A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
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Update: ESPN is reporting that Colts defensive lineman Dwight Freeney admitted that the long halftime break during the Super Bowl hampered his ability to play in the second half.
Fantasy Impact: Freeney said the long halftime made his ankle stiffen up, and it was too hard to loosen it up. He had a nice first half, but was clearly not the same guy in the second half. He finished the game with one sack.
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Update: The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that Saints defensive back Darren Sharper is hoping to return to the Saints. Sharper is an unrestricted free agent, but when asked about his plans for next season he responded, "repeat. repeat."
Fantasy Impact: Sharper had a stellar season for the Saints. He will turn 35 next season, but the Saints will most likely bring him back to keep this defense together.
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Update: New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley became the first kicker ever to make three 40-plus-yard field goals in a Super Bowl game.
Fantasy Impact: Hartley kicked the Saints into the Super Bowl with his OT game winner against the Vikings, and did not disappoint in the Super Bowl. He should be one of the first kickers off draft boards in fantasy drafts for next season.
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Another snowstorm is set to hit Indianapolis tomorrow, and city officials had been concerned it might affect the putative Super Bowl celebratory parade through downtown; this is no longer an issue.
The parade will instead be in New Orleans, even as their city had actually planned one win or lose.
Last night’s game in Miami Gardens was a grave disappointment for the Circle City, and a shocking end to a season that saw central Indiana’s team, a la New England in 2007, go undefeated (in games they actually tried to win), yet fail on the world’s biggest football stage.
There was the good, the bad and the ugly from this game.
AJ Kaufman is the Co-Editor of MSF. Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ajkauf7| Tweet | Email Post
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I’m not even a Saints fan and I’m still beaming from last night’s game. I can’t even totally put my finger on why.
The team I picked in my family Super Bowl betting challenge lost, the team I picked publicly lost, and the team with the QB from Purdue won. Plus, the difference in the game was two touchdowns and it did not have the last second drama of last year’s Super Bowl.
But…something about seeing a good guy like Drew Brees win, seeing a star-crossed city like New Orleans get to enjoy a Super Bowl, seeing the Big Ten earn some respect on football’s biggest stage, and seeing “the football gods favor the bold” (as Robert Littal would say), made Super Bowl XLIV forever special.
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[Editor's Note: Throughout the day I participate in email conversations with friends about hot sports topics. One of my friends in particular is very active in these conversations. This is that friend.
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How many times have we talked about it? Winners love taking risks when prudent. The onside kick was brilliant.
It would be wrong to suggest Caldwell's stoicism indicates a lacking of passion, but when will NFL teams stop recruiting coaches from the morgue?
In a separate debate, the Dungy coaching tree has to be the most overrated, emotionally repressed coaching tree in the NFL. Let's review what the Dungy group is known for:
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No rivalry has defined my life more than Indiana vs Purdue.
I am a child of Bloomington with a deep-seeded hatred for all things gold and black who ultimately, as the ironic twists of fate would have it, ended up moving to West Lafayette for 8th grade and high school. Because of this, I have lived and breathed Indiana and Purdue sports – the Old Oaken Bucket game, the Knight-Keady rivalry, etc. – for as long as I can remember.
So despite my lack of a specific rooting interest in last night’s Super Bowl, the way it turned out made it a memorable one to me as supporter, in general, of all things Big Ten.
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Outcoached, outplayed.
They got what they deserved.
Wayne had an awful game, and Peyton made one bad throw.
In the end, the Colts were done in by all the problems they’ve had all year:
AJ Kaufman is the Co-Editor of MSF. Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ajkauf7| Tweet | Email Post
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The Super Bowl still has 2:00 to go, but barring something unforeseen, the play of the game and season has already occurred.
Update: Game over. Saints win 34-17.
With the Saints leading 24-17 and the Colts driving to tie the game, Indiana grad Tracy Porter stepped in front of a Peyton Manning pass that was intended for Reggie Wayne and proceeded to return the interception all the way to the end zone for a pick 6.
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Update: ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga has decided to check into the Betty Ford alcohol abuse rehabilitation center for "at least" 30 days this offseason. Maualuga was recently arrested for drunken driving. He did in fact plead guilty to the charges.
Fantasy Impact: Maualuga is a young guy in the early stages of his career. It is nice to seem him seek out help and admit he has a problem. The Bengals are certainly counting on him to come back and have a big year in 2010.
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Update: ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga has decided to check into the Betty Ford alcohol abuse rehabilitation center for "at least" 30 days this offseason. Maualuga was recently arrested for drunken driving. He did in fact plead guilty to the charges.
Fantasy Impact: Maualuga is a young guy in the early stages of his career. It is nice to seem him seek out help and admit he has a problem. The Bengals are certainly counting on him to come back and have a big year in 2010.
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Update: ESPN's Chris Mortensen speculated on NFL Countdown on Sunday morning that there are a number of team who may show interest in LaDainian Tomlinson. Mortensen targeted the Texans, Seahawks and Saints are all possible landing spots for Tomlinson in 2010.
Fantasy Impact: Tomlinson is certain to be cut by the Chargers because of his contract, but he will clearly have a ton of teams that will show interest in signing him. LT might not find a place where he can get 25 touches per game, and he is going to have to accept the fact that he is an aging running back on the downside of his career.
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Update: There has yet to be a quarterback from Texas to ever win the Super Bowl, and on Sunday night, Saints quarterback Drew Brees looks to capture his first Super Bowl title, and end the Texas quarterback drought.
Fantasy Impact: Brees is considered by many to be an elite quarterback, but his critics believe he needs a Super Bowl ring to cement himself as one of the NFL's greats. Brees and company have a tough task facing the Colts, but with Brees at the helm, anything is possible.
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Update: The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Bears could be interested in veteran wideout Torry Holt this offseason. Holt will most likely be released from the Jaguars on Monday morning following the Super Bowl.
Fantasy Impact: Mike Martz landing in Chicago as the offensive coordinator could help the chances that Holt ends up in the Windy City. Quarterback Jay Cutler could certainly use another wideout to target downfield, and this would be a nice place for Holt to finish his career, back with Martz who helped put him on the map.
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Update: The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that both the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins appear interested in Vikings running back Chester Taylor.
Fantasy Impact: Taylor has been stuck behind Adrian Peterson in Minny, and is probably going to command decent money, so the Vikings will most likely take a pass.
