In defense of Gary Gaines: The Boobie Miles injury

Odessa, Texas is associated with one thing and one thing only.  High school football.  So, when Gary Gaines was given the reigns to the Permian High School football team, there were big expectations.

 

The tragic end of Peyton Manning in Indianapolis

It is not a common occurrence for one of the best players in the history of the National Football League to be cut, but that is exactly what happened to Peyton Manning. The man who provided the organization with nine consecutive winning seasons from 2002 through 2010 and a Super Bowl championship in 2006 is being let go. There will be no storybook ending for Manning and the Colts. Manning won't be given a chance to lead the franchise that he built ever again. He won't be able to take the 2-14 Colts of 2011 and make them a contender once more. Instead Manning is in danger of becoming the next Joe Montana, the next Brett Favre. The next nomad quarterback who was turned away from the organization which he had done so much for and left out to graze on the barren fields of NFL teams who need a one-year quarterback fix to magically reach the "next level." The wildest part about this whole saga is that one can't really blame Jim Irsay and the Indianapolis Colts for what they are doing.

Can I skip the Super Bowl?

I'll be the first to say it: I'm not at all excited for the Super Bowl this year. The Super Bowl is the most important of all traditions for any football fan, and it pains me deeply to make a statement like that, but it's the truth. Outside of Boston and New York, I doubt I'm the only football fan with a similar disgusting feeling in their gut when the thought arises about the upcoming matchup for this year's big game: The New York Giants vs. The New England Patriots.

Bleh. 

The Reign of Aaron Rodgers

This 2011 NFL season has been nothing but exciting and captivating from the very start. In a season full of interesting storylines, the story of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, in my opinion, has been the most intriguing of all. 

Apart from the overhype and overanalyzed play of Tim Tebow, the injury to Peyton Manning, and the pretty damn good play of Drew Brees and Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers’ ascension to the top of the quarterback totem pole has got to be the most exciting quarterback story of the year, and lets face it, folks: love it or hate it, the NFL is a league about quarterbacks. What is so thrilling about Aaron Rodgers, especially for fans of the game (not purely fans of particular teams), is that I honestly believe we could be witnessing the very best quarterback of all time play right before our eyes, in the prime of his career. I realize that what I’m implying might be ludicrous to some, especially for a guy who has only been a starter for 4 seasons, but there is just something about watching him play that gives me that feeling, and no matter how many counter arguments I make to myself, I can’t shake it. 

Why the Packers Shouldn't Want a Home Playoff Game

If you are a Packers fan, you should be happy about the fact that your team has all but clinched the top seed in the NFC, but you shouldn't be quite so happy that the game must be played at Lambeau Field. Before you rattle off how great the Packers at Lambeau throughout their history, just think about the other top seeds in the NFC...

San Francisco 49ers- This is a team built on power football. Harbaugh has made this team into a real contenter, and in the conditions that Green Bay will most likely have at this time of year they will give the Packers all they can handle. If it was in San Francisco you are probably still going to need a light coat, but nothing like the Frozen Tundra of Green Bay.

Pondering the Future

It is pretty hard to believe that only two years ago, the Minnesota Vikings were one play away from the Super Bowl. Since then its been a comedy of errors only comparable to Shane Falco's epic collapse in the '98 Sugar Bowl. The only way to look to the future, is to understand how we got here.

The Fate of the Cardinal

Often times, sports journalists and announcers seem to only know how to speak in hyperbole. If we as viewers were to believe everything that we heard from different media outlets, we would believe that we were witnessing history just about every weekend. The first example that comes to mind is the Alabama vs. LSU game this past weekend. Promoted as "the best 1 vs. 2 matchup in a decade" for 2 weeks straight, the game really wasn't that great to watch, and because of the ridiculousness that is the BCS, we may be watching the exact same game in a couple of months. Sometimes though, there are games that do truly change the course of college programs and college football itself. I believe the Stanford vs. Oregon game this weekend falls into that category. The implications of this game are huge for Stanford, and in turn, the future of the West Coast college football landscape. Assuming that Stanford will beat 2 average teams in Cal and Notre Dame, here are just a few things this weekend's game will most likely determine: