Madden simulator projects four-point Super Bowl victory for Saints

Madden simulator projects four-point Super Bowl victory for Saints:

In five of the past six years the EA Sports Madden simulation has correctly predicted the winner of the Super Bowl. Last season, Madden NFL 09 pretty much nailed its prediction on Super Bowl XLIII, calling a big first quarter for the Steelers, a comeback by the Cardinals and then a late Pittsburgh victory. The final predicted score was 28-24 Steelers, just two total points off the actual 27-23 result.

All of this bodes well for the New Orleans Saints. EA projects that Drew Brees(notes) and company will pull a 35-31 upset over Peyton Manning(notes) and the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. Here's how it's expected to go down:

"The first three quarters display the offensive fireworks that both teams have become known for, with the Colts leading 24-21. A nail biting fourth quarter begins with a big play, courtesy of the Saints' special teams, when Reggie Bush(notes) returns a punt for a 42-yard touchdown. However, with minutes left in the game the duo of Joseph Addai(notes) and Peyton Manning put the Colts back on top with a go-ahead touchdown pass. With the game hanging in the balance, Drew Brees hits David Thomas(notes) for an 11-yard touchdown and the game winning score."

So there you have it. You can now feel free to watch the Puppy Bowl on Sunday sans guilt.

reBlog from google.com: Tax News and Stories

I found this fascinating quote today:

Eventually, the White House put out the word that the panel would produce only a laundry list of possible reforms, but would not make any recommendations. The final blow came in December when the panel’s deadline came and went with only a White House promise that the group would complete its work “after the holidays.” Which holidays, exactly, were never specified.google.com, Tax News and Stories, Jan 2010

You should read the whole article.

Pittsburgh to the Big Ten?

From With Leather:

Ben Maller, citing an unnamed source, is reporting that the University of Pittsburgh is joining the Big Ten conference, that it’s a done deal and that some announcement will be coming down the pike on Thursday. Whether or not the report is actually true, it’s worth looking at how Pitt would fit into the Big Ten, and what that school’s departure would mean for the Big East, which would be left with only six teams. Well, seven…if you count Louisville.

Pittsburgh is a near-ideal fit for the Big Ten, geographically speaking. The University of Pittsburgh campus is almost exactly between Ohio State and Penn State, giving Penn State a natural rival and Minnesota another boring (but not terribly long) plane ride, a situation that should be alleviated once the conference breaks into divisions. It’s the ideal spot for a 12th school not named Notre Dame.

Academically, Pitt will hold its own. Pittsburgh received a score of 52.0 in the latest US News and World Report university rankings, which put it 56th among all national universities so ranked. The average Big Ten score was 57.1, and the average rank was 50th. Their strong academic reputation will ease the school’s entry into the conference, which must be ratified by the faculty of the current member institutions.

Pitt is pretty good at football. Pitt finished 15th in the AP rankings after a 10-win season; the Panthers also finished 2nd in the Big East, trailing only undefeated Cincinnati in their conference. The rest of the Panthers’ sports programs are not quite as strong; Pitt finished 93rd in last year’s Directors’ Cup, which is based on schools’ performance in all varsity sports. The average Big Ten school finished 29th in that same span.

The Big East is all but finished as a BCS conference. Pitt’s departure would leave the Big East with seven teams, two of which were acquired from Conference USA less than five years ago. And the options to bolster the conference’s membership are rather slim. Geographically, the best prospective members would be Temple (MAC), Marshall (C-USA), Buffalo (MAC), and Navy (FBS Independent). Yeah, I’m not impressed, either.

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Why Didn't Favre Go to His Primary Receiver?

Here is the video of Brett Favre's last throw in the 2009 NFC Championship game:



After the game, Favre was asked about the play. Here is what he says:

After the penalty we were out of field goal range. I am not even sure what the exact yardage was that we needed, but the play was designed actually to go to Bernard (Berrian) in the flat – man coverage – they checked out of it and we went in motion.

Now, re-watch the play. Bernard Berrian is #87, going in motion. He is to Favre's immediate right at the snap. He does a delayed release out to the right flat. The defender on him is in horrible position. Then Berrian adjusts his route up the sideline. Again, his defender adjusts horribly and is STILL in horrible position.

If Favre actually goes with his primary receiver - Berrian - he has at least a 10 yard completion, if not longer, and the ball out of bounds. It looks like Berrian gets to roughly the 28 yard line without much resistence. That makes it a 45 yard FG, which was well within Longwell's range.

P.S. Here is a pretty prescient interview question asked of Favre last week Thursday before the 2009 NFC Championship game:

Having lost the championship game two years ago, kind of with the ball in your hands, how does that affect your thoughts going into this game and having another chance at it?

Well, I've got another chance. That's all you can ask for really. For me, I'm honored by just having this chance and being able to redeem myself. Unfortunately, the game didn't go in our favor. There were a lot of good plays in that game. That obviously was not one of them. So, that's a good example of limit the mistakes, limit the turnovers. It's easier said than done but you've got to go out. I'm going to prepare as hard as I can. I'm well aware of this opportunity. I have no idea how the game will unfold, how it will end, but I'm just thankful for this opportunity. This is, I've said, a once in a lifetime deal. Now that's not true but at least in my case, I hope to make the most of it.

Green Bay Packers are Finally Vindicated

Giving the mainstream media (RE: ESPN, NFL Network, FOX) their comeuppance on their fawning Favre coverage in 2008-2010 is very satisfying.

Of course, there will be apologists. But the reality is what we the entire nation saw today. Brett Favre threw 2 costly INTs and partly to blame for 1 lost fumble when in scoring range 3 times in a game that was won in OT. He lost. And he failed in his stated goal (to win another Super Bowl). That is what happened. Anything else being said (oh, but did you see how he got up even after being hit; look how well he played this season with the Vikes; he is 40 years old but plays like a kid; etc.) is just a sideshow. Why they will continue to do so (e.g. to protect themselves so that they still get "special access" when he decides to announce his retirement/unretirement; so they can hire him to be an in-game or in-studio commentator for their channel, etc.) is beyond me.

The story that should be written is how prescient the Green Bay Packers organization was to cut ties with Favre when they did. Whether the "we have left the station" moment with Favre in late June 2008 was form over substance is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the Packer organization was confident that Favre did not have the capacity to lead their team (at the time, a youthful, deeply flawed team, with holes in the Oline, Dline, and LB corp) to the Super Bowl and that Aaron Rodgers was the real deal who could fit within their rebuilding plan. They were also prescient to know that 2008 was the year they had to give him the reins.

Flash-forward to 2009. Favre lands with the Vikings - his preferred location. It is a team, that entering 2009 without Favre, was probably a better overall team than the one Favre played with the Packers in 2007. It came equipped with the solid Oline, elite running attack, highly effective Defense, and an offense he famously claimed, "to know better than the coaching staff". He has a highly successful season. We get to the playoffs, he clicks and has a great divisional round playoff game. He then gets to a highly winnable NFC Championship game in his hometown stadium (a dome, for that matter). And yet even when the highly proficient Saints offense was shutdown, he could not do enough to win the game for the Vikings.

(From JSOnline)

So, where do we find ourselves now, Packers fan? Our warm memories of Favre still in tact and untarnished. And a very promising future with Rodgers on the near horizon. I consider that vindication.