BUFFS BURIED, TROJANS VS. BUCKEYES & STRANGE SUSPENSIONS
I have to believe Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has 3rd degree burns on his butt from the hot seat he's sitting on right now. After the '08 season ended, Hawkins told Buffalo boosters they'd "win 10 games next season, no excuses". They lost their home opener last Sunday to in-state rival Colorado State, a game Hawkins surely included in his 10-game promise, the game Friday night in Toledo vs. the Rockets became ultra-important, considering their remaining schedule. Well so much for 10 wins this season, after watching them play both games, I'd say they'll be fortunate to equal last year's 5-win season. They were demolished 54-38 & it wasn't nearly that close. They were down 38-7 in the 1st half & 54-24 early in the 4th quarter. This isn't a good team, regardless of what Hawkins has promised. With West Virgina, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma State & Nebraska remaining on their schedule, I have to believe Hawkins & his QB son, Cody, will be looking for a new home come December.
Saturday night's Southern Cal-Ohio State showdown in Columbus is the marquee college game of week two. The Trojans are sitting as a 7 1/2 point favorite. The national media has taken a "no way can USC lose this game" attitude. So is there any way the Buckeyes can pull an upset? Ohio State was crushed last season at the Coliseum 35-3 & that was with 6 players now with NFL teams. The Trojans also lost a bunch to the pros, 8 to be exact, 7 on defense. The Trojans also have a few injuries altho center Matt O'Dowd is going to start, how long he can go is unknown. The Buckeyes have sophomore QB Terelle Pryor, a 6-6 230 pound running quarterback who is just coming into his own as a passer. He isn't the 2005 version of Vince Young, but he's a very dangerous runner, something Pete Carroll teams have had trouble with in the past. Like the 2006 BCS Championship, when the Young-led Longhorns beat USC. The USC offensive line might be the best in college football, it's the best part of this team. True freshman quarterback Matt Barkley, is talking big, saying he's not the least bit concerned about playing in front of 105,000 rabid Buckeye fans. Saying it & doing it are usually 2 different things. Buckeye coach Jim Tressell is 24-1 at home vs. out of conference opponents. Coincidentally, Tressell's one loss was to Vince Young's Texas Longhorns. So how do these teams game plan for the other's quarterback? USC might decide to make All-American safety, Taylor Mays, the spy. He goes wherever Terelle Pryor goes. Mays has the smarts, speed & size to possibly negate Pryor. If I'm planning against USC's offense, I bring 8 guys into the box to slow down the potent USC running game & make the true freshman beat me at home. I'll admit I've been hard on the Trojans with all my 'karma' talk this summer, but this is a very tough spot for Barkley & I think the Buckeyes prevail 20-17.
Richard Seymour, the all-pro defensive tackle Bill Belichick traded to the Raiders last Sunday, is nearing a decision to report to the Raiders, where he would start in Monday night's game against San Diego. Seymour was served with a '5-day notice to report' that if ignored, would put Seymour on the shelf for the entire season without pay. Since he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent he just about has to report. To say nothing of his $3.9 million salary. What he is fighting apparently is the Raiders slapping the franchise tag on him after the season, sentencing him to another season in Oakland's Black Hole. But I can't see a way around it, Oakland's not going to give up a 2011 #1 pick to essentially rent Seymour for the '09 season. Seymour & Mike Vrabel were repaid for their superior play & loyalty by being traded to two really crappy teams. I know pro football is a business & everyday some whining millionaire wants a new contract, now that he's back from rehab. But Seymour & Vrabel are not that guy & I also think both were shocked at their trades. Vrabel has moved on & will be a big contributor for the Chiefs. Let's see how this affects Seymour once he gets to Oakland.
*UPDATE at 3:10 AM CDT: I just read on PFT.com the NFLPA has filed a grievance against the Raiders for their '5-day notice to report'.
The court of appeals verdict in the "StarCaps" trial came down today & to say it's bizarre is putting it mildly. See how fair you think this turned out & does it make any sense to you? Four players, Charles Grant & Will Smith, starting defensive ends for the Saints & Pat Williams & Kevin Williams, starting D-tackles for the Vikings, are the whole case. They admitted to taking StarCaps, an over the counter diet pill that secretly contains a prescription diuretic which is on the NFL's banned substance list. All four players appealed their 4-game suspensions last season & were permitted to play while their appeal was pending. Today's verdict allows the Williams' to totally avoid suspension, but Grant & Smith must serve 4-game suspensions. The reason for this 'opposite justice'? The U.S. Court of Appeals determined state laws in Minnesota don't allow for drug testing of banned substances that are unlisted as ingredients. Louisiana has an identical law but it has never been enforced, so the court couldn't rule in favor of the New Orleans' plaintiffs. Now the Saints are looking at the real possibility of losing both defensive ends for 4 weeks. Then again the NFL could do the right thing & cancel the suspensions of Grant & Smith. Regardless of state laws, I'm talking football fair here, doesn't this tip the scales in favor of the Vikings while penalizing the Saints? I've yet to read or hear anything from the Player's Union, where the hell do they stand on all of this? Stay tuned.
More trouble for the Saints in the form of their starting left tackle, Jammal Brown, who will miss 4-6 weeks recovering from hip surgery this week. Brown was the Outland Trophy winner at Oklahoma & has made the Pro Bowl twice in his 4-year career. He also protects QB Drew Brees' blind side. It's a major blow to the Saints offensive line. If the Grant & Smith suspensions stand, the Saints might find themselves in a hole they can't get out of before playoff time.
Veteran tackle John Runyan made a whirlwind tour showing off his rebuilt knee & to audition for a job. Runyan started for the Titans & Eagles the last 10 years & was a very dependable right tackle. He had microfracture surgery after last season & the Eagles decided to part ways with him. Since Tuesday he went to Kansas City, Philadelphia & Buffalo. The Chiefs & Bills desperate for help on their patchwork offensive lines. The Eagles moved Shawn Andrews from left guard to Runyan's right tackle spot after the season, but Andrews has had back issues since training camp begun. I would imagine he'll go back to Philly even tho K.C. might offer more money & at 35, he's near the end of his career, another reason he may return to Philly. They're obviously much closer to making another Super Bowl run than Kansas City is. I think Buffalo would have to offer double, that franchise looks like ground zero for a major meltdown.
The Chiefs are playing a cat & mouse game regarding Matt Cassel's availability to start Sunday against the Ravens. He practices all week & Friday after practice, Todd Haley said it was going to be a game day decision. Did he injure himself further? Has the practice caused swelling & he may not be able to play because of that? Was he ever going to play? These questions & Haley's refusal to come clean, keep the K.C. media & fans in the dark. I don't think it affects Baltimore's preparation one way or another.
I told you way back in April the Chiefs had only 18-20 NFL quality players. Carl Peterson & Herm Edwards told us in January the team was 80% complete & I kept saying bulls*#t. Friday, Scott Pioli said the 2009 53-man roster has only 23 players that were on the 2008 53-man roster when the season began. That means 30 players from last year are no longer on the roster. Here's the kicker, Pioli said only 2 of those 30 are on NFL rosters right now, one of them is Tony Gonzalez. Game, set, match, thank you very much.
Today's real name of the day; Tremendous Campbell-Scott, defensive back, Prichard High School, Prichard, Alabama. (I'm not making these up, I swear)
Saturday night's Southern Cal-Ohio State showdown in Columbus is the marquee college game of week two. The Trojans are sitting as a 7 1/2 point favorite. The national media has taken a "no way can USC lose this game" attitude. So is there any way the Buckeyes can pull an upset? Ohio State was crushed last season at the Coliseum 35-3 & that was with 6 players now with NFL teams. The Trojans also lost a bunch to the pros, 8 to be exact, 7 on defense. The Trojans also have a few injuries altho center Matt O'Dowd is going to start, how long he can go is unknown. The Buckeyes have sophomore QB Terelle Pryor, a 6-6 230 pound running quarterback who is just coming into his own as a passer. He isn't the 2005 version of Vince Young, but he's a very dangerous runner, something Pete Carroll teams have had trouble with in the past. Like the 2006 BCS Championship, when the Young-led Longhorns beat USC. The USC offensive line might be the best in college football, it's the best part of this team. True freshman quarterback Matt Barkley, is talking big, saying he's not the least bit concerned about playing in front of 105,000 rabid Buckeye fans. Saying it & doing it are usually 2 different things. Buckeye coach Jim Tressell is 24-1 at home vs. out of conference opponents. Coincidentally, Tressell's one loss was to Vince Young's Texas Longhorns. So how do these teams game plan for the other's quarterback? USC might decide to make All-American safety, Taylor Mays, the spy. He goes wherever Terelle Pryor goes. Mays has the smarts, speed & size to possibly negate Pryor. If I'm planning against USC's offense, I bring 8 guys into the box to slow down the potent USC running game & make the true freshman beat me at home. I'll admit I've been hard on the Trojans with all my 'karma' talk this summer, but this is a very tough spot for Barkley & I think the Buckeyes prevail 20-17.
Richard Seymour, the all-pro defensive tackle Bill Belichick traded to the Raiders last Sunday, is nearing a decision to report to the Raiders, where he would start in Monday night's game against San Diego. Seymour was served with a '5-day notice to report' that if ignored, would put Seymour on the shelf for the entire season without pay. Since he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent he just about has to report. To say nothing of his $3.9 million salary. What he is fighting apparently is the Raiders slapping the franchise tag on him after the season, sentencing him to another season in Oakland's Black Hole. But I can't see a way around it, Oakland's not going to give up a 2011 #1 pick to essentially rent Seymour for the '09 season. Seymour & Mike Vrabel were repaid for their superior play & loyalty by being traded to two really crappy teams. I know pro football is a business & everyday some whining millionaire wants a new contract, now that he's back from rehab. But Seymour & Vrabel are not that guy & I also think both were shocked at their trades. Vrabel has moved on & will be a big contributor for the Chiefs. Let's see how this affects Seymour once he gets to Oakland.
*UPDATE at 3:10 AM CDT: I just read on PFT.com the NFLPA has filed a grievance against the Raiders for their '5-day notice to report'.
The court of appeals verdict in the "StarCaps" trial came down today & to say it's bizarre is putting it mildly. See how fair you think this turned out & does it make any sense to you? Four players, Charles Grant & Will Smith, starting defensive ends for the Saints & Pat Williams & Kevin Williams, starting D-tackles for the Vikings, are the whole case. They admitted to taking StarCaps, an over the counter diet pill that secretly contains a prescription diuretic which is on the NFL's banned substance list. All four players appealed their 4-game suspensions last season & were permitted to play while their appeal was pending. Today's verdict allows the Williams' to totally avoid suspension, but Grant & Smith must serve 4-game suspensions. The reason for this 'opposite justice'? The U.S. Court of Appeals determined state laws in Minnesota don't allow for drug testing of banned substances that are unlisted as ingredients. Louisiana has an identical law but it has never been enforced, so the court couldn't rule in favor of the New Orleans' plaintiffs. Now the Saints are looking at the real possibility of losing both defensive ends for 4 weeks. Then again the NFL could do the right thing & cancel the suspensions of Grant & Smith. Regardless of state laws, I'm talking football fair here, doesn't this tip the scales in favor of the Vikings while penalizing the Saints? I've yet to read or hear anything from the Player's Union, where the hell do they stand on all of this? Stay tuned.
More trouble for the Saints in the form of their starting left tackle, Jammal Brown, who will miss 4-6 weeks recovering from hip surgery this week. Brown was the Outland Trophy winner at Oklahoma & has made the Pro Bowl twice in his 4-year career. He also protects QB Drew Brees' blind side. It's a major blow to the Saints offensive line. If the Grant & Smith suspensions stand, the Saints might find themselves in a hole they can't get out of before playoff time.
Veteran tackle John Runyan made a whirlwind tour showing off his rebuilt knee & to audition for a job. Runyan started for the Titans & Eagles the last 10 years & was a very dependable right tackle. He had microfracture surgery after last season & the Eagles decided to part ways with him. Since Tuesday he went to Kansas City, Philadelphia & Buffalo. The Chiefs & Bills desperate for help on their patchwork offensive lines. The Eagles moved Shawn Andrews from left guard to Runyan's right tackle spot after the season, but Andrews has had back issues since training camp begun. I would imagine he'll go back to Philly even tho K.C. might offer more money & at 35, he's near the end of his career, another reason he may return to Philly. They're obviously much closer to making another Super Bowl run than Kansas City is. I think Buffalo would have to offer double, that franchise looks like ground zero for a major meltdown.
The Chiefs are playing a cat & mouse game regarding Matt Cassel's availability to start Sunday against the Ravens. He practices all week & Friday after practice, Todd Haley said it was going to be a game day decision. Did he injure himself further? Has the practice caused swelling & he may not be able to play because of that? Was he ever going to play? These questions & Haley's refusal to come clean, keep the K.C. media & fans in the dark. I don't think it affects Baltimore's preparation one way or another.
I told you way back in April the Chiefs had only 18-20 NFL quality players. Carl Peterson & Herm Edwards told us in January the team was 80% complete & I kept saying bulls*#t. Friday, Scott Pioli said the 2009 53-man roster has only 23 players that were on the 2008 53-man roster when the season began. That means 30 players from last year are no longer on the roster. Here's the kicker, Pioli said only 2 of those 30 are on NFL rosters right now, one of them is Tony Gonzalez. Game, set, match, thank you very much.
Today's real name of the day; Tremendous Campbell-Scott, defensive back, Prichard High School, Prichard, Alabama. (I'm not making these up, I swear)
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