the Miami Sports Dude

I hate the mainstream sports media. Have I mentioned this before? I’m sure I have. I hate the so-called "expert" talking heads. I hate Sean Salisbury, Chris Berman, Cris Collinsworth, pretty much the entire ESPN Sports Center Staff of Anchors and all the morons out there in the mainstream media that think they know when, in actuality, they don’t know shit.

Before the Sunday night game between the Chargers and Broncos last night, the morons at NBC set up something called the Toyota Player of The Day. This is where you, Average Joe Football Watcher gets to vote for Sunday's Player Of The Day. And you, Average Joe Football Watcher can then see which player the NBC “experts” voted for. You know, so you can rub elbows with the Gods and shit. They really go out of their way to make you, Average Joe Football Watcher, “feel” like an expert too. Just like them! Only, of course, your opinion is considered as important to them as a landfill – where the rest of the garbage is collected and stacked and buried.

Anyway, the candidates for this thing, as picked by the NBC “experts,” were Brian Urlacher, Tom Brady, Chad Johnson and Frank Gore. It’s a fine list of worthy candidates. All four players had solid, if not great, games to help their teams win.

The problem I have with this is with the one name that was completely omitted from this list.

Jason Fucking Taylor!

Hello!!!

Urlacher apparently won the vote. But remember, the candidates are nominated by the NBC "experts." Yes, Urlacher did have a fine game over the Jets. He ended his game with 6 tackles and a key interception in the Jets’ endzone to seal the shut out over New York. And that’s all good and fine.

But come on!

Not only did Taylor have 5 tackles in Miami’s win over the Vikings. He won the game. By himself. He had a key sack towards the end of regulation and, before that, he had an amazing interception which he returned for a touchdown. And by amazing, I mean a-freakin-mazing! The Vikings were driving for the win against the Fins when they tried to set up a screen pass to running back Chester Taylor. As Jason rushed the QB, he immediately read the offense’s intention, stopped in his tracks, pulled back and shadowed the Viking running back as Brad Johnson threw the pass. Taylor then contorted his body and plucked the ball out of the air and then ran it back for the game-winning touchdown.

And Brian Urlacher gets NBC’s nod as the lone defensive standout and Player of the Week nomination?

That’s the main stream media for you.

Let’s just forget Jason Taylor, who has not only single-handedly been responsible for the Dolphins current winning streak, he outplayed and outshined Urlacher and the entire vaunted Bears defense in Chicago three weeks ago and handed Urlacher and the Bears their first and only loss of the season. Taylor is on a four game tear and if the Dolphins pull off the impossible and make the playoffs, it will be because Jason Taylor is flat out the single best defensive player in all of football. Period.

Not Urlacher.

Not Champ Baily.

Not Teddy Bruschi.

Not Julius Peppers.

JASON TAYLOR.

If the Dolphins do sniff the playoffs this season, not only should Taylor be Defensive Player of the Year but he also needs serious MVP considerations (although I’ll admit LaDanian Tomlinson clearly deserves it.).

Either way, I’m sure the mainstream media and sports writers everywhere will hand the award to their media darling Urlacher and give Taylor a bullshit token Defensive Player of November award.

But we know who the real defensive player of the week and the season is.

Mr. Urlacher, here is your ass – compliments of Mr. Taylor.

Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth can bite me.

Labels: Miami Dolphins

# posted by The Dude : 3:12 PM