Tag: 2011 Super Bowl (Page 3 of 4)

      Nick Barnett takes swipes at Rodgers via Twitter

      January 30, 2011 /
      Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) drops back to pass as Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers (90) pressures him during the fourth quarter of their NFC Championship playoff game at Soldier Field in Chicago on January 23, 2011. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-14 to advance to the Super Bowl. UPI /Mark Cowan

      Injured Packers’ linebacker Nick Barnett hasn’t played since Week 4 because of a wrist injury, but he’s keeping himself relevant this week by speaking out about everything from Jay Cutler to hurt feelings over a team photo.

      Now, he’s deleting his Twitter account after taking a few swipes at quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

      From NFL.com:

      The most recent hurt feelings came after Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked during a five-minute media availability Saturday if he feels for his teammates on injured reserve because they can’t take part in the run-up to the game next Sunday.

      Rodgers didn’t directly address the way his injured teammates chose to express their disappointment about potentially being left out of the Super Bowl team photo. But, without naming anyone, he said Saturday that some of the team’s 16 injured players chose not to stay in town and rehabilitate.

      “I’ll say this, I was on IR back in 2006 and I chose to stick around and finish out the season with my guys and be here every game. Some of those guys didn’t,” Rodgers said. “Some of the guys who were injured, they still are part of this team, but they didn’t choose to stick around.”

      Barnett, who hasn’t played since Week 4 because of a wrist injury, fired back at Rodgers on Twitter.

      “Looks like people have something to say about where some people choose to do there rehab,” Barnett wrote. “Try rehabbing with 16 others then 53 more. Doubt you get the full attention needed.. It’s easy to speak about others when you are not in their position.. Talk about ‘union’ ha.”

      Barnett, who later erased those tweets, added: “Goodbye twitter… It was fun while it lasted.. But we need to focus on important things.

      Barnett also tweeted how he was never trying to be a distraction and how he loves the city of Green Bay. He just wanted to be included as a teammate, which is certainly understandable. It must be hard to watch your team get prepared for the Super Bowl knowing that you won’t be playing thanks to an injury.

      That said, he says he wasn’t trying to be a distraction but that’s exactly what he was. How childish is it to be taking swipes at your quarterback via Twitter – during the week of the Super Bowl, no less. If Barnett had a problem with what Rodgers said, he should have taken it up with the quarterback in private. Or better yet, he shouldn’t have taken anything personal and allowed his teammates to prepare for the biggest game of their lives.

      Deleting his Twitter account was probably a smart idea.

      External Sports, NFL, Super Bowl

      Aaron Rodgers’ secret weapon vs. Steelers? Kurt Warner.

      January 27, 2011 /
      Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson (L) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrate after the NFC Championship game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago on January 23, 2011. The Packers won 21-14. UPI/Brian Kersey

      Kurt Warner completed 72 percent of his passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns against Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLIII two years ago. So if there were anyone that could help Aaron Rodgers try and master the Steelers’ defense, it would be him.

      According to Rodgers, he’s already had at least one conversation with Warner and he hopes there are many more in the following week.

      From Packers.com:

      “I reached out to a couple of them. Kurt Warner’s been a great friend, really since I was drafted. And so I reached out to him about any advice he can give me this week, and the next week, it’s readily appreciated. I’m sure there will be more conversations with him. I talked to a number of buddies who played in the Super Bowl before, and I think it’s important to learn from their experiences and try and find ways to stay focused in the midst, I’m sure it’s going to be controlled chaos down there.”

      If you’re a Packers fan, this is what you want to see out of your starting quarterback. He wants to win and in preparing for the game, he’s going to reach out to players who have been there before. Rodgers doesn’t have any Super Bowl experience and instead of winging it, he appears humble enough to ask for advice on how to handle the situation. Of the many attributes that he possesses, his willingness to learn will make him great for a long time.

      On a related note, I’m highly intrigued to see what defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has in store for Rodgers next week. The Steelers’ secondary can be had, but they’re not going to allow the Packers’ receivers to have a free release off the ball like Atlanta and Chicago (at least in the first quarter) did. I expect Pittsburgh’s corners to try and jam Greg Jennings and Donald Driver at the line in effort to disrupt Rodgers’ rhythm. The Falcons’ defensive game plan was an absolute monstrosity and while the Bears learned from their early mistakes and corrected them, it’ll be interesting to see what LeBeau does from the start.

      Speaking of LeBeau, he announced on Wednesday night that he only wants to coach the Steelers. His contract is set to expire and there’s speculation about his retirement but if he does come back, he promised that if he’s coaching, “it will be the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

      External Sports, NFL, Super Bowl

      Pouncey on crutches, in a hard cast – is he doubtful for the Super Bowl?

      January 26, 2011 /

      The injury news on Steelers’ Maurkice Pouncey has gone from bad to worse.

      Three days after suffering a high ankle sprain in a win over the Jets, Steelers’ insider Jim Wexell tweeted that Pouncey was on crutches and sporting a hard cast on Wednesday morning. Following Sunday night’s AFC title game, the rookie was optimistic that he would play in the Super Bowl, but his hopes just got bleaker.

      If Pouncey can’t go, Doug Legursky will once again take his place. The backup played extremely well against the Jets, but he’ll have his hands full against mammoth Green Bay defensive tackle B.J. Raji, who is having an outstanding postseason. The nose tackle has recorded five tackles and one sack, and also returned an interception for a touchdown against the Bears last Sunday.

      Pouncey’s injury situation reminds me of Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney’s ankle problem last year. Freeney didn’t practice in the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLIV in hopes that he could rest the injury and start against the Saints. And while he played very well in the first half (his second quarter sack of Drew Brees halted one of the Saints’ drives and held them to a field goal), he admitted that the long layoff at halftime hampered his ability to play in the second half. His ankle stiffened up and despite his best efforts to loosen it on the sidelines, he just wasn’t the same player as he was in the first half.

      Which brings us back to Pouncey. Even if the rookie center is able to start, how long can he play on a bum wheel? The question is not whether he can play, but whether or not he can be effective. It sounds like this injury is going to cost Pouncey an opportunity to help his teammates in two weeks, which is unfortunate because the former first rounder is having an exceptional rookie campaign.

      External Sports, NFL

      The MAC will be well represented at this year’s Super Bowl

      January 25, 2011 /
      Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is all smiles after the Steelers defeated the New York Jets 24-19, winning the AFC Championship, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on January 23, 2011. The Steelers will face the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. UPI/Kevin Dietsch

      Quick, name the conference that will have the second most representatives at this year’s Super Bowl.

      The MAC? Damn. You read the title didn’t you? You little title reader, you…

      That’s right, the MAC, with its 15 players, is second only to the SEC (18) in terms of representatives at Super Bowl XLV. According to Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun writer and fellow TSR contributor Drew Ellis, the Packers have nine former MAC players on their roster, including Central Michigan’s Cullen Jenkins, Frank Zombo and Josh Gordy, Western Michigan’s Greg Jennings, Buffalo running back James Starks, Miami of Ohio’s Tom Crabtree, offensive lineman T.J. Lang of Eastern Michigan, safety Atari Bigby of Central Florida and linebacker Diyral Briggs of Bowling Green.

      Of course, the most recognizable name to come out of the MAC is Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who played at Miami. Pittsburgh also rosters former MAC players Antonio Brown (CMU), linebacker James Harrison (Kent State), quarterbacks Charlie Batch (Eastern Michigan) and Byron Leftwich (Marshall), as well kicker Shaun Suisham (BGSU).

      According to a former MAC player, it is the constant disrespect the conference gets on a national stage that could lead to the players succeeding in the NFL.

      “It really speaks volumes about the conference,” former CMU quarterback and teammate of Zombo, Brown, and Gordy, Brian Brunner, said. “This conference used to be know for being a quarterback-conference, but it has really become much more. National pundits may dog the MAC but when you see numbers like these you realize that a lot of MAC players that get a chance to play in the NFL, they come into the league with a chip on their shoulder and they are going work hard and push themselves and prove they belong.”

      Obviously the number of players that represent a conference in the Super Bowl doesn’t reflect its status in college football. I hardly doubt we’ll hear anyone campaign for Northern Illinois to play in next year’s BCS title game if the Huskies go 11-0 and the MAC won’t suddenly be viewed as an elite conference.

      But it’s nevertheless interesting to see that the little ol’ MAC – not the Big 12, Big Ten or ACC – has only three fewer players at this year’s title game than the SEC. It just goes to show you that talent is talent.

      College Football, External Sports, Super Bowl

      Could the Steelers be without Pouncey for the Super Bowl?

      January 24, 2011 /

      He still has two weeks to receive treatment but Steelers’ center Maurkice Pouncey may not play in the Super Bowl after suffering a high-ankle sprain against the Jets on Sunday.

      Pouncey is having a tremendous rookie season and has been the rock in the middle of Pittsburgh’s offensive line. Doug Legursky came in and played very well in the AFC title game, but Pouncey is one of the main reasons the Steelers’ offense has been clicking over the past month or so.

      If Pouncey can’t play, his injury could potentially open things up for Packers’ nose tackle B.J. Raji to have a big game. He’s been a dominant force in the postseason thus far and although his main responsibility is to absorb extra blockers in run defense, he’s shown a great burst as a pass-rusher as well. He also dropped back into coverage on Sunday and took a Caleb Hanie pass back to the house for a pick-six in the fourth quarter against Chicago.

      The Steelers need Pouncey in uniform in two weeks and while he says he’s “definitely” playing in the title game, we’ll have to wait and see how his ankle responds to treatment.

      External Sports, NFL, Super Bowl

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