State of the Union: Houston Texans

I know how these guys feel.

Sadly, there's one offseason acquisition that has me more excited about this season than any other in Texan history and it's a kicker. Neil Rackers. As of right now, he's still technically in a battle with Kris Brown for the starting kicking job, but if they don't cut Brown there are going to be problems. I don't care that Rackers missed that kick against the Packers. A kick wasn't meant to win that game, but Rihanna had a squirt gun fight with Chris Brown in comparison to the problems that the Texans have had with their Kris/Chris combo. At least her Chris didn't get an all expenses paid trip to Paris, get on one knee under the Eiffel Tower, then forget what he was there for and beat her with a tire iron in his confusion. Kris loved to shank clutch kicks and Chris loved to fumble at the one yard line with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter. That's what they're best at and I'm pretty sure it was what they were born to do. That's fine and dandy but get them out of Houston. Go do that in St. Louis.

Texan running backs needs to stop fumbling the football. The Texans had the number one ranked passing offense last year but could not run the ball to save their lives, and that had a lot to do with the unsure hands of Steve Slaton. Arian Foster is now listed as the starter, but he needs to be better in short yardage situations than the backs of the past have. They get into a third and short and all of a sudden they can't get by a blind paraplegic. Given, the line isn't great at run blocking, but the least they can do is hold onto the football. Fortunately for the backs, the Texans are stacked offensively. They have a top two wide receiver in Andre Johnson (the best depending on how you feel about Larry Fitzgerald), a dominant tight end in Owen Daniels, and two solid secondary receivers in Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones (whose production is primed to take off). The Jets are the only team on their schedule that has the secondary to match up with their passing game, but if they don't have Revis, Johnson would command double coverage which opens things up for Schaub and his other options. Matt Schaub needs to stay healthy (a problem for the majority of his career) but if he stays upright for 16 games then they're a favorite to make the playoffs. So Matt goes, the Texans go. Dan Orlovsky is their backup. He looked good in the preseason but you never know what's going to happen with him. I wouldn't be surprised if he wore diapers on game day after playing against Jared Allen.

Mario Williams is a freak. They need to get the pass rush going on the opposite side of him and Amobi Okoye needs to stop playing like a thirteen year old girl, but Super Mario's presence on the line worries opposing quarterbacks on every play because he can physically hurt them. Losing Bryan Cushing for the first four games hurts because they're thin at linebacker. Their starters are good with Demeco Ryans leading the unit, but behind them there isn't much depth and they already struggle against the run. Antonio Smith needs a big year opposite Mario because their cornerbacks are questionable. They drafted Kareem Jackson out of Alabama in the first round, but he'll have to step in to fill Dunta "Pay Me" Robinson's shoes. A better pass rush allows for an easier learning curve, but playing against Peyton twice this year doesn't allow for many mistakes.

The scariest part of this team is the hope. The Chris/Kris Brown combo cost them 4 potential wins last season, costing them a playoff spot in the process. With Chris gone and Kris hopefully on his way out, this team is better than it's ever been. Even with Cushing sitting out the first four weeks this team needs to make the playoffs. There's a lot of pressure mounting on the Texans and their coaching staff. They're good enough to win, and they should win, but unfortunately that's when they like to pull a stunt like getting beat twice by Jacksonville. I think they're going to the playoffs, but the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach says 8-8 and a long season of disappointment ahead. Hey, at least they're on Monday Night Football twice. That's pretty cool I guess.

State of the Union: Tennessee Titans

I miss this version of Vince.

I'm fairly confident that if I didn't have an icon of Vince Young in a Longhorns jersey made out of his old gum like Helga from Hey Arnold! I would hate him. True, mobile quarterbacks are much more fun to watch than prototypical pocket passers (which is partially why I'm on the Dennis Dixon bandwagon and also why I think dog fighting isn't as bad as people with a northern bias think. Different strokes for different folks. I digress...). True, he has a .667 winning percentage in the NFL and the majority of those games he played without Chris Johnson as his feature back. True, he beat up a strip club owner for giving him the Horns down. He possesses many qualities that I admire, but he has a knack for making people support him look like jackasses. Oh you like that I'm rookie of the year and on the cover of Madden? Boom, I'm gonna throw a few picks and go for a joy ride with my .45. You like the fact that I make a previously bad team exciting to watch? Well, I'm going to come into your house and take you out of playoff contention. Roasted. All that aside, Vince looks really good this preseason, and with their young corps of receivers they could do some damage through the air to give Chris Johnson a bit of rest. His receivers always play in single coverage because their running game is so good, but don't be surprised if those catchable balls he lofts everywhere start being caught by the other team.

In reality, the Titans start and end with Chris Johnson (CJ2K. I can't decide whether or not his decision to get that tattooed is cool. I'm leaning towards cool but officially sit on the fence). He makes up almost all of their offense, but they'll need to lighten up his load or he's going to end up like Shaun Alexander in his post MVP years. They've brought in Jevon Ringer, who was a workhorse at Michigan State and averaged 6 yards a carry in his first year with the Titans. He's no Chris Johnson, but nobody else in the league is either, so the kid should be serviceable especially considering that he's replacing Fatty. Giving CJ the ball through the air will be another way that the Titans can get him in the open field and have him avoid the punishment that comes with carrying the ball between the tackles. All in all, there's no shot in hell he's running for another 2,000 yards on the ground. Losing Kevin Mawae hurts (even though there's talk that his replacement Leroy Harris is an improvement) and, even if the line is still good, it'll be hard to pick up yards when you're still playing starters and aren't losing 59-0. If he does pull it off, then don't expect the Titans to be in the playoffs because it'll come at the expense of a complete offense. Last year was special for any athlete but I don't think he's realized that yet.

If the Titans want to get back to form, their defense is going to have to play like it did in 2008 rather it's 28th ranked 2009 counterpart. The big names from the past, like Haynesworth, may be gone, but it's hard to be worse than last year. Playing their starters all the way through 16 games would be an improvement. Linebacker Keith Bulluck is still there to anchor this defense that has a lot of youth coming in. Since Jevon Kearse and Vanden Bosch are out, the Titans drafted defensive end Derrick Morgan out of Georgia Tech as their replacement. If he can get over his calf injury that has hampered him all preseason then he should step in and make an immediate impact on their line. Their secondary isn't great but cornerback Jason McCourtney has some experience under his belt and will be counted on to replace Nick Harper. If their pass rush improves it will make make life easier on their think looking secondary, but if Morgan doesn't get healthy then it's nothing but a continuation of the status quo.

Success for the Titans depends on how well Young handles the pressure of starting week in and week out of the NFL. It's great to come in and be a hero when the team is garbage, but being asked to take a team to the playoffs from week one is a different task entirely. The receivers will help but not if Kenny Britt keeps making dumb decisions like showing up out of shape or kicking the ball out of bounds against the Cardinals. Nate Washington and Justin Gage are good, but Britt has the talent to take this team to another level. Young needs to get them the ball. Until the Titans build a passing offense that can consistently supplement the run like they did at the end of the season, then they may sneak into the playoffs, but they won't win. It showed in 2008. VY can't just be Kerry Collins. He needs to be the explosive player they brought him in to be. He'll always be remembered for the confetti shot at the end of the Rose Bowl, but if he doesn't complete this season then he'll be nothing but a footnote in the NFL.

Get Some Chan!

Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey (the sheriff looking guy above) tells off hecklers.

Tell them how you feel coach! It's bad enough that he has to reside in Buffalo for the majority of the year but now he has to deal with hecklers at practice? That's too much. Nobody wants to go to Buffalo. It's miserable. Frankly, I'm impressed that nobody has pulled a Phil Wellman during a game or shot himself mid-season to escape it. But no. They keep showing up. They aren't moving to Toronto. Be thankful Buffalo. The Bills may suck and your lives may generally suck but at least you have each other. Show some appreciation and enjoy the memories of Jim Kelly and all those years you almost won the Super Bowl.

State of the Union: Indianapolis Colts

"No Sally, mommy's dead remember?" -Peyton Manning

I desperately want to write an article boldly claiming that the Colts are going to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2001. I want to talk about how Peyton Manning is going to go back to flaunting the Manning face after his performance in the Super Bowl. I want to say how their terrible run game is going to come back to haunt them or that their defense is mediocre or that Mario Williams is going to tear through their line and tear off Peyton's arm week one in Houston. I can't though. They're too good. Peyton was money in every big game in 2009 (except against the Saints) and with the return of Anthony Gonzalez there's no reason to expect much of a drop-off. The only thing that can stop this team is injury or implosion (on a Manning team the latter is unlikely).

Offensively, where do you start? When Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon can come in and tear it up then who do you cover if you're a defense? Manning has so many weapons around him that even when defenses cover Reggie Wayne like they did in their final six games then he still has options. Dallas Clark is a beast who will provide Manning with a safety blanket even if their backs can't help the offense. Joseph Addai is in the last year of his contract and Donald Brown is improving so it's likely that they'll be more dangerous than last year when they do get the touches. Brown is already a solid pass catching back but he's looking for a breakout field to give defenses another threat to cover.

The only issue with this team is their defense. Obviously it isn't that big of an issue because they started 14-0 and came close to winning a ring (in a game where their best defensive lineman had a bad foot), but compared to their offense it's a bit of a problem. They should be better with Bob Sanders coming back from injury, but that's the same story as every offseason. Pretty much assume that he isn't on the team any more but if he shows up then it's great for Indy. To make a fat kid reference: he's the fries at the bottom of the drive through bag. You're already doing well but they're nice to have. The Colts made a point of shoring up their defensive depth in the draft, but they could have done more to improve their secondary. 14th in the league against the pass is good, but not great. They have Mathis and Freeney on their pass rush so obviously the issues aren't on their defensive line.

Because the Colts aren't as loud, they aren't getting the same attention as the Jets or the Vikings, but they're every bit as good if not better. Manning is still the best in the business and as long as this is a quarterback driven league then Indianapolis will keep winning with him at the helm. That being said the AFC South may be the best division in football this year. Houston has a top 5 offense and the Titans pulled themselves together when Vince Young (who has a .667 winning percentage) came in. The Colts will be good, but the road to 14 wins looks tougher this season. If they do get to the playoffs though, I'm calling a choke job true to their old nature. Can't wait.

NHL Changing Tiebreaker

Report: NHL to make regulation and overtime wins more valuable than shootout wins in case of a tiebreaker.

I know I just talked about how I hated all of the rule changes but I like this one. While shootouts are exciting, they aren't the best way to settle a hockey game. Too many teams play conservatively in overtime to make the most of their goaltender in the shootout (namely the Rangers even though they were burned for it by the Flyers). This is a start, but I don't understand why they don't alter the point system all together. The extra point for an overtime loss was meant to provide incentive for teams who played for ties instead of wins. Now that there are no ties, why does that point exist? One point for a shootout win and two points for any other win is the most realistic situation that would punish teams for losing and stop rewarding them just for keeping it close. Some die-hard fans are calling for continuous OT but it's too Utopian. There's no sense playing six periods in November and players will wear down quicker. Saving it for the playoffs also adds special meaning to games in May. NHL, you're getting warmer but not quite there yet.

P.S. I also like the additional line behind the goal line. I don't know how this took so long to think of but it's brilliant. It won't help every goal but it'll certainly be beneficial.

Baseball didn't listen. Hakeem Nicks and Ike Taylor did.

Hakeem Nicks and Ike Taylor tossed for fighting. Get some!

Hell yea! Normally when I go to a preseason football game I expect to leave relatively unsatisfied. This game was different. Meadowlands Stadium is amazing and it didn't take two plays before Nicks and Taylor had fisticuffs. Last week I talked about how the MLB needs to improve their fights. The NBA showed promise this week and the NFL took my suggestions to heart by tossing in great live action to spice up the preseason. Well done. The only problem I have with this is that the crew didn't embrace it and there were no replays on the incredible video screens in the stadium. If I could see a 50 foot tall Taylor left hook I wouldn't mind shelling out $8.50 for three chicken nuggets as much.

P.S. Pittsburgh's starting QB for the first four weeks isn't completely settled yet but Dennis Dixon should be the guy. Byron Leftwich may have had the nice TD pass to Mike Wallace but he is too slow behind their terrible offensive line. Dixon allows them to move the pocket and open up the run game when he rolls out. It's only for four games so they don't have to worry about injury and he was hitting receivers in stride on his throws. Kordell Stewart 2.0 for the win.

State of the Union: Jacksonville Jaguars

Does anyone else miss Matt Jones? I do.

It's gotta be tough to be a Jacksonville Jaguar. You have no fans and you're stuck in mediocrity. You play for a team that isn't bad enough to get a top 5 pick or require a complete overhaul but you aren't good enough to be a contender. At least you have Maurice Jones-Drew on your side. It's a shame that the majority of people in Jacksonville are too hung over from watching Florida kill Tennessee A&M on Saturdays to get to the stadium on Sundays because the guy plays like a bowling ball. Their offense will rest a heavy load on his shoulders, but if they're going to be successful the Jags will need more playmakers. Mike Sims-Walker had a strong showing in 2009, but injuries and and lack of other receiving threats hampered his production in the second half of the year. Wide receiver shouldn't be as big of a problem in 2010 with the emergence of young guys like Mike Thomas and Tiquan Underwood in camp. They're still unproven, but the fact that they have any potential at wideout after flameouts like Jones is a step in the right direction. With tight ends Mercedes Lewis and Zach Miller (assuming he can get healthy) and an improved offensive line Jacksonville's offense should be better than 18th in the league provided that David Garrard can get them the ball. David Garrard is dominating this preseason. 10 total yards of offense against the Eagles? Too good to be true. Wait, that was in a single quarter? David must be a wizard. I don't know how he hasn't gained the love of Jaguar faithful after performances like that. Mind boggling.

Safeties are an issue for Jacksonville's defense. Reggie Nelson is bad and his backup Anthony Williams is worse. Playing against 4 of the top 6 passing offenses this year (including Indianapolis and Houston who are in the division) won't make matters easier. Instead of addressing the issue directly, the Jags revamped their defensive line and are hoping that a better pass rush will solve the issue. Their first four draft picks were all for defensive tackles and ends, plus they added defensive end Aaron Kampman in free agency. The results haven't been there yet in the preseason, but the younger d-line will make things easier on their secondary in time. At the very least they can't be worse than last year.

If Garrard continues to throw interceptions and fumble the ball, it won't matter that the defense will be better. There's too much offense in the AFC south outside of Jacksonville for them to get involved in shootouts. If the Jags can be more consistent though they have the potential to contend the way they did in 2007 when they won a playoff game. They beat the Jets and beat the Texans twice last season, but they also needed overtime to win against St. Louis, lost to Cleveland, and were destroyed by Seattle. Get yourselves together Jaguars and lose to Houston like you're supposed to. If you don't but you continue to suck against everyone else then all you're doing is acting like dicks and making them look bad.

Amateur of the Week: Mike Kryzweski

Fight starts at the 2:30 mark unless you want to hear a bunch of yelling in Greek.

This week had an extraordinary amount of d-bag activity and until 5 minutes ago I was set to rip Tony Dungy for not keeping his mouth shut about Rex Ryan or Lebron James for saying, "even my family gets spoiled at times watching me doing things that I do, on and off the court." Pretty good stuff but that changed when it was reported that Nenad Krstic was released from prison after a brawl in Greece and Coach K had the nerve to use this as an example of what not to do.

To begin with, this displays a fundamental lack of economic understanding. This video already has over 175 thousand hits and it was posted yesterday. The next biggest video of Krstic has fewer than 2,000 hits and it was posted in 2009. Take a page from the Charlestown Chief's Reggie Dunlop and give the people what they want. You think the casual fan wasn't amped up about Malice at the Palace? Violence sells coach. Get your act together. You're at Duke you think you'd learn a thing or two about selling your product.

Ticket sales aside, you've gotta step back and let the boys play. This is as amateur as it gets for not understanding the pro game. I get that you don't want to spark an international incident but this was a great moment for your best player, Kevin Durant. Krstic knew that the Lakers upped the ante in the west when they signed Ron Artest. Ron ron's already proven to the league that he's a loose cannon on the court and that if you take it too far he'll mess you up. Kobe went out and raped a girl to show some edge. The Thunder look baby faced in comparison. Krstic knew that, in order to beat LA this postseason, OKC needed a new aura to put off Kobe and company. This man should be commended for his courage rather than put down by someone like Kryzweski. If the quiet guy on the team starts choking people and throwing chairs, then what are the others capable of? Does Russell Westbrook bite? Is Durant going to go Captain Insano before putting his balls in Gasol's face on a dunk? The Lakers no longer know the answers to these questions. When their silent Serbian goes postal you can't step in the paint without the fear. Coach K needs to understand that incidents like these may cause trouble in school but win championships in the pros. That's why Mike Kryzweski is our amateur of the week.

I Wouldn't Trust Childress Either

Source says that Favre doesn't trust Brad Childress.

Look at the guy. I dig mustache culture and all, but he isn't exactly Burt Reynolds. He looks more like the guy that would tell you to go on vacation because the kids are taken care of. Then again, Favre isn't asking this guy to watch out for his grandkid. He only needs to work with him. Because Favre has all the leaders of the team in his corner, "Chile" needs to watch his step or else there could be a full blown schism in Minnesota's locker room. At the very least, expect a lot of media coverage on this issue, especially if they underperform. ESPN couldn't make it a day without jonesing for its Favre fix and building stories like this may be its only shot.

Bettman Tinkering with the Rule Book

Skip to 1:25 for Bettman's utopia. 5:08 for the best quote in cinematic history. Emilio!

NHL discussing rule changes.

I don't think Gary Bettman knows that the Mighty Ducks were a fictional story. He seems to be under the impression that a 7-6 game against Trinidad and Tobago is the only way that hockey will sell in this country, and he's doing everything in his power to make that a reality. I will give him credit: I like the idea of a 3-on-3 overtime after the 4-on-4. Other than that I hate every rule they're talking about. He's selling hockey's soul for an extra 5 goals a season. No line change for the team that goes offside? Three total face-off dots? Face-offs done by whistle instead of a puck drop? Someone give Bettman ritalin. He claims this is an attempt to boost offensive numbers but he's acting like a bored little kid that wants something to screw with. Stop distancing yourself from your dedicated fans for the sake of increasing offense by 0.001 goals per game. The puck drop is one of the most iconic moments in hockey and I'll go down in a hail of gunfire before it's taken away.

State of the Union: Minnesota Vikings

I may be comfortable in Wrangler but I still hate Brett Favre.

Now that number four is coming back for another year, I'm convinced that Brett Favre will literally have to die on the football field before he goes away. He can't break his legs or something. That wouldn't do it. He would get carted off with his thumbs up to the crowd and after a few press conferences he'd play the next week hopped up on pain killers like the good ol' days. No, they'll have to bring a hearse out onto the field and have a funeral for his decrepit old ass on Monday Night Football or I don't think he'll ever retire. He's practicing with the team again after, once again, announcing his retirement earlier this summer. Of course, he reconsidered the very next day when the Vikings offered him a $3.5 million bump in his base salary along with another $3.5 million in potential incentives (that's a potential extra $7 million for grandpa), but that's neither here nor there according to Brett. For all that cash though, it's unlikely that he comes close to having the same kind of season he had last year. He was statistically better than he was when he won his MVP awards, but does it seem likely that that will happen again? Only 7 interceptions? That's the fewest since his rookie year when he only threw 2 (on 4 attempts) but this is still Brett. The NFC Championship proved that he still has the big pick in him. Combine that with Adrian Peterson's love for fumbling and the Vikings are a couple of turnovers away from shooting themselves in the foot.

Luckily for the Vikings their offense isn't based solely on Brett. Adrian Peterson is the second best back in the league behind Chris Johnson and if their ariel offense falls apart they can lean heavily on their running game. However, losing Chester Taylor will hurt more than the Vikings realize. He was an excellent third down back that could get Peterson rest without giving up much production on the field. Toby Gerhart (cracker thunder) will have to step up big in his first season to solidify the offense and prove that my people can be successful in the league. Most people in the NFL could run behind Steve Hutchinson and their offensive line, but if the backs do falter, the Vikes have a good group of receivers to carry the load. Brett has a year of work under his belt with Bernard Berrian and Sydney Rice so he's comfortable with them and knows their tendencies. Hard to improve on his season last year, but the comfort with them should keep them playing consistently well barring injury. Percy Harvin is a threat on every play, but if his migraine issues keep cropping up and he loses game time it could be worrisome for Minnesota fans. You don't want your home run receiving/return threat sitting out a playoff game because he can't see straight. They need to give him his weed back. If it keeps him in Sportscenter's top ten the guy should have a purple bong in his locker right next to his spikes. Toss a Vikings logo on that and you've got a collector's item. Someone in their sales department needs to get on that.

When your defense is ranked 6th overall in the league it's hard to nitpick. However, 19th in the league against the pass won't cut it when the road to the Super Bowl goes through Drew Brees and New Orleans. To address this, they drafted cornerback Chris Cook out of Virginia with their first pick. He isn't going to be Revis, but this season he'll add depth behind Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield. For this defense it starts and ends with the defensive line. Pat and Kevin Williams won't have the legal issues that surrounded them last season, so is it possible that they could be better? Hard to imagine but they've got help on the ends. Jared Allen is the man. I'm pretty confident that he hunts coyotes with his bare hands. He looks for the sack on every play though so opposing offenses can take him out by pushing him outside when they run, but that doesn't stop him from being an incredible player. He makes life easier for Ray Edwards who plays on the opposite end. Edwards is in a contract year and had 4 sacks in the postseason, so quarterbacks will be leaving Minnesota banged up bad.

This team is too good at every position to underperform this year. While they may take a step back from 12 wins, this is a team built to play and win in the playoffs. That being said, Green Bay is looking good and if Jay Cutler gets himself together this will be a competitive division with three teams with playoff aspirations. In that situation, a few turnovers can be the difference between playoffs and bust. That's where Brett comes in. It seems as if his career is destined to end on a pick. When it happens, drunk Vikings fans will sob in the snow while all the Favre haters smile.

State of the Union: Pittsburgh Steelers

I want to party with Big Ben and Kyle Orton. Those guys could probably drink Moose the Carpet Bagger under the table. Yet unlike Orton and the Moose, Ben Rapistberger would never be able to pull tail like this consensually. Aside from Tiger Woods and Lebron James, I don't think any other athlete has tarnished his image so bad in the past year. A guy, once loved for his gusty performances on the field, is now hated and ridiculed all over the country (including the 'Burgh) for his repulsive behavior off the field. Not only were the Steelers faced with Big Ben's non-consensual escapades, but they also had to deal with the Santonio Holmes' legal troubles. This led to the historic franchise trading the electric receiver to the Jets for basically nothing in an attempt to salvage their reputation. Now the Steelers are left to play 4-6 games without Ben Roethlisberger as well as without a true no. 1 receiver. The man the Steel City is counting on to carry the offense is running back Rashard Mendenhall, definitely capable of doing so. To help him the Steelers have the versatile Mewelde Moore and drafted Jonathon Dwyer. Unfortunately the 3 headed rushing attack will face major problems considering the state of the offensive line. Even though they drafted Florida center Maurkice Pouncy with the 18th overall pick, the rest of the line seems to be in shambles as the Lions' defensive line had significant penetration (do I even need to make a Big Ben joke here?) in the preseason opener. Although coach Mike Tomlin claims that they team wants to get back to "Steeler Football," they will need to utilize the passing attack to draw pressure away from the run game. Throughout camp it seemed as if Byron Leftwich would be under center until Ben gets back, but after a poor showing against the Lions, Dennis Dixon may get a shot. Dixon led the team (with his arm and feet) to three scoring drives against mostly 2nd stringers. It should be interesting to see if he'll get a chance with the first team Saturday against the Giants. Whoever steps in at QB will have steady tight end Heath Miller as a check down option, and a cast of receivers vying for playing time. The unit includes Antwan Randle El (a familiar face), Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, newcomer Arnez Battle, and rookie speedster Emmanuel Sanders.

While the offense seems to be in rebuilding mode with all the new faces, the defense will start 7 players over the age of 30. There has been much talk of whether the aging defense will be able to handle the AFC North, but if I were a Steelers fan I wouldn't worry about the older players. I would be focused on the play of the corners. Once superstar safety Troy Polamalu went down with an injury, the corners lost their safety blanket and were routinely torched as the Steelers missed the playoffs just a year after winning the Superbowl. Second year corners Kennan Lewis and Joe Burnett will be counted on to help Ike Taylor. Most teams will come out looking to pass this season due to the front 7 being solid as usual. It will be up to linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. It will be interesting to see if a defense that looks very similiar to last year's unit will be able to improve on a season in which they lost 5 games while leading in the 4th quarter.

Can the Steelers improve on a 9-7 season and make the playoffs? Can Big Ben have enough self control to not go out on Saturday nights raping chicks since he can't play on Sundays for a couple months? I'm going to say no to the former question and no comment to the latter.

K-Rod Out For Season

Francisco Rodriguez needs season ending surgery after getting hurt in brawl with step father.

The karma police weren't going to sit back and watch the Mets do nothing about K-Rod. It was obvious that something bad needed to happen to this guy, but a self-inflicted wound doing him in? Perfect. Screw you K-Rod. Stop being a dick or the sports gods are going to keep coming down hard on you.

State of the Union: Chicago Bears

A picture wasn't good enough for these guys. Daaaaa Bears.

If you're a Chicago fan I don't know what's going through your head. Chances are you're delusional, overly obsessive, and like Joakim Noah way more than I ever will, but you're also a little scared of the number 26. Jay Cutler's 26 interceptions crushed the Bears' faithful but gave everybody else in the sports world something to smile about (my personal favorite was against San Francisco. Beautiful). Nobody likes Jay Cutler outside of you Chicago, and if he isn't careful, you're going to hate him as well. Letting down a franchise that banked their future on you isn't a great plan Jay, but I sincerely hope it happens to you. Putting my hate for Jay aside...

The Bears are trying to get back to their roots by re-establishing a premier defense. They didn't have selections in the first two rounds, but when they did have a draft pick they addressed issues in their defense. Major Wright isn't exactly a stud yet at safety, but rookie defensive end Coorey Wootton out of Northwestern has all the tools to succeed. At worst, Wright will add depth and Wootton will help a pass rush that finished 13th in the league in sacks with 35. Having Brian Urlacher won't hurt the team either. Given, he isn't the same player he was a few seasons ago and there may be lingering effects from his wrist injury, but having the defensive leader back on the field will help them improve. Chicago defenses aren't supposed to finish in the bottom half of the league so the front office shook this unit up by adding Julius Peppers. He should be motivated to prove any Carolina wrong for letting him walk, so watch out for a return of the "Monsters of the Midway," even if it's more Diet Monsters than the original.

Since adding Cutler and Mike Martz the Bears' offense is supposed to carry the team. Matt Forte didn't get as many touches but improved slightly as a receiver, upping is average yards per catch by nearly a yard. In Martz's offense he'll be asked to catch the ball frequently, but even if he does poorly they have Chester Taylor. Either back can succeed this year, and having multiple backs should keep them fresh enough to help the club. At wide receiver, the Hester experience has largely been a disappointment. He should probably go back to strictly returning kicks, but they want to make him into a feature wide receiver. Word from camp is that he's been doing well in the offense and running quality routes, but Johnny Knox has been the stud. The wide receivers have played a secondary role all around as Cutler has been focusing on his tight ends, so there will be more pressure on Greg Olson, free agent Brandon Manumaleuna, and Desmond Clark to preform. Compared to Jay Cutler however, other performers mean peanuts. If he can't bring it this team will lose. It's as simple as that. He loves throwing to the guys in the wrong jersey so much that it's hard to imagine much change or another season of Lovie in 2011.

Heat's Haslem Arrested for Blazing

Another rousing victory for the war on performance reducing drugs as the Miami Heat's veteran forward Udonis Haslem was pulled over in Miami and later arrested Sunday when an officer noticed his car smelled of the stanky green stuff. Haslem and a passenger were reportedly arrested for possession of marijuana. While first and second marijuana violations do not involve NBA suspensions, Haslem, who recently turned down $10-$14 million over five years to in order to remain with the Heat, will most likely be fined.
While blazing that shit up may be illegal in the fine city of Miami, the NBA should cut this guy some slack. For the second time in his career he turned down big money to remain in his hometown Miami so he could be a role-player on a championship caliber team and so he could be near his ailing mother.

State of the Union: Cincinnati Bengals

A year removed from the basement of the AFC North and a 4-11 record, the Cincinnati Bengals have swagger back in their step and are talking big. After a surprise sweep of their division the Bengals fell apart against the Jets. This year however, they've revamped their team and are coming back with the deepest squad of Marvin Lewis has had. Their number four ranked defense not only returns its starters but is healthier and has added depth. Antwan Odom returns after tearing his ACL in week 6. The veteran defensive end out of Alabama was having a career year and led the league in sacks before his injury (granted he had 5 sacks in one game against Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers isn't exactly known for evading the sack) and his return should improve their occasionally shaky pass rush. To add depth, the Bengals picked up Adam "I don't want to be called Pacman anymore even though it was a sweet nickname" Jones. I like this move even though he hasn't played in a season. It's not like Dallas where he was asked to start because the Bengals have one of the best corner tandems in the game in Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph, and he does add explosiveness in the return game. Plus, it's never a bad thing to add a killer instinct to a defense and he seems like a decent guy if you're on his good side. While Vick's posse rolled on him in a heartbeat, nobody ever snitched on Pacman. That speaks volumes of his character.

Back in the day, when Ochocinco was still Chad Johnson and he was lined up across T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Houshamazode! Put him on the board), Cincinnati's passing offense was the focal point of the team. Last year it held them back. By signing Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant, they may have gotten older but they've certainly added talent to their wide receiving corps. It will take some time for them to mesh with Carson Palmer, but additions such as these along with rookies Jordan Shipley and Jermain Gresham should give the offense diversity that it did not have last season. Jermain Gresham was out last year due to injury, but in his last healthy season at Oklahoma he lead the team in receiving touchdowns on their way to the National Championship game. Cedric Benson is back and won't be suspended after his off the field issues. Ever since the boating incident I've taken his word on everything. Not his fault racists follow him around. Haters. Bernard Scott is there to help out Benson should he not repeat his comeback performance, but overall last year's number 9 ranked rushing offense is in decent hands. If Andre Smith (43 second mark. Hot damn.), who missed most of last season with an injured foot and contract disputes, can come in and play well at right tackle then it should open up their running game even more.

The uncertainties that surround this Bengals team are scary for Cincy fans. First off, this line's ability to pass block is questionable. Normally, this is a bad thing. When you throw in the fact that Carson Palmer gets hurt frequently yet the Bengals have done nothing to give him a solid backup, this can be disastrous. The end of last regular season should prove that the Bengals need someone to come in behind Carson. If J.T. O'Sullivan walks onto the field in anything but a blowout Bengal fans should start deciding whether to use a noose or a gun. He's that bad to watch and I've never seen anyone mail it in more than he mailed it in against the Jets (LeBron included). Pitiful. People shaving points don't play that badly. Carson himself is even a question. He hasn't exactly lit the world on fire, but he hasn't had the same offensive weapons that he's had in the past either. For his sake he needs to turn it around this year or the front office will start looking for a replacement.

According to Rick Moranis in Little Giants, "kicking is the key to this game." Shayne Graham did his best to ignore that advice, and his botched attempts in the postseason got him cut. There's a two man competition between journeymen Mike Nugent and Dave Rayner, but whoever comes out of it will need to do better than Graham if the Bengals want to advance. It's sad to rely this much on a kicker, but when you have a great defense and a questionable offense then you'll need him in a clutch, low scoring game. If he's shanking kicks or TO starts yelling at Carson, it could be a long season in Cincinnati but this team has the potential to be tops in the AFC North for a second straight year.

Tiger-Cats Owner Gets Hosed

Now, I know almost all American football fans could care less about the Canadian Football League, and to be honest if I didn't go to the Toronto Sports Network for hockey stories I wouldn't know much aboot it at all. But currently there is a debate being held in Hamilton about where the Tiger-Cats should build their new stadium. To properly understand the situation, you need to know something about Ti-Cats owner Bob Young. He's a Hamilton native who purchased the team in 2003 in the memory of a late family member who was a devoted fan. While he's a savvy businessman, this wasn't a decision many others would consider smart. He did it because it was important to him to save professional football in his hometown. Throughout the years he has poured millions of his own dollars to turn the team around, which he has done (they finished 2nd in 2009). The Ti-Cats current venue is the 80 year old Ivor Wynne Stadium, and Young is willing to invest 75 million dollars into a new stadium. This is just a feel good story, right? It stops here.

Hamilton City Council and Young have been locked in a debate about where to put the new stadium. The government has selected the West Harbour for the new venue, an area that is apparently in dire need of reconstruction. Young hired a team of international experts to examine all possible locations, and they found (surprise, surprise) that the West Harbour is the worst location for the stadium. Now I don't know the logistics but I know that Bob Young has promised to contribute financially to the area as well as build a city soccer centre if he can build the stadium in a more beneficial spot. Young's reasoning? "We can't continue to lose millions of dollars a year." Reasonable, eh? The City Council has denied his request, and by doing so have basically told him that they do not care if the team stays or goes. Young, who has used money out of his own pocket to help the city for years, is now being shown the door by a government too stubborn to consider other options. It's a grave injustice that will only result in a historic team being forced out of a city desperate for income. I hope Ottawa or Quebec City (most likely the new destinations) enjoy the Ti-Cats more than the Hamilton City Council have.

State of the Union: Baltimore Ravens

Ray Lewis is a murderer.

I just like to throw that out there whenever I can. He's the scariest person in the country, because not even the justice system has the balls to punish him. He brings ferocity every snap of every game and is one of the big reasons why the Ravens defense has been elite for all these years. While the front seven are ready to have another great year shutting down the run, there are very legitimate questions about the secondary. I'm going to start off discussing the defense because the secondary could leave the Ravens in a hole to start the season since superstar safety Ed Reed is out for the first four or five weeks. In a competitive AFC North, getting off to a slow start can result in a lost season; just ask the Browns. So while Reed is just missing a portion of the season, the only steady corner going into this season, Domonique Foxworth, had a season-ending injury leaving a major hole in the secondary. Fabian Washington, who is coming off of an injury, will be looked upon to lead a cast of unproven corners including Chris Carr, Ladarius Webb, and Cary Williams (wait... who are they?). Dawan Landry and most likely Tom Zbikowski will man the safety spots in what will most likely be the league's worst secondary (even when Reed returns). Luckily for the Ravens, the front 7 will bring the heat with familiar faces like Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, and Trevor Pryce. Rookie Sergio Kindle, who will look to bounce back from a freak injury, and 2nd year pro Paul Kruger could definitely have an impact as outside rushers.

Now to the offense, which used to be the Ravens' Achilles heel, but will contend for top 5 this season. Young QB Joe Flacco is poised to have a major breakout season with newly acquired receivers Anquan Boldin and Dante Stallworth (actually killed a guy, no joke) and reliable tight end Todd Heap. The offensive line is elite with studs Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs, and Michael Oher. Running behind them will be the electric Ray Rice, complimented with Willis McGahee and fullback LaRon McClain. To be honest, I don't even need to go into the Ravens' offense too much to get the point across. They are going to be sick to watch this season if Joe Flacco plays like everyone expects him to. I'm hoping they bring Troy Smith in to run a wildcat with Rice. That would be filthy.

If the Ravens do not upgrade their secondary before the season then it will inevitably lead to their downfall. Carson Palmer and Ben Rapistberger are too good to not pick it apart even with a great pass rush coming at them. If the Ravens go for broke and make a deal to acquire an elite corner (I've heard Nnamdi Asomugha's name thrown around) they will have to overpay but it might be worth it. This is a legitimate Superbowl contender.

Amateur of the Week: Darrelle Revis

In this segment, we will pick out an athlete, coach, owner, commentator, or really anyone involved in the sports world who was the least professional that week. For our first Amateur of the Week post, I've had the pleasure to choose from one of the many screw-ups who graced the headlines. While players like K-Rod and Chris Bosh made valiant efforts to win the title, this week's biggest amateur is New York Jets holdout Darrelle Revis.

All summer, I've gone back and forth over who I should place the blame on for this ugly holdout. For a while I was pretty upset at GM Mike Tannenbaum for not paying arguably the Jets' most valuable player, but in the light of what happened this week, I'm now on the Jets side. First off, this isn't the first time Revis has played hard ball with the Jets. He held out before the 2007 season demanding that the Jets give him the maximum amount of years (6) on his rookie contract. So hold out no. 1 was about long term commitment, and most likely a few million dollars. Flash forward to 2010 where Revis has created an unneeded distraction (and much excitement at the HBO headquarters) demanding that he gets a fat contract making him the highest paid corner in the league (more than Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha's 15.1 mil a yr deal). After his All-Pro season, I understand why he would want to be paid like that, especially because he is set to earn "only" 1 mil this season. The problem is that while he has leverage because he is a crucial part of the Jets' no. 1 ranked defense, he is still under contract for 3 more years which means sitting out this season will only result in the same problem next year. Now to why he's this week's biggest amateur.

Early in the week, Jets owner Woody Johnson asked Revis if he could be present for the negotiations and then told the press he was "rebuffed" by his agents. Then the Revis camp issued a statement saying that was a "blatant lie," and they would meet anytime. Head Coach Rex Ryan then called that situation a "blatant joke," basically calling out both parties for playing the he said, she said game with the media. Ryan suggested that Johnson, Revis, and the entire organization meet up for an open negotiation to solve the problem (veteran offensive tackle Damian Woody agreed). While at first this sounds ridiculous, I think it's a pretty good idea since it creates the family atmosphere Rex talks so much about. Revis denied this request, and behind a closed door negotiation rejected the Jets' 10 years, 120 million dollar contract. That type of contract for a corner is unheard of, and Revis countered with 10 years, 160 million (plus guaranteed cash of course).

This should be the last straw for Revis supporters. I understand paying him 15+ mil a year for maybe 5 seasons, but once he's in his 30s there is no way he is playing to the same shutdown level that he is now (just look at Champ Bailey). The Jets' proposal most likely will give him that type of cash for the first half then have diminishing salaries for the rest. Completely reasonable. Plus, not only is the total salary not okay with Revis, but he's demanding more guaranteed money, and I've heard rumors that the Jets offered 30 mil. Revis needs to quit this egotistical Lebron James act, and get the deal signed so he can get back to doing what he does best: playing football. After watching Hard Knocks, I don't see how any player would want to get on Rex Ryan's bad side.

Darrelle, you're this week's biggest Amateur, it's time to start acting like a professional.

P.S. Since when did Al Davis set the market price for NFL players? He lost his mind in the 90s.

K-Rod Suspended for Fight with Step Father

Francisco Rodriguez suspended by the Mets for 2 days.

Only in America can someone get the weekend off for beating their step-father and getting charged with third degree assault and second degree harassment. In third world countries you may be able to beat women, but your elders are off limits. He'd probably lose a hand. None of that will happen here though. Sure the guy may lose over $125 grand, but compared to his $11.5 million salary that isn't too bad, plus he got the thrill of beating the crap out of his step-dad. Sure, he may go to prison for a year, but with the amount of money this guy has it's unlikely he'll get more than a slap on the wrist. How can the Mets be so lenient here? K-Rod hasn't been good enough to deserve the star treatment and he's embarrassed the franchise. 2 days off is a joke.

Pacers Win Big in Four Team Trade

The Indiana Pacers acquired point guard Darren Collison and Swingman James Posey from the New Orleans Hornets in a four team trade Wednesday that also involved the Houston Rockets and New Jersey Nets. Collison, along with Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert, should form the nucleus of Indiana team that will struggle for playoff contention this upcoming season.

The Pacers shipped C/PF Troy Murphy, who averaged 14.6ppg and 10.2rpg to the Nets, who in turn sent SG Courtney Lee who averaged 12.5ppg and 1.7apg for the Rockets. The Hornets obtained SG/SF Trevor Ariza who averaged 14.9ppg, 5.6rpg, and 2.8apg from the Rockets.

While the Pacers are clear winners in this trade, acquiring a a much needed point guard who averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 assists as a rookie last season, including 18.8 points and 9.1 assists in 37 starts filling in for Chris Paul, as well as a great role player in Posey, the trade was beneficial for all parties included.

The Rockets, who spent a combined $70 million this offseason to keep such "stars" as Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry, and spent another $15 million to acquire Yao's insurance policy, Brad Miller, were way over the salary cap, thus parting with Ariza, arguably the most talented player in the trade, was not a terrible move, although they will still have to pay a luxury tax. Courtney Lee will be a solid role player most, likely backing up Kevin Martin who the Rockets acquired from the Sacramento Kings during last year's trade deadline.

Although the Hornets gave up a very skilled point guard in Collison, they have Chris Paul the best point guard in the NBA. In Ariza they get a proven contributor in all facets of the game. Will this stop Chris Paul from wanting to be traded? Probably not. But they now have a pretty solid starting lineup with Peja Stojakovic, David West, Ariza and Paul. If Paul is not traded mid-season the Hornets could be a middle of the pack playoff team in the weakened Western Conference.

The Nets get big man Troy Murphy, who is essentially on a one year loan as his contract expires next season. When Murphy becomes a free agent next year the Nets will have around $20 million in cap space.

While this shakes up the makeup of the teams involved, none of these teams will actually be able to compete in their respective conferences. The Rockets and Hornets (if they keep Paul) could be able to nag mid-level playoff positions, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they will not be able to compete with the Lakers. The Nets and Pacers will both struggle to make the playoffs and if they do will likely be swept by one of the Eastern powerhouses. While the Rockets should be quite a good team if they can stay healthy, and the Pacers certainly get better with the arrivals of Collison and Posey, it will be very interesting to see if Ariza can turn the Hornets into legit playoff contenders.

State of the Union: Cleveland Browns

If there is a Sports God, he hates Cleveland. The last several decades have made that obvious. This season shouldn't be any better for Browns fans, as their looking at a thin roster and another year of Eric Mangini. To be fair to the Mangenius, at least this season he isn't playing "mind games" and withholding the name of his starting quarterback until week one. Personally, I can see his logic in that one. Preparing for one crappy quarterback versus preparing for another must have been tricky for defenses to scheme against, and had it worked out he would have been praised all across Cleveland, but because it failed he's the bad guy. This year, he's solidified his offense by sticking with rock star Jake Delhomme. How could a guy that threw 8 tds vs 18 ints last season not be the answer? Unless he breaks down and hangs himself at halftime in week three he should improve. It's hard to consistently put up JaMarcus type numbers. Even if by some chance he does falter, they have studs Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy in the fold to bail him out. McCoy isn't supposed to play this year and is considered the long term solution, but let's see if a bad start changes things. Honestly, I love the kid. He was great at UT and I'll always remember watching him play for the 'Horns but I think he'll bomb in the league. He didn't have to throw anything beyond ten yards and he looks like he still believes in Santa. That probably won't cut it.

One of the few good things coming out of Browns camp is that Wallace (who's lighting it up) and Josh Cribbs look great in their "Flash and Cyclone" package. It's their variation of the wildcat, and having two former college quarterbacks running it should make it effective. It'll probably be the only bright spot of Cleveland's offense, especially with their receiving corps counting on unproven Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie to step up in order to be solid. Most of the offense will have to come from Josh Cribbs, who is unarguably the best player on their roster. They rewarded him with a big contract, but didn't the Browns learn anything from Devin Hester? Return guys have a shorter shelf life than running backs, and one has to wonder how much longer Cribbs will be a factor. "Don't kick the ball to Dante Hall" and constant hi-lights of Hester taking back kicks seem like yesterday, so when does Cribbs slow down after trying to do too much? Maybe he'll do well this year, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him lose a step or two by the end of the season.

By the end of 2009, Jerome Harrison looked like the answer at running back. He won't be able to shoulder the same load he took on in the last few games, so the Browns are hoping for rookie Montario Hardesty to come up big. He's been hurt through camp, but if he can get himself together, the second round pick out of Tennessee should help improve the league's 8th ranked rushing attack. Jamal Lewis is gone so it isn't like they have other options.

The Browns were pitiful on defense (28th against the run and 29th against the pass). They brought in Scott Fugita (is there anything more disappointing than going from a Super Bowl winner in New Orleans to playing for a crappy team in a crappier city?) and Matt Roth to bolster their linebacking corps, and rookie cornerback Joe Haden out of Florida will contend for playing time in a secondary that now includes Sheldon Brown. Almost anything is an improvement for last year's second worst defense, but even if the new additions play as expected it's highly unlikely Cleveland will return to playoff contention. With LeBron gone from the Ohio's sporting scene, fans will be looking at the Browns for some kind of relief, but it looks like another long year for Brownie fans. The team finished last year on a four game winning streak to finish off at 5-11, but hope of anything more than a 6 win season in the tough AFC North is slightly delusional. Dog pound (Yes that was a cheesy ploy to get the Baha Men involved. Go to hell.): as long as Mike Holmgren has a say this team will improve. He won a Super Bowl once. Dude knows how to win.

Contracts Under Investigation

The Toronto Sports Network has reported that the NHL is investigating the long term contracts of Roberto Luongo (12 years), Marian Hossa (12), Chris Pronger (7), and Marc Savard (7) after the arbitrator for Kovalchuk's 17 year contract ruled in the NHL's favor. All five of these contracts follow the same pattern: the players will play at age 40 or older and the yearly salary drastically drops in the final few seasons. It looks as if the NHL has finally taken a stance against teams circumventing the salary cap rules.

This has been a hot topic for the past couple years, and I find it ridiculous that the NHL is just now officially looking into this. If it wasn't for Kovalchuk's deal, I don't think there would be any investigation at all. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello is looking pretty smart right now. By signing Kovy to an outrageous deal that he knew would be rejected, he forced the NHL to look into past deals, as well as prevent any future deals of this sort. I must say for a guy who mastered the most boring style of hockey there is, he's made this off season pretty damn exciting. I'm very interested to see what happens next.

P.S. As long as the NHL doesn't stick their nose into the long contracts of Johan Franzen (11) and Henrik Zetterberg (12), I'm perfectly happy with them screwing over guys like the Hoss and Pronger.

This is why I Love and Hate Baseball

"Brawl" between the Reds and Cardinals.

Bad blood makes any sport great. Throw in a few old men cursing each other off, and it's pretty hard to mess something up. That being said, what the hell baseball? Bud Selig has such a monopoly on MLB's media (he doesn't let anything on youtube) that I can't get a decent breakdown of the Reds-Cardinals fight anywhere online. They were hi-lighting guys kicking each other on Sportscenter, but I can't catch another instant replay? Sometimes I like seeing a guy get cleated in the face, and it would have been nice to share that moment, but because of Bud Selig I can not. Bench clearing brawls should be shared with the masses, but baseball needs to take steps to improve their product. First of all, are they seriously kicking here? I didn't see a single punch but the second the guy's on his back he starts flailing like Michael Flatley. You don't kick. Unless it's the World Cup final. Then it's awesome. Secondly, everyone was standing around gawking. Watch a few old hockey fights and start throwing punches. Get your act together baseball. I'm going to the Padres game tomorrow and I'd like to see some action.

State of the Union: Arizona Cardinals

Arizona's season is in this guys hands.

Good news for Cardinals fans though. You may have lost potential Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. You may have lost the explosive arial attack that came with lining up Anquan Boldin opposite Larry Fitzgerald. You still have Beanie Wells. When he went down with a potentially serious rib injury earlier this camp, the entire franchise held its breath. Despite the fact that Ken Wisenhunt insists that they will play the same system, this will certainly be a different offense than the Cardinals of late. There will be immense pressure on Beanie and Tim Hightower to carry the load but they may be up to the task as they have both been impressive. Officially, the two are supposed to split carries this year, but more likely than not Beanie will get the majority of the work load. Beanie has come into camp looking great after having a fully healthy offseason for the first time. If he can improve on his already solid 4.5 yards per carry, Leinart may not have to be a wizard for this offense to succeed.

Matt Leinart. I really have no idea where to start with him. Has anyone underwhelmed so much without being bad enough to be deemed a complete bust? The organization still has faith in him, but most of that has to come from the fact that he hasn't had to carry the load. Word from their camp is that he hasn't been great, but he hasn't been bad either. More of the same. This story plays out every summer with Matty and I don't expect the results to be much different (mediocrity sprinkled with failure). Unfortunately for the Cards, QB happens to be the most important position in the NFL, and if he fails the team fails. You can't win in the playoffs with a bad QB at the helm. Fortunately for him, he has an all-world receiver to throw to, and his running game is better than anything Warner ever had. If he can't succeed in this situation then it's time for him to hang up the pads. Or at least never be expected to start again. Either one works.

A defense that ranked 23rd against the pass and 17th against the run needs improvement, especially if they're going from a high flying passing offense to more of a grind it out game. To help out against the pass, the Cardinals have brought in safety, and former Jet, Kerry Rhodes. Some people in these parts don't care much for Kerry, but sometimes a change of scenery can rejuvenate a player. Getting out from the expectations of New York and having someone like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the secondary can help as well. Joey Porter is another familiar face that's found his way into the desert. They're hoping he'll get back to his 2008 form (17.5 sacks) and help put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. If he can do that, and Darnell Dockett can continue to look scary as hell/improve on the field, then this defense has the potential to be good enough to win in the playoffs.

This team finds itself as an underdog in the weak NFC West for the first time in several years. Reports indicate that they're relishing this role and looking to prove doubters wrong. If it weren't for Matt Leinart, I'd say the Cardinals have a shot. Arizona relied heavily on Kurt Warner, and Matt seems to be the only person in camp who hasn't stepped up. This is still the period where almost everything coming out of camp is positive yet there are still uncertainties about him. Maybe this is just adds to the "nobody believed in us factor," but Matty seems too steeped in booze and smoking broads to care. If we were timing keg stands I'd take him in a second, but as the starting quarterback for my team I'd rather look elsewhere.

State of the Union: San Francisco 49ers

It seems as if the Niners have been poised for two seasons to finally take control of the weak NFC West, but each year they play near .500 football. Once again San Fran is buzzing with hope for another shot at the playoffs. This may be the year they return to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Head Coach Mike Singletary has built a roster of talented, yet disciplined players willing to play tough football. Their first round of the 2010 draft is a perfect example of this. They loaded up on offensive linemen grabbing Rutgers OT Anthony Davis and Idaho OG Mike Iupati, ensuring that Alex Smith will have sufficient time in the pocket this year. This is great news for WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis, who are both sure to light up defenses this season. I'm a big Alex Smith fan so I absolutely believe that the Niners will have a great passing attack, but if he falters Frank Gore will carry this offense like he has done in the past. All in all I think the offense is ready to breakout this season, and I won't be surprised if they are top 5 by the end of the season.

The Niners' offense isn't the only thing that has potential to be great this season, as the defense is looking like a Mike Singletary defense should. Linebacker Patrick Willis has taken it upon himself to be a mentor for the young linebackers, especially Navarro Bowman, the dynamic rookie from Penn State. Bowman and 2nd round pick Taylor Mays will have every opportunity to earn playing time which should only inject this defense with youth, speed, and hard hits. Mays, a 6-3 235 lbs. strong safety, has scary potential. if he can be coached into a smarter player. Veterans Justin Smith, Nate Clements, and Takeo Spikes are ready to lead a defense that should be known for their brutal hits by the end of the season.

I'm pretty excited to watch Niners' games this season just because of Mike Singletary. I love a guy that doesn't bullshit and tells the media straight up that they will play football the way its meant to be played. He's kind of like a smaller, black Rex Ryan, except without the trash talk. If Alex Smith can rise to the challenge, maybe we will see the Niners' make a run in the playoffs like the Jets did this past year.

Kovy Back in Free Agency

The arbitrator finally ruled that the NHL had the right to void Ilya Kovalchuk's contract. Sorry Devil fans. Not really, but you get what I mean. You know Lou isn't going to pony up the cash to give him an offer that doesn't completely work around the CBA. He'll probably give something similar to Hossa's deal, but I'd expect the Islanders or the Kings to match or exceed it. Honestly, if I were Ilya, I'd sign on somewhere else. This isn't because of geography. Unlike most people, I love Jersey, but once Marty's gone the Devils are in for a few rough years. The other two teams in the race are on the up and up. The Islanders have a young group that should be exciting to watch develop over the next couple of seasons and the Penguins have shown that you can go from bankrupt to league gem with the right faces. The Kings play in a potentially big market if they produce a winner, have made the playoffs, and are looking to take the next step. Whatever happens, the free agency circus is open again and, though it seems hypocritical, the NHL has gained some credibility by taking a stand on ridiculous long-term contracts. A line has been drawn. It may be a few 10 year deals too late, but at least it's been drawn.

Welcome to Revis Island

Basically what Revis and the Jets are doing to their fans.

Jets owner Woody Johnson says that his gut feeling is that Darrelle Revis will not play this year. Remember when I said that the Jets will go 8-8? Scratch that. I'm thinking sub .500. This team now has all of the makings of a monumental collapse. All the hype, all the buildup, and ESPN predicting a division championship only to potentially lose their best player to his own ego. No owner would pay him what Al Davis paid Nnamdi Asomugha, especially after bringing in Cromartie and taking cornerback Kyle Wilson in the first round. I almost forgot why it's fun to hate on the Jets. It's not just busting Drisk's balls or the fact that they always fail, but the way they imagine the most creative ways to crush their fan base. It's like watching a car wreck every season, only everybody in the car knows the crash is coming and yells, "screw it. I'm going anyway." All you can do is laugh. Do I think Sexy Rexy can put this team back together? No. Do I think they'll make the playoffs? Not a chance. If I'm wrong I'll eat my words, but good luck this season Jet fans and remember to stay away from sharp objects.

Tiger!

Wow. 18 over? Is that a joke? This is what you get for claiming you're a sex addict when you're just a baller. Denying his love for hoes has put him in a mental funk. News flash Tiger: you're single now. Your ex cleaned you out for about half a billion dollars. How many times could you possibly get caught again? Get after it, get your head together, and sink some putts. When you start winning the people will forgive you. That's how America works.

Seriously TO?

According to Terrell Owens, it wasn't his fault that he parted with Dallas and he should still be on their sideline. I've been a long time TO apologist. I over look the drops and drama because I think the guy was one of the best in the league. San Francisco and Philly both dropped off after he left even though they often held him responsible for chemistry issues and on field failures, so it wasn't like he was making teams worse. That being said, this time he needs to shut his mouth. After a year of football exile in Buffalo, you would have thought that he'd learn to be grateful when a playoff team brings him in. You would have thought that he'd at least try to say the right things and be appreciative that a team would take him and his reality show act. But no, he has to make it seem as though he's already unhappy to be there and that he should be in another camp. I don't know if the Bengals can handle this sort of behavior. They don't put up with selfish players. There are certainly going to be some consequences unless he catches 2 for 18 yards in a preseason game. You can't part ways with that kind of a stud.

State of the Union: Seattle Seahawks

When's the last time something went right for Seattle? Was it Nirvana getting big and making it a music scene? It had to be. They seem to constantly be getting screwed over. The Supersonics hadn't won anything since 1979 before their fans went through the heartbreak of losing them, and now it's official that the Seahawks were jobbed in Super Bowl XL. It was a fact that was painfully obvious to Seattle faithful, but to bring the point out again while they can only hope for mediocrity only twists the knife further.

Even though this should be a building year, there is hope for the future in Seattle. They drafted Earl Thomas who should help a secondary that was ranked 30th in the league against the pass. Aaron Curry, the stud linebacker out of Wake Forest two years ago, was mostly injured last year (in fact it's hard not to find a player on this defense that wasn't hurt at some point). He has a concussion right now, so he isn't participating in camp, but with 1st string help around him and a revamped scheme he has the chance to bounce back and be the star he should be. He and Lofa Tatupu can make this linebacking unit scary (along with Leroy Hill who's frightening in general. Leroy!).

Pete Carroll looks to surprise in his return to the NFL, but I doubt it. It's one thing to run a pro-style offense when your talent is better than everyone else's, it's quite another to do it when everyone's on even footing. I could have gone to USC, called plays Madden-style, and still probably come away with a 7 win season. He seems to be banking his quarterbacking future on Charlie Whitehurst, but so far he hasn't been anything special in camp. He's making a more mobile offense for a guy who's old and coming off a slew of injuries. Sounds like a great idea. Sign me up for the Seattle Bandwagon.

Offensively it's hard not to weep. When Julius Jones (who I never thought was very good) is your starting back and he was worried that Lendale White would take his spot. That can't be a good sign. That's no slight to White. I love a fat running back. The fact is that if someone is already off the roster, trying to catch on in Denver due to a strange string of injuries, he shouldn't have ever been mentioned as a potential starter. At QB, the report is that Hasslebeck is looking healthy and mobile in the new offense that requires him to run outside the pocket more often. They say Whitehurst isn't challenging him for the starting role and Matt looks great heading into the season. Maybe with Russell Okung coming in to protect his left side he'll have some help and Golden Tate will look good as a rookie, but as a whole I'm not buying this. Doesn't this happen every year? Older QB looks good in offseason after injury, team gets excited, fans start to believe, then week 2 he's rolling around on the turf like the weird kid in the sandbox. Don't get your hopes up 'Hawks fans. You always get screwed. That's your place in the world.

Update: Justin Forsett is set to get the majority of first team carries at running back. Whether he'll fit well in this system is anybody's guess, but together with Leon Washington they should make a decent tandem. Improvement on Julius Jones, but not exactly dominant. Remember again Seahawks fans: low expectations.