I Can Feel Manning's Pain

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Don't get me wrong, I was rooting for the Saints last Sunday, but I fully expected the Colts to win, and win big. Even trailing 24-17 late in the fourth quarter, I still felt certain that Manning would bring the Colts back, and claim a seat along side Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the greatest quarterbacks I can remember seeing.

So when Tracy Porter picked off Manning and returned it for TD to ice the game, I was stunned, although in a good way. Seeing Manning after the game however, made me think of the Patriots and Giants a few years back and how devastated I was after that game. It also made me think of other stunning defeats my teams have suffered.

Without a doubt Sunday must have been the worst defeat of Manning's career, but as a fan it made me wonder what were the worst losses I can remember. I came up with a list of five losses that have stuck with me long after the games had ended.

1. Game 6 of the 1986 World Series

I know I may be making myself look real old, but this is the mother of all loses. The pain has subsided a bit given the Red Sox recent success, but this was just such a historic loss that nothing else can compare.

I can still remember the top of the 10th when Dave Henderson hit the go ahead home run, and then Wade Boggs scored from second on a single by Marty Barrett to put the Red Sox up 5-3. Calvin Schiraldi then got 2 quick outs in the bottom of the inning. The camera showed the Red Sox dugout, and the players were just waiting to run onto the field. At that point, remember I was only 13 at the time, my parents let me get a VHS Tape to record the final out.

Instead I taped the worst sports moment of my live. After the ball went through Buckner's legs, my brother got up, took the tape out of the VCR, and threw it against the wall, breaking it into a million pieces. I did not sleep a wink that night. Game 7 did not matter. There was no way the Red Sox could bounce back from that.

2. Super Bowl XLII

The Patriots had a chance to become the greatest franchise in NFL history, and let it slip away. People point to the David Tyree catch as the biggest moment of the game, but I still think back to what happened earlier in that same play. The Patriots had Eli Manning sacked, but he escaped. If they just brought him to the ground, it would have been around 4th and 15 with about a minute left. With no timeouts, time would have likely run out on the Giants.

There are so many other plays that stick with me. Pierre Woods had a golden opportunity to recover a fumble deep inside Giants territory in the 2nd quarter. If the Pats could have added another score there, things could have been different.

There was also the decision to go for it on 4th and 13 in the 3rd quarter rather than kick a 48 yard field goal. Often overlooked is the final Patriots possession. Brady and Moss nearly hooked up for 70 bomb. Watch the replay. Brady and Moss were scary close to connecting. What makes this loss so tough is that if any of those things had happened, there would no longer be any argument about who was the best QB ever. It would be Tom Brady.

3. Game 7 2003 American League Championship Series

At the start of the bottom of the 8th, with the Red Sox ahead 5-3, my wife walked into the room, saw the score and said, "Wow, they have this one in the bag." I still blame her for the loss.

Funny thing is later when I finally went to bed that night, she asked me if they won. When I said no, she could not figured out why I was so devastated and then said, "Don't worry, they'll get them next year." We then started to argue because at that moment, I was convinced that the Red Sox would never win a World Series. Turns out my wife was right though. They did get them next year.

The Aaron Boone home run was the iconic moment of the game, but the moment I remember most is when Jorge Posada hit a little blooper to center that scored Hideki Matsui to tie the game. At that point I knew the game was lost. When Boone hit the home run, I was almost glad to be finally put out of my misery.

4. 2006 AFC Championship Game

Looking back, this is when the Patriots good fortunes really began to turn. With a 21-3 lead late in the 2nd quarter, Brady hit Ben Watson with pass for a 1st down to put Patriots inside the Colts 30 yard line. A score here would have put the game out of reach. There was a penalty called against the Patriots however (I don't remember who the call was on, or what for) that pushed the Pats back, and eventually they had to punt. Instead the Colts got the ball back and kicked a field goal right before the half. What could have been a 28-3 lead at the half was only 21-6 instead.

I won't even bring up the Reche Caldwell drop of a sure TD, or the Reggie Wayne fumble on the Colts final drive that some how popped up right back into his hands. If the Pats had won this one, and then completed the perfect season one year later, you could have easily made the argument that the New England Patriots were the best franchise in NFL history.

5. Game 4 1987 NBA Finals

Not too many people remember this game, but the Celtics really let this one get away. Trailing 2-1 in the series, the Celtics had to have this one to have a chance to repeat as champs.

The Celtics dominated most of the game, and were up by 16 points at the half. The Lakers rallied to take the lead in the final minute, but Larry Bird nailed a 3 pointer to put Boston back ahead, which at that point was the biggest clutch play I had ever seen. I was sure that the Lakers would fold. Magic Johnson had other ideas, as his baby hook over Kevin McHale gave the Lakers the win. Although they played for a few more years, this was really the end of the original "Big 3."

It time to move on however. This is starting to get depressing. Next time maybe I should write about the biggest wins. That would far more enjoyable.

Saints win the Super Bowl; MVP Brees an elite QB

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints for winning the Super Bowl and being able to hoist up the prestigious Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Well, the Saints were the underdog against the Colts, but they were clearly the big dog when the chips were on the table.

And how about Drew Brees?

While Tom Brady and Peyton Manning steal all the spotlight as the best QB's in the NFL -- and rightly so because they are both outstanding signal-callers -- but don't you think Brees should start being mentioned in that same sentence?

I know Brees hasn't has the career success as Brady or Manning, but right now -- in 2010 -- he's no doubt a top-3 QB in the league. Rank them any way you want, you can't go wrong.

But it's now time for people to start talking about Brees as an elite QB. Yes, he's now a Super Bowl champion and a Super Bowl MVP. He's got the bling, and that's how all great QB's are judged.

Brees delivered on the biggest stage, while Manning surprisingly faltered just like Brett Favre did in the NFC Championship game with a big INT that cost his team the game.

But I look at it more like the Saints won the game; the Colts and Manning didn't lose it.

How can you not be happy for the city of New Orleans? If you've got a heart at all, you've got to love the fact they are now champions.

Congrats to the Saints on a job well done.

Let the party begin.

Who dat?

Like it or not, Manning is the best QB in the NFL and he's going to win another Super Bowl title

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

So you hate Peyton Manning? Well, get ready to do a little more hating after you see him hoist up the Vince Lombardi trophy after the Colts win the Super Bowl.

Yes, it's going to happen.

And yes, Peyton Manning is that good. Believe it Patriot Nation, Manning is even better than Tom Brady.

I said it, and it pains me to say that. Two years ago I wouldn't have made that statement, but Manning just keeps getting better, while Brady isn't.

As for the Super Bowl, I'll be wearing my NFL-issued Drew Brees No. 9 jersey and rooting on the Saints and the city of New Orleans.

But I think the Colts are a better team -- in all three phases of the game.

But I don't think it's going to be a cakewalk, either.

The Saints can win this game, but they need to play flawless football to do so. And I think the Colts won't let the Saints play perfect ball, either.

Manning is so good that even if the Colts trailed by 14 points in the first three quarters -- perhaps even in the fourth -- I'm not going to go run and hide and think the Colts don't have a chance. With Manning at the helm, it's hard not to be confident in him running the show. Plus, he's got so many weapons in the passing game (Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon). I don't care if the Colts can't run the football (but they can against a poor Saints run defense), they don't need to anyway.

With that offensive line protecting Manning like a mother and father do with their newborn, it doesn't matter what the Saints throw at the Colts and Manning. He's seen it all before. The Saints physically beat up an old Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game, but Manning is stronger and his offensive line is great at identifying the blitz and picking it up. If Manning has time in the pocket, expect a completion and potentially a big play.

But if the Saints can get base pressure without leaving their corners on an island one one one because they have to blitz, they've got a chance to frustrate Manning (admit it, we all want to puke when Manning is shown shaking his head after a poor play) and get a much-needed turnover.

Forcing turnovers is the only way the Saints have a shot to win.

Plus, Drew Brees and the Saints offense -- perhaps the only offense in the league that could go score for score with the Colts -- need to sustain drives and scored TDs, and not settle for field goals.

The Saints have balance -- Brees is a master in the pocket and also has great targets (Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson), plus they also feature the X-factor, Reggie Bush, a running back that is more like a wide receiver.

Bush is also scary on special teams where he can return a punt for a TD at any time, but I think the Colts can neutralize Bush because the Colts' defense is based on pure team speed, not beef. They flow to the football and it's hard to make big plays against them (credit playing Cover 2 for that), although those corners are weak and something I'm betting Brees is going to attack.

I've seen so many Saints games this year and down the stretch, that offense sputtered at times for a multitude of reasons. Whether it was poor pass protection, receivers not getting open, or running backs (Pierre Thomas must be a factor in the run game for the Saints) not doing the job, for as good as that offense has been, they've had slight issues moving the ball down and they can't do that in the Super Bowl.

Chad's Take: Manning is going to pick apart the Saints. The Saints will dial up every blitz under the sun, but it's not going to fluster Manning and the Colts. Indy knows how to break down opponents, and chucking the ball against the Saints is the way to go, although don't be surprised to see Joseph Addai have a good game out of the backfield since the Saints will be so focused on stopping the pass.

The Colts just might run up and down the field scoring a boatload of points, but the Saints will do it, too. The Saints' defense has been opportunistic in the turnover department all season -- they are not that great as a team defense because they give up so many yards in the air and on the ground -- but don't expect to see Manning throw more than one pick. The Colts know how to protect the pigskin and they also know that's why the Saints are here because that defense is a ball-hawking unit.

This is going to be a great Super Bowl, but I think Manning steals the show. He's the best in the NFL at what he does, and he'll show everyone again that he's the best.

Expect more commercials with Manning's mug on the TV screen after he wins another Super Bowl title.

Prediction: Colts, 37-30

Bruins should pass on Kovalchuk

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Bruins 2009-2010 season has been a disappointing bust thus far. With that being said, it doesn't mean Peter Chiarelli should trade away the young foundation of this team to bring in a rental like Ilya Kovalchuk. Yeah, yeah I know the Bruins can't put the puck in the net, but is Kovalchuk really going to take this team to the Stanley Cup, much less the Conference Finals? No, I don't think so. For the longest time, I've been an advocate of Chiarelli trading a draft pick, a young, established player and a prospect for Kovalchuk, but a conversation I had the other night has completely changed my train of thought.

The B's have been completely decimated with injuries this season, and that has been the major reason for the lackluster season so far. They've lost significant time from the likes of Marc Savard, Milan Lucic, & David Krejci. All of whom are major contributors to the Bruins offense. In my mind, Krejci has never recovered from his hip injury. He came back too soon, and it's affected his play all season. If this team is healthy, and that most likely will not happen at all this season, they're still a very good team. In addition to the injuries, they have had several players suffer through underachieving seasons. Blake Wheeler, with the exception of a recent hot streak, has not played up to par. Neither has Michael Ryder. Krejci has looked terrible recently, but I still blame that on his balky hip.

If the Bruins are going to make a move, I think they should still look to the south for a trade partner. Instead, let's take a look at the Hurricanes. Instead of Kovalchuk, why not make a move for Ray Whitney. He's netted 16 goals already, and is pretty much a sure fire 25 goals a year guy. He also will not cost you a good young player like Lucic, Krejci, Bergeron or Wheeler. While we're talking about the Hurricanes, why don't we bring back Aaron Ward. Peter Chiarelli made a major blunder by trading him away and bringing in Derek Morris. Ward would help solidify the defensive corp. Both these moves are low cost moves that would help the team now without mortgaging the team's future. I don't mind the Bruins trading their own first round draft pick, but they need to hold onto the Maple Leaf's pick that could potentially be a lottery pick. Hopefully their recent moves will not drastically improve that team.

Are you ready for some Baseball?

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Quick blog here everyone. With the NFL season wrapping up this Sunday, it's time to start focusing on the baseball season. Beginning next Friday, February 12th, you'll see the return of the Friday Fantasy article a la baseball style. It's been a very interesting off season with lots of player movements done and much more to come before Spring Training begins.

Is BC the team to beat in the Beanpot?

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's an interesting year for the Beanpot this year.

The two powerhouse teams in last year's edition of one of hockey's greatest traditions are mere shadows of their former selves at this point in the season, while a disappointment from last year is surging. And oh, yeah. Harvard's in it, too.

Around this time last year, Boston College was suffering from the good old championship hangover and was plummeting its way down the rankings on its way to its first sub-20 win season since the 2001-02 campaign while Boston University and Northeastern were sitting pretty at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. And Harvard? Well, Harvard was struggling. As expected, BU and Northeastern ended up in the championship game, which the Terriers dominated on their way to yet another Beanpot title.

This season, it's the Eagles that are flying high, while the Terriers and Hustkies have been sniffing in the dirt. And Harvard? Well, Harvard's struggling.

BC is currently the only ranked team in this tournament at 14th. For the record, despite playing incredibly better than the 08-09 Eagles did at any point last season, this year's team is three spots lower in the polls than the year before at this point in the season. They are 13-8-2 overall and their 22 points (10-6-2) are second in Hockey East. They were playing some of the conference's best hockey and sported a seven-game unbeaten streak heading into the holiday break.

BU has suffered the same illness this season that BC did the season before, toiling through a year that has seen them go from the top-ranked team in the nation to a team struggling to get above .500. Northeastern lost Brad Theissen to the NHL and they became an afterthought in the league almost immediately. Harvard has less wins this year than they did last year heading into the tournament.

But does this necessarily mean that the Eagles are destined to win the Beanpot? BC probably wishes the break never happened because since the hiatus, the Eagles have not been the same team, going 3-5-0. Two of those losses? You guessed it. At the hands of BU.

But before you can even look forward to whether or not the Eagles will face the Terriers in the championship game you have to remember Harvard. Granted, people are lauding Harvard for going 3-3-1 since the break and that's not exactly stellar by any means, but you also have to remember that this is most likely the biggest thing the Crimson are going to play for this year and they have a habit of getting up for these games. Two years ago they knocked off Northeastern in the first round and nearly beat both BU and BC last season.

The odds seem stacked in BC's favor. Both the Terriers and the Huntington Hounds relied heavily on their goaltending last year and had success. This year, neither team has that luxury. Theissen is long gone for Northeastern and Keiran Millan might as well be for the Terriers. Bottom line is while the Beanpot is always up for grabs, Boston College has the most complete team on the ice. The Eagles have one of the top scoring offenses in Hockey East, along with a top-notch defense and a steadily improving/healing goaltender between the pipes, which has produced the second-best totals in scoring defense in the league. But for whatever reason, whether it be style of play, a psychological block on the part of the Eagles or something else, the Terriers have had Boston College's number. If they can get out of the semifinals with a win, expect another great chapter in the story of the Battle of Comm. Ave.

Prediction:
Semifinals
Boston College 4, Harvard 1
Boston University 5, Northeastern 2
Finals
Boston College 4, Boston University 3 OT

Patriots better show Wilfork the $$$$

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Time for the Patriots to pay up.

I know it's not the "Patriot Way" but it's time to get out the checkbook and pay the top defensive lineman in the NFL.

Yes, Vince Wilfork is the real deal. He's the best at his position in my book, and he's done anything and everything to help the Patriots win since he was drafted in the first round six years ago.

His rookie contract is over -- how many years did he outplay that contract? Exactly!

Now, Wilfork wants to see a lot of green, and I can't blame him.

The Pats had a shot to lock him up during the season and that bonehead move by the front office to not give him an extension is going to cost the best franchise in the NFL a lot more money.

But the bottom line is Wilfork is an elite player, he's played all out for the Pats and now it's his chance to cash in.

Nobody should blame him for trying to find that pot of gold, either.

To top it all off, Wilfork is a key piece on a defense that is and has been in transition. The monster tackle is a keeper, regardless of how much it's going to cost the Pats.

The Pats have been known to no pay top dollar to retain players, but if they have any dreams of winning another Super Bowl any time soon, then Wilfork needs to be up front taking on multiple blockers on every play with a Pats uniform on.

The Pats need him. And they need him in a big way.

Please don't try to play hardball with Wilfork and pull a fast one by franchising him. He's earned a big payday and a long-term contact.

The Pats need to show him the love ($$$$$).