Front Row.com Blog

 On the eve of the Super Bowl the NFL has chosen to release it’s list of NFL Hall of fame inductees. They include:

Jerry Rice – The former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver was shoo in and desevedly so. he may be the best wide receiver of all time.

Emmitt Smith – The Dallas Cowboys haven’t seen a runner line Smith in a decade. In my mind not as sure a thing as Rice but you can’t argue the pick.

Rickey Jackson – Finally one the New Orleans Saints make the Hall of fame based in what he did in new Orleans. Part of the NFL’s best linebacker corp in the Dome Patrol, Jackson deserves the honor.

Russ Grimm – Score one for the Hogs.

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 Lucky fans with Super Bowl tickets should be in for a good time down in Miami. The New Orleans saints will bring in a sizeable crowd that knows how to party. Indianapolis Colts fans may be a little more subdued but they’ll still be having a good time.

 As for the Super Bowl game itself I believe we’re in for a doozy. The Indianapolis Colts have a virtual machine at quarterback, a guy capable of analyzing and dissecting any defense that comes along. But the Saints D is very cagey and seems to have a knack for coming up with the big play. They’ll have to in order to contain Manning.

 New Orleans meanwhile, will have to contend with a Colts D that just doesn’t seem too inclined to give up the big play. A lot of Cover 2, where most every pass has to go short, doesn’t fit the Saints style. New Orleans lives on big plays and Indianapolis just doesn’t give them up. But that whole equation could be changed if Dwight Freeney is out or incapable and Drew Brees gets time in the pocket. And a Saints running game that’s capable of being both explosive and consistent, could spell trouble for the Colts.

 I’m looking forward to another high scoring and past paced Super Bowl.

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 A quick look at the NBA reveals the murmur of some change around the league. I can remember last season when the Boston Celtics had everything going their way. By this point in the NBA season Boston already had a commanding lead on the rest of the Atlantic Division and fans were already pointing to a showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Championship.

 Not so in this NBA season. Right now I’m looking at the Celtics clinging to a four point lead in the Atlantic. The Toronto Raptors have been riding the curl, right behind Boston, and show no signs of faltering. A strong push, coup[led with a Celtics stumble, could mean a major change come playoff time. Further muddling in the Eastern Conference comes by way of the Atlanta Hawks, a team for which everyone has been expecting good things for some time. This year the Hawks have been very competitive. A mere pair of games behind the Orlando Magic, Atlanta is in a good spot for a run that puts them on top.

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 As every NFl team knows, injuries will kill you. In the age of free agency teams struggle for quality depth. Keeping good players around that haven’t quite reached starting potential is a tough deal. That’s why on most NFL teams there’s a razors edge when it comes to injuries. Lose one key guy and things can go to hell quick.

 Both Super Bowl teams are experiencing that right now. For the Indianapolis Colts the blow comes where they might least be able to afford it. Dwight Freeney is down with an ankle injury and from all indicatiuons it’s pretty serious. Freeney is a major factor in the Colts’ pass rush scheme. Getting pressure on Drew Brees is a going to be a big part of the Indianapolis defensive plan. Losing Freeney is a big stick in the spokes. Even if he plays Freeney won’t be 100%. That’s a big help to New Orleans, whose quarterback Drew Brees, will kill you if he’s given time.

 For the Saints the bad news comes on the offensive side of the ball as Tight End Jeremy Shockey is nursing an injury to his knee. Shockey is a dangerous receiving threat and forces opponents into covering him well. His absence or presence affects the way teams play New Orleans.

 Put these two factors on a scale and I think they tip in favor of the Saints. New Orleans can throw in Dave Thomas who, while not explosive as Shockey when he’s healthy, has nevertheless made some good plays in 2009. The Colts really have noone to replace Freeney. Advantage New Orleans Saints.

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 The legend of Tim Tebow in college football is one that’s going to stick around for a long time. A couple of BCS National Championships, records galore, and most of all unceasing national attention from the press. So it comes as no surprise that the legions of Florida Gators fans have tuned in to see what Tim Tebow can do in the NFL.

 The Senior Bowl was supposed to be a venue for Tebow to shine. But early reports on Senior Bowl practices gave a hint of trouble and his performance in the Senior Bowl is a clear indication that Tim Tebow has a long way to go to be a sure fire thing in the pro game. Tebow lost a couple of fumbles and completed 8 of 12 passes, and rushed for a handful of yards. But the Senior Bowl wasn’t really a showcase for his talents. Limited practice time, limited game plans, and limited opportunities do not make for an ideal showcase.

 Regardless of his debut, there will be plenty of interest in Tebow because he offers an intriguing set of assets. One thing Tebow can lay claim to is an intangible value of being a winner. This is a guy that has handled extreme pressure of all types and come through it smiling. But can he be an effective NFL quarterback? That remains to be seen. But with lots of physical talent and all the right intangibles, Tebow will be picked and picked early.

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 Gilbert Arenas just wasn’t thinking. I can just see him waking up in the morning and debating with himself whether or not he should bring his guns to work. Why even ask? Doesn’t every employer in the country urge their workers to come to work armed?

 I’m pretty tired of hearing about this issue. Arenas has been suspended and I assume his career is in serious doubt. Losing an NBA career over a small bet seems to me to be kinds foolish but then again what do I know. Anyway, the Washington Wizards occupy last place in the Southeast. And I don’t think they can shoot ther way out of that.

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 Kurt Warner, quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals, announced his retirement today. It probably wasn’t unexpected, since he’s getting up in age and the New Orleans Saints knocked him around pretty well. Truthfully, you have to admire the guy. He came in unheralded and won a Super Bowl, and took a lowly Arizona Cardinals team to unexplored territory.

 From the St. Louis Rams to the New York Giants to the Cardinals, Kurt Warner was always a class act and a dangerous guy under center. His retirement, in my mind, puts the Cardinals a few steps back. Is Matt Leinart ready to step up and reach his potential? I kinda doubt it. So far, Leinart has beena dud and to me seems lost on the field. Management claims that Leinart has been working hard and making progress. I guess we’ll see and Goodbye Kurt.

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 This Super Bowl in Miami should have plenty of offense. Both the New Orleans Saints and of course the Indianapolis Colts can score with the best of them. NFL fans are always looking for a shootout and this Super Bowl should give it to them.

 For the Colts, it’s a familiar situation. Manning and Wayne have been dynamic all season have displayed considerable toughness in the playoffs. Manning always seem to muster just enough points to put the Colts in a comfortable situation. Throw whatever kind of defense you can think of at him and he’ll find a way to attack it. The only way to beat Peyton Manning is to stuff the run and pressure him with a strong pass rush. If you’re not hitting him he’s beating you.

 The Saints are very similiar except for perhaps having a more diverse attack. Drew Brees is another quarterback who can pick up a blitz and make you pay. In addition the Saints seem to have found a ground game that could make the difference in the Super Bowl.

 Where are the edges? Well, the Colts have been to a Super Bowl and walked away with a win. Manning knows the routine and the distractions. New Orleans will have to handle it without the benefit of experience. On the other hand I believe the Saints have an edge in excitement and on defense. While they aren’t a shutdown bunch the Saints defense has generated enough turnovers to put them in a Super Bowl. Against the Vikings, New Orleans created five turnovers at crucial moments, allowing the Saints to win despite being outproduced in almost every aspect of offense.

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NASCAR fans got some good news today with the announcement that some of the rule are being changed. Complaints have been building about NASCAR becoming too polite a sport, that drivers weren’t allowed to be aggressive in their driving. Well, it’s been announced that this season drivers will be given more leeway to drive hard. Get ready for some bumping and rubbing in 2010. Also in the works is a change in restrictor plates, making them larger and giving drivers more power to work with. Hopefully we’ll see the results in the next few weeks as the Daytona 500 unfolds.

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 One of the interesting aspects of the AFC Championship game is that it will be a game where both head coaches are in their first year with their teams. Neither has ever led a team, and now they’re both playing for the right to win a Super Bowl. Pretty unusual situation. I guess the days are gone when it took a head coach four years to develop a playoff contender.

 For Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell the pressure wasn’t to build a team but not to screw it up. Indianapolis has been one of the best teams in the NFl the last few years under Tony Dungy. Big shoes to fill, but with Manning at the helm it had to be easier. Rex Ryan on the other hand, had to put together a team reeling from a late season slump and feeling the effects of Brett Favre flu. Having Favre bolt to the Vikings had to be an insult to the collective minds of the New York Jets but nobody is crying today with the rise of Sanchez. I thing they’re happy.

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