{"id":545,"date":"2013-01-14T01:22:43","date_gmt":"2013-01-14T06:22:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nostradennis.com\/web\/?p=545"},"modified":"2020-03-06T16:32:33","modified_gmt":"2020-03-06T21:32:33","slug":"orion-3-0001-nd-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nostradennis.com\/web\/orion-3-0001-nd-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"Orion 3, 0001 ND – ESPnd Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

NFL Playoffs:<\/strong>
\nNo surprises the first weekend in the NFL playoffs. The games weren\u2019t close and the four best teams in each conference are the ones left standing. The Colts ran out of Luck. The Redskins ran out of gas and had a \u201cknee\u201d jerk reaction to RG III\u2019s injury, and the one great rookie Quarterback that got the least attention was still playing this past weekend and almost pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history. Let\u2019s officially name Russell Wilson: RW I.<\/p>\n

However, big upset in Denver this past Saturday. That\u2019s what happens when you don\u2019t listen to Herm Edwards and \u201cPlay to Win the Game.\u201d With under two minutes to go, and a seven point lead all Denver needed was a first down to win the game. They have Peyton Manning and they ran the ball and chose to give it back to Baltimore? Even Dan Dierdorf, who is 20 years past his prime, questioned that call. Then after an incredibly terrible play by Denver cornerback, Rahim Moore, allowing a 70 yard TD pass with under a minute to go, they get the ball back with 23 seconds left and two time outs only needing a field goal to win and they tell Peyton Manning to take a knee? In Overtime they ran the ball too much as well, playing not to lose. Incredible and a well deserved loss! <\/p>\n

ND told his friends that Denver will lose the game after not going for the first down not because of his powers, but because he\u2019s seen it way too often in the history of football. When you play not to lose, you lose. Remember the \u201cPrevent Defense?\u201d It always prevented you from winning. Now we have the \u201cPrevent Offense.\u201d And, maybe those critics who said Peyton shouldn\u2019t go to Denver because he\u2019d have trouble in the cold were right. He looked more like Brett Favre than Peyton Manning on that roll out to the right and lousy pass across his body into the middle of the field that cost them the game. Remember the Giants\u2019 Cory Webster picking off Favre in the 2007 NFC Championship game in a frozen Green Bay to win the game? It was a very similar situation and a bad pass by Favre. ND is certain that Peyton Manning doesn\u2019t want to go down in history being compared to Brett Favre, but, he inevitable will. They both blew big games with interceptions; they both have mediocre playoff records, and they both only won one Superbowl and lost another. They also hold so many passing records and have similar career stats (see below). So, does this mean Peyton will never quit either and be all that ESPN talks about until we actually get sick of him like we all did with Favre? Could be; you never know. Now Eli, he can play in the cold. We all know that. Peyton may just not be able to at his age with his neck. <\/p>\n

Peyton Manning vs. Brett Favre Career Stats:<\/strong>
\nGames: 224(P)\/302(B) Comp.%: 65.2\/62.0 YDS: 59,487\/71,838 TD’s: 436\/508 INT’s: 209\/336 RAT: 95.7\/86.0 Playoffs: 9-11\/13-11 Superbowl: 1-1\/1-1<\/p>\n

So, what does John Elway do now? Bring back Tim Tebow? Why not? Timmy was 1-0 in the playoffs with Denver; Peyton is 0-1. Perhaps Timmy just got the last laugh after enduring so much crap this year. All of this looks like it\u2019s going to set up a classic rematch between the Pats and the Ravens next weekend. That game should be as good as this one. Perhaps Ray Lewis will play his final game in the Superbowl, and Joe Flacco will be this year\u2019s Eli Manning putting in their place all critics who made him answer the question this year that Eli had to answer last year; if he\u2019s an Elite Quarterback. Looks like things are shaping up that way. The playoffs just got interesting and exciting. Very surprising that the NFL allowed the Packers\/Niners game to start before the end of the Broncos\/Ravens game. Isn\u2019t it all about ratings? Wasn\u2019t the game in San Francisco at 5:30pm local time between a West Coast team and a Midwest team? Are you telling us they couldn\u2019t wait? Are you telling us they started on time because of East Coast viewers; on a Saturday night? TV always controls the games. Very surprising they started that game before the Denver\/Ravens game was over. Someone may get fired, and there may be a new Heidi decision here where that won\u2019t ever happen again. <\/p>\n

In the second game Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers destroyed the Packers. On Kaepernick\u2019s 55 yard TD run that gave the Niners the lead in the second half, a hole opened up so wide that Moses himself could have crossed through it with all of his followers. However, number 19, Ted Ginn, the small wide receiver of the Niners, was clearly holding the Packers\u2019 defender on the play but no penalty was called. Incredibly, neither Joe Buck nor Troy Aikman even mentioned it; or should we not be surprised by that? Perhaps that\u2019s why no one was within 15 feet of Colin on either side of him.. <\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s games made us ask one question; where were the defenses? In the two games, where some supposedly really good defenses were playing, the four teams produced a game average of 74.5 points and 905 yards. Those are not StatisTRIX folks. These are actual numbers. In Denver, where the temperature was only 8 degrees above zero, and a defensive battle was expected, 73 points were scored. Is it time to change the rules again to start giving the defense a chance? Or, is it time for NFL \u201cself proclaimed\u201d defensive geniuses to start figuring out how to defend these \u201cNew Age\u201d creatures such as Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, and RG III?<\/p>\n

How ironic and fitting would it have been if Green Bay and Seattle met in the NFC Championship game after the fiasco in September with the final \u201cFail Mary\u201d play, the firing of the Replacement Refs because of it, and the end of the Referee\u2019s lockout? Well, now that is not going to happen. But, how ironic is it that after all the talk about RG III, the other two \u201cNew Age\u201d Quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick, are still playing football and RG III is not. But, perhaps that is only because of his reckless abandon for his body. Welcome to the new NFL. Boy, if only Tim Tebow had their speed and could throw an accurate pass! Instead of seeing the Manning brothers play in Supe XLVII in their hometown of New Orleans, we may see the Harbaugh brothers coaching against each other. These guys are pretty good. Who is their father, Vince Lombardi?<\/p>\n

Peter King predicted in Sports Illustrated that the Packers would beat the Broncos in Superbowl XLVII next Cycle on DATE: Orion 24, 0001 ND. So much for Peter King; he\u2019s certainly not ND! And, he gets paid for doing this?<\/p>\n

Sunday the Falcons rolled to a 20-0 halftime lead, but how about Seattle\u2019s comeback in the second half? They are one explosive team. However, justice was served; Tony Gonzalez finally won his first playoff game after 16 great years in the league and Mike Smith, Matt Ryan and the whole Atlanta organization got the monkey off their backs. And, to make it even sweeter, Pete Carroll lost! However, you have to love Russell Wilson. This kid is better than RG III. The Patriots rolled as expected setting up a rematch of last year\u2019s exciting championship game. This year, however, the Ravens will have even more incentive. Look for another good game. Amazingly 276 points were scored this weekend by the eight teams playing, the highest total ever for a four game NFL weekend. And, every team scored at least 28 points. Usually at this time of the year defense wins, but this weekend defense lost. The Bronco\u2019s couldn\u2019t hold the Ravens when it counted, the Seahawks couldn\u2019t hold the Falcons after taking the lead with 31 seconds left, the Packers couldn\u2019t stop the 49ers at all, and the Texas, who also were supposed to be a good defensive team, can\u2019t even play on the same field with the Pats. So, what will happen next weekend and in the Superbowl? No one knows, but the games will be interesting and the winners will ultimately be the team that can actually stop the other one when it counts. <\/p>\n

Pete Carroll is a great coach, but it took him the third time around in the pros to get it right. Perhaps other failed coaches should get more chances. If Bill Belichick didn\u2019t after his failure in Cleveland, would we have ever known how good he could be? Yes, getting Tom Brady helps, as does Russell Wilson, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Big Ben, but football is a team game and he seems to finally be a good head coach. They have a great young team. However, shouldn\u2019t coaches like Pete Carroll, who took USC to great heights in the college game and then it all came crashing down to the point where they took away their championships, all their trophies, and wiped the school right off the slate of history, suffer some kind of penalty for doing that and then just leaving his school and team to the wolves? It\u2019s eerily similar to what happens on Wall Street. No accountability. Shouldn\u2019t a coach like Pete have to stay out of the game for at least a couple of years, be fined, and penalized by not being able to coach an NFL team for the many millions of dollars he got simply because he cheated? It\u2019s the American way. Crime does pay, particularly if you are a Wall Street Tycoon, or a college football coach. Sean Payton has to miss a full year, but Pete Carroll doesn\u2019t? THINK ABOUT IT!<\/strong><\/p>\n

As for RG III\u2019s injury and lack of mobility during a game he probably shouldn\u2019t have played in, didn’t the famous Dr. James Andrews tell the Skins that RG III can play three weeks ago and cannot injure himself more? Didn’t he stand on the sidelines last week and tell them they didn’t need to take him out? Now Dr. Andrews and Mike Shanahan say it was a communication problem? What\u2019s the story with the \u201cGood Doctor\u201d anyway? Is he on Dan \u201cSnidely Whiplash\u201d Snyder\u2019s payroll? How is it that Dr. Andrews was exclusively available to the Redskins weeks ago during the game RG III got hurt, and on the sidelines with the team this past Sunday? And, if he’s paid to be on the sidelines why isn’t he doing anything? RG III went into some shed twice during the game, yet the doctor said he didn’t get to examine him. Why is he there then? So much for the credibility of the great Doctor Andrews. <\/p>\n

If I were an athlete, I’d be contacting Carlos Beltran to find out the name of his doctor. Beltran was told he had bone on bone in his knee 2 – 3 years ago and may never play again. The Mets got mad at him for not going to their doctor. Instead he went to his own for a second opinion. Whatever that doctor did netted him many millions of dollars and a great season with the Cardinals after playing well for the Giants the season before to get that contract. And, he didn’t miss many games, if any, because of his knee. That’s who RG III should be seeing. James Andrews has this incredible reputation, but I think his stock just went down a lot today.<\/p>\n

How did Tim Tebow go from Hero, to Legend, to being a \u201cDisease\u201d all within one year? The answer; The New York Jets! If he can\u2019t play football any more, at least Woody Johnson should give him a job selling Q-Tips where he can turn one into a \u201cDivining Rod.\u201d<\/p>\n

With all the talk about whether Peyton Manning or Adrian Peterson should be the MVP and the Comeback Player of the Year, why don\u2019t they finally just give out those awards to a player in each conference (the AFC and the NFC)? Isn\u2019t it about time? The NFC plays the AFC in the Pro Bowl and they select All Stars for both conferences, so why isn\u2019t there an MVP in each conference? Years ago baseball only gave out one Cy Young Award and Sandy Koufax won them, but then they got smart and gave out one to a deserving player in each league. Is this only because the NFL has this high and mighty stance that it\u2019s only one league so there should only be one MVP? If so, then it\u2019s just another hypocritical stance as they play the Superbowl and the Pro Bowl between these conferences. And, once again, why does anyone really care? Both of these great players led their teams to the playoffs, both made incredible comebacks from very serious injuries, but both aren\u2019t playing any more. If you ask either of them, they\u2019d both say that they\u2019d rather be playing in the Superbowl than winning MVP\u2019s. Petyon has all the awards he\u2019ll ever need. What he doesn\u2019t have is as many Superbowl Rings and MVP\u2019s as his little brother. And, that probably eats at him the most!<\/p>\n

So what will happen this Sunday on Orion 10, 0001 ND? While ND does not make predictions as you know, except for the classic ones in this issue, look for the Ravens to play with some real heart and desire. After losing last year because of a dropped pass in the end zone and a missed 32 yard field goal with no time left, they will be stoked to play the game of their lives. And, just for added incentive it may be Ray Lewis’ last game, and certainly his last chance to get to the Superbowl again. And, you know that he’s going to bring Jesus with him and do anything he can to fire up the team to win. But, let’s not sell the mighty Pats short. Yes, they lost Gronk again, and yes they haven’t once again taken a tough road to this game like some of the other teams left, but they always find a way. Always, except against Eli and the Giants, who won’t be around for the Superbowl this year. No matter who wins, it should be another great game that will come down to one play made here or there.<\/p>\n

In the other game, everything is looking right for Jim Harbaugh and his mighty big decision to go with Colin Kaepernick over a tougher defense and a controlled Alex Smith. But, the Falcons have weapons, the desire, and a new found lease after getting that monkey off their back last week with an incredible win after they had just about blown the game. So, expect them to play a lot looser and have a crazy crowd behind them. ND doesn’t understand all this talk about the Falcons never winning a playoff game, because Michael Vick took them to the Championship game in January 2005, only to lose to the Eagles. They beat the Rams 47-17 the week before as the second seed. Isn’t that a playoff win? Did that not count because he got arrested and was reviled in Atlanta forever? Did they wipe that off the slate in Atlanta? Guess so. And, what about the 1998 Falcons who won their only championship ever and went to Superbowl XXXIII only to lose to the Broncos? Even though the Falcons had a tough time twice this year with Cam Newton and his run and gun style, and almost lost to Russell Wilson last week, they did have those three games against a similar quarterback and style of play. The question is, does any of that matter? Not if they play man to man defense like the Packers did and not shadow Kaepernick. Last week he ran for 181 yards, a new NFL record for a quarterback, but what was most amazing about it was he was completely untouched for 178 of those yards. Now that is totally unheard of for an NFL defense, particularly one like the Packers who were legitimate Superbowl contenders. So, you’d have to expect the Falcons to have learned something from those three games and particularly the end of last week’s game. The game will most likely come down to turnovers. <\/p>\n

Two good potential games where hopefully the defenses show up and make some plays. ND likes the Ravens and the Falcons. Why? He doesn’t know, so he chose the two teams that should have the most desire to get over the hump and into the Superbowl. And, he’s hoping and praying that Jim Harbaugh doesn’t get to the Superbowl, and that Michael Oher does. Jim’s nicer brother John, who coaches the Ravens deserves to, but Jim doesn’t because he’s just a flat out nasty guy. And, really, aren’t we all hoping to see Sandra Bullock walk onto the field during the Superbowl to tell Michael he has to “protect the family?” Do you really want to see The Golden Boy, Tom Brady and sweatshirt Bill once again vs. Horrible Harbaugh? Perhaps it might be okay to see big brother John beat little brother Jim in the Superbowl of brothers, but since we’ve never gotten Peyton vs. Eli, something is telling ND those brothers are not going to be meeting in New Orleans unless they go there for Mardi Gras without their teams.<\/p>\n

Hall of Shame:<\/strong>
\nThe high and might egotistical voters of the Baseball Hall of Fame made their statement this past week by not voting anyone into the Hall this year. Mike Piazza seems to be guilty by association although there is speculation he did PED\u2019s but no solid proof except for one short reference in a book about Roger Clemens that allegedly says that Piazza admitted it years ago. Who is more hypocritical; the Hall of Fame itself, the players in it, or these egotistical sportswriters who think they matter? They all are, but the Hall of Fame is the most. They keep telling us that Pete Rose will not get into the Hall of Fame and isn\u2019t it in. They tell us that Shoeless Joe Jackson will never get in either; and now we hear about Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, etc. Have you been to the Hall of Fame lately? If not you should go. It\u2019s a really nice place in a beautiful town named Cooperstown, NY on beautiful Otsego Lake. When you go to the Hall of Fame, the majority of your time will be spent roaming the exhibits which are fabulous and bring to life many historically great and significant moments in the history of baseball and America. When you are done with that, you will probably enter the Great Hall where all the inductees are and their plaques. That\u2019s all that\u2019s there, tons of plaques. When they say Pete Rose won\u2019t get in the Hall of Fame, they are incredibly hypocritical because Pete Rose IS in the Hall of Fame. He\u2019s all over the Hall of Fame. His shoes, uniforms, bats, pictures, and most importantly his records are all there for everyone to see.<\/p>\n

If the whole purpose of the Hall of Fame is to have a guy make a speech and get a plaque then fine, but if the purpose of banning Pete Rose is to punish him, then do what USC did to Reggie Bush; take away all of his memorabilia and get his records off the lists. The same is true with Shoeless Joe and Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, McGwire, Palmiero, and all these PED users and cheaters that they don\u2019t want in the hall. If they want to make us forget them, don\u2019t show us their records, pictures, and uniforms. Otherwise, give them the stupid plaques already since it really means nothing unless they take down the other crap of theirs that\u2019s in there and reminds us of them. And, don\u2019t tell us about cheating or character. Everyone cheated in some form or fashion forever whether it was spitballs, scuffing the balls, using telescopes to get the signs, using amphetamines, whatever. And, it\u2019s a documented fact that Ty Cobb killed a man and Baseball covered it up. So, who\u2019s bullshitting whom with this crap about the Hall of Fame? Who even cares any more? Why is this important? The players in the Hall of Fame now have this opinion that modern day cheaters were the scum of the earth, but I\u2019ll bet if they look in the mirror or watch the video tape, or even read Jim Bouton\u2019s book, \u201cBall Four\u201d, they\u2019d be put right in their place. They all are idiots, hypocrites, and cheaters. That\u2019s what sports and baseball in general is all about; gaining some kind of edge to beat your opponent. There are a million ways to do it and it\u2019s been going on since the beginning of sport. Just look at the East German Women\u2019s Swim Team in the Olympics in the 1960\u2019s. Did any of them look like women? THINK ABOUT IT! <\/p>\n

Speaking about the Hall of Fame, cheating, and PED\u2019s, baseball announced the other day that they have agreed with the player\u2019s association to step up testing this year to include HGH and establishing personal testosterone ratio levels for every player so they can compare new tests with historical ones and we hopefully won\u2019t have another Ryan Braun situation again. If baseball can get their powerful players association to agree to this, why can\u2019t government do this for Wall Street, Congress, Guns and mental illness, and Medicare Fraud? Do you know how much money we would save and how much we could reduce the debt by if we got rid of Medicare fraud? And, if we monitored all the scum on Wall Street and regulated these insane products designed by Lex Luthor to confuse and abuse the average Joe and the government themselves, including the Chairman of the Fed, how much money could we raise and save investors by cutting down on crime, fining and jailing all the criminals (basically everyone in charge), and saving people\u2019s pensions, IRA\u2019s and 401K\u2019s that they worked all their life to accumulate and would just like a nice retirement? And monitoring Congress? Need we say any more? Let\u2019s find the money for this, so we can have the money for that.<\/p>\n

Finally on PED\u2019s, the ESPN Documentary 30 for 30, \u201cYou Don\u2019t Know Bo\u201d, was a very good show. Bo Jackson speaks from the heart, and his story shows perhaps the greatest athlete or our time. At the end, Bob Costas says that it\u2019s really good that Bo didn\u2019t play in the steroid age or everyone would be accusing him of using PED\u2019s. \u201cHow could he have been so fast and so strong and so Herculean if he wasn\u2019t?\u201d they\u2019d ask today. But, Bo played until 1991. The steroid era started in the mid to late \u201880s when Canseco and McGwire were living proof as the \u201cBash Brothers. Bo most likely never did PED\u2019s or steroids. Just watching the way he trained and rehabbed to come back from his hip replacement to be the first and only athlete ever to do that, is proof enough, but hey, anything\u2019s possible these days. Who\u2019s on? Who\u2019s off? Who\u2019s in? Who\u2019s out? Who cares? Who\u2019s on First! That\u2019s where Who belongs! And, you can see him right in the Hall of Fame with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello!<\/p>\n

Regarding Andy Reid being named Head Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs less than one week after he was fired by the Eagles; all ND can say is three things; 1) Andy should have really considered taking a year off from the game to clear his mind. He should have probably resigned after the death of his son this past summer. 2) Andy must not have one single other hobby or want to spend much time at home with his wife or something, and 3) Taking this job was a really safe choice for him without much risk. The Chiefs have been pathetic for years and won only two games this year. All Andy has to do is double that total (the same number of wins the Eagles had this year) to go 4-12 and he will look like a hero with a team on the rise. He doesn\u2019t have to perform any miracles, and he doesn\u2019t have the Philadelphia Wolf Pack of fans to call for his head. THINK ABOUT IT!<\/p>\n

Cirque du Toe-Play:<\/strong>
\nCraig Nettles, the great defensive third baseman for the Yankees once said, \u201cWhen I was a little boy, I wanted to be a baseball player and join the circus. With the Yankees I\u2019ve accomplished both.\u201d Funny and true, but Craig Nettles and the Yankees still won championships. The new circus in town; the New York Jets, haven\u2019t. Now that Rex Ryan\u2019s twin brother Rob has been fired by the Cowboys, perhaps Woody \u201cQ-Tip\u201d Johnson will use his own product to get the wax out of his ears and listen to what the fans are saying about the modern day P.T. Barnum, Rex Ryan. Will Rex join his brother on the unemployment line, will Rex and his brother team up with \u201cCirque du Toe-Play\u201d for a more amazingly daring act, or will they both find new jobs and bring their circus to a city near you? Don\u2019t you think this is even more embarrassing to Joe Willie Namath than the night he was drunk on national TV hitting on Suzy Kolber? It has to be because he hasn\u2019t said a word. Rex and Rob are the apples of the Ryan family that didn\u2019t fall far from the tree; their late father Buddy.
\n
\nNot So Great Moments in Jets History:<\/strong><\/p>\n