Más de seis meses despues de la Super Bowl, al fin tenemos football otra vez. Y mira que sólo era el primer amistoso de pretemporada, que apenas si te sirve para dejar la miel en los labios, pero ver a esos señores en mallas golpearse como si no hubiese mañana ha devuelto la alegría a mi corazón. Se acerca el otoño y, con él, el momento en que mi deporte favorito se pone en marcha… y se acaba. Ya estoy triste porque se acerca el final de la temporada.

Como aperitivo, he aquí las cinco preguntas que tendrán que ser respondidas en la temporada 09 de la NFL:

1- ¿Es Tom Brady el mejor QB de la historia?

Dios, lo que molo

Volver de una lesión de ligamentos y ganar la liga sería… oh, mejor ni pensarlo. Si sucede, cuerpo a tierra, la pregunta de arriba tendría respuesta y la de reportajes, películas y documentales de ESPN y NFL Network al respecto no tendrían fin.

2- ¿Tiene algún sentido el sistema de contratos de los rookies?

Vaya añito te espera, amigo

Que, a día de hoy, una cantidad importante de primeras rondas ande sin contrato es como para no creerselo. CIerto que la carrera de los jugadores de football es muy corta, cierto que se han pasado al menos tres años en college arriesgandolo todo sin recibir dinero a cambio, pero que exijan dinero como si fueran megaestrellas (y más aún), y se les permita… en fín. El año que viene se acerca el apocalypse en forma de agencia libre y descontrol legislativo. En plena crisis económica o arreglan esto o nos quedamos a dos velas en el 2010. Al tiempo.

3- ¿Qué tal irá la revolución de los Denver Broncos?

¿Será ella la que la aconseja?

Josh McDaniels, nuevo entrenador de los Broncos, ha puesto en marcha dos estrategias que pueden parecer de imbecil redomado, pero igual funcionan. La primera es prescindir de su QB franquicia, una estrella en ciernes, para jugar con un director mediocre a más no poder; las personas que no tenemos mucha capacidad para entender la mecánica cuántica tampoco entendemos esto, pero seguro que tiene una explicación. La segunda es igual de imaginativa: dado que son el equipo que peor defiende la carrera en toda la liga, con la primera ronda del draft se selecciona a Knowshown Moreno (un corredor) para un puesto que ya tenían cubierto… esto si lo entiendo, al quedarse con Moreno NO podra correr contra ellos y hacerles 200 yardas. Este McDaniels es un puto genio.

4. ¿Cuándo quedará en evidencia Al Davis?

YOU ARE FIRED, MOFO!

Las apuestas están abiertas, es difícil de predecir: ¿humillará Crabtree a Howard-Bey antes o depues de que García le quite el puesto a Rusell? Que nunca nos falte Al Davis, por favor

5. ¿Habrá tortas por perder partidos para pillar a Bradford, McCoy y Tebow?

No les culpo

Ya los hay que hacen cola

On Monday Commissioner (Warden) Roger Goodell  issued a statement in which Michael Vick had to comply to in order to be reinstated by the league. Vick will remain under close supervision to determine weather he will be willing to resume his career as a pro athlete.

As if the man hasn’t learned his lesson Goodell has appointed former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy to act as a mentor/chaperone/advisor/mother to make sure he stays out of trouble and report back to Goddell. Maybe its just me taking the issue to lightly but I feel its time for a return and enough is enough with the pointing of fingers at Vick.

We’ll have to wait until at least week 6 to know for sure if he will be able to return to the field.

PETA said in a statement about the issue “He has served his reduced sentence, but no child should ever look up to Vick as a role model… And for the sake of all the young football fans and all the dogs he electrocuted, drowned, slammed to the ground, and hanged, we are going to watch him like a hawk.”

Its is a serious problem animal lovers play a huge part in determining role models and who plays professional sports!!!

Click to Read Article

The news has finally come down today and Michael Vick is on his way back to the National Football League.  Vick’s conditional reinstatement will be decided on by Goodell by week 6.

Let the outrage begin.

Vick’s case went through the legal system, he did his time, and now he’s out and again looking for employment.  If he still has the physical ability to be a quarterback in the National Football League, I believe he has every right to do so.  There also should be a zero tolerance policy placed over his reintstatement – if he slips up again he’s gone for good.

How can the NFL suspend Leonard Little, a defensive end still playing today in the NFL, only eight games for driving under the influence and killing someone in 1998, and ban Vick for life?

How ridiculous would that be?  Well Little apparently wanted to push the envelope and was arrested again in 2004 after being pulled over and failing three sobriety tests.  And Little is still in the league.  Where was the outrage around this case?

Donte Stallworth recently completed his 30-day jail sentence for DUI Manslaughter after he hit and killed a pedestrian early on March 14.  Stallworth has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL.  But again I don’t see the public outrage calling for Stallworth to be banned for life.

I can’t understand the huge difference in the public opinion on these cases.  Throw in any other that involves a player that beats his wife, or recklessly puts another persons life in danger.

The things Vick did were horrible, I can’t see anyone saying otherwise.  It’s understandable that people are so upset over what he did.  I just think it’s hypocritical to destroy Vick’s professional career while there are others who have done just as bad or worse and who get a free pass.

After 2 years away from football, Michael Vick is back in the NFL on a conditional basis.

Michael Vick has been reinstated on a conditional basis by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. According to the NFL these conditions allow Vick to sign, practice and play in the final two preseason games, former coach Tony Dungy mentor. Finally, Goodell will evaluate Vick’s reinstatement status by week 6. It still sounds like a blanket suspension with pay to me. But I’ll take what I can get if it means getting him back into the League.

In a statement released to the Associated Press, Vick expresses remorse and gratitude for the opportunity to play in the NFL once again:

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League,” Vick said. “I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given.

“As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward.”

Personally, I hope that it works out for Vick – he has paid his debt to society and deserves another opportunity to earn a living.

Roethlisberger calls accusations “outrageous”

Ben Roethlisberger responded to the civil suit filed by Andrea McNulty today. In a report issued by the AP the Steelers QB said he would never force himself on a woman. He was defiant and claims innocence of all charges. McNulty has claimed a very different story.

This is bad news for the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers as they will have to deal with this story perhaps all season long as legal teams now take over the

Roethlisberger denies claims

case. Ever since this story broke the media has covered it from wall to wall to include releasing pictures of the plaintiff.

It is still too early to see who is telling the truth in this case but for Steelers fans you may have to prepare for life without Big Ben or at least a focused Big Ben. Speculation is already all over the net that the Steelers may be without him and that has even lead to rumors about Michael Vick.

Would you bet on the Steelers to win the Superbowl, or even the AFC North?

Odds to win the Superbowl

Odds to win the AFC

Odds to win the AFC North

Here are the recent odds but as this story develops you can expect them to change dramatically!

It was announced this week that Ben Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a woman while staying in Reno, Nevada. This is a sad story for all of the parties involved, but until more information is released it is difficult to see what the future holds for Big Ben and the Steelers. The only thing that is clear is that Andrea McNulty, who was VIP services manager at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, has sued the Steelers Quarterback for sexual

Are the Steelers a good bet without Ben?

assault. The attorney’s for Big Ben came out and denied all of the accusations, but this is how it works when it is in this stage. Roethlisberger himself has yet to comment publicly on the lawsuit.
McNulty filed the 36 page complaint on July 17th and is very graphic in nature at certain points of the claim. The entire claim can be read in its entirety here. Recent photos have finally surfaced of the plaintiff. If the claim is true then this will have serious repercussions on Roethlisberger and the entire Steelers organization. TMZ recently posted info on the accuser of this case Andrea McNulty. Since the information is not out yet on this case it is unfair to make a decision. It is not yet clear who may be at fault so discussing this is a waste of time, but there is an issue that deserves a look and that is the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ben Roethlisberger is the field general of the Pittsburgh Steelers and arguably the face of the franchise. The wheels of justice grind slowly and this case will be an issue during the season. One would have to consider how this will affect Roethlisberger, the Steelers, and what role the NFL will play in the process. The good news is as of now, Nevada police do not intend on pressing criminal charges unless McNulty files a criminal complaint something she is not likely to do. That may not be the only authority that Roethlisberger and the Steelers have to contend with. The NFL Commissioner will still have a say on this. He currently is dealing with Michael Vick and Donte Stallworth but Ben Roethlisberger will be added to his agenda. Roger Goddell has had a reputation for being hard on offenders of any NFL violations and when the dust settled he will be ready to levy punishment on Big Ben if he is found to have any guilt in this scenario. That brings us to the Steelers.

Charges will be a distraction in Steelers camp

Can the Steelers survive with Charlie Batch or Dennis Dixon at the helm? The Steelers are a professional organization and are deep at other positions like the running game and the defense and that alone should make them a winning team this season even if Ben sits out. This can be useful to bettors in two ways depending on which way they want to go. Either they can let the odds go down and jump on the Steelers to win the AFC North, or jump on another team like the Bengals with Carson Palmer or the Ravens with Joe Flaco and get great odds now.
Here are the odds this season to win the AFC North, the AFC Championship, and the Superbowl.

Odds to win the AFC North
Odds to win the AFC
Odds to win the Superbowl

This will be a distraction this year for the Steelers. This will be a distraction in camp and during the regular season and may be too much for this team to recover from. It’s too early to lay money on the Steelers, but too early to go against them. The Ravens and Bengals lie in wait looking to steal the division and if Roethlisberger cannot play up to par, they just might.

Calm Down #1

Steve McNair should be remembered as the warrior-prince he was on the field, not the alcohol-troubled adulterer he seemingly was off the field.  Not to excuse either of his sins (both of which I have been guilty, save for my extracurricular were outside of a relationship, not marriage), but what he contributed to society (not just through his tireless, indestructible Quarterback play on the field, but in his youth organizations, his community outreach [especially post-katrina in Mississippi], and mentoring numerous young people) was of immense value… We should remember the life he lived, not the way he ended it. I feel, ultimately, history will do this and he’ll be elected into the Hall of Fame (rightfully so… but that’s another blog entry)

Calm Down #2

Brock Lesnar is a Mixed Martial Artist, not the President of the United States of America. Obviously, the latter part of that statement is poking fun at Bush for his candid middle finger salute during a supposed off-screen moment following a State of the Union (Though, for all the stuff that Obama is doing better than Bush, Dubya definitely has him beat on opening pitching… Yikes, Obama.  I know you’re fixing the world right now but please work in some South Yard long toss before the World Series)… Anyway, Lesnar was riling up a crowd and generating something that his demolishing of Frank Mir didn’t do… interest.   Look, no matter how much diehards, management companies, and advertisers rave about the “athleticism” and the “skill” of these wild swinging, stall grappling fighters, you will never be taken seriously… Sorry.  The least you can do (well, most you SHOULD do) is get that money, homie… Lesnar will definitely get at least a 40% spike in pay-per-views for UFC134098214378 or whatever they’re on now… That alone should be enough for him to “climb on top of his wife”

Calm Down #3

Goddell, you proved your point… you’re in control.  This is your game.  Players had too much leeway prior to your reign.  We get it.  Uncle.  You win… Now, muzzle all these moronic, dimwitted people and let Michael Vick resume his career. Don’t give in to PETA (Which should change their slogan to:  We won all the fights so now we have to invent stuff to stay relevant… They can borrow that from Al Sharpton) or require Vick to undergo a brain scan to show that he has the capacity for empathy (unless, you know, you really want to just hand Vick back his old salary in a lawsuit that’s sure to accompany a decision to use an experimental test to dictate someone’s future).  Mr. Goddell, don’t listen to these blowhard bloggers (well, besides me) and sports talk shows… There’s too much noise in the Sports Reporting World so people get caught up saying stupider things, louder, just to be heard. Here’s all you need to look at in this case… Vick made a mistake, Vick was punished quite harshly (I don’t care if it dwells in comparison to the pups that got murked… Any argument starting/containing that is, ultimately, putting a higher premium on animal life over humans.  Of course, those dogs didn’t deserve their fate, but neither did that pedestrian that Donte Stallworth speed bumped.  Stallworth only got 30 days, Vick got 23 months… Federal.  I think Vick is the bigger loser here).  Vick lost his status/freedom/money/life! (again, some of those things deservedly so because it was a heinous act).  However, to continue to deny Vick his right to make a living would set a bad precedent and open a firestorm (Let’s just say it starts with “r” and ends with “acism” and rhymes with scracism).  No one wants that… We all want Vick to comeback.  Sign with the Buffalo Bills and lead us on a magical season running around Patriot defenders and throwing ridiculous TD passes to T.O.

Jus’ sayin’… but I’m really saying, to everyone, CALM DOWN

Mr. Goodell did not squash the idea of reinstating Vick.  If he does he will lose one fan for sure.  I believe Michael Vick should not be permitted to play in the NFL.  If he is reinstated, it definitely should not be immediately. Make him sit out a year and work on demonstrating remorse.  The NFL is in excellent shape and does not need Michael Vick.

I love the NFL.  I can watch any game from beginning to end, although KC is hard to watch.  However if that number 7 jersey appears on the field I am done.  I have been watching the NFL since birth.  The neighbor that watched me was an avid browns fan.  I remember watching the games and sipping hot chocolate that was actually more like 3 parts marshmellows to one part liquid.  It was awesome.  My mom didn\’t watch sports, so I thought football was something totally awesome.  That was how my love of football began.  It was also the first glimpse into the sports world. That glimpse evolved into obsession with most sports.

However I am ready to say goodbye.  Which will be hard because I am a Patriots fan.  I have been waiting months to see Brady in action.  But I will do it.

According to the always wise Lovie Smith, Vick has paid his debt to society.  Way to go Lovie, as usual your stellar judgement surfaces.  The fact that he would \”look\” at Vick, like he would any other QB just shows his endless wisdom.  Well Lovie I am a member of society and I do not feel Vick has paid his debt.  He has completed his legal requirement, but what about his humanitarian requirement.

I know we are a forgiving nation.  Martha Stewart is back stronger than ever.  But did Martha torture and murder defenseless animals.  Animals that could not seek help on their own.  At least people who are abused have the means to stop it.  Mr. Goddell here\’s a question for you.  Who you going to let babysit, Pacman or Vick?  Come on over Pacman.  Which leads me to the next point.  You\’ll have to reinstate Pacman if you reinstate Vick. Otherwise you are saying that what Vick did is not as unconscionable as Pacman.  Is that what you believe?  Are you going to explain to your daughters that drowning and electrocuting animals is ok?  But getting into a fight in Vegas isn’t?

So give Vick a year to show his remorse.  Then we all can reevaluate.

How to Relate to Men thru Sports accepts donations on behalf of various charitable organizations.  Please note 85% of all donations are given to the charity.  The current charity is PAWS Chicago. It is the city’s largest No Kill humane organization, focused on implementing solutions to end the killing of homeless pets.  To donate via PayPal click here.

My father’s generation remembers the monster that scared defensive lineman with his menacing look, fierce attitude, and controlled aggression on the football field.  My generation remembers him as a man who made some progressive and controversial steps for the NFL players of today.  I am of course talking about Gene Upshaw.  Upshaw unfortunately passed away on Thursday from pancreatic cancer at the young age of 63. 

Upshaw was a great offensive lineman for the Oakland Raiders.  He and his counterpart, Art Shell, made up one of the most dominant left sides of an offensive line in NFL history.  Upshaw earned seven pro bowl nods during his illustrious 15-year career.  That earned him a first ballot Hall of Fame induction in 1987.  While his play on the field was aggressive and better than most to ever play the game before or after him, Upshaw made most of his headlines in the past 25 years. 

In 1983, Gene Upshaw became the Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association.  He’s been an integral part of the progression of the league in general.  He was very active in the negotiations for the 1977, 1982, and 1993 collective bargaining agreements as well as the extensions of such agreements in ‘96, ‘98, and ‘01.  The ‘93 CBA in particular was critical to modernizing the NFL.  It was that agreement which established free agency and salary caps in the league.  His ability in the board rooms received many accolades from his colleagues.

“Gene shows the same level of ability at the NFLPA that he had shown on the field,” said Paul Tagliabue, former Commissioner of the NFL.

“Gene was a great player. He was an All-Pro. He was a Hall of Famer. If you look at the history of the NFL you’re going to find out that he was one of the most influential people that the league has known. He did so much, not only for the players, but also for the owners, the teams, and the game of pro football,” John Madden, who coached Upshaw when Oakland won its first Super Bowl, said in a statement.

While many praised Upshaw’s leadership in the position, there were also controversial moments of his tenure.  He led a NFLPA strike in 1987 which created an embarrassing situation for the NFL as replacement players were called in to play for the striking players. 

Recently, Upshaw faced heavy criticism over retired players NFL pensions.  A campaign has been led by Mike Ditka and Joe DeLamielleure over supporting former National Football League players with better pensions as some have not been able to pay their mounting medical bills due to long-standing injuries.  As of Upshaw’s passing, no new system was set up to rectify the situation.  DeLamiellure spoke wonderfully of Upshaw as a person however saying, “The reality of life for all the guys who played in the NFL, including Gene, is that we have a short life span. It’s just the way it is,” he said. “I have sympathy for his family. I have sympathy for his wife and children.”

Upshaw’s entire tenure was summed up best by Indianapolis Colts center, Jeff Saturday, “Everybody can sit back, and obviously, some people might criticize some of the things he’s done, but overall, I don’t think you could have asked for a better leader.”

Courtesy: espn.com

Brett Favre is angry with the Green Bay Packers.  The Green Bay Packers are angry with Brett Favre.  It’s the pervasive theme dominating the sports headlines over the past month, yes, MONTH!  That is when Brett Favre officially announced his desire to return to the Packers and/or any other team that will allow him to don their jersey for the 2008 football season. 

In that time, we’ve had Favre get spurned by his general manager, Ted Thompson, and the Packers file tampering charges against the Minnesota Vikings.  During the last month the organization claimed that Brett Favre will have to return to the league and compete for his starting job all while trying to formulate a plan to trade him to the Jets, Buccaneers, or any team that would consider making a decent deal.  The Packers then offered a marketing deal with Brett Favre for somewhere between $20 and $25 million to stay away from training camp and now he we are.  After all of the fuss and bickering by both sides, Favre is now reinstated by the NFL and heading to Packers camp.  Let the circus begin. 

This is not a good situation for anyone.  Both the Packers and Favre look really bad by each’s behavior over the past month.  Now with Favre coming into camp, it serves as a distraction for Aaron Rodgers, the Packers go-to guy, the team and coaches, who have to put with all of the questions, and the organization. 

I understand what both sides are trying to do.  Green Bay is sticking with their guy.  They’ve put their faith in Aaron Rodgers to be their quarterback.  They are also drawing a line in the sand when it comes to Favre.  For the past few years Favre has been on the fence until the very last moment when it comes to returning to the NFL or retiring.  The Packers don’t want to play the game anymore.  Also, the Packers aren’t going to tell Rodgers they have no faith in him by saying Favre will be the starter upon returning. 

Favre’s side can be equally understood.  The man just wants to come back and play football.  He’s like a kid that doesn’t want to let go of the game he loves.  He’s a legend in Green Bay and across the country.  Can we blame him for wanting to have one more shot at the ultimate prize, the Super Bowl (Oops, I may be sued for mentioning it by name).

The problem lies in how the situation was handled.  If Favre wasn’t completely sure he wanted to retire, he shouldn’t have done so.  I know that he would’ve been crucified by the media and Packer fans for taking the time to make up his mind, but so be it.  Now, he wants to come back after Green Bay has formulated a plan to move on.  This one is on you, Brett.

No one knows what to expect with Favre reporting for duty on Monday.  The only thing that is guaranteed is the clowns will be dressed in green and yellow and the rings will be at the 50.  Hopefully the lions don’t come out to destroy the Packers season.

As evidenced by the picture, I was pondering about what to write about today.  There wasn’t one definitive topic stirring around in my head, so I just decided to give some of my random thoughts about a couple of different topics. 

So the Packers have filed tampering charges against the Vikings for allegely communicating with Brett Favre.  This situation just gets worse and worse and quite honestly I’m sick of hearing about it.  The unfortunate part is the story isn’t going away anytime soon.  Some “inside” sources claim Vikings head coach, Brad Childress spoke with Favre.  So it looks like the first Packers/Vikings match-up of the year will be in the league office.  All of this makes the opener in Lambeau between the two teams quite enticing.  Have they cancelled the ceremony to retire Favre’s number yet?

Does anyone realize the Tour de France is going on?

Speaking of does anyone care, The British Open started this morning across the pond at Royal Birkdale.  As I write this Adam Scott currently leads the field and Greg Norman is in third.  I’m a big golf fan when the majors come around, but tt all seems rather anti-climatic without Tiger Woods there doesn’t it?

If you’re a Denver Nuggets fan, I’m sorry…a bad defensive team just got a lot worse with the loss of Marcus Camby.  Go ahead and put Portland in the playoffs next year. 

I hope Dan Uggla has been able to shake off the bad All-Star Game performance.  Events like that can change the course of one’s career.  He’s too good of a story as a Rule 5 guy to see that happen to him.

Apparently, Manny Ramirez is tired of Red Sox management telling him one thing and doing another when it comes to contract negotiations.  Red Sox owner John Henry took exception to the comments, finding them personally offensive.  Is this just a case of Manny being Manny?  Maybe Ramirez will negotiate to have a lawn chair out in left field for him and his buddy inside the Green Wall to sit and sip Mai Thai’s during the game.  I’m sick of Manny’s act and I’m glad someone has just called him out about his act.

The ratings for the All-Star game increased 11%, so “This One Counts” is here to stay to the chagrin of the players, owners, management, and fans.

Why do I have a sneaking suspicion the Yankees will make the playoffs? 

Can college football come soon enough?

This is a copy of a blog post from March of this year. At the time I posted this, I was laughed off the block. Oh well:

Looks like Jerry Jones is putting in some serious OT to get the Cowboys a step closer to redefining “America’s Team” to fit the French mold of what it’s like to live in the U.S.

“A dash of T.O., a pinch of Ms. Pac Man and maybe even a sprinkle of Bobby Petrino. Mix this bad boy up and I can have Michael Vick serve it up nice and steaming for our patrons to savor. I just need a way to get Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in the broadcast booth and bring back Cecil B. DeMille to direct the whole charade.”

Ironically, I’ve been searching for a way to make a connection between Roger Goodell and Vince McMahon. Now, I not only have that, but I’ve also secured movie rights for a new biopic about Jerry Jones starring “The” Rev. Kenneth Copeland in the lead role.

Now the NFL has launched another investigation, this time on how FOX obtained the tape from the Jets v Pats game.  Let me explain something to you Goddell, either the Jets leaked it, the Pats leaked, or more than likely someone in your office leaked it.  Read more at ESPN.com

NFL Commissioner, Roger Goddell finally handed down the punishment for the New England Patriot’s cheating against the Jets last Sunday. The New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick were fined a total of $750,000 and the team might lose a first-round draft pick for spying on New York Jets coaches during a game. Good for Mr. Goddell, he has once again done the right thing. Refreshing….does this taint the Patriot dynasty? They probably woudn’t have won a single super bowl were it not for stealing signs…or at least that’s what I heard. …but then again, Keyshawn Johnson said that, although the league rules specifically banned video taping signs (as described here), he considers what was done “advanced scouting” that doesn’t give them an edge over any other team, and is not really cheating.

When you think about Keyshawn said, I want you to also consider this point made by an e-mailer to Colin Cowherd today: It is “legal” to count cards in your head at a blackjack tabel in Vegas, but as soon as you introduce any sort of video equipment and outside analysis in your counting, you are immediately banned from the casino….interesting point….good job Roger.