Category Archives: andrew luck

2013 NFL Week 7 – Betting Picks Against Spread

Peyton-Manning-Andrew-LuckNeed betting advice for the NFL games this weekend? We pick every game against the spread in Week 7 of the NFL season.

Say goodbye to any value in the points spreads. The value is now in the decent teams with a bad record (Atlanta, NY Giants, Pittsburgh). Those plays are risky, but they’ll payoff this week. Keep those teams in mind in the coming weeks. You could hit on a few home underdog moneyline plays.

We pick every NFL game against the spread and throw out a few upsets in Week 7 of the NFL season.

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Fantasy Football Start/Sit – Week 4

Peyton Manning Colin Kaepernick FantasyFantasy football reared her ugly head last weekend. You had some stars suffering bad fantasy weeks and some bench players coming up big.

The bye weeks begin this week with the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers sitting this week out. Fantasy owners will need to replace Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, Reggie Cobb, Steve Smith, Jordy Nelson and James Jones in their lineups.

I hope I helped out fantasy owners last week. I had some good calls (Snelling, Moreno, Cameron), but missed on Pierre Garcon. I feel confident this week’s edition of Fantasy Football Start/Sit will help fantasy owners win in Week 4. Continue reading

2013 Fantasy Football: Top 25 Quarterback Rankings

Drew+Brees+Carlton+Fresh+Prince+FunnyIt’s never too early to pontificate and post preseason fantasy football rankings.

As you may know, the top of the rankings are full of the usual suspects (Brees, Brady, Manning), but a few new faces pop up at the tail end of our rankings.

Colin Kaepernick is a “sexy” name for fantasy football analysts this offseason, but will he succumb to the ‘Super Bowl Runner-Up Jinx’.

Here are our Top 25 quarterback rankings for the 2013 fantasy football season. Continue reading

NFL: Colts Focus On Depth Early In Free Agency

Gosder+Cherilus+Indianapolis+Colts+Free+AgentThe Indianapolis Colts didn’t waste any time to add depth to their team.

The free agency period started yesterday and within the first few hours, the Colts announced five signings.

The most important of those signings is former first-round pick Gosdar Cherilus. He is slated to replaced Winston Justice at right tackle.

The Colts know they have to protect quarterback Andrew Luck if they plan on having success.

Who else did the Colts sign? We fill you in after the jump… Continue reading

2012 NFL Team Preview: Indianapolis Colts

What a difference a year makes. The Colts were expected to still be a playoff team in 2011, even with Peyton Manning missing a ‘few games.’ Well, he went on to miss the entire season, Indianapolis received nothing from the quarterback position and finished with a 2-14 record.

The Indianapolis Colts have many question marks going into the 2012 season. They are just at the beginning of the rebuilding process and fans will have to endure another bad season. Arguably, this season won’t hurt as bad since Kerry Collins won’t out there fumbling their happiness away.

There are a slew of new faces in Indianapolis this year. Forget about Luck, new head coach Chuck Pagano and new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians are the two new guys who will make the biggest impact in 2012.

Here is our 2012 NFL team preview for the Indianapolis Colts.

2011 Win/Loss Record: 2-14

Key Additions: QB Andrew Luck, RB Mewelde Moore, WR Donnie Avery, S Tom Zbikowski, C Samson Satele, DT Cory Redding, CB Justin King, C Mike McGlynn, DT Brandon McKinney, WR T.Y. Hilton, TE Colby Fleener, TE Dwayne Allen, DT Josh Chapman, OG Zane Taylor, RB Vick Ballard and WR LaVon Brazill.

Key Losses: QB Peyton Manning, RB Joseph Addai, LB Gary Brackett, S Melvin Bullitt, TE Dallas Clark, QB Kerry Collins, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Anthony Gonzalez, CB Jacob Lacey, WR Blair White, QB Dan Orlovsky, QB Curtis Painter, C Jeff Saturday, TE Jacob Tamme, LB Phillip Wheeler, DE Jamaal Anderson, OG Ryan Diem, DT Eric Foster, OG Mike Pollack, OG Jamey Richard, LB Ernie Sims and Brody Eldridge.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC East and NFC North

Fantasy Sleeper: RB Delone Carter – The starting running back job is up for grabs in Indianapolis. Joseph Addai is gone and they will need either Donald Brown, Vick Ballard or Delone Carter to shine during training camp. Brown is the front-runner for the job. If he gets it, Carter should get plenty of goal-line carries. He is currently the front-runner to be the third-down back. I almost picked Ballard for the sleeper, since he has the same build as Carter. If Carter is taken in your fantasy football draft, WR T.Y. Hilton is a nice deep sleeper. WR Donnie Avery is already banged up in training camp and he has left an opening for a receiver to shine.

Team Analysis: Just look at the list of guys who have arrived or left this organization in the last five months. It will take a few weeks just for these guys to know their teammates’ names. Andrew Luck will have a productive, yet humbling rookie season. He will not have Cam Newton’s numbers, but will end the season better than he was when he arrived at training camp. The receiving corps will help him out a lot. Just by having his old college teammate Colby Fleener out there will help Luck feel more comfortable. The running game was horrible last year and does not appear to be improved this season either. Donald Brown could go from ‘draft bust’ to ‘late bloomer’ with a good season. The Colts’ defense is a complete crapshoot. There are so many new faces and young players expected to contribute, they are bound to look bad at times. The coaches hope the learning curve is small for the young players and guys like Pat Angerer can keep improving. Indianapolis will be bad this season, but they will be watchable…something you could not say last season.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 5 (Prediction: UNDER)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 3-13

CLICK HERE to read the rest of our 2012 NFL Team Previews

By: TwitterButtons.com

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Drew Brees have been the top fantasy quarterback picks over the last few seasons. The 2012 season is no different. The same trio is at the top of the preseason rankings and all of the usual suspects following them.

The quarterback situations in Seattle, Cleveland, Jacksonville, and Tennessee have left some question marks on where the value is at the quarterback position in fantasy football this season. Can you wait to pick a quarterback or will you have to grab one early or spend $45 dollars in an auction draft to have an elite QB.

We have some surprises for you in our quarterback rankings. I am not sold on Cam Newton this year and I love Philip Rivers more than most people. How will the rookie QBs fare this season?

Here is our Top 50 quarterback rankings for the 2012 NFL fantasy football season. Continue reading

2012 NFL Draft – Underrated Draft Picks

Once the 2012 NFL Draft started, it went by in a hurry. The first-round finished in about three hours, which is less than half of the time it took just three years ago. The picks were coming in faster than a commissioner’s hug and the trades were flowing like water. The top of the draft went as planned, but my mock draft barely survived the early surprise picks (Bruce Irvin). The chain reaction caused a few top prospects to fall deep into the draft.

A lot of quality players were taken later in the draft, which is where a team’s scouting department earns their money. The first few rounds have a greater percentage of sticking in the league, but the later rounds is where championship are won. Every Super Bowl team has a few guys like Donald Driver, Tom Brady, or Marques Colston, who were picked in the last two rounds of the NFL draft. Who were the steals in the 2012 NFL Draft? A few of these picks might surprise you, because there were a lot of smart draft picks this year.

12. Philadelphia Eagles – DT Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State) – I know what you’re thinking, “How can a Top-12 pick be a “steal?” It’s due to the fact that he was there at #12 and he was the #1 guy on their board. He wasn’t even the first defensive tackle taken. Kansas City drafted an untested guys from Memphis (Donatri Poe). Cox has been compared to Warren Sapp and if you can get a guy like that at #12, it’s a steal.

21. New England Patriots – DE Chandler Jones (Syracuse) – The Patriots could draft an 8-year old girl in the first-round and NFL analysts would defend it with “Belichick is a genius.” As much as I say that every year, I really love Jones. He reminds me of Dwight Freeney, but with the ability to be a really good OLB in a 3-4. His brother is Jon “Bones” Jones of the UFC, so you know he’ll be a fighter for you.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers – OG David DeCastro (Stanford) – DeCastro was a guy that I heard would be taken in the top 15, but teams didn’t focus much on offensive linemen in the first-round. He could be the best guard to enter the draft since Steve Hutchinson. Pittsburgh’s offensive line is old and fragile, so this was a pretty easy decision.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – RB Doug Martin (Boise State) – The Bucs were sneaky before the Draft and didn’t squash the rumor that they wanted to move up for Trent Richardson. They kept their cool and ended up getting a better fit at running back at #31. Martin will be a nice complement to LeGarrette Blount. The duo reminds me of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, who had a nice run in New York.

34. Indianapolis Colts – TE Coby Fleener (Stanford) – Andrew Luck isn’t able to practice at the Colts practice facility until June. He is finishing up his academic quarter and he needs a familiar target to help ease him into the NFL. Fleener will also be at Stanford during this time, so it was logical that he was high on the Colts draft board. The Giants was rumored to be interested in him at #32, but ended up taking a running back instead. Fleener reminds me of Rob Gronkowski, because he can line up at tight-end or wide receiver. He has big hands and he isn’t a terrible blocker.

40. Carolina Panthers – OG Amini Silatolu (Midwestern State) – I didn’t know of Silatolu until I started to research some of the offensive linemen in this year’s draft class. I watched some videos online and read some of the chatter about him. The video of him is ridiculous, but I had to remind myself that he was facing sub-par talent at the D-II/D-III level. He is a project for the Panthers, but he impressed me enough to think of this pick as a steal.

51. Green Bay Packers – DT Jerel Worthy (Michigan State) – Just a few weeks ago, Worthy was mentioned as a first-round grade, just behind Cox and Poe. He will come into the league with a chip on his shoulder. If the Packers ever line up at a 4-3, he would be interesting beside of B.J. Raji, but in a 3-4, he’ll come in the game to spell Raji.

54. Detroit Lions – WR Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma) – Broyles was a consensus All-American in 2010 & 2011 and the NCAA FBS leader in career receptions (349). The reason that he fell into the second-round was that he tore his ACL in a November game last season. He will start out the year on the PUP list, but if the Lions are patient with him, he could be a nice bookend to Calvin Johnson.

55. Atlanta Falcons – C Peter Konz (Wisconsin) – Konz is another guy that was rumored to be picked late in the first-round. Konz fell because teams were drafting based on need instead of using the “best player available” strategy. The University of Wisconsin manufactures NFL offensive linemen and Konz will be in the league for a long time.

65. St. Louis Rams – DB Trumaine Johnson (Montana) – Montana isn’t known for it’s NFL talent, but seven players will end up in NFL camps. Johnson is a bit cornerback at nearly 6’2 and the kind of physical corner that Jeff Fisher loves. He will compete to the be a starter in 2012.

66. Minnesota Vikings – DB Josh Robinson (Central Florida) – The Vikings drafted the fastest guy at the NFL Combine, with a 4.29 40-yard time. I usually hate teams drafting the fastest guy high in the draft, but I like it when he’s a corner. He can play man-to-man or zone and he’ll instantly help Minnesota’s poor pass defense.

85. Detroit Lions – DB Dwight Bentley (Louisiana Lafayette) – This is the third “steal” of a cornerback in the 3rd round. He’s an aggressive guy and reminds some of Eric Berry. He will need some work to get at Berry’s level, but if you can get a starting cornerback at pick #85, you’re doing something right.

97. Miami Dolphins – RB Lamar Miller (Miami FL) – The Dolphins didn’t have to go very far to scount Miller. He has blazing speed (4.3) and will inject some life into Miami’s running attack. Some scouts had him as a Top-50 talent, but he was leapfrogged by some other running backs with higher potential.

109. Pittsburgh Steelers – DT Alameda Ta’amu (Washington) – Ta’amu received a high grade by a lot of scouts (2nd-round), but he was also hurt by a few guys being taken higher because of upside. He can fill holes on the interior with his 348 pound frame. The Steelers hope that he will be the Casey Hampton’s successor.

112. Arizona Cardinals – OT Bobby Massie (Mississippi) – One of Arizona’s top needs was trying to fill the vacated right-tackle position. They confused a lot of people when they didn’t address this issue in the first three rounds. Massie should win the starting right-tackle job and getting him here is a steal.

143. Carolina Panthers – DB Josh Norman (Coastal Carolina) – A lot of teams take small college cornerbacks in hopes of molding them into NFL talent. If they don’t pan out there, they can stick them on the special teams. Norman is a nice gamble at #143, because he has a nose for the ball. He has good size and could end up as a nickelback and get his team a few turnovers.

163. Green Bay Packers – OLB Terrell Manning (NC State) – Manning’s draft stock took a huge hit when he had knee surgery. He was a two year starter at NC State and Green Bay need depth at linebacker. They have been riddled with injuries at that position in the past. If they are patient with him, he’ll be a nice substitution or much more.

164. Atlanta Falcons – DE Jonathan Massaquoi (Troy) – Troy has produced DeMarcus Ware & Osi Umenyiora, so taking a chance on Massaquoi could have a high payout. He will add depth to the position in Atlanta. He’s a project, but all the raw talent is there to be a starter.

186. Dallas Cowboys – TE James Hanna (Oklahoma) – At Oklahoma, Hanna was a red-zone target with big play potential. He will add speed to the tight-end position, but will not be a good blocker. He will be an asset in a two tight-end formation and will be hard for a linebacker to cover with his speed. Drafting Hanna at #186 is great value for Dallas with little risk.

190. Tennessee Titans – S Markelle Martin (Oklahoma State) – If Martin didn’t tear his meniscus after the Senior Bowl, he would have went in the third or fourth round. He scared off some teams and he fell into the Titans’ lap in the sixth round. If he recovers fully from surgery, he can add depth to their secondary, exactly what you want from a late-round pick.

194. Philadelphia Eagles – WR Marvin McNutt (Iowa) – I’m starting to notice a theme with my “draft steals”…they are all coming off late-season injuries. McNutt is currently recovering from a shoulder injury, so he fell to the sixth-round. I watch a lot of Big Ten football games. McNutt seems to have been at Iowa for a decade, but all he did there was catch poorly-thrown balls. He’s a big guy and he will be an asset for Michael Vick.

205. Cleveland Browns – DT Billy Winn (Boise State) – The Browns needed help stopping the run and Winn can add depth at the defensive tackle position. He would have been a second-day pick, but once again, an injury (foot) dropped his draft stock. Winn could be one of the biggest steals in the draft if he bounces back from his injury.

219. Minnesota Vikings – DE Trevor Guyton (California) – Guyton had a third/fourth-round grade coming into the draft, but a lot of teams filled their need in the first two days of the draft. He’s a nice pick for Minnesota in the 7th-round.

224. New England Patriots – DB Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska) – He has some off-field issues, but New England can take on the risk. Their secondary was one of the worst in NFL history, so they will find a spot for Dennard.

237. San Francisco 49ers – DE Cam Johnson (Virginia) – The Niners lack depth on the defensive line and they should be glad that he fell so far in the draft. I predict that he makes the team and has a chance to develop into a nice backup in the NFL.

242. New York Jets – S Antonio Allen (South Carolina) – Allen was graded high by most of the network talking heads and I like the pick. Rex Ryan is a smart guy and he needs to be able to move some guys around in the defense. Allen has played linebacker and safety in college. He’s the kind of guy that Ryan will love to coach.

250. San Diego Chargers – RB Edwin Baker (Michigan State) – I love this pick and could be my favorite of the sixth or seventh-round. Baker seemed to have peaked early in his college career, but he still had an above-average career. Ryan Mathews has had some durability issues and they needed a functional backup. Baker will be a cheap option and end up being Mike Tolbert-like goal-line back (if you subtract 40 lbs.).

What are some of your favorite picks from this year’s NFL Draft?

By: TwitterButtons.com

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Draft – 1st Round Mock Draft

The 2012 NFL Draft is one the deepest drafts in recent memory. Most of the guys who will be drafted are proven commodities. You won’t have a lot of guys who rose into the first-round based just on their NFL Combine performance. It is quite reassuring for a team to draft a player based on their actual on-field production than to cross their fingers and take a risk on a guy who can bench more and/or looks better shirtless.

I do my impersonation of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay with my own Mock Draft.

Warning: Alabama and LSU will be represented well in this year’s 1st round of the NFL Draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts – QB Andrew Luck (Stanford)
This is a pretty easy pick, you might as well write him in.

2. Washington Redskins – QB Robert Griffin III (Baylor)
Washington didn’t trade up to draft anyone other than Griffin III.

3. Minnesota Vikings – OT Matt Kalil (USC)
Minnesota recently said that this pick was on the market. Don’t take any of Jim Irsay’s tweets seriously…ever. If they trade this pick or not, Kalil will go at #3.

4. Cleveland Browns – WR Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State)
Unless the Browns can trade down to pick a QB, Blackmon is too good to pass up.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – CB Morris Claiborne (LSU)
Who cares about Wonderlic scores! I love Claiborne and he’ll be a good one.

6. St. Louis Rams – WR Michael Floyd (Notre Dame)
The Rams still need to bolster their receving corps and Floyd would help. He’s a bit of a reach at #6, but he fills a team need.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – DE Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
This will give the Jaguars another pass rusher and will help Jeremy Mincey on the other end.

8. Miami Dolphins – QB Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M)
If no one trades up to get Tannehill earlier, he’ll be picked by the Dolphins. They need a QB of the future and he’s worth the risk.

9. Carolina Panthers – DT Dontari Poe (Memphis)
Poe is the ‘Mr. Upside’ of the 2012 NFL Draft. Scouts see something special in him and he has all the tools to be a good defensive tackle.

10. Buffalo Bills – G David DeCastro (Stanford)
He’s the best guard in the draft and will help get some holes for Fred Jackson to run through.

11. Kansas City Chiefs – LB Luke Kuechly (Boston College)
He’s been compared to Keith Brooking…Kansas City needs a Keith Brooking-type linebacker.

12. Seattle Seahawks – DE Quinton Coples (North Carolina)
Seattle’s defensive front was really bad in 2011, Coples will fill their need.

13. Arizona Cardinals – OT Riley Reiff (Iowa)
Reiff may not be available at #13, since teams like to trade up to get left tackles. If he’s there at #13, Arizona would gladly pick him.

14. Dallas Cowboys – S Mark Barron (Alabama)
Dallas has needed a strong safety since Darren Woodson retired. He would be an upgrade over Abram Elam.

15. Philadelphia Eagles – DT Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State)
Andy Reid loves him some defensive tackles. They also need help at cornerback, but this will add depth.

16. New York Jets – RB Trent Richarson (Alabama)
I think I’m the only person who think that Richardson will fall in this draft. The NFL is a different league than it was a decade ago. If someone doesn’t trade up to draft Richardson, the Jets will get a steal. He would be a nice complement to Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.

17. Cincinnati Bengals – DT Michael Brockers (LSU)
Cincinnati has bolstered its defense with physical guys. Brockers would be a nice fit in that defense and it would be the best pick for the Bengals.

18. San Diego Chargers – CB Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama)
The Chargers have yet to replace Antonio Cromartie and Kirkpatrick is their guy.

19. Chicago Bears – OT Jonathan Martin (Stanford)
Jay Cutler has found that it is hard to throw the ball while on your back. The Bears have whiffed on a few other offensive tackles recently, but Martin will help him stay on his feet.

20. Tennessee Titans – CB Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina)
A ballhawk cornerback with 4.40 speed? The Titans will jump on him if he’s there at #20.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – G Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
He was a beast at the NFL Combine and replaces Bobbie Williams, who left via free agency.

22. Cleveland Browns – OT Mike Adams (Ohio State)
Mike Holmgren likes a talented offensive line. Adams might be a reach at #22, but there isn’t a quarterback worth the reach. They could pick Brandon Weeden, Kirk Cousins, or Brock Osweiler later in the draft.

23. Detroit Lions – CB Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama)
The Lions have spent the last two drafts building their defensive line. It is time for them to spend some picks on their secondary.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers – ILB Dont’a Hightower (Alabama)
He’s the perfect pick for the Steelers. His name sounds like he should have played for the team in the 1970s.

25. Denver Broncos – DT Jerel Worthy (Michigan State)
Denver needs help against the run and Worthy would be the best defensive tackle on the board.

26. Houston Texans – WR Kendall Wright (Baylor)
If the Texans pick Wright at #26, it would free up Jacoby Jones to focus on just being a receiver. Wright will help in the receiving corps, but he’s a threat as a kickoff & punt returner.

27. New England Patriots – OLB Courtney Upshaw (Alabama)
This draft is becoming very Crimson Tide heavy. He’s undersized and doesn’t have a true position at either defensive end or outside linebackers. Even though many mock drafts have him going much higher, he’s a project.

28. Green Bay Packers – DE Chandler Jones (Syracuse)
The younger brother of UFC champion, Jon “Bones” Jones, would look good in a Green Bay jersey.

29. Baltimore Ravens – C Peter Konz (Wisonsin)
Konz would be the “Center in waiting” and would take over when Matt Birk retires.

30. San Francisco 49ers – WR Stephen Hill (Georgia Tech)
Alex Smith needs more targets and I wouldn’t be surprised if Coby Fleener is picked here instead of Hill. Jim Harbuagh coached him at Stanford and having another big target would benefit Smith. I think they go with Hill because I don’t know how Vernon Davis would react to having another tight-end as competition.

31. New England Patriots – S Harrison Smith (Notre Dame)
Even though New England needs to improve their front seven, their secondary was the worst group to have every made it to the Super Bowl. 

32. New York Giants – TE Coby Fleener (Stanford)
Kevin Boss is a good tight-end, but Fleener could be the next Rob Gronkowski. He’s a big target for Eli Manning and he’ll get open in their offense.

By: TwitterButtons.com
Feel free to “Like” my blog on Facebook or click the Facebook box located within the sidebar.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Farewell, Peyton Manning : A Fan’s Goodbye

After 8 months of “will they or won’t they”, the Colts and Peyton Manning finally parted ways. I’m here to try to give a logical outlook from a fan’s perspective, since I’ve heard “talking heads” speak about how Colts fans are mad…this couldn’t be more false. I hope I can shine a new perspective on the dilemma the Colts are facing and why most Colts fans wish the best for Peyton Manning.

First, let me make it clear that ever since it was clear that the Indianapolis Colts were going to get the #1 pick in the NFL Draft, I knew that Manning would be gone. If anyone paid attention to Manning’s contract extension talks that happened last summer, you knew that owner, Jim Irsay, wanted to make him happy. Irsay wanted to make Manning the highest paid quarterback in the NFL and was offering him more money than Manning even thought was necessary. He took less than what Irsay was offering him, because he wanted money left to get other players and maybe this was a hint that he knew that his neck wasn’t healthy enough to play. This situation could have been much worse, especially if Manning agreed to the amount of money that Irsay was first offering him. I wanted to make that clear before I start to explain what the average Colts fan is thinking about this whole ordeal.

Since the end of the regular season, the Colts organization has made it clear that they are going into full-blown rebuilding mode. They fired the President, GM, Coach, and a lot of the other team personnel. The team offered a long-term deal to wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who turned down the deal. Garcon is an average 3rd receiver on a .500 team, so this was a big red flag. The Colts also re-signed defensive end, Robert Mathis, to a long-term deal. This was the final nail in the coffin in the Peyton Manning saga. They wouldn’t have had the money to keep Manning after re-signing Mathis. A knowledgeable Colts fan already knew the answer before the owner announced that they would release Manning.

I was listening to Colin Cowherd’s radio show this morning and his idea of what the average Colts fan is thinking was infinitely wrong. I shouldn’t have expected that he would be a good judge, since I disagree with most of his views, in which most are said to be the antagonist. He said, “Colts fans shouldn’t be mad, they are the luckiest franchise in the league. You didn’t earn the #1 pick when they drafted Peyton Manning and they didn’t earn the #1 pick this year.” First off, how does one “earn” the #1 pick in the NFL Draft? The #1 pick goes to the team who ends with the worst record in the league. Does a team have to intentionally throw games to “earn” the #1 pick? After saying that, Cowherd rattled off Manning’s career accomplishments, which were mostly incorrect. Cowherd was only correct about the fact that the Colts have been the luckiest team in the NFL, because as fans, we had the chance to root for a great quarterback and a stand-up guy for over a decade.

Growing up in Northern Indiana in the late 80’s & early 90’s, I didn’t know many other Colts fans. One of the earliest seasons that I remember, the starting quarterbacks were Jack Trudeau & Gary Hogeboom. The team went 3-13 and it didn’t get any better after that. They acquired Eric Dickerson and had a few 8-8 & 9-7 teams, but the carousel of starting quarterbacks still occurred. As fans, we had to endure Chris Chandler, Jeff George, Paul Justin, Craig Erickson, Don Majkowski, and finally, “Captain Comeback”, Jim Harbaugh. The Colts were up & down through these years, but never had a franchise quarterback. They had some talented guys at other skill positions, but they couldn’t get over the hump. They would get high draft picks year after year, but with picks like Steve Emtman & Trev Alberts being busts, they couldn’t catch a break. When the Colts went 3-13 in 1997 and received the 1998 #1 overall pick, I’d say that they “earned” Peyton Manning.

Colts fans have endured bad seasons and teams that overachieved with lackluster talent. We aren’t the New York Yankees, Detroit Red Wings, or Dallas Cowboys, if they don’t make the playoffs, their fans turn into an angry mob. We have won the most games over the last decade and we are blessed fans. We will have a few down years, but it will make the next winning season that much better. We are a group of optimist fans and will continue to support the team.

We wish Peyton Manning and thank him for all that he has done for the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. If it wasn’t for him, Lucas Oil Stadium would have just been an unused blueprint and Indianapolis would have never hosted a Super Bowl. Saying all of that, we just hope that he doesn’t go to a team that will destroy us in the near future. If he comes into Lucas Oil Stadium on the visiting team, he will be cheered. After he retires, he jersey will be retired and will most likely get a statue in front of the stadium. Until then, we wish you the best, Mr. Manning.

By: TwitterButtons.com
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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

35 Snarky Reasons To Watch Every Bowl Game

There are 35 college football bowl games this season and to be honest, not all of them are worth watching. I do my best, or worst, to try and convince everyone to tune into every bowl game this season. I use cheerleader quality, famous alumni, Justin Bieber lookalikes, and Hawaiian shirts to coax you. Also, I added a picture of the USC song girls, just because you know you will miss them this bowl season.

New Mexico Bowl: December 18th: BYU vs. UTEP – This game is hard to promote. Jenn Brown is the sideline reporter and it could be funny to hear her try to attempt to pronounce BYU’s Kalama Kaluhiokalani.

uDrove Humanitarian Bowl: December 18th: Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State – NIU’s head coach left to coach Minnesota and Fresno State was destroyed the last time they played on the blue turf. I suggest drinking until the blue turf starts to look like a lake and you think you’re watching a water polo match.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: December 18th: Ohio vs. TroyJustin Bieber plays wide receiver for Troy.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl: December 21st: Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville – Man Law #345 – If a bowl game is sponsored by meat, you must watch.

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl: December 22nd: Utah vs. Boise State – You may see a few Utah fans head explode just from being in Las Vegas.

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: December 23rd: Navy vs. San Diego State – Drink every time Craig James says something that makes you want to punch him…you’ll be blacked-out by halftime.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: December 24th: Hawaii vs. Tulsa – Although nothing will beat the year Notre Dame played in this bowl and Charle Weis sported an Hawaiian shirt, it’s always funny to see head coaches look like extras from an episode of Magnum P.I.

Little Caesars Bowl: December 26th: Florida International vs. Toledo – The legendary broadcast team of Dave Lamont, JC Pearson & Quint Kessenich will announce this game, enough said.

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl: December 27th: Air Force vs. Georgia Tech – The triple-option versus the triple option…quarterbacks might just want to sit this game out.

Champs Sports Bowl: December 28th: West Virginia vs. NC State – The over/under on the amount of WCW’s NwO Wolfpac t-shirts in crowd will be at 30.5…and those will just be from West Virginia wrestling fans.

Insight Bowl: December 28th: Missouri vs. Iowa – Okay, nothing to watch here, the country is still laughing that a team that lost to Minnesota made a bowl game.

Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman: December 29th: East Carolina vs. Maryland Ralph Friedgen will eat any ECU player that crosses his sideline.

Texas Bowl: December 29th: Illinois vs. Baylor – Baylor fans have a short trip and their fans should outnumber Illinois fans, should feel like a home game for Ron Zook.

Valero Alamo Bowl: December 29th: Oklahoma State vs. Arizona – I would just DV-R this game and watch Mike Gundy’s “I’m A Man, I’m 40” rant on YouTube for 3 hours…could be more entertaining.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: December 30th: Army vs. SMU – June Jones takes his SMU team to play Army in the Armed Forces Bowl. What is Jones biggest regret? Leaving Hawaii or arguing with Jeff George?

New Era Pinstripe Bowl: December 30th: Kansas St vs. Syracuse – The announcers will spend more time talking about the Yankees signing Derek Jeter than the actual game.

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: December 30th: North Carolina vs. Tennessee – Butch Davis versus Derek Dooley: A chess match! Okay, maybe it will be more like checkers.

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl: December 30th: Nebraska vs. Washington The nation finally realizes that Jake Locker is over-rated while Mel Kiper stands on the sideline with a boner for him.

Meineke Car Care Bowl: December 31st: South Florida vs. Clemson – Florida area & Southern belle cheerleaders…ESPN should just have a split-screen with the game and the sideline.

Hyundai Sun Bowl: December 31st: Notre Dame vs. Miami – I can’t wait for all the awesome highlights from Warren Sapp, Raghib Ismail, Tony Rice, Rick Mirer, Bernie Kosar, and Michael Irvin. This game should have an 80’s night promotion.

AutoZone Liberty: December 31st: Georgia vs. UCF – The eBay bidding for A.J. Green’s jersey has no reserve and you can start your bidding now.

Chick-fil-A Bowl: December 31st: South Carolina vs. Florida State – Jimbo Fisher should wear a Bobby Bowden mask on the sideline so Steve Spurrier will call bonehead plays and lose.

TicketCity Bowl: January 1st: Northwestern vs. Texas Tech – Can we renamed this the “Hangover Bowl”? Northwestern’s QB, Dan Persa, is out and the only shot the Wildcats have of beating the Red Raiders if an SAT test is the actual 4th quarter.

Outback Bowl: January 1st: Florida vs. Penn State – Joe Paterno may actually think he’s playing the game in the Outback. The Gators should use a kangaroo as their mascot to really throw him off.

Capital One Bowl: January 1st: Alabama vs. Michigan State – The best two teams that aren’t in a BCS bowl game. But we all know what usually happens when an SEC team plays against the Big Ten. Richardson and Ingram will score more times than co-eds on New Year’s Eve.

Gator Bowl: January 1st: Mississippi State vs. Michigan – Remember when pundits were giving Denard Robinson the Heisman trophy after three games? He may need another amazing game to save Rich Rodriguez’s job. If Michigan is down at the half, RichRod could be watching from a sports bar.

Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO: January 1st: Wisconsin vs. TCU – Wisconsin’s rushing attack versus TCU’s stingy defense. TCU will be Little Mac and Wisconsin is King Hippo. The key here is to hit him in the stomach when Bret Bielema opens his mouth.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: January 1st: Connecticut vs. Oklahoma – There’s really only one reason to watch this game, hoping that UConn grad Molly Qerim attends the game and Fox shows her in the stands.

Discover Orange: January 3rd: Stanford vs. Virginia Tech – The last time Virginia Tech had this big of a game, they were beaten by Boise State. Andrew Luck is better than anyone on BSU, sorry Va Tech may have trouble in this one.

Allstate Sugar Bowl: January 4th: Ohio State vs. Arkansas – Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry will be storyline in this game. Ryan Mallett played his freshman year against the Buckeyes, completing one pass for eight yards. Call me crazy, but he will have better numbers in this game.

GoDaddy.com Bowl: January 6th: Middle Tennessee vs. Miami (Ohio) – Tune in the game, watch for the commercials.

AT&T Cotton Bowl: January 7th: LSU vs. Texas A&M – Barrett Bailey, Patrick Peterson, Jordan Jefferson, David Detz, Jarred Joseph, Terrence Toliver, and Lazarius Levingston. LSU’s team is sponsored by alliteration. Sounds like characters in a Dr. Seuss book.

BBVA Compass Bowl: January 8th: Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky – Dave Wannstedt was fired and Kentucky’s head coach is named Joker. He may try the “pencil trick” to the new Pitt coach.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: January 9th: Nevada vs. Boston College – Kyle Brontzman will not be attendance.

Tostitos BCS National Championship Game: January 10th: Oregon vs. Auburn – Cecil Newton has big money riding on this game, courtesy of the Auburn University football boosters. Also, at this point, Oregon could wear jerseys that resemble the World League’s Orlando Thunder.

By: TwitterButtons.com
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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.