And You Thought Bernard Pollard Was Dirty?

Its not surprising that numerous Pats fans have been crying foul over the Brady hit by Bernard Pollard. Hell, even Vince Wilfork and Randy Moss believe so.

Many Pats fans (Personally, I like to imagine the proprietors of Sox and Dawgs as a red faced bunch of pissed off Boston Irish folks punching the keyboard as they typed that) and personnel have had an opinion on the hit, but one man's opinion is clearly missing...

That of Rodney Harrison.

Numerous Google Searches for Harrison have revealed little

So where is the NFL's dirtiest player to comment on this dirty play? (Oh, you say the poll is too old? How about this Coaches Poll from earlier this summer?) I can even image good ole Bill Belichick answer it and thinking: "Yeah, Harrison...whatever." The real facts are, 18 coaches were polled and 11 said Harrison right off the bat. Second place? Roy Williams with...two votes...

So Rodney, care to weigh in on the hit? Do you think it was dirty...Well really, would you have done it? (yeah ya would, don't lie)

For Fear of Jinxing Daily "Linkin' Logs" (9/10/08)

So, I do fear the SI jinxing & Football Gods. Listen guys (and ladies), I saw what you did to Tom Brady. I get that, he got too big and you brought his career down a notch. He messed with 19-0 and you didn't enjoy that.

But I fear the Reaper here. You did it to Jimmy Rollins and the Phillies as they entered the post season, you destroyed the Eagles' McNabb to T.O. connection in '04 and even when Jeff Garcia helped the Eagles to a run in '06, you were there to put him on the cover and squash the run in its tracks (along with Sheldon Brown squashing Reggie Bush in his).

So look, I'm not asking for much, but since you also put Donovan McNabb on the cover the same week as Brady, could you please find it in your hearts to stick with a one curse per cover week? Maybe even a little reverse polarity, where the other cover results in extreme success? Am I asking for too much?

Ok, how about you just put Dallas on the cover. Thanks!

• Via Deadspin, 73% off? Holy Shnikes!
• AGM gives us a thoughtprovoking article on Black QBs in the NFL
• The 506 provides an awesome service of presenting NFL broacast maps, but Awful Announcing's format is much nicer (for me personally) to view everything at once
• Via PFT...Tony Romo is a bitch
• They're not cocky, they're confident
• Tom Hanks would be pissed, Billy Wagner's kind of a bitch (Now a new and improved Video Link!). And honestly, I do feel kind of bad that he's got such a devestating injury at this point in his career, but...the man's an asshole and the way he left us Philly fans and then turned on us, really doesn't help me feel any worse.
  
• Hey, Derek Jeter is actually pretty good
• Vince Young is legitimately hurt (MCL Sprain), but more importantly, what the hell is going on?
• Maybe he actually meant Ocho Cinco Cero Cero Cero Cero...
• And finally, Via EC, The Righteous Kill of Tom Brady
  

Can You Outcoach Andy Reid?

So if you haven't figured it out, there's some extreme Eagle Bias here at BNB. Not because we're all Eagles fans, but because, I post here, I'm a loudmouth and I like the Eagles.

Anyway, I was perusing IgglePhans.com today and found this glorious little nugget.

Can You Outcoach Andy Reid

Its a fun little simulation allowing you to match wits with the mustachioed one. Odds are, Simulated Andy runs short screens and passes and blitzes on every down...so if you can handle that, then you're golden.

Also, Fuck Pacman Jones and Fuck "Yoko Romo" (courtesy of PFT)...coincidentally if you caught her on the "Good Morning America" show this morning, are you done laughing yet?

BadNewsBloggers: Proud Endorser of "Believe!Merch" (Even though they're Steelers fans)

Some folks at at Believe!Merch, a website dedicated to Steelers fans apparel, have come up with, what will probably become, the fall's hottest fashion.

Yeah, you can even order it right here for $13.99.

Right back at ya Randy, for that "dirty hit." Suck one Vince Wilfork, your hit was actually dirty.

Hell, Good Ole Bill Simmons is even a little off his rocker after the "Kneegate"

And even our own Manny Stiles finds some level of hilarity amongst the calamity that is Tom Brady's ACL

UPDATE: The folks at Sox and Dawgs didn't really enjoy it either...oh Patriots Nation (or whatever the hell you're called) you're so cute...

Aaron Rodgers's Fortunate Daily "Linkin' Logs" (9/9/08)

Now with Less Favre

Now, I'm stealing a line here (from a fellow BNBer, so I owe him a nickel), but "Kneegate" has only begun to negate the Patriots' season. I'm rather annoyed that "the 'chick" refuses to acknowledge the extent of the injury and instead simply calls it a serious knee injury

Fuck it Bill, its an ACL tear. If Goodell is so concerned with the image of his league, why doesn't he step in and stop letting Darth Vadar throw out his bullshit. So much for fairness in the NFL...

Gene Wojo...whatever says the Jets are now on par with the Patriots which is about as believable as...say...Bill Belichick's injury report.

I hope the Bills win the Division...

• How come Green Bay didn't realize they had a better QB on the bench
• Met Career? Is that a synonym for baseball career?
• I actually predicted this at the beginning of the season. Problem is, I figured it would happen in July, Mid-August at the latest, but thanks to the Cardinal's competitiveness, Pujols remained
• Philip Rivers...Still kind of a jackass
  
• Between this guy and this guy, 2008 could be the year of the small receiver
• Sorry Phil Sheridan, but its always mattered and we've always wanted the crap kicked out of the Cowboys
• Oh like you wouldn't do it...
• This turned out to be about as awful as you'd expect
• From AGM, Knowshon coming to a Billboard near year
• The odd case of Vince Young...
  
• And finally, Via Deadspin The Washington Post one ups the Hoggettes (because, let's face it, it was a little gay)
  

Walker-Sports Top 25 Poll:Beware of Pirates

Well I didn’t think it was possible, but college football was actually better this weekend than it was last week. From what I can tell this is going to be an amazing season. Just wait till OSU and USC square off next weekend. However, before they take the field, let’s see where they stand on the Walker-Sports College Football poll.

1) Georgia Bulldogs: Yes I know every other poll in the country has USC sitting here, but Georgia has done nothing to deserve losing their #1 spot. If you don’t like them in this spot, just wait a few weeks, I can’t imagine them running the table.

2) USC: The Trojans had the week off, and got to scout a shaky looking OSU. One has to think Pete Carol has something special up his sleeve for an OSU offense that is still looking to find its rhythm.

3) Oklahoma Sooners: The Sooners have climbed in this week’s poll and they deserve it. The Sooners beat a scrappy UC squad on Saturday and can now look ahead to the Big 12 schedule.

4) Florida Gators: This team is only as good as Tim Tebow. Lucky for them, Tebow is pretty damn good. The Miami game was uglier than the score indicated but they still showed better than OSU.

5) OSU: Buckeye fans have to pray that their team was just overlooking Ohio U. Combine that with Beanie Wells being hurt and maybe they aren’t as bad as they looked. Buckeye faithful better hope that is the case.

6) LSU: The hurricane saved Troy from being killed by the Tigers. Nonetheless an idol LSU means they can hold onto their spot.

7) Missouri Tigers: Chase Daniels had one of the most impressive outings I have ever seen. He was 16-17 and resting on the bench before halftime. Look out Tim Tebow you have some serious competition for that Heisman this year.

8) Auburn: The Tigers make the jump in the standings due to another outstanding performance on defense. Combine that with the fact that they have found a solid starting QB and the Tigers are ready to do battle in the SEC West.

9) Kansas: The Jayhawks fell, but not too far. They played well this past weekend, but would have liked to see a bigger blowout.

10) Wisconsin: The Badgers got off to a slow start against Marshall, but somehow they scored about 30 points in 10 minutes on the fourth QT. The Big 10 could actually be very interesting this season.

11) Texas Longhorns: Great game to travel across state and take on a semi-hostel UTEP crowd. Colt seems to be over his sophomore slump and that is very good for the Longhorns.

12) Texas Tech: The Red Raiders crushed Nevada and the pistol offense. However, the team still failed to live up to the hype on defense. I have a nasty feeling the Red Raiders are in for a big fall when they hit the Big 12.

13) Arizona State: Stanford had nothing against the Sun Devils. ASU showed off a dynamic passing attack and yet again their aggressive defense flexed their muscle.

14) South Florida: In a primetime game against UCF, South Florida made a solid showing. Despite a slow start in the first half, South Florida got the ball running and showed why they may be the team to beat in the Big East.

15) East Carolina: The Pirates are crashing the party, and with two more games against ACC opponents they will make a solid case to crash the BCS party as well.

16) BYU: Possibly the luckiest team in the country today. It took a horrible call and a blocked XP to keep this teams BCS hopes alive. BYU better not overlook UCLA next weekend.

17) Penn State: Despite the off the field distractions, Penn State destroyed Oregon State. Maybe the Beavers were jetlagged, because they definitely did not show up to play.

18) Oregon: The Ducks played the worse team in Division I football and they did exactly what they were supposed to do. They destroyed Utah State 66-24.

19) Wake Forest: Wake Forest is saving the ACC right now. They stood toe to toe with Ole Miss and won a teeth clincher.

20) Clemson: The seat is getting hotter and hotter under Tommy Bowden. His Tigers looked better on Saturday, but they are far from where they were though to be.

21) Utah: The Utes had a bit of a Michigan hangover as they got off to a slow start on Saturday. However, they were able to put that behind them and went on to roll UNLV.

22) Fresno State: The Bulldogs had the week off and they will need the rest. Next week they have a chance to put their stamp on the BCS when they take on the Wisconsin Badgers.

23) UCLA: Now that they week 1 heroics are behind them, the Bruins need to focus on BYU if they want to actually make a run at breaking the USC monopoly on the city.

24) WVU: A horrible outing against ECU. WVU is very lucky they were able to remain in the top 25. Hopefully they can regain their focus and figure out what went wrong this past weekend.

25) Illinois: Eastern Ill. probably wished they had Tony Romo at their disposal for this game. Juice seems to be advancing as a passing QB, and that means Illinois could be a dangerous opponent for a lot of teams this season.

The Weekly F.U. to Peter King Daily "Linkin' Logs" (9/8/08)

For football season, it seems most appropriate to at least partially pay homage to the foolishness that is Peter King's MMQB. Peter tries, but generally, he's just a blowhard of a slightly high cognizance.

But quickly, how 'bout some football. The Patriots took a tough Dubya from the Chefs (That's great, but who are the Chefs), but Adam Schefter is reporting that Tom Brady is done for the season. Jake Delhomme and the Panthers stunned the Chargers at the last second. The Bills exert some AFC dominance over the Seahawks and of course the Eagles whipped the Rams. Normally, I never care about a shutout but the wimpy way Scott Linehan avoided a shutout by kicking a field goal, already down by 38, really signals to me, as a fan, that he was...simply being a bitch. I'd rather get shutout going for it on 4th and 10 then kicking a field goal already down by 38.

Peter King talked about Tom Brady for a good 2 pages...even when he's not playing King blows him, that's bullshit. He also used the Brady injury to agendize his "fear" of a longer season. Let's apply this to...oh...say the laws of economics. Peter, if there's more demand to be met than you might as well fill it. We have no idea what the NFL max on demand is, but odds are its more than 18, 20 or even 24 games. In fact, the NFL is predicated on this very fact. I know of few business-like folks who could go into a boardroom (a.k.a. meeting with 32 owners) and honestly tell them: "yeah, we could make more money, but let's think about the players for a second." More money could: A) Used as a negotiating tool for the NFLPA, B) boost retirement income and C) Increase the players salaries (not to mention, boost roster sizes...creating more jobs).

If the downside is that Tom Brady could tear his ACL (which happened at the beginning of the season, without playing the preseason), then I don't see the issue. Injuries happen all the time without rhyme or season (or sometimes happen because a player isn't conditioned).

Peter, the NFL's a business, deal with it.

On that note, Look at Peter's "Fine Fifteen" and try not to think "huh?" The Jags at 4? Carolina at 10. In both cases, one took a loss, that clearly doesn't make it a top 4 team and the other stole a win and it doesn't mean that they're good (in fact, they're the Panthers, so unless you ask Sean Salisbury, they're not)

• When things go from Good to Bad in New England...wow
• You know, I agree with Emmitt Smith here (ugh), Marion Barber is going to grind himself out of the league
• In a matter of sheer irony, I hope this trade somehow happens
• AA points out Usain Bolt could probably beat most of us on one leg
• Will link to Pro Wrestling (hahaha)
  
• The ever inquisitive Manny Stiles takes us on a Time Warp
• And finally, hilarity regarding Patriots Nation (eww) and Tom Brady (Thanks EC)
  

NFC West Week 1 Preview and Predictions

Published simultaneously at www.armchairgm.com

Seattle Seahawks @ Buffalo Bills
The key to this game is the Seattle injury situation. Wide receiver Bobby Engram is out, with Deion Branch listed as doubtful, although he has said he will play. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has a back injury, which limited him to just two series of plays in the pre-season. The Hawks have a bevy of talented, albeit inexperienced receivers in Jordan Kent, Courtney Taylor and Logan Payne, each of whom should see significant reps playing opposite veteran Nate Burleson. The lack of playing time for Hasselbeck prevented him from working with the youngsters, which will have an effect on the Hawks passing game. The Bills, with quarterback Trent Edwards listed as 100% despite missing the final two preseason games with a bruised thigh, will have to work hard behind a patchwork offensive line which struggled during the preseason, a fact emphasized by the continued holdout of weakside tackle Jason Peters. Look for RB Marshawn Lynch to carry the ball at least 30 times. The first month or so should be the test for Seattle. If they can reach their Week 4 bye week no worse than 2-1, then they should control the division throughout. If the injuries prove too much to handle, then their season likely could be over before the break.
Prediction: Behind the offensive scheme enacted by new offensive coordinator Turk Schonert, the Bills control the clock with short passes and a 33 carry, 130 yard performance from Marshawn Lynch and squeak out a 16-13 win.
St. Louis Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Rams start the season behind the eight ball, as RB Steven Jackson missed the entire pre-season due to an ill-advised holdout. Tackle Orlando Pace returns after missing all but two series in 2007 due to injury, quarterback Marc Bulger will feel less pressure, but how much will he miss Isaac Bruce? The Rams defense allowed more than 115 yards per game on the ground, a point not lost on RB Brian Westbrook. Joined in the backfield by short yardage specialist FB Tony Hunt, the Eagles should have little trouble controlling the line of scrimmage. With WR Kevin Curtis out, QB Donovan McNabb will rely on shorter passes in an attempt to keep the defense honest against Westbrook.
Prediction: Behind the running of Westbrook and Hunt, and with the Eagles linebackers blitzing the Rams inexperienced offensive line at will, Philadelphia dominates from the opening kickoff and wins convincingly, 36-20.
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
Save their inability to beat San Francisco, the Cardinals would have reached the postseason the past two years. This is the third consecutive season the Cardinals have opened in San Francisco and are looking for their first win. Not surprisingly, Kurt Warner won the QB battle with Matt Leinart in the pre-season, and despite not playing well in San Francisco throughout his career, looks to get the Cards off to a 1-0 start. Warner isn't as mobile as Leinart, and has had a career long battle with fumbles, so the offensive line will need to hold onto their blocks a fraction longer to give Warner the time he needs. Fifth round pick Tim Hightower had a great camp and should see quite a bit of playing time spelling Edgerrin James and as another pass option out of the backfield. No report on the Cardinals would be complete without mentioning arguably the top WR duo in the league in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. San Francisco shocked the world when he named journeyman J.T. O'Sullivan his starting quarterback. New offensive coordinator Mike Martz, the offensive genius behind the Warner led offensive machine in St. Louis, has put in place a benign game plan for O'Sullivan, one designed to control the clock and avoid turnovers. The key to its success is the durability of RB Frank Gore, who not only is the focal point of the running game, but a factor in the passing game as well. WR Isaac Bruce followed Martz to the 49ers and brings with him his 942 career receptions, it remains to be seen how much he impacts a short, ball control offense.
Prediction: It isn't often you hear a Week 1 matchup being a "must win", but that's exactly the case for the Cardinals. With division rival Seattle struggling with injuries, it's imperative the Cardinals start strong and get themselves a cushion heading into the middle, and most difficult, part of their schedule. With a relaxed Warner leading the way, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald both reach the 100 mark in receiving yards, with Edgerrin James doing so on the ground. Cards win surprisingly easy, 34-10.