Sports Movies Everyone Needs To See: Jerry Maguire (1996)

Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise before anyone knew he was crazy) is the eponymous tale of a 35 year old sports super agent who realizes he hates life after he finds the business has become more about money than about relationships and integrity. Maguire writes a mission statement about the future of the company (Sports Management International) and how they need to get back to the roots of the industry, which gets him fired but catches the attention of young account Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) who joins Maguire after he is canned. The two start their own company but the future looks bleak after Maguire's top client Frank Cushman leaves him for SMI the night before the NFL draft. The movie tells the story of Maguire's relationships with his only remaining client WR Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) as well as Dorothy and he 4 year old son Ray.

Jerry Maguire was very well received when it was released earning 5 Oscar nominations highlighted by Cuba Gooding Jr.'s win for Best Supporting Actor. The film remains popular today because of it's memorable quotations ("Show me the money", '"You complete me", "Help me help you", "You had me at hello" etc.) that are still referenced in pop culture today. The movie works so well because in my opinion it is the perfect synthesis of Chick Flick and Sports Movie.

As a sports movie it does a great job of giving us a glimpse into the world of being a sports agent and features a large number of cameos by professional athletes and owners like former Patriots QB Brew Bledsoe or Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. Cuba Gooding Jr. gives a phenomenal performance in the role of an over-acheiving, under-sized NFL receiver with an attitude problem. The football action is very tasteful and well done which is helped by Gooding Jr.'s natural athleticism and flair. Even with a love story this movie would be great as a buddy-pic as Maguire and Tidwell change each other's lives and develop the kind of relationship Jerry discussed in his mission statement. The culmination of their bond happens during the final game of the season on Monday Night Football and can make almost anyone emotional.

At the end of the day however, this movie is all about the rocky relationship between Jerry and Dorothy. I don't want to give away too much about the ups and downs of the love story but even I think it is really well done. There are definite times during the movie where you clearly know you where you're watching a movie for women but you also will find you really don't care. I don't know if there's a more perfect movie to watch with a member of the opposite sex because this is really two movies in one (if there's one drawback to this movie it's the 140 minute run time). This is a movie of great acting, great writing and great action and should be a go-to choice if you and your girlfriend can't decide on what to watch.

Excessive Celebration of the Day

I know this isn't a celebration but it's certainly excessive (just like everything else Brian Dawkins does)

Can The Pro Bowl Finally Be Interesting?

In an attempt to spice up the off-week before the Super Bowl NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell moved the Pro Bowl from Hawaii to Miami and moved kickoff to this upcoming Sunday instead of the traditional Sunday after the Super Bowl. The move was made to reverse the fortunes of the Pro Bowl's falling ratings and player participation. I can understand the logic here but there are some obvious drawbacks that have recently brought the decision to move the Pro Bowl under scrutiny.

Roger Goodell wants an earlier Pro Bowl to become a tradition so this Sunday's contest will likely be a test. A major problem with the move is that Pro Bowlers on the two Super Bowl teams cannot compete meaning that they have to be replaced. Combine that with the number of players who skip the Pro Bowl due to injury ever year and you have more than 100 players making the roster. For example 10 QBs have made the Pro Bowl this year including Vince Young of the Texans who only started 10 games this season. Many analysts believe the move won't do much in terms of ratings and only serves to cheapen the Pro Bowl even more.

Goodell is hoping that having the Pro Bowl under the lights in Miami will be a big hit as fans are traditionally starved for football this weekend. I got one will be interested to see in the NFL can make anything out of the Pro Bowl or not. If the game turns out to be mundane as always Commissioner Goodell may have to rethink the value of having an actual Pro Bowl at all.

For now this remains the most memorable Pro Bowl moment over the past decade.

Man Battles Chicken On New York Subway

Anyone who's ever ridden a subway in New York has probably witnessed some shenanigans like this. I can't tell but I think the Chicken is winning this battle.

Excessive Celebration of the Day

Remember when Vince Carter still did stuff like this? He gets bonus points for almost knocking out his teammate Kevin Garnett while celebrating.

Tim Tebow Will Have A Higher Calling Than The NFL

One of the very few benefits of having the NFL Network at this time of year is getting the opportunity to watch NFL hopefuls practice as they prepare for the Senior Bowl. Florida QB Tim Tebow is probably the most highly scrutinized of these players as he tries to prove he has an NFL arm despite compiling one of the best college football resumes ever. Tebow has also made headlines of a different sort after it was announced that he would appear in an anti-abortion commercial that will air during the Super Bowl. Tebow has acknowledged the fact that taking such a controversial stand on a nation-wide scale my hurt his NFL stock but has stated that he feels that appearing in the ad is more important to him.

Now I've already addressed how Tim Tebow should be used in the pros and I still believe he has enough heart to at least earn a shot. However, regardless of what success he finds in the NFL I believe it will be fairly short-lived (like just about everything else in the league). I'm pretty sure everyone is aware of Tebow's missionary work in the Philippines and how dedicated he is to his church. While he already has the resume of a great clergyman I think Tebow has a future in public service. If Tim ever ventured into the political world he would be an invaluable asset to the far Right.

Tebow is a gracious public orator who speaks from the heart, never forgets to thank god and believes in others. I feel with a little coaching Tebow could be a viable candidate for Governor of Florida within 10 or 15 years. We have seen other sports stars find success in politics after they retire but none have the following Tebow has already cultivated (I can't tell you how many "This is Tebow Country" billboards there are littered throughout the state). Tebow's evangelical spirituality and moral values (he's still a virgin) combined with his athletic fame could make him the kind of celebrity candidate the Republican Party sorely needs. Tebow already has a famous speech that has been memorialized at the University of Florida and has the making of a really good public official (for example I would always vote for him every time even though I disagree with many of his political and religious values). I think Tebow could run for Mayor of Jacksonville (his hometown) in the next election if he so choose (and win) and would have a pretty good chance of winning regardless. Would a jump to Governor or Senator really be that much more difficult? What about the Presidency in 30 years, is it really that far-fetched?

Perhaps I'm getting a little ahead of myself but I really do feel Tim Tebow would find much more success as a politician than he will as a football player or churchman. Just watch the video below, it's Tebow's speech to the University of Florida fans after the team lost last season. The Gators would go on to win 20 straight games after this including a National Championship. Who wouldn't believe in this guy? (Tebow's Pledge starts around 2:15)

Donovan McNabb To The Vikings?

I am going to assume that Brett Favre will eventually retire after Sunday's gut-wrenching loss to the Saints. I'm pretty sure he was hoping to win it all with Minnesota this year and go out like John Elway did after the 1998 season. He had a great year with the team he wanted to play for since his first retirement but now that that's over I don't think he will want to gear it up one more time. What that all means is that the Minnesota Vikings are will likely be looking for a new quarterback. Many people believe the optimal solution for the Vikings would be to acquire Eagles QB Donovan McNabb who has only 1 year left on his deal. As odd as this would have sounded a year ago, I agree with this idea.

I've already discussed what I about the idea of Philadelphia and McNabb parting ways and I think Minnesota is the perfect fit. There has been no more fervent supporter of Donovan since he arrived in Philly than me (...probably) but even I think it's finally time for him to go. Vikings coach Brad Childress was McNabb's mentor and offensive coordinator in Philadelphia for many years so he would have no trouble fitting in with the offense (Favre proved how easy that can be). The Vikings would be able to maintain a high level of play and give Donny a fresh start which I believe he needs more than anyone.

The word is McNabb is worth a second-round pick which I guess would be a pretty fair deal all things considered. I think Philadelphia's front office feels confident in what they have in Kevin Kolb and I have already stated that he deserves his shot. More importantly I think this gives Donovan the opportunity to play without the immense pressure he has increasingly felt in Philly since the team reached the Super Bowl in 2004.

Excessive Celebration of the Day

Takeo Spikes

Weekend Review

Well we were treated to some great football yesterday capped by the Saints' 31-28 victory in overtime. I hit the nail on the head saying this game was going to come down to how Brett Favre played in the 4th quarter. I had a feeling something interesting way going to happen on the Vikings final drive before Favre got picked. Methodically driving down the field and putting your team in position for a game-winning FG just isn't Brett Favre's style. Despite dominating many facets of the game Favre and the Vikings found themselves down by a TD in the 4th quarter. Favre led his team to a tying score and had the Vikings in FG range with complete control of the clock. Favre made a dumb play by trying to make a spectacular one and those are basically the only two types of plays he makes. Favre developed his unique style of quarterbacking because he's admitted to never really being able to understand the playbook and preferred to just shoot from the hip. I think his final interception will now forever be part of his legacy (which may give him reason to come back for another year... again... ugh...) and marks the third time he has thrown a late pick to lose his team a playoff game. Congratulations to the Saints, they stood tough throughout the game and took advantage of the opportunities the Vikings gave to them. They deserve to be in Miami in 2 weeks for the Super Bowl.

Nothing New From Brett


The Jets got out to a hot start against the Colts before stumbling through the second half en route to a 30-17 loss. The Jets got some big plays early against the Colts and built a 17-6 lead in the second quarter but I think having an early advantage ultimately did in the inexperienced Jets. Trailing by 11 points with barely 2 minutes left in the half, Colts QB Peyton Manning quickly marched his team down the field and connected on an easy score to young WR Austin Collie. The Jets missed a FG on their opening drive on the 3rd quarter and from there the Colts' offense took the game over, outscoring the Jets 17-0 in the second half. Credit goes to Peyton Manning. The Jets did a great job of eliminating WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark but were unable to slow down the machine. Manning utilized young receivers Collie and Pierre Garcon (a product of Division III Mount Union) who both went over 100 yards. Their success was thanks to Manning understanding the Jets' defensive scheme and finding the open receiver, the Jets simply didn't have enough defenders to cover everyone. I think Mark Sanchez played great and the future is bright for the Jets who will set out next year looking to wrestle dominance of the AFC East from the New England Patriots.

The NFL got a great Super Bowl matchup this year as it is the first time since 1993 that both #1 seeds will meet in the ultimate contest. If you think we got a great game from Minnesota and New Orleans you're in for an even better in 2 weeks.

Conference Championship Preview: Minnesota Vikings (+3.5) @ New Orleans Saints

This is an NFC matchup that has been brewing since the beginning of the season. New Orleans and Minnesota both came out like gangbusters this year starting 13-0 and 10-1 respectively. These teams ranked #1 and #2 in scoring offense during the regular season and both are coming off of 31-point blowout victories at home in the divisional round. Both offenses are lead by talented, veteran quarterbacks (Drew Brees and Brett Favre) and have talented, diverse play-makers (Marques Colston, Reggie Bush, Jeremy Shocky for the Saints; Sidney Rice, Adrian Peterson, Visanthe Shiancoe and Percy Harvin for the Vikings) and both play their home games in a dome.

I give defense edge to the Vikings who sport a bruising defensive line led by Pat and Kevin Williams that was first in the NFL is sacks with 48 (Pro-Bowl DE Jared Allen led the team with 14.5). The Saints defense ranked only 25th in the NFL but was noteworthy for pulling down 26 INTs (by 11 players). I think the offenses will dominate this game and there is no reason why each team can't put up 30 points. The Saints will have as much of a home-field as you can find in the NFL these days in the Superdome so expect it to be rocking.

This will be a back and forth matchup and I have a funny feeling the outcome will be determined by how Brett Favre plays in the fourth quarter. Favre has been notorious for turning the ball over in big playoff spots and the Saints have the type of defense that can force mistakes. A big star for the Saints could be S Darren Sharper. Sharper played his first 8 NFL seasons alongside Favre in Green Bay before spending 4 years in Minnesota prior to coming to New Orleans. Sharper tied for the league with 9 INTs this year (scoring 3 TDs) and has had 63 in his prolonged career. I foresee Favre either throwing a terrific TD pass late in this game or throwing an equally terrific interception. I'm picking the Saints to make more plays in the 4th quarter and come away with the victory even though it's hard to ignore the fact that Favre has throw 10 TDs and no INTs in his last 10 quarters.

Saints 36, Vikings 30

Excessive Celebration of the Day

Mark Gastineau, the originator of the Sack Dance

Conference Championship Preview: New York Jets (+8.5) @ Indianapolis Colts

There is a lot to say about this week's 16 rematch but I think this matchup comes to down to Peyton Manning's experience and play-calling against Rex Ryan's exotic defensive schemes. I don't think we can take a lot from the previous contest between these teams in week 16 where the Colts laid down midway through the 3rd quarter and cracked the playoff door open for the Jets. The Colts have been a dominant team all season in head coach Jim Caldwell's first season winning their first 14 games before resting their starters. The rest proved helpful last week as Manning and the Colts defense patiently dismantled the Baltimore Ravens 20-3. The Jets come into this game on the heels of a huge road victory over 13-3 San Diego last week and their confidence couldn't be higher at this point. 

The Jets postseason success can be attributed to Ryan's stalwart defense and a consistent rushing attack that has taken the pressure off of rookie QB Mark Sanchez who hasn't been turning the ball over. The Jets have enough play-makers like WR Braylon Edwards and CB Darrelle Revis to win this one at the end if they keep it close. It will be up to Peyton Manning to get the Colts an early lead forcing the Jets to put the ball in Sanchez's hand in order to win.

Manning will need to control this game using his ability to read the defense and make the throws to beat the Jets' aggressive blitz packages. I've seen Peyton play too many times to underestimate his throwing ability and I found a stat that was really telling. Manning and the Colts have faced Rex Ryan defenses 5 times since 2005, in those games Manning was 82-132 for 1,136, 9 TDs and only 2 INTs while posting a 4-1 record (that only loss came in December when Manning was pulled with a 3rd quarter). I think Peyton will be too much for the Jets defense but the Colts won't be able to dominate this game. I'm taking the Jets with the points but I think the Colts will be packing their bags for Miami soon.

Colts 20, Jets 13

Excessive Celebration of the Day

For those of you who don't know Jared Allen's signature Sack Dance mimics tying down a hog or calf.

The Man Who May Decide Where LeBron James Signs This Offseason

As many of you may know this NBA offseason boasts arguably the best free agent class we have ever seen with names like Dwayne Wade, Amare Stoudamire, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki and of course LeBron James all looking to cash in. As the NBA's "Chosen One" all eyes will be on James this offseason to see if the Mega-star will head to a place like New York or New Jersey or if he'll stay in Cleveland. I'm not sure at this point if LeBron's first choice is to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers and I think the only way it becomes his first choice is if the Cavaliers can win an NBA title this season.

Making a title run with Cleveland is not out of the question as the Cavs are one of only a few real contenders this season along with teams like the Celtics, Lakers and perhaps the Atlanta Hawks. However Lebron can only carry his team so far as we saw last postseason when the Cavs were knocked out of the Eastern Conference Finals by the Orlando Magic despite having cruised to a 66-16 regular season record and breezing through the first two rounds of the playoffs. They came up short because LeBron had nobody to help take the pressure off of him and got stifled by the Magic defense. It's very difficult for a team to win in the playoffs without reliable secondary scoring.

If the Cavs want to win a championship they will need consistent play from G Mo Williams who will miss the next 4-6 weeks with a back injury. Williams joined the Cavs last year and was the catalyst that spurred their rise to the top of the Eastern Conference averaging 18 points and 5 assists a game, shooting 44% from 3-point range and over 90% from the line, and earning an All-Star appearance. Unfortunately he was also largely responsible for the team's failure in the Conference Finals as his shooting percentage dropped dramatically across the board including hitting only 37% of his 3-pointers and even more astonishing shooting barely 76% from the line.

Mo Williams is the closest thing to a true number-2 that LeBron James has ever had and he will need Williams to perform at a consistent level when he returns injury in preparation for the playoffs. If Williams reverses his fortunes from last year and the Cavaliers can pull off an NBA title it will make James' decision to opt out of his contract and sign with another team much harder. Conversely if Williams can't return well from his injury or tanks in crunch-time again look for James to skip town in two shakes of a fox's tail.

Excessive Celebration of the Day

Maurice Jones-Drew

Update On The Jets Fan Who Got Hauled Out Of The Chargers Game

Here's a follow up on the video I posted earlier this week of a Jets fan getting arrested in San Diego

Meet That Jets Fan Who Got Hauled Out Of The Chargers Game

Should The NBA Just Get Rid Of The Dunk Contest For A Few Years?

As we approach the NBA All-Star break there seems to be a big question as to the best way to make the Dunk Contest more entertaining. In just the last 3 years ratings from the dunking spectacular have dropped from more than 12 million households down to 5 million last year. There is a lot of disappointment this year because LeBron James has backed out of the competition after he insinuated that he would compete last year. He joins the likes of former Dunk Champions Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter who have also repeatedly declined invitations. What I found most interesting was the lack of support given to Shaquille O'Neal's recent proposal to have a Superstar contest to benefit Haiti, only defending champion Nate Robinson has been fully behind the idea to dunk for charity. Could there be a more motivational force for a player? I'm hard pressed to find one short of lots of money.

It's become pretty clear that the biggest names in the NBA don't want to bother with the Dunk Contest so they can enjoy more of the All-Star break. At this point I think the best thing the NBA can do is to get rid of the Dunk Contest for a couple of seasons until the fans start clamoring for its return. Think back to the last Dunk Contest that was really memorable. I think Vince Carter's win in 2000 comes to almost everyone's mind (with the exception of a few performances by 5'8" Nate Robinson and one thunderous Superman Dunk by Dwight Howard). That 2000 contest was the best since the great battles between Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins during the 1980s. A large part of the 2000 contest's success was due to the fact that there hadn't been a Dunk competition since 1997 when it was won by Kobe Bryant at age 19, lots of new young talented players were eager to participate (Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis, Jerry Stackhouse). I think putting the competition on hiatus for a year or three could go a long way to revitalizing the allure of the Dunk Contest. I believe the only other option the NBA really has would be to vastly increase the amount of prize money awarded to the competitors and the winner which isn't likely to happen anytime soon.

Excessive Celebration of the Day

Had to dip into Hollywood for this one, it's a shame they outlawed group celebrations in the NFL.

Sports Movies Everyone Needs To See: Rudy (1993)

In my opinion Rudy is one of the best football movies of all time and should be one of yours too. It tells the true story of former Notre Dame walk-on Dan "Rudy" Ruettiger (Sean Astin) who beat incredible odds to make the Fighting Irish Practice squad before earning the opportunity to dress for his final game and then actually get on the field.

I've found that a lot of people are split on Rudy because there isn't ton of football action for most of the movie (for example it was only rated the #24 best sports film by ESPN's experts but ranked #4 overall according to the fans). I think Rudy works so well because the entire film builds up to what I consider one of the best movie endings of all time. We follow Rudy's journey from "5 foot nothing, 100 and nothing" day-dreaming high school student and steel mill worker all the way to him being carried off the field in the final game of his senior season at South Bend (no Irish Player has been carried off since).

This movie features some of Sean Astin's best work as an actor as well as a number of terrific supporting roles from the likes John Favreau and others. The soundtrack by Jerry Goldstein fits the 1970s college football culture perfectly and makes the film all the more inspirational. As I said before the final scene may be one of the most moving works of filmmaking I've ever seen and I still get choked up every time I watch it (just like anyone else who's familiar with the movie i'm sure). The moment when Rudy proves to he actually made to it everyone who doubted him is pure genius so here's a little clip of it. I also found the actual game footage from 1975 included below.

I hope everyone who hasn't seen Rudy gets a chance to do so and don't be alarmed if you start shedded man-tears by the end. It just happens.

Best Instant Replay System In Professional Sports?

Watching the first rounds of the Australian Open over the past week I found I never really noticed how effective the Hawkeye Replay and Challenge System in tennis have been. Now obviously tennis has an advantage over sports like baseball or football because the replay is only used to determine whether a ball is in or out and can be done electronically but it really works. A player is allotted a certain number of challenges per set and can call for them whenever they see fit. The replay only takes a few seconds and nothing is left up to the ruling of the line judge because it is done with digital sensors so rarely is anyone unhappy with the call. The big negative I see with Instant Replay in other sports is that they interrupt the game and kill the flow. I hope the NFL and MLB will work to digitize their replay systems to remove some of the element of human error as much as possible. Just think how much more effective a booth review in the NFL would be if the sidelines and endzone were lined with sensors. Challenges for whether a player was in-bounds or not would take less than 30 seconds and the game could get right back on its feet. I know this is asking a lot but I really think it's something the competition committees of the major sports leagues should look into for the future.

Can Somebody Please Put Al Davis Out To Pasture?

Here are the records the Oakland Raiders have put up since reaching the Super Bowl in 2002:

4-12
5-11
4-12
2-14
4-12
5-11
5-11

These are pretty remarkable numbers considering how successful the franchise has been throughout the history of the NFL. I think the blame for their futility over the last 7 years can be placed squarely on the shoulders of owner Al Davis. Davis owns a majority of the team and has exercised near-complete control of football operation since the early 70s. The Raiders were terrific early on in Davis' tenure winning 3 Super Bowls in the 70s and 80s, but that was then and this is now. Davis will turn 81 this year and I don't think he is fit to run an NFL team anymore.

Davis has been looking to replace current Head Coach Tom Cable for the past several weeks which is interesting considering Cable was Davis' hand-picked choice to replace Lane Kiffin after Davis fired Kiffin in only his second season. Granted Cable has been under fire this season for some off-field issues involving domestic abuse but I think Davis wants to replace him because they no longer agree on coaching philosophies.

The revolving door that has been the Raiders Head Coaching position can be attributed to Davis. I think he has been trying to find a coach who can run the team the "Al Davis Way" and problems tend to arise because his coaches would rather win football games and that strategy seems to be at odds with Davis' wishes.

This sticking point this time seems to be Davis' unbreakable support of former #1 overall draft pick QB Jamarcus Russell. Davis drafted Russell because of his eye-popping physical ability which appears to be his drafting M.O. (see Darius Heyward-Bey's rookie numbers). I think at this point it is pretty clear Russell just doesn't have what it takes to play QB at the NFL level (he also wasn't particularly effective in the NCAA either but that's just my opinion) but Davis refuses to give up on his investment. He fired Kiffin because he never wanted to draft Russell and will likely fire Cable for not playing him either.

I don't understand how Al Davis can't see how bad of a leader Jamarcus is. The Raiders have some talent and Cable was able to win games this season with the likes of Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye at QB which is pretty remarkable when you think about it. Even veteran Jeff Garcia was critical of Russell's ability to win this season. I don't foresee the Raiders becoming relevant again until Al Davis relinquishes some control of the team and let's a coach rebuild the team the right way. I think the only way that will happen is if it is forced on Davis for health reasons. I'm pretty sure every football fan is Oakland is hoping for just that outcome...

Excessive Celebration of the Day

I think everyone at least kind of misses Fred-Ex. Sure he was a first-round bust with only 90 career catches for 5 TDs but he made every one of them noteworthy by celebrating like this. Donovan McNabb isn't too shabby in this one either...

Tiger Woods Treated For Sex Addiction. Wait? What?

Earlier today it was reported that Tiger Woods has been receiving treatment for Sex Addiction at an expensive clinic during his self-imposed exile.

Is this supposed to make us feel bad for Tiger? I think that because of the way this story came out this move by Tiger was not one to gain some slice of sympathy from an unforgiving public. However this is not what Tiger should be doing. He needs to come out and speak about his sex scandal now (he's already a month or so late) so everyone can start to forget about this and let him get back to preparing for the Masters this April. Addressing the media is the only way to start rebuilding his reputation. If you're going to get treated for Sex Addiction at least tell the public that's what you're doing and show to us that you want to repent. I feel we reaching the point where the longer Tiger Woods stays silently cooped up the more it will hurt him in the long run. I personally thought he was spending this time working on his golf game but now I'm not so sure.

Rex Ryan Is Backing Up His Talk

Since Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan held his first press conference after he was hired last offseason my mind is split in attempting to form an opinion of him. I personally don't like the bull-headed, loud-mouthed approach Ryan takes to football coaching but at the same time I appreciate that fact that he does things his way and doesn't give a hoot about what other people say. Ryan built his team around defense and a power-rushing attack and has known he has had a contender on his hands since the preseason.

A lot of people have gone back and forth on whether they think Ryan has done a good job as Head Coach or not. I think this is directly linked to the up-and-down play of rookie QB Mark Sanchez and Ryan approval fluctuated accordingly this year. The team's success at the end of the season and into the playoffs has been due to their punishing defense led by All-Pro CB Darrelle Revis and that pounding ground game sparked by rookie RB Shonn Greene. Now that Ryan has the Jets in the AFC Championship game next weekend he is already having the last laugh.

I believe it was Ryan's unwavering confidence in his team's ability to succeed that got his players to buy into his system and allowed the team to flourish. At this point the team can only go as far as Sanchez's inexperienced arm can take them. They are however playing with house money as this team only needed to make to the playoffs for a successful season, the two playoff wins are really a bonus. I'm not particularly confident in the Jets' ability to defeat the Colts for real this time but their defense will keep them in it and if they don't turn it over Ryan and the Jets can be in position to go to the Super Bowl.

Excessive Celebration of the Day

Ochocinco isn't the only Bengals receiver with some dance moves appearantly

Fan Arrested At Charger's Game

This is pretty ridiculous in my opinion, it appears he was guilty of nothing other than being an obnoxious fan who deserved to cheer after his underdog Jets pulled out a stunning upset on the road in San Diego. This doesn't make me particularly confident in stadium security.

Excessive Celebration of the Day

Is Retaining Wade Phillips As Head Coach Of The Cowboys The Right Move?

This morning Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones announced his decision to bring Head Coach Wade Phillips back for another year. I think that despite winning the NFC East and a playoff game Jerry Jones finds himself in a tough situation. Jones has clearly had plans to promote Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett to Head Coach as soon as Phillips is released by the front office after he made Garrett the highest paid Coordinator in the league a few years ago. I'm sure he was hoping that this season Phillips would either crumble once again in December and not win a playoff game or go on a championship run. Either of those outcomes would make Jones' decision as to whether to keep Phillips or not much easier.

This season Wade Phillips did all that was asked of him. His team played great down the stretch led by Pro Bowl QB Tony Romo. They physically dominated the Philadelphia Eagles at home on consecutive weeks to win the division one game and a wind a Wild Card game the next. Unfortunately they got smothered by Brett Favre and the Vikings on sunday which I believe was the worst possible scenario for Jerry Jones.

With a Cowboy win in the playoffs for the first time since 1996 Jones was obligated to bring Phillips back for another season but I don't think Jones was happy with the decision. I'm sure Wade Phillips will be on the Head Coaching hot-seat next season in what's becoming an annual tradition after the Cowboys failed to live to to some late-season hype. I think Phillips will have to take his team all the way to the Superbowl in 2010 if he wants to return for 2011 and beyond.

Vikings 34 Cowboys 3

How could I not trust this man, damn you Brett

Touchdown Celebration of the Day

This one come from the Great White North. The play and the ensuing celebration are a little long in developing but the good stuff occurs from 0:20-0:40

Previewing Today's Divisional Round Playoffs: Jets at Chargers

The Divisional Round's final contest boasts a great strength vs. strength matchup as the New York Jets bring their top-ranked defense to the home of the San Diego Chargers and their arsenal of offensive weaponry. The Jets enter this game playing the best football we've seen from them this season but that recent success pales in comparison to San Diego's 11 game win-streak to end the regular season. The Chargers are fresh off a bye and look to be well rested for a likely bruising battling with Rex Ryan's aggressive defense.

I think this game will play out much like the Colts 20-3 victory of the Ravens last night. The Chargers have too many weapons that can attack a defense wherever they please. Jets CB Darrelle Revis will have no trouble shutting down whichever receiver he's covering but I'm not sure if the Jets have anyone else in their back 7 that can cover TE Antonio Gates or tailback Darren Sproles out of the backfield. The Jets will need to control the line of scrimmage and take away the Chargers ability to run the ball to make their offense more one-dimensional.

The only way I can see the Jets winning this game is by running the ball effectively and not turning it over against a Chargers defense that can be scored upon. History shows that teams who can control the clock and run the ball win considerably more in the playoffs as we saw in last weekend's games. On the flip-side, if the Chargers can get the offense going early and put New York in an early hole on the scoreboard they can take away the Jet's number 1 rushing attack and force rookie QB Mark Sanchez to throw it around. If that's the case I think a few turnovers could turn this game into a laugher for Chargers.

If both teams play their best games today then the Chargers will come out on top. The Chargers have been here before in 2006 when they won their final 10 games to go 14-2 before losing to the Patriots in the Divisional Round. I think they will overcome their previous playoff failures as QB Phillip Rivers has developed into one of the game's top passers and the pieces are in place for a championship run.

Gaines Adams R.I.P.

ESPN.com: Bears Adams dies in South Carolina at 26

Previewing Today's Divisional Round Playoffs: Cowboys at Vikings

There is no reason why this shouldn't be the most competitive game of the weekend. Starting with a win over the Saints, the Cowboys come into this matchup having won 4 straight games and all in fairly dominating fashion. The Vikings struggled down the stretch but finished the season on a high note with a week 17 dismantling of the New York Giants. This should be a game of great offense as both teams sport a talented stable of play-makers surrounding an experienced quarterback.

I think we can disregard Minnesota's less-than-stellar December after having a bye week as the Saints and Colts proved a team can turn it on last night. I'm excited for this game because I believe both teams will be at their best and this one should come down to whichever team can make more plays in the 4th quarter. The Vikings and QB Brett Favre will look to exploit the Cowboys secondary by establishing the run and giving Favre time to find open receivers downfield. The Cowboys run their offense in much the same fashion and have the personnel to beat you at every level of the field with receiving threats like Miles Austin and Jason Witten. Despite their potent offenses these teams win by controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Look for this game to be close at the end and decided by big plays from both the offense and the defense.

I'm giving the edge to the Cowboys in this one because I believe they have the X-Factor in RB Felix Jones. Jones had been relatively unheard of after he suffered a season-ending knee injury early in his rookie year. The Cowboys recent success has coincided with Jones seeing a larger role in the offense and I saw him first-hand gash the Eagles twice in a row with a surprising combination of speed and power. If they Cowboys can open up some room for Felix to run then it could be a long day for the Vikings defense.

If that's the case then I can foresee Brett Favre forcing the issue and turning the ball over late, but that's just my opinion.

Saints 45 Cardinals 14

I wasn't as surprised by this afternoon's blowout as I was by how big of a role Reggie Bush played in it. If the Saints can move the ball on the ground like they did today then the road to the Superbowl goes through New Orleans.

At least I have this...

Previewing Today's Divisional Round Playoffs: Ravens at Colts

Tonight's AFC matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens features two teams that have taken vastly different paths to the playoffs. The ravens won two of their final three games to claim the final AFC wild card spot before turning in an absolutely dominating performance in a 33-14 win over New England last sunday. The Colts started the season 14-0 and wrapped up home-field advantage before management decided to rest the team's starters which resulted in back-to-back losses to end the regular season. 

This game will be test for the Colts' coaching staff to see if coach Jim Cadwell made the right choice in taking the end of the season off and resting his players. The Colts have stood by their decision in the name of preparing the team for a championship run. That choice drew a great deal of ire from the fans and local media because the team had a chance to go 16-0. It's no surprise that this strategy has come under fire considering the Colts have gone 0-3 after having a playoff bye since 1999 and this season reminds fans of the team's 13-0 start in 2005 which ended in a loss at the hands of eventual champion Pittsburgh.

Peyton Manning never ceases to amaze me with his ability to play quarterback in the NFL. Say what you will about the man, I can't think of anyone whose been so consistently good for so long. Manning makes his 2009 passing numbers (4,500 yards, 33 TDs) look pedestrian. I think the Colts will come out like a well-oiled machine and out-execute the aggressive Ravens defense and be able to control the ball. If the Colts can have some sustained offensive success early in the game and limit Baltimore's ability run the ball then they can win this one easily. The Ravens will have to play good defense throughout the entire game because I don't believe their offense can put up a ton of points and it doesn't take Peyton Manning much to help to get his team into the endzone quickly.

Previewing Today's Divisional Round Playoffs: Saints vs. Cardinals

In a matchup that is sure to deliver offensive excitement throughout the game Cardinals visit the Saints in the Superdome this afternoon. I am really interested to see how the Saints come out and play today after they finished the season with 3 straight losses and now come off a bye week. I think this will be a very telling game in the debate between having momentum for the playoffs versus resting starters.

We all saw how potent Arizona's offense can be after last weeks thrilling overtime victory over the Packers in Arizona. This game will be decided by the Cardinals ability to contain a Drew Brees led offense that at times this season appeared pretty much unstoppable. A lot of people have talked about how the Saints peaked earlier in the year when they demolished the Patriots on MNF but I believe the bye week will have them refreshed and ready to come out and make a playoff run, you can pretty much throw out at least their last two regular season games .

I foresee the Saints playing strong from the opening kickoff as they will be fueled by a rocking Superdome crowd hungry for the postseason. If Arizona wants to have a chance in this game they will have to do two things. First will be to keep pace with the Saints offense which can easily put up 30-plus points. This may prove more difficult than last week as they will once again be without star receiver Anquan Boldin. Second they must generate some momentum swinging plays either by forcing turnovers or making big plays in special teams. I know those are pretty cliche but I don't think Arizona can stop New Orleans at all with their base defense so they'll need some help.

If both teams show up and play their best games then the Saints will be getting ready to host the NFC championship at home next weekend as they are the superior team. They just have to prove it.

Touchdown Celebration of the Day

I couldn't have a segment like this without acknowledging T.O. This was definitely one of my favorite Terrell Owens moments in the short time when everyone still liked him in 2004. This was a huge touchdown in the game and was all the more insulting as T.O. had successfully voided a trade that would have sent him to Baltimore prior to the season and come to Philadelphia instead.

Introducing Touchdown Celebration of the Day

I personally tend to enjoy TD celebrations and I think we should enjoy some of the lighter side of sports. This one isn't the best ever but it's a classic.

We need more stars like Roger Federer

In the maelstrom of negative stories that have surfaced around our most successful athletes recently (Tiger Woods, Gilbert Arenas, Mike Leach, Marvin Harrison etc.) it's relieving to know that we still have guys like Roger Federer. Fed is already set to go down as best tennis players ever and one of the most dominant athletes we have seen in our generation. I think everyone would agree that he belongs in the most elite of company when we think of today's top athletes.

However Roger is unique among dominant athletes in that I have never seen a shred of negative publicity around him, either brought on himself or from other people. I've always liked the fact that he stayed with his wife of many years and isn't seen with the type of ridiculously attractive women you see supporting guys like Andy Roddick or Rafael Nadal in the stands. I have never seen Fed act out on the court or even celebrate obnoxiously. He takes both victory and loss in stride and never loses his cool. He also isn't a media mogul like Kobe Bryant or Lebron James and doesn't do everything he can to control his public image. He's done all he can to carry himself as a selfless, soft-spoken and stand-up guy. It's rare to see an athlete so dominant who isn't a least kind of an asshole like we've seen with Tiger Woods recently and Michael Jordan a decade ago. Even the beloved Lance Armstrong left his wife, and mother of his child, who had stayed with him through cancer and earned a chapter in his autobiography for Sheryl Crow (before later dumping her).

I caught a note on Sportscenter today saying how Federer had come out and shown his support of Tiger Woods and how he had been in contact with the much-maligned golf-demigod through this trying time. I can't really think of anyone else who has really spoken out in behalf of Woods as most people have taken the opportunity to condemn him (just check out any soundbite given by any PGA golfer over the last 2 months).

Federer and Woods have had a highly publicized friendship and I really enjoy the fact that Federer is proving the legitimacy of that relationship. Fed is not trying to gain any publicity by this move (believe me he has a enough with the Australian Open about to begin) and I really believe he's just trying to help out a friend in need. In a world where it appears that no professional athlete is completely innocent it's nice to have a guy like Roger Federer. Now if only we could find some more...

Follow up on Marvin Harrison

Here's an article from ESPN.com that talks about what's developing in the Marvin Harrison shooting investigation in the wake of GQ's informative article on the subject.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4826851

A debate I believe will never end

For me this is pretty academic because Philly and New York won't be competing in anything important for some time now but it's an interesting take nonetheless. Enjoy.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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A Telling Article on Marvin Harrison

The Dirtiest Player Profiles: GQ.com

The Dirtiest Player

"Was it only last season that Marvin Harrison was still catching TD passes for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts? Now, in the wake of a brazen but mysterious Philadelphia gunfight—many details of which are reported here for the first time—the man who holds the NFL record for most receptions in a season may yet find himself with a permanent record of a different sort"

I always knew Marvin Harrison's shooting case was fishy. This article goes a long way to confirming those suspicions. I guess we really do judge too much on appearances because Harrison's soft-spoken persona has absolved him from any real scandalous investigation. This really makes me feel bad for a guy like Plaxico Burress who's serving a 2-year jail sentence for something that seems more innocent in comparison.

How to make the NBA more enjoyable

I've watched a lot of college and NBA basketball over the past few days and never has it become more clear to me how uninteresting pro basketball is compared to the NCAA. There's really no point in watching any of the second or third quarter of an NBA game, rarely is a game greatly affected by the outcome of those two quarters. One only needs to catch the start of the game and the fourth quarter to get everything they need from it. This is probably why the NBA encourages dazzling dunks and alley-oops by not calling traveling but I digress.

I think the NBA could really benefit by taking a page out of the NCAA's book. I'm finding that college games are more exciting because the teams maintain a high effort level throughout the entire game, the kind of hustle you just don't see in the NBA. A team could really improve if they introduced a full court press during lagging points during the game. If I were a head coach I think the best way to do this would be to fill my bench with some fast athletic guys and form a sort of special "press team" where I could sub out my entire starting 5 late in any quarter or half for 5 guys with fresh legs who could run a press for several minutes and capture some momentum. What have they got to lose? They're a lot of bench players who don't really contribute in the normal game plan so why not give them the opportunity to work their butts for a little bit to rest my starters ad catch the other team off guard.

College teams can use the press and out-hustle their opponents which is what makes great upsets possible. The press always creates a lot of momentum and can get the crowd into the game. A great NBA game needs a great crowd response to make the game more exciting. The NBA game has become boring to me because relies a great deal on individual talent, as anyone can see if you look back at the 2004 olympics, and not enough effective team play.

Cardinal WR Steve Breaston Just Went Up Several Notches in My Book

Woe is rooting for the New York Mets

Dear Carlos Beltran,

Please give us a break, the season is still 3 months away.

Sincerely,
The entire Mets fan base

The injury issues that made it almost impossible to root for the Mets last season have started early this year after CF Carlos Beltran underwent knee surgery that will cause him to miss the beginning of the season. Learning from experience I wouldn't expect to see Beltran take the field until closer to the start of june. It's just the way things work for guys when they put on a Mets uniform, they can't be healthy or consistent.

At this point I can only be optimistic and hope Carlos recovers well before I begin to start giving up on this team before we even get to spring training. I think it's appropriate that we Mets fans only got about a week to start getting excited for another season with the acquisition of OF Jason Bay and the hopeful bounce back of players like Beltran, Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado who all missed significant portions of last season with nagging injuries and tanked the Mets' chances. I want to believe things can be different but the success the team showed in 2006 seems a long way away right now. For the moment I can only cross my fingers

The Kansas City Chiefs are a Team to Watch in the Future

Among the firestorm of coaching moves that usually accompanies the end of the NFL regular season I found a pair of moves by the Chiefs that intrigued me. In the past week former New England Patriots executive Scott Pioli brought in former head coaches Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis who both rose to prominence as defensive and offensive coordinators during the Patriots Super Bowl era.

Having already brought in former Pats Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel last seasons it appears to me that Pioli is attempting to recreate the success he had with New England. I have always liked the talent the Chiefs have been assembling over the past few years even though they shown much in the way of results on the field. They're a very young team and I think the front office made a smart in releasing RB Larry Johnson earlier this year. I feel good about their chances to show some real improvement next year with another good offseason and can foresee them being relevant within the next 2-3 years.

Of course a lot of that depends on well Matt Cassel can play QB in the NFL and if the team can get a few of those lucky breaks that shift momentum and make the NFL so exciting year after year.

Woman attacked for wearing Romo Jersey

Mark McGwire's steroid confession

On a monday where there really was nothing going on in the sports world Mark McGwire, in a testimony that surprised no one, took the opportunity to come clean about his steroid use during the 1990s. Now clearly there isn't a whole lot of sympathy or support for McGwire after he admitted this so late but I don't want to talk about whether he used PEDs to help hit home runs (he did, I don't care what he or anyone else says about injuries) or whether he belongs in the hall of fame (he doesn't) but rather how I think he made the best of a possibly bad situation by choosing to come out when he did.

The last time we heard from Big Mac was at that infamous congressional hearing five years ago when he refused to address steroid use in any way shape or form. I don't think anyone was prepared for his statement and a lot of people are wondering why now Mark? Personally I think his timing couldn't have been better given the circumstances.

Obvious when McGwire testified 5 years his plan was to basically plead the fifth and not refute the fact that he used PEDs, a move for which he was widely criticized at the time. In hindsight biting his tongue looks like the best move any of the players on that panel made that day especially when we think of how far Rafael Palmeiro fell after he flat out denied every using steroids and then testing positive the next year. I think McGwire was content after that to keep to himself and deal with the fact that everyone simply assumed he was guilty. I don't think his failing hall of fame bid had that much to do with his confession because he had received so little support in his first few years on the ballot that I'm pretty sure he had just given up hope.

The issue resurfaced because McGwire had been hired to be the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals this upcoming season and there is simply no way the media would leave the steroid issue alone now that he will be back in the MLB. He had to come clean at some point to end any speculation or distraction that might come about during next season and I think he couldn't have picked a better time. He choose a time in the MLB offseason where the fury of winter meetings and the free agency period had passed and there's a lull for the next couple of months before spring training. McGwire is finally biting a bullet that has been a long time coming and I think he's doing a good job of dealing with it. He's taking that unwanted steroid spotlight knowing that in time it will pass just as it did over guys like A-Rod and David Ortiz last season. He won't cause any distractions for his team and likely won't have to address the steroid issue very much anymore.

This will be a good move for McGwire because we will eventually become bored with his story especially since he isn't playing anymore and isn't a a viable hall of fame candidate. Both Mark McGwire and myself will be glad when that moment happens.

Dance Landanian, Dance

Is it time to close the book on the McNabb era in Philadelphia?

For the last 11 seasons I don't believe there has been a stalwart supporter of Donovan McNabb than myself (with the exception of Andy Reid perhaps). I have never known the Philadelphia Eagles without him since I did not become really dedicated until his rookie year in 1999. Not once did I call for his departure like some many other Eagles' fans in the past few seasons and I was almost heartbroken when he was benched in the middle of last season.

However, after watching my team get absolutely pummeled for two straight weeks at the hands of Tony Romo and company I have to take a serious look at the future of this team. What I saw yesterday was a team that had no heart and was no mentally tough. I didn't appear as if anyone on the Eagles sideline took their beat down personally, no one appeared to care. This team doesn't have a true leader and that's one of the biggest reasons why they folded so badly in the last two contests. I think the loss of Brian Dawkins was never more glaring than when the broadcast would cut to the defeated looks of McNabb and others last night. Now this team has a terrific young core of players but I think some changes need to take place for this team to move forward in the right direction.

I know it won't happen so easily but Donovan McNabb and the Eagles need to part ways to benefit both parties. I have watched Donny for many years and have always respected his great play-making ability and more importantly how he has been able to deal with the Philadelphia fans and media like no other star player has in the city's history. However he is not a tough enough leader to lead his team to a Super Bowl plain and simple. This was his year to win the big one with all kinds of weapons and play-makers who could help shoulder the load and when presented with the challenged they fell mightily. Moving forward it's time for Kevin Kolb to get his shot.

Kolb has proved in his two starts this year that he can make all the throws at the professional level and there aren't a lot of guys around who can do that. Now it's time to see if he has that intangible ability to be clutch and win football games. It's an asset some guys have and others don't. Donovan is a very talented player but I've never been confident in his ability to comeback and lead his team to victory. I don't know if Kolb can do that but he deserves to be the guy and prove what he can do one way or the other.

This team needs a leader and maybe Kolb can be that guy and maybe he can't but no matter what something has to change. The team will get a boost next season with the return of Stewart Bradley who I feel really was the missing link this season and is a guy who can be the next Brian Dawkins. This team will be tremendously talented next season once again, now the question is whether they can come together as a team and not just a collection of talent.

One theory about the NFL we should all think about

I am posting a segment from ESPN's Boston Sports Guy Bill Simmons' latest column he wrote in preparation for the NFL playoffs which kick off tomorrow. He discussed the "Nobody Believed In Us" theory he came up with after the 2007 NY Giants Super Bowl upset over the Patriots 2 years ago. From what I have seen over the last couple of seasons I think this notion is as valid as any statistic one might use. Keep the story of this year's Denver Broncos surprising 6-0 start and subsequent collapse (and how your opinion of the team change over that period) in mind when reading this and I think it will make a lot of sense.

"Revelation No. 3: The most potent force in January and February is the "Nobody Believes In Us" theory.

Again and again and again and again. Although we've never really figured out why. Every football team should be motivated in the playoffs, right?

My dopey theory: In the age of parity, every contender has roughly the same level of talent. There is no such thing as a juggernaut anymore. Even when the 2003/2004 Patriots rolled off their incredible 33-4 streak, three of their six playoff games (including both Super Bowls) came down to the final two minutes. Throw in the decline of home-field advantage and, more than ever, playoff football hinges on luck, breaks, injuries … and motivation. The past decade featured two of the most defining "Nobody Believed In Us" games ever played (Super Bowl 36, Super Bowl 42) as well as six teams (2000 Giants, 2001 Pats, 2003 Panthers, 2005 Steelers, 2007 Giants, 2008 Cardinals) that thrived on that mantra.

We always think of "Nobody Believed In Us" only working for the winning team, but the bizarro version is equally dangerous. You never want your team to be too pleased with itself (like the 2001 Rams or 2007 Pats) or overconfident for dubious reasons (see Ryan's quote above). Instead of the "Too Many People Believed In Us" theory, I'd name this one after Albert Ganz, the villain in my favorite movie of all time ("48 Hrs."). At the very end, Ganz is shot by Nick Nolte's character, looks down at the wound in disbelief and says, "I can't believe it … I got shot!" A couple of beats pass, then Nolte shoots him about 370 more times. So long, Ganz. (At least until he came back as Dexter's dad.) But you never want to be rooting for the team that has a Ganz moment: Like Tennessee or Carolina last year, or the Patriots in Super Bowl 42. I can't believe it … I got shot.

Could picking playoff games be as simple as determining the motivators for every matchup? For instance, this week's Bengals-Jets line shifted 1.5 points toward New York, a team that seems curiously overconfident for a team with a rookie QB. Could you see a convincing Cincy victory followed by Bengals players saying things like "The only people who believed in us this week were the people in this locker room" and "They did a lot of yapping this week and we wanted to shut them up"? Absolutely. That's football in the 2010s. A little motivation goes a long way."

Simmons' full column can be found on ESPN.com right now at http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100108

Tim Tebow in the NFL

As we have passed the final day of the college football season everyone in the business now begins to look toward the NFL draft in April. A major topic of discussion which has been going on several years now is what kind of player Florida QB Tim Tebow will be in the pros. Tebow has been a one-of-a-kind player in his college career and has compiled one of the most impressive resumes in NCAA history becoming the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy in addition to becoming a two-time national champion. However, pro scouts have questions with his arm strength and accuracy and his perceived inability to make “all the throws” that an NFL Quarterback is expected to make in addition to his uncharacteristic 6’3”, 240 lb frame. One question I’m always asked is how I think Tebow should be used in the NFL and whether I believe he can be a QB at the highest level or switch positions and I feel I have formulated the optimal solution.

First off I want to start by professing how big of a Tim Tebow fan I am. I have followed his career since I saw him dominate a nationally televised high school game my senior year and have been on his bandwagon ever since. I’ve seen Tim play a lot and have concluded that there are a number of throws that he simply can’t make. He can throw very well on the run and toss the ball downfield with zip with ease but unfortunately he really struggles making quick throws and throwing touch passes. Now I will never doubt Tebow and if there’s one player who can overcome the odds and dedicate himself into becoming a successful NFL QB it’s Tim Tebow. I have been sold on his ability to do anything since he made his impassioned post-game speech after losing to Ole Miss last season before leading Florida to 20 consecutive victories including a national title. People have been telling him he’s too big to play Quarterback since his high-school days yet he’s proved everyone wrong so far. Having said that I believe there is a role Tebow can fill as a successful next level Quarterback.

A lot of analysts believe that Tebow will have to switch positions to either Tight-End or Fullback because of his impressive size and running ability. I on the other hand can still be a QB in the form of a short-yardage specialist who can actually wreck havoc on opposing defenses. How quickly everyone has forgotten Tim’s freshman campaign at Florida when he was the backup to Chris Leak. Tim was brought in in every short-yardage and goal-line situation and had phenomenal success. If I was a coordinator and had Tebow on the roster I would develop a shotgun spread package to bring in if I need a few yards for a first down or was inside the 10 yard line. Tebow has mastered the option-read play at Florida where he reads the defense and decides to either hand the ball off or take it himself. If you came out in a spread with a couple of running backs and receivers you could open up and number of play options from a single formation that could be read at the line of scrimmage. Tim could have the ability to hand it off, pitch it on a option, run it himself, drop back to throw or run any number of play-actions fakes. In fact Tebow is the only player who can actually play-fake to himself and throw a jump pass for which he was famous at Florida. An opposing defense would have to prepare at length for Tebow every week and the wide of variety looks they have to be prepared from cause them to hesitate and prevent them from selling out on either the run or the pass. Forcing the defense to play more of a base package and hesitate for even a moment gives a huge advantage to the offensive line and I believe would result in Tim being able to gain an easy 5 yards every time. He can also burn you deep because he can throw it on a line if you let any kind of receiver slip past and run free in the secondary.

I think the trend of a specialist Quarterback will come into vogue in the NFL in the next few years as teams the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins are already trying to put it in place. If a team can find success with Tebow in a role like this expect it to be copied far and wide.