This is supposedly what the former Georgia receiver, A.J. Green's, rookie card for the Cincinnati Bengals will look like. I sure wish he were still wearing the red and black this season, but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what this Top 10 pick will do at the next level.
Okay, so now that it's May, can someone please elaborate on why anyone should care?
Let me make this clear, I don't advocate the use of marijuana. I have never used it, never cared to use it, and don't see it being used anytime in my foreseeable future—unless I develop severe cataracts and just need a hit (sorry, bad form there)—but what Houston did seems irrelevant now.
Maybe if we had not been privy to Ryan Mallett's admission of recreational drug use during his time at Arkansas, I might be more inclined to raise a little sand. But, in fact, the main issue (at least from my perspective) isn't the fact that Justin Houston was using sometime last winter, but whether or not he was using while he was still enrolled at Georgia—which given the party atmosphere that has been known to surround the UGA football team and Athens, GA, in general, would not surprise me one iota.
If he was in fact using when he suited up, then it's possible he wasn't the only one and, if that's the case, then a whole other can of 'what the hell' is about to be opened in the blogosphere.
But back to the question at hand: what will this news do to Houston's draft status? If I had to take a guess, I'd say nothing. He's not a bad character guy and it's clear that he could excel if placed in the right system at the next level.
Plus, forgive my license here, but the NFL hasn't exactly been all that great about keeping it's players clean and sober—just saying. And, even if this latest revelation hurts his stock a bit, it's not likely to carry any more weight than the questions that were already being lobbed his way—the most important of which appears to be is he a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 linebacker?
Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana and that's unfortunate for him as that could tarnish his legacy for some Georgia Bulldog fans who came to respect him as a person and a player, but none of that will mean much come April 28th.
I've stayed away from any chatter regarding the NFL Lockout because a) it's hard to understand the issues between all the finger-pointing and whining, and b) no matter what anyone says, it all comes down to the money—the players want more, the owners want to give less.
From a fan standpoint, I can see where changes need to be made—starting with the NFL Draft. It's never made any sense to me that a rookie can come in and make millions as a top 10 pick, based solely on his potential and draft order. That seems monumentally unfair to those players who have actually proven their worth on the field of play and deserve better.
Second, the contract structures have always seemed shady—heavily back-loaded, with the signing bonus being the biggest talking point. Why not offer the bulk of the money in the first few years as opposed to the last few? Oh, that's right, that wouldn't be beneficial to the owners.
And lastly, speaking of those owners, not every franchise is blessed with a billion-dollar stadium, with a Lake Michigan sized big screen, yet many patrons are still subjected to ridiculously high ticket prices and sub-par stadium conditions.
How about the owners start offering a better fan experience for all the money they're given—after all, without the fans, there likely wouldn't be much revenue to speak of.
Which leads me to this point, this issue effects the fans as much, if not more, than it does the players or the owners. It pisses me off that, in all this chatter, both sides are looking for sympathy from the fans in a situation where neither would be relevant if said fans weren't there to support their sport in the first place!
Good grief, get over yourselves!
Here's a question, someone answer it for me if you can, how many Fortune 500 companies are willing to completely open their financial portfolios up to their employees—even the lowest earning ones—and say, 'hey, we're going to base your salary off of these earnings—if that's okay with you'? In a business as money-driven and cutthroat as the NFL, why would players expect owners to be willing to do as much?
And speaking of said owners, I wouldn't go as far as Adrian Peterson and call them slave drivers, but they definitely don't have a problem pimping players for a hefty profit and that needs to stop. One hand washes the other, and if you [the owners] continue to treat your players like rented mules, they will eventually kick you in the gonads—just saying.
The hearing today might reopen the negotiation table, but the damage has already been done as far as I'm concerned. The NFL has likely lost a lot of fans, disillusioned a ton more, and made their profit-earning lives more difficult where ticket sales are concerned because, let's face it, in an economy where recreational money is at a premium, who is going to be willing to support a bunch of free-spending, prima donnas, with a me-complex?
People will come back to the sport once the lockout is over—no doubt about that—but they won't be nearly as enamored of it as they were before because, to put it simply, all these dollars won't have amounted to much sense.
According to Jeff Schultz, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Falcons need to give away whatever they can to secure A.J. Green in the 2011 NFL Draft. Said Schultz, "...Thirty-two games, 166 catches, 2,619 yards, 23 touchdowns. He’ll be better than fine. The Falcons shouldn’t let him leave the state."
While it's true that Green could be the next star in the NFL, the Falcons need help on defense—not offense.
Sure, Green would be a welcome addition—if they could land him—but sitting at No. 27, the Falcons would have to give up a lot for the potential that Green brings to the table. And, for my money, I'm willing to bet that Thomas Dimitroff isn't interested in mortgaging the team's future on any one player—no matter how much "wow" he has to offer.
In truth, if the Falcons are looking to move up for any Georgia Bulldog, they may need to take a hard look at Justin Houston. Houston showed well at UGA's Pro Day as well, and he would make a nice compliment to John Abraham coming off the opposite edge. Furthermore, he's projected as a late-first, early second round pick—more than gettable for the Falcons—and has the kind of work ethic and attitude that Dimitroff covets.
As a Georgia fan, it would be great to see A.J. Green continuing his success in the state of Georgia but, to be honest, I'd much rather see the Falcons fill the needs that will immediately help the team—not just put more rear-ends in the seats.
Mark Ingram is a projected first-round pick—some are saying he could go as high as 15th to the Miami Dolphins—however, in this year's draft, anything is possible.
Ingram was the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner who helped lead the Alabama Crimson Tide to BCS Glory that same season. His standout performance against the Florida Gators in the 2009 SEC Championship showcased just how dominant a player he can be when he's healthy and running at his best. He would be a nice fit for the Dolphins at 15—assuming they select him—since both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams could be gone via free agency.
Either way, if Ingram can stay healthy, he would be a nice addition to any team looking for a versatile back who can play every down.
Ya know, as much as I enjoyed watching A.J. Green play football for the University of Georgia, I have to say it was disappointing to see how poorly he scored on the Wonderlic. In case you haven't heard, he only answered 10 of the 50 questions correctly.
However, it seems to me that, unlike at quarterback, the position of wide receiver is not nearly as cerebral. Green has the ability to get open, catch the ball, and maintain body control in almost any situation. He's especially good at making the difficult catches near the sideline and in traffic—the Wonderlic doesn't test for those types of intangibles.
My guess is that Green will still be a very enticing pick for any team in need of a No. 1 receiver. Some may pass him by for reasons unspecified, but his Wonderlic score isn't likely to be one of those reasons.
As Green says, he's tall, he's big, and he's physical—he can get the job done.
Newton's score, along with other notable quarterbacks, was released today and—aside from Jake Locker's damning 20 (I hope that kid still has some baseball skills)—Newton's was the lowest. Even Ryan Mallett, the guy whom many thought was the biggest question mark as far as intelligence was concerned scored a 26. So, what does this mean for Newton?
Will his draft stock plummet? Not likely.
If the past has proven anything, it's that teams are willing to take chances on guys whose skill-sets are as special and potential-laden as Cam Newton's. Take Vince Young, for example, he scored a 16 on his Wonderlic in 2006, but still managed to be selected No. 3 overall and I'm willing to bet that the decision to select him had more to do with his body of work than anything—so Newton may still be sitting pretty despite his eye-brow raising score.
The highest score was achieved by former Alabama quarterback, Greg McElroy (43), but it's tough to see him being anything more than a career back-up, if anything, in the NFL. By contrast, Blaine Gabbert's 42 can only help his rising stock as he appears to be steadily climbing up draft boards everywhere.
If Gabbert can impress scouts at his pro day, he could easily leapfrog Newton as the most coveted quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft.
It will be interesting to see the spin the QB conversation takes now that this information has been leaked—I mean, honestly, the comparison to Vince Young can go either way, ya know?— then again, with the NFL big wigs and their "slaves" still not finding any common ground, it could be 2012 before any of this even matters and by then, perhaps, no one will care who scored what.
Tiki Barber is obviously desperate for dollars, but he might need to try getting paid another way—I hear reality television is a good racket for douchebags like Mr. Barber, but he may be too tawdry even for their ranks.
Barber, who reportedly filed his un-retirement papers on yesterday, is looking for a little NFL love at 35. Unfortunately for him, there isn't likely to be a huge market for an old (by NFL standards), down on his luck, running back who hasn't played in more than four-years.
Perhaps Barber saw how well the story seems to have ended for Michael Vick and decided to see if he could rehab his reputation, and public image as well, while making a few dollars for his emptied pockets. However, something tells me, he'd have a better shot at making pigs fly than making a memorable comeback.
His tendency towards flaming coaches and teammates as a broadcaster didn't endear him to many and, quite frankly, his arrogance isn't as interesting as Chad OchoCinco's—which really isn't saying much.
An NFL comeback, you say?...Yeah, best of luck with that.
Former offensive lineman, Clint Boling, was recently interviewed during a media session at the NFL combine—taking place this week in Indianapolis—and when he was asked to explain how a team that came into the 2010 season so talented ends up 6-7, he had the following to say,
So, basically, Clint had no more of an idea what went wrong than the rest of us.
He mentioned A.J.'s absence and pointed to their inability to meet their "potential", but it didn't look to me like he really had much of a clue what happened in 2010—honestly, he didn't look comfortable answering the question at all. To me that screams loss of control.
The offensive line was by far the most heralded unit on the 2010 squad and, if nothing else, they were expected to remain as effective last season as they appeared to be at the end of 2009. The fact that they were as wildly inconsistent as they were says, to me at least, that there was a definite problem with the message coming from the coaching staff. None of these guys were on the same page and the play on the field suffered as a result.
Hopefully that "disconnect" won't be an issue in 2011.
Imagine what Herschel Walker might have done if he had been fully aware during his 1982 season at Georgia. Check this excerpt taken from an article written by Sam Friedman of newsminer.com,
Herschel Walker has said he doesn’t remember winning college football’s highest individual honor because of mental illness.
Walker, who went on to play in the NFL and compete in the Olympic in two-man bobsled, suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder — formerly known as multiple personality disorder. As a result, he has said he does not remember the entire 1982 football season when he won the Heisman Trophy for the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
1982 was Walkers last season with the Georgia Bulldogs, and he tallied 1,752 yards and 6 touchdowns that year—he won the Heisman that season and then made the jump to the USFL—and he essentially admits to doing so on auto-pilot.
Cam Newton won't be the No. 1 pick in this years NFL Draft—that's a certainty—however, that hasn't kept him or his father from pulling out all the stops to make him as attractive a prospect as possible.
Currently, depending on what mock draft you use, Newton could go as high as No. 13, or as low as No. 28. That said, the Newton's are banking on driving the former Auburn quarterback's stock a bit higher between now and draft day.
Whitfield is the owner of Whitfield Athletix, a private quarterback training facility, which boasts such clientele as Akili Smith, Hunter Cantwell, and Chase Clement—among others. Whitfield is a former Arena Football quarterback who never seemed to find much success at the pro level as a player. At 32, he's dedicated himself to building the Whitfield Athletix brand and, so far, he's proven to be a better businessman than ball player.
Will all the publicity and media cow-towing pay off for the Newton's? Right now it's hard to say, but Cam is certainly turning a few NFL heads already just a week shy of the Combine and that has to be a reason to feel optimistic.
You certainly can't blame Warren Belin for making the decision to accept a job at the NFL level. There aren't many position coaches, with his kind of talent, who aren't looking to challenge themselves there—at some point.
While some might feel Belin's decision was shocking, he did give a small hint towards his ultimate goal a few months back when he was interviewed by Fletcher Page of DawgPost Magazine.
The article Page wrote, titled "Intense, Indeed", was meant to be a feature on defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, but the quote that caught my attention—especially after hearing the Belin announcement—was the following, "...From a system standpoint, I'm learning an NFL system and the way coach Grantham goes about the game plan, installing the game plan, calling the game on game day. That experience I'm gaining from being a part of this defensive staff is going to carry me a long time as a coach".
So, the fact that he decided to take an NFL job, in his home state of North Carolina, with his old friend, Sean McDermott, is not so much a shocking surprise as it is an unfortunate inconvenience. Belin's impact at Georgia was immediate, particularly in the area of special teams where the team improved from a dismal 85th and 117th in the nation, respectively, in punt and kick return coverage to 17th and 15th in 2010.
Belin's philosophy was simple, use the best players available and ditch the directional kicks. Hopefully, Georgia can continue that approach in 2011 as it worked more often than not.
As for the linebackers, Belin's influence cannot be downplayed, but the 3-4 scheme was new to him and coach Grantham played as much a role in the overall development of the inside linebackers as Belin. Belin was a student of the 4-3, a defense he spent 8-years coaching at Vanderbilt and, coincidentally, will return to as an assistant for Carolina.
So, what's next for Mark Richt and Greg McGarity? Well, they will be searching for two new assistants over the next two weeks, but you can be certain that Grantham will want a guy with some experience in his scheme—less of a learning curve to be worried about in that aspect—and it wouldn't surprise to see that guy come from the next level (just a personal opinion as no candidates have surfaced of yet).
The Super Bowl is undoubtedly America's most hyped sporting and television event. Last season's big game, in which the once moribund New Orleans Saints defeated the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts, drew an audience of more than 106 million people, surpassingM-A-S-Has the most-watched program in US television history.
Because there is so much at stake, whether it's the Lombardi Trophy, or money for FOX, NBC or CBS, every element of the event is magnified. Mass attention is bestowed upon both the players, and non-football performers, for their actions on and off the big stage. In the past, some reveled in it while others found it bothersome, but all of it contributed to a few memorable fiascos that added drama, horror or humor to an already exciting week.
The Bengals entered Super Bowl XXIII as heavy underdogs to the San Francisco 49ers, so the addition of an unnecessary distraction was the last thing they needed. Prior to their last team meeting, before the game, running back Stanley Wilson, who had been suspended for the 1985 and 1987 seasons for cocaine use, told teammates he'd forgotten his playbook and was going to retrieve it. Minutes later he was found on the bathroom floor of his hotel room, debilitated by a spontaneous cocaine binge. Consequently, he was left off the roster by coach Sam Wyche and because it was his third strike with the NFL, he was later banned for life. The Bengals narrowly lost the game, which culminated with the famous Montana-to-Taylor game-winning touchdown.
Barret Robbins is another would-be Super Bowl participant who fell victim to his own demons before the game. The Raiders' Pro Bowl center went missing two days before kickoff and resurfaced Saturday evening, disheveled and disoriented, incapable of playing in the game. His teammates claimed that Robbins went on a drunken binge in Tijuana—located just across the border from Super Bowl XXXVII's host city of San Diego. As a result, coach Bill Callahan left him off the roster and the Raiders offensive line suffered. The Bucs defense sacked 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon five times, pressuring him into five interceptions, and stifled the Raiders run game—then finished with a total of 19 yards rushing. Robbins subsequently entered the Betty Ford Center and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His personal freefall continued during the following years as he was linked to BALCO, tested positive for steroids, and was involved in an incident in which he was shot three times, resulting in an attempted murder charge.
Today, Ray Lewis is recognized as a Super Bowl champ and one of the most accomplished and intimidating linebackers in NFL history. In January of 2000, however, he was viewed by many NFL observers as just another professional athlete turned criminal. After a post-Super Bowl party, he was involved in a bloody fight that resulted in the stabbing deaths of two men, and the accusation that he had a role in their murders. Lewis avoided murder charges and jail time by testifying against his two co-defendants and pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. The episode delivered yet another hit to the NFL's reputation, coming just two months after Ray Carruth was accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend.
The elaborate Super Bowl XXXIII festivities apparently weren't enough for Falcons Pro Bowl safety Eugene Robinson—he just wanted to engage in the XXX activities. Not a day after he was given the Bart Starr Award for exemplifying "outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community," he was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer for sex. He was bailed out by a team official and played a prominent role in the game, but in a bad way. He surrendered an 80-yard touchdown to Broncos receiver Rod Smith—which placed the Falcons in a two-touchdown hole—from which the Falcons never recovered. They lost the game 34-19.
Trash-talking has long been a tradition of Super Bowl week. It adds to the anticipation of the game, especially if it involves two of the league's most prestigious teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. During the lead-up to Super Bowl XIII, colorful Cowboys linebacker, "Hollywood" Henderson, told reporters that Bradshaw was "so dumb he couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the 'C' and the 'A'." The Steelers quarterback had never been viewed as the sharpest tool in the shed, nor the most emotionally composed person, but he didn't let the zinger get under his skin. In fact, he responded by putting forth the best Super Bowl performance of his career. He posted 318 yards and four touchdown passes, winning the game's MVP honors after the Steelers' victory.
The two weeks that led up to Super Bowl XX were far more entertaining than the Bears' 46-10 thrashing of the Patriots. Bears quarterback Jim McMahon was the center of attention, most notably referring to the women of New Orleans as "sluts" and mooning a camera during a practice before the game. When the camera wasn't fixed on McMahon's mug, it was focused on Patriots Pro Bowl receiver Irving Fryar's two bandaged fingers, which he cut prior to the AFC Championship Game. The injury was initially explained as a freak accident with a kitchen knife, but it was later reported by the Boston Globe that it occurred during a fight between him and his wife. Fryar, a key component of the Patriots' offense and special teams, played anyway, catching the team's lone touchdown.
One of the most dramatic games in Super Bowl history was overshadowed by the halftime show performance of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. The two suggestively performed Timberlake's hit "Rock Your Body"—culminating with Timberlake's tearing off a piece of Jackson's clothing and revealing her partially-covered breast for a split second. Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" created a flurry of controversy and elicited heated debates about indecency in broadcasting and the supposedly corrupted morality of America. The incident resulted in a record $550,000 fine levied by the FCC against CBS. The video above features the moment as it occurred on live television.
Although it didn't garner as much attention as Janet Jackson's performance three-years earlier, Prince's halftime performance angered the slightly more conservative crowd. During his guitar solo for "Purple Rain," his shadow was projected onto a large sheet, forming a silhouette that combined the figure of his body and guitar. Some viewers claimed the instrument appeared phallic and complained to the FCC and CBS. Late night talk show hosts poked fun at the incident, but the minor controversy subsided rather quickly. Now, most people remember Prince's performance as the highlight of an otherwise anticlimactic night. (Note: advance to 9:45 in the above video to see what all the fuss was about).
Garo Yepremian may be one of the most proficient kickers in NFL history, but he's best remembered for his fool-hardy pass attempt during Super Bowl VII. Up 14-0 with just more than two minutes remaining in the game, the Dolphins field goal unit took the field with the intension of sealing the victory. Instead, the attempt was blocked and the ball was immediately retrieved by Yepremian. He then attempted a pass, causing the ball to flutter just above his head, bounce into the air and end up in the hands of Redskins cornerback Mike Bass, who returned it for a touchdown. The Dolphins lead was cut in half in just a matter of seconds. Fortunately for Yepremian, the Dolphins won the game, accomplishing the goal of becoming the first undefeated team in NFL history, and the play became nothing more than a comic relief highlight for NFL Films.
Former Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett, like Yepremian, enjoyed a very productive NFL career. And Lett, like Yepremian, will always be remembered for what he did wrong. Lett was responsible for two high profile blunders, the first of which occurred late in Super Bowl XXVII. With the game already in hand in the fourth quarter, Lett scooped up a fumble and ran it back 45 yards. As he neared the goal line, he slowed and held the ball with his arm outstretched in order to showboat, but karma bit him in the butt when Bills receiver Don Beebe ran Lett down and knocked the ball out of his hand before he reached the endzone, causing a touchback. Lett was noticeably embarrassed after the game, admitting that he was looking at the Jumbotron as the play unfolded. But, some people never learn and, at the end of the next season, he cost the Cowboys their Thanksgiving game versus the Dolphins when he attempted to recover a blocked kick in the waning seconds, enabling the Dolphins to regain possession and kick the game winner.
While I can understand the intent behind the action, there is no explanation for this happening. Get a grip, your team lost, move on and stop making your city look like a bunch of sore losers.
This man was here to do his job and, unless wearing ties that support a particular sports team is unacceptable, he had every right to show Green Bay some love.
Wow...there are really no words for how silly some people truly can be.
According to Kyle Veazey, of the Clarion-Ledger, Jeremiah Masoli is exiting stage left on his career at Ole Miss in order to devote more time to training for the NFL. And, unless you live in the land of make-believe, you are hardly surprised by his decision to do so—after all, who would turn down a shot at millions just to work as a park ranger (Masoli was pursuing a masters degree in parks and rec)?
No offense to the park rangers of the world, of course, appreciate all you do.
However, his decision will seem rather curious to the many who actually believed Masoli's transfer to Ole Miss was about "starting over". I mean, Ole Miss offered the chance for him to study something that Oregon simply did not offer. He had no choice but to request a transfer waiver so that he could do what he needed to do—academically—right? The whole playing football thing was secondary to his pursuit of academics.
Yeah.
While that's a charming story, few actually believed that story back then, and they certainly will feel resolved in not having done so in light of his decision to bail out now.
Again, no one can fault Masoli for wanting to see what the NFL has to offer, but if you truly believe that he has any intention of returning to Ole Miss to complete his studies, well, I have a sunny piece of property at the North Pole I'd like to sell you.
Looking forward to seeing how this next chapter plays out for the embattled quarterback and even more curious to see what Houston Nutt will do next season.
That Antonio Cromartie sure likes to talk doesn't he? It seems, lately, that he hasn't met a microphone or a camera that he doesn't like and he's already putting some more good vibrations out about the Pittsburgh Steelers' Hines Ward—calling him out for, basically, being a cheap shot artist.
Apparently, when Cromartie appeared on SportsNet New York today, he had this to say about Ward, "I know for a fact that he will hit you while you’re not looking", and if that wasn't enough, he also made sure to throw in the fact that he didn't feel Ward was "man enough" to hit a guy while he's looking.
Antonio, Antonio, Antonio, don't you know better than to go talking this kind of trash less than 48-hours from entering Heinz Field—which, let's face it, is really just Hines' field—it's just bad business.
We'll all see soon enough if Mr. Ward has any trepidation about hitting a guy when he's looking, despite his reputation, Hines is as tough as they come in the NFL, and he won't take too kindly to all this yammering about him not being man enough.
On the other hand, knowing Ward, he's probably smiling about the whole thing.
Everyone seems to be jumping on Aaron Rodgers for the following incident,
that "diss" started a firestorm of negative publicity that painted Rodgers as just the type of villain most fans have no problem rooting against.
The sentiments raged from the mild, "How dare he just brush past her like that" to the not-so-mild, "He's a jerk!" But the overwhelming opinion was the same, 'Aaron Rodgers is not a nice man'.
Well, today on The Dan Patrick Show, Aaron Rodgers explained what really happened in that moment that he was seen walking past Jan—that's the name of the woman dressed in the all-pink Green Bay Packers gear. In short, he said the following, "I've met Jan on previous occasions...as the video shows, I didn't see her. I didn't sign for her. It turned into something I didn't really expect."
Jan, has also come out in defense of Rodgers and stated that he has signed a number of items for her on multiple occasions and she's unhappy that she has been made a pawn in this negative media slant.
So, it seems to be much ado about nothing according to both parties.
Justin Houston finally made the decision most felt he would—he's going to the NFL.
Houston supplied the spark many thought he would—playing in Todd Grantham's 3-4 defense—and he took advantage of the freedoms that scheme offered him by wreaking havoc in the SEC's backfields. His quickness, tenacity, and game-changing ability will be missed—sorely. Who will, or can, step into those roles and take on the mantles of being both a leader and a playmaker in this defense?
Christian Robinson and Cornelius Washington are the two most experienced players returning in 2011, but are either one of them prepared to shoulder that much responsibility?
Washington showed promise early, and was impressive through the first few games, but again failed to blossom into the player most still feel he can.
He, like Houston, made the switch from defensive end to linebacker in 2010. And, while Houston took to his new position almost instantly, Washington had problems. He struggled with assigments—particularly in pass coverage—and tailed off as the season progressed.
Now, with a year under his belt, can he finally put it all together?
As for Robinson, no one can doubt his great attitude and above-average work-ethic. However, it's tough to say whether or not he's got the goods to become the kind of player opposing teams scheme for or make adjustments around.
He's a good player, but he's not going to blow your doors off on a weekly basis.
The wildcard here is, obviously, Jarvis Jones. Was he able to maximize his one year as a spectator enough that he will be able to step into the role of starter? It seems to be asking a lot of him—considering he hasn't played one SEC down—and there has yet to be any indication that Georgia will fare any better at the nose position. A point that should not be forgotten.
Houston made plays despite deficiencies at that position, is there any reason to believe—at least right now—that there is a guy on this roster who would be able to do the same in 2011?
So, for right now, Georgia is left with one giant hole in their front-seven, and a whole lot more questions on how, and if, it can be filled.
What say you? Is there a guy on this roster, today, who can become anything close to what Justin Houston was over the last two years?
Bart Scott—linebacker for the New York Jets—had a few choice words for the "non-believers" that gave his team no chance to beat the Patriots tonight...take a look,
Hmmm, hope Bart calms down a little bit before his team's next match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers—dude looks like he could blow a gasket.
On a completely different note, Sal Paolantonio seems amused by Scott's display. Obviously, he forgot about Scott's tendencies for threatening bodily harm to small men—tread carefully, Sal.
Crowton was the behind the Tigers' stellar 2007 offense, which helped Les Miles win a national championship for LSU, but he has been mediocre since that time, and no one in Baton Rouge is likely to be crying crocodile-sized tears upon hearing of his resignation.
The real question has to be why would Maryland want him? Do they really believe that all of LSU's offensive troubles were due to the ineptitude of Jordan Jefferson—LSU's underachieving quarterback? And, even if that was the case, he didn't prove to be that much more successful with Jarrett Lee either.
The problem with Crowton appeared to be less about personnel than playcalling. He just couldn't seem to get his act together long and his schizophrenic way of handling the playbook showed on the football field where the Tigers finished 107th and 112th in passing offense over the last two years—respectively.
Perhaps the ACC will be a more welcoming atmosphere for a man of his talents—we'll see. But, I gotta tell you, it makes little sense that Maryland is willing to pay more for less.
Cobb leaving Kentucky to try his talents in the NFL
Cobb was the catalyst behind a much-improved Wildcats offense this past season and, at one point, was the focal point of the team—after an injury to Derrick Locke forced him into more offensive responsibility.
With a change at quarterback forthcoming at Kentucky, Cobb may be thinking there is no time like the present to make the jump.
Fairley set to announce NFL decision Friday
Nick Fairley, the much-maligned, but equally talented, defensive lineman of the Auburn Tigers is scheduled to announce his NFL decision on tomorrow. Fairley has been projected, by some, as a possible No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and there are few who don't believe he is poised to make the jump.
