Still Great

     After 60 minutes of football on Sunday night, Peyton Manning’s latest bandwagon groupies have suddenly become his latest bandwagon critics. The same football fanatics who were ready to deem Manning the greatest quarterback of all time pending the results of Super Bowl XLVIII, are now labeling him a “regular-season” quarterback and nothing more. Who would have thought one game, albeit against one of the NFL’s toughest defenses in league history, could have diminished a man’s legacy to such an extent.

     Regardless of whether or not his team got a win or suffered a loss of glaring proportions in this past Sunday’s highly anticipated Super Bowl, Peyton would have still deserved recognition among the game’s greatest quarterbacks to ever play. If Brett Favre (who only won one Super Bowl) and Dan Marino (who has no championships) reign consistent in the conversation of all-time greats with little mention of regular season vs playoffs, then so too should Peyton, who is the most skilled quarterback to ever throw the pigskin, whether he throws ducks or not .
  
     Before anyone writes off the classy southerner, first consider his gaudy resume.  The man is not only a 5-time NFL MVP, 13-time Pro Bowl selection, member of the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team, and former Comeback Player of the Year following neck surgery, but Peyton is also a Pro Bowl MVP, Super Bowl MVP, Super Bowl CHAMPION, and a 3-time AFC Champion among other things.

     Manning is still a top three quarterback of all time, if not the top dog. He often draws comparisons to another one of the game’s elite, Tom Brady. Manning’s regular season numbers look great, but Brady has the rings. That’s the argument, right?
 
     It reminds me of the Kobe vs. Lebron chatter…Kobe is better because he has 5 rings, right? Well, no. I have ceded that argument. Lebron, right now, is the best (But I would still take Kobe’s prime over Lebron’s prime). But Peyton is doing what Kobe hasn’t been able to do. He’s playing his best football, post-surgery, as retirement, once an afterthought, creeps closer to what the injured Mamba won’t admit appears to be a likely reality. And because of that, he’s the best both in his prime and currently (because they might be one in the same).

     Tom Brady has had the privilege of playing under head coach Bill Belichick and alongside a number of very stout Patriot defenses throughout his 14-year tenure in New England. The majority of those defenses proved much tougher to score on than any of the defenses Manning had in Indianapolis or Denver. I often wonder what Manning could have done with Belichick, who is hands down the best active coach in the NFL, leading him. Maybe Manning, like Brady, would have three rings. Or perhaps he’d have four or five by now. “What-ifs,” however, are only fun hypothetically speaking, but they are certainly something to consider.

     Bear with me as I briefly continue pondering the “what-ifs”. What if Tom Brady (who hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 2005, or Joe Montana (who is viewed by many as the GOAT) were under center for the Broncos this past weekend? Could they have done much better against the Legion-of-Boom led defense? I think not.

     Perhaps the quarterback with the best chance to do anything against this Seahawks team would have been a younger Michael Vick, because he’d have the best chance of running away from Cliff Avril and that relentless defensive line that got so much pressure on Manning.

     I understand that Manning threw two interceptions, but can you really fault him for forcing the ball down field when all that was open all night long were short dump downs that were failing to lead to points? Manning’s average completion went for only 5.7 yards. The receivers down field were being shut down. The deep ball wasn’t even an option. And the running game, which tallied a grand total of 27 yards, sure wasn’t any help to Peyton either.

     So what could any of the all-time greats have done that Peyton couldn’t? Montana, Brady, Favre, Marino, Unitas, Staubach, Starr, Elway, Bradshaw, and Young would have been in just as much trouble as Manning, who still managed to set a Super Bowl record by completing 34 passes when all such dump-downs were added up.

     Peyton had a bad game. But no quarterback could have stretched that Seattle D with all of the physicality, focus, and energy they were playing with on Sunday. This game has NOT ruined Manning’s legacy. It sure didn’t add to it, but it doesn’t deplete Manning’s greatness by any means. Football is a team game. Manning, who had little help from his defense, special teams, O-line, or his offensive targets, did not getblown out; the Broncos did.

     He might be the greatest QB of all time. He’s certainly in the conversation despite his team’s recent loss. He’s pinpointed by many as a regular season performer, but in reality, he is a CHAMPION.

     He’s also set a number of playoff records. He has more 300+ passing yard games in the postseason than any other quarterback in the history of the NFL. He has the most playoff games with at least 20 completions and the most with 30 plus completions. He’s one of only two quarterbacks to complete at least 80% of his passes in a postseason contest, and only one of four to post a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating in a playoff game. Manning also led the biggest comeback in conference championship game history, and that was against Brady’s Patriots (2007).

     What do all these records mean? They mean he can play. He can play in the regular season (as evident by his record setting 55 touchdowns this season) and he can play in the postseason. Don’t forget he got his team to the Super Bowl, and handily beat Brady, another superstar, in the process. He may only have one ring at this present time, but he’s not done. Don’t slight his legacy because of the results of one game. Instead, give the man the respect he darn well deserves. Peyton Manning is, and forever will be, one of the game’s all-time greats, and that’s undeniable.

The Greatest Spartans Of All Time

I’ve recently been asked who the greatest Spartan athletes of all time were. No, I did not come up with a top ten, nor a top five. To be honest, I felt it too difficult to rank and thus compare the careers of the likes of Charles “Bubba” Smith, Scott Skiles, Andre Rison, Steve Smith, Lorenzo White, Percy Snow, and even Kip Miller among others. Instead, I narrowed it down to two. While you may have beef with my runner-up, I don’t think anyone’s arguing with my leader of the pack.

Though he would have been unfit to take over Gerard Butler’s role as King Leonidas in the movie 300, Earvin Johnson is indeed the unquestionable leader of all Spartan greats. Living up to his nickname, “Magic” did things with a basketball never seen before by Spartan and basketball fans alike. Jenison Fieldhouse (MSU’s basketball facility prior to the Breslin Center’s existence) became not only a place to watch basketball games, but also a place to watch Magic.

Johnson’s 1979 team defeated Larry Bird and Indiana State to win the program’s first ever NCAA national championship in basketball. It was that year that he solidified himself as an iconic figure in the land of green and white, and it was then that he put the school’s basketball program on the map.

As evident by his success in the NBA following a career at MSU, winning one title wasn’t enough for the 6’9 point guard. He had to go and win five more, and unanimously categorized himself as an all-time great in the process. And as if his 1979 Big Ten MVP and NCAA tournament MVP were not enough, he proceeded to mess around in the League and earn himself three regular season MVP’s and three NBA Finals MVP’s to go along with five rings, twelve all-star appearances, 9 all-NBA first team selections, four NBA assists titles, and two NBA steals titles among many other things (such as gold medals, a retired jersey number, two statues in his honor, and consideration for being the greatest point guard to ever pick up a ball). It isn’t just Magic’s resume, moreover, that makes him the greatest Spartan athlete to ever live. His personality is what puts him over the top.

Magic has a personality that has allowed him to transcend time and keep himself a consistent poster child of the NBA despite retiring 17 years ago. Whether you know him for advocating for AIDS, intensifying the most fervent chapter to the NBA’s fiercest rivalry (Celtics vs. Lakers), his wide-sized smile, or his dazzling ball handling skills and sky hook (which he stole from Kareem after the big man tried it in a game of H-O-R-S-E against Johnson), you certainly know who he is. He’s an iconic figure, who will forever be remembered by the basketball gods, Lakerland, and most importantly, Spartan Nation. He is without a doubt, the greatest Spartan athlete of all-time.

Who trails Magic, you ask? Well, to answer that, we have to leap sports and consider the pigskin. For me, I simply need to meander across my family tree to find the answer.

Brad Van Pelt is your man.

He was not only one of the greatest Michigan State athletes to ever compete, but he was also the busiest. Brad earned seven varsity letters while playing football, basketball, and baseball at MSU. He did not just participate in each sport, but flourished in all three. He did not coast, but he worked his tail off and wound up an All-American or honorable mention All-American in all three of America’s favorite sports.

Brad Van Pelt was described by many as all business come game time, and did not have the boisterous personality to transcend the game like Magic has done with basketball. The unfortunate part about the career of my father’s cousin is that it’s often forgotten or ignored by the younger generation. If he would have played in the ESPN era, however, then his name would surely be remembered by sports fans of all generations. While a number of people my age have never heard of Brad, a number of people twice my age won’t stop asking me about him. This is because the Owosso, Michigan native played at State from 1969-72, which is certainly before my time. I did, however, get to meet the man and have also been fortunate enough to hear plenty of Brad-based stories from my Dad, who seems to admire the former man of steel.

Brad was great on and off the field. While he was a light-hearted, easy-going person when the pads were off, he was as tough as nails under the lights. He excelled in three sports (which played an intricate role in me putting him #2 to Magic), but ultimately made the football field his domain, as well as the platform for which he would make a career out of.

After being the first defensive back to ever win the Maxwell Award (which goes to College Football’s best player nationwide), he was selected in the first round of the 1973 NFL draft and went on to enjoy a 14-year NFL career in which he was voted to five Pro Bowls. He was a man-among-boys, standing about 6’5 and 230 pounds (which was more significant in the 70s and 80s than it is today). BVP was also the hardest-hitting safety in college football when he wore the Spartan helmet, and an even harder hitting linebacker when he played for the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants in the NFL.

Brad spent most of his professional years with the G-Men in New York, an organization that didn’t take his talents for granted. In 2011, just six years after he was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, The Giants honored their former linebacker at halftime of a game against the Packers by inducting him into the New York Giants Ring of Honor.

He’s my second greatest Spartan, moreover, not for what he did in the NFL but for what he did while still a Spartan. And he certainly did a lot. Brad Van Pelt is currently in the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Sports Hall of Fame at Michigan State. It’s safe to say such honors are well deserved. Though Brad is no longer with us today, his legacy lives on with the Michigan State University football program, who’s current dominating defense surely would have made him proud.  I am honored to say I am related to the greatest Spartan football player who ever lived.

Updated NFL Power Rankings

The second quarter of the 2013-2014 NFL season is already underway, and now that us football fans have had a handful of games to judge the talent and chemistry of this year's crop of new-look (and familiar) teams, it's time to rank 'em. Here are my updated NFL power rankings:

1. Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning is well on his way to the record books. His offense is clicking on all cylinders, and shows no signs of slowing down. It's only a matter of time before Denver separates itself from the overachieving Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.

2. New Orleans Saints: We already know about the offense, which is currently putting up more than 400 yards per game. It's the on the other side of the ball, surprisingly, where the team is also making noise. Rob Ryan has done a great job changing the culture of the New Orleans' defense.

3. Seattle Seahawks: Seattle sent a message in week 2 with their 29-3 victory over San Francisco. They followed that up with another blowout against the lowly Jaguars and a hard-fought victory over a solid team from Houston. Now that the Colts have finally handed Seattle their first loss following all such victories, we'll see what kind of resiliency they have.

4. Green Bay Packers: I know they are only 2-2, but don't sleep on the Pack. Though Aaron Rodgers has passed the torch for league's best player back to Peyton Manning, he's still not a guy you want to bet against. Green Bay's offense is 4th in passing yards, and 5th in rushing yards. That's not too shabby.

5. Indianapolis Colts: In his 21 games played thus far in his young NFL career, quarterback Andrew Luck has led his team to 9 come-from-behind victories. He is the real deal, and with wins over Seattle and San Fransisco, he's proven he can beat the best.

6. San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers have gotten back to controlling the line of scrimmage, but they better figure out their passing game. Kaepernick completed only 6 passes in the team's victory over Houston on Sunday.

7. Kansas City Chiefs: Who would have thought KC would be 5-0 at this point? Their unblemished record thus far shows how much of a difference a head coach can make in this league. Well done, Andy Reid.

8. Detroit Lions: Detroit is currently first in the NFC North, and should be favored against the Browns next Sunday. Detroit has some badd men on defense and Reggie Bush and Calvin Johnson are two of the deadliest offensive weapons this league has to offer.

9. New England Patriots: All four of New England's wins have come against bad teams. The offense, which scored only 6 points against Cincinnati, is scarce on playmakers. They do, however, still have Brady and Belichick.

10. Chicago Bears: After starting 3-0, Chicago has been humbled by two high-powered offenses (Detroit and New Orleans). Luckily for them, they get the winless Giants next weekend.

11. Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengal defense held Tom Brady to 6 points on Sunday. The concerns lie with the offense. Is Andy Dalton really their quarterback of the future? His offense has scored only 19 total points in the last two games.

12. Baltimore Ravens: The defending SuperBowl champs are only 27th in the league in rushing yards. They've got to find a way to get Ray Rice going. They'll certainly need him next Sunday against Green Bay.

13. Dallas Cowboys: Dallas was the first team to go toe-to-toe with Manning's Broncos. Romo played the best game of his life, and is still being scrutinized because of his one pick. The timing of the pick was horrific, and although Romo lacks the "clutch gene", he should not be blamed...The defense did NOT force a single punt the entire sixty minutes of game play!

14. Miami Dolphins: Despite losing their last two, the Dolphins have shown the ability to beat good teams. Getting the bye next week will do them good, since injuries seem to be a factor in Miami.


15. Houston Texans: I was too high on Houston coming into the season. They are still a good football team, but if Matt Schaub doesn't change something quickly then a quarterback change is inevitable. Throwing four pick-sixes in four straight games is unheard of.

16. Arizona Cardinals: If you'd have asked me if I thought Arizona would have a winning record through the first five games, I'd have said no. The Cardinals have overachieved thus far, but I'm still not buying Carson Palmer as their quarterback.

17. Cleveland Browns: Cleveland is undefeated since trading Trent Richardson. Willis McGahee owns the backfield now. The former Miami Hurricane needs to up his average of 2.6 yards per carry if Cleveland expects to continue winning games.

18. Tennessee Titans: Tennessee has a solid defense, a winning record, and a formidable rushing attack. Their passing game, however, needs some serious help. They'll be back under .500 soon enough after their upcoming games against the Seahawks and 49ers.

19. The Vikings are currently at the bottom of one of the league's toughest divisions, but finally tasted success in week 4 and should be favored in their next two. It's only a matter of time before recently signed Josh Freeman takes the reigns.

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Even with a sub-.500 record, the Eagles are tied with Dallas for first place atop the surprisingly weak NFC East. Coach Kelly's up-tempo offense leads the NFL in rushing yards and trails only Denver in total yards. All concerns with this team lie on the defensive side of the ball.

21. New York Jets: Rex Ryan's troops are second in the league in yards allowed. Their defense is the real deal. On offense, the team ranks 13th in the NFL in yards per game. That's much better than expected. Well done Geno.

22. Atlanta Falcons: Though only 1-4, I still believe Atlanta is a decent team. This is perhaps the most talented 1-4 team the NFL has seen, and their schedule is about to become much more favorable. Matt Ryan's offense is still third in the league in passing yards. The running game needs to keep up.

23. Oakland Raiders: Terrelle Pryor looks like he did while playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He has a free pass to scramble, and consequently, Oakland is in the top ten in rushing yards per game. The Raiders are a below average football team, but with that being said, they are better than previously expected.

24. Philip Rivers and company are 5th in the NFL in yards. While the running game has much room for improvement, the offense is not the problem. The Charger defense is 27th in the league in yards allowed. This needs to change if the team is to find consistent success.

25. Carolina Panthers: Carolina's defense is 3rd in both points and yards allowed. They also have an effective rushing attack on the offensive side of the ball. Cam Newton's inability to get the team's passing attack going, however, remains their biggest problem.

26. Washington Redskins: Hopefully Pierre Garcon is done talking about his quarterback's weaknesses via the media. He should take a page out of the Spring Arbor University men's basketball team's book and give up social media (see my last article). The chemistry in the nation's capitol has been better.

27. Buffalo Bills: C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson are a tough, explosive 1-2 punch out of the backfield. But the reality is Buffalo has both quarterback questions and a nonexistent passing game. Rumor has it a quarterback off the practice squad will be starting next Sunday against a ferocious Cincinnati Bengals defense. Good luck, kid.

28. St. Louis Rams: Prior to playing the bottom-feeders of the league from Jacksonville last week, the Rams were averaging only 17 points and 47 rush yards per contest. Such numbers are pitiful. Nevertheless, with upcoming games against the struggling Texans and Panthers, opportunities for Ram victories will be present.

29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Due to severe offensive lines problems, Pittsburgh cannot run the ball effectively, nor can they stop the run effectively. It is in the trenches where Pittsburgh has always been great, and it is in the trenches where Pittsburgh now struggles.

30. Tamp Bay Buccaneers: Perhaps a change in scenery at the quarterback position could be good for the Bucs. Quite frankly, the available options to replace Josh Freeman don't look too sexy on paper, but it couldn't get much worse in Tampa.

31. New York Giants: In the early going, many of the offensive struggles could be pin-pointed on a weak o-line. But in the last game against Philly, Eli Manning should take much of the blame for a number of the offensive woes. And unfortunately for the G-men, the problems on the defensive side of the ball are equivalent to those of the offense. This team is in trouble!

32. Jacksonville Jaguars: A winless season for the Jags is not out of the question. I am starting the over/under for how much they will lose by in Denver next Sunday at 60 points.