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THURSDAY MORNING NOTES
From everything I've read, the reviews on Indianapolis as a Super Bowl host city are extremely good. The proximity of Lucas Oil Stadium to the major hotels & other Super Bowl parties & venues is unmatched. The other component of the Indianapolis experience is the city's people, friendly, polite & helpful. I've heard this adjectives so many times this week. As a mid-westerner myself, I'm certainly not surprised. The people are one of the main reasons we moved back to this part of the country after 20-years in Las Vegas. After the ice storms in North Texas last February, the decent weather Indy is having this week certainly has brightened everybody's spirits.
One intriguing matchup for Sunday's Super Bowl is when New England's Julian Edelman is on the field against any of the Giant wide receivers. This is a key matchup the Giants want to exploit, I can't see a way he can stay with any of the talented & quick New York WR's.
Best Super Bowl prop bet I've seen(thanks to my Vegas pals) is over/under field goals by Giants' kicker Lawrence Tynes at 1 1/2. I love the over, in the last 14 games, Tynes has attempted at least two field goals & he's an 80% efficient kicker.
The average cost of a 30-second TV commercial during Super Bowl 46 is $3.5 million. All the spots have been reserved months in advance. The Super Bowl commercials have always been a sideshow for the game, often times more entertaining than the actual game itself. As far as the halftime show, Madonna, I'm not too enthusiastic, never been a fan. Good time to visit the bathroom, rush the buffet table & get a cold one.
In the "What were They Thinking" story of the day. The NBA, in their infinite wisdom, scheduled the Orlando Magic to visit the Indiana Pacers Saturday night. Problem? Well how about the twenty hotel rooms the Magic requires on every road stop? To say every room in Indianapolis is sold goes without saying. The NBA had to rewrite their schedule because of the lockout & their shortened season, but the Super Bowl has been on the calender for four years now, what were they thinking? The Magic will fly into Cincinnati Friday & stay there overnight & have their shoot-around Saturday morning there. Then it's back on the plane to fly 25-minutes to Indianapolis, go to the arena, play the game & go back to the airport for a red-eye flight back to Orlando. Real nice planning.
Sam Hurd, former Dallas & Chicago WR, is facing federal drug conspiracy charges & this morning a judge in Dallas scheduled his trial to start on April 2nd. Hurd & his attorney said they wanted a speedy trial so he could prove his innocence. Now it appears they will ask for a delay in the start of the trial. Hurd has pleaded not guilty, he was arrested outside a Chicago steakhouse after receiving a kilo of cocaine from a confidential informant & an undercover D.E.A. agent.
As I speculated yesterday, the Pittsburgh Steelers interview with Todd Haley was borne out of respect for his father Dick, former Steeler DB & director of player personnel. Sources close to Mike Tomlin have said he would never hire Todd Haley, they have very little in common philosophically. The fact the Steelers have interviewed as many as five candidates for the vacant offensive coordinator's position & Haley was the only one mentioned on the team's website points to it as more of a favor than a real serious job interview.
The Colts have hired Greg Manusky as their new defensive coordinator. A former Chiefs linebacker, Manusky held the same position for three years with the 49ers & then last season with San Diego before being fired at season's end.
One intriguing matchup for Sunday's Super Bowl is when New England's Julian Edelman is on the field against any of the Giant wide receivers. This is a key matchup the Giants want to exploit, I can't see a way he can stay with any of the talented & quick New York WR's.
Best Super Bowl prop bet I've seen(thanks to my Vegas pals) is over/under field goals by Giants' kicker Lawrence Tynes at 1 1/2. I love the over, in the last 14 games, Tynes has attempted at least two field goals & he's an 80% efficient kicker.
The average cost of a 30-second TV commercial during Super Bowl 46 is $3.5 million. All the spots have been reserved months in advance. The Super Bowl commercials have always been a sideshow for the game, often times more entertaining than the actual game itself. As far as the halftime show, Madonna, I'm not too enthusiastic, never been a fan. Good time to visit the bathroom, rush the buffet table & get a cold one.
In the "What were They Thinking" story of the day. The NBA, in their infinite wisdom, scheduled the Orlando Magic to visit the Indiana Pacers Saturday night. Problem? Well how about the twenty hotel rooms the Magic requires on every road stop? To say every room in Indianapolis is sold goes without saying. The NBA had to rewrite their schedule because of the lockout & their shortened season, but the Super Bowl has been on the calender for four years now, what were they thinking? The Magic will fly into Cincinnati Friday & stay there overnight & have their shoot-around Saturday morning there. Then it's back on the plane to fly 25-minutes to Indianapolis, go to the arena, play the game & go back to the airport for a red-eye flight back to Orlando. Real nice planning.
Sam Hurd, former Dallas & Chicago WR, is facing federal drug conspiracy charges & this morning a judge in Dallas scheduled his trial to start on April 2nd. Hurd & his attorney said they wanted a speedy trial so he could prove his innocence. Now it appears they will ask for a delay in the start of the trial. Hurd has pleaded not guilty, he was arrested outside a Chicago steakhouse after receiving a kilo of cocaine from a confidential informant & an undercover D.E.A. agent.
As I speculated yesterday, the Pittsburgh Steelers interview with Todd Haley was borne out of respect for his father Dick, former Steeler DB & director of player personnel. Sources close to Mike Tomlin have said he would never hire Todd Haley, they have very little in common philosophically. The fact the Steelers have interviewed as many as five candidates for the vacant offensive coordinator's position & Haley was the only one mentioned on the team's website points to it as more of a favor than a real serious job interview.
The Colts have hired Greg Manusky as their new defensive coordinator. A former Chiefs linebacker, Manusky held the same position for three years with the 49ers & then last season with San Diego before being fired at season's end.
WEDNESDAY PART DEAUX
Let's start with the Super Bowl shall we? Patriots' left tackle Matt Light returned to practice after missing the past two days with an undisclosed illness. Tight end Rob Gronkowski didn't practice again, but like I said earlier, he probably won't push his high ankle sprain until the walk-thru to see if it's possible for him to play effectively. It could Belichick is going to use him a a decoy. The Steelers did that against Arizona when Hines Ward had a similar injury. Roethlisberger threw the 1st pass of the game to Ward & he wasn't targeted the rest of the day, but that one reception made the Cardinal DB's respect his presence.
At the New England media session, DT Vince Wilfork was asked the greatest misconception people have about him. He said "Folks think I'm some Butterball, but I can dunk." Not to call Vince a liar but maybe he could dunk some time ago, not since he pegged his bathroom scales at 350 or so. I will say this, Wilfork played one hell of a game against the Ravens. I think he might deal Giants' center David Baas a similar fit on Sunday.
Vince Wilfork
Also heard at the media session, Matt Light was asked about Gronkowski's availability for Sunday(they asked everyone from New England about Gronk) & Light's reply was a classic "He'll be there, he's a well trained animal."
Chad Ochocinco was there as well & he made a couple of quotes that I'm sure made Patriots' owner Robert Kraft squirm. Since he was real mopey yesterday on media day, Chad was asked if he was having a good time today. His response was "Being here man it's like watching porn, there's nothing bad about that." When asked if he was sorry the way this season turned out for him personally his reply was "F**k no!" I don't look for Chad to be a Patriot next season.
The Giants' defensive end Osi Umenyiora missed the media session & the NFL quickly fined him $20,000. Umenyiora quickly apologized & said it was his fault for missing the session, he "misunderstood the schedule" & that he wouldn't be late for any other media dates or times including after the game, win or lose. Think anyone else will miss their media appointment now thru Sunday night?
Former Giants' wide receiver Amani Toomer said on ESPN when asked about the significant improvement of Eli Manning "No question Eli improved his play after he didn't have the distraction of Jeremy Shockey in the huddle." Toomer is the 3rd ex-Giant to mention the constant distraction of Shockey. He was infamous for complaining in the huddle he wasn't getting the ball enough or he was open on nearly every play.
Ravens' owner Steve Bisciotti said tonight getting QB Joe Flacco & RB Ray Rice under new contracts was the most important thing in the off-season. He told Baltimore fans "They're not going anywhere. We would like to have a deal done before we have to put the franchise tag on Ray." Flacco has one more year on his rookie deal & the Ravens want his taken care of now as well.
Reggie Wayne of the Colts is an unrestricted free agent & it looked as tho he was going to walk away from Indianapolis. But Wayne said on Wednesday he might be willing to give the Colts a "hometown discount" if they wanted him to stay. It seems like Reggie wants to finish his career with a horseshoe on his helmet. The question is, do the Colts plan to blow everything up with the departure of Peyton Manning & the former coaching staff?
Chiefs' offensive line coach & former offensive coordinator Bill Muir abruptly retired on Wednesday. The 69-year old veteran of 35-NFL seasons as a coach, claimed he wasn't forced out or that he intended to anything other than retire from football. Now Kansas City needs an offensive coordinator, a line coach & a receivers coach. Since Romeo Crennel forbid the Bears from interviewing Jim Zorn as a candidate for their QB coaching vacancy, it would appear his job is safe. I said a few weeks ago my candidate for the offensive coordinator's position would be Al Saunders. Well nothing ever materialized, that is until Wednesday. Dick Vermeil let it slip during an interview with Bob Gretz at the Super Bowl, that Saunders was in Kansas City interviewing for the O.C. job. See, I'm not crazy.
My choice for Chiefs' O.C. Al Saunders
Reading a very long, but excellent piece on Foxsports.com written by Thayer Evans about the recruitment of one Dorial Green-Beckham. It's almost like a diary in it's totality. He spoke with both parents extensively after the announcement Wednesday morning of their son choosing Mizzou. How some schools handled his recruiting was amazing. Some brilliant, some off the charts dumb. Mrs. Beckham has a masters degree from Kansas but she said "they were just a mess" cancelling two in-home trips at the last minute. They were written off after the 2nd one.
DGB's dad is a high school head football coach & he had some excellent insight into some of the programs talking to his son. He doesn't think much of Notre Dame's Brian Kelly. He didn't respect Kelly treatment of his players or assistants on the sidelines "slamming his headphones on the ground when someone was right there to take them." I've told Linda on fall Saturdays I'm not a fan of Kelly for the same reasons, he acts like a spoiled child & then expects perfect behavior out of his players. He also had reservations about Bobby Petrino. Most of his doubts came from the constant movement of his coaching staff.
"They weren't changing jobs for promotion, most were lateral moves to other schools, a sign all was not well on this staff. And there was the matter of leaving Louisville in the lurch to take the Falcons head coaching position, only to quit midway thru the season to move to Arkansas. Dorial needs consistency, for him to trust somebody takes time."
Tracey Beckham was unhappy her 17-year old son was taken to a bar in Fayetteville by some Razorback football players. Two of his brothers also made the trip & they got him out of there, deciding a bar wasn't a good spot for him. Good decision. His dad, John Beckham, wasn't pleased by the Arkansas booster calling him this past Monday on his personal cell phone to tell him he was "considering Hillcrest High School for a considerable donation." His other major concern about Arkansas stemmed from their low graduation rate within the football program.
In the end what won DGB's commitment to Mizzou was three-fold. The reception he got on campus last weekend was really special & he enjoyed every minute of it. The Tigers arranged for newly recruited QB Maty Mauk to hang out with DGB in Columbia. The University offered Darnell Green-Beckham, Dorial's younger biological half-brother who suffers from leukemia, a full scholarship, so he can get his diploma at the same school. Darnell is no longer a prospect since being diagnosed a year ago, but he can go to Mizzou on their dime. That was the clincher, the brothers are very, very close. John Beckham said Dorial took a special liking to offensive coordinator David Yost, a long time Pinkel assistant.
Green-Beckham & Mizzou O.C. David Yost
That closes the book on Mizzou's 2012 recruiting class, ranked 20th best in the nation by ESPN. They were 48th last year after three consecutive seasons in the 20's. If the Tigers are to be legitimate contenders for the SEC East, they need to do better, get into the top-15 consistently & eventually the top-10. Maybe landing DGB will kick start a new era in Mizzou football, they were certainly the talk on Wednesday.
At the New England media session, DT Vince Wilfork was asked the greatest misconception people have about him. He said "Folks think I'm some Butterball, but I can dunk." Not to call Vince a liar but maybe he could dunk some time ago, not since he pegged his bathroom scales at 350 or so. I will say this, Wilfork played one hell of a game against the Ravens. I think he might deal Giants' center David Baas a similar fit on Sunday.
Vince Wilfork
Also heard at the media session, Matt Light was asked about Gronkowski's availability for Sunday(they asked everyone from New England about Gronk) & Light's reply was a classic "He'll be there, he's a well trained animal."
Chad Ochocinco was there as well & he made a couple of quotes that I'm sure made Patriots' owner Robert Kraft squirm. Since he was real mopey yesterday on media day, Chad was asked if he was having a good time today. His response was "Being here man it's like watching porn, there's nothing bad about that." When asked if he was sorry the way this season turned out for him personally his reply was "F**k no!" I don't look for Chad to be a Patriot next season.
The Giants' defensive end Osi Umenyiora missed the media session & the NFL quickly fined him $20,000. Umenyiora quickly apologized & said it was his fault for missing the session, he "misunderstood the schedule" & that he wouldn't be late for any other media dates or times including after the game, win or lose. Think anyone else will miss their media appointment now thru Sunday night?
Former Giants' wide receiver Amani Toomer said on ESPN when asked about the significant improvement of Eli Manning "No question Eli improved his play after he didn't have the distraction of Jeremy Shockey in the huddle." Toomer is the 3rd ex-Giant to mention the constant distraction of Shockey. He was infamous for complaining in the huddle he wasn't getting the ball enough or he was open on nearly every play.
Ravens' owner Steve Bisciotti said tonight getting QB Joe Flacco & RB Ray Rice under new contracts was the most important thing in the off-season. He told Baltimore fans "They're not going anywhere. We would like to have a deal done before we have to put the franchise tag on Ray." Flacco has one more year on his rookie deal & the Ravens want his taken care of now as well.
Reggie Wayne of the Colts is an unrestricted free agent & it looked as tho he was going to walk away from Indianapolis. But Wayne said on Wednesday he might be willing to give the Colts a "hometown discount" if they wanted him to stay. It seems like Reggie wants to finish his career with a horseshoe on his helmet. The question is, do the Colts plan to blow everything up with the departure of Peyton Manning & the former coaching staff?
Chiefs' offensive line coach & former offensive coordinator Bill Muir abruptly retired on Wednesday. The 69-year old veteran of 35-NFL seasons as a coach, claimed he wasn't forced out or that he intended to anything other than retire from football. Now Kansas City needs an offensive coordinator, a line coach & a receivers coach. Since Romeo Crennel forbid the Bears from interviewing Jim Zorn as a candidate for their QB coaching vacancy, it would appear his job is safe. I said a few weeks ago my candidate for the offensive coordinator's position would be Al Saunders. Well nothing ever materialized, that is until Wednesday. Dick Vermeil let it slip during an interview with Bob Gretz at the Super Bowl, that Saunders was in Kansas City interviewing for the O.C. job. See, I'm not crazy.
My choice for Chiefs' O.C. Al Saunders
Reading a very long, but excellent piece on Foxsports.com written by Thayer Evans about the recruitment of one Dorial Green-Beckham. It's almost like a diary in it's totality. He spoke with both parents extensively after the announcement Wednesday morning of their son choosing Mizzou. How some schools handled his recruiting was amazing. Some brilliant, some off the charts dumb. Mrs. Beckham has a masters degree from Kansas but she said "they were just a mess" cancelling two in-home trips at the last minute. They were written off after the 2nd one.
DGB's dad is a high school head football coach & he had some excellent insight into some of the programs talking to his son. He doesn't think much of Notre Dame's Brian Kelly. He didn't respect Kelly treatment of his players or assistants on the sidelines "slamming his headphones on the ground when someone was right there to take them." I've told Linda on fall Saturdays I'm not a fan of Kelly for the same reasons, he acts like a spoiled child & then expects perfect behavior out of his players. He also had reservations about Bobby Petrino. Most of his doubts came from the constant movement of his coaching staff.
"They weren't changing jobs for promotion, most were lateral moves to other schools, a sign all was not well on this staff. And there was the matter of leaving Louisville in the lurch to take the Falcons head coaching position, only to quit midway thru the season to move to Arkansas. Dorial needs consistency, for him to trust somebody takes time."
Tracey Beckham was unhappy her 17-year old son was taken to a bar in Fayetteville by some Razorback football players. Two of his brothers also made the trip & they got him out of there, deciding a bar wasn't a good spot for him. Good decision. His dad, John Beckham, wasn't pleased by the Arkansas booster calling him this past Monday on his personal cell phone to tell him he was "considering Hillcrest High School for a considerable donation." His other major concern about Arkansas stemmed from their low graduation rate within the football program.
In the end what won DGB's commitment to Mizzou was three-fold. The reception he got on campus last weekend was really special & he enjoyed every minute of it. The Tigers arranged for newly recruited QB Maty Mauk to hang out with DGB in Columbia. The University offered Darnell Green-Beckham, Dorial's younger biological half-brother who suffers from leukemia, a full scholarship, so he can get his diploma at the same school. Darnell is no longer a prospect since being diagnosed a year ago, but he can go to Mizzou on their dime. That was the clincher, the brothers are very, very close. John Beckham said Dorial took a special liking to offensive coordinator David Yost, a long time Pinkel assistant.
Green-Beckham & Mizzou O.C. David Yost
That closes the book on Mizzou's 2012 recruiting class, ranked 20th best in the nation by ESPN. They were 48th last year after three consecutive seasons in the 20's. If the Tigers are to be legitimate contenders for the SEC East, they need to do better, get into the top-15 consistently & eventually the top-10. Maybe landing DGB will kick start a new era in Mizzou football, they were certainly the talk on Wednesday.
DGB IS HUGE FOR MIZZOU PROGRAM, PLUS OTHER IMPORTANT SIGNINGS FOR THE TIGERS
Dorial Green-Beckham's decision to attend the University of Missouri was broadcast live nationally, he is the highest rated recruit to ever sign with the Tigers. He's a name that's known nationally, often by his initials, D-G-B. This signing by Gary Pinkel can bring other top recruits to Columbia, people will pay attention to the Tiger program now to see how DGB progresses as the highest rated wide receiver since Randy Moss came out of Rand, West Virginia. He could become Pinkel's #1 recruiter just by being a major part of the program.
Satellite trucks outside Springfield's Hillcrest H.S. this morning.
Moving to the SEC will give Mizzou added prestige nationally, that prestige will spike as soon as DGB takes the field this fall. He will join veteran WR's T.J. Moe & Marcus Lucas in the starting lineup. It's important to note all three are from Missouri high schools. The signing of guard Evan Boehm is a huge deal as well, he was the #2 rated player in the state. Keeping the top players from the state of Missouri should be the norm, not the exception. Pinkel has done a much better job of that in recent years.
The Parade Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year & U.S. Army Player of the Year, Green-Beckham is the all-time leading receiver in high school history with 6,447-yards & 75-touchdowns. That's nationally, not just a Missouri high school record. As a senior his gaudy stats of 119-receptions for 2,333-yards & 24-touchdowns came on a team that wasn't too great. Springfield's Hillcrest High School has the smallest enrollment in the city with a population of just under 160,000. I absolutely loved his announcement, "This morning it is an honor to announce that I will be continuing my education at the University of Missouri." Not I'm taking my game to Mizzou, "I will be continuing my education at." This is an outstanding young man raised since the age of twelve by white parents & with 4 other adopted siblings & a 6-year old sister who is the Beckham's only biological child. To say this family is close would be a bigger understatement than "DGB is Mizzou's biggest get as a football program."
Dorial Green-Beckham seconds after committing to the MU. His adopted parents on the R
Another key part of the Mizzou equation is current starting quarterback James Franklin. The tough as nails junior signal-caller should continue to improve, even as the Tigers begin play in the Southeastern Conference. If RB Henry Josey can rehab his way back from a severe knee injury, this offense is loaded at the skill positions. Another of today's recruits to sign with Mizzou, quarterback Maty Mauk from Indiana could make a major impact. His skills as a passer(5,413-yards & 68 TD passes as a senior) & a runner(1,768-yds & 24-TD's) out of a spread offense, make him a serious contender for playing time down the road. In the Indiana State Championship game, Mauk went 27 of 29 for 505-yards & 9 touchdowns. Yes, I said nine. I've watched a lot of tape on this kid & believe me, he throws the ball 50-60-yards downfield with excellent accuracy. Like another high school spread QB in Mizzou's past, Chase Daniel, Mauk gets rid of the ball so quickly, but he adds the run dimension like no other Missouri quarterback since Brad Smith. He has the speed to run away from defenders.
Kenton High's Maty Mauk
Bowie High School speedster Russell Hansbrough breaks long run after long run on his senior tape. So many 50-60-70-yard runs by the Arlington Texas native. He's kinda small at 5' 7" 178-pounds, but that's the same height & just a few pounds lighter than Josey was when he came to Columbia. This young man is scary in the open field & has elite acceleration, his size was the only thing keeping him out of a top-10 ranking as a prep recruit. Another exciting RB, Morgan Steward from Staley High School in Kansas City, also brings that breakaway threat to Columbia. This 2,227-yard rusher, as a senior, averaged 9.9-yards per carry while scoring 27-touchdowns.
Russell Hansbrough Morgan Steward
The Tiger recruiting class was top-heavy with defensive backs & with the exception of Josh Gibson(5' 10" 172) all of them are at least 6' & 190-pounds. They also bagged a good tight end prospect in 6' 5" Sean Culkin from Largo Florida. The only down note was St. Louis native Ed Ray, a defensive tackle, who reneged on his verbal commitment this morning & signed with Texas A&M.
Tight end prospect Sean Culkin
All in all, coach Gary Pinkel had a top-25 recruiting class, mostly on the strength of DGB & Boehm, but I'm very happy with the rest of the prospects as well. Keeping the state's top players is paramount in building a stronger program as they compete in the SEC.
A quick note for K-State fans, Glenn Gronkowski, a fullback/tight end from New York signed this morning. His is the youngest brother of Rob Gronkowski, Patriots' tight end. The pair have two other brothers between them in age & both played college football as tight ends. Good blood line.
For my buddy Eddie F. out in Las Vegas, your Seminoles had a banner day, signing three #1 rated players at their position by Rivals.com. The last of the three came this morning when Eddie Goldman, a defensive tackle, made his commitment to FSU. They lost 5-star recruit Dante Fowler who decommitted at the last minute & signed with Florida. I think the defensive end looked at his competition on the depth chart & decided to go elsewhere. Overall the Noles will be ranked #2, pretty good there pal.
Satellite trucks outside Springfield's Hillcrest H.S. this morning.
Moving to the SEC will give Mizzou added prestige nationally, that prestige will spike as soon as DGB takes the field this fall. He will join veteran WR's T.J. Moe & Marcus Lucas in the starting lineup. It's important to note all three are from Missouri high schools. The signing of guard Evan Boehm is a huge deal as well, he was the #2 rated player in the state. Keeping the top players from the state of Missouri should be the norm, not the exception. Pinkel has done a much better job of that in recent years.
The Parade Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year & U.S. Army Player of the Year, Green-Beckham is the all-time leading receiver in high school history with 6,447-yards & 75-touchdowns. That's nationally, not just a Missouri high school record. As a senior his gaudy stats of 119-receptions for 2,333-yards & 24-touchdowns came on a team that wasn't too great. Springfield's Hillcrest High School has the smallest enrollment in the city with a population of just under 160,000. I absolutely loved his announcement, "This morning it is an honor to announce that I will be continuing my education at the University of Missouri." Not I'm taking my game to Mizzou, "I will be continuing my education at." This is an outstanding young man raised since the age of twelve by white parents & with 4 other adopted siblings & a 6-year old sister who is the Beckham's only biological child. To say this family is close would be a bigger understatement than "DGB is Mizzou's biggest get as a football program."
Dorial Green-Beckham seconds after committing to the MU. His adopted parents on the R
Another key part of the Mizzou equation is current starting quarterback James Franklin. The tough as nails junior signal-caller should continue to improve, even as the Tigers begin play in the Southeastern Conference. If RB Henry Josey can rehab his way back from a severe knee injury, this offense is loaded at the skill positions. Another of today's recruits to sign with Mizzou, quarterback Maty Mauk from Indiana could make a major impact. His skills as a passer(5,413-yards & 68 TD passes as a senior) & a runner(1,768-yds & 24-TD's) out of a spread offense, make him a serious contender for playing time down the road. In the Indiana State Championship game, Mauk went 27 of 29 for 505-yards & 9 touchdowns. Yes, I said nine. I've watched a lot of tape on this kid & believe me, he throws the ball 50-60-yards downfield with excellent accuracy. Like another high school spread QB in Mizzou's past, Chase Daniel, Mauk gets rid of the ball so quickly, but he adds the run dimension like no other Missouri quarterback since Brad Smith. He has the speed to run away from defenders.
Kenton High's Maty Mauk
Bowie High School speedster Russell Hansbrough breaks long run after long run on his senior tape. So many 50-60-70-yard runs by the Arlington Texas native. He's kinda small at 5' 7" 178-pounds, but that's the same height & just a few pounds lighter than Josey was when he came to Columbia. This young man is scary in the open field & has elite acceleration, his size was the only thing keeping him out of a top-10 ranking as a prep recruit. Another exciting RB, Morgan Steward from Staley High School in Kansas City, also brings that breakaway threat to Columbia. This 2,227-yard rusher, as a senior, averaged 9.9-yards per carry while scoring 27-touchdowns.
Russell Hansbrough Morgan StewardThe Tiger recruiting class was top-heavy with defensive backs & with the exception of Josh Gibson(5' 10" 172) all of them are at least 6' & 190-pounds. They also bagged a good tight end prospect in 6' 5" Sean Culkin from Largo Florida. The only down note was St. Louis native Ed Ray, a defensive tackle, who reneged on his verbal commitment this morning & signed with Texas A&M.
Tight end prospect Sean Culkin
All in all, coach Gary Pinkel had a top-25 recruiting class, mostly on the strength of DGB & Boehm, but I'm very happy with the rest of the prospects as well. Keeping the state's top players is paramount in building a stronger program as they compete in the SEC.
A quick note for K-State fans, Glenn Gronkowski, a fullback/tight end from New York signed this morning. His is the youngest brother of Rob Gronkowski, Patriots' tight end. The pair have two other brothers between them in age & both played college football as tight ends. Good blood line.
For my buddy Eddie F. out in Las Vegas, your Seminoles had a banner day, signing three #1 rated players at their position by Rivals.com. The last of the three came this morning when Eddie Goldman, a defensive tackle, made his commitment to FSU. They lost 5-star recruit Dante Fowler who decommitted at the last minute & signed with Florida. I think the defensive end looked at his competition on the depth chart & decided to go elsewhere. Overall the Noles will be ranked #2, pretty good there pal.
GREEN-BECKHAM CHOOSES MIZZOU!!!!!!
Dorial Green-Beckham chose Mizzou over Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma & Alabama. The #1 ranked high school player in the entire nation is now a Missouri Tiger. More later.
TUESDAY PART DEAUX
In the week of hype that is the six days before the Super Bowl, I look for some of the under-reported stories instead of the quarterbacks or the coaches, people we're all pretty familiar with. Let's start with Giants defensive end, Jason Pierre-Paul. He's in just his second year as an NFL player & yet he should be in the running for NFC defensive player of the year. He finished fourth in the league with 16.5 sacks. What's way more impressive to me is Pierre-Paul finished third on his team in tackles, almost unheard of for a defensive end. Usually the linebackers & safeties get the most tackles. He was the only defensive lineman to finish in the top-9 in tackles. He's known to his Giant teammates as "JPP" but the New York media prefers "The Haitian Sensation."
The 6' 5" 278-pound Jamaican immigrant almost didn't make it to the University of South Florida. His parents were struggling to make ends meet & then his father lost his job. His son began working at Boston Market in addition to his classes & football practice. He told his high school coach he could no longer play football, he needed to earn money for his family by working at the restaurant. His coach told him to talk to his manager & see if he couldn't change his work schedule so he could continue playing football. It worked, but Pierre-Paul spent two seasons going to class, practicing football, working an 8-hour shift at Boston market & then going home to study. I detailed his exploits at the NFL Scouting Combine two years ago. He did something there that had never been done & I doubt ever will. After the defensive linemen went thru all their drills, ran the 40(JPP ran 4.67 @ 268-lbs), did all their broad jumps & vertical leaps, Pierre-Paul proceeded to do 13-back flips consecutively. As I watched this, my jaw hit the floor. What unbelievable balance & athleticism. For a kid who needed extensive coaching to become a quality NFL lineman, teams now knew what they had to work with. He was selected in the first round by the Giants & he's made quite an impact. What should scare opposing NFL teams is Pierre-Paul freely admits he has no real idea what he will do when he rushes the passer, he knows very little technique & knows he needs extensive work to become better. Better? If he gets much better, there will be little competition between Jason Pierre-Paul & whoever finishes second in defensive player of the year.
Giants rookie linebacker Mark Herzlich is just as inspiring as Pierre-Paul. In 2009, Herzlich completed his junior year at Boston College & if he wanted to make the leap to the NFL, scouts assured him he would be selected in the top-half of the first round. Right after Herzlich made the decision to return for his senior season he began having severe leg pain. He went to his family doctor who referred mark to an oncologist. That scared him as well as his family. Herzlich was diagnosed with a very rare cancer, Ewings Sarcoma. It attaches itself to a bone, normally below the waist. Herzlich had a portion of his fibula removed & replaced by a titanium rod. He went thru chemo, lost his hair along with 50-pounds. When he was cleared by doctors to attempt a comeback, he worked like a man possessed. Herzlich returned to the B.C. football team to finish his last year of eligibility. But he wasn't the same player, he couldn't close as quickly or cover the ground sideline-to-sideline like he had before the cancer. He dropped like a rock on draft boards all over the league, in fact he was removed from most boards, no one had confidence in him. The draft came in April & Herzlich wasn't chosen. Seven rounds came & went & his name wasn't called. But there was a Boston College alum who decided to give the young man with the big heart a shot in an NFL training camp. That former B.C. Eagle was Tom Coughlin, Giants head coach. Folks, as they say, the rest is history. Herzlich will dress for his first Super Bowl game this Sunday, not bad for an undrafted rookie no one wanted.
Herzlich as a Junior in 2009 After completing his chemo
If the Giants win Sunday, I expect their defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell, will be the top "Coach in Waiting" next season.
New Bears' general manager Phil Emery made it clear tonight unrestricted free agent running back Matt Forte isn't going anywhere. "We want to get a long term deal done, but if that can't be accomplished before the deadline, we're prepared to make him our franchise player, we're keeping Matt Forte" Emery said. Considering he will be coming off ACL surgery, the franchise tag route might make the most sense, that way Chicago management can see if he's all the way back before committing $30-40 million. As the franchise player, Forte should be paid in the neighborhood of $8-10 million this season if they go that way.
Todd Haley got that interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now some are speculating it was out of respect for his father, Dick Haley, that he got an interview. His dad played for Pittsburgh in the 60's & became their director of player personnel in the early 70's. Dick Haley has 4 Super Bowl rings. There is also speculation teams are curious about his claims his office was bugged as well as his personal cell phone.
Pro Bowl starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers said what we were all thinking "some of my teammates in this game really embarrassed themselves."
Wednesday morning at approximately 9AM, the #1 high school player in the land will make his intentions known at a news conference carried live on ESPNU. In fact, the "U" will cover national signing day from 8AM CST until 6PM. We're going to know who's going where by sundown tomorrow. Here's hoping that #1 recruit, wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckam will choose the Missouri Tigers. It appears the competition for the talented wideout has come down to either Mizzou or Arkansas with Texas as an extreme longshot. I will post immediately after his decision is broadcast, so stay close.
The 6' 5" 278-pound Jamaican immigrant almost didn't make it to the University of South Florida. His parents were struggling to make ends meet & then his father lost his job. His son began working at Boston Market in addition to his classes & football practice. He told his high school coach he could no longer play football, he needed to earn money for his family by working at the restaurant. His coach told him to talk to his manager & see if he couldn't change his work schedule so he could continue playing football. It worked, but Pierre-Paul spent two seasons going to class, practicing football, working an 8-hour shift at Boston market & then going home to study. I detailed his exploits at the NFL Scouting Combine two years ago. He did something there that had never been done & I doubt ever will. After the defensive linemen went thru all their drills, ran the 40(JPP ran 4.67 @ 268-lbs), did all their broad jumps & vertical leaps, Pierre-Paul proceeded to do 13-back flips consecutively. As I watched this, my jaw hit the floor. What unbelievable balance & athleticism. For a kid who needed extensive coaching to become a quality NFL lineman, teams now knew what they had to work with. He was selected in the first round by the Giants & he's made quite an impact. What should scare opposing NFL teams is Pierre-Paul freely admits he has no real idea what he will do when he rushes the passer, he knows very little technique & knows he needs extensive work to become better. Better? If he gets much better, there will be little competition between Jason Pierre-Paul & whoever finishes second in defensive player of the year.
Giants rookie linebacker Mark Herzlich is just as inspiring as Pierre-Paul. In 2009, Herzlich completed his junior year at Boston College & if he wanted to make the leap to the NFL, scouts assured him he would be selected in the top-half of the first round. Right after Herzlich made the decision to return for his senior season he began having severe leg pain. He went to his family doctor who referred mark to an oncologist. That scared him as well as his family. Herzlich was diagnosed with a very rare cancer, Ewings Sarcoma. It attaches itself to a bone, normally below the waist. Herzlich had a portion of his fibula removed & replaced by a titanium rod. He went thru chemo, lost his hair along with 50-pounds. When he was cleared by doctors to attempt a comeback, he worked like a man possessed. Herzlich returned to the B.C. football team to finish his last year of eligibility. But he wasn't the same player, he couldn't close as quickly or cover the ground sideline-to-sideline like he had before the cancer. He dropped like a rock on draft boards all over the league, in fact he was removed from most boards, no one had confidence in him. The draft came in April & Herzlich wasn't chosen. Seven rounds came & went & his name wasn't called. But there was a Boston College alum who decided to give the young man with the big heart a shot in an NFL training camp. That former B.C. Eagle was Tom Coughlin, Giants head coach. Folks, as they say, the rest is history. Herzlich will dress for his first Super Bowl game this Sunday, not bad for an undrafted rookie no one wanted.
Herzlich as a Junior in 2009 After completing his chemo
If the Giants win Sunday, I expect their defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell, will be the top "Coach in Waiting" next season.
New Bears' general manager Phil Emery made it clear tonight unrestricted free agent running back Matt Forte isn't going anywhere. "We want to get a long term deal done, but if that can't be accomplished before the deadline, we're prepared to make him our franchise player, we're keeping Matt Forte" Emery said. Considering he will be coming off ACL surgery, the franchise tag route might make the most sense, that way Chicago management can see if he's all the way back before committing $30-40 million. As the franchise player, Forte should be paid in the neighborhood of $8-10 million this season if they go that way.
Todd Haley got that interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now some are speculating it was out of respect for his father, Dick Haley, that he got an interview. His dad played for Pittsburgh in the 60's & became their director of player personnel in the early 70's. Dick Haley has 4 Super Bowl rings. There is also speculation teams are curious about his claims his office was bugged as well as his personal cell phone.
Pro Bowl starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers said what we were all thinking "some of my teammates in this game really embarrassed themselves."
Wednesday morning at approximately 9AM, the #1 high school player in the land will make his intentions known at a news conference carried live on ESPNU. In fact, the "U" will cover national signing day from 8AM CST until 6PM. We're going to know who's going where by sundown tomorrow. Here's hoping that #1 recruit, wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckam will choose the Missouri Tigers. It appears the competition for the talented wideout has come down to either Mizzou or Arkansas with Texas as an extreme longshot. I will post immediately after his decision is broadcast, so stay close.
TUESDAY MORNING NOTES
Media day has begun & the only thing worth talking about is the health of two important patriot starters. Tight end Rob Gronkowski appeared this morning without the walking boot he had worn for the past ten days. He was unable to practice yesterday & he's not expected to participate in anything but Friday's walk-thru in an effort to let his high ankle sprain get as much rest as possible. I think he's going to dress for the game, just no way of knowing how effective he'll be. Starting left tackle Matt Light missed practice yesterday & wasn't made available for media day this morning. Light has some sort of illness, possibly the flu. Bill Belichick was his usual vague self about both players this morning. He had his team practice in full pads yesterday & DT Vince Wilfork said it was just what the team needed to get their focus on "what's important."
The "Occupy" people have decided picketing at the Super Bowl is a good way to attract attention. About 75 of them picketed on Saturday & they were back at it yesterday in the middle of the midway outside Lucas Oil Stadium. Yes, I said midway, like a state fair, that's another way for the NFL & some of it's biggest sponsors to earn even more money & get the exposure they crave. Food venues, bounce houses, zip lines, car displays, all sorts of football related games & exhibits cover acres & acres around the stadium. I have to believe this is one of the worst places for the "Occupy" folks to get sympathetic support, maybe I'm wrong.
Despite the sagging economy, tickets are going for near-record prices on Ticketmaster, StubHub, Craig's List & the NFL Ticket Exchange. The face value of tickets available to the public range from $800 to $1,200. The average price up to yesterday was $4,337 on the NFL Ticket Exchange.
Have you ever wondered how Super Bowl tickets are distributed? I always had & now I know. Lucas Oil Stadium holds 70,000 for football with the expanded seating. Here's how the breakdown goes:
75% goes to the teams-17.5% to each of the participants(12,250 each)
- 5% to the host team, the Colts(3,500)
- 1.2% to the remaining 29-teams(840)
individual teams distribute tickets in various ways
25% goes to the networks, sponsors, contest winners, media & team ownership(17,500)
Every year I complain about having the Super Bowl on Sunday evening. It ought to be on Saturday night, that way people can stay out late & get a day to recover before they go back to work.
I heard Ron Jaworski on Mike & Mike in the Morning today & he mentioned he had never seen a tape of Super Bowl XV, which he played in for the Philadelphia Eagles. losing 27-10. Never? Never he claims, it's just too painful for Jaws to think about watching. Dan Marino said when we get to Championship Sunday, he begins thinking of his only Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XIX, just his 2nd year in the NFL. He never returned. He said this morning "It's painful, I think about it everyday for about 2 1/2 weeks every single year. I imagine I always will."
I neglected to mention yesterday when speaking of Steve Hoffman's dismissal as the Chiefs' special teams coach there were two telling plays. I think the two blocked field goals in the Raider game which determined the outcome were a major reason for Hoffman's firing by Romeo Crennel. He's been an excellent kicking & punting coach, but far less effective coaching the return, coverage & field goal teams.
I never thought it would happen, but Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network is reporting Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin is investigating the possibility of Todd Haley becoming the Steelers' offensive coordinator. I don't see Haley & Tomlin being a good match, but after Bruce Arians being let go, they need a new O.C. & they need one now. Haley's father Dick was one of the architects of the 1970's Steelers who won 4 Super Bowls.
New Raiders coach Dennis Allen has extended an offer to Gregg Knapp to become Oakland's offensive coordinator.
The "Occupy" people have decided picketing at the Super Bowl is a good way to attract attention. About 75 of them picketed on Saturday & they were back at it yesterday in the middle of the midway outside Lucas Oil Stadium. Yes, I said midway, like a state fair, that's another way for the NFL & some of it's biggest sponsors to earn even more money & get the exposure they crave. Food venues, bounce houses, zip lines, car displays, all sorts of football related games & exhibits cover acres & acres around the stadium. I have to believe this is one of the worst places for the "Occupy" folks to get sympathetic support, maybe I'm wrong.
Despite the sagging economy, tickets are going for near-record prices on Ticketmaster, StubHub, Craig's List & the NFL Ticket Exchange. The face value of tickets available to the public range from $800 to $1,200. The average price up to yesterday was $4,337 on the NFL Ticket Exchange.
Have you ever wondered how Super Bowl tickets are distributed? I always had & now I know. Lucas Oil Stadium holds 70,000 for football with the expanded seating. Here's how the breakdown goes:
75% goes to the teams-17.5% to each of the participants(12,250 each)
- 5% to the host team, the Colts(3,500)
- 1.2% to the remaining 29-teams(840)
individual teams distribute tickets in various ways
25% goes to the networks, sponsors, contest winners, media & team ownership(17,500)
Every year I complain about having the Super Bowl on Sunday evening. It ought to be on Saturday night, that way people can stay out late & get a day to recover before they go back to work.
I heard Ron Jaworski on Mike & Mike in the Morning today & he mentioned he had never seen a tape of Super Bowl XV, which he played in for the Philadelphia Eagles. losing 27-10. Never? Never he claims, it's just too painful for Jaws to think about watching. Dan Marino said when we get to Championship Sunday, he begins thinking of his only Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XIX, just his 2nd year in the NFL. He never returned. He said this morning "It's painful, I think about it everyday for about 2 1/2 weeks every single year. I imagine I always will."
I neglected to mention yesterday when speaking of Steve Hoffman's dismissal as the Chiefs' special teams coach there were two telling plays. I think the two blocked field goals in the Raider game which determined the outcome were a major reason for Hoffman's firing by Romeo Crennel. He's been an excellent kicking & punting coach, but far less effective coaching the return, coverage & field goal teams.
I never thought it would happen, but Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network is reporting Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin is investigating the possibility of Todd Haley becoming the Steelers' offensive coordinator. I don't see Haley & Tomlin being a good match, but after Bruce Arians being let go, they need a new O.C. & they need one now. Haley's father Dick was one of the architects of the 1970's Steelers who won 4 Super Bowls.
New Raiders coach Dennis Allen has extended an offer to Gregg Knapp to become Oakland's offensive coordinator.
MONDAY PART DEAUX
The Chiefs announced today they had hired a new special teams coordinator(coach). Tom McMahon is the new special teams coach, he formerly held the same position with the Rams. Kansas City's former special teams coach, Steve Hoffman, was sent packing as was wide receivers coach Richie Anerson & assistant offensive line coach Pat Perles. Romeo Crennel's staff still needs an offensive coordinator & a wide receivers coach.
Stupidest question asked at the Giants' media session today was asked of coach Tom Couglin, "Who do you think will be the Super Bowl MVP?" Really??? This clown is getting a hotel, per diem & transportation & I'm sittin' right here?
Did you waste 3-hours watching the Pro Bowl last night? I've always used the time I've saved not watching the Pro Bowl to make certain my navel is lint-free. I did see highlights of this 59-41 7-on-7 drill. They might as well been wearing flags, it looked like an intramural game. No hitting, blitzing or much in the way of tackling. Overnight TV ratings were disappointing, even for Pro Bowl standards, just 14.2 million people wasted all or part of their Sunday evening watching this bogus contest. I understand why the players don't go full speed, no one wants to start their off-season with a severe injury, but just sh*t can this lame excuse for a football game, it's embarrassing.
Giants wide receiver will play in the Super Bowl Sunday at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Two years ago when Cruz graduated from UMass, he wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, staged every year in the same stadium. He wasn't selected in the draft but was signed by New York as an undrafted free agent. Cruz led the Giants in receiving with 82-receptions good for 1,536-yards, 9-touchdowns & a league-leading 19.7 per reception average. He's making the league's decision makers look pretty lame.
There are several reports out tonight that Peyton Manning has hit a plateau in his rehab. He can only throw at 50-60% velocity. I said on the show tonight I expect him to retire, hearing this just helps to confirm my beliefs.
Setting manning aside, here's a preliminary list of unrestricted free agents. Remember, teams can put the franchise tag on one player per franchise, so several of these players will never see free agency, at least not this year. Here's the cream of the crop as it stands today.
Matt Flynn--QB--Green Bay(will receive the most money this F/A period)
Peyton Hillis--RB--Cleveland
DeSean Jackson--WR--Philadelphia(ticking time bomb, no thanks)
Alex Smith--QB--San Francisco(He'll stay with Frisco)
Marshawn Lynch--RB--Seattle
Dwayne Bowe--WR--Kansas City(look for the Chiefs to franchise him)
Vincent Jackson--WR--San Diego (he wants to stay in SD, they may not want him)
Stevie Johnson--WR--Buffalo (P.I.T.A)
Jermichael Finlay--TE--Green Bay Huge weapon, but he dropped way too many passes)
Hakeem Nicks--WR--NY Giants (If NYG wins Sunday, Nicks might take his ring & go for the big money in free agency)
Cliff Avril--DE--Detroit(11 sacks)
Calais Campbell--DE--Arizona(my dream guy for KC. But Cards will franchise him)
Matt Forte--RB--Chicago(Torn ACL hurts his value)
Wes Welker--WR--New England(says he'll be back in 2011)
Paul Soliai--NT--Miami9my 2nd dream guy for KC)
Carl Nicks--OG--New Orleans(my 3rd dream guy, look for the Saints to franchise him)
Drew Brees--QB--New Orleans(really???)
Carlos Rogers--CB--San Francisco(he won't go anywhere)
Ray Rice--RB--Baltimore (Another one without a shot of going anywhere other than Balt.)
Ben Grubbs--OG--Baltimore (They may have to let Grubbs, the starting LG, go)
Marques Colston--WR--New Orleans (After signing Brees & franchising Nicks, Colston might be gone)
Chris Meyers--C--Houston(they might let Williams go & keep Meyers)
Scott Wells--C--Green Bay
Mario Williams--DE/OLB--Houston (after Connor Barwin's performance subbing for an injured Williams, the Texans might roll the dice & let him go)
Anthony Spencer--OLB--Dallas (doubt the Cowboys spend the $$$ to keep him)
Brandon Carr--CB--Kansas City (please, please, please resign Carr Mr. Pioli)
Jovan Belcher--ILB--Kansas City (not crazy about him as a starter, but very good depth)
Curtis Lofton--ILB--Atlanta (don't know what the Falcons intend to do with him)
LaRon Landry--S--Washington (missed first 11 weeks with Achilles injury-status unknown)
Stupidest question asked at the Giants' media session today was asked of coach Tom Couglin, "Who do you think will be the Super Bowl MVP?" Really??? This clown is getting a hotel, per diem & transportation & I'm sittin' right here?
Did you waste 3-hours watching the Pro Bowl last night? I've always used the time I've saved not watching the Pro Bowl to make certain my navel is lint-free. I did see highlights of this 59-41 7-on-7 drill. They might as well been wearing flags, it looked like an intramural game. No hitting, blitzing or much in the way of tackling. Overnight TV ratings were disappointing, even for Pro Bowl standards, just 14.2 million people wasted all or part of their Sunday evening watching this bogus contest. I understand why the players don't go full speed, no one wants to start their off-season with a severe injury, but just sh*t can this lame excuse for a football game, it's embarrassing.
Giants wide receiver will play in the Super Bowl Sunday at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Two years ago when Cruz graduated from UMass, he wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, staged every year in the same stadium. He wasn't selected in the draft but was signed by New York as an undrafted free agent. Cruz led the Giants in receiving with 82-receptions good for 1,536-yards, 9-touchdowns & a league-leading 19.7 per reception average. He's making the league's decision makers look pretty lame.
There are several reports out tonight that Peyton Manning has hit a plateau in his rehab. He can only throw at 50-60% velocity. I said on the show tonight I expect him to retire, hearing this just helps to confirm my beliefs.
Setting manning aside, here's a preliminary list of unrestricted free agents. Remember, teams can put the franchise tag on one player per franchise, so several of these players will never see free agency, at least not this year. Here's the cream of the crop as it stands today.
Matt Flynn--QB--Green Bay(will receive the most money this F/A period)
Peyton Hillis--RB--Cleveland
DeSean Jackson--WR--Philadelphia(ticking time bomb, no thanks)
Alex Smith--QB--San Francisco(He'll stay with Frisco)
Marshawn Lynch--RB--Seattle
Dwayne Bowe--WR--Kansas City(look for the Chiefs to franchise him)
Vincent Jackson--WR--San Diego (he wants to stay in SD, they may not want him)
Stevie Johnson--WR--Buffalo (P.I.T.A)
Jermichael Finlay--TE--Green Bay Huge weapon, but he dropped way too many passes)
Hakeem Nicks--WR--NY Giants (If NYG wins Sunday, Nicks might take his ring & go for the big money in free agency)
Cliff Avril--DE--Detroit(11 sacks)
Calais Campbell--DE--Arizona(my dream guy for KC. But Cards will franchise him)
Matt Forte--RB--Chicago(Torn ACL hurts his value)
Wes Welker--WR--New England(says he'll be back in 2011)
Paul Soliai--NT--Miami9my 2nd dream guy for KC)
Carl Nicks--OG--New Orleans(my 3rd dream guy, look for the Saints to franchise him)
Drew Brees--QB--New Orleans(really???)
Carlos Rogers--CB--San Francisco(he won't go anywhere)
Ray Rice--RB--Baltimore (Another one without a shot of going anywhere other than Balt.)
Ben Grubbs--OG--Baltimore (They may have to let Grubbs, the starting LG, go)
Marques Colston--WR--New Orleans (After signing Brees & franchising Nicks, Colston might be gone)
Chris Meyers--C--Houston(they might let Williams go & keep Meyers)
Scott Wells--C--Green Bay
Mario Williams--DE/OLB--Houston (after Connor Barwin's performance subbing for an injured Williams, the Texans might roll the dice & let him go)
Anthony Spencer--OLB--Dallas (doubt the Cowboys spend the $$$ to keep him)
Brandon Carr--CB--Kansas City (please, please, please resign Carr Mr. Pioli)
Jovan Belcher--ILB--Kansas City (not crazy about him as a starter, but very good depth)
Curtis Lofton--ILB--Atlanta (don't know what the Falcons intend to do with him)
LaRon Landry--S--Washington (missed first 11 weeks with Achilles injury-status unknown)
SUPER BOWL WEEK TWO-A-DAYS BEGIN TODAY
It's Super Bowl week so you'll have at least two posts per day for the next week. They won't all be about the big game, I'm not a hype-guy, but there is enough football to talk about. Wednesday is national signing day & I might have more than two posts then because of what transpires & the impact of who goes where. I will preview different aspects about the Super Bowl as the week progresses. Tho the NFL hates any news that doesn't concern Sunday's game during this week of the year, coaching news, possible free agents & the ongoing Peyton Manning story will get a few headlines & you'll read it here.
I watched Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski get off the plane yesterday. I was looking to see how he was moving on his high ankle sprain. He was still wearing a walking boot for support but he was not limping in any way. I think Gronkowski will start Sunday but how effective he is remains to be seen. The past two Super Bowls saw prominent AFC players with ankle issues. Two years ago Colts all-pro defensive end Dwight Freeney had an ankle sprain that left him totally ineffective in the game. Last year, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey had a high ankle sprain & tho he said he would play & the Steelers said he would play, he did not dress for the game. Gronkowski's ankle could prove to be a real problem for the Patriots. I think the Giants will put a linebacker in his face on the line of scrimmage, attempting to slow him down initially, then turning the coverage over to a safety. With a high ankle sprain, it's really tough to get thru the first 3-4 steps & get going. With a 240-pound linebacker in his grill, trying to slow his release, big Rob may be in for a tough afternoon & evening. It was suggested Gronkowski had his ankle shot up to get off the plane & look as tho his ankle was fine to prying eyes. Maybe, but look for the Giants to make his ability to get off the line as difficult as possible. Gronkowski is the lone injury question for either team, oh there will be a dozen or so guys listed as "Probable" or maybe even questionable, but the big tight end is the only one that really matters right now.
In the November 6th game at New England, won by the Giants 24-20 on a TD pass with 15-seconds remaining, the Giants were playing without starters RB Ahmad Bradshaw & WR Hakeem Nicks.
Super Bowl weekend means Hall of Fame voting. The 44 people who argue & vote & argue & vote, will convene bright & early Saturday morning to decide who will be inducted this August. Here's hoping Will Shields & Willie Roaf make it, but two offensive linemen might be a tall order in one season.
The Baltimore Ravens are expected to hire Jim Caldwell as their quarterback's coach. The Ravens will retain offensive coordinator Cam Cameron despite calls for his dismissal. The former Colts head coach hasn't had a lot of interest since he was canned by Indy.
I mentioned I thought Peyton Manning was going to be released by the Colts. I have my doubts about Manning ever playing again, his neck might not allow it. I don't see him playing just for the sake of stats or because he can't stand not playing. If he's not 95%, I think he'll retire after he's released. Other Colt Pro Bowl performers who could be shown the door are DE Dwight Freeney & WR Reggie Wayne. Wayne is a free agent who won't be retained & I think Freeney will be let go or traded. He will be 32 next month, he makes a huge amount of money & Freeney still has some trade value.
I watched Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski get off the plane yesterday. I was looking to see how he was moving on his high ankle sprain. He was still wearing a walking boot for support but he was not limping in any way. I think Gronkowski will start Sunday but how effective he is remains to be seen. The past two Super Bowls saw prominent AFC players with ankle issues. Two years ago Colts all-pro defensive end Dwight Freeney had an ankle sprain that left him totally ineffective in the game. Last year, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey had a high ankle sprain & tho he said he would play & the Steelers said he would play, he did not dress for the game. Gronkowski's ankle could prove to be a real problem for the Patriots. I think the Giants will put a linebacker in his face on the line of scrimmage, attempting to slow him down initially, then turning the coverage over to a safety. With a high ankle sprain, it's really tough to get thru the first 3-4 steps & get going. With a 240-pound linebacker in his grill, trying to slow his release, big Rob may be in for a tough afternoon & evening. It was suggested Gronkowski had his ankle shot up to get off the plane & look as tho his ankle was fine to prying eyes. Maybe, but look for the Giants to make his ability to get off the line as difficult as possible. Gronkowski is the lone injury question for either team, oh there will be a dozen or so guys listed as "Probable" or maybe even questionable, but the big tight end is the only one that really matters right now.
In the November 6th game at New England, won by the Giants 24-20 on a TD pass with 15-seconds remaining, the Giants were playing without starters RB Ahmad Bradshaw & WR Hakeem Nicks.
Super Bowl weekend means Hall of Fame voting. The 44 people who argue & vote & argue & vote, will convene bright & early Saturday morning to decide who will be inducted this August. Here's hoping Will Shields & Willie Roaf make it, but two offensive linemen might be a tall order in one season.
The Baltimore Ravens are expected to hire Jim Caldwell as their quarterback's coach. The Ravens will retain offensive coordinator Cam Cameron despite calls for his dismissal. The former Colts head coach hasn't had a lot of interest since he was canned by Indy.
I mentioned I thought Peyton Manning was going to be released by the Colts. I have my doubts about Manning ever playing again, his neck might not allow it. I don't see him playing just for the sake of stats or because he can't stand not playing. If he's not 95%, I think he'll retire after he's released. Other Colt Pro Bowl performers who could be shown the door are DE Dwight Freeney & WR Reggie Wayne. Wayne is a free agent who won't be retained & I think Freeney will be let go or traded. He will be 32 next month, he makes a huge amount of money & Freeney still has some trade value.
ALDON DRIVES DRUNK, DGB AT MIZZOU & CHIEFS LOSE THEIR DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE SCOUTING
The Forty-Niners rookie sensation, Aldon Smith, was arrested & charged with DUI late Friday night in Miami. No word on any blood-alcohol levels, but he was released yesterday morning on a $1,000 bond.
Dorial Green-Beckham, ranked as the nations #1 prospect in high school football by Rivals.com, finished his campus trips with a weekend in Columbia with the Mizzou Tigers. He went to the Tigers-Texas Tech basketball game & as he was seated behind the Mizzou bench, the student section began an M-I-Z--D-G-B cheer. He watched most of the game before posing for a picture with Truman the Tiger on his way out of the arena. So what are the chances Gary Pinkel lands the nation's number one football prospect? Word out of camp Beckham, it's down to the Tigers & Arkansas. The two schools are about equal driiving distance from his Springfield Missouri home. It's important to DGB his family is able to drive to his home games on Saturday mornings. His adoptive father coaches high school football on Friday nights. He has made it clear he wants to stay close to home because his younger biological brother Darnell has a rare form of Leukemia. He was also adopted by the Beckham family three years ago. I personally don't like the Tigers chances because of their history of not being able to close the deal on prospects like Green-Beckham. Lord knows I wouldn't be able to wipe the smile off my face for a solid week if he signs a national letter of intent to attend Missouri this Wednesday morning on ESPN. Signing Green-Beckham could change the Tiger program for at least the near term & possibly be the building block that propels other top national recruits to choose Mizzou. It would give a lot of national prestige to Mizzou as well as bringing in a player would could make an immediate impact. At 6' 6" 225, he's got that Calvin Johnson size but he's reportedly faster, recently running a 4.43 40-yard dash. That's more like Randy Moss. If he does sign with the Tigers, barring injury, he'll start right away & be gone after his true junior season to the NFL. Let's hope his first live TV shot is a positive one for Mizzou.
I told you the other day Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was going to retire. It was believed the front office, more specifically owner Art Rooney II, didn't want to renew his contract. He didn't stay retired too long as yesterday it was announced he would take the same position with the Indianapolis Colts. This move confirms for me the Colts have no interest in keeping quarterback Peyton Manning. He has a $28 million roster bonus scheduled to be paid on March 8th. look for Manning to be released by Indianapolis before that date & then stand back & watch the frenzy begin.
Recently fired Fresno State coach Pat Hill is back in the NFL. The former offensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns & Baltimore Ravens will assume the same position with the Atlanta Falcons. Hill is a very respected line coach & should be a solid addition to the Falcons' staff.
The Chicago Bears have named Phil Emery as their new general manager. Emery had served as Director of College Scouting for the Kansas City Chiefs for the past three years. His departure could complicate the Chiefs preparation for next month's scouting combine in Indianapolis & the draft at the end of April. Chiefs' general manager Scott Pioli will now have to shoulder more of the burden for the upcoming draft & I don't physical work, I mean personal responsibility. Pioli began walking the occupational plank when he fired Todd Haley, it's time to go big or go home.
Dorial Green-Beckham, ranked as the nations #1 prospect in high school football by Rivals.com, finished his campus trips with a weekend in Columbia with the Mizzou Tigers. He went to the Tigers-Texas Tech basketball game & as he was seated behind the Mizzou bench, the student section began an M-I-Z--D-G-B cheer. He watched most of the game before posing for a picture with Truman the Tiger on his way out of the arena. So what are the chances Gary Pinkel lands the nation's number one football prospect? Word out of camp Beckham, it's down to the Tigers & Arkansas. The two schools are about equal driiving distance from his Springfield Missouri home. It's important to DGB his family is able to drive to his home games on Saturday mornings. His adoptive father coaches high school football on Friday nights. He has made it clear he wants to stay close to home because his younger biological brother Darnell has a rare form of Leukemia. He was also adopted by the Beckham family three years ago. I personally don't like the Tigers chances because of their history of not being able to close the deal on prospects like Green-Beckham. Lord knows I wouldn't be able to wipe the smile off my face for a solid week if he signs a national letter of intent to attend Missouri this Wednesday morning on ESPN. Signing Green-Beckham could change the Tiger program for at least the near term & possibly be the building block that propels other top national recruits to choose Mizzou. It would give a lot of national prestige to Mizzou as well as bringing in a player would could make an immediate impact. At 6' 6" 225, he's got that Calvin Johnson size but he's reportedly faster, recently running a 4.43 40-yard dash. That's more like Randy Moss. If he does sign with the Tigers, barring injury, he'll start right away & be gone after his true junior season to the NFL. Let's hope his first live TV shot is a positive one for Mizzou.
I told you the other day Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was going to retire. It was believed the front office, more specifically owner Art Rooney II, didn't want to renew his contract. He didn't stay retired too long as yesterday it was announced he would take the same position with the Indianapolis Colts. This move confirms for me the Colts have no interest in keeping quarterback Peyton Manning. He has a $28 million roster bonus scheduled to be paid on March 8th. look for Manning to be released by Indianapolis before that date & then stand back & watch the frenzy begin.
Recently fired Fresno State coach Pat Hill is back in the NFL. The former offensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns & Baltimore Ravens will assume the same position with the Atlanta Falcons. Hill is a very respected line coach & should be a solid addition to the Falcons' staff.
The Chicago Bears have named Phil Emery as their new general manager. Emery had served as Director of College Scouting for the Kansas City Chiefs for the past three years. His departure could complicate the Chiefs preparation for next month's scouting combine in Indianapolis & the draft at the end of April. Chiefs' general manager Scott Pioli will now have to shoulder more of the burden for the upcoming draft & I don't physical work, I mean personal responsibility. Pioli began walking the occupational plank when he fired Todd Haley, it's time to go big or go home.
COACHING MOVES, RAMS' GAMES IN LONDON IN QUESTION & THE MOST TALENTED QB I'VE EVER SEEN PASSES AWAY
Some major coordinator positions were filled on Friday. The Denver Broncos added former Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio to their staff as defensive coordinator. He had previously worked for John Fox in the same capacity before he went to Jacksonville. This is a real solid move in my estimate. The Dolphins named both coordinators yesterday, Mike Sherman on offense & Kevin Coyle on defense. Sherman had been head coach with the Packers & most recently, Texas A&M. Coyle was DB's coach for Cincinnati. Brad "Chilly" Childress has accepted the job as offensive coordinator in Cleveland. The former Vikings head coach will begin his Brown's tenure with a pretty bare cupboard as far as offensive skill position players, especially at quarterback. Cleveland holds 2-first round draft picks, I expect them to tab a QB & either a RB or a WR.
Have you noticed Chad Ochocinco has been quiet as a mouse since he went to New England? His 15-receptions for 276-yards & one touchdown are so far below his normal stats, he's got nothing to crow about plus playing for Bill Belichick, #85 knows complaining will get him a a pink slip. He's been in on exactly one snap in two playoff games, one. But he is realizing a life long dream, going to the Super Bowl as a player & not a spectator. Tuesday is media day, let's see just how low profile Ochocinco can remain.
I told you the other day Nick Montana was going to transfer from Washington to Blinn Jr. College in Texas. I got ahead of myself, Montana will transfer to Mt. San Antonio Jr. College in California. Brother Nate already transferred from Notre Dame to Division 1-AA Montana.
I told you about the young man from Baton Rouge who at thew Under Armour High School All-Star game, chose Alabama over his home state LSU, much to the disgust of his mother. The mini-drama played out live on national television has a 2nd chapter. His mother said on Friday she thought Nick Saban was irresponsible & patronizing when he told her son, Landon Collins, he would get him high draft pick status with the NFL. His mom was more concerned about his education, something she said Saban failed to mention in the 2-hours in her living room. She was wearing LSU purple & gold during the live TV shot & her smiles turned to horror when Landon pulled on a pair of Crimson Tide gloves & cap.
The Mizzou Tigers have filled one of the three vacant dates on their out-of-conference schedule by agreeing to a game with Central Florida on September 29th. The game with UCF will be in Orlando. September 1st & November 17th still remain blank at this time.
The St. Louis Visitors & Convention Commission said on Friday the Rams decision to play a scheduled home game in London the next three years is in violation of their lease with the City. According to the CVC, all Rams' home games must be played at the Edward Jones Dome unless the building is declared unsafe. Stay tuned Rams' fans, this could get ugly.
This afternoon's Senior Bowl doesn't look like a very competitive game to me. The South has huge advantages at QB, defensive line & in the secondary. That alone should allow them to win, but I've never cared who won, I just watch it, over & over, to see the individual matchups between NFL-caliber prospects.
The Chiefs drafted nose tackle Jerrell Powe last April. He was active for only one game & played just nine snaps. Unlike a few other draft picks who never saw the field, the reason Powe didn't play much was simple. According to a Chiefs' official, Powe was a "swing & a miss." He never dedicated himself to conditioning or learning the Kansas City defensive scheme. If this is true, he'll be an early camp cut come August.
Greg Cook passed away late Thursday evening, he was 65. Cook was the most talented quarterback prospect I've personally ever seen. Cook was the #1 overall pick in the 1969 draft, out of the University of Cincinnati. He was huge for that era, 6' 4" & 225-pounds. He had a rocket-arm that delivered passes 50-60-yards downfield right on target. He once threw for 564-yards in a college game, it made headlines nationwide, no one threw for those gaudy numbers back in the 60's. He was ultra-dangerous outside the pocket, he could run but the real scary part of his game was his uncanny ability to throw perfect strikes on the run. The legendary Paul Brown drafted & coached Cook, along with the Bengals QB coach, Bill Walsh. Even tho he would later coach Joe Montana & Steve Young, both Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Walsh never hesitated to call Cook "the most talented quarterback I ever saw."
Even as a goofy high school senior, which I was at the time, it was plain to see Greg Cook played the quarterback position faster than anyone else. He dropped back quicker than anyone, he went thru the progressions, taught to him by Walsh, faster than anyone & he got rid of the ball on a par with Joe Namath. And then there was his uncanny accuracy, definitely comparable to Lenny Dawson or Bob Griese, the top AFL passers of the day. As a rookie on a so-so team, his impact was amazing.
Cook started as a rookie, beating the AFL's Oakland Raiders & then the Kansas City Chiefs, that season's eventual Super Bowl winner. But in the their victory over Kansas City, Cook sustained a shoulder injury that sidelined him for seven weeks. Medical technology at the time was almost prehistoric compared to today, Cook had a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. Like so many football injuries back then, cortisone shots(my personal favorite) & pain killers got many a football player ready for the games on Sunday. The problem is, the shots & pain killers only mask the real problem & it will continue to worsen in most cases. That was the case with Cook. His suffered thru 3 operations that were essentially experimental in nature & constant pain that completely changed his throwing motion.
Cook missed all or part of 3 seasons before being forced into retirement. He played but 12 games in professional football & yet he's on every single "Best of" list I've ever seen. The NFL Network has him on their best QB list, as does both Sports Illustrated NFL scribes, Peter King & Paul Zimmerman. I told you what Bill Walsh thought of his talent, I've heard Len Dawson say Greg Cook was the greatest QB talent ever, "the release of Joe Namath with the accuracy of Johnny Unitas & the most dangerous QB outside the pocket ever." Bengals owner Mike Brown, son of Paul Brown, said yesterday "Greg Cook was the single most talented player to ever play for Cincinnati."
Cook spent the rest of his life working for United Parcel Service & as a motivational speaker in the labor movement. He was a painter, something he continued to do thruout his life. Two of his paintings hang in the Ohio Governor's mansion.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Greg Cook in a 1969 game against the Denver Broncos
Have you noticed Chad Ochocinco has been quiet as a mouse since he went to New England? His 15-receptions for 276-yards & one touchdown are so far below his normal stats, he's got nothing to crow about plus playing for Bill Belichick, #85 knows complaining will get him a a pink slip. He's been in on exactly one snap in two playoff games, one. But he is realizing a life long dream, going to the Super Bowl as a player & not a spectator. Tuesday is media day, let's see just how low profile Ochocinco can remain.
I told you the other day Nick Montana was going to transfer from Washington to Blinn Jr. College in Texas. I got ahead of myself, Montana will transfer to Mt. San Antonio Jr. College in California. Brother Nate already transferred from Notre Dame to Division 1-AA Montana.
I told you about the young man from Baton Rouge who at thew Under Armour High School All-Star game, chose Alabama over his home state LSU, much to the disgust of his mother. The mini-drama played out live on national television has a 2nd chapter. His mother said on Friday she thought Nick Saban was irresponsible & patronizing when he told her son, Landon Collins, he would get him high draft pick status with the NFL. His mom was more concerned about his education, something she said Saban failed to mention in the 2-hours in her living room. She was wearing LSU purple & gold during the live TV shot & her smiles turned to horror when Landon pulled on a pair of Crimson Tide gloves & cap.
The Mizzou Tigers have filled one of the three vacant dates on their out-of-conference schedule by agreeing to a game with Central Florida on September 29th. The game with UCF will be in Orlando. September 1st & November 17th still remain blank at this time.
The St. Louis Visitors & Convention Commission said on Friday the Rams decision to play a scheduled home game in London the next three years is in violation of their lease with the City. According to the CVC, all Rams' home games must be played at the Edward Jones Dome unless the building is declared unsafe. Stay tuned Rams' fans, this could get ugly.
This afternoon's Senior Bowl doesn't look like a very competitive game to me. The South has huge advantages at QB, defensive line & in the secondary. That alone should allow them to win, but I've never cared who won, I just watch it, over & over, to see the individual matchups between NFL-caliber prospects.
The Chiefs drafted nose tackle Jerrell Powe last April. He was active for only one game & played just nine snaps. Unlike a few other draft picks who never saw the field, the reason Powe didn't play much was simple. According to a Chiefs' official, Powe was a "swing & a miss." He never dedicated himself to conditioning or learning the Kansas City defensive scheme. If this is true, he'll be an early camp cut come August.
Greg Cook passed away late Thursday evening, he was 65. Cook was the most talented quarterback prospect I've personally ever seen. Cook was the #1 overall pick in the 1969 draft, out of the University of Cincinnati. He was huge for that era, 6' 4" & 225-pounds. He had a rocket-arm that delivered passes 50-60-yards downfield right on target. He once threw for 564-yards in a college game, it made headlines nationwide, no one threw for those gaudy numbers back in the 60's. He was ultra-dangerous outside the pocket, he could run but the real scary part of his game was his uncanny ability to throw perfect strikes on the run. The legendary Paul Brown drafted & coached Cook, along with the Bengals QB coach, Bill Walsh. Even tho he would later coach Joe Montana & Steve Young, both Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Walsh never hesitated to call Cook "the most talented quarterback I ever saw."
Even as a goofy high school senior, which I was at the time, it was plain to see Greg Cook played the quarterback position faster than anyone else. He dropped back quicker than anyone, he went thru the progressions, taught to him by Walsh, faster than anyone & he got rid of the ball on a par with Joe Namath. And then there was his uncanny accuracy, definitely comparable to Lenny Dawson or Bob Griese, the top AFL passers of the day. As a rookie on a so-so team, his impact was amazing.
Cook started as a rookie, beating the AFL's Oakland Raiders & then the Kansas City Chiefs, that season's eventual Super Bowl winner. But in the their victory over Kansas City, Cook sustained a shoulder injury that sidelined him for seven weeks. Medical technology at the time was almost prehistoric compared to today, Cook had a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. Like so many football injuries back then, cortisone shots(my personal favorite) & pain killers got many a football player ready for the games on Sunday. The problem is, the shots & pain killers only mask the real problem & it will continue to worsen in most cases. That was the case with Cook. His suffered thru 3 operations that were essentially experimental in nature & constant pain that completely changed his throwing motion.
Cook missed all or part of 3 seasons before being forced into retirement. He played but 12 games in professional football & yet he's on every single "Best of" list I've ever seen. The NFL Network has him on their best QB list, as does both Sports Illustrated NFL scribes, Peter King & Paul Zimmerman. I told you what Bill Walsh thought of his talent, I've heard Len Dawson say Greg Cook was the greatest QB talent ever, "the release of Joe Namath with the accuracy of Johnny Unitas & the most dangerous QB outside the pocket ever." Bengals owner Mike Brown, son of Paul Brown, said yesterday "Greg Cook was the single most talented player to ever play for Cincinnati."
Cook spent the rest of his life working for United Parcel Service & as a motivational speaker in the labor movement. He was a painter, something he continued to do thruout his life. Two of his paintings hang in the Ohio Governor's mansion.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Greg Cook in a 1969 game against the Denver Broncos