Posted on 01/15/2007 4:22:26 AM PST by beyond the sea
LaDanian Tomlinson, usually very mild-mannered, became incensed after the Chargers' 24-21 loss to the Patriots yesterday when some New England players began mocking Shawne Merriman's sack dance on the Chargers' logo.
"I was very upset," said Tomlinson, who went after some of the New England players. "I would never react that way. I'm a very, very classy person. When you go to the middle of a field and you're doing the dance that Merriman does, that's disrespectful to me and I can't sit there and watch that. It showed no class at all, and maybe that comes from their head coach."
Everyone in the house knew the Patriots' first priority yesterday was going to be trying to stop Tomlinson, who scored an NFL-record 31 touchdowns this season.
Tomlinson, though, came right out and gashed the Patriots' defense and did it repeatedly throughout the game, rushing for 123 yards and two TDs. In fact, Tomlinson was generally the Chargers' first option on almost every offensive series. Tomlinson gained 81 of his rushing yards on 10 first-down carries.
I don't have cabel so I haven't watched the NFL Network. Is it any good? I hope it's not an "in your face, laugh a minute, comedy fest" like ESPN has turned into. The commentators on ESPN think THEY'RE the reason people tune into watch. They all need to get over themselves.
College coaches are really approaching the "paid way too damn much" threshold.
It's much more X's and O's which I like. Plus they replay the games during the week with the plays edited together so it only takes an hour and a half to watch them. It's great.
You'd be surprised how much money those college teams bring into those schools.
LT's rant smacked to me of the whole "gangsta/they disrespected my manhood" BS mentality. He may seem soft-spoken, but his comments reveal he has not risen above the level of the streets.
Bsides, the best way to avoid a celebration on one's home turf is to not the let the other team whip your behinds @ home.
That is true. He did have a good sense of humor. It's weird when there is player, like Troy Aikman, whom I absolutely HATED when he was with the Cowboys, (this is simply because I hate the Cowboys) but then once they become an analyst or commentator, you really grow to like them. Aikman is the perfect example. He and Joe Buck do a really great job calling games. I really liek Troy Aikman a lot. Moose Johnson, Dick Stockton and Tony Siragusa do a really great job as well.
In fact, the low guys on the Fox totem pole are heads and shoulders above Greg Gumble and Dan Dierdorf on CBS. I like Jim Nantz though Phil Simms is barely bearable.
Strange isn't it.
<3 the NFL Network! We hardly watch anything else for sports news. Only time we watch ESPN is when they are showing a game.
My only complaint with the NFL Network is their choice of game-announcers. Christ I would rather have twin Shannon Sharpe's announcing (replete with cleft palates) then listen to Bryant Gumble drone on, devoid of emotion, with his girlie-man voice.
Oh, I know that. Still, it just seems that the pay grades are escalating way too quickly.
Whenever I hear Phil Simms announce I always get the feeling he just finished a Stutterers Anonymous 12 step program.
If I were Nick Saban and some college team offered me the deal he is supposedly getting, Miami would have transformed into a black hole from the vacuum caused by my departure as I ran to take the deal.
Well, we're looking itno getting DirectTV, which I think offers it, I'm not sure. One of the things I miss about ESPN is that te run all the old NFL Films Specials during the football season. It's awesome to watch all of those highligths form the 50's, 60's and 70's. I was born in 1975, so it's really cool for me to see some of those games that I was just a little kid, or too young to remember or care about.
I just hate the way sports fans have become in America. Shows like Best Damn Sports Show and those in your face shows on ESPN with commentators and analyst who have never played the game.
Fox, CBS and NBC have followed suit, especially with interviews with the coaches heading into the lockeroom at half time and on their way back out to the field after half time. Those interviews are stupid and ridiculous. Most coaches are pretty nice about it, but you can tell not a single one enjoys them.
NFL network runs those NFL Films specials all the time. I love them.
IIRC NFL netowrk runs at least one weekly show that shows great moments from past NFL games using all that classic footage. Also they replay "Great Games" from NFL's past frequently.
Very true. There is something harsh and grating about his voice as well. He's knowledgeable enough, but someone has to tell these people when hiring a color commentator that knowledge of the game is great, but they should also have the voice for it as well. Pat Summerall comes to mind. Moose Johnson, he has a great voice for it as well.
cool.
I love their NFL's greatest games show.
That said, the Pats were extremely fortunate to win yesterday. They were outplayed by San Diego for most of that game. But the fact is that the Patriots never gave up. One could have expected them to just roll over after they went down 14-3 in the second quarter. At that point in the game, even their most loyal fans had to admit they were beat and headed for something like a 37-10 blowout, especially the way Tom Brady was off his game.
But the team hung tough and stayed in the game against a superior opponent. When San Diego scored with eight minutes left to make it 20-13, it was a crushing blow and most teams would have just fallen apart in that situation. But not the Pats. This is a very well-coached team that knows how to deal with adversity and "make their own luck" when they have to.
A 12-1 playoff record is an amazing statistic. The Pats would have to lose next week and then make the playoffs the next 10 years, losing the first game everytime, just to put their playoff record back to .500. The earliest that could happen is the year 2017.
That game in Denver last year - that is a game similar to yesterday's game. The only difference was that Denver did not allow the Pats to get back in the game by making stupid mistakes.
Brady is undefeated in domes.
Actually, I think I need to include your accessment into my equation. It does make sense. The only thing I would then question is where has Bruski been this year? I don't see him making any fabulous plays as in years past. Also, you can't tell me the Pats played up their capabilities against SD. Brady made some bad choices in his throwing attempts, uncharacteristic of his normal play and those were not a result of the SD defense...he just made bad throws. Go back and look at the tape, there was no pressure when he made most of those bad throws. Also, Brady has a tendency to OVER THROW which PMO something fierce!!!! He actually had UNDER thrown some of those passes in the game.
One more thing...Give Dillon the ball more, they are under using him this year. He would have 2000+ yards if they would just run him!!!! Everybody in the world knew the 2 point conversion was going Direct Snap to Faulk except SD! Shotmyselfinthefootagainheimer actually figured it out too late and tried to call the TO, but waited too late. He has to be the Fran Tarkington of coaches!
Another nice feature of the NFL network is they have what is called "NFL TEAM" Cam (use whatever your fav NFL team is for NFL TEAM) So many times during the weak on their evening shows the ymay goto Steelers Cam or Colts Cam and talk with a coach or player who is at the Team's training facility.
They get some surprisingly good interviews that way.
Also NFL network shows the after-game Press confrences of most of the teams (maybe all, I am not sure on that) I think they do this on Tuesday or Wednesday during the week. I get a kick out of watching those.
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