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Post by **Troy** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:16 am

All of the sporting sites that I go to are talking about how good the Ravens v Steelers game and rivalry is. If you are getting your sporting news from like CNN or some other general news site, what are you expecting?

ESPN even made a cool photoshop for it.

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Post by **Leisher** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:30 am

ESPN and FOX Sports, particularly their radio and TV shows.

Sure, they talk about Ravens-Steelers for a minute, then spend 5 on Jets-Patriots. Pretty much zero on the NFC. It's ridiculous.

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Post by **TheCatt** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:30 am

Yeah, I agree that the NFC has been ignored, but I haven't seen more Pats/Jets coverage than Steelers/Ravens. In fact, I thought I'd seen more Steelers/Ravens, especially the whole "series has tied # of points, Steelers lead by 1 game, etc, etc" facts.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:40 am

Favre's legacy is damaged because he's a wishy-washy multiple-time retiree douchebag.

Post by **Troy** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:06 pm

Woah. I lazily hotlinked to the ESPN site.

They switched Ben and Polamalu's heads at some point. Ben's head looks waaaay worse.

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Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:29 pm

Where's the knife that goes in Ray Lewis's hand?

Post by **Leisher** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:45 pm

Polamalu gets AFC Player of the Year award.

Duh.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 5:21 pm

Fumble. Good goddamn. And NO ONE picked that up.

Post by **TheCatt** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 11:19 am

I didn't have any dog in the Steelers/Ravens, so I let my daughter decide, and she said we should cheer for the yellow team.

So you are welcome.

To the teams: If there is a ball on the ground, always jump on it. Just like if someone hits the ground, make sure he's actually down.

1/2 on picks, 2/2 on cheering for.... that makes me 3/6 and 6/6 respectively.

I'm definitely cheering the Jets, picking Pats... no idea on the NFC game, just don't care about either team.

Post by **Leisher** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 1:14 pm

Thank you.

I thought the game was over after the first half and that ridiculous fumble. (22 guys on the field that have played football since they were little kids, and only 1 is smart enough to pick it up?!?)

I just couldn't see how the Steelers could overcome a 14 point deficit in a series where the winning team usually scores 17 points. Not to mention that the Steelers looked terrible in the first half. Turnovers, penalties, bad calls, sloppy play, zero energy, etc.

Well something happened at halftime to fire them up, and the teams switched roles in the second half. Great game.

Meanwhile, what the hell happened in Atlanta? When's the last time a #1 seed was routed at home?

I think the Bears win today setting up an interesting outdoor match up next week.

I'll also be rooting for the Jets, but think the Patriots will win.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 1:32 pm

Well something happened at halftime to fire them up, and the teams switched roles in the second half. Great game.

As much as the Steelers looked better after the half the Ravens looked fucking worse. Holy dear Jeebus, that was an implosion of epic proportions. They looked like the Baltimore Vikings/Minnesota Ravens most of the second half.

Meanwhile, what the hell happened in Atlanta? When's the last time a #1 seed was routed at home?

Regular season performance isn't the greatest indicator of postseason performance, either. I've never been a fan of Atlanta's D under any kind of real pressure. I do not doubt their ability to run up points.

But there looks to be an asymmetry in football (and many sports) ...
There's more ways to stop a kick-ass offense than there are ways to get through a kick-ass defense. If your D can't hold out the other team the majority of the time, you lose. If your offense works 50% of the time, you'd call it god-like.

The Falcons D got lit up like a Christmas tree on the Fourth of July. GB's D didn't have that great of a day either, but when your opponent lets in 40+, all you need to do to be safe is keep it under 30 (which any average D can do on an average day). That was the entire philosophy that led the Greatest Show on Turf win a Super Bowl about a decade ago. GB's D was average, Atlanta's was hideous. But since GB's offense was on the field so much (GB's ToP was ~38m, Atlanta's ToP was ~22m), their average D was probably pretty well rested, which only made them play better against an Atlanta offense that couldn't take the slugfest.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 1:36 pm

Seattle owes their punter a raise. He just did correctly what a shitload of special teams players have fucked up.

Post by **TheCatt** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 7:48 pm

SUCK IT PATS!

7-7 on teams cheered for (I ignored the NFC game today)...

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:25 pm

I'll call GB v. Steelers.

Post by **Leisher** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 10:51 pm

I'd like to see Bears versus Steelers as I think that maybe that's a better matchup for the Steelers than the pass happy Packers, but who knows?

If the Steelers play like they did in the first half this week, they won't be in the Super Bowl.

If they play like they did in the second half, they can beat anyone.

Post by **Leisher** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:52 am

A little tidbit that is getting little press this weekend is the revelation that New England has been doing those punt walls since before the Jets got caught. This was hinted at previously, but apparently they have it on tape.

Funny how the media isn't going nuts with this little tidbit like they did when the Jets got caught.

This is the third year the Patriots have been one and done in the playoffs. They haven't won a Super Bowl since they got caught cheating, "Spygate". Now they have been caught on video cheating again.

Can we please stop calling Bill Belicheck the best football coach in the world?

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:23 pm

And Sanchez chokes in the red zone. Game over. Hello GB v. Steelers.

EDIT : Wow. Fortunately, Big Ben chokes bigger.

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Post by **Leisher** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:53 pm

Amazing how important chemistry is between a center and quarterback.

That second half was like watching the Sugar Bowl all over again. Up huge and go ridiculously conservative. I hate that.

Still...Super Bowl bound!!!

Post by **Leisher** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:28 pm

Saw the story today about Palmer wanting a trade out of Cincinnati and Mike Brown's response and had to say something.

You want to see the difference between teams like Pittsburgh, New England, etc. and teams like Cincinnati? Here it is:

The Bengals have made no significant changes coming off a 4-12 season. Coach Marvin Lewis returned even though Brown said the front office didn't need to change. The Bengals have only two winning records in the last 20 years.

Meanwhile, Palmer says he's going to retire if not traded, TO is a free agent, Ochocinco will probably be gone, Benson is a free agent and will probably leave, and one of their other big name guys is a free agent (can't remember who though).

If you're a free agent, why would you stay or go to this franchise? It's obvious that they're committed to mediocrity.

I actually think it has to be worse to be a Cincy fan than a Browns fan. At least the Browns try...

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 4:06 pm

He's calling a retirement bluff on a dude that's been making seven figures a year for ... I dunno, how long now? Yeah, that's a brilliant gamble. Fuck, if you just straight up gave me a $100,000 head start once, I could probably retire right now and live the remainder of my life comfortably.

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