I like Philip Rivers. I like that picture even better.
Someday, you will too. Give it time.
Its not an unhealthy thing like Madden-Favre, or Joe Buck-Troy Aikman. No, I feel compelled to stand up for The Laserface. I know the Class of '04 features two Super Bowl winners (Eli & Big Ben), but shit people, he's a damn good quarterback.
He is 25-7 as a starter. Thats a better winning percentage than Elisha (30-25) and Benjamin (39-16). He also has a higher TD-INT ratio than the other two, so spare me the classic "Hurturdurr he sucks!" argument. He wasnt a favorite in San Diego, largely in part to Drew Brees having career seasons after they drafted him. It wasnt exactly a popular decision when Brees was let go either. LaDanian Tomlinson even whined that it could have messed up their chance to be contenders. Come to think of it, LT's a bit of a bitch sometimes, huh?
Still, many of my colleagues have referred to Rivers as a "douchenozzle". Can you believe that? I know Rivers cant.
Why? It all started Rivers mocked and made fun of emo-pussy Denver QB Jay Cutler. He also mocked Colts fans when the Chargers upset them at home in the AFC Divisionals. So is there some unspoken rule that Quarterbacks arent allowed to talk shit? I suppose we are trained to believed that by now that our NFL QBs need to be either robots (Brady), eggheads (Peyton), ineffective-yet-solid-running backs (Vince Young), or pass happy rednecks pilled up on Vicodin (yeah, you know). We leave the trash talk to linebackers, wide recievers and defensive backs. You cant fault Rivers for talking shit. I know he didnt win that game against Indy. He tore his ACL and they put in Billy Volek, who capped the comeback. Rivers talked smack because he threw three TDs in the RCA Dome like he owned the place. He also did it without LT and Antonio Gates, who also got hurt. Did I mention that his laser like stare and superhuman focus totally fucked the Colts' shit all up. Dont believe me?
As far as him making fun of Jay Cutler. Well, look at him. You would too. Tell me you wouldnt want to see Rivers give him a wedgie just to watch him cry.
By the way, he played in that AFC Championship Game--On a torn ACL, while Powder Blue Jesus himself, LT, spent the game on an exercise bike. Brady, Montana, Bradshaw, Marino, Elway and Favre cant say they ever did that. That took balls. It was much more entertaining than Roethllisbergers 9/21 performance in SuperBowl XL (by far the worst SB I've ever seen). He also played with a great deal of composure and guts, you know without looking like he wanted to cry (like Eli). So regardless what the media and blogosphere think of Rivers, I maintain that he is the best quarterback in that class, and he will one day be remembered as an all time great....
