Just the Tip

The media week leading up the Super Bowl has been somewhat predictable and also questionable. Richard (Dick) Sherman or Peyton Manning have both fooled the media headlines, mostly for the wrong reasons.

Richard Sherman has made headlines for tipping Kaepernick’s pass to Crabtree and assuring the Seahawks an NFC title and a Super Bowl appearance. His WWF style rant received more press and attention than his game-changing tip to win the game.

The media loves a villain so it’s no surprise that he is the interview everyone wants.  I didn’t like what Sherman had to say after the NFC game, but I don’t think his ‘ego-rant’ completely defines him. (I’m a personal fan of his Beats by Dre Hear What You Want commercial.)

There is no denying that Sherman is one of the sickest athletes playing professional sports right now. But yes, it’s tacky to be cocky and full of yourself! Thanks to ESPN’s Sport Science they proved that he is able to back up his talent and his ego. (Google Sherman by the numbers.) So how come Sherman is only being judged for his post-game comment and not for how much of a threat he is on the playing field?

Most of the press has focused on Peyton’s legacy. In his 16 years in the NFL Peyton has played in 22 post-season games, a four time MVP, eight Offensive Player of the Year awards, won three AFC Championships, and won a Super Bowl ring. And that’s just a tip of Peyton’s accomplishments and awards. Even with his resume that is beyond impressive and being a lock for the Hall of Fame, there are still those that stilllll question his legacy based on ring(s). 

Those critics that question and doubt the ‘Manning Face’ -that Awe-Shucks, always humble, we still have a lot of work to do, continuously wanting to be better, the never stop learning, yearn for perfection that is all illustrated in his closed, straight lip expression that usually is combined with slight head shake and tucked chin.  That face is The Face of a Champion, the face of competitor who loves God more than he loves his God-given talent and his kind soul.

Regardless of what the score of the Super Bowl is on Sunday, Peyton will still be a winner and that’s just the tip of his legacy.

OMAHA!

I’ve always wondered how American’s get the nickname ‘Jimmy’ from James, but I now understand how we get ‘Dick’ from Richard thanks to Seattle’s own, self proclaimed best corner in the league, Richard Sherman.

I get it. Some professional athletes need to run their mouth on social media and add a little personal trash talk to the intensity of the game. “Shehawks” and “Forty-Whiner’s” were all fun and games. Where I have the issue is when an athlete, Dick, continues to run his mouth after the game. Um… have you never won a big game? Did you really graduate from Stanford? The W at the end of the game is the final FU to whomever you were talking smack to. Dick however went straight hood on Fox’s Erin Andrews in a post game rant that quickly became a social media explosion. (Video below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjOkTib5eVQ

There is a difference between passion and class. Dick proved that even with a prestigious education from Stanford, having class is neither tough nor bought. Class comes from your personal character. Class reveals who you are.  And clearly, Dick is a classless bleeeep! And coming me from me, someone who finds most assholes entertaining, I was livid. YOU JUST WON, take the high road! Be a humble winner and enjoy your moment, you’re going to the freaking the Super Bowl!

The good news is that now everyone outside of Seattle will be rooting for the classiest athlete in the NFL, Peyton Manning, on Super Bowl Sunday.

The Denver Broncos beat the New England Patriots 26-16 in a game that felt more like 106-16 for the AFC Championship.

Pat’s QB, Tom Brady, said after the AFC Championship loss “I have a lot of respect for him (Manning.). Certainly, he’s a great player and he played great today.” Pat’s DL Rob Ninkovich said “losing is never easy, but you have somebody as talented as (Manning), who puts in as much work and effort, and has done it for so long, it’s a little bit easier to swallow.”

I’ve never been a Pat’s fan, but I respect any team that has players who respect both the game and players regardless of the outcome.

Three years ago Manning was starting his comeback from neck surgery and there were those who questioned his ability to return.

One year ago he suffered a divisional loss to Baltimore that ended what was becoming the greatest comeback season of an NFL athlete. (And even as painful of a loss it was for Peyton, he still respected the game and former Raven’s player, Ray Lewis, enough to congratulate him on his victory. THAT locker room moment was a great moment in sports and defines what having class represents.) And now with less than two weeks away from the Super Bowl, no one guessed that “OMAHA” would be in Peyton’s route back to MetLife Stadium.

Peyton shouted “OMAHA” 44 times at the line of scrimmage during the divisional win against the San Diego Chargers. What it really means, we will never know. What we do know is that “OMAHA” is a clearly a code word that can either call/change a play or tick the defense. So far, “OMAHA” is working on and off the field. Only Peyton Manning could raise $24,800 for his charity; the Peyback Foundation for yelling “OMAHA” 31 times during the AFC Championship game. (Eight hundred dollars was donated from eight different businesses each time Peyton yelled “OMAHA”.)

Peyton is now just one win away from becoming the first starting QB to win a Super Bowl with two different teams. As a future Hall of Famer, this has been Peyton’s year. He broke Drew Brees’ single-season passing yards and Tom Brady’s single-season touchdown record. The Broncos also set a new benchmark with 606 points in a season. 

With less than two weeks away from Super Bowl Sunday, this may be the last time America will get to watch one of the best QB’s to ever play the game. On February 2^nd, America will be rooting for Peyton.

Learning Curve

For most of my adult life the Redskins have not been the team that my father once revered. He promises me that they used to be good. Win or lose we are still fans. One of the most amazing facets in sports is seeing how loyal fans are even when their team never seems to live up to the legacy that they once were.

It’s no secret that when the government shut down this past fall, so did the Washington Redskins. Only now, the government, minus a few websites, is back to work. But for the Washington Redskins, they were shut down all season.

This season taught us that sophomore slumps can turn a stadium of 91 thousand cheers into boo’s. We learned that Mike Shanahan wasn’t the coach that he still thinks he is and we’ve learned that Dan Snyder will always be the media’s number one villain.

The Redskins started this season as defending NFC East Champs coming off a 10-6 season with the NFL’s offensive Rookie of the Year leading the burgundy and gold. We all assumed that RG3 had learned an ego lesson after undergoing his second ACL surgery this past offseason. We were told that this year the team was packed with talent and Robert promised to lead his team and to win games. Well, RG3 ended the season as RG3-13. BOOOOOO!

When Mike Shanahan came to Washington he was polarized as one of the best coaches in the NFL. Maybe he was at that time. Maybe it was all John Elway or maybe Shanahan spent more time in his office tanning bed than he spent actually trying to win.

It’s no secret that Shanahan’s resume was impressive. A little dated, but still he had a proven past that he could coach and win in the NFL. Part of Shanahan’s contract in coming to Washington was that he would have full control over players and personnel operations with the title of Vice President of Football Operations when he was hired in 2010. He should have worried about having control over his son, Kyle’s, playing calling ability. He left us with a 24-40 record and three last place finishes in the NFC East in four embarrassing years. No one was sad to see the Shanahan’s leave. I was willing to help him move his ‘Ipad and 2 notebooks’ out of his office.

Dan Snyder has taken a bad rap in Washington for his role as the owner of the Washington Redskins for the last 15 years. Around the NFL is he not the most ‘liked’ owner in the league. Depending on whom you ask, he is described very differently. I’ve met Mr. Snyder and I learned that he has a sense of humor, a side of him that is rarely seen. He was nothing like the jerk that some media outlets have made him out to be all these years.

There is no doubt that Mr. Snyder wants to win. The players want to win and for the love of the sports gods the fans really want to WIN. So why can’t we just figure this Lombardi trophy out?

For years, I have heard media and fans bash Mr. Snyder for having too much control of the Redskins. When Shanahan came to Washington Mr. Snyder gave him full control of the team. Shanahan; if you demanded full control, then you should take the full responsibility for this train wreck you’ve left us with. But Shanahan doesn’t care about the Redskins. Mr. Snyder cares! Mr. Snyder listened to what advisors told him to do and even then he takes hits on and off the field. I am one of few, but I don’t blame Mr. Snyder for Shanahan’s mistakes.

In the upcoming future, Redskins fans will learn how much the front office has grown from their pervious experiences as they hire the next head coach. This will be the 8^th head coach under Mr. Snyder’s ownership and a true measure of seeing who can learn from our mistakes and restore the once legendary franchise.