THIS AND THAT..........THURSDAY
From the owner's meeting in California comes word the proposed "Hochuli rule" was passed tonight. This rule would enable a game referee to go under the hood & see video of play to determine if a ball was an incompletion or a fumble recovered by the defense. If you saw the San Diego/Denver game last September, you'll know why this rule was voted into the rule book. Veteran ref, Ed Hochuli watched Jay Cutler fumble the ball, blow the play dead & then the Chargers recovered the ball. Since he had blown the whistle, the play wasn't reviewable, the Broncos retained possession, scored a touchdown on the next play, went for a 2-point conversion to win the game & they did it. Hochuli told an enraged Norv Turner on the sideline "I blew it". He did, it was a fumble, not an incompletion. Now it can be reviewed. Another new rule adopted today would seed the draft order differently beginning in 2010. Now the top 20 picks will be taken by non-playoff teams in order by record. The bottom 12 would be seeded by playoff exit, then record. In other words, the four wildcard loser would be seeded by record. Then the four divisional losers, then the championship game losers, followed by the Super Bowl loser & last, the champion. The way things are now, an 8-8 team(San Diego for instance) is picking ahead of teams that didn't make the playoffs(like Chicago, NY Jets, Tampa Bay & Dallas) or a team they beat in the playoffs(Indy).
Very good rule changes.
Also out of Dana Point today, commissioner Roger Goodell openly discussed the possibility of the NFL going to a 17 or 18-game regular season. The preseason would be reduced by 1 or 2 games as well. The 18-game season would simply add 1 road & 1 home game to what they've had for years. The 17-game season is the one I think Goodell really prefers because it would call for every team to play one neutral site game. His preference is half to be played in North America & the other half abroad, probably in Europe mostly. The neutral site game would be followed by the bye week.
He is also interested in a developmental league similar to NFL Europe, but played in this country in the spring. New NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith, has stated he wants to be a part of any planning on these ideas. The 17/18-game schedule could be voted on as early as the May owner's meeting & implemented by 2011. All parties believe a new collective bargaining agreement will need to be in place before any of this happens.
The New York Giants, looking at being without WR Plaxico Burress for maybe, ever, his gun possession beef isn't going away & he could be looking at a 3 1/2 year sentence. The Giants have inquired about the availability of Brown's wideout, Braylon Edwards. Edwards had a monster year in 2007, but last season he had a severe case of the drops. But he is what the Giants need, big, fast & a guy who comes down with the ball, even in a crowd, provided those pesky drops don't return. Drops or not, Edwards is something Burress has never been, a model citizen off the field & a dedicated, disciplined player on the field.
The Chiefs signed Mike Goff today. Goff, an 11-year veteran, has been a starting guard for both the Bengals & Chargers the last 9 years. The former Iowa Hawkeye still has something left in the tank & like last week's signee, WR Bobby Engram, Scott Pioli has signed another solid veteran free agent near the end of their career. Throw in LB Mike Vrabel & they have 3 guys who can help out on the field, in the huddle, in the locker room & in meetings. Pioli's going to need 2-3 drafts to get this team where he wants it. Another 2 vets like these 3 will help give Pioli that time. All three have stayed relatively healthy & are good additions to a team desperate for so many players at so many positions.
Also on the Chief's front, there are differing reports regarding future Hall of Fame TE, Tony Gonzalez & his desire to be traded. According to Adam Teicher, the Kansas City Star Chief's beat writer, Gonzalez told him he's "going to go with the flow & see what transpires between now & mini camp time". Other reports quote my favorite, "a source close to Gonzalez". Who the hell is that? They say he wants out now. Who knows, I do believe owner Clark Hunt when he was interviewed at the owner's meeting on Monday. He stated the club would not trade Gonzalez, but we'll see.
Reports that it was the Minnesota Vikings who first inquired about the availability of Bronco QB, Jay Cutler have begun to surface. There were a few discussions & all of a sudden the Vikings withdrew from talks & have stated they have no interest in Cutler. What did they find that caused them to lose interest?
Very good rule changes.
Also out of Dana Point today, commissioner Roger Goodell openly discussed the possibility of the NFL going to a 17 or 18-game regular season. The preseason would be reduced by 1 or 2 games as well. The 18-game season would simply add 1 road & 1 home game to what they've had for years. The 17-game season is the one I think Goodell really prefers because it would call for every team to play one neutral site game. His preference is half to be played in North America & the other half abroad, probably in Europe mostly. The neutral site game would be followed by the bye week.
He is also interested in a developmental league similar to NFL Europe, but played in this country in the spring. New NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith, has stated he wants to be a part of any planning on these ideas. The 17/18-game schedule could be voted on as early as the May owner's meeting & implemented by 2011. All parties believe a new collective bargaining agreement will need to be in place before any of this happens.
The New York Giants, looking at being without WR Plaxico Burress for maybe, ever, his gun possession beef isn't going away & he could be looking at a 3 1/2 year sentence. The Giants have inquired about the availability of Brown's wideout, Braylon Edwards. Edwards had a monster year in 2007, but last season he had a severe case of the drops. But he is what the Giants need, big, fast & a guy who comes down with the ball, even in a crowd, provided those pesky drops don't return. Drops or not, Edwards is something Burress has never been, a model citizen off the field & a dedicated, disciplined player on the field.
The Chiefs signed Mike Goff today. Goff, an 11-year veteran, has been a starting guard for both the Bengals & Chargers the last 9 years. The former Iowa Hawkeye still has something left in the tank & like last week's signee, WR Bobby Engram, Scott Pioli has signed another solid veteran free agent near the end of their career. Throw in LB Mike Vrabel & they have 3 guys who can help out on the field, in the huddle, in the locker room & in meetings. Pioli's going to need 2-3 drafts to get this team where he wants it. Another 2 vets like these 3 will help give Pioli that time. All three have stayed relatively healthy & are good additions to a team desperate for so many players at so many positions.
Also on the Chief's front, there are differing reports regarding future Hall of Fame TE, Tony Gonzalez & his desire to be traded. According to Adam Teicher, the Kansas City Star Chief's beat writer, Gonzalez told him he's "going to go with the flow & see what transpires between now & mini camp time". Other reports quote my favorite, "a source close to Gonzalez". Who the hell is that? They say he wants out now. Who knows, I do believe owner Clark Hunt when he was interviewed at the owner's meeting on Monday. He stated the club would not trade Gonzalez, but we'll see.
Reports that it was the Minnesota Vikings who first inquired about the availability of Bronco QB, Jay Cutler have begun to surface. There were a few discussions & all of a sudden the Vikings withdrew from talks & have stated they have no interest in Cutler. What did they find that caused them to lose interest?
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