Sweetwater Red
01-06-2009, 01:33 PM
Tell us how you really feel Jason Whitlock.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9033410/NFL-Truths:-Peyton's-a-choker,-LT-is-done-in-S.D.
NFL Truths: Peyton's a choker, LT is done in S.D.by Jason Whitlock
Jason Whitlock brings his edgy and thought-provoking style to FOXSports.com. Columnist for the Kansas City Star, he has won the National Journalism Award for Commentary for "his ability to seamlessly integrate sports and social commentary and to challenge widely held assumptions along the racial divide."
10. Now that the Colts' season has ended with another baffling playoff loss, it's time to play the blame game in Indianapolis. Peyton Manning or Tony Dungy? I'll point my finger at Peyton Manning, the best regular-season QB in NFL history.
If this is indeed the end for Tony Dungy, he accomplished exactly what the Colts hired him to do. He was resurrected from Tampa to make Indy's defense good enough to win in the postseason.
In Indy's last five playoff losses, the Colts surrendered 23, 28, 21, 20 and 24 points. The Jets bum-rushed Dungy's first Indianapolis squad 41-0 in the postseason.
Most of Dungy's Indy playoff losses played out similar to Saturday's heartbreaking, 23-17 disaster. Dungy and his defense stood along the sideline waiting for Manning and full-autonomy offensive coordinator Tom Moore to score points the way they did in the regular season.
Indy's lone second-half touchdown on Saturday came on a fluke, busted play when the Colts caught the Chargers unprepared for the snap. Reggie Wayne blew past a flat-footed San Diego corner who was staring at the sideline looking for a defensive signal.
Manning did nothing on Saturday. Well, he enhanced his reputation as the big-time QB mostly likely to choke in the clutch. His postseason numbers don't lie.
His record is 7-8. He's tossed 22 TDs and 17 INTs in January. His completion percentage falls to 56 percent (eight points lower than his career percentage). And in his eight playoff losses, the Colts average 13 points per game.
Also, let's not forget that in his 2006, four-game Super Bowl run, Manning threw three TDs and seven INTs. His Super Bowl MVP trophy was a gift from the media, probably a thank-you for the wonderful TV commercials.
I'm a Peyton Manning fan. His postseason play is indefensible.
9. Speaking of indefensible, the NBC executive responsible for Matt Millen's placement on "Football Night in America" on Saturday should be fired.
Any list of all-time worst TV decisions must include Millen being run out as the lead studio analyst at playoff time. Are you kidding me? Was O.J. Simpson denied phone privileges?
Seriously, O.J. on "Football Night in America" is the only thing that could top Millen's inclusion. And NBC is promising to foist Millen on its Super Bowl audience. If this happens, I will confront Millen and NBC executives at the Super Bowl and go Rob Parker-Rod Marinelli on the responsible parties.
Let me break this down for the clowns running NBC:
A. Millen used to be a high-profile NFL broadcaster. And so did O.J. Simpson.
B. Millen took a gigantic dump on his football reputation with a historic, embarrassing eight-year run as general manager of the Detroit Lions. Simpson took a gigantic dump on his football reputation with a historic, embarrassing 13-year crime spree throughout Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
C. No one respects Millen's opinion about football now that he's known as the worst general manager in the history of the league. No one respects Simpson's opinion about anything now that he's known as the man who beat double-murder charges and sits in jail now because of robbery.
D. Matt Millen is a distraction, not an analyst.
Last week people got upset with me because I had the audacity to suggest that one of life's best gigs is as a washed-up, 50-something American white man. Matt Millen and Rick Reilly, exhibits A and B. The prosecution rests.
8. While I'm on the subject of "Football Night in America," would someone please stop Jerome Bettis before he goes Emmitt Smiff?
Look, I understand that athletes desperately want to stay in the limelight and earn a check for doing very little real work. But not every former NFL star is cut out to talk on TV.
The pairing of Millen with Jerome "Darryl Sproles" Bettis — yes, the Bus called Darren Sproles by his wrong name twice — makes the top-10 list of all-time worst TV decisions, too. Being entertaining and insightful in short TV bursts is a talent no different than having the vision to run through tiny NFL holes.
The Bus comes across on TV like a squatty fullback trying to play QB.
I'd love to play dominoes against The Bus and Emmitt Smiff. They just don't understand that all money ain't good money ... even in this economy.
7. LaDainian Tomlinson will never start another game in a San Diego uniform.
Man, this is a bad day for me. LT and Peyton Manning are two of my favorite players, but I have to keep it real.
LT's injury saved the Chargers. With a healthy LT, Sproles never gets his chance to dominate the Colts. Darren "Seabiscuit" Sproles is an every-down back. Yes, he's small, but the Biscuit, like the legendary undersized thoroughbred, is made to run with the big dogs.
I've been watching Seabiscuit make fools of bigger men ever since he starred at Olathe North High School, 20 minutes from my home. When he signed with Kansas State, I had my doubts. He put a clown suit on me and everyone in the Big 12.
What he did to the Colts on Saturday — 328 all-purpose yards — did not surprise anyone who saw him play in high school and college. The Biscuit is off the chains.
LT should be on the trading block this offseason. He'd be a wonderful addition to the Patriots.
6. There were two critical Atlanta errors on the third-and-16, Kurt Warner-to-Stephen Spach 23-yard pass that sealed the contest.
Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking is justifiably getting torched for jumping an underneath route and letting Spach get deep over the middle.
But NFL coach of the year Mike Smith and his staff deserve criticism for not blitzing in that situation. Smith and his staff never figured out that the Cardinals had no trouble with John Abraham. The key to stopping Kurt Warner is pass-rush pressure and hitting him in hopes of creating a fumble.
With Anquan Boldin — the Arizona receiver most likely to hurt you with a run after catch — sidelined, the Falcons should've sent the house after Warner, which would've at the very least forced a quick throw short of the sticks.
5. Do not jump ship on Chad Pennington. It's going to be popular this week — after his four INT day — to say that Pennington is exactly who we thought he was, an imposter as a championship-caliber QB.
And there's a kernel of truth in that. But Pennington, while not elite, is a quarterback capable of winning big games against top competition. He just needs more help.
And you have to take into consideration how good Baltimore's defense is. The Ravens' front four pushed the pocket all day and disrupted Pennington's throwing lanes and windows. Pennington was trapped in The Perfect Storm, my nickname for the Ravens defense.
Baltimore's defense does not have a weak link. The Ravens are phenomenal on all three levels — line, linebackers and secondary. Miami's offensive line got overwhelmed and that exposed Pennington's mediocre arm to the Baltimore secondary.
4. When his career is over, Ed Reed might be the greatest safety to play the game.
He's on pace to catch Paul Krause and Ronnie Lott. Krause, of course, has the NFL record for interceptions, a ridiculous total of 81. Lott, of course, was the best defensive player on four Super Bowl teams.
I'm not going to pick a winner between Lott and Krause. But with 43 regular-season interceptions in seven seasons, Reed is on pace to catch Krause. It's unlikely Reed will come anywhere near Lott's four Super Bowl rings. Reed was not a member of the Ravens' 2000 club.
However, Lott won championships on teams led by Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Bill Walsh. Lott's 49ers were an offensive dynasty. Reed is a member of a defensive dynasty. If he can get a Super Bowl and finish with 70 picks, he belongs in the conversation with Krause and Lott.
3. Tarvaris Jackson ran the ball one time against the Eagles. Why?
Jackson is never going to be a pocket passer. He's not the next Donovan McNabb. Jackson is a tremendous athlete who plays quarterback. Best-case scenario, Jackson pulls off a poor man's three-year impersonation of Michael Vick when Vick was slightly above average as an NFL starter.
Had Jackson converted a few third downs with his legs rather than throwing up a boatload of ducks, the Vikings probably would've upset the Eagles.
Philly did everything it could to keep Minnesota in the game. Memo to Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb: Kevin Curtis is not a deep threat on the edge. Curtis is a slot receiver, a Wes Welker Lite.
You expose Curtis to a playoff team's top two corners and he's highly ineffective. You put Curtis in the slot against a nickel and he can be a difference-maker.
When McNabb threw deep to Curtis on an important, late-game third-down play rather than dumping the ball to a wide-open Brian Westbrook in the flat, I wanted to turn the game off.
2. In responding to my criticism of Deadspin last week, the site's editor A.J. Daulerio explained exactly why Buzz Bissinger and any other journalist who cares about fairness should be disappointed by the free pass the site gets from the mainstream media and other bloggers.
You can read Daulerio's entire rebuttal here.
But here's the money quote:
"Look, the difference between Deadspin and most of other media outlets out there is that we're pretty transparent in our biases. Yes, the tagline says there is "no favor" here, but you know what, that's not how the world works. Deadspin editors and writers (both past and present) like some media people, sports teams, athletes, and opinions more than others. We can all toy with the notion of objectivity on certain issues, but there are always going to be biases. What separates Deadspin from ESPN or any other mainstream media outlet is that it's never really presented itself to be objective. This site will be nasty, unapologetic, and downright juvenile at times and not always for the greater good or to excavate the unvarnished truth. Sometimes it's just trying to have fun and be a pest for the sake of being one. But this site is policed enough in both mainstream media and the sports blogosphere, as it should be. Stories and posts are vetted when they need to be and when mistakes are made, we own up to them."
You got a group of yahoos smearing athletes and members of the media based on who they do and don't like. It's America. Daulerio, Will Leitch and the rest have a right to smear whomever they choose. That is not my problem.
My problem is Sports Illustrated, other mainstream media outlets and the whole blog world cheering Daulerio and Leitch on while they do it.
I'm not a fan of Stuart Scott. His act is stale, over-the-top and inauthentic. But in no way do I think it's remotely fair that a blogger would look over Scott's shoulder, publish a private text message and paint it in the most unethical and marriage-damaging light.
That would get you a mouth-shot in every neighborhood I've ever lived, and I've lived in the 'hood and the 'burbs.
I don't expect Daulerio and Leitch to get this. Fairness is a non-issue to them. They created a nasty little blog that has given them a measure of currency in the sports world, and they've reserved the right to smear the people they don't like.
If you had to guess, who is more likely to make the don't-like, Deadspin-will-search-through-your-trash-read-your-texts list? Someone who looks like Stu Scott? Or someone who looks like Leitch, the man willing to tell all of us who is and isn't really black?
Oh, people of all races make the don't-like list. But some of us have things we don't care to change — skin color and a lack of desire to kiss Deadspin's rear — that make us more likely candidates to appear on the enemies list.
Nope. Deadspin needs to be seriously scrutinized.
1. While the Raiders and Al Davis are selling shares in their organization, they should consider giving Bill Parcells 3 to 5 percent of the organization and let Tuna fix what Al has broken.
Parcells can opt out of his deal with the Dolphins. Parcells and Davis have a longstanding, respectful admiration/friendship. Parcells is probably the only man who can single-handedly clean up Davis' mess.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9033410/NFL-Truths:-Peyton's-a-choker,-LT-is-done-in-S.D.
NFL Truths: Peyton's a choker, LT is done in S.D.by Jason Whitlock
Jason Whitlock brings his edgy and thought-provoking style to FOXSports.com. Columnist for the Kansas City Star, he has won the National Journalism Award for Commentary for "his ability to seamlessly integrate sports and social commentary and to challenge widely held assumptions along the racial divide."
10. Now that the Colts' season has ended with another baffling playoff loss, it's time to play the blame game in Indianapolis. Peyton Manning or Tony Dungy? I'll point my finger at Peyton Manning, the best regular-season QB in NFL history.
If this is indeed the end for Tony Dungy, he accomplished exactly what the Colts hired him to do. He was resurrected from Tampa to make Indy's defense good enough to win in the postseason.
In Indy's last five playoff losses, the Colts surrendered 23, 28, 21, 20 and 24 points. The Jets bum-rushed Dungy's first Indianapolis squad 41-0 in the postseason.
Most of Dungy's Indy playoff losses played out similar to Saturday's heartbreaking, 23-17 disaster. Dungy and his defense stood along the sideline waiting for Manning and full-autonomy offensive coordinator Tom Moore to score points the way they did in the regular season.
Indy's lone second-half touchdown on Saturday came on a fluke, busted play when the Colts caught the Chargers unprepared for the snap. Reggie Wayne blew past a flat-footed San Diego corner who was staring at the sideline looking for a defensive signal.
Manning did nothing on Saturday. Well, he enhanced his reputation as the big-time QB mostly likely to choke in the clutch. His postseason numbers don't lie.
His record is 7-8. He's tossed 22 TDs and 17 INTs in January. His completion percentage falls to 56 percent (eight points lower than his career percentage). And in his eight playoff losses, the Colts average 13 points per game.
Also, let's not forget that in his 2006, four-game Super Bowl run, Manning threw three TDs and seven INTs. His Super Bowl MVP trophy was a gift from the media, probably a thank-you for the wonderful TV commercials.
I'm a Peyton Manning fan. His postseason play is indefensible.
9. Speaking of indefensible, the NBC executive responsible for Matt Millen's placement on "Football Night in America" on Saturday should be fired.
Any list of all-time worst TV decisions must include Millen being run out as the lead studio analyst at playoff time. Are you kidding me? Was O.J. Simpson denied phone privileges?
Seriously, O.J. on "Football Night in America" is the only thing that could top Millen's inclusion. And NBC is promising to foist Millen on its Super Bowl audience. If this happens, I will confront Millen and NBC executives at the Super Bowl and go Rob Parker-Rod Marinelli on the responsible parties.
Let me break this down for the clowns running NBC:
A. Millen used to be a high-profile NFL broadcaster. And so did O.J. Simpson.
B. Millen took a gigantic dump on his football reputation with a historic, embarrassing eight-year run as general manager of the Detroit Lions. Simpson took a gigantic dump on his football reputation with a historic, embarrassing 13-year crime spree throughout Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
C. No one respects Millen's opinion about football now that he's known as the worst general manager in the history of the league. No one respects Simpson's opinion about anything now that he's known as the man who beat double-murder charges and sits in jail now because of robbery.
D. Matt Millen is a distraction, not an analyst.
Last week people got upset with me because I had the audacity to suggest that one of life's best gigs is as a washed-up, 50-something American white man. Matt Millen and Rick Reilly, exhibits A and B. The prosecution rests.
8. While I'm on the subject of "Football Night in America," would someone please stop Jerome Bettis before he goes Emmitt Smiff?
Look, I understand that athletes desperately want to stay in the limelight and earn a check for doing very little real work. But not every former NFL star is cut out to talk on TV.
The pairing of Millen with Jerome "Darryl Sproles" Bettis — yes, the Bus called Darren Sproles by his wrong name twice — makes the top-10 list of all-time worst TV decisions, too. Being entertaining and insightful in short TV bursts is a talent no different than having the vision to run through tiny NFL holes.
The Bus comes across on TV like a squatty fullback trying to play QB.
I'd love to play dominoes against The Bus and Emmitt Smiff. They just don't understand that all money ain't good money ... even in this economy.
7. LaDainian Tomlinson will never start another game in a San Diego uniform.
Man, this is a bad day for me. LT and Peyton Manning are two of my favorite players, but I have to keep it real.
LT's injury saved the Chargers. With a healthy LT, Sproles never gets his chance to dominate the Colts. Darren "Seabiscuit" Sproles is an every-down back. Yes, he's small, but the Biscuit, like the legendary undersized thoroughbred, is made to run with the big dogs.
I've been watching Seabiscuit make fools of bigger men ever since he starred at Olathe North High School, 20 minutes from my home. When he signed with Kansas State, I had my doubts. He put a clown suit on me and everyone in the Big 12.
What he did to the Colts on Saturday — 328 all-purpose yards — did not surprise anyone who saw him play in high school and college. The Biscuit is off the chains.
LT should be on the trading block this offseason. He'd be a wonderful addition to the Patriots.
6. There were two critical Atlanta errors on the third-and-16, Kurt Warner-to-Stephen Spach 23-yard pass that sealed the contest.
Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking is justifiably getting torched for jumping an underneath route and letting Spach get deep over the middle.
But NFL coach of the year Mike Smith and his staff deserve criticism for not blitzing in that situation. Smith and his staff never figured out that the Cardinals had no trouble with John Abraham. The key to stopping Kurt Warner is pass-rush pressure and hitting him in hopes of creating a fumble.
With Anquan Boldin — the Arizona receiver most likely to hurt you with a run after catch — sidelined, the Falcons should've sent the house after Warner, which would've at the very least forced a quick throw short of the sticks.
5. Do not jump ship on Chad Pennington. It's going to be popular this week — after his four INT day — to say that Pennington is exactly who we thought he was, an imposter as a championship-caliber QB.
And there's a kernel of truth in that. But Pennington, while not elite, is a quarterback capable of winning big games against top competition. He just needs more help.
And you have to take into consideration how good Baltimore's defense is. The Ravens' front four pushed the pocket all day and disrupted Pennington's throwing lanes and windows. Pennington was trapped in The Perfect Storm, my nickname for the Ravens defense.
Baltimore's defense does not have a weak link. The Ravens are phenomenal on all three levels — line, linebackers and secondary. Miami's offensive line got overwhelmed and that exposed Pennington's mediocre arm to the Baltimore secondary.
4. When his career is over, Ed Reed might be the greatest safety to play the game.
He's on pace to catch Paul Krause and Ronnie Lott. Krause, of course, has the NFL record for interceptions, a ridiculous total of 81. Lott, of course, was the best defensive player on four Super Bowl teams.
I'm not going to pick a winner between Lott and Krause. But with 43 regular-season interceptions in seven seasons, Reed is on pace to catch Krause. It's unlikely Reed will come anywhere near Lott's four Super Bowl rings. Reed was not a member of the Ravens' 2000 club.
However, Lott won championships on teams led by Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Bill Walsh. Lott's 49ers were an offensive dynasty. Reed is a member of a defensive dynasty. If he can get a Super Bowl and finish with 70 picks, he belongs in the conversation with Krause and Lott.
3. Tarvaris Jackson ran the ball one time against the Eagles. Why?
Jackson is never going to be a pocket passer. He's not the next Donovan McNabb. Jackson is a tremendous athlete who plays quarterback. Best-case scenario, Jackson pulls off a poor man's three-year impersonation of Michael Vick when Vick was slightly above average as an NFL starter.
Had Jackson converted a few third downs with his legs rather than throwing up a boatload of ducks, the Vikings probably would've upset the Eagles.
Philly did everything it could to keep Minnesota in the game. Memo to Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb: Kevin Curtis is not a deep threat on the edge. Curtis is a slot receiver, a Wes Welker Lite.
You expose Curtis to a playoff team's top two corners and he's highly ineffective. You put Curtis in the slot against a nickel and he can be a difference-maker.
When McNabb threw deep to Curtis on an important, late-game third-down play rather than dumping the ball to a wide-open Brian Westbrook in the flat, I wanted to turn the game off.
2. In responding to my criticism of Deadspin last week, the site's editor A.J. Daulerio explained exactly why Buzz Bissinger and any other journalist who cares about fairness should be disappointed by the free pass the site gets from the mainstream media and other bloggers.
You can read Daulerio's entire rebuttal here.
But here's the money quote:
"Look, the difference between Deadspin and most of other media outlets out there is that we're pretty transparent in our biases. Yes, the tagline says there is "no favor" here, but you know what, that's not how the world works. Deadspin editors and writers (both past and present) like some media people, sports teams, athletes, and opinions more than others. We can all toy with the notion of objectivity on certain issues, but there are always going to be biases. What separates Deadspin from ESPN or any other mainstream media outlet is that it's never really presented itself to be objective. This site will be nasty, unapologetic, and downright juvenile at times and not always for the greater good or to excavate the unvarnished truth. Sometimes it's just trying to have fun and be a pest for the sake of being one. But this site is policed enough in both mainstream media and the sports blogosphere, as it should be. Stories and posts are vetted when they need to be and when mistakes are made, we own up to them."
You got a group of yahoos smearing athletes and members of the media based on who they do and don't like. It's America. Daulerio, Will Leitch and the rest have a right to smear whomever they choose. That is not my problem.
My problem is Sports Illustrated, other mainstream media outlets and the whole blog world cheering Daulerio and Leitch on while they do it.
I'm not a fan of Stuart Scott. His act is stale, over-the-top and inauthentic. But in no way do I think it's remotely fair that a blogger would look over Scott's shoulder, publish a private text message and paint it in the most unethical and marriage-damaging light.
That would get you a mouth-shot in every neighborhood I've ever lived, and I've lived in the 'hood and the 'burbs.
I don't expect Daulerio and Leitch to get this. Fairness is a non-issue to them. They created a nasty little blog that has given them a measure of currency in the sports world, and they've reserved the right to smear the people they don't like.
If you had to guess, who is more likely to make the don't-like, Deadspin-will-search-through-your-trash-read-your-texts list? Someone who looks like Stu Scott? Or someone who looks like Leitch, the man willing to tell all of us who is and isn't really black?
Oh, people of all races make the don't-like list. But some of us have things we don't care to change — skin color and a lack of desire to kiss Deadspin's rear — that make us more likely candidates to appear on the enemies list.
Nope. Deadspin needs to be seriously scrutinized.
1. While the Raiders and Al Davis are selling shares in their organization, they should consider giving Bill Parcells 3 to 5 percent of the organization and let Tuna fix what Al has broken.
Parcells can opt out of his deal with the Dolphins. Parcells and Davis have a longstanding, respectful admiration/friendship. Parcells is probably the only man who can single-handedly clean up Davis' mess.