Back off Stern! CP3 should be a Laker; Hornets will still thrive

Chris Paul should be a Laker. But will he?

At about 6:30pm EST the Los Angeles Lakers seemed to have acquired New Orleans Hornets star Chris Paul in a three team trade. What seemed like a done deal didn’t even last three hours. By 9:00pm NBA commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade following the outcry of league owners.

The owners felt like allowing Paul to choose a trade destination is the essence of what went wrong in league structure over the last year and a half. They feel that small market teams need to keep their marquee players to create and maintain a league-wide competitive balance.

Kevin Martin has had 5 straight 20 ppg seasons

 If that’s the case, wouldn’t it make sense for New Orleans to get a ransom for Paul rather than risking the team getting “LeBroned?” This isn’t Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown here. The Hornets were set to get three all star caliber talents for the price of one superstar. That’s even better than what the Nuggets received from the Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony deal, and we thought they gave away a fortune. The Hornets would have been able to put a line up together that included Kevin Martin, Lamar Odom, Luis Scola and Emeka Okafor. Not too shabby considering your trading just one player, albeit the league’s best point guard.

David Stern needs to focus on league welfare

David Stern has ruled this league with an iron fist for far too long. He levied a league dress code, he added an age limit upon league entrance and now he vetoes a trade that not only saves the Hornets from getting nothing for Paul but also allows one of the league’s glamour franchises to be able to make more money in ticket sales, TV deals and merchandise for the entire league.



Paul, although he doesn’t want to be a Hornet long-term, actually wants the franchise to get something for him rather than watching the team fade to abysmal status as Cleveland did after losing LeBron James. It’s time for Stern to realize that he is neither a king nor a dictator. He should only be concerned with what is truly best for the league. Adding another basement dwelling team sure isn’t.

NFL First Third Awards

Awards given to players through the first third of the season.

MVP

Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB)

Rodgers has picked up where he left off in last year’s playoffs. He leads the league in QB rating (122.9), touchdown passes (14), and completion percentage (71.7). He is third in total passing yards and has the Packers at 5-0.

In the running

Fred Jackson (RB, BUF) –Freddie has 712 yards from scrimmage, 480 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns for the 5-0 Bills.

Tom Brady (QB, NE) – Tom is still terrific with 1,874 yards, 14 touchdowns, and a 101.4 QB rating.

Matthew Stafford (QB, DET) – A Lion’s QB up for MVP? I guess when you have 1,436 yard and 14 touchdowns in 5 games the consideration is warranted.

Drew Brees (QB, NO) – His number are typical Drew Brees threw 5 games; 1,769 yards, 12 touchdowns, and a 102.3 rating. Perennial MVP candidate.

Best Defensive Player

Jared Allen (vikingsgab.com)

Jared Allen (DE, MIN)

Allen has been dominating and flat-out unblockable thus far. He is not only sacking QBs, he is playing a little pass defense as well. Through the first third of the season, Allen leads the NFL with 8.5 sacks and has 4 passes defended, 1 interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He’s been the best on the defensive side of the ball so far.

In the running

George Wilson (SS, BUF) – Wilson is third in the league in total tackles (47) and has a league leading 3 interceptions for the Bills.

Morgan Burnett (SS, GB) – The Packer’s strong safety is tied for the league lead in interceptions (3) and has tallied 8 passes defended, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Carlos Rogers (CB, SF) – Rogers is tied for the league’s lead in both interceptions (3) and passes defended (10). He also has an interception returned for a touchdown.

Jason Pierre-Paul (DE, NYG) – JPP is leading one of the league’s best defensive lines with 7.0 sacks (2^nd in the league), 27 tackles, and a forced fumble.

Best Offensive Rookie

Andy Dalton (Getty Images, J. Miller)

Andy Dalton (QB, CIN)

I know, I know, you were probably expecting Cam Newton. While Dalton hasn’t thrown for the yards that Newton has, he has just one less touchdown pass and one less interception thrown than the Carolina QB. Dalton leads rookie passers in completion percentage (59.2%) and wins (3). He has a team with fewer weapons than almost any other in second place in the AFC North.

In the running

Cam Newton (QB, CAR) – The 2011 number 1 pick leads all rookie passers with 1,610 yards, 7 touchdown passes and a rating of 84.3.

A.J. Green (WR, CIN) – The Bengals wideout leads all rookie receivers in yards (402) and touchdowns (3)

Julio Jones (WR, ATL) – Jones leads all rookies with 25 catches and is second with 358 yards.

Best Defensive Rookie

Von Miller (wikipedia.org)

Von Miller (OLB, DEN)

Von Miller has completely lived up to his hype so far. The second overall pick in the 2011 draft has been a bright spot in the Broncos’ dark start. He leads all rookies with 5.0 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The sky is the limit for this guy.

In the running

Aldon Smith (OLB/DE, SF) – The 49ers rookie is second among rookies with 3.5 sacks.

Patrick Peterson (CB, AZ) – The rookie has tallied one interception to go along with a punt returned for a touchdown.

Comeback Player

Matthew Stafford (nflsfutre.com)

Matthew Stafford (QB, DET)

This was a close one between Stafford and Alex Smith. Ultimately, superior numbers and one more gives Stafford the nod.  Stafford has finally given the Lions’ fans something to roar about. After a terrible injury cut his season to just 3 games in 2010, Stafford has rebounded to be an MVP candidate. He has thrown for 1,436 yard, 14 touchdowns, and has a QB rating of 101.4. More importantly, he has his Lions 5-0 for the first time in 50 years.  

In the running

Alex Smith (QB, SF) – Jim Harbaugh has the former number 1 overall pick finally playing winning football after years of futility. Smith ranks sixth in NFL in completion percentage (65.9%) and fourth in passer rating (104.1).

Steve Smith (WR, CAR) – Smith has rebounded from injuries, inconsistency, and spotty QB play and has returned to Pro Bowl form. Smith leads the league in yards per catch (22.6) and is second in receiving yards (609).

Jason Pierre-Paul (DE, NYG) – JPP has finally started to play up to his first round selection. He has 7.0 sacks and force fumble through 5 games, besting his entire 2010 season output.

Biggest Loser; Winning Free Agency doesn't equal winning games

Tough year for Eagles fans.

Well, now I guess we can say that the proverbial sky has fallen over Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles have sputtered out of the gate to a 1-4 record, vastly falling short of preseason expectations.

The team’s dysfunction is not just limited to the playing field. The fans are calling for the firing of coaches and guys in the locker room are questioning the intestinal fortitude of fellow teammates.   

Should the team's start be a complete surprise? Maybe not. How many times have we seen franchises collect super talent in the offseason and not get immediate results on the field, court, or diamond?

The Eagles committed millions to Cullen Jenkins, Jason Babin, Vince Young, and the prize of free agency Nnamdi Asomughua. All of those guys were former Pro Bowlers, and even one is a Super Bowl Champ.  

I guess the Eagles didn’t think about continuity, camaraderie, and team chemistry when they dished out those big contracts.  It’s baffling to see franchises go on wild spending sprees in free agency and expect the team to immediately win when history has always shown the total opposite.

Yankees have one title since '01

The Yankees have always been big free agency spenders but have only won one World Series titles since 2001. The Redskins of the 1990s popularized big spending and bigger losing in the NFL. Last season saw the Miami Heat sign 3 top 20 players and fall short of a title. And this list goes on and on.

Spending big just masks weaknesses that are unveiled in big moments. No one knew the Heat lacked good point guard play and interior defense until the NBA Finals. In the same way, no one was talking about the Eagles' poor talent at linebacker, an inadequate offensive line, and the head scratching move of switching the offensive line coach to defensive coordinator.

The Only Dream Team

This Eagles team was flawed from the beginning. They strengthened areas where they were already strong and completely ignored their major areas of concern. The “dream team” label was only added pressure. Especially since the only Dream Team consisted of all time greats like Jordan, Magic, and Bird. This team is just a bunch of birds with no magic.

photos courtesy of delawareonline.com, boozecrewsports.com, draftdaysuit.com

The list continues - QBs # 5-#3

5. Kurt Warner        FTQBR - 46

Surprise! Who knew Kurt Warner would rank this high on the list? At first glance, you wouldn’t put Warner over Aikman or Marino. But when you look at the numbers, they scream Hall of Fame. Kurt Warner has been an MVP twice, a Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, and first team All Pro twice.

He retired second all time with a 65.5% completion percentage and second all time 93.7 career passer rating, both better than the aforementioned Hall of Famers. But perhaps his greatest accomplishment was leading the hapless Ram and Cardinal franchises to Super Bowls. For that alone he should be on this list.

Warner went from bagging groceries to the Super Bowl in a matter of months. A devout Christian and community activist, Warner is living proof that nice guys don’t always finish last.

4. Peyton Manning        FTQBR - 53

You didn’t think Peyton Manning would be left out did you? Manning walked into the worst franchise in the NFL in 1998 and changed the fortunes of the Colts forever. After a 3-13 rookie year, Manning led the Colts to 13-3 the next season and they haven’t had a losing season since.

Peyton plays the position like General Patton. He barks plays at his troops and meticulously attacks the opposition with tenacity; firing bullets up and down the field with precision.

His stats are straight up ridiculous. He’s thrown for 54,000 yards, 399 touchdowns and he’s been named All Pro 5 times. Cap those numbers with a Super Bowl win and we’re talking about a guy on the Mt. Rushmore of quarterbacks.

I don’t know if there is any quarterback that works harder at the position as Manning. His record 4, yes 4, MVP trophies are proof of that.

3. Steve Young        FTQBR - 55

Steve Young was one of the most physically gifted athletes to ever play in the NFL. The dude was 6’2, 215 lbs, had 4.5 speed, pin-point accuracy and had the intelligence of a lawyer.

After playing in quarterback purgatory, coaching legend Bill Walsh traded his second and fourth-round draft choices to Tampa for Young. The Bucs got Vinny Testaverde and more years of losing while the 49ers got a Hall of Famer.

When he finally got his time to start in San Francisco, he never looked back. He won a record 6 passing titles, 2 league MVPs, and 3 first team All Pro selections. He played big in the NFL’s biggest game throwing a record 6 touchdowns and earning the MVP award in his Super Bowl victory over the San Diego Chargers.

The guy would do anything to get a victory. If it meant throwing the winning touchdown pass or running threw a linebacker for a first down, Young did it.

Young threw and ran his way through the NFL record books. He retired with the highest quarterback rating in NFL history and a quarterback record 43 rushing touchdowns.

Young was the most versatile quarterback to ever play the game. To know how good he was just think about this. The Niners sent the great Joe Montana to Kansas City in Young's favor and the team didn’t miss a beat. Nuff said.

Embrace the Swag

Floyd Mayweather telling Larry Merchant off

Floyd Mayweather v Victor Ortiz quickly became the undercard for Mayweather v Merchant. During the post-fight interview, HBO’s Larry Merchant repeatedly asked Mayweather questions about his polarizing knockout of Ortiz.

Floyd got tired of Merchant re-phrasing his questions about the knockout and simply lost his cool. He felt that Merchant never gives him the respect he deserves as a fighter. An argument ensued and Floyd, among other things, told Merchant he “should be fired because you don’t know s--t about boxing."

Floyd may have went overboard on the 80-year old Merchant but it’s about time someone called him out. He’s been hating on black fighters for decades. His antagonistic journalism symbolizes the disdain America has for cocky black athletes.

It’s not just Merchant. It’s all of the fans and journalists around the country who vilify guys like T.O., LeBron and Kobe and praise Jeff Gordan, Larry Bird and Roger Clemens.

T.O. exercising for the media in 2005

Sure T.O. does sit ups for the media in his driveway and LeBron refers to himself as the King. At least they didn’t pull a Clemens and ask the team to allow them to take weeks off during the season to relax at home. Oh, and add in the demand for a $22-million dollar contract too. Talk about arrogance.

Plain and simple, the confidence of a black man is a scary sight for America. Maybe because “swag,” as we call it, is spreading like wild fire. Brash cockiness is no longer just in the ‘hood. It’s in suburban living rooms too.

Swag doesn’t mean a guy’s immoral. It just means he knows his capabilities and doesn’t have a problem letting you know all about them. It shouldn’t be seen as a threat. It should be embraced and shared to benefit the product on the field, court, and in the ring. Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick said it best.

“Yeah, I’m cocky and arrogant. But that doesn’t mean I’m a bad person.”

Jeremy Roenick was revered despite his arrogance

Yea you’re right Jeremy. As long as you’re not black.

More of the Top QB List

8. Troy Aikman        FTQBR - 39

How fitting for Troy to land at number 8 on my list. The golden boy starred for UCLA before being the number 1 overall pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. After posting a 0-11 record in his rookie season, Aikman won 90 games and 3 Super Bowls in the decade of the 1990s.

Aikman’s 3 titles, which includes a game MVP, set him in exclusive company. Only 2 quarterbacks have won more. Surprisingly, Troy has very average stats, throwing just 165 touchdown passes compared to 141 interceptions. All in all, Troy was a winner whose leadership cannot be told by sheer numbers. Unless those numbers are 3, the number of titles he brought to Dallas.

7. John Elway        FTQBR - 39

No one did so much with so little as John Elway. This guy carried 3 different Denver Bronco teams to the Super Bowl when they had no business being there. A true clutch performer, Elway has 46 game winning drives on his resume. He guided the Denver Broncos to 148 wins with his 50,000 passing yards during his 16-year career.

Elway’s rifle arm led him to 399 career touchdown passes. On the other hand, that arm also produced 226 interceptions and a very mediocre 56.9% completion percentage. But I don’t remember him for his miscues. I remember him closing out his career with back-to-back Super Bowl wins. Talk about going out in style.

6. Brett Favre        FTQBR - 43

I’m not one of those guys who has a man crush on Favre. What no one can deny is that for 20 seasons no one played with the combination of toughness, exuberance, and joy quite like Favre did. He literally rewrote the record books and was as revered across the NFL as any other player in league history.

Favre retired with the most passing yards, completions, and touchdowns in league history. He also retired with the most interceptions (336) and, for all his success, just a 7-11 record in the postseason. His multiple retiring and un-retiring routines are well documented, but the guy deserves his props for winning 3 MVPs and playing sport’s toughest position for 298 straight games. That’s gangsta.

Top Quarterback list continued: numbers 11-9

11. Jim Kelly        FTQBR - 24
For 11 years Jim Kelly ran the K-Gun offense to perfection for the Buffalo Bills. The Hall of Fame quarterback led the Bills to 8 playoff appearances including 4 straight trips to the Super Bowl.

Kelly threw an impressive 237 touchdowns passes in his career, including his league leading 33 in 1991 when he was named to his only All Pro team. He would have had to win a couple of those Super Bowls to break into the top 10.

10. Drew Brees        FTQBR - 33
Drafted by San Diego, Brees developed into a Pro Bowl quarterback before the Chargers let him walk due to injury. He signed with the Saints and brought a Super Bowl to the Katrina ravaged city of New Orleans.

Brees put up big career numbers across the board with a 91.2 rating, 239 touchdown passes and a 65% completion percentage. Add a first team All Pro selection and a Super Bowl MVP award with those numbers and Brees is well on his way to a bust Canton.

 
9. Dan Marino        FTQBR - 39
Now we are firmly into the upper echelon and who better to start with than Dan Marino. He set the world on fire in 1984 when he was league MVP, setting single records for touchdowns (48) and passing yards (5,084). With his quick release, Marino retired holding every major career passing record. His play earned him a first ballot Hall of Fame selection.

Unfortunately, Marino was never able to have the same success in the postseason. He had just a 5-10 playoff record after winning 147 games in the regular season. The biggest blemish on his resume` is his lack of a Super Bowl title, but still Dan Marino was truly an all time great and deserves this top 10 spot on my list.

New KD on the Block; Kevin Durant is quickly becoming the best in the game

Durant dunks in 2010 playoffs

First it was the 66 points at Rucker Park. Then he gave Melo and “King” James 59 points last week in Baltimore.  I guess it’s all in a summer’s work for Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant. The two-time scoring champ’s assault on the game has him quickly approaching the title as the NBA’s best.

Who else is in his way? Kobe’s declining, LeBron and D-Wade can’t close and Carmelo is inconsistent and one-dimensional. Add the underwhelming post game of Dwight Howard and who do you have left?

“What about Dirk?” you ask. Dirk clearly has come a long way at closing games and shedding the “soft” label, but he’d even tell you that he’s not the complete package that Durant is. Durant's 6-10, can shoot from anywhere on the floor, he finishes in every way possible and is improving his playmaking and defense every day.

In his four year career Durant has been Rookie of the Year, MVP and gold medalist at the World Championship, two-time scoring champ and he got the Thunder to the Conference Finals just two years after the team won 23 games. In the 2011 playoffs, Durant singlehandedly eliminated the Nuggets, and who knows what would have happened if Russell Westbrook had just passed the damn ball!

KD is the epitome of a gym rat. The dude’s just never satisfied. He continues to live in the gym working on his game despite his superstar status. To top it off, he's already signed an extension, showing his loyalty to Oklahoma City. The boy’s skills are immeasurable, he works his tail off and he’s loyal to the organization that gave him a shot at the NBA. You can’t make this stuff up! No offense to Paul Pierce, but Kevin Durant is the truth.  

Top Quarterbacks of the last 30 years

Who’s the greatest quarterback of the last 30 years? It’s a never-ending debate in the sports universe. What exactly is the criterion? Is it the guy with the best stats? Is it the number of Super Bowl titles? What about wins and unforgettable moments. Of course it’s got to be a combination of all of those things. Just because a guy like Jim Plunkett won two Super Bowls doesn’t make him a better quarterback than say Dan Marino or Jim Kelly.

Over the next few days I will be ranking the best quarterbacks in the NFL dating back from 1980 up to now using my own FTQBR system, which is the Fanatical Truth Quarterback Rating system. I added the statistics that best show a quarterback’s value and subtracted the sum by the total of negative plays. Remember, the bulk of his career has to be played after 1980 (sorry Dan Fouts). Also, the quarterback had to be a starter for at least 9 seasons.

I used everything from touchdowns and championships to losses and interceptions. I weighted Super Bowl wins heavy, giving 5 points for each. I also gave the same amount of points for making First Team All-Pro as I did for MVPs. Like an MVP award, making 1st team All Pro means that you were the best quarterback in the NFL for that season.

On the other hand, I gave the lowest amount of points for Pro Bowl selections because the value of being a Pro Bowler isn’t as high as it used to be. I mean, who knows who actually was chosen for the game and who only got there as an injury replacement?

I also gave bonus points for Comeback Player of the Year awards and Hall of Fame inductions. Obviously making it in the Hall of Fame is huge and I liked that players got through some adversity and came back to perform at a high level.

Scoring is as follows:
Career wins – 50-80=2 pts, 81-100=5 pts, over 100=7 pts
Playoff wins – 1-5=2 pts, 6-10=5 pts, 11-15=7 pts
Touchdown Passes – 100=2 pts, 101-200=5 pts, 201-300=7 pts, over 300=10pts
Completion % - 55=2 pts, 56-60=5 pts, over 60=7pts
Passer Rating – 75-85=2 pts, 86-90=5 pts, over 90=7 pts
MVP awards – 1=5 pts, 2=7 pts, 3=10pts, 4=12 pts
1st Team All-Pro – 1=5pts, 2=7pts, 3=10 pts, 4=12pts
Pro Bowls – 1-3=1 pt, 4-6=pts, 7-10=3 pts, over 11= 4 pts
Super Bowl MVPs – 1=2 pts, 2=5 pts, 3=7 pts
Hall of Fame = 5 pts (bonus)
Comeback Player of The Year = 1 pt (bonus)
Losses – 50= -2, 51-80= -5, 81-100= -7, over 100= -10
Playoff Losses – 1-5= -2, 6-10= -5, 11-15= -7, over 16= -10
Interceptions – 50= -1, 51-100= -2, 101-150= -3, 151-200= -4, over 200= -5

Let the debating begin!

Young Guns
These are the guys who deserve to be mentioned on this list, but do not have the required years as a starter (9).

Ben Roethlisberger  FTQBR – 29
The two time champ does nothing but win

Aaron Rodgers  FTQBR – 20
The Super Bowl MVP last season. The arrow is pointing way up.

Phil Rivers  FTQBR – 20
He is a prolific passer and a big time leader.

Tony Romo  FTQBR – 18
When he isn’t busy dating actresses and singers, he’s putting up big numbers in Big D.

Mike Vick  FTQBR – 5
Vick is the most explosive quarterback in league history.
 
The List 

#16 Warren Moon     FTQBR – 11 
I had to include Warren Moon even though I intended to only rank the top 15. His 11 rating is a little miscued because it doesn’t include his career as a Canadian Football League (CFL) star. He came along at a time when the NFL hadn’t had many black QBs and had to go to Canada to continue to play the position. He ended his CFL career with 5 championships, an MVP, and 144 touchdown passes in 6 seasons.

Unfortunately, this is the best quarterbacks in the NFL since 1980. Warren Moon is the NFL’s first African American star quarterback. His rating was aided by his Hall of Fame (HOF) induction, 291 touchdown passes and his 102 wins. But his 101 losses, lack of playoff success and high interception total (233) heavily contributed to his low ranking.

#15 Randall Cunningham    FTQBR – 15
Randall dazzled Eagle and Viking fans for year and was once dubbed the Ultimate Weapon. He had a gun for an arm and the ability to run pass even the fastest defenders. He has an MVP award from The Sporting News but the only official MVP award is given by the Associated Press, so I couldn’t count it.

His 207 touchdown passes, first team All Pro selection (1) and bonus point for his Comeback Player of the Year award help is case. But his pedestrian 81.5 rating and only having 3 playoff wins in 10 seasons as a starter do him in.

#14 Boomer Esiason    FTQBR – 15

I give Boomer the tiebreaker over Randall due to his Super Bowl appearance.  He was gun slinging lefty who led the Bengals, yes the Bengals, to a Super Bowl in 1988. The second round pick out of Maryland was the 1988 NFL MVP and he was voted 1st team All Pro that same year. What hurts him is his 93 loses and, due to his gun slinging, 184 interceptions.

#13 Donovan McNabb    FTQBR – 16

Throw out last season and all Donovan McNabb has done is win football games. The Eagles were a mess when they drafted him and they’ve been to 5 NFC championship games since.

The underappreciated quarterback has won 7 playoff games and won 230 touchdowns in his 11 years as a full time starter. However, he falls because he was never an MVP, 1st team All Pro or a Super Bowl champion. 

#12 Phil Simms    FTQBR – 16

Simms owns the tie breaker over McNabb due to his Super Bowl title. Phil Simms, along with Bill Parcels and Lawrence Taylor, brought championship football back to the Giants. His 22-25 for 268 yards and 3 tds performance in Super Bowl XXI remains as legendary today as it was then.

Simms FTQBR was greatly impacted on his Super Bowl title and game MVP honors. But his completion percentage (55%) and passer rating (78.5) are just average.

Gore gets extension



Frank Gore can now play football with a clear mind. That’s because the San Francisco 49ers and their star running back have agreed to a 3-year $21 million dollar contract extension that includes $13.5 million dollars guaranteed.

Gore had been upset that the team had locked up star players Vernon Davis and Patrick Willis before the last season of their deals and hadn’t yet done the same for him. 2011 was scheduled to be the last year of his deal.  Now he has his extension and can concentrate on getting his team to the playoffs for the first time in 8 seasons.

It’s a well earned deal for someone that has been a focal point of the offense for the last 5 years. He told GM Trent Baalke that he wants to be a 49er for life and now he probably will. Gore enters 2011 just 931 yards shy of the franchise rushing record.

Sorry Steve, money can't buy Randall's number



 



Philadelphia Eagles newly acquired wide receiver Steve Smith asked to wear the number 12 like he has entire career. One problem. The Eagles haven’t issued the number 12 since the team inducted former All-pro quarterback Randall Cunningham into its Ring of Honor in 2009. The former MVP says that he couldn’t even be paid to request the team putting his old number back in circulation. Cunningham said in a radio interview with Howard Eskin and Ike Reese that “he (Smith) couldn’t pay me a million dollars to wear that number.”

He also said that being inducted into the Ring of Honor was the highest honor he had ever received in his playing career. Cunningham said he would only give his blessing for his son to wear the number. So unless Steve Smith can get DNA proof that he is Cunningham’s son, it‘s time to get a new number.

Guess who's Back!

Peyton Manning orchestrates the offense



Everyone in Indiana can now breathe easy. Reggie Wayne can stop his crying. Peyton Manning is back to save the season. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was activated from the physically unable to perform list Monday and practiced today. Manning, despite numerous injuries to his receivers, threw for 4,700 yards with 33 touchdowns and 17 interceptions last season.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Manning has started 208 straight games and wants Brett Favre’s all time record of starting 297 games. Manning’s ability to play through pain and produce despite diminishing talent makes the Colts a team to watch for this upcoming season. So don’t fret Colts‘ fans, Super Manning is back.

Vick-torious Redemption



Hollywood couldn’t even write this script. Two years and one month after being released from federal prison, the Philadelphia Eagles have signed quarterback Michael Vick to a 6 year 100 million dollar extension. Talk about redemption. Vick was third on the depth chart in 2009 and now, 3,000 yards and 30 total touchdowns later, he is the unquestioned face of the franchise. The contract includes 40 million dollars in guaranteed money.

Did the Eagles over pay for Vick? Yes. Even they think so. ESPN reporter Sal Paolantonio said in a radio interview with Mike Missanelli that the Eagles wanted to pay Vick in the 12-13 million dollar per year range while Vick asked for 18.5. In the end, the Eagles bit the bullet and gave Vick his second 100 million dollar deal, averaging 16.67 per year.

This is a risky deal for multiple reasons. It remains to be seen whether Vick can stay healthy for 16 games or if last season’s success was an anomaly. What we do know is Vick will have to produce better than a 2-3 career playoff record to earn that money. When asked if the measuring stick of this deal is a Super Bowl title, Vick said “absolutely.”  If Vick wants Tom Brady money, time to put up Brady-like results.

Check out some highlights of Vick’s 100 million dollar season.

http://youtu.be/rXlk5B72qZ4

Shady Business; NCAA should pay players to correct its system



In the wake of  NCAA investigations at the University of Miami and Ohio State, the powers that be are scrambling to remedy corruption in college athletics. The answer really isn’t that hard to come by when college presidents and cooperate sponsors stop skating around the subject. Universities are cashing in big time off of these athletes and it’s time that schools start being obligating to compensate them.

I can already hear the holier-that-thou fans who went to schools that never compete sitting in their offices screaming “these guys are being paid with a free education!”  Well a free education is a minimum of what these athletes should be receiving. You never hear of Fortune 500 companies asking people to use their abilities for company gain and offer them free internet access, office supplies, and medical benefits in return. Why? Because that’s the bare minimum and we all want to be paid for what we do well. College athletics is one of the only businesses, and it is a business, that expects  most of it’s workers to be happy not getting paid.

CNN money reported that football programs in BCS conferences raked in 1.1 billion dollars in profits, led by the University of Texas’ 68.8 million dollar gain. That’s an average of 15.8 million dollars for 68 schools. So let me get this right. After schools pay the coaches, training staff, player scholarships and other expenses they still are almost 16 million dollars in the black. It’s not just football either. Men’s college basketball programs in the six major conferences profited 207 million dollars, led by the University of Louisville gaining $16.8 million.  The fact that schools don’t dedicate a portion of their profits to pay the athletes is exploitation in the purest sense.

What’s the problem with the University of Texas taking 2% of that $68.8 million and paying the players with it. That’s $1.26 million that can be divided up by the 100 players into bi-weekly stipends of $630.00 for the 10 months they are in school. And yes football and basketball players should be the ones that get paid because they are the sports that make money. When people start sleeping outside for gymnastics tickets, then they can have an argument.

People are so quick to accuse college athletes of abusing the system without understanding that the system is corrupt and needs to be fixed. It’s time to stop taking advantage of the players and give them what they’ve earned. A piece of the pie.

White Mike: Controversial picture crosses racial lines

ESPN, my favorite media outlet, has been known to tip-toe controversial lines to break quality stories. Well, they've finally crossed the line with their latest piece. ESPN the magazine has been running an ongoing story surveying NFL player's opinions on quarterback Michael Vick. The topics discussed were whether Vick was well-liked, whether his prison sentence was just and whether he had been treated fairly by the NFL.

Then the story took a racial turn. A question on the survey asked players if they felt Vick would have been treated differently if he were white. 58-percent of the players agreed his treatment would have different if he were white. Where ESPN completely dropped the ball is when they posted a picture of a white version of Michael Vick.

For a company that has made great business decisions in the past, this has to be one of the worst. Maybe George Bodenheimer, company president, didn't know that people used to paint their faces black and white to entertain others while degrading blacks in the process. This picture takes away one man's identity to fatten another mans pocket. They sold Vick out to sell a story. For a billion dollar company who usually gets things right, ESPN sure got this one all wrong.

Morgan helps Brewers win; "Tony Gumbo" gets wreckless on the mic



Nyjer Morgan of the Milwaukee Brewers went 4 for 6 and scored two runs in an 11-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. But it was after the game where he really made some noise.

During the post game interview, Morgan morphed into "Tony Gumbo," one of his alter egos. As he proceeded to grab the microphone from the reporter and takeover the interview, I couldn't help but to think that he was falling right into the stereotypical uneducated black athlete role.

Black men across the country had to be slightly offended, I know I was. I mean, when was the last time you saw Derek Jeter or Dustin Pedroia grab microphones during interviews and refer to themselves in multiple aliases? I guess the buffoonery continues. Thanks Nyjer for setting us back a few years.


Here's the clip, you be the judge.  

Raiders Shock no one; Take Pryor in 3rd round of Supplemental Draft

The Oakland Raiders may have gotten themselves their quarterback of the future when they took Ohio State’s Terrell Pryor in the 3rd round of the NFL Supplemental Draft. Pryor entered the draft when he was ruled ineligible by he NCAA due to receiving  improper benefits while at school. The embattled QB threw for over 6,100 yards and 57 touchdowns in his three years at OSU. Pryor will be suspended  for the first 5 weeks of the season for not cooperating with NCAA investigation of Ohio State.

The fact that Al Davis took this guy should be no shock to anyone. We all know that old Al falls in love with measurables (see: Heyward-Bey, Darrius) and as soon as Pryor ran 4.36, his ticket to Oakland was stamped. Davis has been out of touch with the NFL since he traded coach Jon Gruden to Tampa. Let’s just hope Pryor lasts longer than JaMarcus Russell.

Silent slugger: Thome Smashes 600th homer, cements HOF career

Jim Thome has always been the type who let his play do the talking. His dignified and quiet persona has allowed him to play 21 seasons in somewhat anonymity. But on August 15, the slugger from Peoria, IL hit a ball loud enough for all baseball fans to hear. That’s when Thome became just the 8th member of the 600 homerun club, solidifying his hall of fame status.
Surprisingly, writers from several media outlets still doubt Thome’s hall of fame chances. Detractors feel that he was never one of the 2 or 3 best players at his position, lacks awards, and he played designated hitter (DH) too much to be a hall of famer. In a nutshell, they feel Thome belongs in the class of very good ballplayers but not with the greats in the hall of fame. But when you take a look at Thome’s numbers, he is already among baseball’s greats. His .403 on-base percentage is better than the likes of Joe DiMaggio and Rickey Henderson. His 1 homerun per 13.6 at bat ratio is 5th all time, ahead of Ted Williams and Albert Pujols. To celebrate his consistency, from 1995-2008 Thome averaged 37 homers and 100 RBI. Within that stretch, he had a five year period (2000-2004) averaging a .281 batting average, 45 homers, 117 RBI and finished top seven in MVP voting three times. I would say that’s playing like one of the best at your position.
Thome hasn’t been a DH his whole career either. He spent 16 of his 21 seasons playing first or third base and compiled  a .988 fielding percentage. He has also shown clutch hitting with his 12 walk off homeruns which ranks second all time. Finally, the guy has just accomplished something that seven men prior have done, four of them clean of performance enhancing drug use. Thome hit his 600th homerun in fewer at bats than anyone other than Babe Ruth, and he did it all the right way.
Sure, Thome wasn’t the Hollywood ballplayer with endorsement deals bursting from his bank account. All he did was play the game with dignity and put up numbers that rival almost anyone in history. He didn’t lie, cheat or cut any corners. He just used his God-given ability to slug his way through the record books. Thome’s plaque will be revealed in Cooperstown five years or so after his retirement. The true baseball writers will recognize that Thome may have played the game quietly but he sure as hell carried a big stick.

Good Will Hunter: Phillies add Pence, protects title chances

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard steps to the plate in the top of the first inning with his team up 1-0. With a runner on second, Howard gets a series of off-speed pitches before grounding one weakly to second. Next up to bat was the newly acquired all star Hunter Pence. Pence rips a fastball into the gap for an RBI double. With Pence hitting behind him, Howard homered in two of his next three at bats. That’s what Pence is. He’s lineup protection. I grew downright irritated listening to scouts and so-called experts tell the entire Philadelphia area what Hunter Pence isn’t. Leading up to the MLB trade deadline all I heard was questions about his bat speed, his low walk totals, and his tendency to strike out often.  Luckily the Phillies only care about what he is and what he can do. The facts are he’s a two –time all star with a .290 career average. He provides the right-handed bat and protection for Howard that the Phillies sorely needed. He is a hardnosed player with a style that reflects the city. After top prospect Domonic Brown’s progress slowed, the team had to make a move to improve their championship chances. With the team’s expectations, they couldn’t afford to let Brown play through growing pains.  This is a win now team, in a win now city, with win now fans. This organization has a World Series or bust mentality. The team improved its championship chances by adding some much needed protection to their lineup. That’s exactly what Pence is. Good old-fashion protection.  Philadelphia style.