Sorry we haven’t done this feature in a while. I have had a bit of the writer’s block, but since today is Martin Luther King,Jr. Day and I am off, I thought we’d crank one of these out.

Regarding the Broncos-Patriots game: The Denver Broncos, without a doubt, played their hearts out and deserved to win that football game. And I’m saying this as a New England Patriots fan! Peyton Manning played almost a flawless game. He had 400 yards passing, was never sacked,and found guys open when he needed to and had to as the Broncos beat New England 26-16 to advance to their first Super Bowl since the 1998 season.

As for the Patriots, they looked very flat. They did not get out to a very good start which did hurt them as the game went on. When Aqib Talib was out of the game in the second quarter they didn’t make any adjustments defensively. Also hurting them was the receiving corps not being on the same page with Tom Brady. I will say this,though, they did quite a bit to get themselves back into the game, but it was too little,too late. I hope they spend the offseason trying to get a big time receiver to come there and I hope they draft well. The window of opportunity for them is still open, but it closes a little bit more the older Brady gets.

Patriots fans should have nothing to hang their head over, this was a team that overcame a lot this year with key players going to other teams (Wes Welker), some going to prison (Aaron Hernandez,allegedly), and players with season ending injuries (Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo, Rob Gronkowski, Brandon Spikes) and got as far as the AFC Championship Game. They did the best they could with the limited resources they had.

The 49ers-Seahawks match-up on Sunday in the NFC Championship game was certainly an epic one that had two teams who clearly don’t like each other, two fan bases that hate each other,and some big time smashmouth football.

Colin Kaepernick was great on the ground, getting 130 yards rushing on 11 carries. However, it was his decision making with the passing game that hurt him, throwing two interceptions late in the game as well as the fumbles. 

Russell Wilson was very efficient in his own right throwing for 215 yards and a touchdown to Jermaine Kearse on a free play early in that epic fourth quarter. Seattle also committed to the run game with Marshawn Lynch and his 22 carries for 105 yards (five yards per carry).

Seattle advanced to Super Bowl XLVIII with a 23-17 victory. After the game, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman spoke to FOX’s Erin Andrews and said the following:

“I’m the best corner[back] in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you going to get.”

In the postgame press conference, Sherman was not finished.

“He wouldn’t make the top 20 of NFL receivers,” Sherman said. “If any team had a chance to pick Crabtree, they wouldn’t draft him.”

“I was making sure everyone knew Crabtree was a mediocre receiver. And when you try the best corner in the game with a mediocre receiver, that’s what happens. I appreciate that he knows that now. There has been a lot of talk from him running his mouth about me.”

When Sherman made his initial comments about Crabtree, I thought it was something straight out of the WWE and was something to be expected. When he continued to run his mouth off afterwards in the postgame press conference, I thought it was going too far. Eventually,Sherman is going to have to get served some humble pie. It was pretty classless to keep beating a dead horse like he did. I understand he is pumped up that he’s going to the Super Bowl, but to keep disparaging a guy like that is going too far. I don’t care what beef the two of you had in the offseason, be a bigger man and let it go. Don’t tell everyone how overrated you think he is.

I think Sherman is a terrific player, but he needs to show more class than he did following Seattle’s victory Sunday. He is still pretty young and I hope over time he matures and shows more decency otherwise he won’t last long in the league.

As for the San Francisco 49ers, one has to wonder if Jim Harbaugh can deliver them a Super Bowl. He is a terrific coach and has made this team competitive the last three seasons, and this season they got back to the NFC Championship Game after many people (myself included) didn’t think they’d get back there. If the 49ers fail to win a Super Bowl in the next two seasons it makes me wonder a little if Harbaugh will be retained. His contract expires after the ’15 season and just getting to the playoffs may not be enough. The 49ers have the talent to get to the Super Bowl,but can they win it? That’s the hump they need to get over.

And 49ers fans, it’s time to move on after this loss. I get it,you hate the Seahawks,but it’s only a game. Life is too short to dwell on what you didn’t get. 

How is Paul George not in the Slam-Dunk contest? Is it because he might’ve already won it?

In case you missed it,here is the electrifying dunk made the Pacers superstar Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers:

This dunk by George was in a blowout win over the Clippers with the Pacers up 20 in the fourth quarter. George has since declined to participate in the Slam-Dunk contest at All-Star Saturday on Feb. 15 and that’s exactly what’s wrong with the contest. It’s not like it was when I was a kid when guys like Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Kobe Bryant, and Vince Carter would be in this. I would love to see guys like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and George in this. It is cool to see some of the young guys in the contest, but it’s even funner to see the superstars coming to play. In a league that focuses on having superstars,it surprises me that they don’t feature them in All-Star Saturday.

The Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks wasted no time in pummeling one another as they faced off on Saturday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The Flames had started their fourth line which raised red flags as  the Canucks countered with their fourth line. Two seconds into the game, both teams exchanged blows and it was rumble time. The result was 142 penalty minutes and eight ejections between the two teams. Even Canucks coach John Tortorella went as far as trying to confront the Flames’ dressing room following the first intermission.

“I don’t think anybody expected that,” said Flames defenseman Chris Butler, one of the eight players ejected from the game. “It’s been a while since something like that happened, five guys pairing off.”

It sure has been a long time since we’ve seen that and it was pretty awesome. As a hockey fan, it’s one of those rare things you like to see. What you don’t want to see is your coach going after a locker room in an intermission and the league may fine and/or suspend him following that. By the way,Vancouver won 3-2.