NFL Boycotts or Lack Thereof


There was a boycott of the NFL this weekend, but my guess is you didn’t notice it, just like you haven’t noticed any of the “NFL boycotts”. Much like every other U.S. league, NFL had its “Salute to Service” on Veterans Day weekend. It was an opportunity for the NFL to honor our servicemen and women and highlight how much the league and its players love and appreciate the military. While this is a great cause for celebration and pageantry, it also presented an opportunity for people against players kneeling to flex their muscles.
All across social media there were calls for people to leave the stadiums empty and show the NFL America would not stand for kneeling. However, that’s not what happened. In fact, not only did that not happen Veterans Day weekend, it hasn’t happened all year. NFL attendance is up from 2016 despite the President and countless others saying people should either walk out, stop watching, or stop attending all together. Here is is the raw attendance (turnstiles not tickets bought) data from the 2016 and 2017:

 


I have been saying for months now that the NFL is not dying, and that “boycotts” are having little economic impact despite what people say. The truth of the matter is many people say they are boycotting the NFL, but aren’t really boycotting the NFL. Hence, I have received emails and had many conversations with people who tell their friends and family they are boycotting the NFL but are secretly still watching and keeping up with the league. People said they would boycott the Dodgers and baseball for allowing Black players. They said they would stop watching football, baseball, and basketball after work stoppages. Reality is, they always come back it the product is good.
George, so why are the NFL ratings down? I’ll give you the three reasons that I believe are obvious, clear as day, and neither involves politics or protests.

1.  Oversaturation/Streaming- There is literally so much NFL that it has lost its exclusivity. NFL fans wanted more content and demanded it. So, the league gave them Thursday night, NFL RedZone, and the ability to live stream games. Everything was going as planned and the NFL was winning, but now with streaming services available traditional television ratings have suffered. The league lost in a way because I no longer have to be tethered to my couch to enjoy football. That means my wife and kids can get me to do more things with my Sunday’s because I have the game in my pocket. I can watch as much or as little as I want at weddings, furniture shopping with my wife, or at my kid’s extracurricular activities. Most of my Sunday football watching is at my kids games on the iPad or phone. The games have become less special because there are games days per week in addition to all the ancillary content available. You might love tacos and think they are the best food in the world. Try having tacos three to four days per week for 5 months for years and see how you feel about tacos. Also, online streaming is not factored into NFL ratings and neither are all cable providers. So as people “cut the cord” or change providers data become inaccurate.

2. Social Media- I believe the reason people watch live sporting events is for the fear of being left out. Nobody wants to be the guy or girl who can’t participate in the work water cooler, barbershop, or party conversation because they didn’t “see what happened”. Social media has made it possible for you to not have seen one minute of a sporting event but see every must see moment in near real time. As soon as something happens, whether it’s a touchdown, bad call, or broken leg if you open up your social media accounts it’s just like you saw it live. So there is no need for casual fans that just care about the conversation to tune in to anything except the highlights. Think about how social media is affecting how people consume highlights on platforms like FS1 and ESPN. FS1 cut their nightly highlight shows. ESPN has declining viewership on theirs.

3. Content- There are more bad games. Period. I love football, but some of these matchups are boring, vanilla, and have no compelling stories. Why on earth would anyone go out of their way to tune in to a Dolphins, Browns, Chargers, Jaguars (I know they are good), Bills, or Bears game right now? There aren’t enough subplots and the game is not as entertaining.
I believe people are boycotting the NFL, however, logic and data suggests that those boycotters are not having nearly the economic impact they believe they are. More people are attending NFL games, and NFL network ratingsare through the roof. Less people are watching television, and the entire landscape of television and viewership is changing in general. Despite what many news outlets told you, the J.D. Power actually said that only 12 percent of the fans it surveyed said they watched fewer NFL games last season, with 27 percent of people saying they watched more and 62 percent saying they watched just as much as they had the season before. So why on earth would I believe people who “claim” to be boycotting are actually impacting NFL ratings in a meaningful way?

Send all your anonymous email questions to unafraidshow@gmail.com. Anonymity is guaranteed!
Follow #Unafraid show live daily on Periscope, YouTube, or Facebook for alerts!

Are You In or Out?: Bullet Proof Backpack Panels

As parents we all want to protect our kids and do everything we can to ensure their safety. A friend of mine sent me an article on the next “necessary” item to protect your kid and yourself sent I. I thought this would be great dialogue. Here are the facts:
The Florida Christian School in Miami is now selling bulletproof backpack panels. The panels, which sell for $120 is inserted into backpacks, are part of the school’s effort to protect its students and teachers from a potential mass shooting. The school also has mandatory training for the teachers for how to handle those life-threatening situations.
Initially I had my very proud egotistical American moment and was very bothered by anyone feeling the need for this. The whole goal of foreign and domestic terrorism is to instill fear and disturb our way of life. So, I’m going to show I’m not afraid or giving in so I’ll never buy anything like this. About five minutes after reading this I had an epiphanous experience of pure religiousity. Mass shootings can happen anywhere so why wouldn’t I want my kid to have a chance in case something happens? Even further, I would want one of these panels in my own backpack as I travel pretty frequently. But then I think, am I going to be able to go through the airport with this thing.
The need for items like this was reserved for Presidents, government officials, and super wealthy people. I will say I’m angry that it has come to this. However, I’m not above this.
I am absolutely 100% probably in on buying one of these. You just never know when one something like this will come in handy and save your life. In fact there is a company that sells bulletproof clothing. I typically laugh at doomsday prepers, but tin this case I believe I’d rather error on the side of caution.

People sit on opposite sides of the “good guy with a gun” to stop mass shootings argument. Everyone has to be in favor of “smart kid with a bulletproof panel backpack” argument, right? Are You In or Out on Bullet Proof Backpack Panels?

NFL wins big with Salute to Service commercials

The NFL made its best move of the year this weekend with the Veterans Day commercials. Since last year the debate about players kneeling has dominated NFL headlines. The reason players were kneeling was police brutality against unarmed people of color and inequality. It was somehow distorted by the media into an anti military national anthem protest, which angered and hurt many Americans.
Finally, the NFL has answered critics by taking a page out of the NBA “handbook”. Remember when the NBA had the “Malice in the Palace” (fan fight with players); the league and its players were looked at as thugs and unruly. Not long after that, the NBA started its NBA Cares commercials. It was a genius move showing their players in the community reading to kids, feeding the homeless, and teaching basketball. Now nearly 10 years since then, how are NBA players viewed? They look professional, caring, and admirable.
The NFL initially tried the worst tactic of all to handle the backlash from the protests. They tried to reason with the masses and debate the mob that is social media. Have you ever tried to reason with someone who won’t let common sense get in the way of their argument? It doesn’t work.
Yesterday the NFL finally became proactive about the image of their players in the community. The league made commercials with players who had kneeled talking about military service and their appreciation for them. Many teams also had demonstrations on the sidelines with servicemen and women that were televised during the game. These things will go a long way to healing the hearts of those who are angered by the protests.
For years I called for the NFL and NFLPA to do significantly more than they had been doing to commercialize the great things the players do out in the community. Nothing endears people to players more than commercials or packages that pull at the heartstrings. Did anybody listen? Nope. I believe that part of the hesitation was because the owners want the players to largely be nameless, faceless, interchangeable pieces.
The truth is that NFL players like the public, love the military and wholeheartedly support the military. They visit bases and are extremely active in the support of the military, but it rarely gets shown.
The NFL won big time with the commercials. Hopefully the league continues to promote the Salute to Service and other campaigns to positively promote its players. They even made a website for it.

#Unafraid Anonymous Emails #4


It’s Thursday and the best ever #Unafraid Anonymous Emails are here. Thank you all for making our Anonymous Emails last week a success! 

Send all your anonymous email questions to unafraidshow@gmail.com. Anonymity is guaranteed!

Follow #Unafraid show live daily on Periscope, YouTube, or Facebook for alerts!

I met a woman who I swear is the most beautiful woman on the entire earth. I mean like Olivia Munn, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce beautiful. I’m a 38 year old regular dude and this is by far the most beautiful woman who has ever given me any attention. She said she likes me but needs she needs confirmation that I’m the right guy for her. She’s big into psychics, tarot cards, and palm reading and wants me to be. I think those things are witchcraft and scare the hell out of me, but I don’t want to lose this opportunity.

I’m not doubting your lady is beautiful. However, the reality is most times a guy is infatuated with a woman he thinks she’s the most beautiful thing in the whole world, at least for a little while.
I get that you feel like she’s out of your league in terms of looks, but you haven’t mentioned anything about her character or personality. These are the things that matter most my friend.

I personally stay far away from people who are into the whole psychic, tarot card, and palm reading stuff. Too much fake Miss Cleo mumbo jumbo, and there’s evil spirits lurking around those places.

Cut your loses and let her go. Hopefully, you haven’t invested too much in this relationship so she’s not upset. She probably knows people who put voodoo rut’s on people.


My friend just got a divorce and she has three kids who are 13, 10, and 7. I decided to let her live with me for a little while her divorce was finalized and she got on her feet. The divorce has been final for over three months now and they have been living with me for seven months now. I love the kids and they are great, and I kind of like them around but it’s time that I have my own space back. She got a big lump sum for spousal support and is working. I have mentioned it casually a few times, but there has been no movement. I am a person who shies away from conflict. How can I make this happen and not make any bad blood with the kids because I like them more than my friend at this point?

I am flattered that you guys believe I have great advice, so I’ll do my best here.

You didn’t mention if she’s paying you rent, so I’ll assume that she isn’t. I have had house guests/live in people a number of times, getting them out sometimes proves more difficult than it should be being you are doing them a favor. The time for subtlety is over. It’s time to put your big girl drawls on and have a real conversation and let her know that she has to go NOW.

Since you shy away from conflict I’m assuming you get flustered in these conversations and at the end think about how many things you wish you had said. I would make a list and write down all the points you want to make to your friend and deliver them with love and care.

If your friend cannot understand and appreciate the generosity you have shown then she is either an unappreciative and selfish person or is just hurting from her divorce and will soon see the light.

Hope the convo goes well.

My son’s high school football team has a few division 1 players but they are losing. The coach’s son is a junior and he is the quarterback and he sucks. Interceptions, over throws, fumbles, etc. He’s playing daddy ball and trying to showcase his kid to try and get him a scholarship with all these playmakers around him. We have a freshman behind him who is fantastic and trains with one of the well-known QB coaches. My son is a junior as well. He is tired of losing, should we transfer or go to the administration and get him fired?

Unfortunately, “Daddy Ball” is a common place in youth sports. He’s a parent trying to do what is best for his kid before he’s your high school football coach. If the freshman is as good as you say he is, chances are that the coach knows his son is not the best too. If what you say is as apparent as you say it is then you are not the only one who is taking notice.
This is definitely not a conversation you can have with the coach personally unless you two are super tight.

Transferring schools would be my ABSOLUTE last option. Most states have transfer rules and your kid would likely have to sit out games if he did. Also, I’m assuming your son likes his school and is getting a good education and would have to leave a good environment.

Your best bet is an option that feels a little yucky. You have to do covert operations and get support from other parents and administrators to get the man ousted.

The optimal scenario is hoping that the coach realizes the error in his ways and benches his kid. You do have to realize that benching your kid is tough for most dads. I’ve benched mine!


My question for you is: what helps you keep going/motivates you when life gets difficult?

Exclusively my faith in God keeps me motivated and going. I believe that if I stay the course and continue to do the right things everything will work out. There are times where it’s hard and you feel you are in a dark tunnel and can’t see the light. At that point I stop, pray for answers, set the course and am not deterred from the mission/goals.

Cam Newton: Not a Superman when it comes to losing

Guest Writer: Joey Haim

Cam Newton and the Panthers lost to the Eagles on Thursday night in week 6. He was upset.. rightfully so. Losing stinks. There was no dabbing after the game. I also didn’t see him seek out Carson Wentz for the post game obligatory QB hand shake. After all, if he did utter the words “good game,” that would have made him (gulp!) a good sport!!
I cannot remember an athlete over the last 3 decades who when things are going good has the biggest smile on his face but when things go sour, you will never find a bigger wah wah on the sidelines.  There is an old adage in sports that says find me a good loser and I’ll give you a loser. Wrong!! Recently retired wide receiver Steve Smith famously got in Cam’s face early in his career for how he conducted himself on the sidelines after throwing an interception. Is there a position in professional sports that screams LEADER more than starting quarterback in the NFL?
Be happy when you win. Celebrate when you score. Dazzle. Dance. Dab. Losing is when your true character shows. Remember his tantrum in front of reporters in the press room after they LOST to the Broncos in the Super Bowl? Would he have conducted himself in the same way had they won? Nope. Now take that other guy.. Mr. Manning who was the victor that day. He wins & loses with dignity. Gives credit to the other team & would never dream of pinning the loss on anyone but himself.
Cam, you got the goods!! You have children. Millions of kids look up to you. Show them what class could look like. I have faith. The cameras are always on. That S on your chest should stand for SUPER GOOD SPORT!! Let’s get you some of those advertisers back. I’m a fan dude. Flash that million dollar smile more often. Win or lose.. whether you like it or not, you are a role model. We expect more..

#UNAFRAID ANONYMOUS EMAILS #2


It’s Thursday and the best ever Unafraid Anonymous Emails are here. Thank you all for making our Inaugural Anonymous Emails last week a success!

Send all your anonymous mailbag questions to unafraidshow@gmail.com. Anonymity is guaranteed!
Follow #Unafraid show live daily on Periscope, YouTube, or Facebook for alerts!

What do you think happens next on the NCAA basketball probe and does it spill over to football? Do the football coaches get similar packages to what Pitino had at Louisville?

Please tell anyone who believes paying players is exclusive to basketball that I have some ocean front property in Montana that I want to sell them. I will never be the guy to snitch but I’ll say it like this… I would be willing to bet my bank account that some college football players have been paid to attend certain colleges.
Football coaches absolutely have compensation packages from shoe companies that directly tie to performance. That is one of the ways schools subsidize their coaches high salaries. The NCAA is somewhere on their knees begging the FBI to make this go away. Every Power 5 school could be affected in some way.
This whole mess reminds me of a quote: Everyone wants to eat sausage but nobody wants to go to the factory to see how sausage is made. We all want great sports teams at our schools, but we want to pretend the school, new uniforms, and facilities are the only reasons kids are showing up.
Why do socialist always oppose tax cuts?
First off, where do you find these “socialists” so I can go ask one. I am not opposed to tax cuts. In fact, most tax cuts Trump is proposing may end up being beneficial to my family. However, I asked a simple question this week that stumped everyone on twitter and Facebook.
Can someone sensibly explain to me how a massive corporate tax cuts will help wages for middle class and low income families?
You can possibly sell me on the idea that tax cuts will stimulate the economy (not sure I believe its true). What you can’t see me on is trickle down economics. Corporate tax cuts wont put more money in working class households. The highest earners just get bigger bonuses and companies will pay dividends. Corporations aren’t going to pay regular workers more out of the kindness of their heart.
I work at a tech company. We don’t have cubicles or offices, and all employees share a common kitchen. I am one of the company’s original seven employees, but now there are 36 of us.
It started out as this all for one, one for all thing, where we would share food, drinks, condiments, etc. It was all good, but when my Snickers in the freezer and ramen comes up missing and never replaced and I’m pissed and ready to go off.
Should I start labeling my stuff, send a memo, or do a sinister prank?
I feel like I can relate. As a pro athlete, you are constantly working in a community space. You constantly have to set and enforce personal space boundaries for teammates.
Now on to your options:
I approach this situation as “levels of escalation”. I’m sending a non-sugarcoated company wide memo first entitled “You take it, you replace it” that details the office etiquette as you see it.
The next step is labeling your stuff, and on that label detail the people who are on the approved list to share your items. This will really piss people off because you are indirectly calling offenders out.
If the problem still continues that means you have no respect from the offender(s) so you must escalate. I would either make food or bring items that look appealing to eat but taste like ass and just sit it in there and wait for the culprit to get what they deserve. Just make sure it’s nothing poisonous. It would be a shame to go to jail over this.
This is the best advice you can get… from a guy who has never worked in a traditional office environment (I don’t think radio and tv stations count).
Oregon Ducks: Is it not possible to put a game plan together with the screen game to the backs and a two back set with a combo of Freeman , Benoit, TBJ and Griffin…Tons of talent there…Or is it too difficult to bring in a whole new game plan…
While I agree with you and it makes sense in theory. It all comes back to one single thing. Burmeister has to be able to threaten the defense passing the football. There is no way on earth to win football games against Pac-12 opponents when they have ZERO fear of you throwing the football. Screens are most effect on pass downs or when the defense is blitzing.
I would never blitz Burmeister right now. I’d rush three and drop eight and force him to fit the ball in tight windows.
Oregon will have to be extremely creative offensively and take some shots on 3rd and short if they want some explosive plays.

College Football: 5 Teams Headed for Disappointment

Yesterday’s list featured the 5 most overrated teams in College football this season. This list is different. These are the 5 teams most likely to disappoint their fan base. The unique part about this list is that some of these schools have National Championship caliber teams and some are teams looking to bounce back from a down year. These teams all have the same thing in common. At the end of the year they will be one play, one penalty, one injury, one dropped pass, or one missed field goal away from football fan euphoria.
5. Oklahoma– Not your fault your coach Bob Stoops retired abruptly. At least he waited until after the recruiting class was signed. Lincoln Riley was the offensive coordinator of the high-powered Sooners offense, now he’s the head ball coach. Coming off of 3 straight BIG XII titles expectations are high in Norman. The signal calling magician with the heart of a lion, Baker Mayfield is back. The offense will be fine despite losing so many playmakers to the NFL (Westbrook, Perine, Mixon). The defense on the other hand will have its hands full with BIG XII offenses and Ohio State in the shoe. Last year the Sooners gave up over 28ppg. Again, the defense will stand between the Sooners having a really good season and being real National Championship contenders.
Vegas win total: 9.5 (Over -140, Under +110)
4. Notre Dame– This is an exciting schedule for college football fans everywhere! Take note SEC, ACC, Pac-12, B1G, and Big XII, 11 Bowl teams and Michigan St on the schedule. That was the good news, now time for the bad news. The Irish are going to massively disappoint this season. In 2016, ND finished 4-8 with 4 soul-crushing defeats by 3 points or less. When I look at the schedule I cannot figure a way they get to 10 wins. Freshman QB Brandon Wimbush was highly coming out of high school, but is still inexperienced. Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson are All-America candidates on an offensive line that returns four starters. While they Irish may be able to protect their QB, the question is can they stop an opponents offense. Last year the Notre Dame defense was almost as painful to watch as my Ducks. The Irish will try really hard this year, and fight hard. Anything over 7 wins should will be a victory.
Vegas win total: 7.5 (Over -130, Under EVEN)
3. Georgia– Even with Kirby Smart instead of Mark Richt as the coach, Georgia is gonna be Georgia. The Bulldogs fan base is excited and energized. Nick Chubb and Sony Michel will share the backfield again. Jacob Eason has the potential to be a good quarterback. The defense returns 11 starters, linebackers are the best unit on the team, and the secondary has 3 seniors.  Georgia’s schedule is super light, 3 very winnable non-conference games, and SEC schedule without Bama or LSU. What could possibly go wrong? I’m not sure, however, I am sure that the Bulldogs will find a way to get 9 wins out of what should be 11.
Vegas win total: 8.5 (Over -130, Under EVEN)
2. USC– The Trojans have a shot at the national championship with sophomore Sam Darnold at QB. He is the preseason favorite for the Heisman and favored to be the #1 pick in the 2018 NFL draft. The Trojans also have Ronald Jones at RB, who might be the most dangerous back in college football. So what could go wrong? A lot. Try having 12 straight games without a bye week, 11 of which are against Power 5 opponents. The one non Power 5 school that USC plays is Western Michigan. They won 13 games last season. Needless to say, a simple injury that a bye week could usually fix might derail the Trojans National Championship hopes. This is a really good team. One way or another head coach Clay Helton will answer all questions about if he the guy to lead the Trojans long term.
Vegas win total: 9.5 (Over -180, Under +150)
1. Florida State– I believe this team is a National Championship caliber squad if they can protect their sophomore stud QB Deondre Francois for change. The ACC was the toughest conference in college football last season. If that trend repeats, one loss in tough games against Clemson, Louisville, NCST could cost them a chance to play in the ACC title game and likely mean no College Football Playoff bid. The Seminoles defense will be stout with the nations best defender, Derwin James, back in the fold. Oh… I almost forgot about that game against Alabama week 1. And Miami… And Florida. Good luck Seminoles fans. You are going to need it. The good news is that (depending how everyone else shakes out) you might be able to fade 2 losses and make the CFP top 4. At the end of the day, this feel like another 1 play away season.

Vegas win total: 9.5 (Over -150, Under +120)

How many wins are you giving each team? Which team do you think is most likely to disappoint in 2017?

Andrew Hawkins: Courageous. Thoughtful. Inspiring


Cleveland Bengals wide receiver Andrew Hawkins’ was another athlete who wore a shirt in support and demonstration that a change needs to take place in our country. Hawkins’ shirt was protesting the recent shooting of two unarmed Ohioans. He didn’t wear an “I can’t breathe” shirt like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and many other collegiate and professional athletes. Instead he wore a shirt that read “Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford” on the front, and “The Real Battle for Ohio” on the back, but didn’t address it on Sunday. Members of the Cleveland police department were upset about Hawkins shirt and demanded an apology.  Monday, Hawkins spoke for nearly 6 minutes uninterrupted about why he wore the shirt and described what his protest was about.
Many people in life jump on the bandwagon when it comes to being vocal about social issues and trends. Often people join the crowd in protest but don’t have a truly thoughtful reason why they are doing it. 
 

After listening to Hawkins’ comments I was impressed. He was courageous, thoughtful, and inspiring. We can all take a page out if his book.

In life you must know your why! What is your why? When you do things make sure that you know why you did it. Don’t just do things arbitrarily. It’s important to know why! If you don’t know why you did something you are destined to make the same mistake again. If you make a good choice then in life you need to know why so you know how to repeat it.

NFL Top 10 Wide Receivers of All-Time

All “Greatest of All-Time” lists are constantly a work in progress. There are players currently playing that might knock one of the great players off the list. These are the Top 10 Wide Receivers of all-time as of January 2013. The rankings are based on stats, clutch play, playoff performance, yards per catch, and era played. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Honorable Mention: Jimmy Smith, Tim Brown, Art Monk, Larry Fitzgerald (if he ever gets another decent QB again), Reggie Wayne, Torry Holt, Andre Reed, Fred Biletnikoff. Two guys that really could/should be on this list are Charley Taylor and Paul Warfield. If you don’t know who they are, “Google them” and look at their stats.

Next Up: Calvin “Megatron” Johnson- In 6 seasons Megatron has piled up 488 catches for 7836 yards with 54 TDs, and is clearly on pace to make it on this list. He is a one man wrecking crew that demands double and sometimes triple, yes Triple teams. This year, his 122 catch, 1964 yard effort broke Jerry Rice’s single season yardage record. We are watching greatness unfold right before our eyes. I hope you appreciate it. You never know when it ends. i.e. Bo Jackson

10 Issac Bruce-  Bruce was one of the key members of “The Greatest Show on Turf. He had 8 consecutive 1000yd seasons. Some might argue Tory Holt should be here instead of Bruce but with career numbers of 1024 catches, 15,208 yards, and 91 TDs its hard to leave him off. Bruce was a champion in 1999, and has put together clutch great playoff performances.

9 Michael Irvin- The push off master, also known as “The Playmaker”. He had 11 100yd recieving games in the 1995 season. If he had 38 more yds in ’96 he would have had 8 consecutive seasons over 1000 yds. With only 750 catches and just under 12,000 yards with 65 TDs he looks like he could be excluded, but his career was cut short. Irvin also has multiple championships and was instrumental in all of them.
8 Terrell Owens- He had 20 catches one game!  He has career total of 1078 catches, 15,934 yards, has the 3rd most receiving TDs in NFL history with 153. He changed the body type owners, GMs, and coaches look for in wide receivers. He was a rare receiver who was physical enough to go over the middle, but fast enough to make big plays over the top. The door to Owens playing career has probably come to a close, but not because he is no longer physically able to play. Even at 39 years old he is faster, stronger, and in better condition than most of the WRs on current NFL rosters. Unfortunately, physically ability is not the only thing you get when T.O. is on your team.

7 Cris Carter- “All he does is catch touchdowns” He made tremendous changes in his off field life to become one of the Greats! 1101 catches, 13899 yards, 130 TDs. His yards per catch are not great but what he lacks in YPC he made up for in TDs and big catches. How this man is not in the Hall of  Fame is a sin and a shame. Throwing “CC” the ball was the definition of “money in the bank”. A coach was asked how good Carter’s hands were, he relied, “He can catch a beebee in a sand storm”.

6 James Lofton- Lofton was part of one of the greatest offenses of all-time, the “K Gun” (Jim Kelly). You rarely find a receiver with over 500 catches and yards per catch north of 15.5. Not only is Lofton above that, he has a staggering 18.3 YPC to go along with 764 catches, 14004 yards, and 75TDs. If you are looking for a big play receiver, you don’t have to look much further.

5 Marvin Harrison – In 2002 he caught an NFL record 143 catches in 1 season. No one has gotten any closer than 20 catches to his mark. Marvin amassed 1102 career catches, 14,580 yds, 128 TDs and combined with Peyton Manning to become one of the most deadly QB/WR combos ever. I had the unfortunate privilege of playing in the AFC South while this man was in his prime. I cannot count the precision routes, and spectacular efforts of getting two feet in bounds for catches I have seen up close and personal. I simply call him, “The Route Whisperer” because of his quiet, low key persona.

4 Lance Alworth- In his first full 6 years (78 games, there were shorter seasons in 60s-70s) he had 384 catches, 7,747 yards and 70 TDs so his avg 16 game season would be 79 catches 1589 yards 14.4 TDs with 20YPC. I have seen many highlights and some game film on Alworth, he was a matchup nightmare.

3 Steve Largent- In 14 seasons Largent had 819 catches, 13,089 yards, 100 TDs without an elite QB. He was definitely not your physically prototypical WR but you could not stop him from getting open and making catches. Largent was the original Wes Welker. The differences between the two are that Largent scored a LOT of TDs and didn’t have an elite quarterback. These are the reasons he is so high on the list.

2. Randy Moss- “The Freak”, he is too fast, too tall, and his ball skills are too good. He came in the league like a seasoned veteran catching an NFL rookie record 17 TDs in his innagural season. 982 catches 15,292 yards, 156 TDs. The scary part is these numbers are going to grow since he came out of retirement. In 2007 he caught an NFL record 23 TDs in 1 season. In his prime he could not be covered by one person. Whether it was Culpepper or Brady, 1 on 1 coverage meant throw it deep to Randy.  Moss was so dominant that a new term for a jump ball that is caught was coined, “Getting Moss’d”.

1. Jerry Rice- G.O.A.T. Mr NFL record. He once had 13 consecutive games with a TD. He had 274 consecutive games with a catch. In 1995, he caught for 1848 yards. He finished his illustrious 20 year NFL career with 1,549 career receptions, 22,895 career yards, 197 TDs. Rice was the pillar of consistency with 17 seasons with 50 or more receptions. Not only is Jerry Rice the greatest wide receiver ever, he could be the Greatest player of all-time regardless of position.

This list has been carefully considered and strategically put together. Whether you agree or disagree, let me know what you think. 

Guess Who’s #1: Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks of All- TIme

The Top 10 Quarterbacks list took a lot of time, hard work, dedication, and study. If you do not agree with the list you are wrong. There are a couple players who are playing their way on this list right now (Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees). I’ll start with the honorable mentions and work my way to number one. 

Dan Fouts- Hall of Famer and an Oregon Duck. He was the first quarterback to pass for over 4,000 yards three consecutive seasons, was selected two times All-Pro, and two times 2nd team All-Pro. He passed for over 40,000 yards and also won NFL offensive player of the year.
Fran Tarkenton- The proof is in the pudding. Tarkenton passed for 47,003 yards and 342 TDs. He was selected to nine Pro Bowls, was league MVP in 1975, and was All-Pro two times. Only one problem, no championships.
Doug Williams- First Black QB to win Super Bowl MVP. The QB was looked at as a white man’s position and for a long time and he helped change that. Doug gets on the list simply because he changed the game by breaking ground and paving the way for a new era of players.
10. Warren Moon- He amassed over 49,000 passing yards and 291 touchdowns in the NFL alone. When you add his CFL and NFL career together, you see how truly great he was. He amassed over 70,000 yards 400 touchdowns. Moon was clearly an NFL quarterback, but was forced to the CFL because black quarterbacks were not given the same opportunity to lead NFL franchises as they are today. He was selected to 9 Pro Bowls, and was NFL league MVP in 1990. Moon, along with Doug Williams and James”Shack” Harris proved that great quarterbacks have no color.

9. Brett Favre- He played at a high level until he was 40. The season before his last with the Vikings could have arguably been his finest if he had reached or won the Super Bowl. He is one of the best to play the position, but his stats are a product of inevitability with the number of years played. If it were not for a 1.5:1 touchdown to interception ratio he would be in the Top 5. But I will say, if he was not one of the greatest he could not have done it for this long at such a high level. He won’t WOW you with completion percentage or accuracy but he has everything you ask for in a great QB: Toughness, Leader, Winner, MVP, and Champion.

8. Dan Marino- Marino piled up a ton of stats but couldn’t stack them on top of a championship. People will argue that his unbelievable numbers make him the best of all time, but they don’t. Kareem Abul-Jabbar has easily scored the most points in NBA history and 3rd all-time in rebounds but we don’t call him the greatest of all-time. I cannot put him in the Top 5 because he has no championships. The reason he has no championships is because he never had a running game. His philosophy was why run the football when he could throw it further than they could run each play.

7. Kurt Warner- This Arena League QB who went undrafted out of college has turned into one of the best quarterbacks the league has ever seen. He bagged groceries for $5.50 per hour to earn money for his family and lived with his in-laws to keep his NFL dream alive. Now, Warner is a future Hall of Famer and owns the three highest single game passing yardage totals in Super Bowl history. He also earned the NFL league MVP twice and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner has cemented his place in NFL history; all you have to do is check the record books.

6. John Elway- California boy from Granada Hills HS (which is minutes from my house, FYI). When you hear “The Drive” you already know what game they are referring to (Jan. 11 1987 Denver Broncos vs Cleveland Browns in the AFC Championship game). He has championships, wins, played in five Super Bowls, and basically invented the 4th quarter comeback stat! Not only was he selected to nine Pro Bowls, he is also a two-time Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, and 1987 league MVP.

5. Steve Young- If “Montana to Rice” was a good combo “Young to Rice” was even better. He helped revolutionize the position to what it is today. Teams only wanted a “pocket” passer until Young showed how much a mobile quarterback could help the offense. Three time Super Bowl champion. Two-time NFL MVP. Young holds numerous NFL records including highest career passer rating (98.6), and most rushing touchdowns by a QB (43). And he did it all with a disability, he’s left-handed. Joke. LOL

4. John Unitas- Innovator of the passing game. He revolutionized the QB position therefore he changed the game. There would be no Jerry Rice or Randy Moss without Unitas because there would be no Young, Montana, or Brady. I would not be acknowledging history if I left “Johnny U” off the list. Its like Michael Jordan. A better/more talented player may come along but he will always be regarded as the man who changed the game; the original QB. He was league MVP three times and still owns the NFL record for most consecutive games with a TD pass (47) which has stood since 1960!

3. Tom Brady-This man has three championships. Brady, aka the “Check Down King” is calm, cool, and collected. In big game situations ice water runs through his veins. All he does is, “win, win, win, no matter what”. When I first made the Top 5 list last year I had him as an honorable mention. He has since assaulted the record books and won another league MVP. Brady has 3 championships and 2 Super Bowl MVPs. That said he is still clearly one of the best QBs of all-time. Some might even argue that he should be above Manning, but I give his team and head coach Bill Belichick higher marks than Manning’s supporting cast. Brady missed a season and his team still won 10 games. Manning missed a season and the Colts were the worst team in the league.

2. Peyton Manning- We are watching him rewrite history. He is the fastest QB in history to reach 4,000 completions and 50,000 passing yards. Manning is an 11 time pro bowl selection, and has been voted all-pro 8 times. There isn’t a throw he can’t make or a receiver he doesn’t hit in stride. Peyton is the consummate perfectionist, but you could never tell by his pre-play antics. At first glance he looks like a mad man in disarray, but after the whistle blows and the clock has all zeros you know Peyton is the Chess Master. Defenses try to throw everything at him: blitzes, zone dogs, and every other scheme, to no avail. He will be #1 on this list while he is still in uniform with one more championship. Do I really need to list ALL his stats to qualify this? Peyton has missed all of the 2011 season, and the Colts were 2-14. He proved he was the most important player to his team in the league, and one of the greatest to ever wear cleats. Now a member of the Denver Broncos, and three neck surgeries later, Manning is having another MVP caliber season. 

1. Joe Montana- The best QB of all-time. Four time Super Bowl champion. Three time Super Bowl MVP. Two-time league MVP. He holds postseason records for most career passing TDs (45), games with over 100.0 passer rating (12), and games with 300 passing yards (6, recently broken by Manning). The most important stat of them all, 0, that’s the number of interceptions he threw in four Super Bowls! What more can you say? He is the very definition of what a coach, owner, or teammate could ever ask for in a QB!