Betting On Hearing From Him

Players make bets with each other all the time. They keep it quiet so as not to attract attention. Antonio Brown and Brandon Marshall chose a different route.

Marshall bet his Jets colored Porsche against Brown's Roll Royce that he would have more receiving yards this season. A British bookie heard about it and established odds with Brown being a 1-3 favorite against 5-2 Marshall.

Now that the story is out there, it's only a matter of time before the Commissioner of the No Fun League cracks down on them.

Down Goes Cooper

It doesn't sound good when anyone gets carted off the field. It happened to OL Johnathan Cooper today during practice. He has ben dealing with a plantar fascia issue.

Cooper is a great example of not living up to his potential as the 7th overall pick in the 2013 draft. He was part of the deal that sent Chandler Jones to the Arizona Cardinals.

It seems like this deal was star-crossed. Hopefully, Cooper is not lost for the season.

Need To Run

If the Pats hope to make it to the Super Bowl, they will need to have a strong running game. It wasn't there last year. The Pats had the 6th highest total of offensive yards, but were 30th in the running game.

Losing Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount to season ending injures didn't help. Their lack of depth was readily apparent. Will it change this year? They can't be so one-dimensional.

One Year Cash

The New York Jets and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick agreed on a one year deal that can work for both of them. He will get $12 million with a chance to earn an additional $3 million in performance bonuses. He will also be a free agent at the end of the season.

Money was always a point of contention after the signing of other quarterbacks around the league. The Jets needed him and Fitzpatrick had no other offers on the table. He has a chance to make a lot of money next year if he plays like last season.

Smith's Last Stand

Ravens WR Steve Smith announced last season that he would be retiring at the end of 2015. His season didn't work out the way he wanted to once he tore both of his Achilles tendons and ended up on IR. He said that he would return for 2016.

Here he is now at 37 trying to make the roster. It's not a given thing. Will he still have his speed? Smith wants to go out on his own terms. To do that, he must be with the team on opening day.

The Start of 2016

This week is the start of the 2016 season for all teams. It's more than just training camp. For a rookie, it's the start of a career by making the roster. For some veterans, it might be the last moment of their career.

Players from all teams will get hurt and miss part or all of the entire season. Teams will surprise and disappoint their fans. Several teams will have coaching turnovers by this time next year.

Nobody knows how it will all work out.

Naming Nonsense

I always thought it was foolish for some companies to spend enormous amounts of money to have a stadium named after them. They are usually hooked for the long term. It works out fine, unless the company is bought out or goes bankrupt.

The Sports Authority has that problem after filing for bankruptcy and going out of business. They are having an auction of the last five years of their lease for the facility used by the Denver Broncos. They still owe $20 million, but will never get back that amount.

They will settle for whatever amount they can get. Some corporation will land a great deal.

Will Watt Dim?

Houston Texans defensive star J.J. Watt will start training camp on the Physically Unable To Perform list after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc. He is expected to miss 8-10 weeks which would lead into the start of the regular season.

He already had surgery on his hand and for a sports hernia. The Texans are hoping that Watt will be the same player as before, but there is always the chance that he won't.

No Time For Rice

Former Ravens RB Ray Rice didn't exactly go out on the limb when he offered to donate his salary to charity if he gets a chance to play again in the NFL.

Rice will be forever known for his moment of domestic violence which has made him a pariah in the league.

He missed the last two seasons and has no offers on the horizon. No team wants to be associated with him. He doesn't want to end his career on this note, but it looks like he will.

Johnny In The News

Johnny Manziel continues to spiral out of control, but also keeps getting breaks. No matter what he does, he skates away. Most people would already have been convicted.

His latest issue involves punching a guy in the face while attending a wedding rehearsal party in Hawaii. They were staying in the same hotel. He sent the victim a hand written note the next day and also ordered room service for him. 

It's only a matter of time before he runs out of luck. I can't imagine any NFL team wanting to put up with his baggage.

The Cheapest Car

Dallas Cowboys RB Alfred Morris is a great example of a free agent signing a contract and not blowing his money on new cars and jewelry. He recently signed with Dallas after being selected by the Redskins in the 6th round of the 2012 draft.

In spite of a 2 year/$3.5 million contract, he still drives a 1991 Mazda which he bought for $2 from his pastor while a junior in college.

So many players waste their money on frivolous things. Morris sounds like someone who won't be broke when he retires.

Tom's Awkward Day

I wonder how former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin feels about being inducted into their Ring of Honor. The team announced that he will be honored along with former GM Ernie Accorsi and defensive star Justin Tuck.

Coughlin lead the team to a pair of Super Bowl wins over the Pats after the 2007 and 2011 seasons. In the end, he was dismissed by the team at the end of last season. He remains out of the NFL.

It was inevitable for Coughlin to be honored, but there is an awkward feeling to the entire thing.

Gronk & Paul

Rob Gronkowski got up on the stage to dance when Paul McCartney played a concert at Fenway Park last night. Only Gronk could do something like that. He is all about increasing the value of his brand.

His career after his playing days are over is limitless. He will be the first to say that he has never spent a dime from his NFL game checks. He lives off his endorsements. Players would be wise to take a page from his book.

San Diego Can't Win

The people of San Diego will decide in November whether they want to commit to being strangled financially by funding a new stadium and convention center. It's a no-win situation for voters.

They will vote whether to increase the local hotel room tax from 12.5% to 16.5% to fund $1.15 billion of the $1.8 billion project. The Chargers and the NFL will also partner on the financial plan.

If San Diego wants to keep the Chargers, they will be forced to take on a long term financial burden or lose the team. The people are being held hostage on this matter. They can't win either way.

Cue Up The Nonsense

The worst thing about Tom Brady's four game suspension will be listening to the nonsense on sports talk radio. Callers are already complaining that Brady quit on them. They refuse to consider the reasons behind his decision to take the four game ban.

There will be a quarterback controversy no matter what happens, especially if Jimmy Garopollo plays well.

It's going to be a long journey to October 9th when Brady returns against the Cleveland Browns. Some of the comments are really stupid.

Tom's Decision

It's hard to believe that Deflategate is finally over in light of Tom Brady's decision to drop further appeals and take a four game suspension.

It was a long shot that the US Supreme Court would hear the case. I think everyone decided that it would be best if he missed the first four games of the season.

The decision will now unleash a torrent of second-guessers on talk radio and in the media. The four games will come and go, but Brady will be linked to this forever.

No Tickets For John

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers probably wished his brother John never went on the television show "Bachelorette". During an interview, he said how they rarely speak and don't have much of a relationship.

This is not unique to any family. It happens all the time. It's very unfortunate. Maybe things will get resolved someday. It's too bad his brother went public with such a personal issue.

A Case Too Far

It's looking really bad for Tom Brady after the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals refused to hear his case. His four game suspension is almost a done deal. The only option is to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

That option is on the table, but is it a losing battle at this point? The cards are stacked against him. He is probably discussing his options right now with his legal team.

I hope he goes all the way.

Degree of Slash

It was great to see that former Steelers/Bears/Ravens QB Cordell Stewart finally completed the course work for his degree from the University of Colorado. It has been a long road since he was the 60th overall pick by the Steelers in the 1995 draft.

He was able to play 11 seasons in the NFL with three teams. His 38 rushing TD's as a quarterback rank him fourth in the all-time list behind Cam Newton, Steve Young and Jack Kemp.

The story of getting his degree should have received more attention, but the media doesn't like to report nice stories.

Bill's Game

It's a shame that NFL fans didn't get a chance to see the interview Coach Belichick did for Lacrosse Magazine in conjunction with US Lacrosse. He has a life long relationship with the game, playing it in high school and college. His kids played and his daughter is a college coach.

Belichick was very relaxed and open during the interview. It was so different from what the public sees. For that brief moment, he was away from the NFL.

Skating Sheldon

Whenever we hear talk about Tom Brady's four game suspension, it will always go back to the issue of the integrity of the game. Commissioner Roger Goodell will always hang his hat on that.

DL Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets was able to wiggle his way with just a one game suspension for some outrageous off-field behavior last summer.

Last July, he was involved in a high-speed police chase in suburban St Louis. Speeds reached up to 140 mph while he drove his Bentley, accompanied by two male passengers and a 12 year old relative.

Police fund a loaded semi-automatic handgun under a floor mat and detected the odor of marijuana. He ended up pleading to reduced charges and avoided jail time.

The NFL issued him a one game suspension, based upon the resolution of the case. Richardson got two huge breaks with the reduced charges and the actions of the league.

There is a huge disparity when it comes to disciplining players.

Someone Will Take His Place

WR Calvin Johnson recently retired from the Detroit Lions at the age of 30 because of concerns over his long term health.

His recent comments will cause the NFL to circle the wagons. They always do that when a player talks about concussions and the distribution of pain medicine to players. The league can't put a muzzle on him because he is no longer under contract to a team.

He could not even come up with the total number of concussions he suffered. He spoke of the open abuse of pain pills given to players to get them back on the field.

The league will issue their typical statements and then wait for the whole thing to blow over. They know training camp is near and fans want to see their teams start a new season. Johnson will just be collateral damage. Someone else will jump to take his roster spot.

Hard Job To Lose

NFL game officials faced a lot of criticism last season over controversial calls. They are rated weekly, based on their game performance.

Apparently, nobody was penalized because all 17 referees will be back this season. Only one of 122 officials won't be back.  The league is keeping quiet on the whole matter, but that's pretty good job security for a group that was so controversial.

The Final 10

I think the NFL did a great job with their Top 100 Players of 2015 as determined by the players themselves. They are the ones who know best, but is that always true?

When it came down to the top ten, it was mostly skilled players. The list was quit impressive counting down from 10th, with Odell Beckham Jr, Rob Gronkowski, Julio Jones, Like Kuechly, Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Antonio Brown, J.J. Watt, Tom Brady and finally Cam Newton.

It sounds like the players got it right, although linemen on both sides of the ball never get their due respect.

Robinson's Strange Ride

Players get into the strangest situations. Jaguars RB Denard Robinson was driving a car that somehow ended up in a retention pond. To make matters worse, he and his girl friend both fell asleep before they were awoken by first responders while the car was sinking.

Police said that he had not been drinking and didn't cite him. It's a very strange situation to end up in a pond and not do anything about it.

Roger Making Less

The NFL is very secretive about things because they can. They disclose only what they need to. Fans are left hanging when it comes to things they want to know.

They disclosed that Commissioner Roger Goodell took a 7% pay cut in 2015 compared to the previous year. His compensation went from $34 million to $31 million, but nobody knows why.

He still gets a ton of money for making the billionaire owners richer. It's a win for both sides.

Playing The Wrong Game

Players have been going on social media to express their shock with the salaries of NBA free agents. Even role players are getting astronomical salaries with guaranteed contracts.

The NFL is the lowest paid league by far. The disparity is very striking. It's even more apparent when you look at the violence in the game and the toll it takes on their bodies.

Each sport has its own set of skills.

Jason's Words

New York Giants DL Jason Pierre-Paul changed his life and career forever last year when he blew off part of his right hand in a fireworks accident. He lost half of last season and endured numerous surgeries to get back on the field.

He recently made a public service announcement to encourage people not to play with fireworks. Maybe his words will prevent one accident like his. It's worth a shot.

There Goes Johnny

It's more of a procedural matter, but QB Johnny Manziel has been issued a four game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

That is the least of his problems. He faces further discipline from the league because of his ongoing legal issues. He is also a player without a team.

His goal should be to actually serve his suspension. That would mean he is on a roster. At this point, who really wants him?