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On the Road to Canton

    Hey, everyone. So, its NFL Playoffs again this weekend. Four games, two on Saturday and Two on Sunday. Of the eight teams remaining, only three of them have yet to win a Super Bowl. Atlanta (my team) and the Seattle Seahawks have been there, but lost. Atlanta, of course, lost to Denver, in 1998 I think. Seattle went also but lost in an entertaining game. Houston is the only team in this year's playoffs who has never made it to the Super Bowl. They had some great teams with Bum Phillips, didn't they? 'Luv Ya Blue' and all that.
     I like to see different teams and different players get that elusive ring. You tend to see the repeaters in the big game. Brady and Manning or the other Manning. The reason being that there is a very limited number of quarterbacks good enough to get there and win it. Brady just freaks me out. In big games his focus and intensity is like an assassin's. Of all the QBs I've ever watched (since 1958), he is the last guy I want to see across the line of scrimmage if I am up by 5 points with a minute left on the clock. The guy has broken a lot of hearts. I am not talking about women, I mean fans of other teams. I'll be pulling for Houston to beat the Patriots but I sincerely doubt that it will happen, especially at Foxboro.
     I don't believe that the Ravens can beat the Broncos at Denver, either. Denver has a nice balance of offense and defense. Peyton's arm seems healthy again and I am glad for him. I hope to see him play the Falcons in the Super Bowl this year.
      The Packers play San Francisco in California and that should be a great game. I hope San Fran wins it. They have waited a long time for a return to the Super Bowl and they certainly have a good enough team to win it all. That Justin Smith guy is one of the most awesome defensive players I've watched in my life. Last year's performance in the playoffs was something he should be proud of. Wish the Falcons would sign that dude. I believe that San Francisco wins this contest by pounding Aaron Rodgers. I will say that Alex Smith got a tough deal from the 49'ers coach. He did a great job in the playoffs last year and this year he is on the bench. Whatever. That's why those guys (the coaches) make the big bucks, I guess. I certainly don't want him telling me how to write a book. Ha, ha.
     Finally, the Falcons defend their home turf against a dangerous young team of Seahawks. I believe the Falcons will win at home and face San Fran for the NFC title.
    Several of the weekend's players are people who have earned a trip to the Hall of Fame in Canton. People like Manning and Ray Lewis and Tony Gonzalez. I would love to see Tony get his shot at a Super Bowl ring. At the Hall, the circular room, bathed in blue light, which holds the busts of the great players, has a hush that lies over it. It is as though the eyes of people like Unitas and Jim Brown watch over that place and brook no frivolity in those hallways. Many of the players in San Francisco or Atlanta or Foxboro or Denver, this weekend, are just passing through those towns , on their way to Canton, Ohio.
    From the author's green retreat, I'm CE Wills.

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