I think that's where his mindset is in the near future.

 

When he's not shilling for insurance and pizzas.

[hendersonrocks]

But that all of course led to Moss' famous "Straight cash, homey" when he was fined.

 

One of my favorite moments ever as a Minnesota sports fan. (We have a lot of bad ones and often need humor to pull us out of despair.)

 

I'm really excited for the games this weekend, and especially that they're starting mid-afternoon. For some reason I had it my head it would be a 1 eastern/noon central start as usual. 

[topanga]

Antwaan Randle El says he regrets playing football, but he also said it was "worth it."  

 

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2016/01/19/antwaan-randle-el-regrets-decision-play-football/79013192/

[mojoween]

The championship games have been starting at 3 for the first game for the past few years. I like having the second game end in prime time, but I hate waiting for the first game.

Watching Tynes kick the GW field goal against Green Bay while my husband got ready for his third shift job is one of my favorite football memories.

[merylinkid]

 

It would be ironic if both Woodson and Manning end their careers in the same exact year.

 

That will be an AWESOME induction ceremony if they both go into the Hall in the same class.   I might even ignore my aversion to crowds and go.   I've been in Cooperstown on Hall of Fame Weekend (my grandparents lived there) and even if you don't attend the ceremony it is madness.

[Rick Kitchen]

The Bills have hired Kathryn Smith as the first full-time female assistant coach.

 

What is a "quality control assistant"?

[ganesh]

Usually someone who makes sure the safety procedures are followed, things like that.

[xaxat]

It's more than that. They typically do a lot of work with video analysis, and charting opponent and team tendencies for the coaching staff. The person in that position has to know their team's playbook and learn that of the opponent. It can be a steppingstone. Steelers OC Todd Haley was a QC assistant at one time. (I think Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was one as well.)

 

I think it's an important hire because the importance of data analysis (in all sports) is becoming recognized as important as experience playing/coaching/managing a team. There's no reason why a woman can't be a capologist for example. And capologist to GM isn't a huge step.

Edited January 21, 2016 by xaxat

[ganesh]

I only know from engineering. QA deals with making sure the product is designed as it's supposed to be or meets specs, etc. 

[FuriousStyles]

Im having a good laugh at the coverage this week regarding what a few Broncos players said about Brady....him being a crybaby and begging for penalties whenever someone coughs on him. What's surprising is most of the pundits I've seen and heard actually agree. Pretty much a unanimous "yeah, he does whine a lot". I just though Brady being the golden boy, there'd be a bigger attempt to make excuses or even outright deny that he's a crybaby.

[nowandlater]

The championship games have been starting at 3 for the first game for the past few years. I like having the second game end in prime time, but I hate waiting for the first game.

Watching Tynes kick the GW field goal against Green Bay while my husband got ready for his third shift job is one of my favorite football memories.

 

Oh. My. God. I'm so excited to not have a 10 am PT Sunday game for the first time in like 20 weeks.

 

I hate that they stick to the 10 am PT/1 pm ET Sunday start for the first two weeks of the playoffs. (I guess it's understandable for the first week, since the Golden Globes are the big TV thing in primetime.)

 

The 6:40 pm ET start for the later championship game is essentially a way to give the other network its own primetime Super Bowl....it's basically close to the 6:30 pm ET start time of the Super Bowl. (After the game, Fox will air its X-Files revival.)

 

Does anybody know why Fox only had one game last weekend? And why NBC has had 2 playoff games? Was it this way last year? With ESPN getting its own playoff games, does that give NBC 2? And why did CBS get 2 playoff games last weekend? Is it because it's hosting the Super bowl?

[topanga]

Im having a good laugh at the coverage this week regarding what a few Broncos players said about Brady....him being a crybaby and begging for penalties whenever someone coughs on him. What's surprising is most of the pundits I've seen and heard actually agree. Pretty much a unanimous "yeah, he does whine a lot". I just though Brady being the golden boy, there'd be a bigger attempt to make excuses or even outright deny that he's a crybaby.

Heh. I totally believe this. Peyton's been this way his entire life. If you watch the Manning home videos, which I have seen a lot for some reason, there's plenty of footage of a young Peyton running up to his dad and saying things like, "He, he, he made me feel hurt," with Cooper laughing in the background in typical big brother fashion. Or a young Peyton yelling at his brother, "You can't do that! You can't do that!" when they played football in the backyard. 

 

 

Does anybody know why Fox only had one game last weekend? And why NBC has had 2 playoff games? Was it this way last year? With ESPN getting its own playoff games, does that give NBC 2? And why did CBS get 2 playoff games last weekend? Is it because it's hosting the Super bowl?

Somehow, I think it all comes down to money, though someone else might know the actual specifics of the the deals.