It's a big Hall of Fame year for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Center Dermontti Dawson joins former corner Jack Butler as 2012 inductees. Both players played for a total of one team. The Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dermontti Dawson played guard as a rookie before replacing Hall of Famer Mike Webster as the Steelers center in 1989. He was awesome. For the next eleven seasons Dawson was the best center in football. He was the first team All-Pro center from 1993-98. He was named the NFL Alumni's Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1996. An honor usually reserved for tackles. They get all the thunder. When an offensive lineman's performance is so dominant you never hear his name. You never hear anything happening in his area. All you hear is the name of the running back gaining yardage in chunks. Throughout the '90s we consistently heard the name of Jerome Bettis gaining yardage up the middle, past defensive linemen and linebackers that were no longer in his way. All because of Dermontti Dawson.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Hall of Famer: Jack Butler
The Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions are this coming Saturday in Canton, OH. I decided that it would be a fine time to spend the next six days to introduce the six inductees. I'll start with former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jack Butler. He waited the longest.
Jack Butler is the Senior Committee nominee for the Class of 2012. The fact that he had to take that route to his rightful place is likely an indication of the tough task of players on poor teams to achieve recognition. It's hard to imagine now but the Pittsburgh Steelers sucked during their first forty years. Jack Butler was one of the best cornerbacks of the 1950s. He was selected to that All-Decade team. He retired as the NFL's second all-time leading interceptor. He was known as a great tackler. Something that many corners today rarely do. The only explanation for his low profile must stem from the Steelers struggles of that time. His well deserved induction is further proof that the Senior Committee is greatly needed. Too many fantastic football players have fallen through the Hall of Fame cracks.
Jack Butler is the Senior Committee nominee for the Class of 2012. The fact that he had to take that route to his rightful place is likely an indication of the tough task of players on poor teams to achieve recognition. It's hard to imagine now but the Pittsburgh Steelers sucked during their first forty years. Jack Butler was one of the best cornerbacks of the 1950s. He was selected to that All-Decade team. He retired as the NFL's second all-time leading interceptor. He was known as a great tackler. Something that many corners today rarely do. The only explanation for his low profile must stem from the Steelers struggles of that time. His well deserved induction is further proof that the Senior Committee is greatly needed. Too many fantastic football players have fallen through the Hall of Fame cracks.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Twitter Patter
@ChrisWarcraft: I would like to apologize to anyone that was at practice and saw my throw during the fake punt. I Tebow'd the shit out of that one.
Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe popped out this recent tweet. Kluwe is a clever, often hilarious, football player. This comes through in his Tweets. It's too bad that so few use this new medium as well. It seems each day I find new reasons to despise the very existence of Twitter. I seem to be the only one. On a recent Rich Eisen podcast , Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman explained his presence on Twitter. He didn't seem too excited to be a part of it. I could understand why. It seems some idiot started a Josh Freeman Twitter account. Propped up by a fan photo of Freeman, this clown proceeded to spew shit about the Buccaneers defense, various players, whatever. All in the name of Josh Freeman. The real quarterback had to explain to friends and team mates that it wasn't really him. This is pathetic. Any medium that allows something like this to happen is highly suspect in my opinion. What continued to surprise me is that when Freeman explained this on the podcast Eisen didn't seem surprised. Apparently there is some mark that can be found on the Twitter accounts of celebrities that confirms that they are who they say they are. It's ridiculous that this even has to be done. This is obviously an extreme case. Even legitimate Tweets often cause me to question Twitter. Whether it's the Greek runner that gets herself tossed from the Olympics before the Opening Ceremonies because of an offensive Tweet to Maurice Jones-Drew jumping to conclusions about Jay Cutler, too many people Tweet irresponsibly. They shout to the world what they should be saying only to the person next to them or even not saying at all. Tweet responsibly people! Think about the size of your audience. Too many people are listening.
I'm not totally against Twitter. I'm only totally against how too many people use Twitter. Through NFL free agency I found it to be an excellent source of the most up to date information out there. It's incredibly quick and easy. Some, like Chris Kluwe, make it extremely entertaining. I just wish that more honesty and thought went into it but I guess that's not the world that we live in.
Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe popped out this recent tweet. Kluwe is a clever, often hilarious, football player. This comes through in his Tweets. It's too bad that so few use this new medium as well. It seems each day I find new reasons to despise the very existence of Twitter. I seem to be the only one. On a recent Rich Eisen podcast , Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman explained his presence on Twitter. He didn't seem too excited to be a part of it. I could understand why. It seems some idiot started a Josh Freeman Twitter account. Propped up by a fan photo of Freeman, this clown proceeded to spew shit about the Buccaneers defense, various players, whatever. All in the name of Josh Freeman. The real quarterback had to explain to friends and team mates that it wasn't really him. This is pathetic. Any medium that allows something like this to happen is highly suspect in my opinion. What continued to surprise me is that when Freeman explained this on the podcast Eisen didn't seem surprised. Apparently there is some mark that can be found on the Twitter accounts of celebrities that confirms that they are who they say they are. It's ridiculous that this even has to be done. This is obviously an extreme case. Even legitimate Tweets often cause me to question Twitter. Whether it's the Greek runner that gets herself tossed from the Olympics before the Opening Ceremonies because of an offensive Tweet to Maurice Jones-Drew jumping to conclusions about Jay Cutler, too many people Tweet irresponsibly. They shout to the world what they should be saying only to the person next to them or even not saying at all. Tweet responsibly people! Think about the size of your audience. Too many people are listening.
I'm not totally against Twitter. I'm only totally against how too many people use Twitter. Through NFL free agency I found it to be an excellent source of the most up to date information out there. It's incredibly quick and easy. Some, like Chris Kluwe, make it extremely entertaining. I just wish that more honesty and thought went into it but I guess that's not the world that we live in.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Camp Competition
For a team seeking to rebound from a 3-13 season you'd expect that the Minnesota Vikings would have a bunch of positions up for grabs. While there is certainly competition at several positions I only see two that are even close to being undecided. Right guard and free safety.
Right guard
Most expect second year Brandon Fusco to win the starting spot. He likely will. He's taken nearly all of the first team snaps through the offseason workouts and opened camp in the top spot. Free agent addition Geoff Schwartz is likely Fusco's main competition. Chris DeGeare and Joe Berger are in the mix as well. Schwartz missed all of last season with the Carolina Panthers with a hip injury. He was slowed a bit in the offseason and is likely just getting healthy. Personally, I'd like to see if Schwartz can play on the left side of the line. I think that this would get more youth and talent on the line as a whole. The additional youth could be the problem. Charlie Johnson seems to have the left guard spot all to himself. The Vikings likely see his experience as a nice thing to have next to rookie left tackle Matt Kalil. Anyway, I like the potential of Schwartz and I'd like to see him on the field. I love the potential of Fusco. He was a center in college at little Slippery Rock. A position change and a huge jump in competition hasn't slowed him down. He's got a mean streak and a ton of talent. The right guard job won't simply be handed to him. He's got to earn it and I think that he will.
Free safety
The free safety/strong safety designations aren't as significant in the Vikings defense. They expect their safeties to play both. I'm not sure if new defensive coordinator Alan Williams plans to continue that philosophy. One thing that is certain is that one safety position was filled when the Vikings traded into the first round to selected Harrison Smith of Notre Dame. The other safety spot is up for grabs. I think that it will come down to second year Mistral Raymond and rookie Robert Blanton. Raymond started a handful of games last season and that likely gives him an early edge. Both players played corner in college which will certainly help the team in coverage. For years safety has been a huge weakness for the Vikings. Huge. Of all the position competitions taking place this one interests and concerns me the most. I finally see some progress and I like it. This competition is tough to call. It's early but I think that Blanton will eventually make it two Notre Dame kids at the back of the Vikings defense. Maybe even sometime this season but I see Raymond leaving camp as the starter.
One other position will have some competition for a whole other reason. Free agent receiver Jerome Simpson was signed to be a deep threat opposite Percy Harvin. Unfortunately Simpson is suspended for the first three games due to a little transgression. There will be competition to see who starts in Simpson's spot during those three games. I'm hoping that second year Stephen Burton or rookie Greg Childs show enough through camp and preseason to grab the spot. I'm also hoping that the Vikings young group of receivers progress to the point where it doesn't matter who starts. Everyone will see the field and be productive.
Competition makes players and teams better. It's a good thing.
Right guard
Most expect second year Brandon Fusco to win the starting spot. He likely will. He's taken nearly all of the first team snaps through the offseason workouts and opened camp in the top spot. Free agent addition Geoff Schwartz is likely Fusco's main competition. Chris DeGeare and Joe Berger are in the mix as well. Schwartz missed all of last season with the Carolina Panthers with a hip injury. He was slowed a bit in the offseason and is likely just getting healthy. Personally, I'd like to see if Schwartz can play on the left side of the line. I think that this would get more youth and talent on the line as a whole. The additional youth could be the problem. Charlie Johnson seems to have the left guard spot all to himself. The Vikings likely see his experience as a nice thing to have next to rookie left tackle Matt Kalil. Anyway, I like the potential of Schwartz and I'd like to see him on the field. I love the potential of Fusco. He was a center in college at little Slippery Rock. A position change and a huge jump in competition hasn't slowed him down. He's got a mean streak and a ton of talent. The right guard job won't simply be handed to him. He's got to earn it and I think that he will.
Free safety
The free safety/strong safety designations aren't as significant in the Vikings defense. They expect their safeties to play both. I'm not sure if new defensive coordinator Alan Williams plans to continue that philosophy. One thing that is certain is that one safety position was filled when the Vikings traded into the first round to selected Harrison Smith of Notre Dame. The other safety spot is up for grabs. I think that it will come down to second year Mistral Raymond and rookie Robert Blanton. Raymond started a handful of games last season and that likely gives him an early edge. Both players played corner in college which will certainly help the team in coverage. For years safety has been a huge weakness for the Vikings. Huge. Of all the position competitions taking place this one interests and concerns me the most. I finally see some progress and I like it. This competition is tough to call. It's early but I think that Blanton will eventually make it two Notre Dame kids at the back of the Vikings defense. Maybe even sometime this season but I see Raymond leaving camp as the starter.
One other position will have some competition for a whole other reason. Free agent receiver Jerome Simpson was signed to be a deep threat opposite Percy Harvin. Unfortunately Simpson is suspended for the first three games due to a little transgression. There will be competition to see who starts in Simpson's spot during those three games. I'm hoping that second year Stephen Burton or rookie Greg Childs show enough through camp and preseason to grab the spot. I'm also hoping that the Vikings young group of receivers progress to the point where it doesn't matter who starts. Everyone will see the field and be productive.
Competition makes players and teams better. It's a good thing.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Signed and Delivered
The Minnesota Vikings last draft picks finally signed their contracts and reported to training camp last night. Third round cornerback Josh Robinson signed Wednesday. The big one, first round tackle Matt Kalil signed yesterday. Quarterback Christian Ponder was smiling the most as he drove his new left tackle to Mankato State University. Everybody is ready to kick off the first practices today.
It was very important to have everyone in camp and ready to go right from the start. That's true for every team. As a team undergoing a youth movement it's especially true for the Vikings. If the team is to have any success in the next few years, the last two draft classes have to excel. The quarterback of the future and the present arrived last year in Ponder. The team's future is obviously tied to his development. Tight end Kyle Rudolph, defensive lineman Christian Ballard, guard Brandon Fusco, safety Mistral Raymond and receiver Stephen Burton must all make significant strides in their second season. All but Ballard could be starters. The heir apparent to All-Pro tackle Kevin Williams, Ballard will play an important role in the defensive line rotation. Rookies Matt Kalil and safety Harrison Smith were both drafted in the first round to start immediately. The Vikings released long time kicker Ryan Longwell to make room for rookie Blair Walsh. Fellow rookies Josh Robinson, receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs, tight end Rhett Ellison and safety Robert Blanton will either contend for starting jobs or significant playing time. If all goes as expected nearly half of the Vikings starting lineup will made up of players taken in the last two drafts. Incredible.
That kind of youth makes it extremely important for every player to be ready to go immediately. There was no time to waste time monkeying over contract details. Matt Kalil and the rest of the youngsters are not only the future of the team they are the team now. They had to be in camp on time. Thankfully they were.
It was very important to have everyone in camp and ready to go right from the start. That's true for every team. As a team undergoing a youth movement it's especially true for the Vikings. If the team is to have any success in the next few years, the last two draft classes have to excel. The quarterback of the future and the present arrived last year in Ponder. The team's future is obviously tied to his development. Tight end Kyle Rudolph, defensive lineman Christian Ballard, guard Brandon Fusco, safety Mistral Raymond and receiver Stephen Burton must all make significant strides in their second season. All but Ballard could be starters. The heir apparent to All-Pro tackle Kevin Williams, Ballard will play an important role in the defensive line rotation. Rookies Matt Kalil and safety Harrison Smith were both drafted in the first round to start immediately. The Vikings released long time kicker Ryan Longwell to make room for rookie Blair Walsh. Fellow rookies Josh Robinson, receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs, tight end Rhett Ellison and safety Robert Blanton will either contend for starting jobs or significant playing time. If all goes as expected nearly half of the Vikings starting lineup will made up of players taken in the last two drafts. Incredible.
That kind of youth makes it extremely important for every player to be ready to go immediately. There was no time to waste time monkeying over contract details. Matt Kalil and the rest of the youngsters are not only the future of the team they are the team now. They had to be in camp on time. Thankfully they were.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Throwback Thursday: Class of 2005
The Hall of Fame Class of 2005 is one of my favorites:
Benny Friedman
Dan Marino
Fritz Pollard
Steve Young
Young and Marino made it in their first year of eligibility. Friedman and Pollard had to wait a combined 151 years after they retired for their long deserved induction. Neither was alive when their name was called. In an effort to determine Hall of Fame worth someone once asked "can we write the history of professional football without this person?" It's a pretty question but one that I never really found valid. In today's NFL there's so much talent there will always be another to write that history. If Dan Marino was never around to shatter all of Fran Tarkenton's passing records someone else would have. This takes nothing away from the terrific talents of Marino, Young and so many others. They were all fantastic football players. Among the best of their generation. I treasure every moment that I watched Marino and Young throw. Joe Montana, John Elway, Warren Moon, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre were all around to write the quarterback history of that time. They all deserve their spot and eventual spot in the Hall of Fame. The history of football could have been written without any one of them because the others were there. In my football lifetime, Lawrence Taylor was the one player that truly changed how the game was played. Bill Walsh and Bill Belichick made a similar impact from the sidelines. We wouldn't have a football history to write about if not for Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman. The NFL was a very shaky outfit in the 1920s. Pollard and Friedman helped the stumbling league through that bleak decade. Both should have been in one of the first Hall of Fame classes. The Hall opened in 1963. They should have been in before we left the '60s. They shouldn't have waited at all. They sure as hell should have been alive for their induction. Maybe racism kept them out. Their impact on the game is without question so it must have been something outside of football.
The Class of 2005 is a special one. Maybe the most deserving one. It's also smaller than most. Perhaps that was planned to better honor two football players that waited far too long. It's easy for me to focus on Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman because I treasure football history so greatly. Steve Young and Dan Marino do their part to make this class special. Like Peyton Manning today, Marino played quarterback the way that it was always meant to be played. You show his film to any kid that dreams of throwing a football. Just beautiful. Young was more my kind of quarterback. He played like he was lit on fire. Just beautiful. The Class of 2005 was just beautiful.
Benny Friedman
Dan Marino
Fritz Pollard
Steve Young
Young and Marino made it in their first year of eligibility. Friedman and Pollard had to wait a combined 151 years after they retired for their long deserved induction. Neither was alive when their name was called. In an effort to determine Hall of Fame worth someone once asked "can we write the history of professional football without this person?" It's a pretty question but one that I never really found valid. In today's NFL there's so much talent there will always be another to write that history. If Dan Marino was never around to shatter all of Fran Tarkenton's passing records someone else would have. This takes nothing away from the terrific talents of Marino, Young and so many others. They were all fantastic football players. Among the best of their generation. I treasure every moment that I watched Marino and Young throw. Joe Montana, John Elway, Warren Moon, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre were all around to write the quarterback history of that time. They all deserve their spot and eventual spot in the Hall of Fame. The history of football could have been written without any one of them because the others were there. In my football lifetime, Lawrence Taylor was the one player that truly changed how the game was played. Bill Walsh and Bill Belichick made a similar impact from the sidelines. We wouldn't have a football history to write about if not for Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman. The NFL was a very shaky outfit in the 1920s. Pollard and Friedman helped the stumbling league through that bleak decade. Both should have been in one of the first Hall of Fame classes. The Hall opened in 1963. They should have been in before we left the '60s. They shouldn't have waited at all. They sure as hell should have been alive for their induction. Maybe racism kept them out. Their impact on the game is without question so it must have been something outside of football.
The Class of 2005 is a special one. Maybe the most deserving one. It's also smaller than most. Perhaps that was planned to better honor two football players that waited far too long. It's easy for me to focus on Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman because I treasure football history so greatly. Steve Young and Dan Marino do their part to make this class special. Like Peyton Manning today, Marino played quarterback the way that it was always meant to be played. You show his film to any kid that dreams of throwing a football. Just beautiful. Young was more my kind of quarterback. He played like he was lit on fire. Just beautiful. The Class of 2005 was just beautiful.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Beyond the Gridiron
Thanks to today's technology and media saturation I have access to a bunch of sports channels on TV. Pretty much everything in the Fox Sports stable. I wanted this access for one reason. Fox Sports North. Sports stuff from Minnesota. For the past five or six years I have been treated to programs such as Vikings Game Plan and Vikings Weekly. Programs typically reserved for locals but I got 'em in California. Vikings Game Plan is hosted by the radio voice of the Vikings Paul Allen. He's a little goofy and an obvious homer but the show has some great stuff during the regular season. Vikings Weekly was the real treat for me. Hosted by Ann Carroll, the show was a casual, often intimate, behind the scenes view of the Vikings, the players, the coaches and even the families. Ann Carroll did a great job and seemed to have an excellent rapport with everyone. Perhaps the best part of the show was watching her become more comfortable in her role. She brought the Vikings closer to me than I ever thought possible. Unfortunately, Vikings Weekly is no more. I believe that the team pulled the plug simply because a new show has taken its place. Minnesota Vikings: Beyond the Gridiron. Catchy name. The new show made its debut this week. Saw it. Liked it. Tons of potential. It's very well done. It strikes me as a more polished version of Vikings Weekly. It's narrated rather than hosted which gives it a more formal feel. The down home, casual feel of Vikings Weekly is gone. In an ideal world, my world, there's room for both shows. It's a fleeting hope but I hope that the Vikings bring Ann Carroll back in some capacity. During the offseason she was doing short segments that were posted on the team website. Maybe these will come back. At least I have Vikings Game Plan and Beyond the Gridiron to fill my Vikings needs now and once the season starts.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Training Camps
Oh Boy! Training camps are opening. A few teams have had their rookies getting an early start over the last several days. Today the veterans report to the training camp sites of the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints. They are the first to open as they are the teams playing in the Hall of Fame game in two short weeks. Football is upon us!
The remaining thirty teams will be starting through this week. The Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders are the last to open on Sunday. Most importantly, the Minnesota Vikings open this Thursday. They still have a bit of work to do before then. First round pick, tackle and Matt Kalil, and third round pick, cornerback Josh Robinson, are still unsigned. They have just over two days to correct that issue. It has to get done. Kalil and Robinson can not be late to work. Big things are expected from both.
Even though the offseason likely flies by for the players it seems to drag forever for the spectators. Then suddenly, it's here. There's still about six weeks before the games really count. Those weeks will fly by now. Practices and preseason games are the start. Football is here. Everything that takes place in February starts with this week. Every team is equal. Every team has a chance. Football is back and it's gonna be a blast.
The remaining thirty teams will be starting through this week. The Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders are the last to open on Sunday. Most importantly, the Minnesota Vikings open this Thursday. They still have a bit of work to do before then. First round pick, tackle and Matt Kalil, and third round pick, cornerback Josh Robinson, are still unsigned. They have just over two days to correct that issue. It has to get done. Kalil and Robinson can not be late to work. Big things are expected from both.
Even though the offseason likely flies by for the players it seems to drag forever for the spectators. Then suddenly, it's here. There's still about six weeks before the games really count. Those weeks will fly by now. Practices and preseason games are the start. Football is here. Everything that takes place in February starts with this week. Every team is equal. Every team has a chance. Football is back and it's gonna be a blast.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Lynn Passed
Former Minnesota Vikings general manager Mike Lynn passed on Saturday. He was 76. Lynn went from from running movie theaters in Memphis to getting a Super Bowl in Minneapolis. In 1974, Mike Lynn was hired by owner Max Winter to be his right hand man. Ten years later Lynn had forced Winter out and had essentially taken control of the team.
Mike Lynn had the tough task of replacing Jim Finks as general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. Finks was a legend. Building Super Bowl teams and becoming the first general manager to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Lynn did some good things in his sixteen years of making decisions but he's seen mostly as a villain in Minnesota. Gary Anderson is a hero compared to Mike Lynn. His first transgression, in my book, was hiring Les Steckel as head coach in 1984 to succeed Bud Grant. The obvious choice was long time offensive coordinator Jerry Burns. I believe that Lynn wanted to make his mark on the team by going with Steckel. It was a disaster. Grant was brought back in '85 to save the team. Burns was finally hired a season later. Lynn's greatest sin in the eyes of Vikings fans is the Herschel Walker trade. This is perhaps the only thing upon which Vikings fans have ever agreed. Seven draft picks and five players to the Dallas Cowboys for Walker and a handful of mid-level picks. The trade helped bring the Cowboys three Super Bowl titles. In return the Vikings got only jokes and giggles that they never deserved. I'm sure that I wasn't the only Minnesota Vikings fan that was happy the day the Herschel Walker trade went down. Of course, I winced at the cost. I hated that linebacker Jesse Solomon was a part of it. Still, I thought, as did Mike Lynn and countless Vikings fans from across the globe, that Herschel Walker was the key to some Super Bowls. The team was loaded and Walker looked to be the missing piece. Nothing is ever guaranteed. Lynn had the guts to take a chance. Few do. He should get credit for that and he doesn't.
As far as I can tell, Mike Lynn was an excellent businessman and negotiator. I think that he would have been a fantastic agent. He followed a legend in Jim Finks and tried to become one himself. Many NFL decision makers have become stars by doing far less. He simply wanted to build a champion and he most certainly tried. Mike Lynn should be better remembered for that.
RIP Mike Lynn
Mike Lynn had the tough task of replacing Jim Finks as general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. Finks was a legend. Building Super Bowl teams and becoming the first general manager to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Lynn did some good things in his sixteen years of making decisions but he's seen mostly as a villain in Minnesota. Gary Anderson is a hero compared to Mike Lynn. His first transgression, in my book, was hiring Les Steckel as head coach in 1984 to succeed Bud Grant. The obvious choice was long time offensive coordinator Jerry Burns. I believe that Lynn wanted to make his mark on the team by going with Steckel. It was a disaster. Grant was brought back in '85 to save the team. Burns was finally hired a season later. Lynn's greatest sin in the eyes of Vikings fans is the Herschel Walker trade. This is perhaps the only thing upon which Vikings fans have ever agreed. Seven draft picks and five players to the Dallas Cowboys for Walker and a handful of mid-level picks. The trade helped bring the Cowboys three Super Bowl titles. In return the Vikings got only jokes and giggles that they never deserved. I'm sure that I wasn't the only Minnesota Vikings fan that was happy the day the Herschel Walker trade went down. Of course, I winced at the cost. I hated that linebacker Jesse Solomon was a part of it. Still, I thought, as did Mike Lynn and countless Vikings fans from across the globe, that Herschel Walker was the key to some Super Bowls. The team was loaded and Walker looked to be the missing piece. Nothing is ever guaranteed. Lynn had the guts to take a chance. Few do. He should get credit for that and he doesn't.
As far as I can tell, Mike Lynn was an excellent businessman and negotiator. I think that he would have been a fantastic agent. He followed a legend in Jim Finks and tried to become one himself. Many NFL decision makers have become stars by doing far less. He simply wanted to build a champion and he most certainly tried. Mike Lynn should be better remembered for that.
RIP Mike Lynn
Sunday, July 22, 2012
NO TO
NFL Network's Jamie Dukes was tossing some nonsense about how Terrell "Train Wreck" Owens would be a perfect fit for the Miami Dolphins. Just when I thought that Dukes was starting to bring some nice insight he does this. Why would he do that? I really believe that it's time for "Train Wreck" to back away from the game. Actually that time came and went long ago. He's about 50 now. He never could catch a football. Dukes cites "Train Wreck's" supposedly spotless seasons with the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals as signs of maturity. "Train Wreck" was always a sweetheart in his first year with a new team. If he has the ball tossed his way regularly even though he's never had the hands to catch it regularly, he often was a happy camper. "Train Wreck" is a mess and he has routinely made a mess of every team when given the opportunity.
I'm tired of hearing about Owens. I'm tired of watching balls bounce off the hands of supposedly NFL caliber receivers. I thought that I was finally free of this disaster. Jamie Dukes really put a scare into me. Why would he do that?
I'm tired of hearing about Owens. I'm tired of watching balls bounce off the hands of supposedly NFL caliber receivers. I thought that I was finally free of this disaster. Jamie Dukes really put a scare into me. Why would he do that?
Saturday, July 21, 2012
NFL Yearbooks
The 2011 Minnesota Vikings edition of NFL Yearbook was on this week. Boy, it was terrific. As with everything that NFL Films produces the NFL Yearbooks are terrific. The optimism in all 32 editions is infectious. This time of year is filled with hope for all teams. The Yearbooks simply add to that hope.
The Vikings were 3-13 last year. Record-wise it was one of the worst in team history. You'd think that they were a play away from the Super Bowl after watching their Yearbook. They really weren't too far from being a decent team. Nine of their losses were by less than a touchdown. They would have been a great team if many of their games ended at the half. 5-0 would have been a nice way to start the season and the Vikings were so close to doing just that. The NFL is all about momentum.
Even in sad years there is some good. There has to be. The NFL Yearbooks do a nice job of picking out the good. That alone is reason to watch. Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Jared Allen, Kyle Rudolph, Chad Greenway and even Christian Ponder is reason to watch. I may even watch it again.
The Vikings were 3-13 last year. Record-wise it was one of the worst in team history. You'd think that they were a play away from the Super Bowl after watching their Yearbook. They really weren't too far from being a decent team. Nine of their losses were by less than a touchdown. They would have been a great team if many of their games ended at the half. 5-0 would have been a nice way to start the season and the Vikings were so close to doing just that. The NFL is all about momentum.
Even in sad years there is some good. There has to be. The NFL Yearbooks do a nice job of picking out the good. That alone is reason to watch. Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Jared Allen, Kyle Rudolph, Chad Greenway and even Christian Ponder is reason to watch. I may even watch it again.
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Mannings and The Hasselbecks
In 1984, quarterback Archie Manning and tight end Don Hasselbeck were winding down their NFL careers with the Minnesota Vikings. They not only had football in common. They also had some sons that had a particular interest in the game.
At about this time Cooper and Peyton and Matt and Tim Hasselbeck were playing football all the time in Minnesota. Sometimes together. Sometimes against each other. Little Eli Manning and Nathaniel Hasselbeck were a bit too young for these football games. They spent more time drinking all the Gatorade. They would eventually find football.
Of the six kids, the four that played quarterback would make it to the NFL. The two that didn't throw the ball, Cooper Manning and Nathaniel Hasselbeck, were considered by many to be the better athletes. No one could cover Cooper. Both non-quarterbacks would play in college. Cooper was a receiver at the University of Mississippi. Nathaniel was a receiver/defensive back at Boston College. Cooper's football career was cut short when it was found that he had a narrowing of his spine. If not for that the receiving Manning would likely have preceded the throwing Mannings in the NFL. Nathaniel preferred catching footballs too but was moved to defense in college. He found that he couldn't cover Santana Moss.
In 1984, two football playing families came together in Minnesota. Archie Manning and Don Hasselbeck were winding down their football careers. Their kids were just getting started.
At about this time Cooper and Peyton and Matt and Tim Hasselbeck were playing football all the time in Minnesota. Sometimes together. Sometimes against each other. Little Eli Manning and Nathaniel Hasselbeck were a bit too young for these football games. They spent more time drinking all the Gatorade. They would eventually find football.
Of the six kids, the four that played quarterback would make it to the NFL. The two that didn't throw the ball, Cooper Manning and Nathaniel Hasselbeck, were considered by many to be the better athletes. No one could cover Cooper. Both non-quarterbacks would play in college. Cooper was a receiver at the University of Mississippi. Nathaniel was a receiver/defensive back at Boston College. Cooper's football career was cut short when it was found that he had a narrowing of his spine. If not for that the receiving Manning would likely have preceded the throwing Mannings in the NFL. Nathaniel preferred catching footballs too but was moved to defense in college. He found that he couldn't cover Santana Moss.
In 1984, two football playing families came together in Minnesota. Archie Manning and Don Hasselbeck were winding down their football careers. Their kids were just getting started.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Throwback Thursday: The 1976 Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings were last in a Super Bowl following the 1976 season. 36 years is a long time to wait. It's also a long time to remember. Much of the playoff games against the Washington Redskins and Los Angeles Rams has faded from my memory. Fortunately I have those games on DVD. I can watch them anytime I want for a reminder. Unfortunately I still remember far too much of Super Bowl XI against the Oakland Raiders. I may not remember all of the games from those days but I will always remember that team. The lineup will never escape me:
WR Ahmad Rashad
T Ron Yary
G Ed White
C Mick Tingelhoff
G Charles Goodrum
T Steve Riley
TE Stu Voigt
WR Sammy White
QB Fran Tarkenton
RB Chuck Foreman
FB Brent McClanahan
K Fred Cox
DE Jim Marshall
DT Alan Page
DT Doug Sutherland
DE Carl Eller
LB Wally Hilgenberg
LB Jeff Siemon
LB Matt Blair
CB Nate Wright
CB Bobby Bryant
S Paul Krause
S Jeff Wright
P Neil Clabo
Fran Tarkenton, Ron Yary, Alan Page, Carl Eller and Paul Krause are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Head coach Bud Grant is honored there as well. Many Vikings fans argue that Jim Marshall should be there. Personally, I think that a better case can be made for Mick Tingelhoff. Without a doubt both deserve more consideration than they have received. The Minnesota Vikings of this era was simply an awesome team. It's unfortunate that the greats were all getting old at about the same time. Right about the time that they took the field against the Oakland Raiders. The overall age of the team and the size of the defensive line were exposed by Oakland. This Vikings defensive line had been destroying the NFL since the late 1960s. A period of time in which the offensive linemen that they faced weren't much bigger than them. The Raiders line was much bigger than them. Hall of Famers Art Shell and Gene Upshaw in particular. The Raiders destruction of the Vikings defensive line may have been the biggest factor in the game.
Despite losing four Super Bowls the Minnesota Vikings were a dominant football team for nearly a decade. They were fantastic. Even if some forget about them as the years slip by I will always remember them. I will always remember that lineup.
WR Ahmad Rashad
T Ron Yary
G Ed White
C Mick Tingelhoff
G Charles Goodrum
T Steve Riley
TE Stu Voigt
WR Sammy White
QB Fran Tarkenton
RB Chuck Foreman
FB Brent McClanahan
K Fred Cox
DE Jim Marshall
DT Alan Page
DT Doug Sutherland
DE Carl Eller
LB Wally Hilgenberg
LB Jeff Siemon
LB Matt Blair
CB Nate Wright
CB Bobby Bryant
S Paul Krause
S Jeff Wright
P Neil Clabo
Fran Tarkenton, Ron Yary, Alan Page, Carl Eller and Paul Krause are all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Head coach Bud Grant is honored there as well. Many Vikings fans argue that Jim Marshall should be there. Personally, I think that a better case can be made for Mick Tingelhoff. Without a doubt both deserve more consideration than they have received. The Minnesota Vikings of this era was simply an awesome team. It's unfortunate that the greats were all getting old at about the same time. Right about the time that they took the field against the Oakland Raiders. The overall age of the team and the size of the defensive line were exposed by Oakland. This Vikings defensive line had been destroying the NFL since the late 1960s. A period of time in which the offensive linemen that they faced weren't much bigger than them. The Raiders line was much bigger than them. Hall of Famers Art Shell and Gene Upshaw in particular. The Raiders destruction of the Vikings defensive line may have been the biggest factor in the game.
Despite losing four Super Bowls the Minnesota Vikings were a dominant football team for nearly a decade. They were fantastic. Even if some forget about them as the years slip by I will always remember them. I will always remember that lineup.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Breakthrough Athlete
Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III was nominated for the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year ESPY. I'm not sure who did the nominating but they must not have watched much college football over the past few years. Granted, RGIII played away from the national spotlight at Baylor but he's been an outstanding quarterback for a while now. He broke through as a freshman and has just gotten better each year. The ESPY for Breakthrough Athlete award went to basketball player Jeremy Lin. Thinking of breakthrough athletes got me thinking about football players that I expect to break out this year.
Here's five:
Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings, TE
I had to start with a homer pick. While I hope and expect Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder to break through Rudolph will be a big part of making that possible. At 6'6" he provides an incredible catch radius. With tremendous hands and explosiveness, Kyle Rudolph will join a growing group dominant young tight ends in the league.
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers, WR/KR
When the Cobb's fumble on a kick return set up an easy touchdown for the Vikings this past season, I didn't want the ensuing kickoff going anywhere near him. It did and he nearly took it back for a touchdown. I didn't like it when the Packers drafted him last year. Seeing him play as a rookie confirmed my worries. Randall Cobb is a scary football player as a receiver and as a returner. He can score from anywhere.
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons, WR
It can be argued that Jones broke out last year with nearly 1,000 yards receiving. It's just the beginning. I think that he's already the most dangerous receiver on the Falcons and they have a proven star in Roddy White. Tough, strong, fast, terrific hands, Julio Jones will dominate.
JJ Watt, Houston Texans, DE
Watt actually broke out during last year's playoffs. Like Julio Jones' excellent rookie season, Watt's playoff performance is simply the beginning. I can see him becoming a football player much like the San Francisco 49ers' fantastic defensive end Justin Smith. Both have motors that just do no stop. JJ Watt has stretches in games during which he is unblockable.
Chris Cook, Minnesota Vikings, CB
Another Viking! I couldn't stop myself. Cook is a big corner at 6'2" and about 215lbs. The Vikings are going to need him to play big with Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings and now Brandon Marshall in the division. Cook has the size and coverage ability to stick with the big receivers in the league. He has a ton of talent. He's just been a bit of a loose cannon off the field. The Vikings showed a great deal of patience and support when those off field issues surfaced last year. That patience and support will pay off this year.
Here's five:
Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings, TE
I had to start with a homer pick. While I hope and expect Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder to break through Rudolph will be a big part of making that possible. At 6'6" he provides an incredible catch radius. With tremendous hands and explosiveness, Kyle Rudolph will join a growing group dominant young tight ends in the league.
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers, WR/KR
When the Cobb's fumble on a kick return set up an easy touchdown for the Vikings this past season, I didn't want the ensuing kickoff going anywhere near him. It did and he nearly took it back for a touchdown. I didn't like it when the Packers drafted him last year. Seeing him play as a rookie confirmed my worries. Randall Cobb is a scary football player as a receiver and as a returner. He can score from anywhere.
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons, WR
It can be argued that Jones broke out last year with nearly 1,000 yards receiving. It's just the beginning. I think that he's already the most dangerous receiver on the Falcons and they have a proven star in Roddy White. Tough, strong, fast, terrific hands, Julio Jones will dominate.
JJ Watt, Houston Texans, DE
Watt actually broke out during last year's playoffs. Like Julio Jones' excellent rookie season, Watt's playoff performance is simply the beginning. I can see him becoming a football player much like the San Francisco 49ers' fantastic defensive end Justin Smith. Both have motors that just do no stop. JJ Watt has stretches in games during which he is unblockable.
Chris Cook, Minnesota Vikings, CB
Another Viking! I couldn't stop myself. Cook is a big corner at 6'2" and about 215lbs. The Vikings are going to need him to play big with Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings and now Brandon Marshall in the division. Cook has the size and coverage ability to stick with the big receivers in the league. He has a ton of talent. He's just been a bit of a loose cannon off the field. The Vikings showed a great deal of patience and support when those off field issues surfaced last year. That patience and support will pay off this year.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Franchise Players
At the start of free agency an incredible 21 players were saddled with the franchise tag. As the deadline to sign franchise players to long-term contracts passed yesterday, three of those tagged players remain unsigned: Kansas City Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe, Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril and San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson. Those three are all expected to sign their one-year franchise tenders eventually. They could still cause waves by taking their time and avoiding some or all of training camp. It's unlikely that they'd take their troubles into the regular season and start losing that nice franchise player salary.
Three of the franchise players did reach long-term deals yesterday. Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte and Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee ended months of suspense. In all, 12 of the 21 franchise tagged players signed long term deals:
Ravens: running back Ray Rice (signed 5-year deal)
Bears: running back Matt Forte (4 years)
Jaguars: kicker Josh Scobee (4 years)
Raiders: safety Tyvon Branch (4 years)
Eagles: receiver DeSean Jackson (5 years)
Cardinals: defensive end Calais Campbell (5 years)
Broncos: kicker Matt Prater (4years)
Saints: Drew Brees (5 years)
Titans: safety Michael Griffin (5 years)
Buccaneers: kicker Connor Barth (4 years)
Giants: Sean Weatherford (5 years)
Colts: defensive end Robert Mathis (4years)
These six have signed their franchise tag tenders meaning they'll be playing on a one-year contract at a percentage of the top salaries in the league at their position. They'll return to free agency next year and we start this all over again.
Falcons: cornerback Brent Grimes
Redskins: tight end Fred Davis
Bengals: kicker Mike Nugent
Browns: kicker Phil Dawson
Patriots: receiver Wes Welker
Cowboys: linebacker Anthony Spencer
Some giggled when five kickers and a punter were protected with the franchise tag. It shouldn't be too surprising as it's a cost effective way to keep very good kickers. Now, if teams keep doing this the salary for a kicker will go up pretty quickly and it will no longer be very cost effective.
I don't think that I can recall more than ten franchise tags used in a given year. 21 really is an incredible number. I guess that it's just the way of the new CBA. Perhaps every year moving forward will have similar numbers. It is a convenient way for the teams to further restrict player movement. Teams love it. Players hate it. The players do get a nice payday but they don't get the security of a long term contract. More importantly they don't get that super nice signing bonus that usually comes with a long term deal.
Three of the franchise players did reach long-term deals yesterday. Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte and Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee ended months of suspense. In all, 12 of the 21 franchise tagged players signed long term deals:
Ravens: running back Ray Rice (signed 5-year deal)
Bears: running back Matt Forte (4 years)
Jaguars: kicker Josh Scobee (4 years)
Raiders: safety Tyvon Branch (4 years)
Eagles: receiver DeSean Jackson (5 years)
Cardinals: defensive end Calais Campbell (5 years)
Broncos: kicker Matt Prater (4years)
Saints: Drew Brees (5 years)
Titans: safety Michael Griffin (5 years)
Buccaneers: kicker Connor Barth (4 years)
Giants: Sean Weatherford (5 years)
Colts: defensive end Robert Mathis (4years)
These six have signed their franchise tag tenders meaning they'll be playing on a one-year contract at a percentage of the top salaries in the league at their position. They'll return to free agency next year and we start this all over again.
Falcons: cornerback Brent Grimes
Redskins: tight end Fred Davis
Bengals: kicker Mike Nugent
Browns: kicker Phil Dawson
Patriots: receiver Wes Welker
Cowboys: linebacker Anthony Spencer
Some giggled when five kickers and a punter were protected with the franchise tag. It shouldn't be too surprising as it's a cost effective way to keep very good kickers. Now, if teams keep doing this the salary for a kicker will go up pretty quickly and it will no longer be very cost effective.
I don't think that I can recall more than ten franchise tags used in a given year. 21 really is an incredible number. I guess that it's just the way of the new CBA. Perhaps every year moving forward will have similar numbers. It is a convenient way for the teams to further restrict player movement. Teams love it. Players hate it. The players do get a nice payday but they don't get the security of a long term contract. More importantly they don't get that super nice signing bonus that usually comes with a long term deal.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Breesy Days
As much as I believe that Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis were running the New Orleans Saints in an "above the law" fashion, the team and the fans needed some good news. They got it last week when quarterback Drew Brees signed a new five-year contract. Drew Brees is a very rich man.
Brees has a little $3 million base salary for the 2012 season. For simply signing his name to this contract he will receive $37 million. The full signing bonus will be paid out within the next six months. So, Drew Brees will actually be paid $40 million to play football for the New Orleans Saints for the 2012 season. That money is fully guaranteed. Not bad at all. I believe that the basic numbers of the 5-year, $100 million contract had been agreed upon by Brees and the team for some time. It's really been the guaranteed amounts that has caused all the discussion. For now, $20 million beyond 2012 is guaranteed for injury only. Next year, $15 million of the injury guarantee becomes fully guaranteed. The extra $5 million remains guaranteed for injury only. A similar pattern is in play for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The device in the last two years of the contract forces the Saints to cut him, if at all, sufficiently early in the offseason to give him a chance to land elsewhere. I doubt that ever happens but who knows. I thought the same of Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. The NFL and its teams are a business first.
In all, Drew Brees will receive $40 million this year, $10 million in 2013, $11 million in 2014, $19 million in 2015 and $20 million in 2016. 2013 and 2014 will be tight in the Brees household. The new TV deals in 2015 will make the last two years a little easier with the Saints. The structure of the contract really makes it a three-year, $61 million contract with a team option for years four and five.
It's really the guaranteed or potentially guaranteed money in this contract that makes it unique. Other players have hit about the basic 5-year, $100 million numbers. Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson and Mario Williams, for example, but their deals have smaller portions guaranteed in any way. Even if they don't hit the $100 million total the $20 million average is not unusual. Brees is in the conversation with Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as the best quarterbacks in the game today. His level of play is deserving of a contract touching these numbers. Brees also means so much to the city of New Orleans. He and his family warmly and completely embraced the city at a time of tremendous need. Hurricane Katrina had torn apart lives and the city. At the same time, Brees' football career was also torn apart by a terrible shoulder injury in San Diego. No team trusted him or his health. Both the city and the quarterback needed something and they found each other. The Saints needed a little positive news this offseason and they got it here with Drew Brees signing a 5-year contract. Now, maybe we can finally talk about football in New Orleans again.
Brees has a little $3 million base salary for the 2012 season. For simply signing his name to this contract he will receive $37 million. The full signing bonus will be paid out within the next six months. So, Drew Brees will actually be paid $40 million to play football for the New Orleans Saints for the 2012 season. That money is fully guaranteed. Not bad at all. I believe that the basic numbers of the 5-year, $100 million contract had been agreed upon by Brees and the team for some time. It's really been the guaranteed amounts that has caused all the discussion. For now, $20 million beyond 2012 is guaranteed for injury only. Next year, $15 million of the injury guarantee becomes fully guaranteed. The extra $5 million remains guaranteed for injury only. A similar pattern is in play for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The device in the last two years of the contract forces the Saints to cut him, if at all, sufficiently early in the offseason to give him a chance to land elsewhere. I doubt that ever happens but who knows. I thought the same of Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. The NFL and its teams are a business first.
In all, Drew Brees will receive $40 million this year, $10 million in 2013, $11 million in 2014, $19 million in 2015 and $20 million in 2016. 2013 and 2014 will be tight in the Brees household. The new TV deals in 2015 will make the last two years a little easier with the Saints. The structure of the contract really makes it a three-year, $61 million contract with a team option for years four and five.
It's really the guaranteed or potentially guaranteed money in this contract that makes it unique. Other players have hit about the basic 5-year, $100 million numbers. Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson and Mario Williams, for example, but their deals have smaller portions guaranteed in any way. Even if they don't hit the $100 million total the $20 million average is not unusual. Brees is in the conversation with Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as the best quarterbacks in the game today. His level of play is deserving of a contract touching these numbers. Brees also means so much to the city of New Orleans. He and his family warmly and completely embraced the city at a time of tremendous need. Hurricane Katrina had torn apart lives and the city. At the same time, Brees' football career was also torn apart by a terrible shoulder injury in San Diego. No team trusted him or his health. Both the city and the quarterback needed something and they found each other. The Saints needed a little positive news this offseason and they got it here with Drew Brees signing a 5-year contract. Now, maybe we can finally talk about football in New Orleans again.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Tamba Hali
I really first learned of Tamba Hali from a Sporting News article prior to the 2006 NFL Draft. Before that I only knew of him as terrific defensive end from Penn St with a real cool name. I learned then and know now that there is so much more to the fantastic pass rusher of the Kansas City Chiefs. His story is remarkable.
Tamba Hali was born in Monrovia, Liberia. His childhood was a front row seat to a civil war. Death and destruction was all around him. At age 10, he got out and joined his father in Teaneck, New Jersey. By the time Tamba Hali reached Teaneck High School it became easily apparent that he had quite the talent for football. A possible future in the NFL would provide the resources to be able to bring his mother to the United States. This became further motivation to excel at the sport. His talent and motivation took him to Penn St. where he continued to excel on and off the field. He won the Robert B Mitinger Award for his courage, character and social responsibility. On the field he was the Big 10 Defensive Lineman of the Year and an All-American. His play helped Penn St to an 11-1 record, a Big 10 championship and a victory in the Orange Bowl. He impressed NFL decision makers at the Scouting Combine more with his interviews than his obvious athletic skills. The Kansas City Chiefs selected Tamba Hali with the 20th pick of the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
On July 31, 2006 Tamba Hali left the Kansa City Chiefs training camp to return to Teaneck, NJ so that he could be sworn in as a permanent citizen of the United States. Perhaps his greatest thrill as an NFL football player came when he was able to bring his mother to Kansas City on September 28, 2006. Three days later she saw her son play football for the first time in a 41-0 Chiefs defeat of the San Francisco 49ers. Everything else has been gravy but Tamba Hali has made it great gravy. After bouncing around on the Chiefs defensive line for a few years, he found a natural fit in 2009 as a pass rushing outside linebacker in the team's new 3-4 defense. A year later new defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel really turned Tamba Hali loose on the league to the tune of an AFC-leading 14.5 sacks. He answered that with 12 more sacks last year. Tamba Hali earned Pro Bowl recognition both seasons. He'll make a habit of that. He's a pass rushing beast. When talking heads speak of the top pass rushing linebackers in the league they often start with DeMarcus Ware, Terrell Suggs and Clay Matthews. They need to revise that order. Tamba Hali is right there. Peyton Manning will likely want to go back to the AFC South after facing Kansas City twice.
It's easy to cheer for Tamba Hali. I started with that Sporting News article. It's not right for any child to experience what he experienced. He's lucky to have survived. As fantastic as Tamba Hali is on the football field it sounds like it all pales to the person off the field. Besides, I just love saying Tamba Hali.
All NFL players have a story.
Tamba Hali was born in Monrovia, Liberia. His childhood was a front row seat to a civil war. Death and destruction was all around him. At age 10, he got out and joined his father in Teaneck, New Jersey. By the time Tamba Hali reached Teaneck High School it became easily apparent that he had quite the talent for football. A possible future in the NFL would provide the resources to be able to bring his mother to the United States. This became further motivation to excel at the sport. His talent and motivation took him to Penn St. where he continued to excel on and off the field. He won the Robert B Mitinger Award for his courage, character and social responsibility. On the field he was the Big 10 Defensive Lineman of the Year and an All-American. His play helped Penn St to an 11-1 record, a Big 10 championship and a victory in the Orange Bowl. He impressed NFL decision makers at the Scouting Combine more with his interviews than his obvious athletic skills. The Kansas City Chiefs selected Tamba Hali with the 20th pick of the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
On July 31, 2006 Tamba Hali left the Kansa City Chiefs training camp to return to Teaneck, NJ so that he could be sworn in as a permanent citizen of the United States. Perhaps his greatest thrill as an NFL football player came when he was able to bring his mother to Kansas City on September 28, 2006. Three days later she saw her son play football for the first time in a 41-0 Chiefs defeat of the San Francisco 49ers. Everything else has been gravy but Tamba Hali has made it great gravy. After bouncing around on the Chiefs defensive line for a few years, he found a natural fit in 2009 as a pass rushing outside linebacker in the team's new 3-4 defense. A year later new defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel really turned Tamba Hali loose on the league to the tune of an AFC-leading 14.5 sacks. He answered that with 12 more sacks last year. Tamba Hali earned Pro Bowl recognition both seasons. He'll make a habit of that. He's a pass rushing beast. When talking heads speak of the top pass rushing linebackers in the league they often start with DeMarcus Ware, Terrell Suggs and Clay Matthews. They need to revise that order. Tamba Hali is right there. Peyton Manning will likely want to go back to the AFC South after facing Kansas City twice.
It's easy to cheer for Tamba Hali. I started with that Sporting News article. It's not right for any child to experience what he experienced. He's lucky to have survived. As fantastic as Tamba Hali is on the football field it sounds like it all pales to the person off the field. Besides, I just love saying Tamba Hali.
All NFL players have a story.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Memorial Stadium
Cal has spent more than a year giving Memorial Stadium a face lift. Much of it was sorely needed but I find it more than a little sad that anything had to change. Memorial Stadium opened in 1923 for the Big Game against Stanford. It's been one of the best venues in college football ever since. This work being done had best not change that.
I was first introduced to Memorial Stadium in 1975. It was magnificent. Like a dream, everything was perfect. I'd never been to a football game at that level. I'd only seen little high school stadiums before. TV in those days never approached the justice deserved of the stadiums, the football fields and the games played in them and on them. Midfield seats made it all impossibly perfect. I even felt that I could feel the presence of Andy Smith and Pappy Waldorf, the Wonder Teams, Jackie Jensen, Les Richter and Johnny O. Following in the mist of those that came before, new Cal legends Chuck Muncie and Wesley Walker were on the field that day. So was quarterback Joe Roth. Little did we know then that Roth would have only a handful of games left to play. He would play them like few ever have. Cancer would take Joe Roth way too soon. That entire day felt scripted just for me. Everything changed. My love of football was born that day in Memorial Stadium.
I was first introduced to Memorial Stadium in 1975. It was magnificent. Like a dream, everything was perfect. I'd never been to a football game at that level. I'd only seen little high school stadiums before. TV in those days never approached the justice deserved of the stadiums, the football fields and the games played in them and on them. Midfield seats made it all impossibly perfect. I even felt that I could feel the presence of Andy Smith and Pappy Waldorf, the Wonder Teams, Jackie Jensen, Les Richter and Johnny O. Following in the mist of those that came before, new Cal legends Chuck Muncie and Wesley Walker were on the field that day. So was quarterback Joe Roth. Little did we know then that Roth would have only a handful of games left to play. He would play them like few ever have. Cancer would take Joe Roth way too soon. That entire day felt scripted just for me. Everything changed. My love of football was born that day in Memorial Stadium.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Retirement
Waiting on Bret Favre to retire each year was never fun. Especially the two too long offseasons that he kept the Minneosota Vikings waiting. Not knowing who is going to be under center a week into training camp is never fun. It's no fun for fans. It's certainly no fun for Tarvaris Jackson, Sage Rosenfels, Brad Childress, Darrell Bevel, Matt Birk, John Sullivan. The list goes on. Listening to any football player speak of retirement shows that it's no snap decision. Sometimes health makes the decision for the player. Sterling Sharpe, Merrill Hoge, Al Toon, Steve Young basically had retirement handed to them. They may not have liked it but common sense made retirement a fairly easy decision. Concussions may be the most difficult in that physically the football player feels tip top. The real issues are harder to see. Harder to feel. Using the head rather than the heart likely leads to the right decision of hanging 'em up.
LaDanian Tomlinson retires at the age of 33. He seems to have made an easy decision. He seems to be at peace with it. Still, it took him until recently to make the decision. It likely wasn't as easy as he now makes it sound. Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and Robert Smith all retired before they hit 30. Perhaps the decision to retire is relatively easier for a running back. Even with the incredible increase in passing runners get thrashed. They run out of gas earlier than most positions. For every player like Tomlinson that makes his own decision there's a dozen like linebacker Ben Leber that has it made for them. They are still fairly young. They still feel like they can play. 32 NFL teams look at him a bit differently. The decision to retire ends up being made by someone other than the player. Leber was a very good linebacker. He was a terrific football player for the Vikings for five years. Never blessed with a great deal of speed maybe the NFL decision makers saw a different linebacker when he lost some of it. Both Tomlinson and Leber will likely have an easy move into the media side of football. Good thing. Retired football players are too young to retire.
I can understand some of the waffling that Favre did every offseason of his last few seasons. Some people had too much fun joking about his indecision to try to understand it. It's always easy to quit football immediately after a season. Especially a season that ends earlier than expected. The decision to retire in January or February is so much easier than it is in the summer. As the weather gets hot so to does the desire to pick up that football. Favre's last handful of offseasons were so easy to predict. It's also easy to understand how hard the decision to retire is for him and so many other football players. For too many, it's all they know. It's hard to give up something that you love. 33, even 43, seems too young to have to give up anything. Especially when the love and the passion is still there.
LaDanian Tomlinson retires at the age of 33. He seems to have made an easy decision. He seems to be at peace with it. Still, it took him until recently to make the decision. It likely wasn't as easy as he now makes it sound. Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and Robert Smith all retired before they hit 30. Perhaps the decision to retire is relatively easier for a running back. Even with the incredible increase in passing runners get thrashed. They run out of gas earlier than most positions. For every player like Tomlinson that makes his own decision there's a dozen like linebacker Ben Leber that has it made for them. They are still fairly young. They still feel like they can play. 32 NFL teams look at him a bit differently. The decision to retire ends up being made by someone other than the player. Leber was a very good linebacker. He was a terrific football player for the Vikings for five years. Never blessed with a great deal of speed maybe the NFL decision makers saw a different linebacker when he lost some of it. Both Tomlinson and Leber will likely have an easy move into the media side of football. Good thing. Retired football players are too young to retire.
I can understand some of the waffling that Favre did every offseason of his last few seasons. Some people had too much fun joking about his indecision to try to understand it. It's always easy to quit football immediately after a season. Especially a season that ends earlier than expected. The decision to retire in January or February is so much easier than it is in the summer. As the weather gets hot so to does the desire to pick up that football. Favre's last handful of offseasons were so easy to predict. It's also easy to understand how hard the decision to retire is for him and so many other football players. For too many, it's all they know. It's hard to give up something that you love. 33, even 43, seems too young to have to give up anything. Especially when the love and the passion is still there.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Throwback Thursday: Off Field Battles
The NFL is fast approaching its centennial birthday. Most of what the fans know about, certainly what they care about, is the game on the field. As long as it is there each fall they are happy. They don't care how it gets there. They only care about the touchdowns, the big plays, the big hits and fantasy football. That was especially evident last year when most cared more about the lockout ending than how the whole mess was settled. There have been a lot of off field messes in the history of the NFL. Most of them few care to know. Getting the game to the field has never been easy. Nearly every year has seen a battle to simply get to that opening kickoff. If you ask the long fighting football families, the Halas-McCaskeys, the Maras, the Rooneys, the Bidwills, they will all likely say that it was well worth it.
Starting in 1920, the NFL was simply fighting for survival. Respect was fleeting as college football was king. Professional football was seen by many as a bunch of hobos running into each other on a sandlot. Teams came and went. So did the players. One year there would be twenty teams giving it a go and the next would there would be half that number. The league got some much needed attention when the Chicago Bears signed University of Illinois phenom Red Grange. Bears owner George Halas and Grange's maniac manager C.C. Pyle proceeded to jeopardize their star football player's career by going on a nationwide barnstorming tour. The insane schedule may have shortened the career of a fantastic football talent but it brought the NFL a ton of attention. In sacrificing himself Grange may have saved the league. Of course Pyle had to take advantage of that attention by trying get his own NFL team by using his client as a bargaining chip. The league didn't budge and Pyle started his own league with Grange as the headliner. The NFL had a rival league for the first time but certainly not the last time. This new league, the American Football League, didn't last long and once again Grange was in a Bears uniform. Fortunately, Pyle left football for his next scheme. The NFL gained some footing and stability in the 1930s. The Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Chicago Cardinals, Boston/Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Rams formed the nucleus of the league then and survive, some in other cities, today. They were far from home free but things were getting better. Then, World War II changed everything. There was talk of shutting down but the NFL waddled on. Some teams merged. Some teams took a break. The NFL got by. The end of the War brought peace and relief. It wasn't all happy for the NFL as a gambling scandal and a new rival league were the next challenges.
Prior to the 1946 NFL Championship game between the New York Giants and Chicago Bears, Frank Filchock and Merle Hapes of the Giants were approached by gamblers with an offer. For $2,500 the two players were to give less than maximum effort in the big game. The authorities caught wind of it before the game. Hapes admitted to being approached by the gamblers. Filchock denied all of it. Hapes was suspended from the NFL indefinitely. Filchock was allowed to play in the game. As the sordid details were brought to light during the court trials of the gamblers, Filchock was also suspended indefinitely. As all of this cast the NFL in a ugly light, the All America Football Conference was getting kick started. Unlike the sad but true efforts of C.C. Pyle's AFL in the 1920s. This new league was legit. Filled with talent too. The AAFC competed for four years. The best teams would have been very competitive in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns in particular. This league threw a scare into the NFL but they couldn't keep the finances up. After four years, The Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts joined the NFL. The Buffalo Bills could have made the leap as well. The Browns, in particular, showed their worth immediately. They won the NFL title in 1950. They made it to the title game each of the next five years, winning again in 1954 and 1955. The National Football League finally became a national football league when the Cleveland Rams moved to Los Angeles and the San Francisco 49ers joined. Under the guidance of commissioner Bert Bell the league really started to look like a strong outfit through the 1950s. By the end of the decade televison was entering the picture. Professional football was starting to pass college football in popularity and even approaching baseball. It wouldn't be long before the NFL was looking back at every other spectator sport. Before that could happen, the 1960s would present a whole list of challenges.
The American Football League would scare the hell out of the NFL for the better part of a decade. This new league would drive the old league nuts. The AFL was made up of a bunch of rich guys. Most of them had been turned away by the NFL on several occasions. Nothing pisses off a rich guy more than telling him he can't buy something. The AFL had a bunch of pissed off rich guys. They were also rich guys that had a nice TV contract for their league. The AFL was there to stay and the NFL had to deal with it. The result was a signing war over the college players. The AFL got a decent share of those players including the big fish, Joe Namath. The rising player salaries and losing talent brought the proud NFL people to the bargaining table. By the end of the decade there was a full merger of the two leagues. The old league couldn't beat the new kids so they had to invite them into their sacred little league. The NFL would have minor battles in the next two decades with rival leagues World Football League and the United States Football League. The WFL posed little threat since they lasted about a week and a half. The USFL did a little more damage. They ended up in court. Despite winning that battle the USFL was destroyed in the war. The NFL would have to take a tremendous fall to ever be threatened by another league again. They are simply too strong.
While the NFL was playing with the AFL, they had some home grown issues. They had another gambling scandal. This time it was a couple of players that were found to be betting on the games. A couple of stars too, Packers running back Paul Hornung and Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras. New commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended both for the 1963 season. Some people criticized current commissioner Roger Goodell with being a little heavy handed with his punishments. Rozelle set that precedent with his suspensions of Hornung and Karras. Neither player was a serious gambler and they were caught making casual bets with friends. Unlike today, players then had no union to got to bat for them. That would soon change too. The radical 1960s brought players ready to join ranks. Ready to take a stand against the owners. It took some time but the NFLPA was finally open for business in the early 1970s. Since then some labor issue has hit the owners pretty much every couple of years. Two strikes went so far as to cost everyone games. A handful of others threatened the games including the mess that was last year's offseason. Every year one of the two parties is unhappy about something. They each have to understand that they can't have anything without the other. There's clearly more than enough to go around.
There's always something going on with the NFL. Right now, we have the idiot New Orleans Saints bounties, the ever present performance enhancing drugs, health care for former players and player safety. It seems like every year has it's own little challenges before they can even get to the games. There were some times of relative peace in the 1930s and 1950s but they sure ended in a hurry. World War II and the AFL put a quick end to those happy days. As I think of the mess caused by the Saints I should be thankful. It could be so much worse.
Starting in 1920, the NFL was simply fighting for survival. Respect was fleeting as college football was king. Professional football was seen by many as a bunch of hobos running into each other on a sandlot. Teams came and went. So did the players. One year there would be twenty teams giving it a go and the next would there would be half that number. The league got some much needed attention when the Chicago Bears signed University of Illinois phenom Red Grange. Bears owner George Halas and Grange's maniac manager C.C. Pyle proceeded to jeopardize their star football player's career by going on a nationwide barnstorming tour. The insane schedule may have shortened the career of a fantastic football talent but it brought the NFL a ton of attention. In sacrificing himself Grange may have saved the league. Of course Pyle had to take advantage of that attention by trying get his own NFL team by using his client as a bargaining chip. The league didn't budge and Pyle started his own league with Grange as the headliner. The NFL had a rival league for the first time but certainly not the last time. This new league, the American Football League, didn't last long and once again Grange was in a Bears uniform. Fortunately, Pyle left football for his next scheme. The NFL gained some footing and stability in the 1930s. The Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Chicago Cardinals, Boston/Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Rams formed the nucleus of the league then and survive, some in other cities, today. They were far from home free but things were getting better. Then, World War II changed everything. There was talk of shutting down but the NFL waddled on. Some teams merged. Some teams took a break. The NFL got by. The end of the War brought peace and relief. It wasn't all happy for the NFL as a gambling scandal and a new rival league were the next challenges.
Prior to the 1946 NFL Championship game between the New York Giants and Chicago Bears, Frank Filchock and Merle Hapes of the Giants were approached by gamblers with an offer. For $2,500 the two players were to give less than maximum effort in the big game. The authorities caught wind of it before the game. Hapes admitted to being approached by the gamblers. Filchock denied all of it. Hapes was suspended from the NFL indefinitely. Filchock was allowed to play in the game. As the sordid details were brought to light during the court trials of the gamblers, Filchock was also suspended indefinitely. As all of this cast the NFL in a ugly light, the All America Football Conference was getting kick started. Unlike the sad but true efforts of C.C. Pyle's AFL in the 1920s. This new league was legit. Filled with talent too. The AAFC competed for four years. The best teams would have been very competitive in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns in particular. This league threw a scare into the NFL but they couldn't keep the finances up. After four years, The Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts joined the NFL. The Buffalo Bills could have made the leap as well. The Browns, in particular, showed their worth immediately. They won the NFL title in 1950. They made it to the title game each of the next five years, winning again in 1954 and 1955. The National Football League finally became a national football league when the Cleveland Rams moved to Los Angeles and the San Francisco 49ers joined. Under the guidance of commissioner Bert Bell the league really started to look like a strong outfit through the 1950s. By the end of the decade televison was entering the picture. Professional football was starting to pass college football in popularity and even approaching baseball. It wouldn't be long before the NFL was looking back at every other spectator sport. Before that could happen, the 1960s would present a whole list of challenges.
The American Football League would scare the hell out of the NFL for the better part of a decade. This new league would drive the old league nuts. The AFL was made up of a bunch of rich guys. Most of them had been turned away by the NFL on several occasions. Nothing pisses off a rich guy more than telling him he can't buy something. The AFL had a bunch of pissed off rich guys. They were also rich guys that had a nice TV contract for their league. The AFL was there to stay and the NFL had to deal with it. The result was a signing war over the college players. The AFL got a decent share of those players including the big fish, Joe Namath. The rising player salaries and losing talent brought the proud NFL people to the bargaining table. By the end of the decade there was a full merger of the two leagues. The old league couldn't beat the new kids so they had to invite them into their sacred little league. The NFL would have minor battles in the next two decades with rival leagues World Football League and the United States Football League. The WFL posed little threat since they lasted about a week and a half. The USFL did a little more damage. They ended up in court. Despite winning that battle the USFL was destroyed in the war. The NFL would have to take a tremendous fall to ever be threatened by another league again. They are simply too strong.
While the NFL was playing with the AFL, they had some home grown issues. They had another gambling scandal. This time it was a couple of players that were found to be betting on the games. A couple of stars too, Packers running back Paul Hornung and Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras. New commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended both for the 1963 season. Some people criticized current commissioner Roger Goodell with being a little heavy handed with his punishments. Rozelle set that precedent with his suspensions of Hornung and Karras. Neither player was a serious gambler and they were caught making casual bets with friends. Unlike today, players then had no union to got to bat for them. That would soon change too. The radical 1960s brought players ready to join ranks. Ready to take a stand against the owners. It took some time but the NFLPA was finally open for business in the early 1970s. Since then some labor issue has hit the owners pretty much every couple of years. Two strikes went so far as to cost everyone games. A handful of others threatened the games including the mess that was last year's offseason. Every year one of the two parties is unhappy about something. They each have to understand that they can't have anything without the other. There's clearly more than enough to go around.
There's always something going on with the NFL. Right now, we have the idiot New Orleans Saints bounties, the ever present performance enhancing drugs, health care for former players and player safety. It seems like every year has it's own little challenges before they can even get to the games. There were some times of relative peace in the 1930s and 1950s but they sure ended in a hurry. World War II and the AFL put a quick end to those happy days. As I think of the mess caused by the Saints I should be thankful. It could be so much worse.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Sanbow
We are still a few weeks from the start of training camps and I'm already sick of hearing about Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow and the New York Jets quarterback controversy. It probably isn't even a controversy within the Jets. The media just wants it to be. At worst, it's a quarterback competition. No different than what's probably taking place in Arizona with Kevin Kolb and John Skelton or in Seattle with any quarterback Pete Carroll can find. Right now in New York, Mark Sanchez is the starter and Tim Tebow is the backup. Even LaDanian Tomlinson said that Tebow was likely brought in to provide some of the versatility, some of the change of pace that the Jets had with Brad Smith. Tomlinson spent the last two seasons with the Jets so he likely has an idea what the team likes to run on offense. Tebow certainly adds a new offensive dimension that few teams have and no defense can realistically prepare for. Right now, he's not an every down quarterback. Maybe he'll one day bring it all together but right now his passing can be a disaster. For now, Tebow can make an impact and he's shown on numerous occasions that he can provide a spark. Even with only a handful of offensive snaps he can be a terrific football player for the Jets. Sanchez has to be mature enough and confident enough in his own game to handle that. He can't be looking over his shoulder. He just has to accept the change of pace that Tebow brings. He shouldn't worry about Tebow. He should only worry about what he controls. If Sanchez does his job and Tebow does his job, they can coexist. There won't be a quarterback controversy no matter how much the media wants one. There will just be a very unique quarterback situation.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
A Game
If I was a football scout, I believe that I'd view the game differently than my peers. I know that I view the game differently than many of my fellow football fans. Everyone looks at stats, numbers, anything to measure a player's worth. Those figures create the football player that everyone comes out to see. Few seem to consider the football player that is about to produce those vital numbers. The person that plays a game. The person. I've heard that Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway is often the first out to practice. He's out early or stays late to catch punts, run and throw, have fun. Greenway has no chance of ever returning punts. He's on the practice field and the real field for his love of the game. Just watching him play linebacker for a couple of plays is often enough to see that love and the enjoyment he receives from running around, playing a game. Some players clock in and clock out. Just doing what they have to. Some don't have to do anything at all. They are just that talented or they just don't care. The latter aren't there too long. As a scout, I'd find the football players, like Chad Greenway, that approach football like we all did as kids. Those that treat football like a game and enjoy it just the same.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Hall of Very Good
I found the Pro Football Researchers Association on the final pages of a Jim Dent book. Most good football books with a glancing respect for historical accuracy will reference the PFRA. I've been a PFRA member since Dent directed me to them. If I ever meet Jim Dent, I will thank him.
The PFRA took me to Mt. Laurel, NJ and introduced me to the magic of NFL Films. They also introduced to me to them, the fine people that make up this amazing football resource. It's nice to meet people that don't run when I speak of the Pottsville Maroons, Carl Storck and drop kicks. No offense intended to the Pottsville Maroons, Carl Storck or drop kicks. As a matter of fact, my father once watched Jim Thorpe drop kick field goals from the midfield stripe of Kezar Stadium. I loved hearing every single word of it. The PFRA simply loves football. It's beginning days especially and I'm with them 100%. Without those days we wouldn't have these days. I seriously believe that the Pro Football Hall of Fame would be best served if the keys to induction were handed to us. The sham that we call the current selection process has become a joke. There's no end to the evidence that the voters simply do not get it. It's politics to them. The clowns that select care little about the honor assigned them or the history that they are called to respect. They trade votes, pass notes and hide behind closed doors. It's so bad that the PFRA started the Hall of Very Good in 2003. We pick players that should be recognized for their amazing football careers. None of them should ever be forgotten. The very best should always be remembered. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has a lot of gaps. The Hall of Very Good fills them. I'd like to think that I helped get Minnesota Vikings running back Chuck Foreman inducted into the Hall of Very Good in 2010. This year I nominated Matt Blair, Ahmad Rashad and Joey Browner. I'm a Vikings fan. I have to represent. To show that I have no blinders I also nominated Dallas Cowboys defensive backs Cornell Green and Charlie Waters. For a few years, apparently less than is required for any serious Hall of Fame consideration, Browner was one of the best safeties to ever play the game. For a handful of years he was an absolute demon at the back of the Vikings defense. His play compared favorably to that of Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, and future Hall of Fame inductees Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu. Browner was actually a mix of all three. The power and impact of Lott, the suddenness and instincts of Polamalu and the amazing glide and presence of Reed. Do we even realize what we are seeing when we see Polamalu and Reed each Sunday? We are so lucky to live at this time. The Hall of Very Good is a very good thing and it's starting to reach the players that are selected. They receive a certificate. It's not a fancy bronze bust but it's something. This minor honor has become a stepping stone. Several have moved from the Hall of Very Good to eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Very Good is a nice step that the idiot Hall of Fame voters might see. It might help them finally see the light. Might help them make the right choice. If they can't do their job, we'll do it for them. The PFRA, despite the urge to try, has never tried to sway the idiot voters. We are not about politics. We are all about football. So much so that we can't take some of this Hall of Fame crap much more. For the first time, the PFRA is making recommendations to the Hall of Fame senior selection committee. We are not poiticians or lobbyists. We are something more. We care. We are suggesting to the senior selection committee that they consider the merits of Lavvie Dilweg, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie and Al Wistert. It's ridiculous that these four football players have to be recommended to anyone that cares a bit about football history. Then I think of the fact that it took until 2005 for the idiots to finally decide that Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman deserve a looksie. Forcryingoutloud, how do they justify this. The first Hall of Fame class was in 1963 and it takes over forty years to finally include Pollard and Friedman? Personally, I'd place both of them in the Hall before I'd even consider initial Redskins owner George Preston Marshall. Marshall, a racist and 1963 inductee, set the league back decades with his prejudice. We would not have the NFL today without the NFL that survived the 1920s. The NFL would not have survived the 1920s without Fritz Pollard, Benny Friedman, Lavvie Dilweg and Duke Slater. I have no problem with Jim Thorpe and Red Grange being in the Hall of Fame. Their names helped the NFL survive. People came to see them even if they wore a coat and watched from a bench. The running of Pollard, the blocking of Slater, the catching of Dilweg, the throwing of Friedman made the play on the field something to see. The names brought fans to the games. The play on the field brought them back. The PFRA recognizes that. The people that decide which busts populate that building in Canton really should listen to those that care. Those that vote seem to care only about being the voters.
The PFRA took me to Mt. Laurel, NJ and introduced me to the magic of NFL Films. They also introduced to me to them, the fine people that make up this amazing football resource. It's nice to meet people that don't run when I speak of the Pottsville Maroons, Carl Storck and drop kicks. No offense intended to the Pottsville Maroons, Carl Storck or drop kicks. As a matter of fact, my father once watched Jim Thorpe drop kick field goals from the midfield stripe of Kezar Stadium. I loved hearing every single word of it. The PFRA simply loves football. It's beginning days especially and I'm with them 100%. Without those days we wouldn't have these days. I seriously believe that the Pro Football Hall of Fame would be best served if the keys to induction were handed to us. The sham that we call the current selection process has become a joke. There's no end to the evidence that the voters simply do not get it. It's politics to them. The clowns that select care little about the honor assigned them or the history that they are called to respect. They trade votes, pass notes and hide behind closed doors. It's so bad that the PFRA started the Hall of Very Good in 2003. We pick players that should be recognized for their amazing football careers. None of them should ever be forgotten. The very best should always be remembered. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has a lot of gaps. The Hall of Very Good fills them. I'd like to think that I helped get Minnesota Vikings running back Chuck Foreman inducted into the Hall of Very Good in 2010. This year I nominated Matt Blair, Ahmad Rashad and Joey Browner. I'm a Vikings fan. I have to represent. To show that I have no blinders I also nominated Dallas Cowboys defensive backs Cornell Green and Charlie Waters. For a few years, apparently less than is required for any serious Hall of Fame consideration, Browner was one of the best safeties to ever play the game. For a handful of years he was an absolute demon at the back of the Vikings defense. His play compared favorably to that of Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, and future Hall of Fame inductees Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu. Browner was actually a mix of all three. The power and impact of Lott, the suddenness and instincts of Polamalu and the amazing glide and presence of Reed. Do we even realize what we are seeing when we see Polamalu and Reed each Sunday? We are so lucky to live at this time. The Hall of Very Good is a very good thing and it's starting to reach the players that are selected. They receive a certificate. It's not a fancy bronze bust but it's something. This minor honor has become a stepping stone. Several have moved from the Hall of Very Good to eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Very Good is a nice step that the idiot Hall of Fame voters might see. It might help them finally see the light. Might help them make the right choice. If they can't do their job, we'll do it for them. The PFRA, despite the urge to try, has never tried to sway the idiot voters. We are not about politics. We are all about football. So much so that we can't take some of this Hall of Fame crap much more. For the first time, the PFRA is making recommendations to the Hall of Fame senior selection committee. We are not poiticians or lobbyists. We are something more. We care. We are suggesting to the senior selection committee that they consider the merits of Lavvie Dilweg, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie and Al Wistert. It's ridiculous that these four football players have to be recommended to anyone that cares a bit about football history. Then I think of the fact that it took until 2005 for the idiots to finally decide that Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman deserve a looksie. Forcryingoutloud, how do they justify this. The first Hall of Fame class was in 1963 and it takes over forty years to finally include Pollard and Friedman? Personally, I'd place both of them in the Hall before I'd even consider initial Redskins owner George Preston Marshall. Marshall, a racist and 1963 inductee, set the league back decades with his prejudice. We would not have the NFL today without the NFL that survived the 1920s. The NFL would not have survived the 1920s without Fritz Pollard, Benny Friedman, Lavvie Dilweg and Duke Slater. I have no problem with Jim Thorpe and Red Grange being in the Hall of Fame. Their names helped the NFL survive. People came to see them even if they wore a coat and watched from a bench. The running of Pollard, the blocking of Slater, the catching of Dilweg, the throwing of Friedman made the play on the field something to see. The names brought fans to the games. The play on the field brought them back. The PFRA recognizes that. The people that decide which busts populate that building in Canton really should listen to those that care. Those that vote seem to care only about being the voters.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
The Mannings
Little Eli Manning is really showing that he can fling the football with his father and brother. He received a lot of undeserved grief when he said that he was an elite quarterback. He was only answering a question. I'd be disappointed if he didn't answer the question as he did. Some obviously questioned his elite status then. Few question it now. Ron Jaworski watches a bunch of game film. It's his job and his passion. Apparently he just watched a bunch of film of Eli Manning. Jaworski's conclusion is that the younger Manning has become a top five quarterback in the league. Considering this is a league with Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees, top five is very high praise. Jaworski has Eli Manning in very select company. When Eli was drafted in 2004, I thought that he'd eventually surpass his brother. I figured that his passing skills would develop as Peyton's did. I thought that Eli had a decided edge in athletic ability. Have you seen Peyton run? I thought that edge would be the difference. I was wrong. Now, Eli is a terrific quarterback. As Jaworski nicely showed, Eli is excellent at working through his progressions. He finds the open receiver and gets the ball to him. Peyton does all this as well. The difference between Peyton and pretty much every other quarterback is that he doesn't need the receiver to be open. His throws can open up the receiver. If I were to select the ten most amazing throws of the past decade, Peyton Manning would probably have more than half of them. He's amazing. He routinely makes throws that most quarterbacks can't see. There were several Indianapolis Colts games that I had to stop and rewind (thank you DVR) just to confirm that I saw what I thought I saw. His ability to open up a receiver is just unreal. Skipping away from the Manning for a moment, last year Aaron Rodgers used back shoulder throws routinely to open up his receivers, leaving defenders defenseless. Speaking of Rodgers, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy doesn't deserve him. As part of the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff that passed on Rodgers for Alex Smith, McCarthy doesn't deserve the benefits of having Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback. Back to the Mannings.
Peyton and Eli Manning are both elite quarterbacks. Peyton always seemed to be. Eli has joined him. Some have just recently put him on that stage. In reality, he's been there for a while now.
Peyton and Eli Manning are both elite quarterbacks. Peyton always seemed to be. Eli has joined him. Some have just recently put him on that stage. In reality, he's been there for a while now.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Unsigned Draft Picks
There are only 32 unsigned draft picks. Of that amount, fourteen were picked in the first round. I find it a little surprising that there are more players taken after the first round that are unsigned than those at the top of the draft. Speaking of the very top, none of the top eight have signed. It's believed that all eight want fully guaranteed contracts. The teams are resisting and neither side has budged, yet. Fully guaranteed contracts are the norm in other sports but they have yet to find a place in the NFL. These young kids are looking to change that. With the new CBA most of the contract numbers are essentially scripted so the only real bargaining has to be over the guaranteed contracts. Despite this apparent stalemate between the teams and the top picks no one is really worrying about training camp holdouts. The vast majority of the players have ensured their on-time attendance at camp. It still wouldn't be totally shocking if a couple stay away for a day or two or more.
The Minnesota Vikings have eight of their ten picks signed. First round tackle Matt Kalil is one of those top 8 picks that might be pushing for a fully guaranteed contract. Linemen usually just want to get to work so hopefully they can work the contract out soon. I'm a little puzzled by the unsigned status of third round cornerback Josh Robinson. It's like the team or his agent forgot about him. Maybe since he's super fast he's looking for super fast money. Who knows? I expect his signing any day and hopefully Kalil's soon after.
Oakland Raiders receiver Juron Criner is the latest drafted player still unsigned. He was a fifth round selection. Since the Raiders traded away the top of their draft before they even hit the offseason a fifth really qualifies as a much higher choice.
In past years, teams didn't really start negotiating until after July 4th. I never really understood that but that's just the way it was. It always seemed like half the first round picks missed a portion of camp. So, this is quite refreshing to ease into training camps with few to no holdouts. No one wins when a player holds out.
The Minnesota Vikings have eight of their ten picks signed. First round tackle Matt Kalil is one of those top 8 picks that might be pushing for a fully guaranteed contract. Linemen usually just want to get to work so hopefully they can work the contract out soon. I'm a little puzzled by the unsigned status of third round cornerback Josh Robinson. It's like the team or his agent forgot about him. Maybe since he's super fast he's looking for super fast money. Who knows? I expect his signing any day and hopefully Kalil's soon after.
Oakland Raiders receiver Juron Criner is the latest drafted player still unsigned. He was a fifth round selection. Since the Raiders traded away the top of their draft before they even hit the offseason a fifth really qualifies as a much higher choice.
In past years, teams didn't really start negotiating until after July 4th. I never really understood that but that's just the way it was. It always seemed like half the first round picks missed a portion of camp. So, this is quite refreshing to ease into training camps with few to no holdouts. No one wins when a player holds out.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Throwback Thursday: The Tarkenton Trades
It's unfortunately rare for a player in today's NFL to spend his entire career with the same team. Prior to free agency taking over the league it was much more common to see a player start and end his career with the same team. Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton did just that but he didn't spend all of his playing days with the Minnesota Vikings.
I can think of no other football player that had a career like Tarkenton. It's as if he had three distinct careers. He was the face and future of the expansion Vikings from 1961-66. He was traded to the New York Giants to return a once proud franchise to glory. From 1967-71 he was the Giants answer to Joe Namath in New York. In 1972 Tarkenton was traded back to Minnesota to be the final piece for a contending that lacked only a quarterback. It's remarkable. Tarkenton was the centerpiece in two blockbuster trades. He was great in all three stages of his Hall of Fame career. When he retired he had all the career passing records (except intereceptions!) now held by Brett Favre. Tarkenton had a great but unusual career.
As a Vikings fan it's easy to be biased but I really think that the Vikings won on both ends of the Tarkenton trades. The Giants gave up 1st and 2nd round picks in the 1967 NFL Draft, a 1st in 1968 and a 2nd in 1969. With the 1967 picks, the Vikings selected running back Clinton Jones and receiver Bob Grim. Jones made the greater impact as he added some speed and a big play threat to an effective but plodding backfield. Grim was a solid receiver, despite his unfortunate name, and he played a part in bringing Tarkenton back five years later. The 1968 pick was the big one. The first pick in that NFL Draft brought Hall of Fame tackle Ron Yary to Minnesota. Yary was fantastic. Little else needs to be said about that. The 1969 pick brought guard Ed White. He lined up next to Yary and formed a wall for the better part of the next decade. In the five years that Tarkenton was running around New York the Vikings became a force in the NFL. They even made it to the 1969 Super Bowl. Minnesota's defense was a monster. The offense was a little more than competent. At times they could be explosive but mostly they did what needed to be done. A few quarterbacks led them. The best was easily Joe Kapp. Memories of Kapp warm many Minnesota hearts. Kapp was a real treat. He was fiery, a leader, a warrior, a winner, a lot of fun but he was rarely confused with a skilled quarterback. He also wasn't with the team very long. By 1972 it was clear that the Vikings needed a quarterback. They turned to the Giants and Tarkenton. Minnesota gave up 1st round picks in 1972 and 1973 as well as quarterback Norm Snead, Grim and running back Vince Clements. That trade took the Vikings to three Super Bowls and cemented Tarkenton's spot in Canton.
I've often wondered what that 1969 team would've been like if Tarkenton was part of it but there are so many variables. Tarkenton would certainly make the offense more versatile and explosive but he'd have to manage without Jones, Grim and especially Yary and White. The Super Bowl teams of the '70s would have been greatly weakened without that excellent offensive line. Too many "what ifs" to speculate. Despite not bringing home any Lombardi Trophies the Minnesota Vikings of that era was a dominant team. They got that way by trading away Fran Tarkenton and by bringing him back.
I can think of no other football player that had a career like Tarkenton. It's as if he had three distinct careers. He was the face and future of the expansion Vikings from 1961-66. He was traded to the New York Giants to return a once proud franchise to glory. From 1967-71 he was the Giants answer to Joe Namath in New York. In 1972 Tarkenton was traded back to Minnesota to be the final piece for a contending that lacked only a quarterback. It's remarkable. Tarkenton was the centerpiece in two blockbuster trades. He was great in all three stages of his Hall of Fame career. When he retired he had all the career passing records (except intereceptions!) now held by Brett Favre. Tarkenton had a great but unusual career.
As a Vikings fan it's easy to be biased but I really think that the Vikings won on both ends of the Tarkenton trades. The Giants gave up 1st and 2nd round picks in the 1967 NFL Draft, a 1st in 1968 and a 2nd in 1969. With the 1967 picks, the Vikings selected running back Clinton Jones and receiver Bob Grim. Jones made the greater impact as he added some speed and a big play threat to an effective but plodding backfield. Grim was a solid receiver, despite his unfortunate name, and he played a part in bringing Tarkenton back five years later. The 1968 pick was the big one. The first pick in that NFL Draft brought Hall of Fame tackle Ron Yary to Minnesota. Yary was fantastic. Little else needs to be said about that. The 1969 pick brought guard Ed White. He lined up next to Yary and formed a wall for the better part of the next decade. In the five years that Tarkenton was running around New York the Vikings became a force in the NFL. They even made it to the 1969 Super Bowl. Minnesota's defense was a monster. The offense was a little more than competent. At times they could be explosive but mostly they did what needed to be done. A few quarterbacks led them. The best was easily Joe Kapp. Memories of Kapp warm many Minnesota hearts. Kapp was a real treat. He was fiery, a leader, a warrior, a winner, a lot of fun but he was rarely confused with a skilled quarterback. He also wasn't with the team very long. By 1972 it was clear that the Vikings needed a quarterback. They turned to the Giants and Tarkenton. Minnesota gave up 1st round picks in 1972 and 1973 as well as quarterback Norm Snead, Grim and running back Vince Clements. That trade took the Vikings to three Super Bowls and cemented Tarkenton's spot in Canton.
I've often wondered what that 1969 team would've been like if Tarkenton was part of it but there are so many variables. Tarkenton would certainly make the offense more versatile and explosive but he'd have to manage without Jones, Grim and especially Yary and White. The Super Bowl teams of the '70s would have been greatly weakened without that excellent offensive line. Too many "what ifs" to speculate. Despite not bringing home any Lombardi Trophies the Minnesota Vikings of that era was a dominant team. They got that way by trading away Fran Tarkenton and by bringing him back.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Slow Down
If football ever does have a down time, this is it. These few weeks before training camps open are the only weeks that coaches have to get away. Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier took off to Afghanistan with Bill Cowher and Eric Mangini on an NFL-USO tour. Frazier is the only one with a coaching job. As for the players, they take their breaks just after the season ends. Most are working out on their own now, or should be, to get physically ready for camp. If they break away from workouts now they risk coming into camp behind everybody else. The competition is too great and the jobs are too few.
No matter how much the league slows down at this time, it never really stops. This year there's the New Orleans Saints bounty hooey. Anyone else tired of this? Commissioner Roger Goodell just handed down his confirmation of the player suspensions. With those players likely taking the matter to the courts this is heading down the Star Caps path. At that rate we'll being dealing with this every year for a decade. Hopefully, Gregg Williams will still be watching football far away from a football field. No matter how much Drew Brees cries about it all, the Saints were caught doing something that has no place in football and lied about it. I just want to see it all end. It's ridiculous.
Beyond all the bounty stuff that was old months ago, most of the first round draft picks remain unsigned. So, there's a bunch of contract signing to be done in these slow weeks. The new CBA essentially determines the contract particulars so those should fall nicely into line. Soon! Unlike like the crazy recent past when most of those first round picks held out for at least a few days. Simply ugly times.
Then there's the excitement of the Supplemental Draft on July 12. This really is a thrilling event. No TV and the teams handle it on line. It sometimes slips by with no players selected. There's usually only a handful available. This year we have Baylor WR Josh Gordon, Boise State DB Quaylon Ewing, Syracuse RB Adam Harris, Iowa St OT Adam Haughton, Carson-Newman LB Larry Lumpkin, Georgia DE Montez Robinson, McMurray WR Houston Tuminello and TCU RB Ed Wesley. Gordon is the one player that grabs the attention of NFL decision makers. Big and fast, he looks the part of an NFL receiver. He didn't play at all last year as he ran astray of team expectations and rules. Unfortunate for him considering he would have been catching passes from Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Robert Griffin III. If his natural talent had meshed with his opportunity, he might have joined a couple of his college teammates in the first round of the regular NFL Draft. Not to tarnish the reputations of all the players that are included in the Supplemental Draft but most have done something that prevents them from continuing their college football playing days. The character issues are often the greatest concerns among these players and it is the greatest concern with Gordon. Ed Wesley may also get some attention. If a team selects a player in, say, the fourth round of this draft, they give up their fourth round pick in the next regular NFL Draft. If any of the players go undrafed they can still join a team as an undrafted free agent. The Vikings did that last year with Georgia RB Caleb King. So, we all have the NFL's Supplemental Draft to look forward to.
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
No matter how much the league slows down at this time, it never really stops. This year there's the New Orleans Saints bounty hooey. Anyone else tired of this? Commissioner Roger Goodell just handed down his confirmation of the player suspensions. With those players likely taking the matter to the courts this is heading down the Star Caps path. At that rate we'll being dealing with this every year for a decade. Hopefully, Gregg Williams will still be watching football far away from a football field. No matter how much Drew Brees cries about it all, the Saints were caught doing something that has no place in football and lied about it. I just want to see it all end. It's ridiculous.
Beyond all the bounty stuff that was old months ago, most of the first round draft picks remain unsigned. So, there's a bunch of contract signing to be done in these slow weeks. The new CBA essentially determines the contract particulars so those should fall nicely into line. Soon! Unlike like the crazy recent past when most of those first round picks held out for at least a few days. Simply ugly times.
Then there's the excitement of the Supplemental Draft on July 12. This really is a thrilling event. No TV and the teams handle it on line. It sometimes slips by with no players selected. There's usually only a handful available. This year we have Baylor WR Josh Gordon, Boise State DB Quaylon Ewing, Syracuse RB Adam Harris, Iowa St OT Adam Haughton, Carson-Newman LB Larry Lumpkin, Georgia DE Montez Robinson, McMurray WR Houston Tuminello and TCU RB Ed Wesley. Gordon is the one player that grabs the attention of NFL decision makers. Big and fast, he looks the part of an NFL receiver. He didn't play at all last year as he ran astray of team expectations and rules. Unfortunate for him considering he would have been catching passes from Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Robert Griffin III. If his natural talent had meshed with his opportunity, he might have joined a couple of his college teammates in the first round of the regular NFL Draft. Not to tarnish the reputations of all the players that are included in the Supplemental Draft but most have done something that prevents them from continuing their college football playing days. The character issues are often the greatest concerns among these players and it is the greatest concern with Gordon. Ed Wesley may also get some attention. If a team selects a player in, say, the fourth round of this draft, they give up their fourth round pick in the next regular NFL Draft. If any of the players go undrafed they can still join a team as an undrafted free agent. The Vikings did that last year with Georgia RB Caleb King. So, we all have the NFL's Supplemental Draft to look forward to.
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Secondary Concerns
The Minnesota Vikings have had fifty-two drafts. They have drafted a defensive back in the first round of only three of those drafts. That's an incredibly small number. That lack of attention is easily seen in some really sad secondary play for too many seasons. The secondary has rarely been seen as a primary concern by the Vikings. Ha! USC safety Joey Browner was taken in the first round in 1983. North Carolina St corner DeWayne Washington in 1994. In this past draft, the Vikings traded into the bottom of the first round to select Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. Browner was fantastic. If his career wasn't sadly cut short by injuries, he'd be in the Hall of Fame. He was a dominant football player. Wahington was a solid corner but unfortunately for the Vikings he spent the majority of his career in Pittsburgh. Let's hope that Smith is more like Browner. Except for the injury part.
It's difficult to say that all positions should be treated equally in the draft. There are so many factors that impact each selection. Immediate need, available players, draft position, etc. Still, in more than a half century of drafts you'd expect a team to select more than three players at positions that cover more than a third of the defense. By comparison the Vikings have selected sixteen defensive linemen in the first round in those fifty-two drafts. As a result, the team has regularly fielded a very good to amazing line. One reason for the huge difference in attention is that the defensive line has always been a critical area. Secondary importance has increased in recent years as passing the ball has passed running the ball as the preferred mode of offensive transportation. You have to be able to stop the pass in today's football. The Vikings have spent more time and money in free agency to improve the secondary. They've had to as drafting has routinely failed to supplement those positions. In the last decade they've tried to keep the pass defense afloat by signing Corey Chavous, Antoine Winfield, Fred Smoot, Darren Sharper and Madieu Williams. Some of those additions have worked. Some have been a disaster. Either way it's always been a patchwork back there. With general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Leslie Frazier, a cornerback in his playing days, in charge there seems to be greater attention paid to the secondary. Corner Chris Cook was taken with the first pick of the second round in 2010. That's almost the first round. In this past draft, Harrison Smith was taken in the first round, corner Josh Robinson in the third and safety Robert Blanton in the fifth. The Vikings future secondary may soon be covered by Cook, Smith, Robinson and Blanton. In would be the first time in decades that the Minnesota Vikings secondary was made up of their own draft choices. It's a nice sign and a reason for hope.
It's difficult to say that all positions should be treated equally in the draft. There are so many factors that impact each selection. Immediate need, available players, draft position, etc. Still, in more than a half century of drafts you'd expect a team to select more than three players at positions that cover more than a third of the defense. By comparison the Vikings have selected sixteen defensive linemen in the first round in those fifty-two drafts. As a result, the team has regularly fielded a very good to amazing line. One reason for the huge difference in attention is that the defensive line has always been a critical area. Secondary importance has increased in recent years as passing the ball has passed running the ball as the preferred mode of offensive transportation. You have to be able to stop the pass in today's football. The Vikings have spent more time and money in free agency to improve the secondary. They've had to as drafting has routinely failed to supplement those positions. In the last decade they've tried to keep the pass defense afloat by signing Corey Chavous, Antoine Winfield, Fred Smoot, Darren Sharper and Madieu Williams. Some of those additions have worked. Some have been a disaster. Either way it's always been a patchwork back there. With general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Leslie Frazier, a cornerback in his playing days, in charge there seems to be greater attention paid to the secondary. Corner Chris Cook was taken with the first pick of the second round in 2010. That's almost the first round. In this past draft, Harrison Smith was taken in the first round, corner Josh Robinson in the third and safety Robert Blanton in the fifth. The Vikings future secondary may soon be covered by Cook, Smith, Robinson and Blanton. In would be the first time in decades that the Minnesota Vikings secondary was made up of their own draft choices. It's a nice sign and a reason for hope.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Fan Scars
Minnesota Vikings fans, especially longtime Vikings fans, are an often pessimistic sort. Four Super Bowl losses can do that. So can close Conference Championship games in 1987, 1998 and 2009. Seven great teams that failed to cap fantastic seasons with that final win. Some call these scars. Vikings fans certainly aren't the only fans with scars. Especially scars with no great reward. The San Diego Chargers had fantastic teams in the early '80s and more recently that always fell short. Other sports are littered with similar teams. Some that came close. Some that never do. Despite always coming up short in the past I expect the Vikings to do well every year. My always optimistic Vikings views often clash clash with my more pessimistic friends. Fortunately for us all, the Vikings often do contend. In all my years as a fan the team has had only a handful of sad seasons. The frequent successful teams makes the season ending losses even worse. Some teams have had a few great seasons without that great reward. The Vikings have had a bunch of seasons in which they are right on the brink of winning it all. That shiny trophy is right there only to be yanked away and handed to another. Many Vikings fans believe that the team is cursed. I don't think that they are cursed. They just haven't won it yet. What's happened in the past doesn't influence what might happen in the future. Those four Super Bowl and handful of Conference Championship game losses, even that Hail Mary robbery against Dallas in '75, will not keep the Vikings from walking away with their very own Lombardi Trophy. I also think that it'll be with this current group of players. None of which were even born when the Vikings came close so many times in the '70s. Those losses and the losses more recently aren't scars. They're experiences that didn't work out the way that they should. The journey is the fun part. It sure is for me. Perhaps all those losses will make it even sweeter when I finally see the Vikings win it all. I grew up in 49ers and Raiders country. Despite the eight Super Bowl trophies scattered between those two teams I've never regretted choosing the Minnesota Vikings path. I've enjoyed every step. I would've enjoyed it even more if at least one of those close calls went the right way. One day it will end the right way.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
7-on-7 Revolution
Football is a constantly evolving game. There's no telling where each evolution will start. Much of the passing and many of the quarterbacks that we watch today can be traced to 40-yard playing fields across the nation, particularly in Texas. For more than a decade 7-on-7 passing leagues have dominated the offseasons of many high school football players. "Without question, 7-on-7 is where we are in the passing game," said longtime Dallas Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt. "Ten years ago, we had 90% running teams (in Texas high schools). Now, 90% are passing teams." These leagues are all about passing. They produce quarterbacks that are ready made for the always expanding spread offenses in college football. In 7-on-7 the young quarterbacks face no rush but they have only four seconds to throw. They learn to check through their progressions and get rid of the ball quickly. It's all passing, all over the field, all day. The leagues are huge in Texas fostering the change noted by Brandt. "If you go to Texas you can find passing tournaments going on right now. And if they're not no going on right now, they'll be going on later this afternoon and for sure tomorrow and the next day," said ESPN analyst Jon Gruden. The impact in the state can be seen by the growing number of Texas quarterbacks in the NFL. Drew Brees, Andy Dalton, Christian Ponder and Colt McCoy all started throwing a ton in Texas. In the past NFL Draft, Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Ryan Tannehill were selected in the top 10. All credit Texas 7-on-7 passing leagues with getting them to where they are. RG III used the leagues to show recruiters that a high school option quarterback could, in fact, throw the ball.
There have long been year round leagues and tournaments in baseball and basketball. Football has had nothing comparable until these 7-on7 leagues. We are just now seeing the impact. It's only going to increase. Although I applaud the existence, the impact and the fun, I don't like that the leagues only benefit quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs. Some running backs and linebackers might also find a place in the fun. There's a decent number of football players that have no place. A lot of the teams competing in these leagues are representing their high schools so a decent number of their teammates are left on the sidelines. Perhaps these players are enjoying their summers away from football but the team is being divided. I was a receiver so I would have loved these games. If I was a lineman I might view them differently. It's a small matter. Likely, no matter.
The 7-on-7 games are a big part of the passing offense revolution. It's still in the growing stages but we are seeing the impact on every level of football. We are seeing it in the spread offenses spreading in college every year. We are probably even seeing it in young quarterbacks being ready for the NFL far earlier than ever were before.
There have long been year round leagues and tournaments in baseball and basketball. Football has had nothing comparable until these 7-on7 leagues. We are just now seeing the impact. It's only going to increase. Although I applaud the existence, the impact and the fun, I don't like that the leagues only benefit quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs. Some running backs and linebackers might also find a place in the fun. There's a decent number of football players that have no place. A lot of the teams competing in these leagues are representing their high schools so a decent number of their teammates are left on the sidelines. Perhaps these players are enjoying their summers away from football but the team is being divided. I was a receiver so I would have loved these games. If I was a lineman I might view them differently. It's a small matter. Likely, no matter.
The 7-on-7 games are a big part of the passing offense revolution. It's still in the growing stages but we are seeing the impact on every level of football. We are seeing it in the spread offenses spreading in college every year. We are probably even seeing it in young quarterbacks being ready for the NFL far earlier than ever were before.
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