I know what you’re thinking.  It is another lazy Saturday afternoon.  The football season is over, and the daytime NBA games just can’t quite hold your attention.  You could always go down the street to the indoor soccer arena and watch soccer.  Okay, just kidding.  It is a perfectly good arena though, and there has to be something you can use it for besides soccer.  You text your buddies looking for some ideas.  Bill sends you back a text saying that you guys could throw his overgrown ball around.  Tim sends a text asking if you want to go down to the local park and try out your brand new tazers.  Mark, your friend that still thinks he is going to make in the league, suggests helping him practicing blocking and tackling drills.  Just when you think you have the worst group of friends on Earth, you suddenly realize that you in fact have the best group of friends on Earth and you are going to make all of their dreams come true.  You call the indoor soccer arena to see if anybody is using it right now.  They aren’t, so you reserve a two hour spot.  You tell Bill to bring his giant ball, Tim to bring his tazers, and Mark to bring his sound fundamentals.  In addition to that, everybody has to bring one friend.  All of your friends start asking what your great ideas is.  You tell them not to worry and to meet you at the arena in two hours.  When everybody arrives, you introduce them to this:

Watch the video after the break.

First, read this story.

How awesome is that? I know many people would take one look at the picture of that Georgia cheerleader and think steroids. Monster. Bizarre.

But why? Because she decides to stay fit and workout? Does it threaten us as men that she is probably stronger than us, and as women judge her for being to manly?

Well I for one love it. And I’ve said before that I don’t find really muscular women attractive. But what is awesome is her beliefs, and her willingness to stand up for them even in the face of a big contract. She declined steroids.

And while she is not a competitive athlete, neither are many people who do. Athletes take steroids to boost performance, thereby earning a fatter contract. More money. In that modeling scenario, the steroids would have boosted her muscles, making her more attractive to modeling firms, earning her a fatter contract.

Props to her for sticking to her guns.

What do you think Joe Paterno's legacy should be?

I know what you’re thinking. “More stuff about Joe Paterno?” And in some way, you may be right. He is all over the media right now. ESPN had its ticker lined with Penn State/JoePa/funeral/reactions. However, let me counter with this: If Sandusky had never done what he did, how much more would Paterno be immortalized? Here is an easy answer: infinitely.

The news from State College last year was one of the biggest scandals I can remember in my young life. The biggest reason for that was because Happy Valley was seen as wholesome, clean, and down-to-earth. The biggest reason Happy Valley was seen like that was because of JoePa. The biggest reason JoePa was seen like that was because, well, he was those things. Emphasis on was.

That is why when his name is mentioned these days, the reaction people used to have (that warm, fuzzy feeling) becomes one of walking on eggshells. Anytime a sexual scandal is involved, a name is tarnished forever. Did JoePa engage in any of those disgusting, despicable acts of horror himself? No. But it seems to me when his name is mentioned, Sandusky is automatically tied to it.

That is the price his legacy pays for his actions. Instead of the biographical movie of his life being entitled “Joe Paternal”, it shifted to “Failure to Report”.

One of the greatest college football coaches in history, who changed thousands of young men’s lives for the better for decades is now often synonymous with a man whose actions irreparably damaged other young men’s lives forever.

Everyone makes mistakes in their lives. Since JoePa’s worst mistake happened to be at the end of his, his legacy will be tarnished forever. It’s a shame.

I’m not going to lie, I hate the New York Giants, but that’s because I love the Dallas Cowboys.  However, I have been impressed with the way Eli Manning has been playing especially toward the end of the season and into the playoffs so far.  It’s as if something clicked in the second half of this season and is finally looking like an elite quarterback.  I would classify an elite quarterback  that can put the ball anywhere and make a play.  So I ask the question, if Eli, little brother of a four time MVP, wins Super Bowl 46, will he be the better Manning?

Before the season started, Eli stated he was an elite quarterback when compared to Tom Brady.  The media conglomerates, sports radios show, and sport bloggers sounded like they couldn’t believe he would put himself up there.  I wonder what they will think if he manages to win his second super bowl, one more than his big brother, tied with Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, and one less than NFL golden boy, Tom Brady.

It is often said, players are measured on how many championships they win.  One solidify your career, but two puts you in special company.  To win one is hard, but to win two can be harder.

What do you think? Will Eli be the better Manning?  Is his statement about being an elite quarterback true?

Jerry Sandusky has done enough hasn’t he?  First he commits one of the worst possible crimes in the history of humanity.  How in the hell can he possibly justify being naked with young boys?  And when asked if he is sexually attracted to young boys, he took about 15 seconds to answer the question and then asked if Bob Costas could clarify the question.  ARE YOU KIDDING??? There are young boys out there right now dealing with the horror that they have gone through.  Now one more set of people are dealing with it……………….the Paterno family.

Joe Paterno died on Saturday January 21 at the amazing age of 85.  He left this world as one of the winningest coaches in the history of sports, but his reputation was tarnished due to his unwillingness to report Sandusky’s actions.  Joe made a terrible error in not reporting the crimes and was subsequently fired from Penn State.  Less than 90 days after getting fired, Paterno announced his lung cancer that eventually would take his life.  I hope Sandusky is happy with himself.  He now has to live with what he has done to the children as well as ending the life and career of College Football great.

The crimes Sandusky committed should have been reported, but they NEVER should have happened in the first place.  I STRONGLY believe that if they had never happened, Paterno would still be the coach of Penn State and still be alive.  So thanks once again Jerry….you have ruined the lives of young men as well as taking the life of one of the most beloved men in American sports history.

Each week, Sports Collision is teaming up with TheSportsCartel.com for a roundtable discussion on current events in the world of sports. This weeks topic: NFL Playoff Championship Round Matchups

FIRST QUESTION, sponsored by the frigid purple face of Tom Coughlin

Best storyline of Championship Weekend?

Wes French, The Sports Cartel: Jim Harbaugh taking the 49ers as far as they’ve gone. They’re playing with house money at this point. I can’t believe they were able to beat the Saints at their own game, marching down the field under a minute left like they did to beat them. Harbaugh is one win from a Super Bowl berth that is very winnable given the teams left, and he’s done it as a rookie coach with a team full of also-rans, cast offs and some very solid core players who have never been to the playoffs. I can’t believe that they had to do what they did to beat NO even after taking the ball away 5 times, but I guess that just shows you how good the Saints are. I wasn’t in on the 49ers at all before that game, now I can’t really argue against someone who thinks they will win the Super Bowl. This should be one hell of a Conference Championship game.

Caleb Eubanks, Sports Collision: The best storyline is easily Jim Harbaugh, Vernon Davis, Alex Smith and the rest of the 49ers. Cast away to the island of misfit toys nobody thought Alex Smith could play football and Mike Singletary didn’t think you could win with Vernon Davis. Harbaugh came in with little time in training camp, pounded his chest, pumped up these guys and got the most out of this seemingly sorry group of players. Coming from the laughable NFC West to destroying the Saints and now hosting the NFC Championship game this 49er story is shaping up to be a nice one. I can already hear the NFL Films music and Steve Sabol talking about the season that was.

Tony Bosma, The Sports Cartel: I get why the 49ers are a popular pick, but I have to disagree. The best storyline of the weekend is the battle between the best quarterback (Tom Brady) and defensive player of the past decade (Ray Lewis). I like an underdog story as much as the next guy, but Brady vs. Lewis in the AFC Championship is the kind of story we’ll remember 5 years from now, not that San Francisco was scrappy and made the NFC Championship game. We remember legends and the stories they leave behind and this could be the final chapter of Lewis’ defensive dominance. I want to see legends play on the biggest stage, not Alex Smith… sorry.

Andy Barry, The Sports Cartel: I hate to write similar things as the others but the best storyline is the 49ers. MY BOY, Jim Harbaugh, took a team that was in so much chaos with a short preseason and got them to win the division, cliche the two-seed, and win a second round playoff game against the hottest team in football when no one gave them a chance. Alex “Tiny Hands” Smith has been written off as a bust since being taken with the top pick in the 2005 draft. This man lead the 49ers down the field not once but twice inside three minutes to beat the Saints. Frank Gore has been a top runningback in the league but toiling around on horrible 49ers teams (mostly lead by Tiny Hands himself) since he was drafted in 2005 and is finally getting a shot to make the Super Bowl. Yes, this team is playing with house money because no one believed in them and everyone should be happy with getting this far but Jim will not let anyone be content. I expect Harbaugh to motivate and keep all his players focused on the only thing that counts which is winning the Super Bowl. Harbaugh will be the first rookie head coach to win the Super Bowl since George Seifert with these 49ers 22 years ago (need to fact check this one, I am going off of memory). How is this not the best storyline right now? I’m sick of Brady and the Pats so there is no way I can agree with Tony on this one.

TB: Being sick of the Patriots doesn’t mean it’s not a great storyline. If you want to watch a Flacco/Smith Super Bowl, be my guest but I want nothing to do with that. There’s a small chance I’d rather watch the WNBA. Completely kidding of course. I guess I’m just not that taken by the Harbaugh/Smith story. It’s good, but it doesn’t get me glued to the TV like Brady/Lewis does.

WF: The Patriots are the NFL evil empire at this point. No one likes to acknowledge them as a great storyline because we’re all sick of hearing about how great they are. I think it would be the greatest thing ever if The Giants beat the Patriots for the super bowl again or if the 49ers and their rookie coach beat Darth Belicheck. Either way, I think we’re in for a blowout in the AFC game and a tight, down to the wire bloodbath in the NFC game.

AB: Disagree, the Ravens will come to play and that game will be close. It is hard to pick the Ravens to win, I would definitely take the points if I were betting on the game. The Patriots looked great last week against one of the worst teams to make the playoffs that I can remember (I love me some Timothy Richard Tebow but I’m not retarded) so they are getting a bit too hyped here. The Ravens did not look great last week but I fully expect them to make this a tight game.

CE: Really Wes? I think Brady is great and Gronk and Hernandez are fantastic but I don’t have any faith in that Patriots team at all. They STILL haven’t beaten a team who finished the season with a winning record. The Ravens consistently play down to their opponents, but they also play up. With all the talk around the Patriots I think the Ravens come to play and certainly don’t get blown out. They may lose, but wont get blown out.

NEXT QUESTION, sponsored by new IFL Alamo Wranglers receiver Terrell Owens

Most obnoxious storyline of Championship weekend?

CE: The Giants being compared to the 2007 team that won the Superbowl. Just because it’s the same franchise with the same quarterback and coach doesn’t mean it’s the same team. Aside from the large amount of turnover that franchises have, this team was dead in the water with 4 weeks left in the season and if not for a Cowboys collapse wouldn’t even have made the playoffs. The 2007 team went on a tear rattling off 6 consecutive victories in the middle of the season. People were scared of the 2007 Giants and that defense. At some point the number of injuries will catch up to the Giants and the run will be over. It’s been special, but it hasn’t been magical the way the 2007 team was.

Honorable mention goes to the conversations if Eli is better than his big brother Peyton if he happens to win another Superbowl. It’s clear that the Colts without Peyton are a terrible team, but if you replace Eli on the Giants they’re not looking at the #1 draft pick and probably wouldn’t even be the worst team in their division. Eli is fantastic and deserves to be mentioned in the top tier of QBs in the league now, but he’s doesn’t strike fear in defenders the way Peyton does. Few do. Give Eli his credit, but understand Peyton isn’t worse off for only having one Superbowl championship.

WF: Ed Reed calling out Joe Flacco. It’s obnoxious because we get the very vanilla, cookie cutter responses/backtracking/explanations to the whole thing. I just want for once a guy to snap back and be like “WTF man? we’re on the same team” through the media. I get why you can’t do that, because it’s the week before the Championship game, but Flacco and a few other guys had to have gone to Reed and been like “Yo, do that shit in the locker room man”. This isn’t to say that Reed is wrong, though. Flacco needs to be better if they’re going to beat the Patriots, so I think Reed was just trying to light a fire under him. Problem is I don’t see Flacco as the type of guy who will respond well to something like this. The guy has an impressive post season record, but when you look a little deeper you’ll find more INTs than TDs and an average of just over 150 yds passing/gm in the playoffs. Need to advance past WC weekend? Flacco is your man. Anything after that is murky.

AB: The most obnoxious storylines this week are definitely the Super Bowl matchup possibilities that many in the media are discussing. The first one is the rematch of Super Bowl XLII between the Giants and Patriots and the other one I hear about, albeit to a much lesser extent, is an all-Harbaugh matchup. The analysis of Super Bowl matchups before the championship games is just stupid and means nothing. There is no fate or destiny for a SBXLII rematch as that was four years ago and means nothing to the teams playing this weekend. I would rather here about Tiny Hands, Frank Gore, and Vernon Davis having to take on a red hot Giants defense and Eli and his band of wideouts taking on a 49ers defense that kept Drew Brees in check just last week. Tom Brady and the Ravens have had some great showdowns in recent years and I fully expect that to be a close game. I hate the media writing off teams before the games are played, that did not play out well last week and I do not expect it to happen again this week.

WF: You which matchup no one has brought up? The a Giants/Ravens rematch. You guys remember that game, when Trent Dilfer became a SB champion because his defense could score better than half the offenses in the league that year? How come no one is talking about that rematch? I really hate Trent Dilfer.

AB: Oh how I wish the media was talking about Kerry Collins this week, that would be fun!

WF: guarantee you Kerry Collins is not available for interview right now, unless you find the bar stool he’s occupying and but him a bottle of vodka.

TB: How funny is it that Collins was the starting QB for the Colts to start off 2011? His results probably sent him straight back to the bottle.

AB: He threw such a beautiful deep ball though. Just imagine if he had Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham. I bet he would have beaten those Ravens in SBXXXV.

NEXT QUESTION, sponsored by The Church of Latter Day Tebows

Would you rather see an all Harbaugh Super Bowl, Super Bowl 42 rematch, or Super Bowl 35 rematch? Or, none of the above.

WF: I’m not really rooting for any one matchup, but I think the most intriguing would be 49ers/Patriots in what would be billed as a “Changing of the guard” type of game if the super underdog 9ers could knock off the Evil empire Patriots. It’s somewhat similar to how the Patriots knocked off the Greatest Show on Turf Rams and started their own Dynasty. I could see the 49ers becoming a recurring playoff power based simply on the fact that their division is complete dogshit and their new staff/front office has shown they can take complete advantage of that.

AB: My preference would definitely be for an all-Harbaugh Super Bowl, I love me some Jim Harbaugh and hate New England. Also, I think it would be a great game even though the first time through was not the best. I would love to see Jim take home the crown this year. However, I know this will not happen because it never works out that way so I see a 49ers/Patriots Super Bowl coming because then the media won’t know what to hype up.

CE: None of the above. I want to see a a solid defensive match-up. I want to see Ed Reed get a title. I want to see Ray Lewis get another title so he can FINALLY hang up those cleats and become a motivational speaker for hire. Think Terry Tate Office Linebacker. I want the Giants to fall hard on their face. I want the 49ers to have such high expectations for the next 5 years that even the mediocre NFC West proves too much for them. I want Tom Brady to demand they put a team around him. Other than those tight ends, who do they have? I want half of that Ravens team to retire after a Superbowl victory that they don’t even make the playoffs next year. I want to see the media spin out of control with this brother vs. brother match-up that we give it a tropical storm name like Gina.

TB: Sorry, I’m still trying to recover from the fact that Wes said an Alex Smith-led team will become a recurring playoff power.

I want Ravens/49ers for many of the same reasons Caleb stated. I like the organization (and I’m from Cleveland!) especially owner Steve Biscotti and Ozzie Newsome and would be extremely thrilled to see them crush the Patriots, then the 49ers. I will not accept the NFC winning the Super Bowl this year because that means either 1. The Giants win and I hate them or 2. The 49ers get another ring and jump ahead of the Cowboys in number of Super Bowl wins. There is only one good resolution for any scenario for me and that’s the Ravens taking the Lombardi trophy.

WF: I see the angle that you guys want the Ravens to win a Super Bowl because you want to see guys like Reed/Lewis etc win a title. I get it. But that means that Joe Flacco is a Super Bowl winning QB and we’re back to the Trent Dilfer files. If there is one thing I lean towards in Football this weekend it’s QBs that have been there and done it. Tom Brady knows what it takes. So does Eli Manning. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Alex Smith showed me more last week than Flacco. I rank the remaining QBs Brady, Elisha, Tiny Hands and Flacco. If I was laying money on these things which is very illegal and something I never do, I’d say we’re going to be hit with a 2007 rematch of Giants/Patriots.

AB: I sure hope that does not happen though, I really do not want to see the helmet catch eleventy-billion times for two weeks.

CE: Andy just sealed the deal. No way can we have a rematch or either of the Giants or Patriots in the Superbowl. — To address the quarterback situation I’ll say this. Brady is undeniably the best quarterback that played a single snap this season. Eli is good and the argument has been made that you can’t spell elite without Eli but people doubted him until  he won his Superbowl. Joe Flacco has been to the playoffs every year he’s been in the league. He’s won with terrible receivers and a power running game. I was a big fan of Anquan Boldin, but I believe he was a product of having Larry Fitzgerald on the outside. He’s not a #1 receiver, he’s better than a 2. He’s more like a #1.5. Torrey Smith is a deep threat, but that’s it. He’s not moving the chains if he’s not running straight down field. It’s been mentioned numerous times that this Ravens’ vaulted defense has been highly overrated. Well if the defense is overrated, he doesn’t have the best receivers and the QB is terrible, is this all on Ray Rice? No. Give Joe a chance. The story behind Eli and Aaron Rogers changed after they won a Superbowl. Maybe the same happens for Joe Flacco.

WF: Yea, that and the Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh would bring some very annoying coverage for 2 weeks.

NEXT QUESTION, sponsored by Tom Brady’s Uggggggs

Who is the best team left? One sentence to state why – use your commas, semi-colons and colons correctly please.

WF: NY Giants – Eli told all of us he was deserving of the “Elite” status, now he’s proving it; that combined with the takeaways they produce puts them on top.

AB: The best team left is the San Francisco 49ers, this is the most complete team left in the playoffs. They have an elite defense and special teams. They are lead by Tiny Hands but with Frank “The Inconvenient Truth” Gore in the back field and a safe, conservative offense they win games. Jim Harbaugh is already a top tier head coach. Defense and special teams are what win in the playoffs, I just do not see this team letting up until they are crowned champs.

TB: I want to say the Patriots are the best team left because of their offense, but it wouldn’t be a reasonable claim; therefore, it is indeed the New York Giants, who have the most complete team.

I have to throw up now.

CE: The best offense is in New York, the best defense is in San Fran and the best quarterback is in New England; so naturally, Baltimore Ravens.

TB: Caleb, stop making so much sense. Had I known you lived in Austin, I would have made an effort to let you take me out on the town and get me drunk when I was there in December. Next time.

NEXT QUESTION, sponsored by Bill Belichick’s dirty hoody

Write headlines for both games.

CE:

“FOOLS GOLD – 49′ers come up short against the mighty Giants 27-10″

“Back in Black – Ravens stun Pats with defensive gamble 27-24″

AB:

Pats Eat Crow, Ravens Upset NE in OT 31-28

Giants Gored, 49ers Advance on the Back of Frank Gore 24-17

CE: BTW, I know you liked my non-QB NFC MVP pick from last week. “Hakeem Nicks, 8 receptions for 185yds and 2TD” He finished just one 20yd reception away from those numbers.

Unfortunately I also picked the Broncos to win. But that was only because I couldn’t back down from a prediction I made earlier. You win some, you lose some.

TB:

ELI-MINATED. 49ers fall short in NFC Championship, lose to Giants 28-20

HIGH AWAY TO THE SUPER BOWL. Ravens outlast Patriots, 20-17

WF:

One Giant Step: NY stops surprise 49ers, 27-19

The Patriot Way: NE cruises by Flacco, Ravens 38-17

FINAL QUESTION, sponsored by Barry’s late mustache and this site that Caleb tweeted yesterday http://wtfismikewearing.tumblr.com/

Random thoughts, shots, predictions, whatever on the games….

TB: If there are no blowouts, I’ll be happy. Deep down I could care less about any of these teams, so all I’m really looking for is a couple good games to keep me entertained while I do my taxes. I have dreams of a Niners/Ravens Super Bowl because each defense is going to try to kill the other teams offense and I’d love nothing more than to see Joe Flacco and Alex Smith getting destroyed all afternoon. Defense!

WF: I’m hoping for some great finish this week to keep up with what’s been a very entertaining playoffs. This is the week where having Alex Smith and Joe Flacco as your QBs really hurts.

CE: If this weeks games are half as entertaining as half the games were last week, we’re in for a treat. Also, if they’re half as boring as the other half, then I’ll be looking forward to more Javale McGee celebratory And1 moments while down by 15pts.

AB: I think we’re going to have some great football this week but as usual I will be rooting hard against the Patriots. Honestly, I would be fine with any team winning the SB besides NE. The team I am most hoping win it all is helmed by the best coach in the National Football League, a man by the name of James Joseph Harbaugh! The 49ers are being overlooked once again this week with another red hot team coming to Candlestick. Tiny Hands will come through again and that 49ers defense will force turnovers while make ELIsha their bitch. 49ers are going to Indianapolis, book it now!

Watch the video of Marcos Baghdatis’ amazing blow up after the jump.

Each week, Sports Collision is teaming up with TheSportsCartel.com for a roundtable discussion on current events in the world of sports. This weeks topic: NFL Playoff Divisional Round Matchups

If you missed Part 1, click here.

“NEXT QUESTION,” said Drew Rosenhaus, as stale popcorn rested at the feet of a lonely Terrell Owens

Prediction time…. Write a newspaper headline for each of your winning picks and your score prediction.

Tony Bosma, The Sports Cartel:

“HOLY FAIL: Playoff woes continue for Patriots – Broncos 24, Patriots-21″

“1-2-3! Belt changes hands – NYG 31, GB 27″

“HOUSTON: NO PROBLEM, Ravens dismiss Texans 23-7″

“SAINTS STRIKE GOLD, PICK APART 49ers 34-10″

Caleb Eubanks, Sports Collision:

“SAINT BREES CRUCIFIES NINERS 38-17″

“RAVENS SOAR, blow out Houston 27-10″

“PACKING IT IN. Giants defeat Packers 38-37″

“TEBONED. Pats fall for 4th straight playoff game 23-21″

Wes French, The Sports Cartel:

“DIVINE INTERVENTION: Brady, Pats stop Tebow, God 41-10″

“FAIL-CO: Ravens stunned at home by Foster, Texans 23-7″

“BREES ON BY: Saints ride big 2nd half over lackluster Smith, 49ers 27-13″

“LAMBEAU HEAP: Rodgers piles up TDs, Belts Giants 45-24″

Andy Barry, The Sports Cartel:

STIFF BREES: Smith and the 49ers slow the Saints 24-17

TURNED CHEERS INTO WHINE, Tebow stuns Patriots 28-27

RAVENS RUN OVER TEXANS 24-7

BELTED HOME: Packers roll Giants 31-17

“NEXT QUESTION,” said Drew Rosenhaus, as Terrell Owens slept quietly in his hyperbaric chamber.

Which coach will have the biggest screw up and what will it be?

WF: Biggest screw up will be John Harbaugh not respecting the HOU passing game, and it’ll beat him deep at least twice.

AB: Good question as I feel we have a lot of good coaches left in the playoffs so I do not see a lot of coaching blunders coming. I am going to say it will be Gary Kubiak abandoning the run too early because of the Ravens’ tough run defense then letting Wes’ boyfriend get too involved with the offense. TJ Yates is a rookie QB going up against one of the toughest defenses in the league and that will spell doom for the Texans. The Texans are going to need to be patient with the run if they have a chance to win and I just do not see it happening.

CE: Well since Jason Garrett, Pete Carroll and Rex Ryan didn’t make the playoffs we’re only left with a decent group of coaches to pick from. I don’t doubt there will be some bad calls but the biggest screw up will have to be Tom Coughlin throwing his hands up looking like he’s getting his prostate checked on every other play. Eli pouts just as much.

TB: know that Jim Harbaugh has been a great coach this season, well deserving of Coach of the Year honors, but the playoffs are a different kind of beast than the regular season. You could actually discredit his entire first season since he lost to my lowly Dallas Cowboys, but I won’t go that far. I don’t think Harbaugh will have some kind of in-game blunder, but you have to question any coach that is willing to start Alex Smith in a playoff game. Don’t throw stats or records or anything of that nature in my face about Alex Smith. He is who he is and I don’t think being a playoff winning quarterback is in his blood. I don’t care what he’s done this year, I wouldn’t be comfortable having him under center for my team in this game. Even if he doesn’t have any other options, I fault any coach willing to start Alex Smith in an important football game.

AB: No! Jim has no option than to start Alex “Tiny Hands” Smith but Jim has figured out how to hide him and limit mistakes. If the 49ers try to make the game a shootout with the Saints then that is a mistake but Harbaugh has been very level headed this season and sticks to the game plan. Starting Tiny Hands is not a mistake of the coach, that is the GM’s fault. Jim has played up his team’s strengths and rode them to where they are now and I do not see him changing philosophies now.

TB: Does he have a choice? No. But he’s still doing it and it feels wrong in every way no matter how you try to spin it. Never defend Tiny Hands. Ever.

“NEXT QUESTION,” said Drew Rosenhaus, as Terrell Owens sat quietly in his makeup chair before filming “The TO Show”

Finish the sentence: If Tim Tebow beats the Patriots on Saturday night……

WF: …the media wins.

TB: …I will go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life.

CE: …it will be more of the same. Though the media hype machine will continue to spin even FURTHER out of control. The reality is that the Patriots aren’t very good. Look at the Colts without Peyton Manning. Imagine the Patriots without Tom Brady, they’re probably worse. The Pats have 13 wins this season and didn’t beat a single team with a winning record. Add on top of that they’ve lost their last 3 playoff games. Look, the Seattle Seahawks have more playoff victories since the Giants/Pats Superbowl than the Patriots do. Denver would’ve beat the Patriots this year had they not found a way to cough up the ball 4 times in defeat. Of course I wouldn’t be surprised if Brady beats the Broncos. The broncos weren’t a good team either and Brady has been stewing with all the Tebow hype. He was stewing last time too, and only by luck found a way to win.

AB: So many ways to complete that sentence: … I will sport a massive erection…. Bill Bilichick will finally be banished to hell…. every sports commentator’s head will explode…. world peace will finally happen.

I don’t know where to stop on this one but I am praying this happens, it would be my favorite moment of the football season.

“FINAL QUESTION,” said Drew Rosenhaus while Terrell Owens conducted an open workout with no one in attendance – again.

Final random thoughts/predictions/analysis on the games this weekend…

CE: So after 6 beers one night last week I made a prediction that both the #1 seeds would lose this weekend. Then Tim Tebow screwed my plans up and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now the fate of that prediction rests in the hands of Tim Tebow. I also want to send a big congrats out to the Houston Texans for winning your first playoff game in history. I had no faith in you and thought for sure the Andy Dalton’s Red Rocket (wait… what?) would lead the Bengals deeper into the playoffs. But not you’re going up against a real team. Baltimore has running game, decent passing game and a stout defense. Your time has come to an end. I even put shaving an Arian Foster like Texans logo in my head on it. That all may blow up in my face but I’ve said my 10 Hail-Tebows and am waiting to cash in.

WF: TJ Yates WILL be playing for an AFC crown. He survived Butch Davis, he can handle the Baltimore Ravens. Tom Brady is going to do what Tom Brady does and remind everyone what a real NFL QB looks like compared to Tebow. The only action shots we’ll see of John Elway this week are his mouth moving as he spits his grizzly into a coffee cup. The Packers will shock everyone by not getting upset and throttling the Giants, whose Vaseline-faced coach will commit murder on his punter when he mistakenly kicks it to Randle Cobb and it’s returned for a score. The Saints will make my opinion of the SF/NO game being the most intriguing look like an awful pick as Brees bends over the highly touted 49ers defense over and over. Yates will be talked about with the likes of Rodgers, Brees and Brady for at least a week. I’ll have a boner all week.

AB: These playoffs have been setup to give us some great matchups which began last week then every game but DEN/PIT ended up being a fun game to watch. This weekend looks the same way with great pairings and great story lines in every game. I am hoping we get great games top to bottom but I don’t think it will happen. I will be pulling hard for the Tebows, Giants, 49ers, and the Ravens. Yes these are three dogs that I am hoping win but when I don’t have a favorite team in the playoffs I will be rooting first against teams I hate (Packers and Patriots) and second for players/coaches I like (Tebow and the Harbaughs). The greatest thing ever will be if and when Tim Tebow shocks the world and defeats the evil empire on Saturday. I have been on the Tebow train for a while and I think he’s great for the NFL, love him or hate him, he’s been a fun watercooler topic of conversation at work. I hate the Packers with every part of my being so I will probably feel even more joy if they are knocked off now, I want anything to happen than the fucking Packers to win another Super Bowl. Living among cheeseheads on a daily basis is driving me insane and I just want Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn to go the fuck away for a while. I am also sick of the Saints, they won a Super Bowl two years ago so fuck them. I don’t need to hear about them anymore, in fact fuck the Packers, Patriots, and Giants too. If you have won a Super Bowl within the past decade I will root against you. Yes, I am a bitter Bears fan but I will mostly be rooting against teams rather than for any particular team. I keep getting interrupted in the middle of my train of thought so this all sounds disjointed and I am just rambling but whatever I don’t give a shit. In summary, I just want to be Tebowing this weekend and putting the discount double check to rest for the season and I’ll be a happy man. TEEEEE-BBBBBOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!!

The week, Sports Collisions is teaming up with TheSportsCartel.com for a roundtable discussion on current events in the world of sports. This weeks topic: NFL Playoff Divisional Round Matchups

What is the best/most intriguing matchup this weekend?

Caleb Eubanks, Sports Collision: Without question the most intriguing matchup of the weekend is the NY football Giants at Green Bay. Many people are making comparisons to the 2007 Giants team where they played (and lost) a close game against the then undefeated Patriots but returned the favor in the Superbowl. The Giant receivers have come on as of late and will give that terrible Green Bay defense fits. Offensively Green Bay has the superior talent, but the Giants have a fantastic front 4 and will even bring in 4 defensive ends to rush on passing downs.

Wes French, The Sports Cartel: Saints/49ers is the best for me. Two very different styles that got to 13 wins in very different ways. I still don’t trust the 49ers in a big spot with Alex Smith as their QB. That defense is just so good, though, and I envision a 24-19 type of game, with the Saints eeking out the victory.

Andy Barry, The Sports Cartel: I agree with Wes, Saints/49ers is the most most intriguing to me. As much as I hope the Packers lose, they are going to be healthy and rested. The close game earlier in the year was in New York, this is going to be in Green Bay and I think Aaron Rodgers steamrolls Eli and the G-men.

But, the game I am most interested in is Broncos/Patriots but this is only because I have an undying love for Timothy Richard Tebow and I despise the Pats. I know New England will win but I will be watching just to hope Timmy can walk on water once again and do the unthinkable.

Tony Bosma, The Sports Cartel: Even though the media has blown up the myth of Timothy Richard Tebow, the Pats/Broncos matchup is still the most intriguing. It won’t produce the best game more than likely, but just imagine if Tebow has the Broncos driving with the game on the line in the fourth quarter… Skip Bayless would explode with excitement and the Tebow haters will be ripping their hair out.

49ers/Saints seems like a deadlock for a great game, but I don’t trust Alex Smith to get the 9ers in the endzone and even though the SF defense is solid, it’s hard to believe they can slow down Drew Breesus enough to keep the game close. The best game will end up being BAL/HOU, even though Joe Flacco will be on the field. He’s no better than TJ Yates, so we’re looking at a defensive battle here.

CE: I’m actually going to disagree with Wes on this one and say that the Saints/49ers match-up is the most overrated. The 49ers rely on their defense to get the job done and if they have one weakness it’s pass defense. Currently they’re ranked middle of the road on pass defense at 16 and they haven’t faced a truly elite quarterback like Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers. Brees will march up and down on this defense and there is no way the 49er offense can keep up. The Saints didn’t punt one time last week against the Lions. This is a blowout by half time.

WF: I think the most overrated game will be Packers/Giants. Everyone is all over the NYG’s nuts right now, but people need to remember just how badass the Packers were all season. ESPN and a lot of other people will have the world thinking this is going to be on par with Giants/Patriots in 2008. I’m thinking it’ll be more like 45-21.

TB: I have to believe the Giants are going to be able to score on the Packers defense, even if Charles Woodson can shut down Victor Cruz. The Giants defense has a better chance of stopping the Packers offense once or twice than vice versa… so I think it’s legitimate for everyone to be all over the Giant(s) nuts.

CE: I completely agree. Giants/Packers will be a shootout just like it was in Week 13. Take the over and last team with the ball wins.

WF: Take the over because Matt Flynn will be chucking TDs with GB up 24 in the fourth quarter.

AB: I just don’t think Eli and company will have what it takes to keep up with Aaron Rodgers, I think we’ll be seeing a whole lot of “belts” on the field. The Packers defense is not great but they force turnovers at a very high rate so I think on the road in the cold of Green Bay, Eli will throw a pick or two which will be the difference in the game.

WF: I think that 3 of these 4 games could be laughers, and probably will be. Hou/Bal is the dark horse for upset of the week. No one really seems to think the 49ers can beat Breesus, the Giants are the popular pick and lets be honest, if Tebow beats the Evil Empire in NE will anyone really be shocked? Houston trots out a rookie 3rd stringer at QB and you can make the argument that you’d rather have him calling plays for your team this weekend than Joe Flacco.

The only constant for the 2011 Ravens is that anyone with a pulse doesn’t trust Flacco. Oh, and that reputation for having one of the NFL’s most feared defenses is more myth than legend right now.

CE: Plus one for seeing more “belts” on the field. Giants will be doing the Discount Double Check after every single meaningless play on defense.

“NEXT QUESTION,” said Drew Rosenhaus, as perspiration fell from the nose of Terrell Owens mid-crunch.

Pick one player from the NFC and AFC that you think will be the MVP of the weekend.

AB: Well, in my world I hope it will be Eli Manning and Tim Tebow because those would be ideal outcomes for myself to see the two teams I want most to not win the Super Bowl knocked out. Realistically, I am going to say the complete opposite of my ideals which would be Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. I just do not see either team losing and they will win because of the guys under center. I will be rooting very hard against both of these guys however.

WF: My AFC MVP is Arian Foster. If Houston is going to knock off Baltimore like I keep trying to convince everyone they will, Foster is going to have to be really good on Sunday. I think he will be great. In the NFC, I’m going with the GB defense. I think that they’re better than people give them credit for, and like Barry mentioned earlier, they’ll force some big turnovers. I like them for a defensive/special teams score.

CE: The power of the lord commands me, so I must go with “Bresus” and Tim Tebow. I’ve already explained why Drew Brees will be the MVP of the weekend for the NFC. Blowing out at top defense easily gives it to him. As I stated in my drunken prediction last week New England and Green Bay will BOTH lose this weekend. Unfortunately I was counting on the the Broncos to lose and someone else pick apart the New England defense. To be clear though, I’m not really giving the MVP to Tim Tebow. I just think that when the Broncos beat the Patriots the 24-news cycle will spin out of control with lust for the virgin. The real MVP should be the Broncos defense, the running game and John “Crazy as a” Fox for winning despite playing without a true quarterback. I do give Tebow some credit though. He is the best passing fullback in the game right now… and maybe ever.

AB: Dammit and your rules, the MVP is going to be QBs! Ok fine, Ray Rice will be the reason Baltimore takes out Wes’ lover TJ Yates. The Texans won’t be able to contain his big play ability both running and catching the ball. I’ll take Alton Smith in the NFC because if the 49ers win, it’ll be because of the pressure he is putting on Breesus. He may not get the numbers but it’ll be his drawing of double teams that opens up the 49ers defense to get to the QB.

CE: In the NFC, If I can’t pick a QB as my MVP then I’ll go with Hakeem Nicks for the Giants. I think he’ll have 8 receptsions for 185yds and 2TD against the Packers weak secondary. Woodson should match up with Victor Cruz and that’ll leave Nicks the room to run, showing why he’s still the Giants #1 receiver.

As for the AFC, If I’m picking Tim Tebow, that means the Denver defense, running game and coaching staff really stepped their game up against the unflappable Brady and Belichick. Look for Brady to go to get Gronk’d a lot, but in the end that defense can’t stop the magic dust that is Tim Tebow.

AB: Come on guys, one player. Can’t go with a whole defense!

CE: @Andy, You know as well as I do that the MVP will be a QB. So if we’re just making hypotheticals, why can’t I pick the entire team other than that QB?

TB: Jimmy Graham is the NFC MVP because he’s a freak of nature and he’s got some kind of telekinetic connection with Drew Brees this year. He can’t be stopped because he’s that rare combination of speed, strength, and height. If Jay Bilas were in this discussion he would gush about his wingspan as well.

Rob Gronkowski is the AFC MVP because he is equally unstoppable and bangs porn stars. That’s a deadly combination for a professional athlete. Unless some kind of uncontrollable itching caused by extracurricular activities slows him down, the Broncos defense is going to suffer the wrath of GRONK.

It’s the tight end revolution this weekend. Neither of them can hold the jock strap of SHOULD BE Hall of Famer, #84 Jay Novacek, though.

@Caleb – pick one player or I’m going to assign you Josh McDaniels… and you wouldn’t want that.

CE: Von Miller – Defensive Rookie of the Year and flat out stud. He’ll be closer to Brady than Giselle ever was…

That’s it for Part 1. Check out Part 2 here.

Houston, for once, we don’t have a problem. H-Town is vigorously reveling in the toast of Space City, the Houston Texans.

As much as I love the Astros, Rockets, Dynamo, and even Aeros, the Texans are MY team. I was there when they were first born. In a way, the city is looking in on them like proud fathers seeing their child walk for the first time. And, just like the same fathers who post every little laugh and giggle as a life-changing event on Facebook, Clutch City is doing so at an alarming rate.

The Texans are in unchartered waters. By defeating the Bengals last Saturday in the opening game of the NFL playoffs, many “baby steps” were taken. When J.J. Watt snatched Andy Dalton’s pass at the line clean out of the air for a TD, the city began to believe. When Andre Johnson shook Adam “Pacman” Jones out of his cleats to catch a T.J. Yates TD, the city began to rejoice. And when Arian Foster tiptoed down the line and “moved (Bengals safety Chris Crocker, the MVP of the game for Houston) out of the way” en route to  a 42-yard fourth quarter TD, the city began to laugh. And cry. And giggle. The entire crib was rockin’.

It’s amazing how one game can help ease the pain of bad memories. No one in Houston can forget the days of David Carr. Or all of the close losses to the Colts. Or all of the blown leads and failed comebacks. Or the losses on national television on Monday Night Football. Or the Jacksonville Miracle game. But, as any loving and diligent parent would, we forgive.

The first playoff game in Texans history was the franchise’s way of saying, “Forgive us”.

In addition to the 71,700+ record crowd at Reliant Stadium, I can’t help but believe some of the millions of fans watching around the Houston area and around the world were weeping as the game progressed.

And, for once, it was tears of joy. The city’s baby is all grown up.