Bucs Release Offensive Coordinator

Tampa released offenseive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski this morning. Yeah, he's the guy who was in the news for interviewing for the N.Y. Jets job while he was still a coach at Boston College. Kind of funny how he lost his BC job just for interviewing elsewhere, and now he doesn't have a job at all.
So far, it appears that personality issues might have been the cause for Jagodzinski's release. I'm wondering if it had anything to do with the fact that he's just plain got a weird name.
The Bucs have promoted quarterbacks coach Greg Olson to the job of offensive coordinator. This answers my first question, which was...I wonder if they'll go after Chan Gailey, who was just released by Kansas City.
I just wonder if there will be any hard feelings now within the organization between Olson and head coach Raheem Morris. Morris could have originally promoted Olson to the job of offensive coordinator, after he had spent a few years with that same title in St. Louis. Instead, Morris chose to go with Jagodzinski, and he left Olson at the QB coaching job. Now, it's likely that this promotion for Olson is a move from ouside Morris's reach. Remember, Raheem Morris got the head coaching job without ever even being a coordinator. He was promoted from a position coaching gig.


Things are definitely strange in Tampa these days. This move definitely won't have me changing my last prediction that the Bucs will finish last in the division this year.

Worst-to-first in the NFC South

The NFC South's "worst-to-first" pattern had an amazing streak going earlier this decade. From 2003-2007, the team that placed last in the division went on to win it the following season. Also, it seems that division winners tend to struggle the following season.

Carolina finished last in 2002 and won the division in 2003.

Atlanta finished last in 2003 and won the division in 2004.

Tampa Bay finished last in 2004 and won the division in 2005.

New Orleans finished last in 2005 and won the division in 2006.

Tampa Bay finished last in 2007 and won the division in 2007.

In 2008, Carolina hit a last second field goal to defeat New Orleans. If the Saints could have won that game, then the Falcons would have won the NFC South after finishing last in 2007. Still, Atlanta earned a playoff spot in 2008. So, if you are a believer of patterns or trends in sports, then you must be a believer in the Saints for the 2009 NFL season.

After watching a lot of preseason games so far this year, I really believe that 2009 will be no different than the past six years in the NFC South. I think the Saints will win the division, and the Panthers will really struggle.

Sure, Carolina has an outstanding running game to go along with one of football's greatest receivers. I just think they'll have to put up a ton of points to compete this year, considering how poor their defense will perform.

Replacing defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu with a guy like Louis Leonard just might still leave a little left to be desired on the defensive line. Also, the Panthers are experiencing very poor secondary production right now, not to mention the fact that Pro Bowl linebacker Jon Beason could miss a few games.

As for the Saints, I really see their defense picking it up a little this year. They've gotten better where they needed help, and their offense will still be just as strong as it was last year. I could even see Mike Bell and Robert Meachem stepping up this year to give the new offensive coordinator a few more options.

The Bucs will likely struggle in 2009, and I don't see the Falcons winning the division. Atlanta may finish second this year, but they will struggle defensively just like Carolina this season.

Here's how it will shake out for 2009:

Saints

Falcons

Panthers

Bucs

Don't worry Tampa fans. 2010 is your year!

I'm a Fraud!

I'm very embarrassed to admit it, but I recently went against everything this blog stands for. I was picking in my fantasy football league at work, and I was just too weak to pass up Roddy White in the fifth round. Several receivers rated below (worse than) him had already been selected when it was my turn. In all honesty, he was a steal at the place I got him in my draft. Still, I feel sick!

I drafted a Falcon. The Falcons Suck!!! How could I do this? I've beating myself up over this for a few days, and all I can come up with is that I was greedy.

We give a nice trophy to the fantasy football winner every year, and it was right there in front of me...just taunting me as I was up to make my selection. I could have taken a less proven wide-receiver, but I turned my back on all of my principles just for the chance to win a stupid trophy.

I've tried to make myself feel better by saying, "at least I didn't take Michael Turner or Matt Ryan", but I know I'm just letting myself off easy there. I should be ashamed of myself. Maybe I'll trade him. But then I'd still be benefitting from the speculation that a Falcon might actually live up to their potential. How many Falcons can you think of that have actually lived up to their potential in the NFL?

I'll understand if you want to bash me for my cowardice. I deserve it.

I apologize if I've let you down.

"What the hell is Brett Favre Doing Here?"

By now, I'm sure you've heard that Brett Favre has signed a two year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Personally, I never believed him three weeks ago when he said he wasn't coming back, but still, I guess this is newsworthy. What it means to the NFC South is very little, considering the fact that there's now way that the Vikings will compete for a playoff wildcard spot this year, and they only play one team from the division. Sure, they could make the playoffs, but they'll have to win the North to do that. I'd be willing to bet just about anything that the wildcards will come out of the South or the East again this year.

The one team in the division that will face Favre this year is the Panthers. Great news for Carolina fans...they don't play them until late December. That means that Favre will either be banged up and on the bench by then, or he'll be tired and throwing tons of INTs. Still, the Vikings were able to beat the Panthers last year without a solid quarterback even on the roster.

I'll definitely pick Carolina to win this game, I just hope they pick up a veteran defensive tackle before then.

Carolina looked rough at times in their first preseason game on Monday Night Football this week. It looks like Nick Hayden just won't be the guy to fill the hole at defensive tackle. He was getting pushed around like he was some high school player out there. Granted, the Giants have a strong offensive line, but still...that performance was a little ridiculous. I did however really like what I saw from linebacker J Leman. He could turn out to be a solid special-teamer for Carolina.

On another note from that Panthers/Giants game, I really liked what Coach Gruden was able to bring to the broadcast booth. I'm pretty sure someone told him to talk more during the games, because last week he seemed very nervous, while this week he wouldn't shut up. I especially liked when he called DeAngelo Williams the NFL's best running back.

I enjoy the football knowledge he brings to a broadcast, and he just reminds me of how much I couldn't stand listening to Tony Kornheiser. I do enjoy PTI, I just don't want to hear about American Idol while watching Monday Night Football.

Fantasy Rankings: Quarterbacks

Deciding when to take a quarterback is pretty difficult in most leagues. Most fantasy draft tips suggest that picking a running back is the way to go with your first two picks. I actually disagree.

If you can pick up one of the top four quarterbacks this year, I'd definitely go that route before taking a middle-of-the road running back. The reason is because lots of running backs fit into the middle-of-the road category, and if you miss out on one guy, you'll probably be able to get someone fairly comparable in the next round. With the top-end quarterbacks, the points are just too hard to make up if you pass on them. For instance, last year, only five other quarterbacks scored within 100 points of Drew Brees (in my Yahoo league). Also, the fantasy team with the most successful quarterback has won my league, each of the last four years.

Then again, my league gives six points for a passing touchdown. Still, you should consider at least my top four guys earlier than the "expert" lists might suggest.

This is my QB list for 2009. Picking up a backup is necessary, so I'll list 24 (helpful for leagues of 12). As always, my list was made by looking at projections and last year's fantasy totals.

1. Drew Brees

2. Tom Brady

3. Peyton Manning

4. Aaron Rodgers

5. Phillip Rivers

6. Kurt Warner

7. Donovan McNabb

8. Tony Romo

9. Jay Cutler

10. Eli Manning

11. Carson Palmer

12. Matt Cassel

13. Matt Shaub

14. Matt Ryan

15. Jake Delhomme

16. Chad Pennington

17. David Garrard

18. Trent Edwards

19. Ben Roethlisberger

20. Kyle Orton

21. Jason Campbell

22. Matt Hasselbeck

23. Kerry Collins

24. Joe Flacco

Other backups to watch: Brady Quinn, Sage Rosenfels, Matt Stafford)

Fantasy Rankings: Running Backs

This is the big one. RB is the most important position for almost all fantasy leagues. Who is going to be this year's LT? Who is going to be this year's DeAngelo Williams. One of those guys was taken as a first pick in most leagues, while the other was picked as a bench player. LT was sort of a let-down, while Williams had more fantasy points than any other RB last year.

It's tough, but fun!

Here's my list of RBs for 2009. As always, I made my list by looking at "expert" opinions, last year's point totals, and a little intuition. I'll list 36 since I'm sure I'll pick up at least 3 in my fantasy draft. Enjoy.

1. Adrian Peterson

2. Matt Forte

3. DeAngelo Williams

4. Michael Turner

5. Clinton Portis

6. Brian Westbrook

7. Maurice Jones-Drew

8. LaDainian Tomlinson
9. Brandon Jacobs

10. Steve Slaton

11. Steven Jackson

12. Chris Johnson

13. Marion Barber

14. Thomas Jones

15. Frank Gore

16. Ronnie Brown

17. Ryan Grant

18. Marshawn Lynch

19. Larry Johnson

20. Jonathan Stewart

21. LenDale White

22. Willie Parker

23. Kevin Smith

24. Le'Ron McClain

25. Tim Hightower

26. Reggie Bush

27. Joseph Addai

28. Derrick Ward

29. Sammy Morris

30. Felix Jones

31. Jerious Norwood

32. Knowshon Moreno

33. Jamal Lewis

34. Julius Jones

35. LeSean McCoy

36. Leon Washington

Fantasy Rankings: Wide Receivers

Now we are getting into the good stuff. Quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers are always the most exciting and anticipated picks in a fantasy draft. This year, to form my list for WRs, I printed out an "expert's" list, and compared it to the how many fantasy points each receiver scored last year. Throw in a little intuition, and that's how you form a solid rankings list.

Since my league requires a team to start 3 receivers, and there are 12 people in my league, I've got 36 WRs on the list. Enjoy.

1. Larry Fitzgerald

2. Andre Johnson

3. Randy Moss

4. Calvin Johnson

5. Steve Smith

6. Reggie Wayne

7. Roddy White

8. Terrell Owens

9. Greg Jennings

10. Anquan Boldin

11. Antonio Bryant

12. Roy Williams

13. Wes Welker

14. Vincent Jackson

15. Brandon Marshall

16. Lee Evans

17. Hines Ward

18. Braylon Edwards

19. Bernard Berrian

20. Dwayne Bowe

21. Santana Moss

22. DeSean Jackson

23. Devin Hester

24. Kevin Walker

25. Marques Colston

26. T.J. Houshmandzadeh

27. Santonio Holmes

28. Donald Driver

29. Lance Moore

30. Jerricho Cotchery

31. Chad Ochocinco

32. Anthony Gonzalez

33. Torry Holt

34. Laveranues Coles

35. Muhsin Muhammad

36. Patrick Crayton

37. Justin Gage

38. Domenik Hixon

39. Percy Harvin

40. Steve Breaston

41. Chris Chambers

42. Ted Ginn Jr.

43. Derrick Mason

44. Eddie Royal

45. Isaac Bruce

46. Steve Smith (NYG)

47. Nate Washington

48. Michael Jenkins

Okay, so I got a little carried away. As I was finishing my list of 36, I realized that I'll definitely need at least one backup WR. I'll do rankings for RBs and QBs in the next couple of days.

Fantasy Rankings: Tight Ends

I'm usually one of the last people to draft a tight end. If the absolute best tight ends are already gone, I'd much rather go ahead and take a solid backup at running back or wide receiver.

Below is my list of the top 12 tight ends for 2009. My list was made by comparing each player's fantasy points from 2008 to lists made thus far by the "experts."

I really hated to put Tony Gonzalez so high, but I really believe he'll be Ryan's #2 option in Atlanta this year. Along that same line, with the departure of T.O. in Dallas, I believe Jason Witten will prove to be Tony Romo's #1 go-to guy in the passing game. Here's how the rest of my list shakes out...

1. Jason Witten (Dal)

2. Tony Gonzales (Atl)

3. Antonio Gates (SD)

4. Dallas Clark (Ind)

5. Visanthe Shiancoe (Min)

6. Owen Daniels (Hou)

7. John Carlson (Sea)

8. Kellen Winslow Jr. (TB)

9. Greg Olsen (Chi)

10. Dustin Keller (NYJ)

11. Tony Scheffler (Den)

12. Chris Cooley (Was)

A few others were close to making the list. If you need a backup tight end, you should consider Kevin Boss, Anthony Fasano, or Heath Miller.

Boo-Birds in Charlotte

It has been very difficult for some Carolina Panthers fans to deal with their ugly playoff loss from last season. It's no secret that Jake Delhomme had the worst game of his career in that matchup against the Cardinals. His six turnovers sure made Arizona's job a little easier that night.

The Panthers fans that were in attendance either left the game early, or sat in their chairs suffering from complete shock as they watched their NFC South winning team completely implode.

Now, the fans have had the majority of an offseason to stew over the loss, and decide how to deal with it. Some have decided to move on and look forward to a promising 2009, while others have chosen to go with the bratty teenager method. These are the fans that showed up for the Panthers "Fan Fest" in Bank of America Stadium last Saturday.

Fan Fest is usually a great opportunity for fans to see the team in action, while also getting to have some fun with "Sir Purr" and the new "Topcats."

This year, the event turned a little...well, we'll say it turned a little "Denver". By now, I'm sure you've heard that the Broncos' new QB, Kyle Orton, was heavily booed by fans in Denver. Well, Charlotte saw a little bit of that on Saturday, when the usually tame Panthers fans decided to let Jake Delhomme know exactly how they felt. After getting picked off (because of a poor WR route), the boo-birds showed themselves.

While I support a fan's right to have an opinion and boo, I don't have to like the actions of stupid people. Jake Delhomme is not a "marquee player" (to quote Jerry Maguire). He doesn't marry supermodels, or go on SNL, or even endorse Axe Hair Spray so he can go flirt with Carson Daly. He's a middle-of-the road QB, who has the heart of a champion. His skills don't match those of the league's elite, but his determination and leadership abilities never cease to impress me.

I am struggling to understand how Panthers fans forgot so quickly that Delhomme led his one (good) receiver team into the second round of the playoffs last season. It frustrates me that his successes can be overshadowed in the blink of an eye by one defeat. Albeit, it was an awful defeat, but still, he's earned a better support group.

So, the boos have flown and the sounds were heard by Delhomme. What now?

First of all, I truly hope the fans have gotten it out of their system. I've watched Jake Delhomme play many many games, and I really enjoy what he brings to a team. There are only about six or seven QBs I'd rather have leading my team than Jake Delhomme. He's going to pick himself up and make up for that miserable playoff perfomance very soon. Fans should not be worried.

Secondly, I don't think the boos will get to him like they might with a player like Kyle Orton. Delhomme has dealt with adversity in the past. He knows how to clean up a mess and prove everyone wrong. Orton hasn't really proven that he can do that.

Want to know my prediction for when exactly Delhomme will prove all of his booing friends to be idiots??? How about September 20th? That is when the Panthers will be heading to Atlanta to dismantle their spotty defense. The Panthers may win their first game against the Eagles. I just really can't wait to see what they do the Dirty Birds.

The Falcons Suck. Delhomme will prove this very soon.

Fantasy Rankings: Defense/Special Teams

Having a solid defense/special teams on your side for fantasy football is crucial. As always, it's very important to find out how your league distributes points for this category. My league gives points for just about any positive thing your defense might accomplish. Also, there is often a certain number of points award for defenses who give up a smaller amount of points. So, for instance, you might not want to start the defense/special teams unit that is going up against a red-hot Tom Brady and Randy Moss. You would want to start the defense/special teams fortunate enough to line up with, let's say, the 49ers. Shutouts are worth a lot of points. You might even want to pick up Arizona's defense for the week that they face Carolina this year. Then again, they might just opt to hand the ball off every down this time...ouch!!!

This is my list for the top Defense/Special Teams this year. I realize that it's a little different from the popular lists floating around online, but I'm okay with that. I compared those lists to the actual number of points scored last year on Yahoo. I mixed all that up with my incredible ability to predict the future. Here it is...

1. Baltimore

2. Pittsburgh

3. Philadelphia

4. Chicago

5. NYGiants

6. Minnesota

7. New England

8. Dallas

9. Tennessee

10. Carolina

11. Miami

12. Arizona

32. Atlanta (The Falcons defense REALLY Sucks!!!)

The Falcons Suck: Harry Douglas Goes Down

Falcons receiver Harry Douglas, who was taking first-team snaps in Roddy White's absence, went down with a leg injury at practice Wednesday. By the way, in case you didn't know, White was absent due to contract negotiations.

It's always difficult to tell if a camp injury is serious right away, but the signs here aren't great. Douglas had to be helped by two people to get off the field and onto a cart. An earlier version of the story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that Matt Ryan shouted a "loud expletive" after seeing Douglas hit the deck. In case you are wondering, it is believed that Ryan just screamed, "you bitch" to the defensive back closest to Douglas at the time of the injury.

"You can't speculate," coach Mike Smith said. "Anytime you lose any player it's not the best situation. Harry is an integral part of our team. "Douglas is coming off a quietly impressive rookie year and was expected to challenge Michael Jenkins for a starting job. If Douglas is out for a significant amount of time, the Falcons are down to Jenkins, Brian Finneran, and a slew of receivers without NFL production. (They signed Dickie Lyons Tuesday . . . and released him Wednesday.)

This injury leaves three inevitable truths.

1. Roddy White is about to get the contract he wants.

2. Matt Ryan and Tony Gonzalez are about to have a Tony Romo/Jason Witten kind of relationship.

3. The Falcons will still suck!!!

Fantasy Rankings: Kickers

I like to pick my kicker with one of my absolute last picks in the draft. Sometimes people find it necessary to get all of their starters before picking up any backups. That's ridiculous!

Make sure you've got a backup RB, WR, and QB (at least) before even thinking about a kicker.

Here's my top 12 list:

1. Rob Bironas - TN

2. Mason Crosby - GB

3. Stephen Goskowski - NE

4. Robbie Gould - Chi

5. David Akers - Phi

6. Nate Kaeding - SD

7. John Kasay - Car

8. Jason Elam (The Falcons Suck) - Atl

9. Neil Rackers - Ari

10. Ryan Longwell - Min

11. Adam Vinatieri - Ind

12. Kris Brown - Hou

More fantasy rankings coming soon!

Very Early Training-Camp Injuries

Good news and bad news!!!
Good: All NFL teams are officially back at training camp.
Bad: All NFL teams are officially back at training camp.
Sure, it's exciting, but I'm already going blue in the face from holding my breath.
The NFC South has already had a couple first-week injuries to star players. Training-camp reports have already confirmed these injuries:

Panthers:
Jon Beason - Tweaked hamstring. Beason has already said that he'll be okay. He said he wished he could even get back out and play agiain tonight.
Maake Kemoeatu - Injuried an ankle while running. Kemo's injury seems to be a little more serious. The team has already sent him back to Charlotte for further medical attention. If he's not going to be okay, this could prove to be a big problem for the Panthers.

Bucs:
Antonio Bryant - Slightly injured foot. Supposedly just sore now. It appears that he'll be alright.
Kellen Winslow - Sore ankle. I thought he was a "soldier". Maybe he'll be able to walk this one off. BTW, the above image is from 2006...so chill out Bucs fans. He's not in a cast.

Saints:
On Sunday, Chris Mortensen bragged about Reggie Bush's "stunning explosiveness". On Monday, Bush was held out of practice due to swelling in his knee.

WRs Lance Moore and Adrian Arrington are still not fully healed from shoulder and hamstring injuries.
Jonathan Vilma is still recovering from abdomen surgery.

Falcons:
Curtis Lofton was held out of practice with a hamstring injury.
Tony Tiller injured his left ankle at camp on Saturday.
I'm sure Falcons fans (both of them) will be frantically checking injury reports every day to make sure Peria Jerry and Trey Lewis are okay. If they lost one of those guys, they'd be about as screwed as Carolina would be if they lost Kemoeatu or Lewis...wait...crap!

Fantasy Rankings: Defensive Players

This will be the first year that my friends and I draft defensive players in our fantasy league. Points are given for interceptions, sacks, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, safeties, TDs, and even tackles. Here is the list I'll be using: (BTW, I've only got 12 on the list because there are 12 people in our league, and I know I'll just take one defensive player at the draft this year)

1. Patrick Willis (SF) - LB

2. Jon Beason (Car) - LB

3. DeMarcus Ware (Dal) - LB

4. Barret Ruud (TB) - LB

5. Jonathan Vilma (NO) - LB

6. Lance Briggs (Chi) - LB

7. Eric Weddle (SD) - S

8. James Harrison (Pit) - LB

9. D'Qwell Jackson (Cle) - LB

10. Antoine Winfield (Min) - CB

11. Jerod Mayo (NE) - LB

12. Gibril Wilson (Mia) - S

Others in consideration were Kirk Morrison (Oak), Karlos Dansby (Ari), and London Fletcher (Was).

Tampa 2: No Longer in Tampa

Everyone knows that the Tampa 2 defensive scheme was made popular under Tony Dungy. Dungy made the system famous when he was the head coach for Tampa...though he developed the system by watching the original Steel Curtain in Pittsburgh.

The system has since followed him to Indianapolis, and even branched out to many other football stadiums across the country. All-the-while, the Tampa 2 remained a big part of the defensive side of the ball with the Bucs, as Monte Kiffin was still there.

Now, Kiffin and Dungy are both long-gone from Tampa...and so is the Tampa 2.

CB Ronde Barber was one of the few longtime Bucs who survived the housecleaning done by GM Mark Dominik this offseason, and the team is expecting him to play at a high level this season, despite a clear decline in his performance during 2008. The club hasn't expressed much apprehension about Barber, but observers are concerned about his ability to play in new defensive coordinator Jim Bates' scheme, which asks the corners to play bump-and-run. That coverage doesn't mesh with Barber's capabilities at this stage of his career, and sources say Bates may have to tinker with his system to allow Barber to play off the ball more often.

I'd imagine as far as Rhonde is concerned, he might be better suited (at his age) for a bump and run as opposed to the hard hitting coverage the Tampa 2 demands. Sounds kinda like they are designing a defense around an aging player as opposed to obtaining younger players with more speed. Well, at least for now it seems like that's what they're doing. Barber is the only old guy/veteran in the Bucs' secondary, so I could see his days in Tampa being numbered. I mean, if they'll let go of Derrick Brooks, who was a Tampa icon, they'll probably be okay to part with Rhonde too. Should be interesting to watch.

Sounds like a short term solution brought on by a new coaching staff to make the best out of what they have. We'll see if it works out or not.

I'll sure be pulling for them November 29th, and January 1st!!!

Best Breakthrough Athlete???

Surprisingly enough, the ESPY Awards continued to entertain again this year. Most of what ESPN puts out bugs me and comes across like they're trying too hard. However, when you put (Vol fan) Samuel L. Jackson behind the mic to intro sports highlights all night...I'm in!

A big category every year is the "Best Breakthrough Athlete" award. It has gone to some tremendous athletes over the years, like Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, and LeBron James. Then again, the award has also been a little too ambitious for some players as well. Like when Devin Hester won the award in 2007. I'm pretty sure he's not done anything too impressive in Chicago since winning the award.

This year, the list of nominees was very solid.

--Shawn Johnson (Olympic gymnast) - Silver medals in team AND individal all-around. She also won Dancing With the Stars this year.

--Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays) - Unanimous pick for Rookie of the Year in MLB. He set the post season home run record for first year players.

--Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls) - NBA Rookie of the Year

--Matt Ryan (Dirty Birds) - NFL Rookie of the Year. QBed (a running) team to the playoffs. He landing super-masuline endorsement deal with Axe Hair Spray.

After reading the write-ups on these nominees, who would you pick? I'd have a really tough time picking between Shawn Johnson and Evan Longoria. Rose and Ryan honestly wouldn't even come to mind as deserving winners. How do you take the freaking RAYS to the World Series, after winning that impossible division, and NOT win? How do you win major medals for your country in the olympics as a team and indidual "player" and NOT win?

Better yet, how do you get enough credit to win this award just by playing QB for a team that lost in the Wild-Card round of the NFL playoffs? Joe Flacco was a rookie too, but he sure didn't get the kind of credit Ryan is getting. Flacco even took his team to the AFC Championship Game.

Could it have anything to do with the fact that Matt Ryan isn't funny looking like Joe Flacco??? What...could I actually have a good point here?! Ryan endorses products that 15 year old guys use, and he goes on Carson Daily's show to flirt with the host. Flacco (who was more deserving) is funny-looking, and has little commercial appeal...so he isn't going to even be mentioned. While we're at it, I'd like to see a defensive star get the nod for this award sometime. If the voters really looked at stats instead of popularity, Jerod Mayo could have been in the running too.

Congrats Matt Ryan. You just won the "Most Popular New Guy" Award!!! Your franchise has been in existence for 43 years, and NEVER have back-to-back winning seasons. You're not going to have another year like 2008 for a while.

BTW, I got this story added to a great website...Bleacher Report. Here's the link http://bleacherreport.com/articles/221344-best-breakthrough-athlete

THE FINALS!!! QB Fighting Tournamet (UFC meets NFL)

After some tough battles, I believe this is what the final four would look like in a UFC-style tournament with NFL QBs.

AFC Final:

--Roethlisberger vs. Rivers - Rivers pulled off the greatest defeat of this tournament when he defeated JaMarcus Russell a few rounds ago. Though I do believe he's a crazy man, who could be a solid UFC-style fighter...I just don't see him pulling one out against Big Ben. Roethelisberger is a winner.

NFC Final:

--Rodgers vs. McNabb - In this one, I really see Rodgers giving it his all, and barely falling short to an older, bigger, more determined Donovan McNabb.

FINAL MATCH!!!

--Ben Roethlisberger vs. Donovan McNabb - This would be one heck of a final match. I'd honestly love to see it. I actually might see what I can do to really pull this off. If anyone reading this has any connections...please, make it happen!

Here's how I think it would shake-out...Big Ben wins it all. Whenever McNabb seems to be faced with a tough situation, he likes to gripe and bitch about it. Whenever Roethlisberger faces an injury (or even a freaking motorcycle accident), he just gets right back up, and continues winning.

Tournament Champion: BEN ROETHLISBERGER

Rounds Two & Three - QB FIGHTING TOURNAMENT (UFC meets NFL)

This is the second (and third) round of the QB Fighting Tournament, where we look at who might win a UFC style tournament among NFC QBs. The second round will determine division champions. The third will feature matchups that will set up the overall final four.

AFC North

--Roethlisberger vs. Flacco - Flacco has a chance at doing well for himself. There's just no way he beats Big Ben.

AFC South

--Collins vs. Schaub - Again, Schaub is very used to getting knocked on his can and then getting right back up. I see Collins eventually wearing out and losing in a rope-a-dope style match.

AFC East

--Edwards vs. Brady - "That's my quarterback (tear)!" T.O. has emotionally got the back of Trent Edwards. Close match, but Brady goes down.

AFC West

--Rivers vs. Russell - This is the absolute toughest match to call in the whole tournament. Rivers is crazy, while Russell is lazy. Still, Russell is huge. I've flipped a coin...and the crazy one has it!

NFC North

--Favre vs. Rodgers - Most anticipated bout in the NFC. I believe Rodgers might have more anger held back towards Favre than he lets-on. Favre goes down in an upset!

NFC South

--Delhomme vs. McCown - Delhomme is one of the only athletes to ever come back and succeed after Tommy John surgery. He's tough and cajun. He moves on.

NFC East

--Campbell vs. McNabb - Donovan McNabb eats Campbell for dinner! Campbell's Chunky Soup...that is.

NFC West

--Warner vs. Hill - Are you kidding? No way Warner loses to this joker.

Round Three

--Roethlisberger vs. Schaub - I've got a feeling Matt Schaub will have a few Super Bowl ring implants on his face...Ace Ventura style.

--Edwards vs. Rivers - I'm just hoping Rivers doesn't eat him.

--Rodgers vs. Delhomme - Could be a solid fight. Rodgers is younger, and much quicker. Delhomme goes down.

--McNabb vs. Warner - I'd love to see this one. McNabb wins in a bloody fight where they both end up with cauliflower ear.

FINAL FOUR MATCHUPS!!!

--Roethlisberger vs. Rivers

--Rodgers vs. McNabb

NFC-QB FIGHTING TOURNAMENT (UFC meets NFL)

NFC North

--Favre vs. Culpepper - Good thing these matches don't go 16 rounds, or Favre wouldn't make it. He's tough. He wears Wranglers. Favre wins.

--Cutler vs. Rodgers - I fully expect Cutler to even whine about having to fight.

NFC South

--Delhomme vs. Brees - Delhomme is from Louisiana originally, where they wrestle gators in the bayou. He could destroy mole-face.

--Ryan vs. McCown - Ryan's hair gel will likely be a distraction. McCown beats him like the woman he is.

NFC East

--Manning vs. Campbell - No contest. The Mannings need to stick to Oreo-licking...and well, I guess they are good at football too.

--McNabb vs. Romo - Ha!! McNabb would make him cry.

NFC West

--Warner vs. Bulger - Warner is a fighter...figuratively and literally in this case.

--Hill vs. Hasselbeck - Boring fight! Hill wins just because Hasselbeck can't.

Next round matchups:

Favre vs. Rodgers

Delhomme vs. McCown

Campbell vs. McNabb

Warner vs. Hill

AFC-QB FIGHTING TOURNAMENT (UFC meets NFL)

The seeding for each division is based on how a QBs team finished last season. I'll break down each division before moving on to the next rounds.

AFC North

--Roethlisberger vs. Quinn - No question. Big Ben looks like Frank Dux in this fastest knockout ever.

--Flacco vs. Palmer - Flacco's a big dude. Plus, he played for the Fighting Blue Hens. He wins.

AFC South

--Collins vs. Garrard - Collins is the comeback kid. No way he's losing unless it's a real fighter.

--Manning vs. Schaub - I'm still disturbed from the time when Peyton took his shirt off on SNL. I say he goes down in this one. Plus, Schaub is used to getting knocked around.

AFC East

--Pennington vs. Edwards - Edwards wins this one.

--Brady vs. Sanchez - Brady may be a pretty-boy softie, but there's no way he's losing to this kid.

AFC West

--Rivers vs. Cassel - Paramedics will be on-hand. Rivers wins quickly.
--Orton vs. Russell - Russell is lazy, but he has the potential to go all-the-way in this tourney.

Next Round matchups:

Roethlisberger vs. Flacco

Collins vs. Schaub

Edwards vs. Brady

Rivers vs. Russell

Coming tomorrow...NFC QBs get in the ring.

QBs FIGHTING TOURNAMENT (UFC meets NFL)

So, I watched the UFC fights this weekend and they were great. Now, today I've found a cool web article where someone has ranked the 12 starting QBs of the SEC, and how they'd fare in physical combat.

Great idea!! BTW, that site is http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/

What we are going to do now, is set up a list for the 32 NFL starting QBs. It will be more easily ranked as a tournament. I'll do a run-down of each division, and then go from there.

This is gonna be fun.

Fantasy Tip: RBs

That first pick in your fantasy draft is always the toughest. Do you pick Jones-Drew or Frank Gore? Do you take a QB over a RB? Do you consider a WR with a late first-round pick? Questions like these are usually pretty difficult to make when you are on-the-clock, and your drunk friends are screaming at you to hurry. This year, I say throw out the popular belief that you've got to pick up a RB with that first pick. Unless it really is one of the top guys, I'd recommend grabbing a top-flight QB.

I say this because even the best RBs last year will likely see a drop off this year in numbers, and they share more snaps with very capable counterparts. DeAngelo Williams and Michael Turner were (by far) the best backs in the NFL last year...fantasy-wise. But this year, Jonathan Stewart and Jerious Norwood will likely see a lot more time on the field. Even last year, Stewart scored as many TDs as Adrian Peterson...so he's got a great chance at getting in even more this year. Plus, he's a little bowling ball down in the red-zone. I really wouldn't be surprised to see him get more TDs than Williams in 2009.

The best RBs did stand out last year, but after them, the middle-of-the-road backs, fantasy-wise, really formed a big pack. I say, pick up a stud of a QB before getting into that RB pack. There will still be a few of them available in the second round of your draft. The best QBs will not!

Guys to take in the first round:

DeAngelo Williams - may see less time, but will still have a monster year

Adrian Peterson - as long as he stays healthy, he should have a better year

Michael Turner - not before pick #8. remember the curse!

Brandon Jacobs - late first round

Brian Westbrook - late first round

If you get the opportunity, definitely consider Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, or Tom Brady before any of these guys:

Marion Barber III

Thomas Jones

Matt Forte

LT

Jonathan Stewart

Steve Slaton

Clinton Portis

Maurice Jones-Drew

Chris Johnson

These guys make up the pack of great RBs, who all just seem to stick around the same fantasy-points league. I don't expect any of these guys to have a legendary season. Be safe. Pick them up after you've already got a good QB, or one of the other stud RBs.

Woman Raped At a Falcon's Home

Don't you miss the good old days...when dog fighting was the heinous crime taking place that the homes of Atlanta Falcons players?
Though it's been (almost) a couple of months since the last crime against a woman at a Falcon's home, the delightful group of thugs is at it again.
Not long ago, a woman alleged that she was raped at the home of former Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney.
According to FOX 5 in Atlanta, it's happened again. This time, the location of the alleged crime is the Gwinnett County home of Falcons receiver Harry Douglas. Douglas was acquired by the Falcons in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft.
The rape allegedly happened during a party at Douglas' home. Police are investigating. It appears Douglas is not the suspect.
Douglas was having a party at his house, and a woman is claiming she was raped by someone that night. Douglas may have had nothing to do with it, as it seems right now, but still...why even hang around that group of miscreants?

Draft Tip #2: Gonzalez May Block More

I know it is going to seem like I'm trying to pick on the Falcons with my "draft tips", but I'm really not. I promise I'll have others soon that involve information other than negative stuff about Atlanta players. Anyway, today's tip is about Tony Gonzalez.

Based on information coming out of Atlanta, it seems that he may be used more as a blocker than a receiving TE this year. "Tony will help our offense in a number of ways," offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said at the close of June OTAs. "He's a productive blocker and that's important in our offense... As successful as he's been as a receiver, he's a good blocker too and he really doesn't get the credit that he should."

At 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds, Gonzalez has size to push people around, which could do more in the run game than any blocking along the line of scrimmage. As the Falcons seem to be very dedicated to their run game (Turner/Norwood), Gonzalez really may see less passes than he has in a while.

Glad to be out of Kansas City and now playing for a team that reached the playoffs last season, Gonzalez doesn't seem to mind that his personal statistics will likely decline in Atlanta. "Do I think I'll catch 100 balls? I don't have to," Gonzalez said. "This is something we're all going to work together on. I've been fortunate to have such a good career."

It is believed, however, that Tony will still see a healthy amount of balls off the field. When asked about the situation, QB Matt Ryan said, "I just hope he lets me catch once in a while."

Fantasy Draft Tip: Michael Turner is Cursed

As fantasy draft time is right around the corner, I feel it necessary to warn you about Michael Turner. He's cursed! Yep. It's the Curse of 370.

The curse dictates that any player who exceeds 370 rush attempts in a single season suffers a significant drop-off in production the following year.
FYI, this is definitely not something I came up with. The curse has been discussed in the fantasy football industry for more than five years now, dating back at least to 2004, when it appeared on FootballOutsiders.com.
Well, after looking at the historical data, let me say that I'm fully behind the existence of a curse. In the history of the NFL, 27 running backs have amassed 370 or more carries in a season … and all but one of them significantly declined in terms of total fantasy points the next year. (That one, LaDainian Tomlinson, somehow escaped the clutches of the curse despite 372 rushing attempts in 2002.) It seems a little too coincidental to assume that the next guy to pull this off would be Turner, who was LT's back up a few years ago.

In addition to the curse working against Michael Turner, he's also got to work against the fact that he plays for the Falcons. The Falcons Suck!

Okay, on a fair note, Atlanta did make some big moves this off-season. Its seems that they worked hard to provide Matt Ryan with more/better passing options. Don't forget about Tony Gonzalez now playing for the Dirty Birds, oh, and the fact that they really want to utilize Jerious Norwood more this season.

I've seen fantasy mock drafts that suggest taking Turner with a top five pick. I'd just like to say that I'm fine with that...as long as you're playing in my league! I'd love to see one of my friends blow a top five pick on a cursed Falcon. That could be as funny to me as the guy (in my league) who picked Randy Moss with the #1 overall pick last year.

Ten Interesting Facts

Holy monkey, this is a boring off-season! I love summertime and all, but this time of year is really tough to get through. Even the soccer tourney is over. Team USA will be in the upcoming Gold Cup soon, but we are supposedly just sending our "B" team to that.

Since there is little news to report right now, here's a list to occupy your time. It's ten interesting facts from the '08-'09 season.

Sept. 7, 2008
Two rookie coach-quarterback combos (Baltimore Ravens with John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco, Atlanta Falcons with Mike Smith and Matt Ryan) won in Week One—something that had never happened since the NFL/AFL merger.

Sept. 21, 2008
In the Chiefs' third game of the season, they started their third different quarterback and lost for the third time.

Sept. 28, 2008
Oakland's Sebastian Janikowski attempted a 76-yard field goal. He didn't make it.

Still haven't heard Kiffin give an explanation on that one.

Oct. 5, 2008
The Colts embarrassed the Texans by becoming the first team ever to trail by at least 17 points in the final five minutes and win in regulation.

Oct. 26, 2008
During the first halftime speech of his NFL coaching career, Mike Singletary dropped his pants and pointed to his posterior to illustrate what he thought of his 49ers' performance so far. He then went on to rant for more than three minutes before hoisting them back up.

Nov. 2, 2008
The Raiders gained minus-two yards of total offense in the first half against the Falcons—the first time since 1992 a team finished with less than zero yards of offense before halftime.

Nov. 30, 2008
Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams became the first player ever to record four one-yard rushing touchdowns in a game.

Dec. 28, 2008
Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant had an 80-yard run called back in his final game of the year when replay showed that his knee was down 21 yards into the play, depriving him of a $1.35 million incentive bonus for reaching 1,250 yards. Ouch.

December 28, 2008
The Detroit Lions—the only undefeated team in preseason—became the first to finish an 0-16 regular season.

Please feel free to leave a comment with anything that may have been left off the list.

Peppers is Still a Panther

Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers has opted to settle for a one-year, $16.7 million guaranteed salary. Wow! Sucks to be him.

“Over the past few months we have had regular communication with Carl Carey, Julius’ representative, and all indications were that Julius would be signed to report to training camp,” General Manager Marty Hurney said. “Julius obviously is a very valuable member of our team and we look forward to the 2009 season.”

Peppers originally tried to pout his way out of Carolina, but was as successful as Chad Ochostinko. Well, maybe a little more successful considering Pep will be making ridiculous money this year with his franchise tag. If the Panthers were to use the tag on Peppers again in 2010, the team would be required to offer him a one-year salary of $20.04 million. That's way more than I make.

After listening to Charlotte sports station (WFNZ), and reading various Panthers' message boards, I can tell that many fans are not happy with this signing. They are kind of adopting the Broncos/Boston College mentality of, "if you have any thoughts about not wanting to be here, then we don't want you." I say that is stupid.

This is a business. The Panthers need Peppers on the d-line, and he needs to play (well) this year if he EVER hopes to get a Haynesworth type contract. Since nobody showed much interest in forking over enough to trade for Peppers, he really had no choice but to re-sign with Carolina. I guess he could have sat out, but that would have just hurt his own chances of getting what he wants next year. He needs to show that he isn't a big baby, and that he is worth what he wants to get paid.

I look for Julius to have a solid season, as he did in 2009. Maybe he will work well with Ron Meeks, and even decide that he wants to finish his career as a Panther.

Either way, this is a good thing for Carolina fans. So get off your high-horse, and be glad about this.

DeAngelo Williams does - "WHO AM I?"

"In 2008 I rushed for 1,515 yards on only 263 carries. I led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns. My 5.5 yards per carry (200 carry minimum) was also first in the league. And my two games of four rushing TDs? First. Did I mention that I had zero fumbles?
Who am I? L.T.? Clinton Portis? Brandon Jacobs? Steven Jackson? Larry Johnson? Willie Parker? I out rushed them all. In fact, I out rushed every back in the NFL, but two. Their names? Michael Turner (who had 103 more carries than me) and Adrian Peterson (he had 90 more). Given Michael Turner’s work load, I would have rushed for over 2,000 yards at my 5.5 YPC average.
Still don’t know who I am? How about a few more hints.

Coming out of college I was labeled as too small, yet I weigh as much or more than Adrian Peterson, Thomas Jones, Willie Parker, Frank Gore, Matt Forte, and Marshawn Lynch. Lots of Pro-Bowls on that list.

I’ve been labeled as a situational, third down, or “scat back.” One scouting report actually said definitively, “(DeAngelo Williams) is not a power back…,” yet I had more carries (102) and more yardage (593) up the middle than in any other direction in 2008. For those of you who weren’t math majors, that’s an average of 5.8 YPC UP-THE-MIDDLE. And how does my up the middle average stack up against the league’s top “power backs” such as Brandon Jacobs (4.6), Jamal Lewis (3.7), Lendale White (3.5)? I smoked them all.

“They” said I couldn’t carry the load, that I would wear down over the course of an NFL season. Yet I got stronger as the year wore on.

Carries/Yardage By Month
Sept.- 54 carries @ 3.7 YPC
Oct.- 66 carries @ 4.9 YPC
Nov.- 73 carries @ 5.9 YPC
Dec.- 80 carries @ 7.0 YPC

I was labeled as often injured, fragile. Yet I have played in 45 of a possible 48 games as a professional. Did I mention that 2008 was my first full year as a starter?

So if you don’t know my name now (or you can’t read the title), don’t worry. Chances are you will know it very, very soon."

(I found this on the Bleacher Report website.)

ESPN Loves the Falcons

John Clayton has officially downed the Atlanta Kool-Aid, as is evident in a recent ESPN.com article. Based on this latest article (and others) by Clayton, I'm pretty sure that ESPN is shifting it's love affair from the Saints to the Falcons. I just hope it pays off as well for Atlanta as it did for N.O.

"General manager Thomas Dimitroff comes from the Bill Belichick school of evaluators and has quickly established himself as one of the league's better personnel minds." Clayton continues, "Mike Smith is the perfect head coach for Atlanta. A brilliant defensive coach, Smith hired a great staff and won over players by being honest and establishing a consistent voice."

Clayton also goes on to list "five things other than Ryan that make the Falcons a winner."

1. "Improving Defense" - HAHA!!! You've got to be kidding, right? Well, I guess to be fair, it would be hard to get much worse. Their "big" pickup for leadership is Mike Peterson...a guy who was benched by Jack Del Rio for insubordination last year in Jacksonville.

2. "This team can really run" - Turner/Norwood will give the Falcons a solid 1-2 punch, sure. They still aren't even the best running duo in the division. I'd much rather have Williams/Stewart on my side.

3. Solid offensive line - Not bad, but I don't see any Pro Bowlers on that roster.

4. "Development of Harry Douglas" - I thought we weren't going to look at Matt Ryan's weaons in this list. Sure, the offense will be alright. Ryan is a capable QB, and that running-back duo is okay too. I don't think Harry Douglas will truly be that big of a factor this year.

5. "Underestimated D-line" - It's hard NOT to underestimate this defensive line. Abraham is supposed to be the stud there, and he's only solid for about 20 snaps a game. Anderson is a joke, and Babineaux is a rotational DT at best. I guess a lot of hope is in the Peria Jerry camp. Good luck there! He's already gotten hurt (since the draft) and he spent a lot of his college career injured.

As a University of Tennessee fan, I'm already programmed to disagree with most of what ESPN has to say. This is another no-brainer for me! I cannot wait to see John Clayton backtrack after his swing-and-miss on this one.

Face it John, "THE FALCONS SUCK!!!"

NBA Mock Draft - Fictional Players

Okay, so this has abolutely nothing to do with the NFC South (or even hating on the Falcons, for that matter), but I wanted to do something different today. Since the NBA draft is just a couple of days away, I thought it might be fun to look at how each team might draft...if fictional players were in-play. Here's how it might look.

1. Clippers - Neon (Blue Chips) -Perfect big-man for what they need

2. Grizzlies - Saleh (The Air Up There) - A little raw, but good value there

3. Thunder - Kyle Watson (Above The Rim)

4. Kings - Troy Bolton (High School Musical) Need PG to sell tickets/entertain

5. Wizards - Deshaun Hardell (90210)

6. T.Wolves - The Teen Wolf (Teen Wolf) - STEAL OF THE DRAFT

7. Warriors - Billy Hoyle (White Men Can't Jump)

8. Knicks - Steve Urkel (Family Matters) - Could be the leader this team needs

9. Raptors - Quincy McCall (Love and Basketball)

10. Bucks - Clarence (Semi-Pro)

11. Nets - Zack Morris (SBTB) - Just don't let Belding in the locker room

12. Bobcats - Calvin Cambridge (Like Mike) - Solid pick if he's still got those shoes

13. Pacers - Mark Cooper (Hangin' With Mr. Cooper) - Givin him another try

14. Suns - Ricky Roe (Blue Chips) - Strong PF

15. Pistons - Kenyon Stone (Coach Carter)

16. Bulls - Derek Vineyard (American History X) - Very...uh...passionate!

17. 76ers - John Tucker (John Tucker Must Die)

18. T.Wolves - Jackie Moon (Semi-Pro)

19. Hawks - Air Bud (Air Bud) - Michael Vick is gone now, so this shouldn't be a problem

20. Jazz - Jim Chitwood (Hoosiers) - Heck of a steal this late in the first round

21. Hornets - Sandy Lyle (Along Came Polly) Large mass for inside power

22. Mavs - Monica Wright (Love and Basketball)

23. Kings - Sydney Deane (White Men Can't Jump) - I like his hat

24. Blazers - Jamal Wallace (Finding Forrester)

25. Thunder - Lola Bunny (Space Jame) - As MJ said, "this girl's got skills!"

26. Bulls - Jim Carrol (Basketball Diaries) - Leo!

27. Grizzlies - Chubby (Teen Wolf) - He's got heart

28. T.Wolves - Will Smith (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) - He ruled that mini-court in high school

29. Lakers - Kenny Tyler (Sixth Man) - He's got a ghost helping him

30. Cavs - Damien Carter (Coach Carter) - Excellent team leader

Freeman Really Could Win the Starting Job in Tampa

It looks like Bucs' QB Josh "Tito" Freeman really might play his way into some significant PT this season. Originally, the coaching staff planned to play McCown or Leftwich, and just let Freeman ride the pine. Now, it looks like neither of those two really seem to want the job enough to take it, and Freeman is coming along quicker than expected.

It sounds like the new plan for Freeman might be to give him a shot to compete for the starting job in training camp and the preseason. Not a bad idea. He's going to be the quarterback for the long term anyway. If he's ready to start, go ahead and start him. If he's not, go back to the original plan.

This time a year ago, the Falcons had no idea whether Matt Ryan would open the season as their starter. They saw some promise in offseason workouts, but they really didn't know what they had until training camp. They simply let Ryan compete in camp and he stepped up and won the job, along with a very masculine endorsement deal with Axe Hair Spray.

Tito could end up doing the same thing. I'm going to go predict that McCown will be the starter for at least the first seven games. After their bye week, Freeman just might be taking the snaps.

Sears Loses His Job in Tampa

It remains a mystery as to why exactly Bucs' OG Aaron Sears was a no-show at their mandatory mini-camp this week.
What isn’t being kept behind closed doors, though, is the change in Sears’ status on the depth chart. Sears, who was also absent for previous voluntary workouts, is no longer the Buccaneers’ starter at left guard, having been replaced by Jeremy Zuttah, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Sources differ as to whether or not he was excused from the mini-camp. Considering the pressure Raheem Morris is putting on Sears to win his job back, it would seem that his absence from camp was in-fact unexcused. Morris has made it clear that Sears would have to show up and compete with Zuttah to try to win back his old position.
“I look out there and I see that number so that’s our guy starting for us right now,” Morris said regarding Zuttah. “That’s his role, that’s his job.”
However, previous reports from Pewter Report have indicated that Sears may be dealing with concussion issues that might prevent him from playing football at this time.
Yet, the reaction from Morris in supporting Sears’ replacement seems to suggest that there might be a little more than meets the eye on this one.

As a former Volunteer, I wish him the best of luck.

Aaron Rodgers is a Cool Guy

Alright, so today's entry has nothing to do with the NFC South. Sorry for that, but still, I'd like to share the story of my weekend which includes meeting an NFL starting QB.

I spent the weekend in Washington D.C. as my wife and I were attending a wedding for some good friends. My wife was even a bridesmaid for the big event. The rehearsal dinner was on the roof of the Hay-Adams Hotel, and the reception was in the Capitol Hill Suites. Along with various members of Congress, the wedding had a fun cast of characters in attendance. To start with, there were several current UT players there (V.Richard, D.Williams, G.Williams, etc.) along with Coach Phil Fulmer and his family. Then, I noticed that I really recognized a dude that was there with one of the other bridesmaids. After staring him down for a while, I realized it was Aaron Rodgers, of the Green Bay Packers.
He was very approachable, and truly a cool guy. I told Aaron about the time that my friend (who played for UT) was asked to host a party and show this high school recruit around (trying to get him to sign with Tennessee). That recruit was Brian Brohm, also of the Green Bay Packers. He was the dorkiest football star I had ever met. He refused to have any sort of fun at all, and just acted miserable from the moment he got there. I told Aaron that story, and he just came right out with it...he said, "I love Matty Flynn." Flynn of course is the Packers' current #2 QB. Brohm is #3. Rodgers continued, "he's got a lot of talent and he's a cool guy...but Brohm is a big douche. He has zero personality, and it's just awkward to be around him."
Other highlights of my conversation with him were when he promised to put up "big numbers" this year for fantasy football, and when he made fun of Vince Young a little bit. I also thought it was interesting to learn that he met his girlfriend in Nashville when he was in town hanging out with Chad Clifton not too long ago.
I really wanted to ask him how it felt when Julius Peppers nailed him out of bounds last year, but I completely chickened out.

Still, the best part of the weekend was watching Coach Phil Fulmer tear it up on the dance floor, while firmly biting his bottom-lip. It was also pretty fun when I was able to teach Gerald Williams how a real man dances...sarcastically, of course.
It truly was an amazing weekend! I just hope Brian Brohm doesn't end up reading this. At least we know he won't have the stones to confront anyone about it, even if he does.

Top Ten Defensive Backs of the Division

Yasinskas's list of the top ten defensive backs in the NFC South.

1. Chris Gamble, CB, Carolina. Perhaps the only true shutdown corner in the division.

2. Aqib Talib, CB, Tampa Bay. Talib has the potential to join Gamble as a shutdown corner, if he can build on a promising rookie year.

3. Jabari Greer, CB, New Orleans. It feels weird to rank a New Orleans defensive back this high, but there's a reason why the Saints paid Greer a bunch of money.

4. Ronde Barber, CB, Tampa Bay. Yeah, I know there are some people who think he's washed up. But the Bucs kept him for a reason and all those Pro Bowl trips are tough to overlook.

5. Erik Coleman, S, Atlanta. Might be the most underrated player in the division.

6. Chris Houston, CB, Atlanta. Some people still question Houston, but he was Atlanta's best cover guy a year ago.

7. Tracy Porter, CB, New Orleans. Had a great start to rookie year before suffering season-ending injury.

8. Roman Harper, S, New Orleans. Some Saints' fans will disagree, but Harper's better than a lot of people realize. He's a strong safety, who got hung out in coverage too much in the past. With better cornerbacks, he'll be a factor.

9. Chris Harris, S, Carolina. Not a great cover guy, but he can hit and is one of Carolina's vocal leaders.

10. Malcolm Jenkins, CB, New Orleans. I'm taking the rookie over veteran safety Darren Sharper because I think Jenkins' impact will last much longer. He may end up replacing Sharper at free safety in the future.

Linebackers of the NFC South

Pat Yasinskas's linebacker rankings for the NFC South.

1. Jon Beason, Carolina. The best defensive player in the division.

2. Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans. Had a solid season last year, but should be much better with an improved defense around him.

3. Barrett Ruud, Tampa Bay. The only proven building block as the Bucs overhaul their once-great defense.

4. Thomas Davis, Carolina. Has emerged as a playmaker after a rocky start to his career.

5. Curtis Lofton, Atlanta. Stood out in the middle as a rookie and will be counted on as an every-down player this year.

6. Stephen Nicholas, Atlanta. I see this guy as one of the division's breakout players this season. 7. Scott Fujita, New Orleans. Nothing fancy about him, but he does what the Saints ask.

8. Mike Peterson, Atlanta. Getting up there in age, but has something to prove after last year's clash with Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville.

9. Angelo Crowell, Tampa Bay. Bucs went after this guy hard in free agency, so he must be in the plans.

10. Na'il Diggs, Carolina. Doesn't stand out in any area, except he rarely makes mistakes and that's why the Panthers keep bringing him back.

Up next, defensive backs.

Ranking NFC South D-Linemen

Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com will be ranking different positions in the division over the next few weeks. This is his latest set of rankings. It's a look at the defensive linemen of the NFC South.

1. John Abraham, DE, Atlanta. Sure, go ahead and call him one-dimensional. But aren't dominant pass-rush skills the dimension you want most from a defensive end?
2. Julius Peppers, DE, Carolina. Easily the division's most-talented defensive lineman. But there are questions about his motivation and intensity with Peppers wanting out of Carolina. Those questions aren't really new.
3. Jonathan Babineaux, DT, Atlanta. Very quietly, he's become the most solid interior lineman in the division.
4. Will Smith, DE, New Orleans. No, he didn't play to his potential last year and he's facing a four-game suspension at the start of this season. But this guy plays the run well and has shown pass-rush skills in the past.
5. Sedrick Ellis, DT, New Orleans. Has the ability to unseat Babineaux as division's top tackle and could do that very soon.
6. Gaines Adams, DE, Tampa Bay. You can argue that this ranking is way too high. But look at the rest of the division. Adams had 6.5 sacks last season. If he adds a couple of moves, he easily can reach double-digit sacks.
7. Peria Jerry, DT, Atlanta. He's only a rookie, but there's little bust factor with this guy. He should be a force right away.
8. Charles Johnson, DE, Carolina. We're going to rank him ahead of the rookie Brown based on the promise Johnson showed last year. He had six sacks in a part-time role and has the potential to do big things.
9. Ma'ake Kemoeatu, DT, Carolina. He doesn't do anything except take up space. But that's his job.
10. Charles Grant, DE, New Orleans. Exact same story as his teammate Smith. But the guy does have a couple of double-digit sack years in his background and you never know what new coordinator Gregg Williams might be able to pull out of him.

My only issue with this list is that rookie Peria Jerry is ranked ahead of Carolina DT Ma'ake Kemoeatu.

Coming soon, Yasinskas's look at linebackers, and defensive backs in the division.

"The Xbox Kid"

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton has apparently written a screenplay. It's got everything most guys dig: sports, video games, and natural disasters. No word yet as to whether or not he plans to have Phoebe Cates climb out of a swimming pool. I'm just a strong believer that if he really wants to do this thing right, he should at least consider the idea.

The movie, currently titled “The Xbox Kid,” is about a boy from a poor family in New Orleans who starts controlling the outcome of NFL games through a refurbished Xbox given to him by his grandfather following a devastating hurricane.
“I just wrote about four pages, piddling around with it,” said Payton, who later turned the idea over to a professional screen writer to flesh it out. I wonder if they'll have a role for Johnny Drama.

Is it me, or does this sound like a dumb idea for a movie? If I could have real life mirror my Xbox games, then I'd be a rich dude. I won the Heisman four times and was drafted #1 overall after saving the draft class to Madden. Then, I went on to win numerous Super Bowls in a row. I'm probably the greatest QB to ever play the game.

Unless this movie is done up like a Disney sports movie, I don't see anyone showing up to see it. A movie about a video game just doesn't excite me as much as a brilliant screenplay like Rookie of the Year. Didn't the movie The Wizard bomb in 1989? That even had Fred Savage in it, and who didn't love Fred Savage in 1989???

Payton is shopping the script in Hollywood now, and why not? It’s not like he has a season to prepare for or anything. It's not like his team finished last in the division in 2008. Wait...nevermind.

Wow! That's two video game posts in a row.

DeAngelo Hall is Still a Loser

NFL players get moved all around from team to team quite often. Still, if someone rubs you wrong while playing for a certain team, you may decide to hold it against that team forever. This can happen in any sport, and on any level. For instance, I grew up supporting N.C. State and pulling against UNC. It was a mild disliking at first, then Eric Montross screwed the Tarheels forever in my eyes. I approached him in an airport (I was a little kid by the way) for an autograph. He snapped at me and stormed off like he was the child. I'll never forget the way he made me feel on that day, and I'll always keep that d-bag on my long list of reasons why I can't stand that entire university.
This brings me to the point of today's blog...DeAngelo Hall is the worst! I know he hasn't played for Atlanta for a few years, but he really is part of why my hatred for the Falcons burns so passionately.
Obviously, I still love to see the news whenever he continues to make an ass of himself. Oh, and I still consider him a Falcon!

Apparently, DeAngelo is now complaining about his ranking on the new Madden game. A few years ago, he was rated as one of the best defensive backs in the league, with an overall 93 rating. Now, he's been dropped down to a 68 overall, and is even saying that he might even try to get his entire likeness pulled from the game entirely. It is believed by most that after learning of his 25 point drop on the game, Hall spent the rest of the day with his bottom lip sticking out like Blue on Forest Gump.
"So i just found out that Madden killed my rating. Its all good after this season i'll be back at the #1 spot haha" (www.twitter.com/dhall23).
In a blog published on the Redskins' official site, Matt Tirl interviewed Hall and asked him about the Madden rating. "I heard that, but it had kinda been in one in ear out the other. But as the release date gets closer, I'm starting to get a little bit more paranoid, I'm thinking about trying to get my name and likeness pulled off the game entirely. 'Cause this is bull."
Asked about EA Sports' in-season roster updates, Hall responded:
"They do that as the season goes on, so hopefully if I grab 10 or 12 (interceptions), and get my respect back, my dignity back...we'll see."

I just hope Hall can move up to the starting lineup by October 11th. That is when the Redskins roll into Charlotte to take on the Panthers.
I'd love nothing more than to see Steve Smith continue to get in his head, and embarrass him once again...for old time's sake!

Oh, and just one more thing...IT'S A FREAKING VIDEO GAME!!!

Facebook Fight

It has actually been a little while since an Atlanta player has gotten in trouble with the law. I am Jack's complete and utter sense of shock!

It seems that Falcons' offensive tackle Quinn Ojinnaka thought it might be fun to rough up his wife, and even spit in her face a little bit.

Arrested Tuesday night, Ojinnaka, 25, is charged with simple battery. He posted $2,400 bond and was released from jail hours later. Police responded to the domestic dispute call at Ojinnaka's residence about 9 p.m. The 6-foot, 6-inch offensive tackle told police he'd settled down to watch the Cleveland-Orlando NBA playoff game about 8 p.m. when his wife approached him about the online acquaintance. Apparently Quinn had been "poking" a Facebook friend, and his wife wasn't hip. When he ignored her, she unplugged the television to get his attention, and he became angry, the police report says. I'm just surprised that this wife of a Falcons player didn't know the rules.

1. You don't unplug an Atlanta player's TV

2. You don't bring home weed with ANY stems

3. You don't tell him who he can or cannot "poke"

I'm pretty sure that it's understood that if either of these rules are ever broken, simple battery will surely follow. I understand that the Falcons' current QB has a few rules of his own, I'm just not entirely sure what a "reach-around" is...so we'll skip that one.

The couple's accounts of what happened from that point differ. Ojinnaka claims he "grabbed her and put her outside" twice, until she went for a walk. The argument later continued upstairs, where he said his wife tried to stab him with a pen, which prompted him to spit in her face, the report says. Ojinnaka's wife, Ebony, told police her husband threw her on some stairs, then tossed her out of the house twice. She claims he verbally assaulted her and grabbed her by the neck before spitting in her face, the reports says. Quinn Ojinnaka denied putting his hands around his wife's neck. "Neither person had visible injuries or complained of any injuries," an officer wrote. "All medical assistance was refused."

Falcons spokesman Matt Conti said the team is aware of the situation but declined futher comment. "Head Coach Mike Smith has spoken to Quinn," Conti said in a release. "Because this is an ongoing legal matter, the Falcons will have no further comment at this time."

A product of Syracuse University, Ojinnaka played in eight games last season, his third year as a Falcon. He started seven games in 2007.

Bucs Interested in Burress

Plaxico Burress could be headed to prison. If convicted, he faces a minimum 3 ½ year sentence for unlawful carrying of a handgun during an incident in which he accidentally shot himself at a night club last November. However, IF he's available to play in the NFL soon...Raheem Morris would love to see him end up in Tampa.

It seems that the call Tampa recently made to Burress will likely not be their last contact with the receiver. Though he didn't get into specifics, Bucs coach Raheem Morris sounded Thursday like someone who would jump at the chance to add Burress to his roster if Burress can clear himself from his legal issues. "He's a great player,'' Morris said of the 2nd Amendment fan, "Anytime you have an opportunity to get a great player, you'd love to see a great player come to Tampa.''

"He has to deal with his issue with the league and we'll see how that plays out and their timing and everything of that nature, but he's a great player,'' Morris added. "But we really don't know what that situation is right now. We're really talking about ghosts to be honest with you because we're talking about a suspended guy.''

No mention was made about the fact that Burress sort of resembles a Gremlin.