Sure this is a little late, but we took a hiatus and some things just got left on the back burner for a bit. JUST ENJOY THE FUNNY!
From Blame it on the Voices via Sports Illustrated’s Gigapan
I don’t read Monday Morning Quarterback by Peter King, unless it’s first filtered here. But, serendipity has permitted Peter King to uncover perhaps the most interesting pre-Super Bowl storyline. Well, that and that little matter about the 2011 season going the way of NBC’s Joey.
Ben Roethlisberger has twice been accused of sexual assault, and so, he was suspended for six games this season by the NFL, which was later reduced to four games. Roethlisberger, who apparently believes that sexual assault is not worth more then a couple games riding the pine, thought that the penalty was unduly harsh. NFL Commissioner and “workaholic” Roger Goodell spoke with a number of Roethlisberger’s teammates and basically confirmed what every casual NFL fan already knew; most people who know Big Ben think he’s an asshole.
Tell me again how tough it is to travel to fun places and talk to famous athletes Peter King:
Goodell said he “doesn’t feel any connection” with Ben Roethlisberger. Not too surprising there. I’d always heard Roethlisberger felt he got railroaded on his six-game suspension that was reduced to four. But Goodell said he had “some very tough times” with Chicago defensive tackle Tank Johnson before suspending him, and that Donte’ Stallworth chafed when first told he’d be suspended for a year after a car Stallworth was driving struck a man on a Miami causeway and killed him, with the player being legally drunk at the time.
“The one thing I take a little bit of issue with is when guys tell me they’re being screwed,” Goodell said. “[Most often] they’re not recognizing they have a role in it.” Regarding Roethlisberger, Goodell said when he was investigating what to do with the quarterback, he talked to “I bet two dozen players … Not one, not a single player, went to his defense. It wasn’t personal in a sense, but all kinds of stories like, ‘He won’t sign my jersey.’ ”
Great job, Peter King. Somebody deserves a treat (dangles sardine in front of King until he kneels, and claps his flippers)
But is this even really news? Former Steelers Linebacker Joey Porter called out Roethlisberger in 2006. It’s not like it was a secret that Roethlisberger is a douche.
As we already know, America loves winners. Therefore, you’ll never guess what happened this week during Super Bowl press conferences when Steelers teammates were asked about Goodell’s assertion.
Drop my jaw to the floor ProFootballTalk:
Steelers linebacker James Farrior, however, said it’s simply not true for Goodell to claim that no one on the Steelers went to bat for Roethlisberger.
“I was highly upset about the whole situation,” Farrior said. “When Roger Goodell came to us in the preseason, I think I was the guy that asked him a lot of the questions about Ben. I was pretty upset about it. I really didn’t get any answers from him that I was looking for, but I was definitely disappointed in what the verdict was and how they proceeded. I definitely didn’t think he should be suspended four games.”
Poppycock! Roethlisberger has always been popular with his teammates. Let’s hope Roethlisberger uses his newfound people skills to diffuse the situation and doesn’t try to “force” the issue with his teammates before the big game.
The greatest thing about the super bowl every year is not at all the game itself, no, its the money that can be made off the game by the silly ass prop bets that can be made. Lets look at some of the best and most random ones that are available to you, the silly gambler. (for those that don’t know, picking something +100 or +1000 is good value. If you take an event +1000, if you bet 100 dollars you would win 1000. If you take an event +5000, if you bet 100 dollars you win 5000. Move the decimal point as you want depending on your wager or the odds given to you. Now you know how to gamble).
What will team call for opening Coin Toss
Heads -130
Tails +100
First score of the game is a safety +5000
First O lineman to be called for a safety
Carl Nicks, Jahri Evans, Jeff Saturday, Jonathan Goodwin, Kyle DeVan, and Ryan Lilja all have the worst odds at +800
The first punt of the game will be:
Caught Clearly -275
Ball Hits Ground +200
Out of Bounds in Air +800
Touchback +300
Blocked or Tipped +1500
The ultimate coin flip bet, Brees (or Manning) total pass yrds made will be end in an
Even Number -105 or Odd Number -105
Will both teams make a FG of 33+ yards in game
Yes +170
No -210
For the Buffalo Bills fans out there “First missed field goal in the game will be…”
Wide Left -120
Wide Right -110
What will happen for the 1st coaches challenge
Play overturned -115
Play stands -115
How long will it take Carrie Underwood to sing the National Anthem? Clock starts as soon as Underwood sings first Note and Stops when she sings her last note.
Over 1 Minute and 42 Seconds EVEN
Under 1 Minute and 42 Seconds -130
What will the Neilson TV Rating be?
Over 42.9 Nielsen Rating -165
Under 42.9 Nielson Rating +135
Which Super Bowl commercial will have a higher rating on USA Today’s annual Ad Meter
Anheuser-Busch / Budweiser 5/8
Go Daddy.com 8/1
Career Builder 8/1
Coca-Cola 7/1
Family First 12/1
Doritos 2/1
Other 13/1
Which sideline reporter will be on TV first after the opening kick off.
Solomon Wilcots -110
Steve Tasker -120
Total number of players to have passing attempt
Over 2½ players +230
Under 2½ players -260
Who will have more Total 1st downs vs Total points on Feb 5
NO Saints 1st downs -1 points -110
Antawn Jamison (Wash) +1 points -120
Morstead vs McAfee – Who will have shortest punt?
Thomas Morstead -110
Pat McAfee -120
Which quarter the most points willl be scored?
1st quarter +280
2nd quarter +150
3rd quarter +300
4th quarter +200
What Color will the Gatorade be that is dumped on the Head Coach of the Winning Super Bowl Team?
Lime Green 11/2
Yellow 20/23
Orange 5/1
Red 25/2
Blue 25/2
Clear/Water 3/2
Who will the Super Bowl MVP of the Game thank first?
God 20/23
Family 6/1
Teammates 5/4
Coach 10/1
Does not Thank Anyone 9/2
How Many Times will CBS show Archie Manning on TV during the Game?
Over 4 times -155
Under 4 times +125
How Many Times will CBS show Kim Kardashian on TV during the Game?
Over 2.5 times -105
Under 2.5 times -125
How Many Times will CBS announcers fully mention Hurricane Katrina during the game
Over 2.5 times -140
Under 2.5 times +110
And finally, Which CBS Show will get the most Promo’s during the game?
Undercover Boss 10/19
CSI 6/1
CSI Miami 9/2
NCIS 21/4
NCIS LA 12/1
Big Bang Theory 15/1
How I Met Your Mother 9/1
Two and a Half Men 14/1
There are plenty more of these silly bets to be made, check out your local online gambling institution for more. I got these all off of Bodog.com and TheGreek.
This past Sunday afternoon of playoff football was by far the best 2 games of the playoffs this season. Sure, the Colts and Jets game was done after the colts took a two score lead, but before that it was pretty impressive, but the Saints/Vikings game was an ass load full of entertainment. You had Purple Jesus fumbling the ball left and right. You had Brett Favre playing like a kid, leading the league in smiles, and just gunslinging the ball into the hands of Vikings defenders, ultimately losing the game for his team. It was non stop entertainment and sure I was drunk most the time, but Goddammit, it was for my dollar the best weekend of playoff football yet.
I don’t even know if the Super Bowl can come close to this weekend. You had an overtime game, you had parts of games that were defensive masterpieces, you had parts of games that were offensive explosions, you had untimely pentalties, you had untimely turnovers, you had untimely fumbles and dropped interceptions that weren’t turnovers but should have been, you had challenges, booth reviews, and you had Brett Favre getting beat into the ground and looking like the old man that he is. The Saints win and the Colts win. Fun times.
This is what the NFL playoffs should be about. The previous Wild Card and Divisional games that preceeded this weekend of AFC and NFC Championships really cannot even compare. For both these games, you had two relatively evenly matched oppenents facing off their strength vs the other teams strength in a battle for the ultimate conquest…a chance at the Lombardi Trophy. The Jets’ suffocating defense versus the robotically efficient Colts’ offense. MATCHUP! The Vikings’ high flying offense and intense defense versus the Saints’ even more high flying offense and even more intense defense. MATCHUP!
Sorry to sound like an NFL fanboy but I was in heaven watching these games. If parity rules in the NFL then I hope every weekend is like this. Now, we have the Saints in their very first Super Bowl appearance versus the Colts.
The Colts are an extremely efficient offense that thrives on not making any mistakes with their precise attack and they are going against a defense that thrives on forcing their opponents into making mistakes. The Saints offense isn’t as efficient but their firepower makes up for it in that they have so many weapons to get the balls into the hands of, not to mention a quarterback that can put the ball into the hands of the playmakers when they are open. The Colts’ defense is solid, but will certainly have trouble matching up against the numerous options the Saints have.
This might be a Super Bowl I am genuinely excited about for the first time in a long time. Two high powered offenses against two generally decent defenses makes for a pretty evenly matched game with plenty of fireworks. Hooray for the NFL, David Stern couldn’t have planned for a better championship game.
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
