Game Day Nuggets

I know that everyone is eager to see the Minnesota Vikings in prime time tonight. Me too. I'm so used to watching the Vikings play in an early game that I may be a little lost this morning. I'll just try to sample the morning fare. The Lions-49ers headline, with Falcons-Panthers and Giants-Bills looking pretty tasty too.

Percy Harvin received the game ball for his game against the Carduinals last week. It was for his blocking. Much of Adrian Peterson's yardage came from Harvin's downfield blocking. Most receivers complain about not getting the ball. Harvin just plays football. Its refreshing.

I've heard somewhere that if you have nothing good to say maybe it best you say nothing at all. I really think that Dallas Cowboys center Phil Costa should have said nothing at all this past week. Leading up to today's game against the New England Patriots this genius decided to poke at defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. Perhaps rivaled only by the Baltimore Ravens Haloti Ngata in size and strength, Wilfork is a 350-lb terror. He's a beast. He can take over a game when he's in the most pleasant of moods. If he's built up a little bit of anger, it could turn bad for Costa in a hurry. The last time we saw the Cowboys center he was having all kinds of problems with the snap count. The center really needs to know the snap count. He would have done himself, Tony Romo and the entire Cowboys organization a huge favor by practicing instead of talking.

Nearly as stupid as Costa is the verbal sparring between Santonio Holmes and Brandon Moore. Stupid mainly because both play for the Jets and they are doing it largely through the media. The receiver Holmes claims that the team's problems are the result of the offensive line. The guard Moore says that Holmes needs to shut the hell up. Why anything is discussed through the media is beyond me.

One of my favorite recent Cal players is current Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte. He entered Cal as a corner even starting as a freshman. He was switched to safety his senior year. He looked like he'd been there his entire life. His chances at a pro career changed from marginal as a corner to solid as a safety. As a rookie, Conte looks like he's getting his first start tonight against the Vikings. The Bears are benching both safeties. Chris Harris for being beaten repeatedly. Brandon Merriweather for being an idiot. Good luck to Chris Conte all weeks but this week and week 17.

I hate to do this, but congratulations to the Leland Stanford Junior University Cardinal on their school record fourteenth consecutive win. They better enjoy all these wins because it comes crashing down in the Big Game.