Thoughts and Advice: The Quarterback

It’s official. A couple days after the most watched Super Bowl / TV program of all time the NFL season has concluded. Truthfully, my season took a major hit somewhere around 5pm PST on January 15th 2012. It was then that I watched super Eli torch the Packers the same way he did a few years ago, and I was once again reminded that it’s foolish to be so invested into something you have no control over. Am I masking my pain right now – Yes, probably.

Us Green Bay Packers fans were spoiled last year and by the out-of-nowhere Packers. We were spoiled with Aaron Rodgers nailing the Favre memory coffin and we were spoiled with a near perfect season…. Damn you for being so good then so bad! Who cares, it’s over time to move on and think of the 2012-2013, but truthfully part of me doesn’t want to think about it, I need a break. I can’t take losing any more bets and thinking about what could be… I’m taking a NFL sabbatical.

Before I stop talking about the NFL and put my efforts into more important things like movies, writing, reality TV, the Internet, and contemplating watching Justin Bieber’s movie on Netflix. I would like to give my advice on the most coveted position in the NFL: The Quarterback.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, where your QB goes, the team will follow. The new NFL coddling rules for a QB has made the position more important than ever. Having said that and moving forward I give you the:

Random Thoughts and Advice for the 2012-2013 starting QB’s of the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals - Kevin Kolb: Dude, I hope you stay away from the injuries and moving forward you need to stop thinking about all the hype you had going into the Cardinals season. Smile in your picture next year, you look miserable.

Atlanta Falcons - Matt Ryan: Change your name to Jack and channel your inner Tom Clancy.

Baltimore Ravens – Joe Flacco: I’ve always though Flacco could be named Flacman and have a legit chance of being a superhero somewhere. Just stay away from Ray Lewis.

Buffalo Bills – Ryan Fitzpatrick: We get it. You went to Harvard and have a massive beard, but the mystique has worn off. Shave that beard already.

Carolina Panther – Cam Newton: Probably one of the best rookies I didn’t watch. Newton is going to be a monster if he can stay healthy and everyone knows it.

Chicago Bears – Jay Cutler: Cutler watch out for Josh McNown… Yeah I’m just kidding. Cutler should start a new reality show with Kristen Cavalari and follow in the footsteps of Khloe and Lamar. HBO presents: (Insert anything here regarding Hard Knocks and Jay Cutler reality)

Cincinnati Bengals – Andy Dalton: Andy Dalton either sounds like a serial killer or everyone’s best friend… which is the trait of a serial killer!

Cleveland Browns – Colt McCoy: In the history of life has there ever been a more Texan name than Colt McCoy? Wait… he was born in New Mexico? But he went to Texas for college? Did he change his name midway through life just to fit in? Mind. Can’t. Compute. It was just meant to be. Last thing I remember is McCoy behind leveled in a game and playing through a concussion. Stay healthy.

Dallas Cowboys – Tony Romo:  I love Tony Romo for a few reasons: 1) He’s from Wisconsin. 2) He still sports starter gear like it’s 1995. 3) He kind of reminds me of Favre. Moving forward Romo needs to find any possible wide receiver that’s out there… Even T.O!

Denver Broncos – Tim Tebow: Will Tebow even be the starter next season? If so, for how long? I love this guy; he made the NFL amazing this year. My advice for Tebow is to ultimately ask himself for advice because he seems to have it all figured out.

Detroit Lions – Matt Stafford: The Staff-infection. Congrats on staying healthy this year, I hope (and dare you) to do it again.

Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers: Bring back the Title Belt victory “dance”! You had the best consistent celebration going until Timothy Tebow started Tebowing… Embrace your celebration! Don’t hide behind the discount double check commercials.

Houston Texans – Matt Schaub errr Matt Lienart errr T.J. Yates: Um seriously who is the starting QB? Can’t Arian Foster just play this position and get it over with?

Indianapolis Colts – Peyton Manning: Not sure what’s going to happen here. Is it going to be Andrew Luck? Peyton, my advice to you is go ask Eli what to do, he seems to know it all. But seriously, I think Peyton should join the Jets and allow the Mannings to own NY.

Jacksonville Jaguars – Blaine Gabbert: I love Gabbert basically because of his last name. I’ve seen Gabbert playing for a total of 3 minutes this year… and that’s via ESPN highlights.

Miami Dolphins – Chad Henne: Hmmm, don’t know much about Henne, just make room for Matt Flynn.

Minnesota Vikings – Christian Ponder: Remember Donovan McNabb? Remember Brett Favre before McNabb!? Ponder has never looked better.

New England Patriots – Tom Brady: Is Tom Brady going to go down in history as the guy who has a “but he…” on his resume? IE: Tom Brady was maybe the greatest quarterback ever but he always lost to Eli. Or, Tom Brady lost to Eli but he is married to Giselle so whatever.

New Orleans Saints – Drew Brees: Why do I feel like Brees plays for nothing? It seems like he should have come away with so much more this past season.

New York Giants – Eli Manning: In Eli I trust. He’s got a monster head - seriously he still looks like a little kid in that oversized helmet and if he’s anywhere close to the playoffs next year…. Watch out.

New York Jets – Mark Sanchez: I get the feeling that Sanchez is living the life right now but it’s starting to catch up to him. If he doesn’t perform next year I think he’s done. Advice to him: Don’t lose in NY.

Oakland Raiders – Carson Palmer: What are they going to do with the quarterback fiasco in Oakland, and how poorly did this past season play out for The Raiders? Palmer needs to get off the surfboard and start playing; I think next season is his last shot (kind of like Sanchez)

Philadelphia Eagles – Mike Vick: I get the feeling Vick is going to be amazing next year (don’t say a dog joke, don’t say a dog joke) if I were him I would lobby for a wide receiver. Vick is good but he needs someone who’s his prime target.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Ben Roethlisberger: Did Ben really think he was going to beat Tebow in the playoffs? Fortunately Tebow just wiped Ben’s sins away, meaning next year it looks like the Steelers will be back in the Super Bowl with Mike “don’t blink” Tomlin.

San Diego Chargers – Phillip Rivers: Rivers reminds me of a crazy Chucky doll for some reason. This guy needs to just keep yelling at people and I think he’ll be fine.

San Francisco 49ers – Alex Smith: Was this past season a fluke? Will Harbaugh consider taking over for Smith as the QB? I don’t watch many 49ers games but you know what this guy needs to do – run more, he’s deceitfully fast.

Seattle Seahawks – Tavaris Jackson: It took me a minute to remember that Hasselbeck isn’t their QB anymore. Jackson just needs to keep playing into the Pete Carrol’s system and he’ll be fine. I actually find this guy to be underrated.

St. Louis Rams – Sam Bradford: Advice to you… hand the ball off as many times as possible.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Josh Freeman: Full discretion – I know nothing about the Bucs.

Tennessee Titans - Matt Hasselbeck:  Matt, you have a few years left… I still love you because you were an amazing back up on the Packers, and I’ll never forget your coin flip fuck up in the playoffs. Advice moving forward: Get out of Tennessee.

Washington Redskins – Rex Grossman: Why do I feel like this is one of the most dysfunctional teams in the NFL? Grossman needs to hand it off.

Words of wisdom from someone who is so irrelevant to a NFL player that it’s not even worth thinking about how far I’d fall on the totem pole. It’s my final assessment and my best chance to close the door on this NFL season only to wait for a key to arrive for next season. I’m genuinely happy for the Giants… it was a great season. Must. Focus. Elsewhere.

 

 

 

The Green Bay Packers 2012: I'm Confused

Image

Wait. Wasn’t this supposed to be the 90’s all over again? Weren’t the Packers and 49ers supposed to meet in the playoffs and I could banter with my friends about living in the past and Jerry Rice fumbling? I thought it was, at least that’s where my arrogance was. Instead life reminded me that trends are recycled every 30 years and it’s the 80’s… Oh… whoops. Now I have to relive The Giants VS the 49ers, hmm I missed the memo on this one.

Yesterday was rough. It was so rough that I woke up a few times in the middle of the night unable to turn off my brain.

This is my exact text I sent my friend Alex at 4am this morning:

“I can’t sleep and I’m not happy. It was a good season… Confused …. Eh”

At 7:44am he got back to me:

“I’m trying not to think about it. It was a good season, but that was a terrible game. Worst they played all season.”

His text pretty much sums it up, it was the worst game they played all season. The worst part about it is that you could kind of see it coming, and you could definitely feel it coming. When I watched the Packers lose to the Chiefs earlier this season I felt the same way at half time, things just didn’t feel right. Those passes that they usually connect on just weren’t connecting. I was trying to stay positive during the game but deep down inside I knew this wasn’t happening. The Giants just looked better. Even my mom wrote me a text that said they didn’t look good… MY REALLY OPTOMISTIC MOM!

I need to push through this because it’s not that hard to diagnose, just hard to swallow. The Packers were just rusty and out of sync. The normal amazing shit that’s been happening since 2010 just wasn’t happening and if I may state the obvious – more dropped passes than that one really bad kid on the playground who you don’t throw too because he drops all the passes.

I need to write this out because I’m too cloudy to do it any other way…

Jermichael “I’m suddenly a headcase” Finley: He’s been dropping passes all season and it finally got to him. It’s as if every time Aaron Rodgers threw the ball to him some little voice inside his head said “DON’T MISS, DON’T MISS, DON’T MISS” then he dropped the ball.

Running Game: This is obvious, we haven’t had one all season.

You can’t spell Elite without Eli: Damn you Manning! Eli channeled his inner Peyton and picked apart the defense like he was in the Matrix and two steps ahead of everyone.

Oh yeah the Defense: For a defense that relies on letting everyone throw all over them because they’ll eventually pick it off, this didn’t exactly work this time around.

The Hail Mary: Tebow stepped on the field for a brief second and guided that pass right before the half into Cruz’s hands. I will toss this play into the category above. Seriously, how do NFL players let Hail Mary’s happen?

A Rodg: It seemed like Rodgers really wanted it yesterday. He was their leading rusher but the fact he couldn’t rely on anyone trying to catch a ball didn’t help.

If I had any control over anything: I would have said “Yo team, we’re going to throw the ball to Jordy Nelson and Donald Driver every single play. No, I’m not joking.”

Final Thoughts: Like I wrote the other day, I was worried about this game. Watching the playoffs reminded me that other teams are very good and you cannot afford to have a bad day, or even a bad quarter. Unfortunately, the Packers had 4 bad quarters. The Packers were rusty, too rested, and not prepared. I’m reminded of a quote that Mike McCarthy made when asked if they’re going for 16-0.

“We don’t play scared.”

Well, yesterday they looked like they were being chased by sloth from the Goonies, with a handful of confusion.

It’s moments like this that I need to remind myself that I had no control over the game, and even though I specifically went to the one sports bar that the Packers never lost at when I watched a game last season… I had no control!

Time to move on and get ready for the Manchester United VS Arsenal game next week on FOX!

Kidding. I’ll watch the NFC championships.

Final predictions: 49ers VS Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Oh wait, nevermind… A Manning is in the playoffs…

Giants VS Patriots in the Super Bowl with Peyton sitting in the box seats watching his younger brother on the brink of getting one more Super Bowl than him.

In Game Monday Night Football Blog... (Saints VS Giants)

3rd quarter 1:11 seconds – Did anyone notice the guy painting a picture of Drew Brees … on the field? I can’t take any more emotional stories from The Saints - it’s impossible not to love them.

I don’t know why I haven’t turned off this game to watch last Sunday’s Boardwalk Empire.

End of the 3rd Quarter: Anyone just see that dude with the big whistle as a hat… who was whistling. Next to him was a Saints fan wearing a Portland Trailblazers hat. Speaking of the Trailblazers… so happy the NBA is returning for a cameo this year.

Barry Sanders is on a commercial right now – part of me still thinks he could rush for 1,000 yards.

Start of the 4th quarter… Woah, 72 yard Giants TD… comeback!?

The only thing that could stop the Packers and their pursuit for undefeated glory is if they rest their players a la Colts 09.

If you live in LA then you’ve seen this stupid Ford Jamal Anderson commercial. What the fuck is this?

I can’t believe Dennis Miller was once a commentator on Monday Night Football, what the hell were they thinking?

Just saw Sproles speed down the field – how quickly have The Saints forgotten about Reggie Bush?

Is there any part of the San Diego Chargers that miss Drew Brees?

Does Darren Sharper still play for The Saints? Was he better with the Saints or The Packers? I’m going to say the Pack… Bias opinion of course.

There is something badass about Sean Payton standing injured on the sideline calling plays.

WOW. Jimmy Graham just got bent backwards. Holy shit.

Gonna wrap this up, The Saints are showing no signs of slowing down. Current score is 35-17 with 11:02 in the 4th. Final score prediction: 49-27 (If the Giants are lucky).

To my buddy Ottford who is praying Eli Manning doesn’t throw to Nicks anymore for fantasy football purposes - I feel like you’ll win this, don’t worry (You have the power of Tebow).

Whoops – just going to post this and The Saints scored again in the last 10 seconds. New score prediction: 95-27.