NFL Coaches Fight Club: the Tournament. Because we have nothing better to do than predict what might happen if head coaches started punching each other in the face.
Consider this hypothetical: what if two coaches met in a dark alley and threw down in a no-holds-barred brawl? Who would emerge victorious?
First, some background: back when I was in high school, when my friends and I were pretty creative in finding ways to avoid actually paying attention in class, we'd create brackets (think NCAA Tournament) where we'd pit our teachers against each other**. Whoever we thought would win in a fight advanced to the next round. It always ended with our offensive line coach against our wrestling coach in the finals and a huge argument as to who would come out on top.
Anyway, last week, the Back Porch staff somehow ended up discussing whether Rex Ryan or Tom Cable would win in a old school playground scrap. I passed along the above information, and shortly after that, an idea was born -- NFL Coaches Fight Club: the Tournament.
PITTSBURGH -- They watched, and they kicked at the grass and thought about how it all could have been different. The players on the San Diego Chargers defense watched their brilliant, tough, never-say-die quarterback, Philip Rivers, move the ball with ease on the Steelers late in the game, making a game interesting when it had no business being such. They watched, and they thought, "If only."
If only they hadn't put Rivers in that 28-0 hole. If only they'd been able to get a first-half stop on third down -- on fourth down, for that matter.
"One stop!" Chargers safety Eric Weddle said after Pittsburgh's 38-28 win. "If we could have just got one stop. Our offense is going to keep us in games, and for us not to be able to get stops, it hurts. I mean, they're converting third down after third down after third down. That's hard to handle."
The Chargers franchisedDarren Sproles on Wednesday, making him the smallest NFL player who didn't make his living kicking a football to ever receive such a distinction.* For now, he's set to make $6.6 million next season, although San Diego hopes to sign Sproles to a long-term deal.
Those negotiations, however, won't have any bearing on the organization's dealings with its other running back, LaDainian Tomlinson. Earlier this offseason, speculation had LdT playing elsewhere in '09, but it looks like he'll stay in San Diego -- he'll just need to take a pay cut.
Former University of Tennessee star and Redskins first-round draft bust Heath Shuler might now be a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, but that doesn't mean he's regurgitating the party's talking points just because Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid think he should.
In fact, he's pretty upset with the stimulus package (Shuler was one of a few Dems to oppose the plan) and happily points the finger at Democratic leaders on the Hill, telling the AP: "In order for us to get the confidence of America, [the stimulus bill] has to be done in a bipartisan way ... I truly feel that's where maybe House leadership and Senate leadership have really failed."
The LaDainian Tomlinson saga in San Diego is quickly becoming one of the more prevelant themes of an NFL offseason ... that hasn't even begun yet.
But we are talking about LdT, and when someone of his stature is suddenly rumored to be on the trade block, only to ignore said trade rumors -- which comes just before the team and the San Diego media further the notion that he might have played his last game with the Chargers, well, it becomes kind of a big deal.
Ryan mentioned the possibility this morning that the San Diego Chargers could trade LaDainian Tomlinson this offseason; I suppose it kind of makes sense considering he really hasn't factored into their final game during each of the last two seasons. Oh, and for the most part he looked more Dungy than Tony himself this season.
Well, those rumors have circulated just enough to hit the blogs, the mainstream and then filter their way back to sunny San Diego and LDT himself. For his part, he's choosing to pretend like they're just that: rumors.
Tomlinson says he's heard the rumors that the Chargers may trade him, allowing them to keep the cheaper Darren Sproles and get some younger players and draft picks to build a stronger future. Tomlinson still has 4 years left on his contract, and says management has not told him anything.
Norv Turner apparently doesn't believe in miracles.
When the Chargers faced fourth and 17 at their own 17 with 3:23 to play trailing by 18 points, there obviously aren't many scenarios you can map out that end up with a Chargers' W. But it's safe to say that punting was not exactly a good way to put together a comeback.
But that's what Turner did. He decided that his team couldn't get 17 yards on one play, so he punted. That punt likely kept the Steelers from adding a late field goal or touchdown, but since there really isn't any difference between losing your playoff game by 18 or 21 points, that was a pretty meaningless distinction.
The third quarter just wrapped up in Pittsburgh with the Steelers leading 21-10 and holding the ball on the one-foot line. The Chargers are lucky that there's still a chance for them to win this game. They took exactly one offensive snap in the quarter, an interception by Philip Rivers, while the Steelers ran 24 offensive plays.
LaDanian Tomlinson was a virtual non-factor against the Indianapolis Colts last weekend. Yes, he scored, but five carries for 25 yards in a home playoff game is more or less "non-facto.r" Granted, too, he had a detached muscle in his groin, and that's a pretty good excuse for just about anything.
Anyway, all of that is how Darren Sproles became the most talked about name of the wild card weekend. And it looks like he might have a chance to repeat the success, as Tomlinson is doubtful.
I'll admit it: I'm shocked. James Harrison has been named the NFL's 2008 Defensive Player of the Year. I certainly thought he deserved to be in the conversation, and since I'm a Steelers fan, I'm obviously happy for him. But I also fully expect the Ed Reed and DeMarcus Ware supporters to make a spirited case for why their guy got hosed.
Fair enough.
It's hard to dispute Reed's ability to blow your mind on a weekly basis, but he got off to a slow start (only one pick in the first 10 games, which, when you consider that he wasn't supposed to be playing -- maybe ever again -- is impressive in its own right), but the eight interceptions over the final six weeks of the season puts him in the mix. That he had a lot to do with the Ravens' making it to the postseason further strengthens his case.
Ware, on the other hand, recorded 20 sacks, but the Cowboys, like the rest of us, watched the playoffs from the couch last weekend. I know, I know, playing on a team not coached by Wade Phillips doesn't automatically disqualify you for Player of the Year, but there's no way Ware gets it over Harrison or Reed, two guys still playing.
PITTSBURGH -- They watched, and they kicked at the grass and thought about how it all could have been different. The players on the San Diego Chargers defense watched their brilliant, tough, never-say-die quarterback, 
The Chargers 
Former University of Tennessee star and Redskins first-round draft bust 
The 
Ryan 
Norv Turner
LaDanian Tomlinson
I'll admit it: I'm shocked. 
