Archive for February, 2008
Rams’ Bruce, Chargers’ Neal on the move
Friday, February 29th, 2008"It just shows that we believe in him to be our guy"
Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson talks with backup quarterback Brady Quinn in an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in this Dec. via Boston Globe
Rams kicker Wilkins retires (AFP/GETTY IMAGES/File)
Friday, February 29th, 2008
St. Louis Rams veteran kicker Jeff Wilkins, seen here in 2007, announced his retirement on Friday, the National Football League club announced.
Rams K Wilkins retires (PA SportsTicker)
Friday, February 29th, 2008 St. Louis Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins will announce his retirement, the team announced Friday.Jets offer appears too good for Faneca to refuse (Yahoo! Sports)
Friday, February 29th, 2008 Quoting a source close to Pittsburgh Steelers guard Alan Faneca, the New York Daily News reported the New York...Dallas’ Reeves looking to become starter elsewhere (Yahoo! Sports)
Friday, February 29th, 2008 Looks like Dallas Cowboys backup cornerback Jacques Reeves will be pretty busy the next couple of days.Trying to mimic ‘07 Pats is risky (Yahoo! Sports)
Friday, February 29th, 2008 The thought of approaching free agency as New England did last year might be tempting, but also very foolish.Rams release veterans Bruce, Frerotte
Thursday, February 28th, 2008Rams release veterans Isaac Bruce, Gus Frerotte a day before start of free agency (AP)
Thursday, February 28th, 2008 For the second time in three years, the St. Louis Rams released wide receiver Isaac Bruce. This time they may be cutting ties for good with the last player remaining from the team's 1995 move from Los Angeles to St. Louis. "It's a tough choice for the franchise," coach Scott Linehan said on the team's Web site, stlouisrams.com.Rams waive WR Bruce, QB Frerotte (PA SportsTicker)
Thursday, February 28th, 2008 The St. Louis Rams on Thursday waived veteran wide receiver Isaac Bruce and quarterback Gus Frerotte.MacBook Air: Rambling First Impressions
Thursday, February 28th, 2008Great first impressions of the MacBook Air. Be sure to read the prologue too.
Rams to release Frerotte (Yahoo! Sports)
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 The Rams plan to release backup quarterback Gus Frerotte on Thursday, likely ending his 14-year NFL career.Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre pumps his fist in cele… (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, file)
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre pumps his fist in celebration of a complete pass during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in this Dec. 16, 2007 file photo, in St. Louis. New Packers president Mark Murphy believes Favre will return to Green Bay for another run at the Super Bowl. "My guess is that he's going to come back," Murphy said Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, at a Milwaukee Press Club luncheon. "The team has gotten better around him and is in a position to really do great things next year."
Who is the GREATEST Superbowl Champ of All Time???
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008Top 10 Super Bowl champions
WhatIfSports.com used its free NFL SimMatchup technology (you could do this too!) to simulate the 42 Super Bowl champions against one another — 100 times each. This means that each team played 4,100 games and 86,100 games were played in total. At the end, we looked at all of the games and ranked teams by winning percentage to find the top 10. This is the most accurate and thorough approach to answering “the question.”
The conclusion may not be “the 2007 New England Patriots,” but the question is still relevant — and WhatIfSports.com has a definitive answer.
The debate in question is precisely why the site exists and it’s one of the major reasons why sports talk radio exists. It is why we all talk sports with our fathers and grandfathers, just like we do or will with our children and grandchildren. That’s because the conversation concerns historical context. On the heels of one of the most exciting and dramatic Super Bowls ever, and with so much recent discussion about NFL history, the specific question is; “Which team was the greatest Super Bowl champion of all time?” Or, more appropriately, “what if” the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins and other elite teams played all of the other Super Bowl champions? The answer: The Dolphins would win just more than 60% of the time, while the 1985 Chicago Bears and 1999 St. Louis Rams would each win well over 70% of their games.
When running these games, the simulation engine factors in actual regular season statistics that are adjusted equally on a historical and relative (to other teams that season and to strength of schedule) basis. This means that if a team or player had a record-breaking rushing season against a schedule that includes very weak rush defenses, the team or player will still perform well, but may not perform as well it did that year. This also means that the computer does not have to try to figure out how a 230-pound offensive lineman can block a 330-pound defensive tackle. Everything is in the numbers and relative to the context of that season.
Record has nothing to do with this analysis, but do not confuse that with a neglect for “heart” or “clutch.” Strengths, weaknesses, consistency, comfort under pressure, and the like are all “intangible” factors that show through in the numbers. And teams with better numbers typically win — especially when the games are played often.
The 2007 New York Giants rank No. 23. Although the Giants looked like the better team in Super Bowl XLII, it was still an upset. Had the Patriots just won, they would appear among the top few on this list. Now they are not on it. That is how big that game was.
The top 10 Super Bowl champions list starts with a bit of a surprise:
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