The All Time Greatest Colts Quarterback of Debate Verdict

August 12, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer.

Choosing between Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning is no easy task!

I had hoped to get in touch with Rabbi Pinto for some counsel in this quandary, but apparently the Rabbi had been called away for some other so-called critical business meeting. Having struck out there, I thought I’d go to Brandon Phillips and Yadier Molina to see if they could help me choose between the two. Unfortunately, they couldn’t agree on a winner either (the conversation got a little heated), and even after their friends got into the debate there was no resolution.

In the end, I was left to the challenge of choosing between the arguments from Loyal Homer and Babe Ruthless on my own. And so I am awarding this verdict to – Babe Ruthless.

Aside from the fact that Manning apparently walks on water during his free time, Babe Ruthless brought up some very important points about Manning’s production that, no matter how Loyal Homer tried to spin it, were irrefutable.

As far as raw production is concerned between Manning and Unitas, I was skeptical of Babe Ruthless’ contention that Manning was better simply because he passed for more yards. Like Loyal Homer, I recognized the fact that Manning, whose entire career has been played in a league where the season spans 16 games, had greater opportunity to pass for more yards. As such, it is only natural that Manning should have greater raw production.

But even after taking into consideration the fact that Unitas played in fewer games each season than Manning, he was still outperformed by Manning on a very consistent basis.

Over his career Unitas averaged for only 190.7 passing yards per game, while Manning averages 261.1 yards per game. Based on those averages, if Unitas DID play in 16 games each season, his career best season still would have only been 3,862 yards… a performance that surpasses only two of Manning’s seasons (one of which was his rookie year).

In arguing on Unitas’ behalf, Loyal Homer points to the fact that Manning has won only one championship, while Unitas has won three. Once more, though, it is important to take into consideration how much the game has changed between the eras in which Unitas and Manning played.

Although Unitas won two additional championships, the context for how those championships were won must be taken into consideration. For Unitas’ championships in 1958 and 1959, they were the result of playing in only one post-season game in a league of only 12 teams.

Compare that reduced league size to the reality of competing for a championship in the NFL today. The league now has 32 teams, and the championship is awarded over a post-season that spans not one, but four weeks.

Consider this fact – in 17 seasons Unitas led his teams to only six post-season appearances while Manning led his teams to ten post-season appearances in a 13-year span. Within those ten post-season appearances, Manning won at least one game four different times. By 1958-1959 standards, where only one post-season game was played, that would equate to four different NFL championships.

That does not change the fact that Unitas was the quarterback of those two championship teams, but it does put into perspective just how great the accomplishment was.

Finally, consider this: before the conclusion of the 2009 Super Bowl, there was talk of Peyton Manning possibly becoming the greatest quarterback, not only in Colts’ history, but in the entire history of the NFL. Granted the Colts lost that Super Bowl game, but one game – no matter what the stage is – is hardly enough to change a person’s legacy from being potentially the greatest of all time to not even being considered the greatest to have ever played for his team. How can Manning be considered as the greatest quarterback of all time if he isn’t even the greatest quarterback to play for his own franchise?

Peyton Manning has had far greater challenges laid in front of him, and he has performed at a correspondingly better level than Johnny Unitas when responding to each of those challenges. He has been recognized as being the Most Valuable Player in the league more times than Unitas, and has produced at a better game-for-game rate.

While Unitas may technically have more championships to his name, Manning’s superior overall performance has earned him the title of the Greatest Colts Quarterback of All Time.

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The All Time Greatest Colts Quarterback Debate

August 10, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer.

Unitas or Manning?

Johnny Unitas led the Colts in Baltimore for 17 years. Peyton Manning is preparing for his 13th season (with no end to his career in Indianapolis in sight).

Unitas is a Hall of Famer, and Manning will be a Hall of Famer. Both are NFL record-holders, as well as championship quarterbacks.

Both will be remembered in history as two of the most dominant quarterbacks of their era, but…

Between Peyton Manning and Johnny Unitas, who was the greatest Colts quarterback of all time?

Johnny Unitas gets Loyal Homer’s vote, while Babe Ruthless believes that Manning has supplanted Unitas as the Colt’s gunslinger extraordinaire.

If you could choose only one to lead your team, which would it be?

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The All Time Greatest Colts Quarterback Debate… The Greatest QB Who Ever Lived

August 10, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Loyal Homer.

Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback that ever lived, and that’s a fact. Well, maybe it’s not a fact, but it’s an opinion based on fact. An opinion I can seriously not overstate. You might ask, “Just how good is Peyton Manning?” I’ll tell you. But brace yourself because the answers may be shocking.

Peyton Manning’s football prowess is so blindingly brilliant that doctors recommend watching him play through a pin hole in a sheet of paper. Mathematicians have declared his passes the only perfect arches that occur in nature. Physicists have even speculated that if he throws a football hard enough in the exact opposite direction of the earth’s rotation he can actually turn back time, like at the end of the Superman movie. In my not so humble opinion, Peyton Manning is the greatest football player in the history of mankind.

Throughout his career he has drawn comparisons to other great quarterbacks, especially Johnny Unitas. Both he and Johnny U have been hugely successful, record setting quarterbacks for the Colts. The comparison comes naturally. Each man is an icon in their own right. But in comparing legacies, Manning stands alone.

Unitas will forever be remembered as a revolutionary of the game. His innovative approach to the passing game paved the way for the stars of today, but he simply cannot measure up to Peyton Manning. In terms of franchise records, there is no doubt that Manning is superior. He owns practically every Colt’s franchise passing record – including passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, completions, and completion percentage – an impressive feat considering how high Unitas set the bar. Even more impressive still is the fact that Manning has succeeded in today’s faster, more intense version of professional football. Modern athletes are bigger, faster, and stronger than they were in Unitas’ day. So while Manning would have absolutely owned the 1950s and 1960s, the same cannot necessarily be said of Unitas in the late 20th and early 21st Century.

When it comes to league-wide accolades the two are neck and neck, but Manning still has the edge in a close one. Both quarterbacks have been selected to an impressive ten Pro Bowls. They both have one Super Bowl victory a piece to their credit, but Manning also has the honor of being the Super Bowl MVP. Admittedly, Unitas has a couple of NFL World Championships to his credit, but that’s not 100 percent comparable to the Super Bowl since the AFL and NFL were not yet combined and competing against each other for an undisputed title yet. Unitas did beat out Manning in terms of All-Pro selections with six to Manning’s five, but Manning trumped Unitas in the more prestigious category of AP NFL MVP awards. Manning stands alone with a record four league MVP awards compared to Unitas’ three. While Unitas hangs with Manning almost tit-for-tat in awards, Manning usually seems to win in the bigger, flashier categories.

But the most compelling argument comes in comparing their best years, where Peyton Manning seemingly dwarfs Johnny Unitas. In 1959 Johnny Unitas set a career high scoring 32 touchdowns and compiling 2,899 passing yards. Four years later, in 1963, he established another career benchmark throwing for 3,481 yards and 20 touchdowns. Even combining Unitas’ career high marks together, as if they were accomplished in the same season, his statistics become pedestrian feats when compared to what Peyton Manning does on a routine basis. On three separate occasions – 2000, 2004, and 2009 – Manning eclipsed both single-season highs for Unitas the 32 TDs and the 3,481 yards. There has never been a season in Manning’s career when he threw for fewer yards than Unitas’ best season.

Peyton Manning’s best season came in 2004 when he threw for 4,557 yards and scored a then NFL record 49 TDs. This aerial barrage was a campaign for the ages. Manning’s TD record has only been surpassed by Tom Brady, who scored only one more TD than Manning (50) during the 2007 season. But even Touchdown Tom doesn’t stand up to Manning in the long run. Aside from Brady’s record breaking 2007, he has never eclipsed the 30 TD threshold… something Manning has done five times in his still relatively short career. While this debate isn’t about Brady, it speaks volumes that Manning’s numbers are consistently better than the current NFL record holder.

So when it comes to statistics, just about the only number that Unitas has that is greater than Manning is the one on his Jersey, where Manning wears 18 but Unitas donned 19). But, if you look at it in golf terms, not surprisingly Manning wins again.

In the intro to this debate Bleacher Fan asked who we would choose to lead our team. Undoubtedly it’s Manning. The guy has not only broken Unitas’ franchise record, he has set NFL milestones. He puts up stat lines that would be career years for most quarterbacks, past and present, nearly every season. He also does it with charisma. Peyton Manning is surely the greatest Colt’s quarterback of all time.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The All Time Greatest Colts Quarterback Debate… Johnny U Reigns Supreme

August 10, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Babe Ruthless.

Bleacher Fan has asked the Babe and I to determine who the greatest Colts quarterback of all time is. I know the easy answer, especially for you young lads, is Peyton Manning. It’s quite obvious Babe Ruthless has a serious man crush on Manning (he’s approaching Tom Izzo-Sports Geek status with that relationship). Peyton has obviously racked himself up quite a career to this point and he’s still got a little bit left in the tank. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him in college and the NFL. It’s hard to root against the guy. But, with no disrespect intended toward Manning, I’m think Johnny Unitas is the greatest Colts quarterback ever.

If you ask the fathers of any of our writers here at TSD they would probably go on and on about how great “Johnny U” was. I know I’ve heard my dad mention his name on several occasions when he discusses NFL lore. I bet your dads have mentioned him as well, and with good reason. Back then he was the star of the league, probably more so than Manning is today since Manning has to compete for attention with the likes of Tom Brady, Brett Favre, and the seemingly constant infatuation with the Dallas Cowboys.

Babe Ruthless likes to talk about the fact that Manning’s individual passing numbers are consistently better each year than those put up by Unitas. But while considering those numbers, it’s important to note that Unitas never had the opportunity to play in a regular season with 16 games. The NFL didn’t expand the season to 16 games until 1978. Actually, Unitas played only 12 games per season in his first few seasons. The schedule wasn’t extended to 14 games until 1960. Yet, Unitas began playing in 1956, where he had three of his six first team All-Pro selections in the 1950s. You do the math on that.

It’s often said that both Unitas and Manning have one Super Bowl at this point, and that’s certainly true. But, before the Super Bowl era began in 1966 Unitas won two NFL World Championships, in 1958 and 1959. He also was the winning quarterback in the “greatest game ever played,” and helped build the legacy of future Hall of Fame coach Don Shula. All of that has to count for something, right?

Old school Colts fans like to say that today’s quarterbacks get more protection from their offensive line and from the officials as well. I think we can all agree there is probably a great deal more emphasis put on protecting the quarterback in the modern era than it was back when Unitas was under center. But that didn’t stop Johnny U from throwing touchdown passes in 47 consecutive games, a record that still stands today. Meanwhile, Manning, still in the prime of his career, had three games last season where he didn’t throw a single touchdown pass.

The legacy of the stars of yesteryear seems to grow as time goes on, and as more and more stories are told by fathers to children and grandchildren. Perhaps in thirty years we’ll be telling stories about Manning to our children. But as it stands now, Johnny U remains the greatest quarterback in Colts history.

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Posted by Loyal Homer

The Best Sports Father-Son(s) Debate… Like Father Like Sons

June 21, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

For a Father’s Day themed article I was tempted to choose the New York Yankees as my subject. While it would appease the ever-relentless “Babe” here at TSD, it is also not THAT long ago that the Yankees famously became Pedro Martinez’s “Daddy.”

But, I decided it was impossible to pass up the opportunity to talk about one of the rare family combinations in the history of sports – the Mannings.

It seems that sports are full of great father-son legacies. Bobby and Barry Bonds come to mind, though they leave quickly due to the son’s choice to cheat. My colleagues have picked excellent examples as well. But very few times are the father and sons both great people and amazing athletes. Ever rarer, it seems, are the sons able to surpass the father’s accomplishments.

It is no secret that the New Orleans Saints, until recently, struggled mightily as a franchise. Those struggles began from the team’s inception back in 1967. It was not until 1971 that the team was able to draft the quarterback and leader it believed would lead to championships – second overall pick Archie Manning, the patriarch of the most successful and impressive father-son lineage in sports history.

Though Archie definitely did not experience ultimate success at a professional level, aside from two Pro Bowl appearances and an Offensive Player of the Year award in 1978, his understanding of the quarterback position helped propel his two sons, Peyton and Eli, to Super Bowl success. It takes a special kind of relationship for that to happen.

Many dads, if they were professional football players left unfulfilled when it comes to a championship, may choose to parent their sons differently than Archie. They may choose to push their sons, force football upon them, drill them nonstop, and micro-manage their lives to create the type of success they never had. Archie’s approach, if you listen to his sons tell the story, was much more laid back. In fact, Archie was so obsessed with football when he was a youngster that his parents nearly made him quit. Informed by that experience, he took a measured interest in shaping his children’s football skills.

In the media firestorm that surrounds every Super Bowl, no story was hotter last January that Archie – favorite son of New Orleans – rooting for his genetic son, Peyton – quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. While many writers and talking faces from myriad news outlets concentrated on this supposed controversy, the quiet reality is that Archie’s allegiance was never really in question.

In many ways, “quiet reality” is a nice descriptive phrase for the formative years Archie’s sons remember. In the run up to the most recent Super Bowl, Peyton was asked about this dad’s influence and what he remembered about growing up as Archie’s son. Peyton gave a simple and revealing answers, saying, “When we were kids, while waiting on my dad, my brother (Eli) and I used to go out on the Superdome turf and play,” he said. “We’d get a big ball of tape, wad it up, and play one-on-one, 100 yard football. My father would always come out onto the field to get us and we’d watch him sign autographs for fans on the way out of games.”

Ever-steady, Archie instilled a natural leadership and work ethic his sons credit him for. It is that presence that has helped propel Peyton to one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the game despite the many seasons he remaining in his right arm, and propelled Eli to the franchise face for one of the most storied and successful NFL teams ever. Both sons are Super Bowl winners, both sons are top quarterbacks in their era, and both credit the steady, quiet leadership of their dad.

The Manning family wins this argument not just because of the quality of performance and character, but because two is better than one. The fact that Archie heads a family of winners and taught winning, even though he never really experienced any winning at a professional level, underscores what a remarkable story the Manning “father-sons” legacy is in the history of sports.

No one can be a perfect dad (sorry, Dad), and I’m sure Archie wasn’t the perfect dad who made all of the perfect decisions every time. I’m sure there were times where he couldn’t make the kids’ games growing up, or had to play on a birthday. My point is, it is often possible to gain insight into a father’s effectiveness by observing his kids. The Manning brothers are articulate, full of humor, dedicated to success, and good citizens (check out their charitable giving – of time and money – after Katrina). It’s easy to sit and review only stats and on-field performance for this debate. But when truly evaluating sons as people who happen to play a sport, it sure seems like Archie Manning and his sons Peyton and Eli are unmatched in their life – and sports – success.

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Posted by Sports Geek

The 2010 NFL Player on the Hot Seat Debate… Big Expectations in the Big Apple

June 14, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Loyal Homer.

From a statistical standpoint, Mark Sanchez’s rookie season could hardly be considered a success.

In 2009, Sanchez threw for only 2,444 yards and 12 touchdowns, while giving up 20 interceptions. He had four games in which he threw for three or more interceptions. In those games (each of which the Jets lost), he threw for only two total touchdowns, compared to a combined 15 interceptions.

Compare that number to his AFC Championship counterpart, Peyton Manning, who threw for 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns against only 16 interceptions. Manning also had only one game with three or more interceptions, and he still managed to toss FOUR touchdowns during that one game (which was still won by a score of 28-16).

Obviously, Peyton Manning is a difficult standard for any quarterback to be compared against. But that is exactly the caliber of quarterback that Sanchez must compete against if he hopes to find himself playing in the Super Bowl.

At the end of the 2009 season we learned that Mark Sanchez was an inconsistent quarterback who tended to make more mistakes than good decisions. A repeat performance this season will NOT warrant the same success for the Jets in 2010, though. That success, however, is nonetheless what the Jets and their fans are expecting.

After reaching the AFC Championship game last season (by virtue of owning the league’s best running game and defense), anything less than a Super Bowl appearance for the Jets will be considered a failure. And while the Jets’ defense remains relatively intact, the offense will look very different this upcoming season, placing increased pressure on Sanchez to get the job done.

Last season the Jets were a run-first offense, but that appears to be changing as we move into 2010.

For starters, Thomas Jones (who last season amassed 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns) is no longer with the Jets after being released in favor of the untested Shonn Green, and the injury-prone (albeit still dangerous) LaDanian Tomlinson. The team then added Santonio Holmes to bolster the receiving corps, in an effort to give Sanchez as many weapons as possible.

With those changes Sanchez MUST begin throwing for more than TEN completions per game (something he failed to do FIVE TIMES last season). He must also achieve more than 200 passing yards per game (something he failed to do 11 times last season), and he must balance out his TD to INT ratio.

Something in 2010 will have to change. Either Sanchez will step up and improve his passing game, or the Jets will find a new quarterback to lead the team to victory. The Jets organization, and its fans, has made their wishes known coming into the 2010 season. Both parties want EXPECT a Super Bowl for their beloved Jets. The responsibility falls to Sanchez alone to the team there.

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The Biggest Winner of the Super Bowl Debate – Peyton Manning: The Greatest Player Who Ever Lived

February 5, 2010

Read the arguments by Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer.

 

If children dream of being NFL players, then what do NFL players dream of being? I’ll tell you. They dream of being Peyton Manning.  This year’s Super Bowl only further cements his legacy as the greatest NFL player of all time.

For those who doubt my assertion that Peyton Manning is the best football player ever, I suggest you take a look at his credentials. Most of Manning’s detractors point to his lack of Super Bowl championships as their entire case against his greatness (“Rings? Rings!? He don’t need no stinking rings!”), even though Peyton Manning already has one Super Bowl ring from 2007. He is ranked among the top in every quarterback statistic that matters (passing yards, touchdowns, wins, etc.) and has an unprecedented four league MVP awards as well. While even the biggest Manning-haters will at least admit he is among the best quarterbacks today, I say that he is making a campaign for the greatest player of all time, and I’m not alone. Sports Illustrated writer Ross Tucker points out that Peyton’s accomplishments exceed those of Dan Marino, John Elway, Brett Farve,  Joe Montana, and Tom Brady…and I could not agree with him more. Marino never won a Super Bowl - This Sunday Manning attempts to win his second. Two Super Bowl victories would tie those of Elway, and would surpass Farve.

Tucker also makes the argument that Montana played for a stacked 49ers team that preceded the days of free agency, and that Brady benefited from the genius of Bill Billichick’s defenses and strategies. On top of all this, Tucker points out something I covered here on TSD last month, Peyton Manning’s success this year came without the assistance of his usual all-star supporting cast. Manning carried his team to the Super Bowl and he did it without Tony Dungy’s brilliant leadership, or Marvin Harrison’s seemingly ageless hands. Few would doubt the fact that Manning is the brains behind his own success, because his tireless hours of film breakdown and an ability to read defenses and play call at the line of scrimmage are unparalleled. While each of aforementioned quarterbacks are legends in their own right, Manning’s resume boasts superior accolades.  

This year’s Super Bowl puts him Over The Top like Lincoln Hawk (don’t tell me you don’t remember the 1980s arm wrestling movie staring Sylvester Stallone, who played a trucker competing for a new big rig and his son’s love).

 His greatness transcends the game. Some celebrities’ fame makes them the national face of their city, but Mr. Manning’s relationship the city of Indianapolis even exceeds the wildest of expectations. Like a benevolent Mussolini he controls the education system and makes the buses run on time. Seriously! Peyton Manning controls the opening and closing of schools Indianapolis, a power usually reserved for the weather and natural disasters. Want proof? In 2007 the Indianapolis Public School system actually had to cancel school because of the celebrations of Peyton’s first Super Bowl ring. Apparently the raucous celebrations left the bus drivers so wiped out they could not even drive their routes that day. This year the school district is on a two hour delay. I think all the elementary school students should have to write thank you cards for their extra two hours of Manning Break. 

His celebrity is not embraced just regionally, but around the country. As Rod Tidwell might say, “he is an Ambassador of Quan”. He has the love, respect, community, and the dollars too…the Quan. Manning continues to become a cultural icon, but better. He is like Ellen DeGeneres - He makes us laugh and cry, but instead of giving away free stuff he gives away unforgettable moments. The next memorable gift is scheduled for delivery this Sunday during the Super Bowl.

This game holds exceptional meaning and value for the legacy of Peyton Manning. New Orleans is in many respects Manning’s home, and it holds special meaning to the Manning family.

The Manning family, which appears to pass on a genetically enhanced football gene (some have even suggest that Archie Manning be cryogenically frozen in order to produce enhanced players in the future…true story) continue to have a profound connection to New Orleans. It was the stomping grounds for Peyton’s father, Archie Manning, when he played for the Saints. Peyton and his brother Eli have stayed invested in the area as evidence by their assistance with Hurricane Katrina relief. Now so many years later, New Orleans seeks to defeat one of its favorite sons, and in the Super Bowl no less. This is sure to be a big, emotionally charged game for Peyton Manning, to which he usually responds with big outings. Who can forget his decimation of the Saints at the Superdome in 2003 where he put up 6 scores in just 3 quarters, just one shy of the NFL record. He was certainly motivated then by all the attention of a nationally televised game against his father’s old team in his old home town. I think this year’s Super Bowl will just be another benchmark in the storied history of the greatest player the game has ever known.

This debate is supposed to be about the Super Bowl’s biggest winner, and it is abundantly clear that the marquee story is Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning’s legacy will shine that much brighter, not if, but when he leads his Colts to a victory over his father’s Saints in Super Bowl XLIV.

But I think at least on some level, the Super Bowl itself wins because it can feature the greatest player the NFL has to offer—Peyton Manning.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The Best 2009 NFL Wild Card Game Debate – Time to Get Wild in the Desert

January 6, 2010

Read the arguments from Loyal Homer and Babe Ruthless about which NFL Wild Card game they believe is the best of this postseason.



It is rematch city this week for the NFL Wild Card weekend. In a bizarre twist of something that definitely is NOT luck, the NFL slate of playoff games features three rematches from week 17. With plenty of gamesmanship on display last weekend as teams did their level best to withhold game plans and star players, all the cards are on the table this weekend (get it… cards?). The best Wild Card game of this 2009 NFL postseason, therefore, is a rematch. Since Dallas and Philadelphia were actually playing hard (supposedly) last weekend, and the Bengals have played poorly down the stretch, the best game is the rematch between the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals in the desert.

Fresh off a lopsided Packers victory last weekend, where Arizona took the established step of benching important starters, the two teams meet again on the same field. Though the Packers handled the Cardinals reserves, and the Cardinals are scrambling to replace injured receiver Anquan Boldin in the lineup this week, do not dismiss these Cardinals.

It only SEEMS as though the Cardinals are easy to dismiss. Remember last season’s playoffs? The Cardinals were dismissed all the way to the Super Bowl, where the team barely lost thanks to last minute heroics from Pittsburgh. This Arizona team again seems underrated, and it is improved over last season’s team.

In 2008 the Cardinals were poor, at best, when it came to running the football. In fact, the Cardinals were dead last in the NFL in 2008 with a scant 73.6 yards per game earned on the ground. The team drafted Ohio State beast of a running back Chris Wells, and has now made dramatic improvements to the running game to balance out an already stellar passing game. The Cardinals certainly did not lead the NFL in rushing, but the team improved the yards per game by 20 yards – TWENTY YARDS. That is no small task, and the running attack will take pressure off of Kurt Warner AND help the team in goal line situations.

Since I mentioned Warner, it is only fair to fully outline why he is so vital to the team’s success. He throws for over 250 yards per game and has two 1,000 yard receivers. He has thrown for 100 touchdown passes with two different teams (Rams and Cardinals). He is a two time NFL MVP award winner, and has a Super Bowl MVP to his credit, too (he probably would have added a second if the Cardinals defense could have stopped Pittsburgh in last season’s Super Bowl). He is a great player, and a likely future hall of famer. And, Warner gets better as the running game improves. The Packers will need every bit of effort its defense can muster this weekend to limit, not stop, the Cardinals offense.

The Packers, on the other side of this Wild Card coin, are hot with a record of 7-1 in the last eight games. A big reason the team is hot is the play from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Sure, the Packers have a better record than their playoff foe (more on that in a moment), but Rodgers must be thanking his lucky stars to be out of the frozen tundra and landing in the desert for this game. The aerial assault the Packers offense has become synonymous with will thrive in the desert. No, the Packers did not have the season’s best passing attack (remember that Peyton Manning fella?), but the offense was formidable, especially considering some unfavorable weather conditions the team plays in every season. Thirty touchdowns against just eight interceptions are impressive statistics for Rodgers, who has reliable receivers all over the field. Rodgers took many sacks early this season, but limited them late. Rodgers’ improvement in this area is important as the Cardinals are sixth in the NFL with 43 sacks in 2009.

While it is easy to focus on the quarterbacks alone in this game, what makes this matchup so fascinating is Charles Woodson, hands down the best defensive players in the league right now. Without Anquan Boldin, Woodson can blanket star receiver Larry Fitzgerald and force Warner to throw to less reliable receivers. Consider the “Charles Woodson Factor” another reason to watch this game.

This game is also interesting because it is one of the countless matchups in the NFL playoffs over the years where a Wild Card team actually has a better record than the division winner that lays claim to home field advantage. I hope that the league reviews this policy in the coming years and reseeds once playoff teams are determined. The Packers have a considerable home field advantage it seems the team should have earned, since it has a better record than its opponent and even owns the head-to-head tiebreak. The league could kill two birds with one stone by not only rewarding the team with the better record, but forcing teams to not rest starters and compete in each game of the season. Having the best record matters, and should matter. But, earning the third best record should also matter… at least it should matter more than winning a lousy division.

For this game, however, the Packers seem to have the momentum even though Arizona has surprised in the playoffs in recent seasons and postseasons, especially in 2008. With Boldin down, a new receiver can step up and help carry the Cardinals into the second round of the playoffs. The Packers and Cardinals both have a lot to prove. One thing is for certain – this is the best Wild Card matchup on the NFL 2009-2010 postseason.

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Posted by Sports Geek

The Best Athlete of 2009 Debate – Peyton Manning, The Sportsman of 2009

December 30, 2009

Read the arguments from Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer about which athlete they believe was best in 2009.



All right fans of The Sports Debates, brace yourselves. Babe Ruthless is going rogue. I am not picking Derek Jeter as the greatest sportsman of 2009 (largely because an upstart rival publication that shall not be named already awarded him the title). But, have no fear, I am choosing someone almost as cool and equally deserving – Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

He is arguably the best quarterback of the 2009 NFL season, if not the entire decade… or maybe of all time. Since entering the NFL in 1998 he has started in 191 games, passed for 50,033 yards, and thrown for 366 touchdowns (no less than 26 TDs in any season). He has won a record three league MVP awards (tied with Brett Favre). Time and time again he has brought national attention to the Indianapolis Colts franchise, which without him would be as contemporarily relevant as, well, the Cleveland Browns. To list all of Manning’s accolades would take a while, so let me assure you that he is really, really good.

In 2009 Peyton Manning has been nothing less than spectacular, having thrown for 4,405 yards and 33 touchdowns, ranking him second in the NFL in both categories. He was declared the number one ranked player in the NFL by the Sporting News. Probably most astonishing, Manning has led the Indianapolis Colts to set an NFL record 23 consecutive regular season wins. On top of all this he accomplished these feats without his former head coach Tony Dungy or his usual go-to targets, Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez. This streak was brought to a close this past Sunday, but you can not blame Manning, who was benched early to keep him healthy for the playoffs, again proving just how much Manning serves as the lifeblood of his team.

You might be thinking, “Bu,t Babe Ruthless aren’t Drew Brees and Tom Brady having good years too? What makes Peyton Manning any more special?” The difference is his personality. Peyton Manning is an absolutely amazing athlete, entertainer, and philanthropist. It is like he was made from the DNA of Archie Manning, Will Ferrell, and Oprah.

Peyton Manning might just be as entertaining as he is athletically talented. Think about it. Manning has endorsement deals all over the place with companies like DirectTV, Mastercard, and Gatorade just to name a few… so he has to be doing something right. With that much exposure America would be getting sick of him if he was not entertaining. Manning is funny. For proof look no further than his appearance on Saturday Night Live. His United Way skit is still a hit on the Internet.

Peyton Manning is also an involved philanthropist. Just like his commercial exposure, Manning tends to be everywhere in the charity world as well. In 2009, his charitable organization, The Peyton’s Peyback Foundation, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help underprivileged kids in Indiana, Tennessee, and Louisiana. He is also an advocate of the American Red Cross. He currently serves, alongside his brother Eli, and others, on the Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet. Similarly, the Manning brothers are still involved with Hurricane Katrina relief programs. Peyton Manning is not just another self-absorbed athlete, he is a real person who cares about others. This guy just keeps getting better.

Ultimately, Peyton Manning is a great all-around guy. He is the type of athlete role model you want your kids to be like (he just barely edged out Adam “Pacman” Jones and Plaxico Burress). He projects a funny, affable nature that makes him marketable and the subject of many platonic-man-crushes throughout the country. He also had a good 2009, and I see great things in his future. That is why he gets my vote for the best athlete of 2009.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The Best Game of THIS Weekend Debate – Patriots and Colts Battle Again

November 13, 2009

Read the arguments from Bleacher Fan and Sports Geek about which games they believe are the best of THIS weekend.

We are over halfway through the NFL regular season, and we are, sadly, closing in on the end of the college football season, too. We just kicked off the season the other day, right? Wow, it always flies by! Nevertheless, we enter this weekend with some interesting NFL matchups. After looking at the schedule, we all know what the best game of the weekend is and I was not about to skip it. The undefeated Indianapolis Colts welcome the New England Patriots to town. Is it just me, or does this game always seem to pop up on the schedule? This is the 14th time these two teams have met (including three times in the playoffs). The Patriots have won eight of 13, but the Colts have four out of the past five. It is without a doubt the best NFL rivalry of this decade.

As always, it is a big game. The Colts come into the game undefeated at 8-0, though they have been tested the past two weeks against the San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans. Peyton Manning, once again, is having an MVP caliber season. Through eight games, he has thrown for 2,545 yards and 16 touchdowns. I thought he might have somewhat of a down season, for his standards anyway since he no longer has Marvin Harrison to throw to. Add in the fact that the other starting receiver, Anthony Gonzalez, has not played since week one, and there is a recipe for inconsistency at the wide receiver position. But guys like rookie Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon have picked up the slack, combining for 55 catches and six touchdowns. Head coach Jim Caldwell has done a magnificent job of picking up right where Tony Dungy left off.

Meanwhile, the Patriots are who we thought they were. The Patriots come into this matchup with a 6-2 overall record. New England has had its share of close games, too. Tom Brady, after a slow start, has picked up the pace and thrown for nearly 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns. The usual suspects are still there at wide receivers with Randy Moss and Wes Welker having solid seasons. Remember when Moss was considered a bad seed? That seems like such a long time ago now! The offense as a whole is third in the league and the defense quietly is the second ranked defense right now.

New England needs this game to send a message to the Colts that they are still a force to be reckoned with in the AFC. It will also keep the Patriots alive in the battle for home field advantage in the AFC, which is very important in January… especially if these two teams are to get together again. Indianapolis needs this game to distance itself overall by three games over the Patriots. The Colts most definitely do not want to go to Foxboro in January, having been there and done that and knowing they do not want to do it again! It is quite a bit warmer at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Overall, I am definitely looking forward to this game. It is a Sunday night NBC matchup so we will all be able to watch it. It should be another classic in a long line of great games in this rivalry.

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Posted by Loyal Homer

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