Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Most Valuable Hair

In some instances, teams take out insurance on player contracts. It is costly, so each team looks at it very closely before jumping in.

In a rather odd twist, Troy Polamalu, the long haired Samoan All-pro Safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers, now has a $1 million insurance policy on his locks.

The policy was taken out with the iconic insurance firm, Loyd's of London. Apparently, the makers of "Head and Shoulders" shampoo want to insure that Troy always has that big head of hair to show in their commercials.

No indication was given on how the policy would be paid out. His hair is considered part of the uniform, so grabbing and pulling is not out of the question.

I have always wondered why players wear such long hair. In Troy's case, he is laughing on his way to the bank. It worked out great for him.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Bad Decisions By the Bengals

Teams cannot afford to make mistakes when they sign free-agents. It can impact the salary cap negatively, although this is an uncapped year.

The Cincinnati Bengals released WR Antonio Bryant over the weekend. They had signed him to a 4 year, $28 million contract during the off-season, in spite of knowing that his play had been limited during the 2009 season because of a knee injury.

He passed his physical during training camp, but missed practices and the first three pre-season games. If the team had flunked him on his physical, they could have placed him on the Physically Unable To Perform List which would have allowed the Bengals the chance to bring him back after the seventh game of the season.

By releasing him, they have nothing to show for their investment. In fact, $8 million was guaranteed in his signing bonus. The Bengals decided to move on after signing Terrell Owens and the emergence of rookie Jordan Shipley.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Chad Is Still Hanging

I think there is conflicting thought on how long does one play in the NFL. The league gives creditable service for pension purposes if a player is on the game day roster for at least six games in a regular season.

It's hard to believe that former 2006 second draft round pick WR Chad Jackson is still around at any level. He is making noise in the Buffalo Bills training camp as he fights for a starting spot.

The Pats traded up 16 picks to select Chad, their guy. They worked a deal with Green Bay to trade their 2nd and 3rd round picks.

He had an early hamstring problem in camp , but played in 14 games, with two starts. He caught 13 passes for 152 yards. In the AFL Championship games loss against the Colts, he tore his ACL. That set him back big time.

He spent most of the 2007 season on the PUP list, but made it back to play in two games. He had 2 punt returns for 7 yards and 5 kick returns for 85. He also had a fumble.

He made it to the final cut of the 2008 training camp, but was released. Several months passed before the Denver Broncos signed him for the 2009 season. They activated him for four games. He had 1 catch for 19 yards and 1 fumble. They ended up releasing him.

Now he wants to make a home with the Bills. So far, it's looking good. Maybe he will have a monster game at Gillette.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Ty Was Right

Ty Warren is lost for the season with a torn labrium. He opted for surgery which will keep him out for the year.

Some "experts" fail to realize that he has been battling this injury for the last three years. They blame his lack of attendance at the organized off-season workouts as being the cause of his injury as he was hurt after the second practice session.

Warren skipped the workouts to remain in Texas where he was working on finishing his degree at Texas A&M. He publicly stated that he was doing this because he was trying to prepare for life after the NFL.

Some feel that this was a waste of time and he should have been focused on football. I totally disagree with this thought. In fact, I give him a lot of credit for pursuing his degree. The NFL has a horrible record for graduation rates of its players. This was refreshing to see a player put emphasis on his education and to plan for a career after football.

So many people leave the game without a degree and skills necessary to live in the real world.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

16 or 18

The discussion of changing from a 16 to 18 game season has finally happened now that the owners have announced the proposal to the NFL Players Association. There are many implications for playing two more games that need to be negotiated with the players and owners.

Ultimately, a new Collective Bargaining Agreement will include financial compensation for the two games. This is a real sticking point, as well as post-career pension and health benefits. The change in the schedule is sure to create more injuries in spite of the expansion of the rosters.

It's a great opportunity for more player jobs to be created. The talk is to add seven players to bring the game day roster to 60. Practice squad and injured reserve rules will also be addressed.

The plan is to do this in 2012. There is so much at stake. I wonder if there will be a new CBA before the end of this season.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Ocho At It

WR Chad Ocho Cinco of the Cincinnati Bengals is always good for a few headlines and a fine. He was fined $25,000 by the NFL for tweeting during the Bengals and Eagles pre-season game last Friday night.

The league has a specific rule against using any electronic devices 90 minutes before and during any game. Chad posted two tweets to his twitter page. He apologized to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell through a tweet.

It's two weeks until the start of the season. I'm sure this will not be his last infraction. He is bound to accumulate a couple of fines for excessive celebration during touchdowns.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Tom and Rex Show

Tom Brady certainly ratcheted up the Pats and Jets rivalry when he made his comments about HBO's "Hard Knocks" featuring the Jets. It bordered on trash talking when he spoke of his hatred of the Gang Green.

Naturally, Coach Rex Ryan had a response. He cited his twin brother Rex who won two Super Bowl rings with the Pats while a defensive coach. Rex has no love for the Brady & Co. although he "respects" Tom.

With three weeks to go before they play the Jets in their second game, the hype is going to get bigger. Coach Belichick is only focused for the opening game against the Bengals, but he will never tell Brady what to say.

When asked about whether he had seen the show, Belichick praised the people from NFL Films, the ones behind "Hard Knocks". He said that all of the shows are good although he didn't know when "Hard Knocks" was on.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Loosening the Standards

It will be interesting to see if there is any negative reaction to the trade for guard Quinn Ojinnaka. The Pats gave up the infamous "undisclosed" draft pick to Atlanta for a player who is suspended for the first game of the season for violating the league's conduct policy.

Ojinnaka was arrested in May 2009 after arguing with his wife and throwing her down a flight of stairs during a dispute about his contact with a female friend on Facebook.

Although everyone is innocent until proven guilty, it appears that the Pats are walking a fine line with their policy of signing players with character.

They might be loosening up their standards because of the continued holdout of Logan Mankins and the potential season ending injury to Nick Kaczur who was expected to fill in for Mankins.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Game of Numbers

The Pats had 196 yards passing and 129 yards on the ground during their 28-10 pre-season win over the Atlanta Falcons. Those numbers looked really good until we heard post-game comments from Coach Belichick.

Fred Taylor had 54 yards on 11 carries which included a 28 yard TD run. Sammy Morris also had a 20 yard scamper.

Coach Belichick pointed out that seven carries went for minus yards. This needs to be addressed. This type of yardage is what kills a drive. A 3rd and 2 that doesn't get converted can change the outcome of a game.

Numbers like this often get overlooked in a win, but might be a contributing factor in a loss.
Coach Belichick is not big on statistical numbers. He once said a one yard carry can be the difference in a win or loss. It all depends when that yard occurs. It could be the pivotal point of the game.

I doubt that he ever plays fantasy football.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Rex Is No Wreck

The NFL and HBO certainly got more than they expected with the Jets and Head Coach Rex Ryan making their debut on "Hard Knocks". The show has certainly generated a lot of controversy with the larger than life presence of Ryan and his swearing throughout the show.

Former Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy felt it was his place to criticize Ryan for his foul language. Ryan has taken exception to Dungy's comments. Dungy feels it's his role to be the moral compass of the NFL.

Dungy feels that Ryan is portraying the NFL in a bad light. If anything, the show is getting good ratings. I've never had HBO, but I'm debating whether to order it just to see T- Rex and his crazy comments.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Don't Blame Brett

Brett Favre has returned to the Vikings. Three of his teammates went to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to escort him back on a private jet to Vikings training camp. He will get $13 million to play this year, with a possible $3 million extra in incentives.

I thought it was outrageous today when a local sports talk host said that he would like to see Favre have a career ending injury. He called him a fraud and a prim dona.

The Vikings didn't need to do this. Nobody was forcing their hand. Head Coach Brad Childress could be considered an enabler in the whole process, but the fact is the Vikings did what they did and appear to be happy with the results.

Did they overpay for a 41 year old quarterback? Did Favre hold them hostage with his waffling? Was he playing mind games? Is he a diva?

The answer is a probable "yes" to all of these questions, but Favre is one of the all-time greats. He made it to the Conference Championship game the last two years before losing in the final minutes. Maybe the same will happen this year. Who knows if he will even make it through the season?

I don't understand why everyone gets worked up over this. One caller speculated what would happen if he pulled this on his job. You know he wouldn't do it. This is the NFL. It's a game and a business. It's not the real working world. It's no different than anything else you see in the entertainment industry. The producers of American Idol ended the effort to sign Jennifer Lopez after her demands bordered on absurdity. The Vikings could have ended this.

I'm glad to see Brett back. Unfortunately, it won't last forever.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Two Thoughts on Crumpler

Members of the media come out with some strange comments in contrast to what Coach Belichick says. He is great at issuing his standard phrases about a player. He has said the same thing about different players many times. Nobody seems to work harder than the player he is currently talking about. On some occasions, he notches the praise up.

A local writer was reviewing last week's pre-season win over the Saints. The scribe bashed TE Alge Crumpler up and down and questioned why is was blocking when they had a good blocker in Mark LeVior. He further wondered why Crumpler was even on the roster.

Belichick has gone out of his way to sing the praises of Crumpler. He admires him in all different aspects from preparation to professionalism to playing ability. He is excited about having him on the team.

One of these guys is wrong. I would be surprised if Crumpler is not the starting TE on opening day. The local scribe will continue to make statements that are in great contrast to what Belichick says.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Brady Untradeable?

Tom Brady does a weekly interview with a local sports talk radio station for which he is financially compensated. The questions are usually softballs. He gives the standard Belichick responses. The station makes an effort to ask probing questions because they owe it to their listeners.

Yesterday, they asked him about his contract situation. Brady pondered the issue of players spending their entire career with one team. That has always been one of his goals.

However, he brought up the trading of QB Joe Montana and WR Jerry Rice by the 49er's late in their careers. Both players were boyhood idols of Brady as he was growing up in the San Francisco area. He felt if they got traded it could happen to anyone, including himself.

He is 100% right. In addition to the lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement, the age of Brady does not help his bargaining power. If he signs a five year extension, he will be 37 when it expires and the team will be without a quarterback.

Brady was not complaining about his contract. He was commenting on one of the harsh realities of the NFL. Players come and go. Nothing is guaranteed.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Certain Uncertainty

The only thing that is certain in the NFL is the degree of uncertainty. Last year at this time it looked like the defensive line of the Pats would be around for years to come. Soon Richard Seymour was off to Oakland in a trade. Jarvis Green left the team during the off-season free agency period and went to Denver. Ty Warren is now out for the season. That leaves only Vince Wilfolk and Mike Wright as the returning veterans from last season.

Myron Prior, a 5th round pick from last year performed better than expected. Second rounder Ron Brace was a bust. He continues the trend this season as he has yet to practice. His days could be numbered.

Roster turnover is a constant throughout the NFL. It will be interesting to see how free agents Damoine Lewis and Gerard Warren perform. Nether have played in a 3/4 defense with the schemes Belichick employs. Both players were first round picks in Richard Seymour's class.They have experienced mixed results in their careers. Maybe the change will do them good.

One thing for certain is the Pats will not have the group of 30 year old running backs forever. They are getting up there is years and it's a matter of time for them.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Reality of Injuries

I was rather surprised to see WR Torrey Holt placed on Injured Reserve with a season ending knee injury. At least he gets paid in full for the season. The 11 year veteran may have reached the end of the line, but you never know. He could be back next year for another round. It provides an opportunity for WR Buddy Farnham to be added to the roster.

The loss of Ty Warren is tough, but he has not been the same player the last few years because of a torn labrium in his hip. Nobody knows if he will ever be the same player. That's how it is in the NFL. Carers end way too soon.

It makes me laugh to think about people who talk about Tom Brady five years down the line. Do they know he will be playing?

The devestating implications of football injuries bothers me as a fan. It's a very violent game that produces a lot of human train wrecks. People suffer life long effects from the game. The NFL needs to do a better job in helping its former players.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

More From Rex

One of the things I like about Jets coach Rex Ryan is that he says some very ridiculous things.
He kept it going yesterday when asked about the contract negotiations with CB Darrell Reavis.

Ryan said that Reavis should get his people to sit down with the Jets front office as well as the entire Jets teams to try and finalize a deal.

It is difficult enough to come up with a deal, but adding another 79 voices will get nowhere. I don't think too many of the team's younger defensive backs really care if Reavis holds out. If he doesn't show up to camp, it's an opportunity for them.

Ryan needs to listen to himself to see how absurd some of his statements are.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Scrimmage

I attended the joint Pats practice/scrimmage with the Saints this afternoon. It was the 2nd session and drew about 10,000 fans. The place was packed. There are so many highlights and things to talk about.

It was great to be about 30 feet away from special team drills: seeing the kicking and punting game with both teams. Seven on seven was very insightful for me. The two minute drill, on-side kicking (even Randy Moss plays special teams) . This was really awesome.

A few things that really struck me: Coach Belichick screaming at the ball carrier to go out of bounds during a two minute drill. You could hear him very plainly.

Coach Belichick and Saints Coach Sean Payton standing on the field throughout the practice behind the quarterbacks. They also had several of their staff with them.

After a failed play, Tom Brady and Randy Moss stayed on the field and had a discussion . It was very friendly. Moss was drawing the play in the air.

All of a sudden, Belichick yelled: "get off the field". He was trying to work the defense against Saints QB Drew Brees.

There was so much going on today that I could never watch it all because they used two fields. I hope they do this again next year. The team will go to Atlanta next week and do the same practice/scrimmage with the Falcons. This is a great idea.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Carroll Gets a Lawyer

Seattle Seahawks first year coach Pete Carroll remembers his days with Lawyer Milloy who played safety for Carroll during his tenure from 1997-1999 when he coached the Pats. Milloy was cut before the start of the 2004 season. He hooked up with Buffalo for three seasons before spending two in Atlanta and the last one in Seattle.

Milloy, a 15 year veteran, was pondering his next move other than retirement. The reuniting of Carroll and Milloy has gotten off to a great start. Milloy has been mentoring younger players and looks to play an active role in the Seahawk's defense.

Both Carroll and Milloy appear to be happy with the way things are working out. Their relationship is another example of how the NFL is one big network of players and coaches. So many players are given chances because of their relationships with their former coaches on the college or NFL level.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Rex On a Roll

Jets coach Rex Ryan is at it again with making outrageous comments. ESPN has a bus making various promotional stops at NFL training camps. Players and coaches have been signing it. Ryan wrote: "soon to be champions", an outright prediction that the Jets will win it all. He continued to support his statement during a press conference. He feels very confident about his team's chances and is letting the league know.

Brash comments are nothing new with Ryan, going back to last season with his statement about "not kissing Belichick's rings". I find Ryan's comments to be amusing. I'm actually a fan of his and the Jets. I think he adds entertainment value for the league.

Wes Welker took the typical team approach when he wrote "one game at a time " on the bus. I couldn't picture anything else from the Pats.

Friday, August 6, 2010

The Early Doubters

If I hear the talk show callers and "experts" correctly, the Pats will be lucky to finish 9-7, but most feel 8-8. This is based on the fact that over half of the players on the 80 roster have two years or less experience in the NFL. That is very true, but it doesn't really matter.

The final 53 man roster and practice squad will be heavy with young players. That is the trend of the team right now. The game is so much about the present and young players.

It's still very important to have mix of veterans on the roster. I have no idea where this team is going this year. Pre-season games don't really mean anything as far as winning and losing in the regular season. Don't ever get Coach Belichick in a discussion about pre-season games.

Overall, I feel good about this team. Hopefully, they can avoid the type of injuries that will destroy the season.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Fred Taylor and a Roster Spot

Fred Taylor really had it right when he was quoted as saying: "This game is for the younger guys".

No doubt that Taylor will be turning 35 during the week of the AFC Championship game if the Pats ever get to that point. Time is really hanging over his head as well as Sammy Morris (33) and Kevin Faulke (34).

This is the oldest backfield in the league. Let's not forget Laurence Maroney (25), BenJavris Green-Ellis (25) and Chris Taylor (26).

They won't carry more than four backs on the active roster. I have no idea how this will end up, but two of these six guys will not be around when the season opens.

That is one of the harsh realities of the NFL. At this point, I don't think anyone has a roster spot. I think the four pre-season games will tell a lot about who makes the final roster.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

A Differnet Version

As much as I follow the NFL, I have a very poor knowledge of college football. When draft time arrives, I'm lost on many of the names.

The Pats drafted QB Zac Robinson in the 7th round, the 250th player selected. I did some research on him. They have another version of Tim Tebow.

While at Oklahoma State, he set a slew of passing and total offense records. He is an excellent runner and presents all sorts of options to the Pats. He has even caught passes.

Today, I attended training camp practice for the second time this week. Both times, Robinson was playing on punt and kick teams in spite of wearing a red jersey.

I finally realized the Pats now have either their version of Tim Tebow or another Julien Edeleman. This guy has a spot on at least the practice squad.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Advantage Favre

Brett Favre has announced that he will retire instead of reporting to the Vikings training camp. The team has said that it will give Favre more time to decide and possibly more money. Last year, Favre didn't report to camp until after the second pre-season game.

This looks like a ploy by Favre to get a few more dollars from the Vikings. He has them over a barrel. The team has allowed itself to become hostage to a 41 year old quarterback.
Favre has had a brilliant career. His numbers may never be surpassed other than by Peyton Manning. I am a big fan of his for his gritty style of play.

The Vikings should be embarrassed for allowing themselves to get into this situation. Favre is still one of the best quarterbacks out there, but how could you let yourself be strung along by a player of his age?

Why don't they try and solidify their defense by signing Junior Seau? He won't be 42 until January.

Vince is Leading

It's great to see #75, Vince Wilfolk, taking a bigger leadership role with the team after signing a recent contract extension. Vince is being paid quite well and should be a spokesperson for the team.

We all know that Tom Brady is the poster boy of the franchise. He is a brand unto himself. Nobody knows what will happen with his contract or what his future is with the Pats.

Vince will be around here for the rest of his career. They have a huge amount of money invested in him. It's very interesting to see that he is the poster boy for their team schedule that is available at the team's pro-shop at Gillette Stadium.

Apparently, the team has decided that Brady cannot be in every photo so they decided to have Vince be the cover picture of the schedule. Too bad he has to share it with an ad for Bud Light on the reverse side.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Patten at the End of the Line

The sudden retirement of WR David Patten on Saturday caught many by surprise. With only two days of training camp, Patten announced that he was physically fine, but was having trouble with the mental aspect of training camp.

The Pats are loaded with receivers. There is expected to be a great deal of competition for roster spots. Patten sat out last season after being released by the Cleveland Browns in the final cut of camp.

Perhaps, Patten wanted to avoid this. He sat out last season after getting no additional opportunities to play. He contacted Coach Belichick in the off-season and a deal was done to bring him back. He was very active in the OTA's.

At the age of 36, time was catching up to him. Last season ,Tedy Bruschi was in the same predicament. He said it so eloquently:" you have a beginning of a career, a middle and the end". Patten must have felt he reached this final stage.

Not many players leave on their own terms. They either retire on their own, get released or ended by injuries. Patten chose to leave on his terms. I am very happy for such an outstanding player.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

No Landing For Logan

Logan Mankins continues his holdout from training camp. As Coach Belichick indicated, Mankins is not in camp because he is not under contract.

Mankins rejected a restricted free agent contract tender as well as a 5 year $35 million offer from the Pats. He is looking to be paid as one of the league's top offensive linemen.

Mankins is making a big mistake if he thinks the team is going to increase their offer. I have no doubt that his days with the Pats are over. Paying him more would set a bad precedent. He is a Pro Bowl player who has never missed a game or practice, but one player does not make a team.

The team has a surplus of linemen. Nick Kaczur has been moved from right tackle to his left guard spot. Sebastian Vollmer is playing tackle on the right side. The team is moving forward with or without Mankins. It doesn't really matter at this point whether Mankins shows up. The season will move on regardless.