Thank You, Will Ferrell

Sometimes, I can't help but post something a little bit more light-hearted here. Big ups to the one-and-only Will Ferrell for providing me with content this week. He did the player intros for the Chicago Bulls vs. New Orleans Hornets game the other night. What resulted was a mix of total hilarity and half-truths. If only we could do this before every NBA game, right? I actually really appreciate the Hornets and Bulls organizations for allowing this. Sometimes you just have to let go a little bit and enjoy the game for what it is...entertainment. I think every sports organization could use an injection of humor ever now and again, and the Hornets and Bulls certainly did just that. Ferrell hit such a homerun with his intros that there is now a campaign on Facebook lobbying for him to do the All-Star game. I'm on board.

Check out Ferrell's intros below...pretty epic, if I do say so myself.

Super Bowl Redux: Pats vs. Giants Part 2 (Plus, a special apology for being MIA)

First of all, I think I should start by recognizing my lack of activity here on my blog. All I can say is, whoops. Sorry! I've been unbelievably busy trying to get my life in order. I've been heavy into some serious changes and have been dealing with some serious curveballs. I will say, though, that the curveballs came, some good, some bad, but I'm right where I need to be. I'm making some big moves on the career front and I'm doing really well. That being said, I hereby promise to stay on top of this blog more than I have been. My bad. (In the event that you do want to check out some of my other stuff in the meantime to see what I've been up to you can go to with video content, BeyondUSports, The Falcoholic and the Atlanta Falcons.)

So, let's just jump right into it, shall we? Let's talk about those two intense playoff games yesterday and, of course, Super Bowl XLVI.

Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

I think it's safe to say that yesterday in the Patriots vs. Ravens playoff match-up, most people were banking on the boys from Baltimore. It's also equally safe to say it was a hell of a game. Games like that are ones that reinforce why I love this game...it was thrilling, exciting, back-and-forth, and a game that seriously tested both teams' players, coaches and play-calling abilities. The game would've gone into over-time in a serious throw down, but Ravens' kicker Billy Cundiff blew it on what should've been an easy 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds on the clock. It looked like perhaps the hold was wrong or he went into the kick with a weird angle. Either way, the ball went wide left and that was the end of the Ravens' run to the big game. Ray Lewis spoke about the missed FG in his post-game interview, and was quick to make the point that the loss couldn't be hung on Cundiff. Fair. It is a team game, after all. I think Cundiff should maybe hire a bodyguard...at least temporarily. Joe Flacco (and his 'stache) actually had a decent game. He threw for 306 yards and 2 touchdowns. It's clear he looked like the superior QB in the match-up, actually. Pats' QB Tom Brady had a weirdly-off game, which maybe made Flacco look even better. He threw for 239 yards (decent enough) but no touchdowns. Even he admitted in the post-game presser that he wasn't at his best and that the defense really were the guys who stepped up. Right? The Patriots' defense put a stop to Ray Rice (who, by the way, is the league's rushing leader) and did a solid job of forcing turnovers, including one at the end of the game which shifted momentum right before the Cundiff's missed field goal.  Regardless, Mr. Brady is now on the same level with my personal football idol, John Elway, with 5 trips to the Super Bowl. The biggest question here is can Brady, Belichick and company face the Giants again, this time with a very different outcome? My answer is yes.

I'm going to rewind to recap the 49ers vs. Giants match-up before we cover the all-important redux of the 2008 Super Bowl between the Giants and Pats. I won't lie, folks...I was really rooting hard for the Niners (not just because one of my best friends, Jess, is a life-long fan - I've included a screen shot of part of our conversation mid-game. Yes, guys, girls do talk football on the regular.) because I really do think the team deserved to go to go all the way. John Harbaugh did a hell of a job in his first year as head coach, Frank Gore is a beast, Alex Smith proved he's not just some wannabe QB and Vernon Davis (and his man-tears) were pretty epic. I hate to admit this, but Giant's quarterback Eli Manning finally proved that, yes, he is elite. He threw for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns and had no interceptions. These stats are impressive on their own, but even more so considering how highly touted the 49ers defense has been all season. On the flip-side, the Giant's D looked solid and limited Smith to 196 yards (ouch) and was only 12/26. Gore was plugged up as well, and had no touchdowns and only 74 yards. Without totally re-capping the game in statistical babble, the Giants outplayed the 49ers, and have miraculously have found themselves back at the Super Bowl, facing the Patriots again. Good grief. What a day in football.

NFL.com

So here we are, a week away from the Super Bowl, a redux of 2008 (and unfortunately, not "HarBowl" part 2). In case you missed that game, I'll give you a recap in a nutshell. The Patriots looked awesome and poised to win. The Giants came back and played defense that made the Patriots look beatable, a feat that had yet to be accomplished at that time. Eli Manning set up a fourth-quarter drive that ended in the game winning play with the only TD catch that mattered by wide receiver Plaxico Burress. They proved that favorites and talking heads on sports stations can call the game all they want, but at the end of the day, when a team puts everything on the gridiron, that's what wins games. So, let's talk about this rematch and who has the goods this year to win it all. The Patriots are less cocky as they enter this rematch versus the last time they walked in against the Giants. The Giants, on the other hand, come in hot again but now they have the ego. As usual, this game will come down to turnovers and defense. Brady and Manning are on equal planes when it comes to elitism, so what happens on the defensive side of the ball will determine who walks away with the win. I think New York's pass rush is better, but I think the Patriots have a better offensive line and the Brady-to-the-Hernandez/Gronkowski duo is dangerous. It seems obvious to me that this game will be close, but I'm going to give the edge to the Patriots...it's hard to disagree with Brady (and his Justin Bieber hair) and Belichick. Just a few more days until we find out.

...Til next time.
S.

SEC Championship - A whole lotta love

UGA Fans at FanFest

I was lucky enough to spend time today covering the SEC Championship from the fans' perspective with my colleague, Ari Russell, who is the founder of BeyondUSports.com - another site to which I'm a regular contributor. We shot a ton of awesome video with UGA and LSU fans all over the World Congress Center and Georgia Dome, plus a really kick-ass tailgate. I really understood a lot more about SEC football today...at the end of the day, despite being fiercely loyal to their teams, these fans love everything about SEC traditions. That means being classy regardless of the outcome of the game. There were fans from various SEC schools at the tailgates, FanFest, and the game itself just supporting the glory and tradition that is so deeply valued in the SEC. 

The game started off with a bang. UGA came out swinging and held looked like they may just pull off the upset...until LSU decided to come alive. We all knew it was inevitable.

Intense LSU fan

Obviously, LSU won by a massive margin tonight, but I think UGA has a lot to be proud of. They came a long way after a shaky start to their season and proved many haters wrong (hey...haters gonna hate, anyway). So cheers to a great day, lots of fun and another fabulous college football season!

Check out the video coverage of all of the SEC Championship game events posted below or on BeyondUSports.com.

Suh's Bad Behavior

Andrew Weber/US Presswire

Part of me wants to make a snarky, "well it's because he went to Nebraska" comment, but I'll reserve bias because it really doesn't have anything to do with it (maybe).

Yesterday, as I was watching the Packers vs. Lions game, all I could see was a whole lot of nothing the first half, and then a whole lot of self destruction by way of penalties and bad decisions the second half for the Lions. This post, however, has nothing to do with the Lions late-season self destruction or thinning secondary due to injury. This is all about Ndamukong Suh.

Suh was ejected from the game after he pounded the head of Packers' offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith, followed by a giant stomp on him.

Hold up. 

I'm sorry, in what world is that okay behavior? Grow up, Suh. He said later about his behavior, "I want to apologize to my teammates, my coaches and true fans for allowing the refs to have an opportunity to take me out of this game." Right...okay. He continued, "What I did was remove myself from the situation the best way I felt, with me being held down." I'm sorry, is it just me or is this just a giant "I'm the victim" play by Suh? He has lost his mind if he thinks anyone thought this wasn't intentional. To me, the worst part of this is he genuinely feels like he didn't do anything wrong. I hate to say it, but all of America would have to disagree here.  As ESPN.com blogger Kevin Seifert said, "...if Suh didn't intend to do what he did Thursday, he needs to be examined for involuntary leg and arm movement." While I got a small laugh out of this, it's incredibly true. There's no room for any sort of doubt in this situation. Suh has established himself as a dirty player. Once you go there, there's no going back.

Let's do a reality check here, real quick. Obviously things happen. Football isn't exactly a delicate sport, but there really is no place for behavior or actions like Suh's. Period. End of story. This situation makes me disappointed for a number of reasons. I liked Suh (despite that whole he-went-to-Nebraska thing) and actually found him rather interesting and well-spoken. Above all else, though, he was a bad-ass player with so much talent he almost didn't know what to do with it. Impressive. He single-handedly changed the Detroit Lions' defense and their team as a whole. Now, he's changing it for different reasons. Suh has been fined many, many times - last year for hits on Jay Cutler and Jake Delhomme, this year for a nasty hit on Andy Dalton in the preseason.

Let's talk numbers, now. Suh has now received three personal foul penalties this season alone, making his total number seven since his rookie season last year. He's now tied (ironically) with his teammate, Cliff Avril for the most personal foul penalties in the league since last year. Suh can say backwards, forwards, upside-down and sideways that he was justified in what he did and that there was reason for it...fine, let him. He's wrong. Obviously Suh doesn't care about his public perception and has a total lack of respect for the rules of the game, his coaches, teammates, fellow players and the NFL as a whole. Unbelievable.

My opinion? Suspend him for the rest of the season. It's time for Roger Goodell to make a point, and Lions coach Jim Schwartz needs to step in and back him up. There is no room in this game for actions like Suh's. His talent is undeniable, his behavior is unacceptable. Let him learn his lesson.

Until next time...
S.

Penn State's Tragedy and Scandal

Andy Colwell/The Patriot-News/AP

I've waited a while to address the situation at Penn State because it's been so difficult for me to face. I have a hard time not being emotional when it comes to abused of children by someone they trusted. A week ago, my friend Amy sent me the full list of all of the charges and the grand jury indictment against Jerry Sandusky. I was speechless. I cried. I felt disgusted and nauseated. I felt horrified. Most of all, though, I felt so angry for these poor, innocent children who had their trust violated by someone in a position of influence and their innocence stolen. There are just no words.

It's unreal to me that no action was taken, despite having multiple reports.  How was this never taken to the police? It's truly unbelievable. There were so many people who knew, who were witnesses, who tried to alert the right people...but it never was addressed the way it should have been. Frankly, everyone is to blame here. This is evil in its purest form. Joe Paterno's legacy is in ashes, and he's falling into history as someone who maybe wasn't the hero we all thought he was (his name was removed from the Big Ten Championship trophy today). The fallout of all of this is so much greater than anyone can understand.

There's no reason for me to go into the details - this scandal has been everywhere, splashed all over every newspaper and news outlet in the country. I pray that the victims of Sandusky's sick abuse can one day recover and that they learn to trust again. I hope that the receive justice and that Sandusky sees his day in court and that he knows how sick he is.

Today, Sandusky proclaimed that he was "innocent." That he was not at fault for the crimes and sick acts he has committed. He said to Bob Costas in an interview that he is "...innocent of those charges... I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact."

I don't even know what to say. He's innocent?! He's in denial. He's a sick, sick man. I feel for those who are innocent in this situation - the kids, of course - but the Penn State campus, the players on the team now, and those that have to deal with the negativity and impact of this horrific situation.

This points out a bigger issue of abuse and disgusting behavior of those in positions of power and trust. This is beyond Sandusky, it's beyond Paterno. It's something that (should) and will sit on the shoulders of all those involved for not taking swift action to end this behavior. Justice will come, I believe it.

For more information on the latest with the Penn State/Sandusky scandal, read this.

If you want to help bring awareness and donate to end sex abuse, please visit http://www.rainn.org/.

LSU vs. Bama...I'm Still Waiting

Image Courtesy SportsNola.com

Ok. I feel like I need to write something. This "pre national championship" game has been mediocre at best thus far. I love that these two teams are major rivals and both fan bases are incredibly intense and passionate...but come on this is silly.

It's currently the 3rd quarter and this is what I've gathered: both teams have fantastic defenses, both teams have overrated offenses, neither team is playing quite right, and I've heard the guys in the booth mention Julio Jones one too many times (FYI: he's playing for the Falcons now...they obviously missed the memo). So...can we get something big going in the next quarter and a half? I know both these teams have it in them, and I get the argument that they're so evenly matched that of course this is a low scoring game. To that I say "duh." But, 6-3? Seriously? Sigh.

Stay tuned...full post-game recap to come tomorrow...hopefully with a few more points and a lot more excitement.

...til next time.
S.

**UPDATE** LSU just had a huge interception by cornerback Morris Claiborne. Glad they decided to inject some excitement into this game (finally). It was then lost on me when they couldn't convert and had to settle for another field goal...it's now 6-6...and I'm bored again.

Eric LeGrand: A Real Football Hero

Mel Evans/AP Photo

The Rutgers v. West Virginia game is well underway, but the real story of that match-up involves former Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand. I've previously written about this phenomenal young man and his courage, toughness and perseverance. Eric is paralyzed as the result of a play gone wrong in 2010 - he lay motionless on the field, only to have movement from his shoulders up. Here we are, over a year later, and he now has feeling and sensation in other parts of his body, and has now vowed that he will walk again. You know what? I believe he will.

At any rate, Eric led the Scarlet Knights to the 50 yard line today, with an axe, symbolic for Rutgers' desire to "keep chopping." Not only is he leading his team out for the first time since his injury, but he's also an analyst of the Rutgers Radio Network. This kid knows no bounds - in the best way possible. It's guys like Eric LeGrand that inspire me...move me to be my best and proving why sports, and more importantly, athletes are some of the most incredible people on this planet.

Just for that...I'll be cheering for Rutgers today. Cheers to them, and to you, Eric LeGrand, and may your progress continue until we see you walk again. I believe!

To donate to the Eric LeGrand "Believe" Fund,  go here: http://www.scarletknights.com/believe