Those NBA Guys

It was interesting to see the comments by NFL players over the start of NBA free agency which starts as of 12:01am tomorrow.

The two leagues are not even on the same planet when it comes to the dollar value of free agent contracts. There will always be a huge disparity which will never be overcome.

Looking For Work

Former Packers Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre said that he would like to return to the team in some capacity. He mentioned coaching, broadcasting or the front office.

He has no experience other than coaching high school football for the last two years. Could he make the jump to any of these jobs? Does he want to take a short cut?

His best possibility would be with broadcasting. I'm surprised to see that he has never been hired.

No Competition For Brady

Florida might have three NFL teams in Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa Bay, but none of their players have the jersey sales of Tom Brady.

That should come as no surprise as Brady remains one of the biggest sellers in the league.

#1 @ 39

Tom Brady ended up being the #1 overall player in the NFL, as voted by the ones who play the game. This is a great honor for someone who will be turning 40 very soon.

These polls don't really mean anything. What do they prove? I think it's a good idea to select the top 100 players, one way or other.

It gives the NFL Network a lot of good programming. It's interesting to see the reaction from players about where they ended up on the list.

Jets 2017

I'm glad to hear that 80% of Jet fans want the team to play the 2017 schedule and try to win every game.

Fans deserve the best effort by their team. Players want to win games.

No New Date

In light of the recent NBA and NHL drafts, an idea was floated that the NFL hold its draft before the start of free agency. The other two leagues do it.

There are many sides to this story. Teams could sign free agents and then base their draft on that. However, there doesn't seem to be enough time for the NFL teams to get everything done.

In the end, all decisions are based on money. The NFL loves their three day affair. They don't plan to change success.

The No Name Field

The Denver Broncos play at Sports Authority Field, but the company no longer exists after it went into bankruptcy last year. They have not found another business entity willing to pay big dollars to carry their name on the field.

Teams try to maximize their financial deal with their stadium. The Broncos are losing money if they don't get a new sponsor.

The One and Only Odell

Giants owner John Mara said that he would like to have a dozen players like Odell Beckham Jr on the team's roster.

Any team would like to have a skilled player such as Odell. Will Mara still feel that way once Odell acts up during a game and causes his team to get a penalty?

Beckham has all the potential in the world, but his behavior during games is questionable at time.

Dollars For Carr

The Oakland Raiders went big when they signed QB Derek Carr to a 5 year/ $125 million contract extension. At least $40 million is guaranteed.

Is Carr worth the money? He has exceeded expectations so far, but will he see every dollar from the contract?

Very few player ever get to the end of their contract without giving up money.

Jerry and Francis

It was great to see Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hanging out with Pope Francis and leading a delegation of Hall Of Fame players to the Vatican.

Bigger In Texas

Everything about football is big in the state of Texas. The legendary program at the University of Texas just signed their coach to a 5 year/ $28.75 million contract.

The school also decided to make its locker room the best around. Each player will now have a $10,500 stainless-steel locker that comes with a 43 inch monitor, ventilation system and a USB connection.

At these prices, the team needs to go to a major post-season bowl game to keep everyone happy

Podcast Nonsense

I made the mistake of listening to a podcast today about the Pats. It went on for too long. They ran out of things to talk about.

Their discussion of the nomination process for the team's Hall of Fame showed great lack of knowledge of players from the past.

It got to a point where it wasn't worth listening to.

Ben's Time

I was glad to see former Pats TE Benjamin Watson doing commentary on a cable news network. After 14 years in the NFL, he is ready to move on with his life.

He will be very successful in whatever he does.

Seven Left From The 7th

We always hear that NFL careers are short. It's hard to last more than three years.

In a story about Julian Edelman, I was surprised to see that 7 of 47 players drafted in the 7th round in 2009 are still in the league.

All of these players will be starting their ninth season in the NFL. I think that's quite impressive since 7th round picks are not expected to make the team.

Some of them won't make the roster this year.

Caught On Video

Leave it to the NCAA to enforce rules on student-athletes which don't make any sense. They have come down hard on a University of  Central Florida kicker who has been posting videos to his channel on YouTube. He has over 53,000 followers.

The NCAA claims that he is in violation of its rules prohibiting athletes from making money from their images. They have given him an ultimatum of football or videos.

The NCAA makes tons of money from their athletes. They don't want anyone upsetting the status quo.

Rings of Bill

Bill Belichick never likes to talk about the accomplishments of the past. He always steers the conversation to the present.

He lit up social media when he showed his bling of ten at the team's ring night at Robert Kraft's home.

Five rings with the Pats and two with Bill Parcells and the Giants as defensive coordinator. Glad to see him show off his three AFC Championship rings.

That 1996 team was awesome. What pair they were.

No Dollars For Them

Overall, the rookie NFL contract structure seems to work ok. What happens when they outperform all expectations? Should they be paid more before their contract expires?

Odell Beckham Jr is the poster boy for players not being paid according to their performance. Malcolm Butler has earned the right to make more money.

It happens all around the NFL because the teams can do it according to the CBA.

Is Oher Near The End?

LT Michael Oher of the Carolina Panthers posted a disturbing photo of pill bottles on social media with a very strange comment. He removed it shorty after, but it had already gone viral.

Oher was commenting on the medications he was taking to deal with a concussion suffered last September. He is still in the NFL concussion protocol and has not been cleared for any football activities.

Team officials said their biggest concern is the health of Oher. Given his situation, it looks like his career is in great danger.

Not Running To Revis

Cowboys WR Dez Bryant is trying to lure free agent CB Darrelle Revis to Dallas. It doesn't matter that owner Jerry Jones has not pulled out his wallet to sign the former Jet.

Revis doesn't have any options at this point. He should sign with any team that offers him a contract. He needs to prove himself for anything after 2017.

Jets Going Down

It must be very discouraging to be a fan of the New York Jets. The team is in the process of being gutted from the top down.

Many pundits think the team could go 0-16. There is talk of tanking the season in order to get a marque quarterback in 2018.

Fans deserve better than this. The Jets need to put the best product on the field. They are losing credibility real fast with their actions.

Nobody Is The Greatest

I think it's foolish talk to say Tom Brady is the greatest player of all time. You could talk for hours whether he is the best quarterback.

NBA star LeBron James weighed in on whether Brady is the greatest athlete ever. LeBron said he is the best quarterback, but called Brady a one-sided player since he only plays the offensive aspect of his chosen game.

I think LeBron made a very good point.

Maybe His Last Contract

Julian Edelman got a two year contract extension through the end of the 2019 season. He will be 33 by then and very old by NFL standards for slot receivers.

I love how the Pats gave him a chance to earn another $4 million this season with certain achievements.

Will he even have a spot on the team after 2019?

Odell's Move

The Giants have their mini-camp coming up. Will Odell Beckham Jr stay away in protest of his contract? He has made it known that he has outperformed his rookie deal.

His salary of $1.8 million  places him behind 40 other receivers. The Giants don't need to do anything because he is obligated to them for this season.

It remains to be seen what Odell does.

The Coaching Family

Bill Belichick has always said how he prefers to have a smaller coaching staff. His son Steven became the safeties coach last season. His son Brian, who was a staff assistant, will be a coach this season, although his duties have not been disclosed.

This is bound to promote discussion. Fans should be happy that Bill is with his two sons. After 17 seasons as head coach, he shows no signs of slowing down. He enjoys working with them. This is bound to extend his time with the Pats.

Kraft Is 76

Pats owner Robert Kraft turned 76 today. I wonder if he ever thought his life would end up this way. He is worth over $4 billion.

Did he ever think his team would win five Super Bowls and have the Brady/Belichick era? Many thought he overpaid for the team when he bought it in 1994. The rest is history.

Vick Wants A Chance

Michael Vick announced his retirement this year after failing to sign with a team in 2016. His 13 year career has ended at 36.

There is talk about him signing a one day contract with the Atlanta Falcons to retire as a member of the team that drafted him.

He has expressed a desire to coach in the NFL and would like to work with quarterbacks. Based on his previous issues, I wonder if he will ever get the opportunity from a team. He has a lot to offer.

Dollar Day For Gronk

Yesterday was National Donut Day. There seems to be a day for anything. That's great news for Rob Gronkowski who is the poster boy for Dunkin Donuts.

The featured him in some print ads and social media posts. It means dollars in his pocket. Gronk is such a financial success. He often says that he has never spent one dollar of his NFL money. He lives off his endorsements and appearance fees.

That is so refreshing to hear. Too many players blow their money on frivolous things and are broke after they retire.

Vince's Day Is Coming

Vince Wilfork said that he is taking his time to decide his future in the NFL. A 35 year old free agent doesn't usually get too many offers. He can take all the time he wants to decide his future plans.

I think he has a bright future if he hangs it up. He has been doing a few commercials on the NFL Network.

The time has arrived for him. He should sign a one day contract with the Pats and retire.

Giant Honesty

I commend Giants owner John Mara for being honest with the media when he said that the team would not sign controversial QB Colin Kaepernick because of concerns from fans.

He said the team received numerous letters from fans who protested the possible action.

There is no doubt that Kaepernick is controversial. So many teams have stayed silent on this issue. The Seahawks are rumored to sign him.

At least Mara was honest with everyone.