Drama, Drama, Drama!

Well, the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight has turned into a soap opera! I was really looking forward to seeing this fight about a month ago, now, I can honestly say that I can take it or leave it. And...I hate to admit it, but I think I smell fear coming out of the Mayweather camp. Mayweather turned me off when he agreed to do the fight, and then two days later he started demanding a blood test before the fight. Why?? I mean, I can't say that I haven't suspected that Pacquiao was taking something the past few years. But it's bad protocol to ask for a blood test before a boxing match!! When has THAT ever happened? Understandably, Pacquiao freaked out. Granted he might be on that stuff, but why would he agree to have blood taken before a fight? There's a big risk that losing blood would slow him down. But does that warrant him suing Mayweather?? Good lord! Mayweather has backed down from demanding the test since Nevada has ordered both fighters take urine tests, but I don't think he's happy about it. Check out this video of him verbally abusing his sparring partner!

Back in the Day.....

Is it me, or do they just not make NFL ball players like they used to? It's not just me! It's true, and that was proven to me over this past weekend. I was fortunate enough to have a sit down talk with two former NFL players from "back in the day" and it was fantastic! I sat there enthralled listening to their stories and hearing how things were in the game of pro football in the late 70s and early 80s. Kenny Harrison was drafted to the San Francisco 49ers in 1976, and played the wide receiver position for them for two years. He has quintessential "wide receiver hands." They are huge, LOL. He went on to play for the Washington Redskins for one year in 1980. He played with Tony Dungy and even roomed with him on a road trip once. He is a very lean man at 6'1, so I asked him how he liked taking those hits, his reply was "They couldn't catch me." Tadow! I believe it. Kenny is still a very athletic man, working with high school students in track and field, and looks more fit than some men half his age. And the NFL blood runs in the family, whereas Kenny's brother, Dwight Harrison, also had a long NFL career. Cedrick Hardman also played for the 49ers from 1970-1979, and he and Kenny are good friends. Cedrick is 100% ALL man defensive end, even to this day! I'm telling you, he's the kind of end that would stare across the line at the other OE and smile while chewing a mouth full of nails. And his voice sounds like he's done that more than a few times! He still has his football player stature and physique and the word TOUGH doesn't describe this man! When asked if he had ever broken any bones, his reply was "I've broken a few on other players." OUCH! He went on to play for my Oakland Raiders from 1980-1981. He won Superbowl 15 with the Raiders and he let me hold his ring! Yes, I actually held a superbowl ring in my little hands.....I LOVE diamonds, even manly diamonds on a superbowl ring. In all, Cedrick played pro ball for 13 years, and he has the war scars to prove it. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting across from these two veterans discussing, what I believe is, the best era for NFL football EVER. In my view, the boys nowadays try to do their thing, but they just don't seem to have all of the heart and pure love for football that the "back in the day" guys did. When you hear these men reminisce, you hear the camaraderie that was so important. It wasn't just about who could get the highest contract amounts, who got the spotlight on the field, and all the razzle dazzle off of the field. Getting a superbowl ring was about "teamwork" and a collective accomplishment. That sentiment doesn't seem to be the focus with players today. So, thanks Kenny and Cedrick for setting a wonderful example for the NFL hopefuls out there! Kudos! :)

Favre Be Da Boss!!!!

LOL, okay, what does it mean for pro football when a quarterback overrules a head coach?! Apparently that's what happened Sunday night during the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings game. The Vikings played HORRIBLY *snicker,* and apparently their coach tried to bench "Brett the purple dinosaur" (Barney's brother, hehe) in the third quarter. Well, Favre seemed to have had a massive BF and the benching thing didn't happen ya'll! Ultimately, the Vikings ended up losing the game with a deplorable score of 24-7. But, all in all, it's no real biggie that they lost, they are still 11-3 for the season so far and are definitely playoff bound. Heck, I'd say they are probably the STRONGEST team heading for the playoffs. That said, the coach, Brad Childress, was wrong, in my view. Why bench Favre just because in ONE game his offense was only able to garner 7 points? So the backup qb is gonna do better? Please, it's just one game! Sounds to me like the Childress and Favre have some "bad blood" between them. Well, if they didn't before, they certainly do NOW, haha. I'd also imagine that Favre pulling rank over the coach will not sit quite well with his fellow players....personally, even if he were right in theory, I still wouldn't like that dude. I say, 'twill be an interesting remainder of the season for the Vikings organization. Hmmmmmm....

NFL Hall of Fame...or Superbowl Ring?

Hmmmmm, I had a thought today, I wonder which is more of an accomplishment to a player: being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, even though they never received a Superbowl ring; or being a "good" player but not good enough for the HOF and leaving the game with a Superbowl ring? I am sure this is T.O.'s, Randy Moss,' and Ladanian Tomlinson's dilemma right now! They are all basically HOF players who are still in the game. They are all players who are aging and their bodies won't last too much. As a matter of fact, Ladanian's body will probably give out in the next year or so, whereas running backs like him don't usually have long NFL careers (too much wear and tear on the body). T.O. and Moss are wide receivers, but still, they are getting up there in age, they won't be able to go long and see a ball coming at them forever! I mean, even though T.O. is a workout demon, he will undoubtedly be getting really tired in the next couple of years, I mean the man is pushing 36 years old! I just KNOW that he wants to hang on to garner that ring! Poor thing...based on how he is being passed around and to whom, I really don't think he's gonna get out of the game with that coveted ring. Moss may have a small chance, because he plays for the New England Patriots and with one of the best qb in the game right now: Tom Brady. But T.O.? Not so much, he plays for the Buffalo Bills and NO ONE is impressed, haha. So, that makes me wonder, if any of these fellas end their careers without ever getting that ring, will their HOF status be bittersweet to them??....Makes you go "hmmmmmm." Personally, I think I'd want either that ring or to have BOTH. :D

Well, Well, Well.....

It's getting down to the wire. The NFL playoffs are just weeks away. It's pretty much a clinched deal that the Saints have won the NFC division title and that the Colts have won the AFC division title. It also seems like a clincher that these two teams will match up in the Superbowl, but not so fast. The playoffs are an entirely different animal than the regular season. Yes, they are both undefeated, but an undefeated season doesn't always speak to a team's real ability. Some of those wins were what I call "squeakers:" meaning they just squeaked by and ended up with the win. Also, they don't always play the same teams in the regular season that they will end up playing in the playoffs, so regular season foes may not be a good representation of the playoff ones. See, that's the thing about the NFL playoffs (different than the NBA): it's "do or die." It doesn't matter what your regular season was like, you lose one game in the playoffs and it's adios. How frustrating would it be for a team to go undefeated in the regular season and get knocked off with their first playoff game? LOL And technically, once the playoffs start, a teams regular season record doesn't even matter any more. That's why I don't really enjoy the NFL playoffs like I do the NBA playoffs. (I usually don't even start watching NBA games UNTIL the playoffs start!). I'd rather just hold my breath until I see which two teams are going to the Superbowl. Anywho, I sure am happy for my boys the Saints, but, I have to admit that having an undefeated regular season can often set a team up to fail in the playoffs and I'm real nervous about their Superbowl prospects. Hmmmmmmm

Crazy Concussions!

Is it me or have there been a LOT of guys getting concussions this football season! I mean, that's pretty scary. The list includes: Brian Westbrook and DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles, Ben Roethlisburger from the Steelers, Kurt Warner From the Arizona Cardinals, and Jamal Lewis from the Cleveland Browns. Jamal Lewis' and Brian Westbrook's careers may even be over because of their concussions! This is ridiculous. I mean, either someone needs to regulate how the game is being played nowadays or they need to make sure these guys stay out of the game until they are really healed. Recently, Roethlisbuger sat out of a game, and was hastily criticized by his teammate Hines Ward. Hines made the most ignorant comment about "playing through injuries." Undoubtedly, Hines was just thinking about the fact that their team had just lost a game under the replacement quarterback Dennis Dixon. He has since apologized but, was he serious??? A concussion is NOT just a "football injury." It is NOT a little "ouchie." Frankly, I don't think Ben should even think about coming back, since he still claims to continue to have headaches. Well anyway, I'm glad that the NFL commission is seriously thinking about revamping their concussion policy. They have recently released this statement: "a player may not return to the field if he experiences any kind of confusion, amnesia, persistent headaches, dizziness or vertigo or any other signs of concussion." Very responsible! Football is no fun if folks are just dying to play it. :P

If You Can't Tame a Tiger....

Set him free?? I dunno, all kind of skankalicious wimin coming out of the woodwork claiming that Tiger "hit it." Not looking good for the Tiger! Is it possible that he does like to roam after all? But, I can't say I totally believe it. Yes, his "accident" seems suspect, and it does sound like he endured a "wife beating" before he ran out of the house to safety. Something about a wife that just gives her the ability to whoop her husbands azz if he deserves it. Tiger's wifey says she was trying to "rescue him," and I...sort of believe her. I think she may have confronted him about the National Enquirer article and they argued. But I don't think she really believes he cheated on her. Not sure who all of these other women are, and what their motive is (publicity of course!!), but I have faith in Tiger. As far as I'm concerned, he's innocent until proven guilty. Anyway, Tiger got cited, but they aren't gonna bring criminal charges against him...my question is, for what? What did he do wrong?? Alas, I don't this story is going away any time soon. Grrrrrrrr!

Just a Little Too Late???

It's amazing how some NFL teams have had "resurrections" at this point in the season, and how some have seemed to just wither away. Case in point, the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills. Since the Titans have put Vince back in the driver's seat, they have won 5 games in a row. Vince is performing well after warming the bench for the last part of last season and the first part of this one. Similarly, T.O. has seemed to have an awakening with the Buffalo Bills. He had a 98 yard touchdown just a couple of weekends ago, and has seemed to not even look back. His performance has looked like the old T.O. ever since. But why all the late heroics? It's a long shot that either team will make the playoffs. Why not just give up and ride the rest of the season out without risking injury by playing so hard? My theory is, it's "job security." These guys are probably already thinking of their work options for next year: they either want to maintain their positions or make sure they look good enough to get picked up next year. I think the former applies to Young, and the latter to T.O. He's a working Hall of Famer, but there's still life in the old boy yet!! On another note, what in the world happened to the New York Jets, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos?.....These guys have had the worst luck in the past few weeks, and their standings have suffered as a result. Not even sure if they will make the playoffs! We'll just have to see. Hmmmmmm