THE AFC/NFC CHAMPIONSHIPS                                                                     1/26/10

As bad as last week’s games were, Sunday’s championship contests were competitive and close (until about 9 minutes left in the 4^th quarter of the Indy game).

 

The Colts and Saints, my selections, were the winners. Their Super Bowl matchup projects to being a high scoring shootout with the last gunslinger standing the winner.

 

The early game saw the J-E-T-S get a first half 11-point lead. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez fooled Dwight Freeney (pump fake) and the Indy defense with an 80-yard bomb to Braylon Edwards. Another touchdown was set up by a trick play as WR Brad Smith threw a 45-yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery. A Joseph Addai fumble gave the Jets a chance to add 7 more points against the Colts, but they had to settle for a Jay Feely FG.

 

With time running down toward the half, I told Victoria that the Colts needed to score to get back into it. They did in an eye blink as Peyton Manning threw three times to rookie Austin Collie, including a great grab by the BYU rookie on a high pass in the end zone.

 

The second half was all Indy as the Jets only scoring chance was a missed Feely FG try. Peyton Manning was laser-like in his precision, getting time from his O Line to find third options. Pierre Garcon, the 2^nd year man with Haitian ancestry, was impressive, just like Collie was in the first half. Imagine – two receivers grabbed in successive drafts who contributed to the air attack that centers on Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. You have to credit Indy’s scouting department and GM Bill Polian.

 

The Saints – Vikings tilt could have gone either way. The Vikings defense was excellent but their offense let them down, turning the ball over 5 times. Bret Favre had 2 interceptions and a muffed handoff to Adrian Peterson, one of two fumbles he had (Percy Harvin had another). Despite that largesse, the Vikings were still in it and looked like they were moving in for the killer score near the end of regulation.

 

The cruel irony is that without Bret Favre the Vikings would not have been in this game, but with him, Minnesota found out what others have learned – under pressure, Favre is a gambler. And like so many times before, he crapped out. Favre ended any chance of a winning FG by slinging a ball across his body for a nerf ball interception that put his fellow players back on the plane home. Favre giveth and Favre taketh away.

 

The amazing thing is that Minnesota was even in the game after all the turnovers. A review of the game summary points to another contributing factor in the Vikings loss – special teams. In the 3^rd quarter with it tied 14-14, the Vikes gave up Courtney Roby’s 61 yard kickoff return to set up New Orleans at Minny’s 37 and led to NO’s go ahead TD.   

PUT SOME   SOUTH   IN YOUR MOUTH

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the game hanging in the balance, the Vikings allowed the overtime kickoff to be

returned 40 yards by Pierre Thomas to the Saints 39. New Orleans didn’t have to go much farther (2 Minny penalties helped) to kick the game winning 40-yard FG.

 

My sympathies to Mike Curtis, Marc A. Winston and Duane Kolsrud of Minnesota, fans who were tempted by the fruit of another (Favre) but the truth was discovered: the picking of the overripe Favre led to a pick that ended their season.

 

BULLETS

• And Generalissimo Francisco Favre is still not retired.

• The New Orleans Saints have a couple ex-Patriots: TE David Thomas and CB Randall Gay. Heath Evans is also with them but on injured reserve. So NO’s signed another ex-Pat FB, Kyle Eckel, to replace him. Thomas drew the pass interference penalty that set up the winning FG in Overtime.

• The Indianapolis Colts have only one ex-Patriot - Adam Vinatieri, who is not doing the place kicking. Matt Stover is kicking for the post op Vinatieri. So based on the Patriot Reign Factor, the New Orleans Saints should rein in the Colts and win the Super Bowl.

 

PAWSOX HOT STOVE WARMUP

It’s always a welcome visit to McCoy Stadium for the PawSox Hot Stove get together. The event is a harbinger of bats hitting balls and gloves popping with hard throws. The team introduces players who will either be at McCoy to start the season or who have a good chance of being there during the year. There were two rooms with players – the PawSox locker room and the batting cage.

 

The PawSox locker room contained new manager Torey Lovullo (pronounced Lovello), RHP Kyle Weiland, OF Ryan Kalish and young Japanese righty pitching phenom Junichi Tazawa, who made his first major league start at Yankee Stadium last season.

 

The batting cage lineup was IF Jeff Natale, RHP Randor Bierd, LHP Felix Doubront and wunderkind RHP Casey Kelly. Most of the questions were for Kelly, who is so good he had to decide between pitching and playing shortstop during this off-season. A fan asked whether the Sox having young Cuban SS Jose Inglesias had anything to do with Kelly’s decision to stay with pitching. He said it didn’t. Pitching is the fastest way to the Majors.

 

A conversation with President Mike Tamburro revealed that Natale, Bierd and Tazawa should start at Pawtucket (home opener April 8). Kalish will start with Portland. Doubront (ERA) will have a chance to make the PawSox out of spring training. Weiland will be at high A. It was not apparent whether Kelly would start in Portland or high A.

 

I asked Torey Lovullo if, besides managing, he would coach third base. Lovullo stated that he intended to coach 3B as well, but realized that there are times when he would prefer to be in the dugout with his young players.

 

Season ticket holders were horrified at the 3B coaching done by Ron Johnson during his tenure as PawSox skipper. RJ has been added to the Boston Red Sox roster and will coach 1B. RJ was like the polar opposite of ‘Send’em In’ Wendell Kim. With RJ it was more like ‘Hold’em Up’ Johnson. RJ once held up Jacoby Ellsbury at 3B after a base hit to center with Ells starting at 2B.

 

There was also a perception by season ticket holders that RJ was only concerned with player development and didn’t care if the game was won or lost. A question to Lovullo showed that he understood the fine line between developing neophyte players and also trying to win, which is also part of their development. His answer was welcome news.

 

It’s also great to see season ticket holders once again. Ted Bates of Section 8 was there with wife JoAnn and asked a question of Lovullo. The Daltons, Ronnie and dad Ray, were in attendance. Gordon Gould and wife Claire made the scene. Terry, who mans the beer booth near my seats, was there too. Big Al was not present nor was Gloria and Jane.

 

We wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year. And we also wish Mike Tamburro and the PawSox a season of warm, mild days for every game to make up for last year’s cold, rainy non-summer.  

 

E-MAIL

Regarding Frequent Flyer saying that for New Year’s he gave up smoking, women and drinking, and it was the worst 15 minutes of his life:

 

Hi Jim:

looks like Frequent Flyer is a CAT Country music fan…  specifically Rodney Atkins  :-}}

 

 http://www.lyricstime.com/rodney-atkins-15-minutes-lyrics.html

 

Pete Lavalle

 

Thanks Pete, we’ll have to see if Frequent Flyer fesses up.   -   Z

 

Hi Jim,

I was raised in St. Paul, and you know I enjoyed that game tremendously (the Vikings win over the Cowboys). After all these years, it would be very satisfying for the Vikes to finally win a super bowl.

If Adrian Peterson can take his share of the offense, and give Favre a chance to open things up, they may get that 1st ring. I like the Jets, Jets, Jets and mark sanchez in the AFC.

Welcome back Kevin Garnett (who was my cousin’s neighbor in Minnetonka). Lakers on an 8 game roadie, will see how they do.

Marc A. Winston

aka The Suit; swingala

Marc, sorry about no Minny Super Bowl. Now they need a QB to get them all the way. - Z

 

      Sportzine is also available at jimdawsonsports.com (Thanks Buffalo Steve)