Divine Intervention at a Super Bowl?

Yes folks, it's the rare 3 for 1 deal.  A new blog post, a new podcast, then another new blog post  all in one day from your friends at the Dick and Bo Show.  I know, I know, you can hardly contain yourself, but at least give it your best shot.  We tried to keep our Super Bowl podcast short because really, what could we possible talk about that hasn't been talked about already this week.  So, the podcast only covers two things:  the game itself and Bill Simmons.   

There's some interesting banter about Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and which one of them is Hall of Fame worthy.  Other than that we keep it simple and make our picks.  I chose the Steelers based on sound knowledge of the game of football and, on paper, the Steelers' defense looks pretty unbeatable.  Dick, forever raging against the machine, chose the Cardinals.  Surprisingly, not based on anything other than the fact that Warner was going to get a "helping Hand".  All in all, he has just as much of a chance of getting his pick right as I do.  That's why predictions don't matter.  

We dedicate the second half of our show to Bill Simmons.  And his, as of lately, well below average sports reporting.  Simmons called us, along with anyone else who has a blog or podcast, out in his last article.  Well, Willie.  You want the thunder?  You called down the thunder!!!  Our advice to you:  Become relevant again and you won't have to keep looking over your shoulder to see who's chasing you down.  Here's a hint:  It's the extremely underrated DJ Gallo.  It's almost as if Bill Simmons is quitting on the ESPN team like Manny Ramirez did to the Boston Red Sox.  Does Simmons want to get traded to Sports Illustrated?  Is Scott Boras his new agent?  Wake up, Sports Guy before it's too late.

Check back next week for a recap of the Super Bowl.  Until then, try to ignore the pregame shows and enjoy the game. 

Lebron makes the Kool Aid. Dick drinks it.

I can save you some time with our latest podcast.  Instead of listening to it, you can read the short transcript of it that I provide below:

Dick:  Welcome back...Let's talk about the NBA...

Bo: I think the L.A. Lakers are going to win it all this year.

Dick: Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs.  Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs, Cavs.  Who is going to win the MVP?

Bo:  I think hands down it's Lebron James.

Dick: Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron,Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, 

Lebron, Lebron, Lebron.  Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron, Lebron,Lebron.

Ok, I'm just kidding.  That's not the real transcript.  Dick makes some very insightful points, as usual.  As you can probably tell, we talk about the NBA at it's mid-point.  It seems to us, that the league is becoming more competitive.  The Western Conference, though getting older, still has a bunch of top teams.  The Eastern Conference, while still young, is steadily improving.  With the  young crop of talented players and the balance that is forming between the conferences, the NBA is setting itself up for a great run over the next 5 - 10 years.  As fans of basketball, we should all be looking forward to the next few years.  Maybe, the NBA can return to it's heyday and we can all forget about the last 8 years.

Speaking of the heyday, remember the 3 Headed Monster approach to defending Shaquille O'Neil?  Phil Jackson used this as the Chicago Bulls coach whenever they played Shaq.  Basically, they took 3 big men and fouled Shaq constantly.  This was used to ensure that Shaq didn't get easy baskets.  Instead, he would be forced to shoot free throws, which we all know is a trouble spot for him.  At the same time, the 3 big men wouldn't foul out because they were spreading out the fouls amongst them.  That strategy went by the way side years ago but, if we were to pick three current NBA players to use for that reason it would be three guys who appear to be - Separated. At. Biiiiiiiiirth.  

       

Allow me to introduce, Brook, Robin, and Shane Battier-Lopez.  What?  You don't think they look like they could be triplets?

How about now?  Yes, the combination of the Lopez twins bares a striking resemblance to Shane Battier.  Ok sports fans, we'll be back soon with our Super Bowl edition.  Check back before the big game for another post and podcast.  Until then.  

    

Dick and Bo turn into everyone's grandparents

So, yeah.  We have a new podcast to listen to.  Check it out.  I mean...check it out, please.  For the podcast we talk about, you guessed it, the NFL playoffs.  Have you noticed how strange they've been?  We have.  They've affirmed our belief that making picks is a waste of time.  Of course, we wouldn't be saying this if we'd gotten any picks right.  

One thing that bothered me about our podcast was how we got all nostalgic about the quality of quarterback play in 1994 compared to now.  I mentioned this to Dick and he didn't seem to have an issue with our discussion.  But, since I'm writing this, I get to share my opinion.  We messed up.  After thinking about it, I don't really think that quarterbacking was that much better than it is now.  Sure, in 1994 you had great and future first ballot hall of fame quarterbacks playing - Joe Montana, John Elway, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, and Jim Kelly.  You also had Steve Young and Brett Favre.  However, at this point in their careers, Young and Favre hadn't won a Super Bowl.  Both of them were good quarterbacks but, neither were absolute hall of famers.  So, after my research, in 1994 there were 5 guaranteed, no doubt hall of famers playing quarterback.  Let's take a look at today's QBs.  By my calculations, there are 3 first ballot hall of famers - Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre.  Am I missing something?  There were only 2 more for sure hall of famers playing in 1994 than there are playing today.  Not really a huge number, right?  Ok, so in 1994 there were, including Young and Favre, 7 hall of famers starting at QB.  Right now there are 3.  Favre is included in on both lists because, he's that old.  Who's to say that any of these quarterbacks playing today- Ben Roethlisberger, Donovan McNabb, Kurt Warner, Matt Hasselbeck, Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees - won't eventually get into the hall of fame?  Even if only 2 of the 7 get into the hall of fame, it severely hurts the argument about the 1994 quarterbacks.  Let's not just talk about hall of famers either, both 1994 and 2008 have their share of QBs who are good but not great - '94's Boomer Esiason and Randall Cunningham.  '08 has Carson Palmer and Tony Romo.  There are also plenty of quarterbacks from both years who would qualify as less than spectacular.  1994 - Erik Kramer, Rick Mirer, and Dave Brown.  2008 - Kyle Orton, Derek Anderson, and Tarvaris Jackson.  Obviously, only time will tell if the QBs of 1994 were truly better than the quarterbacks from 2008.  And yes, when we were younger, Dick and I had to walk 15 miles to school...uphill...both ways...through snow and rain.  Things were better back then or maybe they weren't.  We're getting too old to remember.    

On to everyone's favorite segment.  Separate. At. Biiiiiiiirth.  One guy is the coolest coach in the NFL.  The other guy is the coolest actor to play Willie Mays Hayes in the Major League movies.  No, not Brad Childress and Wesley Snipes.  

These guys:

  

That's right.  Omar Epps and Mike Tomlin.  Take a good look.  Twins, right?  At least brothers.  Until next time.