Football!

[Tiffany]

Jeff, the season opener just ended, so I was expecting your football thread... where you at?

Anyway, I have two things to say, other than the Colts are awesome, even after losing most of the starting defense.

And both my things are about John Madden.

The first is that he insisted (when Addai looked injured on the first play of the entire season) that no back-ups were ready to play in this game...

But Keith looked ready, didn't he? I thought he did a great job. One mistake in the 4th quarter, but that looked like a miscommunication, and as we saw tonight, even Marvin and Peyton have those... so I disagree that the back-ups are ill-prepared. That's not necessarily true. Keith looked good to me.

The second is that John stroked Eli a little during the postgame chat... and kudos to John. One can only hope this was a slight reprimand (or at least an attempt to smooth over) after Tiki's totally classless unprovoked attack on Eli once he got the analyst gig.

Since they're both on NBC, I don't think there's any way Madden didn't know about Tiki's little hate parade for Eli, or about the fact that Eli himself and other Giants players obviously weren't happy about it and instantly defended Eli.

Anyway, good game for Colts fans, tough for Brees, whom I like b/c he went to Purdue...

And since Jeff usually wants picks, well, I don't have any. I will predict that the Colts won't disappoint, even with a lot of defensive changes, but I just can't make picks this early. Don't know enough. So there you go.

Picks from anyone else, though? Those of you who do know enough?

[Cortese]

U of M became the laughing stock of Big Ten football when they lost to App. State last weekend.

Oh yeah, the Detroit Lions are going to the Superbowl this year.

[Tiffany]

About Michigan, I know!

[steve1633]

they might still bounce back and have another patented 10-2 regular season with a dissapointing loss in their bowl game. and they'll still probably take it to msu, especially since they had a lot to say after saturday.

[Jeffreydan]

Oh yeah, the Detroit Lions are going to the Superbowl this year.

As spectators.

[MrSinatra]

first of all, Eli sucks.

secondly, i have addai on my teams. and no saints. looks like i planned correctly.

[Jeffreydan]

Jeff, the season opener just ended, so I was expecting your football thread... where you at?

Sorry for the delay. I got a monster deal from Sports Illustrated for a subscription, and was waiting for the NFL preview issue to show up. Since I don't subscribe to cable or a newspaper anymore, I don't have my ear to the free agency pipeline like before. I was going to get a decent update on which players signed with which teams, and it turns out I didn't mail the acceptance card in time (expletive)!
I went to B&N yesterday before work and thumbed through the issue. I got some more info beyond the few things I knew already (like Culpepper w/Oakland, Moss w/NE, etc.)

both my things are about John Madden.

The first is that he insisted (when Addai looked injured on the first play of the entire season) that no back-ups were ready to play in this game...

But Keith looked ready, didn't he? I thought he did a great job. One mistake in the 4th quarter, but that looked like a miscommunication, and as we saw tonight, even Marvin and Peyton have those... so I disagree that the back-ups are ill-prepared. That's not necessarily true. Keith looked good to me.

The second is that John stroked Eli a little during the postgame chat... and kudos to John. One can only hope this was a slight reprimand (or at least an attempt to smooth over) after Tiki's totally classless unprovoked attack on Eli once he got the analyst gig.

Since they're both on NBC, I don't think there's any way Madden didn't know about Tiki's little hate parade for Eli, or about the fact that Eli himself and other Giants players obviously weren't happy about it and instantly defended Eli.

Madden is a football expert, and he's right about depth being important. Now, I don't know enough about the Colts' roster to speak to their depth, but if they have the same 2 tailbacks and the same offensive line as they did last year, there's no worry with those areas. Could it be defense that is lacking depth?
As for Eli, he is still an immature, seemingly overrated quarterback. But, just because he's no Peyton doesn't mean he's Ryan Leaf, either. Eli is in a position that is both enviable and unenviable. He is the son of a very good QB and the brother of a great QB. He has the benefit of true football expertise in Archie and Peyton, but he also has a world of expectation on his shoulders. I say this as an NFL enthusiast, but as an emotional Charger fan I say that whatever befalls that schmuck he's got coming.
For another POV: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7145284

And since Jeff usually wants picks, well, I don't have any. I will predict that the Colts won't disappoint, even with a lot of defensive changes, but I just can't make picks this early. Don't know enough. So there you go.

Picks from anyone else, though? Those of you who do know enough?

I was surprised to see SI pick the exact same teams I did to play in the Super Bowl: New Orleans and San Diego. And, because of the SI jinx, I am happy to say that SI's predicted winner New Orleans will in fact lose to the Chargers.
The Colts, Pats, Saints, Chargers, Bears and Seahawks are the obvious winners of their respective divisions. Cowboys and Redskins will make it a tough competition for the NFC East. Baltimore and Cincy do likewise in AFC North.
If Randy Moss has a great year, it won't be in spite of his selfishness; it will be because of it. He recently decided he's in the mood for a championship, so he'll play as if he's a professional.
Teams to watch out for: 49ers, Panthers, and Broncos. If you play Denver, you may just as well just run the ball on every play with Lynch and Bailey in the secondary.
Awards: MVP goes to Carson Palmer, who goes from a very good QB to a dominant QB this season.
Defensive player: Shawne Merriman redeems himself with a superhuman performance this year, with NO help from banned substances. If he goes down with injury, Champ Bailey or Bart Scott will compete for it.
Coach of the year: Norv Turner.
Most improved: Jay Cutler.
No opinion on rookie of the year.

Now for this Sunday:
Chiefs win against the still-lowly Texans; Cowboys take the Giants; Denver beats Fubbalo. Pats take the Jets (duh). Chargers hosting the Bears: SD has a great offense and a mostly-great defense. Chicago has a great defense and a decent offense with a suspect QB. Chargers win, and I'm not predicting a blowout.

[Cortese]

LOL, U of M got its ass kicked again today by Oregon. When will it ever end? But on the other hand MSU won again. The U of M defense is an embarrasement to Big 10 football. I think Wayne State University (where I go to school) could beat them!

[Tiffany]

And where was Auburn today? I can't believe they really lost.

What exactly happens if all the teams that are supposed to be good keep being upset? Will bowl games have teams in them that I won't even recognize?

And Jeff, I know how you feel about Eli, but regardless, Tiki was classless about the whole thing. After posting that, I read a column in USA Today about that very thing, and I hadn't been keeping up with it, so I really didn't know other people cared.

But they did and they do, b/c there were numerous quotes from other football players and ex-football players that were not at all on Tiki's side of that.

And yeah, he's no Peyton... but who is?

[Cortese]

Definitely kudos to the Colts and to your future husband, Peyton Manning, tiff.

The Lions start their season today. I'm so sick of the management team for the Lions. It doesn't matter what professional sporting event you attend in Detroit because somewhere in the crowd you WILL find a sign that says "Fire MIllen" (the Lions GM).

[Jeffreydan]

Definitely kudos to the Colts and to your future husband, Peyton Manning, tiff.

Although you gotta admit that "Tiffany Manning" just doesn't roll off the tongue as well as, say, "Tiffany Houshmandzadeh."

The Lions start their season today. I'm so sick of the management team for the Lions. It doesn't matter what professional sporting event you attend in Detroit because somewhere in the crowd you WILL find a sign that says "Fire MIllen" (the Lions GM).

Shame about that. Millen was a pretty good linebacker. No Nitschke, mind you, but still a very fine pro with a few championships under his belt.
Sometimes the most respected athletes become the least respectable coaches/managers. Take basketball. Elgin Baylor has not impressed anyone as a GM for the Clippers (in part due to Sterling) despite his amazing HOF career. Also, Larry Bird proved what a natural he was at coaching when he took the Pacers to the NBA Finals, and they played pretty well against the Lakers dynasty. As great as Michael Jordan was, I wouldn't bet on any team he'd be coaching.
Back to FOOTBALL! Some of the best coaches nowadays are former players, but you'd hardly know it. Marty Schottenheimer was an above-average player in the AFL, but a great coach later on. HOF receiver James Lofton has the potential to be a great head coach someday, if his success while running the Chargers' receivers is any indication.

[Cortese]

I don't believe it... Just when I thought the Lions were going to lose by blowing their lead late in the 3rd quarter and most of the way through the 4th, they were able to pull out a win against Oakland.

Oh yeah, you should read how much the U of M fans are disgusted on one local Detroit newspaper board. It's hillarious.

[Tiffany]

Now you boys know that in real life, Peyton would never do for me, right? Football's one thing, but I just don't know if he'd really be able to handle one such as me, don't know that he can take the pressure.

No, but seriously, I was glad Green Bay won today. I'd like to see Favre do well in what will surely be his last season.

[Cortese]

Pesky Cheese Heads.

[Tiffany]

The whole cheese head thing is, for lack of a better term, cheesy...

But I love me some Brett Favre. Man, what a sexy beast he is. For his age? Given the chance, I wouldn't even care that his hair's gray and that he'd always talk about things from the 70s. That guy looks good.