Bleacher Report - Articles by Edgar Antonio Nunez

Super Bowl Hero Mark Ingram Cannot Elude Trouble Off The Field

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:40:01 -0500

The New York Giants trail the Buffalo Bills 12-10 in the third quarter of Super Bowl XXV. The Giants' strategy going into the game was to keep the potent Bills offense off the field as much as possible.

On their first drive of the second-half, the Giants 11th play is a daunting third-and-13. The Bills have the momentum and poised to take control of the game.

In one of Super Bowl history's most memorable plays, quarterback Jeff Hostetler drops back and finds wide receiver Mark Ingram over the middle for four yards.

In a play that symbolized the Giants sheer determination to win the game, Ingram escapes from two tackles from Kirby Jackson and Darryl Talley, jukes away from Mark Kelso, and with JD Williams hanging onto his leg, Ingram hops on the other for one more yard.

As the play develops, it seems to unfold agonizingly slow as the receiver eludes tackles and wills his way for a key first-down conversion at the 19-yard line.

He ends the game with five catches for 74 yards, a performance that helps the Giants to a 20-19 Super Bowl upset.

His personal life since retiring in 1996 sadly has not been as storied.

Today, the former star is scheduled to start a 92-month jail term for drug-money laundering.

He is the father of Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram, Jr., whose undefeated team has a shot at the Southeastern Conference title against Florida and a chance at a national championship with a win this Saturday.

Ingram had hoped to attend the game before heading to prison, missing it by one day.

In 2001, Ingram was sentenced to six months in federal prison for carrying nearly $3,300 in counterfeit money. In 2004, he served a year for stealing a credit card from a golf course near his home.

And now the money laundering charge.

When Ingram leaves prison, his son's college career will be over and his 50th birthday will come behind bars.

"I've done a lot of things wrong," Ingram said at his sentencing. "I'm an imperfect man."

Unfortunately some of Mark Ingram's decisions after his Super Bowl performance have been less than memorable.

CC Sabathia or Johan Santana As The Ace Of Your Pitching Staff?

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:26:21 -0500

It's been three weeks since the New York Yankees offered him a six-year, $140 million contract, but chances are that free agent CC Sabathia will likely pitch in the Bronx.

Despite reports that Sabathia would prefer to play in his home state, teams in California either have other free agent priorities or simply don't have the money.

Let's assume for the sake of argument that Sabathia signs with the Yankees.

New York will feature the two highest-paid pitchers in baseball, with the Mets' Johan Santana at $137.5 million over six years.

That's a salary of $23.3 million for Sabathia and $22.9 million for Santana per season, for a combined total of $46.2 million.

It's an understatement to say that it's a big investment for the New York baseball teams in two pitchers. In contrast, the entire payroll for the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays was $43.4 million in 2007.

So who would you rather have as the ace of your pitching staff?

CC Sabathia or Johan Santana?

Sabathia went a combined 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA for the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers last season, and was 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA after getting traded to the Brewers in June.

He led the majors with 253 innings pitched, finished fifth in the National League Cy Young voting and sixth in the MVP balloting.

Sabathia is a durable pitcher capable of supplying his team with quality starts and 200-plus innings each season. His fastball is explosive and his slider is an excellent out-pitch to left-handed hitters. His change-up has improved significantly.

Santana has three dominating pitches—a mid-90s MPH fastball, a high-80s MPH slider and a change-up. The change-up is devastating because Santana throws it to hitters like he's throwing his fastball.

Santana also throws his slider with different breaks at different speeds, giving him a slurve-like alternative to his other pitches.

He finished the 2008 regular season with a 16-7 record, posting a 2.53 ERA with 206 strikeouts. His 2.53 ERA led the majors and was a career best. He also set a career high in innings pitched.

Santana finished in third place in the National League Cy Young award race.

New York Giants Offensive Line One of the All-Time Best

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:47:49 -0500

Offensive linemen. It's as if the word offensive in their job title hints at something else besides the fact they are actually part of the unit that handles the ball. No other player is so thoroughly under appreciated and marginalized in football.

And they know all too well how the football adage goes—if their names aren't called they are doing their jobs.

But the New York Giants offensive line has been so good they are starting to be recognized for the job they do.

Leading the NFL in total rushing yards, average yards per rush, average yards rushing per game, total points scored, and average points scored per game will do that.

Don't know this group that helped the Giants win the Super Bowl?

They are left tackle David Diehl, left guard Rich Seubert, center Shaun O'Hara, right guard Chris Snee, and right tackle Kareem McKenzie.

Television color analyst John Madden calls them the best offensive line in the NFL.

They are young enough to have a great future—Diehl is 28, Seubert and McKenzie each are 29, O’Hara is 31, and Snee is 26.

A great offensive line takes time to put together as ESPN's John Clayton wrote before the Giants' Super Bowl win. And the line went through different experimental phases and players to get to it's present lineup today as Giants beat writer Michael Eisen wrote in June 2005.

All the hard work has paid off.

"Collectively those five guys are as good as any Pro Bowl offensive line you can put together," said Bart Oates, who was the center on the Giants' Super Bowl teams in '86 and '90.

"They work as well together as any group I have ever seen," said Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Before a game against the Giants, the Baltimore Ravens gave up an average of 65.4 rushing yards.

Running back Brandon Jacobs ran for more than half that amount on the second play and the Giants finished with their fifth 200-yard game of the season.

"The holes were gaping. Gaping," said Ravens defensive end Trevor Pryce after the game. "If you give any NFL back holes like that, he's going to look like Gayle Sayers."

The line has started intact almost every game for the past two seasons.

Oakland Raiders personnel executive Mike Lombardi believes that since there is no clear favorite for MVP with only four weeks left in the regular schedule, why not consider the Giants' offensive line?

He believes the line has controlled games, paving the way for the NFL's most powerful team.

History indicates that the award will go to a skill player. Although the award does not have to go to one player and can go to a position group, it's never happened.

Since statistics are the focus in today's sports, the Giants' offensive line would not receive consideration because statistics for offensive lines are not officially recorded by the NFL.

Big, tough, and physical, the Giants' offensive line most often own the line of scrimmage.

As well as the line has played in recent seasons, no single player has been voted for the Pro Bowl.

This season that will most likely change. Many football analysts believe that O'Hara, Seubert, and Snee will each go to their first Pro Bowl. The Giants are first in runs up the middle, sixth in runs to left tackle and tenth in runs to right tackle.

According to Pro Football Weekly, the three players have combined for just seven penalties and three sacks allowed.

Other analysts say that years from now, these five Giants linemen will rank up there with the '60s Packers, '70s Raiders, and '90s Cowboys as one of the greatest offensive lines of all time.

If the Giants win another Super Bowl or two, the offensive line will certainly rank among the greats.

Let's call their names in recognition for the job that they do as potentially one of the best units in NFL history.

Diehl, Seubert, O'Hara, Snee, McKenzie.

As Giants coach Tom Coughlin said, "They are the heart and soul of this team."

AFC, NFC Now Play in Same League

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:53:31 -0500

The balance of power in the National Football League has shifted.

The National Football Conference was the dominant conference during the '90s. The proficiency on offense by the Patriots and Colts and strong defenses of the Steelers and Ravens shifted the balance of power to the American Football Conference this decade.

The AFC has won six of the last nine Super Bowls. The conference featured better production at the quarterback position, more defenses in the top 10, and more continuity at the head coaching position.

In the past 11 seasons, not including this current season, the AFC has registered a 370-300-2 record in AFC-NFC matchups, and has won the competition every year, except in 2000 and 2001, when the NFC held its own at 30-30 in each of those seasons.

Since 1972, there have been three eras of conference domination of the Super Bowl, and each has been significant and enduring. From 1973 to 1981, an AFC team won eight of the nine Super Bowls. From 1982 to 1997, an NFC team claimed the Lombardi Trophy 15 times in 16 years.

To be sure, conference dominance is cyclical.

And this season, the balance of power has begun tilting towards the NFC.

The NFC holds a slight edge in various categories which the AFC led since the beginning of the decade.

In head-to-head matchups this season, the NFC holds a slight lead over the AFC with a 24-21 record so far.

The conferences are split with the top 10 records in the NFL.

The NFC's combined winning percentage is .508 against the AFC's .492 record.

Throughout many popular power rankings, the NFC usually holds a three-to-two edge in the top five teams.

Seven of the top 10 quarterbacks and running backs play on NFC teams.

Seven of the top 10 defenses are now in the NFC.

The AFC's era of dominance has come to an end.

Now both conferences indeed play in the same league.

New York Giants Suspend Plaxico Burress For Remainder of Season

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:38:02 -0500

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list by the team effectively ending his season.

Burress was suspended without pay for four games for conduct detrimental to the team for multiple and repeated violations of club rules, according to The New York Times.

The report indicates that the team physician believes that Burress would have been unable to play for at least four to six weeks in any event as a result of the gunshot wound that the wide receiver sustained.

Even without being placed on the non-football injury list, the earliest Burress would have been able to suit up for the Giants would have been in the divisional round of the playoffs and perhaps as late as the Super Bowl.

This is the second time this season the Giants have suspended Burress. He was suspended for 12 days, including a game against Seattle, because he missed team meetings without explanation.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin held him out of the first quarter of the Oct. 26 game against Pittsburgh because he missed treatment for an injury the day before.

Burress pulled his hamstring in the Giants' win over Baltimore on Nov. 16. He aggravated the injury in the opening series the following week against Arizona and sat out the rest of that game.

The Giants, as required by league rules, listed Burress as inactive because of the hamstring injury the Friday afternoon before the game against Washington on Nov. 30.

Between the late evening hours of that Friday and early morning on Saturday, Burress' gun incident occurred at a Manhattan nightclub.

Where Will The Giants Go From Here?

Domenik Hixon, Burress' replacement throughout the season, has made the most of his opportunity. Hixon has made major contributions on offense in the four games in which Burress was out or missed significant playing time. He also has continued to make a significant impact on special teams.

Hixon was one of the keys in the Giants defeat of Arizona on Nov. 23.

Before this season, Hixon had started all but one game. This season, he has started two games. He will most likely be in the starting lineup for the rest of the season.

Quarterback Eli Manning has had stronger performances without Burress in the lineup this season. Against Washington last week, Manning completed five passes each to three different receivers and six receivers in total had a least one pass reception.

The Giants will rely more heavily on 13-year veteran Amani Toomer. In the game against Washington, Toomer was sometimes lined up in the split end position, which Burress usually occupies as the deep threat.

Without Burress, Manning has completed more passes into the flat (the area of the field between the hash marks and the sideline near the line of scrimmage) to running back Derrick Ward. Tight end Kevin Boss has also been more involved in the passing game in the intermediate and middle area of the field.

Burress' unavailability this season has not proved detrimental to the Giants passing game. In fact, the offense has performed more efficiently.

It remains to be seen what the long-term affects will be for the Giants without Burress on the field. As a deep threat, Burress faced consistent double teams, which provided single-coverage to other receivers.

So far this season, the Giants have able to maintain their offensive output. The team currently ranks No.4 in the league in offense.

Did The Giants Do The Right Thing in Suspending Burress?

As the Giants look to secure the No. 1 playoff seed in the NFC, the team's swift and immediate suspension of Burress will allow the rest of the players to return their focus to football.

Injury, retirement, trade, and suspension have failed to slow down the Giants' momentum this season.

The team has compiled an 11-1 record with injuries to Osi Umenyiora, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and James Butler, the retirement of Michael Strahan, and the trade of Jeremy Shockey.

Will Burress' suspension prove to be too much to overcome for the Giants? The team's continued success in the face of adversity would indicate otherwise.

The only thing more certain is that Burress most likely has played his final game in a Giants uniform.

Michael Bloomberg Jumping the Gun on Plaxico Burress

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:26:53 -0500

Is there really a genuine reason why New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg had to get in front of the television cameras about Plaxico Burress' accidental gunshot incident?

He's let everyone have a mayoral tongue-lashing—Burress, the New York Giants front office, the National Football League, the hospital, the doctors and nurses that treated Burress' injury, the guy selling roasted nuts in front of City Hall—just about anyone within arm's reach.

Where were Bloomberg and his soap box when his Wall Street pals and cronies were shafting and bankrupting America with their bad mortgage-backed securities?

Bloomberg got in front of the TV cameras to score political brownie points. Nothing speaks louder to John Q. Citizen walking the mean city streets than the big, bad mayor standing up to one of the many out-of-control and spoiled athletes that all the denizens happen to adore.

Burress needs to be prosecuted "to the fullest extent of the law." Burress is "a sports hero." Burress is "both a public figure and a role model."

"If we don't prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law, I don't know who on Earth we would," Bloomberg said.

"It makes a sham, a mockery of the law. And it's pretty hard to argue the guy didn't have a gun and that it wasn't loaded. You've got bullet holes in and out to show that it was there."

Mayor, can we wait for all of the facts to come out before you speak your piece, less than 24 hours after the incident? A little more than 72 hours afterwards, we still don't know all the details.

What's wrong with doing the mayoral thing and calling for reason and for citizens to not hastily rush to judgment?

The New York Giants and the NFL are working with the proper authorities and conducting a fact-finding investigation. Meanwhile, the mayor's office is playing ringleader to the media circus (which of course, includes the mayor's very own Bloomberg media company).

Today, after a moment to reflect, he is not contrite at all. In fact, he's quoted as saying, "I don’t have nothing to apologize for. The law is the law."

The mayor is obviously right about that, and no one deserves special treatment. Still, Burress will have his day in court. This shouldn't be played out on television without all the facts.

Last I heard, people aren't formally tried in the court of public opinion.

Investigators need to do their jobs and not feel pressure from the mayor's office to draw conclusions as they investigate. This isn't just harmless tough-talk from Bloomberg; his verbosity could actually jeopardize the case against Burress.

Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Prospects for 2009

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:36:23 -0500

Also check out the Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Vacancies for 2009.

10. Mike Heimerdinger, Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans

Heimerdinger has a solid reputation for his abilities on the offensive side of the ball. He's worked under Mike Shanahan twice, helping develop Jay Cutler at quarterback. The Titans' offense ranks sixth in rushing yards and seventh in points scored in the league.

9. Jim Caldwell, Associate Head Coach and Quarterbacks Coach, Indianapolis Colts

Caldwell coached in the college ranks for 20 years and was head coach for eight at Wake Forest. He's helped develop quarterbacks and passing games in the NFL.

8. Bill Cowher, Former Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers

Cowher sets an aggressive tone with his teams. He has a Super Bowl championship under his belt, two AFC championships, and was named AP Coach of the Year in 1992. Cowher is best with a veteran team.

7. Mike Martz, Offensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

His accomplishments speak for themselves. The former Rams head coach is a great offensive mind. What seems to limit Martz is a reputation for not meshing well with others.

6. Ron Rivera, Defensive Coordinator, San Diego Chargers

The Bears defense fell off in 2007 with Rivera's departure. He helped lead one of the most dominant defenses while defensive coordinator in Chicago. He has a solid background from his days in Philadelphia.

5. Jim Schwartz, Defensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans

Schwartz has learned under Jeff Fisher and Bill Belichick. The Titan's impressive start this year is primarily due to a resurgent defensive unit that has lost many players in recent offseasons due to salary cap restrictions.

4. Rex Ryan, Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Baltimore Ravens

Ryan has helped lead one of the best defensive units in nine seasons with the Ravens. In his three seasons as coordinator, Ryan's defense has ranked among the top six in the league each year. Baltimore was No. 1 in the NFL in 2006, surrendering the fewest points.

3. Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator, New England Patriots

What McDaniels has been able to achieve this season without Tom Brady is remarkable. He's learned under one of the best in the business in Belichick. He's considered a good evaluator of talent.

2. Jason Garrett, Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have one of the league's most dangerous offensive units. Garrett is the type of coach that's perfect for a team looking to rebuild and develop young players. He's unproven, however—this is only his second season as coordinator.

1. Steve Spagnuolo, Defensive Coordinator, New York Giants

Spagnuolo is the architect of a defense that applied relentless pressure on the Patriots' record-setting offense in Super Bowl XVII. He's turned around a defensive unit that ranked 25th in the league before his arrival, now ranked No. 3 overall in the NFL.

Top 10 Possible NFL Head Coaching Vacancies for 2009

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:29:31 -0500

Also check out the Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Prospects in 2009.

10. Dallas Cowboys

If the playoffs started today, the Cowboys wouldn't qualify. If Wade Phillips doesn't lead the team into postseason play, owner Jerry Jones may decide to part ways. He may be influenced by having hot commodity offensive coordinator Jason Garrett on staff.

9. Philadelphia Eagles

Despite Andy Reid's impressive record with the Eagles, the team will miss the playoffs this season and is in decline. Reid is also in charge of football operations with final say on personnel matters—the players that he's assembled simply aren't good enough to compete for a championship.

8. Kansas City Chiefs

This season is shaping up as the Chiefs' worst season since Lamar Hunt founded the franchise in 1960. Fans are rightfully growing impatient with Herman Edwards, although the team is one of the youngest in the league.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jack Del Rio may be on the hot seat. The Jaguars were widely picked as a Super Bowl contender this year. The players have aged and younger players haven't emerged to replace them. The Jaguars have drafted only one Pro Bowl player since Del Rio was hired.

6. San Diego Chargers

It's difficult to understand how Norv Turner continues to have a coaching position in the league. Coming off a season in which the Chargers where a game away from reaching the Super Bowl, the team is languishing in one of the worst divisions in the league and will miss the playoffs.

5. St. Louis Rams

The Rams may fire Jim Haslett after the season. He possess a meager .458 career win percentage as a head coach. The team might take this chance to bring in an entirely new staff and completely retool.

4. Oakland Raiders

It's unlikely that owner and general manager Al Davis will keep interim coach Tom Cable. Cable lacks high level head coaching experience prior to this season. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is widely considered head coach material, but Davis passed on him after firing Lane Kiffin.

3. Detroit Lions

Most teams will give a coach three years to turn around a team. Rod Marinelli is now in his third season, he has a 10-33 career record, and the Lions may become the first winless team in NFL history.

2. Cleveland Browns

Now in his fourth season, Romeo Crennel has had one winning season in Cleveland. Despite the team's lack of success against the Steelers in recent seasons, analysts wrongly predicted the Browns would be one of the up-and-coming teams, following a 10-6 campaign last year. The team has regressed badly this season.

1. Cincinnati Bengals

In six seasons with the Bengals, coach Marvin Lewis has had one winning season. The Bengals have some of the league's most potent offensive players. The negative locker room culture has been widely documented. Although Lewis isn't the one making the executive decisions, for better or for worse, he's the ringleader.

Domenik Hixon: The Anti-Plaxico Burress

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:39:14 -0500

In the face of the latest controversy surrounding the team's star wide receiver, the New York Giants dominated the Washington Redskins less than 48 hours after Plaxico Burress shot himself accidentally in a Manhattan night club.

This is why the Giants are the reigning Super Bowl champions. This is why they will be difficult to stop this season.

No team is better at handling adversity—whether it's controversy or injury.

No team is steadier in the face of difficulty or success—whether they're down by a score late in a contest or building a three-game lead in the division.

The Giants are made up of players that embody the team's collective ethos.

During college, Giants wide receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner Domenik Hixon accepted a position switch from safety to wide receiver because it helped the team. It was that type of attitude that attracted the Giants to him during the NFL draft.

He would be selected in the fourth-round by the Denver Broncos, but when he was waived after only four games last season, the Giants immediately picked him up.

While Burress has tried his best to get kicked off the team, Hixon has made the most of the vacancy and has excelled.

When Burress was suspended for a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Hixon had a game high 102 yards receiving on four catches, including a touchdown and a 41-yard pass reception.

When Burress was sidelined due to injury early in the game against the Arizona Cardinals, Hixon racked up 269 all-purpose yards, including 180 yards on three kickoff returns.

This Sunday, Hixon came up big again in place of Burress, catching five passes for 71 yards against the Redskins, in a pivotal game against a division rival on the road.

He returned kickoffs for the first time last week and he's been a solid punt returner this season. Hixon has been a standout on special teams coverage as well. He made two tackles on punt coverage last Sunday and leads the team with nine solo tackles on special teams.

Hixon has accepted all of his roles on the team.

Until this season, Hixon was remembered for a collision with Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett, which nearly killed Everett. The experience left him deeply shaken. His production suffered and he was released by the Broncos. He was in danger of never playing football again.

And now Hixon is making the most of his opportunity with the Giants.

It's unclear what the future holds for Hixon or Burress this season. Or next season for that matter.

Right now, Hixon is a starting wide receiver on the best team in football.

For a team known for its resiliency, Hixon is right at home.

Plaxico Burress' Last Shot With The New York Giants

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:04:42 -0500

Unfortunately for the New York Giants, Plaxico Burress has made more of a blast in the New York tabloids than on the football field this season. As we all know by now, Burress sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a Manhattan nightclub.

It can turn out to be the star wide receiver's last shot with the Giants.

New York's gun control laws are the strictest in the country. Charges will almost certainly be filed.

As the Giants noted in a press release: "This incident could become a matter for law enforcement officials, and because of that, we have no comment on any of the details."

The Giants have maintained an understated focus this season. In light of several distractions, injuries, and changes in player personnel, the team has put together an impressive 10-1 record going into Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins.

The Giants are an organization that is historically conservative, that looks to keep clear from player controversy.

Burress has been the exception.

This last off-season, he was fined $25,000 for not practicing during a mandatory mini-camp.

He was suspended for the game against the Seattle Seahawks and fined $117,500 for missing a team meeting.

He was fined $45,000 by the NFL for his conduct during the game against the San Francisco 49ers for verbally abusing an official.

How will the Giants handle this?

The players are saying they are more concerned about Burress' health. The team has won without Burress this season. Right now, these diversions don’t seem to matter.

Burress had an outstanding performance in the Giants' NFC championship game win against the Green Bay Packers. He caught the pass for the winning touchdown in the team's Super Bowl victory against the New England Patriots. All of this despite playing on an injured ankle.

Burress signed a five-year, $35 million contract hours before the season began. His production this season has been disappointing. Now his troubles have reached beyond football and has caught up to him in his personal life.

The Giants have dealt with all of the distractions. The team has rid itself of players that do not fit its philosophy of a team concept in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When a player generates negative attention, it undermines the integrity of the team.

It's very likely that Burress' playing career for the Giants may have sustained a fatal self-inflicted wound.

Who's the NFL's Most Valuable Player?

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:30:03 -0500

With the NFL regular season entering its final month of play after this weekend's games, let's consider the leading candidates for the most valuable player award. The criteria for MVP is simple—that player's team would not be nearly as good without him.

This is how the race looks now.

1. Brett Favre, Quarterback, New York Jets

The Jets made several key player additions in the offseason, but none has had an impact like Favre. The team has won five consecutive games, including impressive wins against the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans on the road.

The 39-year old Favre is completing more than 70 percent of his passes and has thrown for nearly 2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns through Week 12.

2. Matt Cassel, Quarterback, New England Patriots

When Tom Brady went down for the season in Week One, it looked like the Patriots' championship aspirations were over. But Cassel is the main reason why the Patriots are contending for the AFC East. Cassel has passed for 815 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception in his last two games, setting a team-record for consecutive 400-plus yards passing.

3. Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts

Earlier this season it was easy to write the Colts off. In the last three weeks, however, Manning has been impressive—seven touchdowns, no interceptions, and several clutch plays. The Colts have a excellent chance at a wild-card spot and that's entirely due to Manning's resurgence.

4. Kurt Warner, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals

Warner has completed 68.4 percent of his passes and has passed for 3,741 yards and 24 touchdowns. Warner has completed more than 70 percent of his passes seven times and has thrown more touchdowns than interceptions nine times. His recent performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, however, has brought his stock down.

5. Eli Manning, Quarterback, New York Giants

Much is made about the Giants' potent rushing attack and dominating pass rush, but Manning continues to emerge as the team's leader. He has completed 62 percent of his passes and has thrown 18 touchdowns, while limiting turnovers.

So far, he has a career-high 91.6 passer rating. Manning has completed more than 20 passes to six different receivers.

Considerations

Running back Adrian Peterson is the Minnesota Vikings best player by far, but the team has underachieved.

If there's an MVP for the first-half of the season, Clinton Portis, running back for the Washington Redskins, would probably have been a lock to win the award. Recent injuries has limited his production, however.

The last defensive player to be MVP was the Giants' Lawrence Taylor in '86. Defensive players worthy of consideration are the Jets' defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans.

Does Michael Vick Have a Fighting Dog's Chance in the NFL?

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:51:13 -0500

It's July 20, 2009.

Michael Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons star, is released from a federal penitentiary in Kansas after serving a 23-month sentence for financing a dogfighting ring in Virginia.

Once the highest-paid player in the NFL, Vick has assets of $16 million and liabilities of more than $20 million.

Vick must return to pro football to earn a substantial living if he plans on paying off his creditors.

But, the question remains—can Vick still play after being away from football for almost two years?

Should he even be allowed to play?

And if he's reinstated by the NFL, what team would risk all the backlash for a player who's best days may be over?

Even if he's been lifting weights and running while serving his sentence, his prison quarterback duties don't come close to simulating NFL training.

Even if he's reinstated immediately in time for one of the training camps opening throughout the league in late July, Vick's skills will have most certainly decreased after being away from the game for two years.

So what teams would risk signing a quarterback, better known for his athleticism than for his passing accuracy?

There are about 10 teams who might be desperate enough next year.

Teams like the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, or maybe even, the Chicago Bears.

But, teams like the Lions, 49ers, and Chiefs may try to get their quarterback through the NFL Draft.

Next year's draft may include top prospects like Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Tony Pike, and Hunter Cantwell. This short list of teams that are in their rebuilding phases, may look to develop a quarterback over the long term instead.

A team like the Bears, that may have other components in place to compete for a championship with the right quarterback, would probably go after a free agent like Matt Cassel to fill their needs.

And depending on what happens with their teams, veteran quarterbacks like Kerry Collins, Jeff Garcia, and Kurt Warner would be better and safer options for most teams.

If Vick's not reinstated in time for the 2009 season, he faces a formidable list of free agent quarterbacks in 2010.

Jason Campbell, Jake Delhomme, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger all become free agents that year. I can't imagine that most of these players won't return to their respective teams, but it doesn't bode well for Vick if he has to face this group on the open market.

I'm not a fan of Michael Vick, not as a player and less-so as a person. But, when Vick is allowed to play, I wonder where he'll end up.

More importantly, I wonder if he's learned from his mistakes, I wonder if he'll even have a chance overcome them.

Bill Parcells Is The Best Football Mind Of The NFL Modern Era

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:12:48 -0500

Bill Parcells is one of the best football minds in National Football League history. He ranks alongside legendary coaches like Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Don Shula, and Bill Walsh.

In the modern era, however, his accomplishments are unrivaled.

Parcells is a tough, blue-collar guy from New Jersey. Known for speaking his mind, his former players and coaches either love him or hate him, but all will say that he brought out the best out of each and every one of them.

He knows which buttons to push and when. He wasn't a locker room speech motivator. Parcells was a psychological master who developed some of the great NFL players of the past 30 years. He antagonized players, believing that adversity forges toughness and character.

Parcells is simply proficient with building winning teams.

He won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, retired, returned to lead the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl before building the New York Jets into a contender, retired for another two years, then led the Dallas Cowboys, where he became the only coach in NFL history to take four different teams to the playoffs.

He is now in charge of football operations for the Miami Dolphins.

Coaching Tree

Walsh has a more extensive coaching tree, but Parcells' is more impressive.

Sean Payton, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Tony Sparano are head coaches in the NFL. Charlie Weiss coaches at Notre Dame. Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin competed against each other in the last Super Bowl.

Pro Bowl Players

Parcells' notable draft selections with the Giants include defensive back Terry Kinard and defensive tackle Leonard Marshall ('83); linebacker Carl Banks, guard William Roberts, and quarterback Jeff Hostetler ('84); linebacker Pepper Johnson ('86); left tackle Jumbo Elliott ('88); running back Dave Meggett ('89); running back Rodney Hampton and kicker Matt Stover ('90).

For the Patriots, his draft picks included quarterback Drew Bledsoe, linebacker Chris Slade, and wide receiver Troy Brown ('93); linebacker Willie McGinest ('94); defensive back Ty Law, running back Curtis Martin, and place kicker Adam Vinateri ('95); strong safety Lawyer Milloy and linebacker Tedy Bruschi ('96).

With the Jets, he selected linebacker James Farrior ('97).

Parcells' selections with the Cowboys include defensive back Terrence Newman, tight end Jason Whitten, and quarterback Tony Romo (undrafted) ('03); linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber ('05).

New York Giants

Parcells took over a team with only one winning season in the previous decade. He won three games in his first year. He recognized the talent of linebacker Lawrence Taylor, maximizing his pass rushing skills by changing from a typical 4-3 defensive formation to a 3-4.

The Giants' record improved in the next two years, earning the team consecutive playoff appearances since the early '60s.

Parcells led the 14-2 Giants to its first Super Bowl title in '86 and the first of three division titles. He helped build one of the most dominate defenses in NFL history.

He led the injury-riddled Giants to a second Super Bowl in '90. The Giants began the season 10-0, but lost quarterback Phil Simms. With backup Hostetler and 12-year running back Ottis Anderson, Parcells led a dramatic playoff run. The Giants beat a San Francisco 49ers team going for a third consecutive Super Bowl on a last-minute field goal, and edged the high-scoring Buffalo Bills after they missed a last-second field goal attempt.

The pressure of football and poor nutrition and sleep habits forced Parcells to retire.

New England Patriots

Parcells returned to the NFL to coach the Patriots in '93. In two years, he led the team to its first playoff game in eight years. He guided the Patriots to a Super Bowl, losing to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

At New England, Parcells solidified his reputation as a mentor. He developed the talented but erratic Bledsoe into a Pro Bowl quarterback and took mid-level picks on defense and honed their skills.

Parcells left the Patriots over a dispute with owner Robert Kraft about player personnel decisions.

New York Jets

In possibly his greatest achievement as head coach, Parcells transformed the Jets into instant winners. In his first year with the Jets, the team just missed the playoffs. In '98, the 12-4 Jets lost to John Elway and the Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game.

The following season, quarterback Vinny Testaverde ruptured his Achilles tendon in the home opening game crippling the team's title hopes.

Parcells would once again take time off over health concerns.

Dallas Cowboys

After three straight five-win seasons, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hired Parcells as head coach. In his first year, he led the team to the playoffs, losing to the NFC champion Carolina Panthers.

The following season, quarterback Quincy Carter was terminated for alleged drug use. Parcells brought in 40-year old Testaverde, but he proved ineffective. The Cowboys finished with six wins. They would also miss the playoffs by a game in '05.

The Cowboys would lose to the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs the following year on a botched hold from Romo on a field-goal attempt.

Parcells retired for the third time over disagreements with Jones on decision-making. While detractors say he didn't deliver a playoff victory, Parcells left the Cowboys better than he found them and achieved as much, if not more, with the team then the current roster that includes 12 Pro Bowl players.

Miami Dolphins

Parcells' legacy is far from over. He still has work to do in Miami.

The Dolphins are currently tied for second place in their division and are in playoff contention after a 1-15 campaign only one season ago.

Coaching Legacy

Parcells retired from coaching with the ninth most wins in NFL history and a 183-138-1 record. The teams he's led had losing records before he arrived, but all were in the playoffs by his second season. Parcells coached for 19 seasons with only four losing campaigns, including the '87 strike year.

His teams always play the game the right way—they commit few penalties and mental mistakes. Opponents must beat his teams because they don't beat themselves.

He's a master of convincing players that winning is the top priority and not individual stats. His teams dominate the line of scrimmage on offense and defense. They run the ball efficiently, especially in the fourth quarter when the game's on the line.

Parcells' teams are built on solid role players over star players. This is his blueprint.

Does it still work in today's NFL?

Ask Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Blow Away Miami Hurricanes

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:34:52 -0500

Four hundred and sixty-four yards. That wasn't the game's combined total yards for both teams. It even wasn't Georgia Tech's total offensive production for the game.

It was Georgia Tech's rushing total for the game.

Some teams don't have this many rushing yards in three or four games. The damage was devastating.

Georgia Tech swept away what was considered a solid Miami run defense like a house of cards. The Yellow Jackets ripped off scoring runs of 58 and 32 yards, as well as runs of 54, 40, 35, 29, 29, 27, and 20 yards.

The game wasn't nearly as close as the final score (41-23) would suggest.

It wasn't just a loss of historic proportions (this was the second most rushing yards allowed by Miami ever). In one game, the Hurricanes lost their five-game win streak, ACC title hopes, possible Orange Bowl bid, and a short-lived AP and BCS ranking.

The Hurricanes' run defense was decimated on national television.

As the game progressed through the first quarter, who knew what was to come? A 35-yard run by Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer on a 1st-and-25 served as indication.

More than 420 rushing yards later, all that remained was the silence after the storm.

Return to National Prominence

In the face of such a loss, it's important to keep in mind that Miami is going through the natural growing pains of returning to national prominence.

This year's achievements should be kept in mind.

Miami will pick-up the pieces and build for next year.

That the Miami Hurricanes were poised for a possible ACC championship title game is a good indicator that Coach Randy Shannon is taking the football program in the right direction.

Football Night in America: Worst Pregame in TV Sports History

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:21:05 -0500

We all know the NFL is a television ratings juggernaut. The networks pay billions of dollars for the rights to televise football, despite the fact that it isn't profitable.

The hour-long pregame shows not only satiate our ravenous appetite for football, but allow networks more commercial spots to sell and offers a venue to plug prime time shows to a large audience.

I get it. Television producers and executives operate in a cut-throat industry where ratings are tied to self-survival. But, the bottom feeder in this blitz of football coverage is NBC's Football Night in America. It's a gluttonous waste on a grand stage, a "spectacle" as Guy DeBord would define it.

Is there another pregame show in the history of televised sports more helplessly irrelevant? The show shamelessly feeds our collective attention deficit disorder.

Executive producer Dick Ebersol has taken the format to a new low since landing Sunday night football from ESPN. It's a pathetic attempt to outplay ESPN at their own game.

I can forgive ESPN and its cast of thousands on Sunday NFL Countdown (with the exception of that bag of rocks Mike Ditka). ESPN's show, however, leads to Sunday's slate of games—they offer predictions, injury reports, breakdown defenses and offenses, in short lots of information viewers want before kick-off. I'm not crazy about the show's direction, but I can forgive them as the originators of the one-hour two-minute drive format.

In contrast, NBC has the benefit of deciphering the story lines of Sunday's results. They can offer perspective and context and have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.

Instead they only deliver empty sound bites from a cast trying to outdo one another, fast-forwarded game highlights, 30-plus monitors in the background providing visual clutter, gaudy video game-like graphics, and the "best team in football" who thinks that we're watching the show for them and that football's only our after thought.

NBC's "Best Team in Football"

Bob Costas sometimes comes across as the little, smug twit who knows it all from back during high school, but the guy's brilliant. Maybe he was mistakenly typecast for a football pregame show (I identify Olympics and baseball with Costas), but he's so good it's not a stretch. But, why is Costas on the show? One of the best in the business is rendered utterly pointless—he's reduced to playing traffic cop.

It pains me to see how far Tiki Barber has fallen. As well as he played the game, he looks as equally disinterested on the show. A $3 million bench warmer who resides on the periphery of the broadcast, he's symbolic of the show's ethos—waste. Barber's a smart, eloquent guy, but fans outside New York wouldn't know it from the ten seconds he has to talk.

Jerome Bettis is in over his head in prime time. Too bad he didn't hone his broadcast skills before his prime time gig. He brings nothing to the table in terms of insight into what it means to play the game.

Then you have Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann with football highlights reduced to visual background because their inane attempts at entertaining each other are actually the point. They represent the worst trend in football broadcasting—hiring people like Dennis Miller and Tony Kornheiser who only offer snide remarks thinly veiled as in-depth commentary. It's almost never about football, it's about the commentary.

Peter King has been a football insider for many years, but he isn't connected to the players. He's corporate—he only reports what team owners tell him to repeat. If it was 10 years ago he'd say something we don't know.

Cris Collinsworth is not made for television. He's actually the only one on the set that seems to really care for the game, but his persona is such that you either hate him or you really hate him. He's well-informed, but more tolerable on radio.

Football Night in America leads the ratings race, but that's in spite of the program. Fans are so hungry for football, we tolerate this mess, even if we're forced-fed junk food before we get to the meat and potatoes—the game.

The Real Best Team in Football

To conclude on a positive note, the best team in football is the cast of NFL Gameday on the NFL Network.

Rich Eisen, the host, strikes the right tone. He asks the questions that need to be asked of his football analysts, Deion Sanders and Steve Mariucci, and inquires and challenges them with follow-up questions when necessary. You might not always agree with their analysis, but they engage their audience. In contrast, with NBC we're listening in on their conversation.

The show has a good pace and steady flow of information and insight, but the cast doesn't upstage the topic at hand—football. It's simply an excellent broadcast and produced for the intelligent fan.

The Little Big Men Of The National Football League

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:11:12 -0500

It's the middle of football season, but in tribute to Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was named the American League's MVP, here's a list of NFL players who are also small in stature, but big in heart.

The criteria for this short list is simple: players must weigh less than 190 pounds and measure no taller than 5 feet 10 inches—or smaller than the average American guy.

In Major League Baseball, there are 11 regular starters who fit the bill, with most being infielders where being fleet of foot is highly prized.

But, in the National Football League, the physical intensity of the sport makes it even tougher for the little guy to earn a successful living. Players in the NFL average 6 feet 2 inches tall and 245 pounds. If not for those darn field-goal kickers, the average size would be even bigger.

The list falls from 11 in baseball to just four impact players in pro football. That's some exclusive company—and should make these guys walk tall and proud. Forget all that gibberish about Napoleon complexes. These guys are small, but could flat out play.

So, here's in honor of the little guys who play in a big man's world.

Antoine Winfield, Defensive Back (Minnesota Vikings)

5 feet 9 inches, 180 pounds

A dynamic defensive play maker who's having his best season in the NFL. Antoine Winfield sets the tone for an aggressive defense with his physical play. He can change the outcome of games, as witnessed by the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints. Winfield makes up for his quiet demeanor and lack of size with lots of confidence and toughness—he gives up several inches in height to an opponent on every play, so that confidence and toughness are his advantages.

Steve Smith, Wide Receiver (Carolina Panthers)

5 feet 9 inches, 185 pounds

Simply put, Steve Smith is one of the most steady and productive wide receivers in the league. He's a three-time Pro Bowl selection who led the NFL in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns in '05. Smith is a big-time post-season performer. His 404 yards in the '03 playoffs were the most since Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, and he had a franchise record 12 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears in '05.

Warrick Dunn, Running Back (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

5 feet 9 inches, 187 pounds

Warrick Dunn's resume includes being named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year and three Pro Bowl selections. As a member of the Atlanta Falcons, he led the league with a 5.4 yards per carry average. A tough, durable player, Dunn's only missed ten games in his career. Now back with the Buccaneers, Dunn had his first 100-yard game in Week 6. Dunn's toughness is exemplified in how he's overcome personal tragedy off the football field.

Wes Welker, Wide Receiver (New England Patriots)

5 feet 9 inches, 185 pounds

Wes Welker keeps the chains moving as the third-down conversion specialist on a potent Patriots offense. Welker's 112 receptions last year tied for the league lead. He caught 11 passes for 103 yards in Super Bowl XLII, tying the record for most receptions in a Super Bowl. Welker holds several all-time records for the Patriots and the Miami Dolphins. He's the Dolphins' all-time kick-off return leader in total returns and yardage and all-time leader in total punt returns and second in yardage.

Five New York Giants That You Will Come To Know

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:50:38 -0500

The New York Giants rank among the top three youngest teams in the NFL—and that's including 21-year veteran punter Jeff Feagles.

It's no secret that the emergence of the Giants as a dominant force is partly attributable to the exceptional players that General Manager Jerry Reese and his talent scouts have selected in the last two drafts.

These young athletes are making an impact now. It would appear that the New York Giants are poised to get even better.

Football observers got to see the exploits of second-year players defensive back Aaron Ross, running back Ahmad Bradshaw, wide receiver Steve Smith, and tight end Kevin Boss during the Giants' improbable playoff run last year that ended with a Super Bowl title.

This season, there are other young players, who may be less familiar and less heralded, but are making important contributions for the New York Giants.

Chase Blackburn, Linebacker, No. 57

6'3", 247 pounds, fourth year, Akron

Blackburn has provided solid linebacker play in the Giants' 4-3 base defense. He's been promoted to a starter and made a game-saving tackle on Philadelphia Eagles' running back Brian Westbrook on a fourth down late in the game. He's an overachiever and a hard worker, who continues to be a major contributor on special teams.

Barry Cofield, Defensive Tackle, No. 96

6'4", 306 pounds, third year, Northwestern

Cofield is a main stay on one of the NFL's most ferocious pass rushes. He became the first Giant rookie defensive player to start every game since linebacker Lawrence Taylor. He's an outstanding run-stopper, who's helped the Giants to No. 8 in run defense. Cofield was selected at nose tackle on Pro Football Weekly's all-rookie team.

Madison Hedgecock, Fullback, No. 39

6'3", 266 pounds, fourth year, North Carolina

Hedgecock is one of the most unsung heroes on the Giants. He's a rugged, blocking fullback, who's helping to open up holes for the league's No. 1 rushing attack. He's impressed the Giants so much with his lead blocking that they signed him to a five-year contract extension. TV analyst and former coach John Madden called Hedgecock "the best blocking fullback in football today."

Domenik Hixon, Wide Receiver, No. 87

6'2", 182 pounds, third year, Akron

Filling in for suspended wide receiver Plaxico Burress, Hixon had four receptions for 102 yards and a 32-yard touchdown catch against the Seattle Seahawks. Hixon is a stand-out on special-teams coverage and return teams—he had a 74-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the New England Patriots last season.

Kenny Phillips, Safety, No. 21

6'2", 210 pounds, Rookie, Miami, Florida

Phillips played in many of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's nickel and dime packages until Week 10 when safety James Butler went down to injury. He was inserted into the starting lineup against the Eagles. He has great ball-hawking skills, the speed to cover sideline-to-sideline, and possibly the most athletic safety the Giants have ever had in their secondary. So far, he has 42 tackles (32 solo) and an interception.

Darrell Rasner Era Ends in The Bronx

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:11:46 -0500

I was sad to learn that Darrell Rasner will no longer pitch for the New York Yankees. No, seriously.

He did have his good moments with the Bronx Bombers, but admittedly, overall they were few and far between.

As a graduate of the University of Nevada, located in my newly adopted home state, I was pulling for him.

The Yankees reached an agreement to sell the contract of the righty pitcher to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Pacific League for $1 million.

I guess that extra million in the Steinbrenners' coffers can help offset the $140 million currently being offered to free agent pitcher CC Sabathia.

A rotation of Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Ben Sheets, Mike Mussina, and Rasner would've been a World Series lock. So the Yankees would've lost every fifth game—they can't win 'em all.

Rasner went 5-10 with a 5.40 ERA in 24 games and 20 starts with the Yankees last season.

Anyway, it doesn’t mean I’m going to trade my pinstripes for sipping sake and eating sushi while watching the Golden Eagles or anything, but I do sincerely wish Rasner better success in the land of the rising sun.

Hurricane Warning: Randy Shannon Gets Miami Back in Top 25

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:13:32 -0500

It’s been two years in the making, but the Miami Hurricanes are back in the top 25. After five straight wins, the Hurricanes are at No. 23 in the Associated Press and Bowl Championship Series polls.

Miami went 21 straight weeks at No. 1 from 2001-02, winning the national title in 2001 and losing the championship game the following year to Ohio State.

The last two years have been tough on Miami.

Despite this, the Hurricanes are poised for their first Atlantic Coast Conference title game. Miami has a one-game lead on Georgia Tech in its division. The teams face off this Thursday, Nov. 20.

It looks as if coach Randy Shannon's outstanding job landing top-ranked defensive talent in his first recruiting class is paying dividends already. The foundation for bringing the Hurricanes back to prominence has been set.

The last time the Hurricanes were a ranked team was September of 2006 in a game against Louisville. After losing the game, Miami fell out of the top 25, ending an amazing streak of 107 straight appearances in the rankings.

Donovan McNabb and the Other Bird Brains in Philadelphia

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:19:47 -0500

Maybe Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb hasn't had his soup that eats like a meal in recent weeks.

It's one thing that McNabb’s performance has gone to the birds in his last four games—53 percent completion rate and five interceptions.

It's another when the guy calmly asserts during his post-game press conference that the team's fine after an uninspired deadlock with the one-win Cincinnati Bengals.

You don't need to pound the podium in an expletive-filled rant and rave, but acknowledge the situation at hand—that this team's chances of a playoff berth has gone down the tubes.

Unfortunately for him, he proves his head just isn't in the game (on and off the field) when McNabb shockingly acknowledges that he’s surprised to know that games end in a tie after a scoreless overtime period.

He isn't the only one either—several of his teammates also don't seem to have a clue about the rules of the sport they make millions playing.

Are you serious? I nearly choked on my Philly steak sandwich.

Who knows? Maybe the Eagles should've gone for it on fifth-and-inches in the overtime session.

Who knows? Maybe McNabb, after seeing Game 5 of the World Series between the Rays-Phillies, thought he'd be able to finish the game later.

What I do know is that it's a little embarrassing to be a football fan.

New York Yankees' Top Five Free-Agent Deals Gone Good

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:56:00 -0500

Major League Baseball general managers are often criticized harshly for their free-agent signings that don't pan out. Rightfully so.

Like any other MLB team, the New York Yankees are no strangers to suspect free-agent signings. They've also had their successes.

In my lifetime, outfielder Reggie Jackson is arguably the best free-agent signing the Pinstripes have inked. Below is my list of the five best Yankees free-agent signings in recent off-seasons.

(These stats were tabulated by the author and are not official MLB stats.)

5. P Mike Mussina

Six years, $88.5 million; two years, $23 million

106-61, 4.06 ERA, 1,322 IP, 1,064 K, 3.85 K/BB

For eight years, Mussina was a steady presence in the Yankees starting rotation (only in '04 was he plagued by injuries). The Moose won 20 games for the first time at the age of 39 this past season with a win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. In his first three years with the Yankees, he ranked in the AL's top three in strikeouts.

4. OF Hideki Matsui

Three years, $21 million

70 HR, 330 RBI, 267 SO, 214 BB, .296 AVG, .370 OBP (first three years with Yankees)

Godzilla's monster years came during his career in Japan, but he was still a productive hitter and solid team player during his first three years with the Yankees who came cheap by baseball standards.

3. P Jimmy Key

Four years, $16.8 million

48-23, 4.14 ERA, 603.4 IP, 400 K, 2.51 K/BB

In '93 the Yankees weren't able to land starters Greg Maddux and David Cone. Key helped the Bronx Bombers to a World Series title in '96, with his final start in pinstripes out dueling Maddux in the deciding game. Key was one of the game's premiere control pitchers during his career.

2. P Orlando Hernández

Four years, $6.6 million

61-40, 3.97 ERA, 875 IP, 703 K, 2.31 K/BB

Hernández enjoyed his best year in '99 with a 17-9 record and setting career-highs in strikeouts (157) and innings pitched (214.1). After the regular season, El Duque was selected the MVP in the American League Championship Series. He helped the Bronx Bombers to three World Series titles.

1. OF Bernie Williams

Seven years, $87.5 million

149 HR, 630 RBI, 575 SO, 541 BB, .294 AVG, .383 OBP

The Yanks rewarded Williams after eight productive seasons by resigning him to a hefty free-agent contract in '98. More importantly signing the center fielder kept him from going to the rival Red Sox. He was a major contributor to four World Series titles.

Shotgun Formations Don't Kill Prevent Defenses, Prevent Defenses Do—Sometimes

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:45:31 -0500

"All a prevent defense does is prevent you from winning."—John Madden, broadcaster and former coach

...And so the old adage goes—but in reality, it's not quite a chip-shot field goal.

Last season, nearly half of all NFL games were decided by eight points or less and 22 percent by three points or less.

It's late in the game and your team is in shotgun formation looking for the go-ahead score or in prevent defense to keep the other team from scoring. What are the chances your team will get the job done?

Slight Margin of Error

Last season, the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants both won 10 games last year, but the Browns missed the playoffs and the Giants won the Super Bowl.

The Giants were 5-1 in regular-season games decided by seven points or less, the Browns 5-4 in those situations. The Giants responded big in the playoffs, winning three of four games by seven points or less.

The New England Patriots won three Super Bowls, each by three points.

Head Games

With so many good athletes throughout the league, the deciding factor between wins and losses isn't physical, but mental. Teams that are good in the fourth quarter when the game's on the line with two minutes to go is the difference between a championship and a high draft pick.

Teams That Are Headstrong

It's just past the half-way mark of the NFL season, but some trends are emerging as to which teams are getting the job done and which ones aren't.

At the top of the heap?

No surprise, the Tennessee Titans. They are a perfect 4-0 in games decided by eight points or less. The difference between an unblemished season so far and a mediocre 4-4 record is small.

The defending champion Giants are 3-0 through Week 10, as they carry-over their superiority in performing in tight games from last season. The Giants have simply learned how to win.

Other notable mentions: Carolina Panthers (3-0), Indianapolis Colts (4-1), Washington Redskins (5-1), Denver Broncos (4-1), and Atlanta Falcons (3-0).

History dictates that the ability to stay cool under pressure in the fourth quarter consistently in the regular season pays dividends under the heat of playoff competition.

Teams That Are Head Cases

It doesn't bode well for your team's overall success if it doesn't exhibit mental toughness. Mental toughness is measured by coming through when the game's on the line. Plain and simple.

The worse teams this year so far?

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs are both 0-4. The Chiefs are rebuilding, but the Eagles had playoff aspirations. At this pace, the Eagles will most likely miss this year's playoffs.

Other teams on this list with big plans this season, but that have failed to come through so far include: New Orleans Saints (2-4), San Diego Chargers (1-4), Green Bay Packers (1-3), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3), Cleveland Browns (1-3), and Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5).

Teams Getting Their Head on Straight

Teams that missed the playoffs recently, but who are learning to win during the fourth quarter include: Miami Dolphins (2-2), Minnesota Vikings (4-3), and Arizona Cardinals (2-2).

Although these teams are mediocre so far with winning in the fourth quarter, they have improved on this stat from previous campaigns and are heading in the right direction as they rebuild.

New York Yankees' Top Five Free-Agent Deals Gone Bad

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:22:54 -0500

Despite hefty price tags, baseball free-agents don't come with warranties.

As a Major League Baseball general manager, if you play, there's a chance you'll pay. Sometimes free-agent pick-ups work great. The New York Yankees are no strangers to playing the free-agent sweepstakes.

Ironically, in this off-season it is no secret that the Bronx Bombers need starting pitching. In recent years, four of their five worst free-agent signings have been hurlers.

Below is my list of the five worst Yankees free-agent signings in recent off-seasons.

(These stats were tabulated by the author and are not official MLB stats.)

5. P Jaret Wright

Three years, $21 million

16-12, 5.28 ERA, 203.3 IP, 1.32 K/BB

Wright was traded to the Baltimore Orioles after his second year with the Yankees. This was a reach because Wright only had one full-season of success with the Atlanta Braves at the time. He also didn't have a solid playoff showing for the Bombers.

4. 1B Jason Giambi

Seven years, $120 million

209 HR, 604 RBI, 706 SO, .254 AVG

Giambi hit 41 home runs in each of his first two seasons in the Bronx. Then his production tailed-off and his average plummeted. He's awful as a first baseman, but the Yankees had to play him there because he doesn't hit as well when he's the designated hitter. Inking a free-agent to such a big number for so many years is almost certainly going to fail.

3. P Jose Contreras

Four years, $32 million

15-7, 4.47 ERA, 166.2 IP, 2.13 K/BB

In his first season with the Yanks in '03, Contreras had a 22.34 ERA as a starter (7.43 ERA out of the pen), spent two months on the disabled list and had four stints in the minors. The next season, he was inconsistent again and spent a month in the minors. After only a season and a half in the Bronx, he was traded to the White Sox.

2. P Kei Igawa

Five years, $20 million (plus $26 million posting fee)

2-4, 6.65 ERA, 71.2 IP, 1.43 K/BB

Just securing the rights to talk to Igawa came with a whopping $26 million price tag. Can you say, "You had me at konnichiwa?" After losing the Dice-K sweepstakes against the Red Sox, the Yankees just had to have any Japanese pitcher they could get their hands on to keep up with the Epsteins.

1. P Carl Pavano

Four years, $40 million

9-8, 5.00 ERA, 145.2 IP, 2.50 K/BB

Pavano got a huge contract from the team he beat in the World Series. He really only had one solid season with the Florida Marlins. Most of the time, Pavano suffered from a laundry list of injuries, including his buttocks—apparently from sitting on his arse all the time.

The Half Billion Dollar Yankee Lineup

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:57:17 -0500

What the hell, let's sign 'em all. This is New York, baby. We need a winner.

You think mom and dad with the 2.3 kids who need to refinance their home mortgage for bleacher seats on family day expect anything less?

And what about all the suits in the luxury suites that work for the mega corporations? They gotta spend their Federal bailout package money and they better be compensated for it with a winning team.

Hank and Hal, as you know the new Yankee Stadium has a hefty $1.3 billion price tag. It's time to compensate the New York City taxpayers with lots and lots of homers.

We expect no less than spanking new World Series banners to decorate the new digs.

So, c'mon. Let's do this. Who cares if this is "bad" for baseball or that Kansas City Royals fans are shaking their heads—fuggedaboutit!

The Batting Lineup

A $3,500 top-tier seat with a great view of the right-field foul pole and the Jersey coastline won't keep me away from seeing this friggin' batting order:

LF Johnny Damon ($13 million)
SS Derek Jeter ($21.6 million)
3B Alex Rodriguez ($28 million)
RF Manny Ramirez ($25 million)
1B Mark Teixeira ($20 million)
DH Hideki Matsui ($13 million)
CF Xavier Nady ($3.35 million)
C Jorge Posada ($13.1 million)
2B Robinson Cano ($3 million)

Jose Molina ($1.875 million) will be the backup catcher.

The Pitching Staff

Let's put together the sickest pitching staff this year's free agent crop can muster.

And if one of them underachieves, we'll just make a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for David Price and send them in return Kei Igawa, a bag of baseballs, and a near-mint Reggie Jackson baseball card.

Check out this starting rotation:

CC Sabathia ($24 million)
Chien-Ming Wang ($4 million)
Joba Chamberlain ($390,000)
AJ Burnett ($13 million)
Derek Lowe ($13 million)

Of course, the bullpen will include Damaso Marte ($4 million) with Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez ($14 million) setting-up Mariano Rivera ($15 million).

(Current players with the Yankees include '08 salaries. Current free agents are projected '09 salaries.)

Summary

Hank and Hal Steinbrenner—the baseball world is counting on you. Madison Avenue is counting on you.

We can't bear another Tampa-Philadelphia World Series. One more of these and the consequences will make Marshall Applewhite proud.

With the Yankees, we've got pinstripes and Kabbalah. The richest team in American sports history meets the Material Girl. What could be more cool?

Without the Yankees, baseball is just a bunch of overpaid dudes swinging a piece of wood at a little ball. What could be more boring?

Eli Manning and the Weight of Football Immortality

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:12:08 -0500

Okay, admittedly the title of this article is a borderline hyperbole.

But, the continuing talk of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning's football prowess, or lack thereof, is just as exaggerated.

He's arguably one of the most scrutinized quarterbacks in modern football history. He's been compared dismissively as just another Trent Dilfer and even his body language is routinely deciphered.

It's only the poor guy's fifth year in the league.

Last Sunday's victory over the Philadelphia Eagles was Manning's 64th game—the equivalent of four complete seasons.

Comparing Eli Manning to Quarterback Greats

Football is undoubtedly the most team-oriented sport in the world. Individual head-to-head comparisons are often useless because of all the many variables of an offensive unit—for example, the overall quality of the other skill positions and offensive line.

That also doesn't take into consideration the overall strength of a team's defensive and special teams units, which can be the difference between wins and losses.

But direct comparisons are usually the measuring stick that many fans prefer, whether it’s fair or not.

The Short List

Everyone agrees on who are the great quarterbacks in the modern history of the NFL: Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Jim Kelly, etc. Let’s edit the list to the best quarterbacks of the last decade. Now, let’s narrow focus to only include quarterbacks with multiple title wins or appearances.

That leaves John Elway, Brett Favre, and Tom Brady.

For good measure, let’s include big brother Peyton Manning, since comparisons are always being made between the two.

The following stats are after each quarterback's first 64 games started in the NFL. Let the stats do the talking.

Eli versus Brady, Elway, Favre, and Peyton

Eli Manning

38 wins, 26 losses
1,154 completions, 2,077 attempts, 13,245 yards
91 touchdowns, 70 interceptions
75.5 passer rating
Wins title in fourth complete season

Tom Brady

49 wins, 15 losses
1,284 completions, 2,087 attempts, 14,449 yards
100 touchdowns, 53 interceptions
87.6 passer rating
Wins title in first complete season

John Elway

42 wins, 21 losses, 1 tie
1,108 completions, 2,041 attempts, 13,448 yards
79 touchdowns, 75 interceptions
72.8 passer rating
Wins title in 15th complete season

Brett Favre

40 wins, 24 losses
1,371 completions, 2,183 attempts, 15,202 yards
116 touchdowns, 64 interceptions
88.9 passer rating
Wins title in fifth complete season

Peyton Manning

32 wins, 32 losses
1,357 completions, 2,226 attempts, 16,418 yards
111 touchdowns, 81 interceptions
85.1 passer rating
Wins title in ninth complete season

Conclusion

Again, individual head-to-head comparisons are an exercise in futility. But, overall, the younger Manning measures up okay in many areas to the greats so far in his career.

What's important to consider is that Manning is still learning the quarterback position, meaning he's only getting better.

Whatever the stats may indicate, the intangibles are there.

He has excellent football instincts and a knack for leading fourth-quarter comebacks. He consistently stays cool after mistakes. Leading the Giants on a methodical 80-yard touchdown drive after throwing an interception on the third play of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles is the most recent example.

Only time will tell how great Eli Manning will be. He won't have to answer to biased detractors. He'll only have to answer to history's greats, and so far, he's doing quite okay for himself and more importantly, the New York Giants.

Top 10 Reasons Your Losing Team Needs New Uniforms

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:26:04 -0500

Okay, admittedly, clothes don't make the man. But, in the case of uniforms, they sure as hell get your perennial doormat team turned around within five years. If your team is muddling in mediocrity, your team doesn't need a new coach or better players. More often than not, a fashion designer is all your team needs.

1. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons made a uniform change in '97. Ka-boom! Two years later, they're in their first Super Bowl ever. Okay, so they get blown-out 34-19 by the Broncos. No team was going to deny John Elway that year.

But, hey, who cares, right? Atlanta fans are doing the "Dirty Bird" in small towns throughout Georgia and man, they're just glad they made it to a friggin' championship game for once.

2. Baltimore Ravens

The former Cleveland Browns never made it to a Super Bowl. In '99, they not only change uniforms, they relocate to Baltimore all together and become the Ravens. Two years later, wham-o, all that history of losing seasons and gut-wrenching loses to the Broncos go by the wayside. They win their first Super Bowl, 34-7, over the Giants. Black and purple is the new black.

3. Denver Broncos

All the Broncos and Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway were known for were three Super Bowl chokes within four years. With nothing to lose, the team changes uniforms in '97. Cha-ching! The next year, they're in the big game, and they defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-24 for their first championship. It only gets better when they clip the Falcons the next season for a second consecutive championship.

4. New England Patriots

Let's face it, Patriot Pat wasn't cutting it. In '93, the team decides to update their uniform and logo to what's mockingly referred to as "the flying Elvis." Mock all you want haters, but they'll be seeing you in the Super Bowl four years later. They go down to the Packers 35-21, but alas, the flying Elvis gets his ultimate revenge later by single-handedly getting the Patriots three championships in four years.

5. New York Giants

It’s been 10 years since the Giants' last title. They look back in time for inspiration. Visions of Sam Huff and Frank Gifford come to mind. They go retro. The old lower-case "ny" logo is the new Giants logo.

Whack! One year later in '01, they're facing the Baltimore Ravens in the big dance. They may have lost 34-7 to one of the best defenses of all time, but more importantly, they look good going down in defeat, and that's all that really matters.

6. New York Jets

In '98, the Jets bring back the uniforms and logo of the Joe Namath era. The Jets last playoff win was back in '86 and the team was a running joke. Wham! One year later, the team's vying for a Super Bowl berth, but lose to the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. They qualify for the playoffs in five of the next nine years.

7. Philadelphia Eagles

They updated their uniform in '96, as well as their logo, from an eagle that wouldn't scare a pigeon to a screeching one with some serious 'tude. Boom! Within the next four years, they return to the playoffs. The team plays in four straight NFC championship games, with a Super Bowl appearance in '05, losing a close one against the New England Patriots, 24-21. Okay, no ring, but it's the best playoff stretch in franchise history.

8. Seattle Seahawks

What's the Seahawks' claim to fame up until '01? Brian Bosworth. Enough said. The team changes uniforms in '02. Surprise! Four years later, they're in their first Super Bowl. So what if they lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-10 in the lamest NFL title game ever.

Seattle fans can finally put their lattes down and cheer on their team for once. More importantly, they now have something more to brag about than over-hyped linebackers with bad mullets.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs were the laughing stock of the league since the team's inception. The fashion gods punished them for wearing those awful and unsightly fluorescent orange and white uniforms. Talk about a fashion faux pas.

Bucco Bruce with his feather hat, earring, winking eye, and dandy dagger just does not induce fear in opponents. In '98, they change uniforms and five years later, they're blowing out the Oakland Raiders, 48-21, for their first title.

10. Tennessee Titans

Here come the Houston Oilers rolling into town. For a short while, they played as the Tennessee Oilers and keep their old uniforms. That ain't going to work. In '99, they change names and uniforms and lo' and behold, next year their playing for all the marbles (coming up one yard short to the St. Louis Rams).

So what if they stole their name from the old New York Jets and have the least threatening team colors (baby blue and white) in the league? It worked!

Who'll Be Lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy Soon?

The Arizona Cardinals updated their uniforms in '05. The San Diego Chargers also did so in '07. But, for the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions, who made recent uniform changes, even new threads may not be enough to get them over the hump.

Jeremy Causing Shockey Waves

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:23:10 -0500

Can’t really say I told you so.

The New Orleans Saints will continue to pay the price for trading for tight end Jeremy Shockey.

They're paying the price because they're stuck with a malcontent player who's quit.

What's worse is that this trade will send shock waves into next season, as well.

What happened on the sidelines this past Sunday is the least of the worries for Saints fans.

The Saints can lose their first-round pick in next year's draft to the Giants. And not even have Shockey playing for them next year on top of that.

Trade Rumors Intensify

Back in July when the Saints acquired Shockey for a second and a fifth-round draft pick in '09, many New York Giants fans, including myself, weren't sure about the trade.

Shockey was one of the most popular players on the Giants with fans—you'd go to a game and half the fans were wearing No. 80 jerseys.

Some players were adamantly opposed to the trade—wide receiver Plaxico Burress said, according to the Newark Star-Ledger, "The guy walks on the field and he demands a double-team. Before he even straps it up and goes out to play, he's already made the team better. Him going to New Orleans, he makes them one of the best offenses in the league."

Who couldn’t like the guy after you’d see him dragging defenders along for an extra 10-15 yards after a catch? In six seasons with the Giants, he went to four Pro Bowls, had 371 catches for 4,228 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was a devastating run blocker.

So what if he was a bit of a head case?

Shockey Goes Down, All Hell Breaks Lose

Bear with me as I digress.

He goes down for the season in Week 15 last year against the Washington Redskins. They lose the game and the Giants are desperately needing a win to qualify for a playoff berth. Their two remaining games are at the Buffalo Bills and against the undefeated New England Patriots.

The improbable happens.

A shaky Eli Manning begins to emerge as a leader and his confidence seemingly grows more and more each week. Offensive players not only pick up the slack for the fallen Shockey, they excel. They go on to win a Super Bowl—as a wild card with all their games on the road and as heavy underdogs.

Shockey's Self-Imposed Exile

Throughout this time, Shockey basically separates himself from the team. He wasn't on the sidelines during the Super Bowl, he didn't attend the victory parade, and he wasn't at the ceremony for the unveiling of the rings.

Shockey grows more bitter with each passing remark that the Giants don't need him. He doesn't feel loved.

Things sour. The Saints check on Shockey's availability during the NFL draft. Despite all the contentious things said in the media, Giants general manager Jerry Reese declines the trade.

I can understand why. The Giants had five young tight ends. With Shockey, you have a proven commodity on the field.

But, things really sour. Four months later, Reese picks up the phone and pulls the trigger.

The Saints Get Their Man, And So Much More

It's widely considered at the time that the Giants settled—the picks weren't enough compensation for an all-pro tight end.

The Saints, on the other hand, were now one of the sexy pre-season picks to vie for a Super Bowl.

Oh well.

It just seems like everything's going right for the Giants.

Not so much for the Saints.

Saints Pay a Steep Price for Shockey

Sitting at 4-5 after a loss to the Atlanta Falcons, they're looking up at every team in the NFC South standings. The cracks are beginning to show.

During the game's broadcast, cameras caught quarterback Drew Brees yelling at Shockey on the sidelines. According to reports, Shockey apparently isn't finishing running his routes and that's why Brees had a few choice words for him.

Sound familiar Giants fans?

I'm somewhat shocked. The potential for this trade to backfire for the Saints was always present because Shockey is highly volatile and his ego gets in the way. At the same time, because he's got such a big ego, I thought he'd work hard to prove the Giants wrong.

Reports say that, because Shockey's price tag will spike to more than $3 million next year, he might not get the chance to stay in New Orleans after this season, as they look to dump the salary.

Suddenly it now looks like the Saints paid a steep price with those two picks. With each Saints loss, the picks move higher up the draft board. Meanwhile, the Giants are arguably the best team in the NFL, have an 8-1 record, and will only get better next year because of the extra selections.

To make matters worse, there's an outside chance that the Giants could get the Saints' first-round pick instead of the second.

How the Saints Can Lose Next Year's First-Round Pick to the Giants

In getting linebacker Jonathan Vilma from the New York Jets, the Saints are required to give up a second-round pick if he participates in 85 percent of the defensive plays and if he's signed to a contract extension. Since the Saints can't trade two second-round picks they don't have, the Giants get New Orleans' first-round pick instead of the second and fifth-round pick.

Who knew that Shockey's injury would prove so beneficial for the Giants last year?

Who knew that it would continue to reverberate into this season, as well as, send shock waves into next year?

Maybe, ultimately, Jerry Reese did.

Rock You Like a Hurricane: One Bad-Ass Pro Football Team, Part 2

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:50:46 -0500

As I said in part one of this article, the University of Miami is one of the best college programs in producing NFL-caliber talent.

In 2008, Miami extended the school record streak to 14 consecutive years in which a Hurricanes player has been chosen in the first round. Since 1982, Miami has had 50 players drafted in the first round of the NFL draft.

In part two, I take a look at defense and special teams. Part one covers offense.

Now, into the eye of the storm.

DEFENSE

Linebacker
Jon Beason (Panthers), Tavares Gooden (Ravens), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Darrell McClover (Bears), Rocky McIntosh (Redskins), Jonathan Vilma (Saints), Nate Webster (Broncos), DJ Williams (Broncos), Leon Williams (Browns)

With this much talent at linebacker, it makes sense to implement a 3-4 defense. The leader of the defensive unit is middle linebacker Ray Lewis.

Ray Lewis is as fearsome as any previous defensive player in the history of football. He led a dominant defense that single-handedly propelled the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2001, despite an anemic offense. Lewis is perennially among the league leaders in tackles and a vocal leader.

Lewis is the fifth player to win the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award more than once. Only Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, arguably the best ever to play the position, won it three times. Lewis has a reputation for a work ethic that’s unrivaled.

Jon Beason will play the other inside linebacker position. He's turned into a defensive star in only his second season in the league.

His superb work ethic and tenacious speed have made him a Pro Bowl caliber linebacker. His current teammates compare Beason to former Carolina linebacker Dan Morgan, who was also a standout at Miami.

Despite a disappointing 2007 season for the Panthers, Beason was runner-up for NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year. As a rookie, he set a team-high in tackles and is on pace to break it this season. He plays every defensive snap for Carolina.

At weak-side linebacker is Rocky McIntosh. In only his third season with the Redskins, he's emerged as a leader, according to coaches and players. McIntosh is second on the team in both solo and unassisted tackles on the league's ninth-ranked rushing defense.

DJ Williams will play strong side linebacker. For football fans outside of Denver, Williams isn't a household name, but he's been the best defender on the Broncos for the last four years, excelling at the three linebacker positions in their 4-3 base defense.

His 141 tackles (106 solo) in 2007 were second most in the NFL. In his rookie year, he came in third place for the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Defensive Line
Baraka Atkins (Seattle Seahawks), Calais Campbell (Cardinals), Orien Harris (Cincinnati Bengals), William Joseph (Oakland Raiders), Damione Lewis (Panthers), Jerome McDougle (Giants), Santonio Thomas (Browns), Vince Wilfork (New England Patriots)

At nose tackle we have 6-foot-2, 325-pound Vince Wilfork, considered one of the finest defensive tackles in the game today. Some even argue that after quarterback Tom Brady, Wilfork was the most valuable player on a Patriots team that went 16-0 during the 2007 regular season.

In the 3-4 defense, the nose tackle's job isn't getting to the quarterback, but taking up space, allowing the linebackers and safeties to get to the ball. Head coach Bill Belichick calls Wilfork the most complete guy that he's coached at that position.

At 6-foot-2, 282 pounds, Campbell is the perfect size to bookend one side of a 3-4 defensive line. In limited action, he's racked up 14 total tackles (11 solo) and one fumble recovery this year. At the other defensive end position, I'll use Thomas.

Corner Back
Phillip Buchanon (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Kelly Jenkins (Seahawks), Antrel Rolle (Cardinals)

I'll go with Rolle at one corner back spot. Now in his fourth year, he recorded his first interception of the 2008 season in Week 9, returning it 40 yards for a score. Last year, three of his five interceptions were for touchdowns.

Halfway through this season, he's recorded 37 tackles (32 solo), which puts him on pace for a career high. Last year he had a career best three interceptions in a game, returning two for touchdowns. Rolle's transition to the NFL has been hampered by injuries.

At the other corner spot, I'd start Buchanon. He's a starter on a Buccaneers defense that’s currently sixth against the pass and 13th against the run.

Buchanon has 41 tackles through Week 9, including interception returned for a touchdown and nine passes defense.

He was also part of a defense in '07 that surrendered a league-low 170.5 passing yards a game and ranked second in the league, surrendering only 278.4 yards a game.

Safety
Brandon Meriweather (Patriots), Kenny Phillips (Giants), Ed Reed (Ravens), Sean Taylor (Redskins, honorary mention)

Reed is the best safety in the NFL—some analysts even argue he's the best defensive player in football period. Last year, he led the league with nine interceptions and a record 358 return yards while adding two defensive touchdowns.

He's been selected to four Pro Bowls and was the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year in '04. He holds the Ravens' franchise record for interceptions with 35. The versatile safety is the only player in NFL history to return an interception, punt, blocked punt, and fumble for a touchdown.

At strong safety I'm starting the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Phillips. He's been impressive in his first year with the Giants. He will be making his first career start against the Eagles, after being used mainly in nickel and dime packages through the Giants' first eight games.

Phillips chose to wear No. 21 in honor of the late Sean Taylor. And he's wearing Taylor’s number well—his first career interception was big, helping the Giants beat the Steelers 21-14 in Week 8.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punt Returner, Kick Returner
Devin Hester (Bears)

The most dangerous return man in the NFL. In his first year in the league, Devin Hester had a record-breaking rookie campaign, with six kick returns for touchdowns, including the first-ever opening-kickoff touchdown in a Super Bowl. He was the Bears' first rookie All-Pro since linebacker Brian Urlacher in 2001.

Hester is a threat to score from any area of the football field. Over three seasons at Miami, the versatile Hester played corner back, nickel back, running back, fullback, and wide receiver. He also returned punts and kickoffs.

Punter
Jeff Feagles (Giants)

While the players were not quite wearing leather helmets in the NFL when Jeff Feagles started playing in the league, the punter has managed to stick around for some time. Maybe the fountain of youth is located under his locker.

At 42 years young, Feagles is the oldest player in the NFL with 21 seasons of experience. He’s known for the "coffin corner" punt—angling kicks so they go out of bounds inside the 15-yard line. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1995.

Read "Rock You Like a Hurricane: One Bad-Ass Pro Football Team, Part 1"

Rock You Like a Hurricane: One Bad-Ass Pro Football Team, Part 1

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 13:12:29 -0500

It would be an understatement to say that the University of Miami is good at producing pro football players. If you follow Hurricanes football and the NFL, there’s no need to refer to the facts. (For the uninitiated, sift through this archive of players and stats.)

Today, I give myself a simple homework assignment: Put together a team of Hurricanes players currently in the NFL.

As you'll see, one can go to war with these players and give many current NFL teams a run for their millions.

Nine NFL teams currently don't have at least one Miami player. The teams are the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, and San Diego Chargers. (The more reason for me to dislike these teams.)

The Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and New York Giants have four Hurricanes on their rosters; the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, and Washington Redskins feature three.

In the Sept. '06 edition of FHM magazine, Bryant McKinnie was one of five Miami alumni featured in the article, "University of Miami Hit Squad: The Hurricanes are Taking Over the NFL. Deal with It." McKinnie said, "If you put together a team made up of guys playing in the NFL who come from the University of Miami, we’d be playing in the Super Bowl this season. And I think we'd win."

He could have been right. The 2008 edition would certainly be daunting on defense—particularly at linebacker, safety and nose tackle—and special teams, as well as featuring all-pro talent at running back, tight end, and wide receiver on offense.

In this part one, I take a look at the offense. Part two covers defense and special teams.

Now, into the eye of the storm.

OFFENSE

Quarterback
Brock Berlin (Rams), Ken Dorsey (Browns)

The starting quarterback would be Dorsey. He has played the bulk of his six-year career with the San Francisco 49ers.

Admittedly, his stats aren’t impressive. He had his best season in '04, playing in eight games and completing 123-of-226 passes for 1,231 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions.

On this all-Hurricanes team, however, Dorsey would be complemented by a multitude of talented running backs, tight ends and wide receivers. His job would be to make the short- to mid-range passes and simply manage the game.

His success at Miami (a 38-2 record and a national title as a four-year starter) unfortunately didn't translate to the pro game because of his lack of mobility and mediocre arm strength.

Offensive Line
Rashad Butler (Texans), Vernon Carey (Miami Dolphins), Bryant McKinnie (Minnesota Vikings), Brett Romberg (Rams), Eric Winston (Texans)

The imposing 6-foot-5, 350-pound Carey is a starting offensive tackle on an improving Dolphins team. The Dolphins are currently ninth in total yards offense a game (349.0) and sixth in passing (249.2) in the league. He is highly durable, playing in every game from '05-'07 and so far through this '08 season.

McKinnie started every game for Minnesota from '03-'07. The 6-foot-8, 335-pound left tackle is the largest offensive lineman on the Vikings. He's part of a line that's opening up holes for running back Adrian Peterson and the sixth-ranked rushing attack with 134.5 yards a game.

Romberg, who is 6-foot-2, 298-pounds, started a career-high nine games at center for the Rams in '07 despite being limited by ankle injuries.

The 6-foot-5, 283-pound Winston and 6-foot-4, 309-pound Butler, both in their third year in the league, help power an offensive line that has the Texans' offense currently ranked 11th in points a game with nearly 24.5, fourth in total yards with 373.8 per game, and fifth in passing yards with 262.4 a game.

Running Back
Najeh Davenport (Pittsburgh Steelers), Frank Gore (49ers), Edgerrin James (Arizona Cardinals), Willis McGahee (Ravens), Clinton Portis (Redskins)

Hands down, Portis is my featured back. He currently leads the NFL with 995 rushing yards, averaging 110.6 yards a game. He had five consecutive 100-yard games this season and has seven touchdowns working behind an average line. More importantly, he takes care of the football with only one fumble lost this year.

The Redskins wouldn't be 6-3 and contending for the NFC East division without Portis. He would win the league's MVP if he continued his pace into the second-half of the season.

When Portis needs a blow, Gore can alternate for him and play in sets featuring two running backs. Gore is one of the few bright spots on a dismal 49ers team.

With so few offensive weapons and an awful offensive line, he's still managed to rack up a respectable 629 yards rushing despite defenses keying on him as the team's sole threat week in and week out. He's also a viable receiving threat out of the backfield with 32 receptions through Week 8.

As a third option, I'd insert McGahee. He has a full array of skills. Teammates rave about his vision. Others talk about his patience.

McGahee, above all, has a punishing running style—he consistently gains yards after contact. When you're in a tight game and trying to grind out the clock, he can get the tough yards. Unfortunately for McGahee, he's injury-prone.

Tight End
Bubba Franks (New York Jets), Greg Olsen (Bears), Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans Saints), Kellen Winslow (Browns)

It’s tough to select between Shockey and Winslow, but the edge goes to the Saints tight end.

Defenses know that they must account for Shockey at all times and that he demands double-teams. He is sure-handed. To bring him down requires more than one tackler and he punishes every defender in his path.

In his first six years of his NFL career with the Giants, Shockey has gone to the Pro Bowl four times, had 371 catches for 4,228 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Wide Receiver
Andre Johnson (Texans), Santana Moss (Redskins), Sinorice Moss (Giants), Roscoe Parrish (Buffalo Bills), Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts)

My split end wide receiver is Johnson, who hasn't received much national recognition because he plays on an expansion team. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound Johnson was clocked between 4.31 and 4.45 in the 40-yard dash at the draft combines.

Johnson had a touchdown reception of at least 46 yards in four of his first five seasons. In '06 he had 103 pass receptions.

He averages almost 13 yards a catch and a little better than a touchdown every three games, which amounts to about 85 receptions, 1,098 yards and six touchdowns over a 16-game season. He currently is the leading receiver in the NFL.

At the flanker position, I'll start Wayne. He's rock solid—he didn't miss one game in his first six years in the league.

The Pro Bowl wideout was a big part of Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning's record-setting touchdown season in '04. His career averages are 82 receptions, almost 1,200 yards and almost nine touchdowns a season.

In shotgun formations, the slot receiver, no doubt, is Santana Moss. While Moss doesn't have the physical size of the prototype wide receiver, the 5-foot-10 pass catcher has excellent speed and quickness, allowing him to separate from defensive backs. He even has a 44-inch vertical leap.

Read "Rock You Like a Hurricane: One Bad-Ass Pro Football Team, Part 2"

Rooting And Looting: When Sports Fans Attack in America

Edgar Antonio Nunez — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:17:54 -0500

Apparently, in the last decade or so, nothing says we just won a friggin' championship like flipping a car over and setting it on fire. I write this in light of the "celebrations" in Philadelphia after the Phillies World Series win.

I'm not looking to point fingers or anything, this isn't a moral treatise. It's just curious why, in so many cities across the U.S., breaking store front windows, throwing glass bottles, and hanging from traffic light posts is now so commonly a cathartic response to winning a championship.

Recent Sports Riots

Let's take a look at some recent sports riots in the last ten years. This selection is limited to professional sports, but sports riots are also common across university and college campuses in the U.S.

Philadelphia: World Series '08 video, video, video;
Boston: NBA Championship '08 video, video;
Boston: World Series '07 video;
Los Angeles: NBA Championship '06 article;
Pittsburgh: Super Bowl '06 video;
Chicago: World Series '05 article;
Boston: World Series '04 article;
Los Angeles: NBA Championship '00 article, article;
Denver: Super Bowl '98 video

Possible Reasons for Sports Riots

Although the evidence is sparse, the occurrence of riots in some sports may be increasing in the short run but appears less severe when viewed against the historical record.

Environmental, social, and cognitive variables all being equal, what do these recent sports riots have in common?

It's evident that many of the riots are started by drunken fans and maybe even trouble makers who are simply drunk, aren't even sports fans and simply taking advantage of a reason to be disorderly in public.

That being in the case, why isn't a city like New York not afflicted by sports rioting? I'm sure a bottle of alcohol or two can be found in the city. As far as I'm concerned, there are no documented cases of sports rioting in New York.

Can it simply be that New York is more accustomed to celebrating championships? Are local governmental officials and police better prepared to handle these situations before they grow out of hand? I'm not sure if it's my imagination but it seems that with each successive championship in Boston, the rioting has been less severe.

Images of Championship Cities

It used to be that one's sports heroes were on the front page of newspapers after winning it all.

Today, it's usually a front page with sports coverage and a secondary story covering rioting fans, quoting the police chief with images of overturned cars and garbage bins on fire.

Unfortunately, this leaves the law-abiding fan, who so loyally rooted on their team on the outside looking in. It leaves a city that should be euphorically celebrating a championship instead with a black eye to the rest of the world.