My NFL Vibe
Submitted by Jim Wogan on December 17, 2005 - 8:03pm.
Funny you mention the Rams (posted comment). I was a huge LA Rams fan. 1968-1995. Gabriel, Olsen, Snow, Jones, Lundy, the Fearsome Foursome! They started the 1969 season 11-0 before losing their last three regular season games-- and then losing in the playoffs to Joe Kapp and the Vikings in the snow and ice.. at the Met in Minnesota. I just can't bring myself to root for the St. Louis Rams.
You're right, the entire league has a carpet-bagging mentality. The best move Bud Adams made when he finally moved his team to Nashville-- is rename them. I enjoy covering the Titans, and love seeing area fans fly their colors around town. It breaks-up the Big Orange monopoly. The Colts story has been too big to ignore this year, especially with the Manning connection. But I'm hoping for a huge Titans resurgance soon. I have a great deal of respect for Jeff Fisher and Floyd Reese... and certainly have huge respect for Steve McNair.
Heisman winner Charles
Heisman winner Charles Woodson has had a decent career with some mostly lack-luster Oakland Raider teams. Woodson has 17 career interceptions in 8 seasons. By comparison, former Washington Redskins great Darrell Green had 54 picks in a 20 year career. Of course, Green also played in 3 Super Bowls. Woodson has played in one.
Ryan Leaf finished third in Heisman voting in 1997. He's out of the NFL.
Manning, of course, set the NFL record with 49 touchdown passes last year. This year, his team was undefated through 13 games. The bottom line, Manning is a quarterback and his career will be based on big games. Dan Marino set plenty of records, but never won a Super Bowl. Bob Griese wasn't a prolific passer, but is a Super Bowl champ.
Peyton's bowl record at UT was spotty. He lost his only major bowl game. But a Super Bowl title in Indy will force nay-sayers to drop the "can't win a big game" tag that's been attached to Manning at times.
I have some personal feelings in this. I've covered Peyton since 1994. I've always respected him and he's always been good to me as a journalist. And for the record, I voted for Manning on my 1997 Heisman ballot.
Prolific receiver Randy Moss was 4th in voting in 1997, just ahead of Ricky Williams (who won the trophy a year later).
I see Mr. Wogan as a genious
I see Mr. Wogan as a genious when it comes to football. I called it that San Diego would be Indy as I am a hard core Manning/Indy fan but knew they wouldn't go unbeaten. My big question is what happened to those other guys that beat him out of the Heisman Trophy? You don't hear anything about them. Maybe we need to see who the real winner was that year since the SEC (especially UT) never gets the right coverage.
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