THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012
QUOTE OF THE DAY
PAGE 9
"In all sports, award voters tend to be loath to give the MVP trophy to the same player over and over again."
— Bill Barnwell, grantland. com
Running back Jim Brown won the first NFL MVP award in 1957.
—NFL.com
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: What position was Mark Moseley,
the NFL MVP in 1982?
A: Place kicker
THE MORNING BREW Brees and Rodgers should split NFL's MVP
The argument for NFL MVP might seem untimely considering two
thyly considering two of the three candidates were knocked out of the playoffs last weekend.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the presumptive favorite, played what many consider to be his worst game of the season.
It still wasn't enough, because the Saints couldn't overcome the offensive juggernaut that is Alex Smith and the 49ers to advance to the NFC Championship.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees put up another eye-popping statistical performance, going 40 for 63 with 462 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
After two fantastic regular seasons, I think both of these players should split the MVP. That's something we haven't seen since Peyton Manning and
Steve McNair split the vote in 2003.
Through the first 14 weeks, Rodgers played a level of quarterback unseen before. Not only did he carve up defenses like a medical examiner on "CSI," but he also didn't turn the ball over, at all.
Throwing six interceptions in 16 games is near impossible in an era when defensive coordinators have tape on the opposing quarterback all the way back to when he played in the NFL Pop Warner Division's Under-8 League.
I'll be the first to admit that
Rodgers played poorly on Sunday, but you cannot discredit his accomplishments during the regular season. They were otherworldly.
Now, on to Drew Brees.
Although Rodgers has Brees beat in touchdown-to-interception ratio, Brees takes the cake in almost every other statistical category.
He passed for 46 touchdowns, led the most explosive and deep offense in the game and broke the most-coveted record by any passer: Dan Mario's passing yardage mark of 5,084 yards for a season.
Brees finished with 5,476 yards.
Brees is an interesting quarterback choice. He's not the prototypical quarterback. It hasn't been easy to get to the point he's at now, but what he does better than anyone else is trust his teammates.
No one throws as many dangerous footballs into traffic, but Brees trusts that all his players will go up and get the ball when the game is on-the-line.
Before I wrap this up, I wanted to touch on the third candidate I mentioned.
You might have heard of him.
You might have heard of him.
He's got three rings on his finger, two MVPs on his mantee and a fairly attractive wife: Gisele Bundchen.
His name is Tom Brady and for a guy who many consider the greatest quarterback of all time, he hasn't received a lot of love this year.
I'm not on board the Brady bandwagon, but here are a few things to consider:
Brady's defense ranked near the bottom in all relevant statistical categories.
looks as though he's playing at the same level he did when he was 24.
The case I'm trying to make is this: 2011 might be the hardest year in recent memory to pick an MVP, because all three of these quarterbacks led offenses that the NFL has never seen.
The New England Patriots still don't have a legitimate deep-threat receiver, yet Brady can still make any pass he wants inside of 10 yards.
Brady is now 34, but still
Let's just hope it's this great again next year.
This week in athletics
- Edited by Gabrielle Schock
Wednesday
Thursday
Women's basketball
vs. Oklahoma State
7 p.m.
Stillwater, Okla.
Friday
There are no athletic events today.
There are no athletic events today.
Saturday
Sunday
There are no athletic events today.
Monday
Men's basketball
vs. Texas
3 p.m.
Austin, Texas
Men's basketball
vs. Texas & A&M
8 p.m.
Lawrence, Kan.
Women's basketball
vs. Texas A&M
7 p.m.
Lawrence, Kan.
Tuesday
There are no athletic events today.
WOMEN'S TRACK
Geubelle named Big 12 Athlete of the Week
Andrea Geubelle was named Female Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Athlete of
Geubelle
performance in the kansas vs. Missouri Dual Meet last Friday. The University of Kansas five-time All-American won both long- and triple-jump competitions against Missouri. Geubelle, a junior from University Place, Wash., was also runner-up in the 200-meter dash. The performances earned 13 points for the
Jayhawks' total team score; in the meet, they won 191-167.
Andrea Geubelle said the training she has put in working with coach Wayne Pate has improved her technique and form.
- Max Goodwin
The triple jump from Geebelle against Missouri was just two inches short of her longest jump this season (12.87 meters), which is the longest of the season in the NCAA. Her winning long jump (6.21 meters) is the third-best long jump in the NCAA this season. This is the first time that a Kansas woman has won the indoor track and field award since 2008. Diamond Dixon was given the outdoor award last season for her performance in May.
WORLD SERIES
Obama's a fan of the Cardinals' comeback
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Tuesday dubbed the St. Louis Cardinals the "greatest comeback team in the history of baseball" thanks to their thrilling late-season charge into the playoffs and death-defying, seven-game triumph in last November's World Series.
The Cardinals were 10 $ \frac{1}{2} $ games back at the end of August, but rallied to win a National League wild card spot on the last day of the regular season. They trailed in each playoff round and were twice within a strike of elimination in Game six of the series with the Texas Rangers before
David Freese's walk-off home run in the 11th saved them.
"That has to be one of the best baseball games of all time," Obama said to applause and cheers as he welcomed team members in the East Room.
Leading off at the event was first lady Michelle Obama, celebrating her 48th birthday. And with a swing of the bat, she nearly stole the show.
Mrs. Obama was present at the series opener, and she thanked the Cardinals for all they do for military families. Then team owner Bill de Witt gave both Obamas team jerseys and souvenir bats.
"I'm a little bit worried about giving my wife a bat," the president
joked. "If I mess up..."
His wife deadpanned, "I'll take my bat," then hefted and glancing meaningfully in Obama's direction, as Cardinals players, team officials and Missouri lawmakers chuckled.
Two key figures of the championship season were absent. Manager Tony La Russa retired after the series. And star Albert Pujols signed a $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason.
Meantime, baseball purists still debate which team is really the comeback king of the national pastime. Among the candidates: Some cite the 1951 N.Y. Giants, others the 2004 Boston Red Sox. But there was no doubting Obama's enthusiasm for
the Cardinals' heroics.
He noted in late August, Las Vegas oddsmakers had the Cards 500-to-1 underdogs.
"But through skills, guts and I think the team would agree just a little bit of luck — just a touch — this team made the playoffs," Obama said. "And even though they trailed in each of the series that followed, they somehow had the spirit and the determination and the resolve to survive."
"This team essentially played two months of elimination games," Obama said.
Associated Press
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