CHIEFS SIGN CHRIS MANNO....REALLY?....REALLY?????
For those of you who are pooh-poohing my take on the Chiefs' post-CBA spending, or lack of, I guess you'll have the last laugh now. The Chiefs signed wide receiver Chris Manno today. I didn't hear any cheering out there. I said Chris Manno.........nothing? This is precisely what I've been railing about, signing people who barely qualify as warm bodies. I'll give you the scoop on Manno, I got it right off the Chiefs' website. He's 5' 10" & 185, he was in the Arena 2 league, the freakin' minor league of indoor football. He played his college football out on Long Island at Hofstra, catching 25 passes for 233-yards & 1 touchdown, in his entire college football career. One touchdown. So he's not Wayne Chrebet, or Marques Colston so don't get your hopes up because he's from a prestigious football program like Hofstra. Was he brought in to be Tyler Palko's go-to-guy in camp? Do any of you remember the Paul Newman classic hockey movie "Slap Shot?" Remember Newman's character berating the minor league team's GM, played by Strother Martin? The line was "I never heard of these guys, why do you have to sign every piece of sh*t that comes on the market you cheap son-of-a-bitch?" I'm starting to feel like Paul Newman did in that movie. I honestly believe if the league didn't require transactional transparency, the Chiefs would just give Manno a bed & a numberless jersey, keeping his identity as secret as almost everything else they do. According to Pro Football Talk, this team is sitting on $28.7 million in available cap space right now. They haven't signed Brandon Carr or franchise player Tamba Hali, but hey, we got Chris Manno. O.K. rant complete, just had to get that off my chest.
Today would have been Chiefs' founder Lamar Hunt's 79th birthday. The more time that passes since his death, the more Chiefs' fans should miss him. He was a great visionary in American sports history. I'm glad he was our owner. He used to walk the parking lots at Arrowhead before games, asking fans if they needed anything or if they had any suggestions. Mr. Hunt spoke to me one Sunday morning, shook my hand, asked me if I was having a good day. Know of any other owners of sports' franchises who would do that? Lamar Hunt was one of a kind. Sorry I'm being so hard on your son & his people.
I'd like to thank DirecTV for listening to my complaints regarding their NFL Sunday Ticket. We've been subscribers since 1995, the first year it was offered. For our loyalty, we've been bombarded by constant TV commercials offering the NFL package for free to new subscribers. We're paying $322 for it, so I'm not a happy customer. After a 20-minute phone conversation, I got my bill reduced by $480 over the next 24-months. Thank you DirecTV for listening, for doing the right thing & for having very polite, patient operators in U.S. based call centers.
Jeez, I'm sounding like a crotchety old man today aren't I? Truth be told, that's pretty much what I am.
You kids get off my lawn!!!
Jeremy Maclin arrived at Eagles training camp today but it's been reported he may not be ready to play for sometime. Maclin suffered from some sort of a viral illness this past spring & lost over 15-pounds. He has slowly regained most of the weight but he's not nearly in playing shape. His running mate at wide receiver, DeSean Jackson, continues his holdout for a new contract. Jackson is currently being fined $30,000 per day for not reporting. It won't be long before the fines will exceed his entire yearly salary. With a financial strategy like that, Jackson could get a job with the Federal Government.
The running back depth chart in San Diego is rather bleak right now. Last year's #1 pick, Ryan Mathews, hasn't practiced since last week, he's got a toe issue. He also failed his conditioning test. I can't recall a skill position player failing a conditioning test, 325-pound linemen yes, but running backs? Darren Sproles left in free agency & the Chargers have only Mike Tolbert as an experienced back. The Chargers #1 draft pick, defensive tackle Corey Luiget, is one of 4 first round draft picks that remain unsigned league-wide.
The Browns lost their punter, Reggie Hodges, for the season after he ruptured his Achilles tendon this morning. Lions #1 draft pick, defensive tackle Nick Fairly, is in a walking boot after suffering a foot injury yesterday. X-ray proved negative, so he's day-to-day presently.
I told you this morning about the Minnesota Vikings signing Charles Johnson, formerly the starting left tackle for the Colts. No need to analyze the move any further, the Vikes released their 9-year starter on the blindside, Bryant McKinnie, this afternoon. The former Outland Trophy winner was said to be grossly overweight & out of shape when he came to the Mankato camp. What's strange about his condition is he kept Tweeting during the lockout he was staying in shape by working out with his Florida neighbor, tennis star Venus Williams. McKinnie, just over 31, figured to have several more productive years in the NFL but his farewell Tweet, "Thanks, it's been fun" kinda speaks to his lack of desire to continue playing football. His salary cap number of $5.9 million probably hastened Minnesota's decision to cut all ties with McKinnie.
The BIG-12 football season begins tomorrow when all member schools will open their summer training camps. The weather here has been absolutely brutal, 107 degrees today, heat index of 114, so stay hydrated guys.
University of Miami offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson will undergo back surgery next Monday & his availability for the 2011 season is unknown. Henderson originally signed with USC but walked away from his letter of intent after the Trojans were slammed with numerous NCAA sanctions. He was the nations #1 rated recruit in the 2010 class. Henderson has been suffering from back pain since the end of spring football. His long term prognosis is not known at this time.
Today would have been Chiefs' founder Lamar Hunt's 79th birthday. The more time that passes since his death, the more Chiefs' fans should miss him. He was a great visionary in American sports history. I'm glad he was our owner. He used to walk the parking lots at Arrowhead before games, asking fans if they needed anything or if they had any suggestions. Mr. Hunt spoke to me one Sunday morning, shook my hand, asked me if I was having a good day. Know of any other owners of sports' franchises who would do that? Lamar Hunt was one of a kind. Sorry I'm being so hard on your son & his people.
I'd like to thank DirecTV for listening to my complaints regarding their NFL Sunday Ticket. We've been subscribers since 1995, the first year it was offered. For our loyalty, we've been bombarded by constant TV commercials offering the NFL package for free to new subscribers. We're paying $322 for it, so I'm not a happy customer. After a 20-minute phone conversation, I got my bill reduced by $480 over the next 24-months. Thank you DirecTV for listening, for doing the right thing & for having very polite, patient operators in U.S. based call centers.
Jeez, I'm sounding like a crotchety old man today aren't I? Truth be told, that's pretty much what I am.
You kids get off my lawn!!!
Jeremy Maclin arrived at Eagles training camp today but it's been reported he may not be ready to play for sometime. Maclin suffered from some sort of a viral illness this past spring & lost over 15-pounds. He has slowly regained most of the weight but he's not nearly in playing shape. His running mate at wide receiver, DeSean Jackson, continues his holdout for a new contract. Jackson is currently being fined $30,000 per day for not reporting. It won't be long before the fines will exceed his entire yearly salary. With a financial strategy like that, Jackson could get a job with the Federal Government.
The running back depth chart in San Diego is rather bleak right now. Last year's #1 pick, Ryan Mathews, hasn't practiced since last week, he's got a toe issue. He also failed his conditioning test. I can't recall a skill position player failing a conditioning test, 325-pound linemen yes, but running backs? Darren Sproles left in free agency & the Chargers have only Mike Tolbert as an experienced back. The Chargers #1 draft pick, defensive tackle Corey Luiget, is one of 4 first round draft picks that remain unsigned league-wide.
The Browns lost their punter, Reggie Hodges, for the season after he ruptured his Achilles tendon this morning. Lions #1 draft pick, defensive tackle Nick Fairly, is in a walking boot after suffering a foot injury yesterday. X-ray proved negative, so he's day-to-day presently.
I told you this morning about the Minnesota Vikings signing Charles Johnson, formerly the starting left tackle for the Colts. No need to analyze the move any further, the Vikes released their 9-year starter on the blindside, Bryant McKinnie, this afternoon. The former Outland Trophy winner was said to be grossly overweight & out of shape when he came to the Mankato camp. What's strange about his condition is he kept Tweeting during the lockout he was staying in shape by working out with his Florida neighbor, tennis star Venus Williams. McKinnie, just over 31, figured to have several more productive years in the NFL but his farewell Tweet, "Thanks, it's been fun" kinda speaks to his lack of desire to continue playing football. His salary cap number of $5.9 million probably hastened Minnesota's decision to cut all ties with McKinnie.
The BIG-12 football season begins tomorrow when all member schools will open their summer training camps. The weather here has been absolutely brutal, 107 degrees today, heat index of 114, so stay hydrated guys.
University of Miami offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson will undergo back surgery next Monday & his availability for the 2011 season is unknown. Henderson originally signed with USC but walked away from his letter of intent after the Trojans were slammed with numerous NCAA sanctions. He was the nations #1 rated recruit in the 2010 class. Henderson has been suffering from back pain since the end of spring football. His long term prognosis is not known at this time.
Have you seen this guy for yourself? I think you will be eating this article. I seen him at camp and the guy is awesome. He will be a household name before to long.
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Mike,
I promise, if Chris Manno makes the roster, I will apologize profusely & state I was wrong about him. You can count on it.
Now if by chance he doesn't make the roster, what do I get from you?
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