NFL Preseason

I do not get into NFL preseason games.  They are not real games.  They are not even exhibition games.  They are expensive scrimmages that mean nothing.  The 2008 season solidified this for me.  The Detroit Lions went undefeated during the preseason that year.  Then with key player positions still intact, they did not defeat one single opponent during the regular season.  Yes, they were 4 – 0 when it did not matter and 0 -16 when it actually counted.

How does this happen?

Teams are not fully executing their game plan.  They are trying out some guys before forming their final roster at the end of August.  Players are not playing to their full potential.  They are saving it for the season.  No one wants to get injured during the preseason.  The starters who are going to run the show during the season will only play for a few drives.

I’m not totally blasé about the preseason.  After going through withdrawals, it is invigorating to see a game.  It is refreshing to see your team back on the field.  You feel good seeing that a player who had surgery during the offseason has rehabilitated well.  You also get pumped seeing a glimpse of the rookies in a game setting.

I just want to warn you all that it is not an actual game, so you have realistic expectations.  Now, if someone is marching around the office making bold predictions after one preseason game, you can remind them that it’s only the preseason and suggest that they not get too excited.

The first week of preseason games concludes tonight with the New York Jets playing the Houston Texans in Reliant Stadium at 8 pm.  We’ll see if Plaxico Burress still has it after being away from the game for two years.

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

Charles Haley and Paul Tagliabue should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Over the weekend, the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined its newest members.  Richard Dent, Marshall Faulk, Chris Hanburger, Les Richter, Ed Sabol, Shannon Sharpe and Deion Sanders.  These gentlemen are now part of a very exclusive club of professional football’s finest contributors. 

During his speech, Shannon Sharpe mentioned that his brother, Sterling Sharpe, should be in the Hall of Fame.  After hearing this and watching the rest of the ceremony celebrating the 2011 Hall of Fame Class, I began thinking about some men who deserve to be permanently immortalized in Canton, Ohio. 

Everyone will bring up Chris Carter in a debate about who is missing from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Ranking fourth in history with 130 touchdown receptions and eighth with 13,899 receiving yards, he is on my list as well.  However, there are a lot of good wide receivers.  Carter was good, but he did not change the game or elevate his position. 

I want to highlight one player and one personnel who really made a huge contribution to the game and changed the expectation of their positions.  These men are Charles Haley and Paul Tagliabue.

Here is why. 

Charles Haley – He was a force to be reckoned with on the field.  He was the difference maker for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.  In 12 seasons, he had just over 100 sacks.  He was brash on the field and off the field.  The media loved watching him play, but hated the way he treated them after the game.  Some of them are now making him pay for it with their hall of fame vote.  The man who holds the NFL record for most Super Bowl victories by a player should definitely be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Paul Tagliabue - He was the NFL Commissioner from 1989-2006.  He is a brilliant attorney who is an expert in antitrust, communications and media law.  In 17 years, he grew the NFL from 28 teams to 32 teams.  He created the league wide internet network and the NFL Network.  As a result of his leadership, the NFL was the first sports league to utilize the web and new media such as podcasting to engage fans.  He can also be credited with the media deals that the league enjoys.  He earned so much “street cred” that fans endearingly call him “The Commish.”  Canton will have to welcome him soon.

Who do you think deserves to go to Canton next?

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

Philadelphia Eagles go hard in free agency

Philadelphia doesn’t have the glam, beauty, style, nightlife, or weather that South Beach has, but it had enough to get five pro-bowlers to take their talents to The City of Brotherly Love.  Count them.  Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins, Vince Young and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are all Philadelphia Eagles.  The fact that all of these guys are defensive players except Vince shows that the Eagles are serious about getting to Super Bowl XLVI.

Last year the Eagles offense led by starting quarterback Michael Vick, carried the team.  They made it to the playoffs because of offense.  Signing Nnamdi, the most coveted cornerback in free agency, brings their defense up to the level of their offense.  If they had a corner like Nnamdi last year, the 3 touchdown passes that Aaron Rodgers got in the NFC Wild-Card game would be a different story. 

What the Eagles did in just three days to upgrade their defense is very impressive.   But, I also like the preparation at the quarterback position.  This is the most important position on the team.  After last season, the Eagles know all too well that it is imperative to have depth at this position.  Getting Vince Young was a great move because he’ll learn from a guy (Michael Vick) who has a similar style.  As a young veteran, he has some experience starting.  If anything happens to Vick, Young should be able to fill in seamlessly.

The Eagles said that they were going to be aggressive in free agency.  That was an understatement.  They have not done anything major on offense, but they needed to focus on defense.  And, remember defense wins championships.

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

CBA almost done, time for free agency

Last week NFL owners agreed on a proposal and ended the lockout.  Now we are waiting for the players to agree and officially bring back football.  The league year, free agency, training camp and possibly a supplemental draft could all start within days.  This is going to be one crazy week. 

There is so much going on.  I don’t know where to begin.  I feel rushed, but I think the most important topic behind signing a new CBA will be free agency.  So, let’s look at three free agents that everyone will be watching.

1. Nnamdi Asomugha (Oakland Raiders cornerback) – He is 30, but still could upgrade a team’s secondary.  So, all 32 teams should be interested in him.  The team that could really use Nnamdi is the Houston Texans.  Their defense was last in defending passes.  A cornerback, who only allowed 52 passes to be completed against him in the last three seasons, would definitely help out.  I think that the Texans will get him. 

  

2. Santonio Holmes (New York Jets wide receiver) – The Jets want to keep Holmes.  Rumor is that Dan Snyder (owner, Washington Redskins) would pay big bucks for Holmes. The Jets were too close to a Super Bowl last year to let a key piece of their offense leave.  I see Holmes staying with the Jets.

3. Braylon Edwards (New York Jets wide receiver) – Another great receiver the Jets had in their arsenal last season.  When the Redskins are not successful getting Holmes, they will go after Edwards.  I think the Redskins will go deep in their pockets, but I think the Jets will be able to sell the benefit of keeping the core intact to get to the Super Bowl.  Rex Ryan (Jets Head Coach) wants a championship.

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

NFL lockout biggest winner

With the end of the NFL lockout seemingly in view, I was pondering who benefited the most from the nation being without its favorite sport for 128 days.  NFL owners and players are not included in this conversation.  Both sides will report some victories when the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is complete, but not conducting business for over four months was not beneficial to either side.

So who benefited while the NFLPA decertified, NFL owners and players attacked each other in court and fans prayed for the lockout to end?

I think the largest beneficiary of the NFL lockout is former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.   Prior to March 13 when the lockout began, Terrelle was headed back to Columbus, Ohio for his senior.  His final season as a Buckeye was going to begin on the sideline because he was suspended for the first five games of the seasons.  This was his punishment for selling awards and accepting improper benefits.

During the NFL Lockout more damaging news came out about Ohio State’s football program.  It led to the resignation or retirement (pending which day you speak to Ohio State administration) of coach Jim Tressel.  A week later, Pryor announced that he would not return to play at Ohio State in the fall.  Instead he will enter the NFL through the supplemental draft, dodge participating in a NCAA investigation and avoid punishment for his actions.

I’m sure Pryor is grateful for the lockout. 

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

Ohio State please stop the charade

Ohio State punished their football program for playing ineligible players by vacating their 2010 season.  In my book this really doesn’t mean anything.  So… the records will say that they didn’t win any games last season when they actually did?  Come on.  Everyone remembers the games.  People know what points were scored.  I don’t know how Ohio State considers this self-imposed penalty enough for the infractions committed by their players and coach.

Punishments are supposed to deter programs for committing the offense again.  Vacating wins from one season will not discourage any player from selling memorabilia or any coach from covering it up.  This does not even show that Ohio State is seriously contrite about the situation.

I should not be surprised.  This is the same program that gave out suspensions last December to players’ for the first five games of the 2011 season.  The suspensions were not effective immediately because they wanted their star players to play in the Sugar Bowl.  They also waived the $250,000 fine that they threw at former coach Jim Tressel for lying about the scandal.  On top of that they are now giving Tressel money for “retirement.”  Can’t you see how furious Ohio State is?

If Ohio State really wants to show that they are not only embarrassed about what happened, but will not tolerate it; they need a harsher punishment.  Forget a past record.  It’s already in the books and removing it does not change what happened.  Ohio State needs to lose some scholarships and not be eligible for a bowl game. 

Ohio State’s act of disappointment and outrage is not fooling me.  I don’t think that it is convincing the NCAA either.  Their hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions in Indianapolis is scheduled for August 12.  I’m sure more penalties are to come.

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

Tom Brady is “The Man”

Tom Brady was voted the No. 1 player in the NFL Network’s Top 100 players of 2011.  Players on the list were voted by their peers based on their performances during the 2010 NFL Season.  I raised eyebrows on some selections throughout the list, but the consensus on Tom Brady being the top player is bona fide.

OK, let me get this out of the way.  Tom Brady is a Michigan Man.  Yes, I studied at The University of Michigan.  Yes, I worked for Coach Lloyd Carr while Brady played in college.  Yes, I have an affinity for Michigan Football.  Yes, I bleed maize and blue.  I am biased, but I don’t ignore the facts.

So for the quarterback debate, let me give you the facts on Tom Brady.  In 2010, he had 36 touchdown passes and only four interceptions.  He did this without a corps of Pro Bowl receivers.  His deep threat receiver, Randy Moss, was sent to Minnesota a couple of weeks into the season and he made adjustments to lead the Patriots to a 14-2 season.  In contrast, Peyton Manning threw 33 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Many times I feel like quarterbacks only look as good as their wide receivers.  It helps to have receivers like Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals) and Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions).  These are the types of guys who will make big plays out of bad passes.  Brady did not have that luxury last season.  He took his young receiving squad and made things happen.  New England was just a touchdown away from playing in the AFC championship game.  Take Brady away and the Patriots would not have even made the playoffs.

I don’t like to use championships as part of the criteria in discussions about the best players in team sports.  However, since the sports world insists that it matters, I’ll go there.  Brady has three Super Bowl rings.  No question he is the best.

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®