Bleacher Report - Articles by Scott Brown

Alexander the Reckless Strikes Again

Scott Brown — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:44:17 -0400

What is the difference between Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Artyukhin you ask? I guess that depends on who you ask. If you are Colin Campbell the difference is about three games.

While one Russian player was given three games for slew-footing an opponent, the other Russian was given a slap on the wrist with a mere fine that wouldn't even cover the cost of the room service food that Ovechkin ordered under the name Sidney Crosby in those ever-so-clever NHL ads to market the rivalry between their two budding superstars.

While this isn't the first time that Colin Campbell's decison making has left people scratching their heads, this one sure seems to defy explaination. A day after one player is suspended for three games for slew-footing, we get a completely different ruling for another player. This certainly begs the question, did Alexander Ovechkin get yet another free pass from the NHL for his reckless on-ice behaviour?

Give Colie Campbell credit. He tried his absolute best to sell this one, but unfortunately his rationale just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

They claim he is a first time offender, I guess I just missed those other slew-foot calls that have gone against Artyukhin during his NHL career. I also believe that Sergei Gonchar would have a thing or two to say regarding a certain knee-on-knee hit that Ovechkin miraculously escaped punishment on.

They claim he didn't mean it, that it was a hockey play. Sorry ,Colin but whether he meant to do it or not, it's a dangerous play that could really hurt another player. Not to mention, why just fine him? Either it's wrong and the penalty is a three game suspension or it's not wrong.

I get that Ovechkin brings a youthful exhuberance to the game when he plays. I get that he has an edge to him when he plays. However, that doesn't mean he should get a free pass just because he makes for good TV. vechkin is either going to hurt himself, or someone else.

I haven't seen another player take runs a vulnerable players the way Ovechkin does since Colby Armstrong used to play for the Pens. I have never seen another player leave his feet to finish a check with the regularity that Ovechkin does, and I have never seen another player get away it like Ovechkin does.

I suspect that if the NHL doesn't man up discipline Ovie for his reckless play, the players will take matters into their own hands pretty soon. Everyone can turn their nose up at Todd Bertuzzi all they want, but there isn't a real fan out there that doesn't understand that the menatility of "you hurt our guy, we are coming after yours" is very much alive and well in the NHL.

Don Cherry has already called out Alexander Ovechkin once already and if you dont think a good old Canadian boy on defense is itching at the chance to take Ovechkin's head off and look like a star on Coach's Corner, then well, you probably really dont understand what it means to grow up in Canada watching Hockey Night in Canada as a boy.

Ovechkin is a reckless player on the ice and the NHL does itself a great diservice when it chooses to blindly ignore his behavoir while simultaniously punishing others. I just hope they understand that it would be better to lose Ovie for three games in October than for 50 later in the year while his is recovering from post concussion syndrome.

Sidney Crosby To The Rescue

Scott Brown — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:38:17 -0400

Can you believe at one time people actually tried to compare Alexander Ovechkin to Sidney Crosby. It almost seems laughable these days as Crosby has shed the boy wonder persona and grown into a natural leader both on and off ice.

Crosby's transformation seemed to take off with the Penguins Stanley Cup win last season. Sid the Kid seems like a distant memory as Crosby has turned the page on that part of his career.

The latest evidence comes via a report in the Toronto Star <url>http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/article/714730--cox-when-crosby-speaks-nhlpa-listens</url>

Now anyone that pays close attention to the NHL knows that the NHLPA has been running itself into the ground with one poor decision after another since the lockout from 2005 ended and hockey resumed.

When Paul Kelley was fired at three am in a Chicago hotel as NHLPA executive director and nobody was talking it was Sidney Crosby who spoke up and demanded answers from those involved.

If this latest story is true then it appears that on top of everything else Sidney Crosby has had enough of the cloak and dagger NHLPA bull**** and has taken matters into his own hands.

If that proves to be the case then I have no doubt the NHLPA is a better place today than it was yesterday. Sidney Crosby is a pitbull and when he sets his mind towards accomplishing something, you can be damn sure he doesn't stop until the job is done.

It would be so easy for Sidney Crosby to keep quiet and collect his millions. Rest assured that players like Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin will get their money no matter what happens with the NHLPA.

Yet Crosby recognizes that not every player is so lucky. He realizes that a strong and healthy NHLPA is neccesary to protect the other 90 percent of current players and the throngs of players that came before them and have since retired.

Kudos to Crosby for getting involved and not just being a bystander while the fate of the PA hangs in the balance. There are some hard questions that need to be asked regarding the conduct of the NHLPA over the past few months and its reassuring to see a player of Crosby's stature standing up and taking the lead.

What is Mr. Ovechkin championing these days? NHL participation in the 2014 Olympics. Make sense I guess, Ovie already has his money right?

Caldwell's Colts Showing a Willingness To Go For The Juggular

Scott Brown — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:47:47 -0400

During the offseason most people generally agreed that the Colts were due for a setback given the significant changes that took place in our historically stable franchise. On most lists the Colts barely cracked the top 10 in the early season rankings and most pundits pointed squarely at the coaching change when justifying why the Colts were no longer a top five team in the NFL.

Through five weeks the Colts have shaken off any doubts and behind the arm of Peyton Manning and his MVP caliber play, the Colts are back atop most peoples rankings and appear to have very few speed bumps ahead of them when glancing at the remainder of their schedule.

That early success has led people to do an about face and now just about everyone is saying that the Colts head coaching change has gone about as smoothly as a coaching change can go, and that Caldwell is really just Tony Dungy Jr. on the sidelines.

Thanks largely to the fact the Colts have played almost their entire schedule in Prime Time this season, I have seen just about every play run by the Colts and I notice that this team is very different from the Colts teams of the last seven years.

While coach Caldwell certainly displays many of Tony Dungy's good habits when it comes to relationships with players, the media and allowing the offense to do its thing, there are very significant differences between Jim Caldwell and Tony Dungy and I believe we shouldn't overlook those differences as a big reason why this Colts team has been so successful this season, even while everyone else was predicting doom and gloom.

Right at the top of my list is what I call the killer instinct. In the NFL no lead is safe and there is a fine line between not playing to humiliate your opponent, while not leaving the door open for them to make a laughter into a nail biter.

Under Tony Dungy, the Colts let their foot off the accelerator anytime they approached that line of humiliating the opponent on the other side of the field.

I think back to 2004, and there is no way that Peyton Manning doesn't throw for about 55 TDs that season if the Colts don't let up. Twice Manning took a knee at the end of the season in a close game rather than push for the TD. Three times Peyton came out of the game in the third or fourth quarter when the outcome no longer seemed in doubt (I include the last game of the season which he only played one series).

In 2007, the Patriots fueled by their "Us Against the World Mentality" after the Spygate claims had that killer instinct. They kept their foot on the throttle from kickoff to final whistle and went 16-0 while setting all kinds of records. With a minute left in games and the outcome no longer in doubt they were still throwing for TDs with their starting QB in the game.

While some might argue that karma and the fickle NFL gods have been screwing with the Patriots franchise ever since, the point still stands that 2007 team is the epitome of killer instinct in the modern NFL.

Flash forward to this season and Peyton's streak of 300-yard games. With Tony Dungy that streak would have ended last week as there is no way that the Colts come out throwing to kill the clock, and its highly unlikely in a three score game that Peyton is even out on the field.

Earlier this season I mentioned that Peyton might be playing this season with a chip on his shoulder, like he has something to prove. I was excited that Caldwell might actually loosen the reins and allow Peyton to work some magic.

So far I have not been disappointed and suspect that by the end of the season we will be talking about whether Peyton should play the entire game the last two weeks to take a shot at the Single season passing yards record, or get rest because the games are meaningless.

I can't wait for that debate.

The other big difference that has Caldwell's stamp all over it is with the Defense. The Colts defense has become hard to play against for anyone, except Miami, because they have thrown out the bend but dont break philosophy. The Colts blitz linebackers, play man coverage in the secondary and Freeney and Mathis actually play the run from time to time.

I am certain without the coaching change we would still have Ron Meeks as our Defensive Coordinator and we would be rehashing the same old arguments about stopping the run, and getting off the field on third down. Kudos to Larry Coyer and his new defense, that he has done this without many of the regular starters is an even bigger testament to success of their new system.

While I think the world of Tony Dungy, it's clear that the subtle changes that Caldwell has brought to the table were needed in Indy, are paying off early.

Will it be enough to get this team back to the Superbowl? Time will tell.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins: Second to None in the NHL

Scott Brown — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:25:38 -0400

I know there are a lot of people out there that are going to read the headline of this article and simple dismiss it because they can't stand Sidney Crosby.

He doesn't score, he's too neatly packaged, and he whines. You know the usual stuff that people who just hate Crosby tend to repeat over and over again.

I make no bones about it that I feel Crosby is the best player on the ice, hands down. Sure, he doesn't end up with the most goals or the most points. Hey, if the best team doesn't always win the cup, show me where it's written in stone that the best player is the one who scores the most points or buries the most goals.

Yet, if someone really wants to understand why Sidney Crosby is the best player in the league, they should look no further than the most recent article from ESPN's Scott Burnside.

If you truly wish to know why Sidney Crosby is second to none it's because even at the tender age of 22, Sidney Crosby gets it. I am not talking about a guy who smiles for the cameras during a ribbon-cutting ceremony and then goes out and gets plastered at a local nightclub, all while beating up a cabbie for 20 cents.

Thank you, Scott Burnside, for your excellent insight into Sidney Crosby's day with the cup. A day that brought out more fans to the small town of Cole Harbour than the Winter Classic in Buffalo brought to Ralph Wilson Stadium.

To the people that hate Sidney Crosby, you probably don't want to read the article because the stuff in there is the kind of stuff that eats you up inside.

To everyone else, if you haven't read the article, I have posted the link below. Of course, there is probably nothing in there that you didn't already know.

Enjoy.

<url>http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=4388666</url>

Will 2009 Be The Year We Finally Cut Peyton Manning Some Slack?

Scott Brown — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:52:09 -0400

I watched Rudy last night and right at the end of the movie when the rest of the Fighting Irish players carried the diminutive hero off the field to the screaming roar of the 80,000 fans who had been chanting his name, I immediately though of Peyton Manning.

Why do we love Rudy? He played exactly two plays in his college career and didn't even make it to the pro's yet that scene at the end of the movie would have us believe that he was one of the greatest players in the storied history of the Fighting Irish.

Of course we don't love Rudy because of what he has done on the field or during his career.

We love Rudy because of what he had to do in order to be on that field at all. You see there is something deeply routed within the human brain that compels us to pull for the underdog. We are almost programed to pull for someone that has overcome adversity and climbed to heights that nobody ever thought possible.

Whether it was Alex Zanardi climbing back into the racing cockpit after losing both of his legs in an auto accident. Brett Favre playing the game of his life the Monday after his father died. Rudy, the little engine that could defying all logic and getting on that field of play for the Fighting Irish.

These are the stories that captivate our imagination and make common men into heroes of legend.

But what happens when the Hero doesn't overcome any adversity. What happens when there is no long shot. What happens when the 2-1 favorite of the horse race absolutely slaughters the 50-1 longshot and leads wire to wire. I believe that Peyton Manning is a victim of exactly that phenomenon.

Since Highschool Peyton has been regarded as a cant miss NFL QB. Peyton was a blue chip prospect in College and could have gone number one overall in 1997 or 1998. As a number one pick overall and the new face of the franchise in Indianapolis, Peyton was expected to succeed.

Since he came into the NFL there has been talk of him owning all the major passing records by the time he hangs them up and in 2006 his team won that elusive Superbowl to fill out an NFL resume that includes 3 regular Season MVP's, 1 Superbowl MVP, 9 Pro-bowl appearances and 6 straight 12 win seasons.

The on-field body of work that Peyton Manning has put together should be enough to silence even his loudest critics. Yet, strangely, its not enough. I am left to wonder if we hold his accomplishment in a much different light if Peyton Manning had been a QB picked in the later rounds rather than a first overal pick.

Would that give him that marketable edge if he was a sixth round QB who beat the odds to become a succesful QB?

If the on-field body of work isn't enough to convince people, surely what Peyton Manning has done off the field should have been enough to win him support in this highschool game of popularity we play with our favorite athletes.

To name just a few of the causes Peyton lends his name, time and pocketbook too;

Peyton's Peyback foundation - A non-profit organization setup by Peyton Manning to provide leadership and growth opportunities for children at risk.

Manning Passing Academy - A skill development camp for young players where they combine teaching the skills to play the game with sportsmanship, hardwork and dedication.

Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincents - After a lengthly relationship wtih the hospital, Peyton Manning was honored after the new Children's hospital was opened and named after him. The motto for the hospital is helping kids get back to being kids.

Manning's pitch in for Hurricane Katrina Relief - Among the many athletes and celeberties that pitched in when Katrina hit New Orleans were Peyton Manning and his brother. They hired a 747 in Atlanta and filled it with clean water, childrens supplies and food and delivered it to New Orleans people who needed the help.

These are just a few of the more notable examples of how Peyton Manning has given back to the communities he is involved in. Yet again, there is no story there. He didn't orchestrate a dog fighting ring, he didn't get drunk and kill a pedestrian, he didn't get produce any children out of wedlock, none of that good stuff that sells papers.

In fact if Mike Vick comes back and wins an MVP in the NFL it could prove to be a bigger story than if Peyton Manning was to go on and win a fourth. Again, people would paint a picture of a redeemed Mike Vick, how he had it all, lost it all, and then gained it back. Unfortunately that is the kind of plot that we are programmed to respond to.

Perhaps I am way off base and there are perfectly sound reasons that Peyton Manning can often do no right. Perhaps this Quarterback who has had everything handed to him on a silver platter deserves all the negative press because heck, it comes with the job.

Yet, I am not wrong about the perception that is out there. Its cool to bash Peyton Manning.

When Manning speaks his mind as did this season about the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff of the Colts this year, we tear him to pieces as a bad teammate. When he doesn't speak his mind, we tear him apart for being a generic robot with no personality.

When Manning gets visibly upset on the field, we point that out as a flaw. Nobody likes a whinner right? Yet when he doesn't show emotion on the field he gets called out as someone that isn't invested enough to win... Remember our idiot kicker!!!

When the Colts couldn't win a Superbowl everyone figured they had found the flaw in the NFL's golden boy. Once his team did win the Championship the new flaw was that they should have won more.

When Peyton starts an incredible 176 games in a row that isn't a testment to his toughness. Rather he just doesn't take enough hits to win the big games, or has benefitted from an unusually talented offensive line.

For every positive, someone out there inevitably feels the need to throw out two negatives. As if they personally have to be the ones to show the world that Peyton Manning isn't as great as he seems.

Would people still feel this way if Peyton wasn't expected to succeed? Would it somehow matter to people if Peyton perhaps had to overcome cancer and make a triumphant return, or if the Colts had taken him with the first pick in the 6th round, rather than the first pick in the first round?

Do people look for reasons to hate Peyton Manning simply because he isn't Rudy Ruettiger, beating the odds to step on the field when everyone else told him it would impossible.

I am left to wonder in spite of all the negative press that surrounds Peyton Manning, is it simply no longer good enough just be as good as advertised. To receive top billing and then go out and deliver the goods.

Will 2009 be the year that we cut Peyton Manning some slack. He doesn't embody everything that is wrong with the NFL....Far from it in fact. This season Peyton Manning should climb the ladder into the top 3 all time in most of the major passing category.

As a someone who is has been along for the ride, both good—2006 Superbowl Win- and the bad—pick your first round playoff exit—I am excited to see Peyton take those steps up on the podium he will share with the other great QB's in history.

Even if the rest of the popularity gang chooses not to acknowledge Peyton I am okay with that. Truth is I wasn't very popular in highschool myself either. Heck, guess I finally have something in common with Peyton Manning.

Ben Roethlisberger: Keeping Things in Perspective

Scott Brown — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:15:33 -0400

I read an article on Bleacher Report last week that struck me as more than a little odd. The author was attempting to make the argument that Big Ben was going to be the ticket to the Hall of Fame for several other key Steeler's football players.

The inference being made was that without Ben Roethlisberger, players like Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward, and Santanio Holmes might never make it into the Hall.

I attempted to digest what I had just read, but try as I might, I just couldn't see validity in what the author was trying say. Nothing about Big Ben's play as an NFL Quarterback leads me to believe that the Steelers caught lightening in a bottle when they selected him.

As far as I can tell, the Steelers got exactly what they where looking for when they drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. A quarterback who could hand the ball off to their high powered running game and manage the offense so that they don't lose the game for the defense.

In fact, I would even go one step further and suggest that the single greatest play that would define Ben Roethlisberger to this point in his career had absolutely nothing to do with him even throwing the ball. I am talking about the shoe-string tackle that he made in 2005 to bring Nick Harper down, preventing a surefire TD in the process.

I would certainly suggest that Big Ben is more than capable of playing QB in the NFL. He has the tools and he has grown into a much more effective QB than the rookie that went 13-0 handing the ball off to Jerome Bettis in 2004.

My argument is just that the Steelers commitment to stout defense and hard nosed running are likely to put Ben Roethlisberger into the Hall of Fame and not the other way around.

Still think I am just hating on Big Ben, don't take my word for it, crack open the statistics which are there for all to see.

Year Rushing Offense Passing Offense Total Defense Record

2004 #2 #28 #1 15-1

2005 #5 #24 #4 11-5

2006 #10 #9 #11 8-8

2007 #3 #22 #2 10-6

2008 #23 #17 #1 12-4

Immediately, two things jump right off the list. First it shows the Steelers consistently have one of the top defenses and running games in the league. I don't think that was a secret to anyone who follows the NFL closely.

The second is that they have had one of the worst passing offenses in the league just about every year since Ben Roethlisberger was drafted. I know he managed to crack the top 10 in 2006 but interestingly enough, that is also the only year they didn't make it to the playoffs. To me that speaks volumes about Big Ben's ability to carry his team.

Also of interest from this list is the 2008 season. That season the offense as a whole was not very good, they had a poor running game and a middle-of-the-pack passing game but the defense was out of this world good.

The measure of a defense in the NFL is total yards allowed and the Steelers gave up almost a 1000 yards less than the next best team. On average that is 62.5 yards/game versus the next best defense.

I wanted some other measure to try and gauge the impact of Big Ben to his particular team. I basically worked off the assumption that the more points the opposition scores the more important the offense of your own team becomes.

The theory being that if your QB wins a game in which he had to overcome 30 points being scored by the other team, that should count for more than a QB who wins a game where the other offense only scored 10 points. For this experiment, I drew the line at 15 points.

I wanted to see the QB record in games where the opposition scored more than twice.

Big Ben was 20-23 in games where the other team scored more than 15 points. The means despite going 7-1 in that situation in his rookie season Big Ben has won the game for his team 46 percent of the time when the defense has given up more than two scores.

If you remove the 7-1 from his rookie season that means that in the four years since he has only won 37 percent of the games in those situations.

Strictly to compare Big Ben's numbers with some other QB's around the league since 2004,

Peyton Manning has won 72 percent of the games played where the opposition scores more than 15 points.

Tom Brady has a 25-11 record in those games, winning 69 percent of the time that the opposing team scores more than twice.

To me that demonstrates how Manning and Brady are are able to keep their teams in the game no matter what. Big Ben relies on the other facets of the Steelers game to succeed and his 2006 stats and record when his defense struggles clearly show that to be true.

I believe that long after Big Ben retires he will get the call to Canton, OH. Being the QB of two Super Bowl winning teams and being able to maintain his career winning percentage should all but assure him of that.

I just believe at that ceremony it will be Big Ben thanking the likes of Troy Polamalu, James Harrison and Willie Parker, and not the other way around.

The 2009 Indianapolis Colts Will Be Just Fine

Scott Brown — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:37:51 -0400

Several Internet journalists, and so called "arm-chair experts," have spent the better part of the off-season writing off the Indianapolis Colts.

Most of the reporting that is done cites the coaching turnover, the loss of Marvin Harrison, or the fact that the Colts play in one of the toughest division in football as reasons that the Colts will drop off the short list of elite teams in the NFL.

As a passionate Colts fan, I pride myself on keeping up to date with the news that involves my favorite NFL franchise. I stood by as Tony Dungy announced his retirement.

I watched as Marvin Harisson refused to accept a salary that fit his new role and was subsequently released from the only team he had ever played for.

I even cursed at the television screen on draft day when Rey Maualuga was still on the board and the Colts' turn to pick arrived and we selected a running back out of UCONN that I had never heard off.

Yet despite all my concerns as these very important and sometimes difficult decisions were made by the powers-that-be in the Colts' front office, I have never worried.

You see, throughout the last 11 years that I have followed the Colts I have come to accept one inevitable truth that is the foundation of my support for the team.

In Bill Polian and Peyton Manning I Trust.

Every step of the way from Buffalo to Carolina to Indianapolis, Bill Polian has staked a reputation as a man who seldom makes the wrong call. Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning, Eddgerin James or Ricky Williams, drafting Reggie Wayne when they still had a young Marvin Harrison on the roster.

How about letting Eddgerin James walk and replacing him with Joe Addai?

Remember Dwight Freeney? Apparently he was too small to play in the NFL when the Colts drafted him in the 15 spot.

Remember when Tony Dungy was too nice to be successful in the NFL? Tampa replaced him with Chucky, went to the Super Bowl, and won with Dungy's team. They never even came close to sniffing that kind of success again, as Dungy's influence started to fade from Tampa.

Every step of the way, Bill Polian has made the tough decisions. I know it wasn't easy to watch Marvin Harrison exit this team the way that he did. Lord knows it would have been even harder to watch him put on another jersey.

However, the fact of the matter is that no other team even wanted to take a chance on the surefire hall of famer. I couldn't believe that Tennessee and Jacksonville, both starved for wide receivers, wouldn't take a run at him when he hit the market. Even if just to put him on the sidelines to tip the coaching staff off when they play the Colts.

The fact that Harrison received no interest from the other teams in the NFL just serves to prove that Bill Polian again made the right call, doing what was best for the team.

When people say the loss of Marvin Harrison is going to be hard for the Colts to overcome, I have a newsflash for people that don't follow the Colts that closely.

The Colts lost Marvin Harrison two years ago. He hasn't been the same player since he injuried his knee, and, quite honestly, he cost the Colts a playoff game with that horrible fumble in 2007.

Marvin's replacement is Anthony Gonzalez, who is entering his third season. Why is that significant? Because the third year of a receiver's career has historically proven to be the year of the breakout season.

Consider some of the other top receivers in the game right now. Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens, and Steve Smith all doubled their TD production in year three, while topping the 1000 yards receiving mark for the first time.

Randy Moss and Jerry Rice managed to have their big seasons in year two, while several other high profile WR's took an extra year to hit it big, including Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.

The second half of my reasoning comes from placing my faith in the hands, or rather arm, of Peyton Manning. Despite what the AFC East blogger at ESPN might think, Peyton Manning, not Tom Brady or any other QB for that matter, has been the pillar of consistency in the NFL since the 1998 NFL season.

He has guided the Colts to the playoffs all but twice. Since 2003, the Colts have won at least 12 games, and in 11 seasons Manning has thrown for 4000+ yards. He has yet to have a season where he didn't toss at least 26 TD's.

You will not find another active QB with type of consistent production over the last decade, not even that other QB over in New England.

The truth of the matter is that Peyton Manning played the first seven weeks of the 2008 season on one leg, and still won the MVP. He had the league's worst running game to back him up, and a defense that gave up an average of 4.2 yards/rush.

As a Colts fan, I look at 2008 as the worst possible scenario of what could happen, and I have to believe that if Peyton Manning could pull a 12-win season out of that bunch, there has to be some reason for optimism as we gear up for the 2009 season.

The Colts, just like any other team in the salary cap era, have their deficiencies. This season will be the year we find out if Tony Ugoh will become a solid rock on the Colts' offensive line for years to come, or just a guy that cost us two draft picks and about 100 yards in false start penalties over his short career as a Colt.

This is the year that we find out if Reggie Wayne can handle the role of bona fide No. 1 wideout. Many would argue he has held that mantle for two years now, but this is the first season where he takes on that role without any questions.

I think you would be hard pressed to find another team out there with a better option for No. 1 receiver than Wayne. The Colts could do worse than handing the keys to the WR position over to a guy with Reggie Wayne's track record and ability.

This is also the year that we find out just how much Tony Dungy meant to that locker room. I think this is probably the largest hole in the Colts' fabric, and that is saying something if you consider the gaping hole they chose not to address at DT.

Tony Dungy was a presence; his fingerprints all over the Colt's locker room.

When Reggie Wayne's brother was killed, the WR sought out his coach for guidance and support to help him through that difficult time. It would be hard to imagine anyone on the Patriots' roster seeking out Bill Belichick for advice outside of football.

When Ed Johnston was arrested and charged, it was Dungy that made the call to cut him off the roster. It's all fine and well to stand on principle, but it's another thing entirely to stick to that principle when your team is screaming out for help at DT and you have to cut arguably your best DT because of his off-field conduct.

It's almost symbolic that with Dungy's departure Johnston would return, something that clearly couldn't have happened with Dungy still here.

Will the absence of Tony Dungy produce a better team on the field, albeit of team where we are willing to sacrifice character for production? Or will the absence of Tony Dungy's "quiet strength" prove to be the unraveling to a locker room that for the last 10 years has stayed close together?

This team was grown under the direction of a coach who believed his mission was to help these young men improve as both football players and human beings.

I sit on the fence here. I believe that character still counts for something, yet I am also completely aware of the fact that Peyton Manning could have thrown for well over 55 TD's in 2004.

Tony Dungy was too good a man to allow his QB to embarrass the opposition, and the integrity of the NFL.

Without Tony Dungy, and with potentially the weakest schedule that the Colts have seen since that magical 2004 season, perhaps Caldwell unleashes Peyton Manning; hoping that a new record would mean almost as much to his coaching career as it would to Peyton's legacy.

There can be no doubt that Peyton Manning has heard the news. For all that he has done, he is slighted in a way that no other NFL player has had to endure. Such criticism comes with the territory of being such a notable player.

For every endorsement deal that Peyton signed, for every NFL record that he continues to rewrite, the pressure and expectations that the NFL's prodigal son might fail continues to mount.

Whether the Colts can win another Super Bowl or not is not entirely up to Peyton Manning. Time has shown us that the greatest players do not win Championships on talent alone.

A phenomenal offensive season is something that Manning can control, and I wonder if an entire offseason of getting treated like a second-class QB will resonate with him enough to take his respect for the game and sets it aside. Tony Dungy would never allow that to happen, I wonder what happens with Jim Caldwell at the helm now.

I suspect that the Colts will have trouble stopping the run, and I suspect that the AFC South will prove to be a very tough division to win this year, but I also have faith that Bill Polian has made the right decisions this offseason, and that as long as Peyton Manning is on the field, we will have a chance to win the game.

It's normal for a team to reel off 12+ wins a year, but it's not normal for your QB to throw for 4000+ yards a season, and it's not normal for a team to enjoy sustained success in this new NFL.

I have been spoiled since 1998 as a Colts fan. I know that the ride will have to end eventually, but I just know that with Bill Polian and Peyton Manning that time is not right around the corner, and its most certainly not going to happen this coming season.

My Colts have something to prove this year, and the rest of the NFL had best stand up and take notice.

Pens—Caps Games Seven: It's a Great Day For Hockey

Scott Brown — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:58:50 -0400

It's a great day for hockey. The statement made famous by Badger Bob Johnson seems to just about sum up the anticipation for Game Seven tonight perfectly.

It's amazing how sports have a way of involving the fan at a level that is borderline irrational. I often find myself more caught up and invested in how my team is doing than the players themselves seem to be. I spent the better part of the early 2000's hating Tom Brady, yet apparently him and Peyton Manning are buddy-buddy.

Ultimately, the winner of tonight will have earned nothing more than bragging rights over the other team in a rivalry that seems almost destined to continue for at least the next five years. The winner will still have to play the Conference Final and will still have to find a way to beat whomever the Western Conference throws at them in the Final. Ultimately, if the winner of this game doesn't go on to win the Cup, will they inevitable consider their season somehow less of a disappointment?

So the reality is that this game for all the hyperbole and hoopla it has generated is really just the biggest game of the season until the next biggest game of the season comes along. Yet, still I find myself believing that such a view, however pragmatic, leaves one to completely miss the point.

I believe that a game like Game Seven tonight is alter upon which legacy's are launched. I think back to the Boston Red Sox being down three games to one against the Yankees and rallying back to take the AL Championship.

Obviously they still had to go on and win the World Series, but the Legacy of many of those players was crafted in that series. Had they won the World Series that year and not played the Yankees it would have almost felt less significant. Had they just swept the Yankees aside in four games it would have been somehow less significant.

The journey that it took to win that World Series, and the storylines that unfolded as a result were almost as important as winning the championship itself.

Flash forward to tonight in Washington D.C. and you have to believe that if one of these two teams come out of this thing and then goes on to win the Cup, either Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin will have ultimately cemented their place in this league, before either of them have even turned 25 years old.

What is in store for us tonight that this great series hasn't already provide? Perhaps a triple overtime marathon? Not likely from a series that has given us just one scoreless period in six games. Perhaps another nail bitter, with constant lead changes and one goal deficits, complete with heroes, villains, and suspense?

Who knows what to expect, save for that the one team will win, and the other team will go home. As Badger Bob said so long ago...it's a great day for hockey, it's a great day to be a fan of hockey.

Are We Watching the End of the Flyers Organization as We Know It?

Scott Brown — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:11:59 -0400

If the Philadelphia Flyers get swept away by the Penguins in their first round series, are the Flyers as we know them finished?

Go back to the days of the Broad street bullies and you will find the humble beginnings of a long cultivated identity that goes along with Philadelphia hockey. Tough as nails and full of grit, opponents learned that in order to play the Flyers you had to pay a physical price.

Players like Bobby Clarke, and Ron Hextall embodied this image more than any, and when Bob Clarke took over as the head of Personnel decisions, he made sure the roster was always stocked with players that fit the image. After all this is the team that took Steve Downie in the first round, not because he was a first round calibre player but because he was a Flyer type of guy.

This broad street bully mentality has suited the Flyers well for the last 30 years but back to back seasons of playing their cross state rivals in the playoffs may prove once and for all that the Broad Street Bullies are no longer relevant in the new NHL.

It was with relative ease that the Penguins swept the Flyers aside last season on their own improbably march to the Stanley cup. They played the game at a pace that the Flyers simply couldn't match and dealt with them rather easily in five games.

Hardly the end of the world, Flyers fans and members of the organization probably felt that they could have beaten the Penguins if a few breaks had of gone their way. That may well have been true but I can bet you the Flyers had absolutely no desire to test that theory again this year in the Playoffs. Yet, here in the first round they have drawn a Penguins that team that although the roster has changed, still emphasis speed and skill over brute force.

Game one was what I would call the epitome of a Flyer game. The Penguins carried the play, beat the Flyers to just about every loose puck and waited for their opportunities to capitalize on Flyer mistakes, which the Flyers gave them ample chances to do so.

I wasn't shocked when Lupol used a nudge from Letang to slam into Fleury, that is exactly how the Flyers won game seven last year against the Capitals. On the winning goal they crashed the goalie and claimed the player was pushed into the net....That is Flyer hockey.

I wasn't shocked when the Flyers tried to send a message at the end of Game one. Although I think the league needs to review the matter at the end of the season. Perhaps penalties in the final two minutes of a game need to carry over into the next game in a series. Jordan Staal could have had his career ended in Game one and for what, a 15 second penalty to the offending player.

Think for minute about if the Cleveland Cavaliers had to sit Lebron James for the final 2 minutes of a Basketball game because they were nervous that some role player on the other team might go out on the court with the intention of harming him to send a message. I mean really, think about that for a second.

The announcer on CBC couldn't even get the words out of his mouth before the Flyers starting to chop down Penguin players. But of course, everyone knows that is Flyer hockey.

Yet the most poignent message comes from the result of Game two. The Flyers played a solid game. They relied on the skill and talent of guys like Richards, Carter and Timmonen to play stride for stride with the Penguins.

The first time in 7 straight playoff games that the Flyers were able to do that. Yet in the end, they were again done in by Bone head Flyer hockey. They made the Penguins pay a price, but the Penguins simply made the Flyers pay.

If the Flyers lose to the Penguins for the second year in a row, it will be time for the Organization as a whole to re-think what it means to play Flyer Hockey. They have in my mind one of the greatest players in the NHL in Mike Richards and he spends most of the game killing penalties taken by the bone-head players he is surrounded with. (Its no wonder he led the league in Short handed goals).

If the Flyers lose to the Penguins again it will be time to surround Mike Richards with players that can send a message to the other team by putting the puck in the net, and not by slamming them head first into the boards.

I look at this situation alot like the Ottawa Senators of the early 2000's. The Senators were exactly the opposite. A finesse team that scored alot of points and then wilted in the playoffs every year.

Usually at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs (Back when the leaf actually still played play off games). Eventually the Senators got the message and started to bring in grit players. It wasn't until they got that balance that they started to go deeper into the playoffs, finally making it all the way to Cup Finals.

The Flyers have assets on their team, once they rid themselves of their Broad Street Bully attitude that permeates right at the top of the organization and filters all the way down to the players, I think they will be a formidable organization once again.

Another series loss to the Penguins and the Flyers as we know them might be gone forever. A lost relic of another era of hockey that is no longer relevant in today's new NHL.

Peyton Manning: The Ultimate Difference Maker In the NFL

Scott Brown — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:33:47 -0400

This article is the summarizing of a blog I read this morning. You can read that blog in its entirety at http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=1808

The article begins with a simple premise; if you have two field goal kickers who make 80% of their kicks in a season are they effectively equal. The author proposes that they are not equal based on percentages alone.

He argues that a field goal made from 40-50 yards is more valuable than a field goal made from 10-20 yards. Based on that premise he broke down the career field goals of kickers from various distances and compared what they made/missed versus what the average kicker would have made/missed.

The argument seemed logical enough and generated positive responses, so this year he decided to apply the same logic to the quarterback position.

The author basically tries to remove the defensive performance of the team from the win-loss equation, breaking it down in much the same way he did for place kickers.

The argument given is that a quarterback that wins a game when the defense gives up three points shouldn't be weighted the same as a quarterback that wins a game when the defense gives up 26 points.

For the purpose of this breakdown, he divided the groups based on points given up by the defense. 0 - 10 points, 11-20 points 21-30 points etc....

He then took the win/loss record of the QB in those situations and compared it with the average win/loss record.

He uses Joe Namath as his example and states that Namath played in games where the defense allowed 0-10 points 17 times.

Based on the average a QB would be expected to win 15.9 games. Joe Namath won all 17 so for that category his is +1.1

This analysis goes to show that a team's win/loss record can be a very misleading statistic.

The best example given by the author is that of Trent Dilfer (63-46) and Daunte Cullpepper.(43-56) 0-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50

Daunte Culpepper    | 5-0 1.000   | 7-4 0.636 | 17-6 0.739 | 6-7 0.462 | 8-39 0.170 |
Trent Dilfer                | 30-5 0.857 | 9-7 0.563 | 13-8 0.619 | 9-12 0.429 | 2-24 0.077

In this example, Dilfer has played in 35 games where the defense gave up less than 10 points and Culpepper has played in 47 games where the defense has given up more than 41 points.

Cullpepper has actually won a higher percentage of games in every category but has a worse win/loss record.

It becomes fair to suggest that Trent Dilfer has an inflated W/L record courtesy of of the fact that nearly half of his wins came when his defense kept the other team to 10 points or less.

As for the player at the top of this ranking. It's probably no surprise that Peyton Manning tops the list.

It is almost a given that throughout his career, Manning has lifted his team to victory when they otherwise probably had no business winning. In fact he won an MVP last year for doing just that.

Just as the author points out, you have to acknowledge that the Colts offense as a whole deserves some of the credit for that number. Despite that, you simply can't dispute the fact that if you put any other quarterback on the Colts from 1998 to today, the numbers would suggest the Colts would have won less games. As many as 31.7 games if an average QB was in his place.

Clearly there is a component to any NFL game that reaches beyond the numbers. A human element that you can't quantify or measure. That unbelievable play that turns a game and the momentum.

The statistical analysis offered by the author needs to be taken with a grain of salt. That being said, I think it does an excellent job of putting the win/loss record into perspective.

He correctly concludes that winning in the NFL is a team effort. We place way too much emphasis on the quarterback when a team wins or loses.

The author believes that if people insist on using that statistic to measure a QB, then you need to look further into the numbers to see the quarterback's actual impact on that number.

This article did an excellent job of that for me, I enjoyed reading it, and sharing my thoughts on it. I am interested to hear the thoughts of others who have read it, given that the topic discussed tends to be a hot button issue here at B/R.

Evgeni Malkin Should Win the Hart Trophy...But He Won't

Scott Brown — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:12:01 -0400

Is there another trophy in all professional sports with a more convoluted voting criteria than the NHL's Hart Trophy?

Player judged to be the most valuable to his team?

I mean, seriously—who makes this stuff up?

How on God's green earth do you objectively measure one player's worth to his team?

Was Zach Parise more valuable than Scott Clemmenson to the New Jersey Devils this year?

Perhaps someone wants to argue that it would be okay for the Detroit Red Wings to lose Henrik Zetterberg or Niklas Lidstrom this year, but to lose Pavel Datsuyk would have been catastrophic.

Honestly, in light of the change in play for the Penguins after December, I would almost have to argue that the MVP of the Penguins is not named Malkin or Crosby but either Gonchar or Bylesma.

When you get right down to it, the Hart Trophy in the NHL is decided on by the wrong people—the writers, not the GMs—and the wording handicaps the award from being given to the league's most outstanding player. You are always going to get some dumb nut that feels that Steve Mason was more valuable to his team than Malkin or Ovechkin were to theirs.

There are certainly times that the Hart Trophy candidate is obvious and therefore the wording of the award doesn't prevent the award from going to the rightful winner. I am going on record today as saying that this year is not one of them. Evgeni Malkin is the clear and deserving winner of this year's award, but he is almost certain to lose out on the award to countryman Alex Ovechkin.

Due to the unnatural wording of the award, I cannot offer a rock-solid case for picking Malkin over Ovechkin. Remove either of them from their team and the impact would be immediate and fatal for the team. What I can do is systematically eliminate every reason not to pick Evgeni Malkin as the winner.

Argument No. 1: Ovechkin's Washington Capitals clinched their division and finished with the number two-seed in the conference.

This might have held some water until you consider that this is exactly the same scenario as last season only in reverse. Last season it was Ovechkin with more points, and the Penguins holding the number two seed.

Granted, the Caps ended up third last year but it's worth noting they needed every last game in the schedule just to get in. One more loss and they don't even make the playoffs.

For all the reasons that Ovechkin won last year, there is absolutely no reason that Malkin couldn't win this year.

Argument No. 2: Malkin has Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal, and Sergei Gonchar, while the Caps only win if Ovechkin scores.

I constantly hear this argument, and it still boggles my mind. The four players for the Penguins listed above basically come out in a wash when compared to Alexander Semin, Niklaus Backstrom and Mike Green. To argue that one player has benefited more from the surrounding cast is pure insanity.

Green is a potential Norris trophy winner this season, Backstrom was top five in scoring for most of the season, and Semin was leading the league at the start of the season before he cooled off.

If someone is going to exclude Malkin because of the talent that he plays with, they would likewise have to exclude Ovechkin.

Argument No. 3: Alexander Ovechkin is a more complete player than Malkin.

If we are giving the award to the most complete player in the NHL, this is probably a toss-up between Jarome Iginla or Mike Richards. Ovechkin is reckless when he hits, I applaud his enthusiasm but you cannot legally leave your feet to deliver a check.

Ovechkin is also a left winger, whereas Malkin is a center. What this basically means is that we will never know just how much a liability Ovie is in his own end, because he has almost zero responsibility while back there. The centerman has responsibility in the defensive zone and the offensive zone. Malkin led the league in takeaways played in short-handed situations and put up points on a consistent basis.

I don't know that anyone can make an argument that a guy who puts up 60 goals a season is a complete player. He is a hell of a goal scorer, but in a one-goal game in the third period is Ovechkin out there killing the penalty for his team? Didn't think so.

Unfortunately, I just don't think Malkin is going to be given a fair shot to win this. I know the award doesn't go to the player with the most points—that is the Art Ross trophy. But I do feel you have to at least start with that player and through process of elimination either give him the award or move to the next guy.

I think the award needs to be rebadged in order to better quantify who should be the winner. An award for the League MVP, or simply Most Outstanding would probably better serve the cause.

As for Geno, I can only hope that his eyes on are on the real prize. The Pens were so close last season, so hopefully lifting Lord Stanley's Mug at the end of the playoffs will let Malkin forget all about the Hart Trophy he should have won.

The Lester Pearson trophy is given to the best player in the NHL as voted by his peers, I have no doubt that he will win that award, which is probably the true MVP award anyways.

The Hart is given out by a bunch of beat writers who are left to craft their own version of "most valuable" to his team.

A Tribute to Roy Halladay

Scott Brown — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:02:51 -0400

The date was September 27th 1998, the location; Skydome in Toronto Ontario. The Blue Jays were playing out the final game of another dismal season and they had a relative no-name on the mound by the name of Roy Halladay.

I was sitting in the outfield over the Detroit Tigers bullpen, just like Roy Halladay that would be my second game at Skydome to see my beloved Blue Jays play live.

On that day this no-name pitcher would pitch a one hitter, losing the no-no with a heart-breaking homerun over the left field fence with two out in the ninth. In a wonderful twist of fate the ball was caught by none other than Dave Steib, the last man to throw a no-no himself and also a mutliple victim of the dreaded 2 out basehit to kill the no-hitter.

On the other hand I saw that day the potential for Blue Jays to trot out a starting rotation in 1999 of Roger Clemens, Pat Hentgen, Chris Carpentier and Roy Halladay. If our projected fourth starter could nearly toss a no hitter in just his second start, I remember thinking that 1999 might very well be the year we return to the post season.

Unfortunately, things didn't pan out that way, Chris Carpentier blew out his arm, Roger Clemens demanded a trade to those vile Yankees and Roy Halladay, well he would go on to set the record for the highest ERA ever recorded in one season by a pitcher with more than 50 innings of work, an abysmal 10.53.

Yes Roy, we have been through some good times and some bad times. It would have been easy to write off Roy Halladay after the mess that was 2000.

Roy hit rock bottom when he was demoted all the way back down to Single A. Through the patience of then pitching coach Mel Queen, and the hard work and dedication that would come to define Roy Halladay throughout his career, they tore apart the mechanics of his pitching delivery and rebuilt it from the ground up. The result of that work wouldn't be fully be realised until the 2002 season.

In 2002 Halladay won 19 games for a terrible Blue Jays squad. The Jays would finish 25 Games behind the Yankees in spit of the fact their ace lost only 4 games all season. With his performance in 2002 Halladay didn't win the Cy Young award, but he served noticed that he was a pitcher to be reckoned with.

If Halladay put the MLB world on notice in 2002, he delivered in 2003. Posting 22 Wins against 7 Losses, and tossing 204 Strikeouts enroute to his first Cy Young award. Behind the pitching of Roy Halladay the jays would finish with 86 wins, 9 games out of a wildcard spot.

In 2005, Roy Halladay was coasting to his second Cy Young award in 3 years. He was the class of the AL Pitching crop approaching the All-star break until a freakish line drive off Kevin Mench ended the Doc's season.

At the time of the injury he was on pace for 25 Wins and 216 Strikeouts. Needless to say as a Jays fan I found it a little awkward last year when Kevin Mench came aboard as a Jay. I still hold a fair bit of resentment towards him for Halladay's missing Cy Young award.

As we close the book on the decade I would argue that Roy Halladay has established himself as the greatest pitcher of this decade. There are certainly others who had greater seasons but none that can claim the consistency of "The Doc" over the last 10 years. I am quietly optimistic that with another strong 2009 season there will be no doubt left in anyone's mind.

I know its easy to play the what if game but I dont believe its a stretch to think that without that inujury in 2005 Roy Halladay easily wins the Cy Young that year. I also dont believe that anyone outside of Cleveland would have felt Halladay was any less deserving of the Cy Young last year after posting a 20 win season.

I am thankful that the Jays have had a solid player like Roy Halladay in the organization for the last 10 years. I have been able to watch him grow as player, as a pitcher and as a leader. In a time of steroid accusations and me-first players Roy Halladay is a refreshing throw back to the way the game used to be played.

I fear this is possibly Roy's last season as a Blue Jays. He has earned the right to chase the big money and promise of a championship that comes with playing for one of the bigger markets.

Unlike when Roger Clemens, AJ Burnett and even Carlos Delgado left the fold I will hold no ill will towards Halladay if he decides its time for a change. He has earned my respect and admiration and I will continue to cheer "THE DOC" no matter the uniform he wears.

Friday Morning Random Thoughts

Scott Brown — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:43:02 -0400

THUD...THUD...THUD...That noise you hear is the sound of Adrian Peterson's head hitting the wall repeatedly at the thought of spending another season with Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfields in the backfield with him.

Seriously, if the Vikings had any shot of grabbing Cutler it would have been worth the price, especially given the fact that it would have kept him away from a division rival.

On a related note, I sure know that I am going to be watching with great interest to see who wins the Quarterback battle between Chris Sims and Kyle Orton for starting QB in Denver. I am sure San Diego fans are starting to panic.

I fully agree that Jay Cutler had to go.

You cant have your QB throwing a hissy fit in Training camp but if I am Denver fan I have to be asking the question how my team started this offseason with a Pro-Bowl QB, failed to retain Matt Cassel, failed to retain Jay Cutler and will now begin the season with Kyle Orton as their QB.

Perhaps that Thud...Thud...Thud you heard wasn't Adrian Peterson at all.

Speaking of Matt Cassel, I am going to go on record today as saying the Patriots made a huge mistake in shipping him to Kansas City. The more I think about it, the more I firmly believe that Tom Brady will not be himself to start the season.

Before Pats fans jump all over me, hear me out.

One of the things I have always admired about Tom Brady's game is how he is always been willing to step up to deliver the pass. He has taken many a hard shot in order to deliver a pass where another QB would be back peddling and throwing off his back leg to avoid the hit, usually throwing incomplete or an INT.

I believe that Brady will be reluctant to do this when he returns, so on top of the rust that is to be expected, I believe he is going to change the way he plays and it will have an impact on his game.

How large of an impact is still very much up in the air but there is no way the Tom Brady we get in the first four weeks is the same Brady the Patriots had before he went down. That Matt Cassell security blanket might have looked a whole lot better if they struggle out of the gate this year.

Finally, as the draft quickly approaches, I am 100 percent sold that the Lions are going to take Mathew Stafford with the first pick. What I am less certain about is whether or not that is a good idea.

Detroit has proven they cannot develop a young QB and they have far too many holes for one person to come in and make an immediate impact.

I believe if they can trade down and pickup up some extra draft picks that is the way to go. I stated in a previous article about the danger of picking a QB number with the number one pick.

The damage done to your franchise is huge if you turn out to be wrong. People will point to Matt Ryan and the Falcons as the best reason for Detroit to take Stafford No. 1.

I would argue without removing the cancer that was D'Angelo Hall and adding Micheal Turner there is no way that Matt Ryan on his own turns things around. I just don't see any other addition in Detroit that makes me believe they are a number one QB away from fixing their issues.

Mario Lemieux's Five Greatest Seasons

Scott Brown — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:57:46 -0400

For as long as I can remember, I have first and foremost been Mario Lemieux fan. Long before Peyton Manning came along, or the Penguins lucked out with the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes, I was hooked on number 66. I look back now and I realize that without Wayne Gretzky maybe I dont gravitate towards Lemieux quite so much. In my adament homerism of Mario Lemieux someone had to play the bad guy, and Wayne was the perfect fit. Mario was drafted by the worst team in the league, Wayne entered the league with the high flying WHA Edmonton Oilers. Teams learned early on that you could beat the Penguins by slowing down Mario, Players learned early on that slowing down Gretzky meant a demotion back to the juniors or a fist full of Dave Semenko or Marty McSorley. Gretzky played in nearly 1500 games, Lemieux played in just 900.....In the end I had to conceed that Gretzky would go down as the Greatest to ever play the game and Mario would be forever relegated to the What if side of the debate. As a tribute to Mario I intended to write that what if column but I chose instead to go the other route. To move away from the What if side of the debate and instead celebrate the brilliant moments in Lemieux's career that that allowed him to go down as one of the greatest of all time, despite the fact that he was limited by injuries for most of his career. Enjoy.

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The Biggest Myth About the NFL Draft

Scott Brown — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:43:33 -0400

The NFL Draft is broken and it seems only two teams in the league realize it. As I watch NHL teams do everything in their power to lose games right now in order to gain the best odds to draft John Tavares I started to think more and more about the NFL Draft.

In the NHL, drafting Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, or John Tavares has the potential to put your franchise on the map overnight. With a single first overall selection and some luck in the later rounds, you could see your NHL team go from the cellar to the big show overnight. Take a bow Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins fans.

So why doesn't that happen in the NFL? Why is it that the worst teams in the league are consistently the worst teams in the league? Why is it that the two best teams in all of football are the two teams that haven't drafted in the top 10 in almost a decade?

Again take a bow New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts fans!

The reason for this seems to indicate that picking in the top five of the NFL Draft is more of a curse than a reward.

The contract slotting of those top players dictate that the teams who draft them need to invest huge sums of money to get them into training camp.

The cost of making a mistake in the top five selections is astronomical and can hamper a team for years. This is especially true if that mistake ensures they will draft in the top five again the following year.

New England and Indianapolis seem to have figured this out. They routinely draft at the bottom and scout accordingly. When the Patriots do have a higher pick, they often look to trade down and acquire more later round picks, rather than use the higher slot.

The fact remains that for every Peyton Manning that goes first overall there is also a Ryan Leaf or Tim Couch.

It is also true that for every JaMarcus Russell or David Carr that goes first overall there is a Tom Brady who goes in the sixth round. Teams that can identify talent can afford to stay away from the top 10 in the first round and the inherent danger that comes with those selections.

Below is a comparison of the last three years which should help to give you insight into what I am talking about.

In 2006, the Houston Texans took Mario Williams with the first overall pick. That selection cost them $54 million over six years with $30 million of that guaranteed to the player.

While those numbers will prove to be lower than the other two guys who are about to follow, it's worth noting Mario Williams signed ahead of the draft at a discount, which is why the Texans didn't take Reggie Bush that year.

In 2006, the Indianapolis Colts let Edgerrin James walk and replaced him with Joesph Addai at the 27th pick. The cost for that selection was $11.65 million over five years with $4.75 million guaranteed.

To put that into better perspective, New Orleans ended up giving Reggie Bush $52.5 million over six years with $25.74 million of that guaranteed.

In 2007, the Oakland Raiders made Russell the first overall selection at a cost of $68 million over six years with $30 million guaranteed.

The Cleveland Browns stole projected first overall selection Brady Quinn at the 22nd pick and paid a far more reasonable $20.2 million over five years with $7.5 million of that guaranteed.

Finally, in 2008, the Miami Dolphins selected Jake Long at No. 1 and immediately made him the highest paid offensive lineman in league history. His contract was a bank-busting $57.75 million over five years with $30 million of it guaranteed.

Sure he went to the Pro Bowl so he was no means a bust, but 23 other offensive lineman went in the first four rounds and none of them cost anywhere near that kind of money.

For comparison sake, New England selected Defensive Rookie of the Year Jarod Mayo at the 10 spot in round one and paid out $18.9 million over five years with $13.8 million in guaranteed money.

I am not saying that teams need to avoid drafting first overall, but the fact remains there might be some worth in spending that money on proven commodities and trading down into the lower picks while filling a few other holes.

There is certainly a chance that you could draft a player and pay him Peyton Manning money and he turns out to be the next Peyton Manning.

However, history indicates that it's more likely that you will draft a guy and pay him Peyton Manning money and he turns into the next Ryan Leaf.

Only three times has the first overall selection also panned out as the Rookie of the Year. Having that first pick guarantees nothing more than a five year, $50 million dollar commitment to an unproven commodity.

The system is broke and needs to be fixed with a rookie salary cap. Until that happens the Colts and Patriots will continue to thrive in this system and the Lions, Raiders, and rest of the bottom feeders will continue to pay through the teeth for untested rookies.

Jay Cutler, Grow Up!

Scott Brown — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:48:15 -0400

Raise your hand, if you've had just about all you can stomach of Jay Cutler and the Denver Bronco's this offseason.

I honestly saw this story break as a footnote to the Matt Cassell trade. Seriously, the last paragraph of the ESPN story mentioned that Patriots made the deal after the Denver deal apparently fell through.

It was a minor note regarding a trade that never happened, yet here we are almost a month later talking about hurt feelings, disrespect and a whinny snot-nosed QB that feels he has become bigger than the franchise that drafted him.

Allow me to hit the brakes on this story once and for all and give Jay Cutler some good advice. The same good advice that his agent should be giving him rather than filling Cutler's head with this nonsense about disrespect and how the Broncos have done wrong by Jay.

Shut up Jay...Just shut up. Keep your mouth closed. When you feel the need to open your mouth and say something stupid take a deep breathe, exhale, and then shut up!

You are not Peyton Manning, you are not Tom Brady which means you are no untouchable.

You are not Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt or Shaun Alexander, three people who have legitimately more to grip about as far as disrespect goes based on their NFL body of work, yet they remain silent.

You are a spoiled quarterback who saw his potential rewarded with a $48 Million dollar contract back 2006. Since that contract you are the quarterback of a football team that is 17-20 with absolutely no playoff appearances for your team in that time.

Jay Cutler, you are insane to think that the new coach isn't going to immediately question your results. To believe that your record over the last three years indicates that you are an untouchable just illustrates how out of touch with reality you truly are.

Should the Broncos be upset or offended with you if decide at some point in your career to test the open market through free agency, I don't think so.

In closing Jay Culter, I believe you should take the lesson of Drew Brees to heart. This guy was a class act in San Diego, he basically had to play the season of his life just to keep his spot on the Chargers roster and even though he was a top-five QB when he became a free agent, the Chargers still let him walk as they felt that they could get by with Rivers and use that money elsewhere to improve the team.

Drew Brees didn't sulk or let on that he felt betrayed, he signed a new deal and let his play on the field do the talking. He took every snap as a chance to let his play prove if the Chargers had made a mistake.

Drew Brees has handled a very similar situation with class, and productivity on the field. Jay Culter you could learn alot from a guy like him, or another number of veterans with more than three years of experience under their belt.

You just need to shut up long enough to hear what they are saying.

Get over it and prove Josh McDaniels was wrong to want to trade you by winning games on the football field, not sulking in the press.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Strongest Team in the Playoffs?

Scott Brown — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:02:53 -0400

Throughout the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have just about every label you can think up attached to them. They started off as the trendy pick to run away with the East after last years amazing Stanley Cup run.

Then they became the team that everyone loved to hate. Suddenly Sidney Crosby, leading scorer in the NHL since the lockout, was over-rated and over-exposed and he the Penguins represented everything that was wrong with the new NHL.

A horrible finish to December and miserable January saw the Pens fall out of the playoff picture, and subsequently they became the biggest underachievers in the League. Even boasting the top two scorers in the NHL, the Penguins were not certain of a playoff spot, something that was unthinkable when the season began.

Finally, on the heels of a recently snapped seven-game winning streak which saw them climb back into the playoffs for the first time since the All-Star Break, I ask the question: Have the Penguins become the most dangerous team in the 2009 playoffs? That dreaded first-round matchup that no team in the East wants to see in round one.

I liken this late season push to that of the New York Giants in 2007. They entered the playoffs as a wild-card team and the hottest team in the NFL. They exited the playoffs that year as the winners of the Super Bowl, and the only team in the NFL that year to claim victory over the New England Patriots.

I believe that the Penguins have solidified their lineup with the additions of Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz. Kristopher Letang has even show that he might be an upgrade over Whitney, now that he is in the lineup every night.

Perhaps the biggest addition this year comes from the return of Sergei Gonchar. It's clear to me that his absence was something that Pittsburgh just couldn't overcome and they are simply not the same team when he doesn't dress.

Finally, the coaching change to Dan Bylesma seems to have paid off. The Pens had 50 shots the other night against Florida, a total they would have needed three games under Therien to meet.

I still have to believe that New Jersey is the favorite in the East, Martin Brodeur's injury means they will have a fresh out-of-this-planet goaltender in the playoffs for the first time in about 10 years. The fact they did so well without him proved that they are a team not to be taken lightly.

Yet, I still have to believe that the Devils, just like every other top-four team in the NHL, are looking at their possible first-round matchup candidates and hoping that the Penguins don't line up in that slot.

If the Pens do clinch that elusive playoff berth it won't be long before they get one moniker this season—trendy dark-horse pick to win the Stanley Cup in 2009.

Where Safety Is Concerned

Scott Brown — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:12:29 -0500

Playing hockey in Canada you are three times more likely to suffer a spinal cord injury than playing football in the U.S.

As an Operations Manager for a large trucking firm I am responsible for both the productivity of our workers and their well being. A large part of my responsibility is to ensure that the work is done in a timely and efficient manner while ensuring that everyone goes home safe at the end of the night.

I signed on for that when I took the job and take pride in the steps taken to ensure safety in the work place can be achieved while maintaining a high level of productivity.

It would be easy to take the governor off our highway trucks and allow them to drive 110 km/hr on the highway. The same would be true of the forklifts on our warehouse floor.

I do choose to have our highway trucks governed at 97km/hr because I feel that the safety of doing so trumps the benefit of letting the truck run at 110km/hr.

To apply this standard to the NHL I sometimes wonder who is looking out for the safety of the players. They are workers in this scenario and the NHL seems content to let them police themselves as far as safety goes and I fear this is a terrible miscalculation on their part.

If the players shouldn’t police themselves then who should the responsibility fall to? Surely the NHLPA is there to protect its players and ensure they are safe.

As much as that may sound like it should be the case history has proven that the NHLPA has less concern for the well-being of their members than even the NHL.

Here is a look at the history of safety in the National Hockey League and how the NHL and the NHLPA have failed to work to ensure the safety of their workforce.

What you will find is that often the League doesn’t look to cover safety until someone dies or his seriously injured by the shortcoming of their safety measures.

Helmets

The first helmet in the NHL was worn by George Owen of the Boston Bruins back in 1928. It wasn’t until 1979 that the NHLPA finally mandated the use of helmets to its members. Even that mandate allowed players to continue to not wear helmets providing they signed a waiver and already had been drafted into the NHL prior to that year.

Craig MacTavish would go on to hold the distinction of last player to play a game in the NHL without a helmet.

The NHL had wanted to bring helmets into the game dating back to the 1930’s, however the NHLPA fought the move based on the wishes of the players to continue to not wear a helmet.

The turning point in the helmet debate was most certainly the on-ice death of Bill Masterson while playing for the St. Louis Blues in 1968.

Masterson was body checked by a pair of players from the Oakland Seals and his head crashed into the ice. Masterson died of his injuries at a nearby hospital after doctors had worked for 30 hours to try and save him.

Masterson’s death led to several high profile players putting helmets on that season and by the time the NHLPA finally gave its approval for the rule change almost 70 percent of NHL players were already playing with a helmet.

The introduction of the helmet into the NHL game was not a triumphant march towards safety but rather an 11 year delayed reaction to a player’s death and an off-ice acknowledgement that players were much safer with a helmet than they were without it.

The fact that only 30 percent of the league was still playing without one by this point only proves that the move came too late by the people upstairs and it had very little to do with protecting the players.

Visors

On March 11, 2000 Bryan Berard nearly lost the use of his eye after Marian Hossa of the Ottawa Senators clipped him in the eye with his stick on the follow through of the shot.

Since the injury occurred during the follow through of a normal hockey action there was no penalty on the play.

The next two years Bryan Berard would endure seven operations on his eye and through use of a contact lens restore his vision to 20/400, the league minimum standard which would allow him to complete an unimaginable comeback from the accident.

This season the Boston Bruins alone have lost two players to injury because errant hockey sticks clipped them in or around the eye.

In both situations it appears the players dodged a bullet but that scene of a bloodied Bryan Berard just wont go away each time a player has a near miss.

The calls for mandatory visors were the loudest right after the Bryan Berard injury. At the time it appeared likely that he would lose his eye and almost certain that he had lost his career.

Perhaps the fact that Berard was able to beat the very long odds and get back to NHL—a feat that earned him the Bill Masterson trophy for perseverance—actually turned out to be a negative in that it quieted the calls for mandatory visors.

Once again the NHLPA refused to make changes based on a near miss and as a result countless players have continued to have near misses ever since—Micheal Ryder and Petteri Nokelainen of Boston being the latest but almost certainly not the last.

The saddest part of the discussion about visors stems from two facts that cannot be disputed.

The first is that the NHL has an easy out when it comes to enforcement. Every single player that enters the NHL does so having played their entire junior career with a visor. The fact that they remove it when they arrive in the NHL based on some notion that they are less of a man if they wear one is absurd.

The second fact that screams for attention on this issue is the fact that no player wearing a visor has ever suffered an eye injury while playing in the NHL. That certainly isn’t to say that it’s impossible but the odds are reduced to a statistical improbability.

The NHL has gone on record stating they are pushing mandatory visors but they cannot get it past the NHLPA to implement.

Here the NHLPA could lead the charge to protect its players and mandate the use of visors but again they seem to waiting for something terrible to happen before they will move into action.

Concussions

Imagine for a moment that someone hit you in the jaw with a hammer. While it might seem like an extreme comparison, a legal NHL elbow pad these days can be made of anything from carbon fiber to hard shell plastic.

During the 2002 season Kyle Mclaren unleashed a vicious elbow to the head of Richard Zednik. Mclaren was wearing a carbon fibre elbow pad at the time of the hit.

The league attempted to ban such elbow pads for the upcoming 2003 season. The NHLPA fought the rule change and it never saw the light of day.

To this day players are still dressed in body armor that has the potential to seriously injury given the pace of an NHL hockey game.

While the number of reported concussions continue to rise each year, the NHLPA and NHL seem content with examining the issue while ultimately doing nothing to prevent them.

The primary cause of concussions in the NHL is a blow to the head. While I would never advocate that the NHL needs to instruct players not to be aggressive, they do need to consider protecting players that are in a vulnerable position and restricting the hardness of shoulder pads and elbow pads.

The NHL seems to get this but the NHLPA still refuses to consent to changes in equipment.

The NHLPA further has this all wrong when you consider that in the case of Patrice Bergeron and Randy Jones. Jones rammed Bergeron into the boards from behind driving his head into the glass.

The NHLPA was fighting the suspension of Jones even though his actions nearly crippled another one of its members. Randy Jones ended up with a two game suspension but I wonder where the NHLPA member fighting for Bergeron was.

The Hockey Stick

The primary tool in the game of hockey and the weapon of choice for most is the hockey stick. While much in hockey has evolved in the last 100 years perhaps nothing has changed more dramatically than the hockey stick.

What began with Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita when they curved the first hockey stick, to Wayne Gretzky and his shiny aluminum Easton has culminated in today’s graphite composite hockey stick.

The move from wooden sticks to graphite has done wonders for the slap shot of every single player in the NHL. It has also done wonders for the stick companies that produce them.

They give these sticks away to the players in the NHL and then turn around and sell the brands to the kids in minor hockey at $200-$400 a stick. The wooden stick has become obsolete with this new stick and every player is now capable of unleashing a slapper with Al McInnis type velocity.

My rhetorical question would have be—is this such a good thing? The speed that these players are shooting the puck at is starting to get excessive.

There is the argument to be made that these sticks increase scoring and help combat the excessive goalie equipment. Unfortunately, neither of these theories holds any water.

The composite sticks are considerably less accurate, which makes picking your spots much harder as evidence by the number of NHL caliber players that can’t hit the net on a clear cut breakaway these days.

While the number of goals scored because of the faster shots might balance out against the number goals not scored because the shooter missed the net might be a relevant question, I believe that the increase in scoring had more to do with the post lockout enforcement of the rules than the composite hockey stick.

This is clearly evident as the scoring went up after the lockout, even though players have been using these sticks since late 90’s.

If Baseball and Golf can regulate the equipment in use by its players you would think that the NHL would be capable and willing to do the same.

With the sticks, I believe the league is so preoccupied with increasing goal scoring that they refuse to mandate wooden hockey sticks.

The players for their part prefer the composite sticks but to be fair if you gave the rest of the PGA a club and told them that with that club they could out-drive Tiger, I bet they would be more than happy to make the switch.

It’s in their best interest to use the composite stick and as a result they are once again the last people that should be policing the standards for equipment.

I believe that NHL is a solid product and the game of hockey is currently in very good shape. The influx of young talent is incredible and along with the new rules and salary system the gap between the teams has narrowed considerably.

I do fear that the NHL and the NHLPA have be negligent in their duty to protect their players. These players are the backbone of their product and they owe them better.

In no other industry would we allow workers to put themselves at risk based on individual preference and for the sake of increasing the entertainment value.

The NHL and NHLPA can create all the committees and sub-committees that they want to with regards to safety but I feel that in this regard the best thing to do would be to take a hard stance.

The NHL needs to embrace its role as the caretaker of the product. If the NHL were to enact hard and fast rules about the equipment that is required to play in their league the players would be forced to adopt it.

People forget that players still have a choice about whether or not they will wear a helmet. The only thing that has changed is that if they choose to exercise that right and not wear one, they will simply have to find some other place to play that will allow it.

Does it not make sense for the NHL and NHLPA to get on board with the visors, sticks and pads before something bad happens to force their hand?

The game of hockey is a physical, fast-paced game where imminent injury is always likely. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t examine taking some off the needless risk out of the game.

In the real world the safety of the worker is always paramount and the company has a responsibility to that worker to ensure a safe workplace. It time the NHL stopped hiding behind the NHLPA’s inaction and started enforcing change in the name of safety.

The players have been calling the shots in this area for far too long and someone is going to pay for it. The sad truth is that when that day comes, people will write about how the player knew the risks and its all a part of the game.

But should it be?

Matt Cassel: Handicapping His Future

Scott Brown — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:45:07 -0500

I honestly believe that the most intriguing plot line this offseason is going to be what happens to Matt Cassel. I know that might seem strange coming from a card-carrying member of the Colts fan club, but Cassel's future is completely up in the air. Plus, his future has major reprecussions on the league.

The New England Patriots almost never get caught with their pants down when it comes to player personnel decisions. You cannot win three Super Bowls in four years without making wise choices.

The Patriots' front office is probably sitting pretty with multiple options for their $14.6 million quarterback. Let us explore the most likely scenarios, which I have narrowed down to five.

Scenario 1 - Cassel goes to Kansas City

Why this will happen

I rank this as the most probable scenario. Given that Scott Pioli is now the guy making decisions in KC, and the Chiefs have a gaping hole at the quarterback position, it would seem likely that the Chiefs are interested.

I believe it is much easier to fill other holes in your lineup via the draft than the QB position. So, picking at No. 3, the Chiefs likely pass on Stafford and select someone to shore up the offensive line.

Plus, if anyone has chance to get a fair shake from the Patriots, it is Pioli. Whatever price they end up paying, you can bet it will be less than what anyone else would have to pay.

Reasons why this will not happen

The Patriots may not come down in their asking price of a first-round draft pick, and it is possible that Cassel will refuse to sign a long-term contract with the Chiefs.

Either way, we will know where the Chiefs stand on Draft Day. If they take Stafford or Sanchez, then we know that Cassel is not in the picture. If they pass on either quarterback, then it would suggest they have an alternative in place.

Odds for those keeping score at home - 3-1

Scenario 2 - Cassel goes to San Francisco

Why this will happen

Here is where I invite everyone to go out on a limb with me. With all due respect to the Minnesota Vikings, there is no team in the NFL that needs a quarterback more than San Francisco.

I differentiate between the two only because there are some people in Minnesota who feel Tarvaris Jackson could be the guy. Whereas in San Francisco, there is nobody that believes Alex Smith or Shaun Hill is the answer at quarterback.

Plus, San Francisco is closer to Cassel's hometown than Minnesota. Matt Cassel is a California boy, and he may want to move back to the West Coast.

Finally, the 49ers have something that Minnesota does not, an enticing first-round pick. New England would move to the No. 10 spot in the draft and have their pick of several quality players in positions they desperately need to fill (LB, DL, RB).

San Francisco could realistically stay in the first round at New England's No. 23 spot and still draft a quality wide receiver to help their new quarterback.

Presumably, Cassel would be willing to negotiate a long-term deal with the Niners.

Why this will not happen

San Francisco could see someone they like at No. 10 and decide not to trade down. Mike Singletary is a defense guy and there are some quality players on defense this year. He might not get what he is looking for further down the draft.

This has almost no chance of happening if New England is not willing to swap picks. I cannot see San Francisco dealing themselves completely out of the first round, given the number of holes they have on both sides of the ball.

It could cost them the swap and a later pick, but I do not think they even discuss this trade unless they are getting the No. 23 pick from the Patriots.

Odds for those keeping score at home - 5-1

Scenario 3 - Cassel goes to Washington

Why this will happen

Let us be honest here. Washington has a history of not taking the draft seriously. If there is a team out there that is going to give up a first-round pick to the Patriots, it is probably those crazy Redskins.

This swap also accomplishes the Patriots' goal of moving up in the draft, although I do not think they want to pick behind Denver. Since they have similar weaknesses, these two teams will vie for the same prospects.

This deal makes sense for Washington only because they play in a division that has three other strong quarterbacks. A deal for Cassel has the potential to close that gap sooner rather than later.

Why this will not happen

This deal only happens if the Redskins overpay. I do not think the Patriots are all that better off at No. 13 than they are at No. 23, so unless they get something else, I just do not see them jumping at this offer.

Still, Cassel can make the biggest impact on the Redskins, as he has the potential to push an 8-8 team into the playoffs. Any other destination I have him lined up for is a work-in-progress team that needs a solid QB to start rebuilding.

Odds for those keeping score at home - 10-1

Scenario 4 - Cassel goes to Houston

Why this will happen: This trade only happens if it becomes evident that the Patriots cannot get a first-round pick for Cassel. This trade accomplishes two things that absolutely no other team can offer the Patriots in lieu of a higher spot in the first round.

First, Houston is the only team that has two quarterbacks they can ship to New England that have actual game experience. Plus, both quarterbacks have cap-friendly salaries, which gives New England a much cheaper insurance policy if Brady cannot recover from his injury (Sage Rosenfels at $1.5 million or Schaub at $5.75 million).

While Rosenfels would be the most likely player to get moved, it would not be a deal-breaker if Houston wants to rid themselves of Schaub, rather than have him and Cassel fight it out for the starter's position.

The second thing this accomplishes for the Patriots is that it makes a division rival of the Colts just a little bit more formidable. I am not saying that is a determining factor in where they put Cassel, but you have to assume that nobody in New England would shed a tear if the Texans improve and cost the Colts one, or possibly two, games next year.

Why this will not happen

I do not think this happens because New England has to play the AFC South this year. In addition, for the same reason I ruled out Buffalo and the Jets, I am inclined to disregard any team from the AFC.

I am also not convinced the Texans are ready to give up on Matt Schaub. They brought him in from Atlanta with much fanfare and to discard him before this season might seem like throwing in the towel a little early.

That being said, if they stick with him and he does not pick up his game this year, the people who made that decision are going to have some explaining to do. So, Schaub is on his last leg in Houston.

Odds for those keeping score at home - 20-1

Scenario 5 - Cassel stays in New England

Why this will happen

Maybe New England knows or fears that all is not well with Tom Brady. Perhaps they saw the Colts struggle early last year when Manning came back from his injury and do not want to leave themselves vulnerable. Maybe they saw how much Carson Palmer has struggled since his knee injury.

Regardless, if the Patriots are not blown away by an offer for Cassel or have any doubts about Brady, then they will eat the cost and keep him on the roster. This team is built to win now, and when you are built to win now, you do not screw around with the quarterback position.

Why this will not happen

Seriously, $14.6 million for your backup QB? Are we not in a recession? I am sure the money that the Patriots would be paying their backup QB could almost cover what GM Canada needs to keep operating.

While I do not think the Patriots tagged Cassel with the intention of keeping him, we cannot rule it out completely. However, there are other options available if they are working on a backup for Brady. Plus, these options will cost them far less than $15 million, so it seems the point of tagging him was to ensure they got something in return for their investment.

Odds for those keeping score at home - 50-1

Tom Brady a Choke Artist?: A Deeper Glimpse Inside the Numbers

Scott Brown — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:47:09 -0500

A lot has been said and written here at B/R regarding the myth that the New England Patriots have been the gold standard of success in the playoffs because of the play of their QB, the terrific Tom Brady.

Much has likewise been said that the Colts have continually come up short because of the sub-par play of their own franchise QB, Peyton Manning.

This is certainly a hot topic between two very passionate fan bases, who respectively believe their guy has always gotten the short end of the stick when the two are compared.

I read a great article on the subject of choking in the playoffs by Ryan Michael the other day, and as a result of that article I did some digging of my own with regards to Tom Brady.

I expected to find a significant gap between the two players, given the reputation that each player has when it comes to playoff time. Below is a record of what I found, and quite frankly, I was just as surprised as anyone when I saw the numbers for myself.

In 17 career playoff games the follow facts are true:

In 11 of 17 playoff games, the New England defense held the opposition to less than 20 points.

In seven of 17 games, Tom Brady had a QB rating below 80 percent.

In five of the seven games that Tom Brady had a QB rating below 80 percent, New England won the game anyways.

Tom Brady has thrown the ball for more than 300 yards only three times in 17 playoff games.

In six of 17 games, Tom Brady has thrown as many or more interceptions as touchdowns.

While exploring the numbers, I also stumbled across something else that just didn't seem right.

If you look at the three Super Bowl winning seasons of the Patriots, you would expect to find that Brady's numbers were the best in those years. However, closer examination proves just the opposite.

2001 Playoffs: Three games, 572 yards passing, one touchdown, and one interception. These numbers don't seem to indicate that the games were won or lost by the play of the QB.

2003 Playoffs: Three games, 792 yards passing, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Much better numbers, but Brady was very inconsistent in the playoffs.

He had his best career playoff game in the Super Bowl, but two of his worst games in the two rounds prior.

2004 Playoffs: Three games, 587 yards passing, five touchdowns, zero interceptions.

A very excellent job of protecting the football, but by no means do these numbers indicate a dominating game changing performance from the QB.

In fact some of Tom Brady's best performances at the position of quarterback during the playoffs came in years where they didn't even win the big game.

2008 vs Jacksonville: 26/28 for 262 yards and three touchdowns without a pick. New England put 31 points on the board in this one.

2007 vs New York Jets: 22/34 for 212 yards and two touchdowns without a pick, as the Pats scored 37.

2006 vs Jacksonville: 15/21 for 202 yards and three touchdowns without a pick, as the Pats scored 28.

I believe that an even closer look at the numbers would seem to indicate that Tom Brady is probably not a choke artist any more than Peyton Manning would be considered a choke artist.

What the numbers presented here do indicate is that winning or losing isn't usually tied to the performance of just one player.

To achieve the ultimate prize of winning a Super Bowl, it requires a total team effort. It requires skilled players who are committed to winning, as well as crucial, timely plays that are often made by the least suspecting players on the winning team.

Nothing I can think of illustrates this point better than the 2007 playoffs. Indianapolis and New England both played against the San Diego Chargers, with the Colts losing and the Pats winning.

Peyton Manning: 33/48 for 402 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions

Tom Brady: 22/33 for 209 yards two touchdowns and three interceptions

It's not hard to see which QB had the better day, but in the end it didn't seem to affect the outcome at all.

This article has not been meant as an attack against Tom Brady.

The goal of the article has been to show that the Patriots success is down to the entire organization, from to bottom, and that there is absolutely nothing statistically that would prove or disprove that Tom Brady raises his game come playoff time.

Patriots fans should be proud of their team and what it has accomplished. My only hope is that this article has helped shed some light on how those titles were won.

While No. 12 was certainly an important piece of the puzzle, he was exactly that, one piece of the puzzle as his numbers would suggest.

Sidney Crosby-Alexander Ovechkin: Redux

Scott Brown — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:52:07 -0500

If the endless articles about who is the best quarterback in the NFL have taught me anything, it's to avoid these comparative articles at all cost. Inevitably, no matter the logic and no matter the sound case to be made, you either believe that it's Tom Brady or Peyton Manning and nothing said will sway you from that belief.

Yet here I am, knee deep in the NHL's version of who is the best quarterback. I find myself a reluctant participant dragged into the fray after reading this opinion-based article by Andrew: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/119162-let-the-truth-be-told-ovechkin-or-crosby

I will start this article with a pretty simple comparison. On my left is a player who has a stat line over three years that reads (223GP - 154G - 131A - 285P). On my right is a player whose stat line over those same three years reads (200GP - 85G - 231A -316P).

Now as you read this article you either sit on the side of the fence that believes the guy with 154 goals is the best player because of his scarily good ability to put the puck in the net, or you believe that the player with more points in fewer games is the better player because he clearly sees the ice better and is able to make the players around him better.

I would then ask if it makes any difference in your decision if I told you that the player who scored 85 Goals in that span also led his team to the Stanley Cup finals as captain?

My guess is that it probably wouldn't. Like so many who are passionate about sports, you probably made up your mind long ago. Since I likely can't change your mind, allow me to at least tell you the names of the players involved. If you chose the goal scorer over the point-producing playmaker, then you have just selected Pavel Bure as a better player than Wayne Gretzky. The stats above are from '92-'94 when Pavel was lighting the world on fire with goal scoring prowess.

Oddly enough, I don't see very many "Bure was better than Gretzky" articles populating the B/R community.

Andrew attempts to argue that Crosby has benefited from playing on a superior team, so his numbers are inflated. He even goes so far as to try and use Hossa as a reason that Crosby's numbers went up. Clearly Andrew forgot that, playoff numbers aside (which don't count in the totals), Hossa went down with a knee injury shortly after coming to Pittsburgh last year and played less than 10 games with Crosby in the regular season.

Clearly using Hossa was a bit of a stretch, but I suppose it certainly sounded better than using Gary Roberts, Colby Armstrong, Pascal Dupius, Maxime Talbot, Miroslav Satan, and was that Matt Cooke I saw out there last week on his wing?

I would argue that the Penguins are a superior team not because of the talent running through their roster, but rather because the offensive players in Pittsburgh learned to play defensive hockey. That is why they made that run through the playoffs last year and that is especially why they are struggling this year. Malkin and Crosby have proved that scoring isn't enough on its own. If the Pens could get back to playing sound fundamental defense again, they might see their fortunes in the standings improve.

Andrew makes his next point that Ovechkin makes the players around him better. An odd point to make considering, he slagged the players on the Capitals roster in the paragraph prior as being inferior. He contends that the guy who stick handles around the defenseman and slides the pass across the ice to the player waiting in the open for the one-timer is the guy inflating the other persons stats. It's hard for me to argue that reasoning. As far back as I can remember, an assist and a goal were worth one point each.

If anything, the best players in the NHL are the ones that see the ice, anticipate the flow of the game, and find the open player without turning the puck over. These are all things Andrew acknowledges that Crosby does better, yet somehow he comes to the conclusion that because Ovechkin is a great finisher he is inflating the stats.

The last argument that Andrew puts forth is questioning each player's worth considering where they are currently in the standings as they relate to the playoffs. I find this to be the biggest hole in Andrews argument because as he states right off the top of his own article....the numbers don't lie.

Yes, it's true that the Penguins are out of playoff contention right now and the Capitals are second. Perhaps Andrew needs to be reminded that since the league screwed with the schedule to influence divisional play the Southeast Division has put someone in the finals three times in the last six years it was played. The Southeast Division has been littered with weak teams, so the best team in that division is effectively given 24 games a year against inferior teams (mercifully the league finally attempted to correct that this season by moving to 18 games against your own division).

You also have to assume that it doesn't hurt having the league guarantee the winner of that division a top three seed no matter the record.

Do you honestly believe that any team in the Southeast Division would even make the playoffs if they played in the much tougher Atlantic? In fact, let's openly ponder Ovechkin's goal totals if he were to play 18 games a year against Fluery, Broduer, Lundquist and Dipetro. No one can say for sure, but I have to believe it's not unreasonable to expect that the totals would go down.

Last season, the Capitals needed every last game to catch a reeling Carolina hurricanes team down the stretch. If last season was Ovechkin playing at his best—and the Hart/Richard/Person/Art Ross trophies would suggest he was at his best—and the Capitals just eeked into the playoffs, then surely Ovechkin having a less fantastic year this year and the team flying into second place in the conference is all the proof you need to dispute that Alexander Ovechkin is not the only reason that his team is doing so well.

For the record, the Atlantic Division is set to put three-of-four teams into the playoffs for the second straight year.

To be honest, I was the biggest Lemieux fan there ever was. I believe that Gretzky was a fraud and if Lemieux was healthy his entire career everyone else would have been able to see what I already knew....that he was the best.

Thankfully, when Crosby and Ovechkin came into the league I was able to enjoy each for what they brought to the game. Ovechkin for his goal-scoring prowess and childlike enthusiasm during each shift...Crosby for his methodical approach to the game and his ability to make me pause and rewind sometimes three or four times in a single game just to see that play again. They are both world-class talents and I am able to enjoy the on-ice product the NHL has given us in recent years far more than I did as a die-hard Pens fan.

I circle the Penguins-Capitals games on my calender and look forward to the matchup for days. Obviously, my nod goes to Crosby. He has accomplished more in such a short time, and I believe that his on-ice body of work will, in time, reveal that he was the second coming of Wayne Gretzky and that Alexander Ovechkin was really just Pavel Bure version 2.0.

Or, rather, Pavel Bure perfected.

At the end of the day, though, as a Penguins fan who has lived through countless Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning debates, I really only know this:

As long as the Penguins win a Stanley Cup or two with Sidney Crosby hoisting the cup at center ice, I really don't care who likes him or thinks he is the best. I would suspect that most Capitals fans feel the same way about their guy.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Midseason Report Card

Scott Brown — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:38:03 -0500

The 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins have left me feeling almost exactly the same way that 24:Redemption left me feeling back in November.

There was this big build up of excitement and anticipation waiting for the the two-hour backstory for the upcoming season to air—but by the end of it I was feeling rather unfulfilled.

Sure Jack Bauer did his thing, and was his usual bull-in-a-China-shop self, but in the end the final product simply didn't fill the expectations that I had.

That is exactly what I think about the Penguins this season. After seeing them play exactly half of their schedule, I have to say my expectations have not been met.

Oh sure, there has been some nice window dressing there to help me forget that the first half of the season has been a letdown. Evgeni Malkin has picked up right where he left off last year. Sidney Crosby is still in the top three in points, despite playing the season with a makeshift patch of past-their-prime NHL dregs and Wilkes-Barrie callups.

I truly believe, given his play this season, that Kris Letang will either be ready to replace Gonchar as our N.1 defenseman by the start of next season, or he will be the centerpiece of a trade that brings us a talented winger to play on Crosby's wing.

However, no amount of window dressing is going to hide the fact that the Pittsburgh Penguins have collectively under-achieved, and if the playoffs started today they would be on the outside looking in. Just another victim of the so-called Stanley Cup hangover.

Goaltending:

Short of drafting an NFL quarterback, is there a bigger crap shoot in professional sports than trying to evaluate a young goalie in the NHL? There is a reason that teams almost never pick goalies first overall.

Most goalies (not named Brodeur or Roy) are incredibly inconsistent in the early stages of their careers. It's very easy to watch them put it all together for a stretch, only to later come crashing back down to earth.

I think we are that point with Fleury.

I believe that the second half of the season will go a long way towards establishing if Fleury has truly taken his game to that next level, or if the end of last season was simply a case of playing above his ability.

I give Fleury a moderate break on the grade in this area to account for his injury—but make no mistake about it, the Penguins will not make the playoffs this year if Fleury doesn't pick it up in the second half.

Grade: B-

Defense:

People are going to argue that not having Gonchar and Whitney in the lineup has hurt the defense. I am going to go in a different direction on this one, though.

If you go back and watch the tape of the Penguins march to the Finals last year you will notice that throughout the playoffs they played responsible hockey in their own end.

Say what you will about Marian Hossa, but the guy was a tremendous back-checking forward and that attitude spread throughout the team, and helped ensure that once the Penguins got the lead they very seldom gave it back.

If you watch the tape of just about any Penguins game from the past two months (excluding that Ranger game) you will see a team that looks absolutely lost without the puck. They are constantly getting beat to the puck in their own end, the forwards are not coming back in support of the play, and the defense?

Don't even get me started about the number of times I have seen a guy throw the puck around the boards without a Penguin winger there to start the breakout.

I will go on record right now and say that new trap Therien is trying to install is a huge mistake, and will almost certainly get him fired long before it solves what ails the Penguins defensively.

Grade: F

Offense:

You would think that when your N.1 and N.2 centers are first and second in scoring league-wide things would be looking pretty rosy as far as offense goes.

Unfortunately, the Penguins have done it with a little bit of smoke and mirrors.

Crosby and Malkin are scoring a lot of their points when they play together. Usually this is on the power play, but also occurs sometimes when Therien juggles the lines.

The Penguins have lacked any real balance in their top three lines and they don't seem to have anyone going at the moment the way that Malone, Malkin, and Sykora did last year.

They are scoring a respectable 2.94 goals per game, but when you consider that the Toronto Maple Leafs are scoring roughly the same number of goals per game, a team with the talent up front Pittsburgh has should be scoring beyond a more "respectable" level.

Scoring fewer than three goals a game is fine if you are the Devils or the Wild. But if you are the Pittsburgh Penguins and you score less than three goals in a game, that means you are putting the outcome of the game squarely on the shoulders of the defense and goaltending.

To put that into context, look no further than the Colts-Chargers playoff game this year. With a flip of the coin, it was decided that the Colts would win or lose that game with their defense instead of their offense.

They still lost the game—rightly so—with their inability to stop the Chargers offense, but the outcome of that game would have been different had the offense for the Colts been able to touch the ball first.

Same for the Penguins as the season shifts into the second half. If the Penguins' offense can start firing on all cylinders, the Penguins will finally be playing games to their strengths rather than their weaknesses.

Grade B

Special Teams:

Can Sergei Gonchar get back into the lineup soon enough? I can't believe that I am sitting here hoping that Gonchar is able to do the Penguins what Bob Sanders did for the Colts back in 2006. In fact, has anyone made the call to see if Bob Sanders can skate? Perhaps he is the solution.

Seriously though, the Penguins' power play should be the closest thing to automatic this side of a Mario Lemieux penalty shot with Andre Racicot in the net.

I have heard people say that they miss Ryan Malone, but I don't buy that. He seldom played on the top unit anyways.

I have my own solution, and like any good solution it borrows from the past.

If the Penguins insist on putting Malkin at the point, then why not take Hal Gill and stick him right in front of the goalie like they used to do with Kevin Hatcher? You can't tell me that 6'7" inches of big slow-moving defenseman doesn't make for an excellent screen for that Malkin Bullet from the point.

I could also recommend Staal for that role, but I am terrified that a Malkin to shot the head is gonna kill someone on the power play—and call me cynical, but I would rather have Gill blocking that shot with his head than Staal.

The Penalty killing is functioning at a respectable 80 percent. I like the aggressiveness the Penguins show in killing penalties and I even give them a few bonus points for having a respectable penalty kill given the fact that they can't win a face off to save their lives. Surely Yannic Perrault is out there somewhere willing to play for the league minimum, no?

Grade: B

The half way point has given us a little bit of the good, the bad, and the ugly. I think the Penguins can build off the fact that they clearly show us their worst and have a chance to put it behind them, and still crack the top five in the conference and make the playoffs with their best hockey still ahead of them.

I think that before the March trade deadline, either Goligoski or Letang will be moved. I believe that Staal must be converted to a winger sooner rather than later, possibly freeing up Petr Sykora to play on Crosby's wing.

If Staal makes the conversion to winger successfully, then he stays. If he cannot play as a top-six forward then he will be packaged for someone who can.

I believe that Ray Shero is smart enough not to trade for Ilya Kovalchuck, and that the Penguins are going nowhere if they fire Therien and bring in Pat Quinn. Again, isn't Larry Robinson available?

I believe Crosby and Malkin will finish first and second in scoring this year although my reasons for believing this have more to do with my Fantasy Hockey pool than any real cold hard facts or evidence.

And last but not least, I believe that the Caps and Pens will meet in the Eastern Conference Final. I think that both teams have some pretty large holes and either would get clobbered in the Finals, but I think the league has too much to gain from this happening for it not to happen (Think about the 1993 Kings beating the Leafs to play Montreal in the final).

If the Penguins are not playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, at least I will have my old buddy Jack Bauer to keep me company. Just like my Penguins, he usually takes a beating in the beginning of the season as the plot seems to twist on leaving him one step behind.

Hopefully, just like Jack Bauer, my Penguins will make the adjustments mid-season and snag victory from the jaws of the defeat at the last minute and deliver the world from terrorists while snatching up a Stanley Cup victory in the process.

Sidney Crosby: Is It Too Easy to Hate the Kid?

Scott Brown — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:06:35 -0500

I have often wondered if the mainstream media goes too far looking for the next story. I sometimes feel as though its become common practice to build someone up only for the purpose of later tearing them down. The practise is certainly the norm in the North American sports scene and to this day I just don't get it.

As I was watching the Rangers/Penguins game, an interesting story came up.

Without any fanfare or great production, Sidney Crosby arranged to get equipment for 800 kids in the Pittsburgh area who couldn't afford the equipment to play hockey.

Once he heard of this problem, he took matters into his own hands and gave back to the community. Now I am not saying that Sidney Crosby is the second coming of Mother Theresa, but it did start to get me thinking.

So why on earth is there so much negativity surrounding Sidney Crosby?

When you look at his on-ice resume the guy is the complete package. Off the ice he does everything that is asked of him by the team, the league, and his sponsors. Plus, his on-ice performance has seemed to go unaffected thus far.

In the short time that Crosby has been in this league he has become the face of the league in a time they needed someone to bring people back to the areas after the lockout ended. He has saved hockey in Pittsburgh as the 54 straight sellouts at the oldest building in the NHL will attest to.

I could even argue that the gold mine that is the Winter Classic is nothing if that game in Buffalo doesn't play out exactly as it did. It's not like people were lining up for another Heritage classic after the Canadiens and Oilers played in 2003.

In short, Crosby has been everything this league needed since 2005, and despite all the accolades and success, he has kept a level head on his shoulders and continues to excel in his role as the games greatest active playing ambassador.

The bar was set so high for this kid right out of junior that it would have been easy for him to fail, but by all accounts he has surpassed even the most ridiculous expectations at this point in his career, with the only true blemish being the team's inability to beat a superior Red Wings team in the final last year.

Yet despite his early success Crosby continues to play the game of hockey under a microscope. The media tends to grab onto any negative they spin into a story and run with it. "Crosby is a whiner, Crosby is spoiled because he is the NHL's favorite son".

The complaints about this guy never stop and border on just plain ludicrous sometimes. If I have to hear about how the NHL's second leading scorer is in a terrible slump one more time, I think I might lose my mind completely.

Nowhere is this irresponsible behavior more prevalent than in Sidney's own backyard. The Canadian media treat this kid as if he was Sean Avery not Sidney Crosby. Last year during the Stanley Cup playoffs the commentators almost completely refused to include Sidney in any of their pre-or-post game reports.

It was like he didn't even exist. Don Cherry spent hours going on about Gary Roberts and wouldn't even speak of Sid by name. That is just so absurd that I cant wrap my head around it.

Think for a moment if during the Super Bowl the network just decided that they would spend the telecast talking about Byron Leftwich instead of Ben Rothelesberger.

There is very little that I know about the people that play or work in professional hockey for a living or the people that are paid to tell their stories through the daily newspapers and sports shows. Yet there are two things that I am absolutely certain about:

I know that 800 kids in the Pittsburgh area that couldn't afford to play minor hockey a week ago can now sign up and play the wonderful game of hockey thanks to the actions of Sidney Crosby.

I also know that if you ask the 32 General managers in this league which player they would choose to build their team around, Sidney Crosby would be the top of the list.

I don't pretend to understand how certain members of the media would go to such great lengths to tear Crosby down when there are so many people out there playing professional sports that deserve that kind of negative publicity so much than he does. Of course I guess that is the inherent problem with the whole mess.

Nobody cares that Pacman Jones was misbehaving in Las Vegas again. But did you hear that Sidney Crosby doesn't have the same passion for the game as Alex Ovechkin?

I guess that is the story more likely to sell.