Pat Robertson: Manning injury would be karma for trading Tebow

Televangelist Pat Robertson is not happy with the Denver Broncos trading Tim Tebow to the New York Jets.  So much so, that he is wishing Tebow's replacement Peyton Manning nothing but bad karma.

Robertson— a leader in the Christian Right movement— said Denver treated Tebow "shabbily" after all he did for the "nothing team" last season from his pulpit on the 700 Club on Thursday.

"And you ask yourself, OK, so Peyton Manning was a tremendous MVP quarterback, but he's been injured.  If that injury comes back, Denver will find itself without a quarterback.  And in my opinion, it would serve them right," he said.

Robertson has come to Tebow's defense before.  He blasted Saturday Night Live earlier this year for performing a skit that mocked Tebow's religious beliefs.

Remember, the television preacher also once called the earthquake in Haiti a "blessing in disguise."

Robertson went on singing the praises of Tebow and trashing Denver last night.

"He wins seven games, he brought them [Denver] into the playoffs, for heaven's sakes.  I mean, they were a nothing team .  He rallied them together with spectacular last minute passes and, you know, when they beat Buffalo, I mean Pittsburgh, excuse me it was a tremendous victory."

Sounds like he subliminally has something against the Bills too.

Antonio Cromartie: No room for Tebow on Jets

Antonio Cromartie apparently isn't too keen on the New York Jets taking an interest in Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow in any capacity.  Cromartie tweeted about it after Denver signed Peyton Manning— all but ending Tebow's career with the Broncos.

The outspoken Jets cornerback used Twitter to express his feelings about pursuing Tebow.

"We don't need Tebow," Cromartie tweeted Tuesday.  "We sell out every home game let him go to Jacksonville Tampa or Miami."

Cromartie— one of the leaders of the mayhem in the Jets locker room— wasn't through trying to sway the Jets brass from bringing in the unorthodox quarterback.


"Our Wildcat offense can be run by (Jeremy) Kerley or Joe McKnight,"he tweeted.  "We have Mark_ Sanchez and just signed Drew.  Mark has taken us to 2 AFC championship game.  We need to build on the team we have right now."

Could introducing Tebow's ultra-religious character to the dysfunctional Jets locker room have something to do with Cromartie's rant.

Cromartie has a troublesome background and has fathered nine children with eight women in six states and doesn't exactly adhere to Tebow's beliefs.

The Jets cornerback does make some good points for not getting Tebow, but several people in the Jets organization have told the New York Daily News that he might be a good fit.

Many insiders believe the Jets new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano could put Tebow's abilities to good use in certain Wildcat schemes.  Sparano was the head coach for the Miami Dolphins when he began using the Wildcat offense to pump up the anemic offense.

There are a lot of pros and cons that come with bringing Tebow into the Jets family.

For one thing, Tebow's character could play a big role in bringing the fractured locker room together, but could just as well split the team in two.  The team isn't exactly a group of choirboys.

The media attention surrounding Tebow could distract the press enough to take the cameras away from oft-targeted Sanchez but, on the other side of the coin,  there is also the possibility that Tebow could wilt under the 24/7 New York media spotlight.  'Aw, shucks' only goes so far in New York— unless you win it all.

Just ask Eli Manning.

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum hasn't commented on Tebow except to say that "Tim Tebow is a player under contract with another team."

Tannenbaum also avoided dumping any more negativity onto the tattered psyche of Sanchez— after the 'Peyton Manning to the Jets' stories and disappointing 2011 season— by saying he "feels good about" the quarterbacks on the roster, which includes Greg McElroy and Drew Stanton.

Tebow-mania and Linsanity in the same city might be a little too much anyway.

Tebow's photos already removed from Broncos facility

On the day that the Denver Broncos celebrated the arrival of Peyton Manning, all of the photos of Tim Tebow— that once lined the halls of the team's facility— were taken down, according to The Associated Press.

The outright removal of the indelible images of Tebow running, scoring and rallying the troops were removed from the walls and could be a subtle hint of things to come.

While executive John Elway and head coach John Fox haven't just come out and say it, it looks like the only remnants of Tebow-mania will be memories of last season.

"Tim Tebow is a great kid.  If I wanted someone to marry my daughter, it would be him," said Elway.

Ouch.

"We have to go back and address Tim and see what the next situation is for the Denver Broncos as well as him," continued Elway.

Goodbye.

Manning said he plans to reach out and speak with Tebow and has nothing but respect for last season's Rocky Mountain High.

"I know what kind of player Tim Tebow is," said the new Broncos quarterback.  "What an awesome year he had this year.  If Tim Tebow is here next year, I'm going to be the best teammate I can be to him.  He and I are going to help this team win games.

"If other opportunities present themselves to him, I'm going to wish him the best.  He's going to be a great player wherever he is."

Hear that San Francisco, Green Bay, Jacksonville and Jets?

Frank Tripucka has no problem giving Peyton Manning his retired No. 18 jersey

Now that we know Peyton Manning has instructed his agent to begin negotiations with the Denver Broncos, there is one small detail that looks like it will not be a deal breaker— the retired No. 18 jersey worn by quarterback Frank (Trip) Tripucka in the early 60's.

 Tripucka has already made it clear he would be honored if Manning chose to wear the same No. 18 the incoming quarterback wore during his 14-year career with the Indianapolis Colts— even though the Broncos retired the jersey nearly fifty years ago.

"It's perfectly OK for him to go ahead and use it," the New Jersey native said.  "I would be honored to have him wear it."

Tripucka's No. 18 is one of three numbers retired by the Broncos.  The other "untouchable" numbers are Floyd Little's No. 44 and John Elway's No. 7.

The 84-year-old Tripucka was the first quarterback to call signals for the Broncos.  The #1 draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1949 had a 15 year career and threw the first touchdown pass in the history of the old AFL.  He was a Pro-Bowler in 1962.

It is too soon to know if Manning is even thinking about what number will be on his back, but it would be a nice symbolic gesture from both sides if Manning dons the No. 18 in tribute to the old days and remind people about Tripucka's contributions to the early years of the franchise.

"It's been retired for fifty years," said Tripucka said.  "That's long enough."

Tripucka carved out a nice career after football as a beer distributor and raised a family of six boys— including NBA star Kelly Tripucka— and one daughter with his 84-year-old wife Randy.

Most Broncos fans probably never heard of Tripucka— never mind getting to see him play— and must wonder what he did to have his number retired after compiling a 13-23-1 record with 51 touchdown passes and 85 interceptions after four years with the team.

For one thing, in 1960, Tripucka was the first quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season and was one of the first pioneers of the wide-open passing game the AFL became famous for.

The late Broncos owner, Bob Howsam, was so appreciative of Tripucka's services he just decided to retire the number as a thank you in 1963.

If Manning passes on pulling the old No. 18 out of storage, he could go back to wearing the No. 16 he wore at the University of Tennessee.  Jake Plummer was the last notable Broncos player to wear it.

Word is No. 15 should be available pretty soon too.

Tennessee dining chain offers Peyton free pancakes to sign with Titans

A Nashville-based restaurant chain has stacked the deck in favor of Peyton Manning signing with the Tennessee Titans— more like stack the plate with pancakes.

Shoney's, the popular southern dining spot, wants to sweeten the team's offer and will give the free agent quarterback and former-University of Tennessee legend a free stack of the griddle cakes every day throughout his career in Nashville if he signs with the Titans, according to a press release and ad placed in the The Tennessean last week.

The sign reads: "Peyton, Sign here and Tennessee Would Really Be Stacked" in white letters with a picture of a stack of pancakes dripping with syrup and butter.

Below the pancakes, the ad says "Shoney's CEO wants to sweeten the deal.  Sign with our hometown team and you'll receive FREE PANCAKES EVERY DAY throughout your career here in Nashville.  Let's win.  And Let's Eat."

If Manning does sign with the Titans, the offer would stand for any of the Nashville area Shoney's only.  But with the Titans owner Bud Adams offering the sought after quarterback a $60 million contract, I don't think limiting the number of Shoney's where Manning could scarf down the wheat cakes covered in maple syrup would be a deal breaker.

A follow-up ad is being considered but the company had better hop to it.  I hear a San Francisco restaurant chain is offering Manning a lifetime supply of sourdough bread if he signs with the 49ers.

Mayor Bloomberg: We already have a Manning in New York

Mayor Mike Bloomberg showed his love for New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez after a caller pleaded with hizzoner to to help recruit free agent Peyton Manning to Gang Green on the mayor's weekly radio show today.

"We have a Manning playing for the Giants," said Bloomberg, referring to Peyton's younger brother, Eli, who plays for the other New York football team.

The mayor— who has dictated how New Yorkers should live by banning trans fats, salt and once set his sights on curbing liquor outlets to keep us healthy— continues his assault on the things that make life more enjoyable.

Now, the second-richest New Yorker's crusade to make NYC thinner has pulled a Snickers bar from his pocket and wants to keep the Jets looking like big, fat losers.

"I think it's be a great story for the press— Manning vs. Manning, both playing in New York," he said.  "But keep in mind the Jets have a young quarterback in Mark Sanchez and he nearly led his team to the Super Bowl twice.  So let's not dismiss.  He's sitting there."

Don't underestimate how much the Massachusetts-raised Bloomberg influence has.  He got the city to allow him to run for a third term.  Look how good of an idea that was and now he goes from being a nutritionist to NFL general manager.

Bloomberg said he met both Manning brothers when they were playing golf with their father Archie on the same course as the mayor.

"I was very impressed that I shook their hands," said Bloomberg.

Joe Namath says Jets' dysfunction will keep Peyton Manning from joining team

Joe Namath is speaking out again and said Peyton Manning wouldn't be interested in joining the New York Jets with their current roster and locker-room dysfunction.

"The Jets have to get their things together on their own turf before someone with his background would be interested in coming," Namath, 68, who led the Jets to their only Super Bowl title, told Bloomberg News today in a telephone interview from his Florida home.

Namath was probably alluding to the Jets 8-8 finish and verbal altercations between receiver Santonio Holmes and quarterback Mark Sanchez.

The Hall of Fame quarterback is familiar with Manning's situation.  Namath also changed a team he was associated with late in his career; when he was waived by the Jets in 1977 at the age of 33.  He signed with the Los Angeles Rams and played four games in one season.

Namath started eight games for the Jets in 1976 before he was released by New York.  He said he didn't think he could have regained the starter's spot and wanted finish his career with a contender.

He said the process of leaving the Jets was "excruciating" and that he struggled to adjust to a new team and surroundings in Los Angeles.

"What was difficult for me, that I didn't appreciate, was how much all the newness could get in the way and be a distraction," he said.  "I wasn't prepared for that feeling.  the new faces, new places, new system."

Namath believes Manning's attention to detail and game preparation will allow him to adjust to a new system faster with a new team.

"I think he'll handle it much better than I did," he said.

Namath regrets leaving New York and, if he could do it again, wouldn't  have traded Broadway for Hollywood— even with 80-year-old knees and hamstrings like old rubber bands.

"I didn't know that, when I made the decision to make the move," said Namath.  "Knowing that I wasn't up to par physically, I wouldn't have left the Jets, absolutely not."

Namath has now changed his tune about the current Jets signal-caller Sanchez— whom he publicly knocked last season— and thinks he has the work ethic and skills to be the Jets quarterback for years to come.

Jets spokesman Bruce Speight sounded like someone defending their weird uncle when he responded to Bloomberg News via e-mail.

"We appreciate Joe and he is entitled to share his opinions," he said. 

Namath said that with Manning's injury last season and the availability of Andrew Luck with the No. 1 draft pick, he wasn't surprised that the 35-year-old quarterback was released.

"Your heart might be in one place, but business is business," said Namath.  "The No. 1 questions is, 'Is he going to be satisfied with the strength in his throwing arm?'"

So Broadway Joe, you can remain secure in the knowledge that you are still the best quarterback ever to wear the Jets green and white— except maybe for that Favre transient.

Jim Irsay says 'um' 127 times during six minute 'Peyton' speech

From the time Indianapolis Colts president Jim Irsay began today's Peyton Manning press conference by saying," We're here to announce the conclusion of Peyton's playing career with the Colts and honor all the incredible memories..." and finished by handing over the podium to the departing Colts quarterback "for a few more words," he uttered the sound "um" or "uh" 127 times during his 5 minute and 57 second speech.

Not to be hatin' on the Colts boss— it was an emotional moment for both him and Manning— but by the time he got through saying "The No. 18 jersey will never be worn again by a Colt on the field" and Manning "will always be part of the  horseshoe," I was "ummed" out.

It was a classy press conference with no drum rolls or brass bands and the perfect way for a big-time NFL star to leave a small-market city.

When Manning addressed the Colts fans and said, "Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart, I truly have enjoyed being your quarterback," it was hard not to see through the toughness of a grateful man.

The New York Giants would love to have Peyton but we already have little brother Eli.

Car attempts dunk over Blake Griffin in Kia commercial

It seems like Blake Griffin has famously dunked over almost everyone in the NBA from Kendrick Perkins to to whole New Jersey Nets team.  He even did a commercial for Kia where he dunked over one of their automobiles.

Now the car manufacturer has teamed up with Funny or Die and produced an ad where a Kia Optima is supposed to dunk over the Los Angeles Clippers forward.

Actor Jeff Goldblum appears in the spoof-like ad as a "Dunkologist"— the scientist who designs the stunt to test his theory.  He is really a "theoretical physicist" but changes his title because "it doesn't quite  have the ring to it."

The plan is for the car to race up a ramp at full speed, pass "over Blake" then release a ball into the net.   As you can guess, things go awry.

The ubiquitous Griffin is a spokesman for so many products including Subway and Nike.  His Kia ads are already funny for their subtlety odd sense of humor.

Griffin is slowly becoming the new Peyton Manning of Madison Avenue.  Could Saturday Night Live be next?


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Vintage 1894 football card found in farmhouse; Player resembles Peyton Manning

The oldest known football card ever seen was found by a man cleaning out a Kentwood, Mich. farmhouse and headed to the trash until he decided to take it to a sports card dealer.

Good thing.  The vintage 1894 card— considered the "Holy Grail" of football cards— bears the likeness of Harvard's John Dunlop and was appraised at a value of  $10,000.

The card is labeled "Anonymous" because it doesn't bear Dunlop's name but the sepia-toned headshot does have a strange resemblance to Peyton Manning.

Could it be?  It feels like that whole saga between the Indianapolis Colts quarterback and team owner Jim Irsay started about 118 years ago too.

                                                             

The unidentified man found the rare card— along with 35 other cards of mostly boxers including one of the all-time greats John Sullivan— in an old notebook while emptying out the home after a death in the family.

Experts said the vintage card was issued by the Mayo Tobacco Works of Richmond, Virginia and is part  of a set considered to be the first and rarest collection of football cards ever printed.

All of the cards will be submitted for auction.

Manning's status is still in the air.

Peyton To Eli: 'It's All About The Giants Now'

Peyton Manning was understandably proud of his younger brother Eli after the NewYork Giants 20-17 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC title.

The Indianapolis quarterback had a a quick chat and embraced Eli before he  headed to the team bus for the flight back to New York and ultimately a trip to Indy for a Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots on Feb. 5..

"Go Giants," said Peyton.  "It's all about the Giants now,"

If the two siblings never get a chance to share the stage at MetLife Stadium— as Giants and Jets quarterbacks respectively— this might be the closest scenario.

And it sounds like big bro is more than happy to let Eli get the spotlight in Peyton's adopted hometown of Indianapolis.

Peyton had a lot to puff out his chest about.

This season, Eli stepped out of the shadow of his big brother— who was sidelined after neck surgery—in a big way.  The younger Manning will actually have as many Super Bowl appearances under his belt as the "elite" Peyton and is one win away from having one more championship ring.

"I'm just proud as a quarterback to watch him compete," Peyton said after watching his brother get battered by the fierce Niners defense and still win.  "And the way he's played, I'm even more proud of him as a brother."

While Eli's game yesterday wasn't a thing of beauty, it was a testament to his toughness.

Eli threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns with out any turnovers against a swarming San Francisco defense.  There didn't seem to be an easy throw for Eli all day and he was hit 20 times.  It seemed like he had a 49ers player draped on him during every play.

"It's what I expected him to do," said Peyton.  "I'm just proud of Eli and how well he's played this year.  He's been awesome.  he's been clutch."

It's twice as ironic that Eli could win his second Super Bowl title in  Peyton's adopted hometown— where fans have waited and hoped for four years to see their own Manning win in their home stadium—and against Peyton's arch-nemesis Tom Brady.

"Yeah, it's my home town," said Peyton. "I've just been proud of all year.  I've really gotten to see a lot more of his games since I've been injured.  It's fun to watch him play.  he's been clutch all season long.  Fourth quarter comebacks.  when they needed him, he was always there."

Peyton had little to say about the prognosis for his injury or where he'll be playing.  When asked about the possibility of playing for the Jets, he laughed, "Nahh.  Giants, man. Go  Giants."

For now, he's seems happy that in Super Bowl XLVI, at least one Manning is playing in front of the  Lucas Oil Stadium crowd.

Eli Thinks Sharing MetLife Stadium with Peyton Would be "Fun" and "Unique"

Who said New York City ain't big enough for two Mannings?  It could be if you believe Eli Manning, the younger brother of Peyton.

The New York Giants quarterback said if all the talk of Peyton joining same-stadium rivals the New York Jets came true it wouldn't bother him much at all.

"I'm not saying it's not going to happen, or I'd want it to happen, but having your brother that close to you and playing in New York would be very unique," Eli said in an interview with ESPN Radio this morning.

After standing in the shadow of Peyton for his whole career, Eli is finally stepping out from behind it and has become his own man.

Eli is one win from from leading his team to another Super Bowl and the second of the Giants quarterback's career after being the first half of "The Helmet Catch" in 2008.

Big brother Peyton is not far ahead with a Super Bowl win to go with one loss.

While Peyton's future is up in the air and will be the biggest NFL story of the off-season, Eli's future with the Giants is set in stone.

Peyton missed the entire 2011 season following neck surgery.  The Indianapolis Colts became a rudderless ship that went 2-14 on the season earning them the first pick in the NFL draft.

Odds are the Colts go with every one's pick— Stanford QB Andrew Luck.

If Indy decides to go with Luck, the Colts may consider trading Peyton or not picking up his $28 million option.  The team has until March 8 to decide.

The Jets meanwhile, are coming off a disappointing 8-8 season and unnamed teammates and organization members have put most of the the blame on the youthful shoulders of QB Mark Sanchez.

While this week, head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum said they fully support Sanchez,  it is no secret Ryan adores the Colts QB and has Peyton's former-offensive coordinator and mentor as a Jets consultant.

Peyton's dad, Archie, also said this week that his son wants to stay in Indianapolis and enjoys the life he has there.

"I don't know what's going to happen in that situation," Eli told ESPN Radio.  "I think it would be interesting to have your brother in the same city playing football together."

"Would it be fun?  I think, yeah," he said.

Eli has had to live up to Peyton his whole career and said he felt the pressure even more after being the Giants first draft pick in 2004.  He was labelled a brat for refusing to go to the San Diego Chargers.

The younger Manning was asked if the stigma of following Peyton affected his play.

"Maybe just a little bit because Peyton had a six year head start on me," he explained.  "In his second year he [Peyton] was  playing at a high level and they were playing great football, going to the playoffs... All of a sudden, people expect the little brother and the same things to happen, to have immediate success and he's going to be in the playoffs every year."

And it's not like there weren't more than a few times the comparisons and expectations had fans ready to run Eli out of town.  Even this summer— after he used the word "elite" to compare himself to Tom Brady— the laughs could be heard from Rockaway Beach to Rockaway N.J..

Now that Eli has become an NFL star in his own right, he said that both brothers sharing the biggest bedroom in the world (MetLife Stadium) could benefit each other.

"It'd be fun," he joked.  "We'd probably commute to work [together], maybe eat our lunch together... share notes on opponents, watch some film together..."

Sounds like he forgot building pillow forts in the living room.

Right now, Eli is the Manning in New York and two wins from surpassing his big brother in Super Bowl victories.

Jets Players' Calls For Peyton To Replace Sanchez Getting Louder

The end of a disappointing season for the New York Jets has led players to point their fingers at one player for the epic fail— Mark Sanchez— and started  a rallying call inviting the services of a veteran quarterback to take the reins— namely Peyton Manning.

The consensus among unnamed players, according to a story in the New York Daily News, has been that if  Manning gets a clean bill of health, he would be the ideal solution to the inept Sanchez.

Those calls are getting real loud.

Key members of the Jets organization said Sanchez is a "polarizing" figure in the clubhouse and there are serious doubts he can lead the team to the Super Bowl.

The consensus among players, according to the Daily News, is that— at the least— the team must sign a legitimate veteran backup to push their young quarterback.


"We have to bring in another quarterback that will make him work at practice," said one unnamed player.  "He's lazy and content because he knows he's not going to be benched."

Sanchez has been inconsistent for three seasons and his deficiencies came to a head during the 19-17 loss against the Miami Dolphins. In the final game of the 2011 season, Sanchez's lackluster play helped put the kibosh on any playoff chances and was the final sour note on a season where head coach Rex Ryan was singing the Jets praises.

The inconsistent play of Sanchez over the final three games started his teammates dreaming about another Manning in MetLife Stadium.

The Indianapolis Colts are expected to take Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the first pick of the draft and there is speculation that the team will let Manning go.

The future Hall-of-Famer is still recovering from a pre-season surgery to his neck, is 35 years old and still waiting to be medically cleared before he can even suit up again.  That's a lot of ifs.

Whether it's in blue and white or green and white is any one's guess.

Asked if the Jets should make a move for the veteran Indianapolis Colts QB if he becomes available, several players told the Daily News they would welcome him with open arms.

"Come on.  That's a no-brainer," a Jets source said.  "If you have a chance to get a 36-year old Peyton Manning and you don't do it, then you're stupid.  If you get a healthy 36-year old Peyton Manning, then, hell yeah, I would trade Sanchez."

The chances Manning would make the switch from the Colts to the Jets are pretty good.

For one thing, at the core, the Jets are a good team and— if they keep Santonio Holmes— have plenty of targets for Manning to throw to.

Secondly, Ryan adores Manning and with all the problems with play calling from the sidelines, Ryan would relish having a real leader on the field to lead the team.

The trifecta payoff is the presence of Jets consultant Tom Moore who was Manning's offensive coordinator and mentor for over ten years in Indy.

"We already have his coach— Tom Moore," one well-respected player told the News.  "Plus, he's a field general and will get everyone lined up.  He will get his playmakers the ball.  We can win a Super Bowl with Peyton."

Manning already has a Lombardi trophy and the Jets are wondering if they can do it with Sanchez?


"How can we when he's not improving at all?" a Jets player said.  "He thinks he is, but he's not.  He has shown us what he's capable of."

Sanchez is only 25-years old and has two years left on his contract.

Some Jets players still think he needs another shot— god knows he's taken enough both on the field and off.

"When you get hit the way he got hit," another team source said, "there were some quarterbacks that wouldn't have made it through the season."

But others think their QB is being coddled by the organization.

"They see the organization babying him," said the source.  "They see him with a sense of entitlement.  He's been given all this and hasn't done anything.  They call him 'San-chise.'  They make him the face of the organization.  They gave him the captain tag.  He's not a captain.  He should have never been a captain."

Sanchez denies he is a victim being held accountable for failure after going to two AFC Championships and losing both.

"We hold ourselves to a high standard," he said.  "I don't want to feel like I'm a victim or anything like that.  We expect to win... I don't feel like we set the bar too high.  There is no way.  I don't feel like that."

"You go to back-to-back AFC Championship Games, and everyone thinks , 'OK, we'll get a little bit better and you are winning the Super Bowl," he told ESPN Radio.  "I don't want to make excuses at all.  That's not my style.  But we've been a victim of our success."

It all boils down to a lot of circumstances fro the Jets to land Manning.

Do the Colts draft Luck, does Manning heal, retire or does he even want to come to New York?

"I don't think he'll come here," a Jets source told the News.  "We have to change the perception of the Jets organization.  We're not the organization that players said they wanted to play for a year or two ago.  We're starting to come across a little flaky. We talk the talk.  We don't back it up. We're out of control.  There's no discipline.  It's a mess right now."

The NFL's biggest off-season story will be the Peyton Manning saga.

Just imagine though, Peyton and his little brother Eli sharing the biggest bedroom in the world— MetLife Stadium.

Who gets the top bunk?

Could Tim Tebow End Up Hosting "Saturday Night Live?"

Rumors are swirling that the producers of "Saturday Night Live" want Tim Tebow to host the popular television sketch show less than a week after a four-minute skit on the show mocked his strong religious stance and had members of the Christian Right railing against the program.

Imagine, Tim Tebow becoming a possible, would-be savior of the stumbling network.  Talk about turning the other cheek.

If anyone can be a big draw it's the Denver Broncos quarterback.  Last week, the Tebow-led Broncos-New England Patriots game drew 30 million viewers according to USA Today— and it wasn't to see Bill Belichick's scowl.

Now, SNL wants to cash in on Tebow Fever.

The producers want Tebow to host the show as soon as the NFL season is over, according to  HollywoodLife.com.

"SNL realizes it would be a huge ratings and they are hoping he will say yes," said the website.  "Tim just can't and won't be able to do it while the season is still in play."

It also depends on how Tebow feels about being skewered on national television about his devout stance on Christianity.

Other NFL quarterbacks—like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have satirized themselves on the show in the past, but the material might be a little too racy for Tebow and his Christian image.

If Tebow accepts, it probably means last week's skit where actors portraying him and Jesus Christ in a locker room didn't offend him.

In the skit—which was all over the Internet— Jesus tells Tebow to tone down the praise and hit his playbook more than the bible.

The show was a big hit with viewers.

Conservative televangelist, Pat Robertson went ballistic about the sketch and called it, "anti-Christian bigotry that's just disgusting."

If Tebow does the show,  does it mean he is snubbing his finger at Robertson or just showing he has a sense of humor?

The most talked about player in the NFL has shown that he can take a joke after "Tebowing" was satirized everywhere.  He told reporters if people used the pose to pray and reflect, he had no problem with anyone doing it.

I don't think a little irreverent humor would bother Tebow and imagine how much Robertson's rants leading up to the show will boost the ratings.  Think of how many souls Tebow might convert then.

Giants Nicks and Tuck Expect to Play on Monday Night

The New York Giants got good news on the medical conditions of DE Justin Tuck and WR Hakeem Nicks on Tuesday.  Although the pair probably won't be on the practice field this week, as the team prepares for its Monday night home opener against the St. Louis Rams,  both players remain optimistic they will be ready for the game.

Tuck (neck)says he will be ready to play on Monday and claims his injury is muscular and not disc-related.  He said he is aware that you can't be too careful with neck injuries, but said it was just responding more slowly to treatment than he first expected.

The defensive end suffered a stinger in the preseason game against the New York Jets and sat out the opening game loss to the Washington Redskins.

"Honestly, talk to me right now, I don't see how I will not play on Monday," said Tuck.  "And that's me.  Obviously, you've got to go through the process of doctors, coaches, general manager owner and going through what's most important for me and what's most important for this football team."

Neck injuries are something to be nervous about in light of Peyton Mannings' surgery and, closer to home, the cervical disc herniation which kept defensive teammate Mathias Kiwanuka out of the final 13 games last year and threatened his football  career.

Tuck could only watch Sunday as the depleted Giants defense was undressed, 28-14, by the Redskins.

"If I was given the choice, I would have played Sunday," said Tuck.  "I understand, you don't want to go out and cost yourself a year, maybe a career, just trying to be tough and trying to go out there for your football team.  Was it frustrating?  Absolutely."

Things aren't so cut and dry for Nicks.

On the positive side, doctors are almost certain his injured knee is just a bone bruise. According to the New York Daily News, they will monitor the swelling, keep him out of practice and make a decision later in the week.  If the inflammation doesn't subside, he could miss the game.  Doctors added that it seems doubtful the speedster would miss more than that.

The Giants could definitely use both players.  The Giants defense made Rex Grossman look sexy again and the offense had quarterback Eli Manning looking like well... the old Eli.

Derek Jeter Is Most Popular Male Athlete Despite Recent Bad Publicity

Derek Jeter was voted the "Most Popular Male Athlete" according to a just-released Harris Poll.  The New York Yankees shortstop is perched at the top spot for the first time, replacing Kobe Bryant who held the title last year.

Jeter's rise from the No. 3 spot in 2010 to the No. 1 position wasn't influenced too much by his highly-publicized quest for his milestone 3,000th hit because the poll of 2,163 participants were contacted during the week of June 13-20, when Jeter was on the disabled list.

Peyton Manning moved up from No. 5 to the second spot.  The face of the NFL also endorses half a dozen prominent products and his mug is seen on plenty of TV commercials.  The Indianapolis Colts quarterback had a popular faux '70's movie trailer, co-starring his brother Eli, flooding the Internet about the same time of the poll.

Even the NFL lockout couldn't dim the ubiquitous football star's popularity.  He was the most popular athlete polled by Gen-X (ages 35-46).

Michael Jordan, whose final NBA game was eight years ago, still tied for third place with Los Angeles Laker Bryant.  Jordan was the most popular athlete from 1993-2005, when the title was handed over to golfer Tiger Woods.

Surprisingly,  Woods was the most popular this year with the "matures" (ages 66+) according to the Harris Group.  He was number one from 2006-2009.  Still, the shamed and slumping golfer had the biggest drop in the top-ten.

"As his playing woes continue, it is likely that his (Woods) fall will continue next year", said a Harris representative.

Even so, Woods marketing team has to be happy.

Bryant was the most popular among Hispanic and African-Americans in the Harris Poll.

Jeter was big among the Baby Boomers (ages 47-65) even though the The Captain has been in the news a lot lately-- and not for all the most popular reasons.

Jeter's quest for the 3,000 Hit Club was accomplished in grand style last week after he went 5-for-5 and bashed the historic hit into the centerfield stands.  The home run ball was caught by a fan, Christian Lopez, who was immediately whisked out of his seat by Yankees personnel, who--many believe-- overwhelmed the young man into turning the ball over to Jeter for a mere pittance.  Now Lopez is stuck with a whopping income tax bill to cover the season tickets he got as a reward.  Now,  even Yankees fans say that Jeter should foot the IRS bill in exchange for the ball.

After that controversy,  Jeter skipped out on the All-Star Game he was elected to; citing his recovery from a strained calf and preparing for the wear-and-tear of the second half of the season as his reasons.  Many fans didn't think he deserved to be in the Mid-summer Classic in the first place.  He spent the break in Miami with his girlfriend actress Minka Kelly.

Noticeably absent from the Top Ten is Lebron James.  King James "Decision" last summer seems to have turned off more than only Cleveland fans.  James was No. 6 last year.

Besides Woods, another bad boy made the list.  Hines Ward tied with Albert Pujols at the seventh position.  The Pittsburgh Steeler was arrested a couple of weeks ago--after the poll was taken-- for suspicion of DUI.  Ward's "Dancing With the Stars" victory probably pulled in a lot of the ladies' votes, but apparently not as many as Manning.  The QB was the most popular athlete among the women polled.

First timers to the Top Ten included Ward, Pujols, Derrick Rose and Aaron Rodgers.

The top three female athletes were at No. 1, tennis-star Serena Williams followed by her sister Venus and race car driver Danica Patrick.

Peyton Manning Gets Over Little Bro Eli Once Again

The New York Giants must have gotten caught up in all of the Royal Wedding mania when they used the 19th pick for a Prince instead of a big body to protect their quarterback, Eli Manning, in last night's NFL draft.  Anthony Castonzo, a big offensive-tackle from Boston College, was still available but was taken by the Indianapolis Colts three slots later.

Colts GM, Bill Polian, did Peyton Manning a big solid and added a few years to his quarterbacking life by adding Castonzo to their depleted O-line.  The Giants gave Peyton's little brother Eli another season of being knocked on his butt.

With their first pick, the G-Men opted for the best athlete still on the board, cornerback Prince Amukamara from Nebraska, and literally left a gaping hole in their offensive line after claiming all week leading up to the draft that patching up their aging and hobbled line would be the Giants main concern.

The Giants wanted Center/Guard Mike Pouncey from Florida.  The twin brother of Maurkice, a Pro-Bowl center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was taken by the Miami Dolphins with the 15th pick.  Castonzo was the Giants consensus second choice because the team needs help at the tackle position too.

Amukamara is a fine athlete and experts were surprised to see the 6-foot, 206-pounder slip to No. 19, but the Giants already have two solid cornerbacks in Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster with former-first-round pick Aaron Ross as the backup. The most glaring problem last season, outside of the linebackers, was the thin and aging offensive line.

So the Giants scrapped their plans to bolster Eli's protection and grabbed the CB--mostly because of quality and not necessity.  Head coach Tom Coughlin didn't hesitate about the pick-up and said Amukamara "was clearly the highest rated player on the board."

Meanwhile, all three Giants centers--Shaun O'Hara, Rich Seubert and Adam Koets,  are recovering from surgery.  Two starting tackles, David Diehl and Kareem McKenzie, are in their 30's and have a lot of miles on their bodies. 

So while Peyton gets a huge tackle, who will help him on his quest to own every all-time quarterback record in the books for the next few years, little brother Eli looks forward to another season of being chased around the backfield fumbling balls and tossing interceptions.

The Giants GM Jerry Reese said, "You always need corners" citing the NFC East competition's collection of speedy wide-outs.  Eli might be wondering, 'What about protection?'

Eli may now be joined by a Prince, but Peyton is still the King.