The return of the War of the Mannings

The return of the War of the Mannings
By The Gambler [J.Gamble] Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
 
                   It’s the matchup everyone wants to see. If NFL big wigs, media, fans and Vegas vultures have their way, Peyton Manning will be meeting little brother Eli this season in the Super Bowl. Surely to be celebrated with flare and one of the largest watched Super Bowls in history, it would be an event that transcends sports. Historical. Unprecedented. Brothers from the royal quarterback family going head to head in an NFL Civil War. Both QB’s are already proven champions, so it is not far-fetched. Still, the chance of them meeting for all the marbles is hardly inevitable. In fact, the window of opportunity is closing. I’ll boldly say, it won’t ever happen.
 
 
Can’t blame the Manning’s for the unlikelihood of this classic meeting.  NFL parity, free agency and unexpected injuries have made predicting games a crapshoot. Father Time is the main culprit in this case. The brothers are two winding roads moving in opposite directions.
 
 
Peyton Manning is moving past his prime. He is still an assassin. He is still an MVP threat. He just isn’t as spectacular as he used to be. And it’s not like he will get better. Is that even possible ? Manning has taken a beating. Over a decade of holding firm in the pocket and enduring hits to the legs and ribs, has got to be taking its toll. Add left knee surgery, preceded by 160 consecutive starts, include the extra grind of intense playoff games, and what you have is a deteriorating legend. His body decline leads. The performance dip will follow.
 
 
Before you choke on your Colts skully, I know the 301yards Peyton passed for in a Game 1 victory over division-rival Jacksonville didn’t show much deterioration. Peyton has been the prototype quarterback. A gritty gunslinger who amasses chunks of real estate via airmail. In his prime [1999-2006], Peyton’s execution of the Indianapolis offense likened a video game. Last season, his team started 3-4. He put them on his back and swept the rest of the regular season. It was a respectable end to a season in which the Colts failed to win the AFC South for the first time since 2002.
 
 
But Peyton will be 34, and is in his 12th NFL season. Not many QB’s perform at an All-Pro level this late in their careers. In speaking with some of the league’s defensive players, one was bold enough to say that Peyton has lost a step and “a little zip off his passes.” If Manning is regressing, then so are the Colts.
 
 
The football fan in me says anything is possible. Eli Manning and David Tyree taught us that. An honest evaluation suggests the Colts are rife with question marks at key positions and will also need some help from the football Gods to end up in the Super Bowl. They still give me that Arena League feel.
 
 
Is the Colts defense good enough to stifle a  Pittsburgh, San Diego or New England squad ? Indianapolis spent all off season trying to bolster its defense. The D came through in Week 1 against a weak Jacksonville team, executing two fourth-quarter stops and holding the Jaguars to 12 points. Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-drew still managed to rush for 97 yards on 21 carries. So the jury is still out.
 
 
Receiver is also a question mark. Will Anthony Gonzales [out with a bum knee] be able to fill Marvin Harrison’s huge shoes and be playoff -clutch ?
 
 
Your ideal Super Bowl squad is not a team that’s pass-happy, weak in the red zone, suspect defensively with an average ground attack, like Indianapolis .  
 
 
Brother Eli, on the other hand, has a new $97 million dollar contract, a vicious defense and multi-faceted offense.  Peyton has a new head coach in Jim Caldwell and new defensive coordinator, Larry Coyer. Eli has stability at the helm with Tom Coughlin and the brightest young GM in the game in Jerry Reese. It seems Peyton’s glory days are behind him and Eli is entering his prime.
 
 
In the past, Peyton’s had moments as a passer, Eli will never have. Especially with Eli playing his whole career in windy Giants Stadium and Peyton enjoying the luxuries of a weather-controlled dome. Nine Pro bowls. Mucho NFL  passing records, including most seasons with 4,000 passing yards [9]. In 2009, Peyton was listed by Sporting News as the No. 1 NFL Player. Big bro still gets big respect. What he doesn’t get is the satisfaction of being the top QB of the league’s top team. That was years ago. He was better then. So was the team around him.
 
Eli carries the reputation of being a winner who lacks big bro’s pocket savvy and golden arm. He has steadily improved each season as a passer. This season he’s adapted the no-huddle offense that Peyton made legendary, into his repertoire. Eli is proving he can sling it too, but his deeper value lies in his cool demeanor and penchant for clutch performances.
 
 
The Giants are a popular pick to return to their second Super Bowl in three seasons. They are positioned to contend for the next five years. Eli has the more complete team right now, but The G-Men are far from Super Bowl shoo-ins. New York needs to avoid another late season collapse and get consistent play from unproven receivers. Defensively they are elite. The ground game is money.
 
 
The Colts need an Adrian Peterson-type in the backfield, and further upgrades on D. Peyton can’t be expected to perform at the same level as his skills erode. The results could be disastrous and embarrassing. An aging Brett Favre looked bad last season, as he tried to split hairs with his passes, resulting in costly picks down the stretch for a playoff contending Jets team.
 
 
Imagine Peyton, who once described himself in a Sprint ad as “a six-foot-five, 230-pound quarterback…with a laser rocket arm”, at 38, trying to outsling younger QB’s and throw into double coverage. Can you say pick party ?
 
 
 
The NFL has seen some incredible upsets over the years. We’ve already seen how quickly the outcome of a game can change already this season with miraculous last second wins by the Broncos, Patriots and Chargers. They survived potential early-season upsets. The Colts will have to pull a few along the way. The Giants will have to avoid them. If not this season, maybe Peyton will catch lightening in a bottle a la John Elway and end his career with two improbable Super Bowl trips. And maybe the stars align so correctly that brother Eli tags along. You can hope for it. I’m saying don’t count on it.
 

FOR THE JETS AND PATS, THE HATRED RUNS DEEP by TJ Rosenthal For Football Reporters Online

FOR THE JETS AND PATS, THE HATRED RUNS DEEP
by TJ Rosenthal For Football Reporters Online

 Rex Ryan didn't come here to kiss Bill Belicheck's rings. Respect is one thing, laying down is another. Tom Brady, after hearing Ryan's comment that the Jets will treat Sunday's game like a Super Bowl, answered "the Super Bowl..that's played in February." It's Jets Patriots time again. One of the NFL's most heated rivalries returns to center stage as the battle for sole possession of 1st in the AFC East comes to the Meadowlands in September.

To understand the nature of the rivaly let's take a look back: The intensity of Jets Pats, dating back to the AFL days, where both franchises came from, became vitriolic after legendary coach Bill Parcells left the Super Bowl Patriots in 1996. Wanting total control and not getting it from Pats owner Robert Kraft, then Jet owner Leon Hess offered it to Parcells. With it the  hapless 4-28 Rich Kotite era, ended. "I'm 80 years old, I want results now, " was the famous line Hess regarding the Parcells coup.

The Patriots however, were furious about the nature of Parcells' departure. Parcells, had he chosen to step down, was not contractually allowed to coach anywhere else. To circumvent this,  the Jets hired then Pats defensive coordinator Belicheck as coach and Parcells was hired in an "advisory role." This charade continued only brielfy until commissioner Paul Tagliabue helped broker a deal which led to New England obtaining a 1st round pick for their troubles in exchange for Parcells being left free to coach.  

Parcells turned the Jets around, taking them to the AFC championship game in 1999, only three years removed from his arrival.  When he stepped down that offseason to move into the front office and give the head job to Belicheck , the story took another turn. Belicheck resigned during the press conference, at the podium. This came as both a shock and an embarrassment to fans, Parcells and the Jets organization. The reason being that for Belicheck, he didn't want Parcells natural hunger for a potential return to coaching hanging over him. 

Belicheck then reunited with Kraft and the Pats. Now it was the Jet brass and faithful who were left feeling jilted. During this time , his second head coaching stint (Belicheck coached Cleveland in the early 90's), he has become a legend, winning four Super Bowls. Recently however, and thanks of course to the Jets, his resume has become controversial. 

Eric Mangini,  a former top assistant to Belicheck, left New England in 2006, to take the Jet job after Herm Edwards went to Kansas City. "Mangenius," (his nickname after taking  the Jets to a 10-6 season in his first year) was locked out of the Foxboro facilities immediately after taking the Jets job: Anywhere but the Jets, the Pats must have thought to themselves. Then Mangini went on to claim after the 2007 opener, a blowout loss at home to the Pats, that Belicheck and the Pats were using cameras to steal signals from the opposing sidelines. In what has come to be known as "Spy Gate", the Pats were fined 250,000 and forfeited their 1st round pick in 2008 by comissioner Roger Goodell. the Spy Gate incident has only furthered the hatred between these two clubs.

Fast forward to this week:

The 2009 Jets, fresh off of an inspiring 24-7 win at Houston in the opener, have come to already mirror the cocky tough swagger of their rookie coach Rex Ryan. Fast aggressive defensive schemes coupled with quick decision making by rookie QB Mark Sanchez has the Jets excited and confident about the future.

 The Pats, also coming off of a win, albeit a miraculous one that saw them erase a 2 TD deficit in the closing minutes against the Bills on Monday night, come to the Meadowlands looking to regain their championship form. Brady's throws against Buffalo were inaccurate for most of the night. His mobility is in question. The Pats defense formerly comprised of cerebral stars like Mike Vrabel and Ted Bruschi, ball hawking CB Asanti Samuel, the vicious hitting FS Rodney Harrison, and all pro pass rusher Richard Seymour, are all gone. Add 2nd year rising star LB Jerrrod Mayo to the list after an injury that will keep him out 6-8 weeks, and you here's what you have: A perenially tough defense coached  by a defensive mastermind,  with now unproven talent. A far cry from the gelled disciplined crew that hoisted four Vince Lombardi trophies in the air this decade.

So as both teams, with their "Hatfields and the McCoy's" history, march through the tunnel on Sunday, here will be the three keys to victory.

1-Pressure: Who will win the battle of pressure? There will be tons on Sunday coming from both sides. Expect the Pats to offset the Jets and Ryan's blitz packages with dump offs to RB Kevin Faulk and slants to Wes Welker. 

Expect the Jets to do the same with screens to  speedy RB Leon Washington and slants to Chansi Stuckey (64 yds 1 TD against Houston) . In addition, the Jets will look to highlight the loss of Mayo by using TE Dustin Keller (4-94 yards against Houston) in the middle of the field. The team that handles pressure better and can get to the opposing teams' QB will of course have the edge.

2-Ryan vs Belicheck. We've all heard the bravado  coming from the mouth of rookie head coach Rex Ryan. It's rubbed off on the team already. The Jets have  a swagger and a personality not seen here in a decade. How that translates into sound game planning for the Pats is another story. Ryan will be tested early in the game and often. Few make better halftime adjustments than Belicheck as well. The Pats HC is one of the best game day coaches of all time. Ryan doesn't have to match him, but he HAS to live up to his words and maintain the aggression he talks about.

3-Sanchez vs Brady. The rookie with the Broadway Joe intangibles: The looks, the flair, the leadership, the skills. This an assessment of the "San-chize" after just one NFL game under his belt. 

The future hall of famer Brady with his super model wife Gisele and the 4 Super Bowl rings. The matchup can't get anymore more Hollywood than this. As with Ryan,  Sanchez doesn't have to outplay Brady but he has to show that he belongs on the same field as him.

 If it's tied late, the edge will go to the experience and late game abilities of Brady. Ryan has to devise schemes that force Brady to throw on the run, where the rust and effects of coming off of a knee surgery could give the Jet secondary some chances to make some big game changing  plays.

Drew Brees Watch-By Jon Wagner for Football Reporters Online

Brees-ing Past Marino's Mark?

FRO's 2009 Drew Brees Watch-By Jon Wagner Sr. Writer at large-Football Reporters Online

One year after passing for the second most yards (5,069) in an NFL season, only 15 yards behind Hall Of Fame quarterback Dan Marino's single-season record of 5,084 yards in 1984, New Orleans Saints' quarterback Drew Brees is again poised to take aim at Marino's record. FRO follows Brees' prusuit of Marino each week, throughout the season:

Average Passing Yards Brees Needs In Remaining Games To Pass Marino: 315.067

Week Day, Date Opponent Result Score COMP ATT TD INT Yards Yards Remaining
1 Sun, Sep 13 vs Detroit Won 45-27 26 34 6 1 358 4,726
2 Sun, Sep 20 at Philadelphia
3 Sun, Sep 27 at Buffalo
4 Sun, Oct 4 vs NY Jets
5 Bye
6 Sun, Oct 18 vs NY Giants
7 Sun, Oct 25 at Miami
8 Mon, Nov 2 vs Atlanta
9 Sun, Nov 8 vs Carolina
10 Sun, Nov 15 at St. Louis
11 Sun, Nov 22 at Tampa Bay
12 Mon, Nov 30 vs New England
13 Sun, Dec 6 at Washington
14 Sun, Dec 13 at Atlanta
15 Sat, Dec 19 vs Dallas
16 Sun, Dec 27 vs Tampa Bay
17 Sun, Jan 3 at Carolina

Michael Crabtree | NFL execs hammer Niners dealings with Crabtree

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The San Francisco 49ers are getting hammered by NFL personnel execs for the way they're handling the (non)signing of Texas Tech Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree (who I interviewed at the 2009 NFL Draft above). According to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson, who asked if the NFL should consider an additional draft choice for an unsigned player, the people he talked to said "no."

“If you can’t find a way to sign a draft choice, it puts you in some bad company,” the aforementioned NFC executive said. “Somewhere along the way, you really [messed] up.”

What if Crabtree enters the 2010 NFL Draft?

While some NFL analysts like ESPN's Mel Kiper think Crabtree would be one of the first 10 or 12 picks, in my view it seems unlikely he would go in the first round next year.

Why?

It would be a way of punishing him for not signing with the 49ers in 2009. The NFL looks down on rookies who think they can bully the league into paying them what they want instead of what the NFL market dictates.

Moreover, Crabtree may have been selected number 10, and yes, we all believed he was better than the Raiders' Darius Haywood Bey, who was selected as the 7th pick (as we said here)...



..But Crabtree's losing even more money by waiting. He might as well take what the 49ers offer, because next year he's going to see even less money.

NY Giants Recap Week 1-By Dr. Bill Chachkes -Football Reporters Online

NY Giants Recap Week 1-By Dr. Bill Chachkes -Football Reporters Online


The Giants came into yesterday’s opening day match up with several questions still unanswered from this summer’s training camp. By 8pm Sunday night, few of those questions remained open for discussion. Among the three biggest concerns had to be how the corps of talented but youthful receivers would do without at least one veteran on the roster as a stabilizing force. Even though first round draft choice Hakeem Nicks sprained his foot, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Tight End Kevin Boss all stepped up and played very well.

There was a reason Coach Tom Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese decided to carry 7 receivers to open the season. Injuries. Nicks’ foot could be worse however, as the x-ray’s were negative. Just how bad the sprain is has yet to be determined. An x-ray can only tell you so much. It could be 2 weeks or 4, as a foot sprain is almost like a bad back, it’s very tricky. One sports medicine expert we speak with who is familiar with lower limb injuries tells us that a severe sprain could sometimes be worse then an actual fractured bone. Now the Giants offense is down to 6 wide outs. The other receiver drafted in 2009, Ramses Barden, was inactive for the game but will most likely now be an active roster move for the next several weeks while Nicks recovers.

The second most important question was how the Giants pass rush would do with the infusion of free agents obtained in the past offseason. We saw that they did just fine up front defensively, putting pressure on Redskins QB Jason Campbell on several long second and third down plays. Osi Umenyiora had a 37yard fumble recovery return for a touchdown, and Justin Tuck, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, and the rest of the Giants defense looked like the same unit that has won 22 regular season games over the last two years. The concerns still remain over the secondary however, where there is still work to be done. That being said, Corey Webster’s sideline interception took the “wind out of Washington’s sails” on a key offensive possession.

The final major question was how well Eli Manning deals with the partial turn over in personnel. With the exception of a few skittish moments early in the game’s first half, Manning also looked like the same player who had the fantastic 2007 and most of 2008 seasons. But now, a new set of questions arise like any other Monday morning in the NFL.

Will the Giants continue to have trouble scoring Touchdowns in the “Green” zone? (Something both Coach Coughlin and Eli Manning made note of as needing improvement in the post game press conference). Will Danny Ware’s wrist keep him out of any games? Will Mario Manningham continue to emerge as the big play threat (his 30 yard catch and run touchdown while tight-roping the sideline was a thing of beauty)? Or will Kevin Boss fulfill that role?

While the defense saved the day for NY, there were some shaky moments as we mentioned earlier. Redskins Runningback Clinton Portis seemed to play like a hall of famer at times, running through gaps in the Giants run defense large enough to drive an Abrams tank through. This will need to be corrected at some point if the Giants expect to contend for another trip to the Super Bowl. Overall they played well enough to win and did just that, but they missed out on some scoring chances, leaving at least 14 points on the field, meaning the final score should have been more like 34-17 or 37-17 rather then 23-17.

Next week the Giants will play Dallas on “Sunday Night Football” to open the new Stadium. Dallas beat Tampa Bay 34 21 in Tampa this week, and will pose many more problems then Washington did this week. It won’t be easy for NY to walk away with a victory next week. The fact that Eli Manning was able to spread the football around against the Redskins (Smith 6 catches, Boss, Manningham, and Bradshaw 3 each, Nicks, Jacobs 2 each and Hixon 1) will be the one facet of the Giants offense that the Cowboys have trouble with, and what Coach Coughlin should go after Sunday night.


The other telling stat that signals a problem for the Giants against teams with strong run defenses: Washington held the Giants to just 106 total rushing yards, Plus Danny Ware also left the game with a dislocated elbow and probably won’t play for at least 1-2 weeks. Overall the Giants totaled 351 yards of offense to Washington’s 272, with just 85 of that being on the ground.

JETS IMPRESSIVE IN 24-7 WIN OVER HOUSTON

JETS IMPRESSIVE  IN 24-7 WIN OVER HOUSTON
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

The Jets took the field yesterday in Houston on Sunday ready to prove to naysayers,  that they had a top notch defense, a rookie Quarterback who could handle himself in adverse situations and a receiving corps that could help move the chains. Mission accomplished. The Rex Ryan era was ushered in with rave reviews, as Gang Green played a magnificent complete game that they controlled emotionally from start to finish. Bart Scott punishing lick on Texans QB Matt Schaub on the game's first play from scrimmage set the tone for what was to come all day. A physical complex attack scheme led by Scott , LB David Harris, and NG Kris Jenkins that hit the Texans hard and stopped them behind the line of scrimmage more than I can remember a Jet defense doing.

The Jets led 3-0 after a 24 yard  first quarter Jay Feely field goal.  Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer gave rookie Mark Sanchez modest plays early to allow him to gain a solid footing yet showed off the USC star's versatility by allowing him to roll out of the pocket in both directions. This keeping the Texan defense and star Mario Williams off balance from the onset. In the second, after a Steve Slaton fumble deep in Jet territory thwarted perhaps the Texnas best and only drive of the day, Sanchez struck. Moving them to the Texan 30, he found Chansi Stuckey all alone as a result of a failed Texans blitz, for a 10-0 lead. 

The only danger came when Sanchez threw an ill advised interception while nursing a 17-0 lead with 12 minutes to go in the fourth. Ryan was quoted today as saying that looking back on it , it should've been "ground and pound." Sanchez and the Jets did not perpetuate a typical JEts trait of the past and  wilt though. In fact, they came out aggressively and when Dustin Keller (94 yards) caught a 40 yard pass after lining up as a WR in single coverage against formr Jet Nick Ferguson, a win was on it's way. The deal sealed when Thomas Jones broke free for a 30 yard TD knock out punch.

The Jets SHOULD feel good. They entered the building of a team many project as a playoff contender and beat them physically and mentally. Their rookie QB showed resiliency and a sense of calm after the int. Their coach made true on a promise that the Jet defense would be an attacking one. Jenkins controlled the line of scrimmage all day. Harris and Scott cleaned the rest up. The maligned receiving corps who many feel is without a true number one threat, answered the bell. They were led by dependable Jerricho Cotchery (6-90yds) the speedy Chansi Stucky (4-64yds) and emerging star TE Dustin Keller (4-94yds).  RB Leon Washington (15-60yds) and Thomas Jones (20-107 yds) will continue to be the primary focus of an offense that will try and move it on the ground while shortened field provided by a stifling defense.

Next week, the Jets take on hated rivals the New England Patriots in the home opener. Rex Ryan entered Jet nation in March, by saying that he didn't come here to kiss Bill Belicheck's rings. We already knew that in week 2 the pressure on rookie Sanchez would come from one of the NFL's masterminds. After Sunday, we also now know that the heat will be on Tom Brady as well: Perhaps for the first time since the Jets after Mo Lewis knocked out Drew Bledsoe back in 2001 in Foxboro. Leaving Belicheck with no choice but to go his unknown backup, Brady. First place is already at stake in what is shaping up to be a big game in September.

Jet notes: A review of the 3 keys to the Texan game.

Sanchez vs Texan defense. Sanchez threw for 1TD 1 int, 256 yds and answered the call often on third down with crisp tight accurate throws. Mario Williams ran Sanchez down but didn't make any game changing plays.

Slaton vs Jets front 8. Slaton was held to 17 yards and was stopped behind the line on more than one ocassion forcing Houston into second and third and long. Chris Brown looked better for the Texans. Enough said.

Darrel Revis vs Andre Johnson. Johnson was held to 4 catches and 35 yards. He di not have one deep ball thrown to him bacuae of the Jets pressure on Schaub. Domination. Double teams helped Revis but in all, a major playmaker was held to a whisper.

Tila Tequila Nguyen - Charges against Merriman dropped by San Diego DA

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The NFL Network just announced that charges filed by Tila Tequila Nguyen against San Diego Chargers Linebacker Shawne Merriman were dropped by the San Diego DA. This ends a most unfortunate episode for the star linebacker, who just last Saturday was out with the MTV reality TV star.

The DA reportedly said that there was insufficient evidence to charge Merriman with assault and imprisonment. But the story told by observers goes deeper. San Diego Channel 10 reported that Tila Tequila Nguyen was jealous that Merriman was in bed with two other woman and not her!

I'm not making this up, folks! This is what Channel 10 wrote:

Sources close to the story told Vara that Tequila -- also known as Tila Nguyen -- was unhappy that she was not the only woman getting attention from Merriman, and jealousy played a role in the early morning altercation.

The sources told Vara that witnesses at Merriman's home said the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker went to his bedroom with two women.

Sources said Tequila walked into the room and Merriman asked her to join them. However, the sources said Tequila reacted angrily and threatened to have sex with a member of Merriman's entourage.

According to sources, Tequila was intoxicated, and she got naked and attempted to leave the house.

Sources told Vara that Merriman, 25, tried to stop the 27-year-old Tequila, and that is when she called 911.

Wow!

That fits more with the image "Tila Tequlia" herself presents on her website and in her videos as being a "hot" woman who has multiple personalities, enjoys the good life, including champagne, and consistently rants against haters, and talks about how all the guys want her.

You know, I really feel sorry for Nguyen because in a weird way I'm sure someone warned her that her behavior would catch up to her, and it did. Now, her personality is out there for public view in a way that she didn't expect when she called 911 while intoxicated.

It's sad that she has to go through what's going to be a blizzard of Internet chatter against her (see the Twitter tweets) . Tila's fueling it herself, stating that the DA made a reckless decision, and posting this photo...



Tila's tweeting that "We are looking for my new date!"

Oh, my God!

Shawne Merriman, focus on a good , mature business woman

Over at TMZ, Tila was asked if she would forgive Merriman and her response was that she didn't know. Now, this is the statement her representative gave TMZ.com:

Tila Tequila is the victim of a violent crime. The San Diego District attorney's decision not to press charges against Shawne Merriman for the battering of Tila Tequila demonstrates an unconscionable negligence in the discharging of their public duties. We strongly feel that justice has not been served in this matter.

Obviously, The San Diego Charger's NFL franchise brings millions of dollars in revenue to the city of San Diego, and it seems clear that other interests are being served by the DA's office than the upholding of the law. A young woman was violently beaten and choked, and the physical evidence is both overwhelming and disturbing. Tila's account of the events has remained consistent from the beginning, while Merriman's story has changed repeatedly.

Just because the DA has made this reckless decision doesn't mean that justice will not be served in this case. No one is above the law. Tila Tequila will immediately begin pursuing civil charges against Mr. Merriman and she will have her day in court."

Reads like a civil suit's coming to me.

Merriman should take a lesson from this and focus on more mature women friends who are solidly in his corner and have their own mainstream businesses.

As for Tila, I'm not sure she's going to learn anything from this, except how to call a new set of people "haters." It's good that what, in a non-Internet past, would have taken months to sort out, took less than a week today.

The lesson is that one can't abuse the legal system as an instrument to support their own insecurities. I hope observers get that message today.

NFL Week One Injury Report - Wednesday: all teams

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This is the injury report for all team games for the first week of the 2009 National Football League season. The NFL's 2009 season kick's off tonight with the game pitting the Tennessee Titans at The Pittsburgh Steelers. The list is provided by the NFL.

NFL WEEK 1 INJURY REPORT – WEDNESDAY

Following is a list of quarterback injuries for the Thursday night game:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Probable

Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)

TENNESSEE TITANS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS on Thursday night

TENNESSEE TITANS

Status Report

QUESTIONABLE

TE Jared Cook (ankle), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle), WR Nate Washington (hamstring)

PROBABLE

P Craig Hentrich (back)

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Tuesday

TE Jared Cook (ankle)

Wednesday

TE Jared Cook (ankle)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

TE Jared Cook (ankle), WR Nate Washington (hamstring)
Tuesday

WR Nate Washington (hamstring)

Wednesday

WR Nate Washington (hamstring)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Monday

P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)

Tuesday

P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)

Wednesday

P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Status Report

DOUBTFUL

LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)

PROBABLE

QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Monday

LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)

Tuesday

LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)

Wednesday

LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)

Tuesday

QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)

Wednesday

QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)

DALLAS COWBOYS at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

DALLAS COWBOYS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Michael Hamlin (wrist), LB Curtis Johnson (hamstring), LB Jason Williams (ankle)

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB E.J. Biggers (shoulder), TE John Gilmore (ankle), LB Adam Hayward (ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

WR Antonio Bryant (knee), WR Michael Clayton (hamstring)


DENVER BRONCOS at CINCINNATI BENGALS

DENVER BRONCOS

Practice Report

Wednesday

Practice Not Complete

CINCINNATI BENGALS
Practice Report

OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)
Wednesday

CB David Jones (foot), T Andre Smith (foot)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

G Scott Kooistra (knee), S Roy Williams (thigh)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

QB Carson Palmer (ankle)

DETROIT LIONS at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

DETROIT LIONS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

QB Drew Stanton (knee)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Phillip Buchanon (neck), K Jason Hanson (right knee), DE Jason Hunter (ribs), DT Grady Jackson (knee), WR Dennis Northcutt (hand), G Stephen Peterman (ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

TE Casey Fitzsimmons (knee), CB Anthony Henry (shoulder)

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday


T Jammal Brown (hernia), TE Darnell Dinkins (foot), RB Pierre Thomas (knee)




FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

S Usama Young (shoulder)

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

TE Zach Miller (knee), T Tra Thomas (back)


INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE


Wednesday

S Bob Sanders (knee), TE Tom Santi (ankle), CB Jamie Silva (abdomen)

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at BALTIMORE RAVENS

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Practice Report

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday


RB Jackie Battle (illness), QB Matt Cassel (knee), CB Brandon Flowers (shoulder)



BALTIMORE RAVENS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

TE L.J. Smith (hamstring)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday


LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (foot), LB Dannell Ellerbe (knee), DE Haloti Ngata (knee)





MIAMI DOLPHINS at ATLANTA FALCONS

MIAMI DOLPHINS



Practice Report

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Vontae Davis (knee)

ATLANTA FALCONS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday
S William Moore (hamstring)


LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

DE John Abraham (knee)


FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

DE Chauncey Davis (foot), LB Tony Gilbert (hamstring), C Todd McClure (calf), RB Jerious Norwood (knee)


MINNESOTA VIKINGS at CLEVELAND BROWNS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

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DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

LB Erin Henderson (calf)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

WR Bernard Berrian (hamstring), TE Jim Kleinsasser (hand)

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Practice Report

OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)

Wednesday

G Rex Hadnot (knee)






DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

RB Cedric Peerman (thigh)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

LB David Bowens (knee), RB Jerome Harrison (knee), DT Shaun Rogers (foot), CB Eric Wright (knee)






FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE




Wednesday


LB Alex Hall (shoulder), TE Steve Heiden (knee)


NEW YORK JETS at HOUSTON TEXANS

NEW YORK JETS

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LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

DE Mike Devito (hamstring)






FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE




Wednesday


QB Kellen Clemens (right elbow), RB Shonn Greene (ribs), LB Bryan Thomas (ankle), WR Wallace Wright (knee)



HOUSTON TEXANS



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DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

WR Kevin Walter (hamstring), CB Eugene Wilson (knee)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Jacques Reeves (fibula), DT Deljuan Robinson (calf), QB Matt Schaub (ankle)





PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at CAROLINA PANTHERS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES



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OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)

Wednesday

G Todd Herremans (foot), LB Joe Mays (shoulder)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

WR Kevin Curtis (knee), T King Dunlap (elbow), LB Moise Fokou (shoulder), DE Darren Howard (groin), T Winston Justice (shoulder), CB Dimitri Patterson (ankle), DT Mike Patterson (ankle), RB Leonard Weaver (knee), LB Tracy White (rib)



CAROLINA PANTHERS

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LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

S Chris Harris (shin)

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at ARIZONA CARDINALS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS



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Wednesday


Practice Not Complete

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday


WR Anquan Boldin (hamstring)


LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

WR Early Doucet (ribs), WR Sean Morey (ribs), QB Brian St. Pierre (back)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

WR Steve Breaston (knee), S Matt Ware (shoulder)

ST. LOUIS RAMS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

ST. LOUIS RAMS



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Wednesday


S Craig Dahl (hamstring), LB Larry Grant (knee), T John Greco (hand)




LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

QB Marc Bulger (right finger), RB Sam Gado (ribs), RB Mike Karney (ankle), DE Leonard Little (knee)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Practice Report

OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)

Wednesday

T Walter Jones (knee), C Chris Spencer (quadricep)

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

WR Deion Branch (hamstring), CB Travis Fisher (hamstring), DE Derek Walker (hamstring), S C.J. Wallace (rib)

WASHINGTON REDSKINS at NEW YORK GIANTS

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

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LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Carlos Rogers (calf), T Mike Williams (ankle)

NEW YORK GIANTS

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DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Kevin Dockery (hamstring), T Adam Koets (ankle), CB Aaron Ross (hamstring), LB Clint Sintim (groin)

CHICAGO BEARS at GREEN BAY PACKERS on Sunday night

CHICAGO BEARS

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LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

DT Israel Idonije (hamstring)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Charles Tillman (back)

GREEN BAY PACKERS

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DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

CB Will Blackmon (quadricep), RB Brandon Jackson (ankle), DT B.J. Raji (ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday

QB Matt Flynn (right shoulder), S Aaron Rouse (hamstring)

Richard Seymour's faulty Mapquest reason for no-show?

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Off The Record blog speculates that Defensive End Richard Seymour's reason for not reporting to Oakland may be his Mapquest directions, plus the fact that there are so many Oaklands.

Actually, what Oakland are we even talking about? Oakland County, Michigan? Is that where the Raiders play? Oakland, Maryland? There’s an Oakland, Oregon. With all due respect, it is very confusing.

I think Seymour's trying to figure out some "small" issues like "Where am I going to live?" Or, "What schools do my kids attend."

Richard and Tanya Seymour

And what about his wife? I'm sure she has major concerns about the move and the trade. That's a hard deal to face when you've played for one team for all of your career. He's not going to tell Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable "I don't want to play for you" just yet. He's reviewing his options.

What's going through his head is he doesn't want to be treated like cattle and is trying to deal with the sudden change and asking if he wants to take it. I'm certain that's what's going on as of this writing.

I'll bet he's happy he doesn't have to deal with someone like Tila Tequila!

Shawne Merriman, Tila Tequila: she says she doesn't drink; what of this video?

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The latest news in the unfortunate story of the accused battery and assault charge on San Diego Linebacker Shawne Merriman by Tila Tequila is that Merriman claims he was trying to get Tequila, who's real name is Tila Nguyen, to avoid driving while intoxicated. This is just what I speculated in my video commentary:



Tila's lawyer disputes Merriman's claim, saying it's "spin" but does not offer an alternative explanation regarding what happened. Morever Tila herself now says she was not drinking, and that she's allergic to alcohol.

Really interesting...

But Stingaree nightclub owner James Brennan says that Tila was drinking Saturday night. Apparently Tila made the claim to an aversion to cocktails on her Twitter page but that specific tweet is now not to be found.

Also not to be found is any reason why Tila's suddenly covering up her tweets. Between these actions and her website message claiming she has multiple personalities, it seems there's more to this story than meets the eye.

I write that with great sadness because to accuse someone of assault is a serious charge that gives everyone pause: everyone either wants to or is compelled to run to the side of the assumed victim and attack the accused.

But what happened when it appears the assumed victim may be using how society responds to his or her advantage and wasn't really harmed at all?

It makes the public more skeptical of such claims and look more at the character of the accuser. This is where we are today, with even her "friends" leaving curious comments on her MySpace page and this YouTube video from her channel MissTilaTequila, which shows Tila talking about being at a Beverly Hills Mansion (posted August 4th, which was that Tuesday, my birthday, which means it was on August 2nd) and with the camera pointing to a champagne bottle set and saying "pimpin..Rose Chrystal Bottle popin livin it up on a Sunday"..



And in another video created this year and from her channel Tila claims she gets anxiety attacks when she goes out and tries not to because of that, just before she sings a song she wrote saying how she's a "little drunk and gonna get you high."



Okay! More questions.

If she's allergic to alcohol, why make such a video featuring it as a key part of the good life and focus on the champagne bottle not once but twice (she's controlling the camcorder). Why make another video rapping about being drunk?

(And check out the dog on the couch. The dog's reaction seems to be "Ho Hum. Nothing to see here; oh, what's up outside?" Too funny.)

Hey, I agree its the fun life but only in moderation, and I'm honest about how I enjoy the good life and do it with care. This is terrible, to say the least, and calls her latest claims into question.

Florida's Urban Meyer says NFL coaches are retreads; Spread would work in NFL

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I love Coach Chris Brown's blog called Smart Football because it's the best place to learn what the the most effective and cutting-edge schemes are and how they work: Urban Meyer's spread, Mike Leach's Airraid offense at Texas Tech, and the "Jet" concept, to name some of them.

 

The Airraid Offense of Texas Tech

Most of the new plays and formations are at the college level and there's a buzz about "who's doing what" that I've never seen before. But now, college coaches are looking at the NFL as the lesser level of football, at least from a strategy perspective.

Today, I ran across a discussion about Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer's comments in the Sunday New York Times. This is what he said:

“I think it (the spread) would have worked years ago,” Meyer said. “No one has had enough — I don’t want to say courage — no one has wanted to step across that line. Everyone runs the same offense in the N.F.L. A lot of those coaches are retreads. They get fired in Minnesota, they go to St. Louis. They get fired in St. Louis and go to San Diego. I guess what gets lost in the shuffle is your objective is to go win the game. If it’s going to help you win the game, then you should run the spread.”

Florida Coach Urban Meyer

While Meyer's comment may be seen as arrogant, he's correct. Where college teams have become known for a wide variety of offensive variation - Navy has the Speed Option, Hawaii has the Run and Shoot, Stanford uses an older two-back pro style offense with two backs, Cal employs a hybrid H-back system, Florida's known for the Spread - the NFL offenses have a boring sameness.

The Wildcat was born in Arkansas

It's hard to tell one offense from the other. Every team uses the "I" formation. Or if it's not that, then it's the "Offset I" formation. Four wide receiver sets have receivers all lined up the same way, and one back behind the quarterback. The Wildcast's new? Yes.

Most teams have it but no team, except the Miami Dolphins who brought it into the league, have created variations of it. And the Wildcat was created at Arkansas by then offensive coordinator David Lee, who holds the same title with The Dolphins and brought the system to the NFL. Point here is that the NFL's newest innovation is a college-born scheme.



The Wildcat works even in Madden NFL 2010:



And while you may observe that the Wildcat's just a variation of the old single wing set, remember the passing game was not well known at the time; the passes out of the Wildcat are brand new, not a reinvention of an age old approach.

NFL Owners must encourage innovation

Given the fact that NFL players and coaches are paid to spend time on football, one would think the league would be the leader in the creation of new approaches to the game. It's not. I think Meyer's right that the reason is the "retread" coach with the "proven" approach, but in a recession that way can lead to a boring offense that doesn't sell tickets or win games.

Using the Spread, in all of its forms, is an answer but I don't think one should stop there.  Developing something new should be the objective just to keep NFL defenses on their toes.  

Defenses are made to quickly adjust and as I've written before the Baltimore Ravens have set the tone for the kind of flexible, aggressive styles that have a schematic answer for any offense. Offensive variation is important to counter these defenses.

NFL Week One Injury Report: Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers

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This is the first injury report for the 2009 NFL Season and for Thursday night's NFL Kickoff Game pitting the Tennessee Titans against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field. This is provided by the NFL.

WEEK 1 INJURY REPORT -- MONDAY


TENNESSEE TITANS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS on Thursday night

TENNESSEE TITANS

Practice Report

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

TE Jared Cook (ankle), WR Nate Washington (hamstring)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Monday

LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday

QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)

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