Football Direct

Troy Polamalu Interception Stolen from Him by the NFL Officials

2006-03-30T17:09:00.000-08:00

We all saw it. Troy Polamalu jumps up catches Peyton Manning's throw, tumbles three times, gets up, kicks the ball out of his hand, and secures posession of the ball by jumping on it. It was so clear and obvious to us that this play was an interception, why did the NFL official get it wrong?

The NFL official that reviewed the play did not perceive the tumbling three times as a football move because if he did, there would be no doubt he calls that an interception. So with that as not being considered a football move, the next thing to analyze is when the ball came out. According to the official, the ball came out while Polamalu's knee was on the ground and therefore would never be considered a catch. According to the official, he never really had posession.

The flaw to his analysis to two-fold. Only an idiot would consider Polamalu's tumbling not a football move. Only a blind man could not see that his knee was what jarred the football out of his hand, not his lack of control. Therefore the official got the call wrong.

The Steelers have every right to feel cheated in this game. All of the calls went the Colts way in a fashion indicative of a conspiracy.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Proloy_Bhattacharyya

Ben Roethlisberger Outduels Peyton Manning: Best Quarterback of the League

2006-03-30T17:05:00.000-08:00

By Proloy Bhattacharyya

Watching the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts on January 15, 2006 made me realize something. Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback than Peyton Manning. In fact, he is arguably the best quarterback in this league.

It is true that Big Ben does not have the numbers Peyton Manning has but when you have a coach that is dedicated to the run, two strong running backs, and one of the best defenses in the league, he does not have to put up the big numbers.

Peyton Manning is incapable of winning the big game but Big Ben wins every game. Manning has trouble when there is pressure but Big Ben is able to scramble and get out of trouble. Big Ben also uses the play action very effectively.

Big Ben showed me in the win that if he has to pass the ball, he can do so effectively and efficiently. If a team like the Eagles asked Big Ben to pass on every down, he would have no trouble doing so, he is as accurate as they come. No quarterback is going to get enough public acknowledgement on the Steelers as he deserves because of their committment to defense and running but Big Ben rivals any other quarterback in this league.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Proloy_Bhattacharyya

Bowl Preview - GMAC Bowl 2005

2005-12-09T03:10:00.000-08:00

BY Matt Fargo
GMAC BOWL Wednesday, December 21st 8:00 PM ET - Ladd Peebles Stadium - Mobile, AL
Texas-El Paso Miners vs. Toledo Rockets
This was not the destination either team had hopes for but it will certainly provide an entertaining matchup. Both teams are in the top 20 in total offense in the country so whoever’s defense steps up or whoever has the ball last will win, one or the other. UTEP was poised to make a trip to the C-USA Championship but the Miners dropped their last two games and finished a game behind Tulsa in the West Division. The offense scored 23 and 27 points in those last two games, the lowest offensive output since week 4.
It was a very similar ending for Toledo who controlled its own destiny at the end of the regular season but a home loss to Northern Illinois took that out of its hands. The Rockets recovered to defeat Bowling Green to finish 8-3 but were denied a return trip to the MAC Championship. Toledo finished 17th in the country in total offense and 14th in scoring offense, averaging 445.2 ypg and 34.9 ppg respectively. The running game was the strength as the Rockets finished 12th in rushing offense and 6th in yard per carry average.
The Miners were very effective on offense as well this season despite the final two games. UTEP ended the regular season 20th in total offense and 21st in scoring offense. Just the opposite of Toledo, the Miners rely more heavily on the passing game, averaging 310.5 ypg, good for 8th in the nation. The running game was extremely inconsistent this season as they ran for 145 or more yards six times but were held to 97 yards or fewer five times. The total offense went over 400 yards in each of their last four games.
The defenses of both teams did not finish strong. Toledo finished 36th in scoring defense but a trend of allowing more points in every one of its last seven games does not bode well. The Rockets closed the season allowing 3, 14, 15, 21, 21, 35 and 41 points. Two of the three worst efforts occurred in the last two weeks of the season. The Miners were erratic most of the season and it didn’t end well. After allowing 20.3 ppg in its first six games, UTEP allowed 36 ppg in its final four games not counting the 1-AA game.
Toledo finished this season going just 2-6 against the number when favored including a 0-4 ATS mark on the road. The Rockets also finished 0-3 ATS when favored by fewer than two touchdowns. UTEP was a favorite in every game this season so being the underdog is a new role for the Miners. UTEP was 2-3 ATS on the road. Combined, both went 7-4 under with a total of 56 or higher while Toledo was a big under team on the road going 5-1 on the season.
Matt Fargo is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/Matt_Fargo.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Fargo

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How to Buy SEC Championship Tickets

2005-12-07T04:30:00.000-08:00

By Amanda Gooch

Let me start this article with a sincere “Thank You” to all of those who read my last article on “How to Buy World Series Tickets”. I was contacted by numerous individuals who asked about getting tickets to all kinds of sporting events. (Who knew when I started my search for World Series tickets for my husband that I would be nicknamed the “ticket lady”.) I have not had time to research getting tickets to all of these events, but I am taking them one at time…starting with the NCAA SEC Championship held in Atlanta, Georgia.

For those of you who live outside of the southeast, you are probably gleefully unaware of the seriousness to which college football is taken there. College football is a certifiable religion. SEC fans are much like the zealous evangelists proselytizing to the masses. (Of course, there is far more alcohol involved with the football.) There are 12 teams that comprise the SEC. The SEC Championship is the decisive game that crowns the winner of the very coveted SEC Football title.

My husband’s friend, Dave came to me and asked for my advice in finding SEC Championship tickets for his girlfriend. Apparently, she is an LSU Alumni and much like her fellow SEC-ites, she is a rabid fan. I immediately took up his cause. Here are a few strategies I discovered in my search:

Strategy #1

Talk to friends, family members, colleagues and your brother’s-wife’s-sister’s-boyfriend’s-mom’s-cousin who just happens to be a current ticket holder for the SEC Championship. Each year, current ticket holders have the opportunity to renew their SEC Championship tickets for the next SEC Championship game. Maybe you can sweet talk them in to letting you use the tickets for this year. If not…see Strategy #2.

Strategy #2

It may be a wise idea to go ahead and place your name on the 2006 SEC Championship Tickets Waiting List which is open from September 1st through December 31st. If there are any tickets available after the renewal period the SEC will randomly contact members on the tickets waiting list and give them the opportunity to buy tickets. Strategies #1, #2 and #3 maybe your only options to buy SEC Championship tickets at the face value, so it is definitely worth a shot. (**Note: the 2005 Waiting List is closed.)

Strategy #3

Contact the ticket office of the schools that are selected to participate in the SEC Championship and the Georgia Dome. Students, alumni and faculty usually get the first priority at the school box offices. All tickets sold through the ticket offices are sold for face value. The box office at the Georgia Dome will only release tickets if available, which is unlikely.

Strategy #4

Visit ConsumerChoiceReview.com. This is a great site that gives you all kinds of information about the major sporting events as well as various ticket brokers who specialize in the SEC Championship. You can feel confident that all of the ticket brokers listed on this site are reputable because consumers are allowed to review each ticket broker and their level of service. It even provides event information, so that you can impress your family and friends with your obscure sports knowledge!! Consumer Choice Review also gives you helpful information on how to protect yourself from purchasing counterfeit tickets.

Strategy #5

Another option for SEC Championship tickets is www.ebay.com. Ebay will have a plethora of tickets, but consumers should be aware that you could be paying top dollar for a ticket that is fraudulent. I have heard horror stories of people buying on Ebay, so I have always been leery of using it. I found some really good tips on using Ebay on Consumer Choice Review. This site provides a step by step guide to buying on Ebay.

Strategy #6

Go to the stadium and take the risk that there are no tickets available from scalpers. Or that the tickets that are available are ridiculously expensive or even worse, possibly counterfeit or stolen. I would never pay hundreds of dollars in cash for tickets that could turn out to be fake or stolen. You should always use a credit card because they offer protection of purchases that turn out to be fake or stolen tickets. ***Be very careful when taking this approach and be sure to read the tips posted on Consumer Choice Review prior to taking this strategy.

All in all, there are several options to find tickets to any sporting event you want to attend, whether it is the SEC Football Championship or the NCAA Final Four. The deciding factor is how much are you willing to pay? And what price are you willing to put on your protection as a consumer?

Amanda Gooch is a freelance writer with years of experience writing for and about various industries. She is currently focused on the world of consumer marketing and research. ConsumerChoiceReview.com is an objective third party site focused on helping consumers find the best!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Gooch

Renee Thomas - Carolina Panther cheerleader Bio

2005-11-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

Renee
TopCat Season: 1st
Hometown: Pittsboro, NC
Education: University of North Carolina-Charlotte
Occupation: Student
Future Goal: Obtain doctorate degree in dental surgery
Hobbies: Dancing, motocross, NASCAR, watching Carolina Panthers football and North Carolina Tar Heels basketball, and spending time with family, friends and my three dogs
Favorite Charity: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Favorite TV Show: American Chopper, CSI and Paula's Home Cooking
Favorite Food: Pasta and shrimp
Favorite Music: Country and hip-hop
Favorite Quote: Pain is weakness leaving the body.
Most Important Thing In Life: Live every moment to the fullest and love like you'll never be hurt.
Achievements: University of North Carolina-Charlotte dean's list member, Miss Ultimate Dance USA, performing with the Moscow State Ballet, University of North Carolina-Charlotte dance team, and making the TopCats

Angela Keathley - Carolina Panther cheerleader Bio

2005-11-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Angela
TopCat Season: 2nd
Hometown: Belmont, NC
Education: University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Cape Fear Community College and Carolinas College of Health Sciences
Occupation: Registered Nurse
Future Goal: Excel in the nursing profession
Hobbies: Dancing, running, reading mystery novels and spending time with family and friends
Favorite Charity: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Favorite TV Show: The Sopranos
Favorite Food: Mexican
Favorite Music: All
Favorite Quote: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.
Most Important Thing In Life: My mother
Best Thing About Being A TopCat: Friendships
Achievements: Certified paramedic, graduating from nursing school, passing the NCLEX and making the TopCats

Carolina Panthers cheerleaders arrested

2005-11-09T13:37:00.000-08:00

Tampa, Florida -- One of two Carolina Panthers cheerleaders arrested at a Tampa bar last weekend denied "all allegations of sexual conduct" Tuesday as Tampa police issued a new warrant charging her with one felony and two misdemeanors.

The original warrant against Victoria Renee Thomas was dismissed Tuesday, police said, because it had been written under a false name. Police say Thomas gave them the name of another cheerleader, Kristen Owen, at the time of her arrest.

They later determined Owen was not in Florida at the time.

The new warrant charges Thomas with misdemeanor battery, giving a false name and causing harm to another person, a 3rd degree felony, and a new charge of misdemeanor presenting a false driver's license.

"It is up to authorities up there (in Charlotte) whether they will arrest her or let her remain out of jail until her court date in Tampa," says police spokesperson Laura McElroy.

Meanwhile, the law firm of Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick of Charlotte issued a statement Tuesday night saying it represents Thomas.

"This was an unfortunate incident which has generated numerous rumors and inaccurate facts," the statement said. "Miss Thomas denied all allegations of any sexual conduct."

The law firm said it was in contact and cooperating with law enforcement officials in Tampa.

"Miss Thomas apologized to everyone affected by the incident," the statement said, "including the Carolina Panthers, the City of Charlotte, Ms. Holden and the Tampa Police Department."

Melissa Holden said she was a patron of Banana Joe's Bar early Sunday morning and was struck in the face by Thomas in the lady's room. Witnesses say Thomas and another cheerleader, Angela Ellen Keathley, had sex in one of the bathroom stalls and got into a shouting match that escalated into a fight.

Both Cheerleaders were fired from the TopCats this week. A third cheerleader, Kristen Owen, was suspended because she gave her identification to Thomas.

SUPERBOWL TODAY: FORTY YEARS ON AND STILL KICKING OFF

2005-10-26T05:03:00.000-07:00

After the regular football season of the National Football
League (NFL) comes the Super Bowl. The final playoffs happen on
the last Sunday in January or the first Sunday in February
giving the name to Super Bowl Sunday with festivities reaching
bacchanalian levels. In 2006, Super Bowl Sunday will be on
February 5 and America will be celebrating the fortieth
anniversary of the game. Super Bowl XL will reach an all-time
high.

The Super Bowl is America's most-watched broadcast of the year,
because it is pure entertainment. And it's not just America that
tunes in, but people all over the world love to tune into the
Super Bowl experience. And it's not just the power of football
that attracts fans, but the halftime entertainment featuring
America's greatest stars. Everyone from Michael Jackson, Janet
Jackson and Diana Ross to New Kids on the Block, Aerosmith and
U2 have wowed football fans and television viewers during the
Super Bowl halftime.

The Super Bowl winning football teams in the history of the game
include: the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers, the
Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay Packers, the Oakland Raiders,
the Washington Redskins, the New England Patriots, the Miami
Dolphins, the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos, the New York
Jets, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Colts, the Chicago
Bears, the St. Louis Rams, the Baltimore Ravens and the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers.

About the author:
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla
lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of
http://www.your-sports-world.com on which you will find a
longer, more detailed version of this article.

Super Bowl Tickets - NFL Tickets

Football 101 - A Girl's Guide to Football - What's In It For You

2005-10-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you how tired I am of single women complaining about
how hard it is to meet a decent man? The problem is not a dearth
of quality men. In fact, I know quite a few single gems. The
problem exists where the ladies are looking. You aren’t going to
find the right man in a sleazy bar or pick-up joint. If you want
a man who values integrity, honor, and good sportsmanship, then
you have go where the real men are. In the fall, that means your
local sports bar.

Football is the all-American game. If you can’t get into the
game, you are shunning some of the best guys in town. Here you
will find men that truly believe in honor, both on and off the
field. Football players aren’t stereotypical big dumb jocks.
They have had to work incredibly hard to get where they are, and
there are no NFL players who haven’t made a true commitment to
the game. The fans are equally committed to the game and their
teams. So much for the common complaint that “it’s impossible to
find a man who can make a commitment”!

Personally, I’m hooked on the game itself. I love the strategy,
the element of surprise, and the emotion (and I’m not terribly
opposed to cute butts in tight football pants, either). You may
or may not develop your own passion for the game, but you need
to garner a basic understanding of how it works if you don’t
want to come off like a fool. Guys can spot a fraud miles away,
so it’s better to admit your ignorance and ask questions, rather
than try to pretend you know the game. Of course, this only
works for so long and you need to bone-up on football if you
want to hang with the boys. Start with the basics – you need to
know what teams are playing, and it really helps to have a
favorite. I’m a tried-and-true Raiders fan myself, but they
aren’t for the weak-hearted, being the only team in the NFL that
has to play against both the opposing team and the
selectively-blind referees (personal quibbles aside, of course).
If you don’t have a favorite team in mind, you could simply go
with your hometown team. Be it the town you live in now, or the
one from which you came. If that doesn’t work for you, then you
probably come from Cincinnati or Cleveland, and should pick a
random team. I know women who made their selection based on
which jersey color looked best on them, which logo they liked
best, or which team their despised ex-boyfriend hated the most.
However, you make your selection, choose your team, and stay
with them through the good times and the bad.

Start reading the sports page. You need to understand what is
going on in the football world. At first, very little might make
sense, but keep reading and you’ll be surprised at how much you
can actually learn. For a high level overview, listen to the
sports segment on your local network news. ESPN has a great web
site where you can always find the latest stats on all the
teams. At the very least, try to know the latest disputed calls,
injuries and controversies.

Get a good pal to tutor you in the basics of the game. I
recommend choosing a male friend, not boyfriend, who is a
patient soul. Also, you are best learning from a taped game, so
that he already knows the outcome and won’t mind stopping the
tape to explain what just happened. I was totally anti-football
until a good friend sat me down with a taped game and a few
brews. Thanks to his patience and understanding of the game I’m
now a regular Sunday inhabitant of the sports bar. Don’t forget
to check among your gal pals; you may have a hidden football fan
in your midst. The bonus is not just a great lesson, but also a
buddy to join you in your foray into NFL Sundays at the sports
bar and football fandom!

I will also be following up with a series on the basics of my
favorite game.

About the author:
About the Author: When not watching football, Jessica Hardwick
is building a startup,SwapThingis a
site focused on building a strong swap community online. This
article comes with reprint rights. You are free to reprint and
distribute it, as you like. All that we ask is that you do not
make any changes, that this resource text is included, and that
the links above are intact.

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BMI, the NFL and You

2005-10-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

At the end August 2005, Thomas Herrion, a lineman for the San
Francisco 49ers died after a preseason NFL football game. He was
23 years old and 330 pounds. His Body Mass Index (normally below
30 or so for athletes) was 41. He was morbidly obese. The
doctors say that arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) was the
probable cause of his death.

I'm a football fan, so I watch the game all the time. For those
of you who don't and only watch the Superbowl at a friend's
party, it is not difficult to confirm that most NFL linemen are
just plain fat.

What's scary is that if someone came to me for training and I
measured their BMI and it was anywhere close to Herrion's, I
would prescribe no more than 20-30 minutes of walking a day to
start. Even if he was an NFL player. I would not even suggest he
play in a pickup game of flag football. Regardless of how "fit"
someone may be underneath their fat they are still carrying
extra weight, fatty acids and probably excess glucose.

There's another sport where you'll find similar levels of
obesity and here is the prognosis for those athletes as well
from and article by Dr. Eric S. Freedland,

"Japanese sumo wrestlers are a good example of how exercise can
only do so much for so long to offset the harmful effects of
obesity. Competitive sumos carry most of their abdominal fat
subcutaneously with relatively little visceral fat (which is
more strongly associated with insulin resistance). They are able
to maintain insulin sensitivity until after they retire when
they develop large amounts of abdominal visceral fat, insulin
resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and
premature death."

Now let's step away from athletes for a moment. I've only used
them to make a point.

Do you know how much extra weight you are carrying? You could be
in worse condition than some of these athletes because you do
less activity than they do. If your BMI is around 30-35 and you
don't do any physical activity, your health is being compromised
tremendously. You practically have the same prognosis as the
Sumo Wrestlers without the "after retirement." All those
diseases and instances have started already and it is up to you
to start working out to reverse them.

This might be the most incredible thing about exercise... you
can reverse the decline of your health!

How can you calculate BMI? For someone who is not mathematically
inclined, you can do this at our site! I've just added a page
with a calculator and I think you should consider finding out
just what your BMI is, because it can give you an idea of what
you may need to do to help keep cardiovascular disease and other
nasty aliments at bay.

If you find your BMI is over 30, do yourself a favor and
consider going for a walk tonight. Just 20 minutes or so. Don't
get too crazy. When you're walking think about how good it feels
to be outside. Think about how the breeze brushes against your
face and how the sounds of nature call to you.

When you get back, sit down and take a moment to scan your body
and see how good it feels to get your heart moving and your body
jump started.

After you do this for a few nights, I know you'll begin to enjoy
it. Make it a habit and the quality of your life will
dramatically increase. You'll have more energy, be more
productive and be able to spend more time doing the things you
want to do because you'll have a clearer mind!

So go calculate your BMI and see where you stand. href="http://www.yourlifestylefitness.com/bmi_calculator.shtml">h
ttp://www.yourlifestylefitness.com/bmi_calculator.shtml

Then regardless of the numbers, take a walk tonight anyway and
enjoy the weather!

About the author:
Kevin Gianni is the holistic fitness expert. He is a holistic
personal trainer and co-founder of Lifestyle Fitness, a home
workout program that gives you the tools to radically change
your views on health and fitness for the rest of your life.

href="http://www.yourlifestylefitness.com/">http://www.yourlifest
ylefitness.com

NFL Tickets - Super Bowl Tickets - Packers Tickets

Just What is Fantasy Football?

2005-10-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

Intrigued by the idea of fantasy football, it’s not too late to
get involved. A lot of people have heard of the term fantasy
football, but aren’t sure what it is. A search on fantasy
football brings back thousands of sites such as footballpdq.com
http://footballpdq.com/,
most of which are offering to allow you to become a commissioner
or sign up to create a team, all at low cost or no cost.

So... what is fantasy football?

Here’s the lowdown. First, there’s a fantasy football
commissioner, who’s in charge of the league, much the same as in
real-life. The commissioner puts in the most amount of money to
be the biggest cheese. This person is the final arbiter of
disputes, makes decisions and, in general, gets to have the most
leeway - and the most headaches - in the league.

Then there are the team owners. These individuals pay a lesser
fee than the fantasy football commissioner, and manage their own
teams. The owners choose who will be on the teams, what players
will start, and so on.

So, the owners need teams. The next step is to pool all the
real-world pro football players, rank them and then have a
draft. Each team owner takes turns picking players for his or
her team - hence the name fantasy football. Depending on how the
draft goes, your team could be a true fantasy. Of course, some
leagues have salary caps just as in real life, which prohibits
one team from having all the best players. Trades are usually
allowed, though depending on the league, they may be limited.

So once the fantasy football commissioner has a full roster of
teams and the teams have a full roster of players... what
happens? This is where things get interesting.

Team owner Alpha has players X, Y and Z on the team. In real
life, player X is on one team, player Y on another and player Z
on yet another. Before the game, Alpha has to decide who is
starting, who isn’t, and what’s going on. Alpha then gives this
information (by whatever means the fantasy football league has)
to the commissioner. This information must be set in stone prior
to the actual Sunday and Monday football games that NFL teams
such as the Patriots and the Raiders play.

The real AFC & NFC teams play. Let’s say player X is on the
Eagles in real life and is a quarterback. This Sunday, he throws
three touchdown passes and the Eagles win. Fantasy football team
owner Alpha has X on the team and, very smartly, started X for
the football fantasy league games.

How this translates in fantasy football depends on the league.

The usual standard is that for every possible situation, a team
can earn points. For example, the real life touchdowns of player
X may earn fantasy football owner Alpha four hundred points
each. Alpha may come out of the weekend as the biggest point
earner, thanks to player X, which then sets Alpha up for
contention as the fantasy football league winner.

Of course, this assumes that player X wasn’t benched at the last
minute, depriving Alpha of earning any points and ending last in
the fantasy football league.

The ultimate prize at the season’s end may be a statue or
possibly money, depending on which fantasy football league you
join. Or it may just be the prestige of knowing that you
outwitted all the other team owners and came out as top dog.

While this fantasy may come with a price tag for participation,
if you enjoy the game and avidly watch the players anyway,
fantasy football can be a harmless way to spend some time.

About the author:
Karen Larsen is a writer and contributor to
http://www.finefootball.com/ - http://www.footballhwy.com/

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Warner, Rams edge Titans to win Super Bowl XXXIV

2005-10-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

ATLANTA--Less than 24 hours after winning Super Bowl XXXIV Most
Valuable Player honors, Kurt Warner was introduced at the annual
MVP news conference by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Like
most league observers who have been amazed by Warner's football
pilgrimage, Tagliabue summed things up when he said "I'll
remember last night for the rest of my life." After all, it was
only five years ago that an undrafted Warner was cut by the
Green Bay Packers and bagging groceries at an Iowa Hy-Vee. That
was followed by three years with the Iowa Barnstormers in the
Arena Football League and a season with the Amsterdam Admirals
in Europe. Now here Warner stood, not only as Super Bowl MVP and
the owner of the game's record for passing yards (414), but also
as the NFL's regular-season MVP after throwing 41 touchdowns
during the year. "You may think of this as a Hollywood story,"
the 28-year-old Warner told the media. "But it's just my life."

The Rams came out firing in Super Bowl XXXIV against the
Tennessee Titans. Led by Warner's right arm, the Rams reached
the Red Zone on each of their first six possessions. Yet, all
that time up-and-down the field resulted in just 16 points;
three Jeff Wilkins field goals in the first half and a nine-yard
touchdown reception by Torry Holt midway through the third
quarter.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis defense was also enjoying success in
shutting down Steve McNair and the Titans offense. The
first-half yardage totals said it all; Rams 294 (277 passing),
Titans 89. "I knew that I had to have a good game for us to win
the Super Bowl--no question about that," Warner said to
reporters. "But if you are a quarterback and you don't feel like
you can make the plays and don't feel like you have got to make
plays every week, then you are in the wrong business and the
wrong position."

Following Holt's score, McNair engineered a 12-play, 66-yard
drive that took seven minutes off the clock. Eddie George's
one-yard run with 14 seconds to play in the third quarter cut
the Rams lead to 16-6 (the two-point conversion failed). McNair
duplicated his magic on Tennessee's next drive; throwing and
running the Titans into Rams territory. Then, a 21-yard pass to
Jackie Harris put the ball on the St. Louis 3-yard line. George
broke the plane again, capping a 13-play, 79-yard drive that
chewed up another seven minutes. Rams 16, Titans 13. Tennessee's
defense held and an Al Del Greco field goal tied the game with
just 2:12 to play. The comeback was the largest in Super Bowl
history.

But Warner wasn't done. On the next play from scrimmage, he
connected with Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown. The game was
tied for all of 18 seconds. The call came from Rams offensive
coordinator Mike Martz who would be taking over for coach Dick
Vermeil after the season. "It's what we call 'Twins right, Ace
right, 999 Halfback Balloon,'" said Martz after the game. "We
had five seconds left before the two-minute warning. We wanted
to take a shot to Isaac over there, and we hadn't gotten it done
during the game, for whatever reason."

With 1:54 remaining in Super Bowl XXXIV, McNair and the Titans
got one more chance and went to work. A 27-yard quarterback
scramble, a penalty, and a 16-yard pass helped move the ball all
the way to the Rams 10-yard line with six seconds to play.
Tennessee then called its final time out to design a play. The
decision? A slant to WR Kevin Dyson who made the catch inside
the 5-yard line and angled for the end zone. But Rams linebacker
Mike Jones wrapped up Dyson and pulled him down, his
outstretched arms landing less than a yard from the end zone.

"When I saw that ball go in the air, I said 'It's a touchdown,'"
Vermeil told reporters. "I was ready to call coach Martz and
tell him to get the script ready for overtime." Bruce added
"This one is for Jerome Bettis, Troy Drayton, and even Darryl
Henley. This is for all of them. And this is for Los Angeles and
St. Louis. We did it for both cities."

About the author:
Keith Gentili is an award-winning sports writer and editor with
ThatsMyTicket.com, a
manufacturer of Sports and Concert Ticket Frames. Their products
capture the experience and memory of attending significant
events by combining elements such as stats, stories, headlines,
and licensed photography with actual tickets and personal
pictures.

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Fanasy Football Early Season Surprises

2005-10-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

Every season around this time, there are a few players and teams
that pop out and surprise just about every fantasy football
player out there. Some of these surprises, like finding a
twenty-dollar bill in the dryer, are very pleasing. Other
surprises, like finding out you left a Hershey bar in the pocket
of your favorite shirt in the dryer, just leave you with that
sinking feeling that your season is in trouble. Let's take a
look at who are the twenty-dollar bills and who are the
chocolate bars after week two of the NFL season.

The Twenties:

Right now, I think everyone would agree that Willie Parker has
been one of the most pleasant surprises in the fantasy world.
Despite his smallish size, Parker and his blazing speed have put
up very good, if not fantastic, fantasy numbers up behind the
Steelers powerful offensive line. He is second in the NFL in
rushing with 272 yards with two TDs and first in yards per carry
average, gaining an average of 5.8 yards every time he takes a
handoff. He has only caught one pass out of the backfield but he
wound up turning that into a 48-yard gain. Considering that
"Fast" Willie was not even listed in our last Average Draft
Position rankings that listed over 270 fantasy draft eligible
players, he is the clear cut best value pick of the 2005 draft.

Now, there are some caveats when it comes to Willie before we
get too excited. For one, the Steelers faced the Titans and the
Texans in their first two games. When the 2005 season ends, we
doubt that either one of these teams will be ranked in the
top-ten in total defense. In fact, when the 2004 season ended
the Titans ranked 27th and Texans finished ranked 23rd,
respectively. While it is great for fantasy owners that Parker
has gotten off to a fast start, your going to have to take a
wait and see approach as the Steelers will be facing the
Patriots, Chargers and Jaguars in the coming weeks.

Another thing to note about Parker is that he may have some
competition lurking right around the corner. The playing time he
is receiving now is coming compliments of Duce Staley and Jerome
Bettis being on the injured list. It will be interesting to see
how the carries will be divided once these two veterans return
to the lineup. We don't see Parker being buried on the bench, he
has show way to much talent for that to happen, but his
opportunities in the offense may decrease once the veterans
return. The good thing, for Parker, is that both Bettis and
Staley are getting a little older and may be breaking down a bit
more often as the season goes on. So "Fast" Willie still has a
chance to finish the season as the Steelers No. 1 back.

Another young running back has been a pleasant surprise for
fantasy owners and the 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yes, we're
talking about rookie sensation Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. We
really liked Williams coming into this season and had him ranked
as our #2 rookie running back, behind Ronnie Brown in Miami with
the thinking that Williams might have to share more carries with
Michael Pittman. So far, Williams has not disappointed us one
bit since he is leading the league in rushing with 276 yards on
the ground and two TDs. He already has seven runs of 15 yards or
more in only TWO GAMES! If you're in a league that rewards for
longer TD's that's a stat that will make you sit up and take
notice.

The only mildy disappointing stat to see with Williams is that
he is yet to catch a pass out of the backfield. We thought he
would do more of that in John Gruden's offense, but we're not
complaining. How can you complain since Williams ADP coming for
this season was 38. Many other backs who are not producing in
this early season, like Jamal Lewis, Kevin Jones and Tatum Bell
were being selected ahead of Williams.

If you want more positivity about Williams, just look at his
opponents that he has done his damage against. In his first NFL
game, he faced a revamped Vikings defense that was supposed to
be built to stop the run. Well, that didn't happen as he went
off for 148 yards and a TD. In that game he was able to rip off
a spectacular 71-yard TD romp. OK, you say, he did it against a
rebuilt Vikings D, big deal. Let's see him do it against the
Bills, one of the best run stopping defenses in the NFL.
Cadillac took that challenge and zoomed off to a 128-yard, 1 TD
performance. Considering that the Bills held 2005 preseason
fantasy darling (in some people's eyes) Domanick Davis to 48
yards in their season opener, it's even more impressive. The
next few weeks look even brighter for Williams as the Bucs will
be facing Packer, Lions and Jets, three teams that have had
their problems so far in this early season. If you have him,
keep him in your lineup and if you don't you may want to make a
trade to get him.

Who would have thought when you looked at the QB rankings going
into week 3 of the NFL season that Trent Dilfer would be ahead
of Peyton Manning, Marc Bulger, Kerry Collins and Daunte
Culpepper in both passing yardage and rating? If you said yes, I
also want the winning numbers to this week's lotto drawing.

Dilfer's arrival into Cleveland as the starting quarterback went
under the radar of most NFL prognosticators, as it should have.
Dilfer, even though having a Super Bowl ring on his resume, has
never been a QB to put up great fantasy numbers. He's a guy who
will control the game for you and hopefully not make too many
mistakes. Well, he's not making many mistakes, but he's also
making big plays for the Browns. After week 2 of the NFL season,
Dilfer ranks second in the NFL in passing yards with 614, 5th in
passer rating at 95.1 and third in passing touchdowns with 4!
Not to bad for a guy the Browns got off the scrap heap from
Seattle.

Now do we think that Dilfer will maintain his current pace and
finish in the top 5 in all of these categories, probably not. We
do think that Dilfer is probably capable of making some quality
starts for your fantasy team at some point down the road this
season. The Browns defense isn't all that impressive and they
will probably have to put the ball in the air quite a bit this
year to play catch up. Remember in the fantasy world, it's not
about the NFL teams winning or losing, it's the stats they put
up doing either. The Browns also have some talented players on
offense with Antonio Bryant, Dennis Northcutt and rookie Braylon
Edwards. There is some potential there for big plays, like
Braylon Edwards' 80 yard catch and run against the Packers in
week two.

Another thing working in Dilfer's favor is the Browns schedule.
The Browns play the Colts, Lions, Texans, Titans, Dolphins,
Vikings, Bengals and Raiders this season. The Browns should be
either in a shootout or be playing catch-up in a lot of these
games. Dilfer could be a quality start for many of these weeks
depending on your other QB's matchups. The Browns offensive line
is doing a nice job of protecting the 11-year veteran so far, so
he could wind up lasting the entire season. Either way you cut
it, Dilfer is a quality pickup and not a huge gamble at this
point in the season.

The Hersheys:

The player that has obviously disappointed many fantasy fans
the most this season has to be Vikings quarterback Daunte
Culpepper. Culpepper came into this season as a fantasy stud and
a quarterback that some people had ranked ahead of Peyton
Manning as the top fantasy QB. We held off on making him the top
QB, but still had him ranked 2nd overall, ignoring the fact that
the Vikings lost all-world wide receiver Randy Moss and thinking
that Nate Burleson was good enough to pick up the slack. Well,
it appears that Moss' affect on the offense and Culpepper's play
was greatly underestimated as Culpepper's numbers look more like
a player with and ADP of 80, not 8, as his was coming into this
season.

Culpepper's rankings are just completely flip-flopped from what
they usually are. He ranks FIRST in interceptions, with 8 and is
one of only two quarterbacks in the league to not have thrown a
touchdown pass this season. Trent Green is the other QB without
a TD toss, but Kansas City's running game has them at 2-0 in
this young season. Culpepper is also dead last in QB rating with
an appalling 41.6 rating. We're used to 41.6 being the average
yardage on a Culpepper TD toss, not his QB rating!

What is most alarming about Culpepper's play is the fact that he
looks completely lost out on the field. Of course, there are
variables affecting his play, like the lack of a running game, a
banged up offensive line that will be without center Matt Birk
for the entire season and the offense has a new offensive
coordinator in Steve Loney. These could be excuses if he only
threw 2 TDs and 4 picks, but 0 and 8! That is cause for alarm.

Another big fantasy disappointment early in the 2005 season has
been the play of Denver running backs Mike Anderson and Tatum
Bell. Through two games, the two backs have run for a total of
only 101 yards and 0 TDs. Not typical production for the Denver
ground game. Through the first two games of last season, Quentin
Griffith had 222 yards and a TD.

What may be most concerning is the fact that neither back has
established himself as the feature back in the offense be it
because of injury or bad play. If both running backs continue to
play poorly, the fantasy value that found in the Denver
backfield could be lost. It could also open the door for former
Giant, Ron Dayne, who has had limited opportunities thus far in
the regular season, but look impressive in the preseason. If we
had to go with one back right now it would be Mike Anderson.
Once his ribs heal up and the Broncos face some weaker
opponents, Anderson's production should go up. Tatum Bell missed
out on a golden opportunity to lock down the starting job when
Anderson was out, so look for head coach Mike Shanahan to go
back to his veteran back when he's completely healthy.

Our last disappointing surprise of this early season also comes
from the Minnesota Vikings in the form of wide receiver, Nate
Burleson. Burleson was the heir apparent to Randy Moss in the
Vikings offense. So far, it looks like Moss' shoes were too big
to fill for the sure-handed Burleson. It was thought that once
Moss was out of Minnesota, Burleson would blossom and turn into
an upper-echelon fantasy receiver. That hasn't been the case so
far this season.

If you look at the Vikings team stats, you'll see that Burleson
isn't even the team's leading receiver. The honor goes to
free-agent acquisition Travis Taylor. Taylor has been a mild
surprise with 10 catches for 113 yards so far this season. Not
spectacular numbers, but when you put them next to Burleson's,
who has 6 catches for 93 yards, you have to wonder why Burleson
achieved an ADP of 42 compared to Taylor's 147.

You can almost put part of the blame of Culpepper's bad start on
the shoulders of Burleson because defenses do not respect his
speed as they did Moss', therefore giving Culpepper less room
for error. We see the development of rookie WR Troy Williamson
as being essential for Burleson and the Vikings offense to
blossom this season. He is the only receiver on the roster that
has the speed that defenses will respect. The question is, will
he develop fast enough to save your fantasy season??

Phew! There ya have it. A look at some players who have
surprised for good and bad reasons so far in this young NFL
season. Depending on who you own out of this group, you could be
cheering or jeering. They could be players that put you over the
top or put you over the edge this season.

About the author:
Jason Clarke is the webmaster and lead editor of
Huddlegeeks.com, a respected fantasy football analysis website.
Jason is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers of America.

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Smith passes Payton, seizes all-time rushing record

2005-10-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

IRVING, Texas--Emmitt Smith entered the NFL in 1990 labeled too
small and too slow to be a star. Today he owns the league record
for career rushing yards. With a fourth-quarter, 11-yard run
versus the Seattle Seahawks--during his 193rd regular-season
game--Smith passed Walter Payton's total of 16,726 yards. And
with Payton's mother and brother in a Texas Stadium luxury box,
Smith was sure to recognize what "Sweetness" meant to him and
the league during an emotional postgame ceremony. "Today is a
special day for me, my family and the Payton family," he said.
"Because without Payton doing what he did in the National
Football League and representing all he represented, he wouldn't
have given a young man like myself a dream, something to shoot
after and a person to look up to and try to emulate in every way
possible."

Soon after establishing the record, Smith capped the Cowboys'
drive with a one-yard touchdown run tying the score 14-14. And
although Dallas would lose on a Seahawks field goal with 25
seconds to play, the score extended his NFL record for rushing
touchdowns to 150. The 33-year-old Smith also set season highs
with 24 carries and 109 yards rushing. During his speech, Smith
thanked the people who helped him along the way. He also shared
many of his favorite moments from his playing career as well as
talked about his belief in himself. "I was counted out many
times in my 13 years here, and I'm probably still counted out,"
said Smith, who welled up when a banner was dropped from the
rafters saluting him as the All Time Leading Rusher. "But I
believe truly in my own ability. I believe my talent stacks up
with the next man... I'm very confident I'm one of the best to
ever play the game, but once you talk about the greatest, how
can you define greatest?"

About the author:
Keith Gentili is an award-winning sports writer and editor with
ThatsMyTicket.com, a
manufacturer of Sports and Concert Ticket Frames. Their products
capture the experience and memory of attending significant
events by combining elements such as stats, stories, headlines,
and licensed photography with actual tickets and personal
pictures.

NFL Tickets - Super Bowl Tickets - Packers Tickets