So, here's a fun subject: on average, the league's favorite, and least favorite, teams and players.
Turns out, Tom Brady is the most hated quarterback in the NFL. Not sure about that one, frankly. I know, people tend to hate people like him. He is obviously successful, considered good-looking, and very wealthy. For some people, that's enough to hate him on right there.
But personally, there are other quarterbacks out there far more worthy of our collective loathing. I mean, did people really forget Ben Roethlisberger, and his inexcusable raping (let's call a spade a spade) not just in one episode, but two, just to make sure that those reports suggested a certain truth about this man. He epitomizes that image of the big, dumb, arrogant jock with a false sense of entitlement, as well as an obvious bully mentality. I used to kind of like the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they had a certain mystique about them that has followed them around ever since their legendary dynasty of the seventies. But until that man no longer is their quarterback, I actively root against them consistently. Some things transcend football.
Also, in that same spirit, Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles. Yes, he has been relegated to back-up status, and there is a chance that we will not be hearing much from him now anymore. But with that history of dog fighting that he spent time in prison for, and his general arrogance and lack of likability, I would place him as solidly the second most unlikeable quarterback in the NFL, behind "Big Ben".
On the flip side, the most popular quarterback in the league in Peyton Manning, followed, also not surprisingly, by Tom Brady (yes, he is both one of the most hated, as well as most loved, quarterbacks out there). Many of the usual suspects on this list, as well. One quarterback that I was kind of surprised did not make it to either list was Tony Romo, who seems to be hated by many fans of opposing teams, and even some Cowboys fans that I personally know, who criticize him for all of those interceptions that he throws at the end of games (which I personally don't think is entirely his fault, but that's another story).
As for the teams, there is some measure of predictability there. The Dallas Cowboys are the least favorite team for many people. No surprise there, of course. they get the nod on that by a landslide, beating out their next closest competitor, if you will, by ten points. I was a bit surprised that the Chicago Bears were the second most hated team (Really? Why?). The Patriots predictably made the list, as well, as did the Steelers, the Broncos and the Giants. Some of those same teams make the list for most popular team, as well. The Broncos are the most popular team of this year, followed by...you guessed it, those Dallas Cowboys. Both the Bears and the Patriots are on that list, as well as the Steelers and the Giants, who interestingly enough received 5% on both lists.
Here is the link to this story, so you can see it for yourself:
"3rd Annual NFL Poll" - by Public Policy Polling, January 2, 2014:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2014/01/3rd-annual-nfl-poll.html#more
A Tale of Two Quarterbacks Handling the Worst of Times
Sooner or later, every star athlete, no matter how good, has to face defeat. Some receive a lot of blame, and there are times when it is justified, and there are times when it is not.
This can often particularly be the case with the most visible faces on teams. The pitcher in baseball, for example. Maybe the goalie in hockey.
And definitely the quarterback in football.
It is interesting to see the way the different guys handle those similar kinds of situations, when their team's season just got cut short with a disappointing loss, and an early trip back home, with all off-season to think about it.
Such was the case with four teams this past Wildcard weekend, and one article by Eric Edholm of Shutdown Corner examined the reactions in words by two of those quarterbacks.
They are a contrast in styles -both the quarterbacks, and their words.
One is Aaron Rodgers, who is generally seen as one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the league, with a league MVP award, as well as a championship ring, in which he also earned the Super Bowl MVP honors. The Packers have enjoyed considerable success with Rodgers at the helm. When he got injured earlier this season, the Packers went from a 5-2 team still competing for home field advantage, to suffering through a winless period of over a month. At times, they seemed out of it, but they managed- barely - to get into a winner take all scenario against the Bears for the division title in the finale. Rodgers was back, and he led Green Bay to win that contest, earning them a home game for the playoffs.
The other is Andy Dalton, the starting quarterback for the Bengals, who has led Cincinnati to some decent success in the last three regular seasons. Each time, their efforts were good enough to qualify for the postseason. Yet, each time the Bengals made it, they lost immediately, in their very first games.
This weekend was no different, although the expectations can be said to have been higher this season, as the Bengals looked very good at times during the regular season, as they compiled an 11-5 record, which was good enough to secure the AFC North division title. That was good enough to earn home field advantage for a playoff game on Wildcard weekend.
Aaron Rodgers made some plays to try and give his team a chance. They lost, though, and he shouldered the blame, clearly stating afterward that he could have made more plays, and was disappointed in his own performance, which was not enough.
Andy Dalton made some plays as well, but completely fell apart, along with his team, in the second half. He seemed far less willing to shoulder responsibility, and seemed to suggest it was a team collapse - and he might not be entirely wrong. But then again, you can see how Rodgers has the respect and admiration of his teammates, and how they look to him as their leader. He does not shy away from taking responsibility. But Rodgers has already enjoyed enough success in this league to not only be well respected, but to be considered a true elite, as well as a role model, and one of the league's most popular player. As for Dalton, well....he certainly is not quite there yet. And one thing that he seems to have to say so far every season would be that there's always next year.
Perhaps that is at least part of the reason that Rodgers is a former league MVP, and Super Bowl MVP, while Dalton remains just another starter of another also-ran, in a league that sometimes Jerry Glanville once claimed stood for "Not For Long".
Here's the link to the article where you can read the different words from both quarterbacks:
"Aaron Rodgers chose to shoulder a lot more playoff blame than Andy Dalton did" by Eric Edholm, Shutdown Corner, January 6, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/aaron-rodgers-chose-shoulder-lot-more-playoff-blame-163503516--nfl.html
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