As Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs gets into full gear, perhaps no game in each series will be more important to determining the outcome than Game 3.
If the first two games were split, the lower seed enjoys a distinct advantage coming home - something Vancouver had, and lost, and something San Jose and Ottawa have entering tonight's games.
If a team - such as the Rangers - faces a 0-2 deficit heading home, Game 3 becomes the first of what may be many do-or-die scenarios. New York needed two overtimes, but it avoided a 3-0 hole with its 2-1 triumph over Buffalo.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Game 7s
There are few things more intense in any part of the sports world than a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Whether you're a big hockey fan or not, do your competitive spirit a favor and check out at least part of tonight's Dallas-Vancouver Game 7. Adding to the intensity is the fact the game will be played north of the border in Canada. The atmosphere will be electric.
It's something you will not regret watching.
Whether you're a big hockey fan or not, do your competitive spirit a favor and check out at least part of tonight's Dallas-Vancouver Game 7. Adding to the intensity is the fact the game will be played north of the border in Canada. The atmosphere will be electric.
It's something you will not regret watching.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The "Foot"
The “Foot”
Caught Switchfoot in concert a few weeks back for the second time in less than a year.
Their growth, as reflected in their latest CD, “Oh! Gravity”, and in their performance, was stunning. The March 30 show at the Avalon in Hollywood was packed and high energy from the start. The Foot mixed in songs from each stage of their 10-year career, including my personal favorite, “Learning to Breathe.” Their new material held up very well live, and they liberally mixed in many of their best songs from “The Beautiful Letdown” and “Nothing Is Sound.”
Two innovations they brought that I liked were allowing fans to select online a couple of songs to add to their set list and selling the first eight songs of that night’s concert on a “bootleg” CD for $5 immediately after the show. It’s refreshing to see groups value the paying customer, and that’s not at all a given.
Opening act Copeland was a revelation and worth further exploration. An outstanding show!
Caught Switchfoot in concert a few weeks back for the second time in less than a year.
Their growth, as reflected in their latest CD, “Oh! Gravity”, and in their performance, was stunning. The March 30 show at the Avalon in Hollywood was packed and high energy from the start. The Foot mixed in songs from each stage of their 10-year career, including my personal favorite, “Learning to Breathe.” Their new material held up very well live, and they liberally mixed in many of their best songs from “The Beautiful Letdown” and “Nothing Is Sound.”
Two innovations they brought that I liked were allowing fans to select online a couple of songs to add to their set list and selling the first eight songs of that night’s concert on a “bootleg” CD for $5 immediately after the show. It’s refreshing to see groups value the paying customer, and that’s not at all a given.
Opening act Copeland was a revelation and worth further exploration. An outstanding show!
Stanley Cup playoff notes
A closer look at Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs
A few things have stood out to me during the first week of the Stanley Cup playoffs:
If the Anaheim Ducks can get their penalties under control, they’ll be tough to stop. If they keep parading to the penalty box, it eventually will catch up with them. It will be interesting to see if Coach Randy Carlyle gives J.S. Giguere a start in net after the Minnesota Wild lit up Ilya Bryzgalov in Game 4 on Tuesday …
The war of words between Nashville coach Barry Trotz and San Jose coach Ron Wilson has been entertaining, but not surprising. Here’s why: These are two coaches whose jobs might be on the line. Think about it. In the past two seasons, the Predators have brought in forwards Jason Arnott, JP Dumont, Paul Kariya and Peter Forsberg. Perhaps no team in the league has added so many skilled players. The Sharks, meanwhile, have added forwards Joe Thornton (the 2006 MVP), Bill Guerin, Mike Grier and defenseman Craig Rivet. Both teams have two solid goalies, and both teams have a decent young defense. Clearly both teams’ Gms have supplied the firepower, so the onus is on the coaches. …
Calgary’s Jarome Iginla and Tampa Bay’s Vincent Lecavalier are proving in the postseason why they are two of the NHL’s premier players. Iginla’s third-period goal around Red Wings all-world D-man Nick Lidstrom saved the Flames’ hopes in their series vs. Detroit. Lecavalier has pushed the Lightning to a game of knocking out the favored Devils and uber-goalie Martin Brodeur.
Some other players are emerging early in these playoffs, among them Ottawa’s Mike Comrie, Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf and Detroit forwards Kyle Calder and Dan Cleary. Comrie was acquired in a stealth deal with Phoenix early in the season when injuries dented the Senators, particularly at center. Cleary emerged as a 20-goal scorer this season after winning a job in Detroit last season on what amounted to a tryout. Calder, who has displayed grit and excellent play along the boards, was obtained in a three-way swap at the trade deadline after a horrible season in Philadelphia and years of being one of the best players on some very bad Blackhawks teams. Getzlaf’s skill is evident to anyone who follows the Ducks, but he plays in every situation and is unafraid to take the big shot or handle the key faceoff.
A few things have stood out to me during the first week of the Stanley Cup playoffs:
If the Anaheim Ducks can get their penalties under control, they’ll be tough to stop. If they keep parading to the penalty box, it eventually will catch up with them. It will be interesting to see if Coach Randy Carlyle gives J.S. Giguere a start in net after the Minnesota Wild lit up Ilya Bryzgalov in Game 4 on Tuesday …
The war of words between Nashville coach Barry Trotz and San Jose coach Ron Wilson has been entertaining, but not surprising. Here’s why: These are two coaches whose jobs might be on the line. Think about it. In the past two seasons, the Predators have brought in forwards Jason Arnott, JP Dumont, Paul Kariya and Peter Forsberg. Perhaps no team in the league has added so many skilled players. The Sharks, meanwhile, have added forwards Joe Thornton (the 2006 MVP), Bill Guerin, Mike Grier and defenseman Craig Rivet. Both teams have two solid goalies, and both teams have a decent young defense. Clearly both teams’ Gms have supplied the firepower, so the onus is on the coaches. …
Calgary’s Jarome Iginla and Tampa Bay’s Vincent Lecavalier are proving in the postseason why they are two of the NHL’s premier players. Iginla’s third-period goal around Red Wings all-world D-man Nick Lidstrom saved the Flames’ hopes in their series vs. Detroit. Lecavalier has pushed the Lightning to a game of knocking out the favored Devils and uber-goalie Martin Brodeur.
Some other players are emerging early in these playoffs, among them Ottawa’s Mike Comrie, Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf and Detroit forwards Kyle Calder and Dan Cleary. Comrie was acquired in a stealth deal with Phoenix early in the season when injuries dented the Senators, particularly at center. Cleary emerged as a 20-goal scorer this season after winning a job in Detroit last season on what amounted to a tryout. Calder, who has displayed grit and excellent play along the boards, was obtained in a three-way swap at the trade deadline after a horrible season in Philadelphia and years of being one of the best players on some very bad Blackhawks teams. Getzlaf’s skill is evident to anyone who follows the Ducks, but he plays in every situation and is unafraid to take the big shot or handle the key faceoff.
Is it drafty in here?
Remember the line in the movie "Fletch" where the main character says, "It's all ball bearings."?
This spring, it's all NFL on the major sports networks.
With the NFL draft less than two weeks away, the buildup never has been bigger. Such is the power of the nation's most popular sport. And much of that is attributable to the league itself. The creation of an entire network devoted to the NFL means the need for fresh content is greater than ever.
ESPN, sensing that NFL fans eventually will discover a feast of information on NFL Network, has ramped up its NFL offseason coverage big-time. As my brother correctly told me recently, "Once people visit NFL Network, they're probably not going back to ESPN for football." I agree. "The Network" has more original and more thorough coverage. Where ESPN rates an edge is its Web site, where its writers are well-sourced and well-versed.
NFL fans are the real winners with more options and information available than ever.
This spring, it's all NFL on the major sports networks.
With the NFL draft less than two weeks away, the buildup never has been bigger. Such is the power of the nation's most popular sport. And much of that is attributable to the league itself. The creation of an entire network devoted to the NFL means the need for fresh content is greater than ever.
ESPN, sensing that NFL fans eventually will discover a feast of information on NFL Network, has ramped up its NFL offseason coverage big-time. As my brother correctly told me recently, "Once people visit NFL Network, they're probably not going back to ESPN for football." I agree. "The Network" has more original and more thorough coverage. Where ESPN rates an edge is its Web site, where its writers are well-sourced and well-versed.
NFL fans are the real winners with more options and information available than ever.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Key players in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
A matchup-by-matchup look at key players in each series:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Buffalo vs. 8. N.Y. Islanders: The Sabres have a shot at winning it all if G Ryan Miller continues to emerge. The Islanders need captain Alexei Yashin to play like the $80 million player he's paid to be. Yashin was the invisible man in the postseason when he played for Ottawa.
2. New Jersey vs. 7. Tampa Bay: The Lightning owned the Devils during the regular season, and it must get secondary scoring from F Brad Richards, who was huge during the Lightning's 2004 Cup run. The Devils' defense has to figure out how to stop Richards and C Vincent Lecavalier and W Martin St. Louis.
3. Atlanta vs. 6. N.Y. Rangers: This will be the highest-scoring series. It will be interesting to see how F Ilya Kovalchuk responds to playoff pressure. Teammate Marian Hossa had another incredible season, but he has been largely non-existent in postseasons for Ottawa. The Rangers signed F Brendan Shanahan for this very time.
4. Ottawa vs. 5. Pittsburgh: How will Senators G Ray Emery respond to the Penguins' offensive onslaught? Does the Penguins' Sidney Crosby take the next step in his superstar ascent by writing some playoff chapters worth remembering?
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Detroit vs. 8. Calgary: C Pavel Datsyuk needs to break his recent pattern of playoff disapperances and score for the Red Wings to avoid another first-round upset. G Miikka Kiprusoff has to take it up another notch, as he did in Calgary's 2004 run for the Flames to have a shot. Expect a very low-scoring series.
2. Anaheim vs. Minnesota: This intriguing matchup features two teams that will skate and hit, and probably fight. The Ducks will go as far as G Jean-Sebastien Giguere leads them - he keyed their 2003 run to the Finals. Wild F Marian Gaborik has to take over games, and he has more than enough ability to do so.
3. Vancouver vs. Dallas: This will be another brutally physical series, but the story should be the goalies. How the Canucks' Roberto Luongo, who carried the team most of the season, respond to his first playoff series? Can the Stars' Marty Turco shake off his playoff doldrums after another outstanding regular season?
4. Nashville at San Jose: Perhaps no series features as many top-end talents as this one. The Predators boast the likes of Fs Paul Kariya, Jason Arnott, Steve Sullivan and Peter Forsberg, while the Sharks counter with Cs Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau and W Jonathan Cheechoo. Both teams have two capable goalies, so whichever team can identify and ride the hot hand likely will move on. Both teams have excellent chances to go deep in the playoffs if a goalie emerges.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Buffalo vs. 8. N.Y. Islanders: The Sabres have a shot at winning it all if G Ryan Miller continues to emerge. The Islanders need captain Alexei Yashin to play like the $80 million player he's paid to be. Yashin was the invisible man in the postseason when he played for Ottawa.
2. New Jersey vs. 7. Tampa Bay: The Lightning owned the Devils during the regular season, and it must get secondary scoring from F Brad Richards, who was huge during the Lightning's 2004 Cup run. The Devils' defense has to figure out how to stop Richards and C Vincent Lecavalier and W Martin St. Louis.
3. Atlanta vs. 6. N.Y. Rangers: This will be the highest-scoring series. It will be interesting to see how F Ilya Kovalchuk responds to playoff pressure. Teammate Marian Hossa had another incredible season, but he has been largely non-existent in postseasons for Ottawa. The Rangers signed F Brendan Shanahan for this very time.
4. Ottawa vs. 5. Pittsburgh: How will Senators G Ray Emery respond to the Penguins' offensive onslaught? Does the Penguins' Sidney Crosby take the next step in his superstar ascent by writing some playoff chapters worth remembering?
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Detroit vs. 8. Calgary: C Pavel Datsyuk needs to break his recent pattern of playoff disapperances and score for the Red Wings to avoid another first-round upset. G Miikka Kiprusoff has to take it up another notch, as he did in Calgary's 2004 run for the Flames to have a shot. Expect a very low-scoring series.
2. Anaheim vs. Minnesota: This intriguing matchup features two teams that will skate and hit, and probably fight. The Ducks will go as far as G Jean-Sebastien Giguere leads them - he keyed their 2003 run to the Finals. Wild F Marian Gaborik has to take over games, and he has more than enough ability to do so.
3. Vancouver vs. Dallas: This will be another brutally physical series, but the story should be the goalies. How the Canucks' Roberto Luongo, who carried the team most of the season, respond to his first playoff series? Can the Stars' Marty Turco shake off his playoff doldrums after another outstanding regular season?
4. Nashville at San Jose: Perhaps no series features as many top-end talents as this one. The Predators boast the likes of Fs Paul Kariya, Jason Arnott, Steve Sullivan and Peter Forsberg, while the Sharks counter with Cs Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau and W Jonathan Cheechoo. Both teams have two capable goalies, so whichever team can identify and ride the hot hand likely will move on. Both teams have excellent chances to go deep in the playoffs if a goalie emerges.
The Chase for Lord Stanley's Cup begins
The Stanley Cup Playoffs, to me, are the most compelling of all professional sports playoffs in the U.S. The schedule is grueling, the physical play more intense than ever and the passion nearly unparalleled. And the first round of the playoffs is the best one to watch. Here's why:
1. The players are fresher. Yes, they've just completed an 82-game schedule, but it hasn't included the level of physical play that takes place in the playoffs. After a round or two, virtually every player on every team is nursing some form of injury.
2. Less time to prepare. Many playoff matchups were not set until the final days of the season, and it was harder for teams to scout opponents for certain.
3. No intradivisional matchups. The NHL's current schedule format pits intradivision foes against each other eight times. None of those matchups exist this year, meaning playoff foes met just four times during the regular season.
4. Stars are made. Players such as Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk and Kari Lehtonen, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo are making their first playoff appearances.
5. Last calls. Great players nearing the end of illustrious careers include: Dallas' Mike Modano, Anaheim's Teemu Selanne, New York's Brendan Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr, Nashville's Peter Forsberg and Pittsburgh's Gary Roberts. Catch them while you can.
1. The players are fresher. Yes, they've just completed an 82-game schedule, but it hasn't included the level of physical play that takes place in the playoffs. After a round or two, virtually every player on every team is nursing some form of injury.
2. Less time to prepare. Many playoff matchups were not set until the final days of the season, and it was harder for teams to scout opponents for certain.
3. No intradivisional matchups. The NHL's current schedule format pits intradivision foes against each other eight times. None of those matchups exist this year, meaning playoff foes met just four times during the regular season.
4. Stars are made. Players such as Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk and Kari Lehtonen, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo are making their first playoff appearances.
5. Last calls. Great players nearing the end of illustrious careers include: Dallas' Mike Modano, Anaheim's Teemu Selanne, New York's Brendan Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr, Nashville's Peter Forsberg and Pittsburgh's Gary Roberts. Catch them while you can.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The NFC free agency mystery
One month into free agency and the activity has cooled considerably. Here's my take on what NFC teams have done thus far:
HIGH TURNOVER:
ATLANTA: It makes sense. The Falcons have a new coach and an increasingly impatient owner. If WR Joe Horn is healthy, he addresses a gigantic weakness. Losing DE Patrick Kerney via free agency and trading backup QB Matt Schaub are risks, so the Falcons must make the most of the picks they got for Schaub from Houston.
DETROIT: Another offseason of massive turnover, some of which makes sense. The additions of RBs Tatum Bell and TJ Duckett means they don't expect Kevin Jones to recover from injury this season. Shoring up the offensive line with T George Foster, Gs Edwin Mulitalo and Zach Piller won't hurt either. DE Dewayne White will help the defense, but they overpaid for him. ... DE James Hall and CB Dre Bly are the biggest losses.
SAN FRANCISCO: The youth movement continues. Adding CB Nate Clements and S Michael Lewis immediately upgrades the secondary several notches. ... Among the departed: C Jeremy Newberry, WR Antonio Bryant and TE Eric Johnson.
ST. LOUIS: The De-Martz-ification of this offense continues. Smurf-like speedsters Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald are gone, and in their place are 6-4 WR Drew Bennett and TE Randy McMichael.
WASHINGTON: Of course the Redskins signed a lot of players, and of course they said good bye to just as many. That's been a way of life under owner Dan Snyder. Among veteran OL Jason Fabini, Todd Wade and Ross Tucker, the hope is one or two of them can help. LB London Fletcher shows no signs of slowing and should help the defense for the next year or two. Re-obtaining CB Fred Smoot seems a bit of a risk, but he played well for the Redskins in his first stint with them.
TAKING A HIT:
PHILADELPHIA: Adding LB Takeo Spikes, WR Kevin Curtis and DT Montae Reagor will help offset the losses of LB Shawn Barber, WR Donte' Stallworth and DT Darwin Walker. But the Eagles' secondary was further decimated with the departures of CB Roderick Hood and S Michael Lewis.
MAKING SOME SENSE:
DALLAS: Maybe returning to Texas will be the motivator OL Leonard Davis needs. No one doubts the massive lineman's gifts. Adding QB Brad Johnson was an excellent hedge vs. Tony Romo hitting a slump in his second season as a starter. Also like the addition of S Ken Hamlin, but like Davis, they probably overpaid for him.
ARIZONA: The Cardinals addressed two need areas, letting Davis leave and replacing him with C Al Johnson and OL Mike Gandy for less money. They also took steps to shore up their secondary by signing CB Rod Hood from the Eagles and S Terrence Holt from the Lions.
MINNESOTA: The Vikings might regret letting QB Brad Johnson leave. CB Fred Smoot underachieved in Minnesota, and his off-the-field problems didn't help. ... Two signings I really like: S Mike Doss and TE Visanthe Shiancoe.
NEW ORLEANS: The Sants are building some momentum, and I really like their additions of LB Brian Simmons, TE Eric Johnson and S Kevin Kaesvlharn. ... The emergence of Terrance Copper and Marcus Colston made WR Joe Horn expendable on the surface, but the Saints did not play as well without him as they did with him last season.
NY GIANTS: The youth movement is on as numerous veterans were shown the door (LBs Lavar Arrington and Carlos Emmons, Ts Luke Petitgout and Bob Whitfield to name a few). RB Reuben Droughns and LB Kawika Mitchell were solid signings that addressed need areas.
SEATTLE: The Seahawks again focused on defense in free agency, adding Ss Deon Grant and Brian Russell, and DE Patrick Kerney. And they needed to with Hamlin's departure and the uncertain future of DE Grant Wistrom.
TAMPA BAY: Adding QB Jeff Garcia was smart if Chris Simms isn't 100 percent. It's stupid if it retards Simms' development. The Bucs added LBs Cato June and Patrick Chukwurah via free agency to infuse some youth into their aging defense.
ALL'S CALM
CAROLINA: One of last season's biggest underachievers let go of a lot of players who have yet to be signed and have added a few role players. Pivotal year for this franchis coming up.
CHICAGO: Yes, the Bears traded RB Thomas Jones, but their only other notable loss was DT Alphonso Boone, and they signed promising Anthony Adams to fill his spot. If Tank Johnson stays out of trouble and Tommie Harris regains his health, neither transaction matters much anyway.
GREEN BAY: The Packers lost RB Ahman Green, but they weren't committed to him longterm at this stage of his career. They've added a potential nickel back in Frank Walker, but that's it. With their massive cap space, the talk of acquring WR Randy Moss won't go away.
HIGH TURNOVER:
ATLANTA: It makes sense. The Falcons have a new coach and an increasingly impatient owner. If WR Joe Horn is healthy, he addresses a gigantic weakness. Losing DE Patrick Kerney via free agency and trading backup QB Matt Schaub are risks, so the Falcons must make the most of the picks they got for Schaub from Houston.
DETROIT: Another offseason of massive turnover, some of which makes sense. The additions of RBs Tatum Bell and TJ Duckett means they don't expect Kevin Jones to recover from injury this season. Shoring up the offensive line with T George Foster, Gs Edwin Mulitalo and Zach Piller won't hurt either. DE Dewayne White will help the defense, but they overpaid for him. ... DE James Hall and CB Dre Bly are the biggest losses.
SAN FRANCISCO: The youth movement continues. Adding CB Nate Clements and S Michael Lewis immediately upgrades the secondary several notches. ... Among the departed: C Jeremy Newberry, WR Antonio Bryant and TE Eric Johnson.
ST. LOUIS: The De-Martz-ification of this offense continues. Smurf-like speedsters Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald are gone, and in their place are 6-4 WR Drew Bennett and TE Randy McMichael.
WASHINGTON: Of course the Redskins signed a lot of players, and of course they said good bye to just as many. That's been a way of life under owner Dan Snyder. Among veteran OL Jason Fabini, Todd Wade and Ross Tucker, the hope is one or two of them can help. LB London Fletcher shows no signs of slowing and should help the defense for the next year or two. Re-obtaining CB Fred Smoot seems a bit of a risk, but he played well for the Redskins in his first stint with them.
TAKING A HIT:
PHILADELPHIA: Adding LB Takeo Spikes, WR Kevin Curtis and DT Montae Reagor will help offset the losses of LB Shawn Barber, WR Donte' Stallworth and DT Darwin Walker. But the Eagles' secondary was further decimated with the departures of CB Roderick Hood and S Michael Lewis.
MAKING SOME SENSE:
DALLAS: Maybe returning to Texas will be the motivator OL Leonard Davis needs. No one doubts the massive lineman's gifts. Adding QB Brad Johnson was an excellent hedge vs. Tony Romo hitting a slump in his second season as a starter. Also like the addition of S Ken Hamlin, but like Davis, they probably overpaid for him.
ARIZONA: The Cardinals addressed two need areas, letting Davis leave and replacing him with C Al Johnson and OL Mike Gandy for less money. They also took steps to shore up their secondary by signing CB Rod Hood from the Eagles and S Terrence Holt from the Lions.
MINNESOTA: The Vikings might regret letting QB Brad Johnson leave. CB Fred Smoot underachieved in Minnesota, and his off-the-field problems didn't help. ... Two signings I really like: S Mike Doss and TE Visanthe Shiancoe.
NEW ORLEANS: The Sants are building some momentum, and I really like their additions of LB Brian Simmons, TE Eric Johnson and S Kevin Kaesvlharn. ... The emergence of Terrance Copper and Marcus Colston made WR Joe Horn expendable on the surface, but the Saints did not play as well without him as they did with him last season.
NY GIANTS: The youth movement is on as numerous veterans were shown the door (LBs Lavar Arrington and Carlos Emmons, Ts Luke Petitgout and Bob Whitfield to name a few). RB Reuben Droughns and LB Kawika Mitchell were solid signings that addressed need areas.
SEATTLE: The Seahawks again focused on defense in free agency, adding Ss Deon Grant and Brian Russell, and DE Patrick Kerney. And they needed to with Hamlin's departure and the uncertain future of DE Grant Wistrom.
TAMPA BAY: Adding QB Jeff Garcia was smart if Chris Simms isn't 100 percent. It's stupid if it retards Simms' development. The Bucs added LBs Cato June and Patrick Chukwurah via free agency to infuse some youth into their aging defense.
ALL'S CALM
CAROLINA: One of last season's biggest underachievers let go of a lot of players who have yet to be signed and have added a few role players. Pivotal year for this franchis coming up.
CHICAGO: Yes, the Bears traded RB Thomas Jones, but their only other notable loss was DT Alphonso Boone, and they signed promising Anthony Adams to fill his spot. If Tank Johnson stays out of trouble and Tommie Harris regains his health, neither transaction matters much anyway.
GREEN BAY: The Packers lost RB Ahman Green, but they weren't committed to him longterm at this stage of his career. They've added a potential nickel back in Frank Walker, but that's it. With their massive cap space, the talk of acquring WR Randy Moss won't go away.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
The AFC free agency mystery
One month into the NFL free agency period things have cooled off considerably.
Several teams have been very active, and nearly as many have been content to (or forced to because of salary-cap contraints) to sit on the sidelines while the big dollars were doled out.
SOLID MOVES:
BALTIMORE: Losing LB Adalius Thomas to the Patroits will hurt, but they still have Ray Lewis and Bart Scott at the position and Scott appears to have at least as high of an upside and is several years younger. Adding Willis McGahee and subtracting Jamal Lewis at this stage of their careers was brilliant.
CLEVELAND: Signing OL Eric Steinback and Seth McKinney were good moves. Lewis probably has some miles left, and he's the type of back who could thrive in Cleveland's offense. Adding LB Antwan Peek from Houston was very underrated in my opinion. The Browns will miss FB Terrelle Smith.
KANSAS CITY: The Chiefs again addressed a glaring weakness - the front seven of their defense, adding LBs Donnie Edwards (for a second tour in KC) and Napoleon Harris as well as DT Alfonso Boone. They still need a receiver, and this is a good draft to select one.
MIAMI: The Dolphins' signing of LB Joey Porter will turn out to be the best one of free agency. Given Miami's 3-4 scheme and the other talent around him, plus the even larger chip on Porter's shoulder after the Steelers released him, look out! ... Miami also lost a lot of players, but the ones they'll miss are WR Wes Welker, DE Kevin Carter, and OLs Jeno James, Damion McIntosh and Seth McKinney. Miami clearly got tired of TE Randy McMichael's inconsistency, and losing RBs Sammy Morris and Travis Minor clears space for a return of Ricky Williams.
NEW ENGLAND: The Patriots have been more active than virtually anyone, and their top-end signings of Thomas, WRs Donte' Stallworth, Kelley Washington and Welker offer immediate upgrades. Many of the rest of the signings are specials and/or role players. Letting RB Corey Dillon go might hurt a little, but his role was shrinking the second half of 2006. TE Daniel Graham's blocking will be replaced by Kyle Brady.
HIGH TURNOVER:
DENVER: The Broncos' failure to reach the playoffs is not without consequences in a city used to the postseason. Gone are QB Jake Plummer, RB Tatum Bell, OT George Foster and promising young CB Darrent Williams, who was shot to death after the season. In are TE Daniel Graham, CB Dre Bly, RB Travis Henry, QB Patrick Ramsey, WR Brandon Stokley. It's tough to say if this is an improvement or not. Most of their additions puzzle me at this point because they have far better players already in place at those positions already.
HOUSTON: The big additions are RB Ahman Green, who is tough but has struggled with injuries the past three seasons, and QB Matt Schaub, who was generally regarded as the best QB not starting in the NFL during the 2006 season. Out are QB David Carr and RB Domanick Williams (the rusher formerly known as Davis).
NY JETS: The Jets signed or resigned four defensive ends, but the big catch was RB Thomas Jones. QB Patrick Ramsey wasn't considered a future prospect any longer and was allowed to walk, and the team showed little interest in RBs Kevan Barlow and Derrick Blaylock (the once-considered Curtis Martin replacement).
TENNESSEE: Adding CB Nick Harper will help, losing WR Drew Bennett and RBs Travis Henry and Chris Brown won't. G Zach Piller's defection to Detroit also will be felt.
TAKING A HIT:
BUFFALO: The Bills are a team that annually seems to lose players during the spring signing period, but this year is incredible by even their standards. Gone are: CB Nate Clements, LBs Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher, franchise running back Willis McGahee (traded) and three starting offensive linemen. This leaves the Bills QB JP Losman and WR Lee Evans, and not much else.
CINCINNATI: The Bengals lost perhaps their best offensive lineman (Eric Steinbach), their No. 3 receiver (Kelley Washington) and their best linebacker (Brian Simmons).
INDIANAPOLIS: The Colts had to win the Super Bowl. Their salary cap situation was a mess and they had a load of upcoming unrestricted free agents (RB Dominic Rhodes, LB Cato June, CB Nick Harper, DT Montae Reagor and Stokley among others). All of the aforementioned are gone.
TOUGH TO FIGURE
JACKSONVILLE: They signed a bunch of fill-in players while losing starting TE Kyle Brady and S Deon Grant. Brady is mainly a blocker at this stage, but Grant's loss will hurt.
OAKLAND: They signed a lot of players, Rhodes and injury-laden C Jeremy Newberry being the most prominent, and they decided they'd had enough of the Aaron Brooks and Marcus Tuiasosopo experiments at QB.
ON THE SIDELINES:
PITTSBURGH: Replacing Porter won't be easy, but this team is used to it.
SAN DIEGO: All of the departees (including S Terrence Kiel, WR Keenan McCardell, LB Steve Foley and Edwards) won't be missed because the Bolts have better, younger and cheaper players behind them. The real intrigue with the Chargers is will they trade backup running back Micheal Turner, who is coveted by at least a half dozen teams.
Several teams have been very active, and nearly as many have been content to (or forced to because of salary-cap contraints) to sit on the sidelines while the big dollars were doled out.
SOLID MOVES:
BALTIMORE: Losing LB Adalius Thomas to the Patroits will hurt, but they still have Ray Lewis and Bart Scott at the position and Scott appears to have at least as high of an upside and is several years younger. Adding Willis McGahee and subtracting Jamal Lewis at this stage of their careers was brilliant.
CLEVELAND: Signing OL Eric Steinback and Seth McKinney were good moves. Lewis probably has some miles left, and he's the type of back who could thrive in Cleveland's offense. Adding LB Antwan Peek from Houston was very underrated in my opinion. The Browns will miss FB Terrelle Smith.
KANSAS CITY: The Chiefs again addressed a glaring weakness - the front seven of their defense, adding LBs Donnie Edwards (for a second tour in KC) and Napoleon Harris as well as DT Alfonso Boone. They still need a receiver, and this is a good draft to select one.
MIAMI: The Dolphins' signing of LB Joey Porter will turn out to be the best one of free agency. Given Miami's 3-4 scheme and the other talent around him, plus the even larger chip on Porter's shoulder after the Steelers released him, look out! ... Miami also lost a lot of players, but the ones they'll miss are WR Wes Welker, DE Kevin Carter, and OLs Jeno James, Damion McIntosh and Seth McKinney. Miami clearly got tired of TE Randy McMichael's inconsistency, and losing RBs Sammy Morris and Travis Minor clears space for a return of Ricky Williams.
NEW ENGLAND: The Patriots have been more active than virtually anyone, and their top-end signings of Thomas, WRs Donte' Stallworth, Kelley Washington and Welker offer immediate upgrades. Many of the rest of the signings are specials and/or role players. Letting RB Corey Dillon go might hurt a little, but his role was shrinking the second half of 2006. TE Daniel Graham's blocking will be replaced by Kyle Brady.
HIGH TURNOVER:
DENVER: The Broncos' failure to reach the playoffs is not without consequences in a city used to the postseason. Gone are QB Jake Plummer, RB Tatum Bell, OT George Foster and promising young CB Darrent Williams, who was shot to death after the season. In are TE Daniel Graham, CB Dre Bly, RB Travis Henry, QB Patrick Ramsey, WR Brandon Stokley. It's tough to say if this is an improvement or not. Most of their additions puzzle me at this point because they have far better players already in place at those positions already.
HOUSTON: The big additions are RB Ahman Green, who is tough but has struggled with injuries the past three seasons, and QB Matt Schaub, who was generally regarded as the best QB not starting in the NFL during the 2006 season. Out are QB David Carr and RB Domanick Williams (the rusher formerly known as Davis).
NY JETS: The Jets signed or resigned four defensive ends, but the big catch was RB Thomas Jones. QB Patrick Ramsey wasn't considered a future prospect any longer and was allowed to walk, and the team showed little interest in RBs Kevan Barlow and Derrick Blaylock (the once-considered Curtis Martin replacement).
TENNESSEE: Adding CB Nick Harper will help, losing WR Drew Bennett and RBs Travis Henry and Chris Brown won't. G Zach Piller's defection to Detroit also will be felt.
TAKING A HIT:
BUFFALO: The Bills are a team that annually seems to lose players during the spring signing period, but this year is incredible by even their standards. Gone are: CB Nate Clements, LBs Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher, franchise running back Willis McGahee (traded) and three starting offensive linemen. This leaves the Bills QB JP Losman and WR Lee Evans, and not much else.
CINCINNATI: The Bengals lost perhaps their best offensive lineman (Eric Steinbach), their No. 3 receiver (Kelley Washington) and their best linebacker (Brian Simmons).
INDIANAPOLIS: The Colts had to win the Super Bowl. Their salary cap situation was a mess and they had a load of upcoming unrestricted free agents (RB Dominic Rhodes, LB Cato June, CB Nick Harper, DT Montae Reagor and Stokley among others). All of the aforementioned are gone.
TOUGH TO FIGURE
JACKSONVILLE: They signed a bunch of fill-in players while losing starting TE Kyle Brady and S Deon Grant. Brady is mainly a blocker at this stage, but Grant's loss will hurt.
OAKLAND: They signed a lot of players, Rhodes and injury-laden C Jeremy Newberry being the most prominent, and they decided they'd had enough of the Aaron Brooks and Marcus Tuiasosopo experiments at QB.
ON THE SIDELINES:
PITTSBURGH: Replacing Porter won't be easy, but this team is used to it.
SAN DIEGO: All of the departees (including S Terrence Kiel, WR Keenan McCardell, LB Steve Foley and Edwards) won't be missed because the Bolts have better, younger and cheaper players behind them. The real intrigue with the Chargers is will they trade backup running back Micheal Turner, who is coveted by at least a half dozen teams.
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