Clay Matthews not named DPOY.

That's the trouble with instant news -- everyone wants to be the first with the instant so they go on half-truths or rumors. Part of the news game today.

Sucks that CMIII didn't win, but P has "the name." It's also a lot easier to stand out as a DB since you don't have two or even three guys blocking you during every single play of the game like CMIII does.

Go show 'em, CMIII! You won't care about DPOY when you're wearing that ring!

Another case of counting chickens before they hatch!!! And indication of the stupidity of tweeting


. . . and Clay played how many less games? Like the guys said, the top three were all deserving of the award. I could agree with any of them.

quote:

Originally posted by chickenboy:
Boooo! Can't argue with the choice however...

I can argue that Urlacher or Peppers were more deserving than Palamolu. Do sportswriters vote on DPOY award? BS pick, won on name only, played in 14 games this season.

Didn't Polamalu miss a few games? I know Matthews missed one game.

Well, Clay played in 15 officially and for sure sat a whole half against the Skins. Not sure if during that part of the year if he sat any other major parts of games.

Troy P has never won a DPOY (at least according to this). That surprised me. He is very deserving, IMO...

Troy missed 2 games. Steelers went 1-1 in the games he missed.

I don't have a big issue with who he lost to. Troy's a hell of a player and all this does is fuel CM III's fire on Sunday. I strongly suspect CM III will be reminding 10's of millions why he should be DPOY.

picked on name recognition. Troy has had years where he was more deserving. Great defensive player, but wasn't DPOY on his own team.

Troy was clearly hurting in the two playoff games -- range seemed severely reduced. Whether the extra week off will pay dividends remains to be seen.

Good thing is he may play with even more fire in his pants come sunday. Troy got it because of the "overdue" factor.

That's ok. I think this is a good omen for the Packers and Clay Matthews.

I think its a good trade off

Gotta love CMIII's response. From his Facebook account: I didn't win but it's okay, I'll show them who is really the DPOY on Sunday.

Well, Troy can thank Clay's hammy for this one. And while I can't really argue with the award, I'm scratching my head over the final vote count from NFL.com:

quote:

Also receiving votes for AP Defensive Player of the Year were Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers with six and linebacker Brian Urlacher with two ; and Ravens safety Ed Reed and nose tackle Haloti Ngata, one each.

Really? The guy had a bounce back year, but 5th best defensive player in football? There's your two vote difference.

And I realize Peppers had an affect than can't be counted by stats alone, but is he even in this discussion if he doesn't beat Jake Long's backup three times to get to Tyler Thigpen?

How anyone besides CM3, Polamalu and Harrison got votes is beyond me. I guess you could throw Cameron Wake in there, but the team was pretty mediocre. Ed Reed had a great year but only played in like 9 or 10 games.

Peppers? in 3 games against GB he had zero sacks and in the last game the only play he made (crushing hit on Rodgers) was because it was a pass play and Clifton thought it was a running play.

Polamalu says he didn’t deserve award
profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 31, 2011, 10:40 PM EST

quote:

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Packers linebacker Clay Matthews took to Twitter Monday night in a battle to see who could be classier.

Polamalu, who won the Defensive Player of the Year award Monday (we’re sure), said he didn’t deserve the honor.

“Thanks for the congrats. @jharrison9292 (James Harrsion), @ClayMatthews52, Ed Reed, Julius Peppers way more deserving!”

Heck, Polamalu isn’t sure anyone deserves it:

“Individual awards only have a place in golf and bowling. Too many parts to single out one player in the world greatest TEAM sport!” Polamalu wrote.

Those comments are consistent with everything we’ve every heard from Polamalu. In world of artificial media images, he truly seems like the genuine article.

Not to be out-done, Matthews congratulated his fellow former USC Trojan on edging him out for the award.

“Congrats to [Troy Polamalu] on NFL DPOY. Well deserved . . . Class act and outstanding player. #FightOn.” continue

Wake was a beast when I saw him. I bet the REAL DPOY wasn't even on the ballot. We all know how these things work. Second year in the league and he's already borderline. Good as a win, IMO...

You could make a case for Raji. Without him the Packers defensive line falls apart. He's extending Pickett's career by saving him from playing snaps and is so dominant at his position that they can play more sub packages.

Well chicago is the Second City and thats why so many votes for Peepers and nurlyacher.Eight votes from the windy city(some of the guys may have moved out of the area but their loyalty is still windy)

I think Clay will be happier with The Lombardi Trophy.

Why don't they just make it defensive players of the year and do it like the hall of fame. Most every guy mentioned was deserving. To narrow it down to one is almost silly. If there's three deserving guys let all of them get the honor. If one guy is that dominant that he deserves it all on his own it becomes even more special.

Is Clay's middle name Dewey?

I'm ok with how this turned out. What I don't get is how Reed and Ngata got votes and Suh didn't. He was better this season than those 2.

I'm starting to think we should give every player a lollipop at the end of the season and that tit is a closet communist

quote:

What I don't get is how Reed and Ngata got votes and Suh didn't. He was better this season than those 2.

very good point

It's all in the hair! Kind of funny that the two top vote getters have some of the longest hair in the league and both are doing shampoo commercials. Just let your hair grow and you too could be like these guys.


Maybe this will fire Matthews up a little more for Sunday, if that's possible.

quote:

Originally posted by PackerHawk:
Is Clay's middle name Dewey?

I see what you did there.

Re: Raji and/or Suh as DPOY. The chances a true interior lineman (the tackles) wins are lessened because of the lack of visibility. Linebackers and secondary players are much more out in the open. Look at the past 10 years:

2000 - Ray Lewis, LB Baltimore
2001 - Michael Strahan, DE NY Giants
2002 - Derrick Brooks, LB Tampa Bay
2003 - Ray Lewis, LB Baltimore
2004 - Ed Reed, S Baltimore
2005 - Brian Urlacher, LB Chicago
2006 - Jason Taylor, DE Miami
2007 - Bob Sanders, S Indianapolis
2008 - James Harrison, LB Pittsburgh
2009 - Charles Woodson, CB Green Bay
2010 - Troy

It's also interesting to note that in the first four years of the award, DTs won three awards - Alan Page once in 1971, and Joe Greene twice ('72, '74). But then it's not until 1989 that another DT won it, Keith Millard. In fact, in the history of the award since 1971, only seven interior linemen have won it, and as you can see, not one in the past decade.

Raji and Suh have an uphill battle...

quote:

“Individual awards only have a place in golf and bowling. Too many parts to single out one player in the world greatest TEAM sport!” Polamalu wrote.

Great reply by TP. I agree wholeheartedly. I hate individual awards and if players focus on them, they are in the wrong sport.

My question is how does this fire Mathews up more. Don't you think playing in the Super Bowl is incentive enough?

I think Clay will be plenty fired up without having to prove he is the best. At a certain point, it is hard to objectively prove who is the best.

Are we sure that Polamalu has won it? I heard the winner speaking during an interview on the radio today, I didn’t catch his name but I swear it was Brian Boitano. I didn't think a figure skater could win this award, but by the sound of his voice it HAD to be him.

Clay Matthews won the Butkus Award given for the most awesomest linebacker in the League