First Comes the Red Carpet, Now Comes the Dance

College basketball fans got quite the teaser with the First Four games of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Eight teams got to open up the tournament with play-in games to get to the true dance floor. On Tuesday night,  UAlbany got it together late to defeat Mount St. Mary's, 71-64, to play top seeded Florida. North Carolina State routed Xavier, 74-59 to gain their admittance. Wednesday night saw the team with the worst record in the tournament, Cal Poly, defeat Texas Southern, 81-69. Hey, if they win the tournament, they'll finish with a winning record. To cap it all off, Iowa and Tennessee battled into overtime where the Volunteers got their dancing shoes strapped back on with a 78-65 victory.

Only the best dancers survive on this floor.

It all starts on a dance floor in Buffalo, and concludes on another in Spokane on Thursday. Still need help filling out your bracket? Here's a nice rundown of the games Thursday.

(6) Ohio State Buckeyes (25-9) vs. (11) Dayton Flyers (23-10), 12:15 p.m.

The Big Ten was arguably the toughest conference this season every team they sent is a reason why. Ohio State is no different. As for Dayton, the Atlantic 10 sent six teams, but still lacks respect from the other major conference. I'm not saying it's on the same level, but the A-10 is a tough conference. Dayton can play with the bigger programs, but their only game against a ranked opponent from a major conference was a 67-66 loss to Baylor early in the season. Ohio State hasn't been the same team Thad Matta used to coach in the past. However, his team has more experience in the tournament, and even if he has struggled lately, Aaron Craft is still one of the most clutch players in the nation. Ohio State moves on, 74-70.

(2) Wisconsin Badgers (26-7) vs. (15) American Eagles (20-12), 12:40 p.m.

The Badgers have been a consistent player in the tournament lately. Bo Ryan runs a solid program up there in cheese country. It's the tournament that seems to be Wisconsin's nemesis. As high as they're seeded, they never seem to live up to expectations. Coach Ryan's boys will look to break the spell. They won't slip up against an American team that won the Patriot League title. Wisconsin, 82-65.

(8) Colorado Buffaloes (23-11) vs. (9) Pittsburgh Panthers (25-9), 1:40 p.m.

Coach Jamie Dixon and the Panthers played well in their first season in the ACC. Coming from the Big East, Pittsburgh still proved they're a force in college hoops. As Stats Guy Cody Marshall would say, the Pac-12 is a weak league for major conferences. I like the style of play Pittsburgh has, and the momentum coming off the run they made in the ACC Tournament. In one of the best games of the opening roung, Pittsburgh, 69-66.

(5) Cincinnati Bearcats (27-6) vs. (12) Harvard Crimson (26-4), 2:10 p.m.

Harvard has a nice run in the tournament last year, and they became a team to watch. These boys aren't just brainiacs, they can play some basketball. However, Cincinnati is one of the most physical team in college basketball. Mick Cronin has kept his Bearcats in the picture the last few year in the Big East and American Athletic Conference. In fact, Cincinnati finished 15-3 in their new conference. The physicality on the boards and in the games overall will be too much for Harvard. Give me Cincinnati, 72-54.

(3) Syracuse Orange (27-5) vs. Western Michigan Broncos (23-9), 2:40 p.m.

Remember when we thought the Orange was a lock for a 1 seed at 25-0? Then came a 2-5 finish to the season, and stunning exit in the ACC Tournament. Their entire tournament will depend on which team comes to play. The team that can play lockdown 2-3 zone defense and score at will, or the non-chalant Orange that always seem to make an appearance late in the season. I like Syracuse as a tournament team, and they've got to prove themselves all over again. Syracuse, 69-60.

(7) Oregon Ducks (23-9) vs. (10) BYU Cougars (23-11), 3:10 p.m.

BYU isn't the home of Jimmer Fredette anymore, he's in Chicago. Oregon had a solid in last year's tournament, and is looking to go further this year. BYU's inside presence needs to be physical and get their share of rebounds or Oregon is going to blow this game open. These two teams met this season to a tune of a 100-96 overtime win for the Ducks. It's hard to beat a team twice in the same season... especially in the tournament. Fredette about it Ducks! BYU, 84-83.

(1) Florida Gators (32-2) vs. (16) Albany Great Danes (19-14), 4:10 p.m.

The Gators are the hottest team in the nation entering the chaos of March. Their first task is an Albany team that has proven it can compete in the tournament. See 2006 vs. Connecticut and last year vs. Duke. Florida is one of the most athletic teams in the nation, and Albany has an average at best inside presence with John Puk. For a 6'9" he won't be able to compete underneath with the skill of the Gators. You need to beat the Gators inside or via the 3-ball. Albany isn't highly touted at either. Florida, 87-70.

(4) Michigan State Spartans (26-8) vs. Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens (25-9), 4:40 p.m.

ESPN analysts have already pegged the Spartans as their favorite to win the national championship. Delaware is first on that trek. Health is the only thing really standing in the way of the Spartans on their run. Health won't play much of a factor here. Sparty moves on, 83-72.

(7) Connecticut Huskies (26-8) vs. (10) Saint Joseph's Hawks (24-9), 6:55 p.m.

Connecticut enjoyed a lot of success under Jim Calhoun, and now those reigns have been turned over to Kevin Ollie. Ollie gets his first chance in the tournament, but it's not an easy path. Shabazz Napier continues to be a strong player offensively for the Huskies. The Hawks are looking to prove further that the A-10 deserves some respect. In fact, the Hawks won that tournament. Ollie's first tournament experience won't last long. In the best game of the day, St. Joe's, 81-79.

(2) Michigan Wolverines (25-8) vs. (15) Wofford Terriers (20-12), 7:10 p.m.

Runners-up last year, the Wolverines... enough said. Michigan, 90-63.

(5) Saint Louis Billikens (26-6) vs. (12) North Carolina State Wolfpack (22-13), 7:20 p.m.

The Billikens looked like they could match Wichita State step-for-step in mid-major teams making runs towards an undefeated season. However, Saint Louis took the Syracuse like approach, and stumbled hard along the way. North Carolina State comes into the game with solid momentum after knocking off Syracuse and Xavier. The 'Pack can play on big stages. Saint Louis needs to find their early season rhythm, or it'll be a final stumble early in the tournament. NC State, 75-66.

(5) Oklahoma Sooners (23-9) vs. (12) North Dakota State Bison (25-6), 7:27 p.m.

Oklahoma seems to have gone under the radar this year. The Sooners finished second in the Big XII this season, and they haven't lost a game to a team like the Bison. With solid wins over tournament teams like Baylor, Iowa State, and Texas, the Sooners could go under the radar in the tournament. Boomer Sooner, 75-69.

(2) Villanova Wildcats (28-4) vs. (15) Milwaukee Panthers (21-13), 9:25 p.m.

The Wildcats are coming off of the biggest disappointment of the Big East tournament. A loss to Seton Hall didn't help them with the seeding committee, and I'm sure that's translated over to a lot of fans' brackets. The Panthers have a history of upsets in the tournament, but Nova survives this round. However, I don't think they last much longer. Villanova, 81-70.

(7) Texas Longhorns (23-10) vs. (10) Arizona State Sun Devils (21-11), 9:40 p.m.

The Longhorns defeated Iowa State, Kansas State, Baylor, and Kansas consecutively at one point during the season. I like the Longhorns to do damage in this tournament. Another team that can go under the radar like Oklahoma. Arizona State is another under the radar team, but in another way. The Sun Devils' best win was an overtime victory over Arizona, but they're a weaker team from the Pac-12. Hook 'em Horns, 86-73.

(4) Louisville Cardinals (29-5) vs. (13) Manhattan Jaspers (25-7), 9:50 p.m.

Manhattan! You're playing the defending champions who got spurned by the committee. You're playing a defending champion with something to prove. Add that to Rick Pitino and "Rusdiculous" Russ Smith... Louisville, 95-65.

(4) San Diego State Aztecs (29-4) vs. (13) New Mexico State Aggies (26-9), 9:57 p.m.

If you want the best defensive basketball in college hoops, Coach Fisher and the Aztecs got it. If you want to see their defense face a unique challenge then Aggies center Sim Bhullar at 7'5" will give the Aztecs just that. Neutralize Bhullar, and the Aggies will be one dimensional. Fisher will figure things out. Aztecs move on, 79-75.


Get the markers ready to adjust your brackets, folks! Meanwhile, I'll hope St. Joseph's, North Carolina State, BYU, and Pittsburgh move on in my upset picks of the day. Welcome to the dance, partners!

Sibling Rivalry: The Stats Guys' Debate

In the Sibling Rivalry segment, The Stats Guys debate the biggest topics in the sports world. This time you'll get their perspectives on the First Four NCAA Tournament games, the best NFL free agency signings, top stories out of Spring Training, and their NCAA Final Four picks. Embrace the debate.

NCAA First Four Games
 
It's NCAA Tournament time, and for the die-hards who look for serious points in their pools, the First Four games are easy ways to win points. The Stats Guys went to their brackets to give you their picks for the First Four games, set to take place Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

Tuesday:
(16) Albany Great Danes (18-14) vs. (16) Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (16-16), 6:40 p.m.


Shane's pick: With Peter Hooley tearing through the America East tournament, the Danes are on a roll to close out this season. It's no secret this team isn't as good as last year, but as a Sophomore, Hooley is averging 23.7 points per game in the postseason. I don't think Mount St. Mary's will have an answer for Hooley.  UAlbany, 72-61

Cody's Pick: If you look at how Mount St. Mary's played in the Northeast Championship against Robert Morris, then it really depends on which UAlbany team shows up. They've played strong defensively against Vermont and Stony Brook. Add that with their experience from last year's tournament, and UAlbany looks good. However, the Danes will definitely need contribution from 6'9" center, John Puk. UAlbany, 74-65.

(12) North Carolina State Wolfpack (21-13) vs. (12) Xavier Musketeers (21-12), 9:10 p.m.

Shane's Pick: The Musketeers usually spark up talk every season, however they've entered this tournament pretty quietly. NC State, on the other hand, knocked off Syracuse in the ACC Tournament and played a competitive game against Duke in their exit. I like NC State to pass through Xavier, and then through Saint Louis. NC State, 79-72.

Cody's Pick: This is the most interesting of the First Four. T.J. Warren is the ACC's leading scorer, and the Wolfpack have momentum coming from their tournament run. The Wolfpack also played better competition in the ACC, than Xavier in the Big East. NC State, 88-82.

Wednesday:
(16) Cal Poly Mustangs (13-19) vs. (16) Texas Southern Tigers (19-14), 6:40 p.m.

Shane's Pick: It'll probably be the lowest scoring game, but I like the play of Ridge Shipley. The Freshman played a heck of a Big West tournament. Averaging just under 11 points per game off the bench, look for him to contribute with Dave Nwaba and Chris Eversley for the Mustangs advancement. Cal Poly, 63-50.

Cody's Pick: Cal Poly shouldn't be in this tournament. With that mindset, what do they have to lose? Texas Southern won't be able to match the Mustangs intensity. Cal Poly, 55-51.

(11) Iowa Hawkeyes (20-12) vs. (11) Tennessee Volunteers (21-12), 9:10 p.m.

Shane's Pick: Iowa is finally where they want to be. After two consecutive postseason trips to the NIT, Fran McCaffery is once again in the NCAA Tournament. Name not familiar? He led Siena to the tournament three times, and upset Vanderbilt and Ohio State. This is a dangerous team in Iowa, and Tennessee hasn't been the same since Bruce Pearl had them atop college basketball. Iowa, 70-55.

Cody's Pick: Iowa was a lock in the tournament field until they struggled late in the season. For Tennessee, the SEC for basketball isn't what it is for football. I like Iowa coming from a strong Big Ten Conference. Don't forget McCaffery, he's got experience and wins from his time at Siena. Iowa, 64-59.

Best NFL Free Agency Signings

Cody:
Offense- Eric Decker, WR, New York Jets
Decker was a large part of the Broncos offense the past few seasons. Coming out of Minnesota, I didn't think he'd make this large of an impact. The Jets needed a wide receiver, and a face of the franchise. Santonio Holmes was getting old. However, the Jets still need to add another wide receiver.

Defense- DeMarcus Ware, DE, Denver Broncos
When a player is this good, money shouldn't matter. For the Cowboys, the linebacking corps. wasn't the problem, it was the secondary. Now Denver adds Ware to it's corps with Von Miller. Ware can get after the quarterback, play linebacker or defensive end, and he's highly effective in pass coverage.

Shane:
Offense- Eric Decker, WR, New York Jets 
Call me bias, because I'm a die-hard Jets fan, but this is the best offensive addition so far this offseason. Decker finally gives quarterback Geno Smith a reliable target, provided he can stay healthy. While I truly believe the Jets still need another wide receiver, such as Sidney Rice, the receiving corps improved with this signing. Keep in mind the Jets were 8-8 being very thin at the wideout position.

Defense- Julius Peppers, DE, Green Bay Packers
In a slight edge over Ware, I have to go with Peppers. The Green Bay defense has been terrible since they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl a few years ago. They can't stop the run, and looked worse against the pass. Peppers brings Pro Bowl talent to Lambeau and it's faithful. Granted he is older, but Peppers can still be a force every down. Nobody needed and got more help defensively than the Packers did with this signing. Dallas, take notes.

Best Story in Spring Training
Cody:
Masahiro Tanaka, of the New York Yankees, has to be my spring training story. I'm not a fan of his enormous seven year/$155 million contract because Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideo Nomo before him have struggled for the most part since coming from Japan. However, Tanaka is getting outs, and isn't getting in too many jams so far. He and Yu Darvish could be the first Japanese pitchers to perform well in the MLB.

Shane:
Kolten Wong, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals
For those of us that love a short guy like Dustin Pedroia being able to lead his team, and smack the baseball to every corner of the ball park, Wong is that guy. At 5'9", Wong has already jacked two homers in Spring Training for the reigning National League champs. Wong's bat fits in perfectly with the Cardinals lineup, and his only questions loom defensively.


NCAA Final Four Picks
Cody:
South: Florida over Kansas
East: Iowa State over Michigan State
West: Arizona over Creighton
Midwest: Louisville over Michigan

Shane:
South: Florida over Kansas 
East: Michigan State over Iowa State
West: Arizona over Baylor
Midwest: Duke over Wichita State

That concludes Tuesday's edition of Sibling Rivalry. Check back later for our Final Four and National Champion picks, as well as our reactions to Opening Day of the MLB season looming right around the corner.  
 

Kalinkewicz Sees Talent On Roster, Garners Support

           The Mark Kalinkewicz era at Galway High School has begun. Last week, the new varsity baseball coach practiced with his new team for the first time, as players fielded, threw, and hit in the high school gym.

            It’s a seasonal tradition for practices to start indoors, which is one disadvantage of the northeast baseball season. For the first few weeks, Kalinkewicz and his staff have a limited angle on scouting the talent they have. “It’s hard throwing indoors,” said Kalinkewicz. “But, it looks like everyone can hit.”

            Kalinkewicz said that his primary goal is to go out and be competitive every game. He believes that goal is something his players should all expect from themselves. In the Western Athletic Conference’s North Division, Kalinkewicz & Co. will test themselves against schools that have produced state champions in recent years, Saratoga Catholic and Fort Plain. “I want to see what Spa Catholic has,” said Kalinkewicz.

            A sectional berth is on the new coach’s agenda as well. But, first, he wants to work on getting players acclimated to the speed of the game, and get reacquainted with his players.

 A sectional title would be Galway’s first since 1986.

            Galway alum Neal Evans, 67, has been around Galway sports since he was in high school as a student. He’s coached for 40 years, and spent 18 of those years coaching baseball. He said the hiring of Kalinkewicz has a key element Galway has been lacking in recent head coaches. “I think he does have an advantage knowing the students and their parents,” Evans said. Evans was the last coach to lead a Galway team to a sectional title, with the 2007 boys’ soccer team. “One problem is that [baseball] coaches were not Galway people, and were unable to spend the necessary time on the total program,” Evans said. Coaches would typically work with the team from early March to the end of May, and wouldn’t organize summer teams. Kalinkewicz said that his staff was trying to get more players to play organized summer ball.

            Evans said that Kalinkewicz’ toughest task will be decisions like who should bat clean-up, or fourth, in the lineup, and who should be the ace of the rotation. “Figuring out the composition of the team will be the hardest thing for him to do,” said Evans. “And, he will.”

            Class of 2012 alum Cody Marshall played for Kalinkewicz’ predecessor, Toby Youngblood, and says Kalinkewicz is a “great fit with what they’re trying to do, and wants to make each player a better person.” Marshall believes coaching isn’t about being familiar with the area. “It’s more about creating your own system and getting players to buy into it,” Marshall said.

            Both Evans and Marshall agreed a new coach shouldn’t shy away from setting a sectional title as a goal. “I think it should be a goal every year,” Marshall said. “But, it isn’t necessary for a successful season.”

            Kalinkewicz’ first test is slated for March 31^st, against the Schoharie Indians

Bold Statement: Noah Syndergaard Should Be A Met Come April

      With the nickname "Thor", you'd think Noah Syndergaard's pitching would be otherworldly, possibly from Asgard. Syndergaard has the "hook from hell" (according to Mets manager Terry Collins), and can dial up the heat on his fastball. After making his first start of  Spring Training, the 21 year-old has put himself in contention for the Mets fifth spot.
      With ace Matt Harvey out for the season, the Mets are looking for a five man rotation of young heralded prospects and veterans to anchor a pitching staff that has been inconsistent for, arguably, the past eight years. Task someone with trying to peg the Mets rotation this year, and the easy answer would be Jonathan Niese, Bartolo Colon, Zack Wheeler, and Dillon Gee. Easy answer, but still only four-fifths complete. That's where the pegging becomes more like throwing darts, with a blindfold.
       The Mets have brought in low-cost talent in John Lannan and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Both pitchers were formerly aces for the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox respectively, but both have seen their career numbers start to decline. Matsuzaka hasn't posted double digits wins or posted an ERA under 4.42 since 2008. Lannan hasn't made more than twenty starts since 2011, and is trying to regain form from a season-ending knee surgery last season.
       Syndergaard has only pitched two innings this spring, but he's getting attention. If the Mets want a low-cost, effective pitcher to fill the fifth spot, why not Syndergaard? After all, how many guys sit down Jason Heyward and the Upton brothers in their first time facing them. If the Mets want to win now, this is a risk worth taking. If not, it's understandable, given the way Sandy Alderson has been conservative his entire tenure with the Mets.  Regardless, Syndergaard has definitely begun a case to start for the Mets come April.
      While Syndergaard is still young, he just might be the guy to round out the rotation with. "Thor" might just be able to remove the blindfold, right before you hit the bulls-eye.

     

Galway Varsity Baseball Gets New Coach

           The Galway Golden Eagles baseball team is moving forward with a new varsity baseball coach. Mark Kalinkewicz was named the head varsity baseball coach earlier in the school year, and now looks to transition from the modified level to the varsity level. Kalinkewicz begins his rookie year at the helm after Toby Youngblood was relieved of his duties after four years as varsity coach.

            Seniors Zachary Hartman and Ben Manna are embracing the change, and looking forward to seeing what Kalinkewicz brings to the game. Hartman said he looks forward to getting a new perspective on everything.

 “It’ll be a little weird with new policies that are different from Youngblood,” said Manna. “Coach Youngblood was laid-back, fun to be around, but knew when to be serious.”
Hartman added, “I’ll miss Coach Youngblood’s intensity in practice and in games.”

Hartman doesn’t believe it’ll be too hard to adapt to the change. “It’s always difficult when you change, but it’ll be easy because you typically have different coaches when you move up different levels anyway.”

However, both believed their new coach was right for the job. Manna said Kalinkewicz played when he was younger, and has a wide knowledge of sports. Manna added that Kalinkewicz being an elementary gym teacher at the school has benefits. “Coach K saw us grow up, he knows who we are, and what type of players we are.”            

            Galway baseball has struggled to maintain consistency from year to year. With only two trips to sectionals in the past five years, both under different coaches, Galway is looking to continue their evolution into a winning program at the varsity level.

 After a 2009 season which saw the Golden Eagles get eliminated from Class C sectionals in a 9-8 defeat to Mechanicville, Youngblood took over the reins. Youngblood’s highlight season came in 2012. The 2012 season saw an upset of historic proportions when they were able to defeat the Spa Catholic Saints, 7-6, in eight innings to snap the Saints then 32-game win streak against Western Athletic Conference opponents. The Eagles finished the season with a 9-7 record, and a postseason appearance. That postseason appearance lasted as long as the previous one as Galway held an early 4-0 lead, but lost to the eventual sectional finalist Panthers, 6-4. That team had five players named WAC North All-Stars, including Manna’s older brother, Nick.

Coach Toby Youngblood had praise for the team. “We had another good team coming back from last year,” Youngblood said. “Had a great pitching staff, and returned a lot of players.” Youngblood said that there are players with all-star talent on this year’s team.

Youngblood admitted it was hard to leave a program like Galway. “Last season, and the season before that, we got the team to being a winning program.”

Galway begins practice for the 2014 season on March 3^rd, which according to Hartman means the beginning of the team making sectionals with a top eight seed.
An e-mail to Coach Kalinkewicz was not immediately returned for comment.

S. Marshall: Why Idzik is to Blame for the Jets Missing the Playoffs

With the Ravens win over the Detroit Lions Monday night, the New York Jets miss out on the playoffs for a third straight season. Head coach Rex Ryan has put together another solid run defense, ranking in the top five in the NFL. Their passing defense was awful, ranking 25th in the league.

We know by now that Ryan is one of the best defensive coaches in the league. A coach is only as good as his players, and unfortunately, Ryan can't make moves to decide who is or isn't on his team. However, rookie General Manager John Idzik can. Why didn't Idzik acquire a mid-tier receiving threat to counter Santonio Holmes and an often injured Stephen Hill? Especially if Idzik wanted his man to succeed-- Yes, HIS man. Geno Smith.

After two seasons marred by the poor --unless you compare those seasons to Smith's current season-- play of Mark Sanchez, Idzik figured it best to go out and draft a rookie quarterback to compete with Sanchez for the starting role. Was it really a competition? In Week 3 of the preseason against the New York Giants, Sanchez went down with a season-ending shoulder surgery on a meaningless play in a meaningless game. At least, it was meaningless to everyone except for Ryan and Idzik. Ryan needed Sanchez in there to make it look like there really was a battle for the quarterback position. To anyone not blind to what was really going on, Idzik was making sure the Jets continued a quarterback battle while in reality he held in hand the power to decide the starting quarterback. Everyone who wasn't oblivious knew Idzik's decision was made in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Sanchez was a scapegoat, and when he went down with an injury, no one would've asked questions on if the right quarterback was starting, until Smith's play was so bad, the Jets lost three straight, and were finally eliminated.

The Darelle Revis trade is another move made by John Idzik that still has lingering questions. You could've had another season of the Revis and Cromartie defensive back tandem, but instead gave him to Tampa Bay. While the Jets did acquire Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate Sheldon Richardson because of the deal, they also acquired cornerback Dee Milliner to try to replace Revis. Milliner has been a joke. A cold-hearted, under performing joke. Milliner was benched multiple times after starting games, missed games with injuries, and failed to intercept a single pass in his rookie season. Often times when the Jets defense got beat on deep pass plays, Milliner's man was on the receiving end. Look at Week 15, against the Carolina Panthers, where Milliner's inability to shed a block caused the Jets to surrender a 72-yard touchdown to DeAngelo Williams on a screen pass. Granted, Ed Reed took a poor angle, and David Harris lost Williams in man-to-man coverage, but Milliner got straight up manhandled for being a seventh overall pick in the draft. Without the Revis trade, the Jets would've passed on Milliner, and only gotten Richardson, a solid deal which also would've improved their defense against the pass.

While you might say that Revis' numbers aren't that impressive in Tampa Bay, consider that Revis is one of the NFL's best shutdown corners. Shutdown refers to the ability to shut down a high threat wide receiver in man-to-man coverage. The Buccaneers mostly play zone coverage, which explains why Revis was never headline news this season in Tampa. Plus, Tampa Bay started 0-8.

While Rex Ryan will most likely be fired at the end of the season for failing to make the playoffs for the third straight season, it is ultimately the changes--and lack there of at the wide receiver position-- that John Idzik made that cost the Jets a playoff spot. Ryan will merely take the blow for turning a preseason 4-12 team into an 8-8 contender this season.

Why the NFL Has Become a Soft League

Week 11 of the 2013 NFL season was marred by controversial penalties. On Sunday afternoon, 49ers' linebacker Ahmad Brooks was slapped with a roughing-the-passer penalty when he aggressively tackled New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees and forced a fumble that was recovered by San Francisco. The Monday night game ended when New England quarterback Tom Brady's last second prayer was intercepted in the endzone by Carolina safety Robert Lester sealing the Panthers' 24-20 victory. However, the back judge threw a penalty flag that would've appeared to give the Patriots another chance with either a holding or defensive pass interference penalty against Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly. Offcials conferred, and waved off the penalty, officially ending the game. While I still don't have an opinion on the Monday night fiasco, and probably won't until Sports Science's John Brenkus and Co. break down the play and give scientific evidence as to whether or not Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski could've caught the pass. It's the Sunday afternoon penalty that bothers me the most.

What happened to football? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for player safety, but Brooks' hit on Brees' was one of the cleanest, violent tackles I've seen this year. Brooks simply wrapped his arms around Brees' shoulders. While the shorter Brees started towards the ground, Brooks' arms slipped around Brees' neck and chin strap. Causing a fumble, which was recovered by the Niners, with a 20-17 lead. Brooks was flagged for a "roughing-the-passer, forcible blow to the head of the quarterback". Upon further review, at no point did Brook hit Brees' head illegally. He didn't hit Brees helmet to helmet, and merely hit the chest plate of his shoulder pads against Brees' helmet. I'm sorry, that flag never should've come out.

Quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are protected too much by the rules of the NFL. While I agree a cheap shot on either player is unnecssary, it's embarrassing to think that this era of passers such as Brady and Brees have changed the league into a very soft league. Defensive pass rushers are constantly flagged for merely putting their hand on the head of a quarterback. No offence, but when was the last time a fiberglass helmet couldn't protect against an open hand? Hell, we call players stupid for punching a guy with his helmet on. Why? Because we all know it'll hurt the players' hand more than the opponent's head.

I admire the numbers that Brady and Brees have been able to put up through their illustrious careers, but it is their sensitivity to being hit that keeps them from being in the Brett Favre, Troy Aikman, and Peyton Manning conversation. These guys never look to officials for flags after being hit, and merely invite, or elude the contact. I'm sorry, but just because a few quarterbacks are sensitve to getting hit, doesn't mean the whole league should become as soft as they are.