by Wally

The “offseason Super Bowl” of college football is today … National Signing Day Feb 2.   All those national letters of intent are being faxed to athletic departments all over the country.  In fact, by now most of them are in.   Given that recruiting is the lifeblood of college football, this is a big day.    As of 1:30 Central, this was one scouting service’s ranking of the recruiting classes … (from Scout.com):

Rank	School	Commits	Conf	Points	Top 100				Off	Def	SpT	HS	JC	Avg
1.	Auburn	25	SEC	4784	3	3	14	8	12	13	0	25	0	3.80
2.	Florida State	27	ACC	4596	11	5	10	12	13	14	0	25	2	3.74
3.	Ohio State	24	Big Ten	4403	8	3	12	8	10	13	1	24	0	3.71
4.	Texas	22	Big 12	4355	8	4	11	7	12	10	0	22	0	3.86
5.	Georgia	25	SEC	4123	5	2	11	10	11	13	1	25	0	3.52
6.	USC	28	Pac-12	4120	5	2	12	9	12	13	3	24	4	3.39
7.	Alabama	23	SEC	4054	7	2	13	8	10	13	0	20	3	3.74
8.	Notre Dame	23	Indep	3906	5	4	6	13	10	12	1	23	0	3.61
9.	LSU	22	SEC	3552	5	3	7	11	12	9	1	21	1	3.55
10.	Tennessee	27	SEC	3498	4	0	9	18	14	13	0	24	3	3.33
11.	Clemson	29	ACC	3481	5	2	7	16	15	13	1	29	0	3.24
12.	Oregon	23	Pac-12	3402	4	0	12	10	13	10	0	21	2	3.48
13.	South Carolina	33	SEC	3331	1	1	5	22	16	17	0	32	1	3.06
14.	California	22	Pac-12	3257	3	1	8	13	9	13	0	20	2	3.45
15.	Arkansas	32	SEC	3201	1	1	6	19	17	15	0	28	4	3.03
16.	North Carolina	25	ACC	3057	5	2	5	13	11	13	1	23	2	3.12
17.	Oklahoma	17	Big 12	3040	4	4	4	9	9	8	0	17	0	3.71
18.	Texas Tech	28	Big 12	2971	2	0	7	17	16	12	0	24	4	3.07
19.	Washington	24	Pac-12	2956	2	2	3	17	12	12	0	23	1	3.21
20.	Oklahoma State	26	Big 12	2838	3	1	5	16	10	15	1	23	3	3.12
21.	Florida	18	SEC	2836	3	1	8	8	7	10	1	18	0	3.50
22.	Mississippi	28	SEC	2826	4	0	5	19	14	14	0	20	8	3.04
23.	Stanford	19	Pac-12	2791	1	0	7	12	10	9	0	19	0	3.37
24.	Nebraska	20	Big Ten	2788	5	1	8	8	11	8	1	18	2	3.35
25.	Virginia	26	ACC	2721	1	0	4	19	12	14	0	26	0	3.04

Looks like Auburn is getting a lot of mileage out of their stellar championship season.   And Florida State is making a comeback under Jimbo Fisher.    For having such a poor season, Mack Brown and Texas made a great haul.    Despite their recent troubles, including having Lame Kiffin as coach, USC is still a huge player.   (Hmmm … their “Pay The Players Package” must still be in place).

As for Notre Dame, a VERY GOOD class especially on the D-line and defensive front 7  overall … probably their best haul since the early ’90s.   I think they snagged 7 or 8 of ESPN’s Top 150.    Given you’re probably unlikely to compete for a national title without a great D-line (“SEC formula”), this bodes very well for ND’s program in a couple years.    I’m encouraged.   Now, only poor coaching could screw this up.    In past years, I’d be worried about that happening … but now with Brian Kelly, I think we’re gonna see the Irish compete consistently in the Top 10.    Hope I’m right!

Positive Note:    Michigan Skunkbears out of the Top 25 … tee hee, tee hee 

Comments or observations from the Pine?

By Paul Casey Gotham

****Remember, try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.

My name might get bandied about this week if it hasn’t already. I am in a category all by myself when it comes to the Super Bowl. Some might think it a less-than-flattering category. Doesn’t matter to me. I wonder if they’ll compare me to Aaron Rodgers. They should. We have something in common beyond the position we played on the field.  I started playing professional football when there were two drafts. I was taken fifth overall in the N.F.L. draft and 75th overall in the A.F.L. version. I chose the The League. I got eighteen years out of that choice and made 145 starts with three different clubs. Early in my career I led the league in yards per completion and attempt. Led the league twice in those categories. By the end of my career, I led the league in sacks and yards lost by sack. I made Drew Bledsoe look mobile. But that’s not exactly what I am known for. Early in my career I made it to the last Sunday of the season. Squared off with a team that had a legend under center. Years before, he handed off to Alan Ameche. They had another guy they also used as QB on that day. My team came out on the short end of the score that day. Few years and two teams later I returned to that game and played against my original team.  I had as many interceptions as completions in that game. I said I was in a category that some might consider less-than-flattering. That’s all right. I got there.

Who am I?

Courtesy of nfl.com

By TLarner

Win and you’re in, to the Super Bowl that is. Fierce NFC North rivals face off in Chicago, while hopefuls in New York travel to the Steel City.

NFC Championship: Green Bay at Chicago

For the third time this season, NFC North rivals face off, but this time for all the glory. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the Packers (12-6) and Bears (12-5) meet for only the second time in postseason action. On December 14, 1941, the Bears beat the Packers 33-14 to reach the NFL title game.

In Week 3, Chicago hosted Green Bay, and won 20-17. The Packers led 10-7 going into the fourth quarter, but a punt return by Devin Hester gave the Bears the lead. Aaron Rodgers drove down the field, and finished the drive off with a three-yard touchdown run, but Chicago Kicker Robbie Gould connected on two field goals to secure the win. In that game, the Packers had 18 penalties for 152 yards, which ruined many drives.

Then in Week 17, Green Bay defeated Chicago 10-3 at home. It was a must win for them to reach the playoffs as the sixth seed in the NFC. Rodgers threw the only touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on a one-yard pass to tight end Donald Lee. In a defensive battle, the Packers picked off Jay Cutler twice.

Last week, the Green Bay defense terrorized the Atlanta Falcon’s high powered offense. They sacked Matt Ryan five times, intercepted him twice, and also forced a fumble. Atlanta was held to under 200 total yards, and was only 3 of 10 on third down conversions. In Chicago’s first playoff game, they beat the Seattle Seahawks 35-24. Seattle’s three running backs were held to 20 yards on nine carries, while the Bears ran for 176 yards.

This week, I believe the Green Bay Packers have the edge. The defense has played lights out football since that Week 17 game against the Bears. They have shut down two of the best offenses in the league by beating Philadelphia and Atlanta in the first two rounds of the playoffs. And last week, the offense was unstoppable. Rodgers threw for three touchdowns, and ran for another. Four different receivers had over 75 yards. The Bears need defensive ends Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije to harass Rodgers all game long. If they can disrupt the passing game, and Cutler is able to play without any turnovers, and Hester can take a kick to the house, then Chicago has a chance.

My prediction, Green Bay Packers 24-14.

AFC Championship:

New York Jets at Pittsburgh

The New York Jets (13-5) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) will face off for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. This is a position the Steelers are used to being in, unlike the Jets. The last time New York played in the Super Bowl was in 1969 against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Joe Namath’s infamous “guarantee” led to a 16-7 victory. The Steelers are looking for their third Lombardi Trophy since 2006. In Super Bowl XL, they defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21-10, and in Super Bowl XLIII, they beat the Cardinals 27-23.

In Week 15, these two teams faced off in Pittsburgh. The Jets won 22-17. Special teams ace Brad Smith returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh running back Mewelde Moore was tackled for a safety by Jason Taylor, putting the game out of reach. It’s important to note that Steelers’ safety Troy Polamalu did not play in that game, but he will play today.

The Jets have knocked off Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in consecutive weeks, and are hoping to add another elite QB to that list by defeating Ben Roethlisberger. Against New England, the New York defense sacked Brady five times, and picked him off once. Mark Sanchez threw three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Steelers defeated the Ravens last week 31-24. Roethlisberger threw for two touchdowns, and running back Rashard Mendenhall ran for two more. The Pittsburgh defense sacked Joe Flacco five times, and safety Ryan Clark added an interception and forced fumble. Baltimore was held to a pathetic 126 total yards.

Fans in New York should be worried today. The Steelers have the top run stopping defense in the NFL. Although the Jets have the third best defense against the run, I would take Roethlisberger over Sanchez any day. Sanchez is 4-1 in playoff games, but Roethlisberger already has two Super Bowl rings.

My prediction, Pittsburgh Steelers 21-7.

Have NFL Splinters? Share them here.

By Paul Casey Gotham

****Remember, try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.

I probably have no right being here. Not many people pay attention to fullbacks.  My NFL career consisted of a little more than 370 rush attempts for 1,400+ yards and a dozen touchdowns. Not exactly stellar numbers huh? Seems strange for a guy that was recruited by USC, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Purdue, Notre Dame and Alabama. Yeah, Bear Bryant told me I didn’t want to go to ND. He said Parseghian wasn’t going to stay too much longer. The old codger was right. Parseghian stepped down before I graduated. I guess I made the right decision. Truth is, I wasn’t always a fullback. Yeah, when I left college, I was the all-time leading rusher in school’s history. No lie. I’m not trying to pull your leg.  My senior year we lost in the Rose Bowl. The tailback from the other team finished second in the Heisman voting. I was third. I scored my team’s only touchdown in that game. I was taken in the second round of the NFL draft. As a rookie, I played in the Super Bowl. In fact, I scored my team’s only touchdown again. It was also a losing effort. Here’s something else. The guy who won the Heisman? He played on the Super Bowl winner. He was the first guy to win the national title one year and the Super Bowl the next year. Me? I was the first guy to score a touchdown in the Rose Bowl and the Super Bowl.

Who am I?

By Paul Casey Gotham

****Remember, try this without research. That is, make like Wally and release your inner James Joyce. Show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.

I was number one, and I would easily trade to be number two. Let me explain. I was an overall number one pick in the draft, but I would do anything to go for the ride  that number two enjoyed.  I’m not sure why I went before him. He won the Heisman and the national championship. In a decade when a bunch of teams won the national championship with one loss, he played for an undefeated national champion. In his rookie season, he played for the Super Bowl champion. I’m not sure if anyone has done that since him – win the national title one year and the Super Bowl the following – but no one had done it prior to that year. In his first nine seasons, only a strike could keep him from rushing for 1,000 yards. He’s got a bust in Canton. I think he was the only hall-of-famer in our entire draft. Me? I rushed for a thousand in one of my six seasons in the NFL. We won two games my first season. Believe it or not, that was an improvement over the previous season. Man, there’s not enough cream cheese in the world for the bagel they hung the season before I arrived.

Who am I?

By Paul Casey Gotham

****Remember, try this without research. Make like Wally, and release your inner James Joyce. Show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.

I can thank a Super-Bowl winning quarterback for my career. Well kinda. I’m not a wide receiver or tight end or anything like that. It’s just that that guy might have helped me focus my efforts. Maybe you could stretch things a little and compare me to Wally Pipp. You see, I spent the first couple years of my college career as a back-up QB. When I finally got a chance, I got hurt, and he took over from there. He’s racked up quite a few yards passing. I’ve racked up quite a few hits. Not many out there would compare our careers, but you could. I don’t know his stats off the top of my head, but I know he’s led the league in at least a couple of passing categories. Me? I led the league in hits, average, OBP, RBI and slugging all in the same season. Somehow, I didn’t get an MVP that year. Something about me hitting where the air is too thin. What do they know? I’ve had some good seasons since then. Nothing like that year though. 11 of my 14 years I have hit over .300. Yeah, I guess that QB helped. Lord knows what would have happened had I taken over for Colquitt, and things went better. My life might have been different….Nahhhh!

Who am I?

by Wally

Now that TLarner has completed his terrific research and analysis on the upcoming division races in the NFL, I thought it would be appropriate to solicit opinions on which teams  will do well and emerge from the playoffs.   As an appetizer of sorts, I stumbled across a posting on ESPN in which ~25 NFL pundits/writers expressed their opinions on who would play in the Super Bowl and who would win it.    Their picks are shown below.   For the record, I’m shocked and disgusted that nobody picked the Bears (even the Texans got 1 vote to represent the AFC)     Please post your picks with a comment.

ESPN PIGSKIN PANEL SB PICKS

• Eric Allen:  Ravens over Cowboys
• Bill Barnwell:  Falcons over Steelers
• Stephania Bell: 49ers over Chargers
• Matthew Berry:  Ravens over Niners
• John Clayton:  Colts over Cowboys
• Colin Cowherd:  Packers over Ravens
• Dave Fleming:  Packers over Texans
• Tim Graham:  Colts over Packers
• Christopher Harris:  Boys over Ravens
• Tim Hasselbeck:  Colts over Packers
• Merril Hoge:  Packers over Bengals
• KC Joyner:  Colts over Packers
• Eric Karabell:  Packers over Colts
• Mel Kiper:  Ravens over Saints
• Paul Kuharsky:  Packers over Ravens
• Chad Millman:  Chargers over Packers
• Matt Mosley:  Ravens over Giants
• Antonio Pierce:  Ravens over Saints
• Mike Sando:  Colts over Cowboys
• Aaron Schatz:  Ravens over Packers
• Kevin Seifert:  Ravens over Cowboys
• James Walker:  Colts over Packers
• Bill Williamson:  Ravens over Packers
• Matt Williamson:  Colts over Packers
• Pat Yasinskas:  Saints over Chargers

The Summary of ESPN’s poll:   Ravens, Colts & Packers are the overwhelming favorites to GO….. ALL ……  THE …… WAY!  (As Chris “Shelley” Berman would say).

So what do you think???    We can have our own splinters poll.

Courtesy of neworleanssaints.com

By TLarner

Here’s a look at the home of the Super Bowl Champion Saints, the NFC South.

“Play Like A Champion Today”

Atlanta Falcons

Strength- The Falcons have an offense with plenty of playmakers. Former Boston College star Matt Ryan enters his third year as Atlanta’s starting quarterback. After being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008, Ryan avoided the “sophomore slump” by throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 22 touchdowns in only 14 starts. Ryan’s longest pass came in Week 5 against San Francisco when Roddy White broke a tackle on a short curl route, and went 90 yards for a score. White has established himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL. Since 2007, he has caught 256 balls for 3,737 yards and 24 touchdowns. Running back Michael “The Burner” Turner looks to rebound after an injury-plagued 2009. Turner was held to 11 games, and ran for 871 yards and 10 touchdowns. The final piece to an all-star puzzle is tight end Tony Gonzalez. The future Hall of Famer is playing in his 14th season (2nd with Atlanta). While with Kansas City, Gonzalez had over 10,000 receiving yards and 76 TD’s. In search of a Super Bowl ring, he was traded to the Falcons in 2009.

Weakness- Atlanta’s passing defense was terrible in 2009. Ranked 28th overall, they gave up 241.9 yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks had an average 89.5 passer rating. The Falcons were also tied for 26th with only 28 sacks. Corner Brent Grimes led the team with six interceptions. He started eight games at corner, and was fifth on the team with 66 tackles. Chris Owens came on late into his rookie year, and started the final six games. Chevis Jackson is another young corner who looks to improve in 2010. Jackson played in the nickel role his rookie year, taking a pick back 95 yards for a score in 2008. However, he failed to produce in ’09. Brian Williams was signed as a free agent from Jacksonville last season, but tore an ACL in Week 6. His veteran leadership is valuable to this young group of athletes. Atlanta’s free agent splash this year was corner Dunta Robinson, formerly of the Texans. Robinson recorded 393 tackles and 13 interceptions in his six seasons in Houston. Add to the mix rookie Dominique Franks, and Atlanta hopes the defense can solidify and lead them back to the playoffs.

Biggest Question- Who will be Atlanta’s kicker in the 2010 season? I see no questions with any offensive or defensive playmakers, and the Falcons have had trouble in recent memory with the kicking game. Jason Elam struggled mightily in 2009. He had a 62% success rate, and missed many short range kicks and field goals that would have changed the course of a few games. In the middle of the season, Atlanta held a kicking tryout after releasing Elam. Currently, the traveled veteran Matt Bryant is the only kicker on the roster, but the team has its concerns. Bryant went 7 of 10 last season after Elam left. This preseason, Bryant has missed kicks of 47 and 50 yards, and an extra point. Extra points should be automatic for NFL kickers. The Falcons cut Steve Hauschka in August, but may be looking for someone after teams make cuts for the final 53 man roster. We’ve seen too many teams rise and fall on the foot of a field goal kicker (2002, ’03, and ’04 Super Bowls were all won by New England by three points).

Carolina Panthers

Strength- Last season, there was no greater duo of running backs than that of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers were third in the league with 2,498 total rushing yards. Williams was taken in the first round of the 2006 draft, and Stewart in the first round of the 2008 draft. Both have lived up to their hype. Williams ran for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns with a 5.1 yard per carry average in 2009. Stewart followed up with 1,133 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also averaged 5.1 yards per carry. In 2008, the pair combined for 2,351 yards and 28 touchdowns. Don’t expect any less from the Panthers this season. Star linemen Jordan Gross, Ryan Kalil, and Jeff Otah will lead the way.  Carolina is going need a heavy dose of the ground game to protect Matt Moore, who takes over as the starting QB. Moore started seven games last season and has shown many signs of brilliance. Yes, Jimmy Clausen was drafted out of Notre Dame this year, but do not anticipate seeing him on the field this year. He’ll be on the bench, learning the offense, and watching Williams and Stewart tear up defenses.

Weakness- This offseason, the Panthers lost Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers. He was publicly frustrated with the Panthers organization, and signed with Chicago this year. Without Peppers, Carolina does not have much of a pass rush. Everette Brown was taken in the second round of the draft last season. As a rookie, he made 22 tackles with two and a half sacks. Charles Johnson enters his fourth year with the team. Last season, he recorded 25 tackles and four sacks. Tyler Brayton is the veteran end in Carolina. Brayton spent five years in Oakland before joining the Panthers in 2008. He recorded five sacks, starting 15 games opposite Peppers. While these defenders have potential, they will miss having Peppers at the other end. Now, opposing offenses will not have to use a double team to stop one guy, and can focus on both ends equally. The Panthers are also very young at the tackle position. Starters from last year Damione Lewis and Hollis Thomas are no longer with the team.

Biggest Question- Is Matt Moore the right man for the quarterback position? Moore has made eight starts in his three years. In rookie season, he started the final three games, and won two. Last season, Moore started the final five games, and was very impressive. He went 4-1, beating Tampa Bay, Minnesota, the Giants, and New Orleans. He threw for 990 yards and eight touchdowns, and only one pick. He takes over his first season as the full time starter in 2010. If he can play as well as he did last season, Carolina may be a formidable opponent, and could improve from being a .500 team to making a wildcard bid. As previously mentioned, this team has a run-first offense, as do many teams with young quarterbacks. However, there are some people who want to see rookie Jimmy Clausen on the field. Clausen figures to be the most NFL ready QB in this year’s draft. In Notre Dame, Charlie Weis ran a pro-style offense, very similar to the Panthers. I believe he is better off with the headset on the sideline for at least the first year. Many quarterbacks with high expectations have been thrusted into a starting role too early, and have failed miserably. It will be interesting to see who is taking the snaps for Carolina at the end of the season.

New Orleans Saints

Strength- What would the NFL look like if the Miami Dolphins signed Drew Brees instead of Dante Culpepper in 2006? The Saints would not have won the Super Bowl, I can guarantee that. Brees has exceeded many expectations in his career, and last season was no different. Many said he was too short. San Diego let him go because of the multiple shoulder surgeries he had. They felt his arm wouldn’t be strong enough. In the past two seasons alone, Brees has thrown for over 9,500 yards and 68 touchdowns. In the 2009 regular season, he had 34 touchdown passes, a 70.6% completion rate, and a 109.6 passer rating, all first in the league. Don’t forget the Super Bowl ring. Against Indianapolis, he went 32 of 39 (82%) for 288 yards and 2 scores. He is arguably the second most valuable quarterback to his team (I would argue Peyton Manning is #1). He has turned Marques Colston, who was three picks away from being Mr. Irrelevant, into a top level receiver. Brees is also considered one of the best fantasy players for this year. If you need a QB, take this guy.

Weakness- The Saints’ offense was strong enough to overcome their poor defense last season. Surprisingly, the Super Bowl winning defense gave up 357.8 yards per game, ranked 25th overall. On the ground, they gave up 122.2 yards per game, 21st in the league. They were tied for fourth worst with the Buffalo Bills with 19 rushing touchdowns surrendered. This could be a problem in a division full of good running backs. In Week 8 against Atlanta, Michael Turner ran for 151 yards and a touchdown. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 149 yards and two scores in Week 9 against the Panthers. The Buccaneers’ Cadillac Williams had 129 yards and a touchdown in a Week 16 victory over the Saints. In the final game, Carolina’s other star running back, Jonathan Stewart, rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown. While the New Orleans defense gave up a lot of yards through the air, they were third in the league with 26 interceptions. Safety Darren Sharper led the way with nine of those picks. Sharper has recently been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he’ll have to miss the first six games this year. If the Saints are going to repeat as winners of the Lombardi Trophy, their defense will need to improve.

Biggest Question- How many weeks can the Saints go undefeated this year? New Orleans is a huge favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this season. Last season, the Saints went 13-3, with those 13 wins coming in a bid for an undefeated regular season as they began 13-0. With Drew Brees leading the high powered offense, many penciled in the Saints next to New England, who went 16-0 in 2007. As many teams do, the Saints rested their starters at the end, giving up a shot at history. This did almost hurt them, as the Vikings were one Favre interception away from going to the Super Bowl. In 2010, I expect the offense to continue to play efficiently, and Greg Williams will tighten up that defense. The big question in Louisiana is whether or not the Saints can be the first team to repeat as World Champions since New England did in 2003 and ’04.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Strength- Let’s face it, Tampa Bay was downright terrible last season. They are in the infamous rebuilding stage. While these players are not immediate Pro Bowlers, they are the future of the franchise. Second year quarterback Josh Freeman hopes his struggles are behind him. Freeman started the second half of last season as a rookie. He threw for 1,855 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. Of course, there always is a significant learning curve as a rookie QB, and Freeman should be more comfortable in the pocket. Kellen Winslow will be a big target for the young Freeman. The tight end had over 1,100 yards receiving and five touchdowns grabs in 2007 with the Cleveland Browns. After battling back from staph infection, he managed to gain 884 yards and five TD’s in his first season with Tampa Bay in 2009. A big play tight end is always a novice quarterback’s best friend.  On defense, middle linebacker Barrett Ruud led the team in tackles for the third straight season. Rookie tackle Gerald McCoy has drawn many comparisons to Warren Sapp. He’ll be an anchor in the front seven for years to come. Safety Tanard Jackson should continue to improve. He returned two of his five picks for touchdowns in 2009.

Weakness- The biggest obstacle in Tampa Bay is overcoming inexperience. As a rebuilding franchise, they will endure many hardships while these young players develop. Freeman threw 18 picks last season. That’s a number that must come down. He doesn’t have a strong group of receivers to throw too. Rookie Mike Williams has earned a job as a starting receiver, along with Maurice Stovall. Stovall only had 24 catches for 366 yards last season. Another rookie receiver, Arrelious Benn, will start the season as a backup. Defensively, the Bucs finished 2009 ranked 27th overall in total defense. They allowed 365.6 yards per game. Their run defense finished dead last. Two more rookies, tackles McCoy and Brian Price, are making people nervous about the defense in the future. Their ability to stop the run is very important in the NFC South. Tampa Bay has many more playmakers who have only a couple years experience or less in the NFL.

Biggest Question- Can Cadillac Williams return to his old self? Williams was the 2005 Offensive Rookie of the Year. He started his career hot, becoming the first running back in the NFL to run for over 100 yards in his first three career games. He finished that year with 1,178 yards and six touchdowns. Since then, the Cadillac has had some engine problems. He played in only 10 games between 2007-’08, making five starts as he suffered injuries to both knees. He may be back, healthy and ready to rumble. In 2009, he started 15 games and ran for 823 yards and four touchdowns. He also recorded career highs with 217 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. If he can break the 1,000 yard barrier this season, he may finally prove he’s rejuvenated his career. If he has another lackluster year, the Cadillac may be headed off up the highway.

Division Prediction- Tampa Bay should improve some from the three wins they had in 2009, but honestly, six wins may be a good year for them. They will probably beat New Orleans once, in Week 17 when Brees is on the bench, resting for the playoffs. Carolina will be another middle of the road team. Their ground game is great, but they lack any weapons for Matt Moore (or Jimmy Clausen) to throw too, and defensively they may have some struggles. Atlanta will be in the run for a wildcard spot. Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White make a dangerous trio on offense. And seeing that White is my top fantasy receiver, let’s hope he and Ryan break some records. The Saints are going to be on top of the South again. How far will they make it? We’ll have to wait and see.

By Paul Casey Gotham

Once was a time when football fans associated success with the Oakland Raiders. For more than two decades, the Silver and Black had a say in which team represented the AFC in the Super Bowl.

With Daryle Lamonica throwing to Fred Biletnikoff, the Raiders grabbed a spot in  Super Bowl II. The John Rauch-coached team did not lose a game until they met Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers.

John Madden took the helm from Rauch and led the Raiders through the 70s. Guys like Kenny Stabler, Dave Casper, Ted Hendricks, Mark van Eeghen, Otis Sistrunk and Phil Vilipiano made the NFL post-season an annual event for the Raiders. The Silver and Black played in three consecutive AFC championship games before winning Super Bowl XI.

Madden passed the baton to Tom Flores. Oakland hardly skipped a beat. Jim Plunkett went under center and led the Raiders to a victory in Super Bowl XV.  Three seasons later, the Raiders moved down the coast and brought the Super Bowl to Los Angeles.

Orchestrating the commitment to excellence, Raider owner, Al Davis crafted top draft class after top draft class. In 1968, he plucked Stabler in the second round and eventual hall-of-famer, Art Shell in the third. Jack Tatum, Vilipiano and Clarence Davis came in ’71. Cliff Branch was a fourth-round pick in ’72. Who would think of taking a punter in the first round? Davis did in ’73, and Ray Guy became the best punter the game has known. Casper and van Eeghen came in ’74. From there, Davis encouraged the troops with his mantra: “Just win, baby.” 

But something happened along the way.  The Raiders went six years without a playoff win. Then victory came only to suffer embarassment at the hands of the Buffalo Bills and the “K-Gun” offense – a 51-3 shellacking in the 1990 AFC championship game.

The Silver and Black won just one playoff game from 91-99. One year later, Tom Brady’s “tuck” eliminated Jon Gruden and the Raiders. Gruden left Oakland for more money.

He got the cash from Tampa Bay and some revenge. Davis left to swallow the bitterest pill. Oakland and Tampa met in Super Bowl XXXVII. Gruden led his new team past his old team.

Since then, Davis has gone through head coaches like Madonna goes through suitors. Bill Callahan could not motivate his guys to beat their former coach in the Super Bowl. Norv Turner got a chance. Shell came back for a return engagement. There was the Lane Kiffin incident. Then came Tom Cable.

Davis also seemed to lose his touch in assessing talent. The Raiders went four years without a 1,000 yard rusher. Quarterback has not been much better. There was the Daunte Culpepper experiment. That failed. Then, Davis drafted JaMarcus Russell first overall. That, too, failed.

But make no mistake. Davis has figured out how to have an impact on the outcome of the NFL season.

It started with the 2009 draft. With the seventh pick, Davis chose Darrius Heyward-Bey. Davis has made a habit of raising eyebrows in recent drafts, and this pick continued the trend.  Davis added to the surprise by signing the wide receiver to a five-year contract that guaranteed $23.5 million.  

No big deal right? Just some crazy old guy throwing around his cash. Who is he trying to impress.

Thing is, Davis set the trap for whoever or whichever team would take Michael Crabtree. Despite Crabtree’s above average college career, Davis wasn’t taking him. He drafted Heyward-Bey and gave him guaranteed money. A tall order to live up to.

Now, the 2009 San Francisco 49ers were no Super Bowl contenders. After limping out of the ’08 gate, the team fired Mike Nolan and named assistant Mike Singletary the head coach. San Fran went from 2-5 to 5-4 including wins in four of their last five. Pieces were in place. They needed a wide receiver.

They drafted Crabtree, and the battle began. By drafting Heyward-Bey instead of Crabtree, Davis hit Crabtree where it hurts: his ego. Crabtree demanded to be paid as the best wide receiver in the draft. Problem was the 49ers were not going to pay Al Davis money. How does one try to explain the schemes of Al Davis at the bargaining table? 

Crabtree eventually came around in October, but it was too late. San Fran finished 8-8.

Toying with the 49ers was just practice.

Rex Ryan’s New York Jets have earned that burdensome title of pre-season favorites. The Jets have become the sexy pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

There is a problem. The Jets did it with defense last year. Darrelle Revis, the Jets shutdown corner, was a big reason for that success. Revis wants to be paid as the best defensive back in the league.

Who is the defensive back with the biggest contract? Nnamdi Asomugha has a three-year $45.3 million deal of which it is reported $28 million is guaranteed.  

And yes, that deal is with the Oakland Raiders. As Revis continues to hold out, the Jets chances of winning the AFC title game dwindle.

Make no mistake. The Oakland Raiders will not make it to the Super Bowl, but Al Davis will have an impact on which team from the AFC goes to Texas for the last game of the season.  Rex Ryan can make jokes through his press conferences. He can play it off like he feels no pressure. But it is there. While all this is going on, Davis is plotting his next point in the scheme. It’s all part of the swindle.

Another Rant from the Couch

by Bill Ribas

With the big game finally behind us, what can we say? You could talk about the game, how Indy gave it up, how those pesky Saints persevered and won, but what about the rest of the dog and pony show? Let’s start with the pre game hype and go from there.

The game is more than a game, at least in media terms, and it’s become this big, bloated, assault on the senses that must be endured. For example, you can’t just get a six pack and relax and flip it on right? In the old days you could (and we did), but now you have to orchestrate your snacks, decide who to invite or where to go, purchase an all inclusive package at a local watering hole, or shelter yourself away from all the madness and wait until Monday.

In the week or so prior to the game, there were two commercials that were drawing a lot of buzz. One was for the gay dating site ManCrunch.com, where the hands of two men meet, and then they go into a liplock. Not my cup of tea, but not offensive to me either, but CBS apparently had other ideas. On the flip side of that was Tim Tebow’s commercial, and the buzz was all about the pro-life angle it was going to take. When the commercial did air, it was substantially less than the buzz about it. The one thing everyone seemed to miss was that although the hype was pro-life, and the underlying current being abortion is a no-no, there was a very slim chance that Tebow would have ever been aborted. He was born the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country, and abortion there is illegal. So it’s a pretty disingenuous ad – stating that something could have happened which was outlawed, well, you can figure it out.

I must state at this point that I’ve been dealing with a nagging cold that won’t go away for the past week or so, and I think that helped me immensely when it came to watching the game and everything around it. For starters, I don’t quite understand why “God Bless America” and the “Star Spangled Banner” both have to be sung; yet it’s not something I am losing sleep over (it does drive me nuts during baseball games though). And when Queen Latifah decided to jazz up the ending, well, I say you go girl, let it rip. However, though Carrie Underwood was dressed all in white to sing the National Anthem, she faltered on one note in the middle, and fell flat on the last note, just before the jets blew overhead. Maybe you didn’t notice it, but I listened several times, and she did. Ouch. I suppose it was a portent of things to come.

And then they introduced the future Hall of Fame Inductees. Woo Hoo! But it would have been nice to list who they played for or what they did, instead of simply putting “2010 Football Hall of Fame Inductee” under each person’s face as they panned. I mean, no disrespect, I know who Emmitt Smith is, and he played for Dallas, but my knowledge of the game doesn’t go that deep, and a few of the guys, well, I felt bad for them. Here’s the big show, and they get a generic tag line. Smith was fortunate enough to launch the coin for the toss, and he hooked it so hard to the right I felt like he took lessons from me at the driving range.

But the biggest ballyhoo surrounding the game is the commercials, and usually there are some gems, but this year was an exception. They all stunk, period. Oh sure, I got a chuckle here and there, but the majority were so misguided and failed to deliver a message. You can check this site for the bulk of them, but I wouldn’t bother. Like Google’s ad promoting itself as a search engine. Uhm, yeah, we all kind of know what it is and what it does. Or those Go Daddy commercials, which have nothing to do with their business (web hosting), and aren’t even enticing at all. Sure Danica Patrick is hot, but she was dressed in the Johnny Cash line of clothing, and that was it. You have to head off to the website to see more, but my guess is most people can find women without clothes on the internet, and they’re not looking for storage space for their blog.

But the real one two punch to the groin came at halftime, where a bunch of hoarse-throated jocks gave their views on the game, followed by Grandpa Simpson singing snippets of Who songs. Nothing like having an announcer losing his voice trying to describe something that you’ve already seen, and there’s certainly nothing like 5 of them. Oh the pain. And by the way, Jim Brown, you need to lose some weight. I mean, I have a 42″ tee vee, and he took up more than half of the screen, and this is in HD. And then there was the Who. Yes, I know they are rock icons, and I like their stuff, but when was the last time they charted? And sure, they sounded fine, despite one mistake by Pete, but who chooses the halftime entertainment? Because I can’t wait 15 years for Bryan Adams to take the stage.

As much as this rant is all over the road, at least the game itself was exciting. But nowadays, that doesn’t really matter because the Super Bowl isn’t about the game being played on the field. Oh, you can argue that it is, but I’d say it’s more about everything but. The week or two media onslaught before, the odds, the players, who’s hurt, who isn’t. The commercials, and who is paying how much for 30 seconds? To a crowd of bloated drunks who won’t remember? Nice return on investment. Over the hill rock bands? Sure, get them onstage for 13 minutes or so. Or wait, did they do that “I’m going to Disney” thing last night? As sports championship games go, the Super Bowl is pretty low on my list. Baseball, basketball, hockey, to name a few, have a series of games before a series of games before a series of games determines who wins. And that seems a good way to do it. But the NFL continues to force feed us all like a french goose, ramming everything possible down our throats on one day. To me, the day after the Super Bowl always feels somewhat ugly, like New Year’s Day, after you indulged too much for no reason. This year was no different.