They showed the Mass Effect Trailer during the Saints/Viks halftime yesterday. Oh sweet glory.

I can’t wait to pick up Mass Effect 2 tomorrow! The reviews and TV ads I have seen have gotten me very excited! It sounds like its going to be an incredible game.

Even tho MAG looks like an incredible shot towards larger group gaming, neither of these games interest me since I’m not really a FPS (I don’t count Metroid and Fallout), nor a space person (not counting again SW or Trek >_>) lol.

Go COLTS!

I’m not picking up any of the titles this week.

GEAUX SAINTS!!

@cami
Saints > Colts

This weekend I’ll be trying to get enough time in to MAG so I can put out a review. I’ll probably try to rent it sometime this week. Big release for me is Mass Effect 2. Speaking of which, I need to pre-order it right now in order to get some goodies

If I didn’t have to drive 45 minutes to my local GameStop, I’d seriously consider going tot he midnight launch of Mass Effect 2. I can’t wait!!

@shockwave

Here’s a review: “The character models are too small on screen and aiming down the ironsights puts any player at a critical disadvantage when another player strafes even 2 feet. While in the beta, it took a long time to find enough players to create a game so hopefully this will be resolved (doubtful). There is no easy way to mute another player individually. This game should have been made into a 24/7 environment letting players choose which “area” to spawn in. Objective gameplay with this many fellow gamers is horrible.”

There, take the day off and go have a beer.

@smartguy – haha, thanks, well at least there isn’t a whole story to finish. at any rate I’ll try to be as objective as possible but I’ve heard many of those frustrations already.

by the way, congrats on the Bowl, I look forward to next week. I expect quite a shootout

@Shockwave
I’m hungover still and missed an important class this morning. Worth it? Yes.

What I’m really stoked about is that if the Saints beat the Colts (i think they will) the Super Bowl victory parade will be during Mardi Gras. That will be so crazy. Maybe they’ll push it to the weekend before Lundi Gras. Biggest. Party. Ever.

Haha thanks for having a sense of humor on the review I gave you lol. Those things are so annoying to me.

Yawn, I think I should beat Mass Effect tonight. Spent all day yesterday finishing all the side quest and exploring all the worlds. I’m curious to see if the side quest will make an effect in 2.

I’m passing on MAG.

Oh, and congrats to the Saints and Colts fans in the room. This was the matchup I wanted to see once I knew who the final four teams were, (although my step father’s a life long die hard Jets fan, so it would have been nice to see them make it to the Super Bowl). Should be an exciting game with lots of scoring.

I didn’t think the Vikings were gonna play as well as they did yesterday. I had rehearsal during that game and I was constantly checking the score. Good game.

CBS was pulling for the Vikings because the wanted to push Manning vs Favre… I’m glad that didn’t pan out.

The real Brett Favre showed up last night and gave the game away as usual.

@RROD
come on, Favre played a great game. He left it all out on the field. The guy played through some serious pain. He is my favorite player of all time. Well…tied for first with Elway.

@RRoD: Hard to blame Favre for the 5 fumbles that kept the Saints in the game while the Vikings were moving the ball up and down the field at will. As much as I hate to say it, the game should have never have been that close at the end.

@Smartguy

Football is a brutal sport. Who doesn’t play through pain? Everybody on the field was in pain this late in the season. Why does he get all the credit? He’s overated, he’s the all time interception leader, and only 1 Superbowl ring in 20 years is not impressive. Brady has played half as long and has 3 Superbowl rings.

@ RROD

While I agree that Favre is over-rated, That interception thing is typical with long careers. He also has the record for most completions.

Most picked off passes in a game goes to George Blanda and Blanda is considered one of the all time greatest.

Babe Ruth also has the most strike-outs ever.

@RROD
Matt Ryan can’t play through turf toe, Brett Favre probably broke a rib and def had a sprained ankle. Big Ben is notorious for not playing hurt. Favre has never missed a start.

If you want to throw out stats, Barry Sanders is the all time leader in negative yards…I guess that makes him overrated as well. It’s fine if you don’t like him (I was never a Montana fan) but you can’t take away from what he has done.

@Nightshade

The bottom line is the Vikings had the game won with under a minute left and the great Favre, with 20 years of experience, made a bone head throw ACROSS the field and cost his team the trip to the Superbowl. Adrian Peterson fumbled 3 times but at least he recovered all of them. Brett even bobbled a hand off to Adrian. This is why I hate Brett. When ANY other QB makes the mistakes he does they get crucified but when Brett makes the same mistakes everybody makes excuses for him. WHY? Tony Romo throws 1 interception and the whole world crucifies him but Brett throws one and everybody makes excuses for him.

@RROD
I don’t think that Nightshade and Smartguy are saying that Favre didn’t blow the game or that’s he’s not overrated. I think and i agree with him you can’t blame the Vikings losing that game on him only. He threw the pick that sealed their fate but if Peterson doesn’t fumble 3 times (loses one), Harvin and especially Berrian don’t fumble it’s a different game. Please note i am not a Favre supporter, I hate him as a Bears fan! I was rooting for the Saints because of all the years Favre dominated the Bears.

@ Smartguy

You may want to redefine your definitions of “notorious” and “playing hurt”.

Arguably, Ben has been hurt since he left a portion of his face on that truck. Alot of people would have just picked a new career after that.

@N8R

True, but why does everyone throw out “Brett Favre is the all time touchdown pass leader” when that just because he’s played the longest but when you mention the fact that he has the most interceptions they say “well that’s just because he’s played the longest”. Double standard.

@Smartguy

If you have turf toe then you are hurt. If you are hurt then you can’t play, but you can play if you feel a little pain. There’s a huge difference. And Brett was hurt quite a few times but he came out and played the first series and left just to keep that consecutive start record alive. The bottom line is if you can walk then you’re not hurt. When they have to carry you off the field then you are hurt and can’t play.

@tokz_21

That fumble that Adrian lost was Brett’s fault. Brett never got the ball to him properly.

Methinks RRoD is actually pissed the Falcons traded Favre to the Packers and thus he missed out on that long HoF career in Atlanta.

I’m not making excuses for the play at the end of the game, but it’s hard to blame the whole loss on the guy when the whole team had trouble holding onto the ball. They should have blown NO out if not for constantly putting the ball on the ground.

God I miss our football discussions. Where’s Shockwave?

@ RROD

I’ll throw him this bone:

When I think of “Brett Favre as a passer”, I think of all those sidearm shuttle passes and crazy accuracy the man exemplified in Green Bay’s heyday.

When I think of “Brett Favre’s career”, I think of all the sportscasters talking about him like he’s Jesus with shoulder pads (a title that has now gone to Peyton Manning).

@Nightshade

No, I’m not mad at Atlanta trading Brett. The media made me hate this guy for constantly treating him like the God of QBs when there are plenty of QBs who are better.

Let me ask you a question. If Brett didn’t throw that interception and it came down to a field goal with 10 seconds left for the Vikings to win the game and the kicker missed then everybody would say the kicker lost them them game right? Why can we blame a kicker for losing the entire game but not Brett?

@RRoD: If the kicker missed the 50+ yarder he would have had to have made from there and got blamed for “losing the game,” it would have been just as wrong. The Vikings turned the ball over 5 times and placing blame on one player for the overall team performance is absurd.

So who do you guys think win the Superbowl? Sorry Smartguy but I think the Colts will win it. The Vikings clearly outplayed the Saints but a few fumbles and Brett’s last minute interception gave the game to the saints. I can’t see Peyton and company making the same mistakes.

One last thing about Brett, I think it’s ironic that his last pass as a Packer was an interception that ended their playoff hopes, his last pass as a Jet was an interception that ended their playoff hopes, and his last pass as a Viking was an interception that ended their Superbowl hopes.

My heart says NO but my head says Indy.

@RROD
I think the fumble was both their fault. As a running back you don’t clamp down your arms until you feel the ball in your gut and if you look at the replay Peterson clamped down early. Now, Favre was out of position when he was handing off the ball but the majority of the blame would go to Peterson, that’s basic running back fundamentals.

@Rrod. I knew that about the packers and cocking, I didn’t know for sure he did that as a jet as well. I feel a little bad for him to have to live with that bringing down a good career. But I also do think (and really hope) that the colts will win, but both teams could really use that win. I am excited to see a good game though with two number one seeds for the first time in a while.

Congratulations, Smartguy and Cami. The two teams who belong in the Super Bowl are going, just as it should be. I’ll be going to the game as a neutral observer since I wouldn’t want to take sides between two honored forum members. It will be my second Super Bowl and coincidentally the second time I see the Colts there. Too bad I’m not an Indianapolis fan, huh? I hope it will be as a competitive game as everyone anticipates.

-M

@tokz_21

Sorry dude but you got it all wrong. It’s the QBs responsibility to put the ball in the RBs bread basket.

That’s alright. All of you can pick against the Saints. Everyone has done it all year. Keep this in mind though, the Saints beat a team while they themselves played not up to their usual standards. They still scored 31 points on the Vikes defense. I can just as well argue that a lot of damn penalties caused the Vikes to have sustained drives and points. If Sanchise can put up 17 points on the Colts, then Brees can double that. I don’t think we will win by more than 14 points.

I will be the first to say that last night the offensive gameplan wasn’t stellar, but it was effective regardless. So pick Indy and go with the NOLA native in Peyton. He’s good, gonna be hard to beat, but he won’t win this time.

About Favre: The fact he has played so long and broke and made so many records is a testament to the type of player he is. A great player with some luck thrown in. No player is great in the league without some luck. Good things happen to good players. Hate on the man all you want but the fact still remains, for every stat he leads that is negative, he’s the leader in most positive stats. That comes with taking chances and doing what it takes to win. Jim Kelly lost 4 superbowls, no way in hell I’d call him overrated or garbage.

wow how did I miss this, I actually have work to do today and football discussion arises. I was initially impressed with the Jets but Manning figured out the defense in the second half (as he is prone to do, watch out saints) and sealed the deal.

Honestly the Vikings Saints game was quite a game. I wouldn’t say Favre is overrated. He had a couple of interceptions that really changed the tempo of the game but it’s the NFC championship. One could argue that the Saints defense made great plays.

Around week 5 everyone expected the Colts and Saints in the Super Bowl so either way we get to see the two best teams in the league play this year. how often does that happen?

@Iceman

haha thanks. I’m ready to here for two weeks how my team has no chance, in fact I already see it on this forum how the Colts will waltz away with it.

@N8R;

Can I get rid of this damn thing now?! I’m starting to have nightmares of Jerome Bettis driving me around a in a school bus with Hines Ward and Troy Paluma-whatever fighting over a grilled cheese sandwich. Also, Ben Roethlisberger is on the bus dressed as a nanny a-la Mrs. Doubtfire.

-M

@Smartguy – I think, as it has been all year, that the Saints will undoubtedly be the underdogs in the Super Bowl. You can’t really argue anyone is a better QB than Manning and he’s got the team to get the job done. That doesn’t mean the Saints can’t pull the upset though. Besides, winning isn’t quite as sweet if everyone expects you to.

@N8R
Ward called out Big Ben this year for being soft when it comes to playing hurt/injured. His wreck happened in the offseason, not during a game or before a game. I believe the NFC south plays the AFC north next year. Awesome.

@Shockwave: As an unabashed Yankees fan, I must disagree. Winning is always sweet, especially when everyone expects you to and is rooting against it.

@Shockwave
Manning didn’t deserve the MVP this year. I expect any team that has the face of the NFL to be favored in any game. What i don’t like is how I’m reading (not on here necessarily) that since the Vikes (a damn good team that could just as easily beat Indy) played the saints so hard and turned the ball over that the Saints can’t possibly stop Manning. Maybe we won’t. Maybe we’ll slow him down a bit. Maybe hit him a few times. Maybe he’ll have to try and win a shootout against the Saints. I’ll take Drew Brees any day for a shootout.

@Smartguy

A negative stat cancels out a positive one. For example, when you throw a touchdown and then throw an interception they cancel each other out in the QB rating. So throwing the most touchdowns is not impressive when you’ve thrown the most interceptions too.

So how do you think it feels to be a Chargers fan this morning and know that the QB your team dumped as damaged goods is taking his new team to the Super Bowl before Phillip Rivers takes the Chargers there? Plus there’s the whole deal of trading Eli Manning who’s won a Super Bowl for Rivers. Rivers is a good QB, but soon this kinda stuff is gonna start following him around like a shadow.

@smartguy – I hear you, but Manning won’t go down as the best QB this generation, he’ll likely go down as the best QB ever. his reputation is well earned. Manning can’t control his receivers, nor the defense though, so if you can keep a shootout going it should be a good game. Either quarterback is just as likely to throw a 60 yard TD

The QB rating is the most convoluted stat in the history of sports. Nobody can actually explain how it actually breaks down. So why should we care?

@RROD
Look i’m not trying to convince you that Favre is not overrated. I’m just saying that he’s not the only one who blew that game.

@RROD
Quarterback ratings are terrible barometers of how a player is doing. Also you aren’t putting the whole breadth of the career in your argument. Logic dictates that since you do something for 19 years, you’ll have a bunch of mistakes. So naturally Favre will throw more INTs than someone who played 10 years. That’s the way it is. When you consider the fact that he starts every game, that just adds to the chances to throw a pick.

Good example of the numbers smoke and mirrors would be Darrelle Revis stats vs Asomgha (raiders CB). Asomugha was only thrown at 35 times all year. Wouldn’t that make him better than Revis even though Revis and Woodson got all of the accolades for a whole season? You see, you can’t just go by stats to determine how good someone is.

@Favre – The Vikings lost the game, not Favre. He contributed to the loss as a part of the team, and certainly did his part with the interceptions and fumbled handoff, but to put the blame squarely on the last play of the game is ludicrous.

Favre played an overall great game and gave his team a chance to win. AP played a great game and gave his team a chance to win. Both made mistakes and those mistakes hurt.

@RROD – Great players get passes. I don’t know how much TV you watch, but in the reports I have seen, Favre gets his due and also gets a load of shit for playing the way he does. He knows that it’s a flaw and he doesn’t shy away from it, and in the era of “bigger the life” players and games, his good games and record out weighs the bad.

I do not count Super Bowl wins as the definer of great QBs. Yes, Brady has three. He also works in an excellent system that is able to piecemeal together enough greatness to get by. Manning has one, Elway has 2, Favre has one.

I was born in Miami. Greatest QB of all time? Dan Marino. Number of Super Bowl victories? 0. All the records that Favre has, excluding the most interceptions and consecutive starts, were previously held by Marino. He still holds the records for most seasons leading the league in attempts and completions, and for the most yards in a season.

@Tokz
Vikes didn’t blow the game, it wasn’t theirs to win. You realize they couldn’t stop the Saints when they needed to either right? They allowed 31 points with the vaunted defense that was supposed to man handle the Saints O line.

@Smartguy – why didn’t Manning deserve the MVP? The immediate answer of Drew Brees was up for it as well is not allowed

I’m with Tokz on this one, two INTs are bad but to fumble the ball 6 times is just horrendous, I don’t care if you recovered three of them. You can’t win a game when you net 5 turnovers.

I realize Favre gave up half the turnovers but as a QB that can happen. it’s not strictly his fault.

@Shockwave

Agreed on Peyton.

@Nightshade

The college BCS is the most convoluted.

@tokz_21

I know you’re not trying to convince me, I was just saying. And I know there lots of blame to go around.

@Shockwave
Manning has to make the Colts competitive and contenders until about 2015 or so before I’d call him the greatest ever. Elway kept the Broncos competitive for 2 decades, and Favre has done the same for damn near 2 decades.

@Larcenous
Yeah, championships for a team sport aren’t that important for individual accolades. Jim Kelly lost 4 SBs in a row. Terry Bradshaw won 4, and he wasn’t that good really lol.

@Smartguy: The Colts won something like 9 games on last minute drives this year. Every one of those drives was engineered by Peyton manning. If that doesn’t make Manning the MVP, they oughta just do away with the award.

@Smartguy

But wouldn’t logic also dictate that if you played for 19 years that you will lead in some good stats too? An average QB that plays for 20 years will have more TDs than a great QB that played for only 10 years.

@Smartguy – as someone who watched Elway’s entire career I can certainly tell you he is one of the best QBs in the league, but watching Manning play is something of a different caliber. Nothing against Elway but Manning is amazing. he seems to only get better so 2015 should be happy time for him

@Larcenous
Because other players deserved who had never won it before. The sports media who votes on it gave it to Manning halfway through the season. CJ or Brees could easily have won it. They did a lot for their teams. Favre could have won it. I don’t see what Manning did this year that was leaps and bounds better than other guys. Hell, Brees took a 9-7 to 13-0 and number 1 seed. CJ had 2k yards. Favre had his beat year at 40. Manning is the face is all.

@RRoD: The BCS is pretty convoluted, but it’s not a stat. Thus I don’t see the correlation….

@nightshade

refer to comment 60

@RROD
He does lead in good stats as well.

#59 correction: Elway *was* one of the best QBs in the league (and will be one of the best ever)

@Smartguy – Terry Bradshaw is remembered for 1 pass. You ask someone about the 4 super bowl victories the Steelers won and the first two words are “Steel Curtain”. He is a known name now because he’s personable and on TV.

@Nightshade – exactly. Manning showed that when there was nothing else, you could hand him the ball, and he could create wins with rookies catching the ball.

Peyton is the best. You rarely see him make a mistake and he looks like the coach of the team. He can adjust to whatever you throw at him and find a way to win like they did with the Jets. He is the MVP.

@Smartguy: It seems like your argument against Manning winning the MVP is “it was someone else’s turn.” I don’t think that’s the point of the award. I think Favre and Brees can make compelling arguments, but it’s the Colt’s plethora of late game wins that put it over the top for me in favor of Manning.

Chris Johnson had 2000 yards on a .500 team. Sorry, he’s not the MVP anymore than A-Rod deserved the AL MVP while having a career year for the last place Texas Rangers.

@Smartguy – I think the only other real contender for MVP was Brees, it was close but I don’t think Manning’s MVP is undeserved

@Smartguy

“Hell, Brees took a 9-7 to 13-0 and number 1 seed.”

You see, that right there. How can you say Brees took them there when there are 51 other players on the team but giving the credit to one man but when that one man makes a games costing mistake, then it’s the whole teams fault.

@Nightshade

As far as the QB rating goes, it is a valid stat and there is a formula to it. I don’t know what that formula is but it is there and valid.

@RROD – your logic is only partially sound. A medicore QB does not lead a team for 20 years, and unless it’s injury, a great QB doesn’t leave after 10. The position isn’t completely about stats, but that’s what the media can sell and what bandwagoners have an easier time jumping on.

@ Iceman

I was gonna say yes until you brought up Mrs Doubtfire.

@ Smartguy

Ward was also quoted in saying he was misquoted about the quote you mentioned. He apologized for it.

@ Larcenous

You know not where you speak about Bradshaw. You remember one pass (key word: you). The man was the predecessor for the scambling QB model. We wouldn’t know who Lynn Swan was if your statement was true.

@ Larcenous

And by the way, the Steelers won 6 Super Bowls… Bradshaw won 4.

@RROD – Secret: No one knows what the formula is. It’s a valid stat for sure; I would say the equivlant for a running backs yards per game (which is still held by Jim Brown!).

@RROD
QB rating is a horrible barometer. It is so skewed.

@Nightshade
I blame Goodell.

@smartguy
I think you’re seeing the game through hometown eyes. If you give up 6 turnovers nad your QB is leading you into FG range to win the game but he throws a pick, that’s blowing it!

@LarcenousLaugh

I think my logic is 100% sound. First of all, injury is what takes out good QBs. It took out Steve Young and Trent Green to name a couple. It’s 100% logical that if any good QB is lucky enough to stay healthy for 20 years that he will have the most TDs. Steve Young was a much better QB than Brett but Brett has more TDs. Why? Because he played twice as long. If that’s not logical then I don’t know what is.

@Smartguy: “Hell, Brees took a 9-7 to 13-0 and number 1 seed.”

The Saints scored 463 points last year and went 8-8. They scored 510 points this year and went 13-3. You mean to tell me THAT was the reason they had a 5 game swing?

I’d look more at the 341 points they allowed this year vs last year’s 393 as equally contributing factors. So thus is was a total TEAM improvement, not just the work of one man (QB Dree Brees). You could make a better argument that the real reason for the 5 game swing came from the improvement on defense, mostly because of the fact that they forced 39 turnovers this year compared to only 22 last year.

The NFL passer rating is a complicated Math forumula but it does involve mostly the 4 categories of yards per throw, completion %, and % of TD and INTs. while the formula is complicated the stats are all very valid

@ RROD

By that same logic, Vinny Testeverde should have been one of the highest ranked QB’s ever… but that dude is lame.

@Smartguy

How is the QB rating skewed?

@tokz_21

Regarding your comment #76, if it was any other QB then everyone would agree with you but not when it’s Brett Favre. Remember when Tony Romo bobbled that field goal snap and everyone blamed him for losing the game all by himself?

@RROD – but that was not what you stated.

“An average QB that plays for 20 years will have more TDs than a great QB that played for only 10 years.”

Your logic is wrong. Any quarterback that can make it in a league of professionals for 20 years is automatically above average.

@RROD
18-23
371 yards
3 TD
158.33 rating (perfect score)

25-25
250 yards
4 TD
147.92 rating (perfect game)

see the difference?

@RROD – #81 – Have you read anywhere that dismisses the interceptions that Favre through? Everyone everywhere was waiting for Favre to screw up. Where is he getting all the praise and none of the blame?

@LarcenousLaugh

You’re exactly right but I never said Brett was average. I was stating that any QB who plays as long as he did will have the more TD passes than QBs who only played for 10 due to injury.

some QBs have unfortunately been plagued by injury and a short career however, a QB who is a good team leader and puts up solid numbers for more than one decade is sure to be recognized as one of the best

@Smartguy

The difference is one QB threw for 371 yards while the other QB threw for 250 yards(121 yards less). Overall passing yards is a big part of the QB rating. Running down the field and throwing a 5 yard TD is less impressive than throwing all the way down the field.

@smartguy
I would’ve blamed Tony Romo too. Brett Favre blew that game for the Vikings too. I’m going with my logic on comment #76. it falls under the same scenario, if you’re lining up for tying/GW FG or XP, ( I don’t remember what it was) but you bobble the snap. Just like Nate Keading for SD he missed like two FG’s that are “chip-shots” by NFL analysts for NFL kickers, if he makes both of those easy ones, Chargers win by 3.

@LarcenousLaugh

When I watch tv my tv stays on ESPN and the NFL Network and all I hear is too much praise and excuses for Brett Favre that no other QB gets. I don’t know if you ever watch the sports channels but it’s there. The media man crush on Brett is so obvious. I don’t know how you can miss it.

@RROD
wrong and right. The statistic isn’t weighted evenly. Why are yards (which a 3 yd screen can net 50) weighted more than completions and TDs?

The example sticks though, while one qb had a perfect game with 7 more completions and 1 more TD, the other QB had the higher passer rating. The aggregate formula used is very skewed.

@ RROD

Testaverde played for 21 seasons and had 275 TD’s

Peyton Manning has played for 10 or 11 and has 366.

I think the key word is “any” QB. I think your logic is sound when saying Favre is above ab=verage, he’s just not Jesus and if we never hear from him again it would be ok.

The same way people can’t deny yet try to argue the Steelers 6 Lombardi trophies. Nobody else’s hometown has that. New York has 2 teams and combined they only have 4.

@tokz
the better team won last night period. The Saints played sloppy as well but were able to weather their mistakes.

@nightshade
point taken.

@ RROD

I see the point that QB rating totally overlooks clock management which I feel is also an important skill for a QB. I think if the guy averages 3.33 yards per down… he’s good enough to win any Bowl.

In fact, QB rating almost penalizes you for good clock management.

@RROD – nobody loves Favre quite like Madden, but that guy’s an idiot. Still, Favre has been a good player for a long time and he has proved that age hasn’t worn him out. I’m ready to see him retire though, I’m tired of the off-season drama

@ Shockwave

Don’t even get me started on Madden. That dude argued the Immaculate Reception for damn near 30 years… that’s just lame.

@RROD – I can accept that. Any Player that plays as long as Brett Favre will have more touchdowns then someone who just plays ten years. You said average, and I was going with that.

Maybe it’s me but here’s the conundrum I face with your argument. You say Brett Favre is over rated. How is he over rated? You throw the interception stat. Someone else throws the touchdown stat. You throw the “time spent in league”. They throw the “time spent in league”. Over rated in my mind sparks immediately thoughts of Ryan Leaf, who was chosen 2nd to Payton and failed miserably because people rated him more then he was worth.

Question is: Is he over rated because people give him to much credit, or over rated because he hasn’t performed to expectations. Secondly, is it not kind of silly to dislike someone based solely on the amount of positive press they get?

@N8R

Ok, I shouldn’t have said “any QB”. I should have said any GOOD QB. Vinny Testeverde was average.

@N8R – ah yes, the chicken or the egg, who did the ball touch first. Thank god that rule isn’t around anymore

@Shockwave

Brett Favre is definitely a good QB but his biggest asset was luck. Yes, luck. I don’t care what anyone says, it takes luck to play in the NFL as long as he has and get injured. Of all of the freak accidents that has happened to most other players it is complete luck that Brett has avoided it all. Ask Tom Brady, all it takes is one hit.

@RROD – well, injury is a whole new world. how many times has Payton Manning been injured? I don’t think staying healthy is so much luck as it is skill in avoidance and endurance to pain. granted, luck is involved but still

Peyton*

@LarcenouLaugh

To me Brett is overated because of the hype from everyone that he gets and not because of draft expectations. He wasn’t a high draft pick. Ryan Leaf was a second overall pick and was worthless. Reggie Bush is a 2nd overall pick and took 4 years to look like a 2nd overall pick in 1 game. I know it may sound silly but I’m sick of the media man crush for this guy and all of the off season drama that everyone falls for every year.

@Shockwave

No amount of endurance will help you when a linebacker rolls into you and bend your leg in ways a leg is not suppose to bend. Ask Troy Polomalu and Tom Brady.

@ Shockwave

It depends on the injury. Troy Aikman suffered 5 concussions and he was out. That makes sense to me considering that each concussion makes you more prone to further concussions.

I would hazard to guess that it’s pretty easy for a QB to get knocked out which brings me to another thing I noticed about the Vikings yesterday. The O-Line under performed. Brett got knocked around quite a bit.

@RROD – agreed, but I don’t think it’s straight luck that Peyton hasn’t missed a game due to injury or that Brett Favre has managed to stay mostly healthy throughout his career. Maybe both of them are one unlucky day away from ending their careers like everyone (hopefully favre is done already), but still that kind of stamina in one of the most demanding sports is no accident.

@ RROD

Or Carson Palmer a few years ago.

Troy’s injury this year was mainly about not making it worse than it was. The staff was thinking about his career as a whole over one year and in retrospect, I commend them for that.

@RROD – I definitely think that Favre should be done for real this time, it’s bad enough he played for the Vikings this year, the guy can’t ever call Wisconsin home again

@N8R – ya like I said bad luck happens. we all know how Joe Theisman’s career ended, but it doesn’t mean some players are stronger/healthier/superior for whatever reasons. call it god given strength (if you believe in Santa’s cousin)

@Shockwave

I think he should come back and play. He played great this year and can play another year or two. I’m pretty sure he’ll put Minnesota through the usual off season drama when it’s all a ploy to avoid training camp. He’ll make a decision to play again as soon as training camp is over. Besides, would you want the last play of your career to be a Superbowl trip costing interception?

@RROD – probably not, but he isn’t getting any younger, maybe you’re right and his luck is running out. no doubt he is still good, but he didn’t look too happy about a few of those hits during the game.

@R-Pad
Buddy Christ can make that happen!

@ everyone

I had to share this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100125/od_nm/us_italy_stabbing

Manning hits the dirt before he gets hit. That is why he doesn’t get injured. He did have a scare with staph after surgery though.

@shockwave

I have thought about it and I can’t call Manning better than Elway yet. Elway played hard for 2 decades. Rules protecting QBs weren’t like they are now, medicine wasn’t as advanced, and the guy got yards with his feet. I miss those days really. I think that is why I like Favre. He reminds me of Elway.

@smartguy – point taken

@N8R – that is hilarious

You might as well put flags on the QBs now.

@Smartguy

Do you keep Reggie Bush at his current price tag or let him go?

@RROD – speaking of which, I’m pretty sure Kyle Orton is going to get an offer or 2 this off-season. I doubt the Broncos will be willing to match it.

@ R Pad

Alright, I changed the gravatar for ya.

@RROD
keep him. Vikes main concern was to stop him. They did except for his TD. Ethically you can’t just cut him. He reworked his contract twice already. They owe him the 8 as backpay in a sense.

Btw, that guy Shiancoe is the new Tony Gonzalez. Monster of a TE with great hands.

@N8R
They should have just bought him a violent game so that he could vent some of that anger. Then again, those Euros are all angry when it come to soccer.

@R-Pad
I see Aries as a better offensive lineman, where as Budda makes the better defensive lineman.

Thanks for the great link. Leave it up to the “Paisans” to resort to violence over soccer again.

Anyone here think the PATS threw their playoff game so they wouldn’t be a top 8 team? Remember in an uncapped season the top 8 teams can’t sign a free agent unless they lose one.

@Smartguy

I would only keep Reggie Bush for a cheap price. The Saints have not gotten their moneys worth out of him. They overlooked a lot of great players to get him 2nd overall and pay him a fortune.

@smartguy comment 124
i never thought of that but that would mean Belichik is more a genius than we thought.

@RROD
he does a lot of things locally. Very nice guy. He has reduced his salary twice, he is owed the 8. They are keeping him. It makes no sense to trade or cut someone who does a lit for the team and community in an uncapped year.

I think this year you will see a lot of front loaded contracts this offseason before a new CBA is in place.

@tokz
plus they have Oakland’s number 1 pick. Amazing huh? I betthey did throw the game.

@smartguy
Yes, they were smart about trading Seymour and fleecing Oakland for their#1.

@ Smartguy

I contend that they threw it to keep the Steelers out.

@N8R

I just watched an old America’s Game (97 Broncos, I got nostalgic for some Elway) and Levon Kirkland has to have been the biggest linebacker in Steeler’s history. Son of a bitch!

@ Smartguy

Dude was huge. My brother worked at bar at Pittsburgh International Airport around that time and he said every monday or tuesday morning after an away game, Levon Kirkland would hang out and bs with him for a few hours. Which gets to my point, he’s a super cool guy as well.

Unlike Big Ben… Ben is constantly making an ass out of himself in the bars on the South Side of Pittsburgh. He usually always gets chicks (he is Big Ben after all), but he gets completely wasted and makes a fool of himself on a regular basis.

Kirkland was the man, but I don’t think he was the biggest ever, I think it was Jack Lambert… I’ll have to research that. James Farrior is a big dude, and pound for pound Greg Lloyd might have been the strongest.

too….much…to….read

im also passing on mag, the game looks like total ass, mag 2 might be something though

the vikings are a better team than the saints, they just gave the game away…over and over

12 men in the huddle penalty…that was bad

if i had been driving the car that big ben hit, i think a funny thing to say would be

“hey kids, big ben, parliament”

@Thundercracker
Bullshit they are a better team. The Saints caused those turnovers (except for 1) and the Saints had great returns on special teams to set up the short field. Naturally when you have a short field you don’t have as many yards. They put up 31 points on a damn good defense. Minn has a pretty good O, so you knew they were gonna score some points.

I’m tired of reading this all over the internet that the Vikes were a better team. If they were the better team, they should have won. They didn’t. Saints biggest problem from the game? Not converting on the 3rd and short downs. IF they had, the Vikes wouldn’t have been in the game. Easy as that.

as you know, the best team doesnt always win

its not like you are suiting up on sundays, i dont mean to piss you off

i think the saints’ offensive line did a fantastic job of pass blocking against that ridiculous viking front 4, the bottom line is that the vikings were one 12 men in the huddle penalty away from having a shot at the game winning kick with like 6 seconds left in the game despite all the mistakes they made

im not suggesting the vikings were much better, i just think they have more talent from top to bottom….but god damn im glad they lost

i mean thats just my opinion though, both of those teams are fuckin fantastic

go saints

@Thundercraacker
No, not pissed or offended. I just don’t see the logic that people take. Saints and Vikes were neck and neck most of the season to be honest. However in that game, the Saints were still the better team. Vikes have more talent on D, not O. They have a better RB…but he fumbles A LOT.

Saints played a good game despite some bonehead calls by Payton as well as the obvious 3rd and short failed conversions. Just saying, 183 return yards while forcing 5 and recovering 6 turnovers shows me the Saints did a better job. Vikes D line was ineffective for the most part. I don’t see how they were the better team. They outgained the Saints on yards? Saints had the short field.

Regardless, Geaux Saints lol.

What don’t you like about MAG?

sorry im late here

mag doesnt look polished, the maps dont look finished to me, the aiming seems broken, the other players are difficult to kill

ive only played the beta twice, and i dont see myself going back to it