GIANTS-49ERS GAME REKINDLES RIVALRY

Sup Sports Fans, welcome to SportsTalk With AJ ROK. Let’s see there’s a lot goin on right now in the sports world. But first I have to speak on this weekend’s match-up between The New York Giants and San Francisco 49’ers. There’s a lot of talk about the Giants right now, with a run reminiscing to 2007, some already have the Gmen goin up against the Patriots in the Superbowl. While I’m a huge Giants fan, both the Giants and New England have to win this weekend before we can talk about a rematch of Superbowl XLII. The 49’ers and Ravens might have a little to say about that, with both teams planning on playing in the Superbowl themselves.

The 49’ers host the Giants, Sunday January 22nd in the 2012 NFC Championship Game, marking the eighth post-season contest between the two teams, (tied with Giants-Bears and Cowboys-Rams for most in NFL history). While the players may be different, the matchup rekindles a great rivalry of a previous era. Between 1981 and 1990, four times the winner of the postseason battle between the teams, lifted the Lombardi Trophy. Back then it was Phil Simms and Joe Montana or Steve Young trying to lead their troops to the Superbowl, now its Eli Manning and Alex Smith.

Eli returned to full practice with the team today and says he is back to close to 100%. “Yeah, I am 100 percent,” Manning told the press after practice. “Had a full practice, did everything, took every rep. Feel good.” He will need to be 100% if Big Blue has any chances in continuing the road-warrior success in the playoffs.

After six years of unrealized expectation, Alex Smith has lead his team to one game away from the big show. But when it comes down to it, I believe Manning has a slight edge because he has been here before! I have to go with New York (you didn’t expect anything different, did ya)…

The other Manning, Eli’s big brother Peyton’s future has been the other major news in the NFL, this week. Peyton, 35, who sat out the 2011 season after enduring multiple offseason neck surgeries’ future was already highly discussed even before actor Rob Lowe blew up twitter yesterday (Wednesday, Jan 18) tweeting Peyton Manning will not be returning to the NFL. Yes that’s right Rob Lowe, TV Star of ‘Parks and Recreation.’

Manning’s father, Archie, laughed when told of Lowe’s tweet, telling ESPN’s Chris Mortensen “He ain’t retiring. I think he would’ve told me.” Manning’s agent, Tom Condon, says this is the first he’s heard about it, per NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora. Rob Lowe and Peyton Manning and #RobLoweIsReporting were among the top 10 Twitter trends Wednesday afternoon. It’s widely known the Lowe is friends with Colts’ owner Jim Irsay, which gave the tweet credibility.

The firing of coach Jim Caldwell and the eight assistant coaches, shows Indy is going in a different direction as the horrible 2-14 season, which feuled many sports columns with spectulations of where Peyton will play next year, including possibly The Jets. ESPN joked with Eli about how it would be for his big brother to also play in New York. They joked with Eli about everything from bunk beds to carpooling to work.

T.O. is back in the news this week as well. Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens announced on Twitter on Wednesday night that he’s going to play and become co-owner for the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. “It’s official, it just went down, I’m headed back to Dallas,” Owens announces in a 22-second video posted on his Twitter account. “That’s right, IFL, here I come. Allen, Texas, here I come. I’m going to be me.” I don’t know what the future holds for T.O., but I am rooting for him to have at least one more year in the NFL, if he can get a team to take him with all his baggage. That’s it for me, bout to watch the second half of the Lakers- Heat game. LeBron is holding it down against Kobe & co while D. Wade is out. Til next time, this has been SportsTalk With AJ ROK! Peace and Blessings!!!