Spectacular Sportspeople Exclusive Interview with Mover and Shaker Scott Dragos, Former NFL Player for the New York Giants, Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots Our Coverage Sponsored by Stribling and Associates
Scott Dragos
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We almost NEVER have a guest writer, but guess what? Peachy Deegan has never played in the NFL. But her friend Scott has! She can write intelligently about football but we wanted the insider story because this is Whom You Know and we are interested in excellence, as in Ever to Excel. We could not be more thrilled to present Mover and Shaker Scott Dragos's commentary on the Superbowl coming up this Sunday! Here is our inaugural feature in Spectacular Sportspeople!
by Scott Dragos
As we all gear of for the Harbowl, one has to wonder who Mama & Papa Harbough is rooting for?
My suspicion is secretly they are rooting for the elder, and I am too, not because of any reason other than I think the Niners are a better team, will win and deserve to win this game. It's Super Bowl Sunday and anything can happen, but on paper the Niners should win this by 10+. Both quarterbacks and defenses are playing fantastic. Flacco has been almost perfect and his offensive line is playing incredible mistake-free football. I didn't even hear Vince Wilfork's name last Sunday and that's impressive. Both Boldin and Smith are getting open easily and catching everything thrown their way, heck their TE Pitta has been quietly making clutch 3rd down plays and scoring TD's all year and is vital to their offense. Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce are running hard and getting those tough yards extending drives. You can make the easy case Baltimore's defense has fared better in the playoffs, people forget two of Denver's TD's were off special teams returns.
Going into NE and holding Brady and company to a mere 13 points in the first half and ZERO in the second is worthy of the Lombardi Trophy right there. John Harbough is flat out a clutch coach, the guys love him and he deserves a title. Then throw in the Ray Ray retirment factor, everyone in purple and black is looking at destiny. So let's just hand the rings out to Baltimore now, not so fast.
The Niners are a complete team. They are bigger, faster and more talented than Baltimore. They have better coaches and a better special teams crew aside from Akers being so inconsistent kicking. Both teams have major defensive cogs healing up with Haloti Ngata for Balty and Justin Smith for the Niners, but I would take a semi-healthy Smith (torn tricep) over a battered Ngata (knee) only for this game. Neither will be 100% Smith knows this may be his last chance to win a Super Bowl, it's his first dance and the man is a street fighter.
This guy is tough as nails and adds more fuel and confidence to the Niners defense than even Ray Lewis does for Balty believe it or not.
Baltimore, while not giving up floods of points during their playoff run, has had a bend but don't break mentality, but they have also been lucky. Both Manning and Brady put up a ton of yards against them and both should have beaten them if not for unlikely timely mistakes. Is Kapernick even close to Brady or Manning, no way, not yet, but he has a skill set that Baltimore will have a very difficult time stopping. They got gashed by a young Washington team early in the year. RG3 and Alfred Morris ran and passed on them at will and I would take Kapernick and Gore/James over that group right now. I see big games from phenom Vernon Davis, who had a quiet 2012 season, because Baltimore will have to defend the immediate outside because of Kapernicks ability to run the corners and Davis will have plenty of room to work the middle and the deep sidelines. Crabtree amid his legal woes had a top 5 season as far as receivers go and don't sleep on Randy Moss in a game like this, he could explode. I think Gore runs for over 100, James for over 50 and Kapernick over 50 and I think Kapernick throws for at least 250 yes and 2 TD's and I just don't see Baltimore scoring more than 2 TD's in this one. Niners about the can of you know what in the second half, my prediction is Niners 34 - Balty 20. Have fun everyone and enjoy the game!
And Peachy Deegan then interviewed Scott Dragos for Whom You Know...
Peachy Deegan: On a scale of 1 to 10 how surprised are you to see these two teams in the Superbowl this year and why?
Scott Dragos: Not at all, great defenses and playing hot at the right time. Both have had the ball bounce their way in close games, which is what you need to get to and win the dance.
What players on the San Francisco 49ers impress you the most and of these which do you feel are unsung heroes and why?
Obviously Kapernick is a stud and Crabtree has just been lights out all year, one of the top 5 WR in the league this year. For unsung heroes, I like Justin Smith a lot. He is a tough street fighter anchoring the middle of that defense, total beast.
What players on the Baltimore Ravens impress you the most and of these which do you feel are unsung heroes and why?
Torrey Smith is a game changer, he changes the way you play defense on Baltimore, also Flacco has been playing almost perfect this whole off season, he has been clutch. Unsung hero is their guy in the middle Nagata. He reminds me of Vince Wilfork of the Patriots, just a major force to move at nose tackle and the core of their defense.
What do you think sets the Harbough family apart in terms of coaching?
They are stoic and leaders, the players look up to them. They lead by example and don’t fold under pressure, they have total control of their team from Monday to Sunday.
What do you think their parents fed them???
Probably Wheaties and game film.
If you had the choice to play for one of these teams in the Harbowl which would you choose and why?
49ers, I like Jim Harbough, always have since he was in Chicago. My decision is more based on geography, I would take SF over Baltimore any day, simply better weather.
We hate to bring up a sore subject, but what happened to the Patriots this year?
They got flat out beat in the second half, it wasn’t even close. Baltimore came out in the second half hungry and Pats came out expecting to win just because they have Tom Brady and were in Foxborough, not the case. The best team that day won that game.
We know you went to that last game...was Baltimore really that good?
Yes, they were. They didn’t make any mistakes and they capitalized off all of NE’s mistakes. They were the best team on the field that day.
Peachy is a big Matt Ryan fan surprise surprise since he is a BC Eagle-what did you think of his season and what did he do wrong against the 49ers?
The kid is amazing, I am huge fan and him going to BC isn’t the sole reason. He is a gamer, but he can’t do it on his own. The Niners were patient and didn’t pack it in being down 17-0 on the road. Like any great coach tells you, games are not won in the 1st quarter, they are won in the 4th.
What football announcers do you think do the best job covering the games and what do you like about their style?
I like Aikman a lot and have always like Joe Buck and Chris Collinsworth. Troy and Chris have such a strong understanding of the game. They were both great X’s & O’s players and it shows on camera. Buck just has the voice of our generation, whether it’s football or baseball, he calls it and you are drawn to it, the guy is very talented. My favorite duo is Troy and Buck.
Which team has the advantage for special teams?
I would say the Niners. Baltimore is vulnerable in the return games, their coverage has made mistakes all year and we saw what Denver did to them early in that game. I like LaMichael James returning the ball for the Niners, I think you may see him take a KO back on Sunday if Baltimores kicker isn’t clearing the endzone.
Of course many of our readers love the Giants and we know not only did you play for them, but also Coach Tom Coughlin drafted you and your class at Boston College in his final recruiting round as a coach there. What do you think of Coughlin as a coach and the future of the Giants, and do you have any commentary about their Superbowl win last year?
Tom Coughlin is a hall of fame coach and a true leader. The guy is as smart as any coach in the NFL and he gets what he wants out of the players. Coaching in NY is a tough job, always big critics, but Tom never wavers, he takes the peaks and the valleys and keeps them in perspective. I see the Giants getting back to the Super Bowl next year, they are stacked when healthy. As for last year, they again were the better team on the field, they didn’t make mistakes when it mattered and simply played better defense. Their front 7 was dominant last year when it mattered most and it’s why they have two rings the past 5 years. One thing is for sure, Tom Coughlin is a kick ass coach in big games.
Do you have any commentary on the Jets?
Yes, they need an enema.
Next year the Superbowl is in New York-what does this mean for New York and how do you think the cold weather will play into the game?
It will be a major factor. It will be interesting to see if a dome team runs the playoffs and gets in verse a Giants, Denver, Chicago, Green bay or a Patriots team. I am excited for it.
If some of our readers need a crash course in football because they are not familiar enough, what is the best way to learn? We saw Gene DeFillippo teaching a class in Boston on CBS Sunday Morning...
Get in a fantasy football league.
What commercials are you most excited about for the Superbowl?
The beer commercials are always the best.
What is the best game food to munch on and best drinks to drink during the game?
Coors Light in the first half and single malt scotch in the second. Obviously buffalo wings, boneless I prefer, but I am a huge fan of baked soft pretzels with mustard & cheese dips. Nachos and queso is a must have as well.
Any final football comments and anything else our readers should know about football?
Sit back, get a cold drink with close friends & family and enjoy Americas game. Pray for a competitive, healthy game.
