FootBasket

2012 NBA Playoffs: With Surging Ginobili, Spurs Not Easy to Oust

2012-05-29T22:46:00.000-04:00

With his team’s experience — and, perhaps, a healthy, explosive sixth man — to the San Antonio Spurs advantage — this would be a moment when Manu Ginobili leads his team and when experience beats youth. With due respect to a speedy Tony Parker and Ginobili and the well-respected coach Greg Popovich, who is brilliant at making adjustments in the playoffs, the Spurs can likely win their fifth championship in 13 years.

Therefore, the Spurs are simply favored to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals after a telling 101-98 victory to take a 1-0 lead in this interesting series, winning their 19th in a row to tie the NBA record for longest winning streak in the playoffs. It’s hard to look past the Spurs, who have mostly the same roster the last time they won a championship. They’ve been there and done that — they are a team you can’t rule out. Never. Ever. Rule out. Make no mistake, the Spurs are older than the Thunder, but simultaneously are ageless.

Before we berate the Spurs, a team built with star power to conceivably beat Oklahoma City, might we consider that Ginobili is having the postseason of his NBA career, might we consider that Tim Duncan, 36, is playing like he’s 26 — ten years younger? Knocking down clutch shots in the closing minutes, Ginobili managed to score a total of 26 points, which marked a season high. That wasn’t all, folks. Dissing off passes, as well, gave him three assists and even he grabbed five rebounds. By the time it was over, he had 14 field goals to have his best game all season. This is where he was dangerous and too quick, playing with much emotion and firepower.

Suddenly, having a debate about those overexposed James Harden and Ginobili match ups have no significance, especially if Ginobili continues to outmatch Harden. Efforts to score 23 fourth-quarter points, it is worth pointing out that Ginobili can’t be stopped by anyone but can only be contained. Nothing was missing in his game and he had the mental ability to expose a full repertoire of dominance when he single-handedly wrapped up Game 1. The team obeyed Popovich’s orders in a fourth quarter timeout, begging his players to play “nasty,” a mental approach that erased a nine-point deficit.

“I thought we were playing for most of the first half, and even at the beginning of the third quarter, a bit unconfidently, kind of on our heels, a little bit unsure of ourselves, on the dribble too much,” Popovich said. “So I talked to them about they’ve got to get a little bit uglier, get a little more nasty, play with more fiber and take it to these guys.”

From there on, the Spurs controlled the flow of the game, thanks to Ginobili’s fourth-quarter performance, a star-studded extravaganza at home in front of a sellout crowd. It’s not a fluke. It’s real. Ginobili is the best player for the Spurs. Not Duncan. Not Parker. Ginobili is that guy. So as long as he can stay healthy, the Spurs have a shot at winning a fifth championship in team history and eyes are on Ginobili. Photographers are popping flashbulbs at him. Columns are dwelling on his spectacular game the other night. And Spurs fans are hoping for an encore.

While the most well-rounded player happens to be Ginobili, an Argentine star who spent the early part of his basketball career in Argentina and Italy in the Euroleague, Popovich is the most influential person in the locker room, no doubt. He is easily considered the best coach the Spurs ever seen, if not the best in this generation, keeping his players in contention every season.

But not every player at Ginobili’s age is capable of scoring abundantly. Not every player is as fast as he has been in these players, scoring and weaving his way through traffic and exploding to the basket to finish a dazzling layup. This was no ordinary night at AT&T Center. This was Ginobili at his best against the Thunder. Unafraid to fly, he had his way against Harden, he was a nuisance to everyone underneath the basket.

“It just happened,” Ginobili said of his remarkable performance. “I don’t know how exactly because I haven’t scored like this all season long, but it happened and I’m very happy about it.”

Even though, he’s going on 35, Ginobili still has plenty left in his tank. If no one knew, they do now. This was a Sunday night playoff game in San Antonio, where he put on a show that caught us by surprise — something we shouldn’t have ever expected from him. But now, of course, we can imagine him leading the way for the Spurs. It might happen in Game 2 or Game 3, and then again it might not happen. However, everyone knows his capabilities and what he can bring to the game.

In the fourth quarter, when Ginobili scored 11 points in less than six minutes, he illustrated that he can carry the weight on his shoulders by attacking the rim and drawing fouls to be awarded free throws. He’s a sixth man, a left-handed superstar who can have a shooting clinic, make three-pointers and accelerate off the dribble to storm to the basket and plague opponents defensively. It was such a perfect night for Ginobili. In his past six games, he’s made only 37 percent of his shots — including 7-for-17 Sunday night.

And while it was a flawless night, he gave the Spurs a six-point lead to end the first quarter. Hot from the beginning to end, he hit a purposeless three-pointer at the final buzzer, all happening after he had taken over the game. Here’s where legends are born, and Ginobili is a legend. The biggest flaws, on the other side of things, were the Thunder. Westbrook struggled. Durant scored, as usual, pouring in 27 points. It was as if Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins had disappeared and abandoned the entire team.

Winning is the ultimate goal here. And now, the Spurs are likely to reach the ultimate goal. The Spurs are far more superior, as long as Ginobili poses a threat.

Jeremy Lin Comes From Out of Nowhere to Jolt NBA

2012-02-11T12:00:00.006-05:00

He is absolutely for real. Real as he is advertised by the local media and New York tabloids. By now, the world is glued to Jeremy Lin -- the man of the hour, the latest phenomenon in the NBA -- scoring a career-high 38 points and leading the New York Knicks to a 92-85 victory Friday night.

When he made the grander statement than Kobe Bryant, arguably the greatest ballplayer of our generation, the roars were earsplitting and electrifying in the world's most famous arena -- the Madison Square Garden, of course, where he intrigued the world with a Linsanity masterpiece. The more he smiled and the further I was impressed with Lin's striking performance, I am left to believe that the swirling hype of Linsanity is not a fluke but real after all.

Everyone was standing on their feet in the Garden -- including the celebrities courtside, and witnessed the emergence of the latest commodity in the league. Uh, yeah, a star was born in New York. That star, indeed, was Lin, the first ever Taiwanese American to play in the NBA. If you didn't know Lin, you know him now after last night's surprising shot making and playmaking in front of a national audience to remarkably overawe us under the lights of the world's most renowned venue. But, as hard as it is to believe, Lin is coming into his own, not afraid to step into the spotlight for a demanding sports city that expects much from its star players.

If any superstar underachieves, well, then, the local media won't hesitate to criticize a struggling athlete, which places a tremendous amount of pressure on him as expectations largely are there. Playing in a city where much weight is on athletes' shoulders, the pressure and ridiculous hype has not bothered Lin -- the NBA standout from Harvard University, an Ivy League school best known for the starting point of U.S. presidency, or even the foundation for a career in the law offices of Jacoby & Meyers. The drama on Broadway, also known as Linsanity, is far from over. It's actually about Lin right now, if no one else, appreciated for turning around an underachieving team, doing it without an injured Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, who left the team on Monday after his older brother, Hazell, was tragically killed in a car crash.

Anybody who doesn't believe in Lin, that he's not convincing and nothing but hype because of his ethic background, wasn't watching him in the fast break or him burying mid-range shots Friday night. This is what I call his breakout performance, coming against a winning franchise with one of the all-time greats, the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe. Tempted as you are to doubt him, refusing to refer to him as a superstar or an authentic hero who could possibly save the Knicks disastrous season from suffocating, Lin is now everyone's new talking point. He deserves credit for 28.5 points and 8.3 assists during the Knicks current four-game winning streak, essentially doing it without Anthony and Stoudemire in three games.

He wanted to play in the NBA -- very, very much, obviously, and now he is soaring after he was given an opportunity in New York, where he's found a home and has been welcomed. So now, here is Lin, an Asian-American, who couldn't find a role in the league and had been cut twice before the Knicks picked him up. What Lin has done the past few weeks is unbelievable, which makes this such a sweet NBA novelty, capturing everyone's attention, seizing the fame on Broadway. When the suitors came calling -- and his services were useful to the Knicks as a fruitless team trying to find ways to reduce the misery and win games -- Lin was the kid, living the NBA dream. It's the best fit for him, able to start at point guard and prove to us nationally that he's an NBA star on the rise.

There's no doubt in our minds his Harvard classmates are studying the complex academic work in law school, but Lin is soaring in the NBA -- providing hope and much promise for the Knicks as we, by now, believe in the best story happening in basketball. All of a sudden, the Knicks are optimistic they can dismiss a bleak season of injuries and inconsistencies on defense, with the aid of Lin, who is now running the back court, setting up plays for his Knicks' teammates in which everyone around him is more efficient and better in coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense.

In recent weeks, he has taken the whole world by surprise, no doubt, the center of attention in New York, particularly after Friday night when he climbed from anonymity to stardom. What's not to love about Lin -- an exceptional player with finesse and a gift to play basketball? His presence alone, being that he's the first Asian American to play professionally, can inspire many Asian Americans to chase a lifelong dream in the NBA. For most cultures, as is always the case, it normally influence more kids to participate and become involve with the sport by sticking with it and never giving up.

It's been fun to watch Lin emerge in a game where many Asians haven't gained significant prosperity, but as we know now, he may have changed it for the better. There is not much talent in New York, without Carmelo or Amar'e, but Lin has brought energy and aspiration that was missing for the depleted Knicks, who were having an awful season until Lin arrived to rescue them from absolute destruction. Lin, ladies and gentlemen, is more than just a sensation and could very well be the next valuable point guard in the Knicks future, if he continues his impressive scoring and abilities to dominate flawlessly as the team's floor general.

This is all from a guy who was waived twice after the enduring lockout. This is all from a guy who came from nowhere and was in the fourth spot on the Knicks' point guard depth chart, but always refused to quit and found a home on the East Coast. The sudden rise has captivated Asian Americans and the NBA in general, the one player featured in headlines across the country for making the claim that he is worthy of establishing a foundation in the competitive market of pro basketball. He's dribbling the ball, shooting the ball, creating scoring opportunities, and before you know it, he'll be seen on the next label of an endorsement deal -- whether it's Nike or McDonald's.

And if he continues to play impressively, he could even be noticed globally and outside of America where he is now the talk all over, not only in New York but also nationally. What a night in the Garden, as roaring fans raised signs of him, quickly becoming obsess with the humbled 23-year-old guard, making a vintage Lin feel right at home. The noise of thunderous roars echoed through the building and fans shouted MVP chants, while he gave the spectators something to watch, something to be amazed by, something to cheer for when New Yorkers witnessed a revolutionary ballplayer, an assassin stunningly outscoring Kobe in a surprising duel. He finished the night -- and you can shake your head and blink your eyes in disbelief -- with 38 points and seven assists in a statement game.

This was supposed to be the night that Bryant have a shooting display at the Garden, where he once settled for 61 points to break Bernard King's scoring record for the most points ever scored by a player in that arena. This was supposed to be the night that Bryant outduel Lin. But on this evening, Lin exceeded all the hype on national television, averaging 76 points in his previous three games before meeting the Lakers. The Knicks, after winning four straight games, improved to 12-15 and certainly are in the playoff picture, as long as they keep climbing with Lin largely leading the team. All of this happened when he saw action against the New Jersey Nets on Feb. for which the Knicks had ran out of options at the point guard position.

And, indeed, Lin made the best of that opportunity, by scoring 25 points and amassing seven assists and responded rather strikingly that earned him a spot in the starting lineup. It's amazing to have to admit that he has scored 89 points, the most points among any NBA player in his first three starts since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77. Although he's an NBA player working hard of late, he spends most of his nights on the couch of his brother's, a graduate dental student at New York University, but if he keeps delivering soft jump shots, spinning drives and skilled passes, Lin could potentially be signed to a long-term, million-dollar deal.

What we have seen is Linsane, a Lin-ing streak that has the New York folks buzzing in this empire state of excitement and surprises. There's so much hype, and buzz, the kind of attention surrounding a player for drilling 13 of 23 field goals Friday, including 2 of 4 from three point range. It's suddenly a good vibe at the Madison Square Garden, as Lin, the league's sensation who came out of nowhere, stunned Bryant on a night he finished with 34 points, hitting just 11 of 29 shots.

"I think it's a great story," Bryant said. "It's a testament to perseverance, hard work, and I think it's a good example for kids everywhere. I'm sure he's certainly put a great deal of work in. He's always had that belief in himself, and he just now has the opportunity to do it. I think it'll be fun for the city here, obviously. Once they get Melo back and Amar'e back, it should be a lot of fun here."

This is a great story, a tale of superstardom.

Early on, Lin scored nine of the Knicks' first 13 points, either scoring or passing on their first 15. As we've seen so often from the Lakers, they can't defend the pick-and-roll. The Lakers tried everything to disrupt him, but couldn't stop Lin's hot shooting in the Garden, bringing much fun to the spectators -- including director Spike Lee sitting courtside. By the fourth quarter, Bryant started to find his swagger and hit jumpers from every angle on the floor, but it wasn't enough to slow down Lin. He wasn't given a chance with the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets, but was given that chance with the Knicks, coming from out of nowhere to excite us, alarm us, and entertain us. The Rockets and Warriors now realize they both made bad moves by cutting Lin loose.

"He's not a fluke," Knicks center Tyson Chandler said.

No, he's not. He's on the rise. That's for damn sure.

When it was a bit too late, Bryant buried a double-clutch fallaway jumper and was foul for a three-point play that reduced the lead to 86-78 with four minutes left, but then came Lin attacking like a wild animal on the prowl.

After the Lakers had beaten the Celtics in overtime, Bryant said, "no idea what you guys are talking about" referring to Lin, who he played against last night.

I'm sure Bryant, including the whole world, knows who the hell Lin is now.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Austin Rivers Hits Thrilling Shot, But Still Bearing Growing Pains

2012-02-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

Austin Rivers, at the end of a college hoops spectacular, was mobbed by his teammates, his father, Doc Rivers, among them, went nuts watching his son drill a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to beat rivals North Carolina 85-84 Wednesday night in Chapel Hill.

As the clock trickled, he pulled up, launched a rainbow three-pointer and stunned the Tar Heel folks, taking the air out of a building that suddenly went silent -- an instant classic to send the Duke Blue Devils right back to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference. He is, indeed, a true freshman with much promise, choosing to play for an institution where basketball is truly a tradition on Tobacco Road in Carolina.

He could have chosen North Carolina, a school eight miles away from Duke, but he had the motive to play behind legends, the popular athlete on campus until he eventually ventures off for the NBA. As of now, Rivers has NBA qualities, drilling threes from professional range with guard capabilities -- scoring a career-high 29 points after providing the unbelievable finishing touches.

"This is the best feeling I've ever had on the basketball court," Rivers said. "This is the best feeling I've ever had."

And yes, this is one of the best finishes we've ever witnessed in college hoops. This appears to be more relevant, all because it happened during rivalry week, a moment when Duke and North Carolina-- the best rivalry in college basketball -- battled in an epic theater on a night that Rivers generated much buzz after making magic happen in a hostile territory where Duke is always unwelcome on their rival's home court.

And now, after that incredible buzzer-beater, he is most believed for developing into an athletic sensation and perhaps the top young player in the nation. Fitting enough, he plays for a school that produces artistic, admirable guards. The growth of Rivers, a more polarizing player in the nation maybe for the uniform and colors he wears, has led to an abundance of progression in Duke's sudden rise -- in position to be an overweighing factor in March.

In the meantime, he is playing his best basketball and might be the fundamental piece if Duke is indeed in contention during the madness in March. For this young group of guys, it could either turn out as March Happiness or March Sadness, but as we all know, anything is possible in a tourney of underdogs and spectacular basketball. It's a month of surprises, a time that we pencil in our teams on those elusive brackets, predicting on what teams are worthy of the Final Four. The rare athleticism is what separates Rivers from most players, and it wouldn't surprise me if he leads Duke in the NCAA tournament.

Without a doubt in our minds, he is a scorer and that alone tells us he's a star player at a prestigious university, where Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and a well-known basketball program have produced many NBA stars. It's hard to ignore weaknesses, as it might be a mistake not to address Rivers' fundamental flaws often underestimating his deficiencies as a player.

This, then, means he must learn to play within a team and not individually and mature over time. If so, and imagine if he does, Rivers will become the most dynamic offensive player in the nation and will generate buzz all over the country -- maybe even more so that he wears a Duke uniform when the vast majority of its games are broadcast nationally for the world to embrace and see.

What if he does forgo his college career after this season? This is a sampling of a future NBA star aiming for the professional ranks, and Duke suddenly has become a school of one-and-dones. He's the most terrifying and supernatural 18-year-old, reaching his potential at a school where the expectations are largely vital and where losing is considered a failure in the business of tradition and an abundance of legendary athletes who once played for Duke amid historically a few incredible runs. But I have to wonder about Rivers, because in truth, he's a pull up shooter and hogs the ball.

If you can pinpoint his downside, it would be his lack of commitment to play defense, and without him working diligently on defense, Duke is not such a well-balanced, skilled team. There's no denying that he's a flourishing player. The flaws, though he won it remarkably for the Blue Devils, eclipse his strengths, an almost punitive measure to keep him from excelling as the best player in the country.

It's that one shot, the game-winner that might be historic and go down as one of the exciting classics in sports. Good as he is, Rivers must mature a bit if he desires to become an efficient and complete ballplayer in Duke history, taking over for Kyrie Irving as the best athlete on the court. While the product of Duke is exhilarating and fun to watch, in the perfect atmosphere being in the presence of Coach K -- who is a teacher of the game and has cultivated his kids over the years with his craft and brilliance of coaching the game, Rivers still has to improve his shot selection and decision making. The excitement and emotion of Rivers' style on the court is from him pushing the tempo, driving to the rim, and distributing the ball to his teammates for open shots -- a dimensional guard to Duke's offense.

Without him, the Blue Devils are only, at best, an average basketball program. In most ways, he plays the role as a combo guard and his maturation has gently polished. The electrifying shot that everyone raved about immediately after Wednesday night when it took many by surprise -- reducing the volume in a noisy environment -- created enough buzz for one night. And everyone is waiting to see how he produces in March, in what would be Rivers' first NCAA tourney, a chance for him to strive for an NBA livelihood. Or he can opt to stay in school and elevate his collegiate status at Duke, as many before him have done in previous years. It's all up to him. It's his call. But, even though he's somewhat NBA-caliber, he still needs much improvement before he jumps into the NBA.

One shot doesn't confirm that he's ready to take on a tougher, harder task on the professional level. Maybe considering he's ultra-talented player who is a scorer and has ultimately a unique shooting stroke in his arsenal. And that's fine. But he's just inexperienced and an undersized shooting guard at 6-foot-4 who has to play more aggressively on defense. He's far from it, not even close to being a complete shooting guard, nonetheless, a work in progress as a freshman. He has to be more than just a deep-range shooter, if anything, and be well-rounded in every department -- performing through the emotions and getting past the challenges of stiff competition.

It's not the lack of potential or skill that is slowing down his process of establishing himself as the best player in the country, but it's the thought that he hasn't fulfilled much experience and defended his opponents, giving up too many points to the opposing team. Clearly, he committed to the right program and now is playing for Krzyzewski, who has built a bond with his players giving them unconditional love and opportunities to grow as he cultivate and groom his players.

There's undoubtedly a reason that Rivers decided to commit to Duke, not only for the education, but also for the noteworthy program where he can expand his style of play with one of the well-respected basketball coaches. While folks are reliving that thrilling, game-winning buzzer-beater -- Rivers -- and Duke as a whole -- are bearing with growing pains as they adjust to a completely new style. But he may have had his signature moment with a come-from-behind victory over No. 5 North Carolina -- trailing by as many as 13 points in the second-half.

The Blue Devils were on the brink of dropping a conference game against their rivals, but never stopped playing and continued to battle, pulling off a miraculous rally near the end that led to a gratifying finish with 13 seconds left. When North Carolina's Tyler Zeller missed a free throw for what would have been a three-point advantage, it was Rivers who received the ball, and certainly, he hurried down the floor and launched it from the perimeter. Sure enough, it dropped in. This happened after his teammate Seth Curry, who had 15 points, scored a three that cut the lead within four with 1:48 left. And then, moments later, Ryan Kelly hit a jump shot off his own missed three that made it 82-80. That created magic of a celebrated rivalry.

"Obviously this is my favorite win I've ever had in my entire life," Rivers said. "And it's because we were down the whole game. The whole game, we were down. They just kept it on us - 10-point lead, 10-point lead. And then there was 3 minutes left and probably everybody thought we were going to lose, and we just kept fighting. To get a W, it's amazing."

However, he's still a work in progress.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

New England Patriots: Wes Welker Is Bill Buckner?

2012-02-08T22:05:00.000-05:00

In the aftermath of the Patriots loss in Super Bowl XLVI, Wes Welker is the scapegoat critics are pointing their fingers at directly, giving him the evil eye. It’s bad enough the Patriots lost, yes, but to describe Welker as Bill Buckner is more than an insult. It’s ignorance, plain and simple, to compare him to the embattled Red Sox first baseman who blundered years ago to ground a ball.

Need I remind you that Buckner’s mistake tortured the Red Sox on baseball’s grandest stage when Mookie Wilson of the ’86 New York Mets hit a grounder to him at first base and when the ball rolled under Buckner’s glove and between his legs into right field? Need I remind you the Mets were two outs away in the 10th inning from winning the World Series? Need I remind you that one error forced a Game 7 and the Mets, without a doubt, won the pennant?

It’s nonsense to compare a reliable wideout to the clumsy Buckner, and label him, if you possibly can, as the most disliked athlete in New England since Buckner. I realize New England fans are frustrated, angry, crestfallen and unhappy — reluctant to bemoan or express sympathy for Welker who is on everyone’s bad list and portrayed as a the Villain of Beantown, after his costly drop in the fourth quarter. It’s a catch you must make in critical situations, and because he couldn’t bring in the ball, he’s being vilified for it.

It’s common for the media or even the fans in Boston to play the blame game, as we’ve seen often last fall during the Red Sox debacle — former Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who took much of the blame and lost his job for the mess that transpired within a divided organization. Much has been made about Welker’s regrettable drop with the Patriots leading late in the fourth quarter, and he has ridiculously become Buckner.

That’s a bit too harsh, though Welker failed catching what could have possibly been a game-changing pass at the 21-yard line with four minutes left. That was enough to make New Englanders angry? Sure.

But in my mind, it takes a total team effort and is wrong to blame one person, describing him as Buckner — a play that wasn’t even close to Buckner’s gaffe. The magnitude of Buckner’s mistake was much more painful, unfortunate and embarrassing. As for the Patriots, the entire team was an embarrassment and painful to watch in the Super Bowl, losing their second Super Bowl to the damn New York Giants when they had a shot to redeem themselves and vindicate greatness among one of NFL’s finest franchises. If you glance at the replay and stare at the misery repeatedly, you’d see it was humanly impossible to make the catch.

This means it was never, ever really a drop if he never had possession or control of the ball. Had he caught an awful pass from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, then he would have been praised heavily today and embraced for catching the ball to secure an unimaginable catch. The generally sure-handed Welker, in a pivotal moment on the brightest stage, couldn’t corral a throw that was behind him and slipped off his hands for a miss opportunity. In most cases, Welker makes that catch.

And when it was over, he took the blame, handled his failures like a man, with tears in his eyes. In his lifetime, he has produced at an All-Pro level in New England, catching over 100 passes and accumulating more than 1,100 in every season. The lowest came in 2010, catching only 89 balls for 848 yards, but other than that, he has been a definite target for Brady.

It wasn’t so much that he was disliked, well, maybe for the time being, but it’s that someone has to be blamed and unfortunately it happens to be Welker. As for Buckner, he was a solid hitter, just as Welker is a trusty receiver.

Way back in his career, Buckner hit .300 or better seven times and finished with 2,715 hits in 22 seasons. Long before this boo-boo, we had nothing but good things to say about Welker, but now after one mistake, we are ripping him, treating him like a bad guy from hell. The circumstances are not exactly similar, but they are a pair of mistakes in Boston sports history.

If he’s Buckner, why isn’t he wearing a Red Sox uniform, huh? Why is he having a better career than Buckner in his prime? The pass, which Brady tried to deliver perfectly to Welker, was badly thrown. Here we are, blaming a receiver who has the ball thrown to him and comparing him to a first baseman who couldn’t field a ball that was grounded to him. You see where I’m coming from? Hopefully, this put things into perspective. It’s absurd to call him Buckner when his name is Welker.

It was too high and wide, but he twisted his body and made an effort to reel in the pass in a game that he caught six passes for 70 yards, although it was eclipsed by one drop. This was a tough position to be in — having to adjust to the ball after Brady put a little air on the pass. There is nothing easy about catching a ball, while sprinting and turning around in mid-air to attempt a circus catch that would have likely been more spectacular than Giants receiver Mario Manningham’s dazzling grab.

Keep in mind, he’s not effective in vertical routes, and hell, he’s not even an acrobatic wideout. He is, by definition, an explosive receiver, one of the best in the league, and unfortunately, he didn’t catch a back-shoulder throw.

And now, it’s much more difficult to define him as the goat. Buckner, yes. Welker, no. This is nothing new. Fans and the media in Boston have picked on players for years, but out of all players to blame, Welker is not one of them.

All this publicity for comparisons — in all honesty — is silliness and mistreatment of a player who has been an asset in the Patriots offense, a receiver folks have grown to cherish but now have turned on him, angry at Welker after dropping the ball in the closing minutes.

Don’t blame him. Blame the pass. It was terribly a bad throw, one of Brady’s worst passes in the Super Bowl. And Welker, unfortunately, is jeered and booed, getting the Bill Buckner treatment for not catching a fourth-quarter pass from Brady that could have won the game for New England.

Buckner made his own mistake. That was all on him. Brady made a costly mistake that was intended for his receiver, who is now taking the blame for someone else’s miscue.

It amazes me that there’s another Buckner in New England.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Brady’s Legacy Takes Gigantic Fall

2012-02-06T20:04:00.000-05:00

There he was, the American profile, leaving the field with his head down, speechless, distraught and disenchanted as the Giants celebrated a comeback victory in Super Bowl XLVI Sunday night. Tom Brady was the hottest commodity in sports for a long time, mainly because he’s the coolest, sexiest athlete who featured in People’s magazine 50 most beautiful people.

In what was not his best performance, he wasn’t perfect, unsuccessful in tying Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw with a fourth Super Bowl ring, leaving Indianapolis empty handed of the Lombardi Trophy, a prize he had on his mind all week — since arriving to Indianapolis to play in a Super Bowl, a familiar event for him after owning three Super Bowl titles. It was one of those scenes that he led the New England Patriots on a remarkable dynasty last decade, but now it seems winning Super Bowl championships are on decline for Brady and his Bunch, losing twice to the New York Giants in a span of four years.

This 21-17 loss to the Giants, in such a hyped rematch after the Pats were beaten by the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, is another calamity for a celebrity/athlete as famous as Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore when paparazzi gazes at Brady arriving to his supermodel’s place. Later, after the demoralizing defeat, he sat near his locker, he had his head down in distress and all he could do was dwell upon the letdown that he and the Patriots let slip away to New York again. This was surely the end of the New England Patriots, a prime example on why Brady needs to grow the hair and beard again, like a survivor marooned on a shipwrecked island.

The last time, when he channeled the Geico caveman, the Patriots were Super Bowl-caliber in an unreal dynasty that the vast majority despised, simply for the Spygate scandal of coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots videotaping opponent’s defensive signals and practices. But those days are long over, and now is the time we are dwelling about Brady, as to where his place in NFL history lies — whether he’s worthy of proclaiming himself as the greatest quarterback ever.

What does this mean for Brady’s and Belichick’s legacies?

Twice now, Giants quarterback Eli Manning has performed better than Brady in substantial games where much is at stake. He’s now, unbelievably so, 2-0 against Brady in Super Bowls. It took another fourth-quarter comeback by Manning, pulling off a dramatic come-from-behind win against the Patriots when he directed an 88-yard touchdown drive that led to an unchallenged 6-yard touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw with 1:04 remaining.

Eventually, when it all ended, Brady’s wife and supermodel, Gisele Bundchen, chased him in the hallway, where she caught up to the disillusioned quarterback and caressed him in a prolonged hug. He wore his emotions, his body language was murky, and he had watery eyes and an unsettled stare in his eyes, emotionally hurt following the mortality of Super Bowl pathos. This will hurt Brady and the Patriots for awhile, coming away with nothing, leaving for New England without the trophy that he had his eyes on the entire time in Indianapolis.

Brady, considered among the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, wasn’t so wonderful on this night and was outdueled by Manning, a gunslinger who now deserves credit for leading the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl victories. Trailing 17-15 with just 3 minutes remaining, the Giants started at their own 12-yard line and Manning managed to find Mario Manningham, who made an incredible circus catch down the sideline for 38 yards. With some nice clock management, the Giants killed the clock to force the Patriots to use timeouts in what was a tight, tense Super Bowl.

The suspense had slowly faded when Manning outperformed Brady by throwing that miraculous pass to Manningham, a highlight that restored memories of David Tyree’s awesome grab four years ago. And, once again, the Giants came back to win the game and Manning raised the Vince Lombardi Trophy as confetti dropped. Now, with that in mind, Tom Coughlin is one of 13 coaches with multiple Super Bowl rings. He was smiling and holding the trophy, as well, becoming the oldest coach to win one at age 65 and turning things around after the Giants sputtered to 7-7 but found ways to stay alive as their playoff hopes were uncertain.

This is the agony of defeat, and without much thought, this sort of hurts Belichick’s and Brady’s legacies. Sure, he might be one of the best coaches in NFL history, or at least this decade, but Belichick has been out-coached twice by Coughlin — just as much as Brady has been outdone by Manning. This time, meanwhile, the loss was more agonizing, painful and tougher than the first pratfall. After that win, the Giants became the first 9-7 team to win a Super Bowl. After that loss, the Patriots became the biggest bust in Super Bowl history, faltering at the worst possible time by not winning the BIG ONE!

It couldn’t have been worse for the Patriots, a team that never seemed prepared or aware as the Giants were ready for the challenge, striking us again with another comeback to beat the Pats. The moment of truth unveiled surprisingly when the Patriots had a foolish 12-men penalty early, when safeties Sterling Moore and Patrick Chung couldn’t read Manning’s play and were blown in a two-double zone, or when Patriots’ receiver Wes Welker dropped Brady’s pass that was behind him forcing him to leap and reach for an awful pass with more than four minutes left.

As a matter of fact, with all the Montana comparisons, Brady is not nearly on Montana’s level. For one, Montana won in the Super Bowl. Secondly, Brady had Adam Venateri bail him out with clutch field goals. The Giants are tough, very tough. The Patriots are built with marquee players and legends, but can’t win the Super Bowl. Entering the contest, the Giants weren’t intimidated or terrified by the Patriots — weren’t annoyed or scare to fight Brady or the all-powerful tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, who played with a high-ankle sprain.

The story behind the Giants is that they played smash-mouth, tough-minded football, coming in with the mentality that they can beat the Patriots, after talking all week with confidence and poise and getting inside the mind’s of the Patriots’ success. The compassion was felt tremendously from Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who Brady wanted this fourth Super Bowl for so badly. Across the way in the locker room, he spoke to him softly and hugged him, embracing his franchise quarterback, win or lose.

It’s always easy to blame the quarterback, but in all, Brady performed well — no it wasn’t pretty or his best performance — passing 27 for 41, 276 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Late in the game, he was in the pocket looking for one of his reliable tight ends or receivers, then he saw the pass rush and stumbled, staying balance and releasing a pass that was intended for Gronkowski.

Before you knew it, Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn jumped in front of Gronkowski to pick off Brady for a great catch that shifted the momentum. It’s apparent, however, that Brady has withered as Manning has blossomed. If Brady is as advertised and great as we’ve all alleged, it shouldn’t be any truth to that — at least not at this moment, until he can finally win another Super Bowl to validate his place in NFL history.

For now, once again, Brady has to wait before capturing glory. Again, the Giants defeated Brady and Belichick. By now, Brady and the rest of the Patriots are shaking their heads. They were all so close, but not close enough to being great.

----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

No Worries: Rob Gronkowski Healthy Enough to Make Impact

2012-02-05T11:52:00.001-05:00

He said he’ll be ready to play, against the New York Giants, with his usual intensity and toughness in running routes and grabbing Tom Brady’s passes — a chance to become a Super Bowl hero. That is, if Rob Gronkowski has a signature game-winning catch, similar to four years ago when Eli Manning delivered a spectacular pass that was caught, even more unbelievably by David Tyree.

So is this the moment the Patriots return the favor in the rematch of Super Bowl XXII? The issue here is, Gronkowski has a sprained left ankle that has garnered so much attention, hijacking any thoughts of Manning surpassing big brother or discussions on whether Brady can beat the Giants.

All week, there has been much dialogue on Gronkowski’s injury, more than enough medical reports, one that leaves Bill Belichick scratching his head, even though he sticks to his standards by keeping quiet and not providing enough clarity on his health status.

For Gronkowski, a 22-year-old almighty tight end from Connecticut, this would be a time in his career that he emerges from the tunnel and play in his first ever Super Bowl to make a huge impact for the Patriots, when he has vividly sprouted into an All-Pro tight end.

Two days away from the Super Bowl, Gronkowski, who suffered a high-ankle sprain in the AFC Championship, has been nursing the severe sprain and been wearing a walking boot since being injured.

Already, he is listed as questionable by the New England Patriots. Any comparisons to Terrell Owens’ ankle at Super Bowl XXXIX and Dwight Freeney’s injured ankle at Super Bowl XLIV, which reminds us of the pain Gronkowski must be feeling this week while anxious to suit up and play, are identical to the prior injuries that had fans speculating an entire week on whether they’d be active to perform in the national scene. It’s a huge loss for the Patriots, if Gronkowski is a non-factor and inactive for the Super Bowl, an event that New England earnestly wants to win, angling to avenge an upsetting defeat four years ago.

It’s a nervous time right now, but because he’s limited in practice after suffering the injury 11 days ago doesn’t mean he won’t be healthy in time for Sunday’s epic rematch. And as of Friday, he was seen walking without a limp as the Patriots were routinely running schemes in their offensive plays.

If Gronkowski, while he has proved to be a dominant tight end and deemed as one of the most important players for New England, is making progress each day and not a medical risk, it would surely be simple to assume that he’ll be available by kick off Sunday. But sometimes, when a player is recuperating from an unbending injury, there is a sense he won’t effectively motion to the right, create separation and run clean routes.

“He practiced yesterday. He didn’t do anything today,” Belichick said. “We’ll see where he’s at on Sunday, but hopefully (he’ll play). I saw no setbacks. He’s still making progress.”

If Belichick calls for him, despite his body language at media day Tuesday that may have indicated he’s unhealthy before the big game, Gronkowski will be ready to play and, no doubt in our minds, he will likely be a vital factor to dictate how well the Patriots are offensively. The mantle of painstaking craft and toughness is what defines a skilled megastar that scored the second most touchdowns in the NFL this season.

But as you and I know, this is the Patriots, a team that psychologically use a strategy approach on injuries, as it is normally unclear when a Patriots’ player suffers an injury.

In other words, Belichick and the Patriots are never open publicly or specific about a player’s illness — declining to speak on every players’ health, refusing to say anything to the media. It’s been that way for years, at least for what I know.

And it’s not changing anytime soon. As long as Belichick is the coach, and if one of his main players fall to an injury, the Patriots will reserve judgment without even saying anything. And that is exactly why Gronkowski hasn’t disclosed further detail of interest pertaining to the Patriots organization, which would be the sprained ankle he damaged. He has been an instrumental presence and, according to Gronkowski, his ankle is improving every day.

We shall see Sunday.

He is, however, the offensive weapon on the field, a primary target for Brady to complete a record-setting night in passing at the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. Without Gronkowski, there’s no telling whether the Patriots would be here or watching the game at home.

Without Gronkowski, the Patriots would be maybe an average team. He has been a key essential, both in an influential and physical perspective, for the Patriots prolific offense that has been dangerous and inevitably difficult to defend — the groundwork of New England’s success this season.

And because the Patriots chose to not discuss injuries, it’s hard to confirm a player’s status when it’s uncertain. This, right here is ambiguity, as no one really knows if Gronkowski is going to play, and if so, how effective he’ll be by the time he steps onto the field.

He has been working hard with trainers all week, taking rehabilitation assignments every day to return to form, then staying focus on regaining good health, at least enough to run with the ball at a high level.

If he does step onto the field, Gronkowski greatest strength lies within him — the evolution to become a wide receiver, in which he has played like a receiver, able to perfectly run in the slot and sprint in a passing route that creates space for him to grab the ball for a significant chunk of yards. The fortitude and energy with which he plays offensively has capped a sensational season for the 6-foot-5, 265-pound beast called “Gronk” had 90 catches for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns — setting an NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end this season.

So what in the world would the Patriots be like without Gronk?

It would probably be a challenge overpowering the Giants. From a real perspective, Gronkowski is the key to beating the New York Football Giants, if nothing else. In less than 24 hours, we’ll know if he’s well enough to play a role in the game. It’s rather eye-opening that he is strong and physically built.

By now, every opponent — including the Giants realize he’s their worst nightmare. There’s no doubt in my mind, as well as most of you, that he will play Sunday. I expect to see him in the game, just as much as you expect it. But what comes to mind is that he won’t be 100 percent at game time.

The question is, as of now, how effective will he be for the game?
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

For Brady, Super Bowl Victory Validates All

2012-02-04T11:56:00.001-05:00

We knew he was one of the magazine’s 50 most beautiful people before he led the Patriots to Super Bowl XLVI. We knew he was a lucky man, married to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. We knew he was the greatest quarterback of all-time in NFL history.

But as we are less than 24 hours away from the Super Bowl, although his legacy is cemented as one of the best passers in the game, Tom Brady can win his fourth title to validate his legacy for which he’ll tie Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw with the most Super Bowl wins for a quarterback.

It’s obvious what the New England Patriots intentions are, in a game larger than just individual achievements but also about revenge, after the upsetting loss against the New York Giants four years ago. It’s not of surprise that he’s in conversations for becoming not only the best quarterback of this generation, but also for legitimizing a place in history.

By now, of course, it’s a no-brainer that Brady is a future Hall of Famer, on his way to defying every sense of supremacy and marvel. The storyline of a noteworthy player who is the hallmark of football sent the world into delirium over all the publicity surrounding his position in NFL history.

If the Patriots are to lose, unable to avenge an unfortunate loss from four years ago, then Brady won’t tie Montana and will fail twice again the Giants. The entire thing could be a sign of fineness and perfection in a dramatic rematch for Brady, who has three Super Bowl rings and five appearances in 10 seasons.

What’s most telling is that he’s so instrumental in the Patriots dominant offense. The state of Brady is what seems relevant here, in his attempt to capture a win to historically solidify hierarchy.

Everyone knows, which he has laid the foundation for a dynasty last decade, Brady is a two-time Super Bowl MVP with a 141-40 lifetime record and a 17-5 postseason mark. The chances of him measuring up to idealism in a game of such magnitude is likely, and now is the moment for Brady to lead his Bunch to a Super Bowl title, overdue of transcending beyond greatness.

Again, he has his eyes on the prize, surrounded by offensive weapons with an advantage to find tight ends Aaron Hernandez and All-Pro Rob Gronkowski running in the slot and Wes Welker cutting the middle to position himself for a downfield pass.

Absolutely Brady is as advertised, and the most fascinating thing about him is that he’s the hottest, sexiest product in the NFL, a celebrity, the epitome of an old-school-like quarterback with the arm strength to fire throws to his intended receivers.

For years now, you and I have watched Brady. We’ve been amazed by his craft and perfection, soaring to new heights ever since he — as an inexperienced passer — replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe at quarterback for the Patriots.

Only a female reporter shows up to media day in a wedding dress and proposes to Brady. Only he turns decent receivers into perennial receivers. He owns three rings, but gave one to his dad.

By the end of Sunday night, we’ll know a bit more about Brady, and if the Pats win, owner Robert Craft will call him the fifth son. If he becomes the fifth son, Brady will go down as one of the finest quarterbacks, if not already.

That’s the way the Patriots became the Brady Bunch.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Being Disruptive Force, Pierre-Paul Has Much to Offer Giants

2012-02-03T15:18:00.000-05:00

The raw and ferociously competitive mind of Jason Pierre-Paul, or JPP as fans prefer to call him, is turning the disruptive force into an athletic, beastlike American phenomenon. Pretty soon, as you and I know, the Giants No. 90 jersey can become a top selling consumer product, when Pierre-Paul is hastily soaring as a primary defensive star in New York.

Because of his athletic prodigies that have made an immediate impact in his brief NFL career, which Pierre-Paul is a fulfilled aggressor with tremendous promise in the Giants’ future, he’s an impending All-Pro defensive end and helped the New York Giants secure a playoff spot.

And then, in pursuit of stunning the world to renew familiarity for one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history, it finally happened that Pierre-Paul was an indomitable factor to the Giants by playing a predominant role defensively. The Giants returned to the Super Bowl for the first time in four years, the last time they raised the Lombardi Trophy, the last time they met the Patriots in a meaningful game. This is a rematch of Super Bowl XLII — and playing in his first ever NFL title game — is Pierre-Paul himself.

This is a whole new scene for him, and ever since his arrival to Indianapolis, he has truly relished the moment, knowing he has an opportunity, a grand opportunity to win his first ring on the field set for an epic rematch of what should be an inerasable event that will forever firmly ingrain in our minds. He sort of reminds you of a wild stampede or an almighty giant stomping all over his opponents, as if they are tiny and much smaller than him.

What a way to begin your career, instantly as an instrumental piece – and later in the season – in conversations to possibly win Defensive Player of the Year. When you think about it, he does have the speed, the strength, the body, the size and the mental toughness, all the ingredients obligatory to depict an all-rounded defensive end in the NFL, one that have all the qualities of a well-balanced defender – someone who can dismay and fearfully stop the run that terrorize opposing players with bone-jarring, legal hits.

Pierre-Paul, the 6-foot-5, 275-pound, dynamic defensive end, creates a scare and problems for New England. I can’t think of one player who is more of an issue for the Patriots. Then again, I can think of his defensive counterpart and captain Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora.

It’s no secret that the Giants are scheming to brutally send Patriots quarterback Tom Brady down to the field for Super Bowl XLVI. The quarterback who is married to a Brazilian supermodel is the favorable target in this game, and the Giants could hinder the flashy Patriots’ offense by committing to the run-stopping, blitz-style, pass-rushing onslaught.

This, I thought, was bold of Pierre-Paul, especially when he announced in front of reporters and cameramen that Tom Brady is not God. This, from a pass rusher that admittedly said Brady was only human during the Giants’ regular-season victory over the Patriots. From the way he described it, the real pressure is on Brady and his bunch, not the Giants themselves.

“Tom Brady is a great quarterback, but at the end of the day he is just a quarterback,” Pierre-Paul said Wednesday. “It’s not like he is God, he can’t be touched. We’ve just got to get to him, and going into this game we know what’s at stake and we’ve got to get there fast enough … We’ve just got to get to him. We know it all starts up front no matter what.”

The Giants are favorites and not underdogs to the Patriots because odd makers finally figured out, as the game of football has been for years, that defense wins games. The point is, if anything, the Giants are deeply armed with weapons defensively, which tells us why they’ve advanced to this point, one win away from immortality. If anything, they are silencing the whisperers, partly when a discounted, disrespected defense is a fundamental service for the Giants’ achievements thus far.

But, nonetheless, the Giants haven’t earned their nod respectively, even after the fearsome foursome had a few signature plays and stops in the playoffs. If there’s one team that can disrupt and irritate Brady, as the Patriots veteran thrower was 28 for 49 for 342 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the November loss, it’s the Giants and that tenacious, voracious defense.

“I think it won’t have much impact on his performance, because … if you look at Week 9 when we played them, it’s like he felt us,” Pierre-Paul said. “We went back on the film, we watched the film and we didn’t really rush as we can as a defense.”

At first glance, in fact, Pierre-Paul seems so much alarmed and largely the influential name on the field – in terms of him speaking undauntedly about Brady. With that in mind, as expected, he’ll try everything to his power to deface and stifle Brady. It’s amazing, really, how fast he’s grown and matured in the league, already a vital element with a striking body of work this season alone.

Each time, he has arose to the occasion, stepping into a huge role and making big plays when it mattered the most, now eligible for a long-term, enormous contract as his money-making days are near. It wouldn’t be the best solution to dismiss the Giants when Tuck said they have to take down Brady, only to articulate with a creative analogy.

“The way to kill a snake is to take off its head,” he said. “The way to kill an offense as potent as that one is, is making sure you take care of Brady.”

And his bunch, too, right?

The fact of the matter is that the Patriots, a team that comprise of a prolific receiving core, where head coach Bill Belichick runs a system for which he plays a pair of tight ends like receivers, has an army of route runners and tight ends. That would be Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, who is expected to play Sunday with a sprained ankle. The blueprint to defeating the Patriots is attacking the quarterback, not allowing him enough time to deliver a pass, not allowing him to connect with his propitious receivers, like Wes Welker or Deion Branch.

“I always say the keys to football are the same: stop the run and get to the quarterback,” Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. “Maybe they don’t have as strong a run game as other teams do, but they are very effective passing the ball and that ball comes out quick. If we do our job up front and get to him, it will make everybody’s job easier.”

It’s much easier to respectively give him credit for such a late run that the Giants rode for quite some time to reach the Super Bowl and compete for the prize, of course. There’s something else cool about this story, and perhaps incredible. It’s Pierre-Paul quickly turning into a leader on defense, unafraid to take on a team that can intimidate its opponent, undaunted enough to play the role as the dominant force.

He has become almost an unstoppable, durable aggressor – a tough-minded, driven defensive end doing whatever it takes to get inside the quarterback’s head and bring him down to the grass. That’s the dynamic, fundamental, all-around defensive player he has blossomed into, a sizable talent with simply the bull-rush and nifty footwork. He is quick and has developed into one of the relentless All-Pro defensive ends in the game. Just like that, he has altered into an unstoppable, powerful pass rusher, and as Pierre-Paul has improved this year, so did the Giants defense.

This is what New York owns – a formidable player getting meaner and more forceful.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Eli Manning On Verge of Rising Above Big Brother

2012-02-01T17:37:00.000-05:00

More than thousands of reporters and photographers crowded at Super Bowl media day – the wildest circus where reporters from all over the world gathered around Eli Manning’s table. There is a suggestion here that he might clearly be the best quarterback in Super Bowl XLVI, or for that matter, on the verge of winning his second Super Bowl title to surpass his brother, Peyton.

The media gathering largely, turning all the attention to Manning himself for leading the Giants and having a MVP-like season, waited for him to arrive at his table. If the Giants are to win the Lombardi Trophy, Manning emerges as the elite passer of the family, despite that he’s the little brother. Until now, he’s lived in the shadows of his brother, and not only is he arising as a stud for the Giants but growing higher than ever on the Manning family tree, a star that was born in the Manning household.

There’s no denying Eli is the most relentless and toughest player at his position, maybe even more staunch and strong-willed than his nemesis Tom Brady, who is on a mission to win a fourth ring in his fifth trip to the Super Bowl where he’s honed vividly a priceless legacy. The allure of a franchise quarterback or a brand inevitably hard to ignore in such a national scene is the buzz heard this week in Indianapolis, where Manning is playing in his brother’s house on Sunday for a chance to win his second title.

This season is only a breakout year, which Eli is well on his way that amounts to supremacy among premier quarterbacks in the NFL, a debate sweeping the whole country this week as folks pontificate and discuss whether he’s an NFL megastar. There’s no secret – a realistic premise, mind you, that he’s nearly rising to a level of brilliance and superiority.

At the beginning of the season, he had proclaimed himself among the top quarterbacks in the league. It’s no secret, it’s no lie – after all – he really is projected to be better than his brother and be verified as one of the gifted passers in the league, especially if he can again beat the Patriots and Brady to validate his legacy. You know he’s tired of playing considerably in the shadows of his brother, exhausted of impending drama, when he intrigued the crowd with his family stories during Super Bowl XLVI media day at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Tuesday afternoon.

“I am five years younger than Peyton, but growing up we would always compete,” said Manning. “When I got a little bit older, 15 or 16 years old, we could finally start being on the same level and compete in playing basketball, ping pong or pool. There is that competition.”

He should have been a national topic, an admired star of many accomplishments, when Eli has become the brand-name quarterback in American sports building a successful NFL career, much like his brother. But as expected, at his Super Bowl news conference, Manning was bombarded by Peyton questions.

It’s the week when a rematch of one of the great upsets in Super Bowl history returns, drawing the public’s interest with a topic that wouldn’t disappear on media day. If this were a script, Manning certainly was in the center of a much dramatic event, asking 13 questions during his session, six of them referring to his older brother, the Colts quarterback who missed this season because of neck surgery. It’s not surprising, considering that Peyton’s NFL future is uncertain. Now that he’s a high-profile name, he is admired more than his brother it seems.

What makes this such an epic event – absolute hype surrounding two brothers who are quarterbacks – is the name on the back of the jersey, sons of the legend himself Archie Manning. Asked how he felt about possibly winning a Super Bowl in Peyton’s place, in his brother’s house, he said – “It’s just a matter of trying to get ready for the Patriots, trying to get ready to play this game, uh, getting prepared for their defense and we’ll look back on, on the fact on playing in the Super Bowl in Peyton’s uh … in the town where he played his NFL … uh … plays, you know, play for the Colts … we’ll look on that later.”

Please, because this is supposed to be Eli’s week, not a moment that Peyton, his older brother, hijacks the spotlight. Just like the rest of us, Eli is unsure about his brother’s health status, and maybe, just maybe, he has information regarding the state of Peyton’s health. The thing is, however, this is not about Peyton. This is about Eli. It’s little brother who is playing in the Super Bowl, it’s not big brother. Guided by an old-school, impassioned Hall of Fame coach, Tom Coughlin, Manning is aware and realize that he plays a factor in the Super Bowl having been here before.

“I’m excited about being here,” said Manning. “My mindset is I’m here to play a game. This is just a Super Bowl venue. I’m not looking at the fact that this is where Peyton has played his career. I’m just trying to go out there and play my best football – and try to get a championship for the New York Giants.”

As we are hearing, of course, Manning has finesse and big game experience. You thought it was impossible for him to get back to the biggest game in pro football, followed by the criticisms that he’d never measure up to greatness or become a dynamic star player in today’s game. But he knows, you know – and I know – that he fooled us all by leading the Giants to new heights and, with that in mind, he morphed into a reliable element in New York’s surging offense.

Thankfully, he’s surrounded by a deep receiver core. Armed with weapons on each side of the field – and with that in mind – his favorite target is Victor Cruz — who has had a major impact on the Giants pulling off the late resurgence, Manning has been able to benefit with a profound supporting cast around him. He is, without much question, the rising star of football right now.

It happened at the right possible time, at a moment when the Giants are possibly the hottest team in the Super Bowl, stunning the world to return to the biggest game as underdogs, even though in reality – they can likely beat the Patriots with their fearsome, ferocious defense. For his first time ever, All-Pro Jason Pierre-Paul will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday. The formula of the Giants’ defense is stopping the run and forcing opponents to pass the ball, an advantage this team has with the best front four in the league, led by defensive end and captain Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora.

“We have the mindset that this is a new game,” said Manning. “It’s the same teams, but a lot of different make-up. What happened in the last Super Bowl doesn’t matter.”

Because he plays on a team that predominantly claims a place in NFL history, the Giants that is, Manning is simply the most dignified player behind his brother and he’s seemingly hyped for leading his team to this point, a rematch with the Patriots, a date that can define his image as a player in the league if he can again pull off the victory against New England. If this haven’t refreshed our memories of when he tossed a few breathtaking passes in the final minutes to defeat the unbeaten Patriots in Super Bowl 46 four years ago, it definitely has now.

“It’s the same teams, but in our mindset, a lot of new players,” said Manning. “We had 16 guys and New England only has seven guys who were on that team. A lot of guys who are going be key factors in this game did not play in that last Super Bowl.”

He is, without doubt, tougher mentally and physically, shoved around and slammed to the turf. That is Manning, who is always hit by a storming pass rush or either escaping the bull-rush. Back in the day, he was picked 198 spot, and wasn’t pleased when San Diego selected him, so he forced a trade to the high-market Giants, where he has grown as virtually a matured, motivational leader on and off the field.

And now, he is considered the best quarterback in Super Bowl XLVI.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

New England Patriots: Is Bill Belichick Best NFL Coach Ever?

2012-01-31T16:41:00.000-05:00

You don’t have to like Bill Belichick, the three-time champion head coach of arguably the greatest Super Bowl team of this generation. He’s not the most likable man, always wearing a dark blue hoodie — an unstylish NFL genius – having a shrewd IQ, even though few believe he’s a fraud after the infamous episode of Spygate.

Either way, that is, Belichick – whether his name is Belicheat or Beligenius – is bidding for his fourth Super Bowl title in his fifth appearance in a national setting, piloting the New England Patriots to supremacy and can also solidify his legacy – ironically – at his finest days of excellence. His game plan for Super Bowl XLVI is suspenseful and erratic, but as great as he is, Belichick, I’m sure, will have his players prepared for the opportune moment and a few tricks to pull out of his hood.

It’s a chance when he and the Patriots franchise can elevate legacies and become one of the dominant teams of not only this decade but NFL history, if the team can beat the New York Giants in a rematch of the 2007 Super Bowl season. In particular, it’s the arrogance and sneakiness of Belichick you dislike, it’s his overbearing, devious tactics you despise.

If you know him well enough, which many critics know by now – for instance – Belichick doesn’t care what you or I think of him. Like many coaches, he frequently tries whatever experiment it takes to capture a victory. And if the strategy works in the best interest of the team, he sticks with the pattern that brings him a blueprint to prosperity.

As he sauntered onto the stage and then preached familiarity, telling swarms of reporters shortly after the Patriots arrived late Sunday afternoon to Indianapolis for the game of Roman Numerals that he’s keeping to his standards, Belichick insisted that he won’t reveal much, and better yet, was placid and laid-back. For the first time, since he began coaching the Patriots, he addressed the media in the first news conference at the University Place Conference Center and Hotel. This time, for once, he stepped to the stand much less moody and dull.

That’s right, Belichick, the normally vague coach who is mum and brief with questioners, wasn’t wearing a disguise and openly laughed. He even was joking and chuckling, recalling his 2009 4th-and-2 blunder at their own 28-yard line in a 35-34 loss to the Colts. If this has a feel of annoyance or bitterness, it’s because of Belichick but respectively he’s in conversation to be depicted as one of the best coaches ever with a remarkable resume.

“I never had too much hospitality here until I went for it on fourth-and-2,” Belichick said jokingly. “And then since then, I’ve been greeted in a lot more friendly manner than I was in the past.”

When he was asked about how he’d feel if he won a fourth Super Bowl to tie Steelers coach Chuck Noll by 12-year-old reporter Grace Ybarra of Scholastic News Kids Press Corps, Belichick was kindhearted and charming. For decades, no one had ever seen the friendly side but Belichick’s petulant side.

He’s not worried about his All-Pro tight Rob Gronkowski, and said he is listed “day to day” with a high left ankle sprain for Sunday’s NFL championship game against the Giants. It’s not strange of Belichick to keep quiet with medical reports, and he’s optimistic Gronkowski will play in the biggest game, a key component to the Patriots high-flying offense.

“You’ve got to prepare for every one of these situations that come up,” Brady said of Gronkowski potentially being sidelined or limited while nursing an injury. “You always have to have some contingency plans.”

It’s surprising, as Belichick openly talked about his father, Steve, who was the longtime Navy assistant coach and had a short pro career with the Detroit Lions, that he shared his personal life when he normally chooses to just parley about the game.

“I’ve grown up with (football because of him),” Belichick said. “That was my life as a kid, from when I first remember … 4, 5, 6 years old. And obviously the rest of my life. He had a huge impact on my childhood, my love for the game and my involvement in the game as a coach.”

Growing up in a football household, he knows his father introduced him to the game in early childhood, and indeed, Bill took after his father, Steve, who died in 2005. What he did, as a father who taught Belichick the significance of life and turned him into the man he is today, was mold and develop a legend in his own son.

It is a nature of humankind, particularly in sports, that we share our displeasure and hostility toward the villain of football, whether he’s accused of being a sleaze for videotaping opponent’s practices or signals or even for building a dynasty. It would be wrong to admittedly call him one of the worst coaches ever, though he’s been accused of erroneously cheating and killing the integrity of pro football.

This is where, we can see him on the sideline in his hoodie and baggy trousers come Sunday, a common wardrobe everyone is accustomed to seeing that his hooded sweatshirt will likely own a place in the Hall of Fame. This is where, more importantly, he can win his fourth ring and historically listen to the debates on whether Patriots’ Tom Brady and Belichick are the best quarterback/coach combo in the history of this sport.

There is a palpable feel that he has arose as the well-respected coach in American sports, and the Patriots have been largely a success under him in which New Englanders have immersed in the game when football has such a predominant role in the New England region.

How fitting, in the age when he is the most interesting man in the NFL, that Belichick returns to the Super Bowl at a time we are close to ranking his place in sports history.

He is either admired or loathed.

He is Bill Belichick.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Manning Era May Be Over, If Irsay Says So

2012-01-28T23:04:00.001-05:00

If Apple weren’t invented in this new age of innovation, we seemingly wouldn’t have iPods or iPhones. The same can be said for owner Jim Irsay and the Indianapolis Colts. If they weren’t in dire need of a franchise quarterback, the Colts apparently wouldn’t have seen the emergence of Peyton Manning, the endearing star of the South’s most famous college quarterbacks.

The legacy will be his forever, even if the Colts are ready to cancel Manning Health Watchers, contemplating whether or not to part ways with Manning and move forward by selecting top QB prospect Andrew Luck with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. For over a decade, Manning was a rifle-armed thrower and aired it out for a bottomless receiver core. Ever since he wore a Colts jersey, he’s been the all-encompassing icon in the smaller town of Indiana, emerging into one of the primary athletes in sports with a passer’s mentality.

But now, he honestly knows his days are numbered as a Colt and this exchange in a war of words has perpetuated a feud in what appears to be a broken ending to an unsteady relationship when Irsay and Manning traded words verbally Thursday, with Irsay calling him a “politician.” It would be foolish of the Colts to move on without Manning, the symbol of football in this country, a superstar Indianapolis can embrace deeply as he sold Sprint phones and tickets at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It’s the house that Manning built, and the future Hall of Fame quarterback is not on good terms with his boss since a confrontation spewed publicly. In the best interest of the organization, Irsay must chose whether to pay Manning, a four-time MVP who missed the 2011 season recovering from neck surgery. Rather simply, Irsay could lose the greatest player ever at the most respected position in football, the ultimate icon in a city that hopes to see him retire as a Colt, if he is adamant and stupidly dauntless enough not to give him a $28 million bonus and lose the well-accomplished quarterback to free agency.

What if he is physically able to play? What if he returns to good health? It’s something that Irsay must think about, before he maneuvers his roster in a way that he’ll later regret, in a way that he’ll go through a rebuilding stage. Assuming they mended a rocky relationship by reaching a mutual understanding, assuming that they’ve handled the issue professionally, Manning and Irsay have reconciled when a rift had arose between the team and the franchise quarterback. Right now, as I write this, Irsay realized that Manning has achieved more than anyone in the Colts family, exceeding individual deeds and even capturing a lone Super Bowl title, all with Indianapolis to popularize a franchise in a territory where the citizens brace the game.

“We would like to dispel any misperception that there might be any hard feelings between us,” the two said Friday in a statement issued by the team. “Since 1998, we have enjoyed a great relationship, based upon mutual respect and trust. We have always been able to talk and address matters we’ve faced over the years, not just as owner and player, but as friends.

“We had a long talk today and we want to assure Colts fans everywhere that we are both committed to maintaining our close relationship and to working together through any challenges the future may bring.”

He reiterated, earlier in the week, that health – not money – will determine whether Manning returns next season. At a time when the Suck 4 Luck campaign is believed in, a debate that has fans speculating the Colts’ decision in the forthcoming weeks, the team will likely select Luck and move forward without Manning. It’s the most controversial issue, most overblown story in football so far, as the season is coming to a close with the Super Bowl a week from now.

If Manning, an athlete we adore greatly for becoming one of the finest legends among quarterbacks in the NFL, by next season, is not healthy and unable to play, the Colts won’t hesitate in trading him as a few teams will take a gamble and bring in an ailing veteran to try and win a title at the very moment. And now, just like that, it doesn’t seem as if they are heading for a divorce, an irreparable relationship that is reparable after all. And no team, not even those with more drama, has been more dizzying in what has been a befuddled week, figuring out the latest news after a fallout from an Indianapolis Star interview earlier in the week.

The mess unfolded specifically when Manning said that the state of confusion in the front office and coaching staff had “everyone walking around on eggshells.” That spurred retaliation from Irsay and, in an interview after introducing new Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, he addressed the issue when he lashed out and verbally ripped his franchise quarterback. It’s simply elementary to think that he’s discontent with the front office after Irsay fired his longtime vice chairman and friend Bill Polian, taking over personal decisions and full possession of his family-owned business.

“I was stunned, I was surprised, I was saddened and just disappointed that it all happened this way,” an unhappy Manning told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen by phone a few weeks ago. “I was actually meeting with Bill in the training room and we were talking about my rehab schedule, what I could and couldn’t do in the facility under the new (collective bargaining agreement) and my checkpoints when he was summoned to see Irsay. He actually chuckled and said, ‘We’ll see.’”

Was this why he was upset?

Hmmm.

Maybe Irsay is tempted to begin a massive revamp of the Colts’ front office and coaching staff in the aftermath of a pathetic 2-14 season, leading to the firings of Polian, general manager Chris Polian and head coach Jim Caldwell. It’s all up to whatever Irsay wants, not what Pagano or general manager Ryan Grigson desires.

It’s not even Manning’s call.

The rift is over, so they say. But we really may never know at this point if Manning and the Colts are approaching a divorce, an ugly separation. There’s no telling whether their relationship will come to an end reprehensibly or live on happily ever after.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Paterno’s Legacy Forever Remains Mystery, but Won’t Be Forgotten

2012-01-25T16:22:00.000-05:00

It wasn’t long ago when Joe Paterno, now in love and memory of what he left behind at Penn State, talked with Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post to give his side of the story publicly on his failure to notify authorities that Jerry Sandusky, his former assistant coach, allegedly had molested young boys.

It’s a tragic ending to what once was a touching story for an elderly man, who lived out his final days in the center of an everlasting scandal that involved a football staff member. This disheartened chapter of not reporting and ostensibly keeping a secret from the police came years after his sick-minded defensive coordinator molested underage children by seducing and manipulating misinformed boys through the Second Mile charity he ran for unprivileged kids. Doesn’t it figure, then, that Paterno’s legacy would be called into question with thoughts of his image possibly being tarnished forever, even after his death?

It’s insensitive to speak ill of the decease, but whether it’s right or morally wrong, an egregious scandal doesn’t erase 62 years of extraordinary coaching when Paterno touched the lives of many young men and served as the moral compass for a university he placed on the map academically and athletically, a legacy that won’t ever be marked with an asterisk. Paterno, as the winningest major college football coach, famously died shortly after he coached his 323rd college victory and had been fired for his mishandling of child sex-abuse allegations leveled against Sandusky.

It was sad, admittedly, to see him deteriorate and climb into his deathbed, unable to accept the fact that he had been fired from his livelihood, a passion in his life, deprived of his sanity and will to live. For all the shame in the Sandusky case, as the most likable man on campus, he’ll always have his supporters and non-supporters, a pariah to some, or virtually a hero to others. But even in the twilight of his darkened, nebulous legacy, as one of the university’s most interesting and powerful men, Paterno had a large impact on children’s lives that enriched the nature of Penn State football.

By now, in his death, maybe we can reflect back on what he achieved at Penn State as a well-accomplished coach, what his life meant for an emotional university and not only judge his life on a hideous scandal that occurred weeks ago. The last chapter for Paterno ended with a sex-abuse scandal and apparently is inevitable as victims or families can’t help but to have bitterness, not compassion for a man who never prevented a pedophile from lurking on campus and molesting young boys. From now until eternally, he might be marked from the Sandusky mess, thrust in a position after failing to do more by not reporting such a gruesome crime that he may have known about before news surfaced on the allegations and literally stunned the Penn State community.

The truly great ones measured by personal excellence normally cement an unbreakable legacy, and Paterno built such a special bond with kids, a connection no player of his can ever forget. It turns out that he died not only a legend, but in his role as a father-figure for many kids on campus. The impact was far beyond incredible, and indeed, he was the school’s most endearing man but unfortunately he descended for the worse, once the scandal publicly damaged Penn State’s integrity and reputation. Parents are now, simply and understandably, furious with the allegations of sexual abuse that happened under Paterno’s watch.

He somberly pushed. He pushed. And he pushed, until he couldn’t push much longer. But like many old legends — including the moment when legendary coach Woody Hayes infamously threw a punch at Charlie Bauman that cost him the Ohio State job – Paterno will be projected as one of the all-time greats, claiming a place in history, despite the stain that somewhat damaged an obscure legacy. The darkness of this wretched, nauseating event will forever hover over his achievements and deeds at Penn State, where he had a connection and had largely been an influential figure that molded kids to stay motivated and perform diligently.

The mystery now is whether he’ll be remembered for the greatest moments of his monumental career, following his convoluted, puzzling death. He died Sunday at State College, Pa., hospital, fighting the battle of lung cancer but was in his final days to sadly end in the aftermath of this sickening scandal. Sure enough, he lived to be 85. As any supporter familiar with the honors and principles of a man who seemingly had family ties at the university, slowly saw Paterno become a fallen legendary coach when his spotless legacy was rocked Nov. 5, 2011.

This story was complicated, the arguments were intense, but even if a grand jury indicted Paterno’s former assistant, Sandusky, of several counts of sexual abuse of young boys, nonetheless we can’t overlook the good memories he left behind. He was stuck in a mess for not doing more to prevent Sandusky. There are entirely mixed vibes for many of whom, including Penn State’s Board of Trustees, were upset that he had not done more to stop the sexual activities from getting worse.

The situation now is that Penn State must recover from a hideous scandal, but it’s going to take years to repair one’s image – an issue the school is presently living with, when allegations of misconduct emanated of sex crimes in 2002. Paterno was not only a coaching figure, he might have been the best fatherly townsperson, and was even given the nickname JoePa that theorized his father-figure characteristics not just to his players, not just to the Penn State students but the entire community. He was largely a lovable icon in State College, a small town in Pennsylvania where he could have ran for mayor and easily would have unanimously swept the voting polls.

If anyone is worth remembering to the fullest, it’s Paterno himself. His inspiration, enlightenment and encouragement to reach the mind’s of children was so immense that seemingly he can never be forgotten. For decades and generations to come, he’ll own a shred of honors in Penn State athletics, if not within the entire university, where he provided wisdom and inspired children as a noteworthy role model on campus, liked for his donations and commitment to one school.

If you think of Paterno, you think of a kindhearted human being for giving millions of dollars back to the school. If you think of him, you think of the library on campus named after him and his wife, Sue. If you think of him, you think of a guy from Brooklyn, a humbled and knowledgeable icon, at his best, teaching kids valuable lessons. With the level of accomplishments, he was the winningest college football coach all-time, piling on a 409-136-3 record. Rarely has a coach won two national titles and finished with four undefeated seasons. He was wholly unbelievable, leading the Nittany Lions to national title victories in 1982 and 1986.

As your basic guy, he wore his thick glasses and cuffed pants, advising alumni to take great pride in their university, particularly at Penn State where he had been the symbol of the program for many years, even after he was dismissed in what was an unhappy ending. It seemed, believe it or not, he was more than just a college coach. And as it usually turns out in death situations, people from all walks of life have nothing but nice things to say about Paterno. But it was now that he was remembered for being an advocate of a tradition and accommodated playoff system. In his final days, the scandal was too much to weigh, too much to handle, too much on his heart as Paterno’s beautiful story had disappeared into the darkness of a sex scandal no one ever imagined.

This will forever cloud Paterno’s legacy, but it won’t ever be forgotten. The Sandusky case has torn apart a life of achievements, values and inspiration, though it won’t ever end or smear a legacy completely.

You won’t ever forget the awful moments, nor will you forget the generations of his wonderful life.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Deja Blue! Fear the Fearsome, Mighty Giants

2012-01-23T15:03:00.000-05:00

SAN FRANCISCO– It’s not hard, as the G-Men are more complete than X-Men or the Fantastic Four superhero team, to identify the best defensive team in the NFL. It was just this moment, this game, this opportunity for the New York Giants to travel to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl.

What we have, ladies and gentleman, is suddenly a Super Bowl XLII rematch. It’s ridiculous to dismiss a blistering, monstrous group on its journey, hot right now, definitely playing at the highest level and punching its ticket to the biggest game of the season for a shot at another trophy.

We’ll always remember the game-winning, 31-yard field goal by place kicker Lawrence Tynes in sudden death overtime, the gigantic celebration of a fabulous team that has reached a level of achievements, sending the Giants to the Super Bowl with a 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game Sunday night.

Back home at old Candlestick Park, the 49ers and head coach Jim Harbaugh had become culturally a social, Bay Area sensation, for stunning the world in an astonishing playoff run. But now, the Giants are dramatic and remarkable, filled with all-around, dangerous men – including second-year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora that has formed a ferocious defense. And with the potent offense – among them — Victor Cruz, Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks, the Giants are dangerously built with a fearsome, well-rounded NFL team.

Deja Blue!

This all seemed so familiar. It almost feels similar to 2007, on the verge of repeating its own history, now just one win away from another unimaginable title. It’s what the Giants dreamed of during this season, although it wasn’t a perfect season but good enough to qualify for the playoffs and make a run on the field and in almost every game that mattered.

It’s what Giants quarterback Eli Manning dreamed of, reaching a crescendo in surely his breakthrough season, proving to be greater than we projected. The rain started dropping heavily at Candlestick Park and Manning had thrown for 316 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.

“That was a tough game. We had to fight for every yard that we got,” Manning said. “Defense was outstanding, special teams getting us two turnovers was. That led to 10 points.”

He was not perfect, which Manning was hit 20 times – along with six sacks – and certainly exposed his toughness in the pocket to avoid sacks. That was done brilliantly, play by play, in this particular game of poise and confidence against one of the NFL’s relentless defenses, becoming the first quarterback to win five playoff games on the road. The longest active consecutive starts streak is held by Manning with 119 straight games as a starter.

So as if now he’s truly an elite thrower, surrounded by his sturdy defense that managed to hold Alex Smith and the Niners to only three points in the fourth quarter – including overtime, he has numerous reinforcements as a franchise quarterback and significantly is well-coached by Tom Coughlin.

When you criticize Coughlin as if he’s never won before, when you simply laugh and ridicule him, as the local media back in New York usually does – and you amazingly shut up the critics by leading the Giants to the Super Bowl for the second time in the last five seasons – the feeling is that he is off the hot seat. We all know it. Winning cures everything, and with that said, he salvaged his coaching job for next season, no doubt.

There may be a point in time to discard Coughlin, but now is not the time. Ask Giants’ owner John Mara, supporting and giving much credit to the much-scrutinized coach, appreciative of him bringing the team together through adversity and a slow start.

“I give a lot of credit to Tom Coughlin pulling this team together and getting this team on this kind of run,” Mara said. “Hopefully our fans in the New York/New Jersey area will start to appreciate him a little more.”

I’m sure he’s a more likable guy by Giants fans.

As the expectations just rose as often as it has whenever the Giants play in a national scene, Coughlin, 65, is signed through next season and will likely earn his coaching job for many years to come with a contract extension in the offseason. The Coughlin critics dislike him, for whatever reason. He’s not consistent, he’s not too smart and he makes dumb decisions. Well, not this time, instead he worked harder and was decisive, as were his players. It definitely convinced the bashers that he’s got what it takes to lead the Giants to a championship again. It’s enough to hush the non-believers for which he’s one hell of a coach, and better yet, his players are talented and dominant on both sides of the ball.

“It’s just been a tremendous effort by all of us, man,” Cruz said. “We understand that any one of us can get hot at any moment. As long as we’re all on the same page and just playing together, man, we’ve got a great group of guys.”

This time, after a sentimental ending to another remarkable run for the Giants by winning the NFC title, the Niners allowed a substantial game to slip away. Humiliated and distraught, Kyle Williams, the backup punt returner for the 49ers, slowly walked down the tunnel, somberly dropping his head and reflecting on the costly mistakes he made in a pivotal title game. As that was happening, Manning and Tynes were mobbed in a celebration by their thrilled teammates.

This one will hurt for awhile, but notably it will haunt Williams, who blundered on returns twice Sunday night. In overtime, he fielded a punt at the 49ers’ 19, and then fumbled it when he was hit by Giants linebacker Jacquian Williams. It was recovered by the Giants at the 24, setting up the 31-yard field goal that decided the game. The really super thing here is that Eli earned his right to play in his big brother’s house, outlasting a ferocious 49ers run-stopping, rush-passing defense.

Yes, the house that Peyton built. The hidden truth is that he is an elite and more compelling quarterback, delivering on the highlight, which was a 17-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham on a third-and-15 in the final quarter.

So now again, the rematch is renewed and the Giants have a date with the New England Patriots on Feb. 5, two weeks from now, bringing back memories of David Tyree hauling in one of the sensational catches in Super Bowl history.

History does repeat itself, after all.

Deja Blue, right?
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Howard’s Next Destination Is Presumably Hollywood

2012-01-20T16:28:00.003-05:00

Entertainer, he is indeed. The setting, fittingly, is perfect in Hollywood, a gorgeous city filled with movie stars, lights, cameras and much action, if and when Dwight Howard prefers to leave from Disney World and the sunniest address for a contending franchise in Southern California. It’s clear that he wants out of Orlando to possibly end a bleak stint in his early years as an NBA star for a franchise with likely no promise in the near future.

It’s no surprise the all-star center, a brilliant entertainer for the NBA show business, is longing to leave behind the Orlando Magic, jaded of the failed personnel decisions by GM Otis Smith for refusing to make any moves. With a bundle of behind-the-scene issues, we are starting to sense unhappiness from Howard, disgruntled and upset after asking Smith to assemble a supporting cast behind him.

The sound of this, which can’t be good for the Magic or even the most annoyed fans, is a perturbed player whining and imagining himself playing in a Clippers or Lakers uniform. It’s even when the most confounded fans can’t help but wonder where he might end up soon, whether he will be playing on center stage in Hollywood.

So maybe he can bring high-flying dunks to L.A., rise to the occasion as a superhero – also known as Superman – and then pose as a one-two punch alongside Kobe Bryant. For a change of scenery, anyway, maybe he’s aspired to migrate in a high-market city and finally contend for a championship — never been given another opportunity at winning a title since the disappointing loss against the Lakers in the NBA Finals three years ago.

But soon enough, in this most diverse, infatuated region of purple and gold, word surfaced that Howard wants to play in Los Angeles. As of late, expressing interest in two L.A. basketball franchises, he’s not singing gospel music but warbling the lyrics from Randy Newton’s “I Love L.A.”

He’s a natural-born player, a gifted 6-foot-11 giant built with physique and size, the big man who can earn a star with his name on it at the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Blvd. He is the missing piece for the Lakers, the tallest man who has the body of a superhero and enough heart, and now they should pursue a trade for Howard with all knowledge that L.A. is his preferred destination.

If the Lakers acquire the tallest man, they undeniably become the championship favorites and position themselves for a massive dynasty. The road will get harder for every team, and the Lakers might be viewed as an unstoppable team in contention for the title with reinforcements from one of the league’s biggest stars.

He is known as the Kryptonite center, a man striving to be the best player in the middle, clogging the inside, stopping dribble penetration and protecting the paint, the kind of style Lakers head coach Mike Brown reiterate to his players so often. The idea of this trade, the idea of this move is to SUPERSIZE the Lakers, having already won 10 championships under the Buss regime, and it’s only smart if the Buss family lure Howard to play for purple and gold.

They love him, he loves them deep down inside – he’s just ashamed to say it and actually is focused on playing for the Magic, until his current team decide to deal him. It might not be anytime soon that Orlando trades him in exchange for veteran players, seeking to build around Howard and doing everything they can to keep him. His presence is a boon for spectators, and the Magic realize that he’s a ticket-seller, enticing fans to turn out in a large capacity at Amway Center.

For now, he is using his comical nature to downplay the discussion regarding any trade speculations, mocking the media and bringing laughter to press conferences on most nights. After this season, Smith and the Magic know they will lose Howard during free-agency in which he will test the market, no doubt, and could sign for millions in another city, another market, another organization, all for a compelling package.

The Lakers, a team in need of a taller and more physical superstar, can send Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to Orlando in exchange for Howard, a 6-foot-11, 265 pound big fella with one thing on his mind: a championship. Or he can even end up with the Clippers, reportedly adding the Lakers’ in-town rivals to the list. Either way, that is, he is aiming to embark on a new path in Los Angeles.

He wants to play in Los Angeles, yes. He wants to leave Disney World and the humidity for Disneyland and the warm and breezy climate in Southern California, yes.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Lakers Can’t Find True Identity From LBJ-Kobe Duel

2012-01-20T16:05:00.005-05:00

The audience erupted in roars, primal screams that rattled the arena in South Beach and, when all the folks were seen in seas of black cheering on LeBron James, it was obvious he suddenly was the rising star on this night. It’s a glaring notion that we are witnesses of two megastars that occupy our own consciousness as we are brainwashed by those Nike advertisements.

If he wants to settle an overexposed debate, in the meantime, Kobe Bryant must outscore James in a star-studded duel, but he’s not focused on outshining his nemesis and too busy promoting the Kobesystem, another illuminati commercial to endorse his product. Unfortunately, nothing ever comes easy for Bryant, who finds himself in a debate even though he owns five rings – more than the average player in this generation. He’s not, however, the most likable player as some disbelievers prefer to applaud James when he give up his claim to all-time greatness, crowning him prematurely as if he wears a ring.

So now what? It was a hideous shooting night for Bryant, and then the Kobe Lakeshow wasn’t on its regularly scheduled program or never aired in Miami, where James grabbed all the attention and showboated as usual, settling for 31 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four steals and three blocks to dominate the Lakers single-handedly. Maybe he doesn’t show it by his facial expressions – but he still, in his heart, hates losing to James.

The Lakers and Heat meeting in the NBA Finals?

It’s a possibility, a large possibility.

As much as the Lakers often lose to the Heat, Bryant normally becomes frustrated or petulant following a disappointing letdown on the national stage that centers two megastars, maybe even the greatest NBA entertainers in such a captivating show business – and cannot ever beat James to mute an endless Kobe vs. LeBron discussion. This 98-87 anticlimax on Thursday was a sign that the Lakers are still a work in progress, not equipped to strive for another title, seeking for an identity with new head coach Mike Brown and younger role players.

The evolution of this team couldn’t have been more than dire straits when the Lakers had no ferocity, no mental toughness, no heart or fight to slow down James. The night revolved around James, and there he was, flying past everyone in gold uniforms, while fighting flu-like symptoms. It means we’re seeing a sudden rise in James’ performance, putting on a show for fans in Miami and outplaying his childhood idol in every meeting to cap an NBA masterpiece almost like no other. It also means, on the flip side of things, that the Lakers are NOT competent or moxie to battle for the gleaming hardware, with many flaws to still fix within a fluctuant offense.

This promises to be an excruciating marathon of the Lakers’ erratic season, when the front office can relieve a tremendous amount of pressure off Bryant by trading Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace in exchange for Dwight Howard as the team can use another star player hungry enough and willing to team up with the Black Mamba and meet the challenge for the run at a title. It took an embarrassing loss to the Heat for the Lakers to determine certainly that their offense is inconsistent, weakened and soft.

It’s one thing to assume the Lakers are vehement, potent and built with the most talent in the NBA, which we began to discover weak spots as now would be a good time for resurrecting the frailty within a languid offense. But it’s another to witness them relapse already in such a young season because of injuries or either softness, to see a noteworthy pro basketball team in shambles that has become the hottest storyline.

The ending to this horror night in South Beach, where life for the Lakers turned pitch black as the weather forecast near the shores of Biscayne Bay called for strong winds from a wicked tropical storm, was frightful and painful as Kobe and his ineffective troops descended. That dreaded storm was James and the Heat. It’s usually a tough pill to swallow for Bryant, even more so when he loses to James over and over, unable to survive in a one-on-one duel as both players clash at center court, only to present an entertaining display on the NBA floor.

It hasn’t taken much to understand that Kobe and LeBron are the social fabric of basketball, an integral part of the economic and popularity in a growing enterprise, given that the NBA market is selling jerseys and tickets at most venues. It’s now easy to take in that James, in retrospect, doesn’t want to just fit in as an NBA star but also has the ambition to be a world-class athlete globally and market himself as an entrepreneur. Everyone knows when James and Bryant squares off — two of the NBA’s greatest — James always has the edge as his nemesis rashly backs down from the challenge, and so he continuously beats Bryant.

The Heat, for example, intimidated and terrified the Lakers to give us a clue on what they’ll be like the next few months, plainly not built for a championship run, suffering to make baskets and tighten up on defense, a number of troubles that has defaced L.A. for a long time. It’s almost foreshadowing to think that the Lakers are in a heap of trouble with this current roster, and refuse to entertain trade offers for Howard or another star player.

This was the moment for the Lakers to walk away with a victory against a championship-built team that was missing top guard Dwyane Wade because of an ankle injury. This was the moment for the Lakers to win without a healthy Miami Thrice unit on the floor that would have definitely presented more problems. It’s never good to see Chris Bosh, the tall, lanky inconsistent forward, cobbler the softest giant Andrew Bynum, who was blocked by James late in the game.

It’s never good to see James stealing a pass from Fisher, and running off in transition for a slam dunk that capped a 31-point performance. At the end of the game, Gasol rendered his emotions, covering his eyes and leaving the floor speechless. It’s apparent that a disconcerted Derek Fisher, sitting with two bags of ice on each knee while soaking his feet in a bucket after the game, is aging and closing in on his retirement to call it an accomplished career.

It’s apparent that Bryant is alone in acting as the aggressor and facilitator that provides not even enough energy or firmness to dominate at a high. The temptation to increasingly step up the intensity hasn’t been seen from the Lakers, a disengaged team with apathy and lethargy, struggling to find ways to win on the road where they are 1-5. If they have every desire to play for a championship, the Lakers must win in other territories and defeat decisive contenders, without losing to teams such as Chicago, Miami or the L.A. Clippers.

And so, as of now, the struggles continue.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Tebow Runs Out of Miracles: Patriots End Hype

2012-01-16T21:29:00.000-05:00

He tried to reproduce a miracle, the one that stunned the disbelievers and shocked the world so incredibly, and felt he could beat the New England Patriots. But this time, Tim Tebow, a prodigal son and messiah, couldn’t pull the trigger to quiet the doubters and whisperers.

It’s time we realize that Tebowmania has suddenly diminished – because the Denver Broncos were no match for the Patriots and never had a response every time New England scored to pummel them in a hostile environment. It’s time to realize that Tebow, especially for a polarizing figure in a game where many have the feeling he’s unproven and an overhyped player at the toughest position in a team sport, has opened himself to criticism.

He looked devastated, knowing he had no more miracles to share in a crazed playoff run. For once, he looked hopeless and beleaguered in yet the biggest challenge of his sensational career after taking over for Kyle Orton during the regular season that drew our attention nationally.

And he was blessed and delivered the Broncos from evil each week. Set aside the ambiguity of whether Tebow was promising or either an inferior pass thrower following the remarkable comebacks.

“I feel like I learned a lot this season,” said a humbled Tebow.

The reactions to this humiliating 45-10 beatdown were anything but charming and instead were horrific, and the agonizing loss will haunt the Broncos for years. He’s credited for turning around the Broncos’ season, becoming a savior, when he took over as starting quarterback, took a knee in prayer after every touchdown and gestured skyward to truly express humility and disclose public faith.

We prefer to witness upsets in the realm of pop culture, as we root for the underdogs in the patriotism of sporting miracles, like Villanova over Georgetown or Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson or Dodgers over A’s or George Bastl over Pete Sampras.

He was tired of the haters, the misgivings in the air, the daily judgments that he’d never grow as an elite NFL pass thrower, as analysts and critics advised the Broncos to switch him to the tight end or fullback position.

Before it all came to an end, he was a miracle-working quarterback – ridiculously described in the same breath as the next John Elway and had been following his legacy by attempting the unthinkable. It was a sad ending, nothing more to be quite honest.

On a disgraceful night in an unfriendly territory, far away from home, it was the most embarrassing defeat since the 55-10 clobbering to San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIV. It cannot be emphasized more clearly that Tebow hasn’t developed into an NFL elite quarterback and, in what was the worst game of his engaging career, he stumbled in a prime time event on center stage for an AFC divisional-round showdown with Tom Brady, a quarterback duel of the largest mismatch since Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in Twins.

So now what? Will the Broncos keep Tebow as the starting quarterback in the future?

Before he left Gillette Stadium, he stood in the hallway proud, walked in the press conference room somberly but wore a smile, and then talked to the swarms of reporters with maturity, class and optimism. He’s only 24 and talks with common sense as if he’s been living 50 years on this earth. Already, in the NFL, he’s a spectacle and a magnificent tale to be told every week it seems, and as long as he is in the league, Tebow will listen to praise from worshippers but won’t be given much admiration from sports atheists or disbelievers.

What we saw was a newfound icon rise before our very eyes, and the world suddenly stopped to embrace Tebowmania that stole most of the publicity this season. It’s a grudging tribute no better defined for a disliked and equivocal quarterback, drawing as much appreciation as a top-tier player normally would, not a second-year star with many questions about his throwing motion and potential.

It’s all over now, all the talk surrounding Tebowmania – and the Broncos were extremely manhandled and eliminated by the Patriots on a frigid night. The holes on the Broncos were so greatly apparent that seemingly we all witnessed an inexperience team with the lack of real playmakers as if they were performing like a JV high school team, relapsing and faltering when meeting its toughest opponent – exposed to New England’s high-flying offense.

It was as if they knew the way to contain and hinder Tebow from gaining a chunk of yards through the air and ground, unable to avoid the pressure or run through the seam, sacked play after play. At which point, he had exposed all his weaknesses by throwing incomplete passes and handing the ball off frequently, when he found it difficult to take advantage of New England’s horrendous pass-rushing defense. America, sadly, knows he’s a modest human being, but refuses to acknowledge his achievements this season, mocking and turning the Tebow conversations into sport’s biggest tease.

It might not have been so bad after a remarkable seven-game winning streak and after taking the Broncos to the division championship and a home-game appearance. When the Broncos beat the Steelers last week, Tebow was clearly the heavy talk of the NFL postseason, stealing the show and attention by pulling off another miracle, one that generated tremendous hype. It all suddenly died so fatally, in the bone-chilling, crisp night skies at Gillette Stadium, where the night turned into darkness as prayer wasn’t enough to erect a comeback, so help him God.

The first thing we should note, struggling to deliver complete passes and finding space to run, as it was a miserable and horrible ending to a season of aspiration and promise, is that Tebow was harried and harassed throughout the night. In every series, just about, he was sacked numerous times, he failed in throwing passes effectively, he took hard blows and, by the end of the night, he could have used a nice spa in the comfort of a luxury suite.

He didn’t fight tears but quickly smiled then spoke nicely after a miraculous season had come to an end so miserably, and midway in the third quarter as the game was pretty much out of reach, the entire stadium serenaded “Te-Bow, Te-Bow.” Fans were rubbing it in, making it real clear that Brady is the far more superior passer in the league and, in truth — it ended the Tebow hype. As he was slammed to the turf by defensive end Shaun Ellis, flatted out on the field like a sheet of paper, Tebow was lost and swaying nervously.

But when the familiar marvel stopped Saturday night, he wasn’t drawing much noise publicly and now the astonishing story no longer revolves around him – for the time being. He’s not a showboat, an overpaid bum, but the speedy version of a wild horse with strength and quickness, all those ingredients that led to this point. This time, in the show business of NFL studs, he wasn’t nearly as flawless like the Patriots’ sensational quarterback.

Whatever the unfulfilled disappointment or plights showed on Saturday night, he suffered in the cold and finished 9-of-26 for 136 yards with no touchdowns. That essentially summed up the night for Tebow. But it was, as usual, a superb night for the pretty boy, the actor who could’ve won an academy award when Brady was photographed wearing and walking in a protective boot on his right foot after surgery and had also been seen with his wife, Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen.

He’s the one who had the bigger and more efficient game, throwing-wise – that is. Which explains why Brady completed his first eight passes and had thrown 26-of-34 overall for 363 yards, finding and connecting with Patriots’ tight ends. He’s one of the greatest quarterbacks, in a sense, and exposed the Broncos’ poor secondary, wearing down their bodies and, by the time it was over, their throats were scratchy, they had fatigued legs and were short of breath.

So here they are again, one win away from another trip to the Super Bowl for the first time in four years and Brady is loaded with a bottomless receiver core, particularly with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, two tight ends having sensational runs this season. Brady is always hurling those passes, and against the Broncos, he found Gronkowski and Hernandez to combine for 18 catches, 200 yards and four touchdowns.

It’s a story that has been told so many times, and assuming that the Patriots defense was soft and terrible in pass defense and rushing defense, it was easy to discredit and speak foul of New England even when Bill Belichick is the best defensive mind in football. It was surprising, very surprising that the Pats dismantled and pushed around Tebow like he was a puppet on strings in a theatrical show in Foxborough.

Limited to only three pass completions in the first half, he watched the Patriots pile on points and painfully was the fallen star. As it turned into an aerial performance, Brady eclipsed the Tebow drama and tossed five touchdown passes in the first half, the most in NFL postseason history. The Patriots, unlike the Steelers last week, were able to create a disadvantage for the Broncos with an acute strategy and a well-designed game plan and weren’t intimidated by Tebow’s running abilities in the option plays. They were disciplined well and changed up their schemes defensively to confuse the baffled quarterback, and indeed, he was lost – not able to escape the pocket and run routes.

At the end, he talked about the future in humbleness and said that he plans to work hard and improve each day — and knowingly so — he will inspire his players and will develop. Knowing him, he’ll work harder in the weight room and watch film. Knowing him, he’ll try whatever it takes to polish his throwing motions and mobility.

He wants to become consistent and meet the biggest challenges next season, driven and having the state of mind to rebound from a poor playoff performance. There are doubters everywhere that never believed he could win a single NFL game, but he fooled us all and accomplished just that, unfortunately falling short, way short in the divisional-round. He can’t throw the ball so well, obviously.

“I was really proud where he started and where he brought his team,” Denver coach John Fox said. “We are a work in progress. We have got a lot of work to do and that hasn’t changed. And from the two matchups we had against the New England Patriots [this year], I think it is evident that we have work to do.”

If he’s a long-term plan for the Broncos, then Tebow must grow, throw efficient passes and have a sense of awareness – otherwise it will be tough years ahead for not only him but Denver as well, as they tried out this experiment that took them far into the playoffs.

I guess all you need is much faith.

He could be the future in the Mile High City.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Football Runs In the Family: Year of the Harbaugh Bowl?

2012-01-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

It seems they are the two likable brothers stealing the show by kinship and good character with the growing tradition that better defines a football-oriented family, pays homage to a pair of siblings, or lauds John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh for becoming the first pair of brothers to go head-to-head as NFL coaches.

The Harbaughs, set to lead their teams in the divisional-round games this weekend, are from a household where football is an affair and ritual for a well-known family.

Their father, Jack, who led Western Kentucky to a Division I-AA title and worked as an assistant coach for the late Bo Schembechler at Michigan, coached football for 46 years, ending his career in 2009 as running backs coach for Stanford. And now, his sons, John and Jim, are both coaches for NFL teams. It’s the brotherhood of defensive-minded coaches – through John’s and Jim’s incredible journey, a couple in which it has brought much fruition to both brothers – beginning when the Harbaughs turned mediocre franchises into consistent winners.

For what is a nice story, a singular story regarding a commitment that runs heavy in the family, the Harbaughs are defying every law of excellence in the rarest accomplishments of old-school philosophies. But when witnessing the coaching fraternity in its numerous aspects, this would be the ultimate perception of two coaches molded respectively by their father to compete at the highest level and breed self-motivation.

Tell me, are there two more interesting brothers of a cordial rivalry receiving all the attention for a potential family gathering in the Super Bowl that would suddenly become the Harbaugh Bowl?

It really is quite easy to realize that they are unique in their own way, even when they are both defensive-minded gurus with the emphasis of demanding toughness. That’s the type of game the Harbaughs reiterate, day by day, week by week in a grueling, tedious 16-game regular season, and now as the playoffs are under way, both Baltimore and San Francisco are ready to fiercely decapitate heads of opposing players. With the Harbaughs, we’ve seen the only brother head coaching combination in NFL history – to examine the clarity of two siblings in control of teams that have mirror images of them specifically.

The Harbaughs, after an apprenticeship from growing up and watching their father as they were also taught about football from Schembechler, have assembled a fruitful framework and have been successful to produce a pair of smash-mouth, hard-nosed teams.

It is fine to assume that the Ravens have earned a reputation as one of the stingiest and toughest defenses in the league, as well as the 49ers have established themselves as one of the teams with marquee defenders, groomed and obliged to play an aggressive style defense.

It’s now a good time for Jim to tell the world that Patrick Willis and NaVarro Bowman, one of the supreme middle linebacker tag-teams in the league, have stepped it up since his arrival. The rest of the progress from this recent prosperity that materialized in his rookie season is from Jim himself, a fiery leader with much vehemence and enthusiasm, which modifies the personality of the much-respected franchise.

If and when Jim wins a Super Bowl title, he might want to take Willis and Bowman with him to ESPY award appearances or even a foreseeable Hall of Fame ceremony years from now. For this was a sensational run, positioning themselves to contend in the playoff picture.

Ready for some hard-hitting football?

You should be.

So there he is, John, a pioneer in Baltimore to adore and praise for finishing 12-4, 6-0 in the AFC North with the No. 2 seed in the AFC. And there he is, more impressively so – Jim, a fixture for renovating much hope in the Bay Area when he led San Francisco to a 13-3 record and the No. 2 seed in the NFC in only his first year as head coach, making the most of his brother’s modus operandi.

That’s what happens when a team is fully built with muscular and bullish defenders. For the Ravens, while ferocious linebacker Ray Lewis – a 36-year-old veteran – is the centerpiece of a stingy defense, undaunted linebacker Terrell Suggs is incredible on his pass-rush abilities in one of the dynamic run-stopping defenses.

It’s possible, like when the Harbaughs met for a sibling match that wasn’t so brotherly loving on Thanksgiving night after big brother beat little brother in what was proclaimed as the Harbaugh Bowl, that we can see an encore of this event in a few more weeks.

It’s hard-hitting, turf-pounding, in-your-face, tough-minded football from the Harbaughs every time – the type of football fans are engrossed in around the world. John, the oldest by two years, is 49, and Jim recently turned 48. They were born 15 months apart and have bond closely as brothers.

And what was Jim doing when he called John?

He believes in his brother, and had phoned him often seeking advice about NFL coaching after he accepted the 49ers’ job, realizing that John had experience and much success during his tenure with the Ravens, where he has spent years guiding the team into the playoffs and building a winning product that appeased fans and even urged Lewis to stay in Baltimore.

When describing John and his staff, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco may not survive in the NFL, simply for leading a passing-drive at the right possible time and completing just enough passes to win, bailed out by his monstrous defense.

It might have been their childhood experiences that prepared and sharpened them for this career path, growing up in the Midwest and around the game to incredibly take after their father.

It runs in the family, obviously.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Nick Satan to King Saban: Alabama Let Good Times Roll

2012-01-10T20:09:00.000-05:00

The legend of the Crimson Tide was an ambassador, a wise father-figure for turning boys into men as one of the all-time most successful football coaches, and he came way before our time. That was Paul “Bear” Bryant, of course. Now, years later, it’s Nick Saban at the University of Alabama.

With all apologies, after he led the Crimson Tide and changed the landscape in the modern era – as one of the most successful coaches in college football history — though he’s controversial and often crabby, Saban is arguably the best genius in football, from crafty recruiting to game planning. The least we can do, while Alabama became the first team to win a national title without winning its conference, is realize that he is NOT Satan but the best college football coach in this age.

It’s one of the least coaches the masses want to respectfully credit for leading Alabama to two national title games in three years, including the 2012 BCS National Championship game, even though he’s one of the most enigmatic and eccentric figures in college sports. But the undeniable king of college coaches wears Alabama red, and presumably this could be the prelude of a dynasty that may have ‘Bama fans discussing Saban’s legacy for ages.

This isn’t what anyone had in mind, when LSU was favorites in the rematch but fooled the entire nation by finishing the night scoreless, all while Saban had his players prepared for the match up against their conference foes. As viewed, for once, Saban smiled and celebrated on the field with his players, and now he’s verified as the well-accomplished coach in Division I football, if not all.

Forgive me if I were too hard on Saban, too fast in judging his psyche. The first thing that comes to mind, when it comes to a petulant, tightly-wound individual, maybe even more so when Saban is truly known for his impersonal and relentless idiosyncrasies, is that he’s an inhuman person and mistreats his players.

Not true whatsoever. Yes, I understand Saban walked out on Miami obligations just two years after his arrival, and certainly, left the city under fire. Yes, I understand he allegedly stepped over and continued to walk over a convulsing player. Yes, I understand he denied and rebuffed interest in the Alabama coaching job, and then ran away from Miami to Tuscaloosa for a guaranteed $32 million contract when he left behind unfinished business as an NFL coach.

The promise was so intriguing that he fled for the wealth. The persuasion was so smooth that he ran for prestige and the power of college athletes, where Saban installed great success at the University of Alabama by smart recruiting and developing his players into stars.

Call him greedy. Call him a liar. Call him Sayeth. Call him money-hungry. Call him what you want.

But, in honesty, he’s a mastermind and the first and only coach to win a national championship at two schools. It almost defies logic in Saban’s superb strategy and tactics, and perhaps, he had planned wisely and appeared calm in his final news conference. And that, in a realistic way, is why the rematch was a 21-0 beatdown as the Crimson Tide solely overpowered LSU in a cupcake fashion.

It was never pretty when, in fact, it was the most awful national title game in BCS history, but it was frankly a shutout with Saban keeping his players focused and making the proper adjustments as needed. The entire nation now knows, while he demanded his players to prepare for this moment by spending hours in the film room and shouting at his players in grueling workouts and preparations to work harder, that he is savvy and tough to beat, particularly in pivotal situations.

It’s one thing for Saban to break a 17-year title drought. It’s another when he has won three national championships, the most in BCS history, and become 8-1 in games while the coach at LSU from 2000-04. The lore of Alabama football has grown ever since Saban arrived, and a tale has been told – and a pair of crystal football trophies has illustrated their place in history, but more importantly, Saban’s place among coaches.

What was more notable, after Monday night’s dominant performance, was that AP voters, those accountable for a potential split, were politically correct in a sense – amazed by the Saban’s brilliance. The performance proved that the nation doubted Saban and the Crimson Tide, and erroneously disrespected him and his players as they stunned the world in a commanding fashion, spanking the hell out of the Tigers.

So respectively, it’s now realistic to regard Alabama as the more dominant team in the nation, with all its weapons, mental toughness and its masterful game plan. There’s nothing particularly as dynamic as Saban and offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, who has been hired as coach at Colorado State, reducing the number of touches and dislodging reliable tailback Trent Richardson from the game plan.

Instead, for a change, they designed numerous plays through the air and sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron wasn’t inconsistent as in previous games but impeccable and executed his passes steadily. At the very least, he ran play-actions to confuse LSU linebackers and defensive backs, and he was accurate in delivering passes to his receivers.

For most he’s not considered a great pass thrower – but more importantly, he threw for a career-high 23 completions in 34 pass attempts and finished with 234 yards with no interceptions. It was a quiet night for the running game, for which Richardson had only rushed for 55 yards in three quarters. It’s telling McCarron was one of the player’s of the game in what was a boring contest, but Alabama’s defense was unstoppable, irresistible and potent and LSU had finally crossed the 50 with eight minutes left.

He seemed, at the time, like a leader with no control. And in truth, LSU senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson played the worst game of his career by far, to end his college career in such a disappointment, one that will haunt him for quite some time. He had a horrific night, throwing for only 53 yards and rushing 15.

The slew of turnovers killed Jefferson as well, when he fumbled a pair of snaps on third down and when he foolishly made an errant throw that resulted in an interception, and much of the time he was flummoxed as Saban and the Bear Bryant-style-like defense harassed and created plenty of difficulties. In the end, LSU just accounted for 92 yards with five first downs.

Some think he’s Nick Satan, others think he’s Benenick Arnold. Hate it or like it, he is the king. Hate it or like it, he has no real sins. If anything, he has a real football program that he turned around himself.

How about this? King Nick

It’s quite fitting for Saban, the king of college coaches.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

Best Player in Country? Yes, Tyrann Mathieu

2012-01-09T21:53:00.000-05:00

Surrounded by the sound of jazz bands in street parades, bars, restaurants, crazed fans and where the smell of Cajun food wafts through Bourbon Street, Tyrann Mathieu, who has tenderly become known as the “Honey Badger,” returns back to his native town. Born and raised in New Orleans, he has a chance to help lead No. 1 LSU to a win against Alabama in Monday night’s Allstate BCS National Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

There is a sense Mathieu, winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player as a sophomore, is the top player in the nation, although he was only named a Heisman Trophy finalist. When he was busted, when he was caught for being a rockhead and recklessly smeared his Heisman chances, Mathieu, a top-ranked LSU cornerback, was suspended for failing a university-mandated drug test – as well as Spencer Ware and Tharold Simon. With painstaking determination, willing to redeem himself and mellow as a player – all while he had proven to the nation that he was widely the most dangerous, best athlete in college football, if not the nation, he bounced back from adversity and excelled better than ever.

Every now and again an athlete is caught in a drug bust, not to harbor even bits of their image. But if anyone has ever come close in cleaning a near-damaged reputation, Mathieu has been fortunate to rekindle respectability when he almost recklessly lost social approval as an unparalleled defensive back/punt returner. He’s doing it for a better life, putting the past behind him and willing to move forward as a changed man by learning from his mistakes, regardless of what the naysayers think of him. It’s his turn to shine, as expected, in a game where he can nationally quiet any cynics and finally prevail on the brightest stage – encircled by all the heavy debates on whether he’s the best college football player in the country.

To answer your question: Yes!

That’s what LSU wants us to believe and, in truth, he’s established as the nation’s top defender given the premise of many highly classifying him as one of the greatest players LSU has cultivated and ever seen, at least in this generation come to speak. The hard reality he dealt with growing up, under the toughest circumstances as a kid, was having no parents and eventually shed tears when he spoke to Tyra Mathieu, his biological mother. As a young boy, just as he is now, Mathieu was the best player on the field and strongly supported by Tyrone and Sheila Mathieu, his adoptive parents. He’s not an ordinary person, and during a difficult childhood, he lived a tough life but had football to motivate him – and now today – he’s driven by his family calamities.

He talks with emotion, and he’ll be playing with a heavy heart when, in fact, it’s an emotional homecoming game for him. As always, Mathieu will leave his emotions on the field, a place where he can release his bitterness and play with plenty of ferocity which he has done so well for much of the season. With the nation watching, being that he’s the biggest curiosity – the one player we’ve kept our eyes on all season – Mathieu is seeking to win a national title, and walk away victorious in his home town.

The audience, captivated by the Honey Badger with his relentless and violent style, may witness an once-in-a-lifetime You Tube video that features him on the national stage stripping the ball from an opposing player, retrieving and returning it for a touchdown to make ESPN Sportscenter Top 10 plays by the next morning. As for being the story, the nickname has become a market crusade for everything that has been sold with the Honey Badger trademark – including Tigers fans wearing T-Shirts which read, “Honey Badger” or even local bars in Baton Rouge serving a drink called the Honey Badger, a shot of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Whiskey poured into a glass of beer.

So here he is, from a painful upbringing to a life experience. At LSU, he has quickly risen as a superstar in a partying-loving environment where he is the most likable figure in the state, presumably after becoming the most explosive defensive back in the country.

It’s almost possible to believe that Mathieu has laid a claim on the field, planting the seeds for an undying legacy in a popular culture that engages in football. It’s easy to make the argument that Mathieu has become the player he is today from a troubled childhood, a point in his life when he struggled and seriously never had unconditional love by his parents.

It’s not just that he never had a mother by his side, but that he never had his biological father, Darrin Hayes, who has been incarcerated for much of Tyrann’s life. Fortunately, after spending a few years of his life with his grandparents, he had a close bond with his grandfather. In the early years of his life, Lorenzo Mathieu raised Tyrann, and after he died of a malicious illness in 1997, Tyrann’s aunt and uncle adopted their nephew, along with their three children.

But he’s now a standout sophomore and has developed into a household name, with the nickname Honey Badger – the moniker from a You Tube video. And by many, he is a ferocious animal – which makes sense, given that he was named the SEC defensive player of the year unanimously and earned his right to be an eligible All-American, a gifted 5-foot-9, 160-pound kid with electrifying speed, excellent vision and a relentless style of play.

The Tigers have been, clearly, college football’s best team this season and head coach Les Miles has talked in clichés about his top player, but more than ever, has mentored and groomed every single one of his players. This is a winning team, partly because Mathieu led LSU with 70 tackles, and had six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries, finishing sixth in the SEC in that category. This year, if you watched, he was third among FBS players with a 16.2-yard average on punt returns.

So now, all he is missing is a national title. Maybe Monday night is when he’ll win it all. Maybe he can finally hoist the crystal football and call it a well-accomplished, successful year.
----

Written by Jonathan Mathis, Columnist (Archive/RSS)

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for three sports sites. Sports Judge is all sports. Follow @Jon9685

They Go Marching In: Logic Is, Saints Are No Surprise

2012-01-08T21:13:00.000-05:00

They’ve all been there, right?

Drew Brees has been there, right?

This feels almost like a love story, after all, and the fans are roaring in another Bourbon Street celebration, refreshing our memories of the moment the New Orleans Saints celebrated a history-making win at the Super Bowl a few years ago.

That was the night it felt like Mardi Gras, as the vast majority never jumped onto the bandwagon but Mardi Gras floats to soak in the jollity with a hollowed franchise. It doesn’t seem like a fascinating tale in football, but the streets are normally awash in black and gold every time the Saints bring a sense of euphoria to a proud city once devastated by the tragedy of a tropical storm.

Saturday evening, Brees couldn’t be stopped and engineered the best offense in the league. The home stadium, now the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, was electrifying and the crowd was partying as New Orleans’ offense dazzled. And that’s why the Saints are favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Brees is having an outstanding season and deserves plaudits for surpassing Dan Marino’s single-season record for passing yards.

If he continues to dominate, as he has been doing in the past months, this playoff will be the paradigm of football at its greatest in a season that he has proven to be a worthy candidate for the Most Valuable Player award. It’s the rest of the country whose faith, given that Brees is perfectly accurate and well-suited for Sean Payton’s schemes, lies so easily with the Saints.

Fair enough. He’s now, as a beloved NFL star in the Mardi Gras-jiving, Cajun-eating, cool-jazzing, voodoo-practicing culture, the god of the city after Katrina wiped out New Orleans and destroyed foundations to leave many homeless and without refuge. Rather, a humanitarian – not only a football star, he’s healed the pain of helpless citizens by his charitable work in the inner community and by leading the Saints to the sweetest win in franchise history.

He turned in his best performance, finally praised – and best of all – maybe the more dangerous quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers at Green Bay. Thanks in part to Brees, shredding the Lions for 466 yards through the air, the Saints won 45-28 over Detroit in the NFC wild-card game and will advance to play at San Francisco next Saturday. On the night the Saints set a playoff-record 626 total yards, the Lions had no answer and couldn’t stop them from marching in.

The real significance here is that the Lions weren’t roaring on defense and broke down mentally and physically, leaving Saints’ receivers wide open and enabling Brees to heave the ball into the air for a wonderful aerial display. It’s definitely clear the Saints are loaded with star power, and frankly, they have the highest-flying offense in the league.

This is where Marques Colston first ripened into a star wide receiver, a primary target for Brees all the time. Early on, he shook off a fumble that put a halt to the Saints’ opening drive, but managed to finish with seven catches for 120 yards against the Lions’ lousy secondary.

Despite the turnover, he caught the ball on third-and-11 from the Saints’ 7 in the third quarter — while holding a 17-14 lead — a purposeful play that eventually set up a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jimmy Graham.

With that in mind, this is where Graham has gradually grown as an accessory in such a balanced and surging offense, a leading tight end in the NFL. As now a Saints standout, he was adopted from a foster care as a child by his adoptive mother, Beck Vinson. He is, nevertheless, extremely athletic and earned a basketball scholarship to attend the University of Miami, where he played basketball for three years and decided to join the football team in his last year.

This is where wide receiver Robert Meachem became an integral element within the Saints immeasurable offense, compiling four catches for 111 yards and one touchdown. It was the kind of night that records were meant to be broken, since Brees broke his own passing yard record of 404 set last season against Seattle and his passer rating of 134.4 shattered the 125.4 he set against Arizona in 2009.

The Saints, believe it or not, are the best offense in football on third down and convert on third downs all the time, such as Saturday night when they never punted the ball and not once did you see punter Thomas Morstead.

Three times in the game Payton boldly opted to gamble on fourth down, and he wasn’t unsuccessful like Belichick’s 4th-and-Blunder a few years ago. It’s befitting to determine that the Saints’ offense is actually built on deepness and finesse.

Every time the Saints had possession of the ball, on every series and drive with a blend of talent and acumen, they went down the field in a long scoring drive that exhausted the Lions’ tacklers. And yes, the Saints easily won this game. This was not a contest, not a well-anticipated one anyway.

There is no denying that Brees, marveled at how he has mastered a milestone and carried the weight on his shoulders, has exceptional talent and produced efficiently this season.

The shred of logic in the fact that the Lions couldn’t hold the most potent offense in the NFL unfolded when the Saints were successful on third-down and fourth-down conversions. The missed tackles were painful, just as much as Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford had to painfully watch from the sideline as the Saints had possession of the ball for much of the game.

As always, in the playoffs each season, the locals talk heavy about the Saints and pour onto the streets for a festive party if New Orleans prevails. Brees remains a treasure, although he’s literally not mentioned in the same breath with Rodgers or New England quarterback Tom Brady. It’s been established that Brees won’t become the league’s best quarterback until he win the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLVI.

But the avalanche of accomplishments the Saints have had this season is beyond unbelievable.

Bringing on Board O’Brien Doesn’t Keep It In the Family

2012-01-07T12:41:00.000-05:00

In another town, he might be welcomed with open arms, greeted like a colonial from Pennsylvania and accepted to fill the role as the next head coach. But more likely someone inexperienced, especially when it’s a school like Penn State which is largely about prestige and preeminence with one of the top-notch football programs in the nation, won’t qualify for what could be a tough assignment.

Whataya say, schools like Princeton or Harvard? Would he be accepted by the masses?

Probably so.

If he were hired by a university with no stature, where the magnitude of academics is more often the focus, Bill O’Brien would not be stuck in a swirling controversy on whether he’s suited for the Penn State coaching job. He’s not perfect for the place, and angry alumni and fans are resentful over the hiring of O’Brien, currently the New England Patriots offensive coordinator through the playoffs.

It certainly has been an existence of resentment and outrage for such a well-respected program now in the middle of a long-suffering sex scandal that has left Penn State in ruins. The wailing from the large population in State College, a baffled community that feels betrayed and beguiled, is bringing much curiosity which is springing from maddening criticism.

Why must Penn State hire someone who doesn’t have any ties with the university … when it has been in turbulence?

It’s an interesting choice, and leaves many in Happy Valley furious, disgusted and critical of the hiring, a replacement for Joe Paterno — a man with more Division I wins than any coach in NCAA history. It’s not easy replacing a legend, but then this time Penn State chose to bring in someone with no college head coaching experience, equivalent to when Charlie Weis landed the Notre Dame job a few years ago. He had done well in his first two seasons with back-to-back BCS appearances, but Weis eventually became a disappointment by finishing so miserably, going 16-21 his final three years to finally be terminated.

It should surprise no one that everyone in Penn State white is so emotional, without having any knowledge on what the university’s intentions are as far as bringing in a new coach, hours after O’Brien reportedly had agreed to become the next Penn State head coach – filling the footsteps of JoePa, the moral compass and ambassador in a town where he had led the Nittany Lions for the past half century.

The anger, judging that Penn State insisted it had no leading candidates in its two-month coaching search evidently, is boiling for a dormant program and fans are ill-tempered with the aspect of the problem that interim coach Tom Bradley likely won’t be back next season.

He’s a clear choice for many, as alumni and fans prefer to support and rally behind him. Before he had taken over, Paterno was extremely beloved, like Ben Franklin was well-liked for his fame and cleverness, but not enough to have his face feature on $100 bills.

The state watched as Bradley strolled in and took over, respectfully, for the fired Paterno, and ever since then, the folks in Happy Valley were begging for him to stay not fascinated with the university employing an outsider that knows nothing about the program and have no connections, a non-alumni who has no familiarity with Penn State.

Consider it a bad hiring for a critical LaVar Arrington, the former Penn State linebacker who has been harshly verbal and vented his rage to BlueWhite Illustrated prior to the news that surfaced on O’Brien being selected.

“I will put my Butkus (Award) in storage. I will put my Alamo Bowl MVP trophy in storage.” Arrington said. “Jerseys, anything Penn State, in storage. Wherever Tom Bradley goes, that’s the school I will start to put memorabilia up in my home. I’m done. I’m done with Penn State. If they’re done with us, I’m done with them.”

In the light of most recent judgments, Brandon Short, another former PSU linebacker, shared his extreme unhappiness and took a hard stance as well. What he believes, despite the conspiracy of the foundation, is that the university should hire a football coach with ties to the program simply because he feels it is the school’s standard.

“Penn State is a family and it is real and if they choose to get rid of Bradley and not hire a Penn State coach, then they’ve turned their backs on our entire family,” Short said.

And if people are mad in the process of Penn State’s coaching search, so be it. This is the latest issue in headline news, and it’s not because of the scandal but mainly for centering a man with no coaching experience and one season spent as an offensive coordinator in the NFL.

If fans refuse to believe in his potential capacity, along with his fiery attitude at least from what it seemed during a shouting match with New England quarterback Tom Brady, it’s because he was 1-22 as the offensive coordinator at Duke, it’s because he’ll lead a demanding program with heavy expectations and it’s because he played and coached in the Ivy League.

It’s hard to tell whether the hiring of O’Brien as the man to succeed the winningest coach in college football history is fulfilling, and he may not fail like the rest of Bill Belichick’s coaching tryouts from Weis to Romeo Crennel to Josh McDaniels. The new coach, welcomed to the Penn State family tree, could be the best successor behind Paterno and may turn out to be the next Gene Chizik at Auburn or Frank Haith at Missouri.

You never know.

Right now, the folks are jumping to conclusion of premature announcements. This is understandable, considering the fact that he’s never coached a college football team but worked under one of the clever-minded coaches, a genius at the game and in the NFL. With so much uncertainty, as Jerry Sandusky caused the acclaimed program to implode happening under Paterno’s watch, he can prove us wrong and lead the Nittany Lions after all.

But as far as it looks, Penn State fans have given us every reason to doubt O’Brien, unsatisfied at this point when the university is a disaster, for the most part by the infamous Sandusky sex scandal. They can try to cut ties with the Penn State family and remove traces of the current staff as a way to repair an image.

Then again, if you saw how Bradley brought the team together that diminished plenty of adversity from the tawdry allegations, only making us sick to our stomachs and feeling sorry for Sandusky’s victims, you realized he might be the perfect candidate for the job.

That’s not the way Penn State views it.

What is certainly upsetting is how the coaching search deceived the vast majority at Penn State, expecting more and the hiring of someone who actually had ties with the school. But, goodness, if a school is not willing to give assistant coaches a chance, then it turns into a chaotic situation and leave students and alumni questioning the hire when a number of coaches had not done anything wrong.

At 42, O’Brien, a native from Boston, must adapt to the college ranks and translate from the pros, which is his toughest challenge at this point. He is, from the start, going to have to recruit sharply while on a journey to win a Super Bowl in New England where he is on pace to reach that peak. So basically, he is working two jobs and has no choice but to bear with the tension and stress of trying to balance both assignments all at once.

If O’Brien is already being doubted, maybe it’s for his awful track record under Belichick at Foxborough. In O’Brien’s mind, he is smart for putting together a variety of innovative styles on offense and it could be that he has Brady. In our minds, it remains to be seen, an argument that appears unknown until he officially become the next coach and actually debut.

It has been more often about tradition, excellent recruiting and family ties, but suddenly Penn State is taking a different direction and fans are hostile and indifferent, disapproving the pledge made verbally to O’Brien. If there weren’t any consequences involved for the university’s failure to report Sandusky’s alleged molestation, ex-president Graham Spanier wouldn’t be out of a job and Paterno still would be serving as Penn State longtime coach.

It is awfully difficult to believe in acting athletic director Dave Joyner, searching for a coach and finding someone with no realization and exposure in the college ranks. The committee, Joyner’s people, may have done the right or wrong thing, even if Penn State hired a former assistant without ties.

The fans are not too happy by O’Brien coming to Happy Valley, but it seems to be realistic that breaks off a branch from PSU’s family tree.

Gang Green Tragicomedy: It’s Time Rex Zip It or Beat It

2012-01-05T20:53:00.000-05:00

He was a popular coach in New York, emerging into the big brother after he changed the culture briefly for the minority football franchise in town. But now, he’s not best known as Rex Ryan but Talksaurus Rex for weeping and blabbering too much.

There is a circus that has drawn much tension and a ruckus after the Jets’ season-ending 19-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and because he’s persistently uttering drivel as the most annoying blowhard in sports, Ryan should buy a clown suit, wear goofy shoes and emerge from the tunnel onto the field next season with a red nose. A clown he is, and he has gradually torn down team chemistry and maintenance to divide a disjointed locker room.

By now, he is well aware of his enemies, ridiculed in local tabloids when he spent an entire season running his mouth and never backing up his trash talk, a bunch of tiring hoopla that heralded disturbance nationwide each week. It bothered our senses, it peeved our souls, yet we listened and laughed at him when the nonsense hijacked front page headlines in every tabloid, much of it musings from Ryan regarding his team’s presumed supremacy.

As a head coach, though he has proven to be a crafty defensive specialist, he’s the town’s biggest loser and acted like a sore loser following the final game of the season, then cried even louder on his way out the team’s facility. For all the garbage he utters on a regular basis, for all his cartoonish antics in press conferences weekly, Ryan is football’s biggest joke. His nonsensical, obnoxious smack-talk is maybe the most irritating example yet of why his team continue to struggle and miss the postseason.
He is enthusiastic enough about coaching and inheriting wins, no doubt, but an abrasive braggart. He’s disgusted to know, as a polarizing head coach of the National Football League in a town where bashers and critics can be cruel, just as the business itself can be harsh, that the Jets missed the playoffs built with so much talent enough to reach new heights. This is all the reason, as Ryan refused to shut up and let the game speak for itself, Giants running back Brandon Jacobs threatened to punch him in the face and yelled after the game, “Time to shut up, fat boy!”

And meanwhile, he welcomed the blame after the Jets lost the fight to the Giants, not even close to being the likable franchise in New York, but the laughingstock as their in-town rivals hold bragging rights for at least another season. Watching it all unfold, fortunate enough that he can salvage his coaching job despite a lousy season, he has given himself a bad name disdained by a few players and a vast majority of fans locally.

The town, like most, has animosity toward Ryan, a disliked man characterized as a big-mouthed and big-belly coach from what Jacobs called him when he bitterly ripped the clown. The noise drags on, the buzz circulates the Jets in a negative way, nettling our senses only to make us dislike Ryan even more so and become his newfound enemy. The drama comes when the Jets are now scrutinized after a late-season meltdown, after Rex motivated opponents to beat them by his trash talking and after Gang Green failed to clinch a playoff spot for the first time in Ryan’s three-year tenure.

Running into a crisis, where wide receiver Santonio Holmes was named team captain but never has been a leader for his selfish, bad attitude that has ruined his credibility, he must take accountability for enabling anarchy in the locker room. The issue here is that the Jets had fallen apart, as infighting clutter and a major chemistry problem behind close doors destroyed continuity and caused the team to perform poorly. There is nothing else that seems wrong, except that Rex’s team can’t come together as a whole, a divided group with no willpower or asperity as his words are dissent from a practical point of view.

There supposedly is not another man in the land who tell jokes about his belly or yaps endlessly, the frenzied trash talker losing control of his fallen Jets. The toppling of this team, first by Ryan naming Holmes a captain, created friction in a divided locker room when Holmes and quarterback Mark Sanchez feuded in a team meeting. It’s tough to play through distractions, especially with a problem-child pouting on the field and in the huddle last Sunday benched by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer late in the fourth quarter in Miami.

The other day, following a season that ended so miserably and from a disastrous scenario, the players cleaned out their lockers. But just as the Jets dropped, Holmes declined as well and finished in Miami without catching a pass only targeted once. And while he was shut out for the first time in his career — weeping in front of his locker mad — one player called him a “cancer.”

It’s a shame that Ryan and the Jets have been overshadowed by scrutiny from all the national attention given to the second-best team in New York, primarily because they are a laughable news mantra. They are erratic, really, disappointing their fans as life in the Big Apple turns, quite honestly, egregious and mind-boggling. Rest assured he’s not laughing now seen in tears during a meeting with his players a few days ago, reflecting on such a faulty letdown this season, and again, the Jets derailed in what was supposed to be a breakthrough season.

Three weeks ago, Sanchez and veteran running back LaDainian Tomlinson had a feeling that Ryan’s trash talking, boastful words in sports that usually inspire determined opponents to compete harder, would get them into trouble and indeed it cost the Jets. The point is, in the midst of the pettiest downfall, a problem that has poisoned the one franchise built with so much talent and gifted stars, Ryan is the world’s biggest joke and Giants coach Tom Coughlin can have the last laugh after all.
For all the craziness in one season – from the pessimistic talk about him having the audacity to guarantee the Super Bowl, he has failed to back up his bad choice of words and stumbled either late in the season or during the playoffs. He can’t resist bragging or promising for better results every week, to bring forth headlines that are annoying. This was such an unfulfilled season – ending in the kind of humiliation no one ever anticipated, and unnecessary bravado destroyed not only the team’s positive outlook but illustrated much idiocy for a man who never learned to keep his mouth shut.
It’s time to cut ties with Ryan. Come on, executives. Stop it. Get him out of there. It doesn’t even matter that the Jets improved to some degree with him at the helm, but we can also come to the realization in which he’s all hype, if nothing else. He’d make for an entertaining comedian on Broadway, but as far as coaching an NFL team, he won’t ever establish a foundation or succeed in such a demanding profession. He regrets not making the playoffs, not winning enough games and not backing up his words.

This is your life, Rex, a disappointing one.

It’s right there for owner Woody Johnson to see. This is no excuse for a horrendous season, but it was a major problem when Holmes quit on his team and acted like a bad-tempered child, when Ryan lost his team and players trust and when Sanchez seemed unhappy. The epidemic suffering of any team can ultimately unravel, with the lack of discipline or leadership. It’s now an offseason of turmoil, especially when Ryan broke his promise, and yes, they are meant to be broken at times. But in all, the Jets should have advanced to the playoffs.

No ifs ands or buts.

If one thing is promising, it’s Ryan’s mouth that normally gets him in trouble and indeed it has created enough madness at the end of what was a dreadful series of failures.

Chris Paul Trade Lifts Clippers Out of Lakers’ Shadows

2011-12-17T18:42:00.003-05:00

It seems like everyone here in Los Angeles is talking about the Clippers, the other pro basketball franchise in town – the team in the shadows of purple and gold. The eugenicists in town are the people in the Clippers front office for building around superstar Blake Griffin to form a contender in the west as stars align in Hollywood under the shiny lights at Staples Center.

“I’m excited to be here in L.A. with this unbelievable franchise with so much history behind it,” Paul said. “Every one knows Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan signed his deal and my big brother, Chauncey Billups, who I’m excited to be playing alongside of. This is going to be an unbelievable experience.”

He’s a splashy acquisition, Chris Paul, and perhaps a ticket-seller for a franchise in competition with the town rival Lakers, who were in discussion to acquire the floor general. The folks, that is, except the diminutive Clippers faithful, were exasperated and vented on local radio stations to criticize commissioner David Stern. The owners were vindictive, stubborn and envy, and complained all night until Stern vetoed a deal that would have sent Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a draft pick to the Hornets, and Pau Gasol to Houston.

If the NBA had not owned the Hornets, during trade talks that were handled on behalf of the league, then the deal would’ve never happened. Denied once, the co-chairman Jim Buss is making all the personnel decisions it seems, and rather than discuss a potential deal with the Magic that could have sent Andrew Bynum and Gasol to Orlando for Dwight Howard, he and general manager Mitch Kupchak pulled out of the Paul sweepstakes.

The other day, after the NBA had blocked the trade – snatching back an early Christmas present – the trade speculations veered on the Clippers side, essentially Lakers were blocked as the owners and league should be embarrassed and regretful, realizing that the people running the business screwed the high-market franchise in the entertainment capital. It was a poor choice that ruined the integrity of the game, not to mention the Lakers chances in retooling as a dominant force in the West, the favorites in a town where purple and gold is highly exalted. He is a star point guard, and had desired to contend for a championship with any team in contention.

The trade, in conjunction with a vow to solely bring a championship to Los Angeles in a Clippers uniform alongside the big man Griffin, was satisfying and the change of scenery that Paul needed to finally play for a title. With the Lakers’ failed attempt to land Paul and their much-publicized trade that sent Odom packing to Dallas, there’s no telling what direction the Lakers are going. This is a startling team, more terrifying than vampires and scary movies that give people the chills, or scarier than reading author Stephen King. The red carpet is rolled out in front of Staples Center as the Clippers have stolen the spotlight in L.A. by assembling a bona fide tandem with Griffin and now Paul on board.

“This is not my day, by the way. This is the Clippers’ day,” Paul said to a swarm of reporters. “This is a humbling experience, and I’m so grateful and thankful to be here.”

The sleepless nights, for a man who rarely had any sleep in the craziest week, have long past after the Clippers acquired Paul Wednesday in a blockbuster deal with a high price. This extreme Hollywood makeover outbid their in-town rivals, but it was a gamble dealing rising star guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota’s unprotected 2012 first-round draft pick to the Hornets. It’s all part of what should be an intriguing season for the Clippers. This is enough to have Lakers’ star Kobe Bryant, who recently was upset over his team’s decision to trade Odom to the Dallas Mavericks for a first-round draft pick in 2012 and an $8.9 million trade exception, speak publicly and be petrified not sure which direction the franchise is headed right now.

Then again, he likely won’t be satisfied unless the Lakers pursue in trading for Howard but all talks are that he’ll stay in Orlando. It’s considered a gamble, but the Clippers are aiming to win NOW and they see a bright future with lobbed passes to Griffin from Paul, who contributed in the Hornets turnaround. The Clippers, a team that was in need of significant star power this offseason, finally built a team of ferocity and promise, a renewed rivalry with their neighbor’s in purple and gold.

He walked to the podium with his agent, Leon Rose, who contributed in completing the unforeseen deal, dressed in his black suit, crimson tie and matching socks at his introductory news conference in the Clippers practice facility Thursday. Odd as it sounds, the Clippers acquired Paul in a four-player trade with the Hornets, outsmarting and outmaneuvering the Lakers and other suitors involved in trade rumors.

“I believe in this organization,” Paul said. “I believe in the players here, and I want to win. I want to win now. I’m so tired of doing everything else. I want to play.”

So when the Clippers announced Wednesday evening that they had landed an All-Star player, greatly considered the NBA’s best point guard, the folks in parts of the town jumped on board and journeyed on a joyride to Clipper Nation, a campaign that swept the Southland not long ago. If there’s a believer and loyalty felt in a town, where fans of the most ridiculed franchise in basketball are minorities, it would be Darrell Bailey. The arrival of a priceless point guard purges the doom that separated the Clippers from the rest of the franchises, releases the misfortune and curses that flirted with the sentiment of torture.

This team was never worth an argument or in conversations to evenly contend or compared to the other L.A. team, out of one’s mind and neglected in a town that root like hell for purple and gold. No one screamed loud for the Clippers, unless you were Billy Crystal or Clipper Darrell. Make no mistake, this is a Lakers town. The deal, as the Clippers were suitors after bidding on a superstar when potential bidders were rejected of a proposed three-way trade, is a way for them to fight for supremacy against their crosstown rivals. The one argument which can be publicized at this point is that many of the bleak faces can turn into smiles as the Clippers are on verge of perhaps a promising future.

As in the dreadful past for many of ill-spirited fans that has had to bear with the circumstances of humiliating losses, ill-advised draft picks which became busts and the lawsuit filed by former longtime executive Elgin Baylor, the Clippers cleansed any turmoil that torn down the team’s image. The quirky owner Donald Sterling has suffered from the wrath of embarrassment by the way he ran his mismanaged business. But now, by moving aggressively in pursuing Paul, he looks like the smartest businessman as the Busses behave like egomaniacs. In other words, the Clippers are the winners, as the Lakers are losers.

The season looms in Southern California and the Lakers’ car flags on vehicles proudly waves, but Clipper Darrell is a die-hard Clippers fan and cruise the streets with his custom painted car in the team’s colors. This offseason, despite that the Clippers are the minorities in a basketball town, they are not only sharing the same building with the Lakers but they are battling for bragging rights and domination. Because the Clippers brought in an All-Star in his prime, arguably the league’s best floor general, fans of the most unsettled franchise in sports can attend every home game and witness awe-inspiring hoops from Griffin and Paul, a pair of NBA stars that changes the landscape.

He, like many players without a profound supporting cast, had planned to leave New Orleans after next season but it wasn’t certain to whether he’d be playing in a Clippers uniform, particularly when Paul wasn’t ecstatic about the league shooting down the proposed three-way deal that would have sent him to the Lakers. So the team that no one ever imagined made the biggest splash at the expense of the Lakers, the most undaunted move since the Clippers relocated to their crosstown antagonist’s backyard in 1985. The buzz is still prevalent, as few wondered after Paul and Clippers general manager Neil Olshey announced that he had made a long-term commitment to the team.

“Why did I make a long-term commitment? Because I believe in this organization,” Paul said.”

Welcome the newest member, CP3, to L.A., where he’ll be playing in the same town of two superstars Kobe and Griffin.

“He’s not here to jump on a lily pad for two seasons,” Olshey added. “He’s coming here to be a part of the future of the franchise. He wanted to know there were pieces in place that would be with him long-term and that was a part of this deal. … It gave me the confidence to know that if we get this guy here and continue to do the right things, they’re all going to be here for the future and long-term.”

The Lakers-Clippers rivalry is good for the NBA, as the Clippers might be the most exciting team in the NBA this season, an epic theater for a sport that almost lost an entire season during a chaotic lockout. The reality is, although it seems strange that the Clippers assembled vastly the most entertaining and deepest squad, they were lucky to obtain Paul when the league’s boneheaded decision to veto the trade stopped the Lakers. The first word that came out of Griffin’s mouth when Paul arrived was “Lob City!” he said excitedly, stunned as he walked off the bus on his cellphone after spending much of the afternoon touring Los Angeles.

Now the Lakers, by virtue of trading the most valuable player on the market to Dallas for nothing in return, are in need of a big-man and a point guard to retool their aging, sluggish franchise. For once, the Clippers are on the rise, ready to take the throne away from the Lakers. This team is younger, hungrier and deeper as the other team in L.A. is on decline. So, as Howard was floating in trade rumors, the Lakers failed attempt could doom a team of perplexing riddles in the end.

With little guarantee of the Clippers possibly shifting into playoff mode since Paul arrived, fans are excited and believe in red and blue. The home of the Lakers has also become the home of the Clippers. Ah, yes, they gave up their youth and future with the mentality that winning now is their intention, and were willing to send the young assassin Gordon on a one-way ticket out of town. Right now the Clippers are winners. But really, what is evident is that the Clippers have not gave away a lottery pick since trading Baron Davis to Cleveland in exchange for Mo Williams and cleared cap space.

The best argument we can think of is that the Clippers were trying to clear salary cap space again, and knew they couldn’t afford to pay Griffin, Paul and Gordon, whose rookie contract expires after the season and he will become an unrestricted free agent. And let’s face it, he would have even tested the market and signed for a long-term elsewhere had he still been with the Clippers.

The emergence is near. Paul is a Clipper. The current state of this franchise is scarier and maybe the greatest point guard/center combo in L.A. since Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabber.

Finally, Sterling can smile proudly from his Malibu home.

Time to Jump On Board for Tebowmania

2011-12-14T18:41:00.001-05:00

With the faith of Tim Tebow comebacks, the strength of his leadership that has brought the Broncos together and his maturity, the Tebowmania buzz of the NFL has swept the nation. The buzz is felt throughout the league, a wave of humanity across not only Denver but the country as fans either glorify or denounce him – raving about his recent fruition or failures.

The finest story in professional sports is Tebow, and debates are buzzing everywhere whether he’s a useful piece in the Broncos’ future. He now qualifies as the most endearing/disdained athlete in sports, a man who once traveled to the Philippines during spring break and summer vacations to help circumcise forlorn children, a man who visited prisons with his bible to share the word and lift the spirits of inmates. He heard the criticism from skeptics, ignored it, took it as motivation and has responded to the negativity each week, leading the Broncos to a 7-1 record since taking over as the starting quarterback.

It almost feels like a surprise, a mirage we never had in mind, refusing to give Tebow the benefit of the doubt. And to think it was supposed to be a disaster in Denver this season, a moment that he proved non-elite among quarterbacks, he has been flawless, a public figure bringing a sense of happiness and charm. It’s been a spectacular coming out party for Tebow, engineering the Broncos to first place in the AFC West following a 1-4 start. It’s a marriage of humility and sheer resiliency. Denver needs him, and they love him in their town, greeting the gracious athlete with idolatry as he gives back to a football-obsessed town that long awaited a playoff-caliber team.

This is what sports needs, a modest public figure, a likable role model whose vows to children are touching in our tangled, cuckoo society. If only we can throw Tebow into a clone machine, multiple Tebows would act as the cure to humanity, strengthen humankind and heal the corruption in this troubled world. This is what sports needs, a kindhearted celebrity whose love is contiguous at Denver and around the country to rid the negativity that sports has become, from the steroid crisis in baseball to the benches-clearing brawls in college hoops to problematic jailbirds in pro football.

It’s time we, in America, come to our senses and jump on board of the Tebow bandwagon and go places we’ve never been before, because each week it seems he conducts a magical comeback to lead the Broncos. In case you’ve missed it, although it has been heavy talk in recent weeks, he’s improved greatly as a starter and has become the bard of comebacks, which is unprecedented and unique in a sense. Quarterbacking Denver in its improbable run, he has become the first quarterback in NFL history with six fourth-quarter comebacks in his first 11 starts, and just the second quarterback with four straight fourth-quarter wins since Peyton Manning had set the incredible plateau in 2009.

If you believe and have faith, like Tebow, then life is more than just an illusion but reality. If you have trust, like Tebow, then optimism leads to greatness. His faith gives him a competitive edge and — as a devout Christian — he is credited more as the most evangelistic figure, just as much as he is polarized for publicly expressing his religious views. The criticism was even slightly amiable, though a majority still questions his performance and doubt that he will ever amount to excellence and evolve into an elite passer. This season, as the Broncos are in their quest to advance past the season and clinch a playoff berth, Tebow has stolen the limelight and become a political debate in sports, absorbing all the attention even though Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady are having record-breaking seasons.

The journey has been far more bizarre for Tebow anointed by his worshippers and essentially standing as the religious attribute in sports. But his non-believers have articulated that he doesn’t have the intangibles, not amazed by his arm strength, precision or footwork and not even his religious beliefs – among them – is Broncos former quarterback Jake Plummer, who recently shared his thoughts on Tebow’s success.

“Regardless of whether I wish he’d just shut up after a game and go hug his teammates, I think he a winner,” Plummer said. “I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ, then I think I’ll like him a little better.”

The time to like him a little better is now. Just because he deeply praises Jesus Christ, doesn’t mean you have to disdain Tebow, even if he publicizes his Christianity. He begins his postgame interviews by thanking “my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” When he finishes his postgame interviews, he tells the reporter, “God Bless.”

And so Tebow’s faith with his overzealous religion, a holy man loved or loathed, is partly why we root for him.

HOW can you simply not root for Tebow?

Eli Manning Leads Giant Comeback, Not as Bad As You Think

2011-12-12T18:39:00.001-05:00

He may have been a bit erratic in his ability to lead the New York Giants within an unsystematic division. In criticizing Eli Manning’s quarterback misery in a town where the media is critical with underperforming athletes, unafraid to boldly mock and taunt a player in a tabloid piece, he has silent his detractors by piloting the Giants to beat the Dallas Cowboys 37-34 Sunday night at Cowboys Stadium.

It is unfair that he dutifully takes much burden of the blame for his teammate’s failures when the Giants underachieve. Only hours after he carried the Giants to victory in a crucial must-have, Manning was praised. It’s not a joke. He was remarkably on the road at a hostile environment, and more specifically, at football’s colossal palace, performing at will as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks when he began to contribute to the Giants’ comeback late in the game.

He wasn’t clumsy and couldn’t turn it over, steadily scrambling in the pocket to avoid sacks and pass rushes. The awareness in his eyes was serious, a determined expression that advertised a vintage team leader as Manning was mistake-free under pressure situations to quiet the untamed folks in Arlington, Texas. The extolled hero conducted a rally from 12 down in the final six minutes, and before we even belt out the name, expectations are on the rise as many anticipate that he will manage to drive the Giants to the playoffs, all while New Yorkers nod in gratitude.

One can argue that he’s now a likable but not a polarizing figure after saving the Giants’ season. The truth is, the Giants are alive, still healthy within a division that is volatile and tight heading down the stretch, sitting atop the NFC East standings at 7-6, tied for first with the Cowboys. It’s a good thing the Giants are not on life support, on pace to win their division title and earn a playoff spot in a race that might be decided on the last day of the season. It was yet an excellent performance in essentially a critical game that Manning was better, and probably had his best game this season.

The perception might be that he can very well lead the Giants after losing four straight against steadfast opponents. If and when Manning becomes dynamic, gauging his persona to increasingly help his growth as a team leader and try channeling his brother, Peyton, on the playing field, he’ll measure up to greatness. The heavyweight fight Sunday night in the Big D told us something right there.

It told us that he’s not as awful as people portray him and can really engineer a beautiful comeback, like the one against the Cowboys in which he carried the Giants to two touchdowns in less than three minutes and he finally was relieved by his supporting cast. They played like contenders Sunday, while Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan stood around on the sideline furious, watching Eli propel his team with an eight play, 80-yard drive in 2:27. He keeps proving he’s only human, in reality and as a star quarterback, which tells us he’s Eli at his best, enduring the challenge as the athlete.

It’s beyond any miracle to think, Manning, nearly four years removed from his lone Super Bowl title, is a horrible quarterback erasing a 34-22 fourth-quarter deficit with 15 unanswered points in the closing minutes of the game and launching the come-from-behind fourth quarter. In these distressed times, fighting for survival each week, he finished with 400 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. When he saw his intended wide receiver, Mario Manningham, he tossed the ball in his direction but unfortunately he dropped it, blundering on a play that would have given the Giants a go-ahead touchdown. The clue here is that Manning is a clutch performer and has 14 fourth-quarter touchdown passes this season.

He is, standing alone in this category, the only quarterback to have more touchdown passes in the final quarter, tied atop the list with Johnny Unitas and his brother, Peyton. The likable Manning brothers, enduring the fuss of a cordial sibling rivalry on the verge of captivating ones attention, only if Peyton recovers from his neck injury to return healthy by the time next season begins, are the all-encompassing athletes of the league. Imagine if he weren’t in the shadows of his brother? If he weren’t a Manning, in relations to Peyton Manning, would we perceive him differently?

Maybe!

What’s easy to point out is that he now has 4,105 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. The hottest athlete in the league is no one other than Manning, mainly because he is known for his comebacks, a knack that better describes his ability to lead his team from behind. If we were paying more attention, we’d recall the moment he drove the Giants in the Super Bowl during the 2007-08 season in the upset of the New England Patriots.

For the sixth time this season, coming in a game that Jason Pierre-Paul blocked Dan Bailey’s 47-yard field goal attempt, in a game that the quarterback connected with tight end Jake Ballard for an 8-yard touchdown pass and in a game that Brandon Jacobs stormed into the end zone for the winning score on a 1-yard run, Manning has brought the Giants back from behind to win in the fourth quarter. The defense was the Giants only flaw and as every defender, from Corey Webster to Justin Tuck to Antrel Rolle stared forlorn, head coach Tom Coughlin was moments away from a five-game losing streak and maybe even being unemployed.

With the crazy coach benching Ahmad Bradshaw for the first half for violating team rules, the challenge from the Cowboys was largely a stiffer task but the Giant lifesaver was Manning for the G-Men. This was the night when the Cowboys blundered after Romo missed a wide-open Miles Austin on a third-down, the night when Eli proved his skeptics otherwise and knew the importance of getting the win.

If he’s not perfect, he’s surely resilient and poise, saving the Giants from brutality. In months, he’s improved his play, and in most cases as of now, there’s no need to worry to death about his lack of ball security when he has not fumbled or lost the ball by foolish turnovers. In this season, when we pay more attention to Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady amazed by their record-breaking plateaus, Manning sits in the shadows not even in conversations for MVP honors.

The claim has already been made and, in clarity, it seems he is one of the league’s elite passers, just like his brother a few seasons ago.