Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Issues With the College Game

The recent events at Ohio State are nothing new in the world of college football. Scandals involving gifts and payoffs to players are nothing new. They have been going on forever. This time it cost the coach his job and threatens to have the school put under some type of NCAA sanction.

Next year , it will be some other school. That is one of the problems with Division 1-A football. It is such a money making venture for each school that bad decisions gets made along the way.

Alumnae and boosters want to see a successful team and national recognition. Players want a chance at the NFL. It's the perfect storm for abuse and cheating.

I certainly don't follow college football like I do with the NFL. I have mixed feelings about it. Afterall, it is the feeder system to the NFL, but the whole thing is a farce at times.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Over For Stover

Matt Stover announced his retirement after a 19 year career. It was done with little fanfare. He didn't play in the 2010 season.

He leaves the NFL as the fourth-ranked scorer in league history with 2,004 points and 474 field goals. He was the last member of the original Cleveland Browns still in the league before the team became the Baltimore Ravens in 1996.

He was selected by the New York Giants as the 329th overall pick in the 1990 draft. He was unable to beat Matt Bahr for the kicking job, but ended up with the Browns in 1991 and stayed through the 2008 season.

He was a late signing in the 2009 season by the Indianapolis Colts because of an injury to Adam Vinitieri. The Colts decided to have Stover kick in the post-season. At the age of 42, he became the oldest player to appear in a Super Bowl.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Thoughts On Replacements

One thing the NFL owners have on their side is guaranteed revenue from their television contract whether or not football is played this season. When they negotiated their latest contract, they took less money in future years for the provision of being paid in a strike year.

I find it hard to believe that the networks would take such a ht unless there are plans for "replacement" players. Commissioner Roger Goodell has constantly stated that the league has no plans for replacement players, but nobody ever thought things would get to this stage.

I have no doubt that there might be replacement players at some point. The owners won't confirm it, but I don't think the networks are willing to lose the entire season and not get anything in return.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Rumored Signings

News accounts continue to discuss potential player movement around the league. Nothing is suppose to be going on right now. Teams are prohibited from talking to their players, rookies or potential free agents. This has not stopped the rumor mill.

Randy Moss might be headed to the New York Jets. This would be a good match for him with QB Mark Sanchez and Head Coach Rex Ryan. Signing Braylon Edwards might be too much of a financial challenge for them.

Former Giants WR Plaxico Burris is scheduled to be released from prison on June 6. Rumors have him headed to Philadelphia to be paired up with Michael Vick. This would make a lot of sense.

The off-season signings are one of the most followed aspects of the game. It's too bad the fans don't have the opportunity to watch and enjoy it.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Another Thing To Cancel

Team have been unable to hold their traditional passing camps and OTA's because of the lockout. The latest casualty is the NFL Rookie Symposium. This has proven to to be a vital introduction to the NFL for all rookies. Attendance is mandatory.

Rookies hear from former players about life in the NFL and the issues that come with playing in the league. They are counseled about drugs, alcohol and the problems that can develop with newly acquired wealth.

If this labor issue ever gets resolved, I'm sure the symposium will be held. It's unfortunate that these new players are not getting the word right from the start.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Seymour Leading the Raiders

There was a great story on the NFL Network about players conducting workouts among themselves.

The Oakland Raiders met at a suburban Atlanta, GA high school field. DE Richard Seymour lead a group of 33 players who came from across the country to workout for a few days.

Most teams are doing some type of group workouts. The Atlanta Falcons walked onto the same field after the Raiders were finished.

These workouts are done without coaches. It certainly helps to do some of the drills, but it's not the same as meeting for the annual OTA's.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Not Knocking Hard

HBO faces a dilemma with its inability to find a team willing to participate in their football training camp program "Hard Knocks". The network achieved record ratings last year with the profanity laced episodes featuring the New York Jets and head coach Rex Ryan.

Teams are concerned that there might be a very limited time to prepare for the upcoming season, assuming there is one.

ESPN conducted a poll among fans who determined their choice to be the Detroit Lions. Their players said they have no desire to be the ones viewed by fans.

Several other teams, including the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have already declined. HBO knows better than to even ask Coach Belichick.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Putting the Squeeze On

The NFL is looking foolish in the eyes of the public as the labor issues drags on. There are reports that a number of teams will be forcing assistant coaches to take a pay cut of 20-50% while there is a lockout.

Coaching staffs still have work to do even if they have no players to coach. Most teams have a clause in the contracts of the coaches that would allow this to happen.

The NFL Coaches Association is thinking of unionizing in order to prevent financial disaster for the staffs. Most coaches are underpaid when the amount of hours worked are factored in. They are usually let go when the head coach is fired. They are at the mercy of the owners.

The Pats have the same clause in the contracts of their coaches, but have indicated that they intend to pay their staff. Let's hope they keep their word.

Friday, May 20, 2011

The Final 20

Teams must still make plans for the upcoming season, in spite of all of the uncertainties on the labor front.

I was impressed with a story about the New York Giants who ran a contest to determine which of their ten fans would have their pictures on the team's individual game tickets for the season. The team got 1,300 entrants before selecting 20 finalists. Some of their stories were so inspiring.

They included a G.I. who wore his New York Giants 1990 Super Bowl Championship t-shirt during every dangerous patrol while on duty in Iraq.

Another was a fan 91 years old who has followed the team for 85 years and owned season tickets for 60 until the team initiated the Personal Seat Licence. He even wore a Giants custom-made kippah and tallit when he had his own bar mitzvah last year.

Perhaps one of the best stories is a lady who has attended every home game since 1970. She missed only one in a run of 317 games. That was in 1989 when she gave birth to her first child, four days before kickoff.

Every fan of the game has their own story.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Looking For Some Pass Rush

The Pats are very aware that they need to address their lack of a sustainable pass rush. They chose not to pursue players in the draft. There was nobody that stood out for them and worth the amount of money it would take to sign them.

It looks like the labor issue will drag into June and possible July. The free agency period could be a relatively short one, assuming there is a season.

A local writer compiled a list of the ten best free agents available. Several of them would certainly fit the team's need for a pass rusher. I'm sure the team will get someone, although it didn't work out with Derrick Burgess. Nothing is guaranteed.

At this point, teams need to start preparing for the 2011, but are unable to do so. This will hurt the caliber of play.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The Oldest Rookie

Danny Watkins, the Philadelphia Eagle's pick in the first round of the draft will be the oldest rookie in the NFL when the 2011 season begins.

He has a remarkable story of making it to the NFL. He never played organized football until he enrolled at Butte College in California to study fire science. He spent four years as a firefighter in his native British Columbia prior to his enrollment.

He became an instant star at Butte and attracted the attention of the coaching staff at Baylor. All of his post-season honors are quite remarkable, considering his lack of playing experience.

He will turn 27 on November 6th. It's the same month that Pats TE Aaron Hernnadez turns 21.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Chad Is Riding

As the labor issue drags on, one must wonder how it will effect the level of play. Valuable time has been lost because players are not working out in a formal setting.

Chad Ochcinco is bringing this to a different level. He recently rode a bull in Duluth, GA with the Professional Bull Riders Circuit.

Although he stayed on for 1.5 seconds, he fell short of the goal of 8 seconds which would have brought him a new truck and a promise to rename the bull "Marvin Lewis".

Chad wore a helmet, rather than a stetson. He is not that crazy yet.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Bledsoe Gets the Call

Drew Bledsoe became the newest member of the team's Hall of Fame after being elected by the fans during his first year of eligibility. He will join Jon Morris, who was elected by the veteran's committee, at their induction on Sept 17th.

Bledsoe was a slam-dunk, based on his tenure with the team. He holds most of the team's passing records until Tom Brady breaks them.

I expected former DE Houston Antwine to miss out because most of the voters never saw him play. This will be an on-going problem for players from another era. Fans will continue to vote for those names they are familiar with.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

The Quiet Ones

Offensive linemen don't get the credit and notoriety they deserve. When they retire, it's often done quietly.Alan Franeca stated prior to the 2010 season that he would retire at its conclusion.

He was an eight-time All-Pro at guard and was a Pro Bowl starter from 2001-2009. He played for the Steelers, Jets and finished his career with the Cardinals. It was amazing that he finished his career with a consecutive game streak of 144, considering the violent nature of his position.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

The Clock Keeps Ticking

Next Monday, representatives from the NFLPA and four of the team owners will meet in federal court for mediation. Although this sounds like a positive move, it is being done because of a court order. Failure to do so, would find either side in contempt of court. Neither side wants to go that way.

As time drags on, the likelihood of this being resolved looks bleaker. For fans, the best hope is that the court lifts the injunction sought by the owners. Neither side wants to budge, but if the Brady lawsuit goes forward, there will be a disrupted season if there is one at all.

Owners don't want to resume normal league operations and try and negotiate a settlement. They had two years to do that and nothing happened.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A Costly Proposal

I don't believe in publicly financed stadiums. The Pats are a great example of a team building it on their own. They got help from the state with infrastructure improvements along the highway leading to the stadium.

The Minnesota Vikings have wanted to move from the Metrodome for a long time. They announced plans to build a $1.1 billion stadium in the suburbs with a retractable roof. It will be built 10 miles north in Ramsey County.

The team and county announced their partnership, but I think the plan is flawed. The total costs includes the $884 million stadium and a small fortune in infrastructure improvements. The location is on a former military munitions facility.

The plan still needs the approval of the state legislature. Considering the economic climate, it might be dead on arrival.

The team would pay $407 million, with $350 coming from Ramsey County and $400 million from the state. The team estimates it needs $173 for infrastructure and removing hazardous material from the site.

The stadium is schedule to open in 2015, but I don't think it will see the light of day.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Where Will Moss Play?

The Tennessee Titans are indicating that they have no plans to sign Randy Moss once the labor issue is over.

Last night, the analysts on the NFL Network all agreed that he will either come back to New England or end up with the Jets. Of course, this is all speculation because none of these guys have asked the Pats or Jets what their plans are.

It would be rather interesting to bring Moss back. They could sign him to a one year contract for cheap money. It would be a low risk. Coach Belichick could release if anything came up.

I don't see them doing that . I think they are moving on without Moss.

Monday, May 9, 2011

This Won't Fly

I read about an idea that makes a lot of sense, but will never be adopted by the NFL players and owners. The season would still be 16 games, but would be extended by another three weeks, giving each team three bye weeks.

This would allow the players to get more recuperation time, especially in the last quarter of the season. It would also provide the television networks with the option of broadcasting fewer games, but to a larger audience. More televised games could potentially provide more ad revenue.

In the end, this idea will never fly because the owners want an 18 game regular season. The season will be long enough, they feel, without having more bye weeks.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mini Mack

I have often wondered whatever happened to Mack herron, the brilliant undersized running back who had the season of his life in 1974 with the Pats.

Herron was busted for heroin possession over the weekend in his hometown of Chicago. Reports indicated that it was his 20th drug arrest since 1969.

His monster year came in 1974 after playing for a couple of seasons in the CFL. He broke the all-purpose yards record which was set by Gayle Sayers in 1966. His 2,444 yards of rushing, receieving and kick returns still stands as the best total for a 14 game season. It's the 9th best overall total. His 174.3 all purpose yards per game is still a league record.

Herron did all of this in spite of being 5'5" and weighing 170 pounds. He was a favorite of Howard Cossell on Monday Night Football and captured the hearts of fans. He was one of the most exciting offensive players of the Pats that I have seen. He was the return specialist of the Pats All-Decade Team for the 1970's.

Herron is still fighting the NFL for a pension and suffers from diabetes and chronic pain in his legs. He is the classic case of a player who make a huge impact on the league for a short period, but were cast aside and receive no help after their playing days are over.

Most of Herron's problems are his own doing, but I would hope that the league reaches out to him in some way. He was such a joy to watch.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Missing Activities

It sounds like a secret mission, but there are reports that up to 15 players from the Pats are holding workouts. This follows the course of action of several other teams. Players are not allowed to use team facilities.

It is total speculation as to when this labor issue will be resolved. It hurts the game in the end. So much happens during the off-season with free agency and the draft.

Teams have already missed meetings with their draft picks and undrafted free agents. Organized Team Activities are also scheduled in May. They are very valuable for teams. It looks like these will be missed.

I don't know whether this will have an impact on the quality of play this season. The important thing right now is to have a season.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

DOJ Checks In

The NCAA and the U.S. Department of Justice are at the beginning of a story that is under the radar, but will be here for quite some time.

The chief of the Anti-Trust Division has notified the NCAA that they are looking into why college football does not have playoffs at the BCS level.

They are looking into whether there might be anti-trust issues over the fact that the champions of six different conferences get to play in the top-tier bowl games with the huge financial windfalls. Everyone else gets the bowl games of lesser money.

The post-season bowl games are a huge bonanza for some schools. The feds want to see that the NCAA complies with anti-trust guidelines.

I look for a protracted investigation and hearings unless the NCAA can resolve this very quickly.
This type of stuff makes for great political theater on Capitol Hill.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Plight of UFA's

The NFL labor issue has left another casualty in its wake. All undrafted college players cannot talk to any teams until things get back to normal.

In the past, undrafted free agents were contacted by teams as soon as the draft was over. That is how Brian Hoyer ended up here two years ago.

Most players want to hear their named called at some point in the draft. Those who never get drafted can negotiate with any number of teams.

Mark Herzlich of Boston College was a victim of the labor strife. He has fought a courageous battle to continue his football career, in spite of a cancer diagnosis two years ago. Some doctors said he would never play again.

Before his diagnosis, he was expected to go in the first couple of rounds. This time, most thought he might slip to as low as the 6th or 7th. It was a shock when his name was not called.

In past years, he would have been able to negotiate with the teams that contacted him. This is not an option now.

Instead, he was a 10th round selection (51st pick overall) by the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League during their draft.

Most thought he lasted that long because of his desire to pursue a career in the NFL. If he signs with the UFL, he will be obligated to stay with the team until the league's season ends in November.

There are many college players in the same predictament as Herzlich with no end in site.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Ugly Truth

When former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson committed suicide in February, he wrote a note requesting that his brain be donated to the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. He thought he might have suffered brain damage from numerous concussions during his NFL career and 24 years of playing football.

He was exhibiting the classic symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy: memory problems and anger issues. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of pushing his wife during an argument. In recent years, his business declared bankruptcy and lost his home to foreclosure.

Researchers found that he had suffered from at least 10 concussions, including some where he lost consciousness. Duerson committed suicide by shooting himself in the heart. He requested that his brain be donated for study.

The NFL has contributed $1 million to the research center. They have also initiated rule change to address the concussion issues.

Head trauma is the deep ugly issue that the league is making a token effort at addressing. The violent nature of the game causes human train wrecks on nearly every play.

In twenty years, I suspect the players of today will be greatly effected by degenerative brain disease caused by repeated blows to the head.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Hang In There Fans

After listening to more sports talk, it seems like Coach Belichick did not address the needs of the team or fans. Everyone wants a pass rusher and a big running back. They can't believe that it didn't happen. The team only got a bunch of "value picks".

Fans should realize that the labor issues prevented team from making trades during the draft. Once things get resolved, the Pats will definitely do some trading and will certainly address the pass rush issue.

Nothing is for certain in the draft. I really look forward to see how Mark Ingram does because everyone felt the same way about Dez Bryant last year.