Coles has been with the Jets for all but two seasons of his NFL career. He spent two seasons with the Washington Redskins in 2003 & 2004.
Image details: New York Giants v Washington Redskins served by picapp.com
Friday, June 20, 2008
2008 Top 20 WRs: #20 Laveranues Coles
The 30-year-old New York Jets player was not as heralded coming out of Florida State as fellow receiver Peter Warrick. While Warrick proved to be of little use to the professional game, Coles has enjoyed noted success over his career. He ended last season with 55 receptions for 646 yards; he also had 6 TD receptions. His numbers would have been slightly higher if the Jets had any sort of consistency at the QB position last season.
Coles has been with the Jets for all but two seasons of his NFL career. He spent two seasons with the Washington Redskins in 2003 & 2004.
Image details: New York Giants v Washington Redskins served by picapp.com
Coles has been with the Jets for all but two seasons of his NFL career. He spent two seasons with the Washington Redskins in 2003 & 2004.
Image details: New York Giants v Washington Redskins served by picapp.com
Friday, June 13, 2008
Jonathan Ogden - HOF Bound
Jonathan Ogden announced his retirement this week as another of the game's stars ends a successful career. The former left tackle of the Baltimore Ravens earned 11 Pro Bowl invitations and a Super Bowl ring during his career.
The 34-year-old was bothered by injuries including a hyperextended toe since 2006.
Image details: Joanthan Ogden Retirement served by picapp.com
The 34-year-old was bothered by injuries including a hyperextended toe since 2006.
Image details: Joanthan Ogden Retirement served by picapp.com
Matt Leinhart: Won't Spilt Time
Right now, head coach Ken Whisenhunt is stating that Matt Leinart appears safe as the Cardinals' number-one option this season.
Image details: Matt Leinart Press Conference served by picapp.com
Image details: Matt Leinart Press Conference served by picapp.com
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Bye Bye Benson
Hopefully Cedric Benson is happy in Texas because he's not welcome back in Chicago.
On Monday the Chicago Bears parted ways with their running back after he had his second run in with the law in less then a month. Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo stated "Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate....As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions. When individual priorities overshadow team goals, we suffer the consequences as a team. Those who fail to understand the importance of ‘team’ will not play for the Chicago Bears.”
Breaking into the starting role this past season, Benson didn't quite live up to expectations averaging 3.4 yards per carry (674 total yards) with only 4 Touchdowns.
With Benson no longer employed by the Bears, this leaves the team quite thin at the Running Back position. They have 5 running backs on the roster; however, 2 are rookies (Matt Forte and Matt Lawrence) and the other 3 (Adrian Peterson, P.J Pope and Garrett Wolfe) have less then 1,500 total yards between them in 10 years.
Benson's NFL Future is no longer a laughing matter.
Image details: Chicago Bears Mini-Camp served by picapp.com
On Monday the Chicago Bears parted ways with their running back after he had his second run in with the law in less then a month. Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo stated "Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate....As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions. When individual priorities overshadow team goals, we suffer the consequences as a team. Those who fail to understand the importance of ‘team’ will not play for the Chicago Bears.”
Breaking into the starting role this past season, Benson didn't quite live up to expectations averaging 3.4 yards per carry (674 total yards) with only 4 Touchdowns.
With Benson no longer employed by the Bears, this leaves the team quite thin at the Running Back position. They have 5 running backs on the roster; however, 2 are rookies (Matt Forte and Matt Lawrence) and the other 3 (Adrian Peterson, P.J Pope and Garrett Wolfe) have less then 1,500 total yards between them in 10 years.
Benson's NFL Future is no longer a laughing matter.
Image details: Chicago Bears Mini-Camp served by picapp.com
Monday, June 9, 2008
Michael Strahan's Taking Off the Cleats
Announcing his decision before the Giants begin their mini-camp, Michael Strahan states he will retire.
Foxsports.com announced the New York Giants All-Pro will retire after 15 seasons with the Blue and White. He was a second-round pick by the Giants in the 1993 NFL Draft out of Texas Southern University. During his 15 year career he accumulated 141 1/2 sacks and is the single season record holder with 22 1/2 sacks. (Coincidental how both Strahan and Brett Favre retire in the same season after being linked with that controversial sack in 2001).
It is reported Strahan came to this decision days ago but wanted to sit on it before making it official. Strahan is 36 years old.
Foxsports.com announced the New York Giants All-Pro will retire after 15 seasons with the Blue and White. He was a second-round pick by the Giants in the 1993 NFL Draft out of Texas Southern University. During his 15 year career he accumulated 141 1/2 sacks and is the single season record holder with 22 1/2 sacks. (Coincidental how both Strahan and Brett Favre retire in the same season after being linked with that controversial sack in 2001).
It is reported Strahan came to this decision days ago but wanted to sit on it before making it official. Strahan is 36 years old.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Myron Cope: 1929-2008
Just came across this and wanted to share it here. A true media legend. Video via WTAETV Channel at YouTube.
Stat of the Day
Peyton Manning made $30,500,000 in 2007 making him the highest paid NFL player according to Forbes.com. He earned $17,500,000 in salary and $13,000,000 in endorsements.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Michael Marquardt: Focused on His NFL Future
Former Arizona State defensive end Michael Marquardt kindly spoke with Football Review Daily prior to the NFL Draft.
He recently signed a rookie free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. The defensive end’s journey to the NFL began in a football family, detoured abroad, and was finalized at Arizona State.
Marquardt grew up in a football household. His father Peter played at UCLA and his two older brothers also played collegiate football. Daniel played on the defensive line at Brigham Young University and Brian played at defensive tackle for Weber State. While a certain amount of competitiveness permeated the household, Marquardt believes that the support dynamic was more important for his development. “There is a degree of competitiveness, but on the flip side,” Marquardt added, “I used to call one of my brothers after every game and ask him what he thought.”
Before his junior season, Marquardt spent time abroad as a missionary for his LDS church. Living and working in the futbol hotbed of Argentina seems like hardly a place to hone one’s American football skills, but the time spent in Bahia Blanca allowed Marquardt to set his sights on his football future. “You really become more focused on what you want.” Marquardt continued, “You have that time to sit and think about it.”
With his mission work finished, Marquardt completed two successful campaigns for the Sun Devils. He started all 23 collegiate games he played in. In both his junior and senior season, he was named as an All-Pac-10 honorable mention. In his final regular-season game against the University of Arizona on December 1, 2007, the senior captain blocked a field goal attempt, recovered a fumble, and added a solo tackle. After the game, he was named the Most Valuable Player, a distinction that earned him the Ben Goo Trophy.
The student-athlete majored in urban planning. He was also a two-time First Team Pac-10 All-Academic selection and he was named to Arizona State University’s National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Scholar-Athletes.
Now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Marquardt feels that the time he invested this spring preparing for the NFL will be the difference. “There was nothing to distract me from preparing for the NFL. It has been really nice to focus on football.”
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Adrian Peterson Aims for 2,000…Can He Do It? (Part II)
By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily
Read Part I: The 5 RBs in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards
Now, let’s look at what Adrian Peterson’s chances are of eclipsing the 2,000 yard mark. The Tavaris factor can be thrown out the window, since history is showing us that the worse the passing offense (3 of the 5 2,000 yard rushers were on a team that was last or 2nd last in the league in passing yards), the more yards for Peterson. In other words, greatness finds ways to get their yards, even if the defense knows its coming. Another thing Peterson has going for him is the fact that he has a great defense backing him, as did four of the five previous 2,000 yard rushers (with Barry Sanders being the exception). Having a good defense helps because they force three and outs, and help the offense get more possessions, which leads to more potential carries for the back (in the Lions case, they just let the other team score as quickly as possible, and Barry got his chances that way).
The Vikings should also be good enough to (at least) land in the middle of the pack in points scored, as have the other five teams of the previous 2,000 yard rushers. Also similar to all the teams but the 1998 Broncos, the Vikings will probably have a record around 9-7 or 10-6. Another similarity between AD and four of the five players to previously accomplish the feat is that he is known as an “upright runner” (all the others were except for Sanders). On that note, some feel that Peterson being an upright runner leaves him susceptible to big hits from on-coming linebackers and safeties, which will lead to him getting injured. Though it is a fact Adrian has not had a completely healthy season since his senior year in HS, it looked like he was going to make it last year, until a fluke of an injury. If Peterson stays healthy all year will it be enough?
History tells us that Chester Taylor’s presence will not stop Peterson since all five current members of the 2,000 yard club played on teams that were either 1st or 2nd in the league in rushing, and all five allowed their teammates to pick up at least 400 yards. It is possible that Chester gets more than that, but he should not get many more than that, he should get about 100 carries, and at a generous 4.5 yards per carry, he would yield 450 yards on the season. The carries though will be Peterson’s downfall. There is no way the Vikings will let him carry the ball more than 300 times. OJ Simpson had the least carries of the five, at 332 to reach the feat.
Even if we were to bump Peterson’s average of 5.6 yards per carry last year to 6.2 this year (which would be higher than any of the other 2,000 yard rushers), at 300 carries, that is still going to leave him 140 yards short of the mark. For those of you that think if he gets close enough, the Vikings will increase his load so that he can reach the mark, think again. There are too many other factors, such as potential rest in the final game for the playoffs, the track record of 2,000 yard rushers in the following season (there has always been a considerable drop off the next season), and the fact that they would choose his future health over a potentially historic season.
The truth is that, the way the NFL is constructed right now; there might not ever be another 2,000 yard rusher. Teams are starting to favor the two-back system more and more, and the health risks of giving one guy that big of a load (to get all the way to 2,000 yards) outweigh everything else. With that said, Peterson does have a chance to do it down the line, since the NFL could be changing very soon. It has been reported that in the new CBA a 17th regular season could be added, which could give Peterson a chance, but until that happens, the chances of another 2,000 yard rusher are pretty slim.
Football Review Daily
Read Part I: The 5 RBs in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards
Now, let’s look at what Adrian Peterson’s chances are of eclipsing the 2,000 yard mark. The Tavaris factor can be thrown out the window, since history is showing us that the worse the passing offense (3 of the 5 2,000 yard rushers were on a team that was last or 2nd last in the league in passing yards), the more yards for Peterson. In other words, greatness finds ways to get their yards, even if the defense knows its coming. Another thing Peterson has going for him is the fact that he has a great defense backing him, as did four of the five previous 2,000 yard rushers (with Barry Sanders being the exception). Having a good defense helps because they force three and outs, and help the offense get more possessions, which leads to more potential carries for the back (in the Lions case, they just let the other team score as quickly as possible, and Barry got his chances that way).
The Vikings should also be good enough to (at least) land in the middle of the pack in points scored, as have the other five teams of the previous 2,000 yard rushers. Also similar to all the teams but the 1998 Broncos, the Vikings will probably have a record around 9-7 or 10-6. Another similarity between AD and four of the five players to previously accomplish the feat is that he is known as an “upright runner” (all the others were except for Sanders). On that note, some feel that Peterson being an upright runner leaves him susceptible to big hits from on-coming linebackers and safeties, which will lead to him getting injured. Though it is a fact Adrian has not had a completely healthy season since his senior year in HS, it looked like he was going to make it last year, until a fluke of an injury. If Peterson stays healthy all year will it be enough?
History tells us that Chester Taylor’s presence will not stop Peterson since all five current members of the 2,000 yard club played on teams that were either 1st or 2nd in the league in rushing, and all five allowed their teammates to pick up at least 400 yards. It is possible that Chester gets more than that, but he should not get many more than that, he should get about 100 carries, and at a generous 4.5 yards per carry, he would yield 450 yards on the season. The carries though will be Peterson’s downfall. There is no way the Vikings will let him carry the ball more than 300 times. OJ Simpson had the least carries of the five, at 332 to reach the feat.
Even if we were to bump Peterson’s average of 5.6 yards per carry last year to 6.2 this year (which would be higher than any of the other 2,000 yard rushers), at 300 carries, that is still going to leave him 140 yards short of the mark. For those of you that think if he gets close enough, the Vikings will increase his load so that he can reach the mark, think again. There are too many other factors, such as potential rest in the final game for the playoffs, the track record of 2,000 yard rushers in the following season (there has always been a considerable drop off the next season), and the fact that they would choose his future health over a potentially historic season.
The truth is that, the way the NFL is constructed right now; there might not ever be another 2,000 yard rusher. Teams are starting to favor the two-back system more and more, and the health risks of giving one guy that big of a load (to get all the way to 2,000 yards) outweigh everything else. With that said, Peterson does have a chance to do it down the line, since the NFL could be changing very soon. It has been reported that in the new CBA a 17th regular season could be added, which could give Peterson a chance, but until that happens, the chances of another 2,000 yard rusher are pretty slim.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Adrian Peterson Aims for 2,000…Can He Do It? (Part I)
By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily
Adrian Peterson excited Vikings fans and fantasy owners alike earlier this off-season when he stated that he will rush for 2,000 yards this season. Early last season, it seemed as if AD was going to pull off the feat in his rookie year, but eight and nine man fronts along with a knee injury prevented that from happening. The Vikings still have their superb offensive line intact, and are expecting Tavaris Jackson to make a big improvement in his second full year as a starter. Adrian Peterson has many obstacles in his way to reaching 2,000 yards though, including but not limited to Jackson’s inefficiency, staying healthy, and sharing the load with Chester Taylor. Along with all those factors is the fact that only five running backs in the history of the NFL have ever rushed for over 2,000 yards. Let’s take a moment to look over those five historic seasons before making any predictions for Peterson in 2008.
OJ Simpson – 1973 – 2,003 Yards
Let’s not forget that OJ did it (yes, I did just use those three words together) in just 14 games because that was how many they played per season back then. It took him 332 carries to get his total for the season, which resulted in an average of 6.0 yards per carry. It should be noted that Simpson only had one “horrible” game, in which he went for 55 yards on 14 carries. He had another one in which he was “average” in which he totaled 79 yards on 20 carries. His other 12 games, he was either at or over 99 yards…including 11 100+ yard games, six 150+ yard games, and three 200+ yard games, along with his dazzling opening week game of 250 yards. The Buffalo Bills as a team went 9-5 on the season (missed the playoffs), had the 15th ranked offense out of 26 teams, and the 10th ranked defense, points wise. Yards wise, the Bills were ranked 10th offensively and 14th defensively. The Bills ranked last in passing offense with a total of 997 yards on the season, and predictably finished 1st in the league in rushing yards, with 3,088 yards on the ground for the season.
Eric Dickerson – 1984 – 2,105 Yards
Dickerson, unlike Simpson, accomplished the feat in 16 games; therefore, his per game average was not as high (131.6 for Dickerson to Simpson’s 143.1). Dickerson, however, still holds the single season record for rushing yards in a season. He also carried the ball quite a few more times than Simpson, 379, and had a yard per carry average of 5.6. A glance at Dickerson’s game logs from 1984 show that he had a couple of very bad games and was still able to rush for over 2,000 yards (he had games of 49 and 39 yards). In his other 14 games though, Dickerson went for 98 or more in 13 of them, topping out at 215. He actually rushed for 215 in the game in which he broke Simpson’s record (the 15th game of the season). The St. Louis Rams as a team went 10-6 on the season (also missed the playoffs), had the 12th best offense out of 28 teams, and the 13th best defense, when looking at points. They were ranked 21st in offense and 14th in defense when looking at how many yards they gained and allowed. The Rams were 27th in passing offense with a total of 2,142 and 2nd in rushing yards, with 2,864 yards on the season.
Barry Sanders – 1997 – 2,053 Yards
Sanders famously started out the season with 2 sub 100 yard games (33 and 20), and finished it with 14 straight 100 yard games (which is still a single season record). It took him 335 carries to reach his total, and Sanders averaged 6.1 yards per carry, the highest among all 2,000 yard rushers. Along with his 14 100 yard games, Sanders mixed in five games of at least 150 yards, including two 200 yard games, topping out at 216. In 1997, the Detroit Lions were 9-7 and made the playoffs as a wild-card team (remember that there were no wild-cards when Dickerson and Simpson accomplished their feats), losing in the 1st round to the Tampa Bay Bucs. They scored the 4th most points in the league (out of 30 teams), and gained the 2nd most yards. The Lions were 21st in the league in points allowed, and 14th in the league in yards allowed. They were ranked 12th in the league in passing offense with a total of 3,334 yards and 2nd in rushing yards with 2,464 yards.
Terrell Davis – 1998 – 2,008 Yards
Davis enjoyed his 4th and final great season in 1998 eclipsing the 2,000 yard mark in 392 carries, with an average of 5.1 yards per carry. He had 11 games of 100 yards or more, along with five games of 150 plus yards, and one 200 yard game, his season high of 208. Of all the 2,000 yard rushers, Davis’ team enjoyed the most success going 14-2 in the regular season, and winning the Super Bowl. In the playoffs he actually rushed 78 times for a total of 468 yards, so it could be argued that he truly is the record for most rushing yards in a season, but that’s an argument we’ll let Davis and Dickerson decide. The Broncos, coming off a Super Bowl the year before, finished 2nd in the league (out of 30 teams) in points scored and 3rd in the league in yards gained. The defense allowed the 9th fewest points in the league that year, and the 11th fewest yards. The Broncos were 7th in the league in passing offense with 3.624 yards (some guy named Elway played behind center that year), and 2nd in the league in rushing offense with a total of 2.468 yards.
Jamal Lewis – 2003 – 2,066 Yards
The 5th and most recent member of the 2,000 yard club is Jamal Lewis. He reached his total in 387 carries, at an average of 5.3 yards per carry. Lewis gained a ridiculous amount (500) of those yards against his current team, the Cleveland Browns, including a then record-breaking 295 yards in week 2. Lewis crossed the century mark 12 times, but only had three 150 yard games and two 200 yard games (both against the aforementioned Browns). The thing that helped Lewis the most was his consistency, as his lowest total on the season was 68 yards. That season, the Baltimore Ravens went 10-6, made the playoffs, and lost to the Titans in the 1st round. They scored the 9th (out of 32 teams) most points in the league, and allowed the 6th fewest. The Ravens gained the 21st most yards, but were able to overcome that by allowing the 3rd least yards in the league. They were ranked last in the league in passing offense, gaining a total of 2,255 yards through the air, but finished 1st in rushing yards with 2,674.
So, now that the history lesson is complete, can Adrian Peterson rush for 2,000 yards?
Find out tomorrow in part II of my report.
Football Review Daily
Adrian Peterson excited Vikings fans and fantasy owners alike earlier this off-season when he stated that he will rush for 2,000 yards this season. Early last season, it seemed as if AD was going to pull off the feat in his rookie year, but eight and nine man fronts along with a knee injury prevented that from happening. The Vikings still have their superb offensive line intact, and are expecting Tavaris Jackson to make a big improvement in his second full year as a starter. Adrian Peterson has many obstacles in his way to reaching 2,000 yards though, including but not limited to Jackson’s inefficiency, staying healthy, and sharing the load with Chester Taylor. Along with all those factors is the fact that only five running backs in the history of the NFL have ever rushed for over 2,000 yards. Let’s take a moment to look over those five historic seasons before making any predictions for Peterson in 2008.
OJ Simpson – 1973 – 2,003 Yards
Let’s not forget that OJ did it (yes, I did just use those three words together) in just 14 games because that was how many they played per season back then. It took him 332 carries to get his total for the season, which resulted in an average of 6.0 yards per carry. It should be noted that Simpson only had one “horrible” game, in which he went for 55 yards on 14 carries. He had another one in which he was “average” in which he totaled 79 yards on 20 carries. His other 12 games, he was either at or over 99 yards…including 11 100+ yard games, six 150+ yard games, and three 200+ yard games, along with his dazzling opening week game of 250 yards. The Buffalo Bills as a team went 9-5 on the season (missed the playoffs), had the 15th ranked offense out of 26 teams, and the 10th ranked defense, points wise. Yards wise, the Bills were ranked 10th offensively and 14th defensively. The Bills ranked last in passing offense with a total of 997 yards on the season, and predictably finished 1st in the league in rushing yards, with 3,088 yards on the ground for the season.
Eric Dickerson – 1984 – 2,105 Yards
Dickerson, unlike Simpson, accomplished the feat in 16 games; therefore, his per game average was not as high (131.6 for Dickerson to Simpson’s 143.1). Dickerson, however, still holds the single season record for rushing yards in a season. He also carried the ball quite a few more times than Simpson, 379, and had a yard per carry average of 5.6. A glance at Dickerson’s game logs from 1984 show that he had a couple of very bad games and was still able to rush for over 2,000 yards (he had games of 49 and 39 yards). In his other 14 games though, Dickerson went for 98 or more in 13 of them, topping out at 215. He actually rushed for 215 in the game in which he broke Simpson’s record (the 15th game of the season). The St. Louis Rams as a team went 10-6 on the season (also missed the playoffs), had the 12th best offense out of 28 teams, and the 13th best defense, when looking at points. They were ranked 21st in offense and 14th in defense when looking at how many yards they gained and allowed. The Rams were 27th in passing offense with a total of 2,142 and 2nd in rushing yards, with 2,864 yards on the season.
Barry Sanders – 1997 – 2,053 Yards
Sanders famously started out the season with 2 sub 100 yard games (33 and 20), and finished it with 14 straight 100 yard games (which is still a single season record). It took him 335 carries to reach his total, and Sanders averaged 6.1 yards per carry, the highest among all 2,000 yard rushers. Along with his 14 100 yard games, Sanders mixed in five games of at least 150 yards, including two 200 yard games, topping out at 216. In 1997, the Detroit Lions were 9-7 and made the playoffs as a wild-card team (remember that there were no wild-cards when Dickerson and Simpson accomplished their feats), losing in the 1st round to the Tampa Bay Bucs. They scored the 4th most points in the league (out of 30 teams), and gained the 2nd most yards. The Lions were 21st in the league in points allowed, and 14th in the league in yards allowed. They were ranked 12th in the league in passing offense with a total of 3,334 yards and 2nd in rushing yards with 2,464 yards.
Terrell Davis – 1998 – 2,008 Yards
Davis enjoyed his 4th and final great season in 1998 eclipsing the 2,000 yard mark in 392 carries, with an average of 5.1 yards per carry. He had 11 games of 100 yards or more, along with five games of 150 plus yards, and one 200 yard game, his season high of 208. Of all the 2,000 yard rushers, Davis’ team enjoyed the most success going 14-2 in the regular season, and winning the Super Bowl. In the playoffs he actually rushed 78 times for a total of 468 yards, so it could be argued that he truly is the record for most rushing yards in a season, but that’s an argument we’ll let Davis and Dickerson decide. The Broncos, coming off a Super Bowl the year before, finished 2nd in the league (out of 30 teams) in points scored and 3rd in the league in yards gained. The defense allowed the 9th fewest points in the league that year, and the 11th fewest yards. The Broncos were 7th in the league in passing offense with 3.624 yards (some guy named Elway played behind center that year), and 2nd in the league in rushing offense with a total of 2.468 yards.
Jamal Lewis – 2003 – 2,066 Yards
The 5th and most recent member of the 2,000 yard club is Jamal Lewis. He reached his total in 387 carries, at an average of 5.3 yards per carry. Lewis gained a ridiculous amount (500) of those yards against his current team, the Cleveland Browns, including a then record-breaking 295 yards in week 2. Lewis crossed the century mark 12 times, but only had three 150 yard games and two 200 yard games (both against the aforementioned Browns). The thing that helped Lewis the most was his consistency, as his lowest total on the season was 68 yards. That season, the Baltimore Ravens went 10-6, made the playoffs, and lost to the Titans in the 1st round. They scored the 9th (out of 32 teams) most points in the league, and allowed the 6th fewest. The Ravens gained the 21st most yards, but were able to overcome that by allowing the 3rd least yards in the league. They were ranked last in the league in passing offense, gaining a total of 2,255 yards through the air, but finished 1st in rushing yards with 2,674.
So, now that the history lesson is complete, can Adrian Peterson rush for 2,000 yards?
Find out tomorrow in part II of my report.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Stat of the Day
Bruce Smith is the career leader in sacks. While playing for Buffalo (1985-1999) and Washington (2000-2003) he accumulated 200 sacks.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Stat of the Day
The 1927 Cleveland Bulldogs ended with a record of 8 - 4 - 1. Hall of Fame member Benny Friedman was a rookie on the squad.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Art Monk: Just One Part of the Redskin's Dynamic Trio
By: William Calvin
Football Review Daily
In the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a trio of NFL wide receivers like no other, The Posse was their name, consisting of recent Hall of Fame inductee Art Monk, small in stature but big in heart Gary Clark, and speedster/Super Bowl record breaker Ricky Sanders. While Clark’s and Sanders’ statistical achievements were not head and shoulders above other NFL receivers, the three combined wreaked havoc on opposing defenses with their sure-handedness and lighting fast speed.
Art Monk, easily the most known of the three receivers, frequently rested among the NFL’s elite in various receiving categories. Known to most as “Quiet Man” or sometimes even “#81” because of his humble nature, Art Monk was one of the most reliable receivers to ever lace ‘em up. With his precise route running and sure hands he was able to eclipse 900 receptions, the first receiver in history to do so. With 940 receptions, over 12,000 career yards, and 68 touchdowns, Art seemed to be a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. Yet it took the famed receiver almost 9 years to achieve what lesser receivers had already done. On February 2nd, 2008, the 1980 All Rookie winner, 3-time All Pro, 3-time Pro Bowler, and one time #1 receiver in NFL history was finally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Gary Clark, one time USFL player, was well respected for his ability to play big while being only 5’9” 180 lbs. In 1985, Clark was signed by the Washington Redskins and went on to have an amazing rookie campaign consisting of 72 receptions, nearly 1000 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Consistently a 1000 yard per season receiver, Clark still holds a Redskins Monday Night Football receiving record of 11 receptions, 241 yards, and 1 touchdown. A 4-time Pro Bowler, Redskins’ Ring of Honor inductee, and one of Washington’s 70 Greatest Redskins, Gary Clark was a huge cog in this trio of miracle working receivers.
Ricky Sanders, while not the most popular member of The Posse, Sanders was easily the fastest and most electrifying on the trio. In Super Bowl XXII, Sanders had one of the greatest games in Super Bowl history. With 9 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, Sanders was able to haul in 168 of those yards in one quarter along with 2 touchdowns, all while tying a touchdown receiving record of 80 yards on one play. After a brief run in with the law in 1991, Ricky Sanders was eventually released in 1993 and signed by the Dolphins where he never played another down.
With nearly 35,000 receiving yards, 2100 receptions, and roughly 190 touchdowns combined, The Posse will forever go down in NFL history as one of the toughest trio of receivers to cover, as most teams did not have 3 top cornerbacks to do so.
Football Review Daily
In the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a trio of NFL wide receivers like no other, The Posse was their name, consisting of recent Hall of Fame inductee Art Monk, small in stature but big in heart Gary Clark, and speedster/Super Bowl record breaker Ricky Sanders. While Clark’s and Sanders’ statistical achievements were not head and shoulders above other NFL receivers, the three combined wreaked havoc on opposing defenses with their sure-handedness and lighting fast speed.
Art Monk, easily the most known of the three receivers, frequently rested among the NFL’s elite in various receiving categories. Known to most as “Quiet Man” or sometimes even “#81” because of his humble nature, Art Monk was one of the most reliable receivers to ever lace ‘em up. With his precise route running and sure hands he was able to eclipse 900 receptions, the first receiver in history to do so. With 940 receptions, over 12,000 career yards, and 68 touchdowns, Art seemed to be a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. Yet it took the famed receiver almost 9 years to achieve what lesser receivers had already done. On February 2nd, 2008, the 1980 All Rookie winner, 3-time All Pro, 3-time Pro Bowler, and one time #1 receiver in NFL history was finally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Gary Clark, one time USFL player, was well respected for his ability to play big while being only 5’9” 180 lbs. In 1985, Clark was signed by the Washington Redskins and went on to have an amazing rookie campaign consisting of 72 receptions, nearly 1000 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Consistently a 1000 yard per season receiver, Clark still holds a Redskins Monday Night Football receiving record of 11 receptions, 241 yards, and 1 touchdown. A 4-time Pro Bowler, Redskins’ Ring of Honor inductee, and one of Washington’s 70 Greatest Redskins, Gary Clark was a huge cog in this trio of miracle working receivers.
Ricky Sanders, while not the most popular member of The Posse, Sanders was easily the fastest and most electrifying on the trio. In Super Bowl XXII, Sanders had one of the greatest games in Super Bowl history. With 9 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, Sanders was able to haul in 168 of those yards in one quarter along with 2 touchdowns, all while tying a touchdown receiving record of 80 yards on one play. After a brief run in with the law in 1991, Ricky Sanders was eventually released in 1993 and signed by the Dolphins where he never played another down.
With nearly 35,000 receiving yards, 2100 receptions, and roughly 190 touchdowns combined, The Posse will forever go down in NFL history as one of the toughest trio of receivers to cover, as most teams did not have 3 top cornerbacks to do so.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Why Owners Opted Out
By: Scott Rogers
Football Review Daily
As we all know by now, the NFL owners opted to terminate the collective bargaining agreement early with the players union, giving the potential for a lockout in 2011. Scary stuff? Please!
Right now, there is absolutely no reason to think this will not be resolved with a few concessions on both sides. Any other doomsday scenarios that you read are just posturing from one side. In effect, there were three main reasons Commissioner Roger Goodell listed as the main reasons for early termination.
- High Labor Costs
- Rookie Money Pool
- Inability to recoup bonuses in contracts where players breach the contract of refuse to perform
The high labor costs will remain, if only because every industry from McDonald’s to the NFL has to spend a certain amount of money on salaries. Roughly 60% of league revenue goes toward player costs. Don’t expect to see this change too much. What I believe will change is the way rookie contracts are handed out. There will be some sort of cap, not as low as the NBA rookie salary structure, but a bit more manageable so we won’t see Matt Ryan with a bigger guaranteed bonus than Larry Fitzgerald.
The bonus issue is a big deal. The Michael Vick court ruling is a warning for all owners that when you guarantee money, you do not face good odds in getting it back. What will happen is some sort of guidelines will be drawn up for many scenarios showing how much money owners can recoup. Most likely all other issues will end up before independent arbitration.
So do not panic. The sky is not falling. Realistically, nothing will get accomplished for the rest of 2008. 2009 should be the jump off for real negotiations and if nothing has happened in two years, then we can hit the panic button.
Scott Rogers will report on the economic state of the NFL as well as the latest trends in performance training.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Erasmus James Cut By Vikings
If you haven't read Football Review Daily's most recent article, I highly recommend you do so. Through no fault of his own (knee injury) Erasmus James was released by the Minnesota Vikings after failing his physical. In 2005, he signed his rookie contract reported to be worth 10 million dollars over seven years or roughly 2 million per career sack for the Vikings.
Hopefully, James can get healthy and find his way back onto the field for another NFL franchise.
Hopefully, James can get healthy and find his way back onto the field for another NFL franchise.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Money for Nothing and Your Cleats for Free
By: Scott Rogers
Football Review Daily
Being the worst team in the NFL is bad enough. No one went through last season without poking fun at the Dolphins, especially the ill-fated Ricky Williams comeback. Not only does your fan base become agitated, but your talented players feel like seniors at the freshman dance. So as a reward, you get the first pick in the NFL Draft. Exciting? Yes. Getting a great college player? Yes. Getting a great NFL player? Possibly. Spending some money? Absolutely.
The first pick in the NFL Draft can be a blessing and a curse. For Jake Long, the blessing comes in the form of $30+ million guaranteed. For the Dolphins, a Courtney Brown-esque curse? Time will only tell.
Cade Massey and Richard Thaler highlighted this phenomenon in “The Loser’s Curse”, whose subtitle should have been that players drafted in the first round have as good of a chance as making it to the pro bowl (9%) as they do never starting a single game (8%). This study is a must read for any football junkie. But how can we predict which group our pick will land in?
For one, it is very complicated to analyze with a formula. A player’s impact at a skill position is easy to see. But what about a defensive tackle? A starting guard? It becomes a bit murky. The easiest way to assign a value to each pick is the NFL Draft chart that teams use when trading. We would also need to take into account the average amount of guaranteed money doled out to each spot over the past 4 years. As you can see, with the variables we will be adding, this could get extremely complicated.
The easiest way to look at it is by comparing guaranteed money. Salaries are available for the average fan to see. Looking at only guaranteed money, Long and Matt Ryan are both around $35 million in guaranteed salary. This type of investment is rarely given to the best players. Larry Fitzgerald renegotiated his contract this off-season and got $30 million guaranteed. Alan Faneca got $21 million guaranteed. These two guys have been to multiple pro bowls and Faneca is consistently one of the best lineman in the game. Something has to give.
From a finance standpoint, giving a proven player a lot of money upfront carries a small risk. Giving a rookie, who may not even start right away, a bigger bonus carries exponentially greater risk. But what is a bad team to do? Fans do not want to hear fiscal responsibility and risk reduction in a $6 billion dollar industry. In the end all fans care about is wins, which if the team had any, then they wouldn’t be in this spot in the first place.
Scott Rogers will report on the economic state of the NFL as well as the latest trends in performance training.
Football Review Daily
Being the worst team in the NFL is bad enough. No one went through last season without poking fun at the Dolphins, especially the ill-fated Ricky Williams comeback. Not only does your fan base become agitated, but your talented players feel like seniors at the freshman dance. So as a reward, you get the first pick in the NFL Draft. Exciting? Yes. Getting a great college player? Yes. Getting a great NFL player? Possibly. Spending some money? Absolutely.
The first pick in the NFL Draft can be a blessing and a curse. For Jake Long, the blessing comes in the form of $30+ million guaranteed. For the Dolphins, a Courtney Brown-esque curse? Time will only tell.
Cade Massey and Richard Thaler highlighted this phenomenon in “The Loser’s Curse”, whose subtitle should have been that players drafted in the first round have as good of a chance as making it to the pro bowl (9%) as they do never starting a single game (8%). This study is a must read for any football junkie. But how can we predict which group our pick will land in?
For one, it is very complicated to analyze with a formula. A player’s impact at a skill position is easy to see. But what about a defensive tackle? A starting guard? It becomes a bit murky. The easiest way to assign a value to each pick is the NFL Draft chart that teams use when trading. We would also need to take into account the average amount of guaranteed money doled out to each spot over the past 4 years. As you can see, with the variables we will be adding, this could get extremely complicated.
The easiest way to look at it is by comparing guaranteed money. Salaries are available for the average fan to see. Looking at only guaranteed money, Long and Matt Ryan are both around $35 million in guaranteed salary. This type of investment is rarely given to the best players. Larry Fitzgerald renegotiated his contract this off-season and got $30 million guaranteed. Alan Faneca got $21 million guaranteed. These two guys have been to multiple pro bowls and Faneca is consistently one of the best lineman in the game. Something has to give.
From a finance standpoint, giving a proven player a lot of money upfront carries a small risk. Giving a rookie, who may not even start right away, a bigger bonus carries exponentially greater risk. But what is a bad team to do? Fans do not want to hear fiscal responsibility and risk reduction in a $6 billion dollar industry. In the end all fans care about is wins, which if the team had any, then they wouldn’t be in this spot in the first place.
Scott Rogers will report on the economic state of the NFL as well as the latest trends in performance training.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Pay Day
Three big paydays recently:
- QB Matt Ryan signed a $72 million, six-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
- The Dallas Cowboys restructured CB Terence Newman's deal as they added a six-year extension to the final year left on his initial contract. Included in the deal is a $12 million signing bonus and $22.5 million guaranteed over the first three years.
- The 'Boys also inked RB Marion Barber to a new $45 million, seven-year contract that includes $16 million in guaranteed bonuses.
- QB Matt Ryan signed a $72 million, six-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
- The Dallas Cowboys restructured CB Terence Newman's deal as they added a six-year extension to the final year left on his initial contract. Included in the deal is a $12 million signing bonus and $22.5 million guaranteed over the first three years.
- The 'Boys also inked RB Marion Barber to a new $45 million, seven-year contract that includes $16 million in guaranteed bonuses.
NFL Owners Opt out of Collective Bargaining Agreement
The NFL owners voted this morning to opt out of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) which was put in place in 1993. Here are the details of this mornings announcement.
Stat of the Day
The Steelers' James Harrison ended 2007 with 76 solo tackles, 98 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and 1 interception.
No team drafted Harrison.
No team drafted Harrison.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Edward Blaine Ph.D. Interview
His time as a football player included an All-American selection playing offensive guard at the University of Missouri plus an impressive NFL career capped by his 1964 All-Pro selection; but, these gridiron feats pale in comparison to what Edward Blaine, Ph.D. achieved in his post-football career. He has tirelessly worked to improve the quality of life for men and women throughout the world as one of our nation’s foremost medical and pharmaceutical researchers. He kindly agreed to speak with Football Review Daily about his collegiate memories, playing under coaching greats Vince Lombardi and Dan Devine, and the importance of maintaining a life-time exercise plan.
Q. Can you elaborate on your favorite moments from your collegiate playing career at Missouri?
Of course, there are many and it is always difficult to pick a single instance that was most important. But if I must, I would say it was our victory over Navy in the Orange Bowl in 1960 (actually New Year’s Day 1961). We had been ranked number one in the nation coming into our last game of the season against our arch rival Kansas. Kansas won that game (one of the low points of my recollections) and we lost the right to call ourselves the nation’s number one team. Joe Bellino was the Heisman Trophy winner that year and our victory over a great Navy team led by the Heisman Trophy winner went a long way to restore honor. Another great memory was our victory over Michigan in 1959, perhaps the beginning of the great Devine era at Missouri. Then, there was the pass I intercepted and ran back almost for a touchdown before I was tackled on the 2 yard line!
Q. In 1991, you were elected to the University of Missouri's Athletic Hall of Fame and you gave the and you spoke to the graduating seniors at their commencement services. Can you elaborate on these experiences?
Actually, the start of this experience which ultimately resulted in my return to MU for the final phase of my career began in 1989 when I was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Missouri. This is the highest award that a university can bestow and I was deeply honored by it. Subsequently, I was asked by then Chancellor Haskell Monroe if I would deliver the commencement address to the graduating class of 1991. That too, was a great honor and probably nothing in my life was so uplifting and gratifying as standing before that audience that day and delivering that address. I still remember the thrill to look out on all those faces and recall that just a few years earlier I had been sitting out there looking back. You have to remember, I’m a kid from a very small town in Missouri, Missouri was always the only school I ever considered attending and I was the first of my family to go to college. In fact, my brother next to me in age was the first to finish high school in our family. None of that is meant to diminish the honor of being inducted into the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame. That, too, was a great honor and I’m ever so proud that I was selected among those great athletes.
Q. What are your thoughts on the Missouri football program's recent success?
Everything good. I really like Gary Pinkel and I think what he’s done to revive the MU football program is nothing short of sensational. We’ve gone through a long dry spell and all I can say Go Mizzou!
Q. After your All-American collegiate career, you were drafted by the Green Bay Packers. What do you remember most about being coached by Vince Lombardi?
Being coached by Vince Lombardi! Without a doubt the greatest coach I was associated with. Mind, I think Dan Devine was also great. I was doubly blessed to have experienced two of the really great coaches of that era. Lombardi was a man who was in control. Even when he was coaching some of the truly best players in the NFL he was the person who called the shots. If you didn’t like it you took a hike. I like that kind of leadership and I think both Lombardi and Devine demonstrated it masterfully. Somehow, I also liked his New York character suppressed in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It didn’t surprise me at all when he took the job in Washington. I just couldn’t ever figure out why they didn’t offer him the Giant’s job. When I was drafted by Green Bay in the second round, it was a great surprise to me and a lot of others. I only spent one year with the Packers, but it was one of the best years of my life and I owe that all to Lombardi. He had confidence in me and I hope I didn’t let him down.
Q. You then moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles. Were the fans as notorious then as they are now?
Yes! The Boo Birds were perched in Franklin Field and that was pretty much all we heard when we were on the field. Franklin Field was a great old venue to play in and only concentrated the sound. To tell the truth, most of us didn’t hear a lot of it because we were too immersed in the game.
Q. Can you speak about the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center?
My career in science has been as rewarding to me personally as my career in sports. They are really two very different worlds, but I can tell you there are a heck of lot more people in science who ask me about sports than there ever were people in sports who asked me about science. Very few get to experience two very satisfying careers in a single lifetime. I feel doubly blessed because of that. Football was hard to leave, but it was the right thing to do and I did it at the right time, despite what a lot of people said at the time and perhaps still feel. My father-in-law suggested I might want to seek the help of a psychiatrist to understand why I walked away just as my football career was peaking. Nevertheless, my career in science has taken me all over the world and to intellectual places I never even dreamed of. Returning to my alma mater as director of the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center culminated a long and satisfying career in science.
Our focus at Dalton is collaborative, interdisciplinary research in the cardiovascular sciences. We seek to join scientists for a variety of disciplines to bring their highly specialized knowledge to bear on important problems of cardiovascular health. We are particularly blessed at MU to have a medical school, a veterinary school, a college of engineering as well as arts and science and agriculture all on one campus. The possibilities are awesome. The new director is bringing new things to the fore and one of the most promising is a collaboration between cancer researchers and vascular biologists. A powerful combination to seek novel treatments for two of the most dreaded maladies of humankind.
Q. What has been your greatest achievement during your medical research career?
This is a much more difficult question to answer than the first one – what were the high points of my sports career. I’m very proud of all the work I’ve done to define the hormonal control of salt and water balance and the role played by the kidney in blood pressure regulation. Much of this is fundamental work that contributes to the advancement of science but may not make the headlines of the newspapers. However, during my career in the pharmaceutical industry I was associated with the development of some of the most important drugs now available for the treatment of hypertension, blockers of the renin-angiotensin system. I’m also very proud of the role my colleagues and I played in the discovery of and development as a drug of a novel hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide. Science has much less visible rewards than sports and you have to be satisfied with what you do on a personal basis and not depend on a lot of lights and signing autographs.
Q. What advice can you give to aspiring professional athletes with regards to maintaining their overall cardiovascular health?
Watch the weight. Football players particularly linemen are prone to be heavy. During their playing days there is a lot more muscle than fat, but as you age, it becomes harder and harder to keep the fat under control. Burning 5-6000 calories may be possible for an active player, but burning 2-3000 afterward is a much more difficult problem. Obesity is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and it is an insidious problem. Life-time exercise is very important and that becomes especially relevant to those of us who have suffered joint damage and are limited in what we can do to keep active. I love to ride my bicycle and I would urge everyone, not just athletes, to keep as fit as you can as long as you can.
Football Review Daily's NFL Alumni Series
Q. Can you elaborate on your favorite moments from your collegiate playing career at Missouri?
Of course, there are many and it is always difficult to pick a single instance that was most important. But if I must, I would say it was our victory over Navy in the Orange Bowl in 1960 (actually New Year’s Day 1961). We had been ranked number one in the nation coming into our last game of the season against our arch rival Kansas. Kansas won that game (one of the low points of my recollections) and we lost the right to call ourselves the nation’s number one team. Joe Bellino was the Heisman Trophy winner that year and our victory over a great Navy team led by the Heisman Trophy winner went a long way to restore honor. Another great memory was our victory over Michigan in 1959, perhaps the beginning of the great Devine era at Missouri. Then, there was the pass I intercepted and ran back almost for a touchdown before I was tackled on the 2 yard line!
Q. In 1991, you were elected to the University of Missouri's Athletic Hall of Fame and you gave the and you spoke to the graduating seniors at their commencement services. Can you elaborate on these experiences?
Actually, the start of this experience which ultimately resulted in my return to MU for the final phase of my career began in 1989 when I was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Missouri. This is the highest award that a university can bestow and I was deeply honored by it. Subsequently, I was asked by then Chancellor Haskell Monroe if I would deliver the commencement address to the graduating class of 1991. That too, was a great honor and probably nothing in my life was so uplifting and gratifying as standing before that audience that day and delivering that address. I still remember the thrill to look out on all those faces and recall that just a few years earlier I had been sitting out there looking back. You have to remember, I’m a kid from a very small town in Missouri, Missouri was always the only school I ever considered attending and I was the first of my family to go to college. In fact, my brother next to me in age was the first to finish high school in our family. None of that is meant to diminish the honor of being inducted into the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame. That, too, was a great honor and I’m ever so proud that I was selected among those great athletes.
Q. What are your thoughts on the Missouri football program's recent success?
Everything good. I really like Gary Pinkel and I think what he’s done to revive the MU football program is nothing short of sensational. We’ve gone through a long dry spell and all I can say Go Mizzou!
Q. After your All-American collegiate career, you were drafted by the Green Bay Packers. What do you remember most about being coached by Vince Lombardi?
Being coached by Vince Lombardi! Without a doubt the greatest coach I was associated with. Mind, I think Dan Devine was also great. I was doubly blessed to have experienced two of the really great coaches of that era. Lombardi was a man who was in control. Even when he was coaching some of the truly best players in the NFL he was the person who called the shots. If you didn’t like it you took a hike. I like that kind of leadership and I think both Lombardi and Devine demonstrated it masterfully. Somehow, I also liked his New York character suppressed in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It didn’t surprise me at all when he took the job in Washington. I just couldn’t ever figure out why they didn’t offer him the Giant’s job. When I was drafted by Green Bay in the second round, it was a great surprise to me and a lot of others. I only spent one year with the Packers, but it was one of the best years of my life and I owe that all to Lombardi. He had confidence in me and I hope I didn’t let him down.
Q. You then moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles. Were the fans as notorious then as they are now?
Yes! The Boo Birds were perched in Franklin Field and that was pretty much all we heard when we were on the field. Franklin Field was a great old venue to play in and only concentrated the sound. To tell the truth, most of us didn’t hear a lot of it because we were too immersed in the game.
Q. Can you speak about the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center?
My career in science has been as rewarding to me personally as my career in sports. They are really two very different worlds, but I can tell you there are a heck of lot more people in science who ask me about sports than there ever were people in sports who asked me about science. Very few get to experience two very satisfying careers in a single lifetime. I feel doubly blessed because of that. Football was hard to leave, but it was the right thing to do and I did it at the right time, despite what a lot of people said at the time and perhaps still feel. My father-in-law suggested I might want to seek the help of a psychiatrist to understand why I walked away just as my football career was peaking. Nevertheless, my career in science has taken me all over the world and to intellectual places I never even dreamed of. Returning to my alma mater as director of the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center culminated a long and satisfying career in science.
Our focus at Dalton is collaborative, interdisciplinary research in the cardiovascular sciences. We seek to join scientists for a variety of disciplines to bring their highly specialized knowledge to bear on important problems of cardiovascular health. We are particularly blessed at MU to have a medical school, a veterinary school, a college of engineering as well as arts and science and agriculture all on one campus. The possibilities are awesome. The new director is bringing new things to the fore and one of the most promising is a collaboration between cancer researchers and vascular biologists. A powerful combination to seek novel treatments for two of the most dreaded maladies of humankind.
Q. What has been your greatest achievement during your medical research career?
This is a much more difficult question to answer than the first one – what were the high points of my sports career. I’m very proud of all the work I’ve done to define the hormonal control of salt and water balance and the role played by the kidney in blood pressure regulation. Much of this is fundamental work that contributes to the advancement of science but may not make the headlines of the newspapers. However, during my career in the pharmaceutical industry I was associated with the development of some of the most important drugs now available for the treatment of hypertension, blockers of the renin-angiotensin system. I’m also very proud of the role my colleagues and I played in the discovery of and development as a drug of a novel hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide. Science has much less visible rewards than sports and you have to be satisfied with what you do on a personal basis and not depend on a lot of lights and signing autographs.
Q. What advice can you give to aspiring professional athletes with regards to maintaining their overall cardiovascular health?
Watch the weight. Football players particularly linemen are prone to be heavy. During their playing days there is a lot more muscle than fat, but as you age, it becomes harder and harder to keep the fat under control. Burning 5-6000 calories may be possible for an active player, but burning 2-3000 afterward is a much more difficult problem. Obesity is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and it is an insidious problem. Life-time exercise is very important and that becomes especially relevant to those of us who have suffered joint damage and are limited in what we can do to keep active. I love to ride my bicycle and I would urge everyone, not just athletes, to keep as fit as you can as long as you can.
Football Review Daily's NFL Alumni Series
Stat of the Day
In 2001, defensive back Anthony Henry of the Cleveland Browns recorded 10 interceptions in the regular season. He tied for the league lead with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ronde Barber. Oddly enough, Barber started all 16 games while Henry only started 2 but played in all 16.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Interviews Upcoming
Stay updated at Football Review Daily as we bring you several interviews in the upcoming days.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Simpson & Slaton - Potential Fantasy Gems?
By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily
It’s never too early to start thinking about fantasy football. This year’s NFL was loaded with players who will make an impact this year and in the future. Anyone can draft the likes of LT, Brady, and Adrian Peterson, but in recent years, the key to fantasy championships is finding late round gems during the draft and/or picking up waiver wire gold throughout the season. Here is two rookies that could possibly make a significant impact this year in fantasy football:
Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans
Houston Head Coach Gary Kubiak is a disciple of Mike Shanahan and runs the same zone blocking scheme in Houston. Neither Ahman Green nor Chris Brown is going to be the answer at running back for the Texans this year. Green is always injured and Brown is not suited for the one-cut system. If Slaton is given the opportunity to come in and compete for the starting running back job, given his speed and prowess catching the ball out the backfield, he could surprise a lot of people. There is a durability concern with Slaton, but if he can avoid injury, the revamped Texans offensive line could help him make a run at a very solid rookie campaign. Take a flyer on late him in your draft. Projection: 1000 total yards, 4 TDs
Jerome Simpson, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
He was everyone’s favorite sleeper heading into the draft, and he landed in the perfect situation in Cincinnati. The Bengals are stuck in a division where they will get into shootouts with the Browns, and will be unable to run on the Steelers or Ravens. That, along with Carson Palmer at quarterback will lead to numerous looks for the Chris Henry replacement out of Coastal Carolina. If Ocho Cinco follows through with his threatened holdout (which he won’t, but anything is possible with Rosenhaus), Simpson could find himself on the short list of rookie wide receivers who have gone over 1,000 yards. Monitor his battle for the #3 receiver with fellow draftee Andre Caldwell and of course Chad Johnson’s situation going forward in Cincinnati. He is also worth a late round flyer as a high upside pick, and a must-draft in 16 team or deeper leagues. Projection: 750 yards, 4 TDs
Football Review Daily
It’s never too early to start thinking about fantasy football. This year’s NFL was loaded with players who will make an impact this year and in the future. Anyone can draft the likes of LT, Brady, and Adrian Peterson, but in recent years, the key to fantasy championships is finding late round gems during the draft and/or picking up waiver wire gold throughout the season. Here is two rookies that could possibly make a significant impact this year in fantasy football:
Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans
Houston Head Coach Gary Kubiak is a disciple of Mike Shanahan and runs the same zone blocking scheme in Houston. Neither Ahman Green nor Chris Brown is going to be the answer at running back for the Texans this year. Green is always injured and Brown is not suited for the one-cut system. If Slaton is given the opportunity to come in and compete for the starting running back job, given his speed and prowess catching the ball out the backfield, he could surprise a lot of people. There is a durability concern with Slaton, but if he can avoid injury, the revamped Texans offensive line could help him make a run at a very solid rookie campaign. Take a flyer on late him in your draft. Projection: 1000 total yards, 4 TDs
Jerome Simpson, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
He was everyone’s favorite sleeper heading into the draft, and he landed in the perfect situation in Cincinnati. The Bengals are stuck in a division where they will get into shootouts with the Browns, and will be unable to run on the Steelers or Ravens. That, along with Carson Palmer at quarterback will lead to numerous looks for the Chris Henry replacement out of Coastal Carolina. If Ocho Cinco follows through with his threatened holdout (which he won’t, but anything is possible with Rosenhaus), Simpson could find himself on the short list of rookie wide receivers who have gone over 1,000 yards. Monitor his battle for the #3 receiver with fellow draftee Andre Caldwell and of course Chad Johnson’s situation going forward in Cincinnati. He is also worth a late round flyer as a high upside pick, and a must-draft in 16 team or deeper leagues. Projection: 750 yards, 4 TDs
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
SMU's Head Coach June Jones Speaks to PonyStampede.com
Jones finally brought his aerial attack to the mainland. His pass-first offensive schemes were sadly ignored by the major media while he was on the Hawaiian Islands.
Now, the head coach at SMU, June Jones recently spoke with PonyStampede.com. You can find his exclusive interview in their Premium Story section otherwise known as the subscription portion of the site.
But don't hang your heads just yet, the site is offering a 7-Day Free Trial!
Now, the head coach at SMU, June Jones recently spoke with PonyStampede.com. You can find his exclusive interview in their Premium Story section otherwise known as the subscription portion of the site.
But don't hang your heads just yet, the site is offering a 7-Day Free Trial!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ducking an Egg in a Trip to “The Farm”
By: Ted Kaiser
Football Review Daily
Every now and then I will share some experiences from the college football scene through recounting road games and bowls. Each game and location has its own unique flavor. This is the first of several articles that will take us from LA to the Bay Area to Nebraska to Miami and more. As a big time USC fan, most of the games include the Trojans, but I’ve had the chance to visit many schools and will get to more in the future.
There is no better USC football experience than “The Weekender” aka the annual migration of Trojans up the freeway to the Bay Area to watch the game against Stanford or Cal. The 2004 season saw the Trojans get off to a 3-0 start after capturing a share of the national title in 2003. But this year there was visions of an undisputed championship and the trip to Stanford was expected to be just another W on the way to Miami.
Just one year before, the Weekender had turned into a disaster with a triple overtime loss at Cal. Most SC fans went straight home after the game, others drank their sorrows away in silence. Nightmares of Hershel Dennis fumbling inside the five-yard line in overtime still haunt Trojan fans to this day. With those memories in the back of our minds, my friends and I loaded up the car and drove up Interstate 5 to San Francisco. If you ever go to a game at Stanford, it is highly recommended that you stay in the city and not in Palo Alto. There is a reason the school is fondly nicknamed “The Farm” by the USC faithful. While Palo Alto is a beautiful town, the nightlife leaves something to be desired and if you are looking to have some fun, stay in San Francisco and make the thirty minute drive on gameday. Fair warning: if driving up I-5, prepare for the smell of cow manure to last about 1/3 of the drive because contrary to popular belief, most of California is rural farmland.
After sitting through Bay Area rush hour traffic, we arrived at our hotel, if you could call it that. The name of the place escapes me, probably because I would never stay there again after enduring the stained and smelly bed sheets, disgusting shower, and a few unmentionables strewn throughout the hallway. Of course, being in college at the time, we tried to save money, but this was not what we had signed up for. We hoped this was not a sign of things to come for the weekend. Otherwise, Friday evening in San Francisco was a good time, complete with dinner, a USC Pep Rally in Union Square, and a trip to the bars.
Gameday came quickly and the later start time allowed for a few hours to tour the city. Quick visits to the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street were a must for me in my first trip to San Francisco. Soon it was time to head down to Palo Alto. Because we opted to the tour the city, there was little time for tailgating, but that ended up being a wise choice. The tailgate scene at Stanford was pretty dull with only a few BBQs throughout what seemed like a giant farm for a parking lot. Here I thought “The Farm” was a silly stereotype, but the area around the stadium was in fact a giant unpaved area with trees.
The walk to Stanford Stadium seemed like a mile and the overall atmosphere was pretty quiet. Not much was expected of the Cardinal that year and the stadium renovation that was expected to draw fans wasn’t going to be ready for another two seasons. We got to our seats which were the old wooden bench style. It was not too difficult to imagine the number of times drunk students might have fallen between the wooden rows. But the stadium had a small town charm to it and the beautiful setting was relaxing on the cool, crisp late afternoon.
The relaxation would quickly turn to trepidation in the Pac-10 Conference opener. With the Cardinal fresh off a bye week, they held a stunning 11-point lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown on the final play of the second quarter. The USC halftime locker room was an emotional moment with seniors such as defensive end Shaun Cody speaking up and getting the team energized for the second half. In the stands, a state of panic had set in. How could this happen again on “The Weekender”? What about the plans for Miami? Why are we playing so bad? Outside on the concourse, Stanford fans started to show some life with some mild trash talking of the SC contingent. My friend, an avid gambler at the time, scrambled to find out what the second half line was by making a few phone calls. Upon hearing the line was minus-7, he turned to us for advice.
“Should I take it?” he asked.
“Heck yes!” several of us responded.
Just like that we went from feeling sorry for ourselves to being completely fired up for the second half. There was no way we were going to lay an egg at The Farm. We came to Stanford expecting a cakewalk and a boring game, but the play of the Cardinal and a few playful yaps from the opposing fans had woken us up. Fortunately, the Trojans woke up too and went on for a 31-28 victory thanks to Reggie Bush, Lendale White, and company.
The post-game celebration was back in SF at Fisherman’s Wharf, a great little area with restaurants and bars. As we were waiting in line for one bar, a couple in their 50s and their college-age son were walking out. We asked “The Murphy’s” how it was and they said it was okay, but to come with them to this great little bar down the street called the Buena Vista. To our surprise, this kind and apparently financially well-off family, proceeded to buy us several hundred dollars worth of drinks. A few beers, car bombs, and wild turkeys later, the night was a success. Sunday’s trip home to LA down the must-see scenic Pacific Coast Highway was a happy one. “The Weekender” was over and SC was a step closer to going to Miami.
*****
Ted Kaiser writes about his college football experiences in an exclusive series here at Football Review Daily.
*****
Football Review Daily
Every now and then I will share some experiences from the college football scene through recounting road games and bowls. Each game and location has its own unique flavor. This is the first of several articles that will take us from LA to the Bay Area to Nebraska to Miami and more. As a big time USC fan, most of the games include the Trojans, but I’ve had the chance to visit many schools and will get to more in the future.
There is no better USC football experience than “The Weekender” aka the annual migration of Trojans up the freeway to the Bay Area to watch the game against Stanford or Cal. The 2004 season saw the Trojans get off to a 3-0 start after capturing a share of the national title in 2003. But this year there was visions of an undisputed championship and the trip to Stanford was expected to be just another W on the way to Miami.
Just one year before, the Weekender had turned into a disaster with a triple overtime loss at Cal. Most SC fans went straight home after the game, others drank their sorrows away in silence. Nightmares of Hershel Dennis fumbling inside the five-yard line in overtime still haunt Trojan fans to this day. With those memories in the back of our minds, my friends and I loaded up the car and drove up Interstate 5 to San Francisco. If you ever go to a game at Stanford, it is highly recommended that you stay in the city and not in Palo Alto. There is a reason the school is fondly nicknamed “The Farm” by the USC faithful. While Palo Alto is a beautiful town, the nightlife leaves something to be desired and if you are looking to have some fun, stay in San Francisco and make the thirty minute drive on gameday. Fair warning: if driving up I-5, prepare for the smell of cow manure to last about 1/3 of the drive because contrary to popular belief, most of California is rural farmland.
After sitting through Bay Area rush hour traffic, we arrived at our hotel, if you could call it that. The name of the place escapes me, probably because I would never stay there again after enduring the stained and smelly bed sheets, disgusting shower, and a few unmentionables strewn throughout the hallway. Of course, being in college at the time, we tried to save money, but this was not what we had signed up for. We hoped this was not a sign of things to come for the weekend. Otherwise, Friday evening in San Francisco was a good time, complete with dinner, a USC Pep Rally in Union Square, and a trip to the bars.
Gameday came quickly and the later start time allowed for a few hours to tour the city. Quick visits to the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street were a must for me in my first trip to San Francisco. Soon it was time to head down to Palo Alto. Because we opted to the tour the city, there was little time for tailgating, but that ended up being a wise choice. The tailgate scene at Stanford was pretty dull with only a few BBQs throughout what seemed like a giant farm for a parking lot. Here I thought “The Farm” was a silly stereotype, but the area around the stadium was in fact a giant unpaved area with trees.
The walk to Stanford Stadium seemed like a mile and the overall atmosphere was pretty quiet. Not much was expected of the Cardinal that year and the stadium renovation that was expected to draw fans wasn’t going to be ready for another two seasons. We got to our seats which were the old wooden bench style. It was not too difficult to imagine the number of times drunk students might have fallen between the wooden rows. But the stadium had a small town charm to it and the beautiful setting was relaxing on the cool, crisp late afternoon.
The relaxation would quickly turn to trepidation in the Pac-10 Conference opener. With the Cardinal fresh off a bye week, they held a stunning 11-point lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown on the final play of the second quarter. The USC halftime locker room was an emotional moment with seniors such as defensive end Shaun Cody speaking up and getting the team energized for the second half. In the stands, a state of panic had set in. How could this happen again on “The Weekender”? What about the plans for Miami? Why are we playing so bad? Outside on the concourse, Stanford fans started to show some life with some mild trash talking of the SC contingent. My friend, an avid gambler at the time, scrambled to find out what the second half line was by making a few phone calls. Upon hearing the line was minus-7, he turned to us for advice.
“Should I take it?” he asked.
“Heck yes!” several of us responded.
Just like that we went from feeling sorry for ourselves to being completely fired up for the second half. There was no way we were going to lay an egg at The Farm. We came to Stanford expecting a cakewalk and a boring game, but the play of the Cardinal and a few playful yaps from the opposing fans had woken us up. Fortunately, the Trojans woke up too and went on for a 31-28 victory thanks to Reggie Bush, Lendale White, and company.
The post-game celebration was back in SF at Fisherman’s Wharf, a great little area with restaurants and bars. As we were waiting in line for one bar, a couple in their 50s and their college-age son were walking out. We asked “The Murphy’s” how it was and they said it was okay, but to come with them to this great little bar down the street called the Buena Vista. To our surprise, this kind and apparently financially well-off family, proceeded to buy us several hundred dollars worth of drinks. A few beers, car bombs, and wild turkeys later, the night was a success. Sunday’s trip home to LA down the must-see scenic Pacific Coast Highway was a happy one. “The Weekender” was over and SC was a step closer to going to Miami.
Ted Kaiser writes about his college football experiences in an exclusive series here at Football Review Daily.
Monday, May 12, 2008
New Set of NFL Head Coaches Looking to Make Their Mark
By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily
Every year there is always a huge focus on which players have switched teams, and how each team has changed their personnel during the off-season. People are always looking to see which guy will make the biggest impact on his new team. When these conversations come up though, the names of the people that end up making the biggest impact are rarely discussed. As you can tell by the title, I am referring to the Head Coach. This year we have four teams that have a different Head Coach from the one they had last year. Unlike most years when we look at this list, all of the new Head Coaches this year are exactly that, new, in that all of them are first time Head Coaches in the NFL. It is refreshing to see some fresh faces getting a chance to prove what they are made of, instead of the same old faces being recycled and re-used throughout the league. Since most people are not familiar with these guys yet, here is a closer look at them, and what should be expected of them this year, and for years to come:
John Harbaugh – Baltimore Ravens
Harbaugh is coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles, where he served as the Special Teams coordinator for seven years and as the Defensive Backs coach last year. Expect him to bring over to Baltimore the same philosophy as his mentor, Jim Johnson, and turn the Ravens into a blitz-happy defense. He has already made a great hire for his offensive coordinator in Cam Cameron, and most people would agree that even though Cameron did not work out as a Head Coach, his knowledge of the offensive side is something that will definitely help a Ravens offense that has been struggling for the better part of a decade now.
Expect Harbaugh to be similar to his younger brother, Jim, as far as his coaching style is concerned. He will speak his mind, and wear his emotions on his sleeve. Harbaugh is exactly what the Ravens needed, a young energetic coach that will put some life back into a Ravens team that looked very lethargic last year. Sure we all remember how passionately they played against the Patriots, but the other 15 games, their effort was not at the level that it needed to be at.
Under Harbaugh the Ravens should win around 9 to 10 games, and possibly challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC via the wild card. If the Ravens are patient, Harbaugh could continue to be their head man for many years to come, as he has the knowledge and passion for the game that is needed in every coach.
Tony Sparano – Miami Dolphins
Sparano is probably most famous for being featured in Kenny Mayne’s Mayne Event late last year. In Dallas, he gained a reputation for being a very good coach. He got his chance under Bill Parcells, who gave him offensive play-calling duties in 2006 after Sean Payton left to coach the Saints. His official position with the Cowboys for the last five years was listed as the Offensive Line Coach, and he did a great job turning them into a formidable bunch to protect Tony Romo and open up holes in the running game. He comes to Miami via Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland, who also came over from the Dallas Cowboys. It has been speculated the Parcells “owed him one” after Parcells held Sparano back from joining Sean Payton with the Saints as Payton’s offensive coordinator. Instead, Sparano stayed with Parcells, and has since been labeled a “Parcells Guy.”
Sparano should immediately improve a Dolphins offense that struggled mightily last year. It’s fitting that a former offensive linemen brought in an offensive linemen as the first overall pick in the draft. Jake Long’s development will be accelerated because he has a Head Coach that emphasizes the offensive line, and realizes its importance. While Dan Henning will most likely be doing the play calling for the Dolphins, expect Sparano to have a lot of input throughout the week in the team’s strategy week in and week out. Expect the Dolphins to improve this year from the dismal year they had last year. They will probably be able to win 5-6 games and start on the right path to rebuilding.
Unlike Harbaugh though, Sparano does not fit the mold of an ideal NFL Head Coach. He is a guy that will stand on the sidelines with his glasses on, and not be much of a yeller and screamer. It seems as though those types of Head Coaches are far from the trend now-a-days. Though we still do have guys like Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Mike Holmgren in Seattle, they are the exception, not the rule. Sparano will probably be given a chance for two or three years, but unless the Dolphins show a vast improvement, I expect to be writing about their new coach in 2011.
Mike Smith – Atlanta Falcons
Of the four new coaches hired this year, Mike Smith probably has the best track record. Though many people had not heard his name mentioned on a national level until he was hired by the Falcons, most everyone is familiar with his work. He was the Linebackers coach of arguably one of the best linebacking groups in NFL history, with the Ravens from 1999-2002. The guys that played under him from most of that stretch were Ray Lewis, Adalius Thomas, Jamie Sharper, and Peter Boulware. Due to his successes as the Linebackers coach in Baltimore, he was hired as the Jaguars Defensive Coordinator in 2003. Since then, the Jaguars have become known as one of toughest and hardest hitting defenses in the league.
Smith is going to bring that same smash mouth attitude to the Atlanta Falcons. His hiring will help guys like Keith Brooking and John Abraham elevate their game to an even higher level. Expect both of those guys to have career years this year, as we
Football Review Daily
Every year there is always a huge focus on which players have switched teams, and how each team has changed their personnel during the off-season. People are always looking to see which guy will make the biggest impact on his new team. When these conversations come up though, the names of the people that end up making the biggest impact are rarely discussed. As you can tell by the title, I am referring to the Head Coach. This year we have four teams that have a different Head Coach from the one they had last year. Unlike most years when we look at this list, all of the new Head Coaches this year are exactly that, new, in that all of them are first time Head Coaches in the NFL. It is refreshing to see some fresh faces getting a chance to prove what they are made of, instead of the same old faces being recycled and re-used throughout the league. Since most people are not familiar with these guys yet, here is a closer look at them, and what should be expected of them this year, and for years to come:
John Harbaugh – Baltimore Ravens
Harbaugh is coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles, where he served as the Special Teams coordinator for seven years and as the Defensive Backs coach last year. Expect him to bring over to Baltimore the same philosophy as his mentor, Jim Johnson, and turn the Ravens into a blitz-happy defense. He has already made a great hire for his offensive coordinator in Cam Cameron, and most people would agree that even though Cameron did not work out as a Head Coach, his knowledge of the offensive side is something that will definitely help a Ravens offense that has been struggling for the better part of a decade now.
Expect Harbaugh to be similar to his younger brother, Jim, as far as his coaching style is concerned. He will speak his mind, and wear his emotions on his sleeve. Harbaugh is exactly what the Ravens needed, a young energetic coach that will put some life back into a Ravens team that looked very lethargic last year. Sure we all remember how passionately they played against the Patriots, but the other 15 games, their effort was not at the level that it needed to be at.
Under Harbaugh the Ravens should win around 9 to 10 games, and possibly challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC via the wild card. If the Ravens are patient, Harbaugh could continue to be their head man for many years to come, as he has the knowledge and passion for the game that is needed in every coach.
Tony Sparano – Miami Dolphins
Sparano is probably most famous for being featured in Kenny Mayne’s Mayne Event late last year. In Dallas, he gained a reputation for being a very good coach. He got his chance under Bill Parcells, who gave him offensive play-calling duties in 2006 after Sean Payton left to coach the Saints. His official position with the Cowboys for the last five years was listed as the Offensive Line Coach, and he did a great job turning them into a formidable bunch to protect Tony Romo and open up holes in the running game. He comes to Miami via Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland, who also came over from the Dallas Cowboys. It has been speculated the Parcells “owed him one” after Parcells held Sparano back from joining Sean Payton with the Saints as Payton’s offensive coordinator. Instead, Sparano stayed with Parcells, and has since been labeled a “Parcells Guy.”
Sparano should immediately improve a Dolphins offense that struggled mightily last year. It’s fitting that a former offensive linemen brought in an offensive linemen as the first overall pick in the draft. Jake Long’s development will be accelerated because he has a Head Coach that emphasizes the offensive line, and realizes its importance. While Dan Henning will most likely be doing the play calling for the Dolphins, expect Sparano to have a lot of input throughout the week in the team’s strategy week in and week out. Expect the Dolphins to improve this year from the dismal year they had last year. They will probably be able to win 5-6 games and start on the right path to rebuilding.
Unlike Harbaugh though, Sparano does not fit the mold of an ideal NFL Head Coach. He is a guy that will stand on the sidelines with his glasses on, and not be much of a yeller and screamer. It seems as though those types of Head Coaches are far from the trend now-a-days. Though we still do have guys like Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Mike Holmgren in Seattle, they are the exception, not the rule. Sparano will probably be given a chance for two or three years, but unless the Dolphins show a vast improvement, I expect to be writing about their new coach in 2011.
Mike Smith – Atlanta Falcons
Of the four new coaches hired this year, Mike Smith probably has the best track record. Though many people had not heard his name mentioned on a national level until he was hired by the Falcons, most everyone is familiar with his work. He was the Linebackers coach of arguably one of the best linebacking groups in NFL history, with the Ravens from 1999-2002. The guys that played under him from most of that stretch were Ray Lewis, Adalius Thomas, Jamie Sharper, and Peter Boulware. Due to his successes as the Linebackers coach in Baltimore, he was hired as the Jaguars Defensive Coordinator in 2003. Since then, the Jaguars have become known as one of toughest and hardest hitting defenses in the league.
Smith is going to bring that same smash mouth attitude to the Atlanta Falcons. His hiring will help guys like Keith Brooking and John Abraham elevate their game to an even higher level. Expect both of those guys to have career years this year, as we