In honor of Giants quarterback Eli Manning winning a second Super Bowl to solidify his status among the NFL’s elite signal callers, this week’s Tuesday Top 7 looks at the athletes needing to win a championship to validate their greatness.

Any athlete who has already won a championship was not eligible for the list, so suggesting that Tiger Woods needs to win another major or Tom Brady must secure a fourth Super Bowl — and first after the Patriots’ cheating scandal — does not work. Luke Jones stuck to athletes in team sports while Drew Forrester considered those who participate in team or individual sports.

Luke Jones’ Top 7 … (listen to his explanation HERE)

7) Tony Romo

6) Steve Nash

5) Michael Vick

4) Carmelo Anthony

3) Philip Rivers

2) Alexander Ovechkin

1) LeBron James

Drew Forrester’s Top 7 … (listen to his explanation HERE)

Continue >>>

TOWSON, Md. –  A talented group of 19 football players has signed National Letters of Intent to attend Towson University and play football, it has been announced by Coach Rob Ambrose.

The Tigers’ recruiting class includes five transfer students, including four FBS transfers. Joining the Tigers as transfers are defensive lineman Brendon Gannon of Western Michigan, defensive back Darrell Givens of Rutgers, defensive back Ben Harvey of South Carolina and cornerback Jordan Love of Georgia. In addition, offensive lineman Jake McDowell transferred from Golden West Junior College.

Of the 14 incoming freshmen, five are products of Maryland high schools. The Tigers have also added three newcomers from the Tidewater area of Virginia. 

“This is the best recruiting class we’ve ever had,” says Coach Ambrose. “That’s the natural progression of building a program. Each recruiting class needs to be better than the one before it. These incoming players are the biggest, fastest recruits we’ve ever signed.”

The Tiger coaching staff will officially announce the recruiting class at the NLI Signing Party at Bill Bateman’s Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m.

BRYTON BARR, Linebacker
6-0, 220-lbs., Mechanicsburg Area H.S., Camp Hill, Pa.
Two-time All-State selection … honored as Keystone Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior … four-year starter at linebacker for the Wildcats who made 504 tackles in career … two-year team captain for Coach Chris Hakel … also forced 20 fumbles in his career … had six career interceptions … three-time all-conference selection … led team with 154 tackles as a senior … also had 175 tackles as a junior … chosen to play in the Big 33 all-star game … also played tight end for the Wildcats and scored 24 touchdowns in career … had 1,500 receiving yards in career … two-time team MVP … honor roll student … PERSONAL: Has one older brother … has done volunteer work with Special Olympics … favorite NFL team is the Atlanta Falcons … lists defensive back Shann Schilinger of Atlanta as his favorite NFL player … had summer job as landscaper … lists “Tuesdays With Morrie” as his favorite book … favorite movie is “The Book Of Eli” …  favorite actor is Denzel Washington …enjoys eating steak … enjoys music by John Mayer … father is a graduate of Columbus College who played college baseball … father is a realtor … mother is a food service supervisor … son of Terry and Quinn Barr … born on February 6, 1994 in Harrisburg, Pa

CHRISTIAN CARPENTER, Athlete
6-2, 185-lbs., Aberdeen H.S., Aberdeen, Md.
Very talented two-way standout at Aberdeen High School … second team All-State selection … earned first team All-Metro notice as a senior … also named first team All-Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference … played wide receiver and defensive back for the Eagles … caught 64 passes for 1,112 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior … also made 148 tackles with six interceptions … scored one defensive touchdown for the Eagles … led Coach Johnny Brooks’ Eagles to a 10-3 record and the semi-finals of the Maryland state playoffs … Eagles showed vast improvement after posting a 1-9 record in 2010 … helped Eagles win UCBAC championship … named Most Valuable Player at the UCBAC all-star game … also played in the Crab Bowl … member of track and field team at Aberdeen where he excelled in the long jump … PERSONAL: Has one younger brother … lists mother as the person he admires the most … hobbies include video games … avid fan of the Baltimore Ravens … lists the late Sean Taylor as his favorite NFL player … favorite athlete is Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat … favorite movie is “Planet of the Apes” … enjoys eating spaghetti … parents are Syracuse University graduates … mother earned MBA from Strayer and works in Human Resources … son of Robert and Davita Carpenter … born on March 2, 1994 in Alpharetta, Ga.

ROB CHESSON, Running Back
5-9, 175-lbs., Old Mill H.S., Millersville, Md.
Explosive running back who earned first team All-State honors … named as Maryland State Offensive Player of the Year … led Old Mill High School to a 14-0 record and the Maryland “4A” state championship … set a Maryland state record with 49 touchdowns scored, breaking previous mark of 43 … rushed for 2,701 yards on 337 carries … scored game-winning two-point conversion in Old Mill’s 36-35 win in the state championship game over Quince Orchard … ran for 154 yards on 25 carries in state championship game … led the Patriots to a win over Catonsville in the state semi-finals by rushing for 312 yards on 24 carries and scoring seven touchdowns … ran for 247 yards and scored five touchdowns in win over Southern … picked up 216 yards on 35 carries with five touchdowns against Arundel … also scored five TD’s in 180-yard effort against South River … led Washington to a win in the Crab Bowl by running for 134 yards with one touchdown … PERSONAL:  Has one older sister and one younger brother … has two cousins playing football in Anne Arundel County … son of Robert and Tikira Barber … born on October 27, 1993 in Annapolis, Md.

BRENDON GANNON, Defensive Lineman
6-2, 260-lbs., Cardinal Gibbons H.S., Halethorpe, Md.
Transfer from Western Michigan University … has three years of eligibility remaining … two-year performer for the Broncos who was a redshirt in 2010 … appeared in one game in 2011 … made one tackle against Bowling Green … member of Broncos’ team that posted a 7-6 record and dropped a 37-32 heartbreaker to Purdue in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl in Detroit … earned All-MIAA honors twice at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Baltimore … team captain of the Crusaders … led team with 98 tackles as a senior … selected to play in Baltimore Touchdown Club’s all-star game … also played basketball for the Crusaders and served as team captain … member of the track and field team at Gibbons … attended Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) for one year and played football … made 64 tackles with eight sacks in one year at Wyoming Seminary … PERSONAL: Has three brothers and one sister … lists mother as the person he admires the most … hobbies include baseball and lacrosse … had summer job working at a pharmacy … favorite NFL team is the Baltimore Ravens … lists Jason Pierre-Paul of the New York Giants as his favorite NFL player … favorite book is “Life On The Mississippi” by Mark Twain … favorite movie is “Paid In Full” … lists Dwight Howard as his favorite athlete … favorite actress is Jada Pinkett … mother is a dental assistant … son of Latonia Small … born on July 13, 1991 in Baltimore, Md.

DARRELL GIVENS, Defensive Back
6-1, 193-lbs., Lackey H.S., Fort Washington, Md. 
Transfer from Rutgers University … has two years of eligibility remaining … two-year performer for the Scarlet Knights … appeared in four games over the last two seasons … member of Scarlet Knights’ team that posted a 9-4 record in 2011 and beat Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium … appeared in two games this season and made one tackle … also played in two games in 2010 … widely-recruited cornerback out of Lackey High School who earned scholastic All-American honors … rated as the No. 6 cornerback in the nation by ESPN.com … also rated as No. 29 cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com … two-time All-County selection who also earned All-State honors as a senior … had 57 tackles and intercepted two passes as a senior … also caught 18 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown … led the Chargers to an 8-4 record as a senior … helped Lackey make back-to-back appearances in regional championship game … made 82 tackles as a junior with three interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries … PERSONAL: Has two brothers and one sister … born on September 25, 1990 in Washington, D.C.

BEN HARVEY, Defensive Back
5-10, 185-lbs., Good Counsel H.S., Columbia, Md.
Transfer from University of South Carolina … did not play for the Gamecocks … has four years of eligibility remaining … member of Gamecocks team that posted an 11-2 record and beat Nebraska in the Florida Citrus Bowl … All-Metro defensive back at Good Counsel High School … helped the Falcons post a 10-2 record as a senior … member of Coach Bob Milloy’s WCAC championship team … also played basketball and ran track … helped the Falcons’ track team win the WCAC title … honor roll student … PERSONAL: Hoping for a career in computer science … lists mother as the person he admires the most … avid fan of the Baltimore Ravens … lists Darrelle Revis as his favorite NFL player … favorite movie is “Scarface” … lists Lindsay Lohan as his favorite actress … had summer job as camp counselor … favorite athlete is LeBron James … favorite book is “Art of War” … mother is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts who played basketball … son of Kenny Harvey and Juanita Matthews … born on January 9, 1993 in Boston, Mass

SYD HOLT, Defensive End
6-4, 210-lbs., Sayreville War Memorial H.S., South Amboy, N.J.
All-State first team performer at defensive end … team captain who led the Bombers to an 11-1 record and the 2010 Central Jersey Group IV state championship … named as New Jersey Defensive Player of the Year by The Newark Star-Ledger … made 90 tackles with 13.5 sacks for Coach George Najjar … earned All-County and All-League honors … also caught 17 passes for 198 yards and four touchdowns as a tight end … had 48 tackles and 13 sacks as a junior … also played basketball for the Bombers … PERSONAL: Has two younger sisters and one younger brother … lists father as the person he admires the most … has done community service work at food shelters and a retirement home … favorite NFL teams are the St. Louis Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers … favorite athlete is Lebron James … favorite actor is  Tyrese Gibson … enjoys eating fried chicken … favorite musician is Chris Brown … son of Sydnor L. Holt and Telica Harrington  … born on March 2, 1993 in Newark, N.J.

Ra-ZAHN HOWARD, Defensive Tackle
6-3, 300-lbs., Asbury Park H.S., Asbury Park, N.J.
Third team All-State selection at defensive tackle … led Asbury Park High School to NJSIAA state championship … transferred to Asbury Park prior to senior season … keyed Asbury Park defense which allowed just 464 rushing yards all season … named as the Class B Central Defensive Player of the Year … made 68 tackles with 12 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries … also forced three fumbles and made 31 tackles for lost yardage … also named first team All-Shore Conference for Coach Matt Ardizzone …  made 57 tackles and had ten sacks as a junior at Winslow Township H.S. … also played basketball in high school … also wrestled and won regional title as a sophomore … PERSONAL: Cousin of Marcus Valentine, a four-year standout for the Tigers who was one of the captains of the Tigers’ Colonial Athletic Association championship team in 2011 … career goal is to work in juvenile probation and corrections … lists Marcus Valentine as the person he admires most … favorite NFL team is the Detroit Lions … lists Denzel Washington as his favorite actor … favorite musician is Stevie Wonder … lists “Friday Night Lights” as his favorite movie … enjoys eating chicken parmesan … son of Mark Howard and Tina Morris … born on August 9, 1994 in Red Bank, N.J.

DREON JOHNSON, Fullback
6-0, 235-lb., Mayde Creek H.S., Houston, Tex.
Versatile performer at Mayde Creek High School … saw action at offensive tackle, fullback and defensive end for the Rams … two-year team captain for Coach Lance Carter … earned first team All-District honors at offensive tackle … honored as top offensive lineman in the district as a senior … led team in tackles as a junior … three-year starter … also a member of the Rams’ wrestling team and track and field team … PERSONAL: Has one brother and one sister … lists mother as the person he admires the most … hobbies include playing basketball … favorite NFL teams are the Houston Texans, the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers … favorite NFL player is running back  Brandon Jacobs of the Giants … lists LeBron James as his favorite athlete … favorite movie is “Dead Presidents” … favorite actor is Terrence Howard … enjoys listening to music by Z-RO … likes to eat Mexican food … mother is a substitute teacher … son of Lamonica Benton … born on December 12, 1992 in College Station, Texas.

CLIFTON JONES, Defensive Tackle
6-2, 250-lb., Tallwood H.S., Virginia Beach, Va.
Explosive defensive lineman who earned first team All-District honors at Tallwood High School … team captain of the Lions … also named first team All-Beach for Coach John Kepple … member of All-Region second team … named as team captain … standout performer for the Lions’ track and field team who finished fifth in the region in the shot put … honor roll student … PERSONAL: Has one sister … lists family as the people he admires the most … had summer job in child care … favorite NFL player is Michael Vick … lists “The Wood” as his favorite movie … favorite athlete is NBA standout Brandon Roy … mother is a nurse … father is a high school football coach … son of Clifton Jones Sr.  and Pam Archie … born January 9, 1994 in Norfolk, Va.

JULEON KILLIKELLY-LEE, Cornerback
5-10, 160-lbs., Woodlawn H.S., Gwynn Oak, Md.
Very speedy cornerback who earned second team All-State honors … also named All-Baltimore County … played three years at Western Tech and one season at Woodlawn … intercepted three passes as a senior at Woodlawn and scored seven touchdowns … threw for 546 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior … also ran for 521 yards for the Warriors … members of the first Western Tech team to post a 10-0 record … made 20 tackles and intercepted four passes as a junior at Western … played in Crab Bowl and the Chesapeake Bowl … outstanding sprinter for the Warriors’ track and field team … won Maryland state championships in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash … PERSONAL: Has one older brother … lists father as the person he admires the most … has done community service work planting trees and feeding the hungry … hobbies include singing … avid fan of the Baltimore Ravens … had summer job working with automotive repair … lists Ray Lewis and Adrian Peterson as his favorite NFL players … enjoys reading “Of Mice and Men” … favorite movie is “Jason’s Lyric” … lists Steve Carell as his favorite actor … enjoys listening to music by C.J. Hilton … father is a fire alarm technician … mother is an IT analyst and a graduate of the University of Baltimore … son of Donald Lee and Lanca Killikelly … born on May 1, 1994 in Baltimore, Md.

DONNELL LEWIS, Cornerback
5-10, 160-lbs., Woodside H.S., Newport News, Va.
Honored as one of the Top 100 football players in Virginia … two-way standout who played quarterback and defensive back at Woodside High School … honored as Peninsula District Player of the Year … two-time All-Region selection at defensive back … led the Wolverines to a perfect 10-0 record … completed 49 of 88 passes for 760 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior … also rushed for 739 yards and scored seven touchdowns for Coach Danny Dodson … had two interceptions … intercepted seven passes as a junior and returned two for touchdowns … also played basketball and ran track … honor roll student … PERSONAL: Has one younger brother and one younger sister … lists father as the person he admires the most … career goal is to become a police officer … had summer job working at Busch Gardens … avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys … favorite NFL player is Michael Vick … lists LeBron James as his favorite athlete … favorite movie is “Friday Night Lights” … lists Walter Dean Meyers as his favorite author … enjoys eating lasagna … father is an Army veteran … mother works in daycare … son of Donnell Lewis Sr. and Hirut Lewis … born on March 12, 1994 in Fort Riley, Kansas.

JORDAN LOVE, Cornerback
6-0, 190-lbs., Deep Run H.S., Glen Allen, Va.
Transfer from the University of Georgia … two-year performer for the Bulldogs … has two years of eligibility remaining … played in 21 games in career at Georgia … appeared in eight games and started once in 2011 … made 12 tackles and forced a fumble … also broke up one pass … made first career start in season opener against Boise State … member of Bulldogs team that finished the season with a 10-4 record as Southeastern Conference runners-up … played in all 13 games as a freshman in 2010 … made nines tackle and forced a fumble as a freshman … had career high five tackles and forced a fumble against Coastal Carolina in 2011 … All-State selection at Deep Run High School in Virginia …. rated as No. 1 cornerback in Virginia as a senior … made 45 tackles as a senior … also ran for 281 yards with two touchdowns … also returned a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown … intercepted three passes as a junior … PERSONAL: Has two brothers and two sisters … father is a graduate of Southern Illinois who played pro football for the Seattle Seahawks … mother is a graduate of Jackson State who works for the FBI … born on December 31, 1990 in Chicago, Ill.

JAKE McDOWELL, Offensive Lineman
6-5, 290-lb., Los Alamitos H.S., Los Alamitos, Cal.
Solid offensive lineman who is a transfer from Golden West Junior College … two-year standout for the Rustlers who earned second team all-conference honors in 2011 … helped Golden West post a 7-4 record … earned all-league honors at Los Alamitos High School in California … helped the Griffins win their league championship … honor roll student … PERSONAL: Has two younger brothers … devoted fan of the St. Louis Rams  … career goal is to become a physical therapist … lists grandfather as the person he admires the most … hobbies include snowboarding … favorite NFL player is Clay Matthews … lists “Dark Knight” as his favorite movie … favorite actor is Christian Bale … lists Katherine Heigl as his favorite actress … enjoys music by Toby Keith … favorite athlete is Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels … father is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton … mother is a Carritos College graduate … son of Matthew and Susan McDowell … born on June 8, 1992 in Irvine, Cal.

WILLIE PONDER, Wide Receiver
5-11, 175-lb., Western Branch H.S., Chesapeake, Va.
Two-way standout at wide receiver at Western Branch H.S. … earned first team all-district honors as a senior … named as the Bruins’ Most Valuable Player … earned honorable mention All-Tidewater notice … two-year captain for Coach Scott Johnson … also played basketball and ran track for the Bruins … honor roll student every semester … member of Latin Club … also a member of Future Business Leaders of America … PERSONAL: Career goal is to become a pharmacist or work in physical therapy … lists parents as the people he admires the most … has been very active in community service work … favorite NFL team is the Atlanta Falcons … lists Percy Harvin as his favorite NFL player … had summer jobs working at Best Buy and Auto Bell Car Wash … cousin, Glenn Waldron, played football at University of New Hampshire … favorite musician is Drake … enjoys eating pizza  … favorite movie is “Friday Night Lights” …  lists Kobe Bryant as his favorite athlete … parents work for the U.S. Navy … mother is a graduate of Troy University … son of Willie and Nicole Ponder … born on October 7, 1992 in Olney, Md.

FRED SANTARELLI, Offensive Tackle
6-6, 295-lbs., The Hill School, Philadelphia, Pa.
Two-sport standout at The Hill School … earned All-State honors at offensive tackle … also named All-WAPL for Coach Grey Simpson … helped the Rams post a 6-3 record as a senior … also wrestled for the Rams … PERSONAL: Has two younger sisters … career goal is to become a coach … lists former St. Joseph’s Prep Coach Gil Brooks as the person he admires most … hobbies include playing video games … favorite NFL team is the Philadelphia Eagles … lists All-Pro tackle Jason Peters of the Eagles as his favorite NFL player … favorite movie is “The Godfather” … lists Robert DeNiro as his favorite actor … had summer job working at a pizza restaurant … favorite athlete is Usain Bolt … mother is a former All-American basketball player at Immaculata who coaches basketball … father played football at Juniata College and served as team captain … father is an attorney … son of Frederick and Letty Santarelli … born on February 25, 1993 in Philadelphia, Pa.

BRADY STUP, Offensive Tackle
6-5, 270-lbs., Tuscarora H.S., Frederick, Md.
Second team All-State selection at Tuscarora High School … two-way tackle who also earned All-Area and all-conference honors for Coach Dean Swink … team captain of the Titans … made 75 tackles with six sacks as a senior … honorable mention All-State selection as a junior … selected to play in the Crab Bowl All-Star Game … honorable mention All-Monocacy Valley League wrestler … also played lacrosse for the Titans … PERSONAL: Parents are both Towson graduates … father, Bill Stup, played football for the Tigers from 1985 to 1988 and was a team captain as a senior … older brother, Billy, played football for the Tigers from 2008 to 2011 … lists parents as the people he admires most … has spent a lot of time working on grandparents’ farm … very active in church activities … has three brothers … older brother, Bobby, plays football at Colgate … devoted fan of the Baltimore Ravens … lists Ray Rice as his favorite NFL player … lists “Gladiator” as his favorite movie … favorite meal is fried chicken .. has an uncle who played football at Virginia Tech … has another uncle who played football at Shepherd College … mother is an occupational therapist … father owns a business … son of Bill and Lori Stup … born on August 23, 1994 in Havre deGrace, Md.

SHAYNE SULLIVAN, Offensive Tackle
6-6, 285-lbs., Archbishop Spalding H.S., Crofton, Md.
All-Metro first team pick at offensive tackle … also named All-MIAA and All-Anne Arundel County … earned first team All-State honors among private schools … winner of Annapolis Touchdown Club’s Al Laramore Award as top lineman in Anne Arundel County … named to Baltimore Touchdown Club Super 22 team … chosen to play in the Crab Bowl All-Star game … two-way lineman who helped the Cavaliers post a 7-4 record as a senior … member of MIAA “B” championship team which posted a 10-3 record for Coach Mike Whittles as a junior … also played rugby … PERSONAL: Has two older sisters … lists his high school coach, Mike Whittles, as the person he admires the most … favorite NFL team is the Miami Dolphins … favorite NFL player is Brandon Marshall … outstanding XBox player who finished third in a world-wide Madden football tournament … favorite book is “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss … favorite athlete is LeBron James … lists “Ace Ventura” as his favorite movie … favorite actor is Steven Seagal … enjoys listening to music by Eminem … favorite food is crabs … father is a University of Maryland graduate who works as a mortgage banker … mother works as an administrative assistant … son of John and Susan Sullivan  … born on October 6, 1994 in Annapolis, Md.

MAX TEJADA, Defensive Line
6-2, 285-lbs., The Bolles School, Orange Park, Fla.
Talented defensive lineman who earned All-State first team honors as a senior at the Bolles School in Florida … three-year starter for Coach Corky Rogers … helped the Bulldogs to the state championshop and a 16-1 record … named first team All-First Coast … team captain … member of two state championship teams at The Bolles School … helped the Bulldogs compile a 39-3 record in career … also wrestled for the Bulldogs and finished fourth in the state … PERSONAL: Has two younger brothers … career goal is to become an Athletic Trainer … lists grandfather as the person he admires the most  … hobbies include fishing … devoted fan of the New York Jets … favorite NFL player is Ndamukong Suh … favorite movie is “Scarface” … lists Al Pacino as his favorite actor … favorite meal is steak and potatoes … father works as a clothier … mother is a financial aid advisor … son of Ramon and Kathy Tejada … born February 11, 1991 in Jacksonville, Fla.

2012 Towson University Football Recruits

New York, NY, January 25, 2012– The New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees (No. 1), Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers (No. 2) and New England Patriots’ Tom Brady (No. 3) top the Bloomberg Businessweek/Horrow Sports Ventures 2012 Power 100 ranking of the most powerful professional athletes in the U.S. To determine who the 100 most powerful athletes are on- and off-the-field going into 2012, Bloomberg Businessweek teamed up with Rick Horrow, host of Bloomberg TV “Sportfolio,” and CEO of Horrow Sports Ventures; CSE, a leading integrated marketing agency that created the Power 100 list for the third consecutive year using proprietary methodology; and the Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score.

As the business of sports continues to grow, endorsement contracts increasingly impact players, teams, and the industry. These contracts take into consideration many of the same factors as the Power 100 ranking – performance, name awareness, appeal, influence, trustworthiness and overall popularity, among other things. Social media, for example, played a role in boosting the rankings of such athletes as LeBron James (No. 4) and Shaquille O’Neal (No.7).  The Power 100 rankings are based 50 percent on these on “off-field” measurements, and 50 percent on “on-field” performance using a variety of industry statistics.

The most notable drops this year include injury-plagued Peyton Manning dropping from No. 1 to No. 51 and golfer Phil Mickelson dropping from No. 4 to No. 18. Due to the individual dominance of its top athletes, tennis commands ten percent of the spots on this year’s list, with the top female athlete on the list being American tennis stalwart Serena Williams (No. 25).

In addition, this year’s Power 100 rankings also emphasize the importance of team sports, with the NFL dominating the list with 26 players ranked in the top 100. The National Basketball Association came in second with the most athletes on the Power 100, with 20, followed by MLB baseball (16), tennis (10), golf (8), NASCAR (6), Olympics (4), soccer (4), hockey (3), boxing/MMA (2), and action sports (1).

“This is the third year of the Power 100, and it continues to be a cutting-edge tool to measure the power and value of athletes,” says Horrow, who will devote an entire “Sportfolio” episode to the special report on January 25.  “CSE’s consistent methodology provides the industry’s only analytics to provide integrated on field and off field attributes.”

Top 20:

1-Drew Brees-Football

2-Aaron Rodgers-Football

3-Tom Brady-Football

4-LeBron James-Basketball

5-Rafael Nadal- Tennis

6-Roger Federer-Tennis

7-Shaquille O’Neal-Basketball

8-Shaun White-Action Sports

9-Novak Djokovic-Tennis

10-Calvin Johnson-Football

11-Luke Donald-Golf

12-Tiger Woods-Golf

13-Kobe Bryant-Basketball

14-Dwight Howard-Basketball

15-Eli Manning-Football

16-Dwyane Wade-Basketball

17-Kevin Durant-Basketball

18-Phil Mickelson-Golf

19-Lee Westwood-Golf

20-Troy Polamalu-Football

All NFL players on list:

You know how it works. 15 positive football observations, 7 “not so” positive football observations and one “oh no” moment from outside the world of football.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)

15 Positive Observations…

1. Matt Flynn may have just earned himself a boatload of money Sunday.

Perhaps Flynn’s success had much more to do with the Green Bay Packers’ scheme & wide receivers and even the Detroit Lions’ less than exceptional defense than the former LSU quarterback himself. But as he enters free agency, Flynn may have just made himself a viable option for teams that won’t enter 2012 with Andrew Luck on their roster.

Of course, 80 of his 480 yards and one of his five touchdowns came on this play to Ryan Grant. I’m pretty sure Ryan Chell could have made this throw…

The Packers can sit back and wait to find out who they’ll play in the divisional round while the Lions get to visit the Superdome next weekend. But I’d say it’s pretty much a toss-up as to who has the more difficult road ahead.

In an unrelated story, the Packers went with Pat Lee as their kick returner for the New Year’s Day game. He did something stupid…

And one more-here’s Packers LB Brad Jones handling a fan who ran out onto Lambeau Field…

2. The New England Patriots scored 49 unanswered points Sunday. I’m not really sure how to follow that up.

Much like the Fins a week earlier, the Buffalo Bills worked Charm City into a lather with hopes of ruining the Pats’ run to the Number 1 seed. Also much like the Fins, the Bills for some reason must have thought New England would quit when they fell behind early. But after spotting the Bills 21 points, the Patriots would go on to score the next 49.

But they can’t possibly win the AFC of course because their defense isn’t good enough.

Right.

You’ll see a lot of funny things in 2012. I’ll go ahead and guess that there won’t be many funnier than this Drayton Florence flop…

Also of note in this game was Bills WR Stevie Johnson, who exposed a “Happy New Year” message on an undershirt after scoring a touchdown…

It’s a shame Tom Brady didn’t have a “Happy 28 Point Beatdown” undershirt to respond with. For a semi-decent receiver, Johnson is about a full-fledged clown.

3. I still have no idea why he’s headed to Arkansas State, but Gus Malzahn made the Chick-Fil-A Bowl a lot of fun to watch.

Before departing his Offensive Coordinator gig at Auburn, Malzahn pulled out a bunch of tricks (including a Statue of Liberty Play of all things) to help beat Virginia in the Georgia Dome…

Elsewhere on New Year’s Eve Levi LaVallee and Robbie Maddison were doing extreme sport jumping of some sort on ESPN that may or may not have been amazing. None of us really know and none of us really bothered to watch. But technically it happened!

How did I spend my NYE you ask? At a place I can’t name because they aren’t a sponsor. They ARE however the home of Sweet Potato Tots and the “Billy Goat’s Gruff”…

It was a 14 out of 10.

4. There’s something about David Akers throwing a touchdown that I really enjoy.

I’d show you video of the play, but it’s not available on YouTube. Instead, those of you who REALLY wanna see it can check it out here and the rest of you can look at this picture of Elsa Hosk. We’ll all meet back at the local saloon.

The San Francisco 49ers clinched the #2 seed in the NFC thanks to their win over the St. Louis Rams. In Baltimore, we just want to say Thank You again. We can’t really say it enough.

The Rams will fire Steve Spagnuolo according to reports. Also according to reports, it will be cold this week.

5. Credit Gary Kubiak for not kicking an extra point Sunday. Now it’s time to go win a Wild Card playoff game.

The Houston Texans didn’t need to beat the Tennessee Titans Sunday for any tangible reason. They didn’t, thanks to Kubiak’s decision to go for 2 late (a decision that backfired after a Joel Dreessen false start and a snap sailed over the head of QB Jake Delhomme-who replaced a banged up T.J. Yates). Let’s take a look at the video board…

Earlier in the game, Bryan Braman made an awesome play…

The Texans host the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the postseason. If they win, the Texans visit M&T Bank Stadium in the divisional round. I would think most of us would be pretty happy with that matchup, especially considering the Steelers could be another option.

6. Texas A&M’s Ryan Swope is probably the best receiver you didn’t talk about this season.

Here’s video of the Aggies’ win over Northwestern in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. You voted it “the video I’m least likely to watch this week” in an informal poll I just took…

Here was Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald’s reaction when he found out I was going to show the highlights of the game…

7. For as much as we laughed at them this season, the Philadelphia Eagles look capable of being dangerous in 2012.

Of course, that’s the only if Michael Vick stays healthy…and we all know that’s a significant “if.”

The highlight of the day in Philly happened well before Philly kicked the tar out of the Washington Redskins. It happened when Skins OC Kyle Shanahan tried to pump his team up before the game. It was HILARIOUS…

Kyle Shanahan makes Cam Cameron look popular.

The Baltimore Sun’s Kevin Van Valkenburg joined me in studio Wednesday on “The Reality Check” on AM1570 WNST.net. We held a very special year-end awards show that we cleverly titled “The Van Clarkenburgs.” Here is a rundown of our winners…

LOCAL SPORTS:

“Best” Orioles-

Glenn Clark: O’s decision to bring Zach Britton up with team from Spring Training
Kevin Van Valkenburg: Britton’s May 18 start vs. New York Yankees

“Worst” Orioles-

Glenn: Birds’ decision to demote Britton midway through season
Kevin: Mike Flanagan suicide death

“Best” Ravens-

Glenn: Terrell Suggs
Kevin: Drafting Torrey Smith

“Worst” Ravens-

Glenn: Trading for Lee Evans instead of signing free agent Malcom Floyd
Kevin: 12-7 loss to Jacksonville Jaguars October 24

“Best Other Local Sports”-

Glenn: Towson University Football
Kevin: Graham Motion trained Animal Kingdom wins Kentucky Derby

“Worst Other Local Sports”-

Glenn: Randy Edsall’s first season in College Park
Kevin: Kevin Anderson’s handling of Mike Leach, Sean Miller

NATIONAL SPORTS:

What topic deserved more conversation in 2011?

Glenn: Novak Djokovic’s incredible season
Kevin: Ugly nature of NCAA/College Sports

What topic received too much conversation?

Glenn: Tim Tebow
Kevin: LeBron James

Who did the best coaching job in 2011?

Glenn: Joe Maddon
Kevin: Rick Carlisle

Who did the worst coaching job in 2011?

Glenn: Norv Turner
Kevin: Norv Turner

What was the best game you attended in 2011?

Glenn: Maryland’s 4-3 2OT soccer win at UMBC
Kevin: Baltimore Ravens’ 23-20 win over Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field

What was the best game you watched on TV in 2011?

Glenn: World Series Game 6 St. Louis Cardinals/Texas Rangers
Kevin: Women’s World Cup Quarterfinal Team USA/Brazil

What about sports were we “better off” for in 2011?

Glenn: NBA starting on Christmas Day
Kevin: Appreciation of Women’s World Cup

What sports media type do you love but hate to follow on Twitter?

Glenn: Gregg Doyel (CBSSports.com)
Kevin: Darren Rovell (CNBC)

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