Jacbos Called Out Romo, Now Several Other Guys Need To Be Called Out As Well

In lieu of Giants running back Brandon Jacobs calling out Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and his play or lack there of, according to Jacobs, it is now the right time to put together a list of other guys in the NFL who need to get called out as well.

The following, in no particular order, is a group of guys that I would like to call out and question as well them as well.

Braylon Edwards: What’s More Important? Your Image or Playing Football?

The details of the evening of drinking before the accident involving Donte’ Stallworth have been released and there is one name that was dropped that may or may not have shocked Cleveland Browns fans.

That name was Braylon Edwards.

When Edwards was drafted by the former regime of Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel, he was their first draft choice and the new face of the rebuilding Browns organization.

After a promising start in his rookie season, Edwards went up for a ball during a game and came down the wrong way on his leg, injuring his knee and he was lost for the rest of the season.

After rehabbing his injury back into playing shape, Edwards’ second season was very solid for the high first round draft pick, finishing with over 800 yards receiving.

Then in 2007, Edwards was electric, making amazing plays all over the field all season long and finished the year as a Pro Bowler.

Last year, every single Browns fan does not need to be reminded of what happened because it’s still so fresh in their minds, but one word can say it all.

Drops.

Now, news has broke that Edwards was Stallworth’s drinking mate the night of the fateful accident, and by the reported amounts of money that were spent, they must have had one heck of a party.

Edwards was reported to have spent $3,443 on drinks including: a $1,500 bottle of champagne and $695 on vodka.

Most blue-collar Clevelanders are lucky to make that much money in a month or two, but Edwards and Stallworth were celebrating Stallworth’s $4.5 million bonus that he received.

In all honesty, if anyone got a bonus of that much money, they too would probably want to go out and celebrate, so you can’t hold that against Stallworth, but of course you can hold it against him that he did make wrong decisions later in the evening.

Getting back to the point, Edwards said that if he thought Stallworth wasn’t good enough to drive, then he would have told him to stay in the hotel room with him.

Edwards also said that Stallworth “seemed fine” before leaving the club, but after spending that much money at the bar, why wouldn’t Edwards just have to sense to tell Stallworth to stay? Or get him a cab? Or get Stallworth his own room?

With a huge bonus like that, any of those options could have been easily afforded, but what happened is not Edwards fault because Stallworth can make his own decisions, but he didn’t help the matter and the resulting outcome cannot be changed.

What can change is Edwards’ image on and off of the field.

During the 2008 season, Edwards told Cleveland reporters that Cleveland fans have it out for him because he is from Michigan.

Ridiculous? Yes, but he said it.

Edwards lost his focus for most of the season and dropped more passes than any other wide receiver in the NFL.

Now Edwards image has been tainted a little bit more with him now being involved in the evening of the accident.

It’s not that Edwards is a bad person especially since he has donated a million dollars to provide scholarships for Cleveland students, but his “I’m a good guy, but not a good guy” persona has now got to end.

Edwards is now in the final year of his contract and needs to put the past in the past and just be a football player to help the Browns this upcoming season.

Whether he resigns with the Browns after 2009 or not, Edwards has to prove that he is not just a receiver who drops the ball a lot, but that he is one of the elite receivers in the league and that he is not the bad person he seems to think or wants to be.

The Cleveland Browns Starting Lineup According to Madden 10 Ratings

Every year, there is one video game that comes out and sells million of copies.

No other video game franchise has seen the type of year-in and year-out success as the Madden football game series has.

As Cleveland Browns fans have known, their team is usually not rated that high, and most of the players are mediocre.

After a very lackluster 2008 season, the expert analysts at Electronic Arts have studied the tapes and crunched all the other numbers to produce the player ratings for the Browns in video game land.

Once again, it’s a mediocre year of player ratings for most of the Browns

According to these ratings, the following is what the Madden creators believe will be the Browns starting lineup for the home opener in 2009.

(Position—Player name—Madden 10 Overall Rating)

Offense

Quarterback—Brady Quinn—71

Running Back—Jamal Lewis—85

Fullback—Lawrence Vickers—88

Wide Receiver—Braylon Edwards—86

Wide Receiver—Brian Robiskie—73

Tight End—Steve Heiden—75

Left Tackle—Joe Thomas—97

Left Guard—Eric Steinbach—93

Center—Alex Mack—79

Right Guard—Floyd Womack—76

Right Tackle—Ryan Tucker—78

Defense

Left End—Kenyon Coleman—75

Defensive Tackle—Shaun Rogers—92

Right End—Corey Williams—81

Left Outside Linebacker—David Bowens—67

Inside Linebacker—Eric Barton—79

Inside Linebacker—D’Qwell Jackson—86

Right Outside Linebacker—Kamerion Wimbley—78

Cornerback—Eric Wright—79

Cornerback—Brandon McDonald— 71

Strong Safety—Brodney Pool—77

Free Safety—Abram Elam—72

Kickers

Place Kicker – Phil Dawson – 80

Punter – Dave Zastudil – 77

Many of the players have the ability to play different positions, so this isn’t really an accurate depiction of what their starting lineup will be, but with training camp less than a month away, it will be interesting to see if Madden 10’s experts are right or not.

If you’re a true Browns football fan, you probably have been waiting for these ratings to come out, and can’t wait to buy the game when it comes out on August 14.

The Fuse Has Been Lit and Felix Jones Is Ready to Explode in 2009

For the last several years, Felix Jones has always been that other guy that runs the football.

In college, at Arkansas, Jones was the backup to Darren McFadden and in his rookie season, Jones was just the new guy who was playing behind Marion Barber.

As a rookie, Jones started off slow, like most rookies do, but then he started make plays and playing some dynamic football.

Then he got hurt.

Now as Jones fully recovers from his injury, he is once again in tip top shape and ready to make a huge impact, not only for the Cowboys, but an impact the entire NFL may feel.

Currently, the Cowboys and Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett are possibly planning on making Jones the starting running back, which many disagree with, but using Jones’ speed and elusiveness to wear out defenses will only help the team once they bring in Marion Barber to be the closer he once was and excelled at when Julius Jones was still with the Cowboys.

Whether or not, the move to make Jones the starter actually happens, the fact of the matter is that Jones explosive running style is going to tear up defenses in the upcoming season.

Remember in 2008 when the Cowboys played the Packers at Lambeau Field?

Jones took the handoff 60 yards to the endzone without barely getting touched and breaking a sweet.

That is what will be seen throughout the 2009 season, and with a full compliment of backs in the Cowboys arsenal (including Tashard Choice), there is no reason that Jones will run out of gas during games. A good rotation will keep him fresh until the final whistle.

Opposing teams beware, Jones will run the ball on you, and he will make your linebackers and defensive backs look silly.

2009 is going to be the year of Felix Jones for the Dallas Cowboys!

NFL’s Most Versatile Offensive Players (and One Defender)

Throughout the NFL, several teams are blessed with a player who is their “Mr. Do-Everything.”

Whether it’s playing on different sides of the ball, special teams, or various positions on gameday; these players are the best of the best when it comes to being versatile.

The following, in no particular order, are the elite players in the NFL that can line up virtually anywhere on the field and perform at the highest level.

Titans Awareness: Steve McNair’s Death Will Be Really Tough For Vince Young

The shocking death of former Titans and Ravens quarterback Steve McNair has hit the NFL hard, but the news has specifically hit current Titans backup quarterback Vince Young even harder.

While growing up as a kid, Young idolized McNair.

He watched as many games as he could as a kid, and like every other kid who watches football, probably had a poster(s) of McNair in his bedroom, collected all of his football cards, and played Madden football games with McNair’s character.

Young was also known to call McNair “pops.”

The news of McNair’s death has many unknown variables, but what is known is how unpredictable Young’s past behavior can be.

Back in September of 2008, Young disappeared for for hours, without his cell phone, after a game where he threw two interceptions and he was booed by Titans fans.

Coach Jeff Fisher called Young’s family members and without any information on Young’s whereabouts, Fisher called the police.

After a four-hour search, the authorities found Young, and he agreed to meet with Fisher and police at the Titans training facility.

Many think that Young’s past emotional problems and depression played into his vanishing act, but Young’s agent said no.

In lieu of McNair’s unfortunate and mysterious death, Fisher, the Titans organization, and local authorities better keep an eye on Young since his past history has been unpredictable and now that his idol has passed, he needs to be watched carefully.

Young was out of the country when he learned of McNair’s passing.

(This article is by one means to be disrespectful, but to bring awareness. Unfortunately, there will be others who think that this article is taking a shot at Vince Young and you are entitled to your opinion. All in all, this is just one journalists way to bring awareness to the Titans so that they are prepared in every way.)

Unprofessional Cleveland Browns (and all NFL) Articles and Comments Need To Stop

I have seen some really bad comments and articles over the past several weeks, and this trend needs to stop immediately.

Bleacher Report is a source of sporting news that is provided by professional and amateur writers alike, but as a reminder to all, this is not your facebook or personal blog.

This site is mainly to provide exposure to up and coming writers that are trying to break into the industry.

Unfortunately, there are a few that think this site is a forum for their nonsense.

Please read the following Bleacher Report Guidelines, and report all writers that are abusing these.

 

Discouraged Bleacher Conduct

You should not participate in any of the following activities on the network at any time. If there is evidence suggesting that you are doing any of the following, you will receive a warning.

Should you be found committing a second such offense, your account will be put on probation. When you have adequately demonstrated a willingness to play by the rules, you will be given one final chance and your account will be reinstated—should you commit any offenses after your probation, your account will be terminated. 

•Make vehement personal attacks on articles, comment threads, or bulletin boards posts against members whose opinions you disagree with.

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What to Do if you See Misconduct on the Network

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Thank you for taking the time to read this and helping keep Bleacher Report a professional source of sporting news.

Cleveland Browns’ Key to a Successful Running Game Is Fullback Lawrence Vickers

With the almost complete turnover of the front office, coaching staff, and roster, the Cleveland Browns will look nothing like the high-flying potent offense of the 2007 football season.

Instead, Eric Mangini wants to get bigger, stronger, and smarter, because the AFC North is a dirty division where the majority of games are low scoring, meaning time of possession is very key.

So what did Mangini go out and do?

He got bigger, stronger, and smarter players on the roster that have passion for the game of football, that are all playing for the team not themselves, and have versatility to play multiple positions and in different formations.

The AFC North is a very tough and physical division and the weather plays a big part when December rolls around.

That means less long passes and more grinding out running the ball.

That is where the Browns secret weapon of the running game comes in to play.

His name is Lawrence Vickers.

Coming into his fourth season as a pro, Vickers was selected by the Browns in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Colorado.

During his first year, Vickers was the backup to fullback Terrell Smith, but then after the 2006 season ended the Browns felt comfortable enough with Vickers to let Smith go to free agency.

In 2007, Vickers was the starter and paved the way for running back Jamal Lewis to rush for over 1,300 yards.

In 2008, Vickers again was the lead blocker for Lewis and despite many breakdowns on the offensive line; Vickers helped Lewis earn another 1,000 yards rushing for the season (barely).

Two years as a starter, and two straight years of blocking for a 1,000-yard back.

Not too bad!

Now a new offensive scheme is being installed that revolves around running the ball and eating up as much time on the clock as possible, along with a bigger offensive line, 2009 should see Vickers helping Lewis achieve 1,000 yards rushing for the third straight year.

Along with his excellent blocking abilities, Vickers has wide receiver-like soft hands and is a great outlet for whoever the quarterback will be.

Vickers has shown over the last two seasons that he is very reliable in the backfield and out of the backfield, as a check down receiver, and should excel in Mangini’s new ball control offense.

With training camp less than a month away, Vickers time to shine as one of the best fullbacks in the NFL is right now.

How Did NFL Wide Receivers Become Such Divas? This Guy Says He Started It

Nowadays in the NFL, it is well known that of all positions on the football field, only one stands out as a diva position, and that is at wide receiver.

Currently, it seems like almost every NFL team, good or bad, has a diva at receiver—from the always exciting Terrell Owens of the Buffalo Bills, to Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals, to Brandon Marshall in Denver, and even Braylon Edwards of the Cleveland Browns.

Wide receivers are an extremely high profile position and they are considered the “home run ball” when a deep pass is thrown to them and they catch it for a touchdown, so it’s understood that these guys love the attention.

But who is to blame for the crazy antics that current receivers display on and off of the field?

That person is the recently retired and played college ball for the USC Trojans and professional football for the Jets, Bucs, Cowboys, and Panthers.

He is Keyshawn Johnson.

Drafted in 1996 as the No. 1 overall selection by the Jets, Johnson is one of the reasons that modern day receivers have this diva attitude around the league.

Johnson had it in his rookie season, and despite being coached for many years by Bill Parcells, kept his diva attitude throughout his career.

Whether Johnson was running his mouth to the press or to other players on the field, he definitely showed passion in his game while still wanting to be the focal point of everyone’s attention.

One of Johnson’s most memorable on-field spats was during his time with the Bucs. His outrageous remarks during the 2003 season caused an argument on the sideline with Jon Gruden that was seen by millions of people; this caused Gruden to deactivate Johnson for the remainder of the season until he was then traded to the Cowboys.

Another memorable offfield moment was in 2004 when Johnson called out former Bucs teammate Ronde Barber and referred to him as “Uncle Tom.”

These are just a few of the most memorable moments of Johnson being a diva and there are plenty to other moments including excessive fines, throwing down his helmet during games (which was the result of the NFL creating a new rule), and just showing his cocky attitude throughout various games.

Johnson even commented on his paving the path of diva receivers by saying, “[In 1996,] I was the queen of the ball, the princess, whatever. And all those guys have come after me.

“I wrote the book on diva receivers. Truly, when you break it all down, I’m the first guy in the last 15 years of receivers who did all that stuff. I threw my helmet to the ground when no one was doing that.”

Now we have to deal with TO overdosing, Braylon Edwards calling out the Browns fans, Brandon Marshall and his off-the-field issues, Ochocinco running his mouth and making predictions, Matt Jones partying way too hard with illegal drugs, Donte’ Stallworth drunk driving and killing a man, and Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg.

The diva attitude needs to stop.

Why can’t these guys take notes from Randy Moss on how to grow up, mature, and stay out of trouble? (Moss wasn’t an angel earlier in his life.)

It’s a shame these guys think they can get away with their attitudes, because NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is about to lay down some law with some pending suspensions that look to be extremely lengthy. Hopefully, Goodell can stop this ridiculous circus sooner than later.

Thanks, Keyshawn; thanks a lot.

(Reprinted article)

Keyshawn Johnson Started the Diva Attitude That Plagues the NFL Today

Nowadays in the NFL, it is well known that of all positions on the football field, only one stands out as a diva position, and that is at wide receiver.

Currently, it seems like almost every NFL team, good or bad, has a diva at receiver.

From the always exciting Terrell Owens of the Buffalo Bills, to Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals, to Brandon Marshall in Denver, and even Braylon Edwards of the Cleveland Browns.

Wide receivers are an extremely high-profile position and they are considered the “home run ball” when a deep pass is throw to them and they catch it for a touchdown, so it’s understood that these guys love the attention.

But who is to blame for the crazy antics that current receivers display on and off of the field?

That person is the recently retired and played college ball for the USC Trojans and professional football for the Jets, Bucs, Cowboys, and Panthers.

He is Keyshawn Johnson.

Drafted in 1996 as the No. 1 overall selection by the Jets, Johnson is one of the reasons that modern day receivers have this diva attitude around the league.

Johnson had it in his rookie season, and despite being coached for many years by Bill Parcells, kept his diva attitude throughout his career.

Whether Johnson was running his mouth to the press or to other players on the field, he definitely showed passion in his game while still wanting to be the focal point of everyone’s attention.

One of Johnson’s most memorable on-field spats was during his time with the Bucs. His outrageous remarks during the 2003 season caused an argument on the sideline with Jon Gruden that was seen by millions of people, this caused Gruden to deactivate Johnson for the remainder of the season until he was then traded to the Cowboys.

Another memorable off-field moment was in 2004 when Johnson called out former Bucs teammate Ronde Barber and referred to him as “Uncle Tom.”

These are just a few of the most memorable moments of Johnson being a diva and there are plenty to other moments including excessive fines, throwing down his helmet during games (which was the result of the NFL creating a new rule), and just showing his cocky attitude throughout various games.

Johnson even commented on his paving the path of diva receivers by saying, “[In 1996,]I was the queen of the ball, the princess, whatever. And all those guys have come after me.”

“I wrote the book on diva receivers. Truly, when you break it all down, I’m the first guy in the last 15 years of receivers who did all that stuff. I threw my helmet to the ground when no one was doing that.”

Now we have to deal with TO overdosing, Braylon Edwards calling out the Browns fans, Brandon Marshall and his off the field issues, Ochocinco running his mouth and making predictions, Matt Jones partying way too hard with illegal drugs, Donte’ Stallworth drunk driving and killing a man, and Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg.

The diva attitude needs to stop.

Why can’t these guys take notes from Randy Moss on how to grow up, mature, and stay out of trouble? (Moss wasn’t an angel earlier in his life.)

It’s a shame these guys think they can get away with their attitudes, because NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is about to lay down some law with some pending suspensions that look to be extremely lengthy. Hopefully, Goodell can stop this ridiculous circus sooner than later.

Thanks, Keyshawn; thanks a lot.

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