Super Bowl was good. I spent much of Monday being mad at myself for missing 2 of the best moments: when Christina Aguilera sang her own version of the National Anthem, and when Cameron Diaz was shown feeding her boyfriend A-Rod popcorn. That guy just can't catch a break, and I love it. But I did catch the part of the game where the Packers won, and I was happy about that. Steelers fans should count their blessings that it wasn't a blowout, because if James Jones and Jordy Nelson had better hands, the score would've gotten out of hand.
Pittsburgh didn't deserve to win for a number of reasons. Here are three of them:
1) Their starting quarterback and face of the franchise has been accused of rape. Twice.
2) Too many turnovers. Just when the Steelers had grabbed the momentum, a devastating fumble by RB Rashard Mendenhall started the Pack on their third touchdown off a turnover.
3) Packers were obviously the better team. Pittsburgh's stars like Big Ben and Polamalu didn't show up, while Green Bay's big guys, namely Rodgers and Clay Matthews, delivered. The Pack's offensive game plan of spread 'em out and screw the run was solid (as New England drafted earlier this year vs. the Steelers), and they executed it well.
In Sunday's aftermath, the topic of ranking current and all-time quarterbacks, and players in general, has ballooned to the point that it needs to be popped. It's ridiculous. Thanks to the ESPN Podcenter page, I listen to lots of sports talk radio, so I heard these "ranking" discussions and arguments waaaay too much following the Super Bowl. It was talked about ad nauseam leading up to the game too.
Now I realize that the job of sports radio hosts and commentators is to toss out ideas and opinions and generate emotional comments from their listeners, but can't we just say that players like Roethlisberger and Rodgers and Favre are good without having to rank or compare or put them in some concrete hierarchy? There doesn't have to be a number 1, 2, and 3 player of all time at each position! These conversations really are stupid, especially when you have guys talking about how great Johnny Unitas was when he never actually watched Johnny Unitas play a game! I'll climb down from my soapbox now.
Two final things. The whole Brett Favre soap opera has been frustrating to me for the last several years, but ESPN's Mike & Mike co-host Mike Greenberg had a great idea for Brett on Monday's show. Greenberg said Favre should take out full page ads in major newspapers in and around Green Bay congratulating the Packers and Aaron Rodgers on their Super Bowl win. That's brilliant. It would be a rare classy move from Favre, and would go a long way in paving the inevitable road to him signing a one day contract with the team before retiring as a Packer later this year.
Lastly, since I went off about ranking players earlier in this post, it's only right that I include my own current NFL quarterback rankings. You know, because it's fun to be a hypocrite! This is the list of the top 5 QBs I'd want leading my team for the next 5 years. Not just next season, but for the next 5 years. Here we go.
1)Peyton Manning
2)Tom Brady
3)Drew Brees
4)Aaron Rodgers
5)Philip Rivers
Please comment and tell me your top 5. Thanks for reading!
Wow! For the next five years you pick the 34 year old Peyton Manning??? At least your second choice Tom Brady is a spring chicken at 33. Giselle will make him retire and become an underwear model, following the footsteps of the greatest cornerback to ever live, Jason Seahorn. I don’t think either one of them will be in the NFL in five years. If you said three years, I’m taking Brady then Peyton no doubt about it. But five…With all that being said, here are my top five.
ReplyDelete1) Aaron Rodgers – The kid is 27 and won a super bowl in his first attempt. Not too bad. He doesn’t run his mouth, he doesn’t get in trouble and he cares about football. Not to mention he has a rocket and is unbelievably accurate. His team’s average age is 27 and arguably has the best receiving core top to bottom in the league. And I’m a homer.
2) I hate to say this, ugh, Big Ben – Also 27, he has made the super bowl three times in his young career, winning twice (only losing to the Packers by the way). I understand he is a big risk, but as long as you can keep him off a motor cycle and out of bar bathrooms, I think he will continue to be a pretty good QB. Don’t get me wrong, I believe he deserves to be in jail and I’d never go in a bathroom with him, but if he can get his act together I think he can get another ring.
3) Philip Rivers – Being 28 makes him the oldest in my top five. What he did in San Diego this year was awesome. He was throwing to me and you for majority of the season. I think that only thing that can stop Rivers from doing something big is the San Diego Chargers. As awesome and as good as he is, one man will not lead you to the super bowl. It’s a team game and he doesn’t have much of a team. And plus, since Jon’s dad is a Chargers fan I figured he might kick my ass if I didn’t put him in there.
4) Matt Ryan – The guy does not lose at him (unless he’s playing the Packers in the playoffs in which case he gets destroyed. HEY OH!) I do not like him and want to bash my TV with a bar every time it shows him resting his helmet on his head like a moron, but I think he will be good. A mere 10 days younger than your boy, Ryan, at 25, has a bright future in my opinion. Atlanta seems committed to winning behind the new face of Gillette.
5) You’re favorite new blogger. Despite my 0-12 record as a starter for the Midget League Luray Dolphins, I have come a long way. My future is bright. Even if I have to resurrect the XFL to get the chance at stardom I deserve, it will happen.
A close 6) Matt Stafford – At a fresh 22, he is the youngest of my top five by three years. Say what you want but I honestly believe in a few years the Lions will be good. Yeah, Stafford gets hurt every third play but if he can stay healthy he will turn the Lions around. No can deny he is not a tough kid. When he plays he puts up good numbers and if the Lions continue to draft good young players like they have in the last two or three years, and can keep Mega Tron Stafford has a chance to be something.
I know you’re thinking no Manning, Brady or Brees, what in the hell????? Well suck it. Brees is the youngest of the bunch at 31, which would make him 36 in five years. I don’t know about you, but in today’s NFL I don’t want a 36 year old quarterback, let alone a 39 year old (like Peyton would be) leading my team. Out with the old in with the new. It’s time for a change, even Obama said so.
Thanks for your comments, but I stand by my list. Manning is impervious to injury and runs and offense where nobody hits him because he gets rid of the play so quickly. I'm not worried about him.
ReplyDeleteI do worry about Brady's age and health slightly, but with all their draft picks the Pats will be nasty for the next few years. The guy was a unanimous MVP throwing to Welker, Woodhead, and 2 rookie tight ends this year, so I believe he'll continue to thrive.
Brees is an assassin; I can't imagine picking Matt Ryan over him.
And I'm blinded by my bias with Big Ben, but I'm still not buying him being in the top 5. He plays on a team led by their defense and superior running game. His best moment was the late Super Bowl TD pass to Holmes, but he has yet to play well in a Super Bowl, and his defense has gotten him to three of them. Lost in all the Steelers talk is the brilliance of defensive coordinator Dick Lebaeu, who is a Hall of Famer but still doesn't get enough credit. He's more important to the Steelers than Big Ben.
I went with some older guys, but players are playing longer now. Better trainers, off season workouts, and nutrition enable older guys to continually play at a high level, a level they can sustain for another 5 years.
There are not enough words to describe the way I feel about a certain QB being left off of this list.....didn't think of him yet....
ReplyDelete....#4 Jonathon 'Mox' Moxon...of the West Canaan(Texas) Coyotes
For Example,
I would like to see one of the previously named QB's run the oop-dee-oop to perfection, it isn't easy and Mox did it in just one take.
Also, firing a fuckin pigskin off of a guys head may not sound too difficult BUT the fact that Mox did it in a turn around jump shot fashion is remarkable, check the tape, I seen it. He knocked off that there can and showed em what he made of.
Here is the only negative I have on this Texas high school hall of famer, who for some does not appear in the Texas High School Football HOF, hang in there Mox, it's cummin(shout to markzila on that spelling). Mox was presented with a whip cream bikini and in true homo fashion he declined, upside down diamond is a pussy.
...I also considered Sean Kaverick because I once heard that "Kaverick got arm, yo!"
Sincerely,
the BURKE.
Forgot to add my top 5...but I could not stop there....
ReplyDelete1. Jonathon 'Mox' Moxon
2. Doug Pederson
3. Ryan Leaf
4. Tim Couch
5. Jesse Palmer
6. Charlie Ward
7. Eric Crouch
8. Rick Mirer
9. Akili Smith
10.Heath Shuler
Sincerely,
the BURKE
Heath Shuler! Former Redskin and Congressman! No love for Washuta on these lists?
ReplyDelete