Hey ladies and gents. I hope you’ve all enjoyed your holiday weekend as much as I did. I took the time to go tweetless this weekend (Shameless plug: Follow me on Twitter @theNFLchick). But in doing so, my brain was working non-stop with random thoughts about everything, from football to music to movies. While I could have tweeted my thoughts, I decided to collect them altogether and create a blog post, similar to Peter King’s 10 Things I Think I Think from his MMQB column. Hopefully it’s not TOO all over the place and you can enjoy (and understand) my thoughts.

Happy Birthday Al Davis!

How ironic is it that the Oakland Raiders owner shares the same birthday as America’s Declaration of Independence. While Al’s birth certificate says he turned 82, he looks as old as the 235 year-old document of our freedom from the British Empire. Al’s still here with us, and still running things in Oakland. Happy 235- excuse me-82nd birthday, Mr. Davis. Something tells me Skeletor will see a few more birthdays form now.

I’m On To You, SWV!

As I get older, I translate a lot of music that I listened to growing up, in a way that my immaturity didn’t allow me to before. This weekend, I learned that one of my favorite 90′s groups SWV (or Sisters With Voices) were great singers, but their biggest hits were always about chasing someone else’s man or was on some freaky ish to try and grab/keep one. Think about it…. “So Into You” and “You’re The One” were about men that were unavailable but they wanted to get with them anyway. “Downtown” was about freaky things you had to do to get some of their, “love”, while “Anything” explained that they would do just about anything to keep that [unavailable] man around. I had no idea how naive I was back then, but I’ve seen the light in 2011. I’m piecing the puzzle together. I’m on to you Coco, Taj and Le Le… I’m on to you……….

Transformers Was Great, But…………….

I love summer blockbusters. It’s part of the 19732836826 reasons why summer is one of the best seasons of all. Vacations, sundresses, cookouts and blockbuster movies all play a role into how awesome the summer season is. So when I went to see the 3rd installment of Transformers movie this holiday weekend, I wasn’t let down. It was excellent and definitely worth the $14.50 that was spent ( since when did movie tickets get so high before 6pm? 3-D my a$$!!). There’s just one problem: I’m an analytical maniac when it comes to movies and songs (see above for SWV analysis).

I usually pick out how parts of a movie make ZERO sense if it were a real life scenario. Now I know Transformers is from the old school cartoon (which, I’m proud to say I was an avid fan of the original back in the day. And don’t you dare judge my age), so of course logic goes out the door and this fictional tale is all about action. Aside from the fact that Shia LeBeouf should have died, I dunno…. 2 movies ago, I notice other things that just don’t quiet make sense.

For instance, Rosie Huntington- Whiteley (who portrays Carly, the girlfriend of LeBeouf in the movie) is beautiful without any question. But can someone tell me why was she beautiful the WHOLE DAMN MOVIE? Transformers was extremely messy.. lots of fire and destruction took place, yet Carly’s hair looked as good in the end as it did in the first scene she appeared in, early in the movie. While LeBeouf gets pretty dirty as the movie goes on, she’s still near perfect in the same duration. Her clothes looked clean, her hair was still in tact and oh… she was running full speed in Christian Louboutins for a good part of the movie. Now, I know what those shoes feel like. Man-made shoes are HARD on women’s feet. So you mean to tell me, she felt no need to kick her shoes off at any time once she knew she had to run for her everlasting life? Other than some dust on her cheek, she was almost flawless the entire movie. I know what you’re thinking.. it’s just a movie and you’re doing WAY too much right now… but this is how my brain operates. Pray for me, especially 10+ years down the road……..

The Awesomeness Of The 4th of July

Every year for the 4th, I go to my friend’s house for their annual cookout. At the end of the night, her family gets together and light up the fireworks for their own personal show. It’s become a tradition of sorts. So much, that the neighboring street now does fireworks of their own and the 2 streets have a “Fireworks battle”, going back and forth with who has the best fireworks display.

It’s pretty awesome (and illegal, since MD doesn’t sell most of the fireworks they had, but that’s not here nor there..), and it makes me appreciate my city a little bit more. If I had one day a year to love living in the city, this is the day. You don’t have to go downtown to see the big show, folks all around the area do their own shows. And in the process of doing that, friends come together, neighbors come together and communities come together. I know I sound preachy and you may not even buy what I’m saying but it’s true. Neighbors who barely speak to each other come out and talk about the fireworks beef and judge on who had the better display (which, by-the-way, my friend’s street lost BAD! The other street must’ve gotten their fireworks straight from the factory because I thought I was at Disney World). It’s a great chance to open lines of communication and getting to know the people you live by. And since going out on the 4th is becoming more and more dangerous, I look forward to kicking it around the neighborhood with my friends each and every year.

Reed vs Polamalu Debate

The NFL Network finally showed their final 10 players for their Top 100 NFL Players of 2011. Ed Reed went ahead of Troy Polamalu by 1 slot, going 5th overall. The ranking opened up a new Reed vs Polamalu debate that we’ve seen over the years. But this is where the debate should stop.

I’ve stated publicly that I’m not a big fan of the list. I believe that some players were ranked too high or too low or shouldn’t have been ranked at all. But one thing I think we need to realize is this: This list was ranked by their colleagues, other NFL players. Fans, analysts and coaches may think they have an idea, but none of us line up against these guys on Sundays. These guys see the players on the field, whether it be through tape or live action. Who better to rank our favorite NFL players than their peers?

I’ve said over and over, the Reed vs Polamalu debate is beyond stupid, mainly because they don’t play the same position and they both do different things for their respected squads. But let me say this: Just because one is more versatile or appears to physically do more than the other, doesn’t mean he’s better. I’ve seen a lot of debate about Troy being better because he does more, which is true. He lines up as a LB or in the defensive backfield. He always seems to be all over the field. But that in no way means that he’s more valuable or better than than Ed Reed. Reed changes the entire gameplan of a QB before he even steps on the field. Throws that QBs would make against other defenses,  now have to be thought about 3 times or more when the Ravens are the opponent with Ed Reed in the lineup. A lot of Reed’s game changing ability starts in the film room, with players try to find ways to play around him. That within itself is just as big as what he actually does on-the-field.

In the end, you could probably flip a coin either way on who should be ranked higher, but both are great players in their own right. Why debate about 2 guys who’s skills are so different they could actually coexist on the same team, if need be? Would you have a debate about a DT vs LB? If not, then the Reed/Polamalu debate is moot. Let it go. I’m talking to YOU, Ravens and Steelers fans!

Manning vs Brady

Final thought, and I’ll make it quick. Brady’s SB wins gets him the #1 spot hands down. He’s worthy of it because he’s pretty good in the QB dept…. damn good actually…. but I’ve seen Belichick win games without Tom Brady.. 10 of them in 2008 to be exact. I’d bet 3 years of my salary that that would NOT happen if Peyton Manning went down with a season ending injury. Manning on the Colts is irreplaceable. I can’t say the same for Brady. But rings talk and SB losses walk, so………………..

Patriots QB Tom Brady has a pretty awesome resume. He’s a 3-time Super Bowl winner, has a supermodel wife and an Uggs contract that instantly saw results when they announced him as the new spokesperson. But one thing I think it’s safe to say, he’ll never be, is a Dancing With The Stars finalist like his other NFL counterparts.

Brady was in Rio for their Carnival, rocking his new ponytail and some dance moves that he should have kept to himself. Brady is good at a lot of things. But a dancer is something he would never pass for…. EVER!

Keep your day job Tommy Boy… and I mean it!

Now that the wait is over and we know who’s going to the Super Bowl, it’s a little bitter sweet for fans. Let’s face it: the supposed “big” game is rarely all it’s cracked up to be. It’s usually the lead-up to the championship that keeps everyone on their toes.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, although they’ve won 6 Super Bowl titles and have appeared now in 8, are an old-school team, boring and slow on offense with a ground-and-pound approach and a stingy defense that, like usual, is ranked high in the NFL (#1 in 2010 for total YPG).

The Green Bay Packers, led by the now-free-of-Favre’s-shadow Aaron Rodgers, are a more explosive team on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, but yet they’re still not the sexy choice for NFC representatives.

It is what it is, however, and while this isn’t a Drew Bress vs. Peyton Manning rematch, or even a Tom Brady vs. Matt Ryan showdown, Big Ben and Mr. Rodgers are certainly nothing to sneeze at. Sure, it’s not that great on paper. No one expects the over to exceed around 35. But with these teams in this atmosphere, we might just see the best Super Bowl in a long, long time.

Currently, the Green Bay Packers are favored by about a field goal universally. Of course, betting on football—especially the Super Bowl—isn’t like betting on online blackjack games. Nothing’s set in stone, nothing’s quantifiable; it’s all up for grabs. Even still, that’s a fairly safe bet as we see it.

Pittsburgh’s run defense is monstrous, stuffing everyone, but it’s also exploitable by way of play action and an ironically Roethlisberger-like mobile quarterback, ala Aaron Rodgers.

One thing neither the Ravens nor the Jets had was a playmaker at the QB position. Sanchez and Flacco are both pretty good pocket passers, but their ability to extend a play is about as good as that can of Crystal Pepsi you have in the basement. Rodgers, on the other hand, was second only to Michael Vick in rushing yards from the helm, and he has put the belt on all season long with rushing TD after rushing TD.

The Steelers are exploitable here because they’re not fast enough to cover all the bases. They will stuff the run, surely, but quick slants, deep outs, broken plays, and potential third down conversions all work in the Packers’ favor due to the type of dynamic, switch-‘em-up O they bring with them to Cowboys Stadium.

The game should remain very close, however, as the Steelers’ offense is definitely not a pushover. We all bore witness to what Rashard Mendenhall did to the third-ranked defense in the league, the New York Jets (Just Envy the Steelers?), and Big Ben can also turn broken plays into sandlot football and pick up key yardage in tough situations.

Many feel as if this game is a toss-up, the proverbial roll of the dice or a spin on the no download slots reel. But just like Pittsburgh did to the Jets in the first half, the Green Bay Packers should be able to dominate time of possession and keep the Steelers off the field.

Other than a forced throw in Chicago that resulted in an Urlacher INT, Rodgers has been playing out of his mind. Roethlisberger, conversely, threw 2 INTs vs. the Jets and should have thrown 4 to 6, and he wasn’t exactly Troy Aikman in his previous playoff game against the Ravens.

In the first half with the Ravens and the second half with the Jets, the Steelers were only on the field physically. Their spirits were in the locker room or off somewhere trying to send Jenn Sterger photos of their junk.

When Super Sunday rolls around, the Steelers will need to play all 60 minutes – something they’re not really accustomed to, whereas Green Bay has yet to take a down off all postseason.

When it’s all said and done, the Packers can keep the ball away from the Steelers and hold on to a lead late. True, Pittsburgh is going to score on Green Bay’s defense. They can’t match the Steelers’ physicality. But the object of the game isn’t to score; it’s to score more than your opponent.

This is something that the Steelers will fail to do, and we predict that the final score will be Green Bay 30 and Pittsburgh 24 – covering the spread but still a great game that comes down to some fourth quarter heroics.



With the 2010 Divisional Playoffs ready to kickoff this weekend, it’s hard to ignore that the top 4 teams remaining in the AFC are division rivals. The Ravens head to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers, while the Jets head to snowy New England to face Brady and the Pats. Four teams that can’t stand each other, whether it be quietly or to publicly, looking to advance to the AFC Championship game. To say this may be one of the most exciting playoff weekends in football would be well deserved. But this is more than just a playoff game to these 4 teams. Way more.

There is a different energy lurking between the 2 rivals, and for different reasons. The Ravens and Steelers have become one of the top rivalries over the past decade, while the Jets and Patriots have a renewed spark after the hiring of Rex Ryan. How these two rivalries operate are a bit different.. but not far off from each other. Allow me to break it down.

Ravens/Steelers

This rivalry is the new wave rivalry of the NFL, compared to Packers/Bears and Redskins/Cowboys. The Ravens have only been around 15 years, but many believe that Baltimore inherited the rivalry when the team moved from Cleveland (a longer, more known rivalry) after the 1995 season. While the Ravens weren’t too good the first few years of existence, they picked up the pace once they won Super Bowl XXXV. The Steelers have the slight advantage over the Ravens, with a 13-9 record since 2000 (including the playoffs). What makes this rivalry special are the similarities between the 2 teams. Both are known for their strong defense and good running game, along with a very good front office and ownership. Both cities are labeled, “blue collar” and carry inferiority complexes. Add the fact that the 2 cities have a history of being sports rivals (the Steelers-Baltimore Colts battles in the 70s as well as the Pirates beating the O’s in the World Series) and you have a recipe for a great rivalry. There was a point in time where this rivalry was downright ugly. Remember the Ray Lewis/Joey Porter feud?

Over the past couple of years, the Ravens and Steelers have quietly stopped their verbal attack and simply taken it on the field. They all say they hate each other, but some say it’s not as much hatred as you think. Coach Harbaugh and Tomlin talk during pregames, and Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu admitted once before that they text each other. The mantra as of late has been, “We hate each other, but we respect each other”. And while Hines Ward and Terrell Suggs and found ways to keep it funky with the little things they still do and say to the media, the trash talking has been put aside to actions speaking louder, with the blood bath they lay out on the field and even 3 times a year.

Jets/Patriots

This rivalry, while an older one, has become a renewed rivalry thank to the likes of  Rex Ryan. These two cities flat out cannot stand each other. Red Sox Nation can’t stand the Yankees and vice versa. People from New York don’t like people from New England. It’s a power struggle between the 2 cities that has been trickled down to sports. And from the day Rex Ryan stepped foot on the Jets podium as their head coach, he continued the trend.

The Jets and Patriots have a much closer rivalry record than the Steelers/Ravens (they are 51-51-1 overall), but there are those who still find the term laughable when discussing the 2 teams. The Patriots have dominated the past decade and has won 8 times in a row before the 2009 season. Rex Ryan has never met a microphone he didn’t like, and his blunt approach towards the Patriots has trickled down to his players. Darrelle Revis has made comments about Pats players in the past, and most recently Antonio Cromartie said Eff Tom Brady. Even Ryan took some shots at the Patriots star player. Nevertheless, Belichick and company respond to the Jets antics with predictable, robotic answers that are too boring to quote. They do, however, respond out on the football field. Case in point, the last time these 2 teams played, the Patriots dismantled the Jets in the 45-3 rout. While Belichick loves to hit you where it REALLY hurts, Rex is a sound byte genius when it comes to the pregame antics.

Four teams, 2 rivals, 1 weekend. The rivalries are different, but not by much. This is what we’ve been waiting for. And I, for one, cannot wait! Thank God for rivalries!

With the regular season over, the NFL will be ready to give out their awards for the best players in the league on offense, defense and coaching. I’m a huge fan of the game so I figured I’d give you my 2010 NFL winners of the prestigious awards that they give out every year. I’m thinking I’ll be more right than wrong, mainly because I’m awesome at this football thing. But there’s always room for error. In any event, I’m here to take a crack who wins what this year.

NFL Coach Of The Year- Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There are a few coaches who are deserving of this award. Todd Haley in Kansas City and even good ol’ Billy Boy (Belichick), after the revamping of his team. But this award goes to Morris for one simple reason- Who would have thought the Bucs would end the season at 10-6?? I, for one, didn’t see that coming.. AT ALL! The Buccaneers have one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and if they were in the NFC West they’d be hosting a playoff game this weekend.  Morris said earlier this year that he thought his team was the best in the NFC and they rallied behind that and finished strong, winning 3 out of their last 4 games. He’s not a miracle worker, but he’s damn close. It sucks that they are in the very tough NFC South with the Falcons and the Super Bowl champion Saints, but the Bucs have every reason to believe they can compete with their division foes for 2011 and beyond.

Offensive Rookie Of The Year- Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots and Mike Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This was hard to choose, so I’m picking both. How can you not make a case for Gronkowski? Okay, so Tom Brady throws him the ball, but so what? Gronkowski has been a great asset to the Patriots this season and a red zone killer, scoring 10 TDs in his rookie contest. Since the departure of Moss, Brady has relied on his rookie TEs in a big way (the other is Aaron Hernandez FROM… the University of Florida! *Gator chomping*). Gronkowski has taken his roll and ran away with it…. literally. Mike Williams has also done the same, becoming a big time target for QB Josh Freeman, catching 11TDs and ending the season averaging nearly 15 yards per reception. Williams and Freeman should be making beautiful TDs together in the future with his playmaking ability. Both deserve the praise. I know only one will win, but it’s my blog, I can pick both!

Defensive Rookie Of The Year- Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions

I don’t know another defensive rookie that brought so much immediate impact to his defense like Suh has. Coming out of Nebraska, I always thought Suh would be a star in the NFL and so far he’s been on track to do just that. He ended the 2010 season with 10 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. His numbers are pretty good, but the intangibles of his game don’t translate on paper. The pressures, the hits to the QB, all of those things are a part of Suh’s game. And with a defensive mind like Jim Schwartz at the helm of the Lions, he’s going to be a problem in this league for a long time.

Offensive Player Of The Year- Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Yes, we all know this is my boo. But I promise you, this is an unbiased choice. Rivers lead the league in passing yards (4,710) and was Top 5 in TDs (31), QB rating (101.8) and completion % (66%). Even more impressive about Rivers this season? He was able to maintain having the #1 offense in the league without the likes of Vincent Jackson, Marcus McNeill, Antonio Gates, Malcolm Floyd and Ryan Matthews all being healthy or on the roster… at ONCE! You can pretend you knew who Seyi Ajirotutu was before he caught a TD pass by Rivers, but you’re probably a liar (yeah, I said it!) . He’s the leader of this team without question, and if the Chargers had better special teams this season, they would be in the playoffs. He deserves the credit.

Defensive Player Of The Year- Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers

I’m going to catch a LOT of flack about this… mainly because I don the black and purple real heavy. I really had a hard time picking this award, because Packers LB Clay Matthews and Ravens S Ed Reed both made great cases of being the DPOY. But Polamalu had so many game changing plays this season that’s it’s hard to take this away from him. I say all the time, the Steelers won the AFC North this season because of Polamalu alone, with that game breaking hit against Flacco. When he’s not playing, the Steelers hurt… bad! Forget Ben being the most important piece for Pittsburgh, Polamalu is and it’s without question.I’m gonna get windmilled by Ravens Nation for this.. but I can’t hate on Troy, he’s a game changer. He wins, in my book.

Comeback Player Of The Year- Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

I’m sure a lot of people will feel some kind of way about this pick. Many believe he should be the MVP of the league. And if he’s not that, then he’s the OPOY. But I disagree. The numbers don’t back that up and I mentioned why in my previous blog post . But to deny what Vick has come from in the past 2 years, only to play at such a high level this season is foolish and he deserves recognition for it. He’s still one of the most exciting players in the league and the Eagles wouldn’t be playoff bound if it weren’t for Vick. The sky is the limit for him and I hope he’s allowed to stay in Philly to grow. If not, there will be more than a dozen teams throwing money at his feet once the season is over. Comeback is an understatement for Vick. He’s BALLIN’!

NFL MVP- Tom Brady, New England Patriots

You can hate the Uggs, the Bieber cut, the wifey, the coach and the partridge in a pear tree. But you’d be the ultimate hater if you say he’s undeserving of this award. I’m not going to get into a debate about it. If you want to know why I chose him, it’s simple… you can google him. Tom Brady is the MVP whether folks like it or not. And on that note… Exit left, stage right.

It’s time to put this debate to bed, and I’m sorry to be the one to break some hearts. So many people love Michael Vick (myself included) and want to see a comeback story of a troubled player turning his life around and becoming the league MVP and possible Super Bowl winner/MVP. It’s a story that you would only see in movies. But after last night’s performance, let’s put that talk to rest. Tom Brady is the MVP and it’s not even close.

I know that my opinion is probably an unpopular one. A lot of folks don’t like Tom Brady. There are those who simply hate how good he really is and how many rings that he has, his beautiful wife and family, his Beiber hairdo and his Uggs. Then there are those who hate the fact that he can’t be tapped without a referee calling a personal foul flag against the defender. But take away your personal issues with Brady and the writing’s on the wall: No one has had a better year than Brady, and after last night’s performance against the Vikings, that includes Vick.

Let’s look at it from both ways, the facts and the intangibles.

Completion %: Brady- 66%; Vick- 62.6%  Winner- Brady

TD/INT: Brady- 34/4; Vick- 21/6   (30 TDs if you include his rushing scores) Winner- Brady

QB rating: Brady- 109.8; Vick- 100.2 Winner- Brady

While the numbers are in Brady’s favor, there are many that will use 2 arguments in Vick’s case. He has only played 12 games, opposed to Brady playing in all 15. And that Vick’s offensive line is reminiscent to swiss cheese. Both being valid points. That being said, Vick is a more superior athlete overall than Brady. Vick is able to make plays with is legs to keep plays alive, while Brady is one of the pure pocket passers in the league.

Another point to bring up is their supporting cast. Vick is playing with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek. All 3 players were playmakers for the Eagles and were known as such outside the Philadelphia area prior to Vick taking over the team.

On the flip side, Tom Brady is playing with the likes of Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski (both rookie TEs) and Danny Woodhead. Three players that either lacked NFL experience or one that folks knew nothing about prior to their tenure in New England. Add the fact that Brady lost his deep threat in Randy Moss and the return of Deion Branch, who many thought was done in Seattle, and Brady’s supporting cast doesn’t have the numbers or the fan fare that Vick’s cast has.

The MVP conversation for Vick escalated after his dynamic performance against Washington, which is understandable due to the 6 TDs performance he had in the 59-28 shellacking of the Redskins. Brady doesn’t have a game or two that stands out like Vick does, but he’s consistent to the point that he keeps winning. Brady just surpassed Bernie Kosar with 319 pass attempts without an interceptions, a NFL record. What Brady’s doing with a no-name cast is more impressive  than what Vick is doing with stars and potential Pro Bowlers with the Eagles.

During the middle of the season, I suggested that Brady would win league MVP and Vick would win Offensive Player Of The Year or Comeback POY. Last night’s game brought a little more life to my prediction. Michael Vick is still an outstanding QB and what he’s done with his horrid offensive line has been great. But to look past Brady’s accomplishments because he’s Tom Brady and that’s expected of him, is foolish. As fans, we somteimes let our loyalties and emotions  get in the way of what’s right in front of our eyes. While it’s understandable, it’s hiding the facts. Love him or hate him, Tom Brady is the MVP of the 2010 NFL season.

Sorry Vick…. maybe next year.

If you missed last night’s Monday Night Football matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals, you didn’t miss much at all. A boring game between 2 bad teams, fighting to stay away from being a basement feeder in an awful NFC West division. The 49ers beat the Cardinals, 27-6, but the fun all happened during the post game press conference.

Cardinals QB Derek Anderson was approached by a reporter, asking why was he seen laughing with a teammate during the 4th quarter while being down 18 points. Anderson doesn’t like being challenged, I don’t think. Because it didn’t take any time for him to go off!

I won’t lie, I laughed my ass off when I originally saw this. But I’m going to side with Anderson on this one. I don’t think any of them LIKED being blown out at home. Are you not allowed to laugh during all 60 mins of a football game? Maybe he was laughing to keep from crying, because the Cardinals suck really bad. No one likes their livelihood questioned, even if you are a subpar QB like Derek Anderson.

This has to go down as one of the Top 10 post game tirades of all time. Maybe not Top 5, as Denny Green, Herm Edwards and Jim Mora still have some of the best post game comments ever. But this was entertaining, nonetheless.

The NFL is currently investigating a b*tch fight verbal altercation between a player and an official. Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Aqib Talib allegedly got into a heated exchange with a NFL official, stemming from a questionable pass interference call during the Ravens game. Here’s what Rick Stroud from the St. Petersburg Times tweeted:

Bucs CB Aqib Talib had words with officials following Sunday’s game about an interference call on rookie Myron Lewis

One official on Carl Cheffers crew told Talib in response, “You played like a p—-.” Talib then had to be held back by teammates.

Talib responded to the official’s comment by saying, “I’ll (hit) you in your b—- a– mouth.’ Talib would not talk to reporters Sunday

Two thoughts came to mind. If it’s been confirmed that the NFL ref said what he said, then action should take place immediately. Too many times referees are being held to pedestals and they too do things that can be considered unethical. Telling someone they played like a sour cat is wrong.

But you have to admit, that was funny as hell. If I were Talib, I’d be mad too. You just got ethered by a ref and you really can’t do much about it. It’s no secret that Talib is a hothead anyway, so it wouldn’t take much to set him off. But I would think he’s smart enough to know if he actually attacked a ref, he’d be sent his walking papers possibly for the rest of the year.

Andre Johnson won’t be suspended for knocking Cortland Finnegan the hell out his fight with Cortland Finnegan. Instead, both players were fined $25,000 for their part in the altercation. I’m sure the league heard a lot of outcry from fellow WRs, begging the commish not to punish Johnson. After all, it’s something they’ve all wanted to do for some time now. I doubt very seriously that Finnegan will change the way he approaches the game. He prides himself on getting into his opponent’s head and has said that he likes being called the NFL’s Dirtiest Player. But maybe he’ll think next time before putting his hands a little too close to Andre Johnson’s face mask again.

And finally, a useless fact that you may possibly not care about but I found it interesting. Tom Brady is endorsing Ugg Boots for Men.

Ummmm………………………………………………………………………………

One has to ask, what the hell is Giselle doing to him?? Maybe she likes men with 16 year-old hair cuts that wear women comfort shoes. This is ungood and adds to the many punchlines of jokes amongst the Anti-Brady Nation. Who wears the pants in this relationship? Next, we’ll be seeing Tom Tom walking down the VS runways with the $2 million dollar bra on. Go back to being a football player, dude……….

Program Note: Join us tonight on Gridiron Gals radio, as we have former Bengals and Titans DT John Thornton, as we talk about the state of the Cincinnati Bengals, tonight at 9PM http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gridirongals

Since the hiring of Rex Ryan in 2009, the Jets have become one of the most talked about franchises in the league. From Ryan’s press conferences, to Hard Knocks…. this team has found a way to stay in the conversation when it comes to football. But once upon a time, there was another franchise who held that relm. They were the Oakland Radiers.

If you think about it, the parallels between the 2 teams aren’t as far as you would like to think. Looking at the footage of the Raiders of the 70′s, they hold a LOT of similaries between today’s Jets. Don’t agree? Let me break it down for you.

Boisterous Top Dogs

When the Jets hired Ryan, they knew exactly what they were getting. A confident head coach who doesn’t back down from anyone, and will tell you in the process. Ryan’s fiery personality was a winner in the locker room, mainly because in the midst of his talking, he showed faith and confidence in his guys. Ryan is a guy that believes in his defensive schemes and players, but will call you out the second you show you can’t hang. His persona slowly trickled down to the rest of his team, and it shows with the way they play every week.

With the Raiders, they had that in coach-turned-owner Al Davis. Davis was never afraid to speak his mind, and his personality showed amongst the guys that suited up for him every Sunday.His guys played like his personality. They were a direct reflection of the big wig, and became well known because of it.

Just Win Baby!

We all know this was and still is the moniker for the Raiders. The Raiders believed in doing just that. A lot of players accused the Raiders of playing dirty, taking cheap shots and giving themselves an “unfair advantage” to help them win games. That was the Raider Way, to win under any circumstance. And with less penalties to protect the offensive players back then, there was nothing you could say, or do, to stop them. In their eyes, they were trying to win football games.

With the Jets, their Just Win mentality is not what they do on the field, but more so what they have done off the field. After the 2009 season (in which they reached the AFC Championship), they traded for Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie as well as Steelers WR Santonio Holmes.

Neither player has a great reputation off the football field (Cromartie has 7 kids, including a trio of 3 year-olds, and Holmes is currently suspended for violating the substance abuse policy). Add WR Braylon Edwards to the mix, who has been no stranger to doing newsworthy things, and was recently arrested for DUI after leaving a charity event. While these guys aren’t what some maybe considered role model worthy, the Jets have looked past all of their faults and welcomed them with open arms, in order to win games.

Intimidating Defense

When I think of the Raiders of the 70′s, I think defense. They were big and intimidating. They played No Holds Barred and they scared opposing offenses. George Atkinson, Ted Hendricks and John Matuszak put fear in a lot of people’s lives. When most people think of Raiders defense, they remember the Jack Tatum hit to Darryl Stingley, that paralyzed Stingley. Their reputation was something they prided themselves on, and they lived up to the hype.

Enter the New York Jets. Rex Ryan is the son of Buddy Ryan, who anchored the ’85 Bears (considered to be one of the best defenses ever). Ryan has taken his father’s legacy and built his own, creating a monster of a defense in NY. So now, we have the likes of Darrelle Revis, Bart Scott, Calvin Pace and Shaun Ellis at the helms of one of the most ferocious defenses in the NFL.

“Me Against The World” Mentality

The Raiders always had a target on their back.. and they knew it. They were a part of one of the most intense rivalries with the Pittsburgh Steelers. On one side you had the Raiders, a team that openly embraced a desire to intimidate any opponent. On the other side were the Steelers, a blue-collar bunch that backed down to nobody. When it came down to it, these two squads couldn’t stand each other. These two teams hated each other so much, that Steelers head coach Chuck Noll once said that George Atkinson and the Raiders brought a “criminal element” to the game, when Atkinson knocked out WR Lynn Swann unconscious with a blow to the head. Atkinson later sued Noll for slander.

While the Jets are just getting started under the Ryan era, they’ve already found a target to throw their hatred towards: The New England Patriots. One of the most successful teams in the 2000′s, the Jets are looking to throw the kings off their thrown (The Pats have won the AFC East division 7 times and have been Super Bowl champions 3 times, all in the last 10 years). While their rivalry is no where near the Raiders-Steelers rivalry, it’s well on its way. When Ryan first received the job in NY, he said he never came to the division to “kiss Bill Belichick’s rings”. And when Pats QB Tom Brady was asked if he watched the Jets on “Hard Knocks”, Brady stated that he, “hates the Jets” and that he refused to watch the show. The Jets-Patriots overall record against each other over the last 50 years?? 51-50-1, in the Jets favor.

Big personalities, “Just Win” attitude, intimidating defenses and a “Me Against The World” persona, are all ways to view the New York Jets, led by Rex Ryan. But decades ago, the Oakland Raiders created, lived and breathed those very same policies. Are they one in the same? It’s up to you to decide. But you have to admit, the similarities are endless.