In the past couple of weeks I've had a lot of time to think about 'fresh starts'. Some may know that I recently moved to Decorah, IA to work at Luther College as the assistant Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving coach. For the past few years I've lived at home in Milwaukee, minus my 6-months in Chicago, coaching hs boys swimming as well as a few other jobs. Moving out here to Iowa has not only been about starting a career for myself, but also changing my own life and starting fresh. I've got a new apartment, new responsibilities, new friends, new town, everything is new. As hard as it is to leave Milwaukee, especially this year after the group of friends I've become to know this summer, it's what I need to get myself going in the right direction.
While it isn't always major news, starting fresh is important for any athlete. Whether they've been traded to a new team, coming out of rehab, or just looking to make a change in order to find success again, it's important. Almost anyone can get a second chance at their life or career, but it's what one does with that chance that makes the difference.
For example, let's talk about Michael Vick. In his first years in the NFL he was one of the few QBs who found success right away with the Atlanta Falcons. He fast grew into one of the most athletic starting quarterbacks with what seemed to be a very long career ahead of him. It call came crashing down in 2007 when he pleaded guilty for dog fighting, suspended from the NFL, paying back much of his signing bonus and ultimately serving a prison sentence. Was it really possible for an ex convict to be reinstated to the NFL? Most would say no, but not even a year after his release he as signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in a 1 year contract for $1.6 million. The kicker; none of it guaranteed. It may not have been his most successful season but after what he'd been through, it was better than where he could be. Another year he was back as a starter, scoring touchdowns and getting the Eagles to the playoffs. A fresh start turned in the right direction, now what the future brings is to see if he can keep running on the right path.
Tiger Woods has been on fresh start track since the news of his infidelities broke in late 2009. Announcing his 'indefinite break from golf' the sports world waited to hear when they would see him play again. The 2010 Masters would be it and many anticipated we'd see a newly rejuvenated Woods to come on the course like the player we'd become to know him as. He came out strong with a 4-under 1st round, best ever start at Augusta, starting many to believe he indeed was back, everyone except those who finished 3 places in front of him. It seemed okay though, he played well, it was his first tournament back, nothing to worry about. Withdrawing from the Players Championship in the final round wasn't so promising either. Tried to defend his title at the Memorial; T-19th. U.S. Open; T-4th. The Open Championship; 13 shots behind surprise winner Louis Oosthuzin. In August, he finished 2nd to last at WGC Bridgestone with an 18 over par. Who was this guy? Not the same Tiger Woods who won the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 strokes. 2010 was lost for Woods when he finished out of the top 30 in the FedEx Cup rankings for the first time since 1996, but because Corey Pavin knew exactly how good Woods is he took the chance and still invited him to the Tour Championship. He did not play to expectations once again. We're now more than halfway through 2011 and Tiger has yet to win another major or even a regular tournament. Inconsistency has become his new name. As of right now, the last we'll see of him on the golf course was walking off the 9th green at the TPC as he withdrew himself in the 1st round. Various injuries since 2008 have been lingering in his game. Not to say that he's faking it, but when are they not going to be apart of his reasons behind not playing well? Tiger's 'fresh start' after his time off to get his life back together still has us wondering if he made the right choice. He's given himself a second chance, but we have yet to see success. When will we see him play again? Is it possible that one of the greatest golfers in history is never going to win another major?
Shooting himself in the leg on accident ultimately led to Plaxico Burress turning himself in for criminal possession of a handgun. Ultimately returning to Giants Stadium, Burress was suspended without pay, placed on a reserve list, and ineligible for the playoffs. After a 9 mm, rifle and ammunition were found at his home there wasn't much hope that we'd see Plaxico on the playing field anytime soon. Finally in August of 2009, he accepted the plea deal to serve 2 years in prison and an additional 2 years of supervised release. Released from jail he seemed ready to get back into the game, but with the NFL still in lockout he had to wait to see what could happen. Like Vick, many thought he'd never play another game, and at this point we were skeptical to believe there would be a season this year. Thankfully we're now in preseason football and Burress is back in uniform, with the New York Jets. The NFL world waits to see what he's going to do.
There are so many athletes over the years who get a second chance, fresh start, rebirth, whatever you choose to call it, and it's not always the successful stories that stand out the most. Tiger's near 2 year rebirth still has us wondering if he took the right path. A fresh start isn't always a long engagement, it could be simple as one of Shaquille O'Neal's new season with a different team or an Olympic athlete getting a 2nd or 3rd chance to go for a gold medal. Michael Phelps after being slandered for images of him smoking pot and living the party lifestyle has started to climb back to the top of medal stand even with Ryan Lochte currently standing in the way. Those of us who have been fortunate enough in life to be given a second chance at something can tell with experience that while it takes more work than before, taking that opportunity and running with it is worth every sacrifice. You sometimes have to go further, work harder, sacrifice more, find a little humility but when you bounce back stronger than ever, you realize it was all worth it. So, when you get your second chance, your fresh start, what are you going to do?
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Lombardi's Return to Titletown
I know by now most of you in the Facebook world are sick of my talking about the Packers, but I'm not going to apologize. This is something I've been waiting to be apart of for 14 years. So it was time, Sunday morning arrived, and the last time I was this nervous was before my senior year of high school state (the day I won my one and only individual state title in swimming). My mom and I together wandered around the house trying to figure out things to do to occupy our time. Cleaning, organizing, preparing the food, anything we could think of to keep our mind off the game. For our Super Bowl feast we dined on brats and burgers, typical Wisconsin cuisine along with assorted tailgate amenities. And then time ran out... Kickoff time.
I don't know if I've ever been more stressed for a 3 hour time period in my life. I warned friends to not talk to me because I more than likely will not be answering my phone. There are a few special people who can say that experienced the game with me as they were recipients of my text messages throughout the game. From the moment that Mason Crosby kicked off the game, I don't think I ever took a deep breath. Once Jordy Nelson scored and the Nick Collins got his Pick 6 we could start to breathe a little easier, but the game was far from over. What really broke Packer Nation's heart was seeing both Donald Driver and Charles Woodson go down in the first half with two game ending injuries. 2 of the players on this team who quite possibly wanted it more than anyone out there. We went into halftime with a 21-10 lead. The Packers locker room at halftime was very emotional. Defensive leader Charles Woodson gave a rousing speech in which he broke down. Everyone knew how badly he wanted to win, so they came out with even more motivation.
The 3rd quarter didn't start off the way we had hoped, the Steelers found their momentum and brought the game 21-17. All season we've referred to the 3rd quarter as the "turd" quarter. The Packers lost majority of their games this season in the 3rd. We had to find a way to get the momentum back in our favor whether it was on defense or offense, didn't matter we needed it back. The 3rd quarter was finally over but the Steelers still had the ball. I turned to my mom and said "All we need is a big defensive play here and we can change this game around". The next play changed the game. Roethlisberger handed the ball off to Mendenhall, a man we had yet to stop during the game. But this play was different, Clay Matthews saw the play and knew what he had to do. He charged the O-Line as Mendenhall got the ball and before our eyes the ball came loose. Everyone watching saw it, but the only person the field to see it other than Matthews and Mendenhall was Desmond Bishop. Bishop fell on the ball and all I can remember is jumping up and down high fiving my mom. The game was far from over. Packers capitalized on that fumble and brought the score 28-17 with a beautiful pass from Rodgers to Jennings. With a lot of time left, no one was ready to say the game was over, and they were right. The Steelers brought it back within 3 when they scored a TD and made the 2 pt conversions. 28-25 with 7:34 left in the game.
This was the Packers' last chance to put the game away for good. If they scored a TD on this drive the game was over, but 7:30 is a lot of time to mess things up. Rodgers and the offense used up 5:30 minutes only to score a field goal making the score 31-25, giving the Steelers the ball back with 2:00 left and only needing a TD to win the game. Big Ben and his offense should never be counted out in a game if they're only down by one TD until the game clock has run out. The Packers D allowed the Steelers a 1st down, but that was the last 1st down they'd have in the game. Facing 4th and 5 and 1:00 left on the clock, the Steelers have no choice but to go for it. Roethlisberger has done it before and could do it again, but not this time. He stepped back, threw the ball, but it wasn't perfect, short and left and with the Packers on double coverage the ball was knocked away. Game Over. With a minute left all the Packers had to do was knee the ball twice with no mistakes and the Lombardi Trophy would be ours once again. Clock run's out, the Green Bay Packers are Super Bowl XLV Champions.
Pandemonium around the state of Wisconsin and all across Packer Nation. Bars from downtown Milwaukee to the podunk towns of Ladysmith and all the way to Green bay erupted, potentially causing some minor hearing losses. House parties became hugging fests, tears of joy pouring down life long Packer Fans. It's hard to describe the feeling but anyone who's experienced knows what it's like. 14 years ago when the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI I was only 11 years old, I remember it happening but I didn't fully understand what was going on. This year though was different. All the nerves, mini heart attacks, profanities, and panic attacks during the season and during the final game was worth it. Seeing the pure joy on my mom's face in those final seconds was what I've waited for. She taught me everything I know about loving the game, and without her (or the rest of my family) my love for the Packers wouldn't be the same. There have been a lot of amazing experience in my life but this chalks up easily in the top 3. Watching the trophy ceremony brought more tears and more smiles. Players like Donald Driver who's been through so much, especially this season, seeing him kiss Lombardi, made everything worth it. It's 4 days later and I still don't think I've come down from the high, I don't think I ever will.
I have a lot of respect for the Steeler organization. They have just as much history as the Packers do and have built their own dynasties throughout the years. Their fans are just as dedicated as we are, there are many teams who have fans that will fill the stadiums even when it's 10 degrees outside, often shirtless. As much as the Steelers and their fans wanted this win, the Packers needed it. Green Bay is a small town, hell the attendance at the game, even without the 400 people who didn't get into their seats, is more than Green Bay's population. Without the Packers, Green Bay doesn't have anything. This team is the heart and soul of Wisconsin and Green Bay itself. It's a publicly owned organization with thousands of shareholders who have bailed the team out in times of need. No other team can say that they are owned by the people. Fans drove from Wisconsin without tickets, just to be near the stadium with hopes that the Packers would win. The trophy itself is called the Vince Lombardi Trophy, while other teams do deserve to win it, it belongs at home, in Green Bay, where Lombardi changed the game forever.
The Return to Titletown was not just a one time thing, in Green Bay it lasted 2 days. the team came back on Monday afternoon to be greeted by 35,000 fans lining the streets as the Green Bay Metro buses drove them back to Lambeau Field. Schools cancelled classes because the truancy rates would have been too high to even try to teach, to make it easier, it was declared a holiday. Coming off the plane fans erupted in cheers for each player. Riding on the buses players hung out the windows despite the cold temperatures to get videos of the fans, just like all the fans were doing as the buses passed. Donald Driver looked like a kid who just won a trip to Disney World. Arriving at Lambeau Field the players found the fans gave them high fives and signed some autographs. The real celebration was set for Tuesday. Tickets $5 to get into the stadium, we had to go up. I bought 3 tickets and despite the forecast for 0 degree weather, it was only fitting to go welcome home the champions back to the Frozen Tundra.
Bundled in nearly all of our winter gear we made it to the sold out Lambeau Field along with 50,000 other of our people. Every where you walked chants of "Go Pack Go" and "woo-hoos" were heard. On a day like this, everyone is friends with everyone. You bump into someone on accident, you didn't say sorry, you just said "Go Packers!". Before the team even came onto the field the jumbo screens replayed highlights of the season and with the amount of cheering you could have sworn it was gameday. Waving our flags proudly we welcomed each player and their coaches into the stadium with Head Coach Mike McCarthy coming in last holding Lombardi. The roars of the crowd were deafening as the infamous "Go Pack Go" cheered started out of nowhere. In Green Bay when we win Super Bowl's we rename streets, this year we added McCarthy's Way. Majority of the field still covered in snow, players huddled by the space heaters to keep warm but as some individuals came up to speak they braved the cold with smiles on their faces. Stand out leaders on the team: Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson, Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings and Jared Bush all spoke. John Kuhn came to the stage to the sound of the "KKKKUUUHNNNNNNN" cheer. But the star of the day was fan favorite, Donald Driver. Our all pro wide receiver got the loudest and longest cheer of the day, you could clearly tell who was the favorite. As he spoke about how much this meant to him, I got chills. To see the man smile was worth the trip alone.
To close out the celebration, who better than our So.Cal leader and Super Bowl MVP, Aaron Rodgers. With the crowd cheering "M-V-P! M-V-P!" he grabbed the Lombardi trophy and raised it to the sold out stadium. The man has truly been a leader since he took over as our starting quarterback in 2008. Always, fighting and uphill battle to get where he is today, you could hear in his voice the genuine feelings of appreciation to all the fans and the Packer organization for believing in him from day one. As he put it, August 29, 2005 was the greatest day of his life (drafted by the Packers) up until February 6,2011. The California boy has found his place in life in the Frozen Tundra, and we're not letting go of him anytime soon. Rodgers spoke to the crowd and to the team like he's been doing it for years and as he put it "we'll see you guys here next year!".
It's been 4 days since we became champions, I'm still waiting for someone to pinch me and tell me it was all a dream. Football season is officially over, but now all we can hope is that we have a season next year so we can bring home another championship. In the meantime, I can look at my phone with it's new background of Donald Driver and the Lombardi trophy. I love this team and everything that goes with it. As Charles Woodson put it: "No one can take this away from us, I'm never coming down from this high. Ever." This is the start of a new era with hopefully many more Lombardi Trophies being brought back to Green Bay.
I don't know if I've ever been more stressed for a 3 hour time period in my life. I warned friends to not talk to me because I more than likely will not be answering my phone. There are a few special people who can say that experienced the game with me as they were recipients of my text messages throughout the game. From the moment that Mason Crosby kicked off the game, I don't think I ever took a deep breath. Once Jordy Nelson scored and the Nick Collins got his Pick 6 we could start to breathe a little easier, but the game was far from over. What really broke Packer Nation's heart was seeing both Donald Driver and Charles Woodson go down in the first half with two game ending injuries. 2 of the players on this team who quite possibly wanted it more than anyone out there. We went into halftime with a 21-10 lead. The Packers locker room at halftime was very emotional. Defensive leader Charles Woodson gave a rousing speech in which he broke down. Everyone knew how badly he wanted to win, so they came out with even more motivation.
The 3rd quarter didn't start off the way we had hoped, the Steelers found their momentum and brought the game 21-17. All season we've referred to the 3rd quarter as the "turd" quarter. The Packers lost majority of their games this season in the 3rd. We had to find a way to get the momentum back in our favor whether it was on defense or offense, didn't matter we needed it back. The 3rd quarter was finally over but the Steelers still had the ball. I turned to my mom and said "All we need is a big defensive play here and we can change this game around". The next play changed the game. Roethlisberger handed the ball off to Mendenhall, a man we had yet to stop during the game. But this play was different, Clay Matthews saw the play and knew what he had to do. He charged the O-Line as Mendenhall got the ball and before our eyes the ball came loose. Everyone watching saw it, but the only person the field to see it other than Matthews and Mendenhall was Desmond Bishop. Bishop fell on the ball and all I can remember is jumping up and down high fiving my mom. The game was far from over. Packers capitalized on that fumble and brought the score 28-17 with a beautiful pass from Rodgers to Jennings. With a lot of time left, no one was ready to say the game was over, and they were right. The Steelers brought it back within 3 when they scored a TD and made the 2 pt conversions. 28-25 with 7:34 left in the game.
This was the Packers' last chance to put the game away for good. If they scored a TD on this drive the game was over, but 7:30 is a lot of time to mess things up. Rodgers and the offense used up 5:30 minutes only to score a field goal making the score 31-25, giving the Steelers the ball back with 2:00 left and only needing a TD to win the game. Big Ben and his offense should never be counted out in a game if they're only down by one TD until the game clock has run out. The Packers D allowed the Steelers a 1st down, but that was the last 1st down they'd have in the game. Facing 4th and 5 and 1:00 left on the clock, the Steelers have no choice but to go for it. Roethlisberger has done it before and could do it again, but not this time. He stepped back, threw the ball, but it wasn't perfect, short and left and with the Packers on double coverage the ball was knocked away. Game Over. With a minute left all the Packers had to do was knee the ball twice with no mistakes and the Lombardi Trophy would be ours once again. Clock run's out, the Green Bay Packers are Super Bowl XLV Champions.
Pandemonium around the state of Wisconsin and all across Packer Nation. Bars from downtown Milwaukee to the podunk towns of Ladysmith and all the way to Green bay erupted, potentially causing some minor hearing losses. House parties became hugging fests, tears of joy pouring down life long Packer Fans. It's hard to describe the feeling but anyone who's experienced knows what it's like. 14 years ago when the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI I was only 11 years old, I remember it happening but I didn't fully understand what was going on. This year though was different. All the nerves, mini heart attacks, profanities, and panic attacks during the season and during the final game was worth it. Seeing the pure joy on my mom's face in those final seconds was what I've waited for. She taught me everything I know about loving the game, and without her (or the rest of my family) my love for the Packers wouldn't be the same. There have been a lot of amazing experience in my life but this chalks up easily in the top 3. Watching the trophy ceremony brought more tears and more smiles. Players like Donald Driver who's been through so much, especially this season, seeing him kiss Lombardi, made everything worth it. It's 4 days later and I still don't think I've come down from the high, I don't think I ever will.
I have a lot of respect for the Steeler organization. They have just as much history as the Packers do and have built their own dynasties throughout the years. Their fans are just as dedicated as we are, there are many teams who have fans that will fill the stadiums even when it's 10 degrees outside, often shirtless. As much as the Steelers and their fans wanted this win, the Packers needed it. Green Bay is a small town, hell the attendance at the game, even without the 400 people who didn't get into their seats, is more than Green Bay's population. Without the Packers, Green Bay doesn't have anything. This team is the heart and soul of Wisconsin and Green Bay itself. It's a publicly owned organization with thousands of shareholders who have bailed the team out in times of need. No other team can say that they are owned by the people. Fans drove from Wisconsin without tickets, just to be near the stadium with hopes that the Packers would win. The trophy itself is called the Vince Lombardi Trophy, while other teams do deserve to win it, it belongs at home, in Green Bay, where Lombardi changed the game forever.
The Return to Titletown was not just a one time thing, in Green Bay it lasted 2 days. the team came back on Monday afternoon to be greeted by 35,000 fans lining the streets as the Green Bay Metro buses drove them back to Lambeau Field. Schools cancelled classes because the truancy rates would have been too high to even try to teach, to make it easier, it was declared a holiday. Coming off the plane fans erupted in cheers for each player. Riding on the buses players hung out the windows despite the cold temperatures to get videos of the fans, just like all the fans were doing as the buses passed. Donald Driver looked like a kid who just won a trip to Disney World. Arriving at Lambeau Field the players found the fans gave them high fives and signed some autographs. The real celebration was set for Tuesday. Tickets $5 to get into the stadium, we had to go up. I bought 3 tickets and despite the forecast for 0 degree weather, it was only fitting to go welcome home the champions back to the Frozen Tundra.
Bundled in nearly all of our winter gear we made it to the sold out Lambeau Field along with 50,000 other of our people. Every where you walked chants of "Go Pack Go" and "woo-hoos" were heard. On a day like this, everyone is friends with everyone. You bump into someone on accident, you didn't say sorry, you just said "Go Packers!". Before the team even came onto the field the jumbo screens replayed highlights of the season and with the amount of cheering you could have sworn it was gameday. Waving our flags proudly we welcomed each player and their coaches into the stadium with Head Coach Mike McCarthy coming in last holding Lombardi. The roars of the crowd were deafening as the infamous "Go Pack Go" cheered started out of nowhere. In Green Bay when we win Super Bowl's we rename streets, this year we added McCarthy's Way. Majority of the field still covered in snow, players huddled by the space heaters to keep warm but as some individuals came up to speak they braved the cold with smiles on their faces. Stand out leaders on the team: Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson, Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings and Jared Bush all spoke. John Kuhn came to the stage to the sound of the "KKKKUUUHNNNNNNN" cheer. But the star of the day was fan favorite, Donald Driver. Our all pro wide receiver got the loudest and longest cheer of the day, you could clearly tell who was the favorite. As he spoke about how much this meant to him, I got chills. To see the man smile was worth the trip alone.
To close out the celebration, who better than our So.Cal leader and Super Bowl MVP, Aaron Rodgers. With the crowd cheering "M-V-P! M-V-P!" he grabbed the Lombardi trophy and raised it to the sold out stadium. The man has truly been a leader since he took over as our starting quarterback in 2008. Always, fighting and uphill battle to get where he is today, you could hear in his voice the genuine feelings of appreciation to all the fans and the Packer organization for believing in him from day one. As he put it, August 29, 2005 was the greatest day of his life (drafted by the Packers) up until February 6,2011. The California boy has found his place in life in the Frozen Tundra, and we're not letting go of him anytime soon. Rodgers spoke to the crowd and to the team like he's been doing it for years and as he put it "we'll see you guys here next year!".
It's been 4 days since we became champions, I'm still waiting for someone to pinch me and tell me it was all a dream. Football season is officially over, but now all we can hope is that we have a season next year so we can bring home another championship. In the meantime, I can look at my phone with it's new background of Donald Driver and the Lombardi trophy. I love this team and everything that goes with it. As Charles Woodson put it: "No one can take this away from us, I'm never coming down from this high. Ever." This is the start of a new era with hopefully many more Lombardi Trophies being brought back to Green Bay.
Monday, January 24, 2011
AFC/NFC Championship Sunday
There are many words that can be used to describe the emotions that ran through the 4 teams in the AFC/NFC Championships and their fans: excitement, heartbreak, defeat, anxiousness, anger, nervousness, joy, frustration. God knows what else. At the end of the day only two teams could prevail. For the NFC Championship it would either be the Chicago Bears or the Green Bay Packers, the oldest rivalry in the NFL. And for the AFC Championship the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New York Jets, a newly formed rivalry.
Sunday started off with the Packers at the Bears. A game that I think even some Steelers and Jets fans were more excited about. The oldest rivalry in football. Haven't played each other in the playoffs since 1941 (where the Bears won) so we were long overdue for a rematch. The hype leading up to the game didn't disappoint. Active players, retired Hall of Famers, and fans alike took sides. Even former pro wrestler Triple H endorsed the Packers and praised Aaron Rodgers for his "title belt" TD celebration. Both teams had played great games the week before, the Packers more-so than the Bears with their stomping of the Falcons, 48-21. For the 2 p.m. kick-off, the temperature in the teens with a wind-chill in the single digits, it's this generations "Ice Bowl". From the beginning the Packers seemed to be in control of it all. On their first drive, Rodgers was perfect closing with his own 1-yd TD run. 7-0 Packers. Jay Cutler and the Bears just couldn't get their offense going relying heavily on their defense. The next thing they know, they're down 14-0 after a Starks TD run. Halftime. Going into the lockerroom GB is more than pumped up, but the Bears needed to figure something out. Rodgers had cooled off after the opening drive and the game wasn't going exactly as many thought it would after the first quarter. Coming back onto the field for the start of the 3rd quarter, Cutler didn't last. With an injured knee he was benched, back-up QB Collins was put in but brought out almost as fast after 2 near INTs. Now things relied on 3rd string QB Hanie and to everyone's surprise, he played extremely well. The Bears made things interesting with two TDs in the 4th quarter, but the 2nd one just too late. Like many people said beforehand, it was going to be a defensive game, and that's exactly what it was. The Packers sealed their ticket to Dallas on two defensive plays. First, BJ Raji, 338 lb D-Lineman, intercepted Hanie and ran it 19 yds for the TD. Second, Sam Shields, an undrafted player, closed the door on the Bears with his interception during one of the Bears last plays with 1:00 left in the game. That was it, the Green Bay Packers are going to the Superbowl.
After the game, speculation started to come out about Cutler leaving the game. People were questioning whether he just quit on the team or was truly injured (Turns out he tore his MCL). In the Packers lockerroom, Terry Bradshaw asked Clay Matthews if he was surprised that Cutler left the game. His response: "well yeah, you expect 4 quarters out of him. We hit him pretty hard, I guess hard enough to knock him out". Its hard as a fan and a player not to question when your starting QB, or anyone for that matter, leaves the game seemingly hurt, but appears to be okay on the sidelines. Especially when he's not playing well and your team is losing in the final game before the Super Bowl. Brian Urlacher defended him like any teammate should saying that if he could have played he would have, no questions, but clearly he wasn't 100% so he had to sit.
Moving on to the evening game, NY Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers. While it may not have been hyped up like the Packers/Bears game, it still had a lot of nervous fans biting their nails through the whole game. Like the NFC championship, the Steelers seemed in control of the game from the start. They took the lead 10-0, far from being over but then things took a turn for the worse for the Jets. In :47 seconds they were suddenly down 24-0. Big Ben's 2-yd TD run then a fumble recovery for a TD surged the Steelers into the lead. Going into the half the Jets were at least on the board, 24-3. Halftime. Something kickstarted the Jets, and 3 minutes into the 3rd quarter they were only down 14, 24-10 with a lot of football left to play. 4th quarter starts and many fans on both sides thought the game was over, but we've seen crazier things happen. A safety and a TD brought the Jets within in striking distance, 24-19. Was the unthinkable about to happen? Were the Steelers going to crumble like the Ravens did the week before? Were we going to see two 6 seeded teams in the Superbowl? As much as Jets fans would have liked, no, it didn't happen. Steeler Nation prevailed. Time ran out on the Jets hopeful comeback and their season was over.
So now we have it. Superbowl XLV (45 for those of you who don't pay attention). Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. The two nations going head to head. There may not be bigger fan bases in the NFL, and not to mention, fan bases that travel extremely well. All Cowboys fans in the greater Dallas/Ft. Worth area should probably refrain from leaving their houses and wearing any Cowboys gear is pretty much asking for it. 2 weeks from today one team will be returning back to their respective city with the Lombardi Trophy in hand. Who will you root for? We all know my allegiance.
Sunday started off with the Packers at the Bears. A game that I think even some Steelers and Jets fans were more excited about. The oldest rivalry in football. Haven't played each other in the playoffs since 1941 (where the Bears won) so we were long overdue for a rematch. The hype leading up to the game didn't disappoint. Active players, retired Hall of Famers, and fans alike took sides. Even former pro wrestler Triple H endorsed the Packers and praised Aaron Rodgers for his "title belt" TD celebration. Both teams had played great games the week before, the Packers more-so than the Bears with their stomping of the Falcons, 48-21. For the 2 p.m. kick-off, the temperature in the teens with a wind-chill in the single digits, it's this generations "Ice Bowl". From the beginning the Packers seemed to be in control of it all. On their first drive, Rodgers was perfect closing with his own 1-yd TD run. 7-0 Packers. Jay Cutler and the Bears just couldn't get their offense going relying heavily on their defense. The next thing they know, they're down 14-0 after a Starks TD run. Halftime. Going into the lockerroom GB is more than pumped up, but the Bears needed to figure something out. Rodgers had cooled off after the opening drive and the game wasn't going exactly as many thought it would after the first quarter. Coming back onto the field for the start of the 3rd quarter, Cutler didn't last. With an injured knee he was benched, back-up QB Collins was put in but brought out almost as fast after 2 near INTs. Now things relied on 3rd string QB Hanie and to everyone's surprise, he played extremely well. The Bears made things interesting with two TDs in the 4th quarter, but the 2nd one just too late. Like many people said beforehand, it was going to be a defensive game, and that's exactly what it was. The Packers sealed their ticket to Dallas on two defensive plays. First, BJ Raji, 338 lb D-Lineman, intercepted Hanie and ran it 19 yds for the TD. Second, Sam Shields, an undrafted player, closed the door on the Bears with his interception during one of the Bears last plays with 1:00 left in the game. That was it, the Green Bay Packers are going to the Superbowl.
After the game, speculation started to come out about Cutler leaving the game. People were questioning whether he just quit on the team or was truly injured (Turns out he tore his MCL). In the Packers lockerroom, Terry Bradshaw asked Clay Matthews if he was surprised that Cutler left the game. His response: "well yeah, you expect 4 quarters out of him. We hit him pretty hard, I guess hard enough to knock him out". Its hard as a fan and a player not to question when your starting QB, or anyone for that matter, leaves the game seemingly hurt, but appears to be okay on the sidelines. Especially when he's not playing well and your team is losing in the final game before the Super Bowl. Brian Urlacher defended him like any teammate should saying that if he could have played he would have, no questions, but clearly he wasn't 100% so he had to sit.
Moving on to the evening game, NY Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers. While it may not have been hyped up like the Packers/Bears game, it still had a lot of nervous fans biting their nails through the whole game. Like the NFC championship, the Steelers seemed in control of the game from the start. They took the lead 10-0, far from being over but then things took a turn for the worse for the Jets. In :47 seconds they were suddenly down 24-0. Big Ben's 2-yd TD run then a fumble recovery for a TD surged the Steelers into the lead. Going into the half the Jets were at least on the board, 24-3. Halftime. Something kickstarted the Jets, and 3 minutes into the 3rd quarter they were only down 14, 24-10 with a lot of football left to play. 4th quarter starts and many fans on both sides thought the game was over, but we've seen crazier things happen. A safety and a TD brought the Jets within in striking distance, 24-19. Was the unthinkable about to happen? Were the Steelers going to crumble like the Ravens did the week before? Were we going to see two 6 seeded teams in the Superbowl? As much as Jets fans would have liked, no, it didn't happen. Steeler Nation prevailed. Time ran out on the Jets hopeful comeback and their season was over.
So now we have it. Superbowl XLV (45 for those of you who don't pay attention). Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. The two nations going head to head. There may not be bigger fan bases in the NFL, and not to mention, fan bases that travel extremely well. All Cowboys fans in the greater Dallas/Ft. Worth area should probably refrain from leaving their houses and wearing any Cowboys gear is pretty much asking for it. 2 weeks from today one team will be returning back to their respective city with the Lombardi Trophy in hand. Who will you root for? We all know my allegiance.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
NFL Playoffs
It's to no one's surprise that I'm a huge sports fan. It's hard for me to determine what sport I enjoy the most because there are different parts of each one that suck me in. It's hard to top March Madness or the Final Round at the Masters, but right now all I can think about is the Green Bay Packers and their march to Superbowl XLV (45).
The past two weekends of wildcard and playoff games have been a rollercoaster to say the least. Some predictable others not so much, actually wait, I don't think there is one game that has gone as predicted. After the first 2 rounds, the number one seeds (Falcons and Patriots) are both gone and the defending Super Bowl Champions, New Orleans Saints, were knocked off as well. I think majority of sports fans didn't see this coming. Everyone wants their team to win, but often times we find ourselves rooting for other teams with hopes that we'll play the team that may not be as good, however are surprised when the expected winner loses.
Wildcard Weekend:
Jets over Colts (17-16). Ravens over Kansas City (30-7). Packers over Eagles (21-16). Seahawks over Saints (41-36). Fans alike expected the Ravens to win, that was a given, but the other games caused a few more heart attacks. Starting with the Jets/Colts game. It was truly up for grabs really. The injured Colts were struggling to hold on, but no one ever overlooks P. Manning, however Sanchez and the Jets stayed on top, barely, to pull out the victory. The Packers/Eagles game was going to be close, everyone knew that. Michael Vick is a phenomenal QB but the Packers D has been near impossible to break this year and their offense has been exceptional with Rodgers as their leader. With the final minutes winding down, Philly was making a run to win the game, but all thanks to Tremon Williams' phenomenal INT in the endzone, that drive was halted faster than Vick's dog fighting trial. The biggest surprise of the weekend however, the Seahawks defeat of the Saints. The defending Super Bowl champs weren't as good as they were the previous season, however going up against the 7-9 Seahawks no one thought this upset would happen. Down at the half, the Seahawks never gave up. With the "Return that Shocked Seattle" the Seahawks came out victorious. New Orleans came into the game with the mindset that it would be an easy victory and advance to the next round. Now they're back in their homes kicking themselves.
Divisional Round:
Jets over Patriots (28-21). Pittsburgh over Baltimore (31-24). Packers over Falcons (48-21). Bears over Seahawks (35-24). Who would have thought the two #1 seeds would both be gone in the divisional round? Well Packer Nation and Jets fans probably knew it, and a few other serious football fans, but not many others. With the Jets going to Gilette stadium to play the Patriots, not many people thought Sanchez would prevail over multi-MVP Tom Brady and his all-stars, but they did. Same thing with the Saints the week before, the Patriots didn't show up to play. They thought it was going to be an easy win, but it wasn't. The Bears/Seahawks game went as expected, the Bears won and Seattle faltered, nothing else. The Ravens/Steelers game was one that was up for grabs. Both teams had potential to win, it was just a matter of who could play for an hour with the least mistakes. Ravens took the early lead and seemed as if they had control of the game, until they crumbled like the Berlin Wall in the 80's. Mistake after mistake, the Steelers capitalized and prevailed. Now the #1 seeded Falcons had a lot of expectations to live up to, a lot of people thought the inexperienced Matt Ryan could take them to the SuperBowl, but the Packers had other plans. In their first meeting, yes the Falcons won, but barely. The Packers have been on the radar for the SuperBowl this entire season. They were never blown out of a game (all loses were by 3 or fewer points) and when they were playing well, it was dangerous. This game there was no stopping the Packers on either side of the ball. Aaron Rodgers was close to perfection (31/36, 366 yds, 3 TDs, 1 rushing TD) the Falcons defense couldn't stop him. In reality, the Falcons offense only score 1 TD (kickoff return and an INT return were the other 2). But the most interesting fact... the Packers did not punt once in the game, not once. That game could have easily been 50 or more to 7.
And now we wait for the AFC and NFC championships this Sunday. The NY Jets @ Pittsburgh Steeler, a game that could go either way. The Jets have already beaten Pittsburgh at home this year, but after the Baltimore game the Steelers are in full steam and ready to get to the SuperBowl for another Lombardi trophy. This year however, the game to watch is the NFC Championship game: Packers vs. Bears, the coveted rivalry. They haven't played each other in the playoffs since 1941. This year they split the games each winning at home, but now it's different. This game is for all the marbles. Win or go home. It's hard to believe that any team could beat the Packers right now with the way they've been playing, but especially this year, anything can happen.
As a life long Packer fan, we obviously know who I'm rooting for. I'm considering going down to Chicago to watch the game with some Bears fans but as superstitious as I am I'm not sure I can leave the comforts of my home after watching the game there last week. Either way, I will be sporting the Acme Packers shirt I received for my birthday (Jan 4th) for it has been worn for the Eagles and Falcons game therefore it obviously will be worn until they lose. 4 teams remain, only 2 can move on. Root for whoever you want but now it comes down to which team can step up to the pressure.
Go Packers.
The past two weekends of wildcard and playoff games have been a rollercoaster to say the least. Some predictable others not so much, actually wait, I don't think there is one game that has gone as predicted. After the first 2 rounds, the number one seeds (Falcons and Patriots) are both gone and the defending Super Bowl Champions, New Orleans Saints, were knocked off as well. I think majority of sports fans didn't see this coming. Everyone wants their team to win, but often times we find ourselves rooting for other teams with hopes that we'll play the team that may not be as good, however are surprised when the expected winner loses.
Wildcard Weekend:
Jets over Colts (17-16). Ravens over Kansas City (30-7). Packers over Eagles (21-16). Seahawks over Saints (41-36). Fans alike expected the Ravens to win, that was a given, but the other games caused a few more heart attacks. Starting with the Jets/Colts game. It was truly up for grabs really. The injured Colts were struggling to hold on, but no one ever overlooks P. Manning, however Sanchez and the Jets stayed on top, barely, to pull out the victory. The Packers/Eagles game was going to be close, everyone knew that. Michael Vick is a phenomenal QB but the Packers D has been near impossible to break this year and their offense has been exceptional with Rodgers as their leader. With the final minutes winding down, Philly was making a run to win the game, but all thanks to Tremon Williams' phenomenal INT in the endzone, that drive was halted faster than Vick's dog fighting trial. The biggest surprise of the weekend however, the Seahawks defeat of the Saints. The defending Super Bowl champs weren't as good as they were the previous season, however going up against the 7-9 Seahawks no one thought this upset would happen. Down at the half, the Seahawks never gave up. With the "Return that Shocked Seattle" the Seahawks came out victorious. New Orleans came into the game with the mindset that it would be an easy victory and advance to the next round. Now they're back in their homes kicking themselves.
Divisional Round:
Jets over Patriots (28-21). Pittsburgh over Baltimore (31-24). Packers over Falcons (48-21). Bears over Seahawks (35-24). Who would have thought the two #1 seeds would both be gone in the divisional round? Well Packer Nation and Jets fans probably knew it, and a few other serious football fans, but not many others. With the Jets going to Gilette stadium to play the Patriots, not many people thought Sanchez would prevail over multi-MVP Tom Brady and his all-stars, but they did. Same thing with the Saints the week before, the Patriots didn't show up to play. They thought it was going to be an easy win, but it wasn't. The Bears/Seahawks game went as expected, the Bears won and Seattle faltered, nothing else. The Ravens/Steelers game was one that was up for grabs. Both teams had potential to win, it was just a matter of who could play for an hour with the least mistakes. Ravens took the early lead and seemed as if they had control of the game, until they crumbled like the Berlin Wall in the 80's. Mistake after mistake, the Steelers capitalized and prevailed. Now the #1 seeded Falcons had a lot of expectations to live up to, a lot of people thought the inexperienced Matt Ryan could take them to the SuperBowl, but the Packers had other plans. In their first meeting, yes the Falcons won, but barely. The Packers have been on the radar for the SuperBowl this entire season. They were never blown out of a game (all loses were by 3 or fewer points) and when they were playing well, it was dangerous. This game there was no stopping the Packers on either side of the ball. Aaron Rodgers was close to perfection (31/36, 366 yds, 3 TDs, 1 rushing TD) the Falcons defense couldn't stop him. In reality, the Falcons offense only score 1 TD (kickoff return and an INT return were the other 2). But the most interesting fact... the Packers did not punt once in the game, not once. That game could have easily been 50 or more to 7.
And now we wait for the AFC and NFC championships this Sunday. The NY Jets @ Pittsburgh Steeler, a game that could go either way. The Jets have already beaten Pittsburgh at home this year, but after the Baltimore game the Steelers are in full steam and ready to get to the SuperBowl for another Lombardi trophy. This year however, the game to watch is the NFC Championship game: Packers vs. Bears, the coveted rivalry. They haven't played each other in the playoffs since 1941. This year they split the games each winning at home, but now it's different. This game is for all the marbles. Win or go home. It's hard to believe that any team could beat the Packers right now with the way they've been playing, but especially this year, anything can happen.
As a life long Packer fan, we obviously know who I'm rooting for. I'm considering going down to Chicago to watch the game with some Bears fans but as superstitious as I am I'm not sure I can leave the comforts of my home after watching the game there last week. Either way, I will be sporting the Acme Packers shirt I received for my birthday (Jan 4th) for it has been worn for the Eagles and Falcons game therefore it obviously will be worn until they lose. 4 teams remain, only 2 can move on. Root for whoever you want but now it comes down to which team can step up to the pressure.
Go Packers.
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