Who Is 30th?

It's hard to come up with the final count of the number of NFL players who have been arrested since the Super Bowl. It's starting to push 30. A couple of players had multiple arrests that can skew the real count.

It doesn't matter what the count is. The NFL has too many players getting arrested. It makes the league look bad, but it doesn't matter in the end.

The real question becomes; who will be the next Pats player who gets drafted in spite of having a lot of issues like Aaron Hernandez. The Pats took a chance with him. They will do it again in the future with players like him.

He was so awesome on the field. Had nothing but a bright future ahead of him.

Paying For Numbers

There are countless examples of professional athletes who squander their money on frivolous things including cars, jewelry, drugs, partying and a host of other items. They earn millions and are financially destitute after their playing days are over.

CB Darrelle Revis is a great example. After his trade to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was determined to wear his #24, but it was currently in the possession of safety Mark Barron.

He wanted the number so badly that he paid Barron $50,000 for it. Revis has the money now. He earned close to $60 million in his first six years with the New York Jets. He signed a six year/ $96 million contract with the Bucs that will pay his $13 million this year, but the rest isn't guaranteed.

Revis has the money to do something like this. It's a drop in the bucket, but more than the annual income for many of his fans. He has a right to spend his money any way he wants to. I just wonder what his net worth is at this point. How much of his money has he squandered away? Has he made good investments? Where will he be financially in 20 years?

Limited Time Only

The Pats are taking a salary cap hit with Aaron Hernandez and may end up owing him a few million dollars of guaranteed money which will probably go to his defense team.

One of their latest moves makes them look cheap. They are offering fans a chance to trade their Hernandez game jersey for another player's of comparable value. It must have been purchased at the team's pro-shop or on-line at a cost of over $100.

That seems pretty fair, but it can only be done at the pro-shop on the weekend of July 6th & 7th. No other options are available. Shirts bought prior to the 2011 season when Hernandez wore #85 are not eligible.

I'm not sure why there is such a small window. You would think that a team worth almost a billion dollars could swallow the cost of a few shirts. They must be mad that they had to remove all of the Hernandez merchandise from the shelves after his arrest and release by the team.

I hope they give fans more time. Otherwise they are nickel and diming them.

Eating Money

Aaron Hernandez is under investigation for another double murder. The story keeps getting worse. Meanwhile, his attorney is doing his job by saying that all of the evidence is circumstantial. I guess he wants to see a video of the actual shooting.

Today, Hernandez is getting another hearing on his bail. It would be ludicrous to release him under any conditions.  It's amazing that his attorney does his job with a straight face. He is getting paid big money to do the impossible.

When the Pats cut Hernandez before training camp, they placed themselves on the hook for a couple of million dollars owed to him as part of his signing bonus. It will impact their salary cap next year.

The team must have realized that they could be facing a public relations nightmare unless the media referred to his as "former Pats player". They had to eat the money and move on.

It Ends For Hernandez

Coach Jerry Glanville said it so perfectly when he made his infamous quote; "NFL means Not For Long". Fans had three great years with Rob Gronkowski  and Aaron Hernandez. They were on the fast track to becoming one of the greatest tight end duos in NFL history. They were such a critical part of the Pats offense.

Now, it all lies in ruins. Gronk just had his second back surgery and the forth on his injured arm. That is nothing compared to the first degree murder charge that Hernandez now faces. The Pats cut him after his arrest today. They had no other choice. They will also take a huge salary cap hit because of the way his contract was structured.

If he is guilty, why did he do it? It appears it was over a discussion the victim had with another party at a nightclub in Boston. He was killed execution style.

Was Hernandez that much of a loose cannon, someone who could have gone over the edge at any moment? The trial won't happen for at least 9-12 months. So much will come out between now and then. It will be a cloud over the Pats season, but the team will move on.

Nobody To Catch The Ball

The biggest challenge for Coach Belichick in training camp will be trying to figure out how to replace 375 catches for 4,364 yards and 32 TD's. All of a sudden, there is no Gronk. Hernandez will be lost to legal issues. Brandon Lloyd and Deion Branch were not signed. Wes Welker is in Denver. Danny Woodhead signed with San Diego and Julian Edelman missed the team's mini-camp with a foot injury.

Their two draft picks for WR, Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce, also missed the mini-camp. The team also has several veteran receivers that they signed as free agents. Edelman is the leading receiver among the group for catching passes from Brady.

Players will be moved in and out of camp. I bet that Branch or Lloyd is with the team by November. The offense has the potential to get off to a very shaky start, especially in the passing game.

This will be a huge test for Coach Belichick's premise idea that players need to learn the system and are interchangeable. We will see how it all works out very early.

No For Ed

I thought it was a joke, but it was serious. There is a poll being taken by Jets fans to see who should  make the final four for the team's "Mt Rushmore". The list includes legends from the past like Joe Namath, Mark Gastineu and former GM Weeb Eubank. Darelle Reavis is a nominee from the present.

One who didn't make the list was self-proclaimed ultimate fan "Fireman Ed". I don't think he belongs on the list. He never played or coached. He was a very devoted fan who became a darling of the media.

Once you start including fans and mascots on the list, it loses all credibility.

An Officer and a Player

Coach Belichick has reached out over the years to several players from the US Naval Academy. Eric Kettani spent three seasons on the reserve/military list for the Pats after his graduation in 2009. They released him prior to the start of the 2012 season.

He landed on the practice squad of the Washington Redskins. He has completed three years of active duty and now is the only Naval Reserve Officer in the NFL. He is one of the 90 players on the Redskins roster. At the age of 26, he is still looking for his first NFL action.

It remains to be seen what the final outcome will be, but he is a shining example of perseverance and duty. The Redskins would be wise to find a spot for him if they feel he can still play.

The Stewards

I wonder what Robert and Jonathan Kraft think of their team right now. They are the stewards of the Pats franchise. They have a public relations nightmare ready to happen with the Aaron Hernandez situation. They are sitting tight while the investigation continues. Commissioner Goodell will come down strong on him when it's time.

What does Coach Belichick think about all this? No Gronk until at least six games into the season. Hernandez looks very doubtful to even be on the team.

There goes one of the greatest tight end duos in league history. They only had three years together, but made Tom Brady so much better on the offense. What happens now? They have four tight ends on the roster, but none can play like Hernandez or Gronk.

Our Own Mr Irrelevant

TE Justice Cunningham of South Carolina will forever be known as "Mr Irrelevant" of the 2013 NFL draft. He shares that distinction with a special group of players who have the honor of being the last pick. He was selected by the Colts with the 254th overall pick and will be treated to a trip to Disneyland, a big party and a "roast" in Newport, California.

He may never make it through training camp, but there are several players who has good careers.
In 1994, Bill Parecells and the Pats selected LB Marty Moore from Kentucky as Mr Irrelevant. Moore played eight seasons for the Pats and the Cleveland Browns.

It's interesting to note that Moore left the Pats when Coach Belichick arrived in 2000. He played 16 games with the Browns and was reunited with the Pats for the 2001 Super Bowl season. He only played three games, ending up on IR.

He is the only Mr Irrelevant to play in the Super Bowl when he was with the Pats during their 1996 run and their eventual loss to Green Bay.

Just Getting Worse

NFL always means Not For Long. For three years, the Pats had the dynamic duo of tight ends in Rob Gronkowski and Aron Hernandez. Now, we wonder if they will ever play together again. Gronk deals with his back and arm issues. It seems like he is star-crossed with injuries.

Although Hernandez has not been arrested, the details that keep emerging paint a darker picture. There is also a shooting in Florida and a strip club incident in Providence to deal with.

The investigation needs to take its course. Will he get absolved or let off the hook? What about the other stuff? How will the league react? Will he be suspended?

I'm positive that he will get some type of suspension this season. I don't know if we will ever see Gronk and Hernandez on the field together again. It was great while it lasted, but it looked too good for something not to happen.

Where Will It Go?

Rob Gronkowski should have been the big story for the Pats. He underwent surgery on his back. There is a cloud over him for the 2013 season, but he was upended by Aaron Hernandez.

The story on Hernandez broke early last evening. He was questioned about a murder in North Attleboro. He is not being labeled a suspect, but the leased car that was allegedly used in the crime was under his name.

State Police showed up at his house and removed a few items along with two individuals. Nobody knows where this will lead to. The Pats issued the normal statement that didn't really say anything.

It came as a shock to all fans. Gronk has been surrounded by drama since the end of his season. Hernandez was being counted on for a huge year. The days and weeks ahead should prove interesting if the involvement of Hernandez gets deeper.

In London In The Future

The NFL appears determined to base a team in London.Their bigger concern is whether the fans will support it. The logistical issues of traveling back and forth are a small detail for the league.

The travel distance is a great issue in my opinion. It's not bad for east coast teams, but it only gets worse for those coming from the west coast. There are too many time zones to cross.

So far, the games have been well attended. Will that continue or is it just a passing fad? The Jacksonville Jaguars will be hosting a game in London for the next four seasons. It works for them because they are struggling to attract fans at home. They are often mentioned when franchises are considered for relocation.

The Steelers and Vikings will each play a second game there this season. If the league goes to three contests, the Jaguars are the prime candidate to be the host.

The league has no time frame for having a team there. Would it be an existing one or a new franchise? Whatever decision is made will be motivated by the financial aspects. That's driving the current thought of even playing a game there.

The Clock & Four

The Boston Sunday Globe did a great story about aging athletes in Boston. They profiled Tom Brady 35, David Ortiz 37, Zdeno Chara 38, and Paul Pierce at 35. The clock is ticking down on them. Who knows when they play their last game?

Brady wants to play until he's 40. How many more seasons will TB, Ortiz, Chara and Pierce  play? Nobody knows, but those guys really play for the love of the game at this point.

It's always about the money, but the love of the game is very important.

The Ring Story

Team owner Robert Kraft created some controversy when he spoke about the 2005 incident when Russian president Vladimir Putin pocketed Kraft's Super Bowl ring. At the time, it appeared that Kraft gave Putin the ring as a gesture of friendship between the two nations.

Now, he is saying that it was stolen from him and KGB agents refused to get it back from Putin. The White House contacted Kraft at the time and asked him to back off. Kraft had a replica of the ring made for himself.

Kraft made his comments after receiving the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence awarding New York City. His remarks caught the attention of the media. Putin has insisted that he didn't steal the ring.

It will be interesting to see if the whole controversy dies down or if it continues to fester. I think the story will fade away.

Tuesday For Gronk

It's not a good story when you read that Rob Cronkowski will be having back surgery in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Nobody can really say how much time he will miss. Many think that he will start the season on the PUP List and miss the first six games.

I think that's the most optimistic outlook. The Pats are playing it close to the vest. He won't be ready for training camp or the start of the season. This is the second back surgery for him. It's only going to get worse for him unless something really changes.

Piling On The Band Wagon

Members of Congress love to jump on any cause related to the NFL. This time, some are calling on the Washington Redskins to change their nickname because they feel it's offensive to Native Americans.

This is an old argument. Commissioner Goodell released a statement in support of the team and indicated that the league has no plans to make any changes. This is an easy cause to take up. We saw the same thing happen during Spygate. Back then, some were questioning whether the NFL was violating any parts of the anti-trust laws.

Congress has trouble doing the job they were elected for. They can score political points by jumping on Spygate and the Redskin issue. This is so typical of them to do anything for media attention.

Not Just Another Guy

The Pats are doing their best to keep the Tim Tebow situation from being a distraction. Coach Belichick has been peppered with questions to no end. Robert Kraft has spoken fondly of Tebow in his comments to the media.

He is really just another player trying to make the roster, but brings a circus with him wherever he goes. The team has already decided to make him one of two players who the league allows to meet with the media only once a week. The other is Tom Brady. Vince Wilfork was the other one last year.

Tebow might be one of ninety on the roster, but a third string quarterback is usually lucky to have the media pay any attention to him.

No Incentive For Making It

The Pats having nothing at stake financially when it comes to Tim Tebow. He signed a two year contract for the veteran minimum of $630,000 for 2013 and $740,000 for  2014. He has playing time incentives for the 2014 contract.

If he ever met the incentives, it would be a dire situation for the Pats because that would mean Tom Brady would be out of action. If he plays 60% of the offensive plays in 2014, he will get a $500,000 bonus. If he gets 80% of the snaps, he will pick up $1.5 million. If he leads them to at least ten wins, he would grab another $2 million.

As much as I like signing him, I don't see them winning more than ten games with hm. It would also mean that Brady would have been seriously injured.

Tebow Time

The signing of Tim Tebow has certainly created a media frenzy around here. What will his role be with the team? So far, it appears to be a third string quarterback. Will he make he final 53 man roster? It seems hard to believe that Coach Belichick would keep three players at that position.

Will he play any tight end or running back? The situation could change any day. Many fans are in an uproar over the signing. They assume that he will make the team and become a distraction. He needs to earn a roster spot. He won't be on the team as a stunt. He either produces or will be looking for another team.

I think Coach Belichick will handle the distraction of having him on the team. He will tell the media what he wants them to know. Who knows how this will play out? I have doubts whether he will be on the opening day roster. This is Tebow's best chance to restart his NFL career. It might be his last opportunity. Time will tell.

A Bad Day For Chad

Today was the day when Chad Johnson was to find out his fate for violating his probation terms in Florida on his domestic assault charge. He was facing possible jail time, but it looked like he would skate.

Everything was going fine until he slapped his lawyer on the backside in front of the judge. This earned him a 30 day jail term because the judge didn't think Chad was taking the charges seriously enough.

Chad has acted like a clown throughout his career. He was never mean spirited and was basically a happy go lucky type of guy. For once, he should have kept a lid on it. He gave a very lame excuse for missing meetings with his probation officer. He should have been contrite, but he wasn't.

Hopefully, this is not the beginning of a downward spiral for him. I've always been a fan of his, but I feel things are going to get worse for him. His time with the Pats was not a bright moment. He was a good soldier, but lost the ability to adapt to the Pats offense.

Jim Kelly

I hope things work out for Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills. He just underwent surgery on his jaw for cancer. They removed part of it. Reports say that his prognosis is good.

Kelly certainly had a star-crossed career in the NFL. He holds virtually every Bills career passing record. He appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls, but will forever be known as they only quaterback to lose four consecutive ones. Such was the curse for those Marv Levy teams.

Now, he is in a new battle. I hope things work out for him. He was a great player and always gave the Pats a handful

That Time Of The Season

It's less than eight weeks away until the Pats have a preseason game with the Philadelphia Eagles. The schedule is filled with prime time television games.This will certainly keep the team focused week to week.

It's interesting to see the 2013 Pats schedule posted on my refrigerator. It's that time of the season to do this. It's only a matter of time before training camp.

Is It Really The Last Time?

Terrell Owens has threatened to retire if he doesn't play this season. That might be a good idea after not being on a team for the two regular seasons. He was in training camp with Seattle last August, but never survived the final cut.

It's certainly not from his playing ability of skills. He is not the vintage T.O, but he can be a fourth or fifth receiver if he is willing to check his ego and give up the ball. Any team could use a receiver with his skills and accomplishments. Most teams would rather bypass his baggage and sign a free agent.

If T.O doesn't make it to the opening season, I bet he lingers throughout 2013 with the hope of a player getting hurt or if a team gets desperate.

Ray & Eric

Special teams player Ray Ventrone is a great story of perseverance. The Pats signed him as an undrafted player in 2005. He spent the season on their practice squad while Eric Mangini was the defensive coordinator.

Mangini moved onto the head coaching job with the New York Jets. When the Pats released Ventrone in 2007, the Jets signed him. He stayed with them until his release in 2008. He began his second tenure with the Pats before departing in 2009 for a four year contract with the Cleveland Browns where Mangini moved to after being fired by the Jets.

Mangini got himself fired a second time and resurfaced on ESPN. The San Francisco 49er's just hired him as "Special Offensive Analyst". One of the first moves he made was to have the 49er's sign Ventrone. They are back together for a third time.

Through it all, Ventone has been able to play in 73 NFL games and stick around in the league since 2005. I wonder if he will end up with the Pats again

Not Getting Along

Hall of Fame QB Joe Namath turned 70 last Friday. Broadway Joe is probably the greatest player in New York Jets history. However, he remains estranged from the team and has little contact with it. He does not speak to owner Woody Johnson. Some of this has resulted from Joe's criticism of the Jets over the last couple of seasons.

The team has disappointed many fans with their dismal record. He has not been afraid to speak his mind. As a result, he has taken heat from everyone, including the players. What should be the role of former players when it comes to commenting about the current team?

Jim Brown parted ways with the Cleveland Browns last year as a result of his rift with GM Mike Holmgren. He has recently rejoined the browns as a special adviser after Holmgren's departure. Brown skipped a Ring of Honor ceremony last year because of his feelings.

Mike Ditka has been on the outs with the Bears since his firing as the head coach in 1992. Now, they are finally reconciling. Ditka's number will be retired during a ceremony this season. It should have been done a long time ago.

A number of former Pats are now broadcasters with high profile positions. Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Heath Evans and Willie MacGinest need to be impartial when talking about the Pats. I'm sure it's difficult at times since they all won Super Bowls with their former team.

Friday Is His Day

JeMarcus Russell is a story that never ends. The first overall pick of 2007 who was one of the league's all-time busts has a tryout scheduled with the Chicago Bears on Friday.

Russell made untold millions and blew it all. He was out of the league before he even knew. He made a lot of money, but he must always wear the tag of the worst overall pick ever.

He can only hope to sign a contract and get to training camp. A guy so immensely talented is bound to interest some teams. Russell has worked with a trainer and lost 50 pounds to get down to his playing weight of 265.

Have his skills eroded? We shall find out on Friday when he gets his test. It's worth a shot on both sides.

The Odds Look Good

Odds makers have high hopes for the Pats this season. The off-shore gambling site Bovada has given them the highest over/under for wins with 11.5, tied with the Broncos. The 49er's are next with 11, followed by Green Bay, Seattle and Houston all with 10.5. It doesn't really mean anything. That amount of wins would probably get them a first round bye for the playoffs and home field advantage.

In the end, it's all about what happens in the post-season. The regular season sets the table for the playoffs. Getting to the AFC Championship game last year was a major accomplishment. Winning it would have been better. It's great to have a winning record, but the whole season comes down to the playoffs.

If the Pats get 12 or more wins, they will be heading in the right direction if the team is healthy. There are so many variables to consider at this point.

The Seat Isn't Hot

Writers try to invent controversy. Someone came up with a list of five coaches who are on the "hot seat" for 2013. They might be right, but we haven't even started training camp. Teams will evolve over time. Camp tells a lot about the team for the season, but it's not inclusive.

As a fan of the Pats, we have become spoiled by never having a coaching issue since 1993. Bill Parcells left after the 1996 under bad circumstances, but nobody has ever been on the "hot seat" in the time of the Kraft family ownership. That means a lot to the stability of the franchise.

49er's Take A Hit

Organized Team Activities are a very important part of the preparation for the upcoming season. The latest CBA has changed how they are conducted. They are now done without any pads and contact.

However, that doesn't stop players from getting injured.The San Francisco 49er's suffered a huge loss when WR Michael Crabtree went down with a torn right Achilles tendon. He was injured during seven-on-seven drills. The team is silent on whether he will return during 2013.

Crabtree was a critical part of the 49er's offense last season when he caught 85 passes for 1,105 yards. Unfortunately, he won't be the last player who suffers a devastating injury during the OTA's and training camp. It's part of the game