And Then There Were Two

The 1972 Miami Dolphins aren’t the greatest team in NFL history.

Before you get upset, noting that no team has gone undefeated in the NFL since Don Shula’s well-oiled machine, I readily admit that they are the NFL’s most memorable team in history. Even if you weren’t around to witness the Dolphins, you know their players: Griese, Czonka, Morris, Buoniconi, & Kuechenberg.

Those players don’t stand above names like Montana, Aikman, and Elway, but they are comparable and their team is more memorable because they were part of an amazing accomplishment that has yet to be matched.

Many teams in recent memory have flirted with going an entire NFL season undefeated in recent years. The 2007 New England Patriots ran off 18 straight wins before falling to Eli Manning and the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

Both the Saints and Colts have had impressive victories this season. They’ve both won shootouts (Washington this past week for New Orleans, New England in week ten), and had impressive grinder style victories (New Orleans over the Jets 24-10 and Indy over the 49ers 18-14).

Home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is all but clinched for both teams, meaning the only thing left to play for (pride withstanding) will be a shot at undefeated glory.

The New Orleans Saints & Indianapolis Colts, however, simply don’t have the defense to be able to hold up unblemished marks all season. Both teams possess great quarterbacks who lead precise offenses in Brees and Manning, but at some point offenses fail. It’s at that point, where great defenses pick up the slack. The Saints, for all their offensive firepower, give up a ton of points. The Colts defense, on the other hand, has made tremendous strides but has yet to be tested in a do-or-die scenario.

This year will be memorable because of Indianapolis & New Orleans, but ultimately they won’t find themselves on the same sports pedestal as the 1972 Dolphins. The nature of today’s NFL is of parity, and thus not undefeated seasons.

All isn’t lost, Manning or Brees have both had MVP caliber seasons. Chances are that one of the two signal callers will be holding onto the Lombardi trophy and talking about Disney World on a cool night in February. And that’ll be just fine with Don Shula, who will sip on champagne one more year and treasure professional football’s most memorable team.

No One's Perfect

Tiger Woods is human after all.

In a statement released on his website Wednesday, the superstar admitted to “personal sins” and “transgressions” that have left a stain on himself and his family.

Woods also made it known that he feels privacy is something that should be protected, even with celebrity status. “Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions,” said Woods

The statement came after almost six days of tabloid speculation that began with an suspicious early morning single car accident last Friday with Woods at the wheel; cut, bloodied, and without shoes.

I’m not going to get into the TMZ fodder here. The pictures, text messages, and even voicemails are easily accessible to anyone who knows how to use Google. The important part of Woods’ statement is the apology to his wife and two young children, but perhaps the most interesting element is Tiger's unabashed furor toward the lack of privacy today. Woods explained that he feels we all have the "right to some simple, human measure of privacy."

Privacy is an aspect of life to which we should all have access. Tiger Woods has given up most semblance of such privacy over the years, and has made millions along the way. His point strikes a chord with me, and it’s easy to see that when the media is throwing personal communications in the face of one’s family, perhaps celebrity has gone too far in our ever news hungry world. That said, an invasion of privacy didn’t cause Woods’ failures, it simply brought them to light.

Tiger’s life isn’t over. He’ll still win hundreds more golf tournaments, most likely breaking Jack Nicklaus’ record in the process. Tiger has never been a politician or a preacher. Woods has always been a golfer, and what he does in the fairway and on the tee box is what has brought him astounding fame and fortune.

Woods has made terrible mistakes, but it’s not for us to judge him. His wife, his family, and his close friends have to try to accept his apology and move forward.

Tiger’s image may never be the same, but all he can hope for is that his family life will someday be what it was before this week’s media firestorm. Either way, I’ll be watching him on Sundays.