Under The Gun

Let me start this post by giving a shout-out to one of, if not our single-most committed reader.  I don't know everyone that reads this blog but I do know a certain individual sent me a text at 8:41 a.m. this morning complaining that I had missed my Thursday post.  I then had to explain to him that the posts are updated by the end of every Monday and Thursday, not the day before.  Therefore Tuesdays and Fridays are the days that you can take a break at work and be certain to find a new rant from yours truly.  Even though this fine young man came at my neck *pause* I appreciate the fact that he looks forward to reading RBT every chance he gets.  So a special thanks to that person, you know who you are, and here's to hoping that we continue to develop committed followers like yourself.

It's a pathetic time of year in the sports world with the NHL and NBA seasons having wrapped up, no football to discuss (except the lockout which is just exhausting at this point) until late August, the women's World Cup just getting underway, the College World Series recently ending and Wimbledon hasn't yet concluded.  The only constant right now is Major League Baseball and, unless you're a baseball purist AKA 70+ years of age, you probably don't care much about it until September and October.  So I thought it would be fun to change things up a little bit.  In my introductory post I mentioned that this blog would primarily address athletics, but we would also discuss other things in pop culture such as music.  If you happened to come across my Facebook page within the last 15 hours, you've seen a small discussion about Chris Brown.  

For those of you who don't know, Chris Brown is a young R and B singer who is probably most recognized for his ability to dance.  Recently though, for some very dumb reason, he has tried his hand at rapping.  Chances are you've heard his song "Look At Me Now" with Busta Rhymes and Lil' Wayne considering that you can find it playing somewhere on the radio at all times.  But he's also on a song called "Snapbacks Back" which uses the very aggressive beat from Rick Ross and Meek Mill's "Tupac Back."  Go take a listen if you haven't heard it unless you're at work.  Then, you'll probably get fired.  Anyway, I won't even get into the lyrical breakdown of Brown's verse, but it brings up an interesting debate:  How important are song lyrics in evaluating the quality of a song?  More importantly, when it comes to rap/hip hop, how does the lay-person decide what makes a good rapper?

I'll be the first to admit that there are some songs that have incredibly stupid, elementary lyrics that I still enjoy listening to.  Take Soulja Boy's "Kiss Me Thru The Phone," for example (don't ask me why that's the first song that came to mind).  I'm not afraid to say that I love the song, but I'd NEVER call Soulja Boy a "good" rapper.  I have to laugh when I hear someone say how good of a rapper Soulja Boy is.  What makes him good?  Because his producer put together a beat that you enjoy listening to and he came up with a four-word hook?  I'm not going to judge you if you tell me you like listening to his music, but don't tell me he's good.  I respect Soulja Boy because he found a glitch in the matrix.  His income is not a reflection of his talent.  And unfortunately, that seems to be the case for a lot of "musicians" we hear on the radio today.  Basically what I'm saying is that people need to be more conscious of the language they use, and that goes for music, sports, and just about anything else that people have opinions about.

I always bring it back to The Beatles.  The dumbest thing I've ever heard anyone say is "The Beatles suck."  My immediate response is always the same:  "You're an idiot, this conversation is over."  But I guess that's as closed-minded as the statement that I'm responding to.  So, allow me to explain.  The Beatles do not suck.  I understand it's a matter of opinion, but if your opinion is that they "suck," then your opinion is wrong.  You have every right to not enjoy listening to them, but NOBODY can argue that they weren't incredibly talented, influential musicians.  The same goes for a guy like Lebron James.  I don't like Lebron, but you'll never hear me say "Lebron sucks" with a straight face.  I'm not telling you who you should and shouldn't like when it comes to music or anything else, I'm just saying that talent is not arguable.  You either have it or you don't.  Unless, of course, we're talking about Tim Duncan.  Cause he sucks.

Footnote:  I don't even like Soulja Boy's verses.  I just love Sammie killing it on the hook.

"Is that yo ass, or yo momma half reindeer?"  -Nelly from "Shake Ya Tailfeather"

-Brusk Dollas

This Post May Get Me Fired

For those of you who don't know, I actually get paid to cover sports for a living.  I know, it's a scary thought considering some of the things I've said in my brief history as a blogger/writer.  Since I'm just breaking into the broadcasting field, I'm fortunate and at the same time unfortunate enough to get the opportunity to cover every "sport," and I use that term loosely, that mankind has ever created.  From amateur disc golf to NCAA Division 1 Football Playoffs to Professional Bowling and everything in between, the company that I work for has covered it.  It's my goal to eventually work primarily with football, preferably on live broadcasts, but in the meantime I'll continue to suck it up and act like I care about things that I don't.

On that note, tonight I was given the lovely task of covering a high school boys summer league "soccer" game.  Don't get me wrong, "soccer" is ten times the sport that NASCAR, bowling and even baseball will ever be, in regards to the amount of athleticism it requires.  I respect a guy or girl that can run up and down the "pitch" for 45 minutes straight and maintain a high level of foot-eye coordination (if that's even a real thing).  I just feel like there are a few current rules that the sport could eliminate and one new rule that it could implement to make it much more enjoyable to watch in a country whose favorite sport, by a landslide, is real "football."  And it begins right there:  In America, it's called "soccer."  If you want to refer to "soccer" as "football," feel free to move to Spain where the best "American football" player would get zero burn on an average American high school "football" team.  Otherwise, "soccer" will maintain its current moniker until it becomes more popular than "football" or, in other words, forever.

The first thing that I can't stand to see is when a referee hands out a yellow or red card.  Can you imagine a 5'5" 130 pound ref running up to Ray Lewis and waving a little colored piece of paper in his face?  Dude's beak would be split before he could get the card out of his pocket.  Wanna be entertained?  Check out this gem of a soccer referee:

Next, what's the argument that you hear over and over again from people who don't like soccer?  There aren't enough goals scored.  There's one simple reason for that:  The offside rule.  As the rule reads, "an offside foul is called when an offensive player is passed the ball and there are not at least two opponents between him or her and the goal line."  AKA no cherry picking.  Can you imagine if basketball had a rule like that?  No more Vince Carter 360 wind mills.  If that were the case, basketball would be as entertaining as, well, soccer.  Seriously, get rid of the offside rule so we don't have to sit through 90 minutes of a scoreless tie.

As far as the one new rule that would enhance the game, how about a few collisions here and there?  There's nothing this country loves more than watching people smash into each other at full speed (hence the reason football is so popular).  I say each team is allowed three skull-rattling hits per contest.  If soccer players wanna writhe around on the ground lets at least give them a reason to.  Again, let me reiterate that I do respect soccer players at the highest level as I know how much skill and conditioning the game requires.  But lets be honest, it's not exactly bursting with entertainment.

I know I've been a little harsh on the sport of soccer, so instead of closing this post with a quote, I want to include a bonus video.  This is one thing that I love about the sport:

-Brusk Dollas

It's A Party

In my last post, which I apologize again for how atrocious it was, I let you into my life a little by telling you I'm on a week-long vacation with my closest friends from college.  Today, I thought it'd be fun to tell you a little more about the antics that have taken place in the past five days.  In an effort to ensure anonymity, the names used in this post will not be real names.  Seeing as we're staying at a beach house, it goes without saying that alcohol consumption has been a constant since the minute we arrived.  We all knew that each night would hold its own adventure and it certainly has not been a disappointment.  Our first night here was pretty standard:  Started with a power hour (a shot of beer every minute for an hour) before heading to a local bar.  During the power hour, we experienced our first involuntary discharge of bodily fluids.  One of us, we'll call him Matt, was unable to hold down a shot around the 45 minute mark and the rest was history.  To his credit, Matt cleaned up, caught back up and finished out the hour strong.  The rest of the night was typical:  A trip to the bar, multiple shots and beers, an after party til the sun came up and about five hours of sleep.

But Day Two held a moment that has been unmatched to this point.  It was a gorgeous day, most of which was spent at the beach before coming back to the house and continuing to imbibe intoxicating beverages.  That night we changed things up and made a trip to a different bar.  Considering it was a Sunday night, the bar scene was less than impressive, which, in our minds, meant that we needed to drink even harder.  Obviously we've been walking everywhere so we had our standard 15 minute walk afterwards.  Three guys of our group were naturally starving and got word that there was a 7/11 nearby.  Little did they know, it was like four miles away and they'd be walking for a very long time.  The other two, Matt and another friend that we'll call Ben (friend #6 didn't arrive until Tuesday), embarked on the walk back to the house.  The walk included the standard, drunken heart-to-heart and then something that would never be forgotten.  About 100 yards from the front door of our house, Ben's stomach played a mean trick on him.  He went into a dead sprint for 50 yards and then it happened:  He stopped dead in his tracks and that's when involuntary discharge of bodily fluids #2 occurred.  But this time it was a different fluid from a different orafice.  That's right, Ben had shit his pants.  He couldn't make it 50 more yards.  Matt hit the ground in uncontrollable laughter while Ben stripped off his boxers and pants and threw them in a nearby trash can.  He then proceeded to finish going to the bathroom in a neighbor's yard before walking the final 50 yards to the house butt naked from the waist down.  He instantly got in the shower and realized that he had left his phone in his pants pocket.  Matt then walked back to the trash can and picked the phone out of Ben's shitty clothes.  What a friend.

While that has been the high/lowlight of the week thus far, we've also seen the only shotgun attempts end in projectile vomit, a near fistfight between two house members, a pick-up attempt gone wrong, an impressive individual streak on the beer pong table (close to 15 in a row), and a very mysterious text message:  One house member that we'll call Tim got in some hot water with his best female friend.  He says that someone in the house picked up his phone last night and sent a very inappropriate text to a random name that just so happened to be his best female friend.  Feel free to judge for yourself, but I'm definitely calling bullshit on that one.  I know exactly who sent that text and I'll give you a hint.  Three letters, starts with a "T" and ends with an "M."  The week has been eventful to say the least and with two more nights here, I think it's safe to assume that we haven't seen the last of the tomfoolery. 

"Not all chemicals are bad.  Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer."  - Dave Barry

-Brusk Dollas

So it's the first Monday since I declared Mondays and Thursdays to be official "Roast Beef Tech" days and  I'm running out of hours in the day to get it done.  In my defense, I'm on a week-long vacation with my best friends from college, so the fact that I'm sober enough to write at 8 p.m. is an accomplishment in itself (or a disappointment, depending on how you look at it).  Nonetheless, tonight I'll be giving you some insight into the upcoming NBA Draft and some of its most well-known participants, specifically the talent that I discovered about two years ago named James Fredette.

I guess I'll start with the top pick in the draft that belongs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  It's not quite a foregone conclusion that the Cavs will take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving at the top spot, but that will likely be the case.  If not, Arizona Forward Derrick Williams will be the guy.  I assume the Cavs have a scout that reads this blog because we've eclipsed the 1,000 view mark, so I can't imagine who doesn't read it.  That being said, here's a word of advice to Cavalier representatives:  Take Derrick Williams.  Williams is more dynamic, more experienced and has more potential.  He's uber-athletic and has the ability to take over games on the offensive AND defensive end of the floor.  I have no doubt that Irving will be a very productive pro but I'm a little confused why he's getting the praise that he is after playing in just eleven games in his college career.  Call me crazy but I'd like to see a little bit more sustained success before I'm ready to spend the first overall pick in the draft on him.  Oh and when did four assists per game become an impressive stat for that position?  Not to mention that Cleveland has the fourth pick as well and they know they can get a very good point guard, probably Kentucky's Brandon Knight, with that pick.  I could go on for a little while with statistics about the two but there's a more important player in the draft that I need to address:  The Jimmer.

Anytime a college athlete gets consistently referenced on "Sportscenter" when he's not part of the highlight, it's a clear indicator that he has done something special.  I remember watching highlights of James "Jimmer" Fredette hitting 35-foot three-pointers when he was a sophomore at BYU and he instantly became my favorite player.  At that time, nobody outside of the Fredette family knew who he was, but I distinctly remember sending a text to some of my closest friends telling them to youtube the kid.  Now, more than two years later, he has finished his last year of eligibility as a Cougar and will be drafted on Thursday.  Most analysts agree that he'll be taken in the middle of the first round, and for a 6'2" white guy from upstate New York, that's not too shabby.  But Jimbo led the nation in scoring at the Division 1 level and is as good from 40 feet as most guys are from 18, and I've heard argument after argument for why he'll only fit into certain teams' gameplan.  But answer me this:  Is there a basketball team at any level that couldn't find value in a guy that demands attention the moment he crosses halfcourt?

On another note, I have to give respect to Rory McIlroy, 2011 US Open Champion by an astonishing eight strokes.  After self-destructing at the last PGA major event (2011 Masters), McIlroy showed that he, in fact, does have the mental make-up to make a lead stand up.  His ability to do that got him the first major win in his young career, and I predict that it won't be his last (not exactly a leap of faith).  I apologize for the lack of length and quality in this post, but it's time to get back to inebriating activities.  See you Thursday.

On being asked if he preferred grass or astroturf, he replied "I don't know, I never smoked astroturf."  -Tug McGraw

-Brusk Dollas

Smorgasbord: Eat It Up

With Father's Day on the horizon, it's only appropriate that I take my father's advice and start a consistent posting-schedule.  That's why I am hereby declaring Thursdays and Mondays as "Roast Beef Tech" days.  From now on you will be able to count on a new post every Monday and Thursday, regardless of what's going on in the athletic world at that time.  That's right, now you get to experience your favorite part of the week TWICE every week.  For tonight's post (technically it's still Wednesday night as I begin writing) I plan on discussing a number of hot topics as there are too many to pick just one.  On the docket we have the Stanley Cup Finals and everyone's two favorite villains, Lebron James and Terrelle Pryor.

It's about 10:45 p.m. EST and I'm watching the Boston Bruins accept the Stanley Cup trophy after beating the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 in Game 7 in Vancouver.  I've already admitted that I'm not a huge hockey fan, nor do I claim to be knowledgeable on the subject.  However there are a few things I do know about the sport:  Bruins' captain Zdeno Chara was the first team member to hold Lord Stanley's Cup and he looked like Gheorghe Muresan on skates.  The dude is 6'9" and makes 75 percent of the league look like Danny DeVito.  I also know that it took Boston seven games to win a series in which they outscored their opponent 23-8.  That's not to take anything away from what they accomplished, I just find it to be an astounding number.  And the Finals didn't lack controversy as Vancouver's Alex Burrows clearly bit the finger of Bruins' Forward Patrice Bergeron in Game 1, yet somehow evaded suspension.  Then Canucks' Defenseman Aaron Rome leveled Nathan Horton five minutes into Game 3 when Horton's head was turned, resulting in Horton leaving the game via stretcher and Rome leaving the series via suspension.  Fortunately for me, the biting incident led to what was easily my favorite moment of the Finals (pictured above):  In the midst of an 8-1 beatdown of Vancouver in Game 3, Boston's Milan Lucic took the glove off his right hand and stuck his fingers in the face of Burrows in an epic taunt.  Throw in some smack talk from Canucks' goalie Roberto Luongo to his counterpart Tim Thomas (the eventual series MVP) and you have yourself more than enough reasons to be happy that the Stanley Cup will stay in the U.S.A.

The NHL isn't the only league to crown a champion this week and the Bruins aren't the only team to finish a series on the road.  The Dallas Mavericks captured the NBA Championship on Sunday night in Miami after winning Game 6 by a 105-95 final.  Naturally though, everyone has been focused on the wrong things.  Instead of giving Dallas the credit they deserve, sports analysts have talked endlessly about Lebron pulling a Houdini in seemingly every fourth quarter of the series.  To make matters worse, James made a comment in the post-game press conference that has been blown way out of proportion in my opinion.  When asked if he was bothered by the number of people rooting against him, he basically said that he wasn't because those people will wake up the next day and still have their own "personal problems."  I don't even like Lebron but do we really know what his intentions were with that comment?  No.  Too many times the media hear's what they want to hear.  That being said, Lebron does need to have a better filter.  When I first heard it, I didn't really think twice about it.  But he can't continue to give his haters ammunition.  For starters, he should probably try not to average 9 points per game less in the Finals than he did in the regular season (the largest margin by any player ever).  Yes, I just contradicted myself by discussing Lebron's faults rather than the Mavs' accomplishments.  So here's where we praise Dallas:  Way to go, guys.

And last, but certainly not least, what the hell is up with the state of Ohio?  First Lebron, now Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor.  The ongoing investigation of Ohio State football players selling memorabilia has resulted in the resignation of Tressel, one of the few coaches in the country whose job seemed secure as long as he wanted it, and potential Heisman candidate Pryor foregoing his final year of eligibility because, well, he probably wasn't going to be allowed to play at all anyway.  Pryor and several of his teammates had already admitted to exchanging gear for tattoos, but now the ugly details are coming out.  Turns out Pryor may have made upwards of $40,000 selling signed equipment throughout his time as a Buckeye.  And here comes the more surprising part:  I'm going to defend my buddy Terrelle.  

There is an outcry from sports fans everywhere that Pryor's decision to turn pro reinforces the idea that he's selfish.  Really?  I couldn't disagree more.  What do you want him to do, stay at school, be a distraction to his team and stand on the sideline as nothing more than a cheerleader?  Had he done that, I'm certain that I'd hear nothing but claims that he's a hypocrite.  Most fans and the media paint a mental picture of the athletes they follow and there's nothing those individuals can do to change that picture.  See:  Lebron James and Michael Vick.  If you were a Vick fan before the dog-fighting incident, I guarantee you're still a Vick fan.  On the other hand, if you hated Vick for what he did to innocent animals, you don't care about all of his public service since his release from prison, he's still a bad guy in your mind.  Pryor is making the right decision.  The sooner he can start a new phase in his life, the better.  The sooner he can distance himself from the immature decisions he made as a 19 year-old kid, the better.  As far as those decisions go, raise your hand if you can honestly say that you wouldn't have done what he did.  Ha, if someone wanted to pay me for a game-worn jersey in college, I would have absolutely done it and never thought twice about it.  And you can be damn sure I would have continued to do it until someone told me otherwise.  There is no doubt in my mind that the people at fault in this situation are the coaches, the compliance department and those pathetic boosters who have nothing better to do than pay amateur athletes, especially when more and more former players are coming out saying that the same things went on when they played as far back as the 1980's.  Don't try to tell me that university officials don't know about something that's been going on for 30 years.  See you Tuesday. 


"When you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you're getting your ass hammered by guys--there's no better feeling than to have that done."   -Matt Stairs....Umm...


-Brusk Dollas

13 Year Old Phenom

The following is a column that I wrote for "The Maine Campus" while attending the University of Maine in 2009...This is the first of many that I will be posting on the site so stay tuned for the best of the best...

Did you hear about the hospital that offered a sixth-grader its head of surgery position because he aced his scholastic aptitude test?  What about the 12-year-old who signed a contract to become the CEO of a billion-dollar corporation because she set a record for girl-scout cookie sales?  If you’re wondering what rock you’ve been living under that caused you to miss these momentous occasions, do not panic, they never happened.  Nobody in their right mind would put the future of their organization in the hands of a pre-pubescent child, right?  Not so fast.

Look no further than newly hired USC head football coach Lane Kiffin.  I have already made my opinion of Kiffin rather clear (in case you missed that column, lets just say I’m not his biggest fan) and he continues to raise eyebrows again and again with his most recent action being a scholarship offer to a 13-year-old boy who appears to be a phenom at the quarterback position.  Kiffin received information about David Sills from the boy’s personal coach Steve Clarkson who said “His skill set is off the chart…I’ve never seen anyone at his age do what he’s been able to do.”  Clarkson has mentored guys like USC’s current starting quarterback Matt Barkley and Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen.

           

Obviously Clarkson has an eye for talent and knows what signifies the potential to be a standout at the college level.  But let’s be realistic:  This kid hasn’t even stepped on a high school football field yet.  I’m not sold on a player just because he has been torching pee wee defensive coordinators who think an offense that utilizes the shotgun and pistol means that they bear arms. 

            

One of Clarkson’s claims is that Sills is already six feet tall at the age of 13.  What he doesn’t mention is that the kid looks more like a figure skater than a big time college football player.  I’d be willing to bet that at least 75 percent of current Division 1 quarterbacks looked eerily similar to Sills when they were his age.  There are thousands of factors that separate the good ones from the great ones such as his mental and physical toughness as well as physical development.  None of these things can be measured at age 13.

            

Not surprisingly, Sills has already given Kiffin a verbal commitment to play for his football team when the time comes.  Unfortunately for Kiffin, a verbal commitment holds about as much weight as a Brett Favre retirement threat.  Chances are this kid will turn out to be a great football player and Kiffin will look like a genius.  But there’s a reason USC is the only offer he’s gotten so far. 

As of the fall of 2008, USC’s out-of-state tuition was almost $38,000 per year.  By the time Sills would be there in the fall of 2015, it will be considerably higher.  That means that Kiffin just made at least a $160,000 investment in something that could very easily not pan out.  Would you invest that much money into a kid that rocks out to the Jonas Brothers?

"I'm stupid, you're smart.  I was wrong, you were right.  Umm, you're the best, I'm the worst.  You're very good-looking, I'm not attractive..."  "OK, as long as you're willing to admit that now."  -Happy Gilmore

Year of the Quarterback

I would first like to thank all our fans and readers for supporting our blog even though I know you all don't love the NBA. While we are in the middle of an awesome NBA finals I feel we have focused a little too much on the stories within the NBA. It’s now time for me to bring my annual ranking of the Quarterbacks to “Roast Beef Tech.” Every year I rank the top ten Quarterbacks in the NFL and participate in a debate on the position of each one. The Quartback position is the hardest and most important position in American sports. Before I start ranking these Quarterbacks I will first state that I am not a fantasy guy. I have played the game at a competitive level and coaching style doesn't reflect the actual ability of a Quarterback, the eye test does. I also believe that Super Bowls are a team accomplishment, not an individual one. If you believe some guys are better than others because they won a Super Bowl, please stop reading now because this is not the post for you. Now, I would love to say that past achievements and legacy have been left out of the equation for ranking these Quarterbacks but that would be a lie. Moral code and personal lifestyle have nothing to do with on-field performance so they will not be included in the ranking of 2011's top QB's. Comments and feedback is encouraged and I hope you enjoy the post. Let's get started with the 10th best Quarterback.

10. Eli Manning - Eli's play on the field could only be described as a scatter plot. At his peak he could be at the top of this list but his valleys look down right putrid. Even though Super Bowls are a team accomplishment, Eli had one of the game’s most spectacular plays, which lead to one of the game’s most amazing drives, beating what was possibly NFL's all-time greatest team, capping one of NFL's most precious stories. Eli didn't win that Super Bowl against the Patriots but he did put the icing on the cake. The reason Eli is at 10 is because the interceptions are out of control. Leading the NFL in that category last year is unacceptable and I could argue Eli's mind-blowing last drive and winning MVP of Superbowl XLII is the only reason he makes the list at all.

9. Tony Romo - After last season's less than mediocre start and the season ending shoulder injury, I was forced to move Tony down a couple spots from last year’s rankings. Although I am not big on fantasy achievements or stats, you can't ignore the fact that before last season Tony Romo was ranked 3rd all-time in Quarterback rating which is a stat that calculates productivity. In addition to the high Quarterback rating, Tony was also the only starting QB in the NFC to have a winning record every season since 2005. After a botched extra point hold against the Seattle Seahawks, a loss against the soon to be Super Bowl Champion New York Giants and a complete landslide of a game against the Minnesota Vikings, who broke the NFL Playoff single-game record for sacks against the Cowboys, Tony has the label of not being able to win the big game. Only time will tell if he can do that and I think 9th is fitting for Tony Romo in 2011.
8. Michael Vick - The Comeback Kid lived up to that billing as he finished runner-up for the 2010 NFL MVP. The NFL's most electrifying player showed exactly why he was once the league’s highest-paid player. On a rainy Monday night Michael Vick showed the world what they were missing on the opening play of the game, completing a 92 yard missile to DeSean Jackson on their way to one of the most lopsided first halves in NFL history. If this ranking were based on intangibles Michael Vick would be number one but his skill set still needs some fine tuning. With a rocket launcher for an arm and jets on his feet, this south paw needs more work learning the quarterback position. Fortunately for him he's being taught by one of the NFL's best in Andy Reid.
7. Matt Ryan – I would describe Matty Ice as Captain Cool. Matt Ryan is at number seven not because of who he is but for what he has accomplished. Matt Ryan took over a train wreck of an organization that was held hostage by Michael Vick and left at the alter by Bobby Petrino. Ryan was paid a king’s ransom to come in and perform damage control. He exceeded all expectations and earned every penny he was paid. In all fairness, if we are going to bash Tony Romo for his performance in the playoffs, we cannot let Ryan off the hook. He’s 0-2 in the playoffs and was blown out at home last season after earning a first round bye. Now with the duo of newly acquired Julio Jones and Roddy White, I look forward to seeing Ryan light up the scoreboard in the Georgia Dome. But only time will tell for this rising star in a division where the Quarterback position is rich with young and established talent.
6. Phillip Rivers - The man with the golden arm. Phillip Rivers has a Dan Marino quality that only few possess. Tall, lanky and stationary, I like to refer to this side-arm gun slinger as Mr. Goods. There isn't a throw in the playbook Rivers can't make. The rap that Phillip Rivers has gotten is unjust but in the NFL, the Quarterback position is defined by the haves and the have-nots. The top five spots are for the elite, and that’s not to say Rivers doesn't have the skill set the top five guys have because he does, he just doesn't meet the prerequisite: A ring.
5. Aaron Rodgers - I may be Aaron’s biggest critic because I believe he is a fantasy god and, like I said earlier, it’s called fantasy for a reason. It’s a different day in the NFL and Aaron was afforded a luxury that doesn't typically exist in today’s game: The opportunity to learn. In today’s game we have undrafted rookie free agent Quarterbacks being thrown to the wolves while Aaron (a first round draft pick) sat for three years and learned the ins and outs of the NFL. Even after the torch was passed, Aaron didn't exactly catch it and run. The Packers were a 13-3 football team when Aaron took over and in his first season as the starter he went 6-10. In his second season he took a first-round playoff loss to the Cardinals that wasn't his fault at all, but an interception in overtime ended the game. I hate the words “if” and “but,” but it should be noted that if the Giants didn't have a historical collapse in the fourth quarter against the Eagles during the regular season, the Packers would have been out of this year’s playoffs and would be in the same category as Romo and Rivers. However that wasn’t the case and Aaron made the best of his opportunity. Don't get me wrong, Aaron Rodgers is a player and he can rock with the best of them, so I will give credit where credit is due. With all the injuries and mishaps throughout the season, Aaron took Green Bay for a joyride and redeemed himself after last year’s heartbreaking end. Aaron ripped through the playoffs and could have easily shattered some Super Bowl records if it weren’t for a few dropped passes. I would be the first to say Aaron proved me wrong but the situation was a little different for the guys ahead of him.
4. Ben Roethlisberger - Big Ben is an absolute monster. Like my man *pause* Brusk Dollas, dude gets it done on the gridiron. Fantasy guys want me to look at the box scores and pro scouts want to talk about how he doesn't "spin it" like the others. All I know is Big Ben is a football player who is unique to everyone on this list. How many Quarterbacks can take Darnell Dockett for a rodeo ride on his way to a touchdown run in the Super Bowl? Or punch Terrell Suggs away to throw a game winning touchdown? Only Big Ben. As a rookie, Big Ben went 13-0 in the regular season as a starter and hasn't looked back since. Even though the Rooneys have gotten rid of playmakers like Plaxico Burgess and Santonio Holmes, Big Ben has still been able to be great. Broken foot or broken nose, it doesn't matter, Big Ben gives you 100 percent on the field.
3. Drew Brees – In my opinion, Drew Brees has been the ultimate success story. A 6'0 tall pocket passer from Purdue screams life long back-up or undrafted free agent, but not for Brees. Wherever Drew has touched the laces of the football, he has been nothing short of excellent. Even after his career threatening shoulder injury, and almost every NFL team writing him off as a depreciated asset, Drew rose to the occasion. He took over a team that, much like the city, was a complete disaster. He turned that same team from the laughing stock that traded the world for Ricky Williams to the Super Bowl champs.
2. Tom Brady - The most controversial pick of this list. Last season’s MVP is a straight stud when he can eat grapes and polish his nails in the pocket. Again, Super Bowls are a team accomplishment and Tom Brady originally took over a contender when Drew Bledsoe was injured. I hate to knock players’ value because Tom has done some remarkable things in the NFL, but even when he went down in Week One with a season ending knee injury back in 2008, a guy who hadn't started a football game since high school took the Patriots to an 11-5 record. Are the Patriots great because of Brady or Bill Belichick? Three Super Bowls, Two MVP's and several records in the NFL make Brady the number two spot on the list.

1. Peyton Manning - Mr. Do-It-All was a number one pick who lived up to the hype. After taking over one of the worst franchises in the history of the game, Peyton has since made them into a perennial lock for the playoffs. I usually don't say this about any player but he is the team. He is the Coach, the Quarterback, and might as well get out there and play Linebacker too because he is the Colts’ franchise. I’ve seen Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter step on the field for the Colts and it's not pretty. This four-time MVP plays the game like he's in the booth. Without maybe the game’s best coach or the game’s all-time greatest deep threat like Brady has, Manning has performed better than anyone on this list as an individual. I could also argue that the players he's played with aren't as great as they appear and it was Peyton that made them the all-stars they once were. Edgerrin James was a disaster when he left, Marvin Harrison was unemployable when he was done in Indy and no matter who's on the field now he make them look like extremely serviceable players. Just ask Jacob Tamme, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon and Blair White. Sure, he doesn't have the three rings Brady has, but he also doesn't have Bill Belichick.

-Jae Pierce