Time To Pull Out the Flags and Tutus: NFL Owners Pass Proposed Rules

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has announced that the Owners in the NFL have voted upon and passed the proposed rules for player safety.

Here are the rules as follows with a detailed break down:

 

1. Onside Kick: Right now on the kicking team you must have four players on each side of the Kicker.  The part that they change is the return team.  Owners voted on this rule that states return teams can no longer line up in bunch formation.  This rule was drawn up to keep player safety in check.
2. Blindside Block: To improve player safety the competition committee submitted this rule stating that offensive players will no longer be able to block a defender from the blindside.  Referring to the block that Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers put on Cincinnati’s line backer Keith Rivers.
3. Peel back: This rule states that neither defenders nor receivers will be able to peel off of one another to get open for the ball.
4. Defenseless Receiver: This rule also extends to player safety, it states that a defender can no longer run into a receiver, shoulder or head first into the head or neck area.  They say too many receivers have injured their necks being hit like this.

 

 

So now we have to live in a world of pansified football.  Who the heck asked for this crap, I know the fans didn’t. It just doesn’t make any sense at all for these rules. Let me ask this question: Who in the world wants to watch football that has added rules of sissification. I mean, yeah, sure people may watch it, but will anyone enjoy it?

 

Well now it’s time for the teams to put on “Flags and Tutus.” I guess certain team owners don’t want to get there cry babies hurt.  Cough, cough, Tony Homo of the Dallas Cowboys and all the other media darlings.

 

Come on man, the Independent Women’s Football League doesn’t even sissify their football. The NFL should be ashamed of themselves when a women’s league plays hard core football. So what are your feelings about all these sissification rules and pansified football?

Interview Transcript: Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater

As time goes on, I’ll be rolling more and more of these out. You can always find the audio on NFLDraftbible.com or in the archives for All-Access Football and usually (although not in this case) The Thundering Blurb Football Show – both on Blogtalkradio.com.

I did this interview just prior to Fresno State’s Pro Day and actually broke the news in it that Brandstater would not be working out at his Pro Day, which then appeared on Rotoworld. Right place, right time.

So without further ado, here is the interview I ran on All Access football a couple of weeks ago with NFL Draft Prospect and former Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater.

 

 

Garda: Welcome to another edition of All Access Football Radio brought to you by NFLDraftbible.com, as well as the fabulous Fantasy Sports Channel and BlogTalkRadio.com.

I am Andrew Garda, your host for the next 15 or so minutes, as we will get our interview on with another in a long line of top prospects.

A guy who, coming into the Combine people were thinking ‘Intriguing prospect, maybe someone who could make some noise.’ Coming out of the Combine, everyone was saying ‘What the heck did we just see?’ Of course I am talking about Fresno State Bulldog quarterback Tom Brandstater. Tom, how are you doing tonight?

 

Tom Brandstater: I’m doing great. How are you guys doing?

 

Garda: Doing absolutely fantastic. Big night for you, getting ready for your Pro Day. So I want to thank you for coming on tonight because I know you probably have some butterflies going on to tomorrow.

Absolutely going to be a huge day. Between the Combine and now, have you been hearing a lot from teams? Are there any workouts yet, any dialogue or do you think that’s going to come later on?

 

Tom Brandstater: Yeah, at this point it’s starting to become, teams are calling and getting ahold of my agent and trying to figure out different meets and stuff like that. So it’s going to be – I’ll be a busy guy for the next month or so before {the Draft} just trying to hit every appointment and trying to talk to all the people who are interested so, I’ll be busy.

And it’s kind of fun, part of the process to get out to different places and see different people and ultimately going for the goal of being on an NFL team.

 

Garda: So moving backwards a little bit before we move too far forwards, you played both quarterback and defensive back in high school and you were a good enough defensive back to where named to the first team All-District by the Modesto Bee, at the position.

In college however, it was all about the quarterback slot. Which is not to say that you were so good as a D-back that nobody was talking about your quarterback ability because you were directing what was primarily a rushing offense, but you still threw for 1,000 yards as a senior high school QB.

So, clearly you had the talent to do both. What was the thing that made you say ‘hey, I’m focusing on quarterback from here on out’ when you were clearly successful at either position at all. What really did you see that said ‘that’s why I want to do quarterback?’

And what advantage do you have, having played that position, a position that usually gives quarterbacks some headaches.

 

Tom Brandstater: Right. I was more of a safety in high school. I don’t think I’m physically gifted enough at to play defense in college. So it wasn’t a question at all as I got to college. I did well in high school because I was able to know what was happening before it was going to start.

So it wasn’t because I had sheer athletic ability, the ability to cover and stuff. So I was kinda in the right place at the right time playing defense. And then I was a natural quarterback with the ideal—with the prototypical body at least to play quarterback.

 

Garda: You like, flipped the script there, because most of the time quarterbacks were like ‘yeah I played a little D-back and now I know what’s in the safety or corner’s head because I was there for a little bit.’

And it sounds as if you were all like, in high school, ‘yeah I played a little D-back, and I knew what the quarterback was doing and that’s what made me effective.’ So that’s a pretty good use of the tools. You reversed it on them.

 

Tom Brandstater: Exactly! That was how I utilized my somewhat athletic body. I kinda knew what was going to happen.

In high school it’s such a – it’s not so precise. If you have any idea what’s going on, you can usually be pretty good and I was lucky just to—the quarterbacks would just kind of throw it up and would find a way to come down with the ball.

I think I had like eight interceptions my last year. So that’s why I did so well, had so many interceptions on defense.

 

Garda: So let’s get back to the Combine, We touched on it a couple of minutes ago. You had, I’ll just put it simply, a very good day. You showed more accuracy and straight-line speed than people really expected, you had a great 20 yard shuttle.

You were the fifth best among QBs in that. You showed off your agility. Accurate passes, good velocity. After a day like that, how do you go back to the grindstone and in many respects act as if nothing really happened?

Because you can’t afford to lose that momentum. I mean, because you came out red hot after the Combine.

 

Tom Brandstater: Yeah I did. I had a good day and you know I think – I wasn’t totally surprised. Other people were more surprised than I was. I think that’s how I usually threw the ball and I felt good about that.

So, it was a solid day for me. I was real happy with the way I did everything and I think—it doesn’t prove anything.

It’s definitely going to help me to get looked at. I have to do it on a more consistent basis every time and so it was just one more piece of the puzzle that had to be put together in order for me to turn some heads.

 

Garda: Absolutely. Tom, really when it comes down to it, as time has gone on, the NFL has taken a lot more notice of small school players. A few years ago, people were saying—could Fresno State, could be Appalachian State—‘sure they put up good numbers but they haven’t played USC, they haven’t the SEC’.

That’s certainly changed over the last few years. And now in some respects it’s almost an advantage for some guys to come through a small school program. What are the advantages you’ve felt you had going to Fresno State over one of the huge universities which frankly, some people get lost in the programs a little bit.

What do you feel is the best thing about going to Fresno State, and strengthened you the most? And at the same point, what do you feel some of the challenges have been coming out of a small school?

 

Tom Brandstater: Well I think that the good thing about Fresno State is we’ve had good coaches, we’ve had really good people involved with the program who have taught me a lot of things I need to know for the next level.

So that’s definitely been a positive just having that knowledge part of it. A negative might just the fact that people are going to doubt the strength of schedule and… but that doesn’t really mean anything.

We don’t have a team of 100 all-stars, you know, we have a couple of good players and enough players to field a starting defense and a starting offense.

Our depth isn’t what the other teams are but that could be the only knock on our team. That and our schedule. So I don’t see it as a huge negative and I don’t think at the end of the day people don’t care where you came from, this is all about what you can do and what you can do to help a team win.

 

Garda: Absolutely and just to point out, I mean, in 2007 you had four very good passing games against the likes of , at the time No. 23 Texas A&M, at the time No. 4 Oregon, at the time No. 21 Boise State, and a Kansas State that I don’t think was ranked at the time but was still pretty stiff competition, and you had a career high 300-yard passing game, so I guess when it comes down to it, it’s all in the perception and as long as guys are looking at your tape, it doesn’t lie.

 

Tom Brandstater: Yeah, I mean that’s what I’m hoping for. It’s all about a couple guys up there in key positions in the NFL have to like you and not every guy is going to like you or think that you can fit with their system but when a couple of guys like you and a couple of guys are willing to go after you, that’s all it really takes.

It really takes one but once you get a couple in there, it’s going to guarantee your odds and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to do my thing and hoping my thing is what some of the people are looking for.

 

Garda: You yourself mentioned that you pretty much have the prototypical size, the build the guys are looking for in the NFL for a quarterback. But at the same point, you’re still mobile. You can move the bootleg, you can move in and out of the pocket, you don’t lose anything for being that size.

What do you do to keep up that agility, to work on the speed that you need to kind of keep things going long enough for a wide receiver or even a running back—one of your other options, if the primary is covered, to get open?

 

Tom Brandstater: First, I’m gifted that a lot of it comes natural. Some guys just can’t run to save their life and luckily I’ve been blessed to be able to run. And then it comes down to working hard in the weight room and doing different things, different agility drills that allow you to be able to move around. I think that that’s a big part of my game.

I’m not a Michael Vick by any means, but I think when things break down I have some ability at least to make the play happen and try to extend the play and at least get the ball out of my hands so I don’t get sacked let one of the playmakers make a play.

 

Garda: You know, we were just talking about how the perception of small schools at one point was sort of a negative. And it has turned to where it’s a positive or at least on the level of any other school.

It seems to like now to me, virtually everyone I talk to be it scout, quarterback, analyst or Joe on the street, seems like to me the new ‘small school’ label is now the spread offense.

Let’s flip the script on that—what do you think are the strengths coming out of something that uses the spread offense and what’s your reaction to people who do bring it up as a negative going into the NFL?

 

Tom Brandstater: Well the positive of it is, you know, the stats are pretty mind-boggling. You can put up some pretty good numbers in the spread offense.

But the negative is the fact that you’re not going to run that offense in the Pros and there’s a lot guys that are going to look down upon that so that’s really, to me, that doesn’t affect me.

Some guys will talk about it, even though I wasn’t in that offense, it’s going to help some guys as my peers or hurt guys. That’s not really my decision, but I think it is what it is. And I believe I wasn’t in an offense like that but if I was it’d be a lot of fun, you put a lot of points on the board and try to make the most of the situation.

 

Garda: Well, despite not being in a spread offense, 2,600 plus yards for two seasons in a row and 15 plus touchdowns for two seasons in a row is not too shabby really when it comes down to it. That’s some pretty good production.

 

Tom Brandstater: Yeah, you know, we definitely did some good things on offense. There were games where we’d like to have done more, you know like any position isn’t going to be satisfied with what they did.

But yeah, we did some good things and that was good. We had a lot of good players here at Fresno State and I enjoyed my time here and it’s been awesome and the next step in my dream is getting closer and it’s exciting to live it out a little bit.

 

Garda: So as we’re getting close to the end here, a couple more questions for you here Tom. First of all, tomorrow is your Pro Day. What is your biggest goal going into tomorrow’s workout? What is the one thing that you think more than anything else you need to go out there and just hit a home run on?

 

Tom Brandstater: Well, actually, my Pro Day is tomorrow but I’m not going to be able to do anything. Two weeks before [the Combine] I tore my lat muscle in my side…underneath my arm. So I re-aggravated it at the Combine. I haven’t been able to do anything for the last…since the Combine.

I’m not even going to be able to throw tomorrow at [Pro Day]. So my situation is a little bit different, and basically it’s going to turn into a meet and greet for me to talk to the scouts and then before the actual draft.

But my Pro Day is not – I won’t be doing anything at the Pro Day.

 

Garda: My bad. Sorry about that.

 

Tom Brandstater: Yeah that’s relatively new information yeah, so I mean, I got the doctor after the Combine and we found out I tore my lat while I was at the Combine. In a way it’s good, because I threw so well at the Combine, but I did it all with a torn lat, so hopefully there’s more to come and even better things for me out there.

 

Garda: All right, so when you are able to work out, where have you been working out and what were you focusing the most on when you’re able to throw the ball?

 

Tom Brandstater: Well I’ve been training in Southern California with my agent and a whole bunch of—we got about five quarterbacks. We got Curtis Painter, Pat White, Mark Sanchez, and Nate Brown.

We’ve been out there doing everything. I think the little things are what makes good quarterbacks great, so I’m trying to work on little things and making sure that I’m a complete quarterback. Whether it’s moving the pocket, accurate throws and just doing all the things that you have to do.

I think footwork is my biggest emphasis, because I want to make sure that – anyone who knows anything about quarterbacks know that footwork is the most important thing and your arm and the ball will follow what good feet do. So that’s been my emphasis since I’ve been training.

——————————-

My take on Brandstater: This wasn’t the sort of thing that would hurt him, though it’s more about the depth (or lack thereof) in the class than the injury, missed Pro Day or anything else. Most of these quarterbacks are projects.

Any team could very well go any direction and—if they are willing to be patient—could very well end up with the next Matt Cassel three or four years from now.

Brandstater is a guy who is a decent quarterback and has the basic tools to succeed, though in my opinion I’m not sure he is starter material. But since he’s a project, with the right system and coach, he has as much of a shot as most of this class of quarterbacks.

Extended Schedule Proposition Shows NFL’s Hypocrisy

These days, the talk has been to extend the NFL’s regular season to 17 or possibly even 18 games.

The thought behind the extension is that the extra games would bring more advertising money, and obviously more revenue for the teams in ticket sales, jersey sales, and other miscellaneous items bought by fans during a day at the stadium.

The extra games would also probably mean an international game for nearly all 32 teams, whether that be in Canada, Mexico, or across the pond to the U.K. to broaden the NFL’s fan base.

This new extended schedule would also eliminate one or two preseason games based on how many games were added.

But wait a minute—I thought the main focus was player safety?

How is it that the main focus could be on player safety, while at the same time asking the players to play between four and eight more quarters of this dangerous sport?

The answer? Hypocrisy—pure and simple.

I’m on board, as I think everyone is, for making the game safer for the players, as long as the integrity of the game is not called into question because of it.

However, it would appear as though the true reasoning behind these new rules comes to the forefront when proposals like this are made, and that’s simply protecting an investment.

The NFL is in favor of keeping the players safe, but only if it doesn’t interfere with the unbelievable coin that these players rake in for them on a year-to-year basis.

This is not to say that protecting their investments doesn’t make sense, that would be crazy. Protecting your money is just good business.

But for as much as everyone says the NFL is a business, that should come second to the actual sport of football. The NFL is not the end-all for what is and what is not football.

Perhaps the NFL has become too big. They are in need of some sort of competition so they can’t simply make rules to increase their revenue by totally ignoring what is in the best interest of the players as human beings, and not just as walking CoinStars.

It’s difficult not to question the motives of the NFL brass when decisions like this are being made, and I’m not the only one who’s beginning to see this.

In an interview with NFL Network, Peter King said, “I think it’s a barreling locomotive, it’s a train wreck. (It’s) a terrible idea.”

So just to set the record straight, this is in no way rescinding my previous article in which I said the rules are sound and make sense, because they are and do.

But while the NFL is in fact making the game safer for its players, they’re doing it for the wrong reasons. They’re doing what’s in the best interest of the juggernaut that is the NFL, the players just happen to benefit a little along the way.

I guess the old adage is true—the ends justify the means.

 

Read this and more at 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Also check me out at GCobb.com, run by former Eagles LB Garry Cobb and SportsFullCircle.com

 

Where Is Michael Vick?

Michael Vick has left federal prison so he can appear at a bankruptcy hearing next week.

“The U.S. Bureau of Prisons Web site showed Wednesday that Vick was no longer at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. It listed his status as ‘in transit.’

It was not clear when he left, or where he was. But two weeks ago, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro demanded that Vick to testify at an April 2 hearing in Newport News about whether his Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan should be confirmed. Another judge issued a court order directing federal marshals to bring the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback to Virginia for the hearing.”

Oh, God damn. We are so screwed. Somebody needs to locate Jack Bauer immediately. He’s probably driving a van right now with his right hand while holding a tracking device in his left hand. And he has Chloe O’Brien on the other line telling him where Vick is and when all the traffic lights are gonna turn green. Eventually he’s gonna collide with Vick’s transit vehicle and rush Vick off to some secluded place where nobody can find him. Hurry! Time is of the essence.

Chris Cooley is the First Amendment

For everything that is wrong with the Washington Redskins organization, you have to credit them for one thing: The players that they secure, specifically through the draft, are some of the most engaging and approachable rich men you could ever hope to meet, let alone cheer for each week.

Daniel Snyder has proven to be little more than a money-grabbing narcissist whose lack of business vision is trumped only by his arrogance in personnel affairs with the Washington Redskins.

But Snyder’s tenure has overseen the drafting  and signing of several players who have fully integrated themselves into the Washington sports community, and the pulse of local pop culture.

This group is headed by Chris Cooley, the tight end known more widely known for hot pants than touchdown receptions. 

The refreshing thing about Chris Cooley is he disarms you at every turn: As a fan, as a media consumer, and as a person.

Just when you think his playing ability should be classified as under utilized or overrated, he can break out for 12 catches, 170 yards and three touchdowns in a two-game span.

When you think his photos and comments should have him publicly censored, his intelligence and candor render any backlash or judgment of his maturity null and void.

And if you were to think he was a clueless douche-bag, you would likely see him in a batting cage somewhere, where he would be more than willing to pose for pictures or just chop it up with you.

And among all of the approachable millionaire athletes in the city—Gilbert Arenas and Alex Ovechkin included—Cooley is the one that regularly gives you the Eastern Motors charm 24/7.

It doesn’t stop with insightful opinions or witty commentary about the games he plays or the organization that employs him: It stretches to NCAA brackets to trade rumors to the grammatically-challenged fans that oppose him.

How many times have photos of Cooley in sexually-suggestive situations surfaced on the Internet?

How many times have allegations of him being gay littered comment sections?

And how many times has he actually given a crap about any of it?

Has he ever come out and vehemently insisted he’s not gay? Has anybody asked him to?

He comes across as the kind of person who thinks to himself, “even if I were gay, I’m still too dope for you to make a big deal out of it.”

And I’m willing to bet for a lot of football fans, gay and straight alike, his willingness to mock stereotypes and insecurities goes a long way. Pause.

He says what he wants, when he wants, and rarely is he required to make a definitive apology for his comments.

Unlike his teammate Clinton Portis, there is an appropriate framing to his commentaries and perspectives beyond whatever he’s thinking about at the moment.

He regularly tightropes the company line of the Redskins and the NFL, and the freedom of information so many blog writers and readers thoroughly enjoy.

Chris Cooley may play for a horribly-managed team, but you can’t fault his talent or his personality as a member of the Washington Redskins.

The Skins better be glad they have this guy, and he doesn’t want to leave the area. Because if they do believe trading him away would be best for the organization, then the same freedom of speech that makes Chris Cooley will be the same freedom Redskins fans will use to explain why they will never cheer for the team again.

Bill Parcells – Al Davis Conversation Recorded

I know it’s hard to believe but I have tapped into an existing wiretap located inside the Oakland Raiders HQ phone system. I don’t have time to explain but wanted to print out the transcript in case anyone was interested to hear how the recent trade for Dolphins Center Samson Satele went down.

John Herrera (Raiders front office guy) makes the call to Mami Dolphins HQ

Receptionist:  “Miami Dolphins, how may I direct your call?”

John Herrera:  “Hi I’d like to speak to Tony Spp–u sppar…”

Receptionist:  “Sparano?”

John Herrera: “Yea”

Receptionist: “He’s not available, can I take a message?”

John Herrera: “How about Jeff Britain?”

Receptionist: “Who?”

John Herrera: “Sorry, Jeff Ireland.  My bad.”

Receptionist: “One moment please”

Bill Parcells: “Hello, Bill Parcells speaking.”

John Herrera: “Bill? I was expecting to talk to Jeff Ireland, Dolphins GM”

Bill Parcells: “You can talk to me.  What can I do for you?”

John Herrera: “We would like you to return our center Jake Grove”

Bill Parcells: “Return?  What in Sam Hill do you mean?”

John Herrera: “Mr Davis feels-“

Bill Parcells: “Listen, if Mr Davis wants to discuss trade he can call me himself. Why is his assistant calling me?

John Herrera: “Well, I am Senior Vice-“

Bill Parcells: “Right”

John Herrera: “Hang on, Mr. Davis is inching his way to his desk. He’s going to join the call”

Bill Parcells: “I don’t have all day”

John Herrera: “He’s almost there”

Bill Parcells: “Why do you want Jake Grove back anyway? You let him become a free agent”

(Al breaks in) “Bill, this is Al. You should give us compensation for allowing him to go to free agency”

Bill Parcells: “Al, that’s ridiculous”

Al Davis: “You listen to me you…giant tuna, Grove was a Raider. You don’t just sign a Raider as a free agent without giving a Raider in return, kapiche?”

(Bill goes off speakerphone and can’t stop snickering) “Is this guy serious?” He asks someone (unidentified) in Bill’s office. That unidentified voice is heard to say “Oh man this is comedy gold”.

Bill composes himself and goes back on speakerphone.

Bill Parcells: “Ok, Al, I get your point.”

Al Davis: “I want your center as compensation”

Bill Parcells: “Our center? Samson Satele?  You sure?  He’s coming off shoulder surgery,  Plus, if you look at the tape, he got thumped last season against some pretty good nose tackles–“

Al Davis: “I like his hair, the way it flops out of the back of the helmet.  It makes everyone think he’s a good player, like what’s his name, that safety in Pittsburgh.  i want one of those guys with the hair.  Speed baby, Raider speed.”

Bill Parcells:”Er, ok Mr Friendly…Throw in a draft pick and you have a deal, See you in the playoffs…(speakerphone off)…not” (laughter)

Jets Roster Breakdown: Secondary

The NFL Draft is only one month away and the Jets still have needs all over their roster that they will attempt to fill with their six draft choices. In preparation for the draft, I am going to go through each of the positions on the roster and examine what they currently have, who they could add through free agency, and who they could potentially draft, starting today with the secondary:

Jets Current Cornerbacks:

1. Darrelle Revis – Revis is coming off a Pro Bowl season and is quickly turning into one of the best players in the NFL at his position. He is legitimate number one corner that teams will game plan to throw away from, putting increased pressure on whomever is playing opposite him.

2. Lito Sheppard – The Jets acquired Sheppard from the Eagles to start opposite Revis and hope he can regain his Pro Bowl from a few years ago. If he can stay healthy, Sheppard is a very good number two corner and will it make it very difficult for opposing defenses to attack the Jets through the air.

3. Dwight Lowery – Lowery had a great start to his rookie season last year but began to struggle down the stretch. However, he did show he has the tools to be a quality starter in this league, if not a very good nickel back. He may need a little more time to develop but could see extended action if the injury bug catches up with Sheppard again.

4. Drew Coleman – Coleman has had an up and down three year career with the Jets. He is a very fast player, who is valuable on special teams and has previous starting experience. He struggled in his role as a nickel back last year and needs a strong camp to stick on the roster this year.

5. Ahmad Carroll – A former first round pick, Carroll was resigned this year for special teams purposes. However, there is some hope that under Rex Ryan he could reach his potential and contribute on defense.

Jets Current Safeties:

1. Kerry Rhodes – Rhodes is playmaker, who had a somewhat quiet year last season which many are blaming on Eric Mangini’s schemes. He hasn’t had a consistent starter next to him in his career and the hope is with Jim Leonhard next to him, that he could become the Jets version of Ed Reed.

2. Jim Leonhard – Leonhard had a breakout season last year under Rex Ryan in Baltimore and has joined his former coach in New York. The Jets brought him in to bring stability opposite Kerry Rhodes and to help out with punt returning duties. 

3. Abram Elam – Elam created a ton of big plays last season but struggles in pass coverage. He provides strong depth, good special teams play, and his hard hitting style should find him some playing time on defense in a few packages.

4. Eric Smith – An Eric Mangini guy who was given the chance to start last year and never took advantage of his opportunity. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t make the roster this year.

5. James Ihedigbo – A special teams player, who will also be fighting for a roster spot.

Free Agency:

– It is rumored that the Jets are close to signing former Raven Samari Rolle to boost their depth at cornerback. I don’t know if this move shows less faith in Lito Sheppard’s ability to stay healthy or Dwight Lowery’s ability to be the No. 3 corner. However, you could never have enough cornerbacks and the Jets should be able to get Rolle relatively cheap.

Draft:

– If the Jets sign Rolle, I doubt they will draft another corner. However, if they do not I wouldn’t be shocked if they took a long look at one on the first day of the draft. I have seen a few mock drafts that have them selecting Vontae Davis or Alphonso Smith in the first round, but even if they don’t sign Rolle, I still think they’d wait until round two with more pressing needs at quarterback, receiver, and defensive line.

The Jets have a pretty good group of corners right now with Revis, Sheppard, and Lowery and are solid at safety with Rhodes, Leonhard, and Elam. In the second or third round, they could look at a corner like Darius Butler or Sean Smith.

NFL Network: You’ve Hooked Us And Now You’re Gonna’ Drop Us?

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Whenever I go to some of my friends’ houses that have HD, satellite, premium channels like Starz, Showtime, or Cinemax, I always remind myself that even though I may not have all those things, I DO have the NFL Network. 

Many times I would call up asking if they saw the primetime Thursday game, only to learn they don’t get it!  Whenever a really good game would happen that I didn’t get to see, I knew I would get to see it on NFL Replay.

Imagine my disgust the other day when I saw a bright red light on my cable box indicating a message.  Usually, it would just be about an upcoming boxing match or wrestling event.  Instead, it was news that due to problems with Comcast, the NFL Network could be dropped as early as May 1.

Now, we get at least three Spanish networks, a few cable access channels, (not to mention Lifetime…I digress) but we can’t have the NFL network.  Having had the NFL Network since its inception, I never really pondered as to what the problem was with getting it broadcast to more people. 

As I’ve grown older, I’ve grown busier and really the only sport I can devote my undivided attention to is the NFL.  I stopped watching SportsCenter, or rather cut back, because who can really stop watching. Having the NFL Network simply talk only about the league was perfect, kind of like having a DVD player enabling you to skip to the points you wanted to see.

Over time, the network began America’s Game, which was a series on each Super Bowl winner.  It featured celebrity narration from the likes of Donald Sutherland, Tom Selleck, and James Gandolfini summarizing each teams struggles and successes to become champions.  It would also have three select members of that team interviewed.

Of course, being a Giants fan, I almost counted down the days until they did an episode on the team’s 2008 Super Bowl win.  When I saw it I wasn’t disappointed. 

It was interesting to hear coach Tom Coughlin talk about how he had always cared about his players, yet he never showed it.  And that if that was to be his last year as coach, he was going to have fun. 

Even greater was the story of how Coughlin brought in a man to speak with the team who had lost BOTH of his legs in war, yet held the belief that his fellow soldiers would not leave him behind and at no time did he fear dying.

Before NFL Network, I would sometimes get saddened when the season was winding down.  But with the NFL Network, when no live games or anything really big were going on, I still had games replayed, the latest on trades, free agent signings, etc. 

Please don’t take that away from me and please give others the same gift as well.

Brady Rule and More

 

 

I can see why my wife gets so confused by the NFL, with all these rule changes year after year. It seems like it is getting a little ridiculous with the kind rule changes, all aimed to protect QB. Football started out as a man’s game and it’s being turned into a pansy game. Here are the new approved rule changes for the upcoming season:

• Defenders who are knocked to the ground no longer can lunge into quarterbacks if the play is still going on (Brady Rule).
• The initial force of a blindside block can’t be delivered by a helmet, forearm, or shoulder to an opponent’s head or neck. An illegal blindside block will bring a 15-yard penalty.
• Initial contact to the head of a defenseless receiver also will draw a 15-yard penalty.
• On kickoffs, no blocking wedge of more than two players will be allowed.
• Also on kickoffs, the kicking team can’t have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick.

The players take a risks EVERY TIME they step out onto the field. There is a reason they are getting paid millions of dollars a year. It is kind of funny with the Brady Rule. The fact the it was instated after the NFL’s Golden Boy got injured. Nothing happened when Carson Palmer was injured in the playoffs a couple of years back.

Are the Minnesota Vikings Destined to Take the Lombardi in ’09?

The 2008 Minnesota Vikings were thought of as something special when Tarvaris Jackson was looking very good in his preseason performance. But with a slow start behind their original starter, the Vikings were quick to make the change to Gus Frerotte.

Frerotte helped the team jump back, getting them to a 7-4 record before getting hurt during the Lions road game. Then, the Jackson from the preseason took over and led the Vikings to their first ever NFC North title; the last time Minnesota took a division, they were in the NFC Central in 2000.

It was argued last year that the only thing holding the Vikings back from a Super Bowl was their lack of a quarterback. Will the addition of Sage Rosenfels this offseason be the key to another Viking division title and more?

 

Now with the draft approaching, another question is added: What young talent can the team pick up?

Minnesota lost Pro Bowlers C Matt Birk and S Darren Sharper, so there are various directions in which the Vikes could go.

 

Will the Vikings of 2009 be the team to bring the Lombardi trophy to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes?”

It is clear that the special teams need some assistance and that the signal caller must be solidified. The O-line might also be an area to look at.

But with an easier-looking schedule than last year’s, it should be expected by the fans that another division title is on its way.  

Minnesota Viking fans are very hungry for more than an “above average” team. Those in purple want a Super Bowl, not another season of questions.

This squad is very easily one of the more talented teams in the league, and once they get their pieces in the right areas, it’ll be “checkmate” for opponents.

Watch the excitement build throughout the summer and peak during the season.

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