Remembering Joe Delaney

As a young football fan I thought that professional football players were immortal. I thought that some were heroes. 29 years ago I finally discovered what it really meant to be heroic. On June 29 1983, Kansas City Chiefs running back Joe Delaney never hesitated when he charged into the water because three boys were drowning. There were other people around but only Delaney reacted. It didn't matter that he couldn't swim very well. It only mattered that three boys were in trouble. One of the boys made it out, two didn't. Neither did Joe Delaney.

I think of Joe Delaney often. I'd be a far better person if I thought of him more than I do. So few people act without thinking of themselves first. What Joe Delaney did that day was one of the most selfless acts I've ever known. 29 years ago, I learned that professional football players are mortal. I also learned about a real hero. I'll never forget Joe Delaney.

Top 10

The NFL Network just finished revealing it's Top 100 players for 2012. This is, at least, the second year that they have put this list together. I find the lists interesting as they are voted by the players. Despite including Tim Tebow at #95, the players really do know best who among them is the best.

Here's the Top 10 for 2012

10. Patrick Willis
9. Haloti Ngata
8. Adrian Peterson
7. Larry Fitzgerald
6. DeMarcus Ware
5. Darrelle Revis
4. Tom Brady
3. Calvin Johnson
2. Drew Brees
1. Aaron Rodgers

Congratulations to former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers for his #1 spot. Much deserved. The NFL is a passing league these days. It's no surprise that the players place quarterbacks in three of the top four spots. The media and fans would likely have those three in the top three. If Peyton Manning hadn't missed an entire season he'd make it four. It was nice to see four defensive players in the top 10 with pass rushers Jared Allen and Terrell Suggs just outside. It's a little reassuring to see that people, players included, still view defense as part of the game.

One thing about the top 10 that leaped out at me but I've yet to see mentioned at all is the impressive representation of the draft class of 2007. Four players from that incredible class grace the top of the list, Patrick Willis, Adrian Peterson, Darrelle Revis and Calvin Johnson. A fifth, Cleveland Browns tackle Joe Thomas, was at #82. All four of the players in the top 10 are on pace to be in the discussion for best in league history at their respective positions. Perhaps this draft class would gather more attention if it had that great franchise quarterback mixed in somewhere. Unfortunately, the top pick of that draft turned into one of the greatest "busts" in history, Jamarcus Russell. Maybe that ruined things for everyone. The 2007 draft should get much more attention than it does. Maybe this top 10 will help.

Congratulations to all the players chosen, Tebow too. Next year, Percy Harvin needs to be included. Should've been this year.

Throwback Thursday: Green's Drafts

In 52 seasons the Minnesota Vikings have had eight head coaches. Seven if you take out Les Steckel's lone forgettable 1984 season. But that sad season is in the record books. Half of the eight is in the last decade. The fairly small number of coaches is due mostly to the magical 18 years of the legendary Bud Grant. So many Flickers can be written about that man. Many will. For now, I'm looking at the puzzling, almost ten years of Dennis Green. In particular, his drafts.

Dennis Green was an incredibly successful head coach for the Vikings. If you measure success by making the playoffs, he was one of the best. In ten years his team missed the playoffs twice. Once in the middle and that last horrible 2001 season. So many things went wrong that year for everyone. The problem that Green's teams had with those frequent playoff appearances is that they frequently left the party early. In 1998, they made it to the Conference Championship game with one of the most explosive offenses the NFL had ever seen. An incredible football team. Seeing as they didn't get to and win the Super Bowl, they left that party early as well. Green routinely put good to great teams on the football field. That part was fun. Leaving the playoffs early was never fun. The best expanation that I can find for those frustrating, too brief playoff appearances is the drafts that Green, as decision maker and coach, put together. He was an incredible judge of offensive talent. That was his area and his focus. In Green's ten drafts, he drafted one defensive player that went on to gain a Pro Bowl nod, linebacker Ed McDainel. On the offensive side, Green kept his job for ten years. Brad Johnson, Robert Smith, Todd Steussie, Korey Stringer, Randy Moss, Matt Birk and Daunte Culpepper all made Pro Bowl appearances. David Palmer, Moe Williams and Jim Kleinsasser may not have made it to Hawaii but were impact players in Minnesota. All were draft picks of Green. The offense/defense imbalance kept the Vikings from playoff success. It wasn't like Green simply ignored the defensive side of the ball. He simply missed on all his picks. He kept making stabs at a pass rusher but first rounders Derrick Alexander and Duane Clemons did pretty much nothing. Alexander was even selected over Warren Sapp. I don't think that Green ever really got over that one. Some picks looked great at first. 1997 first round selection Dwayne Rudd was great early but soon showed himself to be more of an ass than a football player. He ended up in Cleveland. Bad luck was a factor too. Safety Orlando Thomas could have been a star but injuries stole his career just as it was getting started. Another first rounder, DeWayne Washington spent his best years in Pittsburgh. The were some solid role players but none kept the defense on par with the offense.

Dennis Green inherited some defensive talent when he was hired in 1992. The Vikings had closed the '80s with one of the best defenses in the league. For some reason, Green traded some of that talent away. Future Hall of Famer Chris Doleman was one. Former Defensive Player of the Year Keith Millard was another. An incredible defensive line was taken apart. Fortunately, defensive tackle John Randle remained but Green added little to help him. Defensive coordinator Tony Dungy made up for some of the gaps in talent but he soon left to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Dennis Green had hit on even a quarter of his defensive draft selections that 1998 team would have had such better balance. That team had to outscore everyone because the defense couldn't stop much. In 18 games that season the Vikings failed to outscore their opponents only twice by a total of six points. Even a decent defense would have covered that margin. Just slightly better defensive drafts would have provided that defense. Who knows, maybe the Vikings win that 1998 Super Bowl. Maybe more.

You can debate "what if" sports topics forever. It never changes what actually happened. It's just rare to find such continued defensive draft deficiencies. Green's offensive selections allowed him to keep his job. Usually poor drafting is seen on both sides of the ball and results in a short NFL career. If Dennis Green had any kind of defensive success he'd have had an even longer career. Maybe even approached Bud Grant's legendary status in Minnesota. He'd likely have some championships as well.

Only The Locals Really Know

In light of Percy Harvin's recent comments and Jerome Simpson's three game suspension, a national media talking head was asked who the Minnesota Vikings starting receivers to begin the season would be if Harvin were to hold out. It was a stupid question to begin with as Harvin will not be holding out. This talking head somehow came up with Michael Jenkins and Devin Aromashodu as the Vikings starters. It's a real stretch to assume that Aromashodu makes the team. Jenkins likely will but it's certainly no guarantee. If the national media is to make comments about the Vikings, or any team, they really should find out a little more. Simpson will eventually start opposite Harvin. He's been terrific so far in offseason work but won't be available for the first three games. At least the talking head was aware of that. Good for him. I'd pick Stephen Burton or rookie Greg Childs to cover for Simpson on opening day before I'd even think about either Jenkins or Aromashodu. I see the receiver locks on the Vikings right now this way:

Percy Harvin
Jerome Simpson
Stephen Burton
Greg Childs
Jarius Wright

With Simpson out for the first three games the Vikings will likely keep a sixth receiver. That could be Bryan Walters or Manny Arceneaux before either receiver the talking head selected as starters. The Vikings are in a serious youth movement and that could count against Jenkins. His experience could be a plus but it may end up hurting him. There's no telling right now. The local media is a little more aware of things as they should be. The national media should do more research before they make some reckless prediction. So there.

Hollywood

I don't really like to bash Rich Eisen as I've really enjoyed his work on NFL Network. He has an incredible rapport with the football players, past and present. When Eisen is with the players they all seem to accept him as one of their own even though he repeatedly proves to be so very nonathletic. His 40-yard dash, in his dashing suit, to close the NFL Scouting Combine is a riot. A tradition that I hope never fades. His sprints are bad. His attempts at throwing and kicking a football are even worse. I've never seen anyone whose life is so centered around sports be so bad at them. Maybe he's terrific at tennis or golf but football clearly is not a sport that he has grasped. It all adds to his goofy appeal. He comes across as a very fun guy. I'd love to hang out with him and all his football friends.

The thing that frustrates me about Eisen is that I fear that he's become too "Hollywood." He's always looking for that big "story." That big scoop. Usually a controversial one. It seems that he's always looking to add a little TMZ to the NFL. When the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl he was more excited about the possibility of Kim Kardashian joining Reggie Bush on the post game set than the big game that he just witnessed. It was ridiculous. Hearing about it was embarrassing as a football fan. The Kardashians are a disaster. I hate seeing any of them walking around the sidelines of football let alone sitting comfortably on a Super Bowl postgame set. Keep it about football, Rich!

People often joked about the way that John Madden fawned over Brett Favre. At least that admiration was entirely due to Favre's often incredible football ability. Eisen has a similar fascination with Tim Tebow. In my opinion, this crush has little to do with football. Right now, Tebow is a horrible quarterback. His passing fundamentals make Philip Rivers and Favre look like Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. Unlike Favre and Rivers, Tebow's passes are all over the place. There's no telling where they might go. Tebow is a lightning rod for conversation and Eisen can't get enough. As a result, this football fan has to suffer through it. I'd rather hear about Jay Cutler and I hate that too. At least it'd be about football. No, Rich Eisen has gone too Hollywood. I wish that he'd come back.

Uno Moss

When the San Francisco 49ers signed Randy Moss, I was impressed. It was a nice move. Outside of the Buffalo Bills signing Mario Williams and my homer pick of the Minnesota Vikings adding Jerome Simpson, the 49ers adding Moss to a Super Bowl ready team could be the best addition of the 2012 offseason. Moss' last time in the San Francisco bay area was less than perfect. Some expect a repeat of those sad Raiders days. Many in the media mention his pathetic season of 2010. He played through a coma with the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans in one season. Few players have ever had such a disastrous exit from that many teams in one season. All three teams sent him packing with little thought to his cost. The Patriots gained. The Vikings lost. The Titans didn't care. No player has ever had such a pathetic last season, then skipped a season, then joined an NFL team and made an impact. I don't even have to research that. Common sense and physics excludes anything close to what Moss is doing. He's sitting in a nice spot. For a plodding, efficient offensive team with a dynamite defense, Moss could be explosive. Maybe not 2007 New England explosive but a whole lot closer to that kind of explosive than anything that he showed in 2010.

The more I hear the media spout their opinions the more convinced I am that they simply do not get football. They do not understand the players. They have no clue about the game. Even worse, they think that they get it all. The people writing him off now are likely the ones that called him done in Oakland over five years ago. Moss then exploded in New England. No one on this side of the field has ever understood the football player that is Randy Moss. I've spent way too much of my time trying to figure this sumbitch out. I've never seen another football receiver more naturally gifted than Randy Moss. Jerry Rice may be the greatest receiver of all-time but he was climbing a hill to hit the mark that came naturally to Moss. No one has touched that mark. Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson are in his shadow. Moss at his best made others wish they had chosen some other sport. Defenders and receivers. Even at 35, he puts more receiving talent on the field than the majority of the teams in the NFL. So few in the media truly understands the football genius of Moss. He's always been a brilliant football player. He's given little credit for his football mind. Bill Belichick saw it. Even said that Moss was the smartest receiver that he'd ever known. He may show to all that he's an idiot off the field but he regularly shows that he knows what's going on between the lines.

Randy Moss just wants to play football.. Get a ring. Say goodnight and good bye. The 49ers will be a bunch of happy folk this year as Moss is a whole lot of fun to watch.

Oh, Percy!

If a football player is to be named Percy, he has to be great. A unique name. A unique football player. I've known of Percy Harvin since he was the top high school football player in the nation. I always hoped that he'd bring his unique football skills to Minnesota. Harvin should never have been available at #22 when the Minnesota Vikings drafted in 2009. Now, I hope that he spends his entire professional football days in Minnesota. Players like this are few.

Percy Harvin has easily become one of my favorite football players. At 5-11 and close to 200 lbs, he's considered small. Doesn't really matter, he's never played small. Percy Harvin is a bull. Tackling him is a chore. So many see it as an easy task. As many fail. He gains every yard as if it's the last yard he ever gains. Many receivers drop if a defender looks at him right. Between Harvin and Adrian Peterson, defenses have serious work in front of them. Those two do not hit the turf without a fight. I've rarely seen players fight for every single yard like Harvin and Peterson regularly do. Percy Harvin is critical to any success in the Vikings immediate future. So, his happiness is important. This past week has brought Harvin to the front of NFL news. He's never been there before. Despite his amazing football skills, Harvin has never really gained national attention. He's not in the NFL's Top 100 players when he should be in the top half of it. No one really knows him. He's always on the back burner. His talent is obviously known as the slightest peep put him on the front burner. He's known now for all of the wrong reasons. He complained. I never heard Harvin specifically ask to be traded from the Vikings. The media said that he did so I doubt that he ever did. There's certainly no doubting that he's unhappy about something. I can understand his reasons. There were far too many plays last year with Harvin on the sideline. Too many of those plays were in the red zone. Important downs. Important situations. Percy Harvin has to be on the field in those situations. The more that he's on the field the better the Vikings are. This forces the Vikings into a very difficult balance. Harvin wants to be on the field full time. Offense, returns, everything, probably defense too. I wouldn't put it past Harvin to survive that kind of work but it's a tough chore. If he's on the field 100%, it's difficult to perform 100%, 100% of the time. Perhaps that balance is easier to attain and Harvin is happier when the team wins. A competitor like Harvin always feels like his presence on the field can be the difference. He wants to win. It's all he knows. He wasn't unhappy with his contract. He was unhappy with losing. He was unhappy with being on the sideline too often while his team was losing. There's no mystery. As usual, the media exploded with a story that was never really there. I'd be disappointed if Percy Havin was happy with the past two years of Minnesota Vikings football. To be unhappy simply shows that he cares.

More T-Sizzle

"I think I'd create him about eleven times over for my defense."

That's Cincinnati Bengals tackle Andrew Whitworth speaking sweetly of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. That's a nice little sentiment about the man across from you. Suggs was a monster last year. He's kinda been that way since the Ravens drafted him in 2003. I still think that Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen was more deserving of Defensive Player of the Year this past season. Notching 22 sacks is a difficult thing to do in the best of situations. The Vikings had little else on defense and absolutely nothing in the secondary. Everyone was running open back there. To get sacks, Allen had to do it fast. Despite my obvious feelings about Allen, Suggs was dynamite last year. On a defense with Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata, Suggs was a star brighter than other stars.

I feel like I've known Terrell Suggs forever. Before he was a Raven he played for the Arizona St. Sun Devils. Conference rivals of my California Golden Bears. I feel like I watched all his games there but in reality it was more like five. Maybe it was just the impression that he made in those few games. Cal had a similar player in Tully Banta-Cain. Same uniform number too. #48. Banta-Cain was a terrific college football player. A solid professional player with a couple Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots. For someone that always seemed to be chasing Suggs, Banta-Cain leads in jewelry. One Arizona St.-Cal matchup seemed more a personal battle between the two pass rushers. Though never on the field at the same time, they each seemed to be challenging the other to "top that." It was fantastic.

Heading into the 2003 NFL Draft, many Vikings fans were drooling over Suggs. The team had been trying to find a pas rusher since Chris Doleman was taking apart offenses a decade earlier. Despite the fan's cries, the Vikings wanted a defensive tackle and found a great one in Kevin Williams. Suggs found a match in Baltimore a few picks later and it's been perfect, minus a championship. Both the Vikings and the Ravens left the first round pretty happy.

Like a stalker, I find that I've been following the football career of Terrell Suggs since high school. Always close but just outside of any direct view. He's always been somewhere in my football periphery. Dubbed "T-Sizzle", Suggs can be as entertaining off the field as he is on it. His interviews are often a riot. Some can start slow but if he gets comfortable there's no telling where it'll go. On the field it's been a real treat to follow his career as I have. I hope that he gets that ring. It's about all that's missing from his career. As long as that ring isn't at the expense of the Vikings.

A Little Inconvenience

When I was recently flying across the nation and back I encountered ridiculous delays. Each flight was delayed. This only resulted in more flights and more delays. Each was an inconvenience. The total was unbearable. The handful of hours that were simply wasted. The incredible story of Brian Banks makes me rethink my idea of an inconvenience. He's spent the last ten years of his life locked up on a trumped-up charge. In 2002, Banks was a highly recruited linebacker at football factory Long Beach Poly. Instead of college football glory and NFL fame, he found himself accused of kidnapping and rape by a classmate. This cost him his freedom for the next ten years. The possibility of freedom and a life of his choosing arose when his accuser recently sent him a friend request on Facebook. She easily admits that Banks is innocent of her accusations. It never happened. She wanted to "let bygones be bygones." It's incredible. She has no clue as to what she has done to his life. No remorse. Some close to the proceedings thinks that she wants to get back together with Banks. On May 24, Brian Banks was granted his freedom. Despite being away from the game for ten years, he still has a shot at football. He's received interest from several teams. His first invite to a tryout came from the coach that recruited him ten years earlier. Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks were the first to take a look. Tryouts with the Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers soon followed. The Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins have expressed an interest. He needs to shake off that football rust but the speed and athletic ability are still there. Banks deserves a shot and he should get a shot. Some team will invite him to training camp.

The most remarkable part of Brian Banks' story is his lack of animosity. I couldn't deal with a few delays that cost me a few hours of my time. Just a few hours of inconvenience and this guy is gracefully handling having a decade yanked from him. He's just happy to finally be free. I sure hope that he gets his shot at football again. He deserves at least that.

Throwback Thursday: The First National Football League

Eighteen years before what we know now as the National Football League was formed there was a National Football League. It only lasted one year. Baseball was behind it. In 1902, the best football was played in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Despite that, Pittsburgh had become a baseball town. Led by the great Honus Wagner, the Pirates were the best team in baseball. On the other side of the state, Philadelphia Phillies owner Col. John I. Rogers decided to bankroll a football team. Ben Shibe of the Philadelphia Athletics decided that anything the Phillies could do the A's could do better. Since football was best over by Pittsburgh, the baseball guys called on football guy Dave Berry. He agreed to put a dynamite team together in Pittsburgh. Everyone, then and now, believe that Pittsburgh Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss was the money behind this Pittsburgh football team but Berry always denied it. Since the Philadelphia guys never got along, Berry was elected president of this impressive three team league. They called themselves the National Football League. They thought very highly of themselves in Pennsylvania. Although all three teams ended the "season" with two wins and two losses in games against each other, Pittsburgh had the better points ratio, scoring 39 points to their opponents' 22. Both the Athletics and the Phillies gave up more points than they scored in their league games. That was enough for Dave Berry. He declared that his Pittsburgh team was the 1902 National Football League champion. It's great to be president.

RIP R.C. Owens

Former San Francisco 49ers receiver R.C. Owens passed away on Sunday. He was 78. Owens had been on my mind recently. I just kept running across references to him. While waiting far too long for an airplane at the San Francisco International Airport, I was pleased to find the plaque commemorating Owens' induction into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame at my gate. I had the time to read his story on the plaque thousands of time. I didn't really need to as I knew his story well. My father often spoke of R.C. Owens in his football tales. When my plane finally arrived and I landed on the other side of the nation, I was again reminded of Owens at the Basketball Hall of Fame. I found plaques and displays honoring the great Elgin Baylor. Owens and Baylor were teammates at the College of Idaho. Owens was an excellent basketball player, leading the nation in rebounding. Those hoops skills helped make him ahead of his time in the NFL. In today's football game you'll find a handful of receivers like Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson and Sidney Rice. Receivers that use their height, positioning, leaping ability, timing and hands to simply go up and get the ball. Much like a basketball rebound. A pass thrown high into the end zone will end it's flight in the hands of those receivers. Many receivers can do this now. Only R.C. Owens did it in the late '50s. The "Alley Oop Pass" was discovered by accident in a 49ers practice. Quarterback Y.A. Tittle was just throwing the ball away. When Owens went up and grabbed it the 49ers were smart not to ignore the possibilities. It was beautiful and R.C. Owens was a star. To many he was known simply as "Oop." Despite playing a few seasons with the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants, Owens was always a 49er. He worked for the organization as a player and administrator in six decades. His impact was strong away from the 49ers office as well. He started a reading program that continues to this day. R.C. Owens revolutionized football but is better known to many for changing lives.

RIP R.C. Owens.

Six Phases

Many football people say that special teams is a third of the game. I haven't always accepted that notion. Based on the number of plays during a game, it's closer to a fifth. Despite that mathematical thinking I have to admit that a big play on special teams can often ignite a team far more than big plays on offense or defense. They are so sudden. A blocked field goal carries far more weight than the three points it prevents. A kick return either follows an opponent's score or opens a half. That answer or statement can be huge. To answer an opponent's score so quickly can be a sharper dagger than a methodical drive down the field. The opponent is usually still celebrating as the kick return is negating their score. Special teams splash plays are momentum changers. Perhaps that impact is why many consider it a third of the game. Perhaps they say that it's a third of the game to get the rest of us to appreciate it more. Most fans don't realize that there are six phases to special teams. Coaches sure do. There are kick and punt returns, kick and punt coverage, and field goal/extra point kicking and defense. There are two more less used but very important phases in onside kick recovery and coverage.

I've been thinking about special teams more often than usual this offseason. That's probably due to the Minnesota Vikings depending on the leg of a rookie kicker in Blair Walsh and likely rookie kick and punt returners. Unlike most offenses and defenses, the special teams units undergo major changes every offseason. Most units are formed from the bottom half of team's rosters. That part of the roster is often quite fluid. Pretty much the Vikings entire special teams will be new. That's a result of the typical roster turnover as well as a pretty serious youth movement. Thankfully, punter Chris Kluwe and long snapper Cullen Loeffler will be around for a while to provide a little stability. One real concern with special teams is injuries. It's a concern everywhere in football but special teams injuries can be a significant, under the radar, blow to any team. Some players are part of all six phases of the special teams. You lose an offensive or a defensive player and there's some shuffling. You lose a certain special teams player and there's a domino effect that can be brutal. All six phases can be rattled. Special teams players aren't usually household names but their role on the team is critical and their enthusiasm is infectious. Even though I once accepted it, the amount of time spent on the field isn't the best way to view the importance of special teams. Those units can set the tone for the game. The first play of every half involves the special teams. It's the quickest way to answer any score. All six phase, and sometimes eight, can and do regularly change games.

Vikings Receivers

The Minnesota Vikings need improved play from nearly all areas of the team. A 3-13 season pretty much demands it. Offensive line and the secondary lead the way. Inconsistency on the line. Just plain poor play all over the place in the secondary. Receiver, though better, wasn't too far behind. The position will be much better this year. It absolutely will.

The Vikings receiver position starts with Percy Harvin. He's on the verge of becoming a superstar. The Flea Flicker says he's already there. Harvin does everything. Catches, runs, blocks. There are few, if any, more versatile, more dangerous receivers in the league. The only thing that has slowed him is his lifelong battle with migraines. His doctors seem to have them under control. That's bad news for the rest of the league. Even all-everything Darrelle Revis has trouble covering Harvin. The Vikings may have finally found a deep threat to line up opposite Percy Harvin. It's something that the team has been lacking since Sidney Rice was last healthy in 2009. Former Cincinnati Bengals acrobat Jerome Simpson is catching everything and amazing everyone in offseason workouts. He was on the verge of truly breaking out with the Bengals last year. He could finally do so this year. Unfortunately, Simpson is suspended for the first three games of the season. It's a big loss but his return in week four will be a huge boost for the offense. Michael Jenkins was brought in last offseason. He brings a veteran presence. That combined with high effort and steady play makes him valuable. He may still be fighting for a roster spot as youth might be preferred. Second year, former seventh round pick Stephen Burton could be the wildcard. He's worked hard during his first NFL offseason. With Harvin rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery, Burton has been taking a lot of first team snaps. He's making the most of it. He might be the most talked about player in offseason workouts as he's regularly making plays and turning heads. At 6'1" and about 225 lbs he brings nice size and very good speed. He could make a real impact in his first full season. Quarterback Christian Ponder likes to throw his way. That's always a nice perk. The Vikings selected Arkansas receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs in the fourth round of the recent NFL Draft. They'll make the team and both could be true playmakers. Childs might be the most naturally skilled receiver outside of Harvin. He's big, 6'3" and 225lbs, and fast. If he can stay healthy, he'll see the field a lot. Especially in the first three games when Simpson is out. Wright might make his most immediate impact as a kick returner. Small and quick, he was likely drafted to provide nice depth behind Harvin in the slot. He's an exciting football player.

The Vikings typically carry five or six receivers. Harvin, Simpson, Wright and Childs are absolute locks. I think that Burton is as well. That's five. My guess is that the team goes with six and survives with five through the first three games when Simpson is suspended. That last spot will be a battle. Experience might give Jenkins the edge but younger players like Manny Arceneaux, Devin Aromashadu and Bryan Walters should make him nervous. Outside of Harvin, Jenkins and Simpson, the Vikings receivers carry little name recognition. That will change this year. It may not seem evident to the national media and nearly all of the fans but Ponder has some nice weapons moving forward.

Ben Leber Retirement

Former Rams, Vikings and Chargers linebacker Ben Leber retired just over a week ago. It's news that likely skipped across sports desks all over the nation with barely a glance. That's unfortunate. Ben Leber was a terrific football player. He was part of the Minnesota Vikings under the radar yet super 2006 free agency class. With Steve Hutchinson, Chester Taylor and Ryan Longwell, Leber helped the Vikings on the field and off. Their leadership and play helped  bring the Vikings to the brink of the Super Bowl in 2009. Leber's play at linebacker was always reliable and frequently spectacular. With EJ Henderson in the middle and Chad Greenway and Leber on the outside, the Vikings had an excellent linebacker group. Playing behind linemen Jared Allen, Pat and Kevin Williams and Ray Edwards, the Vikings front seven was one of the best in the league. Leber was a big part of it yet had the lowest profile. It was a sad day when the Vikings decided not to re-sign Leber following the 2010 season. The team has been going through a bit of a roster purge over the last two seasons. Only defensive tackle Kevin Williams and corner Antoine Williams remain from the "old" days. Seeing him in a St Louis Rams uniform never looked or felt right. It was a real shame that Leber didn't retire as a Minnesota Vikings football player.

Well-spoken and very football knowledgeable, Ben Leber has a bright future in the broadcast booth or on a set. I think that he's leaning that way. It would be a nice transition. He might even become a household name as a TV football personality. I just wish that more recognized Leber as the terrific football player that he was.

Coaches Game Film

The holy grail of football film study has always been the coaches game film. Sometimes called "All-22" as it shows all twenty-two players on the field. Something that you never see on TV. Maybe at the snap in goal line situations might you see all the players in one frame. "All-22" is unique and has always been in the sole possession of coaches and select analysts like Ron Jaworski, Greg Cosell and Mike Mayock. The fans and most of the media have only heard mention of this treasure of football insight. Quite frankly few fans and none of the media could handle this information. They still can't. Despite fan and media ignorance the NFL is making "All-22" available to all. Their Game Rewind package will include access to this gold mine starting this season. It's an awesome thing to have. It'll take a lot of viewing and rewinding to truly understand what all twenty-two players are doing on a single play. Multiply that by 120 to 150 plays in a game. That's a lot of viewing. Even that incredible amount of seemingly seamless information is littered with holes. No one but the coaches and the players know the play call and the corresponding player assignments. Just because you can see clearly what happened during a play you don't necessarily know the responsibilities of each of the players. The player that made an incredible play may have actually been the player that screwed up what was supposed to be done. If there's a mistake, the responsible player may not be the one feeling all the stares and the fingers. "All-22" is an incredible tool and I'll be looking into using it. I'm just under no illusion that every mystery of every play will suddenly be revealed to me. It'll take years to truly understand what I see on this game film. The media would be best served to view it the same way. I doubt that they will. The media is dangerous now because so many know so little about the game. They'll be even more dangerous when access to "All-22" makes them think that they know it all. I urge people to view this film but only with the understanding that revealing this little secret gives rise to so many more.

Football Destinations

Having returned to the real world from a little visit to NFL Films, I've been thinking about other great football destinations. Bucket list type things that are a must for this little football fan.

Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio
-no explanation is needed on this one. It's a given. I suppose the only decision would be whether to visit when Cris Carter is finally inducted or some time other than an induction weekend. All I know for sure is that I'll need at least a week at this place. Maybe a month and still leave hungry.

Minnesota Vikings home game
-at the Metrodome dump as well as the new stadium, opening in 2016. Every year is a good year for a Vikings game.

Vikings game at any of the other 31 stadiums.

Vikings training camp at Mankato State University
-I would love to attend all practices over the duration of the entire camp. 2,3, 4 weeks, the more the better.

Lambeau Field
-It's the Green Bay Packers but the place screams football history.

Soldier Field
-although the Chicago Bears have only played there for about forty years, the stadium is old and the football history is still strong.

Arrowhead Stadium
-I've heard nothing but glowing comments about the football experience at Kansas City Chiefs games. A passionate, classy fan base.

Notre Dame Stadium
-visit the College Football Hall of Fame while catching a classic college football experience. I probably have to act fast as the Hall of Fame might be moving to Atlanta. Maybe, it's already on the way.

College Football rivalry games
-I regularly catch the best in Cal-Stanford, but there's a bunch. Auburn-Alabama, Michigan-Ohio St, Army-Navy, Harvard-Yale, Texas-Oklahoma and more. Every one is a treat.


High School games
-It would be a blast to spend a month or more catching high school games in football mad states like Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Ramp up the excitement by catching as much of the respective state tournaments as possible.

So much football to see. So little time. Gotta start somewhere and NFL Films was a great place to start.

Throwback Thursday: Poe Presence

Since their move from Cleveland, I've always liked that the Baltimore Ravens are named for the works of writer Edgar Allen Poe. I just like this introduction of literature into football. It wasn't the first time that Poe had an impact on football. In fact, football kind of runs in his family.

Arthur Poe's father, John Poe, Sr., was a nephew of the poet. All told, John Sr. had nine children, six of them sons, and all six Poe boys played football at Princeton between 1880 and 1901. The second brother, named Edgar Allen after his famous great-uncle, was selected as quarterback on the first All-America team in 1889. When he broke his nose in an 1890 game, he designed and wore the first nose guard. Most considered Arthur, the fifth son, the best of the Poe bunch. He was named to Walter Camp's All-America team in 1899. He was only 5'7" and 146lbs, but he was dynamite on the football field.

LA Team

I can't help but chuckle every time I hear the fantastic need for an NFL team in Los Angeles. That football deprived mega-market. Four professional football teams have called Los Angeles home. None are there now. Three teams have left that home. The Los Angeles Dons of the All America Football Conference competed with a Rams team fresh off the train from Cleveland for the love of the people of LA. The Dons folded when their league folded. The Rams played on. The team that we now know as the San Diego Chargers started in LA. They soon left that city for San Diego. The Rams played on. The Oakland Raiders decided to piss off everyone but LA by moving south in 1982. The big city was a two team city for more than a decade but they couldn't sustain it. The empty Raiders seats were always a depressing sight. By 1995, LA was a no team town. In my opinion the professional football track record in LA is horrible. The Rams were big time in southern California for fifty years. I hated seeing the Rams bolt for St. Louis. I wouldn't mind seeing them come back to what I have always thought of as their home. It just sucks for St. Louis but poaching teams has always been the LA way. The Rams, Lakers and Dodgers all left other communities in tears. I guess that the people of California hate dealing with the struggles of an expansion team. LA is going to get a team some day. It's too much of a priority for Roger Goodell and the suits around the league. Unfortunately the team will likely come at the expense of another community. I don't like that. I chuckle when I hear banter about the "LA situation" mostly because I feel that the city has had their shot. Several shots.

Jersey Rules

I question NFL Network's place in creating fashion rules. Total Access host Kara Henderson says that people shouldn't wear a jersey of a player younger than themselves. I actually think that Henderson said that no one older than a teenager should ever wear a player's jersey. It's been softened a bit by Rich Eisen and others to the above age requirements. Its all ridiculous! No one at NFL Network has any right to tell anyone else what they can and can not wear. Wear what you want. Wear what makes you happy. I hate to see team gear in a color other than the color of that team, or a neutral color, but I'm not going to make some idiotic fashion rule. I would certainly never take advantage of a national platform and spout my jersey rules. I say forget what these talking heads say. Wear your jersey with pride. Wear that jersey of a young rookie no matter your age. I may even purchase that Harrison Smith #22 jersey just because I like the way he plays a game. Age doesn't matter. Fashion should be a personal choice.

Football Vacations

In 1996, I had the opportunity to attend a college football clash between Michigan and Penn St at the Big House. Michigan Stadium. An amazing football experience. The difference in football knowledge between Midwest fans and the laid back west coast fans is striking. Just by listening to those around me, I learned a great deal about a freshman defensive back from Michigan named Charles Woodson. Little did I know then that this Woodson kid would become such a nightmare for Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Christian Ponder fifteen years later. After that Michigan-Penn St game I jetted back to California to attend the Minnesota Vikings-Oakland Raiders game on Sunday night. There I watched John Randle go nuts and a Vikings overtime win. A fantastic football weekend.

This weekend in Mt Laurel, NJ at NFL Films with football nerds like me is another fantastic football weekend. Just a whole bunch of fun. Perhaps the first time that I didin't send folks running with my thoughts on Camp, the Nesser family, Carr, Hinkle, Night Train and so many others. This was a weekend that never would have been possible without the incredible support of Mrs. Flicker. When I first learned of the location of this Pro Football Researchers Association meeting over six months ago, there was an interest. A spark. Mrs Flicker put it into action. Her support and understanding made it all possible. I can not thank her enough.

Day 2 At NFL Films

I've seen many highlights of the amazing career of former Washington Redskins great Sammy Baugh. Put simply, an amazing football player. Yesterday I learned that highlights fall short in painting his career. It was a tiny sampling of his passing work, but it was a real treat to finally see actual game film of the early Redskins and, in particular, Sammy Baugh. Seeing play after play, snap after snap, I was able to better see the true skills of one of the first, and all-time, great quarterbacks. He has an interesting, somewhat sidearm, delivery that brought about his nickname "Slingin" Sammy Baugh, With a quick delivery, the ball leaves his hand like it's shot. There's no extra or wasted motion. It's all fluid and remarkable. Baugh was also a tremendous defensive back and punter. Seeing game film of Sammy Baugh was an excellent way to close the Pro Football Researchers Association meeting and our visit to NFL Films.

One special, unexpected treat of this weekend's fun at NFL Films was a visit by Bob Dilweg. He's the son of former Green Bay Packers great Lavvie Dilweg. Now, the senior Dilweg is one of the finest players of his era. He played end for the Packers from 1927-34. He was an impact player on a team that won three consecutive NFL titles from 1929-31. Dilweg was considered the greatest end of his era. All-Pro six consecutive seasons and named to the 1920s All-Decade team. It's been said of Hall of Famers that you should not be able to describe the era in which they played without mentioning their role. Lavvie Dilweg impacted his era of football like few others in any era. The Packers were an impact team revealed easily by their titles and success over Dilweg's career. It's no coincidence. His play contributed greatly to the success of the Packers. The NFL limped out of the '20s. Kept alive by stars like Red Grange, Johnny "Blood", Ernie Nevers, Benny Friedman and Lavvie Dilweg. There are fromer NFL players whose absence from the Hall of Fame I find truly stunning. Friedman was one. Dilweg still is. These are absences so stunning that I have to check to make sure that their absence from Canton is real. The Pro Football Hall of Fame was open for business in 1963. They had to catch up to four decades of football. Lavvie Dilweg's induction should have happened before the '60s closed.

These two days at NFL Films have been incredible. A visit made possible by membership in the Pro Football Researchers Association. I've been drooling over the opportunity of walking the halls of a place that I find beautiful. The work that they do there is beautiful. It's art. Beautiful art. My guess is that none that work there consider it work. I wouldn't. They are the "Keepers of the Flame." I came to Mt Laurel, NJ to see NFL Films. I leave discovering that people like me, for good or bad, really are out there in the world. People that seem to doze off if I mention that Princeton impacted the color scheme of the current Ohio NFL teams. That really doesn't go well in most social situations. The PFRA is much like I expect work at NFL Films to be. People that love football discovering more about football. Just like NFL Films. Just like the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The PFRA carries the light of football. Keeping that light on football past and making sure that no one ever forgets players like Lavvie Dilweg.

Magnificent

NFL Films is as magnificent as the art that they create. It was like walking through a dream. I even found shelves that are filled with Minnesota Vikings game film. Those shelves are empty now. The whole building is incredible. From Steve Sabol's decorating to the Ed Sabol theater. It's magic. The "board room" is filled with vintage football board games. As I expect to find the Pro Football Hall of Fame, NFL Films is a football heaven. Everything that NFL Films does is done in this building. Well, the games that are filmed are, of course, played at the respective stadiums but everything else is done at the magnificent Mt Laurel, NJ facility. It just looks like a fantastic place to work. Sal Palantonio said as much. Said how lucky he is to be able to enter the place everyday. I actually had a nice little debate with Mr. Palantonio over the Hall of Fame merits of former Vikings receiver Cris Carter. He thinks that Carter's overrated. I think that he's wrong. It was very nice. It was fun. The whole visit was fun. I want to go back. Lucky for me, I go back today. Looking forward to more of the same magnificent dreamy fun.

The greatest news of the day was hearing that Steve Sabol's health is improving. He's able to drive and even come into work a few times a week. Being at NFL Films can make anyone feel better.

Big Day

This is a very exciting day for the Flea Flicker. Tonight I will step into the hallowed halls of NFL Films. Outside of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton and wherever the Minnesota Vikings are on game day there is no greater football destination. Football magic is found at the Mt Laurel, New Jersey facility. Ed and Steve Sabol have created an incredible product and a very special place. I'll get a tour of the place tonight and a viewing of the film Ed Sabol: A Football Life. Splendid.

This special visit is all due to my membership in the Pro Football Researchers Association. A fantastic group of football nerds. It's our bi-annual meeting and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to see the NFL Films facility and hold our meeting there. Tomorrow is all PFRA business also at NFL Films. Fun, exciting times.

Throwback Thursday: First Pro

I grew up knowing and accepting that William "Pudge" Heffelfinger was the first professional football player. In an 1892 game against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club, the Allegheny Athletic Association went out and bought themselves a "ringer". Pudge was paid to play football so that Allegheny could gain an edge over their hated rival. The game was cut short due to darkness but not before Pudge scored the lone touchdown to lead his employer to victory. Nearly seventy years after that game, a page from the A.A.A. 1892 account book was discovered. Today, that page is one of the most treasured artifacts at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It showed that William "Pudge" Heffelfinger was paid $500 to play against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. He became the first professional football player. It's important to note that he's the first proved to have been paid to play football. It's possible, even likely, that earlier players were paid. Probably for nowhere near that amount as Pudge was considered the most dominant football player of his time. The town teams of that day were always looking for an edge, looking for "ringers" to gain any advantage against their neighbors even if it cost some of their cash.

All my life, I've known this story to be true. So, it was a great surprise to learn that this story is relatively new. Up until the early 1960s, every professional football history started with quarterback John Brallier playing for the Latrobe football team in 1895. As a 16-year old kid, Brallier was hired away from his high school team for ten bucks. This kid had been accepted as the first professional football player for about seventy years. Pudge for only the last fifty. It's amazing how accepted history can change like that. I guess that's why we should never stop looking. Since paying people to play football was frowned upon back then, these transactions were generally kept very hush hush. The amateur way was generally considered the right way, the only way. That's why Pudge's and other possible contracts were closely guarded secrets. It took about seventy years for the Pudge contract to come to light. The reason that everyone knew that Brallier was paid was because he saw no reason to hide it. He may have seen it that way because by 1895 it was pretty clear that professional football couldn't be stopped.

The Field

The gridiron that we all love is a beautiful thing. It's incredible to imagine that at one time it was more like a checkerboard. The, thankfully, tossed rules of those days required vertical lines to better officiate some of the crazy intricacies of the games. Unlike the vast range of fields that you find in baseball, the basic football field is exactly the same in every single stadium in high school, college and the NFL. Some of the field markings vary at other levels but every NFL field is exactly the same. The crazy Canadians, of course, have to hack up most all of this beautiful consistency.

From the 53 1/3 yard width to the 120 yard length, including end zones, to the 18'6" width of the uprights, every measurement is strictly enforced. The yard numbers must be 6'x4'. Those numbers are 12 yards from the sideline. The hash marks are 70'9" from the sidelines. The goal crossbar is 10' above the ground. The uprights extend 30' into the sky. The most striking rule is that the little flag at the top of those uprights must be 4''x42". And, it has to be orange.

Greatest Performances I Ever Saw

Thinking about the best football players that I've ever seen play got me thinking about the greatest performances that I've ever seen. Performances so stunning that it makes you wonder if it all really happened. Sometimes it's a sequence of plays that changes a game. Sometimes it's four quarters filled with jaw-dropping play after jaw-dropping play. Sometimes it can be one play. DeSean Jackson had a bunch of those for Cal. Marshawn Lynch too. About twenty years ago I watched in awe as Cal runningback Russell White hurdled a defender as if it was nothing more than a simple step. I still think of that play and it still brings the same disbelief. Here are four of the greatest performances that I ever saw take place right there in front of me. All like an incredible, lasting dream.

12/18/95 Vikings vs 49ers-Cris Carter vs Jerry Rice
Sitting in Candlestick Park on this Monday night I saw a real football treat. Jerry Rice had the greatest statistical game of his career. His insane numbers that night were 14 catches for 289 yards and 3 touchdowns. He added a ten yard run that brought his yardage total to the very edge of 300 yards. Just an unbelievable game by an unbelievable player. Now this is where statistics can be a little screwy. Sitting in the stands that night away from the constant statistical tally that TV viewers get throughout the game, I wasn't aware of the numbers that Rice was putting in the books. This football game turned into, by my eyes, a battle between Jerry Rice and Cris Carter. A battle between two of the greatest receivers to ever catch a football. Behind Rice's big plays, the 49ers jumped all over the Vikings in the first half. Carter started matching each of Rice's plays with some of his own as he led the Vikings back into the game. I would have guessed that Carter had about 150 yards receiving as his catches all came at critical moments and totaled critical yards. Each catch was a huge catch and as such seemed to be for more yards than were actually gained. Carter's line of 12 catches for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns was surprising and dwarfed by Rice's monster numbers but they made a similar impact. Carter brought the Vikings back. The 49ers ended up winning 37-30 after being up by three touchdowns early. An incredible game and incredible performances by both Rice and Carter.

11/12/96 Vikings vs Raiders-John Randle
John Randle is a favorite of any Vikings fan that experienced the '90s. The ultimate underdog as a too-small, undrafted defensive tackle out of Texas A&I. Like Jared Allen today, Randle was a football player that absolutely did not stop. He racked up sack totals unheard of from the tackle position. Randle's relentless play took him all the way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On this particular Sunday night, I was lucky to be in the stands of the Oakland Coliseum. This was a tight game that the Vikings would end up winning in overtime, 16-13. Before it got to the extra time, the Raiders were making a serious threat to end the game in the fourth quarter. John Randle wouldn't let that happen. He simply took apart the Raiders offensive line. He had two sacks in, I believe, as many plays. They came within a sequence of plays during which Randle was as dominant as any defensive lineman that I've ever seen.

11/20/99 Cal vs Stanford-Deltha O'Neal
This was one of those rare games in which the star of the game was a player on the side that was largely humiliated. Stanford destroyed Cal 31-13. It didn't feel that close. It was very sad but Deltha O'Neal was simply amazing. He kept the game close initially but couldn't do everything for Cal. He sure tried. He intercepted passes to prevent Stanford scores. He returned kicks for scores. Cal's only point production came from O'Neal's returns. The only stops made on defense were those made by O'Neal. The entire game felt like Stanford vs Deltha O'Neal. The score makes this game easily forgettable for Cal people but Cal people should never forget the performance by Deltha O'Neal

Best I Ever Saw

My brother was talking about a team made up of the best baseball players that he'd ever seen play. That, of course, got me thinking about the best football players that I ever saw. The biggest miss of my life was not seeing Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle Alan Page. The team had released him earlier in the very same season that I finally saw the Vikings play, Dec. 17, 1978. My heart tells me to list the twenty-two Vikings that I saw start that day. Reason and honesty tell me otherwise. A couple of the players that lined up in silver and black that day make the list. So, here they are.
The Best I Ever Saw:

WR Jerry Rice, 49ers*
TE   Kellen Winslow, Chargers*
T     Art Shell, Raiders*
G    Randall McDaniel, Vikings*
C     Mick Tingelhoff, Vikings
G    Gene Upshaw, Raiders*
T     Ron Yary, Vikings*
WR Cris Carter, Vikings
QB  Joe Montana, 49ers*
RB  Emmitt Smith, Cowboys*
RB  Adrian Peterson, Vikings
K    Ryan Longwell, Vikings

DE  Carl Eller, Vikings*
DT  John Randle, Vikings*
DT  Bryant Young, 49ers
DE  Chris Doleman, Vikings*
LB  Matt Blair, Vikings
LB  Patrick Willis, 49ers
LB  Ted Hendricks, Raiders*
CB  Mike Haynes, Raiders*
CB  Deion Sanders, 49ers/Cowboys*
S     Paul Krause, Vikings*
S     Ronnie Lott, 49ers*
P     Ray Guy, Raiders

Just for fun:
Coach Bud Grant, Vikings* (Who's Bill Walsh*?)

*Hall of Famer

16 Hall of Famers. Cris Carter and Mick Tingelhoff should be. Adrian Peterson and Patrick Willis will be. There are bunch that think Ray Guy deserves it too.

I've seen eight of the Vikings nine Hall of Fame players. Only missing on Page. He'd easily make the list. Hell, he should make any all-time list. Tackle Gary Zimmerman loses out to Art Shell but Shell's in the argument of best tackle of all-time. It's terribly disappointing to pick against quarterback Fran Tarkenton but it's Montana and I never saw Otto Graham and John Unitas play. Those are the only two quarterbacks that might get the nod over Montana in my book.

Quarterback is rough. There's really no picking against Montana but I've seen Tarkenton, Dan Fouts, Steve Young and Troy Aikman. I have to mention Cal's Joe Roth as well. His touchdown pass to Wesley Walker against San Jose St in 1975 was one of the most beautiful things my 11-year old eyes had ever seen. Little did anyone know at the time that Roth's body was fighting cancer. Sadly, a fight that he lost. Football lost too.

Safety Savior?

The Minnesota Vikings have been looking for a difference maker at safety for what seems like forever. Paul Krause is sitting in the Hall of Fame but he last played over thirty years ago. Joey Browner was a dominant force until injuries rudely shortened his career. That was twenty years ago. Orlando Thomas showed great potential in the mid-90s but injuries killed his career before it really got started. Very sad. Robert Griffith had some nice seasons as the '90s closed. Corey Chavous and Darren Sharper each had a couple of Pro Bowl worthy seasons as free agent additions. No one as dominant as Browner or as lasting as Krause for two whole decades. To be generous, the Vikings safety play at the back of the defense has been horrible for a few seasons now. Even Sharper was a disaster in his last season with the Vikings. He went on to bounties and a nice little career revival with the New Orleans Saints. His fall that last year with the Vikings was ugly. He said that it was the system but it was the same system that got him to the Pro Bowl. In reality, he took horrible angles and missed more tackles than one man should ever be allowed. Tyrell Johnson was supposed to be the answer when the Vikings drafted him in the second round in 2008. His terrific athletic abilities never translated into reliable football performance. He's in Miami now.

The Vikings traded into the bottom of the first round of this past NFL Draft to select Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. I hope, believe, that Smith is that long sought savior at safety. There's just something about this kid. He's a leader, a student of the game. He just seems to love playing football. I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't but there are many that just want that check. Players that see that next big contract as the sole reason for stepping on the field. Harrison Smith strikes me as someone that would play for free. For the sheer joy of playing a game. Put simply, he's a football player. The Vikings may have also found the other starting safety later in the very same draft. He was also Smith's teammate at Notre Dame. Fifth rounder Robert Blanton played corner in college but it looks like he's already been moved to safety. He was known as playmaker at Notre Dame. The Vikings need a bunch of those.

After far too many years, the Vikings may have found a promising safety future in the same draft and from the same school.

Say What?

It's true of everyone and too often true of football players but people really need to think a little more before speaking. New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott criticized Commissioner Roger Goodell for his criticism of the effort put forth in recent Pro Bowls. Scott must not have watched this past Pro Bowl. The effort was pathetic. I'm on the short list of fans of the game. It's a fun event to close out the season. Except for Adrian Peterson who only knows one speed, it's a casual game. Still, this last one went way beyond that. You see more energy in a pregame walk through. I understand that no one wants to get hurt but at least show the effort that most expect to see in a preseason game. The fans that pay to see the game deserve at least that. I can't even recall an injury that amounted to anything in one of these game. There's a balance between puttting on a respectable show and playing it safe. The players know where that balance lies. This last game was a joke and deserving of criticism from everyone, including the Commissioner. Scott said that Goodell should suit up and play before he criticizes the game. The Commissioner could have walked onto the field in shorts and an Hawaiian shirt with little fear of a real shot in that last Pro Bowl. Anyone could see that and Scott should have known it. Maybe he was just pissy because he hasn't been selected to one of the games in a while.

Tight End Revolution

With the offensive explosion of Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots and Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints this past season, it's clear that tight ends are used and viewed much differently in today's NFL. This day has been coming. Since the 1960's, with the impact of Mike Ditka and John Mackey, football people knew that a fairly big man that could catch and block could become a weapon. There just weren't many players like that. The majority of tight ends were seen as an extra lineman. Catching the ball was just icing. Still, Ditka and Mackey gave way to Charlie Sanders and Kellen Winslow and Ozzie Newsome as offensive difference makers. There just wasn't enough of them to truly change the game. That day was getting a whole lot closer. Shannon Sharpe might have been the one to change everything. He entered the Hall of Fame as a tight end. It's taking great liberties to label him as such. Tight ends, by definition, line up tight to the offensive line. In reality, Sharpe rarely did. He was usually split out wide like most receivers. He was a big receiver that brought about a revolution in the way the game could be played. The way "tight ends" could be used. He was too fast for linebackers and too big for corners or safeties. While playing a little more of a traditional tight end role, Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates made lasting offensive impacts. Both are putting up numbers that are the envy of most wide receivers. Now, every team is looking for an impact receiving tight end. The blocking tight end is fading away like the fullback. With the selection of Kyle Rudolph in the second round last year and the signing of free agent John Carlson this year, the Minnesota Vikings have joined the tight end revolution. Tight ends can be a quarterback's best friend. Especially to a young quarterback like Christain Ponder. They present a large target. Big in body with a very nice catch radius. They are often crossing or down the middle of the field so they are in easy view. When things get frantic in the pocket they are right there, easy to find.

The flip side to the tight end revolution is the increased importance of the safety position. It was long considered the least important of the defensive positions. No more. They are often the only defensive players that are fast enough and strong enough to battle the tight ends. Smaller, faster linebackers may also become the wave of the future. Defenses have to find an answer for these tight ends that are flooding the league.