This is the day the Lord has made! Its definitely that time of year again for all that is Holy. I praise the Football Gawds for delivering me from the shadows of the Dead Zone that is none football season. I swear, I feel happier than Jean DeGrate in a club full of girthy women. He NEVER watches out for the big girl. the 2012 NFL season ended with Joe Flacco displaying one of the most efficient playoff runs (4 games: 11 TD’s, 0 INT’s, 1,140 yrds), leading the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl Championship against the San Fransisco 49ers. This performance propelled him to a six-year $120.6 million contract making him the highest paid player in NFL history.
Recap of 2012 NFL:
2012 was also the year of the young Quarterbacks. We saw record breaking/tie performances by some of the leagues rising starts at the most important position on the field. Whether it be Andrew Luck breaking the rookie record for passing yards in a season (4,374), RG3 breaking the rookie QB rushing record (815), or Russell Wilson tying Peyton Manning’s record as a rookie for TD passes (26). We also saw a bold move by Jim Harbaugh to switch to and stick with Colin Kaepernick over Alex Smith mid-season which paid off with a Super Bowl birth. 2012 was filled with great individual performances from players that were thought to be suspect entering the year, including Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson, who were both coming off of injuries the previous season. AD fell just 8 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s NFL Single Season Rushing record finishing with 2,097 yards for the season and an MVP trophy. Peyton finished 2nd in the MVP race with 4,659 yards, 37 TD’s and 11 straight wins to end the season.
Off Season Moves:
This NFL Off Season was pretty tame compared to years past. There were a few moves that made a splash/ripple, but not many mountain moving shifts. Percy Harvin and his concussions moved from Minnesota to Seattle to add another weapon to that offense, only to then get injury the moment he arrived. Darrelle Revis moved his island from New Jersey to Tampa to take away half their defensive backfield. Alex Smith joins Andy Reid in Kansas City and their 6 Pro Bowlers and 2-win season from 2012. Ray Lewis ascended to the sports analyst chair and Ed Reed now patrols the secondary in Houston.
Off Season Headlines:
Well after the season was over we learned a few things about the NFL’s resident shoot’em up aficionado Aaron Hernandez. Apparently he was on the dipper’s and was noid all the time. After being charged with murder of a friend of his, he is now being connected to a double homicide in Boston from last summer. On top of that, earlier this year he allegedly he shot his man in the face in Miami after they got into an altercation with folks in a strip club. All of this to say, Aaron Hernandez ain’t playing no games.
College Preview;
The College football season started last week with controversy over my man Johnny Manziel, aka Johnny Cash, aka Money Manziel. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is all about not following the rules and I love it. Dude might be the best thing sports has to offer right now. He comes from money, pops bottles, had the greatest statistical year for a freshmen ever and does what he wants because he knows they won’t do anything. He was being investigated for receiving money for autographs that he signed, which the NCAA doesn’t allow. Some wanted him to lose his eligibility, but the NCAA suspended him for the first half of his teams first game. We also heard a lot about Jadeveon Clowney after that crushing hit against the Michigan RB last season. Some NFL scouts have tabbed him as the best Defensive line prospect in 2 decades. His performance against North Carolina left a bad taste in some observers mouths as he appeared to not be in game shape and seemed to take many plays off. He is believed to be the front runner for the #1 pick in next years NFL Draft along with Teddy Bridgwater as a strong candidate. Other players to look out for this season, De’Anthony Thomas (Oregon), Marqise Lee (USC), Jameis Winston (FSU), Tajh Boyd (Clemson), Braxton Miller (OSU) and Todd Gurley.
Here’s to a productive 2013 Football season.
Fatz Maneli
The Power Circle 