Tuesday 22 January 2013
PRESIDENT OBAMA AT COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S INAUGURAL BALL
Posted on 04:00 by Unknown
Monday 21 January 2013
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S 2ND INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Posted on 10:00 by Unknown
Text of the speech provided below via the American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.
For more than two hundred years, we have.
Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.
Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life's worst hazards and misfortune.
Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society's ills can be cured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.
But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today's world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we'll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.
This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America's possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.
We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.
We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That's what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.
We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naive about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.
We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.
It is now our generation's task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.
That is our generation's task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.
For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today's victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.
My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.
They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope.
You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country's course.
You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.
Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.
Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY 2013
Posted on 08:30 by Unknown
Sunday 20 January 2013
SCHIEFFER/CASTRO BROTHERS
Posted on 11:45 by Unknown
2012 NFL SEASON: CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Posted on 10:00 by Unknown
It is finally here.
Conference Championship Sunday
For two teams, it is the final home game of the season.
At this point, two teams will move on and play each other in Super Bowl XLVII. The other two teams... they'll have to wait until next season for their chance at a championship.
Speaking of championships, my picks last week were nail biters. I went 2-2... could've gone 4-0 if it wasn't for two games. First, Denver's secondary late in regulation and Peyton Manning tossing a interception in overtime to allow the Ravens to set up a game-winning field goal in double overtime. Then on Sunday, the Seahawks came back from 20-0 at halftime to lead 28-27 with 30 seconds to play. If they just held on...
Meanwhile, Monica is probably kicking herself for taking the Packers over the 49ers and thinking the Texans could upset the Patriots thus ending the divisional round with a 1-3 record. It was a better game this time around, but the Texans couldn't stop New England's offense. Houston does have a bright outlook for 2013. I don't think they will lose anyone important in the free agency period during the off-season and they should get linebacker Brian Cushing back after he tore his ACL back in October. Houston has the 27th pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Their non-divisional opponents for 2013 are: AFC West, NFC West, New England, and Baltimore. Houston will play at Kansas City, San Diego, Baltimore, Arizona, and San Francisco while they will host Denver, Oakland, New England, St. Louis, and Seattle. Three of their four 2013 opponents are playing this weekend. The Texans will face six 2012 playoff teams in 2013. Houston will have a difficult task ahead of them if they are to win their third consecutive AFC South crown.
So... who is going to Super Bowl?
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
AT ATLANTA FALCONS
2PM (CT) Fox
The 49ers came out firing on all cylinders against the Packers with a 45-31 victory to advance to the franchise's 14th NFC Title Game. San Francisco is 5-8 lifetime in NFC Title Games (most common matchup: 6 times against Dallas, where they have a 2-4 record against them).
This is the second time that San Francisco and Atlanta played each other in the playoffs. Their first meeting was in Atlanta in the 1998 Divisional Round. Atlanta was in the NFC West (try to explain that...) and was the #2 seed that season. San Francisco had defeated Green Bay a week earlier. Atlanta won 20-18 and then upset the favored Vikings in the NFC Title Game en route to their only Super Bowl appearance where they lost to the Denver Broncos in quarterback John Elway's final NFL game. The other time that Atlanta played in the NFC Title Game was in the 2004 season when Michael Vick (now an Eagle) was the quarterback and they lost to the Eagles.
For the Falcons, last week they played pretty well for the first half. The second half... they let the Seahawks back into that game. Remember, Seattle was down 14-0 at the end of the first quarter in Washington. They were down 20-0 at the half, only to take their first lead with less than 30 seconds left in the game.
Quarterback Matt Ryan showed poised in getting a 22-yard pass to receiver Harry Douglas and then a 19-yard pass to tight end Tony Gonzales to set up Matt Bryant for the game winning score.
Seattle was unable to complete a Hail Mary pass and the Falcons advanced.
Now Atlanta faces a rather familiar foe in the NFC Title Game. Like I said earlier, they were in the NFC West many moons ago.
The interesting thing about this game is that one person could hold the key for the Falcons success. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan built a lot of the roster that 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is now in charge of.
This is the last season that quarterback Matt Ryan is playing under his rookie contract. I think he has earned a long-term stay in Atlanta. Since 2008, Ryan has put together a 56-22 record and earned his first playoff win. However, that was overshadowed by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's first playoff win as he threw for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns.
This is Jim Harbaugh's third attempt to advance to the Super Bowl. This is his second as a head coach. His first came in the 1995 AFC Title Game as quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts as his team fell short to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium.
Here is the beauty of the internet... you can watch the Colts final possession of that game to see the dramatic ending.
Last season the 49ers came up short in their quest to make their first Super Bowl appearance since I was in elementary school. Kaepernick won't do some of the stuff he did to the Packers, but the Falcons will have their hands full in trying to contain him and their other play makers.
The Falcons have a habit of playing and winning close games, but this is the 49ers they are playing against. Harbaugh will have them ready to play.
49ERS 31, FALCONS 27
BALTIMORE RAVENS
AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
5:30 PM (CT) CBS
Let's review...
Last season's AFC Title Game
Then there was the Week 3 Sunday Night Game....
"That's the loudest manure chant I've ever heard." - Al Michaels
So... we know the storylines going into this game. The Patriots destroyed the Texans last week. The Ravens displayed resiliency in Denver last weekend to keep Ray Lewis's season going. Quarterback Joe Flacco has now out gunned two future Hall of Famers in the last two post-seasons: Brady in last year's AFC Title Game and Peyton Manning in Denver. Yet... Flacco doesn't get the nod as being a top quarterback. Flacco has a 7-4 playoff record. Take away the Ravens two home wins the last two seasons and he's 5-4 in road playoff games.
The Patriots are attempting to do something that hasn't been done in about 20 years: return to the Super Bowl after losing it the season before. The last time that happened, it was the Bills of the 1990s when they made four consecutive trips to the Super Bowl only to end up empty handed each time.
Including this season, the Super Bowl Loser has made the playoffs the next season the last four times. However, the Super Bowl Loser did not win their opening playoff game in the last two instances. The Patriots have bucked that trend. It used to be that the Super Bowl Loser did not make the playoffs the next season as shown in the stretch from Super Bowls 35 to 39. The 2006 Seahawks were the first Super Bowl Loser to return to the playoffs since the 2000 Titans after coming up one yard short of tying Super Bowl 34.
SUPER BOWL | LOSER | NEXT SEASON |
XLVI | Patriots | 13-3, AFC Title Game TBD |
XLV | Steelers | 12-4, L AFC Wild Card |
XLIV | Colts | 10-6, L AFC Wild Card |
XLIII | Cardinals | 10-6, L NFC Divisional |
XLII | Patriots | 11-5, missed playoffs |
XLI | Bears | 7-9, missed the playoffs |
XL | Seahawks | 9-7, L NFC Divisional |
XXXIX | Eagles | 6-10, missed the playoffs |
XXXVIII | Panthers | 7-9, missed the playoffs |
XXXVII | Raiders | 4-12, missed the playoffs |
XXXVI | Rams | 7-9, missed the playoffs |
XXXV | Giants | 7-9, missed the playoffs |
XXXIV | Titans | 13-3, L AFC Divisional |
New England looks poised to return to their second consecutive Super Bowl since they did it in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. While the Ravens story of continuing Ray Lewis's final season going all the way to New Orleans is a tempting one to follow, I have to go with what my brain and gut are telling me. I'm not so sure that the Ravens can stop New England's up-tempo offense. I can't see Flacco getting into a quarterback duel with Tom Brady.
Much like their game against the Texans last week, it will be entertaining in the first half and probably through most of the third quarter. In the fourth, the Patriots should put an end to the Ravens remarkable playoff run.
PATRIOTS 35, RAVENS 20
PRESIDENT OBAMA SWORN IN FOR A SECOND TERM
Posted on 09:55 by Unknown
![](https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/304129_10151261112122911_1989040868_n.jpg)
"I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God."
- President Barack Obama, 20 January 2013
Our mics caught this as he was leaving the White House Blue Room... (note: joke)
"Now... if you excuse me, I'm off to watch NFL Conference Championship Sunday on my theater-sized television screen."
THE START OF THE SECOND OBAMA TERM
Posted on 09:00 by Unknown
DAVIS/WATSON
Posted on 08:30 by Unknown
State Senator Wendy Davis (D, TX-10) appeared on WFAA's Inside Texas Politics to discuss the 83rd Session of the Texas Legislature. Senator Davis is discussing about what needs to be done to restore our education funding from the draconian cuts that have taken place over the last couple of sessions in Austin. Davis is also asked her plans for higher office as there are talks that she could run for one of the following offices in 2014: Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, or Governor.
I can't isolate the interview itself so you have the option to watch the other segments of the program after the Davis interview. Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy offers a human interest story involving Baptists and Muslims coming together for a community service project in Keller, TX. There is also a segment on the current firearm debate and the Executive Orders that President Obama signed in order to combat firearm violence.
WHAT ANOTHER OBAMA TERM MEANS FOR AMERICA
Posted on 08:00 by Unknown
This was at the end of a previous post but it is worth repeating.
We are not going to have a Supreme Court that will overturn Roe versus Wade. There will be no more Antonin Scalias and Samuel Alitos added to this court.
We're not going to repeal health reform. Nobody is going to kill Medicare and make old people in this generation or any other generation fight it out on the open market to try to get themselves health insurance. We are not going to do that.
We are not going to give a 20 percent tax cut to millionaires and billionaires and expect programs like food stamps and kid`s insurance to cover the cost of that tax cut.
We're not make you clear it with your boss if you want to get birth control under the insurance plan that you`re on.
We are not going to redefine rape.
We are not going to amend the United States Constitution to stop gay people from getting married.
We are not going to double Guantanamo.
We are not eliminating the Department of Energy or the Department of Education or housing at the federal level.
We are not going to spend $2 trillion on the military that the military does not want.
We are not scaling back on student loans, because the country`s new plan is that you should borrow money from your parents.
We are not vetoing the DREAM Act.
We are not self-deporting.
We are not letting Detroit go bankrupt.
We are not starting a trade war with China on Inauguration Day in January.
We are not going to have, as a president, a man who once led a mob of friends to run down a scared, gay kid, to hold him down and forcibly cut his hair off with a pair of scissors while that kid cried and screamed for help and there was no apology, not ever.
We are not going to have a Secretary of State John Bolton. We are not bringing Dick Cheney back. We are not going to have a foreign policy shop stocked with architects of the Iraq war. We are not going to do it.
We had the chance to do that if we wanted to do that, as a country.
And we said no, [on 6 November 2012], loudly.
Wednesday 16 January 2013
FRONTLINE: INSIDE OBAMA'S PRESIDENCY
Posted on 06:30 by Unknown
Watch Inside Obama's Presidency on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
Watch Inside Obama's Presidency on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
Watch Inside Obama's Presidency on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
Watch Inside Obama's Presidency on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
Watch Inside Obama's Presidency on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.
Sunday 13 January 2013
JEANNE MANFORD, PFLAG FOUNDER (1920-2013)
Posted on 06:00 by Unknown
"I have a homosexual son and I love him."
— Jeanne Manford, Letter to the Editor, New York Post, 29 April 1972
"I have gay family members on both sides of my family and I love them."
— Michael Watts, a variant of Manford's quote
— Michael Watts, a variant of Manford's quote
Saturday 12 January 2013
2012 NFL SEASON: DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
Posted on 13:20 by Unknown
I got a good start to the playoffs by correctly picking all four playoff games while Ms. Roberts of the TransGriot was a respectable 3-1. So far my playoff bracket is holding wellbut who knows what will happen with the games coming up this weekend.
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT DENVER BRONCOS, Saturday 3:30 PM (CT) CBS
For the purposes of full disclosure, my aunt's partner is a Broncos fan. Fine... that was a factor in my Super Bowl pick heading into the playoffs.
The AFC Divisional Round is a continuation of the theme where the division champions from 2011 are playing each other in 2012. Denver and Baltimore played each other this year because it was part of the rotation where a team plays an entire division within their conference once every three years. Denver played Houston and New England because those teams finished in first place in their respective division. Same reason why the Ravens got Houston and New England too.
Denver's record against the other 2012 division winners is 1-2 while Baltimore's record against the other 2012 division winners is 2-1. Denver's only win in that group was a Week 15 win at Baltimore. While the Broncos have a sub-.500 against the remaining playoff teams, it is worth pointing out that the Broncos are a different team than when they played Houston and New England earlier in the season.
The Broncos are the only thing that is hot in Denver right now as game time temperature is expected to be in the teens. Since starting 2-3, Denver has won 11 straight en route to the AFC #1 seed. Last time Denver had homefield advantage through the AFC Playoffs was in 1998, Peyton Manning's rookie season when he was with the Indianapolis Colts.
There are concerns that the cold weather might impact Peyton Manning's ability to grip the football due to the quarterback has made a remarkable recovery from a potentially career ending neck surgery that sidelined him in 2011. I believe that the two awards that are a lock are the 2012 Comeback Player and 2012 MVP. Either Peyton Manning or Vikings Adrian Peterson will claim the Comeback Player considering that both players came back from devastating injuries to lead their teams to the playoffs.
The Ravens played inspired football last weekend defeating the Colts in linebacker Ray Lewis's final home game in Baltimore. The Ravens want to cap this future Hall of Famer's career with a Super Bowl Championship in New Orleans. The key to a Baltimore victory will be their ground game in Ray Rice. Last weekend Rice gain 70 yards on the ground but fumbled twice. Rice only fumbled once in the regular season. If the Ravens play ball control and limit the number of possessions Peyton Manning has, they will win the game.
Also, their offense cannot have the same performance that they did in that loss in Week 15. Denver was up 10-0 going into halftime as the Ravens were putting their best drive of the game so far. A majority of their first half possessions ended in punts. It was appearing that Baltimore was going to put up a score....
Then this happened....
Then this happened....
Am I changing my Super Bowl pick from Denver?
No.
I think the Broncos will win this game. Are there other factors that could impact this game? Of course always. The Broncos are well rested. They certainly earned their bye week having taking care of their business and the Texans losing 3 of their last 4 and the Patriots losing to the 49ers in December. Yeah, Peyton Manning's career playoff record is 9-10. Three of those losses have occurred when the game time temperature was below 40 degrees (again, kickoff in Denver it's going to be 18 degrees). Here are some things going for Manning: As a franchise, Denver is 13-3 in home playoff games. Manning has won 9 straight games against the Ravens including a 15-6 Colts win at Baltimore during their Super Bowl run in the 2006 Playoffs.
Here is the sticking point on why I like the Broncos not in this game but the team to win it all. We all remember who was the quarterback of the Broncos was last season.... right? All the hype surrounding that it was Tebow who miracled the Broncos into the playoffs in 2011 when in reality it was their defensive unit and their strong running game that got them into the playoffs. Denver making the divisional round last season was a shock with Tebow at quarterback. Now we are seeing what the Broncos are with a quarterback who can complete a forward pass longer than 10 yards and they are a Super Bowl contender.
The Mile High City will be rocking today.
BRONCOS 20, RAVENS 10
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, Saturday 7 PM (CT) Fox
With the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected quarterback Alex Smith from the University of Utah. The next quarterback was not selected until the 24th overall pick.
Aaron Rodgers grew up as a fan of the 49ers and played college football at Cal in nearby Berkley, CA. The 49ers coaching staff passed on Rodgers and went with the more mobile Smith. During his tenure with the 49ers, Smith has battled being labeled a bust. I don't think Alex Smith is a bust like how Ryan Leaf, Andre Ware, or David Klingler were. Why did the 49ers end up with the first overall pick in 2005? They finished 2-14 in 2004; their 2 wins were against the Cardinals both by 31-28 overtime wins. Generally teams that have the first overall pick in the draft were the worst team the previous season. My view of the 49ers was a team of stability and the ideal organization to model on; my football viewing began when San Francisco had Steve Young as their starter and there was still some animosity towards the Joe Montana trade. The 2000s for the 49ers was in the wilderness. Young had to retire after taking a nasty concussion hit on Monday Night Football in early 1999. Jerry Rice signed with the Oakland Raiders after the 2000 season. Jeff Garcia led the team to the playoffs in 2001 and 2002 (2002 was the year of the comeback against the Giants in the NFC Wild Card Game) but the team was dismantled due to the salary cap and the trading of receiver Terrell Owens to the Eagles in 2004.
From 2004 onward, the 49ers changed coaches going from Dennis Erickson to Mike Nolan to Mike Singletary and a handful of different offensive coordinators and assistants. That does not bode well for the progression of a quarterback. Also Alex Smith was often injured.
The hiring of Jim Harbaugh from Stanford revitalized the 49ers last season as they finished with a top 5 defense in yards given up and their first NFC West Title since 2002. The 49ers repeated these feats in 2012, but not without their struggles. Alex Smith did win a playoff game last season for the 49ers, but after a 24-24 tie at home to division rival St. Louis Jim Harbaugh has gone with quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Smith had a 6-2-1 record, completed 70.2% of his passes, and threw for 13 touchdowns vs. 5 interceptions as a starter in 2012 while Kaepernick has a 5-2 record, completed 62.4% of his passes, and threw for 10 touchdowns vs. 3 interceptions. Kaepernick has some big wins under his belt: his first start against the Bears at home on Monday Night and then their shocking Week 15 win at New England on Sunday Night.
Kaepernick has two advantages over Smith: since Week 10, Kaepernick has the third most rushing yards among quarterbacks. Only Robert Griffin III and Cam Newton have more yards. In passes over 20 yards, Kaepernick has completed 59% of his passes. Second place is 47% held by Robert Griffin III.
The 49ers hopes for their first Super Bowl appearance in 18 years rests on the decision that Harbaugh made in choosing Kaepernick over Smith.
So what became of Aaron Rodgers?
He went to the Packers and saw occasional action in his first three NFL season. There was some guy named Brett Favre starting ahead of him.
Oh... and in 2006 the Packers hired Mike McCarthy as their new head coach. He had a previous stint as the 49ers offensive coordinator in 2005.... the same year that the 49ers passed over Rodgers for Alex Smith in the draft.
Rodgers was named the starting quarterback of the Packers in 2008 amidst the Favre saga of retirement, then unretirement and then finally trade to the New York Jets. As starter, Rodgers has led the Packers to the playoffs in four of his first five seasons and in those playoff seasons posted a quarterback rating of better than 100 and won 10 games or more. Rodgers capped the 2010 season with leading the Packers to their first Super Bowl title in 14 years as the game's MVP and their first post-season win in the Metroplex since the 1966 NFL Title Game at the Cotton Bowl.
Since starting the season 2-3, Green Bay has now won 10 of their last 12 including their Wild Card round victory over the Vikings at Lambeau last week. Rodgers's stats back up the Packers winning ways. Green Bay was 3-1 in their final four games of the regular season with Rodgers completing 68.7% of his passes, averaging 318 yards per game, 11 touchdowns, and most importantly.... ZERO INTERCEPTIONS.
When the media was writing off the Packers early in the season, Green Bay responded with a 42-24 over the unbeaten Texans in Houston back in Week 6 on Sunday Night Football. Rodgers completed 24 passed out of 37 attempts for 338 yards and 6 touchdowns. Oh and most importantly.... ZERO INTERCEPTIONS.
This is what Rodgers had to say in the post-game interview:
While Rodgers has the ability to play lights out, my concern is the offensive line's ability to protect their quarterback. The 49ers defensive front is led by Justin and Aldon Smith. It remains to be seen if Justin Smith will be ready to play after missing the final two games of the regular season with a partially torn left triceps tendon. At this time Justin Smith is listed as probable.
If I was a Packers' fan, I'd be concerned about their running game. When these teams met in Green Bay back in Week 1 (man... that felt like another lifetime), it was a statement win by the 49ers saying that last season was not a fluke. Green Bay ran the ball 14 times for 45 yards in that game. Green Bay finished as the 20th ranked team in running the ball. At this time of year, you have to have an effective running game and that is the Packers weakness.
This game has the makings of an instant classic. Last season's NFC Divisional Playoff between San Francisco and New Orleans turned into a shootout in the final five minutes. It has the makings of a Rodgers "FU" Game. After being passed over by the 49ers, Rodgers said this back in 2005 when being interviewed by the CBS affiliate in San Francisco:
You have two of the most visible linebackers in 49ers Patrick Willis and Packers Clay Matthews. The 49ers have a versatile running game in Frank Gore. While his production is not what it was, Gore is still a power back and a threat as a pass catcher when he comes out of the backfield. Tight end Vernon Davis, who grabbed the game winning touchdown in last year's playoff win over the Saints, is both a blocking and pass catching threat.
In the end, I see San Francisco coming out on top as the most complete team out of all the remaining teams in the NFC. They are my NFC pick at the start of the playoffs. There is just something right about playoff football in San Francisco. It is good that it is back.
49ERS 16, PACKERS 13
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT ATLANTA FALCONS, Sunday 12 PM (CT) Fox
If Seattle makes it to the Super Bowl, they will have earned it. They started the playoffs by flying cross country to DC to play the late Sunday afternoon game followed by returning back to the Pacific Northwest as victors. Now Seattle is flying back east. This time to the home of the famous Delta Airlines Hub in Atlanta, GA for the early Sunday divisional playoff game. They probably did a connection in Salt Lake City.
Anyways, Seattle is about perseverance. The Seahawks finished with a perfect home record, but they are the NFC 5-seed meaning that they will most likely have to play all of their playoff games on the road. Seattle was 3-5 on the road, but won their final 2 regular season road games. Seattle was 6-5 after a loss at Miami and they haven't lost a game since. Seattle was down 14-0 after the first quarter in Washington and outscored the Redskins 24-0 from that point on. Seattle had won their first road playoff game since their victory over the Dolphins in the AFC Divisional Playoffs in 1983. Yeah, the Seahawks were once an AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE team. Yeah, I had just turned two months old when that happened.
Yup, I'm old.
Seattle has proven that they can play with the league's elite. They beat New England who finished with the same record as the Falcons. Seattle was 5-1 in the regular season against teams that won 10 games or more. Marshawn Lynch has emerged as the running back he was supposed to be as a first round pick of the Bills back in 2007. Lynch finished the season with 1,590 yards. Ahead of him was Redskins Morris and Vikings Adrian Peterson.
Seattle has proven that they can play with the league's elite. They beat New England who finished with the same record as the Falcons. Seattle was 5-1 in the regular season against teams that won 10 games or more. Marshawn Lynch has emerged as the running back he was supposed to be as a first round pick of the Bills back in 2007. Lynch finished the season with 1,590 yards. Ahead of him was Redskins Morris and Vikings Adrian Peterson.
Meanwhile, this is my reaction to the Falcons ending up as the NFC 1-seed:
I have to strain to think who is on the Falcons.... Matt Ryan, Tony Gonzales, Michael Turner, Roddy White, Julio Jones... Jamal Anderson? Andre Rison? Deion Sanders?
The Falcons are probably the most under the radar 1-seed I can think of. Being the NFC 1-seed has not been a good thing in recent seasons though. In the current 12-team playoff format that was adopted in 1990, the NFC 1-seed was a lock to advance to the NFC Title Game posting a 17 game winning streak. Since the 2007 Playoffs, the NFC 1-seed has lost the last 4 out of 5 divisional round teams. Look at the matchups that took place:
PLAYOFFS | NFC #1 Seed | Result |
2007 | Dallas | L NYG, 21-17 |
2008 | NY Giants | L PHI, 23-11 |
2009 | New Orleans | W AZ, 45-14 |
2010 | Atlanta | L GB, 48-21 |
2011 | Green Bay | L NYG, 37-20 |
2012 | Atlanta | TBD |
In 2007, the Giants beat the Cowboys en route to their upset over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. The following season the Giants were the #1 seed, but lost to the Eagles who made a deep run to their fifth NFC Title Game in the 2000s. In the 2010 Playoffs, Atlanta was blown out at home by the Packers who became the first NFC 6-seed to win the Super Bowl and the following season the Giants returned the favor by defeating the Packers en route to their Super Bowl XLVI win over the Patriots.
The only NFC 1-seed to win their opening playoff game in this time period was the 2009 Saints and we all know the result of that outcome.... NFC Title Game against Vikings, Brett Favre getting the hell beaten out of him, Favre throws an interception on third down at the end of regulation, Garret Hartley's game winning field goal in overtime, Saints go to Super Bowl against the Colts in Miami, onside kick to start second half, Tracy Porter intercepts Manning, "Get ready to party with the Lombardi", Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees holding his son while wearing ear protection.
Since the start of the Mike Smith-Matt Ryan Era in 2008, the Falcons have lost their last three playoff games. Now in their defense, all of those losses were to the eventual Super Bowl participant (Cardinals 2008, Packers 2010, Giants 2011) and two of them were to the eventual Super Bowl Champion in blowout fashion (the 48-21 home loss to Green Bay in 2010 as shown above, 24-2 at Giants in 2011). Eventually that will start to weigh heavily on a team.
My theory on why the Falcons are "The Under Radar NFC 1-seed" is the "Living Dangerously Theory." This theory is based on a team that plays a lot of close games which I define as 8 points or less. Why 8 points? You're down one score and it's the last play. You need to tie the game to extend the game into overtime. 8 points is the result of a touchdown plus the two point conversion after touchdown.
Teams that play a lot of close games and end up with a win, you ask yourself this: "Is this team really good or were they just lucky?"
Atlanta was 7-2 in games decided by 8 points or less. A play here, a yard there.... and the Falcons are 2-7 in those games and we're looking at a .500 team. In those 7 wins decided by 8 points or less, 2 of those wins came against playoff teams (Denver, Washington). The other five wins by the 8 points or less margin were against the Cowboys (8-8), Panthers (7-9), Buccaneers (7-9), Cardinals (5-11), and Raiders (4-12),
Their two losses were to the Buccaneers at home in Week 17 despite playing their starters and their first loss of the season in a road loss to the Saints in Week 10. Fine, I will concede that the close games did involve divisional opponents and there is familiarity between those teams. However (comma) Atlanta beat the Raiders and Cardinals by a combined 7 points.
The Falcons have the ability to play up to their competition. Yes, I saw the Monday Night Game in Week 2 against Denver when they intercepted Peyton Manning 3 times. But remember, Manning ALMOST brought the Broncos back to win that game. I did see the Week 13 game where they ended Drew Brees's streak of games with a touchdown pass when he threw 5 interceptions. The 34-0 shutout of the Giants in Week 15 was surprising. It could be attributed to lousy Giants offense, but why didn't the Falcons do that to the Cardinals and Raiders?
What causes the "Living Dangerously Theory" to be proven is there is that ONE moment when all the breaks you had earlier in the season suddenly go against you. A controversial penalty, a deep pass gets lost in the stadium lights, a key fumble.... Eventually your luck has run out.
I am sold on Russell Wilson carrying this team to an appearance to the NFC Title Game. Remember, he was a third round draft pick and won the starting job in training camp. He is part of the three-person race for rookie of the year. Yeah, I think Alfred Morris should get some consideration, but it is a quarterback driven league.
The Seahawks are a dangerous team.
SEAHAWKS 24, FALCONS 20
HOUSTON TEXANS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, Sunday 3:30 PM (CT) CBS
The third rematch game in the NFL Divisional Playoffs is between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots.
At the start of December the Texans were 11-1 and looked like the team to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Then they traveled to New England to play the Patriots on Monday Night.
That was the definition of a beat down. Quarterback Tom Brady was in the zone that night. By halftime it was 21-0. By the time Houston scored a touchdown, Tom Brady had already thrown four touchdown passes.
There seems to be something off about this Texans team. Maybe it was playing two consecutive overtime games in a span of five days in November. They beat the Jaguars at home that went deep into the extra period, had a brief period to recuperate, and then travel to Detroit for the Thanksgiving Day Game where that game went to overtime as well.
Ms. Roberts will point out that the 2009 Saints lost three of their final four games and ended up as the Super Bowl Champion. She will forget to mention that their path to the Super Bowl was at home and they had to play the Cardinals who had Kurt Warner, the Vikings with Favre, and Peyton Manning's Colts. All three of those quarterbacks will end up in Canton, OH. Warner and Favre were at the end of their careers. Brady still has some football left in him, but I think the Patriots know that this era will eventually end.
She will also point out that back in 2010 the Patriots did the same to the Jets in a late season Monday Night Game. The rematch took place in the playoffs and the Jets beat the AFC 1-seed Patriots 28-21.
And we got one of the best post-game interviews....
This is not the 2010 Playoffs; it is the 2012 Playoffs. Remember who the coach of the Patriots is...
I bet in the team meetings he is telling his players: "We were the #1 seed in 2010. We kicked the shit out of the Jets in a regular season game on a Monday Night in December. In the playoffs, we lost."
The Patriots once again are on the quest for their fourth Super Bowl Title in the Belichick-Brady Era. The Texans have not been playing good football over the last month. Yeah, they have Arian Foster running the ball and J.J. Watt, who Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips called one of the best defensive players he has ever coached. But riddle me this, Batman? The Texans outgained the Bengals last week 420-198 but won the game by six. If it wasn't for an overthrown pass by Andy Dalton to receiver A.J. Green in the final five minutes, the Houston sports media would be in an uproar over the disastrous 2012 Texans Season and Monica would have written a manifesto about the ongoing torturous sports history of Houston sports teams.
This game can easily turn into the blowout we saw last month. I don't think that will happen this time around. It will be closer than 28 points, but closer than 9-1/2 points which the Patriots are favored by according to Vegas (again, for entertainment purposes)...?
PATRIOTS 35, TEXANS 20
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)