More Super Saints- Who Woulda Thunk It?

The World Champion New Orleans Saints.

Who woulda thunk it? I suppose after the Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino and the White Sox finally did their time in purgatory for the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, then all things shalt be possible.

Especially for Saints.

This game will dissected and analyzed for the next day or so by sports talk media, print writers, and bloggers. But at seems clear that there were three key moments that won the game for the Saints.

(1). The 3 and out by the Colts with with 1:49 left in the 1st half. The Colts stopped the Saints on the previous series at the Indianapolis one yard line and the score 10-3 Indy. What looked like a bad to decision to go for it on 4th down by Saints coach Sean Payton to tie the game worked out in the long term. The Saints didn't tie the game but turned the ball over to the Colts, who had to be conservative to get out of the shadow of the goal line. At that point the Colts had only three plays in the entire quarter, holding the ball for only 1:20. The Saints defense buckled down bigtime, and held the Colts to only nine yards on the drive from the Colt one yard line, taking 1:03 off of the clock. Had the Colts gotten a first down, maybe Peyton Manning opens up the offense a bit with 35 seconds left, perhaps getting into field goal range, or hitting one of his receivers for a TD. Instead, the Colts punt, the Saints take over at their own 48, they run five plays in 35 seconds to get into field goal range, and score on Garrett Hartley's 44 yard kick as time expired. Halftime Colts 10, Saints 6....but the Saints seized the game's momentum from Indianapolis.

(2). THE Onside Kick And it will forever be known in Saint's lore as "THE Onside Kick", if not in the annals of NFL history. This might have been the gutsiest play in the history of The Super Bowl, and it was quite a call by Coach Payton. The onside kick was executed to perfection by punter/kickoff kicker Thomas Morstead, who spent an agonizing extended halftime thinking about the plan when told of it by Payton. At halftime The Who sang "We Won't Get Fooled Again" as part of their medley....but this gem of a special teams play fooled not only the Colts, who were expecting the Saints to kickoff deep, but just about anybody in known universe who was watching the game.

Again....who woulda thunk it?

So the Saints recovered the ball on the their own 42 yard line to start the second half, and then go 58 yards in 6 plays for a Drew Brees to Pierre Thomas touchdown. New Orleans took a 13-10 lead. On the following possession by the Colts answered with a 76 yard 10 play drive that resulted in a Joseph Addai touchdown run....but you got the sense that the Colts knew they were in a dogfight and had met their match, even though at that point they regained the lead, 17-13. The Saints would get another field goal to close to 17-16 in the third quarter, and then took the lead for good at the 5:42 mark of the 4th quarter on a 2 yard pass to Jeremy Shockey, and then a Saints two point conversion was ruled good on review after initially being incomplete. It was then 24-17 New Orleans, with the final bit of drama to be played out.

(3). The Pick Six. How many times in his Hall of Fame career has the Colts' Peyton Manning won a game in the fourth quarter? The Saints are leading 24-17 with 5:42 left in the game. After a five yard false start penalty, Manning hit Pierre Garcon for a 17 yard game and a first down. Then on second and ten Manning hits Garcon for a 10 yard gain to the New Orleans 48. Then its Manning to Reggie Wayne for 12 yards to the Saints 36, another first down. Next play, Manning to Wayne for five yards, at the Saints 31 with the clock ticking under four minutes. A Manning to Austin Collie pass is incomplete. Its 3rd down, the ball on the New Orleans 31 yard line, with the Colts needing five yards for a first down, and only 31 yards to tie the game at 24 with a touchdown and a PAT.

And then came the dagger.....Manning tries to hit Reggie Wayne, who had been hobbled all week with a knee problem. The Saints' Tracy Porter stepped in front of Wayne and picked Manning's pass and took it 74 yards for a touchdown, Saints. It was then Saints 31-17 with 3:12 left in the game.

Manning's interception was the only turnover of the game for either team....and it sealed the win for New Orleans.

Who woulda thunk it?


Almost immediately after the game some of the sports pundits started chiming in about this being a Colts loss and a failure by Peyton Manning rather than a great team victory by the Saints, who won all three phases of the game.....Skip Bayless, of ESPN, what the hell are you smoking? There are others of course, but those pointing a finger at the Colts are in the minority.

This was a complete win for New Orleans, who deserved it. This win was theirs, and their city's, and their region's. The irony of the New Orleans Saints having to beat the scion of the First Family of New Orleans sports to achieve their first ever Super Bowl win is amazing- perhaps its something that author Squire Rushnell would call a "God wink"; something that seems like coincidence, but has almost a divine stamp on it.

Who woulda thunk it?

Final thoughts- The commercials- the E-TRADE commercial with the babies was hysterical, with the "ladies man" being questioned about "that milk-aholic". The BUD LIGHT ad with the house made of beer cans was amusing, as was the BUDWEISER spot with the horse and the calf, and the Betty White/Abe Vigoda ad was funny as well- even though I can't remember what they were selling. Also, that controversial "Focus On Family" ad with Tim Tebow and his mother was much ado about nothing- it was so quick it doesn't really register with the casual viewer.

But the funniest ad, even though it was really a CBS promo, was the one with Letterman, Oprah, and Leno....it was SURREAL! The best.



And the halftime show...as I said before, I love the Who. But they really are part of "MY Generation"- though they are a bit older than me. The show was well done, with great lighting and effects, and was performed perfectly, but predictably. Nothing new. I guess I was waiting for Pete to dislocate his arm doing a windmill on guitar, or seeing if Roger could hit the high notes (he was straining). Here's a clue- when your lead singer plays Ebeneezer Scrooge in a stage version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL (as Roger Daltry did a few years ago), your not just getting old-er....your getting old- as I am as well.

I agree with the younger people out there.....its time for the halftime shows at the Super Bowl to get younger.

Dat's it....Congrats, "Who Dat Nation"!!!!

SAINTS WIN 31-17!!!

The New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts 31-14 behind game MVP quarterback Drew Brees.

And congrats to "Who Dat? Nation"....this one was bigger than just for a team; this was for a city and region that was devastated five years ago by Hurricane Katrina. This was about a city that came so close to losing their franchise after the SuperDome and the city were in ruins.

And they were a team that went decades without a winning record or a playoff appearance. They were so bad at one time their fans called them "The Ain'ts" and wore paperbags over their heads at home games.

Its party time at the game site in South Florida, and at Bourbon Street in "Nawlins".

Check out New Orleans Saints.com

Its a feel good story...and again, congrats to the Saints and their fans.

Random Thoughts On "The Big Game"- Who Dem?

Well its that time....the National Football League will crown a new champion tomorrow night. And I suppose its my solemn duty as a semi-professional internet blogger type person to make some comments and give my pick for the game. OK folks....you didn't ask for it but here I come!

(1). I'm pretty damn sick about having to refer to this event as "The Big Game" since I'm not a licensee of the NFL, and for all I know I'll call it by the "SB" name and a small squadron of lawyers will be shaking me down for money I don't have. And the only reason they would do that is because the rack and debtor's prisons were phased out a couple of centuries ago.



(2) Above, we have Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts. If you've been living under a rock or something you might not have heard that he is the son of Archie Manning, who quarterbacked the New Orleans Saints when they weren't very good. Archie and wife Olivia are the head of the First Family of Football...they also have another son named Eli....you might have heard of him as well. But then again, you could be one of the those people who didn't know that because you watch only one game per year, and this is it. This Game (it must be capitalized to show the proper reverence) has  become an official- unofficial American holiday, and if you don't watch the Tea Baggers who live next door to you will question your Americanism and will ask for your birth certificate.

And then you'll really be sorry .

(3) Above and below.....gratuitous photos of the lovely cheerleaders of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. No other reason for posting them other than they sure are purdy....and I can see their belly buttons on this frigid day in the Northeast.

(4) On the right....now that's a FAN. But how in God's name can he see the game?

(5). And another thing....what's this stuff about the NFL saying they own the copyright to the expression "Who Dat?", used by the New Orleans Saints fans? That makes about as much sense as a certain news organization saying they trademarked the expression "fair and balanced". Anyway, check this story about the NFL's clain of copyright infringement when the phrase is used in conjunction with the New Orleans Saints.

(6).The NFL is talking about playing a "Big Game" in the new Giants-Jets Stadium in East Rutherford New Jersey in the future. Ahhhhh....Commissioner Goodell?- parts of New Jersey got as much as 20 inches of snow today, on the eve of the "SB"...how can you expect geriatric classic rock bands to perform at halftime in those conditions? Oh yeah...there is a football game to be played as well.

(7). And speaking of halftime entertainment.....I loved The Who. They were my favorite performing rock band of alltime. But The Who will not be performing at "The Big Game"- Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry, and a bunch of hired hands will. Pete thought about folding the group after the death of Keith Moon. But Pete, Roger, and John Entwistle moved on, first with Kenny Jones, and with others, until John's death in 2002. Pete and Roger are the voice, the writer, the brain, and the guitar of The Who. But half of the group has left us....I wonder of Paul and Ringo could be performing as "The Beatles" next.

(8). How can we talk about the "Big Game" without mentioning the rise of OCNN, the Ochocinco News Network, which has made its presence felt in the covering of the "SB"? Founded by Chad Ochocinco OCNN also employs NFL players Chris Cooley, Darnell Dockett, and (former Rutgers great) Ray Rice as on site reporters....along with superfans Jake and Amir. Below, watch 'em do their stuff!


(9) Do you remember Mike Brown, the FEMA director at the time when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and vicinity? The "You're doin' a great job there, Brownie" guy? Wouldn't you think he would at least pick the Saints to win the game just so it might help ease the city's pain just a little?

Well....Mike Brown didn't pick the Saints. And somehow I'm not surprised. Below, more on that, and what the President is doing on Sunday, and some other pertinent nonsense regarding El Juego Grande!!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

(10). In closing......take the COLTS to win the game 31-24. Indy will be hurting on defense because Dwight Freeney will be hobbling. But the Colts will just plug another guy in, which is their wont, and will get it done. Drew Brees and company have had a fine year and are the sentimental favorites to win. But yesterday I was listening to something former NFL executive Carl Peterson said during a radio interview. He was the GM of the Philadelphia Eagles when they went to the SB to play the Oakland Raiders. It was the first appearance for the Eagles, the third for the Raiders. The Eagles were a solid favorite in the game....and were beaten badly. Peterson said yesterday that the Eagles were in such a state of awe in being in a game of such magnitude, they froze up. Peterson indicated that would be the case for the Saints tomorrow.....and I think he's right.

Enjoy the game and your parties, everyone!

Correction Sunday Feb 7th, 11:00am. Guilty as charged! As originally posted I had the point about the NFL's charge of copyright infringement wrong. The correct phrase is "Who Dat?", not "Who Dey?". The second phrase is one used by Cincinnati Bengals fans. I wonder if there is a legal action pending for that one as well.

Quick Hits For January 26, 2010; Spanning The Known Universe For News You Can Use (No, Not Really....But Admit It, It Got You Looking!)

After spending the majority of last week (going into this week) first reviewing Avatar and then committing three blog entries to talking about viewer reactions, and the mythology behind it- originally I had 12 pages of notes on a legal pad- its time to move on and talk about other stuff that's been in the news.

Its time for a new edition of Quick Hits

(1) The AFC Championship Game. I know I picked the Jets, but it was heart over head. When they went up 17-6 on the Colts I thought just maybe they could get it done. Then Manning came back with that touchdown before halftime to make it 17-13. And Boomer Esiason was prophetic on the CBS halftime show when he said Peyton Manning had figured out what the Jets were doing on defense.....if the the Jets were going to blitz linebackers and defensive backs to make up for a lack of a bonafide pass rusher, then look for the weak spot on the field and the best matchup for the offense. So don't throw to Reggie Wayne (who was covered by Darelle Revis most of the game), and chuck it down field to Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. From 17-13 at halftime it was all Colts in the second half, 30-17.

The Jets had an incredible run in the playoffs after a roller coaster regular season. Revis has emerged as the best corner in the NFL, and rookie qb Mark Sanchez and rookie rb Shonn Greene have become bright young stars who should shine for years to come.

And what else can you say about the Indianapolis Colts other than they are a special team and Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback of his generation- sorry Tom Brady fans. Brady has more Super Bowl rings but Manning's body of work in the regular season gives him the nod.

(2). In the NFC Championship Game, I lost track of how many times both teams put the ball on the ground, but ultimately it was those lost fumbles by the Minnesota Vikings (3) and interceptions by the Vikes (2) that spelled their doom in the 31-28 win for the New Orleans Saints. The game shouldn't have been as exciting as it was because of all of the miscues by both teams (the Saints lost a fumble and had 9 penalties for 88 yards, Vikings 5 for 32- but all seem to come a critical times in the game).

The game went into OT, and was won by a field goal by Garrett Hartley to win it, sending the Drew Brees and the Saints to Miami to face the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl.

You have to wonder...is Brett Favre really done, or will he retire and then unretire for one more season? If he does not retire and gives it one more year, just how much longer can he keep taking that kind of physical pounding at age 40 before his body betrays him? Also, regarding Adrian Peterson- nobody playing in the NFL has his raw ability and breakaway speed....but how long can any team tolerate a player that fumbles as much as he does? How does any coach entrust a game to kill the clock in its late stages to a guy who can't hang on to the ball? He needs to sit down with Tiki Barber, and who had a similar problem with the Giants, and was cured of it through the coaching of Tom Coughlin.

(3). How about those scenes on Bourbon Street in New Orleans during and after the NFC Championship? While the game was being played, it was like a ghost town there, empty streets, only a few tourists walking around. After the winning field goal, it was instant Mardi Gras.

And good for the Saints, the city of New Orleans, and the fans all along the Gulf Coast. The franchise was in the doldrums most of the time since its birth in 1967. And of course, there was the devastation of Katrina in 2005, an event from which some of New Orleans and the surrounding area has not recovered, and may not ever.

The Saints in the Super Bowl....it won't heal all of the area's wounds, but it will help to ease some of the pain still felt there.

(4). On Saturday night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards the veteran Betty White rocked the house with her speech. Betty, who celebrated her 88th birthday the same day, was presented with SAG's LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. And as usual, she managed to steal the show from her costars. And check out what George Clooney said about the onetime GOLDEN GIRL

(5). I missed the news of the death of author Robert B. Parker, and knew nothing of his passing until Saturday. I was listening to the radio in the morning, and Richard Neer spoke about Parker's death last week at age 77. There were few writers as prolific as Parker, who turned out as many as four novels in a year, who wrote ten pages per day, and never knew what his characters would do or where the plot was going until he was in the act of writing. Most famous for his mysteries, he created the characters Spenser and Jesse Stone. In more recent years Parker has turned his attention to the Old West, creating a series of three novels that I fell in love with- Appaloosa, Resolution, and Brimstone. I wondered how life would turn out for the laconic lawman- turned gunslinger- turned lawman Virgil Cole, his partner Everett Hitch, and Virgil's libidinous lady love Miss Allie French. Sadly, I'll never know.

Robert B. Parker wrote 60 novels in a career that spanned nearly 40 years. I miss him already.

(6). The Jay Leno-Conan O'Brien Fiasco- a nations's long nightmare is over. We can all rest again. Amen.

(7). Kudos to all for helping out in the Haitian relief effort. According to The Huffington Post The World Bank and the United States government each made a commitment of $100 million. Last Friday's celebrity telethon raised $57 million. Americans sent $159 million in private donations. It sounds like a lot of money, and it is.....but check out the amount of destruction and devastation, and the byproducts of the quake- homelessness, food and water shortages, and disease.

And here's a sobering thought- look at those dollar amounts in the previous paragraph. When Rutgers University expanded their football stadium from 42,000 to 53,000 the price tag rose to over $100 million. That was just to enclose an end zone and add seating, and put in premium seats near the Presidents box.

That alone will give you an idea of just how much money in needed to even start to rebuild Haiti. Its going to be a long, arduous process.

(8). President Obama's State of the Union Address. I'll watch, even though I'm still angry at that circular firing squad, aka the Democratic Congressional leadership. Sometimes I look at Mr. Obama and I think he's vintage Michael Jordan playing on the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets.

(9). Damages is back! And Glenn Close is as delightfully devious as ever. I wonder how Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) will work her way back into Patty's (Close) life. And we do know this item due to the show's time shifting format, and its the first secret revealed of Season 3....Tate Donovan (as Tom Shayes) will NOT be back for a Season 4.

That is, of course, he has a twin brother that the audience knows nothing about.

(10). Finally....I want to thank the readers of this blog who's numbers seem to be steadily growing. January 2010 is looking to be are biggest month yet as far as new visitors.

And we did it with minimal reference to home shopping hosts, past or present....that's an inside joke, people!

Late Addition! I just corrected numerous typos 10 hours after originally posting this. I'm not nearly as illiterate as some suspect.

NFL Championship Weekend Picks

I'm going to step back from "all things Avatar" for a few minutes to give my picks for today's AFC and NFC Championship games....I'll return with Part Three of the "Avatar Phenomenon" on Monday.

I'm sure you can hardly wait, with "hardly" being the operative word.

Here we go.....

AFC Championship; New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts; What a long strange trip its been for Gang Green. About a month ago even their own head coach thought they were mathematically eliminated from contention. Then came the game when the Colts pulled their starters after taking a lead over the visiting Jets, and New York stormed back to beat Indy and give them their first loss in a previously undefeated season. The Jets then went on to embarrass the Bengals the next week to earn a place in the playoffs. Some will say the Jets backed into the playoffs, I say it doesn't matter how you got there, just as long as you made it. Then in successive weeks the Jets beat the Bengals and Chargers on the road...when you win back to back road playoff games you've earned your spot at the top of the ticket.

The conventional wisdom is "take the Colts". Its payback time against the team that first tarnished a perfect record. They'll be playing at home and have the greatest quarterback of his generation, Peyton Manning, under center. There's Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark to throw the ball to, there's Dwight Feeney and Robert Mathis to terrorize Jet's qb Mark Sanchez, and the underrated Gary Brackett at middle linebacker.

The Jets have the power running of Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene, and the incomparable Darelle Revis at the corner. Mark Sanchez has a chance to become the first rookie quarterback ever to lead his team to the Super Bowl.

The Colts are the favorite....but I've been riding a different pony this post season. I'm taking the Jets in a squeaker, 24-21. Decided by a field goal. How appropriate.


NFC Championship; Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints The Saints have been in existence for over 40 years and have spent much of that time at the bottom of the pecking order in the NFL. Peyton Manning's dad, Archie, was a great quarterback on some really bad Saints teams in the 1970's. We all know the story of the Vikings...four Super Bowl trips and four losses, but none since getting stomped by the Raiders so long ago John Madden was Oakland's coach.

Minnesota is an interesting story, with Adrian Peterson at running back and Brett Favre at quarterback, having possibly the best year of his career at age 40. But strangely, I can't help but feel that the Vikings are much like the football version of the Florida Marlins in baseball. The Marlins were built to "win now" on two occasions, only to fall back to mediocrity soon afterwords. I just feel that the Vikings are constructed the same way- this is all for the short term, and I'm not sold on them.

The city of New Orleans is having a love affair with quarterback Drew Brees and this Saints team. Reggie Bush seems to becoming the star all thought he would be. Its a home crowd, and 40 plus years of "wait till next year" will be rained down on the visiting Vikings.

Also....its time for some good Karma for the Crescent City, which dealt with so much pain since Katrina. I pick the Saints, 35-21 .

And that's it.

I'll be back with our new guise as "The Official Unofficial Blog of The Big Game".....(note Commissioner Goodall, I didn't infringe on any copyrights or trademarks).....very soon.

NFL Picks For Divisional Weekend

I'm kind of pressed for time and will be gone for most of the afternoon, but before I exit here's my picks for this weekend's NFL Divisional games.

Ravens at Colts.....love Ray Rice and the Baltimore ground attack, but it looks like Joe Flacco might be a little more beat up than generally known. The Ravens need a passing attack to score more points than Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and the Colts will put up. Colts win 31-14.

Jets at Chargers.....keep riding the crest of the wave into SoCal. On paper it looks like a mismatch, Rivers has had a fantastic year for the Chargers while Sanchez is still taking baby steps in his pro career. But there's just something about the way the Jet's defense has been playing that indicates they just might be able to force some turnovers and win a squeaker. I'll go against the conventional wisdom and take the Jets in a nail biter, 24-21.

Cowboys at Vikings....if you've ever read my pro picks before you'll know what's coming next; ABC- "Anybody But (the) Cowboys". It doesn't matter that Favre and Childress will have a steel cage death match after the season is over, or that Adrian Peterson will fumble at least once. Romo must fall, once again, to the guys with the horned helmets. 21-10 Vikings.

Cardinals at Saints.....Cardinals will win on the road for no other reason but Kurt Warner is playing at an amazingly high level. I agree with most of the smart guys on this; Brees and Warner will give us an old fashioned AFL shootout. Cards win, 42-31.

Then again....I could be (and probably am)....very wrong.