JOEPA GETS RUN OVER AGAIN, LIONS BACKFIELD SUFFERS A MAJOR SETBACK, CHIEFS REPORT & GABBERT TO START THURSDAY
Penn State head coach Joe Paterno has had trouble staying on the Nittany Lion sideline. In 2006, he suffered a broken leg during a game with Wisconsin when he was run over on the sideline. In 2008, he sustained a hip injury during a practice & had to have the hip joint replaced. Sadly, JoePa was run over yet again & he will probably find himself coaching from the press box. The 84-year old coach was bowled over by a wide receiver & suffered a cracked pelvis & a shoulder fracture. "I expect to be back at practice very soon, don't worry about me" Paterno said in a release from the school. How many more injuries will this legend have to endure before he admits to himself he has no escapability from 19-year old athletes running full speed? Poor JoePa.
The NFL has announced they will stage a supplemental draft on August 17th. Georgia running back Caleb King is the only person we know will be eligible....so far anyway. Will Terrelle Pryor be allowed to enter this draft? No one knows right now, he claims he's in, but the league made it clear after they announced the date, no one other than King had been ruled eligible so far. Undaunted, Pryor will stage a pro day this Friday in Pittsburgh, not really popular in the State of Ohio anymore.
The Detroit Lions were dealt a real setback today when rookie running back Mikel LeShoure sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon in practice. The second-round draft pick figured to backup starter Jahvid Best & get at least 150 carries. Detroit traded up to select him. With 1st round pick, DT Nick Fairly undergoing foot surgery, the excitement in Motown has to be tempered now, these are major factors to a team still looking for effective starters & quality depth. I thought the LeShoure pick was an excellent one during the draft, sadly the Lions will have to wait another year to see what kind of impact the Illinois prospect can have.
Ricky Williams has agreed to a 2-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. This seems like a perfect fit. Ricky still has enough tread on his tires to pack the rock 100-125 times in relief of starter Ray Rice. The Ravens had lost Willis McGahee & Le'Ron McClain during the free agent period. Williams gained 673-yards on 159 carries for the Dolphins last season. Ricky's only downside is the same one he's had for most of his career, he puts the ball on the ground. The 2-year deal is worth $4 million.
Aldon Smith is impressing everyone around the Forty-Niners' training camp with his varied pass rush moves. So many young defensive ends have an edge rush outside, trying to get around the tackle with quickness & speed. Smith has that move plus an inside move that uses his very long arms in a club move. He has beaten veteran blockers everyday since he joined the team. The former Mizzou Tiger was selected with the 7th overall pick & shifted to outside linebacker. This 20-year old has a huge upside when he learns to read pro offenses & his body matures. He has definite All-Pro potential.
Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has checked in at the Philadelphia training camp. He had been staging a holdout looking for what else, a new contract. The other starting wide out, Jeremy Maclin is at camp but he hasn't practiced or spoken to the media about his mysterious illness.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll gave his Minnesota counterpart a nice shot when asked about quarterback Tavaris Jackson. "He's been jerked around his whole career" Carroll said. That's pretty strong language when talking about a career backup. Seattle agreed to pay Jackson $4 million per season on a 2-year deal. I agree to some extent aboutthe way Jackson was treated in Minnesota, but I don't know that calling out one of your peers is the way to do it. Carroll continues to confuse me.
The news from St. Joseph is good in that tight end Tony Moeaki returned to practice with the rest of the team. His shaky right knee was good enough to get him into pads on Monday. Justin Houston continues to make right tackle Barry Richardson's life somewhat. Again on Monday, the rookie from Georgia blew right by Richardson for a sack. But once again, it must be stressed Houston is nowhere near ready to play a lot of snaps, he's strictly a situational pass rusher. Ricky Stanzi isn't off to the best start. He rubbed a lot of people wrong with an attitude that was described as "surly." Right now Stanzi is definitely behind Tyler Palko for the backup spot. How freakin' scary is that? Rookie free agent Brandon Bair continues to impress at defensive end. At 6' 6" with long arms, Bair can alter the quarterback's release point. I think he'll make the team. He's old for a rookie at 26, spent 2-years on a church mission, but I think there's a real chance he'll make the roster. Offensive tackle David Mims continues to knock people on their can. He needs a lot of coaching but he has three things that could make him a certainty to keep, massive size, quick feet & a very aggressive style of play. I liked this guy before the draft, I believe Scott Pioli will find a place to stash this young man. With the free agency just about over, I expect the Chiefs to sign cornerbacks Brandon Flowers & Brandon Carr. Both will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. They have enough cap room to pay both substantial signing bonuses. Expect that to happen.
With David Garrard sitting out because of a strained back, it looks as tho rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert will start for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night in their preseason opener at New England. Good opportunity for the rookie from Mizzou, but a tough spot for your NFL debut.
I sincerely hope NFL players will stop saying things like "we're going to war" or "when we play them, it's always like a war." Late Saturday night 30 American service personnel died in Afghanistan when their helicopter was shot down. Fellas, that's "war" not football, which has always been a game. Stop using these phrases, it shows a complete lack of respect for the people who are fighting & dying in real war. It makes you look completely insensitive & pretty damn clueless.
The NFL has announced they will stage a supplemental draft on August 17th. Georgia running back Caleb King is the only person we know will be eligible....so far anyway. Will Terrelle Pryor be allowed to enter this draft? No one knows right now, he claims he's in, but the league made it clear after they announced the date, no one other than King had been ruled eligible so far. Undaunted, Pryor will stage a pro day this Friday in Pittsburgh, not really popular in the State of Ohio anymore.
The Detroit Lions were dealt a real setback today when rookie running back Mikel LeShoure sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon in practice. The second-round draft pick figured to backup starter Jahvid Best & get at least 150 carries. Detroit traded up to select him. With 1st round pick, DT Nick Fairly undergoing foot surgery, the excitement in Motown has to be tempered now, these are major factors to a team still looking for effective starters & quality depth. I thought the LeShoure pick was an excellent one during the draft, sadly the Lions will have to wait another year to see what kind of impact the Illinois prospect can have.
Ricky Williams has agreed to a 2-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. This seems like a perfect fit. Ricky still has enough tread on his tires to pack the rock 100-125 times in relief of starter Ray Rice. The Ravens had lost Willis McGahee & Le'Ron McClain during the free agent period. Williams gained 673-yards on 159 carries for the Dolphins last season. Ricky's only downside is the same one he's had for most of his career, he puts the ball on the ground. The 2-year deal is worth $4 million.
Aldon Smith is impressing everyone around the Forty-Niners' training camp with his varied pass rush moves. So many young defensive ends have an edge rush outside, trying to get around the tackle with quickness & speed. Smith has that move plus an inside move that uses his very long arms in a club move. He has beaten veteran blockers everyday since he joined the team. The former Mizzou Tiger was selected with the 7th overall pick & shifted to outside linebacker. This 20-year old has a huge upside when he learns to read pro offenses & his body matures. He has definite All-Pro potential.
Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has checked in at the Philadelphia training camp. He had been staging a holdout looking for what else, a new contract. The other starting wide out, Jeremy Maclin is at camp but he hasn't practiced or spoken to the media about his mysterious illness.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll gave his Minnesota counterpart a nice shot when asked about quarterback Tavaris Jackson. "He's been jerked around his whole career" Carroll said. That's pretty strong language when talking about a career backup. Seattle agreed to pay Jackson $4 million per season on a 2-year deal. I agree to some extent aboutthe way Jackson was treated in Minnesota, but I don't know that calling out one of your peers is the way to do it. Carroll continues to confuse me.
The news from St. Joseph is good in that tight end Tony Moeaki returned to practice with the rest of the team. His shaky right knee was good enough to get him into pads on Monday. Justin Houston continues to make right tackle Barry Richardson's life somewhat. Again on Monday, the rookie from Georgia blew right by Richardson for a sack. But once again, it must be stressed Houston is nowhere near ready to play a lot of snaps, he's strictly a situational pass rusher. Ricky Stanzi isn't off to the best start. He rubbed a lot of people wrong with an attitude that was described as "surly." Right now Stanzi is definitely behind Tyler Palko for the backup spot. How freakin' scary is that? Rookie free agent Brandon Bair continues to impress at defensive end. At 6' 6" with long arms, Bair can alter the quarterback's release point. I think he'll make the team. He's old for a rookie at 26, spent 2-years on a church mission, but I think there's a real chance he'll make the roster. Offensive tackle David Mims continues to knock people on their can. He needs a lot of coaching but he has three things that could make him a certainty to keep, massive size, quick feet & a very aggressive style of play. I liked this guy before the draft, I believe Scott Pioli will find a place to stash this young man. With the free agency just about over, I expect the Chiefs to sign cornerbacks Brandon Flowers & Brandon Carr. Both will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. They have enough cap room to pay both substantial signing bonuses. Expect that to happen.
With David Garrard sitting out because of a strained back, it looks as tho rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert will start for the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night in their preseason opener at New England. Good opportunity for the rookie from Mizzou, but a tough spot for your NFL debut.
I sincerely hope NFL players will stop saying things like "we're going to war" or "when we play them, it's always like a war." Late Saturday night 30 American service personnel died in Afghanistan when their helicopter was shot down. Fellas, that's "war" not football, which has always been a game. Stop using these phrases, it shows a complete lack of respect for the people who are fighting & dying in real war. It makes you look completely insensitive & pretty damn clueless.
agree 100% on your call out of the phrasing "GOING TO WAR" not appropriate for football at all
Reply to this