John Madden Retires From Broadcasting

At age 73 the legendary broadcaster is hanging it up.

I grew up watching Madden and Summeral covering the NFC on CBS. They were the best team ever. I credit Madden with helping turn me into a football fanatic. He was brilliant at explaining blocking and defensive schemes, insider knowledge that a civilian doesn't have access too.

As the #1 crew for CBS (and later Fox) Madden and Summeral did all the big games. For a generation of people those voices were as much a part of the game as the action on the field.

My complaint would be Madden over-hyping stars and over-emphasizing successful teams. The NFC Championship in 1991, featured the NY Giants at San Francisco. The 49ers had already won two Superbowls in a row, and were expected to go for three. They had superstars like Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. It was as if the Giants weren't even playing. He never mentioned them. It was a close, tense game. (In my opinion, the greatest football game ever played.) The action never interrupted Madden's praise for the 49ers. The Giants, knowing they didn't have to many chances, played a risky game. Bill Parcells gambled on a 4th and 2 early in the fourth quarter and didn't make it. Madden said over and over and over: "Oh, the Giants are going to regret going for it there. That kind of thing will haunt you. You can't give San Francisco good field position, they will kill you for it." etc. The Giants ended up winning in the dying seconds, and Madden seemed disappointed. For such a great game, Madden ended up being a detractor to the enjoyment of it.

Atlanta Falcons fans can accuse him of doing the same thing in their huge upset over Minnesota in the 1998 NFC Championship.

That said, he will be missed. Football will not be the same. He definitely made it fun to watch.

UPDATE: Here's a youtube of highlights for that great 1991 Giants v. 49ers game, narrated by Alec Baldwin for America's Game. (It says 1990, because that was the season. It was actually January, 1991.) It includes Leonard Marshall's famous and devastating hit on Joe Montana. No Madden voice here, but great viewing.

Bring #6 to New York

Jay Cutler is begging to get out of Denver. I propose a straight up trade with the New York Giants: Eli Manning for Cutler. I can't take another 8-10 years with Eli.

Playoffs: Eagles at Giants

The playoffs begin for the Giants with the hated Eagles. I fear multi-purpose Brian Westbrook, especially with the Giants slow linebackers and mediocre safeties. When he sees open field, he's hard to stop. Supposedly it will be cold and perhaps snowing, so that might slow him down.

On offense, they need to pile drive the smaller Eagles into submission. They have what it takes. The offensive line is a choreographed road grader, clearing the way for Incredible Hulk-like Brandon Jacobs. Pound, pound, pound. Ball control. Wear them down, eat up the clock.

I'm looking forward to this game. It starts at 10am west coast time, and I'll have the beers chilling overnight just in case.

UPDATE: I'm stunned. Anger hasn't set in yet. What the hell just happened? 23-11 Eagles just happened. After all that, the season is over. Wait a minute... I'm starting to feel anger.

Final Sunday of the Season in the NFL

A garbage game for the Giants against Minnesota, as they have already clinched the #1 seed in the NFC. The important game is Miami at NY Jets. The Favre experiment is down the drain if the Jets lose... I will be away from the keyboard today but will be back posting Monday.

Panthers at Giants

The Panthers travel to the Meadowlands to decide who is the number 1 seed in the NFC. Both teams are remarkably similar. Great lines on both side of the ball and a reliance on power running and ball control. (Ultimately, my kind of football.) What worries me is Carolina's runners, Williams and Stewart have the ability to break the big run. If they get through the Giants tough line, I don't trust those linebackers to stop them. Also, Steve Smith is always somebody to fear.

I'm not as cocky about the Giants' chances as I was a few weeks ago. Let's hope they can get it together. Let's see Brandon Jacobs pound some yards.

UPDATE: 34-28 Giants in a dramatic overtime win! My voice is hoarse from screaming. The Giants' tactics were pure power. We're not going use finesse or get cerebral, we're going to run it right at you and beat you up. No doubt the Giants will be back with the #1 ranking in the press again.

Giants at Cowboys

The Giants are in Dallas for the Sunday Night Primetime game. I'm hoping that the Cowboy's playoffs will be sunk with a home loss. That's what they get for bringing in Terrell Owens, the ultimate ego-maniac receiver and quarterback killer.


There has been squabbling lately, beause T.O. thinks he deserves the ball more often, and that QB Tony Romo is throwing the ball too much to his buddy Tight End Jason Witten.

Terrell Owens is Unhappy with Yet Another Quarterback

TO is mentally ill, and I enjoy sitting back and watching the hated Cowboys implode.

Eagles at Giants

The Iggles drive up the New Jersey Turnpike to the Meadowlands to play their arch-rival Giants. Games start at 10am on the west coast, so for me, its bacon & eggs and then kick-off. Giants clinch the NFC East if they win. They will.


UPDATE: They lost 20-14. The Eagles out-played them, plain and simple.

UPDATE II: They still clinched the NFC East because Dallas lost to Pittsburgh 20-13. Yay!

Giants v. Native Americans

The Giants travel to Washington to play the Redskins. Plaxico is out (he accidently shot himself, you see.) Brandon Jacobs is questionable with a bum knee. I still think the Giants will win handily.

UPDATE: The invaluable profootballtalk.com reports that Plaxico will be facing felony gun charges. In New York City, if convicted of illegally carrying a fire-arm will get you a mandatory 3.5 year jail term. You have to think that this will end his career. Less than a year ago he caught the game winning TD pass in the Super Bowl.

UPDATE: 23-7 for the Giants. They keep rolling.

Accidents Happen, Right?

Giant's star receiver Plaxico Burress accidently shot himself in the leg:

The New York Giants wide receiver accidentally shot himself in the leg on Friday night, FOXSports.com has learned, not long after being ruled out of Sunday's game against the Redskins with a hamstring injury.

He spent the night in the hospital and the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The team is still trying to gather further information on the incident.

Oh boy. The Giants never would have won it all without him last year, but this guy is really bad news.

UPDATE: ESPN reports that it happened at a nightclub.

Desert Storm in Arizona

Quarterback Kurt Warner has a jinx that he doesn't know about. It's the jinx of me watching him. Supposedly, Kurt is having an MVP year for the Cards. But I remember... A forgotten chapter in history is his stint with the Giants, which was horrible. He had busy feet. He fumbled. He was a bum. Whatever he had with the Rams, he didn't have anymore. It was painful watching him, and one of the most uninspiring Giants' teams I've ever watched. Now quietly, Arizona are a playoff caliber team behind Kurt. I watched them only once this year, when the Jets blew them out and Kurt had the same old problems. I still haven't seen MVP Kurt, and I never will. Not while my eyes watch.

UPDATE: A convincing 37-29 for New York. At 10-1, they are unquestionably the best team in football. Kurt looked like the Kurt I'm used to seeing. Busy feet. Fumbling. I'll believe a MVP/UFO sighting when I see it.

Ravens at Giants

Another tough one today as the Ravens come to the Meadowlands. Ever since the drubbing the Giants took from Baltimore in the Superbowl from the 2000 season, I've always been uneasy about them. They still have Ray Lewis. The key match up today will be Rookie QB Joe Flacco vs. the Giants pass rush. The kids seems unflappable but he hasn't seen this kind of pressure before.

UPDATE: Giants win 30-10. They are dominating during this tough stretch. It sure makes for relaxing viewing.

UPDATE II: My wife says that these Giants' posts are self-indulgent and nobody cares. She has a point, but on Football Sunday it's the best I can do.

Giants Travel to the Land of Barbarians

Big Blue travel down through New Jersey to Philadelphia this weekend. It’s a night game so the Philly thug fans will be even drunker and rowdier than usual. The Giants come in 7-1 and considered by many to be the best team in the NFL. This rivalry is always going to be tough, especially with the 5-3 Eagles looking to chip at the Jints NFC East lead. The matchup of the day will be the Giants Offensive Line versus the undersized Iggles Defensive Line. If Philly wants to apply pressure on the passer, they will have to blitz. (And, trust me, they will blitz!) This is where Eli has to throw quick check-downs. I see Derek Ward having a big game out of the backfield. It’s never boring when these two play. And it's always bloody.

Update: 36-31 for the Giants. I love this team. Power running I haven't seen since the 2004 Packers.