B2:Peyton Manning vs Johnny Unitas

When people thought of the Colts there were two names that people think of Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning. These two players took two different paths to glory. Peyton was a heralded 1^st overall pick in the 1998 draft out of Tennessee, while Johnny Unitas was an unheralded 9^th round draft pick that was cut by his home town team the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the end both traveled down the same path of immortality. There has always been a debate of which quarterback was actually the better player. Now I’m not here to take sides on which player was better because I am not bias to either player because they were both great players. “Johnny U” was a Pittsburgh native who was drafted by the Steelers in the 9^th round in 1955, but was soon cut. Just a side note, Raymond Berry Johnny Unitas’ longtime friend, go-to wide receiver, and Hall of Famer was a 20^th round pick who was selected by the Colts the next year in 56. Johnny was known as “Mr. Clutch” because he patented what many quarterbacks call today as the two minute drill. Three years after he was draft and cut by the Steelers Johnny Unitas had the colts in the NFL Championship against the New York giants in what would be called the greatest game ever played. Johnny Unitas led the Colts down the field, on a textbook drive, near the goaline in the first “Sudden Death” Overtime game in NFL history where Alan Ameche punched it in for the winning touchdown. The game itself featured 17 Hall of Famers. Unitas led the Colts to two more NFL Championships over the Giants again, and then the Browns. One of the things that he regrets the most was losing to the New York Jets in the Super Bowl III. Two years later he had them back in the Super Bowl against the Dallas Cowboys in what would become known as the Blunder Bowl. Johnny could not end his career with the Baltimore Colts, rather with the San Diego Chargers in 1973. In 1979 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now time for a household name, Peyton Manning, and in 1998 when the NFL Draft was coming up the Peyton manning and Ryan Leaf were paired hip to hip. They were considered 1 and 1A, many thought that Manning was more pro-ready, but Leaf was thought of to have a higher sealing than Manning. The Chargers tried to trade up and take Manning, but the Colts refused and we all know how this turned out, Manning becomes a perennial all pro and Leaf implodes and becomes possibly the biggest bust in NFL History. Manning ended up winning 4 NFL MVPS as the Colts quarterback, in 2003-2004 and in 2008-2009. He holds the record for the most NFL MVPs, he holds the record for the most 300 yard games in NFL history, is 3^rd all-time in touchdowns, and 3^rd all-time in yards. Many thought that Peyton Manning would never win the Super Bowl and he would turn out just like Dan Marino, but in 2006 he won his first and only Super Bowl, for now. Manning is a surgeon on the field and there are very few times that a defense can disguise their attack. He always seems a step ahead of the opponent. Manning is one of the few quarterbacks that can

B1: What If Norwood makes the Kick

People all the time ask what if questions, like what if JFK was not assassinated or what if 9/11 never happened. These questions are very apparent in the NFL. Now this is all in theory. I am going to start off asking right now, what if Scott Norwood’s kick didn’t go wide right. Here we go, there are seconds left in Super bowl 25 and the Bills are lined up for a 48 yard field goal. If Norwood makes this the Bills go from a long time loser to a Super Bowl Champion. Instead of the kick going wide right it is right down the middle and the Bills beat the Giants 22-20 to win the Super Bowl. Bill Parcels legacy isn’t look at the same anymore Then the Bills go on to win the Super Bowl the next year and they defeat the Washington Redskins, the year after that they face the Dallas Cowboys and lose this game because they are hungry for a title and the Triplets (a.k.a Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman, and Emmitt Smith) prove to be too much for the Holy Trinity (a.k.a Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Andre Reed).The Bills start looking for the final piece to stop the Cowboys and there is a certain former Eagle on the market. Yeah, that’s right it’s Reggie White. The Bills end up signing the perennial hall of famer over the Green Bay Packers. The Bills have put together one of the most fearsome d-lines of all time. Finally in 1993 the Bills beat the Cowboys in a rematch and win their 3rd Super Bowl in 4 years. The Bills are looked at as one of the greatest teams of all time and Marv Levy goes done as one of the top three coaches of all time. Fresh off there Super Bowl win the Bills are looked at as a prime free agent destination for players like Deion Sanders and Rich Gannon. The Raiders don’t end up signing Rich Gannon and don’t end up making the Super Bowl.  The Packers don’t get Reggie White and they don’t make it to the Super Bowl. Brett Favre never wins a Super Bowl and is looked at as quarterback like Dan Marino, a player who puts up great stats, but could never win a Super Bowl. Instead of the Packers in the Super Bowl it’s the Panthers. Kerry Collins leads the Panthers to a Super Bowl victory over the heavily favored Broncos in one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl History. John Elway retires with only one ring, and I’ll go even farther to say that the Giant would not make the Super Bowl versus the Ravens. Instead the Minnesota Vikings reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1976. It is a match of polar opposites the Vikings with the aerial assault of Dante Culpepper, Chris Carter, and Randy Moss, and the Ravens with the defense. The Vikings get the first Super Bowl ring and Chris Carter can retire happy with a Super Bowl ring and maybe the Vikings don’t trade Randy Moss to the Raiders. I’ll go one step farther to say that Tom Brady doesn’t get Randy Moss and he doesn’t break Peyton Manning’s touchdown record. This all goes back to the one point in history of Scott Norwood making a field goal.

A3: Roger Staubach: Captain America

                In an era such as the 1970’s that was highlighted by Star Wars: A New Hope, the Brady Bunch, the Water Gate Scandal, the invention of the Floppy Disk, and Apollo 17 the last manned craft to the moon, one athlete shined in the spot light, Roger Staubach. It all started when Roger won the Heisman in 1963 for Navy and he spent 4 years in the Navy before he joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1969. It then took another two seasons for him to win the starting job from Ken Morton, but their story didn’t end there. The QB controversy took an interesting turn when Ken Morton and Roger Staubach were subbed in and out during a game. Roger would end winning the Super Bowl VI and was the NFL MVP of it. Roger was known as “Captain America” because he was the quarterback of “America’s Team”, the Dallas Cowboys. He was the most well-known quarterback in the entire league and became very popular when the NFL started to come on the TV. His ability to make plays with his legs and run around in the pocket highlighted his career. Three years later Roger had the Cowboys back in the Super Bowl, but they lost to one of the greatest dynasties of sporting history, the Pittsburgh Steelers. This game was highlighted with two Hall of Fame coaches; Tom Landry and Chuck Noll, two Hall of Fame quarterbacks; Roger Staubach, Lynn Swann, “Mean” Joe Green, John Stallworth, Mel Blount, Randy White, L.C. Greenwood, Franco Harris, “Too Tall” Jones, Rocky Bleir, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mike Webster, and Golden Richards. Another two years passed before the Cowboys were back in the big game. This time it featured two former Cowboy’s quarterbacks, Ken Morton and Roger Staubach. Roger gave the Cowboys an offensive spark and it propelled them to victory. The Cowboys “Dooms Day” Defense got much of the credit, but Roger was a champion once again. When Roger Staubach retired after the 1979 season he had the highest career passing rating in NFL history. So technically he was the greatest quarterback of all time because he had such a good passer rating at a time when defense dominated. The NFL may never see a player of stature ever again.

A2:Jerry Rice-The Best Ever

When people think of the San Francisco 49ers, they think of two players Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice was one of the hardest workers the NFL had ever seen. He played 20 NFL seasons for the 49ers, Oakland Raiders, and the Seattle Seahawks. He leads all wide receivers in major categories including touchdowns and receptions. It all started in 1985 when the San Francisco 49ers drafted in the 1^st round out of Mississippi State. It did not take long for him to impress because in his first year he averaged 18.9 yards per catch on 49 receptions for 927 yards and 3 TDs as a rookie. In 1986 he had one of the greatest seasons ever for an NFL wide receiver because he caught 86 passes for 1570 yards and 15 touchdowns. In the following season he broke the record with 22 touchdowns. Jerry Rice was one of the most prolific players in NFL history and in 2011 when NFL Network counted down the Top 100 players of all time which was voted on by former players and coaches; Rice was number 1. That says something because out of all the NFL players that have ever stepped on the field, he was number one. Even when Rice was nearing the end of his career when he was Oakland at the age of 41 he still managed to have over 1200 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns and he helped Oakland reach a Super Bowl. Jerry Rice won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and was named the MVP of Super Bowl 23 which was highlighted by Joe Montana’s 92 yard drive. Jerry Rice never was the always the fastest players on the field, but he ran such great routes and he always had some of the best hands. When people look back on Jerry Rice’s career 20, 30, and even 40 years from now and they are ranking the top players of all time I have no doubt in my mind that Jerry Rice will be ranked as the number one player of all time.

A1: Curtis Martin: What the NFL Should Be.

                When Curtis Martin was inducted into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton this past August, not many were surprised because he was such a talent on the field. In 2012 Curtis Martin was joined by Linemen Willie Roaf, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy and Dermontti Dawson and 1950s cornerback Jack Butler. His speech set a new level for Hall of Fame speeches. He said in his speech that football was not his life and that he rarely ever watched a football game. Curtis Martin excelled at consistency because of the fact that he had at least 1000 yards in 10 consecutive seasons. In 1995 Curtis was drafted in the 3^rd round by the New England Patriots and he quickly caught on and excelled in his first season; rushing for 1487 yards and 14 touchdowns. One year later they were in the Super Bowl playing the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots lost the Super Bowl but, Curtis Martin still was a force for the Patriots for 1 more season. In 1998 Martin left the Patriots for greener pastures and followed in his mentor and former coach Bill Parcels to New York where he became a staple of the franchise for 8 more years. In 2004 at the age of 31 Martin rushed for a career high 1697 yards and helped the Jets reach a playoff berth, only to lose because of the their kicker. When the five time pro bowler and 1^st team all pro retired at the end of the 2005 season he had rushed for an astonishing 14101 yards and 90 touchdowns. At his Hall of Fame induction ceremony Curtis Martin had none other than his former coach Bill Parcels present him. Parcels said that, “he had compassion for his fellow man” and that "He is, I think, the poster child for what the NFL is supposed to be. You come into the league, maximize your abilities, you save your money, you make a smooth transition into society and then you pass all those things on to other people. That's what this guy has done." I can only agree with what Parcels said, because Martin exemplified everything that and NFL player should be.