Oakland Raiders Must Find Their Inner Ray Lewis

If the score is not close in Oakland and the Raiders get beat down on their home turf Sunday, I will not be a bit surprised. If they come out and go toe to toe with the Ravens trying to take something positive into their offseason and give the Ravens early seats on the couch this year, I will not be surprised.

The thing that I would most like for the Raiders to do is look inside of themselves as a team and find out where their emotional leader is.

Ray Lewis is an explosive player for the Baltimore Ravens.

What do I mean by that?

Ray brings high energy to the game of football. Ray Lewis is a game changing player, whether it be with his stuff of LaDainian Tomlinson on fourth down in the Chargers game earlier this year, or whether it be by creating an opportunity for his defensive teammates to make a big play.

Ray Lewis is one of the most respected players on the field in every game that he plays in. Ray is the type of guy who gives 110 percent on every play in practice. When you play on a team with Ray Lewis, not giving your full effort is not acceptable.

But Ray Lewis is more than that. He is the Ravens voice, heart, and soul.

The Oakland Raiders have talent. They have players who can make big plays, or help their teammates make them. The have players who give maximum effort game in and game out. However, you would be hard pressed to look at their roster and find a player that can be the heart, soul, and voice of the team.

Perhaps Bruce Gradkowski could be that player for them. Bruce brought an extra bit of energy to the field when he was playing. He changed the atmosphere. He got in peoples faces. He played showing his full emotions.

Unfortunatly, he was hurt before we got a chance to see how much of a real impact he could be on a more regular basis.

Nnamdi Asomugha is the voice of the team right now. He is a player who other players look to for advice. He is a guy who the media seeks out to let Raider Nation what is going on with the players behind the scenes.

Nnamdi brings a high energy level with his play. He is widely considered one of the few shutdown cornerbacks left in the league these days. But his energy and emotion does not show through enough to rub off on his teammates. In order to be that guy, he has got to be more aggressive towards his teammates.

I don’t want to see Asomugha go out and punch anybody in the face, but I would like to see him get fired up when his teammates make a big play. I wanna see Asomugha jump on their backs, push them in the chest, do a special handshake with them, something !

The Raiders have a roster that should be included, in terms of talents, with the best teams in the NFL. What they are lacking is the emotion. They don’t have that Ray Lewis who is going to get mad and start shouting for better play when they are down. They need that.

They need to watch how Ray Lewis plays on Sunday on their home field, and somebody needs to step up and be that Ray Lewis type of player for the Oakland Raiders. They need somebody who says, “WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!”

And now some quotes with regards to Lewis:

“You understand the Pro Bowl—it’s all of the top guys. You don’t think in terms of a captain on the team,” Nnamdi Asomugha said. “All through the week guys are shooting the bull during practice. Nobody cared about anything. We’re getting ready to play and guys are cracking jokes.

“Ray Lewis calls everyone up, commands a group huddle in the locker room, and gives probably the greatest pregame speech I’ve heard in my life. For the Pro Bowl! [Even] Peyton Manning is standing at attention. It doesn’t matter who it is.

“Everyone’s stone-faced, standing up straight. When he finished, everyone was going crazy and excited, and I thought, ‘He’s got the most respect of anyone in this room.'”

‘When you have a guy like that, you don’t want to let him down,” linebacker Kirk Morrison said.

“You see the amount of passion he has, what he puts into it. He’s been doing it for a long time and you develop that respect where you have the Pro Bowls, the accolades. Everyone knows you’ve been there, and you demand it from everybody else. If you’re not playing to the best of your abilities, you’re going to have to deal with him.”

“There’s a different vibe about him,” Charlie Frye said. “Different than anyone else I’ve played against. At the end of the day, you want someone like that on your team.”

“My message to the team this week is Brotherhood is found thru our struggles, But now we have overcame, it is our time. Take it upon yourself to be better everyday. It was really just talking about adversity. We’ve been through adversity, dealing with all these injuries, all the ups and downs, and my message is very simple: that stuff pulls champions together.

“When you go through things like that and you have to fight through it. Once you learn how to deal with those things and you know how to fit people in like ‘next man up,’ the next thing to do is keep moving.

“Now it’s time for us to grab momentum because the scariest thing ever is when you add confidence and camaraderie with talent. And that’s one thing that we have and probably makes us one of the best in the business right now. When you add that together, we’ll get on the right road.” -From Ray Lewis on Yardbarker.com blog October 2009

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NFL Picks on the Last Week of Jim Zorn as a Washington Redskin

Indianapolis Colts @ Buffalo Bills

The Colts are playing it safe heading into the playoffs, but they need to try to get a little work in on a Buffalo team looking to head home at the final gun.

Colts 27   Bills 13

New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings

The Giants are embarrassed right now, so they either show pride or get ready for an offseason of hell in the Big Apple. The Vikings are flat, and are getting pushed around in the trenches. I expect the Giants to win here.

Giants 31   Vikings 23

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Both teams have their vacation plans set as soon as this game ends, but the Falcons want to end theirs with a winning record.

Falcons 34   Buccaneers 17

San Francisco 49ers @ Saint Louis Rams

The Niners should beat up the Rams with the run, hopefully proving Saint Louis needs to use the first pick of the draft on Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

49ers 31   Rams 10

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Miami Dolphins

Plain and simple: Pittsburgh needs to win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

Steelers 30   Dolphins 20

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers

The Saints have lost their mojo, while the Panthers are showing us much too late why some thought they once had playoff aspirations this season.

Saints 27    Panthers 23

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

Both teams have little to play for, except the Bears need to show why Lovie Smith deserves to retain his job as head coach.

Bears 38    Lions 16

New England Patriots @ Houston Texans

The experienced Patriots are quietly rolling into the playoffs with momentum, while Houston will be playing out of desperation to stay alive in the playoff hunt.

Patriots 34    Texans 30

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns

Two teams with no plans after this game, except for maybe a change of head coaches in Cleveland.

Jaguars 26    Browns 17

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Both teams need to treat this game as a measuring stick for their Super Bowl hopes. Dallas runs the ball really well. Marion Barber averages 4.2 yards per carry, while Felix Jones and Tashard Choice average well over five yards per attempt. Philadelphia, on the other hand, struggles to run the ball consistently. If the passing game isn’t clicking in Philly, they are beatable.

Cowboys 31   Eagles 30

Tennessee Titans @ Seattle Seahawks

The only reason to watch this game is to watch Titans running back Chris Johnson set the NFL record for all purpose yards in a season, and hope he can gain 225 rushing yards to break the NFL record of 2,105 rushing yards in a season.

Titans 28   Seahawks 14

Washington Redskins @ San Diego Chargers

The best thing about this game for Washington fans is it is the last for head coach Jim Zorn as part of their team. The Bolts will roll on as the hottest team in the NFL right now, and Norv Turner can give Zorn a hug of recognizable pity for being a failed head coach under Redskins owner Dan Snyder.

Chargers 37    Redskins 17

Baltimore Ravens @ Oakland Raiders

The Ravens need this if they want to keep playing. The Raiders are the most unpredictable team in the NFL, so the good version could show up and destroy Baltimore’s dreams.

Ravens 34    Raiders 19

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos

Denver is fighting for the playoffs, and they will try to take their frustrations out on a pesky Chiefs team who has shown marked improvement each week.

Broncos 27    Chiefs 23

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

Game Of The Week

If you like passing offense, then tune into this game. Green Bay’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers has 4,199 yards and 29 touchdowns passing, while Arizona’s Kurt Warner has tossed for 3,722 yards and 26 touchdowns so far. Both teams are headed to the playoffs, so they might have some fun chucking the ball all over the gridiron while trying to stay healthy.

Packers 45  Cardinals 38

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets

The Jets still have playoff hopes, though they may be null and void by the time kickoff comes.The Bengals have already won their first division title since 2005, and second since 1990. I’m thinking the Jets show some heart in their last game in the Meadowlands. Maybe they can finally look for Jimmy Hoffa’s remains now?

Jets 30     Bengals 24

Power Rankings

1. Indianapolis Colts

2. New Orleans Saints

3. San Diego Chargers

4. Philadelphia Eagles

5. New England Patriots

6. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

8. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Minnesota Vikings

10. Denver Broncos

11. Baltimore Ravens

12. Arizona Cardinals

13. Pittsburgh Steelers

14. New York Jets

15. New York Giants

16. Miami Dolphins

17. Tennessee Titans

18. Jacksonville Jaguars

19. Atlanta Falcons

20. San Francisco 49ers

21. Houston Texans

22. Carolina Panthers

23. Chicago Bears

24. Cleveland Browns

25. Buffalo Bills

26. Oakland Raiders

27. Seattle Seahawks

28. Detroit Lions

29. Kansas City Chiefs

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. Washington Redskins

32. Saint Louis Rams

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Charged Up | Chargers-Redskins: Bolts Look To Keep Momentum Going for Playoffs

That bandwagon is getting a little creaky, as folks from Riverside to San Ysidro continue to pile on.

For five of the last six seasons, Charger fans find themselves in a familiar position: geared for the playoffs.

The AFC’s version of the Philadelphia Eagles this decade (Last decade? The ’00s? The noughties?), the Bolts have yet to parlay their sustained excellence into a Super Bowl victory.

Furthermore, heartbreaking losses, hard-luck injuries, and questionable coaching calls have been the hallmarks for San Diego in the postseason.

Hey, you—jumping off the bandwagon, where do you think you’re going?

They say momentum is everything, and when I say “they,” I mean every single jock holding a job as a color commentator or analyst on any one of the big networks, both cable and non-cable.

Normally, you’d doubt guys like Buck Bicep or Randall Roid to impart any type of life lesson, but I’m afraid I have to side with them on this one.

The Chargers have won 10 games in a row, and have supplanted the Saints and the Vikings momentarily on the list of “it” teams in the NFL.

The reason is simple. It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.

In December, Brett Favre’s body falls apart faster than a snowman in Bermuda, and the Vikings have taken a toll.

The Saints scored 38 points in Week 12, 33 in Week 13, 26 in Week 14, and then 17 in Weeks 15 and 16.

Guess which two games they lost?

Huh.

So, the Saints can’t win unless they outgun everyone on offense? Weird.

Meanwhile, the Bolts are doing it their way.

With a defensive unit nothing short of amazing, considering they have more field casualties than the French army at Waterloo, a resurgent running game, and Philip Rivers featuring They Might Be Giants at WR.

Let’s not forget the coaching.

Ron Rivera chose the worst year to re-gain national relevance with Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, et al on the prowl for coaching jobs.

Norv Turner’s play-calling has experienced a renaissance, and his mastery of trick plays evokes Henry Winkler’s playbook in The Waterboy .

Or Don Coryell. Whatever.

With the Redskins rolling into town on Sunday and nothing to play for, the question is, of course: Do we dare mess with the big mo?

The last time the Chargers had a first-round bye, Marlon McCree fumbled a Tom Brady interception and Nate Kaeding missed a last-second field goal, effectively knocking the Bolts out of the playoffs.

If Norv Turner decides to give his starters the game off, that will mean a potential gap of 23 days between the win at Tennessee and the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

My suggestion? Give them at least a half. Except for guys coming back from injuries (paging Shawne Merriman to the article), everyone should approach this game as another day at the office.

That way there’s no accumulation of rust, the fans get what they paid for, and no obnoxious media types put pressure on you by saying you played one meaningful game in the past 23 days.

Oops.

Meanwhile, around the league…

You know what I find funny? How everyone agrees that the Raiders will be better off when a certain senile owner bites the dust.

Even mainstream publications are latching on to this idea. The guy is so stubborn (and don’t forget old) that this is seemingly the only way he’ll ever relent control.

…unless he has his brain secretly implanted into Randy Hanson ‘s body when he dies.

Wade Phillips was all but fired just two weeks ago from the Dallas Cowboys. Now he’s on the cusp of being renewed.

By this logic, expect ol’ Wade to run for Congress and win this year.

So, Mike Holmgren took over the Browns. When Holmgren was the GM and coach of the Seahawks, they were awful.

Seriously, from 1999 to 2002, he was the GM. Their record during that span? 31-33.

From 2002 to 2008, he was solely the head coach—62-41 and a Super Bowl berth.

What’s changed? Did he magically learn how to run a team? Congratulations, Cleveland. You’re the new Detroit and Mike is the new Matt (Millen).

The Steelers think that teams are going to lay down this week to keep them from the playoffs.

Yeah, you guys are scary and no one wants to play you. You know, unless you’re the Browns, Chiefs, Raiders, or Bears.

Those are real juggernauts.

Eli Manning was named the fourth best New York athlete this decade by the New York Post .

The Giants are out of the playoffs.

That recognition was also a huge boost for one-hit wonders all over the world.

In related news, A-Ha’s Take on Me was named the fourth best song in the history of music.

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NFL Week 17 Point Spread Winners: Unusual Undertakings In Vegas-Land

The Colts are (gulp!) underdogs this week, as they play Buffalo. The Bills are favored by 8.5.  Somehow, I still like the Colts to cover 8.5.

Minnesota has the Giants at home and the Vikings are favored by nine. I like the Giants to cover in this game for a number of reasons.

The Saints rest Drew Brees this week, so you have to take Carolina in this one. It will be hard to get a bet on this game, as there is no line as of Saturday night.

Pittsburgh will beat Miami but needs a huge amount of help to get in the playoffs, namely the Jets losing to Cincinnati and Oakland beating the Ravens. Not too likely. The Steelers cover the three points.

New England has Houston at home  Houston is desperate and also needs help to reach the postseason. Houston is favored by eight. Take Houston as New England will rest starters.

Chicago is in Detroit and will cover the three points.

Atlanta hosts Tampa Bay and will reach 8-8 with a win over the Bucs. This is a strong play with Atlanta only giving 2.5 points. Take the Falcons.

The division title is up for grabs as Dallas has Philadelphia in Jerry’s house. I like the Eagles to win the division, and play Dallas again next week. The Cowboys are favored by three at home. I ‘ll take the visiting Eagles.

The 49ers will cover at home against the still-hated Rams. The 49ers must win by seven, and they will.

Jacksonville can finish at 8-8, an improvement over last season, with a victory over Cleveland. Cleveland had improved also. Cleveland is favored by 1.5. I like the Jags at home.

Here’s a contrversial game, especially in the NFL moving the time up: The Bengals have nothing to play for, perhaps, while the Jets win and are in.

I think Cincinnati will play in this game, however. The Jets are favored by 10. Take the Bengals with that many points.

San Diego has Washington, and should win this game also, in a tune up for the playoffs. Give the four points and take the Chargers.

Baltimore must win to make the playoffs, so take them in this game to get it done. Baltimore by 10.5 .

Denver is probably out of the playoffs, but should handle Kansas City by two touchdowns this week.

Arizona will probably lose to Green Bay as they feel this team out and take notes. Arizona is favored by 3.5, but I think Green Bay wins this week. They play again next week.

Tennessee finishes up at 8-8 for the season as they destroy Seattle in Tennessee.

That’s about it. Have a great weekend and I ‘ll pick some playoff winners for you next week.

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland

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Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff Hopes Rest on “Criminal Element”

Back in the 1970s the Raiders and Steelers rivalry was about as intense as it can get. There were cheapshots, trashtalk and lawsuits aplenty. The Raiders in general and George Atkinson specifically were labeled the “Criminal Element ” by Steelers coach Chuck Noll. 

Now more than 30 years later the Steelers playoff hopes may rest on a Raiders victory against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. In part because of their own inability to beat the Raiders themselves.

I wonder if Lynn Swann will be cheering for the Raiders on Sunday. I saw a video on youtube (type in Oakland Raiders feud) where he once said he felt his life was in danger when playing the Raiders! George Atkinson’s humorous response was that Lynn Swann was SOFT! That was a different era and I wonder if players like Atkinson, Tatum, Blount, or Lambert could even play in the league today.

As a Raiders fan I’ve never liked the Steelers but I’ve always respected them. They have a good owner, passionate but not completely annoying fans and have always played a hard-nosed physical style of football. The kind of football I love.

That’s why I hope we can help them out this Sunday. That and my disdain for the Colts and Patriots.

When the Colts let the Jets win Sunday they hurt the Steelers. When New England lays down for Houston that will hurt the Steelers. If the Steelers miss the playoffs that means the AFC will more than likely be represented by the Colts, Chargers, or Pats; three teams capable of losing to Pittsburgh with a healthy Polamalu. Does anyone really want to see that?

So I hope even Lynn Swann joins Raider Nation this Sunday, with all the other Steel Curtain faithful and helps cheer us on to victory. Then after the game I’ll be looking for a few Steeler fans at my local sports bar to pick up my extensive bar tab. I will thank them and wish them well… until the next time we play them in a meaningful game and then I’ll hate them again. SOFT!

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NFL Fantasy Start & Sit Week 17: Championship Week

This week’s start/sit column will be a little different than most. With a lot of teams playing “meaningless” games, certain players may be resting that would normally play most if not all of the game.

For each position, I will give you three normal starters you should sit, three guys you should pick up that could score you big points this week, and three normal starters who are high risk/high reward players.

QB Sits: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees

QB Starts: Brian Hoyer, Jay Cutler, Alex Smith

Hoyer could be a treat if Tom Brady sits early, while Cutler and Smith shouldn’t have any issues feasting on the Lions and Rams, respectively.

QB High Risk/Reward: Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner, Eli Manning

WR Sits: Reggie Wayne, Randy Moss, Vincent Jackson

WR Starts: Devin Aromashadu, Sidney Rice, Roddy White

Aromashadu should continue his late-season surge against a pathetic Detroit pass defense, while Sidney Rice and Roddy White should end the regular season on high notes, with elite performances.

WR High Risk/Reward: Greg Jennings, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin

RB Sits: Joseph Addai, Beanie Wells, LaDainian Tomlinson

RB Starts: Jerome Harrison, Knowshon Moreno, Maurice Morris

Harrison is the real deal, and with another solid match-up this week, you have to play him. Moreno should be able to run all day, as well, and with Brandon Marshall expected to miss the final game, he should be more involved than usual.

The Bears defense has looked stronger lately, but still look for Morris to get some nice touches.

RB High Risk/Reward: Ryan Grant, Steven Jackson, Tim Hightower

TE Sits: Antonio Gates, Chris Baker, Jeremy Shockey

TE Starts: Vernon Davis, Jason Witten, Brent Celek

You can’t sit Davis (ever), especially not with a dreamy match-up like the Rams. Witten could look to get a score to end the regular season, while you can’t stop starting Celek after such solid production (like last week).

TE High Risk/Reward: Jermichael Finley, Kellen Winslow, Dustin Keller

For more NFL news and Fantasy advice, go here .

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NFL LVP’s: And the Nominations Are…

We’re all used to seeing the most prestigious players compete for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award.  Season in and season out it is always fight to the finish, and in the end the most deserving normally comes out on top.

But who is the NFL’s Least Valuable Player?  Who among all the others has played the worst style of football?  Dropped the most passes?  And above all, not helped their team in the slightest way possible?

Well here are the nominations.

1. JaMarcus Russell, QB Oakland Raiders

Some people may disagree with me on this.  That’s fair enough.  Although when you’ve only completed 111 passes out of your attempted 232 on the season, surely you know something is wrong.  To top that all off, a quarterback rating of 49.6 sums up JaMarcus’ 2009 season, and definitely puts him in the running for this years LVP.

2. Nick Folk, Former Kicker Dallas Cowboys

From a 2007 Pro Bowl selection, to current free agent.  Nick Folk only has himself to blame really.  Like many kickers this year in the NFL, Folk has struggled a lot.  Missing numerous field goals, particularly a crucial one in the Dallas vs New Orleans game that could have sealed the deal for the Cowboys, made it that much easier for the Cowboys to let him go.

Making only 18 after attempting 28 on the season simply isn’t good enough.  That is why he is up here among the other LVP’s on the season.

3. Jim Zorn, Coach Washington Redskins

Normally these awards are only handed out to players, but surely we couldn’t have an award (show?) without featuring the NFL’s brightest star.  That’s right give a round of applause for Jim Zorn.

I used to like this guy, I really did.  At the start of the season the Redskins were much like the Yankees, spending and spending some more.  With highly talented players being brought into this team, most people gave them a shot at winning the NFC East this year.  We know how that story turned out though.

At 4-11 with a game in hand this week at San Diego, the only place the Redskins are going is back to the drawing board.  They must be damn good friends by now.

Zorn was set to change this franchise.  Instead he collapsed and so did the entire team.  At least he did the classy thing and tried to step down from the head coaching job, but for some reason he is still there hanging on by a thread.

4. T.J Houshmandzadeh , WR Seattle Seahawks

A really hard pick for me to select, but it had to be done.  Maybe it’s just the way the Seahawks are playing at the moment that makes T.J seem not his usual self, but there is something notably different about the way he is playing. 

This story is much like the Deion Branch one.  From a top team where he was recognized as one of the NFL’s elite, down to an under performing team where he is merely another player.

T.J’s numbers aren’t neccesarily bad, but they could be better. His 76 receptions for 845 yards and only 3 touchdowns differs from his 2007 season in Cincinnati.  He still has time to turn it around, but the Seahawks really need to help him out.

5. Derek Anderson, QB Cleveland Browns

Let’s put it this way.  When you have more interceptions than you do touchdowns, you really have to question if you’ve chosen the right career path.  Derek Anderson showed promise, he looked good at times. 

Once again though, a quarterback that could have made a name for himself, didn’t.  Nine interceptions and only 3 touchdowns for only 802 yards is about as good as it gets for Browns fans right now. 

Those are the nominations for this years awards.

Out of the five candidates it is arguable as to who is the most deserving.  Out of all the under performing athletes though, the easiest person to give the award to is Nick Folk.  Constantly scrutinized all season long, and not living up to his reputation as a good kicker, Folk has made a meal of his career.  Currently next to his name it says “Free Agent,” don’t be surprised if sooner or later someone edits in “Permanent Free Agent.”

From what once was an established kicker in the NFL, Folk would be lucky to resign with a team.  That’s why is the Least Valuable Player for the 2009/2010 season.

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Jim Caldwell’s Decision to Rest Means Added Pressure for Colts in Postseason

Jim Caldwell made a bold move last Sunday when he decided to sit Peyton and Co. with 5:36 left to play in the third quarter. To Caldwell, the benefits of having healthy, rested players for a Super Bowl run outweighed the worth of a perfect season.

Once Caldwell sat his starters, he knew the only way to make up for losing the game would be to win the Super Bowl.

The Colts had a chance to accomplish something that has only been achieved two times in the history of the game. Caldwell didn’t care, he knew why they were playing, why they worked so hard in the offseason, why he was promoted to head coach at the beginning of the season- to win the Super Bowl.

He let it be known that a Super Bowl outweighs anything else, even a perfect season. Caldwell has given his team added pressure, but with that pressure comes an increased motivation, not that the Colts weren’t motivated in the first place.

When a guy like Peyton Manning is benched on the verge of a perfect season, you know he’s going to be that much hungrier and work that much harder to make sure he lands another ring.

Everyone will be watching the Colts during the postseason, whether they’re a fan or not, to see if they make it all the way. If they do, the perfect season controversy won’t matter anymore and the Colts will prove that Caldwell made the right decision.

However, if they lose, whether it’s their first playoff game or in the Super Bowl, the controversy will rage on and it will be awhile before Caldwell hears the end of it.

Not many rookie coaches have gone through what Jim Caldwell has this season. He has proven to be a very capable head coach and has handled the recent criticism considerably well. Let’s hope his decision does not go to waste.

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Does Resting Players Translate to Alienating Fans?

Resting key players late in the season in games where there are no playoff implications has become a trend of late, with mixed emotions from both the media and the team’s fan base.

From one viewpoint it’s hard to disagree with a coach’s decision to rest his star players when nothing is on the line. It has been said that the football gods favor the bold, but then again you can’t go wrong with playing it safe and preparing for the long run, can you?

This is often times is a lose-lose situation for the head coach. Rest your players, and face the heat from the media and your fanbase, but play the players and risk injury.

Coach Jim Caldwell of the Indianapolis Colts chose the first route, resting quarterback Peyton Manning in the second half of their game against the New York Jets. Manning would watch from the sidelines as the Colts lost their five-point lead and would go on to lose by two touchdowns with backup quarterback Curtis Painter in the game.

The Colts entered the game 14-0, seeking to become the second team in NFL history to go undefeated in a 16-game regular season, and the first team to ever go undefeated throughout the playoffs and Super Bowl and finish the season 19-0.

Caldwell knew he would take the heat, and did so accordingly. It was obvious by the look on Manning’s face, as he watched the Colts quest for perfection from the sidelines come to an end, that he did not want to give up on rewriting the history books.

By resting his key player did Jim Caldwell help prepare his team for a run at arguably the most glorified and respected feat in sports, winning the Super Bowl, or did he just kill the momentum and emotion of not only the Colts organization, but their fan base and supporters as well.

It doesn’t take much to satisfy the average NFL fan. Win, consistently, but more importantly give them a reason to show confidence in the team and organization. Go hard every week and show your fans that you want to not only win, but dominate every week.

This brings up the question, does resting players translate to alienating fans? After winning the first fourteen games of the season, it will be hard for Colts fans to think of anything else but losing again, with the next loss coming in the playoffs.

Are the Colts instilling confidence in their players and fans heading into the playoffs? I think not.

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Five New Year’s Resolutions for Important Sports Figures

Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzaa. Happy New Year, and any other Happy-(fill in a made up holiday) that I happened to miss during my month-long hiatus.

There’s no way you can have a well-established blog during the holiday season. I’m convinced.

Between the shopping, school finals, decorations being put up, and having to lie to everyone under the age of 10 about Santa Claus…it takes a toll on one’s ability to successfully give you readers a free blog every week.

But hey, were all about bouncing back in 2010. That’s right, it’s 2010.

Not only am I looking forward to almost finishing college, another first-round exit for the Cowboys, Colts fans calling for Jim Caldwell’s head because after they win the Super Bowl, they’ll have one loss on the season to the (gulp) Jets, and Kevin Durant becoming a bona fide superdee-duper-star right before our eyes, I’m also looking forward to mistakenly writing 09 on every assignment this semester because writing ’10 is just too weird.

Man, do I know how to go off on a tangent. Anyway, like I said, this year is all about bouncing back and what better way to do that with the perfect New Year’s Resolution.

Now, people who make New Year’s Resolutions usually make it to the end of January before they decide that they’ve had enough and New Year’s is overrated. I say, the hell with that.

We real people may not be able to hold a New Year’s Resolution, but our sports stars must try and come up with some New Year’s Resolutions so that they don’t drive their fans through a wall with stress and frustration.

Oh, you’re already through a wall with stress and frustration? Me too.

A New Year’s Resolution should be something that you can actually accomplish. It should be something that you want to do (or stop doing) that will ultimately lead you to a happier/healthier life.

Well, with our coveted sports stars it is a little different. Their resolutions have to be well thought out so that they include the well-being of their fans.

So let’s get into a few people who ABSOLUTELY must make these specific New Year’s Resolutions.

1.) Tiger Woods. Jesus, Tiger. Why don’t you just go to an Island you own for like six months and just stay there. Shoot, you can bring whatever mistress you choose, but just stay out of the limelight for a while.

This country forgives quickly if you just apologize. Look at A-Rod, Andy Pettitte, and Jason Giambi. Coincidentally, they were all Yankees (shaking my head), but they all apologized and no one says a word about any scandal they’ve ever been a part of.

So Tiger, your New Year’s Resolution is to apologize, stop calling your mistresses, and just chill out in 2010.

2.) Peyton Manning. Peyton, you need to just chill out. You are insanely good at football that everyone is at the point where they HAVE to like you, even if they hate you. It’s all because you work so goddamn hard and are so goddamn good that every other goddamn quarterback looks like they have Down Syndrome when they play against you.

So my New Year’s Resolution for you is to chill out in 2010. Let some other player win the MVP award. Let some other team go for the undefeated season. Let some other team win the Super Bowl. You’re mad annoying Peyton. Stop practicing and studying!!

3.) ESPN. Hey ESPN directors, whoever is in charge of bashing the Cowboys on a weekly basis, maybe it’s time to be a little less biased. We get it. You don’t like the Cowboys.

You’d rather have a big-market team like somewhere in New York or Philadelphia or New England win. But I’ve got news for you. This team is different. So maybe it’s time to cut the crap and report news unbiasedly.

Part 2.) Hop off Brett Favre’s you know what. I mean really. Yes the guy is an iron man. He is a warrior with the uncanny ability to make a play when a play needs to be made. But the love that you guys have over him is really sickening.

You’ve turned me into someone who doesn’t even like him anymore because of all of these reports that you guys bring out and how much of an infatuation you have with him.

Just please take it easy. There’s about 1,000 other people in the NFL to report on…in case you were wondering.

4.) Tony Romo. Oh no Tony. Don’t you do it. Don’t you fool us into thinking that you’re going to be different this year. You’re not fooling me. You may have every other Cowboys fan fooled, but not me.

Until you actually win a playoff game and show us that you can lead this team well into January, I’m still having my doubts.

So my New Year’s Resolution for you is to just be a leader. Show us that you can lead this team and put them on your back into January, because the Cowboys only go as far as you go. Plain and Simple.

5.) Brett Favre. It’s very simple, Brett. Retire.

You’ve given everything you can possibly give to this sport. You’ve given us countless highlights, countless hold-your-breath moments, and you’ve even managed to get Brad Childress a contract extension when he may or may not be the top 3 worst coaches in the NFL.

Just go fishing somewhere from September to January. Trust me, the league will be OK without you. So my New Year’s Resolution for you is to enjoy your post-football life. Find another thing to be spectacular at.

Once again, I want to apologize for the hiatus. I promise I will be back in full-swing this year.

That is my New Year’s Resolution, to be a better writer and hopefully grab an editor along the way. You know, cuz a brotha don’t always talk perfect English, ya dig? Have a Happy New Year, all!

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