Preseason # 3......

Did you see the Lions-Patriots game Saturday night? Jim Schwartz has built a formidable team. And I mean FAST!!! Those guys were flying around the ball. They had Tom Brady shaking his head. The Patriots simply did not have an answer to the aggressive Lions defense. I am surprised Belicheck left Brady in as long as he did. The Lions beat him up pretty bad.I can't say how many games they will win at this point but I guarantee one thing these guys are going to be competitive and they will upset some good teams this year. They could challenge the Bears and Vikings for the number 2 spot in the Division. The scary thing for me is they come through the NFC South and I just hope it's the Falcons, Bucs, and Panthers that get their good game and not the Saints. The Lions are going to rip up some teams this year. You heard it here first.

Week 2 in the Preseason......

The big news this past weekend was Larry Fitzgerald's humongous contract of $120M with close to $50M guaranteed. The big question....Is he worth it? And if he is...then what is the worth of other receivers that have either won more games or won a championship? Unfortunately, wherever you come down, this new contract has started a firestorm throughout the league. In other big news the Oakland Raiders give up a 3rd round pick in next year's draft for Terrelle Pryor in this year's Supplemental Draft. I know preseason is preseason but look out for the Patriots this year. This could be Brady's best if they can put the pieces together and make it work. Finally, to reiterate what I said last week..."WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE THE COLTS THINKING IN THIS YEAR'S DRAFT?" How about not the QB position where they should have focused. Yes you have a Hall of Fame QB in Peyton Manning. But he won't last forever! This will be his 14th season and he is in jeopardy of ending his streak of starts this year. On a side note Brett Favre may still keep his streak intact. The rumor mill has Colts owner Jim Irsay in Mississippi visiting in the area where Brett lives. A recruiting trip??? Maybe. I told my friends over the weekend if Brett Favre came back this season, it would be on the condition that he not play a full schedule. This might just fit that bill. We'll see.......

2011 Football Season Begins.........Part 2

Well, now that the nonsense is over and Peyton Manning along with Tom Brady have their new contracts in hand, we can breathe a sigh of relief that FOOTBALL IS HERE! Patriots look like they are regaining their form. The big question in Boston is "Will Ochocinco become an el Problemo"??? Only time will tell. The Colts are in real trouble with Manning on the PUP list. Why the Colts still have Curtis Painter on the roster is beyond me. Where is the front office? You know going in to the offseason that your Starting QB is having surgery and will be coming back for his 14th season and you don't draft a quarterback. What are you thinking? Now we know Manning is durable simply because he's lasted 13 years in the League. But at the same time you've got to know this will be the last contract he signs. He will more than likely retire in a few years, depending largely on his health, and await his induction on a first ballot to the Hall Of Fame in Canton. You have to wonder, given Bill Polian's reputation, is this another cheap move by Jim Irsay to save a little money. I would be extremely concerned if all I had to back up Manning was Painter and Orlovsky and two unknown rookies. Somebody in Indy is asleep at the wheel. Really not much else has caught my attention. Cam Newton made his debut and he looked.....like a rookie. I honestly believe the coaches at Carolina didn't want him to run just yet because that's his secret weapon. The guy is built like a tank and reminds me of a young Daunte Culpepper who can actually throw...an accurate pass. Speaking of Culpepper he was just retrieved from his living room couch by the 49ers for a look see. I guess after that massacre at the hands of the Saints defense in New Orleans on Friday night, Jim Harbaugh thought better of his depth at quarterback. Finally, I said it last year and I'll say it again....the pundits are all wet on Tim Tebow. This kid will be a starter. He's intelligent and very talented and has great physical presence. Kyle Orton is not a bad QB, but when you have a Tim Tebow sitting on the bench you have a lot more talent there. Is he rough? Yes. Is he raw? Yes. Tebow needs a good QB coach and mentor. If John Fox wants to last as long in Denver as he did in Carolina, he better start recognizing that talent. Unfortunately, his record is quite different when it comes to judging QB talent. He never drafted an adequate back up to Jake Delhomme and when Jake started to show signs of aging Fox couldn't bring himself to replace Jake. Being from New Orleans, where Delhomme got his start I too am a big fan. Jake has a heart bigger than anyone and the fire to go with it. The problem is the physical tools are not there anymore and John Fox was responsible for correcting the situation by at least having a QB waiting in the wings and knowing when to pull the trigger. I hope for Fox's sake he doesn't make the same mistake twice.
A brief mention about the Cowboys and Eagles....Both will need to gel quickly to keep up with the Saints and Falcons. Eagles have the talent but Dallas is still searching for an identity.
Okay...It is your turn. Tell me what you think of the NFL this year or your favorite team.

Football is Here...Finally Part 1

I know you've been wondering....What happened to the Crazy Football Fan? Well there's finally something to talk about. Now that the CBA has been voted on and everyone is allowed now to practice, we have something to discuss. I refused to waste my time writing about grown men whining about money when most of the ones who are whining don't face the same challenges that we the fans face in our every day lives. Namely, will we even have a job vs how many millions or billions are we going to split. Sometimes we the fans get lost in the shuffle. One point that stood out in the CBA that struck me as another stupid move by the players is allowing the NFL to dictate to the players the usage or non-usage of HGH. For those of you who aren't familiar with HGH, it stands for Human Growth Hormone. There is no evidence that this is anything but good for people. Some who are researching HGH believe it is the true "Fountain of Youth". There is no direct evidence that HGH is dangerous. So, why not let players take something that could help extend their career? More importantly why do the players not fight harder for the things that matter. In the end, it seems like all they are interested in is the money. What a shame. Which leads me to my other point...Why did they not fight harder on these diet pill cases like the one involving the Saints and Minnesota players? It is absolutely ridiculous that if a player takes a diet pill that happens to have a chemical in it that MAY mask steroid use can be grounds for a 4-game suspension. Especially when the players in question have impeccable character and have no previous failed tests for steroids or anything else. These are the kinds of issues that the players should have fought harder for instead of worrying about the owners getting an extra billion here or there.