Bleacher Report - Articles by Emery Songer

Why Jonathan Stewart Is the NFL's Rookie To Watch

Emery Songer — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:52:30 -0400

When the NFL Draft was in its final stages, many fans began to wonder, "Who will be the most explosive rookie next season?" And most came to the same answer: Darren McFadden.

He is more than deserving of being in that conversation. He was the most explosive player in college football last year and finished second in the Heisman for the second consecutive year. He may be the best-built running back in the rookie class, and he can run as fast as anyone.

There is just one problem with this rookie—he has competition.

Justin Fargas had a breakout year last year before he sprained his MCL in Week 15. Now, I'm not saying that Fargas will be the starting running back all season long, but since McFadden can be of use in the slot as a receiver, and also as a return man, they may not give him much of the load right out of the gate.

So, who really is going to be this year's Adrian Peterson?

Well, no one will double what Peterson did last season. But there is one player that will come out of nowhere and surprise everyone.

And his name is Jonathan Stewart.

Drafted 13th overall by Carolina, this young back was immediately in a competition with the undersized DeAngelo Williams. And with DeShaun Foster out of town, and head coach John Fox's love for big, bruising backs, this rookie fits in perfectly.

Williams' only real downfall is his size, as he is a gifted runner. But Fox loves to use his lead runner as a wrecking ball and pound him between the tackles. And this bruiser showed he could have success with that last season at Oregon.

But wait, there's more!

He can also get up and go on you. Once he breaks it outside, it's off to the races. Just think of the bruising of Larry Csonka with the foot speed of Willie Parker. This kid is ready for action. Throw in a pretty potent passing attack and there should be room for him to run.

John Fox will use this rookie to no extent, even if he elects to have Williams start at the beginning of the season. You can expect close to 1,000 yards and plenty of goal-line opportunities for this young gun. And watch out when the Panthers are playing a below-average rushing defense. This workhorse could put up monster numbers.

That is why you should watch Jonathan Stewart before you watch Darren McFadden. Will McFadden be a star in this league? Yes, of course he will. But who will have the better rookie season? Stewart, without a doubt.

Brett Favre: Please Leave While Everyone Still Loves You

Emery Songer — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:23:29 -0400

As a Chicago Bears fan, I've always hated it when we had to go to Green Bay and play against Brett Favre. We could never beat him in Lambeau, minus a few miracle exceptions.

As a football fan, I've always loved watching an aging star run out there and play like a kid my age (I'm 17). I never thought I would see that kid walk away.

But then came March 4, 2008. A teary-eyed Brett Favre takes the podium at Lambeau Field and announces his retirement.

As a Bears fan, I root to no end to see my Packers-fan friends sorrowful. I know we can beat them now.

As a football fan, I'm crying with them. A true legend had left the game, and now the focus goes to Peyton Manning to break all of his records.

But then came July 2, 2008. The kid wanted back in. As much as it seemed that it was truly over, he couldn't stay away. Favre still wanted to play. But would the Packers welcome him back?

Well, we all know the saga that has continued in the wake of this attempted return. The Pack has moved on to the young and promising Aaron Rodgers. They believe his time is now, and they aren't about to take away the job they awarded him after March 4. So that means that Favre rides the bench, plays for someone else, or stays retired.

Brett Favre is a legend, and no legend rides the bench. He demanded a release or trade if he cannot start in Green Bay. That leaves just the two options.

Now, the Packers have shopped him around. We have been down roads in which the Vikings were accused of tampering with Favre when he called them to talk about playing there. It was a sure shot that he wouldn't play in the NFC North; now he is preferring to play there. And if the Packers won't let him play for them, the last thing they want is to see him twice a season. However, to be forced to deal him, he must be reinstated, and he is still waiting to be officially reinstated.

So they have pulled out all the stops here. They have offered Favre $20 million over the next 10 years for him to stay retired. And, rightfully, he is considering that. The Packers don't want his image to be tarnished and would love if they can still retire his uniform number at Lambeau on Monday Night Football during Week 1. They are willing to try anything to keep his legacy clean.

If I'm Favre, I don't take this money. If I want to play as badly as I say I do, then I get reinstated and I find myself a contender to get traded to. Minnesota would be just perfect. And that Sept. 8 matchup on Monday Night Football the Packers had set back to retire your number will now be set aside for them to play against their former legendary quarterback. Sounds like a fun time.

But since I'm not Favre, I have this to say:

As I Chicago Bears fan, I would love to see him play for us or someone besides the Packers.

As a football fan, I would love to see Brett stay retired and go away quietly into the sunset like he had done previously.

Folks, I am a football fan before I'm a Bears fan.

Brett, if you can hear me, please go back to Mississippi and keep helping local high school players. Let us see you in five years on 60 Minutes as a happy family man who rides his tractor and gives quarterback camps every summer. Let us say to our kids, "Brett Favre was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. He played the game the way it should be played."

Don't make me say to them, "Brett Favre was a great quarterback. But he wore out his welcome and couldn't make up his mind if he wanted to retire or not."

I want to see you play, Brett. I really do. But I believe the only way to keep your legacy absolutely untarnished by this whole experience we've had over the last month is if you stay retired. But don't do it for schmoes like me. Do it for you. We still love you, Brett. Please don't get old on us.

Now my focus is on you guys, the average fan readers. You may feel differently about what this great quarterback should do in this particular case. But if you care at all about his legacy and what his career has meant to so many people, including those nasty Green Bay fans, you realize that retirement is the best path for him.

Thanks for the years, Brett. Please let us remember you with pride.

Otto Graham Should Not Be Forgotten

Emery Songer — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:05:31 -0400

The year is 1946. A new professional football league is going to see if it can compete with the NFL. It is called the All-American Football Conference. The city of Cleveland lands one of these teams. They call upon local coaching legend Paul Brown to lead them.

Brown was a national-championship winning head coach at Massillon High School in Massillon, OH. He would move on to win the first national title in Ohio State University's football history, starting a rich tradition at that school.

After being forced to serve in the Navy during the end of World War II, Brown would return with the new AAFC team waiting for him.

Now what this team needed was some players. More specifically, a quarterback. An on-field leader. And they would sign a young tailback out of Northwestern University. His name was Otto Graham.

Otto Graham was originally drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1944, but was obligated to serve in the Coast Guard. After signing the contract with Cleveland upon his return, he still found time to play a season of professional basketball for the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League. He would win a championship in the NBL, a sign of things to come in his football career.

After converting to quarterback, Graham tore the AAFC apart, throwing 86 touchdown passes in four seasons. He led the Browns to all four AAFC championships.

The AAFC only lasted four seasons, as the NFL's pressure on the fledgling league forced them to fold, after a compromise. The AAFC had to dissolve after the NFL accepted three of its most competitive franchises: the Cleveland Browns, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Baltimore Colts. The other two franchises would eventually see their own great QBs in Joe Montana and Johnny Unitas, respectively.

When the Browns were adopted by the NFL in 1950, they were heavily scrutinized for being so good in what many considered a subpar league. But this team would be out to prove that they dominated that league because of their talent, not because of a lack of competition.

For the next six seasons, Graham would hold the torch in leading this team of brute animals across the NFL, to show all of their doubters what they were made of. And that he did; the Browns advanced to the NFL Championship all six seasons, winning in 1950, '54, and '55.

Otto Graham's career stat line reads like this:

126 career games, 0 starts missed; 174 passing touchdowns, 135 interceptions; a career passer rating of 86.6, including the seventh-best single-season rating of all-time—109.2; a completion percentage of 55.8; and finally, the highest career yards-to-pass-attempts ratio in professional football history—9.0 yards/attempt.

His career professional record was 105-17-4.

Granted, he played on a very solid all-around team. He was teammates with eight future Hall Of Famers. But I would highly doubt that any of those players are in the Hall without Otto G. there to lead them.

Whenever we football fans talk about the greatest quarterbacks in the game's history, this guy rarely comes up. Is it because he is truly only the third-star quarterback in the timeline of football history, after Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman? Or is it because we are focused on the stars of today?

Friends, I would just like to tell you this: If Otto Graham would have been playing today's game, with today's players, and today's coaching schemes, he would be winning titles just like it was 1946. And eight of his teammates would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

This is truly one of the greatest champions sports has ever seen, and none of us should lose sight of that. I mean seriously, who else can say they went to the title game every year of their professional career? Oh, but there's a better question. Who can say they have won seven championships in a 10-year span? Anybody?

I can't think of anyone neither.

MLB's Central Divisions Will Go Down to the Wire

Emery Songer — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:51:50 -0400

Baseball is home to some of the most exciting races in sports. This year, don't expect it to be any different.

It is obvious that there are some seriously tight races in both leagues. In fact, everything except the AL West is long from decided.

But no divisions are more intriguing than the AL and NL Central. I can see both races going into the final week of the season.

AL Central

Contenders: Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins

The White Sox seem to have the inside track to the division crown. Looking at the reasons why this team will contend in the final race, and it is their distinct ability to beat their divisional opponents at home and on the road.

The Twins have been the real surprise, using MVP winner Justin Morneau and batting champ Joe Mauer to lead this group of young no-namers to within a game-and-a-half of first, as of July 29.

Pretenders: The Detroit Tigers

This team was supposed to be a favorite to win the World Series. Now, after they've heated up and put together the best string of baseball of anyone in the division, they are still barely above .500, and they are still six-and-a-half games back.

It doesn't help that their usually dominating pitching staff have been average at best.

The real killer here is that they have a problem of consistently beating the teams they are chasing. The Twinkies and Sox have no such issue, thus separating themselves as the true contenders.

The Winner: The Chicago White Sox

In a race decided during the series between the Sox and Twins Sept. 23-25 in Minnesota, Chicago's pitching gets the job done against an inexperienced Twins lineup. The final margin will be about two games, being one of the closer races this division has seen to date.

NL Central (This one is slightly more interesting.)

Contenders: Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals

The three teams in this race all have a realistic shot at winning the title. It all comes down to who can stay healthy.

The Cubs would appear to have the inside track to the crown because they are almost unbeatable at home. They have a very solid lineup and a pitching staff that can shut down any opponent. I would say the major question for this team is whether they can stay healthy.

If Alfonso Soriano can remain healthy and Kerry Wood has the ability to close out big games, this team should be fine.

The Milwaukee Brewers took a little while to get going, but when they did, they came with a vengeance. This team has the most powerful offense in the division, with names like Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Bill Hall. And with the addition of CC Sabathia, the possibilities are endless.

But if they continue to struggle against the Cubs, they will be watching the playoffs from home.

The St. Louis Cardinals are definitely the biggest surprise in this division, hanging tough when they seemed to have little offense at all. Albert Pujols has been great, as always, but the emergence of Ryan Ludwick and the powerful bat of third baseman Troy Glaus have this team in the mix.

The biggest question: Will this team find a closer? If they could have closed out some huge games, they would be in the lead right now.

Pretenders: None.

This race will be a three-team race into the last games of September. You can quote me on that.

The Winner: The Milwaukee Brewers

CC Sabathia has been a stud since his arrival, and this lineup has no let down in it, whatsoever. 2008 will be this slugging team's year. The Cubs will be let down by injuries, but will hang on to the wild card and still make the postseason.

The Cardinals will eventually cave after a tough series with Chicago at Wrigley on Sept. 19-21.

What are we to expect come playoff time?

Well, you can expect the White Sox to advance to the ALCS, only to lose to the Angels in five games. This is way beyond any expectation this squad had this year.

As for the NL Central's finest, the Brew Crew will fight in a five-game series against the Diamondbacks, but eventually lose in their first playoff series since 1982 and their first as a National League team.

As for the Cubs, I predict a sweep coming. However, they won't be doing the sweeping. The Phillies will sweep them in the NLDS, en route to the World Series.

These races should be fun, and every baseball fan should be tuning in throughout August and September. If you want a playoff atmosphere in July, it is happening right now: The White Sox are in Minneapolis and the Cubs are in Milwaukee through Thursday.

The Odd Team Out: Why the Rays Can't Make The Playoffs

Emery Songer — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:37:19 -0400

The biggest surprise of the Major League Baseball season is by far the success of an inferior franchise. This franchise is the Tampa Bay Rays. The way this team has played together from the start has surprised us all. There is just one problem with this team—their location.

Being along the East coast, this team was destined to join the American League East back in 1998 when they played their first game. This connected them with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and Baltimore Orioles. Each team has its own colorful history, its own championship runs, and its own list of retired numbers. It was going to be a daunting task to beat these teams.

For the first 10 years of their existence, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were clearly the cellar dwellers, finishing out of last once and winning no more than 70 games in any given season. Management thought a change was needed.

The nickname was changed to the Rays, there were noticeable changes in the logo, color scheme, and uniform. All the top young prospects from the farm system were given an equal opportunity to make the ball club. The result: a very young team able to compete with the big boys.

Looking at the starting pitching, Matt Garza, Andy Sonnanstine, and James Shields have future all-star written all over them. Scott Kazmir is a future Cy Young Award candidate. And Shields is the oldest of the rotation at 26 years of age.

Offensively, the backbone veteran is left fielder Carl Crawford. A very capable five-tool player, Crawford is the face of the franchise and the savvy veteran leader. He is only 26 years old. They may also have the American League Rookie of the Year in third baseman Evan Longoria.

The brains of the operation is manager Joe Maddon who has taught this young bunch that the only way to be the best is to beat the best.

And beat the best they did. During a June 5 game at Fenway Park against the defending champion Red Sox, Boston outfielder Coco Crisp was causing a stir by sliding hard into second.

The feisty Rays got Crisp back when he walked up for his next at bat. Pitcher James Shields plunked him on the hip. Crisp charged the mound and a bench clearing brawl ensued. This is just one example of the attitude of this young, but fiery team.

Somehow, the fire in this team has yet to fade. They are still hanging tough in the best division in baseball and show no signs of sliding off the map. Which brings the reader to exclaim, "Why can't they make the playoffs if they don't fade?" And I, the writer, will address my original argument: location, location, location.

The Boston Red Sox have the experience, the will power, and the personnel to win the division. The New York Yankees have climbed within three games of the division lead.

As good as this team is, and after all they've done right, it would be hard to imagine this team out of the playoffs. But in baseball, you must win your division or be the best "loser" to make the playoffs.

With those two perennial powers, it looks very bleak. Not to mention if they do finish ahead of the Yanks or BoSox, they will have to compete with the AL Central loser. Not what I call wishful thinking.

This team has made a tremendous step forward and should reach their franchise record for wins in the middle of August. But the division they are trying to compete in is just too strong for them to make their first postseason appearance.

In fact, as long as the Yankees are owned by a Steinbrenner and the Red Sox play in Fenway, I'm not sure the Rays will ever be able to eclipse both of them and snag a division crown. The plus-side of that: they are the youngest team in that division.

Only time will tell.