OK, there's a lot to get to, so buckle up.
From the "Talks too much" studios, it's go time.
Weekend winners/losers
As we do every Monday, we want to hear about your nominations about who won and lost the weekend. This will certainly be a topic on Press Row today. It also more than likely will be dominated by a weekend of great, Great, GREAT NFL football.
However, since we have two other topics to discuss, we'll combine the nominations for winners and losers into one segment today. And we want to hear yours, too.
Winners:
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady holds up the game ball after an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Baltimore RavensSaturday, Jan. 10, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 35-31 to advance to the AFC Championship game. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Winning quarterbacks. In order: Tom Brady. Dude answered the bell and rallied the Patriots from two 14-point deficits in their 35-31 win over Baltimore. He was totally great and greatly totalitarian. It was a big-boy performance in a big-boy game. That's a fair description for Andrew Luck's performance in Denver too, and it may be time to reevaluate our top-five NFL quarterback chart. Aaron Rodgers was noticeably slowed by his fatted calf in the first half; in the second half, he was the league MVP we saw this year. As for Russell Wilson, well, dude delivered for a run-first offense when the run was snuffed. Wilson was 15-of-22 for 268 and three touchdowns.
Kentucky hoops. This bunch is exceedingly intriguing every time they step on the floor. Saturday's double-overtime win at Texas A&M answers another challenge. Yes, the slow starts of late should be a concern, but for a young bunch to be that unflappable - especially Saturday when three Cats had fouled out - is mighty impressive.
Losers:
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) catches a pass against Green Bay Packers cornerback Sam Shields (37) during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, in Green Bay, Wis. The play was reversed. The Packers won 26-21. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke) NFL officials. For the second week in a row, the biggest talking point from a splendid weekend of NFL football is dominated by talk of a call. (Side note: Johnny Detroit Lions Fan is a smiling the smile of sweet karma right about now.) Dez Bryant's catch/called a non-catch despite taking three steps was the central point in a classic Cowboys-Packers game. It also should force the league to at least tweak that rule and maybe flat out change it. We can understand the interpretation of the rule, known as the Calvin Johnson rule after a similar play five years ago. But now that rule fails the old-school adage of it "walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck." Are we really going to expect the NFL officials, even with super-slo-mo replay, to be able to distinguish the degree of stretch of a wide receiver falling to the ground?
Marshawn Lynch. Dude is a clown. He answered every question after the Seahawks' win over the Panthers with "I'm thankful." Well, maybe your fans would be thankful for you to answer questions and act like a grown-up.
Tennessee hoops. Much credit to the Johnny Vols Fans for showing up in mass - more than 17,000 packed TBA - but the Vols hipsters were MIA offensively. Gross.
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Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) throws against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney) Peyton Manning
All last week, we stood steadfast that we expected Peyton Manning to play like, well, Peyton Manning on Sunday.
We expected a big-time showing that would have been part clockwork, part perfection and part "Doubt me at your own peril."
We got a flat and uneven showing that gives credence to the doubts of the last six weeks and raises the question about Manning's future. Is he done for good? If he returns, is still among the game's elite? Has Andrew Luck just passed him, considering Luck went to Denver and won with inferior talent. (Side note: What happened to Trent Richardson? We thought that cat was going to be a solid-gold pro. He was inactive Sunday and the Colts turned to some guy named Bam Herron.)
As for Manning, he looked old. His deep throws were inaccurate - and we liked the idea of stretching the Colts defensively, especially early - and his short throws were average (granted a few drops really hurt the Broncos flow).
So where does Manning go from here? What's the next step?
We believe he'll be back to give it one more go, but it's hard to admit - for the first time really - that the end is much closer than the apex.
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Title game
You could easy list tonight's NCAA title game among the winners from the weekend.
It has been well-hyped. It stands to be the most wagered-on college football game of all-time. It has a big-name match-up with a blue blood and the game's hottest newcomer. It will likely reset the record for most-watched cable show of all time.
It's a big deal.
But who will win.
We like Ohio State, and yes, knowing that we picked every bowl game against the spread and are 19-18-1 against the number so far, that is far from our normal level of inspiration. Our ace columnist Mark Wiedmer feels the same.
We like the Buckeyes because of one dude. It's not Cardale Jones, the former third-stringer who now is a star. It's not Vonn Bell, the local star turned national star who will be on more than a few preseason All-American teams to start his junior year next season. It's not THE OSU's myriad of speed and skill-people talent.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer speaks during media day for the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014. Ohio State is slated to square off against Alabama on New Year's Day. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) It's because of Urban Meyer. Period.
And, gasp, as great as Nick Saban is, if Meyer lands his third overall Natty - which would put him with Saban in the record books as having won titles with two schools - you have to acknowledge that if Saban is 1A, Meyer would be no worse than 1B.
Did we mention, dude is 5-0 as an underdog in postseason games of magnitude?
We are expecting a shootout, so look to the over as well - especially since unlike most bowl games these teams did not have the usual four-plus weeks to prepare and the offense will be closer to a groove because this week was more like a regular practice week. And we expect it to be a lot of fun (especially for THE Ohio State).
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This and that
Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers celebrates a touchdown pass to Randall Cobb during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn) - Man, at the opposite end of the Marshawn Lynch spectrum is Aaron Rodgers early season interview when he told the Packers backers to "Relax." Ya think?
- And if you are not impressed with Kentucky's survival instincts, know that Duke, Wisconsin and Arizona lost this weekend.
- Nice win for the Mocs at ETSU over the weekend. Here's TFP UTC hoops ace Mean Gene Henley's report.
- Interesting report here that Rex Ryan wanted to coach the Atlanta Falcons but was unwilling to wait with an uncertain future so he took the Buffalo job when it was offered. We understand both sides of the coin - Ryan wanting to coach the Falcons but not wanting to run the risk of not coaching anywhere next year; Atlanta not wanting to rush into an important hire, especially since Arthur Blank's mother died last week - but we can't help but feel a little sad that Sexy Rexy will not be the A-T-L next fall. That could have proven to be a lot of fun considering the Falcons' offensive pieces and need for a defensive enlightening.
Today's question
Who won the weekend? Who lost it?
Who you got tonight?
There are a slew of topics, so have at it.
Today also is the 100th birthday of the Rocky Mountain National Park (and no Spy, that's not the birth place of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever). So SAL-Loot.
It also is the 46th anniversary of the anti-Marshawn Lynch moment when Joe Namath and the Jets beat the Colts, who were a 16-point favorite, in Super Bowl III.
It also is the 44th birthday of "All in the Family."
So if you need a Rushmore, what about the best TV shows on today? Go. Feel free to post here or email jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and we'll post it for you.