Official NFL Discussion Thread

[DaveyJoeG]

CUNDIFF!!1

[MidnightAngel]

Patriots to the Super Bowl!!!

[AspectRatio1986]

DAMN SPECIAL TEAMS!!! My hatred grows....gift wrapped the W for them.

The rematch angle will make for a more entertaining Super Bowl, but I pray to the Lord above that Eli does not get a second ring.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AspectRatio1986

DAMN SPECIAL TEAMS!!! My hatred grows....gift wrapped the W for them.

The rematch angle will make for a more entertaining Super Bowl, but I pray to the Lord above that Eli does not get a second ring.

LOL So no respect for Manning yet? The guy was knocked down, hit and sacked like 25-30 times. I am very confident the Giants will win the Super Bowl if they play like they have all throughout the playoffs. That means 2 rings for Mr Manning.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AspectRatio1986

Never said it was luck...I was pointing out that it was blown coverage and/or a sloppy defensive call. At the point of the jump ball there were 3 receivers and only 2 defensive backs...of course the odds of getting good jump ball position are in the offense's favor.

The Packers were beat soundly in the second half.

[AspectRatio1986]

I will not ever have respect for Eli Manning, period. Nothing's going to change that. Williams literally handed them their only 2 scores in the 2nd half and OT. Yeah they beat the shit out of the Packers in the 2nd half, but I was just pointing out that it would have been a completely different game if it was a 3 point difference at half.

[Raiden]

Congrats to the Patriots and Giants. A couple of outstanding games yesterday that were exciting right down to the finish.

Go NY.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AspectRatio1986

I will not ever have respect for Eli Manning, period. Nothing's going to change that. Williams literally handed them their only 2 scores in the 2nd half and OT. Yeah they beat the shit out of the Packers in the 2nd half, but I was just pointing out that it would have been a completely different game if it was a 3 point difference at half.

LOL I wonder what a man has to do to get your respect. Manning has the 4th qtr td record, most road playoff wins, getting known for 4th qtr comeback wins. I don't think he is the greatest playing by any stretch, but he is top 5 and looking better every year.

Just curious, what do you think of Brady?

[Brando @$$ Fat]

I'm not that passionate about who wins, but I think I'm leaning slightly towards the Patriots. It would be nice to see them get revenge. Also, as intriguing as the occasional Wild Card team can be, I'm getting a little tired of it.

[AspectRatio1986]

Brady is a stud, obviously. Don't get me wrong, I know Eli has his moments. I still wouldn't put him in the top 5 though. Top 10, yes. My main gripe with him (other than being a lifelong Eagles fan) is that I have never, ever seen an NFL quarterback be so careless with passes from time to time. And its not even Brett Favre careless, he seemed to truly believe he could make any throw needed and/or possible. I was very frustrated during the Packers game due to the lack of pressure they got on Eli. I've seen it time and time again that if you create enough pressure he will without a doubt just toss balls into the secondary, just to avoid sacks. This was the case for the 1 INT he threw against Green Bay, there was no receiver within 10 yards of the pass if I recall correctly. And yes, he did a great job of not doing this yesterday against the Niners.

I love to watch Quarterbacks play, especially at a world class level. Thats why I was pulling for a Brady Vs. Brees/Rodgers matchup in the Super Bowl, granted I will say a rematch of Brady and Manning is an exciting backup option. I just would never put him in the same class as the other guys I mentioned. It's just my opinion on the guy, I've never liked him and never will.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AspectRatio1986

(other than being a lifelong Eagles fan)l.

Eagle fan??? That explains it all. No more needs to be said.

I have to live in Eagleland and I laugh at all the Eagle fans here. Such anger, Such blind support. Such failures. Ha hahahahahahaha.

Since you are a fan of QBs, you must LOVE Vick. I also guess you loved the McNabb years. You wish you had Manning. Hell, David Carr would be better than Vick.

QBs like Brees and Rodgers could not hold a candle to the greats of the 80's and early 90's if they played with the rules of those years. Those two and others are living in the era of easy offense. None of them are as great as people make them up to be. The Reggie White Eagle defenses would shit all over the Saints, Packers and Patriots if they played in the 80's.

[AspectRatio1986]

Yes I sometimes do wish I had Peyton Manning. And yes, I was a huge McNabb supporter, in his prime he was a top 5 QB in the league. Eagles fans that hated him were ridiculous, many of them didn't remember, or weren't around for the Ty Detmer, Bobby Hoying, Doug Pederson, and Rodney Peete days. Sure he didn't win the big game, but what he did in the early part of his career with a roster full of career #3 and #4 wide receivers was truly amazing, not to mention at one point in his career I believe he had the best TD to INT ratio in NFL history. So for you to judge me solely based on my favorite team makes you look like a fool. David Carr better than Vick, now your just reaching. I like watching Vick, hes very entertaining when healthy. But honestly he's too much of a wildcard to build your Super Bowl hopes around due to his yearly injury risk. Comparing 80's ball to present day football doesn't even make sense, the game has evolved, rules have been changed. They're all Hall of Famers, and I look at them as equals.

[horrorfreak13]

Cundiff how do you miss a 32 yard field goal or even better Lee Evans catch the fucking ball you... ugh. The defense stepped up for the Patriots and that game wasn't Flacco's fault he did play well enough but its not his fault that happenned in the end

Tough loss for the 49ers the defense keep hitting Manning over and over and I though would win the game who would have figured Ted Ginn Jr would have such an impact on this game

I do feel for Kyle Williams those 2 mistakes cost them the game but fans going to twitter and sending death threats to him by the way morons on there need to get some perspective and get a clue morons like that give fans a bad name good job (btw he's single and doesn't have kids you might want to do reasearch before sending stupid crap like that)

By the way I'm hoping the Patriots win sorry can't do it I do respect the hell out of Eli and the Giants for the past few weeks but I just can't

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AspectRatio1986

Yes I sometimes do wish I had Peyton Manning. And yes, I was a huge McNabb supporter, in his prime he was a top 5 QB in the league. Eagles fans that hated him were ridiculous, many of them didn't remember, or weren't around for the Ty Detmer, Bobby Hoying, Doug Pederson, and Rodney Peete days. Sure he didn't win the big game, but what he did in the early part of his career with a roster full of career #3 and #4 wide receivers was truly amazing, not to mention at one point in his career I believe he had the best TD to INT ratio in NFL history. So for you to judge me solely based on my favorite team makes you look like a fool. David Carr better than Vick, now your just reaching. I like watching Vick, hes very entertaining when healthy. But honestly he's too much of a wildcard to build your Super Bowl hopes around due to his yearly injury risk. Comparing 80's ball to present day football doesn't even make sense, the game has evolved, rules have been changed. They're all Hall of Famers, and I look at them as equals.

As a Giants Fan, I loved McNabb. His numbers lie. The bottom line on him is, he could not make many "easy" throws and would short arm them all the time. Never came up big in big games and they won because of the defense. I blame your coach more than your QB though. McNabbs failures with the Skins and Vikings prove what all the Eagle fans have been complaining about him all these years. I guess you forgot about all the many games where he would go three and out like 3 or 4 times to start many games in the last 2 or 3 years of his Eagle career. When Brees career is over, his numbers will lie too. Brees will finish with great numbers and one Super Bowl and many one and dones.

Vick is a joke and I am not reaching. Vick looks for one option and then takes off. He has not changed at all. In the 4th qtr when Manning threw to Bradshaw, Bradshaw was the 5th option. That would never happen with Vick. Vick is injuried all the time, because he is not smart enough to go down and avoid contact. Vick makes more bad throws than Eli by a long shot. You would be better off with Carr or your backup.

Please, football today is boring. All offense and no defense is boring. When the Giants beat the Pats all those all o and no d teams will find out D matters still. Hopefully, the league will see the light and change back towards defense and then we will see if Rodgers and Brees and Brady and others will be able to throw up those numbers again. BTW The Eagles were only great because of their defense.

[AspectRatio1986]

I know very well McNabb wasnt a perfect Quarterback, he had his strengths and he had weaknesses. Accuracy on touch passes was the glaring one. I will defend McNabb to my death though, he took us to 5 NFC championship games for Christ sake, why would I not defend him? Because maybe we could of got lucky in 99 and got the first pick and drafted Tim Couch and had another decade of meaningless football? I dont think so...the man will always have my respect. He's the first person EVER to have over 30 touchdown passes and under 10 picks in a season the year he finally got a legit WR. And as for his play with the Redskins and Vikes? Obviously he didn't play well...but its ridiculous to say that diminishes his play with the Eagles...the Redskins have been a mess for most of 20 years and no QB is going to have success there in the immediate future, and as for the Vikes? Trying to pick up a new offensive playbook and mesh with new teammates in 5 weeks is probably never going to turn out well...

As for Vick...I agree hes far from the perfect Quarterback...perfect athlete, maybe. Without a doubt he's vastly improved his passing skills and vision since his days in Atlanta. Last years Pro Bowl season is a good reference point, I was amazed how patient he was in the pocket compared to his 1,000 yard days. You can't deny that if you'd watch every game like I do. Oh and Vince Young was out backup last year (the only player I hate more in the league than Eli) so saying we'd be better off with him as our starter is reaching.

Style of play is a preference, I respect yours of a D minded team, and enjoy defensive struggles from time to time. It's exciting to see a top D take on a great offense like last week with New England and Baltimore. I just love watching the top guys at their craft dissect defenses apart, its what I've truly enjoyed all of my life.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AspectRatio1986

I know very well McNabb wasnt a perfect Quarterback, he had his strengths and he had weaknesses. Accuracy on touch passes was the glaring one. I will defend McNabb to my death though, he took us to 5 NFC championship games for Christ sake, why would I not defend him? Because maybe we could of got lucky in 99 and got the first pick and drafted Tim Couch and had another decade of meaningless football? I dont think so...the man will always have my respect. He's the first person EVER to have over 30 touchdown passes and under 10 picks in a season the year he finally got a legit WR. And as for his play with the Redskins and Vikes? Obviously he didn't play well...but its ridiculous to say that diminishes his play with the Eagles...the Redskins have been a mess for most of 20 years and no QB is going to have success there in the immediate future, and as for the Vikes? Trying to pick up a new offensive playbook and mesh with new teammates in 5 weeks is probably never going to turn out well...

As for Vick...I agree hes far from the perfect Quarterback...perfect athlete, maybe. Without a doubt he's vastly improved his passing skills and vision since his days in Atlanta. Last years Pro Bowl season is a good reference point, I was amazed how patient he was in the pocket compared to his 1,000 yard days. You can't deny that if you'd watch every game like I do. Oh and Vince Young was out backup last year (the only player I hate more in the league than Eli) so saying we'd be better off with him as our starter is reaching.

Style of play is a preference, I respect yours of a D minded team, and enjoy defensive struggles from time to time. It's exciting to see a top D take on a great offense like last week with New England and Baltimore. I just love watching the top guys at their craft dissect defenses apart, its what I've truly enjoyed all of my life.

To each their own I guess. I think Young has more upside than Vick. Pro Bowls are meaningless to me. Tebow had consideration for the Bowl. Give me a break.
McNabb made all those NFC Champ games, because of their defense. There have been quite a few recent rookie qbs to do quite well with little time to prepare. McNabb should not have had the terrible seasons he had if he were any good. Ryan, Flaco, Cam and many others recently.

[AspectRatio1986]

Hey, I know he played terrible. But I do believe he would have had a pretty solid year if the NFL had a normal offseason and he was picked up in March...and the Vikings letting Sidney Rice walk in free agency was extremely stupid as well. Young is awful though, his throwing motion is atrocious and when he did get snaps this year, for the most part he was taken down very easily in the open field unlike in college and his first few seasons with the Titans. I'm just curious, what do you see in Young that he has more upside than Vick?

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AspectRatio1986

Hey, I know he played terrible. But I do believe he would have had a pretty solid year if the NFL had a normal offseason and he was picked up in March...and the Vikings letting Sidney Rice walk in free agency was extremely stupid as well. Young is awful though, his throwing motion is atrocious and when he did get snaps this year, for the most part he was taken down very easily in the open field unlike in college and his first few seasons with the Titans. I'm just curious, what do you see in Young that he has more upside than Vick?

It is not that Young has more upside so much as I just really think Vick is just the worst QB. When all is said and done, I think Young has more ability to play the position at a higher level. His problem is his head. Think AJ Burnett of the Yankees. The sad part is many QBs like Vick, Young and Tebow never seem to continue to learn the position and grow much. It really does take most players 3 to 4 years to develop. Vick never developed properly.

[fixedMind]

Originally Posted by Erroneous

The sad part is many QBs like Vick, Young and Tebow never seem to continue to learn the position and grow much. It really does take most players 3 to 4 years to develop. Vick never developed properly.

One of these names does not belong in your comment. It's completely ridiculous to say Tebow doesn't continue to learn the position when he literally has 1 full season under his belt and will be going into his first off season in which he gets to work with the people who can help him improve. I get that people got tired of the Tebowmania shit, Im a huge Broncos and Tebow fan and I got a bit fed up with the media for it, but for godsake give the guy a break. He works harder than almost anyone else in the league, and it would be foolish to write him off. Hopefully this time next year he will have proved that he can improve with the short timing routs and reading coverages, then the sky is the limit.

[AceD]

Originally Posted by fixedMind

He works harder than almost anyone else in the league

I like Tebow, but this sort of statement is what draws a lot of the hate. Does he work harder than the guys who play defense for the Broncos? Than Manning, Brady, Brees, Rodgers? No. He doesn't. Does he work very hard? Yes. Do some NFL players not work as hard? Yes. But there's little evidence to suggest he's the most dedicated worker in the league. Again, I like the guy and I agree that it's very unfair to paint him with the same brush as Vick at this point.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by fixedMind

One of these names does not belong in your comment. It's completely ridiculous to say Tebow doesn't continue to learn the position when he literally has 1 full season under his belt and will be going into his first off season in which he gets to work with the people who can help him improve. I get that people got tired of the Tebowmania shit, Im a huge Broncos and Tebow fan and I got a bit fed up with the media for it, but for godsake give the guy a break. He works harder than almost anyone else in the league, and it would be foolish to write him off. Hopefully this time next year he will have proved that he can improve with the short timing routs and reading coverages, then the sky is the limit.

I understand where you are coming from, but if you read through the rest of the thread, I have been a supporter of Tebow. He is young and needs to improve a lot. He needs time. You may not have liked the context, but he did not improve much from last year when throwing the ball. I did not say read defenses. I said throwing the ball. He should have gotten better on that small point by now.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AceD

I like Tebow, but this sort of statement is what draws a lot of the hate. Does he work harder than the guys who play defense for the Broncos? Than Manning, Brady, Brees, Rodgers? No. He doesn't. Does he work very hard? Yes. Do some NFL players not work as hard? Yes. But there's little evidence to suggest he's the most dedicated worker in the league. Again, I like the guy and I agree that it's very unfair to paint him with the same brush as Vick at this point.

I think you are reading too much into this. When that kind of statement is said they are just trying to say that this guy is workng hard and the first in and the last out. It is not to say he works harder than other top qbs. There is a statement that holds true. Hard work does not equal great results.

[Erroneous]

The NFL is going to have Thursday night games from week 2 until week 15. I hate it. I do not like Thursday night games. I hate the short week, long week senerio. I hope they are smart about it and have many of the thursday night games when both teams are off bye weeks. I think it would lead to better football.

[fixedMind]

Originally Posted by AceD

I like Tebow, but this sort of statement is what draws a lot of the hate. Does he work harder than the guys who play defense for the Broncos? Than Manning, Brady, Brees, Rodgers? No. He doesn't. Does he work very hard? Yes. Do some NFL players not work as hard? Yes. But there's little evidence to suggest he's the most dedicated worker in the league. Again, I like the guy and I agree that it's very unfair to paint him with the same brush as Vick at this point.

Thats a fair point, I would say though that there isnt a player in the league that works harder than Tebow. It is well documented in Denver that he is always the first to arrive and last to leave everyday. Do you really think there is another QB in the league that spends his free time hitting tractor tires with sledgehammers? lol.

[fixedMind]

Originally Posted by Erroneous

I understand where you are coming from, but if you read through the rest of the thread, I have been a supporter of Tebow. He is young and needs to improve a lot. He needs time. You may not have liked the context, but he did not improve much from last year when throwing the ball. I did not say read defenses. I said throwing the ball. He should have gotten better on that small point by now.

Its actually a consensus around the Broncos organization that he improved his passing a lot this year. His problem seems to be mainly making the proper reads, he gets confused by disguised coverages, and having the confidence to put the ball where the reciever is suppossed to be without seeing him open.

[horrorfreak13]

Originally Posted by Erroneous

The NFL is going to have Thursday night games from week 2 until week 15. I hate it. I do not like Thursday night games. I hate the short week, long week senerio. I hope they are smart about it and have many of the thursday night games when both teams are off bye weeks. I think it would lead to better football.

Oh great more opportunities to show the Cowboys in prime time just what we really needed.

[Mr Parker]

Here is why The Giants will win.

I hate the Cheatriots because Belecheck is so freaking over rated.Without Tom Brady he is nothing.Brady resurrected his career.His first year in New England when he had Drew Bledsoe as his starting quarterback he had a losing season,then Brady came on and the rest is history. Also being objective and getting past my hatred of the patriots,this is why I think the Giants will win as well.

I see The Giants winning this from the patriots again.This team is just like that team from 2007,coming on strong at the end of the season and playing well when it needed to to get into the playoffs.Their defense is looking great and that will be too much for tom brady to handle.Three other reasons I expect the giants to win.

1.they own the patriots beating them when they were previously unbeaten in the superbowl four years ago and this year on the road at foxboro and they did not have one of their first string receivers then or their featured running back either due to injurys.this time they have them both and that will be too much for the suspect pats defense to handle.

2.The patriots have not played a GOOD football team in the playoffs yet.The Broncos? what a joke.Teabow has been exposed that when he faces a GOOD team,he is a horrible quarterback. and come on the Ravens with Joe Flacco at quarterback? get serious.that team will never get to the superbowl with flacco at quarterback. Plus more than anything,The Patriots shouldnt be there in the superbowl.

People can blame the loss all they want on the ravens kicker but even if he makes that field goal all that does is send them into overtime which guaranteed them nothing.It never should have come down to that kick.That reciever in the end zone dropped a pass that was knocked out of his arms that a GOOD receiver would have hung on to so since the ravens are the team that should be there and really are the better team defensively,the pats have finally met their match.

3.this game is going to take place in Indianapolis.Colts fans have first shot at the tickets and you got to remember,this is the city that loves and worships Peyton Manning and not only do they hate Tom Brady and the patriots,Peytons little brother Eli is playing there so most fans will naturally be rooting for little brother Eli to win especialy since the Giants fan base travels extremely well much better than the patriots fan base does so it will seem like a home game for the giants and a road game for the patriots which is a big edge for the Giants.
__________________

[daltonio823]

Let's go Giants!

[adamjohnson]

Originally Posted by horrorfreak13

Oh great more opportunities to show the Cowboys in prime time just what we really needed.

Well they choked away every primetime game this year, so why not.

[AspectRatio1986]

I wanna throw up. I can't believe Welker dropped that pass. Right then I knew they were losing.

[Raiden]

What a game and what performances by Eli and Brady.

That final Giants touchdown was like nothin' I've ever seen.

Great game!!

[AceD]

There will always be a lot of reasons to hate Eli, but there's not really any good reasons to think he's not an elite QB. Is he better right now than his brother, Favre, Brady, etc? No, not right now, but it's no longer inconceivable that he'll get there. And while the team he beat today is a much lesser team than the one he beat 4 years ago, two rings (and two deserved MVPs) are nothing to sneeze at. Is all this a sign of the end of the world? Only time will tell.

[AspectRatio1986]

As much as I can't stand Eli, I have to admit that somehow he and the Giants have the Pats number. It almost feels like fate when you look at some of the crazy shenanigans thats happened in the 2 Super Bowl meetings. Namely the Tyree catch, the Asante Samuel dropped INT in the first game, now the Welker drop which would of almost guaranteed victory for the Pats, and then the Manningham catch on the sideline. If it was fate, I guess I can live with that.

[Darth Kenshin]

Originally Posted by AceD

There will always be a lot of reasons to hate Eli, but there's not really any good reasons to think he's not an elite QB. Is he better right now than his brother, Favre, Brady, etc? No, not right now, but it's no longer inconceivable that he'll get there.

Yeah, people need to relax on Eli. He's elite, whatever that means, but the dude isn't an all-time great qb. He has 2 rings and some great late game heroics. That, to me, puts him in on the Roethlisberger level, not the Brady/Manning level. But he's still young, so who knows what might happen down the road.

Anyway, crazy game. Lots of missed opportunities for the Pats. Lots of questionable non-calls that helped the Pats. Guess it evened out at the end.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by Mr Parker

Here is why The Giants will win.

I hate the Cheatriots because Belecheck is so freaking over rated.Without Tom Brady he is nothing.Brady resurrected his career.His first year in New England when he had Drew Bledsoe as his starting quarterback he had a losing season,then Brady came on and the rest is history. Also being objective and getting past my hatred of the patriots,this is why I think the Giants will win as well.

I think you make a fair point about the cheating and more will be said about the Pats not winning since spygate. I wish the truth would come out, but it will not, so we have to guess what really happened.

Bill B is a great coach. He is not over rated at all. I think you are forgetting his 2 rings he won with the giants.

I see The Giants winning this from the patriots again.This team is just like that team from 2007,coming on strong at the end of the season and playing well when it needed to to get into the playoffs.Their defense is looking great and that will be too much for tom brady to handle.Three other reasons I expect the giants to win.

1.they own the patriots beating them when they were previously unbeaten in the superbowl four years ago and this year on the road at foxboro and they did not have one of their first string receivers then or their featured running back either due to injurys.this time they have them both and that will be too much for the suspect pats defense to handle.

2.The patriots have not played a GOOD football team in the playoffs yet.The Broncos? what a joke.Teabow has been exposed that when he faces a GOOD team,he is a horrible quarterback. and come on the Ravens with Joe Flacco at quarterback? get serious.that team will never get to the superbowl with flacco at quarterback. Plus more than anything,The Patriots shouldnt be there in the superbowl.

People can blame the loss all they want on the ravens kicker but even if he makes that field goal all that does is send them into overtime which guaranteed them nothing.It never should have come down to that kick.That reciever in the end zone dropped a pass that was knocked out of his arms that a GOOD receiver would have hung on to so since the ravens are the team that should be there and really are the better team defensively,the pats have finally met their match.

3.this game is going to take place in Indianapolis.Colts fans have first shot at the tickets and you got to remember,this is the city that loves and worships Peyton Manning and not only do they hate Tom Brady and the patriots,Peytons little brother Eli is playing there so most fans will naturally be rooting for little brother Eli to win especialy since the Giants fan base travels extremely well much better than the patriots fan base does so it will seem like a home game for the giants and a road game for the patriots which is a big edge for the Giants.
__________________

Good points all of them.

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

What a game and what performances by Eli and Brady.

That final Giants touchdown was like nothin' I've ever seen.

Great game!!

We saw it before. Quite a few times this year and against the Pats...twice

[Erroneous]

Originally Posted by AceD

There will always be a lot of reasons to hate Eli, but there's not really any good reasons to think he's not an elite QB. Is he better right now than his brother, Favre, Brady, etc? No, not right now, but it's no longer inconceivable that he'll get there. And while the team he beat today is a much lesser team than the one he beat 4 years ago, two rings (and two deserved MVPs) are nothing to sneeze at. Is all this a sign of the end of the world? Only time will tell.

One thing I do not understand is why do people forget all the errors elite QBs make. Montana is one of the best QBs ever and he had a lot of bad games too. Peyton really is not very good in the playoffs. Favre has had plenty of bad games with his gunslinger throwing. Brady is great too, but he did not have great playoffs this year or the last 4 years. He has not had a great playoff game since before the first Giant Pat Super Bowl. Eli is not perfect although early in his career, but he is no worse so far than any other great QB.

Rodgers jury is out, but he is on his way to being great. Brees is great, but he is not perfect either.

[AspectRatio1986]

I haven't researched all the details on it, but anybody see this Gronkowski bullshit? Fucking disgraceful, you just lose the biggest game of your life and you act like a 15 year old kid. He just went up on my immature douche list. Now I really wish Hernandez didn't have such a bummed knee at the beginning of the year, I don't think Gronkowski would have put up the numbers he did.

[Erroneous]

Former New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison had some harsh words for tight end Rob Gronkowski on Wednesday, telling ESPN Chicago Radio 1000 that the young Patriots tight end "disrespected himself" by dancing and taking off his shirt at the team's postgame party following the Super Bowl XLVI loss to the Giants.



"I guarantee you this, if Willie McGinest, Tedy Bruschi, Larry Izzo, Richard Seymour or myself had been at that party, [Gronkowski] probably would have got his head rung," said Harrison, who admitted he has not seen the video or photos of Gronkowski dancing at the party. "There's no reason for that to happen."

"When we lost the Super Bowl, any of my Super Bowl losses, I was so devastated the last thing I ever wanted to do was party, let alone dance or take off your shirt," he added. "It's just immaturity. It's not right. He made a mistake and I'm sure he feels absolutely stupid about it at this point. There's a time and place for everything."

Harrison, who is also an NBC football analyst, suffered Super Bowl losses with the San Diego Chargers in 1995 and with the Patriots in 2008. In that 2008 game, Harrison was defending on the notorious David Tyree helmet catch that set up the Giants' game-winning touchdown.

When told that veteran Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light was also photographed with his shirt off, Harrison said he was "surprised." To Harrison, it's the veteran leadership on the team that should have ensured something like that didn't happen.

"The leadership has to step up and someone has to pull [Gronkowski] to the side and say, 'Look young man, this is inappropriate, this is not the time nor the place. You need to grow up,'" Harrison said. "And that's what it comes down to. I like this kid. I think he's a good kid, works hard, is unselfish. But he made a mistake ...


"There's a certain way of representing yourself and your family and that's not the right way."

Harrison said he thought the team would sit down with Gronkowski to discuss the situation.

"That's something internally that they're going to have to deal with," he said. "I'm sure Bill Belichick is addressing it. I'm sure he's very disappointed about that."

Harrison's opinion is not one shared across the board in the football biz. Former Patriots defensive coordinator and current ESPN analyst Eric Mangini said Monday he didn't have a problem with the actions of the 22-year-old Gronkowski, who was not 100 percent in the game due to a high ankle sprain.

"I don't think he was celebrating the loss. What they were celebrating was the accomplishment of getting there," Mangini said on "SportsCenter." "It's the last time they're going to be together. There's going to be so much change with free agency and the draft. This is the last time this group of men are going to be together, and they have their families. Did he take it too far, was there alcohol? I don't know any of those things. But I don't think it was a celebration or him not caring about the fact they lost. It was more the event of being together in that moment."


Details from the post-Super Bowl party, which was held under a tent on the outfield grass at Victory Field, home of Indianapolis' minor league baseball team, are sketchy and the team has yet to comment on the photos and video that have emerged. According to the Boston Herald, more than half the team was in attendance at some point, but that group did not include Tom Brady, Wes Welker or Belichick. The Boston Globe described the mood at the event as "anything but joyous."

Some Patriots fans were also at the event. At one point, according to the Herald, Light got on stage to address the crowd.

"Is everybody OK?" asked Light, according to the Herald. "I tell you what, if ever there was a time to raise your glasses it's right now. We're gonna toast to the greatest organization in the NFL. It's time to toast the 2011 New England Patriots."

Harrison is 100% right.

[AspectRatio1986]

See Erroneous, we can agree on something