That was a time before my children had single-handedly decimated my social life.  I was out at a bar with several buddies, when one of my cronies boasted “I am going to make over $500,000 this year. That puts me in the top 2/10 of 1% of earners in the United States. That makes me truly elite.”

I came to two conclusions that night. First, this guy is a tool.  And second, I now define “truly elite” as the top 2/10 of 1%.

With that in mind…

The Best, “Truly Elite” Plays in Super Bowl History

I am guessing – and please, if your Google skills are better than mine, tell me the exact number in the comments section below – that the Super Bowls, all 45 of them (I feel like I should say “all XLV of them”), have had about 5,500 total plays.

So, to be considered a “truly elite” play, you are talking about the top 2/10 of 1% of all plays ever run in a Super Bowl. The cream of the crop, the top of the heap, the best 13 plays in the history of the Super Bowl.  (Note: best does not always mean good, in fact it could be the opposite, at least in the world through my goggles.)

You may disagree with some of these, so let the banter begin. I think these are the 11 best Super Bowl plays ever, the ones that changed history…

#13. Lynn Swann’s Catch in Super Bowl X

Lynn Swann’s 53-yard catch from Terry Bradshaw.

This play probably shouldn’t be on this list because it had no ultimate effect on the game and was not even part of a drive that resulted in points.  But, man, that was one of the prettiest catches you will ever see.

First catch in the video below, with bonus John Facenda on audio:

#12. Unitas (to Hinton) to Mackey in Super Bowl V

Johnny Unitas’ 75-yard TD pass to John Mackey.

The Cowboys had a 6-0 lead and all the momentum in this one when Unitas’ passed deflected off his intended receiver Eddien Hinton and ended up in the arms of his stud TE, who rumbled 75 yards for the score.

Interestingly, the PAT was blocked, meaning that Jim O’Brien, the Colt kicker, had to redeem himself with a game winning field goal in the final seconds.

#11. Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV

Scott Norwood misses a 47-yard game winning field goal.

Yes, I put this play on the list over either of the Adam Vinitieri game winning field goals.  Why?  Because those kicks were the difference between winning and overtime.  This was the difference between winning and losing.

One play. All the marbles. All on Scott Norwood’s right foot. Wide right (a saying that Bobby Bowden then went on to immortalize).

I still feel bad for him.

#10 (3-way Tie). Garo Yepremian, Jackie Smith, Leon Lett

All of these just had to be included. Classic. Priceless.

———-

———-

#7. Marcus Allen in Super Bowl XVIII

74-yard touchdown run by Marcus Allen in which he starts left and then cuts back and runs by the entire defense. 

This is simply one of the prettiest runs you will ever see.

I would have been raked higher on this list except the fact that the Raiders won 38-9, and the score was already 28-9 when this happened in the 3^rd quarter.

#6. 49ers’ Goalline Stand in Super Bowl XVI

It is almost unfair to include this as a single play, because, really, the entire 4-play, goal-to-go stand was remarkable.  But the 3^rd down swing pass to Charles Alexander, who was stopped a foot short of the goal line by Dan Bunz out in the flat in isolation, is one of the most memorable and important plays in Super Bowl history.

This video chronicles the entire four-down sequence, with John Facenda as a bonus narrator:

#5. David Tyree’s Catch in Super Bowl XLII

Eli Manning’s 32-yard pass to David Tyree. Facing 3^rd and 5 from their own 43 with time running down on the Giants’ Super Bowl hopes, Manning escapes a near certain sack, then throws the ball up to David Tyree (who had 4 catches all season long, AND NONE EVER AGAIN IN HIS CAREER), who somehow secured the ball against his helmet.

Of course, The G-Men went on to win on a Plaxico Burress (pre-gunshot wound) TD, but this is the play everyone remembers:

#4. Kevin Dyson Stopped At The One in Super Bowl XXXIV

What a magical season.

St. Louis came out of nowhere to shock the world in still must be regarded as the most surprising rise from ashes in NFL history.

When they played the Titans for the championship of the world, many people point to Kurt Warner’s 73-yard TD pass to Isaac Bruce in the game’s last two minutes as the highlight of the game, but the “elite” play came from less heralded LB Mike Jones, who stopped Kevin Dyson from scoring on a slant pass as time expired, stopping him one yard short of the end zone and overtime.

Never before, and perhaps never again, has a Super Bowl ended so close to the end zone:

#3. James Harrison’s Pick-6 in Super Bowl XLIII

As with #4, many people would have the game winning TD as the play they point to when remembering Pittsburgh defeating Arizona just three years ago.  And Roethlisberger’s pass to Santonio Holmes (and the entire two-minute drive) were tremendous, but none of it may have been possible without the game changing effort of James Harrison on the last play of the 1^st half.

Sitting on the Pittsburgh 2-yard line with a 1^st and goal with 18-seconds left in the first half, Arizona was poised to take a 14-10 halftime lead when Kurt Warner was picked off by James Harrison. It took him a while to get there, but Harrison made it past the entire Cardinals team to just get over the goal line for a 14-point swing

#2. Montana to Taylor in Super Bowl XXIII

The greatest #2 receiver in the history of NFL football, John Taylor, finally got his due, scoring the game-winning touchdown with only :34 seconds to play.

Joe Montana marched the team 92 yards on the game winning drive, after famously walking into the huddle, pointed at the crowd, and asking “Hey, isn’t that John Candy?”). Of course, Rice was still named the game’s MVP, but this is the play everyone remembers.

#1. John Riggins in Super Bowl XVII

With the Redskins facing 4^th & 1 in the 4^th quarter, trailing the Dolphins 17-13, Joe Gibbs went for it and handed the ball to his horse, John Riggins, who broke a tackle at the line and rumbled 43 yards for the go-ahead (and ultimately winning) score.

Nothing fancy. Just your typical dive play that decides the Super Bowl.

**********

So, what do you think? What did I miss? What did I get right?

Let the debates begin….

Follow Brian Dilsheimer on Twitter @Dils_Ignite

During the heat of competition, the passion that courses through combatants can sometimes take a turn into uglier territory.

The brawl between Cincinnati and Xavier back on December 10 demonstrated an example of athletes allowing their pride and passion to overcome common sense and respect for the game, their organizations, their teammates and obviously, their opponents.

Photo by: Frank Victores | Presswire

Nine days later, Arizona State and Southern Miss had a skirmish between players on court – including a punch thrown – as a result of a battle for a rebound.

Sometimes, however, athletes and sports figures fight for the same reasons that anyone else fights – someone pissed them off or they don’t like someone.  Plenty of bad blood exists between players, coaches, commissioners and even officials, and while it doesn’t always end in fisticuffs, it can be very entertaining when it does.

Although it’s not very “Tebow” of me, I will admit that I treat fights – especially those between wealthy, famous people – like a car crash; I just can’t look away.

Here are some sports feuds that deserve to have a resolution, and I think that the most fascinating way for that resolution to come about is a pay-per-view style mixed martial arts event featuring all of the sports figures who despise each other.  In my dream fight scenario there would be a referee so that things would remain safe (for example, we wouldn’t want an enraged James Harrison to actually tear Roger Goodell’s head off were they to wage war in the octagon) and standard UFC non-title fight rules would apply (three 5-minute rounds).

Here are some battles I would definitely pay to see:

Yancy Gates vs. Kenny Frease (the rematch)

• Height: Gates – 6-9 / Frease – 7-0
• Weight: Gates – 260 / Frease – 275
• Age: Gates – 22 / Frease – 22 (Gates is 3 days older)

Since Gates landed sort of a sucker punch the first time, I’d like to see him face off against Frease again.

Both of these guys are huge, but Frease is truly a behemoth.  Gates obviously has knockout power, however, as we saw during the infamous brawl on December 10.  It would be interesting to see if he can go all LeGarrette Blount on Frease without the distraction of a benches-clearing brawl interfering.

Rex Ryan vs. Brandon Jacobs

• Height: Ryan – 6-3 / Jacobs – 6-4
• Weight: Ryan – A LOT / Jacobs – 264
• Age: Ryan – 49 / Jacobs – 29

Following the Giants’ 29-14 thrashing of Ryan’s Jets on Christmas Eve, Brandon Jacobs had some words for Ryan.

Of course Ryan is no stranger to trash talking, whether it be about football or fighting.  He famously taunted former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder in the media, and he is known for his boastful declarations about the Jets’ on-field prospects.

Jacobs may be much younger, but I have a feeling that Rex’s mouth has gotten him into plenty of brawls before, and he seems like a pretty confident fella.

 Nyjer Morgan vs. Chris Carpenter

• Height: Morgan – 6-0 / Carpenter – 6-6
• Weight: Morgan – 175 / Carpenter – 230
• Age: Morgan – 31 / Carpenter – 36

T-Plush and Carpenter had a dust-up back in September as the NL Central race was heating up.  Plenty of trash talking from Morgan and Carpenter ensued, and since-departed Cardinals Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa even got involved.

Morgan and his flamboyant alter-ego Tony Plush did little to squelch the flames of the rivalry, taunting the Cardinals by bragging over the Brewers’ standing atop the division, but the Cards ended up with the last laugh by improbably winning the World Series a few weeks later.

Baseball feuds can run for years, so it will be interesting to see if 2012 delivers another chapter in this feud.  For now I can only wish for a score-settling face off between the smaller, quicker Morgan, and the towering Carpenter.

Kyle Busch vs. Kevin Harvick

• Height: Busch – 6-1 / Harvick – 5-10
• Weight: Busch – 160 / Harvick – 175
• Age: Busch – 26 / Harvick – 36

When NASCAR VP of competition Robin Pemberton issued the statement “Boys, have at it” in 2010, fans of old-school contact racing and the fisticuffs that sometimes follow were elated.

In May 2011 at Darlington, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick’s growing feud came to a head, with Harvick throwing a punch at Busch after what he deemed over-zealous driving by Kyle.  Later, Harvick’s car owner, Richard Childress, reportedly tried to physically fight Busch as well.

Harvick is known as an instigator, and over the past few years he has been involved in incidents and trash-talking with Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Busch and others.  But given how close Harvick and Busch always seem to run, the potential for an explosive fight is always present.

Shaquille O’Neal vs. Kobe Bryant

• Height: Shaq – 7-1 / Kobe – 6-6
• Weight: Shaq – 325 / Kobe – 205
• Age: Shaq – 39 / Kobe – 33

What can I say about this feud that hasn’t already been said?

Shaq and Kobe feuded publicly for years, and even though they have played nice on camera in recent years, there is no doubt that some lingering animosity is shared by both.  Their sparring was so prevalent that there is an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to the feud.

I would imagine Shaq would be a difficult guy to beat up no matter who you are, but if anyone has the tenacity and killer instinct to do so, it is Kobe.  To see Shaq come into the octagon joking and playing around, maybe rapping “Kobe tell me how my ass tastes,” only to see Kobe enter with that scowl of his would be magical.

Would’s O’Neal’s “Shaq-Fu” be enough to take down the “Black Mamba?”  We’ll probably never know, but I would pay a decent chunk of money to know for sure.

Roger Goodell vs. James Harrison

• Height: Goodell – 6-0 (est.) / Harrison – 6-0
• Weight: Goodell – unknown / Harrison – 242
• Age: Goodell – 52 / Harrison – 33

I hinted at it in the opening, but this fight would definitely need to be governed by strict UFC-style rules.

The size differential isn’t alarming, but one would have to figure that Harrison is the stronger man.  Still, l can’t help wishing that the NFL head honcho, who also performs duties of judge, jury, and executioner in all things disciplinary for the league, would agree to physically brawl with his most troublesome employee.

And who knows?  Maybe Goodell is some sort of secret martial artist, and his whole reign of tyranny over the NFL is unimpeded because most players, coaches, and executives are terrified of him.  If that is the case (and I certainly hope it is), then I would love to see him go at it with this guy:

Mike Piazza vs. Roger Clemens

• Height: Piazza – 6-3 / Clemens – 6-4
• Weight: Piazza – 200 / Clemens – 205
• Age: Piazza – 43 / Clemens – 49

No catcher ever hit for power like Mike Piazza, and few pitchers during the era spanning the 1980s-2000s instilled as much fear in opposing hitters as Roger Clemens.

The two became enemies when Clemens drilled Piazza in the head with a pitch in an interleague game in 2000.  Later that year, in the 2000 “Subway” World Series, Piazza broke his bat while hitting a grounder off of Clemens, and in a bizarre sequence, Clemens picked up the splintered bat and threw it back in the direction of Piazza, who had begun running the bases.

Four years later, Piazza caught for Clemens during the first inning on the All-Star game, and Clemens allowed six runs.  It was alleged that Piazza was tipping Clemens’ pitches to American League batters as a way of retaliating for the previous incidents.

I would like to see these two settle their old score, and just in case, I’ll allow PEDs for these two fighters only.  You know, just for old times’ sake.

Jim Harbaugh vs. Jim Schwartz

• Height: Harbaugh – 6-3 / Schwartz – 6-0 (est.)
• Weight: Harbaugh – 215 / Schwartz – unknown
• Age: Harbaugh – 48 / Schwartz – 45

Back in October, head coaches and Jims Harbaugh (49ers) and Schwartz (Lions) got into a bit of a scuffle following the 49ers win in Detroit.

Harbaugh’s exuberance in the aftermath led to some (probably) over-enthusiastic celebrating and a pretty firm handshake with Schwartz.  Schwartz, obviously upset about losing the game, became enraged by the handshake, and chased Harbaugh down, yelling at him all the way.  Schwartz had to be restrained by players and team personnel.

Since these two teams could meet again in the postseason, we can only hope for more fireworks, but what I truly hope for is being able to watch them compete in an actual fight.

Tim Duncan vs. Joey Crawford

• Height: Duncan – 6-11 / Crawford – 5-8 (est.)
• Weight: Duncan – 255 / Crawford – unknown
• Age: Duncan – 35 / Crawford – 60

Duncan and Crawford have some history, most notably in 2007 when Crawford ejected Duncan for laughing at a call from the bench.  As ridiculous as the ejection was, things became even more strange when the typically reserved Duncan said Crawford challenged him to a fight, and different accounts reported that the two exchanged profanities.  Crawford was suspended for the remainder of the season and the playoffs (breaking a 21-year streak of working NBA Finals games), and Duncan was also fined.

As any avid NBA fan knows, Crawford is a particularly animated referee, and he has been criticized (by me and others) for being too showy while making calls and for being contentious with players.

I would like to see this fight for a number of reasons, chief among them the hilarious spectacle that the age and size differentials would create and the fact that Crawford deserves some comeuppance for his antics over the years.

Reggie Bush vs. Miles Austin vs. Kris Humphries with Special Guest Referee Ray J.

• Height: Bush – 6-0 / Austin – 6-2 / Humphries – 6-9
• Weight: Bush – 203 / Austin -215 / Humphries – 235
• Age: Bush – 26 / Austin – 27 / Humphries – 26

As far as I know, none of these guys has any problem with the others.  But the fact is that they are all jilted exes of one Kim Kardashian.  So what would be more fun than a three-way dance in which the winner gets to reclaim Kim’s heart?

Since Ray J. is the co-star of a certain X-rated home video that broke Kim’s career, he can officiate the brawl.  Given the Kardashian clan’s penchant for cashing in on ill-advised television programs, this would seem to be right up their alley.  Of course, given the success that Bush, Austin and Humphries have experienced, they might not be too excited about this.

This one might have to wait until they are all retired.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao

• Height: Mayweather – 5-8 / Pacquiao – 5-6.5
• Weight: Mayweather – varies / Pacquiao – varies
• Age: Mayweather – 34 / Pacquiao – 33

While we’re on the subject of dream fights that will probably never happen, we might as well throw in the boxing superfight that everyone seems to want except the two guys who would be fighting.

Pac-Man v Mayweather has been speculated about for years, but as of now there are no indications that they will fight any time soon.  I would surely pay for this fight, as I’m sure millions of other sports fans would, so hopefully they find a way to make it happen before the two fighters get much older and have their substantial skills deteriorate.

What sports figures would you like to see fight each other?  List them in the comments below!

*********

Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

*********

Image Credits: usatoday.com, blitzsportsnetwork.com, sportsgrid.com, sbnation.com, nydailynews.com, nbaloud.com, hiphophoney.com

It would be awesome if we could develop a way to completely solve the problem, but we never will.  Football is a violent sport, and when you have guys as big and as fast as NFL athletes, injuries will invariably follow.

However, every year, injuries DO occur that could be avoided – especially when guys like James Harrison are involved.

Image source: LATimes.com

Treat James Harrison (And Others) Like How They Act

Full disclosure:  I don’t like James Harrison much because I don’t respect some of the things he does on the field and some of the comments he makes off of it.  It takes more strength to avoid a fight than to start one.  It takes much more self-control to hold your tongue when you dislike someone than to mouth off.

James Harrison often acts like a child, repeatedly.  So to deter him and change his behavior, perhaps it is time that he – and others like him – be treated like one.

Children have to be told over and over again not to do the same thing.  Children have to be disciplined when they keep breaking rules.  Children have to be punished more and more severely until they finally wake up.

So then, for cases like Harrison, what is the best solution?

When players like Harrison, or Ndamukong Suh, or others KEEP breaking rules and KEEP injuring players and choose to just KEEP paying the same fines and serving the suspensions…then the disciplinary system is NOT working.

Here is a creative, drastic solution, the “James Harrison Rule” if you will, that could finally have the impact the NFL so clearly desires.

A Creative, Drastic Solution To A Pervasive Problem

The next time a player injures an opponent by BLATANTLY breaking a black and white rule…he must not only pay the fine, but also sit out until the injured player can return.

When Todd Bertuzzi took out Steve Moore from behind, he was suspended for two years.  But that wasn’t good enough.

Bertuzzi broke the rules of manhood and hockey – you don’t blind-side someone from behind.  He broke the laws of this country – that would have been an assault in real life.

Most importantly, Steve Moore NEVER PLAYED AGAIN.  Todd Bertuzzi shouldn’t have played again either.

If a player knew that he would have sit out until his opponent was healthy, how many players would KEEP breaking the rules in order to try and injure an opponent?

James Harrison got it easy.

He got to skip a week, take some time off, and come back fresh.  Nobody, especially veterans that have been around as long as Harrison, wants to play Monday Night and then again on Saturday, which the Steelers do next week.

Sure, his team lost, but they are still in the playoffs.  In fact, they will probably get to go to Denver on opening weekend – the Steelers aren’t worried about that at all.

But Colt McCoy is still out.

Just think about that.

The guy that played by the rules is out for LONGER than the guy that broke them.

The guy that played fair is suffering a greater punishment than the guy that cheated.

Let’s not forget that Harrison got to finish out that game – completely healthy.  McCoy sleepwalked his way through the rest of that game, and may miss the last three games of the season.

Image credit: Don Wright/Associated Press via Washington Post

At this point, it doesn’t matter how much I dislike James Harrison – that’s just not fair.

Drastic Times Call For Drastic Measures

Harrison should be out until Colt McCoy returns.  If that’s not until next season and Harrison has to miss the playoffs…so be it.

You might think this is drastic…probably because it’s so different. Nobody has ever thought about implementing a rule like this before.

And obviously there would need to be some checks and balances on it.

First off, I think you would definitely need to have a committee of players AND referees to decide whether or not given plays were illegal or not.  Secondly, you would have to make sure that the Browns weren’t sitting McCoy on purpose, just to hurt the Steelers (even though I see a great amount of equality and irony in that idea…that’s not the purpose of this rule).

But just think about these three questions:

• Is the current system working?
• Would this new rule be UNFAIR?
• Would this new rule be a better deterrent than what’s in place?

In my mind, the answers to the first two questions are resounding “Nos!”

As to the third, would this be a better deterrent?  I think so.

Regardless, sometimes you have to try new and creative punishments.  If you don’t, the children of this world will keep acting like children.

Unlike last week’s less-than-stellar showing from the Rams and Seahawks, this game features two teams each near the top of their conference, both fighting for playoff seeding and the hope of a first-round bye.

The game will kick off a crazy holiday week for the NFL, with games on five of the next eight days. This one has the potential to be a slugfest and will definitely be worth watching Monday night.

Steelers offense vs. 49ers defense

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered an ugly looking ankle injury in his last game, 10 days ago in the Steelers’ 14-3 win over the Cleveland Browns. Roethlisberger did come back to play the second half of the game against the Browns, and it appears that the 10 days off between games may be enough for Big Ben to recuperate and get out on the field Monday night. There has not been an official word yet, but given Ben’s determination to get back out on the field last Thursday, I’d say he at least gives it a go Monday night.

The Steelers are a much better team with Roethlisberger under center, as it allows them to better air the ball out to the likes of Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown. There’s a 20 percent chance of rain, and the temperature is projected to be in the 60s, so good weather could mean that Big Ben’s ankle will feel loose and he’ll be ready to air the ball out.

The 49ers boast one of the league’s best defenses, but San Francisco might be without its best player in linebacker Patrick Willis. Willis has a right hamstring injury and will most likely be a game-time decision at best.  He’s one of the most important players in the 49ers’ top-ranked run defense that allows just 70.5 rushing ypg.

The 49ers have not given up more than 21 points in a game since a 24-23 win over Philadelphia on October 2, but they did allow 21 to the John Skelton-led Arizona Cardinals in a 21-19 loss last week.

49ers offense vs. Steelers defense

The Steelers will be missing a star linebacker of their own, as James Harrison will be serving his one-game suspension stemming from his hit on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy. The Steelers have the top-ranked pass defense in the league, and they have enough playmakers to give Alex Smith trouble. Smith has been sacked 18 times in the past three games, and the 49ers will need to shore up that protection to have success against Pittsburgh.

San Francisco will need to find a way to run the ball against the Steelers, which is no given; and much of that responsibility will fall on Frank Gore. He may be called upon to catch more screen passes if Dick LeBeau’s defense brings the heat. Smith will need to be able to read the blitz and find Gore in the flat as an extension of the 49ers running game to keep the defense at bay.

It sounds basic, but the less Smith turns the ball over, the better off he’ll be. The Steelers have an opportunistic defense that will be looking to capitalize on any mistake Smith makes, so he’ll need to check down if necessary to avoid having the ball end up in Troy Polamalu’s hands.

Steelers-49ers Prediction

I don’t think the game will be too high-scoring, but if one team is going to break out, it’s going to be the Steelers. I think having Willis out hurts the 49ers more than losing Harrison will hurt the Steelers.

Expect Roethlisberger to play and play effectively. The 49ers lead the all-time series 10-9, and I think Pittsburgh will even that series and leave San Fran with a win.

Final Score: Pittsburgh Steelers 27 | San Francisco 49ers 16

**********

Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers        

• Steelers-49ers Date: Monday, December 19 at 8:30 PM on ESPN
• Steelers-49ers Announcers: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Ron Jaworski
• Steelers-49ers Point Spread: 49ers -1
• Steelers-49ers Over-Under Odds: 39

But if you are a fan of Breaking Bad, not only have you enjoyed one the greatest TV shows ever for four seasons now, but you will also greatly enjoy this mashup of Simpsons video with Breaking Bad audio.

Quick background, via Warming Glow, where I came across the vid this morning:

Perhaps inspired by the recent episode “The Food Wife,” which featured Homer on the verge of smoking meth, YouTube user “samuelk202″ edited together clips from “The Simpsons” with dialogue from “Breaking Bad.” My favorite show of all-time and my current favorite show on TV — in the paraphrased words of Bart, “I’d be stupid not to watch this.”

Agreed. You’d be stupid not to watch this.

It’s the web’s random, inconsequential yet entertaining and pop culturally relevant genius at its best.

Awesome.

It’s not just that this is a clever idea – the web is filled with clever ideas. It’s that it’s a clever idea AND very well executed. That’s a rarity. I appreciate it when both elements are present in any type of web video or meme.

BTW, several of my closest friends who are not yet familiar with Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are getting Season 1 of Breaking Bad for Christmas. I could send them actual meth and I don’t think they’d develop an addiction as fast as when they pop the DVD in.

To see some other inspired casting choices for a further Simpsons/Breaking Bad mashup, click here.

I realize this has absolutely nothing to do with sports, so let me make it sports relevant. More intimidating: Walter White or James Harrison?

Seeing as how Harrison tends to keep his mauling constrained to the football field (and can even be suspended for it) whereas White is ruthless, cunning AND capable of murder…I’ll vote for him. What say you?

It was the battered Browns’ quarterback Colt McCoy, slumping his shoulders with a disappointed and depressed look on his face after yet another though loss.

Via: Bleacher Report, Jason Miller/Getty Images

I have seen this look on a lot Browns’ quarterbacks over the years, but I never felt so much sympathy as I do for Colt.  You can tell that guy works so hard in practice, in the film room, and during the off season.

But on Sundays, nothing seems to click.

Whether it is wide receivers dropping passes, offensive linemen blowing blocks, or poor play calling, all the blame still falls on Colt’s shoulders.

This is very unfair at times, because Colt has absolutely no weapons on offense (although you can make a case for Hillis when he is healthy).  His wide receivers are awful. Greg Little leads the team in receiving yards and he is ranked 52th in league, stuck behind the infamous Darrius Heyward-Bey.

The offensive line has really struggled because of Eric Steinbach’s injury, and Colt has been smacked around all year.  He has been sacked a total of 32 times this season.

Plus, Pat Shurmer’s play calling has been basic, bland, and predictable.  It is so bad that former GM and NFL writer Michael Lombardi plays a game with a former NFL coach, in which Lombardi says,

“I tell my friend the personnel group, the formation, where the ball is located on the field and what hash mark and describe the motion — if there is any — and ask him to tell me the exact play that will be run. He is correct about 95 percent of the time.”

But, Colt has to take some blame for his poor play too.

He has struggled picking up blitzes, he has missed open receivers, and forced a lot of passes.  During the 4th quarter in the Steelers game, only down 7-3, he threw a bad pass to Mohamed Massaquoi which was intercepted in the end zone and killed Cleveland’s momentum.

Even though Colt makes plenty of head scratching mistakes and does not seem that he has as much potential as Cleveland fans have hoped for, there are still three qualities that he has that makes me root for him every Sunday.

First, he is a winner and I love that quality in a quarterback and in a leader.  Like most pro players Colt has been very successful in high school and college, but has struggled to win in the NFL.  You can tell from his demeanor and his focus that we wants to win at the pro level, but at the moment he does not have the talent or the talent around him to do so.

Second, he is tough as nails.  Colt has been banged up this season and has taken plenty of big hits, none bigger than the helmet crushing hit James Harrison laid on him last game, which led to his concussion.  But Colt displayed his toughness and came back in two plays later; but unfortunately he threw a costly interception almost immediately.

Last, he is just a likeable guy.

You can tell that he works hard everyday to try to improve his skills and that he loves playing football.  Plus, he is way cooler than that prick J.D McCoy.

Also, because of work ethic and toughness you can’t secretly root against him like you could for tools like Braylon Edwards, Carson Palmer, or in some cases Derek Anderson — although in Derek’s defensive he takes this shit serious, real serious. (Okay I never secretly rooted against DA, I just wanted to use that joke.)

With McCoy’s job security in question for next season, plus his concussion that might prevent him from playing the rest of the season, Colt’s future in Cleveland looks bleak. But if he keeps up his hard work and the toughness that Browns fans see every Sunday, maybe McCoy can turn himself into the winning quarterback he has always planned to be.

Some people seem to admire Harrison’s “refreshing” honesty. Personally, I think that Harrison comes across like a classless idiot, even though I simultaneously find his story of hard work and perseverance inspiring, as it speaks to the genuine fire in his heart and his extreme mental and physical toughness.

James Harrison is, without question, a complicated and multi-layered figure, a compelling amalgamation of virtue and vile born to be a star figure on America’s gladiatorial gridiron; but ultimately, I think he pretty much just comes across as a scumbag in this interview.

So, in the spirit of Reddit and one of the many memes often found there (which started as “Scumbag Steve” if you want the background), let’s salute “Scumbag James Harrison” and the most notorious of the comments in his Men’s Journal interview heard ’round the sports world.

———-

———-

———-

———-

———-

**********

(By the way, my guess is that 99% of you won’t get this last one. That’s okay. It’s another meme involving Bear Grylls and his urine-drinking ways. Here, this might help you understand the context.)

James Harrison w/ guns image credit: Men’s Journal

But according to MSF sources* close to the situation, Tomlin made a gargantuan error last night when it came time for the Phil Collins ritual. Rather than playing In The Air Tonight, Tomlin accidentally hit play on Sussudio. The CD player subsequently froze, thus leaving Tomlin powerless to change the track.

The effects on the Steelers’ mindsets for Super Bowl XLV could be devastating.

Here are the two songs. It does not take long to realize why one would be good for a visualization session and why one would not be.

To the credit of the Steelers players, some of them are doing their best to find positives in the mixup.

“Obviously Sussudio sucks, and cannot compare to In The Air Tonight,” said the bearded Brett Keisel, “But if you actually listen to the lyrics of Sussudio, you could make the case that they are a metaphor for a Super Bowl ring. ‘She’s all I need, all my life, I feel so good if I just say the word.’ See? It works.”

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, however, was not as glass-half-full.

“To tell you the truth,” Roethlisberger said with the disingenuous smile his face has now frozen itself into, “I feel like there was an unwanted assault on my preparation. I really look forward to those visualization sessions, and instead my ears were raped by Phil Collins’ most annoying song. I asked Coach Tomlin to stop, to just unplug the CD player if he had to, but the big ogre wouldn’t stop despite my pleas. I’d never do anything like that in any situation. Never.”

According to sources, Tomlin was terribly distraught by the error. His last known whereabouts are the lobby bathroom at the Steelers’ team hotel, where he was reportedly talking into the mirror and promising to unleash hell on himself for screwing up the song.

Luckily for Pittsburgh, one player who seems unaffected by the unexpected controversy is linebacker James Harrison. Immediately upon completion of Sussudio, Harrison successfully completed a vicious head first tackle on a Honda Civic in the hotel parking lot – causing it to flip over twice – and then bit the head off a kitten.

Needless to say, this story will have a huge effect on tonight’s game. Against all odds, will the Steelers be able to overcome this disruption to play well for one more night on Super Bowl Sunday and thus create yet another day in paradise for the franchise and its fans? Or has something happened on the way to heaven (aka seven…rings) that will make the Steelers an easy lover for the Packers to discard?

Who knows right now, but the answer will definitely be in the air tonight.

**********

* – The MSF sources that contributed to this report include Jerod’s imagination and the unparalleled musical catalog of Phil Collins…and that’s it. Midwest Sports Fans accepts no responsibility for anyone gullible enough to believe this.

One of the rallying points for the Steelers was the us-against-the-commissioner mentality that developed with Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension and then the NFL’s crackdown on helmet hits, which seemed to single out James Harrison. If the Steelers win Sunday night, it will be quite entertaining watching the awkwardness when Roger Goodell has to present Tomlin and Harrison with the Lombardi Trophy.

What you might not know is that Tomlin and Goodell have already talked about it. And let’s just say it wasn’t the friendliest conversation, as our newest photo story shows.

Note: if the image above is not loading, click here to view in a separate window.

**********

Because once we get past ludicrous storylines like “The Redemption of Big Ben” and non-story storylines like “PackersTeamPictureGate” and annoying storylines like “What Will It Take For Labor Peace?” all that really matters come Super Bowl Sunday is whether the Packers are hoisting their fourth Lombardi Trophy or whether the Steelers are hoisting their 7th.

So what do you think? Who will win Super Bowl XLV: the Green Bay Packers or the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

———-

Yep, that’s it. That’s the whole post. Just a simple poll to gauge what MSF Nation thinks will happen on Sunday. And feel free to chime in with a comment too if you want to defend your pick. (If you want hard-hitting, in-depth Super Bowl analysis, go here.) I’ll leave it open until kickoff so everyone has ample opportunity to add their vote for who will win Super Bowl 45.

The Steelers are already on top of the list of teams who have won the most Super Bowls. With another win they extend the next closest franchise to two. If the Packers win, they inch one step closer to tying the 49ers and Cowboys at five. I already went on record picking Pittsburgh, but I grow less and less confident in that pick as the game gets closer. I really have no clue who will win, but one way or another I think we’re in for a tremendous game.

(For the record, if you’re interested in such things, Green Bay is currently favored by 3 points.)

Can we please just skip the rest of this week and get to Sunday? Seriously.

]]> http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/01/who-will-win-the-super-bowl-the-pittsburgh-steelers-or-the-green-bay-packers-poll/feed/ 1 http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/11/photo-story-roger-goodell-takes-on-the-legends-of-football/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/11/photo-story-roger-goodell-takes-on-the-legends-of-football/#comments Sat, 06 Nov 2010 01:58:10 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=22417 As you know, one of the biggest current narratives for the 2010 NFL season is Roger Goodell’s sudden crackdown on hard hits.

I am on record as saying that the NFL needs to do something about making the game safer. I am also on record as saying that doing so spontaneously in midseason might not have been the most prudent way to go about it.

And if I were saying this to Roger Goodell, he would probably tell me to shut the hell up, and then he would fine or suspend me.

How do I know this? Because Goodell is so confident and audacious in wielding the power of his office that he is now taking on some of the legends of the football who might dare to disagree with him.

For instance, I recently intercepted this exchange between Goodell and Raiders owner Al Davis in which Goodell interrupted the legendary owner as he recited one of his most famous quotes.

As you can see, dear old Al was none too pleased.

Likewise, legendary coach Vince Lombardi, for whom the NFL’s championship trophy is named, tried to explain to Goodell the importance of toughness in the NFL.

Yet again, Goodell interrupted an NFL legend reciting an iconic phrase.

The great coach was also taken aback.

But perhaps no football legend was as affected by Goodell’s audacity as legendary quaterback Johnny Moxon. He may not want your life, but he he and has teammates have only 30 minutes left in their high school football careers and he most certainly does want them all be heroes.

Goodell, on the other hand, apparently just wants everyone to be nice eachother.

Looks like Roger Goodell is ruining everybody’s fun.

Damn, I mean, I can understand interrupting the senile Al Davis and the deceased Lombardi, but Johnny Moxon-played-by-James Van Der Beek? That’s bold. Very bold.

But Roger Goodell is nothing if not bold.

He also apparently talks to himself…and gets extraordinarily close to cameras.

And he won’t take any BS or helmet-to-helmet contact from anyone.

Anyone.

Fear the Goodell.

That means you Van Der Beek.

OFFENSE: WR ANDRE JOHNSON, HOUSTON TEXANS

• Johnson tied his career-high with 12 receptions for 158 yards (13.2 average) and one touchdown in a 30-27 overtime victory at Washington.
• Johnson now has 14 games with at least 10 catches and 100 receiving yards in his career, tying MARVIN HARRISON for the second-most such games in NFL history (JERRY RICE, 15).
• Johnson hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass with 2:03 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 27.
• Helped the Texans overcome a 17-point deficit (27-10) to win the game in overtime.  It was the second-largest come-from-behind win in team history.
• Led the NFL in Week 2 in receptions (12) and receiving yards (158).
• In his eighth season from Miami, this is Johnson’s second career Player of the Week Award.  He previously won the award in Week 4 of 2006.

DEFENSE: LB JAMES HARRISON, PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• Harrison registered 11 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in a 19-11 win at Tennessee.
• Harrison helped Pittsburgh’s defense limit Titans’ running back CHRIS JOHNSON, who entered the game with 12 consecutive 100-yard rushing performances, to 34 yards rushing on 16 carries (2.1 avg.).
• Played a pivotal role in the Steelers registering seven takeaways against the Titans (four fumble recoveries, three interceptions).  It was the most takeaways for Pittsburgh since they had seven versus Baltimore on Nov. 9, 1997 (four interceptions, three fumble recoveries).
• In his seventh year from Kent State, this is Harrison’s fourth career Player of the Week Award.  Harrison last won the award in Week 5 of 2009.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K MIKE NUGENT, CINCINNATI BENGALS

• In a key AFC North matchup, Nugent connected on a career-high five field goals (36, 30, 46, 38, 25), scoring all of the Bengals’ points in a 15-10 victory over the Ravens.
• The Ohio native joins SHAYNE GRAHAM, DOUG PELFREY, HORST MUHLMANN and JIM BREECH as the fifth Bengals kicker to convert five field goals in a game.
• It was the fifth time in team history that the Bengals have won a game without scoring a touchdown.
• Led the NFL with five field goals in Week 2 and ranked first in the league with 15 points among kickers last week.
• Ranks second in the NFL with six field goals this season and is third in the league with 21 points among kickers.
• In his sixth season from Ohio State, this is Nugent’s first career Player of the Week Award.  He is the first Bengals kicker to win Special Teams Player of the Week since DOUG PELFREY in 1995 (Week 1).

2010 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

**********

As you know, Jerod is participating in the 2010 P&G-sponsored Blogger Fantasy Football League, which is part of the Take It To The House program. In addition to competing for a trip to the Super Bowl, one of the perks Jerod received for participating was getting to spend a day at the NFL headquarters in New York. And that led to getting on the NFL’s media email list.

The NFL circulates interesting statistical and injury-related tidbits on a daily basis. Since we know that your appetite for NFL info is as insatiable as ours, we post them here for your enjoyment.

To get this info ever quicker, follow http://twitter.com/nflfootballinfo.

This one easily ranks right up there with all of the Patriots’ recent Super Bowl appearances and the Rams-Titans game. Just a great game between two teams that gave everything, and it came down to the last minute of play.

Unbelievable.

Super Bowl 43 also featured the longest play in the history of the Super Bowl, and ultimately proved to be one of the most pivotal plays of the game. On the last play of the first half, James Harrison picked off a Kurt Warner pass intended for Anquan Boldin and rumbled 100 yards for a touchdown. At a minimum, it was a 10-point play — if you assume a field goal for the Cardinals. It was a 14-point play if it kept the Cardinals from a TD. In the end, Harrison covering those last few inches to paydirt proved to be the difference in a closely contested 4-point game.

LOTD: Courtesy of Robert Littal over at Black Sports Online, here is the video:

James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown broke the previous record-long play in a Super Bowl, which was held by Jake Delhomme and Muhsin Muhammad who connected on an 85-yard TD. The previous record long for an INT return for a touchdown was held by Kelly Herndon of Seattle, who returned an INT 76 yards for a touchdown in Super Bowl 40 against the Steelers.

And now, some other early links in the aftermath of Super Bowl 43:

I GOT A FEELIN!!! The Pittsburgh Steelers win their 6th Super Bowl!!!! — (Steel Tradition)

Super Bowl 43 Images — (NFL Fanhouse)

Brenda Warner got hot — (Sharapova’s Thigh)

Yep, Santonio Holmes’ feet were both definitely down — (The Big Lead)

The Buzzsaw loses, and Will Leitch is sad — (Deadspin)

Commercial Critic: Super Bowl Special — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

Lots of records set in Super Bowl 43 — (Pro Football Talk)

Today, we are breaking down the history of the Super Bowl MVP award, as well as offering up a prediction as to who will be the MVP of Super Bowl 43.

Before we get into any predictions, let’s get a historical perspective by looking at the Super Bowl MVP winners by year, as presented to you in the table below:

* – Chuck Howley, the 1971 winner, is the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team. The Cowboys were defeated by the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V.

* – The Cowboys are also the only team to have Co-MVPS, when Harvey Martin and Randy White split the award in 1978.

* – The Super Bowl MVP breakdown by team goes as follows:

• Dallas Cowboys – 7
• Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers – 5
• Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Oakland/LA Raiders, Washington Redskins – 3
• Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins – 2
• Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1

* – The Super Bowl MVP breakdown by position goes as follows:

• Quarterback – 22
• Running Back – 7
• Wide Receiver – 5
• Defensive End, Linebackers, Safety – 2
• Cornerback, Defensive Tackle, KR/PR – 1

Based on history, there are a few things that we can reasonably anticipate about who will be the MVP in Super Bowl 43:

• There is better than a 50% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be the QB from the winning team.
• There is a better than 95% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be a player from the winning team.
• There is better than a 75% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be a “skill position” player from the winning team.
• If the MVP does come from the defensive side of the ball, he is usually one of the stars of a historically great defense.

With that being said, if I was forced to bet on whO the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be, my money would be on Ben Roethlisberger. I think that the Steelers are going to win the game, and after Big Ben’s putrid performance in Super Bowl 40, I think he will play well Sunday. Plus, while Arizona’s defense has been solid, they are not great by any stretch of the imagination. Roethlisberger should have a chance to put up pretty good numbers.

However, I would not be surprised to see either James Harrison or Troy Polamalu come away with the trophy. Kurt Warner, while he has been spectacular for most of his career and for most of this season, can be prone to turnovers. Additionally, the Steelers do have a historically great defense. Defensive players from the ’85 Bears and ’01 Ravens won the MVP trophy, and I could see one of the Steelers players getting the award too. Polamalu and Harrison would actually be my #2 and #3 choices for Super Bowl 43 MVP.

Assuming that the Steelers win, and assuming the percentages play out, an offensive player will be the MVP. I know that Hines Ward won the trophy in Super Bowl 40, but Big Ben was just a young pup then. He is absolutely the catalyst of the Steelers offense this year. If he does not play well, Arizona has a chance to win. If he does play well, he will get the requisite numbers to win the award. I don’t see another Steelers offensive player trumping him, unless something fluky happens.

Should the Cardinals somehow with the game, either Kurt Warner or Larry Fitzgerald will come away with the award. I think Fitzgerald would have to just be phenomenal to overcome the whole “storybook” aspect of Warner taking home another MVP trophy. Fitzgerald is certainly capable, but any numbers he gets would also go to Warner. My prediction, if Arizona wins, is that Kurt Warner takes home the trophy.

So, if I was handicapping the race, my Top 5 Players Most Likely to win the Super Bowl 43 MVP list would go something like this:

1. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
2. Kurt Warner, Cardinals
3. Troy Polamalu, Steelers
4. James Harrison, Steelers
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals

What do you think?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.