(National Football League/Associated Press)

NEW YORK — The drama in the final day was short-lived as Matt Barkley was the first player off the board in the fourth-round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Oh, in case you missed it, he went to the Philadelphia Eagles. I know, right?

Anyway here is some of the Unexpected (and expected) of the conclusion of the 2013 NFL Draft.

And yes, they still boo’d the Dallas Cowboys for most of the day.

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Better safe than sorry
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I wondered if Chargers GM Tom Telesco had to do some convincing to Manti Te’o to let him know the selection was legit. Teo told Sports Illustrated he was a little dubious when the California number came up.

Te’o met with the San Diego media on Saturday.

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The Jaguars finally get their quarterback!
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It’s Denard Robinson. Who is listed as a running back.

Still better than Blaine Gabbert, though.

Oh, and check out this guy at the beginning of this video.

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You ought to be in pictures
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There were some lulls during the draft because they were putting together the movie “Draft Day” which will star Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner. Our Crystina Poncher took a look behind the scenes.

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Welcome to Cleveland
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Barkevious Mingo arrived in Cleveland with his new team, the Browns. But please, save your “Bark” puns about him going to the Dawg Pound.

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Time to shine
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Fan selections dominated the early part of Saturday. And if I don’t mind saying so, some team competing in #FanFreeAgency really missed an opportunity because if I had been allowed to read one, that team would have shot up in the rankings.

But here we follow along with a couple of lucky fans.

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And finally!
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It’s been a great week from New York City. Be sure to check out the rookie predictions for 2013.

NEW YORK — Did you have Manti Te’o being drafted before Geno Smith? Because that’s exactly what happened on Friday night. Let’s take a look at the expected (and unexpected) from Friday night.

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Is it really a quarterback league?
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One quarterback in round one (not the guy you expected) and then Geno Smith stopped the skid in round two when he was selected by the Jets. Smith avoided controversy earlier in the day when he came to his senses and chose to stay in New York.

Could you imagine the controversy Geno would have caused if he had left New York, only to have to return because he was drafted by the Jets? Why, that would be worse than predicting playoffs for the Jets.

Oh wait …

That’s exactly what he did.

This is a puzzling move by the Jets. Didn’t they just sign David Garrard?

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So you’re saying …
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Maybe one of the more unexpected moves of the weekend so far is what the Jaguars haven’t done. That’s right, the Jaguars haven’t drafted a quarterback. Wait, let me check.

Nope, no quarterbacks.

Damnation of this class or an endorsement for Blaine Gabbert? Probably a little of column a, and a little of column b.

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Stop the skid
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Manti Te’o will be a San Diego Charger. And when you think of the media blitz, San Diego was one of the top options for Te’o to slip. Though to hear Ryan Leaf tell it, the San Diego media might be tougher than you think.

But when you consider the back-to-business Chargers just got rid of the A.J. Smith/Norv Turner circus, bringing in Te’o when there are similar talents on the board is a bit curious.

Oh and that’s Jim Hill who announced the pick. The same Jim Hill who played a reporter in “Rocky III”. (That’s right.)

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Trolling
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Some of the legends of the NFL were on hand to announce the picks for their respective teams on Friday night. And some of them really enjoyed the spotlight.

Jonathan Ogden referred to the current Super Bowl champions. Guy McIntyre recognized the five-time champion 49ers. Former Packers great Dave Robinson noted Green Bay has won more championships than any NFL team.

Nobody had a better time than Tony Casillas who had the crowd eating out of his hand. The Cowboys are jeered every time a selection is made. Even military personnel hear it when they are calling the selections for the Cowboys (which is totally not cool, by the way).

“With the 47th pick in the draft, the Dallas Cowboys …” and Casillas paused for effect, “and STILL AMERICA’S TEAM!” The crowd went nuts and you could tell Casillas just loved it.

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Stop the skid, part II
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Tyrann Mathieu was selected in the third-round by the Arizona Cardinals. With Patrick Peterson as his sponsor, this was probably the best stop for Honey Bader.

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And finally!
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Aaron Rodgers signed a big-money deal on Friday (you might have heard). And here Christian Ponder is still looking for low-low prices. Check out this tweet from Samantha Steele Ponder, the wife of the Vikings quarterback.

Well at least click the link to her Instagram.

#marriage instagram.com/p/YlT8wXgZDF/

— Sam Ponder (@samsteeleponder) April 26, 2013

(National Football League)

NEW YORK — The experts said this was going to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. And you can easily say that was the case for Day 1 of the 2013 NFL Draft. There were some surprises and disappointments.

Speaking of disappointments, no “Fandango” humming in the first round? The “What?” chants sort of hung on for another year. Thought we could get “Fandangoing” got at least.

Ah, let’s get to it.

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First things first
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Mike Mayock called this fat-boy draft. He said Eric Fisher was going to be the first overall selection. So there were no surprises. Luke Joeckel went to the Jaguars with the second pick. That was expected. (And our style correspondent Megan Collins also called Fisher because he looked meaner than Joeckel … when you’re right, you’re right).

The big surprise came when the Raiders traded out of the third pick. There were rumors the Raiders wanted to get out of that spot and the Dolphins were hot for Dion Jordan. So there weren’t too many surprises up at the top.

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First quarterback selected
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There was a strong feeling in recent days the Bills were going to draft the first quarterback in the first round. And there was an even stronger feeling the quarterback wasn’t going to be Geno Smith.

We were right.

However, most figured it would be Ryan Nassib (who played for Doug Marrone at Syracuse), or maybe Matt Barkley. Turned out it was none of the above as the team went with E.J. Manuel from Florida State.

If somebody tells you they knew the Bills were going to do that, they’re lying. How surprised was Manuel to be picked? He didn’t even have his coat on.

Oh, and can somebody give a call to Kevin Kolb to see how he’s doing?

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Free falling
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Geno Smith, uh, see you on Friday.

But he does have a new friend.

Hang in there Geno, “good things come to those who wait” -Paul Tagliabue

— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) April 26, 2013

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Free falling, part II
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Some mock drafts had Shariff Floyd going as high as No. 3 to the Oakland Raiders. Floyd went out No. 23 to the Vikings. He has some new friends, too. The Vikings chose Xavier Rhodes and Cordarrelle Patterson in the first-round. The Vikings paid quite a price to the Patriots to get Patterson. Not sure if the Vikings are that high on Patterson, or if they wanted to take Friday off because the team won’t have a selection in the second- and third-rounds.

Wouldn’t it be cool if the Vikings draft table was just empty on Friday? I want this to happen more than I should.

Don’t bother to look it up, St. Louis was the last team to draft three players in the first-round in 2001. The selections, Damione Lewis, Adam Archuletta and Ryan Pickett. St. Louis did go to the Super Bowl that season, so you have that,Vikings fans.

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Free falling, part II
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Manti Te’o didn’t go in the first-round, either. But at least Alex Flannigan gets another day (at least) in Hawaii!

Oh, did we end up jinxing Smith, Te’o and Barkley with this?

But hey look, Te’o found a friend, too.

CAN’T BELIEVE TE’O was not a 1st rd pick – a joke baby

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) April 26, 2013

I feel better for Geno.

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New threads
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The Miami Dolphins showed off some new uniforms. The all-white uniforms will look rather striking in person. The white facemasks give it kind of a World League of American Football feel. Seriously, look at the Orlando Thunder uniforms.

Uniform monitor reaction: Meh+

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New threads, II
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The Vikings also showed off some new uniforms. And it looks pretty slick. But like the Dolphins, the Vikings should have gone with grey facemasks.

Uniform monitor reaction: Sweet

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And finally!
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This was my first NFL Draft and the place went bananas right before the Jets were going to select. Both times, however, it was a letdown. Maybe the Jets fans have been beaten into submission, but there wasn’t any lusty boos to be heard. If that’s the case tomorrow, Jets fans, can we get a little “Fandango”?

Is it just me, or is there a feeling in the air? A feeling that the return of football isn’t as far off as it once seemed. The NFL schedule was released today, and while we’re all dreaming of what matchups will be the best or which games we’ll try to attend in person, why not dream a little bigger? If you had the funds, and time off from work or school to travel around the country watching football, what should your route be? Here is my suggestion:

17 weeks. 19 stadiums. 20 games. 10,234 miles. One unforgettable road trip.

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START: NFL Kickoff Game – Denver, CO

Baltimore at Denver - Thursday, September 5, 8:30pm EST

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Naturally, your journey will start with the kickoff game, featuring a rematch of the stellar AFC divisional game from last season. Peyton Manning will be out for revenge. The Ravens will be amped up to prove they can still contend after losing numerous key players.

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TRAVEL from Denver to Seattle (1,315 miles)  

San Francisco at Seattle - Sunday, September 15, 8:30pm EST

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The first journey is a long one, but it’s worth it. Hop in the van (any good road trip needs a van) and head to the Pacific northwest to watch the first matchup of the NFL’s best rivalry today: the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. You’ll also be treated to the city of Seattle, so enjoy good coffee, craft beer and rain before joining the 12^th man at CenturyLink Field to watch an old-fashioned slug-fest.

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TRAVEL from Seattle to San Francisco (808 miles)

Indianapolis at San Francisco - Sunday, September 22, 4:25pm EST

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You’ll double up on the Niners this week, but for good reason. The journey down the coast will be one to remember, as you can visit the Avenue of the Giants and see the massive beauty of the Redwoods. Oh, and once you get to San Francisco you’ll be treated to a bevy of tourist options (Alcatraz, for one) as well as a great game between two of the elite young signal-callers in the game today: Colin Kaepernick and Andrew Luck.

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TRAVEL from San Francisco to Oakland (12 miles)

Washington at Oakland - Sunday, September 29, 4:25pm EST

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A short trip now, and a chance for you to further enjoy/explore the bay area before a hopefully fully-healed RG3 and company come to Oakland for a week 4 clash. If RG3 isn’t back, you’ll still have an interesting game to watch as Kirk Cousins takes his place for the time being.   For the Raiders, Matt Flynn tries to prove his worth by turning around the franchise of the silver and black.

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TRAVEL from Oakland to Glendale, AZ (739 miles)

Carolina at Arizona - Sunday, October 6, 4:05pm PST

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Back to the van! This time you begin the journey back to middle America with a stop in Arizona to watch Bruce Arian’s new-look Cardinals take on Cam Newton and company.  A solid game in the early portion of your journey that you’ll at least have some fantasy players to watch if the matchup itself doesn’t interest you. If you’re feeling bold, take a detour to the Grand Canyon before or after the game. You won’t be disappointed.

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TRAVEL from Glendale to Dallas (1,075 miles)

Washington at Dallas - Sunday, October 13, 8:30pm EST

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Another long trip, but at the end of the road is a ticket to Jerry World to watch another great rivalry game, Redskins vs. Cowboys. The Redskins handled the ‘Boys in Dallas on Thanksgiving last year, so revenge will likely be a key theme heading into this one. If you missed out on RG3 in Oakland, here’s another good chance to see the electric young superstar return to action. Also, while in Dallas you can enjoy some fine southern eats. If your timing works out, brush up on your manliness by checking out the Mesquite Rodeo just west of Dallas.

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TRAVEL from Dallas to Kansas City (555 miles)

Houston at Kansas City - Sunday, October 20, 1pm EST

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A must-stop on any NFL road trip is Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The fact that you get to see Andy Reid’s Chiefs take on the rock-solid Houston Texans is just a little more glaze on the barbecue. Speaking of barbecue, trips to Gates BBQ are a must while you’re in town. Notice how I said trips and not “trip.” You can thank me later.

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TRAVEL from Kansas City to St. Louis (248 miles)

Seattle at St. Louis - Monday, October 28, 8:40pm EST

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In what equates to your bye week, you take a short sojourn across Missouri for a stop in St. Louis to catch another fierce NFC West bout between the Seahawks and the Rams on Monday night. Take the extra time to soak in more of the KC culture, or get to St. Louis early. If you’re lucky, the Cardinals might be playing in the postseason.  If not, there are enough tourist options in St. Louis to keep you busy as you recover a bit. The road trip isn’t even halfway through yet!

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TRAVEL from St. Louis to Green Bay (489 miles)

Chicago at Green Bay - Monday, November 4, 8:40pm EST

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Back-to-back Monday night games, but the second one is under the lights at historic Lambeau Field to witness the latest contest in the NFL’s oldest rivalry – Bears vs. Packers. There’s really no place like Lambeau Field, but be sure to take advantage of the surrounding features before gameday like the Packers Hall of Fame and the plethora of pubs full of friendly Midwesterners. Tailgating is a must prior to kickoff, as few places do it better than Green Bay. For the record, you’ve now crossed the 5,000 mile mark on the road trip!

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TRAVEL from Green Bay to Minneapolis (278 miles)

Washington at Minnesota Thursday, November 7, 8:25pm EST

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Thankfully, as the great white north temperatures drop your next stop is in Minneapolis where the warm confines of the Metrodome will treat you to a Thursday night matchup between the Redskins and the Vikings.  Before leaving be sure to check out Mall of America to scoop up some good, cheap souvenirs for all of your relatives that will be clamoring for a handout after your epic journey.

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TRAVEL from Minneapolis to Nashville (882 miles)

Jacksonville at Tennessee Sunday, November 10, 1pm EST

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Not the sexiest of matchups, but still a necessary stop.  Plus, you get the benefit of visiting the Music City. Check out a set of some up-and-coming talent at the Blue Bird Café, or visit any of the other myriad music history spots. As for the game on Sunday, you can make jests about which 2011 quarterback will wash out of the league first  – Blaine Gabbert or Jake Locker. Unless one of said quarterbacks is on your team. Instead you can join together with fellow fans and wallow in self-pity.

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TRAVEL from Nashville to Cincinnati (271 miles)

Cleveland at Cincinnati  - Sudnay, November 17, 1pm EST

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Now, before you scoff at this matchup, take another look. The Bengals have been to the playoffs the last two years, and the Browns have slowly been adding young talent to the roster to make themselves more competitive in the AFC North. This could actually be a pretty great game. And if not, downtown Cincinnati has plenty to offer.

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TRAVEL from Cincinnati to Atlanta (461 miles)

New Orleans at Atlanta Thursday, November 21, 8:25pm EST

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A healthy trip down I-85 leads you to one of the better games on this trip: Saints at Falcons. For years these two have battled for the top spot in the AFC South, and with Sean Payton back in the fold for New Orleans this becomes a can’t miss game.  Thankfully, you’ll be there. While you’re in Atlanta check out Daddy D’s for some more delicious barbecue. Are you sensing a trend here? And is anyone else getting hungry?

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TRAVEL from Atlanta to Miami (662 miles)

Carolina at Miami  - Sunday, November 24, 1pm EST

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This is the middle of a tough, but necessary stretch on the road trip. But it’s mostly downhill after this. With three teams in Florida, it’d be criminal not to make at least one trip to the Sunshine State. This stop will feature two talented young quarterbacks again, and a nice plus in November – some warmer weather. Spend a little time outdoors after the game, but don’t dawdle. There’s more NFL to get to.

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TRAVEL from Miami to Charlotte (729 miles), and get on a flight to Baltimore (437 miles)

Pittsburgh at Baltimore – Thursday, November 28, 8:30pm EST

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This is the longest leg of your journey, that’s why I suggest getting the 10 hour drive from Miami to Charlotte out of the way before you catch a flight so you can sleep. If you want to do this NFL road trip right, you need to see a game on Thanksgiving. And while the Steelers and Ravens don’t have the tradition of the Lions or Cowboys on Turkey Day, it’s still a great rivalry and should provide you with some stellar entertainment. So Skype with your families from the road and get ready for some football.

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TRAVEL from Baltimore to Charlotte via plane (437 miles)

Tampa Bay at Carolina – Sunday, December 1, 1pm EST

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Back to South Carolina, and your van! You will not have seen four NFL games in a span of 11 days. Pat yourself on the back! Relax and watch another NFC South bout, this time between the Buccaneers and the Panthers.  Afterwards, take a mental break and visit Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte for some simple fun.  Then grab some grub and pile back into the van.

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TRAVEL from Charlotte to Philadelphia (538 miles)

Detroit at Philadelphia – Sunday, December 8, 1pm EST

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At this point, games will start carrying serious playoff implications. Well, maybe not this one, but it should be loaded with offensive fireworks with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson squaring off against Chip Kelly’s unique new offense. While in Philly, be sure to stop at Chickie’s and Pete’s which is just around the corner from Lincoln Financial Field. It was voted the Best Sports Bar in America by ESPN after all, so it’s at least worth a look.

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TRAVEL from Philadelphia to New York City (96 miles)

Seattle at New York Giants – Sunday, December 15, 1pm EST

Cleveland at New York Jets – Sunday, December 22, 1pm EST

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Whew, another short travel stint to one of the greatest cities on earth. Get comfy too, because your next two games will be at Metlife Stadium (don’t make the mistake of staying in New Jersey, however). First up is a sure to be entertaining game between the Seahawks and Giants. Playoff seeding will likely be on the line, making the game even better.

You then get a week off to enjoy New York in December. Check out the Rockerfeller Center Tree, which will be already be lit. Visit Central Park, the NFL offices, Times Square and whatever else your little heart desires. After you’ve had your fill of tourism, head back to Metlife for the Browns vs. Jets. Playoff implications will likely be non-existent in this one, but take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come 19 games in 16 weeks. And only one more to go.

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TRAVEL from New York City to Foxboro, MA (202 miles)

Buffalo at New England – Sunday, December 29, 1pm EST

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You did it. You’ve completed the ultimate NFL road trip and are watching Tom Brady destroy the Buffalo Bills, ensuring the Patriots at least get the 2nd seed in the upcoming playoffs. Whoops, it looks like you missed Christmas this year, but your family will understand. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity after all. You’ve traveled across the country for 17 weeks, witnessed 20 NFL games and had the time of your life. Move over Lewis and Clark, there’s a new great American adventurer.

Now… sadly this trip is ludicrous and would be outrageously expensive. So start saving your pennies now, forget about sending your kids to college, and find a reliable van (again, a must). There’s one incredible road trip waiting on the horizon.

PS – For those of you who actually made it through this outrageously long piece and kept score, only one NFL franchise was not included in the road trip. My apologies to said fan base, it just didn’t work out this year!

Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar

Associated Press

“You don’t even know what a write-off is.” – Jerry

 ”Do you?” – Kramer

“No, I don’t.” – Jerry

This is why I always think of Seinfeld when it comes to write-offs. But Kramer was on to something when he said you should just write it off. With this being tax day in the United States, the cheaters in all of us are trying to find any sort of loopholes to “write it off.” This country was founded by a bunch of dudes who hated paying taxes.

And seriously, if anybody out there knows exactly what a write-off is, please send me a line.

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Buffalo Bills:

Buffalo wings and (local beers) are not a write-off, yet. But put any petition in front of me and I’ll sign it.

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Miami Dolphins:

People have been able to write off their pets for years. So the Miami Dolphins are implored to bring back Flipper and put him in the end zone.

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New York Jets:

Did you know you can write off babysitting as long as you are doing charitable work? However, New York Jets, you cannot write off your babysitting of Tim Tebow, no matter how much charity work he does.

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New England Patriots:

If you turn in your Patriots sweatshirt to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or any other charitable organization, your value is $5. However, there is no value to sweatshirts with the sleeves cut off. Nice try, Mr. Belichick.

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Baltimore Ravens:

Non-monetary charitable goods are always deductible. So the Ravens should be able to write off all of those free agents they lost this year. Wow, that Paul Kruger deal should be really valuable.

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Cincinnati Bengals:

Sorry, you can no longer count Chad Johnson as a dependent any more.

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Cleveland Browns:

And like the Dolphins, the Dog Pound is a tax deduction. You can even write off the dog biscuits.

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Pittsburgh Steeler:

You cannot deduct the cost of cleaning your work clothes as long as you can still use the garments for everyday wear. That means most football jerseys could fall into this category. They are a fashion statement and many people wear them off the football field. However, the Steelers’ bumble bee jerseys are not suitable for wear anywhere, so the cost to clean those uniforms is acceptable. And if you burned those unis? Well, that would probably count as a charitable deduction as well.

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Houston Texans:

Whatever cost incurred for this:  you can write it off.

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Indianapolis Colts:

No, you can’t write off trips to Steak-n-Shake. Rex Ryan tried this after the NFL Scouting Combine.

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Jacksonville Jaguars:

The tarps around the upper decks are actually a write-off for home improvements. Go ahead and deduct the costs.

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Tennessee Titans:

There are casualty loss deductions, but we’re not sure if Chris Johnson’s statistical output since he redid his contract counts.

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Denver Broncos:

Hey Eric Decker, you can’t write off your expenses at the Manning Passing Academy, even if you do have a receipt.

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Kansas City Chiefs:

All tailgating equipment is not considered a write-off, but it is still appreciated by those who enjoy a good pre-party for the game.

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Oakland Raiders:

Raiders fans cannot write off their Halloween costumes as a business expense. But you could reason that any money paid for season tickets would count as a charitable donation.

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San Diego Chargers:

If you’re still taking Xanax because of the Ryan Leaf era, good news, you can totally write that off.

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Dallas Cowboys:

If you make your home energy efficient, you can totally write that off. So I guess if the Cowboys open the roof that has to count, right?

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New York Giants:

Good news, because you and the Jets split the cost for MetLife Stadium, only one of you can claim the mortgage as a write-off.

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Philadelphia Eagles:

You can write off investments, even the highly risky ones. So that’s good news for Chip Kelly’s salary, right? Because that’s a risky investment.

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Washington Redskins:

I’m not sure the Redskins will be able to write off an upgrade to the FedEx Field turf. But they should just eat the expense and do it anyway.

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Chicago Bears:

The retirement tax credit provided incentives for people to save for life after their careers. Let’s hope Brian Urlacher took advantage of this because retirement could be upon him before he would have thought.

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Detroit Lions:

You can write off deductions for refinancing. Good news since it’s time to rework (or refinance) Matthew Stafford’s deal.

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Green Bay Packers:

A lot of Packers photographers have tried to pick up “photo bomb insurance.” But don’t you dare try to deduct it from your taxes.

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Minnesota Vikings:

Good news, your deductible for surgery is completely deductible. So that’s good news for Adrian Peterson. However, if Ragnar has ever considered hair transplants, that is clearly not deductible. (Don’t ask me how I know this, just trust me.)

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Atlanta Falcons:

Home improvements, like a new stadium in Atlanta, is considered a write-off. And if you get the supplies at Home Depot, well, that should keep the boss happy.

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Carolina Panthers:

The kid from the Play 60 commercial warming up his arm to take over for Cam Newton, he’s not a dependent.

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New Orleans Saints:

Wait, does Sean Payton even need to fill up a W2 for being suspended without pay last season? How does that work?

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

All of the booty confiscated in that pirate ship had better be accounted for as capital gains, guys!

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Arizona Cardinals:

Did you know you can write off security as a business expense? So you could probably reason that your offensive line can be a security expense. Well, not you, Arizona. You nearly got your quarterbacks destroyed last year.

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St. Louis Rams:

Your moving expenses to Los Angeles? Covered.

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San Francisco 49ers:

You can’t deduct the costs of looking for a new job. But costs associated with looking for a new position in your present occupation, including fees for resume preparation and employment of outplacement agencies, are deductible as long as you itemize. That means Nnamdi Asomugha can write-off these costs.

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Seattle Seahawks:

Over-the-counter cold medicines and other remedies are not deductible. But some prescription medications are. So that should be good for half of the league, right?

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Follow Adam Rank on Twitter @adamrank.

World champion Torrey Smith of the Baltimore Ravens stopped by Studio 66 this week to talk a little football but the conversation quickly turned to WrestleMania XXIX where he and I broke down the card. The following are Smith’s picks, along with my analysis.

WWE Diva’s title: A.J. Lee vs Kaitlyn

Smith’s pick: Kailtlyn
Rank’s pick: Kaitlyn

Analysis: Kaitlyn has developed some nice offense and has become a pretty good force in the division. She’s going to hold the belt for some time.

WWE Tag Team titles: Dolph Ziggler and Big E. Langston vs. Team Hell No

Smith’s pick: Ziggler and Langston
Rank’s pick: ditto

Analysis: The Rhodes Scholars deserve to have the belts, but they will be given away here. Bryan has to turn heel at some point. He would be a good villain to go after Ziggler if he cashes in his “Money in the Bank” briefcase.

Intercontinental title: The Miz vs. Wade Barrett

Smith’s pick: The Miz
Rank’s pick: ditto

Analysis: It’s a surprise Barrett has kept the belt this long after he’s lost on RAW week-in, week-out. A beatdown of Zack Ryder notwithstanding. The Miz is on his way back up the card.

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango

Smith’s pick: Jericho
Rank’s pick: Fandango

Analysis: It would be the WWE’s style to bury a new guy, but Jericho has now become jobber to the up-and-comers. Remember when Jericho couldn’t get through the glass ceiling?

The Shield vs. Randy Orton, Sheamus, Big Show

Smith’s pick: Orton, Sheamus, Show
Rank’s pick: The Shield

Analysis: I want to be wrong if a win by The Shield means an Orton heel-turn and joining The Shield. Have The Shield go over clean.

Retirement match: Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar

Smiths’ pick: Triple H
Rank’s pick: Brock Lesnar

Analysis: Triple H wanted to proper sendoff at Summer Slam, but us fans at Staples Center relished in him losing. So now he wants a heroic good-bye.

CM Punk vs. The Undertaker

Smith’s pick: CM Punk
Rank’s pick: The Undertaker

Analysis: The streak will go on.

World Heavyweight championship: Jack Swagger vs. Alberto Del Rio

Smith’s pick: Alberto Del Rio
Rank’s pick: Jack Swagger

Analysis: Well, if a heel Swagger is holding the belt, they can turn Ziggler face.

WWE championship: John Cena vs. The Rock

Smith’s pick: The Rock
Rank’s pick: John Cena

Analysis: I would love to see something where The Shield comes in to help Cena win and starts his heel turn (it would be so nWo). But what we’ll likely get is Cena going over clean. And then Monday night, he gives a rambling promo about how he’s overcome the odds (for the eleventh time).

Adam Rank has never won an award. For anything. We don’t mean to be harsh, but it’s true. You can follow him on Twitter @adamrank. Oh, and if you liked this (right!), check him out on the latest “Dave Dameshek Football Program“. Which, come to think of it won an award. So Rank has won something meaningful. Yes, meaningful unlike this latest post. Am I right? But follow him on Twitter, please. He’s taking us to lunch if he gets 25 more Twitter followers today.

The NFL and Hollywood collided this week when NFL superstars Drew Brees and Ray Rice attended a private advanced screening of Paramount Pictures’ “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”, hitting theaters Thursday. The movie stars Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Adrianne Palicki and Bruce Willis, and has the look of an action-packed thrill ride. Check out a few photos of Brees and Rice at the screening below.

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(Associated Press)

“The Real World” will commence its 28th season on Wednesday. The king of all reality shows started out as social experiment to bring together seven motivated strangers to see what would happen when people stopped being polite, and started getting real. Now it’s devolved into seven strangers on a summer vacation seeing how much alcohol they can consume in a hot tub.

And while the NFL has had great success with shows such as “Hard Knocks”, we’re still missing a great NFL-version of “The Real World”.

Or are we?

Did you know the actual 28th season of “The Real World” was filmed with seven NFL stars? But unfortunately, it will never air. Here is the official cast listing and episode guide for the lost season of “The Real World: NFL.”

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In 1985, the Philadelphia Eagles used a second-round pick on UNLV’s Randall Cunningham. Despite signing with the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits that spring, Cunningham eventually landed in Philadelphia and embarked on a 16-year NFL career. With the former signal-caller turning 50 on Wednesday, we take a look at the defining moments of one of the most exciting players in NFL history.

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Ready for Primetime

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On Oct. 10, 1988, the Eagles were on “Monday Night Football” for the first time in seven years. Their opponent that night at the Vet were the division-rival New York Giants, a team that had won the last six meetings with Philadelphia. With the Eagles trailing by three in the second quarter, Cunningham rolled right on third and goal from the five. Linebacker Carl Banks dove low at the athletic quarterback who went down and landed on his left hand before popping up to toss a strike to tight end Jimmie Giles in the end zone.

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The Ultimate Weapon

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The Ultimate Weapon SI cover

Entering the 1989 season, Sports Illustrated featured Cunningham on its NFL preview issue under the headline “The Ultimate Weapon. Philadelphia’s Randall Cunningham: The Quarterback for the ’90s”. In his third full season as an NFL starter, Cunningham led the Eagles to an 11-5 record and a trip to the playoffs.

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Career day in DC

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On the morning of a 1989 Week 2 matchup with the Washington Redskins, Cunningham signed a then-record five-year, $14-million contract. To celebrate the occasion, Cunningham rallied the Eagles back from a 27-7 second-quarter deficit, throwing for a career-high 447 yards and five touchdowns for a stunning 42-37 victory at RFK Stadium.

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91-yard punt (video)

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Cunningham was an All-American punter at UNLV and in a 1989 game at the Meadowlands against the Giants, the Eagles decided to utilize those talents. With the score tied and the Eagles set to punt from deep in their territory, Buddy Ryan decided to use Cunningham over punter Max Runager. The QB received the snap with his heels in the back of the end zone and launched a kick that landed nearly 70 yards away at the Giants’ 39-yard line. It skipped past return man Dave Meggett and all the way to the seven, good for the third longest punt in NFL history. To put the kick in context, Runager had three punts that day for a TOTAL of 83 yards. Cunningham punted 20 times during his career with an average of 44.7 yards.

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1990 season

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Randall flying high like an eagle.

Cunningham opened the decade of the ‘90s with the best statistical season of his career to date, completing more than 58 percent of his passes and throwing 30 touchdown passes with only 13 interceptions. On the ground, he amassed 942 yards, at the time the second most ever by a quarterback. He lead the league with 8.0 yards per carry and scored five touchdowns of his own. As a team, the Eagles ran for 2,556 yards, the most of any team in the 1990s. Philadelphia would win eight of its final 10 regular-season games to qualify for the postseason for the third consecutive year. Cunningham would finish second to Joe Montana in the AP NFL MVP Award voting.

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How’d he do that? (video)

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On Dec. 2, 1990 in Buffalo, the Eagles faced 3^rd and 14 from their own 5-yard line. Cunningham dropped back to pass and somehow eluded the NFL’s all-time sack leader Bruce Smith before rolling left and launching a moon shot 60 yards in the air to Fred Barnett. The rookie wide out made the catch over Bills DB James Williams and scampered to the end zone for a 95-yard TD, the second-longest pass play in Eagles history. As CBS analyst Dan Fouts noted on the game broadcast, “This type of play just defies description … (Cunningham) just makes a play that only he can make.”

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Buddy Ball

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(Gillian Allen/Associated Press)

Cunningham credits Ryan for turning him from a scrambling QB to a running quarterback. Ryan was so disinterested in offense that he used to tell Cunningham to just go make three or four plays a game and the defense will win it. In each of Ryan’s last two years in Philadelphia, Cunningham led the NFL in yards per carry. When he first took over as coach in Philly, Ryan would even put Cunningham in the game on third-and-long situations, replacing Ron Jaworski.

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Playoff failures

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(Rob Kozloff/Associated Press)

Under Ryan, the Eagles qualified for the postseason in three consecutive years from 1988 to 1990. In 1988, Philadelphia lost the Fog Bowl in Chicago and the following year at home to the Los Angeles Rams. Cunningham had a dominant statistical season in 1990, but was then benched in a wild-card loss to the Redskins. In the three games, Cunningham had no touchdown passes and five interceptions with a 58.7 passer rating while leading the team to only one touchdown. He would finish his NFL career 3-6 as a playoff starter with 12 TDs and 8 INTs.

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Pauped

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Expectations were sky high for the 1991 Eagles, but a hit on Cunningham from Packers LB Bryce Paup in the season opener at Lambeau Field ended the year for Cunningham as well as Philly’s Super Bowl hopes.  The QB suffered a torn MCL and PCL in his left knee, forcing Philadelphia to use four different starters the rest of the season. Despite a defense that finished No. 1 against the run, pass and overall, the Eagles finished out of the playoffs with a 10-6 record. Cunningham’s slogan during his rehab became “I’ll be back scramblin’.”

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Let Me Be Me 

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(Donna Bagby/Associated Press)

Rich Kotite took over as Eagles head coach in 1991, replacing Ryan. After Cunningham was lost for the season in the opener, Kotite wanted to keep the quarterback in the pocket and healthy the following year.  Cunningham was none too pleased with the new style and even went as far as to wear a “Let Me Be Me” hat during the season. In 1993, Kotite turned the offense over to quarterbacks coach Zeke Bratkowski, who allowed Cunningham to return to his free-wheeling style. Alas, Cunningham suffered a broken left fibula in Week 4 against the New York Jets.

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Sacked

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(Amy Sancetta/Associated Press)

Despite his elusiveness, Cunningham was the fourth-most sacked quarterback of all time, including a then-record 72 times in 1986. What’s even more amazing about that total is the fact that despite appearing in 15 games, Cunningham had only five starts that season. In the six full seasons he played from 1986-92, Cunningham was the league’s most-sacked quarterback five times.

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Retirement

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Randall was benched in favor of Rodney Peete after four starts in 1995. After the season, he retired and returned home to Las Vegas at age 32 to start a marble business.

The 1995 season was a struggle for Cunningham. With new coach Ray Rhodes and offensive coordinator Jon Gruden implementing the West Coast offense, Cunningham was benched in favor of journeyman Rodney Peete after four starts. In the divisional playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys, Peete suffered a concussion and Cunningham was forced to play after spending most of the week with his wife, who was expecting their first child. Cunningham was ineffective in relief, the Eagles lost, and his days in Philly were over.

Cunningham retired, returned home to Las Vegas at age 32 to begin working in the marble and granite business. In 1997, he returned to football with the Minnesota Vikings.

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 Return to Prominence

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Associated Press

After appearing in six games as a backup to Brad Johnson in 1997, Cunningham took over the starting role in Minnesota in 1998. Teaming with rookie Randy Moss and ex-Eagles teammate Cris Carter, Cunningham tossed a career-high 34 touchdowns and led the Vikings to a 15-1 record. The offense racked up a then-record 556 points and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

The lasting image of the Vikings’ regular season run might well have been the Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Minnesota entered at 10-1 while Dallas was 8-3. Riding Cunningham’s 359 yards and four touchdowns, the Vikings emerged with a 46-36 victory. Three of Cunningham’s TD strikes went to Moss, who finished with three catches for 163 yards (54.3 avg) and three scores.

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1998 NFC Championship Game

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Cunningham fell short of a Super Bowl berth as a member of the Vikings.

Cunningham seemed destined to reach his first career Super Bowl as Minnesota entered the NFC title game against the Atlanta Falcons as heavy favorites. Randall had a strong game with 266 pass yards and three total touchdowns, but the game will forever be remembered for Gary Anderson’s missed 38-yard field goal attempt. Cunningham had driven the Vikings 54 yards on 11 plays to set up the fateful try, only to see his best shot at a Super Bowl dashed. Ironically, the veteran kicker had made all 39 of his previous attempts that season, and this shot would have put Minnesota up by 10 with just over two minutes to play. The Falcons took the ensuing possession and tied the game with 49 seconds remaining. Eventually, the Vikings fell short in overtime of the last playoff game Cunningham would ever start.

-Bill Sudell @sudsysudell

Credit: NFL.com Illustration

It’s official. The tuck rule is no more. After 11 proud years of living in infamy, and suffering the ire of the Raider nation on a daily basis, the Tuck Rule passed away Wednesday morning at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix. Suffering from numerous complications, the Tuck Rule was finally laid to rest when 29 owners decided it was time, and the rule had lived a long, healthy, but troubled life. Not surprisingly, the New England Patriots abstained from voting to bring down the iconic rule, as they had grown “too close over the years” and “couldn’t bear to watch it pass away.”

In case you have somehow forgotten, or you were too young to remember, the Tuck Rule gained notoriety in the 2002 AFC divisional playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders. The rule had been in effect since 1999, but had never been under the spotlight more than it was that snowy night in Foxborough.

It was the tail end of the fourth quarter, and Tom Brady was trying to engineer a game-tying (or game-winning) drive as the Raiders were holding on to a three point lead. Charles Woodson (remember when he was a Raider?) came off the line on a corner blitz and stripped Brady of the ball, which was then recovered by Raiders linebacker Greg Biekert. Raiders fans rejoiced! Until…

The rest, as they say, is history. Adam Vinatieri kicked a game-tying field goal, and the Patriots rode that momentum to an overtime win and an eventual upset of the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Now, Raiders fans, players and front office officials can sleep easier at night knowing this rule will never again dash the championship hopes of another NFL franchise. And fans of other franchises now know they’ll never have to suffer as the Raiders have from this rule. Yet, we should all look back fondly on the memories the Tuck Rule gave us. It helped the Patriots reach their first of three championships in four years, and made Tom Brady into Tom Brady. Without that play, the mere phrase “Tuck Rule” would be meaningless to football fans, and instead of having one of the most iconic plays in NFL history, we’d likely just have Raiders fans bitter over losing the Super Bowl to Kurt Warner and the Rams.

So, let us not dance on the grave of the Tuck Rule, but instead, remember it for what it was. A misguided, slightly ridiculous rule that bestowed upon us some incredible moments in NFL history. It may not be missed, but it certainly will never be forgotten.

Adios, Tuck Rule.—
OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) March 20, 2013

Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar

Well, well, well. We’ve now endured an entire week of the free agency frenzy and thankfully, we’re no worse for the wear at the NFL.com offices. The same cannot be said for several teams, however, as the frenzy struck hard and fast. Mike Wallace got how much? Where have all the punters gone? Wes Welker is a Bronco? The answer to some of these questions (but really, only one) and more in the Free Agency edition of the Unexpected (and expected). Let’s get to it!

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Lack of Jets action

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Aside from cleaning house on a number of old-ish players, there has been a surprising amount of inactivity, or rather, a surprising amount of smoke screens thrown up by the New York Jets regarding the two players who can never escape the spotlight (or over-attention from ESPN): Tim Tebow and Darrelle Revis. Are they being traded or released or retained? Who knows! It’s reached the point where I don’t think anyone in the Jets organization knows either.

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Fax-fiasco

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By now, you’ve been beaten to death, well, hopefully not death, but you have been beaten senseless by endless amounts of fax jokes. And if for some reason you haven’t had your fill, scroll back through our own Jeff Darlington’s Twitter feed to find some gems. But the fact that a deal for a Pro Bowl player was ultimately voided because of a malfunctioning fax machine in 2013 is absolutely ridiculous. And, unexpected! Hopefully the Broncos have learned now that there is this thing called the Internet (it’s basically just a series of tubes) that can transmit messages (or contracts, or pictures, or pick up attempts) in the blink of an eye.

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NFL stands for No Familiar Love

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With many teams in dire salary cap situations, a number of players saw the door instead of new deal or restructured contract. This isn’t exactly new in the NFL, but it was surprising to see the number of big name players released such as James Harrison, Charles Woodson, Antoine Winfield, Bart Scott, Brandon Lloyd and  Michael Turner.  Other players were also released, often times by a new front office regime coming to town or performance issues. In the case of Kevin Kolb and Ryan Fitzpatrick, it was both.

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The NFC West loads up on talent

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Remember a few years ago when having your team scheduled against the NFC West was a blessing from the football gods, as it almost assured your team three-four wins in interconference play? Well, those days are long gone as the NFL continues to be the league of parity. The Seahawks and 49ers have a wealth of fancy new acquisitions or draft picks, and the Rams added Jake Long to prevent Sam Bradford from becoming an official part of the field turf in St. Louis. Meanwhile, Arizona reeled in reigning Coach of the Year Bruce Arians to turn around their franchise. In no time you’ll hear media pundits discussing the NFC West as the league’s premiere division, as past powerhouses like the AFC North slowly erode. But the Ravens just won the Super Bowl you’re yelling from your computer chair? Yes they did, and it was truly generous of them to celebrate that win by bestowing some of their best players to virtually every other team in the NFL. Not saying they’ll miss the playoffs or anything, but the Ravens and Steelers won’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams as much as the Seahawks or 49ers will next year.

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Signing with the enemy

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It wasn’t a very common trend in free agency this year, but there were two notable instances where marquee players crossed the border to rival teams. Greg Jennings jumped ship for Minnesota, trading in Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback for Christian Ponder, which was instantly a hot internet meme. Meanwhile, Welker traded in one sure-bet hall of fame quarterback for another, joining up with Peyton Manning in Denver as he didn’t so much cross a physical border, but the borderline in the Manning-Brady rivalry. Both players play their former teams next season, so it will be even more enjoyable for us to watch these storylines play out.

Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar

NFL.com Illustration

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, the luck of the Irish is in the air. Which means it’s time to look back at some of the luckiest plays in NFL history. In no particular order, here are seven of the luckiest. If they didn’t already have a name, I gave a half-hearted attempt at coining a new one. If you have better options, tweet them at me below and I’ll rename them in this post and give you a shout out as well.

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The Hail Mike Thomas

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The Jaguars were facing overtime against the Texans in 2010 until Mike Thomas snagged the batted down pass intended for Mike Sims-Walker and trotted into the endzone for the game-winning score. Conventional wisdom (and most coaches) teach you to bat the ball down. Some players learned that the hard way last season.

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The Helmet Catch

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This play was incredible (and incredibly lucky) for a number of reasons. To start, how in the world does Manning elude that much pressure? The guy typically is about as agile as those fainting goats, but he somehow managed to dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge his way out of the pocket. Then, David Tyree (who’d only caught four passes during the regular season) manages to hold onto the ball as the hard-hitting Rodney Harrison tries to wrench it from his hands, err helmet. Lastly, this whole play was set up by a stroke of luck when Asante Samuel dropped what should have been the game-clinching interception.

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Monday Night Magic

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I remember staying up late to watch the overtime finish of this game. Boy, was it worth it. It was hard to see live, but I thought Freeman had made the catch, whether through some form of mysticism or pure luck I wasn’t sure. The television replays later confirmed that Freeman was on the right side of one of the luckiest bounces in NFL history. Kudos to Freeman though for being aware enough to make the ridiculous grab and run into into the endzone for the game-winner.

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The Immaculate Reception

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No list of lucky plays would be complete without this gem. From the way the ball bounced back to Franco Harris to the way the ball was also just out of the camera view, there isn’t anything about this play that isn’t lucky.

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The Miracle at the Meadowlands

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Footballs have a tendency to bounce whatever way they so choose causing havoc on the field. Yet this football decided to bounce directly into the outstretched hands of Herm Edwards. My favorite part about this play is that when it originally happened the TV broadcast credits were rolling across the screen because they had assumed the game was over. And you know what they say about assuming…

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Music City Miracle

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The Titans needed a miracle, and they got it. I added this play to the “lucky” list because if Kevin Dyson doesn’t take that step back, the refs probably throw a flag for an illegal forward pass and we’re reminiscing the Music City Mistake instead. Whether or not he actually stepped back far enough for it to be legal lateral remains up for debate. But the Titans are lucky Dyson took that fateful step to spark their playoff run that unfortunately ended on a rather unlucky play for Titans fans.

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The original “Hail Mary”

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We have to pay homage to the one that started it all. Admittedly, I wasn’t alive to witness this in person but as soon as I started to develop my love for football I heard stories of the one true Hail Mary. Thanks to the internet, I was able to get a chance to watch it years later. To me, the luckiest part of this play is that Vikings cornerback Nate Wright loses his footing and falls over as Drew Pearson leaps over him. Had Wright not tripped, we may never have had one of the most iconic plays in all of sports.

Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar

Thanks to the fine folks at TMZ, we now have video proof that the great John Madden himself believes the Madden curse has finally been broken. All it took was a herculean-effort from Calvin Johnson in 2012 to disrupt the long-running NFL hex. In honor of Madden’s proclamation, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at five of Megatron’s biggest moments on his curse (and record) breaking campaign.

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Week 3 at Tennessee Titans

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Johnson erupted for a 10 catch, 164 yard, one touchdown performance in a wild loss to the Titans. It was here that he first served notice to the league that he had no intention of letting the curse derail his season.

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Week 9 at Jacksonville Jaguars

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Even though he was touchdown-less, Johnson was instrumental in moving the Lions down the field as he hauled in five catches for 99 yards before the Jaguars even recorded a first down.

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Week 10 at Minnesota Vikings

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Megatron followed up his big  game against the Jaguars with a 207 yard outburst against the division rival Vikings. Despite his effort, however, the Lions fell to the Vikings 34-24.

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Week 13 vs. Indianapolis Colts

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Johnson was a human highlight reel during his 13 catch, 171 yard performance against the Colts. He hauled in an impressive one-handed catch down the sideline, as well as a third quarter touchdown that gave the Lions the lead. Unfortunately, Andrew Luck led a miraculous comeback to spoil another monster day for Megatron.

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Week 16 vs.  Atlanta Falcons

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On a Saturday night in Detroit, it finally happened. Calvin Johnson broke Jerry Rice’s long-standing record for receiving yards in a single season, and for all intents and purposes the Madden curse as well. The craziest part was, he still have a game to play. Johnson crossed 200 yards for the second time in the season, but as was the case too many times victory still managed to escape the Lions’ clutches.

Calvin Johnson 2012 stats: 122 catches/1,964 yards/5 touchdowns

Madden curse stats: BROKEN

Follow Alex on Twitter @AlexGelhar

(AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

To start things off, let’s be completely honest with ourselves. The NFL never really stops. From the combine to free agency to the draft and so on, we’re always hungry for consuming content about our favorite sport. But, there are points where those glorious Sundays in September seem painfully far away. Like right now.

We’re currently adrift in this sea of nothingness that is pre-free agency. Sure, there are rumors stirring about. After free agency opens next Tuesday there should be a flurry of news to get us excited about football again. Yet, March is one of the longest months without football. First off, there are 31 days. And for the teams not making splashes in free agency, there is not much to get excited about during any of those days. Aside from the over-abundance of “NEW” mock drafts and Tim Tebow trade rumors, it’s a dire time for football fans. So, in honor of the NCAA tournament (and my own state of mind during this time of year) I wanted to devote some cyber ink on ways to pass the time during this period of March Madness. And before I waste anyone’s valuable time rambling any longer, let’s get to it:

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NFL.com Illustration

If you didn’t know any better, you’d believe Terrell Suggs doesn’t care for the Patriots. Suggs has called the Patriots “arrogant pricks” in the past and on Thursday, he told Boston radio station WEEI the Patriots don’t “respect anybody,” and he “guarantees the other 31 teams hate the New England Patriots.”

All 31 teams Terrell? Hyperbole much? But when you think about it, Suggs does have a point.

So with the help of the intrepid Alex Gelhar and Adam Rank, we look for 31 reasons why every team hates the New England Patriots.

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AFC:

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1. Buffalo Bills

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The Patriots had a surplus of quarterbacks after the 2001 season, so, of course, the Bills ended up with Drew Bledsoe and not Tom Brady.

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2. Miami Dolphins

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The obvious rivalry aside, to find the true root of the Dolphins’ fans hatred, you have to go back to the 1985 AFC Championship Game. The Patriots took apart the Dolphins in Miami, 31-14. The Patriots would go on to lose in Super Bowl XX to the Chicago Bears. You know, the team the Dolphins beat in the regular season and would have had a good chance of beating again in the rematch.

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3. New York Jets

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Outside of the recent beatings, Bill Belichick was the coach of the Jets, for like a day. And then he ended up with the New England Patriots. I’m not saying the Jets would have ended up with Tom Brady and three Super Bowls but, oh wait, that’s exactly what I’m saying.

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4. Baltimore Ravens

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You know, for a team that just won the Super Bowl, guys like Terrell Suggs sure are talking a lot about a team they beat in the playoffs. Apparently Brady and Co. still has space rented out between Suggs’ ears.

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5. Cincinnati Bengals

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The Bengals have no real reason to hate the Patriots, but much like how your younger siblings like the things you like and hate the things you hate, the Bengals likely hate the Patriots because the big brothers of the AFC North do. If anything, the Bengals might actually like the Patriots. If not for the Patriots, the Bengals would have the universally recognized worst uniform in the NFL. So they have that going for them.

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6. Cleveland Browns

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Belichick coached the Browns and was poised for a big 1995 season (the team started 3-1) until rumors of an impending move surfaced to ruin the team. Now, I’m not trying to say the Browns would have ended up with Tom Brady and three Super Bowl titles, but wait, that’s exactly what I’m saying.

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7. Pittsburgh Steelers

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The Patriots won two AFC Championship Games in Pittsburgh during the Brady-Belichick era. Bledsoe came off the bench to lead the Patriots over the Steelers in the 2001 AFC Championship Game (please don’t bring up the spot, Steelers fan). Brady engineered a blowout in the 2004 AFC Championship Game, with a 41-27 romp at Heinz Field.

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8. Houston Texans

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Somebody convinced the Texans it would be a cool idea to wear letterman’s jackets for a huge showdown in New England on Monday night football in Week 14. And then the Patriots made them look like a freshman squad in a 42-14 beat down. Now those jackets live in infamy in the dark closets of those Texans players or on the shelves of the Sugar Land, Texas Goodwill center.

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9. Indianapolis Colts

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Whenever the debate for best quarterback of the era heats up, Patriots fans will point out Brady has three rings to Manning’s single Super Bowl win. The Colts did exercise a matter of revenge in the 2006 AFC Championship Game, but you still get the sense Indy fans are still smarting from the dismissiveness of the Patriots fans. And judging by the number of Manning jerseys still in Indianapolis, this one isn’t going away any time soon.

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10. Jacksonville Jaguars

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The Jaguars have made the playoffs just twice since the year 2000, and both times they were eliminated by the Patriots. New England got Jacksonville, 28-3, in the 2005 wild card playoffs. The Jags were a little more competitive in the 2007 divisional round, but still lost, 31-20.

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11. Tennessee Titans

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The Titans had a pretty good squad in 2003 but traveled to New England for the playoffs. The Titans hung tough and were tied late into the fourth quarter. But then the Brady magic led the Patriots to a field goal with just over four minutes remaining to give New England a 17-14 lead.

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12. Denver Broncos

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Now the Broncos fans have jumped into the great debate about who is better, Brady or Manning. And while a lot of the Patriots fans will laugh at Manning’s playoff failures, well, the Broncos loss to the Ravens won’t help that argument for Manning. Even though the Broncos lost to the Ravens, the Broncos fans are even more upset with the Patriots and their snickering.

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13. Kansas City Chiefs

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The Patriots sent Scott Pioli, Romeo Crennel and Matt Cassel to the Chiefs. Geeze Patriots, what did the Chiefs ever do to you?  Oh, right. Moving on.

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14. Oakland Raiders

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Really? Do we have to talk about this one? I’ve got one word for you: Tuck Rule. Even more than a decade removed from the infamous “tuck rule” game, the Raiders and their fans are still bitter over it. Which seems totally weird because the Raiders fans are the kind of people who seem to be able to seamlessly let go of the past.

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15. San Diego Chargers

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The Patriots mimicked Shawne Merriman’s dance during the 2006 AFC Divisional Playoffs at the Q. Of course, all Chargers fans remember Marlon McCree fumbling after he intercepted Tom Brady’s pass late in the game which would have sealed the win.

-Adam Rank @adamrank

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NFC

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16. Dallas Cowboys

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Cowboys fans boil with rage every time the Patriots are referred to as a “dynasty,” and they’ll be quick to argue that their iconic 90s team was more of a true dynasty, since their 1994 season ended in the NFC Championship game, while the Patriots failed to even make the playoffs in 2002 after their first Super Bowl victory. And the Cowboys themselves should hate the Patriots for a) beating them three straight times in the Brady era, and b) having a savvier owner in Robert Kraft.

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17. New York Giants

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The Giants really have no reason to hate Tom Brady’s Patriots since they have the distinction of being the only team to beat him in the Super Bowl. And they did it twice. However, legendary Giants head coach Bill Parcells retired from coaching after winning his second Super Bowl with the Giants in 1991. His retirement was short, however, as just two years later he returned to coach the New England Patriots, leading them to a Super Bowl in just three years, while the Giants stumbled through the 90s.

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18. Philadelphia Eagles

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Tom Brady Super Bowl victim #3. Super Bowl XXXIX was the Eagles first Super Bowl appearance in almost a quarter-century, and came after three straight losses in NFC championship games, so expectations were high. Unfortunately, those expectations came crashing down when Tom Brady and the Patriots handed the Eagles their second Super Bowl loss in as many appearances.

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19. Washington Redskins

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The Redskins were on the receiving end of one of Bill Belichick’s classic “I don’t care that we’re up by 80 points, let’s go for it on fourth down” games during the Patriots run to perfection in 2007. With the Patriots already leading 38-0 in the third quarter, on a fourth-and-1 at the Redskins 7-yard line, Belichick opted to have Brady run for the first instead of mercy-kicking a field goal. The Patriots continued to run up the score en route to a 52-7 stomping, the Redskins worst loss since 1961.

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20. New Orleans Saints

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Probably the lone sore spot in the weak Saints-Patriots rivalry is when the Saints traded away a second round pick in 2011 and a first round pick in 2012 to move up and draft Mark Ingram, who has had a lackluster first two seasons in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Patriots picked up Shane Vereen (who scored three touchdowns in the AFC divisional game last season), and the talented pass rusher Chandler Jones. The jury is out for the time being, but the Saints arguably could have used some defensive talent like Jones or Don’t’a Hightower (who the Pats also selected in the first round) from the 2012 draft class instead of the backfield crowding Ingram.

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21. Carolina Panthers

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Tom Brady Super Bowl victim #2. It was Carolina’s first and only Super Bowl appearance. They seemed destined for a shot to win football’s greatest prize in overtime… until John Kasay’s kickoff rolled out of bounds with just over one minute left. That was too much time and too short of a field for Tom Brady, who promptly marched the Patriots down the field so Adam Vinatieri could kick the game winning field goal, effectively ending the Jake Delhomme’s run as a successful quarterback.

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22. Atlanta Falcons

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Back in 1991, the Patriots held the #1 overall pick in the draft, which the Falcons coveted because they wanted to draft then No. 1 prospect Raghib Ismail. The Patriots instead traded it to the Cowboys who failed to stop Ismail from signing with the Toronto Argonauts. Unable to make a deal with Dallas, Atlanta’s dreams of pairing Ismail with Andre Rison to give quarterback Crhsi Miller two top targets was dashed by the stingy Patriots.  Atlanta instead drafted Bruce Pickens and Mike Pritchard in the first round, both of whom were off the team by 1994, while Dallas took future Pro Bowl defensive tackle Russell Maryland number one overall, who helped anchor their defense en route to three Super Bowls in the next four years. The fact that Ismail was never elite in the NFL is irrelevant, Atlanta wanted that pick!

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23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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In the Buccaneers first season as an NFL franchise, they became the first team to go 0-14 in an NFL season. The Patriots were the Buccaneers’ last shot at a victory in week 14, but the Buccaneers were trounced 31-14 on their home turf. Ouch.

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24. Green Bay Packers

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Even though the Packers bested the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI to return the Lombardi trophy to Titletown, when Tom Brady came to Lambeau Field for the first time he had different plans. Brady and the Patriots wiped the floor with the Brett Favre led Packers in Lambeau in 2006, something that was impossible during Favre’s early years in Green Bay. Brady and the Patriots laughed in the face of the “Frozen Tundra,” and left with a resounding 35-0 victory.

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25. Minnesota Vikings

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Call it the Troy Williamson effect. The Vikings traded Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders for a player (I dare you to tell me who without using Google) and a few picks, which they turned into Troy Williamson in the 2005 draft. Williamson was supposed to be the heir apparent for Moss but washed out of the NFL a few years later. Meanwhile, after suffering through the Oakland Raiders, Moss reemerged as his old dominant self in 2007 when he set the record for receiving touchdowns in a season… with the Patriots. The Vikings reacquired Moss from the Patriots during the 2010 season by trading away a third round pick, but he was never the same and the Vikings were burned, again.

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26. Chicago Bears

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The Bears hatred for the Patriots stems back to the 1985 season, when the Bears handled the Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. Super Bowl shuffles aside, the Bears victory will forever be diminished by the inferiority of their opponent. New England’s “Cinderella” status is a blemish on the Bears one and only Super Bowl win and for that the Bears hate the Patriots. As Adam pointed out above, a rematch with the Dolphins would have been preferable, but the Patriots went and screwed it up.

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27. Detroit Lions

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The Lions always play their hearts out on their traditional Thanksgiving Day game. Despite their pride in representing this time honored tradition, they only own a 33-36-2 record all-time on turkey day, and two of their recent defeats have come at the hands of the Patriots.

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28. San Francisco 49ers

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San Francisco owns an 8-4 record all-time over the Patriots, but their real beef should be with the Patriots for dropping the 2012 AFC Championship Game to the Baltimore Ravens, who eventually beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl. The 49ers were likely hoping for a rematch against the Patriots, whom they’d ran up 41 points against in Foxboro just a few weeks prior behind the legs and arm of Colin Kaepernick.

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29. Arizona Cardinals

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The Cardinals upset the Patriots in week 2 last season, and that was with Kevin Kolb at the helm, so why should they hate the Patriots? They followed that up by losing nine of their next 11 games, and are still currently in the market for a franchise quarterback. The Patriots on the other hand, have that guy named Brady and now it’s rumored the Cardinals could be in line for former Patriots and soon-to-be Chiefs cast off Matt Cassel.  The Cardinals (and Cardinals fans) would probably prefer Brady’s backup Ryan mallet, but the odds of pulling him out from the Pats organization cheaply are less likely than the Cardinals winning the Super Bowl next season. And those odds aren’t good at all.

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30. Seattle Seahawks

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The Seahawks were also a team that upset the Patriots last season, giving us Richard Sherman’s now legendary tweet “U MAD BRO? in the process. The Seahawks, like several other teams, don’t have much reason to hate the Patriots, but they could very soon. Statistician Nate Silver recently predicted a Seahawks-Patriots matchup for Super Bowl XLVIII. Tom Brady’s not mad now, but he probably will be if these teams meet in Brady’s sixth Super Bowl, which could spell disaster for the young, fiery Seahawks defense.

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31. St. Louis Rams

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Tom Brady Super Bowl victim #1. Brady squashed the Rams hopes of becoming a dynasty, and instead, started one of his own. Had Warner beat Tom Brady for his second Super Bowl win in three years, we could be discussing Warner as the one chasing Montana’s Super Bowl win record, and not Brady.

-Alex Gelhar @alexgelhar