'BAMA GETS THE BYES, THE MONTANAS SHINE & SOME VERY UGLY ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING THE CHAMPS
The task of defending their National Championship became much more difficult with the release of the 2010 Southeastern Conference schedule. The Crimson Tide caught a really bad break, six of their conference opponents play the Tide the week after their bye, giving them 2 full weeks to prepare for Nick Saban's gang. Their road opponents include Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee & LSU. They do catch Penn State, Florida & in-state rival Auburn at home, but it's still a very tough schedule by any estimate.
When you play your first live football in college as a quarterback it's a daunting task, everyone's watching the QB. That task becomes infinitely more difficult when your last name is Montana, as in Joe Montana. His sons played in their first major college action in the last few days. Junior college transfer Nate Montana was the hero of the Notre Dame spring game. Nate completed 18 of 31 for 223 yards & 3 touchdowns in leading his squad to a 27-19 victory. Dayne Crist is scheduled to be the Irish starter, but he's coming off an ACL tear & the resulting surgery. Nate made a strong case to new coach Brian Kelly that he belongs. His younger brother, Nick, a true freshman at Washington, also played well completing 21 of 34 for 156 yards & 2 touchdowns. The second touchdown pass was the game winner on the game's last play, very Montana-like. Nick certainly won't unseat the incumbent, Jake Locker, considered to be a top-10 draft pick next April, but look for him next season. Both Montana offspring are playing for excellent QB & offensive coaches. One more note about Alabama, Notre Dame & Washington, all three have played their spring intra-squad games for their fans. Washington drew about 15,000 last night, Notre Dame had 27,000+ in the seats last Saturday & two weeks ago today, Alabama drew 91,000+. Very impressive indeed.
Remember last October when Jim Harbaugh's Stanford team went into the L.A. Coliseum & wrecked the Trojans 55-21? There was little doubt Harbaugh was trying to insert his team back into the PAC-10 championship conversation, he ran up the score on sacred Trojan ground. When the game ended, Pete Carroll met Harbaugh at midfield & asked "what's the deal?" Carroll didn't like being on the losing end of a beatdown, he was used to running up the score on opponents, not the other way around. As the 2010 season ticket selling season was about to kick off, the school's marketing department couldn't come up with a catch phrase to attach to the campaign. Harbaugh thought long & hard before saying his idea out loud. He said he wouldn't have suggested it had Pete Carroll not left for the Seattle Seahawk job. The Stanford 2010 season ticket drive is called "What's the deal?" I like it. The rematch is in Palo Alto, October 9th, don't miss it. it will be the first true test of new Trojan coach Lane Kiffin's team.
This weekend marks the opening of NFL rookie camps. Many teams have brought in a number of undrafted, unsigned prospects on a tryout basis. Only a few of the teams release the names of these prospects. The Chiefs have 11 in camp but the only one who was named is former Pitt QB Bill Stull, because he's the only QB in camp. The Minnesota Vikings have 35 such players in their camp & mum is the word in the Twin Cities as well. But 2 names have leaked out somehow & they're interesting names. The son of former Redskin All-Pro defensive end Dexter Manley is among the hopeful participants, his name is Dexter, just like dad. The other name I discovered is LaRon Council, formerly of Division II National Champs Northwest Missouri State & Center High School. The school's all-time leading rusher is admittedly a long-shot on a team with Adrian Peterson & Toby Gerhart, but you never know, might be good enough to make the practice squad.
Both wide receivers drafted by Denver are sidelined with foot injuries. First round pick Demaryius Thomas is recovering from a broken foot he sustained during pre-combine workouts. Every practice he misses will make his transition that much tougher. He comes from a triple-option offense at Georgia Tech, so he has never run a full NFL route tree. He has a lot to learn but as with most Tech players, he carries an impressive IQ to absorb the mental portion. Third round selection, Minnesota's Eric Decker, probably won't be running pass patterns until summer camp at the earliest. He suffered a Lisfranc sprain of his foot in week 8 last year & hasn't run hard since. Decker is a smooth & experienced route runner, so his uphill battle will be with conditioning when he's given the O.K. from doctors to go full speed. I like both of these guys & I'm not happy the Chiefs will be facing them for years to come.
Willie Clark was convicted of killing Denver Bronco cornerback Darrent Williams on New Years' Eve 2006/07. Williams was riding in a limousine with fellow Bronco Javon Walker & 2 women when Clark began firing a 9mm handgun into the vehicle. One round struck Williams in the throat & he died in Walker's arms before an ambulance could arrive. This week Clark was sentenced to 1,152 years in a Colorado prison. Because he was involved in the killing of a key witness as well as two other felonies prior to the shooting, the judge made certain Clark will never see a day outside prison for the rest of his life. An altercation took place inside a Denver nightclub between several Crips' gang members & former Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall. After the combatants were separated, Marshall sprayed champagne on the group further inflaming the situation. When the club closed at 2AM, Clark & 2 other gang members sat in an SUV across the street from the valet parking area. When they saw several of Marshall's group enter a limousine, he followed two blocks, pulled alongside & opened fire. Darrent Williams hadn't been in the original argument but he paid the ultimate price for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Javon Walker's career never was the same after the incident, a Pro Bowl receiver before, a disappointing journeyman afterward. So many lives ruined over the perceived lack of respect, but I doubt it will change Willie Clark, he's headed for a life sentence at a state "Gladiator Academy." He will just get harder & harder, thank Goodness he'll never get out. And what about Brandon Marshall & his involvement in this tragedy? I question whether he will ever take any responsibility for Williams' death. He hasn't shown himself to be the 'accountable' type.
An ugly, ugly mess is unfolding in New Orleans. The former Director of Security for the Saints, Geoffrey Santini, has filed a lawsuit against the team for "Constructive Discharge." Meaning he was forced into resigning because he had put a gun to the collective head of the Saints' franchise. He wanted a settlement & when one didn't come in the specified time or for a specified amount, the lawsuit was filed. The suit alleges two senior staff members were involved with the abuse of the painkiller Vicodin. One was using an amount that Santini claims is obvious abuse, the second staff member is accused of stealing the pills out of the trainers pharmaceutical cabinet. He claims team trainer Scottie Patton told him off the theft so Santini placed a hidden video camera to monitor all activity around the cabinet. Santini has identified the Vicodin thief as linebackers coach Joe Vitt & the other abuser as head coach Sean Payton. Santini said Payton received enough Vicodin regularly to suggest he was abusing the drug. Payton has issued a statement this afternoon denying any abuse of the drug, he falls short of saying he didn't take the drug or in what quantity. Vitt has remained silent since the suit was filed. Also in Santini's lawsuit, he states a meeting with owner Tom Benson, G.M. Mickey Loomis & himself took place in September of 2009. After telling the men of his findings Santini claims Benson said "this is very distressing" but no action was taken. He alleges Loomis began a cover-up of his investigation & the meeting they had with Benson. I think two things will come of this lawsuit, the NFL will become involved very quickly & so will the Feds, conspiracy to cover-up stolen class-3 narcotics is a federal offense.
When you play your first live football in college as a quarterback it's a daunting task, everyone's watching the QB. That task becomes infinitely more difficult when your last name is Montana, as in Joe Montana. His sons played in their first major college action in the last few days. Junior college transfer Nate Montana was the hero of the Notre Dame spring game. Nate completed 18 of 31 for 223 yards & 3 touchdowns in leading his squad to a 27-19 victory. Dayne Crist is scheduled to be the Irish starter, but he's coming off an ACL tear & the resulting surgery. Nate made a strong case to new coach Brian Kelly that he belongs. His younger brother, Nick, a true freshman at Washington, also played well completing 21 of 34 for 156 yards & 2 touchdowns. The second touchdown pass was the game winner on the game's last play, very Montana-like. Nick certainly won't unseat the incumbent, Jake Locker, considered to be a top-10 draft pick next April, but look for him next season. Both Montana offspring are playing for excellent QB & offensive coaches. One more note about Alabama, Notre Dame & Washington, all three have played their spring intra-squad games for their fans. Washington drew about 15,000 last night, Notre Dame had 27,000+ in the seats last Saturday & two weeks ago today, Alabama drew 91,000+. Very impressive indeed.
Remember last October when Jim Harbaugh's Stanford team went into the L.A. Coliseum & wrecked the Trojans 55-21? There was little doubt Harbaugh was trying to insert his team back into the PAC-10 championship conversation, he ran up the score on sacred Trojan ground. When the game ended, Pete Carroll met Harbaugh at midfield & asked "what's the deal?" Carroll didn't like being on the losing end of a beatdown, he was used to running up the score on opponents, not the other way around. As the 2010 season ticket selling season was about to kick off, the school's marketing department couldn't come up with a catch phrase to attach to the campaign. Harbaugh thought long & hard before saying his idea out loud. He said he wouldn't have suggested it had Pete Carroll not left for the Seattle Seahawk job. The Stanford 2010 season ticket drive is called "What's the deal?" I like it. The rematch is in Palo Alto, October 9th, don't miss it. it will be the first true test of new Trojan coach Lane Kiffin's team.
This weekend marks the opening of NFL rookie camps. Many teams have brought in a number of undrafted, unsigned prospects on a tryout basis. Only a few of the teams release the names of these prospects. The Chiefs have 11 in camp but the only one who was named is former Pitt QB Bill Stull, because he's the only QB in camp. The Minnesota Vikings have 35 such players in their camp & mum is the word in the Twin Cities as well. But 2 names have leaked out somehow & they're interesting names. The son of former Redskin All-Pro defensive end Dexter Manley is among the hopeful participants, his name is Dexter, just like dad. The other name I discovered is LaRon Council, formerly of Division II National Champs Northwest Missouri State & Center High School. The school's all-time leading rusher is admittedly a long-shot on a team with Adrian Peterson & Toby Gerhart, but you never know, might be good enough to make the practice squad.
Both wide receivers drafted by Denver are sidelined with foot injuries. First round pick Demaryius Thomas is recovering from a broken foot he sustained during pre-combine workouts. Every practice he misses will make his transition that much tougher. He comes from a triple-option offense at Georgia Tech, so he has never run a full NFL route tree. He has a lot to learn but as with most Tech players, he carries an impressive IQ to absorb the mental portion. Third round selection, Minnesota's Eric Decker, probably won't be running pass patterns until summer camp at the earliest. He suffered a Lisfranc sprain of his foot in week 8 last year & hasn't run hard since. Decker is a smooth & experienced route runner, so his uphill battle will be with conditioning when he's given the O.K. from doctors to go full speed. I like both of these guys & I'm not happy the Chiefs will be facing them for years to come.
Willie Clark was convicted of killing Denver Bronco cornerback Darrent Williams on New Years' Eve 2006/07. Williams was riding in a limousine with fellow Bronco Javon Walker & 2 women when Clark began firing a 9mm handgun into the vehicle. One round struck Williams in the throat & he died in Walker's arms before an ambulance could arrive. This week Clark was sentenced to 1,152 years in a Colorado prison. Because he was involved in the killing of a key witness as well as two other felonies prior to the shooting, the judge made certain Clark will never see a day outside prison for the rest of his life. An altercation took place inside a Denver nightclub between several Crips' gang members & former Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall. After the combatants were separated, Marshall sprayed champagne on the group further inflaming the situation. When the club closed at 2AM, Clark & 2 other gang members sat in an SUV across the street from the valet parking area. When they saw several of Marshall's group enter a limousine, he followed two blocks, pulled alongside & opened fire. Darrent Williams hadn't been in the original argument but he paid the ultimate price for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Javon Walker's career never was the same after the incident, a Pro Bowl receiver before, a disappointing journeyman afterward. So many lives ruined over the perceived lack of respect, but I doubt it will change Willie Clark, he's headed for a life sentence at a state "Gladiator Academy." He will just get harder & harder, thank Goodness he'll never get out. And what about Brandon Marshall & his involvement in this tragedy? I question whether he will ever take any responsibility for Williams' death. He hasn't shown himself to be the 'accountable' type.
An ugly, ugly mess is unfolding in New Orleans. The former Director of Security for the Saints, Geoffrey Santini, has filed a lawsuit against the team for "Constructive Discharge." Meaning he was forced into resigning because he had put a gun to the collective head of the Saints' franchise. He wanted a settlement & when one didn't come in the specified time or for a specified amount, the lawsuit was filed. The suit alleges two senior staff members were involved with the abuse of the painkiller Vicodin. One was using an amount that Santini claims is obvious abuse, the second staff member is accused of stealing the pills out of the trainers pharmaceutical cabinet. He claims team trainer Scottie Patton told him off the theft so Santini placed a hidden video camera to monitor all activity around the cabinet. Santini has identified the Vicodin thief as linebackers coach Joe Vitt & the other abuser as head coach Sean Payton. Santini said Payton received enough Vicodin regularly to suggest he was abusing the drug. Payton has issued a statement this afternoon denying any abuse of the drug, he falls short of saying he didn't take the drug or in what quantity. Vitt has remained silent since the suit was filed. Also in Santini's lawsuit, he states a meeting with owner Tom Benson, G.M. Mickey Loomis & himself took place in September of 2009. After telling the men of his findings Santini claims Benson said "this is very distressing" but no action was taken. He alleges Loomis began a cover-up of his investigation & the meeting they had with Benson. I think two things will come of this lawsuit, the NFL will become involved very quickly & so will the Feds, conspiracy to cover-up stolen class-3 narcotics is a federal offense.
Comments