Lincidental Ignorance

When you're the self-proclaimed "Worldwide Leader of Sports", there are certain expectations that come with such a prestigious claim. Journalistic integrity? Sure. Factual accuracy? Absolutely. World-class presentation? Definitely.

Somehow, ESPN has been allowed to skate on being inconsistent on the aforementioned three counts. It's like calling yourself the best Italian restaraunt in town but, every now and then, whipping a pizza with too much sauce or serving up spaghetti that isn't al dente but being spared criticism because the restaraunt owner is good friends with the food critic and the only other dining option in town is the McDonald's on the other side of town. It's asking too much to expect perfection but there is a certian high standard that should be consistently delivered when one chooses to call itself the creme de la creme of sporting news, especially when said network butters its bread by constantly pointing out and overanalyzing the blunders of the very athletes that make their network relevant.

ESPN's latest snafu involves their new favorite go-to topic that they will mercifully pound into the ground much like they have with every other even miniscule story(case and point, LeBron's quote about considering a return to the Cavs in the future, which couldn't get enough airtime on Sportscenter). With football season over and thus no reason to obsess over the daily functions of one Tim Tebow, ESPN latched its bandwagon to a new sports Jesus: Jeremy Lin. ESPN isn't alone in its oversaturation of Linsanity. As the breakthrough star in the biggest sports market in the world, it was only a matter of time before Lin's story became constant front page news in the Big Apple. However, in trying to live up to the clever standards that come with calling yourself the "worldwide leader" of anything, ESPN managed to outsmart themselves and shoot themselves in the foot.

Just weeks after lambasting pound-for-pound boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and infamous FOX Sports columnist Jason Whitlock for comments they made regarding Lin's race, the pendulum swung back at Bristol and smacked them straight in the face. Hours after Lin's Knicks were upset by the lowly Hornets, snapping a seven-game win streak that began with Lin's now much-celebrated debut, ESPN, in a moment of blatant ignorance and inferior creativity, ran with this headline to accompany the story of Lin's defeat:

"Chink In The Armor: Jeremy Lin's 9 turnovers cost Knicks in streak-snapping loss to Hornets"

At the risk of sounding completely unprofessional: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, ESPN!?

Weeks of Lin-inspired puns on Twitter and on the various ESPN talk shows ranging from Lintercourse to Lincredible to "All He Does Is Lin Lin Lin", and THIS is the nonsense you come up with? The headline is wrong on so many levels....levels that go without saying. We get it. It was an unfunny attempt at humor which was more obviously recognized as a racial slur. The issues I have with this, as someone who is not Asian and thus not personally affected by the blatant racism of the headline, is two-fold: For one, ESPN spend an inordinate amount of time taking Whitlock to task for his insensitive tweet involving Lin and a common stereotype about Asians not being very well-endowed(The tweet wasn't funny, but it also wasn't something bad enough to be front page news. Maybe Whitlock's defiance and reputation as a rabble-rouser made the issue worse but ESPN certianly didn't sweep it under the rug. The same for the hoopla over Mayweather's comments that Lin's hype has a lot to do with him being Asian and playing in New York, which was ignorant but exactly far off), so the hypocrisy signal is flashing bright here.

Second, and more importantly to me, is the much-wider issue that involves more than just ESPN. Why does it matter than Jeremy Lin is Asian? If you take out Lin's ethnicity and just make him an ordinary black kid, his story is still an incredible underdog triumph. Sure, him being Taiwanese in a black-dominated sport makes it different, but it doesn't enhance the story. Somehow, Lin being popular AND Asian-American was the elephant in the room. It's like people couldn't talk about Lin and not bring it up, much like Tiger Woods being a hodgepodge of different cultures and races was something people couldn't let go during his early dominance of the golf game. In 2012, people still can't be people. Barack Obama can't just be President. He has to be known as a Black president. Eminem can't just be a rapper. He's a white rapper. How is we're still taking two steps forward and one step back in a society that has managed to evolve the way we watch television, order food and listen to music? On a network that tries so hard to censor itself to avoid a Nipplegate-like backlash, how did something so blatantly ignorant slide past the powers-that-be? I'm supposed to believe that NOBODY at the Worldwide Leader, who are the undisputed kings of overreaction, thought that using the word "chink" to headline a story about an Asian-American was going to stir up some trouble? Especially after watching Whitlock get raked over the coals by various rights groups just fot insinuating Lin had a tiny penis(which very well might be true. Not that it excuses Whitlock for even bringing it up, but I'm suspending criticism of Whitlock's comments until Lin proves he's the second coming of Peter North).

Look, we all make mistakes but sometimes you reap what you sew. ESPN, moreso than any network, should have known better for the simple fact that they make their money by generating outrage over the very same comments they got caught using. Eventually, this will all go away and we'll move on to the next controversy but if we truly want to evolve as a country than we need to quit associating color with people. How can we stand on a moral high ground over other countries when we gawk at something as simple as an Ivy League-educated Asian point guard like he's a unicorn snacking on leaves in Shangri La? History suggests that this won't be the last of ESPN's mistakes but if they truly want to establish themselves as the "worldwide leader" then they will take this latest case of Licidental negligence and turn it into something a bit more Linspiring than another reason to stir up debate on one of their many overreacting talking head shows.

You Can't Make This Shit Up

Anyone who knows me personally, follows me on Twitter or reads this page religiously(and I realize there is a very small amount of people who qualify for all three), knows that I am an avid pro wrestling fan. It is something Gabe gives me a Casey Hampton-sized amount of shit over, which is hilarious in its own right because he's a huge fan of The Fray. I enjoy wrestling for its rarefied athleticism, its standing as the only "sport" that allows true shit-talking and for the fact that it's scripted while still towing the line between predictable and unpredictable.

It was after watching this past Monday's edition of Monday Night Raw that I started to wonder: What if other sports were scripted, too? What if creative writers stood behind the scenes in closed offices pondering exciting World Series after exciting World Series? You're telling me sports wouldn't be at least somewhat exciting if every game was choreographed and every result preordained for the sole purpose of maximizing entertainment value? Hell, there are conspiracy theorists out there who live to find excuses to claim the fix is in. We enjoy sports for being the "theater of the unexpected". Every great moment is much more tantalizing to us because it's organic. Part of the downer to sports movies, at least to people like me, is that they always have that storybook ending(for the most part) which, in turn, lessens the enjoyment of it all because it lacks realism(except for, say, Friday Night Lights, which was based on a true story so it lacked that miracle final drive that seems to be the lynchpin of every football movie). Every underdog story doesn't have to end with Rocky Balboa knocking out Ivan Drago or with the Mighty Ducks rallying past long odds. That's the joy of real sports. They don't always have a fairytale ending.

There are some moments, however, where everything falls into place that you start to wonder what's in the cards. Some sports stories are just a little too good of a mix of fate and coincidence to not seem fixed. These are the moments that make me go "Hmmm....".



*In yet another turbulent offseason, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is accused of sexual assault not once, but twice, by two different women in two different locales. The firestorm of controversy leads to whirlwind of speculation of whether Big Ben has seen his last days in the Steel City and whether the once-seemingly untradable franchise cornerstone now finds himself on the block. The Steelers opt to keep Roethlisberger, who sits out the four games of the season due to a suspension. What happens afterward? Roethisberger comes back and leads the Steelers to his third Super Bowl in six years. Pittsburgh inevitably loses to Green Bay, denying us the greatest fan turnaround since the city of Los Angeles suddenly rallied behind enigmatic superstar Kobe Bryant following a stretch that saw him get knocked for his own sexual assault beef, force Shaquille O'Neal out of town and then demand a trade out of Hollywood himself before winning a couple rings on his own.





That's not to say we didn't get something out of that Steelers-Packers championship game. Aaron Rodgers, who sat behind Packers icon Brett Favre for three years before assuming control of the Packers offense only after a nasty split between Green Bay and Favre, wins his first Super Bowl ring. Why is it important? Because it just so happened to come in Favre's final season as a pro. It was also a season that saw Rodgers topple Favre twice after Favre took his frustrations out on his young understudy in their first two encounters. It was a fitting end to a what was a tumultuous couple of years for Favre, Rodgers and the Packers and it ended with the heir apparent on top while the once-mighty iron man laid crumpled in a scrap heap no longer able to play the game he once dominated. It was an ending that seemed almost too good to be true.

*Speaking of iron men, Peyton Manning played in 227 straight games for the Indianapolis Colts. Following the 2010 season, however, Manning underwent a few surgeries on his ailing neck. Recovery from those procedures was slow and despite early speculation that Manning would be ready for this past season's opener against Houston, Manning finally bit the bullet and was forced to sit. One week became a whole season and the Colts were suddenly without their four-time NFL MVP and franchise player. The loss of Manning was devastating to the Colts but also an example that even the toughest of men are human and that the Colts may need to look into bringing in a successor in upcoming draft. Meanwhile, out west, a Stanford junior by the name of Andrew Luck is putting the finishing touches on a two-year long standing as the best non-pro QB in the country as well as the unquestioned #1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Luck is regarded by many as the highest rated QB prospect to hit the NFL in three decades. Who is the QB that Luck draws the most comparisons to? Peyton Manning. And who ends up with the #1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft? The Indianapolis Colts. The timing is just uncanny.

To make things even crazier, with Peyton sitting on the sidelines, little brother Eli was putting on a career year and, once again, used a late-season Dallas Cowboys collapse to make the playoffs. Once again, Eli's Giants steam-rolled through the playoffs including a big win over a mighty Packers team. Once again, Eli and company put foot to the asses of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl. Where was this Super Bowl held? In "The House That Peyton Built"......Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis, Indiana.



*Faced with a huge deficit in the final month of the season as well as potentially losing their best player to free agency at the end of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals enter the month of September down 10.5 games to the Atlanta Braves in the National League Wild Card race. Miraculously, the Cardinals win 23 of their final 31 games while the Braves take one of the biggest nosedives in baseball history. Even more miraculously, the Cardinals mows through heavy preseason favorite Philadelphia as well as division rival Milwaukee to make the World Series before dispatching a Texas Rangers team making their second straight World Series appearance in dramatic Game 7 fashion. The final two months of the Cardinals season featured some heavy lifting from its aforementioned soon-to-be free agent slugger Albert Pujols. Every Pujols at-bat in every Cardinals elimination game was met with a "this could be the final at-bat for Albert Pujols as a St. Louis Cardinal" from Joe Buck as the playoffs commenced.

With all that foreshadowing already in place, Pujols spent the offseason celebrating his second World Series championship, getting wined and dined by a suddenly wealthy Miami Marlins team, flirting with the idea of staying in Nellyville before agreeing to take a large wad of cash from the Los Angeles Angels and leaving St. Louis with what once seemed like unlikely final memories.

*Starving for years for a competent point guard to run Mike D'Antoni's intricate fast-paced offense, the New York Knicks were considered to be stuck in a rut having dealt all of its trade assets in a deal to acquire small forward Carmelo Anthony, thus making them unable to strike a deal for Chris Paul or Deron Williams. The team gets desperate and signs former All-Star Baron Davis with the hopes that a fiery Madison Square Garden crowd will bring B-Diddy back to life and back to relevance. Instead, Davis' back sends him back to his usual spot at the end of the bench in street clothes, unable to return til March. Injuries take their toll on the Knicks' point guard depth and the team strikes a deal to bring in a lanky Asian kid from Harvard left for dead by his hometown Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. In just his second game logging significant playing time as a Knick, Jeremy Lin explodes for 25 points and 7 assists against D-Will and the New York Knicks a night after sleeping on the couch of teammate Landry Fields and all while Knicks suits debated cutting Lin loose. Lin follows up his breakout performance by notching his first start and going for 28 and 8 against Utah. Suddenly, Jeremy Lin was the biggest thing in the Big Apple a day after the New York Giants won the Super Bowl. Just a few days after Big Blue held its ticker-tape parade in NYC hoising the Lombardi Trophy, Lin outduels Kobe Bryant and the Lakers and scores a career-high 38 points in front of a frenzied MSG crowd. By the end of his first week as starter, "Linsanity" commences and every borderline creative human within 100 miles of the Metro area cultivates their own personal Lin-inspired puns. In the span of two weeks, Jeremy Lin goes from NBA afterthought to the most dangerous Asian to hit New York since Jackie Chan filmed "Rumble In The Bronx" and the Knicks are currently riding a seven-game win streak with Lin at the helm. What was once Carmelo Anthony's team now has been peppered with asanine questions like "Can 'Melo fit in with Linsanity?". If Lin somehow leads these Knicks to the NBA championship, not only will I be calling bullshit but I'll be turning off my TV for 2 months and cancelling my Twitter account.

(Quick rant: The Jeremy Lin story is a feel-good story for everyone, especially those who had to routinely make believers out of doubters and triumph over long odds. That being said, the "Linsanity" over the last 10 days is Exhibit A of things I hate about sports in the Twitter/round-the-clock sports news era. In an era where it doesn't take much to be a celebrity, Lin's impressive run has somehow morphed him into a national superstar and has forced commentators and sports anchors to toss around words like "legacy" and "illustrious career". Seven games doesn't make an illustrious career and it damn sure doesn't give you a legacy. Jeremy Lin's standing is more an example of perseverance and front office ignorance than the start of a Hall of Fame career. Lin has toppled one quality team during his breakout run and that was a Lakers team where he was being guarded by human turnstile Derek Fisher. I'm not saying Lin's emergence isn't worth talking about or even getting excited about, especially to a Knicks fan base that has suffered for years while Isiah Thomas managed them into the cellar, but what I am saying is we need to pump the brakes. Seven games doesn't make you an All-Star, as some have campaigned for Lin to be and, as we've seen with Tim Tebow, the same people who are with you when you're riding high will be the first to turn on you when things fall apart......and there's no more likely a place for this to happen than in the fickle city of New York.)

Still not convinced that something funny's going on? How about we step outside the sports world and into the music world for a second, shall we?

*One night before the 2012 Grammys are set to kick off, legendary singer and 80's-90's icon Whitney Houston is found dead in her bathtub at age 48. Houston, the greatest singer of her generation and a classic cautionary tale of the effect drug and alcohol addiction can have on a human being, becomes the biggest story of a Grammy night that was already lacking much in terms of living star power(with the exception of Adele, who would have been a much bigger story if not for Houston's passing sombering out the mood). Suddenly, despite not registering a positive blip on the radar since 1998(despite a couple albums and movies afterward and comeback tour, none of which as impressive as '98's "My Love Is Your Love" album, which went quadruple platinum....you know, back when record sales meant something), "fans", who refused to admit they forgotten about her and had written her off while she battling addiction to cocaine and other substances, suddenly stormed social media outlets with half-hearted remembrance tweets, videos and obligatory condolences. It's the biggest impact Houston has had in the music world in more than a decade, besides being the go-to punchline for every hack comic over the last 10 years. Much like America did with Michael Jackson, the country seemed to magically forget about all of the issues that lead to Houston's downfall and spent the 36 hours after her death highlighting all the good the once-legendary diva had done.



(Quick rant #2: Again, if you follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook, you already know about my reaction to the posthumous theatrics. I have nothing personal against Whitney Houston, except I was never a huge fan of her music. That's not to say I don't acknowledge her talent. It's just heterosexual males trying to find a girl on a Friday night don't cruise down the block blasting "I'm Every Woman". There will never be another Whitney Houston. Her vocal gifts are incomparable, with Mariah Carey being the only modern star who could possibly come close. That being said, her demise was completely and utterly of her own doing. It's hard for me to find sympathy for someone who has all the means in the world to get themselves better from whatever addiction that ails them.

Whitney Houston died from too much Xanax and Stoli. She didn't die of cancer, like Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter did this afternoon. Somehow, I don't see Carter getting the much-ballyhooed farewell that Houston got these last few days. Houston's death was tragic but the biggest tragedy is the phonies who felt compelled to storm the Internet with their pretend sadness over the loss of someone they never knew and barely cared about for at least a decade prior to her untimely demise. I said this in my Michael Jackson tribute and it was reinforced in the hours following Whitney's death: America is a nation of fad jumpers. Houston's death was the relevant moment of the day and, God forbid, we let a big name like this fall without giving her the same song and dance we gave Jacko. The truth is, nobody cared about Whitney Houston until she was lifeless in her own bathtub. The cliche "you don't know what you have until it's gone" couldn't be more true when you step back and see the slew of people posting "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" for the first time in ages. The reaction to Whitney's death wasn't a true dedication. It was the equivalent of people dressing up for an 80's theme party. Let's see who is still playing "I Will Always Love You" by St. Patrick's Day.

If people truly care about the life and death of Whitney Houston, then they will use her death as a reminder that tomorrow isn't promised and that the tyranny of drugs can turn a precious life into shit in the speed of a Randy Johnson fastball. Jay-Z once said "Everybody wants to be Bobby Brown but to be Bobby then, you gotta be Bobby now.". There will never be another Whitney Houston, which is why should use her death as opportunity for that statement to be true for both her rise to the top as well as her fall to the bottom.)


I'm not saying Whitney Houston staged her death to happen before the music world's biggest night, but can you think of a better time to maximize the final seconds of a dwindling career?

Who's #1?

Eli Manning winning his second ring with yet another game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter against the Patriots in the Super Bowl has opened up the customary post-Super Bowl debate: Who's the best QB in the NFL right now?

Much to the surprise of no one, New Yorkers as well as media outlets with a P.H.d in overreaction and hysteria hit the social media world to declare Eli's greatness and label him everything short of our newest savior and leader of the free world. Former ESPN personality Max Kellerman opened up a debate on Twitter as to whether Eli was the greatest 4th quarter quarterback of all-time, which lead to Giants fans damn near tripping over themselves to tweet back that the newest King of New York has surpassed the likes of Joe Montana and John Elway and has emerged as "Mr. Clutch". It's what's to be expected of significantly biased fans moments after their team gets a taste of a championship. This time a year ago, most Packers fans would tell you Aaron Rodgers could walk on water while simultaneously curing cancer.

Once the dust settles, however, the question as to who is the top signal caller in the NFL will need a legitimate, non-biased answer. Eli Manning certainly went out of his way to put his name in the discussion and strike back at those who scoffed at his preseason claim that he was an elite QB in the stature of a Tom Brady. But is he #1, and if not, who is? It's a quandary I passed along via text to some of my friends to get varying opinions to mix in with my own thoughts on the matter. At the end of the day, we settled on six quarterbacks who can stake claim to the top spot. Since this is MY website, I ranked them in the order I felt they fall in based on some heavy research and my own takes on their personal achievements.

To help build suspense(though, granted, you could just scroll down), I'm starting from #6 and moving down(or up, if you want to be technical). Feel free to send me your outrage.....

6. Peyton Manning(Age: 35. Will be 36 in March)

Credentials: 4-time NFL MVP, 11-time Pro Bowler, 5-time first-team All-Pro, 3-time 2nd-team All-Pro, lead Colts to two Super Bowls, winning one of them, Super Bowl MVP, fastest to 4,000 completions, fastest to 50,000 passing yards, started 227 straight games including playoffs prior to missing the 2011 season

The case for Peyton: He's the NFL's only four-time MVP. He's remarkably consistent, throwing for at least 4,000 yards in all but two of his thirteen seasons(not including this season, which he didn't play a down of) and threw at least 25 touchdown passes every year since 1998(his rookie season), surpassing the 30 TD mark four times and hitting the 40 TD mark once in 2004 with a then-NFL record 49. The biggest case for Manning's standing atop the QB mountain may have came without him even seeing the field. With Manning sidelined the entire year coming off neck surgery, the Colts plummeted to a league-worst 2-14 record.

The case against Peyton: Obviously, uncertainty is the biggest issue with Manning. For one, we don't know if he'll ever play again. There were early reports that Manning has been cleared to play but Colts owner Jim Irsay says his team doctors declare otherwise. What we DO know is Manning has seen his last days as an Indianapolis Colt as the team will move on with inevitable #1 pick Andrew Luck in 2012. At 36, coming off three neck surgeries, having not played a game since January of last year and now starting for a as-yet-unknown team, it's hard to gauge the prospects of Peyton returning to the top. How much faith do you put in Peyton putting up his usual numbers in somewhere like Washington or Miami? What about if he lands on a contender like Kansas City or the Jets? There's still so much we don't know yet, but Peyton's resume is long enough to warrant him a spot on the list.

5. Drew Brees(age: 33)

Credentials: 6-time Pro Bowler, 4-time All-Pro, Super Bowl champion and MVP, 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, AP Male Athlete of the Year, NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Sportsman of the Year, all-time single season record holder for passing yards, completions, 300+ yard games in a season, most consecutive seasons with 4,000 yards(6, tied with Peyton Manning), most consecutive seasons with 4,000 yards and 30+ TD's(4 and counting), most completions in a Super Bowl(32), only QB to throw for 5,000 yards in a season twice in his career

The case for Drew: Brees is a statistical juggernaut, as evident by the paragraph above(and those are only the important achievements. The other NFL records and team records could have stretched another four lines). Since coming to New Orleans and uniting with Sean Payton, Brees went on a campaign to rub San Diego's nose(as well as other teams that passed on him in free agency, like Miami) in a pile of excrement for leaving him for dead following his shoulder injury at the end of the 2005 season. He's proven to be a mortal lock for 4,000 yards and 30 TD's, at minimum, and he's doing it with guys who aren't exactly big names like Lance Moore and Jimmy Graham.

The case against Drew: It's hard to knock such a world-class human being but if there's a bone to pick with Brees, it might be his lack of success in the playoffs. If you take away his miracle Super Bowl run in 2009, Brees' postseason career is littered with some disappointments, including getting eliminated by inferior Seattle two years ago and losing a stunner to San Francisco this past season. Brees is 5-4 in his career in the playoffs, which isn't horrible but could be a lot better when you consider the opposition that sent Brees and company home early. It also should be mentioned that Brees got off to such a slow start in San Diego that the team invested the #1 pick in the 2004 Draft on Eli Manning(which they later turned into Philip Rivers), which lead to Brees' exile from the Chargers not long after.

3. (tie) Ben Roethlisberger(age: 29), Eli Manning(age: 31)

Credentials for Roethlisberger: 2-time Pro Bowler, lead Steelers to three Super Bowls before he even turned 30 and won two, AP NFL Rookie of the Year, most wins by a rookie QB in a season(13), youngest QB to win a Super Bowl, second-youngest QB to win two Super Bowls

Credentials for Manning: 2-time Pro Bowler, two-time Super Bowl champion, 2-time Super Bowl MVP, NFL record for most 4th quarter TD passes in a single season(15), NFL record for most road wins in the playoffs by a quarterback(5)

The case for Big Ben: From the minute he stood under center for the Steelers, Roethlisberger changed Pittsburgh's fortunes for the better. He went 14-1(including playoffs) in his rookie season and won his first Super Bowl in his second year as starter. Since then, he's been the model for toughness(albeit, not exactly durability) and is the chief reason the Steelers remain a contender year-in and year-out. When legendary coach Bill Cowher retired, many thought the Steelers would take a while to bounce back under new coach Mike Tomlin. Instead, Roethlisberger carried the Steel Curtian to another Super Bowl title and came within a final drive of winning his third one two years ago against Green Bay.

The case against Big Ben: His numbers aren't spectacular, but they are solid for a QB leading a team that's known for being smashmouth(though they became more pass-oriented under former OC Bruce Arians). Roethlisberger has thrown for more than 25 TD passes twice in eight seasons and has eclipsed the 4,000 yard mark twice as well. For all his toughness and willingness to play through pain, even Ben has his limits. Roethlisberger has played a full season just once in his career and, oddly enough, it was his worst season statistically(17 TD-to-15 INT). Big Ben also has the Drew Bledsoe curse of staying in the pocket too long waiting for the big play to develop and taking unnecessary sacks. Since 2006, Big Ben has been sacked at least 40 times every season except 2010, when he missed four games due to suspension(and he still finished with 32 sacks).

The case for Eli: For the second time in the Super Bowl(and the third time in the past three showdowns), Eli Manning marched down the field against the New England Patriots and engineered the game-winning drive. He has emerged as Mr. 4th Quarter and he will forever be known for his valiant effort in Super Bowl 42, defeated a then-undefeated Patriots team and pulling off one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history when he connected with David Tyree on the game-winning drive. He's thrown for 4,000 yards in the last three seasons and is now 7-3 in the playoffs.

The case against Eli: These are the facts Giants fans aren't trying to hear when they are busying championing Eli as the second coming. For all the talk about Eli's postseason greatness, it should be mentioned that Eli's playoff achievements barely happened because Eli and company were so underwhelming in the regular season that they needed late-season collapses by the Cowboys to back into the playoffs. In Eli's two Super Bowl champion years, the Giants were 10-6 and 9-7 in 2007 and 2011 respectively. In between those two years, Eli lead the Giants to the playoffs ONCE and they were one-and-done in 2008. It should also be mentioned that the same fans that now think Eli is a gridiron Jesus were ready to throw him and coach Tom Coughlin out of the Big Apple prior to the 2007 playoffs. Eli's thrown more than 30 TD's once in his career but has lead the league in interceptions twice. As great as he's been against the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, he got outplayed twice by the Redskins this season(your starting QB's for Washington in those games? Rex Grossman. Yikes.). Manning also took L's this season to teams led by Vince Young and Tarvaris Jackson. Look, I'm not saying Eli hasn't stepped up into the upper echelon of quarterbacks but run his numbers against Big Ben's and tell me how they aren't freakishly similar. You've never heard anyone call Big Ben the best QB in the game, have you? Two Super Bowl wins certainly legitimizes Eli's claim to the crown but it hardly secures his seat on the throne. Feel free to send me your hate mail, Giants fans.

2. Aaron Rodgers (age: 28)

Credentials: 2-time Pro Bowler, First-team All-Pro once, NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion and MVP, AP Male Athlete of the Year, NFL single-season record holder for QB rating(122.5), only QB to throw for 4,000 in each of his first two seasons as starter, only QB to in NFL history to throw for 45+ touchdowns and 6 or less interceptions.

The case for A-Rod: Oh, I can see your predictable jabs now. "Aw, Dave's a homer! How can he put Rodgers ahead of Eli when Eli beat Rodgers in the playoffs this year!?". A valid question, I grant you. The proof is in the numbers. Football is a team sport, not an individual sport, no matter how much we want to chalk Super Bowls down to Brees vs. Peyton or Big Ben vs. A-Rod or Eli vs. Brady. At the end of the day, one TEAM emerges victorious(That being said, A-Rod is 1-1 against Eli, even if Eli's win came in a game of greater importance). If we gave individuals credit for team accomplishments, then Big Ben would be alot higher on this list. If you want to put Eli ahead of A-Rod because the Giants beat the Packers in the playoffs than I get to put Donovan McNabb ahead of Eli for the number of times McNabb has sent Eli packing in the postseason. Sound fair? Didn't think so. What Rodgers has done in such a short span, not to mention the fact he took over for an icon in Brett Favre amidst a very ugly split between Favre and the team, is nothing short of incredible. Yes, the Packers backed into the playoffs last season, got hot at the right time and won the Super Bowl, a la Eli in 2007. Rodgers came back the next year, went 14-1 as a starter, won the NFL MVP in a landslide and came a few dropped passes and bad defense from running the table again. 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons isn't as impressive as it used to be considering defensive rule changes now allow the game to be glorified two-hand touch and passing offenses have become a bit more creative. A 45-6 TD-to-INT ratio in an offense that is almost exclusively utilizing the pass, however? Remarkable.

The case against A-Rod: We're judging Rodgers on such a short sample. Even though he's been in the league seven years, Rodgers has only started for four. Granted, in those three seasons, he's 41-21 as a starter but it's hard to get too worked up over four seasons of work. On top of that, Rodgers has laid some eggs in the playoffs. As good as the Giants were this year, the Packers proved they could beat Big Blue and a lot of the blame for that Divisional round loss falls on Rodgers' shoulders for being surprisingly off in key moments. Rodgers also cost the Packers a Wild Card win in Arizona when he fumbled the ball away which lead to the game-winning touchdown in overtime(In Rodgers' defense, he brought the Packers back from 21-0. In the anti-Rodgers' defense, his two early turnovers were the chief reason they were down so much.). We need to see more excellence out of Rodgers before we could give him the title that he fictitiously applies to himself after every score. You could do alot worse than 3-2 in the playoffs in your first three years but Rodgers needs more seasons like 2010 to keep him out of the Phillip Rivers "great regular season QB's who flop in the playoffs" category. Also, and it pains me to say this as a Packers fan, Matt Flynn's record-setting performance in Week 17 this season hurt Rodgers' stock a little bit to me, even if it came against a terrible Lions defense.

1. Tom Brady(age: 34)

Credentials: 7-time Pro Bowler, 2-time First Team All-Pro, 2nd-team All-Pro once, 2-time MVP, 2-time Offensive Player of the Year, lead the Patriots to five Super Bowls, winning three as well as two Super Bowl MVPs, NFL Comeback Player of the Year, AP Male Athlete of the Year, 2-time Sportsman of the Year, NFL record for touchdown passes in a single-season(50), most consecutive wins in the playoffs(10), most career completions in the Super Bowl, most consecutive passing attempts without an interception(358), one of two quarterbacks to lead his team to an undefeated regular season

The case for Tom: As much as Giants fans want to herald Eli as the king of comebacks, here's a stat for you: With the his team tied or down in the 4th quarter, Brady has engineered 33 game-winning drives in his career(three of which coming in the Super Bowl, albeit not against Eli Manning. You got me there, Giants fans.). He's 8-1 in overtime games. He's 138-40 as a starter, 14-5 in the playoffs. As disappointing as the last two Super Bowl losses were(especially since New England was favored both times, including being heavy favorites in 2007/2008), there's a short list of QB's who have lead their team to five Super Bowls. That list? Tom Brady....The End. Sure, Eli Manning has his number....and Shane Mosley has Oscar De La Hoya's number. It's a mere bump in the road along the way of a decorated career. Brady's lead the league in TD passes three times, passing yards twice and completion percentage once. He's as statistically dominant a quarterback as we've seen in the history of the game. Before Eli pulled off the single greatest Super Bowl upset by dispatching an 18-0 Patriots team, Brady pulled off a pretty big upset of his own by taking a heavy underdog Patriots team and beating Kurt Warner and "The Greatest Show On Turf" for his first Super Bowl in 2001. I know this piece seems more like an Eli Manning roast than an acknowledgement of his standing among the game's best passers, but that's mainly because everything that overzealous fans want to give Eli credit for has been done before by other guys on this list. You want to take Eli's 2011 season and use it as proof that he's better than Tom Terrific or Joe Cool, then I'm going to suggest you re-watch "The Catch" or Montana's sterling drive against Cincinnati in the Super Bowl or any one of Brady's 4th quarter drives in his three Super Bowl wins. I'm not even a Brady fan, but I know greatness when I see it and two losses on the biggest stage doesn't sully a career enough to put someone with paltry career numbers over a human record book.

The case against Tom: If you want to pick nits, he dropped the ball in two Super Bowls he should have had in the bag. After leading the game-winning drives in Super Bowl wins against St. Louis, Philadelphia and Carolina, Brady let us down by failing not once, but twice against the Giants in the Super Bowl when he had superior offenses in both games(Though the offenses were a bit closer in 2011 than in 2008). He also gets some criticism for being the poster child for the "sissy-fying" of the NFL. Thanks to Brady's season-ending knee injury in 2008 when Bernard Pollard hit him low in the first game of the season, the NFL has went out of its way to protect QB's like sacred cows. Brady's constant whining for roughing calls also makes it hard to root for him and there are Raiders fans still bitter that Brady introduced us to the "Tuck Rule". If you want to say it's unfair for holding the last two Super Bowls against Brady, so be it. If Brady isn't 0-2 against the Giants in the Super Bowl, this isn't even a debate. Tom Brady should be a five-time Super Bowl champion. Instead, he can settle for a seat atop the QB mountain. For now.

Super Bowl XLVI Predictions

By now, you've read all the stories. You've listened to all the hyperbole from, as Gabe refers to them, the talking haircuts. So, why don't we just skip the preamble and get right to it.

Patriots. Giants. Super Bowl 46. Who ya got!?

Giants (+2.5) vs. Patriots (in Indianapolis)

Dave: Patriots - This game has everything to do with 2007.....and nothing at all. We can sit here and debate forever whether Eli Manning would have his Super Bowl ring if not for that lucky David Tyree helmet catch. What's done is done. This is a different Patriots team than the 18-0 bunch that waltzed into Phoenix five years ago. The team is less reliant on the deep ball, mainly because they no longer have a deep threat. Still, the Patriots will go into Indy not forgetting that they came within a pubic hair of becoming the first undefeated champion in three decades. They haven't forgotten that this is the team that denied them perfection. Bill Belichick has had two weeks to remind his team of what we already know: To beat the Giants, New England must get pressure on Eli Manning while also keep their own golden boy untouched. The latter will be accomplished by getting the ball out quickly to guys like Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker with some Danny Woodhood coming out of the flats mixed in. I mentioned in my preview that I think Chad Ochocinco comes out of hiding and I still believe in that possibility, provided the offensive line can withstand this Big Blue front four. As for the former, that's going to be a bit more difficult. The Patriots don't have a legit pass rusher and the secondary isn't exactly stout either. Belichick is going to have to get crafty with the guys he has and that means NT Vince Wilfork is going to need another huge game clogging up the line like he did against Baltimore.

This game is going to be a shootout and if you had to place a bet on any defense being able to force any offense to turn the ball over, you'd bet on the Giants getting the best of the Patriots here. Still, my gut says New England has gotten tired of all the hype over this Giants pass rush and Eli Manning's quest for his second ring and they have something in store for the boys in blue. This game comes down to the final drive with Tom Brady, in the performance of his life, leading the charge downfield for the game-winning field goal. Patriots by 3, 38-35.

Gabe: Giants - Of course I'm going to take the Giants, but here's why: I think this is going to be a close game. I'm really worried about the psychology of the Patriots. They want revenge for Super Bowl XLII. For two weeks they have been hearing from everyone that the Giants are going to win. Then there was the fiasco with the Giants website taking pre-orders for Super Bowl Championship gear. The Pats have every reason in the world to want to win this game, and that is a dangerous position for their opponents.

I don't think the Pats' mindset will matter, because, as my friend Henri (the smartest football fan I know) said to me this morning, Tom Brady is a giant vagina. He can't handle pressure. He doesn't move will in the pocket. He hates having defensive lineman at his ankles. The Pats don't really have a running game. The Giants can force them into passing situations and then unleash that defensive line.

This will be a high scoring game. I think the Giants take the lead late and hold on. Giants by 4, 31-27.

Give 'Em Something To Talk About

BoomRoastedSports' picks for tonight's Super Bowl will be coming to you in the coming hours but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure which route Gabe(a diehard Giants fan) and myself(someone who has downplayed the Giants all season and wrote an entire blog confessing his dislike for Eli Manning) are going. Before both of us give you our takes on who we think will win and why, I'm offering up some predictions and things to look out for tonight since the last two weeks of media coverage of Super Sunday have almost exclusively been dedicated to Rob Gronkowski's ankle. First, a quick non-Super Bowl related rant.

Every year, we always anticipate big names being left off the list of guys who get the call to Canton for the NFL Hall of Fame. Even with six names selected every year, there's always somebody well-deserving who gets left out. For years, guys like John Stallworth and Art Monk waited and waited before finally getting in. With Stallworth and Monk now in, the waiting game will now be played by fellow legendary wideouts Cris Carter and Andre Reed. The Reed and Carter snubs are horrible especially Carter, who was one of the five best receivers to ever play the game. The snub I'm most annoyed about? Bill Parcells.

Parcells' credentials are well-documented. He took over teams in New York(both the Giants AND the Jets), New England and Dallas and made them substantially better. He won two Super Bowl rings and there are few coaches in the past three decades that were better on draft day than The Tuna. In Parcells' era, there were maybe two coaches who could even be mentioned in the same breath as him: Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs(both in Canton). Making matters more frustrating, the Hall came calling for former Jets/Patriots RB Curtis Martin last night, a man who was drafted and coached by......wait for it....wait for it.....Bill Parcells. Martin himself has gone on the record to say that he owes his career to Parcells for giving him an opportunity after Parcells drafted Martin out of the University of Pittsburgh with a 3rd round pick in 1995. Martin is just one of many names that Parcells molded into a star. Parcells made Jeff Hostetler relevant after Hostetler came off the bench for an injured Phil Simms to win a Super Bowl in 1990. More recently than that, Parcells gave a shot to an unknown quarterback out of Eastern Illinois named Tony Romo. You could build Pro Bowl rosters with the list of guys Parcells drafted and developed in his four stops in the NFL. Sure, Parcells bounced around a lot but it says something about the man that he managed to come in, take over a team, and make them a contender almost instantaneously. Parcells took a Cowboys team that had won 15 games in 3 years and brought them to the playoffs with Quincy Carter at QB. That alone should have gotten him the nod. Furthermore, the two coaches going head-to-head in tonight's Super Bowl are disciples from the Parcells coaching tree.....and they have four rings combined.

Instead, Parcells will probably wait til next year to get inducted. Except in 2013, he'll be up against some heavy hitters. As if holdovers Carter, Reed, Charles Haley, Tim Brown, Jerome Bettis, and Kevin Greene weren't daunting enough, the first-year candidates for next year include two all-world offensive linemen in Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen, a couple Super Bowl-winning pass rushers on the D-line in Michael Strahan and Warren Sapp as well as the late Steve McNair. Parcells should have been a shoe-in to make it on his first try but the voters dropped the ball. Getting in next year just got a lot harder for The Tuna, but it wouldn't be the first time Parcells has emerged victorious from a difficult situation.

On to some thoughts on the Super Bowl.....

For a rematch of one of the greatest Super Bowls in recent memory, the buzz seems to be rather ho-hum. You could chalk that up to the fact that both teams have coaches who won't allow their teams to provide bulletin board material. You could say it's because both QB's, Eli Manning and Tom Brady, are masters of cliche and do interviews as if they are reading off cue cards. It could also be because both teams lack a Shannon Sharpe or Deion Sanders type outgoing personality to make this a more entertaining lead-up to the big game. In an odd but not surprising turn of events, Eli's brother Peyton, who played all of zero snaps this season, got as much press these last two weeks for his eventual upheaval from Indianapolis and possible retirement as the little brother poised to win his second Super Bowl in five years. In fairness, the game is being played in Peyton's backyard but you would think the NFL would have the Colts table all the Peyton talk until after the Super Bowl. The overhyped tiff between Peyton and owner Jim Irsay could have waited a few weeks while the NFL attempted to drum up interest in the final game of a season that got off to a turbulent start.

Brady vs. Manning II should be more thrilling than the first showdown for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason is the fact that, New York's pass rush not withstanding, both defenses are pretty lackluster. The Patriots' defense struggled to pressure opposing QB's even with top pass rusher Andre Carter bringing the pain. Now that Carter is out for the year, the Pats' only hope at slowing opposing passing offenses is good coverage from their myriad of young and talented defensive backs. On the other side, we know Big Blue can get after the QB. That's because the Giants' secondary is so weak, they need that elite front four to make things miserable for quarterbacks. By all intents and purposes, this game will be a shootout with the Giants' big three at wide receiver(Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz) having a distinct advantage over the Patriots' secondary and the Patriots hopefully learning their lesson the second time around and ditching the deep ball that they fell in love with during the Randy Moss era and instead going back to the quick pass, play-it-safe, dink-and-dunk routine with guys like Gronkowski, fellow TE Aaron Hernandez and WR Wes Welker.

If there's an "unsung hero" to watch out for, it's Welker. Lost in Gronkowski's breakout season was the fact that Welker caught 122 passes for nearly 1,600 yards and 9 touchdowns. Nobody is better at finding a crack in the defense and getting open than Wes Welker and if there's a dark horse for Super Bowl MVP, he'd be my choice. If you're looking for a David Tyree-type, out of nowhere guy who has his Super Bowl moment, my guess is name you heard of: Chad Ochocinco. Ocho has stunk up the joint all season as he's shown a lack of commitment to learning the playbook or even running routes correctly but the team showed a little bit of faith in Chad by cutting fellow receiver Tiquan Underwood a day before the Super Bowl to open the door for Ochocinco. Nobody on either team loves the spotlight than Chad Ochocinco and Pro Bowl wideouts like him don't just suddenly forget how to play football. If Ochocinco was going to make an impact on the 2011 New England Patriots, why wouldn't it be today on the biggest stage possible when everyone leasts expects it?

As for the Giants, tight end Jake Ballard is worth watching here. Patriots coach Bill Belichick is smart enough to not let New York's receivers run amok but Ballard has proven to be Eli's safety valve when things get tight. Every Super Bowl has that one guy nobody expects to score a touchdown, be it a guy like Gary Russell or Greg Lewis. My gut tells me Ballard finds the end zone early for the Giants.

Keys for the Patriots: Establish the run. You don't need to be Vince Lombardi to know that, if the opposing defense excels at rushing the passer but is 19th against the run, you should probably utilize the ground game. The Packers gashed the Giants for a few big runs in the Divisional round but, Green Bay being a pass-heavy team and going into panic mode after being down a couple scores, they abandoned the run in favor of trying to get that vaunted pass attack going. The Patriots' best chances of avenging their 2007 defeat will be if they go to the run game early with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead early and keep this Giants' defense on its toes.

The other key? Pressuring Eli Manning. The Packers were torn apart by Manning because they didn't have a pass rush beyond Clay Matthews. The one time they got in Eli's face, however, they forced an interception. The next week, in San Francisco, the Niners kept the game close by constantly getting in Eli's face and hitting him every chance they got. Manning showed great resiliency for a guy who cried his way off the Chargers in 2004(Sorry, couldn't resist) and took an absolute beating from the Niners. The Patriots' defense, by the numbers and on paper, are somewhere in between Green Bay and San Fran's D(statistically, they are better than the Packers but, talent-wise, they are nowhere close to the Niners) and, even though the Patriots can match New York score-for-score, the Pats' can't afford to go into a shootout with this Giants' defensive line constantly coming at them.

Key for the Giants: Stick to the 2007 script. The key to beating New England hasn't changed since New York thwarted New England's perfect season five years ago. You get pressure on Tom Brady and smack him in the mouth, you have a good chance at winning. The Patriots' offensive line is a bit better than it was the last time these two met for the Lombardi, but it's hardly a brick wall. That being said, the Giants' pass rush has a younger, more athletic alternative to Michael Strahan from Super Bowl 42. His name is Jason Pierre-Paul.

JPP is the unquestioned biggest mouth on this Giants defense and this is the game he needs to put up or shut up. He made good on his guarantee to beat Green Bay but the best way to punctuate a great breakout season is to leave your dent in the Super Bowl. On offense, much has been said about the Giants' passing attack, but don't forget that the Giants have an underrated one-two punch in the run game with Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Both men played a small part in 2007. This time around, they should grab a bigger piece of the pie.

FIVE FEARLESS PREDICTIONS FOR SUPER BOWL 46

1. Aaron Hernandez will have more catches than Rob Gronkowski: With no real stories to report, the media made Gronkowski's recovery from a high ankle sprain seem like he's trying to come back from a torn ACL. Gronk went from being the next Shannon Sharpe to the next Willis Reed in the span of two weeks. We know Gronkowski is going to be a factor tonight, which is why the Giants will game plan for that. Hernandez's best games come when teams overcompensate on trying to stop Gronkowski. Hernandez also gets a few touches in the run game. If I had to gamble on one tight end to be the bigger star tonight, I'll take the guy who hasn't got a shred of credit the last two weeks over the hobbled superfreak whom the opposing defense will be dying to stop.

Put me down for 6 catches, 72 yards and a score for Aaron Hernandez with Gronkowski adding four catches for 63 yards.

2. Kelly Clarkson will be worse as the National Anthem singer than Christina Aguilera was last year: Christina Aguilera got more press than she needed by botching the national anthem on the most watched show of the year. I don't think Clarkson makes the same mistake. That being said, Clarkson is legendary for being a horrible live performer. With the world watching, Clarkson won't have fancy producers to hide her subpar vocal chops.

Look, I like Kelly Clarkson. I think she's a sweet girl. I also know she's not the second coming of Whitney Houston. The nerves and the need to capture a moment like this(yup, that was intentional) will expose her flaws as a singer. If a world-class vocalist like Aguilera can get the jitters and sound like Cyndi Lauper on the big stage, why can't a glorified Mouseketeer like Clarkson?

While we're on the subject of musical performances at the Super Bowl....

3. Madonna will do something to try to steal the show and renew her 15 minutes of fame during her halftime show: Madonna has promised there will be no "wardrobe malfunctions" like what happened to Janet Jackson a few years ago, which led to the NFL pulling its halftime acts from the rotation of VH1 Classic.

Still, Madonna rose to glory in the 80's and 90's by being the quintessential sex symbol of her generation. She's also more washed up than seaweed. What better way to grab some limelight than doing something a bit risque with millions of eyes on her. Lest we forget, this is the same woman who dry-humped the stage in a wedding dress and tongue-kissed Britney Spears at two separate MTV Video Music Awards so that she could grab a few headlines. There's no doubt the NFL and producers will keep Madonna on a tight leash, but there's no accounting for what the Material Girl once she's out on stage with the cameras rolling.

4. Tom Brady will put on the performance of his life: In the eight years that have passed since Brady won his last ring, here's what's happened on his watch: His rival, Peyton Manning, won his first ring. Peyton's brother, Eli, bested Brady and ruined a 19-0 season by winning his first ring and pulling off the biggest Super Bowl upset in recent memory. Ben Roethlisberger went to three Super Bowls, winning two while possibly raping two women and nearly dying once in between. Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees both won Super Bowls while also stealing Brady's title as "the best QB in the game". More importantly, Brady has spent the last two weeks with highlights of that Super Bowl 42 loss on an endless loop. You don't think Brady, a man who has spent his entire career tearing up defenses like he has a personal vendetta, will be playing this game with a chip on his shoulder? You don't think he wants to erase the taste of 2007 by sticking it to this heralded Giants pass rush and putting up Madden numbers against the team that denied him his perfect season? You don't think Brady relishes the opportunity to tie his childhood idol, Joe Montana, with four Super Bowl rings?

Brady and Patriots have proven they won't make the same mistake twice. They also have proven that they are willing to make a statement, if need be. They swept a Jets team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. The avenged a early season come-from-behind loss to Buffalo by slaughtering the Bills in Week 17. They ran up the score against Denver in the Divisional round because they, like many of us, got tired of hearing about the greatness of Tim Tebow. They got physical with Baltimore in the AFC Championship because all they heard about is how the Ravens have their number. If the Patriots opened 2012 with a list of teams they want to get revenge on, then Eli's Giants will be the last name to cross off. Given how they've handled this whole season, why should we believe the Patriots won't put on a record-setting show with Tom Terrific leading the way?

5. Your Super Bowl MVP will be......Tom Brady: I think Wes Welker has a chance to win this one much like Deion Branch did the last time the Pats won it all, but it's hard to say "Brady will have an all-time performance" and then say he won't win MVP. All Brady did this season was break Dan Marino's passing record with 5,235 passing yards, but Drew Brees passed for more so he got all the credit. All Brady did was lead his team to its fifth Super Bowl in 12 years, but he sat back and watched Rodgers and Brees claim MVP and Offensive Player of the Year while they sat at home eliminated from the playoffs. All Brady has heard about is how Eli Manning has emerged as one of the game's best quarterbacks. In a odd way, the emergence of guys like Rodgers, Brees, Manning, Tebow and Matt Stafford has made Tom Brady....dare I say.....underrated. A lot of that has to do with the fact that Brady lost this matchup five years ago so the idea that we should never doubt Tom Brady in the Super Bowl has gone away. Brady has a chance to right the media's wrongs and climb back to the top of the mountain by besting the guy who started Brady's downward spiral(if you can call it that). In a lot of ways, this is 2001 all over again. Brady enters the Super Bowl with something to prove against a heavily-publicized Super Bowl winning QB looking for his second ring in a short span. I said it before, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who I'm leaning towards tonight. My money's on Tom Brady putting on a show for the ages and crossing that last name off his list.

Most Hated

Even the most moderate of sports fans have athletes they can't stand for whatever reason. It could be because they are a known jackass(Barry Bonds, Terrell Owens, Sean Avery, Floyd Mayweather Jr.). They might play for your team's rival(Using my teams as examples: Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jay Cutler, Brian Urlacher). They might have done some unsavory things off the field(Plaxico Burress, Kobe Bryant, Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Vick, Brett Favre, Gilbert Arenas). You might disagree with their views(Josh Howard, Tim Tebow). Perhaps the over-saturation of coverage on these particular athletes rubs you the wrong way(Pretty much any quarterback but especially Tebow, LeBron James). They might have left your team on bad terms(Again, using my teams as an example: David Justice, Favre again, Larry "Grandmama" Johnson, Cullen Jenkins).

This Sunday's Super Bowl will be a rematch between two quarterbacks, one of which now finds himself on the top of my personal list of athletes I despise the most. The answer might surprise you(or might not, if you knew me personally).

With Favre retired and Tiki Barber(both the previous leaders in the clubhouse for my ire) being treated by NFL teams like movie directors treat Skeet Ulrich, there's a new face for the Leonardis dart board: New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Now, Giants fans like Gabe will claim by dislike of Eli is a byproduct of bitterness from Eli and company derailing two potential Packer Super Bowl runs. I'd be lying to you if I said that doesn't play a small part of it. Others might ask "but what about Tom Brady? Lots of people can't stand him." Duely noted. I don't hate Tom Brady. Men dislike Tom Brady for a multitude of reasons. He's kind of a sissy in how he whines to officials when defenders come anywhere close to hitting him after he releases the ball. Since dating Gisele, he's reformed himself into a Calvin Klein model who also moonlights as a QB. He's kind of robotic in his interviews. We dislike Tom Brady for the same reasons non-Yankee fans dislike Derek Jeter or most soccer fans despise David Beckham: He's rich, talented and he's a winner who also bangs hot chicks. Still, Brady's rise to glory from a unknown 6th round pick out of Michigan to a three-time Super Bowl champ and one of the greatest QB's of all time is a good enough story to give him the benefit of the doubt for the fact that he's a closet metrosexual whose image seems scripted by the writers of "Sex and the City".



Manning tops my list because, with his older brother in the twilight of his career and thus ignored from the spotlight beyond clamoring for his retirement, he's become a bit overrated. I get it. He's on the verge of winning a second Super Bowl ring, which would put him up there with John Elway and move him into a tie for 2nd among active QB's for most Super Bowl rings. Lest we forget, the same fans who spout off corny phrases like "You can't spell elite without Eli" were ready to throw mini-Peyton out on his ass prior to the 2007 playoffs. Here's another thing that seems to have been forgotten: His spoiled brat routine at the 2004 NFL Draft when he refused to play for the San Diego Chargers(who drafted him #1 overall) which inevitably led to him forcing his way to New York. We can debate for days whether the Giants would be every bit as successful these last eight years had they kept Phillip Rivers instead of trading for Eli(I sent that question to Gabe and I have yet to get a response. Stay tuned). What's not up for debate is that Manning stomping his feet, crossing his arms and hiding behind his daddy to keep him out of San Diego was a complete dick move. The same way Elway forcing his way out of Baltimore and into Denver was a dick move. The same way Steve Francis refusing to go to Vancouver(now Memphis) and working his way onto the Houston Rockets on draft day was a dick move. College standouts, regardless if their last name is Manning or Gbaja-Biamila, who haven't earned squat in the NFL shouldn't have the right to dictate where they go. I'd be willing to give Eli a slight pardon had he a. gave a legit reason for not wanting to go to San Diego(and, really, why wouldn't you want to live in San Diego if you're young, rich and single? I've lived in the Tri-State area for two decades. Nothing against New York but the traffic sucks, the winters are much more brutal than they are in California and, sorry New Yorkers, but the ladies aren't nearly as pretty) or b. apologized to the city of San Diego as well as Chargers fans.

It amazes me how that story doesn't get brought up enough, especially in the week leading up to the two Super Bowls Manning has appeared in. That would be my first question on Media Day.

"Yes, Eli, do you feel like you owe the city of San Diego and Chargers fans an apology for how you kicked and screamed your way to New York on Draft Day?"

If Manning's hissy-fit bothers me, imagine how fans of the Bolts must feel. Three franchise QB's walked into the green room on Draft Day in 2004, two of them have been to the Super Bowl at least twice(with one winning twice in three tries and the other attempting to go 2-for-2) while the third has never been past the AFC Championship. Guess who ended up with the third one? That's right. San Diego. Sure, Chargers fans have to be thankful that Philip Rivers hasn't been a total bust but it has to stick in their craw a little bit that the guy who should be winning Super Bowls for them plays elsewhere and, on top of that, used his high-profile bloodlines to get there. All of this talk about Peyton's little brother and Peyton's chief rival doing battle in "The House That Peyton Built"....how about some condolences for the fan base that got screwed the most out of this whole ordeal?

In an era of social media and talking heads blasting athletes for being me-first divas, how, in a week where there is literally nothing to talk about beyond the busted ankle of a tight end, are we not giving this story more attention? If Cam Newton announced he didn't want to play for Carolina and someone manipulated a trade to, say, Baltimore and a few years later, he leads the Ravens to the Super Bowl, everyone would go nuts. Skip Bayless would have a seizure on that unwatchable spitfest of his. Colin Cowherd would be apoplectic! Do we give Eli a pass because he's a member of the First Family of Football? Or, like we've done with so many other athletes, does winning give us a classic excuse to sweep this under the rug?

Holding a grudge after eight years for demanding a trade may seem pithy but there's something to be said about a man who believes he's above the system because he comes from good stock. Eli Manning is no different from any other college snot who has been soaked in entitlement and fame. He's also no different from any other college athlete.....except nobody bothered to tell him that on that faithful April afternoon in 2004. Eli Manning should be a San Diego Charger, in my eyes. You can choose to ignore it because the trade worked out well for both sides but it's hard to see Eli's smug face as the poster child for New York football and as someone who will be showered with all kinds of superlatives if he's victorious on Sunday and not be a wee bit ticked that he was allowed to carve a path that other rookies either haven't dared or hadn't had the ability to carve.

We all have our reasons to cast our disdain for certain athletes or celebrities or even people in general. They might not be just. They may be petty. They may even come from jealousy or bitterness. But if hating Eli Manning for pissing on the Chargers is wrong, then I don't want to be right.