Michael Vick: You People Need To Chill

And you need to let up on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell too.

The invective directed at Michael Vick and Goodell was at a fever pitch after Monday’s announcement of Vick’s conditional reinstatement to the NFL.

Take a look at sample comments to stories on Bleacher Report and elsewhere:

“You imply that because others have been allowed to play after committing crimes, then Vick should too. I would counter that this is the chance to get it right, to make an example out of Vick and keep him out.”
—West Coast Bias, Does Michael Vick Deserve A Second Chance? I Say Yes.

“No no no no no no no, absolutely no way, no no, no freaking chance, no no, and………..NO.”
—Drew Rappley, Michael Vick: Detroit Lion?

“Rodger Goodell is garbage. He somehow has it in his head that he is more powerful than police. He needs to have his job taken away. He is destroying the league.”
—Josh Roland, Michael Vick is Back…But Tagged With An Unnecessary Five Game Suspension

“Nobody fears Vick except ROVER and FIDO. He was a borderline bust when he went down for being unreliable at a position you must be reliable to play. Broncos don’t need him, and watch him have to go to the UFL to find a job as there is no way anyone will sign him. Watch.”
—Robert Stone, Denver! Please, Please Redeem Yourself, Get Michael Vick

“They should make dog food called Michael Vick with real pieces of him in it”
—tweet by camaspan as shown on www.sportaphile.com, 10 Of The Ugliest Michael Vick Comments On Twitter

“IF MIAMI TAKES HIM, I LOSE ALL MY RESPECT FOR THAT TEAM. THEY’D STILL BE MY TEAM B/C I WAS BORN IN MIAMI SO IT’S MY HOME, BUT I WILL SO BE DISAPPOINTED. THIS GUY [VICK] IS A NASTY LOW-LIFE THUG THAT COMMITTED VIOLENT CRIMES AND SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED IN THE NFL. HE SHOULD LOSE HIS JOB LIKE ANYONE ELSE WOULD…”
—fizh, www.phinster.com, Mike Vick a Dolphin? All Bark, No Bite

To be fair, most fan comments approached the Michael Vick possibilities in terms of their team’s need. Vick had supporters who hoped their team would sign the man with a toxic reputation. 

Those who castigate Roger Goodell for reinstating Vick need to calm down.

Roger Goodell does not have the legal authority to ban Michael Vick. To do so would subject the NFL to legal jeopardy as pointed out in a July 22, 2009 post on Sports Law Blog.

“In a recent law review article entitled “Are Commissioner Suspensions Really Any Different From Illegal Group Boycotts,” I argue that the 3rd, 6th, 8th and D.C. Circuits might find Goodell’s attempt to indefinitely suspend Michael Vick to violate Section 1 of the Sherman Act. This is because the NFL Personal Conduct Policy serves as an agreement amongst the 32 independently owned NFL-clubs to boycott a particular player. At the same time, the NFL Personal Conduct Policy seems to harm consumers by taking away their ability to voice a preference for football games that contain Michael Vick.”

If nothing else, we know that the bankrupt, cash-hungry Michael Vick has a crack legal team—that likely needs Vick to get an NFL contract to get paid. Why invite a lawsuit?

The NFL is not a legal monopoly like Major League Baseball. The football commissioner does not have same the legal protection as the baseball commissioner.

Goodell must take a holistic view of the NFL franchise, and that includes working with the players and their union, the NFL Players’ Association.

NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith plans to make the commissioner’s power a “point of contention (emphasis mine) as talks progress on a new collective bargaining agreement with team owners,” according to Jarrett Bell’s story on usatoday.com.

We don’t know the full story of Michael Vick’s reinstatement. We only know what we read and hear in the media.

Yes, Michael Vick paid his debt to society. However, he lied to Goodell in their first discussion in 2007 about his involvement in affair. Even Vick did not expect full reinstatement on his word alone.

Let’s also conclude that Goodell has crafted a process in concert with the league, the owners, and a nod to Players Association such that everyone involved knows exactly what Vick must do and by when for full reinstatement.

Employee performance improvement plans never make the news.

Jack Del Rio Talks Vick Rumors, Prospects for 2009

Rarely do the Jacksonville Jaguars have anything concrete that proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that the national media simply ignores the franchise.  This week, with the Michael Vick reinstatement, the Jaguars have been consistently mentioned as having interest in the troubled quarterback, and it has become crystal clear just how little attention the team gets.

On ESPN, Herm Edwards, a friend of Jack Del Rio, was the first to float the suggestion that the Jaguars might pursue Vick.  Since then, the suggestion mushroomed into a full-blown rumor, and sparked conversations in every possible manner about the best approach for the Jaguars.

At that time, Jack Del Rio was asked directly about the rumors swirling regarding whether the Jaguars had any interest in Michael Vick during his first weekly radio show of the 2009 season on WOKV AM 690 in Jacksonville.  Jack Del Rio simply said, “No.”

The Vick dismissal was only the first point Del Rio discussed.  He was practically gushing for the remainder of his show about the direction he sees this team headed right now.

He went on to elaborate on the point by focusing on the players the team brought in this year.  He said that part of the process was to purge the roster first, eliminating some of the bad elements that had started to develop.  Then, they identified new core players the city would be proud of as they ascend to new roles as primary leaders on a team lacking any true star power.

Maurice Jones-Drew was one of those core players Del Rio mentioned.  He was approached by fans during a recent golf tournament on the west coast and asked about his new primary running back.  These fans were fantasy wonks that had Maurice on their roster, so they were trying to pick the coach’s brain to find out what he expected from his back.  Del Rio pointed out that Jones-Drew as also on his fantasy team, so he had very high expectations for his guy.

Jones-Drew is the one Jaguar player generating a lot of interest outside of Jacksonville.  In the short time he has been on the franchise and in the NFL, he has become one of the biggest stars the Jaguars have ever had on the roster.  People are taking notice, which Del Rio said was much deserved.  The Jaguars are trying to leverage his celebrity to get people paying attention to the team as a whole.

He also spoke on how underappreciated he feels David Garrard actually is.  Garrard has the ability to make plays with his feet, mind, and his arm according to Del Rio.  By providing him with better protection, playmakers on the receiving corps, and a more effective running game, David should be able to take the next step in his career progression and rebound from a difficult year.

Vince Manuwai’s return was mentioned by Del Rio as a critical piece in the revitalization of the Jaguars roster.  The entire offensive line has been extremely upbeat with Manuwai back on the field participating with the starting unit.

According to Jack, Marcedes Lewis has had a great off-season, and is poised to have a productive 2009.  He is in the best shape of his career working with the new training staff, and he is focused on overcoming a less than stellar 2008.  Lewis has been putting in extra effort to validate the trust the staff has in him.

On defense, Jack feels the linebackers are poised to have a big year.  Much of what they want to do defensively will be funneled through them.  Based on the spring, the core three—Daryl Smith, Clint Ingram, and Justin Durant—are ready to take their game to the next level.

Jack said he expects all of them to take a step forward, but most of all Clint Ingram.  They want him to be more involved in blitzing.  Jack referred to him as a “hunting dog” because he is a guy who “likes to go strike people.”

Justin Durant is the middle linebacker now, with Smith and Ingram anchoring the outside.  Del Rio feels that this will allow each player to play to their strengths.

Right now, if Jack was to set up the depth chart for the defensive backs, Sean Considine and Reggie Nelson would wind up being the starters at safety.  But, he said that there is an open competition, and if either Marlin McCree or Gerald Alexander win the starting jobs, he would be fine with this.

Jack talked about the freshness and anxiety he feels about this team.  Because of all the changes, he is eager to get started so the coaches can mold this young team into something the city of Jacksonville can be proud of.

Del Rio talked about the huge amount of effort the team embarked upon to fix those things that needed attention.  He said that their focus is not on expectations right now, but the rebuilding process itself.  They want to get to work to develop these young players, and have them all pull together unselfishly and see where things wind up in the fall.  They are focused on reinstating the family vibe the team lost track of last season.

Jack was asked about the three veteran free agent acquisitions: Torry Holt, Tra Thomas, and Sean Considine.  Jack felt all three of the players are consummate pros who appreciate the NFL and the opportunity to play in the league.  Each has come to Jacksonville to help this team win.

Del Rio was quick to point out that these are not necessarily mentors in the traditional sense.  They are there to win the starting positions, and in doing so, lead by the example.  By seeing this, the hope is the young players will develop the right habits as they mature as professional athletes.

Regarding the issues with John Henderson, the indication was this is being overblown. Jack feels Henderson has responded well to the challenges issued to him during organized team activities.  He is keeping his weight in check and focusing on his conditioning.

Jack discussed Rob Meier and how he really needs to go back into more of a situational role.  He said they simply asked too much of Rob last year and it showed.  By putting him back into a situation where he can rotate in for 20-25 plays per game, he should return to the high level of play he embodied prior to 2008.

Terrance Knighton is a defensive tackle Jack is high on because he’s a guy with a solid base and good athletic ability.  They want to see him in pads to determine how his game translates with contact.  But, if he continues to impress, he will be competing for a starting position.

Defensive tackle Attiyah Ellison is another guy the coaches expect to compete for not only a roster spot, but significant playing time as well.  The unheralded off-season acquisition has shown flashes during the spring, and the coaching staff is eager to see if these will continue when the pads go on during camp.

Jack said they have more depth at defensive tackle than most think. He did say they need John to get back to his Pro Bowl level this year, and they hope this will happen.

Derrick Harvey has bulked up to shed the notion he is a situational player. He is working hard to become an every down defensive end, and not just a guy who comes in on passing downs.

When Jack was asked when the team plans to have their annual rite of passage, the Oklahoma drill, he was somewhat evasive.  The first night in pads is expected to be Wednesday night.  The first padded practice is traditionally the session where these drills happen.  Del Rio joked that he needed to consult Jaguars.com Senior Editor, Vic Ketchman to determine when the drill would happen, and who the matchups would ultimately be for the evening.

The head coach expects the Oklahoma drills to be “spirited” because there are several natural matchups, particularly between the top draft picks from last year and this season.  He said there will be some legitimate competition in the drill this year.

On Rashad Jennings, host Brian Sexton gushed about his size, speed, and intelligence.  Jack tried to dial it down saying the enthusiasm has to be tempered until they get a look at Jennings in pads to see how he responds to contact.

“After 25 years in the league, you just have to temper it a little bit in the spring until you see it in pads.”

Jennings is picking things up quickly.  How he responds to Justin Durant coming over the middle looking to throttle him remains to be seen.  According to Del Rio, he had a fine spring and Jennings is definitely one of the players they are eager to watch.

Coach Del Rio discussed rookie tight end, Zach Miller, and how they are looking for ways to get him involved.  Jack focused on Miller’s ability to run and what a tremendous asset his speed will be.

“He’s a competitive guy. He’s got a lot to learn in terms of playing the position and being a complete player. The one thing he can do is run,” he said.

Jack has a sense of excitement about this team. For the first time in a few years, he seems almost eager to get back on the field to see what they can mold this young group of players to become.  He will not allow distractions to be a part of the equation, which is encouraging.

Brain Orakpo about to Become a Holdout

With less than 24 hours remaining until the first practice the Washington Redskins have yet to sign their top draft pick, Brian Orakpo.

There has been no public negotiating which generally is a good sign. Michael Crabtree, the Texas Tech receiver taken at No. 10 is demanding top-three money, and that’s not sitting well with the 49ers’ management.

But no news isn’t necessarily good news. It would indicate that there is a waiting game going on involving the slotting system.

Rookie contracts generally are based on slots. Basically, a player get a little more money than the player drafted immediately after him and a bit less than the one take right before him. This “system”, such as it is, relies on slots getting filled so that there is a basis for comparison at a given spot.

As of right now, though, there isn’t a slot to determine Orakpo’s deal; in fact it’s not even close. He’s in the middle of a gulf. The Texas defensive end/linebacker was taken with the 13th selection of the first round.

On the higher side, the closest pick signed is Mark Sanchez, taken fifth overall. In addition to being eight picks away, Sanchez is a quarterback. They get the chicks and make more dough, so his deal is not a good basis for comparison.

On the low side is center Alex Mack, taken at No. 21 by Cleveland. So we’re looking at eight slots on that end. Orakpo is the man in the middle.

There is another way of getting this done. Mack got a deal that was 12 percent higher than that of the player taken 21st in 2008. The Redskins and Orakpo’s agents, Ben Dogra and Michael Lartigue of CAA, could look at the contract signed by Carolina running back Jonathan Stewart last year and add 12 percent to that.

The result would be a five-year contract worth about $15.6 million. Start there, build in a few incentives, call it a deal, and get Orakpo out on the practice field.

This would serve the team and the player well, but the agents will be hesitant of getting burned. God forbid the 12th pick and/or the 14th pick get deals 13 percent higher than last year.

The reputations of Dorga and Lartigue would suffer (from their point of view, anyway), they would stand to be accused of leaving money on the table, and they believe they will have trouble lining up first-rounders in the future.

So, the waiting game continues. If Orakpo misses Thursday and Friday it won’t damage his development to any great extent. But I’ll bet you that by Friday, Greg Blache or another defensive coach will be lamenting his absence and saying that each lost day is like missing two days. Sometimes that’s just coach speak but in this case, with Orakpo being counted on to man two positions, it’s not too far from the truth.

It could be worse. The Washington Redskins could be having trouble getting a sixth-round pick into camp as the San Diego Chargers are. And they hardly are alone, with only five of the 32 first-round picks having inked contracts as of Wednesday morning. Still, it would be good to get the guy they’re counting on so much into the fray as soon as possible.

 

 

Rich Tandler is the author of the new book The Redskins Chronicle, a Journey Through the History of the Redskins 1945-2008. You can find the details of this unique book at www.RedskinsChronicle.com. Tandler also has the longest-running Redskins blog on the internet at RealRedskins.com.

Al Davis and the Media Re-Visited

Oakland Raider fans like to point to the media as a villain, always looking for opportunities to slam their team.  However subtle, the clues are there according to observers.  Therefore, it must be true.

 

Who is responsible for this?

 

It couldn’t be Al Davis could it? 

 

Does any other franchise in any sport retain a double standard when it comes to dealing with the media?

 

Though they don’t verbalize it to you (the fan), the Raiders front office takes the position that the media is only interested in slamming them, not promoting their community outreach initiatives.

 

If that was reality however, then we would never know about their public relations efforts such as painting Asian airplanes in Raider colors, spreading the broadcasting rights to Hispanic radio, replacing turf at predominantly African American high school fields, their numerous charity events of many varieties.

 

But then the double standard is they can’t be bothered with freely offering team news very often, unless suits their purposes.

 

They can’t even be bothered with telling players themselves when they have been dropped from the roster in some instances.

 

But let’s take a look back in time in search of why this might be the reality of the Raiders franchise. This is a time when Al was a younger man in a younger role of leading a fledgling franchise in a fledgling pro football league.

 

That was his first real foray in dealing with “newspaper men” (a term Al still uses).  He was suspicious of them in those early days yet managed to co-exist with them on formal terms.

 

On a positive note, Al thought treatment was fair to him in a biography written by retired sportswriter Glenn Dickey of the San Francisco Chronicle.

 

Dickey’s “Just Win, Baby: Al Davis and His Raiders” is a contrast to Mark Ribowsky’s unauthorized Al Davis biography “Slick: The Silver and Black Life of Al Davis” which is a massive book.  If you have a long plane flight, that is the book you want to bring with you.

 

Bottom line is Al has limited trust in newspaper men.  This is the reason why the Raiders are overly cautious and aloof with public relations.  Al does not feel obligated to share because he has been criticized too much by the people he keeps at arm’s length.

 

But Al’s glaring flaw is he still doesn’t know how to deal with the problem of the media covering his team.  We can see he tries to do things on his own terms with his overhead projector and his emotion taking over leading to freewheeling comments.  He believes he is doing right by telling the story he wants told but his words only fuel more parody and criticism.

 

Al is a cagey dude.  He only spills his guts when things reach a boiling point in his mind and he feels a need to try and set the record straight.  He is aware of criticism, doesn’t like it, and makes an effort to turn it around through the very source he attributes to the problem.  In his world, this is the best method to deal with the problem.  Can you say backfire?

 

From the masses of silver and black lifers, few true Al backers still exist.  Only dolts who believe he can do no wrong or think they are somehow in good graces with the man himself still look to Al’s public relations methods as savvy.

 

It’s not even true to say he is stuck in his ways.  He does try new ways of approaching the media but nothing seems to work right.  You have to wonder who’s fault that is.

 

 

 

 

Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes: Marshall and Williams Held Out

Wednesday’s hour long morning practice session for the Denver Broncos was not extremely news worthy, but it should be noted that linebacker D.J. Williams, and wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Lucas Taylor were held out of activities due to soreness from offseason surgeries.

Taylor is not likely to make the final roster, but both Marshall and Williams are key players to the Broncos’ success in 2009.

There was also some great news in regards to the quarterbacks from head coach Josh McDaniels, who thought his crop of signal callers were far ahead of the curve.

“The information flow in the quarterback room is much quicker,” McDaniels said. “Their recall is certainly very high right now, and they know what to do.

“There is nothing we’re saying to them in the meeting room or on the field that’s foreign to them. That’s comforting, but it still means they have to go out and execute when there’s a defense and a different look, disguising, and (running) everything and at full speed.”

This is certainly great news for Broncos fans, who were virtually split in half over the decision to trade Jay Cutler away in exchange for inferior talent at the quarterback position. 

It was rumored that McDaniels’ main concern with Cutler was that he would not be able to grasp the complexity of his system while still being a tough leader of the team, and it appears that Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, and Tom Brandstater are all on the right track.

I realize that I do not speak for all Bronco fans here, but I really appreciate the fact that Josh McDaniels is dedicating the first four days of this week of camp to getting an extra look at some players (rookies) who may otherwise be on the cusp of making the team.

This way, he can effectively evaluate all talent objectively. 

More to come from practice this week, as I will be driving down to Englewood tomorrow morning and arriving in the early evening.

A Development in the Jeremy Maclin Saga

There has been a development in the Jeremy Maclin saga. Granted, not much of one, but a development nonetheless.

Maclin’s agent, Jim Steiner, says that “some progress” has been made regarding Maclin’s contract.

An Eagles source, however, tells Philly.com, “I guess if you go from ridiculous to slightly less ridiculous you can call that real progress.”

Well…Wow.

The Eagles only have a certain amount of money left that they can even offer Maclin, so it must be the length and incentives that are holding the deal up. Also, it doesn’t make it any easier that guys like Michael Crabtree are throwing a fit about where they were drafted and holding the whole process up for everyone.

Either way, Maclin has to realize that this is doing nothing but hurting him for this year. If he misses significant time in camp he could see himself fall to fourth on the depth chart behind Kevin Curtis, DeSean Jackson, and Jason Avant.

We’ve seen what can happen to rookies who hold out, and none of it is any good.

JaMarcus Russel scratched about a year and a half off his career because he decided to hold out.

Hopefully Maclin will realize that his agent works for him, and not the other way around. Too often rookies don’t stand up to their agents, and I think that’s what we’re seeing here.

Ball’s in your court, Maclin, now make the right choice and sign the deal.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green to see where Hollis Thomas landed, and news about Lorenzo Booker.

Fantasy Football Profile: Frank Gore

Frank Gore is one of those guys I’ll likely never own. 

Not that I dislike him, but usually someone is willing to take him before I am willing to pull the trigger.  He had a solid year last year, but 1,409 total yards (1,036 rushing, 373 receiving) and 8 TDs don’t quite add up for a guy taken in the top seven or so. 

He did miss two games, but I won’t give him a pardon since they were during the fantasy playoffs in Weeks 15 and 16.  He is still worthy of a first round pick, particularly in PPR leagues, as he has averaged 52.3 receptions the past three years (although it’s declined each year). 

The Niners did draft Glen Coffee (Alabama) in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft.  It’s a sane assumption that he will shoulder some of the load. 

Couple that with a QB battle between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith, and I just as soon take one of the big WRs (Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson) or Clinton Portis if he’s available at the bottom of the first round.

The Niners have a decent schedule.  They open the season and the fantasy playoffs (Week 14) with Arizona.  They face the Rams in Week Four. 

Unfortunately, they face them again Week 17—when it doesn’t matter to most fantasy owners.  Their fantasy playoff schedule is solid with the aforementioned tilt with Arizona, a clash with Philly in Week 15, and the Detroit Lions in the fantasy football championship game.  You have to love that. 

Of course, if he misses the title game like last year, it’s a moot point. 

Like I said, Gore will be taken in the first round in most drafts.  If he stays healthy, he should earn his keep.  I’m projecting him to have 1,600 total yards and 7 TDs.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

New York Jets Continue Their Gypsy Tradition During Preseason

It seems fitting that the New York Jets—the only NFL team that plays home games in a stadium named for a different NFL team—would decide to hold preseason practices at three different sites.

 

Come Friday, the Jets open camp at their newest home, the State University of New York at Cortland.

 

All over the metropolitan New York area, autograph seekers and football fans with camera phones are asking, “Where’s Cortland?”

 

Good question. Cortland is a town in Westchester County with a population on non-football days of 18,740—about the same number of people on a few city blocks along Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.

 

The Mark Sanchez/Rex Ryan Era begins in a town 1,130 feet above sea level, which means Cortland has the highest elevation in New York State.

 

No wonder the Jets chose this place!

 

During the gut-busting, two-a-day-practice phase, the Jets hit the field at 8:15 am and 4 pm.

 

So look for the Jets in Cortland from July 31 through August 22 except for one notable change in venue.

 

On August 12, the Jets hold a 6 pm family night practice at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY—the team’s home base from 1968 until last year.

 

The Jets say the entire roster will sign autographs for fans after the final Hofstra practice. Nice, but not good enough.

 

Let’s hope the Jets have many of their famed alumni will be on hand, including Joe Willie Namath and Wayne Chrebet, the plucky former wide receiver and Hofstra graduate. If every notable Jets player isn’t there, it won’t be a fitting sendoff.

 

The Jets could also invite famous other Hofstra alumni like New York Governor David Paterson, wonderfully eccentric actor Christopher Walken, and, if he can swing a one-night furlough, convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff.

 

On second thought, forget about Madoff. With him on the sideline, things could get really ugly.

 

Finally, the Jets return to Florham Park, NJ, with open practices scheduled at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on August 22, 26, and 27.

 

With the Jets putting down stakes this preseason in Central New York, Long Island, and New Jersey, there’s a chance Leon Washington and Thomas Jones could end their expected holdouts and then not know where to report.

 

Who Is the Dallas Cowboys’ Weakest Link? The Safeties

I will never forget it.

No sir, I will never forget that horrific day.  December 20, 2008 was easily one of the saddest days of my life.

The last game played at Texas Stadium was a defeat by the Baltimore Ravens because of mainly two runs.

For more, please go to:

http://www.nfltouchdown.com/who-is-the-dallas-cowboyss-weakest-link-the-safeties/

The “Must” Question for All 32 NFL Teams in 2009

As each of the NFL’s 32 teams approach the start of training camp over the next week, each will enter the season with question marks that must be answered correctly to achieve success in 2009.

From the favorite to win it all again in the Pittsburgh Steelers, to a team just looking for a win in the Detroit Lions, I pose my top question for the season and a soft prediction (soft because one major injury in preseason and the question and prediction will completely change).

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