Image: ESPN Deportes

James Walker at ESPN sees this Super Bowl as a chance for Hines Ward to solidify his Hall of Fame credentials. If inducted he’d only be the third Georgia Bulldog to make it into the NFL Hall of Fame along with Charlie Trippi and Fran Tarkenton.

Troy Polamalu, Hall of Fame timber himself, gives us his biased opinion:

“I’m probably a little [biased], but I think he’s the best receiver in the game,” Steelers safety Troy Polamalu said. “You can never ask anymore from anybody with what he does. His blocking from a receiver, he catches the football, he’s able to have all of these great receiving statistics even though we’re a running offense.

“To have that whole package, I don’t think anybody in the NFL has that. I hope that he’s remembered as a Hall of Famer, because that’s what we all believe that he is.”

Whole package is right. How many receivers are the intimidators on the football field? He blocks with a legendary ferocity and that has contributed as much to his team’s success as his receptions.

Still, even though his numbers aren’t as gaudy as his contemporaries, he holds many all-time records for one of sport’s most storied franchises:

In terms of numbers, Ward currently holds Pittsburgh’s all-time marks for games played (170), career receptions (800), receiving yards (9,780) and receiving touchdowns (72).

As far as Ward himself goes, he seems like he’d be happier if he contributes to putting another Lombardi trophy into the Steelers trophy case.

“Some guys might like me, some guys call me dirty,” Ward said. “There will be some kids that want to be me one day, but I don’t know. When I leave this game one day, all I want people to say is he was one heck of a football player. That’s all I can really ask for. It’s up to you guys [in the media] to vote your opinion, judge how you want.”

Additional Super Bowl or not, the answer has to be… yes.

When it comes to the NFL I pretty much pull for the Falcons when they’re winning. As any bandwagon Falcon fan know, that is extremely rare. I like football so much though that I always tune into the playoffs and one of the criteria I will use to choose a team to pull for is “How many Dawgs are on each of these teams?”. Well, according to the little list I compiled below, it looks like I’ll be pulling for the Eagles. Really though, all I want is a great game.

My gut tells me get ready for an Arizona – Pittsburgh Super Bowl though.

Philadelphia Eagles (3)

• (WR) Reggie Brown
• (G) Max Jean-Gilles
• (DE) Chris Clemons

Pittsburgh Steelers (2)

• (WR) Hines Ward
• (LB) Arnold Harrison

Arizona Cardinals (1)

• (TE) Leonard Pope

Baltimore Ravens (0)

• None – Can’t pull for them.

…and the rest of the underclassmen.

Seems that even EA is not even completely sold on Mark Sanchez and is very high on Moreno and Stafford.

I skipped this year’s NCAA Football but if Knowshon makes the 2009 cover (hurdle shot anyone?) I’d have to pick up a copy for posterity’s sake.

Passage on Stafford:

IGN: With Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford both announcing that they’ll return to school next year, who do feel is the best quarterback prospect in this year’s draft?

Stevenson: The 2009 Draft will be very thin at QB with Bradford and McCoy returning to school. Many scouts are high on Matthew Stafford from Georgia, and I’d have to agree. He can make all the throws and really showed what he is capable of in the bowl game against Michigan State. I think Coach Carroll at USC is right though. Mark Sanchez would have improved his game by staying, but like I said, it’s a down year for QB’s, so his stock is probably as high as it can get.

On Moreno:

IGN: Which running back do you think will have the bigger rookie season next year, Knowshon Moreno or Beanie Wells?

Stevenson: This totally depends on which team drafts them. Clearly, Chris Johnson and Matt Forte have proven that rookie RBs can start in the NFL and be very successful, but they have to be given the opportunity. Based on skills alone, I think Moreno is more athletic and can create holes for himself. I see Wells being a great contributor in a 2-back rotation, which is the trend de jour in the NFL these days.

Kevin Seifert over at the ESPN NFC North Blog Network is trying to stir the pot over which QB the Lions should draft (ie, ruining their professional playing career).

I know Stafford comes with some issues but I don’t really see anyone selecting Sanchez over Stafford. This may just be me, but he seems to have come out of the blue to land in this best QB prospect conversation. USC is always hyped to the gills and it seems like Sanchez is just the beneficiary of the crazy media worship USC gets.

Bradford, I get, but Sanchez seems like a 2008 Gino Torretta.

That being said, I sure hope that the Lions take Sanchez… for Stafford’s sake.

According to ESPN Sam Bradford will be returning to Oklahoma for his senior season. Good news for OU, bad news for the rest of the Big 12 and Matthew Stafford who appears to be Detroit bound.

This is quite a thing to build a story around.

“I think I probably know his choice,” he said, “but I’m not totally sure of it. “He and I have talked, sure. And no, I’m probably not totally in the dark,” Kent Bradford said. “But you know, he has not actually made his final choice known to me yet. I truly think I know it, but hell, I may not.”

Seriously though, nice conundrum for a guy to be faced with. Wonder if Staff has called Sam to tell him how great it will be for him to declare early?

Bernie thinks so and lays it out in this great post that delves into the state of all things Georgia.

The heart of the matter:

Honestly, this really hurts the Dawg defense. I realize that Stafford and Moreno were star players and accounted for just south of 90% of the offense this past season. And I also realize that replacing them will not be easy.

But for my money, losing Asher is a much bigger hit to a team that needs defensive leaders returning. Allen is an experienced cover corner that subscribes to a very physical style of play. His stats were down this season (only 44 tackles and no INTs), but he played the last five games with a broken hand. (Note: Allen had an INT against the reptiles, but a penalty negated it. What else?)

I tend to agree and I believe that Willie Martinez just ran to get some more Pepcid.

Allen is the kind of guy fans take for granted. Flashy stats? Nope. Why not? Probably because opposing QB’s have been learning all week to throw to the opposite side of number 2.

Good luck Asher Allen.

Announced at a 4pm teleconference. Damn.

Via: Hale’s Blog.

UPDATE: More links below…

• Cornerback Allen entering NFL draft – Online Athens
• Dogs lose another: Allen opts for NFL – ajc.com
• Allen Leaving Early – David Hale

I don’t think so, but apparently he is still mulling it over…

Allen, via Felton, declined an interview request until making his decision. A junior from Tucker, Allen last month asked an NFL advisory committee for a projection of his draft status.

Allen is a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. He played the final four-plus games of the 2008 regular season with a broken bone in his right hand. The injury was fully healed for the Capital One Bowl.

Man, did that first half feel like the UGA-Alabama game or what?