Bleacher Report - Articles by Tom Thomason

Floyd Mayweather Jr Needs To Test His Heart

Tom Thomason — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:52:31 -0400

One day, I was looking at the boxing rankings for fun and I discovered something interesting. Of all the top fighters in the Welterweight division, guess how many Floyd Mayweather Jr has fought. Zero. Junior Middleweight? Zilch. Junior Welterweight? One.

That's right. out of all three of those divisions he has fought just one real contender. That is a strange statistic for someone who considers himself to be the best pound for pound fighter in the world.

Floyd Mayweather Jr has been taking a lot of flak lately, some deserved, some not. One fact that can't be disputed is that he may be one of the best fighters around right now. He's got speed, power, intelligence and a great defense.

The biggest complaint seems to be his choice of opposition. He seems content to fight fighters that he knows have no chance against him. His biggest threat coming from Ricky Hatton.

After easily knocking out the rugged Manchester native, Mayweather decided to retire. A strange decision since there were some really good fights available, with people like Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito there for the taking.

But, maybe that was the reason he retired. Maybe he realized the only fights left were the ones he couldn't easily dispatch. Maybe he cares more about his unblemished record then the way history will remember him.

One example he should keep in mind is Rocky Marciano. Even though Rocky was the only undefeated heavyweight champion ever, he is still not considered the best ever. Why? Because of level of competition. The rock is ranked anywhere from sixth to 15th on many lists.

The difference is that the Rock fought everyone that wanted a piece of him. He was more then happy to issue an ass-beating to any and all comers. Like Floyd Mayweather Jr, Rocky wanted to keep his undefeated record but, he was also concerned that some would suggest that he didn't fight everyone available.

So what's the reason for Mayweather's reluctance to take on the best? Is it fear? Maybe. Fear of losing his "0"? Definitely. But I think there's another fear he hides. A fear that goes beyond skill and power.

I think he fears that he doesn't have the heart to compete with real warriors. I think Mayweather doesn't have the confidence in himself if he is truly tested. I think he really loves to be in control. If he fights someone who can give him a run for his money, he might lose control.

The truth is heart is something that you can't be sure of until you are truly tested. You can't know for sure you have it until you've taken some good shots and still fight on. Or until your cut badly and bleeding into your eyes.

Then, at that moment. The moment when your body is screaming to stop. And your trainer is asking if you want him to stop it. That same moment that the referee asked you if you want to continue.

Then, you look out at your wife and children and see they are crying. Then, somehow you dig deep and find the inner strength to fight on. Win or lose, that's heart. That's what separates the good champions from the great ones.

Like when someone finally stood there ground against Mike Tyson and exposed the the fact that he didn't have heart. Or a fighter like Diego Corrales who, would fight until he couldn't fight anymore. Or the aforementioned Rocky Marciano, who had his nose split in two but found the courage to come back and knockout Ezzard Charles.

Its not complicated, it's the simplest thing in the world. Either you have it or you don't. But, I'm afraid that the day Floyd Mayweather Jr finds he has to dig down deep for the first time, he will find that there is nothing beneath the surface.

Don't Call Mark Martin's 2009 Run a Comeback

Tom Thomason — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:52:33 -0400

"Don't call it a comeback. I've been here for years I'm rocking my peers
puttin' suckers in fear."

Those were the lyrics to the LL cool J song "Mamma said knock you out," but they could apply to Mark "the kid" Martin today.

Its hard to call his recent success a comeback to be sure. Martin has been running with the big boys for years. He finished top 15 in the standings in all but three of his 23 full-time seasons as a NASCAR cup driver.

Ask any driver of yesterday or today, and you will find out that he was and is a threat to win every time he climbs into a car. Martin is respected by his peers and loved by his fans that keep growing every week. He is no doubt the sentimental favorite to win the championship this year.

But if you ask him about his championship chances, he will tell you that he isn't even thinking about that right now. He is just having a blast driving a fast race car. This might also be an important lesson to young drivers like Kyle Busch. Maybe if some of today's drivers could learn to enjoy their work, they wouldn't be their own worst enemy at times.

You never hear about Mark giving his pit crew a lot of grief when his car isn't perfect. His tone is always relaxed and even. But, at the same time he is a fierce competitor on the track. If you are running side by side with "the kid," chances are he is going to find a way to pass you.

After barely losing to Jimmie Johnson at Indianapolis, Johnson paid his teammate the ultimate compliment, saying, "For an old guy he had me pretty worried. Those last 15, 20 laps we had to work so hard to stay ahead of him. I did everything I could on that restart and it worked out".

It was obvious that Jimmie Johnson had to give it everything he had to beat the 50 year old Martin.

After the Race, Mark Martin called Johnson superman, but teammate Jeff Gordon disagreed.

"Mark's got it backwards," Gordon said. "He's too modest to call himself Superman, but he's definitely Superman. He has been unbelievable."

Martin is a great story for NASCAR. In a terrible economy, it would be a great boost to ratings if he were able to win the championship this year.'

People love to be inspired. What would be more inspirational than to see Mark Martin hoist the championship trophy?

Kevin Harvick Gets a Much Needed Top 10 at The Brickyard

Tom Thomason — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:48:57 -0400

In the news of late because of his desire to leave RCR, Kevin Harvick has to feel good about Sunday's sixth place finish at the Brickyard.

He doesn't get as much attention as other struggling drivers (like Jr.), but Kevin Harvick is struggling none the less. He hasn't won a race since the 2007 Daytona 500 and has only three top tens this year.

Then there was the report that Harvick has asked for his release from Richard Childress racing. Childress issued a statement saying that Harvick would remain with the team until the end of his current contract, which runs through 2010.

When asked about his future plans at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, Harvick declined to comment while maintaining that he was concentrating on this weekend's race.

His frustration with his worst season of his career is clearly weighing on him. Harvick has been a championship contender for most of his career as a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. Harvick came to Indianapolis 25th in points. He finished fourth in last year's chase with 19 top 10's for the year. It's been 90 races since his last victory.

There are also rumors that Harvick may be positioning himself to be the third driver at Stewart-Haas Racing. This would be a great move for both parties if Harvick could get out if his contract with RCR. Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman are having a great season supported by Rick Hendrick Engines and Chassis.

You also have to consider Shell/Pennzoil. They are not going to want to dish out another 20 million for another bad season at RCR. You can bet that they would be more then willing to follow Harvick if he moved to SHR.

And who knows, this might open the door for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to finally drive the No. 3 for Childress since he seems to be completely outclassed by the other drivers in the Hendrick stable. Dale Jr. is a good driver who might feel more comfortable as the top driver for a different team. Sometimes feeling like the top dog can increase your confidence.

If Harvick does leave Childress, Richard will have to find another flagship driver to lead the team. But, there isn’t much chance of Dale Jr. leaving the security of Hendrick. So this will leave Childress without an exciting driver to convince sponsors to spend a lot of money.

In the end, sometimes a clean break is the best way to move on. Harvick needs his confidence back and Childress needs a hot driver.

Ron Hornaday Jr. Deserves More Recognition

Tom Thomason — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:53:42 -0400

While doing some research to learn more about some of the lesser-known drivers in the Camping world truck series, I started looking more deeply at well-known driver Ron Hornaday Jr. I became both intrigued and amazed that he isn't given more face time in NASCAR media.

Now before you jump down my throat, I know that he is in the news everytime he wins, but I just feel like he doesn't get his due. I don't know the stats that breakdown face time given to drivers but, I think he deserves more.

As of last Saturday's race at Kentucky, Hornaday has won three races in a row and sits atop the standings. The last time the three-time series champion won three in a row? It was 1997 when Hornaday won at Milwaukee, Louisville, and Colorado. But he was also under 40 back then.

Now, obviously he is one of the most recognized drivers in the truck series, but what surprised me is how dominant he has been for most of his Truck Series career. I was also surprised that he lost his Nationwide rides so quickly.

You would think that someone with 43 career truck series wins would be able to secure a ride in the Nationwide or even Sprint Cup Series . In the three years that he ran full-time in the Nationwide Series, Hornaday ranked no worse then fifth! How does this guy not earn a full-time ride?

By comparison, when young gun Kyle Busch wins a Truck race, its all over the news. The media goes on and on about the talent level it takes to win a truck race while running Nationwide and Cup. While its true that Busch has enormous talent and skills, how about some love for the old guy.

It's not easy to win races on any NASCAR level. Ron Hornaday does it on a consistent basis.

Let's not forget that he is 51. Last time I checked, the only other guy winning races over 50 is the uber-talented Mark Martin.

From a fan's standpoint, I remember the first time I saw Hornaday school Kyle Busch in a Truck Series race. Earlier this year, it seemed that Kyle was going to win every Nationwide and Truck Series race before he started to melt down.

Then, I was watching the Truck race at Charlotte and to my great delight, Hornaday won. I was yelling and screaming for joy to see the old guy beat the young gun.

So, from one over 40 to another, show 'em who's boss, Ron!

Is Tony Eury Jr. Making Excuses for Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

Tom Thomason — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:41:03 -0400

You have all heard the recent comments made by Tony Eury Jr.

For those who haven't, he said; "I think you guys put so much pressure on him after Daytona that Dale Jr. just basically had enough, if you want to get down to it. We went to Daytona and had a shot at winning that race, had some problems on pit road. But we ain't going to slam Dale Jr. We're going to pick him up and say let's go to Vegas; we went to California and blew up.

"There's two negative weeks and you guys were all over him and just brought him down. We didn't have a strong enough finish to bring him back up. Every week the hole gets deeper and deeper and deeper."

The writers who have an obvious bias against Earnhardt are now suggesting that making excuses is part of his problem. I would challenge any of those "writers" to show me an example of Dale Earnhardt Jr. making an excuse.

A few of the less than professional writers have tried to twist around his comments about Daytona being slippery because of recent flooding. These writers have tried to make his comments into excuses for not running well. Well, Earnhardt never said he didn't win because the track is too slippery.

Getting back to Eury's comments, it might be better if he kept some thoughts to himself. As much as he loves his cousin and wants to defend him, it gives the green light to the media to assume that Dale Jr. feels the same way.

Nascar drivers have to maintain an image at all times, and one of their pet peeves is to never be thought of as a crybaby or whiner. So I'm guessing that Dale Jr. didn't really appreciate Eury Jr. blaming the pressure from the media as a reason for not winning.

Whether or not Eury's comments reflect how Earnhardt truly fears, its clear that Dale Jr. is human. And as a human being, eventually he will break under the pressure. The amount of pressure that he has endured already is enough to make any man lose his mind.

Reading between the lines of Tony Eury Jr.'s comments, I wonder if maybe he was the one who wilted from the pressure. Which is perfectly understandable. But maybe in the future, Eury can just keep his comments to himself and miles away from his cousin, Dale Jr.

Has Boxing Lost Its Heart? Rip Arturo Gatti.

Tom Thomason — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:47:12 -0400

After the sad death of boxing great Arturo Gatti, I have been pondering the decline of the sweet science. It was great fights like Gatti vs. Ward that made boxing great. It was a three fight war that was as exciting as it was brutal.

The world truly lost a great warrior and champion when it lost Arturo Gatti. Not only was he a great champion with heart, he was a great guy outside the ring. May he rest in peace.

Naturally every generation goes on about the great fights of yesteryear. My dad goes on about Sonny Liston while I bore my kids to death with stories of Larry Homes and Mike Tyson.

While many old timers go on about the heart of boxers like Marciano and Ali, boxers today brag about their bank account. Still others try to cheat their way to victory. A lot of young fighters today are better at talking trash then actual fighting. While many have great skill, they seem to lack the all important Heart.

So I guess we have to talk about character. In the days of Louis, Dempsy, and Marciano, boxers did their talking in the ring. They were usually soft spoken and very polite.

That all changed when a young man named Clay arrived from Kentucky.

Ali decided at a young age that he had to market himself to get to the big time. It's a decision that earned him the nickname "the Louisville lip." Ali was a new kind of boxer that ran his mouth and backed it up in the ring.

I think a lot of young fighters grew up idolizing Ali. They not only wanted to be the champ, they wanted to trash talk like him. Problem is, Ali was the greatest. He earned the right to trash talk by beating people in the ring.

Ali really only had one guy that gave him trouble in his prime: Joe Frazier.

And why did he give Ali trouble?

Well, there's Fraizer's power, chin, head movement, defense, and a left hook from hell. But, most of all his sheer heart. That's right. His will to win. He just wouldn't quit.

But lack of heart isn't the only thing killing boxing. Any discussion must include managers and promoters. Managers have always had a reputation for being shady characters, but today they are ruining the sport of boxing. There's too many lawyers, image consultants, and marketing people involved in our beloved sport of gladiators.

The business side of boxing is killing the sport. In the old days boxers wanted to face the best because they were proud warriors. Today it's all about the money. Back then the boxers figured the money would come because they were passionate about their trade.

I still think that boxers want to fight the best, but their managers protect them like their ten-year-old daughters.

For example, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The kid is 39-0 and has beaten no one. His biggest victory was Matt Vanda! If the kid can't beat a real fighter after 39 fights then he doesn't belong in the sport.

But I don't think that fighters being protected is even the biggest problem today. I think the biggest problem today is the down time between so-called big fights. In this age of instant gratification, people have to wait too damn long for a decent fight.

People today just don't have the attention span to wait six months for a championship match that probably wont live up to its billing.

If there was a big fight on every weekend, people would watch boxing again. Put it back on network TV every Friday night. People would follow boxing like the NFL if it were championship caliber at least once a month.

To make things worse, a whole slew of promising fights have been canceled this year.

Fights like Mosley-Margarito and Cotto-Clottey gave us hope that boxing would stay alive. But when Mayweather-Marquez and Klitschko-Haye got canceled in the same few months, we lose hope.

Once again I just want to say RIP Gatti. You're forever our champion.

Will Kyle Busch be a Champion?

Tom Thomason — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:33:01 -0400

When will Kyle Busch be a champion?

Just the name Kyle Busch will bring an immediate emotional response. Usually, it’s either love him or hate him. Busch is a possibly the most talented driver to hit NASCAR since Dale Earnhardt Sr. hit the big time.

And just like Dale Sr. was, Kyle Bush is a bit rough around the edges. Busch hates to lose and doesn’t like to lift off the gas pedal. Just like Ricky Bobby, Kyle Busch finishes "first or last baby!" Ironically, Busch’s greatest strength may also be his greatest weakness.

Kyle Busch has yet to grasp the concept of point racing. For instance: Saturday's Coke Zero race at Daytona. On the last lap, Busch took the lead from Veteran driver Tony Stewart. As expected, Stewart Ran Bush down. After blocking Stewart on the low side, Busch attempted another block high.

Well, for one thing the second attempt at blocking breaks a golden rule of Nascar. You only get one block. After that you are fair game. Needless to say when Busch tried to get back up high Stewart was already there. This dumb move sent Kyle flying into the fence just short of the finish line.

Stewart, apologized saying "if I did anything wrong but, I don’t think I did." Jimmie Johnson, who finished third, said Stewart acted responsibly and ultimately had "no place else to go" when Busch tried to block Stewart, who is still the series points leader.

Stewart may feel genuinely bad about the way he won but, the responsibility has to fall on Busch’s shoulders. His overly aggressive driving has consequences. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Kyle needs to drive smart just like Earnhardt Sr. did.

Another lesson that Busch needs to learn is humility off the track. Pouting and sulking damages his image. Instead of pouting after a loss, he needs to stand in front of the media and give congratulations to the winner.

A champion doesn’t run away pouting when he loses.

A true champion stands in front of the media and talks about his weaknesses and how he can improve on them.

A true champion doesn’t make excuses every time he loses.

Like all the great drivers before him, Kyle Busch needs to learn his lessons. Sadly it appears that Busch is going to learn them the hard way.

Should the Phoenix Suns Bring Back Shawn Marion?

Tom Thomason — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:42:24 -0400

If you haven't heard the rumor, the Phoenix Suns are interested in bringing back former All-Star Shawn Marion.

Apparently the offer from Toronto isn't what the Matrix is looking for. Even though I doubt that this deal could get done, I would like to imagine the effect it could have in Phoenix.

First I would like to say that Neither Marion nor Phoenix knew how good they had it. Marion was the perfect all around great player that coach Mike DAntoni utilized very effectively.

He didn't need plays run for him to score.

He didn't need the ball to be effective.

He could dunk, rebound, shoot, and played great man-on-man defense. He was the defender that nobody wanted to see.

On the other hand, the perception was that Marion wasn't happy being the third option behind Nash and Stat. He knew that he was a vital part of the Phoenix machine when they were the pride of the NBA.

He was part of the team that changed the defensive mindset of the NBA.

While NBA old timers where preaching "defense wins Championships," the Suns were destroying teams by 20 or more points a game in 2004-05. They weren't just beating teams, they were humiliating the "defensive" teams.

Marion was a big part of that renaissance.

Back to my original point, Phoenix fans just didn’t know what they had. While the experts were always pointing to Marion being indispensable because of his all around game, many fans thought he was just a big crybaby that was too erratic on the court.

Unfortunately, it took losing him to see what would happen without him.

Then there was Mike DAntoni, who was growing weary of stroking all the egos on his team. While he was a champion of Marion’s, he decided that the team would have better chemistry without him.

Translation: He chose Stoudemire over Marion.

Fast forward to 2009.

The Suns are on the verge of blowing up the whole team, and Marion is still looking to be the man.

Well, this may be the right time for him to finally be the man in Phoenix. If the Suns could somehow pull this off, signing Marion would not only re-energize a downtrodden Suns team, but a downtrodden Phoenix community that is starting to brace themselves for a mediocre team.

Signing Marion might also convince Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire that the Suns are serious about winning. It could possibly even convince Tyson Chandler to sign with the Suns.

If the Suns do decide to get rid of Steve and Amare, at least they wouldn’t be starting over without a proven All-Star.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Finds Joy In Racing Again at New Hampshire

Tom Thomason — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:56:01 -0400

For the first time in months, Dale Earnhardt Jr. seemed to be excited about racing. Earnhardt Jr. had a strong day at New Hampshire, finishing 13th in a race where he was running with the leaders all day.

He was racing hard and giving great information to crew chief Lance Mcgrew. He didn't yell or get frustrated like he has in the past. It was almost shocking to see him passing front-runners like mark Martin and Kyle Busch. I kept double checking the channel info on my TV to make sure it wasn't a replay from an old race.

“We ran good today,’’ Earnhardt Jr. said on Sunday after the race. “I want to thank Lance and the team, our National Guard and AMP guys. They worked hard all weekend. They did a good job, man, giving me a good car. I had fun today. I hope we can keep this up. We are inching so slowly up back in to where we need to run. It is taking awhile, but hopefully we keep moving forward.’’

Very encouraging and positive comments from a man who has been through hell this season. Its been a long and frustrating year for Nascar's most popular driver. From the accident he triggered at Daytona, to losing his cousin and longtime crew chief Tony Eury Jr., it has really taken the joy out of his job.

While it's too soon to claim the new crew chief as a success, he has been making incremental progress. Earnhardt Jr. has decent finishes of 12th, 14th, and 13th since the disaster at Charlotte where he finished 40th. His finish of 27th at Pocono is misleading since he was running good until he suffered a failed front suspension part. He was also running top ten at Infineon until he was wrecked by an over-driving Carl Edwards.

I think the most important piece of evidence has to be that Earnhardt has been spotted smiling again. He was pumped after Sunday's race at New Hampshire and seemed to be very happy with his car and team. The best thing about that is his energy will be contagious to his crew chief and pit crew. And if we know one thing for sure, a happy Junior makes for a happy NASCAR.

Are Dale Earnhardt Jr. Bashers Unbalanced?

Tom Thomason — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:16:25 -0400

Now before you get upset, I said Bashers.

That doesn't include everyone that doesn't care for him. There are millions of people that could care less if he wins or loses. There are also a lot of normal people that think he isn't a great driver. There's nothing wrong with that either.

It's the ones who spend all of their time trolling around the Internet looking to antagonize Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans that need help. You know the type. It's always the same.

They tell you that they were a Dale Jr. fan until they saw the light and realized that he wasn't a great driver.

Now these same people dedicate their life to enlightening the lost masses with the gospel of "Jr. sucks." They think of themselves as NASCAR evangelicals sent by God himself to save the world from being a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan.

It doesn't matter what evidence you throw out there about little E's ability because they don't want to hear it.

They have made up their small minds and have lost the ability to reason. It doesn't matter that only seven active drivers have more wins. It doesn't matter that he has two Nationwide Series championships. It doesn't matter that he has a Daytona 500 win.

So what's the reason for the neurotic behaivor? Why do they troll the internet and blowup the phonelines on shows like Tradin' Paint?

Maybe It's anger from the pain of feeling betrayed by their heroes, so maybe they feel they can get Back at Earnhardt by hurting his fans somehow.

The fact that they were a fan at one time speaks volumes.

In reality it is very sad that some people's lives are so empty that they have to antagonize others to feel joy. Some people are way too happy about Earnhardt's struggles. Now all blogs and message boards are filled with trolls saying the exact same thing; "this proves that Jr. isn't as good as his dad and is average at best."

First off, there is a lot of room in between his father Dale Sr. and an average driver. I mean for Gods sake Big E was like the greatest driver ever. Did you really expect Jr. to be as good?

Now, the haters will argue that there is something unbalanced about loving a driver just because of his last name. Well, yes and no. The fans of the intimidator have used Jr. as a replacement of sorts since the death of his father. No doubt his early success helped to ease the pain of losing their hero.

But, there are a lot fans that weren't Sr. fans. A lot of Jr. fans didn't even watch nascar back then. This means that they happen to like Jr.'s personality. So they will stick by him no matter what. What's wrong with that? Isn't it better to stick with a driver then to jump ship all the time?

So all you haters, bash little E now while you can. Because sooner or later he is going to catch a break and get his swagger back. When that happens, look out!

Kyle Busch Is a Saint

Tom Thomason — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:46:06 -0400

OK maybe not a Saint. Maybe not even a nice guy. maybe a real Jerk. Most of the time he's a real as... Um what was I talking about? Oh. Kyle Busch does happen to have a heart after all.

After hearing the news that truck Series champion Johnny Benson Jr lost his ride this weekend when Red Horse Racing shut down the No. 1 truck, Kyle decided to offer Benson his.

Are we talking about the same Kyle Busch? The man who alienates fans. The man who antagonizes the most popular driver. The controversial driver who smashes Priceless Guitars.
.
Busch was quoted as saying, "Johnny losing his ride, that really stunk because I would have liked to have seen last year's champion keep his ride," Busch said Friday at Michigan International Speedway. "But unfortunately, money woes took him out of that deal."I think we are going to get it worked out where he can drive mine at Milwaukee."

Yes indeed. It seems being an immature driver does not define who a person really is. Maybe its possible to play the role of villain and still have a big heart for those in need.

The late Dale Earnhardt was often seen as the Villain in his day but, was also known for being a warm hearted loving person off the track.

Not to give the impression that I am a Kyle Busch fan. Far from it. I am the first to point out his immaturity on the track and during interviews. He added to his many unwise moments this week when he criticized Dale Earnhardt Jr fans.

While being questioned about his guitar smashing antics he said , A lot of people hated it, and I guess those are the ones with 88 tattooed on their arm," referring to Earnhardt's car number. "I've got no issues with Junior; it's his fans that are crazy, but that's all right."

And of course Earnhardt Jr. had to respond with,"I think the guy is just trying to direct a lot of people to his website or to his column and generate ad revenue.

So as the war of words continue between Jr and Busch, keep in mind that NASCAR is a business and having a bad guy on the track is just what they need. And just maybe Busch understands this all too well.

In all honesty, without Kyle Busch nascar could be in a lot of trouble.

Is Reggie Bush good for the New Orleans Saints Running Game?

Tom Thomason — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:08:39 -0400

The New Orleans saints may never be a good running team as long as Reggie Bush is the running back.

Here's the dilemma, in order to have a dominant running back. You have to anoint him as the lead back. And with Reggie Bush you just can't do that. I mean you can call him that but he knows it isn't true. Bush knows that he is a third down scat back.

The dude has mad skills no doubt. He has great speed and can really catch the ball. You can use him at running back and wide receiver. Everytime he is on the field it forces the defense to pay attention. Not to mention, if he gets in the open field he is gone.

So what's the problem? He is a finesse player. In the NFL a running back must be able to pound the middle. Bush just doesn't have the size for this.

So what to do? You can't get rid of Reggie. The Saints have invested alot of money in the Heisman trophy winner and he's a favorite of Coach Payton. So they have to use another back. They have to use a bigger guy that can get short yardage.

Enter Pierre Thomas. He's a hard working fan favorite that works his butt off for every yard he gets. But let's face it, if coach Payton thought Thomas could get the job done, he would have been a starter already. Of course its possible Thomas could have a breakout year and really put that extra weight he added to good use.

Of course the mere fact that Sean Payton didn't draft a Running back may be a vote of confidence for his existing guys. Apparently Payton tried to snag Beanie Wells but couldn't get it done. Then there was the chance that the Saint would sign Edgerrin James.

I think in order to optimize the running game this year, The saints have to decide on who will be there man and stick with him. Whether it be Bush or Thomas. I think that if one of them knows he is the chosen one, it will make them work even harder to get the job done.

Personally I hope the main job goes to Pierre Thomas. He's tough, smart and athletic enough to rush for a 1,000 yards if given the chance. But knowing coach Payton, he wont make a decision that might hurt his Reggie boy's self esteem. I wonder if he even think about the running game anyway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr is Finished

Tom Thomason — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:47:45 -0400

After finishing 12th at Dover last Weekend. It was easy to think that Dale Jr. might be turning things around. Wrong...

Once again Earnhardt finished 27th. Once again he fought a poor-handling car for most for the day. Once again Dale Jr. complained about the car even when it seemed to be getting much better. Once again Dale Jr. gives ammo to those that claim he is only an average driver.

Many claim that whatever success Dale Earnhardt Jr. may have had is all in the past. And with these 27th place finishes, who can argue with them? Is he just an overrated driver that needs a perfect car to be competitive?

There have been flashes of greatness this year but, they have been few and far between.
Every race it seems him and his crew chief are chasing the track trying to nail down a good setup. There have been a few times that he seemed relatively happy with the car. But, never satisfied with it. There is always something to complain about.

Those pesky laws about every action having an equal and opposite reaction seem to be hampering Earnhardt's attempts at a perfect car.

Maybe that is the reason he is struggling. Maybe there are only so many thing you can mess with in a setup before you affect other parts of the car. Maybe when the car is getting in the corner good and getting off with good grip, you have to live with a bit of snugness in the center of the turn.

If you go back and listen to the audio of his communication with his crew chief, you will notice that once they get the car dialed in he still finds something to complain about. So the crew chief keeps changing the settings until the car goes back to being horrible again.

Every week you see other drivers fight with a car that isn't perfect and somehow finish well. I mean are we to believe that nobody else has the same problems with setups during a race? Is Dale Jr so sure that he is a great driver that he has to wait for the car to be perfect before he gets up on the wheel?

Is he so sure that the COT is the problem and not him? It seems to me that almost anyone could drive a perfect car. I thought the reason that these guys are pros is because they can drive any car to victory lane.

Lance Mcgrew and Rick Hendrick Needs to sit down with Jr. and make him realize that the car will never be perfect. They also need to make him forget that the COT drives so different then the old cars. For next year. Because he is done this year.

He would have to average about ninth for the rest of the season. And that isn't happening.
Theoretically it is possible but realistically, no. And to be honest he may be replaced by Brad Keselowski if he doesn't start performing. This is a business for winners. There is no place for excuses in a performance based sport like racing.

I'm no fan of Kyle Busch, but his comments are starting to look correct. You look at a guy like Busch who could drive a backhoe to victory lane and you have to wonder why Junior doesn't have that kind of car control.

But, maybe I'm totally off base and Jr's cars are just that terrible. Maybe his car his complete crap while Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin seem to get by. Not to mention Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman who also have Hendrick Equipment.

I don't know what was happening at the end of today's race but, Tony Stewart was in fuel conservation mode and slowed way down. Dale Jr was the first car a lap down. It took Earnhardt at least 10 seconds to pass the slowing Stewart even though he was right on his rear!! HE actually looked scared to make the pass. What the heck is that?!

I'm a Junior fan and I really want him to win but, its time for him to grow some cahonies and drive that car like he stole it.

Kyle Busch is Very Upset

Tom Thomason — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:38:55 -0400

Kyle Busch is sooo upset. She's upset because she works so hard to be the prettiest one in school and that dammed Dale Jr. is always getting the attention.

After her coming out party last year with 8 wins she thought people would forget that little Jr. and give shrub her due. But nooo. Everyone loves Dale Jr. no matter what Kyle thinks.

When Kyle gets home she yells at the top of her lungs "I JUST HATE HIM, I HATE HIM, I HATE HIM!!!"

Kyle was so upset last year when Jr. got the pole at Texas, she made a snide remark about not having her own camera man like Dale Jr.

Lets not forget how she wrecked Jr. at Richmond and then cowered in fear when Rick Pigeon wanted to Bitch slap her.

But lets be honest. The reason Kyle really hates Dale Jr. is because Rick Hendrick dumped her for Jr. in 2007.

But can you blame Rick. I mean OMG! Kyle is so moody and manipulative.
Every time she doesn't get her way she throws a tizzy. She pouts, stomps and sashays off the track when she has a bad hair day.

And I mean who wouldn't be jealous. Kyle has been scoring way more often then Jr. has lately, and yet people are still stalking Earnhardt just begging for a few minutes of his time.

And to make things worse. People had the nerve to ask her opinion about Dale Jr. and his new crew chief Lance Mcgrew. I mean this is her big year and they have the nerve to bring up Jr?

I don't know why they acted surpised when she took the chance to slam Dale Jr. and say that its always the crew chiefs fault.

She will never forgive Dale for taking her man Rick Hendrick. I think she is still determined to win him back or something. But she's totally going about it the wrong way.

Besides she got a good thing with Joe Gibbs.

I think Kyle needs a therapist to help her get over the pain of losing Rick Hendrick before she goes off the deep end. Someone needs to help her realize that shes beautiful in her own way.

I mean shes the hottest thing to hit Nascar in years and doesn't need to apologize to anyone. Kyle may never be as popular as Dale Jr.

But Dale Jr better watch out, Because Kyle will bump and bang with anyone to get what she wants.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Has Too Many Psychologists

Tom Thomason — Sun, 24 May 2009 02:12:22 -0400

Dale Earnhardt Jr has about one million psychologists.

Every day there is a new article with a different title. But its basically the same thing.

What is wrong with Jr?

The list of theories as to why Earnhardt Jr is faltering is never ending. They range from halfway logical to completely ridiculous.

Earnhardt Jr has struggled since finishing last in the Chase last year. He started poorly this year at the Daytona 500, finishing 27th after some pit road mistakes and being involved in the "big one".

Since the poor start at Daytona, Earnhardt's problems have snowballed. His detractors have been loving every minute of his trouble. His every mistake is dissected by a cynical, bloodsucking media.

Everyone in the world has an opinion to what's wrong.

His fans blame Tony Eury Junior. They cry about a conspiracy against him within Hendrick.

They blame the useless piece of trash known as the Car of Tomorrow. Some say he refuses to learn from his teammates on how to set the car up.

Another theory is that Earnhardt is driving scared since his accident at Infineon where his Corvette caught fire. You know, maybe almost dying in a fiery crash has taken away his ability to get up on the wheel and be aggressive. The reality of what happened to his old man may have sunk in.

Many people say he has too much on his plate. After all, he is NASCAR's most popular driver. He has his own race team. He does his commercials and appearances. Not to mention everybody and their mother wants an interview. And, he likes to party.

Another theory I came across is that after Dale Earnhardt Incorporated pretty much ceased to exist, he's been depressed and has loss interest in racing. This theory actually makes sense. When you look back at his record last year, his performance really dropped off right about the same time he found out that his Dad's world class shop would become a museum.

Then we know that the Earnhardt Jr. bashers say that he just plain can't drive and has been overrated all along. You know the type. The troll people that follow Dale Earnhardt Jr fans around and leave the same comments on every message board and forum.

There is the pressure of being the face of NASCAR that could be a problem, too. Just having the Earnhardt name gives him an impossible yardstick to measure up to. Even Mark Martin said that Earnhardt Jr has the broadest shoulders in NASCAR, and that he would never trade places with him.

Does anyone think that his little slump would be a big deal if it was Kevin Harvick or Greg Biffle? Of course not. Every driver goes through a tough period in their career. Let's not forget Earnhardt was right in the mix for a championship last year until his poor finish at the 2008 fall race at Dover.

So what's the answer? I think its important to realize that way too much light is on Earnhardt's every move. The media was more then willing to put him up on a pedestal when things where good for Earnhardt Jr. He was filling the void that his champion father put in our hearts when he left too soon.

So really the fans and the media used him as a hero to help us deal with the loss of his father. And now that we realize that our hero is fallible, we're beginning to deal with the loss of someone we loved.

So I guess the answer isn't that Earnhardt Jr needs a psychologist. But maybe the fans and the media need one. Like the movie "We are Marshall" says, grief is messy and it makes you do things you regret.

It's time to deal with our grief Earnhardt fans, and stop putting it on Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. May Be Squandering Away His Prime

Tom Thomason — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:53:32 -0400

This isn't another bash Tony Eury Jr. article, or one of those Dale Earnhardt Jr. sucks articles either.

Instead, it is a statistical analysis of great drivers careers. So the question is, looking at the stats of great drivers, is Earnhardt Jr. missing his window for greatness?

I was looking at some of the greatest drivers in NASCAR, and their stats, and I found some interesting things.

It seems most of the great ones hit their prime right about where Earnhardt Jr. is in his career—his 10th season.

It's no secret that Earnhardt Jr. isn't hitting his stride right now. So let's look at some of the greats.

Richard Petty won 27 races in 1967. Which is about nine years into his career (if you count 1958). He followed that season with four double-digit winning seasons, ranking no worse than fifth in the standings until 1978 (He finished sixth in '78).

Petty is probably not a good comparison so we will look further down the trough.

Darrell Waltrip won 12 races in 1981 and 1982 on his way to winning consecutive championships. He didn't finish out of the top five until 1988 (seventh). Waltrip started his career in 1972, and also won the championship in 1985.

Bill Elliott won 11 races in 1985 and finished second in the rankings. He started his career in 1976. He won his only championship in 1988, and stayed in the top five until 1991.

Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon are freaks that have been winning from almost day one. So we won't count them.

Rusty Wallace won six races in 1988 and 1989, winning the championship in 1989. He started racing in 1980.

Wallace was only in the top five until 1990, but finished in the top 10 almost every year after 1993 until 2002. I have heard people compare Wallace's style of driving to Earnhardt Jr.'s by the way.

David Pearson won the championship in 1966, 1968, and 1969. He won 15 races in '66, 16 in '68, and 11 in '69. He started racing in 1960.

Cale Yarborough won 10 races in 1974. He finished second that year. He won three championships from 1976-1978, winning 10 races in 1978. He finished in the top five for two more years. Yarborough started racing full-time around 1964.

Bobby Allison won 11 and 10 races in 1971 and 1972. He started racing around 1962 and full-time in '65, and won his championship in 1983. Allison finished in the top five 11 times in his career.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. won 11 races in 1987. His official rookie season was 1979. He ended up with 76 wins and seven championships. He is widely regarded as the greatest driver of the modern age.

So while this certainly doesn't mean that Earnhardt Jr. won't win after these next few years, if history is any indication he better get it in gear (pun intended).

Nascar's Rick Hendrick Has a Plan for the 88 Team

Tom Thomason — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:32:28 -0400

Word around Charlotte is that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will leave Charlotte in two weeks with a couple good runs or a couple new people on his team...just kidding, I just made that up. But it demonstrates how easily rumors can get started.

But back in the real world, team owner Rick Hendrick does seem to have some kind of vague time table. In an interview with Viv Bernstein at the Charlotte Nascar Examiner, team owner Rick Hendrick was asked about Dale Jr.'s pit problems. He said;

“Every time we have a problem like that, there’s a reason it happened,’’ Hendrick said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. “We’re focused on that, too.

“Sometimes you try so hard you make more mistakes, and we’ve got a lot of people committed to doing better. So let’s see what happens in the next few weeks.’’

It appears likely that Hendrick will make a decision sometime after the Coca-Cola 600.

Rick also reminded us that the 88 team was their best team in the early part of the 2008 season. He went on to say that the team lost some people from last year. Most people are aware that the 88 team has gone down hill since it lost Darian Grubb.

He went on to say, “I know everybody’s impatient. I’m impatient. I’m by nature a little bit of a procrastinator. And until I can see that we’ve done everything we can, the last thing I want to do is tear something down because it’s been good before. ... I’m doing everything I can do right now. Hopefully, after the next two or three races, we’re going to see big improvement.’’

Junior nation is definitely impatient. But I think deep down they have faith in Hendrick to get the Earnhardt Jr. team winning again.

Who Are the New Orleans Saints' Best Quarterbacks in Franchise History?

Tom Thomason — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:14:47 -0400

This will be my first installment in a series called "Who's the Best in Saints History?" where I will submit my opinions on the best players in Saints history by position. Today I will start at the top with QB.

Numero uno: Drew Brees

The stats speak for themselves. 13,910 yards in just three seasons is unbelievable. A passer rating of 93.8 is the best of any Saint QB in franchise history—not to mention he was one pass away from breaking Dan Marino's single season passing record of 5,084 yards with 5,069 yards.

Brees has 88 touchdowns and 46 interceptions. He also led the Saints their only NFC Championship Game in 2006.

(For the sake of this article I will concede that Brees is the best and compare the rest.)

No. 2—now it gets a little shaky. So I will compare the other top four guys in total yardage.

Archie Manning

While he is probably the sentimental favorite of most Saints fans. I will attempt to be impartial.

He leads the Saints with 21,734 yards in 12 seasons. He's second with 115 TDs but also leads with 156 INTs. His career rating with the Saints was a lowly 67.4. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and was named NFC MVP in 1978.

Manning was truly one of the few bright spots on the Saints during many years of losing. He was also sacked an amazing 340 times for a 9.3 sack percentage. He took an awful beating and still put up nice numbers.

Aaron Brooks

Brooks compiled 19,156 yards with the Saints and holds the Saints' all-time record with 120 touchdown passes. He threw 84 INTs. He also directed the Saints' first playoff win against the "greatest show on turf" St. Louis Rams. But after that, his accomplishments are pretty empty. His QB rating with the Saints was 79.7.

He wasn't exactly a cerebral-type QB, to put it mildly. He was wildly inconsistent and seemed to lose focus during games. He struggled to hold on to the ball at times. He coughed up a record 59 fumbles with the Saints. He also rarely took responsibility for his mistakes. Brooks pretty much led to the demise of coach Jim Haslett.

I think we can safely take him out of the running for No. 2.

Bobby Herbert

Third all-time with 14,630 yards, plus a passer rating of 79.1 with 85 touchdowns and 75 INTs. He led the Saints to three playoff appearances, but had a bad habit of choking in the playoffs.

I think stats don't really do justice for the Cajun Cannon. He was a fiery player who hated to lose. He had an uncanny ability to get his teammates fired up. He didn't have a rocket, but had a real nice touch that his receivers loved. Unfortunately it led to quite a few untimely INTs (like against the Eagles in the 1992 playoffs).

Jim Everett

Everett amassed 10,622 passing yards with 60 TDs, 48 INTs, and a passer rating of 81.1. Though he had a decent passer rating, Everett didn't seem to have the same passion for football that he had with the Rams under John Robinson. Plus he was playing under Jim Mora during his meltdown years.

So after comparing these four, my vote for No. 2 would have to be (drum roll please)...

Archie Manning. Even though he never went to the playoffs, he was a real tough player who gave it all until the whistle blew. I went with him over Bobby Herbert because 1) He never had the defense that Bobby had; 2) he went to two Pro Bowls and was named NFC MVP in 1978; 3) even though he was sacked more than groceries, he was always one of the best QBs in the league.

Well, that's my take. Please feel free to disagree.

When Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. Get a New Crew Chief?

Tom Thomason — Sun, 03 May 2009 17:39:39 -0400

We all know that Dale Jr. can drive a race car. He's in the chase almost every year. And he's the most popular, partly because of his name and partly because of his southern charm. Let's not forget that he is a talented race car driver. After all, he did win back to back Nationwide Championships.

But every week it's the same thing on the scanner. First few laps, Dale Jr. says something like "loose going in tight center" or whatever. Then Eury Jr. fumbles about trying to make Dale Jr. happy. Then if Tony Jr. somehow manages to get the car back on track. Dale Jr. then finds something real small to complain about. This in turn causes Tony Jr. to start making unnecessary changes which make the car undrivable again.

So some of the blame has to fall on Dale Jr.'s shoulders. Sometimes he needs to just accept that the car isn't going to get better and drive. There have been numerous times where they got the car back in the top ten and Jr. still complains. Tony Jr. has to stand up and say, "hey man we got you back in the top ten, just drive the car!"

Let's also not forget the mistakes that Dale Jr. makes on Pit road. I think he missed his pit like three or four times this year. You can't blame Tony Jr. for that.

What will it take for Hendrick to get Dale Jr. a new crew chief? It's obvious that Eury Jr. has no clue how to set up the COT. The only top five that Dale Jr. scored this year was at Talladega, which proves that when Eury Jr. doesn't have to mess with the setup on the car, Jr. runs better. I'm sure Tony Jr. is a real smart guy and so forth, but it's just not clicking right now.

Jr. needs someone that can stand up to him and keep him calm. Probably somebody older that he respects. Like Tony Sr. or Ray Evernham. At least if they try a new crew chief for awhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be out of excuses.

I can't help but think that NASCAR is going to put some pressure on Rick Hendrick to get their cash cow winning again. I mean Jr. brings in something like 25% of NASCAR sales. Plus television ratings are going down with Jr. not winning. If they do replace Tony Jr., millions will tune in just to see what happens.

I know that Jr. loves to race with his cousin, but this is business and business is no place for family....

Has Saints coach Sean Payton Learned Balance on Offense?

Tom Thomason — Fri, 01 May 2009 01:28:53 -0400

It's no secret that I have been very critical of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton's game management. He has called trick plays,abandoned the run, and challenged more calls then John McEnroe's. Not to mention his tendency towards cutesy finesse football that drives the people of New Orleans fans crazy.

one example has to be in the fourth quarter of the game on Nov. 30, 2008 when the Saints were tied with Tampa bay 20-20. Brees had just completed a pass for a first down with about 2:55 remaining. So instead of playing it safe by staying on the ground Payton elected to go for the quick TD and Brees threw an interception to seal the game.

While it was the most successful part of the Saints offense last year, Brees was having an off day and not dominating as usual. Brees finished 25-of-47 for 296 yards. He had two TDs and three INTs. With a 60.2 passer rating.The Saints only attempted to run 18 times that day!

Another example is 2006 Championship game. Saints were playing the bears in horrible snow type conditions. Payton refused to give the ground game a chance and the Saints broke the hearts of thousands of championship starved fans. Payton's excuse was that the Bears were playing the run all day with eight in the box and so forth. Well coach, traffic is heavy in the morning but somehow people still get to work in the morning!

But, Sean Payton is a very unconventional coach. We all know that. lets give credit where credit is due. He did after all have the number one offense last year. And he says all the right things after his mistakes. He admits that he has to improve his play calling after losses.

He's making some popular off season moves this trying to improve an anemic defense. They picked up corners Jabari Greer and Leigh Torrence and safeties Darren Sharper and Pierson Prioleau. They also drafted defense with Malcolm Jenkins and Chip Vaughn to add some youth.

They added Paul Spicer and Rod Coleman for depth on the defensive line. Stanley Arnoux could end up replacing Scott Shanle.

So if Payton can just keep his cool this year, this will be a great shot at a championship. If not, it could be another long year filled with stupid mistakes...

Phoenix Winning Without Amare Stoudemire...Coincidence?

Tom Thomason — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:07:51 -0400

The Phoenix Suns are flat out balling. They are Leading the league in scoring at 108.9 points per game after returning to their familiar run and gun.

The surprising thing is that they are doing it without their leading scorer, Amare Stoudemire. In addition to losing Stoudemire, the Suns have lost Leandro Barbosa to a hyper-extended knee for a couple of weeks.

The suns are not only scoring again, they are playing a scrappy, "in your face", high energy defense that is leading to turnovers and fast breaks.

After their season was pretty much left for dead, the Suns have sizzled with a season high six-game winning streak. It was kept alive after defeating Utah in a scrappy nail-biter on Wednesday night, 118-114.

So it begs the question, are they playing better without Stat?

Is it just a matter of desperation, and fear of missing the playoffs?

Is it a matter of the bench playing at a much higher level since Alvin Gentry has given them more minutes?

I have to cop-out and say a little of each.

We can't ignore the fact that Amare has become a Diva as of late. He constantly whines about not being a big enough star, and wants to be the man. He only wants to play offense, and pad his Stats, while giving lip-service about wanting to be a defensive master.

He plays an Ole! type of defense in the paint unless he can get a Sportscenter highlight block.

I have to imagine that team chemistry is much better with Amare gone.

Steve Nash can now just pass to the open man without worrying about Stat getting his touches. Now it's a team without big egos that just wants to win.

Lou Amundsen doesn't have Amare's skill set, but he plays great defense and does whatever it takes to win. Shaq isn't the player he used to be, but he's still a play maker. Rarely do you ever see Shaq try to force his way through three defenders. When he's covered, he is one of the best at finding the open man.

I think the key on offense, is that Amare was a ball-stopper on offense. This makes it difficult to keep a flow going. Plus, with Shaq and Amundsen playing hard on defense, it makes for alot more easy transition buckets.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time the Suns played this hard on Defense.

Whatever the reason, I like the way Phoenix is playing right now. Hopefully Amare is taking notes on how to play like a team.

Are the New Orleans Saints' Recent Moves Great?

Tom Thomason — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:44:43 -0400

The New Orleans Saints' franchise has been busy recently with some very decisive moves after the start of free agency. The Saints have been very vocal about needing to upgrade their depleted secondary.

It would be hard to find fault with this way of thinking after 2008.

But I will take a shot at it.

It's no secret that Sean Payton is a finesse coach. He differs from coaches (who are usually very successful) who use the ground game to set up the pass. It also seems he may lack the patience to grind it out.

Problem is, this seems to bleed over onto the Defensive side of the Saints' organization.

Saint fans have been clamoring for the signing of Darren Sharper lately. While I'm sure he can help the weak secondary, I'm not sure this is the most glaring need on Defense. The last few years have seen the Defensive line rack up less sacks every year.

In 2006, they had a respectable 38 sacks. Not great but decent. 2007 it was 32. Finally, last year, it fell to a putrid 28 sacks. Not exactly striking the fear of God into QB's around the league.

And to make things worse, the Saints are paying Charles Grant and Will Smith a lot of money for almost nothing in return. Last year's sack leader Bobby McCray brought in as a pass rush specialist and outplayed both of the starters. Not to mention Backup Jeff Charleston outplayed the starters as well.

I guess the point is, instead of piling up a whole slew of mediocre backups for depth on the Defensive line. They need to find some real starters first. They need some defensive ends that pressure the offense into mistakes regardless of sacks or not.

Without pressure up front, it wont matter how many Darren Sharpers you bring in...

New Orleans Saints' Coach Sean Payton Undermines His Team Again

Tom Thomason — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 08:58:02 -0500

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton showed little improvement in game management and play calling on Sunday.

Once again Payton found a way to sabotage his team by poor decisions in crunch time.
The most glaring example has to be in the fourth quarter when the Saints were tied with Tampa bay 20-20. Brees had just completed a pass for a first down with about 2:55 remaining. So conventional wisdom would dictate that you run out the clock and get ready for Overtime.

But, Sean Payton is a very unconventional coach. So, on the net play Drew Brees gets alot of pressure and throws the INT to seal the game for Tampa. Would it not have been wise to run the ball on three downs and punt the ball to put Tampa deep in their own territory?

It is exactly these type of poor decisions that drive Saints fans crazy. If Sean Payton finds it difficult to control himself, then maybe he isn't cut out for play calling. He strikes me as a very impulsive and impatient person when it comes to calling the offensive plays.

Of course, many people would point to the three interceptions that Brees gave up. And rightly so.

You obviously cannot win in this league when you give the ball up. But even a great QB like Brees will crumble under the pressure if you throw the ball 47 times! The Saints only attempted to run 18 times! Brees finished 25 of 47 for 296 yards. He had two TDs and three INTs. With a 60.2 passer rating.

Ofcourse there was lots of blame to go around. The defense was still unable to stop Tampa when it really mattered. Although the defense played hard and did come up with some good plays. And they did manage to hold the Tampa offense to under 300 yards.

Reggie Bush made his big comeback with underwhelming results. On his punt returns he ran backwards again (-16 yards). He wasn't a factor running the ball since well, the Saints don't run the ball.

On a positive note, the Saints kicking game was solid with Hartley and Pakulak having nice games. Hartley had a nice 47 yard field goal in the first quarter to give them a temporary lead. He remains perfect as a Saint. Pakulak also had a booming 70 yard punt.

So in the final analysis, the Saints are playing hard on both sides of the ball but, if Coach Sean Payton continues to be impatient and impulsive with his play selection and game management, the Saints will continue to be mediocre.

Phoenix Suns Exposed Again Without Steve Nash

Tom Thomason — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:53:56 -0500

The Phoenix Suns were exposed as a mediocre team without Steve Nash once again.

Playing without their two-time MVP, the Phoenix Suns proved that they cannot when he doesn't play. Nash, who dressed for the game against Miami, decided before tip-off that he couldn't go because of a bruised thigh.

The suns, who have been plagued by turnovers all season, played poorly for most of the night. They seemed like a team that was searching for direction without number 13. Whenever Phoenix got close, they would turn the ball over and lose momentum.

Shaquille O'neal and Amare Stoudemire were held in check for most of the night by a smothering Miami Heat defense. The guards were unable to feed Shaq or have any flow on offense. O'neal finished with 12 points and nine rebounds while Stoudemire had 14 and six.

Leandro Barbosa tried to help with 20 points off the bench, but to no avail. The final score was 107-92 in favor of the Heat.

So, after all the coaching and personnel changes in the last couple of years, the Suns are still missing a real backup at point guard. Although Steve Kerr may have meant well, it's looking like he may have destroyed a real contender in the Western conference.

He ran off a coach who averaged 58 wins a year and had the perfect system for Steve Nash. The suns are still scoring about a hundred per night but, but they are not the offensive machine that they were. The defense has improved but it may not matter if the suns can't score without Nash on the floor.

I predict that Terry Porter will push Nash into an early retirement because of the style of play that he wants. That would be a real shame because Mike D'Antoni revitalized the whole league with the Run and Gun Suns.

If not for some bad breaks in the playoffs, D'Antoni may have silenced the naysayers who said you can't win with a running style of basketball. Now, we may never know.

Amare Stoudemire: Is He Holding Back the Phoenix Suns?

Tom Thomason — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:38:26 -0500

Now before you ask me what drugs I'm on, hear me out. We all know what a great player Stoudemire is. We all know he can score. We all love his SportsCenter highlight dunks.

But, where is the defense he keeps promising? He obviously has the tools to be a great ball stopper. The problem is that he is a ball stopper on offense. I admit once in a while he can manage a really nice pass. And I admit he can sometimes hustle for loose balls.

So what concerns me as I watch the Suns play? What is making me speak blasphemy against our Black Jesus? Well for one, his ego has been growing exponentially year after year. Remember when he fired his agent because he wasn't a big enough star?

Another is he's becoming unbearable on offense. As soon as STAT gets the ball, you can see his eyes get huge when he spots the basket. Now, I realize he is the Suns' top scorer. I realize he needs to get his touches. But, when is he going to learn that he can't dunk over everyone from anywhere?

Last night against the Lakers, Amare tried to take on three players at once!! I couldn't believe my eyes! There he was, ball in hand, covered by at least three Laker defenders and instead of passing it back out, he actually tried to get to the basket.

I hope Im wrong and STAT leads the team to the promise land. But, Terry Porter needs to sit down with his star player and explain to him that this IS NOT THE AMARE STOUDEMIRE SHOW!

Deuce McAllister: Saints Fans Will Never Forget You

Tom Thomason — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:18:03 -0500

Jim Haslett taking Deuce McAllister in the first round seems like a lifetime ago.

Saints' fans expressed confusion and dismay since they already had Ricky Williams and the Saints needed Defensive help (as usual). Some took it as a sign that Jim Haslett had enough of Williams' strange behavior. Others felt it was just Haslett taking the best player available.

In his first season with the Saints, Deuce had little playing time and never complained. He has always been the consummate professional. At the end of the year, Mcallister showed his enormous potential by breaking off a 54 yard touchdown run.

After Ricky Williams was traded to the Miami Dolphins on March 08, 2002, it was clear that Deuce would be the man. Some Saints fans were uneasy about the move but, Haslett was sure that Deuce was the man for the job.

The decision to start Mcallister proved to be one of the better personnel decisions by Haslett. Deuce took the league by storm by rushing for over a thousand yards for three straight years. He proved to be the prototypical, every down back. Not only could he move the pile between the tackles, he could be elusive with his outstanding speed.

Fast forward to 2005. New Orleans was devastated by Katrina and the Saints were devastated by the loss of their running back in week five after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.

Deuce came back strong with new Coach Sean Payton. He rushed for 1057 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2006. The Saints had a great year and went to their first NFC Championship ever. Hopes were high in New Orleans with Deuce and New running back Reggie Bush giving defensive coordinator fits.

Tragedy struck again as Deuce suffered an ACL injury in his left knee on September 24th, 2007. Deuce handled the situation with class as usual, and worked hard to get back on the field.

As the 2008 season started, Deuce stated he was ready to play. But, coach Sean Payton has been reluctant to use him. Saints fans have been crying out for more Deuce but it seems to fall on deaf ears. Most feel that Payton is trying to faze him out slowly.

Whatever happens from this point on, let's try to remember the good times when Deuce was a god. He is easily the most beloved player since Archie Manning and maybe the most beloved player the Saints had. He has surpassed George Rogers as the all-time Saints rushing leader with over 5,000 yards.

Deuce never yearned for the spotlight. He never demanded a bigger contract with lengthy holdouts and so forth. He is the rare NFL player that kids can look to as a role model. He has the Catch 22 Foundation, which is dedicated to under-privileged youth and adolescents in the Gulf South Region.

Is this the end for Deuce? Maybe. But, one can't help but think that he deserves better then to waste away on the bench. Players like him are so rare that there must be a more tactful way to handle the situation then this.

Something tells me that if Sean Payton could feel the pain that Saints fans have in their hearts for Deuce, he would play him every down.

Is Saints' Coach Sean Payton In Over His Head ?

Tom Thomason — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:48:31 -0500

If you look at the scoreboard from Sunday's game against the Falcons, you might think that the New Orleans Saints were actually competitive, but, make no mistake about it— the Saints were never in this one.

From the first play, coach Sean Payton seemed scared to rely on traditional Football strategy. One can only guess why the third-year coach feels the need to gamble so often. On the first play of the game he tried to catch the Falcons off guard by going for the long pass.

The problem with that strategy is that everyone expects the long ball from coach Payton. You can't shock the world with the long ball if thats your regular play.

Two years ago Sean Payton arrived and was thought of as young and idealistic. He was touted as an Offensive genius with a flair for creativity. And with a 10-6 first season, the city of New Orleans was giddy with expectations about the future of the beleaguered franchise.

Then, the 2007 season started with Superbowl expectations by many experts and prognosticators. But all of a sudden, teams seemed to have figured Payton's offense out. They realized that he hates to run the ball, so teams started to play pass on almost every down.

A pattern started to emerge to those paying attention. Saints get the ball and start throwing down field. Sometimes with good results, sometimes not. IF they don't score right off the bat, it was usually because of bad execution or turnovers. Next, the other team gets the ball and marches right through the anemic Defense. Bam! TD.

Now the Saints are behind and Payton now thinks he HAS to pass. Herein lies the problem with Sean Payton. Its pretty much accepted football wisdom that teams that pass too much will not win consistently. For some reason Sean Payton never gets that.

Most coaches will run the ball down the other teams throat when they have a lead. Not Sean Payton. Time and time again . When he has a lead, he will resort to his brilliant passing attack.

Is it Ego? Is it arrogance? Both? What makes him tick? What makes him think that he has a better way then the most successful coaches in history?

Time will tell if Sean Payton gets wiser but, as most coaches have learned NFL stands for NOT FOR LONG.