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The Rundown Of The Games Behind Sunday's Games
Authored by Tim Crean - 23rd January, 2006 - 7:02 pm
Playoff-bound teams and impersonators alike were able to pad their records at an astounding rate this season against the likes of Detroit, Kansas City, and St. Louis.
Between Lane Kiffin at Tennessee and openings at Clemson, Washington, Syracuse, Mississippi State and Purdue, there are fertile jobs out there.
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If you're anything like me you probably spent a solid 8 hours in front of the TV this Sunday taking in the AFC and NFC Championship games (plus pre/postgame shows).
While putting in an entire day's work on the couch or lazy boy is usually unacceptable, if you're anything like me, you were able to justify this slobbish behavior by explaining to your girlfriend, wife, roommate, family etc., that this is the second to last weekend of football this season.
It can even be argued that it is the last REAL weekend since chances are the next football game you watch will be with a crowd of people more interested in the commercials than the game and will have you answering questions such as, "Why did that big, mean #96 just jump on that cute quarterback man?". So, you ask, what do I have to show for my day on the couch? Well, other than a bit of a stiff neck and a couple empty Coors Lite cans I present to you my thoughts on Championship Weekend:
- The CBS pregame show is much better than the Fox show. I sometimes can't understand a word Shannon Sharpe says, but it's much better than the three ring circus that is the Fox show. If I wanted to watch wanna-be actors sitting around, cracking each other up I'd still watch Saturday Night Live.
- They vaguely touched on it in the pregame but I think it deserves much more play. Who's beard is better? Jake Plummer's or Ben Roethlisberger? I think we can all agree, Ben's is much neater but what I don't get is why the beard part is kind of bushy yet the mustache is very thin. Does it grow like that or does he trim just the 'stache? There is no question about Jake's beard growth or upkeep, he just grows that sucker. Plus, he's got the long hair, which, in his picture makes him look like a cross between Charles Manson and Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys in the 70's. So it goes without saying Jake wins for sheer magnitude.
-The Steelers D looks GOOD! They're quick and mean and smart. Troy Polamalu and Joey Porter are everywhere, all the time. I'm starting to think that Chris Hope put on a wig and James Farrior threw on a spare Porter jersey. There has to be two of each of them.
-How has Chris Gardoki never had a punt blocked? He's been in the league for like 20 years! That's just silly.
- The way Big Ben drove the Steelers up and down the field was unreal. He is the next NFL Great QB. He has poise, confidence, a good arm, he's mobile and he has that gunslinger mentality, but in a good way... in a Brett Favre, Tom Brady sort of way.
- Do you think Chris Simms is embarrassed by his dad's haircut?
-Maybe my favorite part of this game is the second half emergence of the ol' Jake "The Snake". I felt like a kid again watching Arizona State in the Rose bowl or a late 90's Cardinals game. The Steelers would score, The Snake would throw a pick. The Snake would throw a TD and then fumble. The Snake would look 110% sacked, scramble around like a white Randall Cunningham, throw a 45-yard prayer, complete it, and then throw another pick. At one point I could have sworn I saw him throw one to Keith Poole.
- Somewhere around 5:30 I came to the conclusion that the Steelers are the best team in the NFL. Their defense is stellar, their offense is very good and seemingly getting better by the DRIVE in the playoffs and they have a great coaching staff.
- I love Jillian Barberie. So much so in fact I may start watching "Skating with Celebrities."
- Qwest Field really is loud, huh? I was impressed at the raucous crowd Seattle had. I think that crowd noise easily rivaled the loudest I can remember in the NFL, the Kansas City crowds of a few years ago and the Buffalo crowds during their Super Bowl runs... impressive.
- Great story about Matt Hasslebeck calling Carolina offensive coordinator (then his Head Coach) Dan Henning a "clown" at Boston College. hahaha. You think Steve Smith would agree after Sunday?
- Speaking of Steve Smith, a few thoughts...
a.) the Seattle defense deserves a lot of credit. This guy was the most unstoppable rebel force in this entire playoffs and they completely shut him down.
b.) has anyone else ever gone from golden boy to prima donna in the span of one half? Pre-game he's the smiley, TD celebrating, Carolina hero. Before half time he's chewed out a coach, buried himself under a parka on the sideline and is walking around with his head down.
c.) that being said, it was pretty bad-ass returning that punt after not being able to touch the ball on O and reaming out some poor assistant.
d.) I'm totally convinced that those refs picked up that flag on the return because they were terrified of what Smith might do to his teammate once he got back to the bench. Couldn't you just picture Ed Hoculi going up to Holmgren, "Listen Mike, you guys have a big lead... we gotta pick up this flag. We can't have a murder on national television. That'd be worse than that Assante Samuels pass interference."
- I can't remember the last time I saw as big a hit as the one Lofa Tatupu put on Nick Goings. How Tatupu walked away from that as Goings was crawling around like a drunken sailor is beyond me.
- The 3 best commercials of Championship weekend:
1. The one with the Stanford Band Play on the old school vibrating football field for some HDTV.
2. The NFL commercial about everybody making predictions about the 2005 season in March. Very funny because it's all so true.
3. Ted Ferguson: Bud Light Daredevil. My friend Sandore who works for Anheuser-Busch told me the guys who plays Ted is the guy who wrote all the commercials. Very cool.
- There's some debate as to whether or not Shaun Alexander, a free agent to be, is really a great running back or is a product of a great offensive line. He's big, he's strong and his amazingly quick feet make him really shifty. I think he's actually that good... Seattle better pay him this off season.
- Around 9:30 I came to the conclusion that the Seattle Seahawks are the best team in the NFL. Probably the most balanced, dangerous offenses in the league, a solid, opportunistic D and a Super Bowl Champ head coach.
- This is going to be one of the best Super Bowls in years... My early prediction Steelers 27 Seahawks 24..
