Super Thoughts

Ok, so I know the few of your in the free world who wither away your lives by reading this blog are looking to make me eat some crow for saying that this game would be all offense, all day. Listen, the defenses played a part, but when the losing quarterback completed over 65% of his passes and only 1 turnover was created the whole game through, I have to be given some credit.
Furthermore, I contend that the big nail-in-the-coffin interception-return-for-touchdown by Tracy Porter was not nearly so much a great defensive play, more so a situational hazard. So, if you are still reading this it is probably only to punch a hole in my theory, but here goes it: Watch the play in slow motion: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/09000d5d81646e9e/SB-XLIV-Can-t-Miss-Play-Porter-seals-it .

The first thing one should notice is that the Saints are in man coverage with one safety over the top. Now focus on the slot receiver to the playside, Austin Collie, and observe how fast he makes his cut for the slant pattern. Then rewind and watch Reggie Wayne. Absolutely night and day, no comparison really. Wayne is supposed to do a slant pattern just like Collie, but instead does a little shake n bake to try to waver Tracy Porter’s man coverage. No dice Reggie. Manning throws the ball where Wayne should have been, but instead hits Tracy Porter in the gut. I played football for a few years and I got a couple interceptions in my day, but none came any easier than Tracy Porters game winner. Seriously, look at where Porter is standing when the ball is thrown, the ball literally would have given him a charlie-horse on the leg if he had not caught it. Not taking anything away from porter, he did his job, but let’s not create another Larry Brown episode OK people?

By: Matthew Walden & Aaron Tull

Wayne not Manning

I am a huge believer that football is a team sport. It takes everyone on the field to win or lose a game. Each effort on every play is equally important. One play can decide a game, a season or even a championship. No single triumph or mistake is the reason for success or failure. That being said, there are some actions whose consequences are greater than others.

Peyton Manning is getting a lot of flak for his late game interception during Sundays Super Bowl that all but sealed the victory for the New Orleans Saints. Many are saying that he lost them the game on one pass. Peyton has even taken the blame for the Mistake that was made, and that is the sign of a great leader. However, that play was not Peyton’s fault, nor was it the fault of the Indianapolis Colts team. The Colts were the better team in this game, and I thought out played the Saints even without their second best player (Dwight Freeney).

So who does the blame fall on? As much as I hate to say it, Reggie Wayne! He is one of the most underrated players of all time, and a staple of the Colts dynasty. His play is part of what has made the Colts so great for so long. All the same, he is the reason for the late game interception, not Manning. If you review the play, Wayne was on an option route. It was Wayne’s responsibility to recognize the coverage (Tracy Porter) playing off the receiver heads up. That reads as a slant route. Instead, Wayne ran a flag route. When a quarterback throws the ball, he does it before the receiver makes a move so the coverage can’t jump that pass (get in front of the receiver and intercept the ball). If Wayne had cut under the cornerback on a slant like he was supposed to, it would have been an easy pass and catch for 12 yards, instead the ball went straight into Porter hands.

To top it all off, Wayne had a relatively easy pass to tie the game with a couple of minutes left to tie the game. This would have at least given the Colts a chance to get an onside kick and the ball back. And we all know that if Peyton has the ball in his hands, there is a good chance he is going to score, especially since the saints had not stopped him all day.

I love ya Reggie, and I would still want you on my team any day. I feel for you, but to those of you blaming Manning, it wasn’t his fault. That was ALL on Wayne.

By: Matthew Walden

Best Worst Call in Super Bowl History

I just want to start by congratulating the New Orleans Saints on their first Super Bowl victory. They had a great season, and brought much needed celebration to a city so deserving. I think they are a hell of a team. I think Swan Peyton is an great coach, Drew Breeze is one of the top three quarterbacks in the league (no longer a two man race of Peyton and Tom), and their Defense was nothing short of stellar all season.

But not that I got that out of the way and can’t be called a Who Dat hatter, let me just say that I am already sick of hearing about Sean Peyton and his gutsy calls. I am disturbed at the fact that he is being applauded for his coaching triumphs. I cannot believe that there are so many sports announcers, columnist, bloggers and analysts out there singing his praises. Are you all stupid? Sorry for the word usage there, I know it’s a little elementary and strong, but no less appropriate.

I like Sean Peyton. I think he is a great coach, but that was the worst called Super Bowl I have ever seen. Yeah, ok I know it is easy to sit here after the win and it looks genius, we all know without a doubt that those fair weather fans in New Orleans would have had his head if they had lost the game.

Those calls were ridiculous. You are down 10 – 3 (1 Touch Down) and you go for it on fourth and short in the 2nd quarter? That is the hardest four yards in football. Then, not only do you go for it, but you take your bruiser running back to the outside against possibly the fastest defense in football. Then you don’t learn your lesson and try it again. That is plain and simply idiotic, not heroic. I though Drew said after the game that Peyton trust them, then why did he feel as though he had to score right then.

Second worst call of the game was the end around in the second quarter. One, the Colts Defense is too fast if you hadn’t noticed. Second, the defense has to be cheating for that to work. I mean even Madden players know that, how come an NFL coach doesn’t?

And for the “Best Worst Call in Super Bowl History”, the onside kick. You were only down four points! And that is after you managed to get three before the half ended after your last mistake! Don’t get me wrong, it was beautifully executed and obviously practiced. If it weren’t for the other awful calls that Sean Peyton had already made, I probably would have just called it gutsy, but he was making every rookie coach mistake he could.

The saints won that game, and even deservingly so, but NO THANKS TO SEAN PEYTON.

By: Matthew Walden

How you can help the NFL

The National Football League has become the number one American sport. Americas’ sport if you will. When I strike up a conversation with strangers, sometimes I will ask “Do you watch Baseball” or “Are you a Basketball fan?” But I don’t even bother asking people if they are Football fans any more, I just ask who their favorite team is.

Football has not only replaced baseball and basketball as this countries favorite pass time, it has dominated it. It has made the NFL untouchable!... Or has it?

This week, in Miami during one of this countless Super Bowl week interview, Roger Goodell address concerns over the most important issue to face the NFL since its creation. A concern that most fans have no idea exists, or how devastating it could be for their game. That is the concer over the collective bargaining agreement… The what you say?

The collective bargaining agreement is essentially a contract between National Football Leagues Player Association (the players) and owner (of the teams) on and array of issues (retirement, salary, free agency, and so on) that governs the actions of said participants. What fans don’t realize is without this contract, there can be no season.

It’s like, have you ever seen a strike or a lock out at a local business or labor plant. You hear about people losing their job, picketing, and negotiations. I am sure most of you have even had someone affected by a strike. Well that’s just it. That is what is going to happen if a contact isn’t reached soon. There will essentially be no 2011 NFL season because both sides cant come to an agreement.

Now I know what a lot of you are thinking right now. Greedy players and owner!!! But it’s not that easy. There is more than money at stake here. There is the issue of injuries like concussions that concern players long term health, and what the NFL is going to do to protect them. There is the issue over entire franchises losing their teams. For instance, the Jaguars are in jeopardy of losing their team, and with it, the local community will lose much more.
There is a lot more at stake here than just money. But if you are a “True Football Fan”, you will find out more, and do what you can to make sure there is a 2011 NFL season. Find a petition, or write you teams. Get your voice out. Lets save the game we love so much!

By: Matthew Walden

Peyton v.s. Tom and Super Bowl, and Super Bowl XLIV

One of the more famous debates among football circles is that over the best Quarterback in the league, or of all time. It is a timeless event for fans and professionals alike. Nothing gets our fan blooded hearts beating like arguing for our favorite players. We take pride in living vicariously through these discussion as if we were a tangible part of those players and teams that we have so invested yourself. This is one of my favorite things to do with friends, and one of the most famous debates over the last decade has been “Who is the best, Peyton Manning or Tom Brady?”

The arguments have been fierce and competitive, but Brady fans have always had one trump card that has been able to hush the Manning fans, and that is the three Super Bowl rings. My question is, does that all change if Peyton takes home his second on Sunday?
Peyton obviously has the statistical advantage. He has 50,000 passing yards to Brady’s 30,000. Peyton has 366 touchdown passes to Tom’s 219. Manning’s career passer rating wins by a margin of 95.2 to 93.3 (I do not believe passer rating is a good indication of quarterback quality; see my article Best Quarter Back Ever at http://fortruefootballfans.webs.com/.

However, Tom has three Super Bowl Victories and four appearances to Peyton’s one victory and one appearance. We all know that is the key stat for most of these conversations. It is the only reason Terry Bradshaw is even mentioned, and what keeps Dan Marino out of the argument.
So, does this close the discussion and serve to solidify Peyton as the winner? The answer is no… Peyton was already the winner.

We all respect Brady, but the truth is, it only took Brett Favre incredible numbers and one Super Bowl victory with a second appearance to be mentioned. Even though Tom has good numbers (including some amazing single season records), he just doesn’t touch Manning.

By: Matthew Walden

Measuring the Loss of Freeney

For anyone who is paying attention to the Super Bowls coming up on Sunday, I am sure that you have heard the news that the Indianapolis Colst’s star defensive pass rusher Dwight Freeney is out (or at bests way less than 100 percent) for the big game. Some of you care already know, but for those of you who don’t, let me measure for you how big of difference this makes in the game.
The National Football League has now become a passing league for those of you who have not been watching for the last decade. Passes account for around 60 percent of the plays run in an average NFL season. And for some teams, like the Colts and Saints, it can be much more. That means that a pass rush is essential to defending against teams like these. So how much impact can a one guy, like Freeney, have on a team’s defense? Tremendous!

Example: Take a look at the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2007 Jared Allen was still a Chief. There defense, although not stellar, was ranked between 10th and 15th in the league (depending on what stats you include). Every other player on defense consistent, they fell to last or second to last (depending).

Not probative enough, then take a look at this year’s Pro Bowl which did not allow defensive pass rushing. The score was 34 to 41 and the net passing yards were 417 and 418 respectively. Those are pretty ridiculous numbers. And keep in mind that they were able to do this with players they are not use to playing with (no chemistry), out of a limited playbook (few plays and formations), and against the best defensive players in the league.

That is the kind of difference a player and a pass rush can have. So how big is the loss of Freeney to the Colts chances at a Super Bowl? Monumental!

By: Matthew Walden

So, for Storylines we have...What?

Ok, it is confession time. I am bi-polar, I must be because I love football but hate ESPN (sort of). Those things simply cannot go together can they? Well my reason is simply this: ESPN takes a storyline of their choosing the week before the Super-bowl and beats it to death like Holly Homemaker who found a mouse in her kitchen. I love the Kurt Warner story, or at least I did before Super-bowl XLIII when that was the only story ESPN told for 2 weeks. 2 Weeks people!! I wanted to hear about X’s and O’s, see commentary on some key matchups, maybe some interviews with players. But no, I was beaten incessantly with stories of a man bagging groceries. Just for clarities sake, I do appreciate the Kurt Warner story, but I do believe everyone heard it loud and clear during his first 2 Super-bowl appearances. What is it that these massive media companies are thinking when they harp on one thing for weeks or even months (thank you Brett Favre). Is it really what sells? Should I be thankful that their was only two weeks separating the Super-bowl from the previous games, lest the story continue to be told 12 hours a day until it was the only story on earth? I know that a vast majority of sports fans whom I hear from and talk to were more irritated by the Favre storyline this summer than entranced by it. Is the sports world devoid of quality storylines? Or is America so easy to reel in and capture that more is better not better is better? I feel thankful that Super bowl XLIV’s players are just good and relatively young; of course this lack of continuity of storyline could put mundane sports writers out of a job. I just do not get why a little quality original writing is so difficult, then again, maybe I should ask my other half maybe he knows.

By: Matthew Walden & Aaron Tull