Via Unsportsmanlike

By Michael Bennett

Led by a rookie quarterback and cries of Chuckstrong!, the Colts' march to the playoffs seemed at times like a plot straight out of Hollywood. The first in a series on our contributors favorite moments of 2012.

The sporting world gave us several memorable storylines in 2012. Thinking back, though, many of those were laced with tragedy. We witnessed the horrors violence and suicide, chronicled the inevitable downfall of this generation's most famous cyclist, and collectively shamed Penn State for one of the most jarring cover-ups in sports. I was all but finished with an essay on how our love of professional sports has led to corruption and disgrace; how sports are no longer about triumph and attrition, but rather contracts, lockouts, and egos. 

Then I saw footage of the Indianapolis Colts’ players and coaches dancing around the locker room, and decided not to give up all hope. The Colts’ season has enough heartwarming storylines to remind me of all the good things that still remain.

We all know the plot by now: The Colts finished the 2011 season with only two wins and decided, understandably yet controversially, to rebuild by drafting quarterback Andrew Luck. That led them to release Peyton Manning, the franchise quarterback and future Hall of Famer. Luck officially took the helm, facing the inordinate task of replacing one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. More importantly, he had to do so with a team coming off its worst season since 1991.

Soon, Luck and the Colts faced yet another hurdle. Head coach Chuck Pagano in September announced that he had Leukemia, and would step away from the team. It could have been just another excuse for the Colts to drift through the season, resigned to the belief that a full turnaround was impossible with a rookie signal caller and no head coach.

Instead, the Colts and interim head coach Bruce Arians used Pagano's diagnosis as motivation. Players and cheerleaders shaved their heads. Game balls were dedicated to his recovery. And as the Colts reeled off win after win, Pagano experienced a revival of his own. After three months of treatment, his cancer went into remission. He returned to the field to coach the final two games of the regular season, long enough win the year's 10th and 11th games and dance a happy playoff dance with his team.

As a Steelers fan, I was happy to see Bruce Arians gone from his spot as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator. He just wasn’t quite the right fit for the Black and Gold. It turns out that he belonged elsewhere in the best of ways. His success is one of the many storylines of courageous triumph for this Colts team.

Perhaps we find the most genuine source of motivation in the darkest of times. In a year full of depressing sports memories, the Colts took what could have been a final blow to their season and instead transformed it into a message of hope for the sporting world. Chuck Pagano, Bruce Arians, Andrew Luck and company reminded us that unity and dedication can prevail over life's difficulties. All it took was a locker room dance to remind me that the uplifting storylines of sports can be just as telling as the corruption and cover-ups. We can all learn from the Colts’ remarkable season, and do our own little locker room dance to celebrate.

Michael Bennett is a contributor to Began in '96 and writes on hip-hop and culture at Poetic Justice.

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The Denver Post

By Adam Cancryn

Toward the end of the first quarter last night, Peyton Manning threw an incompletion. And it was right then, when the ball fell to the turf and skittered away, that you knew he would be okay. All of the uncertainty, all of the worrying about his neck, his arm, his game readiness, all of it was for naught. It's a different city and different time, yes. But the same Peyton persists.

At the time of the incompletion, the Broncos sat deep in their own territory. Thirty seconds remained in a fits-and-starts quarter typical of two teams feeling the other out. Facing a third and 17, Denver set up in a shotgun formation. Pittsburgh countered with basic pass coverage in the secondary, charging their safeties with giving help over the top on deep routes.

Typical pre-snap histrionics completed (what adjustments Manning makes during the last few seconds are as fascinating and likely as meaningful as they are confusing), the Denver quarterback received the snap and scanned through his options. He settled on Demaryius Thomas, the rangy 2010 first-round draft pick currently sprinting down the right sideline, a defender in a close pursuit.

At the same time, however, Manning detected the presence of pressure from both the right and the left. The Pittsburgh defensive line had fought its way into the pocket. Eyes still downfield, he responded with two shuffles up into the rapidly shrinking bubble. The defenders flew by, clawing at air as Manning unleashed a spiral.

Thomas had two men on him by this point; the cornerback had matched him step for step, and now a safety came hurtling in. The three crowded into tight area, with Thomas hemmed in by his two shadows on one side, and an unflinching sideline on the other.

And yet here came the ball, sailing in from roughly 20 yards out and squeezing into that cell, consuming the last fragment of space between the triangulation of Thomas, his defenders and the sideline.

The ball hit the ground, inches from the receiver's grasp.

Thomas complained he'd been held, preventing a catch. The officials disagreed, and play continued. The Broncos punted, the scoreless tie remained. But for those watching Manning for early indications on how this comeback might go, that pass provided the first answer. Watch the play again, and amid Thomas' struggle to keep the defenders off him, you see a hint of surprise. By the time he registers that the ball is right there, in the perfect spot between sideline and shadows, it's too late to get his hands in position. Given the tiniest, most improbable window, Manning not only went for it but executed so flawlessly it caught even his intended receiver off-guard. That's understandable. For a decade, no one threw with the combination of accuracy, speed and prescience that Manning had. For at least one more year, it appears that will hold true.

The points eventually came. After sitting on the bench for a lengthy Pittsburgh drive that took up much of the second and third quarters, he trotted out and promptly read safety Troy Polamalu, audibled out of the current play and hit Thomas on a screen pass that left Polamalu hopelessly out of position. Seventy yards later, Manning had his 400th career passing touchdown.

Number 401 followed in the same fashion. At the two yard line, he recognized bump-and-run coverage on the receivers, switched the play at the last second and hit tight end Jacob Tamme on a pick play that put Denver up for good. All of the Broncos' 22 offensive points came out of the no huddle, with Manning calling the plays.

It's been nearly two years since he started an NFL game, but the scene nevertheless felt familiar. Manning threw just seven completions, spread the ball to all corners of the field and engineered a strikingly efficient two-minute drill. And at the end, Number 18 trotted off the field, victorious. Times change, players come and go, and in football especially, excellence is fleeting. But for at least one more night, Manning persists.

Adam Cancryn is an editor and co-founder of Began in '96.



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By Adam Cancryn

The New York Jets gave their quarterback a big contract extension. Or at least, it appears so, until you dig into the details.

After a week in which Peyton Manning embarked on his cross-country courtship and the Washington Redskins went all in on Robert Griffin III, the New York Jets signing Mark Sanchez to a three-year extension seemed like a particularly ill-timed consolation prize.

This was a week, after all, in which a number of lesser teams aggressively pursued the players that they believed would make them better, and perhaps even put them over the top. The Jets, meanwhile, appeared content with the status quo, so content that their only move was to lock down the centerpiece from last year's .500 season, and do it at a three-year, $40.5 million headline price that induced sticker shock among the team's fans.

Appearances, however, do not always mirror reality, and in the case of Sanchez's contract, the contrast between appearance and reality is fit for a carnival fun house. Here's NYJetsCap.com breaking down the specifics of the extension:

Prior to the extension Sanchez had two years remaining on his contract at a total pay out of $17,750,000, none of which was guaranteed. He may have been able to raise that total by about $1.5 million depending on playoff wins and performance. Had the Jets moved on from Sanchez the dead cap hit this season would have been just over $5 million.

Under the new agreement Sanchez receives a two year cash payout of $20,250,000, which is not a large boost if you assume the team would have made a deep run in the playoffs and Sanchez played decent during the course of the season.

In exchange for that extra $2.5 million, much of which Sanchez might have made anyway, the Jets also get to nearly halve their cap commitment in 2012, the site added. And all that guaranteed money runs out after 2013, meaning New York then has the option to keep him for another three years or cut him on the spot at roughly the same cost. The net effect is that the Jets stabilized themselves at quarterback for a length of time that they get to determine. Sanchez, meanwhile, got his probationary period extended to two years, from the one year he previously had.

All in all, that's a low-risk deal for a 26-year-old quarterback who, despite the vitriol lobbed his way last year, has improved statistically every season and been a significant part of ("led" might be too strong of a word in this situation) two deep playoff runs in three years. Sanchez's stats so far track closely with those of Eli Manning, another big-market quarterback whose skills and leadership were questioned early in his career. We all know what has happened since then with Manning, and if Sanchez sees anywhere near that success, this contract extension could be considered one of the best in the league. Consider that the Giants made Manning the NFL's richest quarterback in '09 with a six-year, $97.5 million extension following an 8-8 season of their own. Even if Sanchez exceeds Manning's success over the next two years, his payday is paltry by comparison. And if he doesn't, the Jets can cut ties and start over.

Beyond the financial advantages, Sanchez's extension quashes any speculation about the position for the rest of the offseason. New York can now focus on the many areas that truly need improvement, a list that includes rebuilding much of the defense. The Jets' once-ferocious linebacking corps needs to be upgraded, especially if inside backer Bart Scott is traded. The team is also soft at safety, and could use bona fide pass rusher.

The draft should help fill a couple of those needs, though which ones are still up in the air. Early mock drafts have the Jets taking a variety of defenders (and even receiver Malcolm Floyd) with their No. 16 overall pick. There is also some opportunity in free agency thanks to the reduced cap hit from Sanchez's contract, though the appropriate targets are few. One possibility would be to bring back defensive end/linebacker John Abraham, who could fill the hybrid pass-rushing role that he established for himself during his first stint with New York.

Those are the franchise's major question marks, but for the first time in a while, one of them doesn't involve their quarterback. The Jets are now hitched to Sanchez for better, and if things turn out for worse, they can always dump him in two years and start anew.


The Week Ahead (all times EST)- Your guide to what to watch-- and what to watch for-- this coming week

College Basketball- NCAA Tournament (printable bracket here)
Play-in games- March 13-14 (TBD)
First round- March 15-18 (TBD)
NBA
Knicks at Bulls- March 12 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Heat at Magic- March 13 at 7 p.m. (NBATV)
Heat at Bulls- March 14 at 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Thunder at Nuggets- March 15 at 9 p.m. (FSOKHD/Altitude Sports)
Blazers at Thunder- March 18 at 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)

NHL
Bruins at Lightning- March 13 at 7:30 p.m. (NESN/SUN NET)
Penguins at Rangers- March 15 at 7 p.m. (NHLNET)
Blackhawks at Stars- March 16 at 8:30 p.m. (CSNC/FOX SW)
Penguins at Devils- March 17 at 1 p.m. (FOX PITT/MSG+)
Blues at Lightning- March 17 at 7 p.m. (NHLNET)
Penguins at Flyers- March 18 at 12:30 p.m. (NBC)
MLB Spring Training
Marlins at Red Sox- March 12 at 1:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Mets at Tigers- March 14 at 1 p.m. (ESPN)

In the Kitchen- Tracking the major hot stove stories

• The Peyton Manning sweepstakes will likely be decided by the end of this week, with ESPN reporting that the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos are frontrunners. The Miami Dolphins are seen as a third possibility, but Manning hasn't visited them or the Seattle Seahawks.
• The San Francisco 49ers plan to work out Randy Moss as a possible addition to their thin receiving corps. Moss had previously retired, but announced a couple months back that he would like to return to the NFL. This is his first reported tryout. 
• Rumors flew on March 9 that Lakers forward Pau Gasol had been traded, but nothing has been made official so far. The last word was that the Houston Rockets were the closest to wrapping up a deal, but there's largely been radio silence since Friday.
• The Chicago Cubs became the latest team to add a Cuban prospect, signing pitcher Gerardo Concepcion to a five-year contract. The 20-year-old lefty will receive $6 million, which includes a $3 million signing bonus. The Cubs will add him to the 40-man roster, but start him out this season in the minors.

Web Gems- The week's best, worst or strangest Internet sports finds

A throwback player, with a wardrobe to match- The story of 82-year-old Marty Reisman, a holdover from the golden era of ping-pong.

Patrick Hruby talks about humor in journalism, plus loads of other good stuff- An illuminating, wide-ranging interview with Washington Times culture writer and freelance sportswriter Patrick Hruby.

When all else fails, there's still Federer- WSJ columnist Jason Gay on the enduring majesty of Roger Federer's game.

Wait until next year. Or next. Or...- NY Magazine's Will Leitch discusses why the New York Mets' 50th season wil be nothing worth celebrating.

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By Adam Cancryn

A (mostly) factual analysis of free agent quarterback Matt Flynn.

There are questions galore this NFL offseason, what with Peyton Manning's neck and the fight for the No. 2 draft pick and the Cleveland Browns wondering what do to with a problem like RGIII. But perhaps the biggest mystery of these next few months is Matt Flynn, the mild-mannered backup quarterback turned one-game wonder turned coveted free agent.

We do know a few things about the 26-year-old Texas native. He backed up noted sleep apnea victim JaMarcus Russell for two years at LSU before taking over and leading the Tigers to a national championship. He got drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round. Once there, Flynn showed the natural ability to hold a clipboard without losing that pesky pen that goes with it, competently directed the second-team offense, and was also lauded for the firm but comforting back pats he gave star quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the sideline.*

Flynn even got on the field a few times during regular season games, and managed not to throw up, line up behind the left guard, or generally embarrass himself, which is always a plus.

Then, after Rodgers went down with a concussion late in the 2010-11 season, Flynn got his first start against the then 11-2 New England Patriots. He promptly threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns in a gem of a performance that was improbably overshadowed by the most entertaining play in football — a 313-pound lineman rumbling 71 yards to set up the winning score.

No doubt scarred by that image, Flynn would undergo therapy and be unable to start another game until Jan. 1, 2012. Facing his fears head on, he tossed six touchdowns en route to a 45-41 win over the Detroit Lions and prominent fat linemen Ndamukong Suh and Corey Williams.

With no contract in place and still miffed that State Farm picked that two-left-footed jigglypuff B.J. Raji over him as their next Discount Double Check spokesman, Flynn secured his release and hit the open market.

That is all we know about the second-hottest free agent, more or less (likely less). And as far as potential multimillion-dollar investments go, that's not nearly enough, even for the NFL. There's not even any film of him hugging an old professor for analysts and coaches to study.

That leaves quarterback-starved franchises in a tough spot. On the one hand, Flynn has all the markings of a good NFL signal-caller. He's just 26, a decade younger than the stiff-necked Manning, yet still has the seasoning that draft picks like Robert Griffin III and Ryan Tannehill lack. In his limited playing time, Flynn has certainly proved more than serviceable. His performance against Detroit was masterful, leading drive after successful drive with the touch and decision-making of a veteran. The teams in the hunt for a new quarterback (Redskins, Browns, Dolphins, among others) never saw one quarter that good last year, much less an entire game.

Yet even in a league built on small sample sizes, Flynn's resume is too small to properly evaluate. During those two impressive games over two years, he had one of the NFL's best passing offenses at his disposal, and came into them fresh at a time when everyone else was nearing the end of a grueling season. Anywhere Flynn ends up this year would be a drastic step down in terms of the talent around him, and he would be expected to elevate that mediocre team to new heights in his first full NFL season. Whether he can throw for 480 yards and six touchdowns while fleeing defenders and searching for a receiver the likes of Greg Little or Jabar Gaffney is questionable at best.

What we can be sure of is that in a league where the gap between the best of the best and absolute worst quarterbacks is increasingly pronounced, some team will end up plunking down the cash to acquire Flynn, even if it's purely out of fear of starting the year with Caleb Hanie under center and dealing with a derpfest of 'What about Brett Favre?!?!' from the online echo chamber.

It's a backward system, akin to paying $8 for a cheeseburger without first finding out if it's from McDonalds or Five Guys. But the only way we'll ever find out just how good Matt Flynn is, is if he takes the field and answers that question himself.

*Some of the statements made in this article may or may not be true.

Adam Cancryn is an editor and co-founder of Began in '96, and a connoisseur of semi-factual athlete biographies.

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By Joe Schackman

Peyton Manning is a future Hall-of-Famer, but should the Jets cut ties with Mark Sanchez in order to bring in the battered quarterback?

One of the most absurd statements sports fans make is claiming that they could do a better job running their favorite team than the respective general manager. It’s a load of shit, but 99% of sports fans truly believe it and I am absolutely one of them. I would gladly step in for the Mets' Sandy Alderson and show him how it is done. I would have no problem schooling Mike Tannenbaum on what's needed for the Jets to win a Super Bowl. James Dolan? Man, do I have a plan for you. However, right now, I’m extremely happy I don’t have that authority, because having to choose between Peyton Manning and Mark Sanchez is not a responsibility I envy.

Mark Sanchez represents a significant investment for the New York Jets. The third year quarterback and former fifth overall draft pick came at a fairly steep cost to the organization. The Jets traded up in the draft for his rights and in the process gave up their first and second round pick along with three other players (all currently active in the NFL). They signed him to the most lucrative contract in team history: 5 years, $50 million, with $28 million guaranteed.

On top of that, the Jets gave him every resource he needed to succeed, regardless of cost. They brought in Mark Brunnell to back him up and tutor him. They hired a body language coach to help him maintain his composure and demeanor on the field. They even went out and got LaDainian Tomlinson, one of the best receiving running backs ever, to give him a safety blanket for check down throws.

For the first two years of his career, it all appeared to be worthwhile. The Jets' young quarterback showed poise and leadership beyond his years while taking his team to back-to-back AFC championship games.

But this past season, when the Jets leaned on him to win games and finally lead them to a championship, Sanchez did not perform. He was careless with the ball, he made poor clock management decisions and, perhaps worst of all, simply threw bad passes. In one season, he went from The Sanchise to trade candidate in the eyes of many fans.

The Jets are watching their opportunity to win a Super Bowl slowly slip away. When you are a top team in the league, you have to find whatever short term solution will give you the best chance to win now. In other words, go all-in. And, for the Jets, going all-in would be finding an elite quarterback. They have the defensive unit, special teams and even offensive weapons to be a championship team. They just lack the quarterback to bring it all together. Which is why Peyton Manning is in their sights.

If only it were that simple.

Yes, Manning is one of the best quarterbacks of all time, but he is coming off a significant surgery that caused him to miss the entirety of the 2011 season. Rumors are flying that he may never fully regain his arm strength. Even without the surgery, he is a 35-year-old quarterback with a lot of miles on him, and his talent will demand a significant salary. To take on that kind of contract, the Jets would have to cut ties with Sanchez, most likely via a trade, leaving the Jets to watch as a potential rival reaps the benefits of their investment.

On top of that, one must remember that the Jets found themselves in a similar position four years ago when they sacrificed Kellen Clemens' future to obtain an aging Brett Favre.¹ For the first 11 games, it appeared be working. New York jumped out to an 8-3 record and were one of the best teams in the AFC. But Favre’s body brokedown and the ol’ gunslinger dragged the Jets down just as fast as he had built them up. After one season, he was gone and the Jets were again without a quarterback.

So this is the question the Jets are left with: Do you sign a potentially hobbled Hall of Fame quarterback and risk a Favre repeat? Or do you stick with the young QB who, while he has shown promise, may mature after the rest of his team has peaked? Either way, the Jets have all their chips at the center of the table. The bet is either that Manning returns healthy and performs at his pre-surgery level, or that Mark Sanchez can take a huge step forward. If Tannenbaum makes the right call, they could be hanging a Super Bowl banner. Make the wrong decision, and everyone is out of a job. For once, I’m glad I’m not responsible. And while I hope for the best, I’ll make sure to have my resume ready.

1) While the Jets kept Clemens on the team they basically told him he was no longer the quarterback of the future. There was no coming back from that.

Joe Schackman is a co-founder and editor of Began in '96.

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