I told you the biggest game in Panther regular season history was not Tampa . Until you are actually playing FOR something it can’t be the biggest. This Sunday night is the biggest and there is no second place. The dynamics of this game have changed radically from three weeks ago and it has to do many factors but the biggest is one stare bullet. Plaxico was the true X factor of the Giants offense and he just happened to play the “X” receiver in their offense. People point to all the balls he caught against the Packers in the NFC title game but you must examine how his presence allowed Amani Toomer to catch 18 passes in three of their playoff wins and the other Steve Smith to catch 12 passes mostly for first downs. The Panthers and Giants are eerily similar teams in almost every phase. They are built the same, have the same philosophy, use multiple backs, have a prolific pass rusher, a reliable kicker, QB’s with similar numbers and even have fullbacks from the same high school. They will look into the mirror Sunday night and there are advantages on both sides. The panthers have the best player on the field in Steve Smith and he has to be game planned for more than any other player in the game. That is a big advantage. The Giants have the better defensive line especially without Maake, that is an assumption. The Panthers running game is better right now but Jacobs is the head of their three pronged monster, but again, Burress helps make Jacobs, Ward, and Bradshaw better just like Steve creates more for Williams and Stewart. Home field is an advantage and the Panthers have not beaten a good team on the road this year. The Panthers linebackers are a better unit than the Giants and they will have to be Sunday night against the run and covering Kevin Boss. The perfect game is not required but the best game they have played this year will be and the lean for me is the Giants just because of the intangible, “we have done this before dynamic”. The Panthers have a few players with “monster” game experience and fortunately it is their QB, LT, WR and RDE. You know who they are and they all have to max out, especially number 90. 2 career sacks in seven playoff games is not stuff of legend. I think the Giants will win and that means the biggest regular season game in Panther history will be next Sunday.
This is the best coach of the year contest in my lifetime. Actually I do not even remember any of the coach of the year contests. I will reserve judgment but I will tell you who can make a case and the next two weeks will determine the winners. Here are the candidates, Mike Tomlin, Mike Smith, Tony Sporano, John Harbaugh, Bill Belichick, John Fox, Jeff Fischer, and Tom Coughlin. It will be determined by the next two weeks. Rod Marinelli should get consideration for almost achieving perfection. That takes skill.
How about three 65 to 70 win teams in the NBA? The league is so bad and so diluted Anthony Roberson and Chris Quinn actually play in this league? It used to take two great players and some nice complimentary players to win a championship. Now one great player may get two teams to 70.
Lebron James is the greatest physical specimen that our sports culture has ever seen. 6-8 and 250 pds, and faster than Chris Paul is just not right.
Tyler Hansbrough is now the most prolific scorer in North Carolina history. He is a wonderful player and has been as efficient and consistent a player as the program has ever seen. He is also not one of the ten best players, not talents, players in school history. Ford, Jordan, Worthy, Perkins, Brad Daughtery, Charlie Scott, Antawn Jamison, Billy Cunningham, Mitch Kupchak and Walter Davis are all and were superior players. Furthermore, his accomplishments are terrific but how much would he have played if the players who won a national title in 2005 come back to Carolina . He would be a bench player his freshman year. There are no big men in college basketball anymore and how would he have fared against Ralph Sampson and Patrick Ewing? I know how Worthy fared, quite well.
That “Iraqi” journalist just got 40 million from the Yankees and he can opt out if he gets a shoe deal.
If Gene Chizik can get the Auburn job with that record than Rich Kotite might be back in the NFL next year.
Raymond Felton for Brandon Wright? That simply makes too much sense, are you kidding. Anyway to deal Sean May for Jawad Williams.
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