In Yo Face You Shady Rug Trader

Yeah, I said it.


Justice may be blind and slow, but today it was served.

When Marlin Jackson was playing football at Michigan, he always stood out on the field as one of those guys who just looked like an NFL player. Some stats in a second, but I had to begin there. I was fortunate enough to see the All-American defensive back play during my time at M and can personally verify the impressive 'look.' He dominated at cornerback and, in every measure, the statistics communicate his pure awesomeness in a winged helmet. From the Bentley Historical Archive:

Jackson earned Freshman All-America first team honors from the Sporting News after collecting 47 tackles, seven pass break-ups and three interceptions in 2001.

An All-Big Ten selection in 2002, Jackson set single game (six) and single season (18) pass break-up records and ranked sixth on the team with 51 tackles.

Jackson earned All-Big Ten first team honors from the coaches and media in 2004. Teams threw away from Jackson almost 87 percent of the time during the regular season. He contributed 38 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one interception and four pass breakups that year.

Emphasis mine. Eighty seven percent?!?! That is nuts. N-V-T-S, nuts. He would go on to be selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the 29th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft--a bit of a snub given his top-20 abilities--and is still under contract with the franchise. He was instrumental in securing a Lombardi Trophy for the Colts in Super Bowl XLI [ed. note: something I'll certainly never forget given the fact that he picked off Tom Brady to clinch the AFC Title and send Horseface Manning to his only Super Bowl]. So why the slip down the draft board in 2005?

[Marlin Jackson's helmet is flying because it has wings]

I'm glad you asked. In the above-listed stats, you'll notice something missing: numbers from 2003, his Junior season. It was a curious year for the Sharon, Pa. native on and off the field. With relative depth at the corner position and a general hole at safety, the All-Everything Jackson switched positions in an effort to help shore up an inconsistent secondary. It did not go swimmingly. He experienced his worst year as a Wolverine statistically and nagging injuries beset whatever minor impact may have existed [ed. note: when he returned to cornerback for his final season, that 'eighty seven percent' stuff happened]. His mind and body just weren't right that year, and away from the team there were other trifles taking place. In particular, a clandestine fracas at one of Ann Arbor's fine evening house parties wherein some Drakkar-wearing, hair-slicking, almond-eating dickhole was understandably punched in the face by my main man Marlin. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor aggravated assault and was sentenced to probation. Never a good résumé builder, but not the end of the world, ya dig? Fast-forward to the '05 Draft, and now there's noise about an impending civil lawsuit claiming a different set of circumstances. To wit:

Former U-M student Shahin Farokhrany sued for $10 million in May 2005, alleging his injuries required long-term medical care and limited his ability to study and work.


Farokhrany alleged he was hit in the eye with a bottle; Marlin admitted he hit Farokhrany but insists it was with his fist, his attorney, Ellis Freatman said.

You heard the name. But wait...there's more. Brian @ MGoBlog couldn't have been more right when he noted that this guy "certainly looks like an eminently punchable douchebag." Click here for proof. Given that, does the late addition of a weapon to the story sound about right? Unfortunately for Marlin, the timing couldn't have been worse. His draft status and reputation took a hit, having to defend himself of false accusations throughout the interview process, and with that followed the dip in salary that always travels downward and in step with a player's ultimate draft position.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, not to worry. The verdict is in and it is Effronterlicious:

A Washtenaw County jury today found former Wolverine Marlin Jackson was defamed by a fellow student who falsely accused him of assault with a bottle at an off-campus party in 2003.

The six-member panel also awarded Jackson, a defensive back with the Indianapolis Colts, $225,000 in damages--roughly the equivalent of a draft slot in the NFL, said his attorney, Ellis Freatman.

I've been in such a good mood all day because of this. Marlin was cleared of any assault and the eminently punchable douchebag was found guilty of malicious prosecution! Justice is served, bitch. If you plan on consuming any spirits tonight, be sure to raise a glass to a vindicated Marlin Jackson.


(HT: MGoBlog)

Statistics courtesy of The Bentley Historical Library and STL All Sports.
Photo Credit: Associated Press

Super Bowl XLII Post-Mortem

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call... The Twilight Zone!"
-Rod Serling



Soooo, we're there, right? The Twilight Zone. It's a parallel universe, so things don't appear much different. That is what's going on, right? Everything still looks and sounds the same. The coffee I purchased this morning from the lobby kiosk in my office building still tastes like diarrhea water. LA is still a traffic-riddled cesspool of opulence, vanity, and phony status-seekers...

Yet the Patriots lost a game--no, THE game--last night. Actually, they didn't lose the Super Bowl so much as the Giants took it from them.

What in the name of the Burgess Meredith's ghost is going on here?!?!

I'm asking because I clearly have no idea. And neither do you. If you were one of the few people who picked--not rooted for, but actually picked--the Giants to win in advance of the game, it was based on one of two factors: 1) You harbor some dislike for the Patriots organization, or Bill Belichick, or Tom Brady, or the persona of a defiant winner in an age of parity, OR 2) You are a die-hard New York Giants fan who hates all things New England. And in both cases, the pick would have been made based on pure sentimentality. That is, you didn't pick the Giants because you looked at the matchup on paper and said, "yup, Tom Brady never elevates his game in the Super Bowl...Belichick can't coach for piss...Randy Moss is slower than Aaron Ross...Eli Manning never gives away games...Antonio Pierce isn't a douchebag...David Tyree will own Rodney Harrison and Asante Samuel when it matters most...and Tom Coughlin is the master of in-game adjustments." Trust me, nobody said stuff like that. Point is, there are very few people on the planet--including most within the Giants organization--that truly expected the Giants to beat the Pats.

["The best laid plans of mice and men and Henry Bemis"]

Back to The Twilight Zone. That's the only explanation I have. We're in The Twilight Zone. And to that end, I can only accept what happened last night as ugly reality--but reality nonetheless. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what went down in Glendale, AZ was some frustrating, horrific, unexpected, ludicrous, and illogical beauty. In all my life as a sports fan, the only similar moment I can conjure took place just about 18 years ago this month. Interestingly, the events of February 1990 were equally Twilight Zoney: Nelson Mandela was about to be freed from prison after a 27-year incarceration and Mike Tyson--"the baddest man on the planet"--was in Tokyo, Japan preparing for his 10th heavyweight title defense against an unheralded, 42-1 longshot named James "Buster" Douglas. Yes, that Buster Douglas. Tyson was in his fourth year as World Heavyweight Champion and unbeaten in 37 professional fights, 33 of them resulting in a knock out. His date with destiny--a big-ticket fight against then-No. 1 contender Evander Holyfield--was slated to take place a short time after Tyson's tune-up in Tokyo. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the Tokyo Dome... Buster Douglas never got the memo.

[James "Buster" Douglas shocks the world - February 11, 1990]

Such was the case yesterday, when the New York Giants failed to receive a similar 'memo' on their way to The University of Phoenix Stadium [ed. note: what the hell is the deal with The University of Phoenix? I mean, a school without a campus or student union somehow has a stadium equipped to showcase BCS games and a Super Bowl?? What's going on with that???]. The Patriots had their date with destiny locked up. But as with Tyson, destiny had other plans and the most unlikely of champions emerged--Buster Douglas in February of 1990, then Eli Manning in February of 2008. Tyson sent Douglas to the canvas in the eighth round of their fight, but "Buster" got up and composed himself enough to deliver the knock out blow in the 10th. Shades of Brady hitting Randy Moss for the go-ahead touchdown with under three minutes to play, then watching the G-men head down the field for one of their own. The parallels are eerie and leave me scrambling for rationale, only to find myself situated in some sort of dimension "beyond that which is known to man."

Anyway, I won't bore you with analysis or redundant recaps--that crap is everywhere and you're probably sick of it by now. Instead, here are a few random thoughts that I've had over the past 24 hours:

• GrrrraaaaarrrCraaapppFACEMELTINGGGgGgggaAAAAAAaaarrgggghhh.

• The Giants won that game. No other way to look at it. Sure, one could say that the Pats 'folded' and 'blew' a gargantuan opportunity. But as Tom Brady indicated in his post-game presser, it wasn't a matter of the Pats being out of shape or under prepared. They just got beat.

• Bill Belichick failed to make the necessary in-game adjustments on offense.

• The much-maligned Patriots defense held its opponent to 17 points in a Super Bowl.

• The much-ballyhooed Patriots offense posted its lowest point total of the season, with 14.

• New York fans are annoying when they win anything.

• The Giants converted three third down opportunities during the game's first series, the longest opening drive in Super Bowl history.

• Tom Brady was sacked 5 times on Sunday--the most allowed by the Patriots during any one game this season--compared to 24 in his previous 18 games.

• I took solace in knowing that the Patriots weren't the biggest loser of the night. No, that title goes to Tiki Barber, who will have no ring because he is such a pompous ass.

• The only bit of sweetness in this bitter, bitter pill is Well Dressed Amani Toomer getting himself a Lombardi Trophy for the living room.

• Eli Manning is better than Peyton Manning. Well, maybe not. But you can't altogether dismiss that contention, and that is precisely my point.

• The "Manning Luxury Suite" is one of the worst things in professional sports. Bar none.

• I've yet to accept living in a world where Eli Manning has a Super Bowl title under his belt, but I'll have to eventually. However, I will never ever by okay with Antonio Pierce having one as well. He is by faaaaaaaaar the one player I wanted to see stretchered off the field with a broken fibula protruding through his tube sock. Alas, no dice. He evaded any possible career-ending injuries and won the Super Bowl to boot, making me doubly angry.

• Cooper Manning is the new Tito.

• We've got (at least) one more year of the '72 Dolphins, Mercury Morris and this jackassery [ed. note: the whole clip is priceless, but move to the 2:48 mark for the real magic]:

That may be what bothers me the most.

• Finally, I'm glad Bob Knight picked tonight to resign from coaching, thus deflecting some attention away from the post-Super Bowl coverage ESPN would ordinarily be running on this otherwise dead sports night.

Remember When?

The purpose of "Remember When?" is to refresh our memories about people and events that, for one reason or another, have fallen through the cracks of recollection over time.

I'd like to turn this post into a running gimmick and periodically add new entries to the series, so suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Now, after the jump...

Remember When: Maurice Clarett threw his life away?

[Buckeye born, Buckeye bred]

It all started in 2003, when Clarett was temporarily banned from playing NCAA football for getting his pockets lined with cash and then lying to investigators in order to protect a shady coach and program that exploited his talent and inherent stupidity:

He left on a Greyhound bus last May, without a goodbye, without anyone even flipping him the bird. He left unceremoniously, in the middle of the week, with one suitcase, one jacket and one championship he doubted was worth its weight in paper. He left behind the car dealerships, where he says the head coach got him SUVs. He left behind the library, where he says tutors got him bogus A's. He left behind the two-story homes, where he says he got paid for watching paint dry.

He left behind the stucco mansions, where he says boosters slipped him cash for playing Sega with their kids. And he left behind the horseshoe stadium, where he says one man in particular "sold me out."

That program? Ohio State University. That coach? Sweatervest. That hypocrisy:

"Ohio State created me," Maurice Clarett says right off the top. "They created what they suspended."

Then, after essentially being blackballed by the program that once coveted him so, Clarett felt it wise to sue the NFL for early entry into the 2004 draft--challenging the rule that a player must be out of high school three years to be eligible for the draft. He lost, of course, and then sat out the entire 2004 season only to show up for 2005 draft camps looking slow and overweight. The Denver Broncos were foolish enough to give him a look, then burned a late-round draft pick to secure his services. Naturally, Clarett got greedy--you know, after not having played in a real football game for 2 years--and decided to waive his signing bonus in lieu of a $230k contract loaded with performance incentives. The 4-year contract could have netted him about $7 million, but he chose to "get his goose on" and was cut during the pre-season:

The minute Clarett arrived in Denver, the team began to sour on him. At the airport, before flying from Colorado to the rookie symposium, he frantically called the Broncos, saying he'd left a brief case in his airport limo. But there was no brief case in there, just a water bag he always carried around. That's all right, he said, he wanted it.

He would take that water bottle everywhere, including the Bronco weight room, and the team started getting suspicious when, before minicamp practices, he'd grab the bottle and say, "I gotta get my Goose on." It wasn't a joke; the Bronco players were convinced he was chugging Grey Goose.

["Dana Jacobson ain't got nothing on me"]

After his brief stint with the Broncos, Clarett's career-death-spiral picked up momentum and didn't stop until the ex-Buckeye found himself engaged in a high-speed pursuit with several Ohio highway patrolmen. That chase led to this ESPN headline and article: "Police Use Mace On Clarett, Arrest Him After Chase":

Officers used Mace to subdue Clarett after a stun gun was ineffective because the former Fiesta Bowl star was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, Sgt. Michael Woods said.

"It took several officers to get him handcuffed," Woods said. "Even after he was placed in the paddy wagon, he was still kicking at the doors and being a problem for the officers."

Don't you just hate it when the stun gun is ineffective? Me too. Anyway, what the article left out was that three of those weapons were handguns, while the fourth was an AK-47 assault rifle. Jeebus. Not even Rambo had that kind of firepower.

[Things didn't go too well at the pre-draft combines]

How does every high-speed chase end? Right. In a courtroom:

["Who the hell hired Jay Mohr to be my attorney?"]

Clarett accepted a plea agreement in September 2006 and was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for robbery and concealed weapons charges. He is currently serving out the duration of his sentence and, barring poor conduct, is set to be released some time during the middle of 2010.

The lesson in all this? Unless you plan on being a felon, don't start your "career" at Ohio State.

In case we forget...




...The Effrontery remembers when Maurice Clarett threw his life away.

A 20 Year Old Prediction

I was fully rooting for the Packers against the Giants in last week's NFC Championship Game. Even when the Giants were about to put the game away in regulation, I was feeling pretty confident that the Pack would rally and find a way to pull it out. The game was in Green Bay in mid-January for crying out loud. So when the contest wound up in overtime, I thought Favre was Super Bowl bound for the third time in his career. Done and done. "No way the Giants are winning this one" was my comment to a buddy. That same friend replied back, "dude, the G-men were done from the start...nobody thought they would win anyway."

Nobody except Prince Akeem of Zamunda, who made his prediction way back in 1988:





Wow. How did I miss that one? He totally nailed the call, right down to the winning Lawrence Tynes field goal. I would have been a lot less disappointed in the outcome of the game if I had bothered to ask Akeem for some pre-game prognostication.

Quick Hits

So much time and so little to do.

Wait.

Strike that. Reverse it.

Some Wednesday quick hits...


Jay Bilas. ...is still a deluded pederast. But more people are starting to catch on(!), like Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:

It was one thing for ESPN's Jay Bilas to keep defending Tommy Amaker's brutal run as coach at Michigan, but another to start going after his successor, John Beilein, for being honest about the pitiful program left him in Ann Arbor.

The more Bilas shills for Amaker, the more people in basketball laugh at him.

Unlike Amaker, Beilein never had the ultimate coaching godfather to pick up the phone and get him a job.

"C'mon Jay, that is terrible," an NBA scout who watched Amaker's team regularly in the Big Ten emailed me this week after reading Bilas’ blog rant.

"Almost laughable, really."

Here here. Almost as laughable as Bilas' go-to catchphrase for exalting deep 3-point shooters, where he refers to the player as being "really, really long." That's sort of like Al Michaels' famed injury remark, "he's out with a knee."


T.P. are you with me? Well, yes. Apparently, this weekend:

Big news on the Terrelle Pryor front -- he has changed his official visit date and will head to Ann Arbor this weekend (he was originally scheduled to come in just before signing day).

If anyone in Ann Arbor is listening, GO TO THE FUCKING IOWA GAME THIS WEEKEND! Sorry for yelling...in case you can't tell, Terrelle Pryor is kind of a big deal:

Pryor is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback that showcased his talent in front of a national television audience at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. His 6-foot-6, 235-pound frame draws natural comparisons to Vince Young, and his stats support his status as the nation's No. 1 player. He finished his career with 4,250 rushing yards and 4,249 passing yards. He led his team to a state championship as a senior, as he rushed for 1,899 yards and 36 scores. He also got it done through the air with 1,889 passing yards and 23 scores.

Basically, the consensus #1 high school player in the country didn't even have Michigan on his radar a month ago. Enter Rich Rodriguez and BAM! POW! WHACK!: T.P. essentially narrows his choices to Ohio State and Michigan. Wow. Considering that, the fact there is even a sliver of a fiber of a remote chance at landing him is absolutely crazy, but then again so is RichRod and his wacko ninja offense. All bets are off. What it boils down to is (on paper) one player holding the immediate future of both football programs in his hot little touchdown-throwing hands. The projected success he is expected to have at whatever university he selects, be it Michigan or Ohio State, pales in comparison to the effect his decision would have upon the school he rejects. If he hypothetically chooses Ohio State, Michigan will still find an excellent quarterback to run the show (and vice-versa). But if this is the case, Ohio State will be the prohibitive favorite on the third Saturday in November for the duration of his enrollment. That, people, is something WORTH YELLING ABOUT. Brian at MGoBlog is of like mind and already has his Pryor Klaxons set to maximum.


Downer. This article about Antonio Bass' knee rehab is really depressing. I mean, it's nice to see him so positive and determined, but you can't help but feel for the guy. Geez.


Upper! With attrition-palooza finally over in Ann Arbor, here's someone who isn't leaving early to go pro:

University of Michigan defensive tackle Terrance Taylor won't be joining junior wide receivers Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Muskegon High School coach Tony Annese said Tuesday afternoon that his former player had decided to return to Michigan for his senior season.

"I had lunch with him and we really talked about getting a degree," Annese said. "And he said that's what he wanted to do."

Phew. In the immortal words of Bo Schembechler, "those who stay will be champions." Incidentally, they will also be college graduates. A university degree for a football player? What a novel concept.


Class. Something foreign to the city of Indianapolis and its football supporters. Did anybody catch that brief ceremony at the end of the 3rd quarter during Saturday's playoff matchup between the Chargers and Colts? Well, I did. And so did the Patriots' head honcho:

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Patriots owner Robert Kraft sat behind his wide desk and marveled at how his team's jersey could be the target of so many boos -- even when it's worn by a 14-year-old girl.

This wasn't Randy Moss or Rodney Harrison hearing the catcalls. They're used to it.

This was Anna Grant, a high school freshman who had worked hard to win the Punt, Pass & Kick competition in her age group as the team's representative.

When she was introduced along with the other winners before the fourth quarter of San Diego's playoff win last Sunday, she was the only one booed by the crowd in Indianapolis, home of New England's fiercest rival.

...

"What I decided is that we would honor her here before this game," Kraft said in an interview in his office filled with photos, footballs and other memorabilia. "We will recognize her as the winner on the field. Our fans will know."

Grant returned from school Tuesday and heard a phone message from Andre Tippett, the Patriots' executive director of community affairs and a former star linebacker.

She called back and was ecstatic when Tippett extended the invitation -- plus tickets for her, her parents and two brothers -- to take part.

Go Pats. Go Bob Kraft. Go Anna Grant. And screw you, Colts fans. Just remember how much you and your organization suck while you are booing Anna Grant this weekend from your Costco-decorated living rooms. Way to send the RCA Dome out in style.


Doc & Gopher. For you "Love Boat" enthusiasts out there, check out this 30th Anniversary oral history as told by some of the show's cast members and creators. It's filled with interesting and random facts, like Producer Doug Cramer's remarks on hiring Ted McGinley, the patron saint of "jumping the shark," to breathe a little life into the series:

He was a junior Bob Redford in his day.

Yes, I especially enjoyed Mr. Redford's performances in Revenge of the Nerds and Married...with Children.


That's it for today's quick hits. I may add an update or two, depending on how the rest of the day goes. Don't hold your breath. Unless you are hoping Terrelle Pryor selects Michigan--in that case, suffocate away! If it somehow helps us nab Pryor, you will be martyred and have your praises sung for eternity.


UPDATE (4:58 PM): Some additional stuff on Pryor & Michigan from Sports Illustrated:

The nation's No. 1 player, Jeannette, Pa., quarterback Terrelle Pryor, has had quite a busy week since the U.S. Army All American Bowl. He's added a recruiting mentor, he's shuffled a few of his official visit dates and he's now interested in a new team. Here's the latest on Pryor.

"I'm taking my official visit to Michigan on Jan. 18, that's this upcoming weekend," he said. "I was supposed to go to Penn State but that's changed. I'm not really sure where I'm going on Jan. 25 and if I'll even take a visit in February. Right now it's Michigan as the only one scheduled."

Pryor has been allowing his new mentor, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch, to help with the process now that it is getting more hectic.

I like that he moved up his visit to UofM in order to spend the full weekend there. Clearly, he's very interested. Unlike with Penn State--a place he isn't going to visit--where the fear of JoePa sinking those dentures into Terrelle's neck to further enhance his longevity is a real concern. Personally, I was fixated on his choice of mentor: Charlie Batch. In my best Sheila Broflovski voice, "What, whaaat, whaaaaat?" Dude! That's crazy! I mean, whether it is crazy good or crazy bad is neither here nor there...but it is definitely random. Here's the skinny:

I've known Charlie for a couple years. His brother dates my aunt. Charlie is kind of part of my family now. We talk. I asked him if he would want to go on my visits, and he said sure.

Again, not sure if this helps Michigan any or hurts it. Batch did play for the Lions at one point in his career, so hopefully he still has some fond memories of his time in SE Michigan.

The Manning Pedigree

If you repeat something enough, no matter how wacky or illogical, people will start to believe it.

Oh, what a cute baby you have! It's just gorgeous. Even with that huge mole and deformed grin, your baby is the cutest I've ever seen.

Say that 100 times to a couple that just had a painfully ugly baby, even if they know the child is hideous, and they might actually come to believe you. Okay, you'll have to leave out the 'mole' and 'grin' part, but still. No basis, reasoning or justification necessary. Just sheer repetition.

The SEC is by far the best conference in college football.

Yes, we've all seen how repetition can turn myth into verity quite quickly. Sound rationale need not apply. Which brings me to this idea:

Eli Manning has the NFL pedigree.

Really? How so? Because his brother is an overrated pro and his daddy used to be? Hmmmm. He's been in the league 4+ years and is still total garbage--even in victory, like this past weekend in Tampa Bay. His father, Elisha Archie Manning, was a fan-favorite and pretty good football player in his heyday, but played on a shit team and accomplished very little as a pro [ed. note: I had no idea his name is actually "Elisha." That makes things ten times better]. Enter Peyton Manning, who until last season was the personification of a "yeah, but" quarterback. That is, "yeah he puts up big numbers and acts really intense with all those gyrations and exaggerated mannerisms, BUT he's not a real winner." Then he lucks his way into the Super Bowl and all is forgotten. Now everyone loves to refer to the "Manning Pedigree" as a recipe for success, like some sort of self fulfilling prophecy, never mind the previous decade of spectacular failure, "idiot kicker" buck-passing, and "The Peyton Manning Face."

[The many faces of Peyton Manning]

You all know how I feel about Sir Horse Face, so I'll spare you the diatribe. You also know that I could give a shit about Eli Manning, so this isn't so much about him as it is the idea of the "Manning Pedigree." I was driving to work today, listening to morning sports radio as I normally do, and all the pundits could talk about was Peyton Manning this and Eli Manning that. All the while, the only given evidence or justification for their ballwashing was some convoluted notion of pedigree.

[Yes, yes you are]

Seriously, what the hell does it really mean? The "Manning Pedigree" and a quarter will buy a tenth of a cup of coffee, but it somehow managed to elevate little Eli to first-overall draft pick status while also explaining away the first nine years of Peyton's pro career--plus the four years at Tennessee when the vaunted QB couldn't beat Florida and never won a MNC [ed note: I love the fact that Tee Martin came in the year after his departure and won a title with the Vols. That simply doesn't get mentioned enough]. Anyway, it's very clear that pure repetition of this conception of pedigree is to blame. I, for one, refuse to sip the Kool-Aid and will attempt to wean you, gentle reader, off of it. So when you're watching the NFL playoffs this weekend, I invite you to conjure the following image EVERY SINGLE TIME the term "Manning Pedigree" is mentioned:

[The breakfast of champions...and the Manning Family]

For our readers out there in Deutschland, this might be more helpful:

[Das Frühstück der Meister...und der Manning Familie]

Finally, my NFL picks for the weekend (home teams in caps):


VS. THE SPREAD
Seattle (+7.5) over GREEN BAY
Jacksonville (+12.5) over NEW ENGLAND
San Diego (+9) over INDIANAPOLIS
DALLAS (-7.5) over New York

PREDICTIONS
GREEN BAY 24, Seattle 20
NEW ENGLAND 27, Jacksonville 17
San Diego 34, INDIANAPOLIS 31
DALLAS 23, New York 13


(photos courtesy of Getty Images and The Boston Globe)