The Crystal Ball The Offseason

Congratulations and hail to the champions of Super Bowl XLI, the Indianapolis Colts.

Now what did I say last week, the team with the least scandals and distractions would win. And look who won, the team with the least scandals. Shocked I am at this development. Good players and coaches who keep their focus on the field and do not get embroiled in controversies and trouble off the field succeed. The Colts did just that, kept their focus on the game, had no one wrapped up in some off field distraction, kept their minds on the task at hand and came out with a tiffany trophy in their hands. Quality men like this are hard to find, and when they can be found, should be highly regarded. The Colts are such a team, from their head coach to their last player on the practice squad. Coach Dungy said as much too after the victory parade in Indianapolis, saying to the gathered masses how he felt about all of his players and the kind of men they are.

“The thing I love about these guys is there is not one guy out here that you would not want your son to be like, and that is most important to me.”

That is the most telling statement about this Colts team. They are not a collection of characters, but a group of men with character. I feel good about this team winning the Super Bowl because of who they are as people. Too much anymore in our world, and in the sporting world as a microcosm, we see the rewards and spoils being given to those who exhibit poor characteristics such as lawlessness, spoiled entitlement due to their position in life, rampant egomania, selfishness, poor treatment of other human beings, preening self promotion and a general lack of class. It is nice and refreshing that for once, you get to see men who lead by example and work hard not only to be successful athletes, but to be successful human beings as well, walk away as champions. I have mentioned previously that professional athletes should not be looked upon as role models, and I still believe that. These are grown men who play a game for money. Role models should come from those who make a difference in shaping the world of the next generation. They should come from parents, teachers and civic leaders and from those who work to make the world we live in a better place, like scientists, police and doctors. Far too often many of these people fall short of providing a good example to follow, and more often young people look to professional athletes as people to look up to and emulate. While I feel this should not be, if it must then this team would be one that kids can look up to and say, yes, I want to be like them when I grow up. It is nice to see some good people finally come out on top. I certainly would feel far less satisfied and more revulsion if we were talking about the Super Bowl champion Cincinnati Bungles.

I would like to also send a hearty congratulation to all of the Indianapolis fans. This is the first time they get to celebrate an NFL championship. It is an exciting time when your team brings one home for the very first time. Yes the Colts have won a Super Bowl before, but that was when they were still located in Baltimore. Indianapolis has never seen or experienced this, and I will bet they are delirious with joy right now. My only advice is to soak in every moment. You never know when you will get a chance to celebrate again. I had to wait 26 years for my next chance, and I certainly hope I do not have to wait that long for the next one. I have a friend, a Colts fan, who attended the game, and I cannot imagine how thrilling it must be to be at the Super Bowl and watch your team win. Last year, I was on cloud nine for weeks afterward, and all I did was watch the game on TV. I imagine it is an indescribable once in a lifetime experience and I am slightly envious. Come on Steelers, get back on the horse and I will meet you in Arizona in early February 2008.

The game itself was a water logged affair that affected play throughout the evening. Both teams set a record for turnovers in the first quarter with a combined total of 4. But the game had another record to start, that being the first opening kickoff returned for a touchdown. Of course, this excitement was provided by the elusive speedster Devin Hester. He is just amazing to watch. His speed, footwork and field vision are spectacular. After that things did not get better for the Colts, and began to look downright bad. They had a few stalled drives in the first half and more than a few miscues, including a flubbed extra point attempt and an extremely rare field goal miss by Adam Vinatieri. Before too long into the game, the Colts were down 14-6 as the Bears executed a long touchdown drive with a rare big play, and momentum was decidedly in the Chicago camp. But like true champions, they did not panic. They knew they had the preparation and talent to overcome, especially knowing they overcame much more in their victory in the AFC championship game. They showed their ability to remain in control during adverse times throughout the second quarter, and by the end of the half they grabbed a lead which they would never relinquish for the remainder of the game. They played like champions.

As everyone saw, this was a very sloppy game brought upon by rain that poured for the entire contest. Almost everyone figured this kind of weather would favor the Bears. Being an outdoor team far more accustomed to playing in adverse conditions than the Colts, who reside in a dome, at first it did seem exactly that. The Bears shot out of the gate from the opening kickoff, and for a while looked as though they may leave Indianapolis’ title hopes floating in a mud puddle. But there were two major obstacles that the Bears could not overcome, Rex Grossman and the Indianapolis offense.

The first obstacle, Grossman, is one many pundits and fans saw coming in the two weeks leading up to the game itself. Grossman has been too inconsistent to this point in his career. That is not saying he will not develop into a quality quarterback, but he still has a way to go with his passing accuracy, decision making and on field leadership. I have previously said that he is not a good quarterback, and right now, he is not. He has the talent and is capable, but not at the moment is just not very good. Watching him this season you could see his potential, but also how long the road he has yet to travel to become an elite quarterback. But everyone should lay off on busting on the kid too much. While this was his fourth season in the league, it was only his first full season as a starter. It takes time for a quarterback to become comfortable in his offense on the field, with his line and his receivers and with in game conditions. No quarterback will be successful until he reaches this comfort level. It is a lot to ask a first year starter to march through the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. While Tom Brady managed to do it in his first year as a starter, he had years of experience behind him in Drew Bledsoe to lean upon. Having a resource like this I am sure helped tremendously. Grossman does not have a quarterback mentor behind him to aid in his development and therefore does not have this added resource. And it was not until a few years later that we really saw Brady blossom as a starting quarterback. Ben Roethlisberger tore up the manual regarding what a rookie quarterback can do, and even he could not finish the job. Now, he managed to take the Steelers to a championship the next season, but that showed how much more comfortable he became within the offense, with his teammates and on the field. We still have yet to see him blossom, and he may be a year or two away from reaching his true potential. Like I said, it takes a quarterback time to get comfortable and into a groove, and the key to this is patience. Remember, the Chargers drafted Phillip Rivers after two seasons of Drew Brees because they figured Brees would never become a big game quarterback. Look at him now. After a few seasons, he got it. It just takes time, and Grossman still has some time in front of him to develop.

The other obstacle was the Colt offense. The Bears defense played a tremendous game, but they could not, with any sustained success, stop the Colt offense and get them off the field. The Colt offense controlled the entire game and dictated the outcome by staying on the field. Indianapolis held the ball for almost 40 minutes. I know the Bear defense is good, and they did hold the Colts to only 22 points on offense on a sloppy night. But even the best defenses cannot keep an offense from scoring if they are exhausted. And by the end of the game, the Bears defense was just that, exhausted and drained. They gave everything they could to keep their team in the game to the very end. And despite their efforts, they neglected to give themselves more opportunities to win. With the rain coming down in sheets, the Bears, who were so scared of Peyton burning them with the big play kept their alignment in a Cover 2, taking away the big play. However, no Bear coach seemed to notice that Mother Nature had effectively taken care of the big play. Instead, the Bears stayed in this formation, instead of keying on the run, which Indianapolis turned to early and often. By the end of the game, the Colts had built an average of 5.3 yards gained per play average with a significant amount of help coming from big running plays, controlled the clock and dictated the momentum of the entire contest. By not switching their defensive keys, the Bears defense was not able to give the ball, and opportunities to score, back to their offense enough. And when they did, their offense squandered them, turning the ball over five times, once on an interception that was returned for a Colts defensive touchdown. These problems are what the Bears could not overcome, and why they lost.

One other thing I noticed about the game, there was not one single gadget play the entire time. With the increasing usage of gadget plays and trick plays in the NFL over the past few years, I figured we would see something out of at least one team. But no, neither team employed any diversionary stunts or pass receiving linemen. Perhaps the rain put a damper on such things. Something to think about, especially since the game last year was iced on a gadget play.

I would like to send out a special kudos to the Colt offensive line, who, as a unit busted their humps and opened up big holes for Addai and Rhodes against a tough defense known for stopping the run, for creating a virtually impenetrable pocket for Manning all day and for taking control of the game for Indianapolis. Doing these jobs is difficult under ideal conditions, but in a driving rain and on a sloppy field, these tasks become immeasurably more difficult. The entire line did a spectacular job keeping the Bears out of the running lanes and out of Manning’s face, allowing only one sack all game, which came at the end when the outcome was already decided. Without these gentlemen, none of this would have been possible and the Colts would not be world champions. Personally, I could see an argument that these gentlemen were the real MVPs of the Super Bowl. Interestingly, I am not the only one. SI.com’s Peter King runs a column each Tuesday where he responds to reader email. One reader stated this very point, and pondered to King, who has a vote for the game MVP, if we would ever see linemen as a game MVP and said reader went so far as to say that knowing the bias toward traditional skill players that we would never see such an award being granted toward the unsung heroes in the trenches. King’s response confirmed the reader’s assumption. King stated he voted for Manning over anyone else, the running backs and the line, because of his excellent field leadership in adverse conditions. I do not disagree with King, he has a valid point with all that Manning did during the game. But he is overlooking one vital fact. If those five gentlemen in front of him do not do their jobs, Manning would not be able to do his. Does that not embody the definition of valuable? It certainly does to me. Perhaps one day the men on the line will be honored appropriately, but it would seem that day will not come anytime soon.

I am also very happy for Tony Dungy, who with this victory becomes only the third person to win a championship as both a player and a head coach. In Dungy, we have a good man of deep faith who always puts his family first and football second. He has stated he learned how to prioritize what is truly important in his life while working under Chuck Noll. Unlike some other coaches who feel the need to put in 20 hour days to succeed, basically eat, sleep and be consumed by football, Dungy never thought like that. He feels if you had a strong family and strong faith, the work will get done and success will follow. He is a humble man, a leader of men, a teacher and a person to look up to and emulate. It is nice to see the good guy win in the end. Not to take anything away from Lovie Smith, who by all accounts is much the same type of man as his mentor Dungy, but Tony has had to handle rawer deals thus far in his career, and each time he did it with grace, class and dignity. I am thrilled to see a man like this hoisting the Lombardi trophy, a true role model in the sporting world.

Now, much has been said over the past few weeks about the significance of the first African American head coaches to participate in the Super Bowl and now the first to win a Super Bowl, and much of it has been said by those with better prose and insight than I. But what I take away from this is that it is a triumph of opportunity and talent that will influence others for generations to come. Many gentlemen of a different color or race for years had to fight an old boys’ network just to get an assistant job, regardless of their ability to coach. And if they were lucky to get one of those positions, they had to be better, smarter and work much harder than their white counterparts not to get ahead, but merely to stay employed. However, thanks to many forward thinking and trailblazing individuals over the years, such as former commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Steelers owner Dan Rooney, more excellent men and coaches that would have previously been overlooked now have better opportunities to ascend to the top post of a team. These individuals spurred a shift in culture and mindset within the ranks of the league, and many others spurred social changes in our society as well, to assist in changing perceptions and opening doors that had once been permanently closed. Thanks to these changes and the men and women who instigated them, each year we see more young men get opportunities to lead teams. In the coming season, we will see 6 African American head coaches at the helm of NFL franchises, one of whom will be starting his first head coaching job ever. That number constitutes close to 25% of all head coaching positions in the NFL, and a good sign of progress. Now, these are good signs, but there is always progress still to be made. If you stop growing, then you stagnate. But the NFL continues to grow, and that is the best sign of all. As a side note congratulations to the AFC North, who has three African American head coaches amongst the four teams in the division, which shows how dedicated that division is to progress and opportunity.

But this overall shift in mindset and culture is what is most important. It has helped to create opportunities for those with talent to not only coach, but to be a leader and a teacher of men as well. Whether the coaches who earn these opportunities turn out to be Tony Dungy or Art Shell is not the point, and often mistaken as the focus of the discussion. African American coaches, and coaches of any race for that matter, should not have to be perfect or work harder than any other coach or bring in 12 wins a season each year just to keep their jobs. They should be allowed to make mistakes, take chances and win and lose based upon their abilities as a coach and leader. They should be able to know when they pursue a coaching position that they will be given a fair shake based upon their track record and how they perform.

And to me that is the significance of Dungy winning the Super Bowl; that coaches of different races now get, more than ever before, the same opportunity to succeed and fail as every other coach. Dungy has been a very successful coach in the 11 years he has helmed a team, taking 9 of those teams to the playoffs, but not perfect. He has taken chances, some of which paid off and other chances that have not, but he has been able to continue to have opportunities to coach as he sees fit. Tampa Bay foolishly forgot all he did for them in not only building a playoff contender, but resurrecting a franchise, changing the entire mindset of the organization and building a team of quality players and men. The Buccaneers lost sight of all of this and unceremoniously fired him. Perhaps if they did not, Dungy would have already won his first championship as a coach and perhaps have kept the Buccaneers reloaded and primed for continued runs toward another championship. As they stand now, the Bucs sold out a solid future for a sexy hire who, to date, has not been able to maintain any long term success with the team. Jon Gruden won that championship in 2002 with Tony Dungy’s team. Now, after five years and with the team indelibly stamped as Gruden’s, they are back to being cellar dwellers and has beens. But Indianapolis wanted a quality coach like Dungy, one that would not only build a successful team and be able to utilize the pieces they already had, but to shape and build successful men, and immediately snatched him up and let him coach the team his way. Now, five years later, he has triumphantly returned to Indianapolis with the Super Bowl trophy in hand.

Dungy’s success in being able to do things his way has created more quality candidates for coaching positions and more opportunities for other minority coaches, and these men have been able to lead teams based upon their ability and talent, as it should be. And the additional benefit of seeing these coaches given these opportunities to succeed and fail and strive and try is that it becomes an influence for the next generation of coaches. Perhaps there are young African American kids out there who may not be talented players, but love the game of football. Now they know they can be an integral part of the NFL by looking at men like Dungy and Lovie Smith and seeing how they are able to get opportunities and succeed. These young kids now can see new career paths open before them that at one time may have been unimaginable. Instead, now they can easily imagine growing up and coaching a team to a Super Bowl victory. They now know it is possible, because Tony Dungy has showed them it can be accomplished. That is the true triumph of opportunity and talent, and what really emphasizes to me the significance of Dungy’s victory. I imagine in the next few years, we will see our first Hispanic head coach and our first Asian head coach in the league as well. Then we will see the real benefits of these changes, when young Hispanic and Asian kids can grow up imagining coaching a team to a Super Bowl victory.

I am also happy for Peyton Manning, who was able to shed the unfair shackle of being called a big game loser. Peyton can now continue his career without that albatross, and who knows how good he may be before he is done without being fettered by such talk. Whether it has been fair or not, Manning has been scrutinized far more harshly than any other quarterback since Dan Marino for not being able to win a championship. This is based upon not only his talent and abilities, but I think probably it has also been fueled by jealousy. Personally, I have busted him from time to time since he can be an easy target. He’s tall, kind of goofy looking, kind of dorky and with his willingness to pitch just about every product under the sun, it is pretty easy to bust his chops now and again. But I will admit that much of that chop busting is born out of jealousy. Manning is uber talented, highly motivated, extremely prepared and very successful. All the work he does to be ready for each Sunday pays off, and because of it he makes it look very easy. In reality, it is not, it comes from his drive to be the best he can be. Most of us when we see someone succeed in such a fashion will develop feelings of jealousy. Why do things seemingly come so easily for him when the rest of us have to strive so hard just to get by? But the truth is, it is not easy. He works hard and diligently to be as good as he is, and his work ethic is infectious to the entire team. And he knows his success is not based upon his skills alone, but a result of those around him. I have seen a few interviews with Manning since the game, and in each one he is very gregarious and generous with praise for the team as a whole. He has said each time that he does not feel this is a personal accomplishment, he is happy to just be a part of a team that won the championship. What made him happiest was to be able to share this with all of his teammates, to be able to hug and congratulate everyone on the team that worked so hard to get them all there. I have blasted Manning before regarding throwing teammates under the bus, specifically calling out the protection problems he brought up to the press last year after their playoff loss. But I have felt that ultimately he is a team first type of guy, and everyone who knows or even spent some time with him echoes the same sentiment. It is great to see him give congratulations around to everyone, show he is a team guy and make me believe more than ever that those comments came from a place of frustration and anger at losing a winnable game and not from a selfish me first outlook. In his statements and interviews, he even went out of his way to speak of the play of his line. It would seem that Peyton truly understands how valuable the work those five gentlemen do really is. Because of his work ethic and attitude toward his teammates and how these things spread to everyone is one reason why since 1999 no team has won more games in the NFL than the Colts. And I imagine that this trend will probably continue for at least a few more years.

If you had any doubts who would win the game, you need only look at the quarterbacks. In the history of the game, the better quarterback always wins. In this year’s tilt, it was pretty obvious that Manning is a better quarterback than Grossman. Sometimes it can be painfully obvious, other times it can be more difficult to tell who is better, and a few times it comes down to who is better that day. In the Denver/Atlanta Super Bowl, it was obvious who the better quarterback in the game was. Going into the game, everyone knew that Elway was much better than his Atlanta counterpart Chris Chandler. Last year some thought Hasselbeck was the better quarterback, and he may have been. But ultimately, I think over time Roethlisberger will prove to be the superior quarterback. In the Denver/Green Bay Super Bowl, how do you pick between Brett Favre in his prime and an aging John Elway? Favre is the obvious pick, but on that day, Elway was the better leader. Perhaps one of the most difficult to choose was the 49ers/Dolphins Super Bowl. Montana versus Marino could be argued until the end of time precisely who is the superior quarterback. But Montana had the edge in having been there before and knew what it would take to win. Marino, unfortunately, did not and thus proving that the best rises to the top when the stakes are at their highest. Now, since football is the ultimate team game, it does not come down merely to which team has the better quarterback. It takes eleven gentlemen working in unison on offense, defense and special teams to win games. If one of those gentlemen fails, then the whole unit and the entire team will fail. This is not like baseball, where if one batter has an off night the team can still win, certainly not. In football, if the left tackle has an off night, the team loses. It takes the best effort from each and every person for a team to find themselves triumphant at the end of the game. But the quarterback can be seen as a window of the team. Since they are the leader of the offense, and most likely a team leader in the locker room as well, the quality of a team’s quarterback will show throughout the team. Any team will find themselves more confident and ready to perform at their highest at the end of a game if their field leader is someone like Joe Montana, but maybe not as sure of themselves or harboring doubts if the man at the helm is Jim Everett. So while quarterbacks are not the beginning, nor the end of a team’s ultimate success, they do play an integral role. So always look for the superior quarterback. It will give you a good idea how successful the team can be. And no, I have no explanation for the Giants/Ravens Super Bowl, since both Dilfer and Collins stunk in the game.

As I stated above, the better quarterback in this game was obviously Peyton and everyone knew that before the first offensive snap. For his efforts, Peyton was awarded the game’s MVP award. As I mentioned above, I felt the offensive line deserving but a highly unlikely choice, and I was proven correct. Looking at the traditional skill position players, I thought perhaps it would have gone to Dominic Rhodes for his stellar ground game performance. Alas, that did not come to be, but at least Rhodes got to share the Disney World commercial with Tony Dungy, which is an honor in itself. I suppose by granting him the MVP, this was a way for many writers to say to Manning, you are an excellent field leader and sorry about all the big game loser cracks and backhanded comparisons to Dan Marino. Although, to his credit, Manning has been saying that he has never felt there is anything wrong with being compared to Marino, considering how great of a quarterback Marino was, and to be mentioned in the same breath as the former Dolphin quarterback is an honor in itself. Being the stand up guy he is, he looked at those comparisons not as most have, that like Marino he is a great quarterback but cannot win the big game, but as a positive that few did, that he is on par with one of the all time greats and a hall of famer. Well, Peyton, enjoy that honor, plus the honor that one day you will be mentioned as a better quarterback than Marino and the honor that will come one day when people compare some hot young gunslinger to you. You have earned it.

So, with Manning’s new status as Super Bowl champion, there needs to be adjustments made to the best active quarterback in the league today. As before, this discussion is regarding current quarterbacks that are active in the league. Once retirement hits, some of these, if not all of them, will fall far on the list when compared to the greats that came before them. But still, in both active quarterbacks and retired greats, in my mind the discussion of who is the best signal caller starts and ends with championships. Sure, statistical brilliance and victories play a part, but with the ultimate goal of the game being bringing home the championship hardware, how many championships you win is what matters the most. It should be the one factor that skews every opinion poll regarding the subject, with the other factors used merely as tools to determine final seeding. Although this is a discussion for another day, using the above criteria, the best quarterbacks of all time are Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr and Joe Montana. Starr, with two Super Bowl wins and three NFL championships, would be third, based upon the facts that it was a smaller league then and he ran an offense that relied heavily on the power sweep. Plus, it is hard to compare Super Bowls with NFL championships based upon how much the landscape of the NFL changed with the merging of the NFL and the AFL. Normally, with five rings I would put Starr in the pole position, but there is too much difference in the league between pre and post merger to be able to accurately compare the pre and post Super Bowl era teams. Bradshaw, with four Super Bowls, comes in second. A stellar quarterback with four Super Bowl victories and two Super Bowl MVP awards, he created a template for winning the big game. But number one would have to be Joe Montana, who also has four Super Bowl wins but also has an astounding three Super Bowl MVP awards. When the stage was the biggest, the lights their brightest and the pressure the most intense, no one was better than Joe Cool. Now, while you chew on that for a bit and create a new debate, below is the new ranking of the best quarterbacks in the game today.

1 Tie: Tom Brady – Stays here based upon his three Super Bowl victories. But now he is joined by…

1 Tie: Peyton Manning – With Sunday’s victory, he vaults from 5th on the list to a tie for first. If anyone else had more than one victory other than Brady, Peyton would be relegated to a tie for second. But since all the other active quarterbacks below have only one ring, Peyton grabs a share of the top spot. Why? Because statistically, Manning is the best quarterback in the game today. And before he hangs up his cleats for good, he will probably own all the significant quarterback records Brett Favre is methodically taking from Dan Marino. Speaking of which….

3 Brett Favre – Still on course to be a first ballot Hall of Fame entrant, Favre has announced his return for a 17th season. With a young, hungry and more experienced team behind him, Favre could not only make a run for the playoffs, but also wrap up grabbing all of the significant all time quarterback records from Dan Marino. I am sure watching Favre do this will cause Marino to break his own jaw as he congratulates Brett every week through clenched teeth. If anything, that will make watching Brett break records entertaining

4 Ben Roethlisberger – An excellent young quarterback who has not yet reached his full potential or his prime. Plus, he is the youngest quarterback on this list. Could easily move up on the list as time goes by and before he retires be at the top.

5 Brad Johnson – He still blows this theory out of the water, and will continue to do such until he retires. Since he is 38, that time may not be too long from now.


For those of you not watching America’s Game, well shame on you, you should be since it is excellent programming. But in case you missed it, they revealed the top three teams in the top twenty during the two days before the Super Bowl. The 1978 Steelers came in at #3, which is pretty good. Of all teams with multiple entries in the top 20, the Steelers trumped them all. The 1985 Bears hit at #2 and the 1972 Dolphins were #1. I was not surprised by this, since the Bears defense that year was unparalled and the Dolphins did go undefeated. Both were excellent teams and excellent choices for the top two spots. However, let us not overlook a few huge factors that seem to be left out when ranking the teams. Pittsburgh’s 1978 squad was a team that was Super Bowl experienced and far more potent on offense than it had ever been. The team also went on to win another championship the following year, bringing their total to four wins in six years. Also that season, they played in what is regarded as one of the best Super Bowls of all time against the defending champion Dallas Cowboys. They were in the midst of an unprecedented, and thus far unduplicated, run of excellence that still sets the standard for dynasties today. The Bears and Dolphins, on the other hand, the same cannot be said for them. That Bears team, while potent on offense and unbelievably devastating on defense, was merely a shooting star. They put together a season that could not be duplicated, not even by themselves. They had no long run of dominance, nor a string of championships. The Dolphins, while they did win another championship the next season, were neither dominant on offense or defense nor did they have a long run of success. If they did, they would be the team of the 70s and not the Steelers. The overlooked thing about that season is that they got more than a few lucky breaks, starting with the fact that they played the weakest schedule of any Super Bowl winning team. They played few teams with a winning record during the regular season, a season which at the time was two games shorter than it is today. I do not want to overlook nor minimize their accomplishment of going undefeated, since no matter who or when you play it is one of the pinnacles of success. Not once were they bested the entire season, and an accomplishment of that stature is next to impossible to obtain. But let us not forget that they had much in their favor that season that no team would have today. I am certainly not spreading sour grapes, since I am thrilled that Pittsburgh put two teams into the top seven, something no other team can say. And also, those Bears and Dolphins teams were very special and one of a kind and deserving of their rank, regardless of whatever else they accomplished before or after their magical seasons. But I just felt that perhaps these points should be made and not entirely glossed over.

With that being said, I cannot wait to watch the remaining twenty and hopefully twenty one, since I hope they make one on this years champion as well. None of the remaining twenty are ranked, but I know they still will be fascinating to watch; even I am sure the ones about the stupid Patriots. The people they interview are great, and the memories and stories they recall about their championship season are just mesmerizing to watch and hear. Listening to Mel Blount talk about the Mel Blount rule (in 1978 the NFL instituted the rule that states a defensive back may not make contact with a receiver beyond five yards past the line of scrimmage. Many around the league stated this rule was instituted because of Mel Blount and his penchant for punishing anyone in an opposing jersey that ventured into the Pittsburgh secondary, whether they had the ball or not) or Joe Greene talk about compensating for the decline in his physical game by increasing his mental game enthralled me. Hearing Mike Ditka talk about how coaching the Bears was a fulfillment of a dream and how that team was a motley crew that bonded with each other, their coaches and their city. Or George Seifert saying how superstitious he is and how it intensified in trying to lead a Super Bowl winner back to the championship in his very first year as a head coach while trying to replace the legendary Bill Walsh. These stories and so many more are captured in these episodes. Even if you are just a casual fan, you will find the history of these teams, their seasons and the NFL enthralling and a must watch show. I urge everyone to check out these wonderfully done and excellently produced pieces. They will be running all through the spring, so tune in each week. You will not be sorry.

Before we enter into the wasteland that is the football off season, let us catch up on a few tidbits from Pittsburgh and around the league.

Darren Perry, long time Pittsburgh defensive back and defensive back coach resigned a few weeks back after speaking with new coach Mike Tomlin. I know this is old news, and by now just about everyone knows that he was the only defensive coach to leave in the changing of the guard. Well, in this league if you are good you will always be able to find work. This week, it was announced that Perry will coach in the same capacity with the Oakland Raiders under new head coach Lane Kiffin. Darren, I know work is work, but come on, you are better than that. Here is hoping this is only a short stint and Darren can find work with a team soon that has a culture of winning, something he has become accustomed to after spending years at Pittsburgh and Penn State.

Pittsburgh center Jeff Hartings made his retirement official this week. He stated that the wear and tear on his body was becoming too much, and he did not want to get to a place where the rigors and long term injuries from the game would affect his life afterwards. He wanted to leave while he was still in relatively good health and able to play with his children instead of limping around due to chronic injuries. I do not blame him at all for this; especially knowing how demanding it is playing his position can be on a body. Already, Hartings is living without most of the cartilage in his left knee due to injury, which, I am sure will affect him down the road. I am glad he left while he is still able to and on his own terms. Although, I did feel weird about his retirement, because it made me feel like I have done so very little with my life. You see, I went to college with Jeff; we both attended Penn State at the same time. During my times at PSU, I worked for the one dining hall on campus that had a private dining room reserved just for the Nittany Lion football team. During my years there, I met quite a few of the players on the team. As with any large group of people, you will get a thorough mix of personalities. Some of the players were your typical spoiled jocks, and some were really great guys. Jeff fell into the latter group. He knew his physical talents could take him far, but he never let that affect how he saw the world, nor treated other people. I always thought he was one of the best gentlemen on the squad, regardless of how he played. Plus, he played guard, and being a former guard myself, I found it fascinating to meet and on occasion chat with someone who had what it took to play at the next level. I never did, but then again, I was not nearly as huge as Jeff. Perhaps that had something to do with it. Now, flash forward to 11 years after we both graduated and Jeff, who has done missionary work around the world, is retiring as a championship athlete and a millionaire to spend time with his family and start a church for people of all faiths. Me? Well, uhhh, I have a blog. Kind of makes you feel a touch unaccomplished. But since our lives have taken very different paths, I suppose it is not really fair to compare the two. But he does set a good example for many to follow. I wish Jeff all the best in his post football life and all the success in the world.

Congratulations go out to the latest inductees into the Pro Football Fall of Fame. This year’s class will include, in no particular order, Cleveland Browns guard Gene Hickerson, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin, Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, Detroit Lions tight end Charlie Sanders, Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas and St. Louis Cardinals cornerback Roger Wehrli. All are deserving of this honor, and more than a few of these gentlemen have been waiting for far too long. A note to all of the hall voters out there, you can induct more than six per class, start raising that number. There are some long overdue linemen out there who need to be enshrined and now. Without these men, all those skill position players you keep inducting would not have a career to speak of. Put in the men who truly make the good things happen. And also, put in former commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Sure, it may seem too obvious to vote him in, especially right after he retired, but the era of prosperity and labor peace he brought to the league is unparalled. He is a very humble and unassuming man who through his intelligence and leadership was able to move the NFL forward to heights never before imagined, and rarely did he feel the need to trumpet his own contributions for the successes that followed. He deserves to be honored among the greats of the game. Remember, if he did not do his job so well, you would not have a job to do at all. So get off your duffs and do the right thing on this one as well.

The Hall of Fame weekend, as always, will conclude with the playing of the annual Hall of Fame game. This year’s tilt will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints on August 5th. This game will give Pittsburgh and New Orleans some extra time in camp, as the two teams featured in this game are allowed to report to camp a week early. This is particularly good for Pittsburgh, because they could use some extra time with their new coach. I also found out an interesting rule that states any team that has a new head coach is allowed to have one additional mini camp during the off season. Well, they will need that too. This is still a Super Bowl caliber team, and they need to show it this season. Strike while the iron is still hot, guys. Make your goal to be cavorting in a confetti shower in Arizona.

Dallas has not named a head coach as of yet. They spoke with both Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and Colts assistant head coach Jim Caldwell this week, but no word or indication as of yet as to who will lead the Cowboys next season. The front runner still seems to be Norv Turner, and mostly because of his ability to develop young quarterbacks. It will be interesting to see what move Jerry Jones will make.

Philadelphia quarterback Jeff Garcia is harping about money. After helping to save the Eagles season, Garcia, who is a free agent, wants a new contract commiserate with his worth. What Jeff did for the Eagles was admirable, and at bargain basement prices for the NFL. But at this stage in his career, Jeff knows his next contract may be his last. So now his decision for his future will hinge on one decision. Should he go for a big paycheck or go for his best chance at the elusive championship? A tough decision for sure, but Garcia should keep one thing in mind. Money comes and goes, but a championship is forever.

In other Eagle news, head coach Andy Reid has some major family issues on his hands with both of his sons mixed up in various traffic altercations and drug usage. We see this kind of thing all the time in our world, and it is sad no matter who is involved. It becomes much more intensified and scrutinized when the parties involved are the children of the rich and the famous. One thing I wonder about is if the incredible time demands that come from helming an NFL franchise take away from needed parenting time. Is the time Reid is using leading men on a football field affecting the time he needs to be leading his sons in becoming men and in life? I hope this is not the case, and their actions come from boys being rebellious and taking such rebellion too far. One thing is for sure, I hope the Reid’s are able to show their sons the dangers of the paths in life they are flirting with, and how ultimately they lead to nothing but sadness and self destruction.

It would seem the love affair between the Denver Broncos and Jake Plummer will soon come to an official end. Word is the Broncos may be looking to trade Plummer sometime during the off season and hand the reins officially over to Jay Cutler. Look for this to happen, if it indeed will come to pass, around draft time.

Well, the only game left to follow is the Pro Bowl, and hardly anyone watches that. I find the Pro Bowl to be more of an excuse for a bunch of buddies to hang out in a tropical location for a week and then run through some plays at the end in some garish free shirts they give out. Maybe I am wrong, but I bet I could bust one for 50 yards in the Pro Bowl. Now, I am certainly not saying I am Pro Bowl caliber, no no no. What I am saying is the competition might not be what you would see on a normal Sunday. Regardless, I think I will pick the AFC. I would usually go with the NFC since the AFC won the Super Bowl, but with Belichick coaching the AFC teams, I bet he plays to win. Belichick hates to lose, and I bet he works it extra hard for this game, especially since he does not want his last game of the season to be a loss. I must admit, I caught a bit of coverage of the Pro Bowl, and it was interesting seeing Belichick there, joshing with the players and being downright open and gregarious, well, at least for him. Considering all of their past failures in the AFC championship game, I became used to seeing Bill Cowher prowl the sidelines in Hawaii. For a while, I began to wonder if he was just using it as a free family vacation. I wonder if Belichick will get so spoiled there this week he will begin to do the same. One can only hope. Something to ponder during the off season.

I received excellent feedback regarding the idea for the Super Bust. In case you missed it, check out the The Crystal Ball the Super Bowl column. Commissioner Goodell, people want to see this game. This needs to happen. If the wheels do not start turning, I will be knocking on your door.

There are two stories of import that have been getting more, and much needed, press as of late. I have been reading as much as I can regarding both issues, and I would like to pass along some of what I have found to you.

The first story involves the severity, frequency and long term damage of concussions. This has been a major hot button topic in the NFL for some time. As players get faster, stronger and hit harder, the severity and frequency of concussions has risen. However, not much more than talk has been done to help combat this issue. The NFL may soon have their hand forced to take real action.

This story recently appeared in the press, regarding former player Ted Johnson, a star on the Patriots Super Bowl winning teams. Johnson, who retired two years ago and now is only 34, has a multitude of problems stemming from multiple concussions from his playing days including memory loss, loss of short term memory, addiction to pain killers, depression and early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. These are things that will affect him for the rest of his life, and for a man who is only 34, there is a lot of life in front of him. He states he knew when the initial damage came, from playing full contact too soon after suffering a concussion in a pre season game. Johnson also levels accusations that he was put into full contact situations too soon by head coach Bill Belichick, and the coaches actions are what led directly to him sustaining additional concussions, ending his career and ultimately to where he is today. The ramifications of the story could be long reaching, if Johnson is successful in his fight to bring this issue to the public and to a head. It could also be devastating to the Patriots, since players will shy away from playing for a coach if they believe he may threaten their long term health. At the very least, it causes a huge chink in the armor of the Patriot organization and takes away from some of the things I said about them being an organization to be emulated. Johnson’s condition deteriorated with each successive concussion, to the point where according to neurologists, the typical post concussion symptoms people experience are now most likely permanent in Johnson. Another frightening revelation from the article that the suicide of former player Andre Waters last year was directly linked to brain damage suffered on the football field.

A sad example of how this damage, suffered during the playing days, can shape a player’s post football life can be found in the story of former Steelers center Mike Webster. Webster for years took the NFL to task regarding how head injuries suffered during his career affected his life after he left the game. Webster’s trials in life after football reached many lows, including periods of isolation from his family that eventually resulted in divorce and even went so low that there were times this former Pro Bowl, Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame player was living in his car. Webster’s condition included memory loss, depression and dementia. Webster knew that the trials he suffered in life were caused by the punishment and injuries he suffered on the football field, and tried mightily to get the NFL to acknowledge this and have the Players union pay him the disability money he was owed. Unfortunately, Webster never saw a conclusion to his efforts. He sadly passed away before any decision was ever made. His family took up the mantle of his crusade, and ultimately won a decision. It was shown that the damage he suffered as a player did affect his life after football. Unfortunately, it was far too late for it to have any positive effect in his life. Perhaps, though, it can have a positive affect on the lives of other former players.

The culture of the NFL cultivates the notion of being tough and playing hurt, but this mindset can create many long term injuries and cause former players to suffer long after their playing days have concluded. No player is under an illusion that what they do is safe or easy. All players in the league know the dangers of their profession and what can happen. But players will throw themselves back out onto the field, oftentimes far sooner than they should. Many will never report injuries, just continue to play through the pain. Often this is done not through some sort of notion of strength, but out of fear of losing their jobs. Since competition for jobs in the NFL is fierce, once a player obtains a starting position, they will do everything to keep it. Many players fear if they are out for a long period of time with an injury, someone younger, faster or better will come along and take it from them. Unfortunately, this fear is not unfounded, as we see this occur all the time. So, to avoid losing their jobs, players will take the field injured to avoid a demotion or unemployment, thus exposing themselves to further injury, shorter careers and long term health issues.

And we as fans love to see these gentlemen play hurt. There is a certain nobility that comes from it that appeals to all of us. It derives from the idea of overcoming any obstacle to succeed, even if it is pain and injury. A willingness to sacrifice yourself for the greater good, a trait we would all like to see within ourselves and, with the game of football, can see manifested in a physical form from countless players on countless Sunday afternoons. It is one of the appealing aspects of football, and everyone involved knows it and it may be one of the many reasons players push themselves past previously thought limits to take the field of battle each week and coaches push players back onto the field as soon as possible.

Of course one of the reasons coaches push players back into play is also the need to win in the hyper competitive game of football. Coaches are constantly trying to win football games, not only for the drive to succeed, or the drive to win championships, but just to keep their jobs as well. With competitiveness between franchises and within the league reaching all time highs, owners are far more scrutinizing of their coaches than ever before. If a coach has a few bad seasons, owners are more than ready to jettison them and bring in the next hot thing. In years past, players were looked upon as disposable and coaches as kings of individual fiefdoms, but no longer. Nowadays, coaches are far more expendable than players for a litany of reasons. A star player will last far longer than a coach, because that player is the draw the fans come to see. A star player is who brings in the fans, revenue and publicity to an organization. They are the drawing card for many teams, not the coach. Even coaches who have reached the top of the profession and are well known are no longer the draw. Do you think Dallas fans were coming out to see Bill Parcells, or were they coming out to see Tony Romo and Terrell Owens? If you doubt any of this, look to the Atlanta Falcons as a perfect example. Jim Mora is a decent coach, and he was only on the job for four seasons. Do you think that is enough time to really build a team, to put together a strong core of players and to drive home a philosophy and plan of winning? Perhaps it is, or perhaps not. But since he had one of the biggest stars on his roster, everyone felt he should be winning and winning big. When he had two seasons in a row that were under expectations, Mora was shown the door. Atlanta owner Arthur Blank certainly was not going to give up on his underachieving star Michael Vick; that is his cash cow. Vick brings people into the stadium, both his and to the stadiums of other teams. Sales of Vick merchandise line his pockets. He is the face of the franchise. So if he is doing poorly, and the team is doing poorly as well, it must be the fault of the coach. With this attitude of job insecurity pervasive throughout the league, with the notable exceptions being Pittsburgh and perhaps recently Indianapolis and a few others, some coaches will do whatever it takes to win and keep their jobs, even if it means sacrificing the long term health of the men under their charge. But even though the players know the risks and take them in their hands willingly as they gird up each week, or sometimes hesitantly, that should not stop the league from working to ensure their safety and continue to look for ways of improving it.

The time for the NFL to do something is now, and they need to step in to protect not only their players, but their reputation and standing as the most popular sport in the country and one of the most popular in the world. Changing the culture and mindset of playing hurt may never go away. This attitude has been present in the league since its inception when men played without helmets. There is very little that the league can do about that. And I doubt very much there is anything the league itself can do about the hiring practices of teams and how they handle the business of their coaches. I imagine that if in the future we see more teams sticking with one coach over long periods of time and that coach shows consistent success, many other teams will want to emulate that pattern. But that is a change that will take time, and will only work itself out. What the NFL can do is work to keep injured players off the field and to protect the players when they are on the field itself.

The best way to avoid future concussions is to avoid situations where you can get one, and the best way to do that is to keep the players on the bench. While rule changes can sometimes be tedious or over reactionary, they can also be helpful. Outlawing helmet to helmet hits and hits that lead with the head in 1995 has led to a sharp decrease in head and spinal injuries. Perhaps it is time for the NFL to add new legislation and create a mandatory time of inaction for players after suffering a concussion. Considering it can take time for the post concussion effects to pass, the NFL may want to look into mandating that any player sit out the next two games or two weeks after suffering a concussion. Since one of the biggest dangers from someone suffering a concussion is the increased risk of suffering another concussion shortly thereafter, this could help keep them out of situations where they would be exposed to that potential risk. It would also give the player time to rest and concentrate on getting well.

As for on the field protection, the NFL should mandate all players protect themselves with the best equipment. Technology of equipment has improved in the game, and the Riddell Revolution anti concussion helmet is one of the few products out there that has been shown to reduce the damage that can be inflicted upon players. However, this helmet is not mandatory in the NFL, and many players opt not to use it for various reasons, including such asinine reasons as aesthetics. The time for the NFL to mandate this helmet be used by all players is well past, and the league needs to step in to add protection to those who bring in the revenues and the fans. I would hate to see this issue come down to something tragic happening to a star player to force this issue. The NFL should be proactive in player safety, and not wait until a star is permanently disabled or killed before they take action. Do not spend a season second guessing or wondering what if like NASCAR did in the wake of the death of Dale Earnhardt. NASCAR did not mandate head and neck restraints, leaving the usage of such devices to the discretion of the driver. After their brightest star was killed on the track, they immediately mandated their usage. But is should not have come to that, and I hope it will not in the NFL either. Do something now, before you are forced to do something when you have more and more former players like Ted Johnson, Andre Waters and Mike Webster hanging over your heads. No one wants to see that.

The other issue that needs to be addressed by the league is regarding the well being of former players and the disability issues they face and the retirement and disability benefits they receive. This issue, which includes concussions and head trauma but encompasses many other disabilities that former players face, is one that unfortunately does not get much press at all. The NFL Players Union has been slow to act, and at times seemingly disinterested in the concerns of former players. The league office itself has also been slow to act, at times giving the concerns little more than lip service and others seemingly defensive about the subject. Many of these former players find themselves left out in the cold, long after their playing days and worth to the NFL have past, with bodies racked with lingering injuries that were suffered upon the field of play. It is difficult to find a multitude of information regarding the subject, as those who are fighting for disability and improved retirement benefits do not have a well known spokesperson to spearhead their cause, nor are they a part of an organization that can give them a united front. Many players are fighting this battle on their own. It seems absurd to think that these players would need disability payments and retirement benefits, or not be able to get the best care since we live in a world where players make enormous amounts of money. But many of these former players were not in the rarefied air of stars nor did they make huge sums of money, and most played in a time where even the big money of their era would seem like pocket change in today’s NFL. Unfortunately, long term care for many injuries takes a lot of money and many players are not able to get that care without receiving disability. There are many efforts from various people to bring light to the plight of many of these former athletes. Some of the most notable and vocal proponents for assisting former players and improving benefits have been former linebacker Carl Banks and former player and coach Mike Ditka. Former receiver Ron Dixon has been working on developing a health and disability insurance program for athletes to help protect them against career ending injuries. And there are many other former players out there working tirelessly to improve retirement benefits for themselves and their brethren who helped make the league what it is today. But until they can unite under one banner, or a major star of the league will step forward and help champion their cause, their fight may continue to go unnoticed. The NFL and the Players Association need to do the right thing to make sure these men, who helped build the league into what it is today on their blood, sweat and tears, are properly taken care of and cared for now. They gave everything they had to the game of football without question; give something back to them now when they need it most.

Now, there is one last thing I need to do, and that is to wrap up my record for the season. With my final prediction proving correct, this brings our final season record to the following.

Last Week: 1-0
Playoffs to Date: 6-5
Season to Date: 156-111

Overall, not too bad, and it certainly was no worse than most of the self proclaimed experts. Plus, it gives me something to improve upon next year.

Well, that seems to bring us to the end. After 52 pre season games, 256 regular season games, 11 playoff games and 1 Pro Bowl, the 2006 NFL season is officially over. And with it, so are we. But fear not, loyal reader (s), The Crystal Ball will return next season. I may have a special around draft time, and perhaps one or two during training camp. I have not decided about draft time, since I know very little about gauging talent, but it might be a fun exercise. And I need to do at least one during camp; I will have to get in shape for the season just like anyone else. So look for us then. In the meantime, get out of the house! Do something active on your Sundays, read some books, or other great columns featured here that do not involve football. Yes, a shameless plug, what can I say, I learn from TV. Or perhaps you could take a hike in the mountains, ride a bike or sky dive. Do something each Sunday to make up for a sheer lack of nothing you will be doing this fall. And look, I did not need to wait until next year to hit 10,000 words. I went over 11,000 this time. Told you I would do it soon. The goal for next season, a 15,000 word column. So rest everyone, by fall I will be even more verbose than usual, and you will need your stamina. See you next season.