Beware the Hype Demon

If you havent heard about Strasburg, you have probably been marooned in the Swiss Alps with no internet or have been held against your will in a bunker somewhere. Im not going to discuss the merits of his injury, but I do want to touch on how this lesson factors into the buying habits of the general collecting public. See, the hype machine has become a ridiculous tornado of cash surrounding a few different people in the hobby over the last few years, and so far, none of them have lived up to the billing. Starting with Reggie Bush, moving to Joba Chamberlain, and ending with Strasburg, its funny how things have worked out. Now, with Tim Tebow beginning to make an enormous hobby impact in Football, I am wondering if people will ever learn.

Lets travel back in time to 2006, speed up to 88 mph and we are off. The Texans have the first in the NFL draft pick after a pretty terrible 2005 campaign, and Reggie Bush, the franchise back of the future is sitting there for them to build their team. He has had a monster career at USC and many of the scouts are saying he could be the next Barry Sanders. No matter that he has little size to carry the ball with that frequency, and his field awareness is oft criticized, the fans don’t care. They want Reggie. In a shocking twist, the Texans pass, and go with Mario Williams, leaving Bush to fall right into the lap of the Saints. His cards start selling at crazy astronomical prices, and his Exquisite patch auto climbs above $2,000 selling on eBay when the product is released. His draft counterparts Vince Young and Matt Leinart start to ride on his coattails even, with their cards selling for crazy money as well. Now, lets jump back in the Delorian and see what's up. Bush has done little to nothing since his rookie season, and was actually in danger of being cut before this season. The Saints did win their first title, but it had NOTHING to do with the talents of Reggie Bush. In fact, if not for Adrian Peterson's fumble-itis, his fumble on a punt return in the first half of the NFC championship may have stopped them short altogether. His cards still generate more than the normal run of the mill back, but they are never going to be back where they were in 2006.

Similarly, Joba Chamberlain had copius amounts of hype surrounding his arrival in the Yankees' farm system. His cards were selling for amounts that would make a Sox fan cry, and many people thought he was going to be the next Roger Clemens. When the 2007 Bowman products hit shelves, people clamored to get a hold of his autographed rookie. So much so that his 2007 Chrome superfractor sold for close to $10,000. I was literally in shock that someone would pay that much for a guy destined to be a middle reliever or a middle of the rotation starter, but none-the-less, people were freaking out. It had a lot to do with where he was playing, and I always said that if his name was Jerry and he played in Pittsburgh, no one would care about his future. In 2010, he has settled into a setup role with the Yankees, but is no where near where he was back in 2007. He has already had a few shots as a starter with the team, only to be put back into the bullpen when success was limited. Cards that were selling above $300 in 2007 are now under 50 bucks, and there is even a fabled BGS 10 on eBay with no bids at under $150.

These players were far down the page in a long list of failed top prospects, but Strasburg is on a level all his own. Although his career is far from over, its probable that he is not going to get to the spot he was expected to be come the middle of his run. Fireballers like Strasburg have a propensity to burn out, even to the point where teams are starting to go in a different direction if they have the option. However, that is not even half of the craziness surrounding his upcoming surgery. The main batch of crazy here was the prices people were paying for his cards, despite the fact that a best case scenario in Tim Lincecum was valued far below the investment they were making. Even if Stras had come to be what Lincecum is now, the prices were ten stories above the value ceiling. That didn’t stop people from paying thousands for his stuff, and now I am the one who is among the many saying "I told you so." Even worse, those bowman autos that were once climbing above $600 dollars are now unable to sell at even half of that price.

Not stopping there, I can now say that buying Strasburg stuff far exceeds the terrible investment anyone ever spent on guys like Bush and Chamberlain, mainly because the investment people had made had no chance of ever panning out. If you were a fan, that’s fine, spend what you want, but that’s not the way many collectors approached Strasburg "prospecting." Even at the price tag he was selling for, people were lining up to pay top dollar just in case he became the next "better than" Tim Lincecum. Instead, they ended up with a season and a half, plus rust shaking time of sitting on cards that will probably never make it back to where they paid.

Like Strasburg, Tebow is creating a hype storm in football that rivals a lot of what guys like Matt Leinart brought in 2006. Despite a lack of an NFL level skill set, and a team with that has barely any weapons at all, people are paying huge prices for cards that don’t even feature game worn swatches. Tebow has managed two TDs in the pre-season, more than any of the other QBs drafted this year, but both were "well, but" touchdowns that have a line after the initial explanation. The first TD happened during garbage time against the third stringers, and the second TD was a three yard pass against the scrubs, only after a long run from another player. These "successes" also don’t take into consideration that his terrible throwing motion, arm and accuracy led to an interception by a player who probably will only play special teams, among other problems. If he had these types of problems against the backups, what happens when guys like Darrelle Revis have a shot at his throws on a curl route to Eddie Royal?

Many people don’t understand why I hate on Tebow as much as I do, and I will say that some of it comes from the hype machine itself. I cheer against the sand that is kicked up around guys that have potential but nothing to show for it yet, and it’s the same reason I never buy into their cards. I almost always root against the hype machine, mainly because so much of the hype stands against normal reasoning. If the hype machine actually put out what we put in, maybe my tune would change, but for right now, the results are pretty much a landslide in the opposite direction. Because America is such a please me now society, no one is willing to wait on buying cards of a guy who is being helped by his hype. Even though prices will almost surely decline rapidly once production levels out to normal expectations, no one cares. Card collectors NEVER learn their lesson, and I have a feeling that they wont stop creating hobby titans like Strasburg and company.

Does this mean that we need to adjust the way WE collect? No, it just means that we have to be more careful when the hype machine comes knocking at our door. Let the others live and die by their dollars spent on unproven "pre-superstars," and instead take the bird in hand every time. Remember, its not "prospecting" when you are buying high and selling low.

Be Careful When Evaluating Pre-Season Play

Im excited that football is back. It was a practical barren wasteland of summer for me without it, and I must admit that I even watched part of the Hall of Fame game to get myself hyped up for the season. Fantasy is getting going too, and the SCU league is back with many of the same people who played last year. The one thing I see, is that with the start of the preseason, comes unnecessary hype for players who shouldn’t even be on the radar. Of course, there are collectors who cant tell the difference, so let this serve as your warning.

Every year, there is a player or rookie that plays well in the preseason. Whether it’s a few TDs here and there, or even an explosion of production, someone always makes these first four weeks their bitch. Inexperienced football prospectors jump on the cards of these guys, without the realization that doing well in the preseason rarely translates to more than a spot on the team for most guys. There is always an exception to the rule, but for just about every other player, its not worth your time to think about buying in.

A great example is David Clowney. Clowney was a rookie in 2007 and exploded for three or four TDs in one preseason campaign for the Jets or some high profile team like that. I remember there were two or three of his cards that sold in upwards of 15 dollars per auto at that point, even though Clowney was never going to be more than a special teams or utility player. Even though he did extremely well in that preseason, he has only caught 1 regular season TD pass.

Josh Morgan is another example, even though he has had more of a role for his team. In 2008, Morgan was a sixth rounder for the Niners who had a tremendous 2008 preseason. Because of a lack of options at receiver, people thought he would be getting on the field quite a bit as a result of his performance. Since 2008, he has only caught 6 TD passes and has less than 1000 yards in two seasons for San Fransisco. Not the worst case scenario, but for a guy who's autos sold at over 20 bucks at one point, its not a good showing.

The moral of the story is that Preseason is a terrible judge of talent. Just because a player can excel against the scrubs of the scrubs, doesn’t mean he is going to have a great career worth you spending money on. Before going nuts on spending because a player scores a TD in week one, maybe its better to look at who he is playing against. If a guy only puts up reasonable numbers against the third team, what is he going to do against the starters playing at full speed? Its like using the Pro Bowl as a true measure of a game. The preseason is used as a way to fill out the rosters and to test the game plans, not as a way to adjust the depth chart at the top. Someone may win a job here and there, but those jobs are usually backups and special teams. For a guy like David Clowney, it was probably the time of his life, but for collectors, its not something you should view as the end all and be all of worth in the league.

The National Card Show: Strasburg Heritage Hitting Ebay

If there is one thing that I expected to be extremely popular at this show, it was the Strasburg Heritage giveaway numbered to 999. Because it comes from a popular set and it is numbered, I expected it to be MORE than well worth the time of the collectors who waited up to a few hours in line to get it. Color me surprised that they are selling this low.

Other than the Strasburgs, the national card show redemption cards have been selling very close to what they were last year, with a few NOTABLE exceptions, so I guess this year is more the rule than the exception to the rule.

More tomorrow.

2010 Elite Auto Leaderboard

Now that Elite has been out for about a week, I always find it interesting to find out who has the top autos and what they are going for. I have a feeling that this is the way things will shake out until the season starts, which says a lot about who the collectors think will have the most success. As I have commented on before, a player's college may still have residual effects on value until they become more engrained with their current team, however, at this point, NFL team makes just as much difference.

1. Tim Tebow /199 - $120-$125: No matter how much I shout from the mountain tops that Tebow's college career means nothing in the NFL, people will still bank on him. I have never seen a middle of the first round QB outsell the QB picked number one before the season starts, but then again, "with Tebow anything is possible." Saw that on a bumper sticker today, in TEXAS, next to a jesus fish. NOT KIDDING.

2. Sam Bradford /199 - $90-$95: Bradford is the #1 pick and really has every right to command a top value of the class. However, once he gets behind the Rams TERRIBLE offensive line that is in complete shambles, value will drop considerably.

3. Dez Bryant /249 - $70-$75: Bryant has Cowboys on his side, and also a ridiculous amount of talent. He is in a place where there hasnt been a good receiver not named Austin or Owens, and that will help tremendously. Value should stay right where it is.

4. (Tie) CJ Spiller /199 - $65-$70: Spiller was drafted as the top RB and he is getting that value wise too. However, in Buffalo, he isnt playing for as good of a team as Mathews, and Mathews seems to be primed for a ROY season behind a good line. However, RBs are always a wild card when it comes to production.

4. (Tie) Ryan Mathews /199 - $65 - $70: Ryan Mathews is a target of mine because I think San Diego is a great place for a rookie running back to thrive. Right now, he is my prediction for ROY, unless Spiller or Bryant finds a way to be as awesome as they can be.

6. Jimmy Clausen /249 - $60-65: I think Clausen will turn out to be the best QB of the class because he plays on the best team. Matt Moore is not the answer, and Clausen looked to be most pro-ready heading into the draft.

7. Ndamukong Suh /399 - $45-$50: Suh is one of the best Defensive prospects of the last decade, and could possibly be a perennial powerhouse in Detroit. However, its still Detroit, and that is a problem until the team gets a lot better.

8. Jahvid Best /249 - $35 - $40: With Kevin Smith out and recovering from a debilitating knee injury, Best will be the starter. However, as with his previously mentioned teammate, the Lions are terrible enough to bring down his prospects of gain.

9. Golden Tate /249 - $30-$35: Tate was a great player in college, and he is looking to take over the number 2 spot in a barren wasteland of offense in Seattle. He is a great looking talent, but receivers can easily go the Harvin way or they can go the Limas Sweed way.

10. Toby Gerhart /299 - $25-$30: Gerhart is a Viking RB, and when you put those two words together, you get value attached to the player. He is going to be taking Chester Taylor's vacated 3rd Down role, and hopefully he excels for us. However, with the addition of Ryan Moats to the backfield, its a good chance he may get reduced carries and touches off the bat. That's bad for business.

Honorable mentions: Dexter McCluster, Armanti Edwards, Arrelious Benn, Gerald McCoy

With this class being more of a defense focused bunch, there is a good chance this is not a good year for buying a lot of wax, but with people like Tebow and Bradford, who knows. Tebow isnt going to play possibly at all the first season, and Bradford should have a terrible beginning to his career. That will be left up to players like Bryant, Spiller and Mathews to pick up the slack. I am hoping that at the very least, there will be good products to match the need for wax buyers, but with a lack of Ultimate, SPA, and Exquisite, there is definitely going to be issues on that front. Maybe Chrome and Limited will perform well enough that it wont matter.

What Is Going On With Elite?

Now that Elite has been out for a few days, we are getting a good picture of how much the cards are going for. Suprisingly, prices are not as expensive as I thought they would be, which makes me wonder as to how collectors are perceiving the strength of this draft class. Even the top running backs of the class are selling lower than I expected, as the Peterson effect would usually have prices of Spiller and Matthews through the roof. On top of that, players like Dez Bryant, who play for highly collected teams arent feeling that bump like I have seen in similar situations for previous years, and im not sure that it all has to do with how the cards look. So, that begs the question of whether or not it’s the class or the product.

When it comes to the argument that the class is responsible for a normal pricing bump that follows the first post premiere NFL uni product, I think there is definitely merit. This draft was so defense heavy, that most of the elite prospects were Defensive Linemen who normally wouldn’t command high prices. Outside of the defensive line, there were a handful of great CBs, LBs, and other player positions that have no demand in the hobby in normal cases. Bradford is the top QB of the class, but he is being outsold by Tebow, who is looking more like a career backup than anything at first glance of his skill set. Bryant is the top WR of the class, but he fell far in the draft due to character issues. Spiller is the top RB by a nose over Ryan Matthews, but people arent buying in to his stuff like they would in previous years because its more generally understood that Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson were more the exception to the rule than the rule itself. That, and most of Johnson's success came in his second year, not his rookie year like Peterson.

As for the actual product, this may be the first time that NFL uniforms may have been detrimental to a product. Even though people like me bought into a product we normally avoid like the plague due to college stuff, other collectors were expecting it. Then when you also factor in that the design is more simple and plain than previous years, all those collectors that usually shout "OOOO SOMETHING SHINY!!!" when they buy a card, may not be as excited. Again, even though I am just about 100% focused on design and love simplicity over the eyesores of last year's thunderstorm cards, there are a lot of people that want foil and other crap like that because they think it looks better (or may have vision problems that prevent them from liking good looking stuff).

Overall, Elite will have a following regardless of anything because it has brand recognition, but I am acutally pretty surprised that prices arent higher. Although Im not sure as to why its happening completely, im sure it’s a combination of all of the above. I will say that it takes a lot for me to want a box of something, and I bought some of this product. At the very least, that says that things are getting better with Panini rather than worse. They still have buttloads of sticker products with no hint of any veteran cards worth buying, they may love ridiculous amounts of parallels, they may have floating swatches, but they did good by me here by including NFL uni cards as early as possible. Considering that people like me are rising at a more rapid rate due to the way products are being produced, you would think that things would be at a much higher price point. Obviously, something else is at work.

Is Tebow Hype In Football Equal To Strasburg Hype in Baseball?

Its rare that I would care about somehting like this, but it was completely shocking to see how much Tebow's base rookie out of elite is going for. Now, it would be one thing if the guy had a shot at starting and doing well, but for a late half first round pick who is third on the depth chart, this is ridiculous.

You all know my feelings on Tebow's prospect of doing well in this league, but when you have a base card numbered to 999 that is selling at this price, I start to wonder what certain people are smoking. Sam Bradford, the number one pick in the draft, is selling at five dollars less, something I find pretty amazing. Also, the unsigned version of the NFL shield card is selling quite high as well, which is funny because it isnt even part of the normal Elite base set.

Again, prospecting is one thing, but when you buy in at the 85th floor instead of getting in on the ground level, you have a few screws loose. A number of sites have been talking about the dissaray of the Rams' offensive line, and that hasn’t hurt Bradford's price, so I guess that being buried behind Orton and Quinn for the moment wouldn’t hurt people's understanding of the potential of a guy with throwing and accuracy problems.

Just when I thought my respect level for certain things couldn’t get any lower, right?

Think Twice Before Throwing Your Money Away

have always stood by the fact that investing early in the top QBs of the class is a terrible idea. Although many of them have the talent to be good QBs, the teams they usually go to are horrible for promoting growth in a young player that starts from Day 1. There are always exceptions to the rule, but in most cases, they fail quite hard until later in their career.

The main factors that should go into your decision of whether or not to buy usually rests with the team the guy plays for. In the case of Matthew Stafford, I advised to stay far away because of the team he played for. The offensive line was in shambles, the running game still need to prove its worth, and Calvin Johnson was all they had to help Stafford out. Sure enough, Stafford got banged around and ended up missing six games due to injury. In the case of Mark Sanchez, the Jets were in a MUCH different situation, and it showed. Although I didn’t think pumping dollars into Sanchez was a good idea either, at least he had better prospects of doing well off the bat.

In 2008, the situation was very similar to 2009 with Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Matt Ryan was coming back to a Falcons team that had pieces in place, but no one to lead. Flacco had a super bowl contender in Baltimore, having been drafted late in the first round. Because the Falcons and Ravens had better teams to complement the talent of the QBs, they did much better than expected.

This year, there are quite a few players that are already tickling the collective nutsacks of prospectors looking to burn a few bucks. The top guy should be Sam Bradford, likely going to the Rams after a DISASTEROUS 2009 season. Bradford has size and talent, and is expected to be a good quarterback. The Rams' lack of success could be as much attributed to injuries as anything, as many of their starters spent the year on the pine. Does this mean he is worth throwing a ton of money at when the products are released? Fuck no. Bradford is not going to have the year that Ryan had, and probably wont even have the underperforming year that Sanchez had on a playoff team. The Rams will go 3-13 at best, and that’s if Steven Jackson stays healthy. On the other hand, the Rams do have some talent that is building up to be good players. Jason Smith had a below average year, but is showing promise. Same with Donnie Avery and some of the other pieces of the Rams offense. This may help Bradford in the long run, but will limit his immediate potential.

As for Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow, it is likely that they will have a similar experience. Clausen may end up in Washington at number 4 or Cleveland at number 7, with both teams being terrible in their offensive prowess. McCoy may end up as a 2nd round pick, as will Tebow, and both should spend their first years on the bench. In McCoy's case, injuries likely put him out of the first round to begin with, though he has the talent to be a great QB. Tebow, well, if you throw money at his cards, you might as well burn that cash instead. As evidenced by his pro day film, he still has major problems with the exact issues he had before and may even end up as a Wildcat QB/TE when all is said and done. With the Wildcat becoming more of a tolerated offense, he is likely to spend more time on the bench than on the field during his career.

People may cite the success of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Tony Romo as reasons to get in on the ground floor, but I disagree. Prospecting has become so commonplace in football that prices are high from the beginning. In fact, the price Matt Ryan commanded originally didn’t grow THAT much over the course of his successful first season. Paying an extra 20-30 bucks, shouldn’t be that big of a deal once the guy proves his worth to his team.

Basically, your best targets will always be WRs and RBs. Top WRs are usually on the field from day one, with many being productive from the get go. Backs are the same, especially with 99% of the teams using a two back system. They command the value that they do because of that early production, though only the running backs will carry it on consistently. Funny enough, this year is so loaded with defensive talent, there could be a starvation rule in effect, with many collectors wondering what direction to go. It should be interesting to see where things end up.

Is This A Sign Of Things To Come?

Pro football talk recently posted a story about hundreds of people showing up to meet Tim Tebow at store in Florida. Although the people showing up should be no surprise, the price that he was charging seems a little high. 160 bucks to sign and 75 for pictures isnt astronomical, but usually it isnt until after the draft that they can charge THAT kind of money. That is not what my post is about.

Aside from the kid who flew from Pennsylvania to meet his personal Jesus Football Christ, this should give us an interesting clue as to how much Tebow's cards may be worth right off the bat. Heisman winners are a special breed that autograph collectors chase (even Danny Wuerffle still signs for cash), and Tebow is a little bit more than a Heisman winner right now. Even though he will most likely end up as late round pick with nothing of a career, he is a guy that many people would pay A LOT of money to get signatures of. After reading this story, Im wondering if one of the worst QB's in the draft may have a signature worth more than the guys who actually have a shot at being good in the NFL!

Yes, I know that Tebow can cure cancer with his post-game tears, can raise a girls cup size by two with a wink, and can turn a SOLO cup of water into beer, but he cant throw. Plain and simple. Its the same reason why Danny Wuerffle and all those other Florida QBs arent even close to the NFL right now. That wont stop some people from paying a shitload of their hard earned cash to get a piece of the next Akili Smith.

Check out these auctions for him right now:

Signed Jersey - This has a GAI cert and is still going for a ton! People dont trust GAI for a reason!

Signed Jersey - This one looks worse than the other one, but still has someone willing to pay a hundred for it! I wonder if he signed it "Tim Tebow - I can walk on water" that would make it worth more?

Signed Picture - I cant even explain this price. Peterson goes for under this. ADRIAN FUCKING PETERSON. Plus this picture is a little weird right? Remember, this guy has not and may not play a snap in the NFL.

Another Signed Jersey - More money, still has a GAI cert. I wouldnt touch this with someone else's ten foot pole, but because its Tim Tebow, someone did.

Honestly people, you know how much I hate this guy, especially after that stupid ass super bowl commercial. I seriously cant understand why anyone wants to pay as much money for this guy's autograph, when in 3-5 years, no one will know who he is. I get that he was a great college player, but there have been hundreds JUST like him with a similar resume. I just dont see any reason to go out of my way to buy stuff from a guy when I could get it hundreds cheaper in a few years.

A (Non) Comment On The Worthless Press Pass Exclusive

So far today, Press Pass has made a huge hulabaloo about an inconsequential detail that will affect no one but impatient Florida fans who buy SAGE. Sooooo, not many people. Right. Press Pass announced through a release that they had signed Tim Tebow to an "exclusive contract," but that the contract is only exclusive to their competitor. For those of you who actually like Tim Tebow for some god forsaken reason, you will still be able to get him in every single NFL licensed set this year regardless of press pass' news. Don’t worry your little Christian heads, Tebow will still be able to walk on water through your personal collections.

Really, since the NFLPA has a no exclusives rule, as soon as a set is licensed by the NFL, Tebow is fair game post NFL draft. Although I am sad that I will have to put up with this glorified fourth round pick all freaking year, there is no reason to get your panties in a bunch unless you are a SAGE collector who loves him. Tracy Hackler may have tried to over-hype Tebow's potential like putting lipstick on a pig, but most of us still know he could end up being the biggest draft reach in NFL history. He may be able to run and jump, but that means absolutely nothing when he has to work in a pro offense he has never seen before. Oh, and try and get that long ridiculous motion all the way through with Jared Allen or Dwight Freeney coming at you. Yeah, its not going to work.

Being a winner in college means dog shit when you cant play with the big boys.

Also, the press pass exclusive pretty much becomes a moot discussion when Upper Deck gets the exclusive CLC license starting in a month or two. So really, Press Pass may be out of football cards all together.

In other words, move along, nothing to see here.

Wild Card Royal Rumble: Rev Warner's House

I think this is the first time in a long time that I watched most of each of the Wild Card games if the Vikings werent playing. They were all incredibly entertaining, and the Packers game had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire second half. I could not believe what transpired, but ill get to that.

Jets/Bengals

Every single person I know thought the Bengals were going to kill the Jets, including a coworker, whose office went from covered in Bengals stuff on Friday to covered in Reds stuff today. Even though the Bengals were pretty banged up, they still had a better team on paper, and had the fire power to make the Jets pay. Yet, Sanchez protected the ball, the rushing game was great, and Shonn Greene ran one in from 40 yards out. That’s pretty much all the Jets did to win. I even think Boomer Esiason looked bummed on CBS the following day.

Cowboys/Eagles

This one was not too suprising in the final score, but definitely surprising as to how they got there. I wanted the Cowboys to win because I thought the Vikings had a better shot against them than against the winner of the other NFC game, but I never expected them to bludgeon the Eagles with a hammer as big as they did. Turnovers, mistakes, dropped balls, everything, and you cant win when that happens. Maclin's TD was pretty scary for me, because I can now see what the Eagles are going to have come two years from now in Jackson and Maclin. Holy crap. To Al Davis: You are a fucking idiot for drafting Darrius Craphead-Bey. Look at what you passed up - Crabtree, Harvin, Maclin, Wallace, Nicks, Collie, wow.

Ravens/Patriots

I was shocked that the Pats looked as bad as they did from the first play of the game. I knew the Ravens would win because of how hurt New England was, and how good Baltimore is, but I didn’t expect a blowout. Its great because I hate the Patriots, but bad because the Ravens look good enough to beat anyone again. How ridiculous is Ray Rice? I am totally shocked that he has turned out to be as good as he is. Usually the little backs run like human bowling balls, but Rice has moves like MJD.

Packers/Cardinals

I went to get lunch during half time, and I came back expecting the game to continue the way it had. Little did I know that Aaron Rodgers would put on his Hulk face and battle back, something that I didn’t think was possible after the first half. I was even more shocked when they tied it up, and my heart jumped when Rackers missed the field goal to send it to OT. Im surprised that the Packers looked so flat in their first few plays before the fumble after that, and I am even more shocked that they didn’t review the fumble due to the fucking gross "tuck rule." Either way, I am elated that the Packers are out of the hunt, as I believed they were one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs. To think that a playoff game ended with 100 points on the board is ludicrous, and I have a feeling that Michael Adams and the Cardinals defense are going to be running laps today.

NEXT WEEK PREVIEW:

Vikings/Cowboys

This is going to be an EPIC matchup and I have a good feeling that the Vikings can win. Its going to be a battle, especially with how the Cowboys' defense has been playing, though I think the Vikings are too good on fake grass to let it stop them. I expect Peterson to have an okay game, but the real story is going to be Favre/Rice. They have a real chance to show what they got against Jenkins, and I believe they can get the upper hand. Rice is a different type of receiver than DeSean Jackson, and im not sure if Jenkins will be as good against him. However, with Felix Jones, Witten and Miles Austin on the other side, it may not matter. The Vikings have trouble with speed, power and agility, traits that all three possess, meaning nightmares for the purple all day.

Saints/Cardinals

If I were Sean Payton, I would make Michael Adams look foolish for four quarters and call it a day. The guy almost lost the game for the Cardnials with his stupid plays, despite the forced fumble at the end. I actually have a feeling they started blitzing him because he couldn’t cover, even though he had already fucked it up once on the long Rodgers pass play earlier. Boldin may not play again, which didn’t seem to matter this past week, but it should matter this coming week. The Cardinals are going to need every bit of offense they can muster, because I think Drew Brees is going to cut them up like Tebow on an uncircumsized adult penis.

Ravens/Colts

I believe that this could be the best game of next week in the making. The teams are so evenly matched that I am not able to pick a winner quite yet. Manning is amazing, but the Ravens' defense is ridiculous. Rice and Flacco are crazy, but they are going to have to deal with Mathis and Freeney all day. Reggie Wayne is tearing it up, but Ed Reed looks invincible. I am so excited for this game that I cant even say.

Chargers/Jets

Phillip Rivers is going to go off like a bomb. The Jets don’t stand a chance. Regardless if Revis plays on Jackson the whole day, it wont matter in the grand scheme of things. This is going to be a bloodbath, and I don’t even need to say much else about what is about to transpire.

Wild Card Weekend MVP: Kurt Warner - he must have prayed extra hard to Jeebus because he had the game of his life. He needed it too, because there was no way the Cards had a shot in the second half if he pussied out.

Rookie of the Week: Jeremy Maclin - That pass play was great, and he didn’t even stop there. 7 for 146 has to be close to the rookie record, which should be great for his card values coming out of this loss.