SportsCrack

Playoff Interview Special: Green Bay Packers

As you all know, I've been interviewing fans of particular playoff teams over the past week or so. This editions interviewee is Alex Holowczak, a very respected member of the http://armchairgm.com community.

Football Crack (FC) Be honest: Did you want Brett Favre to retire at the conclusion of last year’s season?

Alex: I wanted Brett Favre to play on, because I thought that Favre was better than Rodgers. I still think he is better than Rodgers. I do think he should retire at the end of this season, though. 2007 was his last hurrah, and it would be great if he got to another Super Bowl.

(FC) I ended up taking Priest Holmes with my last free agent pickup in my fantasy league (I know, I know) although I almost took Ryan Grant. Do you think he’s for real? What do you think he’ll do next season?

Alex: I honestly don't know. I think next year will be more of an indication. Everyone thought Larry Johnson was unbelievable when he started out, but he dipped in form in his second real year. I certainly believe he is Green Bay's Number 1 at RB. Brandon Jackson was horrible, although Deshawn Wynn was good too. I would wait until next season before passing judgement. Of course, he could just be benefiting from a good O-line.

(FC) What do you drink, if anything during Packer games?

Alex: I drink Fruit Juice - I usually watch them on NFL.com with the scrolling scoreboard. I can't really pop down the road to Lambeau Field.

(FC) Out of the rookies that played this season, who is your Green Bay Packer Rookie of the Year?

Alex: James Jones. He could be potentially a great NFL reciever. I've also been hugely impressed with Mason Crosby though, but I suppose I'd have to go with Jones because kickers always get overlooked. Both are on my keeper league, and I'm glad to have them!

(FC) Do you own a pair of Wrangler jeans?

Alex: Do I own Wrangler jeans? As it happens, no. But then, I don't own any jeans...

(FC) What’s your prediction for the Packers/Seahawks game?

Alex: I think the Packers are too good for the Seahawks, especially at Lambeau Field. I think we are stronger on both sides of the ball, and I would like to think we can beat Seattle. I also hope we win, because SSreporters was very cocky in the Seahawks-Redskins game, so I'd like it to be the Packers that end the Seahawks dreams.

(FC) What about your prediction for the year? Do you think they can beat the Patriots?

Alex: Can we beat the Patriots? No. But I think Indianapolis can if they get the chance too. I think Green Bay can beat Indianapolis, but not New England. I can't see us beating Dallas though in Dallas. So I think our challenge may end in Dallas if we have to go there.

(FC) I’m going to be honest: at the beginning of the season when the Packers started off hot, I kept predicting week after week that they would eventually fall off and suck for the rest of the season. Yes, I’m retarded, I know. What was the general Packers fan consensus going into this season? Were you surprised that they were doing so well?

Alex: I think 2006 was a good rebuilding year. 8-8 with an inexperienced squad was a good achievement. 2007 just built on it. Last year's players were all 1 year more experienced, and I think it helped a lot. They got to grips with the gameplan more than they did last year. Brett Favre said the team was hugely talented, and it seems like he was right. I personally didn't think we'd do this well, maybe make the playoffs, but they've exceeded my expectations. I thought the Pack would do well because the schedule was fairly easy to them, especially compared to our division rivals.

(FC) How did you become a fan of the Packers?

Alex: Madden 2000, I picked a random team, and it was the Packers.

(FC) How do you watch Packers games since you live in the U.K.?

Alex: I watch most on NFL.com. In the regular season, we get Sunday and Monday night games live, so if the Pack play then, I'll record them and watch the following evening. The evening games start at 3am ish. The 1pm ET starts are 6pm here, so they are easy enough to track on NFL.com. The Super Bowl will be live, so I would watch that if the Pack were in it. But even that would finish at nigh on 3am. And I have to be up at 5:30.

(FC) Who is the MVP of the 2007-08 Green Bay Packers?

Alex: Brett Favre, without a shadow of a doubt. He's been exceptional.

(FC) This has absolutely nothing to do with sports, I’m sorry, but whenever I talk to someone who is from the U.K. I ask them this. What is your favorite U.K. candy bar? What about your favorite American candy bar? Have you had that chocolate bar with the little air bubbles in it?

Alex: Little air bubbles in it? I can remember "Aeros", if that's what you mean. They're nice, I must admit. To be fair, if you say the phrase "candy bar" to anyone in Britain, you're liabel to have "stupid Yank", or phrases to that extent thrown back at you. On similar lines, it's a good job you don't have to spell favourite in front of them! But my favourite sweets... Well, I live in the Black Country, it's an old industrial heartland. If you google maps it, and look at the UK, type in Dudley, West Midlands, and I live about a mile away from that. Fairly near to Birmingham. The Black Country is famous for having traditional confectioners, and they produce a lot of good "sweets". Hard-boiled, mainly. I'm thinking of "Strawberries and Cream", "Blackcurrent and Raspberries", "Pear drops", "cola bites", and other such things along those lines. Favourite American "candy"? I don't really know which confectioners are American. Also, Birmingham is the home of "Cadbury", who are the most famous chocolate manufacturers over here. Unless "Rowntrees" are American, because Fruit Gums, or Fruit Pastilles are quite popular. Haribo, are they American? They sell well, too.

Aero chocolate = Delicious

(FC) What would the motto be for the Packers 2007-08 season off the top of your head? Real quick!

Alex: Brett Favre's last hurrah.

(FC) Excellent answers Alex, thank you for your time!

Playoff Interview Special: Washington Redskins

You all know the drill: I'm interviewing a fan of each Wild Card team in anticipation of the playoffs. Well, it's the same deal here except that I'm actually interviewing someone who was beneficial in me beginning to write about sports. I've visited his sports blog daily for the past year and a half and it is an honor to get his answers to my questions about his favorite NFL team: The Washington Redskins. Who is the interviewee you ask? Chris Chase (http://www.chrischase.com). Go read it, it's fantastic.



Football Crack (FC): What was your favorite moment from the Redskins regular season?

Chris: On Christmas Eve morning I was walking around a Best Buy in Columbia, MD, aimlessly looking for some last-minute gifts when I overheard two employees discussing the Redskins. One was explaining to the other how the Redskins now controlled their own destiny and would likely make the playoffs as the second Wild Card team if they beat a Dallas team that had nothing to play for. This was, of course, not news to me as I had played out that same exact scenario in my head for weeks. But, for some reason, hearing it from a stranger in a random location near Ravens-country made it more real. And that made me happy.

FC: Least favorite?

Chris: The second defensive play of the Buffalo game, after the Redskins played with ten men on the first one. It was at that point that Sean Taylor's murder, and the fact that life and football would be moving on, was most evident.

FC: As much as I love Sean Taylor and would like to focus many questions of this interview on him, I'm only going to ask one question about him: What is your favorite Sean-Tay moment of all time?

Chris: Week 2, Monday night, 2005. After outlasting the Bears in week 1, the 'Skins were down 13-0 to the Cowboys with 3:56 remaining. Two fourth-down conversions and Brunell-to-Moss bombs later, they were up 14-13, but with plenty of time remaining on the clock. A long kickoff return by Tyson Thompson set-up the Cowboys in good field position. A few plays later, they were on the edge of field goal range when Drew Bledsoe threw to Patrick Crayton on a 3rd and 4. Crayton caught the ball right at the marker and appeared set to move the chains and, likely, get the Cowboys into range for the game-winning field goal.

But, out of nowhere, SeanTay laid his helment in Crayton's chest and the ball flew backwards seven yards. It was an incomplete pass. The Redskins went on to win. That's the forgotten play of that memorable game, but it was just as important as the two TD bombs.

FC: I remember watching that hilarious Clinton Portis hot dog clip on your site a month or two back. What was your favorite quirky Clinton Portis moment this season?

Chris: His outfit after the Cowboys game; hands down.

FC: Out of all the Redskins rookies that have played this year, who would you give the Redskins Rookie of the Year award to?

Chris: Laron Landry is the obvious answer here, but I'm going to go with Lorenzo Alexander, a do-everything 300-pounder who went undrafted out of Cal. Alexander plays offense, defense and special teams and does each very well. He's an unheralded guy, one you won't likely hear about much, but he's a player.

FC: What do you drink, if anything, during Redskins games?

Chris: I've cut back on the gameday drinking in recent years because I like remembering what happened the next day. But I usually drink three or four of either Sierra Nevada or Sam Seasonal.

FC: What's your prediction for the Skins/Hawks game?

Chris: I'm really superstitious and I've vowed not to pick any 'Skins games this year. Let's just say that I'm not all that impressed with Seattle and their weak resume. However, I am afraid of that 24-3 home record over the past three seasons, the 'Skins kicking game and the cross-country flight.

FC: Building on the last question, what are your predictions for the year?

Chris: Quiet as it's kept, the Redskins have been in every single game they've played this year with the exception of the Pats game. They dominated the Packers at Lambeau, but turned the ball over too many times. They had Dallas on the ropes in Big D, but couldn't defend T.O. without Sean Taylor (who was injured for that game). There's no reason they can't keep their winning streak going and make a deep run into the playoffs. But that's a conversation, hopefully, for another day.

FC: Jason Campbell or Todd Collins: Who is the Redskins QB of the future?

Chris: Campbell is the quarterback of the future; but Collins is the now. The only way Campbell should not have a lock on the starting gig next year is if Collins is sublime in the playoffs.

FC: Who is the MVP of the 2007-08 Washington Redskins?

Chris: If we're talking abstractly, Joe Gibbs is the MVP. People who don't follow the 'Skins like to make jokes about how Gibbs is senile, mainly based on the misunderstood timeout error. And it's true, Gibbs' clock management hasn't been the best this season. Much of this has to do with his young quarterback, but either way it's still a valid point. But nobody else could have rallied this team after Sean Taylor's death; not Dungy, not Shanahan and certainly not that cheating prick Bill Belichick.

On the players side, my vote goes to Shawn Springs who has managed to stay healthy and has returned to shutdown corner form this season. Now that I've said that, he's going to give up two deep TD passes tomorrow. Dammit.

FC: Is there a Redskins fan nickname for the team or the offense/defense? A la the Steel Curtain, Purple People Eaters, etc.

Chris: Nothing too clever, unfortunately.

FC: What parts of the team as a whole does the organization need to focus on in the upcoming draft?

Chris: D-Line; without a doubt. This means the team will draft another safety.

FC: Just how many coaches are there on the actual coaching staff?

Chris: Does Joe Bugel's hair count as a coach? Cause that hair is awesome.

FC: When Jason Campbell went down, did Redskin Nation have a collective heart attack?

Chris: When Todd Collins completely looked lost on his first series, that's when everyone freaked out. When he hit Todd Yoder for a TD pass as the first half came to an end in that Chicago game, we breathed a sigh of tempered-relief.

FC: If you had to think of a motto for this year off the top of your head, what would it be? Real quick!

Chris: It's their density... I mean, destiny.

FC: Well, that's it for the questions. Insightful and humorous as always, Chris -- thank you for the interview!

Playoff Interview Special: Jacksonville Jaguars

In anticipation of the upcoming NFL playoffs, I've taken the liberty to find a fan from each team in the Wild Card round and ask them some questions about them. Next up: The Jacksonville Jaguars.


For this interview I got TWO different Jaguars fans. First up is Jamile, a Jaguars fan who answered his teams calling on the ESPN.com NFL message boards. (Handle: DuvalJag904)

Football Crack (FC): What ever happened to Jack del Rio’s suits? Did he realize he and Mike Nolan were the only ones wearing them? Did the fans enjoy it?

Jamile: I think he wore it once this year for the Monday night game against the Colts. But this time he only wore a shirt and tie, I guess the jacket was too hot. I'm pretty sure he knew he and Nolan were the only coaches wearing it but he didn't care, he's all about being and looking like a professional. Yea, the fans enjoyed it, it got us on ESPN didn't it? Haha!

FC: Is there a Jaguars fan nickname for the Fred Taylor/M.J.D. duo? Something like Thunder and Lightning? Maurice Jones Taylor? I’m aware that those nicknames suck… there just examples, but I’ve always wondered this.

Jamile: Nope, no nicknames. We call Fred: Freddie T and we call MJD: Mojo, Superman, Bowling Ball, and Pinball. I think ESPN did a special on the Mayne Event about all of his nicknames.

FC: Before David Garrard got the starting job what was the fan reaction to him? Did you guys want him to start over Byron Leftwich?

Jamile: Fans were highly in favor of Garrard or any other quarterback except for Leftwich for that matter. You have to think about it, Leftwich was the 7th pick in the draft, so a lot was expected from him but he never delivered because of all his injuries. Whenever Garrard got in the game he always performed well until last season when he single-handily lost the last three games of the season causing us to miss the playoffs. But this preseason the coaches saw him progressing while Leftwich stayed the same, and we all know what happened after that.

FC: What was your favorite moment of the regular season?

Jamile: Beating the Steelers in Jacksonburgh, I mean Pittsburgh, in there weather conditions and at there game, which is running the ball, stopping the run and physically dominating the other team. It was fun to see the "loyal" Steeler fans leaving Heinz Field with almost a whole quarter left to play.

FC: What about the worst moment?

Jamile: Losing to the Colts on Monday Night, when David Garrard got hurt… I knew it was over.

FC: What's your prediction for the Jags/Steelers game?

Jamile: Of course, the Jaguars: 34-21. The Steelers will play their hardest and they will get a lot of help from their fans but still won't be enough. They have too many injuries with no depth to replace the injured players and we are just more talented than they are, its that simple. If you stop our running game, we have the luxury this year of passing the ball with Garrard.

FC: What do you drink, if anything, during a Jaguars game?

Jamile: 2 Elevens, their pretty popular down south. Its like a very strong beer. One can will have you feeling good. I plan on drinking a couple this week!

FC: If you had to think of a motto for this year, off the top of your head -- what would it be? Real quick!

Jamile: Get the job done!

FC: Who is your choice for the MVP of the Jaguars for the 2007-08 season?

Jamile: Fred Taylor, he is the face of the franchise. At 31, he's still the best player on our team, we wouldn't be in the playoffs without Freddie T!


FC: And the big question: What's your prediction for the year?

Jamile: I think we will beat the Steelers and give the Patriots a run for their money. Our running game eats up a lot of clock and that’s the best defense to the best offense of all time.

FC: Of course you'll give the Pats a run for their money, but your not going to win, haha! Thanks for the interview, Jamile. Great job!

_______________________________________________


Next up, another die-hard Jaguars fan: Robert (Handle: Leeway04).

FC: Is there a nickname for the Jaguars team as a whole and/or the offense/defense this year? A la, Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain, and Minnesota's Purple People Eaters?

Robert: Teal Curtain. The Duval Wall.

FC: Jacksonville had a lot of draft picks in the past draft. Out of the one's that played, who is your Jaguars Rookie of the Year?


FC: Put Fred Taylor in a time machine and send him back in time to whatever age MJD is (early 20's). Put them side by side. You can only keep one on the team... who is it and why?

Robert: Freddie....Better all-purpose back and while MJD is a great utility player, that's exactly what he is...a utility player (good for kickoffs and certain scenarios)...he isn't an every down back.

FC: As a fan, who are your biggest rivals? Still the Colts/Titans, or is it the Bucs cause they live so close?

Robert: 5 years ago? The Titans due to the 99 season... but now? The Colts...they stand between us and the division title every year.

FC: Good stuff, Robert. And that's it! Stay tuned for the two remaining Saturday playoff teams tomorrow (Redskins and Seahawks)!

Playoff Interview Special: The Steel Curtain Edition

In anticipation of the upcoming NFL playoffs, I've taken the liberty to find a fan from each team in the Wild Card round and ask them some questions about them. The first edition: The Pittsburgh Steelers.


The fan: Dave (aka ReconGuy55 on the ESPN.com Message Boards). He is an avid contributor to the NFL Message boards over at ESPN.com


Football Crack (FC): I lost a LOT of money when the Steelers lost to the Jets a couple weeks back (screwed up my 3 team parlay)… what are your thoughts on that game?

Dave: The Jets game sucked. My thought at the time was that they just can't lose that game. Unacceptable. I wouldn't mind it as much if they had finished the year strong but they didn't.

FC: What exactly did you do when you realized Willie Parker was out for the season? Shit your pants? Drop your beer?

Dave: Honestly, I have always thought Parker was good but not an everydown back. I was a little bummed but not ready to hit the panic button. I think Davenport will do OK. The offensive line injuries worry me ALOT more than Parker.

FC: Good point, the offensive line situation would be more of a concern.

FC: Big Ben: Why did he return to form this year?

Dave: I think Big Ben wouldn't admit it last year but he was hurting all year from hit cycle accident and appendix surgery. I think the biggest difference this year is that he is healthy and realized how hard he needs to work to be good in this league.

FC: Yeah it was good to see him back on track. Especially since I had him on my fantasy team, although I traded him halfway through the season... I make very dumb trades after I've been drinking, which isn't very smart.

FC: What’s the deal with Steely McBeam and why hasn’t there been a mass petition by Steelers fans to have him ‘erased’?

Dave: I don't think McBeam is really that big a deal and nobody really remembers him until they see him. I was at the Pitt/Miami game a few weeks ago and I saw McBeam outside the stadium. Until I saw him I actually forgot he existed. Even then I just walked by.

Steeley McBeam

FC: Good to know. I shouldn't even be talking, since Pat the Patriot isn't the most masculine looking guy either... and come to think of it--his name is kind of retarded, too. Oh well.

FC: What is your prediction for the Jaguars game?

Dave: "Prediction..hmmm. I think if Essex and Colon can give Ben time to throw the Steelers will put alot of points up. That is a big if however. The Steelers play better when nobody gives them a shot and they are mad. I really think they will beat the Jags..I'll say Pitt 34 Jax 24."

FC: Mike Tomlin… Omar Epps' cousin? What do Steelers fans think about this?

Dave: "Thats pretty funny. I never noticed that before. Hopefully Tomlin isn't just an actor. Jury still out!!!"

Mike Tomlin and Omar Epps... distant cousins?

FC: What is your prediction for the entire year? Be honest!

Dave: "I think we will beat the Jags (see above). I think we will go to New England next week and play much better than we did the last time. Unfortunately it still won't be enough. They will lose to the Pats in a closer game than people think."

FC: Well, there you have it -- straight from a Steelers fan's keyboard. I forgot to ask him who he thought the Steelers 2007-08 MVP was, so if your reading this and your a Steelers fan, please state who you think the team MVP is in the comments. Stay tuned for interviews with fans from every wild card playoff team in the next couple hours/days. And thanks again, Dave!