The United States is moving on.
Zach Parise scored a power-play goal early in the third period and added an empty-net goal late and goaltender Ryan Miller recorded the shutout as the Americans defeated Switzerland 2-0 in the quarterfinals Wednesday at Canada Hockey Place.
Goalie Jonas Hiller was outstanding to keep the Swiss in it but the U.S. advanced to Friday's semifinals where it will play the winner of the Czech Republic-Finland quarterfinal.
Ryan miller was oustanding again. I would love to hear your comments.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
ESPN Tony Kornheiser Suspended For Comments
ESPN has suspended TV commentator Tony Kornheiser for remarks about fellow ESPN personality Hannah Storm, according to multiple reports Tuesday. Kornheiser, the popular host of the show "Pardon the Interruption," is known for making sports figures the subject of his humorous criticism, but in a recent show he aimed his commentary at Storm's wardrobe.
"Hannah Storm in a horrifying, horrifying outfit today," Kornheiser said. "She’s got on red go-go boots and a catholic school plaid skirt … way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now.
"She’s got on her typically very, very tight shirt. She looks like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body … I know she’s very good, and I’m not supposed to be critical of ESPN people, so I won’t … but Hannah Storm … come on now! Stop! What are you doing?"
Kornheiser opened his radio show the next day by apologizing, saying, "I apologize, unequivocally ... I'm a sarcastic, subversive guy ... I'm a troll, look at me. I have no right to insult what anybody looks like or what anybody wears. That, I think, should go without saying."
SportsByBrooks reported the suspension will be for three days.
The 61-year-old Kornheiser -- a former columnist for the Washington Post and broadcaster for ESPN's Monday Night Football telecasts -- has hosted PTI since 2001.
"Hannah Storm in a horrifying, horrifying outfit today," Kornheiser said. "She’s got on red go-go boots and a catholic school plaid skirt … way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now.
"She’s got on her typically very, very tight shirt. She looks like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body … I know she’s very good, and I’m not supposed to be critical of ESPN people, so I won’t … but Hannah Storm … come on now! Stop! What are you doing?"
Kornheiser opened his radio show the next day by apologizing, saying, "I apologize, unequivocally ... I'm a sarcastic, subversive guy ... I'm a troll, look at me. I have no right to insult what anybody looks like or what anybody wears. That, I think, should go without saying."
SportsByBrooks reported the suspension will be for three days.
The 61-year-old Kornheiser -- a former columnist for the Washington Post and broadcaster for ESPN's Monday Night Football telecasts -- has hosted PTI since 2001.
Monday, February 22, 2010
U.S Hockey Team, Ryan Miller earned big 5-3 win over Canada
Bode Miller and the United States hockey team combined to make it a happy day at the Vancouver Olympics for the neighbors to the south, first winning the men's super-combined ski race and then dealing host Canada a surprising loss in the country's favorite sport.
Much of Canada stopped to watch the preliminary round hockey game against the Americans, but the hosts were left disappointed after a 5-3 loss and now their team needs to win an additional game just to make the quarterfinals. The United States, however, is poised to go into the next round as top-seeded team.
In an early game, Russia beat the Czech Republic 4-2. Defending Olympic champion Sweden faces rival Finland in the late game.
Earlier in the day, four-time Olympic medalist Miller finally earned a gold to complete his collection of jewelry from the Vancouver Games. After finishing seventh in the downhill run of the two-leg super-combi, Miller went all out in the slalom and bettered main rival Ivica Kostelic of Croatia with a winning time of 2 minutes, 44.92 seconds.
"I skied with 100 percent heart. I didn't hold anything back," Miller said. "It's just awesome. There's nothing else to say."
Miller had been the most hyped athlete of the 2006 Turin Games, but left Italy empty-handed. Now, with expectations much lower, the 32-year-old American won a gold medal to add to the silver and bronze he has already claimed in the first two races in Whistler.
Andre Lange of Germany became the first driver with four Olympic gold medals after winning the two-man bobsled event. He and longtime brakeman Kevin Kuske completed their four runs in 3:26.65.
Lange, the defending Olympic champion in two- and four-man, surpassed Meinhard Nehmer of Germany for the most bobsled golds. Lange also won the four-man event at the 2002 Salt Lake Games.
"This has been a long career for me, many years of fighting and hoping, racing and medals, which is now nearly over," Lange said. "For me it's a really happy end. I didn't really expect to win here."
In biathlon, World Cup leader Evgeny Ustyugov of Russia won the men's 15-kilometer mass start race. Ustyugov shot cleanly and finished in 35:35.7. Also, Magdalena Neuner of Germany won the women's 12.5K mass start for her second gold medal of the Vancouver Games.
"I knew I could win a medal, but now I have three," said Neuner, who also won the 10K pursuit on Tuesday and took silver in the 7.5K sprint in her first Olympics. "That's incredible."
Ireen Wust of the Netherlands turned her bronze from Turin to gold in Vancouver by winning the women's 1,500-meter speedskating race, and Michael Schmid of Switzerland won the inaugural Olympic men's skicross event.
Miller also won two silver medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, and his fifth Olympic medal overall added to his status as the most decorated American Alpine skier in history.
"The way I executed, the way I skied, is something I'll be proud of the rest of my life," Miller said.
Kostelic took silver behind Miller and Silvan Zurbriggen of Switzerland claimed bronze. Aksel Lund Svindal, who won gold in the super-G and silver in the downhill, led the super-combi after the opening leg, but he skied out of the slalom leg.
"I think slalom skiers for sure wouldn't have a great chance if the slalom course was simple," Kostelic said. "The setting was quite demanding, but not as demanding as it could be. But demanding enough so that the slalom skiers could make up time."
The mother of Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette died Sunday, two days before Rochette is to begin competition. She still plans to compete, and practiced only a few hours after hearing the news.
In curling, Canada's women's team beat the United States 9-2 to stay unbeaten, and Britain skip Eve Muirhead pounded a stone in frustration after giving up a four-spot to Switzerland in a 10-6 shortened nine end loss. It was Britain's third straight loss following a promising Olympic start.
Much of Canada stopped to watch the preliminary round hockey game against the Americans, but the hosts were left disappointed after a 5-3 loss and now their team needs to win an additional game just to make the quarterfinals. The United States, however, is poised to go into the next round as top-seeded team.
In an early game, Russia beat the Czech Republic 4-2. Defending Olympic champion Sweden faces rival Finland in the late game.
Earlier in the day, four-time Olympic medalist Miller finally earned a gold to complete his collection of jewelry from the Vancouver Games. After finishing seventh in the downhill run of the two-leg super-combi, Miller went all out in the slalom and bettered main rival Ivica Kostelic of Croatia with a winning time of 2 minutes, 44.92 seconds.
"I skied with 100 percent heart. I didn't hold anything back," Miller said. "It's just awesome. There's nothing else to say."
Miller had been the most hyped athlete of the 2006 Turin Games, but left Italy empty-handed. Now, with expectations much lower, the 32-year-old American won a gold medal to add to the silver and bronze he has already claimed in the first two races in Whistler.
Andre Lange of Germany became the first driver with four Olympic gold medals after winning the two-man bobsled event. He and longtime brakeman Kevin Kuske completed their four runs in 3:26.65.
Lange, the defending Olympic champion in two- and four-man, surpassed Meinhard Nehmer of Germany for the most bobsled golds. Lange also won the four-man event at the 2002 Salt Lake Games.
"This has been a long career for me, many years of fighting and hoping, racing and medals, which is now nearly over," Lange said. "For me it's a really happy end. I didn't really expect to win here."
In biathlon, World Cup leader Evgeny Ustyugov of Russia won the men's 15-kilometer mass start race. Ustyugov shot cleanly and finished in 35:35.7. Also, Magdalena Neuner of Germany won the women's 12.5K mass start for her second gold medal of the Vancouver Games.
"I knew I could win a medal, but now I have three," said Neuner, who also won the 10K pursuit on Tuesday and took silver in the 7.5K sprint in her first Olympics. "That's incredible."
Ireen Wust of the Netherlands turned her bronze from Turin to gold in Vancouver by winning the women's 1,500-meter speedskating race, and Michael Schmid of Switzerland won the inaugural Olympic men's skicross event.
Miller also won two silver medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, and his fifth Olympic medal overall added to his status as the most decorated American Alpine skier in history.
"The way I executed, the way I skied, is something I'll be proud of the rest of my life," Miller said.
Kostelic took silver behind Miller and Silvan Zurbriggen of Switzerland claimed bronze. Aksel Lund Svindal, who won gold in the super-G and silver in the downhill, led the super-combi after the opening leg, but he skied out of the slalom leg.
"I think slalom skiers for sure wouldn't have a great chance if the slalom course was simple," Kostelic said. "The setting was quite demanding, but not as demanding as it could be. But demanding enough so that the slalom skiers could make up time."
The mother of Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette died Sunday, two days before Rochette is to begin competition. She still plans to compete, and practiced only a few hours after hearing the news.
In curling, Canada's women's team beat the United States 9-2 to stay unbeaten, and Britain skip Eve Muirhead pounded a stone in frustration after giving up a four-spot to Switzerland in a 10-6 shortened nine end loss. It was Britain's third straight loss following a promising Olympic start.
U.S. Hockey Team Upsets Favorite Canada 5-3
VANCOUVER, British Columbia | The Americans didn’t believe in miracles. They just believed.
And they pulled off their biggest Olympic hockey upset since the 1980 Miracle on Ice, stunning Canada 5-3 on Sunday and advancing to the quarterfinals of an already mixed-up tournament.
Brian Rafalski scored two goals, Ryan Miller held off a flurry of shots, and the Americans quieted a raucous, pro-Canada crowd that came to cheer its dream team, only to see it upstaged by a bunch of unproven kids.
The underrated Americans were faster, more disciplined and more determined than Canada’s collection of all-stars.
Better, too.
“We know we can beat anybody now,” Rafalski said.
Canada outshot the United States 45-23 yet couldn’t beat Miller, the goalie the Americans thought could best stand up to all of Canada’s might. He did just that, making 42 saves in the victory of a lifetime.
“It’s probably one of the biggest games I’ve ever played,” Miller said. “When things happened, we responded. We didn’t get nervous or anxious. We kept playing.”
When Ryan Kesler scored in the final minute, the few U.S. fans who managed to get seats proudly waved their American flags, all their red, white and blue suddenly visible.
“You look up and everything’s red and white — so few American flags” at the start, said U.S. coach Ron Wilson, who also led the 1996 team that upset Canada in the World Cup. “We expected a hostile environment. The intensity of the game helped, too.”
Depending on the later Finland-Sweden game that concluded hockey’s Super Sunday in Vancouver, the United States could go into Wednesday’s quarterfinals not only as a group winner but as the top-seeded team, something almost no one predicted when the tournament began.
Canada, the gold-medal favorite, was expected to coast into the medal round. But now, after nearly losing to Switzerland and being outplayed on home ice by the Americans, it must win a play-in game Tuesday to reach the quarterfinal round.
“Just like everybody in this tournament, we’re playing to survive,” Canada coach Mike Babcock said. “If you lose, you go home.”
The Canadians still could win a gold medal but now face a much tougher road.
“We’re here to be the last ones standing, and we’re still alive,” Canadian goalie Martin Brodeur.
And they pulled off their biggest Olympic hockey upset since the 1980 Miracle on Ice, stunning Canada 5-3 on Sunday and advancing to the quarterfinals of an already mixed-up tournament.
Brian Rafalski scored two goals, Ryan Miller held off a flurry of shots, and the Americans quieted a raucous, pro-Canada crowd that came to cheer its dream team, only to see it upstaged by a bunch of unproven kids.
The underrated Americans were faster, more disciplined and more determined than Canada’s collection of all-stars.
Better, too.
“We know we can beat anybody now,” Rafalski said.
Canada outshot the United States 45-23 yet couldn’t beat Miller, the goalie the Americans thought could best stand up to all of Canada’s might. He did just that, making 42 saves in the victory of a lifetime.
“It’s probably one of the biggest games I’ve ever played,” Miller said. “When things happened, we responded. We didn’t get nervous or anxious. We kept playing.”
When Ryan Kesler scored in the final minute, the few U.S. fans who managed to get seats proudly waved their American flags, all their red, white and blue suddenly visible.
“You look up and everything’s red and white — so few American flags” at the start, said U.S. coach Ron Wilson, who also led the 1996 team that upset Canada in the World Cup. “We expected a hostile environment. The intensity of the game helped, too.”
Depending on the later Finland-Sweden game that concluded hockey’s Super Sunday in Vancouver, the United States could go into Wednesday’s quarterfinals not only as a group winner but as the top-seeded team, something almost no one predicted when the tournament began.
Canada, the gold-medal favorite, was expected to coast into the medal round. But now, after nearly losing to Switzerland and being outplayed on home ice by the Americans, it must win a play-in game Tuesday to reach the quarterfinal round.
“Just like everybody in this tournament, we’re playing to survive,” Canada coach Mike Babcock said. “If you lose, you go home.”
The Canadians still could win a gold medal but now face a much tougher road.
“We’re here to be the last ones standing, and we’re still alive,” Canadian goalie Martin Brodeur.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Antonio Cromartie has Seven Kids With Six Different Women
Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie is past due on about $25,000 in child support after missing his Feb. 1 payment due date for several of his children, an attorney for the mother of one of his children says. Cromartie, 25, has at least seven children with six different women in five states. The timeliness of his child support payments has been an ongoing concern to the mothers, court records show. An attorney for one of the mothers recently filed a document in San Diego Superior Court that prevents him from buying or selling any property without first making sure he’s current on his child support. That mother is owed $3,500 monthly for his 2-year-old daughter. All of the children are under 6.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Buffalo Bills Right Tackle Brad Butler Retires
The news comes as a surprise to the Bills after the 26-year-old Butler just completed only his fourth NFL season.
Butler majored in government studies at Virginia, and spent the 2008 offseason interning at Kemp Partners in Washington DC with former and late Bills quarterback and congressman Jack Kemp.
"My passion for education, country and community is something that I am ready to devote my full attention to," he said in a statement released by the team. "I believe the best way to pursue these spheres of interest is to step away from the game of football at this point in my life."
Butler started all but two of the 33 career games he played in after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 draft. He was limited to just two games in 2009 after sustaining a serious knee injury in Week 2 against Tampa Bay.
Butler majored in government studies at Virginia, and spent the 2008 offseason interning at Kemp Partners in Washington DC with former and late Bills quarterback and congressman Jack Kemp.
"My passion for education, country and community is something that I am ready to devote my full attention to," he said in a statement released by the team. "I believe the best way to pursue these spheres of interest is to step away from the game of football at this point in my life."
Butler started all but two of the 33 career games he played in after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 draft. He was limited to just two games in 2009 after sustaining a serious knee injury in Week 2 against Tampa Bay.
Tiger Woods Apologizes "Cry Me A River"
The ritual celebrity apology: We've seen it time and again, from Kanye West to Mark Sanford to John Edwards to Mel Gibson to Mark McGwire. And now it's Tiger Woods' turn.
Only this time there will be no Oprah, no Leno, no "Nightline" -- no inquisitor at all, just a single camera, some unidentified friends and a handful of reporters, unable to ask questions. Woods is gambling that his words and charisma can achieve the public redemption that he sorely needs.
"The whole world has been waiting for three long months," says Laura Ries, who heads a brand strategy firm in Atlanta. "And the longer he's postponed it, the bigger it's become."
Media organizations are naturally angry that Woods, who until now has only issued a written apology, is refusing questions. They see it as the same old Tiger -- the Tiger who always played by his own rules when it came to the media, stage-managing the carefully selected appearances he made.
Yet many others can understand why he's handling his public confession this way.
"He's not stupid," says sports psychologist Mitchell Abrams. "At least this way no one can stump him -- he'll only be saying what his PR people have already vetted."
But the whole approach could backfire, notes Rick Burton, a communications professor who specializes in sports marketing.
"He's trying to control the moment, but the problem is that by not having a dialogue where he can look into someone's eyes, he's going to continue to seem impersonal," says Burton. "It's Communications 101 -- you tell your story in a personal way. But clearly his advisers, family and friends think this is the way to go."
Besides, the media will spin the story the way they see it, adds Burton, of Syracuse University. "Tiger may think that just by looking into the camera he'll be speaking directly to the public, but the reality is that the media is going to interpret his communication.
"And so right away, Tiger has lost control."
Journalists may be irate, but the public may not notice or even care that there will be no give and take with the world's best golfer. Experts agree it all depends on what he says -- and even more importantly, how he says it.
First, Woods needs to be contrite -- genuinely, unmistakably contrite -- not to mention humble, and visibly aware of what he's done both to his image and his marriage, says John Sweeney, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's journalism school. And much of that has to do with the nonverbal cues Woods gives.
"Look, people have been waiting for this for a long time," says Sweeney, who is director of sports communication at the school. "They're going to be looking into his eyes tomorrow. If he can convey true, heartfelt remorse with the one camera available, then he has a chance at getting back the incredible good will fans had for him.
"But if they see the old Tiger -- the one who gives an impersonal statement and then is outta there -- then it'll just be another slam against his brand," Sweeney says. "If he mishandles this, some people are just gonna walk away thinking, 'You kept us waiting months, for this? You put your wife through tabloid hell, for this?"
Indeed, one nonverbal cue that would help Woods enormously Friday would be the presence of his wife, Elin.
"Obviously the best-case scenario is that she's there, in the front row," says Ries. "Of course it can be painful to watch, as it was with Eliot Spitzer's wife," she says. "But having the wife there says a lot. If she can forgive him, why not everyone else?"
So what precisely should a contrite Woods say? Enough to answer the most pressing questions, but not TOO much about the sordid recent past, some say.
"I don't want to hear too many details about sex addiction," says Ries, president of the Ries and Ries branding firm. "I don't need to hear anything New Agey either. But he needs to give us the State of the Union of Tiger. And he needs to talk about golf, too. Is he going back? When, exactly? People want to know that he has a future ahead of him, that he's not some randy frat boy but a champion who wants to focus on golf and his family."
And while he's talking about that, make sure it's not too polished, offers Pauline Wallin, a psychologist who deals with impulsive behavior.
"The less rehearsed the better," says Wallin. "He needs to be authentic. If he stumbles on his words, people will believe it more -- a little bit of rambling might help, too."
And another thing, Wallin adds: "He still needs to go on a talk show. The public expects that now. You do something wrong, you go on a talk show."
To some, it won't matter much what Woods says or how he says it. Any apology will have a false ring to it, says ethics columnist Randy Cohen, because the evidence shows that Woods clearly enjoyed what he was doing -- so much that he did it again and again and again.
"So what is this apology, other than a relentless pursuit of self-interest?" Cohen asks. "He hopes his wife will come back, that he can play golf again and make money again. But it will be hard to be persuaded that he's changed his view of anything, other than he regrets getting caught."
But from a strategic point of view, will the apology work? "Probably," Cohen laughs. "In our country we love this cycle of sin, confession mixed with remorse, readmission to society, repeat as needed. We have songs about it. You sin on Saturday night, confess on Sunday morning, and you're back at it the next Saturday night."
As a society, we may need the ritual apology -- in any case, we certainly won't be able to resist watching it.
But we mustn't forget, notes Abrams, the psychologist, that we're not the ones who really deserve the apology in the first place.
"There's a family we should be thinking about," says Abrams. "A real family, with children, and their future is in the balance. I hope for their sake that they work this out. And they shouldn't have to do it in public."
Only this time there will be no Oprah, no Leno, no "Nightline" -- no inquisitor at all, just a single camera, some unidentified friends and a handful of reporters, unable to ask questions. Woods is gambling that his words and charisma can achieve the public redemption that he sorely needs.
"The whole world has been waiting for three long months," says Laura Ries, who heads a brand strategy firm in Atlanta. "And the longer he's postponed it, the bigger it's become."
Media organizations are naturally angry that Woods, who until now has only issued a written apology, is refusing questions. They see it as the same old Tiger -- the Tiger who always played by his own rules when it came to the media, stage-managing the carefully selected appearances he made.
Yet many others can understand why he's handling his public confession this way.
"He's not stupid," says sports psychologist Mitchell Abrams. "At least this way no one can stump him -- he'll only be saying what his PR people have already vetted."
But the whole approach could backfire, notes Rick Burton, a communications professor who specializes in sports marketing.
"He's trying to control the moment, but the problem is that by not having a dialogue where he can look into someone's eyes, he's going to continue to seem impersonal," says Burton. "It's Communications 101 -- you tell your story in a personal way. But clearly his advisers, family and friends think this is the way to go."
Besides, the media will spin the story the way they see it, adds Burton, of Syracuse University. "Tiger may think that just by looking into the camera he'll be speaking directly to the public, but the reality is that the media is going to interpret his communication.
"And so right away, Tiger has lost control."
Journalists may be irate, but the public may not notice or even care that there will be no give and take with the world's best golfer. Experts agree it all depends on what he says -- and even more importantly, how he says it.
First, Woods needs to be contrite -- genuinely, unmistakably contrite -- not to mention humble, and visibly aware of what he's done both to his image and his marriage, says John Sweeney, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's journalism school. And much of that has to do with the nonverbal cues Woods gives.
"Look, people have been waiting for this for a long time," says Sweeney, who is director of sports communication at the school. "They're going to be looking into his eyes tomorrow. If he can convey true, heartfelt remorse with the one camera available, then he has a chance at getting back the incredible good will fans had for him.
"But if they see the old Tiger -- the one who gives an impersonal statement and then is outta there -- then it'll just be another slam against his brand," Sweeney says. "If he mishandles this, some people are just gonna walk away thinking, 'You kept us waiting months, for this? You put your wife through tabloid hell, for this?"
Indeed, one nonverbal cue that would help Woods enormously Friday would be the presence of his wife, Elin.
"Obviously the best-case scenario is that she's there, in the front row," says Ries. "Of course it can be painful to watch, as it was with Eliot Spitzer's wife," she says. "But having the wife there says a lot. If she can forgive him, why not everyone else?"
So what precisely should a contrite Woods say? Enough to answer the most pressing questions, but not TOO much about the sordid recent past, some say.
"I don't want to hear too many details about sex addiction," says Ries, president of the Ries and Ries branding firm. "I don't need to hear anything New Agey either. But he needs to give us the State of the Union of Tiger. And he needs to talk about golf, too. Is he going back? When, exactly? People want to know that he has a future ahead of him, that he's not some randy frat boy but a champion who wants to focus on golf and his family."
And while he's talking about that, make sure it's not too polished, offers Pauline Wallin, a psychologist who deals with impulsive behavior.
"The less rehearsed the better," says Wallin. "He needs to be authentic. If he stumbles on his words, people will believe it more -- a little bit of rambling might help, too."
And another thing, Wallin adds: "He still needs to go on a talk show. The public expects that now. You do something wrong, you go on a talk show."
To some, it won't matter much what Woods says or how he says it. Any apology will have a false ring to it, says ethics columnist Randy Cohen, because the evidence shows that Woods clearly enjoyed what he was doing -- so much that he did it again and again and again.
"So what is this apology, other than a relentless pursuit of self-interest?" Cohen asks. "He hopes his wife will come back, that he can play golf again and make money again. But it will be hard to be persuaded that he's changed his view of anything, other than he regrets getting caught."
But from a strategic point of view, will the apology work? "Probably," Cohen laughs. "In our country we love this cycle of sin, confession mixed with remorse, readmission to society, repeat as needed. We have songs about it. You sin on Saturday night, confess on Sunday morning, and you're back at it the next Saturday night."
As a society, we may need the ritual apology -- in any case, we certainly won't be able to resist watching it.
But we mustn't forget, notes Abrams, the psychologist, that we're not the ones who really deserve the apology in the first place.
"There's a family we should be thinking about," says Abrams. "A real family, with children, and their future is in the balance. I hope for their sake that they work this out. And they shouldn't have to do it in public."
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Evander Holyfield Accused Of Domestic Abuse
Former heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield has been served a restraining order after his wife says he hit her in the face.
Candi Holyfield filed the complaint against Evander saying that he became angry with her about church payments and “urged her to put god first in her life.”
She says he demanded to see check stubs of her tithes to the church and when she refused, he hit her in the head, face and back.
She also says this is not the first time he's been violent and reports other incidents of choking and hitting, sometimes in front of their children.
Evander is expected to appear in court February 18.
Candi Holyfield filed the complaint against Evander saying that he became angry with her about church payments and “urged her to put god first in her life.”
She says he demanded to see check stubs of her tithes to the church and when she refused, he hit her in the head, face and back.
She also says this is not the first time he's been violent and reports other incidents of choking and hitting, sometimes in front of their children.
Evander is expected to appear in court February 18.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sean Payton's Genius Helped New Orleans Saints Upset Indianapolis Colts 31-17
For the last four years, fans on the message board SaintsReport.com have been adding to a thread called "Write the Times-Picayune's Headline for the Day After the Saints Win the Super Bowl." The 13 pages of suggestions that piled up between 2006 and the opening kickoff of Sunday's Super Bowl XLIV—"Convoy of Snow Plows arrives in Hell!"; "Holy *Bleep*!!!"; "We Won! We Actually Won!!!"; and "New Orleans Runs Out of Liquor," to name a few—reveal that, even for the most-optimistic Saints fans, this day was unimaginable. When it actually happened—holy bleep, the Saints really, seriously won the Super Bowl 31-17 over the Indianapolis Colts—the Times-Picayune's real-life headline writers shrugged and admitted defeat. On the field, Saints coach Sean Payton held up a paper that said, simply, "World Champs." Yeah, there really are no words.
If New Orleanians couldn't picture their team winning the Lombardi Trophy, the Saints played like a team that didn't show up to lose. Head coach Sean Payton's Super Bowl philosophy, it appeared, was that it was better to look foolish than act timid. Down seven at the end of the second quarter, Payton chose to go for a touchdown on 4th and goal rather than kick an easy field goal. The Saints got stuffed. The coach's response: an onside kick to start the second half, the first in Super Bowl history before the fourth quarter. Win, lose, or lose while taking huge risks that could make you look totally ridiculous, Payton had decided the Saints would be aggressors. After an unholy mid-field scrum, New Orleans recovered that onside kick and drove for a score to take the lead. "I wasn't worried," Saints kicker Thomas Morstead said after the game about the surprise onside try, which he executed flawlessly. "I was terrified."
The Saints had good reason to be terrified of Peyton Manning. A narrow victory over Brett Favre and the Vikings in the NFC championship game revealed that the Saints' defense struggles to stop a good quarterback without a silly amount of fumbles and interceptions. In the Super Bowl, New Orleans showed there's one other way for a not-so-great defense to stop a great quarterback: Don't let him take the field. Thanks to some time-killing second quarter drives and Morstead's onside kick, the Saints kept the Colts star and New Orleans native on the bench for a shockingly long stretch in the middle of the game.
When he did get a chance to fling the ball around, Manning showed the Saints were right to play keep-away. The Colts' QB repeatedly evaded the New Orleans blitz—no "remember me shots" in this game, despite defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' promise—and zipped passes to tight end Dallas Clark. Struggling to stop the pass, the Saints' defense also couldn't get a hand on running back Joseph Addai. All that kept the Colts from running up the score in the first half was a third-down drop by a wide open Pierre Garçon.
And then, after holding the Saints on 4th and goal with less than two minutes to go, the Colts stopped themselves. Rather than let Manning try to throw the team into field goal range, Indy strangely complied with the Saints' plan to keep the NFL's most valuable player on the sidelines. After three faint-hearted running plays, the Saints had the ball back with enough time to cut their halftime deficit to 10-6 on a 44-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley.
Nonetheless, New Orleans' second half comeback wasn't solely the product of momentum or an audacious onside kick. The Saints won for the reason they usually win: Drew Brees' scary accuracy. After the 2008 season, a show called Sport Science asked Brees to throw a football at an archery target ten times; he hit the bull's-eye on all ten throws. The Saints' quarterback doesn't do much worse with huge defensive linemen trying to kill him. Brees set an NFL record this season by completing 70.6 percent of his passes. He did even better on Sunday night, completing more than 82 percent of his throws. The final stats for the deserving Super Bowl MVP: 32-39 for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Brees moved his team against a Colts defense that tackled surely and didn't allow any big plays. All year long, the Saints piled up points with long passes. In the Super Bowl, they had just two offensive plays longer than 20 yards. In today's NFL, though, there's no way to keep a good passing game down without a dominant pass rush. By the second half, Indy's star defensive end Dwight Freeney was hobbling around on his busted ankle and Brees had time to thread the ball to Pierre Thomas for 12 yards, Devery Henderson for nine, and Marques Colston for eight. Every ball was on somebody's fingertips, and the Saints receivers didn't drop anything after Colston let a ball bounce off his face in the first quarter.
Despite Brees throwing close to a perfect game, the Colts still had a 17-16 lead in the fourth quarter. In a game of huge kicks, both onside and conventional—a hat tip to Hartley, the first kicker in Super Bowl history to make three field goals of longer than 40 yards—Matt Stover's missed 51-yard field goal with 10:39 to go had the biggest effect on the outcome. Instead of giving the Colts a four-point lead, the errant kick set up the Saints at their 40-yard line—field position they'd use to drive for the game-winning touchdown.
Stover deserves no blame for missing that crucial kick—he hasn't made a 50-yard field goal since 2006. Blame Colts coach Jim Caldwell. Sure, it would've taken Sean Payton-esque chutzpah to go for it on 4th and 11 from the 33-yard line in a one-point game. But to hell with convention: When your elderly kicker has no chance of knocking it through, why have him try?
Aside from Caldwell's iffy game management, this was a Super Bowl free of all things that make football annoying. The refs kept their flags in their pockets and CBS announcers Jim Nantz and Phil Simms kept their feet out of their mouths, sticking to the on-field action rather than waxing poetic about the Saints uniting a hurricane-ravaged city. (Dishonorable mention does go to Katie Couric, who asked Brees in a pre-game interview, "Did you help save New Orleans, or did New Orleans help save you?") There was also just one contested call—a replay reversal on Lance Moore's catch for a two-point conversion—that, by comparison with your average Super Bowl imbroglio, barely qualified as controversial. (Saints fans should send black-and-gold bouquets to CBS for the copious super-slo-mo replays of Moore lunging the ball across the goal line.)
Even after Brees, Moore, and the guy in the replay booth gave the Saints a 24-17 lead, Peyton Manning still had the ball with a chance to tie the score. Manning trails just Dan Marino in come-from-behind fourth quarter victories, and the Colts had seven such wins this season. One of those comebacks came when Patriots coach Bill Belichick—showing confidence, or boldness, or stupidity—chose to go for it on fourth down from inside his own 30-yard line rather than willingly put the ball in Manning's hands.
On Sunday night, the Saints had no choice but to let the comeback king do his thing. The thing Manning did, shockingly, was seal the Super Bowl for his hometown Saints. On 3rd and 5 from the Saints' 31, Manning threw a quick slant to Reggie Wayne. It's a play the Colts have run a million times, one that's impossible to defend when a receiver and quarterback hit their marks. This time, the Colts went 0-for-2. Wayne appeared to slip and didn't make a sharp break on the ball. Manning, maybe too eager to stick with an old, reliable play call, didn't notice that Tracy Porter—the Saints cornerback who picked off Favre to save the NFC championship game and came out for Super Bowl XLIV with the Superdome and the Lombardi Trophy shaved into the side of his head—had the route sussed out. Porter jumped in front of Wayne, caught the ball in full stride, and streaked 74 yards for the game's final points. "I'm sure when Peyton Manning was growing up he always wanted to throw the TD pass that gave the Saints a Super Bowl win," ESPN the Magazine's Jorge Arangure wrote after the game. "Now he has."
For a team that went two full decades without a winning season and had just two all-time playoff wins before 2010, this ridiculous ending was just as plausible as any. When the game was over, I tried to call home and couldn't get through to anyone for 15 minutes. "All circuits are busy"—that is, everyone who knows what it means to miss New Orleans was dying to find out what they were missing. When I managed to reach a friend who'd been watching the game in the French Quarter, he told me that all the folks in Brees jerseys had sprinted full out for Bourbon Street after the final horn. Once everybody was smashed together, dancing on cars and screaming "Who dat!", there was no doubt it had really happened. We won! We actually won!!!
If New Orleanians couldn't picture their team winning the Lombardi Trophy, the Saints played like a team that didn't show up to lose. Head coach Sean Payton's Super Bowl philosophy, it appeared, was that it was better to look foolish than act timid. Down seven at the end of the second quarter, Payton chose to go for a touchdown on 4th and goal rather than kick an easy field goal. The Saints got stuffed. The coach's response: an onside kick to start the second half, the first in Super Bowl history before the fourth quarter. Win, lose, or lose while taking huge risks that could make you look totally ridiculous, Payton had decided the Saints would be aggressors. After an unholy mid-field scrum, New Orleans recovered that onside kick and drove for a score to take the lead. "I wasn't worried," Saints kicker Thomas Morstead said after the game about the surprise onside try, which he executed flawlessly. "I was terrified."
The Saints had good reason to be terrified of Peyton Manning. A narrow victory over Brett Favre and the Vikings in the NFC championship game revealed that the Saints' defense struggles to stop a good quarterback without a silly amount of fumbles and interceptions. In the Super Bowl, New Orleans showed there's one other way for a not-so-great defense to stop a great quarterback: Don't let him take the field. Thanks to some time-killing second quarter drives and Morstead's onside kick, the Saints kept the Colts star and New Orleans native on the bench for a shockingly long stretch in the middle of the game.
When he did get a chance to fling the ball around, Manning showed the Saints were right to play keep-away. The Colts' QB repeatedly evaded the New Orleans blitz—no "remember me shots" in this game, despite defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' promise—and zipped passes to tight end Dallas Clark. Struggling to stop the pass, the Saints' defense also couldn't get a hand on running back Joseph Addai. All that kept the Colts from running up the score in the first half was a third-down drop by a wide open Pierre Garçon.
And then, after holding the Saints on 4th and goal with less than two minutes to go, the Colts stopped themselves. Rather than let Manning try to throw the team into field goal range, Indy strangely complied with the Saints' plan to keep the NFL's most valuable player on the sidelines. After three faint-hearted running plays, the Saints had the ball back with enough time to cut their halftime deficit to 10-6 on a 44-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley.
Nonetheless, New Orleans' second half comeback wasn't solely the product of momentum or an audacious onside kick. The Saints won for the reason they usually win: Drew Brees' scary accuracy. After the 2008 season, a show called Sport Science asked Brees to throw a football at an archery target ten times; he hit the bull's-eye on all ten throws. The Saints' quarterback doesn't do much worse with huge defensive linemen trying to kill him. Brees set an NFL record this season by completing 70.6 percent of his passes. He did even better on Sunday night, completing more than 82 percent of his throws. The final stats for the deserving Super Bowl MVP: 32-39 for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Brees moved his team against a Colts defense that tackled surely and didn't allow any big plays. All year long, the Saints piled up points with long passes. In the Super Bowl, they had just two offensive plays longer than 20 yards. In today's NFL, though, there's no way to keep a good passing game down without a dominant pass rush. By the second half, Indy's star defensive end Dwight Freeney was hobbling around on his busted ankle and Brees had time to thread the ball to Pierre Thomas for 12 yards, Devery Henderson for nine, and Marques Colston for eight. Every ball was on somebody's fingertips, and the Saints receivers didn't drop anything after Colston let a ball bounce off his face in the first quarter.
Despite Brees throwing close to a perfect game, the Colts still had a 17-16 lead in the fourth quarter. In a game of huge kicks, both onside and conventional—a hat tip to Hartley, the first kicker in Super Bowl history to make three field goals of longer than 40 yards—Matt Stover's missed 51-yard field goal with 10:39 to go had the biggest effect on the outcome. Instead of giving the Colts a four-point lead, the errant kick set up the Saints at their 40-yard line—field position they'd use to drive for the game-winning touchdown.
Stover deserves no blame for missing that crucial kick—he hasn't made a 50-yard field goal since 2006. Blame Colts coach Jim Caldwell. Sure, it would've taken Sean Payton-esque chutzpah to go for it on 4th and 11 from the 33-yard line in a one-point game. But to hell with convention: When your elderly kicker has no chance of knocking it through, why have him try?
Aside from Caldwell's iffy game management, this was a Super Bowl free of all things that make football annoying. The refs kept their flags in their pockets and CBS announcers Jim Nantz and Phil Simms kept their feet out of their mouths, sticking to the on-field action rather than waxing poetic about the Saints uniting a hurricane-ravaged city. (Dishonorable mention does go to Katie Couric, who asked Brees in a pre-game interview, "Did you help save New Orleans, or did New Orleans help save you?") There was also just one contested call—a replay reversal on Lance Moore's catch for a two-point conversion—that, by comparison with your average Super Bowl imbroglio, barely qualified as controversial. (Saints fans should send black-and-gold bouquets to CBS for the copious super-slo-mo replays of Moore lunging the ball across the goal line.)
Even after Brees, Moore, and the guy in the replay booth gave the Saints a 24-17 lead, Peyton Manning still had the ball with a chance to tie the score. Manning trails just Dan Marino in come-from-behind fourth quarter victories, and the Colts had seven such wins this season. One of those comebacks came when Patriots coach Bill Belichick—showing confidence, or boldness, or stupidity—chose to go for it on fourth down from inside his own 30-yard line rather than willingly put the ball in Manning's hands.
On Sunday night, the Saints had no choice but to let the comeback king do his thing. The thing Manning did, shockingly, was seal the Super Bowl for his hometown Saints. On 3rd and 5 from the Saints' 31, Manning threw a quick slant to Reggie Wayne. It's a play the Colts have run a million times, one that's impossible to defend when a receiver and quarterback hit their marks. This time, the Colts went 0-for-2. Wayne appeared to slip and didn't make a sharp break on the ball. Manning, maybe too eager to stick with an old, reliable play call, didn't notice that Tracy Porter—the Saints cornerback who picked off Favre to save the NFC championship game and came out for Super Bowl XLIV with the Superdome and the Lombardi Trophy shaved into the side of his head—had the route sussed out. Porter jumped in front of Wayne, caught the ball in full stride, and streaked 74 yards for the game's final points. "I'm sure when Peyton Manning was growing up he always wanted to throw the TD pass that gave the Saints a Super Bowl win," ESPN the Magazine's Jorge Arangure wrote after the game. "Now he has."
For a team that went two full decades without a winning season and had just two all-time playoff wins before 2010, this ridiculous ending was just as plausible as any. When the game was over, I tried to call home and couldn't get through to anyone for 15 minutes. "All circuits are busy"—that is, everyone who knows what it means to miss New Orleans was dying to find out what they were missing. When I managed to reach a friend who'd been watching the game in the French Quarter, he told me that all the folks in Brees jerseys had sprinted full out for Bourbon Street after the final horn. Once everybody was smashed together, dancing on cars and screaming "Who dat!", there was no doubt it had really happened. We won! We actually won!!!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Warren Sapp Arrested on Domestic Violence Charge
Former Bucs and Raiders defensive lineman Warren Sapp was arrested Saturday following an alleged domestic violence incident at a Miami Beach hotel, police
Sapp was charged with one count of misdemeanor domestic battery and is expected to appear before a Miami-Dade County judge today.
Shortly after police officials confirmed the charge, NFL Network spokesman Dennis Johnson said Sapp - who is an analyst - wouldn't be part of the Super Bowl coverage for today's game.
The incident occurred early Saturday at the Shore Club hotel, according to a police news release.
The victim had a swollen knee and bruises on her neck, according to an arrest affidavit. She told detectives that she was partying with Sapp and her friends at the hotel and asked for his room key when she grew tired. Sapp reportedly woke up the victim a few hours later and they started to argue. She told investigators that Sapp started to choke her and pushed her down on a couch.
As the argument escalated, Sapp grabbed the woman by her shirt and neck and threw her down the affidavit states.
Sapp was charged with one count of misdemeanor domestic battery and is expected to appear before a Miami-Dade County judge today.
Shortly after police officials confirmed the charge, NFL Network spokesman Dennis Johnson said Sapp - who is an analyst - wouldn't be part of the Super Bowl coverage for today's game.
The incident occurred early Saturday at the Shore Club hotel, according to a police news release.
The victim had a swollen knee and bruises on her neck, according to an arrest affidavit. She told detectives that she was partying with Sapp and her friends at the hotel and asked for his room key when she grew tired. Sapp reportedly woke up the victim a few hours later and they started to argue. She told investigators that Sapp started to choke her and pushed her down on a couch.
As the argument escalated, Sapp grabbed the woman by her shirt and neck and threw her down the affidavit states.
Super Bowl 44 Gameday Edition: Indianapolis Colts vs. New Orleans Saints
FOUR IMPACT PLAYERS
Colts QB Peyton Manning For the Saints to have any chance, they have to stop Manning on third down. The Vikings were able to convert seven of 12 third-down opportunities against the Saints in the NFC title game. The Colts convert at an amazing rate of 49 percent. That's partly because of Manning's passing abilities, but also because of how he manages first and second down to create more third-and-short situations than any other team in the league.
Saints QB Drew Brees Brees didn't have a great NFC title game, but he also didn't throw the game away like Brett Favre did at the end. Brees hasn't been intercepted in 63 postseason passes. And he threw only 11 in 514 regular-season attempts. And, oh yeah, he broke an NFL record by completing 70.6 percent of his passes during the regular season. Brees threw for only 197 yards against the Vikings, but he did have three TDs. The Colts play a similar Tampa 2 defense.
Colts DE Dwight Freeney All eyes will be on the Colts pass rusher to see whether he's: A) able to play on a damaged right ankle that has a torn ligament; and B) able to play well enough to put any kind of pressure on Brees. One would have to assume Freeney will give it a try since it's the Super Bowl. If he can play well, Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod will have to deal with a player who has more sacks (89), tackles for loss (119) and forced fumbles (37) than Saints CB Jabari Greer When Greer is healthy, which he finally is now, the Saints' pass defense is much better. He did a decent job containing the Vikings' Sidney Rice in the NFC title game. Sunday, he'll be matched up with Reggie Wayne, who caught 100 passes, including 10 for TDs, during the regular season. Wayne was shut down in the AFC title game by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Manning would like to go back to Wayne but doesn't have a problem spreading it around. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon combined for 18 catches and 274 yards and two TDs against the Jets.
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
Protecting the passer For the first time in years, the Super Bowl features the two best teams with the two best quarterbacks in the league. Protecting them will be the key to victory. The Colts' Peyton Manning was sacked a career-low 10 times during the regular season but has gone down four times in two playoff games. Brees' accuracy and aggressiveness down the field depend heavily on good protection. The Vikings disrupted his rhythm some in the NFC title game. The Colts can do the same if Dwight Freeney is healthy.
Control the ball Neither team is built around running the football. But the Saints are better equipped with a more physical offensive line and the diverse running styles of the more powerful Pierre Thomas, the elusive Reggie Bush and the short-yardage efficiency of Mike Bell and Lynell Hamilton. Limiting Manning's number of possessions is the best way to beat him, although it's not a foolproof method for success, as the Dolphins found out early in the season. The Colts offensive line is built for one thing -- to protect Manning. Indy was last in the league in rushing (80.9), but Manning is talented enough to control the ball with the passing game.
It's the turnovers, stupid Most of this other stuff won't end up meaning squat if the turnover bug bites. Two weeks ago, the Vikings dominated the Saints in every statistical category but lost in overtime because they turned the ball over five times. One of the main reasons the Saints are playing Sunday is takeaways. They were second in the league with 39 this season. They also were third in turnover differential (plus-11), while the Colts were tied for 13th at plus-2.
Saints CB Jabari Greer When Greer is healthy, which he finally is now, the Saints' pass defense is much better. He did a decent job containing the Vikings' Sidney Rice in the NFC title game. Sunday, he'll be matched up with Reggie Wayne, who caught 100 passes, including 10 for TDs, during the regular season. Wayne was shut down in the AFC title game by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Manning would like to go back to Wayne but doesn't have a problem spreading it around. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon combined for 18 catches and 274 yards and two TDs against the Jets.
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
Protecting the passer For the first time in years, the Super Bowl features the two best teams with the two best quarterbacks in the league. Protecting them will be the key to victory. The Colts' Peyton Manning was sacked a career-low 10 times during the regular season but has gone down four times in two playoff games. Brees' accuracy and aggressiveness down the field depend heavily on good protection. The Vikings disrupted his rhythm some in the NFC title game. The Colts can do the same if Dwight Freeney is healthy.
Control the ball Neither team is built around running the football. But the Saints are better equipped with a more physical offensive line and the diverse running styles of the more powerful Pierre Thomas, the elusive Reggie Bush and the short-yardage efficiency of Mike Bell and Lynell Hamilton. Limiting Manning's number of possessions is the best way to beat him, although it's not a foolproof method for success, as the Dolphins found out early in the season. The Colts offensive line is built for one thing -- to protect Manning. Indy was last in the league in rushing (80.9), but Manning is talented enough to control the ball with the passing game.
It's the turnovers, stupid Most of this other stuff won't end up meaning squat if the turnover bug bites. Two weeks ago, the Vikings dominated the Saints in every statistical category but lost in overtime because they turned the ball over five times. One of the main reasons the Saints are playing Sunday is takeaways. They were second in the league with 39 this season. They also were third in turnover differential (plus-11), while the Colts were tied for 13th at plus-2.
Saints RB Pierre Thomas Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and the Saints receivers typically get most of the publicity. But the Saints have a better chance of winning if Thomas has the kind of game he had against the Vikings. It wasn't a huge game, but he had 14 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown, two catches for 38 yards and a touchdown, and a 40-yard kickoff return in overtime that set up a short drive to the game-winning field goal.
Colts special teamer Ramon Humber Bush is one of the league's most-feared punt returners. Humber is a rookie free agent from North Dakota State and Champlin Park High. They may be on different pay levels, but Humber will play a big role in trying to contain Bush, as well as the Saints' sneaky-good kickoff returners. Humber, a 5-11, 232-pound linebacker, led the Colts in special teams tackles with 17 this season.
ONE BOLD PREDICTION
The Saints and New Orleans are the feel-good story. The story everyone outside of Indiana wants to see as the storybook ending to this season. This is their first Super Bowl in their 43-year existence. It's a city still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina 4 1/2 years ago. The Saints and New Orleans are simply impossible to hate. But sorry, Big Easy, the Colts will win. Peyton Manning will not have one of those Bad Brett moments. In fact, I think he'll have his way with the Saints defense and win by double digits. Colts 41, Saints 31
Colts QB Peyton Manning For the Saints to have any chance, they have to stop Manning on third down. The Vikings were able to convert seven of 12 third-down opportunities against the Saints in the NFC title game. The Colts convert at an amazing rate of 49 percent. That's partly because of Manning's passing abilities, but also because of how he manages first and second down to create more third-and-short situations than any other team in the league.
Saints QB Drew Brees Brees didn't have a great NFC title game, but he also didn't throw the game away like Brett Favre did at the end. Brees hasn't been intercepted in 63 postseason passes. And he threw only 11 in 514 regular-season attempts. And, oh yeah, he broke an NFL record by completing 70.6 percent of his passes during the regular season. Brees threw for only 197 yards against the Vikings, but he did have three TDs. The Colts play a similar Tampa 2 defense.
Colts DE Dwight Freeney All eyes will be on the Colts pass rusher to see whether he's: A) able to play on a damaged right ankle that has a torn ligament; and B) able to play well enough to put any kind of pressure on Brees. One would have to assume Freeney will give it a try since it's the Super Bowl. If he can play well, Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod will have to deal with a player who has more sacks (89), tackles for loss (119) and forced fumbles (37) than Saints CB Jabari Greer When Greer is healthy, which he finally is now, the Saints' pass defense is much better. He did a decent job containing the Vikings' Sidney Rice in the NFC title game. Sunday, he'll be matched up with Reggie Wayne, who caught 100 passes, including 10 for TDs, during the regular season. Wayne was shut down in the AFC title game by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Manning would like to go back to Wayne but doesn't have a problem spreading it around. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon combined for 18 catches and 274 yards and two TDs against the Jets.
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
Protecting the passer For the first time in years, the Super Bowl features the two best teams with the two best quarterbacks in the league. Protecting them will be the key to victory. The Colts' Peyton Manning was sacked a career-low 10 times during the regular season but has gone down four times in two playoff games. Brees' accuracy and aggressiveness down the field depend heavily on good protection. The Vikings disrupted his rhythm some in the NFC title game. The Colts can do the same if Dwight Freeney is healthy.
Control the ball Neither team is built around running the football. But the Saints are better equipped with a more physical offensive line and the diverse running styles of the more powerful Pierre Thomas, the elusive Reggie Bush and the short-yardage efficiency of Mike Bell and Lynell Hamilton. Limiting Manning's number of possessions is the best way to beat him, although it's not a foolproof method for success, as the Dolphins found out early in the season. The Colts offensive line is built for one thing -- to protect Manning. Indy was last in the league in rushing (80.9), but Manning is talented enough to control the ball with the passing game.
It's the turnovers, stupid Most of this other stuff won't end up meaning squat if the turnover bug bites. Two weeks ago, the Vikings dominated the Saints in every statistical category but lost in overtime because they turned the ball over five times. One of the main reasons the Saints are playing Sunday is takeaways. They were second in the league with 39 this season. They also were third in turnover differential (plus-11), while the Colts were tied for 13th at plus-2.
Saints CB Jabari Greer When Greer is healthy, which he finally is now, the Saints' pass defense is much better. He did a decent job containing the Vikings' Sidney Rice in the NFC title game. Sunday, he'll be matched up with Reggie Wayne, who caught 100 passes, including 10 for TDs, during the regular season. Wayne was shut down in the AFC title game by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Manning would like to go back to Wayne but doesn't have a problem spreading it around. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon combined for 18 catches and 274 yards and two TDs against the Jets.
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
Protecting the passer For the first time in years, the Super Bowl features the two best teams with the two best quarterbacks in the league. Protecting them will be the key to victory. The Colts' Peyton Manning was sacked a career-low 10 times during the regular season but has gone down four times in two playoff games. Brees' accuracy and aggressiveness down the field depend heavily on good protection. The Vikings disrupted his rhythm some in the NFC title game. The Colts can do the same if Dwight Freeney is healthy.
Control the ball Neither team is built around running the football. But the Saints are better equipped with a more physical offensive line and the diverse running styles of the more powerful Pierre Thomas, the elusive Reggie Bush and the short-yardage efficiency of Mike Bell and Lynell Hamilton. Limiting Manning's number of possessions is the best way to beat him, although it's not a foolproof method for success, as the Dolphins found out early in the season. The Colts offensive line is built for one thing -- to protect Manning. Indy was last in the league in rushing (80.9), but Manning is talented enough to control the ball with the passing game.
It's the turnovers, stupid Most of this other stuff won't end up meaning squat if the turnover bug bites. Two weeks ago, the Vikings dominated the Saints in every statistical category but lost in overtime because they turned the ball over five times. One of the main reasons the Saints are playing Sunday is takeaways. They were second in the league with 39 this season. They also were third in turnover differential (plus-11), while the Colts were tied for 13th at plus-2.
Saints RB Pierre Thomas Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and the Saints receivers typically get most of the publicity. But the Saints have a better chance of winning if Thomas has the kind of game he had against the Vikings. It wasn't a huge game, but he had 14 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown, two catches for 38 yards and a touchdown, and a 40-yard kickoff return in overtime that set up a short drive to the game-winning field goal.
Colts special teamer Ramon Humber Bush is one of the league's most-feared punt returners. Humber is a rookie free agent from North Dakota State and Champlin Park High. They may be on different pay levels, but Humber will play a big role in trying to contain Bush, as well as the Saints' sneaky-good kickoff returners. Humber, a 5-11, 232-pound linebacker, led the Colts in special teams tackles with 17 this season.
ONE BOLD PREDICTION
The Saints and New Orleans are the feel-good story. The story everyone outside of Indiana wants to see as the storybook ending to this season. This is their first Super Bowl in their 43-year existence. It's a city still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina 4 1/2 years ago. The Saints and New Orleans are simply impossible to hate. But sorry, Big Easy, the Colts will win. Peyton Manning will not have one of those Bad Brett moments. In fact, I think he'll have his way with the Saints defense and win by double digits. Colts 41, Saints 31
UFC 109 RESULTS RANDY COUTURE BEATS MARK COLEMAN, SERRA KO'S TRIGG
UFC 109: Relentless, which served as the company’s annual Super Bowl weekend event, featured two intriguing veteran showcases.
The opening match was a battle of welterweights, pitting Matt Serra against Frank Trigg. Both had recently lost to more powerful opponents–Serra to Matt Hughes, Trigg to Josh Koscheck–so a win would prove crucial. Which fighter proved he was up for the challenge?
The main event featured UFC Hall of Famers Randy Couture and Mark Coleman doing battle at 205. With Couture and Coleman both coming off victories against younger fighters, the two had previously proven that they both should be taken seriously–but who would emerge most deserving of a credible reputation?
UFC 109 was not, however, merely a “senior league” event. The card also featured Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen in a match that was to determine the number one contender to the Middleweight Championship, Paulo Thiago vs. Mike Swick in a meeting of two dangerous welterweights and Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller in a middleweight clash of redemption.
Quick results follow:
Joey Beltran b. Rolles Gracie via TKO (strikes) at 1:31 of Round Two
Chris Tuchscherer b. Tim Hague via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
Phil Davis b. Brian Stann via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Robert Emerson b. Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Melvin Guillard b. Ronys Torres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mac Danzig b. Justin Buchholz via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Matt Serra b. Frank Trigg via KO (punches) at 2:23 of Round One
Demian Maia b. Dan Miller via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Paulo Thiago b. Mike Swick via submission (D’arce choke) at 1:54 of Round Two
Chael Sonnen b. Nate Marquardt via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Randy Couture b. Mark Coleman via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:09 of Round Two
The opening match was a battle of welterweights, pitting Matt Serra against Frank Trigg. Both had recently lost to more powerful opponents–Serra to Matt Hughes, Trigg to Josh Koscheck–so a win would prove crucial. Which fighter proved he was up for the challenge?
The main event featured UFC Hall of Famers Randy Couture and Mark Coleman doing battle at 205. With Couture and Coleman both coming off victories against younger fighters, the two had previously proven that they both should be taken seriously–but who would emerge most deserving of a credible reputation?
UFC 109 was not, however, merely a “senior league” event. The card also featured Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen in a match that was to determine the number one contender to the Middleweight Championship, Paulo Thiago vs. Mike Swick in a meeting of two dangerous welterweights and Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller in a middleweight clash of redemption.
Quick results follow:
Joey Beltran b. Rolles Gracie via TKO (strikes) at 1:31 of Round Two
Chris Tuchscherer b. Tim Hague via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
Phil Davis b. Brian Stann via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Robert Emerson b. Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Melvin Guillard b. Ronys Torres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mac Danzig b. Justin Buchholz via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Matt Serra b. Frank Trigg via KO (punches) at 2:23 of Round One
Demian Maia b. Dan Miller via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Paulo Thiago b. Mike Swick via submission (D’arce choke) at 1:54 of Round Two
Chael Sonnen b. Nate Marquardt via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Randy Couture b. Mark Coleman via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:09 of Round Two
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Peyton Manning The Greatest Quarterback Of All-Time
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Best quarterback ever?
The debate is eternal, as there is an element of chocolate, vanilla or butter pecan to it. Which do you like better? The question is personal and subjective and, really, impossible to answer incorrectly.
You can say Joe Montana or John Elway. Go old school with Otto Graham. Be a renegade with Dan Marino. Maybe Johnny U does it for you. An argument can be made for Brett Favre. And Tom Brady has his backers.
But Peyton Manning keeps giving those of us who believe he is No. 1 more and more cannon balls for our fights.
Some say Manning has to come away with another Super Bowl victory Sunday before he can wear the quarterback crown. But others of us have seen enough already.
Manning is only 33, and already he has thrown for more touchdown passes than all but two players. He was won more most valuable player awards — four — than anyone, ever. He is fourth in passing yards and fourth in victories as a starter. If he plays another five years (and if Favre ever retires), Manning will have virtually every significant record in the book.
But records and awards can't come close to explaining how efficient he is, how much of a leader he is and just how many things he does to help his team win. There is no way to measure what he did this season, winning 14 games without two of his top three wide receivers from a year ago while playing with the worst running game in the league statistically.
What really stands out about Manning is he does more than any other quarterback in terms of reading the defense, choosing the play and getting his players lined up. No other quarterback in the modern era — where defenses and offenses are so complex — has had anywhere near the responsibility Manning has.
"I have great trust in Peyton," Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore once told me. "I give him all the liberties he wants to get things done. When you have a guy like Peyton you have to take advantage of those things. It's something he does very well and works very hard on. He's always right. If it doesn't come off, it's my fault."
The word "unique" often is used loosely when "rare" is meant, but unique applies to Manning in this regard.
And there are many other areas in which Manning is rare.
For instance:
•Intelligence.
"He has an answer for everything you are showing," said Fox analyst John Lynch, who played against Manning many times as a safety for the Broncos and Bucs. "You'll drop a blitz you've never run before, and somehow he knows what's coming."
•Throwing ability.
Manning is not known for his arm, but he is an outstanding thrower. His career completion percentage of 64.8 is fourth best all-time.
"He can make every throw," said ESPN and Sirius radio analyst Derrick Brooks, the former Buccaneer. "I don't think people give him enough credit for that, I really don't."
•Desire.
Manning's will to win is matched only by his dedication to preparation. He often refuses to come off the field in practice. The 12-year veteran and 10-time Pro Bowler approaches his job as if he were an undrafted free agent struggling to hang on instead of the former first pick in the draft, which he was.
"He has this insatiable will to win and then is able to execute under the pressure of it that few, if any, have ever had," Colts quarterbacks coach Frank Reich said.
•Toughness.
Manning has started 192 straight games — the most by any quarterback at the beginning of his career. If it weren't for Favre, this accomplishment would get much more play.
He doesn't take unnecessary hits when he doesn't have to, but that doesn't mean he isn't tough. He knows how to preserve himself. Still, Manning has played hurt, including with a broken jaw and a bad knee.
He is the complete package.
"I've never seen a guy with such an impact on his team," Lynch said. "Peyton stands out in that there were times on the other side of the ball, you felt helpless, like this guy is just too good. I think he's the best football player I've ever played against."
And the best quarterback anyone ever has seen
The debate is eternal, as there is an element of chocolate, vanilla or butter pecan to it. Which do you like better? The question is personal and subjective and, really, impossible to answer incorrectly.
You can say Joe Montana or John Elway. Go old school with Otto Graham. Be a renegade with Dan Marino. Maybe Johnny U does it for you. An argument can be made for Brett Favre. And Tom Brady has his backers.
But Peyton Manning keeps giving those of us who believe he is No. 1 more and more cannon balls for our fights.
Some say Manning has to come away with another Super Bowl victory Sunday before he can wear the quarterback crown. But others of us have seen enough already.
Manning is only 33, and already he has thrown for more touchdown passes than all but two players. He was won more most valuable player awards — four — than anyone, ever. He is fourth in passing yards and fourth in victories as a starter. If he plays another five years (and if Favre ever retires), Manning will have virtually every significant record in the book.
But records and awards can't come close to explaining how efficient he is, how much of a leader he is and just how many things he does to help his team win. There is no way to measure what he did this season, winning 14 games without two of his top three wide receivers from a year ago while playing with the worst running game in the league statistically.
What really stands out about Manning is he does more than any other quarterback in terms of reading the defense, choosing the play and getting his players lined up. No other quarterback in the modern era — where defenses and offenses are so complex — has had anywhere near the responsibility Manning has.
"I have great trust in Peyton," Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore once told me. "I give him all the liberties he wants to get things done. When you have a guy like Peyton you have to take advantage of those things. It's something he does very well and works very hard on. He's always right. If it doesn't come off, it's my fault."
The word "unique" often is used loosely when "rare" is meant, but unique applies to Manning in this regard.
And there are many other areas in which Manning is rare.
For instance:
•Intelligence.
"He has an answer for everything you are showing," said Fox analyst John Lynch, who played against Manning many times as a safety for the Broncos and Bucs. "You'll drop a blitz you've never run before, and somehow he knows what's coming."
•Throwing ability.
Manning is not known for his arm, but he is an outstanding thrower. His career completion percentage of 64.8 is fourth best all-time.
"He can make every throw," said ESPN and Sirius radio analyst Derrick Brooks, the former Buccaneer. "I don't think people give him enough credit for that, I really don't."
•Desire.
Manning's will to win is matched only by his dedication to preparation. He often refuses to come off the field in practice. The 12-year veteran and 10-time Pro Bowler approaches his job as if he were an undrafted free agent struggling to hang on instead of the former first pick in the draft, which he was.
"He has this insatiable will to win and then is able to execute under the pressure of it that few, if any, have ever had," Colts quarterbacks coach Frank Reich said.
•Toughness.
Manning has started 192 straight games — the most by any quarterback at the beginning of his career. If it weren't for Favre, this accomplishment would get much more play.
He doesn't take unnecessary hits when he doesn't have to, but that doesn't mean he isn't tough. He knows how to preserve himself. Still, Manning has played hurt, including with a broken jaw and a bad knee.
He is the complete package.
"I've never seen a guy with such an impact on his team," Lynch said. "Peyton stands out in that there were times on the other side of the ball, you felt helpless, like this guy is just too good. I think he's the best football player I've ever played against."
And the best quarterback anyone ever has seen
UFC 109 COUTOURE VS. COLEMAN RELENTLESS
Let's face it; even though they still probably harbor some dreams of glory, the winner of the Randy Couture-Mark Coleman fight at UFC 109 is most likely not going to figure very big in the future plans of the UFC, nor will either be a major threat to captures championship in the heavyweight or light heavyweight ranks.
Still, in this bout where Couture, who has most recently been a relevant fighter, is a -400 favorite in the BetUS UFC betting odds, we see something of a tribute that still has mixed martial arts fans enthralled, and that is a credit to the loyalty of their patronage.
If you have followed MMA closely, no one needs to tell you about the important place both men occupy in the game's history. Coleman goes so far back that he was winning in the UFC when the promotion was tournament-based, long before the guys from Zuffa showed up. He holds the distinction of being the first UFC heavyweight champion ever. A quick look at his record tells you that he was a product of the era, not really long ago but part of ancient history in MMA terms, when shows would have to jump from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, staying one step ahead of regulatory shutdown. In fact, Coleman won AND lost his heavyweight crown in Alabama, a state I'm quite certain is not on the road map of the "new" UFC.
Coleman's "legit" amateur wrestling background (he was in the '92 Olympics) was an important part of early credibility for UFC competitors, and his experiences overseas as part of PRIDE further cemented his status as a world figure in the fledgling sport. His role in the documentary "The Smashing Machine" helped him, and the sport, cross over in the consciousness of a more mainstream audience. He is generally credited with originating a technical innovation - the "ground-and-pound." It would not be a stretch to say he is on the short list of the most significant figures in the brief history of the sport.
Couture, like Coleman, had a long and successful amateur career in wrestling, and was a tournament winner, capturing the UFC 13 title, then winning the heavyweight title a couple of fights later. Like Coleman, he fought an array of tough, capable fighters because those were the only guys who were around. Winning the UFC heavyweight belt on two separate occasions was not a small feat, and then to move down in weight division and capture the light heavyweight crown, then venture back into the heavyweights to capture the title again, and to do so all after the age of 40, was truly a superhuman feat.
Couture has bested some of the great names in the sport; people like Vitor Belfort, Maurice Smith, Kevin Randleman, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Tim Sylvia, Pedro Rizzo and more. Like Mark Coleman, he has spanned from one era to another; actually, in terms of a sport that has been around only since 1993 in this country and has undertaken so much transition, it has been a tremendous accomplishment for them to have kept up with all of the evolution in the sport. And why not? They were at the forefront of much of it.
Still, in this bout where Couture, who has most recently been a relevant fighter, is a -400 favorite in the BetUS UFC betting odds, we see something of a tribute that still has mixed martial arts fans enthralled, and that is a credit to the loyalty of their patronage.
If you have followed MMA closely, no one needs to tell you about the important place both men occupy in the game's history. Coleman goes so far back that he was winning in the UFC when the promotion was tournament-based, long before the guys from Zuffa showed up. He holds the distinction of being the first UFC heavyweight champion ever. A quick look at his record tells you that he was a product of the era, not really long ago but part of ancient history in MMA terms, when shows would have to jump from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, staying one step ahead of regulatory shutdown. In fact, Coleman won AND lost his heavyweight crown in Alabama, a state I'm quite certain is not on the road map of the "new" UFC.
Coleman's "legit" amateur wrestling background (he was in the '92 Olympics) was an important part of early credibility for UFC competitors, and his experiences overseas as part of PRIDE further cemented his status as a world figure in the fledgling sport. His role in the documentary "The Smashing Machine" helped him, and the sport, cross over in the consciousness of a more mainstream audience. He is generally credited with originating a technical innovation - the "ground-and-pound." It would not be a stretch to say he is on the short list of the most significant figures in the brief history of the sport.
Couture, like Coleman, had a long and successful amateur career in wrestling, and was a tournament winner, capturing the UFC 13 title, then winning the heavyweight title a couple of fights later. Like Coleman, he fought an array of tough, capable fighters because those were the only guys who were around. Winning the UFC heavyweight belt on two separate occasions was not a small feat, and then to move down in weight division and capture the light heavyweight crown, then venture back into the heavyweights to capture the title again, and to do so all after the age of 40, was truly a superhuman feat.
Couture has bested some of the great names in the sport; people like Vitor Belfort, Maurice Smith, Kevin Randleman, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Tim Sylvia, Pedro Rizzo and more. Like Mark Coleman, he has spanned from one era to another; actually, in terms of a sport that has been around only since 1993 in this country and has undertaken so much transition, it has been a tremendous accomplishment for them to have kept up with all of the evolution in the sport. And why not? They were at the forefront of much of it.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Super Bowl 44 2010 Perdictions: Indianapollis Colts Vs.New Orleans Saints
2010 Super Bowl Betting Line: New Orleans Saints (56.5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (-5.5)
For the first time in 16 years, the NFL’s ultimate game will feature the top two seeds from each conference when the NFC’s New Orleans Saints meets the AFC’s Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, February 7th in Miami. All three of the Colts previous Super Bowl appearances have been in Miami while the long-suffering Saints franchise is playing in the game for the first time.
The two franchises have split ten regular season meetings since the Saints became an NFL franchise in 1967. In the last meeting between the two clubs, the Colts rolled to a 41-10 home victory over New Orleans in the opening game of the 2007 season.
New Orleans Saints (15-3 SU, 9-9 ATS)
New Orleans was fortunate to escape the NFC title game after being out gained by more than 200 yards against Minnesota. With the help of five Vikings turnovers, the Saints have finally reached a Super Bowl. Star quarterback Drew Brees has fired six TD passes without an interception in the postseason. He led the NFL in quarterback rating and touchdown passes during the regular season. The Saints are also able to move the ball on the ground after ranking second in the NFC in rushing this season.
The defense (25th in NFL in total defense) will be in for a major test against Peyton Manning after allowing nearly 500 yards to the Vikings offense. The Saints defense did pick off 26 passes during the regular season. Head coach Sean Payton has put together a record of 38-26 in his four seasons with New Orleans.
Indianapolis Colts (16-2 SU, 12-6 ATS)
The Colts are hoping that the karma of Miami will enable the franchise to win its third Super Bowl title. Indianapolis rolled to a pair of double-digit wins in the AFC playoffs to reach the Super Bowl. Like Brees, NFL MVP Manning has had a strong postseason with five TD strikes and just a single interception. The Colts have plenty of receiving weapons to work with. Veterans Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark each grabbed 100 catches in the regular season but youngsters Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie were the main targets against the Jets in the AFC title game.
While the Colts (last in NFL in rushing offense) don’t run the ball too much, Joseph Addai was able to rush for 80 yards against the Jets. The unheralded Indianapolis defense finished 8th in the NFL in scoring defense during the regular season. The unit has allowed an average of just ten points per game in the postseason. With a combined 23 sacks, Pro Bowl defensive linemen Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will be seeking to disrupt Brees and the Saints offense. In his first year as an NFL head coach, Jim Caldwell has proven himself to be a worthy successor to Tony Dungy after being an assistant on the Colts staff in recent years.
2010 Super Bowl Prediction:
Colts 31 – Saints 27 Super Bowl Predictions: Colts vs. Saints Super Bowl Picks 2010
For the first time in 16 years, the NFL’s ultimate game will feature the top two seeds from each conference when the NFC’s New Orleans Saints meets the AFC’s Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, February 7th in Miami. All three of the Colts previous Super Bowl appearances have been in Miami while the long-suffering Saints franchise is playing in the game for the first time.
The two franchises have split ten regular season meetings since the Saints became an NFL franchise in 1967. In the last meeting between the two clubs, the Colts rolled to a 41-10 home victory over New Orleans in the opening game of the 2007 season.
New Orleans Saints (15-3 SU, 9-9 ATS)
New Orleans was fortunate to escape the NFC title game after being out gained by more than 200 yards against Minnesota. With the help of five Vikings turnovers, the Saints have finally reached a Super Bowl. Star quarterback Drew Brees has fired six TD passes without an interception in the postseason. He led the NFL in quarterback rating and touchdown passes during the regular season. The Saints are also able to move the ball on the ground after ranking second in the NFC in rushing this season.
The defense (25th in NFL in total defense) will be in for a major test against Peyton Manning after allowing nearly 500 yards to the Vikings offense. The Saints defense did pick off 26 passes during the regular season. Head coach Sean Payton has put together a record of 38-26 in his four seasons with New Orleans.
Indianapolis Colts (16-2 SU, 12-6 ATS)
The Colts are hoping that the karma of Miami will enable the franchise to win its third Super Bowl title. Indianapolis rolled to a pair of double-digit wins in the AFC playoffs to reach the Super Bowl. Like Brees, NFL MVP Manning has had a strong postseason with five TD strikes and just a single interception. The Colts have plenty of receiving weapons to work with. Veterans Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark each grabbed 100 catches in the regular season but youngsters Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie were the main targets against the Jets in the AFC title game.
While the Colts (last in NFL in rushing offense) don’t run the ball too much, Joseph Addai was able to rush for 80 yards against the Jets. The unheralded Indianapolis defense finished 8th in the NFL in scoring defense during the regular season. The unit has allowed an average of just ten points per game in the postseason. With a combined 23 sacks, Pro Bowl defensive linemen Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will be seeking to disrupt Brees and the Saints offense. In his first year as an NFL head coach, Jim Caldwell has proven himself to be a worthy successor to Tony Dungy after being an assistant on the Colts staff in recent years.
2010 Super Bowl Prediction:
Colts 31 – Saints 27 Super Bowl Predictions: Colts vs. Saints Super Bowl Picks 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
New Orleans Saints Path To Super Bowl In Miami
For the New Orleans Saints and their fans, this weekend's Super Bowl is supposedly more than a game. It is being portrayed by many folks as the end of a redemptive journey from the Hurricane Katrina nightmare.
In that portrayal, however, I have seen no previous mention of one unlikely fact. A piece of that journey actually began here.
In San Jose? Yes, in San Jose.
This is where the Saints were when Katrina hit in late August 2005. Such a weird week that was. On a Sunday afternoon, knowing the hurricane was bearing down on New Orleans, the Saints decided to leave town early for a Thursday night exhibition in Oakland.
Of course, that meant the Saints needed to practice somewhere in the Bay Area for a few days. They struck a deal with San Jose State.
Which explains why, at the very moment that Katrina slammed into Louisiana and began ripping the roof off the Superdome, the Saints were working on their two-minute offense at a campus field off Seventh Street.
I remember being there as the players walked off the turf, their eyes glazed over. Less than 24 hours earlier, they had been at their own training facility, where all was familiar. Now they were "... here. Where? Someplace in California. Someplace strange where the sun was shining. That's all they knew. That's what I have in the notes I saved.
"Unbelievable," said Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks, fighting his emotions that day. "We were eating dinner last
night at a place near our hotel, and people here were going about their lives like nothing was happening. "... We just want to hear that everything is all right."
It was not all right, as the world would soon learn. Yet somehow, the Saints carried on. What else could they do? All of them had made arrangements for their families to evacuate New Orleans before the hurricane struck. But each day, before and after the players were bused to practice, they sat in their Fremont Marriott Hotel rooms as the heartbreak played out on television and they watched, numbly.
"Nobody knows when we get back, what we're going to see," said Saints coach Jim Haslett.
Pro athletes often try to act too cool, as if they are above the rest of the human race. The Saints did none of that in San Jose. Brent Brennan, a San Jose State assistant coach then and now, recalled Wednesday how he visited the Saints' practices and picked up right away how different things were.
"You could tell that their tempo wasn't the same, that their focus wasn't there," Brennan said. "They were just trying to make do. Some of our San Jose State players were also there watching, trying to get an idea of what it was like at that level, and I told them, 'You're not getting the real picture here of what the NFL's like. This is a team with hearts and minds somewhere else.' "
The Saints' arrangement with San Jose State worked well, because the school's team, preparing for its own season opener, practiced at 7 a.m. under a schedule preferred by coach Dick Tomey. That left the bulk of the day for the Saints to use SJSU's facilities, including the weight room and training room.
Under the circumstances, San Jose State didn't charge the Saints a dime. But as a goodwill gesture, the NFL team purchased $5,000 worth of tickets to the Spartans' opener. The athletic department distributed them to San Jose youth groups.
Finally, after a long three days, the Saints motored up to the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday night and lost to the Raiders 13-6. But what would happen next? By then, it was clear that the Saints' own practice complex in suburban New Orleans was not usable. Plus, the Superdome was out of commission indefinitely.
As a result, the Saints never really did go "home" that season. Instead, they flew to San Antonio and set up temporary headquarters. They split their home schedule between the Alamodome in that city and LSU's stadium in Baton Rouge. Predictably, they won only three games. Haslett was fired after the season.
Brooks might have had it worse, though. The quarterback, so openly emotional about Katrina, created a flap when he criticized Saints owner Tom Benson for essentially abandoning the team to a substandard situation in Texas. The Saints dumped him, and Brooks signed on to play quarterback for the miserable 2006 Raiders of Art Shell. He was sacked nine times in the season opener, dislocated a shoulder in the second game and was out of football a year later. He is now a developer in his Virginia hometown.
And what of the other Saints who endured that week in San Jose? Only a handful remain with the team, but the handful includes wide receiver Devery Henderson and defensive end Will Smith. If they win Sunday, I don't imagine they will send any thank-you notes to any of us in the 408. But if you're looking for another reason to pull for the underdog in this Super Bowl, you have one. For a few bizarre days in 2005, they were the San Jose Saints.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Peyton Manning The Highest Paid Quarterback?
MIAMI -- Negotiations to extend the contract of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will begin in earnest after the season, Colts owner Jim Irsay confirmed on Tuesday, and the new deal is expected to make the Colts' star the highest-paid player in NFL history and to keep him with the franchise for his entire career.
Manning's current deal, the final two years of which have been technically voided, will expire after the 2010 season.
"You know it's going to get done," Irsay said during media day interviews. "I think it's clear, and we'll start on it this summer. That's been the way we do things [to hammer out an extension when a player is entering the final year of his contract]. And it'll be the biggest [contract] in history; there's not much doubt about that."
AFC South blog
ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky writes about all things AFC South in his division blog.
• Blog network: NFL Nation
Irsay has said in the past that Manning will be "a Colt for life," and he reiterated that stance on Tuesday morning.
Manning, 33, signed a contract extension for $99.2 million in 2004, and the deal included a record $34.5 million singing bonus, all of it paid up front. The final two seasons of that contract were voided because Manning met predetermined playing-time incentives, making 2010 the final year of the deal.
The Manning contract, Irsay said, "is the easy one to do, because you know it's going to have to be the highest ever." The Colts' owner noted the "harder deals" are the ones involving good, but less important players, and cited former Indianapolis starters like guard Steve McKinney and linebackers Marcus Washington and David Thornton, veterans whom the Colts could not afford to pay because of the franchise's salary structure, and were forced to sacrifice to free agency.
"It simply comes to one question, and that's replaceability," Irsay explained. "Everything is based on the replaceability factor. You make decisions based on who you can afford to target and keep. ... Other guys you really want to [re-sign] you might have trouble doing it, because of what it costs you, and how much attention they're getting [from other teams in free agency]. We don't have that luxury and we've had to work hard."
Team president Bill Polian said during the season that the club, because it had such high-profile players, often had to determine "how fungible" some players and positions were. But Irsay, who invested about $100 million into the club after his father, Robert Irsay, died in 1997, is prepared to make Manning a very rich man. The younger Irsay, in fact, has dipped into his own wallet in the past to fund the contracts of some key players.
Ironically, the contracts of Manning and New England quarterback Tom Brady are both up after the 2010 campaign. Irsay allowed he will "watch closely" the bargaining on the Brady deal.
"We didn't have the luxury [of not having a salary cap]," Irsay said. "Without one, not having those [constraints], we would have done an incredible job."
There have been some preliminary discussions between Irsay and agent Tom Condon on the Manning deal. Condon, who represents about a dozen starting quarterbacks in the NFL, has a solid relationship with Colts management, and it is difficult to project that a new deal won't be completed.
Last year, Condon negotiated a six-year, $97.5 million contract extension for Eli Manning, with about $35 million in guarantees, that made the New York Giants' star one of the league's highest-paid performers. Depending on the methods of valuation, the highest-paid player in the league with a multiyear contract and based on average compensation per season is Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer, at $16.17 million per year.
Given the salary spiral, his stature in the league, and the likelihood that 2010 will be an "uncapped" season, it is not unthinkable to project that Manning could receive an extension pushing $20 million per year, and with a signing bonus of about $50 million.
Manning's current deal, the final two years of which have been technically voided, will expire after the 2010 season.
"You know it's going to get done," Irsay said during media day interviews. "I think it's clear, and we'll start on it this summer. That's been the way we do things [to hammer out an extension when a player is entering the final year of his contract]. And it'll be the biggest [contract] in history; there's not much doubt about that."
AFC South blog
ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky writes about all things AFC South in his division blog.
• Blog network: NFL Nation
Irsay has said in the past that Manning will be "a Colt for life," and he reiterated that stance on Tuesday morning.
Manning, 33, signed a contract extension for $99.2 million in 2004, and the deal included a record $34.5 million singing bonus, all of it paid up front. The final two seasons of that contract were voided because Manning met predetermined playing-time incentives, making 2010 the final year of the deal.
The Manning contract, Irsay said, "is the easy one to do, because you know it's going to have to be the highest ever." The Colts' owner noted the "harder deals" are the ones involving good, but less important players, and cited former Indianapolis starters like guard Steve McKinney and linebackers Marcus Washington and David Thornton, veterans whom the Colts could not afford to pay because of the franchise's salary structure, and were forced to sacrifice to free agency.
"It simply comes to one question, and that's replaceability," Irsay explained. "Everything is based on the replaceability factor. You make decisions based on who you can afford to target and keep. ... Other guys you really want to [re-sign] you might have trouble doing it, because of what it costs you, and how much attention they're getting [from other teams in free agency]. We don't have that luxury and we've had to work hard."
Team president Bill Polian said during the season that the club, because it had such high-profile players, often had to determine "how fungible" some players and positions were. But Irsay, who invested about $100 million into the club after his father, Robert Irsay, died in 1997, is prepared to make Manning a very rich man. The younger Irsay, in fact, has dipped into his own wallet in the past to fund the contracts of some key players.
Ironically, the contracts of Manning and New England quarterback Tom Brady are both up after the 2010 campaign. Irsay allowed he will "watch closely" the bargaining on the Brady deal.
"We didn't have the luxury [of not having a salary cap]," Irsay said. "Without one, not having those [constraints], we would have done an incredible job."
There have been some preliminary discussions between Irsay and agent Tom Condon on the Manning deal. Condon, who represents about a dozen starting quarterbacks in the NFL, has a solid relationship with Colts management, and it is difficult to project that a new deal won't be completed.
Last year, Condon negotiated a six-year, $97.5 million contract extension for Eli Manning, with about $35 million in guarantees, that made the New York Giants' star one of the league's highest-paid performers. Depending on the methods of valuation, the highest-paid player in the league with a multiyear contract and based on average compensation per season is Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer, at $16.17 million per year.
Given the salary spiral, his stature in the league, and the likelihood that 2010 will be an "uncapped" season, it is not unthinkable to project that Manning could receive an extension pushing $20 million per year, and with a signing bonus of about $50 million.
Why Peyton Manning Is a Better NFL Quarterback Montana And Brady
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Peyton Manning is about to become the best quarterback in the NFL over the past 30 years. I know that may ruffle feathers from San Francisco to New England, but hear me out.
The topic of Manning's place in history has heated up in the wake of the Colts punching their ticket to another Super Bowl. While everyone agrees Manning already is among the NFL's greatest QBs and that his stature will only improve if he gets an a second Lombardi Trophy, few are ready to take the big leap I am. Here are the reasons I think Manning, with a win Sunday, will cement his place as the best to play the game in my lifetime.
• One big caveat. I'm going by what I have seen over the past 30 years. That means I can only place Manning in the context of signal callers who played in the 1980s or later. Johnny Unitas' success speaks for itself, and it sounds as if Otto Graham was amazing too, but I was born in 1979. So unless you want to read my grandfather's opinion and not mine, I'll stick with the guys I've seen on a fairly regular basis over the years.
• It's not about the numbers ... but could be. The easiest way to make a case for Manning is to look at the statistics. Now in his 12th season, he has a record-four regular season MVPs and is among the top five all-time in wins, completions, yards and touchdowns. At his current rate of production, he won't just break all of those records, he'll annihilate them. But it really is not just about the numbers.
• The main competition. Dan Marino was a tremendous pure passer but never won a Super Bowl. John Elway, of course, is in the conversation for helping the Broncos win two championships in the mid- 90's. Brett Favre had a better 2009 season than anyone could have imagined, and his consecutive starts streak is absurd, but his penchant for the big turnover knocks him out of the running.
The only two men who really challenge Manning, again assuming he wins Sunday, are Joe Montana and Tom Brady. Both were incredible leaders who put up astounding numbers at times while seemingly willing their teams to multiple Super Bowl titles. Montana may have been the most clutch performer ever; his postseason success is almost unprecedented. He did, however, play in an era before the advent of free agency and the salary cap. That's not his fault, of course, but it does help explain why he accomplished what he did, benefitting from immensely talented rosters that other teams couldn't raid.
Perhaps the best argument in favor of Brady is that he won three Super Bowls with a surrounding cast of skill players that barely even got Pro Bowl invites, let alone anyone who will join him some day in Canton. He did, however, have the benefit of playing for one of the greatest coaches and defensive minds, Bill Belichick. Belichick's game planning against Manning earlier this decade was a primary factor in the Pats' success. Brady has also been blessed by a defense that was among the league's best for a good portion of his career.
• Believe your eyes. Manning has been far from a one-man show in Indy. He's been surrounded by outstanding skill position players and a couple of defensive playmakers for a decent portion of career. But Manning has also shown an ability to adjust, even after losing longtime running mate Marvin Harrison. His ability to seamlessly integrate Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie into the offense is as much a credit to Manning as it is a tip of the cap to Bill Polian and the Colts' scouting staff for finding those two youngsters. They are a big reason this may be Manning's finest season.
His offensive line has never been dominant, and yet their weaknesses have been covered up by his uncanny ability to get rid of the ball before the defender gets to him. There are guys on the Colts starting line, like left tackle Charlie Johnson and guards Ryan Lilja and Kyle Devan, who probably would have a tough time starting for a lot of teams in the NFL. Yet even when they get beat, they know Manning will get rid of the football before it becomes a sack or a knockdown. Whether or not he is the best quarterback ever is up for debate. Whether or not he gets rid of the ball quicker and more efficiently than anyone who has ever lived is not.
I can't think of any other player who has as much control over the game plan or play-calling.That, of course, is fitting because I don't think any other player has ever had quite the same grasp of his offense that Manning does. He changes protections and plays better than anyone else I've ever seen. His anticipation and accuracy are virtually unmatched because he throws the ball before defenders are ready and puts it in a place where only his guy can catch it. Keep in mind he has never had much of a run game and has never been blessed with anything remotely resembling a dominant defense, although this year's unit is underrated.
• No end in sight. The beauty of Manning is there is no telling what he may accomplish over the next decade. His obsessive, controlling personality and desire to make his mark make you think he will play at least for the next five or six years, if not more. Plus the recent success of guys like Favre and Kurt Warner has changed our opinion about how long a quarterback can play and what type of performer they can be during their later years.
I had the chance to play with Brady and never played with any other quarterback who was even close to his skill level. But Brady's injury, and Manning's continued dominance, have me thinking Peyton Manning is the better quarterback. He used to have issues with 3-4 defenses -- that is why his playoff record hasn't been sterling -- but he appears to have figured it out, shredding both blitz-heavy schemes and 3-4s at an amazing rate this year. The scary thing is he really appears to be getting better. That means there is a chance two or three years from now this subject is not even up for discussion.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)