News: The Raiders sign QB Jeff George, who has not thrown a pass in the NFL in five years.
Reviews: I guess Darryl Lamonica and Ken Stabler weren't available. ... Oakland, which acquired Aaron Brooks in the offseason and has promising Andrew Walter waiting in the wings, apparently isn't comfortable enough with either. That can be the only explanation because this is a head scratcher. On the flip side, many are whispering the Raiders' offense under new/old coach Art Shell is archaic, so maybe George won't have much to catch up on by going back to Oakland.
News: Kerry Collins, late of the Raiders, signs with the Titans, who spent a high No. 1 on QB Vince Young after getting rid of Steve McNair and have strong-armed Billy Volek starting now.
Reviews: It's not like this is going to be a contending team, where a veteran QB might mean the difference between a title or not ... or even making the playoffs or not.
News: Saints deal WR Donte Stallworth to Eagles for a reserve linebacker and mid-round draft pick.
Reviews: Either a brilliant deal for Philadelphia, which gets a young, talented receiver for Donovan McNabb, and a salary dump by New Orleans, which likely would not have re-signed Stallworth after this season. Or the Saints are right and Stallworth isn't worth what he will ask for.
News: Owner Jerry Jones demands to know who leaked information to the media that Terrell Owens was fined for being late to a meeting and rehabilitation session Friday.
Reviews: Jones and Coach Bill Parcells also want to know who leaked word of the war in Iraq. This is football, entertainment. While it's also big business, Jones' reaction speaks volumes about how overly serious the NFL takes itself.
News: Owens practices for the first time in 10 days. Cowboys players whispering Parcells has been more lenient with Owens than others.
Reviews: Parcells says those who have played for him know what he's doing. It's the other five billion of us on earth who wonder why he puts up with Owens.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
NFC South key questions
If the NFC East is regarded as the best division in the conference, this might be a close second. As many as three teams have playoff potential, and two could go deep in the playoffs.
ATLANTA: Can Michael Vick establish himself into more of a passer and less of a run-first, ask-questions-later QB? Only two NFC starting QBs had worse completion percentages than his 55 percent, and his running leaves him open to big hits (and injuries). Will the addition of DE John Abraham spark the pass rush, and by extension, create more opportunities for turnovers? Was last season an aberration, or are the Falcons on a downward trend under Coach Jim Mora?
CAROLINA: Can DT Kris Jenkins avoid injury and return the pocket-collapsing presence the defense has missed during his absence due to injuries the past two seasons? Can RB DeShaun Foster remain healthy for an entire season? If he doesn't, who steps in: rookie DeAngelo Williams? Massive Eric Shelton? Nick Goings? Will WR Keyshawn Johnson be a factor or a distraction?
NEW ORLEANS: What impact will rookie RB Reggie Bush have on the field? Is RB Deuce McAllister fully healthy after tearing his ACL early last season? How much of an upgrade is QB Drew Brees over Aaron Brooks? His contract implies a lot, but Brees is coming off shoulder surgery, which scared the Chargers off from giving him big money. How much will the Saints miss C LaCharles Bentley, who signed with Cleveland (and got hurt during camp) and DE Darren Howard?
TAMPA BAY: Will the Bucs' aging stars on defense (DE Simeon Rice, LBs Derrick Brooks and Shelton Quarles, and CBs Rhonde Barber and Brian Kelly) continue to play at a high level? All are 30 or older. How will QB Chris Simms adapt to being "the man"? He took over for Brian Griese after an injury last season. Will RB Cadillac Williams be the workhorse back Coach Jon Gruden wants or will he wear down as he did during parts of the 2005 season?
Next: The NFC North
ATLANTA: Can Michael Vick establish himself into more of a passer and less of a run-first, ask-questions-later QB? Only two NFC starting QBs had worse completion percentages than his 55 percent, and his running leaves him open to big hits (and injuries). Will the addition of DE John Abraham spark the pass rush, and by extension, create more opportunities for turnovers? Was last season an aberration, or are the Falcons on a downward trend under Coach Jim Mora?
CAROLINA: Can DT Kris Jenkins avoid injury and return the pocket-collapsing presence the defense has missed during his absence due to injuries the past two seasons? Can RB DeShaun Foster remain healthy for an entire season? If he doesn't, who steps in: rookie DeAngelo Williams? Massive Eric Shelton? Nick Goings? Will WR Keyshawn Johnson be a factor or a distraction?
NEW ORLEANS: What impact will rookie RB Reggie Bush have on the field? Is RB Deuce McAllister fully healthy after tearing his ACL early last season? How much of an upgrade is QB Drew Brees over Aaron Brooks? His contract implies a lot, but Brees is coming off shoulder surgery, which scared the Chargers off from giving him big money. How much will the Saints miss C LaCharles Bentley, who signed with Cleveland (and got hurt during camp) and DE Darren Howard?
TAMPA BAY: Will the Bucs' aging stars on defense (DE Simeon Rice, LBs Derrick Brooks and Shelton Quarles, and CBs Rhonde Barber and Brian Kelly) continue to play at a high level? All are 30 or older. How will QB Chris Simms adapt to being "the man"? He took over for Brian Griese after an injury last season. Will RB Cadillac Williams be the workhorse back Coach Jon Gruden wants or will he wear down as he did during parts of the 2005 season?
Next: The NFC North
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Taking a look at baseball's top rookies in the AL
Recently, I had a chance to correspond with a major-league scout who offered his take on what is shaping up to be one of the better rookie classes in American League history. Excerpts of his comments appear below.
"How crazy is the AL rookie-of-the-year race? There are probably 4 or 5 guys who could win it hands down in any other
season, but this could get really tight. ...
"The biggest names have to be (Boston pitcher Jonathan) Papelbon, (Detroit pitcher Justin) Verlander, (Anaheim pitcher Jered) Weaver and (Minnesota pitcher Francisco) Liriano. All incredible impact players already, and with the exception of Liriano (because of his injury) each of them would have probably been a lock in a different year. ...
"There's a handful of guys who probably won't get much if any notice and are great players. Jon Lester has become a key to Boston's success and has put together good numbers in his first season. ... (Catcher) Kenji Johjima in Seattle - granted the age thing plays into it - but that didn't stop Ichiro, and he's had a solid year and would be one of the top guys most of the time. ... (Pitcher Joel) Zumaya will be overshadowed by his teammate in Detroit, but his 103 mph fastball has been outstanding and a major piece of the best bullpen in baseball. ... (Infielder Howie) Kendrick out there will finish the year with solid numbers in my opinion, and the people of Orange County will likely become big Howie fans before long. ... (Second baseman Ian) Kinsler in Texas is another rookie putting together a solid offensive season for a competitive team - leads AL rookies in batting average. Just behind him is (left fielder Nick) Markakis in Baltimore who started off really slow so he
hasn't gotten as much publicity, but he was the hottest hitter in baseball in the month of July - not hottest rookie, but hottest
player overall. ... Which goes right along with back-to-back shutouts from Jeremy Sowers in Cleveland - still to be determined how he finishes, but could be a decent year if he continues the way he's pitched lately. ... And (outfielder Melky) Cabrera in New York has stepped in and done a solid job for them in his first year as well.
"I can't remember the last time there were 12 legitimate candidates for rookie of the year in a league where
there's only 14 teams. And I might be leaving some guys out."
"How crazy is the AL rookie-of-the-year race? There are probably 4 or 5 guys who could win it hands down in any other
season, but this could get really tight. ...
"The biggest names have to be (Boston pitcher Jonathan) Papelbon, (Detroit pitcher Justin) Verlander, (Anaheim pitcher Jered) Weaver and (Minnesota pitcher Francisco) Liriano. All incredible impact players already, and with the exception of Liriano (because of his injury) each of them would have probably been a lock in a different year. ...
"There's a handful of guys who probably won't get much if any notice and are great players. Jon Lester has become a key to Boston's success and has put together good numbers in his first season. ... (Catcher) Kenji Johjima in Seattle - granted the age thing plays into it - but that didn't stop Ichiro, and he's had a solid year and would be one of the top guys most of the time. ... (Pitcher Joel) Zumaya will be overshadowed by his teammate in Detroit, but his 103 mph fastball has been outstanding and a major piece of the best bullpen in baseball. ... (Infielder Howie) Kendrick out there will finish the year with solid numbers in my opinion, and the people of Orange County will likely become big Howie fans before long. ... (Second baseman Ian) Kinsler in Texas is another rookie putting together a solid offensive season for a competitive team - leads AL rookies in batting average. Just behind him is (left fielder Nick) Markakis in Baltimore who started off really slow so he
hasn't gotten as much publicity, but he was the hottest hitter in baseball in the month of July - not hottest rookie, but hottest
player overall. ... Which goes right along with back-to-back shutouts from Jeremy Sowers in Cleveland - still to be determined how he finishes, but could be a decent year if he continues the way he's pitched lately. ... And (outfielder Melky) Cabrera in New York has stepped in and done a solid job for them in his first year as well.
"I can't remember the last time there were 12 legitimate candidates for rookie of the year in a league where
there's only 14 teams. And I might be leaving some guys out."
NFC East key questions
This post begins my look at the NFC, by division.
COWBOYS: Is QB Drew Bledsoe in danger of losing his starting job to Tony Romo? Apparently not. Bledsoe's lack of mobility has been well-chronicled, and Dallas' offensive line struggles notwithstanding, Coach Bill Parcells has said he wants Romo to get more reps in training camp and that nothing more should be read into his increased playing time. ... I don't want to ask the next one, because everyone is, but - how long will WR Terrell Owens last in Dallas? His injury-plagued training camp has only added fuel to this topic. When he's on, he's one of the three best receivers in the game (with Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison, in my opinion), when Owens is hurt and or sulking, he can spoil an entire orchard. Who will emerge at RB? Health problems have held Julius Jones back the past two seasons, and short-yardage back Marion Barber might surpass him as starter.
EAGLES: Can QB Donovan McNabb stay healthy? And who will he hand off to and pass to? Philadelphia better pray for the former because, even with the signing of Jeff Garcia to back up McNabb, the Eagles will be in real trouble if McNabb goes down again. RB Brian Westbrook's foot injury also complicates matters for the offense. For now Ryan Moats will start, but the team worked out Stephen Davis this week, the guess here is it will sign him sooner than later. Receivers will be some combination of Reggie Brown, Todd Pinkston, Jabar Gaffney, Hank Basket (yes, he's in the wrong sport) and Greg Lewis. Brown should be McNabb's No. 1 target. Pinkston is an injury question mark, and has only returned to practice this week.
GIANTS: Can RB Tiki Barber keep it up? Every year prognosticators say Barber is too small or getting too old (he's 31, when backs usually are in decline), and every season he produces more impressive numbers than the year before. It's unlikely he'll top the 1,860 yards rushing he had last season, but he's also a receiving threat, as his 530 receiving yards indicate, so he will have an impact. Can the defense catch up to the offense, or at least close the gap? The G-men had the fourth-most yards in the NFL last season, but allowed the 24th-most despite the presence of stud DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora and MLB Antonio Pierce. New York's answer was to change three-fourth of its secondary, adding CBs Sam Madison, Jason Bell and RW McQuarters and S Will Demps, and sign OLB LaVar Arrington away from division foe Washington.
REDSKINS: How serious is RB Clinton Portis' shoulder injury? Trading for former Falcons sledgehammer TJ Duckett means it's either more serious than being let on, or Coach Joe Gibbs plans to run the football 45 times a game, which would defeat the purpose of two of the bigger offseason deals Washington made. Is QB Mark Brunell's job in jeopardy? Doubtful. Gibbs likes veteran QBs, and it's unlikely Jason Campbell is ready to take over. How much of a boost will offseason acquisitions Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El give to the passing game?
Next: The NFC South.
COWBOYS: Is QB Drew Bledsoe in danger of losing his starting job to Tony Romo? Apparently not. Bledsoe's lack of mobility has been well-chronicled, and Dallas' offensive line struggles notwithstanding, Coach Bill Parcells has said he wants Romo to get more reps in training camp and that nothing more should be read into his increased playing time. ... I don't want to ask the next one, because everyone is, but - how long will WR Terrell Owens last in Dallas? His injury-plagued training camp has only added fuel to this topic. When he's on, he's one of the three best receivers in the game (with Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison, in my opinion), when Owens is hurt and or sulking, he can spoil an entire orchard. Who will emerge at RB? Health problems have held Julius Jones back the past two seasons, and short-yardage back Marion Barber might surpass him as starter.
EAGLES: Can QB Donovan McNabb stay healthy? And who will he hand off to and pass to? Philadelphia better pray for the former because, even with the signing of Jeff Garcia to back up McNabb, the Eagles will be in real trouble if McNabb goes down again. RB Brian Westbrook's foot injury also complicates matters for the offense. For now Ryan Moats will start, but the team worked out Stephen Davis this week, the guess here is it will sign him sooner than later. Receivers will be some combination of Reggie Brown, Todd Pinkston, Jabar Gaffney, Hank Basket (yes, he's in the wrong sport) and Greg Lewis. Brown should be McNabb's No. 1 target. Pinkston is an injury question mark, and has only returned to practice this week.
GIANTS: Can RB Tiki Barber keep it up? Every year prognosticators say Barber is too small or getting too old (he's 31, when backs usually are in decline), and every season he produces more impressive numbers than the year before. It's unlikely he'll top the 1,860 yards rushing he had last season, but he's also a receiving threat, as his 530 receiving yards indicate, so he will have an impact. Can the defense catch up to the offense, or at least close the gap? The G-men had the fourth-most yards in the NFL last season, but allowed the 24th-most despite the presence of stud DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora and MLB Antonio Pierce. New York's answer was to change three-fourth of its secondary, adding CBs Sam Madison, Jason Bell and RW McQuarters and S Will Demps, and sign OLB LaVar Arrington away from division foe Washington.
REDSKINS: How serious is RB Clinton Portis' shoulder injury? Trading for former Falcons sledgehammer TJ Duckett means it's either more serious than being let on, or Coach Joe Gibbs plans to run the football 45 times a game, which would defeat the purpose of two of the bigger offseason deals Washington made. Is QB Mark Brunell's job in jeopardy? Doubtful. Gibbs likes veteran QBs, and it's unlikely Jason Campbell is ready to take over. How much of a boost will offseason acquisitions Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El give to the passing game?
Next: The NFC South.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
A sports diversion
If you love sports and have the opportunity to spend some time in Newport Beach, CA, I'd suggest paying a visit to the Newport Sports Museum (www.newportsportsmuseum.com). Admission is free and the memorabilia on display is impressive, particularly if you're a baseball, hockey or USC fan.
I had a chance to visit the museum this past week and came away thoroughly impressed. Jerseys, balls, autographs, bats, sticks, you name it, it's there. Among the more impressive displays: Al Geiberger's scorecard from his 59, baseballs autographed by virtually every World Series champion team, the scoresheet from the game Wayne Gretzky broke the NHL scoring record and footballs autographed by virtually every Heisman trophy winner.
It is a few hours you will not regret.
I had a chance to visit the museum this past week and came away thoroughly impressed. Jerseys, balls, autographs, bats, sticks, you name it, it's there. Among the more impressive displays: Al Geiberger's scorecard from his 59, baseballs autographed by virtually every World Series champion team, the scoresheet from the game Wayne Gretzky broke the NHL scoring record and footballs autographed by virtually every Heisman trophy winner.
It is a few hours you will not regret.
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