CHARLES ROGERS DID NOT FACTOR INTO THESE RANKINGS

We’ve all heard the clichés, “Defense Wins Championships” and “To win you have to be able to run the ball.” While both of those clichés still hold true, in today’s NFL you have got to be able to move the ball through the air if you want to be successful. Other than the 2000 Baltimore Ravens (which is an exception because they had the greatest defense in NFL history), no team has been able to get to the Super Bowl without having at least an average passing attack. Take last season for example. The Pittsburgh Steelers offense relied on their quarterback, wide receivers, and tight end to get to and eventually win the Super Bowl (they finished 23rd in rushing). The Cardinals on the other hand, finished the regular season 9-7, but got hot in the playoffs thanks to the performances turned in by Kurt Warner and their all-world receivers (ranked 32nd in rushing).

Throughout history, there have been many wide receivers that have made their quarterbacks seem to be much better than they were. What would we think of Daunte Culpepper if he never played with Randy Moss or Cris Carter? Imagine Joe Montana and Steve Young without Jerry Rice. Also, would Troy Aikman be in the Hall of Fame without Michael Irvin? Just food for thought. A lot of people view receivers as attention seeking, self-centered Diva’s (much like another player I won’t mention). Which is true in a lot of cases, but you just can’t win without them.

Which NFL team has the best set of receiver and tight ends? To find out, scroll down and check out STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY’S!!!! 2009 RECEIVER RANKINGS.

#1 Arizona Cardinals – Larry Fitzgerald is the second best receiver in the NFL, so needless to say, he IS A LEGIT #1 RECEIVER. Opposite him is Anquan Bolden, who would be the #1 receiver on any team in the league other than the Patriots, Texans, Lions, and Colts. Their third receiver is Steve Breaston, who is good enough to be the #1 target on a bad football team. If you don’t believe me, just imagine him on the Rams or 49ers. He would definitely be the go to guy. Ben Patrick is also a very good tight end. Long story short, this set of receivers is a quarterback’s dream. I can’t name one NFL team that has three shut down corners. Because of that, this group is unstoppable. By the way, all three receivers topped 1,000 receiving yards last season. You can’t defend all of them straight up, and if you decide to focus on one person, the other three will kill you. GOOD LUCK TO THE DEFENSES THAT HAVE TO FACE THEM THIS SEASON!!!!

#2 New England Patriots – RANDY MOSS IS THE BEST RECEIVER IN NFL HISTORY!!!! That is a fact, and it is not debatable. He can do things on a football field that have never been done before, and will never be done again. Alongside him is Wes Welker, the luckiest receiver in NFL history. Because Moss faces two and sometimes three defenders on every play, Welker gets to run around in the slot against linebackers and backup defensive backs. Without Moss, Welker would be nothing but a glorified punt returner that can occasionally get open in the slot (think Tim Dwight). That being said, Welker is great at what he does and takes full advantage of his opportunities. He has great hands and is very dependable. His only flaw is that he cannot consistently get open against front line defensive backs, but thanks to Moss he doesn’t have to. The only reason that this group is ranked #2 instead of #1 is that Joey Galloway is no more than a name at this point in his career. Age and injuries has caught up with him. He is no Steve Breaston. However, the tight end duo of Ben Watson and Chris Baker will also be highly effective.

#3 Indianapolis Colts – No Marvin Harrison, no problem. They have been training Anthony Gonzalez to replace Harrison when the time came, and now is that time. Don’t get me wrong, Harrison is a Hall of Famer, and Gonzalez will not come close to his career accomplishments. However, I do think that Gonzo will be able to replace Harrison’s recent production. Truthfully, there won’t be any pressure on Gonzalez because he will be the team’s third option on pass routes. Reggie Wayne is a beast to cover and Dallas Clark is a top five tight end. This group has been consistently doing it for so long. They don’t really do anything fancy. They line up in virtually the same place every play and they rarely, if ever, send a man in motion. They simply out execute their opponents every week. No gimmicks, just execution.

#4 Green Bay Packers – I bet the Diva would love to play with this group. Although there isn’t a superstar among the bunch, they are all excellent players. Greg Jennings and Donald Driver are great, and James Jones is an excellent third option. They are also two deep at tight end with absolute studs. Donald Lee has already shown the world what he can do. But keep an eye out for second year pro Jermichael Finley. He will be a beast this year. Aaron Rodgers is one lucky man. He may have had to put up with the Favre headache for several years, but it looks like good things do indeed come to those who wait.

#5 Buffalo Bills – This will be a terrible football team this season, but their receivers are awesome. As much as I hate T.O. off the field, on the field he is going to give opposing defensive coaches headaches this year. That’s because you just can’t focus on him. Lee Evans is as much a threat to beat you deep as he is. They also have Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish who are also very capable receivers. It’s too bad that the defense won’t be able to stop anyone, the quarterback is average at best, and they play in a division with the Patriots and Dolphins. If those things weren’t the case, we would expect big things out of the Bills this year. Honestly I don’t think that Trent Edwards will be able to consistently get the ball to these playmakers, so their stats won’t reflect their talent. But they are indeed among the most talented group in the league.

#6 Cincinnatti Bengals – When Chad OchoCinco is focused, he is among the best wide receivers in the league. And guess what, HE IS FOCUSED!!!! Opposite Chad will be Laveraneus Coles, who is the definition of dependable professional. I know plenty of you reading this will doubt Chad, but be careful what you say because he will have you eating those words at the end of the season (if Carson Palmer stays healthy). When he’s focused he sleeps at the facility and works out and practices like a maniac. So beware, BECAUSE HE IS FOCUSED!!!! Also, keep an eye on rookie tight end Chase Coffman. He is legit.

#7 Pittsburgh Steelers – Truthfully, this team does not have a legit #1 receiver. However they do have two playmakers who always make the play when it is absolutely needed. When they need to get open, they find a way. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes are both clutch and are also good enough to keep defenses honest. While they control the outside, Heath Miller roams the middle of the field and is also always open when needed. This may not be the most talented group in the NFL, but they are arguably the most dependable.

#8 Houston Texans – You are familiar with Andre Johnson, right? He is the third best receiver in the league (some people may even say second). Frankly, this would be a top ten group if Freddie Mitchell and Mike Williams were playing with him. Instead he has the solid Andre Davis opposite him, and a very good tight end in Owen Daniels.

#9 Philadelphia Eagles – I never thought I would ever say this, but Donavan McNabb actually has some legit receivers in Philadelphia. Truthfully adding a player the caliber of Anquan Boldin would have made this offense unstoppable, but they still have enough weapons to be very good this year. Although Desean Jackson has a mental lapse every now and then, he is a legit threat. Kevin Curtis and Hank Baskett may not be anything special, but they are dependable targets. What will make this group go will be the speed of rookie Jeremy Macklin. If you thought Jackson was good, wait until you see this guy in action. Jason Avante will also be a big contributor this season. They still have the ever-disappointing and underachieving Reggie Brown on the roster, but they have enough talent to overcome his lack of production. This team will make a run for the Super Bowl this season, and the receivers will help lead the way.

#10 Dallas Cowboys – No T.O., no problem. Will they miss T.O.’s production? Probably. Do they have enough on the roster to make that up? Yes they do. If Dallas is smart, they will be primarily a running team that makes a lot of passes to the tight end off of play action. I mention the tight ends because Jason Whitten is among the best in the league, and Martellus Bennett is very good and would be the unquestioned starter on more than half of the teams in the league. Although Roy Williams is not T.O., he is still better than most #1 options in the league today. Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin will also be good enough. The receivers are very good and the tight ends are great. That makes them #10.

#11 Carolina Panthers – Steve Smith has been one of the best receivers in league since 2003, and I don’t expect that to change this season. You really can’t double him because the Panther running game is so darn good. Needless to say, he eats single coverage alive. I am yet to see the corner that can shut him down one on one. Muhsin Muhammad is amazingly still reliable opposite him, and if they get anything out of Dwyane Jarrett, the league had better watch out. All this group needs is a quarterback, but we will talk about that next week.

#12 Atlanta Falcons – I can honestly say that I saw this beginning to happen two years ago. RODDY WHITE IS A LEGIT #1 NFL RECEIVER. Even more amazing, Michael Jenkins has developed into a slightly below average #2 receiver. Which one is the biggest surprise? All jokes aside, White will demand special attention from defenses all season. However, they can’t focus too much on him, because the best pass catching tight end in NFL history has just joined the Falcons. Tony Gonzalez was the missing piece to making this offense a force to be reckoned with. The fact that defenses first priority when facing the Falcons will and should be stopping the run, this group will run wild and make a lot of big plays. Just think, if Michael Jenkins steps his game up and becomes an average #2 receiver, they could be in the top ten next year.

#13 Minnesota Vikings – While it may be true that this group is nowhere near as good as the Packers receivers (9 spots worst to be exact), it is also true that the Packers don’t have a guy as fast as Percy Harvin. Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice don’t scare anyone. There isn’t a defensive coordinator in the league that has ever lost sleep trying to figure out how to defend those two. Harvin on the other hand will cause headaches. I bet we find out what the official headache medicine of the NFL is this season. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe is also a very good player. He is in a great situation to explode this year because he has Harvin to his outside and Adrian Peterson behind him (it should be illegal to have that much speed on the field at one time). Look for him to make the Pro Bowl this year.

#14 San Diego Chargers – Antonio Gates is the unquestioned #1 receiver on this team. This used to be a really good thing because the actual receivers were terrible. Now, Gates is the #1 receiver because he is THAT GOOD and not because the receivers are horrible. Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, and Eric Parker have all proven to be reliable targets for the newly rich Phillip Rivers. Rivers will throw for over 4,000 yards this season, and fortunately Gates won’t have to have 3,549 receiving yards.

#15 Seattle Seahawks – Talent wise, this group should be ranked higher. But based on actual production, this is about right. Nate Burleson and Deion Branch have both failed to duplicate the success they had with their former teams. TJ Houshmandzadeh will be a welcome addition and John Carlson is a solid tight end, but this group as a whole doesn’t get me too excited.

#16 Detroit Lions – Calvin Johnson is the only reason they are in the top twenty. Bryant Johnson is nothing more than a journeyman and Brandon Pettigrew is an unproven rookie tight end (albeit with a lot of potential).

#17 Washington Redskins – Yes, Santana Moss is very good. But he is no Calvin Johnson, which is why they ranked below the Lions. Chris Cooley is also a heck of a player at tight end. As for the rest of the receivers, Antwaan Randle El is what he is, and the two second year players had very forgettable rookie seasons. I hope Clinton Portis has his big boy shoulder pads on, because it will all be all on him this season.

#18 New Orleans Saints – It’s amazing that Drew Brees threw for so many yards last season, because his receivers are nothing special. They don’t have a legit number one, and don’t really scare anyone. I guess this means that Drew Brees is so accurate that you can’t drop the ball.

#19 New York Giants – Now this team is hard to place. There are those who say that they have a lot of depth at receiver. That is not how I view the situation. To me, it looks as though they have a lot of bodies but no one has proven anything. Steve Smith played very well last year opposite the idiot that shot himself, but can he do that when the coverage is actually rolled to him? I don’t know. They also have Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon, Sinorice Moss, and rookie Hakeem Nicks. That is a lot of names, but can any of them step up and be the go to guy without Burress on the field. We will see, but until then, they will remain at #19.

#20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Antonio Bryant is finally playing up to all of the promise that he showed in college at Pitt. Kellen Winslow is also a heck of a football player, a head-case for sure, but also a great football player. Everyone else is pretty bad. It won’t matter much because this is going to be a REALLY BAD FOOTBALL TEAM THIS SEASON.

#21 Chicago Bears – Greg Olsen is legit a tight end, but can any of the receivers actually play receiver? Devin Hester may be the world’s richest freeze tag player, but can he really run a shallow cross and actually catch the ball? Can he drive the cornerback off of him and then run a comeback route? I don’t know, you don’t know, and Jay Cutler doesn’t know. We will all find out together. What we do know is that Hester is fast, but we don’t know if he will have the ball in hand while running.

#22 Denver Broncos – This group would undoubtedly be ranked higher if Brandon Marshall (more on him later in the blog) actually wanted to play for the team this season. He doesn’t, so they are ranked 22nd. Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler are nice players but Marshall is the engine that makes this offense go. Jay Cutler really wanted out of Denver and he got his way. But he will really miss playing with Brandon Marshall. Or will he? Might they be reunited?

#23 Baltimore Ravens – I am beginning to think that this team is allergic to wide receivers. Derrick Mason is old, Mark Clayton is decent at best, and Todd Heap and LJ Smith are injured more than Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill. Although the defense is great and the running game very good, the Ravens are going to have to make some plays through the air at some point if they plan on being contenders. Truthfully, I’m not sure if these guys can do it.

#24 Tennessee Titans – This is another team that is allergic to wide receivers. Their tight ends are really the stars of their passing game. Bo Scaife is a nice player and Fat Albert (Has anyone see Alge Crumpler lately? He looks like Grady Jackson’s mini-me.) They did add Nate Washington from Pittsburgh and drafted Kenny Britt from Rutgers. That being said, I still think that Chris Johnson will face 8 and 9 man fronts all season long.

#25 Miami Dolphins – Ted Ginn Jr. may turn out to be a NFL receiver after all. Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo really turned some heads last season. Was it a fluke or are they legit? I will have to see before I rank them any higher.

#26 Jacksonville Jaguars – Torry Holt is pretty much it. I don’t know why he signed there because this is not a good football team. Former first-round bust Troy Williamson is also trying to revive his career.

#27 New York Jets – None of these guys scare me. Jerricho Cotchery is decent and Dustin Keller is an average tight end, but everyone else might as well be blocking dummies. I’m assuming that David Clowney is historically great in the pre-season because I heard an announcer call him “Mr. August” after scoring a pre-season touchdown. That must be true because he has a grand total of one regular season reception during his two year career.

#28 Cleveland Browns – Watching Braylon Edwards play football is like watching Lamar Odom play basketball. You can’t help but wonder how good he could be if he actually tried. He has all of the talent in the world, but just isn’t committed to becoming great. Who knows how he will play this season. Mike Furrey and David Patton don’t scare anyone. Hopefully rookies Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie will be able to contribute early (which is doubtful).

#29 Kansas City Chiefs – New coach Todd Haley was the offensive coordinator for the Cardinals last season. Now he is the head coach of the Chiefs. Do you think he sees a difference in the receivers? Todd, you can click you heels together all you want but Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are not walking through that door.

#30 St. Louis Rams – Donnie Avery, Ronald Curry, Laurent Robinson, and Randy McMichael. Anyone scared? I didn’t think so. All I have to say is that Steven Jackson had better get ready to face 12 men in the box every play. Yes, I said 12. I am also counting the back judge because there will be no deep passes for him to officiate. Therefore he can get in the way, close to the line of scrimmage as well.

#31 San Francisco 49ers – Michael Crabtree has not signed yet, and it really doesn’t matter. Because this team will run the ball 65 times a game this season. If you had a bad quarterback, bad receivers, and a bad tight end, what would you do?

#32 Oakland Raiders – Is anyone really surprised? If Darrius Heyward-Bey is the answer, I would love for someone to tell me what the question was.

AND NOW FOR MY BALLER AND SCRUB OF THE WEEK!

BALLER: Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos) – Do you think that Josh McDaniels regret ever agreeing to become the Head Coach of the Denver Broncos. It has been a nightmare from day one (most of which was his own doing). First he runs Jay Cutler (check in next week to see where he ranks among NFL quarterbacks) out of town, and now he is in a bitter feud with star receiver Brandon Marshall. Marshall obviously wants out of Denver. If McDaniels didn’t know that before, he found out when Marshall showed up to practice in his pajama pants, shoulder pads, jersey, helmet, and cleats. I know that this should not make him the Baller of the Week and I usually don’t condone this type of behavior, but he wins the award because the entire situation was simply HILARIOUS!!!! He has also been simply knocking the ball down instead of catching it during passing drills. Needless to say, he was later suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.

SCRUB: Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers?) – Michael Crabtree (10th overall pick in the draft) has yet to sign with the San Francisco 49ers. In the NFL, the order in which you were drafted usually determines how the value of your contract will compare with the other draft picks. Basically, the higher you are drafted, the more money you make. It is basically a slotting system, which means that the #6 pick will be paid somewhere between the #5 and #7 picks. Crabtree was drafted 10th and is reportedly looking for a contract that is higher than the #7 pick (Darrius Heyward-Bey) because he feels as though he is a better player. He is in fact a better player than Heyward-Bey, but Heyward-Bey was drafted three spots ahead of him. The 49ers are reportedly offering him a deal that is worth somewhere between what the #9 and #11 picks got.

Don’t get me wrong, I am usually always in support of players getting more money. But in this case, Crabtree is being an idiot. You were drafted where you were drafted. Sign the contract and play football. You haven’t proven one thing in the NFL, and you play a position that has a high bust rate. Although we all think that you will be a good if not great player, no one really knows. Also, unless you grew up ridiculously wealthy making somewhere between $25 million and $28.5 million over the next five years should make you pretty happy. Also, do you really think that people want to see another spoiled athlete hold out because he feels entitled to receive more money, while people are losing their jobs left and right? Sign the contract and play. If you don’t, what are you going to do all year? Be a brain surgeon?

One more thing to think about since you've got a lot of time on your hands. THE NFL SEASON WILL GO ON WITH OR WITHOUT YOU!

CHRONICLES OF A CLASSIC SUPER BOWL

IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!!!! THIS SHOULD BE A GOOD ONE! This week’s entry will be a little different from my usual entries. I am going to chronicle what I am seeing, hearing, feeling, and thinking while watching the Super Bowl! Everyone who read my previous two posts already know that I am rooting for the Cardinals. I really want them to win even though I know for a fact that Pittsburgh is the better team. Grab your favorite food and “beverage”, sit back, relax, and enjoy the game. IT’S GOING TO BE A CLASSIC!!!!

Let me set the scene:

Man, the scene was so thick. Low riders, 77 Seville’s, El-Dogs, nothing but them Lac’s. All the Playas (East Point in the house). All the Hustler’s. I’m talkin’ about a black man’s heaven here. You know what I’m sayin?

Sorry, wrong scene. That was the scene for Outkast’s Player’s Ball.

Actually, I am chillin in my oversized chair in my living room with the wifey. We are enjoying pizza, wings, and “beverages” (remember this is a family blog).

6:30 pm – It’s game time

6:33 pm – As it turns out Hines is healthy enough to play, but he is running very gingerly. I don’t think that he will be healthy enough to finish the game. If he does finish the game, he is one healthy dude.

6:36 pm – Ben is one tough dude. He took the hit and still completed a pass down the middle.

6:39 pm – Replay in the NFL takes WAAAYYYY!! too long.

6:43 pm – Omar Epps, I mean Mike Tomlin makes the correct call. Take the points. (3 – 0 Pittsburgh)

6:45 pm – It’s SHOWTIME! The Cardinals have the ball.

6:47 pm – John Madden says the most obvious things. “Steve Breaston is the Cardinals third receiver. Which means that when he's in the game, they are in a three receiver set.” Good thing you explained that one to us John. Now I see why you are a Hall of Famer.

6:53 pm – Great screen play by the Steelers. Santonio Holmes has to be the best player to come out of Ohio State in recent years.

6:55 pm – BREAKING NEWS!!!! Dominique Rodgers Cromartie is really fast. Ben, please don’t try that again.

6:57 pm – The Cardinals defensive line has to tackle better. They can’t let Ben run around and make plays like that.

6:58 pm – Surprise, Surprise Wildcat formation. The NFL is such a copycat league. It didn’t work.

6:59 pm – Touchdown saving tackle by Wilson. Parker was gone (He’s too young for his name to be Willie).

7:01 pm – 1st Quarter is over. Arizona should try possessing the ball in the 2nd quarter. It might help them score.

7:05 pm – Timeout. Time for another “beverage”.

7:08 pm – Touchdown Pittsburgh. (10 – 0 Pittsburgh)

7:08 pm – The Cardinals better score on this drive, or they are in trouble.

7:12 pm – Kickoff, followed by commercials. You’ve got to be kidding me. Get back to the game already.

7:18 pm – Troy just missed a tackle. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen that. Great move by Edge.

7:20 pm – That’s what happens when you give Kurt time. Great job by the O-line.

7:21 pm – TOUCHDOWN CARDINALS!!!! (10 -7 Pittsburgh)

7:21 pm – Ladies and Gentlemen, we have ourselves a ballgame.

7:26 pm – Ben, you can really stop testing the rookie. He is a baller! Two passes thrown toward Cromartie, 0 receptions & 2 pass breakups.

7:30 pm – Is Terry Bowden the new Steelers Offensive Coordinator? How many screen passes will they throw?

7:31 pm – Watch out, the Cardinals have good field position. Thanks to Breaston’s return.

7:34 pm – 3rd and 22. I don’t like this.

7:34 pm – Timeout Cardinals. Why would you call a timeout on 3rd and 22, when the game is not on the line? You probably aren’t going to make it.

7:39 pm – So far the commercials suck. Except for the ETRADE baby. He's awesome!

7:41 pm – Interception Ben, is anyone surprised. I’m not. Cardinals ball at the Pittsburgh 34
yard line.

7:44 pm – Why is Kurt Warner rolling out? He is the only QB slower than Peyton Manning.

7:46 pm – I don’t think the Steelers did tackling drills over the past two weeks.

7:47 pm – When was the last time you saw a Cheetos commercial.

7:49 pm – Why is Troy jumping in the air in space. What is he doing?

7:51 pm – Interception Warner. James Harrison runs it back 100 yards. After looking at the replay, I don’t think that he got in. Now we will wait two weeks for the review.

7:55 pm – Finally the review is over. It is a touchdown. I thought that NFL replay is supposed to only take a minute. (17 -7 Pittsburgh)

7:56 pm – Halftime. Time for more food. The Halftime entertainment is Bruce Springstein. What year is this? 1988? See what Janet Jackson caused!

8:29 pm – We are back. Halftime is over, and the Cardinals have a lot of work to do.

8:32 pm – Casey Hampton’s helmet has to be an Extra-Medium because it is simply too small for his head. I’m not saying that his head is big, but let’s just say that at more than 300 pounds, there is nothing small about him.

8:47 pm – Roughing the passer in that situation. You’ve got to be kidding me. THAT WAS A TERRIBLE CALL!!!!

8:49 pm – That was a heck of a move by Santonio Holmes.

8:54 pm – Roughing the holder. What a stupid play by Wilson!

8:55 pm – Man that was close. Good play by Rolle.

8:56 pm – The Cardinals still manage to hold the Steelers to a field goal. (20-7 Pittsburgh)

9:05 pm – The third quarter has ended. The Cardinals better get it together. They definitely have an uphill battle ahead of them.

9:15 pm – SACK! This play made by Dockett couldn’t have come at a better time. The Cardinals must score on this possession or the GAME IS OVER!

9:17 pm – Awesome Coke Zero commercial starring Troy Polamalu.

9:21 pm – The Cardinals are awake now. Nice of their offense to finally join us.

9:22 pm – I think that we can now say that Larry Fitzgerald has officially gone into BEAST mode.

9:25 pm – TOUCHDOWN FITZGERALD! Now the defense has to make a stop. (20-14 Pittsburgh)

9:27 pm – Has anyone noticed the number of commercials for NBC shows? That means one thing. THEY COULDN’T SELL THOSE EXPENSIVE AD SLOTS!!!! STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! wanted to advertise during the Super Bowl, but it cost too much STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!!

9:29 pm – This is the part of the movie where Roethlisberger throws another pick. Come on Ben, YOU CAN DO IT!

9:30 pm – SACK!!!! Another great play by Darnell Dockett. If the Cardinals go on to win the game, he could possibly be the MVP.

9:31 pm – PUNT TEAM! The defense has held up. Now the Cardinals have to make a play on offense.

9:37 pm – Don’t forget about Breaston. The Cardinals had three receivers that went over 1,000 yards. Breaston was the third.

9:38 pm – Troy misses a pick. He is not having a good game.

9:39 pm – It is now 3rd and 20. I don’t like this situation. Warner get’s hit as he throws. The offense fails again, thanks in large part to Mike Gandy’s 3rd HOLDING PENALTY!

9:42 pm – Come on Defense, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ONE MORE STOP IN YOU!

9:43 pm – ONE MORE PLAY!!!!

9:44 pm – GREAT PLAY BY BEN & HOLMES! But it is NEGATED BY A HOLDING PENALTY IN THE END ZONE! That boys and girls by rule IS A SAFETY!!!! (20-16 Pittsburgh)

9:47 pm – The Cardinals Offense take the field for what will more than likely be their last chance.

9:48 pm – WARNER TO FIZGERALD! TOUCHDOWN CARDINALS! Alright Defense, it is all on you. BIG TIME PLAYERS MAKE BIG TIME PLAYS! LET’S GO! ONE MORE STOP AND YOU’RE GOING TO MEET OBAMA!!!! (23 -20 Arizona)

9:56 pm – THIS IS ONE HECK OF A FOOTBALL GAME!

9:57 pm – What a play by Ben and Santonio!

9:59 pm – That was close. They should really cover Holmes better. He is killing them. How did he get that open in the BACK OF THE ENDZONE!

10:00 pm – They just don’t listen. He got open in the back of the end zone again!

10:01 pm – The play will be reviewed. Now we must wait 30 minutes for the decision from the official.

10:03 pm – The play is good. WOW! what a game! (27-23 Pittsburgh)

10:05 pm – The Cardinals Offense come on the field with 29 seconds remaining and the game on the line.

10:08 pm – I knew that this game was missing something. That would be the Kurt Warner fumble. Boy, he picked a terrible time to lose one.

10:10 pm – GAME OVER! Congratulations to Coach Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The better team won the game. That was one of the best Super Bowl’s that I have ever seen. What a way to end the season. I hope that next year’s game is just as good. In my opinion, Pittsburgh was the best team in the NFL this year. So, it is only fitting that they hold the trophy at the end of the season.

I hope that you enjoyed the game as much as I did. See ya next week!


AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK!

BALLER: Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) - This one was simple. When the Steelers needed a big play, he was there to make it for them. He is an absolute baller! He won the SUPER BOWL MVP!!!! and absolutely deserved it.

SCRUB: Mike Gandy (Arizona Cardinals) - Gandy committed three crucial holding penalties that put the offense in terrible situations. You simply can't do that in a game of this magnitude.

IT'S ABOUT TIME

Everyone who knows me personally or who reads this blog regularly has probably figured out one thing about me. I AM NOT AFRAID TO HAVE AN OPINION, OR TO TAKE RISKS AND MAKE BOLD STATEMENTS!!!! Personally, I think playing both sides of an issue for fear of being wrong is WEAK! As far as the bold statements that I often make goes, you win some and you lose some. Fortunately, I can say that I am right WAAAYYYYY more than I am wrong. By any estimation, I am usually right about 90% of the time (I will make another BOLD statement when I announce my scrub of the week). However, there is one prediction that I have made for five straight years, and have been wrong for four of those five years. That is until now! Since the start of the 2004 NFL Season, I have picked the Arizona Cardinals to win the NFC West. As most of you know, the Cardinals were kind enough to make me look like an idiot for four straight seasons. I wasn’t going to let the fact that they have been terrible since the beginning of time deter me from my beliefs, so once again when I made my pre-season picks for this seasons, I picked the Arizona Cardinals to win the NFC West for the fifth consecutive year. I am proud to say that this year, I don’t look like an idiot because they finally did it. Not only did they win the NFC West, they are now in the SUPER BOWL!!!! They might have let me down in the past, but when they finally came through, THEY REALLY CAME THROUGH!!!!

That’s right boys and girls, the ARIZONA CARDINALS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL! Take a minute and let that sink in. No one, and I mean no one outside of their locker room believed that this would ever happen (and truthfully, I'm not even sure about everyone in that locker room). Like I said, I picked them to win the division, but making the Super Bowl never entered my mind. If I were a betting man, I would have surely bet that the Chicago Cubs would win a World Series before this happens. Everyone is surprised because they ARE the Cardinals. You know, the NFL franchise that everyone associates with being losers. Prior to this year, they have been battling with the Detroit Lions for the title of MOST PATHETIC FRANCHISE IN NFL HISTORY (that competition is clearly over, Detroit has that title all to themselves). However, if you take a close look at their roster, they certainly have enough talent to be where they are today. They have a 92 year old quarterback who must be drinking from Bobby Boucher’s magic water bottle, because he is playing like he did in St. Louis (Brett Favre has to be jealous). He may be old enough to remember when Astro-Turf was cutting edge technology, but we can’t forget that he is a future Hall of Famer and has made two previous Super Bowl appearances (with one win) and is a two-time NFL MVP. He is definitely a baller. It doesn’t hurt that his starting receivers are two of the best in the game today. Anquan Boldin is GREAT and Larry Fitzgerald is well LARRY FITZGERALD(I can’t think of an adjective that would do him justice). To make the situation even more ridiculous, their third receiver (who is essentially a starter, since they use a lot of three receiver sets), Steve Breaston, also had over 1,000 yards receiving this season. And people wonder why Larry Fitzgerald doesn’t see more double and triple team coverage. They have 3 RECEIVERS THAT WENT OVER 1,000 YARDS! YOU CAN’T DOUBLE ANYONE! Also, just in case you stop paying attention and decide not to defend the run, they have Edgerrin James (#11 on the all-time career rushing list) in the backfield. Just to keep you honest.

That’s just the offense. The defense is just as star-studded. They have a tremendous secondary, which is lead by Adrian Wilson (the most underrated defensive player in the NFL). Next to him is Antrel Rolle, who is also a baller. Roderick Hood is a good corner, and the rookie on the other side of him is just spectacular. I am referring to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (DRC). Darnell Docket and Karlos Dansby lead a front seven that has been playing out of their minds since the start of the playoffs.

To tell you the truth, I really can’t put my finger on why they suddenly put it all together and played to their talent level. Could it be the power of the dread-locks? Don’t just dismiss that theory. Edgerrin James, Larry Fitzgerald, Darnell Dockett, and Tim Hightower (back-up running back) have all played great and they all have dreadlocks. Or, could it be the fact that they play in the coolest stadium in all of sports (they have a retractable field, which allows them to play on natural grass inside of a dome). Could the reason for their success be Matt Leinart’s superb clipboard holding skills (he does wear that baseball cap well). Maybe it’s the uniforms. They are the second best in the NFL (behind the Atlanta Falcons).

I think I know what it is. It’s great no non-sense coaching from Ken Whisenhunt and his staff, combined with the determination of a team that is tired of letting STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! down. Therefore, they are playing to their potential and enjoying the fruits of all of their hard work. The scary thing is that this is a relatively young team. The only key players whose best days aren’t ahead of them are Warner, James, and defensive end Bertrand Berry. This team has tasted success, and I think they like it. Obviously Warner is nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career (he probably has two years left), so if Matt Leinart or Quarterback to be Drafted Later can pick up where he leaves off, the sky is the limit.

ENJOY THE SUPER BOWL! GO CARDINALS!


AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK!

BALLER: BARACK OBAMA (United States of America) - Was there any doubt? I know that he isn't an athlete, coach, or front office executive, but any African-American who can become PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is definitely qualified to be my BALLER OF THE WEEK! (please check out the end of this entry)

SCRUB: Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN) - I know that this is an unusual choice for SCRUB OF THE WEEK, but in my mind he deserves it this week. First of all, I am a HUGE MEL KIPER JR. FAN and I truly believe that he is the best draft prognosticator in the business (a business that he invented). However, I must take issue with his initial Mock Draft for 2009. He has the Kansas City Chiefs taking USC Quarterback Mark Sanchez with the third pick in the draft. Are you kidding me? If any team takes Sanchez that high in this draft, they will live to regret it. I know that teams are impressed with the performances of Matt Ryan and Joe Flaco in their rookie seasons, but they should not expect the same from Sanchez. I just don't see what he is seeing (I will detail all of the flaws in his game as we get closer to the draft). True enough he was a good college player on a great team, but that doesn't always transfer well to the NFL. Don't get me wrong, he is not the next Alex Smith (he isn't that bad). But if he lives up to his potential, he should end up being about as good as Joey Harrington. The Chiefs just hired Scott Pioli as their new General Manager and he is no idiot. He was Bill Belichick's right hand man in New England and he is also the son-in-law of Bill Parcell. That should pretty much tell you that he won't be doing anything stupid in the draft. I trust that he knows better than handcuffing his team by selecting a terrible quarterback with the third pick of the draft. My congratulations to Sanchez if he get's drafted that high. If that happens sit back and count your STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! and hope that you don't have to get of the field any time soon.

NOW FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK, TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH THE VIDEO CLIP BELOW AND EXPERIENCE THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT TO EVER OCCUR IN MY LIFETIME!

STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK

I hope that everyone enjoyed Championship Sunday as much as I did. I was also fortunate enough to attend the Kentucky - Georgia college basketball game (I love my wife). For those of you that don't already know, I AM A HUGE KENTUCKY BASKETBALL FAN!

Get ready for the Super Bowl. It should be a good one. I AM PREDICTING THAT THE CARDINALS WILL SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!

Unfortunately I was very busy this weekend and was not able to post anything new. However, I will have something new for next week, so stay tuned!


AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK!

BALLER: Jodie Meeks (University of Kentucky) - Meeks had 54 points in Kentucky's victory at Tennessee on Tuesday night. We must also credit Tennessee Head Coach, Bruce Pearl, for not understanding the concept of the halftime adjustment. Meeks had 26 in the first half! He went on to add another 28 to that total in the second half. Which means that Pearl just couldn't find an answer for him. For that performance, he definitely deserves to be the BALLER OF THE WEEK!

SCRUB: Joe Flaco (Baltimore Ravens) - I know that Flaco is a rookie and has played reasonably well this season, but in a game like this you simply have to play better. The defense played well enough to win, but Flaco simply couldn't make a play when they needed it. He finished the game with a stat line that reads 13 - 30 passing for 141 yards. He also had zero touchdowns and 3 interceptions. I know that he is young and will without a doubt get better, but this week HE WAS A SCRUB!!!!