Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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2009 Football Outsiders Awards

Because we got the awards voting up a little later than usual this year, we're going to extend the voting period for another week. If you have not voted in the awards, this is your chance to do so. You still have a chance to win a prize: One of the three free DVDs that we are giving away will be given to someone who votes in this second week of balloting. Please do not vote a second time if you voted already last week.

Welcome to the sixth annual Football Outsiders Awards, sort of our version of the Internet Baseball Awards, but with special FO categories. For example, we've got the Keep Choppin' Wood award for the worst player of the year, awards for most overrated and underrated players, and of course the "This is Our Country" Award for most annoying commercial.

This year, you can actually get a reward just for voting! Three people who vote in this year's awards will win a free copy of the movie BIG FAN, just released on DVD by Vivendi Entertainment and First Independent Pictures. BIG FAN is the story of a die-hard Giants fan who has a chance encounter with his favorite Giants player that turns disastrous and makes him re-think his devotion to the team. It stars Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, and Michael Rapaport as the rival "Philadelphia Phil," and is directed by the guy who wrote "The Wrestler." You can read more about it here. In order to win a DVD, you need to vote in all categories (not including the "improve FO" questions at the end) and leave your e-mail address at the bottom of the awards ballot.

(Whether you win the DVD or not, only ballots with at least three-quarters of questions answered will be counted in this year's awards.)

Who is your choice for Offensive MVP for 2009?

Drew Brees, QB, NO
Brett Favre, QB, MIN
Andre Johnson, WR, HOU
Chris Johnson, RB, TEN
Peyton Manning, QB, IND
Philip Rivers, QB, SD

Who is your choice as Defensive MVP for 2009?

Jared Allen, DE, MIN
Brian Cushing, OLB, HOU
Elvis Dumervil, OLB, DEN
Darrelle Revis, CB, NYJ
Darren Sharper, FS, NO
DeMarcus Ware, OLB, DAL
Patrick Willis, MLB, SF
Charles Woodson, CB, GB

Who is your choice as NFL Rookie of the Year for 2009?

Jarius Byrd, FS, BUF
Brian Cushing, OLB, HOU
Percy Harvin, WR, MIN
Clay Matthews, OLB, GB
Ray Maualuga, OLB, CIN
Michael Oher, OT, BAL
Brian Orakpo, OLB, WAS
Mark Sanchez, QB, NYJ

Who were the best offensive linemen of 2009? (enter two names, each will count as one vote)

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Who is your choice for NFL Head Coach of the Year in 2009? (Note: This award is for the regular season; don't judge based on postseason success or failure.)

Jim Caldwell, IND
Brad Childress, MIN
Marvin Lewis, CIN
Sean Payton, NO
Rex Ryan, NYJ
Mike Singletary, SF
Norv Turner, SD
Ken Whisenhunt, ARI

Who is your choice for the Bill Arnsparger Award for Coordinator of the Year?

Cam Cameron, Offense, BAL
Dom Capers, Defense, GB
Jason Garrett, Offense, DAL
Brian Murphy, Special Teams, MIN
Mike Nolan, Defense, DEN
Mike Pettine, Defense, NYJ
Gregg Williams, Defense, NO
Mike Zimmer, Defense, CIN

Who is your choice for the Keep Choppin' Wood Award for 2009 (player who most hurt his team)?

C.C. Brown, FS, NYG
Kris Brown, K, HOU
Kerry Collins, QB, TEN
Jake Delhomme, QB, CAR
Nick Folk, K, DAL
Dawan Landry, FS, WAS
Orlando Pace, LT, CHI
JaMarcus Russell, QB, OAK

Who is your choice for the Keep Choppin' Game Film Award for the worst coach of 2009? This year, we've expanded this award to include coordinators who we feel deserve special attention for squandering talent on one side of the ball or the other.

Dick Jauron, Head Coach, BUF
Bob Ligashesky, Special Teams, PIT
Jim Mora, Head Coach, SEA
Bill Sheridan, Defensive Coordinator, NYG
Ron Turner, Offensive Coordinator, CHI
Jim Zorn, Head Coach, WAS

Who is your choice for the Art Rooney Jr. Award for Executive of the Year?

Mickey Loomis, NO
Ozzie Newsome, BAL
Bill Polian, IND
Rick Spielman, MIN
Mike Tannenbaum, NYJ
Ted Thompson, GB

Who is your choice for the John Elway Award, given to the highly-drafted player (rounds one and two) who improved the most between a disappointing rookie season and a valuable sophomore season?

Calais Campbell, DE, ARI
Fred Davis, TE, WAS
Michael Jenkins, CB, DAL
Felix Jones, RB, DAL
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT
Ray Rice, RB, BAL
Aqib Talib, CB, TB
Terrell Thomas, CB, NYG

This year, we are changing our definitions of "overrated" and "underrated," using the Pro Bowl as a marker of when conventional wisdom considers a player among the best at his position. If you need to see the original Pro Bowl rosters, before injury replacements, click here.

Who was the least deserving pick for the Pro Bowl on offense (not including injury replacements):

Who was the least deserving pick for the Pro Bowl on defense (not includinginjury replacements):

The most overrated special teams player in the NFL (who doesn't necessarily need to be in this year's Pro Bowl) is:

The most deserving offensive player left off the original Pro Bowl roster is:

The most deserving offensive player left off the original Pro Bowl roster is:

The most deserving special teams player left off the original Pro Bowl roster is:

Which game would you choose as Game of the Year?

Week 2: Indianapolis Colts 27 at Miami Dolphins 23
Week 6: Baltimore Ravens 31 at Minnesota Vikings 33
Week 7: New Orleans Saints 46 at Miami Dolphins 34
Week 10: New England Patriots 34 at Indianapolis Colts 35
Week 11: Cleveland Browns 37 at Detroit Lions 38
Week 12: Arizona Cardinals 17 at Tennessee Titans 20
Week 13: Oakland Raiders 27 at Pittsburgh Steelers 24
Week 13: New Orleans Saints 33 at Washington Redskins 30 (OT)
Week 15: Green Bay Packers 36 at Pittsburgh Steelers 37
Wild Card Round: Green Bay Packers 45 at Arizona Cardinals 51 (OT)
NFC Championship: Minnesota Vikings 28 at New Orleans Saints 31 (OT)

Player most likely to breakout in 2010: (Note: Please don't pick a college player. A good rookie year is not a "breakout" year.)

Player most likely to significantly decline in 2010:

Which of the following teams is most likely next year's surprise Super Bowl contender?

Buffalo
Chicago
Cleveland
Detroit
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Oakland
St. Louis
San Francisco
Seattle
Tampa Bay
Washington

Which playoff team is most likely to miss the playoffs in 2010?

Arizona
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Dallas
Green Bay
Indianapolis
Minnesota
New England
New Orleans
New York Jets
Philadelphia
San Diego

"Get Your Story Straight" Award for the best commercial (or ad campaign) during NFL games this year goes to:

Dr. Pepper (with Dr. Dre and Gene Simmons)
Head and Shoulders (with Troy Polamalu)
Nike "Pro Combat" (with Adrian Peterson)
Old Spice "Different Smelling Man"
Snickers "Hungry German Guy"

"This is Our Country" Award for the most annoying commercial (or ad campaign) during NFL games this year goes to:

Best Buy Christmas carolers
Bud Light "Jimmy Football" (a.k.a. "Tailgate Tested, Tailgate Approved")
eTrade "Talking Baby"
Pepsi Throwback
Pepsi Super Bowl commercial comparing Will.I.Am to Bob Dylan
Pizza Hut "Jackpot!"
Toyota "Saved by Zero"
"I'm Steve and Windows 7 was my idea."

The funniest story of the NFL season was:

The ultimate Al Davis moment: drafting Darrius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree
"Goddamit, Donald!"
Brett Favre's rendition of "Pants on the Ground"
Randy Moss fools around with fan in Randy Moss mask
DJ Steve Porter's "You Play to Win the Game" Remix
Mark Sanchez criticizes Pete Carroll for leaving USC
LaDainian Tomlinson's "Electric Glide" video
Seahawks try out new long snappers on the sidelines during the game

Finally, we would like to ask some questions that will help Football Outsiders improve FO Premium as well as our message boards and discussion threads.

What would most encourage you to participate in the FO community or on our message boards?

A larger community
More interaction with FO writers
Different discussion formats (please write your ideas in space below)
Fewer trolls
Improved functionality
Limiting discussion to registered users only
Wait, you guys have message boards?!?!
Other (please write your ideas in space below)

What would most encourage you to participate in the comment threads on specific articles?

Limiting comment posting to registered users only
More moderation of off-topic posters and/or trolls
More interaction with FO writers
Improved functionality
Other (please write your ideas in space below)

What would most encourage you to visit FootballOutsiders.com during NFL games?

More prominent open discussion threads
Improved functionality in existing open discussion threads
A chat model similar to Cover It Live, as used earlier this year for the BCS Championship Game
A chat model similar to IRC
Live blogs and/or chats with FO writers during games
I am too busy drinking and eating pork products to chat on the Interwebs during football games
Other (please write your ideas in space below)

How much interest would you have in a version of Football Outsiders Almanac 2010 for the iPhone?

I would buy it in addition to the PDF or hard copy.
I would buy it instead of the PDF or hard copy.
I own an iPhone or IPod Touch, but a FOA 2010 app doesn't really interest me.
I don't own an iPhone or iPod Touch.
Other (please write your ideas in space below)

How do you feel about Football Outsiders Premium Access?

I am a satisfied Premium member
I am a dissatisfied Premium member
I know there is something called "FO Premium," but I don't know what it actually includes
I know about FO Premium, but I'm not interested in what's currently available
I am not interested in paying for access to Football Outsiders, no matter what you include in FO Premium
I had no idea that there was FO Premium content until reading this question

Which of the following, if available exclusively to Premium members, would make you more likely to purchase Premium Access? (Please vote for no more than 3)

Podcasts
Regular chats with FO writers
Weekly game previews similar to those we write during the playoffs
Special early access (Sunday night) to Audibles at the Line about the afternoon games
Other additional written content
Game-by-game DYAR and DVOA for players
Advanced college football stats for past years (for teams and players)
Additional members-only Extra Points
Nothing would make me more likely to purchase FO Premium

Please feel free to elaborate on your feelings about FO Premium, or list other features that you would like to see added:

Finally, here's some open space for you to make any other suggestions about the website or the book -- or complaints about the website or the book. Go nuts. In particular, we're looking for comments from college football fans on what they would like to see as we continue to expand our college football coverage.

If you are interested in winning a free copy of the BIG FAN DVD, please enter your e-mail address here: