The only fans in North American sports I can think of that are as loyal as Leafs fans are Chicago Cups fans. After 43 years of failure the Leafs are still the most profitable team in the league- what other team can raise what are already the highest ticket prices in hockey and guarantee a sellout in the middle of the longest playoff drought in franchise history? Then again, most any group of fans will claim the same, it's not much of a debate. I've always respected Steelers fans and Bills fans for their loyalty- I'm close enough to Buffalo to see their suffering But anyway, I'm cheering for the Saints for Brees. I'd normally cheer for the Colts for Manning. Saints get the edge because they've never won anything before. Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils. I don't like the trade personally- in failing to get Zajac, Atlanta's not going to have anything to sell their team on. At the same time, considering they are only guaranteed two months of service from him, the Devils gave up a bit too much. I hate renting players, it's a good way to set a franchise back years. Even if New Jersey resigns him, based on his contract demands he will destroy their salary cap. Of course it's likely his first game is going to be against the Leafs.
I'd also have to give some credit to Browns fans. Except for like one decent season, that team has been horrible. And it's gotta suck to be in the same division as the Ravens, i.e. the former Browns. It's bad enough that the old team is more successful, but they have to watch the Ravens beat the Browns twice a season.
Yeah, you have to feel for any team that has a kick returner as their best player. In a similar vein, I can't help but laugh at the Ottawa Senators and their fans- they hate the Leafs, have lost all the playoff series between them, and at every game between the two in Ottawa, you can only see a sea of blue jerseys and hear 'Go Leafs Go!' chants, and boos every time Ottawa's star player touches the puck. I lived in Ottawa during their last playoff series. The day after game 7 you could tell if someone was a Leafs or Sens fan whether they wore a jersey or not. Of course they are on an eleven game win streak right now, and get to smoke the Leafs on Saturday, so for once their fans are probably laughing too.
Saints fans have definitely impressed me with their support. As a diehard sports fan coming from a long history of diehard sports fans, it's something I can respect to see people love their team so much. Nothing against the Colts, and I think the world of Peyton (everyone does......every sports analyst who's ever talked about him, male or female, seems to be absolutely in love with him! ), but the Saints need, deserve and want this more. Looks to be a game for the ages on Sunday, regardless of the outcome, I can tell you! Of course, the greatest party in the history of the world will be raging in New Orleans if the Saints win. I would LOVE to go to that party!
So you're up two goals with less than five minutes left, and your goalie gets hurt by a knee to the head. 3 minutes left, you cough up a goal, and the goalie looks out of sorts. 30 seconds left, the game is tied. Do you pull the goalie? Call a timeout? Or just march the team back up there to give up the game? If you picked the 3rd option, you just might be NHL superstar coach Ron Wilson. Just disgusting. I cannot wait for April to come when this clown gets fired. And now I feel like a huge jerk. News just broke that the youngest son of the Leafs general manager passed away in a traffic accident today. He was one of the few openly gay men involved with hockey, and he'd been working to help make the game's culture more open and understanding. I had a good deal of admiration for him. Just an awful story.
Since I am an avid and lifelong bowler, I thought we should bring this up. Does anyone watch PBA bowling here? I do, and I have to say my faves are Norm Duke (DUUUUUUKE! ), Wes Malott, PDW and Jason Belmonte. I love watching Belmonte bowl--two handed and still striking is something I can't nor ever will do, I'm afraid. And of course Walter Ray Williams Jr!
Town play Carlisle today. Town's home record on the line against one of the division's form sides. Carlisle are the only League One side to have beaten L**ds on their own patch this season (in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy - or Paint Pot, if you prefer - admittedly, as absolutely no one cares about that particular competition), but Town do have an array of attacking talent unparalleled in the division, and three players making their home debuts. Oh, and we owe Carlisle one for the Boxing Day debacle. Hopefully Town will be fired up for the fans who went up only for the match to be postponed at the last minute because Carlisle wanted the money. Jordan Rhodes hat-trick today, I think.
Qualifying for the Daytona 500 today! I love NASCAR. With the first 35 guaranteed cars qualified, Mark Martin is 1st and Dale Earnhart, Jr is 2nd. Martin is my favorite driver. Do any of you follow racing...NASCAR or NHRA, in particular?
Decision after decision after decision... Before long I'm really going to snap with referees. Every game we go into we get some barely-trained monkey who shouldn't be allowed near a football pitch, all of whom determinedly give every single decision to the opposition. We concede penalty after penalty - not through foul play, but through the referees being utterly incompetent. Last week at Yeovil their lad wafts a foot out at a stationary Trotman and falls over, and it's a pen. A few weeks ago their lad turns and shoots only to find his shot blocked by Joe Skarz who is a yard away. Apparently not being able to get a hand out of the way when a shot's been hit at 70mph when you're stood a yard away constitutes deliberate handball. Early in the season two were conceded down at Bristol, one for a foul where Smithies got the ball and the other where their lad just kicked it against a prone Andy Butler in the box. And against Newcastle Shola Ameobi fell over his own feet outside the box and the penalty was given. What do we have to show? Well, we got a stonewaller turned down against Orient, then against Oldham, then against Hartlepool and now two today against Carlisle. Apparently putting arms around a striker when clean on goal isn't a foul, and then chopping a lad four yards out and about to take a shot is a perfectly legitimate challenge. All I want is for us to get some decent decisions. People say that these things even themselves out, but I've been watching football for 16 years and I've yet to see any proof of this. In my time we've been relegated by a handball, denied promotion by a dive (Paul Hayes you will never be forgiven - despite that winner against Bradford for us), and got absolute sod-all in return. The promotion dream could be slipping away at the moment, and it's through that kind of appalling refereeing. Case in point - the goal that put L**ds 2-1 up against us at their skip of a stadium started when Kay had a shot, their keeper made the save and then palmed it behind, only for the corner not to be given and for their keeper to welly one up to Beckford, who flattened Smithies with his 'challenge' (battery is nearer the mark) leaving an open goal for their lad to fire into. Now, we came back to draw that and yet I still feel a sense of injustice. I'm not going to make an apology for this rant, because I've had enough of power-crazed idiots wearing black making decisions someone could only make if they were criminally insane. It feels like every week major decisions go against us and we just don't get what other teams get in that department. Obviously, if we then get a ref against L**ds at the end of the month who gives us a dodgy pen, sends off Beckford and then rules every attack of theirs to be offside I may get over this somewhat, but as things stand I'm thoroughly sick of it. So, in other words, can we have a penalty on Tuesday against Brighton, please? (Just don't let Rhodes take it).
Out of curiosity, did any of you all watch the first UFL season? The games were pretty game. And while the emerging stars of the league are mostly NFL cast offs, these guys are pretty talented. It's awesome to see them get a second shot at pro football.
I tried to follow it, but it had poor coverage up here, and I never knew when games were scheduled. If you like developing players and NFL washouts, check out the CFL. It's hilarious and goofy. The only problem is that the Toronto Argos are terrible Leafs beat Ottawa 5-0. My best friend is a Sens fan, so... Giguere has yet to surrender a goal as a Leaf. In related news, Giguere owns.
Excited for Sunday's big game. But all the Peyton Manning talk is really starting to annoy me. I love Peyton, but people saying he's the greatest QB of all time are wrong. IMO (and with rings and stats to prove it) Joe Montana is the greatest QB of all time. Peyton is one of the all-time greats, but Montana is, and probably always will be, at the top of that list. Montana, Marino, Elway, Unitas, Manning, Starr and (grudgingly admitted ) Favre are on my list, but Montana beats all. Brady isn't on my list because he hasn't really had the greatest past couple seasons and I don't like him at all, but I guess he could arguably deserve a place on the list of greats.
I dunno, especially with a win tomorrow night, he's at least getting close. 4 MVPs, reflected in the way he brings the best out of his offense, are hard to argue against. He's clearly the best of his generation, and if he can keep playing at his level for a few more seasons, he could add a couple more championships. Manning does get a lot of hype, but he deserves it. He's an exceptional player. Also, he's hilarious. Just watch his appearance on SNL.
Manning definitely deserves praise, and that United Way skit had me cracking up for forever. He is getting pretty close, and he is definitely the best player of his generation, someone that the younger, newer generation of QBs in the league today (Sanchez, etc.) can take note of and learn from. Yes, he is getting very close, and he's incredibly intelligent. It's fun to watch him play, and maybe in a few more years he can reach the Montana level, but as of now he's not in the same breath as Montana, who is in a class all his own.
I agree with Gigi that Manning is not the greatest ever. He's been the best of this decade, but for best ever, I'd have to give it to Unitas. I think he had the best arm of any quarterback in history. Though Montana would be an extremely close second. He was the best clutch quarterback in history. As for Brady, say what you want about him, but he is 14-4 in the playoffs and has three superbowl rings. Including two superbowl mvps.
Manning can definitely surpass them if he plays for a few more years at this caliber. However, I think even if he does surpass Unitas or Montana, many will still consider them the all-time greats. However, Manning gets my respect as both a person and a player, and Brady gets my grudging respect as only a player and not a person.
Manning is God. He's already up there with Unitas and Montana and Marino, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. He just signed another multi-million contract to stay with the Colts for another 5 years (At least, I think it's another five). Superbowl is in 18 hours! I'm so excited. I'm going to the party I go to ever year with my family and friends, and it will be lots of frolic and fun. I know some people who are actually going to the superbowl. My friend will be in the sixth row from the top, but he will be there, and I am jealous. GO BLUE!
Not that there was any doubt, but I'm glad he'll finish his career with the Colts. Tomorrow's going to be exciting, should be a fun game. Also, I'm glad the Leafs not only won, but put on such a strong showing tonight, after the terrible news yesterday. They were playing inspired hockey, and I'm sure, if he took the time to watch, Burke appreciated their efforts.
You guys have got to be kidding...the best QB's in Super Bowl history are (tied) Terry Bradsaw and Joe Montana with four Super Bowl rings each. Troy Aikman and Tom Brady won three...pretty darn good. Bart Starr, Roger Staubach, Bob Griese, Jim Plunkett, and John Elway have two wins each...and Griese also capped a magical undefeated season for one of his wins. As much as I root for Favre, he's not in the same exalted company as those with more than one SB win. Manning, with his ONE Super Bowl win, has the opportunity to enter the 3rd tier group of SB-winning QB's, but he has to win first. Even then, he's a long way off from "great" status when compared to real greats. IMHO, Montana and Bradshaw are the only truly "great" SB-winning Quarterbacks.
Back to NASCAR for a minute. Did any of you see Danika Patrick's debut stock race today? Came in 7th and did a good job. Unfortunately, the media was so in love with her that they did not pay much attention to the OTHER three young women in the race. I've long wondered when women would break into stock care racing. Cars don't know the gender of the driver and there is no reason a woman can't move to the very top of that sport. Good job ladies! BTW - if anyone wonders if women are tough enough for the hazards of stock car racing, Jill George flipped her car today, rolled it twice and completely demolished it. She hopped out, just like any of the guys, with no injuries. The only down side to women in stock car racing is sponsorship...don't think I'm quite ready for the "Tampax Toyota" or the "Midol Malibu"...LOL
This is exactly why Superbowls won shouldn't be the sole criteria for determining how good a QB is- Trent Dilfer is not a better quarterback than Dan Marino, and Eli Manning is not a better quarterback than Aaron Rodgers. Also, in MMA news, I love that Sonnen beat Marquardt. I'm no fan of Sonnen, but any Marquardt loss is beautiful.
You're not biased at all, Merc. And yes, I heard about the multi-million dollar deal. They want to keep him a "Colt for life". When I heard that, I imagined them building him a prison cage out of money. "Don't ever leave us.......take more money....... stay.....foooorrreeevvverrr......" Not that he ever would've left, though. And he does a lot of charity work, so I'll bet lots of that money will be going to worthy causes. He's still a humble guy even though he (and Eli) are loaded to the ears with cash. They're both still great people, and when you're praised and paid as highly as they are, it's refreshing to see them not be selfish and spoiled. Wholeheartedly agree with both points, (although on the latter I may be biased ) but their stats, continuity and performance as well as attitude should be taken into account. Nobody beats Joe Cool. Not yet, anyway. There are several people on the fast track to get there (Manning for example) but not yet.
Pshh, my birthday! At least, this year it is. 20 days to the big 21. It's unnatural to get this excited over football, but I need the Colts to win since my college team lost the National Championship.
