MMBSD: Season's End and Season's Begining

Well this Sunday marked the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. This year's playoffs could be one of the better one, at least for those us that like unpredictability. Who's the second best team in the AFC? I would go with the Broncos but arguments can be made for the other 4 as well. Who's the favorite in the NFC? One could legitimately go with the team with the best record (Seahawks), the hottest team (Redskins), best D (Bears) or the team that's done it before (Panthers). It was an odd year to say the least. Parity was more of a punch line than a reality. When the Clowns at 6-10 only had the 14th worse record in the league, you know there was a river of crap out there. The playoffs though didn't have any team sneak in. All the playoff bound teams have double digits in the victory column. Among the playoff elite, though, parity reigns. The difference among the playoff teams is fairly razor thin and in honesty on any given day, any team (within each Conference that is) could beat any other. I'll say this much, the media favorite will be the tragedy struck Dungy led Colts. Will Dungy and Manning finally win the big game? As they say at the NY Stock exchange past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Mighty's Season Ending Awards
BFP (Best Football Player) - Sean Alexander - Sets the season touchdown mark
MVP (Most Valuable Player) Tiki Barber - If you needed a big game, where else would you turn?
MIP (Most Improved Player) - Carson Palmer - Rose from an uncertainty to an elite
BCS (Best Comeback Story) - Steve Smith
Biggest Surprise (In a positive way)- Tie between Tampa and Chicago
Biggest Surprise (In a negative way) - Philly and Green Bay (Philly had a year from hell via injuries and an ancient Hindu curse, Green Bay was thought to be bad, but not that bad.
Dark Horse For Next Year - There is always a team hovering between 7-9 and 9-7 that looks poised to be a threat for next year's playoff. My selection is Miami who finished the season at 9-7 with 6 straight wins. If they get decent QB play all of next season, Saban's Dolphins could be a dark horse threat.


Random Thoughts that I think:
I take no satisfaction in Maurice Clarett hitting rock bottom with the arrest warrant. Its just sad that someone with wonderful athletic talents would go from nearly on top of the football world to facing jail time. It just shows that nothing should ever be taken for granted. I have no idea how Belichek on one hand could allow the drop kick extra point by Doug Flutie and on the other keep a straight face when discussing the play during his press conference. The Cavs gave the Detroit Pistons a whopping on New Years eve but nobody is beating the Pistons in a seven game series if the Pistons stay healthy. Too little credit is given to Joe Dumars for assembling that team. Interesting article in Slate that discusses why USC is over-rated and ESPN is smoking something for seemingly putting it as the best college team ever. Is it really 2006?