Free-For-All Fridays - ADBOWL® 2011

In little more than 48 hours most of the nation's attention will be drawn to FOX Sports and their presentation of Super Bowl XLV. While they broadcast live from Dallas, Texas at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, we will sit anxious as the countdown to kickoff gets shorter and shorter. Finally once the first kick is returned, they will immediately go to commercial. If you didn't realize it, in the course of the average five-hour Super Bowl broadcast there is only about 14 minutes of actual gameplay. The rest of that time is filled by the team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman & the unforgettable Super Bowl commercials. And that's when the real games begin, the commerce games dubbed ADBOWL® 11.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Today is a day of hanging out with family, eating awesomely home-cooked meals, and taking the now famous tryptophan power nap.

Thanksgiving seems to the forgotten holiday this year. Smushed in between Halloween and Christmas, apparently itself doesn't generate enough consumer spending for anyone to give some respect or awareness in the media. Sure, sure there are the "Day-After Thanksgiving Sales" but those are considered the first day of Christmas shopping and the first day of the Christmas season, not a continuation of Thanksgiving. 

Football in Europe?

Sure, there's the European Football in Europe but American Football? I really don't like that they're trying to have teams travel across the pond and play. There is no way that these teams are performing to their maximum. I mean is there any way that Tom Brady will do half as well as last week? (That's an obviously loaded question) But kidding aside this is ludicrous. I support games played in Mexico and Canada, technically those places are in the Americas, but not London. Just because certain NFL markets can't sellout is no reason to force our players overseas and risk their path to the Super Bowl.

Two NFL Players Among Missing

Two NFL players went out for a fishing trip and have not returned. Here is a video from ESPN.com explaining the situation in greater detail.

*** UPDATE - One boater rescued alive ***

Priest Holmes Retires

Ref Thought NFL Was College

This week's segment of Official Review on Total Access, a semi-nightly program on the NFL Network, was especially interesting. The VP of NFL Officiating Mike Pereira explains the blown call during the Colts - Chargers game as a mess up by an official. This happens almost every week, but the reason is the real kicker. The official miscalled the play, BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS COLLEGE!!!

Are you kidding me!? A first year official miscalls a massive play that could destroy a postseason home game for the Colts. This is a complete failure on this officials fault. There must be some consideration towards correcting officiating errors that drastically change the face of the game. It was clear that in this play he was gone for a touchdown. A touchdown that would have given Indy a road win over the Chargers and depending on how the Steelers end up, could cost he Colts a home game this postseason.

I know that the concept of correcting human error during a live football game is controversial at best. I merely suggest to begin a discussion about this, to create some ideas to correct these errors. In the spirit of instant replay, this is to allow the game itself to determine the victor, not any other outside factors that may conflict an unbiased outcome.

Needless to say, this blunder should go down in history. I can't believe this call isn't getting more press. I, for one, had to mark this moment in history for this young official. Hats off to Mike Pereira, he continues to take complete ownership for the errors to his officials and does so with poise and grace. Now if only the MLB, NBA, and NHL can get such accountability for the errors their officials make.

Big Bad Giants D Allows 31

Giants D is Suspect At Best

With all the hype this week revolving around my Cowboys (again) and the New York Giants matchup later today. The talk mainly stating that the Cowboys are one of the top offenses in the league and the Giants D being among the best. But I pose this question, who the hell have the Giants D faced? Well, to answer that question, absolutely no one.

When breaking down their opponents, I looked at that offenses top three performers. Which on most any team would be their starting QB, RB, and top WR. On some teams a TE might factor into the picture (ie. Chargers) but for the most part let's just stick with the top three positions on offense.

The first two weeks of the season, which I call reality for the New York Giants, they allowed an abysmal 35 points to the Green Bay Packers and 45 to my Dallas Cowboys. As Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and the devil tandem of Julius Jones and Marion Barber III, the Giants were screwed Week 1. The Cowboys D didn't show up allowing NYG all of 35 points before our offense commanded the lead with 45 points themselves. This is no top notch defense Week 1 thats for sure. So when facing the likes of Brett Favre, DeShaun Wynn (now on IR), and Greg Jennings (oddly their top receiver) the Giants get ran over. They allowed Green Bay to gain over 350 yards and keep the ball for over 34 minutes.

Now to the "new and improved" Giants defense, most of which I do not see. I'll admit that they're getting a lot more third down stoppages. But against who exactly, is my point. No one is the answer, when you break down the offenses that NYG has faced this season after the likes of Favre and Romo. Week 3 they faced Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, and a lacking Santana Moss. Jason Campbell is anything but a franchise QB at this point, Portis has been lacking major appeal after a couple injuries the past few years, and Santana Moss has completely forgot to show up to work this season. So the scary Redskins offense is anything but this season. This game was decided by a goal line stance provided by the much touted NYG D. While I can in no way bash such a beautiful stance from the D, I can't allow it to be the basis for this fallacy called the "Good Giants D".

Move on to Philly, who still haven't proved their offense worthy of anything with the exception of an unbelievable game against Detroit. Donovan McNabb has been struggling as of late as Philly, formally a WR factory, now has absolutely no one at wideout of any star power (sure Curtis but really, him over a T.O.?). Brian Westbrook is seemingly the entire Eagles offense every game as Andy Reid looks to have gone crazy and calls #36 to get the rock every down. Top that off with a season-long injury plaguing L.J. Smith one of their top annual performers, the Eagles look down and out begging for a good shake.

I could waste my time typing about how bad the New York Jets offense is, but I think we all are well aware of their miscues (Clemens starting?). Anyone not from the NY area that can name me their starting RB gets a special prize. I can likely skip over describing any form of offense that the Atlanta Falcons have this season with Joey Harrington, Jerious Norwood, and an aging Joe Horn the stars of this team.

Move on to a Niners team plagued by injuries and bad performance days. Trent Dilfer is now under center as Alex Smith is out with a shoulder injury. Frank Gore had a similar day to the way his whole season has gone, nothing and nowhere. To this I must give the Giants D credit as if you allow Frank Gore into the football game, you then let all of the SF 49ers into the game as well. So thats RB #1 that they've faced and fared well against.

Continue onto to their last game; a wicked, old-school style, rough and tumble type of game on the worst playing surface since Gale Sayers hit the pitch. Wembley Stadium provided the backdrop for the first ever NFL game played outside of the North American continent. (Hey hey boys now we just have Asia, Africa, Australia, South America and Antarctica to go!) In the nastiest game I've ever seen outside the month of December, no one was looking to be an offensive genius in this one. Add to the fact the Giants were playing a Cleo Lemon lead Dolphins across the pond and any hopes of an offensive juggernaut were quickly squashed. Top it all off that the Dolphins lost the league leading RB to the IR for the rest of the season and you have a completely sorry at best Dolphins offense.

So I ask you, why are we so infatuated with a defense that allows an average 20 PPG, over 295 yards allowed, and almost 200 yards passing per game. These are not numbers of an 85 Bears D, a 03 Ravens D, or even an 06 Bears D. The Giants D has done well because they haven't faced an offense with any fire power besides their first two opponents. We'll see if they've truly improved later today, but my hopes are not with Strahan and company.

Nothing short of a win will change my mind, cause after all, the Cowboys looked horrible against Buffalo, but who got the W.

The Duel in Dallas

Well after my Cowboys barely scraped by the Buffalo Bills this past Monday, they have a lot of questions to answer. And apparently one of four stars on Sunday has decided to forgo the fielding of any questions; especially about the 'other 81'. Both QBs were brought in during a Drew Bledsoe regime, both replaced him, both darlings of the media, and both through to arguably either the best receiver in the league or the most futile, depending on the given Sunday.


Naturally I'll be wearing my Witten jersey come Sunday. I'll probably have a couple down by the time kickoff rolls around. Navy and silver beads around my neck, with a bold star hanging from those beads. I'll clasp my hands around them as Troy Aikman and Joe Buck begin their intros. Bouncing up and down nervously I wait. I know that Tony Romo and Tom Brady will duke it out while never being on the field at the same time. Randy Moss and Terrell Owens will do the same.


Somehow I feel that this game will come down to field positioning. That means it all comes down to the kickers. So really I feel that this Duel in Dallas is about Gostkowski vs Folk. Well neither are very notable, but we all know Folk from this past Monday's heroics, so one up for the Cowboys there. Then it's McBriar vs Hanson, which puts an Aussie footballer vs a Marshall grad. I think I'll take one of the best punters in the entire league in McBriar there.

So there you have it folks, Folk and McBriar bring er home for my 'Boys. How Bout Dem Apples?!