• After returning in record time from horrific injuries, I have determined that Terrell Suggs and Adrian Peterson are not human beings. They can’t be. Their comebacks are simply unheard of. Both are sorely needed for their respective teams as well.
• The Broncos, behind Peyton Manning, completed a 24 point comeback to beat the Chargers on Monday Night Football- the largest comeback in MNF history. Another feather in Peyton’s large cap.
• This just in: Eli Manning is clutch. Ol’ Eli led the Giants to another 4th quarter comeback, this time over the RGIII-led ‘Skins. It was a great game to watch.
• The Vikings just keep winning. Their defense and Adrian Peterson are just getting it done. They are a HUGE surprise.
• Likewise, the Bears are just getting the job done. It isn’t pretty, but their D is the best in football right now, hands down.
• The Packers have returned to normal and their offense is cooking right now. Aaron Rodgers is set for another NFL MVP if he keeps up his recent play. Losing Charles Woodson for 6 weeks does dampen the mood in Green Bay a bit though.
• I said this 2 weeks ago and I’ll say it again: What has happened to the Lions? 2-4 is not good enough for the amount of talent on that squad. RED CARD.
• The Houston Texans are still the best team in the NFL……ask the Ravens.
• Losing Ray Lewis, Lardarius Webb and others is looking too costly for the Ravens to deal with and contend for a championship. To be fair though, no other team could deal with that rash of injuries either.
• Speaking to Ray Lewis: PLEASE come back in 2013. Your story isn’t finished.
• I have no idea what to make of the Steelers. Nobody does.
• The 49ers better figure out a consistent offense if they want to win the Super Bowl. What they have going right now won’t work- ask the Ravens from 2002-present.
• The Seahawks will be dangerous down the stretch. Russell Wilson is a playmaker, and their defense is salty.
• The Saints seem to be back and clicking on offense, which is scary for the NFC South. Even at 2-4, Who Dat Nation has a reason to be optimistic.
• Joe Vitt returns as interim head coach for the Saints this week after serving his 6 game suspension for ‘Bounty Gate.’ I am intrigued to see how impactful this return is.
• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has realized that he cannot be a fair judge and jury on ‘Bounty Gate’. Huh, only took him 7 months…..RED CARD.
• Cam Newton: Grow up. RED CARD.
• The Jets almost edged the Pats on Sunday. Almost has never saved a coach’s job, though.
• Shhhhhhh. Andrew Luck and the Fightin’ Pagano’s are 3-3. This team plays with a ton of heart. Luck will win a lot of games in Indy.

Fantasy Football:

Studs

• Chris Johnson: 31 points.
• Drew Brees: 29 points.
• Vincent Jackson: 27 points.
• Aaron Rodgers: 25 points.

Duds

• Joe Flacco: 5 points.
• Mike Wallace: 5 points.
• Calvin Johnson: 3 points.
• Ray Rice: 5 points.

Game of the Week: Falcons at Eagles. This Battle of the Birds has extra intrigue. Will the Falcons continue their perfect start? Will the Eagles figure out a defense that actually defends opposing offenses? These are the tough questions that need to be answered. Frankly, Matt Ryan has been MVP-esque so far this year and there seems to be no sign of him slowing up. Michael Vick has been the exact opposite, turning the ball over at every opportunity. Something just tells me that the Eagles benefited more from the bye-week than the Falcons did. I think the Eagles get it done at home 31-28.

64 Yards Out Team Rankings. GREEN = trending up. RED = trending down.

1. Texans: Balanced. Tough. J.J. Swatt.
2. Falcons: Undefeated.
3. Giants: Cruzing right now.
4. Bears: Best ‘D’ in football.
5. 49ers: Need something more from Alex Smith & Co.
6. Packers: Back on track.
7. Vikings: Surprise of the year? Yes.
8. Patriots: Brady needs to be better to take them all the way. Weird to say.
9. Ravens: Too. Many. Injuries.
10. Seahawks: Tough defense. Evolving offense.
11. Steelers: Flip a coin. Who knows what team will show up.
12. Dolphins: Their run defense is crazy good.
13. Broncos: Making it through the first 6 games at 3-3 is huge. The schedule isn’t as tough the rest of the way.
14. Eagles: Will a new defensive coordinator help the Eagles right the ship? I know less Vick turnovers will.
15. Cowboys: The most inconsistent team in the entire NFL- either scary good, or terribly bad.
16. Cardinals: Somehow they are 4-3. Don’t ask me how.
17. Colts: This isn’t lucky, it’s Luck.
18. Bengals: “Get A.J. Green the damn ball.” – everyone
19. Chargers: After letting a 24 point lead go against Denver, you wonder how the Chargers will respond.
20. Redskins: RGIII is goooooooood.
21. Jets: Not enough on offense, defense or special teams.
22. Rams: Scrappy.
23. Titans: Matt Hasslebeck won’t let this team give up. CJ2K seems to be back in fine form.
24. Saints: Back in the hunt.
25. Bills: How are those defensive signings working out? RED CARD.
26. Buccaneers: Should be better than 2-4.
27. Lions: RED CARD. For everything.
28. Raiders: LOLZ.
29. Jaguars: Gabbert: out. MJD: out. Hope: out.
30. Browns: Consistent…..ly bad.
31. Chiefs: 2 words: Brady Quinn. ‘Nuff said. RED CARD.

Husker fans, welcome.

What is crazy about this post, is that I made it once before, about the same exact day 5 years ago. The circumstances were a little different, though. I wrote my last State of the Program blog after the 2007 loss to Missouri in Columbia. Nebraska had just been torched by Mizzou on national TV, leaving many Nebraska fans wondering if the leadership of Bill Callahan & Co. would be able to ‘do the job’ and lead Nebraska back to national prominence. What came after that blog was blowout after blowout, the firing of ‘he who must not be named’, the return of Dr. Tom Osborne as Athletic Director, the firing of Bill Callahan and the eventual hiring of Bo Pelini. These were dark days. As a student, I remember just how tumultuous things were around the program and how it affected the student body in particular. There was a sense of urgency to return the football program to glory, and hiring Bo was to be the first step in that process. He was going to restore the pride in this program. He was going to get the players to play the tough, fundamental football that we had all been accustomed to pre-Callahan. He was going to restore the Blackshirts, turning Nebraska’s defense from a laughing stock to a feared defensive unit. He was going to restore tradition, calling on former players and gathering support from the fans to help this process. These were all things that Nebraska fans expected of their new head coach in late 2007.

Fast forward 5 years, and that sense of urgency might be the same after the 63-38 loss to Ohio St on Saturday. To be frank, something within the football program is not right, and hasn’t been right for some time. Saturday might have been the game that started the next wave of actions in motion. The Bo Pelini I saw in the press conference after Saturday’s game looked lost, and for the most part, dumbfounded. He could tell you what went wrong against the Buckeyes, but not much about why it went wrong. He wasn’t his typical defiant, post-loss fiery self. This Bo looks worn down, partly by results and partly by the weight of expectations of him and the football program as a whole. Nebraska fans expect a lot of our football program, and we shouldn’t apologize for that. The relationship between Bo and Husker supporters has been interesting in the last few years, and depending on who you talk to, he is the answer at Nebraska or he isn’t. Using those views, statistics and metrics, let’s evaluate how Bo has done going into his 66th game at Nebraska. (Full disclosure: I wanted Bo to be hired in 2004, when ‘he who must not be named’ hired Bill Callahan instead, just to put this post into perspective.) 

Bo’s Pro’s

• Building quality men. From all accounts, Bo helps players become better men from the time they step foot on campus until the time they leave. This is a quality that coaches at Nebraska must have.
• The defensive improvement from 2008-2010. This was a remarkable turn around from the horrid 2007 season. Bo’s defenses in the first 3 years were exciting to watch and featured All-American players Ndamukong Suh and Prince Amukamara, among many other talented players now in the NFL.
• Restoring tradition. Bo helped to rebuild the bridges that ‘he who must not be named’ and Bill Callahan tore down. He helped restore the walk-on program, as well as reestablish the lines of communication between former players and coaches, and the program.
• Passion. Bo’s passion exuded through his players the first 3 years of his reign. The phrase “Nebraska players would run through a wall for Bo” was repeated often, and believed by all.
• Good wins. Bo has led Nebraska to a few really good wins in his time: Michigan St. (2011), Penn St. (2011), Missouri (2010), Oklahoma St. (2010), Arizona (2009), Missouri (2009), Oklahoma (2009).
• Record. Bo is 43-18 since taking over in 2008, with a 23-11 record in conference play. Bo had at least 9 wins in his first 4 seasons, the first coach to do that since Urban Meyer when he took over at Florida.

So ultimately, the future of our football program wont be decided today or tomorrow. It will take a lot careful consideration of many options, including keeping Bo on as head coach. My personal feelings at the present time indicate that we should move in a different direction (step on up Dan Mullen), but there is procedure in place to deal with that as it comes. Nebraska football fans ultimately care about winning, especially winning big games, which hasnt happened much since 2001. There is a stigma around this program that the Huskers can’t win the big game. It is time to change that. It is time to make Memorial Stadium a feared place to play again. It is time to make opposing teams and fans fear the week that Nebraska comes to their house. It is time to put Nebraska Football back on the list of ‘elite’ schools and back to competing for B1G Championships, Rose Bowl titles and ultimately, National Championships. It is time to put up, or shut up. As alumni, fans, boosters etc, we dont plan on shutting up anytime soon. We all care too much. As negative as my outlook is on the current state of Nebraska Football, I care deeply about the direction that the program is headed, which I hope is obvious at this point.

“There is no place like Nebraska, dear old Nebraska U., we’ll all stick together, through all kinds of weather for dear old Nebraska U.”

What changes, if any, do you think need to be made? Comment below!

Four weeks, two quarters, four minutes and thirty-one seconds into the NCAA football season and Nebraska’s season was almost over already.  The game looked as good as over trailing 27 to 10 to an underwhelming Wisconsin Badger team.  The Huskers were looking a 3-2 record in the eye for the first time since 1961 with a trip to Columbus coming next week maybe sending them to 3-3.  Taylor Martinez looked back to the Ohio State game of 2011 and led the team back to monstrous comeback. A comeback, combined with a Michigan State loss earlier in the day that sets the Huskers up at a legitimate shot to win the Big Ten Conference and their third appearance in the Rose Bowl.  Now that the world is spinning again in Husker Nation, let’s take a look around the college football landscape to see what else we have missed in the first five weeks and what we can expect in the next nine.

Five games into the season and there is a unanimous top rated team in Alabama.  They came out of the gates swinging, destroying Michigan in Arlington.  That win is looking weaker than what it did in week one based on what the Wolverines have done since then, but the Crimson Tide hasn’t slowed down.  They are winning their games by an average of 33.2 points per game.  Looking at their remaining schedule, they only have one tough game (I guess the SEC may not be stacked top to bottom after all).  If they can get past LSU in Baton Rouge on November 3^rd, I don’t see any way they won’t be 12-0 going into the conference championship week.  SEC CHAMPION:  ALABAMA over GEORGIA

Going into the season, the Pac 12 was thought to have two teams battling over the chance to play the SEC champion in the National Title game.  USC faltered against Stanford in their first big test and Stanford followed that win up with a loss on the road to Washington.  That leaves the second ranked Oregon Ducks.  If there is any team that can put up points on Alabama, it is probably Oregon.  They are averaging 52 points per game through five weeks and they don’t look to be slowing down.  Their schedule is very back loaded and we will learn a lot about this team in November.  USC will need to sweep Oregon and hope for a lot of help from the rest of the nation for that shot at the crystal ball.  PAC 12 CHAMPION:  USC over OREGON

The best conference top to bottom is by far the Big 12.  Nine of the ten teams could beat each other on any given Saturday.  That was proven last week in West Virginia’s razor thin 70-63 win against Baylor.  The lone team that can’t compete is the Kansas Jayhawks.  With a full round robin schedule, the conference will only have one chance to send a team to the championship game.  They have to hope for Texas, West Virginia or Kansas State to run the table.  One of those teams will have a loss this week as Geno Smith leads the Mountaineers into Austin to face the Longhorns.  BIG 12 CHAMPION:  WEST VIRGINIA

 The ACC is a one team show.  They are praying that Florida State remains nationally relevant throughout the season for fear that their conference will fall off the map once again.  The conference looked to be on solid ground before the season with a few contenders, but once the Seminoles took out Clemson in week three and Virginia Tech stumbled not once, but twice that all changed.  The conference’s biggest win this season was grabbing Notre Dame from the Big East and landing the Fighting Irish on the schedule for five weeks each season.  However, they may finally get the championship match up they thought would be an annual game.  ACC CHAMPION:  FLORIDA STATE over MIAMI

When Nebraska was part of the Big 12 the fans of the Huskers and the conference would bash the Big Ten as being a different, weaker brand of football than the south.  The differences couldn’t be more glaring this year.  There are not any national championship contenders in the Big Ten as of October 3^rd.  The league’s highest rated team is on NCAA probation.  The conference got swept against the Pac 12 in week 2 and the best non-conference win came against Boise State.  That is not a good resume.  With that said, the conference can still save face this season with five appearances in post January 1 bowl games.  Ohio State could run the table to a 12-0 season, which would be good and bad for the conference.  The Legends Division will be the most compelling in all of college football and each game has Rose Bowl implications.  It will still be a fun ride.  BIG TEN CHAMPION:  NEBRASKA over OHIO STATE PURDUE

 The rest of the landscape has a few interesting storylines.  Notre Dame is 4-0 and is looking at worst case scenario of 9-3.  If they can get by Stanford or Oklahoma and get to 10-2, they are a lock for a BCS berth.  My favorite team of 2012 is the Ohio Bobcats.  Before the season, it looked like if they got past Penn State in Happy Valley in the first week of the year, they had a chance to run the table.  They have done that and more.  They are 1/3^rd of the way through the regular season and will be favored for the remaining eight games.  Louisiana Tech is also undefeated and has one tough game against the Texas A&M Aggies on October 13^th.  That game was supposed to be played on opening weekend, but now that it was moved back, LaTech has a chance to gain some national exposure.  Can either one of Ohio or LaTech bust the BCS in 2012?

WEEK 6 PICKS:

Huge week this week in college football.  Get to a sports bar and catch as many games as these as you can.

#23 Washington (+24) @ #2 Oregon

#4 Louisiana State (-2 ½) @ #10 Florida

#6 South Carolina (-2 ½) vs #5 Georgia

#8 West Virginia (+7) @ #11 Texas

#21 Nebraska (+4 ½) @ #12 Ohio State

Purdue (+3) vs Michigan

Wisconsin (-11 ½) vs Illinois

Michigan St (-15 ½) @ Indiana

#24 Northwestern (+3) @ Penn St

#9 Notre Dame (-9 ½) vs Miami, FL (in Chicago)

HEISMAN TROPHY TRACKER:

1.  GENO SMITH (West Virginia):  345.6 Passing Yards per game, 20 TD’s, 0 INTs, 208.4 Passer Rating.
2. There is no #2 right now.  It’s Geno Smith’s to lose

Honorable Mention:  EJ Manuel (FSU), Colin Klein (KSU), Braxton Miller (OSU)

IF THERE WERE A PLAYOFF… 

Semifinals:  #1 Alabama vs #4 LSU, #2 Oregon vs #3 Florida State

BCS BOWL PROJECTIONS GUESSES:

Orange Bowl:  LOUISVILLE vs KANSAS STATE

Sugar Bowl:  LSU vs OREGON

Fiesta Bowl:  WEST VIRGINIA vs OHIO Notre Dame

Rose Bowl:  USC vs Nebraska

National Championship:  ALABAMA vs FLORIDA STATE

In case you missed it, here is a recap of the major story lines:

• First off, thoughts and prayers go out to Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano as he fights Leukemia. He won’t be on the sidelines very much the rest of the year and we wish him a speedy recovery.
• Tony Romo out-Cutlered Jay Cutler on Monday Night Football, throwing 5 INT’s en route to a crucial Dallas loss at home. RED CARD.
• The Eagles won another game by the skin of their teeth, edging out the Giants 19-17. Hey, it may not be pretty, but those wins will be huge in a tough division race.
• Peyton Manning played his best game as a Bronco, throwing for 338 yards and 3 TD’s. Look, I dont know if he will be truly ‘back’ this year, but with performances like that, people will stop talking about his arm.
• The Patriots offense woke up and hung 52 points on the Bills. The irony here is that the Bills designed their pass rush around trying to stop Tom Brady. RED CARD.
• The Saints lost a heartbreaker to the Packers and have now started the season 0-4. Their offense looks out of sorts, and Drew Brees is taking a lot of hits. Uncharacteristically bad play all around from a Super Bowl favorite last season. Does a coach really make that much of a difference? RED CARD.
• The Falcons, Texans and Cardinals all remained undefeated. Out of these, the class of the league is the Texans. They are the most balanced team, period. Im pretty sure they will have the AFC South locked up by week 9.
• The Jets got embarrassed at home by the 49ers, 34-0. There is no doubt that the 49ers are a Super Bowl contender, but are the Jets really that bad? Yes, yes they are. RED CARD.
• Injuries haven’t helped the Jetropolitans either, losing Santonio Holmes- their only true offensive threat, and Darrelle Revis. Where they go from here will show Rex Ryan’s worth as a head coach.
• I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Tim Tebow should be the QB of the Jets. Clearly Mark Sanchez isn’t getting it done. The Jets need a leader and someone they can rely on to give their defense a rest by going on sustained offensive drives. Tim Tebow is that guy. He is a proven winner, and the last time I checked winning ‘ugly’ is better than losing. The Jets need to start winning.
• If you had 3 guesses, what QB would you predict had the highest QBR in the NFL? Brady? Rodgers? Manning? No. Andrew Luck is the leader in Total QBR through 4 weeks of his NFL career. Food for thought.

Brian Hartline: 253 yards and 1 TD. Stud.

Fantasy Insights

Studs: These guys helped your team annihilate the competition.

• Tom Brady
• Brian Hartline
• Roddy White
• Cam Newton

• Carson Palmer
• Doug Martin
• Calvin Johnson
• Matt Forte

Can Peyton beat his old nemesis in Foxboro?

Game of the Week: Broncos at Patriots. Plain and simple, the Manning-Brady QB duel might be the best ever. This rivalry takes on a new dimension now that Peyton is in Denver, but still expect a shootout. The key to the game is Denver’s pass rush getting to Tom Terrific. If they can rattle Brady early- maybe even force a turnover, then we could have a ballgame. If not, look for the Pats offense to keep rolling off of last weeks 52 point effort.

Arian Foster has led the Texans to the #1 spot through Week 4.

64 Yards Out Team Rankings:

1. Texans: Easily the most balanced team in the NFL.
2. Falcons: Showed a little weakness against a solid Panthers squad.
3. 49ers: Back to dominance on ‘D’ against the Jets.
4. Ravens: Joe Flacco has been terrific this year.
5. Packers: The Pack’s defense is much improved over last years 32nd ranked squad.
6. Cardinals: They may be lucky as a team, but their defense is for real.
7. Eagles: Lucky to have survived Michael Vick’s rough start to the year.
8. Patriots: They go as Brady goes. Improved defense helps.
9. Bears: Jay Cutler finally had a good game against the Cowboys. Defense is nasty.
10. Vikings: This team is surprising everyone, and Christian Ponder is to thank.
11. Bengals: How good is A.J. Green?
12. Chargers: Phillip Rivers isn’t forcing every throw into triple coverage this year…..weird.
13. Giants: Need a consistent running game. Secondary is decimated with injuries.
14. Broncos: Peyton is showing signs of life after a ‘rough’ start. Defense needs to improve.
15. Steelers: Heath Miller has returned as Big Ben’s favorite target. That is scary for opposing defenses.
16. Seahawks: Incredible defense/struggling offense.
17. Redskins: RGIII needs some help from his friends.
18. Cowboys: Tony Romo needs to pick it up. Dez Bryant has shown signs of Calvin Johnson-esque play.
19. Panthers: Rough start for Cam Newton, but this team could be a contender.
20. Rams: Danny Amendola is the surprise player of the year so far.
21. Bills: Can they get a healthy running back?
22. Colts: Andrew Luck will have this team fighting in the AFC South.
23. Bucs: Young team, and they are showing it.
24. Lions: WTF has happened to this team? RED CARD.
25. Chiefs: Too inconsistent on offense to win.
26. Jets: RED CARD.
27. Titans: Jake Locker cannot stay healthy.
28. Dolphins: Reggie Bush and Brian Hartline can’t do it all.
29. Saints: 0-4….not much more to say.
30. Jaguars: Blaine Gabbert has improved slightly.
31. Browns: Showed up and competed against the Ravens. Could be clicking by the end of the year.
32. Raiders: LOL.

This time though, I will need a little help from my friends. I have realized that while my passion for this blog is as strong as ever, I don’t have time to write 3 articles a week. So I have enlisted help from previous guest blogger Adam Troester (pronounced: tray-stir), my good buddy Joe Madden and possibly you. That’s right, YOU can write for Shown The RED Card, too. One of my goals for this blog from the very beginning was to make this a blog network of people who really care about a particular sport or team. If you have any desire (and a little bit of writing ability) PLEASE write for this blog. Diversity of opinion is what makes this world great.

The graphic below tells the story of where we have come from since early 2010. We have a new logo and this blog is now optimized for your smartphone for easy viewing! There has been a lot of hard work put into this blog by Chris Stockton. He has done all the design and back-end coding etc, and I cannot thank him enough for putting up with my BS through the last 2+ years. He is as talented and patient as they come.

Take a look at the logo progression over the years.

Anyway, back to the point: RED Card is back, and now we are playing for keeps.

While we were away there were some amazing sports stories that took place. Let’s quickly touch base on the biggest headlines:

• There have been 3 Perfect Games since we have been away. Congratulations are in order for Felix Hernandez, Matt Cain and Phillip Humber. I have always thought this was in the Top 5 of toughest sports milestones to achieve, so to see 3 in one year is incredible.
• The Miami Heat overcame a lot of adversity to win the NBA Finals in 5 games over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even a lockout shortened NBA season provided unbelievable drama.
• LeBron James took the monkey that was on his back and threw it into the stratosphere. He had the best NBA Finals performance I can remember……since Michael. LeBron critics have been quiet lately, and deservedly so. The look of relief on his face when he grabbed the Larry O’Brien trophy was priceless. The light has turned on, and that is scary for the rest of the league.

• 

  Pure relief and joy.

• The 2012 Olympics took place in July and August. From all intents and purposes, it looked to be one of the best games ever. Congratulations to the city of London for being a great host. Side note: why are all Olympic mascots some alien-looking creature? Is that what the “best and brightest” deem ‘cool’? RED Card for alien mascots.
• Michael Phelps broke the Olympic medals record in London. He sits atop the pantheon of great athletes alone with 19 medals, most of which are GOLD.
• Usain Bolt became the first person in history to win a GOLD medal in the 100m and 200m in back-to-back Olympics. It is a true toss-up between him and LeBron for best athlete on the planet.
• Roger Federer won Wimbledon, forever cementing his place as the greatest men’s tennis player ever. He bested home-grown favorite Andy Murray, who most recently won his first major at the U.S. Open.
• Manny Pacquiao’s ‘loss’ to Timothy Bradley might have been the most controversial moment since we last posted. A clear victory for Pacquiao was scored a unanimous decision for Bradley, calling into question the legitimacy of the sport of boxing, again. 10,000 RED Cards to the sport of boxing. Clean it up.
• The USADA found Lance Armstrong guilty of doping, despite a lot of evidence to the contrary. He has been stripped of all 7 Tour De France titles and banned from the sport for life. This is a crying shame, mainly because the USADA had no evidence besides here-say to make a verdict off of. RED Card to the USADA. Give Lance his earnings, respect and championships back. The Livestrong legacy is much bigger and more important than just racing, it is about the millions of cancer patients that he has inspired. “Heroes live forever, but Legends never die.”
• In memoriam: Junior Seau. I grew up watching Seau batter my Broncos all the time. He was a beast on the field, and even more beloved off of it. He took his own life way too soon. R.I.P. #55.
• Pat Summitt retired after her battle with Alzheimer’s Disease began to take too much of a toll. She is one of the great coaches of all time, in any sport, men’s or women’s. I hope she is able to fight this disease and stay viable in the Tennessee community. What an incredible human being.
• Bubba Watson won the Masters in April, playing in one of the most epic final day’s ever at Augusta. His gutsy shot on the first hole of the Playoff took America by storm.

• 

  “From the deep rough……”

• Kentucky won the National Championship. This surprised nobody, especially considering that the Wildcats had 6 1st Round NBA Draft picks.
• Peyton Manning was not re-signed by the Colts and chose to finish his illustrious career with the Denver Broncos. Now he is marketing DirecTV, Papa Johns, Buick and tapenade (hilarious).
• Lightening rod sports figure Tim Tebow was traded to the New York Jets, where he is currently serving as the Wildcat quarterback. Say what you want about the guy, but as a Broncos fan, I will root for Tebow wherever he goes. The guy is a genuine human being who took Broncos fans on the roller coaster ride of a lifetime last season.
• Chelsea Football Club won the UEFA Champions League trophy for the first time in club history. The Blues beat Bayern Munich in their home stadium on penalties. Didier Drogba scored the winner for Chelsea, making Chelsea the first club from London to hoist the trophy. Incredible underdog story.

• 

  Champions.

• Melky Cabrera was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for doping. He was in the hunt for the N.L. MVP at the time, and now we know why. RED Card Melky, mainly for being an idiot.
• Spain won Euro 2012 in convincing fashion, beating Italy 4-0 in the final. What an incredible tournament overall. Spain might be the best national team in history.
• Augusta National allowed its first 2 female members in August: Condoleeza Rice and Darla Moore. FINALLY. RED Card for Augusta taking so long.
• The New Orleans Saints ‘Bounty Gate’ scandal hit an all-time high with coach Sean Payton being suspended for the year, while 4 players were also suspended for varied lengths of time before a three member panel overturned NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision. RED Card for the whole process lacking evidence and proper procedure.
• The NFL started the season with replacement referees due to the union referees lockout. This proved costly for many teams, but especially the Green Bay Packers who lost on a terrible Hail Mary ‘catch’ that was really an interception. The replacement refs were terrible across the board. They lost control of games, didnt follow protocol and ultimately decided games. I don’t blame them though- they tried their very best, but they weren’t qualified to do the job. Blame goes to the NFL owners, and for that, I show them 1 million RED Cards. That’s an all-time high.
• 

  LOLZ

   

  That is all for this week. We will be back next week with a full slate of games. Cheers.

By: Adam Troester

Although the NBA season started on Christmas Day it is already past the halfway point.  Usually, halfway through the season warrants an All-NBA Team of the 1st Half.  People go in depth about who are the best players at each position and why.  There are also discussions about who deserves to be the MVP, the Rookie of the Year and the Coach of the Year.  I’ll list my picks at the end of this blog, but just like this season, I wanted to change things up a bit.

Throughout every season there are always storylines that people want to follow.  The same is the case for this season.  However, there really is only one big question with half of the season left to play:  is anyone good enough to compete with the Miami Heat in a seven game series?  Let’s take a look at that question and exactly how many fan bases can be optimistic about their team raising a banner at the end of the season.

In Miami’s own division we find only one real competitor and that is the Orlando Magic.  While the Magic have the most dominant big man in the game, they really don’t possess much else.  A successful season for them would be winning their first round series.  A very successful season would be for them to find a way to hang onto Dwight Howard with a long term contract.

Can Linsanity slow Miami down?

The rest of the Eastern Conference features my pick for the toughest opponent for the Heat.  While there are some great story lines with Linsanity in New York, the resurgence of the 76ers, Pacers and Boston’s annual quest to stop aging, the competition for the East comes down to Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls.

First off, you are going to need home court advantage to take down the Heat and the Bulls are the only team with a chance to get that done.  Second of all, you need to be a very athletic and disciplined team.  With the Bulls’ best player being their MVP point guard they are off to a great start.  In the playoffs you need a floor general that can be trusted.  You need someone who can take the game over themselves as well as open it up for the other four people on the floor.  Derrick Rose can do that for the Bulls.  The only thing is, LeBron James can suffocate Rose on defense and the rest of the team can’t make up for that.  I don’t see any way the Heat don’t make it out of the Eastern Conference again this year.

Is it Durant’s time?

That takes us to the Western Conference where are only three or four teams that could compete on the grand stage with Miami.  San Antonio and the Lakers are both teams that could easily compete for the Western Conference Championship.  They still have solid squads, but they are aging quite a bit.  If the Lakers can find a way to take Rondo from the Celtics they have a legitimate shot.  If they don’t, there is no way they get Kobe his sixth ring.  If the Spurs did manage to make it out of the West they still wouldn’t have the athletes to compete with what Miami would bring at them in a seven game series.

Two young and athletic teams remain—the Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.  David Stern and the owners shifted the momentum from the Lakers’ locker room to the Clippers’ this offseason in LA.  When they allowed Chris Paul to play for the red and blue of Los Angeles instead of the purple and gold that started up the championship talks for the first time ever for the Clippers’ fan base.  Chris Paul would be the hands down MVP if LeBron James weren’t in the league—Lebron is, so it’s a moot point.  He has given this team experience and leadership that you can’t pick up any other way.  I still think they are one or two years away from the ultimate goal, but they could manage to win the West in their first year together.

The Thunder’s run and gun style is perfect for this type of regular season.  All of the games are smashed into a smaller time window and they have very young legs.  Once the post season comes the opponents will have nothing to focus on besides the one team they are facing.  OKC is maturing before our eyes, but that is where their problem lies.  The Heat got a reality check last year when they underestimated the Dallas Mavericks.  With as much hype as there is around the Thunder and Kevin Durant’s rise, Miami will not overlook them.  I fully expect to see Oklahoma City move one step past what they did last year, but Miami is just too much.  If they play with a purpose they can’t lose.  Everyone was dogging on the Heat last year when they threw a preseason championship parade, but this season they will get the first ring for LeBron.  They may go onto win seven titles which will make this midseason question relevant for the next decade to come.

Ricky Rubio is an assist machine.

Rookie of the Mid-year: Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves:  Averaging 10.9 points 8.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game.

Coach of the Mid-year: Doug Collins of the Philadelphia 76ers.  No one saw their resurgence coming.

Defensive Player of the Mid-year: Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic:  This will always be his award to lose.  15 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.

MVP of the Mid-year: LeBron James of the Miami Heat:  He is having the best season in NBA history.  No really look at his numbers:  27.7 points 8.2 rebounds 6.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game.  He is shooting 54.9% from the field and 43.1% from three point land.  He’d be the MVP in any season in NBA history.

All-NBA Team of the Mid-year:

Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

(Sorry Kobe)

Check back after the regular season for a playoff preview.  Until then, as always, good luck to your team and don’t do anything to deserve a RED CARD.

Hey everyone, welcome back to the 3rd annual GRAMMY Awards Edition! Regular readers know that I usually do a GRAMMY preview edition where I predict winners in each category etc, etc. Unfortunately, I realized that what I viewed as award winning music, and what the academy viewed as award winning music drifted in opposite directions over the past few years. So instead of getting mad, I decided that reviewing all the action that took place seemed like a better idea. This is my favorite award show of the year, with the ESPY’s coming in a close second. I love music, and over the past few years my mind has been opened up to new artists and genres that I never thought I would enjoy. Music is one of the pure joys in life, so I hope you get a chance to enjoy this edition of the Red Card.

R.I.P.

The major talking points:

• Whitney Houston’s death overshadowed the entire proceedings this year. The atmosphere inside of the Staples Center reflected that. People were mourning the loss of their friend and colleague. Whitney Houston, in her prime, had the best voice of a generation. She hit notes that nobody else could, all while remaining graceful in her performance. She was a once-in-a-lifetime talent that will never be replaced. Of course everyone knows of her struggles with addiction later on in life, but strictly as a musician- she was undeniably brilliant. The 2 songs I will remember her for are I Will Always Love You (best key-change in a song, ever) and her rendition of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in 1991. Both performances will never be topped. Rest In Peace, Whitney. I hope her legacy can help those struggling with addiction.
• One of the finer moments of the night happened right off the bat. Host and Emcee LL Cool J opened the night by talking about Whitney Houston’s death and offering up a prayer. You could almost feel a sense of peace wash over an incredibly tense crowd. Well done, LL.
• The performance of the 2012 GRAMMY’s was undoubtedly by Jennifer Hudson as she sang I Will Always Love You as an ode to Houston. She absolutely killed the performance. But that performance also made people realize how good Whitney Houston really was. Jennifer Hudson’s rendition of the song was fantastic, but it still didnt hold a candle to Houston’s version. Still- a great job under highly emotional circumstances by Jennifer Hudson.
• Adele, Adele and more Adele. The sultry singer absolutely dominated the 54th GRAMMY’s. She took home 6 awards for her performances off of her album, 21. She also delivered an amazing performance of her hit song, Rolling In The Deep. Fresh off of vocal reconstructive surgery, she sounded pitch perfect and wowed the crowd. Unbelievable year for a star that will be around for a long while.
• Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood performed a great duet during the middle of the show. Once again, Tony Bennett is the king. Few people will ever reach his level.
• Bruno Mars opened the show with an awesome song and dance number right after LL Cool J’s intro. The best part of his performance, besides the dancing, was him telling the crowd to “get off your rich asses and lets have some fun!” It really got everyone to lighten up. He killed his performance.
• Speaking of dancing, Chris Brown returned to the GRAMMY’s this year and his dancing did not disappoint. The controversial star jumped around and danced on a layered platform with ease before back flipping off to end his performance. Cool stuff.
• The Beach Boys returned to the GRAMMY stage for their 50th anniversary with Foster the People and Maroon 5. They are all-time greats and can still perform the hell out 0f their songs. The worst part about their performance, astutely pointed out by the Twitter world, was the absence of the Full House gang. Uncle Jesse couldve been the cherry on top of that performance.
• The Foo Fighters delivered a great performance of Walk in the middle of L.A. L!VE. They cleaned up the Rock categories with four GRAMMY’s.
• Easily the best acceptance speech of the night came from Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl. He told the crowd that the special part of their latest album was that it was largely made in his garage. He also added that music isnt about fancy equipment or technology, its about the ability to learn how to play an instrument and make music, even though it might not be perfect all the time. Commendable speech.
• Bon Iver’s speech after winning Best New Artist was kind of strange, but funny at the same time. He thanked everyone in his rolodex before thanking the fans who voted for him by saying “thanks for the sweet hook up.” Awesome.
• The Civil Wars needed to get a full length performance of Barton Hollow. That song kicks ass.

RED CARD.

Now lets show some folks a much deserved RED CARD:

• Nikki Minaj: what the hell was that? You get the first ever PLATINUM RED CARD for your exorcism performance. I wanted to perform an exorcism on my TV to get you off of it.
• A big issue I’ve had with the GRAMMY’s over the past few years is that there are too many performers and not enough awards given out. It is, at its core, an award show- and Sunday night I think there were 6 or 7 awards given out live. Lose some of ridiculous acts and give the artists their moment in the sun. RED CARD.
• Another big problem I had with the GRAMMY’s this year was the absence of Jay-Z and Kanye West. They are the top-draw in music right now, and both missed last nights proceedings. They needed to perform a song off of Watch The Throne, and get their due in the rap categories. Having the top artists not perform at the biggest night in music is unacceptable to me. RED CARD.
• Another issue I have with the academy is awarding songs that were released more than the calendar year ago. There needs to be a rule that says if your song wasnt released in the year prior, then it will not be up for consideration for a GRAMMY. We shouldnt be seeing awards go to songs released in 2010. RED CARD to the Academy.
• The In Memoriam segment of the GRAMMY’s was missing a few key contributors this year; Don Cornelious and Etta James. That is embarrassing. Also, they need to make that segment last longer to give each artist their due. RED CARD.
• Chris Brown dancing = good. Chris Brown singing = RED CARD.
• Even Coldplay cant escape the dreaded RED CARD this time. Chris Martin’s singing was off for Princess In China and Paradise.
• Giants Receivers Victor Cruz & Mario Manningham presented the Best Rock Song award. They were terrible in doing so. RED CARD. Go enjoy the off-season in peace.
• Adele had one slip-up during her amazing GRAMMY night. She got so emotional after winning best album that some snot flew out of her nose and she let the entire crowd know about it. While it was genuine and endearing, it also deserves a RED CARD.
• Taylor Swift playing the banjo looked like me trying to air guitar on a tennis racquet. RED CARD.
• Katy Perry’s blue hair deserves a RED CARD. Darling, I love you, but please go back to brunette by our wedding day.

WINNING

Watch The Throne got snubbed as Best Rap Album. Disgraceful.

Finally, in my eyes at least, it is time to give soccer some love on the Red Card. Now that the January Transfer Window has closed, we have reached the half-way point of the English Premier League season; which means that it is time to analyze what we know and predict what we don’t.  This edition of the Red Card (aptly named) will rank the teams, give out some plaudits and show some folks the RED CARD before predicting the second half.

First, let’s look at the current table in the EPL. But- instead of ranking the teams 1-20, Im going to rank my top 6, then the middle 8 and finish with the 6 teams in the relegation battle. Note: not all teams will be ranked according to points, I take into account current form as well.

Top 6 Teams (Top 4 qualify for the Champions League in 2012-2013):

1. Manchester City: 54 points.

2. Manchester United: 54 points.

3. Tottenham Hotspur: 49 points.

4. Chelsea: 42 points.

5. Newcastle: 39 points.

6. Liverpool: 38 points.

Mid-table teams:

7.  Arsenal: 37 points.

8. Stoke City: 30 points.

9. Sunderland: 30 points.

10. Everton: 29 points.

11. Norwich City: 29 points.

12. Fulham: 27 points.

13. Swansea City: 27 points.

14. Aston Villa: 28 points.

Bottom 6 teams (Last 3 get relegated to the Championship Division)

15. West Bromwich Albion: 26 points.

16. Queens Park Rangers: 21 points.

17. Bolton Wanderers: 20 points.

18. Wolverhampton Wanderers: 18 points.

19. Blackburn Rovers: 18 points.

20. Wigan Athletic: 15 points.

David Silva has been worth his weight in Silva for Manchester City.

Starting XI from the first half:

Goalkeeper: Tim Krul (Newcastle)

Defenders: Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle) , Jose Enrique (Liverpool)

Midfielders: David Silva (Manchester City), Juan Mata (Chelsea), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Clint Dempsey (Fulham)

Strikers: Robin Van Persie (Arsenal), Demba Ba (Newcastle)

Honorable Mention: Goalkeeper: Joe Hart (Manchester City); Defenders: John Terry (Chelsea), Bacary Sanga (Arsenal), Leighton Baines (Everton), Micah Richards (Manchester City); Midfielders: Leon Britton (Swansea City), Antonio Valencia (Manchester United), Luka Modric (Tottenham Hotspur), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur); Strikers: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Balotelli is Italian for Red Card.

Here is the list of those most deserving RED CARDS from the first half:

• Mario Balotelli (Manchester City): This guy is a talented lunatic. Among his many acts of idiocy this year: blowing up his bathroom with fireworks, the Why Always Me t-shirt after scoring the opener against Manchester United, and most recently stomping on Scott Parker’s face intentionally before scoring the winning goal against Tottenham. His personality is like The Joker. RED CARD.
• John Terry (Chelsea): His reputation precedes him. He cannot remain England captain if found guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. RED CARD.
• Luis Suarez (Liverpool): Currently serving an 8 match ban for being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra. RED CARD
• Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool): The Liverpool manager OK’d shirts supporting Suarez during the FA’s racism hearing. Dirtball move. RED CARD.
• Roberto Mancini (Manchester City): For displaying and appealing for RED CARDS during games. It is not sportsman-like, stop it. Now Ill show you one: RED CARD.
• Andre Villas Boas (Chelsea): The Chelsea manager has been at the helm of controversy this entire season, but his ruthless skepticism of the English media is getting old. It is a high pressure job- deal with it. RED CARD.
• Fernando Torres (Chelsea): Has scored 3 total goals for Chelsea since arriving on January 31st of last year for $80 million. That is $26.7 million/goal. RED CARD.
• Andy Carroll (Liverpool): If you think Torres form is terrible, try watching Andy Carroll play. RED CARD.
• Premier League Referees: The harsh decisions by Premier League referees are at an all-time high. They need to get it together before they ruin anymore matches with silly decisions. RED CARD. 
• Joey Barton (Queens Park Rangers): Barton leads the league in fouls, and total yellow and red cards with 9. He is a tough midfielder, but constantly goes over-the-top with bad play. RED CARD.
• Arsene Wenger (Arsenal): His management magic at Arsenal might be up. Wenger has looked, and managed, like a shell of his former self. RED CARD.

One of the many tributes to the life of Gary Speed at Leeds United.

Best Moment: Gary Speed Tributes. Unfortunately for many in the UK and around the world, footballing legend Gary Speed died in November. He played for Leeds United, Newcastle, Everton and Bolton before becoming the Wales manager and leading that team to unbelievable success. The outpouring of support for this former great player was unbelievable. Many clubs had moments of silence, chanted songs with his name during large portions of entire matches and had memorials set up outside of their respective stadiums. Speed was revered like very few footballers in the UK, and his legend will live on accordingly.

Luis Suarez engages in racist remarks with Patrice Evra. Suarez was banned for 8 matches.

Worst Moment: John Terry (Chelsea) and Luis Suarez (Liverpool) racism allegations. Suarez was banned by the F.A. for 8 matches after it was found that he shouted racist remarks at Patrice Evra (Manchester United) during the teams match on October 15th. Terry has yet to be charged by the F.A., but is also under investigation from the Crown Prosecution Service for alleged racist remarks that he said to Anton Ferdinand (Queens Park Rangers) during their October match. What makes both situations even worse is that both players have a history of terrible lapses of character. In this day and age, it is unfathomable that this kind of behavior still exists- especially in the top football league in the world. It is reprehensible, and I hope justice is done.

RVP is the first half MVP.

Player of the first half: Robin Van Persie. Arsenal’s captain has been nothing short of spectacular through the first half. He has amassed 19 goals and 5 assists already and is on pace for many more. Plus, his leadership have helped Arsenal weather a tough first half of the season. We will truly see how good he is in the second half.

Team of the first half: Manchester City. Without a doubt, City have been the most impressive squad of the first half of the season. Their consistency and attacking threat have been unmatched so far.

Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge had the goal of the first half with his amazing back-heel shot.

Goals of the first half:

1) Daniel Sturridge vs. Sunderland: watch

2) Robin Van Persie vs. Everton: watch

3) Luka Modric vs. Liverpool: watch

It's now or never for Fernando Torres.

Bold predictions for the 2nd half of the season:

• Fernando Torres will find his goal scoring form. I expect the Spaniard to ‘come good’ during the second half of this season.
• Manchester United will have a tough 2nd half and finish 3rd or 4th. I know they are the standard by which all other teams are measured, but they seem to have lost their creative spark this season. Goals are much tougher to come by these days for United.
• Arsenal will not qualify for the Champions League. I dont see how the Gunners finish in the Top 4- especially with the squad decisions that Arsene Wenger has been making lately.
• Norwich and Swansea City will both finish middle of the table. Both squads are built to play in the Premier League, and they will continue to play spoiler to big clubs.
• Landon Donovan will finish the second half of the season with Everton and sign for them permanently.
• Clint Dempsey will end up playing for a bigger club by the start of the next season. His form is top-notch right now.
• Tottenham will qualify for the Champions League, sparking Harry Redknapp to stay with Spurs instead of taking the England National Team position.
• David Moyes will take the England job.
• Chelsea’s 2nd half MVP- Michael Essien. If ‘Ess’ can come back to health- he can be a destructive force for the Blues.
• Newcastle continues their great form when Demba Ba returns from the African Nations Cup. They qualify for the Europa League.

NFL Season Wrap Up/Playoff Preview: by Adam Troester

The final game of the 256 game NFL season wrapped up late Sunday night with the New York Giants taking down their archrival Dallas Cowboys to earn the last of 12 playoff spots.  The four month regular season is in the books, but what exactly did we learn that we didn’t already know?  What surprises did we see both good and bad?  Most importantly, who positioned themselves the best to make a run at claiming Super Bowl XLVI?

Even Jim Harbaugh is surprised with his team's success.

Biggest Surprise (Good):

Before this season began, there is no way anyone predicted that the Bengals, Broncos, Lions and 49ers would all be in the playoffs.  That in itself is a great surprise for the NFL.  It is clear that parity is part of every NFL season, but these traditional franchises pushing their way to the playoffs can only benefit the league even more.  With that said, there can only be one biggest surprise and that goes to the 49ers.  Before the season, they hired a first time NFL head coach in a season proceeded by a lockout.  It is hard to get a team prepared for any season, but having mere weeks to get a new system in place, as well as, a new culture makes this season one to remember for San Francisco.  There were talks of them throwing the season away to get Harbaugh’s old quarterback Andrew Luck with the first pick of the upcoming draft.  Instead, they run away with the West with a 13-3 record while securing a first round bye.  That along with one of the best defenses in the league gives them a decent chance to win their first playoff game since 2002.

Biggest Surprise (Bad):

While there are always surprise teams that make the playoffs, the same can be said with some of the teams that fell short of the postseason.  The teams that fall in this category for the 2011 season are the Eagles, Jets and the Chargers.  While the Colts 2-14 record was by some shocking, you have to give them a pass for not having their all-time great quarterback in Peyton Manning.  Out of the three mentioned teams, the biggest surprise to not make the playoffs has to be the San Diego Chargers.  The NFC and AFC East divisions are very strong.  The AFC East obviously has the New England Patriots to get past, so it’s not all too surprising the Jets didn’t win the division.  The Eagles had a lot of additions with little time to get used to each other before the season began.  They clicked in the last quarter of the season and will be the team to beat in the NFC East next year.  The San Diego Chargers play in a division where no one finished over 8-8.  Going into the season, they were the heavy favorites to take the West.  They were 4-1 through five games.  It took them six weeks to get over Rivers’ botched snap that cost them the Kansas City game.  With the talent that they have an 8-8 record in the 2011 AFC West is inexcusable.

Coach of the Year:

Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers is the “no brainer” Coach of the Year.  Not only did he take the 49ers’ decade long streak of missing the playoffs, he did it on the back end of a lockout.  In Andrew Smith’s first seven years he has had seven different offensive coordinators.  He may have finally got the keys to the right car in this new West Coast product.  A probable date with the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round will show us just how far they have come.

Newton has earned his Superman title in his rookie season.

Rookie of the Year:

There really are only four people to consider for this award.  While Julio Jones seems to be a go-to player for years to come for the Falcons, the fact still remains that A.J. Green had a better season against tougher defenses, so that eliminates Jones.  A.J. Green, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and Patrick Peterson would be the four I would consider.  While Peterson is definitely the Defensive and Special Teams Rookie of the year, he falls short of comparing to the other three.  AJ Green’s 1,057 receiving yards to go along with 7 touchdowns is very respectable, but there is nothing like being a rookie quarterback in the NFL.  That’s why this award comes down to two.  Andy Dalton and Cam Newton both had years that no one expected.  While Dalton did lead the Bengals to the playoffs the Rookie of the Year still goes to Cam Newton.  Newton put together one of the best rookie seasons of all time.  He broke Peyton Manning’s rookie passing record with 4,051 yards (312 more yards than Manning).  He also set the record for rushing yards by a rookie QB with 706 yards (154 more than second best).  He set the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in any season.  He accounted for 4,757 yards and 35 touchdowns.  He lived up to the expectations of being the #1 overall pick. In 2010, the Panthers scored 16 touchdowns—16! In 2011, after picking up Newton, they scored 48 touchdowns.   They increased the points scored from 196 to 406 points scored.  The Bengals went from 322 points in 2010 to 344 in 2011.  All of that makes him the Rookie of the Year.  The future looks very bright in Carolina.  An additional weapon in Justin Blackmon could be what this team needs to make a run in years to come.

Defensive Player of the Year:

Jared Allen had a monster season for the lowly Minnesota Vikings.  He lived up to his first half statistics and almost broke the all-time record of 22.5 sacks held by Michael Strahan.  Allen finished ½ a sack short at 22 for the year.  He also had an interception, forced four fumbles and recovered four fumbles.  That makes him a dominant force.  To do all that on the defense the Vikings had makes it even that much more impressive.  Charles Woodson made a great push for the honor once again with seven interceptions, two sacks and his overall presence in the Packers’ secondary, but no one even comes close to Jared Allen’s performance.  He has 105 career sacks which puts him within striking distance of the 160 sacks for 3rd overall by the time he is done playing the game.

Most Valuable Player:

This will be the most competitive MVP race since Barry Sanders and Brett Favre shared the 1997 honor.  How can you determine who has been the best player when two players surpassed the mark for passing yards in a season. Another threw 45 touchdowns with only 6 interceptions in 15 games and set the record for best passer rating in a season.  Another led his team to nine consecutive seasons with 10 wins or more to see them win only TWO in his absence this season.  We can eliminate Peyton Manning based on the fact that it is the Most Valuable Player and he didn’t play a single snap.  That doesn’t change the fact that this might be the most important season for his legacy.  If the Colts bounce back next season and make the playoffs, there will be no doubt how important Manning is to this franchise and the league.  He is one of the best quarterbacks to play the game and now he adds a coaching dimension that was seen throughout this season.  With that said, will the Colts take Andrew Luck with the #1 overall pick?  I still would.

This award really comes down to three outstanding quarterbacks.  Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady all had seasons they will never forget.  They compiled 15,354 combined passing yards.  They had 130 touchdowns while throwing only 32 INT’s.  They all had passer ratings of 105+.  Most importantly, they all led their teams to 13 or more wins to win their respective divisions.  If there was ever a year to have multiple winners 2011 would be the year.  However, the award must go to someone.  Aaron Rodgers’ season just can’t be overlooked.  He had 45 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions in 15 games.  If he had started instead of Matt Flynn in the final game and accumulated his average stats from the first 15 games his line would’ve been:  4,953 yards, 48 TD, 6 INT, 122.5 rating.  Some quarterbacks have great seasons in one or two categories. He had all-time numbers in the most important stats, including a 14-1 record.  Brees and Brady did manage more passing yards per game, but Rodgers averaged more yards per attempt and half the number of interceptions as the other two quarterbacks.  If he had as many passing attempts as Brees, he was on pace for 6,077 yards.  In any other season, Brees and Brady would have run away with the award. But, my NFL MVP is Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers.  We all know what these three men want is another Super Bowl ring and I have no doubt these will be the three biggest players in the postseason.

Play of the Year:

Jerome Simpson’s touchdown reception against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 is hands down the best play of the year.  If this would’ve happened in an exhibition game it would’ve been unreal.  The fact that it came in a must win game for the Bengals makes it that much better: LEAP

Playoff Predictions:

AFC Wildcard Round:

 #6 Cincinnati Bengals at #3 Houston Texans:  Everyone knows the Texans really aren’t the third best team in the AFC.  They are down to their third string quarterback and their most explosive players on both sides of the ball are hurt.  Although Andre Johnson is likely to play with his two sore hamstrings, they still don’t have Mario Williams to threaten Andy Dalton.  The Texans won the last meeting by one in Cincy, but that game gave the Bengals some insight on how to beat Houston.  Pick: Bengals 24-Texans 17

#5 Pittsburgh Steelers at #4 Denver Broncos:  The annual “this game should be played at the other stadium” game (ie: see 2010 Saints at Seahawks).  This is an interesting matchup.  The Broncos backed their way into the playoffs losing their last three games.  The Steelers are banged up with Ben Roethlisberger having a nagging ankle sprain and losing Rashard Mendenhall for the season in Week 17.  If the Steelers defense shows up these two injuries shouldn’t make much of a difference.  The Broncos are playing with nothing to lose which is dangerous, but I don’t see the upset.  Pick: Steelers 27 -Broncos 13

NFC Wildcard Round:

#6 Detroit Lions at #3 New Orleans Saints:  Is any team more prepared for the playoffs than the Saints?  They have won eight games in a row and haven’t lost at home the whole season.  Throw in the fact that they beat the Lions by two touchdowns in December and it seems this one is an easy pick.  Lions DT Ndamukong Suh was serving the first game of his two game suspension during the December 4^th.  Matthew Stafford just threw for over 500 yards and 5 touchdowns at Green Bay.  Throw those facts in and it becomes a little blurry.  With all of that said, the Saints are likely to win this in a shootout.  Pick Saints 38- Lions 27

#5 Atlanta Falcons at #4 New York Giants:  The NFC East as a whole was pretty disappointing this year.  The Falcons only lost 2 games against non divisional winners, while the Giants lost 4.  New York only has one win against teams with a winning record.  After last Sunday’s 42 points in one half Atlanta is hitting its stride at the perfect time.  I don’t see the Giants coming through in this one despite the season Eli Manning is having.  Pick Falcons 24- Giants 23

AFC Divisional Round

#6 Cincinnati Bengals at #1 New England Patriots:  This has been a great season for the rebuilt Bengals.  They won the games they needed to to make the playoffs.  However, they were 9-0 against non-playoff teams and 0-7 against playoff teams.  Combine that with the fact that the Patriots are at home and looking for their first playoff win in four years and you have a deadly combination for Cincy.  Their feel good story ends in the second week of January.  Pick Patriots 34- Bengals 20

#5 Pittsburgh Steelers at #2 Baltimore Ravens:  The Ravens said at the beginning of the year that their main hurdle to get over is the Pittsburgh Steelers.  They have managed to do that so far this season, sweeping the season series with the Steelers.  They are also one of three teams in the league to run the table in their eight home games.  One of the toughest things to do in sports is beat the same team three times in one season.  With the injuries to the Steelers and the defense of the Ravens, I see that exact scenario playing out. Pick Ravens 27- Steelers 17

NFC Divisional Round

#3 New Orleans Saints at #2 San Francisco 49ers:  San Francisco has neither hosted nor played in a postseason game since the 2002 season.  Their fans will be jacked for this matchup between one of the highest octane offense in the Saints.  Something will have to give as San Francisco is giving up just over 14 points per game and New Orleans is scoring over 34 points a game.  Seeing as how the 49er defense is better at stopping the run than the pass, I like the Saints to make it back to the NFC Championship game.  Pick Saints 37 -49ers 24

#5 Atlanta Falcons at #1 Green Bay Packers: After the second half of the season took a toll on the Green Bay Packers health, they should be full strength heading into the playoffs.  The highest scoring offense will have all of its weapons back, which is scary for any opposition.  The Week 5 matchup between these two can’t be forgotten.  The Falcons got out to a fast 14-0 start over the Packers in Atlanta.  Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay to 25 unanswered points and an 11 point win.  This game, obviously at Lambeau, favors the Pack even more.  Pick Packers 38- Falcons 31

AFC Championship

#2 Baltimore Ravens at #1 New England Patriots:  This is a battle between two teams that couldn’t be built further apart.  The New England Patriots have a top 3 offense in the league with a horrid defense.  The Ravens have a top three defense with only one real weapon on offense in Ray Rice.  The question is, which of these attacks will win in the post season.  With a chance to go to the Super Bowl on the line you better believe Tom Brady will deliver.  Even if the Ravens shut down the Patriots, that means they still score 24 points.  This ones goes to the three time Super Bowl Champs.  Pick Patriots 31- Ravens 20

NFC Championship

#3 New Orleans Saints at #1 Green Bay Packers:  Can anyone remember ever having a better offensive matchup in a playoff game?  This is an offensive coordinator’s dream and a defensive coordinator’s nightmare.  These two offensives combined for 1,107 points.  Their defenses rank 30^th and 32^nd in stopping the pass.  The only thing that will stop an all-time shootout is a Green Bay blizzard.  It may come down to whoever has the ball last.  Whoever wins this toss up game faces another high powered offense in Super Bowl XLVI in the New England Patriots.  When in doubt, go with the home team who happens to be the defending Super Bowl Champion.  Pick Packers 38- Saints 34

Super Bowl XLVI

Green Bay Packers v New England Patriots:  The team of the 2000s vs the probable team of the 2010′s.  This is a matchup for the ages and could rival the 53.6 million viewers who watched the Saints beat the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV and happens to be the most viewed event in the history of TV.  Two storied franchises with two great fan bases would make this an event the NFL would clamor over.  The buildup would be unmatched.  The comparisons of Brady v Rodgers v the other all-time quarterbacks would be talked about nonstop for two weeks.  On top of that you have a team looking to become the first repeat champion since the Patriots did it in 2004/2005 playing the team that still wants to be the last team to win back-to-back Super Bowls.  The traditionalists who want to see solid, hard hitting defense may be opposed to this matchup, but really who outside them doesn’t want to see this?  The Super Bowl should come down to two teams of this caliber.  I see this game yet again coming down to the wire with a turnover here or missed field goal there deciding it.  Aaron Rodgers becomes a back-to-back Super Bowl MVP cementing his legacy in Green Bay and NFL history.  Pick Packers 41- Patriots 37

 All of these predictions may be shot down by the second week of the playoffs, but that’s why they play the games.  If you agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter.  What matters is when there is a world title on the line, and at the end of it all, it only matters who shows up at the right time.  Over half way to Super Bowl LXXXVIII (88, can’t wait to see the logo for that one).  As always, thanks for reading.  Good luck to your teams and don’t do anything to deserve a RED CARD.

Hey Red Card Nation! Welcome back to the last post of 2011- the Sexiest Women of 2011 Edition! I would just like to thank everyone one last time in 2011 for being an active reader of this project of mine. Shown The Red Card has grown tremendously this year, and I will make it my New Years Resolution to continue to grow and evolve this blog into something special. Again, I wouldnt be here without all of you- so thank you for a great 2011. Please have a safe and Happy New Years. Here’s to a fantastic 2012- cheers.

Now, on to what will be the most popular post of 2011. Everyone had a lot of input on my list last year, so I took extra time in crafting this years list and I think I did a good job. In all honesty though- these lists are awesome to do and I had a lot of fun doing it. A lot of thought and effort went into the rankings. Enjoy.

Here are the qualifications that shaped this years post:

• Sexiness isn’t a mathematical formula. Every person sees ‘sexy’  in different ways. This list is how I saw it. I’m sure you’ll disagree- AND THAT’S OK.
• I took into account 3 factors: Beauty, Brains and Talent.
• I also took into account how ‘current’ the woman is. If she hasnt acted, sang, modeled, etc. in 5 years, she probably isn’t on the list. This is the Sexiest Women of 2011, not 1998.
• To all the ladies reading this: be you- nothing is better.

60. Alex Morgan: GOOOALLLLLLL. Every man in America was drooling over her this past Summer during the Womens World Cup. She has potential to be the hottest athlete in the world.

59. Emma Stone: Rising Superstar. Ms. Stone is on the cusp of being one of the darling actresses of this decade. Not only was she in Crazy, Stupid Love this year, but she will also be playing Mary Jane in next years The Amazing Spider Man.

58. Zooey Deschanel: Sexy Nerd. Zooey made the jump from movies into primetime T.V. this year with her hit show New Girl. She has never looked so good.

57. Danneel Harris: Spicey Cajun. Danneel starred in The Roommate and A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas this year.

56. Jessica Biel: Quiet Babe. Until this years film New Years Eve we hadnt heard much from Ms. Biel. Fear not, she is scheduled to be in 5 movies over the next 2.5 years.

55. Carrie Underwood: Country Star. Full disclosure, I dont listen to country music, BUT she always makes me look twice.

54. Audrina Patridge: Reality Babe. Look, I despise reality T.V., but this girl could persuade me to watch.

53. Beyonce: Baby Mama. Everyone knows that she debuted another platinum album this year, but the big news is that her and Jay-Z will be having a baby soon.

52. Natalie Portman: Stunning. Not only did Portman have a baby this year, but she was in three movies: New Years Eve, Your Highness and Thor. Busy bee.

51. Rashida Jones: Harvard Grad. This was a busy year for Jones, as she was in four movies: The Big Year, Friends With Benefits, Our Idiot Brother and The Muppets.

50. Erin Andrews: Sports Reporter. Every man in America wants to date E.A. Not only is she a good sideline reporter, but she has made many appearances on Good Morning America and College Gameday. Long live Erin Andrews.

49. Julianne Hough: Dancing Star. Hough has been a regular champion on Dancing With The Stars, and recently tried her hand at country music. She also appeared in Footloose this year making her a triple threat.

48. Selita Ebanks: Fierce. Few words need to be said about Ms. Ebanks. Why? Because shes a Victoria’s Secret Angel.

47. Erin Heatherton: Baby Angel. Also a V.S. Angel, Erin is only 22- so there is room for her career to flourish. Hallelujah.

46. Eva Mendes: Sultry Activist. For many, Eva is a lot of things. Not only is she beautiful, but also very funny and sassy. She was in Fast Five this year, meaning that she is also a badass.

45. Claire Coffee: Beyond Law. Claire is a relative unknown to most, but that wont last long. She starred in the funny new show Franklin and Bash this year. Watch for her star to rise. Plus, she loves football. #winning

44. Scarlett Johanson: Zookeeper. She is in this years movie We Bought a Zoo, but what sets her apart in 2011 is her phone picture leak. Wowza.

43. Jessica Alba: Spy. Sure, she starred in Spy Kids 4 this year, but on pure beauty alone- she remains one of the all-time greats.

42. Jennifer Aniston: Horrible Boss. If anyone had any doubts about why she made the list this year, I encourage you to go see how sexy Jen was in Horrible Bosses. She will have ‘it’ forever.

41. Jennifer Love Hewitt: Love Actually. While it was a relatively quiet year for Love Hewitt, she is still incredibly sexy. She will be back in 2012 with a movie and 2 T.V. shows.

40. Rihanna: Caribbean Queen. Rihanna has been on fire for what seems like the last 5 years. She backs it up with hot music videos that show off her finest dance moves. Talk That Talk is in stores now.

39. Kate Beckinsale: Underworld Beauty. Kate was quiet in 2010, but oh boy is she about to heat up. She is starring in Contraband, Underworld: Awakening and Total Recall in 2012. Plus she has an amazing British accent and loves a certain part of herself the best. Take a guess.

38. Brooklyn Decker: ‘It’ Girl. Decker has been all over the map in 2011. She not only featured in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Editon, but also had a huge roll in Adam Sandler’s Just Go With It. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Andy Roddick is a lucky bastard.

37. Blake Lively: Gossip Girl. Blake is widely known for her role in Gossip Girl, although I couldnt tell you what that is. What I can tell you is that she is a rising film star and that she is really hot.

36. Malin Akerman: Swedish Sensation. Malin Akerman will be everywhere on your movie screen in 2012, so look for her in Wonderlust, The Giant Mechanical Man, Medallion and Rock of Ages. Any list has to have room for a girl with legs this good.

35. Abbey Clancy: W.A.G. Not only is Abbey British, but she is also married to English Premier League player Peter Crouch. She is on the rise across the pond.

34. Anne Hathaway: Catwoman. Look, Anne was hot before playing Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises (coming Summer 2012), but after it debuts she may rise to #1 next year.

33. Delta Goodrem: Australian for Sexy. Not only is she an Aussie, which earns her major points in my book for her accent, but she also sings and danced on Dancing With The Stars. So hot.

32. Mila Kunis: Friend With Benefits. If only, right? Not only was she in a few steamy situations with Justin Timberlake, but she still continued her role as Meg on Family Guy. Hot damn.

31. Megan Fox: Sexy Like a Fox. Plain and simple, she embodies the word sexy. So, even though she had a quiet 2011, she still made the list.

30. Nicole Scherzinger: X Factor. Oh boy, how I love this former Pussy Cat Doll. She is now a judge on the X Factor and will be in Men In Black III next year. Sexy.

29. Olivia Munn: Game Changer. Munn is sexy, nerdy, funny and most importantly; smart. She is also a correspondent on The Daily Show which makes her a winner in my book.

28. Vanessa Hudgens: Sucker Punch. Ms. Hudgens has really come of age lately. In 2011 she starred in the female thriller Sucker Punch and is on the slate for 3 movies in 2012. She is incredibly sexy as well, which helped her reach #28.

27. Miranda Kerr: Aussie Angel. 2 things make Miranda Kerr ultra-sexy: 1) She’s an Aussie. 2) She’s a V.S. Angel. Do the math.

26. Bar Refaeli: Raising The Bar. She is one of the big time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models. I think its clear why she made the list.

25. Leighton Meester: Seductive. Meester is all-around sexy, as well as talented. She was in three movies this year: The Roommate, Monte Carlo and The Oranges.

24. Alessandra Ambrosio: Brazilian Beauty. She is a badass. Why? She was 2 months pregnant when she featured in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show a few weeks back.

23. Minka Kelly: Minx. Of all of the ‘misses’ I had on last years list- she was the main one. I admit my error and thus ranked her in the Jordan spot.

22. Freida Pinto: Immortal. Pinto ran a muck in 2011, totalling four films including Immortals. She is a goddess, after all.

21. Emma Watson: Magic. Point blank, Emma Watson may be the prettiest lady on this list. She was also in the final installment of the Harry Potter series this year. Onto bigger, and hopefully sexier things now.

20. Adriana Lima: The Standard. Adriana is one of the most iconic VS Angels ever. She also confirms my theory that Brazilian women are the sexiest women in the world.

19. Alice Eve: Oxford Grad. In 2011, Alice was a big part of the last season of Entourage playing Vince’s new love interest. She will also be featured in next years Men In Black III. Plus, she’s sexy and smart. Count me in.

18. Odette Anable: Doctor. She’s not a real doctor, but she does a damn good job of playing one on House, one of my all-time favorite shows. Gotta love that.

17. Marisa Miller: Hang Ten. There isnt much that needs to be said for Marisa Miller. She’s just ungodly hot, loves sports and is a V.S. Angel and an S.I. Swimsuit model.

16. Candice Swanepoel: Diamond. Candice is from South Africa and is currently a Victoria’s Secret Angel. If you saw her in the V.S. Fashion Show- you know that she had to make the list.

15. Hayden Panettierre: We All Scream. Hayden played a role in Scream 4, but guys have been after her for awhile now. She has a big 2012 coming up as well. Let her be your hero.

14. Zoe Saldana: License To Kill. Zoe is as badass as females come. Dont believe me- see Columbiana. She is sexy and fierce at the same time.

13. Cheryl Cole: Cole World. This pop diva made the transition to being an X Factor judge this year, like Nicole Scherzinger. She is also working on her third album.

12. Amber Heard: Heard That. She had a busy 2011, starring in both Drive Angry with Nicolas Cage and The Rum Diary alongside Johnny Depp.

11. Katy Perry: Single Lady. News just broke that Ms. Perry has gotten divorced from Russell Brand! To use one of my favorite quotes ever: “So you’re sayin’ there’s a chance!”

10. Stacy Keibler. Clooney’s Girl. Yes, thats right- George Clooney has deemed Stacy hot enough to date, so she may as well be #1 on the list. Plus she had stints on Blue Mountain State, Psych and Chuck. Best legs/butt on the list.

9. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: Transformer. Rosie busted onto the scene in 2011. She starred in Transformers: Dark of the Moon and kept her role as a V.S. Angel. I dont think there could be a sexier Autobot.

8. Olivia Wilde: The Change-Up. Natural beauty. Those are the two words I associate with Olivia Wilde. She was in four films this year: Cowboys and Aliens, In Time, The Change-Up and On The Inside. She will always be Dr. Thirteen to me though.

7. Emmanuelle Chriqui: Thundercat. She was in a variety of T.V. shows in 2011, including Thundercats. But, she was crucial as Sloan in the final season of Entourage. So sexy.

6. Kate Upton: The Next Big Thing. Kate exploded onto everyones radar in 2011 with her spread in the S.I. Swimsuit Editon. Something (looks down) tells me that she will stay on the top of our mind for years to come.

5. Melanie Iglesias: Flipbook. I dont blame you for not knowing who Melanie is. She’s a relative newcomer, winning Maxim’s Hometown Hotties contest in 2010. But, if you dont go to youtube right now and check out all four of her Flipbook videos, you are out of your mind. Wow.

4. Joanna Krupa: Last Years #1. Krupa dropped 3 spots from last year when she held the first ever Red Card Sexiest Woman crown. But looking at this photo, I may have been crazy to do so.

3. January Jones: Mad Woman. While Mad Men was on hold for 2011, January was great in X-Men: First Class. Clearly, she gave me something to think about. Contrary to popular belief, January isnt cold- she’s hot.

2. Brittany Snow: On Fire. Britanny Snow has grown up in a big way. She plays a new role on the show Harry’s Law, and she may have the best eyes on the list. Good lord.

……and now:

1. Sarah Shahi: Fairly Legal. This may come as a surprise to many, and frankly, I dont care. Of all the women on this list- I stayed infatuated with her the most. She debuted on a pretty awesome new show, Fairly Legal, in 2011 as well. She also used to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Go ahead, start drooling boys. Oh, and Sarah- wear the crown proudly. (Note: there isnt an actual crown.)

So there’s the list. Start arguing!