When Will The Butler Bulldogs Get Some Respect?

Q. When does a two-time NCAA finalist stop being a Cinderella Team?

A. When they win it all and shut up the TV fools like Charles Barkley.

To his credit he did give them some props, after they beat the real Cinderella Team that the media wanted in the finals for ratings purposes. But before the game and at halftime, Barkley and some of his colleagues just had to keep harping about how VCU would eventually wear Butler down.

It didn't happen.

It hasn't happened in any tourney game in the last two years.

The only game they lost in the last two was the title game against Duke, only by a basket. That's not wearing anyone down and the entire nation watched that last shot from Hayward fly towards that basket, only to be a hair off the mark.

I can understand last year. It was a magical run. And like everyone else, I figured with Hayward leaving for the NBA, it probably wouldn't happen again. I knew the Bulldogs could send some teams home early in heartbreak, shock, and disillusionment. But that would probably be about it.

To their credit, they didn't listen to me. They have been believers in themselves more than anyone else. When they came back against a very good Florida team, I knew they were for real and have the makings of a potential champion. They are proving to the world that were more than just Hayward last year, they are a TEAM. Like one announcer said last night, Butler is good at playing bad. This means they can play badly and still beat you because they never quit, regardless of how they are playing.

Let me tell you (if you are a basketball fan who is not a UConn fan) why you should be for Butler Monday night:

1. They play the game, the way the game should be played.

They have been playing bigger, stronger, teams that are sometimes very physical. These teams have used their sizes and strength to intimidate the smaller Butler team. Basically they have played thugball, but they lost anyway.

Butler is patient and does not give up even when they are down. They pass the ball, spread the court, and do not allow pressure in the back court to get them rattled. If they make a mistake, they forget about it and keep playing on.

2. They put the student back in student athletes.

These guys are smart, all of them. If you meet one and speak to him, you get some damned intelligent conversation about basketball or anything else they are studying. You do not get jive ebonics, or all glory to God speeches.

93% of the current class of Butler freshmen have a 3.0 HS average or above. 50% has a 3.75 or higher.

The focus at this university is clearly on academics, not big money sports. They play in an old fieldhouse that was once the site of the Indiana championship games is years gone by, you may have seen it if you watched the movie Hoosiers. Their enrollment, including grad students, is around 4600.

Most of these guys will truly go pro in something other than basketball.

Forward Matt Howard (son of a postman) has a 3.88 in Financing. Ten of the players on the roster are from the state of Indiana. Shelvin Mack, a junior, is from Lexington Kentucky and may be the only player who has the skills to turn pro. (I bet UK wishes they would have given this kid a closer look, instead of the yo-yos that came and played the required one year, before going into the NBA.)

So unless you are committed to UConn for some reason or are a racist TV analyst, why would you not pull for Butler?

They do this right. They are building a solid program based on scholarship and athletics is a side act.

Brad Stevens gave up a great marketing job at Eli Lilly to pursue his dream of coaching basketball, starting out as a low paying assistant. They gave him a decent raise to stay last year when others were courting him after last year, but it's nothing like Calhoun, Calipari, and others make.

Stevens may eventually jump ship for more money. Who could blame him? If this thing with Tom Crean doesn't work out at IU, we may see Brad being hired as his replacement, down the road. He could make the big time and still stay in Indiana. But if you look at this realistically, he's making it big time right now.

Crean has NC Center Tyler Zeller's brother, Cody, coming in next year. He is also a 7-footer and there will be no excuses to not be competitive. no one expected miracles out of the Hoosiers after Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson decimated the entire program. But if Crean cannot get the job done and improve this performance, maybe Stevens can. I can only imagine what Brad could do with a strong 7-footer on this Butler team right now.

Go Dawgs!!!

Charles BS Barkley: The Mouth Of The South

You can't call it a fluke anymore. But even yet, the national media still calls the Butler Bulldogs a Cinderella team. Even though they are 9-1 in tourney games over the last two years, they are still the underdogs. Even though they are in back to back Final Fours, they just can't get the respect in some circles.

Barkley is one of those blathering idiots who cannot grasp this concept and he never ceases to show his ignorance, when he is hired to do commentary on basketball shows. Why they hire this guy to talk is puzzling, because he never played the game the way it should be played..... or he would have won something in his long career.

Maybe if he hadn't been given over to drinking in bars, running his mouth and getting into fights with the local patrons the nights before games, he could have won a championship. Maybe if he knew how to be a team player like Michael Jordan, making others around him better, he might have had a ring to show his kids and grandkids. No...Barkley made his teammates mediocre.

He hasn't changed much either, He makes his TV team sound mediocre too.

One only needed to hear him this past weekend on the halftime shows and it would become blatantly obvious he does not like teams like Butler. He likes thugball better because it does not require thinking or strategy, just some size...swinging some elbows....something that got him many of his points in his career.

I suspect there is a racist element to it, Butler does have some white guys on the team who can play good team ball. But more than this, it may be the culture of academics that guys like Barkley are not familiar with. Every player on Butler (whether black or white), must have a 3.0 average to get into the school.This means they must be intelligent, as well as good ball players. When Barkley played, D's got it.

When you see a Butler basketball player interviewed, you hear intelligent kids answering questions with humility. You do not hear arrogant trash talk in ebonics. You do not hear reckless and brainless comments like we heard from Barkley for many years, as a player and now as a pseudo-commentator.

So to Mr. Charles B.S. Barkley, I have a quote for you to ponder in the midst of your idiocy:

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."--Abraham Lincoln

I am sure he doesn't care what I think, but he really does make a better quiet fool, than a vocal one. I know he is better suited for the pro game than the college game. Because there, the arrogant thug culture is openly promoted and worshiped. There, brandishing weapons in the locker room is considered just horsing around.

But sideshows aside, even the teams that win rings in the NBA are the ones that have team players that keep their mouths shut and play. As the old Nike ad once said, they "just do it"... like Hakeem Olajawon (two rings) used to do. They don't need to talk to hear their own voices, they just play and they win. Then, they go home and do not troll the bars looking for fights, afterward.

When they retire, they do something productive and/or they enjoy the money they made over the years. They do not need to take jobs on TV just to makes further fools of themselves, than they did when they played.

Mon AM QB

Packer 31 - Steelers 25

This is the last one of the year. But in all honesty I must confess that I went to bed after the halftime show nauseated me. If my Facebook news feed was any indication, I wasn't the only one.

As for the game, I didn't have much a dog in the fight. That and the fact I have been dealing with a medium-level family crisis the past 3 days, I just didn't have much interest this year.

It sounds like it was a good game down the stretch. Aaron Rodgers was the MVP, as he has finally blossomed into the elite QB status (where the media has had him since he took over for Favre). My congrats go out to Green Bay and their fans.

Now, it's your turn to tell me what I missed in the second half and any other thoughts you have on the past season, here in the season's last edition of Mon AM QB.

Until September.....when we can once again see Greg say that Eli Manning is the most overrated QB in the league and Rocket tell us just how much he hates the Dallas Cowboys.

NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview

Baltimore at Pittsburgh--Sat. 4:30P

Back in the days of the Steeler dynasty, when they won 4 out of 6 Super Bowls, they were almost unstoppable. 1975 was the first year they won it and after many years of being lousy, we were happy for them. But after the second title, they ceased to be an underdog feel good story. Since those days, I have never really been a Steeler fan.

And....I don't much like Baltimore either. But there is one thing this game will definitely be, a hard hitting old-style physical football game. Both teams are mirror images of each other.

They both like to run & pound the ball at you offensively, with smart and well-selected passing off of the run. Defensively, they like to intimidate opponents and hit receivers very hard. Both, stop the run well and both, can make big plays on either side of the ball.

Pick: Can't

Green Bay at Atlanta--Sat. 8:00P

This will be the most interesting game of the day and is also a bit of a question mark.

Can Aaron Rodger back up his performance last weekend?

Can Atlanta stand the spotlight of the big stage?

When Green Bay plays well, they are tough to beat. Ask the Pats, they were having more trouble with the Packers than almost any other team, without actually losing. To shake the Philip Rivers syndrome (based on success, rather than attitude: in the latter case, Rivers wins it hands down), he must have another "game of his life". He must direct and engineer a win against a worthy opponent.

One of two truly consistent and balanced teams in the NFL, Atlanta has been able to slip in under the radar. The media hasn't covered them with any real enthusiasm. It's been all AFC, with much of it because of the Jets and their mouths.

If they play like they have played all year, they stand the better chance of winning this ball game. If they get nervous under the lights, in the big tent, they could find themselves exiting. I think this is Matt Ryan and Company's chance to assert themselves as the heir to the Patriots of this past decade. They have to mix the run with the pass evenly and stop the Packers offense from getting into the end zone.

They have to win this one. Anything less than a win this weekend would remind us of the Braves.

Pick: I am going out on a limb here, and picking Atlanta.

Seattle at Chicago--Sun. 1:00P

Everyone loves a Cinderella story. It makes people happy.

Seattle is this season's installment of the rag tag little lady, who has no business dancing with society's upper crust. People are happy, especially the sports media who are not assigned to cover the Jets and whatever asinine statements one of them may make, over the course of the week's hype.

But a team with a losing record going into Soldier Field in January, cannot really expect to have much success against the Bears. Can they?

Carroll is a great coach on paper, he knows his Xs and Os. If you think the Seahawk players can play with the same intensity and can execute like they did against the Saints, you are damned right they can win this game.

The question is, do they have the talent? Can they go on the road in a cold cold stadium and implement what promises to be the better game plan.... against a Chicago team that has some vulnerable spots?

If they studied the Patriots game on film, they will know what to do. If they do what Carroll and his staff have drawn up, I think they can win it.

Pick: Way out on a limb here--- Seattle.

New York Jets at New England--Sun. 4:30P

The Patriots are the most complete team in the AFC and will need to be knocked off in the friendly confines of Foxboro, in January. Not many teams can claim that distinction. And I doubt that the mouthy Jets can do it.

The media will hype this into this big showdown between two elite teams. But I think the overrated Jets are going to see more of what they got last time they played.

NY barely beat the banged up Colts' and their second and third stringers. How can anyone really think they can challenge a well oiled machine?

The only chance the Jesters have is if Tom Brady falls on ice before the game or aliens abduct him. In this case, they would have a small chance of eking out a close victory.....maybe. All categories favor the Pats and I expect them to be ready to send these blowhards packing, all the way back to the Big Apple with their pride hurt and their tails between their legs.

I am tired of hearing about swagger and confidence. Any team that has to mentally motivate themselves by making unprofessional statements to the media is not that good of a team. In this league, legends are not made in the minds of the coaches or the players. They are made on the field, where the media cannot spin it.

New England has been this past decade's dynasty and a worthy rivalry of the Colts, over the course of this time. This puts them in the category of the 49ers of the 80s, the Steelers of the 70s, and the Packers of the 60s. I expect to see at least one more good run for a title this year.

Pick: New England

NFL Wildcard Playoff Preview

New Orleans at Seattle - Saturday 4:30 ET

The defending Super Bowl champs should have no trouble with the Seahawks, who should not be in the playoffs with their sorry record. Seattle will be completely and utterly outclassed on both sides of the ball. Barring any key injury to Brees, this game should be a breeze.

But on the unlikely chance that something were to happen to Brees and the backup would have top step in, I still think the Saints would win this one. They have far more talent than the Hawks at almost every position.

Atlanta won the division and has home field throughout the playoffs in the NFC. But do not count out the experience of the Saints. It's hard to repeat, but experience is hard to beat when you get to this level.


NY Jets at Indianapolis - Saturday 8:00 ET

Rex Ryan, like his father before him, likes to talk. Unlike Belichick, Jim Caldwell, and many other coaches in the NFL, he can fill any opponent's bulletin board in one 10 minute conversation. So you can only imagine what he can do in a week.

The Colts are hurt, we have said that all season. But they have been in all but two games this year, with a chance to win in the end. They lost to NE and Philly by 3 and 2 points respectively. Both are playoff teams.

If their defense can make big plays when they need to, can keep LT and Greene from running wild and controlling the clock on offense, it will force Sanchez to be a factor with a sore shoulder. The more times he throws, the less chance I think NY has to score. I am not sold on the Jets offense.

We know their defense is good. But Manning has always been good against a Ryan scheme. The Colts O-line must protect Peyton and give him time to make plays. Plus, the Colts need a big game by Addai, Brown, and/or Rhodes to help Manning sell the play action. The times I have seen the Jets play, I have noticed their vulnerability is when there is an effective play action working against them.

This one is a toss-up on paper, but the intangibles favor the Colts.


Baltimore at Kansas City - Sunday 1:00 ET

The Ravens defense is another smack talking enterprise. I suppose they inherited that from their former D-Coordinator. Who? Why it's Rex Ryan, of course.

They are a good squad and can back up a lot of their talk on most days. But they will be going up against a former student of Tom Brady, Matt Cassel. Cassel is a pretty decent athlete who makes very sound decisions. And he has flourished in a Weiss-led offense. He will need to make good decisions on Sunday to have a chance.

Flacco and the running game are good on most given days in the season, but they are not without flaws. KC's defense plays hard and could give the Baltimore offense fits... if it can force Flacco into uncomfortable positions. They must stop the Ravens' running game and force Flacco to beat them, to keep the score low enough.

Anything can happen in this one, but I give the edge to Baltimore.


Green Bay at Philadelphia - Sunday 4:30 ET

I have never been sold on Aaron Rodgers, but here he is again in the playoffs. They have played playoff teams tough this year, almost beating NE and Atlanta. They have split their series with the Bears. They do have a chance against Philly.

Their defense must play well and contain Vick, the dog killing bastard. It will be impossible to stop him, but they must frustrate him enough to force him to be the old Vick...the one who at one time threw interceptions like Brett Favre.

But moreover, if Aaron wants to elevate his status out of the "Philip Rivers Big Numbers But No Rings" club, he must play the game of his life this week. He must make good decisions and not get frustrated early.

I am going out on a limb here and giving the edge to the Packers.

I don't like hip-hop and I know this is a football post, but this is just too good to pass up:

GO COLTS!!

Mon AM QB

Playoffs are set. The Colts backed in yesterday when Jacksonville lost to Houston, but they were able to improve their seeding by winning against the Titans. They didn't deserve to win, but they won when Collins refumbled the ball back to Indy, after Rhodes uncharacteristically fumbled it to them.

Once again, the Colts receivers could not make a lot of catchable passes. The only exception was Jacob Tamme. Thankfully Blair White was able to hold onto the biggest pass of the game, which put them into FG range to win at the end.

I guess I am a bit hard on these guys, after all they were all on the practice squad at the beginning of the season. So, I guess I should be thankful we have those kinds of players who can step up.

Up next: The Jets.

I would rather play them than the Ravens right now, but they will be remembering how we eliminated them last year. Luckily for us, they are inconsistent on offense. As long as it's close, we have a good chance of advancing. BUT....we must hold onto the ball and catch the passes that are thrown right on the numbers.

So, what did you all see?


Coming Friday: Playoff Rundown With Predictions And Analysis

Mon AM QB

Colts 31 - Raiders 26

This is always a tough game to watch because the Raiders were my AFL/AFC team as a boy and man, for many years. Long before the Colts came to Indy, they were the team I could talk smack to others about and they delivered in most games.

Lately they have stunk.... because their owner is an idiot. This year they have been very competitive and my hats are off to them and their efforts this year.... despite how stupid Al Davis is.

Two factors I will point out about this game. The Raiders gave the Colts opportunities from stupid immature penalties, but the Colts had to work... for both their points, and to keep the Raiders out of the end zone for most of the game.Their FG kicker (whose name I will not try to spell) is still one of the best in the league, but FGs will not win games unless your defense is flawless.

Manning's hard counts gave the Raiders DLs fits down the stretch, on key drives. There were some key mistakes at critical times in the secondary. Oakland showed their hand too soon on one drive by showing blitz with 14 seconds left on the play clock. That mistake resulted in a Colts TD.

So Indy is still alive.... and Oakland will soon be a more formidable force to be reckoned with, once the defense gets more experience and Campbell learns to make better decisions on offense. He is not a flashy QB, so he needs to be more like Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson. That is to make good decisions by distributing the ball well, and relying on the strong running of McFadden to set up the passing game.


Pats 34 - Bills 3

The juggernaut continues. Some will say it was just the Bills. But the Bills have played some damned good football this year and gave NE a run in their first game. Buffalo is maybe one of the best lousy teams in the league because they play hard against everyone. If they could only play for four quarters, they might be in the middle of the pack.

NE has home field wrapped up now, so nothing to play for next week. Not that they need my help, but if it were me, I'd tell them to play loose next week and do not make any diving catches or other kinds of plays that would result in an injury. Play to win, play to stay in form, but "do not get hurt" should be the goal.


Bears 38 - Jets 34

If the Bears win out and get help from a team that plays against the team with the dog-killer on it, they could get a first round bye. They looked like crap against the Pats awhile back, but they are still a good team when they set their minds to play.

I think Cutler will be a good QB someday and has done much to improve this year. Next year, he should be even better.


Chiefs 34 - Titans 14

KC is back in form with Cassel back. They could be a team that might surprise some people in the playoffs.

It saddens me to see Tennessee in so much disarray. If there were no Colts in Indy, I'd be a fan of the Titans more than any other, because of the tremendous amount of respect I have for Jeff Fisher.

I hope it's not his last year there, but ownership is setting him up to fail by pushing the Vince Young experiment. In my view, Young does not have what it takes to play in this league. He is not a man, he is still a spoiled brat who thinks the damned world revolves around him.

I think ownership wants another McNair, but Young is not going to be that kind of player. Despite his personal flaws that eventually cost him his life off of the field, he was a mature football player on the field. Young is immature both on and off, and if ownership thinks otherwise, they may be losing a great coach to Denver or some other team that needs a superb disciplined coach, who can motivate men to play.


Bengals 34 - Chargers 20

The highly overrated Chargers with the punk Rivers could not compete against a losing team, when the season was on the line. Norv Turner could not coach them to victory either. Both are the most overrated in their positions, in the league. They will be missing the playoffs, which is the way it should be for teams that start off 2-5.

To all of the good fans in San Diego, I have to ask something. Are you now sorry you ran off Drew Brees and Marty Schottenheimer? It does no good to have a punk QB who passes for a million yards and miss the playoffs, or makes the playoffs and gets eliminated in the first game.

Brees has a ring, Rivers doesn't.

Enjoy the playoffs at home.


Skins 20 - Jags 17

Many thanks to Rocket's team for giving the Colts some breathing room. The Jags are still the team that is ready to press through the wall they have built around themselves, but can never seem to press hard enough to get through. They usually beat themselves when the season is on the line.

The talent is there, but they lack discipline to close. Maybe it's time for a coaching change.

When they play the Colts, they let their dislike for Indy get in the way of playing solid hard-nosed football. They allow their emotions to get the better of them by taking cheap shots and getting flagged. They get caught up in the machismo thing and fail to think right when the game is on the line.

From the looks of the score, Jacksonville did that again yesterday.


Lions 34 - Dolphins 27

Congrats to the Lions, who may be the best lousy team in the NFC. They have played harder this year, they have hung in there against some good teams. A little tweaking in the off season and maybe they can compete for a wild card spot soon.

Through it all, the Detroit fans are some of the most loyal around. When some fair weather fans in other towns give up on their teams, the Lions fans are still as rabid as any division leading team's.

The Pistons have won some NBA championships and the Tigers have won a few in baseball. Detroit sports fans are always proud of them. But nothing can sway the faithful Lions fans away from their team.

Good job Lions. Hang in there.

Mon AM QB

Colts 34 - Jaguars 24

It's weird having the Colts playing for their lives so late in the season. As Greg said a couple of weeks ago, we are spoiled here in Indy.

I saw only the second half. But what I did see was a great effort by the offense, defense, and special teams. You have to have that balance to win games. They made some mistakes along the way but overall, they made the big plays when they needed to, with the biggest play at the end of the game on the onside kick.

Manning did not throw a pick. But there were some easy drops by the receivers. The defense stopped the run well enough to keep the Jags out of their rhythm. But they did blow some big pass coverages at times, which led to some big gains.

Still yet with all of the criticism and prognostications, it was a win. And we'll take it.

The Colts are still alive with a huge game next week at Oakland. If they win out, they are in the playoffs for the umpteenth time in a row. They may get knocked out in the first round, but they will be there with their practice team, making every effort.

So....what did you all see?

Mon AM QB

I didn't see much football at all yesterday. I did see the dirty scumbag act by the Jets coach, after the network cut away from the thrashing the Pats were administering to the Bears.

My Super Bowls predictions are as follows: New England vs. Atlanta or New Orleans. Of course I could be wrong, so I would bet any house payments on this. And as always, my opinions are subject to change.

These are the teams that are peaking at the right time with complete performances on both sides of the ball, as well as special teams. Those are the kinds of teams that win titles.

So....what did you all see?

Mon AM QB

What can I say about the Colts? There are so many reasons they lost that game yesterday. But the one reason I never thought I would be able to say, Peyton Manning.

I cannot believe he is even in the discussion for MVP. He is losing games. Hands down, he has to be the front runner for the 2010 Brett Favre Award for most completions to the opposing team.

The backups in the role positions are not always helpful either. That jackwagon that got the personal foul for leverage late in the game needs to be released. But many of them are playing their hearts out...only to have Mr. Overthink throw the damned ball away in OT when the game is on the line.

I say play for a draft pick and see if Andrew Luck comes out next year. We do need a QB of the future and would have loved to see Curtis Painter get some snaps yesterday, just for general purposes.

It may be time for Manning to think about coaching. On second thought, the play calling in that games sucked too. Maybe not. Maybe this will reduce his value and they will not have to commit so much to resigning him. Maybe, maybe, maybe. but who knows?

I just know this season is done.

Mon AM QB

Pats 31 - Colts 28

Give them credit for not giving up, give them credit for coming back in the end to make a game of it. But in the end, the Colts were outmanned and outgunned throughout most of the game. The Patriots pretty much dictated the pace.

Indy had lots of opportunities long before the last drive that culminated in a game winning interception. But they could not cash in on them and the defense could not stop the NE offense, until the end of the game. I think it was because the Pats defense was finally getting tired.

As has been the case for the last 3 weeks, the inexperience of the receiving corps was part of the Colts' problem on offense. Indy is best when they can make good catches, because their running game is dependent on those catches. Being able to spread the field opens up the running lanes. But early on, they could not establish much of either on a consistent basis, which made NE's job easier.

When the offense was finally starting to click, it was Manning who made the final grave error that cost them the game. Don't get me wrong, without Manning the Colts would be a two win team right now.....maybe one. But in the clutch moment of the game, I would have expected him to make better decisions, especially when there was little pressure and they were in FG range.

Oh well....they did exceed my predictions. So it my hope they can come back next week with some more confidence and beat the highly overrated Chargers..... and their punk quarterback.

I also must credit NE for playing up to their potential and not taking a banged up Indy team lightly. They did what they had to do, they did not look overconfident. They played with meaning and purpose........and they executed.


Skins 19 - Titans 16

I think Tennessee needs to reevaluate whether Young is the the QB of this team for the future, or not. It's not his performance or his ability to attract injuries. Injuries are one of those things that sometimes cannot be controlled.

It is his temperament and his immature attitude that is the primary cause of his downfall. There is too much talent on this team to be held hostage to one big baby, who has yet to do what it takes to earn respect.


Jets 30 - Texans 27

Either the Jets are the luckiest team in the league or the Texans are the unluckiest. Maybe it's both. NY finds ways to win in the last minutes after looking mediocre. Houston finds ways to blow it, after showing flashes of greatness.

In this case, I feel very sorry for David Schaub. He did all he could do to get them into a great position to win this one. It was the Texans' secondary that blew this one.


Packers 31 - Vikings 3

This is really it. It's official. Brett Favre was phenomenal last year, but he is now done. And so is Brad Childress.

Time for the Vikings to fire Childress and bench Favre. There isn't much to salvage for the season, but the rest of the team can get some quality work without having to deal with the sideshows.

I have been a fan of Brett's for years. He has been one of the greatest I have seen in my lifetime, and is destined for the Hall of Fame. But, it's time to go quietly into that good night.

Goodbye Brett, we knew you well. Go repair your marriage (if it's salvageable) and leave the football to the young guys. You will be hurting badly in your later years, as it is. You do not want to be crippled.


So, what did you all see?

Mon AM QB

Colts 23 - Bengals 17

Luck and some help from Carson Palmer, who had a knack for throwing INTs. Indy didn't exactly earn anything, it was one that fell into their laps.

The receiving corps is depleted, chemistry and timing is off, and I am starting to wonder if Pierre Garcon can even catch a ball. It is not anywhere near the same team and I seriously doubt anything good will come out of this season.

We may make the playoffs by the skin of our teeth, if we are lucky. But, this isn't the year for the Horse.


Dolphins 29 - Titans 17

Moss is not going to make or break this Tennessee team. They are going to have to win as a unit. As good as they can play and as bad as they have, they still have what it takes to make it to the playoffs.

It's all up to them, the talent is there. They just have to get Young healthy, back in sync, and get the rest of their players to step up a notch.


Pats 39 - Steelers 26

I didn't see the game, but it appears that NE has rebounded well from last week's loss to Cleveland. The Colts are getting their asses kicked next week.


So what did you all see?

Mon AM QB

Eagles 26 - Colts 24

The Colts are so depleted on both sides of the ball, it's a wonder that this was not a blowout. Indy has many practice squad players suited up and therefore, mistakes are abound. Even at that, the Colts were in this game until the final seconds.

This shows that Philadelphia is really not that good of a team, despite the accolades the media sends to them on an almost weekly basis. The sport pundits' love affair with their dog-killer quarterback borders on sickening.


Browns 34 - Pats 14

I am in shock.

Just as I was ready to say that NE was the team to beat in the league, this happens. They still might be, but it makes the argument harder to prove to all of the rabid Steeler fans.... whose team has their own despicable and pathetic quarterback. I didn't see it, but it had to be bad if it was the Browns and it was by this much.

I swear that I could hear Greg cursing all the way in the Midwest.


Raiders 23 - Chiefs 20

The surprise team this year is Oakland. Every now and then they put together a team of renegade players who can gel together and play well enough to make the playoffs. The past couple of years, their defense has been playing pretty decent. But now, their offense is starting to score points.

The Chiefs seem to be sputtering and headed the other way. They started out 3-0, and have struggled against good teams since.


So, what did you all see?

Mon AM QB

I saw only bits of the Jets-Packers game, which GB won 9-0. It just goes to show what I have been saying about the Jets. They have an awesome defense, but their offense is still suspect.

I think Wade Phillips is a goner. The Cowboys continue to make their case for the worst team in the NFL.

A big sigh for Rocket's Skins and AC's Titans. I cannot believe they lost to the teams they lost to. And what about Oakland? Will they be the dark horse team of the season? They keep scoring points like they are on that mission.

The Pats keep winning, they get another easy game next week. Then, it's the Steelers and the Colts. And who knows what the hell the Colts will do tonight? I know I will be fast asleep when it goes down.

So, what did you all see?

Mon AM QB

Colts were off this week. So, nothing to report there except that Dallas Clark is out for the season. We have problems at WR due to injuries and at punter due to excessive intake of liquor.

Got to see most of the Patriots and Chargers. NE almost let it slip away in the end, but held on to set SD back to a 2-5 record. Greg will disagree with me, but I still say Rivers is the most overrated QB ion the NFL. What good is throwing the ball for a million yards per game and still losing.

Rocket's Skins squeaked out one against the Bears and AC's Titans thrashed the Eagles. But the big screwing came at the hands of the refs in the Steelers-Dolphins game. They handed that game to Pittsburgh due to their blatant incompetence. I think the NFL ought to fine the hell out any officiating team that screws up this badly. When they are calling games at this level, they have no business watching the game with your head in their backsides.

And what about the multiple personality Oakland Raiders? They lose to SF (their only win) and come out this week and blast the Broncos. You just never know in this league.

So....what did you guys see?

Mon AM QB

Colts 27 - Skins 24

I had to hit the sack early for an early start of what will be a long day. So as is usually the case with night time NFL games, I didn't see it. But from what I have read, it looks like it was one that Washington could have easily won, had their secondary been able to hang onto the balls they had chances to intercept.

Indy appears to have its running game going again. They will need it if they are going to compete.


-In other news-


Pats 23 - Ravens 20

I got to see a good portion of this one, especially the last 4 minutes of regulation and all of the OT.

Both teams are in the upper echelon, both must be reckoned with. NE did a good job of clamping down late when it mattered and continues tom improve.

Baltimore is tough to beat because of their defense, they win when the defense plays relentlessly and flawless (which is much of the time). NE looks they are rediscovering their identity as a good football team that has all teams -- offense, defense, and special teams -- playing well. They have reemerged as one of the more complete teams in the league.

Their defense is stepping up. They are giving up a few yards now and then. But they are making key stops when they need to, and are being very scrappy as far as points are concerned.

I still marvel at the Baltimore fans who still hold grudges against the Colts. Hypocrites. It's been over 25 years now since they lost the Colts...they still say they were "stolen". It's been 14 years since they stole the Ravens from Cleveland. So when will they give it up?

Anyway...it was a tough win the Pats had to win if they are going to stay in the mix for bye in the playoffs. It was a good game.


Rams 20 - Chargers 17

Does my heart good but I will condense it:

Rivers, overrated punk.

Turner, not a coach--never has been.

SD is 2-4. Bet they wish they still had Brees.


Vikings 24 - Cowboys 21

What a finish to this game. Minnesota needed that one to have a chance to be in the mix later on. It was absolutely imperative that they win this -- no ifs, ands, or buts. They needed to gut this one out and they did it.

They only unanswered question now is how long Phillips will have a job?


So what did you see yesterday.?

Mon AM QB

Colts 19 - Chiefs 9

A win is a win, but there is nothing for Colts fans to be excited about after this game. It could be some issues that can and will get resolved as the season wears on, or it could be the end of an era beginning to manifest.

The Indy defense showed up at crucial points, but KC did a good job of shooting itself in the foot too. Take nothing away from the Chiefs, they are a much improved team. But there is something missing on Indy's offense this year.

One thing that stands out is play selection. Manning is not doing a good job of keeping the defense guessing. He is becoming too conservative, too predictable. He used to not be afraid to go down field on 1st down, he used to use the play action more often, he used to have confidence in his receivers. But not now.

Not everything is his fault. It could be the receivers are not on the same page.

I often wonder whether Manning is effectively communicating his intentions on certain plays, or are they not understanding.

In this game, there were several instances when the WRs were not in the right position to catch the ball. Were they in the right place and Manning threw it to the wrong area? Or did they screw up and run the wrong route?

I don't know for sure, but they had better get this straightened out or this may be a long season.


In other news---

Nice to see Detroit get a win, even if it was against St. Louis.

Once again, the overrated Green Bay Packers lost....this time to Rocket's Skins. I guess Aaron Rodgers isn't the "golden child" they had hoped for, after all. I'd nominate him for the Philip Rivers Award, but Rodgers isn't near the punk Rivers is.

The highly overrated SD Chargers are now 2-3 after a loss to Oakland. Wow....I wonder how they now feel about dissing Drew Brees for the punk, Philip Rivers. Maybe they could have had a Super Bowl ring by now?

Tennessee beat Dallas, in Dallas. Oh well, I expect Wade Phillips to be gone soon.

And finally, Mike Singletary was a great linebacker for the Bears. He has been a temperamental, no-nonsense coach that people like to see succeed. He was a jerk to a reporter and got the reporter reassigned. But his 49ers are winless. And when you do not win in this league, the NFL stands for "not for long".

Mon AM QB

I write this week's installment ahead of time, not knowing who won anything. This probably means that after Week 4, I still haven't seen one damned game.

So if it is not possible for me to post any commentary on any of yesterday's action, consider this your weekly NFL thread for whining, complaining, gloating, or trash talking.

Mon AM QB

Once again, I didn't get to watch anything yesterday. I had two very difficult and long call cases to contend with and missed the entire Colts game. Next weekend may be iffy as well. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. After all, they did win 27-13 over the overrated Broncos.

So from looking at the scores.... I see that Rocket's Skins lost to St. Louis. Tennessee beat the Giants, and Greg's Pats beat the Bills.

Minnesota finally won over the Lions (sorry, Chuck and Tom). I don't know what (if anything) will help them get on the winning track. The Saints lost to the inconsistent Falcons, and the team to beat early on looks like the Steelers. They are winning without the rapist Roethlisberger.

Looks like a fun NFL season. If I ever get to watch any of the games, I will be able to enjoy it like everyone else.

So, what did you see?

Mon AM QB

Colts 38 - Giants 14

Didn't see it. When my day starts at 4:30 in the morning, I rarely watch anything on TV and certainly not a late football game. But from the score I am seeing this morning, it looks like the Colts got back on their usual track.

I didn't watch much daytime football yesterday either. I did see that Houston may not be a fluke, coming back from a 17 point deficit to Rocket's Skins.

I also caught a few plays of Greg's Pats. I don't know what happened there, but I thought NE was going to be able to withstand the inexperienced Jets offense. I still think the Jets are not nearly as good as everyone makes them out to be. Their defense is great, but the offense has yet to prove to be consistent.

Anyway, what are YOUR thoughts Week 2?