Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 172 of 1503)

      Tom Brady a unanimous choice for 2010 MVP

      February 6, 2011 /
      New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) calls a play in the huddle in the first quarter against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts on December 6, 2010. The Patriots defeated the Jets 45-3. UPI/Matthew Healey

      If the NFL factored in the postseason when it came to handing out the MVP award, then maybe Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers would have won this year’s prestigious honor. But the NFL doesn’t factor in the postseason, which is one of the reasons why Tom Brady was named the league’s Most Valuable Player on Sunday.

      The other reason, of course, was because Brady was freaking dominant this year. He posted an eye-popping 36:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and finished with nine multi-touchdown, zero-interception games. Because of his unbelievable numbers, he became the first player in league history to receive all 50 first place votes for the MVP.

      Of course, Brady would probably trade the trophy in for one more shot at the Jets and a clean bill of health. Had he not suffered a stress fracture in his foot, many people believe that the Patriots would have gone on to win their fourth Super Bowl in the past 10 years. Instead, New York shocked their division rivals on their home field and sent the Pats home early this year.

      But just because he was injured doesn’t mean he escapes criticism for the way he played in the Divisional Round. The interception he threw in the first quarter was brutal and although it didn’t lead to any points by the Jets because they don’t have a field goal kicker, it stopped the Patriots from scoring and gave New York momentum. Considering he threw only four interceptions during the regular season, that pick was certainly out of character for Brady and he’ll have to relive that moment for the next couple of months.

      Still, the MVP trophy is a nice consolation prize. Brady is the consummate professional and he’s about championships – not individual trophies. But this no doubt means something to him and it celebrates one of the best regular seasons (at least statistically) that we’ll see by a quarterback.

      External Sports, NFL

      Cameron Heyward chats with The Scores Report

      February 6, 2011 /

      Standout Ohio State defensive end and highly touted NFL draft prospect Cameron Heyward spent time earlier this week working with scientists from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) at a sports science lab constructed in the Super Bowl XLV Media Center in Dallas. Gatorade is kicking off an offseason program to help elevate the performance of top incoming NFL rookies like Heyward through sports nutrition science.

      The Scores Report was fortunate enough to catch up with Heyward to discuss a variety of topics, including what he learned from Gatorade about his nutritional needs at GSSI and whether or not he’ll perform at this year’s scouting combine after having recent shoulder surgery. We also asked him about his thoughts on the Ohio State players that were suspended five games next season, what pro athlete he models his game after and his thoughts about playing in either a 3-4 or 4-3 at the next level. Of course, we couldn’t let him go without getting his prediction on this year’s Super Bowl.

      Cameron Heyward: Hello?

      The Scores Report: Hey Cam, how are you?

      CH: Pretty good – you?

      TSR: Good, good! You enjoying yourself down in Dallas?

      CH: Oh yeah, definitely.

      TSR: Give me the scoop on what you’re doing with Gatorade and how things are going at the GSSI.

      CH: Gatorade has a great program going right now. I’m in the GSSI lab and they put me through a series of tests. I went through an injury recently and while I’m still working through it, this is definitely helping me through it, too. We’re working on things that measure my speed with power, as well as my reaction time to see how I deal with power over a long period of time. They measured my body fat too – all these different things to help you find another edge to help prepare your body, as well as to educate yourself on what you need to do to be in tiptop shape.

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      College Football, External Sports, Interviews, NFL, NFL Draft, Super Bowl

      Deion Sanders headlines 2011 Hall of Fame Class

      February 6, 2011 /
      Former NFL player Deion Sanders (R) hugs Shannon Sharpe after they were named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Dallas, Texas February 5, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL IMAGES OF THE DAY)

      Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Shannon Sharpe, Richard Dent, Chris Hanburger, Les Richter and NFL Films founder Ed Sabol were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for 2011.

      The go-to comment whenever Sanders’ name is brought up is that he didn’t want to tackle. That’s true, but the man could cover. In fact, I still don’t think anyone could shut down an entire half of the field like he could. And back then, it wasn’t like today where guys stay away from top cornerbacks and threw to different options. Deion would lock onto Jerry Rice and it wasn’t like Joe Montana would stop throwing to his top receiver. (Unlike when Peyton Manning only threw one pass to Reggie Wayne in the playoffs this year because Darrelle Revis was covering him.)

      Many people didn’t like his bravado and arrogance, but nobody can deny that “Neon” was electrifying. He was the present-day Devin Hester in that teams didn’t want to punt to him in fear of looking stupid. He was a playmaker in every sense of the word and one of the last true man-to-man corners to play the game. Outside of maybe Darrell Green (who didn’t mind tackling), nobody was better than Deion and he deserves his place in the Hall.

      Sabol was well-deserving as well (the entire 2011 class was). The work he’s done with NFL Films is second to none. He developed a way for fans to have front row seats to the action on the sidelines between players and coaches. We also got to see hits and hear sounds that a regular TV broadcast couldn’t show. Every time I watch the playoffs I’m reminded of when Bill Parcells told some of his Giants players that were sitting on the bench during a game, “That’s why you lift all of those weights. That’s why you do all of that sh*t.” We’ve all scene that clip and it’s because of Sabol’s work that fans are given the chance to get that close to the action.

      Congrats to the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

      External Sports, NFL

      Desmond Howard: Phil Simms wanted to take a swing at me

      February 5, 2011 /

      Phil Simms admitted on Saturday that he had a heated exchange with ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard at the NFL Experience exhibit in Dallas. Apparently the altercation stemmed from a comment Howard made prior to the Tennessee-LSU game on October 2 when he said, “You will see three of the worst quarterbacks in the SEC in that game.”

      Why the comment struck a nerve with Simms is because his son Matt was one of those three quarterbacks. He just finished his junior year at Tennessee and apparently ol’ dad didn’t appreciate what Howard had to say.

      USA Today has the rest of the details:

      On Saturday, Phil Simms confronted Howard about the comments.

      “Desmond and I were having a private conversation that became heated,” Simms said in a statement released by CBS. “But at no time was there ever a chance of any physical confrontation, or that I felt the police officer assigned to me by the event planners for my appearance needed to separate the two of us.”

      Howard, who was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXI with the Green Bay Packers, said on his Twitter account that Simms threatened to throw a punch.

      At NFL-Xperience and Phil Simms just threatened 2 hit me b/c I said his son was 1 of the worse QBs in the SEC. I told him “LET’S GO!”

      I am DEAD serious about the Phil Simms thing. We all thought he was joking, but he kept going and said he wanted 2 take a swing at me!!

      It ended w/police stepping in between so I could continue my appearance w/fans.

      Later Saturday, Howard issued a statement of his own through ESPN.

      “I was at a public signing for a sponsor when Phil approached me to express anger over on-air analysis I made months ago about his son, Tennessee QB Matt Simms. During the conversation, Phil made a reference to hitting me and security and sponsor representatives soon stepped in. It was an unfortunate incident and I’m moving on.”

      I’ve had the opportunity to interview Phil Simms twice here at The Scores Report and he was a pleasure to speak with both times. He’s honest, funny, positive and he knows the game of football.

      He also knows that it’s other media members’ jobs to share their opinion when they’re in front of the camera or behind the computer. Others may have found a more delicate way to say what Howard did, but in the end he was just sharing his opinion. That’s what he’s paid to do and Simms can’t take it personal. He knows better than anyone that the media doesn’t always have kind words to share about players and quite frankly, that they’re not always right either. (In fact, we’re/they’re wrong way more times than we’re right.)

      Simms is fortunate to have a couple of sons that were/are good enough to play at the college and/or pro level and everybody (including Phil himself) needs to roll with the punches (no pun intended). And hey listen, I get it – he’s a parent first. It can’t be easy to listen to someone criticize your child. But in the end, criticism is just part of the business – a business that Simms knows very well.

      External Sports, NFL

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