Friday, September 30, 2011

Playing on the Same Field

It's hard to believe that the Oakland Raiders play in a stadium that also has baseball games. Multi-sport facilities are relics of the past. They can make for some very awkward site lines.

I went to a baseball game in Oakland back in the 90's. The Raiders had recently constructed some luxury boxes. It was easy to notice that the stadium was not conducive to football.

I think it's a bad idea to have a baseball infield as part of the gridiron. The Raiders were planning to put turf down for Sunday's game because the baseball season is over.

Loose turf can always cause problems for both teams. I would like to see the league have a uniform playing.surface for all teams. I doubt it will happen because of stadium ownership issues across the league.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Tale of Seymour

When Richard Seymour played for the Pats there was always the concern that they could not sign him to a long term contract after the 2009 season. They traded him to the Oakland Raiders shortly before the start of the season.

He was reluctant to go to Oakland, but reported a few days late. The Raiders were unable to work a long term deal so he played the 2010 season for $12.4 million. They finally gave him a two year, $3o million contract through 2012. That means he has a potential to make over $30 million through his time in Oakland, in addition to the money he made in 2009.

Mnay players talk about getting a Super Bowl ring. He has three from his time with the Pats. It's also important to make money while you still have a career. Seymour did both. The only problem for him is that he plays in Oakland which has rabid fans, but an owner who is a control freak.

When Seymour looks back on his career he can say he won three championships, made a lot of money and finished his carer with a big contract on a lousy team.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Mr Ed

I have always been fascinated with Ed Anzalone, also known as Fireman Ed. Since 1986, he has been a fixture at New York Jets games, leading the fans in the J-E-T-S chant. He retired from the FDNY back in 2007.

He has made a second career of being the team's mascot. Television networks always show him leading the chant during the game.

I recently saw an ad in the New York Post that promoted his personal appearance at a bar during the recent road game against the Oakland Raiders. The New York City bar was telling fans to "watch the game with Fireman Ed". They also advertised $4 beers and chicken wing specials.

I wonder if he got paid. I assume he did. He has a great gig going for himself.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Rex and Joe

Apparently, Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan has taken a page from Tom Brady's comments about the Chad Ochocinco and Tedy Bruschi verbal spat. He blasted former Jets QB Joe Namath for his comments about the team's loss to the Raiders.

Much like Brady, he said that Namath was not qualified to make his comments because he was not around the team on a daily basis. He even offered Namath a chance to be the back-up QB.

Is this starting a trend in the NFL where the analysts and commentators can no linger criticize their former teams? Namath has been removed from the game for 30 years. Tedy Bruschi no longer suits up, but they still have their own perspective. Neither of the players are around the team daily, but they played the game long enough to have some credibility.

Pretty soon, criticism will no longer be allowed because feelings are being hurt. Maybe Chad, Tedy, Rex and Joe should have a beer summit with President Obama.

Monday, September 26, 2011

No Decision

Teams are often reluctant to put players on Injured Reserve. We saw it with the Pats and Dan Koppen. This morning, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts indicated that QB Peyton Manning would not play again this year. They made no move to place him on IR. A few hours later, they backtracked and said he might play again this year.

I only know what I've read about Manning's condition. It doesn't look well. Considering the surgery he had, he should sit out this season.

In fact, Manning needs to give consideration to retirement. He could be walking away from millions, but his quality of life in his later years are staring him in the face. It's not worth playing anymore.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Time For Success

When the Pats play the Buffalo Bills today they will be doing something that will only happen one other time this season. They have a 1pm kickoff. That use to be their standard until they met success. From there, it went to 4:15 games. Now we have Sunday and Monday night games.

I still prefer a 1pm kickoff. It's the traditional time, but we have to deal with the success of the team. Years ago, the team didn't sell out their games, resulting in a local television blackout.

On the other hand, I wouldn't want to be on the west coast and have a 1pm game with a 10am kickoff. That doesn't seem like football.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Big Hit With Different Results

The paths of players travel in many different directions. In 2007, TE Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills was almost paralyzed after a collision with Denver Broncos WR Domenik Hixon during a kick return. Everett received miraculous treatment, although the hit ended his career.

Hixon was a 4th round draft choice of the Broncos in 2006. He played in the first four games of the 2007 season on special teams before being released. The Giants picked him up during their Super Bowl run where he returned 10 kicks for an average of 25.3 yards. He returned a kick for a TD in the 38-35 loss to the Pats that got the team to 16-0.

On June 16, 2010, he tore his ACL while at a Giants passing camp. His hard work got him back in time for the season opener.

On Monday Night Football against the Rams, he made a spectacular catch and tore the same ACL. He is out for the season.

While Everett's career ended on one play, Hixon will try to make another comeback. Hixon is just another example of players who get their careers derailed by injury. Everett is an example of how your life can change on one play.

Friday, September 23, 2011

10 Years Ago Today

Every player in the NFL knows that their career could end on any play. They try and not think about it, but injuries are a stark reality of the game. Ten years ago today, Pats QB Drew Bledsoe was in his 9th season with the team. Second year player, Tom Brady had passed John Frieze and Michael Bishop on the depth chart to become Bledsoe's backup.

They were playing a home game against the New York Jets which they would lose 10-3. Late in the game, Jets DL Shaun Ellis was chasing Bledsoe out of bounds when LB Moe Lewis landed a devastating hit on number 11. It sent Bledsoe to the hospital with a collapsed lung and ruptured spleen. It was the beginning of the Brady era and the end for Bledsoe who would never play again for the Past except in an emergency role in the AFC Championship game.

At the end of the season, Bledsoe became expendable and was traded to the Buffalo Bills for a first round draft pick. We all thought that Bledsoe would be with the team his entire career, but one play changed the lives of two players forever.

We will never know what might have happened if current Pats DL Shaun Ellis had not been chasing Bledsoe out of bounds. Would there be three Super Bowl championships?

Thursday, September 22, 2011

IR Talk

Among the CBA items that remain unresolved is the examination of the Injured Reserve List. There was a proposal to allow players to come off the list at some point during the season. It's a shame that teams are not able to use otherwise healthy players late in the season. On the other hand, placing players on IR is good for job security because it provides a job for a fill-in player without a team.

Unfortunately, the team placed Dan Koppen and Myron prior on IR with ankle and shoulder injures respectively. The team's medical staff pulled the trigger quickly on Pryor, but waited a week for Koppen.

Other players will go on the list throughout the season. There is talk of Mike Wright having a concussion problem. He has not played this season. Patrick Chung had thumb surgery. There is an obvious problem here.

Sometimes, it's hard to believe that players can last in this league as long as they do.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Exception For Vick

The NFL makes a big deal of their concern about player safety, especially those situations involving concussions. They have protocols in place to ensure that players return to action only after they have passed all of the tests.

QB Michael Vick experienced what was called a "mild" concussion last week. It's hard to determine what a "mild" one is.

The Philadelphia Eagles have a policy of holding out their players the following week if they get a concussion. It will be interesting to see if the Eagles follow their own policy or make an exception for the leader of their offense.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Only One Hall For Drew

There was never any doubt that Drew Bledsoe would be elected to the team's Hall of Fame. After all, he resurrected the franchise after being the number one overall pick in 1993. Along with head Coach Bill Parcells, he laid the foundation for the team's future success after it was purchased in 1994 by the Kraft family.

The massive hit by Jets LB Moe Lewis knocked him out of the game in 2001 and gave Tom Brady a chance that he never relinquished. Brady's success and Super Bowl win made Bledsoe expendable. He was traded to Buffalo after the season for a first round pick. He finished his 14 year career with Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys.

There is considerable speculation whether he is a candidate for the Hall of Fame in Canton. He put up great numbers with 44,611 passing yards and 251 TD's. He also made two trips to the Super Bowl with one win.

Bledsoe might fall into the same category as some of the game's great receivers who put up great numbers, but seem to have something missing from their Hall of Fame resume. When the time comes, he will be given careful consideration. If he ever makes it, it will be after many failed attempts.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Week 2 - Getting Hurt

It seems like every game has players that get injured. Yesterday's 35-21 win over the San Diego Chargers was no exception.

TE Aaron Hernandez went down with a sprained MCL and will be out 6-10 weeks. Punter Zolan Mesko had a players blocked into him and twisted his knee. He never kicked again during the game and forced Coach Belichick to go on 4th and four late in the game.

Patrick Chung also left the game and later returned with a cast on his hand. The injury to Hernandez will likely lead to a roster move to add another tight end.

The war of attrition is starting after Week 2.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Sunday, Week 2

In spite of all the hype about player safety, there continues to be violent collisions between players. It's part of the game unless there is some type of rule change to eliminate contact.

There were some real big hits shown on the highlights and during the Pats and Chargers game. Kyle Arrington was involved in a major collision. It's no wonder players get hurt and have their careers shortened.

I have no idea how you could prevent this. I don't think the NFL knows.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Wright Not Right

The Pats need to be concerned about DL Mike Wright who most likely will miss the game against the San Diego Chargers after suffering another concussion. He missed the last several games of the season last year because of one.

Hopefully, this doesn't become a long term issue, but having two in such a short time must raise a red flag. As an undrafted free agent in 2005, he was able to fight his way onto the roster and into the starting lineup.

There are so many NFL players who have their careers ended because of injury rather than a deterioration of their skills.

Let's hope that Wright doesn't follow suit.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Bill - Part 1

I thought the NFL Network did an outstanding job on the first part of their documentary on Bill Belichick. It took an enormous amount of man hours to follow him during the 2009 season. The editing must have been a real challenge. How do you choose from hundreds of hours of video?

There were some very poignant scenes. The meetings with players, coaches and Tom Brady were very insightful on team dynamics.

There is so much that goes into every game. Fans never get to see that. I think it's important for fans to understand how the game is played and the history behind it.

This was a great opportunity for the NFL to reach out to its fans and share the story of one of the league's iconic coaches.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Tedy Calls Out Ocho

WR Chad Ochocinco got an earful from ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi over his latest tweet. Ocho was very impressed about the Pats offense and was accused by Bruschi as being too much of a fan and not part of the team.

Ochocinco has experienced problems graspng the Pats offense. He has only had seven weeks, but there are grumblings that he should be doing better.

There is some fear that he could become another Joey Galloway. Bruschi urged him to stop tweeting and study his playbook.

Maybe this will be the one thing that sets him in the right direction. He has too much talent for things not to happen.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Don't Blame Tom

Leave it to the media to make an issue of anything. Tom Brady joked that Pats fans should drink a lot before the home opener on Sunday so they will be very loud. Naturally, he was criticized for encouraging bad behavior and a statement was issued by him through a team spokesperson back-pedaling from his words.

Nowadays you need to be concerned about being watched by the PC Police. They saw this in Brady and called him out on it.

Nobody bothered to realize that drinking and tail-gating are part of the NFL fan culture whether it's at the stadium or at home. Bud Light is the "official beer of the NFL and pay billions over the next several years to proclaim that right.

This whole situation is filled with hypocrisy. Brady is only commenting on what happens all across America on Sundays.

Monday, September 12, 2011

A Start on Monday Night

It's the last hour before the kickoff of the 2011 season for the Pats. They begin with a great amount of optimism. There are 16 new faces on the roster and questions about how some of the players will perform.

Who will get hurt this season? That happens before you know it. Tom Brady got knocked out of the 2008 season during the first quarter of the opener.

It should be a great battle for the Eastern Division with the Jets. Tonight should be a challenge in the Florida heat and humidity. Every game will be a separate entity.

I think the team will finish 12-4. I'm not ready to comment on the playoffs.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Late Cuts

The final cut to the 53 man roster can be painful for players and coaches. Decisions get made at the last minute. Many are based purely on financial ones rather than playing ability.

The Jacksonville Jaguars caught everyone by surprise when they released starting QB Byron Leftwich last Tuesday shortly before the league's 4pm deadline. Leftwich was due $9 million which was thought to be the major reason for the move.

I think it was odd because they should have resolved the big cap number prior to this point.They lost more time in getting their offense up and running.

The team took a lot of heat from their fans, but they mentioned the Pats as having a late cut in the form of CB Darius Butler.

It was harder in the case of Leftwich who was informed as he got off a team bus returning from a charity event where he was introduced as the starting quarterback for 2011.

That is a good example of poor timing for delivering bad news.

Friday, September 9, 2011

The Fantasy World

I heard some harsh criticism on sports talk radio today about fantasy football. The NFL has instructed all home teams to display live game stats from out of town games. This is seen as a concession to the fantasy football fans who are more concerned about TD's and yards gained.

I played fantasy football only once about 10 years ago. I never got into it. On the other hand, I always thought it was a good way to become more familiar with the players around the league.

Following the Pats is hard enough, but there are so many players in the league. I never felt comfortable about picking a team of players I didn't know.

The hosts of the show were dumping on fantasy football. One comment made a lot of sense. It gets a lot more of the marginal fans into the game. That is good for the growth of the game and exposure to the advertisers, but do they care about their team?

The league is trying to sell the live game day experience. Ticket prices exclude many fans. It's often better to watch the game from the comfort of your home.

I understand their point about marginal fans. Sometimes, I hear strange comments who are more concerned about a player's stats than whether their team lost.

I remember Coach Belichick talking about fantasy football. He has never been into stats. He said: "Sometimes the only yard a back gets can be on a third and one. That can change the outcome of the game".

I thought of putting a team together, but have not done it.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Opening Night 2011

Nobody knows how the opening night game between the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints will end. It's the start of a new season for all teams. Nothing in the past matters.

It looks like it's a beautiful night in Green Bay. The fans are having a huge party with live music. It's all made for television.

After being in rain for the last four days around here, it looks like Green Bay is the place for the nice weather. I find this so ironic. The opening night is a lovely scene in Green Bay.

The regular season ends in 17 weeks. It surely will not look like this in Green Bay at that point. It's nice that the league decided to show the world that there is another side to the city of Green Bay other than brutally cold weather.

The season starts.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Kicking the Numbers

Coach Belichick has been openly critical of the decision to move kickoffs up to the 35 yard line. The league says that it is for player safety. Belichick said the league is trying to eliminate the most exciting play of the game.

Before the rule change, 82% of the kicks were returned. The goal set by the league is 70%. They feel it will reduce injury. They seem to have the numbers to back it up.

There is an average of 7 injuries for every 100 plays run from the line of scrimmage compared to 11 for every 100 kicks. It certainly is a dangerous play. Modifications in recent years have not cut down the injury rate.

I'm sure the Competition Committee will evaluate this after the season. I believe they should give it a shot. It's too bad there will be fewer returns, but the injuries in the game are just too frequent.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Peyton Out of Place

As he enters his 13th season, it looks like Peyton Manning's streak of 227 starts will come to an end with the season opener. He has not practiced in training camp after neck surgery on May 23. This was his second operation. There is talk that he might need another surgery which will end his season.

The Colts have reacted by signing retired QB Kerry Collins a few weeks ago. This looks like the perfect opportunity for the 38 year old Collins who recently walked away form the game after 17 seasons.

Where does this leave Manning if he misses the season? After three neck surgeries, I would assume that most doctors would advise against playing football. Manning recently signed a massive contract that will pay him all sorts of guaranteed money. I assume the Colts have some type of insurance on it.

I think we are seeing the end of Manning. This injury might be too tough to come back from. If he plays again, it will be the first step into doing long term damage to himself. He needs to walk away from the game.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Moss - Act 2

The Pats won with Randy Moss and without him.There is a rumor that he is willing to come out of retirement if offered a contract by the team.

This might not be a bad idea if they do it after the first game when contracts are no longer guaranteed for the entire season. They would only be paying Moss per game if the whole thing didn't work out.

Would he mess up the current receiving corp of Branch, Welker and Ochocinco? That could happen. I'm sure Coach Belichick and his staff have given it some thought.

We may never know if the team gave it any consideration, but I think it would be worth one more try.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Roster Turmoil

With 2,000 players on the NFL active rosters and practice squads at any given time, it's overwhelming to keep track of the transactions. There are always another 400 unrestricted free agents or "street players".

The moves by the Pats have been very interesting. Who will play safety now? Are they really keeping three quarterbacks? There must be a reason if they are. Is Brady or Hoyer hurt?

We will never get the answers from Coach Belichick. He will "do what is best for the team". That might mean bringing TE Algae Crumpler back now that there are only two on the roster. What about Garrett Mills who is several years younger and eligible for the practice squad?

The next several days will be very exciting as the roster is tweaked. Once the season starts, anything can happen. Lawrence Maroney and Danny Woodhead are two great examples.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Cutting Players

There were so many cuts from the team today that we don't have enough time to talk about all of them. Surely, Brandon Merriweather was a surprise no matter what the talk shows said. You can add Brandon Tate.

The Pats have a 53 man roster, but this group will not be the 53 that starts the season. Players will be added and cut before opening day on Sept 12th.

I always find these days to be so exciting as every team in the NFL tries to see who has been cut. Players go from team to team. It's all abut keeping your playing career alive.

Friday, September 2, 2011

The Big Cut

It has been a crazy pre-season because of the player lockout. All teams must be down to 53 players by 4pm tomorrow. The Pats will need to cut 27 from their 80 man roster. There will be many players cut who are capable of playing for other teams. It happens every year.

Once the cuts are made, the Pats will tweak their roster like the other teams. There might be a trade or two in order to get a player before his release.

There are always surprises. Some really make you wonder. Tomorrow should be no different.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

The End For Fred

The player lockout left many without jobs when the pre-season started. For various reasons, some free-agents were unable to find work. In some instances, it was a matter of Father Time catching up to them. Such is the case of RB Fred Taylor who was not offered a new contract by the Pats.

Taylor will sign a one day contact with the Jacksonville Jaguars and retire as a member of the team. In 13 NFL seasons, Taylor rushed for 11,695 yards. He spent his first 11 years with the Jags and is their all-time rushing leader with 11,272 yards.

He spent the last two season with the Pats, but was frequently injured. He showed flashes of his former self, but only carried the ball 106 times for 424 yards.

Taylor was a long shot to play this season. It's cheaper to sign a younger player with an upside. At Taylor's age, he did not have a lot of things going for him.