GUEST COMMENTARY FROM A JETS FAN

Ok, now that I have had time to take it all in … I am still a little confused. I just don’t get it.

Mind you, I have been a Jets fan all my life, and have continually been baffled by what the team does both in the off season and on the field. Being a Jets fan is always like living on a roller coaster of emotions. Something will happen to spark hope, a glimmer of greatness if you will (two consecutive AFC championship appearances). But then reality sinks back in and we end up with the same ol’ Jets! I thought that all of our off-season moves were going pretty well — signing valuable players and filling needed positions at safety and back up QB and then … BAM. Tebow time.

(Photo: Businessinsider.com)

As a displaced Jets fan living in Denver, this was like the nausea that arrives after you have been swiftly kicked square in the nuts. It sucked. But theres nothing I can do so I am trying to see the value and not try to understand the “why”. One thought I just can’t shake out of my head is that Woody made the decision to fill seats and sell jerseys. I went to a few home games in New Jersey last year and the stadium was maybe three-quarters full. I know that Tannembaum and Rex are really pushing to “win now”, as it’s likely that their fates are in line with the success of this season, but picking up Tim Tebow doesn’t really seem like the team’s golden ticket.

That being said, maybe that was never the Jets intent. Maybe they just saw an opportunity to bring value to the team at little perceived cost. With the media surrounding Tebow and New York being what it is, maybe we are just blowing this whole thing way out of proportion. If the Jets made this move to get back, say, Brad Smith, no one would be making such a huge fuss about it. Brad was a QB in college and took over 10 snaps in wildcat formation in many games for the Jets. The big difference was his fit on special teams and in other positions. If Tebow is really willing to do what ever it takes to help the team like he said in his press conference he could prove to be very valuable for the Jets.

The major thing that is keeping me from jumping on the Tebow band wagon is the 4th and 6th round pick we traded away. Will the looks the Jets get with Tebow, combined with his unknown in special teams, be better than the other positions we could have filled in those spots? How bout some offensive linemen? Some pass-rushers perhaps? I guess the draft and the season are the only ways to tell, and it never does anyone any good to play the what-if game. He’s here, he’s a Jet, and now we can just wait and see.

The positive side of all of this craziness is it allows the Jets to be very active filling the roster and preparing for the draft without much analyzation outside of Tebowmania. We had a lot of WTF moments at the end last year that people aren’t really talking about too much. Other than obvious tensions in the locker room, the team performed poorly from the ground up. While everyone is looking at what Tim Tebow will do, the Jets can and should focus on fixing the major problems that plagued them last year.

Adding another great athlete and competitor to your team should come to any fan as a positive, but for some reason I still don’t get that feeling from this move. I am open-minded, and know that there are worse things that could have happened because Tim is not going to have baby momma drama or get locked up for a DUI or call out other players anonymously in the press.

I just want to have the team I support with all my being be good at playing regular football. Not surprise antics and wacky formations, ground and pound and play action for long touchdowns. Is that too much to ask?!?!?

Sincerely,

The Ever-Disgruntled Jets Fan
“I bleed green and white”

Peyton Manning, arguably the greatest free agent of all time, has chosen the Denver Broncos as team he will ride into the Hall of Fame. The Broncos will now be the hottest team in the league this offseason, and billions of eyeballs will be glued to Mile High Manning this autumn. Elway lured Manning by promising to build players around him, and by letting him run his own offense in Denver, which should easily make the Broncos the team to beat in the AFC West. And with a 5-year, $96 million dollar contract, it seems clear that the Broncos and their team of doctors believe Manning is healthy, ready to play, and capable of making a run at the Super Bowl for the next half-decade.

(Photo: DenverPost.com)

As a lifelong Broncos fan, I can’t help but be excited about adding an all-world player to the squad. Especially a cerebral quarterback like Manning who is one of smartest to ever play the position. But immediately after the shock of the ‘Manning to Denver’ news set in, many of us in Bronco Country asked the obvious question … what about Tim Tebow? What about last season? Timmy’s magical run, winning 7 of 8 games and leading the Broncos to a thrilling OT playoff win at home against the Steelers. Tebow’s 80 yard “Tebomb” to Demaryius Thomas was by far the most exciting play by any Bronco since Elway’s “helicopter” in Super Bowl XXXII. Every single Broncos fan enjoyed that season, whether they approved of Tebow or not, and Denver seemed to be headed towards next season with notable momentum. It was truly spectacular, and many fans thought we had something special.

But now – almost unthinkably after you grasp what he did last season – the Broncos will show Tebow the door and welcome 36-year-old Manning to the team. Some Broncos fans and all of Tebow’s faithful feel betrayed, but the fact of the matter is simple: John Elway was never sold on Tim Tebow. He didn’t draft him, didn’t want him as the future of the team, and frankly, he didn’t believe in him. The ironic part for Elway was that Tebow went out last season and made A LOT of other people a believer. Not just Broncos fans, but sports fans all over the planet (as we witnessed with Tebow-mania) were hailing Tebow as the savior of the franchise. But Elway still wouldn’t publically give him the loving security fans thought he had earned. Now it makes since why Elway never backed him, because deep down he knew that Tim wasn’t his guy. He didn’t want to commit. Yet Tebow’s surprising success meant Elway was stuck with him, at least for this upcoming season, if not more if Tim kept winning. There was nothing Elway could do but wait it out and see if Tebow succeeded or failed.

Lucky for Elway, the QB Gods work in strange ways, and they sent Manning into free agency this off season… and it didn’t take long for the Broncos VP to connect the dots. Manning is only QB on the market that Elway can immediately swap for Tebow without disgruntling the Denver fanbase. This is the only logical way Elway can divorce the Broncos from Tebow in a way that looks like he’s making the right move, the smart move. He is choosing proven over potential, and you can’t really argue with that.  Tebow did wonderful things for the Broncos last year, but Elway saw a way to get rid of him without being the villain and jumped at the opportunity.

Now Broncos fans are wondering why they can’t have both – let Manning teach Tebow how to be a complete QB. It could be just like a raw Luke Skywalker receiving Jedi training from the respected Obi-Wan Kenobi. In a perfect world that would be great for all sides, but it can’t happen. Peyton doesn’t want the Tebow circus that would ensue if he was Denver’s back-up. And even though Tim wouldn’t publicly say it, he won’t wait 3-5 years to get back into the spotlight, especially after last season. He deserves a chance to start. Tebow will be traded and the Broncos will try to build their team around Manning, and I bet they do get a few interesting additions (Hello Jeff Saturday, Dallas Clark). But I also think Tebow’s “intangibles” will be missed in our locker room, and it feels bittersweet knowing we are changing our identity as a team just months after our miraculous journey into the playoffs. I’ll always respect Tebow for what he did for the Broncos last year, and honestly, I’ll root for him to succeed wherever he ends up.

It’s going to be very interesting to see how this unfolds. Will Elway be right about Tebow? Will Tebow come back to haunt the Broncos in the future? Will Manning stay healthy? Can he lead the Broncos back to the Promised Land? If a healthy Peyton Manning can’t fill the still-empty shoes John Elway left behind, then nobody can. Think of not only Manning’s legacy if he leads his 2nd franchise to a Super Bowl victory, something never been done. But also think of Elway’s, who will look like a genius for orchestrating the move to get Manning and delivering yet another title to Denver, this time without even taking a snap. He’s already a God in Denver, and that would escalate him to, well, whatever’s higher than a God. Elway knows what it takes to win at the end of a career, and that’s what Manning desperately wants to do.

Two Hall of Fame QBs in one organization… a Colt transforming into Bronco… Let’s ride!

(Photo: JimRome.com)

We know how the first few weeks of the NFL off-season can be particularly brutal, as we adjust to having no football on Sundays to plan our lives around. Some have turned to the NBA, Linsanity and the impending charade of All-Star weekend to quench their thirst for sports, while others look toward March Madness, and still others eagerly await pitchers and catchers to report to spring training.

But there are those of us for which the NFL is really a year-round sport, and no substitute will do in its place. For us pro football geeks, we shift our attention to the upcoming draft and its annual predecessor, the NFL Combine. With the 2011-12 season behind us (and all but the Giants left with a bad taste in their mouth), hope now springs eternal for all 32 teams and their fans as they prepare to add a new class of young talent to their roster … and for some franchises, the annual hope and optimism that comes with the draft process is generally far more enjoyable than the reality that plays out during the season.

Next Wednesday, the football world will converge on Indianapolis to begin poking and prodding at this year’s prospects for the NFL Draft. Terms like upside, ‘tweener, body lean, footwork, long-strider, high motor, intangibles, football IQ, measurables and triangle numbers will become part of the sports lexicon as scouts attempt to determine which players have the best chance to become difference-makers at the next level. But far too often, these numbers from the combine – and the allure of potential over performance – overshadow a player’s actual ability on the field during his college career.

So we’ll be paying some attention to the happenings in Indy next week, and especially looking forward to the draft in April … but yeah, overall, this:

(Photo: NYDailyNews.com)

If you’d like to add your vote for this year’s Pro Bowl (one of sports’ least exciting all-star games), fans can do so through this Monday, 12/19 via the official ballot at NFL.com. And if you’re a Giants fan (or a particularly astute fantasy geek) you might notice two glaring omissions from the candidates at defensive end and wide receiver … namely, DE Jason Pierre Paul and WR Victor Cruz, who have each had breakout seasons at their respective positions for New York.

Pierre-Paul is currently 5th in the NFL with 12.5 sacks, while Cruz is 3rd in the league in receiving yards with 1,150, but neither are eligible for your votes to go to Hawaii. According to the Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News, JPP and Cruz are victims of an antiquated voting system, and both were left off the ballot by the Giants organization, who were forced to make some difficult decisions based on the sheer volume of talent they have at certain positions:

Teams are only allowed a certain number of players at each position – two defensive ends and two receivers, for example. In some cases, there are other categories, such as a “flex” spot for either a running back or a receiver. 

Since the Giants had to submit their players before October 25th, they put Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora as their two DEs, and Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham as their two WRs. For the flex position, they chose Brandon Jacobs after giving the RB slot to Ahmad Bradshaw.

Apparently, there is some flexibility for teams to swap out candidates during the season. But according to a Giants’ team spokesman, they elected to keep their starters on the ballot, since none were lost to injury for any significant periods, and despite the emergence of the younger stars on the field.

New York did try to sneak Pierre-Paul on the ballot at middle linebacker, but the league quickly squashed that, since, ya know, he doesn’t play that position. One seemingly obvious answer would be to swap out Cruz for Jacobs at the flex spot, but with the way Jacobs has come on late in the season (and given his fragile mental state), it makes taking his slot away that much tougher.

(Photo: UPI.com)

Now, the fan vote only accounts for one-third of the total Pro Bowl voting, with players and coaches making up the other two-thirds. So there is an outside chance either player could still make the NFC squad if they get enough love from their peers. Also, since it’s relatively meaningless, plenty of players choose to drop out of the game, leaving room for qualified replacements … so there’s a good chance both Cruz and Pierre-Paul will ultimately end up in Honolulu.

But this situation points out an obvious flaw in the Pro Bowl balloting system, especially in the days of running back by committee, four receiver sets and constantly platooning defensive units. Whether they’re technically a “starter” or not, as long as they contribute in a significant way, there’s no real reason to prevent teams from including any player on the ballot who might be deserving of an all-star nod.

Fortunately, my only contact with Sandusky came on these practice fields, while fully dressed (Photo: psu.edu)

Up until now, we’ve remained silent on the whole Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State. Mainly because we’re an NFL blog and it’s not professional football news, but also because the troubling subject matter is a little bit outside of our normally light-hearted sphere.

And there’s simply no way to avoid just how ugly and disgusting the whole affair is, especially as more and more details come to light. If you haven’t seen it already, the full 23-page Grand Jury report is available online, and it’s worth the disturbing read to get a full understanding of the exact nature & scope of the allegations against Sandusky by his victims. Of all the reprehensible details, it’s the idea that someone would utilize the very foundation he founded to help troubled youth (The Second Mile) as a feeding ground for his sexual perversions that truly makes the blood boil. And as despicable as Sandusky’s behavior was, it’s almost equally disturbing to see how the members of the Penn State University staff and football program seemingly helped to sweep it under the rug since at least 1998.

The guys at Deadspin have been all over this story, and one of the more troubling facts to come to light is that, as recently as 2009, Sandusky was running overnight football camps on university campuses. Which means that even though he had retired from coaching in 1999, and had previously been prohibited from bringing young boys onto the main Penn State campus (due to being caught showering with – and possibly sodomizing –  a 10-year-old in an athletic building in 2002), he still managed to not only stay around the program, but create scenarios within the university where he would have unsupervised access to young boys.

Which brings us to the point of our story: During the summer of 1990, as a fresh-faced 16-year-old from Connecticut, I attended football camp at Penn State University, where I was coached by Jerry Sandusky himself.

It was the summer before my junior year, about eight years before the first known incident of sexual abuse is alleged to have taken place. I was a slow, undersized linebacker for a mediocre high school squad, but I had an instinctive head for the game and found myself consistently around the ball, which garnered a few nibbles from college scouts. That spring, I (along with three other juniors) had already been named as a captain of the varsity squad for the next season, as our team would be woefully devoid of senior leadership. Looking to further my football education and hopefully increase my chances of getting a scholarship, I planned to attend camp at a nearby college to learn from coaches at the next level. And being in the northeast, there were plenty of powerhouses to choose from.

Mike McQueary - the current QB coach and former graduate assistant at the center of the Sandusky controversy - at PSU football camp (Photo: PSU.edu)

Ultimately, I decided to go with the program I had most looked up to as a youth: Penn State.

The Nittany Lions’ national championships in 1982 and 1986 were some of my earliest memories watching the game, and I had long dreamed of attending “Linebacker U”. As part of the week-long session, the camp’s pamphlet (which I studied endlessly during the months leading up to camp) promised that those of us attending would receive hands-on tutelage from the Lions’ varsity coaching staff, including none other than head coach Joe Paterno and defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. The program was legendary, and even though my teammates elected to go elsewhere, I was determined to experience Happy Valley first hand.

Upon arriving at State College and settling into my dorm room, we went right to work under the watchful eyes of Paterno’s assistant coaches. It was a no-contact, no pads scenario, so we mainly worked on agility drills, technique and game theory. Dressed in shorts and t-shirts, we were led through the same drills as the varsity players, providing a preview of what to expect at the collegiate level. I remember being asked what position we played on offense, and even though I normally lined up as a lineman, I chose fullback, wanting to follow in the footsteps of PSU legend D.J. Dozier. But my real focus was on the defensive side of the ball, and becoming a better linebacker.

Paterno showed up on the practice field only once during camp, delivered an unmemorable speech, and we never saw him again. But Sandusky didn’t disappoint.

Sandusky immediately stood out with his booming voice and obvious passion for the game. He had this bigger-than-life persona, and a smile almost as big that you could spot from across the practice fields. This was the man who had built Penn State’s reputation as a defensive powerhouse with guys like Shane Conlan, Andre Collins and Walker Lee Ashley. On the field, Sandusky was clearly the leader of the program, and the rest of the coaches invariably deferred to his authority. He was a living, breathing football God.

So, when I broke my thumb while tackling a dummy on the fourth day of camp, sidelining me for the rest of the week, I was disheartened to say the least. It meant I wouldn’t get to participate in the remainder of camp or the big camp-ending flag football tournament. And worst of all, I wouldn’t get to learn any more at the feet of Sandusky. And that’s how my camp experience ended at Penn State. With a cast on my right arm, and missing the last three days to injury.

My closest contact with Sandusky that summer came on the field, fully dressed, in the context of football drills.

No scandal. No stories of bear hugs in the shower. No deep, dark secret.

Sandusky demonstrates "technique" with a young player (Image via aangirfan.com)

But even back then, with extremely limited exposure to the man, I can recall being in awe of Sandusky. Hell, most of us just wanted to be near the guy, to soak up as much football knowledge as we possibly could during our minimal time in his presence. In retrospect, this fact is more than unsettling, and speaks to the power this man held over so many boys who have admired and trusted him over the years. To think of just how many kids Sandusky has come in contact with over the years through camps like this and the Second Mile Program – and the levels of faith & reverence they all had for him – is absolutely horrifying.

So, with Paterno now out at PSU and Sandusky facing 40 charges of sexual abuse (with more victims coming forward daily), we are left to wonder, “How?”. How could this not only have happened, but gone unreported and unpunished for so long?!? Especially under the man who, until recently, was the most highly respected head coach in college football history?

Ultimately, it speaks to the culture at Penn State, which has deified Paterno and his football program for so long. Only in a culture like this, where JoePa was essentially given unchallenged dictatorial rule over the campus, would the reputation of the program be elevated over the safety of their own children. Only in a culture like this would students and alumni still be defending their head coach, which goes to show just how their blind devotion is/was, and how long overdue Paterno’s dismissal has been.

Make no mistake, Sandusky is the real monster here, but it’s become painfully clear that Paterno could and should have done more to put a stop to the abuse. As a man entrusted with the safety of thousands children over the years, there is simply no excuse for not doing more.

And now, Penn State’s longtime motto, “Success With Honor” suddenly rings wildly hollow.

(Photo: wireimage.com)

Inspired by this recent New York Times piece, which examines the disappearance of neck rolls from the game of football, we decided to compile a list of the greatest neck rolls in NFL history.

The neck roll apparatus – which theoretically protects against injuries by helping to stabilize the neck – was a standard part of the uniform for anyone playing youth or high school football in the 80s or 90s. And although sports science seems to have proven neck rolls to be relatively useless as an injury prevention tool, they will always hold a warm place in our football memories.

From the Times piece:

It goes by names like cowboy collar and butterfly restrictor, can look like a cut-up life preserver, a miniature washboard or a tube of cookie dough and, depending on whom you ask, is incredibly effective or about as necessary as an appendix.

(…)

Much like Spandex did not, in fact, make everybody who wore it look thinner, neck rolls became another disappearing fad because they were probably more style than substance, said Stephen J. Straub, a professor of athletic training and sports medicine at Quinnipiac University. 

Straub was involved in a 2003 study that examined three different types of neck rolls and ultimately concluded that “they’ve never been shown to be effective,” he said, adding: “In a lab, they seem to be able to control the head, at least a little bit. But no one has been able to show that on a football field.”

If nothing else, they at least helped make you look more intimidating on the field (well, except on Grogan, that is), and we’ll continue to hold out hope for a comeback as we pay tribute to the once-ubiquitous neck roll with the following glorious images.

TOP 10 NECK ROLLS IN NFL HISTORY

(If you think of any other players who donned a neck roll during their career and we may have omitted from our list, please let us know in the comments)

1. Steve Grogan – New England Patriots

Grogan and his fabled 2-story neck roll (Photo: BleacherReport.com)

(Photo: ESPN.com)

2. Bryan Cox – Miami Dolphins/New York Jets

Cox made the headrest-style neckroll famous (Photo: cleveland.com)

But he experimented with a variety of neck rolls, including this from earlier in his career

3. Jack Lambert – Pittsburgh Steelers

The original badass (Photo: mitchellandness.com)

Rocking the cookie dough tube (Photo: SteelerGridiron.com)

3. Willie Lanier – Kansas City Chiefs

Bonus points for the specially padded helmet (Photo: Helmethut.com)

(Photo: Bestsportsphotos.com)

4. Wilber Marshall – Chicago Bears/Washington Redskins

Marshall's neck roll resembled elephant tusks (Photo: BleacherReport.com)

BONUS PIC - w/ Dan Hampton and Refrigerator Perry, all with neck rolls

5. Howie Long – Oakland Raiders

This style clearly had no neck stability benefits (Photo: Bizjournals.com)

(Photo: BleacherReport.com)

6. Eric Dickerson – LA Rams/Indianapolis Colts

Rocking the butterfly collar look (Photo: NFL.com)

7. Brian Bosworth – Seattle Seahawks

The Boz was all style over substance (Photo: SIKids.com)

8. Christian Okoye – Kansas City Chiefs

The Nigerian Nightmare looked even more imposing with his under-the-jersey neck roll (Photo: ioffer.com)

9. Mike Alstott – Tampa Bay Buccanneers 

Alstott also sported the under-the-jersey variety (Photo: SPtimes.com)

10. Carl Banks – New York Giants/Cleveland Browns

(Photo: BleacherReport.com)

(Photo: mearsonlineauctions.com)

Michael Bolton: That's the worst idea I've ever heard in my life, Tom (Image via blogspot.com)

Every year, we try to refrain from pulling a Tom Smykowski from Office Space, and jumping to any conclusions about the upcoming NFL season prematurely. In a sixteen-game season, it usually takes several games for teams to figure out their identity, and a lot longer than that to determine a realistic playoff picture.

So, while it’s tempting to draw knee-jerk reactions from a couple of games, we at least try to wait until the quarter-point mark to start making our hyperbolic and definitive statements about the season ahead. Even with the lockout-shortened off-season, four games is enough to get a sense of which teams are back in the driver’s seat (Packers, Patriots), and which teams are going to have trouble living up to expectations (Jets, Rams).

So without further adieu, here are our top 5 observations on the ol’ Jump To Conclusions mat:

1. 

   (Photo: Philly.com)

   The “Dream Team” is actually a Nightmare: This pre-season, the Philadelphia Eagles were crowned as NFC East Champions based almost solely on the big name signings made by GM Howie Roseman, who apparently attended the Dan Snyder school of Free Agency. Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins were among the stars to join the Philadelphia roster, and Eagles fans were planning trips to the Super Bowl before a down had been played.

   Well, after a 1-3 start, the Eagles are proving that it takes more than just raw talent to win in the NFL, and chemistry can be the most important thing for a team to succeed. Plus, in the age of the salary cap, spending huge money at certain positions inevitably results in deficiencies elsewhere (see the Eagles LB corps), and so far the Philly defense has been a big disappointment. It will be interesting to see how Andy Reid – and the egos in his locker room – handles their early adversity.



(Photo: WashingtonPost.com)

2. The Detroit Lions will compete for the NFC crown: Yes, the Lions bandwagon is already starting to get crowded after starting the season 4-0 for the first time since 1980, and completing consecutive comebacks of 20 points or more against the Vikings and Cowboys.Ndamukong Suh and Calvin Johnson are unquestionably young superstars in this league, and if Matt Stafford can remain healthy, they give Jim Schwartz’ team a chance to compete in any game. And first round draft pick Nick Fairley could return from injury this week, making Detroit’s defense even more imposing. Bottom line: the Lions will make playoffs this year.
3. The Buffalo Bills are for real: The Bills are off to an impressive 3-1 start, and after defeating their hated rival Patriots in Week 3, they’re a fashionable pick to surprise in the AFC this year. Chan Gailey’s offense is clicking with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and Steve Johnson off to a hot start, and the Bills defense has been opportunistic with 8 INTs. But those takeaways could be covering up for bigger problems on defense, and Buffalo faces a brutal schedule late in the season which will really test their road toughness. So while the Bills are definitely improved, and there’s reason for optimism in Buffalo, the division still goes through New England until someone proves otherwise.
4. Cam Newton is a superstar in the making: It took us a while to come around on this one, but Cam Newton is making believers out of even his biggest doubters after getting off to the best start of any rookie QB in NFL history.
   

   (Photo: CBSBoston.com)

   Newton has thrown for 1,386 yards and 5 TDs through four games, and has added 133 yards and 4 scores on the ground, making it look relatively easy along the way.  But as impressive as these numbers are, it’s Newton’s poise and presence on the field that is most mind-blowing to see from a rookie quarterback being thrown into the fire. So although the Panthers (1-3) still have a lot of holes ill, they know they have their leader for the next ten years in Newton.

5. Tim Tebow will start in Denver this season: Let’s face it – the Broncos just aren’t a very good football team right now. With the John Fox/John Elway era in it’s infancy, this is clearly a transitional period in Denver, and after a 1-3 start with Kyle Orton under center, the Broncos faithful are already clamoring for Tim Tebow. Billboards notwithstanding, if the Broncos continue to struggle, Fox has nothing to lose by giving the former Heisman trophy winner a shot. If nothing else, it will put to rest the questions, and give everyone a chance to see what Tebow can do in the NFL … and the Broncos can move forward with our without him.

Samir: Yes, this is horrible, this idea (Image via tumblr.com)

And a few more random early conclusions we’re not afraid to jump to:

• Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are making it look frighteningly easy so far. The defending champs are showing no signs of a hangover, and you can pencil them in as the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
• Jerry Jones will be dealing with questions about his boy Tony Romo all season, and the Cowboys will go as their manic QB goes (8-8)
• Not surprisingly, the Colts are screwed without Peyton Manning.

(photo courtesy of www.photobucket.com)

For anyone who watch football in the late 1970s and 1980s, Walter Payton was emblematic of all that was good in professional sports.  He was graceful on the field, and gracious off of it.  Soft spoken and dignified, Payton– or, perhaps more precisely, what we knew of Payton– was the kind of player– the kind of person– to emulate.  The NFL calls its man of the year award the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for that very reason.   I was never a Bears fans.  But, like many others, I was always a fan of Walter Payton.

Twelve years after his untimely death, Sports Illustrated has excerpted a book by Jeff Pearlman alleging that Payton cheated on his wife and did drugs.  Why write this book?  While I don’t condone cheating on your wife or using drugs, I fundamentally do not understand why this book needs to be written, now.  For starters, the guy’s dead: he can’t defend himself.  Moreover, people don’t still look up to Payton (see point one, he’s dead).  Instead, they admire him for what he represented and, when they see an image of him dancing between defenders, the “C” emblazoned on his helmet, they think of when they were a kid.  When Sunday was spent glued to a television, watching the voracious Bears’ defense serve as the perfect compliment to Payton’s elegance.  Am I supposed to revisit that?  Question it?  Realize that, gee, idols aren’t always what they are cracked up to be when you peal away the onion?  Wow, there’s a novel and timely lesson for the 40-plus crowd that admired him.  Pearlman: for an encore, how about a book on the real truth behind the VHS versus Betamax fight for market share?

Sunday confirmed Indy's worst fears. (Source: NBCSports.com)

Week 1 in the NFL is a lock to produce its share of over-the-top, knee-jerk reactions. Half the league’s fan base wakes up Monday morning feeling great about themselves — and life. The other half are looking around the house for sharp objects. The meaningless preseason has given way to real games, and losses can’t be shrugged off — for some teams, Sunday was a reality check. Here’s a look at yesterday’s biggest losers:

5t. Cleveland (27-17 to Cincinnati): Extremely disappointing for the Browns. Cleveland has won only ONE opener since 1999, despite hosting every one of those games. With their new pass-oriented attack run by Colt McCoy, the Browns looked poised to take a step up in the AFC North — instead, they’re 0-1 after dropping a stinker to Cincy, who many considered worst team in football.

5t. New York Giants (28-14 to Washington): Every other team in this division gets massive media hype, but Washington could end up surprising. They’re immediately dismissed because Rex Grossman‘s at quarterback, but the Shanahans love this kid, and he performed yesterday. For the (heavily banged-up) Giants, a loss that raises more questions about Eli Manning, but not earth-shattering. They played even in the first half and, more importantly, this is a team that does not give up.

4. Kansas City (41-7 to Buffalo): A nightmare opener for the Chiefs, who were as lifeless as they appeared during a tumultuous preseason. Last year’s 10-6 team looked hundreds of miles away.

3. Dallas (27-24 to New York Jets): The Cowboys ended this one in embarrassing fashion, but it was the loss of their starting three corners for most of the second half that allowed Mark Sanchez to find his receivers (including the tedious Plaxico Burress) and climb back in. It’s a bitter defeat for Dallas, but they looked fantastic defensively early on, and there’s reason for hope here. Jason Garrett is putting together a team that could (or should, at least) defeat anyone else on this list.

2. Pittsburgh (35-7 to Baltimore): Are the Steelers in trouble? Not yet. The team has climbed out of bigger holes than this. The team is aging, yes, but they are among the best-coached squads in the game. The Ravens wanted this one more — and it showed.

1. Indianapolis (34-7 to Houston): Nobody picked Indy to go anywhere without Peyton Manning, but Sunday’s trainwreck was clear confirmation that the Colts are in jeopardy without their all-everything quarterback. Granted, it’s going to take Kerry Collins time to learn the offense, but there was very little, if anything, to be hopeful about in this one.

Nerdlings celebrating another man's success.

The outpouring of concern over Arian Foster‘s tweaked left hamstring – mostly from jittery fantasy football disciples whose drafts unfold this week — raises yet another question about where our heads are at.

After Foster re-aggravated the hamstring Saturday night in the Texans’ 30-7 win over the 49ers, he made efforts to assure his Twitter followers that he’d be ready for the Colts on Sept. 11.

“4 those sincerely concerned, I’m doing ok & plan 2 B back by opening day. 4 those worried abt your fantasy team, u ppl are sick,” he wrote Sunday.

Speaking for fantasy players everywhere, ESPN’s Colin Cowherd tweeted back: “Hey Arian Foster— ‘We really do care about you as a human too. Um,now about that hammy? –signed, everybody.”

Replied Foster: “Did you want to be a critic as a child? Or did your dreams die with your humility?”

Not that the players are pure — or must be treated delicately — but Foster’s irritation is justified.

At its best, fantasy football is a not-to-be-taken-too-seriously outshoot of the game we’ve grown up with and adore. At its worst, it is a parasitic worm draining the fun out of the sport.

“I hope @ArianFoster realizes that fantasy football is the only reason 90% of chicks and 30% of guys even know who he is,” one follower tweeted after Foster’s updates.

Uh-huh.

Fans might not want to hear that fantasy doesn’t matter to the players they draft and follow with religious fervor during the season, but things might be different if not for the overly serious tone fantasy has adopted of late. For many, it’s eclipsed the sport itself. You’ll find more and more clowns roaming around town who don’t care for the game — just the raw, lifeless numbers produced.

For Foster — the player — it’s about getting back on the field and building on last season’s from-the-wilderness outburst, which included 1,616 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns.

For those who draft him, anything less will be a disappointment.