[Editor's note: This was originally posted back in January, but it got lost in the Super Bowl shuffle. Keith did a great job on it though, so we're cycling it back to the front of the site for those of you who missed it.]

You know how sometimes when you hear a one-hit wonder song on the radio or on the jukebox at a bar, it makes you think of a certain time in your life and all of the memories of that time come flooding back?

For some reason, those songs resonate.  They are the songs that everyone knows the words to, even if they are embarrassed to admit it.  The best one-hit wonders activate that mental and emotional time machine in a person.

Sports do the same thing for me.  I tie events in my life to notable sports players and seasons.

I distinctly remember my first two years of middle school being “Fab Five” years.  I wore a Jalen Rose #5 maize jersey, matching shorts, black socks and black Nikes to school at least once a week. By 8^th grade, I had orange and turquoise hair, but not because of Greenday or the Offspring, but because of Dennis Rodman.  I also wished that I could grow a mustache at 13 years old to be more like L.A. Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler, whose jersey I also proudly donned.

Ill-conceived fashion choices aside, the feelings and memories generated by sports and music endure as much as any.  Years from now, when I look back at this NFL season, I will remember plenty, but among the most amusing things to reminisce about will be the guys who came out of nowhere to have a great year and then disappeared.  Guys like Victor Cruz or (gasp!) Tim Tebow could qualify if they are unable to replicate their 2011 successes.

In that spirit, here are some of the greatest single-season performances by players who were never able to reach that level of success again in NFL history and a one-hit wonder tune to go along with each.  Nonsensical?  Probably.  Fun?  Absolutely.

Steve Beuerlein – 1999 / Chumbawamba – “Tubthumping”

Stats: 60.1 Comp %, 4,436 Yards, 36 TD, 15 INT, 94.6 rating, 50 sacks

Beuerlein was primarily a backup quarterback until 1998, when he took over for Carolina Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins, who was battling personal problems and ineffectiveness on the field.

Beuerlein finished the 1998 season strong and staked his claim to the starting job in 1999.  That season, he demolished all expectations, helping the Panthers double their win total from the previous season and setting franchise records for passing yards, touchdowns and rating that still stand today.

He was reasonably successful the following year (3730 yards, 19 TD, 18 INT, 79.7 rating), but nowhere near the same as in 1999.

You certainly did get knocked down, Steve.

Why “Tubthumping” for Beuerlein?  Well, he was sacked 50 times in 1999.  So he literally got knocked down and got up again, and no team was able to keep him down, at least that season.

In fact, in the 44 games he started from 1998-2000, he was sacked 156 times.  That’s an average of over 3.5 times per game.  Hey Jay Cutler, if you need a shoulder to cry on, I would call Steve Beuerlein.  He feels your pain.

DeAngelo Williams – 2008 / Aldo Nova – “Fantasy”

Stats: 273 carries, 1,515 rushing yards, 20 total TD

I understand that DeAngelo might have a couple of good years ahead of him.  Carolina certainly hopes so, as they signed him to a 5-year, $43 million contract this past year.  But given the new direction of the offense with Cam Newton at the helm and the time share between Williams and Jonathan Stewart in the backfield, I just don’t see Williams ever having the kind of impact he did in 2008.

"Fantasy" kryponite has a name, and it is DeAngelo Williams.

I chose Canadian rocker Aldo Nova and his 1981 hit “Fantasy” because in that magical 2008 season Williams was the #1 ranked fantasy player in the NFL.  And also because I think “Fantasy” and it’s wicked synth/guitar riff is quite awesome.

Before Rob Dyrdek used a cover of it for his Fantasy Factory show, the song was relegated only to occasional airplay on classic rock stations and my iPod.  Now, we can all sing “life is just a fantasyyy” every time Williams comes off the board in a draft and laugh at the guy who thinks he will sniff his 2008 numbers again (note: I was that guy in 2009 and 2010).

Derek Anderson & Braylon Edwards – 2007 / Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock – “It Takes Two”

Stats:

• Anderson – 3,787 yards, 29 passing TDs, 3 rushing TD, 19 INT, 82.5 rating
  
• Edwards – 80 receptions, 1,289 yards, 16 TD
  

This is it for Carolina Panthers players, I promise, even though Anderson was in Cleveland during his lone great season.  Both of these guys have bounced around after their fantastic (especially by Cleveland Browns standards) 2007 season.  Edwards was recently cut by the 49ers thanks to nagging injuries and inconsistency, and Anderson is toiling away as a backup in Carolina.

That 2007 Browns team overachieved its way to 10 wins, and this QB-WR duo is a big reason why.

Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock scored a hit in 1988 with “It Takes Two,” and I attached this to the Anderson-Edwards tandem because I have to believe that without one another they wouldn’t have been able to chalk up numbers like they did in 2007.

I still find it hard to believe that, with all his gifts, Edwards has disappointed so spectacularly in the NFL.  I find it similarly strange that Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock never put together another infectious hip-hop club anthem, as “It Takes Two” was undeniably catchy, and in the right venue can still incite a late-80′s dance party.

Otis Armstrong – 1974 / Carl Douglas – “Kung Fu Fighting” 

Stats: 263 carries, 1,407 yards, 9 TD, 405 receiving yards, 3 TD in a 14-game season

Long before the Denver Broncos could just plug and play guys in the backfield and expect 1,000-yard seasons, Armstrong had an amazing season.  In 1974 the season was only 14 games long, meaning Armstrong averaged over 100 yards rushing per game.  Applying his averages to today’s 16 game schedule, Armstrong could have totaled over 2,000 total yards and 14 or 15  TD.

Unfortunately, he had only one other decent year (1976) and it didn’t compare to his 1974 first team all-pro campaign.

I’m going to be honest here; I chose “Kung Fu Fighting” because it is hilarious, and the only tie it has to Otis Armstrong is that both were wreaking havoc on the United States in 1974.  Douglas’ goofy song is one of the top 25 selling singles of all time, which is patently ludicrous, yet funny.

Apologies to Broncos fans and Armstrong aficionados.  I just had to include this somewhere.

David Boston – 2001 / Inner Circle – “Bad Boys”

Stats: 98 receptions, 1,598 yards, 8 TD

David Boston’s career never really took off the way it seemed it would, due to PED use and knee problems.  He was a record-setter at Ohio State, and he seemed to be a rising star at receiver for the Cardinals by the 2001 season.

Of course, looking at his physique it wasn’t surprising when he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s steroids policy.

One could argue that his 2000 season was good enough to exclude him from being a one season wonder, but the list of receivers with 1,100-1,200 yard seasons is a very, very long one, while only 14 other receiving seasons have ranked higher than the 1,598 yards Boston posted in 2001.

Inner Circle’s “Bad Boys” has become synonymous with the show Cops, and Boston has had a few run-ins with the bad boys himself.  In addition to the steroid suspension (which was merely an NFL suspension – no charges were filed), Boston has had legal trouble in 2007 with a DUI arrest and in 2011 was accused of beating a woman to the point that she needed stitches.

Meanwhile, his 1997 sparring partner Charles Woodson has been busy being the veteran leader of the 15-1 Green Bay Packers’ defense.

Ickey Woods – 1988 / Toni Basil – “Hey Mickey Ickey”

Stats: 1,265 total yards, 15 touchdowns, 5.3 yards per carry

Ickey Woods was about as famous in southwest Ohio in 1988 as Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Wayne Gretzky (ProStars!) combined.  The man created what might be the worst on-field celebration (although Merton Hanks is close) in history – the “Ickey Shuffle” – and it was celebrated as groundbreaking for the time.

The 6-2, 231 lb. Woods was a force running the ball that year, rolling through defenders and helping lead the Bengals to the Super Bowl as a rookie.  Sadly, the shuffles mostly ended after that, as injuries claimed Ickey’s career after only four seasons (26 total games, including 1988).

For this post, we’re changing Toni Basil’s song to “Hey Ickey,” for obvious reasons.  Plus, the video is a bunch of cheerleaders, which is perfectly fitting an NFL post.

There’s probably not a lot I can say about the video for the song that hasn’t already been said on a VH-1 special or three, but I will say that Toni Basil’s eyes are downright frightening.

Scott Mitchell – 1995 / Timbuk 3 – “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”

Stats: 4,338 passing yards, 32 TD, 12 INT, 92.3 rating, 4 rushing TD

when you’ve got Barry Sanders on your team, you wouldn’t think putting up big passing numbers would be a likely occurrence, but in 1995 Scott Mitchell put up some massive stats while leading the Detroit Lions to a playoff berth.

Mitchell’s 1995 season set franchise records in touchdown passes and yards (both broken by Matthew Stafford this year), and he was able to get both Herman Moore and Brett Perriman over 100 catches apiece.  The lanky lefty seemed to have the Lions headed to the top of the NFC.

With Mitchell, Sanders, and Moore all 27 or younger, one would have thought the Lions would have the makings of a contender for at least a few years to come.  Unfortunately for them, the stars never aligned, as Mitchell regressed badly and Sanders retired at age 30.

Timbuk 3′s hit is fitting here, because almost everyone thought the Lions were a few defensive pieces away from a Lombardi trophy.  And like the Lions, Timbuk 3 wasn’t able to strike another hit on par with “The Future’s So Bright…”

Mark Carrier – 1989 / OMC – “How Bizarre”

Stats: 86 receptions, 1,422 yards, 9 TD

Mark Carrier was the only real offensive bright spot for the 1989 Bucs, as Vinny Testaverde threw more INTs (22) than TDs (20) and their leading rusher, Lars Tate, had just 589 yards.  Carrier never had more than 66 catches in a season after that, and he only gained 1,000 yards once more (1,002 in 1995).

I certainly didn’t watch many Bucs games in 1989 (I was a kid and they were 5-11 – not exactly priority viewing in Ohio), but I can’t find any answers as to why Carrier was able to put together such a strong season on such a bad offense.

“Bizarre” is exactly the word I would use to describe Carrier’s huge 1989 season.  OMC are from New Zealand, and the tropical setting of their video meshes well with the tropical setting of Tampa, where Carrier rescued Testaverde from what could have been an even worse season.

Sadly, OMC frontman Pauly Fuemana died two years ago, but OMC’s lone hit will live on, reminding me that sports too can be bizarre.

Barry Foster – 1992 / The Verve – “Bittersweet Symphony”

Stats: 390 carries (!), 1,690 rushing yards, 11 TD, 344 receiving yards

Even with Big Ben throwing more, when we think of the Pittsburgh Steelers today most of us still think of smash-mouth football with a nasty streak on the defensive side.  In the early ’90′s, it was much the same, but there was more balance on the offense than most people remember.

Except for 1992, that is.

Barry Foster became a one man wrecking crew that year, running the ball almost 10 times as much as the next back on the roster (Merril Hoge) and accounting for about 43% of the total offensive touches for the team.

It comes as no surprise then that Foster struggled to stay healthy for the rest of his short career and was never able to reach those heights again.  Injuries forced him out of football in 1994, in what was truly a “bittersweet” parting for Steelers fans.  His 1,690 yards still rank first all time in Steelers history.

Christian Okoye – 1989 / EMF – “Unbelievable”

Stats: 370 carries, 1,480 yards, 12 TD

The “Nigerian Nightmare” was a legendary figure amongst kids my age in 1989.

If you had asked me then how many good seasons he had completed I would have guessed somewhere around 19.  I was that enamored by the 253-lb. bruiser.  Of course, as a young Raiders fan, I would have fought to the death over any argument about who was more badass between Okoye and Bo Jackson.

One question I have about Okoye’s 1989 season is how in the hell did he only catch 2 passes all year while carrying 370 times?  That has to be among the strangest football statistics ever.

Okoye fell victim to the same ailment that afflicted Foster – a relentless workload.  He couldn’t really keep his knee healthy and was out of the league just three uneventful seasons after his transcendent 1989 year.

“Unbelievable” is about as iconic a song as Okoye was a football player.  I chose it primarily because of Okoye’s exploits on Nintendo’s Tecmo Super Bowl.  The guy was nearly unstoppable on that game, and I sometimes had to forgo my silver and black allegiances to experience the awesomeness firsthand.

And now, in honor of the Super Bowl coming up, I will list a couple of the most noteworthy Super Bowl performances from guys who have otherwise failed to live up to their big stage moments.

Timmy Smith – Super Bowl XXII / Afro Man – “Because I Got High”

Super Bowl Stats: 22 carries, 204 yards, 2 TD

Rookie Timmy Smith was an unknown back who stepped in for injured starter George Rogers and started the Super Bowl.  He had the good fortune of running behind the “Hogs,” Washington’s dominant offensive line, and as a result he was able to set a Super Bowl record with 204 yards rushing.  For his entire regular season career he only totaled 602 yards, 3 TD and a 3.2 yards per carry average.

Rumors of cocaine abuse surrounded Smith the following year, and after he took an entire season off in 1989, he failed to make an impact in the NFL again, rushing just six times in a single game for Dallas in 1990 before being released.  Smith denied the drug abuse rumors but has certainly had ties to drugs since, as he was convicted on charges of selling cocaine in 2005.  He served two and a half years in prison and was released in 2008.

Afro Man’s hilarious rap “Because I Got High” is probably a little light-hearted for a man who has undergone such personal strife, but it just goes to show what the effects of drugs can be on someone with a promising future.

David Tyree – Super Bowl XLII – Eiffel 65 – “Blue (Da Ba Dee)”

Super Bowl Stats: 3 receptions, 43 yards, 1 TD, 1 miraculous helmet catch

In honor of this year’s Super Bowl rematch, I can’t leave out one of the most notorious Super Bowl plays of all time.

Tyree caught a 5-yard touchdown early in the 4th quarter, but it was his miracle “helmet catch” on 3rd-and-11 that kept the Giants’ game winning drive alive.  The win broke New England’s 18-game winning streak and brought the Giants their first Super Bowl win since 1990.

Tyree had only made four catches for 35 yards all season, but he turned in a performance for the ages in the decisive quarter of Super Bowl XLII.

What players will have their brightest moment in the rematch?

Eiffel 65′s “Blue” is the choice here because the Giants are known for, among other things, their blue uniforms.  Plus, I would imagine most people in the New England area really hated that song, and I know they hated the helmet catch, so why not throw the two together?

That’s it for my list.  What single season wonders did I miss?  And what songs would you put with them?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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 Image Credits: golf912.org, nfl.com, espn.com, sportsworldcards.com, sfgate.com, sbnation.com, nola.com, pittsfinest.tumblr.com, chiefscrowd.com, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, wfplaw.com

This is the latest post in Kurt’s continuing series to identify the NFL’s Ultimate Franchise Player of All-Time. For an explanation of his methodology for choosing each franchise’s ultimate franchise player, and then how you and he will choose the NFL’s Ultimate Franchise Player from that list, click here.

To see all the category page for this series, of which there will be one for every franchise, click here.

Previous selections: ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR

The first five installments of Ultimate Franchise Player have been compelling, with each franchise having its own unique history – but now things are about to get serious.

Out of the NFL Network’s list of the Top 100 players of all-time, eight of the top 60 are Chicago Bears.

My first five UFPs came from franchises that will only produce one, or at the very most two representatives in the eventual 64-player UFP field. The Bears and their 90+ year history will be a little different.

However, with only 32 at-large berths to be awarded, I am probably going to have to cap off each franchise with a maximum of four bids. That is going to lead to some agonizing decisions in the selection room, a couple of them involving Monsters of the Midway legends.

Unlike the previous UFP pieces, a lot of great players will be left on the cutting room floor for time and space purposes – although I will throw in a few unique players from Bears football history.

HONORABLE MENTION

George Halas (WR/DE 1920-29)

Much like his counterpart Curly Lambeau in Green Bay, George Halas was a player and also ran his own franchise in the early days of the NFL.

Halas returned a fumble 98 yards for a touchdown in 1923, and that record stood until Oakland’s Jack Tatum’s 104 yard return in 1972.

A member of the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 1920s, Halas coached the team during the period and was on board for three other separate tenures as Head Coach, finally stepping down for good in 1967 and remaining as owner until 1983. Halas also had a cup of coffee with the New York Yankees, going 2-22 as a hitter in 1919.

Red Grange (RB 1925, 1929-34)

In 1925 pro football had a meager following in comparison to its collegiate counterpart.

The Bears were lucky to draw 5,000 a game while the college game drew upwards to 50,000-60,000; in fact the NFL was marketing its game as ‘Post-Graduate Football’, as many frowned on college legends continuing to play the game for money. Halas wanted to change that by signing legendary Illinois back Red Grange, which he did just hours following his final collegiate game (and may had even had him inked before that game).

Halas wasted no time getting Grange into uniform, and he made his pro debut on Thanksgiving Day at a sold out Wrigley Field. After finishing their official league schedule, the Bears went on a barnstorming tour in which eight games were played in just 12 days (the final five in six days) and included a crowd of over 70,000 at New York’s Polo Grounds. The tour concluded with eight more games played between Christmas and January 31, with the Bears tour finally ending on the West Coast.

On the train ride back to Chicago however, the Galloping Ghost literally disappeared like one. Grange made approximately $100,000 (a nice amount of money even today) from the gate receipts in those two months, but wanted part-ownership as well. The result was Grange leaving the Bears to form his own league, along with a couple forays into the movie industry. Grange eventually returned to the Bears in 1929, not quite the player he was in college,  but still made key plays to help the Bears win NFL titles in 1932 and 1933.

Bronko Nagurski (RB 1930-37, 1943)

At 6’2”, 235 lbs, the Canadian-born Nagurski remains one of the great all-time physical specimens, and back in his era he was literally unstoppable.

One of Bronko’s most legendary stories was when something finally did stop him after plowing through two defenders past the goal line, it turned out to the be the left field brick wall at Wrigley Field. Teammate Red Grange once referred to Nagurski as a faster version of Larry Csonka on offense and equal to Dick Butkus as a linebacker.

Later in his career, Nagurski used his profitability in the pro wrestling business, a venture he remained involved in until 1960. Nagurski was a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Sid Luckman (QB 1939-50)

You all see the graphics Al Michaels pulls out for Bears-Packers games. The Packers have had two QBs over the past 20 years, while the Bears have lost count. Luckman is still the career passing yardage leader in Bears history, and nearly 8% of his career pass attempts resulted in touchdowns.

It was during this era that the Bears employed the T Formation and the man-in-motion for the first time. Luckman only threw the ball six times in the Bears famous 73-0 rout of the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Title Game, but his four completions resulted for 102 yards.

He was in the service for two years and was stationed state-side and played for the Bears on game day. With Luckman introducing the deep ball into the pro game, the Bears won five league championships during his career.

Johnny Lujack (QB 1948-51)

A brief but memorable career for the Notre Dame Legend. The game had opened up much more as Lujack succeeded Luckman as the Bears quarterback (A young Bobby Layne was the third-stringer!!). In the 1949 season finale Luckman threw for 468 yards and six touchdowns, and the following season Luckman rushed for 11 scores, which tied a league record for QB’s.

A shoulder injury ended Lujack’s career, and he returned to Notre Dame as an assistant coach and eventually went into TV broadcasting.

George Connor (OT/LB 1948-55)

Originally an offensive lineman by trade, the 6’3” 240 lb Connor was used at linebacker out of necessity in 1949 in an attempt to stop the Philadelphia Eagles strong running attack. Connor wound up being used on both offense and defense after that, and he earned induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

Bill George (MLB 1952-65)

This is where the Bears inside linebacking heritage began. George dropped back into coverage just before plays began, inadvertently inventing both the 4-3 defense and the middle linebacker position.

For his career, George intercepted 18 passes and recovered 19 fumbles. He passed away at age 52 following a 1982 car accident in Wisconsin.

Doug Atkins (DE 1955-66)

At 6’8”, 275 lbs, think of Julius Peppers, just a few generations earlier. And like Peppers, Atkins was originally a college basketball recruit before the University of Tennessee realized that he could make a much better impact on the gridiron.

Atkins was a first-round draft choice of the Cleveland Browns, but was traded after reportedly belching during a team meeting. Atkins went on to earn eight Pro Bowl selections during his time with the Bears.

Jim McMahon (QB 1982-88)

Of course it was another Jim who is by far the most famous QB of recent times, but McMahon is a legend in his own right despite never starting more than 13 games in a season due to injuries, most notably taken down on an infamous late hit by Green Bay’s Charles Martin. Still, the charisma won McMahon over with the team’s fan base.

If you’re wondering what the ‘Rozelle’ headband was about, the commish was fining him during the ’85 season for wearing Adidas apparel. The league was thinking about licensing and marketing even then…

Jim Harbaugh (QB 1987-93)

I have already revealed Sid Luckman as the Bears all-time leading passer, but you will no doubt win bar bets asking who may be #2 on the Bears all-time list. Harbaugh spent seven of his 14 NFL seasons in Chicago. Harbaugh (and Luckman) are both still keeping the seat warm until Jay Cutler blows by them on the career charts.

Brian Urlacher (ILB 2000-present)

Of course Urlacher is just the latest of the iconic Bears linebackers who will follow his predecessors into Canton someday, currently ranked #109 on Pro Football Referances EloRater. Urlacher has endured a couple of major injuries in recent years and the end may be near, but Urlacher has already earned his lore at Halas Hall.

Lance Briggs (OLB 2003-present)

Has earned Pro Bowl bids in each of his last seven seasons. His tenure with the team has been controversial at times, and he could be dealt this off-season, but you can’t argue with the track record.

Richard Dent (DE 1983-93, 1995)

One of pro football’s all-time great pass rushers, Dent recorded 137.5 sacks and 37 forced fumbles in all during his playing career.

In the epic 1985 season Dent recorded 17 sacks in the regular season, and added six more sacks and five forced fumbles in the playoffs. Dent forcing a fumble on Rams quarterback Dieter Brock (which was picked up and returned for a TD by Wilber Marshall) which put the final dagger on the NFC Championship remains an image frozen in time.

Devin Hester (ST/WR 2006-present)

It seems like he’s been in Chicago forever, but it’s only been six years. Bob Costas already made a nomination for Hester’s Hall of Fame candidacy after he scored his 12^th return touchdown during the 2011 season.

If he ends up scoring somewhere around 20 kicks for scores for his career (which he is on pace for), the Windy City Flyer may indeed wind up in Canton.

Brian Piccolo (FB 1965-69) COURAGE SELECTION

Growing up I saw the movie Brian’s Song on television many, many times.

Piccolo had finally earned a place in the team’s starting lineup during the 1969 season when he took himself out of the game due to breathing difficulties. Piccolo was soon diagnosed with an aggressive form of testicular cancer which by that point had already spread into other parts of his body.

After undergoing surgeries to remove his lung and pectoral muscle, Piccolo passed away in June of 1970.

THE FINAL FIVE

Mike Singletary (ILB 1981-92)

Simply one of the most intense players ever to play the game, Samurai Mike earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Bears ’85 Championship season and recovered three fumbles during that season’s playoffs. He recorded nearly 900 solo tackles in 172 career starts and was an eight-time All-Pro selection.

Dick Butkus (MLB 1965-73)

You could watch vintage NFL Films footage of Butkus committing mayhem on the football field for hours, as he remains one of the most intimidating presences in league history.

ESPN named Butkus #70 among the best athletes ever in 1999, and was named to the NFL’s All-time team in 2000.

Like Red Grange generations before, Butkus first became legendary at the University of Illinois and placed sixth and third in Heisman Trophy balloting. Today, college football’s best linebacker is the recipient of the Butkus Award.

Gale Sayers (RB 1965-71)

As was the case with Butkus, it was a shame that injuries cut short Sayers career. Had he played a full career he may have been the best back ever, period.

In his rookie season, Sayers accounted for over 2,200 all-purpose yards and 22 scores. His six TD game versus the San Francisco 49ers still goes down as one of the most memorable individual days in NFL history.

Sayers was averaging over six yards per carry when he suffered his first serious knee injury during the 1968 season. He had a modestly successful 1969 season (4.4 yards per carry/1,032 rushing yards) although the team finished 1-13. He suffered another devastating injury (to his left knee this time) in 1970 which effectively ended his career.

Mike Ditka (TE 1961-66)

The Ultimate Franchise Player list is confined to players only, but if you were to include coaching Ditka obviously ranks even higher in Chicago Bears annals.

Ditka caught 58 passes as a rookie in 1961, redefining the tight end position, a job description that involved blocking much more than receiving up to that point. In all, Ditka caught 228 passes and 30 touchdowns in his first four years with the team and played in the NFL 12 years overall.

Walter Payton (RB 1975-87)

A fascinating book excerpt this past fall in Sports Illustrated revealed Payton’s difficulties to adjusting to life post-football, including putting copious amounts of sugar in his coffee, turning to alcohol (which he rarely did as a player), and recreational use of nitrous oxide (try some at your next dental procedure). How much this may had played a part in Payton’s eventual illness and death in 1999 is unknown, but the piece was revealing as a classic case of the struggles of an athlete once the cheering stopped.

Payton’s passing at age 45 was especially stunning as he seemed indestructible for 13 years on the field. Anyone remember Jim Brown contemplating a comeback at age 47 because Franco Harris was going to hang long enough to break his all-time rushing mark? Well, Sweetness wound up making that a moot point.

Payton still ranks second on the All-Time list with 16,726 rushing yards, and he also finished with over 21,000 combined yards and 125 touchdowns. Excluding the three games during the strike-marred 1987 season when replacement players were utilized, Payton only missed one game during his entire career!!!

And, of course, Payton was the star of one of the most memorable teams in NFL history, which shuffled its way all the way to a Super Bowl title.

AND THE WINNER IS…

The NFL Network Top 100 series included the following Bears: Payton #5, Butkus #10, Nagurski #19, Sayers #22, Luckman #33, Grange #48, Singletary #58, and Ditka #59. Payton, Butkus, and Sayers should be automatics for the 64-player field, while the RPI’s of Nagurski and Luckman will provide interesting test cases for old-time players.

After racking up a then single-game record of 275 yards versus the Minnesota Vikings in 1977, NFL Today did one of their then sappy ‘musical tributes’, playing Walter Payton highlights to Carly Simon’s Nobody Does It Better. Unfortunately, of all the items available on YouTube I was unable to find that clip. But I’ll leave you with the next best I can find (but you’ll have to click to watch, as it can’t be embedded).

MSF’s Ultimate Franchise Player for the Chicago Bears is…

WALTER PAYTON

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Naturally, I stopped what I was doing and went to databaseFootball.com to answer Mangini’s question.

Here are all the Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks since the merger to have led the league in interceptions thrown:

Broadway Joe, one of many Hall of Fame quarterbacks to have led the league in interceptions.

• Terry Bradshaw, 1970 (24)
• Joe Namath, 1974 (22)
• Joe Namath, 1975 (28)
• Fran Tarkenton, 1978 (32)
• Warren Moon, 1986 (26)
• Dan Marino, 1989 (22)
• Warren Moon, 1991 (21)
• Jim Kelly, 1992 (19)
• Brett Favre*, 1993 (24)
• Peyton Manning*, 1998 (28)
• Brett Favre*, 2005 (29)
• Brett Favre*, 2008 (22)

* Brett Favre and Peyton Manning are not in the Hall of Fame, but I included them because it is safe to assume that both will be elected as soon as they are eligible. Probable future Hall-of-Famer Ben Roethlisberger threw a league-leading 23 interceptions in 2006. Also, Jay Cutler led the league with 26 interceptions in 2009, and he dominates.

This is the fifth post in Kurt’s continuing series to identify the NFL’s Ultimate Franchise Player of All-Time. For an explanation of his methodology for choosing each franchise’s ultimate franchise player, and then how you and he will choose the NFL’s Ultimate Franchise Player from that list, click here.

To see all the category page for this series, of which there will be one for every franchise, click here.

Previous selections: ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF

Larry Fitzgerald, Deion Sanders, Ray Lewis, and Bruce Smith.

And that’s just the First Four; a diverse mix of a wide receiver, a cornerback, a linebacker, and a defensive end. Two players still active, two already enshrined in Canton.

There are still 28 automatic bids to be awarded for MSF’s Ultimate Franchise Player tourney, which will precede our own Selection Sunday, where the 32 at-large bids are awarded and we learn the seeds of 64 of the best pro football players ever out of the tens of thousands who have played the game over the past 90+ seasons.

Carolina Panthers History and Honorable Mention

Today we turn our attention to the Carolina Panthers, who have not necessarily had a bad record during the franchise’s 17 years of existence.

The team took the New England Patriots down to the wire in Super Bowl 38, made two other appearances in the NFC Championship game (including the franchise’s second season in 1996), and was a 12-4 team as recently as 2008.

The problem, at least in determining the franchises UFP, is that unlike the Baltimore Ravens (Ray Lewis and even Ed Reed), no one player stands out in legendary fashion, at least for a prolonged period, with the team.

For that reason, the Panthers representative will be the UFP’S version of North Carolina-Asheville, a one-bid team, and likely a #15 or #16 seed.

But there will be one Panther who will get the chance to represent the franchise against someone sitting on the Mt. Rushmore of NFL history  – and no, Rae Carruth is not a candidate.

Kerry Collins (QB 1995-98)

A good friend of mine simply just cannot get enough of Kerry Collins. We watched what proved to be Collins’ final NFL game this past season as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

I asked him ‘Weren’t you screaming about this guy six years ago when he was with the Raiders??’

His answer: ‘Yes, same (21” standard definition) TV set, same (eight speakers in all) stereo system, just a refurbished man cave…’

Well, Kerry was the QB for the franchise’s first year of existence before imploding both on and off the field in 1997-98. I can’t nominate Collins for Giants UFP, or Raiders UFP, Colts UFP, Titans UFP, and definitely not Saints UFP – so I will give him a call here, just for old time’s sake.

John Kasay (K 1995-2010)

Kasay was the only kicker the Panthers had ever known before finding employment with the New Orleans Saints this past season. He made good on 37 of 45 attempts during the 1996 season and now stands at just under 82% for his career. More impressively, Kasey is above 50% for his career (41-79) from 50+ yards out.

Jake Delhomme (QB 2002-09)

Listen to the words of Elton John’s Rocket Man very closely, and you swear the man sings ‘HE’S THROWING IT UP FOR GRABS LIKE JAKE DELHOMME…’ Those ARE the lyrics, don’t try to tell me otherwise.

Unfortunately, there are too many bad memories regarding the end of Jake’s career and not the rest of the book, in particular the Super Bowl season and 53 TDs in the two seasons that followed. In games started for Carolina, Delhomme was 53-37 for his career. Not bad stuff for someone who cut his teeth spending several years kicking around the New Orleans Saints roster.

Wesley Walls (TE 1996-2002)

If you’re looking for spectacular, look elsewhere – but look no further if seeking dependable. Walls caught 55+ passes four times during his tenure in Carolina, and he was particularly dangerous in the red zone, catching double-digit TD passes in two seasons.

Between 1996 and 2001, Walls was a regular for the Pro Bowl except for an injury-marred 2000 season.

Stephen Davis (RB 2003-05)

Davis spent the majority of his career with the Washington Redskins, but at the end of his career signed his ceremonial one-day contract with the Panthers. He was a league MVP finalist after the 2003 Super Bowl season, rushing for 1,444 yards in the regular season and 315 more in the playoffs. Davis was injured the next season and did not do much more in the league after that. He led the entire league with 17 scores in 1999.

Mike Minter (FS/SS 1997-2006)

Minter is the team’s all-time leader in games started (141), fumbles recovered (11), and career pick-six’s (4). A member of the University of Nebraska’s 1995 National Championship team, Minter contemplated a bid as a GOP candidate for a House of Representatives seat, but decided against it. Maybe he has a better shot getting the Republican nomination over Mitt Romney, just say you care about the ‘very poor’.

Kevin Greene (OLB 1996, 1998-99)

Seeing him these days as the Green Bay Packers linebackers coach, Greene still looks like he could play. He finished his career with 160 sacks, at the time a record for linebackers. Greene only spent three of his 15 seasons as a Panther, but he recorded 41.5 sacks during that time.

Chris Gamble (CB 2004-present)

He tends to live up to his name sometimes, but the team has liked him enough that he’s currently inked to a six-year/$53 million contract. He has not done a lot in the interception department since picking off 13 passes in his first two seasons.

Steve Beuerlein (QB 1996-2000)

Has the best single-season ever by any Panthers quarterback – in 1999 Beuerlein throwing for over 4,400 yards and 36 TD passes, which was good for the only Pro Bowl berth of his 16 year career. In no other season did Beuerlein even throw for as many as 20 TD passes.

Kris Jenkins (DT 2001-07)

Jenkins was well on his way to becoming one of the most feared at the position, being a key factor in the 2003 Super Bowl run, before injuries derailed his career. One of Jenkins’ more memorable moments came in Week 2 of the ’03 season when he blocked a would-be game-winning PAT by Tampa Bay’s Martin Gramatica on the final play of regulation time, the first such occurrence in league history.

Michael Bates (KR 1996-2000)

Thankfully, he got out of the game before the league moved kickoffs back up to the 35-yard line. Bates made the Pro Bowl in all five seasons with the Panthers as a return man, returning five kicks for scores during that time. He was also a member of the NFL’s All-Decade team.

Ryan Kalil (C 2009 – present)

Kalil is a part of the nucleus that represents the future for the franchise, making the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. He inked a 6-year/$49 million contract before the 2011 season, making Kalil the highest paid center in league history. Younger brother Matt Kalil is an offensive tackle who followed in Ryan’s footsteps at the University of Southern California and is currently projected as a top-five overall pick for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Jon Beason (ILB/OLB 2007 – present)

Beason missed virtually all of the just-completed campaign after suffering a torn Achilles, but before that Beason averaged over 100 tackles per season and was a Pro-Bowler as a ILB in ’08 and ’09, and then as an outside backer in 2010 after moving over to replace an injured starter. Beason signed a 5-year/$50 million contract before the start of the ’11 season.

THE FINAL FIVE

Cameron Newton (QB 2011-present)

Five-six years from now, Cam Newton may very well be the front-runner as the Panthers UFP. Cam had one of the most prolific seasons of any rookie quarterback in league history, throwing for over 4,000 yards and setting an all-time league record with 14 rushing scores. So he absolutely stunk it up at the Pro Bowl, but how long are you REALLY going to hold that against him??

Muhsin Muhammad (WR 1996-2004, 2008-09)

Perhaps the most complete resume of any Panther all-time, catching 696 passes and 50 TD’s during his 11 seasons with the team. Moose’s best season was 2004, when he led the league in both receiving touchdowns (14) and yards (1,405). He did a second tour with the Panthers after being released by the Chicago Bears and finished his career with over 11,000 yards receiving.

Sam Mills (ILB 1995-97) COURAGE SELECTION

Sam Mills spent his life proving people wrong, as he wasn’t given much of a chance to succeed in pro ball standing 5’9”, and had to cut his teeth in the United States Football League for three years. Mills then went on to star for the New Orleans Saints, and he earned his fifth and final Pro Bowl appearance in 1996 at age 37.

But Mills’ greatest legacy to the Panthers franchise was by continuing to serve as linebackers coach during the 2003 NFC Championship season while battling an intestinal cancer which would eventually prove fatal. The words ‘Keep Pounding’ from one of Mills’ pre-game speeches will live on forever in Carolina Panthers lore.

Julius Peppers (DE 2002-09)

The second overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft, Peppers lived up to all expectations as a Panther and recorded 81 sacks and forced an incredible 30 fumbles in his eight years with the team. A former basketball standout at North Carolina, Peppers is one of only two people to participate in both the Final Four as well as the Super Bowl.

Steve Smith (WR 2001-present)

The arrival of Cam Newton proved to be the perfect recipe to revive Smith’s career, and he wound up recording 1,394 receiving yards in 2011, which put him over 10,000 yards total for his career.

And don’t forget Smith’s role as one of the league’s most dangerous return men over the years; he has scored six times on return scores in the regular season plus a post-season punt return score in 2005. That same year, Smith also caught 12 passes for 218 yards and two scores in a playoff win in Chicago.

Smith also gets points just for surviving a few years where Carolina had some awful quarterback problems, which sabotaged his stat-lines. Smith is also no one a teammate wants to deal with during a training camp fracas.

AND THE WINNER IS…

I gave Cam Newton major props for putting him in my top five after a historic rookie season, but cannot seriously be considered for UFP at this time. Muhsin Muhammad had a very good career, but just not spectacular enough. Sam Mills ranks #88 on Pro Football Reference’s EloRater, but spent the majority of his career elsewhere.

That leaves Julius Peppers and Steve Smith, and a compelling argument can be made for each player, both of whom are still active. Pro Football Reference has Peppers ranked #144 and Steve Smith #182.

The tie-breaker is that Peppers is now employed by another team, and only spent eight years in all in Carolina. Meanwhile Smith is at 11 years and counting, and should have 2-3 more solid years teaming up with Cam Newton.

So via process of elimination and having the most impressive overall body of work, MSF’s Ultimate Franchise Player for the Carolina Panthers is…

STEVE SMITH

But a decade later, based on the events of the last two Super Bowls, perhaps it is time for the “tuck rule” to be amended.

Then:

And now:

Justin Tuck’s statistical output in Super Bowls 42 and 46:

• XLII: 5 solo tackles, 2 sacks, plenty of hurries and pressures
• XLVI: 3 solo tackles. 2 sacks, 3 QB hits

The new Tuck rule is that whenever the Patriots and Giants play in the Super Bowl, Justin Tuck is the best player on the field not named Eli Manning.

So if the old tuck rule started the Patriots’ dynasty, could the new Tuck rule be the one that ends it?

New England is already the Vegas favorite to win next year’s Super Bowl, and they still have Brady and Belichick, so it’s far too early to predict their immediate demise. But if they somehow end up against the Giants in a Super Bowl again, well, rules are rules right?

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Note: I take zero credit for this being an original thought. I just saw it posted here on Reddit by jpjandrade who credited the comment section of this article at The Colts Authority for giving him the idea. I just made the pretty pictures.

Pass interference is always talked about.  It’s a spot foul against the defense, but only ten yards for the offense.  Is that fair?  Should we reward Joe Flacco for throwing the ball up for grabs six times a game and coming away with two 40-yard penalties?  Is that football?

Personally, I actually lean toward the current structure.  After all, if it’s only a 15-yard penalty like it is in college, what is to stop defensive backs from purposefully tackling guys when they get beat?  I like the rule the way it is.

But something happened in the Super Bowl on Sunday that got me thinking.  Is there another rule that is potentially much more crippling to the game than pass interference?

Yes.

Twelve men on the field.

Image source: Deadspin

12 Men On The Field at Super Bowl XLVI

Let me walk you through the situation.

In the final minute of the game on Sunday night, Tom Brady was frantically trying to lead the Pats on a late comeback drive.  After converting an incredible 4th and 16, the Pats hurried up to the line of scrimmage and spiked it.  After a short completion, they quickly ran another play and the Giants were late subbing some defenders off the field.  A flag was thrown, and the Patriots got a “free play.”  Brady ran around a little bit and threw a long bomb that went incomplete.  New England received a five yard gift from the officials.

Unfortunately for them, the damage was done.  Even though they got a “free play,” the clock kept running.  Even though the penalty stopped the clock, the incompletion would have done that anyway.

Basically, the Giants could have played the entire play with an extra guy on the field, and the WORST case scenario was that they would give up five yards of field position.

So let me ask this: Why shouldn’t the Giants have just played with 12 men on EVERY SINGLE PLAY of the drive?

Let’s say the Giants chose to come out with 4 linemen, 3 linebackers, and 5 defensive backs on every single play.  Don’t they have a much better chance of stopping the Patriots with that extra guy?  Couldn’t they double Wes Welker AND Aaron Hernandez?  Wouldn’t they have a great opportunity to bat the ball down, or better yet, intercept a pass and run all over the field eating up the clock?

So what, you have to give the ball back and give the Patriots five more yards because of the penalty.  But hasn’t the damage been done?

Suppose the Patriots still DO complete a 15-yard pass.  Ok, so they decline the penalty.  I still like my chances playing with 12 men.

Close The 12-Men Loophole

In other sports, playing with too many men results in SEVERE penalties.

In basketball, the team is charged with a technical foul.  The other team gets a free opportunity at points AND they get the ball.

In hockey, it draws a two-minute minor.  For the next two minutes of the game, your team has to play a man down.

In football?  You surrender five yards.  Nothing else.

UPDATE:  Apparently (thanks to a reader), the NFL rulebook does contain a very vague reference to this situation that falls under the “UNFAIR ACTS” section of the rulebook.  I have personally yet to find it, but according to @mrandrewhaer, if a team commits this more than 1x, it becomes a 15 yard penalty.  Sure, that’s a BETTER fix, but the problem still remains – the offensive team can never get that time back.

For most of the game, the penalty matches the crime.  Usually, a team is penalized because, in the Giants’ case, a defensive lineman is just a little slow hustling off the field.  The team isn’t purposefully playing with extra guys.

But there are PLENTY of instances where the penalty changes late in the half or game.

When an offensive team is penalized in the last two minutes, time is run off the clock.  That way, linemen can’t purposefully flinch and sacrifice five yards in order to stop the clock.  What a great adjustment to the circumstances of a game.

The same alteration needs to be done for the Twelve-Men penalty.  Keep the five-yard penalty, but give the other team a LEGITIMATE free play.  Reset the clock after the play to where it was when the play started.

I’m a die-hard, Brady-hating Colts’ fan.  And even I had to tell myself, “Wow, that wasn’t fair.”

Make the rule change, close the loophole, and let the game be played with integrity.

But you’d be wrong.

Unless you visited SI.com’s Hot Clicks already today, you probably missed this video.

Pay attention to the backup dancer in the upper right. It’s the most amazing three seconds of Super Bowl XLVI that you most likely missed while it happened.

I want to know how he does that, but then I don’t want to know. I’m simultaneously awed, impressed, and reminded of Moises Alou and Dave Dravecky.

But either way it’s amazing.

Unfortunately, last night’s Super Bowl also featured something that is all too common in the aftermath of big, epic sporting events: dumb things.

And here are the two dumbest, one from a writer and one from the supermodel wife of the game’s most visible star.

Wilbur’s Words:

The Dumbest Article Written About Super Bowl 46

There is nothing I can say about Eric Wilbur’s Super Bowl 46 article, which was posted literally minutes after the game ended, that would do its idiocy justice. So let’s just let Wilbur’s own words stand on their own and serve as the harshest rebuke of his nonsensical post-Super Bowl piece.

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

The legend is dead, the prince has turned back into a frog, and…well, use whatever other cliché you want.

A performance as bad as Tom Brady’s tonight in Super Bowl XLVI deserves a lead just as lame.

Sorry, Tommy Boy, this one’s on you. Your hideous performance led to the Giants’ 21-17 Super Bowl title win. How embarrassing for your coach, your teammates, and your fans.

He goes on from there, including this line:

What an embarrassment for the Patriots organization and Bob Kraft.

I’m not going to pull out any more awful lines from the piece, nor do I really encourage you to read anymore of it. You’re better off going to the nearest bathroom and just sticking your head in a toilet bowl for 10 minutes.

If anyone could watch that game and say that Tom Brady was “bad” or “hideous” or “embarrassing” they are either a football idiot or a writing troll. Either way, that person shouldn’t be writing postgame articles about the Super Bowl for a site like Boston.com.

Eric Wilbur: you sir are the embarrassment.

Update: To read a far better and more substantive critique of Wilbur’s article, read this by Andy Hutchins at SB Nation. And give Wilbur credit for not shying away from the criticism and responding to folks on Twitter about it. I can’t completely tell if he’s standing behind the article or trying to say it was laced with sarcasm. Either way, it wasn’t good; but then again, in fairness, I’ve written my own fair share of duds too.

And now onto the other dumbest thing about Super Bowl XLVI, which features a wonderfully attractive woman (who clearly would agree with me about Wilbur) choosing a stupendously stupid time to say a true-but-unnecessary thing after the game.

Gisele’s Comments:

The Dumbest Thing Said About Super Bowl 46

As you have surely heard by now, Tom Brady’s wife made some rather controversial comments in the aftermath of her hubby’s disappointing Super Bowl loss. And if you haven’t heard them, here they are, with video below via Deadspin by way of The Insider:

“You’ve to catch the ball when you’re supposed to catch the ball. My husband cannot fucking throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can’t believe they dropped the ball so many times.”

1. She clearly loves her husband and understands how important a moment like this is for him, and her frustration at the loss is understandable.
2. In the immediate aftermath of a game like the Super Bowl, especially one as closely contested as this one, anyone with a vested interest like a family member is going to be emotional.
3. She isn’t actually wrong; Brady wasn’t perfect last night, but he was mostly very good, and there were a number of key drops by usually sure-handed Patriots receivers.
4. In moments like these, I assume that famous people would much prefer to not be famous so that they can deal with their emotions outside the view of the leering press and the voyeuristic public.

So I can empathize with Gisele.

But it doesn’t make her choice of words or their timing any less dumb.

She has to know that everything she says and does until locked away in the privacy of a town car or hotel room is going to watched, taped, and dissected. And she also must understand how important the concept of TEAM is to the Patriots, even if she doesn’t understand much about the game itself. To throw Brady’s receivers under the bus like that undermines the win-as-a-team-lose-as-a-team mantra Brady himself espouses constantly.

No, no one is taking this as Brady throwing his receivers under the bus by proxy, but it isn’t going to do anything to help soothe Wes Welker’s obvious distress to hear that Gisele laid the blame right at his feet. And you can say he won’t care about the comments, and no in the long-run he won’t. But I bet the guy is still feeling pretty down about himself, whether you think he should be or shouldn’t be, and seeing these comments will just be another subtle and unnecessary punch to the gut, plus a needless mini-controversy that Gisele’s reeling husband need not be subjected to even peripherally.

So give Gisele kudos for being a stand-by-her-man kind of gal. She’s certainly proven her worth as a football wife in terms of being supportive. But Tom may want to sign her up for a few classes in Media Management taught by Professor Belichick at Foxboro University.

For someone like Gisele, “media” attention doesn’t just occur when microphones are in your face. It is ubiquitous. And as a by-extension part of the Patriots family, she would do well to execute the Patriot Way a little better in times like these.

Wes Welker and Deion Branch look on helplessly as the ball falls to the ground, ending the Patriots hopes of a Super Bowl win.

Rob Gronkowski and Patriots come up just short on last play of Super Bowl 46. (Photo credit: Bill Frakes-SI)

This should-I-score-or-should-I-squat pose at the 1-yard line is a Super Bowl classic.

Ahmad Bradshaw's game-winning TD in Super Bowl XLVI. (Photo credit: John W. McDonough/SI)

And here is the video of Bradshaw’s accidental TD scamper:

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Exciting, big plays, and relatively well played.

If you aren’t a Patriots fan, chances are you were pleased with the quality of football.  Which is a good thing, because if you tuned in to see the Super Bowl commercials, they, overall, paled in comparison in quality to the game itself.

The commercials, as a whole, lacked some of the creativity that we have learned to look for in this annual night that is the championship night for Madison Avenue as well.

Any spots hoping to break into iconic status and join the best Super Bowl ads of all time, as identified here in my January 20^th post, will be sorely disappointed, as I do not give a single commercial tonight the status of “all-time great.”

It’s not that the spots were terrible as a whole; it is simply that they did not take the risks and push the envelope enough to have a shot at true greatness.

That being said, we do need to separate the “solid efforts” from the others, so below I am listing my best and worst ads from the Super Bowl tonight. I am grading these both as a consumer as well as a brand marketer that has managed large consumer brands for a Fortune 500 consumer packaged goods’ company.

While my opinions are actually facts, I welcome you telling me where you disagree.

The 8 Best Commercials From Super Bowl 46

#8. Budweiser, “Return of the King”

Budweiser always does a tremendous job of playing on their heritage and build their brand equity, and this spot was no different. Used the proven equity of the Clydesdales in a supporting role to hammer home the message that they have always been there. Good brand builder.

#7. Hyundai, “All for One”

I am guessing Hyundai had as many ads as anyone during the game, and this was the best of the bunch.  Using the Rocky music made for an upbeat spot that also plays into Hyundai as the underdog in the automobile world that can come from nowhere and be a winner.

#6. Doritos, “Man’s Best Friend”

Doritos, as usual, had a good night. The best of the bunch was this spot which uses a message of Doritos being good enough to cover up for cat murder.  The Doritos “Sling Baby” spot was good as well, but I thought this one edged it out.

#5. Dannon, “The Tease”

Great use of comedy in this spot as the woman knocks John Stamos out for taunting her with his Greek Yogurt. Liked the spot, but a bit unrealistic as Stamos is still good looking enough to get away with this (and, yes, I am jealous).

#4. Volkswagen, “Dog Strikes Back”

Great tried and true usage of animals to get across a humorous and inspirational message. Although I don’t remember the end in the spot that ran on the SB. Is this just a longer version, I hope so, the end takes away…

#3. Career Builder, “Business Trip”

Career Builder has maintained this campaign for a long time now but yet they always manage to keep it fresh with humor.  And they use humor, but not gratuitously.  It is always consistent with the actual message. Makes me want to actually look for a job….

#2. Chrysler, “It’s Halftime in America”

Clint Eastwood. Powerful message. Inspiring. Awesome spot.

My only problem with this ad was that Chrysler made the branding more around Detroit and less around itself (therefore enabling GE and Ford to benefit too). But great, great spot.

And by the way, have you guys noticed that the quality of American cars are actually competitive again? Cool stuff.

#1. Honda CRV “Matthew’s Day Off”

Loved it.

Ferris Bueller.

May not resonate as well with the 20-somethings, but really worked for me!

I can’t believe I have car commercials in my top 2 spots, as I am usually not a huge fan, but these were the best two spots this year.  I just wish they would have said something like Win car of the year NINE TIMES. NINE TIMES.  Even if it isn’t true, creative license would excuse it!

The 2 Most Disappointing Commercials From Super Bowl 46

#2. Coke, Polar Bears

Coke has a proven equity in these polar bears, but as far as I am concerned, they threw away more than $10 million on three really poor executions.

#1. Acura NSX, “Transactions”

They had some of the biggest brands ever in Seinfeld and Leno in this spot, and to me it just felt like they could have done so much more with it. Felt lazy and sloppy to me.

The 5 Worst Commercials From Super Bowl 46

#5. Hulu

Two spots, both using the brilliant Will Arnett, and they swung and missed both times.  I am no more likely to go to Hulu and get their “premium service”; besides, can’t I watch just about any show for free on there?  Here is one of their whiffs:

#4. Audi, “Vampire Party”

This spot felt like they were trying to tie into a trend that is on its way out. And isn’t it forcing the issue a little bit when the premise of your spot, and the main message, is that your lights are really bright?

#3. Go Daddy, “QR Code Ad”

Sex sells, I get it. In fact, I love it. But this campaign is so old and boring and tired. Nothing fresh about it whatsoever. Their other ad for .co was lame as well, although admittedly pretty hot.

#2. GE

Three swings, three misses, one strikeout of a night for GE. Still not sure I get the idea behind a B2B campaign in a consumer setting. Wildly inefficient. They tried to pull on emotional strings, but it just fell flat. Here is one of their spots:

#1. Kia Optima, “Dream Car”

This spot had it all. Every stereotype of bad advertising. Just awful. And I like Motley Crue!

Dishonorable Mention: Toyota (Bad night for Camry); Met Life (Just did not get their animated spot); and not sure if these ran Nationally, but Cure Auto Insurance, Swamp People ad of the History Channel were way out of their league.

Also, Best Buy continued their slide toward oblivion with a subpar ad tonight.

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Follow Brian Dilsheimer on Twitter @Dils_Ignite

This year, car companies brought their best, with strong ads from Chevy, Audi, Acura, Toyota, Hyundai and Volkswagen.  Career Builder performed well with their annual chimpanzee offering.  And who can forget M&Ms and their LMFAO-inspired spot that kept me laughing throughout the evening.

The best commercial, however, was from Samsung.  I wrote about it in further detail earlier, but once again I’ll give you a look at the best of 2012.

This was one of the few ads that combined humor, the “cool” factor and effectiveness in pitching a product.  The Darkness makes anything better, too.

To hammer that point home, here is a promo video for the upcoming new Darkness album.  Enjoy.

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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Everyone who was in Indy for the week lauded one of my favorite cities for how well it presented the Big Game. (This came as no surprise to anyone who knows Indy’s great history of putting on big events.)

And the game tonight matched it. New York won 21-17, but New England had a Hail Mary pass into the end zone on the final play of the game. Can you ask for much more than that?

But there was one part about Super Bowl 46 that wasn’t as great as it could have been.

$20 popcorn??? Come on Lucas Oil Field!

Image source: Reddit

But in the popcorn’s defense, and in Lucas Oil Field’s defense, at least it comes with a souvenir cup.

Mario Manningham’s sideline catch, which will go down in Super Bowl lore as one of the greatest catches in the history of the Big Game.

Mario Manningham's epic sideline catch in Super Bowl XLVI. (Photo credit: Heinz Kluetmeier/SI)

What a catch. What a game.

Hat tip to the great Richard Deitsch, who linked to this great SI photo gallery where I found this picture.

Here is the ad, my thought are below:

I am sort of conflicted when it comes to Apple products.  I own an iPod and Macbook Pro.  I once owned an iPhone.  I can’t stand the smug nature and cultish following that they precipitate.  I generally think that Apple products are solid, attractive, overpriced and are just as much about status as they are about performance.

It was nice to see someone come directly for Apple, especially in the smartphone market.  I know Sprint and Verizon have taken potshots at Apple in the past, but they never attacked the things that would make an impact.  Namely, the hype being greater than the product and the hardware limitations of the iPhone.

Of course, this ad is so much more than that.

That is because they got the F*CKING DARKNESS to be in it!

I love the Darkness, I love the song “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” and I love the absurd outfits that frontman/guitarist Justin Hawkins wears.  Naturally, when he comes into this ad, I was sold.  Plus, Brian Urlacher made an appearance for the “guitar!” line, which is just plain cool.

I defy you to tell me you don’t have more fun while that song is on than when it isn’t.

Commercial Grade: A

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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