TIGERS SIGN ANOTHER QB, VRABEL WILL RETURN TO OHIO STATE & ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREATS PASSES AWAY
Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel has received a verbal commitment from another highly touted quarterback, this one for the 2012 recruiting class. The 6' 2" 185-pounder from Kenton Ohio made the commitment on his Facebook page this afternoon while he was visiting the Missouri campus. His father is the Kenton head coach & Maty started the past two seasons, both resulting in conference titles. Pinkel has done very well recruiting quarterback prospects since becoming the Tigers' head coach. Brad Smith, Chase Daniel & Blaine Gabbert have all moved onto the National Football League. Sophomore James Franklin will take the helm this fall after Gabbert left early to become a Jacksonville Jaguar. Pinkel said he won't recruit another QB for the 2012 class, Mauk is his guy. Rivals.com ranks Mauk 19th in their quarterback ratings. ESPNU ranks Mauk 15th nationally. As a junior, he was selected as the Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year & the Division 4 Player of the Year. I watched over 30-minutes of highlight video from his sophomore & junior seasons & I can tell you this young man is a true spread quarterback. He moves like Chase Daniel, but shows a far better deep arm. I'm not wild about his delivery, as he drops down into a three-quarters motion about half the time. He does have good zip on the ball & honestly reminded me of Daniel when he played for Carroll High School in Southlake Texas. The major difference was really obvious, Mauk is superior to Daniel when running with the ball. He has over 2,000 yards rushing & 35 TD's. With very quick feet, he displays excellent "escapability" in the pocket & looks very natural throwing on the run. He's passed for over 10,000 yards the last two seasons with a gaudy total of 115 touchdown passes. He looks as comfortable in the spread as Daniel did coming out of high school. Apparently this will end Pinkel's pursuit of Rival's #1 QB prospect, Gunner Kiel of Indiana. I've watched a lot of tape on this kid too, he's more of a Blaine Gabbert-type prospect. At just under 6' 4" & 218 lbs, he has a big arm with a buggy-whip motion. For the Tigers spread, I think Mauk will be an excellent addition.
Maty Mauk
In other Tiger news, linebacker Zavier Gooden was named to the Chuck Bednarick Award pre-season watch list. Everyone around the program is expecting Gooden to raise his game up another notch in this, his redshirt junior season. Placekicker Grant Ressel was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list. Ressel has been almost automatic as a field goal kicker, making 43 of 46 attempts over the past two seasons. I fully expect defensive end Brad Madison to be on a few pre-season watch lists too, the 6' 4" 265-lb pass rusher has shown vast improvement & I believe he'll be 1st team Big-12 his junior year.
Mizzou LB Zavier Gooden Placekicker Grant Ressel
In other college news, it looks as tho Chiefs' linebacker Mike Vrabel will join the Ohio State coaching staff. After Jim Tressel resigned & Luke Fickell was named head coach, speculation began about Vrabel returning to his roots in Columbus. He was a teammate of Fickell & the two have remained very close friends after their playing days for the Buckeyes. Vrabel is an unrestricted free agent & I sincerely doubt he is in the Chiefs' plans this season. He turns 36 next month & after 14 NFL seasons, #50 is certainly near the end. I think if Fickell is looking for a defensive coach to replace himself, look for Vrabel to be that guy.
Quarterback Kerry Collins has called it quits, the 5th overall pick of the 1995 draft announced his retirement on Wednesday. The former Penn State Nittany Lion played for five different franchises professionally. He led the New York Giants to the Super Bowl during the 2000 season. Early in his career Collins battled alcoholism & had several run-ins with teammates while he was intoxicated. But he got his life in order & rebuilt his career. Collins threw for more than 40,000 yards & 206 touchdowns. With the expected release of Vince Young & Collins' retirement, it leaves the Tennessee Titans with rookie Jake Locker & 2nd year man Rusty Smith as the only QB's with a realistic chance to make the roster this year, look for them to sign a veteran.
The labor talks continued on Thursday & they stayed at it for 12 1/2 hours. I think we're a little closer everyday. Keep thinking positive thoughts & we'll have a deal very, very soon.
Bob Gretz, a Kansas City writer with his own website has launched his version of the "Top-100 Chiefs of All-Time." Gretz posted numbers 51-100 & there were a few very strange rankings. Sitting at #80 overall was return man Noland Smith & Gretz said of him "Super Gnat remains KC's best returner." Bad enough, but compounded by ranking Tamarick Vanover 59th & where will Dante Hall end up in the top-50? As many of you know, I've been with the Chiefs since day 1, I remember Smith returning a punt about 75-yards for a score against the Jets in old Municipal Stadium. He also held the AFL record for a time with a 106-yard kickoff return in Denver, but he only played for K.C. 3 seasons. He wasn't better than Vanover & not even close to Hall. Second weird ranking & comment was for #61 overall, defensive end Mike Bell who rated this comment "talented defender hampered by injury." My version of Bell would have carried this comment "talented pass rusher hampered by cocaine." He was suspended for using it & for selling it. Enough said, he doesn't belong ahead of James Hasty for sure. He also doesn't rate a better ranking than fellow defenders, Bill Maas & Joe Phillips, both troubled by dope after their playing days. Bell's coke problems were while he was a Chief. He missed all of two seasons between jail & rehab. Hampered by injury? Really? I can't wait to examine the top-50 today.
The Cincinnati Bengals could look like an entirely different team next season. I doubt we'll see QB Carson Palmer in orange & black ever again. I don't expect owner Mike Brown will accommodate Palmer's wishes to be traded, but he will not play for Cincy in 2011. Terrell Owens is certainly gone & don't be surprised if Chad Ochocinco is released or traded. Folks in the Queen City have grown tired of his antics on & off the field. Running back Cedric Benson is an unrestricted free agent & could find employment elsewhere. Offensive tackle Andre Smith, the 6th overall pick in the 2009 draft, has been a complete disappointment & I will be absolutely stunned if he doesn't show up for training camp at least 25-pounds overweight. His inability to get & stay in shape has been a major problem since being suspended at Alabama after the 2008 regular season. His career could be on life support if he reports to camp looking like this again, yikes!
Not a pretty sight is it?
One of the all-time greats, John Mackey, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 69. This Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end, 2nd TE ever inducted, redefined the position. A second round draft pick out of Syracuse, Mackey teamed with Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore & Raymond Berry to form one of the most feared offensive teams ever. He stood 6' 2" & weighed about 230, it was a much smaller game back in the 50's & 60's. Mackey could run well enough to get behind defenses & stay out front all the way into the endzone. He also packed a wallop with the ball in his hand whenever he lowered his shoulder. Mackey broke a ridiculous number of tackles. In 1966, he scored 9 touchdowns of 50 or more yards. That's a helluva year for a wide receiver much less for a tight end. The 5-time Pro Bowl performer played just 10-seasons, nine for the Baltimore Colts & the last in San Diego. Mackey was the first President of the NFLPA. He was active during & after his playing career in labor & health care issues. In the 90's, suffering from frontotemporal dementia, he became reclusive & somewhat paranoid. His longtime wife Sylvia was the only person who could communicate with him. He was moved into a full-time assisted living facility five years ago. The league & the NFLPA created the "88 Plan" which provided for $88,000 a year in assisted living expenses for NFL veterans with more than 4-years service. It also allowed for $50,000 in adult day care expenses. Mackey wore number 88 & became enraged one Sunday when he realized Indy's Marvin Harrison was wearing his number. Honestly, the Colts should have retired it long ago. Tho a final exam hasn't been completed, attending physicians left little doubt it was head trauma that caused the frontotemporal dementia & it was that condition that ultimately led to his death.
Maty Mauk
In other Tiger news, linebacker Zavier Gooden was named to the Chuck Bednarick Award pre-season watch list. Everyone around the program is expecting Gooden to raise his game up another notch in this, his redshirt junior season. Placekicker Grant Ressel was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list. Ressel has been almost automatic as a field goal kicker, making 43 of 46 attempts over the past two seasons. I fully expect defensive end Brad Madison to be on a few pre-season watch lists too, the 6' 4" 265-lb pass rusher has shown vast improvement & I believe he'll be 1st team Big-12 his junior year.
Mizzou LB Zavier Gooden Placekicker Grant Ressel
In other college news, it looks as tho Chiefs' linebacker Mike Vrabel will join the Ohio State coaching staff. After Jim Tressel resigned & Luke Fickell was named head coach, speculation began about Vrabel returning to his roots in Columbus. He was a teammate of Fickell & the two have remained very close friends after their playing days for the Buckeyes. Vrabel is an unrestricted free agent & I sincerely doubt he is in the Chiefs' plans this season. He turns 36 next month & after 14 NFL seasons, #50 is certainly near the end. I think if Fickell is looking for a defensive coach to replace himself, look for Vrabel to be that guy.
Quarterback Kerry Collins has called it quits, the 5th overall pick of the 1995 draft announced his retirement on Wednesday. The former Penn State Nittany Lion played for five different franchises professionally. He led the New York Giants to the Super Bowl during the 2000 season. Early in his career Collins battled alcoholism & had several run-ins with teammates while he was intoxicated. But he got his life in order & rebuilt his career. Collins threw for more than 40,000 yards & 206 touchdowns. With the expected release of Vince Young & Collins' retirement, it leaves the Tennessee Titans with rookie Jake Locker & 2nd year man Rusty Smith as the only QB's with a realistic chance to make the roster this year, look for them to sign a veteran.
The labor talks continued on Thursday & they stayed at it for 12 1/2 hours. I think we're a little closer everyday. Keep thinking positive thoughts & we'll have a deal very, very soon.
Bob Gretz, a Kansas City writer with his own website has launched his version of the "Top-100 Chiefs of All-Time." Gretz posted numbers 51-100 & there were a few very strange rankings. Sitting at #80 overall was return man Noland Smith & Gretz said of him "Super Gnat remains KC's best returner." Bad enough, but compounded by ranking Tamarick Vanover 59th & where will Dante Hall end up in the top-50? As many of you know, I've been with the Chiefs since day 1, I remember Smith returning a punt about 75-yards for a score against the Jets in old Municipal Stadium. He also held the AFL record for a time with a 106-yard kickoff return in Denver, but he only played for K.C. 3 seasons. He wasn't better than Vanover & not even close to Hall. Second weird ranking & comment was for #61 overall, defensive end Mike Bell who rated this comment "talented defender hampered by injury." My version of Bell would have carried this comment "talented pass rusher hampered by cocaine." He was suspended for using it & for selling it. Enough said, he doesn't belong ahead of James Hasty for sure. He also doesn't rate a better ranking than fellow defenders, Bill Maas & Joe Phillips, both troubled by dope after their playing days. Bell's coke problems were while he was a Chief. He missed all of two seasons between jail & rehab. Hampered by injury? Really? I can't wait to examine the top-50 today.
The Cincinnati Bengals could look like an entirely different team next season. I doubt we'll see QB Carson Palmer in orange & black ever again. I don't expect owner Mike Brown will accommodate Palmer's wishes to be traded, but he will not play for Cincy in 2011. Terrell Owens is certainly gone & don't be surprised if Chad Ochocinco is released or traded. Folks in the Queen City have grown tired of his antics on & off the field. Running back Cedric Benson is an unrestricted free agent & could find employment elsewhere. Offensive tackle Andre Smith, the 6th overall pick in the 2009 draft, has been a complete disappointment & I will be absolutely stunned if he doesn't show up for training camp at least 25-pounds overweight. His inability to get & stay in shape has been a major problem since being suspended at Alabama after the 2008 regular season. His career could be on life support if he reports to camp looking like this again, yikes!
Not a pretty sight is it?
One of the all-time greats, John Mackey, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 69. This Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end, 2nd TE ever inducted, redefined the position. A second round draft pick out of Syracuse, Mackey teamed with Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore & Raymond Berry to form one of the most feared offensive teams ever. He stood 6' 2" & weighed about 230, it was a much smaller game back in the 50's & 60's. Mackey could run well enough to get behind defenses & stay out front all the way into the endzone. He also packed a wallop with the ball in his hand whenever he lowered his shoulder. Mackey broke a ridiculous number of tackles. In 1966, he scored 9 touchdowns of 50 or more yards. That's a helluva year for a wide receiver much less for a tight end. The 5-time Pro Bowl performer played just 10-seasons, nine for the Baltimore Colts & the last in San Diego. Mackey was the first President of the NFLPA. He was active during & after his playing career in labor & health care issues. In the 90's, suffering from frontotemporal dementia, he became reclusive & somewhat paranoid. His longtime wife Sylvia was the only person who could communicate with him. He was moved into a full-time assisted living facility five years ago. The league & the NFLPA created the "88 Plan" which provided for $88,000 a year in assisted living expenses for NFL veterans with more than 4-years service. It also allowed for $50,000 in adult day care expenses. Mackey wore number 88 & became enraged one Sunday when he realized Indy's Marvin Harrison was wearing his number. Honestly, the Colts should have retired it long ago. Tho a final exam hasn't been completed, attending physicians left little doubt it was head trauma that caused the frontotemporal dementia & it was that condition that ultimately led to his death.
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