I just don’t see San Fran getting lucky twice in a row. Great game – but the Saints really screwed up on defense in the fourth. Green Bay all the way to the Superbowl.
16.
SFAW
Right. Time for the Packers to crush the Giants …
Yeah, same as they did four years ago. What was that, Farvervevvre’s 23rd ring or something? Kicked they [Giants] ass, they did.
17.
JPL
IMO…you don’t give any Manning five minutes to throw..
18.
SFAW
Right. Time for the Packers to crush the Giants …
Nice TD pass by Rodgers just now. The Jints can still come back, though.
Mercifully, any team I had the slightest reason to care about is now out, so I can focus on what’s really important: HOCKEY.
22.
Hill Dweller
Jennings is having a great game…
23.
Kurt Montandon
As a Niners fan who is almost fully recovered from yesterday – with the help of some mid-day vodka – I’m finding myself in the distressing position of rooting for the Giants. Ah well, got to.
24.
SFAW
Nice ruling by the Ref on the “fumble”. I mean, the air above the ground is considered part of the ground, right? “Cause that’s the only way he was “down by contact”.
I agree with you overall, but I do think the Giants got robbed on the fumble call.
Still, on we go.
26.
SFAW
I hate when the fncking announcers second guess the zebras on a ruling that’s probably too close to call,
Me too, when it IS too close to call. This one – not so much …
27.
AnotherBruce
You know what I hate? When the referees don’t blow the whistle on an apparent fumble, and then decide the fumble didn’t happen. It was really a bullshit ruling.
28.
patrick II
My favorite commerical was just on. “Don’t wake up in a roadside ditch — get rid of cable”
Tackling, and apparently catching the ball, are evidently both lost arts…
45.
AnotherBruce
@efgoldman: Well, unless the Giants win, I know what the radio sports blabbers are going to be talking about tomorrow morning. Last year it was all Cutler all the time.
Makes you wonder who puts the players’ uniforms on for them, doesn’t it?
47.
Schlemizel
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson:
Too many of them got there by “blowing people up”. The crowd eats it up & who cares if it hurts both players.
I am sick of this in hockey too. You see some clown come off his skates (a penalty) bring his forearms up and slam into another player. The crown goes nuts, the announcers shriek about the ‘big hit’ and we get replays of it the rest of the night. Nobody knows how to check any more either.
48.
Raven
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: I find nothing surprising when it comes to people criticizing athletes while sitting upon their dupa’s.
49.
Raven
And this bum Manning, have you ever seen anyone throw the ball worse?
And just what are you sitting on? Newsflash: those athletes are highly paid to perform. It’s perfectly reasonable for the audience to discuss their performance and to criticize them when they screw up. The NFL ain’t North Korea.
51.
Raven
None of the guys know the first thing about playing football. I don’t even know why YOU watch it.
I think you’ve gotta put Peyton in there. He’s pretty accurate, especially if you include those years with Marvin Harrison.
63.
Mr Stagger Lee
@Raven: But don’t you go nuts when you have a ball carrier in one guy’s arms or better yet 2 defensive guys with a ball carrier and the guy slithers out and runs for another 5-10 yards? Or your team seems to be pushed down the field time after time?
None of the guys know the first thing about playing football. I don’t even know why YOU watch it.
You do realize that just by watching the game today, a person gets to use proper nouns in Scrabble all next week, or has no one ever bothered to fill you in on the more obscure parts of the game.
65.
Yutsano
@MikeJ: I think u haz a bit more than me right now. But that’s okay. More is coming.
66.
p.a.
@patrick II: hellooooo… Peyton Manning not on the list? I hate him too, but c’mon.
I’m enjoying the game, but I have to wonder if there are any professions more useless than game announcer.
Since I finally hooked up a decent sound system to the entertainment center, I listen to music while watching hand egg. Its fun to put a soundtrack down to the action. I’ll unmute and listen to the replay calls, or to those ferocious flag-throwing contests when the zebras have to break up a riot.
Otherwise, its Natalie Merchant, Bob Marley and Vivaldi. Fuck you, yappy overpaid stuffed shirts full of hot air!
So, when are we going to see new youtubes of seattle drivers snowboarding their cars down hills?
69.
scav
Quote the Raven: Do not discuss the quality of the actions of your betters. Not even in a quiet room. Seriously, I thought loud, slightly informed, definitive and arm-punctuated argumentation about obscure rules and dodgy plays was exactly the point of watching football (or sports), once you factor in the beer and snacks, of course. Uniforms, oh yes, they have to get in there somewhere as well as cover for burly guys to wear the most outrageous colors of mascara and facepaint.
Peyton isn’t on my list, and neither are Breees, or Farve, or Elway or Marino. All great quarterbacks. But the guys I named, in my mind at least, were the guys who’s precision and accuracy was just remarkable. They guy who almost always hit the receiver right in stride so he could run for the extra yards.
Who would you like to see in the Super Bowl? SanFran/Ravens,
GreenBay/Patriots, Giants/Ravens..yadda, yadda, yadda…
I wanted a Rodgers/Brady matchup because they are both great QB’s and would have a large audience. I could be wrong though. What do you think?
I still think you need Pennington on that list, if accuracy is the criterion.
90.
burnspbesq
The Packers dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, they had a turnover erased on an obviously bad call … And they’re down by 10. Not promising.
I’ll have to add somc criterion regarding being able to throw more than ten yards downfield.
99.
Mr Stagger Lee
@JPL: I prefer GB/New England matchup. A Giants-Patriots won’t be too bad, but I would have to avoid ESPN for two weeks. 49ers in the Super Bowl would be cool, but under NO circumstances I want the Ravens in the SB!
100.
Mr Stagger Lee
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: Big Ben Rothlisberger, who should have sat out of the last game to give his ankle some healing.
101.
DCLaw1
Awfully quiet in that stadium.
102.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@JPL: San Fran / Baltimore. Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh. Except for the terrible announcing that this would bring about.
Also too, then my team would have made it to the Super Bowl.
103.
DCLaw1
Oh yikes, another GB fumble.
104.
Joel
Watching the Packers reminds me of the Patriots’ playoff loss to the Jets last year. Zero intensity, an elite quarterback with the jitters, an opponent that provides opportunities but steps up enough in critical spots to win it.
105.
The Dangerman
Packers may have been reading too many of those reviews calling them unbeatable. I have no dog in the hunt (though having the Super Bowl go through San Francisco would be fun), but the Packers are … not playing well.
106.
Raven
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: I wish you could have been here for the chicken cacciatore and steamed artichoke.
107.
DCLaw1
I like Aaron Rodgers, but the slow motion shot of him looking over at his empty throwing hand as it came forward was comical.
108.
Joel
@Richard: Adjusted for era (in fairness to the players who operated under rules that were much less passer-friendly than the current ones), here’s pro-football-reference’s most accurate by indexed completion percentage (+ means completion percentage relative to average, times 100).
Sammy Baugh 132+
Steve Young 125+
Len Dawson 124+
Joe Montana 124+
Otto Graham 123+
Arnie Herber 123+
Chad Pennington 121+
Bart Starr 121+
Kurt Warner 121+
Drew Brees 119+
Sammy Baugh was good.
109.
JPL
My nightmare in the SB would be giants/ravens.. That game might be interesting to east coast fans but not much else.
When my sons were younger I’d make food according to the cities that were playing. Really what would be interesting about Giants/Ravens? I’m allergic to shell fish so crabs don’t work.
110.
Sir Nose'D
Dear Packers. A touchdown right about now would be nice. Thank you for your consideration.
111.
Mr Stagger Lee
The ads for 21 Jump Street, another movie based on a series. Yes I will avoid this piece of dreck.
112.
Raven
@scav: \”Seriously, I thought loud, slightly informed, definitive and arm-punctuated argumentation about obscure rules and dodgy plays was exactly the point of watching football”
Once again, foiled by statistics over subjective judgement.
Young and Montana played with different defensive rules. so I am keeping them on my list. I will add Brees, (who was the one I was on the bubble about anyway) but not Pennington. Really, he was only asked to throw the ball five yards at at time.
@Raven:
Being from Chicago, that brings back horrible memories. They should add watching Bobby Douglas as a version of the “ending up in a roadside ditch” commercial.
118.
Raven
@patrick II: The Bears-Lions game with him and Landry were classic!
Well, a big reason that modern- I’ll arbitrarily mark the beginning of the modern era with Bill walsh’s arrival in SF- QBs dominate statistically is because they all throw a lot of little 5-yard passes.
I’ll have to add somc criterion regarding being able to throw more than ten yards downfield.
Pennington’s yards per completion average was 10.9 for his career. For comparison, Montana’s was 11.9, Young’s was 12.4, Rogers’ is 12.6, Brady’s is 11.8, Brees’ is 11.3 and Warner’s was 12.1 . All higher, but the difference isn’t as dramatic as you might expect.
The leading active player with regards to this stat is Ben Roethlisberger, at 12.7 yards per completion. He’s #83.
An eight-minute drive ending in a TD would be a nice thing right about now.
126.
Raven
@AnotherBruce: He could throw the shit out of a football. . .and baseball.
127.
Raven
Bobby Douglass would have slud!
128.
AnotherBruce
@Raven: Yes he could. I watched the youtube you linked to and that pass he threw into the end zone was a rocket.
Pity he didn’t have Pennington’s accuracy. Maybe not even Tebow’s accuracy.
129.
Raven
@AnotherBruce: In five seasons from 1971–1975, Douglass played in 47 games and amassed 2,040 rushing yards. During that span, he averaged 43.4 rushing yards per game played—the second highest rushing yards per game average over a five-season span for a QB. Randall Cunningham ranks first with 43.5 yds/g over a five-season span from 1986–1990).
However, Douglass had little success as a passer, going 507-for-1178 for 36 touchdowns and 64 interceptions with a quarterback passer rating of only 48.5 during his 11-season NFL career.
Sounds like any other Saturday in the Big Ten season, but with Bill Walsh on the sideline.
133.
Mark B.
The Packers D has been shaky all year, and the O looked a little rusty at e start of the game. Plus, the Giant got hot at he end of the year, just like in 2007. They could have a repeat of that run.
Interesting list. I’m an old baseball player and throwing (all kinds of ways – pitchers, quarterbacks, shortstops etc) was always really interesting to me. To me the best pure passers – the most fun to watch – were Namath, Marino, and Fouts. And then Elway for arm strength and just general excitement in the early days of his career – not the 4th quarter overhyped stuff, just the way he played.
140.
burnspbesq
Questionable decision by the Packers. The Giants only have to go 25 yards to get into Tynes’ range for a FG that would give them a two-score lead.
@Raven @burnspbesq: Tons of play left, but its the mental game working against Rodgers and his receivers corps. Too many drops, and the adrenaline is now from stress of fighting your own frustration, rather than fighting your opponent. All NY has to do is run the clock.
ETA: … and NY receivers are *catching* what’s thrown. My cheese is m.e.l.t.i.n.g…
@Raven:
Back from supper.
The thing about Douglas was that he would have games like the one on your youtube video — and then not be able to hit a receiver for a month. On his good days he looked like the best quarterback in the world. His good days showed his “potential” that kept him around for ten years. but his bad days were like watching Tebow — but with a much stronger arm and without luck or God or whomever on his side.
150.
patrick II
If Rodgers keeps missing open receivers, I may have to take him off of my list.
151.
Raven
Well, don’t have to worry about missing Downton Abbey!
152.
Joel
I didn’t really have a dog in this race, but I wanted to see some more [url=http://1.media.sportspickle.cvcdn.com/70/36/932c4c13f35ee0eb3242e5be5414a809.jpg]Manning face[/url].
153.
The Dangerman
On the list of signs it isn’t your day, that last fumble and return is close to the top of the list…
…and TD. Packers are done.
154.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
I have a feeling that Tom Coughlin is moving away from the hot seat.
155.
Joel
I don’t have a dog in this race, but I wanted to see more Manning face. At least we’ll be subjected to fewer Aaron Rodgers commercials.
The thing about both Mrino and Namath was they could throw the ball with such velocity with such short quick strokes. A little flick from behind the ear and the ball would be on a rope for 50 yards.
158.
burnspbesq
The Packers may not be officially dead, but it’s time to administer the last rites.
159.
orygunian
Go niners!. I think our defense is going to demolish either of these teams. We are just too fast to the outside, too strong on the pass rush, and too strong in the secondary. Alex may have found his self int the 4th quarter yesterday.
So I think we have the best defense remaining in the NFC and defenses win play offs
With regards to the mostly mediocre Douglass and comparisons to Tebow, I remember a few weeks ago ESPN showed a graphic featuring the most comeback wins by a rookie quarterback. Tebow was at the top the list, which they were making a big deal about. The funny thing was, from what I could gather, everyone else on the list they displayed ultimately went on to be washouts with short careers.
161.
The Dangerman
I’m far from a football expert (I figured it would be Saints and Packers next week), but Alex Smith against the Giants D may not be pretty.
but his bad days were like watching Tebow—but with a much stronger arm and without luck or God or whomever on his side.
A defense. The Broncos have one. The Bears, during Douglass’ time there, did not.
166.
kindness
I’m pretty shocked that there very well might be another playoff game at Candlestick this year. I expect the Packers to rule and look, the Giants are 10 points ahead still.
167.
patrick II
@burnspbesq:
Did you finish the lst rites ceremony?
168.
different-church-lady
Football was more interesting when there were two goalposts right on the goal line.
169.
Ed in NJ
Refs trying their best to give the Packers a chance.
170.
Loneoak
Ugh, feeling queasy.
171.
heh
Wow refs–work a lil harder to keep the cheeze whiz kids in da game, whydoncha?
Giants recover onside kick.
IN NOMINE PATRIS ET FILII ET SPIRITUS SANCTI, AMEN.
173.
MikeB
This is why I prefer the European football (soccer) system for determining
the champion. They play 38 regular season league games. Whoever
has the best record at the end of the regular season is the champion, period,
no bullshit “playoffs”. This makes every game in the regular season important,
you can’t take a day off figuring all you have to do is win a couple more games
and “make the playoffs”. It keeps some team with a lousy record from
knocking out a more deserving team that happens to have a bad game
on a given day. If two teams have identical records at the end of the season,
scoring differential would determine the champ.
The NFL could even have an “NFL Cup” knockout tournament for the also rans at the end of the season to determine runners up.
Of course this will never happen, given the big bucks involved in the playoffs,
but I think the European system is a much better measure of excellence for
team sports. Randinho may agree with me on this…
Don’t get me started on the NCAA hoops tournament…
I’m pretty shocked that there very well might be another playoff game at Candlestick this year.
PG&E will have to double check all their transformers, gas lines, etc.
177.
Mr Stagger Lee
@The Dangerman: Niner fans think they got this in the bag if the G-men win, but that matchup with Alex Smith gives me pause
178.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
Well played the Giants. Impressive performance today.
179.
different-church-lady
Huh… turns out you do need a defense to win a championship.
180.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@MikeB: There’s a very good reason something like that wouldn’t work for the NFL that has nothing to do with money. The teams would not be able to play enough games to use a regular season for that kind of championship, the players would all be beaten to a pulp.
181.
Hill Dweller
As if this loss isn’t bad enough, Wisconsin residents will wake up tomorrow morning, and Scott Walker will still be their Governor.
The NFL, in it’s first 11 or 12 years, went with the best record to determine the championship. 3 of the Packers’ 13 championships were won that way.
183.
EriktheRed
If having the Packers win the Super Bowl the nest 10 years were the price this Bears fan had to pay to see the cheesehead state recall Scott Walker, then I’d say “GO PACKERS!”. Since no such guarantee is possible, though, I’m saying “GO GIANTS”!
184.
Bill D.
@TPN
1. Round robin for each conference to determine the conference champions.
2. Three-game series of the conference champions for the league championship
That would answer that objection.
185.
BD of MN
@different-church-lady: the ’98 Vikings were pretty much the case study for that theory…
Great win for the Giants on the road. On to Candlesick. Which makes me happy.
189.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@Bill D.: So, kind of like how Major League Baseball used to do things, before 1969?
190.
Bill D.
In both NFC playoff games this weekend the team with the glitzy offense lost due to turnovers.
191.
Bill D.
@TPN: Yeah, that’s the idea. Just a concept that’ll never happen again in pro sports in the US due to $$$$$
192.
kindness
The Fourty Niners would like to cordially invite one and all on their bandwagon.
193.
MikeB
@The prophet Nostradumbass: I’m not sure why that would be the case. There are seldom
two NFL teams atop the league at the end of the season with identical WL records.
GB was tops this year, NE last year, why would more games be
necessary if not for the added revenue? 16 games seems like
plenty to determine the best team in the league. I get your
point about the physical wear and tear of NFL football, and
would not recommend a 38 game season for them :)
I believe I’ll go have a chat with my neighbor around the corner who has had a Packers flag flying all week.
198.
Jamey
@Joel: Not only good, but also throwing what essentially was a soccer ball with laces. One only imagines what QBs like Baugh, Luckman, and Arnie Herber would have done with a slimmer ball, possession receiver offensive schemes, and in-the-grasp/five yard bump-and-run rules…
Ouch. The Packers played very poorly overall, their worst performance of the season, and the Giants played very well, and deserved their win.
200.
Jamey
@MikeB: I would love to see NFL teams play double-headers, like in baseball!
201.
Ron
That game was just ugly. The Packers showed no desire and looked for most of the game like they were just phoning it in.
202.
Bill D.
@Jamey: Bet each second game would be an injury fest. You won’t like it when your favorite player’s career ends early as a result.
203.
MikeB
@Richard: The counter argument is that you’re being short changed during the regular season.
How many fans sort of keep track of various sports teams
during the season, but only become intensely interested at playoff time? I disagree that an excellent team should be considered
“undeserving” because they have a bad day against a lesser team and lose. Sports are about ups and downs, and the team that consistently wins over time is superior IMHO, and should be recognized as such.
Of course, that is how one looks without a defense. Their “problem” was evident two weeks ago when they played the hapless Bears and it was noted that this could be a prolem toward advancement in the playoffs.
Most importantly, there is just no auto playoff success. That is why each opportunity to be in the playoffs is so special… you may never have the stars line up again just right. The Packers were almost there for a repeat — but injuries, want-to and other factors affected the quality of their defense at just the wrong time..
Being a Bears fan, this whole outcome was a pleasant surprise… We never give each other anything but grief so their losing tonight feels just fine. They would wish The Bears no less.
205.
patrick II
@Elie:
I am also a Bears fan, but generally wish Green Bay success as long as that asshole Forrest Gregg isn’t still coaching.
206.
Bruuuuce
Coming in late, but huzzah! Giants!
It was good to see the other guys dropping passes for once. And although I will miss the opportunity to knock the Saints down and out (a friend of mine was braggin’ on both his hometown team and his alma mater LSU a couple of weeks ago, and both have now been punted), it’s going to be fun watching the Giants tackle the latest in the increasingly difficult challenges that started with the Jets.
I’m a Niners fan and I figured the prospects of going into Lambeau in late January against Aaron Rodgers would have made things tough, but I am dreading facing the Giants. For two reasons:
1) You lose to GB at their house on their way to a possible season for the ages, hey no shame. You lose to a 9-7 team at home–what a nightmare. Which leads to…
2) I still have memories of the 1990 game: Leonard Marshall hit on Joe Montana effectively ending his 49er career, and that Roger Craig fumble.
209.
Maxwel
Who would have thought that the NFC championship would have neither Brees nor Rodgers?
Well, yeah, and I can hardly think you are playing with me, but you did use about three baseball terms in that last clause, intentionally or not, about how catchers throw, how pitchers throw sliders, and the basic reality of baseball – the “frozen rope”, “la lina” – the line drive.
211.
patrick the pedantic literalist
@handy:
You should be thinking revenge not fearing defeat. Must be a democrat.
212.
patrick the pedantic literalist
@marv:
I’m not playing, I played some baseball once. Now, mostly shuffleboard.
213.
SFAW
I believe I’ll go have a chat with my neighbor around the corner who has had a Packers flag flying all week.
Please give us an update after you do this. Should be good fun.
And should the Jints beat the Pats, I think it will be even more good fun that Eli will have more rings than Peyton, in approx half the time.
214.
FlipYrWhig
@SFAW: Eli is built like a kicker. His success confuses me, like how a bee couldn’t possibly be aerodynamic enough to fly.
I just hope you didn’t take it too far. Me, I can handle it. This is nothing like the Tigers’ ALCS loss to the Twins in ’87, the Wings getting knocked out in the first round by rhe Sharks in ’98(?).
But right now there are people out there like my sister, who’s very upset. If someone had turned up on her doorstep tonight with anything but the most sincere condolences- except, maybe, a sharp rebuke of Finley- she’d have decked ’em.
217.
John Weiss
I was suprised. The Giants smacked the Packers in their house! I would have never thought that! Good game: I didn’t have a dog in that hunt.
Comments are closed.
Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!
Raven
Dang, hope this one is as good as the last one.
patrick II
When is Tebow playing?
dj spellchecka
”finally got a chance to see tim tebow play for the first time last night. not at all sure why there’s a big buzz around this guy.” – god
JPL
Well about g.d. time is all I have to say…
Yutsano
@patrick II: Next August. Or never if he has a crisis of faith cause his Jeebus let him down.
Batocchio
It’d be nice if the Packers could defend against 3rd and long.
Update: Well, forcing a field goal is good.
Raven
@Batocchio: Nice for who?
JPL
@Raven: McCain..since everything is good news for him..
JPL
uhoh
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
Right. Time for the Packers to crush the Giants and then annihilate the Ravens to reign supreme.
Maxwel
*whew*
JPL
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: hmm..they have to face S.Fran.. and then Brady and the Pats.
I’d love to see Aaron and Tom face off.
Batocchio
Yup, Packers-Patiots would be a good game. Of course, the Packers have two to win, and the Pats one more, to get there…
AnotherBruce
OT, but I just saw this headline on the WaPo website:
“Perry defends Marines urinating on corpses.”
The Republican party presidential candidates are going to put the Onion out of business.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@JPL:
I just don’t see San Fran getting lucky twice in a row. Great game – but the Saints really screwed up on defense in the fourth. Green Bay all the way to the Superbowl.
SFAW
Yeah, same as they did four years ago. What was that, Farvervevvre’s 23rd ring or something? Kicked they [Giants] ass, they did.
JPL
IMO…you don’t give any Manning five minutes to throw..
SFAW
Nice TD pass by Rodgers just now. The Jints can still come back, though.
Raven
Really nice story about Emlen Tennell, “The Giants Greatest Packer”.
Batocchio
@AnotherBruce:
Thanks – I went over and took a snapshot of that.
@JPL:
Agreed. The Giants are a good team, and the last matchup was very close.
jacy
Mercifully, any team I had the slightest reason to care about is now out, so I can focus on what’s really important: HOCKEY.
Hill Dweller
Jennings is having a great game…
Kurt Montandon
As a Niners fan who is almost fully recovered from yesterday – with the help of some mid-day vodka – I’m finding myself in the distressing position of rooting for the Giants. Ah well, got to.
SFAW
Nice ruling by the Ref on the “fumble”. I mean, the air above the ground is considered part of the ground, right? “Cause that’s the only way he was “down by contact”.
Daddy, what does “bag job” mean?
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@efgoldman:
I agree with you overall, but I do think the Giants got robbed on the fumble call.
Still, on we go.
SFAW
Me too, when it IS too close to call. This one – not so much …
AnotherBruce
You know what I hate? When the referees don’t blow the whistle on an apparent fumble, and then decide the fumble didn’t happen. It was really a bullshit ruling.
patrick II
My favorite commerical was just on. “Don’t wake up in a roadside ditch — get rid of cable”
Batocchio
Yeah, it was close, and I’m a Packers fan, but that seemed like a bad call, especially given the replay.
Pete
Hahaha. The Steelers’ best friend Bill Leavy is now the Packers’ best friend.
patroclus
This is Jesus Christ to Tim Tebow. Brady is too good and I’ve got better things to do…
The Dangerman
@SFAW:
Given how bad that call was, I can only assume that there was a Packer Cheerleader “under the hood” during that review. What a horrific call.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
You know what I hate?
When TBogg doesn’t put up his analysis of the Rapture of the Tebow of last night.
Raven
@patrick II: I like the one with the girl marrying the punker. Don’t have a grandson with a dog collar”
Batocchio
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson:
He had a Tebow post up, though, and there was a lively thread…
(Also, not a fan of the onside kick there…)
dead existentialist
Fuck Joe Buck. Needed to get that said, thanks.
Raven
First time I’ve heard the replay dude disagree with the call.
Mr Stagger Lee
Observation here do the coaches Teach TACKLING in Green Bay? Better yet shouldn’t you know how to do it when you reach that level?
Raven
@efgoldman: ding
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@Mr Stagger Lee:
It’s always surprising to me how many NFL players just flat don’t know how to tackle.
MikeJ
Snoo.
What’s snoo?
I dunno, what’s snoo with you?
Walk in the snoo in Seattle today.
Raven
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: Just rush right out there and show them.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@Raven:
You don’t find it surprising that so many players seem not to have mastered a basic aspect of their profession?
Shall we rush heroically on to the field together?
Batocchio
@Mr Stagger Lee:
Tackling, and apparently catching the ball, are evidently both lost arts…
AnotherBruce
@efgoldman: Well, unless the Giants win, I know what the radio sports blabbers are going to be talking about tomorrow morning. Last year it was all Cutler all the time.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@Batocchio:
Makes you wonder who puts the players’ uniforms on for them, doesn’t it?
Schlemizel
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson:
Too many of them got there by “blowing people up”. The crowd eats it up & who cares if it hurts both players.
I am sick of this in hockey too. You see some clown come off his skates (a penalty) bring his forearms up and slam into another player. The crown goes nuts, the announcers shriek about the ‘big hit’ and we get replays of it the rest of the night. Nobody knows how to check any more either.
Raven
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: I find nothing surprising when it comes to people criticizing athletes while sitting upon their dupa’s.
Raven
And this bum Manning, have you ever seen anyone throw the ball worse?
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@Raven:
And just what are you sitting on? Newsflash: those athletes are highly paid to perform. It’s perfectly reasonable for the audience to discuss their performance and to criticize them when they screw up. The NFL ain’t North Korea.
Raven
None of the guys know the first thing about playing football. I don’t even know why YOU watch it.
patrick II
@Raven:
That’s great. Hadn’t seen it before. (Youtube is also pretty great).
CaseyL
I was particularly amused at how GB intercepted Manning right after the announcers agreed Manning was taking the GB defense apart.
I’m enjoying the game, but I have to wonder if there are any professions more useless than game announcer.
Raven
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: And I will criticize you whenever I want to, how you like me now?
Raven
@CaseyL: blog participant?
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@Raven:
I like you as much as I ever did.
patrick II
My list of five most accurate passers (not necessarily best quarterbacks — but pretty close) in no particular order.
Montana
Young
Rodgers
Brady
Warner
Raven
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: Me too.
Sir Nose'D
Very unlike John Kuhn to lose a ball like that.
robertdsc-PowerBook
@Raven:
Tim Tebow, once he has the Patriots’ boots out of his ass, would like to speak to you.
CaseyL
@Raven: I said profession; as in, something someone pays you to do.
“Blog participant: is not a profession, unless you’re referring to paid trolls; and I think those are an urban legend.
Cat Lady
@patrick II:
I think you’ve gotta put Peyton in there. He’s pretty accurate, especially if you include those years with Marvin Harrison.
Mr Stagger Lee
@Raven: But don’t you go nuts when you have a ball carrier in one guy’s arms or better yet 2 defensive guys with a ball carrier and the guy slithers out and runs for another 5-10 yards? Or your team seems to be pushed down the field time after time?
Suffern ACE
@Raven:
You do realize that just by watching the game today, a person gets to use proper nouns in Scrabble all next week, or has no one ever bothered to fill you in on the more obscure parts of the game.
Yutsano
@MikeJ: I think u haz a bit more than me right now. But that’s okay. More is coming.
p.a.
@patrick II: hellooooo… Peyton Manning not on the list? I hate him too, but c’mon.
BruceFromOhio
@CaseyL:
Since I finally hooked up a decent sound system to the entertainment center, I listen to music while watching hand egg. Its fun to put a soundtrack down to the action. I’ll unmute and listen to the replay calls, or to those ferocious flag-throwing contests when the zebras have to break up a riot.
Otherwise, its Natalie Merchant, Bob Marley and Vivaldi. Fuck you, yappy overpaid stuffed shirts full of hot air!
patrick II
@MikeJ:
So, when are we going to see new youtubes of seattle drivers snowboarding their cars down hills?
scav
Quote the Raven: Do not discuss the quality of the actions of your betters. Not even in a quiet room. Seriously, I thought loud, slightly informed, definitive and arm-punctuated argumentation about obscure rules and dodgy plays was exactly the point of watching football (or sports), once you factor in the beer and snacks, of course. Uniforms, oh yes, they have to get in there somewhere as well as cover for burly guys to wear the most outrageous colors of mascara and facepaint.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@p.a.:
Chad Pennington
JPL
@MikeJ: The ferns are gorgeous. I have a patch near my sidewalk and can’t decide whether I want ferns or hostas.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@scav:
Well, we can’t let the unwashed, ass-sitting masses have too much fun, can we?
JPL
I remember the olden days when this game would be played in snow.
JPL
fk..fk..fk…
Bubblegum Tate
Damn, fantastic TD catch by Nicks right there.
Joel
I know Flacco sucks and all, but it’s a bit alarming that everyone is picking the Patriots to breeze in the AFC championships.
Nerull
They’d better thank GB for that timeout.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
That Hakeem Nicks dude ain’t too shabby.
Nellcote
I don’t care about football so I would like to see Tebow vs SF Values in the SuperDooper Bowl featuting Madonna for the 1/2 time show.
AnotherBruce
Did the announcer really say that Eli Manning “had enough arm strength to get it up?
Hehe
/preteen humor.
CoastalMike
Eli should Tebow after that one.
JPL
@Joel: If it makes you feel better everyone thought Rodgers was better than Manning, also,too.
BruceFromOhio
@Joel: It’ll be fun to see the Ravens D chewing on the Pats vaunted O. Much amusement to behold.
ETA @CaseyL: … right behind annoying announcers is seeing the same. stupid. commerical. 50. jillion. times.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@AnotherBruce:
Shhh. Don’t make Raven glare at you from his fainting-couch.
Linnaeus
@patrick II:
I’m hoping said drivers will not be doing that on the hills on which I will be driving in about 3 hours.
patrick II
@p.a.:
Peyton isn’t on my list, and neither are Breees, or Farve, or Elway or Marino. All great quarterbacks. But the guys I named, in my mind at least, were the guys who’s precision and accuracy was just remarkable. They guy who almost always hit the receiver right in stride so he could run for the extra yards.
MikeJ
@patrick II: The cars aren’t the scary ones, it’s the buses.
JPL
Who would you like to see in the Super Bowl? SanFran/Ravens,
GreenBay/Patriots, Giants/Ravens..yadda, yadda, yadda…
I wanted a Rodgers/Brady matchup because they are both great QB’s and would have a large audience. I could be wrong though. What do you think?
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@patrick II:
I still think you need Pennington on that list, if accuracy is the criterion.
burnspbesq
The Packers dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, they had a turnover erased on an obviously bad call … And they’re down by 10. Not promising.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@burnspbesq:
Might make for a really fun second half though, if Aaron gets into gun-slinger mode.
Mr Stagger Lee
@Bubblegum Tate: Sorry for the delay, my computer illed. Ncks was my fantasy WR.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@Mr Stagger Lee:
Who did you have at QB?
Richard
The passers with the highest completion percentages of all time:
1. Chad Pennington 66.0%
2. Drew Brees (32) 65.9%
3. Kurt Warner 65.5%
4. Aaron Rodgers (28) 65.4%
5. Peyton Manning (35) 64.9%
6. Tony Romo (31) 64.5%
7. Matt Schaub (30) 64.3%
8. Steve Young 64.3%
9. Tom Brady (34) 63.8%
10. Philip Rivers (30) 63.5%
11. Joe Montana 63.2%
The numbers in the brackets are the ages of the players who are currently active.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@patrick II: Yeah, the roadside ditch / cable ad is really awesome. Laughed both times I’ve seen it.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
Jebus, Packers, hold onto the ball in the 2nd half, please.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@Richard:
Hah! I knew Master Chad deserved his glory!
patrick II
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson:
I’ll have to add somc criterion regarding being able to throw more than ten yards downfield.
Mr Stagger Lee
@JPL: I prefer GB/New England matchup. A Giants-Patriots won’t be too bad, but I would have to avoid ESPN for two weeks. 49ers in the Super Bowl would be cool, but under NO circumstances I want the Ravens in the SB!
Mr Stagger Lee
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: Big Ben Rothlisberger, who should have sat out of the last game to give his ankle some healing.
DCLaw1
Awfully quiet in that stadium.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@JPL: San Fran / Baltimore. Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh. Except for the terrible announcing that this would bring about.
Also too, then my team would have made it to the Super Bowl.
DCLaw1
Oh yikes, another GB fumble.
Joel
Watching the Packers reminds me of the Patriots’ playoff loss to the Jets last year. Zero intensity, an elite quarterback with the jitters, an opponent that provides opportunities but steps up enough in critical spots to win it.
The Dangerman
Packers may have been reading too many of those reviews calling them unbeatable. I have no dog in the hunt (though having the Super Bowl go through San Francisco would be fun), but the Packers are … not playing well.
Raven
@MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson: I wish you could have been here for the chicken cacciatore and steamed artichoke.
DCLaw1
I like Aaron Rodgers, but the slow motion shot of him looking over at his empty throwing hand as it came forward was comical.
Joel
@Richard: Adjusted for era (in fairness to the players who operated under rules that were much less passer-friendly than the current ones), here’s pro-football-reference’s most accurate by indexed completion percentage (+ means completion percentage relative to average, times 100).
Sammy Baugh 132+
Steve Young 125+
Len Dawson 124+
Joe Montana 124+
Otto Graham 123+
Arnie Herber 123+
Chad Pennington 121+
Bart Starr 121+
Kurt Warner 121+
Drew Brees 119+
Sammy Baugh was good.
JPL
My nightmare in the SB would be giants/ravens.. That game might be interesting to east coast fans but not much else.
When my sons were younger I’d make food according to the cities that were playing. Really what would be interesting about Giants/Ravens? I’m allergic to shell fish so crabs don’t work.
Sir Nose'D
Dear Packers. A touchdown right about now would be nice. Thank you for your consideration.
Mr Stagger Lee
The ads for 21 Jump Street, another movie based on a series. Yes I will avoid this piece of dreck.
Raven
@scav: \”Seriously, I thought loud, slightly informed, definitive and arm-punctuated argumentation about obscure rules and dodgy plays was exactly the point of watching football”
so what do you think I was doing?
salvage
@Sir Nose’D:
No. There will be no more leaping.
Loneoak
Not very happy at the moment.
patrick II
@Richard:
Once again, foiled by statistics over subjective judgement.
Young and Montana played with different defensive rules. so I am keeping them on my list. I will add Brees, (who was the one I was on the bubble about anyway) but not Pennington. Really, he was only asked to throw the ball five yards at at time.
Raven
@patrick II: Bobby Douglas!
patrick II
@Raven:
Being from Chicago, that brings back horrible memories. They should add watching Bobby Douglas as a version of the “ending up in a roadside ditch” commercial.
Raven
@patrick II: The Bears-Lions game with him and Landry were classic!
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@patrick II:
Well, a big reason that modern- I’ll arbitrarily mark the beginning of the modern era with Bill walsh’s arrival in SF- QBs dominate statistically is because they all throw a lot of little 5-yard passes.
Richard
@patrick II:
Pennington’s yards per completion average was 10.9 for his career. For comparison, Montana’s was 11.9, Young’s was 12.4, Rogers’ is 12.6, Brady’s is 11.8, Brees’ is 11.3 and Warner’s was 12.1 . All higher, but the difference isn’t as dramatic as you might expect.
The leading active player with regards to this stat is Ben Roethlisberger, at 12.7 yards per completion. He’s #83.
Raven
Bobby Douglass at Wrigley!
AnotherBruce
@patrick II: What’s wrong with Bobby Douglass? He was a heckuva running back.
burnspbesq
@JPL:
The native food of East Rutherford and Secaucus is the meatball hero.
Raven
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): I drove the team bus when he was the coach at Stanford and they came to Illinois. Guy Benjamin was qb and Darrin Nelson at rb. They killed the Illini.
burnspbesq
An eight-minute drive ending in a TD would be a nice thing right about now.
Raven
@AnotherBruce: He could throw the shit out of a football. . .and baseball.
Raven
Bobby Douglass would have slud!
AnotherBruce
@Raven: Yes he could. I watched the youtube you linked to and that pass he threw into the end zone was a rocket.
Pity he didn’t have Pennington’s accuracy. Maybe not even Tebow’s accuracy.
Raven
@AnotherBruce: In five seasons from 1971–1975, Douglass played in 47 games and amassed 2,040 rushing yards. During that span, he averaged 43.4 rushing yards per game played—the second highest rushing yards per game average over a five-season span for a QB. Randall Cunningham ranks first with 43.5 yds/g over a five-season span from 1986–1990).
However, Douglass had little success as a passer, going 507-for-1178 for 36 touchdowns and 64 interceptions with a quarterback passer rating of only 48.5 during his 11-season NFL career.
BruceFromOhio
Slightly OT, but sbruin had a nice forensic analysis of yesterdays Satan Versus Jesus contest over at TBoggs place.
Raven
@AnotherBruce: Check out his touchdown to Butkus on a blown field goal.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@Richard:
Mark B.
The Packers D has been shaky all year, and the O looked a little rusty at e start of the game. Plus, the Giant got hot at he end of the year, just like in 2007. They could have a repeat of that run.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
Chrisssssst.
Raven
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): Ouch, MAX!
BruceFromOhio
Nothing against the Pack crew, but I do believe the G-men got the upper hand and are going to take it home.
You lose your cool, you lose the contest.
Raven
@BruceFromOhio: There’s a light year left in this one.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@Raven:
marv
@patrick II:
Interesting list. I’m an old baseball player and throwing (all kinds of ways – pitchers, quarterbacks, shortstops etc) was always really interesting to me. To me the best pure passers – the most fun to watch – were Namath, Marino, and Fouts. And then Elway for arm strength and just general excitement in the early days of his career – not the 4th quarter overhyped stuff, just the way he played.
burnspbesq
Questionable decision by the Packers. The Giants only have to go 25 yards to get into Tynes’ range for a FG that would give them a two-score lead.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@BruceFromOhio:
I think you are probably right. Rodgers seems a bit rattled today. Credit to the NYG.
Raven
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): Yea and they were my team then and now.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@Raven:
Well, the Illini aren’t quite the automatic win on the schedule in the same way the Gophers or Hoosiers are, but most seasons…
JPL
My personal observation is this game sucks..
BruceFromOhio
@Raven @burnspbesq: Tons of play left, but its the mental game working against Rodgers and his receivers corps. Too many drops, and the adrenaline is now from stress of fighting your own frustration, rather than fighting your opponent. All NY has to do is run the clock.
ETA: … and NY receivers are *catching* what’s thrown. My cheese is m.e.l.t.i.n.g…
Raven
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): God, they cleaned house and have a terrible schedule, I don’t know if they’ll draw 30,000. New staff may be interesting, they can’t be worse.
Anyone surprised how many Giant fans there seem to be at this game?
Raven
@BruceFromOhio: That’s all the Bears had to do against Denver.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
The Packers really miss Cullen Jenkins.
patrick II
@Raven:
Back from supper.
The thing about Douglas was that he would have games like the one on your youtube video — and then not be able to hit a receiver for a month. On his good days he looked like the best quarterback in the world. His good days showed his “potential” that kept him around for ten years. but his bad days were like watching Tebow — but with a much stronger arm and without luck or God or whomever on his side.
patrick II
If Rodgers keeps missing open receivers, I may have to take him off of my list.
Raven
Well, don’t have to worry about missing Downton Abbey!
Joel
I didn’t really have a dog in this race, but I wanted to see some more [url=http://1.media.sportspickle.cvcdn.com/70/36/932c4c13f35ee0eb3242e5be5414a809.jpg]Manning face[/url].
The Dangerman
On the list of signs it isn’t your day, that last fumble and return is close to the top of the list…
…and TD. Packers are done.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
I have a feeling that Tom Coughlin is moving away from the hot seat.
Joel
I don’t have a dog in this race, but I wanted to see more Manning face. At least we’ll be subjected to fewer Aaron Rodgers commercials.
BruceFromOhio
Game. Set. Match.
See you all for the championships.
patrick II
@marv:
The thing about both Mrino and Namath was they could throw the ball with such velocity with such short quick strokes. A little flick from behind the ear and the ball would be on a rope for 50 yards.
burnspbesq
The Packers may not be officially dead, but it’s time to administer the last rites.
orygunian
Go niners!. I think our defense is going to demolish either of these teams. We are just too fast to the outside, too strong on the pass rush, and too strong in the secondary. Alex may have found his self int the 4th quarter yesterday.
So I think we have the best defense remaining in the NFC and defenses win play offs
Richard
@patrick II:
With regards to the mostly mediocre Douglass and comparisons to Tebow, I remember a few weeks ago ESPN showed a graphic featuring the most comeback wins by a rookie quarterback. Tebow was at the top the list, which they were making a big deal about. The funny thing was, from what I could gather, everyone else on the list they displayed ultimately went on to be washouts with short careers.
The Dangerman
I’m far from a football expert (I figured it would be Saints and Packers next week), but Alex Smith against the Giants D may not be pretty.
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
@burnspbesq:
It’s only a flesh-wound!
orygunian
I have never seen so many dropped passes in a play off game.
patrick II
Watching the “New Girl” commercial. Who else believes that Zooey Deschanel can’t get a date?
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@patrick II:
kindness
I’m pretty shocked that there very well might be another playoff game at Candlestick this year. I expect the Packers to rule and look, the Giants are 10 points ahead still.
patrick II
@burnspbesq:
Did you finish the lst rites ceremony?
different-church-lady
Football was more interesting when there were two goalposts right on the goal line.
Ed in NJ
Refs trying their best to give the Packers a chance.
Loneoak
Ugh, feeling queasy.
heh
Wow refs–work a lil harder to keep the cheeze whiz kids in da game, whydoncha?
patrick II
@burnspbesq:
Giants recover onside kick.
IN NOMINE PATRIS ET FILII ET SPIRITUS SANCTI, AMEN.
MikeB
This is why I prefer the European football (soccer) system for determining
the champion. They play 38 regular season league games. Whoever
has the best record at the end of the regular season is the champion, period,
no bullshit “playoffs”. This makes every game in the regular season important,
you can’t take a day off figuring all you have to do is win a couple more games
and “make the playoffs”. It keeps some team with a lousy record from
knocking out a more deserving team that happens to have a bad game
on a given day. If two teams have identical records at the end of the season,
scoring differential would determine the champ.
The NFL could even have an “NFL Cup” knockout tournament for the also rans at the end of the season to determine runners up.
Of course this will never happen, given the big bucks involved in the playoffs,
but I think the European system is a much better measure of excellence for
team sports. Randinho may agree with me on this…
Don’t get me started on the NCAA hoops tournament…
different-church-lady
@MikeB:
What? You don’t like a 279 team tournament?
burnspbesq
@patrick II:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
The Dangerman
@kindness:
PG&E will have to double check all their transformers, gas lines, etc.
Mr Stagger Lee
@The Dangerman: Niner fans think they got this in the bag if the G-men win, but that matchup with Alex Smith gives me pause
MildlyAmusedRainbowPerson
Well played the Giants. Impressive performance today.
different-church-lady
Huh… turns out you do need a defense to win a championship.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@MikeB: There’s a very good reason something like that wouldn’t work for the NFL that has nothing to do with money. The teams would not be able to play enough games to use a regular season for that kind of championship, the players would all be beaten to a pulp.
Hill Dweller
As if this loss isn’t bad enough, Wisconsin residents will wake up tomorrow morning, and Scott Walker will still be their Governor.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@MikeB:
The NFL, in it’s first 11 or 12 years, went with the best record to determine the championship. 3 of the Packers’ 13 championships were won that way.
EriktheRed
If having the Packers win the Super Bowl the nest 10 years were the price this Bears fan had to pay to see the cheesehead state recall Scott Walker, then I’d say “GO PACKERS!”. Since no such guarantee is possible, though, I’m saying “GO GIANTS”!
Bill D.
@TPN
1. Round robin for each conference to determine the conference champions.
2. Three-game series of the conference champions for the league championship
That would answer that objection.
BD of MN
@different-church-lady: the ’98 Vikings were pretty much the case study for that theory…
The Dangerman
@Mr Stagger Lee:
The Giants have abused Matt Ryan and Rodgers (the refs gifted the Packers 2 TD’s); a pause would appear warranted.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
Well, at least the Bears still suck.
orygunian
Great win for the Giants on the road. On to Candlesick. Which makes me happy.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@Bill D.: So, kind of like how Major League Baseball used to do things, before 1969?
Bill D.
In both NFC playoff games this weekend the team with the glitzy offense lost due to turnovers.
Bill D.
@TPN: Yeah, that’s the idea. Just a concept that’ll never happen again in pro sports in the US due to $$$$$
kindness
The Fourty Niners would like to cordially invite one and all on their bandwagon.
MikeB
@The prophet Nostradumbass: I’m not sure why that would be the case. There are seldom
two NFL teams atop the league at the end of the season with identical WL records.
GB was tops this year, NE last year, why would more games be
necessary if not for the added revenue? 16 games seems like
plenty to determine the best team in the league. I get your
point about the physical wear and tear of NFL football, and
would not recommend a 38 game season for them :)
J.
One step closer to a Giants-Patriots rematch!
Richard
@MikeB:
If a “deserving” team can’t beat an “undeserving” one, well then, I’d say they aren’t deserving.
I love the excitement of the playoffs. Declaring the league leading 15-1 Packers champions with no playoffs at all strikes me as being rather dull.
AnotherBruce
@MikeB: @Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): Yeah, but at least the Packers couldn’t back up that “greatest team evah” talk that was wafting around during the regular season.
’85 Bears forever!
burnspbesq
I believe I’ll go have a chat with my neighbor around the corner who has had a Packers flag flying all week.
Jamey
@Joel: Not only good, but also throwing what essentially was a soccer ball with laces. One only imagines what QBs like Baugh, Luckman, and Arnie Herber would have done with a slimmer ball, possession receiver offensive schemes, and in-the-grasp/five yard bump-and-run rules…
Batocchio
Ouch. The Packers played very poorly overall, their worst performance of the season, and the Giants played very well, and deserved their win.
Jamey
@MikeB: I would love to see NFL teams play double-headers, like in baseball!
Ron
That game was just ugly. The Packers showed no desire and looked for most of the game like they were just phoning it in.
Bill D.
@Jamey: Bet each second game would be an injury fest. You won’t like it when your favorite player’s career ends early as a result.
MikeB
@Richard: The counter argument is that you’re being short changed during the regular season.
How many fans sort of keep track of various sports teams
during the season, but only become intensely interested at playoff time? I disagree that an excellent team should be considered
“undeserving” because they have a bad day against a lesser team and lose. Sports are about ups and downs, and the team that consistently wins over time is superior IMHO, and should be recognized as such.
Elie
@Ron:
Of course, that is how one looks without a defense. Their “problem” was evident two weeks ago when they played the hapless Bears and it was noted that this could be a prolem toward advancement in the playoffs.
Most importantly, there is just no auto playoff success. That is why each opportunity to be in the playoffs is so special… you may never have the stars line up again just right. The Packers were almost there for a repeat — but injuries, want-to and other factors affected the quality of their defense at just the wrong time..
Being a Bears fan, this whole outcome was a pleasant surprise… We never give each other anything but grief so their losing tonight feels just fine. They would wish The Bears no less.
patrick II
@Elie:
I am also a Bears fan, but generally wish Green Bay success as long as that asshole Forrest Gregg isn’t still coaching.
Bruuuuce
Coming in late, but huzzah! Giants!
It was good to see the other guys dropping passes for once. And although I will miss the opportunity to knock the Saints down and out (a friend of mine was braggin’ on both his hometown team and his alma mater LSU a couple of weeks ago, and both have now been punted), it’s going to be fun watching the Giants tackle the latest in the increasingly difficult challenges that started with the Jets.
Jamey
@Bill D.: I was … Oh, never mind.
handy
I’m a Niners fan and I figured the prospects of going into Lambeau in late January against Aaron Rodgers would have made things tough, but I am dreading facing the Giants. For two reasons:
1) You lose to GB at their house on their way to a possible season for the ages, hey no shame. You lose to a 9-7 team at home–what a nightmare. Which leads to…
2) I still have memories of the 1990 game: Leonard Marshall hit on Joe Montana effectively ending his 49er career, and that Roger Craig fumble.
Maxwel
Who would have thought that the NFC championship would have neither Brees nor Rodgers?
marv
@patrick II:
Well, yeah, and I can hardly think you are playing with me, but you did use about three baseball terms in that last clause, intentionally or not, about how catchers throw, how pitchers throw sliders, and the basic reality of baseball – the “frozen rope”, “la lina” – the line drive.
patrick the pedantic literalist
@handy:
You should be thinking revenge not fearing defeat. Must be a democrat.
patrick the pedantic literalist
@marv:
I’m not playing, I played some baseball once. Now, mostly shuffleboard.
SFAW
Please give us an update after you do this. Should be good fun.
And should the Jints beat the Pats, I think it will be even more good fun that Eli will have more rings than Peyton, in approx half the time.
FlipYrWhig
@SFAW: Eli is built like a kicker. His success confuses me, like how a bee couldn’t possibly be aerodynamic enough to fly.
SFAW
A 6-4, 218-lb kicker? I must be behind the times.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@burnspbesq:
I just hope you didn’t take it too far. Me, I can handle it. This is nothing like the Tigers’ ALCS loss to the Twins in ’87, the Wings getting knocked out in the first round by rhe Sharks in ’98(?).
But right now there are people out there like my sister, who’s very upset. If someone had turned up on her doorstep tonight with anything but the most sincere condolences- except, maybe, a sharp rebuke of Finley- she’d have decked ’em.
John Weiss
I was suprised. The Giants smacked the Packers in their house! I would have never thought that! Good game: I didn’t have a dog in that hunt.