49ers Bill Walsh Offense Not Adopted Much on High School Level

Steve Mariucci 

An interesting blog post over at SmartFootball.com has it that high schools have largely stopped using the Bill Walsh / San Francisco 49ers Offense after a few seasons. Mainly because many high school coaches have tried to throw the whole playbook at their kids.

That means terminology, formations, and plays. In many Bill Walsh Offenses there are thousands of plays. A novice coach can't determine which ones to pick.

That's where the problem lay.

The real idea of the Bill Walsh Offense is in the approach to the passing game. As then-Cal Head Coach Steve Mariucci, and the late Bill Walsh himself told this blogger, the difference is in how we think about the passing game. Or footwork, vision, and throwing.



In other words, you can use any formation you want to and still run the basics of the offense. In fact, one can have a Wishbone Formation and still run a play with the split end going 12 yards downfield to an In Pattern, the right halfback running a Swing Pattern, the fullback running a Circle Pattern, the left halfback running an Up Pattern, and the other wideout running an Out Pattern.

The Quarterback takes five steps, reading the outside linebacker, takes a hitch step, and throws to the split end.

And still, the coach can run the Triple Option.

Sometimes football coaches are in such a hurry to try the newest flavor, they forget they don't have to force-feed it to their players.

That's the case with Bill Walsh' Offense.

Giants’ Sorgi: Injury Worse Than Expected « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

Giants’ Sorgi: Injury Worse Than Expected « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

Giants Rolle and Cruz to Victory in New Meadowlands Opener

Giants Rolle and Cruz to Victory in New Meadowlands Opener-By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer At Large-Football Reporters Online

It won’t begin to make up for the awful way in which the New York Giants closed the Giants Stadium chapter of their storied history last season, but two newcomers helped Big Blue open its New Meadowlands Stadium era with a 31-16 preseason comeback victory over their co-tenants, the New York Jets, in the first NFL game ever played in the brand new $1.6 billion stadium on Monday night.

The names were fitting as free safety Antrel Rolle (expected to play a big role this year) got the Giants rolling with a big pick before Victor Cruz, an undrafted free agent rookie from small school Massachusetts, rallied his new team with three second-half touchdowns to send the Giants cruising to an easy win.

Rolle made a huge early impression in his first game as a Giant after spending five years in Arizona. The former first-round draft pick had a team-leading three tackles in the opening quarter and set up the first score of the game by intercepting Jets’ quarterback Mark Sanchez and returning the ball 59 yards to the Jets’ 1 yard-line.

That set up running back Brandon Jacobs’ 1-yard touchdown plunge on a third straight attempt, to give the Giants a 7-0 lead just 3:11 into the game.

The errant pass returned by Rolle was a continuation of last year’s problem for the right-handed Sanchez, who often wasn’t right when he went left, throwing across his body. A season ago, the majority of Sanchez’s picks came throwing to the left side of the field. Sure enough, Rolle caught a deflected pass that was intended in the left flat for new Jets’ running back LaDanian Tomlinson.

Sanchez and Tomlinson each rebounded very nicely after that, however.

Although Tomlinson amassed only 17 yards on 8 carries, the 31-year-old, new Jet showed that he might still have some gas left in the tank after playing nine years as a San Diego Charger. Tomlinson showed some explosiveness at times and had one nice reception for 14 yards which set up the Jets’ first touchdown on the next play, to tie the game, 7-7.

That score angered Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin as occasional quarterback/wide receiver/wildcat specialty, sort of utility offensive threat Brad Smith literally walked into the end zone as a completely confused Giants’ defense left Smith wide open on a quick screen pass from Sanchez.

Tomlinson’s contributions were a welcome sign for Jet fans to see. They suggested that the former superstar and first-round pick might have plenty left after his production declined significantly each of the past three seasons.

Smith’s touchdown concluded a 68-yard, 14-play drive in 8:34 during which Tomlinson was a key factor. ESPN’s Mike Tirico joked during the drive that after having just one carry in the 2005 preseason and missing each of the next three preseasons before getting just twelve preseason carries last year, Tomlinson “Played more on [that] drive than he played in the past five preseasons [combined].”

Sanchez meanwhile, was sharp overall, avoiding any further turnovers and finishing a very accurate 13 of 17 for 119 yards while spreading the ball around to several different receivers.

Comparatively, the Giants were just happy that their own starting quarterback, Eli Manning, left the field well enough to play another preseason game after getting injured during his last play of the game, about four minutes into the second quarter.

Manning was supposed to hand off to Jacobs on short yardage in the red zone, but decided at the last moment to throw a fade route to the right corner. The result was Jacobs running into Manning, causing a fumble before Jets’ linebacker Calvin Pace delivered a vicious hit into Manning’s back which made Manning lose his helmet and lunge forward. Manning ended up smacking his forehead squarely against the facemask of Jets’ safety Jim Leonhard and heading to the locker room with a gushing three-inch gash that needed twelve stitches to close.

Fortunately, Manning will be fine, but he may miss some practice time depending on how long it might be before he’s able to again wear a helmet.

The play concluded a fairly tough night for Manning who was just 4 of 8 for 77 yards, 51 of which came on a very nice scamper up the right side by running back Ahmad Bradshaw after Manning avoided a sack and on a broken play, dumped a short “hot potato” type of shovel pass to Bradshaw.

One play after Manning’s injury, the Giants tied the game, 10-10, on a Lawrence Tynes field goal before the Jets grabbed a 13-10 halftime lead on a field goal by newly acquired kicker Nick Folk, who true to his earlier form in Dallas, made three short field goals, but missed when challenged from 46 yards away.

While the Giants’ first string offense failed to run the ball much or get anything going on a consistent basis with the passing game, their reserves stepped things up thereafter.

The second half show was stolen by Cruz, whose name suddenly became synonymous on national television with Terrell Owens. The Patterson, NJ native from the FCS had the final three scores of the game to become the first NFL rookie with three touchdowns in a preseason game since Owens accomplished the feat in 1998.

Although he got away with an offensive facemask, Cruz made a great one-handed grab of a pass by quarterback Jim Sorgi during a 64-yard sprint up the left sideline to put the Giants ahead to stay, 17-16, in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Cruz added a 34-yard touchdown catch from Sorgi and then a 5-yard touchdown reception from fellow FCS product, quarterback Rhett Bomar, from Sam Houston State.

Cruz finished with game highs of 6 catches and 145 yards and after losing David Carr in the offseason, the Giants might have at least discovered some competency (though it was hard to tell against the Jets’ reserves) with which to back up Manning.

Sorgi, who was brought in to help coach Manning after four years of tutoring under Manning’s brother Peyton, was 8 of 15 for 146 yards and no turnovers to go with his two touchdown passes. And, Bomar, in limited action, was a solid 6 of 7 for 67 yards, with no turnovers to go along with the touchdown throw to Cruz, who is now making a strong push to make the final cut for the 53-man roster to be announced by September 4th.

Defensively for the Giants, fifth-year linebacker Gerris Wilkinson led all players with seven tackles and Big Blue got something out of three of this year’s draft picks. Second-round pick, defensive tackle Linval Joseph and fourth-round pick, middle linebacker Phillip Dillard, each had four tackles, while first-round selection, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, despite looking bad while getting thrown to the ground on an earlier pass rush, later recorded the game’s only sack.

Don’t expect the outspoken, cocky Jets of head coach Rex Ryan to tone anything down in the trash talk department over a preseason loss. But, for the time being, score one in the New York bragging rights column for the more quiet, sticking to going-about-their-business Giants.

Brian Westbrook to SF 49ers gets Twitter trash from Darnell Dockett

Image via Wikipedia

Brian Westbrook should look for #90 

After eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Running Back Brian Westbrook was released seven weeks ago. Westbrook, who's well-decorated career was marred by concussion problems during the last two years, joined the San Francisco 49ers for a one year, $1.25 million deal.

And upon news of the transaction, Arizona Cardinals Defensive Lineman Darnell Dockett, number 90, who will play Westbrook and the 49ers twice this year, took to Twitter to welcome Westbrook with some trash talking:

Ahhhhh hell naw Brian westbrook one of my best friends !! This is BS! Oh well I hope he know its not personal! but fuck it! #MNF #HITSTICK
about 3 hours ago via ÜberTwitter

And Darnell Dockett wasn't done with his trash tweets of the 49ers. His next target was linebacker Takeo Spikes:

@TakeoSpikes51 *cough * *cough* hmmmmm!
about 3 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to TakeoSpikes51

It wasn't the first time Darnell Dockett took off after the San Francisco 49ers on Twitter. He saved from choice tweets for Glen Coffee when the Niners running back announced his retirement:

Dear: Glen Coffee, don't retire just yet! just wait till after the MNF game then you will have a legit reason to retire!! #EVL
4:14 PM Aug 15th via ÜberTwitter

In all, Darnell Dockett uses Twitter as an extension of his mouth, sparing no one from NFL players on enemy teams to friends. But some of his tweets are cool. Like the one about the Houston Texans Antonio Smith:

It was good playing against my brother from another mother @antoniosmith94 yesterday, I wish him success and a healthy winning season!
10:06 AM Aug 15th via ÜberTwitter

The San Francisco 49ers play the Arizona Cardinals Monday Night November 29th in San Francisco. It's a sure bet Darnell Dockett will have sent out more trash tweets by then.

Tim Tebow scores first TD; what do Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson think?

Image via Wikipedia

Jerry Jones 

Former Florida Heisman-award-winning quarterback, now Denver Broncos NFL 1st Round Pick Tim Tebow had what has to be graded as an outstanding first go at being an NFL Quarterback, even with the matter of his throwing motion still an issue - at least here.

You've got to wonder what his detractors, like Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, think?

Remember that just days before the 2010 NFL Draft, Jerry Jones was recorded getting off a drunken blast against the idea of drafting Tim Tebow:



What does Jerry say now?

But that aside for a moment, Tim Tebow showed why Denver Head Coach Josh McDaniels said he's got "that something" that makes him a winner, and made the Broncos select Tebow as the 23rd pick in the 1st Round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Tebow started in the 4th quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals and finished 8 of 13 for 105 yards, and 10 yards rushing, with one touchdown. One near-fumble was ruled an incomplete pass, and it looked like the Bengals just missed picking off two of Tebow's passes because of that still-long wind-up of his.

But one play showed why Tim Tebow's going to be a star in the NFL.

The ESPN Play-by-Play reads like this:

1st and 10 at CIN 40 - (Shotgun) T.Tebow pass deep right to B.Davis pushed ob at CIN 7 for 33 yards (K.Hebert).

But what it doesn't show is Tim Tebow, a left-hand-thrower, scrambling to his right, then as he ran throwing a nice spiral down the field to Davis for 33 yards.

Even my Mom, who loves NFL football and misses watching it with my late stepfather (which is one reason I make these trips to Georgia), had to stop and watch Tim Tebow on the kitchen TV set. "He's one to watch, and I like him" she said. With that scramble play, Tim Tebow passed the Mom test, with flying colors - and that was before he scored his first touchdown.

You can't help but wonder what all of his detractors think. Remember Kelly at Aventine Bar in San Francisco, who got off this hilarious anti-Tebow rant:



Or what about Eric Berry, the Tennessee Volunteer who was the 1st Round Pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, and who said to this video blogger that Tim Tebow was the hardest player he'd ever hit?



What do all of these people - Jerry, Kelly, and Eric - have to say? What about the rest of the Tim Tebow hater-nation? Which, come to think of it, has it's own website, TimTebowHaters.com. As of this writing, they're silent on his first game performance.

Or what about former NFL Head Coach Jim Johnson, who came into the NFL when Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys, and who said Tim Tebow couldn't play in a pro-style offense?

What do all of these geniuses have to say? Stay tuned.

Oh, and Tim Tebow's next objective should be to learn to throw the classic three-quarter-to-overhand delivery starting from his shoulders, not his mid-chest region.

Oakland Raiders finally show timed passing game

This blog post was written in the head of this blogger before it was obvious the Oakland Raiders were going to win their first 2010 NFL Preseason game, 17 to 9, against the Dallas Cowboys under the Hue Jackson / Jason Campbell offensive regime. Because, even with dropped and tipped passes, what was most interesting and pleasing about the Oakland Raiders, was the real, timed, precision passing attack.

What was impressive was that from the snap of the football, to the quarterback's footwork, to the quarterback's hitch step, to the throw, to the receiver's routes, the Oakland Raiders quarterbacks are obviously drilled in the classic Bill Walsh fashion, with the objective of getting the ball out of the quarterback's hands and to the receiver as quickly as possible as part of a timed set of movements between passer and catcher.

Yes, Jason Campbell completed 7 of 13 passes. Yes, Darrius Heyward-Bey didn't have a catch. But the passes got out of the quarterback's hands with remarkable quickness, and little wasted movement.

It didn't matter if it was Campbell or Carrie Prejean's husband Kyle Boller at the helm, the passing personality was the same. Once the little things like the kind of pass thrown and how high it's delivered are worked out, the Raiders will be ready for what's going to be a good year.

Jamarcus Russell's not the issue

But the entire difference in the Oakland Raiders offense is that it's the most efficient in the passing game it's been since the John Gruden / Bill Callahan era. It's not that Jamarcus Russell isn't there, because if Russell's head was in the game, as some claim it was not, he too would have been part of this new approach for the Oakland Raiders' offense.

What you will pay attention to is what happens when the ball gets to the receiver; what I'm paying attention to is what happens to cause the ball to get to the receiver; that's the big difference in this 2010 team.

Oakland Raiders fans should be excited for what's to come, because with more practice and a clear offensive game plan (it was preseason) the Raiders' passing game will be so hard to defense, it will be lethal.

Indeed, it already is.

Jamarcus Russell - former Oakland Raiders QB in court

Image via Wikipedia

The sad story of Oakland Raiders 2007 NFL 1st Round Draft Pick Quarterback Jamarcus Russell continues. Jamarcus Russell appeared in court Wednesday, in Mobile, Alabama. According to WKRG via Pro Football Talk, a friend, Marcus Stevenson, tried to take the fall for Russell.

When he did that, Stevenson was arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance, as PFT reports. But the WKRG report is more interesting:

Stevenson, when questioned by prosecutors, said he and Russell had partied at clubs the night before and returned home around 7:00 am on July 5th. "We were still hanging out," said Stevenson, who told the judge that Russell took a woman to his bedroom when he went to sleep in the early hours of the morning. The woman was gone before police arrived that afternoon, according to the testimony.

If you're reading that, are you thinking perhaps the woman had something to do with the police bust? Also, it's obvious Jamarcus Russell was in a state of denial about his future, electing to party like a rock star after his ouster by the Oakland Raiders.


WKRG.com News

Additionally, Jamarcus Russell seems to have talked one of his friends into taking the fall for him. Jamarcus Russell pleaded not guilty last month to one count of possession of a controlled substance.

And regarding his NFL and pro football career, Russell rejected an offer from the UFL to join a team in that league. Instead, another former Raider Jeff Garcia, will join the UFL.

NFL TRAINING CAMPS OPEN THIS WEEK; BROWNS FIRST IN ON FRIDAY

From NFLMedia.com
FOR USE AS DESIRED
7/20/10

NFL TRAINING CAMPS OPEN THIS WEEK;
BROWNS FIRST IN ON FRIDAY

“Helmets on! Buckle ’em up!”

That’s what coaches will say to players this week as the first group of NFL teams report to training camp.

Four clubs will begin their on-field preparations for NFL Kickoff 2010 this week, starting with the Cleveland Browns on Friday, July 23 when their rookies report.

Three teams will follow this weekend, starting with the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, July 24 and then the rookie class of two more clubs on Sunday, July 25 – the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers.

By August 1, every NFL team will be in camp.

For the second consecutive year, 17 of the 32 NFL teams will be “staying home” for training camp, which represents more than half the league (53 percent). In 2001, only 5 of 31 (16 percent) teams stayed close to home.

When he accepted the position of Washington Redskins executive vice president/head coach in January, MIKE SHANAHAN liked the idea of “going away” for training camp to build his team in his image.

But after viewing the considerable meeting space and pristine practice fields at Redskins Park and hearing stories about the huge fan support the team received at the club’s Ashburn, Virginia facility during recent camps, he changed his mind.

“I have heard about the passionate fans and the huge, enthusiastic crowds that come out to support our team during training camp,” says Shanahan. “I’m looking forward to sharing in this experience for the first time. Training camp is the time our players build their identity as a team, and we are pleased to begin laying the foundation for the 2010 season in front of Redskins Nation.”

Here’s a look at the number of NFL teams that stayed home for training camp the past 10 years:

YEAR
NFL TEAMS WITH HOME
TRAINING CAMPS (PCT.)

YEAR
NFL TEAMS WITH HOME
TRAINING CAMPS (PCT.)
2001
5 of 31 (16%)

2006
13 of 32 (41%)
2002
7 of 32 (22%)

2007
17 of 32 (53%)
2003
12 of 32 (38%)

2008
14 of 32 (44%)
2004
12 of 32 (38%)

2009
17 of 32 (53%)
2005
15 of 32 (47%)

2010
17 of 32 (53%)

The Saints’ dream 2009 season began with a home training camp before culminating with the franchise’s first NFL title. The club decided to remain in Metairie, Louisiana for the first time at the Saints practice facility for training camp last summer.

“As NFL training facilities evolve and develop, there is a trend to want to maximize the exposure your team has to all of the amenities that help make training camp successful,” says New Orleans general manager MICKEY LOOMIS. “Training camp is a very physically and mentally demanding period of time for the players, and by being able to utilize our facilities, we feel like it is the best decision that we can make for our team.”

The numbers may prove home-base popularity is a growing league-wide trend, but there are still teams employing the “old-time” philosophy of encamping away. And they just might know something.

Before the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV victory, the previous four NFL champions all trained away from home at college training sites, starting with the Pittsburgh Steelers (XL, XLIII) and continuing with the Indianapolis Colts (XLI) and New York Giants (XLII).

“You could just feel the way that the team was coming together, and it went through the whole year,” says New York Jets owner WOODY JOHNSON, whose team trained at SUNY-Cortland last summer en route to an AFC Championship Game appearance. The club recently extended its agreement with the university through 2012.

“The trends that started here at Cortland continue,” says Johnson. “Those kinds of traditions are very important.”

There may be two NFL schools of thought when it comes to where to train, but the debate rages on. When it comes down to it, Detroit Lions head coach JIM SCHWARTZ thinks how they train is even more important than where they train.

“In Tennessee, we did it both ways,” says Schwartz, who spent 10 years with the Titans, including his last eight as defensive coordinator, before earning his first head-coaching opportunity last year. “We went away. We stayed home. We were successful both ways.”

*******************************************************************************************************************
FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS

Two teams – the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs – will encamp at new training sites this year. The Cowboys will once again return to the Alamodome in San Antonio for a portion of camp, but will also spend time in Oxnard, California and Dallas.

While some clubs have changed their training bases in the past decade, others return to familiar venues where they have spent their summer months for years.

The NFL training camp longevity king? The Green Bay Packers, who return on July 30 for their 53rd consecutive summer at St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin.

The longest active NFL training camp tenures:

TEAM
TRAINING CAMP
CITY
YEARS
Green Bay Packers
St. Norbert College
DePere, Wisconsin
53
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota State Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
44
Pittsburgh Steelers
Saint Vincent College
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
44


********************************************************************************************************************
The 2010 NFL training camp sites and reporting dates:

AFC
TEAM
SITE
LOCATION
ROOKIES
VETERANS
Baltimore
McDaniel College
Westminster, MD
7/26
7/28
Buffalo
St. John Fisher College
Pittsford, NY
7/29
7/29
Cincinnati
Georgetown College
Georgetown, KY
7/28
7/28
Cleveland
Cleveland Browns Training Facility
Berea, OH
7/23
7/30
Denver
Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Broncos Centre
Englewood, CO
7/28
7/31
Houston
Methodist Training Center
Houston, TX
7/30
7/30
Indianapolis
Anderson University
Anderson, IN
8/1
8/1
Jacksonville
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Jacksonville, FL
7/29
7/29
Kansas City
Missouri Western State University
St. Joseph, MO
7/29
7/29
Miami
Miami Dolphins Training Facility
Davie, FL
7/30
7/30
New England
Gillette Stadium
Foxboro, MA
7/25
7/28
NY Jets
SUNY Cortland
Cortland, NY
7/29
8/1
Oakland
Napa Valley Marriott
Napa Valley, CA
7/28
7/28
Pittsburgh
Saint Vincent College
Latrobe, PA
7/30
7/30
San Diego
Chargers Park
San Diego, CA
7/25
7/30
Tennessee
Baptist Sports Park
Nashville, TN
7/31
7/31

NFC
TEAM
SITE
LOCATION
ROOKIES
VETERANS
Arizona
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
7/30
7/30
Atlanta
Atlanta Falcons Training Facility
Flowery Branch, GA
7/29
7/29
Carolina
Wofford College
Spartanburg, SC
7/28
7/28
Chicago
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL
7/30
7/30
Dallas*
Alamodome/Marriott Residence Inn
Oxnard River Ridge
San Antonio, TX/
Oxnard, CA
7/24
7/24
Detroit
Detroit Lions Training Facility
Allen Park, MI
7/30
7/30
Green Bay
St. Norbert College
De Pere, WI
7/30
7/30
Minnesota
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato, MN
7/30
7/30
New Orleans
New Orleans Saints Training Facility
Metairie, LA
7/29
7/29
NY Giants
University at Albany
Albany, NY
8/1
8/1
Philadelphia
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
7/26
7/29
St. Louis
Russell Training Center
Earth City, MO
7/28
7/30
San Francisco
Marie P. DeBartolo Sports Center
Santa Clara, CA
7/30
7/31
Seattle
Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Renton, WA
7/30
7/30
Tampa Bay
One Buccaneer Place
Tampa, FL
7/30
7/30
Washington
Redskins Park
Ashburn, VA
7/29
7/29
* Dallas will train in San Antonio (7/24-8/6), Dallas (8/7-8/13), and Oxnard, CA (8/14-8/27).
2010 NFL PRESEASON NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE
(All times Eastern)

DATE
GAME
NETWORK (TIME)
Sunday, August 8
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, OH:
Cincinnati vs. Dallas
NBC (8:00 PM)
Thursday, August 12
Carolina at Baltimore
ESPN (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 16
New York Giants at New York Jets
ESPN (8:00 PM)
Thursday, August 19
New England at Atlanta
FOX (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 20
Philadelphia at Cincinnati
FOX (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 22
Minnesota at San Francisco
NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 23
Arizona at Tennessee
ESPN (8:00 PM)
Thursday, August 26
Indianapolis at Green Bay
ESPN (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 27
San Diego at New Orleans
CBS (8:00 PM)
Saturday, August 28
Dallas at Houston
CBS (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 29
Pittsburgh at Denver
FOX (8:00 PM)

Jamarcus Russell arrested: former Raiders QB busted for "codeine syrup"

Jamarcus Russell

MOBILE, Ala. - As current Oakland Raiders Quarterback Kyle Boller's life's on the upswing after his marriage for former Miss USA Carrie Prejean last Friday, Former Raiders QB and 2007 1st Round NFL Draft Pick Quarterback Jamarcus Russell was arrested in Mobile, Alabama, Monday, for "possession of a controlled substance," according to the Mobile Press-Register.

The "drug" he was arrested for was "codeine syrup" according to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office.

What is "codeine syrup?"

Codeine syrup is described as medicinal drug that is also used to get high. The reason Jamarcus Russell was arrested was that he did not have a prescription for its use in his possession. It's the main ingredient in what's called "Purple drank," a slang term for "a recreational drug popular in the hip hop community in the southern United States" according to Wikipedia.

Jamarcus Russell posted bail

Jamarcus Russell posted bail of $2,500 after being arrested at 4:22 EDT according to the Press-Register.

Randall Cunningham loses his 2-year-old son in hot tub

Randall Cunningham

Former NFL Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Randall Cunningham reportedly lost his 2-year-old son in a hot tub accident.

According to the Associated Press, the Las Vegas, Clark County Coroner says that the cause of death of Christian Cunningham was pending investigation.

Christian Cunningham appeared to die from an accidental drowning, but that's not official. The youngest Cunningham was pronounced dead at St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena campus in Henderson, Nevada.

At the time of the incident, Tuesday, Randall Cunningham was out of town. Christian Cunningham is the youngest of his four children.

Randall Cunningham is an ordained minister and pastor of a church in Las Vegas with his wife Felicity.

Cunningham was one of this spaces favorite quarterbacks, and in 1998 was one missed field goal kick from playing against John Elway and The Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. Instead, the Vikings were upset in the 1988 NFC Championship by The Atlanta Falcons.

Albert Haynesworth is right to sit out; Ray Lewis is being a hypocrite

Albert in Wonderland 

Washington Redskins Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth has received a load of criticism for his actions in first asking to be traded, then taking the $22 million in contract money owed to him and failing to attend Redskins mandatory minicamps.

He's painted as one who doesn't love the game, as a quitter, and worse. Washington Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan is slamming him as is the Legendary Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis, who, sadly, is being a hypocrite.

But the person who really deserves the criticism and heat, and isn't getting it at all, is Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan. Moreover, Albert Haynesworth is quite correct that playing in a 3-4 will reduce his ability to be effective; the same skill than landed him a $100 million contract to start with.

Mike Shanahan should know better

All of this controversy would not have started if Mike Shanahan, who I'm personally not sold on as the answer for the Washington Redskins coaching woes, had not insisted on slamming a 3-4 down Albert Haynesworth's mouth. The way Coach Shanahan thinks about the 3-4 is not comforting; the best answer that would meet Albert Haynesworth's concerns is to have both defensive ends over the offensive guards, or at least one engaging in some kind of double-teaming action with Albert. But I've seen no evidence of Shanahan employing such hybrid schemes in the past.

Albert Haynesworth is a 4-3 three-technique tackle. Asking Albert Haynesworth to play the 3-4 as a nose tackle is like asking The Pittsburgh Steeler's "Mean" Joe Greene to do the same for the Steel Curtain Defense of the 1970s. You can bet Greene would have the same reaction.

The 3-4 is harmful to defensive tackles

Simple logic has it that asking one person to rush the passer or defend the run against three people is harmful to that players football life. When the nosetackle isn't double teamed, he (or she in some cases) is tripple teamed, when slide blocking - where the guard "slides" off the nosetackle and blocks the inside linebacker - is used.

So on an off-tackle counter play, we have the guard on the side of the play double teaming with the center on the nose tackle (and the inside linebacker on that side is blocked by the fullback), while the off-playside guard slides off the same nosetackle and blocks the off-side inside linebacker who's movement is slowed by the counter fake from the halfback.

In a 4-3 defense such games are impossible to play. Both offensive guards have to deal with the defensive tackles and the center helps on a double team of the off-side defensive tackle. The resultant hole is one the middle linebacker can plug, take on the fullback, and with the onside defensive tackle stop the play.

Ray Lewis is being a hypocrite

Ray Lewis says he can play well in either a 3-4 or a 4-3, and takes time to slam Albert, according to The Washington Post's Dan Steinberg. Lewis said:

"The response is, whatever you want me to do coach, let's get it done. If you want to switch the defense because you think it'll work better in a 3-4 -- I played in a 4-3 my whole life, but we switched up to a 3-4. 'Ok, Ray, you're gonna have to take on more guards, you're gonna have to do this and that.' Ok, coach, I'll adjust. Do I like it? Hmm, nah. But I'll adjust, so let's do it, you know what I'm saying? And through that process, I won the defensive player of the year in the 4-3 in 2000, and in 2003 I came back and won the defensive player of the year in the 3-4. So it don't matter."

But here's where Ray's not saying what he really thinks. For that, we have to go back to 2005 and S.I.com, when Ray Lewis openly expressed joy over the news that he was going to be featured in then-Ravens Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan's 46 Defense, after playing in Mike Nolan's Ravens 3-4 Defense. In 2005, Lewis said:

"That's like telling your premier running back that you're going to make sure he's not going to be touched in a football game. To come into camp and have my defensive coordinator tell me I’m not going to be touched, I’m like a little kid all over again...It's tough, because you have to humble yourself and take coaching and do whatever they tell you to do," Lewis said. "Whether it takes away from your game or helps it, you just deal with it. That's what I did. It didn't alter how I prepared, it didn't alter my passion for the game. But at the same time, it alters how dominant I can be."

The scheme of defensive did matter to Ray Lewis, even though he says otherwise today. From another perspective, one that your more likely to get inside an African American family home (unless you live in Oakland, CA), Albert Haynesworth does not want to be treated like he's a modern day slave; black barber shop talk would place Ray Lewis in just such a category.

To be fair, Ray Lewis is a worker bee, but even he has to question a social system where the choice of football scheme is generally done without the consultation of the players that are to use it.

In an ideal world, Coach Mike Shanahan would have talked with Albert Haynesworth regarding the type of scheme he wants to play in and the two would have come to a meeting of the minds, but in the NFL, even in the 21st Century, there are coaches who can't resist the urges of their own irrational egos, even at the expense of intelligent thinking.

NCAA USC punishment calls Pete Carroll move to Seahawks to question

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, via a source to ESPN, is set to announce that it is going to strip the University of Southern California or "USC" of the ability to play in a bowl game for two years, a forfeiture of wins at least from the 2004 season and possibility the loss of the 2004 National Championship. All of this after an investigation of activities in football and basketball, and related to former students Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo, was completed.

The death blow to future USC success calls former USC Coach Pete Carroll's move to the NFL to coach the Seattle Seahawks into question, and casts a giant black cloud over all that Carroll did while he was at USC. At first, this blogger believed Carroll's departure was just because a 6 and 6 season and the criticism was too much to stomach...



But in light of the NCAA investigation and its decision to essentially destroy USC Football as we've known it, now it seems that Pete Carroll knew this was coming, even as he told Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show that he "would be surprised" if the NCAA took any action.

Well, Pete Carroll has to express surprise now, but really also has a lot of explaining to do. This level of punishment is too great for Pete Carroll to avoid. He should talk about it, and soon. Indeed, he will have to at some point.

Pete Carroll and Charlie Weis (ESPN)

And one has to wonder what former Notre Dame Head Coach Charlie Weis thinks of this news. Weis famously implied that Pete Carroll gets a pass from the media, and dropped an allegation about Pete Carroll that he later retracted. But it's clear Pete Carroll has not been one of Charlie Weis favorite people because he thinks Weis got special treatment from the media.

Also, how does the NCAA action impact the 2010 Pac-10 race, which was already wide open? Does Cal or Stanford have an open shot at the Pac-10 title? Will the Cal Stanford Big Game finally have real meaning for the first time in years?

Stay tuned for updates.