so...safe to say Welker dropped the superbowl championship?

[Tai]

It was in Welker's hands. There must be so many pictures out there showing that. Felger & Mazz showed one, for crying out loud.

"OMG BRADY OVERTHREW IT AND WELKER HAD TO CONTORT HIS BODY LIKE TRANSFORMERS".....

God, n/m. I want a deep receiver (maybe another "Transformer", how about Optimus? ) with a side of improved secondary.

To go.

[Tai]

All you have to do is stand and look over your right shoulder, then move your hands up and to the right a little and there you go. No contortion needed. Just to turn around. Very simple turn around play. Hit him in the hands. Any receiver that thinks he's always going to be hit in stride or something should probably play DB.

  Obviously you don't see the difference between standing still in your backyard playing catch with someone and grabbing a pass that's slightly off target and trying to catch a pass that's thrown behind you when you're running full speed. Of course receivers don't expect to be hit in stride every time, but some types of passes need to be more on target than others.

Just me but I think when Chris Collinsworth said Welker makes that 100 times out of 100 he didn't mean because Welker is just such a phenomenal receiver that he makes impossible catches 100 times out of 100 and this is just the time he happened to drop it. I think he meant it was a very catchable ball in space that Welker saw coming, got both hands on, and dropped

  I generally base my opinions on what I see. Announcers say stupid things on a regular basis. You put more stock in their comments than many of the people I seem to know.

I saw the ball in Welker's hands live. I've seen pictures with the ball in Welker's hands. What more you want?

[StartOrien]

I've ignored a lot of sports sites so excuse me if this is common knowledge by now -

But did the ball to Branch on the final drive get tipped?

That seemed like it was good for 30 yards with some running room.

[Tai]

I've ignored a lot of sports sites so excuse me if this is common knowledge by now -

But did the ball to Branch on the final drive get tipped?

That seemed like it was good for 30 yards with some running room.

See, I think Brady threw it a bit behind Branch. The problem was there was a defender right in front of where Brady should have thrown it, which suggests the possibility he'd have to float it, the main problem most people have with the throw Welker dropped.

[StartOrien]

I've ignored a lot of sports sites so excuse me if this is common knowledge by now -

But did the ball to Branch on the final drive get tipped?

That seemed like it was good for 30 yards with some running room.

See, I think Brady threw it a bit behind Branch. The problem was there was a defender right in front of where Brady should have thrown it, which suggests the possibility he'd have to float it, the main problem most people have with the throw Welker dropped.

I mean, I guess it was a little behind him but it was a lazer that literally hit him in the shoulder pads. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't far from it.

[Tai]

I've ignored a lot of sports sites so excuse me if this is common knowledge by now -

But did the ball to Branch on the final drive get tipped?

That seemed like it was good for 30 yards with some running room.

See, I think Brady threw it a bit behind Branch. The problem was there was a defender right in front of where Brady should have thrown it, which suggests the possibility he'd have to float it, the main problem most people have with the throw Welker dropped.

I mean, I guess it was a little behind him but it was a lazer that literally hit him in the shoulder pads. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't far from it.

Well, the way I see it, if people are gonna blame Brady for throwing one to Welker's hands, why not blame him for one a WEEE behind Branch?

[StartOrien]

Personally, I thought Brady had a heckuva game. Was surprised to see such a negative reaction to hi.

What's odd is the role reversals:

Manning is suddenly the king of clutch after his receiver makes an incredible catch on the sideline, whereas Brady isn't the quarterback he once was because Welker couldn't come down with a difficult catch that I thought he should've had.

I thought both quarterbacks were excellent coming in, and I feel the same way coming out.

[nickagneta]

Do you know why Welker contorted himself. Because he played the ball wrong.

Every QB in the world throws that over the back shoulder away from where it can be intercepted.

You know what you are supposed to do as a wide receiver?

Quickly turn and look over the other shoulder for the ball and put your hands out to catch the ball with your hands while remaining in stride.

Why is Welker blaming himself? Because he knows this and made the cardinal mistake as a receiver by trying to 360 himself in stride to catch a ball over his outside shoulder.

I also think that Branch ball should have been caught on the final drive as well.

My old HS coach would have us running sprints until we dropped for every ball that hit both our hands and we didn't catch  to teach us, "if it hits your hands it HAS to be caught". PERIOD! END OF STORY! NO EXCUSES! Sorry folks. That's the way football coaches see things.

[Moranis]

Why is Welker blaming himself? Because he knows this and made the cardinal mistake as a receiver by trying to 360 himself in stride to catch a ball over his outside shoulder.

A true professional always blames himself publically even when it isn't his fault.  I would expect nothing less from a class act like Welker.  I mean seriously what do you expect him to say.  Tom threw a rocket high and behind me, that is why I couldn't catch it. 

[kozlodoev]

Tom threw a rocket high and behind me, that is why I couldn't catch it. 

Speaking about true professionals, I fully expect Brady to say this if asked about the situation.

[nickagneta]

Why is Welker blaming himself? Because he knows this and made the cardinal mistake as a receiver by trying to 360 himself in stride to catch a ball over his outside shoulder.

A true professional always blames himself publically even when it isn't his fault.  I would expect nothing less from a class act like Welker.  I mean seriously what do you expect him to say.  Tom threw a rocket high and behind me, that is why I couldn't catch it. 

Obviously you don't know Wes Welker.

He's not a nice guy.

My son is in security at two of Boston's best clubs and Wes is blacklisted at both for being.....let's just say he's not a very decent human being.

Don't forget he's the guy that took pot shots at Rex Ryan with the foot comments. And its not just what he has said publicly but the way he looked after that play but before the end of the game.

He made a mistake and didn't do what he is coached to do. If the ball is thrown over the other shoulder you turn and look over the other shoulder and catch it in stride. You don't do a 360, turnaround, contorting motion to try to catch the ball. This isn't rocket science. Its what you are taught as a receiver from high school up.

[Eja117]

I get heckled all the time (Ravens fan living in Cincinnati and I go to the game virtually every year), you just have to know better than respond, especially when you know your response is going to go viral. 

Eja, it seems you don't understand the lockerroom mentality at all.  It is a brotherhood and if that brotherhood is betrayed it is hard to get back.  I realize Tom didn't say anything, but he is going to take a ton of crap for the things his wife said.  And that is really the bottomline.  Gisele should have just ignored the hecklers.  Period.

I've been in different kinds of locker rooms, but never one where significant others were trained what to do or not do when confronted by many hecklers.  Since she isn't a brother this probably shouldn't be a problem...if it's such a brotherhood where they all recognize they all make mistakes i guess they gotta realize she made a mistake, only it wasn't game losing

[Moranis]

Why is Welker blaming himself? Because he knows this and made the cardinal mistake as a receiver by trying to 360 himself in stride to catch a ball over his outside shoulder.

A true professional always blames himself publically even when it isn't his fault.  I would expect nothing less from a class act like Welker.  I mean seriously what do you expect him to say.  Tom threw a rocket high and behind me, that is why I couldn't catch it.  

Obviously you don't know Wes Welker.

He's not a nice guy.

My son is in security at two of Boston's best clubs and Wes is blacklisted at both for being.....let's just say he's not a very decent human being.

Don't forget he's the guy that took pot shots at Rex Ryan with the foot comments. And its not just what he has said publicly but the way he looked after that play but before the end of the game.

He made a mistake and didn't do what he is coached to do. If the ball is thrown over the other shoulder you turn and look over the other shoulder and catch it in stride. You don't do a 360, turnaround, contorting motion to try to catch the ball. This isn't rocket science. Its what you are taught as a receiver from high school up.

being a true professional has nothing to do with what kind of person you are.  Michael Jordan, Ray Lewis, Kobe Bryant, Ben Roethlisberger, etc. are true professionals, it doesn't make them good guys.  

[Zev Love X]

bottom line, it hit him square in the hands so he should have caught it. Period. 1-10, the degree of difficulty on that catch AT MOST was at about a 4 or a 5, not a 9 or 10.

[nickagneta]

Why is Welker blaming himself? Because he knows this and made the cardinal mistake as a receiver by trying to 360 himself in stride to catch a ball over his outside shoulder.

A true professional always blames himself publically even when it isn't his fault.  I would expect nothing less from a class act like Welker.  I mean seriously what do you expect him to say.  Tom threw a rocket high and behind me, that is why I couldn't catch it.  

Obviously you don't know Wes Welker.

He's not a nice guy.

My son is in security at two of Boston's best clubs and Wes is blacklisted at both for being.....let's just say he's not a very decent human being.

Don't forget he's the guy that took pot shots at Rex Ryan with the foot comments. And its not just what he has said publicly but the way he looked after that play but before the end of the game.

He made a mistake and didn't do what he is coached to do. If the ball is thrown over the other shoulder you turn and look over the other shoulder and catch it in stride. You don't do a 360, turnaround, contorting motion to try to catch the ball. This isn't rocket science. Its what you are taught as a receiver from high school up.

being a true professional has nothing to do with what kind of person you are.  Michael Jordan, Ray Lewis, Kobe Bryant, Ben Roethlisberger, etc. are true professionals, it doesn't make them good guys.  

It also means catching a ball that hits both your hands squarely in the palms and taking credit when you don't do it. So I guess you are right. He's a true professional.