More Late Hits To Come: Rodney Harrison Returning For Another Season

News out of the Boston area appears to show that the National Football League will be have a few more fines to issue out next season. Perhaps not wanting his lasting impression to be allowing David Tyree to make one of the greatest catches of all time, Patriots strong safety Rodney Harrison will likely return for the 2008 slate.

The 35-year old defensive back hinted in the Boston Herald that he would be honoring the final year of his contract, hopefully ending his career with another championship. Had the Super Bowl ended with a Pats win, we would likely be seeing Harrison, among others, joining pre-game teams on a bevy of television networks. Instead, it looks like this group could be giving it another go 'round.

"We went 18-0. We lost one game. I don’t know how devastating that can be in terms of us losing our whole mentality and what we’ve worked so hard for.

We still have the core guys here. And we have a lot of young talent in that locker room. We still have the best head coach in the league. So I don’t think you have to worry about the Patriots being competitive or even losing that edge.”

Harrison will always stick in my mind as a guy who jumps on piles, talks trash during every play, and missed half of this past season due to violating the substance abuse policy. His play and persona obviously mean more to the fans of New England - and for good reason. Even after missing a slew of games this year, the veteran racked up 68 tackles, seven passes defended and an interception.

But will he be able to make up for that one pass that he couldn't quite get to?

All Signs Point To Rodney's Return [Boston Herald]

Weekend Warriors: Link Dump

It's that time of the week again. A crisp 30-something degrees outside in Cleveland with nary a football game to watch. And I guess I have to count that whole Pro Bowl game as something to watch for tomorrow as there are a handful of my Browns "representing" the AFC. But until then, check out some of these places in the meantime...

- Someone obviously isn't as excited to watch the Browns in the Pro Bowl as I am. Understandably. [Rumors and Rants]

- S2N is holding down SportsByBrooks during this lovely Saturday. Pay him a visit. [SportsByBrooks]

- While I didn't touch on the discovered treasure that was the Chris Berman video (as about 100 other blogs did), there are a few more that are worth some attention. BallHype has the goods here, here and here. [BallHype]

- KSK digs up an actual petition from Pats fans to replay the last 1:40 of the Super Bowl. And boy do they ever. While Pats fans should be ashamed of themselves, they got what was coming to them by these guys. And Hines Ward. [KSK]

- And finally, the story of the Giants fan that got into the Super Bowl party. Needless to say, he was pretty excited. [Deadspin]

-

How About A New Title?

As I mentioned yesterday, the if the New York Giants really wanted to keep Steve Spagnuolo from heading to his third NFC East team in the Washington Redskins, they would need to get ahead of the curve a la the Cleveland Browns. Before the Redskins' Dan Snyder could even muster up a possible offer, it seems like that is exactly what the Giants did.

Per the New York Daily News:

After a trip down the Canyon of Heroes on Tuesday afternoon, Steve Spagnuolo got another hero's welcome from the Washington Redskins.

But the Giants aren't ready to let their defensive coordinator get away without a fight.

According to a source close to the 48-year-old assistant, the Giants have already told him they're willing to do whatever they can to keep him if he ends up getting offered the Redskins' head coaching job. That would include a raise, a contract extension, and possibly even the title of assistant head coach.

But hold the phone if you think that the Giants will promise their defensive coordinator the head coaching job in the future. The one East team that Spagnuolo has not been a part of, the Cowboys, seemed to do just that with Jason Garrett in order to keep him from leaving for Atlanta. Oh, that and a $3 million per season contract.

We will see if the Giants' efforts are enough to keep the heralded DC in NY. Something is telling me that the money will speak a lot louder than a new title. But maybe that's just me...

Spagnuolo to Washington: Crossing Boundaries, Again?

If you have ever visited any of the key NFC East blogs (i.e. The 700 Level, Mr. Irrelevant), you're likely aware of the disdain that these fans have for the other three teams within their division. In fact, even when they are happy for the other team, they still find a way to crowbar in a little backhand or two. All of us football fans do it, it’s in our blood.

Which is why this piece from the New York Daily News caught my eye. No unit was more heralded in this past weekend's Super Bowl than the defense of the New York Giants; led by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Why it was news that the championship team's defensive coordinator was at their celebration parade is beyond me. But the part that followed rang even louder.

Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was at the parade, but afterwards he was expected to board a flight to Washington where he will meet with Redskins owner Daniel Snyder tonight. He’ll meet again with Snyder and his lieutenants tomorrow morning before returning to New Jersey.

Oddly enough, Spagnuolo was with the Philadelphia Eagles as a linebacker coach before taking the gig with the Giants. Its one thing to take advantage of success, but when curious to see what Giants fans think of this development regarding yet another NFC East team, I put on my detective hat and went to work. Big Blue View, a Giants fan blog had the following to say:

Losing Spagnuolo, whose passion, energy and aggressive style turned a porous defense into a dominant, championship-caliber one, would be a devastating blow
to the Giants. The Giants' defenders, who took so well to his aggressive style and executed his complicated blitz packages to perfection, certainly don't want to go into next season without him.

And the Giants General Manager agrees.

Giants GM Jerry Reese understands what he has in Spagnuolo. "We’ll make every effort to keep him," Reese said. "We sure don’t want to play against him with the Redskins because we know what he’ll bring to the table. If he gets a shot at a head coach’s job, Godspeed."

As a Browns fan, I can understand where the G-men are coming from in the fact that it was rumored that Rob Chudzinski was being sought after by the Baltimore Ravens. The quick fix was GM Phil Savage locking Chudzinksi up with a two-year extension, hoping that he can continue to help Cleveland’s assent in the AFC. Perhaps Reese needs to break out the check book, and pronto, if he intends on holding on to the one defensive coordinator that was able to stop the vaunted New England defense. And just happened to do so on the biggest stage possible.

Of course, they can just let him go to the Redskins, only to have him complete the circle by ending up in a front office job with the Cowboys...

An Open Letter To Tony Dungy

Laying Down The Chips: Super Bowl Proposition Bets

If you have no rooting interest in this weekend's Super Bowl - aside from hoping for one of the biggest upsets in NFL history - there are fewer things better than the proposition bets.

Longest carry? Over/under for pass completions? Bodoglife.com has it all. I did a pretty not-so-quick breakdown of some of the better bets over at WaitingForNextYear. If gambling is your thing, if it were legal, I suggest you head over there and scope it out.

I even gave my thoughts on this year's National Anthem, and took an awful lot of "overs." Check it out here.

Thanks, all.

GAMBLOG: Super Bowl Prop Bets [WaitingForNextYear]

When Worlds Collide: Junior Seau On Howard Stern

There is no hiding the fact that the media ascention on Arizona will hit the ground running. Going into this week's big game, radio host Howard Stern managed to haul in Junior Seau, the veteran linebacker from the New England Patriots. As if being on the phone with a room full of New York Giants fans is not hard enough, it did not take long for Howard to start asking all of the important questions...

A few items of mention, paraphrased to the best of my ability, with my responses following:

- Regarding "the boot," anything that Tom Brady does is a big deal. This boot, however, is not (Can't a boy dream?)

- Samoans (Seau's heritage) no longer eat people (But no mention of steroids)

- Regarding possible retirement, Junior is taking things "one day at a time" (We would be crazy to not assume that this week's game will have an impact on this decision. I mean c'mon...18 years?)

- Seau reiterated that he did not "retire" from San Diego, but he did "graduate" (Good to see that this charade is still in full effect)

- Seau is single, admittedly has a lot of "friends," but will cut them off on Thursday as he will turn his focus to Sunday's game (At least he has his priorities in line)

- When asked if Tom Brady has a small penis, Seau rejects the notion of ever checking out his teammates' genitals (Get this guy on the Moment of Truth!)

- His real name is Tiaina, which is justification enough to go by the name "Junior" (Good move, Junior)

- Seau does not "do" celebrities, but rather hunts out the "low key women" (Reggie Bush should take note)

- And most importantly, he has never had relations with a cheerleader (Something tells me he is speaking specifically in regards to New England. San Diego? Forget about it)

Seau has two other phone interviews to do today, likely starting off the media blitz that will be Arizona this week. However, something tells me that this will be the only interview where he fields the questions about Tom Brady's penis.

Prince Akeem Called The Giants Game 20 Years Ago

Had I known Prince Akeem was so good, I would have laid down a few bucks! I'm always late to the party...

Enjoy.

"Wait, Who's #91?"

One of these people is not like the others

As I unassumingly watched the close to the 2007 season, I witnessed the team of my rooting interests become mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, despite a stellar and unexpected season. It was a season that can be described by several key events, whether it be Michael Vick's trial, Patriots perfection, Sean Taylor's unfortunate death, Bobby Petrino bolting for the NCAA and even a little Pacman Jones sprinkled on top for good measure.

Thinking of Sean Taylor, I noticed that my Cleveland Browns were still sporting the "21" stickers on their helmets, causing me to turn my attention to other teams to see if they were still depicting their remembrance. Of course, the Washington Redskins were displaying the number of their fallen teammate, but were others?

I noticed one team that was not with the rest of the NFL in canonizing the former defensive back. Perhaps they stuck out to me due to the media inundation that were to be broadcast over my television, but possibly because of their choice to not take part in said tribute: The New England Patriots.

When I first noticed this a few weeks back, my Pavlovian response was to jump on to this wonderful medium and bad mouth the team and all that they stood for. How could they not show their respects for a player who had just been brutally slain a few weeks back? Must they be that cavalier towards the rest of the league? Who do they think they are? I mean with their hoodies and model girlfriends. How condescending are they? Right? Right?

Not so fast.

Watching yesterday's games with my fiancée, her question encapsulated what the casual fan may have been thinking this entire time. After watching Tom Brady walk off of the field following a three-and-out, she saw the back of his helmet and said, "Wait, Who's number 91?" After I explained the entire story about Marquise Hill, it had hit me. Was his death simply glossed over by so many? The Joe Bucks of the world can mention it once per week, but is that ample coverage? I know that it did not occur during mid-season, and it was not a homicide, but shouldn't this be known?

Why didn't the rest of the league don "91" stickers on their helmets? Was it because Hill wasn't an All-Pro? Maybe because he didn't have flashy nickname on or off of the field? After all, he only had three tackles in all of last season, how good could he have been? How would anyone know who he was? Should this even matter?

The Patriots defensive end that suddenly died this past 28th day of May spent many of his last days helping New Orleans residents rebuild their homes after Hurricane Katrina. While residents of Louisiana, his teammates at LSU, and his teammates on the New England Patriots remember Hill, many casual fans are left pondering the story of the former second-rounder. Jarvis Green, his teammate at both the college and professional levels, wore Hill's shoulder pads for the season - a friend's way to memorialize.

This is not an attempt to knock down the celebration of any fallen athletes that have received praise for their hard work and for what they meant to their teammates or fans. It is simply an open-ended question, in attempt to figure out why certain players receive different levels of remembrance. Who are we to judge? Maybe the Patirots have a point after all.

While My Receiver Gently Weeps

Say what you want about the emotion involved in this T.O. clip, but color me surprised that he didn't totally blow up and start pointing fingers. To me, this caps off a season of maturation for Owens...it's just too bad that the maturity had to start at age 31.



(via The 700 Level)

TO and the Return of the Picks!

Now these Thursday games hurt me a bit because I have very little time to adjust my fantasy football lineup during the week. Thus, I missed out on about 20 points from Green Bay running back Ryan Grant, scoring twice with a bevy of yardage.

One player who is a mainstay in the linuep, and thankfully, is Mr. Terrell Owens. I turned the game off at half time and Owens had already garnered 147 yards and a touchdown. Not too bad. And big thanks to Fan IQ for this pic...



No word on if the popcorn is considered a prop, or if T.O. was just hungry. Either way, he continues to be OK with ME!

And now to the picks. It's been a few weeks, but it may have been for the better as my fiancé went 13-3 in her first week making some selections. But hey, whatever brings in the money.

Jacksonville (+6.5) over INDIANAPOLIS
I liked this one a lot better when it was at 7, but I'm not going to let a little movement scare me away. Indy barely beat Kansas City on the road a few weeks ago and will be facing a defense that may just win the division - assuming they can win this one straight up. Thankfully, that's why we get points.

New York Giants (-1.5) over CHICAGO
It's like the battle of the awful quarterbacks. Since we'll just go ahead and net them out, you have to just go with the team that has the better supporting cast. Of course, if the G-Men decide that they'll be cute and kick the ball to Devin Hester all day, then this is pointless. Assuming common sense is a bitch sometimes, but if I think they'll win straight up, 1.5 isn't much to give. I hope.

ST. LOUIS (-3) over Atlanta
St. Louie looks a hell of a lot better lately than the 2-9 that their record shows. They've won two of three, they have Stephen Jackson back, and they're playing Atlanta for crying out loud. Thinking here is the line was set so low because the Rams have a back-up QB playing. Vegas obviously hasn't watched Marc Bulger much this season.

San Francisco (+3) over CAROLINA
So I pick up Arizona's defense last week in my league because they're playing a Niners team that put up about 15 combined points over the past month. That worked really well. If Frank Gore looks anything like he did last week, it'll be enough to cover. Good thing that no one will have to actually witness this game outside of the Tanner Family and Charlotte. Yes. That was a Full House reference. You love it.

Good luck, all.

Morning YouTubeness: A Hole New Angle

Morning, all.

We've all seen the England streaker video by now, but I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I've seen it from this angle. If streakers get this much time on the field in England, I fully condone more games overseas. That dude would not have lasted 10 seconds in the Medowlands. Enjoy.

Morning YouTubeness: Conan and Strahan

Morning, all. There isn't much out there in terms of quality NFL material today, which you'll typically have on Thursdays. However, I did stumble upon this clip of Giants defensive lineman Michael Strahan on Conan. Of course, Strahan was there to talk about his book Something Something Sunday Warrior.

Speaking of, Conan should no longer carry a last name. Like there are other Conan's out there. Just drop it.

And before you ask how this video is the least bit entertaining, it's because I find it a bit humorous when 300 lb. men have lisps and go on national television to talk. It's even better when they pretend they're authors. Enjoy.

"A Little Bit Extra" ... Against The Giants

Two weeks after Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb told the ever-jolly Bryant Gumbel that African-American quarterbacks need to give "a little bit extra" to not get criticized, I’m beginning to think that he has a point. At least he has a point when it comes to beating the New York Giants.

Week one, the Giants were handed a 10-point loss by a pale Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. Romo threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns. Solid Effort regardless of what Michael Irvin said about Romo's past...

Week two, Brett Favre and the Packers come to town. This time, more of the same with the grizzly, and very white, veteran throwing for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Again, a superb effort.

Last week, the Giants go on the road – this time facing a Redskins team led by Jason Campbell, an African-American quarterback. What does Campbell provide? A sub-par 190 yards and only one touchdown - resulting in a gut-wrenching loss for his team.

This past Sunday night, the Giants welcomed Donovan McNabb and his Philadelphia Eagles to town. How did the Giants greet him? By sacking him 12 times and allowing only 138 yards through the air. McNabb completed less than half of his pass attempts, averaging less than five yards per completion. Piss poor effort.

If you ask me, the answer is obvious: The New York Giants are easier on Caucasian quarterbacks than those of African-American descent.

The Giants defense has 16 sacks on the season; 14 of which are against the two black quarterbacks that they have opposed. Maybe if Campbell and McNabb gave it a little bit extra, they may have escaped some of the takedowns. Perhaps McNabb could have kept it to single digits, even.

Looking down the remainder of the Giants' schedule, the Blue and White should be able to at least win two more games – coincidently just happens to be the next two times they play Washington and Philadelphia. Fear not Giants fans, as there appears to be some upside!

The Atlanta Falcons (week six) have recently signed Byron Leftwich, who is definitely no Michael Vick Johnson when it comes to agility. He can easily be taken down 13 or 14 times.

Minnesota (week 12) is currently being manned by Kelly Holcomb, who may be as far from African-American as there is in the league. Actually, "manned" may even be a stretch, given that his name is Kelly. However, his performance over the last game allows me to think that the job will not be his when Tavaris Jackson returns. Another black quarterback for the Giants to feast on. Fans, I’d circle this day on my calendar if I were you.

If you think about it, a 6-10 record isn’t too bad, and may even get you into the playoffs in the NFC. So, strap in next week as it may be a rough ride against whichever white quarterback the Jets throw the Giants’ way. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel – it’s just not a very white light.

McNabb says black QBs under more pressure [ESPN]

11 Guys With 12 Sacks; Typically An Issue

But not this time.

It's amazing that this is the same Giants defense that simply got torn apart by the Cowboys and Packers in the opening weeks of the season. Six sacks for Osi Umenyiora? Talk about IDP numbers...

After the Jason Campbell-led Redskins lost to the Giants last week, maybe Donovan McNabb has a point...

Enjoy.

Paging Kordell Stewart...

It was way more fun to be a Browns fan when we could always resort to the good old Kordell Stewart jokes. Now that we have Brady Quinn, it's even more difficult, but as long as the Giants have Eli Manning - life is good in Washington.

(Edit: Image removed by Imageshack - possibly too many links out there. Will look for another one.)

Big thanks to TBL for the heads up. If you want to check out the full-size pic, go here.

Has Burress Been Hurt All Season?

15 receptions - 262 yards - five touchdowns.

These are the numbers that Giants receiver Plaxico Burress has put up in a mere three weeks. Many wide receivers in the NFL will not total five touchdowns all season long, and Burress has five before the first snap of week four.

But will be be a part of week four? The New York Times is reporting that Burress' latest visit to Charlotte to get examined has resulted in a diagnosis of a "serious sprain to his right ankle." Ronnie Barnes, the team's trainer, was with Burress in Charlotte and had a lot to say about the verdict.

“We will explore all options regarding the most appropriate shoes, orthotics and braces,” according to a release from the Giants. “The best prescription for this injury is rest, and as a result, Plaxico’s practice time for the immediate future will be limited. For the time being, we will continue to evaluate Plaxico’s injury on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis.”

Burress was considered 50-50 at best last week, and went out to record five catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in a huge win over the Redskins. He was recently seen at practice on Thursday, but only was a part of some agility drills.

The one part of the Times article that is striking is that the Giants are "concerned that the injury occured in training camp." This would obviously mean that Burress hasn't been 100% yet this season, but has still put up huge numbers (despite his team being 1-2).

If Burress is considered week-to-week, Giants fans can only wait for the inactive report to come out each Sunday. Regardless, one thing remains true thus far: Burress at less than 100% is better than the majority of receviers in the league at full speed. Where would the Giants be without him had he missed time? Possibly with only one more loss than they're currently toting, but given the laundry list of players on the New York injury report, Burress' toughness has definitely been something for Giants fans to actually be proud of thus far.

Plaxico Update: Yep, He's Hurt [New York Times]

Clinton Portis & Ladell Betts: "Interchangeable?"

With the Redskins enduring a crushing loss to the New York Giants on week 3, and falling to 2-1 on the season, Head Coach Joe Gibbs has come under a bit of fire this week.

For the second straight week, Gibbs is being criticized for his game-management, and this time, it cost them a win.

In today's Washington Post, Gibbs is reported to have offered several supporting reasons behind his benching of Clinton Portis in favor of Ladell Betts - resulting in Betts getting stuffed at the one yard line with the game on the line. One of the first excuses that Gibbs has given is the following:

He considers Betts and Clinton Portis "interchangeable," so Portis sitting out the final two offensive plays was a non-issue.

Interchangeable?

If they're so interchangeable, why has Betts not topped seven carries in a game since week one?

Is it interchangeable when Portis has averaged over 4.5 yards a carry this season to Betts' 2.7?

Is it interchangeable when Portis takes in a one-yard run for a touchdown earlier in the game?

Apparently, those numbers do not get rewarded - especially in moments that could make or break the game. Portis only received four carries in the second half, but since Betts didn't even play in the third quarter, he gets to play in the fourth?

I'm all for making sure everyone gets to play...if it's five-year old's playing tee-ball. When it's an NFL game, you have to go with what's working to a point, but even more so when it is arguably your team's best player.

Betts did a solid job of filling in for Portis last season after the starting back fell to injury. Spelling Portis at times and putting a cieling on his carries throughout a game is always understandable, given his importance to a team. However you can't take back division losses and with only 14 carries in the game, there was plenty of room to make a move. I appreciate Gibbs not calling out Betts for his failure at the line, but his reluctance to admit a coaching blunder will not be forgotten - especially if the team ends up a game out of the playoffs.



Redskins Gibbs Has No Regrets [Washington Post]

Morning YouTubeness: There's Kids On The Bus

Good morning, all. Another week in the books, and only a select few teams are 3-0. One of those teams is definitely not the Washington Redskins, who were stifled by the Giants Defense on several goal line attempts. The same Giants D that has given up about 700 yards in the last two weeks.

Regardless, they buckeled down when it counted most and some people aren't too happy about it. Check out the video of this guy (kid, pre-teen?) on the bus. He's apparently on the phone about to go ballistic about the loss. The best part, in my mind, are the Giants fans standing right next to him while he goes nuts. Enjoy.

Extra, Extra...

A few news updates to mention today now that week 2 is in the books...

Looks like all of the Brandon Jackson hype may be all for naught. Also looks like fantasy owners will want to steer clear of yet another committee. [Green Bay Press-Gazette]

Lovie Smith puts wide receiver Mark Bradley in his place: the sidelines. [Chicago Tribune]

Jack Del Rio isn't happy with Matt Jones. As if being passed by Dennis Northcutt on the depth chart wasn't humiliating enough. [Florida Times Union]

Eli Manning continues to be tougher than Brandon Jacobs. [New York Daily News]

The Falcons are taking a gander at Byron Leftwich. Odd, I thought Joey Harrington was the answer. This is assuming that the question was "Who's going to be absolutely awful this season?" [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

And finally, The Tank could be rolling into Dallas. Of course, this would be after his suspension is lifted. [Dallas Morning News]