Occupy Movement: Sports Edition

Occupy my Twitter @MiniVanGundy

The occupy movement that started on wall street and has become a global phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down.  It is just a matter if time before it sweeps over the sports landscape. Taking that into account we give you a list of movements that should or are likely to happen... 

LSU fans should occupy honey badger's whereabouts to make sure he is eligible to play against Bama

Tim Tebow should occupy quarters 1-3

The Dolphins should be glad they continued to occupy the loss column #suckforluck

Donovan McNabb should occupy retirement.

If Peyton Manning wants to make sure the Colts aren't in position to draft Andrew Luck he should occupy the offensive coordinator duties

Tashard Choice should no longer occupy a roster spot for the Cowboys

West Virginia head coach Dana Holgerson should occupy the barbershop after occupying a Bill Murray Kingpin costume for Halloween.

Roddy White should be prepared for opposing fans to occupy Rodney chants.

For his postgame press conferences Ron Washington should occupy a jacket that isn't three sizes too big for him.

Tony Larussa should occupy a megaphone.

Potential Peyton Manning Trade Partners

Tony Dungy thinks the Indianapolis Colts should draft Andrew Luck if given the opportunity and trade Peyton Manning.  With what would've been a willing suitor in the Oakland Raiders following their trade for Carson Palmer we look at other potential destinations for the future hall of fame quarterback.

Kansas City Chiefs: A franchise that has some history dealing for legendary quarterbacks, and a team that despite a terrible start has shown signs of life.  With the return of Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki in 2012, to join an offense with Dwyane Bowe and Steve Breaston, it could be an appealing destination for Manning.

Washington Redskins:  Are we really to believe Mike Shanahan is going to strap his cart to John Beck or Rex Grossman for the long haul?  Also, do you think Dan Snyder would be able to resist making a move like this.

San Francisco 49ers: Behind Jim Harbaugh and a nasty front seven on defense this is a team in the rise.  They've built a solid offensive line that could keep Manning upright and possibly let Michael Crabtree finally reach his potential.

Baltimore Ravens: To me, this is the one that makes the most sense, with one caveat, the Ravens do not win the Super Bowl this season.  Say Baltimore gets bounced by Pittsburgh in the playoffs again, do you really think anyone in that front office would be brave enough to tell Ray Lewis that they're sticking with Flacco?

Dallas Cowboys: If they miss the playoffs, the calls for Tony Romo's head may be too loud to ignore.  Much like Baltimore, this is a team built to win now.

Peyton Manning: The Smartest Man in Football

I feel sorry for all those kids participating in this year’s Manning Passing Academy, they unwittingly have become pawns in the NFL labor standoff thanks to the smartest man in football: Peyton Manning. If you’ve watched Manning over the years, you know that no one is more adept at reading defenses and adjusting on the fly than he is; he has total freedom, essentially he’s an extra coach on the field. This week, however, he’s shown that he can play the public relations game with the best of them as well. For the first time in 16 years he is not physically participating in the academy he puts on with his father Archie and brother Eli. The reason he is not participating is because he is in “cautious mode” while rehabbing from offseason surgery to repair a bulging disc in his neck. He is being “cautious” because per the rules of the lockout he cannot have contact with the team’s therapist Erin Barill, who has overseen Manning’s rehabilitation from two other surgeries. Take that Jim Irsay. Your golden goose is on record saying he’s not feeling too good about his injury, and if you read the undertones he’s saying if you want to keep me happy you better get in there with your buddies in the owner’s boxes and solve this thing or we could be in trouble. He’s sending a message for all the other player’s out there who are paying for their own surgeries and rehabbing on their own that if you want your money’s worth out of your investments then maybe you should try and get this fixed. It’s a subtle message, unlike ones sent out by players by Antonio Cromartie and others via Twitter and the like but a much more impactful one, but what would you expect from a guy with the pedigree Manning has? When it comes to the game on and off the field, Peyton Manning is once again proving that he is the best of the best.

Peyton gets good news, Eli... not so much.

Going into the final week of the season where a win against the Tennessee Titans would secure a playoff berth for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, comes this bit of news from the AFC South: David Garrard will miss the season finale against the Houston Texans with a finger injury, meaning Trent Edwards will get the nod. This is just the latest in a string of bad losses for the Jaguars, who will also be missing Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew.

The news for little bro Eli Manning is not as good, as Hakeem Nicks may miss the season finale against the Washington Redskins with a broken big toe. With the Giants already missing Steve Smith and facing a must-win at Washington on Sunday, look for Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to be the focal point of the Giants offense.