Patriots Roll, Raiola Cries

The Patriots continued rolling Sunday with a commanding 34-9 win over the Detroit Lions.  The Lions came into Foxboro with a 7-3 record that had them sitting atop the NFC North.  With Green Bay breathing down their necks, fresh off back-to-back blowouts in which they put up over 50 points, this was set to be a big game for Detroit.

Coming into Sunday's matchup, Lions and Patriots fans alike were both curious to see how the high-octane Patriots offense would fare against the NFL’s best defense.  The matchup of Calvin Johnson against the New England secondary was also something to watch out for.

An emerging storyline now, however, is the dirty shot that Lions center Dominic Raiola took at Patriots tackle Zach Moore on the final play of the game.  Detroit was lined up in the defeat formation, ready to take a knee and put this game behind them.  But Railoa had other plans.  After snapping the ball to Stafford, Raiola immediately lunged forward at the knees of Moore.

While it was technically a legal cut block, it was clearly done with malicious intent.  As if the act itself wasn’t disgraceful enough, Raiola wasn't about to apologize when asked about the play postgame by the Detroit Free Press.

“I cut him. We took a knee, so I cut the nose [tackle].  They went for a touchdown at 2 minutes.  They could have took three knees and the game could have been over.  It’s football. He wants to keep playing football, let’s play football.  Not a big deal. It’s football.”

If this isn’t the whiniest, sore-loser comment of the season so far, I don’t know what is. Instead of thinking about how he and his offense could have taken some pressure off the Lions defense by scoring at least a single touchdown, Raiola was busy pointing the finger across the line.  Apparently, since the Lions defense could not stop the Patriots offense, the Patriots offense was supposed to stop themselves.

The problem with Raiola’s running up the score defense is that the Patriots had run the ball all but one play on that drive.  They were actually lined up to kick a field goal until Detroit linebacker CJ Mosley decided he was going to dive head first at the Patriots long-snapper on the play.   That drew a personal foul call, giving New England a first down and putting the ball back in Brady’s hands.

Maybe Raiola should have run over and dove at Mosley’s legs for that move.  Or perhaps he should have attempted to cut down his head coach Jim Caldwell for calling two timeouts that only served to extend New England’s final drive.

This was just a dirty, classless move by a team and a player that have reputations for plays like this.

The Patriots will now turn their focus to their marquee matchup against the Packers next Sunday, while the Bears and their defense should be careful not to hurt Raiola’s feelings next weekend.

Stephen Tulloch Does the 'Discount Double Check,' Injures Himself for Rest of Season

The Lions beat down the Packers 19-7 on Sunday to take the temporary lead in the NFC North. The only highlight really worth watching is one that could be devastating for Detroit.

Their starting middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch will finish the season with two sacks and 15 tackles as a knee injury has him sidelined for the remainder of the year. The injury was sustained after sacking Aaron Rodgers and performing the "Discount Double Check" move. Hope it was worth it.

Hurting yourself celebrating has to be the worst way to go down. The highest of high to the lowest of lows in a heartbeat. And this was just a sack in a game that Green Bay didn't look like they had a shot in anyway. There have been some classic mishaps in the past during celebrations, some resulting in pretty graphic injuries, but there may be no better fail than Kerwin Bell's from a 1999 CFL game.

Will Michael Sam's Decision to Come Out Impact His Draft Status?

NO! NO! NO! NOT AT ALL! IS THAT A SERIOUS QUESTION? NO BEARING AT ALL! COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? NEGATIVE! ABSOLUTELY NOT! NIX! NON! NEGATORY! etc etc.

Good, now that we got that out of the way it's time to admit the sad fact that, according to some NFL scouts, it will.

During an interview on ESPN's Outside the Lines the Missouri Defensive End publicly stated, "I am an openly proud gay man." The comment has garnered a tremendous amount of support for the AP SEC Defensive player of the year, however there are those who predict that ultimately his decision will negatively impact his position in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Sports Illustrated interviewed several executives and scouts who anonymously gave their thoughts on the implications of Sam's decision. The general consensus was disappointing to say the least. Before the announcement Sam was projected as a mid to late round draft pick, those interviewed by SI claimed that his draft position is going to take quite a hit.

One assistant coach believed that Sam's decision was, "Not a smart move" claiming that "You shouldn't have to live your life in secrecy, but do you really want to be the top of the conversation for everything without ever having played a down in this league?"

An NFL scout added,"I just know with this going on this is going to drop him down," said a veteran NFL scout. "There's no question about it. It's human nature. Do you want to be the team to quote-unquote 'break that barrier?'"

Finally, a player personnel assistant brought up a phrase which has been bouncing around the league for years, I don't think football is ready for [an openly gay player] just yet. In the coming decade or two, it's going to be acceptable, but at this point in time it's still a man's-man game. To call somebody a [gay slur] is still so commonplace. It'd chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room."

Honestly, I can't believe that a league can be this backwards. When a group of veteran members of upper management almost unanimously claim that a league is not ready for a gay player the question must be asked, "when did we teleport back to the 1960's?"

NFL, The Stonewall riots were over 40 years ago! Same Sex Marriage has been legalized in seventeen states. It's time to wake up and realize that regardless of whether this might impact locker room chemistry, upset players, or cause distractions you need to shut up and get in line.

It's a problem when senior executives on teams are the ones perpetuating these messages. What they don't realize is that THEY are the source of the problem. It's not the locker room, it's not other players, it's upper level management, coaches, general managers and owners who for some reason can't let go of their ignorance and bigotry.

Chris Kluwe, an ex-punter for the Minnesota Vikings, made public his support for the gay community last season, and lost his job as a result of it. Kluwe is threatening to sue the Vikings for wrongful termination if special teams coach Mike Priefer, who Kluwe has accused of using homophobic slurs, is brought back by the team.

Vernon Davis was recently interviewed by Larry King. In the interview Davis claimed that he thought that in the next five to six years there will be numerous notable gay athletes in professional sports. Davis even went so far as to suggest that the NFL would be the first place people would see this transition take place.

In fact a total of 62 players have made comments suggesting that they would be in support of having a gay teammate.

Even Terrell Suggs, yes Terrell Suggs, one of the biggest, meanest, scariest players in the NFL has expressed his comfort at having a gay teammate. When asked if it would bother him if a teammate was gay he responded, "Absolutely not." Adding that his current teammates would be fine with it too.

I don't think you'd want to argue with him.

While 62 players aren't representative of the entire league the fact of the matter is that the players opinions don't matter. Yes there may be some players who would be upset in this situation, but players aren't the people who make these decisions.

Player personal decisions are made by upper management, the very people who earlier were saying that the NFL wasn't ready for a gay player. The fact of the matter is that their reasons for Sam's draft stock falling are little more than pointless excuses.

Would it lead to some friction in the locker room? Possibly, but it would vary from locker room to locker room. And more to the point if players have a problem with it, tough. Plain and simple the players are professionals. Consequently, it's their job to go out there and play every week, no questions asked.

If you were to put this situation into any other context it would be laughable. Honestly, think about it. If you show up to work and find that one of your fellow employees was gay, what would happen if you went to your boss and said, "I'm not okay working in this environment because of his sexual orientation." Your boss would laugh at you and have your ass out on the street faster than you can say "discrimination lawsuit." Why do we hold professional athletes to a different standard?

It also seems like the executives are encouraging an approach akin to the (fortunately) recently disbanded "don't ask don't tell policy" that had been in place in the armed forces for two decades. According to those interviewed, Sam's sexual orientation was widely known, they guessed that maybe three teams weren't aware.

It seems foolish that Sam formally outing himself has somehow changed his future in the league if it was already a well known fact. What the NFL is saying is that it's okay for a gay player to compete so long as he keeps his sexuality to himself. Such an approach merely perpetuates homophobic tendencies in America that are finally beginning to erode after years of resistance. Are we still living in a society where we confine gays to "the closet?" Are we so ashamed of our own biases and bigotry that we would prefer just to ignore them?

I'm also sick of the excuse "The NFL is not ready for a gay player." Guess what, in 1947 baseball wasn't ready for a black player. Almost seventy years later if you walk into any ballpark in the country the number 42 is hanging alongside the numbers of the greatest players to ever play the game and Jackie Robinson stands as one of the most well known players ever. Change like this isn't something you're "ready for." There's no loading bar saying, "The NFL's readiness for a gay player is currently at 79 percent." You're ready when someone has the courage to stand up for their values in the face of discrimination. Michael Sam has proved he has that courage, now the only question is which NFL team has it as well?

One of the scouts interviewed asked, "Do you want to be the team to 'break the barrier'" YES, YES YOU DO! This issue is bigger than sports, this is about American culture and society. Jackie Robinson playing first base for the Dodgers was one of the most important victories for the Civil Rights Movement in America. Michael Sam setting foot on the field for any team would be just as momentous a victory for the Gay Rights Movement in America. This isn't something that should happen, this is something that NEEDS to happen.

Ultimately, little will be decided until Draft Day. Michael Sam will become one of the most high profile players in the draft regardless of where he is picked. And the fact of the matter is that he will be picked. Some team will be willing to take a chance on a player who won Defensive Player of the Year honors in the most competitive conference in college football. It will be a tremendous victory and hopefully the start of changing values in the NFL.

But the problem is that Sam's victory over bigotry, over narrow-minded hatred isn't happening because of the NFL, it's happening in spite of the NFL. Many of the coaches and personnel interviewed expressed disappointment in the fact that Sam would be a target of bigotry and discrimination. Ironically they failed to realize that they are the chief source of its perpetuation. It's time for the NFL to wake up and realize that this is happening regardless of their readiness. The only question remaining is whether the NFL can rise to the occasion.

Warren Sapp Says Michael Strahan Should Not be in Hall of Fame, Strahan Calls Sapp Fat

Warren Sapp doesn't think Michael Strahan should be in the Hall of Fame.

Sapp, in his freshman year of Hall status, took up his anti-Strahan stance at Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday.  Why it came up, no one is sure, but Sapp had some strong feelings towards the issue.

"I don't think his resume stacks up.  He only has four straight Pro Bowls and a mythical sack record. When you really measure him up, he comes up short."

The "mythical sack record" refers to Strahan getting to 22.5, a new single-season record, when Brett Favre walked right into Strahan not putting up much of a fight.  Sapp said that there should be an asterisk next to Strahan's record.

Strahan responded by saying there should be a McDonald's next to Sapp's house.

"Because he's fat."

Got 'em...

As we are a blog for the people, we know people love controversy.  At the blog, we feel it's important to take sides in this issue.  And given the evidence, we choose Sapp.

Sure, Strahan's a good dude and does his show with Kelly Ripa and all that, but he played for the Giants, supports Subway and his comeback to Sapp was a fat joke.

Sapp's trying to eat healthy, leave him alone.

Is the Extra Point On It's Way Out?

While it has been overshadowed by the Richard Sherman incident, Commissioner Roger Goodell’s push to eliminate the extra point attempt is picking up steam.

The idea of eliminating the PAT is not exactly a new proposition.  It’s been reported that Goodell has expressed his desire to forgo the extra point at owner’s meetings in years passed.  It is unclear how much support he has among owners at this time.

If you look at the PAT from a pure numbers standpoint, its tough to argue against the fact that kicking an extra point has become nothing short of a formality.  Out of the 1,267 extra points attempted in 2013 regular season, four were blocked and only one was missed.  This puts the extra point success rate for this past season at 99.6%. That’s about as automatic as it gets.

If you look at it that way, would getting rid of the extra point all together really matter?  Would it even have an effect on the game?

The most likely outcome of a PAT-less NFL would see seven point touchdowns with the option to attempt the two-point conversion, which would either add or subtract a point from the seven, depending on the outcome.  That still doesn’t seem like a very big deal.  Another option would be to move the extra point back, making it a little more difficult than the 19 yard field goal it is currently.

In my opinion, the biggest issue with eliminating the extra point is what that opens the door to in the future.  My worry is that after completely removing a part of the game such as a PAT, the idea of getting rid of the other aspects, such as the kickoff, would seem much more plausible.

The kickoff has already been targeted by the rules committee, which resulted in it being moved up 10 yards. The closer kickoff caused a stir when it was first adopted, but those complaints have largely faded away.  Removing the kickoff would not only eliminate the potential for a game-changing kickoff return but would also directly affect the future of countless players in the league. There are guys like Matthew Slater of the Patriots, who, if not for the kickoff, would go from being a Pro-Bowler to being out of a job.

Although I’m somewhat indifferent to the idea of the extra point being eliminated in itself, I’m against it because I know it will undoubtedly open the door to more drastic changes; changes that will have much more substantial effects on the game as a whole.

Five Reasons Why I Have a Problem With Richard Sherman's Comments

After reading Eddie's fantastic article on Richard Sherman's interview with Erin Andrews this morning (if you haven't already read it, check it out, it's really good.) I thought it would be fun to provide a counterpoint to his argument. Here's the interview on the off chance that you still need to see it.



Now I completely agree with Eddie, calling Richard Sherman a "thug" is foolish and only serves to highlight the bigotry that's become acceptable amongst fans of professional sports. That said, I think Sherman's comments were out of line and unnecessary. Here are five reasons why I have a problem with Sherman's comments. I felt compelled to use videos to prove my point.

Reason 1: You haven't done anything yet.



In no way am I suggesting that winning the NFC Championship against the 49ers isn't a big deal... Oh wait, that's exactly what I'm saying. The fact of the matter is that winning an NFC or AFC championship doesn't matter. You don't play the game to win a Conference Championship, just ask the 2007, or 2011 New England Patriots. The Conference Championship is only important for being a step on the way to the Superbowl. Sherman made a huge play true, but no one will remember that play if he and the Seahawks can't beat Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in a couple weeks, which brings me to my second point.

Reason 2- Michael Crabtree is no Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Eric Decker, Julius Thomas...



Or four if you're playing the Denver Broncos. It's no secret that the Broncos own the leagues highest scoring offense, anchored by Peyton Manning and featuring one of the best receiving corps in recent memory. In this case Richard Sherman was right, Crabtree is a "mediocre receiver" compared to the likes of the Demaryius and Julius Thomas, Decker and Welker. The 49ers passing game was 30th in the league this year compared to a Denver team that ranks first in yards per game. Yes, Crabtree was injured for all but 5 games this season, but in those games he did play he averaged under 4 receptions a game. Both Thomases, Decker and Welker all averaged well over 4 a game. If you want to look at receptions during Crabtree's last full season in 2012 he pulled in an impressive 85 passes. Unfortunately for Sherman, Demaryius Thomas, Welker and Decker all hauled in at least 85 passes last year and Julius Thomas wasn't playing yet. If you are one of the best cornerbacks in the league, as Sherman undoubtedly is, you don't get that fired up for containing a good wide receiver, you get fired up when you shut down one of the best guys in the league. If Sherman can keep the Broncos receiving corp in check he can say whatever he wants in the post game interview.

Reason 3- You're part of a team, act like it.

Oh Wow Sherman, I didn't realize that you covering Crabtree for the majority of the game was the sole component in your team winning the game. Frank Gore must not have touched the ball at all... Oh wait he did but didn't rush for more than 20 yards? This is my second biggest problem with Sherman's interview, it's a selfish move in one of the most team oriented sports there is. Football is one of the only sports where you're accountable for only half of the outcome. Take the 49ers for example. Their defense played a fantastic game, giving their offense countless opportunities to score, but the offense, led by Colin Kaepernick, couldn't do anything. 

Sherman made a great play, there's no denying that, but what about Jermaine Kearse grabbing Russell Wilson's 35 yard touchdown pass in traffic on a 4th and 7? What about safety Kam Chancellor's overlooked 11 tackles and interception on the defensive side of the ball? What about Marshawn Lynch going beast mode with over 100 yards on the ground? Point is if any of these things hadn't happened the game could and probably would have had a very different outcome. I think the biggest testament to this fact is that Sherman himself has come out and apologized for his rant which he said resulted in, "taking the attention away from the fantastic game by my teammates." You can read more on Sherman's comments here.

Reason 4. It makes Sherman SEEM ignorant.

Yes those defending Sherman's intelligence based on his education and background are right. Sherman went to Stanford and worked incredibly hard while there, obtaining a degree in Communications and beginning work on a Masters. This is very impressive and could (keyword being could) make Sherman a tremendous role model for young athletes. However, with a background in Communications, Sherman of all people should know that how you represent yourself in public is incredibly important in dictating your public image as a whole. People are not going to do their research and to find out about Sherman's educational background. Instead they are going to make bigoted assumptions and come to conclusions such as this one.

Yes that's harsh, perhaps overly so, but as a professional athlete you need to know you're under a microscope and that your comments are going to garner a response. I know Richard Sherman is an intelligent human being, I know he is not a thug, I know he does fantastic charity work, but people who were watching the Seahawks for the first time all year on Sunday do not. Sadly, the reality is that we live in a society where people draw conclusions based on minimal amounts of information. As a result of this people who know nothing of Richard Sherman are making assumptions about him and his character based solely on that one interview. And, the fact of the matter is, that Sherman does not come across as intelligent, well spoken or mature in his brief exchange with Andrews. If you are a public figure you need to understand that your comments are going to come under more scrutiny than the average individual's. Consequently, you need to be more guarded, more responsible and more well spoken than the average person because America loves gossip, controversy and drama, and Richard Sherman just gave us all three.

Reason 5. You're a Role Model

This is my biggest problem with Sherman's comments. It's a shame that there are hundreds of thousands of adults who are now making ignorant, biased assumptions about Sherman's character because of his comments. What's more unfortunate is that there are now hundreds of thousands of kids who think that Sherman's conduct was an acceptable way to represent yourself. Like it or not professional athletes are role models. Growing up you want to be the athletes you see taking the field every game. When I played baseball in my backyard, I was Ken Griffey Jr. I'd turn my hat backwards, stand really tall, keep my hands low and start rocking back and forth before trying to mimic that beautiful swing. When we played pick up football I was Keyshawn Johnson, which was incredibly painful for a family that loved the Patriots. When we played basketball I was Michael Jordan because heck we shared the same name. 

There are kids out there now who are playing football and pretending to be Richard Sherman. What do those kids now think? That its okay to go off half cocked and bark about a big play that you made? And if that is okay what does that mean about sports? Yes, professional sports are competitive and you play to win, but what about peewee football? What about little league? Those kids aren't playing to make it to the majors, they're playing to have fun, they're playing to learn about competition and teamwork. They're playing because its something that allows them to spend time with their mom and dad. They're playing because they learn to be humble and gracious in defeat. They're playing because they learn to push themselves and maximize their potential. 

Sports are about more than just wins and losses and when we make it okay for Richard Sherman and others to represent themselves poorly on the field we indirectly make it acceptable for young athletes to represent themselves poorly on the field. We indirectly make it acceptable to forget about being a good teammate. We indirectly make it acceptable to forget about sportsmanship. We indirectly make it acceptable to forget about why kids fighting for their lives, like Sam Berns was, love the game. We indirectly make it acceptable to forget about how the Red Sox, and Bruins helped Boston heal in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon. We indirectly make sports a trivial pissing contest to put it bluntly.

No, Richard Sherman isn't a "thug", but he was given the opportunity to be so much more than that, and in that regard he failed totally and completely. Sherman was put in a position to be a role model, to show kids who won't make it to the NFL that it's okay because playing sports is also about the lessons you learn along the way rather than the outcome. Instead he showed kids that sports are about selfishness, ego and narcissism and for that i can't forgive him. 

Supporter Contribution - Anyone Calling Richard Sherman A Thug Should Just Stop

For those of you who need a recap, the Seattle Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night in the NFC Championship game. It came down to the final possession, which was probably what most people expected. The 49ers trailed 17-23 with under a minute to play and were driving down the field with ease. They were in Seahawk territory and certainly looked poised to score a go-ahead touchdown that would have most likely won them the game. Then, Richard Sherman happened.

Everyone knows Richard Sherman by now. He’s the loud-mouthed cornerback who once told Skip Bayless that he was "better than him at life.” He’s also the cornerback who happened to make the biggest play of the game, arguably the biggest play of year. He deflected a pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the end zone, which was then intercepted by Seahawk teammate Malcolm Smith. The 49ers only had two timeouts left so it sealed the game for Seattle, sending them to the Super Bowl to face the Denver Broncos. The aftermath of the game is when things got interesting.

Immediately after the game, Fox’s Erin Andrews caught up with Richard Sherman in what was personally one of my favorite post-game interviews of all time. These interviews are typically boring where the player thanks God and his teammates and talks about how blessed he is and how it was a total team effort; but not this time.



Like I said, Richard Sherman is a loud mouth, we all know that.  That’s probably an understatement. I liked this interview because it was pure, raw emotion. I get it, he didn’t answer the question and came off as loud and belligerent. In his defense (no pun intended), he had just made the play of the game and really, the play of the year. It was the difference between the Seahawks going home or going to the Super Bowl. The latter happened because of Richard Sherman. Excuse him for being excited and expressing how he felt. Clearly, Michael Crabtree had said something either before the game or after the game that ticked him off and he just wanted to make it known.

Sure, Richard Sherman is not the classiest or the most humble athlete in the world, but the guy can flat out play football. There’s no denying his talent. I don’t know if he’s the best cornerback in the league, but based solely on his stats the past two years, it’d be hard to argue against his claim. I’d say it’s between him, Patrick Peterson, Joe Haden, and a healthy Darrelle Revis, but that’s an argument for another day. Hate Sherman all you want, but he talks the talk and walks the walk. DO NOT, however, even think for a second about calling him a thug.

I’ve seen countless posts on Twitter and other forms of social media where people are calling Richard Sherman a thug. People are saying they hate the Seahawks because of him and that he represents all the “thug Seahawks;” that he embodies everything that is wrong with the NFL. Seriously? A guy who graduated second in his class in high school and also graduated with a degree in Communications from STANFORD UNIVERSITY is a thug?  Maybe you’ve heard of Stanford? It’s a little learning institution in the Bay Area. Sure, he got there on a football scholarship but he still graduated. I believe he even enrolled after he was drafted by the Seahawks to get his Masters, so people need to stop labeling him a thug. You have to be pretty smart to graduate from Stanford.

Is Richard Sherman out in the streets dealing drugs? No, last time I checked he was playing football for the best secondary in the league. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not Seahawks fan but I respect what they do on the field. A thug deals drugs and engages in other illegal, “thug-related” activities. Richard Sherman is locking down opposing receivers on the gridiron every Sunday. He’s a punk for sure but I respect his game. I don’t know if people were referring to the interview after the game or him as a person in their accusations of him being a thug, but neither hold true.

Sure, he trash talks all day, every day, but that’s who he is. It helps his game. He needs it to fuel himself and without it, he doesn’t play well. I’m serious. I read that in high school, he trash talked so much that his coach made him stop for a game and the first half of that game was by far the worst he’s ever played. At halftime, his coach decided that was stupid and just let him get back to being himself. Pete Carroll probably feels the same way.

Have you ever played in a pick-up basketball game where someone on the opposing team is running their mouth the entire game? I’m sure you have because we all have. It pisses you the off. It pisses me off even more so when that person is playing well or just better than me as a basketball player. It’s a mental thing and it can really get to your head. It messes with my game sometimes and I honestly don’t play as well. Well that person is Richard Sherman. He’s extremely talented and lets opposing teams know it. The guy knows what he’s doing. He’s been doing it his whole life. He’s way smarter than people realize, yet because you see glimpses of him being a cocky asshole (which is actually all the time), people assume he’s a thug. It’s just not true.

Call me crazy, but I really think it has to do with a small bit of racism. Because he’s cocky and black, he automatically gets labeled a thug for acting out. People never call white players thugs. Tom Brady would never get labeled a thug but I see him out there talking shit all the time and he looks pretty cocky doing it. He’s always fired up and although he’s not labeling himself the best in postgame interviews, he’s probably thinking it. The comparison is not as far-fetched as you might think.

Anyway, my point is, people need to stop labeling Richard Sherman a thug. He’s far from that. He’s smarter than we know and his cockiness is what helps him be so great. His Twitter profile says something about “earning the respect you’re given.” He’s earned my respect and other people should respect him too. Plus, he’s about to be a Super Bowl champion so he has the right to say whatever the hell he wants.

--Eddie Thy

The Form Tackle: A Dying Breed in the NFL

It’s rare these days to see an NFL defender wrap up a ball carrier around the waist and bring him down.  Defenders these days are all about doling out the biggest hits possible.

There’s no doubt that a huge hit is much more likely to jarr the ball loose than a form tackle, but there is a time and a place for both.  A defender laying a bone-crushing hit on a receiver or ball carrier can have a huge effect on the game.  Beyond causing a fumble or incompletion, it can energize not only the defensive unit, but the entire team.

The problem is that defenders are so focused on trying to get on Sportscenter with these huge hits, that sometimes they end up neglecting their primary responsibility of making the tackle.

It’s so frustrating to see a defender tuck his arms in and lead with a shoulder, only to allow the ball carrier to bounce off and continue running.  What’s even more frustrating however, is when extra yardage is surrendered as a defender decides to forgo tackling all together in unsuccessful attempts to strip the ball.

There are times when the situation calls for a nice form tackle; times when throwing a shoulder at the guy just won’t do the job.  So maybe you won’t lay the guy out or cause the fumble, but at least you ensure the play ends there and not 10 yards down the field or in the end zone.

Tackling is evolving from bear-hugging a guy and bringing him to the ground, to throwing your body at him and hoping he falls down.

If defensive players are so afraid of getting fined after a hit to the head of a receiver, maybe launching themselves at his knees isn’t the only other option.

Wrap ‘em up!

This Duracell Commercial Will Give You Chills

This is Derrick Coleman, a rookie fullback for the Seattle Seahawks. This Sunday, Coleman will take the field as the Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers in hopes of making their way to their second Super Bowl in team history.

The Seahawks superstars will be out in full force Sunday and, thanks to some savvy ticket sales, household names such as quarterback Russell Wilson, running back Marshawn Lynch, and cornerback Richard Sherman should be hearing their names cascading along the stands of Century Link Field.

None of these players, however, deserve to hear their names chanted as loudly as Coleman. After an impressive senior year at UCLA in which he rushed for nearly 800 yards and 11 TD's Coleman's name wasn't called on draft day 2012. Never one to give up Coleman worked hard in the off season and was picked up by Seattle as an undrafted free agent at the beginning of this season 

An amazing story in of itself Coleman's road to the National Football League is even more impressive because of the fact that he is the league's first legally deaf player to step on the field. Coleman has battled hearing loss since the age of three and thanks to hearing aides and an ability to read lips has succeeded against incredible odds.

Coleman has become an inspiration to thousands of fans in Seattle and beyond and now has become the subject of a Duracell commercial that briefly chronicles the hardships he has overcome. The commercial is fantastic, uplifting, will give you chills, but most of all it will show you just how remarkable a man Coleman is.

Knowshon Moreno Can Cry With the Best of Them

Um... What?

Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno was channeling his inner-Ray Lewis after he let the tears flow following our National Anthem.  Watching this clip makes me physically hurt.  How is it possible for that many tears to collect in someone's eye at once? 

Looks like some big crocodile tears to me.

Mike Tomlin Got In Jacoby Jones' Way And I Love It

People are all up in arms about this.  Me personally, I was just hoping for a second tie in the NFL in two weeks because both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are going for an AFC Wild Card spot which the Buffalo Bills are poised to snag.

(Quick aside: look, before you burst out laughing at that last point, the Bills play the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots.  Patriots game is a loss, fine, but the next toughest game is still totally winnable against the Falcons.  Bills put up an 8-8 record, we're right there.)

In the Thanksgiving night game between the Ravens and Steelers, Jacoby Jones was returning a kickoff with the Ravens ahead 13-7.  He was streaking up the left sideline, he cut back in and was tackled just after it looked like he might have the legs to take him to pay dirt.

Who is that standing on the sideline, a little too close to the field? Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. He did nothing illegal, according to the officiating crew, but when you take a look from all the different angles, it sure looks like he knew what he was doing.  You can see that hilarious image above of him looking over his should as Jones was coming, and apparently what he was looking at from the beginning was the jumbotron showing the run back.

Now unless you were there, who knows what angle the big screen was showing, so we'll never really know what Tomlin was thinking when he did that.  All I know is this was a little big of gamesmanship played by Tomlin, and I love it.  The Ravens players were upset about it, but at the end of the day, they won anyway, so who cares? 

Great move by Tomlin mixing things up like that.  I could watch that little shuffle move he does all day. Cat-like reflexes, that guy.

Supporter Submission - Welkergate

Like most New England fans, I was devastated to learn that as of Wednesday, receiver Wes Welker was no longer a Patriot.

In short, the Denver Broncos offered the five-time Pro Bowler an offer he couldn't refuse (proving that Don Vito Corleone would be an ideal GM), and in the process Peyton Manning became one step closer to another Super Bowl. Yes, it's sad to see Welker go, but the acquisition of Danny Amendola adds another weapon to a potent offense that already has the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Lloyd and Stevan Ridley with Tom Brady running the whole show. Now cap that off with Josh McDaniels as the offensive coordinator and I'm cautiously optimistic about the Pats offense this coming season. 

The responses from the Patriots faithful range all over the board for what I'm going to dub “Welkergate.” From unrealistic optimism -- It's okay because the Patriots are going to have a reincarnated Walter Payton at running back next year! -- to morbid pessimism -- I heard that the franchise is going to move to Chechnya because Welker left... -- supporters have wasted no time sharing their thoughts on the matter.

Despite numerous valid responses to Welker's departure, some fans seem determined to take it personally. As I went on Facebook immediately following the deal (my fault for expecting an intelligent opinion on Facebook), I saw countless examples of one simple fact: Boston fans are some of the most disloyal, two-faced and downright cruel supporters of any city in the nation and have the attention span of a ten cent goldfish.

Now I don't think this applies to the majority of Boston fans, but I was amazed the number of people saying things like, “Why don't you go lose the Broncos a Super Bowl!” or “We're better off without him he never did anything for the franchise!” The list goes on and on with most comments containing the vulgar elegance that only a fan wearing a sideways hat with the wrong team colors on it could articulate.

While it's justifiable to be mad about such a high profile player leaving the team, these fans constantly display their lack of knowledge about sports, or in general, by overlooking the substantial contributions that players like Welker or others have made to the franchise. Yes, Welker may have dropped one pass in the Super Bowl but that pass would not have mattered had the defense not allowed Eli Manning to lead an 88-yard drive with less than four minutes remaining. If that argument doesn't do it for you then maybe this one will: the Patriots would not have had the success they had in 2011-12 or over the past  six seasons (76-20 record) without Welker's 672 receptions (a franchise record) 7,459 receiving yards (second in Franchise history) or five 100+ reception seasons (the only player in NFL history to do so). 

The fact that supposed fans can overlook such an unrivaled level of performance is both aggravating and disappointing, but sadly is true in just about every Boston-area sports team. 

These are the same fans who called for the release of David Ortiz during the 2011 season despite the fact that he holds the Red Sox single-season record for home runs, carried the Sox to the 2004 World Series and has done more for that team and the city of Boston than most people will ever dream of. These are the same fans who boo Ray Allen every time he sets foot in the TD Garden despite the fact that he was a crucial part of their 2008 NBA Championship. These are the same fans who boo Phil Kessel despite the fact that he was crucial to the Bruins rebuilding period prior to their 2011 Stanley Cup Championship (his trade gave the B's the picks to draft Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton).

The list goes on and on: John Beckett (2007 ALCS MVP), Kevin Youkilis (2008 Hank Aaron Award), Joe Thornton (five seasons as team captain) and Julio Lugo... Well, okay, I'll give you that one, but you get the idea.

The point is that while we may not be happy when players leave or do not perform to our expectations, it's classless and unfair to ignore the accomplishments these players have made for a franchise. While it was definitely time to let Beckett go last year, I have nothing but respect for him and what he did for the Sox, particularly during the '07 World Series. Sometimes fans need a reminder that their franchise would not be where they are without the contributions of these players.

While again, this doesn't apply to the majority of Boston fans, there are enough people spouting nonsense out there for it to be said. It's perfectly justifiable to be upset to see Welker go. Heck, you can even be mad at Welker himself, but don't ridicule his contributions to the franchise, because the fact of the matter is, he was an essential part of the New England Patriots for the past six years and nothing can negate that.

-Jordan

Desmond Bryant Mugshot is Beyond Words

There have been some pretty classic mugshots out there, but for my money, this has to be the best.

Oakland Raiders linebacker Desmond Bryant was arrested early Sunday morning in Florida for a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge.  When he was booked, the former Harvard student decided he wanted more than just your average mugshot, and went for the gold.

Syracuse's Doug Marrone Taking the Helm in Buffalo

This Buffalo Bills haven't had a winning season since 2004 and haven't made the playoffs for 13 years.  When they fired head coach Chan Gailey after going 16-32 over three seasons, at least the fans hoped that the team would be headed for a better future.  But when they hired former Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone just shy of a week after Gailey was shown the door, it became clear that the 2013 season would not be full steam ahead.

Marrone, in his first head coaching job, went 25-25 in four season with Syracuse.  The Bills, who interviewed former Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Ray Horton, former Bears head coach Lovie Smith and Oregon head coach Chip Kelly decided to take a coach who plays in the same market, just over two hours away.

Now for the pros.  Marrone won two Bowl games -- both Pinstripe Bowls in 2010 and 2012 -- and finished 8-5 this season with the Orange.  He served as the New York Jets offensive line coach from 2002-2005, and the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator from '06-'08.  That's about it.

The Bills had the opportunities to go with someone who was NFL ready.  Bringing in Marrone should be better for their offense, but going with someone who has been out of the NFL for four seasons is a high risk.  Marrone will have the luxury of picking his own staff, which could be an issue if he pulls from a mediocre Syracuse coaching staff.  Time will tell how the Bills form around the new coaching staff, but going with Marrone was far from anyone's first, second or third choice.

Here's to Hoping This Won't Be Ray Lewis' Last NFL Game

If you haven't seen this video yet, you've been missing out.

Ray Lewis has no connection to Stanford or its basketball team, but after this speech, the bond has been forged forever.  Lewis is in a dogfight with Andrew Luck and the Colts in the first round of the NFL Playoffs that could prove to be Lewis' last game of his 17-year, 246-game career.  Join me in praying that its not.

Personal Foul: Unnecessary Fat Joke, Ed Werder

 Making fun of Rex Ryan for being overweight is okay because he's a jerk and has a tattoo of his wife wearing his quarterback's jersey.  Making fun of Andy Reid for no apparent reason?  Shame on you, ESPN's Ed Werder.

On Sportscenter, Werder was covering the deal between the Kansas City Chiefs and their new head coach Reid.  For whatever reason, he decides to take a jab at Reid's weight.  I mean, yes, he's a large man, but I don't recall him doing anything to warrant an insult.

As you watch the video above, listen to what happens after Werder makes the joke, he kind of stutters, probably thinking, 'yeah, that was a terrible idea.'

Yeah, that was a terrible idea.

Sexy Rex-y Shows Off His Ink

Following the Jets disappointed season, Rex Ryan took off from the Bahamas, probably hoping the sound of waves crashing to shore will drown out the "TE-BOW, TE-BOW" chants he has ringing in his head.

While catching some sun on the beach, one cameraman snapped a few photos of the beached wh--...of Ryan, and noticed some pretty interesting tattoos on the head coach's right arm.  It appears to be Ryan's wife... and is she, wearing a Mark Sanchez jersey?

Yes.  She is.

Not sure what Ryan was thinking on this one.  I mean, its one thing to have a tattoo of someone, like your wife, but its a completely different thing to have her wearing the jersey of your terrible starting quarterback.  And much speculation has been made about her Tim Tebow-ing-esque pose...  Too weird to even try to explain.

"Black Monday": Who's In and Who's Out as NFL Head Coach

With the 2012 regular season wrapped up Sunday night, the NFL is still making huge headlines on Monday.  In what has been dubbed "Black Monday," there have been five head coaches officially fired, three general managers ousted and reports of at least one more coach and GM pair getting the axe.

No longer the longest tenured coach in the NFL, the Eagles have parted ways with Andy Reid.  He finishes with a 130-93-1 record, but in the past few seasons has managed to do absolutely nothing with his team.  He leaves with a franchise record 10 playoff wins as a head coach, and this is a perfect example of the 'what have you done for me lately' mentality in professional sports.

Former Patriots defensive coordinator and now former Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel has been relieved of his command.  He bows out with a 28-55 record, and hopefully he can find another job soon because the top line of his Wikipedia page is just sad.

As a Bills fan, I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this.  Chan Gailey has been thrown out of Buffalo, and one can only hope he takes his defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt with him.  The Bills were 16-32 under Gailey's guidance, and even though I'm biased, I think all they need is another piece or two, like that defensive coordinator, and they're easily up from a 6-10 season to 8-8 or better.

After missing the playoffs for five of the past six seasons, the Bears have finally cut ties with head coach Lovie Smith.  Coaching since 1980, he has been a head coach since 2004 in Chicago, leading them to an NFC Championship in 2006.  Its tough to win ballgames when your quarterback is Jay Cutler, but that will no longer be Smith's concern.

The Browns are undergoing a complete overhaul after firing not only head coach Pat Shurmur, but also GM Tom Heckert.  Shurmer finished with a 9-23 record in Cleveland, and Heckert never really had a shot either, with the two of them only combining for five years of experience in the Cleveland system.

The Jets also fired their GM, Mike Tannenbaum, but chose to keep the village idiot Rex Ryan.  The Jets skidded to a 6-10 season, which seemed like an 0-16 season the way the media portrayed them.  Refusing to play Tim Tebow when Mark Sanchez gave up four turnovers?  That's just embarrassing.  Oh well, its hilarious to watch them fail, anyway.

Finally, sources say that the San Diego Chargers will parts ways with GM A.J. Smith and head coach Norv Turner, but no official announcement has been made as of yet.  In his past three seasons, Turner has gone 24-24 with a turnover differential of -11.  Can't win football games that way.

All this news comes just one day after the season concluded, so it is unknown if more moves or firings are on the way, but I don't think we'll be hearing any of it until after the postseason.

Winner: New Braves BP Logo, Loser: New Dolphins Logo

2013 is right around the corner, and at least two teams are giving their logos a makeover for the new season.  Both logos are unconfirmed at the moment, but rumors are flying about the Atlanta Braves and Miami Dolphins revamping their logos.

The Braves logo is said to be used exclusively for batting practice, and features their old "screaming Indian" (or "yelling brave") logo, and was scrapped in 1971.  A little controversial some say, at least compared to Chief Wahoo.

The Dolphins, well their logo is another casualty in the "hip" Miami sports scene.  With those weird shiny Heat jerseys and the Marlins' outlandish orange-blue-yellow combo, the new sleeker Dolphins look will fit right in.

Time will tell if these logos will be appearing on the heads of Atlanta's and Miami's athletes, but if you ask me, that Braves logo is long overdue and that Dolphins logo should never see the light of day.

Stevie Johnson's Random Act of Kindness

So the Bills won't make the playoffs, no big deal.  That's not going to stop wide receiver Stevie Johnson from being awesome.

While standing in line at Walmart, a couple filed in behind Johnson with a big-screen TV.  Being an awesome guy, Stevie informed the couple that he was going to purchase the TV for them, spreading a little bit of Christmas cheer.

Johnson is already involved in Vizio's "Touchdowns for TVs" promotion, which gives one lucky fan the chance to win a Vizio 60-inch TV whenever Johnson scores a touchdown.  In late November, Johnson personally delivered a TV to a fan who was one of the winners.  A TV is also donated to the Boys and Girls Club when no. 13 crosses the plane.

"I think it's very important that you do give back when you're in a position we're in as NFL players. I mean you have enough to give back so why not and make some peoples lives," said Johnson.