A Sports Update

Hello all!

So, I feel awful that I haven't posted a blog about the Super Bowl yet. My parents were in town visiting and I just didn't get a chance to post an update and now here we are almost 2 weeks past the Super Bowl.

I won't dwell on the big game much since well, it's way over. I did predict the winner though, the Giants, and I predicted them to win before the playoffs started. Do I expect a reward? Ahhh no. It was complete luck.

And the game wasn't a landslide by any means, it was a close game. That safety in the first quarter of the game really made a big difference. Some speculated that it was a bad call, I don't think so. Brady was in the endzone, he waited, he avoided getting potentially sacked by Justin Tuck and threw the ball down the middle to no one. Yes, you could argue that someone didn't run the right route but how much time did Brady have before throwing the ball? It was the right call, just a weird one. Congrats to the dude who made the bet on the Giants to score first via safety in Vegas. He made some mega money.

The NFL season is over, which makes me sad. Football is probably my favorite sport though baseball is a close second. Fortunately baseball will be back soon. Spring training will start shortly and then the "how will the Cardinals do without Albert?" chat will begin.

The Cardinals will be fine. I said it before, he alone did not carry that team, especially last season. When you look at who the main play makers were in that playoff run, they were Carpenter, Garcia, Freese, Berkman, Craig...Albert had one big game in the NLCS, and that game was pretty much won regardless.

I'm not saying he won't be missed He will. He had a leadership role that will be hard to replace. But if there's one thing the 2011 Cardinals team showed me, it was a desire to never give up. And most of that same team remains. And they get ace Wainwright back. So do I think the Cardinals are a shoe in for the World Series? No. Do they still have a shot at getting there? Absolutely.

Jeremy Lin. Harvard grad. No name. Steps in for the Knicks after a player goes down with injuryand all of a sudden Linsanity begins.

I'm the first to admit I don't follow the NBA as closely as the MLB and NFL. But you gotta love this story. Some have called him the Tebow of the NBA but I disagree. Tebow was expected to be great. He was a great college QB. He won the Heisman Trophy.

A month ago, who knew about Jeremy Lin? This kid reminds me more of Kurt Warner. Before the 1999 season, who knew who Kurt Warner was? He was an arena football guy from Iowa who was working at a grocery store. Signed by the Rams as a backup. Trent Green goes down with an injury, Kurt Warner starts and leads the greatest show on turf to a Super Bowl win.

Does that mean I think the Knicks are going to win the NBA championship? No. But Lin is one of those great stories, like Warner that you just can't help but root the guy on. I hope Lin continues to succeed because it's nice to hear these stories.

Because let's face it. If you want to be a star in the NBA, you don't go to Harvard. Just like if you want to be an NFL football player you don't go to say, my alma mater, DePauw University (though DPU alum Butler basketball coach Brad Stevens is doing pretty well for himself). They go to a division 1 school where they have a chance at winning.

So seeing someone make it big who chose to go to a school like Harvard? It's just great to see them make it in the big leagues.

We'll see where it goes. So far, the Knicks keep winning with Lin. But there are a lot of games left to play.

There is news, rumors, etc. about Peyton Manning. I could address them here, but frankly, until a decision is made I just don't know what to say. I want Peyton to be a Colt for life. I don't think that happens if he doesn't retire. And if he isn't a Colt, I really don't want him in the NFC West, because I'm a Rams fan.

And the other options? The Jets, Dolphins, Redskins? Ugh. I just don't like it.

I hope Manning heals and is able to play but I have my doubts. If he has to retire, it's not like he hasn't had an amazing career. He will make the HOF for sure.

No one really knows what's going on, but in a couple of weeks we will know since Peyton is due his $28 million dollar bonus. So we wait, and see.

A final quick note, go Mizzou! Currently ranked #3. Can't wait for the NCAA tournament. It's going to be fun.

More in the world of sports soon, I promise.

Super Bowl Week!

Hello sports fans! Sorry for the lack of post last weekend but did you honestly think I would have much to say about the Pro Bowl? Or better yet, did I even watch the Pro Bowl?

I did watch some of it, mostly just the 4th quarter. But I wasn't 100% engaged with it, had it on while doing chores and so forth. And no, didn't watch the NHL All Star game either. Why on earth were these scheduled on the same day anyway? Someone screwed up there.

I honestly just don't have a whole lot of interest in all star/pro/whatever you want to call it games. The only reason the MLB All Star game has any interest at all is because the winning division gets home field advantage in the World Series. Which I'm still not a fan of, I think the team that wins the most games should have home field.

The Pro Bowl is okay I guess, but it's an exhibition game. Kind of like after the Olympics and they have the exhibition figure skating. Yes, I just compared the Pro Bowl to figure skating. But my point is, in the exhibition event after the Olympic games, do you see the figure skaters trying to do a triple axle? Or a triple triple? No, you don't. Because the medals have been won, it's for fun and no one wants to push themselves in case of injury.

That is exactly what the Pro Bowl is. Sure there are some pretty plays, but it always turns into an offensive shoot out since the defense pretty much does nothing. And there are different rules for the Pro Bowl. And I wouldn't want to see anyone get injured during the Pro Bowl. It just...is what it is I guess.

It's been really fascinating for me to hear about all of the sports announcers, players and so forth being in Indianapolis this week. For those who don't know, I went to college about 45 minutes south of Indy and lived in Indy for about 3 years after college. So I'm very familiar with the Indianapolis area and will always have a fondness for it. Also, the corporate office of the company I work for is based in downtown Indy. So I know the city well.

Of course the big thing I keep hearing about is St. Elmo's. For those who are unfamiliar St. Elmo's is one of the most famous steakhouses in Indy. I've eaten there before and can attest that it's a very fine dining excursion. This week I've heard that Eli Manning and Tom Brady have both dined there, and the Dan Patrick Show did a whole segment this week about the famous shrimp cocktail sauce. It's pretty spectacular but not for those who are sensitive to hot spices. Their cocktail sauce is the spiciest I have ever tasted, but it's damn good.

It's also just cool to hear about all of these NFL peeps just being in Indy and enjoying the city. From the looks of it, Indy has done a fantastic job of making their city look awesome. I like seeing the midwest portrayed well. So when St. Louis finishes all of their renovations to the Dome, we can have a Super Bowl there right? How about it NFL?

While the main event this weekend is Eli vs Brady, there has been MUCH talk about Peyton Manning and his potential future with the Colts. After Peyton made his comments last week, Irsay responded calling Peyton a politician. Then the two both released a joint statement that they respect each other and all is well. Then Irsay just yesterday pretty much stated in an interview how it would be a mistake to tie up so much money (aka pay Peyton his $28 million bonus on March 8th) not knowing what could happen.

Then today, a statement is released that doctor's have cleared Peyton Manning as able to play in the NFL again. Surgery has been successful, and that the question now is not that he could seriously injure himself, but can he play at the level we are all accustomed to seeing him play?

I don't know what's going to happen, but based on what I've heard from Irsay's camp I think Peyton is done in Indy. I wish that weren't true because I'd love to see Peyton finish his career there and win another Super Bowl. But I just am not getting the feeling that it's going to happen. Andrew Luck is the future of the Colts.

Where Peyton will end up? That's the question. If he shows he can play at the level we know he can? Lots of possibilities. I selfishly hope he won't end up playing for an NFC West team, because I don't want to have the drama of choosing between one of my all time favorite players and my home team.

Irsay and Peyton are scheduled to meet after the Super Bowl. Until then, the story is about Eli Manning, not Peyton. Eli could win his second Super Bowl this weekend.

I just hope that Peyton gets another shot to win one.

You Can't Spell Elite Without "Eli"

Hey there sports fans!

I meant to post something sooner but I ended up taking my cat to the ER Sunday evening and then to the vet on Monday and it was a whole ordeal. Needless to say, I was a bit preoccupied.

And I was supposed to post about NCAA basketball and the NBA, but didn't get around to that. I just have to admit, I'm a football and baseball girl. I like all different kinds of sports, but when it comes to having a true passion? It's football and baseball. So I guess I just haven't been all that interested in basketball yet since football is still going on. But not for much longer.

Before I get into the championship weekend results, I have to mention a bit of NCAA excitement the Missouri Tigers, beat Baylor and is now ranked #2 in the AP/USA Today Coaches Poll. It was a very close game that came down to the wire but wow, how great it is to see Mizzou ranked #2? It will definitely be interesting to see how the tournament plays out. There's still a lot of time between now and then, so things could change.

As for the NFL championship weekend, I was 1-1 on my picks. Baltimore certainly had a shot. If Lee Evans had caught that TD pass it would have been over. If Billy Cundiff had made that field goal who knows what the outcome would have been in OT. But Baltimore did prove that a good defense can stop Brady and the Pats defense is vulnerable. If Baltimore's offense had just been a little more solid they would have won that game. But, these things happen. I was not impressed by the Patriots win by any means. When you win because the other team's kicker misses a field goal I always think you sort of won by default. You won because the other team screwed up. It's still a win, but not impressive.

The 49ers-Giants game had a very similar feel to the Baltimore-Pats game in that it wasn't a high scoring game and it came down to the wire. For awhile there I thought that the 49ers were going to pull it off and actually win, but the Giants came back and the game went into OT. And the Niners WR/punt returner Kyle Williams fumbled the punt, the Giants recover and score the game winning field goal. Another not so impressive win. Although the Giants kicker did make his field goal attempt (sorry Billy). That was Williams second fumble of the game and the poor guy has been reamed by fans in San Francisco. I get it, if it had been me and it was the Colts or the Rams playing for their chance for the Super Bowl and their punt returner cost the game with a fumble, I'd be upset.

But I've heard that Williams has gotten death threats. Come on people, it's a game. Anything can happen. Sometimes Adam Vinateri crushes your hopes in one fowl swoop (no, I'm not still bitter about SB XXXVI). There is no reason for death threats. He isn't the only reason they didn't win the game. The defense didn't stop Eli Manning. The Niner offense didn't put up enough points. The guy is already going through his own personal hell dealing with his mistakes, no need to make it worse.

So, the Super Bowl will be a rematch of the Giants and Patriots. Little brother Eli will attempt to win his second Super Bowl in the house that Peyton built. And he will.

My Super Bowl pick is the Giants. I know some say that the Pats will be hungry for revenge from 2007 and the Giants stealing their perfect season hopes. Emotions will be high, no doubt. But when I look at the Giants team and the Patriots team, I think the Giants are the more well rounded team. They have a much better defense and can get to Brady. The Pats defense did okay against a not so great Broncos offense and Baltimore, which relies heavily on the run game.

Eli Manning can throw the ball. And they have a decent run game as well. They will be able to put up points. And the Giants in their run to win their division and throughout the playoffs have shown they can get it done in tight defensive matchups and they can get it done in a shoot out.

I don't think it'll be an easy win and it will probably be close. If I had to guess I'd say Giants win 28-24. Something along those lines.

I know Tom Brady is a good quarterback (even though the Colts fan in me doesn't want to admit that at times) but I think Eli wins this one. And I'd be happy for him if he does. I'm sure Peyton's rooting for him.

Speaking of Peyton, an article was published in the Indy Star in which Manning speaks out about the rumors of his retirement and about his future. He jokes about Rob Lowe's twitter post that started a frenzy wondering if Peyton was indeed retiring.

Bogus, of course. Peyton may well indeed have to make that decision if he is unable to get healthy but it's way too early for him to be making that decision. Peyton also addresses that any talks about his future with the Colts will be with owner Jim Irsay, not the new GM Grigson. Peyton also states he is saddened by all of the recent firings.

Which makes sense, he's worked with most of those coaches his whole career. It's hard to see people you've worked with for so long go.

Peyton also reiterated that he hopes to stay in Indy and finish his career there. But it's not his call and he's just trying to do what he can to get healthy.

I really hope Peyton does get healthy enough to play and leads the Colts to another Super Bowl or two, I really do. It's so hard to say right now. I just don't see Irsay being willing to pay the $28 million bonus to Peyton due on March 8th if there are still concerns about his health. Which means he will become an unrestricted agent and could end up in Miami, Cleveland, San Francisco...

If he's healthy, I want him to continue to play because he's so fun to watch and you just know how passionate he is about the game. But I have to admit, it would be super hard to see him in any uniform other than the Colts.

Nothing is certain, but I guess we'll know in a couple of months. For now, Peyton can enjoy watching his little brother play in his second Super Bowl, right at home.

Playoffs, Part Deux

The divisional playoffs are now behind us and I am proud to say that I accurately predicted every winner this weekend - 49ers, Ravens, Giants and Patriots. Not too many people wanted to bet against the Saints or the Packers, and understandably so, but I liked the 49ers chances at home and I just can't seem to bet against the Giants right now - they are on fire.

The magic ended for Tebow and the Broncos this week. As I had said, I just didn't think there was any chance that the Broncos would beat the Patriots. The Broncos got lucky that their first playoff game was at home and they were playing a beat up Steelers team. The Pats were healthy and ready for them. Tom Brady threw a record 6 TD passes and even punted the ball during the game (which was really stupid, I thought. No reason to get too cocky Brady. You haven't won anything since 2007).

Earlier today the Broncos organization issued a statement saying that Tebow would be the starting QB next season. I think he's earned that right. They should at least have the opportunity to work with him in the off season and see what they can do next year.

I honestly did not watch a lot of the Ravens-Texans game, as I was at church when the game started so I missed most of the first half.The Ravens did what they do best: forced turnovers and made the day very difficult for young TJ Yates. Arian Foster surprisingly ran the ball for 132 yards and got a TD, which is a rarity against this tough Baltimore defense. Unfortunately for the Texans, that was about all of the offense they could get going and Baltimore was just the better team.

The 49ers-Saints game was exciting. At first it looked like the Niners might run away with the game, but Drew Brees was not about to go down with a fight. When the game turned into a shoot out, it looked like the Saints would pull off the win. Apparently, if you give Alex Smith 1:30 to score, that's more than enough. An exciting finish with the winning TD pass to Vernon Davis and wow, how key was he to this game? Note to the NY Giants: find a way to cover Davis if you want to win next weekend.

Finally, the Giants pulled an upset win over Green Bay in Lambeau. As I saw some people tweet following the game "Discount Double Choke at Lambeau." For those who don't know, this is referencing the State Farm commercials that Aaron Rodgers is featured in. I am not sure what happened to Green Bay. Perhaps the 2 weeks off was bad, or sitting Rodgers in the last game was bad, they just looked out of synch. So many dropped passes which is so unusual for this team. The Giants have just simply been on fire on all ends. Eli had a great day with 3 TD passes, Nicks had a spectacular day catching 2 of those TD passes and though Rodgers have 2 TD's the Giants defense was able to get to Rodgers with 4 sacks and an interception.

Before the playoffs began, I predicted the Super Bowl would be Giants-Baltimore. I'm sticking to that prediction.

This weekend will feature the 49ers-Giants, and the Ravens-Patriots. I realize I have picked 2 teams on the road to win.

Here's my thoughts. First, the 49ers were able to pull off an impressive win last weekend. However, the Saints should have not been able to come back like they did and still almost win after committing 5 turnovers. The point being, while San Francisco was able to get turnovers, they struggled with capitalizing on them and points out the one thing they've had trouble with all year: scoring in the red zone.

The Giants have a tougher defense than the Saints, especially lately. They will go after Alex Smith and if the Giants can create turnovers they will score points. I think the game will be close, but I just think the Giants are unstoppable right now.

With the Patriots and Ravens, my initial thought prior to this past weekend's game against Denver, was that if these two had to match up, the better defense wins. I still think that, though New England's defense was impressive against the Broncos. New England has one of the worst defenses in the league, and though Tebow and co couldn't product offense, Baltimore will. And the Baltimore defense is not going to let Brady throw 6 TD's. I also think this game is close, but I think Baltimore can pull off the win because if they can get to Brady and create some turnovers, that will place them in a good position to win.

So there you go, we'll see if I'm right next week. And I do pick the Giants to win the Super Bowl, if they make it.

In other news Jeff Fisher finally announced that he accepted the head coaching job for the St. Louis Rams. The speculation surrounding his decision was a bit ridiculous at times. I think this is a good move for the Rams. They need something, change is good. Fisher has already selected former Saints DC, Gregg Williams as the new DC. A press conference is scheduled for tomorrow to announce the new head coach. It is reported that Fisher signed a 5 year contract with the Rams, but again, I'm wary of speculation. How many experts in the sports industry were sure that Pujols was going to stay a Cardinal? Right.

I know there is a lot going on in the NBA and the NCAA, I will try to get to my thoughts on basketball soon.