Morning Takes

So I was doing some reading around the sports world this morning, and I had to give my take on a couple of things.

Eli Manning – Now the highest played player in the NFL???

OK, I’m reading reports on ESPN that Eli Manning and the Giants have agreed to a six year extension worth $97 Million (Yearly Average $15.3 Million with $35 Million in Guaranteed money). This deal will keep him a Giant through the 2015 season and make him the highest paid player in the NFL.

This to me is proof that NFL salaries are all messed up. Let’s play a little game to make my point. Is Eli the best player in the NFL? Clearly not. Is Eli the best QB in the NFL? Clearly not. I have a hard time putting him higher than 5th in my list of QBs, and yet he’s the highest paid player in the NFL. It proves only one thing. The Giants feel that they found their man and Eli is happy there too. So, congratulations Giant fans.

Personally, I dropped Eli from my Fantasy keeper league. I didn’t give him an extension and I wish him the best with no Plaxico Burris. He will have to rely on a much less experienced and less athletic receiving team.

Of course, Raiders corner Nnamdi Asomugha was the highest paid before this deal. As likely the best corner in the game right now, he has a better claim to this title than Eli.

Albert Pujols is a beast!

Yes, King Albert has been struggling. But when the bases are loaded, he is the best there is. After last nights 5th Grand slam of the season, he boasts the following stats with the bases juiced:
• 7-9 Hits/AB
• 5 HR
• 24 RBI
That is unreal. He tied the NL mark of Grand slams in a season, and he is just one behind Donny Baseball (Don Mattingly) for the most in a season for the entire league.

It is hard to imagine someone more clutch right now. It doesn’t seem to matter how he is playing at the time. If there are ducks on the pond, this guy is going to deliver. At this point, opposing managers should consider giving him four balls way outside and spot the Cards the one run.

That’s what’s rolling around in the DOME for now!

I am ready for some Football!

Woo Hoo!

It is time for the Knucklehead to come out of hibernation. I may still stay in the cave for a while, but you can bet I’m waking up to the sports world.

Why? Training camps all around the NFL started this weekend. Coverage has ramped up on the internet, radio ESPN, and the NFL Network. That also means that the first preseason game is this weekend in Canton Ohio. It’s the annual Hall of Fame game, and this year it’s the Titans vs. the Bills. Yea, I know I’m sick for being excited to watch preseason games. I’ve come to grips with this sickness and I’m OK with it. I’ve been reading up on progress of players, and checking out Twitter to prepare for my two fantasy leagues as well. I have to defend my championship you know. Basically, I have been back to paying attention to the world of Sports. I’m back and ready for some football, yes even preseason. Talk about being starved.

I’ve been reading up on progress of players, and checking out Twitter to prepare for my two fantasy leagues as well. I have to defend my championship you know. I’ve been reading up on my favorite team (The Chargers) as well. I am so excited to see Shawne Merriman back, and hopefully we’ll keep him Philip, L.T. and Gates healthy for a whole season. The Rookies are all exciting too. This could be the season (yes, again).

There is one issue though. The Chargers will always be my favorite team and they have been since I was born (yep, that early). But thanks to Liberty’s Rashad Jennings, I will also be following and cheering for the Jacksonville Jaguars as well. I had the privilege of meeting Rashad the other day. What a great guy and a very talented athlete. If you meet him or see him play, there is no way you can’t be an immediate fan. His first camp experience starts today, and I can't wait to see his progress.

Bottom line, football is back. At this point, I’d even watch a Raiders preseason game. I’ll be out of town on vacation this weekend, but you can bet I’ll find a way to watch the Hall of Fame game. Yes, I know it’s the Titans and Bills, but it is FOOTBALL.

Welcome me back America.

That’s what’s rolling around in the DOME for now!

It's only football wasteland

I am a huge football fan. Everything else pales in comparison to me now. That is actually kind of weird because I had been big into other things for years, but not any more. I’ve tried so hard to get into other sports since the Super Bowl, but I just can’t do it. I had a great period of focus with my second favorite sport right now, college basketball, in February and March. Then it all went so wrong.

I mean don’t get me wrong. Some of the special events like the Masters and US Open, the College World Series, World Cup Qualifying, and others have captured my attention for short periods of time. But nothing captures my full attention like the NFL.

I used to fill the void with Major League Baseball and Nascar, but that is not the case right now. I have fled Nascar completely. I guess certain drivers that are now gone (Dale Earnhardt, Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace, Ward Burton) are what kept me watching for so long. I still like to watch Major League Baseball, but not like I once did. First off my favorite team (San Diego Padres) are in a rebuilding mode. I usually start paying attention after the All-Star break. There is just nothing there right now to get me into it.

So, I was glued to the NFL combine and the draft. Yea, I know I’m sick, but what can I do. I watch NFL network as much as possible. I do quite a bit of reading on the NFL in general and on my favorite team (Chargers). The NFL is just a better, more exciting product. It’s been quite sad being stuck in this wasteland. Come on NFL, hurry up.

I can not wait for training camp and pre-season games to come. I have an extra reason to watch the pre-season games this year. Liberty University stud running back Rashad Jennings is now a Jacksonville Jaguar. He tore it up in Mini-camp and OTAs. I hope Rashad sees the field a lot in the pre-season. Is he does, watch for him to emerge as Maurice Jones-Drew’s full-time back-up.

Dear Mr. Goodale, please add a Spring/Summer NFL Minor League. Yes, it WILL be profitable. Trust me.

I love College Football too, and can't wait for that to start too. I'm the guy who watches the Spring Football Games on ESPN. College practices start the second week of August, and I can't wait. I mean, I'm even ready to spend my Friday nights out watching some High School football.

So, for now I will continue to watch way too much Deadliest Catch, Top Gear, and Wipeout to get through the doldrums. NFL, Please Hurry.

That’s what’s rolling around in the DOME for now!

NFL Draft, not a moment too soon

I am a huge NFL fan. I love to watch any game at any time no matter the teams. Yes, I’d even watch the Raiders vs the Lions at 3am (OK, I have a Tivo). Anyway, the time from February through September is brutal for me. Yes, I like other sports. Yes, I was thrilled when the North Carolina Tar Heels just won the NCAA Basketball Championship. But it is just not the same without the NFL.

So, the more the NFL becomes a year round sport (Combine, draft, free agency, etc.) the better for me. I look forward to the draft more and more too, because I’m just not into the baseball frame of mind yet either. I will watch (or Tivo) as much as I possibly can.

This year I have a little extra reason to be interested. A guy I have seen play live in person many times is waiting for his name to be called. Liberty University’s power Running Back, Rashad Jennings, is projected to go in either the 3rd or 4th round this weekend. Rashad is a big, bruising runner with a crazy workout ethic that has lead to his pro-ready physique.

I've seen where some scouts and writers don’t seem to think he is allusive enough or has enough break away speed, but my eyes tell me differently. Yes, I know the level of competition LU plays is not that high in comparison to some other runners in the draft, but I’ve seen him hit a hole way quick and be gone before you knew it. As far as being allusive he is much better than those scouts seem to think. I think he has the ability, and will improve fairly rapidly in the right situation just like he showed during Senior Bowl week. This kid really wants it, and will work hard with the coaches to be the best he can possibly be.

I've even read where some critics mention his upright running style as a negative. I always remember how NFL scouts didn’t like Philip River’s delivery and some even called it a disaster. Well it seems to be working out pretty well for him. It doesn't really matter if Rashad is running upright or not when he's mowing over a defender or two. I also think some of these scouts suffer from the “I don’t know LU or this guy very well, so I’ll make something up” syndrome. Those who have seen him play, or workout are very impressed and positive.

I had tried to catch up with Rashad before the draft for a quick interview, but couldn’t work it out. But, today I ran across an article from a guy who did. His name is Ed the Sports fan, and it is a great read (http://tinyurl.com/dfoz67).

Here is the text of the interview portion of the interview:

“I had the chance to talk with Rashad earlier and discuss his thoughts on the draft, life at Liberty, and his potential contribution to an NFL team.

Ed The Sports Fan: How you been? T-Minus 6 days until the draft, how you feeling?

Rashad Jennings: Every emotion in the world is running through my body, from the highs to the lows. I remember I was the kid on the sideline "picking my nose" just wondering what would happen next. (Laughs) It's a comfortable yet exciting feeling though, being able to do what I said I wanted to do as a 6-year old is a liberating feeling.

ETSF: Some sources are projecting you in about the 3rd-round, and I see you as the "Tim Hightower" of the draft and could be a real value pick. How do you feel you can contribute to an NFL team?

Rashad: Whichever team selects me, my first priority will be to help the team win. Winning over the respect of the players in the locker room, and doing whatever it takes to get us a victory is the biggest thing.

ETSF: Who was your favorite team growing up?

Rashad: Well, when I tell people everyone laughs, but my favorite team growing up was the Arizona Cardinals. Everyone around here was either Redskins or Cowboys fans, but I really liked Arizona!

ETSF: (laughing) Wow, didn't expect that one. Favorite player?

Rashad: Definitely Eddie George.

ETSF: What would you say the toughest or hardest things you've dealt with growing through the draft process?

Rashad: Waiting for the actual draft, waking up everyday not knowing what will happen on April 25th. Also not knowing what type of recognition and success I would've had at Pitt. At the end of the day, football is football, and I feel like I would've been successful wherever I played.

ETSF: Tell us what you got out of the Senior Bowl earlier this year.

Rashad: The coaching was the best, getting the opportunity to work with (Jacksonville coach) Jack Del Rio and (Cincinnati coach) Marvin Lewis was the best. I feel like I'm very coachable, and being able to learn simple techniques and tips worked wonders even in practice. Imagine what I could do in a real game. Plus, the pros come out and worked out with us as well, and Maurice Jones-Drew roomed with me while at the Senior Bowl. That was fun.

ETSF: What's the first thing you're going to do after you hear your name called?

Rashad: (Laughs) Probably ball out and start crying, feeling elated. Being thankful for my family and truly being happy. After that, just focusing on getting on that plane and going to work.

Rashad will be graduating with a double-major in Sports Management and Business, and will be walking the stage May 9th.”

All I can say is Go Rashad. Make us Lynchburg folks and Liberty Fans proud. I believe he will make some team and its fans very happy.

That’s what is rolling around in the DOME for now.

SAY WHAT??????

Early on this afternoon I thought the Broncos had lost their minds and had gotten taken by the Bears in the Jay Cutler trade. It appeared to me that they just were so done with Cutler that they were trying to just get anything. I mean this was one of the top offenses in the league the last 2 years. They were really just a few big time play makers on Defense away from being a contender. Granted they need some more pieces on offense too, but they were not that far away. They were poised to make some strides in the draft, but now this?

Well, that was before the full details of the trade were out.

Are you kidding me? The Bears must really think Cutler is the best QB EVER. So they gave the Broncos a 1st round pick this year and next year. We knew that was their stated price all along, no biggie. Wait, then more came out. They also got Kyle Orton. OK so, Orton is no real prize, but he was a starting QB in the league last year. Wait? What, there is more? Your kidding????? The Broncos also got the Bears third round pick this year, WOW! A third round pick is huge, and very good players can be picked up there. The Broncos did have to give the Bears a 5th round compensation pick this year, but in my opinion the made out like bandits.

So, you pick up a QB in the draft as your "Future". You muddle by with Simms or Orton this year and pick up a bunch of talent in the draft this year and next. They also have the a bunch of picks to trade with to move up in this year's draft if they want. For example, if McDaniels has a man crush on Sanchez from USC like he does on Matt Cassell, he can trade up and get him. If he does, watch out for these guys right away. What started off as a big mess has just turned into the jackpot.

As for Cutler, he got out of town like he wanted. I'm just not sure being a part of the hapless Bears is any better. They could now be contenders with him though so watch out for them too.

One more thing. I hope Jay Cutler is happy with what he asked for. One thing Denver did have was a decent Offensive line that gave him time to work and protected him. Now he moves to the bears who didn't have a great O-Line to begin with and recently dismantled it. I hope you like the view of the sky from your back Jay.

Man I love the NFL.

That's what's rolling around in the DOME for now!

You are missing the point!

We’ve all heard the details of the continuing Jay Cutler verses Josh McDaniels soap opera that has been brewing out of Denver. Josh came to town as the New Broncos coach and wanted his New England up and comer Matt Cassel as his QB. He tried to trade Cutler for Cassel, and then lied to Cutler telling him he wasn’t trying to trade him. Since then Cutler has been begging to be traded and has not shown up for voluntary workouts.

Most every NFL commentator and radio talk show blabber has busted on Cutler. On the surface it appears that Cutler is asking out because McDaniels “hurt his little feelings”. The critics have said he is unprofessional, and said he is overreacting. Former Denver Bronco and current ESPN talker Mark Schlereth even went as far as to call him a “petulant child”. WOW! You people are harsh. Give the guy a break. Plus I don’t buy the popular reasoning for why Jay wants out. You are missing the point.

Look, have you watched any Broncos games in the last few years? I have unfortunately since I cheer for an AFC West team. Their defense is abysmal. There is very little real talent on the defensive side of the ball, which is shown by the amount of yards and points they have given up of late. Yes, their offense has been prolific and flashy at times, but very inconsistent and centered around marginal Running Back talent and a very troubled Wide Out. The owner has shown an unwillingness to be aggressive with money to improve the talent. It is also very cold in Denver. So, my theory is that Cutler simply wants out to go to a better team in a better place and is using the leverage a young, over zealous coach gave him. That is how I see it. Either way, how can you blame the guy?

Jay Cutler has the talent to make some team great, but like it or hate it he has to be happy. My theory is that he’ll end up either a Jet, a Lion, a Buccaneer, or a Brown. At this point I’m leaning to the Browns because they can provide a QB in return. We’ll see.

That’s what’s rolling around in the DOME for now.

Rashad Jennings is a Beast

Just give it some time!

When the dust settles from the 2009 NFL Draft, and the season is rolling, the most talked about newcomer Running Back will be one Rashad Jennings. I have seen him play every home game for the past three years, and he is the real deal. I have heard and read the praise and the criticism, and I am sure this guy will come through the process shining. Why? Because he is willing to listen and to do what ever it takes to be the best he can possibly be. They guy is a beast and a workout freak. So, watch out for Rashad, and don't be surprised when he is drafted higher than most seem to expect.

Here is his newly completed Jr./Sr. highlight video. Enjoy!

A few early Free-Agency observations

We are just part of the way into NFL Free-Agency and there has already been quite a bit of action. The big noise has been about the Deep-pocket Redskins signing Albert ‘the head stomper” Hanesworth for a bazillion dollars. There is also a lot of buzz about 2 quarterbacks that might move. If the Cardinals don’t get serious Kurt Warner might end up a 49er, and the new Denver Sheriff has ticked off Mr. Cutler and now he might move.

But in my opinion, the best fit move happened last night when the Seattle Seahawks picked up T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The Seahawks have been close for the last several years but the one piece that has really been missing is a big play maker Wide out. They got him yesterday. Their running game is slowly improving with Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett, and they will likely look to shore that up further in the draft. They will likely continue with a tandem backfield like so many other NFL teams. Now they have a big play receiver for veteran Matt Hasselback to hook up with and spread the field. Matt still has a strong accurate arm and has really needed someone like T.J. to really make this offense click.

T.J. got a good deal too as he got out of the disaster Bengals franchise and out of the drama queen shadow of Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson. He is 31, but I believe his best year may be yet to come, this year. He will be the go-to guy in this offense, and will thrive. He will be a top 5 or 6 receiver in the league in 2009. I for one will look to get him again in my fantasy leagues.

That’s what’s rolling around in the DOME for now!

Favre - Is the drama REALLY over?

So, word comes from ESPN that Brett Favre has sent an e-mail to his only friend Ed Werder telling him that he is retiring form the J.E.T.S (jets, jets, jets). I really don't want to go through the normal news blah, blah, blah on this topic. You can read that anywhere (like here - http://tinyurl.com/b4dcln). I would rather dig deeper into the psychological thriller that is the waning years of Mr. Favre's playing career. You will have to excuse me for not taking anything that comes out of Brett's mouth at face value. I will not believe it at all until he doesn't appear on any field in any uniform.

So, according to Mr. Werder, Favre had his agent, Bus Cook, tell the Jets he was retiring. Wow, that is a lot of levels. I hope it isn't like the game we played in High School where you tell the first person something and by the time it gets to the last person it comes entirely different. My guess is that he is still playing games. And, as you read down the article, you will see it clearly. It starts off as if it's a done deal and the man is FINALLY retiring, and then you read this bombshell:

"While Favre did not directly broach the subject of the team simply releasing him so that he might have the option of signing with another team such as the Minnesota Vikings, a source said that Cook informally discussed the option with the Jets. The Jets respectfully declined that option, the source said."

Wow, you are joking right? So, the Jets stuck their neck out, took all the drama, paid him a ton of money, only got a half-hearted effort and 1 measly year, and new he actually asked to be released. What a joke this guy turned out to be on a personal level. I mean the Packers put up with it for several years, so the Jets had a clear buyer beware, but this goes beyond the realm of normal. It was clear at the end of the year that he was done physically and the he had checked out mentally. I was sure this was finally time for a clear cut "I'm done" retirement. But now it appears that this guy is so sure that his life will be over when he leaves the field and is STILL not willing to move on.

So then Favre goes on to spill his guts to his Old friend ED with this comment about playing for the Jets:

"Maybe initially I came back for the wrong reasons,'' Favre says now. "It was like, "OK, they don't want me to play, then I'll play somewhere else and show them I can still play.''

So, basically this is a clear admission that the Packers decision to move on without him hurt his little feelings and he set out to get back at them" If I'm this Packers or their fans, this really burns. We gave this guy every shot for years, and he was the Man. He was unclear about his future way too many times and they moved on, and now he says he partly went to the Jets to prove them wrong. He even said he felt like the Packers were "shipping him off to Siberia". OK now the Jets Owners and fans are ticked.

This guy could have quietly just faded off the scene any time in the last 5 years and left a giant hero. Now he just slammed both teams an both groups of adoring, jersey wearing fans with this junk. Please! What a bad move. I am so ready for this guy to move on and hopefully disappear.

Brett, you were the king of football, and we all loved you dearly. Now you have officially tainted that legacy and solidified your new title of "Drama Queen". ENJOY!

That's what is rolling around in the DOME for now!

I was wr….wr….wrong

I was partly right you know. Arizona did move the ball at will, Warner had a huge game, and Pittsburgh’s running game was stifled. I just didn’t see Arizona committing (or being called for) several million penalties or that huge swing at the end of the first half with the Harrison interception and touchdown run. Arizona’s offense is so much fun to watch. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the best receivers in the game. He is just behind Andre Johnson for the best in my opinion. In the end it was, of all things, Pittsburgh’s offense that made the difference. Ben was huge at the end and so was Holmes. I also think Arizona made a huge mistake changing their defensive strategy in that last drive. They had played hard nosed blitzing D the whole game only to go into a soft prevent D at the end. That decision allowed Pittsburgh to simply dance down the field and that was all she wrote.

I have heard so many people calling this “one of the best Super Bowl’s ever”. Please! This was an average overall game at best. It was certainly one of the better fourth quarters ever, but not even better than last year’s Giant’s triumph against Brady and the Pats. There were more penalties and video reviews than there was excitement.

I would like to applaud the NFL for choosing General Petraeus to do the coin toss. He is a great man and an outstanding American and deserves that kind of recognition.

So as much as it pains me to say, Congrats Steeler fans, I was wrong!

That’s what is rolling around in the DOME for now!

Pre-Doomed Super Bowl Prediction

Despite my better judgement, every year I end up shouting out my Super Bowl Prediction to the masses. It has not worked out so well over all, even though I had the Giants by 3 over the Patriots last year. I have a tendency to pick the underdog.

So this year, we have a Super Bowl that lacks the sparkle some would like to see. But, to me I see a perfect match-up. I see an offense with lots of stud players (Arizona) versus the best defense in the league (Pittsburgh). Kurt Warner gets the ball away the quickest I've ever seen, and Pittsburgh's pass rush is one of the quickest ever. Yet another good match up on this side of the ball is Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin against that incredibly athletic secondary of the Steelers. This could get really good.

Even on the other side of the ball the match up is good. The Cardinals defense is actually very good, and Blitzes just as often as the Steelers (I heard today that both blitz 39% of the time). The Steelers offense "can" be really good if the running game is on and Ben Rothlisburger can stay healthy. The Steelers will want to run early and often in this one. The Cardinals will try to stop that run and at the same time put some huge pressure on Ben. Again, interesting.

It's time to make my pick. I believe that Warner and the Cardinals will find a way to get it done on offense. Fitz and Boldin will both have big days. Their offense will prove to be more than the Steelers can handle. Warner will get the ball off quickly enough that the blitz will be somewhat ineffective. He will catch them off guard early, and they will be forced to pull back from the blitz. I think the Cardinals will easily penetrate the Steelers O line and Ben will spend a lot of the evening on the ground. I do think the Steelers will be somewhat effective on the ground though. So, I am going with Arizona 31, and Pittsburgh 21. Yes, a 10 point win. You may think I'm crazy, and you may be right. But, in this case I think you will find me to be right on!

That's what is rolling around in the DOME for now!

P.S. - This is a bold post I've just made considering I have a ton of Steeler fan friends, and that the poll is heavily Steelers too. It appears that I am on an island by myself. Oh well, I can take the heat. Bring it on! Then I will get all the credit since I'm by myself.

Larry Fitzgerald sees the big picture

I wish more athletes saw the big picture when considering contracts. They are often too concerned about a big contract and not enough about being a winner. The Cardinals are in talks with Anquan Boldin about his contract, and may have to let him go if they can't free up enough cap room or if he asks too much. However, today Larry Fitzgerald has agreed to restructure his contract to open the way to Boldin staying with the team.

Fitzgerald knows that he is only as good as he is because of the attention that Boldin takes away from him. He knows that he wouldn't be about to be playing in his first Super Bowl without him. He will make plenty of money throughout his career, but he will only get a few chances for the perfect storm it takes to go deep into the playoffs and maybe win it all. So, he's willing to sacrifice a little to stay in a good situation. BRAVO.

I wish more Pro athletes got this idea. Very few see anything but their own interests and big dollar signs. Fitz gets it. Tony Gwynn was another who always got the team concept and took less money several times to stay with a team and in a situation he loved. It is great to see another guy willing to do it the right way.

Here is an article on the subject:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3867088

That's all that's rolling around in the DOME for now!