by Kind of Blue
As long as I can remember, I have been a sports fanatic. It has manifested from watching, playing and writing about nearly every sport you can name. I am a competitive person by nature and I am intrigued by the good that can come out of athletics, far outweighing the bad. As an observer of sporting events it's the "feel good" stories that get to me the most and the sportsmanship when it is displayed.
As an athlete I was super competitive but always aspired to be the consummate graceful winner and/or loser. As a former paid sports writer I did mostly opinion pieces. That is the job I was hired to do and that was the job I did. I didn't just report box scores or AP wire stories, I wrote about my inside perspective of sports and my opinions based on a lifetime of athletic experience.
I have felt that although Open Salon isn't the most obvious forum for sports story appreciation, perhaps it wouldn't hurt for me to impart some of my knowledge and some of my opinions to those men and women who love sports as I do. As a disclaimer, I won't be just dumping the biggest sports news stories on you each week, I will be espousing my own opinions and as most of you who know me will attest, I do have an opinion on almost everything. It doesn't make me right or wrong.
I would like to get some feedback as I write these columns and they will be open-ended dialogue, open for debate, rather than as I noted, just spouting off facts and figures. I love to listen to good color commentators calling a sporting event because they have something more to offer than only what you are actually witnessing. They have insight and forethought. I'm hoping these columns will be seen as my color commentation from various sporting events and news of the week. So here we go. I'll start with an observation on this year's undefeated NFL teams and my Super Bowl prediction.
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As I get ready to watch the NFL's undefeated New Orleans Saints and the also undefeated New York Giants I thought it only fitting to open up with the obvious. There doesn't seem to be a lot of parity in the National Football League this season. There are currently five undefeated teams entering week six play. I can't recall without looking it up how long, if ever, it's been since this happened.
There are Indianapolis, the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos all at 5-0 and the New Orleans Saints (who had a bye week) who are 4-0. One of the two teams, the Giants or the Saints will lose that status today and one is assured of maintaining it. Four of these teams have potential Hall of Fame Quarterbacks in Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning and Drew Brees. The last team, the Denver Broncos are doing it with a Chicago Bears castoff in Kyle Orton.
I find it amazing, given his win/loss record as a starter with both the Bears and now the Broncos, that Orton is under so much scrutiny at his position. The quarterback is the leader of a football team in almost all occasions. How well the quarterback controls time of possession effects the amount of time, thus the effectiveness of a defense and most often the outcome of the game.
Orton is 26-12 as a starter over less than two and a half full seasons. Very few NFL QB's can boast of such a record. He did not exactly play on a big offensive minded team in Chicago either. They had little depth at wide receiver and did not have a particularly pass happy coach. What Orton did well in Chicago and so far in Denver is manage a game. He has 7 touchdown passes to only 1 interception thus far in the first five games. That's about as good as you can get. He has completed 63% of his passes and has a QB rating up near the 100 mark, which is far above average.
There are a lot of great quarterbacks in the NFL and many who are more sexy in the way they play the game, most notably the four on the other undefeated teams, but few quarterbacks seem to be as under appreciated than Orton. I think considering that he is replacing an uber-whiny baby in the departed Jay Cutler (who is doing quite well in Chicago as well), Denver should be kissing his feet right now. He has now established a great repoir with the equally unhappy but phenomenally talented wide receiver Brandon Marshall. The two are becoming quite a tandem.
One last amazing, yet much more obvious observation is the brilliant play by the brothers Manning this season. Peyton and Eli both head two of the five undefeated NFL teams and both have been absoultely flawless. Peyton has thrown for 300+ yards in each of the teams first five games, all resulting in wins. Eli isn't far behind him and with a young core of outstanding wide receivers looks poised to challenge his brother for the league MVP at this point. I would not be a bit surprised to see the brothers Manning playing in this year's Super Bowl.
Speaking of Super Bowls, since this is my innaugural post on sports under this new "Sporting News" series, I suppose a prognostication on this year's Super Bowl is appropriate. Keep in mind we're only in week six and injuries, momentum and other variants come into play, but I will go out on a big limb.
As it stand right now in the NFC, the best teams appear to be the Giants, Saints, Chicago, Minnesota, Philly, Atlanta and the up and coming Mike Singletary led San Francisco 49'ers. I don't believe Atlanta is quite there yet defensively, although they have given up the fewest points so far this season at 63 through four games. Chicago still lacks a consistent core of wide receivers and they lost their team leader in middle linebacker Brian Urlacher for the season. I'm not convinced that Jay Cutler is mature enough to carry the Bears. San Francisco may challenge for a playoff spot with their defense, but their weakness at the quarterback position will be their ultimate undoing.
Some may ask why not the undefeated Minnesota Vikings? Well, I do believe that Minnesota has what it takes I should say. The huge variable is Brett Favre's health. With Adrian Peterson, the top running back in the NFL, the four young, great WR's and strong defense they could ultimately be contenders. I'm just not completely sold on Favre's health yet. But so far, he has been amazing as has been his supporting cast which is very deep.
The Philadelphia Eagles. Philly has two oft injured and aging superstars in All-Pro quarterback Donovan McNabb and starting All-Pro running back Brian Westbrook. Their defense is more than a little suspect this season giving up 86 points in their first four games. I don't see Philly making it to the NFC Championship game, although they could be a playoff contender. I didn't mention last year's Super Bowl representative from the NFC in Arizona as I can't see Kurt Warner and the thin defense of the Cards hitting a hot streak like last season.
That brings me back to where I started, the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints. Both teams are rock solid in the running game, wide receiving, tight ends and defensively. Tom Coughlin and Sean Payton could not be more different head coaches. Coughlin is a curmudgeonly stern "older" man and Payton is bright-eyed and enthusiastic and by all accounts a player's coach. It's a close call but if all things remain as they are, I am going to go with the Saints who have a +78 point differential through 4 games and to the Giants +80 through 5 games. Just call it a gut feeling that this is New Orleans year. The Saints should have home field advantage too since they play in a weaker division. In football, home field means everything.
In the AFC the contenders appear to be Indianapolis, Denver, New England, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati. I haven't included the New York Jets. It's rare for a rookie quarterback, even with Mark Sanchez' talent to start off 3-2, much less make it to a Super Bowl. I believe Dan Marino in '85 is still the youngest QB to make it all the way and he lost big.
Don't let Pittsburgh's 3-2 record fool you, they have dealt with injuries to All-Pro safety Troy Palamalu early on and he returns today, and also running back "Fast Willie Parker". They have two All-Pro wide receivers in Santonio Holmes and the veteran Hines Ward. Ben Rothlisberger is maybe the most clutch NFL QB this side of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Speaking of Peyton Manning, I think a lot remains to be seen with the Colts. They have looked remarkably good considering they have a first year head coach. Their running game has a bit more depth this year with the addition of rookie Donald Brown, but the loss of Marvin Harrison was huge.
So far this season the Colts have had big contributions from their always steady All-Pro receiver Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark, and youngsters Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon have 5 TD receptions between them filling in for the injured starter Anthony Gonzalez. The biggest question mark for Indy is their defense. If Dwight Freeney stays healthy at Defensive End and can put pressure on the opposing QB's, look out. This offense is rolling and there is no one better than Petyton Manning.
Denver has lived life on the edge in most of their games, but hey, they are 5-0 and boast the stingiest defense in the NFL, bar none. The thing that worries me is that they have a very young rookie head coach, a star wide receiver who is prone to pouting and disappearing and the question of will Orton continue his brilliance? Their starting running back Knowshon Moreno is also a rookie. Defense can take you a long way and do win Super Bowls, but I can't see the Broncos keeping this pace up for 16 games. This is one team that I could most definitely be wrong about! If Orton and Marshall continue to bond, it could be lights out! (Sorry for not picking Denver Mary T. Kelly)
That leaves New England, Baltimore and Cincinnati. Cincy has been very lucky in their first five games and could almost as easily be 1-4 as 4-1. I'm still not convinced they're real. Baltimore is vastly improved on offense with the play of Kyle Boller and a trio of tough running backs but the Ravens are paper thin at wide receiver and their defense seems to be aging and have lost a step early on. This should only get worse as the season wears on. New England is the wild card of the bunch. They have no real established star at running back and although their QB Tom Brady is arguably the greatest winner at QB since Terry Bradshaw and having Randy Moss and the speedy Wes Welker to throw to makes him dangerous. But beyond those two, the Pats are weak and their defense is suspect and aging. Look for them to barely make the playoffs, if that. This is another tough call given their coach and QB.
So in my opinion, given history, personnel and leadership, I'm going to go with Indy vs. Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship and Pittsburgh's depth and experience will take them back one more time for Big Ben. I know, I know, they are 3-2 and could have lost to Tennessee in the opener. In my opinion as a Tennessee fan I feel the Titans should have won that game. But Head Coach Mike Tomlin, quarterback Ben Rothlisberger and the rest of the veteran Steeler team are still young enough and explosive enough to get back on track. I see them in the Super Bowl again.
So, by my theory, you have New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh in what would make a very exciting Super Bowl matchup my friends. The speed and youth of New Orleans against the depth and experience of the Steelers. The teams have the two most dynamic and young coaches in Tomlin and Payton. I'm going to once again stick with my gut that tells me, this is New Orleans year. After all, who could pull against the city of New Orleans after all they've been through? I know I would not.
I'll see you next week.
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Comments
Plus, I'm afraid that it's going to be a long 2 months or so here in the San Diego area. As usual, the Chargers were picked as contenders and so far haven't shown up. Monday night could be embarrassing in Denver just like 2 weeks ago in Pittsburgh.
Thanks Zuma. I could have added so much more, but it was already running long. :-)
Like you, when I post about sports, I try to bring something else to the table other than facts and figures. I love to write about the personalities and and the inspirational stories. I thought even non-sports people can relate to those but they are always my lowest rated posts.
All of which is just to say good luck with this and I hope you find an audience with it. I'll be a regular reader.
I'm gonna bet you're wrong about the prospects for the Saints. Of course, this early in the season it's pretty easy to say that about any team. I'd probably go with the Giants for the NFC, but who knows?
Well done.
Rated.
The observation: The NFL is about nothing if not parity. On any given Sunday (as the old saying goes) there are only a very few, two, maybe three out of the 32 teams in the league that couldn't beat any other team in the league. When you start a sentence with ...in the NFC, the best teams appear to be... and end up naming nearly half the teams in the conference, you are talking about parity.
The suggestion: Keep your articles under 1000 words and you'll get/keep more readers.
The compliment: Way to take a stand with your Saints/Steelers SB call. It would be a great game, methinks.
Oh me too Chuck. Of course I'm not going to spend the time or amount of research on these posts as I would were I getting "paid". After all, I never saw a penny from Ad Sense. They kept finding ways of denying my money.
Thanks Thoth, we'll see my friend. I'm a realist and turns out a fragment prophetic in that the Saints and Steelers both stomped their opponents today (after I had finished this). Next week they could both lose.
Thanks Lonnie. I normally do stay under 1000 words. To keep this under 1000 on an initial post would be hard. As for the numbers, 5/16 isn't half. :-) And a couple of those teams, the Jets and the Niners have zero chance. Just throwing in the early teams playing well. Most likely neither will make the playoffs. But thanks for the suggestions.
Just today Michael! You missed it!
Thanks Stim. Brett Fooooooovray must have read this. He came out smokin'!
I like Seattle Roger, they just don't have the offensive weapons yet. Julius Jones is very inconsistent, as is Hasselbeck's receivers. The defense is prone to give up big plays. They are probably going to finish 8-8 or 7-9. Don't feel bad, my Titans were behind 45-0 at halftime and lost 59-0. I couldn't rub anything in on anyone. But I'm not a fair weather fan. Go Titans! 0-16 hopefully so they can get Bradford, McCoy or Tebow. Hahahahahaha
:)
Great post though. Rated.
Their defense is THAT good.
There are 10 teams with four or more losses and still 4 undefeated teams this late into the season. It looks more like America's class structure. My definition of parity for sports would be at most one undefeated team and at most only one win less team this far in. Six teams with zero or one win and these teams are pitiful.
A LOT of depth. But the Steelers are so experienced and they keep their cool. That's why at 3-2 before their win yesterday I had a feeling with their defensive leader Palamalu coming back, they would be tough going ahead. That said, I can't stand them.
I would not have picked the Saints, prior to watching them demoralize the Giants this past week. They are “for real” this year.
The Bengals are my dark horse pick to win the AFC. They beat the Steelers & the Ravens (no slouches), and came within an eyelash of beating the Broncos. Yes, the games were close and could have gone either way, but their competitiveness against three top tier teams is a testament to their consistency. This may be their year.
Pawed!
The next time you decide to "impart some of knowlege ", being one with an "inside perspective of sports and opinions based on a lifetime of athletic experience" please put your pen down for a few hours one Sunday afternoon and actually watch a game or two.