I guess if you have a TV, you've probably been more aware of this event than I have. The NFL has been counting down its' best players ever, and just wrapped it up with a shocking choice at No. 1 (/sarcasm): Jerry Rice.
For us Chicagoans, there is a lot to be happy about on this list, although no current Bears got a nod. Give Lance Briggs four more good years (or Urlacher, for that matter), and I think you could make a case for either one. Same thing for Olin Kreutz, but he should have retired two years ago.
Anyway, Walter Payton led the way for the men of Soldier Field (or Wrigley Field, as the case may be...), coming at No. 5, behind only Jim Brown at running back. No surprise that Gale Sayers and Bronko Nagurski also made the list, at 19 and 22, respectively. So did Red Grange (#48)
I was a little surprised to see Sid Luckman on the list - somebody's going to have to dig up some Luckman highlights at some point. I may do that in a minute. He clocked in at No. 33, just ahead of Deion Sanders. Sanders, of course, disagrees.
The last offensive player from Chi-town was Da Coach, Mike Ditka. If you've ever played with Ditka as a Madden All-Time player, you know he must have been incredible. Ditka is, according to NFL.com, the No. 59 greatest ever.
And of course, Dick Butkus (#9) and Mike Singletary (#58) also were included. Notably, Singletary came in fifteenth among fan votes - Samurai Mike is apparently better remembered these days for playing, rather than for coaching the two-win Niners.
Senin, 08 November 2010
Jumat, 05 November 2010
Indiana vs. Iowa: Let's Talk Stanzi
Ricky Stanzi may not be the most talented (Dan Persa) or best-known (Terrelle Pryor) or fastest (Shoelace) quarterback in the Big Ten, but he sure as hell wins in one category: This kid is a PATRIOT.
... which is why I will be making a "STANZI VOTED FOR OBAMACARE" sign for the game. You know, see if we can get in his head a little bit.
Seriously though, I don't expect IU to put up much of a fight tomorrow at The Rock. You can see ESPN's preview of the game HERE - some of the highlights include the following: expected low temperature is 28 degrees, with a high of 49 (and we're starting the tailgate HOW early again?!).
Also, Iowa just demolished Michigan State, at the time undefeated. They rank twelfth in the nation in defense, and Indiana officially has the worst rushing attack in the Big Ten. Expect Ben Chappell and Adrian Clayborn to be spending some time together tomorrow.
Anyways, God bless America, and God bless Football. Isn't that right, Ricky?
Also, Northwestern takes on Penn State tomorrow in Happy Valley. This is a big game for both teams, as NU is already bowl-eligible but lacks a win they can really feel proud of (Minnesota? Indiana? Ehh...). Meanwhile, Joe Paterno is stuck at 399 wins, which makes this a potential milestone game. And NU QB Dan Persa is from Pennsylvania, but wasn't recruited by Penn State.
Game's on at 3:30, you can expect me to be posted up at Yogi's after a long, chilly morning of tailgate.
... which is why I will be making a "STANZI VOTED FOR OBAMACARE" sign for the game. You know, see if we can get in his head a little bit.
Seriously though, I don't expect IU to put up much of a fight tomorrow at The Rock. You can see ESPN's preview of the game HERE - some of the highlights include the following: expected low temperature is 28 degrees, with a high of 49 (and we're starting the tailgate HOW early again?!).
Also, Iowa just demolished Michigan State, at the time undefeated. They rank twelfth in the nation in defense, and Indiana officially has the worst rushing attack in the Big Ten. Expect Ben Chappell and Adrian Clayborn to be spending some time together tomorrow.
Anyways, God bless America, and God bless Football. Isn't that right, Ricky?
Also, Northwestern takes on Penn State tomorrow in Happy Valley. This is a big game for both teams, as NU is already bowl-eligible but lacks a win they can really feel proud of (Minnesota? Indiana? Ehh...). Meanwhile, Joe Paterno is stuck at 399 wins, which makes this a potential milestone game. And NU QB Dan Persa is from Pennsylvania, but wasn't recruited by Penn State.
Game's on at 3:30, you can expect me to be posted up at Yogi's after a long, chilly morning of tailgate.
Minggu, 31 Oktober 2010
Jumat, 29 Oktober 2010
The Self Destruct Button
Just came across this...
Apparently Boozer has one, too:
So when does Nocioni get to get all liquored up and drive that thing?
Apparently Boozer has one, too:
So when does Nocioni get to get all liquored up and drive that thing?
Senin, 25 Oktober 2010
Bears: Where do we go from here?
Seriously. I have no idea. I'm hesitant to call yesterday's debacle the worst NFL game of all time, although other people certainly have. I still think the worst NFL game ever was last year's Bills-Browns game in Buffalo.
At least both defenses played well, right? The Bears have now lost three in a row and dropped into a tie with the Packers for first in the NFC North. The good news, if there is any, is that Cutler is still healthy, as is Forte, and that the NFC looks realllllly bad this year. I'm just puzzled though. How do you go about rooting for this team?
Apparently, the crowd at Soldier Field was thinking the same thing yesterday, as the boo-birds were out in full force.
By the way, my dark-horse Kansas City Chiefs are now 4-2 and lead the AFC West. But they're going to have to watch out for a challenge from... wait for it... OAKLAND? OAKLAND???
Yesterday's partial list of top performers:
Kenny Britt
Darren McFadden
DeAngelo Hall
Ryan Fitzpatrick
... and Drew Brees joined Cutler in throwing four INTs.
Let's just pretend last week didn't happen, okay?
Selasa, 19 Oktober 2010
Big Ten Power Rankings (Midseason)
Don't get too excited, this is just the quickie edition, but with all the Big Ten teams having played at least six games I thought I'd throw out some quick PRs just to see what everybody thinks - if I have time later, a longer and more detailed version with bowl projections, season expectations, etcetera will follow. I swear.
Please do let me know if you agree/disagree. And sorry about the lack of pictures/video, I'll get in and edit this later tonight.
1. Michigan State Spartans (7-0, 3-0)
Rankings: No. 7 BCS, No. 8 Coaches/AP, leading Big Ten
Starting out your conference season by beating Wisconsin, then stomping rival Michigan on the road and easily handing an Illinois team that gave Ohio State fits is pretty damn convincing in my book.
Next up: @ Northwestern. I believe Admiral Ackbar may have something to say about this game for the Spartans...
2. Wisconsin (6-1, 2-1)
Rankings: No. 13 BCS, No. 10 Coaches, No. 11 AP, T-4th in Big Ten (with tiebreaker over OSU)
Huge win at home over an undeserving national number one in Ohio State last week. Wisconsin struggled early in the season, but their sole loss is on the road at Michigan State, and that's not going to hurt them much in the long run.
Next up: @ Iowa. If Wisconsin can survive, the rest of their schedule shakes out favorably.
3. Iowa (5-1, 2-0)
Rankings: No. 15 BCS, No. 12 Coaches, No. 13 AP, T-2nd in Big Ten (with Purdue)
The only time I've gotten to watch Iowa for an entire game this year was their loss at Arizona, but this seems like your classic Kirk Ferentz team with extra talent on the defensive line. Ricky Stanzi is the ultimate patriot - I'll have more on this later, courtesy of our correspondent, Capt. Alec Kinczewski, serving our nation abroad in the armed forces (that's right, Peter King! You see what I did there? You're not the only one who can name-drop Army guys!).
Next up: Wisconsin. 3:30, ABC. Should be a snoozefest, but a well-played one, and the winner has Capital One Bowl pole position.
4. Ohio State (6-1, 2-1)
Rankings: No. 10 BCS/AP, No. 11 Coaches, T-4th in Big Ten
The conference's bell cow, Ohio State did their part to allow Big Ten haters in the room (I'm looking at you, Schlereth) with the upset loss at Wisconsin. The Buckeyes looked great against Indiana the week before, but then who doesn't? The Sweater Men have three absolute must-wins coming up if they want to get back in the thick of the Big Ten race.
Next up: Purdue
5. Purdue (4-2, 2-0)
Rankings: T-2nd in Big Ten
Let's give them credit now. Beating Northwestern on the road erased a lot of the early season stench of losing to Toledo at home. They have an incredibly tough slate coming up in the second half, so I expect this is as high as the Boilers will get, despite quality play from QB Rob Henry.
Next up: @ Ohio State
T-6. Northwestern (5-1, 1-1), Michigan (5-2, 1-2)
Northwestern commits too many penalties, while Michigan plays no defense. These are talented football teams with painfully obvious flaws, which is why I have them tied. NU has an absolutely HUGE home game this week against MSU, while Shoelace and Co. have a bye. I see both as bowl-caliber teams that need to get it together a little bit.
8. Illinois (3-3, 1-2)
Hey, they're better than I expected. Great road win against a bad Penn State team, followed by an acceptable road beating at East Lansing.
Next up: Indiana. Winner gets to pretend they have a shot at a bowl!
9. Penn State (3-3, 0-2)
Everybody knew this team would have some issues, but Evan Royster stinking was not one of the expected problems, and neither was a defense that traditionally would NEVER give up 33 points to Illinois at home.
Next up: @Minnesota. They need this win to be playing for bowl eligibility against Indiana at FexEx field down the road. Otherwise that might just be a 3/4 empty venue, which would look awful for the conference. I think you know what Jim Delaney is telling the refs for this game.
10. Indiana (4-2, 0-2)
Best receivers in the conference, and one of the best quarterbacks too - I put Ben Chappell in the front rank with Robinson, Pryor, and Persa. But that Homecoming 'win' over Arkansas State (which by the way gives IU a 2-0 record in the Sun Belt) was not impressive. On paper, this looks like a team that could get bowl eligible. In reality, having watched them almost every week, I'm not so sure.
Next up: @Illinois. Should I go to this game? Debating.
11. Minnesota (1-6, 0-3)
Tim Brewster is finally gone, following Mike Locksley and Ed Orgeron (and Ron Zook?) as living proof that great recruiters aren't always great coaches. (*cough* MIKE DAVIS) They play three of the conference's top four in their second half slate. They lost to South Dakota State. BUT - maybe an interim coach and having absolutely nothing to lose will energize this team. I've seen crazier things happen, and Adam Weber is a proud veteran leader at QB.
Next up: Penn State. Win, and your season isn't a total loss.
Please do let me know if you agree/disagree. And sorry about the lack of pictures/video, I'll get in and edit this later tonight.
1. Michigan State Spartans (7-0, 3-0)
Rankings: No. 7 BCS, No. 8 Coaches/AP, leading Big Ten
Starting out your conference season by beating Wisconsin, then stomping rival Michigan on the road and easily handing an Illinois team that gave Ohio State fits is pretty damn convincing in my book.
Next up: @ Northwestern. I believe Admiral Ackbar may have something to say about this game for the Spartans...
2. Wisconsin (6-1, 2-1)
Rankings: No. 13 BCS, No. 10 Coaches, No. 11 AP, T-4th in Big Ten (with tiebreaker over OSU)
Huge win at home over an undeserving national number one in Ohio State last week. Wisconsin struggled early in the season, but their sole loss is on the road at Michigan State, and that's not going to hurt them much in the long run.
Next up: @ Iowa. If Wisconsin can survive, the rest of their schedule shakes out favorably.
3. Iowa (5-1, 2-0)
Rankings: No. 15 BCS, No. 12 Coaches, No. 13 AP, T-2nd in Big Ten (with Purdue)
The only time I've gotten to watch Iowa for an entire game this year was their loss at Arizona, but this seems like your classic Kirk Ferentz team with extra talent on the defensive line. Ricky Stanzi is the ultimate patriot - I'll have more on this later, courtesy of our correspondent, Capt. Alec Kinczewski, serving our nation abroad in the armed forces (that's right, Peter King! You see what I did there? You're not the only one who can name-drop Army guys!).
Next up: Wisconsin. 3:30, ABC. Should be a snoozefest, but a well-played one, and the winner has Capital One Bowl pole position.
4. Ohio State (6-1, 2-1)
Rankings: No. 10 BCS/AP, No. 11 Coaches, T-4th in Big Ten
The conference's bell cow, Ohio State did their part to allow Big Ten haters in the room (I'm looking at you, Schlereth) with the upset loss at Wisconsin. The Buckeyes looked great against Indiana the week before, but then who doesn't? The Sweater Men have three absolute must-wins coming up if they want to get back in the thick of the Big Ten race.
Next up: Purdue
5. Purdue (4-2, 2-0)
Rankings: T-2nd in Big Ten
Let's give them credit now. Beating Northwestern on the road erased a lot of the early season stench of losing to Toledo at home. They have an incredibly tough slate coming up in the second half, so I expect this is as high as the Boilers will get, despite quality play from QB Rob Henry.
Next up: @ Ohio State
T-6. Northwestern (5-1, 1-1), Michigan (5-2, 1-2)
Northwestern commits too many penalties, while Michigan plays no defense. These are talented football teams with painfully obvious flaws, which is why I have them tied. NU has an absolutely HUGE home game this week against MSU, while Shoelace and Co. have a bye. I see both as bowl-caliber teams that need to get it together a little bit.
8. Illinois (3-3, 1-2)
Hey, they're better than I expected. Great road win against a bad Penn State team, followed by an acceptable road beating at East Lansing.
Next up: Indiana. Winner gets to pretend they have a shot at a bowl!
9. Penn State (3-3, 0-2)
Everybody knew this team would have some issues, but Evan Royster stinking was not one of the expected problems, and neither was a defense that traditionally would NEVER give up 33 points to Illinois at home.
Next up: @Minnesota. They need this win to be playing for bowl eligibility against Indiana at FexEx field down the road. Otherwise that might just be a 3/4 empty venue, which would look awful for the conference. I think you know what Jim Delaney is telling the refs for this game.
10. Indiana (4-2, 0-2)
Best receivers in the conference, and one of the best quarterbacks too - I put Ben Chappell in the front rank with Robinson, Pryor, and Persa. But that Homecoming 'win' over Arkansas State (which by the way gives IU a 2-0 record in the Sun Belt) was not impressive. On paper, this looks like a team that could get bowl eligible. In reality, having watched them almost every week, I'm not so sure.
Next up: @Illinois. Should I go to this game? Debating.
11. Minnesota (1-6, 0-3)
Tim Brewster is finally gone, following Mike Locksley and Ed Orgeron (and Ron Zook?) as living proof that great recruiters aren't always great coaches. (*cough* MIKE DAVIS) They play three of the conference's top four in their second half slate. They lost to South Dakota State. BUT - maybe an interim coach and having absolutely nothing to lose will energize this team. I've seen crazier things happen, and Adam Weber is a proud veteran leader at QB.
Next up: Penn State. Win, and your season isn't a total loss.
Senin, 11 Oktober 2010
The NFL standings based on Pete Prisco's Overall GPA
I was going through Pete Prisco's week 5 grades and noticed how crazy they were. So, I wanted to create a list of how the teams should be ranked based on the grades he has given them for their performances. And by ranked, I mean their standings in the NFL. This is an oddity. However, since the Jets/Vikings game is not decided, I will not include them. I will also not include those on bye weeks this week (I'm only looking at his week 5 GPAs). Okay, here we go:
1. Chiefs - GPA 3.10 - Actual Record 3-1
2. Falcons - 2.86 - 4-1
3. Texans - 2.74 - 3-2
4. Redskins - 2.74 - 3-2
5. Titans - 2.68 - 3-2
6. Ravens - 2.54 -4-1
7. Giants - 2.54 - 3-2
9. Bucs - 2.50 - 3-1
9. Colts - 2.48 - 3-2
10. Lions - 2.42 - 1-4
11. Rams - 2.40 - 2-3
12. Eagles - 2.40 - 3-2
13. Bears - 2.34 - 4-1 (Tied Best in NFC)
14. Chargers - 2.20 - 2-3
15. Jags - 2.14 - 3-2
16. Browns - 2.08 - 1-4
17. Broncos - 2.06 - 2-3
18. Cowboys - 1.93 - 1-3
19. Bengals - 1.88 - 2-3
20. Packers - 1.86 - 3-2
21. Saints - 1.82 - 3-2
22. Raiders - 1.80 - 2-3
23. 49ers - 1.80 - 0-5
24. Cardinals 1.66 - 3-2
25. Panthers - 1.22 -0-5
26. Bills - 1.00 - 0-5
Okay, I have a few questions:
1) How are the 1-4 Lions a top 10 team in GPA?
2) How are the Cardinals the third worst team, yet they have a winning record?
3) How are the Rams better than the Bears?
4) If this is based on expectations, shouldn't the Bears be near the top as they have the best Record in the NFL and have beaten two Superbowl Favorites?
I guess I'm just confused...
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