PODOLAK INJURED IN TRAFFIC MISHAP, MY THOUGHTS ON CHIEFS' #1 PICK & WILL LABOR TALKS GET ANYWHERE?
Former Chiefs' running back & current University of Iowa football broadcaster Ed Podolak is recovering from serious injuries he received early Sunday morning in Scottsdale Arizona when he was struck by a car crossing the street. Podolak is currently listed in serious but stable condition in a Scottsdale hospital. His daughter Laura issued a statement requesting no phone calls, flowers, gifts or cards, instead preferring to launch a Facebook page giving daily updates on her father's condition. After his condition stabilized, a Scottsdale Police officer arrived at the hospital to issue Podolak a jaywalking citation, no foolin'.
The Saints released tight end Jeremy Shockey on Tuesday. The oft-injured Shockey can be very productive, but he has baggage that has always been a problem with the Giants & Saints. He gets penalized too often, losing his focus. He will find other employment but for less money & he will have to share playing time wherever he goes. The progress rookie Jimmy Graham showed made Shockey's act very old, thus the release.
Both the Minnesota Vikings & Atlanta Falcons have plans for new stadiums on the drafting boards. Both call for outdoor stadiums, both with downtown locations. Now getting them built will be the hard part, at least getting the money to build them. Both figure to be in the $750 million range & with local & state budgets running in red ink, financing these facilities will require some truly creative thinking.
Here's a quote I read I just couldn't pass up. "I expect to be a great football player, an entertainer & an icon" so said current Heisman Trophy recipient Cam Newton on Monday.
I've gotten a number of emails about the upcoming NFL Combine & Draft. People want to know who I think the Chiefs will select in round one & beyond. I've given you a few tidbits from time to time but with the Combine beginning tomorrow, you'll be getting daily updates from Indianapolis. Right now I think there are 4 or 5 possible prospects who could fall to #21 where the Chiefs select in round one. They would be:
Mike Pouncey C/G Florida
Twin brother of Steelers' Markice, this season's Pro Bowl center. Intelligent, athletic, fiercely competitive & able to play all three interior line positions. Casey Weigmann is near the end with no one behind him for the future.
Phil Taylor NT Baylor
Huge, 6' 3" & 337, Taylor has overpowering strength & a non-stop motor. He was kicked off the Penn State squad as a freshman but has been a model citizen since attending Baylor. It's time to replace Ron Edwards.
Torrey Smith WR Maryland
Truly superior character, excellent size at 6' 0" & 210 & the speed to seperate both in the intermediate zones as well as downfield. I will be particularly interested to see what Smith runs in the 40-yard dash. A running mate for Dwayne Bowe who can stretch the field is essential.
Akeem Ayers OLB UCLA
Excellent athlete who can rush the passer as well as drop fluidly into coverage. Kansas City is looking for a pass rushing bookend to flank Tamba Hali.
Nate Solder OT Colorado
Superior athletic skills for a man his size, 6' 8" 310. He needs patient coaching, but Solder could become a Pro Bowl performer. He would be my last choice of these five.
The talks between the NFLPA & NFL ownership continued today for the sixth consecutive day. Nearly 40 hours of face-to-face negotiations apparently are bearing fruit. No one has walked away from the table so far, so one could interpret this as progress. Both sides have maintained the media blackout agreed to by both sides which is also a sign of progress. Another sign of progress is an afternoon meeting scheduled for Thursday between several of the power agents & the NFLPA, has been canceled so that these negotiations can continue. Tomorrow will mark the last scheduled meeting, will they extend the meetings thru next Thursday, when the current CBA expires? Will they huddle with their people & then continue again next week or will they just walk away & let the CBA expire? I'm a half-full kinda guy(except when it comes to Chiefs' playoff hopes) so I'm cautiously optimistic something positive will come out of these meetings.
The Saints released tight end Jeremy Shockey on Tuesday. The oft-injured Shockey can be very productive, but he has baggage that has always been a problem with the Giants & Saints. He gets penalized too often, losing his focus. He will find other employment but for less money & he will have to share playing time wherever he goes. The progress rookie Jimmy Graham showed made Shockey's act very old, thus the release.
Both the Minnesota Vikings & Atlanta Falcons have plans for new stadiums on the drafting boards. Both call for outdoor stadiums, both with downtown locations. Now getting them built will be the hard part, at least getting the money to build them. Both figure to be in the $750 million range & with local & state budgets running in red ink, financing these facilities will require some truly creative thinking.
Here's a quote I read I just couldn't pass up. "I expect to be a great football player, an entertainer & an icon" so said current Heisman Trophy recipient Cam Newton on Monday.
I've gotten a number of emails about the upcoming NFL Combine & Draft. People want to know who I think the Chiefs will select in round one & beyond. I've given you a few tidbits from time to time but with the Combine beginning tomorrow, you'll be getting daily updates from Indianapolis. Right now I think there are 4 or 5 possible prospects who could fall to #21 where the Chiefs select in round one. They would be:
Mike Pouncey C/G Florida
Twin brother of Steelers' Markice, this season's Pro Bowl center. Intelligent, athletic, fiercely competitive & able to play all three interior line positions. Casey Weigmann is near the end with no one behind him for the future.
Phil Taylor NT Baylor
Huge, 6' 3" & 337, Taylor has overpowering strength & a non-stop motor. He was kicked off the Penn State squad as a freshman but has been a model citizen since attending Baylor. It's time to replace Ron Edwards.
Torrey Smith WR Maryland
Truly superior character, excellent size at 6' 0" & 210 & the speed to seperate both in the intermediate zones as well as downfield. I will be particularly interested to see what Smith runs in the 40-yard dash. A running mate for Dwayne Bowe who can stretch the field is essential.
Akeem Ayers OLB UCLA
Excellent athlete who can rush the passer as well as drop fluidly into coverage. Kansas City is looking for a pass rushing bookend to flank Tamba Hali.
Nate Solder OT Colorado
Superior athletic skills for a man his size, 6' 8" 310. He needs patient coaching, but Solder could become a Pro Bowl performer. He would be my last choice of these five.
The talks between the NFLPA & NFL ownership continued today for the sixth consecutive day. Nearly 40 hours of face-to-face negotiations apparently are bearing fruit. No one has walked away from the table so far, so one could interpret this as progress. Both sides have maintained the media blackout agreed to by both sides which is also a sign of progress. Another sign of progress is an afternoon meeting scheduled for Thursday between several of the power agents & the NFLPA, has been canceled so that these negotiations can continue. Tomorrow will mark the last scheduled meeting, will they extend the meetings thru next Thursday, when the current CBA expires? Will they huddle with their people & then continue again next week or will they just walk away & let the CBA expire? I'm a half-full kinda guy(except when it comes to Chiefs' playoff hopes) so I'm cautiously optimistic something positive will come out of these meetings.
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