The Student of the Game

I’ve heard it from a few loyal subscribers . . . ‘Why haven’t you written a retirement article for Brett Favre yet?’. Because I could have reasonably predicted Favre’s retirement in the post-season of the past 3 years and I would have been wrong each time.

But this past March was a different story. He actually had a press conference — and he actually cried. Hell, ESPN threw so much coverage on him the week of this press conference, you’d think he died in a plane crash or something. Having viewed all of these bits of evidence, I was inspired to do research on the good and bad of Brett Favre by finding numbers and facts to prove that while he is a Hall of Famer, he’s not in the top 10 all time QBs. (And possibly even evidence that he’s not even the best QB to play for Green Bay compared to Hall of Famer Bart Starr).
(Read on …)

I was in front of my computer screen ever so close to hurling Detroit Lions QB Jon Kitna under the bus which was towing a semi . . . Kitna was on a sports radio show and was asked to forecast his team’s Win/Loss record for the upcoming season. While refusing to give an exact number, he divulged that the number was ‘more than 10’. (Read on …)

In an Sotg first I give you an offering by former co-host turned guest contributor Drew, the Local Statboy, offering his take on Miami QB Daunte Culpepper and the plight other such QBs have recently faced in the woes on being demoted while still stuck under contract. — (Read on …)

Granted, one can interpret the use of the term “one-sided” for a description of the lop-sided score as the NY Giants seemed to coast on the backs of the mighty defensive front headlined by the Twin Pro Bowler DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora who subdued the Dallas Cowboys, 36-22 Monday night in the final game of Week 7 action. When either these or any other defenders of the “Big Blue” rampaged into the back field for a sack, they would mimic a basketball jump shot in a gesture of celebration they adopted from a rap video. But with the number of NY players who busted into the aforementioned backfield, they could have formed a starting five which certainly would have had a shot at dethroning the Knicks as the basketball representatives of “the Big Apple”. (Although in retrospect, no big accomplishment there)
(Read on …)

A statement that can claim to be me ripping off of Joey Porter as he introduced the Steeler “D” line-up, who was ripping off of Dave Chapelle, who was satirizing Howard Dean . . . but it CERTAINLY doesn’t make it wrong. To call this game, the lowest scoring game in the HISTORY of Monday Night Football (9-0 in favor of the Teal Terror), a “defensive struggle” puts you into the category of nominees for the newest super hero film, ‘Captain Obvious’.

(Read on …)

Now unless you’re name happens to be “Weasel” (who happens to be one of my co-hosts in the podcast) you may see the match up between the Minnesota Vikings and the Washington Redskins and wonder why is it I’m wasting time on my computer and running up the electricity bill? But then I SURPRISE you, friends. The 19-16 victory by the Purple Pride of Minneapolis was actually a semi-interesting game to watch.

(Read on …)

At last, friends!! After clinging to off-season bantor, a motorcycle accident, Roger Goodell’s assencion to NFL Comissioner, meaningless preseason scrimmages, and Terrell Owens, the biggest pain in Bill Parcels’ butt since his most recent colonoscopy — at last the SoTG is PROUD to bring analysis from the season opening extravaganza.

(Read on …)

I’m not much of a card player by any stretch of the imagination, but I can assure you that in light of all that’s been announced and alleged over the past week or two I have proof that I could leave the table with a healthy portion of sports writers’/personalities’ salaries in addition to all of the millions in former USC RB Reggie Bush’s endorsement money.

(Read on …)

Now that people have finally begun to realize that there is life beyond Pittsburgh Steeler QB “Big” Ben Roethlisberger french kissing the windshield of an automobile in a motorcycle accident where he wasn’t wearing a helmet . . . Now that he has seen the error of his ways starting statements with the phrase “IF I ever ride a motorcycle again . . .”, it’s now impossible to make him out to be a worse role model than a villain in a comic book inspired summer blockbuster movie and difficult to declare him stupider than said villain’s stereotypical brawny sidekick any longer.
And now COUNTLESS fans are again in the woe of the seemingly uneventful off-season. Bored . . . wondering what there is to care about. Rejoice, friends — the SoTG to the rescue . . . and THESE issues actually involve football rather than accidents and arrests.

(Read on …)

Late Monday morning, QB for the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers “Big” Ben Roethlisberger was involved in a wreck where his motorcycle collided with a car and he was thrown from his bike causing his head to collide with the other vehicle’s windshield. Roethlisberger’s surgeon stated in a press conference that there were several contusions and abrasions, 2 lost teeth with several chipped, and a broken jaw and nose. Witnesses at the scene of the accident declared that while the accident was the fault of the other driver, a 62-year old woman, Big Ben was also not wearing a helmet.

(Read on …)