Clay Matthews - SportingNews Defensive Player of the Year

by Packers3485 on Jan 12, 2011 10:20 PM CST

SportingNews released its season awards, and Clay Matthews is the only Packer to make the All-Pro roster. Though he makes it in a big way - named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Matthews received 188 votes, followed by Troy Polamalu with 148, with the next highest candidate, Cameron Wake, receiving 64 votes.

Congrats to the Claymaker for the honor. And from Packers fans everywhere, a thanks to Matthews for his absolutely ridiculous play all year long, bad shin and all.

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I'm actually surprised

I can’t think of anyone more deserving, but I don’t pay attention to individual player stats from around the NFL. I’m really surprised that the Chiefs’ OLB Tambi Hali didn’t even get mentioned in the top five, or on the All-Pro team.

As it says on the bottom of the post: “609 NFL players, coaches and executives voted for this award.”

by Brandon on Jan 13, 2011 1:11 AM CST reply actions

I’m not really shocked that he got it, even though his stats started to taper off. But I am a little surprised he got it over Polamalu, at the very least due to Polamalu being around for a while. He is an absolute beast. If I had to pick one player to build a defense around, and I didn’t have to consider factors like age or injury history, I would pick him in an instant.

When he’s on the field, they are probably the best defense around. When he has missed time over the last few years with injuries, they are middle of the pack.

by Packers3485 on Jan 13, 2011 1:33 AM CST up reply actions

Tamba Hali...

…is an absolute BEAST. Definitely should have been in the top five along with the All-Pro team.

by TheSwish on Jan 14, 2011 9:30 AM CST up reply actions

And I think a free agent next year (barring lock out)...

CLAY AND HALI OMG!

by Bush League All Star on Jan 14, 2011 12:44 PM CST up reply actions

Clay, Hali, and Tramon...

Talk about an amazing defensive group.

"Are you joking? Star Trek V is the standard against which all badness is measured!" Raj Koothrappali from The Big Bang Theory

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Jan 14, 2011 4:40 PM CST up reply actions

Clay certainly deserved to be near the top

I’m certainly shocked a lot more by Dom Capers not in the top five (let alone winning) Coordinator of the Year.

by Wiedmann on Jan 13, 2011 1:44 AM CST reply actions

+1

by bigbill992001 on Jan 13, 2011 2:05 AM CST up reply actions

No kidding

Perry Fewell, defensive coordinator of the Giants, with 5 votes out of 45, to finish 4th? I guess those 5 were the exec’s of teams about to interview him for their head coaching vacancies.

Not like we just posted 45 on his defense. And his defense definitely wouldn’t give up a 21 point lead in 8 minutes. Their defense played well against the horrible offenses they played, then, for the most part, got embarrassed by the good ones (Colts, Eagles, Packers), and embarrassed by a few not so good ones (Titans, Cowboys)

Apparently giving up more points per game than the Rams, Dolphins, Titans, and 49ers makes you the 4th best coordinator in the game.

by Packers3485 on Jan 13, 2011 2:16 AM CST up reply actions

They probably extended the Rooney Rule to Coordinator of the Year

Cleveland: "The only British idiom I know is that a fag is a cigarette."
Peter: "Yeah, well somebody tell that cigarette to shut up."

"Free DoJo!" - Anybody not named Rick Carlisle

by mike_o on Jan 13, 2011 3:06 AM CST up reply actions

No votes for McCarthy or Capers…that is a HUGE injustice.

BUT its just in time for the team to take it as an insult and take it out on the Falcons who’s coaches won BOTH the awards! Vengeance is ours!!

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Jan 13, 2011 8:46 AM CST up reply actions

Congratulation Clay Matthews!!!

by PackFaninFL on Jan 13, 2011 5:57 AM CST reply actions

How do the Packers HC and DC not even register a vote??

I am okay with them not winning, but to not register a vote is pretty amazing.

I hope the guys show up the two winners this week!

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Jan 13, 2011 8:47 AM CST reply actions

How does the best QB in the NFC not get voted into the Pro Bowl???????

Lot of dumb people out there……….

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

REVENGE 4 DEANNA !!!
Brent Favre is the cheater!!!!!

by Jabooty on Jan 13, 2011 5:09 PM CST up reply actions

Have to agree Rodgers got the shaft!

But if you look at it this way… Vick pretty much came out of nowhere and Exploded on the scene, so he was a lock. Ryan leads the best team in the NFC (by record) and some late game wins, that gets him it. Brees is the SB Winning QB so that carries alot of cred no matter how he performed this season (good, but not All Pro). I feel bad for Rodgers he deserved the honor, but I doubt he cares too much… Just the system is flawed!!

Congrats to Matthews in this DPOY… this isn’t the official one tho is it?..

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Jan 13, 2011 6:08 PM CST up reply actions

No

The “Official” one is by the Associated Press, voted on by a panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters.

This one was voted on by 609 players, coaches, and team executives.

I think I’d rather have this one if I was a player.

by Packers3485 on Jan 13, 2011 6:22 PM CST up reply actions

Being recognized by your peers in your industry

Is always better than being recognized by outsiders. The criteria are different. In this case, football people recognized talent, dedication, and results. Sportswriters and broadcasters care more about selling ads first and those other things second.

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on Jan 13, 2011 7:10 PM CST up reply actions

While I'll agree it's better to be recognized by your peers

There’s also no way that a lot of those players and coaches have gotten the chance to watch every team and every potential votee in depth. To some extent it’s still a popularity contest versus judgment on actual results. I think it’s really a horse-a-piece.

Greinke: "It’s not about the guacamole itself. I just don’t want to let them win."

by GoGregGo on Jan 13, 2011 7:18 PM CST up reply actions

Rodgers should be ahead of both Brees and Ryan

If it weren’t for Turner, Ryan would be mediocre. And Brees played pretty poorly this year throwing 21 picks.

by Charlie Kelly on Jan 15, 2011 4:37 PM CST up reply actions

If it weren’t for Turner, Ryan would be mediocre

And didn’t that show up tonite?!!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Jan 15, 2011 10:43 PM CST up reply actions

well he did regress a little from last year. I don’t know that I can say he’s better than Brees right now though he was this year but I can’t call him the best in the NFC. Plus you KNEW Vick had one of the spots locked up

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Jan 14, 2011 8:16 AM CST up reply actions

He was definitely better than Brees IMO.

Brees had a Favre-esque year with 20 INTs.

"Are you joking? Star Trek V is the standard against which all badness is measured!" Raj Koothrappali from The Big Bang Theory

by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Jan 14, 2011 4:42 PM CST up reply actions

The Pro Bowl isn't about who had a better career

It’s about who had the best season. Brees clearly did NOT outplay Rodgers this season. The Pro Bowl is a reward for that season’s performance, it has nothing to do with the year before, or the year before that. Matt Ryan IMO didn’t deserve it either, but that’s just my opinion.

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

REVENGE 4 DEANNA !!!
Brent Favre is the cheater!!!!!

by Jabooty on Jan 14, 2011 9:57 PM CST up reply actions

Based on one season...

Rodgers should have been in the Pro Bowl! But we both know it isn’t quite that simple… As much as we might like it to be!

You've been Stroh'd™!!!

by Strohman on Jan 14, 2011 10:45 PM CST up reply actions

Correction: The Pro Bowl IS about who has had a better career so far

The Pro Bowl shouldn’t be about who had a better career.

by Wiedmann on Jan 14, 2011 11:23 PM CST up reply actions

If that's the case

Rogers should be in there before Ryan for sure. I think he ended the season with the highest career quarterback rating.

by the yooper on Jan 15, 2011 7:47 AM CST up reply actions

pardon me, better "perceived" career

by Wiedmann on Jan 17, 2011 2:06 AM CST up reply actions

The pro bowl is about a LOT of things.
Its about who the fans want to see
Its about rewarding great seasons
Its about rewarding great careers

Brees outplayed Rodgers in a bunch a categories…just not INTs. He had over 600 yards MORE in passing. better completion percent, more TD passes. Rodgers getting hurt factored into it but its not like Rodgers had some record setting season and was snubbed.

Matt Ryan’s numbers are very comparable to Rodgers. Don’t misunderstand me, Rodgers is still deserving of being in the pro bowl but its about more than just statistics sometimes.

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Jan 15, 2011 9:59 AM CST up reply actions

"The pro bowl is about a LOT of things."

It’s also about the biggest joke of all the all star games.
Maybe it didn’t used to be, but it is now.

Not worth getting worked up about, IMO.
-

The glass is still more than half-full!

I'd rather be correct, than politically correct.
I'd rather be right.

The Bears still suck!

by NorthStarr on Jan 15, 2011 3:50 PM CST up reply actions

"Biggest joke"

In terms of how seriously the players take it? Definitely.

But in terms of how players are selected? NBA and MLB are definitely the biggest jokes. The starters are determined 100% by the fan vote? I think Yao Ming has been named a starter every year, despite the fact that he has been out for the year by All Star Break every year.

And in baseball, even if the Yankees or Red Sox suck in a given year, it’s guaranteed they both will have tons of players on the roster.

by Packers3485 on Jan 15, 2011 11:02 PM CST up reply actions

And, in terms of

how seriously the fans, knowledgeable and otherwise, take the game.

The glass is still more than half-full!

I'd rather be correct, than politically correct.
I'd rather be right.

The Bears still suck!

by NorthStarr on Jan 16, 2011 4:29 AM CST up reply actions

Oh I agree…I could care less about the pro bowl. TOTALLY not something to get worked up about. See the problem is that the voting is done in what, week 9 or soemthing? So really you don’t know how players are going to finish the season out too.

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Jan 16, 2011 7:27 AM CST up reply actions

One player...

on the entire All Pro team. Kind of a disappointment…but really the only players I could see having considered were Tramon, Raji, and maybe Rodgers. I am okay that they didn’t make it…glad Mathews made DPOTY according to the players.

The Green Bay Packers...Putting bad coaches out of their misery since 2010

by TrevorR on Jan 13, 2011 8:49 AM CST reply actions