Virgo-Pisces Alliance No.228: Why is Trent Dilfer Andrew Luck's biggest fan?

So, unless you have been under a rock for the past two years, you probably know the name of Andrew Luck.  You probably know that he is expected to the be the #1 over-all pick in the up-coming 2012 NFL Draft.  Unless something really unexpected happens, the Colts will take him and begin their rebuilding effort in verity & sooth.

I will blog about Jim Irsay's very interesting dilemma soon, but not this time.

One of the things football fans have noticed over the course of the past several months is that Andrew Luck has many advocates.  In fact, he has almost zero (0) detractors.

So far, only Phil Simms has risen in critique of Andrew Luck.  I have the greatest respect for Phil Simms, and I view him as one of the top-analysts of the game.  However, I think his critique of Andrew is off-base.  I just don't see it his way.  I just can't see on film what he claims to have seen on film.  When Phil says Andrew doesn't make NFL-type throws, I simply can't understand what he's talking about.  I've seen almost nothing but NFL-type throws out of the kid.  The weight of evidence is greatly against Phil.

Among all of the many advocates Andrew has, one stands out above all the rest.  That would be Trent Dilfer.  Trent Dilfer has said extraordinary things about Andrew.  Like what?  How about "Andrew Luck has no flaws".

Wow... that would make Andrew Luck perfect, now wouldn't it?  I rate the kid pretty dang high, but I would stop shy of perfect.  It's pretty clear that Trent doesn't shy away from that statement.  He believes Andrew will have the most glory-ladened career of all the young'ins coming up in the 2012 NFL Draft.  Trent really believes he is the perfect QB candidate.

It's to be expected.  Trent is a March 13, 1972 Pisces dude.  Andrew is a September 12, 1989 Virgo kid.  That's almost a perfect 180, folks.  The circular distance between March 13 and September 12 is almost exactly 180 degrees.  That is the most powerful angle for attraction, balance, and complementary.  Sirius 1.1 doesn't score them that high, but this is one of those false negatives I like to harp upon.  Looking at the two charts in comparison, I can see obvious things the scoring engine missed.  Dilfer likes Luck better than Sirius says.

Incidentally, Trent is birthday-buddies with my brother.  My brother is 3 years younger.  Once upon a time, I was Trent Dilfer's biggest advocate in the NFL Draft.  I was the leader of the Draft-Trent movement among the Ram fans back 1994.  I was so incandescently pissed-off  when my Rams failed to broker a deal in that draft that I literally took a couple of years off from football.  I knew we were going to suck.  1994-1998 were absolutely dreadful years, only exceeded by our recent stretch of time.  I maintain those would have been much better years if we had made a deal and selected Trent.  Our biggest problem in those days was the QB position.

If you have been keeping track of super-recent events, you know that a debate is emerging inside NFL business circles.  The question is simple.  Who is better:  Andrew Luck of Robert Griffin III?  This is natural occurrence.  We always have too much time on our hands this time of year, ergo we chew over questions and non-questions a thousand times.  Just a couple of months ago, this question would have been considered untenable.

I want to make some specific predictions about this coming debate:

1. It will rage on until draft day
2. RGIII's knee injury will not deter this debate.  Andrew had one also.
3. The Fire/Air Alliance will back RGIII
4. The Earth/Water Alliance will back Andrew Luck.
5. Mike Mayock is going to be torn.  He's next door to Andrew and 180 degrees away from RGIII.  He's going to struggle with this one.  I bet he loves both of these kids.
6. The same goes for Mel Kiper.
7. Todd McShay will side with RGIII
8. Trent Dilfer will continue to be Andrew Luck's biggest advocate.
9. Kurt Warner & Rich Eisen will side with Andrew Luck.

2011 NFL Season, Week 15 Results

Week 15... a week that will live in infamy.  A week of disgusting upsets.  Consequently, I had my worst week of the year at 7-8.  A loosing record for Christ's sake!  This never happens to me!  If it is any consolation, the dudes at ESPN didn't fare much better than I did.

I guess you can argue that the meek inherited the league (for one week) but now we must suffer all manner of rubbish discourse about whether the Chargers are actually the strongest team in the AFC.  We also have to suffer the remonstrations of Patriot bleeders who think the great pretenders of 2011 are the strongest team in the AFC.  'Taint so.

I want to make two things perfectly clear:

1. No learned, responsible, knowledgeable evaluator of the NFL expected the Chargers to be a powerhouse this season.  [Don't wave Michael Irvin around either; he was just being loyal to his old coach.]  Why?  Because they are not a powerhouse in 2011.  They have not been a powerhouse this season.  They've been chumps for the most part.  This is because of the odious actions of their GM A.J. Smith and their weak coaching staff.
2. The Patriots are dead meat in the playoffs.  I'm talking about a quick and easy out in the first round again.  They are going to be in and out like a pinche vato.  The Patriots are the great pretenders of the NFL.  You wanna crown their ass?  Then crown them, but they are who I think they are.  That's why their opponents should take the damn field.

I'm disgusted.

My brother from another mother, Kurt Warner, laid the jinx down on Green Bay during NFL Game Day Morning Edition on the NFL Network.  "The only way this team drops a game is if they all have that proverbial one-bad-game; the game where everyone comes out flat", said Warner.  He was a prophet and didn't know it.  The Packers came out and did precisely that, losing to a team they had absolutely no business losing too.

Pop the corks in Miami.  You remain the only undefeated team in the modern history of the league.  I am disappointed for the Pack.  I thought they would do it.  One loss won't stop them from going back-to-back, tho.

I don't know which was worse, the Patriots up-ending my Broncos, or the Chargers laying a once-in-a-blue-moon beat-down on the Ravens.  Don't read anything into it, art critics.  This performance is never again to be repeated.  Stick a fork in the Chargers, they are now done for the season.

At the end of the day, the Ravens will be the AFC Champs.  Broncos versus Ravens in Baltimore for the AFC title.

The Greatest Show on Turf

Many will complain that I should not put the Greatest Show on Turf in my series covering the NFL's greatest all-time teams. They will protest that I am being a homer. Don't do that until I skip the Patriots. Then you can call me a homer.

As we have heard many times, and many more this past weekend, the Greatest Show on Turf was probably the greatest offense the NFL has ever seen. It's the only offense to score more than 500 points in 3 consecutive seasons. Although it only resulted one world championship, we did make it to two Super Bowls. We should have won that second one.

Cheating bastards...

What was the secret behind that amazing and astounding chemistry? How could they be that dynamic? Well, why don't you just have a good look at the general synastry picture here. I know my Pentecostal brethern Kurt Warner and Issac Bruce would not approve of this analysis, but let's set that aside for the moment.

Look at the number of key players who are water signs:

1. Kurt Warner (Cancer)
2. Marshall Faulk (Pisces)
3. Issac Bruce (Scorpio)
4. Ricky Proehl (Pisces)
5. Orlando Pace (Scorpio)

Let's not forget about Dick Vermeil who is also a Scorpio. What about the rest? Well, Roland Williams, our much forgotten Tight End, is a Taurus. He goes great with everybody.

The most interesting fact about this unit is that Az-Zahir Hakim and Torry Holt are both Geminis, and they both had tremendous chemistry with Kurt Warner.

Sirus 1.1 says Kurt and Torry are totally compatible. Consider the following numbers.

1. Similarity of Interests and Temperament: 257

2. Mutual Success and High Achievement: 103

3. Problem Solving, Communication, and Mutual Understanding: 164

4. Mutual Kindness, Friendliness, Pleasantness, and Peace: 119

5. Aggressiveness, Competition, Power, Success, or Violence: 0

6. Adventurousness, Surprises, Disturbances: 172

7. Shared Creativity, Imagination, and Inspiration: 92

The story with Az Hakim is pretty good, too.

1. Similarity of Interests and Temperament: 371

2. Mutual Success and High Achievement: 31

3. Problem Solving, Communication, and Mutual Understanding: 9

4. Mutual Kindness, Friendliness, Pleasantness, and Peace: 192

5. Aggressiveness, Competition, Power, Success, or Violence: 39

6. Adventurousness, Surprises, Disturbances: 122

7. Shared Creativity, Imagination, and Inspiration: 36

What is the key to Kurt's outstanding chemistry with Gemini? First, Water and Air can mix with some difficulty. Second, Kurt is a 1st day Cancer. He was born right on the edge of Gemini. Finally, Kurt has a considerable amount of Air in his chart.

The offensive line is a remarkable mixture when you look at it. Gruttadauria and Nutten are 180 degree opposites, and you know the story about opposites. They attract and complement one another tremendously. Likewise, Fred Miller and Adam Timmerman are 180 degree opposites. Orlando was actually the odd man out on this unit, although he is all the more compatible with everyone else on the team.

Consider Coach Dick Vermeil (Scorpio) and Mike Martz (Taurus). They too are 180 degree opposites, and there was incredible dynamism between them. We were never the same after we lost Coach Vermeil. It was when these two were together that we had the best of the motivational disciplinarian and the mad scientist. Incidentally, both are super-compatible with their skill position players.

One more point: Martz (Taurus) is side-by-side with Hakim (Gemini) and Holt (Gemini) in spring time. This usually leads to good relations.

One of these days I am going to write a piece about what 1999 meant to me. It's crazy. It's so crazy, I still wonder if some of you will believe me. This is why I hesitate to blog about it.

Almost draft time folks

Everybody wants to move down

Right now everyone is buzzing about the fact that Broncos, Bengals, Cardinals and 49ers have all made phone calls suggesting their picks are for sale. According to Jason La Canfora these guys want to move down. You can read about it here.

Mine is not to question why, mine is but to profiteer on their dismay.

Folks, it looks like Billy Devaney will have no shortage of trading partners with whom he can work a deal. It looks like our picks may be in demand by teams higher up. We could get a nice reduction if pick-point costs if all these cats get into a reverse bidding war.

This is very, very good news. I am more confident now than ever that we will nail one of the top 2 prospects at the wide receiver position. I am fired up, optimistic, and expecting more good news.

Did you catch No Huddle on the NFL Network last night?

If you did, you saw not one but three former Rams talking about Wide Receivers. This was no co-inky-dink I am sure. The league knows that Ram-fans are more interested in the receiver class this year than any other fan-base in the nation. They knew damn well we would love to hear our guys take on the receiver class.

You can see some of the video here.

There was a pretty strong agreement there that A.J. is #1 on the board. Both Kurt and Torry said terribly flattering things about A.J. So did Moochie.

Only super-scout (and former Ram safety) Corey Chavous gave a small caveat in his endorsement. Although he endorsed A.J., he focused on the mental and physical toughness of Julio Jones. A.J. has missed some time with minor injuries (not much) while Julio has played straight through such trifling pain. Of course, this made everyone recall Julio's massive combine performance on a broken foot.

I don't know... maybe I am little too obsessed with A.J. Julio is the very best pieces of Anquan Bolden and Terrell Owens, with none of the negatives. That's one hell of a statement, but I think Julio can back it up. When you think about how physical and tough he is, we just can't go wrong with Julio Jones.

It's like I have said many times: Heads we win, tales we win. Both of these guys are winners. If we get either one of them we are fine.

All the more reason to reach #5 and select A.J. Green

Just a quick thought before I run out the door to work

If you watched the Schedule Release show on the NFL Network last night, you know that Rich Eisen tapped Kurt Warner on the shoulder, designating him the messenger with bad news for all Ram fans. Just what is that bad news?

We have what appears to be a very tough schedule, especially up front. Although my little brother from another mother described the end of the schedule as tough, he was just plain wrong about that. The end is very do-able. It is very tough up front, but relatively easy down the stretch.

Those first 8 games contain some zingers.

I will do a detailed breakdown of the schedule at a later time. I just want to make one point for GM Billy Devaney. We can scream and cry about having to face the last four (5?) world champions, or we can point a loaded shotgun at them. Now which do you want to do?

I will give you one undeniable fact that no one can avoid: We won't beat a single one of these teams unless we score more points than they do. I assure you, my logic is infallible. I challenge you to disprove that statement.

So how do we score more points than the Ravens, the Packers, the Saints, and the Steelers? We better make their defenses sweat. Believe me, I know this is no mean feat. How do you make the Raven, Packer and Steeler defenses sweat? I will guarantee you this: Without a major upgrade at the WR position we will never make them sweat. They will shutdown the guys we have and blitz the hell out of Sam.

I know you don't want that anymore than I do.

The solution set is clear: We need to get up that board and select A.J. Green. Putting Green in front of Bradford is the moral equivalent of pointing a 12 gauge shotgun at these defenses. Now we'll give them some problems. Now we'll give them something to worry about.

I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again: Nailing a deadly receiver is the first and most important task that we have to accomplish in this 2011 Draft. A.J. is worth whatever he costs us. Getting A.J. is the first and best use of our ammo in this 2011 Draft.

I would be talking deal with the Cardinals furiously right now.

The Intangibles

So, i took a close look at the Rams 1999 season highlight film this morning. It was the first time in quite a few years; probably 6 years. One thing struck me immediately. Pay close attention to audio sound bite from Kurt Warner which opens this video:

Being a championship quarterback is not all about athleticism and size. There's a lot that comes straight from the heart and the head, and your desire to be a winner.

That is the quote straight out of Kurt Warner's mouth that opens up the highlight film of our magic 1999 season. I was nodding my head in total agreement. This is a very fitting way to open up the film. The intangibles folks. It's all about the intangibles. Speaking of intangibles, I happened to pass by the Rams site for the first time a week or so this morning. I was much dismayed to see that a piece had been posted about Bradford and Clausen. I guess it was necessary and unavoidable in this run up to the draft. The web guys had to do it.

However, my mood lightened up when I read this piece carefully. Check this lovely quote from GM Bill Devaney:

Devaney has been in the personnel game for a long time and has seen plenty in that time. So, what will he be looking for when he begins talking to prospects to fill that role for the future of the Rams?

“Kind of in my history with quarterbacks, the guys that I have been involved with that didn’t pan out, (it’s) the intangibles for me,” Devaney said. “I have come full circle. If you don’t have the intangible to play that position…to me the physical skills are almost the easy part for these kids. There’s so much that goes into being a quarterback in the NFL that the work ethic you have to have, the leadership, the time that you put in, the media scrutiny, if you can’t handle all of that stuff you are going to have a hard time performing on the field. It’s the intangibles as much as anything.”

YES! YES! It's all about the intangibles Goddam...! I know Tebow would be upset with me for blaspheming, but the scouts are really making me angry these days. I like what Bill Devaney is thinking right now. I like where his head is at.

Speaking of Tebow, did anybody watch the NFL combine on NFL Network? Of course, I don't want to talk about size and athleticism today, although it was on display in spades at the combine. Many wanted to talk about lining up under center and doing the 3-5-7 drop back. Jeeezz... put the emphasis on the wrong thing! I like what Devaney says about the physical skills being the easy part. Most kids in high school learn the 3-5-7. Why do you think this is such a big bugbear?

Did anybody notice any associations between the word intangibles and any particular player at the combine? I must have heard Mike Mayock, Mike Lombardi, Rich Eisen and Michael Irvin praise Tebow for having intangibles that are off the scale about three dozen times. They talked about his leadership, they talked about his work ethic, they talked about his competitive drive, they talked about his charisma, they talked about how the guys rally around Tebow.

Speaking of charisma, I am hoping that everyone has either seen or read excepts from D'Marco Farr's appearance on NFL Total access. This is the one where he attributed Marc Bulger's collapse in St. Louis to his total lack of charisma. This occurred shortly after Devaney gave that quote for the Rams' official website. The intangibles folks. It's the intangibles. Let us remember that D'Marco has one of those 1999 Super Bowl rings, and he remains connected to the organization. He is the color man for the radio broadcasts.

Speaking of leadership consider this quote from that very same article on the Rams' official website:

Among this year’s draft prospects, this is one area that seems to be most dominated by Florida’s Tim Tebow who by all accounts has intangibles to spare. Bradford and McCoy are thought of in similar ways.

Notice who gets the superlative in this quote? Bradford and McCoy are tossed in as after mentions. I do want to mention that I like all three of these QBs, but you know who I like best.

You can't measure leadership, charisma, will, drive, desire, or competitiveness with a scale or a stop watch, submersion tank, vertical jump, broad jump, X-Ray, MRI, or blood test. They are the intangibles. If you aren't stupid, you will know this greatness when you see it, but you have to be careful to actually get to know the kid.

Are we sensing a pattern here? Does anybody notice any dots lining up in a straight line? Do you see an arrow head pointing out some directionality here? Do you sense something in the wind right now?

I am very hopeful today that the things I have written won't actually amount to a pile of rubbish. I am optimistic that the Rams' leadership and I are on the same sheet of music these days. I think we are thinking along the same lines.

Kurt Warner's retirement

Earlier today, I read a blurb on a West Coast website that Kurt Warner will make his annoucement regarding his decision on Friday. All sources indicate that he will annouce his retirement. When I got home, I found the NFL Network annoucing almost the same news.

My mood has been souring all evening long, and it has reached a point of deep melancholi. This is the news that has done it. I have not often spoken of Kurt Warner in this Blog, but I have always cheered for him. I was pulling for him like a muther in the last Super Bowl.

I feel it is a little untoward for a 43 year old 30 year veteran Ram fan to endlessly remember the glory of the Greatest Show on Turf. Still, there is no doubt that Kurt, Marshall, Issac, Torry, Az took us to the highest point I have ever seen in my 30 years. The Rams of the late 1940s and earl 1950s might have been greater, but those Rams of 1999 were incredible. One of these days--and soon--I am going to have describe what that meant for me. 'Dems was the best days that ever was, or that's evers gonna be... but let's hope not. Let's hope that there is a brighter epoch than this at some point in our futures.

I always felt that Kurt was my little brother from another mother. It is very hard for me to watch him retire. I know there are other members of the 1999 Rams still in the league. Fletch even made it to the ProBowl for the first time this year. Still, as Kurt passes out of the league, I feel as if it is the last of the Mohicans departing. It is hard to watch that.

Kurt, if you feel like it is your time to go, then God bless ya, but if there is anyway you can see your way clear to playing just one more season, I would greatly apreciate it.

Twin brothers separated at birth: Jim Caviezel and Kurt Warner

For the record, Jim Caviezel and Kurt Warner are twin brothers separated at birth. When the time comes to make the Kurt Warner story movie, Jim is the guy. Here is the physical evidence proving the case. The facts of the case are these:

The NFL's Greatest Myth: Joe Montana is the greatest QB in NFL history

It just ain't so. We would not even entertain the notion if it had not been for that masterful myth-maker Steve Sabol. He was the guy who first advocated the notion that Joe was the greatest in history.

This policy was set for crass materialist gold-digging reasons. It behooves the NFL (financially) to claim that the greatest X in history is playing on the field right now. This is how you promote an entertainment spectacle. This is especially true in the case of the Quarterback position. You sell a lot replica Jerseys, a lot of tee shirts, and license a lot of film footage for the greatest Quarterback in history... who ever that is. We should remember that in 1993, the year Steve Sabol started this bullshit, Joe was still playing. He was headed for Kansas City, to be specific. You can sell a lot of #16 49er Jerseys and a lot of #19 Chief Jerseys by advocating this notion.

Don't under-estimate the power of the profit motive in the fine art of bullshit weaving.

Certain wimploid QBs with weak-ass arms--like Pat Hayden--joined in the chorus very quickly. Pat is a former Ram, so I claim family rights to bitch slap him for joining in with this foolishness.

I was one the guys acting as if the tribal gods had been offended. I wasn't the only one. I was in very good company. In his 1993 Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Dan Fouts took a hard shot at the "Joe is the Greatest" camp by declaring that the only reason he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame was his good fortune to learn at the feet of the greatest QB in the history of the game, Johnny Unitas. Unitas was the starter in San Diego in when Dan Fouts was drafted. Fouts was taught the craft by Unitas. That was a political speech. It was delivered with a curl of the lip and a snarl in the voice. The statement was intentionally pointed. It occurred at the very moment that the Joe band waggon was starting to roll. Dan Fouts was throwing his shoes at Pat Hayden and Steve Sabol... on camera... in front of a national audience... at the Hall of Fame.

I loved every frickin' second of it. I couldn't have agreed with Dan Fouts more. Dan Fouts knows a thing or two about quarterbacking. You aught to pay him some heed. Johnny Unitas remains the greatest Quarterback in NFL history. Let's leave it that way.

Pat Hayden reacted to that speech a couple of times. He was a color man for ESPN Sunday Night football in those days. Believe me, he was defensive about Fouts. He knew Fouts had, cryptically, told him to sit down and shutup. He tried to defend his position on Montana with most of the common arguments made today, but he was nervous. Fouts had a lot more clout that Hayden.

I once made this argument for an old timer who remembered Unitas well. The old timer was a resident of Concord California, and a big 49er fan. He had a few moral problems declaring that Hoe... excuse me, Joe, was the best of all time. After a few moments of consideration he asked:

"Well you at least have to admit that Joe is the greatest of the Super Bowl era, right?"

"Nope, Johnny Unitas played in Super Bowl III and V. The Colts won V against Dallas. Unitas played in the Super Bowl era."

"Oh yeah... I forgot that. well, you have to admit that he is the greatest QB in recent history?"

"Nope, the truth be told, Joe isn't even the greatest QB in 49er history, much less recent history. The guy who replaced him--Steve Young-- was better than he was in every respect."

The old man looked conflicted. He felt like the tribal gods had been offended, but at the very same time, this dedicated 49er fan knew why a serious man could think this thought. Joe had a weak arm. Steve had a strong arm. Joe was mobile. Steve Young was a threat to run the distance of the field for a touchdown. He did that much more than once. Joe threw a lot of TD passes to Jerry Rice. Young threw 30 more TDs to Jerry than Joe did. That is a literal figure. Joe was clutch, but he needed to be clutch. Steve was clutch when he had to be, but he usually got his work done by the 3rd quarter. Steve didn't need a lot of comebacks. Joe once threw 5 touchdown passes in a Super Bowl. Steve threw 6. Joe retired with the highest lifetime QB efficiency rating ever recorded (92.3). Steve retired later on with an even higher passer rating. Steve Young still has the highest lifetime efficiency rating ever recorded by a retired career quarterback (96.8). Joe is in the Hall of Fame. Steve is in the Hall of Fame. I watched Joe & Steve run the same offense with most of the same players. That offense was far more explosive and dynamic under Steve than it was under Joe.

It should be noted in passing that Kurt Warner has a lifetime efficiency rating of 93.8. He's shooting right through the middle of those two. If he finishes well, who knows...

There are good and valid reasons why the NFL's Top 10 rated Joe & Jerry as the #3 passing combo of all time. There are better reasons why they rated Steve & Jerry as the #2 ranked passing combo of all time. Jerry was the same lethal Jerry. Steve was just better than Joe. That is the difference between #2 and #3.

The old timer from Concord California chewed it over a for a few and he said:

"Yeah, but Joe won 4 Super Bowls and Steve only won 1 Super Bowl."

"Nope. Joe never won a single Super Bowl. Steve never won a single Super Bowl. Joe was part of four 49er teams that won the Super Bowl. Steve was part of three 49er teams that won the Super Bowl. No Quarterback ever won a Super Bowl."

Nothing pisses me off more than this false notion that quarterbacks win Super Bowls. You need a complete offensive, defensive and special teams package to win the Super Bowl. You need some good luck too. It takes at least 40 good men to win a Super Bowl.... and a couple of good bounces... and a couple of bad calls.

So who is the greatest Quarterback of the past 30 or so years?

There are a few candidates, and it is hard to choose between them because it is hard to compare. If I had to call it, I would name three candidates in no particular order.

1. John Elway

2. Steve Young

3. Dan Marino

In terms of pure passing skills, nobody compares to Marino. Marino could hit a golf tee on the sidelines from 65 yards away 9 out of 10 tries. Nobody had more control or accuracy than Marino. He also had incredible vision. He didn't miss open receivers down field. He did a good job of picking the most open receiver when his three guy gave him several options. It is a pure crime that Dan Marino doesn't get mentioned more often when we discuse the greatest QB of all time. There aught to be a congressional investigation. He was incredible. He was the greatest pure-passer I ever saw.

You know why they don't mention Dan...? It's this goddamn fucking stupid shit about Quarterbacks winning Super Bowls. You know how I feel about that already. That doctrine is a completely FUBAR doctrine.

Steve Young and John Elway are almost left handed and right handed mirror images of each other. Amazing athletes. Incredible mobility, but Young was better. Great arm strength and accuracy, but Elway was better. Great in 2 minute situations, but Elway was better. They both ran Shanahan's West Coast, but I think Steve Young ran it better. Elway did a hell of job, though.

In terms of the complete package of passing skills, mobility, running for yardage, 2 minute comebacks, efficiency, Young and Elway have to outrank guys like Marino and Fouts. Marino and Fouts were pure pocket passers. Either Elway or Young is the greatest QB of the recent era.

What about the young fellows like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning? Let's not comment on them. Their careers are not finished. They have plenty ahead of them. Let's see how they finish.

What about Brett Farve? Don't go there. Way, way, way too many interceptions.

For those who still want to claim that Joe is the greatest. I strongly recommend you watch three NFL films which are factual and not mythological. Watch the NFL's Greatest Games 1981 NFC championship and 1983 NFC championship. You will see things from Joe you never though could happen. You will see highly erratic performances where he turned over the football 4 times in one and several more in the other. Further, watch the "America's Game" 1988 49ers. You will see that Roger Craig was the man on that team, and the 49ers were trying to replace Montana with Young. An unvarnished look at those films will damage your doctrinaire view of Montana.