No Pepper Games
Posted January 19, 2009, 7:55 AM ET

While most football fans get over the shock that the Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl, Carolina Panther fans have their own set of problems to deal with.

Superstar defensive end Julius Peppers laid down the law over the weekend, stating that he wants out of Carolina. After seven, mostly successful seasons, Peppers wants a new city and a new team.

Perhaps the news didn't surprise some folks, but reading the release from Peppers' agent made the situation pretty clear cut. Julius wants a new challenge.

In some respect, I can totally understand his position. What else does he need to prove or accomplish in a Panther uniform? Two things come to mind....

Win a Super Bowl, and the other is actually play every down.

All the garbage about playing in a 3-4 defensive scheme vs. a 4-3 is nonsense. Listen up: you can either play, or you can't. Peppers can play, when he decides it is time to play.

I still believe this can become a win-win scenario for both parties. Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs found themselves in a very similar situation with defensive star Jared Allen. They traded his services for a number of picks.

The Panthers need to do the same thing with Peppers. It's obvious he doesn't want to play for the Richardsons, Fox or Hurney. So tag him and trade him to the highest bidder.

Let's face it, the Panthers' defensive line has slipped in recent years, and one man is not going to solve the problem. The team does not have a first round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and Peppers can absolutely get them back in business in the opening round.

The Panthers and Peppers can both win in this deal.

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I'm still shocked that the Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl.

They earned it...just ask Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia. I didn't think the Cards would win any of those three contests. There is no doubt that they got hot at the right time.

So are you excited about the Cardinals and Steelers in the big game?

Actually, it is a fun match-up. The upstart birds from the Valley of the Sun haven't won a damn thing since 1947 and the Steelers are looking to become the first franchise to secure a Super Bowl ring for the other hand. Somehow, I know Dallas Cowboy fans are hating that possibility.

Larry Fitzgerald has become the best wide receiver on the planet and quarterback Kurt Warner returns to the big game for the third time. I had the chance to meet both of those guys last year in Phoenix, and they don't come any better.

How can you not like the way the Steelers play? They are big, tough and nasty. Either way, Big Ben or Warner will win their second Lombardi Trophy. It would have been great if the Panthers didn't choke and made it down to Tampa, but this match-up should be entertaining.

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As of this blog entry, the latest college basketball rankings have not been released, but it is pretty apparent to me who the new #1 team in America should be.....

Drum roll please......the Wake Forest Demon Deacons are #1.

Sorry Coach K, you took too much pride in announcing to the world last week that you were #2, that we decided to give the top spot to a team that has actually earned the right to be #1.

The Deacs were impressive in snapping BYU's unbeaten home streak, knocked off the Heels, and then survived a wild rally at Clemson. What's not to like about the way this team is currently performing?

Jeff Teague and his cast can beat you in so many ways. They are big, athletic, and play terrific defense.

I also like the demeanor of their coach, Dino Gaudio. After the win at #9 Clemson, he emphasized that they aren't playing for a ranking in January. There is a bigger picture.

I wonder if Coach K heard the news?

The Deacs are legit.

Before the season, I thought UNC was head-and-shoulders above everybody else in the ACC; it certainly looks like that claim was a bit premature. While the Heels have plenty of time to bounce back from a surprising 0-2 conference start, the team that has impressed the most can be found in Winston-Salem.

The Tobacco Road Trio of Wake, Duke and UNC should give us plenty of entertaining games and commentary for the next few months. They already have us talking at the water cooler and on the air.

But anybody that discounts Dino's bunch is making a huge mistake. I don't expect them to run the table and go unbeaten in the league; somebody is going to beat Wake, but it might not happen very often.