Have a GET REAL Holiday!!

'Tis the season to spend time with friends and family and this is exactly what we at GET REAL will be doing this holiday season. Our team will spend their holiday resting up and preparing themselves for a hot new year in 2011!

We will be back with more of the GET REAL attitude- along with our opinionated sports articles on GetRealHammered.com - we will be bringing along some new friends like GetRealTickets, GetRealNutrition, GetRealTraining , GetRealSmashed and GetRealHotties

Check us out in early January!

See you in 2011

Happy New Year and Happy Holidays to all!!

Get Real Management

RL52's "Sleeved Blanket" Leaves Much to Be Desired, Namely Originality... and Style

"I make this look good... well, better at least."

The Ray Lewis "sleeved blanket" looks awfully like a Snuggie, and Ray Lewis looks about how you would imagine him in one: much less intimidating than he is on the field.

In any case, the Baltimore Ravens linebacker's new fashion line, RL52, is here, and Lewis is so excited about it that he apparently was willing to put himself through the ridicule of not even just trying on one of these gems, but modelling it for the website, as if to say: "don't knock it until you've tried it." Unfortunately, the look on his face all the while says: "Photoshop", because there's no way anyone, even anyone financially tied to the garment's success, is that happy to wear one unless they're on some kind of extra-strength pain medication or have just drunk the Kool-Aid served at their cloak-wearing cult meeting.

That isn't to say "sleeved blankets" are worn in poor taste. They actually serve a very practical purpose of allowing people in the world's sweaterless nations the ability to keep warm while reading a book, for example. It's just that people are likely to beat you up if you're caught wearing one at an actual football game instead of more conventional clothing. The worst part? You can't really run away, because the leg sleeve will trip you up as you do.

Of note, the sleeved blanket costs $45, and, as is the case with all items sold (there are other items available, but none quite as inspiring as this), a portion of the proceeds will be given to the Ray Lewis Foundation, which is a not-for-profit organization that strives to lend a helping hand to disadvantaged youths, a noble cause to be sure. This of course leads to the burning question: can you donate to the foundation without actually buying something? Because even though you may want to look like Ray Lewis in a "sleeved blanket", you'll still just end up looking like Ray Lewis does in one of his "sleeved blankets".

Carroll’s not the only One Headed out of Bounds

New York Jets strength-and-conditioning-coach Sal Alosi spoke to the media on Monday, and apologized for tripping Miami Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll on Sunday, but, while he did apologize for an act that never should have been committed, it’s clear the whole incident has been blown way out of proportion.

Alosi was suspended for the remainder of the season and fined $25,000 by the Jets in what clearly amounts to an attempt on the part of the team to make this disappear as fast as possible. No additional discipline was handed down by the NFL, meaning Alosi will serve his team suspension and this should likely dissipate nearly as fast as people around the league and watching on television, without any access to the inner workings of Alosi’s brain I might add, decided that Alosi had tripped Carroll on purpose.

During his press conference on Monday, Alosi took responsibility for his brain cramp, but never once admitted to tripping Carroll on purpose. Of course, it probably wouldn’t have been the smartest thing for him to do, but, all the same, he could just have easily have played the “total accident” card, but he didn’t do that either. All he said was: “It was just a situation where I wasn’t thinking... Had I been thinking I would have taken a step back instead of leaning forward.”

If you replay the video of the trip, Alosi was standing on the sidelines alongside five other people as Carroll was struggling to remain in-bounds. Carroll could just as easily have tripped on any one of those people’s feet, but because Alosi “stuck” out his knee, he’s become the personification of anything from dumbassery to evil, depending on who you ask, these past few days.

If he really had malicious intentions in his mind, it is likely that he would have stuck out his leg instead of his knee. It isn’t as if it would have been any less obvious when caught on camera, as this media storm has proven, but it would have arguably been much more effective as an attempt to injure. 

Think about it: Did the tape show Alosi spitting on Carroll after the fact or kicking him in the ribs when he was down? Did he have it out for him? Did he have any reason to? Does he have a history of making impulsive decisions? The answers to all questions are either “no” or “probably not”. In fact, Alosi earned an award for sportsmanship as a football player during college. That isn’t to say it isn’t possible he tripped Carroll on purpose, just puts the action in the proper perspective. But because everyone from the television colour commentators to the Dolphins’ water boy were left hungry for blood, the Jets had to move swiftly and make Alosi a true villain in all this so as to prevent it all from truly escalating into some uncontrollable blob that would serve as only a distraction in the team’s bid to make the playoffs.

So, yes, he’s admitted to the incident, and people who initially vilified him have given him props for so doing, which constitutes just the latest head-scratcher to arise from all of this. These same people who laud him for telling him the truth, saying that yes, he did trip Carroll, seem to conveniently forget that he can’t deny it because the whole goddamned thing is on tape and that they themselves saw it firsthand. If he were to deny it, it would be like saying the sky isn’t blue, grass isn’t green, and the Jets didn’t just get embarrassed 10-6 at home by the Dolphins. What people should really be asking themselves is if he meant to trip him or not.

But, yes, Alosi does deserve props, not for telling the truth, but for being a good soldier, and doing what’s best for the team under these unfortunate circumstances. No one can go so far as to call him a scapegoat, because he did trip Carroll and he did create said unfortunate circumstances, but no one except Alosi can know for sure whether or not he deserves his punishment. With Carroll thankfully uninjured, Alosi may very be the sole victim in all of this.

Texans Put on a Clinic in Second Half, then Visit One to Treat Their Broken Hearts

Houston Texans wide-receiver Andre Johnson is a beast. There's no two ways about it. At 6'3", 225 pounds, he's got the physical make-up of the team's bull mascot, Toro, minus the cartoonish creative liberties taken in its creation. Add in the agility of a Jaguar, and, as Cortland Finnegan will attest to, the fury of a Titan, and it's no wonder that he's a four-time Pro Bowler.

His clutch play last night is further proof of his greatness, with Johnson not only scoring the game-tying touchdown (minus the two-point conversion that actually tied the game), but making several huge plays on that final Texans drive in regulation. At one point, he made a one-handed grab look as routine as you or I would buying a hot dog off the street to feed our relatively out-of-shape selves. It's enough to make one fall into a deep depression and want to eat more processed beef as a comfort food.

However, as great as he was last night against the Baltimore Ravens, it wasn't enough  to get his team the win as the Texans fell 34-28 in overtime, following an interception out of the hands of quarterback Matt Schaub and into those of cornerback Josh Wilson. It was an especially heartbreaking loss for Houston, not only because it all but mathematically eliminated them from playoff contention, but because they came oh, so close to winning after being down 28-7 in the second half.

The loss marked the record fourth time a team has come back from 14 or more points to tie or lead in a game and then lose. The stat proves the heart of this Texans team as well as a lack of maturity that will certainly come with time. Right now, though, fans can only lament what could have been as well as the fact that the franchise has yet to make the playoffs in now-nine seasons in the NFL.

It isn't right to blame Schaub for the loss, as it was his genius (and Johnson's talent) in the late stages of the game that even made it possible for the Texans to reach overtime. Really, it's a matter of the team as a whole clicking at the same time that will make this team consistently great, because, as they proved yesterday, they already are in spurts. Granted, most of that greatness came when Johnson was on the field, but, still, getting to overtime was a total team effort. Unfortunately, so was losing the way they did.

The Bright Side Is the Vikings' Playoff Hopes Collapsed Weeks Ago

The joke going around the NFL is that the weather gods are smiling on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre to the point of helping him to preserve his consecutive-games-started streak. On Sunday, a snow storm so vicious that it was able to collapse in an inflatable roof (think a large balloon, but slightly bigger; presumably slughtly tougher as well), forced the Vikings game against the New York Giants to be postponed one day. We prefer to take the more direct point of view out there and say that, if there are indeed weather gods, they were just doing their best at preventing the world from bearing witness to Minnesota shamelessly trying to put together a half-decent game of football. Considering the game will be played in Detroit, with the Vikings assuming the role of the home team, it could also be their subtle way of pointing out who the league's next Lions are.

Favre's streak is at 297 games currently. The Vikings' streak of suckiness meanwhile ran out two games ago, but their current run of mediocrity is at least 12 games old.

Jackson Stops at One-Yard Line, then Takes TD Celebration too Far

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick nearly closed the gap successfully between Philadelphia Eagles wide-receiver DeSean Jackson and the rest of the Cowboys’ defense before Jackson scored a 91-yard touchdown on Sunday in the Eagles’ 30-27 victory. When it’s all said and done, Jackson may wish Scandrick had caught him before he made a fool of the Cowboys and himself in the process.

On the play, Jackson stopped short of the end zone, turned around and then dropped inside, resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The issue here isn’t the celebration, but the fact that it was a pre-celebration. Scoring is fun and dancing around like it’s 1999 and the Denver Broncos are still a good team is all fine and dandy, but only once you get into the end zone. Up until that point you should act like a professional or risk the unthinkable happening, like being stripped of the ball at the last second by a never-say-die opponent. Scandrick was nearly that opponent and now “die” is among the nicest things Cowboys fans are likely to utter to Jackson the next time he’s in Dallas.

Jackson’s skills are undeniable. But he still lacks a great deal of intelligence the same way a musician would a sheet of inspiring music or Bob Vila a broken-down house. Jackson has all the tools to be great, but not the wherewithal with which to showcase them properly. Instead, fans are treated to his countless displays of idiocy, which are entertaining to watch, but more for their shock value, making him quite the sideshow attraction. What’s saddest is that these incidents date back to his rookie season in the league in a game against who else but the Cowboys.

On September 15, 2008, Jackson caught a long pass and easily made his way into the end zone. The only problem was that he unwittingly dropped the ball at the one-yard line, making the score null and void. The Eagles ended up scoring on the same series, meaning Jackson never likely got all that much flak from the coaching staff for his gaffe. No harm no foul, right?

Considering this time around, Jackson took the time to make sure the ball was firmly in his grasp before gracefully falling back into the end zone, maybe he did take something away from the first mistake, but, if that’s all, clearly that helmet-on-helmet hit that concussed him last season killed a few too many brain cells... or didn’t do the trick well enough.

And that’s what Jackson should fear, some opposing NFLer taking too much exception to his antics sometime down the line and then taking a few too many liberties on him the next time he’s left in a vulnerable position. As such, maybe the Eagles should have hoped that Scandrick caught up to him as well, even if it meant the game, considering how valuable Jackson is to the team in the long run... minus his showboating.

Cox Thrust into Tight Spot Behind Bars Following Arrest for Sexual Assault

"You can't catch me. No one can catch me... unless you're the police."

Denver Broncos rookie cornerback Perrish Cox was arrested on Thursday on charges of sexual assault stemming from an incident on October 28. On that day, Cox wasn't with the team when they departed for London to play the San Francisco 49ers in week eight. The week before, Cox suffered a concussion against the Oakland Raiders.

While his guilt has yet to be proven, one has to figure that however this turns out it won't be good for Cox. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was suspended six games to start the season following the second of the two sexual-assault accusations against him. While Roethlisberger's "sentence" was eventually reduced based on his good behaviour, one has to take into account that no charges were ever filed against him. The same cannot be said for Cox, who, if acquitted, likely will face more severe supplementary discipline at the hands of commissioner Roger Goodell. There's also the small distinction between the two players of Roethlisberger being a legitimate star and Cox not so much.

It's easy to build a case of nepotism against the NFL when discussing the suspensions it's issued in the past and ones it's conveniently neglected to (Houston Texans wide-receiver Andre Johnson after his dust-up with Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan, with the Texans next playing the Philadelphia Eagles in a game being broadcast on the NFL Network), but in this case Cox doesn't have nearly enough going for him in that regard to even merit the benefit of the doubt. Anytime your name is uttered in the same sentence as the league's personal-conduct policy, it's a good bet it won't turn out well for you. Most will say it's turned out pretty badly already for Cox.

Colts' Victory Overshadows Titans' Loss in Same Game

Someone should tell the Tennessee Titans that they changed their name from the Oilers a while back, because somewhere along the way they've sprung a leak.

Everyone has heard by now that the Indianapolis Colts have snapped out of their three-game funk, following Thursday's 30-28 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Thursday. But few are talking about how the Titans doubled up on the Colts' recent woes with their season-high losing streak hitting six yesterday.

When there are only 16 games to be played, you had better make damn sure that your losing streaks are kept to a minimum, and, under no circumstances are they to encompass over one third of your friggin' season. At that point, it's really just a pitiful cry out for help in the vain of a drug-addict son returning home asking for money to *ahem* get some "dinner". In the case of the Titans, their drug of choice seems to controversy, and lots of it.

For one example, it's clear that heading into the game Tennessee would have taken those 11 interceptions Peyton Manning had thrown in his last three games in a heartbeat over their current quarterback situation, because at least with the picks they would have gotten just a struggling QB in a package deal instead of the broken one they've got right now. We're talking beyond repair.

"On the plus side, I'm playing just like Peyton Manning."

Vince Young, now gone for the season, seems determined to act his name and like a hormonal, pubescent teenager, whose latest growth spurt has targeted his oversized head, both literally and figuratively. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan spends 90% of his time acting like a jackass, 9% making like Houston Texan wide-receiver Andre Johnson's punching bag, and the other 1% likely in a therapists' chair likely discussing some deep unresolved mother issues. And wide-receiver Randy Moss has been such a welcome addition to the team that the losing streak only became a streak by hitting two games once he arrived. Indeed, not only has Moss not been a gamebreaker, the Titans haven't even won a game with him playing.

Perhaps this latest loss best epitomizes the Titans' season so far. At one point they were down 21-0, but tried valiantly to get back in the game and did only to eventually fall short. Right now, no matter how many games they win to try and dig themselves from out of the grave they're in, all hope is pretty much lost. With three games left to play, it's still mathematically possible for the 5-8 Titans to make the playoffs, but you had to believe that yesterday's loss against a division rival was a must-win for there to be even a remotely realistic possibility of that happening. Jeff Fisher's decision to punt the ball late in the game with the score 27-21 at fourth and one was probably a mistake, one most melodramatic journalists might say cost Tennessee its season, but it was really only a mistake because it's become readily apparent that the team has nothing left to lose anymore. Even its dignity got lost a long time ago.

Fans booed the decision to send out the punting unit, but maybe they had just incorrectly assumed that they stood a chance, that the Colts were just the team to get them out of their rut, but truth be told deep inside they had to realize that it was the other way around and that all things being equal Indianapolis is just better. At this point, so are 30 others.

Former-NFLer McCants Finally Gets Famous... for Getting Busted

Former-NFL-linebacker Keith McCants never really lived up to the hype of being a fourth-overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in 1990, but, for the next little while at least, he's earned the name recognition of a bona-fide star after getting busted for crack-cocaine possession on Wednesday morning in Florida.

McCants is considered one of the great busts of the NFL draft, getting cut by the Bucs in 1993 and playing a total of just six seasons with the Bucs, along with the Houston Oilers and Arizona Cardinals. He's also had several run-ins with the law prior to this latest incident, most of which are related to the possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia.

So, to all those kids out there that have a dream that they don't think they can ever achieve, think of McCants... and just do the opposite. You should turn out just fine.

Pennington Can still Pen the Proper Ending to His Underrated Career

"Owww."

Athletes sacrifice their bodies for the good of their teams all the time. But, at this point, it would seem Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington is actually hoping to become a one-armed human-robotic freak over ever actually winning anything of value in the NFL.

A general rule of thumb would be if you're making a bid for a third trophy in your career and it's for NFL Comeback Player of the Year-honours, you probably shouldn't be tempting fate to give you a chance at a fourth. And, yet, Pennington, who suffered his fourth serious shoulder injury in November, is still contemplating returning after his scheduled surgery on Friday and eventual rehabilitation. 

There's got to be a point, one would think, where he would get sick of constantly having to pop painkillers, unless these injuries are just a cover to feed his ever-growing addiction to the stuff. It's no doubt a stretch, seeing as Hollywood sob stories aren't even crafted this well:

After triumphantly regaining the starting job in Miami over teammate Chad Henne, Pennington remained healthy for just one play in a November game against the Tennessee Titans. On the second play, he separated his shoulder. On the third, after popping it back in, he completed a 19-yard pass. There was no fourth.

Maybe Pennington should take a cue and a hint from the unfortunate sequence of events and realize all the extra effort exhausted in trying to test the physical limitations of the human body is all for naught. I mean, for a Dolphin, he ain't too bright. Of course, he was once a New York Jet, so that may explain some things.

Pennington is an unsung QB if there ever was one. He has a career passing percentage of 66%, which, surprisingly, is the all-time best. But when you've only started four games in the last two seasons, all the signs are pointing to retirement. At 34 years of age, no one can realistically call it an early one. Pennington has withstood the test of time long enough. Now it's time for him to walk into the sunset and count his blessings that a wonky shoulder is the worst he has to live with after an 11-year career that unfortunately didn't last nearly that long.

Look at it this way: no one wants to be another Brett Favre and hang on too late, thereby becoming the punchline of every football joke known to man. And that's even considering how returning and likely still ending up a better passer despite a bad throwing arm would constitute well-deserved revenge for having the starting job stolen away from him in New York once upon a time. Favre's made his bed (insert aforementioned punchline here), but that doesn't mean Pennington can't take a well-deserved rest in another.

Suh Pays Through His Teeth for Doing what Everyone Secretly Wants to Do: Hitting Jay Cutler

Detroit Lions defensive-lineman Ndamukong Suh reportedly got fined $15,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for this hit to the back of the head of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler last Sunday, during a game the Bears ultimately won 24-20. Suh plans to appeal based on the fact that it was not a forearm, as was the on-field ruling which resulted in an unnecessary-roughness penalty, but just a hard push... that and it was Jake freakin' Cutler. His last-ditch attempt, should those  arguments fall through? He mistook Cutler for his own QB Drew Stanton, trying to beat some sense into him for doing the "Dougie" in the end zone earlier in the game.

Haynesworth Continues to Prove He Ain’t Worth the Hanes He Puts on Every Morning

"Look at me! I'm flying... straight off the radar as a legitimate athlete."

Washington Redskins nose-tackle Albert Haynesworth says he's surprised that he's suspended, which really isn't all that surprising in itself considering he’s acted outright shocked in the past that he has to maintain some level of physical conditioning as a professional athlete. Who knew?

Whatever Haynesworth's reaction to the news, the only surprise the general public should have, in regard to the Redskins' decision to suspend Haynesworth four games for conduct detrimental to the team on Tuesday, is why it took the team so long.

We’re talking about a player that not only couldn’t pass a conditioning test most asthmatic high-school rejects could, but one that had been late for team meetings, appeared hung-over at practice and admitted to having gone out drinking the previous night, and has refused to cooperate with the Redskins’ coaching staff for the simple reason that the team wasn’t playing a system that showcased his abilities and allowed him to actually play half-decently.

The fact that he believes he could be the best ever at his position only if he plays the way he wants to is proof that he never will. The best athletes are able to adapt to their surroundings, fit into whatever system the coaches choose. Anyone can be great at a game that they make up (BASEketball, anyone?), but it takes a truly great athlete to excel playing by someone else’s rules and to not be, shall we say, a little “female dog” about it. 

He really has been acting out like a problem child, kicking and screaming every step of the way this season, throwing a tantrum in the grocery store in order to get his mother to buy him the one brand of cereal he wants. Knowing his fitness level, it’s probably something really unhealthy like Lucky Charms, as in what he’ll need to jump-start his career again, if this latest black stain ever fades.

Admittedly quarterback Donovan McNabb has had his share of controversy dealing with the two-headed monster that is the Shanahan family, but with Haynesworth a supposed two-time All-Pro defensive lineman he really only has to deal with head-coach Mike and not offensive-coordinator Kyle. For a guy known to take joy in the small indulgences life has to offer, he sure has found it hard to take joy in the small blessings as well.

Now, lucky for him, he doesn’t have to deal with the team at all and likely won’t ever again as his days as a Redskin are clearly numbered. Good on Shanahan for putting the team first, even if this decision of his perpetuates what has been a huge embarrassment for the organization. As for Haynesworth, he may very well get traded in the off-season... that is if Washington can find another team willing to take on an oversized baby.

Cool Your Jets, Jets Fans; Nothing's Lost... yet

The New York Jets saved their worst for when it counted the most, losing 45-3 to the New England Patriots yesterday on perhaps the biggest stage a regular-season game can have in a Monday Night Football telecast. As a result, the Patriots have the inside track to winning the AFC East and talk of another monumental Jets collapse has already started... among even the most die-hard fanatics of the team.

Some may argue that fans have good reason to get nervous, looking back to just 2008 when an 8-3 team went 1-4 to end the season. Now at 9-3, the team could conceivably lose the last four games of the season and end up in the same spot: out of the playoffs.

It's as though every single Jets fan, nine-year olds included, were looking forward to a second-straight victory over the Patriots (because the Jets did win by two touchdowns, 28-14, in week two in their only other match-up this season, thereby proving they're not as bad as yesterday's loss would indicate) to the point of getting a little carried away (or a lot in the case of those very same nine-year olds; see picture below) in the lead-up to the game. With the rout, the sky is clearly falling in on itself and fans can't seem to act appropriately and be just slightly disappointed in the game's result.

Someone forgot to point out to the kid that Brady's weakest point is his hair.

Even in a nation in which people seem to take physical competition a little too seriously, does it not bother anyone else that at least one elementary-school kid is dreaming up overly violent intentions on a scrap piece of paper for a school assignment, towards someone he has never even met no less, or that the two-year old below knows the names of all the teams in the NFL, but that among students of industrialized nations Americans rank 24th in math and science? I mean, there are worse things in the world than seeing your team lose a game, or even miss the playoffs. Unfortunately, both of these kids are likely to experience that very real possibility firsthand when they decide to forego studying for their SATS in favour of watching a playoff game en route to becoming a career short-order cook at their local McDonald's.

Of course, there are several reasons why the Jets won't miss the postseason, much to the chagrin of the team's clearly masochistic fans. For starters, if everyone is so worried about history repeating itself, look back to that aforementioned 2008 season. Sure, right now, the 6-6 Indianapolis Colts are the on the outside looking in, and there's little disputing that everyone had them making the playoffs to the start the season, but good teams do miss out every now and then. In fact, back in 2008, the 11-5 Patriots did as well, just one year after reaching the Super Bowl. If the Patriots can miss the playoffs, there's no doubt that Peyton Manning and the Colts can as well. Of course, that also means that the Jets and Mark Sanchez can too, but don't forget that the Jets also have three games on them... with just four left to play.

That right there should serve as enough reassurance, especially with all the other teams that could push the Jets out of one of the last playoff spots (assuming a scenario in which they do lose out on the division) are at 6-6 or worse. Even the 8-4 Baltimore Ravens would just push them out of the first wild-card spot, for which they are currently in line. For two other reasons, the Jets play the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills (as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears), two teams New York should beat. And if the Jets go 2-2 the rest of the way, they're in.

And, finally, head-coach Rex Ryan isn't Eric Mangini and has an actual winning record over his career. To say Ryan believes in his team would be a gross understatement. He went so far as to predict they would soon be champions, so signing the Jets logo on the back of ESPN's tour bus during the off-season. While that's far from an actual guarantee that the Jets will win this year or at all, it does constitute a measure of confidence that seems to be sorely lacking in the the New York area right about now. Few believed in the Jets making it this far and now that they have an impressive record to match Ryan's bold prediction everyone is taking one single loss a little too seriously.

The Jets no doubt lost huge on Monday and saved their worst up to this point for the Patriots. But it could have been worse all the same. There could have been much more on the line than the peace of mind of a fragile, scorned-too-often fan base. Perhaps what scares Jets fans the most is that there soon could be, once the Jets make the playoffs... and then promptly lose their Wild Card playoff. Now no one's saying that won't happen. Hopefully Jets fans know good therapists for their kids when it does.

Jameel McClain Gets Fined $40K for Doing His Best Impression of Spider-Man Villain Rhino

Funny, you would think if there was one Spider-Man villian Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain would choose to emulate it would be the Vulture, but, alas, no. The only imitating of a vulture he did on the play, which saw Pittsburgh Steelers tight-end Heath Miller get concussed ,was in picking off defenseless prey. Truth be told, let's all be grateful that the concussion is all Miller suffered, because the slow-motion replay made it look like it could have been a whole lot worse.

As a result of his actions and incredible impersonation abilities, McClain, who also channeled Rhino's stupidity on the play perfectly, was fined $40,000 by the NFL on Monday night, one day after the Steelers beat him and his team 13-10, a game in which Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led his team to victory playing on a broken foot, an injury the Steelers denied existed, saying it was just sprained. What's truly hilarious is that the team also denied he suffered a broken nose in the game, an end result for which Ravens nose-tackle Haloti Ngata was also fined $15,000 on Monday.

"It's not broken... it's just an optical illusion. In fact, this is all a dream and you're just imagining... screw it. Yeah, it's broken.

The official party line was that it was just bloody, which is about as bald-faced a lie as saying that the ground got in the way of Ravens QB Joe Flacco's last failed pass of the game. In any case, while it's easy to understand why the Steelers would lie about the foot (and not make it more of a target), it still remains a mystery as to why the team would deem it necessary not to call a spade a spade in regard to his clearly broken nose.

It's not as if his face would ever be as easily accessible as his foot to opponents. Really, even the hand rake that caused the fracture was about as isolated an incident as you can get, thanks to this new invention called a football helmet, with which the add-on face mask has been included for just the past 70 years or so.

In fact, looking at the footage, it's incredibly hard to pinpoint the exact point at which the nose gets broken, which I guess is fair considering it's a minor miracle McClain didn't break Miller's nose or worse on his hit. In the end, yeah, the Steelers got the last laugh, but nothing was really funny about the league having to hand down yet more supplementary discipline for hits to the head... even Flacco's pathetic last incomplete pass, even Roethlisberger's broken nose that maybe constitutes an improvement.

Someone Should Tell Drew Stanton the Lions not only Haven't Won the Game, but Are 2-9

Make it 2-10 after Sunday's 24-20 Detroit Lions loss to the Chicago Bears. Here, Lions quarterback Drew Stanton shows off some of his dance moves on Sunday, after scoring a touchdown early on against the Bears to make the score 6-0. As far as touchdown celebrations go, it definitely could have been more obnoxious, but, then again, it also could have been better. Here's Washington Wizards point-guard John Wall performing the "Dougie" as it ought to. Whoever says white men have no rhythm was probably watching Stanton's version.

Then again, if I was Stanton, the third-string QB on a less-than-mediocre team, I'd probably try to celebrate my high-points a whole lot more. Of course, I would also be wishing my name was anything other than my own. Dougie away, Drew. Dougie away while you still can, because once Matthew Stafford and Shaun Hill come back, you'll likely have more success pursuing a hip-hop career than getting back on the field.

Don Meredith Passes away at 72

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith passed away Sunday at the age of 72. Reports indicate he suffered a brain hemorrhage and lapsed into a coma. He was an all-time great that will most definitely be remembered fondly by football fans all over America, if not for his time with the Cowboys, than as a broadcaster. You will be missed.

Vick Continues to Show Schaub how It's Done

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has come a long way since being current-Philadelphia Eagle Michael Vick's back-up with the Atlanta Falcons. Proof of that came on Thursday night when his numbers nearly mirrored Vick's.

Schaub went 22 for 36 pass attempts, passed for 337 yards, threw two touchdowns, with one interception. Conversely, Vick went 22 for 33, with 302 yards, one interception as well, but also rushed for a TD, proving just how effective and versatile a weapon he is. In the end, Vick has maybe come a longer way, with the fact that he got the win serving as further evidence that the student is not yet ready to best the master.

And that's what Vick has been able to accomplish this year: in a word, mastery. The 8-4 Eagles are the likely class of the NFC East (although the New York Giants are right on their tails), with Vick usurping the starting job from Kevin Kolb no doubt in part due to his pedigree but also thanks to his determination and hard work at not treating dogs like pieces of meat for the last little while. That right there is perseverance.

Meanwhile, the Texans' 5-7 record does not necessarily reflect the job Schaub has been doing in Houston. The Texans have scored the fourth-most points in the league (at least temporarily, with last night's game being the first of the week), while giving up the second-most. As such, it's clear Schaub just needs a better supporting cast - one that doesn't feel the need to treat opposing players like punching bags - and that he's well on his way to success. It's ironic that wide-receiver Andre Johnson's brain cramp came during a game in which the team's defense showed up and helped to post a 20-0 shutout against the Tennessee Titans, but that's life for you, especially in Houston, where problems are commonplace.

"So much to learn... like what not to do to de-rail my career for two years."

In a way, it's funny to be talking about Schaub as if he's this rookie gunslinger that just recently broke into the league. As a matter of fact, he's 29 and just one year younger than Vick. So talking about how much less one has accomplished in his career is somewhat awkward, or at least it would be were it not for how great the other has been.

Schaub started a grand total of two games in three seasons in Atlanta, while both left the city after 2006, Schaub to Houston to become the starting eventual Pro Bowl QB he is today, and Vick to prison to become the ex-con we've somehow grown to love again. Evidently, it would seem there are a few more things Vick hasn't taught Schaub, and admittedly he's all the better for it. Maybe one day he'll be just plain better. That day won't be soon though.

No Wonder Finnegan Was so Upset... Johnson Had Love-Tapped Him from Behind Earlier

It turns out Houston Texans wide-receiver Andre Johnson was miked-up during the game against the Tennessee Titans last weekend, meaning every little detail of the lead-up to his fight with Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan was caught on tape. It would seem in Finnegan's mind that his getting a little push from behind justified his failed attempt to try to rip off Johnson's head by the facemask. Either that, or Finnegan just likes it rough, to the point that he needs to incite violence by others by being an idiot just to satisfy his really weird fetish. I mean he did literally jump on Johnson's back in a game last season, resulting in probably the most flagrant pass-interference penalty in the history of football and a not-so-subtle, overenthusiastic attempt at flirtation.

Steelers' Harrison Is sooo Rich, He Can Afford to Risk the Livelihoods of Other Players

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison has no doubt made a career of dishing out hard hits, but before it's over and done someone should let him know that it isn't much of one if you have to actually pay to get the chance to. Indeed, Harrison continued doing his best impression of a start-up rock outfit by paying to play yet again, getting fined by the NFL another $25,000 on Tuesday for his roughing-the-passer penalty on Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick this past weekend.

Harrison has now been fined a total of $125,000 this year for four separate illegal hits. Not among those was this other penalty on Oakland Raiders QB Jason Campbell the week before. Harrison has apparently doled out a few too many helmet-too-helmet hits that his vision is so skewed to the point that he actually likened his hit on Fitzpatrick to that on Campbell in trying to dismiss the fine. In the latest incident, he clearly went helmet-to-helmet (it's the last hit in the above montage), while, despite his what can only be described as undeniably ruthless intentions, there was no such contact on Campbell. Considering the trend in his behaviour, it's fair to assume that he was aiming for the helmet and just missed. Was probably disappointed too.



Obviously, with Harrison earning $51.175 million over six seasons, he can treat the $125,000 as a weekend spent in Las Vegas surrounded with high-priced hookers and then forget about it with not so much as an unwanted venereal disease to show for his trouble. In that, he's made his point. But if his head is so hard that he can't get the league's point through his thick skull, maybe commissioner Roger Goodell should seriously consider letting him play without a helmet altogether. Let's see if his style of play changes then.

Finnegan and Johnson Get Fined for Slugfest, as in Suggestion from NFL to Keep up the Fine Work

First there was Oakland Raider Richard Seymour's punch to the head of Pittsburgh Steeler Ben Roethlisberger, and now this. Before you know it, the "No Fun League" will be turning into a veritable day at the amusement park.

Obviously brawls are fun to watch, but the NFL is walking the line of some pretty dangerous territory, refusing to come down hard on Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan and Houston Texan wide-receiver Andre Johnson for their fight on Sunday. Each got fined $25,000 for their actions on Monday night (as did Seymour for his attack on Roethlisberger last week) and will not get suspended, meaning the NFL is one step closer to officially charging players $25,000 for taking liberties on opposing players they don't like that much.

Considering Johnson signed a seven-year, $62.5-million deal in August, it may actually sound like a pretty good deal, losing some mere pocket change (relatively speaking) in order to get even with someone that has been a stick in his craw for a while now. Hell, Finnegan, widely known as one of the biggest pests in the league, should take this whole experience as an unofficial warning to keep his shenanigans to a minimum, lest he's actually hoping for a long line of opposing teammates looking for revenge to form every game.

Still, if this is commissioner Roger Goodell's attempt at cleaning up the league, maybe he should take a more active approach, actually suspend the initial transgression so as not to risk trends developing and then snowballing. If he lets players police themselves, the end-result may be attractive, but the lead-up will be a war with bodies dropping every which way. We are talking about people that concuss others and break limbs for a living within the game's actual rules. Take those out of the picture, and all you have left is a no-holds-barred free-for-all akin to the UFC. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but, mixed with football, you get the XFL. And that's very bad.

Derek Anderson Ain't Laughing no More... He's Screaming

In Arizona Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson's defense, this whole incident has been blown way out of proportion. However, his tirade last night didn't really help calm the situation.

On Monday night with the San Francisco 49ers leading the Cardinals in the fourth quarter en route to a 27-6 win, Anderson was caught on camera on the sidelines "laughing" with guard Deuce Lutui. From the get-go the deck was stacked against Anderson for the simple reason that there's no real discernible proof that he was laughing at all. For all anyone knows, it may just have been a wry, sarcastic grin on his face in response to his team being embarrassed by the juggernaut that is the 4-7 49ers. Let me paint a picture for you:

Anderson: "Man, I really suck tonight."

Lutui: "No kidding."

Anderson: "Thanks buddy." *Smiles*

Lutui: "Did you just smile?"

Anderson: "Whatever expression I make is nobody else's business."

Lutui: "Huh?"

Anderson: "It wasn't funny. I wasn't laughing about anything."

Lutui: "I'm just saying, you should be careful. We're down 18 points."

Anderson: "That's fine. That's fine. That's fine. That's fine. That's fine."

Lutui: "Okay, but you still shouldn't be laughing man."

Anderson: "I wasn't laughing about it... If you think this is funny, I take this sh** serious."

Lutui: "You take this sh** seriously."

Anderson: "Real serious."

Lutui: "No, seriously."

Anderson: "I put my heart and soul into this sh** every single week."

Lutui: "Alright, dude. Keep cool. People could be watching."

Anderson: "I'm just telling you right now what I do every single week."

Lutui: "Lose games?"

Anderson: "Every single week I put my freakin' heart and soul into this. I study my ass off. I don't go out there and laugh. It's not funny. Nothing's funny to me. I don't want to go out there and get embarrassed on Monday Night Football in front of everybody."

Lutui: "And yet here we are... wait. Did you just say nothing's funny to you? What about that time we saw Deuce Bigalow together and you laughed at our names being the same?"

Anderson: "I'm telling you right now, we're talking."

Lutui: "Way to state the obvious."

Anderson: "I'm done."

Lutui: "Talking?"

Anderson: "Hmm.. Deuce Bigalow... what a funny movie." *Smiles and gets caught on camera*

Clearly a misunderstanding if anything (although if he really did like Deuce Bigalow he should probably be benched out of sheer principle). Anderson wasn't necessarily laughing and potentially just smiling facetiously at how bad his team was doing at the time. Of course, we'll never know for sure thanks to him storming off the podium as he did. In so doing, not only did he fail to defuse the situation, but he also made it a whole lot worse for everybody... and funnier. Better not show the footage on the sidelines from here on out, because the team stands to get embarrassed a whole lot more, especially with Anderson starting.

Washington Redskins Fans Get into It, Taking Sides in Shanahans-McNabb Feud

This from Sunday's 17-13 Minnesota Vikings' win over the Washington Redskins, during which frustrations finally boiled over among Redskins fans who realized midway through that they were indeed getting beat by a 41-year-old wannabe porn actor in Brett Favre (who has the middle name, Lorenzo, to prove it). It's safe to say neither of the two main culprits in the fight are as old as that, although one got just as embarrassed as Washington, unfortunately.

The Real Sickest Man in America

Move over Jackie Smith and your dropped pass in the third quarter of Super Bowl XIII. You've at least got competition for the title of owner of the worst hands in football, with Buffalo Bills wide-receiver Stevie Johnson missing this sure-game-winning-touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. It was also the fifth dropped pass of the game for Johnson, who was recently fined for showing off a t-shirt with the words "Why So Serious?" on it after scoring against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Ironically, the second career he will undoubtedly now need in modeling has been put on hold indefinitely until he next scores. God knows when that will be, meant as literally as possible, seeing as Johnson is apparently one of his most loyal disciples. His tweet from after his team lost 19-16:

A Great Day for some Football, Cold Weather, a Broken Leg, and a Bunch of Larks Hoisting a Grey Cup

Truth be told it wasn't that cold out in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday, at least not so cold that the 98th Grey Cup couldn't be played, with the Montreal Alouettes (that's French for larks) ultimately holding on 21-18 for their second-straigh championship victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders (that's English for a slightly better name for a football team).

The game was relatively exciting, with one significant moment (to non-CFL fans) taking place in the first quarter, when Roughrider Leron Mitchell broke his leg on a play.

It was an especially notable game because in the previous Grey Cup, the Alouettes came back from a 27-11 fourth-quarter deficit to win 28-27 on a last-ditch field-goal attempt, after the same Roughriders got called for too many men on the field. The initial field goal was missed by Montreal kicker Damon Duval, but the penalty gave him a second shot at redemption and he did not miss, making for one of the most exciting - and tragic - ends to a championship game, no matter the sport.

This year, with the roles reversed, Montreal was able to hld on despite, at one point leading 21-11 in the fourth. Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant threw an interception in the game's dying moments to linebacker Billy Parker, which sealed the game. Durant, who's the older brother of Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Justin Durant, was trying to avoid a sack and throw the ball out of bounds, but just didn't get enough on it, leading to yet another heartbreaking defeat for Riders fan, who  luckily had been able to celebrate a championship victory in 2007.

And, no, despite how it may look to the casual fan, there are not just two teams in the entire league... there are eight, which admittedly still doesn't provide much in the way of competition, but what are you going to do when  your country's entire population of 35 million people is concentrated in just a handful of significantly large urban centers in order to keep warm during the eight-month winters up there. Way to perpetuate a negative stereotype of Canadians, CFL. And, yes, mounties did present the Grey Cup to the winning team.

T.O. Needs to Give Himself a Time-Out

"That's better. For me. Not so much for everybody else, though."

Cincinnati Bengals wide-receiver and future foot-in-mouth Hall of Fame-candidate Terrell Owens has taken a lot of flak recently for comments he made towards New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis when really he should be shown some measure of leniency. I mean, fans should come to expect this sort of thing from the guy by now.

We're talking about a guy who, for reasons unknown, still finds it necessary to lash out at quarterback Donovan McNabb despite neither playing on the team that first brought the odd couple together. We're talking about a guy who whines so much about getting balls thrown in his direction that it must serve as overcompensation for, well, use your imagination. And, finally, we're talking about a guy that is so superficial he's not even willing to go after the "real" Kim Kardashian (because you can only be so real after so many undeniable plastic surgeries), but hired a dating agency to fix him up with a lookalike. The trend here isn't towards classlessness. It's towards idiocy. Owens may be talented, but it's clear he's lost a few brain cells as a result of too many hard hits to the head over the years.

So, when Owens called Revis "just an average corner" in front of reporters on Tuesday it wasn't so much a case of him trying to insult the two-time Pro Bowler, as it was of him putting on his dunce cap, or maybe even forgetting to wear his (non-football) headgear altogether and falling down few moments beforehand, as he's clearly prone to doing. There's a such thing as playful trash talk among longtime rivals and then there's getting an opponent all pissed off and motivated two days before facing them. Here's exactly what Owens said after calling Revis "average" and before the Jets beat them 26-10 on Thursday:

"Everybody has assessed his abilities as far as what he did last year, shutdown corner, this and that. He did very well last year. But I think I'm looking forward to the challenge just like he's looking forward to it," he said, which taken by itself isn't that bad. But when you also consider that Owens referred to Revis as a slouch in a word-association game with the NFL Network last January, you have to wonder why Owens is so confrontational. Did Revis secretly bag himself a Kardashian and Owens is just acting like a fool out of retaliatory jealousy? Of course it's more likely the fact that in four head-to-head meetings, Owens just has one touchdown against Revis. Some average corner.

In a world where reporters are drawn to the colourful characters that always have something new and interesting to say, Owens is almost singlehandedly making a case for professional athletes to continue turning to the canned and cliched one-liners that everyone, not just journalists, hates. Because every other word out of his mouth seems to be bulletin-board material for the opposition. But, then again, this kind of behaviour should be expected from a character so interesting that he and teammate Chad Ochocinco have dubbed themselves Batman and Robin. It's almost as if by referring to Revis and fellow Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie as Ren and Stimpy, as he did on The T.Ocho Show, that he's not trying to incite anger in the two but rather recruit them into his cartoonish universe in which he's actually still relevant. Pathetic is more like it.

Young Acts just that, like a Grade Schooler with Apology to Fisher

When did text messaging become the go-to means of communication? It used to be you text messaged someone to say things that went without saying... things like "hi", "I love you", "can't wait until I come home so I can give you some sweet loving", and, maybe, in extreme situations: "I think you're really nice and all, but it's not working out." Even that last one generally goes without saying and serves as a mere common courtesy, or that's at least the premise I've been acting under all these years.

As such, is it maybe safe to assume that the Tennessee Titans and quarterback Vince Young are on the verge of a highly public break-up? Because, judging by how Young has acted the past few days, it's sadly ironic to hear that he's been the one sending out the texts when it's clear he's the one that needs dumping... as soon as possible.

"You're welcome. Use them in good health. I'll throw my shin pads next week."

Young clearly has the pedigree to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Taken third overall in the 2006 draft, he's been named the league's offensive rookie of the year and to the Pro Bowl in 2009. Still as good as his instincts are on the field, someone needs to sit him down, have a good chat with him, and let him know right from wrong on the sidelines and that shoulder pads are not an appropriate alternative to footballs and autographs when giving away souvenirs to fans. That would be the first thing he needs to be taught.

The second thing is that communicating electronically is less than ideal when you can just as easily apologize to teammates and your coach in person and save everyone the embarrassment of misinterpreting the inevitable "lol" that gets added in every once in a while by accident. Even though it was presumably left off in his text-message apology to coach Jeff Fisher on Tuesday and his tweet out to teammates hours after his season-ending finger injury and temper tantrum on Sunday, it may as well not have been in order to convey what probably would have been the clear-cut insincerity in his voice. There's little other way to interpret what can only be considered the immature actions of a 27-year-old.

Maybe Young does mean it when he says he's sorry for acting like a child, but when you're on the same team as Randy Moss it shouldn't take a whole lot of effort on your part to keep a low profile. Sure Young may just have been frustrated in regard to the situation at hand, but there is a line between taking your job seriously and wanting to play and acting like an overgrown child that isn't getting his way. Young crossed it on Sunday and, although it is a metaphor, the only way to uncross it is in person. You can't unsend a text message and you can't make up for potentially tenure-ending mistakes in 140 characters or less. Even 140 characters or more. There's a reason it's called Twitlonger.

So, now the 5-5 Titans, who are just a single game behind the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars despite a three-game losing streak, will presumably turn to the next-highest name on their depth chart in Rusty Smith, who has completed a total of three passes in his short career, leading to questions on how on earth he got the nickname Rusty when he hasn't even had enough playing time to break a sweat. Still, this could turn out to be a good thing and give the team some much-needed urgency to go looking for a new starter, because you really don't want a QB nicknamed Rusty, and if Young hasn't grown up yet he probably never will. Because Young is done for the season, the Titans have nothing to lose. Even if he wasn't, you don't need him giving one of his unbroken fingers to the organization sometime down the road.

Why so Serious, NFL? Johnson Gets Fined for Doing His Best Ochocinco Impression

Buffalo Bills wide-receiver Stevie Johnson was fined $5,000 for what one can only assume was making light of a bad situation in Buffalo this year. After scoring against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Johnson lifted his jersey to reveal a t-shirt with the words: "Why So Serious?" on them. Apparently being 2-8 (then 1-8, before the 49-31 win against the Bengals) wasn't reason enough for Johnson. The big question is why would anyone need to make fun of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, who refer to themselves as Batman and Robin. With the Bengals also at 2-8, aren't they a big-enough joke already?

What Goes Around Comes Around: Samuel Hit with Monster Fine following Monster Hit

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel laid out New York Giants wide-receiver Derek Hagan on Sunday with a helmet-to-helmet hit and now he's been hit with a $40,000 fine by the league. For an Eagle, he certainly struts like a cock of the walk right afterwards, as if he thought he actually did a good thing. Didn't he know anything short of decapitation is frowned upon???

Favre Is no Longer the Answer in Minnesota, unless the Question Is: why Did Childress Get Canned?

It isn’t surprising that the Minnesota Vikings fired head coach Brad Childress this week. It is downright shocking that Brett Favre is still the team's starting quarterback.

Now the Vikings are 3-7, good for third place in the relatively weak NFC North. One can make a good argument that the only reason the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are 7-3 is because they have the good fortune of facing Minnesota and the Detroit Lions every so often... but that’s an argument for another day. The bottom line here is that Minnesota was well within its rights to let go of Childress because the results weren’t there. Seems simple enough.

"Don't worry Chilly. I'll get you soon enough."

However, that same sound logic can be used to successfully make a case for Favre being relegated to back-up duty after what has by and large been a drop-back-down-to-earth kind of season. At 40 years old last year, he played like he was still 30. Now at 41, he’s playing like the grandfather he is, minus the walker he should by all accounts be using with that broken ankle of his.

Brett Favre may be completing 60.2% of his passes, which isn’t that bad (unless you look at the 69.5% Drew Brees is completing to lead the league), but his passer rating is only 69.6, which is second-worst in the entire NFL. I mean, he’s fallen on such hard times that he’s recently had to settle for groupies his own age. It sucks to be him is all I’m saying.

Now, it’s been argued that Childress being fired was justified and he’s now had to learn the hard way that time actually moves forward in a linear-like manner. Really, he didn’t have to get fired. All he had to do was pass kindergarten and get to know how to read his watch – realize that time was ticking down and not up on Favre’s career. 

As great as Favre played last year, his skills degrading to this point eventually were a foregone conclusion. It probably just happened faster than anyone wanted to admit, least of all Childress, who probably has yet to figure out that waiting for Favre to play like he once did is about the same as expecting hovering cars to hit the market any day now. Sure, it’s all fine and dandy in principle (everyone wants a hover-car), but unless you have a time machine at your disposal it actually happening is about as likely as a professional athlete remaining faithful to their wife. And Childress didn’t have to look that far to find that out.

"OMG! He didn't get picked off!"

You’d think Minnesota would want to take a long, hard look at him now that the playoffs are a mere pipedream now and a high draft pick is becoming more and more likely. And, yet, Favre is still the team’s starter. It’s gotten to the point that one has to believe the only way back-up Tarvaris Jackson is ever going to get a lasting shot at handling a pigskin is if he takes a sabbatical from football and turns to farming instead. He is still making $1.176 million so he can’t complain too much, but raising actual pigs has at least got to be more rewarding than being a glorified human-sized insurance policy. 

So now the team’s former defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier, has been tasked with righting the ship, which makes perfect sense considering the team is third-last in points scored in the entire league. Who knows? Maybe a defense-first approach may work out for the best, seeing as Favre continues to lead the league with 17 interceptions.

Rivers: The Most Underrated QB in the NFL?

There is an upper echelon of quarterbacks currently in the NFL made up of the likes of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger (when he's not busy screwing up his personal life), Michael Vick (ditto), Brett Favre (when he's not busy getting coaches fired due to his incompetence in old age), and maybe Jay Cutler (in some parallel universe, where he isn't as inconsistent as the day is long). It's relatively non-exclusive company, all things considered, and yet the San Diego Chargers' Philip Rivers is seldom mentioned in that same group of players.

"Worse than Ryan Leaf??? Who said that?"

Truth be told, he may just be mentioned in passing for the simple reason that he's forever tied to the Mannings for being the unlucky piece of meat that went the other way in the trade for Eli once upon a time. If that wasn't bad enough, the New York Giants' lack of faith in him was arguably justified with their Super Bowl victory a few years ago, with the younger Manning earning MVP honours. He will also never likely get adequate props for even playing his position competently thanks to Ryan Leaf forever setting the bar so very, very low. All anyone needs to say in response to an argument that Rivers is better than Leaf is: "so is everybody else." Case closed.

While it would be a stretch to make a solid argument that Rivers deserves to be recognized as the best right now, there is definitely one to be made that he is the most underrated. What he has accomplished over the last few weeks with the Chargers has been nothing short of amazing, his taking a 2-5 team on the cusp of irrelevance and bringing them back to .500 and into the playoff picture.

Now at 5-5, the Chargers are just one game back of the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs. With six games left to be played, including one against the Chiefs in three weeks, San Diego could most definitely find itself on the inside looking out come the post-season. A Super Bowl berth is likely out of the question, but the team has come a long way considering how far back it was was a few short weeks ago at 2-4 with Pro Bowl wide-receiver Vincent Jackson forced to rethink his idiotic stance of holding out for a long-term deal only to be stuck with an incredibly short-term one worth six games. He's set to return to the line-up next week against the Indianapolis Colts.

What's truly impressive was Rivers's performance against the Broncos on Monday, with his four touchdowns. With his 233 passing yards in the game, he is now on pace for 5083 passing yards this season, one short of Dan Marino's record 5084. He has also had at least one touchdown pass in 23-straight games, the best right now in the league. In his last four games, he's thrown for 11 of his 23 on the season. Eli Manning has two fewer. What's probably more impressive is that Peyton has just 20.

The inevitable conclusion from all this (aside from the scewed view that Eli is actually better than his brother) is that Rivers just may be the runaway favourite MVP candidate, but only if he is able to carry his team into the playoffs. It's a realistic scenario to say the least. I mean, even Cutler's Chicago Bears are 7-3.