BACK IN BIDNESS WITH SOME RANDOM NOTES & A SENIOR BOWL GAME REPORT
Whatever was ailing my internet service has cleared up today & after submitting both computers to extensive virus scans, I'm back in bidness with some football news.
Minnesota's Pro Bowl left tackle, Bryant McKinnie, won't be able to put "Pro Bowl" on his resume. He was kicked off the team after blowing off practice on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. All the while he was on the town in Florida, 'Tweeting' his brains out, telling anyone who gives a sh*t, how much fun he was having & all the ladies that were enamored with his resplendent attire. His NFC teammates weren't equally impressed, many called him out for deserting them, another put it quite simply, "McKinnie is bullsh*t." It's too late to replace McKinnie, so the NFC will play the game with just 2 offensive tackles. He will also forfeit his Pro Bowl check & will be required to repay his travel expenses. He changed his "I'm having a ball" Tweets to "I've been playing hurt for months, need to shut it down" Tweets on Friday. Too hurt to play? JUST SAY NO. Real simple, do what several of your Viking teammates did, tell them no thank you, don't go, shut it down if you feel the need. But accepting the bid, expecting the money & then bailing out is the height of selfishness isn't it?
Ex-Redskin head coach Jim Zorn, fired just 3 weeks ago, has found gainful employment. He was signed yesterday as the new quarterback's coach for the Baltimore Ravens, replacing Hue Jackson, who left to become the new offensive coordinator out in the 'Black Hole' in Oakland. This is a perfect job for Zorn & he has a QB that needs consistent coaching in Joe Flacco.
Mike Martz, the controversial offensive guru, has flown to Nashville to meet with Bears' QB Jay Cutler. Martz wants to see if Cutler is on board if Martz get's the offensive coordinator's job with the Bears. Cutler has such delicate feelings that are always being hurt, throwing him into a full blown pout, this guy might be more trouble than he's worth. Bringing Martz aboard could have it's own set of problems, ask the Lions, or Niners or Rams. Brilliant offensive mind, but he has a mega-ego too.
How bad is Dwight Freeney's ankle? I think the Colts are doing their dead-level best to keep his condition as quiet as possible. He was supposed to appear at the Pro Bowl tonight, but the Colts petitioned the NFL to allow Freeney to pass on his appearance. The NFL agreed & he can stay in Miami attending to his rehab. There are lots of wild rumors as to just how severe his ankle injury really is, but they are all over the place, so why repeat them?
Rey Maualuga, Bengals middle linebacker, is fitting in nicely with the Bengal tradition of 'engaging' law enforcement in an official capacity. Maualuga was charged with DUI last night after a traffic stop. The fact that he was in the company of 17 & 18-year old young women was sort of glossed over in the report. Where they drunk too? If so, how did they get the liquor(like we don't know that one)? How does Cincinnati do it year after year? They draft a fat tub of goo(7th overall pick Andre Smith) who because he isn't in football shape, he gets injured & never plays a single snap for the Bengals. Maualuga was their 2nd round choice & he came with baggage, namely an arrest for beating another USC student, possession of marijuana & a couple of quick suspensions from Pete Carroll. When players have the same re-occurring problems, the team that drafts them or signs them has to examine just how it is they keep picking the same type of outlaw. Albert Einstein said "the definition of an idiot is someone who repeats the same behavior & expects a different outcome each time." That's the Bengals in a nutshell.
For the person who emailed this question; "which side do you like in the Pro Bowl, if you were going to play it?" Let me say to everyone reading this, if you have to bet on the Pro Bowl, Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine game or any other all-star game just because it's on TV, please take the following advice. Open the white pages of your local phone book, find the listing(s) for Gambler's Anonymous, call them & find out when the NEXT MEETING is going to be held & where. Please go to the meeting, you have a problem. I didn't say "might have a problem", after being around gamblers & gambling since I was 17-years-old, I know the signs, betting the Pro Bowl is definitely a major sign. Seek help before you ruin your life.
As to the Senior Bowl, the game was really dominated by the North team's defensive front seven. This group made a bunch of plays, sacks, tackles for losses, forced fumbles, deflected passes, recovered fumbles & interceptions. This performance was made even more amazing by the fact you can't blitz or run any line stunts in this game, it's forbidden by the rules. Michigan's Brandon Graham was named the games MVP & he deserved it, the 6-2 264-lb defensive end was unblockable nearly all afternoon. Because of the rules, the offense can use 7 guys to block 4, hoping to make for a higher scoring game. Graham recorded 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss & forced a fumble. The North's Tyson Alualu(Cal), Austen Lane(Murray St.), Jared Ordrick(Penn St.) & Cam Thomas(N. Carolina) all stood out during the lopsided 31-13 North win. Four linebackers came up large as well, led by starting middle linebacker, Mizzou's Sean Weatherspoon. This was a position change for 'Spoon', one he handled extremely well, recording 5 tackles, one for loss, an interception with a 57-yard return & two tackles on kickoff coverage, something he hasn't done the last 3 years in college. Other linebackers, A.J. Edds(Iowa), Daryl Washington(TCU) & Koa Misi(Utah) all made their presence felt yesterday.
The North team's offense wasn't overwhelming, they were handed 6 turnovers & excellent field position by their defense. Their performance was spotty at best. Mardy Gilyard caught 5 passes for 103-yards & a touchdown, he also pumped up the North's field position with several fine returns. Otherwise, I'd say the 2nd best offensive player would be Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour who scored on a QB keeper at the goaline & flung a 32-yard touchdown to Gilyard. Oregon's LeGarrette Blount played quite well, moving the pile on redzone carries & scoring a touchdown, I'll have more on this supposed 'bad guy'. tomorrow. One prospect who looked great all week in practice, had some lapses yesterday that I found disconcerting. Mike Iupati, an offensive guard from Idaho, had a real up-and-down day. He consistently buried defenders in the run game, showing real domination, but too often he was grabbing in pass blocking, called for holding twice. He could have been called several more times that I saw. He showed very poor technique, didn't bend his knees, didn't sink his butt, didn't keep his feet moving & grabbed handfuls of jersey outside the frame of the defenders he was trying to block. He was like a different guy in this game from the one I watched in practice sessions.
The South had very few bright spots, the game wasn't as close as the score would indicate(yeah, it was bad). Tim Tebow looked lost most of the time, taking snaps from under center was causing him to divert his attention, he's unused to this & he'll need a lot of fundamental work if he is ever going to become an NFL starter. He was fearless holding the ball while the North's rush swirled all around him, his timing on screen passes was nearly perfect, but the North had them sniffed out so the results weren't there. He threw the ball way short down the seam both times the play called for it. WR Andre Roberts made two good grabs for decent yardage, then dropped a 3rd down pass right in his hands. Their offense was very unspectacular to put it mildly. The South's defensive line was the highlight of their overall effort. Tennessee's Dan Williams, Georgia's Geno Adkins & Jeff Owens, Texas DT Lamarr Houston & Troy's Brandon Lang all elevated their draft stock in my eyes. Though none had huge stats, they kept their linebackers 'clean', occupying the blockers so they could tackle the ball carriers. Williams was especially effective stacking blockers & he also deflected 2 passes.
I'll have a lot more on this game & the week of practices this week. Senior Bowl week has been a big boost for some & a major downer for others, I'll sort it all out for you beginning tomorrow.
Minnesota's Pro Bowl left tackle, Bryant McKinnie, won't be able to put "Pro Bowl" on his resume. He was kicked off the team after blowing off practice on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. All the while he was on the town in Florida, 'Tweeting' his brains out, telling anyone who gives a sh*t, how much fun he was having & all the ladies that were enamored with his resplendent attire. His NFC teammates weren't equally impressed, many called him out for deserting them, another put it quite simply, "McKinnie is bullsh*t." It's too late to replace McKinnie, so the NFC will play the game with just 2 offensive tackles. He will also forfeit his Pro Bowl check & will be required to repay his travel expenses. He changed his "I'm having a ball" Tweets to "I've been playing hurt for months, need to shut it down" Tweets on Friday. Too hurt to play? JUST SAY NO. Real simple, do what several of your Viking teammates did, tell them no thank you, don't go, shut it down if you feel the need. But accepting the bid, expecting the money & then bailing out is the height of selfishness isn't it?
Ex-Redskin head coach Jim Zorn, fired just 3 weeks ago, has found gainful employment. He was signed yesterday as the new quarterback's coach for the Baltimore Ravens, replacing Hue Jackson, who left to become the new offensive coordinator out in the 'Black Hole' in Oakland. This is a perfect job for Zorn & he has a QB that needs consistent coaching in Joe Flacco.
Mike Martz, the controversial offensive guru, has flown to Nashville to meet with Bears' QB Jay Cutler. Martz wants to see if Cutler is on board if Martz get's the offensive coordinator's job with the Bears. Cutler has such delicate feelings that are always being hurt, throwing him into a full blown pout, this guy might be more trouble than he's worth. Bringing Martz aboard could have it's own set of problems, ask the Lions, or Niners or Rams. Brilliant offensive mind, but he has a mega-ego too.
How bad is Dwight Freeney's ankle? I think the Colts are doing their dead-level best to keep his condition as quiet as possible. He was supposed to appear at the Pro Bowl tonight, but the Colts petitioned the NFL to allow Freeney to pass on his appearance. The NFL agreed & he can stay in Miami attending to his rehab. There are lots of wild rumors as to just how severe his ankle injury really is, but they are all over the place, so why repeat them?
Rey Maualuga, Bengals middle linebacker, is fitting in nicely with the Bengal tradition of 'engaging' law enforcement in an official capacity. Maualuga was charged with DUI last night after a traffic stop. The fact that he was in the company of 17 & 18-year old young women was sort of glossed over in the report. Where they drunk too? If so, how did they get the liquor(like we don't know that one)? How does Cincinnati do it year after year? They draft a fat tub of goo(7th overall pick Andre Smith) who because he isn't in football shape, he gets injured & never plays a single snap for the Bengals. Maualuga was their 2nd round choice & he came with baggage, namely an arrest for beating another USC student, possession of marijuana & a couple of quick suspensions from Pete Carroll. When players have the same re-occurring problems, the team that drafts them or signs them has to examine just how it is they keep picking the same type of outlaw. Albert Einstein said "the definition of an idiot is someone who repeats the same behavior & expects a different outcome each time." That's the Bengals in a nutshell.
For the person who emailed this question; "which side do you like in the Pro Bowl, if you were going to play it?" Let me say to everyone reading this, if you have to bet on the Pro Bowl, Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine game or any other all-star game just because it's on TV, please take the following advice. Open the white pages of your local phone book, find the listing(s) for Gambler's Anonymous, call them & find out when the NEXT MEETING is going to be held & where. Please go to the meeting, you have a problem. I didn't say "might have a problem", after being around gamblers & gambling since I was 17-years-old, I know the signs, betting the Pro Bowl is definitely a major sign. Seek help before you ruin your life.
As to the Senior Bowl, the game was really dominated by the North team's defensive front seven. This group made a bunch of plays, sacks, tackles for losses, forced fumbles, deflected passes, recovered fumbles & interceptions. This performance was made even more amazing by the fact you can't blitz or run any line stunts in this game, it's forbidden by the rules. Michigan's Brandon Graham was named the games MVP & he deserved it, the 6-2 264-lb defensive end was unblockable nearly all afternoon. Because of the rules, the offense can use 7 guys to block 4, hoping to make for a higher scoring game. Graham recorded 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss & forced a fumble. The North's Tyson Alualu(Cal), Austen Lane(Murray St.), Jared Ordrick(Penn St.) & Cam Thomas(N. Carolina) all stood out during the lopsided 31-13 North win. Four linebackers came up large as well, led by starting middle linebacker, Mizzou's Sean Weatherspoon. This was a position change for 'Spoon', one he handled extremely well, recording 5 tackles, one for loss, an interception with a 57-yard return & two tackles on kickoff coverage, something he hasn't done the last 3 years in college. Other linebackers, A.J. Edds(Iowa), Daryl Washington(TCU) & Koa Misi(Utah) all made their presence felt yesterday.
The North team's offense wasn't overwhelming, they were handed 6 turnovers & excellent field position by their defense. Their performance was spotty at best. Mardy Gilyard caught 5 passes for 103-yards & a touchdown, he also pumped up the North's field position with several fine returns. Otherwise, I'd say the 2nd best offensive player would be Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour who scored on a QB keeper at the goaline & flung a 32-yard touchdown to Gilyard. Oregon's LeGarrette Blount played quite well, moving the pile on redzone carries & scoring a touchdown, I'll have more on this supposed 'bad guy'. tomorrow. One prospect who looked great all week in practice, had some lapses yesterday that I found disconcerting. Mike Iupati, an offensive guard from Idaho, had a real up-and-down day. He consistently buried defenders in the run game, showing real domination, but too often he was grabbing in pass blocking, called for holding twice. He could have been called several more times that I saw. He showed very poor technique, didn't bend his knees, didn't sink his butt, didn't keep his feet moving & grabbed handfuls of jersey outside the frame of the defenders he was trying to block. He was like a different guy in this game from the one I watched in practice sessions.
The South had very few bright spots, the game wasn't as close as the score would indicate(yeah, it was bad). Tim Tebow looked lost most of the time, taking snaps from under center was causing him to divert his attention, he's unused to this & he'll need a lot of fundamental work if he is ever going to become an NFL starter. He was fearless holding the ball while the North's rush swirled all around him, his timing on screen passes was nearly perfect, but the North had them sniffed out so the results weren't there. He threw the ball way short down the seam both times the play called for it. WR Andre Roberts made two good grabs for decent yardage, then dropped a 3rd down pass right in his hands. Their offense was very unspectacular to put it mildly. The South's defensive line was the highlight of their overall effort. Tennessee's Dan Williams, Georgia's Geno Adkins & Jeff Owens, Texas DT Lamarr Houston & Troy's Brandon Lang all elevated their draft stock in my eyes. Though none had huge stats, they kept their linebackers 'clean', occupying the blockers so they could tackle the ball carriers. Williams was especially effective stacking blockers & he also deflected 2 passes.
I'll have a lot more on this game & the week of practices this week. Senior Bowl week has been a big boost for some & a major downer for others, I'll sort it all out for you beginning tomorrow.
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