THIS AND THAT..........FRIDAY
It is only July 3rd, but some pretty good bulletin board material hit the internet Tuesday & I'll be very interested to see how the parties respond come October 25th, when the San Diego Chargers visit Arrowhead Stadium. During an online chat, Charger cornerback Antonio Cromartie, was asked about teams in his division. When the discussion came to the Chiefs, Cromartie said "well they've never had a passing game & now they don't even have Gonzalez". Asked about Dewayne Bowe, Cromartie responded "Dwayne Bowe has caught exactly 2 passes against me in two years, he doesn't scare anybody". Bowe reported to the OTA's about 20 pounds overweight, incurring the wrath of head coach Todd Haley. This is Bowe's third season in the league & if he is, in fact, as good as he thinks he is, maybe he'll become the factor a lot of people thought he would be when he was drafted in 2007. ESPN's Cris Carter, a future Hall of Fame wide receiver named Bowe as his 'breakout' player this season. He believes Bowe has what it takes to separate from the wide receiver pack & become an elite player. The Chiefs play San Diego in week 7, right after they finish up with 4 straight with the NFC East, so Chiefs' fans should know by then if Bowe has stepped up his play dramatically.
I told you yesterday about the NFL's Rookie Symposium completed last Sunday in Palm Beach. I told you that all 256 drafted players were required to attend, unfortunately 1 player was sent home sick. That player, Minnesota's Percy Harvin, is certainly one of the 256 that really needed this indoctrination. Harvin, twice suspended in college for off the field problems as well as failed drug tests, could have used as much 'tuff love' as he could absorb. Sadly, he was sent home Friday evening with flu like symptoms.
I read a police report online yesterday that just confirms what I've been saying about Denver's Brandon Marshall. He was stopped by Denver Police on suspicion of drunk driving. While taking a field sobriety test, the report quoted Marshall as saying "I hate this f---ing city! I hate Denver! I hope I get traded outta this sh---y town. Why aren't you guys out looking for Darrent's(Williams) killer"? Darrent Williams was murdered just after New Year's in a drive by shooting while in a limousine. He passed the test & was released. Marshall has demanded to be traded since Denver traded QB Jay Cutler claiming new QB, Kyle Orton, won't do as good & it will hurt him in contract negotiations. What a guy, what a teammate. One of the first of the wide receiver prima donnas, Keyshawn Johnson, was recently asked about the plethora of wideout divas currently in the league. Key didn't mince words, "Brandon Marshall, what have you ever done? You went to one Pro Bowl, you caught a bunch of passes because they threw a bunch to you. Have you ever won a playoff game yet? Guys like me & Michael Irvin, we won rings. Win a ring, then people will listen to you. He says he doesn't want to play in Denver because he doesn't have his quarterback now that Jay Cutler is in Chicago. Please. When I was with the Jets, our starting QB's were Ray Lucas, Frank Reich, Neil O'Donnell, Glenn Foley, Rick Mirer & Vinny Testaverde. And he's complaining about playing with Kyle Orton? He should worry about helping his quarterback play better." This kid's act is wearing thin with a lot of people.
Here's a move I doubt will catch on. The 0-16 Detroit Lions have come up with one of the lamest marketing ideas I personally have ever heard of. Detroit has singled out 5,500 seats, in 3 adjoining sections, that will be marketed as an "all you can eat seat". Yes, buy this chair for the season & you can eat all the hot dogs, brats, nachos, chips & soft drinks you can stomach. Beautiful. I guess if you get full you could always watch a series or two when the Lions have the ball, causing you to blow chunks & making more room for that 5-star Ford Field cuisine. Pretty cool huh? Maybe they'll offer a free cholesterol screening at the last home game.
Let's see, our elected representatives in the Senate will be debating the Cap & Trade Energy Bill very soon, they'll begin haggling over the President's proposed health care reform after that, but right now they have something really important to tackle. Busting up the BCS. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a BCS hater from way back, but I think our senators need to stay focused on running the country, not college football. What scares me is they'll do as lousy with a playoff system as they have done running the country the last 20 years. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah got the ball rolling after his Utah Utes went undefeated & were never considered for the National Championship Game. The first witness before the committee will be University of Utah President, Michael Young. Also scheduled to appear will be Harvey Perlman, the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee Chairman. I think Perlman's words from an interview late last week will come back to haunt him very, very soon. His arrogance & obvious lack of understanding of the college game could be fatal for the BCS. He talks only of the financial impact on the bowls, "playoffs will kill the bowls, break up the BCS & we'll have to go back to the old system, depend on a poll to determine the national champion. A playoff will make the lesser bowls obsolete, it will cost a lot of schools a lot of money. Plus is will be a hardship on our student athletes". Maybe the BCS should have used their chief lobbyist, former Oklahoma QB, J.C. Watts, instead of Perlman. At least he would come at the problem as a player, not a stuffy, selfish, blowhard businessman. The NCAA contests 37 national championship events for both men & women in all four divisions, none to the detriment of a school's finances or student athletes. BCS football is the only sport at any NCAA level without a playoff system. So it works for Division I, Div. II, Div. III, works for men & women, football, hockey, baseball, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, tennis, golf, etc. etc. Not buying it Mr. Perlman & I doubt you'll find many takers on Capitol Hill either.
A guy I've always liked to read, ESPN.com's Pat Forde, recently ranked the top rivalries currently in college football & basketball. Only one rivalry made both lists. Missouri vs Kansas. Absolutely no argument out of me, both football programs have received national notoriety recently. Tiger basketball surged last year & they might be able to stay there with the 'lifetime' contract coach Mike Anderson was given after reaching the Western Regional final in March. Kansas ought to be the preseason #1 with the team they're returning. This rivalry should only get nastier in the future.
I told you yesterday about the NFL's Rookie Symposium completed last Sunday in Palm Beach. I told you that all 256 drafted players were required to attend, unfortunately 1 player was sent home sick. That player, Minnesota's Percy Harvin, is certainly one of the 256 that really needed this indoctrination. Harvin, twice suspended in college for off the field problems as well as failed drug tests, could have used as much 'tuff love' as he could absorb. Sadly, he was sent home Friday evening with flu like symptoms.
I read a police report online yesterday that just confirms what I've been saying about Denver's Brandon Marshall. He was stopped by Denver Police on suspicion of drunk driving. While taking a field sobriety test, the report quoted Marshall as saying "I hate this f---ing city! I hate Denver! I hope I get traded outta this sh---y town. Why aren't you guys out looking for Darrent's(Williams) killer"? Darrent Williams was murdered just after New Year's in a drive by shooting while in a limousine. He passed the test & was released. Marshall has demanded to be traded since Denver traded QB Jay Cutler claiming new QB, Kyle Orton, won't do as good & it will hurt him in contract negotiations. What a guy, what a teammate. One of the first of the wide receiver prima donnas, Keyshawn Johnson, was recently asked about the plethora of wideout divas currently in the league. Key didn't mince words, "Brandon Marshall, what have you ever done? You went to one Pro Bowl, you caught a bunch of passes because they threw a bunch to you. Have you ever won a playoff game yet? Guys like me & Michael Irvin, we won rings. Win a ring, then people will listen to you. He says he doesn't want to play in Denver because he doesn't have his quarterback now that Jay Cutler is in Chicago. Please. When I was with the Jets, our starting QB's were Ray Lucas, Frank Reich, Neil O'Donnell, Glenn Foley, Rick Mirer & Vinny Testaverde. And he's complaining about playing with Kyle Orton? He should worry about helping his quarterback play better." This kid's act is wearing thin with a lot of people.
Here's a move I doubt will catch on. The 0-16 Detroit Lions have come up with one of the lamest marketing ideas I personally have ever heard of. Detroit has singled out 5,500 seats, in 3 adjoining sections, that will be marketed as an "all you can eat seat". Yes, buy this chair for the season & you can eat all the hot dogs, brats, nachos, chips & soft drinks you can stomach. Beautiful. I guess if you get full you could always watch a series or two when the Lions have the ball, causing you to blow chunks & making more room for that 5-star Ford Field cuisine. Pretty cool huh? Maybe they'll offer a free cholesterol screening at the last home game.
Let's see, our elected representatives in the Senate will be debating the Cap & Trade Energy Bill very soon, they'll begin haggling over the President's proposed health care reform after that, but right now they have something really important to tackle. Busting up the BCS. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a BCS hater from way back, but I think our senators need to stay focused on running the country, not college football. What scares me is they'll do as lousy with a playoff system as they have done running the country the last 20 years. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah got the ball rolling after his Utah Utes went undefeated & were never considered for the National Championship Game. The first witness before the committee will be University of Utah President, Michael Young. Also scheduled to appear will be Harvey Perlman, the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee Chairman. I think Perlman's words from an interview late last week will come back to haunt him very, very soon. His arrogance & obvious lack of understanding of the college game could be fatal for the BCS. He talks only of the financial impact on the bowls, "playoffs will kill the bowls, break up the BCS & we'll have to go back to the old system, depend on a poll to determine the national champion. A playoff will make the lesser bowls obsolete, it will cost a lot of schools a lot of money. Plus is will be a hardship on our student athletes". Maybe the BCS should have used their chief lobbyist, former Oklahoma QB, J.C. Watts, instead of Perlman. At least he would come at the problem as a player, not a stuffy, selfish, blowhard businessman. The NCAA contests 37 national championship events for both men & women in all four divisions, none to the detriment of a school's finances or student athletes. BCS football is the only sport at any NCAA level without a playoff system. So it works for Division I, Div. II, Div. III, works for men & women, football, hockey, baseball, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, tennis, golf, etc. etc. Not buying it Mr. Perlman & I doubt you'll find many takers on Capitol Hill either.
A guy I've always liked to read, ESPN.com's Pat Forde, recently ranked the top rivalries currently in college football & basketball. Only one rivalry made both lists. Missouri vs Kansas. Absolutely no argument out of me, both football programs have received national notoriety recently. Tiger basketball surged last year & they might be able to stay there with the 'lifetime' contract coach Mike Anderson was given after reaching the Western Regional final in March. Kansas ought to be the preseason #1 with the team they're returning. This rivalry should only get nastier in the future.
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